《Ashes Of Deep Sea》


 Chapter 1

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Endless fog rolled outside the window as if the world had disappeared at the end of the fog. A ray of soft light from the sky was the only light that could penetrate through the fog, and it dimly lit the quiet room.


    Inside the slightly messy studio apartment room, Zhou Ming sat in front of the table. All the stuff on the table was violently swept to one side while the man with a depressed expression wrote swiftly on a book.


    ¡°Day 7. Nothing has changed. The fog outside the window still hides everything from me. The window is shut tight by an unknown force¡­ It¡¯s as if the entire room has been ¡®tossed¡¯ into an abnormal space¡­


    ¡°I have no means to contact the outside world. There¡¯s no running water or electricity either. But the lights can still be turned on and the computer too. It¡¯s still running even after I¡¯ve unplugged everything.¡±


    It sounded as if a gust of gentle wind was coming from the window, making Zhou Ming, who was diligently documenting his day in his diary, suddenly raise his head. Hope flickered in his weary eyes, only for him to realize it was all his own hallucination the next second. The pale white fog remained outside the window as if it was a cold and quiet world that had surrounded his room.


    He diverted his gaze to the window sill and noticed the hammer and wrench he tossed. Those were signs of his struggle to get out of his room through the window a few days back. Now, they were just heavy tools silently lying there. It looked as if they were laughing at his dire situation.


    Calmness returned to Zhou Ming¡¯s face a few seconds later. He was calm in an unusual way. He lowered his head once again to write in the book.


    ¡°I¡¯m trapped here and have no idea how to leave this place. For the past few days, I¡¯ve tried destroying the ceiling, walls, and even the floors, but despite all my efforts, not even a scratch was left on the walls. It¡¯s as if the room has become a box that¡¯s molded into this space with no means of escaping¡­


    ¡°Except for that door.


    ¡°But what lies outside that door¡­is even weirder.¡±


    Zhou Ming paused once again. He slowly read through the words he had written before aimlessly flipping through the pages. He saw the things that he had documented for the past few days. Those were words of despair, sentences of imagination, scribbles of desperation, and jokes to force himself to keep a cool mind.


    He couldn¡¯t tell if there was meaning to writing in his diary. He had no idea to who he was writing that gibberish. The truth was that he was never one to keep a journal. As a high school teacher with limited free time, he never had the time to do such a thing.


    However, now, whether he liked it or not, he had a lot of spare time.


    When he woke up one day, he learned that he was trapped inside his room.


    The view out the window was replaced by a thick fog, so thick that he couldn¡¯t see anything past it. It was also as if the cycle between day and night was gone. That time had stopped. Inside the dim room, the window was tightly locked, the water and electricity were cut off, there was no mobile signal, and no matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t get any help from the outside world.


    It was as if he was in a ridiculous nightmare, and everything that happened in it went against the law of nature. However, Zhou Ming had tried everything and had one thing confirmed. He was not in an illusion and not a dream too. He was in a world where nothing made sense, and he was temporarily still normal.


    The man took a deep breath and looked at the door at the edge of his room.


    It was a regular and cheap white wooden door. On it was an old calendar from last year that he had forgotten to change. The doorknob had been turned so much that it was shiny. The floor mat was a little off-centered.


    That door could still be opened.


    If the sealed room was like a prison, then the cruelest part of the prison was that a door that could be open anytime remained. It was as if the door was tempting the prisoner to push it open. Yet the world outside that door was not the world Zhou Ming was hoping for.


    The old but warm hallway was no longer there. The lively street was nowhere to be seen either. There was nothing out there that he was accustomed to.


    Instead, it was an unfamiliar place that gave off an eerie vibe. It was also another trap that he could not escape.


    Zhou Ming knew there wasn¡¯t much time left for him to hesitate. There was no option for him to choose from to begin with.


    The ration he had left was the problem. To begin with, the few bottles he had were now a quarter of what they were. He had tried everything he could to get out of the sealed room and seek help, but now, only one option remained for him, to get prepared and look for a way to survive in what was outside the door.


    There was also the chance for him to discover the cause of the bizarre supernatural phenomenon happening to him.


    Zhou Ming took a breath and turned his head back to complete the remaining few paragraphs in his diary. ¡°Whatever the cause is, the only option I have left is to head to what¡¯s across the door. At least I can still find food on that weird ship. The exploration and preparation I¡¯ve done over there for the past few days are enough for me to survive on it. Although¡­ there was only so much I could do to prepare.


    ¡°Lastly, to anyone who arrives after me, if I never make it back, and if anyone manages to open the door to this room, please don¡¯t think of what I¡¯ve written in this diary as a mere fictional work. Everything in here really did happen despite how terrifying it sounds. There really exists a person called Zhou Ming who is trapped inside this crazy and strange space.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried my best to describe every weird phenomenon that happened after I arrived here and all the things I¡¯ve done to try and get out of this room. If there really is someone who¡¯s reading this, please, at least, remember my name. At the very least, remember that all of these happened.¡±


    Zhou Ming then closed the diary, tossed the pen into the container, and got up.


    He had decided it was time to leave before he was wholly sunken into a passive and desperate state.


    After a short ponder, he didn¡¯t head toward the door that was the only thing connected to the ¡°outside world.¡± Instead, he walked toward his bed.


    He concluded that he needed to be at his best to face whatever was in the ¡°foreign land¡± past the door. He knew that at that moment, his condition, especially his mental state, wasn¡¯t the best yet.


    Having no idea whether he could fall asleep or not, he still forced himself to lie down on the bed and entered a state of emptying his mind. It was still better than trying to wander on the ¡°other side¡± of the door when he was mentally exhausted.


    Eight hours later, Zhou Ming opened his eyes.


    The thick fog remained outside the window while the dim nature light still gave off a depressing vibe.


    Zhou Ming ignored the situation outside the window and took out the remaining food he had left. After ensuring he was at least 80% full, he walked toward the standing mirror in the corner of his room.


    The man in the reflection still had messy hair that made him look dispirited. The man was not attractive either. However, Zhou Ming stared at his reflection in the mirror as if trying to forever carve that look into his head.


    He continued to stare at the mirror for a few minutes until he started to mumble in a low voice. It sounded like he was trying to talk to the man in the mirror. ¡°Your name is Zhou Ming. At least, you are Zhou Ming ¡®here.¡¯ Zhou Ming is your name. You have to remember that.¡±


    After that, he turned to leave.


    He approached the door that he was very familiar with and took a deep breath before resting his hand on the doorknob.


    Besides his attire, he did not bring anything with him. No food or any weapons to defend himself with. That was his experience after ¡°exploring¡± the other side a few times. Other than himself, nothing could go through the door.


    The truth was that he even had to question if he was himself or not.


    Zhou Ming twisted the knob and pushed the door open. The dark and heavy fog rolled before him like a heavy curtain. He felt he could already hear the ocean waves among the mist that expanded indefinitely.


    He walked past that heavy fog and was met with the slightly fishy smell of the ocean wind. The sound of the waves became real instead of his own imagination. The floor he stood on rocked somewhat back and forth. He closed his eyes for a second and waited for the dizziness to pass before opening them again. The first thing he saw was a wide and open wooden deck, the tall spar that spanned high up into the dark clouds, and the seemingly endless ocean past the side of the ship.


    Zhou Ming lowered his head and looked at his body, which was a little more muscular than he had remembered. He was wearing an expensive-looking and exquisite but unfamiliar captain¡¯s uniform. On his vast and firm hands was a classic black flintlock pistol.


    He was right. He had to question if he was himself or not.

 Chapter 2

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    That was not Zhou Ming¡¯s first time going through the door to the ¡°other side.¡±


    A few days back, he woke up to find himself trapped in his room surrounded by a certain ¡°phenomenon.¡± After the mysterious fog covered the entire world, he discovered the ¡°other side¡± outside the door.


    That door was the only exit from his room.


    He could still recall the shock and helplessness he had felt when he first walked through that door and onto a deck. He also clearly remembered the panic when he lowered his head to see that his body had been switched. However, after that, he successfully gathered his guts to explore the world outside the door to find a way to get out of the place. He had yet to understand the things that had happened to him or the strange ship outside his ¡°room,¡± but he had gained some experience of the new world and had a fundamental understanding of the ship.


    Just like the last few times, Zhou Ming tried to use the shortest amount of time to eliminate the dizziness from passing through the door. He then proceeded to check the body he had and the pistol in his hand. He ensured every detail was the same in his memory before confirming that he still had the same thing before leaving the deck.


    ¡°Looks like my body will be switched without delay when I walk through that door¡­ It would¡¯ve been great if I could place a camera on the deck. I would love to check and see what this captain¡¯s body will do when I return to the room¡­


    ¡°Unfortunately, items of another world can¡¯t go through the door, so I can¡¯t bring a camera over¡­


    ¡°But, I did record myself with my phone in the room when I walked through the door. I can confirm that I¡¯ve walked into that black fog¡­ Does that mean that my body gets changed in the fog?¡±


    Zhou Ming mumbled. He knew it would look funny if others saw him talking to himself on the deck, but he had to make some noise. At least, he needed something to prove that he was still ¡°alive¡± on the empty ghost ship.


    As the wind with a slight fishy smell breezed past the deck, the black and blue uniform made out of materials unknown to the man flapped with it. He let out a sigh. Instead of walking out into the deck, he turned to look at the door behind him.


    He rested his hand on the doorknob.


    He turned it. If he pushed the door in, he would see the black fog once again. Past that fog would be the same studio apartment room he had lived in for a long time.


    However, he pulled the door out.


    The slightly heavy door creaked as it opened, showing the dim cabin inside. Under the faint light, he could see an exquisite tapestry on the wall, a decoration shelf with many ornaments on it, and a huge map table in the middle of the room. In the deepest part of the room was another door with a wine-red floor mat in front of it.


    The door he had walked through would lead back to his apartment room, while pulling the door open would lead to the captain¡¯s cabin. It seemed to him that the latter was the ¡°original function¡± of the door.


    Zhou Ming stepped into the cabin. When he got in, he would reflectively turn to look toward the left. A full-size mirror was hung on the wall, and through that mirror, he got to see what ¡°Zhou Ming¡± looked like at that moment.


    He was a tall man with thick black hair, majestic stubble, and deep eyes. Just his look alone was enough to pressure someone. He looked in his forties, but his heroic appearance and daunting eyes made him feel it was hard to tell his age. The exquisitely made captain uniform only elevated his unique status.


    Zhou Ming moved his head a little and made a funny expression. He had always thought of himself as a friendly and easy-going person. However, now, his appearance was the complete opposite of his personality. It only took a while for him to give up. The smile didn¡¯t make the man in the mirror look friendlier. Instead, it turned him from a dignified captain into a psychotic murderer.


    Just as he was doing that, a series of cracks could be heard from the map table. He wasn¡¯t surprised by it and turned to look at it. There was a wooden goat head carving on the table, slowly spinning toward him. It was as if the lifeless wooden carving had come to life, and the two obsidian embedded into the eyes were now staring at him.


    The thought of his reaction when he first encountered that made him chuckle a little. He walked towards the table as the head continued to turn slowly. ¡°Name?¡± A hoarse and gloomy voice came out of it.


    ¡°Duncan,¡± Zhou Ming calmly replied. ¡°Duncan Abenormmal.¡±


    The head¡¯s voice immediately switched from hoarse and gloomy to passionate. ¡°Good morning, captain! I¡¯m glad that you remember your name this time. How are you feeling today? How¡¯s your body? Did you get a good sleep last night? I hope you had a good dream. Also, today is a great day to raise the sails and begin our voyage. The ocean is calm, the wind is perfect, and the temperature is comfortable. There are no annoying navy or noisy crew with us. Captain, do you know of an annoying crew who¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re annoying enough.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t Zhou Ming¡¯s first interaction with the goat head, he could still hear the tremble in his voice; he glared at the head and managed to say, ¡°Silence.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Of course, captain. I know you prefer silence more than anything else! Your loyal first mate, who¡¯s also your second mate, boatswain, sailor, and navigator, knows this very well. Being quiet is a good thing. A person in the medical field¡­ or is it the philosophy field? Maybe the construction field¡­¡±


    Not only Zhou Ming¡¯s voice was trembling now, but his body also started to tremble a little from anger. ¡°I¡¯m ordering you to shut up!¡±


    When he mentioned it was an order, the goat head quietened immediately.


    Zhou Ming let out a sigh of relief and sat down in front of the map table. Now, he was the captain of the ghost ship that had no crew.


    Duncan Abenormmal. That was a name he was unfamiliar with and the last name that was hard for him to pronounce.


    The first time he walked past the black fog and stepped onto the deck, he had already known the name. He knew that the body he had on the ¡°other side¡± was called Duncan and that he was the ship¡¯s owner. He also knew that the ship was on an extremely long voyage. He knew all those information, but those were the only things he knew.


    The memory of the captain was cloudy and in fragments. It caused him to know nothing except for the vital information. He knew there was a shocking plan for the trip, but he had no idea where the destination was. It also seemed like the original of the ship, the original Duncan Abenormmal, had passed away a long time ago.


    The fragments of memory that remained in Zhou Ming¡¯s head were like the few strongest and deepest ¡°desires¡± that the ghost captain had left before leaving the world.


    His instinct told him there were a few issues with the original Captain Duncan¡¯s background. It was especially true when supernatural phenomenons ¨C the talking wooden goat head ¨C existed on the ship. He felt that the mystery surrounding the captain could mean that dangers surrounded him that he had never thought of before. However, he needed to become the captain to move safely about the ship.


    Just like the wooden goat head, other things on the ship would try to confirm his identity as the ¡°captain¡± all the time.


    Even the ship itself was trying to confirm his identity.


    It felt as if it was a type of safety measure and as if the captain would forget his own name at any time. If that were to happen, then something terrible and dangerous could happen. That would be why such an ¡°inspection mechanism¡± was installed on the ship.


    Although Zhou Ming had no idea what would happen if ¡°Captain Duncan¡± forgot his own name, he was confident that if he got the name wrong, the consequences would be terrible.


    Despite how friendly the goat head was, he could also tell that it was a dangerous object.


    However, as long as he pretended to be Duncan Abenormmal, everything on the ship would treat him nicely.


    He could tell that all the items on the ship weren¡¯t as bright as they seemed.


    Zhou Ming, or Duncan, returned from his short thought and looked at the opened sea chart on the table.


    The chart had no visible route, markers, continents, or even islands. The only things visible on the thick parchment were the grey and white masses rolling on it. Those grey and white masses were like fog covering the original route; the only thing he could distinguish from the chart was the barely visible shadow of the ship under the fog.


    Duncan, or Zhou Ming, had no voyage experience in his life. However, no matter how inexperienced he was, even he could tell that a ¡°real¡± sea chart did not look like that.


    It was evident that, like the wooden goat head on the table, the chart was also a type of supernatural item. However, he had yet to understand how to use it.


    Perhaps it had noticed that the captain had finally diverted his attention to the chart, the goat head that had been silent for a while suddenly moved again. Along with the cracking wood sound, it gently turned its head. It tried to move as quietly as possible at first, but it eventually gave up, and the cracking sound was so loud that it was impossible to ignore. In the end, it turned so fast that it felt as if there was a phone vibrating on the table.


    Worried that if it kept turning so fast, it would ignite itself on fire, Duncan turned to glare at it. ¡°You may speak.¡±


    ¡°Yes, captain! I want to remind you that today is a great day to raise the sails! Just as always, the Lost Home awaits your command! Will we be raising the sails?¡±

 Chapter 3

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The wooden goat head looked at Duncan, who was sitting by the map table with its black eyes. It was as if its obsidian eyes were flickering, but, in truth, it could not express emotion on its face. However, Duncan could clearly see the expectation on its face.


    That wasn¡¯t the goat head¡¯s first time urging him to raise the sails. The head would do it whenever he came into the captain¡¯s cabin.


    He could even feel the ship itself urging him to resume the journey so that it could end the aimless drift on the sea and return to the right path.


    Yet, Duncan remained silent. The powerful-looking face was dark as he slumped into a deep thinking process. He clearly found two different problems.


    First, he was the only person onboard the ship, and the vessel was inhumanely massive. The ship, Lost Home, relied on sails to move, and Duncan roughly put the ship¡¯s length at 150 to 200 meters long. To manage such a vast ship, he would at least need a dozen of years and even a few hundred years of experience as a sailor. He had no confidence in doing that alone.


    Second, even if he had the experience, another thing was stopping him from beginning the journey. He had no idea how to captain a ship.


    Duncan was slightly anxious. He tried to imagine what would happen if he asked the strange and annoying goat head how to captain the ship. After thinking of the response, he got even more worried.


    The goat head had no idea what its captain was thinking about. ¡°Captain, is something worrying you? If you¡¯re worried about the Lost Home¡¯s condition, then there¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. The Lost Home is always prepared to sail to the world¡¯s edge with you. Or, could it be that you¡¯re worried that something unlucky might happen if we sail today? I know a little fortune reading. Which do you believe in? Constellations? Tarot? Or crystal ball? Now that I think about it, do you remember last time when the crystal¡­¡±


    Duncan tried his best to control his facial expression while holding back his urge to yell at the goat head. ¡°I¡¯ll go check the situation on the deck. Just wait here quietly.¡±


    ¡°I understand. But, I do have to remind you that the Lost Home has been drifting aimlessly for a long time. You have to take control of the helm soon and put the ship back on the right course,¡± the goat head replied. Then, with the cracking sound, it returned to its original position.


    It was as if the world had finally quieted down for Duncan.


    He let out another sigh of relief again. He started to calm down and picked the flintlock pistol off the table before getting up to leave the captain¡¯s cabin.


    The old flintlock pistol was found by him when he was exploring the ship. Along with the pistol was a one-handed sword. By his waist now hung the sword, and those two items were meant to be a form of protection when he wandered on the ship.


    It took him a long time to roughly learn how to use the two weapons in his past few days of exploration. However, up until now, he had yet to meet other living beings on the ship other than him.


    That was excluding items that could speak.


    The fishy sea breeze managed to calm Duncan¡¯s annoyance down a little. He walked onto the deck outside the cabin and subconsciously raised his head to look at the sky.


    The thick rainclouds still covered the sky up to the horizon¡¯s edge. He could not see the sun, moon, or even stars. Only dim light could pass through the cloud and faintly reflect off the seemingly endless ocean.


    The view had been the same for a very long time. Ever since Duncan arrived on the ship, the sky had remained the same. It even made him wonder if normal weather did not exist in the new world, that the thick rainclouds would forever loom over the ocean.


    Duncan turned around and looked at the door to the captain¡¯s cabin, quietly sitting at the end of the deck. On top of the door was a line of words, which he couldn¡¯t read, carved into the wall. However, when he focused on the line of words, he could understand what they meant in his head.


    ¡°Door of Lost Home.¡±


    ¡°The Door of Lost Home¡­ The Lost Home, huh?¡± Duncan mumbled before laughing mockingly at himself. ¡°This ship sure has a good name.¡±


    He then walked past the cabin and up the stairs at the edge of the deck to the quarter deck at the stern of the ship. There was a wooden platform, and that was the second best place with a wide view of the sea other than the crow¡¯s nest.


    A black helm sat quietly on the platform, waiting for the captain to steer it.


    Duncan frowned. He had no idea why a sense of urgency and anxiousness suddenly shrouded him, and these emotions seemed to appear whenever he looked at the helm.


    He did not experience such a thing when he headed to the quarter deck the past few times.


    A sudden chaotic wind swept past the deck, kicking the waves high up in the air as if to match the anxiousness inside him. Although the waves would not affect a ship as massive as the Lost Home, they still alerted Duncan. The next second, he turned to look toward the ship¡¯s bow.


    In front of the Lost Home and between the water and the murky sky, a seemingly endless and wall-like white fog appeared out of nowhere, making him widen his eyes.


    The white fog looked like it could surround the entire world and separate it from everything else. The ship was moving toward the fog fast, but rather than the humungous mist size, what made Duncan even more worried was that it reminded him of the endless white fog he could see from the window in his studio apartment room.


    The Lost Home was drifting straight toward it.


    Duncan had no idea what the fog was and what lay deep inside it, but he could feel that it was extremely dangerous. His survival instinct told him that getting swallowed by the fog was a bad idea.


    He instinctively rushed toward the helm but was quickly taken over by a sense of helplessness. Even if he had his hands on the helm, he didn¡¯t know how to steer the ship away from collision with the fog on his own.


    However, he still arrived at the helm. When he arrived, a hoarse and gloomy voice came from the bronze tube next to the helm connected to the captain¡¯s cabin. It was from the goat head. This time, the voice of the mysterious item sounded as if it was slightly panicking.


    ¡°Captain! We¡¯ve detected the collapse of the border in front of us. We are very close to the edge of reality! Please turn the ship back!¡±


    Duncan almost yelled back after hearing the goat head¡¯s panicked voice. ¡°Dude, do you think that¡¯s easy? Why don¡¯t you just make 80 men who know how to steer this thing appear instead of asking me to do it?¡± he screamed in his head.


    He then raised his head to look at the masts on the ship¡¯s deck. The desperation became even more prominent when he saw those masts. Even if he wanted to lower the sails, there were no sails for him to do that. The ship had no sails, and the masts were all empty.


    With his adrenaline rushing, he didn¡¯t even have time to consider all the weird terms that the goat head had said. His basic instinct made him subconsciously grab the helm in front of him that was slightly shaking for reasons he did not know.


    That was the first time he had put his hands on the helm of the Lost Home in the past few days. The strange phenomenons and the goat head had been repetitively urging him to steer the ship all those times, and he had been against the idea of ¡°steering¡± the ship. However, now, the hesitation was no more an option for him.


    He grabbed the helm tightly. His blank mind didn¡¯t even have the time to wonder how he was supposed to steer a giant ghost ship on his own.


    However, changes happened right after that.


    A sound that resembled a strong wind on the mountain and at sea exploded inside Duncan¡¯s head. It also sounded like tens of thousands of people cheering by the shore as the ship departed from the dock as if millions of sailors were cheering the captain¡¯s name on the pier. Amidst those were also hints of a bleak pirate song and the sound of terrifying waves.


    A ball of green flame suddenly appeared at the edge of Duncan¡¯s field of view. He instinctively looked at his palm and saw a ball of emerald green fire suddenly appear on the helm of the Lost Home, and it quickly spread like wildfire, covering his entire body almost instantly.


    Inside the raging flame, his body suddenly became something similar to a void. His captain uniform was now torn and wrinkled as if it had been soaked in seawater for hundreds of years. Duncan could vaguely see the bones on his body that had become something like a spirit. Fire danced on his crystal-like bones while eternal fire flew through his veins like water.


    Despite all the flames he saw, he didn¡¯t feel pain or the sensation of being burned. As the fire continued to burn, he could feel his senses spreading out in all directions.


    The flame started spreading from the quarter-deck, past the main deck, the port, the starboard, and the masts. The fire spread out and formed nets on the deck before slowly rising up the masts. They eventually formed huge sails that rose high up into the sky.


    The sails of the Lost Home had been lowered and were speeding towards the edge of reality that was crumbling.

 Chapter 4

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The ghostly green flame burned lively on him. His flesh and bone turned half transparent like a specter under the fire. With the fire burning and his hands on the helm of the Lost Home, Duncan¡¯s sense spread along with the fire until it covered the entire ship.


    It was then that he learned that he had no need for a crew,


    The Lost Home could raise its sails on its own. All it needed was the captain to steer the helm, and it could begin its journey.


    Duncan was a little panicked at first when the ghostly green flame appeared. However, after witnessing more than one supernatural phenomenon during his exploration on the ship for the past few days, he was able to force himself to calm down and keep his hands on the helm during the most crucial few seconds.


    Now, he had confirmed that the flame was a type of ¡°power¡± that could not harm him. Besides whether his body would return to its original state or not, from what he could see, the power of the flame was assisting him in controlling the ghost ship he was standing on.


    The sounds of waves and cheering in his head had subsided. Duncan felt that his mind was at its clearest. The Lost Home was like an extension of his own body, and he could feel the ¡°senses¡± coming from different parts of the ship. He had no knowledge or experience to qualify as a captain, but at the very least, he could steer the ship on his own.


    The ghostly sails that looked like fogs rose high up the masts. The gaff sails and main sail started to adjust their angles. Airflows coming from the ocean were chaotic, but it looked as if the sails were able to gain force through the winds. The huge Lost Home had ended its aimless drift and started to slow down with the help of the sails.


    Duncan tried to turn the helm in his hands, and he could sense the feedback from that motion in his brain. He could feel the enormous ship he was standing on starting to turn and steering itself away from the endless fog in front.


    However, it seemed like the turning speed was not enough. They were still closing in on the fog with no end. The scream of the goat head was suddenly transmitted through the bronze pipe next to the helm. ¡°Be careful! We¡¯re closing in on the limit of reality! We¡¯ll be falling into the Spirit World soon! Captain! We have to¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± Duncan yelled back and interrupted the goat head. ¡°Rather than being annoying down there, why don¡¯t you find a way to help?¡±


    The goat head immediately quietened down. Just as Duncan thought it would stop annoying him, the hoarse and shrilling voice suddenly cheered through the bronze pipe, ¡°Give it your best! Give it your best! Don¡¯t give up!¡±


    Duncan turned to look at the bronze pipe, completely dumbfounded for a second.


    Then he suddenly felt that he had lost the sense of reality in his surroundings. He had accepted the strange phenomenon that had locked him in his room, he had accepted the supernatural power on the ship, and he had even accepted the fact that the green flame was slowly burning him. Still, he couldn¡¯t convince himself that the goat head that had been making him worry for his life would react in such a way. He knew that the goat head was abnormal from the beginning, but it was not making any sense now.


    However, the thick fog closing in did not give Duncan time to think or roast the goat head. Even though the Lost Home was already turning around at a quick pace, it felt as if it was more like a car drifting instead of turning because of its vast body. It felt as if the thick fog had a conscious and was actively chasing after its pretty. Thin fogs began to spread out of its edge, spreading so fast that they almost engulfed the Lost Home instantly.


    When the thin fog appeared, Duncan could feel that a strange change was occurring in his surroundings. The sunlight became even dimmer, and almost unlimited thin black lines appeared on the blue ocean water without him realizing it until now. The black lines were like hairs floating up to the surface of the water and dyed the entire ocean black so quickly that he could see it changing.


    Things that Duncan could not make out, their shapes and sizes, had also begun to appear inside the thin fog.


    ¡°We¡¯ve fallen into the Spirit World!¡± The goat head had stopped cheering with its hoarse voice. Duncan had no idea why, but it sounded as if the goat head was very far away, and he could faintly hear almost silent mumbles in its voice. It was as if there were a lot of voices of hatred and anger surrounding him. ¡°But, the Lost Home has yet to fall into it completely! Captain! You have to steer the ship! It can still sail as long as we have not yet sunken into the Silent Deep Sea! We can still make it out of here!¡±


    ¡°I can do that if I know where I¡¯m supposed to be heading!¡± Duncan silently roared. Mixed in with his voice were the crackles of the green flame, and it sounded as if it came from hell. ¡°I don¡¯t even know which is the right direction!¡±


    ¡°Trust your instinct, Captain! You have to believe in it!¡± the goat head yelled back through the bronze pipe. ¡°Your instinct is way more accurate than the chart!¡±


    Duncan became silent. A sense of helplessness took over his body, but he had no extra strength to argue with a weird goat head. Since it had told him to trust his instinct, he had decided to be bold.


    He thought about the last remaining sensation he had felt just a second before the fog had swallowed him. He grabbed the helm in his hand tightly and steered the ship towards the direction he believed was the exit.


    Terrifying howls could be heard coming from the entire Lost Home. The vast ship had drawn a perfect curve on the water that was completely black now. The wind was howling, and the fog was spinning, but amid the dim sunlight and thin moisture, Duncan could catch something slowly appearing among the mist in the corner of his eyes.


    The next second, he quickly noticed that it was another ship. The new ship was at least a size smaller than the Lost Home, and it was a white warship with black smoke coming out of its funnel in the middle of the ship.


    After drawing the perfect curve on the water due to the sudden turn, the warship had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was now speeding straight toward the Lost Home. Or, to be more precise, the Lost Home was now on a collision course with the warship.


    All Duncan could do when he saw that was yelling in his head. ¡°Holy cow! I will get into an accident for speeding in the Spirit World!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t believe that after exploring the strange new world for so long and failing to meet another living being, another ship would suddenly appear out of nowhere at such a crucial moment. ¡°Like, what are the chances?¡±


    ¡­


    The wind raged, and the waves trashed. The vast ocean was exerting its terrifying power of nature. Facing the natural forces that could tear through anything, the White Oak, a steam-powered warship, was squeezing every last ounce of energy to combat death.


    Laurence Creed, the White Oak captain, whose hair was already white, stood inside the warship¡¯s bridge. He did not feel safe despite being surrounded by sturdy walls and glass windows. He had both of his hands firmly on the helm of the ship. He could faintly feel the roars and spasms of the White Oak¡¯s struggles through the gears and connecting rod of the helm.


    Through the expansive windows, he could clearly see the huge waves of the ocean. However, something else was even more terrifying than the waves, the strange thick fog, and the almost indistinctly black lightning inside the mist, approaching them from far away.


    The White Oak was the most advanced steam-powered ship in the world. But, even the most advanced system could only make the warship the fastest on normal water. However, now, the ship and its captain had to face the edge of the crumbling reality and the piercing coldness radiating from the devilish palace of the evil god in the deepest part of the world.


    ¡°Captain! The priest can¡¯t hold it any longer!¡±


    The scream from the first mate could be heard from next to the captain. Laurance could hear the fear and shakiness in the first mate¡¯s voice. He raised his head to look past the bridge and at the prayer table set up in front of it. Evil-looking black and purple smoke rose from the table¡¯s incense burner. The respectable priest, who wore long dark blue robes, was trembling in front of the incense burner. He was bleeding from his mouth and nose, and his eyes switched back and forth from being sober to being crazy.


    Laurence¡¯s heart sank at that sight.


    He knew that the respectable priest was still on the human¡¯s side. He was using the last of his faith and purest soul to counter the summons from the ¡°Abyss.¡± However, all was futile now. The black and purple smoke from the incense proved that his prayers had been contaminated.


    Once the priest fell, every soul still sober on the ship could become a door that led toward the Silent Deep Sea and even the Subspace.


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    The yell of the first mate could be heard again. Laurence interrupted his first mate, and determination could be seen in the middle-aged captain¡¯s eyes. ¡°Turn off the Holy Compass. We¡¯re going into the Spirit World.¡±


    The first mate¡¯s eyes widened as if the man who had spent more than half his life on water couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going into the Spirit World! At least, for the next 10 minutes, we¡¯ll be able to escape from the biggest shockwave caused by the collapse, and the priest will have the chance to catch a breath!¡± Laurence didn¡¯t hesitate to lay down his order again, but he explained himself a little this time. ¡°That¡¯s an order!¡±


    The first mate opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but decided not to. ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The crew quickly executed their captain¡¯s order while Laurence, still having control over the helm, took a deep breath. The Holy Compass stored deep inside the cabin was starting to go out. He could feel the shapeless force field surrounding the White Oak was beginning to weaken. Without the protection of the holy item, the ship started to sink into the Spirit World, a space between reality and the Silent Deep Sea.


    Thin fogs began to appear around them as the ocean water quickly turned black.


    It was a dangerous decision, but there were cases in the past where people managed to return to the living realm from the Spirit World. As a member of the Explorer¡¯s Association, he had read records that documented such an event countless times and even the survival guides written by those who had survived the trip.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be that bad,¡± Laurence said to himself. All he needed to do was steer the White Oak into the edge of the Spirit World to hide from the thunderstorm. After that, he could use the advanced steam power on the ship to perform a dangerous ¡°Spirit World drift.¡± If luck was on his side, he could lead his crew back into the world of the living.


    Once he returned, he would immediately hand the famed ¡°Anomaly 099¡± in the storage to the archon of the City-state of Pland. He would not involve himself in the dirty works of the authorities anymore.


    That was the worst that could¡¯ve happened.


    Laurence tried to calm himself down.


    It was then he noticed a ship with three masts and a size bigger than the White Oak suddenly appeared out of nowhere on the horizon. The vessel moving forward suddenly turned to create a beautiful curve on the water and sailed quickly towards them.


    Captain Laurence looked at what was happening ahead of him, completely stunned.


    ¡°Fu-¡±

 Chapter 5

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    As the vast shadow was about to run over them, everyone on the White Oak had witnessed a sight that would etch into their heads for the rest of their lives.


    It was an ancient yet majestic three-masted warship. In an age where steam-powered ships were the norm, the old full-rigged ship that emerged from the thick fog looked as if it had come out of an oil painting from a century ago. Its masts stood tall, its board was dragged, and its black wooden exterior was burning in green flame as if it was death itself. The huge illusion-looking and fiery sails flapped in nothingness. Even on the terrifying vast ocean, such a scene would only appear in the most horrifying shipwreck myths.


    ¡°We¡¯re running into it!¡±


    Some of the crew members yelled. These men lived their entire lives on the water and were known for their courage and roughness. However, even they screamed in terror and ran to look for places to hide on the deck when they saw the sight of such a vast ship. Some grabbed onto things that were secured onto the White Oak, and some even gave up and ducked with the ship still rocked back and forth by the thrashing waves. They were also known to be atheists, but they were all praying to the Wind Goddess Gemora or the Lord of Death Bartok at that time.


    The gods¡¯ powers could only reach so far in the vast ocean, but only those two main gods could view all of the humans equally.


    However, not all of the members had lost their calm. The first mate was the first to direct his attention to his captain, whom he trusted the most. He was well aware of the dangers that lurked around on the vast ocean and that the experienced captain was the key to deciding the fate of the ship and the entire crew. Laurence had navigated the sea for 30 years. Although the captain, who was past his fifties, was not as strong as he used to be, the experience he had attained through surviving on the ocean could still be the lifeline everyone needed.


    Clearly, the warship that had emerged from the thick fog did not journey in the real world. It looked more like something that would come from the Spirit World or somewhere even ¡°deeper.¡± If the ship was a natural phenomenon, they might be able to combat it with something supernatural.


    Old captains who had wandered through the vast ocean for a long time had a few encounters with supernatural phenomena, at the very least.


    However, the first mate only saw shock and fear on his captain¡¯s face.


    The old captain held the helm but wasn¡¯t moving at all. He did not notice that the vast masted ship¡¯s shadow already shrouded the White Oak. He only stared at the ship that was about to collide with them with his frozen expression. In the end, he finally managed to squeeze a couple of words out of his mouth, yet, his voice was even colder than the cold sea wind. ¡°I-it¡¯s the Lost Home¡­¡±


    ¡°C-captain?¡± The first mate was shocked by the words that had entered his ears. Just like everyone else who made a living on the ocean, he had heard about the same ship from crew members who were older, more experienced, and more superstitious. ¡°What did you say the ship is? Isn¡¯t that¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Lost Home!¡±


    It was as if Captain Laurence had not heard his first mate¡¯s voice. He only grabbed the helm of the White Oak firmly as if he was ready to roar at something. The moment his sentence ended, the towering Lost Home finally came in contact with the bow of the White Oak.


    Almost every screamed in terror.


    However, the impact that would shake the entire ship did not occur as they had thought. The vast ship burning in green flame was like a colossal illusion and passed through the White Oak deck as if a projector had formed it. The crew could clearly see the thick exterior, the dark cabin, the dimly lit hallway, the burning keel, and the Lost Home pillars. The sailors widened their eyes in terror as they watched themselves enter the ghost ship and have the burning green flame swoop past them like a fiery net.


    Just like his crew, Laurence stared at the flame approaching him. But, before that happened, he saw his first mate go through the flame. The first mate¡¯s body became a half-transparent spirit-like entity under the effect of the flame. The bones under the spirit body were burning like a fresh log. He then looked at the priest by the prayer table and saw the flame on him juggling between burning brightly and almost dying out. It was as if the god watching over the priest was using its remaining power to protect him from being swallowed by the Lost Home.


    The flame then finally touched Laurence. Just like everyone else, his body changed as well. A sense of tiredness, obedience, and fear swept through his body. The Ocean Protection Charm that he had kept on him reacted right away. A sensation of heat and coldness suddenly appeared on his body to help keep him sane, and in the midst of that, he ¡°walked¡± past the Lost Home¡¯s cabin and hallways.


    The dark and depressed-looking cabin swapped past him. Then, past the burning old wooden pillars wrapped by rotting ropes and surrounded by barnacles, he saw a huge storeroom. Inside it lay strange things that should be buried deep in the ocean. He then arrived at a fancy-looking cabin, and on the table in the middle of the room sat a wooden goat head.


    The goat head slowly turned around and coldly looked into Laurence¡¯s eyes.


    Laurence used all his strength to raise his head, finally seeing the person commanding the ship. Next to the classic helm stood a man dressed in a black captain coat. His tall figure made him look like a majestic yet terrifying man who ruled one¡¯s nightmare. That same man controlled the ghostly flame that surrounded the ship, and it seemed like the sea deep into the Spirit World was under his command.


    Laurence gave up and shut his eyes. He knew that he was now part of the Lost Home and that the nightmarish captain of the ghost ship needed a few sacrifices to satisfy his endless void and solitude.


    However, the next second, he gathered all his wits to open his eyes. It felt like he had gathered all the courage and insanity for the next few seconds. He recalled all the knowledge he had gained from the records he had read and legends he had heard and used his most sincere and calmest attitude to look at the terrifying captain of the Lost Home.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take everyone with you! I¡¯ll submit to you, so, please, let my crew live!¡±


    The tall figure did not reply. Instead, he turned to look coldly at the captain of the White Oak. There was a hint of curiosity in his eyes as if he was wondering why an insignificant mortal captain would dare to bargain with him.


    Laurence finally could not hold himself back and yelled, ¡°They still have families to take care of!¡±


    The figure standing on the Lost Home finally reacted to that. He glared at Laurence and said something. However, at the same time, a sound howl swooshed past them. In the midst of that, Laurence could faintly hear something from the captain of the Lost Home, but he couldn¡¯t make out a single word.


    The response from the Lost Home was lost in the howling sea wind.


    ¡°My apologies, but the wind is too big! I can¡¯t hear what you¡¯ve just said!¡±


    The next second, a loud commotion could be heard. Among the sound of the wind and the waves, he could hear the cheers of his sailors. He turned a little and saw the green flame subsiding while the remaining phantom of the ship slowly disappeared into thin air.


    Laurence gasped at that. He then quickly noticed that his hands, surrounded by the green flame from before, had returned to normal. Even the rest on the bridge with him had regained their standard bodies. The faithful priest was leaning on the prayer table while gasping for air. He continued muttering the Wind Goddess Gemora¡¯s holy name while the eerie black and purple smoke from the incense slowly dispersed. The smoke that rose from the bronze incense cauldron was now pure white.


    It took Laurence a long time for his quick breath to calm down. He then looked around as if he was suspicious of something and couldn¡¯t believe that the nightmare had ended. He was then interrupted by his first mate¡¯s exclamation. ¡°Captain! The ship! The Lost Home has left!¡±


    Laurence was a little dumbfounded. After a few seconds, he found himself mumbling. ¡°H-he let us live?¡±


    The first mate did not hear what his captain had said. ¡°Captain? What did you say?¡±


    ¡°That Captain Duncan¡­¡± Laurence instinctively continued to mumble, but he quickly clasped his mouth with his hand as if he had mentioned a taboo word. He promptly raised his head to look at his first mate and ordered, ¡°Hurry up and make a roll call! Check and see if everyone is still onboard!¡±


    The first mate immediately nodded. However, just as he was about to leave, Laurence stopped him.


    ¡°Also, check if anyone has boarded our ship¡­¡±


    The first mate was stunned for a second and quickly realized what his captain had meant. A hint of fear appeared in his eyes, and he took a deep breath. He ran out onto the deck as he prayed to the Wind Goddess.


    The bell rang throughout the White Oak, still voyaging in the Spirit World.

 Chapter 6

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    With the hasty bell rings, the sailors¡¯ hurried footsteps could be heard. Laurence and the second mate had already helped the priest, who was still breathing unevenly into the bridge.


    The old captain looked out the window and onto the ocean. The White Oak was still deep inside the Spirit World. Anything outside the ship was just thick fog, and the water was still dyed in black. However, the storm had already calmed down while the terrifying Lost Home was now nowhere to be seen. Seeing gave off a misconception that the storm and the collapsing of reality were caused by the ghost ship. It was as if once the Lost Home was gone, the disasters also left the White Oak alone.


    Laurence thought of all the terrifying legends about the Lost Home and its captain Duncan Abenormmal. It reminded him of the stories of the fleet that was swallowed by the edge of reality a century ago and the rest of the ships that sunk after running into the Lost Home. It made him realize that all the stories could have been true.


    However, what was important now was that the Lost Home had left, and the surrounding had calmed down for the time being. Although they were still deep inside the dangerous Spirit World, at least he and his crew had the chance to rest a little.


    Captain Laurence knew what he had to do next. He had to make sure if the Lost Home had taken anything from his ship or if it had left anything with them.


    And he knew he had to do it as fast as possible.


    He couldn¡¯t risk getting his ship back into the real world unless he had gotten rid of all the potential troubles. The reason was that things from the Spirit World would contaminate reality. However, if they remained in the Spirit World for too long, he and his crew would be affected by symptoms that couldn¡¯t be reversed.


    With the commotion on the deck, Laurence suddenly raised his head from his deep thought and looked at the priest in front of the incense cauldron, who was now looking better. With a serious expression, he asked, ¡°Mr. Ron, what¡¯s our stability looking like?¡±


    The priest coughed a couple of times before reaching into his chest pocket to take out an elegant small compass with many oceanic and holy symbols carved on it. He opened the metallic cover with a click, and the compass needle quickly spun, eventually stopping in a specific direction.


    ¡°We are now hovering in the outer layer of the Spirit World that¡¯s slightly closer to reality. The influence of the Silent Deep Sea on us is¡­ minimal.¡± The priest looked confused as he read the condition of the compass. ¡°That¡¯s weird. We¡¯re completely stabilized here. We are even barely sinking with the holy item shut off¡­ Cough¡­¡±


    ¡°Could it be that ¡®collision¡¯ with the Lost Home pushed us back onto the safe course?¡± Laurence bitterly laughed as he shook his head and made a joke to calm people down a little. ¡°I¡¯ve heard there exists a balanced point inside the Spirit World that prevents the things from reality getting ¡®pulled¡¯ by the deeper part of the Spirit World¡­¡±


    ¡°Captain, this is not the time to joke around,¡± the priest said before coughing again. Although he had stabilized his breathing, he wasn¡¯t in good condition yet. ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯ll have to report this back to the church¡­ The appearance of the Lost Home is not something we can joke with. There are a lot of reports on encounters with the Lost Home, but those were all proven to be lies made up by the crew or illusions caused by supernatural phenomena. However, today, we witnessed it¡­ Oh, Goddess¡­ Captain, you must be mentally prepared to be grounded for a while once we get back to Pland.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Whether it¡¯s the church or the government, they won¡¯t let a warship that has just encountered a supernatural phenomenon embark. This is for the safety of the crew. The church and the government aren¡¯t the only organizations I have to report this too, but the Explorer¡¯s Association and¡­ Ehem¡­ my scary wife¡­¡± Laurence rubbed his temple, trying to soothe his headache. After a long sigh, he waved his arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s leave this for another time. You need your rest now. We¡¯ll still need the goddess¡¯s protection until we return to Pland.¡±


    The priest gently nodded. Not long after that, the first mate who had left for a while had returned.


    ¡°Captain, no one is missing, and we didn¡¯t get new members either!¡± The first mate did not wait for the captain to ask and started reporting. ¡°I personally checked all the sailors that had gathered on the deck and even went to check the mechanics that remained in the steam engine room. They can all accurately call out the name of their gods. I have confirmed that they are all alive.¡±


    ¡°Not a single one is missing?¡± Laurence¡¯s eyes turned wide immediately. It should be good news, but he couldn¡¯t believe the first mate¡¯s report. ¡°How about the Holy Compass?¡±


    ¡°The holy item is normal as well.¡± The first mate nodded. ¡°The members have already prepared the incense and the spirit oil. They are now waiting for your order to reactivate it.¡±


    Confusion was written all over the captain¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t help but mumble to himself once again. ¡°Did¡­ he really let us go?¡±


    ¡°I believe luck is on our side, captain.¡± The first mate shrugged. ¡°We didn¡¯t lose anything in the end. Maybe the scary ghost captain passed by and accidentally ran into us?¡±


    ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± Laurence glared at his first mate in the eyes. ¡°If luck is on our side, we would never have run into¡­¡±


    Before the captain could even finish his sentence, hurried footsteps could be heard from out the door. A second later, someone pushed the entrance to the bridge open, and the boatswain, who was covered in sweat, entered. Fear was written all over the tall and muscular man¡¯s face.


    ¡°Captain! Abnormality 099 is missing!¡±


    The bridge immediately became silent. Everyone looked at each other without saying anything. Unable to explain the reason, Laurence was shocked for a second but quickly let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Thank God,¡± he thought. ¡°Something abnormal happening after running into the Lost Home means everything is normal!¡±


    He was able to control his facial expression quickly. He walked toward the door as he hastily ordered his first mate to take over the helm before telling his boatswain to lead the way.


    Hurried footsteps echoed all over the White Oak¡¯s hallway. Laurence didn¡¯t take long to reach the deepest part of the steam-powered ship with the boatswain leading the way.


    A special cabin was now in front of him.


    The door to the cabin had a lot of mysterious symbols carved onto it. The heavy black door seemed like it was made out of black iron. The abstruse signs spread from the doorframe into the hallway as if they were forming a sealed cage to trap whatever was stored inside the cabin.


    Laurence glanced at the door to ensure that the heavy door and the symbols weren¡¯t destroyed. He then raised his head to look up into the ceiling. Just past the ceiling was the ¡°Holy Item Storage,¡± where the Holy Compass was stored at. The compass was an item to ensure that the ship would not be affected by the ¡°abyss¡± and acted as another safety device to ensure the cabin was sealed. It should have the power to make sure that the seal remains active.


    However, with both safety measures still in effect, the things sealed inside the cabin, the most important cargo on the White Oak, the Abnormality 099, also known as the Puppet Coffin, had disappeared.


    Laurence took a deep breath and walked up to the sealed door. With his brute strength, he pushed the heavy door open.


    The inside of the sealed room was brightly lit. The four vapor lamps on all corners lit the entire room. The lights in the room were on all the time.


    The boatswain¡¯s voice could be heard from behind Laurence. ¡°A sailor would come and check on the chains around the ¡°coffin,¡± and the ashes spread across the floor every two hours. However, because of the sudden appearance of the¡­ ghost ship, the chaotic moment caused the sailor tasked to check the room to miss his shift. He arrived seven minutes late and discovered that the Abnormality 099 had gone missing¡­¡±


    ¡°No. His arrival seven minutes late won¡¯t cause that thing to lose control. At most, we¡¯ll only see a few strange occurrences caused by the weakening of the seal. The worst would be us seeing a coffin running amok in this room. The layers of seals and the Holy Compass are not for shows.¡± Laurence shook his head with a deep frown. ¡°The current situation is that it has disappeared¡­ The item is missing from our ship. It has nothing to do with that sailor.¡±


    The boatswain reacted anxiously. ¡°Are you saying¡­¡±


    ¡°It must be the Lost Home,¡± Laurence said in a deep voice. ¡°That ¡®captain¡¯ has taken away Abnormality 099¡­¡±


    The captain then paused for a short while before letting out a sigh. ¡°Perhaps, we should consider ourselves lucky. The Lost Home would always take things it wanted with them. That captain came for the Abnormality 099 and not our lives.¡±


    The boatswain looked at the captain¡¯s expression and then at the empty, sealed room. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, ¡°Then¡­ How are we supposed to report this to the authority for losing such an important cargo¡­¡±


    Laurence turned to look at his boatswain and patted his shoulder.


    ¡°The Lost Home is considered a natural disaster. We still have the maritime insurance for that.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ will the insurance company compensate for this?¡±


    ¡°If they don¡¯t, we¡¯ll have the Explorer¡¯s Association issue a new bounty for the Lost Home.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut it!¡±

 Chapter 7

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The burning green flame was slowly dying out, and the ocean around the ship had also calmed down.


    Once he had confirmed from the goat head that the Lost Home was already out of the danger zone and could journey to wherever it wanted, Duncan had lifted his hands from the black and heavy helm. He lowered his head and saw the human body he had before and the deck of the Lost Home that had returned to normal once the fire was gone.


    However, he had a strange feeling that after all of that, many things had changed.


    He could tell that something was starting to change when he grabbed onto the helm of the Lost Home. After the green flame connected him to the ship and linked him to the ocean, he could still feel the shapeless connection that remained, even if the flame was already gone. He could feel every little detail that was happening inside the ship that he was standing on.


    Duncan slowly closed his eyes. He could faintly hear the whispers echoing from the deep dark hallway of the Lost Home. Strangely enough, the whispers sounded sweet to him. He could see that the inside of the captain¡¯s cabin was somehow lit. The white light flickered inside the glass of the lamp. He could hear the sound of the waves slapping on the exterior of the ship. It felt as if something was watching them from the waves, and he tried to search for the owner of the stare. However, the latter quickly hid as if it was alive.


    Duncan opened his eyes and let out a sigh. The spirit and fog-like sails on the masts fluttered with the wind as he walked toward the stairs that led to the main deck. The ropes by the stairs wiggled a little and started to retract.


    It was then that he understood that once he had accepted the helm, he had become the ship¡¯s captain.


    ¡°Captain, we are currently ascending at the border of the Spirit World. We¡¯ll soon return to the real world.¡± The goat head¡¯s voice could be heard next to Duncan, but this time, it didn¡¯t come from a bronze pipe but was transmitted directly into his head. The goat head sounded more serious when they got down to business and was less annoying than before. ¡°We¡¯re pretty lucky. We¡¯ve only ¡®shook¡¯ a little when we were in the deeper part of the Spirit World, and we are barely affected by the Silent Dead Sea.¡±


    The names of these places continuously appeared inside Duncan¡¯s head, the reality, the waters of the Spirit World, the Silent Dead Sea, and the Subspace that existed even more profound than those. He understood that these terms referred to the actual situation of the strange world he was in, but he had no idea what those terms meant.


    However, when the goat head addressed him as captain this time, he could faintly feel that its tone had slightly changed. He even started to think that if he told the goat head about his true identity, that he was ¡°Zhou Ming,¡± it would still listen to his order. That was one of the changes that had happened after he put his hands on the helm and successfully recovered from being shrouded by the green flame.


    However, he didn¡¯t rush to try that out after a short hesitation. He didn¡¯t ask the goat head about the Spirit World, the Silent Dead Sea, and the Subspace either.


    If it were a few days ago, he would¡¯ve been slumped into anxiety and restlessness. He used to want to learn about his surroundings as fast as he could, but now, he wasn¡¯t that eager anymore.


    Knowing that other ¡°humans,¡± ships, societies with orders, and even civilizations existed in that world was enough to give him hope. He even started to have a rough ¡°plan¡± for his future.


    Amidst his random thoughts, Duncan recalled the ship¡¯s detail that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere from the thick fog. He recalled seeing the thick smoke coming out of the ship and the mechanical structure of the ship that appeared inside his head when they collided with each other.


    ¡°That is a powered ship¡­ while the Lost Home is an old masted ship¡­¡± Duncan mumbled. ¡°But¡­ That¡¯s not entirely a modern ship.¡±


    There were a few mysterious cabins on that ship, and one of them was decorated like a ritual room. He also saw a lot of weird patterns and symbols on the ship¡¯s keel. They looked like decorations to him, but he felt they were more than decorations.


    ¡°Goat head,¡± Duncan suddenly said. As he had no idea what the goat head¡¯s name was, he just decided to address it with what came to mind first. ¡°The ship we crossed paths with, I think the captain was shouting something at me. What did he say?¡±


    ¡°The wind was too strong, so I didn¡¯t hear what he said,¡± the goat head replied, sounding as if it wasn¡¯t affected by how its captain was addressing him.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear it either?¡± Duncan frowned. ¡°His expression looked like he was ready to perish with me. I think he¡¯s saying something significant.¡±


    ¡°Wanting to perish with you is the normal reaction for a human, especially sailors. It¡¯s not that surprising at all. They are nothing more than ants to you. You don¡¯t have to worry about what he said.¡±


    The goat head sounded as if that was a given. Duncan, who was walking on the stairs to the deck, almost fell over. He was so surprised that his lips were twitching. ¡°Wanting to perish with me is the normal reaction for a human?¡±


    However, he immediately realized it might be wrong to ask. The question would¡¯ve exposed him pretending to be the real captain. It would show that he didn¡¯t know much about himself. That mistake could¡¯ve been because he was exhausted from the green flame or because his cautiousness was weakened after being one with the Lost Home. No matter what, that made Duncan nervous for a while, but it seemed like the goat head didn¡¯t even notice it.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal for them to fear you,¡± the goat head said, sounding a little proud. ¡°Anyone who sails this vast ocean should fear you, just like how they fear the shadows between the old gods and the Subspace. Speaking of shadows, there used to be an outstanding engineer¡­ or maybe he¡¯s an agriculturalist? Perhaps a gourmet? Well, he said¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t continue that conversation with the goat head. He was worried that he couldn¡¯t find anything to talk to the goat head on that topic ¨C the bigger reason being him not wanting to talk to the goat head because it would not stop talking and become even more annoying if people showed any signs of interest. The next second, his attention was attracted by something else on the deck.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Duncan stood in the corner of the deck and looked at the thing in front of the captain¡¯s cabin door.


    It was a wooden case that was a little longer than an average human. The finishing on the case was very exquisite. The heavy woods were perfectly and tightly nailed together and enhanced by a metallic object that looked like gold. The corners and sides of the case were decorated with complex carvings of patterns that looked like words or twisted hieroglyphs. It was something that shouldn¡¯t be on the Lost Home. At least it wasn¡¯t there when Duncan last left the captain¡¯s cabin.


    After a moment of silence, the goat head replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know either, captain. But, it should be our loot¡­¡±


    ¡°Loot?¡± It took Duncan a while to understand that. He circled the case twice and said, ¡°Why does this look like a coffin? But, it¡¯s much more elegant than a normal one. Wait¡­ If you say this is a loot, does that mean we ¡®got¡¯ this from that ship just now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a successful pillage, captain.¡± The goat head¡¯s voice turned serious with a hint of compliment. ¡°You always return with a full pocket. This is normal.¡±


    Duncan instinctively dropped his jaw a little. He never planned to steal anything from other people and had never pillaged the ship that passed through them. It also didn¡¯t make sense to him why a single coffin would be enough for a ¡°full pocket.¡±


    However, on second thought, he didn¡¯t say that out loud because it might not match his image as the captain of a ghost ship. Another important reason was that the engine-powered ship had already disappeared deep into the thick fog. He recalled the stare from the captain with a long white beard as if the older man was ready to perish with him. He concluded that it would almost be impossible to return the wooden case to the captain. That was why he decided to remain quiet for now.


    After a moment of hesitation, he placed his hands on the wooden case. At the very least, he had to know what was brought onto his ship after that ¡°accident.¡±


    His body was much stronger than he thought. The lid of the case wasn¡¯t as heavy as he had imagined. He slid the heavy black cover back a little with a light push. With another push, the lid slipped off the coffin.


    Duncan peeked inside the coffin and was dumbfounded by its content.


    ¡°It¡¯s a human?¡±


    Inside the case lay a beautiful young lady. Her silver hair spread over the base of the case like mercury. Her face was elegant and perfect, giving off a hint of nobility. She was dressed in a pretty purple and black dress. Her hands were placed in front of her body. She looked like a beauty who had been sleeping for a long time.


    It was as if she was a puppet.


    ¡°Wait! It is a puppet!¡±


    After a short observation, Duncan finally noticed her inhuman joints.

 Chapter 8

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    She was a puppet, a puppet that looked almost like a living human. Duncan almost could not realize that. She lay elegantly inside the wooden case. It was like a lady sleeping inside a coffin waiting for someone to wake her.


    Duncan almost thought that she would suddenly wake up.


    But that was just his imagination. The puppet lay silently inside the case, showing no reaction to her surroundings.


    Duncan carefully and closely studied the mysterious ¡°item.¡± There shouldn¡¯t be anything weird if she were an ordinary puppet, but her appearance resembled an actual human too much, to the point where the coffin itself gave off a dangerous vibe. Thinking of how the case suddenly appeared on the Lost Home had only made him even more cautious.


    After a short observation, Duncan was sure that the elegant and goth-looking puppet would not suddenly spring into life and surprise him. He let out a sigh of relief and asked the goat head with a frown, ¡°What do you think this is?¡±


    ¡°This is most likely an important cargo that the ship we¡¯ve encountered earlier was carrying,¡± the goat head immediately replied. Although it had expressed that it had never seen the eerie wooden case that had suddenly appeared on Lost Home before, it was still much more experienced in matters that happened on the sea. ¡°The symbols on the wooden case point towards the gods. There are dowels around it that were used to secure chains. This might mean that it used to be sealed. Delivering a sealed item on this cast ocean is a risky business. The ship we¡¯ve encountered might be an important one.¡±


    ¡°Sealed?¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched a little as he quickly turned to look at the lid thrown to the side by him. The only reason he could easily open the coffin was that the lid was already broken when it appeared on the Lost Home. He didn¡¯t know a single thing about seals, but he was pretty sure the seal was already broken. ¡°So, is this something dangerous?¡±


    ¡°To those weak humans? Yes. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll pose any threat to us. ¡®Abnormalities¡¯ like this that are sealed by the humans using a special method aren¡¯t strong enough to stand straight in front of your power.¡±


    Duncan turned silent, and his expression turned serious. He was racking his mind now.


    The compliments from the goat head were pleasing to hear. Duncan would¡¯ve believed it if he was the real ¡°Captain Duncan.¡± However, the truth was that he was completely panicked.


    It was all because the goat head had confirmed that the puppet lying inside the coffin was a ¡°dangerous object,¡± although it was something that wouldn¡¯t be able to harm the real captain.


    It was true that he was now Captain Duncan, had taken over the captain¡¯s body and had even mastered some power. But, ¡°Zhou Ming¡± was still self-conscious enough to know that all of those didn¡¯t mean he was as strong as the ¡°real Captain Duncan.¡±


    His understanding of the new world, the ship, and even the body he was in were too little.


    Other than that, he was also sharp enough to notice the new strange term that the goat head had just brought up, the ¡°abnormality.¡±


    An abnormality was something out of the ordinary. It was a straightforward term, but Duncan could hear in the goat head¡¯s tone that the exception that it had mentioned was something even more special.


    Perhaps, in the world he was in, the word ¡°abnormality¡± didn¡¯t simply mean something that was not normal but was referring to a particular object, like the puppet lying inside the coffin.


    Unfortunately, he did not have enough reasons to ask the goat head about something that should be common in that world.


    With a silent sigh, he concluded that he needed to work harder to collect information and knowledge of the world. With a frown, he glanced at the puppet and made a decision. ¡°I have to throw that back into the ocean.¡±


    He hesitated a little before saying that. That hesitation was even more pronounced when he looked at the puppet.


    The reason wasn¡¯t something as simple as ¡°the puppet is beautiful.¡± It was because ¡°she¡± looked like a natural person sleeping soundly inside the coffin. The idea of throwing her back into the ocean made him feel like he was doing that to a real living person.


    However, it was that same hesitation that made him steel his heart.


    He already knew that there were a lot of mysterious and weird objects in the new world, even though the only thing he had come into contact with in this world was the Lost Home. Yet, the boat had already shown him a lot of things. The speaking wooden goat head, the masts that could raise their own sails, the lights that never went out, the strange and dangerous ocean, the terrifying Spirit World, and the endless fog.


    And, just a few minutes back, he even collided with an engine-powered ship that was carrying sealed cargo, and that cargo had mysteriously appeared on the deck of the Lost Home.


    As a person with reasons and cautiousness, he would never leave a thing that could endanger him on the ship despite how pretty she was.


    It might be a waste, but Duncan had decided to put the lid back onto the ¡°coffin.¡± Still worried, he quickly found some nails and a hammer from the cabin and ensured all sides of the case were sealed.


    He then pushed the coffin with the puppet to the edge of the deck.


    It was then the goat head¡¯s voice appeared inside his head. ¡°Captain, you can do anything you want with your loot, but I¡¯d like to humbly suggest you not do that. You don¡¯t have to be so cautious about it. It has been a long time since we got a loot¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut it!¡± Duncan interrupted the goat head with a simple command.


    The goat head became silent instantly. Duncan put strength into his leg and kicked the coffin off the deck.


    The heavy case fell straight into the ocean, which was no longer dyed in black. After a loud splash, it floated back up and started to drift towards the end of the ship.


    Duncan watched as the case slowly got further away until the poop deck completely covered his sight of it. He let out a sigh of relief before turning to look toward the horizon. He noticed that the fog had disappeared entirely, and the waves around the Lost Home had calmed down.


    The ship had completely left the ¡°Spirit World¡± and had returned to the real world.


    He could not spot the engine-powered ship that had collided with the Lost Home a while ago.


    Duncan frowned. He roughly calculated the time that had passed since that event and the speeds of both ships.


    Judging by the current situation of the ocean, the ship should still be in his sight.


    ¡°Is it because of this strange ocean? Or is it because of the ¡®Spirit World Voyage¡¯?¡±


    Duncan mumbled to himself, but something else quickly caught his attention.


    A ray of golden light had poked through the thick dark clouds in the sky for as long as he could remember.


    The golden sunlight slowly expanded while the heavy cloud started to thin out as if a giant hand had swept past it. The ocean that had remained dark for the past few days finally saw sunlight. Duncan stood on the forecastle deck of the Lost Home and watched as the clouds disappeared with his widened eyes. At that moment, he was touched by the scene unfolding before him.


    Since he learned the existence of ¡°this side¡± a few days back, and since he first started exploring the weird ship, the dark clouds had always loomed over the entire ocean. It was to the point where he almost thought that there was no sunlight in the new world and that it was always shrouded in darkness by the clouds.


    It had been a long time since he had last seen the sun. The thick fog had always blocked it, whether it was on the other side of the ¡°door¡± or Zhou Ming¡¯s studio apartment room.


    But, now, the sun had finally risen in the vast ocean.


    After so long having not seen the sun, he felt as if ¡°this side¡± had cleared up.


    Duncan instinctively took a deep breath and opened his arms wide so that he was ready to welcome the warmth of the sun. The thick clouds started to thin out quickly as if they were responding to him. At the moment where the sun shone the brightest, Duncan finally saw the enormous ball-like object that was radiating uneven rays all around it.


    Duncan¡¯s expression froze.


    His eyes, still widened, stared directly into the sky. The sun was glaring, but it was as bad as he remembered. he could still clearly see the object that hung high above the sky. He could see its exterior, covered in countless dense patterns, the light radiating all around it, and the two ring-like structures surrounding it.


    Duncan focused his sight on the rings, and he could barely tell that they were formed by a combination of complex and dense symbols. It looked like a supreme power had laid an eternal chain on the ¡°sun,¡± sealing it up in the sky.


    Duncan could not bathe in the sunlight which he had yearned for.


    There was no sunlight in that world.


    ¡°What is that?¡± he softly asked, his voice a little cold.


    ¡°Captain, that, is the sun, of course,¡± the goat head replied in its usual calm demeanor.

 Chapter 9

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The sunlight was bright.


    If the object that shone high up in the sky was the sun, then its ¡°sunlight¡± was indeed bright.


    Duncan had no idea how much time had passed since he started staring at the sky. He kept staring until his eyes began to feel tired, finally pulling his gaze back from the edge of the clouds. Yet, the image of the ¡°sun¡± remained in his sight and his mind. Even if he closed his eyes, he could vividly remember its appearance. An enormous ball object radiated a faint golden light, the twisted luminous flux around it and the rings that slowly orbited around the thing.


    That was not a Sun. That wasn¡¯t what a Sun was supposed to look like. Back in the world he was familiar with, even if he were on another planet, the star that hung high above the sky would never look like that.


    However, he knew that he had to accept the new reality.


    He was far from his home, far further away than he had imagined.


    It was so far away that the sun¡¯s appearance was something that his mind could not process.


    Duncan instinctively turned around and looked at the door that led to the captain¡¯s cabin.


    If he pushed the door, he could return to the room he had stayed in for a long time, to the studio apartment room.


    However, the outside of that room was entirely covered by the thick fog. The 30 square meters room was the only thing that remained from the home he was familiar with.


    The ¡°home¡± he could return to with a single push of the door was like a lonely boat drifting on the endless sea.


    After a long silence, the goat head suddenly talked inside his head. ¡°Captain, where are we heading next? Do you have a destination in mind?¡±


    ¡°A destination?¡± Duncan thought. There was no such thing in his mind. Even though he wanted to immediately create a perfect plan to explore the world and decide on the next destination, he had no chart that worked. He did not know what continents there were in this world, what powers controlled the lands, or if there was an end to this seemingly endless ocean.


    It wasn¡¯t only until a few hours ago that he had learned how to navigate the Lost Home.


    He pondered in silence. A few minutes later, he talked to the goat head through his mind. ¡°The ship we ran into not long ago, where did it come from?¡±


    ¡°Are you thinking of heading to that city-state?¡± The goat head sounded a little surprised, and it quickly dissuaded Duncan. ¡°Captain, I suggest we avoid the routes managed by the city-states¡­ At least, for now. You¡¯re the great Captain Duncan, but the condition of the Lost Home is¡­ not as good as it was. The nay¡¯s garrison and the church¡¯s guard would do everything they can to stop your¡­ advance.¡±


    Duncan was rendered speechless for a while. He suddenly wanted to know what the real ¡°Captain Duncan¡± had done in the past to anger so many people. It was as if his appearance was enough to scare the entire nation suddenly.


    Hearing the real meaning of the goat head¡¯s words, Duncan realized that the Lost Home and its ¡°captain¡± were not in their best states. There might even be a chance that the ghost ship and the captain had decided to roam the vast ocean because they were afraid to return to the port of civilization.


    A journey to the end of the world was just another way to say they were exiled.


    Duncan was facing a few problems now. He was in dire need of a way to understand the world he was in. He needed to find a way to get in touch with the ¡°civilized society.¡± whether it was for him to survive in the new world for a lifetime or for him to solve the mystery and find a way back to the ¡°home¡± that he was familiar with, he was at least sure that he couldn¡¯t keep wandering through the vast ocean. Yet, there was one other problem.


    It seemed like the ¡°civilized societies¡± in the world wouldn¡¯t welcome him.


    ¡°Captain Duncan¡± was like the final boss of a game roaming outside the cities to the citizens of this world. When he appeared in front of them, they would form a 25-man raid party to take him down.


    Duncan let out a sigh. He wouldn¡¯t be on the passive if he had a book to read, but the only method for him to get information was the annoying goat head. The only problem was that he didn¡¯t have enough confidence to overexpose his real identity to the wooden head.


    That was when he found it weird that there was not a single book on such a huge ship.


    A long and lonely journey was an extremely stressful environment for a seaman. Everyone had to have a way to relieve that stress. It might be hard for a regular sailor to find time to read, but for ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°Unless he¡¯s illiterate?¡± he thought.


    He believed that it shouldn¡¯t be the case. A captain was a technical position that required a lot of knowledge. Even barbarians like the pirates would need a captain that could understand charts, able to navigate through the stars, and know how to plan a route.


    With those questions in his mind, Duncan randomly asked the goat head. He was cautious with his attitude, making it seem like a random question suddenly coming to his mind. The goat head¡¯s reply wasn¡¯t as hesitant as he thought it would be.


    ¡°Books? Reading on the ship is a dangerous thing to do. Those residing in the Silent Dead Sea and the Subspace are always waiting for a hole in the mortal¡¯s sanity. The only safe reading material is the ¡®bible¡¯ distributed by the church. That thing is safe, but it¡¯s pretty boring. I¡¯d rather wash the deck¡­ I thought nothing from the church has ever interested you?¡±


    Duncan raised a brow.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to read while sailing through the ocean? Only the ¡®bible¡¯ from the church is safe to read? What the heck is wrong with this endless ocean?¡± he thought.


    He felt he had learned something new about the world, but that new knowledge gave him more questions. Duncan could only force himself to not think of those things. He arrived at the edge of the starboard and looked far out into the sea and the sky.


    The golden ¡°sun¡± showered its ray, and its reflection on the waves made the water look like a piece of crinkled aluminum foil. If not for the weird appearance of the sun, it would¡¯ve been a spectacular scene to watch.


    ¡°I want to hear your opinion on something¡­¡± After a moment of hesitation, Duncan finally carefully asked the goat head. ¡°I¡¯m tired of this aimless voyage. Maybe¡­¡±


    He was interrupted by a certain strange ¡°feeling¡± from his heart. It came from his connection with the Lost Home. It felt like the ship had come in contact with something. He then heard a loud thud that sounded like something heavy had fallen onto the deck.


    With a deep frown, Duncan pulled out the loaded flintlock pistol from his waist and the one-handed sword with his other hand before running toward the direction of the sound.


    He arrived at the poop deck, and the object he saw lying there made him drop his jaw.


    It was a fancy wooden case that looked like a coffin.


    It was that strange puppet.


    A shiver ran down Duncan¡¯s spine as he stared at the case that was still wet outside. It was as if the lid would suddenly throw itself open. He had also noticed the nails that he had used to seal the lid shut were nowhere to be seen.


    He had ensured that the nails were perfectly nailed in before he threw the case back into the ocean.


    After a few minutes of silence between him and the coffin, Duncan finally decided. With one hand gripping the pistol tightly, he poked the tip of his sword into the gap of the lid and tipped it open.


    With a light creak, the lid opened. The lifeless gothic puppet still lay silently inside the case, covered by a layer of red goose feather inner liner. She looked like a sleeping princess.


    Duncan stared at the puppet for a few seconds and opened his mouth to speak in a deep tone (in which he believed he had shown enough confidence and dignity). ¡°If you are alive, I would like to have a conversation with you.¡±


    After repeating the same thing once again, the puppet remained still.


    Duncan glared at her and finally said, ¡°Fine. Guess I¡¯ll have to throw you back then.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even hesitate to cover the lid right away. He then found the tools to nail the lid shut. He grabbed a metal chain and wrapped it around the case, using the hooks to seal it even tighter.


    After doing all that, Duncan stood up while clapping his hands in satisfaction. He nodded as he looked at the ¡°coffin¡± tied with the chain. ¡°Let¡¯s see you get out of that.¡±


    He then kicked the case back into the ocean without any pause.


    He watched the case hit the water and float up and drift away. Duncan let out a sigh and turned to leave the poop deck.


    Halfway down, he suddenly turned to look around and saw the case was still on the water.


    Duncan nodded, turned his head back, and suddenly turned toward the ship¡¯s rear again.


    The case was still floating and moving further away from him.


    ¡°Maybe I should tie a few things like the cannonballs onto it so it would sink¡­¡±


    Duncan gulped and slowly turned back to head toward the captain¡¯s cabin.


    ¡°You¡¯re treating that lady way too harshly.¡± The goat head¡¯s voice appeared in his head.


    ¡°Shut it! Did you just call the cursed puppet a ¡®lady?¡±


    ¡°That sure looked like a cursed puppet¡­ However, there¡¯s no curse on this vast ocean that can harm our great Captain Duncan. Captain, that lady is very kind and harmless¡­¡±


    Duncan was speechless.


    He did not understand why the goat head was so proud when it mentioned the curse of Captain Duncan and the Lost Home and their bad reputation.


    Perhaps it had noticed Duncan¡¯s silence and wavered emotion. The goat head quickly changed the topic. ¡°Captain, you wanted my opinion, aye? I have an idea¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this next time. I need to get some rest. Navigating the Lost Home was exhausting. Just shut up for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Aye, captain.¡±


    The goat head turned silent, and Duncan returned to the captain¡¯s cabin. He stood in front of the map table and randomly scanned the chart.


    His sight was suddenly focused on one point.


    There was a slight change to the chart. A part of the grey and white matter that floated above the chart had disappeared. The area around the Lost Home had become clearer.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ that this thing can track the Lost Home¡¯s route and update its surroundings in real-time?¡± he thought.


    He was now completely focused on the slight changes.


    However, that focus was interrupted.


    Deep inside his mind, the Lost Home sent another signal that it had come into contact with something to him. Duncan heard a loud thud from the deck behind the captain¡¯s cabin.

 Chapter 10

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The ¡°coffin¡± was back.


    On the poop deck of the Lost Home, Duncan looked at the elegant wooden case lying silently in front of him without any expression. The water from the case slowly dripped down next to his foot. The water was proof that he did indeed throw the case back into the ocean and that it was drifting on the endless sea.


    The strange situation was terrifying, yet, unable to explain why Duncan was calmer than he thought he would be.


    Perhaps it was because he was already standing on a ghost ship that was full of mysteries itself, or maybe it was because he had just experienced an exciting and terrifying ¡°speeding¡± which almost resulted in a head-on collision, or perhaps it was because he had been conversing with the weird wooden goat head for the past few days. Duncan felt he had formed a type of immunity toward all the supernatural phenomena.


    The truth was that when he last tossed the ¡°cursed puppet¡± back into the ocean, he had a feeling that things wouldn¡¯t just end there.


    He lowered his head, and just as he had expected, the nails and the chains that sealed the lid shut had disappeared. He bent forward and used his sword to pry the lid open again.


    The gorgeous gothic puppet still lay quietly above the red liner with her hand resting above her other one. She looked elegant and peaceful.


    However, this time, Duncan clearly noticed that the edge of her dress was wet by the seawater. He could also smell a hint of the ocean fishy breeze from inside the coffin.


    Until then, other than returning on her own, the puppet didn¡¯t do anything that would seemingly endanger him. However, her act of returning to the deck was already more than enough to consider her a ¡°cursed object.¡±


    Duncan studied the puppet without any expression for a while before breaking the silence with a chuckle. ¡°I have the sudden urge to satisfy my curiosity¡­¡±


    After saying that, he turned around and headed to the door that was not far away as he wasn¡¯t worried about leaving the puppet on the deck anymore.


    Although he was still wary of the puppet and had no intention of letting her stay near him, his understanding of the goat head convinced him that leaving the puppet on the deck wouldn¡¯t cause too many troubles. Even if she were to attack him suddenly, the countless ¡°living beings¡± on the ship were more than enough to take her down.


    He also couldn¡¯t waste more time on the puppet as he had some ¡°preparations¡± to do.


    Duncan walked past the poop deck and opened the door that led to the hull beneath the main deck. He walked down the wooden stairs and easily navigated himself to another cabin. It was known as the ¡°gun deck,¡± where the cannons were stored at. The ancient front-loaded cannons sat on both sides of the deck. The front of the barrels was covered with wooden boards that had turned black from molds. Black firepower barrels and iron cannonballs could be found between each cannon. The dust that had gathered looked as if the weapons had been sitting there for over a century.


    Duncan scanned through the objects that looked ancient, and a question suddenly came to his mind.


    ¡°If there¡¯s no human other than me on board this ship, then¡­ who¡¯s going to manage and fire these cannons?¡±


    He wondered if, just like the Lost Home, he could automatically load the cannons and fire them without touching them.


    ¡°Then, what about the fresh water tank? Does it replenish on its own? And the damaged parts too. Do those repair themselves? Or¡­ could it be that this ship will never get damaged?¡±


    There were a lot of questions that popped into his head, and he couldn¡¯t find the answer to any single one of them.


    Duncan understood that there was still too much unknown to him about the ship. Despite having explored the ship to a certain extent for the past few days, he had only made his way through the upper section of the ship. The deeper parts of the ship were much scarier. Since his focus in the past was to get out of his ¡°studio apartment room¡± and return to his original world, he had not put much attention into learning about the Lost Home, causing him to lack the motivation to explore the other side.


    However, now, the ship had piqued his interest, or, to be more precise, he had more urge to control the ship now.


    The ship was his. Thus, he should learn more about the ¡°Lost Home.¡±


    That was probably one of the changes that happened after he placed his hands on the helm.


    Duncan shook his head and temporarily put his plan to explore the ship behind his head. He then approached where the cannonballs were stored at.


    After a few minutes, Duncan returned to the poop deck with a couple of cannonballs in his arms. Just as he had thought, the cursed puppet was still lying silently inside the coffin.


    ¡°Did she move or anything?¡±


    ¡°No, Captain,¡± the goat head replied in his head. It was as if he had been holding back for too long, and he started to talk in long sentences again. ¡°The lady has been as quiet as she looks. Cap¡¯n, you should¡¯ve trusted in me. She won¡¯t bring any harm to ye. Since she keeps coming back onboard, she must¡¯ve somehow connected to the Lost Home. A great gardener once said¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut it.¡±


    ¡°Aye¡­¡±


    Duncan stared at the puppet inside the coffin without any expression.


    He had no clue if she could not move or was very good at pretending to be dead. Whichever it was, it didn¡¯t matter to him much.


    Now, he just wanted to satisfy his curiosity.


    The iron cannonballs were extremely heavy. When pirates would have traitors walk the planks, tying a cannonball to them would have even the most experienced sailor drown to death.


    Ducan first put four cannonballs into the coffin and returned to the gun deck to get four more.


    All eight cannonballs had filled the empty spaces inside the wooden case. The elegant and dignified gothic puppet was now surrounded by cold hard steel. It made her look more like a general than a princess now.


    At least, instead of being elegant, she looked as if she was cursed.


    Duncan sealed the lid again before pushing the case to the edge of the deck again. It was tolling on his body even though his body was now stronger than Zhou Ming¡¯s.


    He then threw a kick toward the back of the coffin and sent it to the ocean.


    The loud splash could be heard from above and the elegant wooden case sunk deep into the ocean.


    Duncan stood quietly by the deck and had his sight focused on where the coffin sank. He remained standing there for a while.


    The goat head suddenly interrupted him. ¡°Cap¡¯n, are ye regretting your choices? If ye feel bad for throwing away ye loot, the Lost Home can try and recover it using its anchor. Although that¡¯s now how we¡¯re supposed to use the anchor, it said it could try to do that¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°But, ye have been standing there for a long time¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut it.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    Duncan let out a sigh.


    There was no way he could tell the goat head that his foot was hurting.


    That was why he stood still as he tried to maintain the level of dignity a captain should have. He didn¡¯t move until he felt like he was a statue and started slowly moving back to the upper deck under the main deck.


    After a few minutes of silence, Duncan predicted it should be about time. He suddenly moved to the rear of the upper deck and opened the window between two cannons to check the situation out in the ocean.


    The goat head didn¡¯t remain silent for too long. It could not hold itself back and ask, ¡°Cap¡¯n, what are ye¡­¡±


    With his sight still focused on the ocean, he replied, ¡°I¡¯m curious as to how that ¡®cursed puppet¡¯ keeps returning.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ because she¡¯s a cursed puppet?¡±


    ¡°I like how you can be content with superficial understandings, but I believe there has to be a process for her to return to our ship. She¡¯s pretending to be dead, but she keeps returning here. There has to be a reason. I¡¯m also sure that she can communicate with us¡­ but she refuses to do so for now. All I can do now is find out how she moves and force her to talk to us.¡±


    The goat head remained silent for a couple of seconds after hearing its captain¡¯s explanation. He suddenly asked, ¡°Cap¡¯n, are ye¡­ interested in it? This is a good thing! Ever since ye woke up, ye have been down and have lost interest in a lot of things! Ye loyal first mate and second mate and¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    After the goat head had quieted down, Duncan continued to study the sea. However, all he could see was the calm water.


    It was as if the coffin had sunk into the ocean and would not reappear on the deck again.


    However, after having experienced it twice, Duncan was extra patient now. He silently counted down as he waited and studied as the time slowly passed.


    It was as if he didn¡¯t notice that he was expecting the puppet to reappear again.


    It was then he spotted something tiny in his view.


    He saw something on one of the waves. It was an elegant wooden case riding the wave with the beautiful gothic puppet standing on top of it. She was using the lid of the coffin as a paddle to paddle herself forward.


    It was a gothic puppet swinging a coffin lid around as a paddle.


    All her elegance was gone, and she looked even more cursed now compared to her being surrounded by eight cannonballs.


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened at the scene.

 Chapter 11

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Duncan felt he could not forget this scene for his entire life. A beautifully decorated coffin rose and fell with the waves on the bizarre, boundless ocean. A goth doll, which seemed to be possessed by a mysterious power, sat upright in the coffin. As it rode the waves, it embraced a gigantic coffin cover in its arms.


    The doll did not appear happy.


    No matter how one looked at this, this was unnatural. For a moment, Duncan did not know whether he should be astonished that the cursed doll was moving or at her imposing manner as she held the coffin cover. He felt that this scene was in stark contrast to what he had imagined in the beginning. He had imagined many scenarios of how the other party got back onto his ship. However, he never imagined such a scene.


    While Duncan was momentarily stunned, the doll had already approached the Lost Home.


    Even though she used a coffin cover as an oar, her rowing speed was astonishing. She also had eerie agility and strength. Duncan carefully stuck his head out of the observation port. He saw the doll chuck the coffin cover back into the coffin. She then grabbed a piece of wood from the ship¡¯s stern and rapidly climbed up. She moved nimbly and swiftly as though an invisible rope was guiding her. As for the heavy-looking coffin, it eerily floated up from the ocean. It floated beside the doll as though it was weightless.


    Duncan hurriedly retreated into the ship before the doll noticed him.


    As for the doll, she had not discovered that the captain of this ghost ship was observing her from the shadows. She climbed up the stern of the Lost Home in the blink of an eye and landed on the deck with a somersault. She then waved a finger in the air, and the floating coffin beside her firmly landed at her feet. She then looked around, seemingly checking her surroundings. After she confirmed that there was no one about, she quickly tidied up her wet clothes and began to climb into the coffin.


    As she climbed into her coffin, she was blocked by a pirate sword suddenly appearing from the side. Next, she heard the rattling sound of a flintlock hammer being locked in place.


    The doll instantly froze. She turned her head and saw a ghost captain wrapped in green flames standing beside her and staring at her. The ice-cold voice that seemed to come from deep within the Spirit World said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve caught you, doll.¡±


    Before Duncan¡¯s eyes, the doll trembled. She seemed to be in shock. She instinctively wanted to dodge to the side, but her movements were a bit off in her haste. Her upper body shook, and Duncan heard a crisp cracking sound coming from her neck.


    Then, her head fell off.


    The doll¡¯s beautiful head fell off her body right before Duncan¡¯s eyes. Her silver hair scattered in the ocean breeze and wrapped around her head as it rolled to Duncan¡¯s feet. Her body remained beside the coffin in an escaping pose. She grabbed out at the air with one hand, as her head helplessly stared at Duncan and muttered, ¡°Help¡­help¡­help.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s heart stopped beating. Although he suspected that his heart no longer existed after he was burnt by the ghost flame, witnessing the scene of the doll¡¯s head still shook him. The ghost flame masked his astonished expression. The doll treated his momentary hesitation due to shock as some form of cold treatment. She did not notice that the terrifying Captain Duncan was even more nervous than she was. She repeated, saying, ¡°Help¡­help¡­my head¡­has fallen off.¡±


    Duncan finally reacted. He calmed his imaginary heart and tried his hardest to control his movements and voice. After observing the doll as calmly as he could for a while, he confirmed that although this cursed doll was bizarre in many ways, compared to her strange nature, she was more afraid of him as a ghost captain.


    Duncan realized that he had to keep his cool when he understood this.


    He still did not understand how this world worked. He was even less familiar with this cursed doll. Before he could completely control the situation, he relied the most on his identity as the terrifying Captain Duncan to guarantee his safety.


    On the other hand, he could not just leave this doll alone. Although events had developed beyond his initial predictions, the doll had finally interacted with him.


    He put away his flintlock gun but held his sword with his other hand. In close quarters, a flintlock gun with only one shot was clearly not as reliable as a sword. Moreover, the marksmanship he practiced in a hurry could not make him a seasoned marksman. He then used his free hand to grab the doll¡¯s head that had fallen to the floor.


    This sensation was too strange. Even though the other party was just a cursed doll, grabbing someone¡¯s head made Duncan feel uncomfortable. The slight warmth from the head nearly made him throw it away.


    This was too unnatural and strange.


    In the end, he managed to suppress his discomfort. He calmly looked at the head and asked, ¡°Do you need me to help you put your head back on?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, you can do it yourself,¡± Duncan said as he nodded. He then passed the head to the doll¡¯s hand that was fumbling around.


    He watched as the doll received her head skillfully and dexterously. She even tidied up her disheveled silver hair while she was at it. After adjusting the angle, she placed her head on her neck. With a crisp crack, the ball socket joint snapped into place.


    The entire process went smoothly. This was clearly not the first time this had occurred.


    Next, the doll¡¯s somewhat stiff face suddenly loosened up. She blinked and let out a long sigh, ¡°Phew, I survived.¡±


    Duncan was speechless.


    No matter how he looked at this scene, he felt he needed to quip. However, when he recalled his Captain Duncan persona and the fact that the many details about the doll were unknown, in the end, he could only nod expressionlessly at the doll, ¡°Very well. Now, come with me. You have come aboard my ship many times. We need to talk.¡±


    As he said this, the ghost flame that engulfed his body dissipated, and he returned to his original appearance.


    He mastered the ability to actively switch into his astral form when he grabbed hold of the Lost Home¡¯s helm. However, this was still something he had come in contact with in a hurry. He could not consider himself familiar with this ability for now, let alone use it as he pleased. Aside from steering the ship, he did not even know what other functions this ghost flame had. Just now, he had unleashed the ghost flame merely to leave an impression of strength on this strange, cursed doll and psyche himself up.


    Now that his impression had already been established and the doll was very cooperative, it was unnecessary to continue maintaining the burning flame and expending his energy.


    The cursed doll obediently stood up from the coffin. She then watched in astonishment as Duncan returned to his human form. Wide-eyed, she asked, ¡°You¡­you are not a spirit?¡±


    Duncan looked at her indifferently and answered, ¡°I can become one when I need to.¡±


    The doll held her head with one hand. There seemed to be a look of respect in her gaze.


    Duncan did not know what had impressed her. However, from the looks of it, her head did not seem secure. It might have nearly fallen off again from her bewilderment.


    He turned and walked towards the captain¡¯s quarters. Through his real-time connection with the Lost Home, he could sense that the doll followed behind him obediently after hesitating for a second or two.


    The beautiful but strange coffin floated close behind the doll as he expected. It seemed to follow her wherever she went.


    After a short while, Duncan brought the cursed doll to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Under the lingering gaze of the wooden goat head, the ghost captain and the cursed doll sat on opposite sides of the nautical table. Duncan sat in his black armchair. The doll sat across from him, treating her coffin as a seat. She sat gracefully on the wooden crate.


    She was indeed elegant and dignified. When she sat down on the wooden crate quietly dressed in a gothic dress with her silver hair loose, she appeared very noble and beautiful, like a work of art that should be placed in a palace and guarded.


    Unfortunately, when Duncan looked at her, he immediately recalled the scene of this doll riding the waves and her head falling off.


    He sighed and returned to his cold, indifferent, and authoritative manner. He stared the doll in the eyes and asked, ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Alice.¡±


    ¡°Race?¡±


    ¡°Doll.¡±


    ¡°Job?¡±


    ¡°Doll. Why are you asking these questions?¡±


    Duncan thought about it and replied, ¡°To establish some basic understanding.¡±

 Chapter 12

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    On both ends of the wide nautical table, the captain of the Lost Home, Duncan, and the cursed doll, Alice, sat across from one another.


    The atmosphere between these two people was not harmonious, even though they could not be considered human.


    The doll, who called herself Alice, still appeared a little nervous. Even though the ghost captain in front of her had already guaranteed her temporary safety, when faced with Duncan¡¯s naturally imposing +10 appearance, even the cursed doll could not calm down.


    She was now maintaining her dignified manner as she sat on her coffin. However, her fingers that were slightly pinching her skirt betrayed her insecurity.


    Duncan fell silent for a moment. As he was lost in his thoughts, he observed the ¡°lady¡± before him.


    She was a doll that was powered by an unknown energy source. Her body was not one of flesh and blood. Yet, she could walk, talk, and even had a supernatural body that could maintain a specific body temperature. If this were in his old world, she would be featured on the show Approaching Science and at least appear in three or four episodes.


    Duncan did not know what sort of existence a doll like Alice was considered as in this world. However, after interacting with the goat head over the last few days, he had obtained lots of intel on the side. He knew that even though there were supernatural phenomena in this world, they were not familiar sights. As for the doll before him, Duncan speculated that she was a special existence even in this bizarre world.


    His conjecture was not baseless. The machine-powered ship that crashed head-on with the Lost Home was very new. The crew was also well-trained. He had witnessed this firsthand. Despite facing great terror, the sailors continued to man their stations. The ship also had many cabins and goods that Duncan could not figure out their functions. Many goods were labeled with complicated markings. The style of those markings was very similar to that of the markings on the surface of Alice¡¯s coffin.


    In other words, it was highly likely that such a cutting-edge ship was sent on an escort mission. It was sent to deliver this cursed doll, Alice.


    Duncan shifted his posture in his armchair. He stared at Alice with a soothing yet stern gaze. There was another incredible guest on his ship. This was undeniable.


    From a different perspective, this doll did not seem like a frightening figure. She appeared very timid.


    After all, when they first met and before he had said anything, her head had already fallen off in shock.


    ¡°May I ask¡­¡± Alice finally asked. She must have been forced to speak up as she could no longer stand the pressure from Duncan¡¯s prolonged silence and stare. ¡°Also¡­¡±


    ¡°Where are you from?¡± asked Duncan in a gentler tone. He finally retracted his stare that made her feel pressured.


    Alice was stunned for a moment. She seemed to be pondering the meaning behind Duncan¡¯s question. After a few seconds, she gently knocked on the beautiful coffin she was sitting on and replied, ¡°From here.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression instantly stiffened as he struggled to respond.


    ¡°Of course, I know that you were previously lying in the coffin,¡± he finally said after gently clearing his throat twice. ¡°However, I am asking where you are from. As in a location, do you understand? Do you have a hometown? Or a thing you can call your origin?¡±


    Alice thought about it carefully. She shook her head calmly and said, ¡°I can¡¯t remember clearly.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t remember clearly?¡±


    ¡°What hometown does a doll have?¡± Alice asked as she placed her hands on her legs. In a dignified manner, she replied thoughtfully, ¡°Most of my memories are of me lying in this coffin. I was transported from one place to another by other people. Occasionally, I could faintly sense people walking outside my coffin or guarding it. Ah, I also remember some hushed conversations. The people guarding my coffin were discussing some matters with terrified, nervous tones.¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows and inquired, ¡°What were they discussing next to you?¡±


    ¡°Just some boring stuff,¡± said the doll.


    ¡°I am curious about what they were discussing,¡± Duncan said very seriously. He believed that they were truly talking about some boring stuff, but currently, he needed to know everything he could about this world. Even some casual chatter between ordinary people of this world was good information.


    ¡°Alright. The most common name I heard was Abnormality 099. They seemed to use this designation to refer to me and my coffin. I don¡¯t like it as I already have a name,¡± said Alice as she tried to recall. ¡°Aside from that, I have occasionally heard them discussing seals and curses, but it is all a blur. When I was in the coffin, I would sleep, so I didn¡¯t pay too much attention to the movements outside.¡±


    The doll spoke at a steady pace. Then, she suddenly recalled something and added, ¡°However, I still remember the most recent conversation I overheard. It was before I came to your ship. The voices outside my coffin kept mentioning a place, the City-state of Pland. It seemed to be their destination¡­ I suppose it should also be my destination?¡±


    ¡°The City-state of Pland?¡± Duncan repeated as he retracted his gaze. He committed this name to memory.


    He finally obtained some helpful intel, even though he did not know when such information would come in handy.


    He then raised his head and stared at the doll before him. He continued asking, ¡°Was there anything else aside from that?¡±


    ¡°Aside from that, I spent most of my time sleeping, Captain,¡± replied the doll seriously. ¡°If you were sealed in a coffin and kept hearing dull murmuring around you, what else could you do aside from sleeping? Should I have done sit-ups in the coffin?¡±


    The corner of Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched slightly.


    She was an elegant beauty when she was dignified and had her head on. However, in reality, she could not only ride the waves by rowing on a coffin but could also talk crap that caught people off guard.


    He was rapidly forming a new impression of Alice.


    Nevertheless, on the surface, he still maintained the image of the steady and stern Captain Duncan. He merely hummed noncommittally and continued, ¡°So, aside from sleeping in the coffin, you know nothing about the outside world. You cannot tell me anything about the changes in the current world nor where any port or city-state is roughly located.¡±


    ¡°That seems to be the case, Captain,¡± the doll said as she thoughtfully nodded. Next, she seemed to realize something as her eyes widened. She looked at Duncan nervously and asked, ¡°So, do you plan to throw me overboard again because I am worthless to you?¡±


    Before Duncan could speak, Alice continued, ¡°Alright. I understand. This is your ship, after all. However, this time can you not stuff my coffin with cannonballs? Seriously, eight cannonballs are too much.¡±


    Duncan could tell that the doll was not in a good mood. However, she didn¡¯t dare to throw a tantrum.


    He was somewhat embarrassed. When he stuffed the cannonballs in the coffin, he hadn¡¯t anticipated that he would later have to discuss the situation calmly with the person involved. When he first saw Alice lying in the coffin, he assumed she would be a cursed doll like those portrayed in typical horror movies. His brain was packed with scenes of cursed dolls from the movies. He hadn¡¯t expected that this cursed doll before him did not seem like Ju-On; instead, she looked like she was from a noble quadrangle.


    Therefore, all of Duncan¡¯s preparations to fight against a horrifying curse had caused him embarrassment now.


    Luckily, Duncan was thick-skinned. Moreover, he had always looked solemn and grim, as though his serious expression was carved onto his face. Therefore, as long as his nerves worked fine, he could hold a perfectly stern expression. He ignored the embarrassment he felt from putting eight cannonballs in the coffin while he shook his head indifferently and said, ¡°I have not decided whether I should throw you off the ship. After all, you seem always to have a way of returning to my ship. I am just curious. Why do you keep returning to the Lost Home? I can tell that you are afraid of me and my ship. Since that¡¯s the case, why do you not stay away?¡±


    ¡°Is this ship called Lost Home? Alright, I am indeed somewhat afraid of you and your ship. Yet, compared to this, isn¡¯t the ocean¡¯s depths even more dangerous?¡± asked the doll as she quietly stared at the ghost captain before her. From her point of view, there was an endless dark void behind this tall, burly man. The void overlapped with the actual scene in the cabin. It was as though two worlds were being forcefully overlaid. Nevertheless, compared to this vast, suffocating darkness, the things that came from the depths of the boundless sea made Abnormality 099 feel threatened. She murmured, ¡°In this world, is there anything more terrifying than the deep ocean?¡±

 Chapter 13

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The deep sea was something to be feared.


    Alice was a doll, but she still had lively eyes that could sufficiently convey her emotions. Besides that, she had facial expressions that were beyond common sense. Hence, Duncan could make out her fear and resistance to the deep sea, rather, something in the deep sea. When he recalled the Spirit World he saw on the sea and the so-called supernatural phenomena of the boundary, he quickly realized that a great terror was hidden deep within the vast ocean he was in.


    Nevertheless, the Lost Home was voyaging across this endless ocean. The machine-powered ship he crashed into in the Spirit World was also sailing this ocean.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but be curious about the currently ethereal things to him. What do the continents in this world look like? Or did this world have land masses at all?


    However, the doll before him was unable to answer all his questions. Alice¡¯s memory was mainly fuzzy. Duncan speculated that her memory was either sealed off or suppressed by some force.


    He still remembered the things he observed on the machine-powered ship through his sensory connection with the Lost Home when the two ships crossed paths. The mysterious markings and religious setting on the other ship, as well as the symbols carved on the outside of Alice¡¯s coffin, clearly pointed towards a fact:


    As a cursed doll, people from civilized society would be apprehensive of her.


    Duncan gave the doll a pondering look. The latter looked back at him with a calm and serene gaze.


    ¡°Let me confirm once more. You cannot remember where you came from at all. You also cannot remember anything from your past clearly, correct?¡±


    ¡°I do not remember anything,¡± answered Alice thoughtfully. ¡°I can only remember lying in the coffin. However, I don¡¯t know why there seemed always to be a group of nervous people around me. They feared me emerging from my coffin and used various methods to seal me inside. To be honest, now that I recall all this, I suddenly feel that the nails you hammered into my coffin cover were actually kind of nice. Although you later added eight cannonballs, at least you did not pour lead into my coffin.¡±


    This time, Duncan did not pay heed to Alice¡¯s teasing. Instead, he asked, ¡°Where did your name come from? Who named you Alice? How did you get your name if you have never left the coffin and interacted with other people? Did you name yourself Alice?¡±


    Alice was dumbfounded.


    She seemed to sink into a state of confusion. She was stunned for more than 10 seconds. When Duncan contemplated the possibility of this doll experiencing a system crash, Alice regained her senses and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t remember. I knew from the start that I was called Alice. However, this name is not something I came up with. I¡­¡±


    As she mumbled in a daze, she subconsciously held her head with both hands. Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched when he saw her in such a state. He immediately stopped her from thinking further, saying, ¡°Alright. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember. You don¡¯t have to take your head off.¡±


    Alice was speechless.


    After this, Duncan asked Alice a lot of other questions. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t get much information from her responses.


    Just like she said, she had spent most of her time in a daze in the coffin since she was conscious. She maintained a state of half asleep and half awake. She knew very little about the outside world. Her only knowledge of the world was from the conversations she overheard while lying in the coffin. Sadly, the broken pieces of information she knew were insufficient to help Duncan understand the structure of this world.


    Even so, Duncan did not come out completely empty-handed. During his conversation with Alice, he at least managed to confirm a few things:


    In this world, there existed a power structure known as city-states. This term repeatedly appeared in the doll¡¯s narration. It seemed to make up her entire journey. This time, the original final destination of her journey was the City-state of Pland.


    It seemed to be a prosperous place. The sailors said it was an essential stop along many sea routes in their conversations.


    Next, Alice also had the designation of Abnormality 099. This seemed to be an official designation of the civilized world. As for the name Alice that she called herself, aside from Duncan and herself, no one else seemed to know about it.


    Lastly, Alice had been transferred from city-state to city-state. It appeared that she was not the only Abnormality being transferred around like this. During some voyages, she had heard her transporters mention other sealed crates in their conversation.


    From this, Duncan made a bold guess that shipping abnormalities around constantly was a necessary means to seal abnormalities and prevent them from escaping.


    Clearly, the team in charge of transporting Abnormality 099 this time had had a stroke of bad luck. Due to the Lost Home that appeared from nowhere, the doll they were transporting had escaped.


    Duncan could not understand. What was so frightening about this strange, cursed doll? What destruction would she cause if she escaped?


    After all, she seemed relatively harmless the whole time she was on the Lost Home.


    To be honest, Duncan was somewhat disappointed.


    Initially, he thought that he had finally encountered a means that could help him understand this world. To his surprise, the fellow lying in the coffin was as clueless about this world as he was.


    However, when he shifted his gaze to look at Alice, who was quietly sitting on the wooden crate again, he felt less depressed.


    At the very least, he gained a conversation partner on the Lost Home. She was but a doll. She looked terrifying when her head came off. She certainly had a lot of secrets. She talked trash sometimes.


    Nevertheless, she was much more normal than the garrulous goat head.


    In terms of strange and dangerous, the boundless sea, the Lost Home, and the strange things on board were all unsafe.


    From the perspective of others, Captain Duncan seemed to be the most dangerous being on the boundless sea.


    Duncan let out a sigh. His expression relaxed subconsciously. He asked Alice in a casual tone, ¡°I want to know. What will you do if I throw you off the ship again?¡±


    Alice blinked and asked, ¡°You will not stuff cannonballs in my coffin this time, right?¡±


    Duncan replied, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Alice continued, ¡°Will you nail me in?¡±


    ¡°Erm, no.¡±


    ¡°Pour lead inside?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Ahem, I mean that if I reject you staying on my ship¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I will row back here again,¡± said Alice as she sat up straight. She calmly said, ¡°I do not wish to be swallowed by the ocean. At least I will have a place to stay on your ship.¡±


    Duncan was shocked by this doll¡¯s calmness. He could not decide whether she was honest or shameless for a moment. After deliberation, he said, ¡°Could you be more subtle about your intention of staying here?¡±


    ¡°You already know the answer anyway, do you not?¡± said Alice with a smile. ¡°However, if I return, I might find a way to hide somewhere below deck so that you will not notice me. I will not carelessly come on deck again. It has only been a short while since I awakened. I did not think things through the last few times. Now, I have experience¡­¡±


    Duncan interrupted her and said, ¡°I can sense everything on this ship. I can even tell where each wave hits the hull.¡±


    The rest of Alice¡¯s sentence was cut off. ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    With a calm look, Duncan continued. ¡°I can also choose to destroy you and use a more thorough method to prevent you from continuing to pester me and my ship.¡±


    The doll seemed to have never thought of this possibility. Her eyes widened in horror. Then, a cracking sound could be heard from her neck.


    Panicking, the doll caught her falling head. She quickly placed it back on her neck. Duncan could not possibly continue scaring her in such a state. He sighed in amusement. After Alice secured her head, he said, ¡°However, I think it¡¯s not bad to have a new crew member on board. I can keep you around if you promise to stay on the ship without causing trouble.¡±


    Alice exclaimed, ¡°You should have said so earlier! I was so frightened that my head came off!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched as he asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s with your neck?¡±


    With an innocent face, Alice replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t normally have so many chances to come out of the coffin and move around. How would I know why my body has such a problem?¡±


    Duncan silently stared at her for a few seconds. Then, he said with a serious expression, ¡°From the looks of it, being bedridden for long periods is bad for the neck.¡±


    Alice did not have a comeback for his joke.


    Duncan¡¯s mood improved as he looked at the speechless doll.


    ¡°Alright! Anyway, the Lost Home now has a new crew member. Follow me. I will assign you a place to rest.¡±

 Chapter 14

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The Lost Home was huge, unbelievably huge. According to Duncan, its scale had exceeded the necessary limits as a sailing vessel.


    A ship of this scale would have more cargo space and cannons. It would also have a more solid construction and stability in the wind and waves. This meant that it was more than capable of challenging the most arduous voyages.


    However, Duncan currently had no plans for long voyages. This huge ghost ship gave him a sense of loneliness. Hence, having another crew member on board to talk to was not a bad thing.


    After all, this ship had plenty of empty guest cabins.


    The sound of footsteps broke the hallway¡¯s silence as Duncan brought the goth doll down the wooden stairs and to the cabins on the lower deck near the stern. They were right under the captain¡¯s quarters. From its construction, it was considered one of the vast ship¡¯s upper-class living quarters. Compared to the dark lower levels where a strange aura lingered, this place was comparatively brighter and tidier.


    Duncan stopped before a crew member¡¯s cabin and casually pushed open the wood-covered door.


    There was a poorly furnished single room inside.


    There were several single cabins like this on the ship. However, they had been unoccupied for a long time. There was no sign of them ever being lived in.


    During his preliminary exploration of the upper decks of the Lost Home, Duncan noticed these empty rooms. Back then, he did not think much about them. Now that he was personally in control of this ghost ship and knew that this ship could sail on its own, a sense of doubt began to grow in him.


    Since this ship did not need crew members, who were these cabins for?


    The single rooms in the upper decks were clearly for senior crew members like the first mate, second mate, and boatswain. As for the lower decks, there were large cabins with wide beds for regular crew members. Aside from that, the ship was also clearly equipped with a dining area and game area for a large number of people. Unlike the sails and rigging, it did not need people to control. These facilities were prepared for humans.


    However, this ship did not require crew members at all.


    Duncan frowned slightly. He believed that this ghost ship, which sailed independently on the sea now, should have once had crew members.


    At the very least, when the ship was first built, the designer included many facilities meant to be used by sailors.


    What exactly happened that resulted in this ship being in its current state? Where did the original crew members of this ship go? Had the real Captain Duncan always been the owner of this ship? What secrets did the goat head know?


    ¡°Captain?¡± a doubtful voice suddenly came from behind him.


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts were instantly interrupted as he had a scare. He then realized that it was the voice of the doll. For a moment, he had forgotten about Alice.


    Over the past few days, Duncan had already gotten used to living alone on this ship. He was accustomed to the voice of the noisy goat head. Now that Alice was here, he was not used to it.


    ¡°My name is Duncan. You can call me Captain Duncan. Of course, you are free to address me directly as captain as well,¡± Duncan replied as he quickly adjusted his facial expression. Then, he turned around to look at the doll and continued, ¡°This empty room will be your room from now on. Have a look.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Okay,¡± Alice replied while nodding. She poked her head out from behind Duncan and took a peek at the room. Then, she turned around and grabbed the crate which had been floating behind her. She placed it on her shoulder and carefully moved into the room.


    Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched when he saw Alice¡¯s coffin, which had been following her. He watched as the doll gently placed the coffin beside the bed. She meticulously checked the coffin¡¯s velvet lining before finally examining the room. Duncan couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do you have to carry this crate everywhere?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alice replied as a matter of course. ¡°Where else can I put it?¡±


    ¡°This coffin was once your seal. I thought you would be bothered by it,¡± said Duncan as he frowned. ¡°From the looks of it now, it is you who cannot leave it.¡±


    ¡°The people wanted to seal me up. The coffin did nothing wrong.¡± Alice sat on the coffin. She tapped it while asking, ¡°Do you want to have a seat as well?¡±


    Duncan shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ll pass. What do you think about this room?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very nice,¡± replied Alice. She seemed quite happy as she looked around the poorly furnished room. She looked as though she was in a luxurious palace. ¡°Is that a wardrobe? I don¡¯t have any clothes to change into, so I most likely won¡¯t have any use for it¡­ but having one is nice. Oh, there is also a table. I can put things on it in the future, but I don¡¯t have anything to put on it¡­ Maybe I can put my head here? It would be easier to comb my hair that way.¡±


    ¡°As long as you are satisfied,¡± said Duncan. He watched the bizarre scene of the goth doll sitting on her coffin and planning out the usage of her room. She even mentioned some questionable use cases. Duncan slowly revealed a smile on his face. He then took half a step back, and his expression returned to normal as he said, ¡°You can rest first and get used to your new room.


    ¡°Aside from the stairs heading down to the lower decks, you may freely access this and the main deck. The place is not complicated. You should be able to figure out the layout of all the rooms quickly.


    I will be in the captain¡¯s quarters. You can find me there if you need anything. If I¡¯m not around, there is a goat head that can speak on the nautical table. He is my first mate.¡±


    Alice was nodding at first while listening to Duncan¡¯s introduction. When she heard him mentioning the goat head, her eyes widened in surprise as she exclaimed, ¡°A goat head? Is it that black woodcarving?¡±


    ¡°It seems that you have noticed him.¡±


    ¡°I did notice it. But you said it could speak? And it is your first mate?¡± Alice was astonished as she mumbled, ¡°I thought it was just a¡­ This is unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°You are a doll that can move and talk,¡± Duncan said as he stared expressionlessly at Alice. ¡°Yet you find a talking goat head unbelievable?¡±


    Alice was momentarily stunned. She lowered her head to look at her hands. She seemed to have just realized the absurdity as she muttered, ¡°Ah¡­ you¡¯re right.¡±


    Duncan shook his head. Then, he turned around and left. ¡°That¡¯s it for now. You may rest here. Find me if you need anything.¡±


    Behind him, Alice¡¯s voice rang, ¡°Aye, captain.¡±


    Duncan did not wander around the ship after leaving her room. Instead, he returned to the captain¡¯s quarters right away. He sat beside the enormous nautical table. The wooden goat head on the table immediately came to life. Creaking sounds could be heard as it turned its head towards Duncan.


    ¡°Ah! The captain is back. It seems like you have helped the lady to settle down. You see, she is exactly like I have described. She is a harmless lady. She will not pose any threat to your voyage. Moreover, she can chat with you and liven up your mood. I see that you have decided to keep her on the ship. What jobs do you plan to make her do? The Lost Home doesn¡¯t really require any crew. The deck will clean itself. The cannons will dust themselves. The water tank will fill itself. Perhaps she could be in charge of the kitchen? You always seem dissatisfied with the food here onboard. Ah, speaking of food, we must first replenish some ingredients. The hams and the cheese in the store might be too old. Even though tough sailors will not be picky about what they get to eat on the sea, the great Captain Duncan will surely¡­¡±


    Duncan felt as though his brain fluid was about to boil. Right then, he confirmed another matter: with this noisy goat head around. He indeed needed an ordinary person to talk to like Alice!


    ¡°Shut up.¡± He snapped as he glared at the goat head. After the latter shut up, he said, ¡°Just now, when Alice was around, you were very well mannered. For a moment, I thought that you had finally learned how to keep quiet.¡±


    ¡°One must not interrupt the captain when interviewing a new crew member. This is the law of the sea. Even as your loyal first mate, second mate, and boatswain¡­¡±


    Duncan did not wait for the goat head to finish speaking. The latter would never stop talking if he did not interrupt the goat head. He said, ¡°Remember to monitor the doll¡¯s movements for the next few days.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ ah? You want me to monitor this lady? Are you still worried about her? Oh, that¡¯s right, a captain must be cautious.¡±


    ¡°She has many secrets and has not revealed all of them. It might be that she truly doesn¡¯t know herself. She might also be hiding them intentionally for her own reasons. Regardless, she is still a cursed doll and has the designation of Abnormality 099,¡± said Duncan plainly. ¡°The crew of the previous ship used multiple seals to prevent Alice from leaving her coffin. However, the sealed doll is now walking freely on my ship. I need some time to determine that Alice is truly a harmless doll. It is fine even if she is only harmless while aboard the Lost Home.¡±

 Chapter 15

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Since personally taking the helm, Duncan possessed true control over the Lost Home. He could also sense all movements aboard the ship. Even so, out of caution, he still ordered the goat head to monitor the cursed doll¡¯s activities at all times.


    It was because he knew he was no expert in the field of the occult. He knew very little about the supernatural powers of this world. A walking, talking doll was far beyond his scope of knowledge. Alice¡¯s words and actions might be harmless, but if the doll had other invisible influences, it was highly likely that he would not be able to tell.


    The goat head was the expert in this field.


    Even putting that aside, Duncan also knew that he could not monitor the situation on the Lost Home at all times. Although he had already decided to live in this world, if the opportunity emerged, he would still want to return to the world on the other side. When that happened, he would not necessarily be able to sense movements on the ship.


    When Duncan thought of this, his gaze shifted slightly. He furtively cast a glance at the goat head on the nautical table. The latter stared back at him blankly with its eyeballs made of obsidian.


    Would this goat head notice when he returned to the other world to his own single apartment? When he left the Lost Home, what would happen to the ship?


    This sudden doubt caused Duncan to feel slightly irritated. However, he did not show his emotions under the blank stare of the goat head. Instead, he distracted himself by sensing what Alice was doing.


    Of course, he had no interest in peeping, even if the other party was nonhuman. Hence, he merely maintained a rough sense of what was going on below deck. Even with just his sensory transmission with the Lost Home, he could at least determine Alice¡¯s current location and ascertain whether or not she was attempting to destroy anything.


    After all, beneath her harmless, elegant, and beautiful appearance, the doll was still a cursed doll. She was a dangerous individual with the designation of Abnormality 099.


    For now, she remained in her room. She might be researching the room¡¯s furnishing and setting up a resting place.


    Duncan heaved a sigh of relief. The goat head to the side suddenly spoke up, ¡°Captain, what do you plan to do next? If you feel bored, your loyal¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± snapped Duncan as he glared at the goat head. Then, he placed both hands on the nautical table¡¯s edge. As his will shifted, he once again experienced the sensation of his hands holding on to the ship¡¯s wheel. The green flame flowed around his body like water.


    Amidst the raging flame, Duncan¡¯s body once again transformed into his astral form. The fire overflowed from the nautical table. Then, it went outside the captain¡¯s quarters and moved to the upper deck. It twirled around one of the masts and moved along the main sheet. The half-transparent spirit sails on the mast fluttered in the wind as the fire swept through them.


    As the main sails, staysail, and jibs adjusted their angles nimbly according to the wind, the gigantic three-masted barque began slowly accelerating on the boundless sea. Duncan looked at the nautical chart. As expected, the grey, white fog covering the nautical chart changed instantly. As the silhouette of the Lost Home advanced, the mist surrounding it dissipated.


    After pondering briefly, he tried to focus his attention on the nautical chart. The green flame enveloped the surroundings of the nautical table. The flame worked like the extension of his body, carrying out his will. Under such an intricate connection, Duncan finally had a vague idea of the secret behind this nautical chart, which was also an extraordinary item.


    As Duncan shifted his will, the silhouette of the Lost Home on the nautical chart enlarged. Then, it shrunk back to its original size.


    Duncan was zooming in, and out of the images he saw on the nautical chart. Clearly, his bizarre idea yielded success. Currently, no matter how much he zoomed out, all he could see on the chart was fog looming over the ocean. However, Duncan had affirmed that this nautical chart was sufficient to record and present every single inch of the sea the Lost Home had ever explored. Furthermore, it could precisely display the details of the surroundings of the Lost Home in real-time.


    Under the blank gaze of the goat head, Duncan did not show any changes in his facial expression. He turned a serious face as though he were a real captain, carefully examining the nautical chart. However, he felt a sense of thrill inside him.


    He gazed at the flame ablaze on his body as his consciousness examined the condition of the Lost Home and detected the changes occurring to the nautical chart.


    As expected, this bizarre green flame was the key to controlling the Lost Home and the many strange items on this ship!


    It might be that this was the captain¡¯s authority.


    Duncan tried to figure out the power of this flame. He understood that if he wanted to truly control this ship and use it as his base to survive in this strange world, he had to figure out his abilities.


    First of all, he needed to control this flame.


    As for the following arrangements that the goat head mentioned¡­


    Duncan looked at the nautical chart that was slowly changing before his eyes. As he saw the fog around the silhouette of the Lost Home slowly dissipate, he devised a simple plan.


    Since he had insufficient understanding of this world and his chart was covered in fog, expanding his map was the right choice.


    After all, sailing was for exploration.


    Captain Duncan was a world boss that sailed the seas to the people of this world. Even if he and the Lost Home remained where they were on the sea, the world¡¯s impression of him would not improve.


    As to whether or not there would be any risk sailing aimlessly on this endless ocean, Duncan believed that before he took over the helm, the ship was already wandering the seas. Since the Lost Home had never moored itself, where was the additional risk?


    Compared to when it was floating around aimlessly, with its sails up, it could at least clear the fog on the nautical chart. This at least put an end to the previous situation where it was passive and surrounded by the unknown.


    Duncan stood up from the nautical table. The green flame surrounding his body gradually dissipated. However, he could sense that the half-transparent spirit sails on the masts did not disappear. A portion of the green flame lingered on the masts and the mainsheets. The remaining flame continued to carry out the captain¡¯s will.


    Combined with what he experienced when he took the helm, Duncan had a rough idea of how this ship functioned.


    Even though this ship only raised its spirit sails in a blaze of flame after he took the helm, the ship did not rely on the captain¡¯s power to raise its gigantic sails or automatically run its systems. This ghost ship had its own power source.


    Duncan still had no idea what kind of power source this ship functioned on, but clearly, his job as a captain was to command the ship.


    The ship would obediently execute his commands.


    Duncan moved away from the nautical table. He turned to look at the tiny door at the end of the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Behind the door was the captain¡¯s private bedroom. During his first few days of exploring this ship, he used that room as his resting spot.


    Now, he needed a quiet space to investigate what else he could do as the captain of the Lost Home.


    However, before that, someone had to look after the ship now that it was at full sails.


    He looked at the wooden goat head at the edge of the nautical table and said calmly, ¡°Take the helm.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± said the goat head, stunned. It sounded somewhat surprised as it said, ¡°But Captain, you¡­¡±


    ¡°I have a business to attend to. Do not disturb me while I am busy,¡± said Duncan as he seemed to ignore the goat head completely. He gave his orders very naturally. Using his other senses and the information from the green flames that spread across the deck outside his cabin, he could see the various hidden connections in the ship¡¯s depths.


    Masts, ropes, sails, rudders, cannons¡­


    Everything was invisibly connected. Some networks, like nerves or blood vessels, seemed to run throughout the ship. All these connections ended at the captain¡¯s quarters.


    The goat head was connected to all of this.


    It might be that this mysterious and bizarre goat head was the embodiment of the Lost Home. Or it might be a control mechanism for taking over the entire ship during emergencies.


    Duncan was not the builder of this ship. He naturally did not know the principles behind its workings. However, he believed that the true Captain Duncan would know what the goat head could do.


    From a different perspective, the goat head, who kept claiming to be the first mate, should naturally be able to take over the helm in the place of the captain when needed.


    Duncan needed to take some risks and try out new things. He had to make arrangements that a true captain would know and do.


    After all, even the captain needed time to rest.


    A second later, the goat head said in a joyful and noisy voice, ¡°Ah, alright, captain. Rest assured, your loyal¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored the goat head and waved his hand casually. He then entered his bedroom at the back of the captain¡¯s quarters and closed the door behind him.

 Chapter 16

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The door closed behind Duncan, blocking off the blank gaze of the goat head.


    However, he could still clearly sense the Lost Home, sensing every minor movement in every corner of this ghost ship. Through this sense that felt like an extension of his own body, he saw that the sails of the Lost Home were adjusting their angles in the ocean breeze. The black wheel at the stern bridge turned slightly, causing the Lost Home to stabilize itself further on the ocean.


    Just as he had expected, the goat head had temporarily taken the helm. He began carrying out his responsibilities as the first mate cautiously and conscientiously. Nevertheless, Duncan could still take over the ship himself at any time.


    The Lost Home was less nimble and moving slower than when he was steering the ship. However, Duncan¡¯s current main objective was to dissipate the fog on the nautical chart further. He did not have a clear destination and course in the first place, so he was also not concerned about this effect.


    After ascertaining that the goat head was not pulling off anything funny and the goth doll below deck was obediently in her room, Duncan heaved a sigh of relief. He then looked around the room that was not too big.


    This was his private bedroom as the captain. It was also the most comfortable and elegant room in the Lost Home. Aside from a soft bed, a sizeable classic wardrobe and a rack with various strange trinkets stood against the wall facing the door. Facing the bed was a dark brown desk. However, there were no books on the desk, only a few display items, and writing and drawing apparatus.


    There was a window next to the desk. He could see far out into the ocean. There were also a few hooks on the wall next to the window. Duncan¡¯s pirate sword and flintlock gun that he was carrying before this hung from the hooks.


    Duncan came to the desk and placed the longsword and the flintlock gun somewhere he could easily reach them. He then opened a drawer in the table and inspected the gunpowder and lead bullets inside the wooden box.


    A small brass compass was placed next to the lead bullets and gunpowder sack. Duncan picked up the compass and saw the needle of the compass spinning randomly within its glass case. It was as though a formless, chaotic field was leading it. There was a line of characters carved into the bottom of the compass.


    ¡°We have all lost our homes.¡±


    Duncan casually toyed around with the compass in his hands. He watched as the compass needle turned around like it was drunk.


    He had already inspected these items many times. During his initial exploration, he had already discovered this room and the things inside it, including the line of characters that the true Captain Duncan should have left behind.


    After reviewing the information Duncan currently possessed, he sighed and then placed the compass on the table. He then lifted his right hand and rubbed his fingertips together.


    A cluster of small, green flames was lit at his fingertips. Under the light of the flame, half of Duncan¡¯s palm immediately appeared transparent and illusory, as though he was a spirit. However, while he was consciously controlling it, this flame did not spread everywhere like before, instead remaining above his fingertip like a candle flame.


    After the flame stabilized, Duncan brought his other hand close to it to feel its warmth. He then took a quill pen from the table and brought the end of the pen to the flame.


    He could not sense any heat, nor was the quill pen set on fire. Only a slight shade of green spread over the quill pen, causing it to glow faintly.


    Duncan did not sense any feedback from the quill pen. This was completely different from when he used the flame to touch the nautical chart and the wheel.


    Duncan committed this new experience to memory. This spirit fire had no temperature and could not ignite anything. It was highly likely that it only reacted to the abnormalities on the Lost Home and would react to ordinary objects.


    How would the flames react to abnormalities from outside of the Lost Home?


    Duncan pondered about this. For a moment, the silhouette of the goth doll, Alice, surfaced in his mind. She was an abnormality from outside of the Lost Home.


    Would she be affected by the spirit fire?


    However, he merely contemplated it briefly before casting this unbridled thought aside.


    Even though Alice was non-human and was the cursed Abnormality 099, she could speak, move about, and had her own individual body of thought. Now, she was also a crew member of the Lost Home. Duncan had already come to view her as a human subconsciously.


    He could not accept testing his flames on a live human. After all, he wasn¡¯t sure what profound effect his flames would have on the affected abnormality and whether it would cause them harm.


    Next, Duncan tested the flame out a few more times. While he inspected the nature of the flame, he ascertained whether the various items in the bedroom had supernatural characteristics.


    His gaze finally landed on the little brass compass with the message on it.


    The brass compass was lying on the table. The needle under the glass case was randomly spinning. As Duncan maintained his flames and looked at the compass with a mischievous gaze, he did not know whether he was seeing things. The needle seemed to freeze for a second suddenly.


    It then continued randomly spinning as though nothing had happened.


    Duncan was speechless.


    This item definitely reacted to his gaze just now!


    He was initially apprehensive about this compass. After all, there was a message left behind by the true Captain Duncan. He was very worried that the deceased ghost captain had left behind some of his power or some trap to ward off burglars, so he had not tested his flames on the compass. However, after he saw the compass reacting, he suddenly made up his mind.


    Duncan reached out his hand and picked up the compass. A cold touch reached his fingertips. After sweeping a glance at the needle that was still randomly spinning, he immediately placed the item in his right hand that was maintaining the spirit fire. He then slowly clenched his fist.


    The green flames instantly flowed like burning grease, seeping through the spaces between his fingers. A faint fire ignited rapidly on the surface of the compass. In the fire, there seemed to be countless phantoms rising and dissipating. The next moment, the randomly spinning needle suddenly halted and pointed to some location on the vast ocean.


    Duncan felt his heart stir. In an instant, he could sense the feedback from the compass. He was confident that this was indeed an abnormal item that the spirit fire could control. Yet, before he could analyze the feedback further, a force of attraction suddenly appeared and attacked him!


    Duncan felt himself losing balance. The next moment, his vision blurred. The furnishing in the captain¡¯s bedroom turned into nothingness. Even the walls and the ceiling disintegrated in an instant like snowflakes. Amidst the scattered light and shadows, endless darkness filled his vision.


    He stood dumbfounded in the center of the darkness. The alarm bells in his mind went off. His first reaction was to reach for his flintlock gun and sword. He discovered that only the brass compass was left with him the next moment. He was still grasping it in his hand.


    Duncan blinked. From his perspective, countless, wispy strands of light seemed to emanate from the brass compass.


    These light strands spread out into the darkness and weaved together a web that seemed to expand infinitely. In the interweaving light, countless starry lights appeared. Some of them were scattered, while some of them merged into rivers. The intertwined web of light was as brilliant as a galaxy.


    Duncan looked at the strange phenomenon before him in confusion. He was very cautious and somewhat uneasy. Nevertheless, he did not feel as though he was in danger.


    Instead, amidst the darkness, the web of light, and the starlight, he felt a long-lost peace of mind.


    A strange sensation suddenly swept over him. His gaze could not help but be drawn to a cluster of starlight in the web of light. He looked towards the cluster and felt the starlight was about to fall entirely into the darkness.


    He subconsciously reached out to the starlight.


    Right then, a tremendous attractive force swept over him. Duncan felt as though his soul flew up. He charged uncontrollably towards the starlight, about to fall into the darkness. The dense web of light woven by the compass swiftly retreated from his gaze. The galaxies coalesced from starlight around him and suddenly began to spin and change.


    As he flew forwards at tremendous speeds, he subconsciously looked at his right hand, grasping the compass. However, unbeknownst when the compass had disappeared without a trace. At the same time, just as he was about to touch the faint starlight, a shadow suddenly coalesced from the darkness in the corner of his eye.


    The shadow seemed to emerge naturally as though it had always been by his side. It followed him as he flew towards the faint light.


    Duncan could only vaguely distinguish that the shadow seemed to be a bird with outstretched wings. Before he could make out any further details, his vision went dark.


    He felt the weight of the real world spread throughout his limbs, followed by the stench of rotting limbs and the harsh sound of heavy iron chains dragging on the floor.

 Chapter 17

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    There was a stench of cold, wet, rotten flesh and the noise of an iron chain dragging along the ground.


    Many strange sensations flooded Duncan¡¯s mind. He failed to open his eyes immediately. At this instant, he felt his soul was torn into two parts. One part was left on the Lost Home while the other was stuffed into an utterly foreign body. This body was akin to an old, broken machine. It was hard to maneuver around in it. His nervous system was cluttered with all sorts of sensations, with a mixture of numbness. He tried to open his eyes and exercise his fingers. However, he could not sense any of his body parts at all.


    This suffocating sensation lasted for a few seconds before the indescribable numbness in his nervous system gradually ceased. Duncan felt as though his body was awakening from a long hibernation. Slowly, he regained his ability to move.


    His eyes finally opened, and he examined the situation he was in.


    The space he was in was ill-lit, seemingly a crypt. Burning torches were hanging on the stone wall far from where he was. Under the flickering torchlight, Duncan slowly made out a horrifying scene in this confined space. He saw many men, or more precisely, many corpses, lying on the ground in a disorderly manner. The dead bodies were placed carelessly on the wet rocks and puddled ground. Most of them were garbed in tattered rags; only a few were still wearing complete clothes.


    Water condensed and dripped from the top of the cave. The sound of water flowing could be heard from a distance, indicating the presence of either an underground river or a drain. The sound of iron chains rattling came from the depths of a passageway connected to the cave, but the sound was fading.


    Duncan blinked his eyes and tried to figure out what was happening. He looked down at his right hand and saw a strange and frail palm, followed by torn clothes covering his arm. The brass compass which he had been holding had long disappeared.


    He looked to his side. He remembered seeing a shadow following beside him while traversing the web of light. The silhouette of the shadow looked like that of a bird. Of course, his search for the bird was in vain.


    The bird-like shadow seemed not to have followed him into this reality.


    Duncan clenched his fists slowly to subdue the fear and nervousness he felt. Then, he rubbed his fingers together.


    A very tiny green flame lit up at the end of his fingertips.


    This flame was far weaker than the green flame that Duncan was used to. However, he felt slightly at ease when seeing it. The moment the flame illuminated, he felt his cloudy mental state clear. Moreover, he could clearly sense a ripping and pulling sensation acting on his soul.


    He could distinctly sense that the other half of his soul was not here. He could feel the existence of the Lost Home. He could also detect the other half of his soul residing in his own body, sitting in front of the table and holding on to the brass compass.


    This sensation was miraculous. Duncan soon had a vague idea of what had happened.


    His soul had undergone some form of projection. Or it could be said that his spirit had expanded outwards. A part of his soul traversed an unknown distance and was currently residing in the body of a stranger.


    Under such a projection state, he could still clearly sense the existence of his own body.


    This was definitely related to the brass compass. Could it be that projection was the ability of that abnormal item?


    Duncan had his speculation. However, he did not allow his mind much time to wander into endless possibilities. He calmed down after making sure that his own body was safe on the ship and that his soul was still within his control and was only temporarily residing in this nameless body. He was now ready to explore what kind of situation his new body was in.


    Firstly, he was sure that he was not on a ship.


    He was on land that he failed to discover after drifting on the ocean for many days!


    Secondly, this gloomy cave did not look like a safe place. The scattered corpses did not look like a typical scene where people passed away peacefully. What unfortunate events did the actual owner of his current body go through to have been trapped in such a living hell?


    Duncan took a deep breath and sat up straight while supporting his body. Before this, this body had been leaning against a huge boulder. It was not a comfortable pose to be in.


    As Duncan drew in a breath and moved, he felt something was very off with his body. The air that he sucked in was quickly leaking out. There was a bizarre and empty sensation coming from his chest. Even his action of lifting his body was distorted.


    Puzzled, Duncan looked down and saw a massive hole in his body.


    The hole was right where his heart should be. His heart was gone. Cold air passed through his chest, along with the air Duncan drew in just now. In the end, the air dissipated in the damp surroundings.


    Duncan could even look behind him through the hole from a certain angle.


    ¡°What the fuck!¡± he cursed.


    Duncan was usually a happy-go-lucky guy. He had also gained some experience in dealing with supernatural phenomena when he was on the Lost Home. Even then, he still broke out in cold sweat at this moment. He had goosebumps everywhere while his hair stood on end.


    After having the shock of his life, Duncan quickly realized that he was still moving and kicking.


    Even though his heart was missing, and his chest was penetrated with a huge hole, he did not feel any pain at all.


    ¡°Is this body¡­ a corpse?¡±


    A moment later, Duncan figured out the situation. He also had a clearer understanding of his current condition. He calmed down.


    Occupying the body of a dead person and moving around in it was nothing astonishing. After all, he had a ghost ship that could drive itself and a garrulous wooden goat head as a first mate. He was recently acquainted with a cursed doll that could detach her head and sail the boundless sea. Any one of the things he had encountered before this was more terrifying than a corpse moving and speaking.


    At the very least, he was only missing a heart. Alice¡¯s head could barely remain on her shoulders.


    He thought of all this and returned to his composed self at a speed that even shocked him. Then, he checked the mobility of his current body and tried to get used to moving in a weird state with a hole in his chest. After he was done adjusting himself, only then did he move towards the corpses left behind in the cave.


    ¡°As expected¡­¡± He mumbled.


    Duncan examined the first corpse and was not surprised when he saw a hole in the other party¡¯s chest.


    The corpse was garbed in tattered clothes, and the deceased was a pale-looking, middle-aged man. He looked like a beggar. He had been dead for a long time. However, his angry and bulging eyes still conveyed the struggle and despair he felt in the very last moments of his life.


    Duncan advanced forward and saw many corpses with missing hearts. All of them lay lifelessly on the cold rocks in a miserable state. There were only two exceptions. Two men had severe wounds on their heads. They seemed to have passed away from banging their heads forcefully against the rocks.


    Duncan could not help but begin a train of thought. It might be that these were two people who ended their own lives before experiencing the pain of having their hearts gouged out.


    Honestly speaking, the things in the cave were too intense for ordinary people to experience. Even Duncan lost his appetite after taking a look around the place. After he inspected the corpses¡¯ condition, he had to sit down on a clean stone a distance away from this place and pull himself together. As he calmed himself down, he tried to deduce the truth behind these events.


    These were horrific murders. Yet, judging from the way these corpses were cruelly and uniformly executed, they seemed to be more than just mere murders. There was a wicked sense of ritual to these murders.


    Duncan once again summoned the spirit fire. He sensed his connection with his main body. He knew that he could sever this projection of his at any given moment and return safely to the Lost Home.


    He felt that he needed to get to the bottom of what happened to this place, even if it was just to get hold of some intel about land.


    Duncan took in a breath and felt the air leave his lungs. He got up from the rock that he had temporarily rested on. He looked towards the passageway deep within the cave. He recalled that the sound of iron chains being dragged along the floor came from there.


    There were not just corpses in the underground space. Other people were also moving around inside. The people who could move around freely in this terrifying place should be able to provide him with some answers.


    Of course, it was unsafe to just barge into the passageway to check the situation, but Duncan did not mind.


    After all, he could escape whenever he wanted.

 Chapter 18

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Before he left the cave he was temporarily hiding in, Duncan first pulled off some rags from a nearby corpse and wrapped them around himself.


    It wasn¡¯t because he could not stand the cold in the cave; rather, it was to cover up his exposed chest. Even though the hole in his chest did not affect Duncan¡¯s existence at all, as a normal person, walking around with his chest cavity feeling chilling, was too much for him to bear. Covering himself up could at least bring him some comfort and reduce the strange sensation of air passing through him.


    Duncan also considered the possibility of suddenly encountering other people while moving around in the underground space. Needless to say, having a large hole in his chest would not be advantageous when striking up a conversation with strangers.


    Just like that, after he dealt with his wound, Duncan carefully left the spooky wet cave. He headed down the passageway connected to the cave and slowly ventured deeper.


    This body that he was temporarily possessing was not convenient to move in. Not only did the fatal wound in his chest affect his nimbleness, but Duncan could also clearly sense the fragility of his body. With these weak limbs, he couldn¡¯t even walk fast. It could not compare at all with the supernaturally strong body of the ghost captain.


    Duncan could not see his current appearance. However, from the parts he could see, he speculated that he should be a youth with a weak physique due to prolonged periods of severe malnourishment. Even though this body was currently controlled by the soul of a mighty ghost captain, it seemed that the strength of a soul could not make up for the physical limits of a weak body.


    Unfortunately, he had no choice at the moment. Duncan could only control this barely usable body and slowly explore the deep passageway. He knew that with the condition of his temporary body, he would be helpless if he encountered any dangers. He could only pray that he could continue using this shell for a while longer.


    The passageway was deep, wet, and dark. However, there were some hidden ventilation holes. A faint air current was constantly flowing past nearby. After a short distance, he saw torches and oil lamps hanging on the walls. These things proved that people had been around this place constantly.


    After walking down the passageway for a long period of time, Duncan suddenly discovered that it was very bright down the path ahead. Artificial markings began to appear in his sight. He saw a fork at the end of the passageway. The paths branching out from the fork had flat walls and high semi-circular vaulting arcs. The ground lined with bricks was dark and damp. There are two more channels of water running along the ground, with disgusting sewage flowing in them.


    There were openings of drainpipes on the walls on both sides of the path. Sewage flowed from some of these openings into the water channels below. They then flowed deeper into the darkness.


    ¡°A sewer?¡±


    Duncan soon had a better idea of the place he was in. The space he was in was a large-scale sewer system. The place where the corpses were hidden was most likely a natural cave that happened to be connected to it.


    A larger scale sewer. A natural cave connected to it. Dead bodies hidden in the cave.


    Countless speculations surfaced in Duncan¡¯s mind when he thought of these things. While his mind wandered into different possibilities, he scrutinized the condition of the sewer.


    The sewer system was huge, and it demonstrated exquisite craftsmanship. The main supporting pillars were made of reinforced concrete. This sewer system could even be used as an underground shelter during critical times.


    To have developed such a massive structure, the scale of the city above this sewer system would surely be enormous as well. Moreover, the city would have developed advanced technology.


    Technology was not something that existed alone. Countless related industries would surely support the production of any product. From the sewer system alone, Duncan could tell a lot about the city, such as its construction standard, city planning, materials available, level of maintenance, and life standard of the locals.


    This was enough for the currently information-deficient Duncan to obtain some precious knowledge about the civilized world.


    Duncan walked along the sewer. He suddenly stopped after just walking down a short distance. His gaze landed on a nearby wall.


    There was a lamp on the wall. It had an outer glass case and a solid-looking metal enclosure.


    Compared to the cave¡¯s torches and oil lamps, the wall lamp was clearly brighter. Within the sanded glass case was a steadily burning flame. The light it emitted was bright enough to light up a considerable part of the sewer.


    Duncan approached it to take a closer look. Everything outside the Lost Home, especially modern civilization creations, was extremely attractive to him.


    After observing it for a long while, Duncan finally figured out the lamp¡¯s light source. It was a gas lamp.


    The gas lamp appeared different from what he had seen from his resources. Aside from its appearance, the most apparent difference was that he saw a few fine symbols on the glass cover.


    The symbols had most likely been added when the lamp casing was created. The curving shapes seemed hieroglyphic. Duncan did not recognize these symbols. However, he immediately thought of the mysterious runes he had seen previously on the machine-powered ship and Alice¡¯s coffin.


    Even though the symbols differed, they had a similar ¡°vibe.¡±


    This was a sacred, ritualistic item.


    Duncan took a few steps back. He looked up and peered deeper into the sewer. He saw lit gas lamps on the walls every few meters.


    As an underground facility that was rarely visited except for essential maintenance, the lighting in this sewer was overkill. The outer shell of each gas lamp might have similar mysterious runes.


    Duncan sensed that these densely placed gas lamps seemed to be fighting against something in this dark, unvisited underground place. It was as though the civilized human world that they represented was opposing something.


    Duncan followed the path lit by the gas lamps. He paid close attention to the surrounding walls, the floor, and the ceiling for any valuable clues. Suddenly, he saw something out of the corner of his eye.


    He stopped between two gas lamps along a slightly darker section of the sewer. He looked up sideways and saw that high on the wall, near the ceiling of the sewer, something was painted in dark red paint.


    Duncan narrowed his eyes. After trying to make out what was being drawn for a long time, he finally made out the picture outlined by those harsh lines. He saw hands reaching for the sky, seemingly worshiping something. The hands were all facing a ball high in the sky that was emanating bright light.


    Beneath this picture was a line of crooked characters. The strokes contained intense passion and anticipation. The characters written were not of any language of Earth, but Duncan naturally understood what was written.


    ¡°The false sun will finally fall, and the true Sun God will be resurrected from blood and fire! All life belongs to the sun! All order belongs to the sun!¡±


    Duncan stood silently in the sewer. He looked where the light of the gas lamps was darkest, at the dark red graffiti, and at the brightly shining sun drenched in fresh blood and feverishly worshiped by people.


    He seemed to be prying into another world.


    Just like that, he stared at these things for a long time. Suddenly, rustling sounds emerged from deep within the sewer. Duncan could hear footsteps.


    He looked up in the direction of the sound. He saw a few figures wearing hooded cloaks walking toward him. The figures¡¯ faces were covered by their hoods. They appeared like sinister ghosts from deep within this dirty sewer.


    Duncan did not hide. In reality, there was nowhere to hide in this straight sewer. His improvised body could not perform advanced movements such as walking in blind spots. Hence, after pondering about it for a moment, he simply stood in the middle of the sewer and openly observed the approaching, suspicious hooded figures.


    Since this body could not even run, it was destined to be disposable. It was best to get some intel in exchange.


    Just then, a few hooded figures that emerged from deep within the sewer noticed Duncan.

 Chapter 19

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Of course, the hooded figures noticed Duncan, who was standing right in the middle of the sewer.


    Duncan still looked the same as when he left the cave. His thin and shriveled body was clad in tattered robes. The rags he hastily draped over his upper half covered the gaping hole in his chest. He stood there brazenly in the middle of the path. He looked as though he was terrified by the hooded figures who suddenly emerged. The latter was also very surprised. They were momentarily stunned. Then, the leader suddenly shouted, ¡°A sacrifice has escaped!¡±


    Next, Duncan saw them running towards him. Another person shouted as he ran, saying, ¡°Quickly! Stop him. Don¡¯t let him get away.¡±


    Duncan shrugged his shoulders. Expressionless, he watched the figures, who were clearly not good guys, as they ran towards him. After weighing the current situation, he had no intention of running at all. Yet, the other party still charged over towards him as one of them shouted, ¡°A sacrifice has escaped.¡± His companion followed up by shouting. ¡°Don¡¯t let him escape!¡±


    In the end, Duncan remained standing in the middle of the sewer. The fact that he did not run nor evade them made the atmosphere awkward. The shouting hooded figures running over clearly noticed something was up. Their shouting ceased involuntarily, but they continued running towards Duncan. Duncan could sense the embarrassment and anger from these hooded figures as they surrounded him from all sides.


    Duncan looked around at the figures around him. After hesitating, he said, ¡°Should I have run away just now? After all, the atmosphere seemed appropriate.¡±


    The hooded figures ignored Duncan¡¯s joke. They merely looked at the latter with vigilant and cautious gazes. They then looked behind Duncan. Two of the figures lowered their heads and had a brief exchange. Duncan overheard their conversation.


    One of them said, ¡°How did one of the sacrifices manage to escape?¡±


    The other figure replied, ¡°Could it be that the hyenas of the church have discovered this hiding spot? However, he does not look like he was released by someone else.¡±


    The first figure said, ¡°Whatever it was, we should bring him back first. Something seems off about this escaped sacrifice. We had better deal with him quickly.¡±


    ¡°We will let the emissary decide.¡±


    Duncan did not know where these people originated from at all. He was even less aware of who the other party referred to as ¡°emissary.¡± However, as he connected the dots between the things he had witnessed on his way here and the word sacrifice mentioned by the other party, he could already guess the truth of this place.


    He did not know how to react to being considered an ordinary sacrifice. He had no intention of putting on a show for these people. He was away from the Lost Home and was using a temporary shell. There were clearly very few things he needed to worry about. So, after observing his surroundings for a while, he directly asked them, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    When the hooded figures heard the sacrifice before them speaking calmly, they felt strange. Even though they wore black gauze masks that completely hid their faces, Duncan could still make out that they were surprised. One of the black-robed figures glared at him from beneath his mask. In a low voice, the figure said, ¡°You are not qualified to ask. Take him away!¡±


    A few black-robed figures immediately pressed in on him. However, before they could act, Duncan took the initiative to take a step forward. He declared, ¡°You do not need to do anything. I will follow you.¡±


    The black-robed figures exchanged glances. They must have felt that the sacrifice had a few screws loose. Regardless, the leading black-robed figure waved his hand and said, ¡°That is best. After all, you cannot get away. Follow us, and you might be able to receive glory in dignity.¡±


    A few black-robed figures surrounded Duncan, encircling him from all sides to seal off his escape routes. They then led him deeper into the sewer.


    The foul smell of the sewer was nauseating. Yet, these black-robed figures seemed oblivious to it as they calmly walked down the dirty, moldy path. Duncan remained silent, his face expressionless. As he followed these black-robed figures, he paid attention to their conversations. They did not interact much with each other. Nevertheless, he could occasionally hear the words Pland, archon, and church mentioned in their discussions.


    ¡°Is this place the City-state of Pland?¡± Duncan suddenly asked. He said this calmly, as though he was talking to someone he was familiar with.


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± a black-robed figure replied involuntarily. However, he quickly realized something and looked at Duncan as though he had seen a ghost. He said, ¡°You are a rather calm brat. Do you know what is going to happen to you next?¡±


    ¡°I can roughly guess,¡± answered Duncan as he nodded his head. He even had a smile on his face. To test them, he asked, ¡°It is related to the true Sun God, right?¡±


    A few of the black-robed figures clearly stopped in their tracks for a moment. They seemed to have misunderstood something from Duncan¡¯s strange reaction. In a low voice, one of the figures asked his companion, ¡°Wait a minute. Could it be that he is also a disciple of the Lord?¡±


    ¡°That is impossible. He is obviously an escaped sacrifice,¡± retorted the other black-robed figure in a low voice. He then glanced at Duncan and said, ¡°You are quite clever. However, don¡¯t think that you will be spared from being a sacrifice. The Lord has already determined your fate. You had better accept it willingly.¡±


    Duncan did not express an opinion. He knew that his overly calm reaction had caused the hooded figures in front of him, who seemed to be cultists, to overthink and misunderstand. They most likely believed that he was acting calm to pretend to be a disciple in order to survive. However, only Duncan knew what was really going on.


    For him, moving around normally in this temporary body of his was already extremely difficult. The muscles on his face were as stiff as dead ends, so he was left with a calm, emotionless expression.


    Nevertheless, Duncan did not care what the cultists thought about him. He only wanted to gather as much intel as he could during this one-off exploration. Hence, he then asked, ¡°Do all of you believe that the current sun in the sky is fake? Do you think that it will fall sooner or later?¡±


    ¡°The false sun will finally fall!¡± shouted the cultist in unison. This was clearly a topic that could stir up these cultists. Just as he wanted, Duncan heard one of them enthusiastically and passionately respond, ¡°Even the church dogs have to admit that, in general history, the current sun in the sky is a twisted and grotesque thing that only appeared after the Great Annihilation! The Sun God truly brought life and order to the world. However, our Lord¡¯s power was usurped by that vile false sun. One day, it will fall from the sky!¡±


    Next, Duncan heard the surrounding cultists chant, ¡°The false sun will finally fall! The true Sun God will soon be resurrected! The excess water of the oceans will be cast back out into the emptiness of space by his might! The land will return to an era of abundance and stability!¡±


    As he listened to the cultists who were clearly beginning to rave, Duncan¡¯s mind raced. He knew that these passionate cultists could not be reasoned with. What they believed in was mostly distorted and tampered information. Nevertheless, the intel they revealed was worthy of reference.


    The current sun in the sky was a fake.


    The true sun had its power usurped.


    They firmly believed that the real sun was a fallen deity and that this deity would be resurrected from blood and fire.


    They also mentioned the excess water of the ocean and an era of abundance and stability. What did these terms mean?


    Duncan¡¯s mind was flooded with thoughts. The cultists calmed down after a short while. They still remembered their business and that they were escorting an escaped sacrifice. The cultists closest to Duncan reverted to silence while the two members at the back whispered to each other.


    ¡°Do you feel that this sacrifice is weird?¡±


    ¡°He seems a bit off. I am not quite sure why.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that when this sacrifice escaped, he spent too long in the lightless underground, and his will was affected by something?¡±


    ¡°That would be great. The Lord¡¯s might can purify him.¡±


    Duncan was listening to the conversation happening behind him. His attention was especially piqued by phrases like the lightless underground. However, just as he wanted to gather more intel from their discussion, the leading black-robed figure stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°We have arrived,¡± the black-robed cultist said in a low voice as cold as ice.


    Duncan felt it was a pity he could not hear more of their conversation. However, his attention was drawn to the scene before his eyes.


    Up ahead was the end of the path. It was the intersection point of a few sewers. In this wide space that was like a small underground hall, there was actually a gathering of black-robed cultists!

 Chapter 20 - Sacrifice

    Chapter 20 Sacrifice


    The sewer system was expansive. In Duncan¡¯s eyes, it had surpassed its singular function entirely as a city sewage system. The rune-marked gas lamps everywhere in the sewer and the reinforced structures that made it suitable to serve as a shelter gave him many conjectures about this underground facility¡¯s purpose.


    No matter what the designer¡¯s original intent was for this place, one thing was abundantly clear; deep within this gigantic facility, beneath the eyes of the world above, this cold, dark place had already become the breeding ground of some evil force.


    This was the nursery of a cult that worshiped the sun in name but sent chills down people¡¯s spines.


    This intersection point of a few sewers was a vast underground space. Solid concrete pillars held up the brick-laid dome. A network of metal-cast pipes crisscrossed across the dome like a spider web. Bright gas lamps illuminated the entire space, and the crowd assembled in this gathering place.


    At a glance, several hundred people dressed in black robes gathered here in this wet and dirty place. In the center of the crowd was a raised platform. On the platform, a tall figure similarly garbed in black robes. He was clearly the highest-ranking member among them.


    This man on the raised platform did not have a hood like the others; instead, he was wearing a golden mask. The mask was bizarre. It looked like a round plate that emitted endless light in all directions. Its surface was also covered with carved crack patterns.


    Behind this masked figure was a unique totem on the raised platform. It was a tall wooden pillar. On top of it, a burning ball of fire was fixed. The fireball¡¯s core seemed to be made from some form of metal. Its surface was perforated with tiny holes, and the flames shot out from these perforations.


    When Duncan was escorted here, this was what he saw.


    The black-robed figures in this gathering place also noticed him.


    ¡°We caught an escaped sacrifice on our way here,¡± said one of the black-robed figures who escorted Duncan. He walked forward and reported this to their leader on the raised platform. His tone indicated that he was seeking a reward. He continued, ¡°This sacrifice has been dwelling in the dark for too long, so its mind is somewhat confused. Please display your might and allow the glory of the Lord to descend on this pitiful body!¡±


    The cult leader wearing a golden mask on the raised platform turned around and stared at the expressionless Duncan. In a surprised, cold tone, he commented, ¡°An escaped sacrifice?¡±


    Duncan did not respond. He merely observed his surroundings curiously, including the cult leader¡¯s golden mask and the burning fireball totem behind him.


    These symbols might appear bizarre to the ordinary people of this world. However, Duncan recognized at a glance that these things mimicked the sun.


    Not the ball of light in the sky bound in massive flames and two rings of runes, but the sun that Duncan was familiar with burnt brightly and emitted endless light.


    These people were worshiping the sun. They seemed to worship a sun that had fallen since ancient times and treated it as some deity.


    With a calm expression, Duncan raised his head and looked at the black-robed priest looking down on him. Due to his dead facial muscles, his calm face made him look like he had lost his sentience in the other party¡¯s eyes.


    The priest wearing the golden mask locked gazes with Duncan for less than two seconds before he turned around and instructed a person next to the raised platform, saying, ¡°Go check out where the sacrifices are locked up. Report back quickly.¡±


    After giving his instructions, he nodded at the black-robed figures who escorted Duncan. His words contained a hint of praise as he said, ¡°All of you have done well. Even though this is a minor contribution in the eyes of the Lord, this will also become your eternal glory when sunlight once again shines upon everything.¡±


    Even with this mild, routine compliment, the black-robed figures appeared to have received tremendous praise. One by one, they were riled up, praising the true Sun God as they pushed Duncan up to the raised platform. Only then did the masked priest speak to Duncan, saying, ¡°O poor man who has gone astray, have you felt the deep cold among the lightless rocks and soil?¡±


    Duncan did not understand what the priest was saying at all. He could only silently look back at the latter. The priest was also clearly uninterested in the reaction of the sacrifice before him. His words were not directed at Duncan but rather at the surrounding crowd of believers and the Sun God he believed in.


    He continued, ¡°Cold and darkness are the sufferings left behind in this world by the false sun. Under the rule of the false sun, the dark sea ravaged the world. There were only small, scattered landmasses for life to scrape by on. Even on these landmasses, it was difficult for people to escape suffering. The shadows of the old days are still entrenched underground. In the lightless caves, their gnawing claws wiggle. The land was filled with hate and conflict. The breath of the evil god tainted the pure souls of humans.¡±


    He asked the crowd, ¡°How could we stand such suffering for so long? How could we stand such a twisted absurdity of a world under the false sun?¡±


    ¡°We cannot. We only wish for the Lord to return, for the true Sun God to once again descend upon the world with blood and burning flames to restore order and prosperity back into the world!¡±


    Instigated by the very provocative tone of this masked priest, Duncan could clearly sense the atmosphere of the gathering place change. The cultists dressed in black robes were riled up one by one. At first, they went along with what the priest said. They soon became fervent cries as they chanted, ¡°We only wish for the true Sun God to once again descend upon the world with blood and burning flames!¡±


    The priest on the raised platform said loudly, ¡°We only wish for the true Sun God to once again descend upon the world.¡± He then pointed at Duncan and continued, ¡°Today, the Lord will draw closer to awakening from his slumber. The fresh blood of the lost will tend to the wounds of the sun after its fall!¡±


    ¡°Bring up the sacrifice!¡±


    A few black-robed figures swarmed out from the side. However, Duncan was even quicker than they were. Without anyone pushing him, he climbed onto the altar.


    Even though this temporary body was not easy to move in, he could still climb onto a platform.


    After he climbed up, he came before the masked priest. The latter maintained his imposing and mysterious manner from when he gave orders. The change had occurred too quickly. Due to the way events unfolded beyond his previous experience, this cult leader could not react instantly. He exchanged glances with Duncan through his golden mask. It became bizarrely quiet around the altar all of a sudden.


    Duncan ignored the change in the surrounding atmosphere. He merely felt that he had gathered even more intel about this world. He was looking forward to seeing more rare sights before this temporary body expired.


    ¡°What is that?¡± asked Duncan as he rubbed his hands in anticipation. Listening very carefully, he asked, ¡°Then? What will the next step be?¡±


    The masked priest was speechless.


    ¡°Did you not hear me?¡± asked Duncan as he frowned. However, because of his rigid facial muscles, his face didn¡¯t frown. He repeated, ¡°I said, what comes after that?¡±


    The priest finally reacted this time. Although he had a mask on, a confused look had clearly flashed past in his eyes momentarily. However, he quickly suppressed it. He then said in a low voice, ¡°The shadows in the darkness have indeed affected your mind. Nevertheless, do not worry. The almighty sun will end your suffering. Bring the sacrifice before the totem!¡±


    Two black-robed figures immediately came up to the raised platform from the sides. They dragged Duncan by his elbows towards the totem with a fireball at the top. Duncan did not quite understand this step, so he naturally had no way of cooperating in advance. However, he still maintained an unresisting state. Clamped between the two black-robed figures, he obediently stood below the burning fireball.


    Even though Duncan did not resist, the two black-robed figures clamped down on his elbows with extreme force. It was as though they feared that he would struggle intensely at the last moment. They were abnormally strong. Duncan even felt the bones of his temporary body split apart slowly in their grasp. He gave the two black-robed figures strange glances.


    Next, the masked priest walked toward him once again.


    Duncan¡¯s attention was immediately drawn toward him. He saw the priest take a uniquely designed dagger from his chest pocket. The dagger was strangely curved like a shriveled section of a finger. The blade was ink black, as though it was made of obsidian. The light of the fireball totem was reflected on the blade¡¯s surface and appeared bizarre and extraordinary.


    Duncan secretly prepared to sever his astral projection. He knew this was as much intel as he could gather with his temporary body.


    The cult priest¡¯s prayers resonated atop the raised platform, ¡°Almighty Sun God! Please accept this sacrifice! I offer up this sacrifice¡¯s heart. May you return in blood and fire!¡±


    Duncan immediately paused in terminating his astral projection. He looked at the cult priest before him as though he was a fool.

 Chapter 21 - A Successful Ritual

    Chapter 21 A Successful Ritual


    After hearing the content of the cult priest¡¯s prayer, Duncan immediately halted the process of canceling his astral projection to return to the Lost Home.


    The captain dumbfoundedly looked at the masked priest who had just completed the fanatic prayer. The dagger that seemed to be carved out of obsidian was raised high up in the priest¡¯s hands. The cultists around the sacrificial altar cheered enthusiastically as they recited the name of their ¡®lord,¡± the legendary ¡°True Sun God,¡± who had fallen and broken into pieces a long time ago.


    They wanted to offer the ¡°sacrifice¡± to the Sun God. More specifically, they were going to provide the sacrifice¡¯s heart.


    Duncan finally understood where the painful cries in the cave originated from. He also learned of the sins that those zealous cultists had committed.


    He then saw the masked priest take a step toward him. The priest raised the obsidian dagger, and a black flame appeared on the blade.


    The interesting supernatural phenomenon managed to pique Duncan¡¯s interest. He wondered if the dagger was also an ¡°abnormality¡± and if the priest was also a ¡°special human¡± who could control the supernatural power. He thought about how many unique humans actually existed in civilized societies and what their roles would be.


    At the same time, he expressionlessly watched as the dagger burning in black flame pierced his chest, making the sound of a blade piercing through a few layers of cloth.


    The flame burned beneath the cloth, but it didn¡¯t burn anything.


    The fireball burning on top of the totem behind him suddenly made an uncomfortable crackling sound. There was even a hint of unpitched sound that sounded like someone was screaming in pain. Duncan could faintly feel something starting to spread from the fireball. It was cold to ¡°touch.¡± He was having a hard time describing the feeling. It wasn¡¯t only because the sense of the body he had temporarily possessed had a muted reaction but also because it was not something he had felt before. However, he did understand one thing. In the supernatural world, the priest performing the sacrificial ritual was in trouble.


    The mutation that represented the sun on the totem immediately caught the attention of the cultists in the vicinity. There were a few gasps, and the room quieted down from the excited cheers. Even the two men in black robes, grabbing Duncan¡¯s arms tightly, looked as if they were stunned by something. They loosened their grips out of fear and immediately knelt in front of the totem. Even the priest, still holding the obsidian dagger, was frozen in his spot. The blade was still tightly in his hand, but he was now staring at the face of his ¡°sacrifice.¡± Duncan could see the confusion in his eyes through the holes in the mask.


    Duncan forcefully moved his paralyzed lips and managed to form a terrifying grin. He slowly raised his right hand and rested it on the priest¡¯s hand holding the dagger. The green flame started to flow from him like water onto the dagger.


    Almost instantly, Duncan could feel the ¡°feedback¡± from the dagger. However, weirdly enough, the feedback was weak and hollow. It was as if the dagger was a cheap imitation, a hollow shell with a hint of ¡°borrowed power.¡±


    However, whether the dagger was real or, an imitation didn¡¯t matter much to him.


    He smiled at the priest and slowly said, ¡°There are two things I want to say.¡±


    The next second, the priest could feel that an external force suddenly interrupted the connection between him and the obsidian dagger. It was as if his fanatic belief in the Sun God had unexpectedly run into an unbreakable wall and was cut off.


    ¡°First, I have a kind heart. Look at how kind I


    am.¡±


    Duncan ripped the cloth already torn by the dagger and exposed a shocking hole. Through the hole, the priest that hosted the ritual could see what was behind Duncan.


    ¡°Second, try not to feed your human sacrifices expired food.¡±


    Duncan gently pushed the priest back. He had no idea why the priest looked weak after the green flame had surrounded the obsidian dagger, to the point where the weak body that Duncan had possessed could easily push the tall and strong priest back.


    It wasn¡¯t until he was pushed back that the priest finally regained his wits. Fear and anger filled his head. With his body trembling, he raised his hand to point at Duncan and yelled at the top of his lung as if he was trying to calm the cultists down. ¡°You! You reincarnated filth! How dare you stain this holy sacrificial ritual! W-who¡¯s the necromancer behind this? Are you not afraid of the Sun God¡¯s power?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Duncan replied as he looked at the obsidian dagger in his hand that had been giving him feedback. He then raised his head to look at the priest in front of him. With the crackling sound still coming from the totem, he suddenly had a bold and excellent but unusual idea. ¡°You know what? I have the sudden urge to satisfy a curiosity of mine.¡±


    He then raised the obsidian dagger high up. With the panicked cultists in black robes watching, he pointed at the priest and yelled, ¡°Oh! Supreme Sun God! Please accept this sacrifice on the altar. I offer you his heart! I pray that you return from blood and fire!¡±


    The flame on the obsidian dagger rose, and the totem¡¯s cold sensation suddenly retracted. Duncan could see the fear in the priest¡¯s eyes under the mask. He wanted to leave the altar immediately, but the dagger was faster.


    The dagger flew out of Duncan¡¯s hand as if an invisible force guided it. With the black flame and a hint of green flame surrounding the blade, it stabbed the priest in his heart. The head of the cult let out a loud cry of pain before a hole appeared in his chest, and his heart was turned into ashes in almost an instant.


    The dagger then returned to Duncan¡¯s hand. It flew out of his hand and back in just a few seconds. The little to no power inside of it had been depleted.


    There were only two people on the altar. One had a heart, and the other didn¡¯t. Since the evil god wanted to feast on a human heart, there was only one that would lose their heart, the only one with his heart still intact.


    Despite coming to that logical conclusion, everything still went much more smoothly than he had expected. He did not expect the idea he got on a whim would actually work. After the priest had fallen dead, he glanced at the totem that had quieted down. ¡°So, he takes any hearts as long as it¡¯s offered to him?¡± he mumbled.


    Naturally, the fireball on the totem would not reply to his question. However, a few cultists around the altar had finally regained their wits. A considerable panic was unavoidable, but among the chaos, a few zealous cultists expressed their anger, an anger that overshadowed their fear of the unnatural occurrence from the totem.


    The closest to the altar shouted their god¡¯s name and charged toward Duncan. The action of these courageous cultists inspired others to follow suit¡ªa group of people dressed in black robes charged as if they had lost their minds. A few even took out the dagger and short sword they had brought.


    Duncan had planned to say, ¡°I¡¯ll sacrifice all the hearts on the altar to the Sun God¡± to test the appetite of the evil god, but when he spotted a few of the cultists having revolvers in their hands, he decided not to do that. He considered the time it took for the ritual to happen and the principle of ¡°accurate and haste within seven steps,¡± he showed the cultists a middle finger without hesitation and cut off the projection.


    ¡°They can go wild. I¡¯m heading back to Lost Home.¡± He grinned.


    At the same time, on the vast ocean, rhythmic footsteps could be heard on the deck of Lost Home.


    The puppet, Alice, left her room in her long gothic dress and headed to the captain¡¯s cabin.


    This time, the elegant wooden box did not follow the puppet. She left it in the room instead.


    The captain had said that she could move freely among the cabins below the main deck. She could also roam around the main deck, and if she had any questions, she could look for the captain in his cabin.


    Alice clearly remembered that.

 Chapter 22 - Rules

    Chapter 22 Rules


    Alice stopped in front of the captain¡¯s cabin door.


    The puppet lady raised her head and looked at the heavy black oak door. She noticed that on top of the frame was the carving of a sentence. ¡°Door of the lost.¡±


    There was no surprise that such a sentence would be carved on top of the door to the captain¡¯s cabin, but Alice still frowned. The thing she was curious about was not the door but why she could read the words.


    She had no memory of learning how to read, to be more precise, she had no memory of ever learning anything. She also could not remember ever spending time outside or even talking to another person. That was why she was confused as to why she had knowledge of the language she was reading.


    She could understand the words and even knew the purpose of everything that was placed inside the cabin. These were things that she would not be able to understand just by listening to other people¡¯s conversations while lying inside the coffin. ¡°Where did I learn these from?¡± she asked herself in her head.


    Up until that moment, Alice had never thought of such a question. However, after conversing with ¡°Captain Duncan¡±, the emotion of ¡°curiosity¡± suddenly appeared inside the puppet¡¯s calm mind.


    She thought about it and realized that the change had happened as soon as Duncan asked her about the origin of her name, Alice. The second he asked, she started to question many things that she thought were natural. She tried to remember the origin of her name, and then it felt as if something in her head had shifted.


    Alice had no idea if the change was good or bad, but she didn¡¯t like the feeling of not knowing. That was why she quickly shook her head and left the questions aside. She calmed herself down in front of the door before putting her hand on the handle and pushing the door forward.


    The door didn¡¯t move.


    Alice was stunned for a second. She tried to push again, but the wooden door felt as if it had been bolted down.


    Just as she wanted to try again, a hoarse and deep voice came from inside the cabin. It sounded as if it came from inside a tree. ¡°Miss, you¡¯ll have to pull on the door.¡±


    As it wasn¡¯t Captain Duncan¡¯s voice, it made Alice jump back a little. She was able to quickly recover and hurried reply with an ¡°oh¡±. She then pulled on the door and easily opened it.


    It was only then she recalled that the captain did pull the door open in the past when he brought her to the cabin.


    In the end, the knowledge in her head was still knowledge, not experience. Slumbering inside the coffin for too long had caused her to lack experience in survival. Alice reflected on that before carefully peeking her head into the cabin.


    There was no one inside the cabin. The prominent map table quietly sat under the light with the chart covered by a thin fog. Another thing on the table¡¯s edge was a black wooden goat head. It was slowly turning around and looked at the puppet with her obsidian eyes.


    ¡°Please, come on in. The captain is still busy. Ye can wait for him inside here,¡± the goat head said. It sounded more polite than Alice had thought. ¡°However, I would have to warn ye not to peek your head in to check the surrounding like what ye just did. It would make a sensitive being here on board the Lost Home feel like it was being hated on. It¡¯ll be trouble to calm it down. Also, if your head drops, I won¡¯t have the hands to help you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s talking! The wood head is really talking!¡± Alice exclaimed in her head.


    She had heard about it from the captain before, that the goat head on the table could talk, but she was still surprised by how much the goat head was speaking. It took her a while to reply, ¡°Ahh¡­ Okay. My head doesn¡¯t fall off that easily. I even made sure that¡­ Wait. Did you just say that there¡¯s a sensitive¡­ Could it be that there are other¡­¡±


    It was only then Alice noticed the information from the goat head¡¯s words. She got anxious right away and started to scan her surrounding. At that moment, she felt as if everything inside the captain¡¯s cabin, and even the entire Lost Home, had started to shake. They had become ¡°weird objects¡± like the weird goat head. The goat¡¯s voice then entered her ears. ¡°Is that even that surprising? Ye need a lot of manpower to run a huge ship like this. Do ye really expect the great and almighty Cap¡¯n Duncan will scrub the deck himself?¡±


    The goat head¡¯s words made a lot of sense. Alice¡¯s mind that had just woken up felt as if something was off with that, but after thinking hard and coming to no answer, she could only nod. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ So, there are a lot of objects like you on this ship?¡±


    e new


    ¡°There¡¯s only one loyal first mate on this ship. The rest aren¡¯t that bright. Ye don¡¯t even have to consider having a conversation with them. They have no interest in talking with other people.¡± The goat head interrupted Alice. ¡°However, considering that ye are new on this ship, it¡¯s normal that ye don¡¯t know the norms around here. As Cap¡¯n Duncan¡¯s first mate and second mate¡­ it¡¯s me responsibility to let you know the basic knowledge to survive on this ship since it¡¯s not right for cap¡¯n to do this. Miss, are ye ready?¡±


    Alice listened to the goat head dumbfoundedly. She had already forgotten her original goal of entering the captain¡¯s cabin. All she could think at that moment was how much the goat head could talk at once. It had already started to lead the conversation, especially after telling her all its titles. At that moment, all she could do was instinctively nod. ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ I see¡­ Okay¡­ Uh-huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Good. Next are the rules and regulations that every person on this ship should know. This will help newcomers like ye get used to the new surroundings and accept Cap¡¯n Duncan¡¯s protection on this vast ocean¡­¡±


    It was clear that the goat head was satisfied with Alice¡¯s reply. As it continued to speak, it shook its head and sounded glad.


    ¡°First, Cap¡¯n Duncan is the supreme lord of this ship. Everything the cap¡¯n said is always correct. The cap¡¯n¡¯s judgment is always right.


    ¡°Second, we can only move in regions that the cap¡¯n has allowed us to. Ye must not enter other regions unless the cap¡¯n allows it. Just pretend that those regions do not exist.


    ¡°Third, if ye entered the forbidden area and managed to make it out alive, ye must stay there and wait for the cap¡¯n to take you back. Either that or ye wait for ye death. Ye must not come back on ye own accord because ye won¡¯t be returning to the Lost Home.


    ¡°Fourth, the Lost Home is always on the right course. Ye shall not question the cap¡¯n¡¯s plan. If ye notice that the Lost Home¡¯s surrounding is not the same as what ye have expected, or if ye realize that the Lost Home has sailed into ¡®deeper¡¯ regions, it¡¯s all part of the plan.


    ¡°Fifth, the cap¡¯n will leave the ship from time to time and might not come back right away. The Lost Home will continue its voyage, but no one is allowed near the helm. The helm system will lack a sense of security when Cap¡¯n Duncan isn¡¯t around. The ropes at the poop deck will strangle anyone who shows the intention of ¡®treason¡¯.


    ¡°Sixth, there are only and only six basic rules on the Lost Home.


    ¡°Seventh, ye pull on the cap¡¯n¡¯s door to open from the outside.¡±


    It sounded as if it wasn¡¯t the first time the goat head had briefed a newcomer about Lost Home. Everything it said came out smoothly, but Alice was a little confused about the last two rules. ¡°Umm¡­ Mr. Goat Head, about the sixth rule¡­¡±


    ¡°The sixth rule is that there are six basic rules on this ship,¡± the goat head replied immediately without hesitation.


    Alice started to wonder whether she or the ¡°first mate¡± in front of her had a screw loose or not. ¡°But, didn¡¯t you mention the seventh rule?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The seventh rule is that you open the door with a pull from the outside,¡± the goat head naturally answered.


    Alice looked at the black goat head dumbfoundedly, starting to wonder if her brain was working right or not. However, she quickly realized that she did not have a brain. ¡°Umm¡­ Isn¡¯t there a contradiction?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no contradiction.¡±


    Alice opened her mouth as she heard the goat head¡¯s determined answer and looked at the obsidian eyes. However, she swallowed the question back.

 Chapter 23

    Chatper 23 Bird


    Alice wasn¡¯t well-versed in the norms of the world.


    However, from the hints of fear and anxiousness that she could hear from the small talks between the nervous sailors tasked with shipping abnormalities when she was lying inside the coffin, she still had a basic understanding of ¡°things that were out of the norm.¡±


    If something that wasn¡¯t normal still happened, ensuring one was safe and maintaining a safe distance before studying and analyzing the situation was the way of survival.


    Alice was still confused as to why she was labeled ¡°Abnormality 099,¡± as she didn¡¯t know what she was actually capable of or what she had done in the past to make the humans so wary of her. She had no idea what a typical mindset for an ¡°abnormality¡± with sentience was, but at that moment, she was thinking like a human.


    Since the goat head said there were six rules, it meant there were six. However, it did mention the seventh rule, and all Alice did was just memorized that as well.


    But, there was still a question lingering in her head, and she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°I tried to push the door from outside earlier and can confirm that the door only opens with a pull, but why is that a part of the rules?¡±


    The wooden goat head silently looked into Alice¡¯s eyes. After two seconds of silence, it spoke in a short and simple sentence for the first time. ¡°Sometimes, it can be pushed open.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°If ye see the door is opened towards the inside, never go into it. Only the cap¡¯n has the right to walk through that door.¡±


    That was the first time the goat head had used such a serious tone with a hint of warning in his voice. It wasn¡¯t even that serious when he talked about the rules.


    Alice was a little shocked by the goat head¡¯s sudden seriousness.


    Yet, its tone returned to the normal lively one as if the last few seconds did not happen. ¡°Alrighty. That¡¯s the end of the introduction for newcomers. Let¡¯s talk about something else¡­ That¡¯s right. Miss, why are ye here in the captain¡¯s cabin? If ye are asking about some installations that ye don¡¯t know how to use, then there¡¯s no need to trouble the cap¡¯n. If ye want someone to talk to, ye can come to me. I¡¯m good at talking, and I know a lot about the achievements of the Lost Home¡­ You aren¡¯t interested in that? Then I can introduce you to the famous foods of the boundless sea. I¡¯m also quite well-versed in cooking¡­¡±


    The goat head went into its talkative mode again. Alice didn¡¯t even have the chance to interrupt it. It was too late for her to get out when she finally realized she was already stuck in it.


    The Abnormality 099, the puppet Alice, had run into the most terrifying thing after Captain Duncan.


    At the same time, in the bed chamber next to the cabin, Duncan silently listened to the conversation through the wall.


    He had just woken up. His soul had just returned from a faraway empty body to the Lost Home. He did not hear the initial conversation between the goat head and Alice, but he did overhear the rules that his first mate had mentioned and the talk about opening the door to the captain¡¯s cabin. It was a piece of important information that he did not expect to receive.


    Before Duncan could even digest the information he had received from the cultist, he got another one from the conversation between Alice and the goat head. Everything was essential to him, whether it was the weird rules or the hidden meaning in the goat head¡¯s words.


    Just as he had thought, the goat head knew about him returning to the ¡°other side¡± when he pushed the door in. To him, he was just returning to the studio apartment room, but to the Lost Home, it meant that the captain had ¡°temporarily¡± left the ship.


    The goat head wasn¡¯t even suspicious of that action and even treated it as something that Captain Duncan usually did.


    That only meant that the ¡°real Captain Duncan¡± used to push the door inwards and headed toward another mysterious ¡°world.¡± Not only that, but it had happened many times to the point where the goat head was used to it and even became part of the rules for the crews of the Lost Home.


    It was great news for Duncan as he didn¡¯t have to worry much when he returned to the ¡°other side¡±. Even if the ship had a new member, he could still openly disappear with that method and did not need to worry about others following him and discovering his secret.


    On the other side, a new worry appeared for him. It had something to do with the 6+1 rules that the goat head had mentioned.


    ¡°What do the rules mean? What¡¯s the reason for making such weird, dangerous, and conflicting rules? Why do a few of them sound like they are made to emphasize the captain¡¯s authority? Then, again, those strict restrictions sound more like they are meant for the crews to survive in a certain dangerous situation. Those established rules are to help the crews avoid unwanted and hidden dangers,¡± he thought.


    Duncan frowned as he pondered the danger that was mentioned in the rules. From the content of the rules, he could tell that the ¡°captain¡± was most likely the only person with complete freedom and all access to the ship. It seemed like he didn¡¯t have to worry about the ¡°hidden dangers¡± on the ship. It also looked like he was the one who established where the danger areas were, but the only problem was that it could only apply to the real ¡°Captain Duncan¡±.


    That was the most worrying part for him.


    However, he reminded himself of his exploration of the Lost Home and that he could move freely about the entire ship.


    The goat head had never reminded him of the ship¡¯s rules and had always treated him as the real Captain Duncan. He had never run into any ¡°weird danger¡± before, and it was impossible that a second ¡°captain¡± would suddenly appear out of nowhere to limit him.


    From that, it was clear that the dangers mentioned in the ¡°rules¡± did not apply to him, and he didn¡¯t have to worry about it.


    Duncan let out a sigh of relief and continued to eavesdrop on the conversation in the next room.


    Half a minute later, he cursed at himself for not having the ability to make himself deaf for a while.


    The trash-talking puppet and the talkative goat head had started their conversation and it was clear that the latter had the upper hand. Its endless words were like the waves from the boundless sea hitting the ship¡¯s side where even the one who wasn¡¯t in the conversation couldn¡¯t bear to hear it talking any longer.


    His first reaction was to think he had to find a way to save the puppet. Alice, who lacked social experience, could not face the goat head. Yet, after a moment of hesitation, Duncan decided not to do that.


    He had just completed a magical ¡°soul journey¡± and there was too much information and experience that he needed to sort. He needed to know what really happened to him and find out if he could control the process or not. From the current situation, projecting his mind to other places would be the best option for him to collect information on the lands.


    Under normal circumstances, he needed to worry whether the goat head would pay too much attention to him when he tried to research his new power inside the bed chamber. However, Alice was there to stall it; that was the best thing he could ever ask for.


    Duncan silently apologized to the puppet and looked at his right hand. His expression stiffened up right away.


    The brass compass that was a little bigger than a pocket watch was gone.


    He still clearly remembered himself holding it tightly in his hand not long ago.


    Duncan was in awe as he didn¡¯t realize the changes that had happened in his hand. Such a careless mistake was the first for him ever since he arrived on the weird ghost ship.


    The next second, he imagined grabbing something in his right hand and green flames began to appear in the gap between his fingers. He then stood up from the chair and was ready to use the connection between his spirit flame to the supernatural objects to check if there were any signs of abnormality in the bed chamber.


    However, the moment he got up, he suddenly froze. A slight connection had appeared deep down in his heart and he subconsciously turned to look at where it came from. In the corner of his eyes, he caught an illusion-like feather floating down.


    Duncan looked at where the feather landed. A phantom quickly appeared and manifested in front of him. It only took the phantom two to three seconds to gather and become snow-white¡­


    A snow-white dove.


    The lost brass compass was hung on its neck and a familiar obsidian dagger lay next to its leg.

 Chapter 24 - A Dove

    Chapter 24 A Dove


    The snow-white dove stood on the table, and on its neck was the brass compass that Duncan had been looking for. There was also a familiar obsidian dagger sitting next to its legs.


    Duncan looked at the dove a little dumbfoundedly and the dove stared back at him with the same expression.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to see the expression a bird was making, but Duncan could not explain why he could understand the dove¡¯s expression. Not only could he understand it, but he could also see a hint of intelligence in the dove¡¯s red eyes. The dove kept staring at him with its pea-sized eyes, but when Duncan stared back, one of its eyes continued to look at him while the other started to look at the ceiling before moving about to scan the room. ¡°A¡­ dove?¡±


    After a few seconds, Duncan finally managed to mumble as his lips twitched.


    ¡°Why a dove? Why would a dove suddenly appear? And why is my brass compass hung over its neck? How did that dagger get here?¡± he thought.


    In the end, he concluded everything in one sentence. ¡°Is it impossible for something normal to happen on this abnormal ship?¡±


    Just as Duncan¡¯s head was filled with questions, the dove that had been dazing off finally ¡°woke up¡±. It took two steps toward Duncan and once it was in front of him, it reached its head out and cooed brightly.


    Duncan looked at the bird speechlessly. Many different pirate captain images appeared inside his head and he looked at the captain uniform he was wearing. ¡°I mean, having a bird accompanying the captain seems like the standard in movies, but isn¡¯t it usually a parrot? What the heck is with this dove?¡±


    Once the dove heard that, it suddenly nodded as if it understood him and spoke in a weird and stiff female voice. ¡°Transfer complete!¡±


    That immediately stopped Duncan from mumbling and he felt like his saliva suddenly choked him. He stared at the white dove with his eyes widened, completely dumbfounded.


    He recalled the first time he stepped onto the boat. It was the same reaction he had when he met with the wooden goat head that could talk inside the captain¡¯s cabin.


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t his first time on the Lost Home anymore. He was already used to all the strange occurrences in the new world. That was why he was only briefly surprised by the talking dove and was able to quickly recover from that. His expression turned serious as the green spirit flame flickered in his hand. He looked at the dove with caution and asked, ¡°Where did you come from?¡±


    The dove tilted its head. It looked at Duncan with one of its eyes and the ceiling with the other. ¡°Incorrect address. Please double-check the address or contact the system manager.¡±


    A lot of question marks appeared inside Duncan¡¯s head.


    Unlike the dumbfounded expression he made, he was shocked and excited.


    The things the dove had said weren¡¯t something that would make sense in the new world. Those weren¡¯t words that the goat head or the cultist would understand. Instead, they were terms that the earthling ¡°Zhou Ming¡¯ was familiar with.


    Yet, the dove did not notice the changes in Duncan¡¯s expression. It nibbed its feather and shook the brass compass hung over its neck before casually walking on the table.


    After taking a few steps, it jogged to the obsidian dagger and moved it toward Duncan. It then spoke in the same weird female voice. ¡°Take this Solar War Ax to obtain the glory of battles!¡±


    Duncan suddenly got up from his chair. His movement was so sudden that it sent the chair flying back and made a loud creak as it scraped through the wooden floor. He glared at the calm-looking dove as a weird and comical emotion filled his head.


    The dove was not something from the Lost Home. To be more precise, it was not something from this world.


    The sentence that it said was something that only ¡°Zhou Ming¡± would understand.


    Perhaps his sudden action was too loud and could be heard from the next room. The goat head suddenly spoke to him through telepathy. ¡°Cap¡¯n, are ye alright?¡±.


    Duncan did not move his gaze away from the dove. He knew the goat head did not have the nerve to look into what was happening inside his chamber. He replied in his usual low and calm voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Miss Alice wants to speak to you. Should I¡­¡±


    ¡°Help me keep her company for now.¡± ¡°Aye, Cap¡¯n.¡±


    Duncan sighed and turned to look at the door that led toward the sea chart room.


    The goat head continued to talk to Alice. The puppet tried to leave a few times but was stopped by the wooden carving. Duncan knew he had to save the unfortunate puppet, but he had a more pressing matter to attend to.


    ¡°Sorry, Alice¡­¡± he silently apologized.


    Duncan returned to the table and was ready to test if he could normally converse with the dove. It was then he realized something that he had not noticed before.


    The spirit flame flickering in his right hand had faintly extended itself to a long ¡°flame string. The burning string was like a strand of long hair that spanned more than a dozen centimeters long before disappearing into nothingness.


    The exact string made out of the green flame was on the dove¡¯s body. It was very well hidden underneath its wing. The other end also expanded for a few centimeters and disappeared.


    Duncan frowned and raised his right hand. As the flame flickered, the dove on the table suddenly disappeared.


    In the next instance, it reappeared on his shoulder. It lowered its head a little too nimble on Duncan¡¯s hair while cooing brightly.


    Duncan then flicked his finger, and the dove on his shoulder teleported back to the table.


    The brass compass still hung on the bird¡¯s neck and its shining exterior was now enveloped in the green flame.


    was now


    Duncan frowned even more. ¡°Is it connected to that compass?¡±


    He was now sure that the dove had some connection to him. It was a type of connection stronger than his connection to the Lost Home. That would explain why the bird knew of ¡°knowledge¡± that only he would know, knowledge of Earth. However, he couldn¡¯t explain why the dove had suddenly appeared.


    After a long ponder, he could only set his sight on the strange brass compass.


    From the time he started testing the spirit flame up until then, every abnormal event that had happened originated from the compass. From his experience of soul traveling to possessing a dead body and then to the disappearance of the compass that reappeared on the dove¡¯s neck, the compass was the source.


    After staring at the dove for a while, Duncan reached his hand out for the compass.


    He wanted to take it and study it.


    The dove did not run away or try to stop him. However, Duncan¡¯s finger could not touch the compass and went through it, feeling the soft feather of the dove instead.


    It was as if his fingers had passed through a projection.


    The dove hopped a couple of times as if it felt a little ticklish from the touch. It suddenly opened its mouth to talk. ¡°Today is KFC¡¯s Crazy Thursday! 50% discount¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched a little, and he tried again only to confirm that removing the compass from the dove was impossible. It seemed like the thing had undergone some change and had become an illusion-like object tied to the dove. It was impossible to touch or remove it.


    Another reason would be that the dove was the true form of the compass.


    There were a lot of guesses that Duncan wasn¡¯t even sure if they were right or not. The only thing he could confirm was that the appearance of the dove was connected to ¡°soul travel¡± that he had experienced by using the brass compass. The compass could¡¯ve changed its appearance at the same time as that event happened.


    Perhaps that was the feature of the brass compass, an ability it had as a type of ¡°abnormality,¡± or to be more precise, it was the ¡°price¡± to pay for using it. As for the malfunctioning dove, it wasn¡¯t because of the compass but because of the Earthling ¡°Zhou Ming¡±.


    There was no way Duncan could prove all his speculations unless he could find an instruction manual for abnormalities onboard the Lost Home.


    Now, the problem that he had to solve was how to handle the strange dove.


    After a while, he decided to give the dove a name first.


    a


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to name you,¡± he said to the dove in a serious tone as he gently tapped the table with his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand what I¡¯m saying, right?¡±


    The dove tilted its head and its two pea-size eyes fleetingly looked at him. ¡°Aye?¡±

 Chapter 25 - Hard to Communicate

    Chapter 25 Hard to Communicate


    The dove tilted its head and thought that Duncan did not hear what it had said. It then said its name in an even more clear and louder voice. ¡°Ai!¡±


    Duncan finally understood what the bird meant. ¡°Are you saying that your name is


    Ai?¡±


    The dove proudly nodded and strolled on the table happily.


    Duncan could not help but rub his temple. He felt conversing with the bird would be harder than with the goat head. The hardest part was the linguistic style that the dove was using. ¡°Do you know how you are born? Or¡­ do you know how you come here?¡±


    The dove thought for a while as its two eyes looked in two different directions. ¡°Error! This page has failed to load! Please refresh!¡±


    Duncan looked at the dove speechlessly again.


    He realized that he could not understand what the dove was thinking about. He wasn¡¯t even sure if what it had just said a moment ago was tied to his question.


    However, he was sure that the bird could think and was earnestly conversing with him.


    The only problem was it had a unique way of ¡°conversing.¡±


    Duncan then exchanged a few sentences with the dove that called itself ¡°Ai,¡± The conversation did not differ far from the previous one, where they sounded like they minded their own business. If one were to say that they were conversing with each other, others would argue that there was not a single connection between their sentences. On the other hand, the dove would always reply to Duncan¡¯s questions to the point where some answers sounded legit.


    Having not made any progress after the conversation, Duncan could only frown and complain, ¡°What the freaking heck is this¡­¡±


    He felt it would take him a long time to understand the dove; in the meantime, he still had to deal with the talkative goat head.


    The dove sat on the table before the captain and blinked its eyes innocently. It would occasionally tell him bout the 50% discount.


    Duncan didn¡¯t mind the bird¡¯s weird way of talking and started to rub the flame between his fingers. There was one thing he had confirmed. Even though the brass compass had merged with the dove in front of him, fundamentally, it was still an ¡°abnormal item¡± he could control.


    As the green spirit flame on his hand grew stronger, the flame between Ai¡¯s feathers also burned brightly. The brass compass in front of its chest opened with a loud snap. Under the transparent glass, the phantom-like needle started to slow down under Duncan¡¯s will. The mysterious symbols on the compass face also began to burn with the flame.


    Ai didn¡¯t even show any reaction to the process. It was as if it was bathing in the spirit flame awaiting Duncan¡¯s order.


    Before the brass compass was fully activated, Duncan put out the flame.


    After the short test, Duncan came to a conclusion.


    ¡°The compass is still functional. It only has a new and weird ¡®medium¡¯ now. I¡¯m not sure what ability the dove has yet, or how it can help¡­


    ¡°I also don¡¯t fully understand the compass yet. It¡¯s best not to do a second ¡®travel¡¯ until I¡¯m fully prepared¡­ I¡¯ll have to take note of the changes happening on the dove and the compass next time¡­


    ¡°The dove and I are connected. The connection will deepen even further when I activate the spirit flame to the point where I can control where the dove appears¡­ However, that¡¯s all I can do¡­


    ¡°It is clear that Ai has her own will. She can move wherever she wants and won¡¯t follow all my commands. That is different from the ¡®objects¡¯ on the Lost Home.


    ¡°She can speak, so she must have the ability to think and to judge a question¡­ Compared to other abnormal objects, Ai is more similar to Goat Head.¡±


    Duncan concluded that all in his head with all the information he had gathered. After that, he rested his sight on the obsidian dagger.


    Its hilt looked like a mummified finger, while its black blade was shiny.


    That was the same dagger that the priest who wore a golden sun mask and was hosting an evil sacrificial ritual in the sewer had used. Judging from that, Duncan could tell it was a ¡°ritual dagger.¡± Duncan had projected his soul to the gathering at the City State of Pland. Only his soul had returned from there, which was why he believed that everything only happened over there and nothing would follow him back. Yet, the dagger was now sitting on the table before him.


    After a moment of hesitation, he reached his hand out to pick the dagger up.


    He could feel the cold and hard hilt from his hand and confirmed that it was an actual object.


    Duncan then let out a hint of the green flame to envelop the entire dagger. From the void he could feel, the power inside the dagger seemed to have been depleted.


    Just as he had concluded at the ritual, the dagger was not a real ¡°abnormal item¡± but the side product of something powerful or a temporary item that had power fused into it through a human method.


    Although Duncan had yet to understand the system of ¡°abnormal items¡± in the world, he was sure that the dagger wasn¡¯t rare and even thought it was a mass-produced item.


    ¡°Did you bring this back?¡± He raised his head to look at Ai, resting on the table, and swung the dagger in his hand. ¡°Is it for me?¡±


    The dove looked at him with its red eyes without moving. It wasn¡¯t reacting to his question.


    Duncan was confused.


    He asked the question once again, and the dove remained silent. It was as if it had suddenly become a lifeless statue.


    The sudden changes made Duncan frown slightly again. Just as he was about to use the spirit flame to see if he could forcefully wake it up, the dove suddenly came ¡°alive¡± again. It did a couple of hops and said, ¡°Take the Solar Battle Ax! Take the Solar Battle Ax! Take the¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine! Fine! I get it. You don¡¯t have to reply to all the same questions, geez¡­¡± Duncan waved his hand and forced the dove to quiet down as he tried to structure his next question. ¡°Then, do you know how you brought this dagger here? Or, more precisely, can you bring an actual object from the soul travel?¡±


    After a short pause, the dove lowered its head to peck Duncan¡¯s finger. ¡°Special offer! Free shipping!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s just say that I understood that.¡±


    Duncan let out another sigh. He was already at his limit on conversing with the bird.


    He then stood up and turned to look towards the sea chart chamber.


    The friendly conversation between the goat head and Alice was still going on.


    It had been a long time since the puppet last spoke, but the goat head had just begun to talk about the 17 ways to stew seaweeds.


    Duncan felt that he had to go and save his only (and most normal-looking) crew.


    He had also been staying inside the bed chamber for too long. He had also made some suspicious commotion too. He was sure that he had to head to the sea chart chamber so that the goat head would not get worried.


    Before he left, he looked at Ai, still running around on the table.


    ¡°Do I take her out with me? How should I explain this?¡± he thought.


    After two seconds of hesitation, he grabbed the dove and put it on his shoulder.


    AH


    If he were going to move about the Lost Home for a long time, the dove would also accompany him for a long time. He had no idea what the bird¡¯s habit was, but as an ¡°abnormal item¡± with the ability to think and communicate, it would be hard to hide like a lifeless object.

 Chapter 26 - Starless Night

    Chapter 26 Starless Night


    The truth was that when Duncan learned that the dove on his shoulder could talk, it was hard for him to remain calm, no matter how good he was at dealing with surprises.


    He would rather have a typical parrot on his shoulder as a regular pirate captain would, or even a monkey would suffice.


    Yet, he had already pushed the door open, and there was no turning back for him.


    was


    Inside the sea chart chamber, the goat head was excitedly explaining the 12th myth of the stewed fish and vegetable to Alice. Its black head suddenly turned toward Duncan, sounding even more excited. ¡°Ah! Cap¡¯n! Ye are finally here! Miss Alice here is a wonderful person to talk to! It has been years since me is able to have such a good conversation. Ye know that¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored the talkative goat head and turned his attention to the victim in front of the sea chart table. The headless puppet was sitting on the chair up straight with her head in her hands. She was covering her ears tightly.


    Even then, Alice¡¯s expression looked as if her soul had left her body, as one would have after sitting through a whole day of mathematics class. She didn¡¯t even react when Duncan approached her.


    Duncan looked at the puppet speechlessly.


    ¡°She suddenly took her head down,¡± the goat head explained before the captain even asked. ¡°Although, I don¡¯t know why she did that.¡±


    The power of the goat head¡¯s talkativeness was strong enough to make a cursed puppet remove her own head so that she didn¡¯t have to hear more of it.


    Duncan was rendered even more speechless by that. It was then the goat head finally noticed a new being coming out with the captain. It turned its head a little and suddenly stared at the dove on Duncan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hmm? Cap¡¯n, the thing on ye shoulder¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Ai. She¡¯s my new pet.¡± Duncan gave a brief introduction and tried to use as few words as possible to prevent any suspicion from the goat head. At the same time, he was studying its reaction.


    ¡°Your pet?¡± The goat head showed clear signs of being stunned for a second, and then it looked like it came to an assumption itself. ¡°Ah! I didn¡¯t feel that ye have left the ship a while ago, Cap¡¯n. Did ye perform the Spirit World Walk? Is that ye loot from the Spirit World Walk?¡±


    ¡°The Spirit World Walk?¡±


    That was a term that Duncan had yet to hear before. It made him think of the brass compass that he had found inside the bed chamber and the words that the real Captain Duncan had left. He also thought of the unique experience of projecting his soul to a faraway place. He believed the incident was what the goat head had talked about and nodded without expression. ¡°I just wanted to take a walk.¡±


    After he said that, the goat head exclaimed as he thought about how it would react. ¡°Ah! As expected of the great Cap¡¯n Duncan! Bringing a loot back from a simple Spirit World Walk! Is that a dove? She must have a special power for you to bring her back as a pet! Huh? Why did ye hang ye compass on her? Could that¡­ Me apologies, Cap¡¯n! Ye judgment is always correct! But, what¡¯s so special ¡¯bout this dove? Could it be that she¡­¡±


    Duncan was able to notice something from the goat head¡¯s respective tone. He was also glad to hear that the goat head could recognize the brass compass hung over Ai¡¯s neck and that it was extremely important to the real Captain Duncan. It was so important that the goat head felt weird seeing it being worn by a new ¡°pet.¡±


    Even if it felt wrong, there was nothing he could do because the compass was now ¡°tied¡± to the dove. Not only that, but, judging from the reaction he got from controlling the spirit flame, it seemed that the dove was the actual form of the dove.


    Duncan was racking his mind, but he did not show any expression on his face. Just in that few seconds, Ai, who was still silently standing on his shoulder a moment ago, suddenly cooed. It flapped its wing to fly and land in front of the goat head.


    The goat head stared at the dove while the latter tilted its head before pecking the wooden head. ¡°Do you want to top up?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression froze up.


    ¡°An abnormal item with a sentience?¡± The goat head was stunned, but it quickly adjusted itself. ¡°The dove can speak?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget that you can speak too?¡± Duncan reminded.


    Ai the dove hopped as it started to mumble, ¡°Is that normal? Is that normal? Is that normal¡­¡±


    Duncan quickly snapped his finger. With the flicker of the green flame, the dove walking on the table suddenly disappeared and reappeared on his shoulder.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s an abnormal item with sentience and under my control.¡± Duncan nodded. ¡°Any more questions?¡±.


    ¡°Huh? Of course not! There¡¯s no more question!¡± the goat head quickly replied. ¡°Everything is in our great Cap¡¯n Duncan¡¯s control!¡±


    Duncan quickly ended the conversation and shifted his attention to Alice, who was still hugging her head and dazing out. Perhaps because of his eye-opening or chest-opening experience, he wasn¡¯t as easily surprised as he used to be. Or maybe, it was because he was used to seeing the puppet removing her head and thought that she looked cute instead.


    He reached his hand out and gently tapped the puppet¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Wake up.¡±


    Alice¡¯s body trembled a little as if she was woken up from a nightmare. Her head that was in her hands started to move as she talked. ¡°Ca-ca-ca¡­¡±


    ¡°Put your head back on first.¡±


    Alice realized her head was off and hurriedly put her head back on. After a loud clip that signaled her head was attached back to her body, her speech finally returned to normal. ¡°Ah! Captain! You¡¯re finally back. Did something¡­ Did Mr. Goat Head finish talking?¡± ¡°No,¡± the goat head on the table immediately replied. ¡°We were talking about some myths regarding stewed fish and vegetables. We can continue this next time¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Duncan issued a simple command.


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    Alice clearly trembled a little when the goat head started talking again. Seeing a cursed puppet showing the sign of fear in her eyes was a sight. Even after the captain had ordered the goat head to shut up, she still hesitantly glanced toward the map table.


    Duncan even believed that the puppet would not enter the captain¡¯s cabin for a very long time after this.


    ¡°So, do you need anything from me?¡± he finally curiously asked.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Alice¡¯s looked a little lifeless as if she had forgotten entirely about her intention after having that long conversation with the goat head. However, she managed to recover a few seconds later. ¡°Ah! Right! I wanted to ask if there¡¯s any place that I could shower on this ship. The seawater got into my case, and my joints are a little¡­ uncomfortable.¡±


    The puppet showed a clear sign of being embarrassed after saying that. However, the one who was even more awkward was Duncan, as he was the one who threw her and the wooden case back into the ocean.


    He even repeated that a few times.


    He tried to suppress that awkwardness and maintained his calm expression and tone. ¡°That¡¯s what you wanted to ask?¡±.


    Alice reservedly sat on the chair. ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    ¡°To many ships that go on long voyages, clean water is a precious resource. Bathing is a luxury,¡± Duncan replied in a serious tone but followed up with a grin. ¡°But, you¡¯re lucky as the Lost Home is not a normal ship. Our supply of fresh water is not finite. Come with me. There¡¯s a place to shower in one of the cabins under the middle deck.¡±


    Alice immediately stood up. She didn¡¯t want to stay in the same room as the goat head, even for a second longer.


    Just before he left, Duncan turned to look at the goat head and said, ¡°Continue to take the helm.¡±


    After that, he pushed the door open and brought Alice onto the deck.


    Night had already fallen.


    The sky above the boundless sea was empty.


    After having rain clouds covering the sky for a few days, that was Duncan¡¯s first time standing under a clear sky after arriving in this world.


    He suddenly stopped and raised his head to look at the night sky without moving.


    The sky was completely dark. There was no star nor the sign of another planet or a moon.


    The only thing he could see was a faint white crack spanning the entire sky. Countless tiny cracks stemmed out of the big one, spreading in all directions in the night sky as if blood was slowly soaking a cloth.


    The ¡°white crack gently lighted the night sky above the boundless sea.¡± It was at least twice brighter than the moon on Earth.

 Chapter 27 - Lack of Common Sense

    Chapter 27 Lack of Common Sense


    From a certain point of view, the starless and moonless night sky with a crack across had a more significant impact on Duncan than the ¡°sun¡± that was sealed by two rings.


    No matter how abnormal the sun was, it could still light the land that he was at. As an Earthling with scientific knowledge, the ¡°sun¡± was no more than a star among billions of stars.


    All the warped abnormalities were limited under the ray of the sun. In the sky, outside of the sun¡¯s reach, were countless stars. Although, for a being that was trapped by gravity, the place where the sun reached was their entire world. At the very least, Duncan could still understand and accept that concept.


    However, high up in the night sky, Duncan did not see anything that could be referred to as a ¡°star.¡± There were no stars or moons and no galaxies.


    Only a crack dimly lit the sky, with even fainter white fog-like light spreading from it. It was a mechanic that he could not understand.


    It was as if the boundless sea was covered by a snow-white night.


    The phenomenon was further away than the sun in the faraway void. It was a bigger abnormality.


    Duncan remained quiet as he stared at the sky. A lot of questions and presumptions filled his head.


    ¡°Where are the other planets? Do those not exist here? Or¡­ is the world I¡¯m standing on in the galaxy¡¯s no-man¡¯s land? Could it be that the other planets are too far away? Then, what is the white crack that spans over the entire sky? Is it a crack in space or a structure that can be touched? Or, is it just an illusion that floats in the sky of the dangerous boundless sea?¡±


    ¡°Captain?¡±


    Finally, a voice pulled Duncan back from his thought. Alice, the puppet, anxiously looked at the captain, who had suddenly stopped walking. She noticed that his expression had darkened, and it scared her. ¡°Are you alright? Could it be that the weather is changing? Is a storm approaching? I did hear from the sailors when I was in the case that¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Duncan replied gently. He pulled his attention back from the sky and calmly looked at Alice. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong,¡± he answered as if to himself and Alice.


    ¡°Then, are we¡­¡±


    Duncan strode forward as if nothing had happened. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You can clean yourself there if you ever want to or need to.¡±


    The world had shown the outsider once again how weird it was. It seemed as if the world had an unlimited stock of strange things.


    Not knowing how many surprising events or objects the world still had to offer, Duncan realized that if he were to get shocked by every occurrence, he would have to live his life like that forever.


    Having lived more than 20 years on Earth, there was one experience that he had obtained that would suit his current situation the most.


    If a problem exists, try to solve it. The problem would not disappear because of denial, just like the sky would not become a starry one just because he decided to ignore it.


    There had to be a logical explanation behind everything. No matter how strange or absurd a phenomenon was, he could not deny its existence. Unable to understand the phenomenon was his problem, not the world¡¯s problem.


    As the captain of Lost Home, Duncan felt he had a lot of time to learn about his new world.


    Alice had no idea why the captain remained silent throughout the short journey down the deck. She could tell that he was slightly depressed, but that atmosphere that he gave off disappeared once they arrived at the cabin.


    Duncan had led the puppet to where she could shower. It was a bathroom that was prepared for the crew. For an old full-rigged ship, having a toilet was a ¡°luxury.¡± Under normal circumstances, such a facility would not be open to regular crews.


    The survival condition for such a ship in old times was terrible. Little fresh water, rotten food, lousy health care, and mental illness from long voyages had troubled every explorer who challenged the sea. Even on Earth, most problems still existed before the industrial era.


    According to Duncan, some of the oldest sailing ships didn¡¯t even have toilets prepared for average sailors. They would empty their bladders and rectums on the edge of the ship into the ocean, a process where the wind direction had to be taken into account. Cleaning one¡¯s body was an even bigger challenge. They would use spare sails as buckets, and washing their bodies with sea water was the norm among the sailors. More would even go weeks, and even months, without cleaning themselves.


    In the end, a little hygiene problem was nothing compared to scurvy, plague, and mental pressure.


    However, ironically, onboard the ghost ship everyone feared, those survival problems were solved.


    The fresh water on the Lost Home could be replenished automatically. The food stored in the storage showed no signs of rotting. The ghost captain could not get sick. The sea voyage did not cause Alice¡¯s spine problem.


    Other than the sudden spike in blood pressure from conversing with the goat head, the living condition on the ship was perfect.


    ¡°The pipe next to the bathtub is connected to the water tank. You can get water from that. The plug for the tub is hung over there. Don¡¯t lose that. Also, we are currently only limited to using cold water, but I don¡¯t think that would be a problem for you.¡±


    Duncan swiftly explained the facility inside the bathroom. Those were things that he had learned from exploring the ship for the past few days.


    ¡°I just want to wash my body. The seawater inside my joints is making me uncomfortable.¡± Alice didn¡¯t even mind showering with cold water. Instead, she showed excitement as she listened to Duncan¡¯s introduction. ¡°I¡¯m just a puppet. I don¡¯t need hot water.¡±


    Duncan nodded, but his expression quickly changed. After a short hesitation, he glanced at Alice and asked, ¡°Umm¡­ Do you know how to shower? Have you experienced these¡­ life experiences?¡±


    Alice was surprised by the question. A few seconds of pondering later, she replied with a serious expression, ¡°I¡­ should be fine, I guess? I just have to take my limbs off and wash them. I can attach them back after that.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened.


    He stared at Alice as she looked back at him innocently.


    ¡°Have you ever thought of how you will attach them back?¡± Duncan was glad that his question let him know that the puppet that had lived inside a wooden case her whole life had no such experiences. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can help you with that.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡±


    ¡°Also, I¡¯d advice against you detaching your limbs all the time.¡± Duncan reminded in a serious tone. ¡°Not even when you can do that.¡±


    ¡°Why so?¡± Alice was confused.


    ¡°The more you remove them, the easier it would be for them to come off.¡± Duncan was utterly speechless. He had never expected that he would have to pay so much attention to detail when he allowed the cursed puppet to stay on the ship. It was something that neither dramas nor novels had mentioned before. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you suddenly break into pieces from just walking around. There¡¯s no one onboard who knows how to repair a puppet.¡±


    He paused and added. ¡°Your spine problem is already serious enough as it is.¡±


    Alice pictured the scene of that happening and shrunk a little. ¡°I see¡­ I understand. I think I know what to do now.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡± Duncan looked at the puppet with almost no life experience before turning to leave. ¡°I still have a lot to do. Don¡¯t cause me too many troubles.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Captain.¡± Alice happily nodded. Just as Duncan was about to leave through the door, she suddenly said, ¡°Ah! That¡¯s right. Captain¡­¡±


    Duncan stopped and slightly turned his head back. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but you don¡¯t seem that scary.¡± Alice looked at Duncan¡¯s back and thought for a while before saying the following. ¡°The goat head said that you¡¯re the scariest captain in the boundless sea, that you¡¯re the disaster to all voyages, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°But, listening to how you speak, you sound more like a worrying parent¡­¡±


    Duncan did not turn around. A few seconds of silence later, he suddenly asked, ¡°How did you even know the concept of parents? Do¡­ do you have a family?¡±


    Alice paused before slowly shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s drop it. If you don¡¯t cause any trouble, I¡¯ll make sure you live a comfortable life on this ship.¡±


    ¡°I will, Captain.¡±

 Chapter 28 - Pale White Night

    Chapter 28 Pale White Night


    Horror stories weren¡¯t exact replicas of real-life situations. The biggest difference was that living in the real world meant having many minor details to worry about.


    Details like whether a live cursed puppet needed to maintain its joints, whether Alice would suddenly break into pieces if she kept removing her limbs, or even if the cured meat and cheese on the ship were rotten or not were something that Duncan had to worry about.


    Also, whether superheroes who worked during the day and fought crimes at night had to sleep or not, or even if the superheroes had to go grocery shopping after defeating the villains, were such details that the authors committed.


    The characters in novels would always live a life without many worries and come and go pretty quickly, just like how cursed puppets only needed to come out from beneath the chair to scare people suddenly, or the captain of a ghost ship had no need to worry if the cured meat and cheese had gone bad or not after a century.


    However, in reality, a cursed puppet would feel uncomfortable being soaked in seawater, and they even had to worry about how to wash out the salt stuck inside their joints.


    Duncan stood outside the bathroom and let out a deep sigh. He realized even more that having determination would not be enough for him to live on the ship for a long time.


    He still had to worry about many problems, especially after the number of crews had increased.


    Duncan was aware of the fact that there weren¡¯t a lot of supplies on the ship.


    The ship had an unlimited supply of fresh water, but that was the only thing that wasn¡¯t finite. The food inside the storage would not replenish itself after being consumed, and there were only cured meats and cheese to consume. Although the food showed no sign of rotting because of the Lost Home¡¯s unique feature, Duncan still suspected that the food had been in storage for a century.


    Other than that, there weren¡¯t any suitable clothes for Alice to change into (even though the cursed puppet had never mentioned needing to change). There wasn¡¯t anything that could help them pass the time, things like a set of chess or poker cards. The boundless sea was borderless, but the Lost Home had no proper way of obtaining supplies. Another problem was that there was no reliable port for the ship to park at so that it could be maintained and repaired, and he had no method to get in touch with the civilized city-states either.


    It seemed as if the goat head had never thought of such worries, but Duncan had already started to think about it in a serious matter. He had first to change the situation where they lacked supplies and resources.


    He would then have to build a connection with the ¡°city-states.¡±


    Wandering endlessly on the ocean was highly inconvenient for information gathering. Information about the world had to be sought on the land. That was one of the things that Duncan had realized the most after experiencing the ¡°Spirit World Walk.¡±


    Even if it wasn¡¯t for information gathering, he had to be able to communicate with the ¡°city-states¡± for his mental health. He had to get in touch with a civilized society. He was worried that the long voyage would turn him into a twisted, dark, and solitary ghost ship captain.


    Thinking of that, Duncan turned his head a little to look at Ai, the dove quietly pecking its feather on his shoulder.


    His eyes were set on the brass compass.


    The dove tilted its head to look at its ¡°master¡± and suddenly said, ¡°Build another base! Spread the creeps out! Hey! Do you know how to play this or not?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t react to the dove right away. Most of the time, it would act like it had gone crazy, but there were times when its¡¯ words would make sense, to the point where it would make him wonder if the dove was actually bright or crazy.


    Judging from the current situation, the Spirit World Walk was his only method to ¡°head¡± to the city-states.


    Even though there were a lot of uncertainties about using that method, such as strange events like Ai suddenly appearing after he tried it last time, he still knew that it wouldn¡¯t take long for him to try it out again. It wasn¡¯t only for information gathering but also because he wanted to test and master the ability.


    Another essential matter, like the Spirit World Walk, was the ¡°special power¡± of the ritual dagger that Ai had brought back with it.


    After a moment of silence, Duncan decided to directly ask the dove, ¡°Do you know how did you bring back that dagger?¡±


    The dove thought deeply and said in a deep tone, ¡°You need more crystal ores.¡±


    Duncan was rendered speechless by the reply. He eventually decided to stop communicating with the dove for the time being. He believed that testing it out himself in the next Spirit World Walk would be more reliable than asking the bird.


    Alice learned to get fresh water from the pipe inside the cabin after a few failed tries. She also thought of a way to clean herself.


    Since they were on a ship, she could only shower with cold water. But, as a puppet, it wasn¡¯t a big issue to her.


    Before hopping into the bathtub, Alice checked everything inside the bathroom.


    She tapped on the huge oak barrel and then at the pillars that supported the room. Next, she kicked the floor with her toes before standing on tiptoes to pull on the rope and hook dropping down from the ceiling.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Alice,¡± she happily greeted all the things she touched, just like how she greeted the goat head. ¡°I¡¯ll be living on the ship from now on.¡±


    Not a single thing replied to her, and she didn¡¯t mind it.


    The goat head had once told her that the Lost Home was alive, and many of the objects on the ship were alive.


    They might not have a real ¡°sentience¡± like the goat head, and some of them might not even have the ability to communicate, but it didn¡¯t stop Alice from treating everything on the ship as ¡°neighbors¡± that she had to greet.


    The Lost Home was alive, just like her.


    After making sure her greeting was decent, Alice was even happier. She removed her elegant dress and awkwardly climbed into the bathtub made out of an oak barrel.


    The first thing she did was remove her head from her body to clean it, as the joint that connected her head to her body was already loose to begin with.


    The puppet believed that her thought process was reasonable.


    After another day of hustle, the City-state of Pland finally quieted down at night. Under the dimly lit sky, the busy people in the city dubbed the ¡°Pearl of the Sea¡± eventually went to sleep.


    Some guards kept the city safe at night in the dark and quiet city.


    On the highest floor of the tallest building in the City-state of Pland, the ¡°Great Bell Tower,¡± a grey-haired and abnormally tall young lady stood in front of the window. The lady had beautiful facial features, but a terrifying scar spread across her left eye. She was taller than most men and wore light grey armor and a battle skirt. Her defined muscles and perfect figure showed that she was well-trained. Just beside her, where she could easily reach, was a greatsword that seemed faintly shining. On the sword¡¯s hilt were runes that signified the wave, while the blade had wave-like patterns.


    The sound of gears turning could be heard behind the lady. The gears of the bell tower were moving in a stable motion powered by the steam engine. The complex gears and connecting rods stemmed past the ceiling and the floor to put the four clocks and mini planetarium hidden in the deepest part of the building.


    Judging from the machine¡¯s noise, the vast and precise machine operated smoothly, and no evil energy affected the holy steam core.


    Yet, Judge Fanna was still restless. It was as if something was about to happen or had already happened. She was annoyed at the fact that she wasn¡¯t able to do anything to solve her premonition.


    Footsteps could be heard from the stairs. The grey-haired lady who stood by the window turned around. She saw a priest wearing the robe of an ocean flamen ascending the stairs. The priest held a bronze incense cauldron in his hand, with clean smoke slowly surrounding him.


    The priest approached the pillar of the machine core in the middle of the room. He took the old incense cauldron that was hung on the pillar down and replaced it with the one he had brought. He observed the smoke from the incense and made sure that the smoke was able to float around the gears and connecting rods before chanting the name of the Wind Goddess. After that, he turned to look at the grey-haired lady.


    ¡°Madam Judge, good evening. Are you watching over the city alone again?¡±

 Chapter 29 - Those Who Protect the City

    Chapter 29 Those Who Protect the City


    Gods with supreme power lived in the cornerstone of the world, watching the world turn from a place that surpassed space and time. Believers would be able to peek into the future through the hidden connection with their gods, at things that could happen in a dark corner that people might not know about.


    The peeks weren¡¯t restricted by space and time but came with the risk of being corrupted by the subspace. However, to believers with strong wills, the dangerous yet powerful ability was what they could rely on to protect the fragile civilization in the endless ocean.


    The faithful judge had already seen a similar vision for the past few days.


    In a state between reality and dream, she saw the edgeless ocean dyed black with loud thunder roars coming from deep within the ocean. The sea was split into two by a space between the water that led straight down to the seafloor. A ship burning in bright flame slowly rose from the seabed, floating up into the sky like an airship. Following the ship was a shapeless giant shrouded in starlight and it started to walk toward the City-state of Pland.


    In her whole life, Fanna, the judge, had only twice seen bad ¡°premonition¡± on such a huge scale.


    It once happened when she was still a child. She was woken up from a nightmare where she was covered in blood. Not long after that, she lost her parents in an ambush by the cultists, leaving that scar on her face for the rest of her life.


    The second one happened four years ago. In her dream, she saw a black sunrise from beneath the city-state. With that, they were able to destroy the city-state¡¯s biggest Sun God cultist base. Now, the cultists still bared their fangs toward Pland from the complex and old tunnels underneath the city-state and got into meaningless conflicts with guards from the church all the time.


    Now, it was the third time she had such a premonition. She saw a ship returning from the deep sea, bringing a nameless giant to this world.


    She lied to the priest in front of her. The premonition she had seen was very clear. It was so clear that she couldn¡¯t sleep for the past few nights.


    The priest looked at the lady¡¯s soft and calm grey eyes. After a long hesitation, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you didn¡¯t get anything good from praying to the goddess?¡±


    ¡°The goddess does not remind us of all the dangers we will face. Sometimes, it¡¯ll be a difficult test for us,¡± Fanna calmly replied. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. Any news from the Explorer¡¯s Association?¡±


    The priest nodded right away. ¡°The association has just contacted us. The holy item with them has detected that the ship has appeared in the southeast region. However, the telegraph seems broken and we can¡¯t contact the ship. We can only confirm that the ship is on the right route and is approaching Pland¡¯s region.¡±


    ¡°It suddenly disappeared from the holy item¡¯s detection and reappeared out of nowhere in a region far away from the original route. We can¡¯t contact it and it¡¯s approaching here¡­ It¡¯s also transporting the abnormal item before it disappears.¡± The judge started to frown. Her instincts from dealing with abnormal items in the past warned her to be careful. ¡°I remember the ship is called the White Oak, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The White Oak. The captain is Laurence Creed, a member of the Explorer¡¯s Association. He¡¯s an experienced captain. Since they are transporting a special item, they contacted us before they departed from the City-state of Lunsar,¡± the priest replied after a short pause. ¡°Also, the priest accompanying the voyage is registered with the Deep Sea Association.¡±


    ¡°A fellow peer, huh? I hope the situation isn¡¯t that bad.¡± Fanna sounded serious. ¡°I can tell something is wrong with the ship. The route from Lunsar to Pland is considered a ¡°safe zone¡± under the control of the Explorer¡¯s Association. And, yet, the ship disappeared from the holy item¡¯s detection. I have reasons to believe that the White Oak had temporarily left the real world and headed into a place it shouldn¡¯t have.


    ¡°Notify the guards at the harbor. I want them to keep a close watch on the White Oak once it reaches our port. No one and nothing is allowed to leave the ship until all inspections are done. Did the sheriff¡¯s department say anything?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your uncle¡­ the archon has ordered the sheriffs to control the port and its surrounding. They¡¯ve raised the security level and until the restriction is removed, all the ships will only arrive at and depart on the reserved port at the west.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Uncle is a cautious man, after all.¡± Signs of relief could finally be seen on Fanna¡¯s face. ¡°Everything should be fine as long the normal sheriffs don¡¯t get themselves involved in this.¡±


    The priest looked at Fanna¡¯s grey eyes once again as he carefully chose his words. ¡°Do you think that the ship¡­ is ¡®contaminated¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure yet. However, ships that eventually return to the real world are rarely normal. Perhaps something on the boat has been mutated into an ¡®abnormal item¡¯, or the mental state of the sailors has been affected. There are cases of suddenly having an extra sailor or the captain suddenly switched¡­ It¡¯s never wrong to raise our alerts when a ship has shown an abnormal phenomenon.¡±


    ¡°I pray to the goddess that the ship and its crew remain safe.¡± The priest put his hand on his chest and prayed. ¡°O¡¯ Wind Goddess, please protect those who challenge the great


    sea.¡±


    ¡°I pray that they survive.¡± Fanna also closed her eyes and lightly prayed, reminding the priest. ¡°However, if they are unfortunate, we¡¯ll have to be prepared as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I understand.¡±


    Fanna nodded, and just as she was about to shift her attention back to the city outside the window, hurried footsteps from the stairs stopped her.


    A guard wearing a black and silver-lined uniform with a badge that reflected a wave and a dagger on his chest arrived at the top of the bell tower.


    ¡°Madam Judge!¡± the guard greeted as he gasped for air. ¡°We¡¯ve found a sacrificial altar of the Sun God cult in the sewer and caught a group of cultists!¡±


    Fanna¡¯s expression turned serious almost instantly. ¡°The cultists who worship the Dark Sun? Wait, are you saying it¡¯s an altar, not a hiding place? Are you saying that they are doing sacrificial rituals again?¡±


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s a location where they perform their rituals! We even found evidence that they¡¯ve just performed one recently!¡± the guard quickly explained. ¡°We also found a lot of dead bodies in a dungeon near the altar! Most of their hearts have been sacrificed! However¡­ something is wrong with the scene.¡±


    Fanna could see the confusion in the guard¡¯s eyes. She grabbed the heavy greatsword blessed by the Wind Goddess next to her and flung it over her back. ¡°Lead the way! I have to personally check this out!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡±


    The bell tower was filled with hurried footsteps and the banging noise when the heavy sword clashed with the light armor. Fanna arrived at the plaza in front of the bell tower and found a handful of guards standing by and waiting for her order. Two steam-powered pedipulators were parked at the edge of the plaza. Cracking noise could be heard from the machines that looked like spiders.


    Fanna did not stop. She signaled the guards and walked straight toward one of the pedipulators. The machine was twice the size of a two-wheel horse cart and looked like a resting spider when parked. At the end of its metal limbs were wheels that would help travel through flat surfaces and metal claws for other terrains. On each side of the main body were two seats with rotary machine guns.


    Standard technology would do little to no damage to abnormal items and supernatural phenomena. However, strong firepower could be used to deal with the cultists controlling the abnormal items. Naturally, such a huge machine would be limited in the sewer, but it was enough to serve as a blockade.


    The spray of 8-millimeter holy rounds could instantly send a massive group of cultists attempting an escape to meet their gods in the subspace.


    The grey-haired and grey eyes judge jumped onto one of the pedipulators. She stood tall under the night sky while two other guards sat in the seats with the guns. With the increased pressure in the cylinder and pressure pipes, hisses of steam could be heard and white smoke was sent out from all the limbs. The enormous mechanical spider got up and with a single leap, it jumped onto the main road before speeding toward the sewer entrance with its wheels.

 Chapter 30 - Chaotic

    Chapter 30 Chaotic


    The huge and heavy machine spider folded its long limbs into its torso and used the wheels attached to the limbs to glide along the road. Fanna the Judge stood steadily on top of the machine. The slightly cold and fishy sea breeze made her brain a little clearer.


    The cultists who worshipped the Sun God were a severe problem for modern civilization, and, unfortunately, there was more than one such serious problem.


    Ill intentions were directed toward the mortal world from the subspace all the time, and there would always be humans who tried to obtain such evil powers. In the struggle between ancient gods and humans, twisted items from old civilizations, tabooed heirs, and contaminated decays hid in the deepest parts of the city-states, waiting for their time to destroy the order and structure of human society.


    Out of all the threats, the cultists of the Sun God had proved to trouble those who protected the City-state of Pland the most.


    Not only were they cultists, but also a product of the lost history of the old world. Compared to most blinded cultists, those who worshiped the Dark Sun were more dangerous as they were tied down by a certain ¡°faith.¡± Despite the fanaticism and twisted beliefs of the complicated lower-level members, those who led the cult had a ¡°core belief¡± that had never been changed for the past thousands of years.


    The belief was expanded from the ¡°Beginning of Order¡± that was formed under the old sun. Not only was a system formed out of it, but also a ¡°True Solar Calendar¡± that was not accepted by modern civilization. They deeply believed that they were the descendants of the lost civilization and would do anything to revive the glorious old civilization.


    As a judge of the Deep Sea Church, Fanna wasn¡¯t interested in the heresy of the cult. However, she knew that it was through the existence of such heresy that the cult of the Sun God could become stronger and more united than other cults. The cult was able to survive despite the countless attacks from the church, and they continued to grow in the shadow of the city-states.


    Yet, Fanna was still surprised that the cult managed to revive its base in Pland after being defeated.


    After an all-out attack four years ago, the Sun God cult¡¯s structure in Pland was destroyed. The recent reports stated that the cultists had moved their core members to the nearer city-states like the City-state of Lunsar and the City-state of Mough, and even to city-states that were further away from Pland. Those who remained in Pland were stubborn people who didn¡¯t have the status to move to other states.


    These cultists hid in the sewer, escaping the hunting of the guards through their understanding of the sewer and the twisted blessings of the Dark Sun. Their numbers had decreased in the past four years, and all that they could do now was struggle to survive.


    However, their numbers suddenly increased to the point where they would risk exposing themselves by performing sacrificial rituals. She could not understand where they gained their confidence from.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ that something big is going to happen?¡± Fanna thought to herself. ¡°That it¡¯s a big enough reason for them to risk destroying themselves to draw the Dark Sun¡¯s attention to Pland?¡±


    The vibration and noise from the engine and the slight smoky smell from the leak of the steam-engine pipes stopped Fanna from thinking of something unnecessary. She raised her head to look into the sky.


    The ¡°Wound of the World¡± hung high up in the sky. The dim white light gently lit the tops of the uneven houses, chimneys, and towers in the City-state of Pland. The squad was now moving across the edge of the industrial area where the huge pipes connected to steam engines stood so tall that they looked like the blood veins of giants that pierced through the sky.


    Fanna briefly thought of the past¡ªthe terrifying night that she would never forget. It was a night filled with the stench of blood. Her uncle carried her out of the fire. On the streets were people acting like corpses after getting caught up in a large-scale illusion, and corpses of different shapes and sizes. She and her uncle escaped through the pipelines of the factory, where the stench of blood and chemicals almost made her puke.


    The sudden vibration from the spider-like machine pulled Fanna back from her memory.


    They had finally reached the end of the flat road and had arrived at the abandoned area at the edge of the city. The road was uneven, and they had to stop traveling on wheels. The long limbs of the machines were extended, and they started to run past the rough terrain.


    Not long after that, the squad arrived at the entrance of an abandoned sewer.


    Another eight-man squad was already waiting for them there. They had already locked the area down to prevent unauthorized citizens from entering.


    Fanna greeted her subordinates and followed them into the deeper part of the sewer.


    Past the long and dirty paved path that led to a tomb, Fanna finally arrived at the gathering area of the cult. Many guardian warriors had gathered there, and priests from the church were performing the cleansing ritual.


    A temporary ritual altar was set up in the middle of the hall. The wooden altar seemed to have been burned. On top of the altar was the blasphemy totem that the Sun God cultists had built. The totem had been burned as well, but its basic structure remained intact.


    Around the altar were more than a few dozen cultists with their hands tied. Most of them were trembling, while a few were mumbling their cursed prayers.


    However, since the ritual was interrupted, the Wind Goddess had already noticed the situation, and their prayers would never reach their god.


    SW


    Not far from the altar was a cave where the bodies of the sacrificed could be found. The victims who had met a terrifying fate were placed on top of linens decorated with rune drawings. The undertaker, who had rushed to the scene, was now checking the condition of every dead body.


    A few priests from the church were walking around the altar as they gently shook the bronze chains in their hands. White smoke was coming out of the incense cauldrons tied to the end of the chains. As soon as the smoke contacted the floor around the altar, it would be dyed in an ominous black shade before more white smoke would take the contaminated black shade away. The aura of the Black Sun that remained at the scene was slowly being cleansed by repeating that process.


    ¡°Madam Judge! Over here! This is where we realized something was wrong!¡± The young guardian pointed at the few corpses by the altar. ¡°Please watch where you are stepping The floor is kind of dirty.¡±


    Fanna walked past the corpses and frowned when she noticed the condition of one of the corpses.


    It was the corpse of a cultist who wore a golden mask. She didn¡¯t even need to ask to know that he used to be the cult priest who was in charge of the sacrificial ritual.


    On the chest of the cult priest¡¯s corpse was a scary-looking hole.


    ¡°What happened to him?¡± Fanna asked. ¡°Did he sacrifice himself in the heat of the ritual? I¡¯ve never heard of such a rule in the cult of the Black Sun.¡±


    ¡°This is what¡¯s weird. He didn¡¯t sacrifice himself.¡± The guardian who led Fanna there shook his head with a slightly weird expression. ¡°According to the cultists who are still alive¡­ their ¡¯emissary¡¯ was sacrificed by one of the sacrifices¡­¡±


    ¡°Sacrificed by one of the victims?¡± Fanna raised a brow. ¡°What kind of absurdity is that?¡±


    ¡°It does sound crazy.¡± The guardian sighed. ¡°The truth is that most of those who were still alive were already half-mental when we arrived.¡±


    ¡°Half-mental?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was clear that something very wrong had occurred during the sacrificial ritual. Most of them went crazy, and some even started to kill their own. It¡¯s as if the others were¡­ ¡®monsters¡¯ that had been possessed in their eyes. That¡¯s also why the sheriff patrolling around was able to notice them as they ran out of the sewer like maniacs¡­ When we arrived, only a few of them were still calm enough to answer our questions, and they said that the victim had sacrificed their emissary.¡±


    ¡°Went crazy? Killing their own? Possessed?¡± Fanna¡¯s expression turned serious immediately. ¡°Did you guys check and see if they were contaminated by the Black Sun?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t find any evidence that they were contaminated. It¡¯s more as if they went crazy on their own. It¡¯s as if their spirits were broken by something,¡± the guardian replied and pointed at a young lady in a black robe who walked back and forth between the cultists. ¡°Miss Heidi has arrived as well and has confirmed that they weren¡¯t contaminated by the Black Sun. We have no choice but to rely on hypnotism for this.¡±

 Chapter 31 - Residual

    Chapter 31 Residual


    Fanna looked up at the woman in a black dress who was inspecting the mental conditions of the cultists. The woman noticed her gaze and greeted her back.


    The woman appeared to be in her early twenties, yet she had a mature temperament far beyond her years. Her long black hair was curled up at the back of her head. The faint blue crystal earrings on her earlobes reflected the light of the nearby gas lamps as they jiggled.


    ¡°So, Heidi has also come. Did the Town Hall send her?¡± Fanna asked the young guardian beside her.


    The guardian replied, ¡°No. When the incident occurred, Lady Heidi just happened to be nearby. When she heard the news, she immediately rushed over here. Is there anything wrong?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Although Heidi is an employee of the Town Hall, she has cooperated with the church for a long time. When we go back, just make up an on-site registration for her,¡± said Fanna as she shook her head. She quickly turned her attention back to the matter at hand. She inspected the cult priest who had died from having his heart removed. While she did this, she asked, ¡°What did the cultists who could still communicate say? What was the situation?¡±


    ¡°Their words are very confusing. Two of them mentioned that the ordinary sacrificial rite had already ended when someone suddenly caught an escaped sacrifice near the gathering place. Hence, the emissary decided to sacrifice the latter to the Sun God,¡± stated the guardian as he reported their statements. ¡°The two cultists were standing far away from the altar, so they did not manage to see what exactly happened. They merely said that the sacrifice did not die even with his heart removed. He instead called upon the Sun God and declared the emissary as the sacrifice. In the end, the emissary was sacrificed.¡±


    ¡°A person chosen as a sacrifice called upon the name of the evil god and sacrificed the officiant of the ceremony?¡± questioned Fanna. It was as though she had just heard a fairy tale. She felt that the whole thing was extremely absurd. However, these words were uttered by a church guardian who was highly trained, loyal, and reliable. She could only take it seriously. She had a strange look on her face as she said, ¡°How could such an absurd thing happen? If that were possible, how many sacrifices at cult rituals could kill the cult priest with just their words?¡±


    ¡°I never said it wasn¡¯t absurd. Even the clumsiest cult priest would hold absolute authority when officiating the ceremony. How could he possibly lose control over the ceremony to such an extent with just a weak ordinary person uttering some words? Moreover, we have inspected this cult priest. He indeed has traces of being eroded by projections from the Deep End of the World. This is a true baptized person. Based on the cultists¡¯ descriptions, he was holding a blessed ceremonial dagger at the time.¡±


    The young guardian shook his head as he said this. He then walked up next to another corpse.


    ¡°Come take a look at this. This is the sacrifice who killed the cult priest.¡±


    Fanna looked at the guardian before turning her gaze toward the corpse. The next moment, she narrowed her gaze.


    It was a skinny youth. Due to being overly scrawny, his physique even appeared like that of a teenager. The most abnormal part of his body was a gaping hole in his chest.


    Fanna stated, ¡°He had already been sacrificed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this man had already been sacrificed. Combining the traces we found here and the confession of the cultists, this man most likely had already lost his heart before he was pushed onto the altar,¡± the guardian said in a serious tone. ¡°Hence, the actual situation back then was that a walking corpse walked up onto the platform before the eyes of the crowd. He then killed the cult priest officiating the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Is this the work of a necromancer?¡± mumbled Fanna to herself as she thought. ¡°That is not right. The power of the Black Sun greatly restrains the power of necromancers. It is impossible for the corpses they control to just walk up before a totem of the Black Sun. Was it an undead controlled by an abnormality?¡±


    ¡°Have you checked the lamps nearby?¡± she asked as she suddenly looked up at the guardian beside her. ¡°Within a 500-meter radius, is there any underground space completely devoid of light?¡±


    The guardian replied, ¡°We have inspected the place, and there are no such caverns. Even the cultists know the dangers of the lightless underground. They left behind torches and oil lamps in the caves where they disposed of the corpses. In this respect, they were very cautious.¡±


    Fanna fell silent for a while. She was deep in doubt as she bent over the youth¡¯s corpse. She closely inspected this man that had killed an extraordinary person before a crowd and caused the ritual to go entirely out of control. She reached out to flip open the corpse¡¯s rigid eyelids, attempting to find some residual trace of supernatural power.


    Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She seemed to see the corpse of the youth slowly open its eyes. Faint green fire leaped out of its hollow eyes. A tiny spark flashed on the tip of her outstretched right index finger, dissipating in the wind.


    Fanna¡¯s gaze lingered momentarily, and she immediately drew the dagger on her waist with her left hand. Without hesitation, she swung the dagger and cut off her right index finger. She then twirled it around and stabbed it into the forehead of the corpse. The dagger carved with runes suddenly burst into flames which consumed the corpse completely.


    She did all of this in less than a second. The instant the corpse was consumed by flames, she had already gotten up and retreated two steps. She then took out sacred oil that had been blessed from her waist pouch. After pulling off the cork with her teeth, she poured the oil inside over her right hand, which was bleeding heavily. When the sacred oil came in contact with her flesh, a large cloud of white smoke immediately burst forth.


    Excruciating pain washed over Fanna, but her facial expression did not change in the slightest. She saw that the guardian, who had been beside her all this while, had already swiftly drawn the steel sword from his waist. With a slash, he cleaved off the head of the burning corpse. He then threw a potion of seaweed extract and silver powder into the flames.


    With continuous explosions and flames that suddenly shot into the sky and almost licked the ceiling, the beheaded corpse was burnt to ashes in the blink of an eye.


    The vast flames did not spread toward the other corpses around them.


    The other guardians around reacted one by one. Half of them immediately drew their rune steel swords and surrounded Fanna, while the other half took out large caliber revolvers and swiftly formed a perimeter. The two priests present also pulled out the revolvers hidden under their long robes. They then used incense burners to apply blessings to the revolvers as they chanted the name of the Wind Goddess, Gemora. They also kept pointing their firearms toward the cultists, who broke into a frenzy due to these changes.


    ¡°Lady Judge!¡± called out the young guardian wielding a steel sword as he came to Fanna. ¡°Are you alright? Just now¡­¡±


    ¡°Some power remained in the body of the sacrifice. This power bypassed the defenses bestowed upon me by the goddess and even bypassed my psionic alerts,¡± explained Fanna as she waved her hand. Her gaze landed on her right hand. The blessing of the goddess had begun to take effect. Her index finger, which the dagger had sliced off, was wriggling and recovering slowly. However, even though she felt the intense pain subsiding, she could not calm down at all.


    ¡°Something is off. This is not just the work of the Black Sun. Another powerful force might have visited this sacrificial rite. This power has not left completely. It is after something,¡± this judge swiftly determined. ¡°Take all witnesses and evidence back to the church and closely guard them. All investigations and interrogations after this will be carried out within the church. This area is to be completely purified. Are there any people elsewhere?¡±


    A guardian to the side immediately answered, ¡°There are. We rescued a group of reserve sacrifices locked up in another cave nearby. They are now temporarily placed in the adjacent pipe room.¡±


    ¡°Bring them back to the church as well. Although they are victims, they also need to be strictly inspected before returning them home,¡± Fanna quickly said. She then remembered something and asked, ¡°What about Lady Heidi? Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°I am here.¡± A calm woman¡¯s voice cried out. This psychiatrist wearing a black dress that the Town Hall hired, walked over towards Fanna. She nodded at the latter and reassured her, saying, ¡°You need not worry. I missed everything. What happened here?¡±


    ¡°Just like in many classic stories, the cultists disturbed something even more evil than they were,¡± said Fanna as she glanced at the psychiatrist. ¡°I strongly recommend that you take extra precautions when you inspect and hypnotize these cultists later. A power that shouldn¡¯t be here has appeared, and it has left behind residual energy.¡±

 Chapter 32 - Breakfast on the Lost Home

    Chapter 32 Breakfast on the Lost Home


    The night passed, and the white scar that covered the entire sky gradually dissipated. Duncan stood on the helm deck, looking up at the sky. He did not miss any detail during this transition period between night and day.


    He saw the scar slowly become transparent and ethereal, as though the world was waking up from a dreamscape. The gray-white light mist emanating from it first merged with the sky, and then the scar itself did so as well. Throughout the entire process, this scar¡¯s position did not shift.


    Duncan blinked. New speculation loomed in his mind. Since the scar in the sky did not change position, did that mean it was not a distant astronomical body? Was it just a mark on the background of the atmosphere, an illusion that would move at the same speed as the boundless sea?


    Or was the planet where the boundless sea was on, if it genuinely was a planet, coincidentally moving at the same pace as the scar? Or was the scar actually moving, but due to his observation time being too short, his naked eye could not detect its movement?


    Various speculations emerged in his mind. However, Duncan knew clearly that before he had ample evidence and reliable experimental data, these speculations would remain mere hypotheses. There were countless possible ways to explain natural phenomena, but everything was moot without theory and evidence to back them up.


    The sun rose.


    A golden halo appeared on the horizon. Then, a gigantic body of light suddenly surfaced from the ocean, followed by radiant multi-colored light. A ball of light sealed by two layers of runes appeared in Duncan¡¯s vision.


    The rune constructs slowly churned. The sun rose solemnly. This impressive process seemed to emit some sound. A low, powerful, slow imaginary hum reverberated in Duncan¡¯s mind. However, it suddenly disappeared when he tried to focus and hear the sound.


    He frowned and doubted whether he had been hallucinating. However, the memory of the sound was so vivid that he could not deny that he had heard it for real.


    Was that the sun¡¯s announcement to the world as it rose? Or was it one of the many illusions of the boundless sea?


    No one could answer Duncan¡¯s query. The boundless sea kept all of its secrets as usual. The pigeon Ai perched comfortably on Duncan¡¯s shoulder. It then suddenly stood up and flapped its wings vigorously. It looked at the sea¡¯s surface and chirped loudly, ¡°Give me some fries! Fries!¡±


    Duncan could not help but laugh. He glanced at this strange pigeon. He suddenly felt that it was not bad to have this bird around. The weird words that this pigeon occasionally uttered always made him feel a sense of nostalgia for his own world.


    ¡°Unfortunately, there are no fries on the ship,¡± Duncan replied as he played with the pigeon¡¯s beak. He then turned and headed towards the captain¡¯s quarters. He added, ¡°However, you are right. I should make something to eat.¡±


    After a short while, the captain of the Lost Home prepared a traditional ghost ship breakfast for himself. Duncan used the nautical table in the captain¡¯s quarters as a meal table. He placed a few plates next to the nautical chart on the empty parts of the table. Today¡¯s breakfast, yesterday¡¯s dinner, lunch, and every other meal were the same. His meals consisted of jerky, cheese, and water.


    Duncan sat before the nautical table. He thoughtfully and habitually put on a napkin. The goat head silently sat opposite of him. To Duncan¡¯s left was the cursed doll Alice who had come to greet him bright and early. The strange pigeon sat to his right on the table.


    Duncan suddenly felt that this scene was beginning to match his setting as a ghost captain. There was a wooden goat head that represented demons, a cursed doll he could not get rid of, a talking bird who was well-versed in the knowledge of this alternate world, and a ghost captain at the head of the table. If a picture of this scene was taken, it could serve as the poster of a movie without any editing


    W


    However, only the people present here knew about the current state of rations on the Lost Home.


    Duncan sighed as he looked down at the food on his plate. The movie poster scene ended, and he returned to the reality of having simple meals on the Lost Home.


    He took a bread knife and carved out the cheese with force. The sound of hard objects rubbing against each other could be heard. He then used his fork to stab at the jerky to the side. The jerky and the plate collided, emitting loud clanging.


    Alice watched this scene curiously. In the end, she could not help but ask, ¡°Captain, are today¡¯s meals the same as yesterday¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°They will be the same tomorrow as well,¡± replied Duncan as he looked up at the cursed doll. ¡°Do you want to give it a try?¡±


    Alice thought for a moment. Then, she picked up a piece of jerky. She threw it into her mouth and chewed twice vigorously. She then spat it out and exclaimed, ¡°This doesn¡¯t taste good at all.¡±


    ¡°Even if it were tasty, you wouldn¡¯t be able to eat it. Do you have a stomach?¡± asked Duncan as he extended his hand and took the remaining half of the jerky from Alice¡¯s hands. ¡°You actually tried it when I asked you to.¡±


    He looked at the food on his plate worriedly as he said this.


    This was the only food he could find on the ship. The jerky tasted like thick salted pieces of cardboard. The cheese was like loose sandy firewood. No matter how he tried to process it, it still had a strange smell. He also tried to boil the jerky in water, bake it and fry it. However, no matter how much effort he put into it, the food¡¯s texture and the flavor did not improve.


    At the very least, the food did not spoil and would not poison him to death. The bad news was the passing of time had resulted in these unspoiled foods being in a state unsuitable for consumption. Duncan had reason to believe that the cheese was several generations older than he was. It would have been at least a century old if the jerky was still alive.


    The captain of the Lost Home might not need to worry about scurvy. However, Duncan was still yearning for a healthy diet. At the very least, he hoped that the food on his plate could at least be younger than he was.


    He would accept it if they were the same age.


    The Lost Home supply procurement and land exploration plan he had been pondering yesterday surfaced in his mind again.


    However, these plans would not come to fruition overnight.


    Duncan sighed and continued to cut away at the ¡°wood¡± on his plate with a vengeance. Ai, who had been watching beside him all this while on the table, walked over curiously. The bird glanced at its master and then at the food on the plate. It asked, ¡°Are our mineral ore reserves insufficient?¡±.


    Duncan looked at the pigeon. He then pinched some cheese crumbs that had fallen on his plate and threw them at the pigeon. Ai bent down and pecked at the crumbs twice. Immediately, it froze and stood still as if it was suddenly dead.


    The bird was stiff for a good three to four seconds before it suddenly came back to life. It flapped its wings and flew up to a rack to the side. With an exasperated voice, it said, ¡°Even if I die of starvation today, I will not eat this. I would rather jump overboard than eat this.¡±


    Duncan felt hurt. As for the goat head opposite him, who had remained silent all this while, with much difficulty, it finally began to emit the creaking sound of rubbing wood as it stifled a chuckle.


    Before it started a fire with its rubbing, Duncan nodded his head and said, ¡°If you have something to say, say it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± responded the goat head. It finally had the opportunity to speak. It immediately said, ¡°Since yesterday, I have been meaning to ask about the guest you brought¡­Ai, if I recall correctly¡­why is it that I can¡¯t seem to understand what it is saying? I pondered all night the meaning of topping up Q coins.¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow. He never imagined that the goat head managed to hold it in until now. He had underestimated its self-control!


    ¡°Don¡¯t pay it any heed. This bird¡¯s thoughts are bizarre,¡± said Duncan, not stopping with his woodwork. He used the knife and fork in his hands to chop away at his cheese as he recited the response he had thought of, ¡°It seems to use a language that only it can understand to communicate. Once familiar with its speech, you can roughly guess what it is trying to say.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± said the goat head pensively. ¡°I feel there is some form of hidden logic to its words. It is as though there is a complete, self-consistent set of knowledge hidden behind its words. Did you discover Ai while walking in the Spirit World? If so, could it be a projection from the Deep End of the World? As you are aware, the deeper you venture into the Spirit World, the more likely for projections from different dimensions to surface. Among them, there is no shortage of lost eras that we know nothing of. There are even fragments of the future. Could Ai be something from another dimension?¡±


    Duncan paused his cutting momentarily for a split second, at speed invisible to the naked eye. He then continued as usual. In a calm voice, he said, ¡°Then I hope you will one day figure out the logic behind Ai¡¯s language.¡±


    The goat head might have just been randomly running its mouth and guessing, but the information it disclosed stirred Duncan up involuntarily.


    When he was traversing the Spirit World, had his soul approached the deeper end of the world? The deeper he ventured, the more likely he would encounter projections of different dimensions? Scenes from different timelines might even emerge in these projections?


    While Duncan was in the Spirit World, he had not seen any of this. However, the goat head was right about one thing: Ai was indeed from another dimension.


    Then, was this pigeon brought to this world by an Earthling called Zhou Ming? Or was it truly as the goat head speculated and it was from the deeper end of this world?

 Chapter 33 - Fish

    Chapter 33 Fish


    His breakfast tasted like chewing wax, yet the texture was worse than wax.


    After finishing his unsatisfying breakfast, Duncan¡¯s mood did not improve from having his stomach filled. Conversely, his mind was full of speculation due to the intel mentioned unintentionally by the goat head. Hence, he was getting somewhat frustrated.


    He saw Ai strolling on the nearby rack. He felt that he was overthinking.


    He always believed that this pigeon spoke the language of Earth because it was born with the soul of an Earthling. He believed that when he was in the Spirit World, the individual Zhou Ming reacted to his brass compass, giving birth to this weird bird, Ai.


    However, what if the situation was not so?


    What if it was as the goat head said? Was this pigeon just an illusion who escaped from the Deep End of the World and coincidentally took form beside him?


    Then, was the language of Earth uttered by Ai from time to time unrelated to the memories of Zhou Ming? Perhaps Ai¡¯s language was a projection of history recorded by this world?


    The possibilities behind this made Duncan terribly upset.


    Alice stood up. Her voice interrupted Duncan¡¯s thoughts as she asked, ¡°Should I wash the dishes?¡±


    Duncan gave the doll a strange look. The latter scratched her hair awkwardly and said, ¡°I thought that since I am already on this ship, I should make myself useful. Otherwise, it would appear like I am freeloading.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t eat at all,¡± Duncan reminded her. ¡°Nevertheless, you have a good heart. Send the plates to the galley and talk nicely with the sink. If the sink doesn¡¯t mind, you may wash the plates.¡±


    After saying this, he stood up before Alice could respond. As he walked towards the captain¡¯s quarters, he said, ¡°I will go inspect the deck. Don¡¯t disturb me unless you have something to discuss.¡±


    The pigeon strolling on the rack flew down to Duncan¡¯s shoulder and left the room with him, leaving Alice at the nautical table exchanging glances with the goat head.


    ¡°The captain doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood, is he?¡± Alice cautiously asked the goat head after hesitating for a bit.


    In a deep voice, the goat head answered, ¡°The captain¡¯s mood is like the weather of the boundless sea. Don¡¯t speculate about it. Just accept it.¡±


    Alice did not wait for the goat head to continue and quickly asked, ¡°By the way, just now, the captain asked me to discuss with the sink. How should I discuss things with it?¡±


    ¡°Simple. When you try to wash the dishes, if you get drenched in water, it means that the sink doesn¡¯t like you. That being said, do you know how to wash the dishes? If you don¡¯t know, I have some theoretical experience¡­¡±


    Before the goat head finished, Alice swiftly cleared up the cutlery on the table. As she dashed to the door, she replied, ¡°No need, I will learn to do so myself. Thank you, Mr. Goat Head. See you again!¡±


    The captain¡¯s quarters suddenly became quiet. Only the black goat head remained on the table. It watched with a blank stare as everyone left.


    After a long while, a sigh could be heard from the nautical table. The goat head said, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if I had legs¡­¡±


    Its gaze then returned to the nautical chart.


    The fog surrounding the Lost Home was gradually clearing up. The goat head still had to diligently carry out the task of manning the helm given by the captain.


    With precise control, the gigantic ghost ship that was alive nimbly adjusted its sails¡¯ angles as it continued to sail the boundless sea. The goat head started to hum a sea shanty passed down from some unknown age. A gruff, hoarse humming echoed through the captain¡¯s quarters.


    ¡°Hoist the sails, hoist the sails, sailors away from home, continue on.


    Among the waves, amidst the noise, we are but a plank away from death.


    Trim the jib, and spread the mainsail. Let the ropes go and grab the ship¡¯s rail. We have reached the middle of the ocean!


    Stay away from fish, away from fish. The sailors want to chart a course across where the fish are entrenched.


    Stay away from fish, away from fish. We want to reach the shore safely. Spicy wine and a fireplace await ahead¡­¡±


    Duncan strolled around the supply room and the kitchen. He then returned to the center deck of the Lost Home.


    No matter how many times he searched, he could not find anything more edible than jerky and cheese on this ship.


    Fortunately, he did not need to eat maggot-infested biscuits like the sailors during the Age of Exploration on Earth. Unfortunately, this ship did not even have maggot-ridden biscuits.


    He cast aside all these thoughts of his for now. He came to the side of the deck with a silent Ai.


    As he gazed far out into the boundless sea, he kept thinking to himself,


    ¡°No matter what, I need to find a way to replenish the daily necessities on the Lost Home. Although I cannot be too particular about the quality of life on a ghost ship, I can¡¯t truly live like a spirit.¡±


    ¡°Alice might need to wash and change her clothes. There are no suitable clothes for her on this ship.¡±


    ¡°I need to quickly establish relations with the city-states on land. The Lost Home has already been lost at sea for far too long. The city-states might have developed to a level that even the goat head could not predict. From the appearance of the sewer before, at least the City-state of Pland is a prosperous and advanced city. The revolvers carried by the cultists are proof of the technological advancement of human society.¡±


    ¡°An ancient ghost ship will not necessarily be that invincible before civilization with a century of development. The legacy of the Lost Home still exists, but it would be bad if that is the only thing it still has.¡±


    Duncan looked at Ai on his shoulder.


    After he rested today, he might need to attempt a Spirit World Walk again.


    ¡°Coo coo?¡±


    Ai tilted its head. It finally acted like an ordinary pigeon.


    Duncan could not help but smile. Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed a flash of light on the ocean¡¯s surface.


    His attention was drawn to the light. He subconsciously glanced over the ship¡¯s railing. He then noticed that there was indeed something swimming beneath the waves.


    After hesitating for a moment, Duncan suddenly slapped his forehead. ¡°Sigh. What a fool I am! This is the ocean! Aren¡¯t there fish in the sea?¡±


    This sudden possibility immediately improved Duncan¡¯s mood. He realized that wanting to establish relations with the city-states on land and a stable supply of resources for the Lost Home were not matters that could be resolved overnight. Nevertheless, couldn¡¯t this vast ocean itself help him out?


    There were fish in the sea. He already had enough jerky and cheese on this ghost ship!


    Duncan¡¯s passion for fishing was ignited. He recalled that there were offshore fishing rods stored in one of the warehouses beneath the deck. There were also holders on the shipboard that were used to secure the fishing rods in place. As for bait, he wondered whether jerky and cheese were good enough for the deep-sea fish.


    While the cursed doll was washing dishes and the speaking goat head was focusing on sailing the ship, the captain of the Lost Home was busy gathering the necessary equipment he needed from below deck.


    Duncan soon found the things that he needed. He carried three offshore fishing rods and the baits back onto the deck. He clumsily set up the fishing rods on the shipboard. After putting some bait on the hooks and casting the lines into the water, he moved an empty barrel towards where the rods were and used it as a stool.


    Actually, Duncan had never tried deep-sea fishing before. His limited fishing experience came from fishing from a pond and a creek near his hometown. He had no idea whether his whim would yield any results. Nevertheless, since he was free anyway, there was no harm in giving it a try. He would use this moment as an opportunity to recuperate before he ventured into the Spirit World again. At the same time, he was hopeful of improving his diet through this.


    Duncan sat in between the few fishing rods. He gradually calmed down while waiting patiently for fish.


    The sea was calm today. The sky was rather cloudy, but there was no sign of a storm approaching


    Duncan sat on the barrel and leaned against a winch used to hold the ropes in place. He slowly closed his eyes amidst the gentle swaying motion of the ship.


    Unbeknownst when, he sank into a half-awake, half-asleep state.


    He dreamed of walking on the calm ocean barefooted. The water was blue while the sun was warm.


    The ¡°normal¡± sun he was familiar with was hanging high above the sky. It was bright but not scorching hot.


    He heard the sound of water splashing. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a group of fish leaping out of the calm water nearby.


    The fish were tiny and golden in color, each the size of a palm. They blew bubbles while in midair. They swayed their tails sideways as though they were swimming in the water. They formed a moving circle around Duncan.


    The fish swimming in midair gradually closed in on Zhou Ming. He stared at them curiously. Their eyes were round and covered in a layer of dense and tiny scales. Their mouths gulped for air. As they moved, ripples akin to water propagated in the space behind them.


    Zhou Ming suddenly felt that these fish were beautiful.


    They were also very fragrant.


    They would definitely be very, very delicious.

 Chapter 34 - Bountiful Harvest

    Chapter 34 Bountiful Harvest


    The sudden sound of waves awakened Duncan from his dreamscape.


    He opened his eyes. Only thin, faint silhouettes of the illusions he had seen during his half-asleep, half-awake state remained. He only remembered that he saw fish swimming in the air. The fish that surrounded him seemed exceptionally delicious. However, what did they look like again?


    Could fish swim in the air?


    Duncan blinked his eyes. The strange feeling of reality and the dreamscape torn apart and blended again stumped him for a short while. He looked at the three fishing rods he had fixed to the shipboard. He did not see any signs of fish taking the bait. The waves were growing bigger in the distance. They beat against the hull of the Lost Home.


    The waves grew larger at a rate perceptible to the naked eye. Stronger waves began to surge constantly from afar. The gigantic hull of the Lost Home shook in the waves and the wind. The sound of waves splashing against the hull filled Duncan¡¯s ears.


    Duncan looked at the sky and deduced that the weather was still fine. Even though there were more waves than usual, there would probably not be extreme weather conditions, such as a powerful storm.


    ¡°This might not be good weather for fishing,¡± he muttered as he considered packing up the fishing rods. Right then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the tip of one of the fishing rods bend all of a sudden!


    The strong fishing line, specially made for deep-sea fishing, instantly tensed up. The stubby and rigid offshore fishing rod seemed to have caught something big. The entire top half of the rod curved like a bow, accompanied by an ear-piercing screech. The shipboard also emitted the sound of rubbing wood under tremendous force. All of this told Duncan one thing.


    A fish had come! A big fish!


    He instantly discarded the idea of calling it a day. The passion of a fishing maniac burned within his chest. With two steps, he reached for the fishing rod and grabbed it to prevent it from falling overboard. With his other hand, he began to adjust the tension of the line.


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it! How could I possibly come out empty-handed!¡± Duncan muttered to himself excitedly.


    He struggled with the behemoth on the other end of the line. This was a difficult battle. The creature on the other side of the line was not planning on letting itself get caught without a fight. A considerable force tugged at the fishing rod. Even with Duncan¡¯s strength and the support of the shipboard, they were merely at a stalemate.


    The waves around the Lost Home grew larger. However, for Duncan, this minor shaking was insignificant.


    He was mad at this stubborn prey. He was also worried that this long-awaited opportunity to improve his rations would slip away before his eyes.


    The fishing line had reached its critical point of tension. The big fish was about to escape from his grasp.


    After a long stalemate, Duncan finally made a decision. A clump of green flames suddenly emanated from the fishing rod in his hands.


    The green flames burned brightly and spread like water rapidly along the fishing rod and line. The spirit fire burned along the fishing line, forming a line of fire that extended into the ocean. The next moment, an illusory green flame appeared deep under the water around the Lost Home. Under the light and outline of the green flames, a gigantic silhouette could be seen in the water.


    This silhouette appeared like a mass of meat that extended and contracted irregularly. It covered a radius of several hundred meters around the Lost Home. Along its outline, many dark creatures were constantly changing and growing emerged. It was as though thousands of limbs were wiggling in the ocean, churning the water around the Lost Home and controlling the surging waves.


    Duncan heard strange movements coming from the water. While he maintained the stalemate with his prey, he curiously peeked his head over the rail to take a look.


    He did not see anything at all, only the rising and falling waves. Nothing much had changed.


    He clearly felt the resistance from the fishing rod weaken ever so slightly compared to before.


    His prey was beginning to lose strength. This fact caused him to reveal a radiant smile on his face.


    He began to reel in line with force, gradually pulling his prey out of the ocean.


    Alice was startled by the roaring and whistling coming from outside the cabin. She could feel intense tremors coming from beneath her feet. The furnishing in the cabin began to make a series of clanging sounds. She quickly grabbed onto a railing to prevent herself from falling. There was a look of surprise on her face as she thought to herself, ¡°What happened?¡±


    The Lost Home was shaking as though a massive storm was rampaging outside. A low, suppressed sound came from deep within the ancient ghost ship. It seemed to be roaring furiously as it fought against the terrors from deep within the ocean, against some behemoth that was attempting to consume it.


    Everything in the cabin was clanging. At first, Alice thought that this was just because of the collisions caused by the ship shaking. Soon, she realized that the shaking did not cause the noise from the objects. The objects were talking among themselves. However, Alice could not understand this language that only the Lost Home itself understood.


    She only knew that something was going on outside.


    The doll decided to go up on deck to take a look. She stumbled as she ran out of the cabin. She supported herself against the wall to prevent herself from falling as she headed up to the deck.


    After nearly stumbling over flailing ropes and crashing wooden buckets, she finally reached the top of the stairs. She pushed open the wooden door, constantly flapping in the wind, and saw astonishing giant waves on the boundless sea.


    The sky was as black as ink-a thick, ominous cloud formed above the ship. The black layer of cloud seemed to descend upon the ocean¡¯s surface. Giant waves as tall as city walls churned and surged beneath the dark cloud. They rose and fell as though they were surrounding the Lost Home!


    This was the first time Alice had encountered such a situation. She did not know whether this was the normal condition of the ocean. However, she knew that she needed to find the captain.


    She looked around the deck and took no time to locate Captain Duncan standing beside the deck¡¯s railing


    The surrounding waves were annoying. However, they were an insignificant disturbance to Duncan, who was on the verge of success. Under the feedback of the fishing line and the green flames, he could clearly sense that his prey had already stopped fighting back. He was gradually yanking the gigantic creature to the surface.


    ¡°Come on up!¡± he shouted happily, giving the fishing rod in his hand one last jerk.


    A colossal fish leaped out of the ocean. It was truly massive, almost half his size.


    In that split second, Duncan locked gazes with the fish in midair.


    It was pretty ugly.


    This was the first thought that came to his mind.


    It was indeed a hideous fish. The surface of its black body seemed to be covered with some bumpy growth. There were also strange gray and white patterns randomly spread across the fins on both sides of its body. On its head, there were many bone spur-like structures. Its blank white eyes looked at Duncan beneath these bone spurs.


    Duncan felt very uncomfortable. He thought that the fish was looking at him maliciously.


    The next moment, he saw the fish start twitching suddenly. Its eyes, staring at him, exploded for some reason and blood flowed instantly from them.


    The fish fell onto the deck with a heavy thud, twitching frantically as though it was being electrocuted. A few seconds later, it stopped moving. Fresh blood oozed out of its mouth and eyes onto the deck.


    Duncan watched in surprise as this ugly fish rapidly died at his feet. He vaguely recalled something he had read. Most of the fish in the deep sea were indeed very ugly. Due to living in environments with extreme water pressure, their blood vessels would explode due to the difference in pressure after being fished up to the surface. They would even die very quickly because of this. Was this the same for the fish of this world?


    While he was stunned, he could hear splashing


    Duncan curiously looked towards the sound. He saw many smaller, peculiar-looking fish landing on the deck.


    Their appearances were similar to the ones before, but they were only around half a meter long. Just like the larger fish, their bodies bled intensively, and they soon perished.


    Duncan was somewhat stunned and took some time to react. He said, ¡°Are these fish dumb or what? Why would they follow their companion to death?¡±


    Alice grabbed the side rail tightly. She stared nervously at the sight of the brutal fighting not far away. It was enough to drive ordinary people crazy. She saw Captain Duncan standing at the side of the deck. The green flames on his body were burning brightly. He was like a burning giant fighting against the ocean. Three hook chains extended from the deck beneath his feet. One of the chains was burning with terrifying, intense flames.


    She saw a gigantic silhouette suddenly emerge from the boundless sea. Then, a tentacle thicker than even the main mast of the Lost Home appeared. Countless, evil-looking eyes opened on the surface of the tentacle. Numerous sharp teeth ground and snapped between the eyes as though they were about to tear the entire ship to pieces.


    Alice screamed. She wanted to warn Duncan to take shelter. She also wanted to rush forward to help him. However, the tentacle crashed into the captain before she could put any of her thoughts into action.


    She watched as Captain Duncan raised his head. Under the light of the radiant flames, the captain¡¯s face revealed a look of joy from a bountiful harvest. He stared at the countless eyes on the tentacle as they stared back at him.


    The next moment, the eyes on the tentacle suddenly exploded, and the mouths of sharp teeth let out an ear-piercing, painful cry. The tentacle then snapped off. It was as though the gigantic creature hidden beneath the waves had taken the initiative to sever its connection with the tentacle. The heavily injured tentacle was left behind on the deck of the ship.


    The tentacle fell on the ship with a loud crash. From the point it was severed, filthy, dense flesh and blood rained down on deck before the captain¡¯s feet.

 Chapter 35 - Calm and Normal

    Chapter 35 Calm and Normal


    The ocean had calmed down.


    Alice stared at the tentacle lying on the deck. Viscous flesh and blood containing an enormous power also fell beside the captain¡¯s feet. They soon lost their vitality. At the same time, the gigantic creature lingering beneath the Lost Home dived deeper into the ocean. After sacrificing one of its tentacles, the creature swiftly left the region where the Lost Home was. It seemed to be fleeing in a hurry.


    While the gigantic shadow descended into the depths, the ocean quickly regained its tranquility. The dark cloud looming over the sky also cleared up instantly.


    Perhaps that was not a dark cloud after all.


    Alice took a glance at the sky. She remembered the shape of the dark cloud. Based on how it dissipated, she slowly realized that the dark cloud was connected to the shadow underwater.


    The dark cloud was a shadow cast onto the sky by the gigantic creature in the ocean.


    The sound of fire crackling could be heard coming from the side of the deck. It put a halt to Alice¡¯s wandering thoughts. She quickly looked for the captain. He had regained his usual composure. The burly man had a big grin on his face. After noticing Alice, he waved his hand, signaling her to get closer.


    When Alice approached him, Duncan kicked the big fish on the deck and said with a happy tone, ¡°Look! I caught a big fish!¡±


    ¡°A¡­big fish?¡± Alice had a blank expression as she repeated his words. She took a look at the lump of flesh beside Duncan¡¯s feet. It was still wiggling. Countless, half-opened eyes stared adamantly at the sky even though they had exploded into a bloody mess. The razor-sharp teeth glistened with a cold light in between the eyes.


    Following Duncan¡¯s kick, half the eyes on the severed tentacle blinked. They then all closed completely.


    ¡°Yes, it is a big fish,¡± said Duncan happily. ¡°Take a look. It took quite an effort for me to drag this out of the ocean.¡±


    Even though she was just a doll, Alice felt the corner of her eye twitch as though she had muscles. She tried to say something but did not know where to start correcting him on this topic.


    She looked at the ¡°fish¡± at Duncan¡¯s feet.


    A big, ugly fish was lying there. It was black with pitted skin. It had strange gray-white patterns near its fins. Bone spurs extended from its head, and a pair of lifeless fish eyes looked back at her.


    There were also many small fish scattered across the surrounding deck.


    Alice suddenly lost all her expressions and words. Wide-eyed, she stared at the scene before her. There were fish on the deck. She was sure that they were not fish just a second ago.


    The doll who lacked life experiences had never experienced a moment of doubt in her life before. Yet, at this very instant, she questioned everything in life. She was even wondering whether she was dreaming. The tentacle, the lumps of blood and flesh, where had they all gone?


    Perhaps her momentary bewilderment was too apparent; Duncan immediately noticed Alice¡¯s abnormal behavior. He raised his eyebrows as he looked at the doll and asked, ¡°What is the matter? Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Alice opened her mouth to speak. However, just as she was planning to correct him, the code the goat head told her before suddenly surfaced in her mind.


    On the Lost Home, Captain Duncan was the absolute authority. His words were the absolute reality. If the real world contradicted Captain Duncan¡¯s words, they were to follow the captain¡¯s judgment.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Alice quickly said. Next, as though to cover up her overly tense tone, she hastily changed topics. She said, ¡°Captain, the storm just now was really frightening.¡±


    ¡°Storm? Did you mean the waves?¡± Duncan asked as he looked doubtfully at the doll. ¡°The waves just now were indeed big, but they are far from being called a storm. That being said, you have not seen a real storm.¡±


    Alice said, ¡°You are right.¡±


    Since Captain Duncan categorized the storm, which almost covered the entire sea area, as ¡°waves¡±, then waves they would be. Since Captain Duncan believed that the things he caught were fish, fish they would be.


    ¡°I can sense that you are somewhat nervous. Are you okay?¡± Duncan acutely detected that there was something off with Alice¡¯s tone. With a look of concern, he stared at his first crew member and asked, ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re seasick? Can you get seasick?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just that the ship was rocking too hard just now¡­¡± Alice gazed at the captain, who seemed genuinely worried about her and was unsure whether she should feel at ease or even more afraid. She changed the topic of conversation and asked, ¡°Oh, right. What do you plan to do with these¡­fish?¡±


    ¡°That goes without saying,¡± said Duncan as he immediately smiled. ¡°Of course, we will eat them!¡±


    Alice was instantly dumbfounded. She said, ¡°Eat them?¡±


    ¡°What else can I do with them? Didn¡¯t you notice? The food on the Lost Home is too monotonous.¡± Duncan was clearly in a great mood as he continued, ¡°I plan to cut this big fish into smaller portions. I will make half into a stew and roast the remaining half. I will cure the smaller fish with salt and make them into dried fish.¡±


    He disclosed his plan with great delight. Even though he sounded confident, he had no idea whether he would succeed. His cooking skill was average at most. Besides that, he had never processed such a huge fish before. As for dried fish, he knew how to make them in theory, but he had never done so in real life.


    However, he would never know his skill if he had never tried.


    The only risk was food poisoning.


    Duncan still retained some reason despite his joy at the bountiful harvest. He carefully inspected the big fish at his feet, trying to guess whether this gift from nature was poisonous.


    The most reliable method, to be sure, was to find an unlucky soul to try it out first.


    He first thought of the goat head in the captain¡¯s quarters but immediately eliminated it as an option. He then glanced at the cursed doll before him. She wouldn¡¯t do as well.


    Alice did not have a stomach at all.


    Finally, he looked at the pigeon on his shoulder.


    The pigeon also tilted its head and looked back at him.


    Ai did not appear like an ordinary creature. However, if Duncan wanted to find a living creature of flesh and blood on this ship, he was only left with this pigeon.


    After a short while, Duncan brought his spoils and left the deck. It was almost lunchtime, and he could not wait to improve the rations on the Lost Home.


    Alice stood in a daze where she was for a while and then came before the door to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    She initially did not want to see the goat head. Ever since she experienced this first mate¡¯s ability to nag, she even developed a sense of reverence for the entire captain¡¯s quarters.


    If possible, she would avoid the place.


    However, today¡¯s incident was too bizarre. She felt that she had to consult the more experienced goat head about whether this was normal on the Lost Home.


    She had not gone against the crew member¡¯s code. Finding out more about the situation should not violate taboos.


    After hesitating for a short while, Alice finally gathered the courage to open the door to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    She was surprised to see that the goat head was already turned towards the door and was staring straight at her. It was as though it had been expecting her arrival.


    ¡°What happened outside?¡± the goat head asked succinctly. This was a stark contrast from its usual self.


    Judging from its abnormal behavior, Alice sensed that something was indeed off. She immediately closed the door, went to the nautical table, and told the goat head everything she had witnessed.


    After she finished her narration, the goat head sank into silence, which was not a usual occurrence. For a whole minute, it did not speak a word.


    The wooden goat head was incapable of making any facial expressions. However, Alice could sense that what happened just now was beyond the comprehension of this first mate.


    Alice panicked. She subconsciously leaned forward, asking, ¡°Is this abnormal for the Lost Home? Could it be that the captain is truly¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything on the Lost Home is normal.¡± The goat head was finally awakened from its silence. It quickly interrupted Alice¡¯s speculation as though it was trying to fix a flaw. It said, ¡°Listen. Everything on the Lost Home is normal. It will forever be so. The great Captain Duncan is being his usual self as well.¡±


    Alice protested, saying, ¡°But¡­judging from your response¡­¡±


    ¡°Things have exceeded my expectations, but that is because I have insufficient imagination and knowledge,¡± the goat head¡¯s words slowly become eloquent. It was returning to normal from its shock. After that, its mood began to improve. Its tone became more excited and energetic as it said, ¡°Yes, great Captain Duncan. He should be even greater and more powerful! There is nothing out of the ordinary, Miss Alice. Listen here. Everything is standard on the Lost Home. Let the captain do what he thinks is right. Do not discuss this matter any further. You only need to remember this:


    There is fish in the kitchen of the Lost Home, and fish is delicious food.¡±

 Chapter 36 - When Day Turns Into Night

    Chapter 36 When Day Turns Into Night


    Cooking a meal from such a giant fish wasn¡¯t an easy feat.


    It wasn¡¯t just about the technique. It also required stamina and strength.


    Fortunately, Duncan was driven by his sense of duty as a fisherman and his passion for improving his diet. This gave him plenty of energy to deal with the big fish that he managed to catch today.


    He worked for a long time in the kitchen and finally managed to dismantle the bone spike on the head of the hideous fish. After that, with great difficulty, he managed to cut up its fat body into many pieces. The meat on the head of this strange fish was quite sparse, so he decided to toss it aside first. But there was some high-quality meat on the belly and back of it, which were very suitable as ingredients in the Lost Home¡¯s kitchen.


    Although it seemed strange that the captain was working in the kitchen personally, Duncan enjoyed it. That said, he wondered what the ordinary folks would think when they saw him like this, given how terrified they were of the ship. Would they be shocked at how the ghost captain could carry out normal daily activities in such an approachable manner? Or would they compliment his outstanding fishing skills?


    While separating the meat of the strange fish into portions, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he thought about those questions. He started thinking that perhaps there would really be a day when he could invite some people onto his ship as guests. The Lost Home wouldn¡¯t always be synonymous with disaster, and he didn¡¯t plan to be a cruel, cold-blooded ghost captain forever. After learning more about this world, naturally, he had to start adapting to the civilization here.


    Duncan decided that when the time came, he would treat the guests on his ship to a fish meal.


    After cutting the fish into portions, Duncan stored most of it in a wooden barrel half-filled with sea salt. He then pushed the bulky barrel into the storeroom deep inside the kitchen. He intended to prepare the rest of the fish later on. He was going to dip them in salt and then sun-dry them on the deck. If nothing goes wrong, the sea breeze will turn them into dry fish jerky.


    Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t find any spirits with a high alcohol content on the ship. Otherwise, he would have had more ways of preparing the fish.


    Of course, it¡¯s a good thing to have fresh fish to eat every day, but Duncan knew that fishing depended on luck. He had a rather good catch today, but that didn¡¯t mean that the same would happen in the future. He had to think about how to store the excess food.


    Although the meat jerky and cheese on the Lost Home showed no sign of decay or rotting, Duncan wasn¡¯t sure if it was because there was something special about the ship or something special about the jerky and cheese. He didn¡¯t want the fish that he had taken great effort to catch to go bad.


    Salt-cured fish is still better than the salt-cured meat that was made a century ago. At least it¡¯s a change of flavors.


    Duncan left the meat that looked the most tender and fresh. He threw them into a pot together with the meat jerky to make a stew. The meat jerky was used as a seasoning in his cooking process.


    This primitive cooking process was ruining the previous meat. Any real chef would get high blood pressure if they saw what Duncan was doing to this top-grade fish. The best way to prepare such fresh, tender fish meat is to make it into sashimi or gently sear it in a pan. Duncan knew that as well, but he decided to cook it this way to be safe.


    He didn¡¯t recognize this fish that he caught from the ocean, so he didn¡¯t dare to just eat it. Although theoretically, fish from the ocean wouldn¡¯t carry parasites that are harmful to the human body, and the ¡°ghost captain¡± was probably immune to ordinary poison and venom, but who could know for sure?


    Compared to the other preparation processes, stewing is the best way to cook unknown ingredients.


    He had to use this method to ensure that this fish was actually edible before considering other ways of cooking it.


    Halfway through the afternoon, he finally finished preparing lunch.


    He scooped up a bowl of fish soup and put it on the table. The alluring aroma it made was extremely appetizing. Despite that, Duncan cautiously picked up a piece of fish meat, blew on it to cool it down, then placed it in front of Ai, the pigeon.


    Of course, pigeons don¡¯t eat meat, but Ai wasn¡¯t an ordinary pigeon.


    Duncan needed to satisfy his curiosity. There were too many things that he needed to try on the Lost Home.


    As for what to do if this abnormal pigeon actually got poisoned after eating the fish¡­Duncan had prepared for that as well.


    Firstly, he had already tried his best to prepare the fish, so letting the pigeon try it was not essential. Secondly, if something really happened to Ai, Duncan could immediately pull it into its astral form with his green fire. He had tried it before. In its astral form, the feedback from Ai was the same as the brass compass. She was basically an ¡°object¡± controlled by his spirit fire. He could even disintegrate Ai¡¯s astral form and teleport it to any position around him. In such a state, ordinary poison would definitely not work on her.


    Ai tilted her head to one side and looked at Duncan. After confirming that the fish was meant for her, she pecked on the table beside the fish, then looked at Duncan before turning her gaze toward the ceiling. ¡°Are you sure this fruit is ripe?¡±


    Duncan said, ¡°Just say, are you going to eat


    it?¡±


    Ai flapped her wings a little, then mocked Duncan¡¯s tone and parroted, ¡°Just say, are you going to eat it?¡±


    Then it lowered its head and pecked at the cooled fish meat at a surprising pace. It managed to finish the meat in a few quick bites, despite it not looking like food meant for pigeons at all!


    After finishing the meat, Ai craned its neck and started strutting around on the table arrogantly. It seemed to be in a very good mood. After walking one round, it returned to Duncan and said loudly, ¡°Delicious! Delicious!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at the pigeon. For some reason, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but think-this little guy is able to copy what I say, change his mind, and repeat his own words!


    With these three characteristics, it basically embodies a human (Earthling). Based on the principle of freedom in form, this little dude might just be considered a human on Earth¡­


    After a while, Duncan confirmed that the pigeon had no adverse reactions to the meat, which made him feel at ease.


    The captain of the Lost Home and his pet started feasting quietly in their kitchen.


    The fish tasted amazing, just like Duncan had experienced in his dream.


    The sun gradually went down and approached the edge of the high walls at the fringes of the city. The tall chimneys, pipes, and towers in the City-state of Pland were showered in the golden rays of sunset.


    In the city¡¯s central area, the majestic chime of the great bell resounded from the highlands, where the Great Church of the Wind was located. It was followed by the sharp whistle of a pressure relief valve as large swaths of white mist spewed out from the top of the towers on the wings of the church. It was as though clouds had shrouded the sky above the highlands, reflecting the golden sunlight from the surface of the ocean.


    This was the signal that day was crossing into the night. It was a warning that the power of the sun was dissipating rapidly. The Wound of the World was about to take over the skies.


    Order in the world would transition from stability to precarity from this point on. The influence stemming from the ¡°deep end¡± of the world was strengthened rapidly as the night fell. This process would continue until the second day when the sun rises again.


    At night, cautious individuals would choose to stay at home. People who had to leave their homes would try their best to stay in brightly lit places. The gaslights blessed by the clergy would be able to chase away the malice in the darkness as much as possible.


    Regardless of the circumstances, this was a large, prosperous, and stable city-state. Under the legion of the holy Great Church of the Wind, even the influence of the Deep End of the World was suppressed to a safe value. The abnormal phenomena that happened in the city occasionally were inconsequential and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. All ordinary citizens knew how to protect themselves behind their doors. There were also guards from the church that patrolled the city at night, taking over from the sheriffs to ensure order in the city at night.


    However, regardless of how bright a streetlight was, there would still be dark shadows that its brilliance could not reach. Even under the noses of the church guards, some fools yearned for darkness and chaos. They feared and resented the existing order in the world and fanatically looked forward to a ¡°beautiful era¡± that they hadn¡¯t even seen themselves.


    Fortunately, in the city-state, where the power of law and order took the dominant position, these subverters could only curl up and hide in the shadows.


    Near the border of the city, at the entrance of an abandoned underground sewer, several individuals donning black robes had curled up in the corner of a room.


    This was once a resting room for workers maintaining the sewer. It had been abandoned and forgotten due to changes in city planning. This unkempt corner became a safe harbor for cultists after frantically escaping from the light. A dim oil lamp was hung on the wall. Its flickering flame illuminated several depressed, terrified faces lined with hatred.


    A man in a black robe, around 30 years old, lay on the ¡°carpet¡± made of tattered cloth. He gritted his teeth. His face was pale, and his breath was weak and unstable. The others spoke around him. Someone cursed softly, ¡°Those damned church dogs¡­¡±


    ¡°We lost many of our people. Even the emissary died during the ritual¡­¡± Another person said, with a husky voice, ¡°Why did the holy ritual suddenly lose control¡­¡±


    ¡°The sacrifice¡­ it must be because of the sacrifice. He¡¯s clearly a minion of our enemy¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± One of the men suddenly turned his head, seemingly listening for something. He pointed upward and said, ¡°It¡¯s the sound of the dusk bell and steam whistle.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s going to be night soon,¡± said the person who had started cursing first. He had a deep voice. He then looked at his ¡°comrade¡± lying on the ground, clearly in critical condition. ¡°Damn it¡­ I hope he survives tonight¡­¡±

 Chapter 37 - Life and Death

    Chapter 37 Life and Death


    The sounds of the dusk bell and steam whistles, representing the passing of the day, echoed through the moist, dark slopes and vertical wells. It resounded softly through the shady, claustrophobia-inducing sewage pipes. This signal of the night approaching made the cultists hiding in the abandoned resting room even more upset.


    One of them caught a critical illness-an illness that no one could diagnose. Now, he was going to die. He was going to die in this dim, underground world.


    ¡°He¡¯s still alive right now,¡± a cultist said hesitantly as he looked at the ¡°comrade¡± lying on the ground. He could see the frail man¡¯s eyes open slightly. His eyeballs were turning slowly in his eye sockets. This poor guy could still hear what was happening around him, but he didn¡¯t have enough strength to open his eyes anymore.


    ¡°He¡¯s only alive for now,¡± another cultist said with a deep voice. ¡°The bell of dusk has already rung. He cannot die in this room. Our lord¡¯s blessings will help him to receive peace in the darkness.¡±


    The fingers of the man lying on the ground sheet twitched a little. He clearly understood the situation that he was in at that moment, and he didn¡¯t want to just die like this. But death had already caught on to his shadow tightly. Based on the current situation, his dear comrades of the Sun were already considering moving this potential hazard out of the shelter before death actually descended upon him.


    The room was shrouded in an extremely depressing silence. It was so quiet that the faint breaths of the dying man became clearly audible. Finally, after a very long period of dead silence, the man in a black robe who cursed the Church of the Wind broke the silence. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for a while, at least¡­ people don¡¯t change when they just die.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait for a while then,¡± the cultist with a deep voice agreed. He looked toward the man lying on the ground sheet, struggling to breathe. He couldn¡¯t help but start mumbling again. ¡°Why did he suddenly get sick? Are you guys sure that it¡¯s just a regular disease?¡± ¡°I know him¡­ he owns an antique shop that¡¯s almost closing down in the lower city area. His shop was pretty much full of fakes,¡± another cultist who hadn¡¯t spoken said. ¡°He was already ill before this and had never been healthy. I think it¡¯s because he stayed in the sewers for too long and got scared by those people just now. It caused his illness to flare


    up.¡±


    Listening to his fellow cultist¡¯s explanation, the cultist, with a deep voice, finally felt a little more at ease. Although he wasn¡¯t a ¡°priest¡± with admirable status, he had been with the Sun for many years. Now, he could at least be considered an ¡°expert¡± in the occult. He knew the kind of consequences that a failed ritual would have¡ªconsequences that are mysterious, far-reaching, and dangerous. Every single follower participating in the ritual might become a carrier of this mysterious danger. This person, who had suddenly become extremely ill and frail, might just be the ¡°carrier.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the rule which stipulates that ¡°all followers of the Sun are brothers,¡± as well as several cultists around him who couldn¡¯t make up their minds, he would have thrown this unfortunate guy into the darkness outside a long time ago.


    After a long silence, this cultist suddenly moved. He took out a light gold talisman and stuffed it into the ill man¡¯s shirt at his chest.


    ¡°What are you¡­¡± another cultist asked curiously.


    ¡°I exchanged this holy talisman from the emissary at a heavy price,¡± he said in his deep voice in a sincere tone. ¡°I hope the lord can bless our brother. Perhaps the brilliance of the Sun can stop the darkness from corrupting him further.¡± The other two cultists immediately cleared their doubts. They looked in awe at their senior, who had just given away his talisman. They clenched their fists and put them on their foreheads, praying softly and chanting, ¡°All followers of the Sun are brothers¡­¡±


    The man with a deep voice clenched his fist as well and placed it on his forehead. Then, he chanted softly with the others, ¡°All followers of the Sun are brothers.¡±


    After the sun had lowered completely below the horizon, the moonless, starless night sky once again appeared in front of Duncan. The pale white crack stretched across the sky. Its cold light lit up the boundless sea and the Lost Home.


    Duncan stood on the deck at the tail of the ship. He retracted his gaze and sighed softly.


    Regardless of how often he looked at it, he could not see stars from the pale, cold gleam. After all, they were non-existent in the first place.


    However, compared to the last time he looked at this starless sky, his mood was clearly much better this time.


    One reason was that he had already accepted the strange oddities of this world. He had been spontaneously adapting to his life now. Another reason was that the fish he caught today were pretty decent by any standard.


    Duncan is a very optimistic person. So any tiny improvement in his life is worth being happy for. Besides, the gift of nature was much more generous than he had imagined.


    If he continued at this pace, even if he couldn¡¯t establish a stable connection to civilization on land, he could at least improve his quality of life on the ship.


    As his thoughts went astray, he turned to look at the pigeon standing on his shoulder. He said jokingly, ¡°Hey¡­ do you think things would be easier if I did some pirate stuff? Like, find a busy maritime route and rob some ships or whatever¡­¡±


    The pigeon tilted its head, and its two eyes looked in different directions, neither of which Duncan could follow. ¡°Seriously? Seriously? Seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s not who I am,¡± Duncan laughed and said. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s so much easier said than done. At least I need to find a busy route for any pillage to happen.¡± This ocean was vast yet empty. Duncan didn¡¯t know how far the Lost Home had drifted away from civilization. Ever since he ran into the ship that was in charge of transporting Abnormality 099, he hadn¡¯t spotted any other vessels in his sight. So even if he wanted to rob someone, he didn¡¯t know where to find his victim.


    Just then, a voice sounded from beside him and cut off Duncan¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Captain, are we going to rob someone?¡±


    Duncan looked toward where the voice came from. Alice was sitting on a plank high up above, looking at him curiously.


    Under the light from the pale gash in the sky, the gothic doll wearing a royal dress sat high above on the ghost ship. Her mercury-like hair gave off a cold gleam in the night. She sat in a very formal and upright manner, and her eyes were filled with curiosity. This scene looked like an old and mysterious painting.


    Duncan was rather surprised for a moment. After experiencing several ¡°incidents¡± that caused great turmoil, he had almost forgotten about this lady doll. Initially, she gave him a noble, elegant, and mysterious impression when she was lying in the wooden crate. Now, when Duncan saw Alice in this quiet state, he felt a little stunned.


    But Alice didn¡¯t know what the captain was thinking. So she asked again, out of curiosity, ¡°Captain, are we going to rob somebody?¡±


    That question kind of ruined her image.


    Duncan looked at the doll, not sure how to react. ¡°Do you like robbing people?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Alice shook her head and answered. ¡°It looks quite boring.¡±


    ¡°But I ¡®robbed¡¯ someone and took you to my ship,¡± Duncan smiled and reminded her.


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s true,¡± Alice thought about it for a while, then nodded and said. She then asked, ¡°Are we going to rob someone now?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan waved his hand and said before walking back to the captain¡¯s room slowly. ¡°I find robbery quite boring. In contrast, strolling around is much more suitable as a form of exercise after a meal.¡±


    Duncan returned to the captain¡¯s room. After briefly assigning the job of manning the wheel, he returned to his bedroom and closed the door.


    He had already decided that he was going to head to the Spirit World for the second time tonight.


    But unlike last time, this time, he would test his ability using ¡°Ai,¡± the pigeon.


    A ghostly green flame flickered at Duncan¡¯s fingertip. At one particular flicker, the pigeon, which was strolling around on the table, vanished before appearing again on his shoulder.


    Duncan felt the faint connection between Ai and him. He gradually calmed down and started recalling the feeling when he activated the brass compass last time. Then, he started trying to use the spirit flame on his hand to communicate with Ai¡­


    The formless green flame turned into a thin line and started coiling around Ai¡¯s wings. The next second, the entire white pigeon was engulfed in flames!


    As the flame burned, the pigeon¡¯s feathers turned into a phantom state. The green fire that was leaping rapidly had seemingly reconstructed its flesh and bones. Ai raised its wings in the fire. The brass compass that was hung on its chest suddenly opened up. The mysterious runes on the face of the compass flickered faintly. The pointer in the needle started spinning like crazy before finally pointing into the distance. Everything around him started to disintegrate and dissipate. The familiar darkness once again appeared in Duncan¡¯s eyes. Right after that, the familiar flow of luminescence and then the countless speckles of light.


    Duncan followed the feeling in his heart and looked toward the light, looking for the next suitable target to make contact with.


    Suddenly, he was reeled in by one of the starlights.


    He didn¡¯t know if this was the ¡°instinct of captain Duncan¡± which goat head often spoke of, but he decided to go with it. Regardless of who was behind that starlight, he was now fated to be with captain Duncan.


    In the abandoned sewers on the edge of the City-state of Pland, the cultists who believed in the Sun God had escaped from the church guards. They sat in complete silence. No one spoke a single word.


    The world above ground had already sunk into the deep darkness of the night. In the underground world, only a faint, flickering light protected the abandoned room.


    Regardless of how cruel, ruthless, and inhumane the cultists were, they felt nervous and fearful as they faced the approaching darkness.


    On the tattered groundsheet beside them, the man was breathing his final breaths.


    As they listened to his breaths getting shorter and more difficult, several pairs of eyes looked toward the dying man in unison.


    They stared unmovingly at the ¡°comrade¡± on the groundsheet. Everyone knew at that point that this person wouldn¡¯t live through the night.


    Under the gaze of these eyes, the man¡¯s chest puffed up one last time. Then, finally, he exhaled the final breath of his life.


    ¡°May the Sun continue to illuminate your soul in the darkness,¡± the cultist beside him said slowly in a deep voice. Then, he waved his hand and said, ¡°Get him¡­¡±


    The next second, he swallowed whatever he intended to say.


    Right in front of his eyes, the ¡°corpse,¡± whose eyes were shut tight, started breathing again.

 Chapter 38 - Disconnected

    Chapter 38 Disconnected


    The corpse was breathing. It was as though he took a still at the edge of the afterlife before returning to the human world again.


    All the black-robed cultists in the room looked at the man, stunned at the sight of him breathing again. Some of them didn¡¯t even realize that he had actually ¡°died¡± just now. The shift from life to death and back was so brief that it was hard to tell if one didn¡¯t look closely. They simply felt their dying ¡°comrade¡¯s¡± breath suddenly become stable and energetic again. It made them feel astonished.


    The next second, the man lying on the ground opened his eyes.


    It seemed that he had stayed in the dark for too long, to the point that the dim light from the flickering oil lamp dazzled his eyes. He blinked as he tried to adapt to the light. Then, his eyeballs slowly started turning as he seemed just to notice the three black-robed cultists coming closer to him.


    ¡°All hail the lord!¡± A younger cultist finally regained his senses and started exclaiming, ¡°You survived! I thought you were going to¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold on! No! Get back!¡± The cultist, with a deep voice, suddenly realized something. He stretched his arm out and blocked the others, then looked at the man who had just awoken with cautious eyes. As he slowly stepped backward, he said with a threatening tone, ¡°His breathing stopped completely just now, I am sure of it¡­ Something isn¡¯t right!¡±


    Duncan finally got used to the environment around him, and the noise that sounded like tinnitus started to fade away from his mind. He looked at the people surrounding him. The first question that came to mind was ¡ª Why still these people? Why is he still in the sewers?


    Spirit World Walking should be completely random. When he picked his target, he had been choosing based on instinct with no logic. Yet somehow, both times when he opened his eyes, he ended up amid these cultists. What kind of sinful bond did he have with these people?


    However, the next moment, he realized something wasn¡¯t right based on the reaction of the people around him. Then, he noticed the black robe that he was wearing.


    Duncan went silent for two seconds, then understood what was going on.


    Last time, he was the sacrifice that the cultists were sacrificing. Then, he closed and opened his eyes. Now he is a cultist himself.


    He really had some strange bond with these people.


    ¡°Something isn¡¯t right!¡±


    Just then, a hostile, deep voice snapped Duncan¡¯s brain out of its chaotic state after waking up. He looked toward where the voice was coming from and met a cold, highly alarmed gaze.


    The man was looking at him coldly. Beside him, two other black-robed cultists realized what was happening and backed off as they changed into an on-guard stance.


    Duncan was startled for a moment. He suddenly realized he might have possessed a corpse just like he did last time.


    He just revived a corpse in front of these cultists!


    After understanding the situation at hand, the nervous reactions of these cultists made complete sense to him. Duncan¡¯s brain started working at full throttle. He could feel the lingering numbness in his body. It was difficult for him to move right now. It seemed pretty difficult for him to make any big movements right under the noses of these cultists. He needed to figure out a way to calm these people down first. Just as he tried his best to think of a solution, fragments of vague, blurry memories started to appear in his mind!


    In those fragmented memories, he suddenly ¡°remembered¡± many experiences that didn¡¯t belong to him. Duncan remembered how ¡°he¡± hid in the sewers. He remembered how ¡°he¡± offered his money to the emissary of the Sun. He remembered how ¡°he¡± participated in the cult¡¯s dark, insane, and bloody rituals to cure his illness. ¡°He¡± drank the blood of someone innocent in exchange for the ¡°blessings of the


    sun.¡±


    At the end of a string of chaotic memories, he ¡°saw¡± the scene of the sacrificial ritual. He saw many people wearing the same robe as him, standing beside the tall altar. The young sacrifice was pushed up the platform. The young sacrifice had a strange, stiff expression on his face and threw the entire ritual into chaos¡­


    He saw the ¡¯emissary of the Sun¡± being sacrificed for his heart, and everyone around the altar went insane. The followers of the cult started killing each other as roaring flames flowed out from the Sun totem. Yells of anger and eerie mumbles filled the gathering place. The original owner of this body ran away with several other followers¡­


    Duncan didn¡¯t know how long he was in a daze. Perhaps it was only an instant. The turbulent memories calmed down once again. A pathetic yet detestable life turned into a string of pale fragments in his mind. They became a sort of ¡°nutrient¡± at the bottom of his heart, ready for him to read at any time.


    These were the memories of the original owner of this body, it wasn¡¯t much, but there was no doubt about its origin.


    Duncan blinked. This new development didn¡¯t happen during his previous Spirit World Walk.


    Previously, he didn¡¯t get any memory of the corpse he possessed. The ¡°sacrifice¡± had a completely empty brain¡­ Why did such a change happen this time?


    Is it because the body that he possessed is still ¡°fresh¡±? Or is it because ¡°Ai,¡± the pigeon, amplified the power of the brass compass? Duncan slowly sat up from the ground. He didn¡¯t know the reason behind these changes, but this wasn¡¯t a good time to space off. These nervous cultists had definitely noticed something wrong with how he ¡°revived¡± from death.


    As Duncan sat up, all three cultists took half a step backward. Then, the black-robed man with a deep voice put his hand at his waist and broke the silence. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Tell me, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Ron,¡± Duncan recalled for a brief moment, then naturally said the name he had just learned from the memories. ¡°Ron Strain.¡±


    ¡°His name is Ron,¡± a young cultist standing opposite him immediately said with a hushed voice to the deep-voiced man who was their de facto leader now.


    But the deep-voiced man didn¡¯t let down his guard at all. He continued staring at Duncan unmovingly. Then, he started chanting in an odd accent and tone, ¡°In the name of the Sun, may the Lord¡¯s brilliance shine upon the world. In the name of the Sun, may the Lord¡¯s blessings descend!¡±


    Duncan was startled by the cultist who suddenly started acting like an insane man. Then, he felt a scorching heat on his chest. He subconsciously reached into his robe to grab the thing that was giving off the heat under his clothes. He saw a golden sun talisman. Strange waves of heat were coming off the surface of the talisman!


    The next moment, the talisman burst into intense flames. The flame seemed full of malice as it pounced toward Duncan¡¯s heart!


    ¡°The light of the Lord is burning him!¡± Upon seeing what was happening, the cultist chanting the strange prayer immediately realized what was happening. He drew the short blade from his waist and called out, ¡°His soul was swapped! Kill this filthy, blasphemous creature!¡±


    The other two cultists were slightly slower, but they reacted soon. One moment, they thought that Duncan was a ¡°comrade.¡± The next moment, they drew their daggers and swords and pounced toward him as they yelled, ¡°Kill him!!¡±


    Duncan grabbed the sun talisman burning violently as he watched the three figures pounce toward him. The next second, another shadow appeared at the corners of his eyes!


    An undead bird, covered in ghostly green flames and looking like a spirit, tore through the air. It flew across the roof with cold flames and let out a strange, sharp scream. As its wings flapped, formless ashes and fragments of feathers fell from it.


    Of course, the ¡°undead bird¡± also attracted the attention of the three cultists. They subconsciously looked up at ¡°Ai,¡± who was in its astral form.


    The next moment, their movements slowed down as though their connection to the real world suddenly became far away and slow. The three blacked robe men¡¯s bodies moved like a laggy, low-framerate animation, leaving afterimages in the air. They landed on the ground with movements so slow that it was almost whimsical, then finally came to a halt about two meters in front of Duncan.


    Their eyes were filled with intense shock and fear as they watched the undead bird circle on the roof before landing on the black-robed ¡°comrade¡± in front of them. They watched the sun talisman burn in the man¡¯s hand. But the next moment, the golden burning flames turned into a ghostly green color, the same color as the flame on the undead bird.


    Duncan squeezed the sun talisman in his palm. Strands of green spirit flames coiled on the surface of the talisman. Flames shot out of the talisman and circled in front of him before stopping like a little pet. It slowly resolved around his arm as though it was trying to please Duncan.


    Duncan held the sun talisman that was now wholly modified and controlled by him. He walked toward the three cultists calmly and casually. He looked into their shocked eyes and said regretfully, ¡°It would have been so much better if you just pretended that you didn¡¯t notice anything.¡± The next moment, the figures of the three cultists started to flicker vigorously in the air. Then, they vanished.


    The undead bird, surrounded by green flames and almost like a skeleton, hopped a few times on Duncan¡¯s shoulder. It let out a sharp and hoarse chirp in between the tackling of the flames. ¡°Oops, this page had disappeared. Would you like to refresh it?¡±.

 Chapter 39 - Captain Steps Foot on Land

    Chapter 39 Captain Steps Foot on Land


    The pigeon said those words in its usual whimsical, joking, and idiotic tone.


    But now, it was an undead ghost bird with spirit flames burning all over its body. One can see the flaming skeleton and tendons beneath its translucent flesh and blood. Its chirps were mixed with the explosive crackling of the flames. It almost sounded like the agonizing shrieks of tortured souls when the gates of hell are opened.


    Reality had proven that sometimes, the supernatural wasn¡¯t very far away from the whimsical.


    The spirit flames coiling around Duncan continued to burn. He watched as the three cultists disappeared in front of his eyes, but he wasn¡¯t sure about the principle behind what happened.


    All he knew was that it was Ai¡¯s ability.


    A few seconds later, after confirming that the three cultists weren¡¯t going to return, he turned his head slightly to ask the pigeon standing on his shoulder, ¡°¡­Where did you move them to?¡±


    Ai flapped its wings a little and combed its fine feathers with its beak. After a while, it suddenly replied, ¡°Back to the shadows!¡±


    Duncan frowned. Recently, he started to learn the real meaning behind what Ai said. He asked, ¡°Do you mean that¡­ you exile them to some¡­ parallel dimension? Or have you changed them into a state that cannot be touched?¡±


    The pigeon raised its head and looked at Duncan with its dodgy eyes. ¡°Coo coo!¡±


    Now it¡¯s pretending to be a real pigeon.


    But Duncan was convinced that he had learned the truth now. He jabbed Ai¡¯s head with his finger, then looked around the dimly lit ¡°shelter¡± again.


    Under the illumination of the flickering flame from the oil lamp, everything in the room was decently visible. The followers of the God of Sun that once hid here had now completely vanished from the face of this world. The only person standing here now is a ghost captain who had possessed the body of a cultist and his pigeon.


    But somehow, Duncan had a strange feeling. He could feel that the three cultists were still here. They were right beside him, trapped in this room. They were stuck in a rift between dimensions that couldn¡¯t be detected by any means.


    He could even feel the cultists screaming and struggling in vain. He could feel their desire to touch the real world once more. He could feel their despair as they were permanently blocked outside of reality by an invisible wall.


    This feeling remained abstract speculation until Duncan saw evidence for it: At one of the flickers of the flame from the oil lamp, when the light and shadows crossed in just the right way, he saw a mark on the wall near it. It looked like a mark from a short sword slicing at it. When he looked toward it again, the flame from the oil lamp flickered again, and the marking disappeared.


    That was the last time that the three followers of the Sun managed to come into contact with the real world.


    Duncan exhaled lightly, then brought the pigeon and left the room.


    Outside the abandoned resting room, there was a passageway that was a lot narrower than the corridors of the sewers previously. The long and deep passageway extended in two directions ¡ª one connected to a branch road and the other to a slope upwards.


    Even though this area was abandoned, the city management still did basic maintenance work on the underground infrastructure. At the very least, the gaslight on the sides of the passageway was still lit.


    Duncan quickly judged the directions of the passageway, then figured out a path to the surface based on the memory fragments in his brain. He quickly walked toward the passageway that connected to the slope upward.


    He walked faster and faster.


    He started to smell the fresh air. A light breeze from the surface blew on Duncan¡¯s hair. He could hear some vague noises coming from afar. It seemed to be the boom of some sort of machinery from the factories on the surface. There was also the sound of waves from even further away. That was the sound of the tides hitting the reefs near the coast.


    Duncan started to run a little.


    After shedding its spirit flames, Ai, the pigeon, returned to normal and flapped its wings on Duncan¡¯s shoulder. It chirped happily, ¡°The era calls us! The era calls us!¡±


    Duncan suddenly stopped. He stared into the pigeon¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t speak when we¡¯re outside. Normal pigeons don¡¯t talk.¡±


    Ai pondered for a while, then flapped its wings forcefully and answered, ¡°Aye, captain!¡±


    Duncan was surprised that this pigeon actually replied to him directly for once. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a coincidence or something else, but soon, he wasn¡¯t bothered by it anymore.


    He had to get ready to greet this world.


    He couldn¡¯t go out there with the black robe that he was wearing. Based on the memory that he ¡°devoured¡± from this body, this suspicious-looking black robe was only used for the secret rituals by the followers of the Sun. If he walked on the city streets on the surface in these clothes, he would probably be tied to a tree and beaten by a team of sheriffs.


    The City-state of Pland enforces a strict curfew on all of its citizens. Roaming around at night seemed to be a very dangerous thing to do. For ordinary citizens to go outside at night, they needed a permit and must ask for permission from the government beforehand. Obviously, this cultist that he had possessed didn¡¯t have these legal permits, so he had to evade the night patrol if he wanted to move around in the city.


    The people maintaining order in the city at night were known as ¡°Guardians.¡± They seemed to be armed forces belonging to the Deep Sea Association. Based on the memory fragments, the original owner of this body was extremely fearful and hostile toward these armed priests¡­


    He took off the black robe before walking on the slope leading to the surface. He was wearing ordinary clothes under the black robe, clothes that wouldn¡¯t be suspected while walking outside.


    He contemplated whether he should just burn the black robe, but the flame and smoke could attract the attention of the night patrol. So, in the end, he simply rolled up the rob and hid it in a corner somewhere near the slope.


    The sun talisman could also bring him trouble, but it might contain precious information. After hesitating for a long while, Duncan decided to bring it with him. He could use this talisman for experiments after returning to the Lost Home. Maybe Ai can bring it back for him.


    He could research this thing on the Lost Home without worries.


    He covered up his tracks of hiding the black robe, then tidied up his demeanor to look like an ordinary citizen as much as possible instead of a cultist hiding in the sewers. After doing all that, he stepped foot on the sloping corridor.


    The path after that wasn¡¯t very long.


    Duncan walked briskly on the slope. The air, which was becoming fresher and fresher, filled his lungs. He could clearly hear the sounds from the faraway factories and ocean. After a few minutes, he saw the light spilling onto the stairs not far ahead.


    He quickly took a few more steps forward. The pale, cold light finally shone on him.


    He stepped foot on the surface. Solid, stable ground bathing under a pale, dim light.


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened. He saw a city. A city that represented a human civilization on the boundless sea. The giant gash stretched across the skies above the city, emanating light that illuminated the neatly tiled roofs, towers, and buildings further away. In an area a short distance ahead, he could see the older and slightly shabby-looking region at the edge of the city. At a highland, further along, he saw many majestic, grandiose buildings. That was the ¡°upper city region¡± where the great church and town hall was located.


    Duncan suddenly started laughing. He didn¡¯t make any noise, but he laughed so hard that he could barely breathe.


    But after a while, he stopped his laughter. He took a deep breath in the cooling night breeze, then started taking big strides toward a specific direction in the memory fragments.


    The cultists also had ¡°normal lives.¡± Other than a few ¡°priests¡± who preyed on and scourged the people full-time, the cult of Sun actually operated like most other cults. They depended on a significant number of ordinary folks to support their operations. These low-level followers who were tricked by the cult were mainly poor citizens in the lower strata of society. They were old people who had no one else, teenagers who hadn¡¯t seen the real world, or people like the original owner of the body that Duncan had possessed.


    He was an ordinary folk who no one cared about, had a terminal illness, and opened a scammy antique shop in the lower city area, struggling to pay the taxes and live his day-to-day life.


    The pathetic life of this antique shop owner, ¡°Ron,¡± had ended. The debts he owed to some evil deity out there had been wiped out as he breathed his last breath. However, he still left a position in this world¡­ And Duncan was very interested in that position.

 Chapter 40 - Landing

    Chapter 40 Landing


    Fanna jolted awake from a strange and chaotic dream to realize that the sky outside her window was still dark. The cold, pale light from the Wound of the World shone on the window sill carved with the runes of the deep sea. It appeared peaceful and serene.


    However, the scenes from that strange dream were still fresh and vivid in her mind.


    A ship. A large ship burning with green spirit flames. It sailed over from somewhere far out in the horizons, where the sky and the ocean met. It rolled onto the entire Pland City like a mountain. Within the spirit flames, she could hear countless screams and bleak songs booming in unison, as though it was attempting to overthrow the entire world with its noise.


    Just as the huge ship arrived, a burning sun rose from deep within the City-state of Pland. It was not the sun that everyone knew. It was not the sun that was bound by ancient runes. It was the ¡°Ancient Sun¡± that the believers of the cult of Sun had described. It was a celestial body that burned intensely. It rose from deep within the city. Its flames melted the ground, everyone in the city melted like wax sculptures, and their liquified remains flowed on the streets.


    The great church of the Deep Sea association stood quietly in the middle of this living, burning hell of earth. She prayed to the church in her dream, hoping to receive guidance from the Wind Goddess. However, all she heard from the church were noisy and meaningless rings from the bell. She received no revelation¡­


    Fanna sat up from her bed, then walked to the window in her pajamas. She looked at the peaceful city and the ¡°Wound of the World¡± in the sky, but her heart grew more and more agitated.


    A few moments later, the young judge retracted her gaze toward the city. She went to the dresser near her bed and pulled out the drawers.


    There was a dagger lying in the drawer of the dresser. It was a curvy dagger used for rituals. The runes symbolizing the Deep Sea Association gleamed slightly at the base of the blade. It seemed to be ¡°resonating¡± due to stimulation from some unknown force.


    Fanna¡¯s eyes were fixated on the gleaming runes for several seconds. Then, she used the blade to cut the center of her palm. As blood seeped out from the wound, she placed her hand on her chest and softly chanted the name of the Wind Goddess, attempting to ask for guidance from the deity.


    Yet, for some reason, all she could hear were faint, possibly illusory sounds of oceanic waves. She usually entered the ¡°Spirit Detection¡± state very easily, yet today, nothing was happening. It was as though an invisible screen had suddenly shrouded her, cutting off her connection to the Wind Goddess, Gemora.


    Fanna¡¯s brows started to furrow.


    It was extremely rare for a follower¡¯s connection with her god to be disrupted. Still, it wasn¡¯t unimaginable ¡ª the projection and relation between the Subspace and the real world are very complicated. It was impossible to understand for an ordinary human being. Even a god¡¯s power can sometimes be affected by the Subspace, the Silent Deep Sea, and the Spirit World, causing it to be weakened or amplified. Furthermore, there was also eternal conflict and turmoil between the gods and the ancient deities. In some extremely rare cases, some followers might suddenly become unable to hear the voices of their gods.


    But Wind Goddess Gemora¡­ it shouldn¡¯t happen to her.


    The boundless sea surrounded the civilization of ordinary humans. The Wind Goddess¡¯s power penetrates through all dimensions and affects the entire reality. Any god can lose connection to the real world, even the god of death might leave loopholes like ¡°revivers,¡± but the Wind Goddess¡­ it was impossible.


    That was also why the Deep Sea Association could become the most powerful religious organization in the entire Boundless Sea.


    Was it her problem?


    Naturally, Fanna started to doubt her own condition. But when she looked at her palm, she saw the wound she had just cut starting to heal quickly.


    The Wind Goddess¡¯s blessing is still valid, and there was no delay in its effects.


    Fanna started thinking about the chaotic dream she had just now and the ill omens she had seen in the past few days.


    All these things must be connected somehow.


    The ghost ship was burning with green flames¡­ ghost ship¡­


    Fanna started thinking as quickly as she could. Her expression suddenly became serious as she referenced the occult knowledge she had accumulated.


    She wasn¡¯t an expert in ships or sailing and rarely encountered those seemingly ridiculous, superstitious rumors. But even in the orthodox church books, one particular ghost ship held a special status.


    It is a ship of misfortune that returned from Subspace. Its captain was a horrifying figure that caused the 13 Islands of Villecelin to be swallowed by the collapse of the border a century ago, Duncan.


    Fanna immediately stood up behind the dresser. Then she remembered that it was the middle of the night right now. The document archive of the great church is closed, just like any other library in the city.


    For safety reasons, she shouldn¡¯t talk about the ¡°prophetic dream¡± with anyone else within a few hours after it happened. If this dream was really pointed toward ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± there was a great possibility that he would establish a connection in reverse through the dream and detect her talking about him with someone else.


    After all, that was a ¡°ghost¡± that managed to return from the Subspace.


    The safest thing to do right now was to wait patiently, wait for the sun to, once again, take the dominant position in the world, and wait for the connection established by the dream to dissipate gradually. Then, she can go to the archives and read the relevant documents or discuss these omens with the bishop at the church.


    Regardless, these prophetic dreams might really be pointing at ¡°Captain Duncan¡± and reminding her that the Lost Home from the myths and legends had its eyes on Pland. If that were the case, as the guardian of the city, she had to stop the ghost captain of terror from docking at their coast at all costs¡­


    A tall and slim figure quickly walked across the streets of the lower city area. His slender silhouette cast a thin shadow beneath the gaslight on the street.


    This was a completely unfamiliar city, with entirely unfamiliar buildings, and the only thing guiding him was completely unfamiliar memories in his mind. The streets appeared exceptionally desolate and eerie during the curfew hours.


    Yet, Duncan¡¯s mood was exceptionally good while walking in an environment like that.


    SU


    He had succeeded. Not only did he successfully Spirit World Walk a second time, he even managed to control a body to come to the surface. He managed to come to the surface of the City-state of Pland.


    He was coming into contact with the civilization of this world. He was seeing the buildings of this era and the technologies of this era with his own eyes.


    On top of that, he was using a complete body, a body that doesn¡¯t have his chest cavity exposed or an ¡°open mind.¡± This normal-looking body allowed him to move freely and conveniently to do whatever he wanted.


    To be honest, the health condition of this body wasn¡¯t very good either. Even if he could ignore most of the ailments on this body while possessing it via Spirit World Walking, Duncan could still clearly feel that it wasn¡¯t healthy. But he had no complaints. He even felt that this was very normal.


    Based on the experience from the past two attempts, Spirit World Walking allows him to occupy bodies that have been dead for less than a certain amount of time. If a body was completely healthy and energetic, it couldn¡¯t possibly be dead!


    Duncan heard a dog barking in the distance near the end of the street, prompting him to slow down his footsteps. He turned and hid in the shadow between two buildings.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a guard dog belonging to the church guards on night patrol, but there was nothing wrong with being cautious.


    Above the buildings, large pipes stretched across and between the low-rise buildings. The light from the pale ¡°Wound of the World¡± spilled through the gaps between those pipes and cast patchy rays on the ground beneath. Occasionally, steam would leak out from the valves on the pipes, forming blurry mists in the night sky.


    The barks faded into the distance.


    Duncan came out from his hiding spot. He looked around the street, then calmed the pigeon that was moving around on his shoulder uneasily before walking toward the street opposite him, following the directions from his memories.


    There was an aged door between a row of small buildings that were maybe two or three stories tall. A dirty sign hung above the door. Dusty windows desperately needed cleaning on the walls beside the door. This was a shop. It looked quite big, but clearly lacked care as well as customers.


    This was the place that the memory fragments guided Duncan to.


    He came before the door of the old door and raised his head to look at the sign. The words on it were barely readable in the dark.


    ¡°Ron¡¯s Antique Shop,¡± Duncan mumbled softly, ¡°That¡¯s a straightforward name¡­¡±


    After that, he started looking around the door. Because the memories in his mind weren¡¯t very clear, it took him quite a while to find the backup key from a hidden hook below one of the windows.


    The original owner of this body didn¡¯t bring the key with him and didn¡¯t bring any item that could be used to identify him or find this antique shop. It seemed to be the habitual cautiousness of an experienced cultist. However, in front of a ghost captain that could plunder his memories, these efforts were all in vain.


    Duncan opened the main entrance of Ron¡¯s Antique Ship, then immediately closed the door after entering.


    The wooden door closed with a bang, but the sound didn¡¯t propagate very far into the night. The sign hung above the door tilted slightly due to the shudder caused by the door closing. The letters on the sign started to twist and wiggle under the pale light from the sky. In a blink of an eye, new words appeared on the wooden board¡­


    ¡°Duncan¡¯s Antique Shop.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Inside the Antique Shop

    Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Inside the Antique Shop


    The interior of the antique shop was just as Duncan had guessed ¡ª¡ª filled with disorder, decay, and a dismal appearance of doing poor business. Even just by looking at the dust accumulated near the display window, the Visitor could imagine how wretched the owner¡¯s life had become.


    The first thing he saw were the shelves near the walls on both sides, where large vases, sculptures, and totems of obscure meaning were placed on low, steady surfaces. Behind these shelves, the wall was gridded for smaller ¡°merchandise¡±. The counter faced the entrance, a long bar, and the racks behind it were also dusty, filled with dark-hued frames and small trinkets.


    Behind the counter, there was also a staircase leading to the second floor, which looked dim and its structure was not clear at the moment.


    There was also a small door under the staircase which, in his ¡°memory¡±, should lead to the storage area at the back of the shop ¡ª¡ª half of the space cluttered with various items.


    It was hard to believe that the Heretic whose body he now possessed managed to live off such a shop, which seemed like somewhere no one would visit, and still had surplus money to offer to the priests of the Sun God.


    Duncan walked towards the deep counter; the old wooden floor creaked a bit. As he passed the stairs, he noticed the lamp fixed on the wall.


    It was an electric lamp.


    Duncan¡¯s eyebrows immediately furrowed slightly.


    The style of the lamp was foreign, with an iron frame and a murky lampshade that felt exotic, but no matter how one looked at it, the structure of the tungsten filament bulb within was clear ¡ª¡ª the lamp¡¯s source of light came from electricity.


    In this world, was electricity already so widespread? Did the common households in the Lower City District also use electric lights?


    Then why were the sources of light used in the sewer earlier gas lamps and oil lamps, torches? Why were the street lamps outside also gas lamps?


    A great confusion surfaced, which Duncan found utterly illogical, especially in the environment of the sewer ¡ª¡ª the existence of open flames, the use of flammable gas in gas lamps posed obvious disadvantages compared to the cleanliness and safety of electric lights!


    Originally, he thought that technological limitations forced the city¡¯s managers to use gas lamps as the light source for the sewer, but now it seems¡­ at least in the Plunder City-State, technology had advanced to the level where electricity had entered ordinary homes!


    A huge sense of incongruity filled Duncan¡¯s heart. He tried to search the fragments of memory in his mind for corresponding knowledge, but only got the answers ¡°this is common sense¡± and ¡°that¡¯s how the city is planned¡±.


    It seemed that either this knowledge was not made public, so that the Heretic he was bound to was ignorant of it, or this knowledge was so fundamental that it did not leave a strong enough impression in the Heretic¡¯s mind. Consequently, after death, the associated memory quickly blurred, leaving only the impression of being ¡°common sense¡±.


    With a confusion that was temporarily unresolved in his heart, Duncan reached out and turned on the electric light ¡ª¡ª with a click of the switch, bright light immediately illuminated the area near the staircase and the counter.


    There was another switch on the opposite wall for controlling the lighting in other areas of the first floor of the shop, but Duncan did not intend to touch it for the time being.


    Now in the quiet of the late night, a small light lit in the closed antique shop could still be explained as ¡°the shopkeeper getting up and moving around at night¡±, but suddenly brightening the whole place might attract unwanted attention.


    Using the limited light near the staircase, Duncan¡¯s gaze first swept over the nearby merchandise. The first thing that caught his eye was a wooden totem less than half a meter tall, with strange facial patterns painted in red and blue, and next to it, there was what seemed to be an antique vase made of ceramic ¡ª¡ª they had price tags in front, with exorbitantly high prices marked on them.


    The original price was four hundred and twenty thousand, after the discount, three hundred and sixty.


    It gave off an air of self-abandonment.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze quickly shifted and swept across the entire shop.


    If there were even one authentic item in here, he¡¯d run the Homeloss headfirst into Plunder¡¯s city walls.


    The fakes couldn¡¯t be faker, no need for a real collector to authenticate, any person with normal intelligence wouldn¡¯t believe that this antiques shop in the Lower City District would sell genuine antiques¡ªis it possible for someone who¡¯s truly into antiques to start a market in such a poor area? The oldest thing in the store is probably that sign hanging at the door¡­


    But Duncan wasn¡¯t surprised by the store¡¯s existence¡ªit was understood that the shopkeeper knew he was selling fake stuff, and the people coming here to buy didn¡¯t expect to put a thousand-year-old statue in their homes, everyone was clear on that, civilians from the Lower City District also needed a way to fulfill their own spiritual needs¡ªthe sign ¡°Antiques Shop¡± at the door wasn¡¯t hung up for others to see, but for the customers themselves.


    After all, beneath Earth¡¯s flyovers, there are those selling jade, with bracelets at ninety-eight apiece claiming to be from old pits with ice varieties, and if you¡¯re not careful going home and knock against the door frame, a scatter of glass shards could fall¡ªdon¡¯t the sellers and buyers know the drill?


    Duncan wasn¡¯t interested in the shopkeeper¡¯s troubled past life, he was focused on one thing only: this place could be the first ¡°landing spot¡± on land for him, the captain of Homeloss.


    An ¡°outpost¡± to learn about the world on land, about modern civilized society.


    He had already made a decision in secret, that if conditions allowed for ¡°walking in the Spirit Realm,¡± he would maintain his current body as much as possible, and use the ¡°antiques shop¡± as a cover to operate within Plunder City-State. And if the training for Ai Yi went well, if Ai Yi could really control the stable transfer of ¡°real objects¡± between Homeloss and Plunder, this antiques shop would also become a secret transshipment warehouse.


    Duncan went behind the counter and sat down in a chair, carefully sorting through the fragments of memories in his mind, contemplating every possible source of trouble.


    The original owner of this body was a believer in the Sun God, but was also the lowest member in the entire church hierarchy. Due to the city-state authorities¡¯ continuous crackdowns on heretic activities, the living space for followers of the Sun God in Plunder had been squeezed to the limit. The members were extremely cautious in their contacts, wearing full hoods and masks outside of any gatherings, and many of the lower members¡¯ connections to higher-ups in the church were limited to just one or two specific ¡°contacts.¡± This was undoubtedly a good thing for the current Duncan¡ª


    This meant that even within the heretics, only that one person knew ¡°his¡± true identity and contact methods, and once that person was gone, then no one would know of ¡°his¡± unspeakable heretic identity.


    He could walk right in front of the city-state¡¯s authorities, his identity a clear and upright good citizen.


    And the better news was that after carefully sorting through his memories, Duncan confirmed that this biggest risk had already disappeared.


    Because ¡°his¡± contact was one of the three black-robed heretics he had seen when he first awoke¡­


    Those unfortunate three had been duped by a pigeon.


    He felt a little more at ease in his heart and shifted to a more comfortable position in his chair.


    After the biggest risk disappeared, if there was still something to worry about, it would be the other Sun God believers who had participated in the sacrifice ceremony at the underground meeting, as well as those believers¡¯ backers¡ªthe much larger and more mysterious dangerous Sun God Church.


    If his memories were correct, four years ago Plunder City-State had launched a severe strike against the Sun God Church within the city, and since then this heretic faith had been in decline within the city-state. Far from holding any ceremonies, they would be grateful just being able to hide themselves well, not getting caught by the church guardians.


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    But now, these extremely low-key heretics had done something quite high-profile.


    The purpose of the sacrifice ceremony was to please the gods, while another was to gather power or enhance the god¡¯s influence on the real world¡ªthose heretics in the gathering, including the high priest ¡°Visitor¡± who held the ceremony, were actually just the grassroots members of the Sun God Church. Would these grassroots members spontaneously organize such a big event?


    The fragments of Duncan¡¯s memory weren¡¯t very plentiful, and a low-ranking heretic would not be privy to the core secrets of the church. But just from the information that was available, he guessed that those suddenly active heretics must have been acting on instructions from higher up.


    That sect that worshipped the ¡°True Sun God¡±¡­ They wanted to do something big in Plunder, and the sacrifice ceremony that was accidentally disrupted by him was probably just an insignificant ripple before the start of this big event.


    Duncan didn¡¯t have any particular attachment to the ¡°Plunder City-State,¡± but if he wanted to use it as a starting point for development, then he had to consider what kind of impact a bunch of fanatics like the ¡°Sun God believers¡± could have on him with their antics in the city-state.

 Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42 What is Seen in Books

    Chapter 42: Chapter 42 What is Seen in Books


    The city under curfew was not suitable for exploration, and Duncan stayed in the antique shop all through the night¡ªdriven by the excitement of setting foot on land, he tirelessly explored the entire building.


    The original owner of this body was indeed a heretic, but while he was a heretic he was also a common man who needed a normal social life; he depended on the conveniences modern civilization provided for survival, required communication with others, and day-to-day necessities.


    He needed to deal with the entire city.


    All of this would leave behind plenty of clues, allowing Duncan to roughly infer the way of life in Plunder City-State and a general idea of this era¡¯s technological level and civilian status, even with his memory fragments being hazy and indistinct.


    In a hidden compartment behind the first-floor counter, he found a small amount of cash, including a handful of loose coins and several blue and green bills of varying denominations. These are legal tender commonly used in most City-States, jointly certified and issued by the Governors of the City-States and the Endless Sea Commerce Guild. The primary currency unit is known as the ¡°Sola,¡± with another currency, the ¡°Peso,¡± worth one-tenth of a Sola, also circulated. The cash Duncan found added up to just over two hundred Solas, and according to the intelligence from his memories, this amount was roughly enough for a family of three to survive for about a month in the Lower City District.


    It seemed that even though business in the shop was dismal and most of his belongings had been donated to the church, the original owner of this body still maintained a basic standard of living¡ªthis meant that this ¡°antique shop¡± had its own stable customer base.


    The entire first floor of the shop only had two sections, with two-thirds being the front sales area located before the staircase, and the remaining one-third was the ¡°warehouse¡± behind the staircase door. There was also a door at the back of the warehouse, which was the building¡¯s back door and presumably the entrance for receiving goods.


    The structure on the second floor of the shop was a bit more complex. Apart from a washroom, there were two rooms, one large and one small, as well as a utility room shared with the adjacent building. The two rooms were located on either side of the staircase landing on the second floor; they were fairly clean.


    Beyond that, there was a small kitchen on the second floor, but it looked like it hadn¡¯t been used in at least half a month; everything was covered with a layer of dust.


    After checking everything, Duncan went back to the main bedroom on the second floor. He looked at the room, which was even smaller than his bachelor apartment, and his gaze fell on the small dresser next to the bed.


    There was a picture frame there, inside¡­ was a black and white photo.


    In the photo was a family of three: a modestly dressed young couple with a little girl who appeared to be only four or five. They stood in a courtyard setting with evident artificial marks, each wearing a faint smile as they looked towards the camera.


    Duncan approached the picture frame, picked it up, and examined it carefully while cross-referencing the blurry and chaotic clues in his memory.


    The original owner of this body¡­ was not in the picture.


    The people in the photo seemed to be close relatives of this body¡¯s original owner¡­ very dear to him.


    As he gazed at the young couple, Duncan felt a faint sense of longing rise from the depths of his memories.


    However, more information about the photo remained unclear; it seemed¡­ more memories about them had disappeared from this world along with that last breath of the body¡¯s original owner.


    He put down the photo and pondered what level of expenditure such a black and white photograph would be among the commoners of the Lower City District, what stage of development the world¡¯s photography technology had reached, and what principles the equipment used was based upon.


    Meanwhile, his gaze shifted to the neatly arranged bed, conjuring a faint sense of curiosity in his mind.


    Would a heretic, completely engulfed by the Sun worship, have lots of time to keep a room so tidy on a daily basis?


    If the storefront on the first floor was noticeably neglected, how did this bedroom achieve such meticulousness?


    He stepped outside the room and went to the smaller room across the staircase, observing the equally tidy bed and desk.


    He sorted through his memories, confirming that the original owner of his body had left the shop several days ago to attend a secret congregation of Sun God believers¡ªthis was his last departure, the details of the memories were fuzzy, but there seemed to be no impression of cleaning up the house before leaving.


    So¡­ was there someone else?


    Was there someone else living with this ¡°heretic?¡± A family member?


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as he searched for corresponding clues in his mind while approaching the desk in the small room. His eyes scanned over the neatly stored papers, pens, and stationery, eventually resting on a book.


    That book was placed in the most conspicuous position on the desk, with a dark blue cover featuring a pattern of gears and rods. Elegant, ornate letters spelled out the title:


    ¡°The Craft of Steam and Gears¡ªGeneral Textbook III¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brows, already vaguely aware that this room should belong to ¡°another person¡±, yet subconsciously picked up the book.


    On the Homeloss, there were no books available for reading, and he had found not a single piece of paper or article to read in the master bedroom or elsewhere in the shop¡ªperhaps this book could help him understand the matters of this world.


    After flipping open the cover, the illustrated inner pages caught his eye¡ªit was indeed a ¡°textbook¡± detailing engineering crafts and the principles of steam machinery, and between the sections of the textbook, there were many annotations left by the book¡¯s owner.


    The delicate and pretty handwriting seemed to belong to a young woman.


    Duncan rubbed his forehead; the original owner of this body seemed to have no relatives or friends, as most of the images or ¡°impressions¡± in his memory carried a cold and lonely color, but after sorting through the memories several times, he finally vaguely ¡°recalled¡± someone¡­ a girl with dark brown hair.


    That appeared to be the only figure the heretic named Ron might consider a concern when he breathed his last breath.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze fell upon the pages of the book; he didn¡¯t bother to read the specific technical jargon and diagrams, but specifically looked at sections like the editor¡¯s introduction and discussions of concepts.


    A line of text suddenly caught his eye:


    ¡°¡­Flames, or more precisely, the specific flames released by burning the fat from the deep sea and the crystalline minerals from the shallows, are the cornerstone that supports the operation of modern society and the protection of our civilization¡­¡±


    ¡°The prosperity and order of modern civilization are built upon the foundation of flames and steam¡­ The convenience of clean electricity cannot replace the exorcising effect of fire, nor can it keep large machinery running smoothly and consistently¡­ Experiments have proven steam to be the most stable form of power when affected by deep space influences¡­¡±


    ¡°In this chapter, we will discuss the three typical architectures of steam cores and elucidate the mechanical principles and design concepts within¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes slightly glazed over.


    He remembered the gas lamps, torches, oil lamps commonly seen in the sewers and the gas street lamps on the city streets, as well as the curiosity he felt when he saw the electric lamp in the shop.


    So¡­ that was the reason behind all these ¡°strange¡± situations?


    Even at a certain risk, to use open flames in the sewers, and to light the streets with gas lamps when electric power had reached a certain level of development, was it all because ¡°fire¡± could resist ¡°dangerous and bizarre¡± encroachments to some extent?


    Indescribable emotions welled up in Duncan¡¯s heart, and his gaze continued downward, to the complex diagrams, dense annotations, and the earnest notes left by the book¡¯s owner.


    That was machinery he couldn¡¯t understand at all.


    And it definitely wasn¡¯t the ¡°steam engine¡± he knew from his previous life.


    The precise gears, the extremely complicated cylinders, and the interconnected pipes and valves between the parts far surpassed the concept of a steam engine; they resembled more of a device that might leap out of a fantasy catalog, exuding an aesthetic that was contradictory and bizarre.


    This was the ¡°heart¡± that supported the advancement of this world¡¯s civilization.


    In contemplation, Duncan slowly put the book back in its original place.


    Because he completely failed to understand it.


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    As an Earthling, even though he had been a teacher, he couldn¡¯t comprehend the steam power mechanisms in this book that had developed to the ultimate state.


    Nevertheless, a vague enlightenment emerged at the bottom of his heart:


    The development of civilization in this world seemed to follow a path starkly different from his understanding.


    To survive in a world full of crises, the realm of mortals also presented a bizarre and fantastical appearance, but no matter how strange the world, as long as it could still be called ¡°civilization¡±, there must be reasons and logic for its development up to this point.


    The gas lamps burning in the sewers, the electric lights lit in the shops, and the steam mechanisms depicted in books made from the combined wisdom of countless people, all subtly revealed a kind of¡­ resilience.

 Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Good morning, Mr. Duncan

    Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Good morning, Mr. Duncan


    Duncan put the book back and checked the other furnishings in the room, but didn¡¯t find anything of value¡ªthe room was sparsely furnished and appeared to be seldom used. The most valuable clues were that book and the two old notebooks in the desk drawer.


    The notebooks were filled with content related to steam mechanics and engineering principles, with occasional complaints about certain teachers or classmates interspersed throughout.


    This made it easy to deduce that the occupant was a young person of school-going age.


    Duncan slowly sifted through the fragments of memory in his mind, and after restoring everything in the room to its original state, he returned to the master bedroom.


    After sitting on the edge of the bed and pondering for a while, he stood up and approached the nearby wardrobe, almost instinctively pulling open a drawer, guided by muscle memory.


    A few bottles of strong liquor were quietly hidden in the back of the drawer, along with half a pack of painkillers and nerve-soothing pills left behind in this world by a heretic named ¡°Ron.¡±


    He had a severe illness that had deteriorated to the point of being incurable. Low-quality liquor and temporarily effective painkillers were staples in the drawer, but these trinkets obviously did nothing to prolong the life of a person afflicted with disease.


    Therefore, this man, who had lost hope in life, turned to the Solar Sect. Missionaries told him that the healing power of the Sun God could solve all incurable diseases and purify the body and mind of the converted. To some extent, the believers did fulfill that promise:


    They had bloody, bizarre rituals that used fresh blood as a medium to transfer the vitality of innocent people into the bodies of sick believers. Duncan didn¡¯t know the principle behind the ritual or whether it could truly cure terminal illnesses. He only knew from remaining fragments in his memory that a heretic named ¡°Ron¡± indeed improved after the ceremony and became even more devoted as a believer of the Sun, even donating a large portion of his fortune to the ¡°Messenger.¡±


    However, Duncan wasn¡¯t concerned with what had happened among those dead heretics.


    He reached further back into the drawer, skillfully found a hidden compartment, and after fumbling inside for a bit, he found a revolver and a box of well-kept bullets.


    The Plunder City-State didn¡¯t prohibit the possession of firearms, as long as one had the proper legal procedures. Yet an antique dealer living in the Lower City District obviously lacked the funds and status to obtain a gun permit, so this was unquestionably an illegally possessed weapon¡ªout of caution, the original owner of this body had left the gun in the room instead of bringing it to the meeting. He probably used it to protect his store normally, but now the gun belonged to the captain.


    Of course, Duncan knew that it was just a common gun, let alone comparing it with the ¡°anomalies¡± aboard Homeloss; even the seemingly outdated flintlock he had on the ship might possess a special power that surpassed this revolver. But he was a practical man; he knew that his actions in the Plunder City-State were not like those on board the ship, for his current body was made of flesh and blood, and many places in this city were decidedly unsafe.


    After all, he couldn¡¯t let the pigeon ¡°pigeon¡± people every time there was an incident¡ªAi Yi¡¯s movements were too noticeable and could easily draw unwanted attention from the church forces in the city.


    Just then, a faint noise suddenly caught Duncan¡¯s attention.


    He heard the sound of keys rubbing from the direction of the front door of the shop on the first floor, followed by the noise of the door opening and hurried footsteps.


    Duncan quickly secured the revolver close to him, and only then did he notice that it was already broad daylight outside the window¡ªhe had been busy in the antique store all night, and the pigeon, Ai Yi, suddenly started peeping on his shoulder, ¡°You have a new message!¡±


    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Duncan immediately glanced at the pigeon while briskly heading towards the doorway, speaking quickly, ¡°You stay in the room and wait for my command. Also, do not speak if there are strangers present.¡±


    Ai Yi immediately flapped its wings and flew toward a nearby cabinet, ¡°Aye captain!¡±


    Duncan promptly left the room, and just as he reached the staircase, he heard that the hurried footsteps had already climbed the steps, followed by a young and urgent girl¡¯s voice calling out from below, ¡°Uncle Duncan? Have you come back?¡±


    The next second, a girl dressed in a brown long skirt and a white shirt, with dark brown long hair, entered Duncan¡¯s line of sight.


    The girl appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen, slim and petite, with her hair seemingly damp with the morning dew. Her features weren¡¯t particularly striking but had the youthful beauty befitting her age. She widened her eyes in surprise and delight as she looked at Duncan standing at the top of the stairs on the second floor.


    Duncan, however, did not respond. He just stood silently on the second floor, bathed in the sunlight streaming in from a narrow window behind the staircase, casting his figure in silhouette, hiding his expression in the haziness. He watched the girl for several seconds before finally speaking slowly, ¡°What did you just call me?¡±


    ¡°Duncan¡­ Uncle?¡± There was a moment of surprise on the girl¡¯s face, followed by a slight tension. She held onto the handrail of the staircase beside her, cautiously peering up as if trying to discern the expression of the middle-aged man upstairs through the backlight, ¡°Is something wrong? Have you¡­ have you been drinking again? You haven¡¯t been home for days¡­ I noticed the light on downstairs just now¡­¡±


    The girl¡¯s expression and voice both caught Duncan¡¯s eye and ear; she clearly did not know (or had never considered) how to hide her emotional responses.


    According to the memories he had absorbed, this girl should be the ¡°niece¡± of the original owner of this body, and his only relative.


    Duncan vaguely realized that the girl did not think there was anything wrong with what she said, unaware that the ¡°Duncan Uncle¡± she spoke of was a misnomer from the very beginning.


    Where was the problem? Why would this girl, who theoretically should have no knowledge of his secret, so naturally utter the name ¡°Duncan¡±?


    A torrent of conjectures whirled through his mind; at the same time, Duncan found fragments of memories related to this girl¡ªa child with deep brown hair, the last person the original owner of this body had some lingering affection for in this world.


    ¡°Nina,¡± Duncan¡¯s expression did not change, his tone neutral, as the storm of thoughts in his mind did not come through, ¡°Did you stay at school yesterday?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been staying at school these past few days,¡± the girl downstairs replied promptly, ¡°I thought you would, as usual, stay out at least a week, so after tidying up the house, I went to stay with a classmate¡­ Mrs. White, who manages the dormitory, agreed. I came back in a hurry today because I realized I had left a book at home¡­ Are you okay? You feel¡­ off¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a bit groggy from sleep just now.¡±


    Duncan responded with ease, then began to walk toward the first floor, harboring an extremely far-fetched hypothesis in his mind that he now had to confirm.


    He passed by Nina on the stairs, the young girl on the staircase moving aside while curiously looking into Duncan¡¯s eyes, and it was only when he was almost down to the first floor that she suddenly asked, ¡°Uncle Duncan, will you be going out again later? Will you¡­ be staying at home for a few more days?¡±


    ¡°¡­ It depends,¡± Duncan did not look back, as he was still unsure whether the expression on his face was natural enough. He merely answered his ¡°niece¡¯s¡± question in the way he remembered he should, ¡°I¡¯ll just check the door. If there¡¯s nothing going on, I¡¯ll be home these next few days.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay, then I¡¯ll go shopping later. We¡¯re running low on groceries at home¡­¡±


    The girl spoke briskly, hurrying up the stairs with quick footsteps, her tone carrying a certain lightness.


    Duncan had already reached the shop¡¯s doorway. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door.


    He turned around, looked up at the sign hanging above the shop¡¯s entrance. The old, dirty sign clearly displayed the letters: Duncan¡¯s Antiques.


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    The first few letters looked as old as the rest, with no signs of recent alteration, as if it had always been that way.


    Duncan frowned slightly, slowly approaching the display window alongside. Leaning forward, he looked at his face reflected in the dirty glass.


    It was indeed a stranger¡¯s face, not belonging to the stern and gloomy captain of the Ghost Ship, but a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard, sunken eyes, showing signs of weariness¡ªthe face of Ron, the Heretic who had breathed his last in the sewers.


    Duncan slowly straightened up, hearing the City-State gradually coming alive around him. The crisp sound of bells clinking at doors of shops opening in the morning, the sound of bicycle bells, and the voices of pedestrians filled the street. Someone walked past the antiques shop, seemingly a neighbor living next door. A greeting reached Duncan¡¯s ears:


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Duncan¡ªhave you seen today¡¯s newspaper? The Deep Sea Church appears to have taken down a large Heretic hub. That¡¯s quite the news!¡±

 Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44: An Ordinary Persons Breakfast

    Chapter 44: Chapter 44: An Ordinary Person¡¯s Breakfast


    A copy of the Plunder News costs twelve pesos, equivalent to a meager breakfast, or the cheapest dessert in Cross District¡ªthe paper can be bought from newsboys on the street, or one can walk a bit further to the newsstand at the end of another street.


    Duncan, with a few coins in his bosom, purchased a local newspaper at the newsstand. The middle-aged owner, engrossed in reading, waved his hand to signal self-service after hearing the clink of Duncan¡¯s coins in the box, without ever lifting his head.


    Duncan peeked at what the other was reading and found it to be an analysis article on a past lottery draw, adorned with colorful lines sketching out all kinds of unrealistic fantasies.


    He looked down at the newspaper he had just bought, and the front-page headline was the news he was most interested in:


    The respected Church Guard under the leadership of Judge Fenna Wayne successfully destroyed a Sun God Heretics¡¯ gathering spot and captured a large number of followers on site, while also rescuing several citizens¡­


    The photo of ¡°Her Excellency the Judge¡± was printed beside this piece of news. Contrary to Duncan¡¯s expectations, it was a young woman, with a conspicuous scar over her left eye, yet she could still be considered a beautiful lady¡ªshe stood with her subordinates, towering a half head above every man surrounding her.


    The Judge, dressed in tight, light armor and a battle skirt, also carried a two-handed greatsword as if she had stepped out of the era of cold weapons, resembling a knight of medieval paintings¡ªhowever, behind this lady and a group of Church Guards, one could see a huge Steam Armored Robot, which even had conspicuous turret structures on it¡­


    A curious and eerie combination of styles, paradoxical yet harmonious.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze lingered on this photograph for a long time.


    The news of the Heretics¡¯ meeting point being eradicated was good news for him as he could see those villains caught and punished for human sacrifices without worrying about his own identity being exposed, and on the other hand, he was more focused on the various pieces of information the photograph revealed.


    A female Judge specialized in dealing with Heretics, fully armed Steam Armored Robots, Church armed troops equipped with both cold and firearms¡­


    Information that was extremely difficult to obtain on the Homeloss could be clearly seen in a civilized society with just a twelve-peso newspaper.


    As Duncan had thought before¡ªwith Homeloss aimlessly adrift for a century, the times had changed.


    Even without considering ¡°who could fight better¡± from such a superficial perspective, the mortal civilization represented by the Plunder City-State had developed to a stage that could be described as¡­ fascinating.


    The intersection was not a good place to read a newspaper. Duncan casually rolled up the paper and tucked it away, remembering Nina, the ¡°niece¡± at the antique store, was waiting for him, so he turned back.


    A local who inherently trusted him was obviously a better source of information than wandering aimlessly around the city alone.


    As for the Homeloss, Duncan was not worried¡ªeven in a state of Spiritual Projection in the Spirit Realm, he could still sense the situation on the Homeloss, and the state of his other body, with the goat-head man at the helm and Eli looking quite well-behaved. He should be able to act here a little longer.


    After all, the original crew rules of the Homeloss stated that ¡°the captain occasionally leaves the ship,¡± so it wasn¡¯t a big deal for the captain to take a leisurely stroll in the Spirit Realm for a couple of days, right?


    Moreover, with the continuation of Spiritual Projection, Duncan felt he was gradually becoming more proficient in controlling this special ¡°spiritual projection.¡± Perhaps before long, he could try to simultaneously control the activities of both bodies¡ªmaking it even less of a worry regarding the ship¡¯s conditions while he walked in the Spirit Realm.


    Just then, a sweet scent suddenly wafted over from the side, causing Duncan to stop in his tracks and look beside him. He saw a street-front cake shop, with freshly baked pastries being displayed outside.


    This was the Lower City District of the Plunder City-State; naturally, there were no high-end pastry shops here, but even the cheapest, coarsest pastries made Duncan halt in his steps.


    He still had a few coins in his pocket, less than twenty pesos in total, but it was more than enough to buy a piece of cake.


    After hesitating for a moment, he approached the cake shop and paid for the most common honey cake¡ªthe shop used some coarse, thick paper as packing material, rough to the touch.


    Walking to the antique store with the newspaper and cake in hand, Duncan¡¯s mood inexplicably brightened.


    Walking the streets, talking to people, buying things, returning to one¡¯s residence.


    Such simple activities gave him a feeling as if from another lifetime¡ªhe savored the sensation of breathing on land meticulously and regarded these ordinary daily experiences as precious aspects of life.


    Life on the Homeloss was actually not bad, the goat-headed crew was noisy but reliable, and Alice was an interesting fellow, but experiencing life on land was not too shabby either.


    Before long, Duncan returned to the front of the antique shop and, before pushing the door open, he still looked up first at the sign above the shop¨Cthe letters ¡°Duncan¡¯s Antique Shop¡± still quietly printed on it, with the antiquated texture that seemed unchanged for nearly a decade and a half.


    He pushed the door open, and the bell clinked crisply, followed by a burst of hurried footsteps coming from the direction of the stairs.


    The young girl with brown hair rushed down, then skidded to a stop at the stair landing, clutching a pillar beside her and staring at Duncan with wide eyes, her expression tense and worried.


    ¡°Uncle Duncan, where did you go?¡± she spoke rapidly, ¡°You said you were just going to look outside, but then you vanished¡­ I thought you had gone to the tavern or the gambling den again¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at the girl before him with a bit of surprise, he could tell that she was genuinely tense and worried about something.


    She was concerned about the only relative she had in the world, and one she depended on for life¨Ceven if this relative was a degenerate and irascible drunkard who indulged in gambling and who was secretly mixed up in the bloody dealings of heretics.


    A feeling he couldn¡¯t clearly define or explain began to emerge, but there was no change in his expression, ¡°I just went out for a walk, and picked up some things on the way.¡±


    As he spoke, he walked toward the shop¡¯s counter, intending to place the newspaper and cake on it, while Nina seemed to suddenly relax. She then hurried back upstairs, saying rapidly as she ran, ¡°Uncle, just wait a moment, I¡¯ll bring down the breakfast¨Cyou surely haven¡¯t eaten breakfast at this time, I made corn and beetroot soup¡­¡±


    Before Duncan could reply, Nina had already disappeared up the stairs, and after a little while, she returned, carefully carrying a large tray down.


    On the tray was a simple breakfast for two.


    Duncan looked somewhat dazed at the girl bustling about, watching her adeptly clear a spot on the counter and arrange the food, then move to the side to bring an extra chair for herself¡­


    Her movements were especially deft and carried a cheerful energy the source of which was unknown.


    Duncan observed her busyness, thinking to assist but realizing he couldn¡¯t find an opportunity to interject.


    He had dealt with plenty of young people her age, but he had hardly ever seen a child as diligent and efficient as her.


    On Earth, she should be just of high school age, even here, she looked like a student.


    Suddenly, Duncan considered how living with an uncle fallen into heresy mustn¡¯t be easy¨Cyet this girl named Nina seemed to have fully adapted to this life that could not be described as happy, and she could still find things to support her in life.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Nina was ready with everything at this point; she glanced at Duncan and began, as if she had said it countless times before, ¡°Dr. Albert has said if you could eat breakfast regularly and maintain a good mood, in the long run, that would be more effective than spirits¡­ even more than painkillers.¡±


    But Duncan was silent for a moment, just quietly watching Nina, and before her expression could turn uncomfortable and tense, he picked up the cake he had set aside earlier and opened the package, placing it in front of Nina.


    Nina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, looking puzzled at the item in front of her, ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡±


    ¡°Cake, bought from the street corner,¡± Duncan said offhand, ¡°You¡¯re growing, so you should eat something nutritious for breakfast.¡±


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    However, Nina was stunned, just staring blankly at the cheap pastry in front of her, taking a long time before finally seeming to snap out of it and murmuring almost to herself in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re really alright, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m fine,¡± Duncan replied with a quite natural expression, ¡°I just suddenly remembered, it¡¯s been a long time since I bought you any sweets.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been over a year¡­¡± Nina mumbled, but then she suddenly burst out laughing, while picking up the cake fork, ¡°Let¡¯s have half each then, Dr. Albert also said you need something nutritious.¡±


    Duncan felt odd but after a moment of silence, he nodded.


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±

 Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 History

    Chapter 45: Chapter 45 History


    This feeling was quite wondrous.


    Duncan could distinctly sense things happening far away¡ªhe could feel the Homeloss drifting on the Endless Sea, the living Ghost Ship constantly charting new courses under the control of a goat-headed figure, a cursed puppet with a not-very-sturdy head wandering around the ship¡¯s cabin as if familiarizing itself with the environment like an explorer, the deep, dark sea undulating around him, concealing countless bizarre creatures within.


    However, in his other line of sight, he was sitting in an antique shop in the Lower City District of Plunder City-State, the voices of people and the sounds of vehicles coming in from the streets, which only seemed to highlight the quietness inside the shop, where a human girl named Nina was sitting opposite him, nibbling on the district¡¯s cheapest cake.


    He was Captain Duncan, the ruler of the Homeloss, the moving disaster of the Endless Sea¡ªyet he sat here like an ordinary person, eating his breakfast, immersed in the tranquil depths of the city life.


    Whether it was an illusion or not, he felt that a part of his heart, constantly suspended and uneasy, was settling down bit by bit. It might have been the nerves stretched tight on the Ghost Ship, or something else entirely, but he felt that, either way, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing.


    Noticing the gaze coming from beside her, Nina, who was eating her cake, suddenly looked up. She curiously glanced at Duncan, ¡°Uncle Duncan, aren¡¯t you eating?¡±


    Duncan glanced at the food on her plate, ¡°Is that enough for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, eating too much sweets isn¡¯t good.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Duncan nodded and took a bite of the cake, savouring the rich flavor he hadn¡¯t tasted in a long time, feeling the crude sweetness slowly dissolve in his mouth¡ªthen, he distinctly perceived this body beginning to process the food he had eaten.


    His heart settled a little more, knowing things were as he had expected.


    This body was more ¡°user-friendly¡± than the first he had temporarily occupied¡ªtheir ¡°parts¡± were complete and intact, the death hadn¡¯t been long, and his soul had almost seamlessly restarted the body¡¯s vitality, completely different from the previous, open-hearted corpse.


    He now had breath, his blood was circulating, and his heart also beat¡ªalthough the pace seemed a bit slow, it was probably still within the range of normal people.


    He need not worry about the body¡¯s decay any longer, nor about making calculations for immersing in preservatives, and in this way, it was also less likely that he would be exposed in front of ordinary people.


    However, there was one thing Duncan was still uncertain about.


    He knew that this body must have been diseased¡ªwithin the memories he had devoured, the negative impression of being plagued by chronic illness was deeper than all others, and the strong spirits and painkillers he had found in the cupboard were clear proof of that.


    He didn¡¯t know exactly what illness the body had suffered from before, because the memories related to the time and trigger of the illness seemed to be from long ago and were quite blurred. But one thing was clear: at this moment, apart from the sense of weakness imparted by a normal human constitution, he did not feel any other ailments in this body.


    Had the disease disappeared? Had the body self-healed because of wandering in the Spirit Realm? Or was the soul that had projected here ultimately limited in perception, so much so that he actually could not feel the body¡¯s issues, and the body¡¯s health was actually still deteriorating?


    Duncan pondered while quietly continuing his meal, then suddenly looked over at Nina across from him, eating, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to school today?¡±


    Nina lived in the Lower City District, not well off economically, but the Plunder City-State had clearly developed to a stage where basic education was fairly widespread. She was currently attending a school jointly operated by the church and the city hall, specializing in steam mechanics¡ªa type of ¡°vocational high school,¡± mainly aiming to supply skilled Steam Artisans to factories and churches.


    Nina¡¯s tuition was half paid by her uncle, with the other half covered by a stipend from the city hall.


    For a city-state in the industrial era, training such craftsmen, even with government subsidies, was a very worthwhile endeavor¡ªand it was undeniable that such purpose-driven schools had at least solved the problem of literacy for the common people.


    Nina was studious, with the uncle¡¯s memory indicating that the girl had good results in all her courses.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have classes this morning,¡± Nina nodded, ¡°just two history classes in the afternoon. Also, I need to tell Mrs. White this afternoon that I won¡¯t be staying in the dormitory these next few days¡­¡±


    Duncan suddenly ceased the task at hand and looked at Nina seriously, asking, ¡°Don¡¯t you think staying here to take care of someone like me would hold you back from many things? Living at the school for a long time might be more helpful for your studies.¡±


    Nina was startled, her gaze towards her ¡°Uncle Duncan¡± somewhat blank before she suddenly became upset, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk like that! You¡¯re just sick, all you have to do is take your medicine honestly according to the doctor¡¯s advice¡ª¡ªmy parents entrusted you to me¡­¡±


    ¡°It was your parents who entrusted you to me,¡± Duncan corrected earnestly, using the memories in his mind to organize his language before speaking, ¡°You were only six years old at that time.¡±


    ¡°But now I¡¯m seventeen,¡± Nina puffed her cheeks and stabbed her fork forcefully into the last small piece of cake, ¡°Your ability to take care of yourself is even worse than mine¡ª¡ªif I really moved out, it wouldn¡¯t take you three days to turn the room into a complete mess. In fact, you could let me help manage the shop, at least with cleaning, the windows are so dirty they are almost impossible to see through¡­¡±


    Duncan listened somewhat helplessly to the girl¡¯s endless preaching, he hadn¡¯t expected his offhand ¡°test¡± to elicit such a strong reaction from her.


    But gradually, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    From this girl named ¡°Nina,¡± he felt a warmth¡­ a cozy warmth, as if basking in sunlight.


    ¡°Alright, I was just speaking off the cuff,¡± he shook his head while stirring the last bit of soup in his bowl, ¡°The afternoon is history class¡­ how are you doing in history recently?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Duncan, are you really okay?¡± Nina asked, her eyes wide with surprise, ¡°You never¡­well, at least for the past two years, you have never asked about my school.¡±


    Duncan opened his mouth to say something, but the girl across from him continued on her own, ¡°We¡¯ve been talking about ancient history recently, Mr. Morris has been teaching us about the events after the Great Annihilation¡­ Honestly, it¡¯s quite interesting, ancient history sounds like it has a lot of parts that are like stories, far more interesting than modern and contemporary history.¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, looking serious, ¡°You sound like you¡¯re learning well? Then I will test you, what is the related concept of the Great Annihilation?¡±


    Today¡¯s Uncle Duncan was strange, although she couldn¡¯t quite place what was strange, he was different from usual.


    But Nina didn¡¯t think too much about it¡ª¡ªcompared to her uncle¡¯s slightly strange behavior, this simple young lady was happier that Uncle Duncan had finally perked up and seemed to be in a good mood.


    She was delighted that Uncle Duncan¡¯s question was exactly what she had just mastered.


    So, with a proud smile, she began to recount the knowledge she had just learned to Duncan:


    ¡°The Great Annihilation happened about ten thousand years ago¡ª¡ªalthough for unknown reasons, culturally distinctive minorities like the elves, Senkin people, and Gyplo people record inconsistent times in their own calendars, but generally speaking, the archaeological community acknowledges the Great Annihilation as taking place at the end of the Order Era ten thousand years ago¡­¡±


    Duncan listened with a calm expression.


    Inside, his mind was full of question marks.


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    Elves? Senkin people? Gyplo people? What is going on here? Are there intelligent groups other than humans on the land? And elves¡­ is this the same concept as the ¡°elves¡± in his understanding? Are there still elves city-states living in the era of steam industry in the Endless Sea?


    Some very strange images involuntarily emerged in his mind, while Nina¡¯s voice continued to come from the other side:


    ¡°¡­Different city-states have varying records of the Great Annihilation, but what they hold in common is that the era before the Great Annihilation, the Order Era, was far more prosperous, stable, and safe, with vast continents and seas not as boundless as they are today, and both the sea and land lacked so-called ¡®border of reality¡¯¡­


    ¡°The era after the Great Annihilation is called the ¡®Deep Sea Era,¡¯ which has continued up to the present and shows no signs of ending. The most notable feature of the Deep Sea Era is the Endless Sea covering almost the entire world, with land making up less than ten percent of the old world, split into large and small islands or ¡®fog-enshrouded realms.¡¯ Today¡¯s various city-states are established on relatively stable islands, and different ocean-going vessels serve as the means of communication and exchange between the islands.


    ¡°In the early days of the Deep Sea Era, the survivors of the old world suffered severe setbacks, and the old civilization was almost completely destroyed. The ¡®Ancient Crete Kingdom¡¯ that first rose from the ruins is considered the earliest civilization progenitor of the Deep Sea Era that can be traced back to our time, and although it lasted less than a hundred years, it left behind a legacy of profound influence on future generations. This includes the most primitive and rudimentary classification of the anomalies and phenomena of the Deep Sea Era, as well as a wealth of valuable experience for surviving in the Deep Sea Era¡­¡±

 Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Anomalies and Visions

    Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Anomalies and Visions


    The Great Annihilation was the turning point for all history in this world and also marked the beginning of the so-called ¡°Deep Sea Era.¡±


    Thanks to Nina, Duncan finally pieced together a rough understanding of the catastrophic changes that once occurred in this world and realized that this world had not always been as strange and dangerous as it is now¡ª


    According to historical records, the world before the Great Annihilation was a prosperous and safe paradise.


    Back then, the ocean was not the ¡°Endless Sea,¡± and the limited seas did not cover over ninety-five percent of the world¡¯s surface as they do today. Back then, humans lived on vast and safe lands, and even the seas were free of dangerous phenomena like the Spirit Realm, Subspace, and the like.


    The ¡°Era of Order¡± recorded in the historical books felt more like the world Duncan knew¡ªalthough modern people would look back at the Ancient Era, a time without ¡°anomalies,¡± with awe and disbelief, to Duncan, it was this current world that was thoroughly off.


    The historical books did not explain the critical event of the ¡°Great Annihilation¡± in detail. Despite the archaeological community¡¯s continuous efforts, the great discrepancies in ancient history among different City-States and ethnicities persisted. No one knew how the so-called Great Annihilation had happened, nor what the entity behind that disaster was¡ªimmense chaos and fog shrouded that drastic change, and beyond the fog was already the present Deep Sea Era.


    Seas from an unknown origin submerged over ninety percent of the land, and the survivors of the remnants of civilization built City-States and fleets on the remaining islands and pieces of land. The Endless Sea and the sea mists brought with them phenomena called ¡°anomalies¡± and ¡°phenomena,¡± which still threaten the existence of civilization to this day.


    Nina was unaware that a ghost ship captain from a foreign land was absorbing knowledge from her words, thinking it was just her uncle testing her¡ªUncle Duncan hadn¡¯t been in such a good mood for a long time, and she felt quite delighted, even cherishing the moment because she was worried that at any time her uncle would turn back into his previous self¡­ and, based on past experience, this was almost inevitable.


    As soon as the alcohol wore off, or the painkillers ran out, Uncle Duncan would become particularly irritable, angry, and hysterical.


    So before Uncle Duncan had another episode, she wanted to show him all the progress she¡¯d made¡ªit might keep his good mood going for another day or two.


    ¡°¡­Mr. Morris is particularly interested in the history of the Ancient Crete Kingdom; he is an expert in that field. He told us that, although the Ancient Crete Kingdom only lasted for a hundred years, it was the first civilization to rise from the ruins and confront the anomalies and phenomena after the advent of the Deep Sea Era. The experience they garnered over a hundred years still guides the majority of people in the world today¡ªmost importantly, their method of classifying ¡®anomalies¡¯ and ¡®phenomena¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°A classification method for ¡®anomalies¡¯ and ¡®phenomena,¡¯ you say? You¡¯ve learned this already?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, his words still guided by curiosity.


    He had been very concerned since he had started listening, and now he became even more convinced that in the eyes of the ordinary people of this world, those illogical things must be strictly distinguished. Some things are called ¡°anomalies,¡± some even having codes, while others¡­ seem to be separately known as ¡°phenomena,¡± unlike his previous impression of them all being broadly categorized as ¡°anomalies.¡±


    He had never heard such detailed knowledge about this from Goat Head on Homeloss, and now the things Nina learned in school finally filled the gap in his common knowledge on the subject.


    Nina nodded, recalling what she had learned in class, ¡°Mr. Morris taught us the simplest differentiation between anomalies and phenomena, namely the scale.


    ¡°Typically, anomalies are smaller in scale, often limited to a single object, an animal, or even a ¡®person¡¯;


    ¡°Most anomalies can be moved by humans, and their range of influence is limited. Many anomalies at any given time may even affect only a single target, and with the knowledge of specific methods, most anomalies can be safely sealed or isolated¡ªsome of the less harmful anomalies can even be ¡®utilized¡¯ like tools, through certain methods.¡±


    ¡°The scale of phenomena is far greater than that of anomalies; even the smallest phenomenon is as large as a house, while larger ones can cover entire city-states, or even more¡­ to an unimaginable extent.


    ¡°A fair number of phenomena cannot be moved by humans; they are either fixed in one place or operate according to their own will, and their influence far exceeds that of anomalies. Usually, within their effective range, phenomena can affect an infinite number of targets, which is why they can almost be equated with ¡®natural events,¡¯ hence the term ¡®phenomena.¡¯


    ¡°Unlike anomalies, nearly all ¡®phenomena¡¯ cannot be sealed or controlled. They exist in the world like natural events, operating undisturbed by the outside world and naturally affecting everything within their range that meets the criteria. And because most phenomena are dangerous, people only have two choices: to stay away from these dangerous phenomena or to use specific methods to prevent themselves from becoming targets of the effects¡­


    ¡°Fortunately, the most dangerous phenomena usually do not move. Pioneers have helped us identify these dangers, allowing us to safely maintain our distance from them¡­¡±


    Nina spoke seriously, then, as if suddenly remembering something, she quickly added, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, the old gentleman also specifically mentioned to us that these judgments and characteristics are only ¡®usually effective¡¯¡ªanomalies and phenomena defy common sense. Therefore, no matter how much people try to summarize their experiences, there will always be anomalies and phenomena that suddenly appear and do not fit into any definition, and sometimes anomalies and phenomena can even switch places. There have also been cases of phenomena being interfered with and destroyed by human efforts.


    ¡°For example, in the year 1830 of the new city-states chronology, Rensa experienced an anomaly that went out of control known as ¡®Mycelium.¡¯ The local church guardians paid a heavy price to exile this uncontrollable anomaly to a nearby island, which by 1835 was recognized and elevated to a phenomenon, later known as Fungus Island¡ªbut in 1844, the great saint Paladin gave his life to contain Fungus Island within his urn. Consequently, the phenomenon ¡®Fungus Island¡¯ was deregistered that same year, turning back into an ¡®anomaly,¡¯ known as ¡®Paladin¡¯s Mushroom Urn,¡¯ and is now sealed in the crypt of the Sacred Relic vault under the cathedral of Rensa City-State¡­¡±


    Duncan was completely engrossed in listening to everything Nina recounted, his mind racing, while he kept a composed expression to mask the surges of emotions within him.


    In this short breakfast, he had collected more information than he had garnered over his many days aboard Homeloss!


    Establishing communication with the mainland and setting up an outpost in a surface city-state was indeed the right approach¡ªcivilized society is where the majority of the world¡¯s information converges!


    He unconsciously looked at the girl still speaking before him, feeling quite enlightened.


    A civilization that has normally developed to the industrial stage would definitely try its best to compress and summarize the basic knowledge required for social operation into its education system. A child living within this system might hardly realize that the textbooks they interact with on a daily basis are such a treasure trove:


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    It represents knowledge accumulated over countless years by many people, further refined over years into the most appropriate structure for learning. The books construct the world¡¯s most intricately ¡®nutrient-dense packets¡¯ with the aim of transforming a blank slate of a person into a functioning cog of society with the least possible investment of time and effort.


    This is something even Nina, who usually loves to study, cannot fathom¡ªonly Duncan, this ¡®foreigner,¡¯ can appreciate how precious this knowledge is and how easily it can be absorbed.


    However, Nina was oblivious to what Duncan was pondering; she was merely recalling something her respectable history teacher had said in class¡ª


    ¡°¡­so last class, Mr. Morris ended with these words: ¡®People have summed up countless patterns through their dealings with ¡®anomalies¡¯ and ¡®phenomena,¡¯ but there is only one rule that is truly always valid: no matter how many patterns we identify, there will always be anomalies and phenomena that appear in the world that do not fit those patterns.¡¯


    ¡°This rule is also referred to by scholars as ¡®the eternal zeroth law,¡¯ automatically given precedence over all other laws in books and papers related to the field. It has led to the famous ¡®Perpetual Anomaly and Phenomenon Misalignment Law,¡¯ which to this day has never been disproved¡­¡±

 Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47 In Front of the Icon

    Chapter 47: Chapter 47 In Front of the Icon


    Nina was overjoyed because it had been a long time since she had enjoyed a normal meal with Uncle Duncan and talked about the events at school, let alone seen a smile on his face.


    It even reminded her of the past, of a time before her uncle had fallen ill¡ªafter losing her parents at the age of six, this man, who was like a father to her, became her only relative in this world. But four years ago, that mysterious disease, which even doctors couldn¡¯t diagnose, had transformed her uncle, and those years had been honestly quite unbearable.


    Her uncle still provided for her schooling and maintained the basic necessities of life, but Nina could feel that everything about the ¡°future¡± had gradually faded from this familiar and cozy shop, dissipating amongst the strong alcohol, pills, and those sinister and oppressive gatherings with her uncle¡¯s dubious ¡°friends.¡±


    She no longer hoped for life to return to how it was years ago, but the slightest improvement in the situation was worth celebrating.


    Duncan was also pleased because he had finally accessed more information about this world and had touched upon its historical context¡ªeven just a part of it gave him the joyful sensation of lifting the fog.


    The completely lost prehistoric ¡°Era of Order,¡± the ¡°Great Extinction¡± event that reshaped the order of all things, the ongoing Deep Sea Age, anomalies, and phenomena spread across the world¡­ These things he had no knowledge of or only a superficial understanding were now taking on a more defined shape.


    After breakfast, Nina stood up to clear the tableware. She was quick and efficient, clearly used to these domestic tasks¡ªwithout a doubt, she was also the one tidying the bedroom upstairs.


    A man who was plagued by severe illness, led a decadent life, and devoted most of his energy and passion to the affairs of a cult clearly wouldn¡¯t do such things.


    But watching the young girl bustling about, Duncan eventually couldn¡¯t help himself. He stood up and took the large tray from Nina¡¯s hands, ¡°I¡¯ll carry this for you¡ªlooks like you¡¯re struggling to get it upstairs.¡±


    Nina looked at Duncan in surprise. She was about to say something when he had already taken big strides towards the stairs.


    The girl hurriedly followed, reminding him from behind, ¡°Uncle, be careful, the doctor said your condition is still unstable¡­¡±


    ¡°The doctor¡­ Dr. Albert?¡± Duncan didn¡¯t turn around. As he climbed the stairs, he searched his fragmented memories for a corresponding impression but found only fleeting glimpses, ¡°It¡¯s okay, after all, he¡¯s been unable to diagnose the cause until now, and the most effective medicine he¡¯s prescribed are just painkillers.¡±


    ¡°¡­Still, you should listen to the doctor¡¯s advice,¡± Nina followed Duncan to the second floor, muttering as they walked towards the kitchen, ¡°At least he knows how to maintain a healthy lifestyle¡­¡±


    Nina¡¯s speech cut off mid-sentence as the sound of flapping wings suddenly disrupted her actions.


    She and Duncan simultaneously looked towards the source of the noise, only to see a shadow flit past the slightly ajar door of the master bedroom.


    ¡°Uncle Duncan, something flashed by in your room!¡± Nina exclaimed in surprise and then swiftly grabbed the doorknob, ¡°Could it be that cat from next door¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s attempt to stop her came too late, as Nina had already pushed open the ajar bedroom door, revealing the pigeon hiding inside.


    Ai Yi was perched atop the cabinet, with one claw holding a French fry to its beak, and the sudden opening of the door left the pigeon frozen in place, crane its neck to stuff a French fry with one claw, its two mung-bean eyes staring blankly at Nina and the opposite wall.


    Then it saw Duncan, flapped its wings twice, making a loud noise, ¡°Ah¡­ coo?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyelid twitched, and he saw the wide-open window nearby, which clearly served as Ai Yi¡¯s escape route¡ªbeyond the window and in the distance, he could make out a dock basking in the sunlight.


    This pigeon had gone to the dock to snag some fries¡­


    ¡°A pigeon?¡± At this point, Nina finally caught on, staring at Ai Yi on the cabinet in astonishment, ¡°Uncle Duncan! There¡¯s a pigeon in your room!¡±


    ¡°I see it,¡± Duncan said expressionlessly, ¡°I don¡¯t know it.¡±


    Ai Yi immediately tossed away the fries and fluttered over, landing on Duncan¡¯s shoulder and shaking his head.


    ¡°Well, it flew in this morning,¡± Duncan sighed, ¡°It¡¯s probably someone else¡¯s tame pigeon, but it¡¯s not very smart. I fed it a bit and now it won¡¯t leave.¡±


    Ai Yi listened and cooed loudly.


    If there were no strangers present and Duncan hadn¡¯t given an order earlier, Ai Yi would certainly have started loudly expressing agreement with ¡®Ah, yes, yes¡¯ by now.


    But Nina had no doubt about her uncle¡¯s story. Her eyes sparkled as she watched the pigeon and then cautiously approached, watching the pigeon¡¯s reaction while asking Duncan, ¡°So¡­ are you going to keep it? Can I keep it?¡±


    The girl¡¯s thoughts were written all over her face; in her eyes, Ai Yi was just a beautiful and cute white pigeon. Ai Yi tilted its head and looked at Duncan, letting out a questioning coo.


    Duncan suddenly felt that this bird was easier to understand when it wasn¡¯t speaking¡­


    After a moment, he pretended to hesitate before nodding, ¡°You can¡ªbut only if the pigeon wants to stay. It might fly away at any moment, so don¡¯t complain when it does.¡±


    Nina¡¯s face lit up with joy: ¡°That¡¯s great! I knew Uncle Duncan, you were actually a reasonable person!¡±


    ¡­


    Within the central prayer chamber of the Deep Sea Cathedral, the City-State Bishop Valentin, dressed in a black robe trimmed with gold, stood solemnly in front of a statue of the Storm Goddess.


    He was tall and thin with sparse white hair, and his eyes were as calm as deep waters.


    The prayer chamber¡¯s large candlesticks burned silently, the holy flames brightening the room, and Gomona¡¯s statue stood high upon the altar. This goddess had no face, her head covered with a black veil, and her long dress depicted with wave patterns fell from her body to the edge of the altar. Even as a stone statue, the divine power was clear, and the entire statue radiated a strong presence. Anyone standing around the statue could feel a vague sense of being watched and protected.


    This feeling of being watched and protected was real, and it was under this protection that Fanna felt confident enough to discuss with the bishop everything she had seen in the Dreamscape.


    ¡°¡­If what you saw in the Dreamscape is correct, then it is indeed the Homeloss.¡±


    City-State Bishop Valentin turned around to face the young Judge who had come to seek his counsel early in the morning¡ªdespite the church hierarchy wherein the Judge, in charge of martial matters, and the City-State Bishop, in charge of liturgical matters, held parallel ranks. It was normal for a Judge to seek the Bishop¡¯s advice or even guidance when dealing with transcendent events.


    ¡°So it really is the Homeloss?¡± Despite already having an inkling in her mind, Fanna couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes on hearing the bishop¡¯s judgment, ¡°I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°You thought that ship was now just a legend, like those various ghost ship tales that superstitious sailors bluster about in the taverns?¡± Valentin knew what Fanna was going to say. The sparse-haired old man shook his head, his tone grave, ¡°The existence of the Homeloss is acknowledged by all City-States and the Church. It isn¡¯t a tale, but something you could find in the church archives.¡±


    ¡°I know, the Homeloss did indeed exist. The archives in the City-State of Prand even have some of its construction blueprints and launch records from over a century ago, but all these verifiable records only go as far as when the Homeloss was still a ship sailing in the real world, only as far as Captain Duncan was still human¡­¡±


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    As Fanna spoke, her tone was serious. She glanced at the statue behind the bishop, her expression becoming increasingly cautious when mentioning certain terms.


    ¡°The key point is that the ship was clearly recorded as having sunk into the Subspace¡­ A century ago, thousands of refugees from the Thirteen Isles of Vesseran witnessed their homes and their soil, along with that ship, being devoured by the collapsing border, plummeting into the shadow of the Subspace. In the decades that followed, although there were eyewitness reports claiming the Homeloss reappeared in the real world, none had solid evidence. Many scholars are doubtful of the ship¡¯s ¡®return voyage¡¯¡­¡±


    The young Judge continued, glancing at the elderly man before her.


    ¡°Is it really possible for something swallowed by the Subspace to reappear in the real world?¡±


    ¡°¡­Until now, nothing except the Homeloss has ever returned to reality after falling into the Subspace. Even with the Homeloss, there are only subsequent eyewitness reports, and scholars across fields doubt the ship¡¯s return voyage. That is indeed the case. However, that is not the crux¡­¡± The old man said, his gaze suddenly fixed on Fanna, his face assuming an unusual seriousness, ¡°The crux is, Judge, are you afraid of something?¡±

 Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Vigilance

    Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Vigilance


    In front of the sacred effigy of Gomona, the Storm Goddess, the blessed candle burned tranquilly, supplemented by the Sky Light that cast down from the dome above, enveloping the City-State Bishop in his pitch-black robes as if he were bathing in divine grace.


    Thus it was in this light that Bishop Valentin lifted his head, serenely gazing into Vanna¡¯s steadfast grey eyes. His words seemed to carry a form magic. Faintly, Vanna heard the soothing sound of ocean waves surging in her mind, followed by a thunderous clamor¡ªthe power of the goddess, with aid from an external force, finally broke through the veil and exploded at the depths of her heart.


    Suddenly, Vanna took a deep breath, as if she¡¯d surfaced from drowning in deep waters, returning abruptly to land. Her chest heaved violently; her heart hammered. The omnipresent gaze of the deities felt crushing her, and in her semi-stupor, she heard Valentin¡¯s voice continue to reach her ears:


    ¡°The existence of Homeloss is chronicled in history, and the prophetic dreams you experienced are objectively real. With these two factors present, your natural response should be to first assume the threat is real and then seek a solution. But your earlier subconscious questioning of the existence of Homeloss indicates you are avoiding the message conveyed by the prophetic dreams on a subconscious level.


    ¡°Judge, your subconscious denial of Homeloss¡¯s existence is evidence that the ship is real¡ªand it seems, indeed, to be approaching the civilized world¡¯s frontier.¡±


    Vanna felt a fine layer of sweat form on her forehead, but the veil that had always blocked her connection with the goddess seemed to have vanished, lightening her heart considerably. The words of the City-State Bishop made her realize something:


    Unbeknownst to her, she had been influenced by Homeloss!


    This was a characteristic common to many apparitions or anomalies with a tendency to induce terror: making those who came in contact with them become disoriented and subconsciously ignore and deny the reality, thereby increasing the influence upon them without their awareness!


    This subconscious neglect and denial were an instinctive response for intelligent beings to protect themselves, a mindset to avoid danger. However, when it came to contact with anomalies, this instinctive response could become a source of complacency and ultimately lead the individual unknowingly to become a victim of the apparition or anomaly!


    As a Judge who frequently dealt with transcendent powers, Vanna was deeply knowledgeable about these matters. She never imagined, however, that she would fall into such a ¡°psychological trap¡±¡ªhad her strong willpower really failed to take effect?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know when I came under its influence,¡± she said frankly. Before the Bishop, a fellow devout believer, she didn¡¯t shy away from admitting the weakness she had exposed¡ªbeing affected by an anomaly or apparition to the point of psychological distress was not unusual, and shame and concealment would be of no help. ¡°I came straight here after waking from the prophetic dream. I haven¡¯t spoken to anyone, nor have I touched any books, antiques. I believe I haven¡¯t been exposed to any outside corrosion during this process.¡±


    ¡°But you did display a deliberate avoidance to the prophetic dream just now¡­ so the influence must have occurred earlier,¡± the Bishop said pensively, his gaze intent upon Vanna¡¯s face, as if observing every shift in her expression and the rhythm of her breathing. ¡°Recently, have you been in contact with anything unusual? It might be the¡­ contamination from Homeloss, leaving an anchor point in your subconscious ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°Recently¡­¡± Vanna frowned, then suddenly recalled the ¡°sacrificial offering¡± that lay in the Black Sun ritual site, the flash of green flame in the eyes of the offering, and her own finger that was amputated.


    Her eyes widened in realization, she stared intently at the Bishop: ¡°The day before yesterday, I led a team to clear the sewers of that Black Sun cult site, was there any report after that about some unnamed contamination present? Did any report mention a contaminated ¡®offering¡¯?¡±


    The Bishop shook his head: ¡°No, you sent those heretics to the Cathedral and then left immediately after.¡±


    A chill ran through Vanna¡¯s heart: ¡°What about the others who participated in the operation that day? Has anyone reported anything of this nature?¡±


    ¡°No reports have come in¡ªall the case files only mention matters related to the Sun Heretic.¡±


    Under the gaze of the Goddess¡¯s sacred effigy, the Bishop and Vanna looked into each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It appears we have found the first moment when the contamination ¡®came ashore,¡¯¡± said the Bishop, exhaling softly, his expression still placid, yet a stormy power seemed to be brewing in his eyes, ¡°In the holy name of Gomona, Judge, do you still have clear, complete memories of that night?¡±


    Vanna took a deep breath: ¡°In the holy name of Gomona, I remember every detail of that night.¡±


    The Bishop nodded, turned, and lit specially crafted incense, then, placing the bronze censer at the feet of the sacred effigy, he spoke steadily, ¡°What happened at that time?¡±


    And so, Vanna laid bare every detail that occurred in the sewer ritual site, as she recollected from her memory¡ªshe didn¡¯t omit a single detail. With the help of the holy incense, her memory and thoughts were clearer than ever before; the events of that night felt as vivid as if they had happened to her just anew¡­


    She remembered how the sacrificial offering suddenly opened its eyes, the green flames dancing in its eye sockets, how the flames leaped onto her finger but were promptly purified by her decisive action. On the way back to the Cathedral, she had silently reassured herself, ¡°The contamination has been thoroughly cleansed, the contamination has been thoroughly cleansed, the contamination has been thoroughly cleansed¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    She was muttering these words all the way, and all the guardians walking with her were muttering these words as well!


    Not a single one of them felt there was anything amiss!


    Now, recalling that scene is terrifying and bizarre¡ªbeneath the desolate night sky, a squad of the church¡¯s guards passed through the silent and deserted streets, each person continuously whispering the same sentence to themselves until they returned to the church.


    During this process, they still believed they were carrying out their duties normally: watching over the recently captured heretics, cleaning up the polluted ritual site, escorting the heretics back¡­


    ¡°¡­Spectral Flame falling upon the soul means that physical cleansing through severing limbs is ineffective, what you get is merely deceptive solace¡ªthe correct procedure is to immediately light spices, scatter holy oil on the ground to arrange a temporary sanctified area, then call upon the Goddess¡¯s power with a prayer ritual, to execute the cleansing of the ¡®spiritual body.¡¯


    ¡°¡­This is my fault,¡± said Fana, her voice heavy, ¡°I should have been more vigilant, more alert.¡±


    ¡°It is a lapse, but not a mistake,¡± the elderly man shook his head, ¡°you possess great power, but as a Judge you are still a little lacking in experience. Fortunately, you have now rid yourself of the influence, indicating that the ¡®corrosion¡¯ left on that offering wasn¡¯t very strong, it merely caused you psychological interference¡­ Through the incense ritual just now, I was able to roughly determine its intensity.¡±


    He paused here, as if weighing and judging something: ¡°The guardians who acted with you should have been less affected, they were just standing around you, and their influence should quickly diminish with prayers in the church.


    ¡°On the whole, although the pollution you were subjected to was sinister and eerie, because the source has been severed, the subsequent effects aren¡¯t dreadful. Based on your performance just now and the feedback from the incense, even if you didn¡¯t come here today, you would have realized something was wrong in a few days.


    ¡°Compared to this, what we need to worry about more is the future.¡±


    ¡°The future¡­¡± Fana repeated the Bishop¡¯s last word, her expression gradually becoming serious.


    Yes, the future¡ªthe matter has not yet concluded.


    The vision heralded by the premonitory dream was a warning sent down by the Goddess¡ªthe experiences she had encountered so far were perhaps just the prelude to a storm.


    ¡°The Homeloss has not appeared within the boundary of civilization for many years now, and many believe it has returned to Subspace, becoming one amongst the many shadows in the deepest reaches of the world, but it now seems that Captain Duncan¡¯s attachment to the real world remains.¡±


    Bishop Valentin said slowly, while he turned around to gaze upon the Storm Goddess¡¯s holy image.


    ¡°A century ago, the Homeloss plunged into the depths of the Subspace. Although there is no definite evidence, many witness reports have mentioned that there was a great storm lingering in the nearby Endless Sea at the time, the ship¡¯s fall was, to an extent, influenced by the storm¡­


    ¡°Storms are the dominion of our Lord.¡±


    Fana frowned, ¡°You think Captain Duncan seeks¡­ vengeance against the deity?¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say¡ªregardless of a ghost returning from Subspace, imagining one seeking revenge on a deity is inconceivable. Deities reside in their divine realms, divine realms hidden above reality, and all things in the world fall downwards from the higher planes, never have I heard of anyone who could travel upwards to the ¡®divine realms¡¯ beyond reality¡­


    ¡°But if Captain Duncan seeks to exact revenge on the Lord¡¯s representatives on earth¡­ the possibility is much higher.


    ¡°The sacred Storm Cathedral patrols the world for the Lord over the Endless Sea, most of the time sailing on secret routes, invisible to all, and in comparison¡­ Plunder City-State is the largest anchor point of faith for the Storm Goddess in the world besides the Storm Cathedral¡­ it is also an anchor point of faith that anyone can visit.


    ¡°From this perspective, it¡¯s quite logical for that vengeful spirit to choose Plunder to make landfall.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Two Approaching Storm Clouds

    Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Two Approaching Storm Clouds


    ¡°`


    The gods reside in a divine realm far removed from the reality of the mortal world. People believe this special dimension is the cornerstone of the world. Unlike common knowledge, this ¡°cornerstone¡± is not at the bottom but rather at the apex of all dimensions.


    The ancient texts of the Ancient Crete Kingdom describe the world structure they understood as follows:


    At the very top lies the world cornerstone, guarded by eternal truth and order. Within the cornerstone exists the divine realm, perpetually self-sustaining;


    Descending from the divine realm is the reality where mortal beings reside, who bask in the afterglow of order and thrive in the relatively stable and bountiful reality;


    Descending from reality is the Spirit Realm, which strays from human comprehension. In this realm, the blessings of the gods diminish while twisted and bizarre powers begin to prevail;


    Descending from the Spirit Realm is the Mysterious Deep Sea, wholly unsuitable for life and dominated by strange forces. It can hardly be considered part of the material world and more like a reflection of nothingness;


    Passing through the Mysterious Deep Sea is the very bottom of the world¡ªthe depths of Subspace, where ancient gods of extreme danger and all sorts of malevolent entities reside in their true forms.


    In the accounts of the Ancient Crete Kingdom, the gods established a covenant within the cornerstone. This covenant is the source and standard of all laws of the world. This order cascades downward, defining the laws that govern the world, permeating all things mortal, and as the ¡°depth¡± increases, the power of order weakens and is gradually overshadowed by Subspace. The ¡°cornerstone¡± where the gods reside and Subspace are like two endpoints of the world, with ¡°order¡± flowing unidirectionally between them.


    This ancient gift to humanity was inaugurated by a brilliant civilization in the Deep Sea age 10,000 years ago. Throughout the long years, countless scholars have exhaustively studied this ¡°layered structure¡± and have found no fault in this model. Today, it has become the universally accepted ¡°World Standard Model¡±.


    In this standard model, mortals from the dust of the earth may fall into deeper places but seldom can anyone return from the ¡°deeper layers¡± to the ¡°shallow layers¡±. Even if there are occasional lucky ones who return from the Spirit Realm to reality, no one has ever heard of an existence so bold as to reach the divine ¡°cornerstone¡± dimension from reality.


    It is for this reason that the return of Homeloss from Subspace to reality has become the most preposterous anomaly in this world¡ªit contradicts the common understanding of the World Standard Model.


    On the other hand, the existence of Homeloss does conform to the classic statement concerning abnormalities and anomalies: ¡°The Permanent Misalignment Law of Anomalies and Phenomena¡±.


    No matter what though, Bishop Valentin and Fanna do not believe that the Ghost Ship¡¯s captain has the ability to seek revenge against the Storm Goddess¡ªeven if he had the will, he couldn¡¯t accomplish such a deed.


    For the ¡°cornerstone¡± and the real world are discontinuous; unlike the continuous falling and material interchange between reality and the Spirit Realm, and between the Spirit Realm and the Mysterious Deep Sea, so far no scholar has found direct evidence of a connection between the ¡°cornerstone¡± and the real world. Not even the deities can descend their influence directly, resorting only to methods like projection and edicts. How could a Ghost Ship possibly counterattack the divine realm?


    Since vengeance cannot be had directly on the Storm Goddess herself, the remaining choice is naturally her followers in the mortal world.


    The Storm Cathedral, headquarters of the Deep Sea Church, is a ¡°Pilgrimage Ark¡± that sails hidden upon the Endless Sea, coming and going without trace. The Pope who sits upon the ark wields the power to command storms on behalf of the Lord. He is not an easy target.


    Thus, the Plunder City-State, with its fixed location on the sea, visible target, and openness to outsiders, inevitably became the better choice: eighty percent of the inhabitants within the city-state are followers of the Storm Goddess.


    Fanna had already concluded that the Ghost Ship¡¯s captain had come for revenge¡ªafter all, it was a storm that plunged Homeloss into Subspace a hundred years ago, and she could think of no other reason that could explain why, after disappearing for so many years, Homeloss suddenly returned to the realm of reality and targeted the Plunder City-State.


    But what exactly does the Ghost Ship¡¯s captain intend to do?


    Fanna furrowed her brows, deep in thought, and slowly spoke, ¡°Bishop Valentin, do you think¡­ Homeloss has something to do with the recent activities of the Sun Believers in the city-state?¡±


    After pausing, she added, ¡°Last night in my Dreamscape, I saw a burning sun and Homeloss both appear in Plunder. The simultaneous arrival of both disasters might be a premonition given to me by the Goddess¡­¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t forget, in the underground sacrificial site, that corrupted ¡®offering¡¯ killed the priest of the Black Sun, which was a ¡®messenger¡¯ who had received baptism,¡± the bishop shook his head, ¡°At least at that sacrificial site, the standing of Homeloss seems to be in opposition to the Black Sun.¡±


    ¡°`


    Vanna remained silent for a moment, lost in thought upon listening to the bishop¡¯s words. The old man opposite her spoke again after a brief silence, ¡°About those worshipers of the Black Sun, this morning I indeed received some intelligence from the Rensa City-State¡­¡±


    Vanna immediately lifted her head, ¡°Intelligence?¡±


    ¡°The Sun Heretics are not only rekindling in Plunder but have been making moves in many City-States. Recently, a large group of Sun Heretics have been passing through Rensa and Moco ports, converging towards Plunder. Some were caught,¡± the elderly bishop nodded, ¡°During the interrogation, those heretics mentioned ¡®Sun Shard¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Sun Shard¡­ the remnants peeled off after the disintegration of the ¡®True Sun God¡¯ mentioned by the heretics?¡± Vanna suddenly caught on, ¡°They think there is a piece of Sun Shard hidden in Plunder?¡±


    ¡°It seems to be the case for now. I don¡¯t know where those heretics got their information, or even if it was a ¡®revelation¡¯ they received in their madness. In any case, they are now convinced that a fragment of their ¡®master¡¯ is hidden in this city,¡± Bishop Valentin said with a calm expression, ¡°and they see this as the hope for the revival of the Black Sun.¡±


    ¡°¡­Crazy bunch,¡± Vanna couldn¡¯t help but curse softly, ¡°For the resurrection of that dark, blasphemous Sun, how many lives have they claimed!¡±


    ¡°We call it the Black Sun, but to them, their Sun God shines brightly, embodying the most genuine order¡ªyou can¡¯t expect those deranged heretics to have any conscience while they¡¯re stained with blood,¡± Valentin shook his head, ¡°They firmly believe what they say and do is just. Dealing with them, there are only two languages that work best, one is caliber, and the other is weight.¡±


    Upon hearing the bishop¡¯s remarks, which had a touch of the Deep Sea Church about them, Vanna¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily, ¡°It looks like we¡¯re going to be busy.¡±


    ¡°The Endless Sea is never calm, and the City-State lies within the Endless Sea,¡± Valentin said, ¡°Captains have to face the storms at sea, we have to face the storms brought by the folly of the mortal world. Judge, be prepared. The Plunder City-State may be about to face a challenge.¡±


    ¡°Two challenges,¡± Vanna corrected seriously, ¡°In addition to the followers of the Black Sun, there¡¯s also a mysterious and terrifying Ghost Ship captain¡ªif Homeloss and the Black Sun aren¡¯t allies, then our problems just doubled.¡±


    Bishop Valentin pondered briefly, ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s another possibility¡ªbased on the situation at the sacrificial site in the sewers, Homeloss might end up fighting with the followers of the Black Sun?¡±


    ¡°¡­Then two problems would merge into one earth-shattering trouble, Bishop Valentin,¡± Vanna said, looking at the old man who had clearly started to think divergently, ¡°A Ghost Ship returning from the Subspace and a group of heretics fighting over a Sun Shard in the Plunder City-State, possibly accompanied by a descent of the dark Sun. I can¡¯t think of a worse scenario.¡±


    Valentin sighed and had to concede Vanna was right.


    ¡°In any case, we¡¯ll first work with the public safety officers to capture those Sun Heretics infiltrating the City-State, and eliminate the threat of the Black Sun before the situation escalates. That¡¯s the more achievable goal,¡± Vanna said. Once she had lifted the spiritual interference of Homeloss on herself and entered a field of her expertise, her thinking was clearly more active, ¡°As for that Ghost Ship¡­ we have no knowledge of its next move; we can only do our best to monitor the Spirit Realm and the surrounding seas of the City-State¡­¡±


    Speaking of which, the young Judge couldn¡¯t help but shake her head, her expression stern and helpless, ¡°Damn it, who knows what a ghostly captain might do next¡­¡±


    ¡­


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    ¡°I think I want some more ketchup¡­¡± Duncan gestured to Nina across the dining table, ¡°Just pass it here, I¡¯ll add it myself.¡±


    Nina immediately handed over the ketchup, ¡°Here you go, Uncle Duncan.¡±


    It was now noon, and Duncan and Nina were enjoying their lunch in the small kitchen on the second floor. The food from the antique shop was simple¡ªa local Plunder specialty of savory pancakes, served with ketchup or spicy sauce, along with a vegetable soup¡ªnot particularly gourmet, but both Duncan and Nina relished their meal.


    It had been a long time since Duncan had enjoyed such a regular lunch, and Nina too had not had a normal lunch like this in a while.


    Duncan was beginning to like this place.

 Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 The Public Vision

    Chapter 50: Chapter 50 The Public Vision


    After lunch, Duncan watched as Nina cleared the table. He had intended to help with the dishes, but was forcibly stopped by her claim that ¡°the doctor said Uncle shouldn¡¯t be in contact with cold water due to his poor health¡±, so he could only lean near the staircase, reading the morning paper while watching the girl bustling in the kitchen.


    This scene, so reminiscent of the daily life in an ordinary household, gave him an oddly strange feeling.


    Just then, Nina¡¯s voice came from the kitchen, ¡°Uncle Duncan, is there any news in the paper?¡±


    Duncan glanced down at the newspaper, first noticing the date ¡°August 14th of the City-State Calendar, year 1900¡±, and then the news about the Church¡¯s Judge leading a team to arrest dozens of Heretics: on the entire front page of the paper, this was probably the most significant headline.


    ¡°It says here the Judge led a team to capture dozens of Sun Heretics,¡± he said casually, ¡°and it mentions that this is the largest heretic congregation the Church has cracked down on in nearly four years. There¡¯s also a bit about reminding the citizens to be cautious at night and to identify any heretical beliefs among their associates.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I heard about that on my way here too!¡± Nina efficiently placed the cleaned dishes in the cupboard, ¡°It¡¯s scary, I remember my teacher saying that those who worship the Sun even sacrifice living people to the Sun God¡­ who would be so crazy as to believe in such a cult?¡±


    Duncan suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say because whatever he said felt too delicate¡ªfor should he mention that he had recently had a full experience of being a sacrifice on the altar, or should he admit that his niece¡¯s uncle was such a crazy Heretic?


    However, one thing was clear from Nina¡¯s reaction; she obviously didn¡¯t know her ¡°uncle¡± was a Sun Heretic¡ªshe even held the normal values of ordinary people, thinking that the living sacrifices to the Sun God were terrible.


    In her eyes, ¡°Uncle¡± was just a bit of a hot-tempered man due to illness, someone who drank a bit too much and had some ¡°weird friends¡±.


    The body he now inhabited may have once belonged to a thoroughly blood-stained man, but at the least, he had truly raised Nina to this day, and so far, had kept the girl away from the faith of the Sun God.


    Maybe one day in the future, a Heretic named ¡°Ron¡± would indeed degenerate to the last step and drag the last of his kin into the endless Abyss, but at least until today, that had not happened.


    And it would not happen in the future either.


    ¡°Uncle? Why have you suddenly gone quiet?¡± Nina was curious about the silence behind her, and she turned her head to look at him with concern, ¡°Feeling unwell again?¡±


    ¡°No, just a bit distracted,¡± Duncan came to his senses and shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re right, it is indeed a heinous act¡­ The paper also mentioned that citizens should be vigilant and promptly report any heretical activities around them. During this time, you should also try not to wander places other than school and home.¡±


    Nina nodded, but then let out an ¡°ah¡± of hesitation, her face showing a somewhat reluctant expression, ¡°But¡­ I¡¯ve made plans with classmates to visit the museum in a couple of days¡­¡±


    ¡°The museum?¡± Duncan asked casually, ¡°Which museum?¡±


    ¡°The one near our school, by the edge of the Upper City District¡ªthe Ocean Museum,¡± Nina explained, ¡°I heard they recently have an exhibit on offshore mineral samples¡­ is that alright?¡±


    ¡°If you want to go, then go,¡± Duncan thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°With church guardians and City-State law enforcement patrolling everywhere, those Heretics wouldn¡¯t dare to be so bold as to make a move these couple of days.¡±


    Nina happily nodded, ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Are you going back to school this afternoon?¡± Duncan asked again.


    ¡°Yes, I have history class in the afternoon. I wouldn¡¯t want to miss Mr. Morris¡¯s lecture,¡± Nina nodded, ¡°He¡¯s quite famous in the field of history¡­ But it¡¯s strange, why would a well-known teacher like him not teach at the university in the Upper City District but come to our public school in the Lower City District? Half the class doesn¡¯t like history; they just sleep through his lectures¡­¡±


    Duncan shook his head frankly, ¡°How would I know?¡±


    Joke aside, he barely knew Nina, let alone the Mr. Morris that taught history¡ªhe would need to dig through several hours of memories just to figure out where the public school Nina attended was located¡­


    And even if the original owner of this body did know something about his niece¡¯s current situation, it probably wasn¡¯t much¡ªby the time Duncan took over his life, he had clearly been mired in the heretical faith of the Sun for far too long and too deep.


    Since Nina had class in the afternoon, she didn¡¯t stay in the antique shop long after lunch. She hurriedly gathered her things, grabbed her textbook that she¡¯d left at home, and the girl dashed out of the house¡ªthere was nearly an hour¡¯s journey from the antique shop to the public school in the Lower City District, and she couldn¡¯t afford to waste a minute if she wanted to avoid being late for Mr. Morris¡¯s class.


    Of course, the city had public transportation, and even in the relatively backward Lower City District, steam-powered trams and trackless buses would pass through the streets, but these required a fare of four to six pesos.


    Nina smiled and told Duncan that running more often is good for health.


    If she had a bicycle, her journey to school would be much easier¡ªDuncan had seen people riding these vehicles on the streets of the Lower City District.


    In a society that had developed steam machinery, industrial products like bicycles weren¡¯t so expensive that ordinary people couldn¡¯t afford them, but to the residents of the Lower City District, they were certainly not cheap. A most ordinary bicycle might require half to a full month¡¯s living expenses for a family of three¡­ It was indeed a burden.


    Duncan didn¡¯t know where the identity he currently occupied would take him in the future, but watching Nina jog away and disappear around the corner of the street, he always felt¡­ that if he could afford it, he should probably be kinder to this girl.


    Even if it were just for the vegetable soup and salty pancakes from earlier.


    Moreover, she was a diligent and studious student.


    Perhaps he should seriously consider ways to make money in this ¡°civilized City-State.¡±


    With all sorts of thoughts whirling in his mind, he put down the newspaper in his hands and slowly walked to the end of the second-floor corridor, and after opening the narrow window, he gazed out, somewhat absent-mindedly, at the city streets bathed in sunlight.


    In this world, ¡°anomalies¡± and ¡°phenomena¡± had long been part of the civilization process, accompanying its development. Neither the authorities nor the Church hid the matters of the Transcendent realm from the public. Even a schoolgirl like Nina could directly learn about anomalies and phenomena from her textbooks.


    She even knew about the classification standard for anomalies and phenomena left by the Ancient Crete Kingdom and still in use today; she also knew a portion of those anomalies and phenomena that had their patterns explored and were publicly codenamed and identified.


    Yes, this part of the knowledge was even open to the entire society¡ªalthough not all of it.


    The authorities of each City-State and the Church both recognized a list; on this list, the most famous or dangerous anomalies and phenomena had their own special codes. These codes were not permanently unchanging; under special circumstances, some anomalies and phenomena might be eliminated or undergo Transformation, and their codes might be transferred or become vacant. But no matter how they changed, one thing was certain:


    Anomalies and phenomena that possessed a unique code and name were definitely either especially dangerous or powerful.


    The authorities publicized part of the list of anomalies and phenomena to ensure that every citizen was aware of these specific dangers so that everyone had the basic knowledge to protect themselves. On the other hand¡­ it was because some anomalies and phenomena were just too close to people¡¯s daily lives.


    These things had even permeated every corner of ordinary people¡¯s lives and every link in society¡¯s functioning. People could see them at any time; there was no way to hide them, nor was there a need to.


    Duncan raised his head and silently observed the sky.


    Phenomenon 001, Sun God.


    The massive celestial body traversing the sky, the great phenomenon that dominated the heavens during the Endless Sea era, was born on the morning of the second day after the collapse of the Ancient Crete Kingdom.


    Influence range¡ªworldwide, units affected¡ªunlimited, self-operating and moving, beyond human interference, fitting the definition of a phenomenon.


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    Historical records state that on the day the ancient kingdom fell, the seas raged, City-State crumbled, and the first dynasty¡¯s members nobly met their deaths in the dark, their blood saturating the ocean. Consequently, Phenomenon 001 rose from the sea, and since then, there was peaceful daylight over the Endless Sea.


    The Ancient Crete Kingdom, the first City-State civilization established by the survivors after the beginning of the Endless Sea era, lasted a mere century but left countless legacies that still benefit the world today.


    The word ¡°Crete¡± in ancient language means ¡°eternal night.¡±


    That was a century-long night.


    All of this was written in Nina¡¯s history textbook.

 Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Dual-Line Operation

    Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Dual-Line Operation


    This world had experienced astonishing historical changes. With the ¡°Great Annihilation¡± as a midpoint, the entire world¡ªeven fundamental principles¡ªunderwent a momentous upheaval, such that the era of the deep sea after the Great Annihilation and the Order Era before it could almost be considered two entirely different ¡°worlds.¡±


    But even so, there were still people who persistently organized the historical materials passed down since the Great Annihilation, attempting to extract the true appearance of history from the fragmented and even contradictory archives of various city-states.


    Unfortunately, perhaps because the succession had been too thoroughly severed, or possibly because the contradictions in the city-states¡¯ records were too chaotic, to this day, people had not been able to find a more complete and credible account of history prior to the Great Annihilation.


    No one knew what the world during the Order Era really looked like.


    But fortunately, the world since the ancient Crete Kingdom had a relatively clear historical succession left behind¡ªdespite the rise and fall, separation, and reunification of city-states on the Endless Sea, at least the continuity of civilization itself had never ceased. Memories of the ancient kingdom were preserved in books, carved into megaliths, or passed down from generation to generation in ancient, secretive families, and associations. Though much was scattered, some threads remained.


    And scholars believed that the reason why the civilization of the Deep Sea Era had extended to the present day under extremely adverse conditions was largely thanks to that miracle illuminating the world:


    The phenomenon 001, the Sun.


    This was the largest and most powerful phenomenon currently known to mankind¡ªin fact, because its scale was so immense and its existence so ¡°natural,¡± many scholars were debating whether the Sun was a phenomenon or a natural occurrence. However, the initial batch of chroniclers after the destruction of the Ancient Crete Kingdom, who were survivors of the ancient kingdom, referred to it as Phenomenon 001. This ancient designation had thus been passed down and remained unchanged to this day.


    Clearly, not all phenomena were terrifying and harmful. Phenomenon 001 brought safety for half the time to this world. During the daylight illuminated by the Sun, the pollution from the deeper layers of the world was almost entirely suppressed below the sea level, and it was this consistent daylight that made the development of various city-state civilizations possible to this day.


    According to the records left by the Ancient Crete Kingdom, after the onset of the Deep Sea Era and before the appearance of Phenomenon 001, an entire century passed in which the world was shrouded in night¡ªthe dim, cool glow of the Creation of the World illuminated the Endless Sea for a hundred years.


    Therefore, the people of the ancient kingdom would call their nation ¡°Evernight,¡± even using it to refer to their own era of existence.


    Duncan stood before the narrow window, thoughtfully looking at the world bathed in sunshine.


    What was the world like before the Great Annihilation?


    Before the dreadful century of perpetual night arrived, had the Sun ever shone upon everything in this world?


    It must have, for regardless of how much contradiction and gaps there were in the ancient records of different city-states, there was one point they all shared: the Order Era was a time of light, safety, and prosperity.


    But regardless, that prosperous and bright era was gone, and today¡¯s Endless Sea was illuminated by Phenomenon 001. Everyone knew this and was grateful for the daylight it brought.


    Thus, in such an era, the group that worshipped the ancient ¡°True Sun¡± and even used it to attack the current Sun in the sky, calling it a ¡°false sun,¡± appeared particularly paranoid and twisted, unacceptable to the public.


    Their attack was not just on the Sun in the sky; they were attacking the support on which human civilization struggled to survive in the Deep Sea Era to this day.


    Yet Duncan knew that the Sun worshipped by the heretics¡­ was very likely the true appearance of the Sun that had existed before the Great Annihilation.


    In some way, the heretics possessed a piece of the true history¡ªunfortunately, that true history had become the source of their distortion in this era.


    Duncan didn¡¯t believe the grand vision of the heretics could be realized, nor did he believe that they could really fabricate a burning fusion star through human sacrifices. The distorted state of this world far exceeded imagination. The current appearance of the Deep Sea Era could not simply be explained by the loss of a stellar body.


    After all, not even a single star was present in this night sky.


    Duncan returned to his room, closed the door, and beckoned to the cabinet next to him, calling down Ai Yi, who was sharpening its beak on top of it.


    The pigeon landed on his shoulder and cocked its head, ¡°Who is summoning the fleet?¡±


    Duncan ignored the bird, instead walked to the bed, and found the Sun Emblem he had previously hidden in the corner of the bedding. Then, after giving it some thought, he approached the cabinet, opened the door and found the drawer with the strong liquor, taking out two bottles.


    There seemed to be something stuck on the liquor bottles; Duncan curiously turned the bottles to see a small note affixed, with Nina¡¯s handwriting: ¡°Drink less.¡±


    The note seemed to have been placed there a long time ago.


    Every bottle had one, and none had ever had any effect.


    Duncan smiled, closed the drawer and cabinet, took two bottles of wine and the Sun Emblem back to the bed, and prodded Ai Yi to make sure it saw what he was holding.


    ¡°If possible, try to bring them to the Homeloss.¡±


    The pigeon immediately flapped its wings, letting out a proud coo, ¡°Honey, express delivery is on me!¡±


    Duncan nodded, then lay down in a comfortable position, beginning his preparations for the shuttle.


    He had been away from the Homeloss for too long, and even though the ship wouldn¡¯t run into any troubles without him watching, the captain couldn¡¯t just keep himself locked up in his room forever.


    Nina had classes at school in the afternoon and some other matters to attend to after that; she would be busy until late, so Duncan had already discussed with her to stay one more night at the school dormitory and come back after school the next afternoon.


    During this time, Duncan planned to investigate the details of Spirit Realm travel and, according to his previous concept, test whether he could control the movements of both bodies without completely cutting off the soul projection.


    Based on his perception of the Homeloss from ¡°this side,¡± this should be feasible.


    When occupying this ¡°fresh¡± body, the connection between himself and the physical Homeloss was clearly much stronger and more stable, giving him both confidence and inspiration.


    With his thoughts slowly settling down, Duncan exhaled lightly, a faint green flame ignited on his shoulder, crackling and popping as Ai Yi, in an instant, turned into the form of a spectral bird, with its brass Compass popping open at the chest.


    Boundless darkness, glowing lines, twinkling stars¡ªthe familiar tide of sensations rushed in, and the path back to the Homeloss was the brightest ¡°airlane¡± in this dark expanse.


    Duncan¡¯s consciousness surged along this airlane, and in the blink of an eye, he felt his main consciousness waking up in the captain¡¯s quarters of the Homeloss.


    But before fully leaving that dark space, he forcefully executed a ¡°brake¡± by leveraging his control over the spiritual fire and his soul, attempting to maintain the connection with that ¡°antique shop¡±¡­


    Inside the captain¡¯s quarters of the Homeloss, Duncan slowly opened his eyes.


    He looked down at his hands, then around the room, seeing familiar furnishings and hearing the familiar sound of waves.


    He slowly rose from the chair, and deep within his consciousness, the sensation of another body came through clearly!


    A smile gradually spread across Duncan¡¯s face as he began, according to his understanding, to try and sense and control his other body located in the antique shop through that distant connection.


    He tried several times.


    In the antique shop upstairs in Plunder City-State, the shopkeeper lying quietly on the bed suddenly opened his eyes!


    The next second, that body lying on the bed started moving its head in a stiff manner, observing the room like a zombie from left to right, then slowly moved its hands and feet as if forcing a rusted machine to function, initiating movement in its limbs.


    If a stranger had witnessed this scene, they probably would have panicked and gone to the nearest peacekeeper to report that someone had been possessed by an evil spirit.


    Looking at it from another angle, perhaps such a report wouldn¡¯t be entirely wrong?


    Inside the Homeloss captain¡¯s chamber, Duncan entertained these bizarre thoughts while clumsily ¡°remote viewing¡± and controlling that body to move.


    It was difficult; to direct physical movement from a remote connection without the consciousness being inside the body was harder than teaching a novice to manipulate a puppet with twenty-eight joints.


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    But after several attempts, he successfully got the body located in Plunder City-State to sit up from the bed!


    The next second, the imagery transmitted telepathically to his mind suddenly spun wildly.


    The body had collapsed onto the floor¡­


    Duncan sighed, ¡°Well, it looks like I¡¯ve got a long way to go in practice.¡±


    (Book recommendation time! The book is titled ¡°I Kidnapped the Timeline,¡± by Cut Cut Cut. It¡¯s a sci-fi genre novel about rewriting timelines to avoid an apocalyptic future! Check it out if you¡¯re interested~)

 Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52 The Captain is Not at Home

    Chapter 52: Chapter 52 The Captain is Not at Home


    One will, paying attention to two perspectives, controlling two bodies, doing completely different things¡ªthis was a quite novel experience for Duncan.


    It was also an extremely difficult challenge.


    He believed that he could no longer be considered an ordinary person, but even so, it was not easy to control two bodies without any burden. He worked hard to get used to this multitasking sensation and after a lot of effort, he barely managed to get the body in the antique shop back to bed, continuing to play dead.


    However, based on the feedback from the depths of his consciousness, he believed that he would eventually be able to master this multitasking skill¡ªit just required a lengthy period of familiarization and training.


    After settling the body in the antique shop properly and leaving some attention there, Duncan finally let out a sigh of relief.


    Ensuring a connection with the ¡°remote body¡± immediately after ending his walk in the Spirit Realm was the most crucial matter, directly related to whether his hard-won foothold in the civilized world could be used for a long time, and having managed this task, he felt much more at ease and had the energy to pay attention to other things.


    Just then, the sound of flapping wings came from beside him. The pigeon Ai Yi ran to Duncan in two or three steps. The bird stood tall, its eyes and tone filled with thick pride, ¡°Transmission successful!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze passed over the pigeon and fell on the table behind it.


    A pale golden Sun Emblem and two bottles of strong liquor were quietly sitting there.


    A smile slowly emerged on Duncan¡¯s face and then it became more and more radiant.


    Viable! It was possible for this pigeon to carry ¡°goods¡± during its travels in the Spirit Realm! And it was not limited to Transcendent items; it could also transport ordinary items!


    With a satisfied smile, he stood up and took a few items from the table, first checking the Sun Emblem to confirm that faint power was still circulating within this Transcendent artifact, which had been completely seized and transformed by his Spiritual Body¡¯s flame. Then he picked up one of the bottles of liquor, uncapped it and brought it to his nose, the strong aroma of alcohol immediately hit him.


    Duncan glanced down at Ai Yi, who had begun strutting proudly on the table.


    Efficient, high-quality, and with free shipping¡ªhe was starting to like this prattling pigeon.


    The pigeon immediately noticed its ¡°owner¡¯s¡± gaze and quickly ran to Duncan¡¯s side, pecking at the table with its beak, loudly demanding, ¡°Some fries! Some fries!¡±


    ¡°There are no fries on the ship for the moment, but I think that won¡¯t be a problem soon,¡± Duncan said cheerfully, grabbing the pigeon and holding it in his hand, eye to eye with its mung bean-sized eyes, ¡°I just don¡¯t know what the limit is for each material transmission you perform, whether it¡¯s limited to inanimate objects, and whether there is a risk of ¡®lost packages¡¯¡­ We¡¯ll need to test this several more times¡­¡±


    The pigeon pondered for a moment, its neck craning, ¡°Lost packages? Oh, the page is gone¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m worried about; your name always makes me feel it¡¯s not quite reliable,¡± Duncan¡¯s thoughts diverged for a moment. The fact that the pigeon had successfully transported more items to the Homeloss made him very excited. It led him to think of more viable trials, not just limited to shipping supplies to the ship. However, the pigeon¡¯s erratic intelligence and faulty logic always prevented him from lowering his guard. After much thought, he still felt multiple tests were necessary before establishing a ¡°supply line¡± between the Homeloss and land.


    With a plan in mind for his next steps, Duncan finally got up from his chair, walking toward the door to the chart room, but he stopped after only two steps.


    He moved the joints of his body around on the spot and stretched out his limbs, feeling the sensation in his extremities.


    Agile, strong, with no sense of fatigue or delay, as though he had only been sitting at the desk for a short while.


    Yet he was well aware that he had ¡°left¡± the Homeloss for over a day; while walking in the Spirit Realm, his body was left sitting at the captain¡¯s desk, maintaining that posture the whole time.


    Duncan paid close attention to the condition of his limbs. With the precise grasp of his own body¡¯s condition, he was nearly certain that this body had maintained exactly the state it was in the moment he left for the Spirit Realm, as if¡­ at the moment his consciousness left, the body had fallen into some sort of ¡°stasis.¡±


    Is this also part of ¡°Captain Duncan¡¯s¡± special powers? Or is it because I am actually half a ghost now, so I feel tireless like a ghost?


    He pondered curiously but was completely clueless.


    He had begun to understand the history of this world, the rise and fall of the City-States, but he couldn¡¯t unravel the secrets of his own body.


    However, it didn¡¯t seem like a bad thing, his body didn¡¯t require much ¡°maintenance,¡± which meant he could more comfortably allocate some of his energy elsewhere.


    Duncan was someone who could let things go easily, or rather, he was skilled at setting aside puzzles he couldn¡¯t solve at the moment. Once he had reconciled this in his mind, he went to the door and pushed open the door to the chart room.


    Captain Duncan was back.


    The oak door creaked softly, breaking the silence of the chart room. The next second, the wooden carved goat head at the edge of the navigation table suddenly made a crackling sound. The piece of wood quickly turned its head towards the source of the sound, and under its hollow gaze, it slowly began, ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal,¡± Duncan glanced at the goat head, ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°Ah! The great Captain Duncan has returned to his loyal Homeloss! Sorry, Captain, your journey through the Spirit Realm was a bit longer this time, so I need to reconfirm¡­ after all, these are the rules you set. How do you feel? Mood? Body? How was this lengthy journey through the Spirit Realm? Did you find anything interesting? Would you like to share with your loyal first mate and others as omitted below about this journey? Did you notice I just used ¡®as omitted below¡¯? Miss Alice said this makes conversation more concise, you might prefer it more concise like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up, your idea of being concise is lost in all that nonsense at the end,¡± Duncan glanced at the noisy creature, ¡°While I was away, did anything happen on the ship?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Captain Duncan¡¯s severity and humor are as consistent as ever, you¡¯re correct¡ªthe ship is all normal, your loyal as omitted below perfectly completed the steering task you entrusted. Also, Miss Alice came by twice, but it was nothing major, once she was fighting with the ropes, and another time with the anchor chain¡­¡±


    Duncan was about to move through the chart room to check on the deck, but he paused when he heard the goat head¡¯s words. He was puzzled, ¡°Why was she fighting with the ropes and anchor chain?¡±


    While he was wandering the Spirit Realm, he could sense what was happening on the Homeloss, but he didn¡¯t pay too much attention, only vaguely sensing Alice wandering around the ship ¡°exploring¡±¡­ How could she have such a lively time on the ship while he was away?


    ¡°Oh, actually Miss Alice meant well,¡± the goat head quickly answered, ¡°She felt it was bad to do nothing on the ship, so she wanted to find some work to do and went to organize the ropes and maintain the capstan¡ª but I forgot to tell her that the ropes are ticklish and the anchor chain needs a nap¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you angry, Captain?¡± The goat head¡¯s sudden silence made it nervous, and it wiggled its wooden head back and forth, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal, and besides, a ship¡¯s new member always needs some time to blend in with the old sailors¡ªnow they have entered the ¡®fighting¡¯ stage, which means Miss Alice is fitting in with the crew quite fast. In fact, she¡¯s quite popular aboard the Homeloss, most of the¡­¡±


    The goat head was only halfway through its words when a series of urgent footsteps suddenly came from the deck outside. The door to the captain¡¯s quarters was then yanked open, and Alice rushed in, ¡°Mr. Goat Head, why do the cannonballs in the ammunition depot keep rolling around and not letting me¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at Alice in silence.


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    Alice also noticed Duncan standing by the navigation table, and her whole body stiffened awkwardly as she faced him.


    ¡°Well, this is the third time,¡± the goat head on the navigation table let out a sigh, ¡°This time she was fighting with the cannonballs¡­ I admit, Miss Alice¡¯s blending process on the ship has been a tad too boisterous¡­¡±


    Alice shrank her neck (possibly reinforcing her joints) and looked nervously at the expressionless Duncan, ¡°Captain, you¡¯re back, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Duncan nodded, his face impassive, ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve had a good time on the ship while I was away?¡±


    Alice: ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53 "Descendants

    Chapter 53: Chapter 53 ¡°Descendants


    During her ¡°departure¡± from the Homeloss, Alice¡¯s activity on the ship was slightly beyond Duncan¡¯s¡­ expectations.


    He had always thought the Gothic doll was a depiction of an elegant and proper young lady¡ªthough she did headbang, surf, and trash talk, she was indeed graceful and quiet under normal circumstances. Careful about what she did on the ship, honest and dutiful in unfamiliar environments, and even just lying quietly like an ordinary doll in her box when she had nothing to do, projecting an image of being utterly harmless.


    But now, it seemed that she was only quiet when he was around?


    The suddenly somber atmosphere in the room made Alice feel a bit nervous, and she cautiously glanced at the expressionless Duncan, ¡°Captain, you¡¯re not mad, are you? I can explain¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you were trying to help, just unsuccessfully,¡± Duncan glanced at the doll and spoke with a hint of helplessness in his voice, ¡°but since you also know that many things on this ship are ¡®alive,¡¯ could you check with me or my first mate next time you want to do something?¡±


    Alice immediately nodded vigorously, loudly promising, ¡°Of course, Captain, no problem, Captain!¡±


    Then she quickly turned toward the goat head, muttering quietly, ¡°Is there such a thing as attempted helpfulness?¡±


    The goat head, unusually concise, replied, ¡°There is now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, if you really want to help, go check on the fish drying on the deck, or organize the storeroom in the kitchen, make some space. We might have a chance to replenish the food on the Homeloss in the future,¡± Duncan sighed, then said to Alice, ¡°Don¡¯t deal with the cannons below decks and the ammunition storage¡ªthey don¡¯t have complete intelligence like the goat head, those dangerous things just react instinctively to external stimuli, and if the ammunition storage thinks it¡¯s been damaged or invaded, I can only use a broom and dustpan to save you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Alice instantly shrank her neck and quickly agreed, turning to leave the captain¡¯s quarters.


    However, watching the doll leave, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but break into a faint smile.


    She was indeed a fascinating fellow¡ªthe slight chaos was inconsequential, and this lifeless Ghost Ship had really become lively thanks to her ups and downs.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re in a good mood, Captain,¡± came the voice of the goat head nearby, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re holding something in your hand¡­ what¡¯s that? Is it your gain from your travel to the Spirit Realm this time? Like that dagger from last time?¡±


    Duncan glanced at the Sun Emblem in his hand¡ªhe had left the strong liquor in his room and casually took the emblem with him, planning to study it when he was bored.


    ¡°It¡¯s a trophy,¡± he nodded, ¡°Just like the ceremonial dagger from last time.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Worthy of the great Captain Duncan! You always come back full, and what¡¯s more, with such extraordinary items that clearly possess magical powers¡­ wait, isn¡¯t that a Sun Amulet?¡±


    ¡°You recognize this thing?¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Correct, a Sun Amulet. A few audacious heretics handed it to me¡ªit was hard to refuse.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ do know a bit¡­¡± The goat head seemed to be observing the emblem carefully, sounding a little hesitant, ¡°Those madmen who follow the ancient True Sun consider this object a Sacred Relic. They believe that by casting it in metal in the image of the True Sun and quenching it with human blood, they can infuse the Sun¡¯s power into the emblem, and through this method mass-produce Transcendent objects with modest power¡­ Such amulets are symbols of status among the higher-ranked Sun followers, and tools they use to recognize their brethren, distinguish believers from heretics¡­¡±


    ¡°Distinguishing believers from heretics, huh¡­ it does have that function,¡± Duncan realized, ¡°Although I personally feel it¡¯s not very useful.¡±


    ¡°What happened to those reckless heretics afterward?¡± The goat head hesitated as it spoke, ¡°They are often paranoid and ignorant lunatics. Even the most contemptible pirates are unwilling to deal with these fanatics chasing after ancient artifacts. If they dared to offend¡­¡±


    ¡°They are no longer in this world,¡± Duncan watched the change in tone of the goat head while controlling his own expression, ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t have much liking for these self-titled ¡®Scions of the Sun¡¯ either?¡±


    After dealing with the mountain goat head for so long, Duncan had roughly figured out the odd ¡°first mate.¡± He was fairly certain that as long as he, ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± managed the ship well, the mountain goat head wouldn¡¯t cause any uncontrollable incidents. On this basis, his courage when speaking with the other party had been gradually growing.


    Now, he could cautiously take the initiative to inquire about some information.


    ¡°Who would like those madmen who follow the ancient True Sun? The ¡®light¡¯ and ¡®order¡¯ they aspire to are no longer accepted in this world,¡± the mountain goat head answered Duncan¡¯s questions as usual, ¡°Even Homeloss bathes in the sunlight of this era, and even the evil spirits wandering in the Mysterious Deep Sea would not prefer the ¡®sun¡¯ from before the age of the deep sea¡ªprobably only those heretics would think the resurrection of the True Sun is a good thing¡­¡±


    The mountain goat head paused here and then added with a hint of sentimentality, ¡°But then again, ninety-nine percent of those heretics are just a bunch of brainwashed fools. They don¡¯t even know what they¡¯re following or worshipping. They regard the so-called ¡®Scions of the Sun¡¯ as prophets and saviors and pine for the ancient world described by these scions as if it were heaven. But in my view, the Scions of the Sun don¡¯t even consider those fervent believers as their people¡­ They are no different from the scions in the deep sea.¡±


    Scions of the Sun? What does that mean? And it sounds like there are also deep-sea scions? What on earth is that?!


    Duncan¡¯s mind raced, a whole new unfamiliar term slapped across his face, bringing fresh confusion. He fiddled nonchalantly with the Sun Emblem in his hand as if asking offhandedly, ¡°Scions of the Sun? I haven¡¯t encountered them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s normal; the Scions of the Sun dare not casually show their faces in the civilized world, not even if they disguise themselves as humans. The church¡¯s hounds could sniff out the scent of heresy from their shadows in a minute¡ªeven in the end, being ¡®scions¡¯ of sorts, as remnants of ancient relics, they should rightly stay hidden in history¡¯s gutters¡­ Alas, among all types of ¡®scions¡¯, only they would stir up such trouble.¡±


    Duncan suddenly realized the mountain goat head¡¯s occasional babbling was actually quite beneficial¡ªalthough nine thousand out of its ten thousand words a day were nonsense, it could still blurt out useful information if he was lucky!


    Owing to not having fully grasped the mountain goat head¡¯s background, Duncan¡¯s ¡°probing¡± also had to be indirect; he dared not ask too overtly, but even with such indirect questioning, he quickly grasped many clues he hadn¡¯t been able to gather in Plunder City-State¡ª


    Scions appeared to be rather important intelligence; this world harbored creatures called ¡°scions,¡± and without exception, they were unacceptable to the civilized world. The mountain goat head referred to them as ¡°remnants of ancient relics¡±;


    Although there was a large number of believers worshiping the True Sun God, it seemed that the vast majority were just insignificant pawns, ignorant, blindly following, and brainwashed ¡°madmen.¡± Within their ¡°church¡± hierarchy, there were members of a higher status, ruling class¡­ the ones called ¡°Scions of the Sun¡±;


    These Scions of the Sun did not often show themselves in the civilized world. It seemed they had secret retreats unknown to the world and remotely influenced the Sun God¡¯s sects, covertly collecting offerings and energy;


    Lastly, and most importantly for the current Duncan,


    The mountain goat head held utter disdain for those heretics and the ¡°Scions of the Sun¡± behind them.


    This indicated that Homeloss, or rather ¡°the real Captain Duncan,¡± was not on the same side as those called ¡°scions¡±¡ªin fact, they were probably hostile factions.


    It seemed telling the mountain goat head about his interactions with the ¡°Sun¡¯s heretics¡± during his journey through the Spirit Realm was the right decision¡ªotherwise, who knows when he would have learned of this useful information.


    Such overly secretive knowledge wouldn¡¯t be found in Nina¡¯s textbooks.


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    Duncan left the captain¡¯s quarters, holding the Sun Amulet thoughtfully as he walked on the deck of Homeloss.


    There were many types of scions, and based on the intelligence provided by the mountain goat head¡ªthat scions are remnants of ancient relics¡ªalong with the fact that the Sun Believers worship a True Sun from before the Great Obliteration, he had reasonable suspicion that these so-called scions might very well be products of the Great Obliteration, possibly dating back to the ¡°Era of Order¡± before the Great Obliteration occurred.


    There were ¡°Scions of the Sun¡± above the sea level, and ¡°Scions of the Deep Sea¡± within it.


    Duncan found himself at the ship¡¯s railing, his curiosity piqued as he peered out at the enigmatic deep blue sea.


    In the sea¡­ turns out, there¡¯s more than just fish.

 Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Underground Sanctuary

    Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Underground Sanctuary


    In the end, Duncan didn¡¯t figure out exactly what ¡°Scions¡± were.


    The goat-headed being was vague on this matter, and it seemed because it didn¡¯t know the details of these ancient beings that roamed the fringes of civilization either. As for Duncan, he could only summarize a concept from the limited clues¡ª


    Scions were the products of ancient times, and they harbored hatred for the modern world. They possessed weird and dangerous powers and stayed hidden and unassuming in the dark. Except for the Scions of the Sun, other ¡°Scions¡± rarely appeared in the civilized world but threatened the safety of explorers in the peripheral areas.


    And among all this information, there was one particularly intriguing point:


    The Scions of the Sun seemed capable of disguising themselves as humans¡ªonly the transcendents of the Church could distinguish disguised Scions of the Sun from ordinary people.


    Duncan thought of the recent changes in Plunder City-State and the ¡°Believers of the Sun¡± who, after staying low-key for so many years, had suddenly become active.


    Behind the heretics¡¯ high-profile activities¡­ were they under the orders of the ¡°Scions¡±? What were those ancient and weird beings plotting against Plunder City-State?


    Duncan stood on the edge of the deck of Homeloss, gazing for a long time at the undulating sea below.


    There were Scions in the deep sea too, ancient beings different from the Scions of the Sun, ¡°they¡± threatened the safety of the long-haul fleets between City-States.


    Duncan was both wary and curious about these deep-sea creatures.


    He believed that although he had not dealt with these things, as long as the Homeloss still wandered the seas, sooner or later, he would encounter these weird creatures. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to make some extra preparations in advance.


    Whether gathering intelligence, further mastering his own powers, or unraveling the potential of Homeloss, he was planning for the future.


    Of course, he did not fear the hidden dangers of the deep sea¡ªafter all, he had been drifting on the boat for so long. He could guess there were many mysterious things in the deep sea. The Scions were just one of the countless weird threats. Too many lice do not itch, and too many debts are not worrisome. As the captain of Homeloss, he had a lot more to be vigilant about here.


    He pondered on the deck for a long time and realized that what he should worry about most was whether the ¡°supply line¡± he had just recently secured would be affected¡ªwould those deep-sea Scions impact his fishing?


    Though the carrier pigeon Ai Yi had the ability to transport materials, its carrying capacity and reliability were still uncertain. Moreover, Plunder City-State was an orderly place, and the supplies delivered to the ship had to be paid for, so the supply line might not be of use anytime soon.


    Considering the bountiful catch from the last fishing trip still fresh in his memory, Duncan was well aware that the improved living conditions aboard the Homeloss ultimately depended on nature¡¯s bounty.


    And now those ¡°Scions¡± had become a concern¡ªthey might affect nature¡¯s bounty.


    Duncan was somewhat worried; he only hoped that the ominous things in the sea wouldn¡¯t interfere with his fishing activities.


    ¡­


    The bright gas lamp shone brilliantly, dispelling the gloom of the church¡¯s underground facilities. The deep-sea runes carved into the lengthy corridors exuded a comforting power. These runes, containing symbols of waves and coasts interlinked, seemed to sketch out an invisible gigantic net, enveloping the entire underground structure of the building in a sacred and tranquil atmosphere.


    Fenna walked through the Underground Sanctuary of the church, this holy and silent place calming her somewhat agitated mind.


    The Storm Goddess, commanding the most powerful forces over the Endless Sea, was not only a symbol of the ferocious ¡°Storm.¡± This ancient deity also wielded the powers of tranquility and sealing.


    Just as the sea has two faces, calm and storm always coexisting harmoniously, the authority of the Goddess was the same¡ªthe Underground Sanctuary of the cathedral symbolized the ¡°Mirror of the Storm.¡±


    In this world, many deities have dual aspects or embody such dual characteristics. The god of death also governs vitality, and the god of wisdom also holds the authority over lunacy, foolishness, and madness. Ordinary people might not fully understand this aspect, but as a high-ranking church official, Fenna was very knowledgeable about it.


    She also knew that because of the dual nature of many deities, some extremely controversial and even heretical thoughts had arisen. Some scholars even believed that the entire world was dual in nature¡ªthat in some dimension, there existed a ¡°Land of Exhaustion,¡± a complete mirror image of the sea and dry land. It was an endless expanse of parched earth, with sparse rivers and oases scattered within the desolation, and that land even possessed an intelligence civilization that was quite similar to the real world, reflecting its myriad creations¡­


    These absurd speculations, built entirely on conjecture, were of course not recognized, and even Bishop Valentin of the enlightened Plunder City-State scoffed upon hearing such theories.


    To use the old man¡¯s own words, the existence of a Subspace beneath this world was already headache-inducing enough without folk theologians adding more to it, right?


    Suddenly, Fenna shook her head, gathering back her uncontrolled thoughts.


    In the quiet of the Underground Sanctuary, it was all too easy for a person¡¯s thoughts to wander uncontrollably. This was due to the overly tranquil psychological suggestion brought by the ¡°Mirror Image of the Storm,¡± which maximized the comfort provided by the Goddess¡¯s Shelter, weakening the psychological barriers of mortals to their utmost. This effect was intangible yet powerful, and even a well-trained Judge like herself was not immune.


    However, this special environment also had its uses.


    For example, making some fervent and mad Heretics speak.


    Fenna stopped at the end of the corridor of the Underground Sanctuary; here were several doors leading to various ¡°interrogation rooms,¡± and in the hallway between the doors stood a silent statue of the Storm Goddess.


    This statue differed from the one above in the church¡ªthe aboveground statue had open arms as if to accept the worship of all people, surrounded by an aura of infinite authority. Meanwhile, underground, the statue of the Goddess had hands clasped in front of her, serene and gentle, as if it were a girl listening attentively.


    Regardless of which statue it was, both had their faces veiled in light gauze¡ªsymbolizing the inscrutability of the divine.


    This depiction with hands clasped and listening was another pose of the Storm Goddess: the Girl of the Calm Sea.


    She suppressed the waters below the sea level, safeguarding the tranquility of the City-State¡¯s underground world.


    Fenna bowed before the statue of the Girl of the Calm Sea, then turned to push open the door of a nearby interrogation room.


    The sound of the turning door hinge broke the silence of the facility. As the door opened, a spacious yet dimly lit room appeared before Fenna.


    A large table was placed in the center of the room; Ms. Heidi, dressed in a black gown, was just rising from her seat at the table, and opposite, in a chair with restraining chains, sat a Sun Heretic, quiet and still.


    The heretic¡¯s eyes were lifeless, leaning crookedly against the armrest as though both reason and strength had been drained from his body, leaving only chaos behind.


    The room was still filled with the strong aroma of incense. Ms. Heidi¡¯s medical box on the table contained an empty large syringe, wriggling thorny vines, and a golden spike that seemed to still bear traces of blood.


    ¡°Oh, Lady Fenna, your timing is impeccable,¡± said Ms. Heidi, turning to greet her upon hearing the door. ¡°I have just completed a ¡®treatment.¡¯¡±


    Fenna¡¯s gaze swept over Ms. Heidi¡¯s medical box, her expression as stoic as ever, ¡°Honestly, I still find it hard to associate your set of tools with ¡®treatment¡¯¡­¡±


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    ¡°This is standard equipment for a mental health physician¡­ Okay, I admit I use them more frequently than a regular doctor might,¡± Ms. Heidi said, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°But what can I do if I¡¯m employed by the town hall and often assist the church as a ¡®Hypnotist¡¯? The ¡®patients¡¯ I deal with are never just normal patients, especially these Heretics. Rocking crystals and low-frequency swings are no match for a triple dose of ¡®Midnight Elixir.¡¯¡±


    ¡°¡­I strongly suspect the reason you always inject Heretics with a triple dose is that your giant syringe can only hold a triple dose,¡± Fenna made a wry comment to her familiar acquaintance before shaking her head. ¡°But that¡¯s not important. What matters is that you manage to pry open these people¡¯s mouths¡­ So tell me, what have you found?¡±


    ¡°A lot, and the findings are peculiar,¡± replied Ms. Heidi at once. ¡°I¡¯ve conducted deep hypnosis on several Heretics and employed some special techniques. Now I can almost confirm¡­ these Heretics who participated in the sacrificial ritual were likely not insane from a loss of control during the ritual¡­¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t go mad after the ritual went awry?¡± Fenna frowned immediately. Although after speaking with Bishop Valentin she knew the complexity of the case would exceed expectations, Heidi¡¯s words still took her by surprise. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve searched through their memories and found that their thinking¡­or rather, their cognitive logic, was already disordered before the final failed ritual began. To be more precise, it seems like these Heretics were affected by some sort of¡­cognitive filter from before the start of the ritual, to the extent that in their memories¡­ Hmm? Lady Fenna, you don¡¯t seem too surprised?¡±

 Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Soup for Dinner

    Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Soup for Dinner


    Fenna¡¯s expression, devoid of surprise, certainly did not fool Heidi, a ¡°mental therapist¡± who often collaborated with the church. She immediately guessed something from the Judge¡¯s reaction.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she cautiously asked, ¡°It seems¡­ that there¡¯s a significant issue with this incident?¡±


    Fenna nodded. ¡°A significant issue indeed.¡±


    Thinking to herself, Heidi quickly spoke while packing up her medical kit, ¡°I¡¯m off tomorrow, and I might be for a while¡­¡±


    ¡°Ms. Heidi, you may have already been linked to this case,¡± Fenna glanced at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but everyone present at the scene, including myself, was once exposed to some form of cognitive pollution. The mental issues you¡¯ve seen in these heretics happened to all of us too, only¡­ thanks to the Goddess¡¯s blessing, the contamination wasn¡¯t deep, so now we¡¯ve ¡®awakened.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Damn, I knew this job would lead to something like this,¡± Heidi said, stopping her packing. She touched her forehead. ¡°I should have listened to my father and taken over his business as an antique appraiser, or even my mother¡¯s suggestion of becoming a history teacher at a public school in the Cross District. That would have been much safer than dealing with heretics.¡±


    ¡°Look on the bright side, at least your current job allows you to maintain a decent living in the Upper City District,¡± Fenna shook her head. In Heidi¡¯s company¡ªa friend of similar age and a longtime acquaintance¡ªher demeanor was much more approachable than with her subordinates. ¡°But let¡¯s talk about your findings. They might help the church and the city hall get a handle on the situation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually quite straightforward, an obvious inconsistency,¡± Heidi sighed, revealing the clues she unearthed from the heretics¡¯ subconscious, ¡°On the night of the sacrificial ritual, a sacrifice went berserk in front of the Ancient Sun¡¯s totem and somehow sacrificed the officiating priest instead. Based on the clues we found at the scene, the one who triggered the disorder was actually a ¡®corpse¡¯ that had been sacrificed before. He came back to life and walked up to the altar, right?¡±


    Fenna nodded. ¡°Of course, I remember it clearly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where the problem lies¡­ If this sacrifice had already been offered once before, then why didn¡¯t any of the heretics on the scene recognize him? Ordinary heretics might be one thing, but why didn¡¯t the priest himself recognize that the sacrifice in front of him had been sacrificed by his own hands not long before?¡±


    Fenna slowly furrowed her brow. ¡°The heretics witnessed a sacrifice that had been offered once before reappear before their eyes yet no one perceived anything abnormal¡­ Their memories had been tampered with, their cognition distorted.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t notice this glaring inconsistency either, did we?¡± Heidi spread her hands with a bitter smile. ¡°In fact, until an hour ago, I hadn¡¯t realized that I had overlooked such an obvious issue. And only now have I learned from you that my own mental state had also been affected.¡±


    Fenna fell silent for a moment and turned to face the heretic who was still in a daze.


    Under the dual hypnotic effects of heavy doses of neurotropic drugs and potent incense, the heretic swayed his head slightly, gazing blankly at the tall lady before him.


    Fenna suddenly turned back and asked, ¡°Was the heretics¡¯ mutual slaughter after the chaos of the ritual also due to cognitive confusion?¡±


    ¡°Yes, in their memories I ¡®saw¡¯ some flickering images,¡± Heidi replied. ¡°These images seemed to have left a very strong impression on them, making them firmly believe that other attendees of the ritual were possessed or controlled by evil spirits. They didn¡¯t think they were slaying their fellows, but believed they were exorcising the evil spirits within them¡­¡±


    ¡°This is probably a warning from their soul¡¯s instincts¡ªheretics are still followers, and behind them, there¡¯s a malevolent Ancient Sun ¡®blessing¡¯ these people. When bizarre and immense dangers emerge, these blessed followers are likely to sense something,¡± Fenna analyzed based on her experience. ¡°Their crazed delusions more or less hinted at the truth, unfortunately, those untrained commoners didn¡¯t know how to interpret these warnings and fell into collective madness instead.¡±


    Heidi, looking seriously at Fenna, hesitated a few times before finally speaking cautiously, ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s really behind all this? Something even more sinister than that Ancient Sun?¡±


    Fenna thought for a moment, then shook her head gently, ¡°Better not to ask, Heidi. Your connection to this case isn¡¯t deep, but if you delve further, some irreversible bonds might be formed.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Since even you, as a Judge, say so, I¡¯d better protect my own life,¡± Heidi said, picking up her now packed medical kit. ¡°I really need to take a break¡­ Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not running away. There¡¯s an exhibition at the Marine Museum in a couple of days that I¡¯m quite interested in.¡±


    Fenna nodded. ¡°Visiting the Marine Museum is a good way to relax, and the Goddess¡¯s blessing is also imbued in those exhibits.¡±


    Heidi smiled, picked up her medical kit, and walked towards the door, but just as she was about to push it open, she suddenly stopped and looked back at Fenna uncertainly, ¡°You¡¯re sure¡­ the pollution really subsided?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, of course it has,¡± Fenna spread her hands in resignation. ¡°It¡¯s just some ¡®residual effects¡¯ we caught up with. You¡¯ve stayed in this tranquil Underground Sanctuary for so long, the Goddess¡¯s blessings have already cleansed the impact on you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved then,¡± Heidi finally exhaled, pushing open the door. ¡°See you next time, Judge Fenna.¡±


    Fenna watched as Ms. Heidi left the room.


    Beside her, the Sun Cultist, bewildered by the potent incense and neuro drugs, half-opened his eyes and stared blankly at Fenna.


    Modern civilization¡¯s drugs, incense passed down from ancient times, the serene environment of the sanctuary, and the Sun¡¯s ¡°blessing¡± deeply embedded in the soul, these chaotic powers entwined, converged, creating subtle influences within the heretic¡¯s body.


    In the heretic¡¯s eyes, Fenna¡¯s figure appeared hazy and blurred.


    He saw this Judge standing in front, her posture erect and resolute.


    He saw a vague silhouette standing behind Fenna, nearly transparent, surrounded by green flames.


    This tall illusion stood quietly behind Fenna, its face expressionless.


    ¡­


    Duncan sat expressionlessly in the chart room, watching the doll Alice busying herself in front of him.


    She brought over a large tray, on it shiny tableware, and a steaming bowl of soup.


    It smelled, possibly, like fish soup.


    Clearly, after getting more familiar with the environment aboard the Homeloss, this doll lady had come up with a new idea, to ¡°do something for the captain in her own way.¡±


    ¡°Dinner?¡± Duncan curiously watched the doll as she set the tableware and fish soup in front of him, ¡°How did you suddenly think of making this?¡±


    ¡°I finished organizing the kitchen¡¯s pantry, then saw the¡­fish in the bucket,¡± Alice said, her face full of smiles and pride, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of work on the ship I can¡¯t help with, but cooking, I can definitely do. From now on, I¡¯ll cook for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts,¡± Duncan didn¡¯t quite know what to make of this odd doll, but faced with Alice¡¯s sincere smile, it was hard for anyone to refuse. He was just a bit curious, ¡°But as a doll, can you cook?¡±


    ¡°I can learn; it seems quite simple,¡± Alice replied matter-of-factly, ¡°Just ask Mr. Goathead about the basics; he¡¯s told me lots about cooking¡­¡±


    Duncan expressionlessly glanced at the nearby Goathead, then back at Alice.


    A wooden sculpture and a doll made from an unknown material, neither equipped with a digestive system, yet here they were discussing cooking¡ªone daring to teach and the other daring to learn?


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    He didn¡¯t know what to feel but took the soup spoon and stirred the fish soup, thinking at least it smelled right. However, the next moment, his action froze.


    After a moment of silence, he fished a long, silver-white hair from the spoon.


    ¡°Your hair fell into it.¡± Duncan said expressionlessly.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not that I dropped my hair in it,¡± Alice immediately waved her hands, ¡°My head fell in¡­ But don¡¯t worry, I fished it out right away, all by myself, without any help!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56: The Lower Level

    Chapter 56: Chapter 56: The Lower Level


    This matter was really too sinister, and so Duncan had never been able to bring himself to eat that bowl of fish soup.


    After all, just the thought of the doll Miss¡¯s head bobbing and rolling in the soup pot made him feel as if his dinner scenes were sprinting straight towards curses and the Grim Reaper¡ªeven though Alice¡¯s true form was actually cheerful to no end, the incident of her head falling into the pot was still a bit too horrifying¡­


    The doll Miss seemed a bit hurt; she looked at the food Duncan had set aside, her hands clutching the lace decorations at the hem of her clothing, ¡°Captain, are you angry?¡±


    Duncan, exhausted in both body and spirit, glanced at the doll, ¡°If there¡¯s anything you¡¯re unhappy with aboard the ship, you can tell me directly¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Ah? I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    ¡°Then try not to enter the kitchen again¡­¡± Duncan said offhandedly, but he quickly noticed Alice¡¯s increasingly dejected expression and ultimately couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and change his tone, ¡°Never mind, your intentions were good, and actually, I¡¯m quite pleased, but cooking¡­ accidents can happen when one is not skilled. You¡¯ll get the hang of it later.¡±


    Alice immediately perked up, ¡°So I can still try again in the future?¡±


    Duncan restrained himself for a long moment, finally nodding, ¡°Just¡­ be cautious.¡±


    He had given this some thought: it was obvious that the cursed doll couldn¡¯t stand the current way of life on the Homeloss, and perhaps she really had a certain ¡°trait¡± that required her to do something on this ship to settle down; she was, after all, a thinking, individual personality, and Duncan felt he couldn¡¯t always treat this doll with dismissal.


    Compared to that, letting Alice help in the kitchen was better than letting her continue to fight with ropes, anchor chains, and cannonballs¡ªat least the pots and pans aboard the Homeloss had comparatively better temperaments.


    He looked down at the fish soup to his side; to be fair, the taste of the soup was actually quite normal. Despite the ship¡¯s limited seasonings, it was perfectly cooked, and for a doll who lacked both taste and a digestive system, the fact that Alice could achieve this level based solely on the theoretical knowledge she had heard (and that too from a goat head who also didn¡¯t consume human food) was truly remarkable.


    Two creatures who didn¡¯t need human food had managed to concoct a meal fit for humans¡ªwhat more could Duncan ask for? He figured that if the doll was just a bit more careful, she should be able to handle the work in the kitchen¡ªthis way at least he, as the ship¡¯s captain, wouldn¡¯t have to cook himself anymore.


    ¡°Then¡­ Captain, would you like me to make you something else?¡± Alice¡¯s voice came from the side, interrupting Duncan¡¯s thoughts, ¡°I also learned to bake fish and make fish fillets from Mr. Goat Head, we have the ingredients in the kitchen¡­¡±


    ¡°Not for now, I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Duncan shook his head; his own body didn¡¯t actually require much food, and his regular three meals a day were maintained merely to keep up the habit of being a ¡°human.¡± At this moment, a bowl of Alice¡¯s excellent soup had dissipated his appetite for the rest of the day, so he simply rose from the table and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a walk through the ship¡¯s hold.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to the hold?¡± Alice was taken aback for a moment, and then as if remembering something, her expression grew a bit tense, ¡°Then¡­ could you check on ¡®down below¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Down below?¡± Duncan furrowed his brow.


    The deeper chambers¡ªthe places she wasn¡¯t allowed to go,¡± Alice explained, ¡°I always hear squeaking and creaking sounds coming from down there, and sometimes it sounds as if someone is muttering under the floorboards. Could you check¡­ to see if something is amiss down there?¡±


    Seeing the doll Miss¡¯s slightly anxious expression, Duncan¡¯s heart gradually began to sink.


    The depths of the Homeloss¡­ that was a place he had yet to explore!


    Because the deepest part felt eerily dangerous, and at that time he hadn¡¯t ¡°taken the helm¡± nor had he mastered the power of the Spiritual Body¡¯s flame, so he had stopped short of exploring the deeper chambers on his previous attempts¡ªof course, he indeed had plans to further explore in the future, but it seemed that plans couldn¡¯t keep up with changes.


    Just then, the voice of the goat head came from the side, ¡°Ah, it sounds like the bottom of the hold is getting restless; Captain, will you go down to have a look?¡±


    Before Duncan could even speak, the goat head began to ramble on, ¡°Come to think of it, you really haven¡¯t checked down there for a long time. The hold needs some pacifying by the captain; you know, it has been soaking in the Endless Sea after all¡­ Are you taking your oil lamp? It¡¯s still in the usual spot, right behind the door¡­ You¡¯ve been active on the upper levels recently, and the fellows below have been making quite the racket¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t believe how annoying they¡¯ve been. Ah, I¡¯m a lover of quiet, can¡¯t stand those creaking and squeaking sounds in the middle of the night¡­¡±


    Duncan silently gave the goat head a look, prompting him to quiet down at once.


    Frankly, after hearing some of the content the goat head had prattled on about, he suddenly felt even more aversion to that eerie hold¡ªit sounded as if it had been heavily influenced by the deeper reaches of the Endless Sea and had become a structure that, even aboard the Homeloss, was considered ¡°off.¡±


    But the feeling of aversion only lingered in his mind for less than a second.


    Sooner or later, he was going to conduct further exploration of the Homeloss¡¯s other structures, and it was better to do it sooner rather than later¡­ Reason told him that it was better to act sooner rather than later.


    The Homeloss was huge, not just in length, but its chambers also extended far below, divided into many levels. The areas Duncan was familiar with were currently only the upper structure of the ship¡ªincluding the deck area, the upper hold beneath the deck with the ammunition depot and cannon area, and the next level down with the storage, fresh water tanks, and some of the crew¡¯s quarters. Based on his previous explorations, he could fully imagine just how vast the structures might be below these areas, hidden in the darkness.


    These structures were located below the waterline and, judging by the depth, they were completely submerged in the Endless Sea.


    Dark, eerie, echoing with hollow wind sounds or howls¡ªthe deeper they went, the more sinister the environment inside the Homeloss became.


    Duncan did not understand his ship¡ªthis situation could not drag on indefinitely.


    He was now the captain of the ship, Homeloss was his foothold, and it was his base of operations in this world; he could not afford to be so ignorant about his own foundation¡ªeven just to survive for a long time on the Endless Sea, teeming with abnormalities and phenomena, he had to clearly understand the potential and dangers of Homeloss.


    Who knew whether a crisis would come tomorrow, who knew whether Homeloss would collide with the offspring of the deep sea or colliding with the collapsing boundaries of reality in the next second.


    Moreover, Goat-Head had just mentioned: the bilge needed the captain¡¯s soothing.


    The ¡°captain¡± had not gone down to the lower decks for too long¡­ If this continued, it seemed that something bad would happen.


    Duncan stood up, went to the door, and found the lantern that Goat-Head had mentioned.


    It was a very old lantern with a copper frame that was wider at the top and narrowing down into a hexagonal prism, with glass lampshades set into the copper frame, appearing somewhat blurry. But inside the lampshade, Duncan did not see anything like a wick.


    He did not show curiosity, nor did he ask Goat-Head. After a brief and silent contemplation, he tried to activate the eerie green Spiritual Body flame and infused this power into the lantern.


    A bright green flame immediately leaped and burned inside the lampshade, and the ancient lantern began to release a continuous glow.


    Wherever the light from the lantern shone, an eerie atmosphere somehow spread, but standing within this light, Duncan suddenly felt an inexplicable calmness and sense of control; it was as if he could faintly sense his own power spreading with the light, and every detail of things touched by the light clearly reflected in his mind.


    Suddenly, the pigeon Ai Yi fluttered over and landed on Duncan¡¯s shoulder.


    It had already taken on that translucent shape of a ghostly bird¡ªthough Duncan had not actively ¡°activated¡± the pigeon, under the illumination of the lantern, it had still passively completed the ¡°transformation¡±.


    Duncan looked down at the lantern in his hand and thought it might be something useful¡­ It seemed to be able to spread his power into the surrounding environment with minimal loss and maintain a ¡°force field¡± that combined detection, early warning, and even controlling capabilities. This Trait was obviously quite suitable for long-term exploration in unfamiliar or dangerous areas.


    ¡°Captain¡­ may I join you?¡±


    Duncan turned around and saw Alice standing behind him, curiously looking at the lantern while also wearing an eager expression: ¡°I¡¯ve never been to the lower levels yet! Mr. Goat-Head said I couldn¡¯t go down without your permission¡­¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment and gave a slight nod, ¡°Yes, you can.¡±


    He still didn¡¯t know what was in the lower decks, but anyway that was a part of Homeloss, and since he had successfully ¡°taken the helm,¡± there shouldn¡¯t be any great danger in the bilge. Bringing this automaton along might even lend him a hand.


    Goat-Head, left on the navigation table, did not voice any opinion, apparently, in its view, it was quite normal for the captain to inspect Homeloss¡ªbringing a helper was equally so.


    Outside the cabin, night had gradually fallen, the cold glow of Creation of the World illuminated the sea surface, shining on the empty deck of the Ghost Ship, with the translucent Spiritual Body sails billowing in the air, slowly adjusting their angles without human control.


    Duncan, holding the lantern, armed with his side-sword and flintlock pistol, walked across the empty deck with Alice, passing through the two upper deck cabins, and down the wooden stairs towards the depth of Homeloss¡¯s cabin.


    The stairs at the end of the sailor¡¯s cabin were where Duncan had previously stopped his exploration.


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    An odd dimness loomed around the stairway sloping downwards, and in the darkness, one could only faintly see the supporting pillars and some wall structures of the cabin.


    ¡°This is so dark below,¡± Alice stood at the top of the stairs, looking nervously at the dim environment below, ¡°Isn¡¯t there lighting down there? Everywhere else has those ever-burning oil lamps¡­¡±


    ¡°No, there are lights down there,¡± Duncan said slowly, holding the lantern, his voice low as the power from the lantern suffused the area, allowing him to see much clearer than before into the cabin below, ¡°¡­it¡¯s just that the lights down there are black.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Alice blinked, taking a moment to grasp the concept, ¡°There¡¯s black light?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond at once, just slowly walked down with the lantern until Alice followed him; then he softly said, ¡°After all, we¡¯re already below the surface of the Endless Sea.¡±

 Chapter 20

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The scale of this sewer system was incredibly vast, so much so that, in Duncan¡¯s eyes, it had clearly surpassed the mere necessity of ¡°city sewage disposal.¡± The gas lamps adorned with runes seen throughout the sewers, as well as the reinforced structures that seemed capable of serving as shelters, led him to speculate wildly about the true purpose of this subterranean facility.


    Regardless of what the architects had originally intended, one fact was starkly evident: deep within this massive complex, away from the gaze of the world above, this dark and chilly place had become the breeding ground for some sort of malevolent force.


    A cult, ostensibly worshipping the Sun God, that could only evoke a sense of chill in those who beheld it.


    At the intersection of several corridors within the sewer was a spacious underground chamber, its dome built of bricks and stone and supported by solid concrete pillars. Metal pipes crisscrossed near the dome like a spiderweb, while the bright gas lamps illuminated the entire space and the gathered crowd at this ¡°junction.¡±


    A quick glance revealed that at least a few hundred robed figures had congregated in this dank and musty locale. Amidst them was a raised platform protruding from the ground, upon which stood another figure, clad in a similar robe but notably taller¡ªit was clear that this individual held the highest status among the congregation.


    The figure on the platform did not wear the hood that adorned the others; instead, a golden mask graced his visage. The mask¡¯s design was bizarre, resembling a disc radiating endless flames in all directions, its surface also etched with numerous fragmented cracks.


    Behind this masked figure, atop the platform, was a peculiar totem¡ªa tall wooden stake, with a fireball blazing at its tip. At the core of the fireball seemed to be some type of metal, pocked with many small holes, from which the flames furiously erupted.


    When Duncan was ¡°escorted¡± to this place, this was the scene that lay before his eyes.


    The gathering of robed figures also took notice of him.


    ¡°On our way to the assembly, we caught an escapee meant for sacrifice!¡± one of the robed figures who had escorted him stepped forward and spoke deferentially to the platform¡¯s ¡°leader,¡± his tone not without a hint of self-congratulation, ¡°This sacrifice has spent too long in the darkness and has become somewhat delusional. May you bestow your might so that the glory of our lord may descend upon this pitiable body!¡±


    The golden-masked Cult Priest on the platform turned toward Duncan with an expressionless face, his tone carrying a trace of surprise and chill, ¡°An escaped sacrifice?¡±


    Duncan, however, showed no reaction. He was merely observing the place curiously, including the golden mask on the Cult Priest¡¯s face and the totem of the blazing fireball behind him.


    Perhaps, to the common people of this world, these symbols would be deemed bizarre and strange. But he recognized almost instantly what they were attempting to emulate¡ªthe Sun.


    Not the Sun as it was now in the sky, bound by flames and two layers of Rune Circles, but the Sun he knew, radiating glorious beams of light, burning fiercely.


    These people were genuinely worshipping the Sun, venerating what appeared to be a Sun that had ¡°fallen¡± in some ancient era, and they did so as if it were a deity.


    Duncan raised his head and looked squarely at the black-robed Cult Priest who towered above on the platform. Perhaps due to the decay of his facial muscles, his composed demeanor seemed more to the other like a numbness devoid of Spiritual Intelligence.


    The golden-masked priest locked eyes with Duncan for less than two seconds before turning his head, instructing someone standing beside the platform, ¡°Go check the place where the sacrifices are held, quickly report back.¡±


    After the order, he nodded at those who had ¡°escorted¡± the sacrifice back, his tone carrying a touch of praise, ¡°You have done well. Even minor contributions to the cause will transform into eternal glory for you when the True Sun once again shines upon all creation.¡±


    A lukewarm praise given perfunctorily, a few robed individuals seemed to receive immense encouragement, becoming excited as they praised the ¡°True Sun God¡± and pushed Duncan to the front of the platform. The masked priest then addressed Duncan for the first time, ¡°Poor soul, who has strayed¡­ Could you feel the deep chill amidst the lightless stones and earth?¡±


    Duncan could not grasp what this charlatan was saying, leaving him silent and waiting. The priest, apparently, did not care about the ¡°sacrifice¡± before him. His words were not so much for Duncan to hear as they were for the surrounding congregation and the Sun God he so fervently believed in:


    ¡°Cold and darkness are the afflictions left to this world by the false sun. Under the dominion of the false sun, the vast ocean of gloom and shadow ravages the earth, with only fractured patches of land allowing creatures a meager existence. Even upon these shattered lands, people struggle to escape suffering. The remnants of the old shadows lie beneath the ground, and in the lightless caverns, they writhe their devouring tendrils. Hatred and strife fill the surface world, the pure souls of mankind tainted by the breath invoked by the Evil God¡­¡±


    ¡°How do we endure this enduring torment? How do we bear the twisted and grotesque world brought upon by the false sun?¡±


    ¡°We cannot bear this any longer, we only wish for our Lord to return, we yearn for the True Sun God to descend upon the Earth once more, to burn fiercely from blood and fire, to bring back order and prosperity to mankind!¡±


    Under the stirring tone of the masked priest, Duncan could clearly feel a change in the atmosphere of the assembly. The black-robed followers became agitated one after another, first echoing the sentiment, then the echoes turned into fervent cries, ¡°We yearn for the True Sun God to descend upon the Earth once more! To burn fiercely from blood and fire!¡± ¡°We yearn for the True Sun God to descend upon the Earth once more! To burn fiercely from blood and fire!¡±


    ¡°We yearn for the True Sun God to descend upon the Earth,¡± the priest on the high platform said loudly, and then pointed at Duncan, ¡°and today, our Lord will awaken further from his slumber¡ªthe blood of the wanderer will soothe the wounds from the Sun¡¯s fracture!¡±


    ¡°Bring the sacrifice up!¡±


    A few in black robes surged forward, but Duncan was faster¡ªthey didn¡¯t even need to push, as he flipped himself up onto the altar.


    This body wasn¡¯t much for use, but it was capable of climbing onto an altar.


    After climbing up, he came before the masked priest, who still maintained the dignified and mysterious pose from when he had given the order. The shift happened so suddenly, completely beyond the usual unfolding experiences, that the cult leader was caught off guard. Separated by a golden mask, he and Duncan stared at each other, and suddenly the area around the altar fell into a bizarre silence.


    Yet Duncan seemed to have taken no notice of the change in atmosphere. He only felt that he had collected more intelligence about this world and was very much looking forward to whether he could witness more rare phenomena before this ¡°temporary body¡± was disposed of.


    ¡°So, what then,¡± Duncan rubbed his hands with a certain inquisitive anticipation, asking very seriously, ¡°What¡¯s the next step?¡±


    The masked priest: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t catch that?¡± Duncan frowned¡ªthough because the muscles on his face weren¡¯t very responsive, it wasn¡¯t a clear frown, ¡°I said, what are we supposed to do next?¡±


    It was then the priest finally came to his senses. Although separated by a mask, there was a moment of confusion in his eyes, but he soon spoke with a deep voice: ¡°The shadows in the darkness have indeed affected your mind, but fear not, the most high and holy Sun will end your suffering¡­ Take the sacrifice to the totem!¡±


    Immediately, two black-robed individuals stepped up onto the platform, grabbing Duncan by the arms and leading him towards the totem pillar topped with a fireball. Duncan was not familiar with this step, naturally he couldn¡¯t ¡°cooperate in advance,¡± but he remained non-resistive, honestly standing under the burning fireball, ¡°restrained¡± by the two black-robed men.


    Despite Duncan not making any resistive movements, the two black-robed individuals still gripped his arms with great force, as if they feared the sacrifice might make a last-ditch struggle to break free. Their strength was immense, and Duncan could even feel the bones of this temporary body beginning to crack slightly, which made him look at the two black-robed men with significant surprise.


    And immediately following, the masked priest came over again.


    Duncan¡¯s attention was drawn immediately, as he saw the priest pull out a strangely-shaped dagger from within his robes. The dagger was twisted and warped like dried and contorted joints, its blade black as if forged from obsidian, reflecting the firelight from the totem, creating a peculiarly eerie appearance.


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    Duncan silently prepared to sever the ¡°soul projection,¡± knowing that this temporary body had probably collected as much intelligence as it could.


    The Cult Priest¡¯s prayer began to echo on the high platform:


    ¡°Most high and holy Sun God! Please accept the sacrifice upon this high altar! I offer you the heart of this sacrifice, may you return from blood and fire!¡±


    Duncan immediately stopped the act of severing the soul projection and looked at the cult priest before him as if he was looking at an idiot.


    (Damn it!)

 Chapter 21

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Upon hearing the content of the prayer recited by the cult priest, Duncan immediately stopped his attempt to sever his soul projection and return to the Homeloss.


    He looked at the mask-wearing priest who had just finished the fanatical prayer as if he was staring at a fool. He watched the priest raise a small dagger, seemingly carved out of obsidian, high into the air. He observed the believers surrounding the altar get excited, chanting in unison the name of their ¡°lord,¡± the ¡°true Sun God¡± said to have fallen and shattered many years ago in legend.


    They intended to offer him, their ¡°sacrifice,¡± to the Sun God, specifically by offering the sacrifice¡¯s heart.


    Now Duncan finally understood the grisly scene he had witnessed in that cave earlier, realizing the mad and sinister acts of these heretics.


    Then, he saw the mask-wearing priest take a step towards him, the surface of the raised obsidian dagger in the priest¡¯s hand suddenly emanating a layer of pitch-black flames.


    This eye-catching supernatural phenomenon instantly piqued Duncan¡¯s curiosity. He speculated whether this dagger was also some sort of ¡°anomalous¡± item, whether the priest before him was a ¡°special human¡± capable of wielding transcendent powers, how many special beings like this existed in this world¡¯s civilized society, and what social roles they might play.


    Meanwhile, with an expressionless face, he watched as the dagger, burning with black flames, stabbed down, plunging straight into his chest with a hollow thud, as if piercing through several layers of tattered cloth.


    The flames burned inside for a moment but caught nothing.


    Behind him, on the totem pillar, the burning fireball suddenly emitted a series of alarming crackles and pops. Mixed within those sounds seemed to be a tearing, dizzying noise. Duncan faintly felt as if something was spreading out from that fireball¡ªan icy and crazed ¡°touch.¡± He struggled to describe the sensation, not only because of the dull senses of the body he was temporarily occupying but also because it was beyond any experience he had ever had. He only knew one thing: in this world where transcendent phenomena truly existed, the sacrifice ritual being conducted by the priest before him had undoubtedly encountered major trouble.


    The anomaly that occurred on the totem pillar, ¡°symbolizing the sun,¡± immediately caught the attention of the closest believers. Accompanied by a few suppressed exclamations, the scene quickly quieted down from its frenzy. Even the two figures in dark robes who had been firmly restraining Duncan¡¯s arms seemed as if they were deterred by something, releasing him in terror and kneeling down before the totem pillar with reverence. Even the obsidian dagger-wielding priest froze in place, maintaining the gesture of holding the blade while staring intently at the face of the ¡°sacrifice.¡± Through the holes in his mask, Duncan could see a pair of eyes engulfed in confusion and chaos.


    Duncan twisted his stiff mouth into a grotesque smile, slowly raised his right hand, and rested it on the priest¡¯s hand that clutched the obsidian dagger. Threads of green flames flowed like water, infiltrating and slowly winding around the dagger.


    Almost instantly, Duncan felt a ¡°feedback¡± from the dagger, but strangely, this feedback felt weak and hollow, as if the dagger were a mere imitation, an empty shell housing only a trace of ¡°borrowed power.¡±


    But to him, whether the dagger was an imitation did not matter.


    He smiled at the priest, saying in a leisurely tone, ¡°I have two things to say.¡±


    The next moment, the priest felt the connection between himself and the obsidian dagger abruptly disrupted by some external force. His sincere and fanatical faith in the Sun God seemed to have smashed against an impenetrable barrier as if directly severed.


    ¡°First, I am a broad-minded person¡ªsee, this broad.¡±


    Duncan tore off the already tattered cloth, now further slit by the dagger, revealing a ghastly gaping hole. Through the terrible hole, the priest officiating the sacrifice ceremony could even clearly see the scene behind Duncan.


    ¡°Second, try to avoid offering your lord expired food.¡±


    Duncan gently pushed the priest¡¯s hand away. For some reason, after he entwined the obsidian dagger with the green flames of his spiritual body, the priest seemed to have lost much of his strength, allowing Duncan¡¯s now frail and powerless body to easily push the large and strong priest away.


    After being pushed back, the priest seemed to snap back to reality, engulfed by immense terror and anger. His muscles quivering, he pointed at Duncan as if a loud shouting would restore order to the ritual site: ¡°A resurrected abomination! This is a resurrected wraith! You have desecrated this sacred sacrifice! Abomination¡­ Who is the audacious necromancer behind you?! Are you not afraid of the Sun¡¯s might?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Duncan glanced at the obsidian dagger held in his hand, feeling the weak feedback from it as he casually spoke. Then he looked up at the priest before him, listening to the popping noises coming from behind at the totem pillar, when a bold and brilliant idea suddenly struck him, ¡°But I do have a sudden urge to satisfy my curiosity.¡±


    Having said that, he suddenly raised the obsidian dagger in his hand, pointing it at the mask-wearing priest and loudly declared in front of a group of black-robed believers who were still in a state of chaos and panic:


    ¡°O most high and holy Sun God! Please accept this sacrifice upon the altar! I offer you the heart of this offering, may you return from blood and fire!¡±


    The next second, he saw the flames burst forth from the obsidian knife, and the cold sensation that had been spreading from the totem behind him suddenly drew back and aimed at the masked priest not far away. Duncan saw the priest¡¯s eyes fill with terror, as if he wanted to leave the altar at once, but the knife was faster¡ª


    The knife flew out of Duncan¡¯s hand, drawn by some invisible force, wrapped in blazing black flames and entwined with a faint green fire, and pierced straight into the priest¡¯s chest. With a shrill scream, the chest of the cult leader was punctured, and his heart turned to ashes in an instant.


    The next second, the knife was back in Duncan¡¯s hand, and with this back and forth action, the bit of power contained within it seemed to have finally drained completely.


    It was known that within the range of the cult¡¯s sacrificial altar were two people: one with a heart, one without. And a certain Evil God today definitely wanted a human heart to taste¡ªso, who would lose their heart?


    Obviously, it would be the one who has a heart.


    Even if this logic held, the smoothness of the whole affair still exceeded Duncan¡¯s expectations. He couldn¡¯t believe that his wildly imaginative ¡°trial¡± would actually work. It wasn¡¯t until he saw the cult priest fall that he turned his head to look at the now peaceful totem behind him and muttered in a strange tone, ¡°So as long as the words are right, anyone can provide the offering?¡±


    The fireball atop the totem would, of course, not answer his question, but the heretics around the altar had by this time clearly come to their senses. A great panic was inevitable, yet amidst the chaos, there were fervent believers who erupted in anger¡ªan anger that even surpassed the fear they felt when the totem had shown ominous signs!


    A few heretics closest to the altar were the first to react, rushing towards Duncan and chanting the name of the Sun God. These boldest of believers soon spurred on many more, and a large group of robed figures charged mindlessly forward, some even drawing short swords and daggers hidden beneath their robes.


    Duncan had actually planned to shout ¡°I sacrifice the hearts of everyone on the altar to the Sun God¡± to test the appetite of this bizarre Evil God, but when he saw that some of the charging heretics were even pulling revolvers from their bosoms, he immediately discarded the idea. Considering the time it took for the ritual to take effect and the ¡°seven steps to swift and sure¡± rule, he flipped off the group of heretics in a neat and tidy fashion and severed his soul projection state.


    Let those maniacs go crazy. He was going back to the Homeloss.


    At the same time, on the vast Endless Sea, rhythmic footsteps sounded on the deck of the Homeloss.


    The automaton Alice, dressed in a lavish Gothic gown, left her room and came to the captain¡¯s cabin door.


    The exquisite wooden box was not following behind the doll this time; she had left it inside her room.


    The captain had said she was free to move around the lower deck cabins, walk about on the deck, and if there was anything she didn¡¯t understand, she could come directly to the captain¡¯s cabin to find him.


    Alice remembered this very clearly.


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    (Time to recommend a book! The first recommendation for this book comes from writer Shanxia Xiaodaoren¡¯s ¡°The Lazy Prince of the Great Ming Dynasty¡±. Here¡¯s the blurb:


    Zhu Yijing, the grandson of Emperor Zhengde of the Great Ming Dynasty and the biological son of Empress Dowager Kangning, looked at his proud elder brother, his judicious second brother, and his impassive, inscrutable mother¡­ Hmm, it seems he doesn¡¯t have much to do?


    Thus, the young man comfortably donned the hat of disgrace that is the transmigrator and began his salty fish life of idleness and waiting for death.


    Until a bowl of chicken soup came his way.


    ¡°Ahahaha! Here comes the chicken soup!¡±)

 Chapter 22

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Alice stopped at the door to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Miss Doll looked up and gazed at the dark oak door before her, noting the line of words written in beautiful cursive letters on the door frame: The Displaced¡¯s Door.


    It wasn¡¯t strange for such a line of words to appear on the door frame of the Homeloss¡¯ captain¡¯s quarters, but Alice still subconsciously furrowed her brow¡ªher curiosity was not about the door itself, but about why she recognized ¡°text¡±.


    She had no memory of learning how to read, in fact, she had no memories of ¡°learning¡± anything, nor did she remember accumulating any experience of moving about outside or conversing with people, yet this knowledge seemed to be naturally present in her mind.


    She could understand the letters on the door frame of the captain¡¯s quarters and knew the purpose of various objects in the room, but such things could not be learned simply by lying in a wooden box listening to conversations outside¡ªso where did this knowledge come from?


    Before today, Alice had never considered this question, but somehow, after talking to that ¡°Captain Duncan¡±, the concept of ¡°curiosity¡± suddenly emerged in her doll mind which was supposed to run forever smoothly.


    She thought back carefully and the change seemed to have happened after Duncan inquired about the origin of the name ¡°Alice¡±¡­ At that moment, she doubted some of the things that seemed natural in her mind and began to try to recall the origin of her name, and then, something in her mind loosened.


    Alice didn¡¯t know whether this loosening was good or bad, but she didn¡¯t like the feeling of confusion, so she quickly shook her head, put this little doubt aside, adjusted her mindset at the captain¡¯s quarters door, and then put her hand on the oak door handle, pushing it forward slightly.


    The door did not budge.


    Alice paused for a moment and tried pushing again, but the wooden door felt as if it was entirely made out of steel and did not move at all.


    Then, as she was about to try once more, a voice suddenly came from inside the captain¡¯s quarters¡ªa hoarse, low voice, as if coming from a piece of decayed wood: ¡°The door opens outward, lady.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t Captain Duncan¡¯s voice. Alice was startled, but she quickly came to her senses, hurriedly said ¡°Oh,¡± and pulled the door outward¡ªthis time, the door opened easily.


    Only then did she recall that when the captain previously brought her here, he indeed had pulled the door outward.


    It seemed that the ¡°life knowledge¡± that appeared out of nowhere in her mind was after all just knowledge; herself, who had been sleeping in a wooden box for years, was still severely lacking in real-life experience¡ªAlice reflected on this briefly, and then carefully peeked into the captain¡¯s quarters.


    There was nobody in the captain¡¯s quarters; the conspicuous navigation desk sat quietly under the light, with a thin mist over the surface of the sea chart, and the dark wooden carving of a goat¡¯s head was turning its gaze from the edge of the desk, its eyes hollowly staring at her, crafted from obsidian.


    ¡°Please come in, lady, the captain is busy. You can wait for him here,¡± said the goat¡¯s head, more polite than Alice had imagined, ¡°Also, try to avoid peeking like that. It makes some of the overly sensitive crew of the Homeloss feel disliked, and it¡¯s troublesome to appease them¡ªnot to mention it would be a problem if your head fell off again. I don¡¯t have hands, so I can¡¯t help you pick it up¡­¡±


    It really did talk! This woodcarving was truly speaking!


    Although Captain Duncan had mentioned that the goat¡¯s head on the navigation desk could talk, hearing a woodcarving rattling off so much to her out of the blue still took Alice aback. She reacted after a moment and replied distractedly, ¡°Ah, sure, but my head isn¡¯t so prone to falling off, and the last time it was attached, I even made sure¡­ wait, what do you mean by ¡®overly sensitive¡¯ on the Homeloss¡ªcould it be there are others on this ship¡­¡±


    Alice belatedly realized the information implied in the goat head¡¯s words. She suddenly looked around in astonishment and nervousness; in this moment, she felt as if every object in the captain¡¯s quarters, perhaps even on the entire Homeloss, was shaking in the dim light, becoming ¡°strange objects¡± like the eerie goat¡¯s head, while the voice of the goat¡¯s head continued to reach her ears: ¡°Is that strange? To manage such a huge ship takes many hands; did you think the great Captain Duncan would personally go to scrub the decks?¡±


    This goat¡¯s head actually made sense. Alice¡¯s recently awakened and not fully bright mind felt there was something not quite right about the situation but could only nod after a long thought: ¡°You have a point¡­ So, there are many like you on the Homeloss¡­¡±


    ¡°The captain¡¯s loyal first mate is the only one, and the rest are a bunch of not so bright fellows; you don¡¯t need to consider communicating with them¡ªthey have no interest in communicating with people,¡± the goat-head didn¡¯t wait for Alice to finish and interrupted her, ¡°But considering you are new on board, it¡¯s normal not to understand many principles and rules. As Captain Duncan¡¯s most loyal first mate, and also second mate, and¡­, I need to tell you some common sense that is essential for survival on this ship; after all, the captain would never condescend to explain such things to newcomers¡­ Lady, are you ready?¡±


    Alice listened in a daze. She had already forgotten her original purpose for visiting the captain¡¯s cabin, feeling that every time this goat-head spoke, it was a rapid-fire string of words, and after a few exchanges, the rhythm of the conversation had completely shifted out of her hands, especially when the other party suddenly rattled off a series of titles, making her feel like her whole head was buzzing. When he finished speaking, she could only nod subconsciously: ¡°Ah, ah, okay¡­ okay?¡±


    ¡°Very well, then here are several rules that Homeloss¡¯ crew must know, which will help newcomers adapt faster, and fully embrace the protection from Homeloss and the great Captain Duncan while on the perilous Endless Sea¡­¡±


    The goat-head seemed very satisfied with Alice¡¯s response, shaking his wooden head as he spoke, his tone clearly smug¡ª


    ¡°First, Captain Duncan is the absolute master of Homeloss, Captain Duncan is always right, even if reality conflicts with Captain Duncan¡¯s word, adhere to Captain Duncan¡¯s judgement.


    ¡°Second, any crew member may only roam in areas allowed by Captain Duncan. If Captain Duncan hasn¡¯t ordered an area to be open, it is absolutely forbidden to step half a foot in, because those areas do not exist.


    ¡°Third, if you have set foot in an unauthorized area and you happen to still be alive for the time being, you must stay put and wait for Captain Duncan to bring you back, or peacefully await death¡ªabsolutely do not attempt to return on your own because what you are returning to is not Homeloss.


    ¡°Fourth, Homeloss is always on the correct course, do not question the captain¡¯s navigation plan, if you find that the scenery surrounding Homeloss differs from what you expected or discover that Homeloss has entered a ¡®deeper¡¯ sea area, then this is part of the normal navigation plan.


    ¡°Fifth, the captain will occasionally leave the ship, but he will certainly return. While the captain is away, Homeloss will continue to sail normally, but all crew members are strictly forbidden from approaching the stern¡¯s helm¡ª the steering system feels insecure when the captain is gone, and the ropes at the stern will strangle all those who show any ¡®usurping¡¯ behavior.


    ¡°Sixth, on Homeloss, the basic rules for crew members are only these six.


    ¡°Seventh, the door to the captain¡¯s cabin opens outward.¡±


    The goat-head seemed to have explained the ¡°common sense¡± to new crew members more than once; he recited the rules smoothly and naturally, but Alice immediately noticed something odd about the last two rules: ¡°Wait, Mr. Goat-head, you just said in the sixth one¡­¡±


    ¡°Sixth, on Homeloss, the basic rules for crew members are only these six.¡± the goat-head replied immediately, without any hesitation when mentioning these basic rules.


    Alice momentarily wondered if she was the one with the problem or if the ¡°first mate¡± was the issue: ¡°But just now you also mentioned a seventh rule¡­¡±


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    ¡°Seventh, the captain¡¯s cabin door opens outward.¡± the goat-head answered very naturally.


    Alice stared blankly at the dark goat-head wood carving on the table, doubting her ears before beginning to doubt her brain¡ªbut soon she realized she didn¡¯t have a brain, and so she confirmed once more, ¡°Aren¡¯t these two¡­contradictory?¡±


    ¡°Not at all contradicting.¡±


    Listening to the goat-head¡¯s confident answer and looking into his hollow and pitch-black eyes, Alice opened her mouth, but suddenly she swallowed back all her questions.


    (Mamma mia!)

 Chapter 24

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The pristine white pigeon stood dumbly on the table, its neck adorned with the brass Compass Duncan had searched for half a day, and the familiar Obsidian knife rested at its feet.


    Duncan looked at the pigeon with a slightly blank expression, and the pigeon returned the look with an equally blank expression.


    Discerning expressions on a bird¡¯s face is not an easy task, but for some reason, Duncan felt he could understand the pigeon¡¯s look. Not only could he understand its look, but he even felt he could see a kind of ¡°wisdom¡± shining in those slightly reddish eyes¡ªthe bird¡¯s mung bean-like eyes stared straight ahead. When Duncan¡¯s gaze met the pigeon¡¯s, one of its eyes shifted its attention towards him, while its other eye seemed to keep staring at the captain¡¯s cabin ceiling, with an erratic and drifting line of sight.


    ¡°A pigeon?¡±


    It took several seconds for Duncan to finally twitch the corners of his mouth and mutter subconsciously.


    Why a pigeon? Why did a pigeon suddenly turn up out of nowhere? Why was his brass Compass still hanging around this pigeon¡¯s neck? And how did the knife get there?


    Or to sum up in a sentence: on this abnormal ship, could anything normal ever happen?!


    While Duncan was full of question marks and murmurs in his heart, the pigeon that had been stunned for a long time seemed to finally ¡°wake up.¡± It nodded its head, took a few steps on the table, came close to Duncan, stretched its neck, and emitted a loud ¡°coo.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Duncan watched the bird in silence, and for some reason, classic images of many pirate captains from his memory suddenly floated into his mind. Then he glanced down at the captain¡¯s uniform he wore, ¡°It does seem standard for a captain to have a bird by his side, but shouldn¡¯t that be a parrot¡­ What¡¯s the deal with a pigeon?¡±


    As soon as the pigeon heard Duncan¡¯s words, it nodded solemnly, emitting a somewhat strange and rigid female voice: ¡°Transmission complete!¡±


    All the murmurs in Duncan¡¯s heart and mouth were abruptly cut off. He nearly choked on a gulp of saliva, staring at the white pigeon before him with a look of utter astonishment.


    He remembered the feeling when he first set foot on this ship, when he met a talking goat head in the captain¡¯s cabin.


    But at least this was not his first day on board the Homeloss, and he had grown accustomed to the anomalies of this world, so the pigeon speaking was only surprising to him for a moment. In the next second, his expression turned serious, and a faint green Spiritual Body flame started to emerge from one hand. He watched the pigeon before him warily, ¡°Where did you come from?¡±


    The pigeon tilted its head, one eye fixated on Duncan, while the other wandered haphazardly ceilingward: ¡°Address error, please recheck the address, or contact the system administrator.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    More than just a moment of expressionless stupor, his heart was now stirring with even greater turmoil!


    The things this pigeon was saying¡­ it did not seem to fit the ¡°style¡± of this world, unlike the goat head, or Alice, or any of those robed Heretics. Instead, it sounded more like the terms that ¡°Zhou Ming¡± from Earth would understand!


    Yet, the pigeon seemed completely oblivious to the changes in Duncan¡¯s gaze and expression, simply lowered its head to peck at its wings, jangled the brass Compass hanging on its chest and then started to strut contentedly on the table.


    After pacing a few steps, it ran over to the Obsidian knife, flicked it a few times toward Duncan with its paw, and emitted the same peculiarly toned female voice from earlier: ¡°Take up this solar-powered battle axe and embrace the glory of battle!¡±


    Duncan suddenly stood up from the desk, the chair scraping noisily against the floor. He fixed a deathly stare at the still innocently unperturbed pigeon before him, while an extreme sense of bizarre humor filled his mind.


    This pigeon simply could not be something originally from the Homeloss, or even from this world!


    The words it spoke, only ¡°Zhou Ming¡± would understand what they meant!


    Perhaps the noise from the chair was too loud, even audible in the chart room, as Duncan suddenly heard the goat head¡¯s voice in his mind: ¡°Captain? Are you alright?¡±


    Duncan kept his gaze fixed on the pigeon on the table, knowing that the goat head dared not directly peer into the situation within the captain¡¯s cabin. So he answered with a subdued voice, as calmly as ever, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Miss Alice is here to see you, shall I¡­¡±


    ¡°You take care of her first.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Duncan exhaled, turning to glance back at the door leading to the chart room.


    The Goat Head¡¯s cacophonous barrage continued, and Miss Puppet had tried several times to get up and leave but was stopped each time. Duncan thought he should go and rescue the unfortunate puppet, but now¡­ he had something more important to confirm.


    Hang in there a bit longer, Alice.


    Duncan sat back down at his desk, preparing to try to communicate with the pigeon in front of him using normal speech, and it was at this moment that he suddenly noticed something he hadn¡¯t paid attention to before¡ª


    A faint ¡°fire line¡± seemed to extend from the spiritual fire that flickered between his right fingers. The flame was as thin as a strand of hair and dissipated into the air after extending out a dozen or so centimeters.


    There was also a wisp of pale green flame entwining the odd pigeon, hidden in the gaps under its wing feathers, with the other end extending into the air and vanishing just as it did.


    Duncan frowned, raised his right hand, and with a thought, the flames danced, and the pigeon on the table vanished instantly.


    The next second, the pigeon appeared on his shoulder, pecking at Duncan¡¯s hair and making a loud noise: ¡°Coo-coo!¡±


    Duncan flicked his finger again, and the pigeon on his shoulder reappeared on the desk.


    The brass Compass hung on the pigeon¡¯s chest, its shiny casing reflecting the green light of the flames.


    Duncan¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°¡­Related to this brass Compass?¡±


    He was now certain that there was a definite connection between himself and the pigeon, an even tighter one than between him and Homeloss. This might also explain why the pigeon ¡°knew¡± some Earth-derived ¡°knowledge¡± that only he was aware of. He just wasn¡¯t sure why the pigeon had appeared.


    After much deliberation, the only suspect he could think of was that peculiar brass Compass.


    From his testing of the spiritual fire to now, all the abnormalities had started with this brass Compass. Whether it was the soul travel experience before, or the experience of spiritually projecting into a corpse, to the Compass disappearing out of the blue and reappearing hanging on the pigeon¡¯s chest¡­ The origin of everything seemed to be this object.


    Duncan stared at the pigeon for a while, then reached out for the Compass.


    He wanted to take down the object to study it properly.


    The pigeon did not dodge or resist, but Duncan¡¯s fingers couldn¡¯t touch the surface of the brass Compass¡ªthey passed right through and touched the pigeon¡¯s soft, fluffy chest feathers instead.


    It was as if he reached through an illusion.


    The pigeon hopped on the spot, seemingly tickled by Duncan, and opened its mouth as if to say, ¡°Today is KFC¡¯s Crazy Thursday, W-me 50¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched, and after two more incredulous tests, he finally confirmed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to remove the brass Compass from the pigeon¡ªthe object had clearly undergone some metamorphosis, becoming an illusion bound together with the pigeon that couldn¡¯t be touched or removed.


    Or to say¡­ the pigeon was now the true form of the brass Compass?


    Many speculations that not even Duncan himself was sure he should believe flashed through his mind in an instant, but the only thing he could be certain of was one: the appearance of this pigeon was inextricably linked to his experience with the brass Compass and ¡°soul travel,¡± and this experience might have also changed the form of the brass Compass.


    This might just be the inherent nature of the brass Compass as a sort of ¡°abnormal object,¡± or perhaps a ¡°use price.¡± As for why the pigeon was so odd¡­ it wasn¡¯t because of the Compass, it was because of Zhou Ming, the Earthling.


    All of this was still unverifiable or irrefutable unless Duncan could find an instruction manual for the various oddities aboard Homeloss.


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    As for now, he had to figure out what to do with this¡­ abnormal pigeon.


    After a brief moment of contemplation, he decided to first give the pigeon a name.


    ¡°I need to give you a name,¡± he tapped the desk lightly with his finger and said very seriously to the pigeon, ¡°I think you should be able to understand what I¡¯m saying, right?¡±


    The pigeon tilted its head, its mung bean-sized eyes flickering as it looked at Duncan: ¡°Eli?¡±


    (Holy moly!)

 Chapter 25

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The pigeon cocked its head, probably feeling that Duncan hadn¡¯t heard clearly, and quickly repeated, its voice even louder than before: ¡°Ai Yi!¡±


    Finally, Duncan understood what the bird meant, ¡°You mean your name is Ai Yi?¡±


    The pigeon nodded proudly and strutted about on the desk: ¡°Coo coo!¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but rub his temple, feeling that communicating with this bird was even more peculiar than with a goat head, mainly due to the pigeon¡¯s elusive style of language: ¡°Do you know how you came into being? Or¡­ how did you appear here?¡±


    The pigeon pondered for a moment, its misty eyes simultaneously looking in different directions: ¡°Oh no, the page is gone, try refreshing?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He found he couldn¡¯t understand what went on in the bird¡¯s head at all and couldn¡¯t be sure if its suddenly blurted out sentences were connected to the current topic.


    But he was absolutely certain that this bird was thinking and was very¡­ seriously communicating with him.


    It just obviously had its own understanding of ¡°communication.¡±


    Duncan had a few more exchanges with the pigeon who claimed to be ¡°Ai Yi,¡± and the result was that their conversation always maintained a parallel frequency, basically talking past each other. If you said there was a connection, it was hard to see where it intersected. If you said there wasn¡¯t any, well, the pigeon did respond to every question¡­ and occasionally, it appeared to actually answer Duncan¡¯s questions.


    After much conversation with little progress, Duncan could only frown mumble, ¡°What kind of bizarre thing is this¡­¡±


    He felt it would probably take a long time for him to establish normal communication with this bird, and this process might even be more difficult than getting used to the goat head¡¯s noise.


    The pigeon, however, squatted on the desk opposite him, blinking its innocent little eyes, occasionally mumbling its demand for V50.


    Duncan didn¡¯t pay attention to the bird¡¯s mumbling but curled his fingers and gently rubbed them together, watching the green flames leap at his fingertips, he was at least sure of one thing¡ªthe brass Compass, although fused with the pigeon before him, was still essentially an ¡°anomalous item¡± that he could control.


    The spectral green flame rose, and almost simultaneously, green flames sprang up in the gaps of Ai Yi¡¯s feathers, while the brass compass at its chest ¡°snapped¡± open with a pop. Beneath the transparent glass case, the slightly ethereal needle started to stabilize with Duncan¡¯s will, and the dial marked with many mystical symbols gradually filled with fire.


    Ai Yi didn¡¯t react much throughout, just naturally basking in the spectral flame, as if waiting for Duncan¡¯s command.


    Before the brass compass was fully activated, Duncan voluntarily dispersed the flame.


    In the testing process, Duncan was also silently summing up in his mind,


    ¡°The compass still works¡­ It just has a strange ¡®medium¡¯ now, and it¡¯s too early to determine what effect this pigeon will have, maybe some kind of assistance¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not clear about the details of this compass yet. It¡¯s best not to try a second ¡®jump¡¯ until I am fully prepared¡­ Next time I test, I should always watch for any changes in the compass and the pigeon.


    ¡°There is a connection between the pigeon and me. This connection becomes more apparent when the spectral flame is induced, and I can even control to a certain extent where the pigeon appears¡­ but that¡¯s as far as the control goes¡­


    ¡°¡®Ai Yi¡¯ clearly has its own will, moves on its own thoughts, and its commands aren¡¯t always executed, which is different from other ¡®items¡¯ on Homeloss.


    ¡°It can speak, has some ability to think, and can judge issues independently¡­ Compared with ordinary anomalous items, this pigeon seems more akin to the goat head¡­¡±


    Duncan concluded some of the information he had discerned, and finally, his gaze landed on the obsidian knife.


    The handle was twisted like a dried, contorted finger, the blade gleaming with a dark reflection.


    This was exactly what the gold-masked priest, robed in black and presiding over the evil sacrificial ceremony in the sewer gathering, had held. Judging by its use, it should be a ¡°ritualistic knife.¡±


    Duncan reached the gathering, presumably located under the Plunder City-State, via spiritual projection, and his return was also in spirit. He thought this process was entirely on a mental or spiritual level, but now the ritual knife was lying tangibly before him.


    After some thought, Duncan reached out and picked up the knife.


    The cool, hard sensation was vividly transmitted to him; it was an item that truly existed.


    Duncan released a bit more of the spectral flame, letting it coil around the blade of the dagger. From the hollow and void feedback, it was indeed evident that any transcendent power once contained within the ritual dagger had completely dissipated.


    As he had surmised at the sacrifice site, this object wasn¡¯t a true ¡°anomalous item,¡± but seemed more like a byproduct of transcendent force or perhaps a temporary item artificially ¡°imbued¡± with power.


    Although Duncan was not clear about the categorization of ¡°anomalous items¡± in this world, he guessed that this dagger was likely not a particularly rare item¡ªat least¡­ it appeared to be mass-produced.


    ¡°Is this what you brought back?¡± He looked up at Ai Yi, who was resting on the table, and lifted the obsidian dagger, ¡°And it¡¯s specifically for me?¡±


    The pigeon stared straight at Duncan with its little red eyes, motionless, not reacting to the question at all.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    He asked again, but the pigeon remained still, as if it had suddenly become a lifeless statue.


    The sudden change alarmed Duncan, but just as he was about to use the spectral flames to give Ai Yi a stimulant shock to see if he could forcefully wake it up, the bird suddenly ¡°came to life¡± again. It hopped in place twice, clamoring loudly, ¡°Take up this solar-powered war-axe, take up this solar-powered war-axe, take up this¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I get it, you don¡¯t have to answer every question I asked just now,¡± Duncan quickly motioned with his hands, trying to silence the pigeon while he reorganized his words, ¡°Then do you know how you managed to bring this dagger over? Or is it that you can carry ¡®physical objects¡¯ when shuttling between places, is that so?¡±


    The pigeon pondered for a moment and pecked at Duncan¡¯s fingers, ¡°Full discount, free shipping on every item.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll pretend I understood.¡±


    He sighed, feeling he had reached the limit of communication with this bird.


    Then he stood up from the desk and looked toward the sea chart room.


    The goat-headed man and Alice were still outside, and their eager and friendly exchange continued.


    The doll lady had been silent for a very long time, and the goat-headed man had just started to recount the seventeenth way to cook seaweed stew.


    Duncan felt it was necessary to save his only crew member (and surprisingly the most normal one in tone).


    On the other hand, he had stayed in the cabin for too long, during which he had caused some abnormal noise, and he thought it was necessary to show his face outside, to set the goat-headed man¡¯s mind at ease.


    However, before leaving, he hesitated and glanced at Ai Yi, who was running around on the table.


    Should he take this pigeon out with him? If he did, how would he explain it?


    Duncan hesitated for only two seconds before decisively grabbing the pigeon and placing it on his shoulder.


    He was going to be active on the Homeloss for a long time, and this pigeon would surely be following him for the foreseeable future. He was still unaware of the bird¡¯s life habits, but as an ¡°anomalous item¡± with the ability to think and communicate, it would hardly be hiding somewhere like an inanimate object.


    The addition of another ¡°passenger¡± on the ship was not something that could be concealed, and hiding it now would damage the image of ¡°Captain Duncan¡± more if it were to be exposed in the future.


    So, he might as well bring the pigeon out openly, claiming it as his new ¡°spoils of victory¡±¡ªhe didn¡¯t need to explain anything to the goat-headed man; a captain need not explain to his first mate.


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    The first mate would do his own guesswork.


    As for the occasional strange utterances of the pigeon (which to the locals of this world would surely be incomprehensible), there was no need for explanations.


    Let the goat-headed man and Alice figure it out for themselves.


    With the plump pigeon on his shoulder, Duncan stood up and adjusted his appearance before walking towards the sea chart room with composure.


    The pigeon proudly puffed up its chest, announcing as if proclaiming, ¡°Authentic good herbal tea, authentic good voice, welcome to watch by¡­¡±

 Chapter 26

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Truth be told, Duncan suddenly realized that, even if his nerves were as thick as the main house beam, it would be very difficult for him to walk with composed strides when the pigeon on his shoulder began to speak.


    At this moment, he wished he could be like a normal pirate captain, with a parrot¡ªor at worst, a monkey¡ªperched on his shoulder.


    But he had already pushed open the door leading to the chart room, and it was impossible to turn back now.


    In the room with the navigation desk, the goat-head was enthusiastically jabbering about the twelfth legend of fish stew, when the sound of the captain¡¯s quarters opening finally interrupted the chatterbox. Its dark wooden head immediately swiveled towards Duncan, its tone rising with evident delight, ¡°Ah, Captain! You finally came out¡ªI must say, Miss Alice is an excellent conversationalist. I haven¡¯t had such an enjoyable chat in years, you know¡­¡±


    Duncan blatantly ignored the goat-head¡¯s loud babbling and immediately turned to the victim across the navigation desk, only to see the headless doll sitting upright in a chair, cradling her own head in her hands and pressing firmly against her ears.


    Even so, Alice¡¯s gaze was still as vacant as if she had just sat through twelve consecutive advanced math classes, showing no reaction even when Duncan approached her.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°She pulled off her own head,¡± the goat-head explained before Duncan could speak, ¡°Although I¡¯m not quite sure why she would do that¡­¡±


    Just how intolerable must the goat-head¡¯s rambling be to force a cursed doll to pull off its own head as a defense against the noise?!


    While Duncan was shocked, the overly enthusiastic goat-head finally noticed the strange creature the captain had brought with him. Its wooden head turned slightly, and the pitch-black eyeballs suddenly fixed on the pigeon on Duncan¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Hmm? Captain, what is this on your shoulder¡­?¡±


    ¡°Its name is Ai Yi, and from now on, it¡¯s my pet,¡± Duncan said succinctly, using as few words as possible to avoid potential pitfalls, while also observing the goat-head¡¯s reaction to this news.


    ¡°Your pet?¡± The goat-head was clearly taken aback, then seemed to conceive its own explanation, ¡°Ah, the Homeloss did indeed sense that you briefly left the ship¡­ Did you go on a sojourn to the Spirit Realm? Is this a trophy you brought back from your excursion into the Spirit Realm?¡±


    Spirit Realm excursion?


    An unfamiliar term suddenly surfaced, and Duncan thought of the brass compass kept in the captain¡¯s quarters, the handwriting left by the real Captain Duncan, and the extraordinary experience of soul translocation, which made him correspondingly nod indifferently after feeling that the guess was about right, ¡°Just a brief diversion.¡±


    As Duncan finished speaking, the goat-head unsurprisingly began with compliments, ¡°Ah! Truly befitting the great Captain Duncan, even a simple excursion into the Spirit Realm brings back trophies¡ªIs this a pigeon? To become your pet, it must have extraordinary qualities, mustn¡¯t it? You even hung your compass around its neck? Does this mean¡­ Ah, of course, your judgment is always correct. But what is special about this pigeon? Could it be that it¡­¡±


    Duncan heard something subtle in the goat-head¡¯s flattery; he had a hunch that the goat-head recognized the brass compass now hanging on Ai Yi¡¯s chest and that the compass was very important to the real Captain Duncan¡ªimportant enough that it should not be casually placed on a freshly emerged ¡°pet.¡±


    But even realizing this impropriety, he was powerless to do anything, for the compass was now ¡°bound¡± to the pigeon and, according to the feedback from the control of the Spiritual Body Flame, the pigeon seemed to be the very embodiment of the compass!


    Duncan¡¯s mind raced with thoughts, yet his face remained impassive. During this moment of distraction, Ai Yi, who had been quietly perched on his shoulder, suddenly cooed loudly and flew toward the goat-head, flapping its wings.


    The goat-head¡¯s black eyes instantly focused on the pigeon, which acted quite importantly, tilting its head and pecking the goat-head¡¯s face with its beak, ¡°Want to top-up Q coins?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°A being with Spiritual Intelligence?!¡± The goat-head was also clearly stunned, but then snapped out of it, sounding extremely surprised, ¡°This pigeon can speak?!¡±


    Duncan gently reminded from the side, ¡°You can also speak.¡±


    Pigeon Ai Yi took a couple of steps on the table, mumbling to itself as it walked away, ¡°Does it make sense, does it make sense, does it make sense¡­.¡±


    Upon seeing this, Duncan promptly rubbed his fingertips together and with a sudden leap of green flame, the pigeon walking on the table vanished into thin air, reappearing on his shoulder the next instant.


    ¡°Yes, a being with Spiritual Intelligence, and directly under my control,¡± Duncan confirmed to the goat-head with a nod, ¡°Any more questions?¡±


    The goat-head hurriedly replied, ¡°Ah¡­ certainly not, of course not, all is well then¡ªeverything is in the great Captain Duncan¡¯s control.¡±


    Duncan then ignored the goat-head and quickly concluded the conversation before turning his attention to Alice, still cradling her head in a daze¡ªperhaps the previously broadening experience had further strengthened his nerves, or maybe he had gotten used to the sight after seeing it a few times, but he now found Alice¡¯s head-cradling daze not so weird as it was somewhat¡­ endearing.


    He reached out and patted the doll Miss¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Wake up, wake up.¡±


    Alice¡¯s body jolted as if she had awakened from a long nightmare. The head she was holding in her hands then began to speak, its mouth opening and closing, ¡°Ship¡­ ship¡­ ship¡­¡±


    Duncan said, ¡°You should put your head back on first.¡±


    It was then that Alice realized what she needed to do, hurriedly and clumsily reattaching her head. After the click sound of the joint closing, her voice finally became smooth, ¡°Ah, Captain, you¡¯re back? Something seemed to have happened¡­ Is Mister Goat Head done talking?¡±


    The goat head on the table immediately spoke, ¡°No, we just got to some legends about fish stew, a topic we can continue another time¡­¡±


    Duncan was concise, ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Alice, who was standing to the side, visibly shuddered the moment the goat head began to speak, showing a look of horror on her face, the cursed doll¡¯s expression. Even after the goat head obediently closed its mouth following the captain¡¯s order, she still cast a wary glance toward the navigation table.


    Duncan suspected that for a considerable time to come, the doll mistress would not set foot in the captain¡¯s cabin again.


    With that thought, he finally asked out of curiosity, ¡°You came to see me, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Alice¡¯s expression was a bit dull as if her original purpose for visiting the captain¡¯s cabin had been completely forgotten amidst her conversation with the goat head, but a few seconds later she remembered, ¡°Ah right, I just wanted to ask, is there a place on board where I can take a bath? My wooden box got seawater in it, and now my joints feel a bit¡­ uncomfortable.¡±


    Toward the end, the expression on the doll Miss¡¯s face was noticeably awkward, but the person who should have been more embarrassed was actually Duncan¡ªsince it was he who had thrown her box overboard.


    And not just once, but several times.


    A twinge of embarrassment flashed through his heart, but Duncan tried hard to keep his facial expression unchanged and his tone indifferent, ¡°Just for that?¡±


    Alice sat restrainedly in the chair, ¡°Just¡­ just for that.¡±


    ¡°For many ocean-going vessels, fresh water is an extremely valuable resource, and taking a bath is a luxury that needs to be restrained,¡± Duncan began seriously, but then suddenly he smiled, ¡°However, you¡¯re in luck, Homeloss is no ordinary ship, and fresh water is not an issue here. Follow me, there is a place for bathing below the mid-deck cabin, to get there we must first go through the upper deck.¡±


    Alice immediately stood up¡ªshe truly did not want to stay a second longer in a place with a goat head.


    Before leaving the room, Duncan glanced back at the goat head, ¡°You keep steering.¡±


    After giving the instruction, he stood up, opened the door of the captain¡¯s cabin, and led Alice up to the deck.


    The night had already fallen at this moment.


    The night sky over the Endless Sea was clear.


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    After many days of cloudy weather, this was the first time Duncan stood under the clear night sky of this world.


    He suddenly stopped, looked up at the sky, and gazed motionlessly at the night canopy.


    The night sky was pitch-black without a star, devoid of any celestial bodies.


    The only thing visible was a faint greyish-white ¡°crack¡± that seemed to tear through the entire sky. The crack sprawled across the horizon, its edges fraying into intricate fissures like flesh ripped open, with a dim greyish-white halo slowly radiating outwards from the crack, like a bloodstain spreading in a deep pool of water.


    This sprawling ¡°pale scar¡± across the sky lit up the entire Endless Sea, shining more than twice as bright as the moonlight Duncan remembered.

 Chapter 27

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    In a certain sense, the starless sky marred only by a single scar impacted Duncan even more than the ¡°sun¡± confined by the Rune Circle.


    Because no matter how abnormal the sun was, it still shone only upon the world beneath Duncan¡¯s feet, and in the consciousness of Duncan as an Earthling, the so-called ¡°sun¡± was nothing more than one of the countless celestial bodies.


    All twisted and strange phenomena were confined under the light of the sun. Beyond the sunlight in the sky, there could still be an infinite number of stars¡ªalthough for a creature bound by gravity, the world under the sunlight was practically their entire world, at least Duncan could understand and accept the scale of these anomalies.


    But now, in the night sky, Duncan could not see any celestial body that could be called ¡°stars.¡± There were no stars, no moon, no distant Milky Way.


    There was only a torn scar, spreading across the heavens in a manner that he could not comprehend, continuously diffusing a pale white mist.


    The whole Endless Sea was enveloped in this snowy, pale night color.


    Beyond the sun lay the further reaches of the void, and even greater abnormalities.


    Duncan said nothing, just staring intently at the sky while countless questions and conjectures swirled in his mind.


    Where were the other planets? Did they not exist from the start, or was it that the world under his feet was situated in a cosmic vacuum so distant from other stars that the night sky here was pitch-black, devoid of stars? And what was that pale scar stretching across the sky? A tear in the fabric of space? A tangible celestial structure? Or merely an illusion, floating above the perilous Endless Sea?


    ¡°Captain?¡±


    Finally, a voice pulled Duncan out of his silence. The doll Alice looked nervously at the Ghost Ship captain who had suddenly stopped in his tracks. His face had turned even more solemn and grim than before, frightening her, ¡°Are you all right? Is the celestial phenomena changing? Is there a big Storm coming? I¡¯ve heard the sailors outside the box mention this¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Nothing at all.¡±


    Duncan said softly, then suddenly diverted his gaze from the sky to Alice, his expression indifferent as if in response to her, he repeated as though for himself, ¡°Nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°So we¡­¡±


    Duncan began to walk forward again, his expression so calm it was as if nothing had happened, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to the cabin¡ªyou can also wash up there if you need to.¡±


    This world once again revealed its eerie and bizarre nature to the foreigner, and it seemed that the strangeness was far from over.


    Duncan realized that an astonishing number of wonders awaited him in the future, and if he startled at every single one, he would spend his life in constant surprise.


    If the decades of life experience on Earth had taught him anything useful for the present, it was this:


    If a problem truly exists, think of a way to solve it. The problem won¡¯t disappear just because one denies it, just as the bizarre sky before him won¡¯t turn into a glittering starry night due to his doubts.


    There must be a reason that this world presents itself as it does. If all things can exist here, then that is an undeniable fact. No matter how absurd or peculiar a phenomenon might be, it still objectively exists¡ªIf he couldn¡¯t understand it at the moment, that was his problem, not that of the world.


    As the current captain of the Homeloss, Duncan felt that he might have a long time to slowly understand this world.


    Alice did not know what the silence of the captain during the journey was about, she only knew that the atmosphere around Duncan had suddenly become somewhat oppressive, but this oppressive feeling vanished instantly once they arrived at the destination cabin.


    Duncan brought the doll miss to a place to bathe, a bathroom prepared for the upper-tier sailors¡ªFor a classic sailing ship, such a bathroom was considered a kind of ¡°luxury¡± facility, normally not meant for the common sailor.


    In olden times, the living conditions aboard ocean-going sailing ships were quite dire, with limited fresh water, rotten food, poor medical care, and psychological problems caused by long voyages troubling every explorer who challenged the seas. On Earth, many of these problems even remained unresolved until the early Industrial Era.


    As far as Duncan knew, the early ocean-going sailing ships on Earth did not even have toilets prepared for the common sailors; personal matters were typically handled over gratings facing the sea (and one had to mind the wind direction), and bathing was even more problematic¡ªsome sailors made do by using spare sails as tubs, rinsing themselves with seawater, while many sailors from the Age of Sail simply chose not to bathe for weeks or even months.


    After all, compared to scurvy, plague, and the collective hysteria caused by immense mental pressure, a bit of a hygiene issue seemed the least important.


    But isn¡¯t it ironic that on a Ghost Ship feared by all, these terrible living conditions were actually resolved?


    The freshwater tanks on the Homeloss would replenish themselves, and the food stored in the warehouse showed no signs of spoilage. The ghost ship¡¯s captain wouldn¡¯t get sick, and Alice¡¯s neck problems were not caused by sailing.


    Besides feeling her blood pressure rise whenever she interacted with the goat-headed crew member, the ship was actually quite habitable¡­


    ¡°The pipe next to the bathtub leads to the freshwater tank. Just draw water directly from there. The bathtub plug is hanging over that side, don¡¯t lose it¡ªWe¡¯re limited on amenities for now, so the ship doesn¡¯t supply hot water, but you probably don¡¯t mind that.¡±


    Duncan was introducing the amenities of the ship¡¯s cabin to Alice, and these rather ordinary experiences were all the results of his explorations over the past several days.


    ¡°Being able to wash up is enough, having saltwater in the joints is really uncomfortable,¡± said Alice, not picky at all. She looked around the cabin with curiosity and excitement, nodding her head as she listened to Duncan¡¯s instructions, ¡°I am just a doll, no aspirations for a hot water bath.¡±


    Duncan nodded, but then his expression became a bit strange. He glanced at Alice and hesitated, ¡°Speaking of which, do you know how to bathe? Do you have this kind of¡­ ¡®life experience¡¯?¡±


    Alice actually paused for a moment, then pondered seriously before saying, ¡°It should¡­ work? Just disassemble the joints and rinse them, then put them back after washing¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    He looked at Alice, and Alice likewise looked back at him with an innocent face.


    ¡°Have you considered how you¡¯re going to reassemble them by yourself after taking them apart?¡± Duncan knew his casual question was a real reminder. The doll who had never left her box truly lacked that kind of experience, ¡°I can¡¯t help you with that.¡±


    Alice: ¡°¡­ I guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°And I strongly advise against frequently disassembling your joints,¡± Duncan reminded her earnestly. ¡°Even if your body structure allows for it.¡±


    Alice was a bit confused: ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because they¡¯ll wear out if you do it too much,¡± Duncan finally gave in, having never anticipated dealing with so many ¡°detail issues¡± with a cursed doll on a ship. These things were never mentioned in novels, films, or TV series, ¡°I certainly don¡¯t want you walking on the deck and then suddenly falling apart right before my eyes. There¡¯s no one on board who knows how to maintain doll joints.¡±


    At that, he paused for a moment and then added, ¡°Your neck problem is serious enough.¡±


    Alice imagined that scene and involuntarily shrank her neck: ¡°Ah, okay, I understand¡­ I¡¯ll figure out what to do¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be best,¡± said Duncan before preparing to leave with a still somewhat unsettled glance at the doll with not much life experience. ¡°I have a lot to deal with¡ªdon¡¯t cause too much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Captain, thank you, Captain,¡± said Alice cheerfully. But just as Duncan was about to exit the cabin, she suddenly spoke up again, ¡°Ah, right, Captain¡­¡±


    Duncan stopped and lightly turned his head: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Captain¡­ I suddenly feel like you¡¯re not that scary,¡± Alice said, carefully choosing her words as she looked at Duncan¡¯s retreating back. ¡°The goat-head said you¡¯re the scariest captain on the Endless Sea, the most unpredictable disaster of all sea routes, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡±


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    ¡°But it seems like you¡¯re pretty easy to talk to, and you¡¯re kind of like a worried parent¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t turn around, only silently pausing for two seconds before suddenly asking, ¡°Where do you get the concept of family¡­ do you have a family?¡±


    Alice hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t talk about matters of parents. Just stay honestly on the ship, and I¡¯ll arrange your life on this Ghost Ship.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay, Captain.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Real life is different from bizarre stories, and the biggest difference is that when you live in reality, you have to consider a plethora of real and trivial details¡ª


    Does a moving cursed doll need joint maintenance? Will Alice constantly disassembling her joints cause her to suddenly fall apart while walking one day? And are the salted meat and dried cheese on the ghost ship expired?


    Does a superhero who entertains by day and fights evil forces by night ever sleep¡ªand do the evil forces that fight against superheroes normally need to go to the supermarket to buy things?


    Stories never tell you these things. In stories, the characters are always as pristine as snow and as fleeting as the wind. In stories, a cursed doll only needs to emerge from a corner to scare people, just as the captain of a ghost ship never worries about only having century-old salted meat and hard cheese aboard.


    In reality, a cursed doll after soaking in seawater becomes itchy all over, and taking a bath requires figuring out how to deal with the salt crystals in the joints¡­


    Standing outside the cabin, Duncan sighed, realizing more clearly that surviving on this ship long-term would take more than just determination.


    He also had to consider a whole array of practical problems, especially after the number of crew members increased.


    Duncan was well aware the ghost ship wasn¡¯t overflowing with supplies.


    The ship had an unlimited supply of fresh water, but only fresh water. The food stored in the pantry, after consumption, didn¡¯t replenish itself, and the only edible things were salted meat and hard cheese. Due to the Homeloss¡¯s unique nature, there were no signs of rot, but Duncan reasonably suspected they had been stored for at least a century.


    Besides, the ship lacked replacement clothing suitable for Alice¡¯s size (though the cursed doll had never mentioned such a need), and there were no means of entertainment¡ªnot even a set of chess or a deck of cards.


    The Endless Sea was vast and boundless, but it was difficult for Homeloss to get real supplies from this vast ocean. The ship seemed to lack a reliable ¡°home port¡± for docking and repairs, let alone channels of communication with civilizations on land.


    The goat-head didn¡¯t seem to have ever considered this problem, but Duncan was now seriously pondering¡ªit was necessary to find a way to improve the current lack of supplies on Homeloss.


    Furthermore, he was thinking about how to establish contact with the ¡°City-States¡± on land.


    Drifting aimlessly at sea was an extremely inefficient method of exploration. Information about this world had to be obtained from land, which was Duncan¡¯s deepest realization after ¡°walking in the Spirit Realm.¡±


    Putting that aside, even for the sake of his own mental and physical health, he had to try to make more contact with those ¡°City-States¡± on land and engage with the civilized world¡ªotherwise, he was really worried that after a long period of drifting, he might actually become a twisted, gloomy, and reclusive ghost ship captain.


    Thinking this, Duncan turned his head slightly to look at the pigeon Ai Yi, who was neatly perched on his shoulder, preening its feathers.


    His gaze primarily fell on the brass Compass on Ai Yi¡¯s chest.


    The pigeon cocked its head to look at its ¡°master¡± and suddenly blurted out, ¡°Start a sub-base! Lay a mycelium mat! Hey, do you know how to operate it?¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment. Although the pigeon was mostly erratic, the things it occasionally blurted out were so apt that one couldn¡¯t help but suspect it was feigning foolishness.


    As it stood, ¡°walking in the Spirit Realm¡± seemed to be the only viable method to reach the land City-States.


    Although this method seemed too uncertain and mysterious mishaps such as ¡°Ai Yi¡± had occurred after its last use, Duncan knew he would soon undertake another walk in the Spirit Realm¡ªnot only to collect intelligence from the land but also to quickly verify and master a very useful ability.


    Just as important as the Spirit Realm walks was the ¡°special ability¡± of the pigeon Ai Yi to bring back a ritual dagger from the distant lands.


    If it could bring back a dagger, could it carry more items? What were the patterns and limitations of this bird¡¯s item transport? Could this process be controlled intentionally?


    After some thought, Duncan decided to directly ask the pigeon, ¡°Do you know how you brought back that dagger?¡±


    The pigeon pondered and replied gravely, ¡°You need more crystal ore.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He decided to temporarily give up communicating with the pigeon; it would be more reliable to try himself during the next Spirit Realm walk.


    ¡°`


    ¡­


    In the ship¡¯s cabin, Alice finally figured out, fumblingly, how to use the water pipes, and roughly grasped how a bath ought to be taken.


    On the limited conditions of the Ghost Ship, she could only take a cold bath, but for a living doll, this was not an issue at all.


    However, before jumping into the tub, Alice decided to first greet everything in the cabin.


    She patted the huge oak barrel and knocked on the pillars supporting the cabin. She kicked the floor beneath her feet with the tip of her toe and reached up on tiptoe to fiddle with the ropes and hooks hanging from the ceiling.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Alice,¡± she cheerfully greeted these cold entities, just as she had greeted the gentleman with the goat¡¯s head before, ¡°I will be living on this ship from now on.¡±


    Nothing in the cabin responded to her greeting, but Alice didn¡¯t mind at all.


    The gentleman with the goat¡¯s head had said that the Homeloss was alive, many things on this ship were alive.


    Although they did not seem to have the same ¡°Spiritual Intelligence¡± as the goat¡¯s head, nor even the ability to communicate, that did not prevent Alice from treating the entire Homeloss as a ¡°neighbor¡± who deserved to be greeted.


    The Homeloss was a living thing, and so was she.


    Convinced her greeting was courteous and appropriate, Alice felt even happier; only then did she slip off her splendid dress and clumsily climb into the oak tub filled with water.


    First step, remove the head for a rinse¡ªafter all, the joints on the neck were never that sturdy.


    The doll lady thought her plan was very sensible.


    ¡­


    The night in Plunder City-State finally settled after a day of hustle and bustle, and the prosperous ¡°Pearl of the Sea¡± gradually succumbed to slumber under the pale glow of the night sky.


    But amidst the quiet darkness, there were watchmen keeping an eye on the city after it had fallen asleep.


    Atop the ¡°Grand Clock Tower¡±, the tallest building in Plunder City-State, a young lady with grey-white hair and an exceptionally tall and straight posture was standing before a window overlooking the city district.


    The lady was beautiful, yet her appearance was somewhat fearsome due to a prominent scar crossing over her left eye. She stood taller than most men and was clad in silver-grey light armor and a battle skirt. She was clearly well-exercised, with muscular limbs and even lines, and a giant sword that emitted a faint silver glow was within easy reach. The handle of the sword was engraved with runes symbolizing waves, and the blade shimmered with a light reminiscent of water ripples.


    Behind the lady, the sound of mechanical operation was continuous¡ªthe core of the Grand Clock Tower was running smoothly under the power of the steam engine, with complex and precise gear and rod structures penetrating the roof and floor, driving the four clock faces above and the mimicry orrery hidden deep within the building.


    By the sound of it, this massive and intricate machine was operating very well, and no evil force had disturbed the sanctity of the steam core.


    Yet, Judge Vanna felt a nagging unease in her heart, a dreadful premonition as if something were about to happen, or had already happened, and she was destined to be incapable of stopping it, which made her irritable.


    Footsteps came from the direction of the staircase. The lady with grey hair turned toward the sound, and saw an Ocean Priest clad in a long robe approaching from the stairway entrance, holding a copper incense burner with purifying smoke slowly coiling around him.


    The priest approached the core pillar in the center of the room, removed the old incense burner hanging from the pillar¡¯s railing, and replaced it with a new one. He watched the smoke drifting from the incense, ensuring it floated unobstructed around the moving gears and rods before he softly recited the name of the Storm Goddess and turned to the grey-haired lady at the window.


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    ¡°Good evening, Your Honor the Judge¡ªare you on night watch again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been having bad premonitions, especially of late¡ªand particularly tonight.¡±


    ¡°Bad premonitions? In what way?¡± the priest asked, lifting his head, his deep eyes filled with concern, ¡°Has the Goddess sent you an omen?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not such a clear message,¡± the young female Judge shook her head, ¡°I just have this vague feeling¡­ that something is drawing near the city.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 29

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Gods of supreme might dwell within the foundations of this world, observing the operation of the universe with a perspective transcending time and space. Devout believers who pledge their spiritual power to a deity can, to a certain extent, glimpse the trajectory of the imminent future or changes occurring in unknown corners of the world through a hidden connection with the divine.


    This act of peering is not bound by time and space and carries the risk of being corroded by Subspace, but for those believers with unwavering resolve, such dangerous yet powerful forces are their greatest rely on when protecting the fragile flame of civilization within this endless expanse of ocean.


    The devoted Judge has seen a similar vision for several days in a row now.


    In a state between sleep and wakefulness, she saw an endless ocean dyed in ink black, followed by thunderous noises rising from the depths of the sea; the ocean split asunder, revealing a terrifying trench that reached down to the seafloor, and from it ascended a huge ship ablaze with flames, floating slowly in the air like an airship, followed by an invisible giant cloaked in starlight, stepping towards the direction of Plunder City-State.


    In Judge Vanna¡¯s life to date, premonitions of such terrifying scale had only occurred twice.


    The first time was in her childhood when she woke from a nightmare soaked in blood, only to lose her parents in an attack by Heretics, leaving a lifelong scar on her face.


    The second time was four years ago when she saw a dark Sun God rise from beneath the City-State in her Dreamscape, leading to the eradication of the largest Sun God cult enclave that had infiltrated the City-State¡ªTo this day, the undying minions of those Heretics still hide in the massive, complex, and ancient tunnel systems beneath Plunder, entangling in meaningless skirmishes with the Church¡¯s guardians.


    This was the third time¡ªshe saw a ship returning from the deep sea, bringing with it an indescribable giant to this world.


    She lied to the priest before her¡ªThe omen she witnessed was so vivid that it kept her, a Judge, awake for nights on end.


    The priest, after hesitating for a long time upon seeing the calm gray-white eyes of the lady before him, eventually spoke up, ¡°But when you prayed to the gods, it seemed you received no unfavorable response?¡±


    ¡°¡­The Goddess doesn¡¯t necessarily warn of all risks, sometimes trials are exactly the test,¡± Vanna replied calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this; is there any news from the Explorers¡¯ Association?¡±


    The priest immediately nodded, ¡°The liaison from the Association just sent a message; the Sacred Relic at the Association¡¯s headquarters has sensed the appearance of that ship in the southwestern waters. However, there seems to be a problem with the ship¡¯s telegraph equipment, and now it¡¯s out of contact. We can only confirm that the ship is approaching the outskirts of Plunder at a normal cruising speed and heading.¡±


    ¡°¡­Having vanished from the Sacred Relic¡¯s perception for a while, then mysteriously reappeared far from its scheduled course, currently uncontactable, heading straight for the City-State¡­ and it was carrying out a mission escorting abnormal items before losing contact,¡± the Judge¡¯s brows knit tighter, her intuition honed by years of dealing with the strange and eerie was pulsating, prompting her to be on guard, ¡°I recall the name of that ship is the Oakwood, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Oakwood, with Captain Lawrence Creed of the Explorers¡¯ Association at the helm, an experienced captain. Due to the special nature of its cargo, the ship had reported to the Church before setting sail from Rensa,¡± the priest recalled as he spoke. ¡°That¡¯s right, the accompanying priest on board is a registered cleric of the Deep Sea Church.¡±


    ¡°A brother of the Church¡­ I hope the situation isn¡¯t too dire,¡± Vanna said with a grave tone. ¡°Anyway, something is not quite right with that ship. The entire route from Rensa to Plunder is within the ¡®stable zone¡¯ controlled by the Explorers¡¯ Association, yet the ship had disappeared from the Sacred Relic¡¯s perception¡­ I suspect the Oakwood might have briefly left the real world, and may have even¡­ ventured to places it should not have.¡±


    ¡°Notify the port guards, as soon as the Oakwood docks, to keep a close watch on the ship; no person or object is to leave the vessel until all inspections are completed¡ªHave there been any reactions from the security forces?


    ¡°Rest assured, your uncle¡­ The Governor has already ordered the security officers to lock down the area around the port and raised the port¡¯s alert level. From now onwards, until the alert is lifted, all ships entering or leaving Plunder will temporarily dock at the reserve harbor on the west side.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear¡ªmy uncle has always been careful,¡± Vanna¡¯s tense face finally relaxed a bit. ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t involve the ordinary people from the security forces in this matter, it should be fine.¡±


    The priest looked into Fanna¡¯s pale grey eyes and, after choosing his words carefully, said, ¡°Do you think¡­ that ship has been ¡®contaminated¡¯?¡±


    ¡°We cannot be certain now, but ships that leave the real world, even if they eventually return, are seldom completely normal. It could be that some items on the ship have unknowingly transformed into ¡®anomalies¡¯, or it might be a mental illness hidden deep within the crew¡¯s hearts, or even an extra sailor and a replaced captain¡­ For any ship that has exhibited abnormal phenomena, it¡¯s never wrong to be exceedingly vigilant.¡±


    ¡°Alas¡­ I hope that the ship and its crew are all well,¡± the priest couldn¡¯t help but place his hand crosswise over his chest, chanting the name of the Storm Goddess, ¡°May the Storm Goddess protect those who brave the sea.¡±


    ¡°May they all be well,¡± Fanna likewise lowered her eyelids, softly offering her blessing, followed as if to remind the priest before her, ¡°But if they are unfortunate enough not to be ¡®well¡¯, we must be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Fanna nodded, but just as she was about to redirect her attention back to the district outside the window, a rush of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the direction of the stairs.


    The next moment, a guardian wearing a black uniform with silver trim, a badge of waves and a dagger emblazoned over his chest, hurried up from the stairway.


    ¡°Your Excellency Judge!¡± the young guardian gasped for breath and immediately spoke with urgency, ¡°We have found a Sun God-worshipping heretical sacrificial stronghold in the sewer, and we¡¯ve caught a bunch of believers!¡±


    Fanna¡¯s expression turned extremely serious in an instant, ¡°Those who worship the dark sun, the heretics? Wait, you said you found a sacrificial site¡­ not a hiding spot? They dare to carry out sacrificial rites again?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a site for performing sacrificial rituals, and we¡¯ve found evidence of sacrifice ceremonies,¡± the guardian spoke quickly, ¡°Moreover, we discovered a large number of victims in a cavity not far from the ritual site¡ªmost of whom had already been sacrificed their hearts. However¡­ there¡¯s something off about the site of the ritual.¡±


    Fanna read an absurd and puzzled look on the guardian¡¯s face. She picked up the heavy longsword blessed by the Storm Goddess and slung it over her back as she swiftly made her way toward the stairs, ¡°Lead the way, I will inspect the scene personally.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The heavy blessed longsword clashed against the metallic shoulder plates with a crisp sound. Quick steps passed through the long staircase inside the bell tower, and as Fanna reached the small square in front of the bell tower, she saw several members of the guardians already assembled there on standby. Two steam-powered walkers were parked at the edge of the square, their spider-like mechanical bodies emitting continuous clicking sounds.


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    Without lingering, Fanna simply gave the guardians a signal to move out and headed straight for one of the walkers¡ªa huge machine the size of two double-wheeled carriages, resembling a mechanical spider crouching on the ground. Its steel limbs were fitted with wheels for gliding on flat surfaces and steel hooks for dealing with special environments, while the upper shell of the walker was equipped with rotating barrel guns in the firing cockpits on either side.


    Pure technological creations have little effect on ¡°anomalies¡± or ¡°phenomena,¡± but overwhelming firepower can kill those heretics manipulating anomalies from the shadows¡ªof course, these things can¡¯t be fully utilized in the sewage system, but they are quite useful for blocking doors.


    Holy 8mm bullets scatter, and in the blink of an eye, they can send a large group of heretics fleeing to the Subspace to serve their gods.


    The grey-haired, grey-eyed Judge jumped onto the shell of the walker, standing steady with her longsword against the night sky. Two other guardians swiftly climbed into the firing cockpits on either side of the shell. Following a sequence of hissing sounds from the pressurizing and depressurizing cylinders and conduits, white steam blew out from the joints of the walker¡¯s limbs. The massive mechanical spider promptly rose and leaped onto the nearby main road, then rushed towards the nearest sewer entrance in gliding mode.


    (It¡¯s time to recommend a book again. The title is ¡°Stepping into the Unscientific,¡± a tech-savvy novel. It¡¯s been plugged several times and is still bouncing around lively. Now at 1.4 million words, it¡¯s fast approaching ten thousand subscriptions. If interested, you could check it out.)

 Chapter 30

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The massive and heavy mechanical spider folded its long limbs into its abdomen and, using the wheel structures on the sides of its limbs, glided at high speed along the straight road, while Judge Vanna stood steadily atop the carapace of this mechanical creation, the slightly fishy night breeze blowing through the streets, the cold air making her mind even more clear.


    Those who worshipped the Sun God as heretics were a significant threat to modern civilization¡ªand unfortunately, they were not the only such threat.


    There are always malevolent gazes cast toward the human world from the depths of Subspace, and always foolish mortals who attempt to touch those ominous powers; in the collusion between primordial beings and mortals, there are also twisted creatures, forbidden offspring, and residual corruption lurking deep within the City-States, always ready to stir and attempt to pry apart the social order.


    Among all these threats, the followers of the Sun God were the most vigilant and vexing for the protectors of the Plunder City-State.


    They were not just heretics but also products of some lost history of the old world. More dangerous than most blindly foolish heretics, these worshippers of the Black Sun had what one might call ¡°convictions¡±¡ªas fanatical and distorted as they were, and though their lower ranks were a mixed bag, among the upper echelons of this detestable cult lay certain ¡°core beliefs¡± that had remained unchanged for thousands of years.


    These beliefs revolved around the ¡°Era of Order¡± under the light of the olden Sun, not only constituting a system in itself but also having a corresponding, unrecognized by modern civilization, ¡°True Sun calendar.¡± They firmly believed they were descendants of an ancient civilization long lost and that this past glory would be restored.


    As a Judge of the Deep Sea Church, Vanna was not overly interested in the heretics¡¯ perverse doctrines, but she knew that it was the existence of such doctrines that gave the followers of the Sun God a unity and stubbornness that was far beyond other heretics, allowing them to survive tenaciously after repeated strikes and to grow within the shadows of numerous City-States.


    But their resurgence in Plunder was still somewhat unexpected to Vanna.


    Ever since the unprecedented crackdown four years ago, the Sun God¡¯s believers in Plunder had been severely weakened. According to several investigation reports, those heretics should have relocated their primary members to nearby Rensa, Moco, and even farther away to Cold Harbor City-State, leaving only the most ignorant and indoctrinated lackeys who lacked the qualification to move with the bishop group in Plunder.


    These minions hid in the sewers, completely relying on their knowledge of the underworld and the twisted blessings the Black Sun bestowed upon them to evade the pursuers. Over four years, their numbers dwindled, and the only thing they had left was to cling to a feeble existence.


    Yet today, four years later, they suddenly gathered again, even daring to risk exposure by conducting a sacrificial ritual at a meeting place¡­ Who had given them the audacity?


    Or to say¡­ was something major about to happen in this City-State? Was there a cause significant enough that, even at the risk of extinguishing their last spark, the heretics would draw the Black Sun¡¯s gaze to Plunder?


    From within the mechanical spider came the vibrations and noise of the continuously operating steam core, and a faint fragrance wafted out from the steam release valves, carried by the night breeze. Vanna temporarily set aside her random thoughts and looked up at the sky.


    ¡°Creation of the World¡± hung high in the night, its pale luminescence illuminating Plunder¡¯s uneven mix of houses, chimneys, and towers. The action squad was now moving through the edge of the industrial zone, where the massive steam and thermal fluid pipes crossing between factories were like the arteries of giants threading through the sky above the streets.


    Vanna faintly recalled the past, the most profound and terrifying night in her memory¡ªon that midnight filled with the scent of blood, her uncle carried her as they fled from the inferno, the streets were full of people caught in a mass hallucination, walking corpses and fluctuating shadows of flesh, they escaped along the factory pipes, the stench of blood and the chemical grease seeping from the pipes was nauseating¡­


    Suddenly, a vibration from the mechanical spider at her feet jolted Vanna from her memories.


    The smooth road came to an end ahead lay the abandoned district on the outskirts of the city area, with uneven and bumpy terrain, the two mechanical spiders ended their gliding mode, stretching out their long limbs to move rapidly over the rough surface.


    Before long, the squad arrived at the entrance to an abandoned sewer.


    Another team of eight was already on standby, having sealed off the nearby area to prevent unrelated personnel from approaching the entrance.


    Vanessa greeted the subordinates here and then followed the person in charge directly into the bowels of the sewer.


    Through the profound corridors, through the filthy paths, Vanessa finally arrived at that secret meeting place¡ªhere, she saw more guardian soldiers, as well as church priests performing the purification ritual.


    A temporary sacrificial platform was situated right in the center of the congregation area; the wooden platform seemed as if it had been scorched by flames. On the platform, one could still see the desecrated totem set up by the Sun God¡¯s worshippers¡ªthat totem had been burned by fire, but its basic structure remained intact.


    Surrounding the platform were dozens of heretics, their hands bound and crouched on the ground. Most of them were shivering, while a few moved their lips silently, murmuring their blasphemous prayers without sound.


    But with the ritual site having been destroyed, and the Storm Goddess¡¯ attention turned to this place, these heretical prayers were utterly ineffective.


    Not far from the sacrificial platform were the bodies of the victims found in nearby caves, laid upon linen cloths with runes drawn upon them. Morticians who had hurried over were examining the state of each corpse.


    Several church priests walked around the platform, the bronze chains in their hands swaying gently. From the censers at the end of these chains, white smoke emitted, touching the ground near the platform to be immediately stained with an ominous black shadow. More white smoke carried away these contaminants¡ªthe aura left here by the Black Sun was being cleansed bit by bit in this process.


    ¡°Your Honor, Judge, please come this way. This is where we¡¯ve found something amiss,¡± the young guardian pointed at several bodies beside the sacrificial platform and said, ¡°Please be careful, the ground here is not very clean.¡±


    Vanessa walked straight towards those bodies, and upon seeing the condition of one of them, she involuntarily furrowed her brow.


    It was a heretic wearing a golden mask¡ªundoubtedly, the priest directly in charge of the sacrificial ceremony at this sacrilegious site.


    There was a terrifying hole in his chest.


    ¡°¡­What happened here?¡± Vanessa frowned, ¡°Did this fanatical heretic get too excited at the end of the ceremony and sacrifice himself? I¡¯ve never heard of such a custom among those who worship the Black Sun.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s the bizarre part¡ªhe was not a victim of self-sacrifice,¡± the guardian who had brought Vanessa there immediately shook his head, speaking with a strange expression on his face, ¡°According to the heretics we captured¡­ their ¡®messenger¡¯ was sacrificed by a sacrificial victim¡­¡±


    ¡°Sacrificed by a sacrificial victim?¡± Vanessa instantly raised her eyebrows, ¡°What kind of madness is that?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it sounds like madness,¡± the guardian spread his hands helplessly, ¡°In fact, when we arrived, most of the heretics here were already in a state of near-insanity. Many of them had taken to killing each other, and it seems as though they had started to see each other as ¡®monsters¡¯¡­ possessed by some horrifying entity. It was their crazed breakout from the gathering place that alerted the nearby patrol officers, leading to the exposure of the situation¡­ By the time we got here, there were only a few left who were coherent enough to answer questions, and those few who could still speak fluently insisted it was a sacrificial victim that sacrificed the messenger.¡±


    ¡°Driven to madness? Killing each other? And believing that others are possessed monsters?¡± Vanessa¡¯s expression immediately turned grave, ¡°Was an examination done? Is it a result of corruption by the Black Sun?¡±


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t find traces of external contamination; it looks more like a spontaneously occurring madness¡ªthe factor causing the insanity is rooted within their own psychic world,¡± explained the guardian, pointing towards a young lady walking among the heretics, dressed in a black gown, ¡°Miss Heidi is here already. If we confirm that these heretics aren¡¯t tainted by the Black Sun, we¡¯ll have to think of solutions in terms of hypnotism.¡±

 Chapter 31

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Vanna raised her head to look at the lady in black, who was checking the mental state of some heretics. Noticing Vanna¡¯s gaze, she too lifted her head and nodded slightly in her direction.


    The woman appeared to be in her early twenties but possessed a composure that seemed far beyond her years. Her long black hair was coiled up behind her head, and the pale blue crystal earrings dangling from her earlobes reflected the light of a nearby gas lamp.


    ¡°¡­Heidi is also here¡­ Did the city hall send her?¡± Vanna asked the young guardian by her side.


    ¡°No, Lady Heidi just happened to be nearby when the incident occurred. She came over directly after hearing the news¡ªis there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing. Although Heidi is an employee of the city hall, she has also been working with the church for a long time. All she has to do is make a record of the scene when she gets back,¡± Vanna shook her head and quickly refocused on the matter at hand. She inspected the Cult Priest who had died in delirium and casually inquired, ¡°What else did the communicable heretics say? What exactly happened at that time?¡±


    ¡°Their speech was very confused. Two of them mentioned that the normal sacrificial ceremony had already ended, but then someone caught a runaway sacrifice near the assembly area, so the messenger decided to offer this sacrifice to the Sun God¡­¡± the guardian recounted, ¡°Those two heretics were standing far from the altar and couldn¡¯t see the specifics of what was happening. They only mentioned the sacrifice was stabbed through the heart but did not die. Instead, the sacrifice shouted the name of the Sun God and designated the messenger as the sacrifice¡­ and then the messenger was sacrificed.¡±


    ¡°¡­A person designated as a sacrifice shouted the name of an Evil God and just like that sacrificed the person conducting the ceremony?¡± Vanna felt like she had heard some unbelievable tall tale. It seemed absurd to her, but since the words came from a well-trained, trustworthy church guardian, she had no choice but to take it seriously, which made her expression turn peculiar. ¡°How could such an absurd thing happen¡ªif that¡¯s possible, then wouldn¡¯t many victims at the scenes of heretical sacrifices be able to turn the tables on those heretic priests just by speaking up faster?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, even the most inept priest dominates the ritual. How could a weak common person utter a single sentence to disrupt the ceremony to such an extent¡ªand we¡¯ve also examined this priest. He indeed bore traces of Corrosion from the ¡®deeper layers¡¯ of our world, a true ¡®Baptized¡¯, and according to the testimony of the heretics at the scene, he was holding a ritualistic dagger blessed with a benediction in his hand¡­¡±


    As the young guardian spoke, he shook his head and then moved to another body lying nearby.


    ¡°But¡­ take a look at this, this is the ¡®sacrifice¡¯ who ¡®counter-killed¡¯ the priest.¡±


    Vanna glanced at the guardian and then her gaze fell on the completely lifeless body. In the next second, her eyes sharpened.


    It was a frail young man, so gaunt that his physique was more akin to a boy¡¯s, and the most striking abnormality on him was the gaping hole in his chest.


    ¡°¡­He has been sacrificed¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is a sacrifice who has already been offered. Combining the traces at the scene and the testimonies of the heretics, this ¡®sacrifice¡¯ had probably lost his heart before being brought onto the altar,¡± the guardian said solemnly, ¡°So¡­ the real situation was that a walking corpse, in full view of everyone, walked onto the altar and killed the priest conducting the ritual as a sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°¡­Necromancer¡¯s trickery?¡± Vanna mused to herself. ¡°No, the power of the Black Sun has a significant suppression effect on necromancers; their controlled walking dead couldn¡¯t blatantly approach the Black Sun¡¯s totem¡­ Was it a re-animated being under abnormal control?¡±


    ¡°Have you checked the lighting around here?¡± she suddenly raised her head to look at the guardian beside her, ¡°Within a five-hundred-meter radius, is there a completely dark underground space?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve checked, there are no lightless pits¡ª even the heretics are aware of their danger. In the caves where they discard bodies, they¡¯ve left torches and oil lamps; they were very cautious in this regard.¡±


    Farna didn¡¯t speak immediately but instead bent down in front of the young man¡¯s corpse with a heavy sense of doubt. She meticulously examined this ¡°sacrifice,¡± which had, in full view of everyone, been offered to a Transcendent and caused the ritual to spiral out of control. She stretched out her hand to turn over the stiff eyelids, attempting to find any traces of heretical powers left on him.


    Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, it seemed like a faint glimmer flashed ¡ª she thought she saw the young man¡¯s corpse slightly open its eyes, with pale green flames flickering within those empty sockets. A tiny spark shot out onto the fingertip of her extended right index finger then promptly dispersed with the wind.


    Farna¡¯s eyes sharpened, and in an instant, she drew the dagger from her waist with her left hand and, without hesitation, sliced off her right index finger, then in a backhanded move, she nailed the dagger into the corpse¡¯s forehead. The cult priest dagger, engraved with runes, suddenly burst into fierce flames that completely engulfed the body.


    It took her less than a second to do all of this, and the moment the body was consumed by the flames, she had straightened up and backed away two steps. Then she quickly took out the blessed holy oil from her waist, bit off the stopper, and poured its contents over her right hand, which was frantically bleeding ¡ª upon contact with the flesh, the holy oil let out a sizzling noise and emitted a thick white smoke.


    A piercing pain rushed forth, but Farna¡¯s facial expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest. She saw that the guardian who had been by her side had quickly drawn his steel sword and decapitated the burning ¡°sacrifice¡¯s¡± head. He then threw a concoction mixed with seaweed extract and silver powder into the flames.


    Accompanied by continuous booming noises and the flames that suddenly shot high up, nearly licking the ceiling, the mutated corpse turned to ashes in the blink of an eye.


    Yet this sizable flame didn¡¯t spread to any of the other corpses nearby.


    The surrounding guardians had already snapped into action, with half of them drawing runic steel swords to form a protective circle around Farna, while the other half drew large-caliber revolvers to quickly form a perimeter. The two priests on-scene also drew the revolvers hidden under their robes, blessing the muzzles with their censers while chanting the name of the Storm Goddess Gomona and continuously aiming at the heretics who were agitated by the sudden changes in their surroundings.


    ¡°Your Excellency Judge!¡± A young guardian holding a steel sword approached Farna then, ¡°How are you? Just now¡­¡±


    ¡°There was some force remaining in that ¡®sacrifice¡¯, a force that bypassed all the protections bestowed by the Goddess, and even my Spiritual Energy alarms,¡± Farna gestured dismissively, her gaze on her right hand ¡ª the Goddess¡¯s blessing had taken effect, and the severed index finger was wriggling, slowly regenerating; yet even as the intense pain began to subside, she didn¡¯t feel reassured at all.


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    ¡°Something¡¯s not right. There¡¯s not only the ¡®Black Sun¡¯ here, there might also be another powerful force that visited this sacrificial ritual¡­ and this force has not completely left. It¡¯s still plotting something,¡± the Judge quickly made her assessment. ¡°Move all the people and evidence away, take them to the church for strict custody, and conduct all the inspections and interrogations within the church. This scene needs to undergo thorough purification¡­ Are there others elsewhere?¡±


    A guardian nearby immediately replied, ¡°Yes, we rescued a group of ¡®intended sacrifices¡¯ from another nearby cave earlier. They¡¯re currently being temporarily sheltered in an adjacent pipe room.¡±


    ¡°Take them too, to the church ¡ª even though they are victims, they must undergo strict inspections before we can let them go home,¡± said Farna quickly, and then as if she had just remembered something added, ¡°What about Miss Heidi? Is she alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± a calm female voice responded from nearby at that moment. The ¡°psychiatrist¡± hired by the city hall, dressed in a black skirt, walked over unhurriedly and nodded at Farna, ¡°No need to worry, I didn¡¯t react at all just now ¡ª so what exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­ As many classic tales tell, the heretics have summoned something more sinister than themselves,¡± Farna glanced at the ¡°psychiatrist¡±. ¡°I strongly suggest that you take extra precautions when examining these heretics and conducting hypnosis on them later¡­ There was a presence here that should not have been, and it lingers.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The night faded, and the pale scars filling the sky began to dissipate gradually. Duncan stood on the stern deck, looking up at the sky, not missing a single detail of the day-night transition.


    He saw the scar become transparent and illusory, bit by bit, like a dream awakening. The gray-white mists that seeped out around it merged with the sky first, followed by the body of the scar ¨C yet throughout this process, the position of the ¡°scar¡± never changed.


    Duncan blinked and a further speculation rose in his mind: If the mark in the sky hadn¡¯t changed its position, did that mean it wasn¡¯t some distant astronomical structure? Could it be a mere ¡°imprint¡± on the backdrop of the atmosphere, a mirage that moved in synchrony with the Endless Sea?


    Or was it because the planet upon which the Endless Sea was located (if this was indeed a planet) and the scar were in perfect synchronous motion? Or perhaps the scar was indeed moving, but the movement was imperceptible to the naked eye due to the short observation period?


    Various conjectures bubbled in his mind, but Duncan knew all too well that without sufficient evidence and reliable experimental verification, these conjectures were just that ¨C conjectures. A natural phenomenon could have a myriad of possible explanations, but without theoretical and evidential support, it was all talk.


    The ¡°sun¡± rose.


    First came a golden brilliance at the horizon of the sea, and then a massive luminous structure abruptly emerged from the surface of the sea. With the resplendent glow of dawn, the light sphere secured by a dual rune structure appeared in Duncan¡¯s line of sight.


    As the rune structure revolved slowly, the sun ascended majestically, a process that seemed to have a sound of its own ¨C a low, powerful, and slow rumbling that echoed in Duncan¡¯s mind. Yet when he concentrated to listen, the sound suddenly vanished.


    He frowned, doubting whether he had just experienced an auditory hallucination, but the memory the sound left was so vivid he could not deny it.


    Was it ¡­ the sun¡¯s declaration to the world as it rose? Or was it just one of the many illusions brought by the Endless Sea?


    No one could answer Duncan¡¯s question, as the vast and boundless Endless Sea continued to guard all its secrets as usual.


    The pigeon Ai Yi, as comfortable as ever, perched on Duncan¡¯s shoulder. Suddenly, it stood up and started flapping its wings vigorously, looking out to the sea and loudly chirping, ¡°Fries! I want some fries!¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He glanced at the whimsical pigeon and suddenly felt that having such a creature around wasn¡¯t so bad ¨C its odd outbursts always gave him a sense of ¡°homey familiarity.¡±


    ¡°Sadly, there are no fries on board,¡± he said as he idly played with the pigeon¡¯s beak, turning to walk towards the captain¡¯s quarters, ¡°but you¡¯re right about one thing, it¡¯s time to find something to eat.¡±


    Shortly thereafter, the captain of the Homeloss prepared his traditional breakfast characteristic of a ghost ship ¨C Duncan used the navigation table in the captain¡¯s quarters as a dining table, placing several plates beside the sea charts on the empty surface. Today¡¯s breakfast, like last night¡¯s dinner, yesterday¡¯s lunch, and every meal before, consisted of jerky, cheese, and plain water.


    Duncan sat at the navigation table, carefully and ceremoniously spreading a napkin for himself. A goat head statue stood quietly opposite him. To his left, the cursed doll Alice, who had come to say hello early in the morning, and on his right, the peculiar pigeon perched on the tabletop.


    Suddenly, Duncan felt that this scene was apt for his persona as the ¡°Ghost Ship Captain¡± ¨C a goat carving representing a demon, a cursed doll he couldn¡¯t discard, the Eloquent Bird with knowledge of the Otherworld, and the ghost ship¡¯s captain at the head of the table. This scene needed no editing to be a movie poster.


    But only those on board the Homeloss knew the true state of its provisions.


    Duncan sighed, looking down at his plate ¨C the movie-poster-like scene was over, now followed by the stark reality of daily sustenance aboard the Homeloss.


    He picked up the knife and forcefully cut into the cheese, the sound of hard objects rubbing against each other squeaking and cracking. He prodded the jerky with his fork, which clinked crisply as it collided with the plate.


    Curious, Alice watched this and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Captain, isn¡¯t today¡¯s meal the same as yesterday¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s will be the same as well,¡± Duncan looked up at the cursed doll, ¡°Do you want to try it?¡±


    Alice thought for a moment, picked up a piece of jerky with her hand, chewed on it vigorously, then spat it out immediately with a ¡°ptui ptui¡±: ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good at all!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t stomach it even if it¡¯s tasty¡ªyou have a stomach?¡± Duncan took away the remaining half-strip of jerky from Alice¡¯s hand, ¡°You really tried it when I told you to.¡±


    As he spoke, Duncan looked at the food on his plate with some concern.


    The only food they could find on the ship was like this: the jerky tasted like thick cardboard with salt, and the cheese was like friable wood mixed with sand. No matter how it was processed, it always had a strange smell. He had tried boiling the jerky in water, baking it, or pan-frying it, yet, after much effort, he couldn¡¯t make the taste or texture any better.


    The good news was that the food was at least not rotten and wouldn¡¯t poison anyone. The bad news was that the relentless passage of time turned these non-rotten substances into something extremely ill-advised to swallow. Duncan had every reason to believe the cheese was older than he was by several cycles, and if the jerky were alive, it had surely witnessed the rise and fall of a century.


    The captain of the Homeloss might not worry about scurvy, but Duncan still yearned for a healthy diet¡ªat least, he hoped the food on his plate would be younger than himself.


    Even the same age would do.


    The ¡°Homeloss Supply and Inventory Plan¡± and the ¡°Land Exploration Plan¡± that he had considered yesterday once again surfaced in his mind.


    But these were not achievable in a short time.


    Duncan sighed and continued to cut the ¡°firewood¡± on his plate with a vindictive attitude, while Ai Yi, who had been tilting his head and watching for a while on the table next to him, walked over curiously. The bird first glanced at its owner, then looked at the contents of the plate, ¡°Are the crystal mines depleted?¡±


    Duncan glanced at the pigeon and casually tossed it some cheese crumbs that had fallen off. Ai Yi pecked at them twice, then froze as if it had crashed, standing motionless¡­


    The bird stayed frozen for a good three or four seconds before suddenly coming to life. It flapped its wings frantically and flew to a nearby shelf, uttering a frantic noise, ¡°I¡¯d rather starve to death, die out there, jump off here, than eat¡­¡±


    Duncan felt a bit wounded, while the goat head, which had finally quieted down across the table, couldn¡¯t help but produce a creaking sound of wood friction.


    Before the creature began carving out its firestarter, Duncan finally nodded, ¡°Speak, if you have something to say.¡±


    ¡°Yes, captain,¡± the goat head finally had the opportunity to speak and immediately started babbling, ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask since yesterday, this creature that you brought with you¡­ its name is ¡®Ai Yi,¡¯ right? Why can I never understand what it says? I pondered all night, what exactly does ¡®recharge Q-coin¡¯ mean?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyebrows lifted¡ª he hadn¡¯t expected the goat head to hold out this long before asking the question, underestimating its self-control!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; this bird¡¯s way of thinking is very peculiar,¡± Duncan continued his carpentry without stopping his hands and casually said the excuse he had prepared long ago, ¡°It seems to communicate with people using a language that only it can understand. Listen to it enough and you can roughly guess what it¡¯s trying to say.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The goat head pondered on its own, ¡°But I always feel like there¡¯s a certain logic hidden in its words¡­ as if behind that language, there¡¯s a complete and consistent set of knowledge¡­ Did you find Ai Yi while you were traveling in the Spirit Realm? Could it possibly be a projection from the deep depths of the Underworld? You know, the deeper you go, the more likely you are to encounter projections from misaligned spacetimes, displaying information from lost eras, or even fragments from the future. Is it possible that Ai Yi is talking about things from another temporal dimension?¡±


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    Duncan¡¯s work of cutting paused imperceptibly for a moment, then continued as if nothing had happened, and he said in an even tone, ¡°Then I wish you luck in figuring out the logic behind Ai Yi¡¯s language.¡±


    The goat head¡¯s words might just be a wild guess, but the information revealed inevitably stirred up waves in Duncan¡¯s heart!


    During his travels in the Spirit Realm, had his soul come closer to a ¡°deeper layer¡± of this world? The deeper one went, the more one could see projections from misaligned spacetimes? And those projections could even display scenes from different timelines?


    Duncan hadn¡¯t seen any ¡°scenery from different timelines¡± while walking in the Spirit Realm, but there was one thing the goat head got right¡ªAi Yi did indeed come from another temporal dimension.


    So¡­ was this pigeon brought to this world by a person named ¡°Zhou Ming¡± from Earth, or was it, as the goat head suggested, from a deeper layer of this world?

 Chapter 33

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    This breakfast tasted like chewing wax¡ª and it was even worse in texture than wax.


    Having finished a rather unsatisfying breakfast, Captain Duncan¡¯s mood didn¡¯t improve with his full stomach; instead, it grew slightly agitated due to a bunch of messy speculations stirred up by the inadvertent information mentioned by the goat head.


    He glanced at Ai Yi, the pigeon who was leisurely strolling on a nearby shelf, and felt the wild thoughts in his mind grow more absurd.


    He had always believed that this pigeon, which spoke ¡°Earth language,¡± was born because it carried the soul of an Earthling. He thought it came into existence when ¡°Zhou Ming¡± somehow reacted with the brass Compass during his travels in the Spirit Realm.


    But what if¡­ things were not like that?


    What if, as the goat head said, this pigeon was merely a phantom that had run out from a ¡°deeper¡± place, and had happened to condense into form right by his side?


    Then the occasional ¡°Earth language¡± Ai Yi spouted would be unrelated to Zhou Ming¡¯s memories and would become a projection of some historical segment recorded by the world itself¡­


    The possibilities behind this made Duncan restless.


    Alice stood up, her voice interrupting Duncan¡¯s wild thoughts, ¡°Do you need me to wash the dishes?¡±


    Duncan looked at the doll-like miss with some surprise, and she scratched her head awkwardly, ¡°I just feel that since I¡¯m on the ship, I should find something to do. Otherwise, I¡¯ll just be freeloading¡­¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t eat,¡± Duncan reminded her, ¡°Still, it¡¯s nice that you¡¯re offering ¡ª take the dishes to the scullery and have a talk with the sink. If it doesn¡¯t mind, then you wash.¡±


    Having said that, he didn¡¯t wait for Alice¡¯s response and stood up, heading toward the door of the captain¡¯s cabin while casually saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to inspect the deck, don¡¯t disturb me unless it¡¯s important.¡±


    The pigeon that had been wandering on the shelf immediately flapped its wings and landed on Duncan¡¯s shoulder, accompanying him as they left the room, leaving Alice to stare at the goat head over the navigation table.


    ¡°Is the captain in a bad mood?¡± After hesitating for a moment, Alice cautiously asked the goat head.


    The goat head spoke in a deep tone, ¡°The captain¡¯s mood is like the weather over the Endless Sea, don¡¯t speculate, just accept it.¡±


    Alice didn¡¯t wait for the goat head to continue speaking and quickly followed up with, ¡°Right, the captain just told me to negotiate with the sink¡­ How do I negotiate?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. You wash things. If you get splashed all over, it means the sink doesn¡¯t like you ¡ª speaking of which, do you even know how to wash dishes? If not, I have some theoretical experience¡­¡±


    Before the goat head could finish, Alice swiftly cleared the tableware from the table, and while running toward the door, she shouted, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll learn, thank you, Mr. Goat Head, goodbye!¡±


    The captain¡¯s cabin suddenly became quiet, leaving only the dark goat head on the table, its hollow eyes staring in the direction everyone had left.


    After a while, a sigh came from the navigation table, ¡°How good it would be to have legs¡­¡±


    Then its gaze returned to the sea chart.


    The fog surrounding the Homeloss was still dissipating leisurely, and the task of steering given to it by the captain still needed to be carried out properly.


    With precise control, the massive and ¡°alive¡± Ghost Ship nimbly adjusted the angles of its sails, continuing its voyage on the Endless Sea, while the goat head hummed an old sailing song that had been passed down through the years¡ªa coarse, grating ¡°hum¡± echoing through the captain¡¯s cabin:


    ¡°Set sails, set sails, sailors far from home push forward;


    ¡°Amidst the wind and waves, amidst the clamor, we¡¯re but a plank away from death;


    ¡°Furl the jib, unfurl the mainsail, let loose the ropes, hold tight the gunwale! We have reached the middle of the sea!


    ¡°Stay away from the fish, stay further from the fish, sailors must surpass those broods¡¯ patrolled routes;


    ¡°Stay away from the fish, stay further from the fish! We must safely reach shore¡ªspirits and the fireplace are just ahead¡­¡±


    Duncan walked around the storeroom stocked with supplies, spun another round in the kitchen, and finally returned to the midsection of the Homeloss¡¯s deck.


    No matter how many times he searched, he couldn¡¯t find anything on the ship more palatable than dried meat and cheese.


    The good news was he didn¡¯t have to eat maggot-infested biscuits like the sailors from Earth¡¯s age of sail, but the bad news was that there weren¡¯t even maggot-infested biscuits on the ship.


    He set aside those wild thoughts for a moment, taking the quiet Ai Yi with him to the edge of the deck.


    Gazing out at the vast sea, he constantly pondered:


    ¡°¡­ No matter what, I must find a way to replenish the necessities aboard Homeloss¡­ Although one shouldn¡¯t be too picky about the quality of life on a ghost ship, I simply can¡¯t live like an actual ghost¡­


    ¡°Alice might need a change of clothes, and there are none suitable for her on this ship.


    ¡°I must establish contact with a city-state on land as soon as possible. Homeloss has been drifting at sea for too many years, the city-states on land might have developed beyond what even that goat head could have anticipated during this time. From what I saw in the sewer before, at the very least Plunder City-State is a powerful and advanced metropolis. The revolvers carried by those heretics also speak to the technological progress of human society¡­


    ¡°The ancient ghost ship may not be invincible in front of a civilization that has developed over a century, Homeloss still has its reputation, but it would be problematic if only the reputation remains¡­¡±


    Duncan glanced at Ai Yi on his shoulder.


    Perhaps¡­ after recharging today, he should try another ¡°Spirit Realm Walk.¡±


    ¡°Coo coo?¡±


    Ai Yi tilted her head, finally making a sound that a normal pigeon would make.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but laugh, and just then, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed what seemed to be a flicker of light on the sea nearby.


    Attracted by the movement, he unconsciously looked out over the ship¡¯s railing a few more times, and soon noticed that indeed, there seemed to be something swimming beneath the surface of the water nearby.


    After hesitating for a moment, Duncan suddenly slapped his forehead.


    ¡°Hey! My reaction¡­ this is the sea! Aren¡¯t there fish in the sea!¡±


    The sudden ¡°possibility¡± boosted Duncan¡¯s spirits; he realized that establishing contact with land and providing Homeloss with stable supplies wouldn¡¯t be accomplished overnight, but couldn¡¯t the vast and boundless sea itself lend a hand?


    There were fish in the sea¡ªand he had had enough of the dried meat and cheese on the ghost ship!


    Duncan¡¯s enthusiasm was sparked, and he remembered that there were heavy-duty fishing rods for sea fishing in one of the storage areas below the deck, and positions for securing the fishing rods along the railing. As for bait¡­ he wondered if dried meat and cheese would work?


    And so, while the cursed puppets washed dishes in the pantry and the talking goat head focused on steering, the captain of Homeloss busied himself between the deck and the cabin.


    Duncan soon found what he was looking for. He carried three heavy-duty fishing rods and the accompanying ¡°bait¡± back to the deck, and somewhat awkwardly secured them to the railing. After baiting the hooks and casting the rods, he brought over a nearby empty bucket to serve as a seat while he waited.


    Duncan actually had no experience with sea fishing¡ªhis entire fishing experience was limited to the pond and a small river near his old home. He didn¡¯t know if his impulsive action would really catch any fish, but he had time on his hands, so why not try?


    He took it as a means to rest before his next journey to the Spirit Realm, while also keeping hope alive for future improvements in his meals.


    Duncan sat down between the fishing rods and slowly regained his calm as he waited.


    Today¡¯s sea conditions were fairly stable, with some clouds in the sky but no signs of a storm brewing.


    Sitting on the bucket with his back against a winch used to secure ropes, Duncan softly squinted his eyes in the gentle rocking of the ship.


    At some point, he drifted into a half-dream, half-awake state.


    He dreamed that he was walking barefoot on the calm sea, the water azure blue, the sunlight warm.


    The familiar and ¡°normal¡± sun hung high in the sky, bright but not scorching hot.


    He heard the sound of splashing water and looked in its direction, only to see a group of fish suddenly jumping out of the calm water nearby.


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    They were a school of small, golden fish, about the size of a palm. They exhaled bubbles in the air, wagging their tails as if swimming, slowly circling around Duncan.


    These fish swimming in the air gradually approached, Zhou Ming curiously watched them, their round bulging eyes, their fine scales, their opening and closing mouths, and the faint traces behind them, undulating like ripples.


    Zhou Ming suddenly found these fish beautiful, and also¡­


    Delicious.


    They must be very, very delicious.

 Chapter 34

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°`


    A sudden sound of sea waves abruptly awakened Duncan from his dreamscape.


    His eyes snapped open, and the phantasm he observed in his half-dreaming state had vanished, leaving only a faint silhouette. He could only remember something about seeing fish swimming in the air, and those fish around him seemed extraordinarily delicious¡ªbut what did those fish look like again?


    Fish¡­ swimming in the air?


    Duncan blinked, a strange feeling of reality and dreamscape tearing and blending confusing him momentarily. He looked towards his three fishing rods, secured on the rod holder, and saw no indication of a bite, while the sea in the distance was already starting to heave, wave after wave crashing against the Homeloss¡¯s hull.


    Then the waves grew larger. Within visible range, stronger waves succeeded each proceeding wave, continuously surging from afar. The massive body of the Homeloss swayed in the storm, with the sound of the surging waves filling his ears.


    Duncan looked up at the sky to see that the weather was still good¡ªjust a bit more wavy, but probably not something that would lead to extreme weather like a major storm.


    ¡°This might not be good weather for fishing¡­¡±


    He muttered, pondering whether to reel in the rods. But at that moment, he caught sight of one of the fishing rods bending dramatically from the corner of his eye!


    The robust fishing line designed for sea fishing instantly became taut, and the short and sturdy sea fishing rod seemed to latch onto something big, its entire front part bending like a bow along with a grating noise of creaking and squeaking. The rod holder was also making the sound of wood rubbing under the pull of this great force, all of which signaled to Duncan:


    A fish! A big one!


    He immediately discarded the idea of resting and reeling in the rods. The enthusiasm of a fisherman blazed in his chest as he made two steps and reached the ¡°struck¡± rod, one hand grabbing it to prevent any slip from the holder, the other hand slowly adjusting the tension of the line.


    ¡°I knew it! How could I come up empty-handed?¡±


    Duncan excitedly muttered to himself, beginning a fierce struggle with whatever massive thing was at the other end of the line. It was a hard fight, the entity at the end of the fishing line clearly not intending to make capture easy, pulling against the rod with such force that even with Duncan¡¯s strength and the support of the rod holder, the standoff seemed precarious.


    The waves around the Homeloss grew little by little, but to Duncan, this slight rocking was nothing.


    He was simply angered by the stubborn ¡°prey¡± and also worried that the chance to improve their diet that had finally appeared would slip away for no reason.


    The fishing line stretched to its limit, and the big fish was about to break free from his grasp.


    After an indeterminate period of deadlock, Duncan steeled his heart and suddenly a cluster of eerie green flames spread from his hand that was holding the rod.


    The spectral fire burst fiercely, spreading like water and quickly flowing along the fishing rod and line, the Spiritual Body flame burning its way along, forming a straight line of ¡°fire¡± that entered the water. In the next second, a ghostly green flame outline suddenly emerged deep in the water surrounding the Homeloss, and under the illumination and delineation of the pale green flames, a vast shadow began to surface in the water.


    The shadow resembled an irregular mass contracting and expanding, almost covering the entire sea surface within hundreds of meters around the Homeloss. Its fringes extended into numerous dark entities that constantly transformed and proliferated, like thousands of arms writhing and waving in the ocean, stirring the waters around the Homeloss, controlling the invisible surges and tides of the Endless Sea.


    Duncan heard some strange noises coming from the sea, and while maintaining his standoff with his ¡°prey,¡± he peeked curiously outside.


    He saw nothing but the undulating waves, not much changed from before.


    And he could distinctly feel the opposing force transmitted through the fishing rod weakening somewhat.


    The prey was running out of strength¡ªa fact that spread a brilliant smile across his face.


    He started to reel the line tighter, gradually dragging his catch out of the water¡­


    ¡­


    Alice was startled by the roaring and howling that came from outside the cabin. The violent shaking began under her feet, causing all the items in the room to make a series of clanking noises. She quickly grabbed a nearby railing to prevent herself from falling, an expression of confusion and doubt on her face, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    The Homeloss was shaking as if a huge storm was raging outside, and from the depths of this ancient Ghost Ship came low, oppressive strange sounds. It was as if it was roaring, bellowing, resisting the terror of the deep sea, fighting against some colossal beast that was trying to devour it.


    Everything in the cabin was clanking, and at first Alice thought it was just the collision caused by the shaking of the ship. But she soon realized that many of the noisy items were actually chattering in place¡ªthey were making noises, communicating with each other, but Alice couldn¡¯t understand this language that only the Homeloss itself could comprehend.


    All she knew was that something might be wrong outside.


    The doll-like Miss decided to check the deck¡ªshe staggered out of the cabin, using the walls to prevent a fall, and headed towards the deck.


    ¡°`


    After nearly being tripped by the wildly flying ropes and the barrels bouncing haphazardly around her, she finally reached the end of the staircase, she pushed open the wooden door that swung continuously in the storm, and saw the terrifyingly huge waves forming on the Endless Sea.


    The sky was as black as ink, and the ominous, thick clouds had almost solidified into oppressive masses that pressed close to the ocean¡¯s surface. Towering waves rumbled and surged under the dark clouds, undulating menacingly around the Homeloss!


    For Alice, it was the first time seeing such a spectacle, and she didn¡¯t know if this was normal for the sea, but she knew she had to find the captain at this moment.


    She scanned the deck and, without much difficulty, spotted Captain Duncan standing on the edge of the deck.


    ¡­


    The wind and waves were somewhat bothersome, but for Duncan, on the verge of success, these were just trivial ¡°disturbances.¡± With the feedback from both the fishing line and the green fire, he could clearly sense that his prey had stopped struggling, and the massive creature was gradually being pulled to the surface.


    ¡°Come on up, you!¡±


    He shouted joyfully, pulling the fishing rod in his hand with a final fierce tug.


    A large fish leaped out of the water¡ªit was really big, almost half his size.


    In that brief moment, Duncan locked eyes with the fish suspended in the air.


    ¡°¡­Pretty ugly.¡±


    That was his first thought.


    The fish truly was extremely ugly, its dark and dull body seemed to be covered with some sort of proliferative outgrowths making it rough and uneven, and bizarre gray-white patterns sprawled haphazardly along the fins on either side. Bone-like structures were visible around the fish¡¯s head, and a pair of hollow, whitish eyeballs stared down Duncan from beneath those spiky projections.


    Duncan felt uncomfortable; he actually felt the fish was giving him a malevolent stare.


    But in the next instant, he saw the fish suddenly convulse, and for some reason, its eyes exploded on their own, instantly streaming with blood.


    The fish fell heavily onto the deck, writhing and thrashing madly as if electrocuted, and became still in just a few seconds, with blood seeping out of its mouth and burst eyeballs, slowly dripping onto the deck.


    Duncan watched somewhat bewildered as the hideously ugly fish quickly became lifeless at his feet. He vaguely remembered knowledge he had read in books: most deep-sea fish were indeed quite ugly, and due to living under high pressure for extended times, they indeed tended to suffer from ruptured blood vessels and rapid death after being brought to the surface due to the pressure change¡ªso the fish in this world were like that too?


    Just as he was stunned by this realization, a crackling sound suddenly reached his ears again.


    Curious, Duncan followed the sound and saw several smaller ¡°strange fish¡± follow suit, landing on the deck as well.


    They looked similar to the one that was half-human in size but were only about a half meter long and, like the large fish¡ª when Duncan laid eyes on them, they were already profusely bleeding and soon lay gasping for breath.


    Duncan was somewhat dazed, and it took him a while to come to his senses, ¡°Little Calabash saves grandfather? Delivering them in a row?¡±


    ¡­


    Alice clung tightly to the railing beside her, watching nervously the vicious battle happening not far away that would drive any ordinary person insane.


    She watched as Captain Duncan stood at the edge of the deck, his body enshrouded in billowing green flames that blazed sky-high. He stood like a towering inferno, confronting the ocean. Three hooked chains stretched out from the deck beneath his feet, one of which was alight with terrifying flames.


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    She saw a huge shadow appear in the Endless Sea, and then, a tentacle almost thicker than the mainmast of Homeloss emerged from the water, its surface covered with malevolent eyes. Countless sharp teeth gnashed and chewed between the eyes, as if it was about to bite the entire ship to pieces the next moment.


    Alice almost cried out; she wanted to warn the captain to dodge, to rush forward to help, but before she could act, the tentacle came crashing down towards the captain.


    She saw Captain Duncan lift his head, and under the raging flames, a look of harvest joy appeared on his face¡ªhe gazed at the countless eyes on the tentacle, and those eyes also gazed back at him.


    The next second, all the eyes on the tentacle burst open violently, and hundreds of sharp teeth emitted a piercing and agonizing shriek. Subsequently, the tentacle was cut off as if a massive entity hidden beneath the sea¡¯s surface willingly severed the connection with the tentacle, abandoning the grievously damaged end directly onto the deck.


    The tentacle crashed to the ground with a thud, and filthy, viscous blood and flesh spilled from the severed end, splattering all over the place, some landing at the captain¡¯s feet.

 Chapter 35

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The sea had calmed down.


    Alice saw the tentacle fall onto the deck, along with some bits of flesh that contained a powerful force; life quickly faded from these remnants. At the same time, some immense creature lurking beneath the sea around the Homeloss began to rapidly dive deeper¡ªafter sacrificing one tentacle as a ¡°price,¡± it quickly retreated from the waters where the Homeloss was located, its departure almost resembling a hasty escape.


    As this giant shadow submerged back into the deep sea, the ocean restored its calm at an astonishing pace, and the dense, ink-like clouds in the sky also completely dissipated.


    ¡­Those might not have been clouds at all.


    Alice looked up at the sky, recalling the appearance of the clouds from before. She remembered the contours of the clouds as they vanished, and finally managed to faintly associate them with the shadow that had been in the water around the ship.


    The heavy clouds in the sky seemed like a shadow, cast by some colossal creature in the sea.


    The crackling sound of flames burning came from the edge of the deck, interrupting Alice¡¯s trance. She quickly looked toward the captain¡¯s direction, only to see the captain had reverted to his usual demeanor: the tall man¡¯s face bore a cheerful smile as he noticed Alice standing not too far away and gestured for the doll-like lady to come over.


    Seeing Alice approach, Duncan kicked at the large fish at his feet, his tone slightly rising, ¡°Look, I caught a big fish!¡±


    ¡°Big¡­ big fish?¡± Alice looked somewhat bewildered as she gazed at the mass at Duncan¡¯s feet. Among the twisting, writhing flesh, countless eyes, split open and bloody, were still staring half-open at the sky, while sharp, jagged teeth gleamed with a metallic sheen between the orbs.


    With Duncan¡¯s kick, half of the eyes on the severed tentacle suddenly blinked, but then all closed for good.


    ¡°Yes, a big fish,¡± Duncan said cheerfully. ¡°You see, it took quite an effort to haul this thing up.¡±


    Though merely a puppet, Alice felt a muscle in the corner of her eye twitch at that moment. She opened her mouth to speak but was at a loss where to begin correcting the topic.


    She looked down at the ¡°fish¡± by Duncan¡¯s feet.


    An ugly big fish lay there¡ªdark and uneven skin with bizarre grey-white patterns near the fins, bone spurs protruding from its head, and a pair of lifeless fish eyes confronting her gaze.


    Many ¡°small fish¡± were scattered across the surrounding deck.


    Alice suddenly lost all expression and speech, staring wide-eyed at the scene before her, at the ¡°fish¡± lying on the deck, at these things that just a second ago were not ¡°fish¡±.


    Toy-like Miss Alice, lacking in life experiences, did not yet understand the concept of ¡°doubting one¡¯s life,¡± but at that moment, she indeed began to doubt everything, even questioning whether she was ¡°dreaming¡±¡ªwhere had the tentacle and those fragments of flesh gone?


    Perhaps her momentary stupor was too evident, as Duncan immediately noticed Alice¡¯s odd behavior. He raised an eyebrow, looking at the doll-like girl, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something amiss?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Alice opened her mouth, but just as she was about to correct something, the rules Goat-head had told her suddenly sprang to mind.


    Aboard the Homeloss, Captain Duncan was the ultimate authority, his words the absolute ¡°fact¡±¡ªif the real world contradicted Captain Duncan¡¯s words, then his judgment was to be trusted.


    ¡°There¡¯s no problem at all!¡± Alice quickly recovered, speaking swiftly as if to cover the nervousness in her tone and hurriedly changed the subject, ¡°By the way, Captain, that storm just now was quite frightening¡­¡±


    ¡°Storm? Are you talking about that wave?¡± Duncan looked puzzled at the doll-like miss, ¡°That wave was indeed no small matter, but it hardly qualifies as a storm¡­ Though, that¡¯s right, you haven¡¯t seen a real storm.¡±


    Alice: ¡°¡­You are right.¡±


    If Captain Duncan called the storm that had nearly covered the entire sea area a ¡°wave,¡± then it was a wave. If Captain Duncan believed the things he caught aboard were ¡°fish,¡± then those things were fish.


    ¡°¡­I sense you are a bit tense, are you truly alright?¡± Duncan still noticed something off in Alice¡¯s tone. He looked at his ¡°first mate¡± with some concern, ¡°Are you seasick, perhaps? Can you get seasick?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just that the boat was rocking a bit too much just now¡­¡± Alice looked at the captain, who showed a look of concern, unsure whether to feel relieved or more afraid, and could only awkwardly switch topics, ¡°By the way, what do you plan to do with these¡­ ¡®fish¡¯ that you¡¯ve caught?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Duncan instantly laughed, ¡°To eat, of course!¡±


    Alice¡¯s expression instantly froze: ¡°¡­Eat?¡±


    ¡°What else? Haven¡¯t you noticed that the food supply on the Homeloss is too monotonous?¡± Duncan was clearly in a good mood, ¡°I plan to split this big one, stew some and roast some; these slightly smaller ones will be salted to make dried fish¡­¡±


    He happily talked about his upcoming plans, but although he sounded confident, he was quite unsure whether he could succeed¡ªhis cooking skills were just average, and he had no experience dealing with such huge sea fish. Moreover, his knowledge of making dried fish was purely theoretical, with no practical hands-on experience.


    But how would he know without trying?


    The only problem¡­ was to not upset his stomach.


    In his joy over the bountiful catch, Duncan still kept a bit of rationality. He looked cautiously at the large fish at his feet, guessing whether this gift from nature could be poisonous.


    The safest method would be to find some unfortunate soul to taste it first.


    His first thought was of the goat head in the captain¡¯s cabin, but he immediately dismissed the idea. Then, he glanced at the Curse doll opposite¡ªit was also not an option.


    Alice didn¡¯t have a stomach.


    In the end, he looked at the pigeon on his shoulder.


    The pigeon also cocked its head to look at him.


    Ai Yi did not seem like a normal creature, but if he had to choose a living, flesh-and-blood being on the ship, it seemed the pigeon was the only option left¡­


    A moment later, Duncan left the deck with his ¡°harvest¡±¡ªlunchtime was approaching, and he couldn¡¯t wait to improve the Homeloss¡¯s meals.


    Alice stood there in a daze for a while before approaching the door of the captain¡¯s cabin.


    She had not planned to look for the goat head. Ever since she experienced the ¡°first mate¡¯s¡± incessant chatter, she had developed a deep respect for the entire captain¡¯s cabin.


    If possible, she did not want to step into the captain¡¯s door on her own volition.


    But today¡¯s events were too strange, and she felt it necessary to consult with the experienced Mr. Goat Head to see if this was a normal occurrence on the Homeloss.


    She had not violated the crew¡¯s code of conduct, just inquiring about the situation, so it should not be taboo.


    After hesitating for a full ten seconds or more, Alice finally mustered the courage and pulled open the captain¡¯s cabin door.


    The next second, she was startled to see that the goat head had already turned towards the door, staring dead at her¡ªit looked as if it had been waiting for her to come.


    ¡°What happened outside?¡± The goat head asked, uncharacteristically concise.


    Alice sensed something was off from the other¡¯s abnormal demeanor, quickly shut the door behind her, approached the navigation desk, and told everything she had seen.


    And after her words had fallen, the goat head fell into an uncharacteristically deep silence¡ªfor as long as a minute, it didn¡¯t utter a word.


    The wooden goat head couldn¡¯t make any expressions, but Alice could clearly feel that matters seemed a bit beyond the ¡°first mate¡¯s¡± judgement.


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    Alice grew nervous, leaning forward subconsciously: ¡°Is this not a normal occurrence on the Homeloss? Could it be the captain really¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything on the Homeloss is normal,¡± the goat head finally snapped out of its silence, answering swiftly as if it was trying to plug a leak hastily and cut Alice off, ¡°Listen, everything on the Homeloss is normal, always normal, and the great Captain Duncan is as always!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I was just looking at your reaction¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little beyond my expectations¡ªbut that¡¯s due to my limited imagination and cognition,¡± the goat head¡¯s speech flowed quickly and smoothly, and it seemed to be regaining its usual state bit by bit. Then, its mood visibly started to rise, its tone becoming both passionate and excited, ¡°Yes, the great Captain Duncan¡ªhe should indeed be even greater and more powerful! There¡¯s nothing abnormal, Miss Alice, listen, everything on the Homeloss is as usual! Let the captain do what he thinks is right, and don¡¯t continue this topic¡­ from today on, just remember this fact:


    ¡°There are fish in the kitchen of Homeloss, and fish is a delicious ingredient.¡±

 Chapter 36

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Preparing such a huge fish for lunch was no easy feat.


    It was not only a matter of skill, but also one of physical labor.


    Fortunately, the mission-driven spirit of the fisherman and his passion for improving the crew¡¯s diet jointly fueled Duncan, energizing him to tackle the big catch of the day.


    After a long time bustling around the kitchen, he finally managed to remove the spiky bones from the ugly monster fish¡¯s head and, after some stumbling, divided its plump body into several pieces. The monster fish¡¯s head, practically meatless, was temporarily set aside; the belly and back, however, contained some good-quality parts, perfect for becoming ingredients aboard the Homeloss.


    It was somewhat odd to see the captain himself bustling in the kitchen, but Duncan thoroughly enjoyed it¡ªhow the ordinary people who regarded the Homeloss with dread would react upon witnessing this scene, he did not know. Would they be shocked to find the fearsome Ghost Ship¡¯s captain showing such an approachable and domestic side, or would they first admire Duncan¡¯s excellent fishing skills?


    While cutting up the monster fish into pieces, Duncan suddenly thought of this and, in high spirits, couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He mused that perhaps one day he might warmly invite some guests aboard¡ªHomeloss wouldn¡¯t be synonymous with disaster forever, nor did he plan to be a cold-blooded and ruthless Ghost Ship captain. After further understanding the world, he would naturally integrate with contemporary civilized society.


    By then, he¡¯d have his guests aboard enjoy the fish.


    After completing the simple butchering, Duncan stored most of the fish meat in barrels lined with sea salt and pushed the hefty barrels into the back of the kitchen¡¯s storeroom. He planned to process the smaller pieces later, curing them and hanging them to dry on deck. If all went well, they would become salted fish dried in the sea breeze.


    It was a pity there was no strong liquor on board, or there would have been more ways to process the fish.


    Having fresh fish to eat every day was surely wonderful, but Duncan knew fishing was all about chance. Today¡¯s bountiful catch might not be repeated in the future¡ªhe had to consider how to preserve any surplus ingredients.


    After all, although the dried meat and cheese stored on the Homeloss showed no signs of rot, he couldn¡¯t be sure whether this was due to anything special about the Homeloss itself or if there was something unusual about the ¡°dried meat¡± and ¡°cheese¡±. It would be a shame if the hard-caught fish went to waste.


    Salted fish was at least better than century-old salted meat, even for a change of taste.


    Duncan kept the most tender pieces that looked to have the best texture and threw them into a pot along with the dried meat to stew¡ªthe dried meat acted as seasoning in this process.


    This was a wasteful practice; any real chef witnessing Duncan¡¯s method would see their blood pressure surge through the roof. The delicate fish meat was best suited for making sashimi or moderate grilling¡ªDuncan was aware of this but he chose this method for safety¡¯s sake.


    He dared not carelessly eat raw the unfamiliar creature caught from the sea, although theoretically, sea fish shouldn¡¯t carry parasites harmful to human bodies, and as a ¡°Ghost Ship captain¡± he probably wouldn¡¯t be affected by ordinary toxins. But what if?


    In comparison, stewing was the most effective way to safely prepare unfamiliar ingredients.


    He wanted to try it this way first to confirm that the fish was indeed edible before considering other methods.


    By the time it was nearly mid-afternoon, his belated ¡°lunch¡± was finally ready.


    A bowl of fish soup was served, and the delicious taste made Duncan¡¯s appetite soar, but before digging in, he prudently first forked a piece of fish meat, cooled it, and placed it before the pigeon Ai Yi.


    Pigeons, of course, don¡¯t eat meat¡ªbut ¡°Ai Yi¡± could hardly be called a normal pigeon.


    Duncan needed to satisfy his curiosity; aboard the Homeloss, he had too many things to try.


    As for what he¡¯d do if the ¡°abnormal pigeon¡± actually got poisoned after eating the fish meat¡­ Duncan had a plan for that too.


    First, he had processed the ingredients as thoroughly as possible, and letting the pigeon taste it was just a formality. Secondly, if Ai Yi did show signs of distress, he could immediately pull it into a Spiritual Body state using green fire¡ªhe had tried this before. In the Spiritual Body state, Ai Yi, like the feedback from the brass Compass, would be like an item controlled by the fire of the Spiritual Body. He could even disassemble and reassemble Spiritual Body Ai Yi and teleport it to a designated position next to him. Under such circumstances, ordinary toxins would surely be ineffective.


    Ai Yi cocked its head to look at Duncan¡¯s actions, and after confirming that the piece of fish meat was intended for it, it first pecked at the table beside it, its eyes glancing fleetingly between Duncan and the ceiling, ¡°Is this melon ¡®ripe¡¯ enough?¡±


    Duncan replied, ¡°Just say whether you¡¯ll eat it or not.¡±


    Ai Yi flapped her wings, mimicking Duncan¡¯s tone, ¡°Just say if you¡¯re going to eat it or not!¡±


    Then she lowered her head and pecked at the cooled fish flesh with surprising speed. In just a few nibbles, she had finished off what didn¡¯t look like bird food at all!


    After eating, Ai Yi stretched her neck and then strutted proudly across the table. She seemed very pleased and, after circling around, returned in front of Duncan, loudly chirping, ¡°Delicious! Delicious!¡±


    Duncan watched the pigeon with his mouth agape, suddenly thinking to himself¡ªthis creature now embodied ¡°pigeon, delicious, and parrot¡± all in one!


    With these three elements combined, it was practically a light of humanity (Earth), according to the flexible ¡°free nine-square grid.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to consider it an Earthling¡­


    After a while, Duncan confirmed that the pigeon was not showing any abnormal reactions and finally put his mind at ease.


    The captain of the Homeloss and his pet were thus hiding in the kitchen feasting on food supplies.


    The fish was indeed delicious, just as Duncan had dreamed.


    ¡­


    The setting sun was inching toward the high walls at the city¡¯s edge. The towering chimneys, pipes, and towers of the Plunder City-State were gradually bathed in a pale golden glow.


    In the city central, the loud bell from Storm Cathedral on the highlands rang out, accompanied by the sharp whistling of steam escaping from relief valves. A large cloud of white steam burst forth from the towers flanking the cathedral, enveloping the sky above the highlands like layers of clouds, reflecting the golden sunlight from the sea.


    This was the signal for the day-night transition¡ªa reminder that the power of the sun was about to wane rapidly and the Creation of the World would soon take dominance in the sky.


    The order of the mundane world would shift from stability to instability after this transition, and the influence from the world¡¯s ¡°depths¡± would strengthen quickly as the night set in, continuing until the sun rose the next day.


    At night, the cautious stayed at home, and those who had to go out made sure to stay in brightly lit places¡ªthe gas lamps blessed by clergy could dispel the night¡¯s malice to the greatest extent.


    Nevertheless, this was still a prosperous and stable great City-State; under the protection of the sacred Storm Cathedral, even the deepest influences of the world were suppressed below a safe threshold. The occasional anomalies that appeared in the city were minor issues, and ordinary citizens knew how to ensure the safety within their homes. Furthermore, the church guardians took over the duties of the peace officers at night to maintain order in the city after dusk.


    But like the shadows that escape even the brightest streetlight, there were always fools longing for darkness and upheaval under the very noses of the church¡¯s guardians, fearing and loathing the existing order of the world, and feverishly anticipating an ¡°era of bliss¡± they had never seen themselves.


    Fortunately, in a City-State where the forces of order were dominant, these subversive elements could only cower in the shadows most of the time.


    On the fringes of the City-State, in the depths of an abandoned sewer entrance, a few figures in black robes huddled in a corner.


    This place was once a temporary resting room for sewer maintenance personnel, but now forgotten with the changes in urban planning, the neglected corner had become a refuge for heretics fleeing in haste¡ªa dimly lit oil lamp hung on the wall, its flickering light revealing faces filled with gloom, fear, and resentment.


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    A black-robed person around thirty lay on a makeshift bed of rags, clenching his teeth, pale-faced with weak and chaotic breaths. Others sat near him; one muttered in a low voice, ¡°Those damned church hounds¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve lost many brethren, and our messenger died during the ritual¡­¡± another said hoarsely, ¡°How could the sacred ritual lose control so suddenly¡­¡±


    ¡°It was that sacrifice¡­ it¡¯s clear it was because of that sacrifice, he obviously was a pawn of the heretics¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± said a black-robed person suddenly, making a gesture of listening intently and then pointing upward, ¡°It¡¯s the sound of the evening bell and the steam whistle.¡±


    ¡°¡­Nightfall is upon us,¡± the first to curse in a low voice said anxiously glancing at their ¡°brother¡± lying on the makeshift bed, who was clearly in a dire state, ¡°Damn¡­ I hope he makes it through the night¡­¡±

 Chapter 37

    Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The evening bell and steam whistle, harbingers of day turning to night, echoed faintly through the deep, damp slopes and vertical shafts. Their reverberations within the dark and cramped sewers made the heretics hiding in the abandoned rest area grow even more disheartened.


    One of them had contracted a severe illness, the cause of which was unknown, and now he was going to die¡ªdie in this dimly lit underworld.


    ¡°He¡¯s still alive now¡­¡± a heretic hesitated as he spoke, glancing at his ¡°brother¡± lying on the ground, seeing the other¡¯s half-open eyes slowly rolling in their sockets. The unfortunate man could still hear the noises around him, but he no longer had the strength to fully open his eyes.


    ¡°But only for now,¡± another heretic, with a deep voice, said, ¡°The evening bell has tolled, and he must not die in this room¡ªthe lord¡¯s shelter will bless him to find peace in the darkness.¡±


    The man on the floor twitched his fingers twice, clearly understanding his predicament. He did not want to die just yet, but death had tightly clamped onto his shadow, and from the looks of it, his dear ¡°Sun brethren¡± were already considering moving this ¡°risk¡± out of the shelter before true death descended upon him.


    An extremely oppressive silence enveloped the room so that even the dying man¡¯s faint breathing became audibly clear. After an unknown period of dead silence, the black-robed man who had previously cursed the Storm Church suddenly broke the quiet, ¡°Wait a bit longer, at least¡­ one doesn¡¯t immediately turn upon drawing their last breath.¡±


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s wait a bit longer,¡± the deep-voiced black-robed heretic conceded, glancing at the man struggling to breathe, and couldn¡¯t help but murmur, ¡°But why did he suddenly fall ill like this? Are you sure this is just a normal illness?¡±


    ¡°I know him¡­ He runs an antique shop that¡¯s nearly closing down in the Lower City District, full of fakes,¡± a heretic who had been mostly silent spoke up, ¡°He had been sickly to begin with, never really well; probably stayed too long in the sewers and was frightened before, which led to the exacerbation of his illness.¡±


    Listening to the explanation from the person beside him, the deep-voiced black-robed heretic finally relaxed somewhat¡ªthough not a high-status ¡°priest,¡± he had devoted himself to the Sun for many years and had become something of an ¡°expert¡± with substantial knowledge of mysticism. He was well aware of the many long-term and hidden dangers that linger after a failed sacrifice ceremony, and every believer who had participated in that ceremony could potentially be a ¡°carrier¡± of these hidden dangers. The man who had fallen into extreme weakness¡­ could potentially be such a ¡°carrier¡±.


    If it weren¡¯t for the principle of ¡°all children of the Sun are siblings¡± and a few fellow believers who were looking on, unwilling to harden their hearts, he would have thrown this unlucky man into the vast darkness outside already.


    After a long silence, the black-robed heretic made a move, pulling a pale gold amulet from his bosom and stuffing it into the chest of the barely-breathing ¡°brother¡±.


    ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± a heretic beside him asked curiously.


    ¡°This sacred amulet, I exchanged it from a messenger at a great cost,¡± he said, his voice low and sincere, ¡°May the grace of the lord protect our brethren; the brilliance of the Sun could perhaps spare him from further corrosion in the darkness.¡±


    The two heretics beside him immediately took his word for it, admiring the senior member of the church who had ¡°given¡± the amulet. They clasped their hands into fists on their foreheads, devoutly and softly chanting, ¡°All children of the Sun are siblings¡­¡±


    The deep-voiced black-robed man also clasped his hand into a fist on his forehead, joining in the low chanting, ¡°All children of the Sun are siblings.¡±


    ¡­


    After the sun had completely sunk below the horizon, the starless, moonless sky once again appeared before Duncan, with pallid fissures stretching across the heavens, casting a cold glow over the Endless Sea and the Homeloss, which was sailing upon it.


    Duncan stood near the aft deck, retracting his gaze from the sky and letting out a slight sigh.


    No matter how many times he looked, he could never see the stars that simply weren¡¯t there in that cold, pale light.


    But, compared to the last time he had witnessed a starless night, his mood had improved considerably.


    On one hand, he had accepted the various oddities of this world and was actively adapting to his current life; on the other, the fish today had indeed been quite good.


    He was an optimistic person; any minor improvement in his life was a cause for joy¡ªlet alone the bounty from nature, which turned out to be more than he had anticipated.


    At this rate, even if he couldn¡¯t establish stable contact with the land in the short term, he could at least improve the living conditions on the ship.


    Lost in his musings, he turned his head to look at the pigeon perched on his shoulder and said with a joking tone, ¡°What do you say¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be simpler if I did something a pirate captain ought to do? Like, finding a busy sea lane to rob¡­¡±


    The pigeon cocked its head, its eyes seemingly looking in different directions, ¡°Does it sound right, does it sound right, does it sound right¡­¡±


    ¡°True, that¡¯s not like me,¡± Duncan laughed, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s easier said than done¡ªrobbing requires finding a trade lane with merchant ship activity, after all.¡±


    The vast sea was desolate; Duncan did not know how far the Homeloss had drifted from civilized society. Since the collision with the ship carrying unusual No. 099, he hadn¡¯t seen another vessel in sight¡ªit was as if he wanted to commit piracy but didn¡¯t know where to find a victim.


    Just then, however, a voice suddenly came from the side, interrupting Duncan¡¯s reverie: ¡°Captain, are we going to engage in piracy?¡±


    Looking in the direction of the voice, Duncan saw Alice sitting on a tall plank nearby, looking over curiously.


    Under the glow of the pale scar in the sky, the Gothic doll in a courtly gown sat high on the Ghost Ship, her silvery hair reflecting a cold shimmer in the night. She sat with grace, eyes filled with curiosity¡ªthe scene was like a classical and mysterious painting.


    For a moment, Duncan was taken aback¡ªafter several episodes of ¡°real-life chaos,¡± he had almost forgotten the elegant and mysterious impression that Miss Doll had initially given him whilst lying in the wooden box. Thus, seeing Alice in a state of tranquility, he was momentarily startled.


    Alice, unaware of what the captain was thinking, simply repeated her question out of curiosity, ¡°Captain, are we going to engage in piracy?¡±


    This statement rather contradicted her image.


    Duncan looked at the mannequin with a bemused smile, ¡°Do you enjoy robbing others?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Alice shook her head, ¡°It sounds quite boring.¡±


    ¡°But you were ¡®robbed¡¯ by me onto the ship,¡± Duncan reminded her with a smile.


    ¡°¡­Oh, that¡¯s right,¡± Alice thought about it, then nodded and asked another question, ¡°So, are we going to commit robbery now?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan waved his hand and walked unhurriedly towards his captain¡¯s quarters, ¡°I also think robbery is quite boring¡ªcompared to that, a walk is more suitable as an after-dinner exercise.¡±


    Upon returning to his captain¡¯s cabin, Duncan briefly instructed the man with the goat¡¯s head to take the helm, then he entered his bedroom just like the last time and closed the door.


    He had decided that tonight he would undertake his second soul-walk in the Spirit Realm.


    However, unlike the last time, this time he planned to test this ability through ¡°Ai Yi,¡± the pigeon.


    A cluster of faint green sparks jumped at Duncan¡¯s fingertips, and in the instant the fire danced, the pigeon that had been strolling on the table blinked out of sight, only to coalesce on his shoulder again.


    Feeling that faint connection between himself and Ai Yi, Duncan calmed his mind and then began to recall the ¡°feeling¡± he had when he activated the brass Compass for the first time, attempting to communicate with Ai Yi through the Spiritual Body fire in his hand¡ª


    The invisible green flames turned into a thin thread, wrapping around Ai Yi¡¯s wings. The next second, the white pigeon was suddenly enveloped in blazing flames!


    In the midst of the fire, the pigeon¡¯s feathers all took on an ethereal form, the rising green flames seemed to reshape its flesh and bones, Ai Yi spread its wings within the fire, and the brass Compass hanging on its chest ¡°clicked¡± open¡ªthe dial, engraved with many mystical runes, twinkled faintly, and the needle at the center crazily spun before pointing straight ahead into the distance.


    The scenery around crumbled away, and the familiar dark space appeared before Duncan¡¯s eyes, followed by the familiar streams of light and countless little ¡°lights¡± twinkling like stars.


    Duncan followed his intuition as he gazed at the starlight, searching for the next suitable ¡°target¡± to engage with.


    Suddenly, he was drawn to a cluster of starlight.


    He didn¡¯t know if this was what the man with the goat¡¯s head always referred to as ¡°Captain Duncan¡¯s intuition,¡± but he decided to follow this feeling¡ªno matter who was behind that starlight, they were now destined to meet with Captain Duncan.


    ¡­


    In the abandoned sewer at the edge of the Plunder City-State, the few Sun God Heretics who had escaped from the church guardians sat in silence without speaking.


    The world above had sunk into the deep night, while the underground world was only sheltered by a faint light in the abandoned room.


    Even the most brutal and inhuman Heretics felt tense and terrified in this encroaching darkness.


    On a worn cloth bedding beside them, a dying man was about to take his last breath.


    Listening to his increasingly low and difficult gasps, several pairs of eyes involuntarily turned toward the dying man.


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    They stared fixedly at the ¡°comrade¡± lying on the ground, and everyone was very clear that he would not live through the night.


    In the gaze of several pairs of eyes, the man on the cloth took one last heave with his chest¡ªhe breathed out his final breath in this life.


    ¡°May the Sun God shine upon your soul in the darkness,¡± a low-voiced Heretic in a black robe said slowly, and then waved his hand, ¡°Take him¡­¡±


    The next second, his words were suddenly choked back.


    In front of him, the body that had been lying with closed eyes began to breathe again¡­

 Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57 The Timid Alice

    Chapter 57: Chapter 57 The Timid Alice


    The captain¡¯s words were like the chilly night wind, piercing through the increasingly dim staircase. Alice instinctively hugged her arms and followed Duncan even closer behind. As they descended further, she finally understood what the captain meant by ¡°the light is black.¡±


    In the lower deck, there indeed was light¡ªat least structurally and in layout, the compartments she saw had the same support columns, and on those columns hung oil lamps that never went out. The lamps were burning, but the flames seemed to cause the areas around the lamps to be darker than those farther away.


    Yes, the closer one got to an oil lamp, the dimmer the light became, with the lamps themselves almost enveloped in shadows, faintly outlining their forms. Conversely, areas further from the oil lamps gradually brightened¡ªthe furthest corners of the ship¡¯s cabin were almost as bright as those on the upper decks.


    The stairwell had seemed particularly dim from above because there were two lamps hanging on either side¡ªvisually, it was as if these lights were actively emitting darkness, neutralizing and engulfing the cabin¡¯s inherent brightness.


    Alice stared at the overall darkness of the ship¡¯s cabin and mumbled after a long while, ¡°Does this¡­ does this make any sense¡­?¡±


    ¡°You, an illogical automaton, are here talking to me about logic?¡± Duncan glanced at the visibly anxious Alice. ¡°Beneath the sea level of the Endless Sea, it¡¯s the very notion of logic that is the most illogical.¡±


    While he spoke with an air of nonchalance, as if accustomed to these bizarre occurrences, his actual thoughts mirrored Alice¡¯s exactly¡ªeven the spiritual body of the pigeon on his shoulder suddenly flapped its wings, echoing the sentiment: ¡°Does it make any sense at all¡­?¡±


    Duncan ignored the noise from the pigeon on his shoulder and instead carefully observed the ship¡¯s cabin he had never set foot in before, adjusting the angle of the lantern in his hand, trying to discern the environment within the interplay of light and shadow.


    Below the waterline of Homeloss¡­ the lighting inside the cabin was ¡°inverted.¡±


    The fixtures seemed not to emit light but to absorb the existing light in the space, as if¡­ some form of ¡°world mirror.¡±


    However, the ghostly glow emitted by the lantern in Duncan¡¯s hand followed the normal rules of illumination: bright around the lantern, growing dimmer with distance.


    Was there a principle behind this? Was it merely the influence of the Endless Sea or a mix that included Homeloss¡¯s own traits? Was the cabin¡¯s ¡°bright environment¡± real? If those ¡°light-absorbing¡± oil lamps were extinguished, would this become a bright place?


    For a moment, Duncan actually harbored the bold thought of extinguishing the oil lamps of this deck to see what phenomenon would occur, but he abruptly suppressed this patently misguided notion the next instant.


    He could not put out the lights here¡ªeven if it seemed that these lights were causing the entire cabin to darken, there must be a reason why they were lit!


    Suddenly, he remembered something from Plunder City-State; the information he had obtained was that ¡°burning flames can dispel strange dangers¡±¡ªin that statement, it was actually the ¡°flame¡± itself that had the effect, not the light it produced. Could this indicate that in certain conditions, the world¡¯s light and dark could indeed become ¡°inverted,¡± and under such inversion, the only trustworthy thing was the ¡°flame¡± itself?


    Could this also indirectly explain why the light emitted by ¡°electric lamps¡± had no demon-repelling effect¡ªbecause those emitted only light, lacking the ¡°flame¡± element?


    ¡°Captain?¡± Alice¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side, the automaton miss¡¯s voice carried tension and concern, ¡°Is there something abnormal here?¡±


    ¡°Nothing abnormal,¡± Duncan replied impassively while slowly stepping forward.


    The ¡°light-absorbing¡± oil lamps on the support columns burned quietly on either side, with various ropes scattered around the columns. As Duncan walked between them, the hanging oil lamps made slight crackling sounds, and the ropes on the ground slowly writhed backward, making way for the captain.


    For some reason, a thought suddenly surfaced in Duncan¡¯s mind:


    Illusions of light and shadow are brought by the deep sea; below the unreliable sea level, only the flame itself remains faithfully guarding the treasures of Homeloss.


    He looked towards the quietly burning lamps and nodded slightly, as if showing recognition and gratitude.


    The next second, all the oil lamps in the ship¡¯s cabin flared up visibly, with flames surging beneath each of the glass enclosures.


    The entire cabin grew even darker¡­


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He suddenly regretted praising too soon and thought he should have waited until he was ready to return before stimulating the oil lamps.


    Alice followed, the doll observing her surroundings carefully. She saw the large wooden barrels and some plank crates piled up in the corner of the cabin, as well as some sealed rooms and corridors leading to unknown places, muttering softly, ¡°This looks like a storeroom too¡­ Could this have once been a cargo ship?¡±


    ¡°If it were a cargo ship, the goods wouldn¡¯t be stored so deep within¡ªthere¡¯s a concept called transportation cost,¡± Duncan shook his head and said offhandedly, ¡°These are all supplies for long ocean voyages, to be used by Homeloss herself during extended trips.¡±


    Alice blinked, ¡°Supplies for a long voyage?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t utter a word but moved forward to check some of the goods closest to him.


    Some of the barrels contained a kind of grease, dark brown and viscous in texture yet without a strong smell, likely some form of fuel. But it had obviously been stored here for a very, very long time¡ªDuncan even suspected these fuels were ¡°stock¡± from before Homeloss became a ghost ship. They might have been intended for lighting or warding off evil, but once the ship turned into a ghost ship, many things in the cargo hold like these became useless.


    In another set of barrels, Duncan saw something familiar.


    Cheese older than himself, salted meat that could split rocks.


    Duncan silently resealed the lids.


    On this level, most of the space was filled with stockpiled supplies. Even though many of them now seemed superfluous aboard the current ghost ship, it was enough to confirm his previous judgment of Homeloss:


    This ship, at least at the time of its construction, had been prepared for some kind of oceanic exploration. It could carry large amounts of supplies, and there were strict safety measures between the various supply storerooms to prevent the spread of fires or damage to provisions from pests or rodents.


    Considering the large number of cannons on the upper deck and the sizably stocked ammunitions depot, he could nearly guess the kind of ambitious exploration dream Homeloss once harbored¡ªthe most remote of routes, the most perilous of journeys, facing the deadliest of environments and the most vicious of enemies. Such an expedition would require a full crew of loyal and excellent sailors, as well as a resolute and unwavering captain to complete.


    However, now, this exploration plan that may have once existed had dissipated with the wind. The ambitious Homeloss had become the most terrifying natural disaster on the Endless Sea, with the sailors nowhere to be found, leaving only a ghost captain who still controlled this aimless Ghost Ship.


    He and Alice continued moving forward, passing several independent storerooms and entering a corridor. If the layout of this level corresponded to the one above, then the staircase leading further down should be deep within this hallway.


    ¡°I feel¡­ it¡¯s getting more sinister¡­¡± The doll lady hugged her arms, looking around cautiously while speaking softly, ¡°Did you hear that? The sound of wind? How could there be wind in the ship¡¯s cabin?¡±


    ¡°I heard it, don¡¯t be nervous, it¡¯s normal,¡± Duncan replied casually, then glanced at the doll, ¡°Why are you so timid? You have the designation ¡®Abnormality 099,¡¯ don¡¯t you?¡±


    As he spoke, he also thought of the information he had obtained from Nina before¡ªin this world, there were many registers of ¡°abnormalities¡± and ¡°phenomena¡± open to the public. These registers helped people avoid everyday dangers or identify signs of out-of-control anomalies, but they were incomplete. Only those threats deemed controllable or of a special nature and closer to the general populace were made public. Abnormalities and phenomena that ordinary people had no chance of encountering were clearly not included.


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    He had tried to inquire about Abnormality 099 from Nina, but the girl had never seen this designation in her textbooks.


    This implied that this ¡°Cursed Doll¡± either had a special secret, serious enough to be suppressed by the authorities and the Church, or¡­ her danger level was so high that she was always strictly isolated from civilized society, thus never interacting with the general population.


    Either reason was sufficient to add a hint of mystery to Miss Doll in Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    Yet this doll, shrouded in enigma, merely shrank her neck upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, with a look of nervousness: ¡°Just because I have a designation doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m brave. I¡¯m Abnormality 099, not Courage 099¡­¡±


    Duncan sighed. He thought to himself that this creature must be the most embarrassing abnormality in this world. It¡¯s a wonder those sailors who escorted her before were so nervous¡­

 Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: The Hold

    Chapter 58: Chapter 58: The Hold


    Duncan had always been curious about what made this self-proclaimed ¡°Alice,¡± a Gothic doll, so special and dangerous that her escorting sailors were so nervous and that she held the anomalous title 099 in a world brimming with dangerous and bizarre phenomena.


    Indeed, a doll capable of moving autonomously and possessing reason was certainly eerie, and the sight of her occasionally clutching her head and running haphazardly or acting separately was truly horrifying. But in Duncan¡¯s view, this was far from sufficient to meet the criteria for a ¡°higher-tier designation,¡± especially when compared to the intelligence he had learned from Nina:


    Anomalous 196-Blood, a dangerous anomaly sealed in the underground sanctuary of the Plunder Church. Its main body equated to the total blood volume of an adult male. This anomaly exhibited certain cognitive traits, moving and spreading on its own, and actively attempting to replace the blood of nearby suitable ¡°hosts¡± before escaping in their bodies. The method to halt its spread was to keep it divided in twenty-two blood vials and frozen¡ªhowever, if anyone within a ten-meter radius bled, the seal broke immediately, and the blood of those bleeding would be replaced by Anomaly 196, which would also take over the host¡¯s sanity.


    This anomaly ignored any countermeasures below those of saints and would unconditionally kill suitable hosts.


    As one of the most dangerous anomalies managed by the Plunder City-State, the information regarding Anomalous 196-Blood was always available to the public to ensure that if the anomaly were to leak into the city district, the authorities could quickly locate and deal with it.


    Duncan didn¡¯t know what the term ¡°saint¡± implied, but from the name alone, he knew it corresponded to some incredibly powerful transcendent level¡ªperhaps the Judge named Fenna mentioned in the newspapers was one such saint. And how many such saints capable of combating Anomaly 196 could there be in the entire Plunder City-State?


    This was only Anomaly 196, ranking close to two hundred¡ªwhereas Alice¡¯s designation was Anomaly 099.


    Within the top hundred.


    Although, according to Nina, the ranking of anomalies and phenomena might have some uncertainties, and it wasn¡¯t always possible to make a clear comparison of strength and weakness between different anomalies and phenomena, generally speaking, the higher-ranked anomalies and phenomena tended to be more dangerous or more bizarre and uncontrollable in their ¡°traits.¡± Otherwise, they were those that had caused astonishing destruction or had led to significant historical events, thereby securing their unique top-tier designation through historical notoriety.


    However, a designation within the top hundred implied traits and levels of danger that were extremely problematic for the civilized world, or it meant stirring up some astonishing act in history. But this cursed doll named Alice¡­


    Duncan glanced back at Alice, who was obediently following him. Noticing the captain¡¯s gaze, she immediately lifted her head and returned a harmless yet somewhat timid smile, ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    Expecting this creature to understand her own danger was unlikely¡ªDuncan thought it might be better to consult the historical archives of the Plunder City-State.


    But how could an antique store owner from the Lower City District access such ¡°classified information¡±? The ¡°antique industry connections¡± left by the heretic Ron were obviously no good, as most items in that store had histories not extending beyond last week¡­


    Duncan mused silently while continuing his walk; the eerie green spiritual fire burned quietly in the lantern he carried, gradually permeating deeper into the cabin, and the ambient light altered by the bizarre environment of the cabin¡¯s bottom mixed with the light from the lantern, creating a dizzying and hallucinatory array of lights and shadows.


    To outsiders, this scene would likely appear extremely eerie and terrifying.


    Yet, Duncan felt a faint calmness in his heart; his power seeped into the light of the lantern, like a trickle of water, gradually infiltrating the depths of the ship¡¯s cabin that had been sealed for who knows how many years. This previously unknown structure of the ship¡¯s base was becoming clearer in his mind and giving off a subtle ¡°touch¡±¡ª


    The last uncontrolled area of Homeloss was getting back on track, and Duncan could increasingly feel that, with his exploration, the slight ¡°agitation¡± manifested by various things in the cabin around him was gradually settling.


    Indeed, as Capricorn had said, the bottom of Homeloss had some ¡°anomalies¡± due to long immersion in the Endless Sea, but as long as the captain personally came down to soothe it, the order on the ship would gradually be restored.


    ¡°You really are scared of the deep sea, even just coming to a cabin below sea level scares you this much,¡± Duncan suddenly said to Alice following him, ¡°Then why insist on coming?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t think this through!¡± Alice forced herself to remain calm, ¡°I thought, no matter where we go, it¡¯s still on the ship¡­ I didn¡¯t have the concept of ¡®a cabin below the waterline¡¯! I¡¯m just a doll!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have a digestive system yet you study cooking¡ªdon¡¯t use being a doll as an excuse,¡± Duncan said offhand, ¡°You need to make up for your lack of knowledge about the ship.¡±


    Disheartened, Alice uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± while Duncan, after a brief silence, curiously asked, ¡°Why are you so afraid of the deep sea? Or rather¡­ why does the thought of ¡®being submerged in the sea¡¯ terrify you? I know the deep sea is dangerous, many people are scared of it, and you¡¯ve said this reason before, but it seems your nervousness is more severe than I expected. You become neurotic just standing in a cabin below the waterline, just by thinking about the surrounding seawater¡­ Stop picking at the lace on your clothing; Homeloss doesn¡¯t have spare clothes for you. If it gets damaged, you¡¯ll have to sew it yourself.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alice quickly relaxed her grip a bit, but then unintentionally started pulling on the button again, ¡°I¡­ I had never thought about that before. I¡¯m just scared, is it not okay to be scared?¡±


    Listening to the nervous tone of the doll, Duncan remained noncommittal. He looked towards the end of the corridor and saw a staircase sloping downward that had already come into view.


    That was a deeper place, possibly leading directly to the bottom of the hull¡ªthe part of the ship that touched the Endless Sea the deepest.


    Duncan and Alice stood at the top of the staircase and looked down. With the light emanating from the Spiritual Fire lantern, they did not see the structure of the cabin below, but instead, a door stood in the dark depths.


    Upon seeing that door, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    The structure here was actually quite abnormal. First of all, the path to the bottom of the hull seemed excessively long¡ªthe stairs between the upper cabins were continuous and allowed quick access to each cabin level. However, on this level, the stairs leading deeper were located at the end of the corridor, requiring passage through almost an entire warehouse area, which undoubtedly affected the transit efficiency inside the ship.


    Secondly, there was an additional door under the stairs.


    Duncan hesitated for a moment, still picked up the lantern, and slowly walked down.


    Alice was even more hesitant, but eventually followed obediently¡ªnow letting herself go back to the upper levels was utterly unthinkable; it was safer to follow the captain.


    Soon, Duncan reached the door. He lifted the lantern to illuminate the surroundings and began searching for any text surrounding the door¡ªthen a row of letters unexpectedly appeared in his view on the doorframe:


    ¡°The last door at the bottom of the hull.¡±


    ¡°What does this mean?¡± Alice curiously looked at the letters on the doorframe, ¡°The last door at the bottom of the hull¡­ under normal circumstances, shouldn¡¯t the sign on the door indicate the room¡¯s function?¡±


    ¡°Clearly, it¡¯s a warning,¡± Duncan pondered as he withdrew his gaze from the doorframe, his hand now on the doorknob. He cautioned the doll beside him before pushing the door open, ¡°If we find any other doors inside, don¡¯t touch them.¡±


    Alice nodded nervously and then saw Duncan push open that ¡°last door at the bottom of the hull.¡±


    An unusual pale light was advancing towards them.


    They stepped forward, entering a wide-open space.


    After clearly seeing the situation opposite the door, Alice¡¯s eyes widened instantly, ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡±


    She stuttered for a long time before finally mustering a sentence: ¡°Captain! The bottom of the ship is shattered! It¡¯s shattered!¡±


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    She shouted loudly, while Duncan did not respond for a moment¡ªhe too was staring dumbfounded at the surroundings.


    The deepest layer of Homeloss, immersed in the Endless Sea¡ªthe hull structure was fragmented!


    Everywhere he looked showed the cabin completely split into pieces, numerous gigantic cracks, and faintly glowing voids with hundreds of cabin fragments scattered and floating in the space, yet maintaining some kind of ¡°disordered order,¡± preserving the hull¡¯s supposed outline and structure.


    Beyond the numerous fragments and massive cracks, Duncan could clearly see the ¡°scenery¡± outside the hull¡ª


    It was not the deep, dark Endless Sea he had imagined, but a pale, dim emptiness and numerous, obscure lights darting fast through the nothingness.

 Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59 This door leads to Homeloss

    Chapter 59: Chapter 59 This door leads to Homeloss


    Duncan and Alice stood at the top of the stairs leading to the bottom of the ship, witnessing a bizarre and horrifying spectacle¡ªthe bottom of the Homeloss was in a state of disarray and fragmentation, and beyond the shattered cabins was evidently a kind of void suffused with an endless, dim, twilight glow.


    Was this the true ¡°structure of the ship¡¯s bottom¡± of the Homeloss? Then what was that thing outside the fragmented cabins?


    Could such a sight exist beneath the sea level of the Endless Sea?


    Duncan cautiously took two steps forward and entered the fragmented cabins. He stepped onto the largest piece of wooden debris and looked back in the direction he had come from.


    That ¡°final door¡± still stood silently in its place, fixed on a floating plank, with a dark staircase behind it that slanted upward¡ªhowever, around the door, there were no walls that should have been there, only emptiness.


    The door was solitary, floating in this space.


    Duncan carefully walked around to the back of the door and found nothing; through the open doorway, he could directly see the opposite, broken cabins.


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± Alice¡¯s voice came through, tense. The automaton looked around fearfully before her gaze finally settled on Duncan, ¡°This¡­ This is normal, right?¡±


    Duncan actually felt even less certain than the automaton, after all, the latter could blindly trust the captain for a moment, but where could he, as that ¡°captain,¡± find such confidence now? However, seeing Alice¡¯s anxious demeanor, and recalling the ¡°crew rules¡± that the goat-headed had mentioned, Duncan still forcefully controlled his unease and maintained his usual stern and composed appearance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said flatly, ¡°the Homeloss is a ship beyond your imagination.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s beyond imagination¡­¡± Alice remarked in awe. Duncan¡¯s composed demeanor seemed to reassure her a little, and she began to curiously examine the broken ship structures as well as the chaotic light and shadows outside, ¡°Captain, outside¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s water, does it?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, then curiously asked Alice, ¡°Do you think this is below the surface of the Endless Sea?¡±


    Alice was startled, ¡°Ah? Why do you ask me?¡±


    Duncan looked indifferent, ¡°Because you have the experience.¡±


    ¡°It was still you who threw¡­¡± Alice blurted out involuntarily but quickly swallowed her words, then sincerely answered, ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ The sea is surely filled with water, even if the Endless Sea is off, below the surface there would certainly be water. But outside here, it looks like¡­ like¡­¡±


    ¡°A void filled with chaotic streams of light,¡± Duncan shook his head and slowly walked forward. He came to the edge of the wooden debris under his feet, looked down at the flowing light and shadows outside the cabin, ¡°The bottom of the Homeloss¡­ isn¡¯t inside the Endless Sea.¡±


    Alice was puzzled, ¡°Ah? Then where is this?¡±


    Duncan did not speak, appearing enigmatic¡ªactually because he didn¡¯t know either.


    But he still had a vague guess: perhaps, was this ship actually navigating simultaneously in several different dimensions? On the surface, the Homeloss appeared to be sailing on the Endless Sea of the real world, but in reality, different parts of the ship belonged to completely different dimensions!?


    This also explained why the deeper into the Homeloss one went, the more eerie and gloomy the cabins seemed to be¡ªperhaps the eeriness and gloominess were not inherent to the cabins themselves¡­


    Then if this dim and chaotic space outside the cabin is not the Endless Sea, what could it be? It didn¡¯t look like the Spirit Realm, nor did it resemble the dark space seen during the Transition through the Spirit Realm¡­ Could it be something ¡°deeper¡±? More profound? Subspace?


    With numerous guesses and hypotheses swirling in his mind, Duncan slowly drew out the pirate sword from his waist, then held up the lantern with one hand, and the Longsword with the other, cautiously probing towards the edge of the fragment beneath him. He was very careful. Although the gaps between these fragments looked like one could jump over them with a single step, he did not rashly stride across but chose to test with the Longsword first.


    Who knew if something would suddenly emerge from these cracks, swallowing anyone who dared to cross recklessly.


    The next second, he widened his eyes in surprise.


    He saw the tip of the Longsword disappear, and on the edge of the fragment opposite the crack, a piece of the sword¡¯s tip emerged abruptly.


    Duncan frowned, tested in different directions, and similar phenomena occurred again.


    He finally began to understand slowly.


    ¡°`


    The areas that seemed to be cracks were actually still continuous in space! The seemingly fragmented structure of the ship¡¯s hull was in fact still intact!


    ¡°`


    He stood up straight and looked around at those cracks and the light and shadows flowing outside the cracks, gaining an understanding in his heart: these ¡°broken¡± scenes were merely an optical result, which had not affected the spatial continuity. The body of Homeloss had not cracked here, but for some reason, the ¡°images¡± from outside the hull appeared inside the ship.


    But what was the reason for this? Was it a spatial overlap? Or was it a faulty projection from a higher dimension to a lower one?


    Duncan subconsciously summoned all the reliable and unreliable knowledge in his mind, trying to explain the bizarre phenomena here, while Alice next to him looked at the captain with a puzzled face as he made strange moves near the edge of the cracks, now shining a lantern everywhere and then poking around with a Longsword. After watching for a long time, she finally couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Captain, are you performing some kind of special pacifying ritual to¡­ pacify the cabin?¡±


    Duncan turned his back to Alice and silently sheathed his Longsword, stiffly replied, ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh! How impressive!¡± Alice¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, ¡°So do you need to perform a pacifying ritual for every single piece here?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s enough,¡± Duncan said, keeping his face stern and his scalp hard, and quickly diverted her attention before the overly curious doll could speak again, ¡°Let¡¯s move forward.¡±


    As he spoke, he stepped forward cautiously, holding the lantern¡ªthe moment he stepped out, he tensed every muscle and nerve in his body, ready for any accident that might occur while crossing the crack, but nothing happened.


    Just like the test with the Longsword earlier, he ¡°skipped¡± the process of crossing the crack and proceeded directly to the fragment on the opposite side, as if walking in a normal ship cabin.


    Alice looked amazedly at the captain walking in front, moving with apparent disregard for the cracks beneath his feet, and followed suit, but she became nervous while crossing the crack and eventually couldn¡¯t resist the urge to hurry forward with a jump¡­


    And then naturally she bumped headfirst into Duncan ahead of her.


    Duncan felt a sudden gust of wind behind him, followed by something hitting his back solidly, causing him to instinctively turn around with a swift motion of his hand¡ª


    The next second, he looked expressionlessly at the headless doll scurrying around behind him, while Alice¡¯s head rolled several meters away, stuttering, ¡°Sorry¡­ sorry¡­ sor¡­¡±


    ¡°Stay put, I¡¯ll pick it up for you,¡± Duncan sighed and, while internally questioning why he brought this useless doll down, quickly caught up with Alice¡¯s head, which had rolled away, and picked it up with ease. ¡°Have you considered putting a screw in your neck¡­¡±


    Alice¡¯s head, though, seemed not to hear the latter part of Duncan¡¯s gibes; her eyes suddenly widened, looking in a certain direction, ¡°There¡­ there¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s a¡­¡±


    Duncan frowned and turned his head towards the direction Alice¡¯s head was frantically indicating with her eyes.


    A pitch-black wooden door stood silently on the fragment at the end.


    A door¡­ there was actually another door, indeed another door!


    When he saw the hint on the door at the top of the stairs earlier, Duncan had thought there might be this classic situation, yet when he now saw an additional door in this ¡°hull space,¡± he still couldn¡¯t help but be startled!


    By this time, Alice¡¯s body had also stumbled over. Duncan handed her head back to her while looking at the door, ¡°Was there such a door over there just now?¡±


    Alice ¡°popped¡± her head back onto her neck, moving her cervical spine while taking a glance in that direction, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem so, it appeared after we came over.¡±


    Duncan hummed noncommittally and cautiously approached the door with the lantern in hand.


    In fact, in this eerie cabin, he already didn¡¯t need the illumination of the lantern. The chaotic, dim light seeping in from the outside of the cracks was dismal but sufficient to maintain the most basic brightness of the entire space. Nevertheless, he continued to hold the lantern¡ªthis was necessary caution.


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    Although Goat Head had not mentioned anything about this, Duncan had decided that as long as he was below the waterline in the cabins, he would never extinguish this lantern.


    The newly appeared door looked unremarkable, a pitch-black panel that did not differ much from the ¡°last door¡± at the end of the staircase, nor from most of the doors used in the cabins of Homeloss in style and material.


    Duncan looked up and, above the doorframe of this door, he saw a line of letters as if they were cast in bronze:


    ¡°This door leads to Homeloss¡±.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Opposite the Door

    Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Opposite the Door


    This door leads to Homeloss.


    The letters on the door frame, cast in brass, appeared as though they had withstood a century of time. In the light of the Spiritual Fire lantern and the dim chaos that filled the entire cabin, every line on the letters seemed to be coated with a layer of solidified time, exuding an aura of ancient mystery.


    Duncan stared at the line of letters for several seconds before turning away expressionlessly.


    Alice¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside him, ¡°Hey? Captain, are we leaving already? Don¡¯t we need to check this door? Even if we don¡¯t open it¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to see here, this is the end of the hold,¡± Duncan said offhandedly.


    But just then, a faint knocking sound suddenly arose, stopping him in his tracks.


    Duncan turned around to look at Alice standing behind him, and she nervously looked around before finally turning to face the dark wooden door: ¡°The sound seems to come from behind this door¡­¡±


    Duncan stood still, sternly watching the wooden door from which the knocking had come. He patiently waited several seconds before hearing two more taps¡ªthe sounds faint and muffled, as if through a decidedly thick curtain, as if the door were enveloped by some invisible entity, but this was surely no illusion.


    After a brief but intense moment of consideration, he finally returned to the door, with Alice approaching as well, nervously attentive to the noises that might follow.


    Duncan held the lantern in one hand and gripped his longsword tightly in the other, carefully observing the dark wooden door before him, when suddenly he realized that it was not completely closed¡ªon the side of the door, there was a gap of about one centimeter.


    The door was ajar, as if someone had left in a hurry and forgotten to close it, or as if some ¡°thing¡± inside had deliberately left a gap, beckoning the unwary to visit.


    Duncan picked up the lantern and cautiously shone it inside, peering through the gap at the opposite side of the door¡ªhis other hand, though, already had the longsword poised next to the gap, ready to thrust at any ¡°thing¡± that might emerge.


    However, he could never have anticipated what he would see¡ª


    On the other side of the gap was a room.


    A small room that seemed to have seen years pass by. The wallpaper on the walls was dim and wrinkled, with fittings that seemed to have been neglected for some time. Directly facing the door, there was a single bed with a table beside it, on which were placed a computer, books, and a small ornament.


    A tall, thin figure was hunched over the desk writing feverishly, that silhouette dressed in an ordinary white shirt bought from a street stall, with unkempt hair lacking grooming, a body clearly not exercised, appearing somewhat too thin.


    Duncan¡¯s eyes were glued to the familiar everything on ¡°that side,¡± to the room, to the figure hunched over writing, and that figure seemed to feel something too, he stopped writing, abruptly looked up, and ran toward the door.


    The figure ran over, staring intently through the gap at the outside, at Duncan.


    Duncan stared back at him, at the familiar face¡ªthat was his own face!


    After staring at each other for a few seconds, the figure on the other side of the door suddenly became agitated. He began to push the door forcefully, seemingly trying to get out, but the door was as immovable as if cast with the space. He then attempted to break the lock, prying at the gap with tools, and pounded on the stubborn door as if desperately trying to escape, to no avail.


    The person inside finally gave up on this futile attempt. He pounded near the gap once more, then shouted something loudly through the door¡ªbut from outside, only vague, ethereal noises could be heard, not a single word was clear.


    Duncan watched all of this, shocked and bewildered, watching that ¡°other self¡± trapped in the room, he knew what the man inside wanted to do¡ªhis gaze slowly falling on the door handle beside him.


    The handle was within easy reach.


    From this side, the door might very well be easy to open.


    Yet he just looked at the handle, not making the slightest move to take action.


    The trapped man seemed to fall into despair. He shouted one last time, finding that his voice could not reach outside, and then ran back to the desk. He bent over quickly to write something on a paper, then hurried back, showing the sheet of paper to Duncan.


    Through the gap, Duncan saw the scrawled words on the paper: ¡°Save me! I¡¯m trapped in this room! The windows and the door won¡¯t open!¡±


    Duncan suddenly laughed.


    His smile, through the gap, met the eyes of ¡°Zhou Ming¡± trapped in the room, who finally widened his eyes in surprise, as if offended by the mockery and gradually filled with anger.


    The next second, Duncan¡¯s pirate sword suddenly lunged forward, going through the narrow gap, directly stabbing into the ¡°Zhou Ming¡± on the other side.


    The latter, pierced by the blade, opened his mouth as if to scream; hazily, a series of hoarse and noisy sounds entered Duncan¡¯s ears, while he remained completely unfazed, simply pushing the sword hilt in further, whispering close to the door:


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to write in Chinese if you can¡¯t.¡±


    Throughout the journey, the pigeon Ai Yi, who had been very quiet, also suddenly flapped its wings, making a hoarse voice: ¡°This is an illusion, what are you hiding?¡±


    The next second, the figure on the other side of the door began to melt like a wax figure and vanished rapidly into the distorted and chaotic light and shadow. The very real and familiar-looking room also quickly shed its disguise before Duncan¡¯s eyes to reveal its true form: a dim and ancient cabin, empty and sealed within time and decrepit decay.


    The longsword in his hand conveyed an empty sensation, as if from the very beginning, it had pierced nothing but air.


    Was the space opposite this ¡°extra door¡± just a ship cabin?


    Duncan was unexpectedly observing the situation on the other side of the door crack, but no matter how he looked, it seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary ship cabin.


    But¡­ was that ship cabin truly ¡°real¡±?


    Duncan slowly withdrew the longsword that had probed through the door crack, gently let out a sigh of relief, and took a half-step back.


    The strange occurrence he had just experienced remained deeply etched in his mind. He didn¡¯t know if it was merely an illusion or something else, but one thing was certain¡­ there was something about this door that was far more peculiar and dangerous than he had imagined.


    If the illusion reflected on the other side of that door was based on a distortion of his own memories and perceptions, it meant the danger beyond surpassed the capabilities of himself, ¡°Captain Duncan.¡± If the illusion wasn¡¯t based on his personal perceptions and memories, but rather something ¡°fabricated¡± as a set piece by something else¡­ the situation was even worse.


    Because in this world, no one should know what that room looked like, nor should anyone know of the existence of the individual ¡°Zhou Ming.¡±


    Yet, the ¡°thing¡± behind this door did.


    He took a deep breath.


    His caution had been justified, and under no circumstances should he open this door.


    At the same time, he felt a chill of fear¡ªbecause there really was a moment, when he looked at the door handle, when he had thought: to open the door and let ¡°himself¡± out.


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± Alice¡¯s voice suddenly came, startling Duncan from his thoughts. He looked up at the doll, and saw an expression of concern mixed with fear. ¡°Captain, are you all right? What¡¯s behind that door? You look so serious¡­¡±


    Duncan shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, what¡¯s behind this door isn¡¯t for you to see¡ªwe¡¯ve explored all the way to the ship¡¯s hold. It¡¯s time to head back.¡±


    As he spoke, he reached out to push the door, attempting to see if he could close it.


    The slight gap that the door revealed was truly disconcerting.


    But the door didn¡¯t budge¡ªdespite using considerable force, it remained as immovable as if fused with the space itself.


    Just like those sealed windows in his bachelor apartment.


    Duncan thoughtfully withdrew his hand¡ªthis door couldn¡¯t be closed, but he was even less inclined to try to open it any further.


    ¡°Ah? Oh¡­ oh, okay!¡± Alice didn¡¯t dwell on the captain¡¯s attempt to close the door. She was startled at first but quickly recovered, her face brightening with a happy expression, ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry back, this place is honestly quite eerie, and I¡¯m getting nervous again¡­¡±


    Duncan hummed noncommittally in response and, taking Alice with him, turned to walk towards the ¡°final door¡± that led to the staircase.


    This place was simply too sinister; even he didn¡¯t want to linger any longer.


    After this, no further abnormalities occurred.


    They made their way smoothly through the fragmented ship¡¯s hold, past the cargo hold with the inverse lighting, through the dark stairways and corridors, returning to the cabins above the waterline.


    The moment she returned to the normal cabin, Alice felt her body suddenly lighten, as if some previously unnoticed oppressive shadow had been dispersed from around her. She saw the lights return to normal, and the cabin no longer felt gloomy and oppressive. As for Captain Duncan beside her¡­


    The captain looked no different from before, as if he had felt no oppression earlier and now felt no additional relief. The environment deep within Homeloss hadn¡¯t seemed to affect him.


    However, the captain was clearly very silent on the way back, appearing to be weighed down with heavy thoughts.


    ¡°Captain, are you tired?¡± Alice asked tentatively, ¡°Would you like me to make you something to eat? You hardly ate any dinner¡­¡±


    Duncan paused his thoughts and looked at the doll beside him.


    On Miss Doll¡¯s face was an expression of sincere concern¡ªjust like Nina.


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    He suddenly relaxed, and the slight gloom in his heart seemed to quietly recede.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t drop any weird stuff into the pot this time.¡±


    ¡°My head isn¡¯t a weird thing!¡±


    ¡°Especially your head.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±

 Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Unsteady Navigation

    Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Unsteady Navigation


    Duncan led Alice back to the upper deck of the Homeloss¡ªthe cold Creation of the World still suspended high in the night sky.


    Duncan thought he had been exploring inside the ship for a very long time, even suspecting that an entire night had passed, but now, looking at the deep night sky, he seemed to have only spent a few hours below.


    Yet, it was during these mere hours that he witnessed such bizarre and extraordinary circumstances that left a lasting impression on him.


    He still remembered the cabin with the inverted lights and shadows, and especially that door at the bottom of the hull¡­What exactly was behind that door?


    Duncan¡¯s lantern had gone out, and together with the doll he slowly made his way to the captain¡¯s cabin, neither of them speaking much¡ªthe doll seemed to be rehearsing cooking in its head, while Duncan¡¯s attention was fixated on the deck structures around them.


    He compared what he saw with his memory, confirming that the dim and dilapidated cabin opposite the door was indeed a part of Homeloss, whose style matched perfectly and whose structure had a vague continuity.


    Moreover, now that he recalled, it seemed that there was something more in the depths of that decrepit cabin, hidden in the darkness.


    That was Homeloss¡¯s unknown ¡°hidden area¡±¡ªan area that not even Duncan, the captain himself, could sense or detect.


    Did the goat head know about that door? Did it know what lay behind it?


    Should he ask it?


    They reached the captain¡¯s cabin. Though Duncan¡¯s mind was still tumultuous, he entered the door with Alice and saw that the goat head was still quietly positioned on the navigation table, its hollow black eyes turning toward the sound of the door.


    As Duncan turned to hang the lantern, he heard Alice already greeting the goat head with a hint of excitement, ¡°Mr. Goat Head! I went down to the lower decks with the captain! The very bottom of this ship is incredible! The lowest cabin is all split apart¡ªand there¡¯s also a very strange door!¡±


    Duncan suddenly felt no longer torn about how to start a conversation with the goat head¡ªhe almost forgot that he had an inquisitive and unknowing doll with him, and Alice¡¯s chatter had opened up the scene.


    He struggled to keep from laughing out loud and pretended to tidy up quietly while listening intently to the conversation between the two ¡°crew members¡±. He heard the goat head¡¯s voice, with an unsurprised tone, ¡°I knew you¡¯d be astonished! Miss Alice, now you realize how great Homeloss is, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s a ship that can sail safely across different dimensions at the same time!¡±


    Listening to this, Duncan felt a stir in his heart.


    The situation was indeed as he had guessed; the bizarre scenery outside the cracks in the bottom of the ship¡­ was certainly because it no longer belonged to the space-time of the Endless Sea!


    At the same time, he was quickly calculating in his mind: Alice¡¯s curiosity about the strange sights beneath Homeloss was overwhelming, she seemed reluctant to ask too many questions of him, the ¡°captain,¡± preferring instead to inquire with the chatty goat head. But if he continued to stand there eavesdropping, it would seem odd and suspicious, and it might even cause the goat head to steer the topic toward him¡ªif it threw a ¡°You should ask the captain¡± at Alice, he wouldn¡¯t know how to respond¡­


    With this thought, he immediately made a plan. After composing his expression to its usual seriousness, he said nonchalantly, ¡°You two chat here, I¡¯ll take a walk outside¡ªGoat Head, Alice is now part of the crew. You can tell her anything about the ship that isn¡¯t too secretive.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Alice¡¯s face immediately lit up with a joyful smile, and the goat head readily agreed, ¡°Of course, Captain, your loyal subordinates always warmly welcome new members¡­¡±


    Duncan left the captain¡¯s cabin, pushing the door behind him.


    But the moment he left the captain¡¯s cabin, he refocused his mind, leveraging the close connection between himself and Homeloss, and carefully paid attention to the movements inside the captain¡¯s cabin.


    As he concentrated, his vague perceptions became clear, real-time monitoring, a vivid reflection of everything in the captain¡¯s cabin playing out in Duncan¡¯s mind. He ¡°saw¡± Alice promptly take a stool and sit opposite the goat head, excitedly recounting her exploration of the lower decks of Homeloss, describing the bizarre scenes at the bottom of the hull.


    She seemed to have completely forgotten the matter of making a late-night snack for the captain¡ªbut Duncan didn¡¯t mind at all.


    He appreciated the puppet¡¯s divine assist at the critical moment.


    Under the night sky, Ai Yi suddenly flapped his wings and fluttered onto a nearby mast as if standing guard, while Duncan walked slowly forward just like he was normally patrolling the deck. In his mind, however, the conversation within the captain¡¯s quarters came through clearly.


    Alice had brought up that bizarre door with Goathead, her tone tinged with tension, ¡°¡­That door looks a bit scary, the captain won¡¯t even let me get close to it¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t get close, not just you, even I can¡¯t touch it¡ªdon¡¯t give me that look. I know I have no hands or feet, but the ¡®touch¡¯ I¡¯m talking about is another kind of¡­ contact, control, understanding, spying, you get it? That door is untouchable in this sense¡­ If you touch it, you¡¯re done, got it?¡±


    Alice seemed to have been startled by Goathead¡¯s unusually stern tone and hesitated for a second or two before speaking, ¡°Then¡­ what exactly is that door?¡±


    As Duncan walked on the deck, he focused his attention but then heard Goathead fall silent suddenly; after a long time, he spoke in a deep voice without directly answering any questions, ¡°You surely haven¡¯t touched that door, right?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t touched it!¡± Alice replied in a hurry but then she hesitated before adding with less certainty, ¡°Although¡­ although the captain leaned in to peek, he looked through the crack of the door and poked at something on the other side with his sword¡­¡±


    After Alice¡¯s words fell, Duncan suddenly felt the entire ship shake, followed immediately by all the main sails and side sails making a low moaning sound in the wind and all the masts and ropes creaking in succession¡ªand all these things were currently being controlled by Goathead!


    He looked up in surprise at the swinging masts and ropes as if he could sense the momentary panic of the controller behind them. In his mind, an exclamation came from the captain¡¯s quarters, it was Goathead¡¯s voice, ¡°What did you say?! A crack in the door? The door cracked open?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­¡± Alice sounded as if she had been frightened, ¡°The door was ajar, with a crack, about¡­ about as wide as a finger¡­¡±


    ¡°The captain took a peek through the crack on the other side? And then? He poked with his sword¡­ Did he change at all then? When he took you away, did he seem hesitant or dazed?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Alice replied immediately, ¡°The captain¡¯s expression was very serious, and he quickly took me back. He seemed to be thinking about something on the way but wasn¡¯t dazed at all¡ªah, he also discussed cooking with me, I need to go to the kitchen later¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget the kitchen for now! Do you know what¡¯s behind that door?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ what¡¯s behind that door?¡± Alice¡¯s voice carried a mixture of confusion and fear. She had never seen Goathead so seriously urgent before¡ªit was as if the ship was about to sink.


    Goathead¡¯s tone suddenly became very low as he slowly said, ¡°Behind that door is Subspace.¡±


    Duncan stopped in his tracks on the deck.


    Behind the door, Subspace?


    He was completely astonished, the huge waves stirring in his heart almost interfered with his monitoring of the captain¡¯s quarters, but then he thought of another thing¡ª


    The shattered bottom of the ship, the dim, chaotic light and shadow flux outside the crack¡ªit appeared that Homeloss was sailing in different dimensions, and its bottom was obviously in a different space-time from the real world. And there was a door at the bottom, and Subspace lay on the other side of it¡­


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    Could it be that the lower half of Homeloss was actually navigating in Subspace?!


    And if Goathead¡¯s words were to be believed, this state of navigation seemed unstable? Not only did the bottom require the captain¡¯s constant pacification, but that door theoretically should have been closed tightly, yet now it had cracked open¡­ What did this mean? Could it mean there was a problem with the ¡°seal¡± of the bottom? Or was something from Subspace trying to enter Homeloss?


    He recalled his own attempt to close that door before leaving the bottom of the ship, yet no matter how hard he tried, the door remained firmly open just a crack¡ªas if fused with space itself.


    At the time, he hadn¡¯t thought much of it, but looking back now, a bizarre idea involuntarily surfaced in his mind.


    Perhaps¡­ when he tried to close that door, something on the other side was resisting him, preventing him from shutting that passage¡­

 Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 66 A Beautiful Morning on Homeloss

    Chapter 62: Chapter 66 A Beautiful Morning on Homeloss


    ¡°Alice! Get your head together!¡±


    The wonderful morning on the Homeloss started with the captain roaring energetically on the deck.


    Duncan stood outside the captain¡¯s cabin, pointed at a doll¡¯s head hanging from a nearby beam, and, after twitching the corner of his eye for quite some time, finally spotted a doll¡¯s body dressed in a deep purple gothic gown frantically standing up and taking down the hanging head.


    With a crisp ¡°pop¡± in the air, the doll lady put her head back on and then trotted over, giggling, ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe what hehe? What are you doing hanging your head by my door so early in the morning?¡± Duncan glared at the cursed doll, who made mischief every now and then; honestly, who wouldn¡¯t be startled by a head swinging in the wind at the door when you open it first thing in the morning? It¡¯s also lucky that he had spent a long time on this ship and had tougher nerves than before. Otherwise, he might have been scared breathless, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were on lookout¡ªthere are pigeons for that!¡±


    ¡°I washed my hair this morning¡­¡± Alice said cautiously, shrinking her neck, ¡°My hair never dries, so I thought hanging it higher might catch some wind¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Alice cautiously glanced at Duncan, ¡°Captain¡­ are you angry?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ make sense.¡± Duncan struggled for a while and could only squeeze out these words from his bronchi, trying to control the twitching of his facial muscles while having to admit, at least from Alice¡¯s ¡°anomaly 099¡± lifestyle perspective, hanging her head up higher to catch some wind made perfect sense¡ªon this ship, the winch even took a nap out of habit, and the bucket for swabbing decks rolled to the stern to bask in the sun every afternoon. Living on this ship indeed required an open mind.


    From this perspective, Alice, a doll adapted to life on the ship, had really become one with the Homeloss¡­


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re not angry, Captain!¡± Alice immediately brightened up with a grin. She seemed to have adapted to, or perhaps even understood, the captain¡¯s temperament. She still respected the formidable ghost captain, but no longer had the pure fear she initially harbored. She seemed much more open now, even daring to haggle with the captain, ¡°Then can I still hang my head¡­¡±


    ¡°Not at all¡ªanywhere but by the door of the captain¡¯s cabin works. Find your own spot,¡± Duncan glanced at the doll, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see a crew member¡¯s head hanging or a headless body floundering in front of the door every time I open it.¡±


    Alice could only humbly bow her head, ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    Duncan still looked at her, thoughtful.


    ¡°Captain?¡± Alice felt a bit uneasy under his gaze, ¡°Why are you staring at me¡­¡±


    ¡°I just suddenly thought of something,¡± Duncan pondered and then said, ¡°You lose hair, right? Do you also lose it when you wash it? Then¡­ does it grow back?¡±


    Alice was stunned for a moment, her expression like that of the pigeon Ai Yi when suddenly stuck.


    After a long while, her eyes suddenly widened, looking at Duncan in astonishment, ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I never thought about that! Captain, you¡­¡±


    Her latter words almost sounded like a sob, and she dared not finish her question, which was essentially asking ¡°Are you a devil, Captain?¡± She feared saying such a thing might invite a scolding from Mister Goat-Head, on the grounds of underestimating the captain¡¯s authority while excessively glamorizing the image of the foremost marine disaster¡­


    Duncan was unconcerned about what Alice had hesitated to say; his mind had already drifted: ¡°You see, although you can walk, jump, and talk, your body is still like a real doll¡¯s, not needing food or water, and limbs can be forcibly popped back on. So, can I assume that your hair is a non-renewable resource, that if washed too much, you¡¯d go bald¡­ or even brushing it too much could cause the same?¡±


    Alice was nearly in tears: ¡°Captain, why would you think of such scary things¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve wanted to ask ever since you cooked that fish head soup.¡±


    Alice, despite her sadness, paused at that remark, ¡°But all I cooked was fish soup¡­¡±


    Duncan declared confidently, ¡°Nonsense, if it¡¯s got fish, a head, and broth, why shouldn¡¯t it be fish head soup?¡±


    Alice, ¡°¡­Captain, you make sense.¡±


    A beautiful morning aboard the Homeloss began with everyone agreeing on what was reasonable.


    Miss Doll seemed distracted as she left; she appeared to suddenly have a significant life decision to ponder. Duncan¡¯s mood brightened. He breathed the sea breeze and then had a simple breakfast¡ªconsisting of fish slices Alice made yesterday, chopped cheese, and strong liquor from Plunder City-State. It might not have been delicious, but it was currently the best meal available on the Homeloss.


    Inside the chart room of the captain¡¯s cabin, Goat Head curiously looked at the cheerful Duncan, ¡°Captain, what happened to Miss Alice? I noticed she was distracted when she returned to her cabin. She even bumped into the door twice¡­ She seemed deeply troubled?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s facing a significant challenge in her life. I think for a long while you won¡¯t have to worry about her fighting with the weird things on board,¡± Duncan swirled his wine glass with a mischievous smile, ¡°But I¡¯m really curious about something¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah? What are you curious about?¡±


    ¡°Do cursed dolls really become bald if all their hair falls out?¡± Duncan seriously discussed with Goat Head, ¡°Such supernatural beings, shouldn¡¯t they have some transcendent power to ensure¡­ well, a certain state? Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t get to discuss this with Alice before she ran off.¡±


    Goat Head, ¡°¡­¡±


    Duncan curiously glanced at his usually noisy companion, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡±


    Goat Head struggled for a bit, finally squeezing out, ¡°You truly are the most terrible calamity of the Endless Sea¡­ I couldn¡¯t dare ask such a question.¡±


    Duncan shrugged his shoulders and stood up from behind the navigation desk.


    ¡°I need to take another leave,¡± he told Goat Head, snapping his fingers. A burst of green flame erupted, and the spectral bird-shaped Ai Yi descended from the flames, landing on his shoulder, ¡°As usual, you will take the helm.¡±


    ¡°Understood, captain. Your loyal subordinate will not disappoint you!¡± Goat Head immediately replied with rising intonation and curiously added, ¡°Captain, you seem¡­ quite interested in traveling to the Spirit Realm lately? Is there something on land that caught your interest?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t immediately respond but pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°I have recently discovered that, after a century of development, this world has become a bit more interesting.¡±


    This was his calculated response: the statement didn¡¯t reveal any specific details and didn¡¯t expose his lack of knowledge, while reasonably setting the stage for him to show more frequent interest in the terrestrial world, which could also serve as a ¡°justifiable motivation¡± for the Homeloss to return to civilized society if needed.


    And this answer should not overly contradict ¡°Captain Duncan¡¯s¡± image.


    The greatest calamity of the Endless Sea could also be a fun-loving person¡ªbecause a fun-loving person accommodates everything.


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    Goat Head showed no unusual reaction, as if whatever decision Captain Duncan made was to be expected, ¡°Oh, you are right. After so many years, those weak City-States must have developed something interesting enough to pique your interest and alleviate your boredom¡­ In that case, should Homeloss make preparations? Are you planning to invade Plunder, Rensa, or perhaps the northern Frost?¡±


    Duncan had been nodding along with the first part of Goat Head¡¯s words, appreciating his top minion¡¯s effort to flatter and support him. However, hearing the latter part, his blood ran cold¡ªthis cooperation turned into fanning the flames, and he had to quickly interrupt, ¡°When did I say I wanted to invade City-States? It would be a pity to destroy such interesting developments.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, you are right. My suggestion was too rash,¡± Goat Head immediately altered his tone, ¡°I thought you were planning to take the ship for a spin there¡­ Since you have no such intentions, my suggestion should be disregarded. Actually, that¡¯s also good. After all, the big City-States do have some strength; getting too close would be somewhat risky¡­¡±


    ¡°In the future, do not bring up invading City-States casually,¡± Duncan looked at Goat Head with a lack of trust, adding another layer of caution, ¡°We¡¯ve been off-track with the world for a hundred years. Now, I want to reacquaint myself with the changes in civilized society, which may involve many long-term adaptations¡ªdo not make any superfluous plans until I give a direct order.¡±


    ¡°Your command will be diligently followed, captain.¡±

 Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 67 New Connections

    Chapter 63: Chapter 67 New Connections


    The Goat Head was a dangerous fellow, Duncan had known this from the start¡ªnot only because it was an anomalous entity with an unknown background, but also because it had been loyal to the real Captain Duncan and even now, continued to operate and think according to the old rules.


    In the Goat Head¡¯s perspective, City-States on land held no significance, the mortals within them were laughably ignorant, the weak City-State fleets were mere fodder, and plundering and killing them¡­ was a ¡°routine¡± rightfully owed to Homeloss.


    Duncan didn¡¯t know how long it would take to adjust the Goat Head¡¯s way of thinking, but he knew the process had to be subtle¡ªusing some reasonable explanations to change his and Homeloss¡¯s modus operandi was the safest approach.


    He took one last look at the Goat Head quietly standing by on the navigation table, having confirmed that it had taken over Homeloss¡¯s sails and steering system, and then pushed open the door to enter his cabin.


    This afternoon, Nina would return to the antique shop, and before that, he needed to have the Dove Ai Yi complete more test items.


    The door to the captain¡¯s cabin closed, and the Goat Head silently watched the direction of the door in the dim light, remaining silent for who knows how long, until it confirmed that the captain¡¯s consciousness had embarked on a journey through the Spirit Realm, then it muttered to itself in a low voice, ¡°Really unaffected by the Subspace¡­¡±


    In the dimness, the wooden carved Goat Head turned creakingly, seemingly surveying the room, yet its gaze seemed to penetrate the room, surveying the whole ship.


    ¡°Homeloss, Homeloss¡­ what terrible thing did you dredge up back then¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan had returned to that familiar dark space, feeling his will extend among countless stars and slender lines of light, with the endpoints of this trajectory being Homeloss and the antique shop in the Plunder City-State.


    It seemed that as the time of this ¡°dual-line connection¡± elongated, this sensation grew clearer; he didn¡¯t even need to focus deliberately now to sense the situation on the side of the antique shop¡ªand he could remotely control the body there to do some simple daily activities.


    This was obviously a good thing, as an antique shop owner who spent more than half the time ¡°asleep¡± was certainly doubtful, and even just getting up and standing at the door for a minute or two could ward off many unnecessary stares.


    Duncan didn¡¯t immediately ¡°transmit¡± his main consciousness to the Plunder City-State but stopped in the dark space, carefully sensing the changes around him before turning to look beside him.


    In the vast darkness, the Bone Dove Ai Yi was silently circling, its spectral body continuously sprinkling specks of green fire as it flew, and at the center of Ai Yi¡¯s circling area were some blurry apparitions.


    Among those apparitions were the Sun Amulet previously brought aboard Homeloss, an ancient short dagger, a piece of cheese, a round cannonball, and a stiff piece of dried salted fish.


    These were all ¡°test items¡± he had prepared before setting off, aimed to further assess Ai Yi¡¯s ability to carry items and the changes during the carrying process.


    The short dagger, found in the ship¡¯s cabin, potentially belonged to a sailor and was a thoughtless ¡°ordinary item¡±. The cheese, taken from the kitchen, possessed the property of not spoiling. The cannonball was from the ammunition depot, while the dried salted fish was part of the last fishing catch, just dried these days¡ªnot thoroughly dried yet, but already quite stiff.


    Duncan watched Ai Yi circling around these apparitions and nodded slightly, ¡°So this is how you always carry items.¡±


    Ai Yi flapped its wings, emitting a raspy, sharp cry, ¡°Hold steady, sit tight, hold steady, sit tight!¡±


    Duncan smiled briefly, then focused his mind, preparing to project his main consciousness.


    But just as his attention condensed, he suddenly saw an unusual dim light emerge at the far end of the light stream pointing towards the Plunder City-State!


    Duncan immediately stopped, surprised by the light flickering in the midst of countless dim stars¡ªthe light seemed to have been there all along, only turning from darkness to brightness the moment his attention was concentrated, as if suddenly noticed, it began to emit a clear presence.


    What was that?


    Intrigued, Duncan tried to move towards that dim light, and with just a thought, he had already crossed the vast darkness, the dim light quickly enlarging in front of him and transforming into a flowing stream of light.


    He then saw that there was a barely perceptible ¡°connection¡± between this undulating light stream and himself¡ªsimilar to the connection between his main body on Homeloss and the spare body in the antique shop.


    Was this¡­ another potential spare body?


    The thought crossed Duncan¡¯s mind, but he quickly shook his head¡ªthe flowing light in front of him was much larger in scale than those representing ¡°bodies¡±; such a vast expanse of light¡­ it was less like representing a potential spare body than some enormous item that had established a connection with him.


    In hesitation, he made up his mind and carefully stretched out his hand to touch the light¡­


    The next second, a massive and unfamiliar ¡°perception¡± suddenly flooded into his mind¡ªhe couldn¡¯t see the surroundings clearly, but felt the sea breeze against his body, the slow undulation of the waves around him, and the movement of many people around and even over his body. He heard conversations from all directions, but all the voices were so jumbled together and seemingly behind a thick curtain, he couldn¡¯t make out anything clearly.


    He vaguely realized that he was sensing the environment through the perspective of a colossal entity, but this entity was not suitable for his spirit to descend directly into, or perhaps there was some force protecting this thing, blocking his power from entering, thus all his perceptions were delayed and obscured.


    The colossal entity seemed to be stationed near the coast, with many people gathered around.


    A tense and solemn atmosphere pervaded the crowd; they seemed to be dealing earnestly with some dangerous element, each conversation somber yet concise.


    Duncan tried hard to concentrate, wanting to make out what these muffled, curtained voices were discussing.


    After a long struggle, he finally heard a word repeatedly mentioned from these buzzingly overlapping voices¡ªthe ¡°White Oak.¡±


    Duncan pulled back his hand that had touched the stream of light, looking bewilderedly at the flickering luminescence in front of him.


    The luminescence floated in the darkness, faintly outlining the ghostly image of a ship.


    White Oak¡­ the name seemed somewhat familiar, but he completely couldn¡¯t remember when he had heard it.


    Duncan thought hard and recalled, finally dredging up some vague impressions from deep within his memory. He remembered the ship he had first collided with in the Spirit Realm state when he was at the helm. When the Homeloss passed through the other vessel, he had seemed to see its name on the side of the other ship¡¯s hull¡­ The ship, it was apparently named the White Oak.


    Then, he remembered the newspaper he had bought in Plunder City-State. An inconspicuous section in it had also mentioned this matter, stating that the White Oak, a deep-sea ship that had been missing for several days, was set to dock soon¡­


    Duncan stared blankly at the floating luminescence.


    This was the White Oak, the one responsible for transporting anomaly 099.


    The old captain who had once tried to shout to him and his crew seemed to have successfully reached Plunder City-State¡ªthat was quite a relief.


    Clearly, he had formed a connection with this ship.


    Could the connection have been established after that ¡°Spirit Realm collision¡± accident? Because the flames from the Homeloss had spread to the White Oak?


    Duncan mulled over this suspicion, speculating on the various properties his Spectral Flame might possess while also pondering how the link with this steamship might be useful.


    After drifting on the Homeloss for so long, he greatly valued every connection he had with the civilized world.


    It appeared that although the White Oak had docked, it was still in some sort of lockdown, under surveillance. Those anxious individuals were probably ¡°professionals¡± from the City-State, specifically dealing with Transcendent phenomena.


    Evidently, for the people in the city-state, a ship that had wandered lost at sea posed a risk, and the experience of close contact with the Homeloss might also be a significant issue pending review.


    Duncan was somewhat conscious of his own and Homeloss¡¯s notoriety by now.


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    After some contemplation, Duncan cautiously stepped back, no longer touching the mist of light in front of him.


    As the top boss of the Endless Sea, he didn¡¯t plan to deal with the city-state¡¯s protectors, and not knowing the specifics of those ¡°Transcendent experts,¡± he also didn¡¯t want to expose the fact that the White Oak had established a connection with ¡°Captain Duncan.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want the link between him and this steamship to be discovered and eradicated¡ªsince the connection was already established, firm like an anchor under the sea, he could afford to wait. The surveillance on the White Oak would eventually be lifted.


    Then, he might be able to calmly chat with the old captain.


    And find out just what the old captain had been trying to shout over the roaring storm back then.

 Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 68: Reliable Pigeon Express

    Chapter 64: Chapter 68: Reliable Pigeon Express


    A cool sea breeze suddenly swept across the deck, causing Captain Lawrence, who had just stepped outside from the interior, to rub his arms subconsciously¡ªbut he didn¡¯t know if the prickling sensation was due to the cool sea breeze or because of what the young Judge had told him.


    Anomaly 099, the Doll Coffin, possessed not only the ability to move and break free but also the capacity to continually expand its influence. It could constantly assess targets within its range, executing an unconditional beheading. Only saints might resist this near-causal effect of beheading¡­


    During the past half-month voyage, he and his crew had been living in close quarters with this dangerous anomaly¡ªalthough the truth was that aside from the final encounter with the Homeloss, the transport mission had been uneventfully safe. Yet, upon reflection, he still felt a touch of fear.


    But it was just that, fear after the fact.


    He was a member of the Explorers¡¯ Association, a seasoned maritime explorer. His work involved dealing with the Endless Sea¡ªunlike those fishermen who only sailed in the safer coastal waters, the majority of his seafaring life had been spent dealing with all sorts of anomalies and supernatural occurrences.


    When taking on anomaly transportation tasks, the authorities or the church would always inform him of the risks involved with the process, and this information was usually the shortest part of the entire contract agreement, typically just one line: This mission poses a fatal risk, specific details cannot be disclosed.


    Every captain making a living between City-States knew what they were up against, and more than half of them were haunted by their fatal profession in their later years¡ªyears of grappling with the Endless Sea, anomalies, and supernatural phenomenon always left their mark on one¡¯s fate.


    Many of his peers had already retired; some were trapped in endless nightmares, others endured mental anguish due to various curses, or came back from long voyages with physical disabilities¡­ or worse.


    Captains and sailors on ocean-going vessels had incomes that far exceeded what residents of the City-States could imagine, along with ¡°occupational illnesses¡± that surpassed any other profession.


    Captain Lawrence didn¡¯t consider himself a very noble person; he was in this line of work primarily for the money. Of course, he had a keen passion for exploring the sea in his youth, but like most people, youthful passion is hard to sustain throughout life, and now¡­ he felt it was time to extinguish that passion.


    It was best to retire while his mental state was still normal, while the Endless Sea had not yet ensnared his fate.


    Lawrence sighed softly and turned to walk slowly toward the direction of the captain¡¯s quarters.


    The search and questioning of the entire ship by the clergymen were not yet complete, and before that, he could not leave the White Oak. After that, he was to be transitioned with everyone to the church to undergo quarantine observation and a series of mental assessments.


    His gaze swept over the familiar fixtures of the ship.


    This was a good ship, and it was new. He had only taken command of it five years ago. In the colloquialisms of captains on the Endless Sea, ¡°the honeymoon between captain and ship has not yet passed.¡± To be honest, retiring did feel a bit reluctant.


    But retiring now was better than dying on some future voyage or spending the latter half of his life in a madhouse.


    ¡­


    In the Lower City District of the City-State, inside the old Duncan¡¯s Antique Shop, the middle-aged man lying on the bed upstairs slowly opened his eyes, the somewhat stale and moldy ceiling came into Duncan¡¯s view.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Duncan exhaled lightly, feeling his perception of this body become rapidly clear and stabilized, feeling his control of this body shift from remote manipulation to direct mastery. After a few seconds to adjust, he used his arms to push himself up energetically.


    The pigeon, Ai Yi, fluttered over, pecking at its beak near his bedside and squawking, ¡°Darling, welcome home. Would you like to eat first, take a bath, or¡­¡±


    Duncan was just about to stretch when Ai Yi¡¯s words caused him to nearly cramp up, and he smacked the pigeon on the head, ¡°Where did you learn all these phrases?!¡±


    Clearly not an ordinary bird, Ai Yi took the slap from Duncan unfazed and casually sidestepped, continuing to chatter, ¡°A punch ¡®thwack¡¯ right in the nose, blood gushing, nose crooked to the side, as if opening a soy sauce shop¡­¡±


    Duncan immediately set the nonsensical bird aside and stopped paying attention to it, rising from the bed to look at the table not far away.


    On the table lay all the experimental items that he had prepared aboard the Homeloss: the Sun Amulet, a dagger, cheese, cannonballs, and a salted fish.


    Everything was in place. All these unrelated items together, and there were no instances of Ai Yi losing any of them.


    This pigeon turned out to be more reliable than he had initially believed.


    Duncan moved forward, checking each item on the table. Confirming that everything was complete and undamaged, he couldn¡¯t help but look back at the pigeon pacing on the bed, and a bit of appreciation for the bird fluttered in his heart.


    Then he saw Ai Yi pacing steps around the head of the bed; by this time, she had her back turned and had reached the passage ¡°When Ruda looked back, he saw Zheng the Butcher lying on the ground¡±¡­


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He tucked away the admiration in his heart, and then sat down at the desk to start checking the condition of those ¡°goods¡± one by one.


    First was the Sun Amulet, which was unchanged¡ªas a transcendent item that had been completely transformed and controlled by the fire of a Spiritual Body, it still calmly flowed with a gentle power within. It seemed that traveling to the Spirit Realm twice had not affected the amulet¡¯s traits.


    The dagger without transcendent properties also seemed unchanged; apart from its antique style, its blade was still sharp, and its sheath, well maintained.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze fell on the block of cheese brought from the Homeloss¡¯s kitchen.


    The cheese showed no abnormalities and remained in an inedible state. It had not, as Duncan had imagined, rapidly spoiled or vanished into thin air after leaving the Homeloss.


    He then looked at the artillery shell¡ªthe shell lay quietly on the table, unresponsive to the captain¡¯s scrutiny.


    Duncan pushed the shell, then tapped its cast-iron shell.


    The transcendent trait had faded from the shell.


    On the Homeloss, even the shells were ¡°active,¡± which of course didn¡¯t mean that each shell had an independent ¡°thought,¡± but the ship¡¯s entire ammunition system was controlled by a unified ¡°consciousness,¡± and as ¡°sub-units¡± of this consciousness, the Homeloss¡¯s shells would even adjust their positions and accept ¡°inspection¡± immediately when watched by the captain.


    According to Duncan¡¯s observations over a period of time, the Homeloss¡¯s weapon system should be controlled by two ¡°consciousnesses¡±: one for the ammunition system and the other for the several dozen cannons below the deck, each likely responsible for the loading and firing during combat, controlling every ¡°member¡± within their own systems.


    This shell in front of him obviously lost control from its higher consciousness upon departure from the Homeloss and had become an unremarkable chunk of iron.


    Duncan was contemplative.


    If he were to take this shell back, would it become part of the ammunition depot again? Would the Homeloss still ¡°recognize¡± this ¡°sub-unit¡± that had left and then returned?


    His thoughts extended further¡ªthe ammunition aboard the Homeloss was limited; shells fired would not return (the eight shells used to weigh down Alice¡¯s storage hadn¡¯t come back), so¡­ could the ship¡¯s ammunition be replenished? And how would newly added shells become ¡°sub-units¡± of the Homeloss?


    Extending his thoughts a bit more: Could the Homeloss upgrade its cannon system? More advanced cannons, more advanced shells¡ªwould these things work aboard that ship?


    The Homeloss was a ghost ship, which meant it was difficult to supply and¡­ ¡°improve,¡± like regular ships, easily. Items brought aboard were just ¡°external items,¡± and if they couldn¡¯t successfully integrate into the Homeloss, then these external items wouldn¡¯t have the convenience of ¡°self-operation¡± like the ship¡¯s other facilities.


    But if there was a way to make these things part of the Homeloss¡­ then that ghost ship might exhibit even greater power.


    And have better living conditions.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but think a lot in this area.


    The more he interacted with the modern Plunder City-State, the more he felt that the Homeloss from a century ago wasn¡¯t as bright and perfect as its illustrious reputation¡ª


    That ship might possess strange and terrifying power, but it didn¡¯t even have electric lights, nor potato fries; its weapon system was still the old muzzle-loaded cannons, and their effectiveness was questionable, and again, no potato fries. While the sails of the Spiritual Body were handy, having a set of steam machinery as an auxiliary power source clearly wasn¡¯t bad either. Yet the ship didn¡¯t even have a boiler to heat water.


    And no potato fries.


    Duncan silently glanced at the pigeon that had hopped onto the windowsill and was gazing blankly outside.


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    The pigeon turned its head, blinking its mung-bean eyes at him: ¡°Go to the docks for some fries?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t mention fries,¡± Duncan responded with a subtle mood, then turned his attention to the last item.


    A salted fish, a natural delicacy harvested from the depths of the ocean and processed, tasted not bad and belonged to the ¡°outside of the items of the Homeloss.¡±


    After the excursion through the Spirit Realm, this salted fish appeared to have no change.


    He would make a soup with it for Nina tonight.

 Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 69: City-State Life

    Chapter 65: Chapter 69: City-State Life


    After inspecting all the test items, Duncan gained a deeper understanding of Ai Yi¡¯s transportation capabilities and the properties of the items on Homeloss.


    Ai Yi could transport various items simultaneously, including organic, inorganic, transcendent, and ordinary items. The type of items did not affect the stability of the transport process, nor did the transport process affect the properties of the items themselves;


    Some items on Homeloss that obviously had the ¡°ability to move¡± were ¡°sub-units¡± under a larger controlling consciousness, such as projectiles that were sub-units of the ammunition system. Once these sub-units left Homeloss, they would lose their mobility and become ordinary objects;


    The transportation process did not seem to exhaust Ai Yi¡¯s ¡°energy.¡± Whether it was initially carrying a ceremonial dagger or now carrying a bunch of items at once, the bird returned still lively. Of course, this might be because the ¡°cargo¡± transported so far was too little and far from reaching its capacity limit;


    So far, only the transportation of items of different types had been tested, and it was not yet known whether Ai Yi¡¯s transport ability had limitations on ¡°weight¡± or ¡°volume.¡± More tests were required.


    Duncan methodically summarized the known information and only after confirming that everything was thought through did he breathe a sigh of relief and slowly leaned back in his chair.


    He knew that the tests he had conducted so far were still very imperfect. Many potential variables were not thoroughly considered, even considering the ¡°test item categories,¡± and the samples he selected were too few to gather effective data.


    In the future, he intended to select even more types of items and to test Ai Yi¡¯s transport limits and the stability of multiple transports with different item weights and volumes. Only with enough comparative samples would the test data be reliable and credible.


    He was very cautious in this regard, and this caution was not without reason¡ªhe had a very bold plan¡­ or rather, an idea.


    Since Ai Yi could transport items unharmed between the land and Homeloss, and it did not restrict the type of items, then¡­ could it transport people?


    If it could transport people, could it transport people who weren¡¯t exactly human? For example¡­ Alice?


    Duncan knew that one person¡¯s abilities were limited. Relying solely on his own ability to navigate the Spirit Realm as a link between Homeloss and the land City-State, he would eventually encounter problems of insufficient manpower and oversight. Having an assistant would significantly improve the situation.


    The pigeon Ai Yi¡¯s demonstrated transportation ability gave him an excellent idea.


    Of course, Alice was not an ideal assistant candidate. This ¡°anomaly 099¡± with a high-ranking number was elegant and mysterious when idle, but as soon as she became active, her inept and useless nature was immediately apparent. However, Duncan currently had no other options.


    Thinking that the only usable crew member under his command was a good-for-nothing who could even stew herself while cooking, Duncan could not help but sigh.


    The precarious position of Homeloss as an enemy of the world really troubled him; he figured that he would not likely find allies in the human world. If he had to find them, he might only attract a group of immature villains who looked forward to the apocalypse upon waking up each day, cut gas pipelines on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and engaged in demonic sacrifices on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and skirmished with church guardians on Sundays¡­


    This type of riff-raff could indeed hit it off with those like Goat-Head quickly. They could plan invasions of different City-States in their free time but were hardly the help Duncan wanted.


    ¡°Ah, Alice is at least obedient,¡± Duncan sighed as he stood up, muttering to himself, ¡°With proper training, she might be able to grow¡­perhaps.¡±


    Even if she couldn¡¯t become an assistant, letting that figurine meet the world outside would be good. After all, she had been locked in a coffin for so many years; she didn¡¯t even know what the outside world looked like.


    After organizing his thoughts, Duncan began to tidy up the large pile of items he had brought over. He was not planning to return to Homeloss yet, and many items could not be carried personally, so naturally, they had to be stored in the shop.


    There weren¡¯t many places to hide things on the second floor of the antique shop, and Nina could come up at any time to help clean the room. Some items that clearly did not look like daily necessities would appear especially suspicious in the room (like a century-old projectile). However, after brief consideration, Duncan found a suitable place for these items.


    The Sun Amulet could be hidden on his person, the salted fish could be placed directly in the kitchen, appearing perfectly reasonable, and the century-old projectile and the century-old sailor¡¯s dagger were even simpler¡ª


    Duncan took those two items directly to the ground floor shop and placed them in an inconspicuous corner near the counter¡ªafter all, this was an antique shop, and it was filled with all sorts of messy items similar in style; the dagger and projectile were more inconspicuous thrown in that pile of broken fakes¡­


    As for the last item, the cheese taken from the kitchen of Homeloss, Duncan also found a good place for it.


    The trash bin.


    After handling all this, Duncan dusted off his hands, which were not actually dusty, and was quite satisfied with his arrangements.


    He then glanced outside at the sky.


    The ¡°sun,¡± confined by dual rune restrictions, was hanging high in the sky, and it was just noon.


    Nina would return home later today. Before that, he planned to go out and walk to further understand the city.


    Anyway, it looked like the antique shop wouldn¡¯t do much business today.


    The weather was somewhat chilly, so Duncan put on a dark brown coat and tidied his somewhat messy and decadent hair before leaving the house. He tried to make his worn-out body, tormented by alcohol, drugs, and illness, look sprightly before leaving the antique shop.


    The moment he stepped outside, a fluttering sound of wings came from the second floor. The pigeon, Ai Yi, flew out of the room on its own and landed on his shoulder, bopping its head and beaming proudly, ¡°To the Twin Immortal Bridge, take Chenghua Avenue¡­¡±


    Duncan shot a glare at the bird. He had planned to let the pigeon stay on the second floor to watch the house since having a pigeon on him when going out was too conspicuous and strange. Anyway, there was a Spiritual Fire connecting him and Ai Yi. If anything happened, he could summon it to his side using the Spectral Flame without delay.


    He just hadn¡¯t expected to forget to remind it, so the bird ¡°boarded¡± on its own.


    Seeing the bird looking so cunning and pleased with itself, Duncan finally laughed helplessly and sighed, ¡°¡­Alright, if you love to follow, then follow.¡±


    With the pigeon on his head, he made his way to the main road opposite the antique shop, walked along the main road for a short distance, and heard a crisp bell sound mixed with the operation of a steam machine, approaching from afar. Looking up, he saw a double-decker bus colored brown with blue stripes driving along the main road, gradually stopping near the bus station.


    That was a common public transport in the Plunder City-State, powered by a steam machine, with a fare of six bisis, covering most of the Lower City District. According to the route map posted on the back of the bus, its line had two more stops that passed through the edge of the Upper City District, a place called Cross District.


    Duncan remembered ¡°Cross District.¡± He knew that the district and its surrounding area were regarded as the ¡°boundary¡± of the Plunder City-State. There, one could find bustling commerce and decent residences. Many residents from the Lower City District considered the Cross District a goal and dream for moving up in life, while many middle-class citizens who couldn¡¯t afford the high costs of the Upper City District but wanted to live decently also resided there¡ªthere were cinemas, museums, and several upscale restaurants.


    Nina¡¯s school was near the Cross District, and the museum she mentioned was also next to the Cross District.


    Duncan thought for a moment and quickly walked to the station, boarding the bus before it departed.


    The bus was not crowded, more than half of the seats on the first level were empty. Standing next to the driver¡¯s cab was a ticket seller in a deep blue uniform. This young woman, with shoulder-length hair and simple makeup, instinctively reached for the ticket clamp upon seeing someone board. But then she noticed the pigeon on Duncan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Sorry, no pets on the bus. It¡¯s the rule,¡± the young woman said, pointing at the pigeon on Duncan¡¯s shoulder, ¡°including pigeons.¡±


    Duncan looked at Ai Yi. Ai Yi flapped its wings innocently and cocked its head at him.


    ¡°Go cling to the roof.¡±


    ¡°Coo, coo.¡±


    Ai Yi flapped its wings and flew out of the bus, cursing in ¡°coos¡± as it went.


    The young ticket seller was stunned, watching the man who communicated with the pigeon and the pigeon that seemed to understand human speech, speechless for a long while.


    ¡°Is it okay now?¡± Duncan had to speak up to remind the somewhat dazed ticket seller, pointing towards the roof, ¡°You can¡¯t really control a bird on the roof, can you?¡±


    The ticket seller then snapped back to reality: ¡°Ah¡­ yes¡­ It¡¯s six bisis for a ticket, an all-day pass.¡±


    Duncan reached into his pocket, brought out two coins, and received a blue ticket. He then found a seat by the window and settled down quietly, ready to enjoy his first bus ride in this world.


    The steam machine started up, accompanied by a slight vibration and mechanical friction noise; the bell on the bus¡¯s front also crisply rang, and then the bus slightly shook, the scenery outside the window moving backward.


    Duncan comfortably leaned back in his seat, feeling the tremble and acceleration as this mechanical creation operated.


    Steam machines were great, civilized society was great, technological progress was great.


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    He would definitely have to install a set on Homeloss¡ªif only just a boiler to heat water, then they could have hot showers on the ship too.


    Just as his thoughts began to wander, he felt the bus suddenly shake, and the scenery outside the window slowly came to a stop.


    The young ticket seller opened a window near the front of the bus, leaning out and shouting, ¡°Boarding? There are seats! All big seats!¡±


    Duncan paused, then chuckled to himself.


    In that moment, he suddenly felt that this City-State, still foreign to him, immediately brimmed with a lively, homely atmosphere.

 Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 70: One of Us

    Chapter 66: Chapter 70: One of Us


    In a world where transcendent phenomena existed and the land was blocked by an endless ocean, with the City-State¡¯s guardians and anomalies engaged in endless struggles, how did ordinary people survive?


    Duncan still lacked understanding of the City-State, but at least in the parts he had seen, the ordinary people still lived in an environment of order and stability¡ª


    They worked, studied, and rested; they ran shops and exchanged what they had; they would go out on rest days to theaters and restaurants, parks and ports; they would visit museums and chat with neighbors after dinner¡ªthey led lives that were not very exciting but were generally stable.


    Steam-powered buses stopped and started intermittently, sometimes at platforms and sometimes at the roadside, always with passengers boarding and alighting. The silent driver occasionally spoke a few words to the conductor, but mostly he focused on driving, while the young conductor occasionally looked up at the roof¡ªas if she was still concerned about that pigeon.


    Duncan sat in his seat, observing everything around him with curiosity, watching these everyday lives of ordinary people.


    It seemed, apart from the need to understand the anomalies and phenomena in the world and to treat this knowledge as a sort of ¡°safety rule,¡± the lives of these ordinary people were not much different from what he had seen on Earth.


    As the bus neared the Cross District, it stopped again, this time at a platform where many passengers boarded.


    Duncan curiously observed the scenery at the platform, looking at the distant chimneys and the crisscrossing steam pipes above the buildings. Suddenly, he felt an unusual heat rising near his chest.


    The heat came from the Sun Amulet he had carefully concealed!


    While appreciating the scenery, Duncan paused and instinctively touched the spot where the amulet was hidden. The next second, he felt the amulet not only heating up but also trembling slightly.


    He didn¡¯t know what was happening, but clearly the amulet was resonating with something nearby¡ªthrough the connection already established between himself and the amulet, he awkwardly sensed the source of this resonance. The next second, his eyes locked on a figure quickly moving through the crowd outside the window.


    The figure was wearing a black coat and looked like just an ordinary passerby, but the ¡°sense of direction¡± from the Sun Amulet unmistakably pointed towards that person!


    Duncan immediately stood up from his seat and quickly walked towards the door of the bus. As his thoughts shifted, the pigeon, Ai Yi, received instructions and flapped down from the roof, landing on his shoulder.


    The conductor standing near the door watched this scene in surprise and muttered softly after Duncan got off the bus, ¡°How is that pigeon trained¡­¡±


    But this small episode from everyday life quickly faded from Miss Conductor¡¯s attention as she turned to look at the new passengers, ¡°Come here to buy tickets¡­children need to buy tickets too, that¡¯s clearly over one meter tall¡­ Four years old? That can¡¯t possibly be four, it¡¯s full fare once you¡¯re over the line!¡±


    By then, Duncan had already stepped into the crowd, briskly navigating through the densely packed platform and intersection, tracking the figure in the black coat.


    The person in black moved quickly, the dense afternoon crowd allowing them to easily dodge being spotted. In fact, within just a few minutes, the figure had already disappeared from Duncan¡¯s sight.


    Yet, the resonance from the Sun Amulet still remained, the ¡°sense of direction¡± from deep within the amulet continuously guiding Duncan in the right direction.


    Duncan continued to follow the guidance of the Sun Amulet while rapidly considering his next steps.


    Undoubtedly, the person in black was suspicious, and the amulet must have sensed something to react so suddenly¡­perhaps it sensed a kindred power from the ¡°True Sun God.¡±


    From the goat-headed being, Duncan knew that the amulet possessed the ability to recognize kin and guide towards the ¡°Sun¡¯s Blessing.¡± Typically, only the Sun God¡¯s Believers could use these features or feel the guidance of the amulet.


    Duncan had once usurped control of the amulet with the fire of his Spiritual Body, but at that time, he thought his fire had also destroyed most of the amulet¡¯s abilities. However, it now appeared¡­ its ability to recognize was still intact!


    Only now, this ability was serving him¡­


    Guided by the amulet, he gradually left the crowded main thoroughfare and meandered into a sparsely populated narrow path.


    He once again spotted the suspicious figure¡ªhurriedly passing through the intersection ahead, seemingly oblivious to the tracker behind him.


    Faintly, Duncan felt the badge on his chest grow hotter than before, its resonating sensation becoming clearer and stronger.


    Duncan quietly activated the Spiritual Body¡¯s fire, reading the information transmitted by the Sun Amulet, and masses of targeted ¡°perceptions¡± immediately flooded his mind.


    It was a subtle feeling¡ªalthough the Sun Amulet did not possess the Trait of thought, Duncan could almost feel the amulet excitedly conveying messages to him, telling him where other Believers who did not worship the Sun God were located.


    He even wanted to remind the amulet to show some restraint¡ªafter all, not long ago it was still a sacred artifact of the Sun God, and it shouldn¡¯t be so excited that it acted like a hand warmer.


    At the same time, he was increasingly certain that he was approaching a secret gathering place of many Sun God Believers.


    As he had anticipated, more ¡°Sun Heretics¡± gathered in the shadowy corners of this City-State; the group annihilated earlier in the sewers was just a part of these roach-like Heretics.


    He didn¡¯t know what these Heretics really aimed to accomplish, but he knew these Heretics must understand matters of ancient history, Sun worship, and the Order Era far better than Nina¡¯s teachers.


    To delve deeper into the secrets of this world, one had to engage with Transcendent forces; it was difficult to approach the church and city authorities through normal means, but Heretics were much simpler¡ªjust blend in with them.


    Or beat them into submission.


    Duncan thought this as he suddenly stopped.


    He had reached the end of a narrow street, and the sneaky, black-clad man had just slipped into a nearby alley. The signal from the Sun Amulet was clear and strong, and no passersby were visible in the vicinity.


    Through the Sun Amulet, he sensed more ¡°fellow signals¡± approaching his location.


    Duncan silently pulled up the collar of his coat, covering half of his face¡ªand almost the next second after this action was completed, he heard many footsteps emerging from the shadows of nearby buildings.


    One figure after another appeared.


    There were about a dozen people, dressed indistinguishably from ordinary citizens¡ªafter all, no Heretic would walk around in robes in the daylight downtown just as no professional assassin would wear a conspicuously white hooded cloak in the busy city streets.


    Only the continuous heat and targeted signals from the Sun Amulet assured him that these people emerging from all around were indeed followers of the True Sun.


    Duncan raised his head, looking towards the alley¡¯s end and saw the black-clad man he had been tracking also startlingly among them, watching him warily, while a tall, lean young man whispered something to his companion before raising his head to look this way.


    ¡°This is private territory, why are you sneaking in here?¡± the tall, thin man spoke, seemingly trying to cultivate an impression that ¡°we are all ordinary citizens here, and your sneaking around is suspicious.¡± Since they were unclear about Duncan¡¯s background, they hesitated to act rashly and remained vigilant.


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    Duncan mumbled internally that his amateur tracking skills really weren¡¯t cut out for this professional activity, but he was also curious about how these Heretics planned to deal with him, their tracker¡ªdid they intend to pretend to be a group of dedicated criminal forces to scare him off, or did they plan to diligently push forward their Heretic agenda and tie him up as a meaty offering to their Sun God?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± the tall, thin man frowned, speaking impatiently. As his words fell, the surrounding figures subtly moved half a step forward, subtly forming a circle, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you¡­¡±


    Duncan shrugged his shoulders and casually pulled out the Sun Amulet from his chest, his tone sincere, ¡°I¡¯m one of you.¡±


    Let¡¯s blend in first, perhaps more words will be extracted.


    If they don¡¯t believe, then we¡¯ll have to fight.

 Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 71 Gathering in the Gutter

    Chapter 67: Chapter 71 Gathering in the Gutter


    In the moment Duncan took out the Sun Amulet, there was a few seconds of silence on the scene¡ªhis phrase ¡°one of our own¡± floated blandly in the air, resulting in a dozen pairs of eyes looking at each other with surprise and caution before the tall and skinny man who seemed like a leader suddenly lowered his voice and said urgently, ¡°Put it away quickly! Beware of church spies nearby!¡±


    The amulet actually worked? Did this thing really have such persuasive power among the Sun Cultists?


    Duncan was amused inwardly but maintained his impassive and mysterious demeanor on the surface, half his face covered, as he put the amulet away and said indifferently, ¡°If there really are church spies around here, your large gathering is much more conspicuous than my amulet.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, a bearded man opposite him involuntarily exclaimed, ¡°That won¡¯t be the case. At most, gathering like this would only draw the attention of the city guards for disturbing the peace¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± The tall and slender leader immediately silenced his subordinate¡¯s pointless babble, then his gaze fell on Duncan, ¡°This is necessary caution¡ªafter all, the city is not safe right now. Come over here, and don¡¯t make any redundant movements.¡±


    Duncan calmly walked towards the other side, and the man sized him up carefully. After a long look, the tall and skinny man asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you a Believer living in this city?¡±


    After thinking for a moment, Duncan nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    The original owner of this body did indeed live in the city, and he was living in the city now. On these patently obvious questions, he decided to tell the truth.


    His plan was simple: to somehow blend in with these Heretics, then see if he could garner any news. Without exposure, he would listen and ask more; if exposed, he would have Ai Yi transform and dispatch them all.


    The tall and skinny man seemed completely unaware of the dangerous thoughts tumbling around in the mind of the ¡°church brother¡± before him but immediately followed up with another question, ¡°As far as I know, the Deep Sea Church attacked¡­¡±


    ¡°The gathering in the sewers, where a Sun ritual was underway. The ceremony spun out of control, and we lost many people¡ªbut I escaped,¡± said Duncan, without any psychological burden, and at the same time, he paid attention to the reactions of the Sun Cultists around him. He could feel the tense atmosphere among these people had visibly relaxed, but the tall and skinny leader in front of him still maintained caution, ¡°Three others escaped with me, but we got separated. Now, I have completely lost contact with the church¡ªuntil I ran into you guys, the Sun has given me guidance.¡±


    The tall and skinny man hummed noncommittally, then his gaze fell on Duncan¡¯s shoulder, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°My pet,¡± Duncan blurted out, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? It¡¯s just an ordinary pigeon.¡±


    Ai Yi timely shook her head, letting out a loud ¡°coo.¡±


    ¡°This pigeon sure has a loud voice¡­¡± The tall and skinny man seemed to finally let down his guard, probably subconsciously feeling that the strict and disciplined bunch from the church wouldn¡¯t have the habit of wandering around the city with a bird; he nodded, ¡°Follow me, it¡¯s not safe to talk out here.¡±


    Duncan felt a sigh of relief in his heart, thinking that the first step of muddying the waters had seemingly been successful.


    Then he followed the group of Heretics, heading deeper into the alleyway.


    This alleyway was deeper than he had imagined; it seemed to lead to the most forgotten and gloomy underbelly of the dilapidated district. The group of Heretics led Duncan through twists and turns, past old piping systems that continuously released steam, through filthy paths gushing with sewage, and eventually into a cluster of low and dilapidated buildings. The deeper they went to this prosperous steam capital, the darker and more ruined aspects of it became undeniably exposed before Duncan.


    He had thought that the place he and Nina lived was already the bottom level community of the city, but now he realized with a sudden understanding that the rundown antique shop was actually a ¡°respectable place¡± within the Lower City District.


    In the row of dilapidated houses along the road, most seemed lifeless and appeared to have been abandoned for some time, but in the shadows of a few houses, one could sense numb or gloomy stares, as if the homeless were hiding in this forgotten district, indifferently watching the unwelcome guests entering their territory.


    Ultimately, these grim gazes quickly withdrew¡ªthe ten or so people led by the tall and skinny man were evidently intimidating enough to instill fear in the squatters of this area.


    ¡°See that? This is the most prosperous City-State on the Endless Sea, Prand,¡± the black-clad man who first caught Duncan¡¯s attention grumbled to himself, as if speaking to himself, yet seemingly for Duncan to hear, ¡°It¡¯s the same everywhere. Rensa is like this, Cold Harbor is the same, even the Elves¡¯ so-called ¡®Land of Peace and Justice¡¯, Light Breeze Harbor, is just the same¡­ They proclaim that their so-called ¡®Sun¡¯ fairly illuminates the world, bringing light and order to all things, but how much sunlight can there be to talk about in these gutters?¡±


    Duncan did not respond, merely looked up, and saw steam and fuel pipelines from the Upper City District and industrial areas crisscrossing above the buildings overhead, with giant valves and pressure structures that resembled many bizarre and enormous creatures crouched atop the surrounding low and broken-down buildings. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in these pipelines, making the sewage between the buildings emit an unpleasant stench.


    The polluted water was mostly condensation formed from leaking steam pipes nearby, accumulating day by day in the Lower City District, mixed with the chemical agents from the factories as the city functioned.


    Duncan didn¡¯t need to live in this city for long to roughly guess how such ¡°city abscesses¡± appeared.


    Duncan silently glanced at the irate man in black, his expression still indifferent.


    Whether seduced by the progeny of the sun or driven by the harshness of life, the heretics¡¯ existence indeed had its reasons¡ªbut what of it?


    These heretics who believed they had been forced by the City-State to live in the gutters still ended up in the Lower City District, capturing the helpless poor to be used as live sacrifices¡ªthe countless ragged people in that cave, not a single one of them came from the respectable Upper City District.


    As a ¡°foreigner¡± still not quite familiar with this world, Duncan felt it unnecessary to comment too much on the City-State, but at least as a former sacrifice, he thought these heretics were quite despicable.


    In silence, he finally reached the heretics¡¯ stronghold.


    The stronghold was underground at an abandoned factory.


    These heretics, scurrying through the gutters, seemed to always find the right gutter to transform into their gathering place, or perhaps this prosperous steam metropolis itself was filled with countless gutters suitable for nurturing dark, blasphemous things.


    A group of people crossed the partially collapsed perimeter wall of the factory and opened an iron door leading to the underground structure. Duncan originally planned to observe the situation within the factory to satisfy his curiosity about the ¡°Steam Era¡±, but never found the opportunity. Instead, he was taken directly down an inclined staircase to the heretics¡¯ ¡°secret base¡±.


    This place may have once been the warehouse of the factory, or perhaps some sort of machinery room, but now it was clearly emptied out, with only the residual piping system on the roof and the gas lamps on the walls, which could no longer be lit, remaining¡ªthe darkness was dangerous, even the heretics knew that, hence they lit oil lamps fueled by whale blubber all around underground. Under the glow of the numerous oil lamps, Duncan saw that there were still a dozen or so heretics gathered there.


    After the Church had heavily struck a sacrifice site, there were still so many Sun Believers gathered together? Where did these heretics spring from? Could it be like mushrooms and moss, they simply grew out of any gutter available?


    Duncan looked around the spacious underground room at the gathered figures with some surprise while the heretics watched him, a sudden stranger, with curiosity and caution. Then the tall, thin man approached, followed closely by several robust-looking followers, positioning themselves around Duncan.


    Duncan frowned, ¡°What, do I need to be searched again after entering? I wasn¡¯t aware of this rule.¡±


    ¡°If you really are a spy from the Church, a search would be useless,¡± the tall, thin man said, extracting a strip of cloth from his embrace and handing it to Duncan, ¡°Relax, it¡¯s just a more rigorous verification, necessary caution¡ªwe¡¯ve lost many brethren over the years for various reasons. Take it, and then follow my chant.¡±


    Duncan glanced at the object handed to him and saw it was just a dirty cloth strip, seemingly torn from old clothes, with dark brown stains on it that resembled dried blood.


    Was this another tool used by the Sun Believers to verify their brethren?


    Duncan was inwardly surprised, thinking that these professionals who were constantly on the run did not seem to be very capable fighters, but their skills at preventing infiltration and internal betrayal were certainly maxed out.


    He then took the object handed over and heard the tall, thin man begin to murmur some sentences, ¡°In the name of the Sun, may the Lord¡¯s brilliance shine upon all¡­¡±


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    Duncan immediately found it eerily familiar¡ªhe had just heard a heretic recite this to him not long ago!


    That heretic had also given him an amulet.


    Without any change in expression, Duncan slightly raised his hand, and a green flame, unnoticed, seeped into the seemingly ordinary cloth strip in his hand, after which he put on a straight face and followed the chant of the tall, thin man before him.


    The cloth strip, which seemed to have been soaked in bloodstains, stayed complacently in his hand, showing no reaction.


    The tall, thin man¡¯s gaze rested on the cloth for a long time before he finally nodded slightly, smiling as he took back the strip from Duncan¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Welcome back to the glory of the Lord, brethren.¡±

 Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 72: Intelligence at the Assembly Hall

    Chapter 68: Chapter 72: Intelligence at the Assembly Hall


    To be fair, these heretics were actually quite cautious.


    They didn¡¯t believe this strange ¡°compatriot¡± just because Duncan took out a Sun Amulet, nor did they readily trust his account of what had happened in the sewer sacrificial site; they observed Duncan¡¯s words and behavior all along the way and even performed an additional verification after arriving at the gathering to confirm this stranger¡¯s identity¡ªgiven that they were a group of cultists always in hiding, they had done their best.


    But all their screening measures treated Duncan as a ¡°normal human being.¡±


    Such methods were meaningless to the captain of the Homeloss.


    The tall and thin leader took back the inconspicuous cloth strip from Duncan¡¯s hands; he seemed completely unaware of any changes in the power contained within this Transcendent object, and after expressing a welcome to the new compatriot, he raised his hand to point towards a corner of the gathering, ¡°Compatriot, rest here for now. There¡¯s more than one unfamiliar face around here.¡±


    Duncan nodded and walked towards the nondescript corner, paying attention to every face that appeared at the gathering.


    Contrary to what he had seen at the sewer sacrificial site, he was surprised to find that these Sun Believers were not dressed in the iconic black robes but were dressed like ordinary citizens. They were not wearing hoods that concealed their faces but were openly exposing them.


    Out of curiosity, he asked the Believer beside him, ¡°Do you not need to hide your faces at this gathering?¡±


    The Believer he addressed seemed very surprised, ¡°¡­Do the local Believers of the Plunder City-State always cover their faces when they gather?¡±


    Duncan frowned slightly, ¡°You aren¡¯t from Plunder¡­¡±


    ¡°We come from Rensa,¡± another Believer beside him said openly, after confirming that the stranger was truly a fellow church member, the followers of the Sun here had obviously let down their guard, ¡°Everyone arrived last week, but before we could establish contact with the local compatriots, that attack happened¡­¡±


    ¡°Are all the people here from Rensa?¡± Duncan was somewhat surprised; he finally understood why there were still so many Sun Believers in the city after the destruction of the sewer sacrificial site.


    ¡°Yes, those gathered here are compatriots from Rensa, but there are teams from other City-States as well. Everyone is dispersed in different strongholds,¡± another Believer joined the conversation, ¡°Sigh, we¡¯ve all heard more or less about the situation in the Plunder City-State; over the past four years, that damn Governor and the church¡¯s hounds have been striking at our cause¡­ You¡¯ve had it tough too, but thankfully, it¡¯s all past.¡±


    Duncan nodded noncommittally and then heard the first Believer he had spoken with comment, ¡°That pigeon on your shoulder is really¡­ quite unique.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched.


    He knew that there was more than one person paying attention to the pigeon on his shoulder.


    If you really had to say, a pigeon was no strange matter, but showing up with one on your shoulder to a gathering was odd.


    He could only casually dismiss it, ¡°It¡¯s my pet; it can help me with a lot of things.¡±


    While he brushed it off, thoughts were rapidly surging in his mind¡ªa large influx of Sun followers was pouring into the Plunder City-State, which confirmed a previous suspicion of his:


    The usually low-key Sun Church had suddenly staged such a high-profile event in the sewers; these heretics were indeed planning something big!


    His fishing in troubled waters and mixing into the crowd had unexpectedly led him in the right direction!


    At the same time, he also understood why the heretics attending this gathering didn¡¯t disguise their faces but dressed as ordinary citizens.


    In the sewers previously, the Sun Believers¡¯ fully concealing outfits and the system of single-line contact among lower-level followers were to counter the church¡¯s repeated purges and to avoid internal betrayal or key members being captured and leaking secrets; it was a desperate choice made by the local church under dire circumstances. These newly assembled crowds from the various City-States in Plunder had obviously not yet gained such experience¡ªthey were merely heretics after all, not a well-disciplined special forces team.


    On the other hand, they had no need for such Disguises: those gathered here all rushed from the same City-State, ¡°compatriots¡± who were already familiar with each other. Hiding their identities during gatherings was pointless.


    Dressed as common citizens now, they were better able to flee at the first sign of their stronghold being compromised and to scatter and blend among the civilians in the loosely managed Lower City District.


    As Duncan pondered this, his gaze swept over the assembly. Suddenly, he felt a gaze fixed on him.


    He immediately followed the sensation and saw the owner of the gaze.


    A girl with short black hair and a petite figure stood about a dozen meters away.


    She was wearing a black dress trimmed with white lace, elegant and serene in appearance, looking to be around the same age as Nina, and most notably, around her neck hung a dark red collar adorned with a delicate silver bell. While it looked somewhat endearing, it was also conspicuously bizarre.


    When Duncan looked her way, the girl naturally shifted her gaze elsewhere¡ªher transition was seamless, but Duncan was certain that the stare had definitely come from this young lady!


    Why was there such a young child among this group of heretics?


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but wonder, and then he took another look at the girl¡¯s attire¡­ For some reason, he felt she was out of place in this environment.


    While he was reflecting on this, the sound of a door hinge turning suddenly came from not far away. The tall and thin cult leader ordered the door of the basement to be closed. Then, he walked towards the center of the assembly.


    All eyes immediately focused on this leader, and Duncan also gathered his thoughts, paying attention to the changes in the situation. He saw the tall man standing confidently amid everyone¡¯s gaze, his somber face sporting a slight smile, before he pulled out an object from his chest and raised it high above the congregation.


    It was unmistakably a pale golden Sun Mask¡ªidentical to the one worn by the Cult Priest who had presided over the sacrificial ceremony in the underground assembly hall.


    ¡°Offer reverence to the glory of the Lord, silently chant the sacred words under his gaze,¡± the tall man declared in a voice filled with devoutness, ¡°Bow your heads to this blessed mask, and may the protection of the Scions of the Sun dwell within it, guiding the brothers and sisters gathered here.¡±


    The surrounding believers immediately began chanting the name of the True Sun God in unison, then they clenched their fists in front of their foreheads and bowed in a gesture of respect¡ªnot to the tall man in the middle of the assembly, but to the golden mask, as if the mask itself were the actual entity of a higher being, while the man holding it was just a vessel.


    Duncan blended in with the heretics, going through the motions, but he had no idea what the so-called sacred words were, so he mumbled a few lines of multiplication tables and started to seriously observe their actions, deducing the significance behind each step of their ritual.


    The tall, thin man solemnly placed the mask on his face.


    The next second, Duncan immediately sensed¡­ some kind of change in the man.


    He couldn¡¯t exactly describe the feeling; it was as if the man had adopted a new air the moment the mask was donned, or as if an additional shadow had merged with his figure. Duncan watched the golden mask fashioned after the sun, noticing the lines on the mask seemed to be subtly moving¡ªas if the mask had come to life at that moment, as if a distant and powerful consciousness had projected its faint forces onto the mask, endowing the otherwise ordinary object with transcendent qualities.


    The ordinary person wearing the mask was, with this single action, with this brief ritual, transformed into a symbol of some divine power.


    The believers around him began to praise in unison, ¡°May the glory of our Lord endure forever! May the way of our Lord descend upon the mortal world!¡±


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    Duncan had gotten to the sixth line of the multiplication table, and his mind raced with recollections.


    He had seen the Cult Priest wearing the golden mask at the sewer gathering, but at that time, the Priest had already completed the ¡°donning¡± process. Moreover, at the time, Duncan was still unclear about the surroundings, and the temporary body he was using was not in good condition, so he hadn¡¯t realized there was anything special about the seemingly ordinary golden mask and hadn¡¯t wondered why the mask-wearing Priest was called ¡°messenger¡± by the common believers.


    It seemed now¡­ could this so-called Sun Mask actually be a ¡°communication device¡± used by the hidden Scions of the Sun, outside of civilized society, to remote control believers, to observe the world? Or more precisely, some kind of Spiritual Projection device?


    Suddenly realizing this was an interesting item, Duncan¡¯s gaze at the golden mask shifted slightly.


    This thing¡­ maybe it was fated for him.

 Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 73 Incomplete Memory

    Chapter 69: Chapter 73 Incomplete Memory


    Duncan quickly averted his gaze from the golden mask, allowing himself to lower his eyes slightly like the ordinary believers around him, pretending to be ready to listen intently.


    He had not yet heard anything useful and couldn¡¯t afford to draw the cult group¡¯s attention too soon.


    Just as he lowered his head, that feeling of being watched swept over him again.


    Duncan frowned slightly, following the sensation, and sure enough, it was the same girl in a black dress with a strange bell around her neck who was secretly observing him¡ªand when he turned his gaze toward her, she subtly looked away.


    This puzzled Duncan.


    He was sure he didn¡¯t know her, and there was no information about this girl in the memories of his body¡¯s original owner¡ªwhy would a follower of the Sun God take such frequent interest in him?


    Was it truly because the dove on his shoulder was exceptionally quaint?


    His mind wandered for a moment, then he heard the voice of the believer¡¯s leader suddenly coming from ahead¡ªafter donning the golden mask, the leader had become an embodiment of some sort of divine power, with a voice that turned deep and authoritative. Duncan couldn¡¯t tell if the leader was deliberately altering his tone or if the mask had somehow blended another consciousness into his voice:


    ¡°The prayer is over, the Lord has witnessed our devotion and awe¡ªthe grace has already illuminated our souls, brothers and sisters, be grateful, we have endured another difficult day in this dark world, bringing us one day closer to the day the fierce sun revives and order is reshaped.¡±


    The masked ¡°priest¡± spread his arms, speaking in a tremendously beguiling tone. Then, his gaze suddenly fell on a corner among the believers, his tone becoming gentle and friendly.


    ¡°However, before we proceed with today¡¯s assembly, let us first welcome two brethren¡ªthey were once ensnared by darkness in these challenging times but, fortunately, guided by the Lord, they have rejoined our community¡­ Introduce yourselves briefly, if you may.¡±


    Two brethren?


    Duncan suddenly remembered that the leader did indeed mention earlier that there were other unfamiliar faces in the gathering apart from himself, and immediately he looked in the direction the leader was gazing upon¡ªhe saw the girl in the black dress.


    Somehow, he wasn¡¯t surprised.


    ¡°You can call me Sherry,¡± the girl stepped forward naturally, speaking openly, ¡°My parents were both believers, but they were unfortunately killed by the minions of the Deep Sea Church four years ago. I have been hiding in Cross District ever since, without contacting other brethren¡­ Thank goodness you came.¡±


    Her voice was low, sounding gentle and obedient, hardly associating such a child with the bloodthirsty heretics.


    ¡°Welcome back among us, young sister,¡± the leader nodded, then looked around at the believers, ¡°Sherry¡¯s parents were victims of a purge by the Church four years ago. We found their names in the list from that year¡ªnow for the other brother.¡±


    The leader¡¯s gaze finally landed on Duncan.


    ¡°Duncan, living in the Lower City District,¡± Duncan stepped forward ebulliently prepared, ¡°A few days ago, the Deep Sea Church sabotaged a sacrificial ritual in the sewers, and I am a survivor.¡±


    He kept it brief, but his demeanor was sincere enough, and the news of the Deep Sea Church raiding the sewer cult site had been widely known, even making the front pages of several newspapers. As a result, as soon as he finished speaking, a few believers began whispering amongst themselves, the leader in the center of the assembly nodded and supplemented, ¡°This is also a thoroughly tested fellow who, even after suffering at the hands of those hyenas from the Deep Sea Church, still strived to return to the embrace of the Lord¡ªhe has the mark of the blessed as proof, he is credible.¡±


    The leader¡¯s words were followed by glances cast toward Duncan by those believers unaware of the circumstances; some nodded, some sighed, and Duncan continued to cover most of his face, reciting the multiplication table in reverse¡­


    ¡°The brief introduction has concluded,¡± said the leader, finally addressing the topic of Duncan¡¯s interest, ¡°We shall now announce the latest updates.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s ears immediately perked up.


    ¡°Currently, a large number of co-religionists are still converging into the City-State, including staunch Believers and powerful messengers and priests, our power is gradually increasing within the City-State, and the day of reshaping order is approaching¡­


    ¡°But it is undeniable that the minions of the Deep Sea Church have also reacted. Recently, the City-State authorities have been more severe in checking the influx of people, and several of our gathering points have been destroyed by the authorities. Therefore, our brethren in the city must be careful, and the collection of offerings can be slowed down¡ªThe Scions of the Sun have issued a directive, we have already collected more than half of the needed power, there are still vacancies, which the Scions of the Sun will handle personally¡­¡±


    The surrounding Heretics seemed to be greatly moved and began to praise the Sun God¡¯s kindness and greatness. Duncan immediately thought of the sacrificial ritual he had seen in the sewers¡ªthese Heretics were indeed collecting power through that kind of ritual, and it seemed¡­ had those called the ¡°Scions of the Sun¡± actually participated personally this time?


    It seems that these Heretics still lack the power they need, as the city hall and the church in Prand had already noticed their activities, but if those Scions were to enter the fray¡­ the Heretics¡¯ plan might still advance!


    At that moment, he heard the leader continue, ¡°Our main task right now is to pinpoint the exact location of the Sun Shard. Remember, our goal is always to bring the True Sun back into the world, and recovering the lost Sun Shard is the most crucial link!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s mind stirred¡ªSun Shard? What is that?


    Could gathering a pile of Sun Shards fire up the Spear of Adon?


    He felt the dove on his shoulder suddenly restless, as Ai Yi vigorously shook his body and emitted a low cooing from his throat.


    Through the connection transmitted by the Spiritual Body¡¯s fire, he could vaguely sense what the dove wanted to do.


    It wanted to nag, to nag loudly, urging Duncan to take up the solar energy battle-axe and rally more troops again.


    But it could not speak¡ªit was just a dove here.


    And that really irritated it.


    ¡°Quiet,¡± Duncan could only mutter softly, while he stroked the dove¡¯s head with the back of his hand to soothe it. Meanwhile, a Believer closer to the leader asked, ¡°Do we have any way to determine the approximate location of the Sun Shard? Is there a way to¡­ detect it?¡±


    ¡°The Sun Shard is currently in a dormant state and cannot be detected by any means,¡± the leader shook his head, ¡°But the Lord has already given guidance, that shard should be hidden near the Lower City District of Prand. Also considering that new co-religionists have joined today, let me explain the situation again:


    ¡°Based on intelligence we have, that shard first appeared in the world eleven years ago and likely triggered some kind of large-scale Transcendent phenomena¡ªpossibly a major fire, abnormal high heat across an entire district, or mass spontaneous human combustion, group illusions; these are now the directions of our investigation.


    ¡°The City-State authorities have detailed records of Transcendent phenomena over the years, and our esteemed Devotees are already attempting to find these records. Ordinary people living in the Lower City District might still remember the ¡®strange events¡¯ that occurred here eleven years ago. Our task is to gather clues about these events to deduce the position of the Sun Shard.


    ¡°But be cautious, any probing must be done carefully, although the authority¡¯s control over the Lower City District has always been lax, the Deep Sea Church¡¯s hounds have a particularly keen sense of smell¡­ they have become alert.¡±


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    As the leader explained the current situation to the surrounding congregation, Duncan¡¯s mind raced, particularly fixated on the ¡°eleven years ago¡± timeline¡ªaccording to the leader, eleven years ago was the day a certain Transcendent object known as the ¡°Sun Shard¡± made its appearance in the world, but Duncan noticed this timeline for another reason.


    Eleven years ago, six-year-old Nina lost her parents.


    Seemingly due to a major fire.


    Just a coincidence? Are such coincidences possible?


    Duncan tried to organize the scattered, broken memories in his mind, but much of them had dissipated with the death of this body¡¯s original owner. He tried to recall, but could only remember one or two vague fragments: his body¡¯s original owner ran out of a large fire, holding his dying niece in his arms, a building blurred out of focus burning and collapsing behind him, and in the distance, the twisted dark streets of the city like shadows, countless frantic people running and screaming¡­

 Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 74: Theres a Mole, Terminate the Deal

    Chapter 70: Chapter 74: There¡¯s a Mole, Terminate the Deal


    Duncan ultimately failed to excavate more memories from his mind.


    Despite the fact that the original owner of this body indeed had deep concerns for Nina, and the matters related to Nina were indeed the most profound memories in his mind, years of illness and the abuse of strong liquor and drugs had severely damaged these memories. By the time the heretic named Ron breathed his last, there wasn¡¯t much warmth left in his numb brain about his family.


    Only one thing was certain: there had indeed been a great fire eleven years ago in the Lower City District¡ªit had claimed the lives of Nina¡¯s biological parents and permanently altered the child¡¯s life trajectory.


    This might have been a coincidence, but there was also the possibility that this incident was indeed related to the ¡°Sun Shard¡± these Sun Cultists were searching for.


    The Sun Shard, which had appeared unexpectedly in the city, ignited a massive fire. Innocent citizens lost their lives, a child became an orphan in the blaze, and years later, the child¡¯s only remaining relative had fallen into the ranks of the heretics following the Sun Shard¡­


    It was as if there was a cursed fate revolving around the sun, trapped by its gravity.


    Just then, a cultist in the surrounding crowd suddenly spoke up, interrupting Duncan¡¯s thoughts, ¡°I¡¯ve been inquiring around about some information from the local residents these few days and have not heard about any notable fire in the Lower City District eleven years ago¡­ However, someone mentioned that there was once a factory leak. Toxic gas from a storage tank spread through several streets, causing many people to fall into hallucinations and madness. That incident even made the newspapers.¡±


    Duncan looked up in surprise to see an ordinary-looking female cultist speaking.


    However, before he could seriously consider what she said, he noticed the gaze of the leading heretic turn towards him, ¡°Companion, you happen to be a local from here. Do you know anything about this?¡±


    Duncan was startled and suddenly realized that he had become the focus of the scene¡ªfor these foreign cultists trying to gather intelligence, him being a ¡°local living in Plunder¡¯s Lower City District¡± was undoubtedly a great source of information!


    Noticing several glances directed at him, he thought for a moment and then decided on his response, ¡°I wasn¡¯t living here eleven years ago, so I¡¯m not clear on the specifics, but I have indeed heard about the factory leak¡­¡±


    While saying this noncommittally, he looked towards the female cultist who had just spoken, ¡°Was there really no fire in the Lower City District eleven years ago?¡±


    ¡°At least from what I¡¯ve inquired, it seems that way,¡± the cultist nodded, ¡°According to what I¡¯ve been told, there hasn¡¯t been a significant fire in Plunder¡¯s Lower City District for at least twenty years¡­ There have been minor incidents like kitchen fires, but those obviously aren¡¯t what we¡¯re considering.¡±


    Duncan blinked and said nothing.


    He clearly remembered that Nina¡¯s parents had died in a fire eleven years ago! The fragments of memory in his mind even had images of ¡°him¡± fleeing the fire scene with Nina!


    Where had the mistake occurred? Was there an error during the transfer of memories to this body? Or was it that the fire back then hadn¡¯t occurred in the Lower City District? Or¡­ was it simply because the cultist in front of him hadn¡¯t managed to find out the real situation¡­


    A faint doubt arose in his mind because the matter involved Nina and ¡°himself,¡± he subconsciously became focused on this matter. Just then, he heard another voice coming from the opposite side, it was the girl named Sherry, ¡°The factory leak incident eleven years ago¡­ Was that the one in District Six?¡±


    ¡°District Six? Hmm¡­ That seems correct,¡± the female cultist nodded, ¡°It¡¯s said that the incident had a significant impact because the chemical substance left many people with aftereffects. To this day, many residents in the Lower City District still remember it.¡±


    A few cultists nearby nodded in agreement, suggesting they too had heard similar information.


    ¡°Factory leak¡­¡± The leader in the center of the gathering suddenly broke the silence. His deep and authoritative voice interrupted the conversations among the cultists, ¡°A production accident that is made public is very likely to be a supernatural event disguised by the authorities, and it coincides exactly with the timeline from eleven years ago¡­ This is a very important clue. Next, we will investigate in this direction to see if this so-called factory leak is pointing towards the sacred Sun Shard.¡±


    The cultists on the scene nodded immediately in response. The masked leader then said, ¡°In addition, we must not only pay attention to the transcendent event that occurred in the Lower City District eleven years ago but also to the unusual events in Plunder City-State in recent times.


    ¡°Although the Sun Shard is still sleeping, its day of awakening is approaching, and its activity is increasing daily. Four years ago, our church brethren attempted to awaken the shard prematurely. Although the attempt failed at that time, even drawing the frenzied slaughter from the Deep Sea Church due to the ritual¡¯s failure, the attempt was not entirely fruitless¡ªthe stimulation from the awakening ritual further deepened the connection between the Sun Shard and the real world, enough for it to wield the power to interfere with reality for a short time before it fully awakes. This might help us locate it.


    ¡°Pay close attention to the newspapers in the city-state and the rumors in the streets and alleys. Any event that seems out of the ordinary could potentially point to the Sun Shard. Don¡¯t overlook any clues, understood?¡±


    The cultists bowed their heads one after another, respectfully receiving the orders. Duncan noticed another critical point mentioned by the leader:


    Four years ago!


    Four years ago, the Deep Sea Church in Plunder City-State indeed destroyed the city¡¯s largest Sun Heretic stronghold. The event was said to be enormous, and it was also the battle through which the current Judge of the city-state, ¡®Fenna,¡¯ established her authority¡ªand since then, the Sun Cultists in the city never recovered, up until today.


    Until now, all Duncan knew was this surface-level intelligence. It appeared that the real truth behind the incident was that the Sun Cultists in the city had attempted to awaken a Sun Shard that was sleeping somewhere?!


    Unnoticed, a string of hidden truths from the past unfolded before Duncan, and he quickly pieced together the fragments of information in his mind while pondering how to extract more information from these heretics. But just then, a strange odor suddenly invaded his nostrils.


    It smelled like burning sulfur mixed with the pungent stench of some sort of chemical agent.


    The next second, the ordinary cultists around also caught the distinct and piercing odor. Some looked at each other, seemingly searching for the source of the smell, while the leader standing in the center of the gathering reacted immediately, pulling out a Sun Amulet from his chest¡ªa Sun Amulet that looked identical to the one Duncan carried, its surface was burning with a ghostly, semi-transparent flame!


    The pungent smell was coming from the flame.


    ¡°Filthy impurities¡­ the flame has been deceived!¡± The leader glanced at the burning Sun Amulet with a voice filled with shocked anger, ¡°Among us hides a heretic!¡±


    The scene instantly erupted into chaos, and Duncan¡¯s first reaction was that he had been exposed, though he didn¡¯t know how. However, the Sun Amulet carried by the leader seemed to have finally identified him as a heretic who didn¡¯t believe in the sun at all.


    With that thought, he sighed softly and was about to release the pigeon, but before he could act, he heard another sigh coming from across him¡ª


    The sigh came from the girl in the black dress, a young lady named Sherry, who shook her head regretfully, ¡°I knew A-Dog couldn¡¯t be relied on. His disguise couldn¡¯t last three hours.¡±


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    Before her words even finished, a burst of pitch-black flames suddenly erupted beside the girl!


    The flames appeared out of nowhere, shaped like fire, but as dark as shadows. It ignited on the girl¡¯s arm and, in one second, spread to nearly a third of her body. Next, Sherry¡¯s right half seemed to turn into kindling for the black fire, crackling as the flames flowed down. The part of the flame in mid-air turned into a dark chain that fell to the ground. The part that hit the ground quickly solidified into a gaunt, burning monster!


    It was an Abyssal Hound¡ªa giant dog-like creature half as tall as a person, formed from countless twisted, stacked bones. What should have been flesh was filled with burning black fire and writhing shadows. Its head was gaunt and fierce; where its eyes should have been, there was nothing but empty sockets filled with blood-red mist, radiating endless hunger and malevolence!


    A dark chain extended from the giant hound¡¯s neck all the way to Sherry¡¯s arm, seemingly merging with the girl¡¯s body.


    ¡°An Abyssal Hound¡­ a Summoner from the Obliteration Sect?!¡± The leader in the middle of the gathering burst into rage upon seeing the scene, ¡°What does this mean?! Do you worshippers of the abyss intend to wage war against the followers of the sun?!¡±

 Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 75: Becoming One

    Chapter 71: Chapter 75: Becoming One


    As soon as he saw the situation before him, Duncan, who had been ready to boldly step forward and declare ¡°the traitor is none other than myself,¡± immediately faded back into the shadows without a trace, instead watching the assembly¡¯s situation with the detached attitude of someone watching a play.


    It turned out there was more than one traitor in the crowd¡ªthat girl in the black dress had given him a sense of dissonance from the beginning. Originally, Duncan thought it was merely because her youthful and quiet demeanor didn¡¯t fit in with the heretical assembly, which had led to his impression, but it turned out to be something else entirely.


    He noticed that the meeting¡¯s leader mentioned two terms: Abyssal Hound, Obliteration Sect.


    The Abyssal Hound obviously referred to the black skeletal giant hound summoned by the girl. The Obliteration Sect sounded like no ordinary community organization that could be officially registered at city hall¡ªcould it be the girl really wasn¡¯t a follower of the Sun God but from another heretical cult?!


    How many bizarre and dark sects were there in this world, lurking in the shadows?


    As Duncan¡¯s thoughts raced, the girl who had summoned the Abyssal Hound slightly raised the black chain on her arm; while assuming a defensive posture, she scanned the gathering with a corner of her mouth curled in a mocking smile, ¡°Obliteration Sect¡­ Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have much to do with them¡ªunlike you mutts, who need to serve an Evil God just to sleep soundly, I act only for myself!¡±


    ¡°Your excuses won¡¯t fool anyone; only the Obliteration Sect knows how to summon the anomalies from the Mysterious Deep Sea. I urge you to surrender, heretic. You stand on the Sun God¡¯s territory, and even the dark magic of the Abyssal Hound won¡¯t protect you!¡± The leader in the center of the meeting fixed his eyes on Sherry, his voice deep and threatening, ¡°Speak, what is your purpose? Obliteration and the Sun may not be allies, but they¡¯ve never been enemies either. Why would you disguise yourself to infiltrate our sacred gathering?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to dig out some information from your not-so-bright heads,¡± Sherry said, lifting the corners of her mouth. A series of clanking sounds rang out from the chains connected to her body, and the mysterious metal links began to move like living things, ¡°And as I¡¯ve said, I am not from the Obliteration Sect¡­!¡±


    Before the girl could finish her sentence, a series of crackling noises suddenly rang out from all around. The oil lamps set around the room, as if stimulated by some unknown force, flared up all at once!


    The bright flames of the oil lamps illuminated the entire basement like daylight; above each lamp a small fireball formed, and those fireballs, like miniature suns, began to emit tremendous energy. The leader in the center of the gathering, unaware, had at some point tightly gripped his Sun Amulet. The sharp flame spikes on the edge of the amulet pierced his palm, and as blood seeped into the amulet, it burned like fat, setting the leader¡¯s entire hand aflame, in a strange echo of the oil lamps¡¯ sudden change.


    Clearly, this seasoned Cult Priest had only been using a few words to stall for time¡ªwithout Sherry noticing, he had activated some kind of transcendental ability.


    ¡°Surrender now, heretic,¡± a threatening voice came from beneath the golden mask. ¡°The power of the Sun God has sealed off the entire assembly area. I am aware of you Heretics¡¯ abilities; you can borrow spells from the demons you summon and use these curses to harm others. The shadowy breath of the Abyssal Hound is indeed terrifying¡ªbut this place is sealed, neither you nor your dog can borrow any power from the Mysterious Deep Sea!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s fingers twitched slightly in his pocket as he pondered whether to intervene. Even though it seemed like two heretical factions fighting like dogs, that girl named Sherry might also know something, and now it seemed she was clearly outnumbered.


    Just then, the leader in the golden mask extended his hand, gripping the blazing Sun emblem, towards Sherry. The voice from beneath the mask was deep and seductive, as if an invisible force was mixed into his tone: ¡°Give up your resistance, convert in the realm of the Sun God, then tell me all you know, and the merciful Sun will forgive your sins¡­ Kneel down, young sister¡­ you can¡¯t use your spells¡­¡±


    However, faced with the threat from the Sun Priest, Sherry seemed utterly indifferent; she just turned to look at the burning oil lamps, and then at the Sun Cultists around her, who were already drawing short swords, daggers, and even revolvers, and asked calmly, ¡°Maintaining this constraining force field must be quite exhausting, right?¡±


    The Sun Priest let out a cold snort, ¡°Humph, the power granted by my Lord¡­¡±


    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when the girl in black suddenly made her move!


    Sherry suddenly lunged forward; her arm burning with dark flames sharply raised, and the black chains whistled through the air. The Abyssal Hound, several times the size of a normal hound, swung full circle with her momentum, and with a terrifying bang, it ¡°smashed¡± right into the Sun Priest¡¯s chest!


    The crisp sound of breaking bones was clear. The Sun Priest, who had been focusing all his energy on maintaining the barrier, didn¡¯t have time to react and was sent flying by the impact like a rag doll, smashing into the wall opposite, motionless.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    This he truly hadn¡¯t expected.


    By the time it was said, it had already happened. This sudden turn of events left all the heretics at the scene unresponsive. The Sun God¡¯s followers were still waiting for their leader¡¯s command, when, the next second, they saw their boss flying out. And then, the whooshing sound of chains cutting through the air once again split the silence!


    Sherry once again raised her arms, the dark iron chains rattled sharply, and with a surge of strange power, she swung the Abyssal Hound like a meteor hammer. The massive hound traced a terrifying arc in the air, and after several loud thuds, several heretics were sent flying out, spitting blood!


    This time, the heretics finally reacted. Ignoring the shock in their hearts, they all roared and charged towards the girl who was raising the iron chains again. A dozen daggers and swords flew through the air, but what greeted them was the whirling Abyssal Hound and the girl¡¯s cursing, ¡°Go to hell with your master, you bastards!¡±


    The colossal hound flew through the air, and the heretics were sent flying with broken bones and torn muscles. Sherry¡¯s handling of the meteor hound was nothing short of transcendent; the battlefield was a whirl of iron chains and baying hounds, with the girl darting and weaving, raising the dog and felling foes repeatedly¡­


    Just then, a series of gunshots suddenly rang out!


    The Sun Cultists wielding revolvers finally found an opening. After realizing that close combat was utterly futile against the girl of strange strength, they didn¡¯t hesitate to pull their triggers.


    Brass bullets sliced through the air, two striking the chains and creating bright, fleeting sparks, while several others burrowed into Sherry¡¯s body.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The girl¡¯s body suddenly staggered as the impact and pain of the bullets entering her flesh made her nearly lose her footing. However, the next second, just when the heretics thought the tide had turned, the whooshing sound of chains filled the air once more.


    ¡°Abyssal Hound! Block the pain for me!¡±


    The hound, spun high into the air, let out a chaotic roar, and the next second, blasted a gun-wielding heretic away. The heretic¡¯s head slammed into a distant pillar, ending up as a junior version of Alice¡­


    And the Meteor Dog at the center of the gathering was now more ferocious than before!


    Duncan quietly took two steps back, lowering his presence while waiting for it all to end.


    He was mainly concerned about getting blood on himself¡ªhis clothes were new today, and it would be hard to explain to Nina if he returned home stained.


    As for that warrior woman who was a master at handling the Meteor Dog¡­ she likely didn¡¯t need his help.


    She seemed to be in fine form.


    The battle had actually not lasted very long. The black-dressed girl¡¯s Meteor Hound was exceptionally powerful and fast. This inescapable underground room was essentially a private hunting stage for her, while Duncan stood silently counting multiplication tables in a corner. Before he completed the list again, the fight was over.


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    And after all the heretics were beaten into a mass, the underground room finally fell silent.


    Sherry eventually stopped, clenching the iron chains that bound the Abyssal Hound, panting heavily in the center of the room. Suddenly, her gaze locked onto a figure standing in the corner.


    She finally noticed Duncan, the last ¡°heretic¡± in this gathering space.


    Despite being astonished and confused by the calm demeanor of this odd ¡°heretic,¡± Sherry did not hesitate and walked towards that last target, dragging the dog behind.


    Her hostility was undisguised.

 Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 76: The Dog Understands Human Nature

    Chapter 72: Chapter 76: The Dog Understands Human Nature


    Watching Sherry walking over with murderous intent, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but sigh, thinking that this trouble would inevitably fall on his head after all.


    He wasn¡¯t particularly nervous. To be fair, he knew he had almost no combat experience, and the girl in front of him looked like a female warrior who could charge in and out seven times at Changban Slope, but he wasn¡¯t panicky at all.


    Firstly, he had a pigeon skilled at delaying cuts; Ai Yi¡¯s ability was effective immediately within its range, activating faster than a bullet. If Sherry really swung her dog at him, it was likely to be defeated by the pigeon¡¯s high ping, then die from a lost packet.


    Next, he controlled the Spectral Flame, which was highly effective against all transcendental things; this flame could even control the Homeloss. The Abyssal Hound before him probably wasn¡¯t more troublesome than the demons and ghosts on the Homeloss, right? In the worst-case scenario, he would just wrap himself in a fiery possession, and then it would be his area of expertise: my dear girl, I see that this dog has a connection with me¡­


    Lastly, and most importantly, this body wasn¡¯t his real one.


    At this moment, he was merely using an incarnation; from a physiological standpoint, this incarnation seemed alive, but in essence, ¡°it¡± was still just a corpse driven by ghostly power. Duncan didn¡¯t need the body to remain physiologically intact to move it, just like that heartless ¡°incarnation¡± in the sewers earlier. He just needed this body to ¡°exist,¡± and he could keep using it.


    He even suspected that if his current incarnation was chopped into pieces, he could still control it to return home in batches¡­


    The only worry was, if he ended up with a broken body from Sherry¡¯s meteoric hunting dog, how would he explain his amazing skeletal condition to Nina after going back¡­


    So, he just stood there calmly, leisurely watching the girl in the black dress approach him, watching the black iron chain in her hand swaying in mid-air, while the strange and terrifying Abyssal Hound followed slowly at its master¡¯s side with unfathomable steps.


    Due to the fierce battle earlier, the girl¡¯s arms and cheeks were smeared with blood, completely destroying her initially quiet and obedient impression, instead highlighting a sinister danger.


    ¡°You¡¯re not scared, there must be something fishy,¡± Sherry stopped two or three meters in front of Duncan, frowning at the ¡°Sun Cultist¡± in front of her, while her right hand was already stealthily, slowly lifting, ¡°Have you decided to give in?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, ¡°What if I said I¡¯m not with them, would you believe me?¡±


    As he spoke, he surreptitiously rubbed his fingers in his pocket, allowing the ethereal Spectral Flame to slowly travel between his clothes and skin, in case the girl decided to smash him with the dog without a word.


    Sherry paused, an expression of ¡°Are you f*cking kidding me¡± slowly emerging on her blood-stained face, ¡°You think I¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, the Abyssal Hound beside her suddenly spoke human language. From its intertwined bone throat came a hoarse, deep voice, ¡°I believe.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Ah?¡± Sherry looked at her summoned creature in astonishment, ¡°A-Dog, did you hit your head? This¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold on a second,¡± the Abyssal Hound shook its head and then walked to the side under Duncan¡¯s wooden gaze, stretching its neck, ¡°Vomit¡ª¡±


    The loud sound of vomiting echoed through the bloodstained basement; the horror demon from the Mysterious Deep Sea turned the river upside down, throwing up countless choking, stinging black flames, ashes, and pitch-black pollutions that resembled acid. The concrete ground hissed as it was corroded by those pollutants, quickly forming a depression.


    Duncan watched emotionlessly, wondering if he had discovered Sherry¡¯s weakness in combat¡ªalthough the girl was strong and ruthless, with a strange and unpredictable fighting style, she clearly lacked stamina.


    The key was her fighting style; people could take it, but dogs couldn¡¯t.


    So there was an awkward silence on the scene for two or three minutes, until the Abyssal Hound¡¯s vomiting finally subsided. Duncan couldn¡¯t help but glance at it and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    The dog immediately lowered its head, with its tail, coiled from bones, tightly tucked between its legs, ¡°I appreciate your concern, I hope my rudeness hasn¡¯t offended your eyes. Do you have any further instructions? If there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll be leaving¡­¡±


    Before Duncan could figure out what was wrong with the dog, Sherry cried out in alarm, ¡°A-Dog, are you really okay? Did I really damage your brain?! You¡¯re never this polite when talking to humans, whoever stands opposite you won¡¯t be able to keep their mother safe for¡­¡±


    Duncan already had a vague understanding, suddenly looking at the ferocious Abyssal Hound with a profound gaze.


    Based on the bits and pieces he overheard from the mouth of that Sun Priest, it seemed that this ¡°Giant Hound¡± was indeed a demon summoned from the Mysterious Deep Sea. Without considering what the Obliteration Sect was all about, or what strange things there were in the Mysterious Deep Sea, or why it was possible to summon dogs, one thing was clear:


    The ¡°dog¡± feared itself, the demon from the Mysterious Deep Sea, it¡­ likely had a ¡°vision¡± different from ordinary humans.


    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Duncan asked indifferently, ¡°Do you recognize me?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± the Abyssal Hound replied without even raising its head, ¡°Really don¡¯t recognize¡­ but you must be a big shot, no doubt about that¡­¡±


    Duncan frowned and asked again, ¡°In your eyes, I don¡¯t look like a human, do I?¡±


    The Abyssal Hound hesitated for a moment, carefully raised its head to glance at Duncan, and then said hesitantly, ¡°You¡­ look like¡­ or do you not¡­¡±


    Duncan withdrew his gaze and looked towards Sherry.


    The black-dressed girl was watching this side with uncertainty¡ªshe had finally put away her initial hostility, replaced instead with deep astonishment and caution.


    This girl seemed a bit reckless, but obviously not a fool. After her ¡°pet dog¡± showed such abnormal behavior consecutively, even the most headstrong character would cool down at this point and start to sense that something was amiss.


    She quietly tightened the chain between her and the Abyssal Hound, while stealthily stepping back half a step, watching Duncan carefully, ¡°You just said that you¡¯re not with them¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Duncan spread his hands, ¡°You might not believe me, but I also sneaked in to gather intelligence¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± Sherry said crisply.


    This time it was Duncan who was a bit surprised; he suddenly found that the impression the girl gave him kept changing. At first glance, he thought she was a quiet and obedient child, but then she showed a violent and bloody side. Just now he thought she was recklessly single-minded, yet now her speed in adapting to the situation and conceding to the slope was even faster than he had imagined¡­


    What kind of family could raise such a child?


    With strange thoughts in mind, Duncan was also a bit thrown off by her overly crisp attitude. He gathered his wits before posing his question, ¡°Why did you look at me twice during the gathering just now?¡±


    ¡°It was ¡®Ah Dog¡¯ who kept paying attention to you,¡± Sherry answered reluctantly but still cooperated, ¡°I was just curious and followed its gaze¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah Dog? Is that this one?¡± Duncan frowned and glanced at the pitch-black Skeleton Hunting Dog, ¡°I just heard that Sun Priest mention the Obliteration Sect¡ªis that a church worshipping the Mysterious Deep Sea? What¡¯s your relationship with this Obliteration Sect?¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to do with them!¡± Sherry immediately asserted emphatically, ¡°They worship the Mysterious Deep Sea; that¡¯s their business. Ah Dog and I know each other for a different reason!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze landed on the chain between the girl and the Abyssal Hound.


    According to the intelligence he had just received, worshipping the Mysterious Deep Sea, being able to summon demons from the Mysterious Deep Sea, and under normal circumstances, using the power of demons to cast ¡°spells¡± in battle seemed to be the hallmark of the ¡°Obliteration Sect.¡± The Sun Priest had also made this judgment because of the Abyssal Hound that Sherry had summoned¡ªalthough he suffered a heavy blow due to his misjudgment, Duncan believed that at least under ¡°normal circumstances,¡± this information should be correct.


    The only problem was the quirky girl in front of him.


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    She seemed very resistant to being associated with heretics¡ªeven though she owned a hound from the Mysterious Deep Sea.


    ¡°Well, if there¡¯s no relation, then there¡¯s none,¡± Duncan shook his head, then asked, ¡°So why are you here, what are you investigating?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips; she seemed to not want to answer this question, but incessant tense signals released by the hunting dog beside her made her realize that this seemingly unremarkable middle-aged man could be extremely dangerous, and that it would be best to cooperate with him.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Sherry opened her mouth, but just as she was about to speak, a loud boom suddenly erupted in the basement, and a blazing fireball came flying from the side!

 Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 77: Reflections on Fire

    Chapter 73: Chapter 77: Reflections on Fire


    A roaring explosion burst in the basement, a blazing fireball suddenly flew in from the side¡ªbut before the fireball got close, Duncan had already reacted.


    His perception was much faster than his body, he had sensed the abnormal energy the moment it appeared in the basement, and without thinking further, he instinctively raised his hand to block!


    A slight burning sensation came from his fingertips, but the next second, the erupting Spiritual Fire, with a backlash combustion momentum, swept into the fireball, allowing Duncan to seize the fireball that shot from the corner of the basement from thin air. This blazing fire was almost immediately imbued with a layer of ghostly green, and the exploding energy instantly became tame, beginning to burn quietly in his hand.


    Duncan just held the now ghostly green fireball and slowly turned his head towards the direction of the attack.


    At that instant, as he turned his gaze, the Abyssal Hound known as ¡°A-Dog¡± immediately leaped backward. A rift filled with countless shadows and dark mist appeared in the spot where it landed, and it jumped in without hesitation, pulling Sherry along with the dark iron chain. The latter, before diving into the rift, spat forcefully to the side, spitting several bloodied bullets onto the ground.


    The next second, the duo disappeared from the basement.


    Duncan turned around in surprise only to see the last scene of the girl¡¯s skirt disappearing into the rift¡ªthe strange human-hound duo had fled in the blink of an eye.


    He still had a truckload of questions unasked!


    And all because a particularly vigorous Heretic had launched a sudden attack.


    Duncan¡¯s mood started to sour subtly; he looked again towards the direction from which the fireball had come, and saw that the Cult Priest wearing the sun mask was leaning crookedly against the corner of the wall, barely maintaining the posture of an uplifted arm. He seemed astonished that the fireball he summoned with all his might was not only seized out of thin air but had even been usurped, his eyes looked stupefied even behind the golden mask.


    ¡°Not finishing off your foe is not a good habit¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s face darkened, muttering about a girl who doesn¡¯t know to finish off her foes after a fight, he slowly approached the severely injured and not yet dead Cult Priest.


    He was still holding the quietly burning ghostly green fireball, and the power emanating from it was quietly spreading throughout the basement.


    With each step Duncan took, the oil lamps and torches set up around the basement seemed to be mystically summoned, as one after another they took on a layer of ghostly green. Under the pressing sinister firelight that kept approaching, the masked Sun Priest finally felt a fear stronger than at any other time¡ª


    He felt his connection with the Sun God rapidly weakening, as with the ¡°usurping¡± of one lamp after another, the Sun God¡¯s gaze left his soul like the melting snow in spring!


    Amid the immense fear, a tremulous voice finally came from beneath the mask, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re not just any heretic; what exactly are you¡­¡±


    The last of the lamp lights turned into a ghostly green spiritual flame, and Duncan stopped in front of the priest, slightly bowing his head, his face especially sinister under the illumination of the Spiritual Fire, ¡°I hadn¡¯t finished asking my question before you interrupted me; that was very rude. Didn¡¯t your mother teach you manners?¡±


    While speaking, he took note of the state of the Sun Priest.


    He felt he might have misjudged Sherry¡ªthe Heretic¡¯s chest was half crushed inwards, with the broken ribs probably having pierced his heart and lungs, undeniably a fatal injury, theoretically leaving no necessity for a coup de grace.


    The priest was still alive because some profoundly mysterious and powerful force was hanging onto his life, perhaps the so-called ¡°Sun God¡± of these heretics.


    Still, Duncan could clearly see the life departing from the priest¡¯s body rapidly; each breath was growing weaker, death was inevitable sooner or later.


    Though the reason was unknown, obviously the Sun God¡¯s blessing was quickly leaving the priest.


    ¡°It seems the blessings bestowed by the Sun God aren¡¯t that reliable,¡± Duncan shook his head, his words filled with contemplation, ¡°Your master has already left you.¡±


    He was just expressing his feelings aloud but didn¡¯t expect that these words would provoke the already dying priest, who suddenly burst out with the last of his energy in a surge of immense rage, and unexpectedly pulled out a blood-stained cloth from his sleeve!


    ¡°I offer my body to my lord! May the Holy Shroud cleanse the heretic before me!¡±


    The priest shouted, his golden mask smeared with filthy blood clots and visceral fragments as he held up the ¡°Holy Shroud¡± high and offered to his master the most thorough, most insane sacrifice¡ª


    He sacrificed everything he had, just to ignite the Holy Shroud, determined to perish along with the heretic who had stolen the flames!


    However, Duncan merely watched this ultimate frenzied sacrifice calmly¡ªalthough he had indeed jumped when the priest had suddenly pulled something out of his sleeve earlier, he relaxed completely once he saw what it was.


    It was the strange strip of cloth that the other party had used to verify their ¡°fellowship¡± when they had just entered the gathering¡ªDuncan hadn¡¯t expected this cloth to have such an incredible name as ¡°Holy Shroud.¡±


    As Duncan had predicted, the Holy Shroud lay quietly without any reaction; the cult priest¡¯s most extreme sacrifice did not awaken any miracles.


    Beneath his mask, his eyes revealed a hint of confusion. The cult priest struggled to support himself, staring in desperation at the Sacred Relic in his hand which showed no sign of movement, stubbornly coughing up another mouthful of filthy blood, ¡°I offer this body to the lord¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess, what you want is this.¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t watch any longer, shook his head, and pointed to the blood-stained cloth.


    In the next second, a cluster of ghostly green fire erupted!


    The spiritual fire ignited the Holy Shroud, ignited the filthy blood coughed out by the cult priest, and ignited the flesh of this madman. The priest screamed in horror and anger amidst the flames, ¡°No no no¡­ it shouldn¡¯t be this way¡­ The lord will not abandon, the lord¡­ the lord will punish you, you heretic¡­ who exactly are you?!¡±


    In the blazing flames, the cult priest¡¯s voice finally began to weaken and fade, and even his transcendent life force, supported by supernatural powers, could not withstand the flames that scorched the soul¡ªor rather, it was precisely because of his transcendent powers that he was turned to ashes in this backlash from the spiritual fire.


    The spiritual fire finally began to extinguish. The Sun Priest leaning against the corner had been completely burned, leaving only a set of scattered clothes and that golden mask modeled after the sun.


    Even the so-called ¡°Holy Shroud¡± had been burned to ashes in the flames, having acted as the ¡°medium.¡±


    Duncan frowned.


    Honestly, this wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen a corpse¡ªthe ¡°sacrifices¡± and the priest that had been ¡°sacrificed¡± in the underground cave had already steeled his nerves. He was only somewhat surprised at this moment.


    Normally, his spiritual fire was only meant to affect transcendent items. He had tested this on various objects on the Homeloss¡ªtranscendent items devoured by the flames would become possessions of Captain Duncan, but if they weren¡¯t transcendent, even a piece of paper would remain unaffected by the spiritual fire.


    The spiritual fire had produced actual burning effects just now, activated intentionally by him. He was concerned that the heretic might actually use the Holy Shroud to create some mischief, so he commanded the Holy Shroud to self-destruct cautiously, and as it turned out, the Holy Shroud had faithfully executed the command.


    But he didn¡¯t expect the spreading flames to turn the cult priest to ashes as well¡ªthis didn¡¯t align with the findings he had made after the initial tests.


    It was normal for the Holy Shroud to be destroyed since it was a transcendent item and could be affected by spiritual fire;


    The survival of the cult priest¡¯s clothes was also normal, as those garments were clearly ¡°mundane¡± items, and spiritual fire would seem like a mere phantom from a parallel dimension to mundane items, having no effect¡ªunless those clothes themselves were enchanted or interwoven with transcendent materials;


    The golden mask surviving unscathed was also normal, as Duncan was very interested in this obviously transcendent item and had immediately issued orders to protect the mask from damage in the fire.


    So¡­ why did the heretic turn to ashes under the spiritual fire?


    Duncan crouched down with confusion, carefully examining the black-gray ashes.


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    They were similar to the ashes left after the Holy Shroud was destroyed.


    Duncan had never tested his spiritual fire on living people, let alone used the flames to actively take a life, and this cult priest must count as the first true sacrifice under his flames.


    At least, the first under his conscious control.


    Slowly, a bold thought emerged in Duncan¡¯s mind.


    Could it be¡­ that this type of ¡°mundane¡± person, who had received ¡°blessings¡± for worshipping a specific deity, could also be considered ¡°transcendent items¡±?

 Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 78 Conclusion Work and the Awareness of a Good Citizen

    Chapter 74: Chapter 78 Conclusion Work and the Awareness of a Good Citizen


    Duncan¡¯s contemplation yielded no results, for he didn¡¯t know where to find another breathing Sun Cultist to test his conclusions.


    These kinds of things were a matter of fate.


    Duncan slowly stood up, lanterns of spiritual fire flickered gently, casting eerie shadows in the enclosed space of the basement, and his thoughts began to drift and expand again.


    Believers who have faith in deities and receive blessings might be considered ¡°transcendent objects¡± by the spiritual fire, so¡­ what about ordinary people?


    Would this flame have any additional effects on ordinary people, aside from the superficial ¡°light and shadow effects¡±? If not, then to what extent does one have to believe in a deity for the flame to see them as a valid ¡°transcendent target¡±? Heretics who worship Evil Gods can be burnt, but what about those who worship good deities?


    Duncan watched the dim green lights in the room and suddenly smiled faintly.


    ¡°They are people.¡±


    Thus, all his ruminations halted at mere thought; he didn¡¯t continue down that path.


    The flame was a powerful force, and power itself was not guilty, but a weak will could very likely lead to corruption. Since discovering he wielded power beyond imagination, Duncan constantly reminded himself of this¡ªno matter how renowned ¡°Captain Duncan¡± was, no matter how powerful the spiritual fire was, he had to always be aware of his boundaries as ¡°human.¡±


    He could not dehumanize others just to test or understand his own strength¡ªeven in this other world, even if those he faced were not necessarily ¡°human¡± in the standard sense.


    Acting in battle was one thing; preying on the weak to satisfy one¡¯s curiosity was quite another.


    Duncan exhaled softly, looking at the dim green fireball still burning on his hand, and with a wave, he dispersed it.


    The flame obediently followed his command, silently dissipating into the air.


    Duncan began to smile¡ªhe was, and would always be, the master of this flame.


    After the spiritual fire disappeared, the basement¡¯s ambience quickly shifted from ominous to ordinary, and the green lanterns one by one returned to their initially bright and pure state. Duncan surveyed his surroundings, considering amidst the wreckage what to do next.


    The strange girl named Sherry had disappeared, and it seemed she had escaped using some transcendent method. Duncan had no clue about this and didn¡¯t know where to look for her¡ªa true pity.


    He had so many questions to ask, but now it seemed there was no chance.


    But Duncan always felt he might encounter that girl again sometime¡ªnot an unfounded guess, but because it was clear the girl¡¯s aim was to trouble these Sun Cultists, to probe something from amid these heretics. Lately, the activities of the Sun Cultists in Plunder City-State were at their peak, with countless such gatherings operating in the darkness. Considering Sherry and ¡°Adog¡¯s¡± modus operandi¡­


    They were bound to eventually stir up some major chaos.


    Duncan carried the usurped Sun Emblem on him, which allowed him to sense the activities of the city¡¯s Sun Cultists. Although it seemed the range of the emblem¡¯s senses wasn¡¯t that great, as long as he casually strolled around the city when he had nothing else to do, he might stumble upon some new excitement.


    As for cleaning up this mess, Duncan had no interest.


    He merely picked up the golden mask left by the Sun Priest from the ashes on the ground and carefully wiped off the ash and dust that clung to its surface¡ªthis was his spoils of war, to be taken back to Homeloss for study.


    The priest had been burnt to a crisp, and all items related to transcendence on him had turned to ash; the Sun Mask was practically the only ¡°relic¡± he left in this world.


    ¡°¡­ A palm-sized amulet is one thing, but this might be a bit too big¡­¡± After weighing the Sun Mask in his hands a few times, Duncan muttered thoughtfully, ¡°And there¡¯s a chance it could be detected using special methods if encountered by professionals from the Deep Sea Church¡­¡±


    It would be difficult to carry the mask back to the antique shop safely, and even if he managed to bring it back, Nina might discover it, which could lead to troubles.


    The best course of action would be to send it straight to an absolutely safe place.


    While pondering, Duncan turned his head to look at the dove perched on his shoulder, coming up with a new idea to test¡ªcould the dove carry the item back to Homeloss by traveling through the Spirit Realm on its own without him?


    The pigeon cocked its head, locking eyes with Duncan, ¡°Eighty for the big hammer, forty for the small one!¡±


    Duncan chuckled, ¡°Let¡¯s call it overtime. I¡¯ll find a way to get you some fries on Homeloss¡ªsee if you can teleport this mask to the ship by yourself.¡±


    The pigeon instantly flapped its wings and, while flying toward the mask in Duncan¡¯s hand, let out its distinctive sharp female voice, ¡°I was going to refuse, but you¡¯re offering too much!¡±


    Before the words even faded, Duncan saw a flash of light and shadow, and the pigeon, along with the mask, vanished from his sight¡ªwhile deep in his consciousness, he distinctly felt Ai Yi¡¯s presence suddenly appear in the captain¡¯s quarters of Homeloss.


    There was hardly a second¡¯s delay!


    What a quick pigeon! Could it always teleport objects this fast?


    Duncan had barely acknowledged this in his mind when his vision blurred, and Ai Yi, in Bone Dove form, materialized out of thin air and landed on his shoulder¡ªflapping its wings, the spectral body transformed back into a white dove, proudly tilting its neck, ¡°Teleportation successful!¡±


    Duncan noticed the state in which the other emerged and nodded to himself, finding the situation reasonable: It made sense for the Bone Dove to be faster than Ai Yi.


    Then he straightened his clothes, ensuring there were no suspicious bloodstains on him and no trace of his presence at the scene (in fact, from the moment he entered, he hadn¡¯t touched anything, fearing he would leave fingerprints or the like), and carefully used his sleeve-covered fingers to open the iron door, retracing his steps through the stairway he had come by to get back outside.


    The sun, constrained by dual Rune Circles, was gradually sinking towards the horizon, and the gorgeous evening sky spread along the uneven, haphazard rooftops of the Lower City District, with the pale crack high in the sky flickering into view amidst the twilight.


    Seeing the sky darken, Duncan immediately dismissed the idea of continuing his investigation in the city¡ªNina would be home from school soon.


    He couldn¡¯t let his reputation as ¡°Uncle Duncan,¡± which had just started to improve, be tainted by not coming home at night.


    Duncan quickly left the abandoned factory, following the route in his memory toward the main road, passing through twisted alleys, through intersections clouded with foul-smelling wastewater, until he gradually heard the distant sound of traffic.


    It wasn¡¯t completely dark yet; he should be able to catch the last bus.


    But then Duncan stopped in his tracks.


    At a nearby intersection, he spotted four uniformed figures¡ªtwo of them wore dark blue uniforms with epaulettes, holstered batons and revolvers at their waists, while the other two were clad in black coats that were a mix of church style, somewhere between a trench coat and a suit, showing not only large revolver holsters but also finely crafted longswords that seemed out of place in the current era.


    Those two in the black coats also had another conspicuous item at their waists: lanterns decorated with runes, obviously for patrolling at night.


    The uniformed four at the intersection seemed to be handover, Duncan paused for a moment, then quickly realized:


    They were the City-State¡¯s law enforcers affiliated with the city hall and guardians under the church.


    The law enforcers maintained order in the city by day, while guardians protected the peace of the City-State under the cover of night, and now, with the sun slowly setting, the time of day-to-night transition was approaching¡ªit was the moment when secular and ecclesiastical powers exchanged duties.


    It was a unique ¡°scenery¡± of this world.


    The four of them didn¡¯t seem to notice Duncan.


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    Duncan walked by them with ease¡ªdespite having hesitated for a second, he quickly reminded himself that he was innocent.


    A law-abiding citizen isn¡¯t committing a crime by walking around before dark.


    One of the church guardians carrying out the handover finally noticed the approaching figure, the tall young man lifted his head, saw Duncan and, gesturing with his hand, called out loudly, ¡°Citizen! It¡¯s getting dark; head home quickly, it¡¯s not safe outside.¡±


    ¡°Gentlemen! I¡¯d like to report something,¡± Duncan quickened his pace, walking up to them and spoke earnestly, ¡°I heard a lot of noise coming from that abandoned factory over there, and earlier, I saw many suspicious figures sneaking in and out¡­¡±


    He paused, then added, ¡°I read in the newspaper that everyone should actively report any unusual gatherings and strange noises in the vicinity¡­¡±

 Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 79: Dim Lights in the Narrow Alley

    Chapter 75: Chapter 79: Dim Lights in the Narrow Alley


    Somewhere deep in a dingy alley away from the abandoned factory, an inconspicuous, old house suddenly lit up with an oil lamp.


    In the flickering lamp light, the simple and worn furnishings of the house were visible, along with the slightly moldy ceiling, faded and peeling wallpaper, and a slowly shrinking black crack in the corner of the room.


    A terrifying Skeleton Hunting Dog was lying next to this crack, motionless as if it had no strength left, like a dead dog. On the other end of the dark iron chain, Sherry, dressed in a long skirt with black and white edges, carefully adjusted the wick of the oil lamp before moving to the window to anxiously check the outside sky.


    ¡°¡­the ¡®Creation of the World¡¯ is out,¡± the girl sighed lightly, ¡°Luckily, I got home before night fully fell; otherwise, I might have died in some stinky ditch like a dog.¡±


    Not far away, the Abyssal Hound lying flat on the floor immediately lifted its head, its throat emitting a hoarse, splitting sound, ¡°Speak for yourself, don¡¯t bring dogs into this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still able to talk? I thought this transition through the Mysterious Deep Sea cost you half your life,¡± Sherry turned her head and glanced at the dog, ¡°Can you talk now? Why did you suddenly run away¡ªand using the most dangerous transition through Mysterious Deep Sea? Didn¡¯t you say there are countless demons in the Mysterious Deep Sea waiting to chew up that black skeleton of yours?¡±


    ¡°I can get around the many demons in the Mysterious Deep Sea. I might not beat them, but I can outrun them. But just now¡­ if I hadn¡¯t run immediately, I probably couldn¡¯t have escaped,¡± the Abyssal Hound finally seemed to catch its breath and slightly lifted its head to look at Sherry, ¡°You should be thankful I react quickly. When that terrifying fellow diverted his gaze, I opened the crack. Otherwise, as long as his eyes were on us, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to open the escape route!¡±


    Sherry frowned, slowly approaching the Abyssal Hound, ¡°So, what exactly happened? Why are you so scared? This guy named ¡®Duncan¡¯¡­ Have you seen him before? Is he some big shot from the obliteration church? Or is there a Profound Demon standing behind him?¡±


    The Abyssal Hound seemed to recall a terribly terrifying sensation, its bones clacking all at once before lowering its voice and muttering, ¡°Never seen him, I don¡¯t recognize him.¡±


    Sherry suddenly stared wide-eyed, ¡°You¡¯re this scared and you¡¯ve never seen him?¡±


    ¡°Even if I¡¯ve never seen him, as a Profound Demon, I can ¡®see¡¯ shadows more terrifying than death!¡± the Abyssal Hound suddenly lifted its head, its hollow, red eye sockets intensely ¡°staring¡± at Sherry, ¡°Inside a human¡¯s shell stuffed with a swirling vortex of light and shadows that even drives me mad just looking at it! You tell me, how can I not be scared?!¡±


    Having said this, it paused as if to organize its words to describe its feelings to Sherry, a fellow human. After a long time, it slowly began, ¡°When he spoke, I could hear a thousand overlapped voices screaming simultaneously. When he looked at me, I felt every fate from my birth to my demise laid out flat on the ground for display. Let me tell you, the last time I felt this terrified, I had merely glimpsed ¡®The Saint¡¯ from afar in the Mysterious Deep Sea! But, The Saint wouldn¡¯t move. Today, we met someone who could move and act!¡±


    Sherry was creeped out by the dog¡¯s scary tone and gaze (though its eyes were just glowing hollows), but still instinctively muttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything back then¡­ I even thought he seemed kind¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why sometimes I really envy you humans with your slow and inefficient perception¡ªthis barrier of ignorance is truly a treasure bestowed by the world. It lets you die smiling in the midst of insane, twisting disasters,¡± the Abyssal Hound feebly laid down again, ¡°Keep being blindly ignorant. This world can be a bit better¡ªfor unfortunate little dogs like me, it¡¯s not so lucky. Every now and then I see things that would scare me to death¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­how the hell can there be such a cowardly Profound Demon like you in the world,¡± Sherry couldn¡¯t help but give the dog a sidelong glance, then as if struck by a thought, hesitated and said, ¡°But now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, I kind of feel like we shouldn¡¯t have run¡­ If he really is as powerful as you say, then maybe tying up with him could be beneficial! Look, he was quite nice to us just now, even asked us questions, and it seems he doesn¡¯t get along with those sunlight bastards either, isn¡¯t this an opportunity? I could act cute, play up the charm, maybe find a backer¡­¡±


    Before the girl finished speaking, the black iron chain clanged, and the dog that was lying dead a second ago suddenly sprang up, ¡°Stop that crazy notion immediately! Your chaos is almost enough to open a Subspace passage!¡±


    Then, it paused before continuing anxiously, ¡°Listen, never deal with those who wear human shells but harbor indescribable inner beings. They are more cunning than pure demons, more vicious than real humans. Their seemingly amiable talks are always just the appetizer to a feast¡ªdespite his friendly demeanor just now, do you think, after you¡¯ve told him everything you know, he would let you leave completely intact?¡±


    It seemed the Abyssal Hound¡¯s unprecedented stern tone had an effect, and Sherry seemed somewhat subdued, finally giving up her bold ideas, but still murmuring, ¡°Alright, alright¡ªbut why do you sound like a nagging mother, Dog?¡±


    The Abyssal Hound collapsed to the floor, ¡°Nonsense, I raised you!¡±


    Sherry huffed, then looked outside the window. Seeing the night slowly falling, she stepped towards the window.


    The black iron chain stretched taut, and as the girl moved, the reluctant Abyssal Hound, lying down to rest, was helplessly dragged along the ground. This massive, heavy Profound Demon was casually dragged back and forth by Sherry, appearing surprisingly weightless in her hands, ¡°What are you trying to do now, can¡¯t you let me rest for a bit, today has been so exhausting¡­¡±


    ¡°Am I the one mainly putting in the effort in fights, being at the forefront?¡± Sherry didn¡¯t turn her head as she looked outside, ¡°I¡¯m checking the situation outside¡­ It¡¯s completely dark now, and the street lights have just come on.¡±


    ¡°After all, this is a poor district. The fact that the authorities can ensure these street lights maintain the most basic demon-repelling capabilities is already pretty good; don¡¯t expect them to light up before dusk like in other districts,¡± A-Gou muttered, then turned to look again at the oil lamp on the old dining table, ¡°Turn off the lamp later, oil is quite expensive.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips, ¡°¡­Let¡¯s turn it off before going to sleep, otherwise it¡¯s too dark in the house.¡±


    A-Gou¡¯s stomach growled, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    Within the City-State, the city¡¯s managers and builders had strictly planned the positioning and quantity of ¡°street lamps,¡± the most basic demon-warding devices, spread throughout the city. The gas lamps could ensure the entire district was protected after nightfall, making it safe to use either electric or oil lamps inside houses, even safe to turn off the room lights after the street lights were lit.


    But even in bustling cities, there are forgotten corners; in areas even older and more dilapidated than the Lower City District, the number of gas street lamps was far fewer than in other areas. These street lamps were barely enough to maintain safety between day and night, and such a ¡°barely sufficient¡± state was obviously not comforting enough.


    Thus, in poor districts, flame-lit oil lamps and grease candles became essential for every household.


    If the street lamps were delayed even momentarily, the flames at home could at least temporarily fend off the darkness after sunset.


    Of course, another important reason many poor families used oil lamps and candles was that they couldn¡¯t afford the relatively high costs of electric retrofitting.


    Electric lights were bright, clean, and safe, and in secure districts, they were already the preferred choice for household lighting. But in this small hut in the slums¡­


    What still brought Sherry and A-Gou a sense of security was only the flickering flame in that old lamp.


    In the dim firelight, the voice of the Abyssal Hound broke the silence, ¡°¡­Do we still need to go out and act during this period?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Continue to mess with those ¡®Sun bastards¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about gathering intelligence from them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more or less the same¡­ but from what we¡¯ve seen today, even they don¡¯t seem to know exactly what happened eleven years ago; they were also asking the locals¡­¡±


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    ¡°This is because today¡¯s people just happened to be from Rensa; maybe next time we¡¯ll find something.¡±


    ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    ¡°A-Gou, next time you weave a Disguise for me, just make it convincing, don¡¯t get exposed halfway through again.¡±


    ¡°I just hope we don¡¯t run into that terrifying person from today again¡ªI suspect our presence was exposed in advance because of such a strong ¡®disturbance¡¯ on the scene¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, whatever you say¡­¡±

 Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 80 Home Visit?

    Chapter 76: Chapter 80 Home Visit?


    Before the last glow of twilight faded from the horizon, Duncan saw the familiar facade of the antique shop.


    The gas street lamps on both sides of the road were already lit, the slightly yellow light illuminating the sign above the door and the dusty walls. The windows on either side of the entrance shone brightly; clearly, Nina had already come home¡ªshe had turned on the lights on the first floor and was waiting for Duncan to return.


    Strictly speaking, from Duncan¡¯s perspective, he had only just met Nina, but for some reason, when he saw the light on the first floor, he felt an inexplicable¡­guilt.


    Was this guilt because he had been out and not returning home?


    Duncan stepped forward, pushed open the door of the antique shop, and the bell hanging at the entrance chimed crisply. The next second, he heard a quick rush of footsteps coming from the direction of the stairs.


    A girl in a simple long dress seemed to fly down from upstairs like a breeze.


    ¡°Uncle Duncan!¡± Nina stopped on the stairs, looking surprised and delighted to see Duncan appearing at the door, her eyes reflecting slight astonishment, ¡°I thought you were¡­¡±


    ¡°I just went around the city and didn¡¯t realize it was getting dark,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Sorry, I actually planned to pick you up from school in the Cross District, but then something unexpected came up.¡±


    ¡°You went to the Cross District?¡± Nina looked at Duncan, surprised and confused. She sized him up, as if checking whether her uncle had been drinking outside again or was under the influence of drugs, ¡°To pick me up¡­from school?¡±


    Uncle Duncan showed a side both strange and familiar, leaving Nina unsure how to react.


    ¡°I was just curious about how things are going at your school,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that. From now on, don¡¯t worry about me going out drinking or hanging out with ¡®friends.¡¯ If I come back late, it¡¯s because I¡¯m handling proper business, okay?¡±


    Nina looked at Uncle Duncan in a daze as he entered the house and shut the door, observing his steady, spirited demeanor and subconsciously nodding.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late,¡± Duncan said as he walked towards the stairs leading to the second floor, speaking to Nina who stood at the foot of the stairs, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ yet,¡± Nina answered, still seemingly hesitant in getting used to her uncle¡¯s recent change, ¡°When I came back and saw you weren¡¯t home, I wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d return tonight, so¡­I didn¡¯t make dinner. But I bought some bread, and was thinking of¡­¡±


    ¡°Only eating bread isn¡¯t nutritious enough, let¡¯s go, there¡¯s some good stuff in the kitchen,¡± Duncan was about to step up the stairs when he turned back and smiled at Nina, ¡°I¡¯ll cook today.¡±


    Uncle Duncan cooking?


    Nina felt like she was hearing a fantastic tale, but before she could ask, she saw Duncan stepping briskly upstairs and hurried to follow him. At the same time, she noticed Ai Yi securely perched on Duncan¡¯s shoulder, which made her a bit surprised, ¡°Uncle, has this pigeon been with you the whole time?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite clingy,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°Oh, by the way, I have named it Ai Yi.¡±


    ¡°Ai Yi? For a pigeon¡­that¡¯s a strange name¡­¡± Nina scratched her head, already following him to the second floor. Watching as Duncan actually headed towards the kitchen, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did you buy something?¡±


    ¡°Actually, just some dried salted fish,¡± Duncan found the salted fish he had stashed in a kitchen cupboard, held up the stiff ingredient for Nina to see, his expression quite proud, ¡°Don¡¯t judge by its looks, it makes a tasty soup.¡±


    ¡°Fish?!¡± Nina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Is today some special day? Fish is so expensive, usually we don¡¯t¡­¡±


    She finally saw the dried fish in Duncan¡¯s hand more clearly. The unimpressive-looking item puzzled the girl, and she blinked for a while, ¡°What kind of fish is this? I¡¯ve never seen it before?¡±


    Duncan knew Nina would react this way.


    Residents of the City-State, of course, had seen fish¡ªdespite the dangerous nature of the Endless Sea, with deadly creatures called ¡°Spawn¡± threatening human safety in the deep sea, not all marine areas were as bizarre and extreme as the deep sea regions. Protected by the gods and the defensive systems of the City-State themselves, the shallow waters near the City-States and a few divinely favored shipping lanes were relatively safe. These areas often provided valuable resources for the civilization of the City-States.


    People collected seafood and minerals from nearby marine areas and hunted whales and other fish of great industrial value in the god-protected shipping lanes, using these resources to sustain the survival of the City-State and support industrial development.


    Under this premise, the profession of ¡°fisherman¡± certainly existed.


    However, the seas of this world were ultimately unlike Earth; even the safe maritime areas were safe only in comparison to the deep sea regions, making even nearshore fishing an extremely specialized, hazardous task that required knowledge and skills beyond the ordinary.


    Fish, for those living in the City-States, was a known yet expensive food material.


    Even though the sea was right beside them, brimming with countless fish.


    Nina hadn¡¯t eaten fish for many years ¡ª even before her uncle fell ill, a civilian like her rarely saw fish served at the table.


    As rare as ordinary fish were, not to mention gifts from the deep sea.


    Duncan even doubted whether the deep-sea fish he caught on the Homeloss had ever appeared within the Plunder City-State before ¡ª let alone a civilian girl like Nina, perhaps even the Governor and the high-ranking clergy of the City-State hadn¡¯t had the chance to taste this delicacy.


    Nina was in for a treat today.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about what species it is, just wait to eat,¡± Duncan knew some things couldn¡¯t be explained clearly, so he simply didn¡¯t explain and turned back to the kitchen to start preparing tonight¡¯s dinner.


    The strange fish was not small, sizable even after being dried. Using it to make soup wouldn¡¯t finish it in one go, so he cut the salt-dried fish into two sections, planning to use the head part first ¡ª the rest could be strung up with a rope and hung in the cabinet to dry further, possibly enhancing its flavor.


    Uncle really started cooking.


    Watching the familiar figure busy in the kitchen, Nina felt as if she were dreaming.


    She didn¡¯t care at all about the strange fish her uncle had brought out; she didn¡¯t even care about tonight¡¯s dinner.


    Compared to these trivial matters, the changes in her uncle were the strangest and most worthy of her attention.


    The sound of the knife hitting the chopping board rang out, the gas stove hissed, and the broth in the pot bubbled.


    Nina felt somewhat dazed. How many years had it been since she last saw such a scene?


    A hint of hesitation appeared on her face before she seemingly made up her mind. At the kitchen door, she said to the busy figure inside, ¡°Uncle, tomorrow¡­ Mr. Morris is coming for a home visit.¡±


    ¡°Home visit?¡± Duncan, busy cooking, was momentarily stunned. ¡°Mr. Morris¡­ your history teacher?¡±


    Nina nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°They make home visits at that school?¡± Duncan tossed the prepared fish pieces into the pot and, while putting the knives into the sink, looked back at Nina in surprise. ¡°I thought that was a ¡®feature¡¯ only of the schools in the Upper City District.¡±


    ¡°The school¡­ indeed doesn¡¯t have this rule,¡± Nina said cautiously, paying attention to Duncan¡¯s reaction. ¡°But Mr. Morris is somewhat special, he¡­ pays extra attention to his students.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment.


    The situation had slightly exceeded his expectations.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that his own ¡°Captain Duncan¡± activities in the City-State would suddenly involve dealing with such a situation!


    He had considered dealing with the church, with the sheriff, even with the City-State navy and the military police ¡ª willing or not, his backup plan was filled with Spiritual Fire, swords, and over a hundred Homeloss side guns.


    But he had never anticipated in his plans that there would be an old man teaching history at a public school.


    How did reality always turn out to be so unexpectedly peculiar?


    ¡°Uncle?¡± Seeing Duncan not responding for a long time, Nina couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit worried. ¡°Are you unwilling? I can talk to Mr. Morris¡­ actually, I already spoke to him today. I told him you were not well, so we couldn¡¯t accept the home visit. He didn¡¯t say anything¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at Nina¡¯s somewhat nervous reaction and was thoughtful.


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    It seemed that Mr. Morris had likely made requests for home visits before.


    So how many times had Nina rejected him with the same reason?


    ¡°¡­He teaches history, right?¡± Duncan suddenly asked again.


    Although she didn¡¯t understand why her uncle would ask this again, Nina still nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, I was just thinking of dealing with a professional in the field of history,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°What time is he coming tomorrow?¡±

 Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 81: Memory Bias

    Chapter 77: Chapter 81: Memory Bias


    A scholar who for some unknown reason ended up teaching history at a ¡°public school,¡± a teacher who was well-versed in ancient history and seemed to have a good relationship with Nina, his arrival was an unexpected situation for Duncan¡ªbut also an opportunity.


    Mr. Morris¡¯s expertise in his professional field would inevitably help Duncan solve many problems, and establishing a good relationship with such a professional might bring unexpected conveniences in the future¡ª a reputable old scholar inevitably had certain connections in the City-State.


    Nina didn¡¯t know why her Uncle Duncan had suddenly agreed to a home visit, nor did she think much about it, feeling unusually happy.


    This illusion even made her feel as if her life was really changing for the better, gradually¡­ returning to the past.


    Outside, the night grew deeper as the pale, cold light of the Creation of the World illuminated the windowsill of the second floor of the antique shop, and the quiet night gradually fell over the entire city.


    In this world filled with bizarre things, most people had little to speak of in terms of nightlife.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to eat,¡± Duncan called to his ¡°niece,¡± who was lost in thought by the window. He brought the stewed fish soup to the table, along with the bread Nina had bought in the afternoon and the onion rings he had just casually fried. In his view, this dinner was not sumptuous, but considering the ¡°fish¡¯s¡± uniqueness, this meal could be considered a feast in the Lower City District, ¡°We have to get up early for school tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay, Uncle Duncan.¡±


    Nina agreed obediently and came to the table, the aroma of the fish soup already wafting through the air. She sniffed in surprise and looked at Duncan somewhat incredulously. ¡°It smells delicious¡­ Uncle, when did your cooking skills get so good?¡±


    ¡°Is this considered good cooking?¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but laugh, thinking that his cooking skills were only slightly better than Alice¡¯s, and yet there were times when he was complimented for being good at it. ¡°Was my cooking really that bad before?¡±


    ¡°It was worse than ¡®bad¡¯ before. You used to cook by the standard of ¡®edible but not enjoyable,¡¯ and despite your terrible skills, you always ambitiously experimented with new dishes, dragging me along to ¡®test for poison¡¯ with you¡­¡± Nina babbled nonstop, reminiscing about the past with an almost animated joy, ¡°There was one time what you made was so inedible that even you couldn¡¯t eat it. You had to throw it in the trash and then dragged me to the family restaurant across the street for lunch. When we came back, we saw the neighbor¡¯s dog vomiting in front of the trash bin by our door, and ever since then, dogs have avoided you¡­¡±


    While talking, Nina¡¯s voice suddenly dropped again.


    ¡°Forget it, those incidents were years ago, and you¡¯ve never liked me bringing them up¡­¡±


    Duncan remained silent.


    In the memories retained by this body, there was no trace of what Nina was recalling¡ªthese were almost the only fond memories she had of her time with her uncle, yet they had vanished completely with the last breath of a man gone astray.


    Nina silently broke the hard bread, soaking it bit by bit in the flavorful soup.


    Duncan suddenly reached out and tousled the child¡¯s hair.


    Nina looked up in surprise, ¡°Uncle?¡±


    ¡°Uncle¡¯s new dish research is a success,¡± Duncan said seriously.


    Nina stared blankly at Duncan, her expression changing several times, numerous thoughts swirling in her mind. Finally, all her expressions turned into an irrepressible smile, ¡°Uncle, your serious look is so funny!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of adults,¡± Duncan glanced at her, then seemed to suddenly remember something and casually mentioned, ¡°By the way, I¡¯m planning to clean up the shop a bit lately. If you see any weird and unfamiliar things on the first floor, don¡¯t mess with them.¡±


    He was preparing for the upcoming inter-location commuting and the turnover of ¡°materials¡±.


    As Ai Yi¡¯s abilities were developed, he would inevitably have to frequently transport goods between Homeloss and the antique shop¡ªa situation difficult to completely hide from Nina¡¯s eyes¡ªso it was better to give her a heads-up.


    Nina didn¡¯t suspect a thing and quickly nodded. Duncan then continued, ¡°Also, I¡¯m thinking about adding a person to help in the shop, so if I¡¯m out during the day, someone can stay behind to watch over things¡ªof course, this is just a preliminary plan, it might not happen, just letting you know in advance in case you suddenly see a stranger in the shop and find it strange.¡±


    This time, he was setting the stage for Alice¡¯s arrival¡ªthough it was just a precursor.


    To have Miss Doll enter the City-State required much consideration, and transporting her was merely the least noticeable part of it; he had to figure out how to prevent Alice¡¯s ¡°doll¡± truth from being discovered¡ªAlice¡¯s appearance was almost indistinguishable from a real person¡¯s; covering her joints with long gloves would solve most issues, at most wearing a veil to hide her face, which was even more refined than that of a real person¡¯s. These were minor issues. The real problem¡­ was her head.


    He was bringing Alice over to help him, and it wouldn¡¯t do for her to always be performing acts of scurrying about in cowardice in public.


    Nina looked at Duncan in surprise, ¡°Uncle, are you actually hiring for the shop too? This is a big deal¡­ Do you have someone in mind? What kind of person is it?¡±


    Duncan thought for a while, trying to filter out a string of not-so-positive adjectives from his mind, before sternly saying, ¡°There¡¯s an initial target, a¡­ hardworking young lady.¡±


    He thought carefully, it seemed that ¡°hardworking¡± was the only complimentary term left to describe Alice.


    Then he saw a subtle change in Nina¡¯s expression.


    The girl looked her uncle up and down several times, finally unable to resist, ¡°A young lady? Uncle, are you¡­¡±


    Duncan was experienced, and seeing Nina¡¯s demeanor, he immediately knew what she was thinking, promptly tapping his finger on the table, ¡°Eat your food! Stop letting your mind wander!¡±


    Nina tried to stifle her laughter, emitting a ¡°huffing¡± sound as she continued to eat. After trying a piece of fish, her eyes widened in surprise, ¡°This is delicious!¡±


    Duncan laughed, casually tearing some bread to throw to the pigeons pacing around nearby as he spoke, ¡°Then eat more; there¡¯s still some in the kitchen.¡±


    On the quaint second floor of the antique shop, Nina and her uncle Duncan concluded their simple yet long-overdue dinner.


    After everything was cleared up post-dinner, Duncan stopped Nina as she was about to head back to her room to rest.


    He had something he wanted to confirm.


    ¡°Nina,¡± he looked at the girl who had just finished tidying the dishes and came out of the kitchen, ¡°I have something I want to ask you.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Nina was curious, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Do you still remember¡­ what happened when you were little?¡± Duncan considered his approach while recalling the information he had heard at that Heretics¡¯ gathering, ¡°It was when you were six years old.¡±


    Nina frowned, not knowing why her uncle would suddenly bring up something from eleven years ago, but she still pondered along.


    It had been eleven years since that event, and she was only six years old then, so her recollections weren¡¯t particularly emotive.


    ¡°I was very young then and don¡¯t remember much, but I remember that day was chaotic¡­ with adults everywhere in disarray. Some said there was a factory leak near Cross District, others said there was a mass frenzy on Lower Third Street, and even incidents occurred in the Upper City District¡­ Many things I had no memory of at that time; it was only later when hearing adults talk that I began to piece things together¡­¡±


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    Duncan thought for a moment, looking into Nina¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you remember there being a big fire? I led you away from the fire scene, and your parents¡­ it was in that fire that they¡­¡±


    He was merely testing the waters with his mention, but unexpectedly, Nina¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, ¡°A big fire? Uncle, so you also remember there was a fire that day?!¡±


    ¡°¡­ Of course, I remember,¡± noticing Nina¡¯s reaction, Duncan realized there was definitely something amiss about the incident, ¡°Is there something wrong with my memory of the fire?¡±


    ¡°I remember there was a fire, a very big fire,¡± Nina said excitedly, talking rapidly, ¡°But later when I told the adults around me, no one remembered the incident; they all said I had just been scared senseless, and that there was no fire¡­ I even went looking for the newspapers from that time as I got older¡­¡±


    She paused, her expression turning peculiar as she slowly shook her head, ¡°But even the newspapers didn¡¯t mention any fire¡­ All the records only mentioned a factory leak, with chemical substances causing widespread hallucinations¡­¡±

 Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 82: The Fire that Exists Only in Dreams

    Chapter 78: Chapter 82: The Fire that Exists Only in Dreams


    Nina went back to her room to sleep.


    In this world, most people went to bed early and rose with the dawn¡ªthe time after the sun set was dangerous, and the faint glow from the Creation of the World would lead to the most severe degree of distortion across the globe. Even with the protection of city lights, people had to face the night cautiously.


    Unable to go out and gather, lacking many forms of entertainment, reading books at night wasn¡¯t as dangerous as reading at sea, but it could easily lead to mental exhaustion, auditory and visual hallucinations. Occasionally, it would even attract unwanted peering from the darkness. Therefore, considering everything, the safest method was to go to bed early and wait for the sun to rise the next day.


    Duncan, however, did not feel the slightest bit sleepy.


    He turned off the lights in the room and stood near the window in his shirt, casually admiring the night view of Plunder City-State beneath the night sky while recalling his conversation with Nina after dinner.


    Nina remembered a great fire, and the body¡¯s residual memory he occupied retained that same event¡ªa fire in which ¡°he¡± had escaped a collapsing, burning building with a six-year-old girl, while chaotic crowds and pervasive fog filled the distant streets.


    Yet only the two of them remembered this fire¡ªNina had brought it up with other adults, only to be dismissed as ¡°confused memories after a child is frightened.¡± The newspapers from eleven years ago clearly recorded ¡°the truth¡±: at that time, at the boundary of the Lower City District and Cross District, there was only a factory leak that caused mass hallucinations, with no record of a fire.


    Duncan frowned slightly, another dubious point was on ¡°himself.¡±


    According to Nina, ¡°Uncle Duncan¡± actually didn¡¯t remember the fire either, and it had always been only her who remembered the incident. When she was young, she even mentioned the fire to Uncle Duncan (who should have been ¡°Ron¡± at the time), and he, like the other adults, thought she had ¡°misremembered after being frightened.¡±


    But now, Duncan¡¯s memory contained images of the fire¡ªthose were the deepest recollections of the body¡¯s original owner.


    Where did the problem lie? Why was it that in Nina¡¯s memory, her uncle had no recollection of the fire, yet Duncan found corresponding images in the deepest memories of this body? Had Nina¡¯s uncle been lying all along? Or had the memory been sealed until a Ghost Ship captain took over the body, causing the deepest memories to surface?


    Duncan tapped the window frame unconsciously with his finger, silently sorting through the timeline in his mind.


    He integrated the information he had obtained from the Sun Cultists:


    Eleven years ago, the Sun Shard first appeared within the territory of the Plunder City-State, and the Transcendent phenomena it caused could have affected a wide area.


    Also eleven years ago, Nina became an orphan. In her and Duncan¡¯s memories, there was a fire at that time, which happened in the Lower City District¡ªbut apart from them, no one else remembered this fire, nor was there any evidence to prove it ever occurred.


    Thereafter, the Sun Shard lay dormant within the City-State, without any further anomalies. The only record left from the event of that year was the ¡°Cross District factory leak incident.¡±


    Over several years, Nina and her only relative depended on each other for survival.


    Four years ago, followers of the Sun God within Plunder City-State attempted to awaken the dormant Sun Shard ahead of time and performed a dangerous sacrifice ritual. However, it was extinguished before completion by the newly promoted Judge-in-training Fenna, whose team dealt a heavy blow to the cult¡¯s influence. After a massive crackdown, the Sun God Church was expelled from the City-State.


    Although the ritual did not reach the final step at that time, the ¡°awakening¡± attempt by the Heretics might have had some effect, and the Sun Shard began to gradually awaken from its dormancy.


    It was around that time that Nina¡¯s ¡°uncle,¡± upon whom she depended, contracted a strange illness and, under the torment of sickness, gradually fell into depravity, eventually yielding to the enticement of the remaining Sun Cultists in the city and becoming one of their minions.


    Time moved to not long ago, when activity from the Sun Shard began to attract Sun Cultists back to the city. The Heretics, lying low for four years, performed the sacrifice ritual again, and what followed¡­ was Duncan¡¯s intervention.


    Throughout the timeline, many events seemed vaguely interconnected, yet all lacked key evidence.


    The most suspicious event was from eleven years ago¡ªwhat Transcendent phenomena did the Sun Shard truly trigger at that time, and did the fire really exist?


    Did the City-State authorities erase the true account of that incident, wiping away the traces of the fire? And then, considering maintaining order, did they publicly announce the whole event as a mass hallucination caused by a factory leak?


    But this didn¡¯t explain why many people¡¯s memories also completely lacked any recollection of the fire¡ªunless the authorities went to great lengths to Reshape the memories of all parties involved.


    Moreover, there was one more thing¡ªin this world, anomalies and phenomena were public knowledge; even children knew of the existence and dangers of Transcendent things, and the authorities were clearly aware of this, always adhering to a policy of ¡°announcing dangers in advance to ensure citizens have self-preservation knowledge¡± to govern the city. If it was indeed just a fire caused by Transcendent forces¡­ why hide it?


    Unless¡­ there was a bigger issue behind that fire, such that even the mere disclosure of the information could lead to a spread of dangerous elements spiraling out of control.


    Duncan suddenly furrowed his brow.


    ¡°`


    Or perhaps there was another possibility.


    The characteristics of Transcendent phenomena are odd, and often the harm they cause is not limited to the physical aspect, they can even distort human cognition, to the point where they contort evidence already committed to paper¡ªwhat if the memories of the event by the people, the cognitions, even the records of the City-State authorities and the Church, have all been tainted by the Sun Shard?


    Duncan felt that perhaps his mind was going a bit too far, as a ¡°novice¡± who was only half-versed in the field of anomalies and supernatural occurrences, his imagination might be getting a bit too carried away, but on the other hand, once this thought emerged, it seemed unstoppable.


    Memories of the people, records of the authorities, even things written in black and white in archives from over a decade ago, all could be twisted and replaced¡ªsomething he might not have believed in before, but now, he believed in it more than anyone else.


    Because the place where he was standing was now called ¡°Duncan¡¯s Antique Shop.¡±


    Here, everyone recognizes their old neighbor, Mr. Duncan, the antique shop owner.


    Duncan let out a sigh of relief, lowered his head, and looked through the second-floor window at the gas-lit streets below.


    Now only one question remained.


    Whether or not the fire that occurred eleven years ago really existed, whether or not the Sun Shard contaminated the memories of the parties involved, and the records left by the City-State, there was one key point:


    Why did Nina remember that fire?


    ¡­


    In the Upper City District, within a mansion belonging to the Governor.


    Fenna awoke from a nightmare.


    But this time, the nightmare had nothing to do with the Black Sun, nor did it point to the Homeloss returning from the Subspace¡ªshe had simply dreamed of her childhood suddenly.


    In that night filled with fog, smoke, blood, and frantic crowds, she, at just twelve, was carried on her uncle¡¯s back, fleeing from the mob¡¯s attack.


    In the dream, she seemed to return to that helpless, fragile state once more, her proud martial skills and powerful divine arts rendered useless, she could only flee in panic, pursued by madmen and shadows, crossing pipes and valves above the factories with her uncle, looking down in terror at the city through the smoke and heatwaves, seeing boundless flames rising everywhere, spreading across the entire district visible to her eyes¡­


    The young Judge, clad in her sleeping gown, sat up in bed, took a deep breath, and gazed out of the window¡ªthe clear radiance of the Creation of the World still hung high in the sky, and the clock hanging near the window showed that it had just passed midnight.


    She felt as if she had sunk into a nightmare for a century.


    Fenna got up, turned on the electric light, went to the vanity, and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She whispered the name of the Storm Goddess to regain the inner calm and let out a sigh as if comforting herself, ¡°At least now I don¡¯t dream about that ship anymore¡­¡±


    Her voice had just fallen when she suddenly heard footsteps from the corridor outside, followed by a knock on the door: ¡°Fenna? Did you have a nightmare, Fenna?¡±


    It was her uncle¡¯s voice¡ªthe Governor, the most revered man in the City-State.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Fenna steadied herself, then straightened her clothes and went to open the door.


    Dante Wayne stood at the door, this middle-aged man with gray hair and gray eyes, not too burly, obviously just woken up as well, casually draped a coat over himself, and looked at his niece with concern as she opened the door.


    Having lost an eye in an earlier incident, he now possessed a ruby-made eyeball that featured intricate gold patterns within; around the eye socket were ferocious scars from eleven years ago, giving his face an intimidating appearance.


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    But Fenna was already used to it; she knew her uncle was actually a kind and just man.


    ¡°I had a nightmare,¡± she said, rubbing her eyes, her voice tinged with resignation, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to wake you up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯ve been a light sleeper in my old age,¡± Dante Wayne looked at Fenna with concern, ¡°Did you dream of your childhood again?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I dreamt of that time again.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 83: Ghosts Entangled with Reality

    Chapter 79: Chapter 83: Ghosts Entangled with Reality


    Uncle brought some herbal wine to calm the nerves, and the strength of the medicine combined with the alcohol finally eased Fenna¡¯s slightly agitated mood. She opened the balcony doors, stood on the balcony, and gazed towards the distant cathedral.


    Dante Wayne¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°Every time you come back to stay, you have nightmares, and they¡¯re always about your childhood.¡±


    ¡°¡­ As a Judge, this is a sign of weakness I shouldn¡¯t display,¡± Fenna¡¯s voice was low; she was significantly taller than her uncle, but in front of this elder who had raised her alone, she never minded showing her true feelings. ¡°I¡¯m very troubled.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Have you talked to Heidi?¡±


    ¡°She recommended four brain surgeries and two neural puncture therapies,¡± Fenna sighed. ¡°Considering our long friendship, I refrained from taking action.¡±


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s her style; she doesn¡¯t interact much with normal people,¡± Dante Wayne shook his head. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect that after all these years, you are still haunted by that nightmare from that night.¡±


    ¡°I always thought I had moved past it,¡± Fenna massaged her brow. ¡°Maybe it really has to do with this big house; whenever I come back here, I dream of those scenes¡­ Maybe I should consider performing another exorcism on this house, or I always feel that this building has trapped the shadows of that disaster¡­¡±


    Uncle Dante pondered for a moment and didn¡¯t offer any objections, but he asked thoughtfully, ¡°Does your nightmare still include that fire?¡±


    Fenna nodded. ¡°Yes, there were flames everywhere. You were carrying me out of the blaze. I even clearly remember us escaping the city area through the factory pipes, and nearby, a burning building was gradually collapsing¡­¡±


    She paused, her gaze falling on her uncle, ¡°¡­ You don¡¯t remember the fire, do you?¡±


    ¡°Not just me; no one remembers it,¡± the somber City-State Governor slowly shook his head. ¡°I only remember the pipeline that leaked poison gas and those crazy heretics¡­ Many people were involved that night, but it seems only you witnessed a sea of flames.¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t speak for a long time, just silently reflecting, before she finally spoke softly, ¡°Aside from the ¡®fire,¡¯ my memories align with yours¡­ I didn¡¯t understand anything back then, but now I¡¯m very clear, it must be some Transcendent power influencing, and even after all these years, and my promotion to a Saint, the influence still hasn¡¯t faded.¡±


    ¡°This means either the influence is of a supremely high order, leaving a lifelong mark on your soul, or the source of the influence didn¡¯t disappear with the resolution of that incident but has continued to hide somewhere in the City-State¡ªover the years I have been investigating this, but unfortunately, there has been no progress.¡±


    Dante Wayne¡¯s tone carried a hint of apology at the end; he was not only sorry for being unable to alleviate his niece¡¯s troubles but also regretted his inability to clear up an old case in his role as the City-State Governor.


    The scars left by that ¡°Great Chaos¡± eleven years ago were too enduring.


    Fenna knew that the matter was not only a knot in her own heart but also a constant worry for her uncle. However, she wasn¡¯t good at comforting others. After thinking for a while, she could only veer the conversation off-topic, ¡°I remember that a lot of heretics were caught back then. From the aftermath, that incident was even bigger than the ¡®Black Sun¡¯ incident four years ago.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thousands were captured, so many that I started to doubt how so many heretics could hide in the City-State of Prand,¡± Dante Wayne sighed, ¡°and it wasn¡¯t just one sect¡­ There were followers of the Black Sun, heretics worshipping The Saint of the Abyss, and even doomsday preachers who worshipped Subspace itself¡­ Those vermin from the sewers all came out that night, wreaking havoc in their madness.¡±


    Fenna looked at Dante, ¡°But according to the interrogation results later on, none of the thousands of saboteurs caught could be considered the ¡®mastermind,¡¯ and not a single one knew why they caused chaos that night. Instead of saying those heretics were organizing destruction, it would be more accurate to say they just simultaneously exploded into madness, falling into a state of collective loss of control.¡±


    Dante remained silent for a moment, lost in thought, then suddenly looked into Fenna¡¯s eyes, ¡°Your irritation can¡¯t just be because of the bad dream you had¡ªdoes suddenly bringing this up have something to do with the recent instability in the City-State?¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t avoid the question, ¡°It indeed is somewhat related¡ªthe Sun Heretics are gathering in the City-State, searching for an ¡®anomaly¡¯ known as the Sun Shard, and the Homeloss almost simultaneously reappeared in the real world, its ¡®course¡¯ vaguely pointing towards Prand. Although it¡¯s hard to see any direct connection between these two events, the feeling of these turbulent currents¡­ always reminds me of the chaos eleven years ago.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already ordered all ports to strictly inspect person movements and have communicated with governors from other City-States. Many Sun Heretics were found on ships, and we¡¯ve essentially cut off their way into the City-States. As for those who have already infiltrated Prand¡­ it mainly depends on the actions of the Church. The guardians are professionals in finding and locking down transcendent criminals,¡± he explained.


    As he said this, the middle-aged governor suddenly stopped. He seemed to carefully consider whether some issues should be brought up now but after a moment of hesitation, he finally made up his mind, ¡°As for the matter of the Homeloss, I can¡¯t be much help in the transcendent domain, but in the secular aspect, I have an idea.¡±


    ¡°The secular aspect?¡± Fenna frowned slightly, about to say what connection this ghost ship Homeloss could have with ¡°secular¡± matters, when she suddenly remembered something, ¡°Wait, are you saying¡­¡±


    ¡°The captains of the pioneer exploration ship Brilliant Starship, Lucresia Abnormal, and the pirate leader of the northern seas, captain of the Sea Mist, Tirian Abnormal,¡± Dante said slowly, ¡°Homeloss is indeed a ghost ship beyond the comprehension of reality, but as long as it was once part of the real world, the real world would have left its ¡®anchors¡¯¡­ I wonder what the response of Captain Duncan¡¯s children would be to their ¡®father¡¯ reappearing.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s eyes slowly widened. She was used to resolving enemies straightforwardly and violently, but she had never considered this angle regarding the Homeloss. However, she quickly frowned, ¡°But I heard that those two hardly interact with the City-State forces¡­ They command their own powers separately on the Endless Sea, maintaining a cool and even tense relationship with all City-States.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite normal, after all, they are the children of that ghost ship captain, and the Brilliant Starship and Sea Mist were originally the two escort ships of the Homeloss¡ªalthough they parted ways a century ago, in the eyes of most City-States, anyone related to that ghost ship captain means curse and danger; rather than them distancing from the City-States, it¡¯s the City-States that actively avoid them.¡±


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    Fenna frowned as she looked at her uncle, ¡°So are you hoping they would come to help Prand fight against their father?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an idea, but worth a try,¡± Dante asserted earnestly, ¡°after all, we know that the Brilliant Starship and the Sea Mist parted ways with the Homeloss over a century ago. Lucresia and Tirian broke up with their father before the Vesrelan Thirteen Islands incident, and half a century ago, there were rumors that some ocean-going captains witnessed the Sea Mist battling illusions of the Homeloss in the northern seas¡ªat that time, the Homeloss had already become the legendary Ghost Ship. This might indicate the captains¡¯ stance when facing their ¡®father.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Half a century ago¡­ At that time, the Sea Mist was still the flagship under the Frost Queen, and Captain Tirian might just have been acting on orders to protect the City-State,¡± Fenna mused, slowly speaking, ¡°but you¡¯re right, at least this is enough to prove that the Sea Mist indeed has a record of confronting the Homeloss.¡±


    But she still had some doubts, pondering for a few seconds before voicing her concerns, ¡°What if the Brilliant Starship and Sea Mist ignore Prand?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s just an attempt,¡± Dante said quietly, ¡°I¡¯ll spread the news and find ways to send the information about Homeloss reappearing and heading towards Prand to those two captains¡¯ tables¡ªI¡¯ll just do that much, what reaction those two captains have will be up to them.¡±

 Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 84: Captain Duncans Children

    Chapter 80: Chapter 84: Captain Duncan¡¯s Children


    Even as ghosts, they were once part of the real world. A century ago, the Homeloss fell into the Subspace, and however terrifying it is today, it was built by the craftsmen of the real world, just like Captain Duncan, who was once human before turning into a shadow of the Subspace.


    To ordinary sailors, everything related to the Homeloss invariably had to be cloaked in veils of ¡°curse¡± and ¡°strangeness,¡± as if that horrifying ghost captain was directly spawned from the Subspace, an entity without human emotions or relationships¡ªa natural disaster roaming over the Endless Sea. In many people¡¯s minds, ¡°Captain Duncan¡± was like a natural phenomenon symbolized by his mere existence, with no need to trace its origins.


    Fear built high walls in the minds of mortals, preventing them from thinking about what details might lie beyond those walls.


    However, as a Judge specializing in combatting this kind of fear, Fenna knew how to discern the real parts from a series of legends, exaggerations, and murmurs.


    The terrible captain of the Homeloss¡­ Before he became a human, before the incident at Veserlan¡¯s thirteen islands, he too had close friends and family members, loyal sailors and lieutenants under his command, and he also needed to dock for supplies and dealings with City-State authorities.


    He could not have been born a moving natural disaster.


    Captain Duncan had two children, his eldest son Tirian Abnormal and daughter Lucresia Abnormal¡ªand they are still alive today.


    It is said that some cursed power prolonged their lives, allowing these two captains to wander the world as immortal as their terrifying father.


    Each of these captains commanded a mighty ship, continuously circling on the fringes of the civilized world, their relations with all City-States either cold or veiled in opposition, so much so that many people could hardly imagine Duncan having children active in the world. Only a few who were well-versed in history and rational enough understood their story.


    On the other hand, though their relations with the various City-States were cool, these two captains at least still stood on the side of humanity¡ªthe terrible curse of the Homeloss had not led them to follow in Duncan¡¯s footsteps.


    Ms. Lucresia Abnormal commanded the Brilliant Starship, a powerful vanguard exploration ship. She was keen on exploring the limits of the world, reportedly reaching the edge of the known world, where she witnessed phenomena beyond ordinary people¡¯s imaginations.


    No one knew precisely what she sought at the edge of the world, but on very rare occasions, she sent emissaries to certain City-States¡¯ Explorers¡¯ Association and shared some of the knowledge she discovered on her voyages¡ªthe only benign connection proving she still stood with humanity.


    It is said that the Explorers¡¯ Association of Cold Harbor City-State even awarded this mysterious lady an honorary membership medal, but no one knows whether she accepted this¡­ ¡°honor.¡±


    Tirian Abnormal was more ¡°approachable¡± to the human world than his sister, yet also more dangerous¡ªa half-century ago, he had served the Frost City-State in the northern seas, and now, he is the most powerful pirate captain of the Chill Sea.


    This capricious captain controlled nearly half of the main shipping routes in the Chill Sea, with the Sea Mist as his flagship and over a dozen warships under his command, effectively becoming a semi-official power in the Chill Sea apart from Cold Harbor and Frost. The islands he occupied had grown to a capability that could rival City-States, far exceeding the concept of a ¡°pirate gang.¡±


    As for how Captain Tirian transformed from a general under the Frost Queen to a pirate leader, opinions varied¡ª


    Some said he was the mastermind behind the Frost rebellion half a century ago, the very person who pushed the Frost Queen to the guillotine, and he then looted the City-State¡¯s wealth to build a formidable pirate gang.


    Another contrasting theory: a minority of scholars believed that during the Frost rebellion, Tirian fought for the Queen until the last moment; his subsequent turn to piracy and frequent attacks on ships between Frost and Cold Harbor stemmed from despair and a fixation on avenging the Queen.


    Fenna didn¡¯t know how much truth or falsehood there was in these chaotic speculations by the populace. Considering the character of the two captains, they likely had no interest in explaining their actions to the world, but one thing was certain: The re-emergence of Homeloss demanded their attention and even possibly their vigilance in preparing for battle.


    After all, more than a century ago, these siblings betrayed Homeloss with their respective ships¡ªand now, their enraged father had returned from the Subspace.


    Of course, as Dante Wayne had said, this is also just a contingency¡ªbetter to have and not need, but one shouldn¡¯t put all their hopes on this card alone.


    What one could truly rely on was one¡¯s own strength.


    ¡­


    When the clock tower of the district church rang, a special rhythm of a steam whistle also broke the silence of the night, gradually awakening the slumbering City-State.


    The sunlight began to spread along the distant buildings, the ¡°Creation of the World¡± in the sky faded away in the sunlight, and sounds of carts and pedestrians came from the streets. The city, surrounded by the Endless Sea, had endured another night and safely welcomed the sunrise.


    Nina got up early to prepare breakfast, and the aroma of mushroom sauce and toast helped Duncan dispel his human body¡¯s morning drowsiness. Listening to the sounds of bicycle bells from the street, he suddenly said, ¡°Do you want a bicycle?¡±


    ¡°Bicycle?¡± Nina was momentarily stunned, then shook her head, ¡°That¡¯s expensive¡­ and I don¡¯t really need it.¡±


    ¡°It would make going to school a bit easier,¡± Duncan said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money, I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    He had given this matter serious thought¡ªthe antique shop might not look like much, but judging from the rotation of goods in the warehouse and the cash stored in the shop, it actually seemed to have a steady sales volume, at least enough to comfortably support two people.


    Nina¡¯s current financial struggle was entirely because her original uncle had donated more than half of the family¡¯s wealth to a cult, and the rest was largely squandered on alcohol, casinos, and drugs.


    Now that this decadent lifestyle had ended, and the major wasteful expenses were blocked, he didn¡¯t need to do anything else but maintain the normal business of the shop to provide Nina with a slightly better life than before.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t know how to run a shop, and the few procurement channels he remembered were a bit fuzzy, but¡­ that could be adapted to gradually.


    Most importantly, he needed to let Nina truly settle down and get used to the transformation of her ¡°uncle¡± becoming reliable again.


    Nina lowered her head, nibbling softly on her somewhat stale bread, and after a while, repeated, ¡°That¡¯s expensive¡­¡±


    Duncan opened his mouth, about to say something, when suddenly he heard a knock from downstairs.


    ¡°So early¡­ and someone¡¯s here before we even opened?¡± Nina, hearing the knock, paused and muttered subconsciously, then got up and headed outside, ¡°I¡¯ll go down and see what¡¯s going on!¡±


    The girl hurried down the stairs, and Duncan casually broke off a piece of bread and tossed it to a pigeon pacing the table, ¡°What do you think¡­ besides running the store, what other quick ways are there to make money¡­ maybe you should start a logistics company?¡±


    The pigeon immediately jumped aside and flapped its wings in frustration, ¡°You¡¯re not just teasing me.¡±


    Then it began to ramble about various confused things¡ªlike it¡¯s someone held a long weapon, and someone else threw punches that made their opponent spin like a top, followed by looking up to see a streak of blood fill the screen, leaving the brothers sweating¡­


    Duncan was completely baffled, ¡°¡­¡±


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    He understood that the pigeon couldn¡¯t talk when Nina was around, hence its frustration, but he absolutely couldn¡¯t understand what had gone through the bird¡¯s mind after holding back for so long¡ªits vocabulary was a complete mess!


    However, before he could respond to the pigeon, Nina¡¯s voice suddenly came from downstairs¡ªher tone sounded a bit tense, ¡°Uncle Duncan! There are¡­ two police officers here to see you¡­¡±


    Police officers? Two officers coming to find him early in the morning?


    Duncan was startled, immediately ordered the pigeon to stay in the room, and then swiftly went downstairs.


    As soon as he reached the ground floor, he saw Nina, looking nervously back at the staircase, and the two officers, both in dark blue uniforms, standing at the entrance of the antique shop.

 Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 85: Remuneration

    Chapter 81: Chapter 85: Remuneration


    Duncan steadied himself and walked toward the two police officers at the door.


    He felt clear of conscience¡ªafter all, he hadn¡¯t caused any destruction, nor had he had any conflicts with the authorities. Although Captain Duncan Strain¡¯s reputation preceded him, what did the mobile natural disasters of the Endless Sea have to do with an honest and upright antique shop owner?


    Upon reflection, the most suspicious thing he had done was attend a heretic gathering¡ªafter which he had enthusiastically reported it!


    Wait¡­ Reported?


    Suddenly recalling this fact, Duncan faintly guessed the reason for the police officers¡¯ visit. His steps toward the door became even more confident, but Nina clearly didn¡¯t share his composure. She rushed to meet her uncle as he descended the stairs and spoke in an urgent, hushed voice at an angle the officers couldn¡¯t see, ¡°Uncle, you have to come clean to the officers when they ask you questions¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s stride faltered, and he gave his ¡°niece¡± a strange look. ¡°Is that the image you have of me?¡±


    Nina looked somewhat aggrieved at her ¡°uncle,¡± whose reputation was not the best, someone who frequently had people knocking on his door due to drunkenness or brawls in gambling dens. ¡°What else would bring the officers here to look for you?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He sighed helplessly, approached the shop¡¯s entrance, and greeted the two officers in dark blue uniforms with a brilliant smile, ¡°Good morning, gentlemen. May I help you with anything?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Duncan Strain,¡± the elder of the two officers began in a polite yet formal tone, ¡°We¡¯ve located this address based on the registration¡ªthe clue you reported to the patrol officers yesterday has been verified, and on behalf of the city hall, we would like to thank you for your contribution to maintaining the City-State¡¯s order. As a token of our appreciation, we¡¯ve brought you a reward.¡±


    As he finished speaking, the younger officer stepped forward and handed over a rather thick envelope.


    Nina¡¯s eyes widened at the scene.


    Duncan had already guessed the officers¡¯ intent; he figured it was a follow-up to his previous report about the heretics¡¯ den, but he hadn¡¯t expected them to actually deliver the reward to his door. He took the envelope, somewhat surprised, and saw the one-time wax seal at the opening marked with ¡°435 Sola¡±¡ªfor residents of the Lower City District, this was a substantial amount of money.


    ¡°So, there¡¯s money to be had¡­¡± Duncan squeezed the envelope, feeling the thickness of the cash, ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought that much about it at the time.¡±


    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a reward¡ªthe Governor places a high priority on cracking down on criminal activities within the City-State, especially lately. Any effective report will earn a substantial and tangible reward,¡± the younger officer explained with a smile. ¡°Moreover, the clue you provided¡­ was quite exceptional.¡±


    Hearing this, Duncan¡¯s interest peaked, and he asked casually, ¡°By the way, when I heard the commotion over there, I didn¡¯t dare to look closely¡­ What exactly happened?¡±


    The two officers exchanged glances, then took a couple of steps into the shop. Nina paused for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening and hurried to close the shop door.


    ¡°We were not present at the scene. The Guardians are handling the matter, but according to the information we received¡­ the scene was quite grisly,¡± the younger officer said, not yet fully adept at the detached delivery of his senior. ¡°You did the right thing by not approaching recklessly and immediately reporting to the patrol officers. Otherwise, you would surely have been in danger.¡±


    After the young man finished speaking, the other officer also added, ¡°The specific details need not concern ordinary citizens; we¡¯re just here to remind you¡ªrecently, there¡¯s a rise in heretic activities within the city. Do not mention your report and the reward you received to outsiders.¡±


    Duncan paused, then quickly grasped the implication.


    This was the Lower City District, where the filth and poisons converged, the darkest of Proland¡¯s secrets hidden away in these decrepit, winding alleys. And when the heretical dangers stirred, they too would seek refuge in such places.


    Although the antique shop¡¯s street was considered one of the more respectable parts of the Lower City District, a fair distance from the poorest slums, from the perspective of harboring the unwanted, the whole Lower City District was much the same.


    Moreover, regardless of the possibility of heretics lurking among the ordinary people of the Lower City District, ¡°a person who reports to the authorities and collects a reward¡± here was also likely to be viewed with suspicion by others.


    The local officers were aware of this and gave a routine warning out of goodwill.


    Duncan thought about it and decided their warning was warranted.


    This place was indeed prone to heretic activities¡ªhe still had the Sun Emblem in his pocket.


    ¡°Thank you for the reminder,¡± he sincerely thanked them. Although the average competence of most local officers was unknown to him, at least these two had made a good impression on him, ¡°Would you like to rest here for a while?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± the senior officer waved his hand and turned toward the shop door, ¡°We still have a patrol to complete.¡±


    The young sheriff turned back before leaving, ¡°If you come across any leads in the future, you are welcome to report them in a timely manner¡ªthe safety of the City-State affects each and every one of us.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Duncan pinched the paper bag in his hand, a sincere smile on his face, ¡°I¡¯ve always been a good citizen concerned about the order of the City-State.¡±


    The two sheriffs left the ¡°enthusiastic good citizen Mr. Duncan¡¯s¡± antique shop, and it wasn¡¯t until the two uniformed figures had disappeared into the street that Nina finally snapped back to reality and looked at her uncle¡ªUncle Duncan was opening the paper bag, counting the bills of blues and greens inside. The pleasing sound of the paper flipping gave her a sense of reality, ¡°Uncle¡­ is this really a reward from the City Hall? You actually¡­ really¡­¡±


    The girl opened her mouth for a long time but, in the end, she didn¡¯t dare to ask, ¡°You actually really did a good deed.¡±


    But Duncan knew what Nina was thinking and what she was doubting. He laughed, ¡°It¡¯s just that I reported some illegal activities on the way home yesterday¡ªUncle has always been enthusiastic about public welfare.¡±


    Nina: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯m quite surprised by the high reward,¡± Duncan didn¡¯t wait for Nina to speak and pondered again, looking at the banknotes in his hand, murmuring, ¡°This makes money faster than doing business¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t say it out loud: based on the intelligence obtained earlier, there were who knows how many heretics from various City-States hiding in the city.


    That¡¯s all money!


    Nina was slow to react, ¡°Uncle, what did you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Duncan waved his hand, while ruminating on this new money-making scheme and casually said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go to school? Leave early so you¡¯re not late¡ªand by the way, when is Mr. Morris coming for a home visit?¡±


    ¡°This afternoon, I only have one class in the afternoon,¡± Nina said, seeming to recall something, ¡°Uncle, are you going out today?¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°Hmm, I have to step out, but I¡¯ll be back before your history teacher arrives.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Nina cast a suspicious look, ¡°Uncle, what are you going to do?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s smile was particularly bright, ¡°Uncle is going out hunting.¡±


    He already had an idea. Since the Sun Emblem was so effective, and the authorities were so generous with payouts, it was silly not to take advantage of the opportunity¡ªafter all, even without the ¡°report and get paid¡± factor, he would have caused trouble for the heretics just to ensure the stability of his surroundings, so why not benefit once more by alerting others about them?


    But Nina was a clever girl. Even if she didn¡¯t know the other details about Duncan, she immediately guessed what her uncle meant by ¡°hunting¡± and her delicate eyebrows immediately wrinkled with concern, ¡°¡­Uncle, what you¡¯re doing is wrong. Just yesterday you talked about running the shop honestly, about sorting things out in the shop, about hiring staff¡­¡±


    ¡°Caring about the City-State¡¯s public order and running a shop honestly are not in conflict,¡± Duncan said with a broad gesture, ¡°You go to school; Uncle knows what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    However, what he didn¡¯t anticipate was Nina¡¯s reaction¡ªshe simply found a chair and sat down.


    ¡°Nina?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s dangerous,¡± Nina looked up, gazing intently at Duncan.


    Duncan: ¡°Well¡­ actually¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to watch you,¡± Nina stubbornly sat there, ¡°The sheriffs just said that it¡¯s been unsafe in the City-State lately¡­ It¡¯s one thing to run into trouble accidentally, but how can you deliberately seek out that danger?¡±


    Duncan looked at the seventeen-year-old girl somewhat dumbfounded.


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    He suddenly realized that she truly cared about him¡ªin her stubborn belief in what was right and safe, she was concerned about ¡°Uncle Duncan, who has been seriously ill for years, weak in body, reckless in actions, and recently desperate to make money.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a bicycle,¡± Nina muttered, head bowed.


    ¡°Go to school,¡± Duncan suddenly sighed and went forward with a smile, gently patting Nina¡¯s head.


    Nina looked up in surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s dangerous,¡± Duncan said earnestly as he looked at Nina, ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯ll wait for you here in the shop.¡±

 Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 86 A Better Plan

    Chapter 82: Chapter 86 A Better Plan


    Nina went to school, as she had many times over many years, once more putting her faith in the promise her uncle made to wait at the shop until she returned home after school.


    Perhaps she no longer believed him but still stubbornly acted as if she did.


    Duncan stood behind the first-floor window of the antique shop, watching Nina¡¯s quick-moving figure turn the corner of the street and disappear from his sight.


    Uncle Duncan would be there in the shop waiting for her to come home. He had promised.


    ¡°Ai Yi, come here.¡±


    A thought flashed in his mind, and a green flame streaked through the air, materializing the form of a pigeon in front of Duncan.


    The bird cocked its head, eyeing its master with its mung bean-sized eyes.


    Through the connection established by the spiritual fire, Duncan could clearly feel the pigeon¡¯s location and its condition¡ªthough he was not yet able to fully share the senses, the level of perception he had was already enough for many tasks.


    Duncan lowered his head, looking into Ai Yi¡¯s small eyes, ¡°You¡¯re quite clever, aren¡¯t you? You understand everything I say and are capable of doing a lot, right?¡±


    The pigeon immediately flapped its wings proudly, ¡°Loyalty cannot be spoken, loyalty cannot be spoken!¡±


    ¡°I have a bold idea now that I want you to try,¡± Duncan said with a smile, and then drew from his bosom the sun badge that had turned into a ¡°Heretics Proximity Alarm.¡±


    He carefully wrapped the badge in a cloth to prevent it from being exposed to ordinary people, then tied it cautiously to Ai Yi¡¯s back using a strip of cloth.


    The pigeon cooperated from beginning to end, even helping Duncan knot the cloth with its beak, seeming to fully understand what its master intended, as intelligent as a human except for being unable to precisely articulate its own thoughts.


    ¡°Just fly erratically around the city, and when the badge heats up, search for the resonating location, ideally pinpointing a specific building,¡± Duncan instructed seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll track your location¡­ Start in the Lower City District and the Cross District, avoid the Upper City District because I¡¯m not familiar with it and can¡¯t determine addresses solely by location.¡±


    The pigeon flapped its wings and cocked its head, ¡°Some fries?¡±


    Duncan sternly replied, ¡°If you manage to locate one, I¡¯ll bury you in fries.¡±


    Without another word, the pigeon flapped its wings and dashed toward the door, seemingly afraid its master would change his mind.


    Duncan watched with a smile as the pigeon flew further and further away into the sky. He keenly tracked the bird¡¯s current position and its surrounding environment. Then, he went back into the room, fetched a map of Plunder City-State, and laid it on the counter. He looked at the map while recalling the layout details of the Lower City District in his mind and continually confirmed the bird¡¯s location through his perception.


    This was easier than he had anticipated¡ªthe connection formed by the spiritual fire was even more stable than at the beginning. Ai Yi¡¯s flight path was almost a clear and bright line in his mind, with a map and memory to assist, locating the bird was not challenging at all.


    This was a good method.


    Duncan breathed a sigh of relief, shifted into a comfortable position leaning on the counter¡ªhe had promised Nina he wouldn¡¯t ¡°seek trouble¡± outside, and he intended to keep that promise.


    But he could send the pigeon out to hunt while he stayed home to write the report¡­


    Frankly, this was a better plan, as the flight-capable pigeon could search far more efficiently around the city than he could by driving¡ªof course, there was also a downside, that once a heretic nest was discovered, there was no way to infiltrate and gather information, only report value remained.


    But Duncan didn¡¯t mind this minor regret. Based on his experience from attending past meetings, those easily found were just low-level heretics gathering information, and their intelligence value was limited. If Ai Yi truly sensed a ¡°big fish¡±¡­ he had other methods to ¡°fish out¡± that big one alone.


    After all, Ai Yi¡¯s abilities weren¡¯t limited to just carrying a sensor around¡ªits primary job was working as a courier¡­


    If they found a big fish, Ai Yi could just open a door on the spot and teleport the person to Homeloss, where his body was stationed on the ship, making it more convenient to interrogate in detail.


    It just so happened he had never tried using the pigeon to teleport humans, and he couldn¡¯t experiment with innocent civilians¡ªbut it was different for those cult priests who had nothing better to do than murder and make sacrifices.


    When necessary, they could be ¡°expendable.¡±


    Duncan leaned against the chair, sensing Ai Yi¡¯s location while plotting his plan in his mind, feeling more and more that it was perfect¡ªthe draft of his whistleblower letter, interrogation plan, arrest and transfer procedures were all laid out. Now, all that was missing was something called ¡°Sun Believer,¡± the two-legged walking moneybag.


    The only thing still needing consideration in the complete plan was how to explain to Nina about the reward money from the authorities when his whistleblower letter did indeed work¡ªhe had promised the girl not to go ¡°hunting.¡±


    Thinking hard, Duncan suddenly remembered something¡ª


    In this world that had evolved to the Industrial Age, there was such a thing as ¡°banks.¡±


    This was an inevitable outcome and a necessary condition of economic and productive development.


    Although banking systems in this world were nowhere near as convenient or widespread as those on Earth, they still had basic account features.


    The City-States across the Endless Sea even built an interconnected financial system with this¡ªalthough maintaining this system was far more difficult than on Earth, they still managed to establish it.


    The original owner of his body didn¡¯t blend in well and had never opened a bank account at the City-State bank¡ªthis was quite normal in the Lower City District, as usually only the respectable people of the Upper City District reached the ¡°level¡± needed to deal with banks, but the bank itself was open to all citizens.


    There was a bank in the Cross District.


    With this in mind, Duncan decided he would go to the Cross District in the next day or two to establish his first ¡°bank account¡± in this world. Afterwards, if his activities in the human world expanded, managing the flow of funds would become more convenient¡ªeven without considering the future, he could omit his address when writing whistleblower letters, leaving just an account number.


    Of course, whether this was feasible would still need to be tested, as the original owner of his body didn¡¯t have much experience (or to be precise, much positive experience) dealing with City-State security departments, but Duncan thought it was a reasonable plan.


    In this not-so-safe world, anonymous whistleblowing was a normal choice for many concerned citizens under cautious considerations.


    As for today¡­ he decided to simply stay inside the antique shop.


    This wasn¡¯t entirely because he wanted to strictly adhere to his ¡°promise¡± with Nina, but because this was his first time locating someone using the power of a Spiritual Body after letting the pigeon fly so far, and his inexperience required him to focus extra hard, thus needing a stable environment.


    Another reason was that he really should seriously do a day¡¯s ¡°business¡±¡ªthe shop hadn¡¯t opened since it came into his possession.


    Duncan stretched, stood up behind the counter, and slowly approached the front door, hanging the ¡°Open for Business¡± sign outside.


    He now had some plans and a new scheme, and all this began just because he had made a promise with a seventeen-year-old girl¡ªwhat an interesting experience.


    ¡­


    Near the Cross District, within a dilapidated, abandoned factory, guards clad in black coats with silver linings had already put up a blockade. Judge Fenna, wearing light armor and carrying a blessed greatsword, accompanied by two Deep Sea Priests, walked down the sloped staircase to the abandoned space on the factory¡¯s first underground floor.


    Everything here remained as it had been initially¡ªafter the first batch of guards had received the whistleblower report and discovered this gathering place, they had sealed off the scene until now.


    The vast basement reeked intensely of blood, coupled with a pungent smell from chemically burned materials, and the bodies of Heretics lay chaotically spread across the floor. Beyond these bodies of Sun Heretics, no signs of the Assailants were found¡ªno additional bodies and not even scraps of additional clothing.


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    Fenna slightly furrowed her brow.


    This was a one-sided crushing battle, where the Assailants¡¯ strength far exceeded these mainly ordinary Heretics, and it seemed the incident happened so suddenly that a considerable number of these Sun Heretics were killed without even having the chance to resist.


    Who took action?


    A Wild Supernatural Being with a personal vendetta against these Heretics? Another powerful heretical cult? Or some out-of-control bloody sacrifice, where these self-destructive heretics summoned from the ¡°Deeper Levels¡± a creature they couldn¡¯t possibly control?


    The young Judge was lost in thought.

 Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 87 Fennas Investigation Conclusion

    Chapter 83: Chapter 87 Fenna¡¯s Investigation Conclusion


    The meeting hall was left with only the scattered corpses of the heretics, and no evidence that could prove the identity of the assailants was found, which presented great difficulty for the investigation.


    But one thing was certain: the perpetrator of this attack was definitely not an ordinary human.


    A special pungent smell lingered in the air, a sign that the ¡°fire¡± had been contaminated.


    Fenna carefully examined the oil lamps left in the basement; nearby, a priest took out special powders and potions from a toolkit to analyze whether the oil lamps contained substances that should not exist in the real world.


    Fire is the most special thing in this world.


    Fire represents visible order, the handwriting when gods established the covenant for the world, the proof that ¡°civilization still exists¡±¡ªthe burning flame leaves marks on everything that changes.


    If a transcendent-level battle had occurred here, traces of it would definitely have lingered in the flames.


    After the priest got busy, Fenna returned to the center of the basement, looking at the body of a Sun Heretic who had died there.


    ¡°Several dozen fractures throughout the skeleton, as if struck directly by a rampaging bull; it¡¯s hard to imagine what kind of weapon could cause this,¡± a forensic officer nearby said. ¡°Pure brute force blunt trauma, no traces of any spell.¡±


    ¡°Brute force blunt trauma¡­ enough to break dozens of bones in one hit?¡± Fenna frowned slightly. ¡°What is this? A one-meter-diameter meteor hammer?¡±


    The forensic officer shook his head. ¡°More suspicious than that is the ash at the end there.¡±


    Fenna walked to the end of the basement and saw the ¡°ash¡± the other was talking about.


    A complete set of clothes was scattered on the ground, amidst fine black ash, suggesting an easy thought¡ªthat a person had once laid here.


    ¡°Undoubtedly, it¡¯s some kind of transcendent power; judging from the traces, it could be a variant of aberrant flames,¡± Fenna assessed briefly, then spoke to the forensic officer beside her, ¡°Ordinary flames couldn¡¯t turn a person to ash like this while completely preserving the clothes.¡±


    ¡°The wall shows impacts; this heretic seems to have been slammed into the wall by a great force, then incinerated by flames,¡± said another priest on the scene. ¡°This heretic alone was killed by a transcendent power here¡ªand it¡¯s a type of transcendent power we¡¯ve never seen before.


    ¡°Moreover, we found a spot on the basement floor severely corroded by an unknown force, but no residual physical substances were found. This might also be the effect of a transcendent power.¡±


    ¡°It could be a spell cast by someone, or it could be from an anomalous object,¡± Fenna offhandedly noted. ¡°Was this place discovered because of a report by a citizen?¡±


    ¡°Yes, an attentive citizen heard unusual noises at the abandoned factory during the transition from day to night, and reported to the rotating city guards and protectors at the street corner,¡± the priest nodded in response. ¡°These heretics actually covered their tracks well upon entering the City-State and successfully infiltrated the Lower City District. They would have likely continued hiding if not for this attack.¡±


    ¡°Now that one hideout has been exposed, it likely means there are more hidden in the shadows,¡± Fenna said solemnly. ¡°The seedy alleys of the Lower City District are the focus of this period¡¯s investigation. We need to¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, a protector hurriedly approached from the side, holding something in their hand. ¡°Judge, take a look at this!¡±


    Fenna immediately looked up and saw that the protector was holding a small tray containing several blood-stained, slightly deformed copper bullets.


    ¡°We found two revolvers that had been fired at the scene. These bullets were likely fired from those guns,¡± the protector reported, ¡°The blood on the bullets is most likely from the assailants!¡±


    Fenna¡¯s gaze fell on the bullets, and she instantly noticed the deformation of the bullet heads¡ªthe bullets were stained with blood, indicating they had entered flesh and blood bodies, yet their compressed and deformed state suggested it was not caused by soft, fragile flesh.


    Unless each bullet had struck bone, or¡­ the person shot possessed extremely strong physical strength.


    And how did these bullets, already lodged in a body, end up at the scene?


    Fenna thought carefully and concluded there were only two possibilities: either the assailants had performed bullet-removal surgery on themselves at the scene, or the assailants had special physical abilities that allowed them to forcibly eject the bullets from their bodies.


    Regardless of the possibility, one thing was clear: this powerful assailant, despite being shot numerous times, had effortlessly eliminated all heretics here and calmly removed the bullets from their body after the incident.


    Fenna looked at her own hands.


    She was capable of doing such things but, precisely because she could, she understood how immensely challenging it was for mere mortals of flesh and blood.


    ¡°The ones who killed these heretics must have been a Transcendent with significantly enhanced physical abilities, using some type of large blunt weapon,¡± Fenna turned and spoke to an attendant after pondering, ¡°The opponent is experienced, resolute, and extremely strong. Considering the weapon used, the individual is likely very tall and may possess some sort of fire power. Our initial assumption places them as enemies of the Sun Heretic, but it¡¯s unclear if they stand with us¡­


    ¡°Notify all guards and law officers to be on the lookout for anyone fitting the above description. If a suspect is spotted, report back first, and avoid rash contact.¡±


    The attending guard bowed his head immediately, ¡°Yes, Judge.¡±


    Fenna exhaled softly, roughly sketching in her mind what the assailant who had disrupted the gathering might look like: a two-meter-tall man wielding a giant Wolf Fang Club or meteor hammer, skilled in combat and steadfast, with the ability to summon flames.


    It should be something like that.


    ¡­


    Duncan smiled as he saw off the second customer of the day, watching the plump lady walk away slowly, feeling quite pleased.


    The lady was a regular at the store, and today she had taken a liking to a pair of vases that she wanted as a gift for her new neighbors.


    The vases, sourced from a wholesale market, were produced last week but had an eight-hundred-year history¡ªoriginally priced at over two hundred thousand, discounted to twenty-six thousand, including a pair of stone sculptures from the Soland Dynasty that were manufactured last Wednesday.


    The regular customer knew the items were fake, but she believed Duncan the store owner was genuine all the way.


    After throwing several crumpled banknotes into a drawer, Duncan sat down behind the counter, feeling slightly more at ease.


    At least for now, running this antique store was a novel and intriguing affair for him.


    Of course, the financial gains from such small transactions were limited¡ªthe two vases along with the two sculptures earned him just over six solars, and only two customers had visited the shop all morning. He wasn¡¯t sure if this ¡°customer traffic¡± was good or bad on an ordinary day, but it obviously wasn¡¯t as promising as reporting heretics.


    Duncan partly focused on Ai Yi¡¯s situation.


    The pigeon was currently flying low over the fourth district. Unfortunately, the Sun Amulet tied to its back hadn¡¯t shown any response so far.


    This was normal¡ªwhile many heretics had infiltrated the Plunder City-State, they weren¡¯t so widespread that they were everywhere. Moreover, they dispersed their activities deliberately, hiding in forgotten nooks and crannies, making them hard to spot.


    Hunting required patience, after all.


    Duncan leisurely enjoyed the quiet moment, keeping an eye on the pigeon while occasionally checking on the Homeloss or controlling his own body aboard the ship to stroll on the deck, watching Alice hilariously scramble as she fought with the oddities on board. Suddenly, he felt his peculiar life wasn¡¯t too bad.


    Just then, a crisp and pleasant ring of the doorbell came from the front door, interrupting his idle musings.


    ¡°Welcome.¡±


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    As Duncan casually greeted, he looked up towards the entrance and saw an elderly gentleman with graying hair pushing the door open.


    This was a meticulously dressed old man, wearing a crisp and clean deep brown coat, shiny leather shoes, and carrying an indiscernible black cane, with hair and bow tie immaculately styled.


    His attire didn¡¯t seem typical of the Lower City District; it rather resembled something from the Cross District or even the Upper City District.


    Duncan didn¡¯t have much concept of the so-called ¡°respectable people¡± of this world, but he could tell at a glance that this gentleman was not an ordinary customer.


    ¡°See anything you like?¡± he smiled, playing the part of a genuine antique shop owner, ¡°If it¡¯s fated, take it with you.¡±

 Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 88: There is a Genuine Article

    Chapter 84: Chapter 88: There is a Genuine Article


    The old gentleman walked into the antique shop, curiously examining the surroundings¡ªthe aged display windows, the cheap iron shelves, and the so-called ¡°antiques¡± almost randomly placed about¡ªperfectly embodied the positioning of the shop:


    In the entire store, except for the money taken, there wasn¡¯t a single thing that wasn¡¯t fake.


    However, this elder gentleman, who didn¡¯t at all resemble the common folks of the Lower City District, was still looking over the items in the shop with great interest until Duncan¡¯s voice came from the direction of the counter; only then did he finally turn his gaze.


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting saying,¡± the elder gentleman chuckled, ¡°taking away what¡¯s fated¡­ Putting aside the objects themselves, the sentiment is quite beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Actually, fate alone isn¡¯t enough¡ªyou also need money,¡± Duncan returned the smile, ¡°Fortunately, everything here is inexpensive¡ªare there any items you wish to buy?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not here to buy anything,¡± the elder gentleman opened his mouth, ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Duncan enthusiastically continued: ¡°Whether you buy or not, it¡¯s good to have a look around, maybe you¡¯ll find something that catches your eye?¡±


    The elder gentleman couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of helplessness on his face: ¡°These¡­ your goods are all fakes.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± said Duncan as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, ¡°Real items wouldn¡¯t be displayed here¡ªmy store doesn¡¯t even have a security gate, it relies on the thieves not making a profit.¡±


    The elder gentleman¡¯s face twitched noticeably, probably never expecting such a candid attitude from the proprietor of a shop selling fake antiques, and it took him several seconds to respond: ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Those who are good at self-persuasion see this place as an antique shop to fulfill themselves. Those who are realists treat it as a variety store, appreciating the value for money. And for those who are both in denial and in recognition of reality, I congratulate them on finding a gold brick in a pile of garbage. There¡¯s only one real antique in the entire shop, and they happened to come across it¡ªextremely fated. Anyway, the main point of spending thirty to fifty is for the happiness. Even if you¡¯re majorly duped here, it won¡¯t go over a hundred, and you still get a modern industrial creation. If you think about it, isn¡¯t that also quite a good deal?¡±


    The elder gentleman listened to Duncan¡¯s twisted justifications, seemingly perplexed due to lack of social experience in this area, and then, suddenly, his gaze fell on a corner next to the counter, with a subtle change in his expression.


    Duncan had been fully engrossed in the joy of doing business, but when he noticed the change in the elder gentleman¡¯s gaze, his heart stirred, and he immediately thought of something. Before he could speak up, he saw the elder gentleman reaching towards that corner: ¡°This item¡­¡±


    Among a pile of miscellaneous items, he had found an ancient-looking dagger, exceptionally well-preserved.


    He took the dagger out.


    It was the very object Duncan had earlier hidden in the pile of miscellaneous goods, an old relic from the ship Homeloss¡ªone of the only two genuine antiques in the entire store.


    The other one was a cast-iron cannonball placed even deeper within the pile.


    At first, Duncan had thought about diverting the elder gentleman¡¯s attention, but then he noticed the change in the man¡¯s expression and his professional demeanor while examining the pattern on the dagger¡¯s sheath; Duncan immediately realized something:


    This elder gentleman might be a ¡°professional.¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brow, his eyes sweeping over the dagger.


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t a big deal¡ªthis item was not a Transcendent object, nor did it carry a Curse or any such ¡°sea-borne speciality.¡± Though it came from the ship Homeloss, in essence, it was no different from ordinary ¡°antiques.¡±


    An utterly ordinary item, and an overreaction would be suspicious.


    ¡°This item¡­¡± the elder gentleman repeated, raising his head to look at Duncan with some surprise, ¡°Is it also one of the ¡®goods¡¯ in the store?¡±


    The gentleman spoke euphemistically, but his implication was quite clear: How did a real item get mixed into this pile of fakes? Was it a mistake at work?


    Seeing the elder gentleman¡¯s reaction, Duncan guessed he was someone knowledgeable. At this point, playing dumb would be inappropriate; instead, a fitting acknowledgment was due. So he toned down his smile, taking on an air of deep mystery: ¡°You see, you¡¯ve just encountered something destined for you.¡±


    Then he cleared his throat, a serious look on his face: ¡°Most items in the store are on sale, some exceptions apply¡ªfor instance, the one in your hands.¡±


    The older gentleman immediately turned around to glance at the shelves, his eyes sweeping over the ¡°modern crafts¡± with price tags discounting from hundreds of thousands to just tens, and who knows what he imagined, but he immediately found the seemingly rundown but intimidating antique shop to be mysterious and interesting. He carefully placed the dagger on the counter as if about to ask about the price, but just then, the sound of a bell chiming suddenly came from the door, interrupting his action.


    Duncan looked up towards the store entrance and saw Nina¡¯s figure.


    ¡°Uncle Duncan, I¡¯m back!¡± Nina called out to the direction of the counter without even lifting her head as she entered, ¡°Has Mr. Morris arrived yet?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen him,¡± Duncan glanced around the inside of the shop, ¡°I was just entertaining¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, the elderly gentleman in front of him cleared his throat twice and then raised his hand, pointing to himself: ¡°My name is Morris.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Morris!¡± Nina also noticed the elderly gentleman at the counter and exclaimed in surprise, then she became obviously nervous as every student who runs into a teacher after school would, snapping to attention and standing up straight, ¡°Good afternoon!¡±


    Duncan looked back and forth between Nina and the old man, his gaze shuttling between them twice, feeling the atmosphere finally turning awkward.


    ¡°I wanted to introduce myself from the start,¡± the older gentleman spread his hands helplessly, ¡°but you interrupted me before I could speak and then began to show me the items in the store¡­¡±


    Nina also realized what had happened and immediately noticed the dusty-looking dagger on the counter, quickly stepping forward: ¡°Teacher, don¡¯t buy it! Everything in our shop is fake!¡±


    Duncan looked at the girl with a peculiar expression, thinking to himself how incredibly honest this child was, selling out her family¡¯s business in less than a second in front of her teacher¡ªalthough given the quality of the goods in the shop and Morris¡¯s expertise as a history scholar, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference whether she sold them out or not¡­


    On the other hand, Mr. Morris shook his head after hearing Nina¡¯s words, pointing to the dagger on the counter: ¡°This piece is real.¡±


    Nina was stunned: ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°This dagger should be from a century ago and was one of the preferred tools and daggers of sailors from middle City-States like Rensa, but due to the closure of the forging workshops and the corrosion from sea storms on items at sea, there are very few in existence today, and most are in terrible condition¡­¡±


    As Morris spoke, he carefully picked up the dagger from the counter, drawing the blade a little and continued with an astonished tone: ¡°I¡­ I have never seen one in such good condition. It¡¯s as if it was still being used recently, with a blade sharp enough to slice paper, and not a single flaw throughout¡­¡±


    ¡°It even has its original scabbard,¡± Duncan added from the side, ¡°If you look closely, you will find that even the buckle at the back of the scabbard is original.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Morris quickly inspected the scabbard and fittings of the dagger with even more surprise in his eyes: ¡°This¡­ I really didn¡¯t notice before¡­ My goodness! It¡¯s as if it was just taken from a sailor¡¯s pocket from a century ago! If I weren¡¯t so confident in my own judgment, I¡¯d almost suspect this to be an astonishing imitation¡­ but it even has the pattern at the handle¡¯s junction and a unique flaw at the end of the handle¡­¡±


    He suddenly paused with a puzzled look, looked up at Duncan, then at Nina next to him, the history expert suddenly unsure: ¡°It¡¯s really not a fake?¡±


    Hearing this, Nina quickly waved her hands: ¡°Uncle can¡¯t make something this real¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eye twitched as he looked at his niece: ¡°Go upstairs and do your homework!¡±


    Nina was taken aback: ¡°I don¡¯t have homework today¡­¡±


    ¡°Then go read a book!¡±


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    Nina stuck out her tongue and took small steps towards the staircase, but after a few steps, she looked back at her history teacher: ¡°Mr. Morris, don¡¯t forget you¡¯re here for a home visit¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, I have a lot to discuss with Mr. Duncan,¡± Morris said with a beaming smile, the elderly gentleman looking quite radiant, ¡°Go upstairs and read¡ªdon¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t snitch on my students behind their backs.¡±


    Nina looked puzzledly at Uncle Duncan and her teacher¡ªshe seemed not to have expected this ¡°home visit¡± to start in such a manner.


    But the next moment, she unexpectedly revealed a slight smile.


    The girl ran lightly up the stairs.

 Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 89 Ninas Strangeness

    Chapter 85: Chapter 89 Nina¡¯s Strangeness


    Watching Nina swiftly run up the stairs, Duncan hadn¡¯t quite grasped what was happening just yet, only scratching his head in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s this child giggling about¡­¡±


    Then he heard Mr. Morris¡¯s voice coming from beside the counter, ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re nothing like the impression I had of you, Mr. Duncan.¡±


    ¡°Nothing like your impression?¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°What impression did you have of me?¡±


    As he spoke, he stepped around from behind the counter to hang a ¡°Temporarily Closed¡± sign on the door and brought a chair over to the counter¡ªafter confirming that the visitor was a teacher who had come for a home visit rather than a regular customer, it wouldn¡¯t have been appropriate to have him keep standing.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mr. Morris nodded in appreciation and took a seat, looking towards Duncan with a gentle, scholarly smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t met you before, but I¡¯ve heard through certain channels about Nina¡¯s family situation. I apologize for my directness, but according to what I¡¯ve heard, Nina has an uncle who¡¯s an abusive alcoholic and gambler, and this has led to a very harsh home environment so severe that she has almost no friends at school¡ªother students tend to avoid dealing with her.¡±


    Duncan was making coffee on the side, and upon hearing Mr. Morris¡¯s words, his actions involuntarily paused for two seconds before he unhurriedly finished his task. He returned to the counter carrying two cups of coffee, pushing one toward the old man, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind that I only have this cheap stuff¡ªthe best coffee in the Lower City District is no better than this.¡±


    He sat down opposite the old man, each holding a steaming cup, the ancient dagger lying between them, but now neither was paying it any attention.


    ¡°To speak strictly¡­ all those rumors are true,¡± Duncan slowly said, ¡°I fell ill before, well, quite a severe illness¡ªduring which painkillers were ineffective, I could only rely on strong liquor to numb the nerves. It was a period of decline, unfortunately coinciding with Nina¡¯s crucial teenage years. Looking back, it seems the impact on her was even more significant than I had thought.¡±


    Mr. Morris observed Duncan intensely, finally speaking thoughtfully after a long moment, ¡°Is that so? But you don¡¯t seem like someone who has just come out of a downfall, it¡¯s more like you¡¯ve never fallen, always been an active, optimistic gentleman, your wit and humor in conversation don¡¯t seem like they¡¯ve been affected by alcohol.¡±


    As he spoke, he tasted the coffee from his cup without passing any judgment on it, merely remarking casually, ¡°I think I have a pretty good eye for people.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I just adjust quickly,¡± Duncan laughed lightly, his tone unusually serene¡ªhe had to admit the old man indeed had an accurate perception of people, but he trusted that even the most discerning eyes couldn¡¯t see the secrets hidden inside his own shell, so he was completely calm, ¡°Nina¡¯s almost an adult, and I¡¯m her only guardian. I need to take some responsibility.¡±


    ¡°¡­Regardless, that¡¯s good for the child,¡± Mr. Morris looked deeply at Duncan, ¡°She¡¯s at a critical stage in her studies. Although many say that graduating from a public high school only leads to turning screws in factories, they always overlook one thing: knowledge itself is a precious asset. It always shows its worth one day in your life, often when you no longer have the chance to return to school.¡±


    The elderly man sighed as he spoke, shaking his head, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that most of the parents I¡¯ve dealt with don¡¯t see it this way¡ªthey focus on getting their children to graduate and find jobs as quickly as possible.¡±


    Duncan felt a sense of kinship upon hearing this, ¡°Mr. Morris, I know these words well! I used to say similar things when I was a teacher to students or their parents, but no one listened¡­¡±


    However, he quickly restrained his feeling of camaraderie, considering the environment he was currently in, he slightly shook his head:


    ¡°Because this is the Lower City District, Mr. Morris¡ªyour view is indeed wise and foresighted, but most people here really do need to pay off last month¡¯s bills soon, you can¡¯t say their vision isn¡¯t long-range for that.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, many would like to look further ahead, but the high walls of daily life always block our view of the distance,¡± the old man lamented, ¡°Sorry, being steeped in books all the time, one tends to overlook the practical problems of life¡­ You are a very thoughtful person, it seems my worries were unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°Worries?¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°Speaking of which, has Nina been having any problems at school recently? Has her academic performance declined?¡±


    ¡°Her grades have always been very good, but recently¡­ she does seem somewhat distracted,¡± Mr. Morris carefully chose his words, ¡°She daydreams in class, sleeps during study periods, and even gets distracted during lab classes¡ªin last week¡¯s chemistry class, she even accidentally lit the lab bench on fire. Such situations had never occurred before¡­ at least not with her.¡±


    After saying this, the gentleman paused, then added, ¡°In the test a couple of days ago, her grades hadn¡¯t really dropped, but if this state continues, it¡¯s hard to say how her grades will turn out at graduation¡ªthough the career options after graduating from a public high school are indeed limited, assembling machines in factories in the Lower City District and maintaining steam cores in churches in the Upper City District are not the same. As Nina¡¯s guardian, you should start taking this seriously.¡±


    ¡°Nina has been frequently distracted during class lately?¡± Duncan furrowed his brows, ¡°She hasn¡¯t mentioned anything about this to me.¡±


    ¡°At her age, girls definitely don¡¯t tell you much,¡± Morris shook his head, ¡°At first, I thought something might have happened at home, or her ¡®drunk uncle¡¯ had done something recently that was affecting her behavior at school; hence, I came to do this home visit. But now it appears¡­ it¡¯s not for these reasons.¡±


    Duncan did not speak immediately, only seriously trying to recall if Nina had shown any abnormalities in front of him recently, recalling Nina¡¯s daily routine. After a few seconds, Morris asked again, ¡°You are the person who knows her best. Has the child been experiencing anything unusual lately? Like not resting well or not feeling well?¡±


    Duncan thought for a long time, only to spread his hands helplessly, ¡°¡­I¡¯m ashamed to say, I can¡¯t think of an answer.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t think of an answer¡ªhe didn¡¯t even know Nina a week ago! How could he know if the child had undergone any changes recently compared to before?


    Morris didn¡¯t seem very surprised by Duncan¡¯s response; he probably had lowered his expectations for ¡°Nina¡¯s uncle¡± based on local rumors and now simply said habitually, ¡°You should pay more attention to her¡ªespecially at her age, mere material support is not enough.¡±


    Upon hearing this, an idea suddenly popped into Duncan¡¯s mind: ¡°Could she be in love?¡±


    Truth be told, this idea was somewhat influenced by Zhou Ming¡¯s experience as a teacher¡­


    However, after hearing this, Morris showed a somewhat odd expression, giving Duncan a strange look, ¡°That¡¯s an all-girls school¡­¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, seriously responding, ¡°Girls¡¯ schools are possible too.¡±


    Morris¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    The old gentleman, who had always been engrossed in academia, was greatly shocked!


    ¡°Cough, well, I was just speaking offhand,¡± Duncan quickly realized the topic might be too far-fetched upon seeing the old man¡¯s reaction and quickly coughed to interrupt the awkwardness, ¡°I¡¯ll have a good talk with Nina¡­ she should be willing to speak to me.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ oh, of course,¡± the old man finally reacted, seemingly still immersed in shock, his words coming half a beat slow, ¡°As far as I know¡­ Nina is a very honest and frank child. If you talk to her seriously, she probably won¡¯t resist too much.¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°Anything else going on? Has Nina been acting differently at school in any other ways recently?¡±


    ¡°Other than being distracted and spacey, not really,¡± the old man thought for a moment and shook his head, ¡°Actually, the main reason I came today was to discuss this matter and to get a better understanding of her real family situation¡­ Oh right, speaking of which, Nina¡¯s parents are because of¡­¡±


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    ¡°An accident eleven years ago,¡± Duncan said, ¡°The official record mentions that incident, the chemical plant leak in Sixth District.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± the old man sighed, ¡°I remember that accident; my daughter and I happened to be near the Cross District. When the chemical plant leaked, it caused a big stir; the affected crowd even briefly reached the edge of Upper City District¡­ Subsequent investigations also mentioned that many Heretics were causing chaos that night, and the chemical plant was sabotaged by them¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s mind stirred, nonchalantly asking, ¡°Didn¡¯t a big fire also occur in Lower City District that same night?¡±


    ¡°A big fire? I don¡¯t recall any fire,¡± Morris frowned, ¡°Are you mistaken?¡±


    ¡°¡­ It seems I am mistaken,¡± Duncan pressed his forehead, smiling, ¡°I really should stay away from alcohol.¡±

 Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 90: The Antique Shops First Big Deal

    Chapter 86: Chapter 90: The Antique Shop¡¯s First Big Deal


    As I expected, Duncan had anticipated Maurice¡¯s reaction; he broached the subject simply to confirm his suspicions.


    Just as the intelligence he had previously gathered indicated, ordinary people like Maurice were completely unaware of the great fire¡ªthat fire existed only in Nina¡¯s and his own memory.


    To be precise, before he took over this body, that fire had been confined to Nina¡¯s memory alone.


    The topic shifted quickly, and Maurice did not harbor any suspicions about the odd subject. He then proceeded to introduce Nina¡¯s academic and class situations to Duncan and inquired about her family circumstances.


    It was evident that this caring teacher had long wanted to delve into these matters, but the abysmal, degenerate lifestyle of Nina¡¯s uncle had postponed this conversation until today.


    The memories Duncan inherited from the body were limited, and he was unclear about many of the teacher¡¯s questions. Fortunately, his nimble thinking and robust imagination helped him manage the past, while for those issues he couldn¡¯t handle¡­ he blamed it on the previous life¡¯s decadence, harm caused by alcohol, vowing to reform going forward¡­


    Having experienced numerous ¡°home visits,¡± he was well-acquainted with the typical questions and focal points of teachers, even though he now found himself in a different world and a different identity, some of that experience still proved useful.


    Once the ¡°serious matters¡± were finally discussed, it was not surprising that Mr. Maurice¡¯s attention turned to his second point of interest.


    The old gentleman¡¯s gaze landed on the well-preserved antique dagger on the counter, his eagerness unmistakable, ¡°Is this item¡­ for sale?¡±


    Duncan immediately smiled, ¡°This is an antique store.¡±


    Of course, the antiques displayed in an antique store were for sale.


    He had come to realize that, although the dagger came from Homeloss, selling it seemed to pose no risk¡ªHomeloss had many items, and not all were connected to the Transcendent. Such a dagger, placed elsewhere, was merely a regular antique¡­ what harm was there in selling it?


    Compared to the slew of fakes in the store, Homeloss¡¯s stock was a veritable gold mine!


    Once his thoughts were in order, Duncan felt a sense of liberation, suddenly recognizing that he had always been sitting on a treasure trove¡ªthe junk he regarded as trivial was merely wealth misplaced, awaiting wealthy, destined patrons. Take Mr. Maurice here¡­ wasn¡¯t he a person of destiny?


    Maurice, however, was oblivious to the thoughts swirling in the head of the antique store owner as his attention was wholly devoted to the well-preserved dagger before him. After much hesitation, he cautiously asked, ¡°How much?¡±


    Duncan hesitated¡­


    The answer was not so clear, for even with the complete memories of this body, he didn¡¯t know how to price it¡ªsince the day this store opened, it had never sold a genuine item¡­ Furthermore, there was no standardized pricing for antiques; he was utterly out of his depth. What would be an appropriate price to call out at this moment?


    Duncan quickly mulled it over, eliminating the option of setting a price in the range of 200,000 to 300,000 as seen on the store tags¡ªeven though the dagger was real and in excellent condition, it was only a little over a century old. Additionally, based on Mr. Maurice¡¯s earlier revelations, such a dagger from a century ago, although not abundantly available, was not unique. The sailors of that era had used it as a utility knife¡­ this inevitably limited its value.


    Not ancient and not unique, lacking a special historical background, a modern item of great condition but ordinary collectible and aesthetic value. Mr. Maurice seemed very fond of it, which might slightly raise the price, but there was a limit to how much¡ªafter all, he was still Nina¡¯s teacher, and that relationship had to be considered.


    After musing for a brief moment, which took no more than a few seconds, Duncan finally shook his head, smiling, ¡°You make an offer¡ªMr. Maurice, you are Nina¡¯s most respected teacher, and I really can¡¯t set a price as I would with ordinary customers.¡±


    He was acutely aware of his limited knowledge, and setting a credible price seemed harder than keeping a goat silent for three days. Setting it too high or too low would reveal his incompetence, so he might as well provide an opportunity for Mr. Maurice to help judge the value.


    He believed Mr. Maurice might guess his intention.


    As for whether he would lose out on this transaction¡­ Duncan was rather open-minded.


    It was a transaction cost him nothing to acquire, so how could he lose¡ªgaining an unexpected revenue in this unprepared situation, while also accumulating some experience and meeting a professional in the historical field, was indeed quite a win.


    Maurice pondered seriously.


    He wasn¡¯t overthinking; most of his attention was fixated on the dagger.


    ¡°Three thousand¡­ three thousand four hundred solars, that¡¯s my estimate,¡± Maurice finally spoke. He seemed to have carefully considered the figure, ¡°Mr. Duncan, you might find this price a bit low, but considering the era of the dagger and its historical positioning¡­ such non-unique collectibles significantly depreciate in the market. Of course, its condition is excellent, which is rare, but we must also consider not every collector will be interested¡­¡±


    The elderly gentleman seemed to be struggling to explain the reasons for his pricing, while Duncan listened but his mind was already rapidly calculating¡ª


    In the Lower City District, the entire monthly expenses for an average family of three only amounted to a little over two hundred solars¡ªand most civilians in the Lower City District barely broke even each month, if they managed to save at all.


    This dagger was almost equivalent to a year and a half¡¯s income for an ordinary household in the Lower City District.


    That was the value of a ¡°real deal¡± here, and it wasn¡¯t even that expensive of a ¡°real deal.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know whether to marvel at the antique trade¡¯s saying, ¡°Open for three years, closed for three years,¡± or to lament about the staggering gap between the ordinary life in the Lower City District and the so-called ¡°refined hobbies¡± of the upper classes.


    Perhaps he should marvel at just how wealthy this old gentleman was.


    ¡°Deal,¡± he exhaled softly, smiling at the old man.


    He didn¡¯t consider haggling to be a waste of effort.


    After all, this was a large sum of money for both Nina and him at the moment¡ªfar more than what they would get for reporting a heretics¡¯ nest.


    He had been contemplating ways to make money not long ago, yet now it seemed less urgent.


    Life is unpredictable.


    However, Maurice felt Duncan agreed too eagerly, which made him feel a bit apologetic, ¡°Actually¡­ you¡¯re at a loss at this price. Normally, considering the number of these daggers left and their condition, it should be at least ten to twenty percent more expensive¡­ but¡­¡±


    The old man touched his nose, seemingly a bit embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯ve recently spent quite a lot on collecting antiques, and I¡¯m a bit short on¡­¡±


    The old gentleman was more honest than Duncan had expected.


    ¡°I think this is a very good price. Let¡¯s consider the difference as ¡®fate¡¯,¡± Duncan said with a smile, and then as if he suddenly remembered something, he got up and walked behind the counter, ¡°Oh, to celebrate this ¡®big business¡¯, I have a little something extra for you.¡±


    Maurice looked curious and expectant, only to see Duncan pull out a small amethyst pendant from a compartment behind the counter.


    The old man was sharp-eyed and noticed right away that the tag from some glass workshop was still on the pendant.


    Maurice: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°This pendant has the effect of calming the mind and warding off evil spirits. The crystal has been blessed and can guide one through illusions and curses. Ancient hypnotists used it to protect their minds from the dangers lurking in the Dreamscape,¡± Duncan pushed the pendant forward, his expression serious, ¡°It has protected generation after generation¡­ Now it¡¯s your destiny¡­¡±


    Maurice hesitated and pointed at the tag on the pendant, ¡°But it says ¡®John¡¯s Glassworks¡¯ on here¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, forgot to take it off,¡± Duncan unceremoniously removed the tag, ¡°This is just a free gift. How many genuine articles do you think I have to give away in my shop?¡±


    Maurice paused, then laughed, ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡ªthank you very much for your ¡®gift.¡¯ Hopefully, it will make my daughter nag me less.¡±


    As he spoke, he accepted the pendant, then fumbled in his pocket for a while, pulling out a checkbook, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring so much cash with me¡ªthis check can be cashed at the Plunder City-State bank in either the Cross District or the Upper City District, does that work for you?¡±


    Duncan smiled, ¡°Of course.¡±


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    As he said this, his gaze fell on Maurice¡¯s check.


    He had had some doubts when Nina first mentioned her history teacher, and today, having actually met Mr. Maurice, his doubts resurfaced.


    Whether from his dress, his daily conduct, or his professional knowledge in history and antiques, this gentleman clearly wasn¡¯t ordinary¡ªeven without knowing the situation in the Upper City District, Duncan could tell that such a scholar belonged in a university there, not in a public school in the Cross District.


    Even disregarding other factors, there was an obvious question:


    Could an ordinary public school history teacher really so easily part with a year and a half¡¯s income from the Lower City District for a collectible he took a fancy to?

 Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 91: Disordered History

    Chapter 87: Chapter 91: Disordered History


    The so-called ¡°public school¡± of the Plunder City-State was nothing like the real universities in the Upper City District¡ªthese schools, subsidized by the City Hall, were not intended to cultivate true scholars. Their greater purpose was to train skilled workers for the factories in the Lower City District and for the Church¡¯s steam engines, while providing basic literacy education to the masses in the process.


    Given this premise, one could imagine the level of resources available at the public school in the Cross District.


    It was Duncan¡¯s first encounter with Morris, but even at first glance, he could tell that the old man¡¯s scholarly achievements were extraordinary. He was a real expert who could accurately identify an artifact from a pile of junk at first sight and precisely state its date and historical background. An expert like him would be more than sufficient for a university in the Upper City District.


    To be matter-of-fact, having his wealth of knowledge in the Cross District¡¯s public school was a sheer waste. Nina had said that hardly any of her classmates cared about what the old gentleman was teaching. For them, staying awake through a class was respect enough for the teacher¡¯s efforts.


    Moreover, Mr. Morris had been able to produce a significant sum of money to purchase a dagger from a century ago¡ªsomeone who carried a checkbook around didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary citizen.


    Duncan thought for a while, finding it too abrupt to ask outright ¡°How come you have so much money?¡± But rephrasing it with the art of language seemed more natural:


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m quite curious. How come a scholar like you stays and teaches at the public school in the Cross District?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not the first to ask that,¡± Morris seemed to have grown accustomed to such questions, and with a faint smile, he carefully packed away his belongings while speaking, ¡°There¡¯s nothing special, really. I¡¯ve just grown old and tired of the overly tense academic atmosphere in the Upper City District universities. Rather than compete with young folks for the already scarce resources, I prefer finding a quieter place to complete my own research¡­ And besides, in my later years, it¡¯s nice to pass on my knowledge to more young people, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The old man seemed to withhold the full truth, but Duncan noticed the other did not wish to delve too deep and did not press on, merely commenting casually, ¡°However, I heard from Nina that her classmates don¡¯t really value the knowledge you teach¡­ In this Lower City District where life is tough, isn¡¯t searching for the glory of the Ancient Crete Kingdom a bit too far off?¡±


    ¡°Even in the deepest, darkest alleys, as long as a perceptive mind continues to think, ¡®history¡¯ is always valuable,¡± Morris shook his head, ¡°It is because of the history of thousands of years that we have been able to reach today.


    ¡°Human life is fleeting. It is the continuation and reverence of history that allows the lifespan of civilization to far exceed that of individuals. This is also key to what distinguishes us from those strange, blind creatures in the deep sea¡ªthey have longevity but do not understand the recording of civilization, so they can never eradicate us.


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Duncan, you¡¯re not wrong. Here in the Lower City District, few people are willing to listen to my lengthy discourses¡­ But if I have taught even one student, I feel that my years have not been wasted.¡±


    Morris spoke at a steady pace, then seemed to suddenly realize something, showing a mild and apologetic smile, ¡°Sorry, professional habit¡ªI¡¯ve been a bit preachy.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, I think it¡¯s a valuable ¡®preach,¡¯¡± Duncan quickly waved his hand, ¡°In fact, I¡¯d quite enjoy talking with you¡ªyou see, you¡¯re a history expert, and I¡¯m an antique dealer. In a way, we¡¯re in the same line of work.¡±


    ¡°In the sense of being a ¡®teacher,¡¯ we are also in the same line of work,¡± Duncan silently added in his mind.


    ¡°Honestly, if I were to go by my first impression upon entering this antique shop¡­ I really wouldn¡¯t believe the word ¡®colleague¡¯ coming from your mouth,¡± Morris spread his hands, ¡°But now, I do believe it to some extent¡ªyou at least have one genuine item.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression was composed as he thought to himself that it was not just one genuine article¡ª the moment the old man wrote the check, Duncan had already mentally gone through all the storerooms on the Homeloss; if he weren¡¯t worried about shocking the market, he might even have planned out the d¨¦cor for the eighth branch¡­


    Calming his mind, Duncan continued to maintain a casual demeanor with a gentle smile, ¡°I hear from Nina that you have a greater expertise in ancient history, especially the history surrounding the Ancient Crete Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, there¡¯s only ¡®after¡¯ and no ¡®before¡¯,¡± Maurice immediately corrected, ¡°The Ancient Crete Kingdom marks the beginning of the Deep Sea Era civilization. Before the ancient kingdom was the Great Vanishing event, a breakpoint in civilization, and no one can clearly describe what the world was like before that point¡ªonly contradictory terms in the wild stories passed down by the City-States.¡±


    Duncan pondered, ¡°A breakpoint in civilization¡­ almost like a ¡®horizon limit¡¯ stretching across the river of history¡­¡±


    Maurice, hearing this term for the first time, asked, ¡°Horizon limit?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a concept. Applied to the ¡®Great Vanishing¡¯ event, you can think of it as an invisible wall through time. Everything on the other side of the wall can¡¯t transmit information to this side¡ªwhether it¡¯s optical observation or the causal connections of objects, they all get cut off at that boundary. You can never stand on one side of the boundary and know what happened on the other, as if the timeline of all things only suddenly appears from that border.¡±


    ¡°Quite an interesting analogy!¡± Mr. Maurice¡¯s eyes widened slightly, even glowing faintly with excitement, ¡°A horizon limit straddling history¡­ a wall through time¡­ indeed, very apt! Mr. Duncan, forgive my initial misperception and¡­ undervaluation of you. You¡¯re more professional than I imagined. Do you also frequently study ancient history?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know much about ancient history. I just have a flexible way of thinking and sometimes come up with wonderful metaphors,¡± Duncan modestly replied, knowing he should appear somewhat uninformed right now, ¡°But I am really curious about the Great Vanishing period¡­ You just mentioned that the orthodox academic world does not have any accepted history from before the Great Vanishing, but there are many contradictory records in the ¡®unofficial histories¡¯ of the City-States. What are those records like?¡±


    ¡°Just tales from those unofficial histories¡­ Nevertheless, I¡¯ve also studied some,¡± mused Maurice, speaking slowly, ¡°For instance, there was a record in the Plunder City-State that was a manuscript copy from the year 1069 of the New City-State Era, the original of which is untraceable. That manuscript describes the world before the Great Vanishing as follows:


    ¡°The world was a sphere, floating in the vast cosmos, adorned with countless celestial bodies as stars in the night sky. There was one sun in the sky and three moons. Mankind occupied three continents, among which one was perennially icebound. Thus, people built a device called ¡®the Dome¡¯ to envelop the continent, creating the ¡®Eternal Spring.¡¯ The energy for this Dome was modeled after the sun in the sky, fueled by a component in seawater, nearly everlasting¡­¡±


    Maurice paused briefly here, seemingly giving Duncan time to think, remember, and organize his thoughts, before continuing:


    ¡°Near Cold Harbor, on an island, explorers found a record etched in stone, also describing the world before the Great Vanishing. Scholars exhausted themselves deciphering it, only to be perplexed¡ª


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    ¡°The stone tablet described that a place called ¡®Mother Star¡¯ had been exhausted, and the people were all aboard a colossal vessel known as ¡®Abinex.¡¯ This giant ship could traverse the cosmic sea, fueled by dust and gas captured from the void. The ship sailed for forty-seven thousand days and nights and was suddenly caught in ¡®a tremendous flash and whirlpool.¡¯ Soon after, the vessel disintegrated and vanished in the vortex, while the survivors lived on from the sea, leaving memories of their home in the caves.


    ¡°Of course, these accounts pale in comparison to the strange tales left by the elves of Light Breeze Harbor.


    ¡°Elves, with their millennium-long lifespans, should have a more detailed and reliable history than other short-lived races. Yet, for some reason, the history of Light Breeze Harbor is the most fragmented and bizarre of all City-State histories. Many of their scrolls have even been twisted by an unknown force into unreadable ¡®lost volumes,¡¯ which had to be sealed and stored due to severe contamination. However, in the nursery rhymes passed down by word of mouth among elves, the world before the Great Vanishing is described thusly:


    ¡°The world was a dream, a breath of the great demon Saslouka in his half-awake, half-dreaming state. The elves were born out of this Dreamscape, sustaining Saslouka¡¯s slumber. But one day, the demon suddenly dreamt of a great flood, woke up startled, and consequently, the flood leaked from his dream into the real world. The elves were swept out of their peaceful and harmonious homeland by the flood into the real world¡­ The demon Saslouka disappeared upon awakening, and the elves could never return to that tranquil home, settling down in the Deep Sea Era that followed the flood.¡±

 Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 92 Endless Speculation

    Chapter 88: Chapter 92 Endless Speculation


    Maurice sighed.


    ¡°When we, archaeologists who delve into the annals of history, exhaust our lives and strenuously reach the towering wall of the Great Erasure, scouring artifacts and comparing texts to catch a glimpse of the view beyond that wall, what we face are these baffling and bizarre phenomena.¡±


    The old man wore a deep fatigue and dejection on his face, like a traveler who had journeyed for most of his life, still unable to see the destination at the end of the road, yet forced to accept reality.


    ¡°The history prior to the Great Erasure is fragmented and contradictory, with the records from different city-states resembling a collection of bizarre stories, or disjointed dreamscapes¡­ There is no decisive evidence to prove which record is correct, nor a theory that can integrate these conflicting elements.¡±


    Duncan, however, remained silent for a moment, his thoughts undulating like ocean waves, baptized in the information storm described by the incredible ¡°apocryphal fragments¡± spoken of by Maurice.


    As an ¡°outsider¡± who had lived through the information age and possessed good associative thinking, he could imagine or conjecture some things from the descriptions given¡ª


    A dome covering the entire continent could be some kind of man-made ecological apparatus, an energy system deriving from the same source as the sun, likely using the substances in seawater as fuel¡ªpossibly fusion technology.


    The great ships that navigated the void, powering themselves by capturing cosmic dust and gas clouds, might represent one or several colonial starships.


    As for the so-called demons¡¯ dreamscape¡­ the seawater coming from the dreamscape to reality¡­ this he could not imagine at the moment, but it sounded like a fantastical concept, quite different from the technological atmosphere in the earlier historical segments.


    He could find explanations or guesses for many things, but no matter what, they could not be pieced together.


    Just like Maurice said, they were more like disconnected dreams, sketching out completely different ¡°prehistoric histories.¡±


    Contradictory and fragmented, they were wholly insufficient for reconstructing the world before the Great Erasure.


    ¡°Perhaps you are right, that there is a ¡®limit of vision¡¯ regarding the pivotal event of the Great Erasure,¡± Maurice¡¯s voice came from across the counter, interrupting Duncan¡¯s train of thought, the old man supporting his forehead, his tone somber, ¡°We are unable to observe the ¡®events¡¯ on the other side of the vision limit, making the history before the Great Erasure an eternally untraceable concept to us.¡±


    Watching Maurice, full of emotion, Duncan¡¯s thoughts did not cease, and gradually, a rather bold idea emerged: ¡°What if¡­ what if these records are all true?¡±


    Maurice looked up surprised, regarding Duncan, ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°What if these records are all true, and each city-state or each race documented history that truly represents the world ¡®before the Great Erasure¡¯ as they perceived it?¡± Duncan said pensively, stroking his chin, ¡°Maybe our ancestors from ten thousand years ago really came from entirely different ¡®homelands,¡¯ with distinctly different civilizations? The Great Erasure trapped these exiles from different worlds on this Endless Sea, and the descendants of the exiles barely recorded what they knew before their civilization¡¯s continuance was entirely severed. Ten thousand years later, these became the ¡®contradictory histories¡¯ that perplex scholars¡­¡±


    His thoughts were active, and after a pause, he continued, ¡°Perhaps the essence of the Great Erasure was not an end of the world, but rather a ¡®Great Transfer¡¯?¡±


    Maurice stared at Duncan in amazement, suddenly saying, ¡°¡­ Brock Bendis¡¯ school of thought? The World Drift theory? It¡¯s a rather obscure school, have you really delved so deep into ancient history?¡±


    That was a compliment, yet Duncan was somewhat taken aback: So someone had already thought of this possibility?!


    Blinking his eyes, he didn¡¯t let his surprise show, merely continuing as if following the topic, ¡°Just some bits and pieces of knowledge, but I quite like this conjecture.¡±


    ¡°I, too, like this conjecture¡ªeven though it¡¯s obscure,¡± Maurice shook his head, ¡°But like all other conjectures, without evidence, it can only remain a conjecture.¡±


    ¡°Clarke¡¯s School once hypothesized that Subspace interference distorted all historical records,¡± Morris said. ¡°The Lentim School believes that the world before the Great Annihilation consisted of countless isolated lattices, while the people of the Bologna City-State even think that the world before the Great Annihilation never existed at all¡ªthat all records of prehistoric history are illusions conjured by shadows in Subspace¡­¡±


    ¡°I must not say this, but even some heretical cults have their own understanding of world history. Devotees of Subspace who worship the Doomsday Preachers firmly believe that the end of the world has already begun. It is chasing down the river of history, devouring our civilization. The conflicting historical records of the various City-States are the result of real history gradually being torn apart by Subspace. The Great Annihilation is a barrier standing before the end of days, and when history after the Great Annihilation also gradually becomes corrupted and torn, it will be the day our entire world falls into Subspace¡­¡±


    The more Duncan listened, the more astonished he became, and after a long while, he shook his head subconsciously, ¡°I had no idea there were so many bizarre hypotheses¡­¡±


    ¡°Ordinary people would not delve into such fields. After all, studying history in the mystical sense is a dangerous endeavor,¡± Morris noted. ¡°But one thing is clear: If thousands of scholars have dedicated their lives exhaustively to a field with no sight of a way out for hundreds or even thousands of years, then they must have proposed every possible hypothesis.¡±


    Duncan slowly grasped the old man¡¯s meaning.


    For those who had truly spent their lives buried in books and artifacts, to propose a hypothesis that could explain the current situation was easy¡ªas scholars, they never lacked imagination or vision.


    What they lacked was evidence¡ªthe evidence to prove even a single hypothesis.


    ¡°¡­Has no evidence been left at all?¡± Duncan asked. ¡°Not a single piece of ¡®physical evidence¡¯ from before the Great Annihilation that could prove some ¡®apocryphal¡¯ tales to be true?¡±


    ¡°So far, none has been discovered,¡± Morris spoke slowly. ¡°Ten thousand years and periods upon periods of Dark Ages have passed, innumerable City-States have risen and fallen in the Endless Sea; it¡¯s too difficult for anything from the Ancient Era to survive¡­ What has been passed down is either manuscripts of unreliable origin or orally transmitted stories, which might also have been altered in the process of transmission.¡±


    Duncan fell silent for a moment.


    In the depths of his spirit, on the distant Homeloss, the waves were gently undulating, the boundless ocean ever-pervasive, covering the entire world.


    And covering all possible truths.


    He could not help but sigh, ¡°Studying ancient history is truly fraught with difficulties.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what we face is not only the shattered ¡®years¡¯ but also the current status with nothing to rely on,¡± Morris exhaled deeply. ¡°On the limited land of the City-States, anything that could be unearthed would have been found by now. If not, it means that whatever could prove our history is hidden where mortals cannot reach.¡±


    ¡°Like at the bottom of the sea?¡± Duncan suddenly interjected.


    ¡°The bottom of the sea? Ha, such a thrilling and bold assertion,¡± Morris laughed. ¡°But indeed, this is the remaining desperate hope of many historians who have reached their wit¡¯s end¡­ There¡¯s evidence at the bottom of the sea, mountains of artifacts, cities of ancient civilizations, ruins that explain everything. But what¡¯s the use? Dive down, and we can only touch shadows; mortals cannot reach the deepest parts of this world.¡±


    He paused for a moment and then continued, ¡°However, this has indeed given rise to another conjecture¡­ Although it¡¯s not considered a formal doctrine, many have speculated that the ¡®lost world¡¯ from history is actually beneath the surface of the Endless Sea, even precisely positioned between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the Spirit Realm at a certain ¡®depth¡¯¡ªthe world before the Great Annihilation is sleeping at that depth.¡±


    ¡°Why would they say that?¡± Duncan asked curiously, his interest piqued by the seemingly serious yet unfounded hypothesis.


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    Morris pondered for a moment before explaining, ¡°Because many fragments of ancient history mention that the world before the Great Annihilation was covered by a ¡®sky full of stars,¡¯ and as everyone knows, the ¡®sky full of stars¡¯ is right at the boundary between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the Spirit Realm.¡±


    Duncan nearly choked on his own saliva: ¡°Cough, cough¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Morris was startled by Duncan¡¯s reaction. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be anything inconceivable¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just got a bit too engrossed and choked,¡± Duncan quickly gestured with his hand, ¡°The starry sky between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the Spirit Realm, of course, I know, I certainly know¡­¡±

 Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 93 "This is Common Sense

    Chapter 89: Chapter 93 ¡°This is Common Sense


    Duncan quickly adjusted his expression and mindset to not appear like a common sense-deranged ¡°foreigner,¡± yet his thoughts could no longer settle down, surging unstoppably like a stormy sea.


    As it turned out, when you suddenly arrive in a bizarre and unusual world, no matter how strong your adaptability is or how on point your disguise, there¡¯s always the possibility of being slapped in the face by some mundane ¡°common sense¡±¡ªordinary historical knowledge can be systematically learned, and profound professional knowledge doesn¡¯t need to be considered in daily life, but ¡°common sense¡± only hits you in the face when you least expect it.


    In the sky of this world, there are no stars; this is common sense.


    The starry sky of this world lies in the Mysterious Deep Sea, at the border between the Spirit Realm and the Mysterious Deep Sea; this too is common sense.


    Faced with this second point of so-called ¡°common sense,¡± Duncan could only curse internally.


    He had never ventured into this field, nor had he reached such depths¡ªhe had once sailed the Homeloss through the deep Spirit Realm and had seen chaotic light streaming from Subspace in the lower cabins of the Homeloss, but he had never seen that ¡°starry sky¡± between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the Spirit Realm¡­ which happened to be his current ¡°blind spot¡± in cognition.


    While he was conversing with Morris, he was rapidly contemplating in his mind.


    Stars¡­ hidden deep under the water¡­ what kind of strange and bizarre sight would that be? Was the so-called ¡°starry sky¡± mentioned by Morris the same as the ¡°starry sky¡± he knew of? What exactly was the nature of the place where the Spirit Realm met the Mysterious Deep Sea? Was it an even more profound and dark ocean? Or was it merely a special spatial structure named after an ocean?


    For some reason, Duncan suddenly thought of a girl named Sherry, and her inseparable pet and weapon ¡°A-Dog.¡±


    A-Dog was an Abyssal Hound, which, according to the world, was a kind of ¡°demon¡± summoned from the unfathomable depths of the deep sea.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of physiological structure a Skeleton Hunting Dog would have, but from its appearance, it clearly wasn¡¯t an ¡°aquatic creature¡±¡­ so one could boldly speculate that the so-called ¡°Mysterious Deep Sea¡± wasn¡¯t necessarily a ¡°sea.¡±


    It could be an extremely vast and bizarre space, and moreover¡­ enveloped by a starry sky.


    As Duncan sketched out a possible spatial model of the Mysterious Deep Sea in his mind, Morris noticed that the antique shop owner in front of him was somewhat distracted. The elderly gentleman curiously looked at Duncan, ¡°Do you also dabble in Astrology?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ a bit interested,¡± Duncan forced a smile, thinking to himself that after he had accepted the fact that this world had no stars in the sky, suddenly hearing the term ¡°Astrology¡± felt particularly odd, ¡°Exploring a starry sky hidden so deep¡­ That wouldn¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly a dangerous endeavor, but fortunately, we can also observe the projection of the starry sky through indirect scientific means¡ªthis should be thanks to technological advancements. After the advent of the Spirit Realm lenses, the incidence of navigators going insane during navigation has greatly decreased,¡± Morris chuckled. He seemed not to have found someone willing to talk about these issues in a long time and was now quite engaged in the conversation, ¡°You know, a century ago, the navigator¡¯s role was consistently the highest mortality position on long-distance ships¡­ In fact, I always wanted to collect a set of the earliest Spirit Realm lenses, but unfortunately, I¡¯ve had no way to do so.¡±


    Duncan blinked; he didn¡¯t pay attention to the last thing the old man was talking about. In his heart, a longstanding question suddenly found an answer:


    In a world where the sky had no celestial bodies, how did long-distance ships calibrate their course?


    The answer was still ¡°Stargazing¡±¡ªobserving the projection of the ¡°starry sky¡± reflected from the depths of the Spirit Realm through special scientific instruments.


    Before the year 1800 in the new City-State calendar, navigating for ships was even a lethal task.


    After all, ordinary ships didn¡¯t have real-time updated ¡°sea charts¡± like the Homeloss, which resembled satellite positioning, nor did they have a reliable ¡°Goat First Mate.¡±


    ¡°You really are a learned man,¡± after discussing many more issues, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but sincerely express, ¡°Nina is lucky to have a teacher like you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also pleased to see she has an uncle like you,¡± Morris nodded with reserved pride, ¡°Now all my doubts have disappeared. You¡¯re not only a competent guardian but also broad in your interests and eager for knowledge, honestly¡­ it¡¯s been a long time since I have had such a pleasant conversation.¡±


    As the old man spoke, he sighed lightly, ¡°Everything is fine with my life now, tranquil, peaceful, without the trivial matters of the Upper City District, the only problem is that most of the time it¡¯s difficult to find someone willing to listen to these dull matters¡­ Even the colleagues I work with often can¡¯t keep up with my thoughts. It¡¯s rare for someone to listen to me as much as you have.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very willing to be your audience,¡± Duncan immediately showed a smile upon hearing this, ¡°I have a special interest in history.¡±


    ¡°It shows,¡± Mr. Morris smiled comfortably, then glanced towards the display window, suddenly realizing how time had flown, and hurriedly stood up, ¡°Oh, goddess above, have I really been here an entire afternoon?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, you¡¯re welcome to stay the night,¡± Duncan casually said, ¡°You can try my cooking.¡±


    ¡°¡­I should still be able to catch the bus back to Cross District,¡± Morris glanced at the gradually sinking sun, politely declining Duncan¡¯s invitation, ¡°Thank you for your offer, but I¡¯d better go home, the city has been uneasy recently, and not returning all night would worry my family.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense¡­ then I won¡¯t keep you,¡± Duncan thought for a moment, stood up to see him out, ¡°I¡¯ll call Nina down,¡±


    Just as Morris was about to say something, Duncan had already turned and called up to the second floor, ¡°Nina! Mr. Morris is going home, come down and say goodbye to your teacher!¡±


    Footsteps came from the stairs, and Nina, dressed in a home-long dress, ran down lightly. First, she greeted her teacher, and then, surprised by the twilight outside, she turned to Duncan, ¡°You¡¯ve been talking for so long?!¡±


    ¡°We had a very pleasant conversation,¡± Maurice said with a smile, ¡°Your uncle is well-read and eager to learn, and we discussed a lot about historical issues.¡±


    Duncan, standing by his side, kept a serious face and nodded silently.


    The so-called exchange was actually just the old gentleman talking non-stop by himself, while he pretended to understand, nodding and bluffing along. Since the old gentleman himself had said so, Duncan certainly wouldn¡¯t say more¡ªbesides, to be fair, he thought he was quite a qualified listener, occasionally asking some questions to keep the conversation going. Wasn¡¯t that the best environment for an old scholar who usually struggled to find someone to listen to his ramblings?


    However, Nina looked suspiciously from her uncle to the delighted old gentleman and wondered when exactly her uncle had become so broadly interested and eager to learn. But when the words were on the tip of her tongue, she swallowed them back down. Then, suddenly becoming a bit anxious, she tugged at Duncan¡¯s sleeve and murmured, ¡°Did you talk about me?¡±


    ¡°Just a little incident at school,¡± Maurice, despite his age, had very good hearing and immediately caught the girl¡¯s quiet murmur, ¡°Your uncle will tell you¡ªdon¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a snitch.¡±


    While saying this, the elderly man picked up the walking cane he had set aside upon entering and checked the ancient dagger in his pocket, then said goodbye to the pair and slowly walked out the door.


    After the old man left, Duncan glanced at the sky outside and simply hung the ¡®Closed¡¯ sign on the door, locking the entrance of the shop¡ªby this time, there didn¡¯t seem to be any more business coming their way.


    Moreover, he had just made a tidy sum from a recent transaction; the regular ¡°business¡± suddenly seemed less urgent.


    As Nina watched Duncan busy himself with locking up and tidying the counter, she felt a swarm of questions bubbling up within her, but before she could voice any of them, Duncan suddenly raised his head and looked at her with a smile, ¡°How about I take you to buy a bicycle in a couple of days?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Nina was caught off guard, ¡°Why¡­¡±


    ¡°I received a bonus from the city hall before, and we had enough money,¡± Duncan said as he waved the check in his hand, ¡°then just now we had a big sale, so I think¡­ we can afford to live a bit more comfortably. At least a bicycle will always be very useful, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Big sale¡­¡± Nina finally caught on, ¡°Ah, did you really sell that dagger to Mr. Maurice?¡±


    ¡°Sold it,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°Sold it for over three thousand solas.¡±


    Nina: ¡°¡­!?¡±


    The girl, who had a good sense of money, was startled by this figure and then looked at her Uncle Duncan with a strange expression.


    ¡°A teacher comes for a home visit, you chat with him for an entire afternoon, and then you sell him something for over three thousand solas¡­ What if word gets out!¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, seriously remarking, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t our shop become famous?¡±


    Nina: ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Duncan spread his hands: ¡°What else then? The old gentleman took a fancy to it, I couldn¡¯t just give it away¡ªIt¡¯s rare to have a genuine article in the shop.¡±


    Nina stood with her hands on her hips, puffing up her cheeks, but in the end, the breath she had been holding back suddenly turned into a smile.


    (Time to recommend a book~~ The title is ¡°I Stand Below Billions of Lives¡±; the introduction is posted directly below:


    What would you do if one day you transmigrated and became a planet?


    Would you be perplexed, terrified, or ecstatic?


    Regarding this, a certain transmigrator has something to say:


    My dear children living on me¡ª


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    Stop fighting!!!


    If you don¡¯t stop, I will teach you how to be proper humans personally!


    Ahem.


    In short, this book tells the story of a cautious and careful father, lovingly caring for his children.


    (The young man¡¯s phone number hadn¡¯t been used for a long time and was transferred, resulting in the writer¡¯s account getting canceled¡ªsomewhat pitiful))

 Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 94 Ninas Strange Dream

    Chapter 90: Chapter 94 Nina¡¯s Strange Dream


    The sky on the street was gradually darkening.


    After seeing Morris off and tidying up the ground floor shop, Duncan finally found time to discuss with Nina what her teacher had mentioned during the home visit.


    After all, this was actually the main reason for Mr. Morris¡¯s visit today¡ªalthough the two of them had gotten off-topic eventually.


    ¡°Have you not been resting well recently, or are you not feeling well?¡± At the dining table on the second floor, Duncan asked with concern as he spread butter on a slice of bread, ¡°I heard from your teacher that this has been going on for several days now.¡±


    Nina was clearly nervous. She had guessed that her teacher would bring up these issues today, but until recently, she had never thought that her Uncle Duncan would really start to pay attention to her situation at school¡ªa feeling of being cared for after a long absence, yet also uneasy, was spreading in her heart: ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been feeling¡­ sleepy.¡±


    ¡°That seems to confirm what Mr. Morris said,¡± Duncan observed Nina¡¯s expression seriously, ¡°Is it due to physical reasons, or something else? If there¡¯s something on your mind, you can tell me.¡±


    Having said that, he paused, then cautiously added, ¡°Of course, at your age, you might not want to discuss some things with an adult like me, which is normal, because you are growing, you have an independent personality and your own thoughts, all of which should be respected¡ªbut you have to remember, seeking help when facing difficulties is not shameful. If I can help, feel free to speak up, and we¡¯ll figure it out together.¡±


    He tried to make his words sound reliable and kind, which was not easy, as he had never needed to take care of a relative of this age before, but he had some experience with students, so he was conversing with Nina based on that experience¡ªhe felt his approach was gentle and trustworthy enough.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m really okay, really!¡± Nina seemed a bit unaccustomed to such a kind uncle, but deep down she was not resistant, she vigorously waved her hands, meeting Duncan¡¯s gaze, ¡°I¡¯ve just been feeling sleepy lately, always waking up suddenly when I sleep, and sometimes having dreams.¡±


    ¡°Dreams?¡± Duncan frowned, suddenly thinking of something, ¡°Nightmares? Could it be about the fire when you were a child?¡±


    Perhaps because he was currently focusing on the Sun Shard and the unresolved case from eleven years ago, he subconsciously thought of that event, but Nina shook her head: ¡°No, it¡¯s not about my childhood.¡±


    ¡°What is it then?¡±


    ¡°I always dream that¡­ I¡¯m standing at a very high place, like a tower in the city, and then the area below is pitch black, scattered with ruins and ashes,¡± Nina recalled, speaking slowly, ¡°The ruins and ashes seem like a massive scar, stretching from the center of the Lower City District through the Cross District and extending to the edge of the Upper City District, as if about to tear the city apart. I was trapped in that high place, wanting to leave, but blocked by invisible walls¡­¡±


    Nina recalled, then suddenly gently shook her head: ¡°The dream is always like this, and although it¡¯s scary¡­ there¡¯s nothing particularly terrifying appearing, no danger approaching, just watching the city being scarred by something unknown, and then I¡¯m stuck in place, unable to move. Every time I wake up, I feel very tired, and then I start feeling sleepy in class the next day¡­¡±


    Duncan listened attentively to the girl¡¯s description, his brow slowly furrowing.


    What Nina described¡­ was not the fire from her childhood she had experienced, nor a scene Duncan remembered.


    It was more like a static ¡°display,¡± revealing to her a scene from an unknown time and space manifested by Pland.


    If this were Earth, Duncan would just consider it a recurring strange dream, but in this bizarre and unusual world, he couldn¡¯t help but be alert.


    Previously, Nina remembered a fire that only existed in her and Duncan¡¯s memory, followed by her continuous, seemingly ¡°prophetic¡± strange dreams.


    ¡°When did you start having these dreams?¡± Duncan asked with a serious expression.


    ¡°About a week or two ago? Maybe even earlier¡­ I can¡¯t really remember,¡± Nina took a sip of vegetable soup, her voice slightly muffled, ¡°I didn¡¯t pay attention to it at the time¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Duncan wanted to say ¡°You should have spoken up earlier,¡± but then he suddenly remembered that at that time, Nina¡¯s ¡°uncle¡± had been a despicable man indulged in heretical activities and alcohol, and she had no reliable person around her to confide in, so he swallowed his words and instead asked, ¡°Have you consulted any professionals? Like a doctor?¡±


    Nina looked up, ¡°Do you mean a psychiatrist?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a mental health practitioner.¡± Duncan thought for a moment and immediately nodded.


    In this world, a ¡°mental health practitioner¡± was an indispensable occupation because there were too many entities lurking in the night and the Mysterious Deep Sea that watched the City-State, significantly affecting the mental states of ordinary people. This ethereal influence often resulted in various issues¡ªnightmares, auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, cognitive distortions, and even personality disorders¡ªplaguing many individuals. Consequently, treatment techniques in this field had developed to unfathomable extents¡ªthe most skilled practitioners could even use Transcendent powers to correct warped minds.


    Nina¡¯s frequent bizarre dreams should also belong to the range of ¡°symptoms¡± concerning these mental health practitioners.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t yet,¡± Nina mumbled, ¡°Their consultation fees are rather expensive¡­ It¡¯s just some strange dreams.¡±


    ¡°But these strange dreams have started to affect your life,¡± Duncan said gravely. ¡°Continually dreaming such bizarre scenes might be a dangerous sign, and you should have also learned about this at school.¡±


    While he spoke, Duncan was rapidly considering options¡ªNina¡¯s continuous nightmares indicated that there was definitely something wrong. In any case, since he was living in a strange and unusual world, he had to be vigilant about these Transcendent ¡°elements.¡± However, as he himself was an outsider in theoretical aspects, professional help was necessary.


    This was a good chance for him to get in touch with civilization¡¯s ¡°professional¡± individuals to see how they dealt with events possibly involving Transcendence.


    Nina was evidently still hesitant, but under Duncan¡¯s serious demeanor, she finally gave in, ¡°Then¡­ then how about we make a trip to the community church during the weekend? We can ask the Deep Sea Priest there for a calming blessing which costs very little. If that doesn¡¯t work, we can consult a specialized mental health practitioner, okay?¡±


    Church? Deep Sea Priest? A clergy member that worships the Storm Goddess Gomona?


    A thought struck Duncan; he suddenly felt this was a good option¡ªhe was equally interested in those who served deities.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s settle on that,¡± he immediately nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll be going to the museum over the weekend anyway. We can head to the church afterward.¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    After dinner, as usual, Nina went back to her room early, and Duncan returned to his own room and immediately saw Ai Yi lounging on the windowsill.


    The dove had flown outside all day and had returned without any success.


    Duncan casually closed the door and walked towards the window. Seeing his owner, the dove lazily lifted its wings to greet him, uttering exasperated coos, ¡°Destroy, hurry up, I¡¯m tired¡­¡±


    ¡°You indeed had a tough day,¡± Duncan observed the bird¡¯s nearly lifeless demeanor, realizing it had indeed been a tiring day. He approached and removed the ¡°Heretics Detector¡± from the dove¡¯s back, comforting it, ¡°This task isn¡¯t easy after all. They all hide very deep, and moreover, the Deep Sea Church has been vigilant lately. They¡¯re likely to be even more cautious¡­¡±


    The dove rolled its eyes and shook its wings but continued to lie there motionless.


    Seeing this, Duncan burst out laughing, ¡°Even so, this kind of work still needs to be done in the future¡­ Of course, flying the whole day is indeed too strenuous. I will ensure a better balance between work and rest for you.¡±


    He had decided to treat the search for heretics within the city as an ongoing task for this phase. Although, after making one ¡°big deal¡± today, he wasn¡¯t pressed for money and didn¡¯t have to rely on ¡°hunting¡± to supplement his household. However, troubling these heretics was still meaningful in itself.


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    On one hand, this could potentially catch a big fish from among the heretics to fulfill his need for intelligence¡ªheavy-grade clergymen were likely to know more secrets about the ¡°Sun,¡± and they might also know more about the Sun Shard from eleven years ago, which was of particular interest to Duncan.


    On the other hand, there seemed to be a seeming wild, Transcendent young girl moving around the City-State, continuously troubling the Sun Cultists. She might also know some secrets of the Transcendent world. Duncan wanted to try his luck to see if he could discuss with her about the Mysterious Deep Sea and Profound Demons¡ªafter speaking with Morris, he was now very curious about the ¡°starry sky¡± above the Mysterious Deep Sea.


    Noticing Duncan¡¯s serious expression and realizing his fate of forced overtime in the future, Ai Yi human-like, sighed deeply.


    ¡°Alas¡­¡± The bird¡¯s tone was full of sorrow, ¡°We¡¯ve already ended up behind a sad, thick barrier¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­ Your vocabulary is quite rich!¡±

 Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 95 Infiltration

    Chapter 91: Chapter 95 Infiltration


    Another small group of Sun Heretics, who had infiltrated aboard smugglers¡¯ ships from Cold Harbor, were apprehended and imprisoned in a church near the harbor district.


    Fenna, the Judge, returned from the subterranean prison area beneath the church to the rest chamber of the upper sanctuary, where the bishop in charge of the church in this district was already waiting.


    ¡°Judge Fenna,¡± the somewhat gaunt bishop greeted the young Judge with a salute, ¡°May the waves protect your soul.¡±


    ¡°May the waves protect your soul,¡± Fenna returned the gesture to the bishop and, with somewhat weary steps, walked toward a chair to the side, ¡°This is already the second group of Sun Heretics thrown into prison in the harbor district alone, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we caught a dozen people three days ago¡ªthey were discovered and stopped in time while attempting to kill a citizen. Now this is the second group; they were performing dark rituals in an apartment building when a meter reader became suspicious,¡± the bishop nodded, with a hint of worry in his eyes, ¡°Unknowingly, so many heretics have infiltrated¡­ Thankfully we discovered them early, otherwise who knows how many people their dark rituals could have harmed.¡±


    ¡°Plunder is a transportation hub on the Endless Sea, and with everything being calm in the past four years, many have let their guards down,¡± Fenna nodded, ¡°However¡­ it¡¯s still uncertain whether we found them early or late. Those heretics who arrived earlier may have been operating in the shadows for some time, only recently being exposed.¡±


    The bishop glanced at the Judge¡¯s expression and, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, asked, ¡°I heard that many people have been caught in other areas as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, nearly every district,¡± Fenna did not conceal the truth, ¡°Now, in the dungeons below almost every church, there are Sun Heretics that have been apprehended¡ªsome with just a few people, others with dozens¡­ but mostly they are the lowest-level minions, moving around within the city-state to scout for information. Having received little training, they were easily exposed¡­ The high-ranking priests have yet to be discovered to this day.¡±


    As Fenna spoke, her tone also involuntarily grew serious, her face marked with subtle concern.


    Since the heretical followers¡¯ actions of searching for the ¡°Sun Shard¡± had been exposed, the authorities of Plunder and the church had quickly responded, initiating a massive covert manhunt throughout the city and actively mobilizing citizens to report and screen for suspects. The results of this series of actions were indeed plentiful¡ª


    In an extremely short time, a large number of heretics who had not managed to react were caught, nearly filling the underground prisons of various churches. Their number almost equaled that of all the heretics found within the city-state in the past four years.


    However, to this day, only the mindless minions acting chaotically had been captured, at most some low-level priests wielding ¡°mass-produced Sacred Relics¡± and freshly blessed. The truly powerful high-ranking forces continue to hide in the shadows.


    This left Fenna feeling somewhat irritable and uneasy.


    ¡°There are results every day, but we¡¯ve still not caught their ¡®main body,¡¯ giving me the feeling that the situation is still deteriorating out of sight,¡± she said to the bishop in front of her, ¡°With so many heretics operating within the city-state, there must be a high-ranking leader coordinating behind them, but this ¡®commander¡¯ has yet to reveal themselves.¡±


    After a moment of contemplation, the bishop slowly spoke: ¡°According to the results of the interrogations so far, these minions only respond to the ¡®messenger¡¯s¡¯ orders, and the so-called ¡®messengers¡¯ are a group of low-level priests. They listen directly to the voices from the Scions through counterfeit sun masks¡­ Do you think there could be a Scion of the Sun already lurking inside the city-state?¡±


    ¡°A Scion of the Sun lurking inside a human city-state? To be honest¡­ it is logically unlikely,¡± Fenna¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ¡°Although they possess great power, they also have a clear ¡®trace of presence.¡¯ Their filthy, foul stench simply cannot be hidden¡­ There are churches and patrolling guardians all over the city-state; theoretically, there shouldn¡¯t be any ¡®blind spots.¡¯


    ¡°So it¡¯s merely speculation,¡± the district bishop shook his head, ¡°I know that Scions of the Sun find it hard to hide in civilized society, but those low-level ¡®messengers¡¯ really do carry Sun Masks with them. Even if they¡¯re not directly controlled by the Scions, they¡¯re certainly in contact with them to some extent¡­ After all, mass-produced Sacred Relics are still Sacred Relics, and the Heretics would consider the cost of their actions¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t make arrangements without purpose.¡±


    Fenna curled a finger to her chin and, in a moment of thought, suddenly spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ve looked at yesterday¡¯s interrogation record, those heretics were mainly inquiring about the Transcendent event that occurred in the City-State eleven years ago¡­ Do they believe it¡¯s related to the Sun Shard?¡±


    ¡°It seems that way now,¡± the district bishop nodded, ¡°Though we don¡¯t know the source of their information, they appear quite certain that it was the Sun Shard that triggered the ¡®Chemical Plant Riot¡¯ in Plunder eleven years ago¡­ I remember that you were also¡­¡±


    Saying this, he stopped abruptly, his gaze falling on the notable scar near Fenna¡¯s left eye, and he bowed his head slightly, ¡°My apologies, I misspoke.¡±


    Fenna subconsciously lifted her hand, brushing over the scar on her face, but soon she gave a nonchalant smile and shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just a scar, and you¡¯re not wrong. I too was a witness to that riot, there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Among those in the riot, there were figures from the sect of Heretics as well. The vandals captured after the incident counted over a hundred Sun Heretics,¡± the district bishop said solemnly, ¡°But now, the Sun Heretics who¡¯ve infiltrated the City-State are inquiring about the event from eleven years ago¡­ It¡¯s as if they truly don¡¯t know what exactly happened here back then. Don¡¯t you find that strange?¡±


    ¡°¡­Either the Sun Heretics in Plunder City-State acted on their own eleven years ago, which is why the Heretics from other City-States don¡¯t know the truth here, or¡­ The appearance of the Sun Shard in Plunder eleven years ago was an accident, or possibly the work of some third party, and those heretics involved in the riot were just being used as pawns,¡± Fenna said coolly, ¡°According to the interrogation records from back then, the ¡®vandals¡¯ who were captured indeed appeared to be out of their minds. Their madness and loss of control didn¡¯t seem to stem from their own volition, but rather it looked more like they were influenced by a powerful force.¡±


    ¡°¡­Chasing after twisted and strange objects, only to be dominated and driven mad by such forces, becoming fuel for the fire of chaos, and in the end, discarded in the ashes¡­¡± The district bishop sighed, ¡°It¡¯s indeed a life of utmost tragedy.¡±


    For a moment, Fenna didn¡¯t speak. She simply stood up silently and walked over to the window of the rest room.


    Through the window, she could gaze distantly upon the port area¡ªthe complete lockdown of the entire port had ended, with many docks and piers now back in use, yet Pier One was still under the highest level of lockdown, and the beautiful, brand-new steamship ¡°White Oak¡± remained quietly docked at the end of the pier, monitored continuously according to schedule and undergoing a daily purification ritual.


    The crew of the White Oak had been transferred to the central cathedral¡ªas individuals who had come into close contact with the Homeloss, they were now under the highest level of surveillance.


    Heretics following the Black Sun imprisoned beneath the cathedral, a ship that had encountered the Homeloss docked above in the harbor, and a group of sailors who had met face to face with Captain Duncan living inside the central cathedral¡­ The thought alone was headache-inducing.


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    The sun was gradually setting, but it wasn¡¯t yet the transition between day and night. The district bishop lit several oil lamps in the room ahead of time, their flickering flames reflecting on the window glass.


    Fenna withdrew her gaze from the port area, ¡°I heard that the emergency dossier for anomaly 099 has been distributed to the port area?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it just arrived this afternoon. Would you like to review it?¡± As he spoke, the district bishop pulled out the neatly folded dossier from his side, ¡°Somehow, it arrived later than expected.¡±


    ¡°Let me see it,¡± Fenna reached out for the dossier, quickly reading it by the dying light of the sunset through the window, and offhandedly explained, ¡°It¡¯s normal to be a bit late¡ªthe loss of control of anomaly 099 is quite special, since it broke its seal during direct contact with the Ghost Ship. The bishops of all City-States had to carefully weigh the wording and direction of information in the dossier to prevent this document that¡¯s about to be distributed to all ships from creating too many ¡®direct connections¡¯¡­ Otherwise, what should help captains avoid risks could instead inadvertently link them with the Homeloss.¡±


    In the dimming sky light as the sun neared its set, the oil lamp closest to Fenna suddenly flickered¡ªaccompanying the unwitting utterance of ¡°Homeloss,¡± the flame in the lamp crackled softly.

 Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 96 Gaze

    Chapter 92: Chapter 96 Gaze


    Inside the captain¡¯s quarters of the Homeloss, Duncan, who had been sitting with his arms crossed in front of the window and resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened his eyes.


    He glanced at the familiar furnishings of the room and checked on the state of his body, letting out a slight sigh of relief.


    Now, he¡¯d once again transferred his primary consciousness back to Homeloss, leaving his other body in the antique shop at Plunder City-State, awkwardly controlling it as it tidied up the first-floor shop and hung a ¡°Closed¡± sign on the door.


    The Duncan in captain¡¯s quarters slowly stood up from the chair, stretching his limbs as he looked towards the nearby desk. There he saw the pigeon Ai Yi leisurely strolling along the edge of the desk. The sun mask previously delivered here still lay quietly on the table, glowing with enchanting colors under the setting sun streaming in through the window, as if an illusory flame flowed through the golden patterns.


    The Duncan in front of the antique shop hung up the ¡°Closed for the evening¡± wooden sign and turned to greet a neighbor who just happened to be returning home. A faint smile on his face, he engaged in a chat about the day¡¯s weather and recent business dealings with this ¡°old neighborhood buddy.¡±


    His expression outside the antique shop was a bit stiff, his speech somewhat slow, but the neighbor didn¡¯t suspect anything¡ªafter all, a former gambler who had been drowning in alcohol, now living conscientiously, was surprising enough. A little slowness in response was nothing compared to that; how lively could someone whose body had been damaged by alcohol be?


    Back in the captain¡¯s bedroom, a slight smile appeared on Duncan¡¯s face. After remotely controlling his ¡°interaction shell¡± to complete a social interaction attempt, he casually picked up the sun mask lying on the desk.


    There was still much to be done in Plunder City-State, but not everything could be accomplished overnight, especially since there was a strict curfew in the City-State after nightfall. It was best for his human body to stay quietly in the shop at night to avoid attracting attention¡ªafter sunset, it was time for the ¡°true self¡± on Homeloss.


    He planned to use this time to study the mask he had obtained from the Sun Priest.


    The mask felt cool to the touch, seemingly cast from pure metal, heavy, and quite substantial.


    Looking at the golden object in his hand, Duncan¡¯s thoughts suddenly became active; his first thought was whether this thing was made of pure gold¡ªif so, perhaps after studying it, melting it down could fetch a tidy sum of money¡­


    Although he was temporarily free of financial pressures in the City-State, cash was something humans could never have too much of in society; what if it was needed in the future?


    The Heretics of the sun cult had a variety of loot that could be used for gathering information, reporting in exchange for bounties, or acquiring transcendent items relevant to oneself. And of course, it was perfectly normal to sell off any excess transcendent items that were of no use after a bit of processing and refinement¡­


    This was called diversified, sustainable exploitation.


    Pondering for a moment, Duncan suddenly touched his chin and thoughtfully exclaimed, ¡°The Sun Cultists are truly treasures from head to toe¡­¡±


    The strolling Ai Yi suddenly stopped, tilted her head to look at Duncan, and let out a sharp female voice, ¡°Be a person, be a person!¡±


    ¡°You, a bird, have no right to lecture me,¡± Duncan glared at the pigeon, then immediately began to rub his fingertips together, preparing to summon the Spectral Flame to ¡°cleanse¡± the mask inside and out and conduct a thorough ¡°test¡± after gaining control.


    A clump of faint green flames ignited at his fingertips. Just as Duncan was about to channel the flame into the mask, he suddenly heard a vague voice, as if whispering from the depths of his heart:


    ¡°¡­might inadvertently link them to Homeloss¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s movements halted abruptly.


    He looked at the pigeon beside him, ¡°Did you hear anything?¡±


    The pigeon thought for a second, flapping its wings off-key as it started to sing loudly, ¡°Listen~ to the sound of the sea weeping~ lamenting for whom¡¯s heart was hurt again~¡±


    ¡°Stop, stop, stop¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have asked you!¡± Duncan quickly pinned the pigeon down, thinking to himself that his communication with this bird was like a damn quantum state¡ªwhat was said and what was heard were never certain. After pinning the bird down, he immediately focused his spirit, attempting to trace back to the fleeting ¡°perception¡± that had emerged in his heart when the ¡°whisper¡± sounded.


    He was sure¡ªhe had not heard a phantom voice! He was certain he¡¯d heard a voice, a voice of a young and calm woman!


    And with that voice, he also vaguely perceived a ¡°connection,¡± much fainter than the one between him and his ¡°remote shell,¡± but it definitely existed!


    Duncan put aside the matter of the golden mask and glanced again at the Spectral Flame that was quietly burning at his fingertips.


    The faint connection also seemed to be based on the burning of the fire.


    He slightly closed his eyes, sensing the ¡°direction¡± that the flame was giving him, and in the ensuing darkness, he seemed to see a glimmer of light emerge before his eyes.


    That glimmer faintly resembled a ¡°window,¡± with shadows moving within it, but he couldn¡¯t see or hear clearly what was happening on the other side of the window.


    Even so, Duncan felt the guidance of the flame in the dark¡ªhe opened his eyes and searched in the direction where the faint light had appeared, only to suddenly see a mirror hanging beside the door.


    It was just an ordinary oval mirror with a simple and dark wooden frame, not any Transcendent item, just like those used in many ordinary homes.


    But Duncan could feel that his flame now needed a medium to strengthen this connection that had suddenly formed¡ªthinking of the vague scenes he had seen in the dark and the direction he had faintly sensed, the mirror seemed quite suitable.


    Mirrors, in many esoteric rituals, occupy a very important position, seen as a symbol of ¡°insight¡± and as a tool to extend the mind¡¯s perceptual abilities, to observe truths that are normally invisible and unknowable.


    Duncan approached the mirror and casually touched the flame in his hand to its surface.


    The green Spiritual Body flame rippled like water upon the glass mirror, a thin, faintly glowing channel instantly formed, and in the next second, the glimmering window Duncan had seen in the darkness appeared crystal clear on the mirror¡¯s surface!


    He leaned in curiously.


    Within the gently rippling light screen, he saw a room lit by lamplight, where an exceptionally tall lady was standing near a window, reading something by the twilight of the Sky Light, seemingly completely unaware of the gaze that was observing the room through the glass beside her.


    Fenna¡¯s gaze moved across the documents, confirming the content word by word.


    This was a notice jointly discussed and drafted by the bishops of various City-States and personally reviewed and approved by the Pope seated in the Storm Cathedral; the discussion of the notice was completed remotely under the state of Psychic Resonance, with the entire process watched over and protected by the Goddess, to ensure that the text on the notice wouldn¡¯t be disturbed by any anomalies or phenomena during drafting.


    Such extremely special documents had one purpose: to inform every Voyager sailing the Endless Sea that a superior anomaly had slipped beyond the control of the civilized world.


    This was necessary.


    An uncontrolled anomaly on the Endless Sea wouldn¡¯t disappear forever from the eyes of the world, and though the deep sea swallowed everything, it never swallowed the ¡°anomalies¡± that fell into it. Those uncontrolled anomalies often wandered the fringes of the civilized world in even more unpredictable and difficult-to-prevent ways, like wolves prowling around a pasture, chasing and threatening the safety of Voyagers, almost every year, sailors set out to sea died at the hands of uncontrolled anomalies.


    As the keepers and sealers of these anomalies, each church had the responsibility and obligation to inform all the captains who might encounter them as soon as they lost control of an anomaly under their care¡ªno one thought this would damage the ¡°face¡± of the church, because it was the church¡¯s duty and obligation.


    Timely notices of uncontrolled situations could perhaps save a ship unfortunate enough to encounter an anomaly one day in the future or give an uncontrolled anomaly the chance to be resealed and contained.


    Under normal circumstances, such notices would be issued to port authorities within twenty-four hours of the uncontrolled event, but the notice concerning ¡°Anomaly 099¡± was a bit late.


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    Because this uncontrolled incident not only involved Anomaly 099 ¨C Puppet Coffin but also Phenomenon 005 ¨C Homeloss.


    The Pope and the bishops had to carefully consider the content of the document to ensure that, while the information disclosed was accurate, it avoided drawing the attention of Homeloss upon people reading the document.


    Fenna¡¯s expression was as still as water as she read the document, confirming whether the words in the document matched the sacred and intangible prayer structure, to avoid the gaze of the Ghost Ship captain.


    And in the gap of light and shadow on the windowpane beside her, a gap that neither she nor the regional bishop noticed, Duncan was straining to peer at the content on the document.


    Ghost Ship captain in shock.jpg.

 Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 97 Who Is Making the List?

    Chapter 93: Chapter 97 Who Is Making the List?


    The perspective presented in the mirror seemed to be based on a windowpane, and Duncan felt as if he were a person pressed against the window, observing the scenes inside the room through the glass. Inside was an exceptionally tall young woman whose profile looked somewhat familiar.


    Upon reflection, Duncan remembered where he had seen that face before¡ªit was Fenna Wayne, the much-admired Judge from Purland!


    Her image had appeared in the newspapers.


    Why was he seeing such a scene? Why would he suddenly see, through a window, this follower of the Storm Goddess? Some kind of hidden connection? When had this connection formed? Why hadn¡¯t he noticed it before, but now suddenly sensed this invisible ¡°line¡±?


    In an instant, countless thoughts emerged in Duncan¡¯s mind, but the next second, the jumble of thoughts was interrupted by something he glimpsed in the mirror.


    He clearly saw the document that Miss Judge was reading.


    It was a document written in a strict format, with the Holy Symbols of the Storm Goddess printed on it. The opening sentence read: ¡°Hereby notified to all captains on the Endless Sea and their accompanying priests and guides, anomaly 099-Doll Coffin has recently become uncontrolled. Witnessed by the Most Holy and Luminous, the cursed object has become lost in the storm. The following is a public notice of this uncontrolled situation and its characteristics¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes gradually widened. Beyond Fenna¡¯s shoulder, he read about anomaly 099 in a format that seemed like a particular kind of prayer. He saw the dangerous Curse endowed with beheading power, saw the origin of the Doll Coffin, saw records related to ¡°Alice Guillotine¡±¡­


    In astonishment, his gaze moved down the document, and at the bottom, he saw the record of the attack on the Homeloss. However, the key part of the last sentence was hidden behind the Judge¡¯s towering figure, no matter how hard he tried to see.


    Duncan leaned left and right in front of the mirror, his anxiety driving him to subconsciously mutter, ¡°Move aside, move aside¡­¡±


    Fenna in the resting room suddenly felt as though a breath of wind had passed by her ear. She instinctively looked to the side and saw a crack in the window through which the cool evening breeze from the sea entered.


    The flames of the oil lamps in the room flickered, with their soft light dispelling the malevolence that spread across the heaven and earth as night approached, giving her an especially secure feeling.


    She put the document aside and turned to the District Bishop, ¡°Put it away. The City-State Bishops must have dealt with it thoroughly; it¡¯s very secure.¡±


    The District Bishop nodded, moving to put away the document while also brightening the room¡¯s electric lights, which dispersed the dimness of the day-to-night transition with a glow even brighter than that of the oil lamps: ¡°Do you still need to rush back to the Central Cathedral tonight?¡±


    ¡°Valentin is waiting for me to discuss matters,¡± Fenna nodded slightly, ¡°Recently, there¡¯s been unrest in the City-State, and we may need to conduct a large-scale prayer event to strengthen the Cathedral¡¯s protection over the entire City-State.¡±


    As she spoke, she looked up at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The lightbulbs inside brightened the room as though it were broad daylight: ¡°¡­ah, if only electricity had the power to repel evil spirits as well. It¡¯s so bright, and its range far surpasses that of flame¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth?¡± said the District Bishop, opening his hands, ¡°Unfortunately, electricity lacks Holiness.¡±


    Fenna shook her head, not saying anything else. After bidding farewell to the District Bishop, she walked out of the resting room.


    After Fenna had left, an oil lamp near the window started to flicker slightly, then returned to calmness.


    The view in the mirror slowly faded, and as the green membrane receded, the glass once more reflected the objects inside the captain¡¯s quarters.


    In that moment, as the Miss Judge turned her head, Duncan had managed to make out the line of text at the end of the document¡ªthe most useful information to him consisted of but a few words:


    ¡°Anomaly 005-Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°So the classification for the Homeloss really is ¡®anomaly¡¯¡­ And to think its number is so high,¡± he mused thoughtfully as he returned to his desk, but then a question arose, ¡°On the other hand, just how are these numbers assigned?¡±


    Nina¡¯s textbooks mentioned many anomalies and apparitions, their numbers and names, and also alluded to the ancient kingdom of Crete as the origin of this ¡°list¡± and its associated rules. However, the specifics of how these anomalies and apparitions were numbered, and by whom, were not detailed¡ªonly that the churches had the right of interpretation and the duty to announce, and that under normal circumstances, the lower the number, the stranger and more dangerous the anomaly or apparition, or the more significant its historical status¡ªat first, Duncan hadn¡¯t given it much thought, but now the question suddenly occurred to him.


    Were these numbers arranged in order of discovery?


    If they were arranged by order of discovery, then the Homeloss, with only a hundred years of history, couldn¡¯t possibly occupy such an early number, as there were certainly older anomalies on this world, and theoretically, all the higher numbers would have already been taken.


    But if the arrangement wasn¡¯t based on the order of discovery, but rather on the degree of danger, wouldn¡¯t these numbers need constant adjustment? Whenever a new anomaly or apparition was discovered, a reevaluation of its danger level would be required, necessitating a recalculation of the entire ¡°ranking,¡± a process that would be cumbersome and impractical to use.


    Though the textbook stated that the danger level of anomalies and apparitions didn¡¯t necessarily correlate one hundred percent with their ranking, it also explicitly mentioned that in the vast majority of cases, the anomalies and apparitions with lower numbers were more dangerous and terrifying.


    That raised a very thought-provoking question: If the existing list of anomalies and mirages was relatively stable and not easily changed, then the person who arranged it must have been almost prophetic. When creating the list, he would have nearly predicted the ¡°ranking¡± of each anomaly and mirage. Not only did he accurately assign positions to new discoveries, but he also had to leave ¡°empty spots¡± in the chart for powerful anomalies and mirages that would appear in the future.


    Duncan Ebnomal suddenly became suspicious of this ¡°list¡± and its maker after seeing the description ¡°Anomalous Phenomenon 005¡ªHomeloss,¡± but he quickly set these doubts aside for the moment.


    Because there was something more important than the mysterious rules behind the ¡°Transcendent Anomaly Ranking¡±¡ªAlice.


    That cursed doll from the Harmony Doors actually had such a significant background!


    ¡°I¡¯m stepping out for a bit.¡±


    Duncan casually said to the pigeon on the table and then stepped out of the captain¡¯s quarters.


    The goat head in the chart room, hearing the door stir, immediately squeaked and creaked as it turned its head. Upon seeing Duncan, it started to speak out of routine, ¡°Sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal¡ªnever mind that for now, where is Alice?¡±


    ¡°Ah, the great ship¡­¡± The goat head, having confirmed the name, was about to ramble on in its usual habit but got cut off by the captain after just a few words. Its throat squeaked from being interrupted, and then it realized, ¡°Are you looking for Miss Alice? She might be in her room counting her hairs¡­¡±


    ¡°Counting her hair?¡± Duncan was taken aback, ¡°What new peculiarity has she added¡­ never mind, I¡¯ll go check myself. You keep steering the ship.¡±


    After dropping this comment, he didn¡¯t wait for a response, turned around, and briskly left the captain¡¯s room, leaving the goat head gazing bewilderedly at the door that had snapped shut again.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even get a chance to say more¡­¡± After a while, the goat head finally caught up, sounding thoroughly dejected, ¡°Is my conversation-starting ability weakening¡­¡±


    No sooner had the goat head finished speaking than it saw the door to the captain¡¯s quarters crack open, and pigeon Ai Yi sauntered out through the gap, fluttering its wings to land on the table.


    ¡°Talking for five bucks?¡± The pigeon cocked its head, blinking its small eyes.


    ¡°Sure, sure, as long as I have someone to chat with, it¡¯s all good!¡± The goat head perked up immediately, adhering to the standard that everyone on board was crewmate and not fussy about its conversation partner, ¡°What do you want to talk about? Can you actually speak normally? I always feel that you¡­¡±


    ¡°Get some fries.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The goat head was baffled, ¡°No, I mean, are you truly aware that you¡­¡±


    ¡°Get some fries.¡±


    ¡°¡­If what you want to talk about is the cooking of seafood delicacies¡­¡±


    ¡°Get some fries.¡±


    ¡°Can you say anything else?¡±


    ¡°Get some fries.¡±


    Goat head: ¡°¡­¡±


    Duncan wasn¡¯t paying any attention to the commotion in the captain¡¯s quarters after his departure. He walked straight through the upper deck and quickly arrived at the sailor¡¯s cabins below. After gathering his thoughts in front of Alice¡¯s door, he knocked and announced, ¡°Alice, it¡¯s me.¡±


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    A stammering voice soon came from inside, ¡°Please¡­ please¡­ come in¡­¡±


    Upon hearing the hesitation, Duncan subconsciously raised his eyebrows before pushing the door open wide.


    There sat the doll, clad in a gothic long gown, in front of a dressing table next to the bed, facing a mirror. She held her own head in her hands, with her silver-white hair cascading down like a waterfall¡ªthe head turned its gaze towards him, and a beautiful, delicate smile gradually spread across her face: ¡°Cap¡­ cap¡­ captain, good¡­ good¡­ evening¡­¡±


    Duncan said, ¡°Put your head back on.¡±


    ¡°Bobble.¡±

 Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 98 Alice Knows Nothing

    Chapter 94: Chapter 98 Alice Knows Nothing


    Imagine this scene: you¡¯re on a creaking ghost ship, pushing open a wooden door at the end of a hallway. An oil lamp flickers dimly, swaying gently. In the trembling light, a headless doll in a gothic dress sits in front of a vanity mirror, holding its own head in its hands. The head turns toward you, slowly revealing a stiff smile¡­


    Duncan felt that if he hadn¡¯t already spent so many days on this ship and grown so familiar with Alice, he would have whipped out his gun and pulled the trigger in an instant.


    But Alice was completely oblivious to the eerie atmosphere she had just created. She obediently ¡°popped¡± her head back onto her neck, her responsiveness quickly returning, and she greeted Duncan with a bright smile, ¡°Good evening, Captain! Were you looking for me?¡±


    It was only then that Duncan collected himself, eyeing the doll with suspicion for a long while, ¡°What are you doing here? And why did Goat Head say you were in the cabin counting hairs?¡±


    Alice moved her neck from side to side and straightened her slightly disheveled hair with her fingers, her expression a bit awkward, ¡°Just¡­ seeing how much hair I have left.¡±


    Duncan looked at the doll as if it were dim-witted, and then his eyes finally caught sight of something at the edge of the table: a spool of thread that had tumbled out from who-knows-where, wound with several strands of silvery-white hair, its origin obvious¡­


    Duncan was expressionless: ¡°¡­¡±


    Alice noticed where the captain¡¯s gaze was directed and immediately picked up the spool, earnestly explaining to Duncan, ¡°You see, this one is called Miffy, this one is called Perly, this one is called Phemia, and this one¡­ its name is¡­¡±


    Duncan was shocked, ¡°You even named every single strand of hair that fell out?!¡±


    ¡°For remembrance,¡± Alice said with solemnity, her seriousness tinged with a hint of sadness, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it yourself? I¡¯m a puppet, and puppets can¡¯t grow their hair¡­ If one day it all falls out, at least I can hold this list and reminisce about the good times we had¡­¡±


    Duncan was bewildered by the puppet to the point of temporarily forgetting his purpose for coming here, and after staring dumbfounded for a moment, he finally managed to choke out, ¡°I only mentioned that in passing¡ª you didn¡¯t have to take it to heart¡­ And no wonder you¡¯ve been staying in the cabin these past few days; you¡¯ve been busy doing this? Counting hairs and naming the ones that fall out?¡±


    Alice nodded harmlessly, ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    With a grave expression, Duncan finally sighed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll look around the City-State for you later, see if there¡¯s a craftsman skilled in this that can help you¡­¡±


    Alice was startled, ¡°You¡¯re going to kidnap someone and bring them to the ship?¡±


    Duncan glared at her, ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a few wigs to have on hand! Does it sound reasonable for a Ghost Ship that¡¯s a moving natural disaster to abduct a puppeteer from a human City-State in the Endless Sea?¡±


    ¡°That moving natural disaster sneaking into a human City-State to buy wigs doesn¡¯t sound very reasonable either¡­¡± Alice mumbled subconsciously, but she quickly swallowed the rest of her words, ¡°Ah, never mind, hehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop with the silly laughter,¡± Duncan felt a sudden drain of strength and waved his hand dismissively, finally remembering the real reason for his visit, ¡°Never mind that, you¡¯ve got me sidetracked from important matters¡ªAlice, sit down. I came to you with serious business.¡±


    Seeing the captain¡¯s stern expression, Alice knew it wasn¡¯t a time for jokes. She quickly put away the spool, briskly sitting down on a wooden chest by the bed¡ªsitting upright with her hands folded on her lap, the epitome of grace and dignity.


    Duncan, on the other hand, sighed, wondering why his resolve always seemed so easily broken in front of Alice¡ª even when he first came to this world, he could maintain his composure and indifference in front of Goat Head, and even when he possessed the body of a victim facing a room full of corpses, he could keep his expression stoic. But facing this overly sinister doll, his expression and demeanor always teetered on the brink of collapse.


    On reflection, it must be the power of the style¡ªAlice¡¯s style was truly hard to resist.


    He gestured with his fingers and a chair immediately screeched its way over to him. He sat down, trying to regain his grim and authoritative demeanor, and fixed his gaze into Alice¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Lei Nora¡ªdoes that name mean anything to you?¡±


    ¡°Lei Nora?¡± Alice blinked, a genuine look of confusion on her face, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of her¡­ Sounds like a woman¡¯s name? And it gives the impression of elegance and nobility¡­ A friend of yours?¡±


    ¡°Theoretically, she should be your ¡®acquaintance¡¯, but you say you don¡¯t know her¡­ fair enough, I believe you,¡± Duncan was not particularly surprised by Alice¡¯s response, and he continued to ask, ¡°What about Frost City-State then? Are you familiar with it? Any impressions?¡±


    ¡°Frost City-State? I¡¯ve heard of it when I was inside the box, it seems to be a city-state atop the Chill Sea, and there¡¯s a place called Cold Harbor. It¡¯s the gateway between Frost and the central sea area,¡± Alice pondered, ¡°But that¡¯s all I know, just the names.¡±


    ¡°And ¡®Alice Guillotine¡¯?¡±


    The doll looked puzzled, ¡°Alice I know, that¡¯s my name¡ªI¡¯m Alice¡ªbut what¡¯s a guillotine?¡±


    Duncan proceeded to ask several more questions, each response much the same.


    And this situation was essentially within his expectations.


    Alice was completely clueless about all of this, just like she had described on the day they first met; she had no idea about her past, didn¡¯t know the truth behind ¡°anomaly 099,¡± was oblivious to the existence of the Frost City-State, and had never heard of the Frost Queen who had passed away half a century ago.


    Even though she looked exactly like the Frost Queen.


    Duncan had not expected many direct answers when he asked these questions, he simply wanted to test, to see if Alice would have any special reaction upon hearing these ¡°keywords¡± ¡ª now that the test was over, the puppet remained that na?ve puppet.


    He was confident that this timid creature wouldn¡¯t dare to disguise her true reactions in front of him ¡ª her intelligence probably didn¡¯t support her in performing such sophisticated maneuvers.


    So¡­ perhaps he should focus not on the puppet, but on the ¡°coffin¡±?


    Duncan¡¯s gaze grew keener as he turned his attention to the ornate, hefty wooden chest belonging to Alice.


    The gorgeous chest that once contained the puppet still sat in the room, now with Alice comfortably perched atop it.


    Alice was quite fond of her chest, using it as a seat and for storage, sometimes even sleeping inside it ¡ª despite there being a normal bed in the room.


    ¡°Open the chest and let me see inside,¡± said Duncan.


    Alice felt a bit puzzled but quickly hopped down and casually opened the chest.


    Duncan stepped forward to look inside.


    The wooden chest was lined with soft red velvet, and a small pile of trinkets lay haphazard in a corner: a comb, a spool of thread for winding hair, a small mirror, and a few metal ornaments.


    ¡°I found these on the ship, in other cabins,¡± Alice pointed to the corner of the chest, carefully explaining, ¡°I asked Mr. Goat Head, and he said they were ownerless, I ¡­ Can I keep them? I think they are pretty¡­¡±


    Duncan glanced at the old ornaments.


    Perhaps a century ago, others on this ship had adorned their hair or chests with these very items.


    They were evidence of Homeloss¡¯s once connection to the human world.


    ¡°You can keep them, they are yours,¡± Duncan nodded, but then his eyes suddenly caught sight of a small object within the pile of trinkets and he couldn¡¯t help but reach out to pick it up, ¡°This thing¡­¡±


    It was a delicate hairpin, so finely made it seemed out of place on Homeloss. It resembled a silver-white feather, its edges adorned with bits of froth, and despite a century having passed, it still looked as pristine as when it was new ¡ª this starkly contrasted with the other weathered items.


    Duncan furrowed his brow, not knowing why, but upon seeing this hairpin, he felt an inexplicable sense of¡­ nostalgia.


    Even a name was on the verge of slipping out.


    But he couldn¡¯t recall the name that was about to escape his lips.


    Duncan blinked; he was somewhat taken aback, unsure what this sudden emotion welling up from within was about, but gradually, he understood.


    Just as he had known the name ¡°Duncan Ebnomal¡± upon first coming aboard this ship¡­ he had once again touched upon the residual ¡°echo¡± within his own body!


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    He looked down at the hairpin in his hand, pondering how such a delicately small object could resonate with the greatest disaster of the Endless Sea, but soon, Alice¡¯s voice startled him from his reverie, ¡°Captain? Captain, are you¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t give you this hairpin,¡± Duncan came back to his senses and spoke to Alice, but he then felt that might be a bit too harsh for the puppet lady, so he added, ¡°I¡¯ll get you some new ones in the City-State later ¡ª these are all very old.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± Alice immediately showed a delighted expression, ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Captain!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too quick to praise me,¡± Duncan shook his head, casually pocketing the hairpin, ¡°We still haven¡¯t finished our serious talk¡­ Alice, I have something to tell you next, it concerns your ¡®nature,¡¯ and you need to listen carefully.¡±


    (Promotion time~ This time it¡¯s Mr. Toad¡¯s new book ¡°Chronicles of Extraordinary Immortals¡±; an indescribable world of immortality, Mr. Toad¡¯s books probably don¡¯t need much introduction, just go read it~)

 Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 99 The First Step of Testing and Control

    Chapter 95: Chapter 99 The First Step of Testing and Control


    After confirming that Alice had no reaction to any of the ¡°key terms¡± and that she was completely unaware of the ¡°beheading¡± ability, Duncan decided to share the situation he had just grasped with this confused cursed doll.


    Because by that time, he had developed a suspicion: perhaps the key to the anomaly 099-Doll Coffin wasn¡¯t the doll Alice¡­ but her ¡°coffin.¡±


    On the Endless Sea, where the wind and waves were gentle, the cabin gently swayed with the motion of the waves. In the flickering light of the oil lamp, the ghost ship captain narrated the past and present of the Doll Coffin¡ªthus scaring the doll nearly into a ball.


    Duncan looked expressionlessly at Alice, who was now sitting in the corner of the bed, her back against the wall, hugging her head: ¡°Do you need to be this nervous?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ this sounds really scary!¡± Alice¡¯s tone had changed, like a regular human girl who had just listened to a ghost story, ¡°What indiscriminate beheading, what stopping only after killing everyone within range, what constantly expanding territory¡­ This¡­ I had no idea!¡±


    ¡°Now I believe you really didn¡¯t know,¡± Duncan glanced at Alice, ¡°but this indeed is information about the anomaly 099-Doll Coffin.¡±


    Alice propped up her head and looked at Duncan stiff-necked: ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°So, I have two speculations now. First, the aforementioned ¡®beheading¡¯ incidents might be an unconscious ability of yours, as you are an anomalous object. It¡¯s very possible that your power is just a passive area effect and that even your previous ¡®slumbering¡¯ state wouldn¡¯t prevent the beheading effect from occurring.¡±


    Duncan spoke as he slowly rose from his chair and approached the ornate wooden box, touching the box with the tip of his longsword.


    ¡°Second, the ¡®beheading¡¯ power of the Doll Coffin might not come from you, the doll, but from your ¡®coffin.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Coffin¡­ you mean my box?¡± Alice¡¯s eyes widened slowly, her gaze unconsciously following Duncan¡¯s movements to the wooden box by the bed. This slow-to-catch-on doll seemed only now to realize: ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°The full name of anomaly 099 is ¡®Doll Coffin¡¯¡­ In other words, you and your wooden box together make up the complete ¡®anomaly 099,¡¯ and when I first met you, I subconsciously thought you were the ¡®dominant part¡¯¡­ because at that time, I wasn¡¯t clear about the complete name ¡®Doll Coffin¡¯,¡± Duncan stroked his chin, pondering as he spoke, ¡°Thinking about it now, the term ¡®Doll Coffin¡¯¡­ seems to emphasize the latter half?¡±


    Alice blinked, her brain churning quite a bit before she finally slapped her palm: ¡°Oh! I¡¯m just an accessory to this box!¡±


    Duncan looked expressionlessly at the foolish doll: ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to sound so proud of that.¡±


    Alice seemed oblivious to Duncan¡¯s teasing tone. She just looked worriedly at her wooden box, speaking with a hint of anxiety: ¡°Then this means¡­ my box has been ¡®beheading¡¯ people? But I¡¯ve lived in it for so long and haven¡¯t felt it to be so evil and dangerous¡­ nor have I sensed any special powers from it¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, you¡¯re a part of the entire anomaly 099. Can your feelings be reliable?¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°Besides, feel your own neck. I suspect the reason your head falls off so often is precisely because of sleeping too long in this box!¡±


    Alice suddenly felt the captain was right, her expression immediately becoming complicated, but then she was a bit puzzled: ¡°But if that¡¯s the case¡­ if ¡®beheading¡¯ is an inherent property of my coffin, then it¡¯s been on the ship for so long without its powers activating, how come?¡±


    Her words met Duncan¡¯s heavy gaze, and the belatedly aware doll Miss suddenly felt an unspeakable pressure crashing down on her head¡ªshe had relaxed a bit after living on the ship for a while, now suddenly recalling what kind of person this captain was before her.


    Duncan watched the doll silently until Alice curled up into an even smaller ball before he said in a low voice: ¡°Besides you, the only human-shaped creature on this ship is me. Are you suggesting¡­¡±


    ¡°No suggestion whatsoever!¡± Alice almost jumped up, hastily waving her hands as she spoke, ¡°Hear out my excuse, I meant this box¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going to do anything to you,¡± Duncan looked at her helplessly, ¡°You are now a crew member of the Homeloss, and I am your protector on the Endless Sea. You really don¡¯t have to be so afraid¡ªcan you sit properly? It gives the impression as if I did something to you.¡±


    Alice then uttered an ¡°Oh¡± and slowly moved back to the edge of the bed, but Duncan¡¯s mind wandered to other thoughts because of Alice¡¯s interruption¡ªindeed, whether the Doll Coffin¡¯s main body is the doll or the coffin, the anomaly 099 had been on the Homeloss for so long now, well beyond the cycle of its ¡°checks,¡± and yet the anomaly had always seemed harmless¡­ clearly, it was due to suppression.


    ¡°`


    Was it the Homeloss that suppressed it, or was it herself, this ¡°captain¡±?


    Duncan looked down at his own hands.


    He knew he possessed a considerable amount of power. Not only did it allow him to completely take over the life of a heretic named ¡°Ron,¡± it was even bizarrely potent enough to make Alice, a higher-level anomaly, tremble at first sight and caused ¡°A-Dog,¡± a Profound Demon, to tuck its tail between its legs. He had yet to understand the nature of this power, but that didn¡¯t hinder his growing recognition of his own uniqueness.


    On the other hand, the Homeloss was ranked fifth in the phenomena of the Endless Sea ¡ª it was a ¡°phenomenon,¡± not an anomaly.


    This meant that as long as one was within the range of the Homeloss, there would be a twenty-four-hour, continuously effective ¡°field¡± exerting influence on every target within its range.


    With the suppression of captain plus ship, Anomaly 099 was naturally harmless, but if he really were to take Alice to the Plunder City-State as planned¡­ the situation was likely to spiral out of control.


    Therefore, he had to understand a series of things ¡ª whether the main body that produced the effects of Anomaly 099 was the puppet Alice or the wooden chest? Was it himself, the captain, or the Homeloss that suppressed Anomaly 099? If Alice and the chest were separated, would the effects of Anomaly 099 still occur? If the suppression effect came from him, the captain, what would be the range of this suppression?


    His thoughts branched out ¡ª


    If the ¡°coffin¡± was what produced the beheading effect, would it then be safe to take Alice alone to the Plunder City-State? If the ¡°coffin¡± was a separable anomalous element, could his flames also exert influence on it alone? If he completely commanded the chest with his flames, would that be akin to controlling the originally uncontrolled beheading effect? Like using flames to control Ai Yi and the brass Compass?


    A whole pile of questions arrayed in Duncan¡¯s mind, gradually forming a complex set of comparative test plans. But at the end of those plans, he dishearteningly realized one thing:


    He lacked many of the necessary conditions to conduct tests.


    The Homeloss was not a qualified testing ground, since the Ghost Ship¡¯s power would interfere with the accuracy of the results, and he lacked suitable test subjects ¡ª because the beheading effect of Anomaly 099 was too lethal¡­ lethal to the ¡°testers.¡±


    Duncan raised his head and looked at Alice, who was obediently sitting on the bed side ¡ª the puppet miss was somewhat anxiously looking at her most beloved chest, all of her inner turmoil seemingly etched on her face.


    As if noticing the captain¡¯s gaze, Alice suddenly broke the silence. In a low voice, she said, ¡°Ever since I became conscious¡­ I have always lived in this chest. It¡¯s my bed, my home, and my Shelter. When I sleep inside it, I feel very safe.¡±


    Duncan remained silent, simply silently observing the puppet before him.


    ¡°Now I understand why those humans were so terrified,¡± Alice extended her hand and gently caressed her wooden chest, ¡°they were afraid of ¡®us.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I was actually planning to bring you to the Plunder City-State the next time I traverse the Spirit Realm,¡± Duncan said in a deep voice, ¡°I need a helper there.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes seemed to light up, but then they dimmed, ¡°Ah, that won¡¯t do¡­¡±


    ¡°The plan has been postponed, but not cancelled,¡± Duncan¡¯s expression and tone remained largely unchanged, ¡°We just need more time to confirm your¡­ ¡®your¡¯ power, to master the conditions under which this ¡®Beheading¡¯ effect occurs. Human City-States on land have all sorts of cunning ways to seal off or even utilize various anomalies, and we are here on the Homeloss, where we can do more.¡±


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    Alice glanced at Duncan quizzically, realizing from the captain¡¯s tranquil and profound gaze that this was not empty words of comfort.


    ¡°Do you have a plan?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, then raised his fingertips and ignited a clump of dim flames.


    ¡°First, we might need a little fire.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 100: Truth and Fiction in History

    Chapter 96: Chapter 100: Truth and Fiction in History


    ¡°Captain, are you sure this is really okay?¡± Alice looked anxiously at the small flame in Duncan¡¯s hand, her hands continuously clutching at the lace decorations on the edge of her clothing, ¡°Don¡¯t burn down my house¡­¡±


    Duncan cradled a flame of spiritual fire in his hand while looking for a spot to start by Alice¡¯s ¡°spiritual coffin,¡± he turned back to glance helplessly at the doll, ¡°My flame of spiritual fire is completely under control¡ªdon¡¯t you trust my power?¡±


    As soon as Alice heard this, she quickly waved her hands and said, ¡°I trust, I trust¡­¡±


    Duncan then shifted his gaze back and steadied his spirit.


    With the current conditions on the Homeloss, conducting a full test on Alice¡¯s ¡°spiritual coffin¡± was unlikely, but this did not mean that he couldn¡¯t do some ¡°preliminary research.¡± Having grown ever more proficient in controlling the flame of spiritual fire, he had already begun to faintly grasp some methods of using this flame to investigate the secrets within transcendent artifacts.


    He still dared not use this flame on Alice¡¯s body, but as for researching her wooden coffin¡­ that was a different matter altogether.


    After making some preparations, Duncan finally reached out slowly, extending the tip of the flame to the surface of the luxurious wooden box.


    The flame, like a phantom reflection, silently sank into the box, and Alice¡¯s eyes widened as she carefully observed the movement before her. After a brief two or three seconds of silence, she saw a phantom-like blaze suddenly spread out in her field of vision¡ª


    The flame of spiritual fire began to burn on the wooden box, burning from the inside out! In the blink of an eye, the entire box took on a semi-transparent texture, and within this seemingly real yet illusory scene, the vigorously burning flame rapidly filled every detail inside the box, as if it were reconstructing its ¡°skeletal¡± structure!


    ¡°Hey, Captain Captain, it¡¯s burning, it¡¯s burning!¡±


    The doll exclaimed in alarm, but her shouts went unanswered¡ªDuncan¡¯s attention at that moment was completely focused on controlling the flame and perceiving the ¡°spiritual coffin.¡± His expression solemn, he watched the flickering flame and the ethereal wooden box, while Alice¡¯s voice seemed to drift from another world to his ears.


    Duncan¡¯s mind grew calmer; he felt the surrounding quiet down, and even the never-ending winds and waves of the Endless Sea seemed to recede from his perception. He felt his power seep into an immensely vast ¡°place,¡± and more and more ¡°perceptions¡± began to funnel into his consciousness through the channel established by the flame¡ª


    This was nothing like the sensation he had when using the flame to modify the Sun Amulet!


    If he had to compare, transforming the Sun Amulet with the flame felt as easy as filling a water cup, whereas now he felt like his flames were pouring into a large lake, nonstop¡ªthe scale between the two was not at the same level.


    Was this the gap between mass-produced transcendent items and a Rank 099 anomaly?


    A sudden enlightenment struck Duncan and in that flash of thought, he felt the connection with the flame finally hit a peak¡ªhis power¡¯s transmission abruptly became as smooth as a flowing river, and immediately after, a flood of ¡°memories¡± surged into his mind!


    Sounds of waves¡­ waves crashing against an unfamiliar coastline, the biting Frost wind sweeping over tall walls, towering ramparts standing in the distance, vaguely as if encased in ice, and then people¡­ swaying, dim, just silhouettes of a crowd¡­


    Duncan¡¯s vision floated somewhere, seemingly about two or three meters above the ground. He looked around in astonishment, but he could only see unfamiliar City-States and high platforms along the coastline. He saw countless shadows crowded around the high platforms; they seemed like a vague throng of people, but he couldn¡¯t make out any one of them clearly.


    Buzzing and rumbling sounds came from all around, sounding like whispered conversations, yet surprisingly loud and noisy. Duncan struggled to differentiate them, only to realize they were not the sounds of people talking, but countless ¡°thoughts¡±¡ªthe chaotic and intermingled thoughts in the mind, the murmurings under tense and stifling atmospheres, prayers to the gods, and pleas made in fear.


    Those ¡°shadows¡± did not speak, yet their voices swept over the coastal high platform like a Storm.


    A thought struck Duncan¡¯s heart, and he suddenly turned around.


    Under the distant, pale, and dim Sky Light, he saw a towering object.


    A guillotine¡ªits sharp blade glimmered with a cold light in the dimness.


    Associating with the little historical knowledge in his mind and thinking about the origin behind Anomaly 099, Duncan realized where he was.


    He looked toward the base of the guillotine, and as his recognition gradually solidified, a hazy figure beneath it also swiftly became clear.


    He saw that queen, the Frost Queen who had been executed by the rebels half a century ago¡ªher silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her light violet eyes still shone brightly in the dimness. She stood in the chill wind dressed in a slightly thin gown, yet she clenched her teeth, refusing to let her body shake even slightly.


    Indeed, she had the same face as Alice.


    A sense of strangeness arose in Duncan¡¯s heart as he looked at the woman who shared Alice¡¯s exact appearance. Even though he knew this was the real figure from history, he couldn¡¯t help but have the image of the lively marionette aboard the ship spring to mind first, when suddenly, a voice that seemed to come from nowhere interrupted him¡ª


    ¡°Your time has come, ¡®Queen¡¯ Frost.¡±


    The voice was cold and distant, yet it seemed to pierce through the curtain of history, resonating beside the guillotine.


    The next second, Duncan saw two apparitions suddenly materialize by the guillotine. The two figures approached the Frost Queen as if they wanted to force her arms down and make her kneel before the blade, yet the queen¡¯s posture remained unyielding, the tall apparitions appearing as weak and powerless as children.


    Duncan heard the surrounding noise suddenly become more tumultuous than before, and the countless shadows began to quiver. Interspersed were distinct shouts¡ªand once again, that cold and distant voice rang out, this time with an added touch of anger, ¡°Silence! Maintain order at the execution ground!¡±


    More phantoms materialized around the guillotine, and the Frost Queen was finally subdued beneath the chilling instrument of death. She knelt in the cold dust, continuing to lift her head and calmly gaze at the high walls of the City-State in the distance, while overhead, the sharp, heavy blade started to rise amidst the creaking and groaning of the winch¡­


    Duncan frowned. Although he knew these were merely echoes of historical records, he couldn¡¯t help but instinctively step forward as he watched the face of ¡°Alice,¡± reaching out his hand¡­


    But just as he was about to ¡°move,¡± the Frost Queen by the guillotine suddenly turned her head slightly¡ªshe looked in the direction of Duncan, at the place which, in her time, should have been empty, and opening her mouth, she spoke clearly and softly:


    ¡°Whoever you are, please do not contaminate history.¡±


    Duncan stopped in astonishment, and right after that, he heard someone by the guillotine exclaim in shock, ¡°Who are you talking to?!¡±


    The Frost Queen, however, had already averted her gaze. She seemed to have suddenly realized something, and a semblance of relief appeared on her originally icy countenance. She turned her head, seemingly directed at the executioner beside her, and said, ¡°Proceed, before the sun sets.¡±


    The guillotine plummeted sharply.


    Darkness, vast and boundless, surged from every direction, and the apparitions from history began to tear into fragments of light and shadow. Duncan felt his connection to ¡°here¡± rapidly weakening, knowing that this ¡°echo¡± was nearing its end. Within the disintegrating visions drifting away, he could still hear bits of the chaotic, broken voices, faint and intermittent, only catching fragments¡ª


    ¡°¡­ The Frost Queen is dead, we have severed Homeloss¡¯s channel to return to the real world¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ Lei Nora attempts to build a second Homeloss¡­ Colluding with the shadows of Subspace, the evidence is conclusive, deserving of death¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ The new Governor will reshape order soon, all materials related to the ¡®Abyssal¡¯ exploration program will be destroyed¡­ Those who report promptly may still have a chance at forgiveness¡­¡±


    ¡°Pursue the rebel ship Sea Mist and the deserting navy at all costs¡­ Alive or dead, irrelevant¡­ Wait, what¡¯s that noise¡­ Get out, this place is collapsing!¡±


    Cries of alarm, shouts, the colossal noise of things breaking and collapsing, the roaring, surging waves¡­


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    Duncan suddenly broke free from the boundless darkness, as if returning to the surface from a deep dive. In the last moments of darkness, he heard a series of thunderous crashes, sounding as though an entire cliffside had collapsed into the sea from the shoreline.


    He had witnessed a piece of history and heard it tumble into oblivion within the darkness.


    He had seen a phantom in history, one that pleaded with him not to contaminate history.


    Slowly opening his eyes, he saw the familiar cabin and heard the familiar sound of waves. He also saw the familiar marionette sitting at the head of the bed, amusingly popping its head off with a ¡°pop,¡± then stuffing it back on again with equal gusto.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 101: Open-minded Alice

    Chapter 97: Chapter 101: Open-minded Alice


    Duncan watched Alice with an expressionless face, as if he were looking at an idiot.


    The historical echo in his mind had not yet completely dissipated, the calm yet penetrating gaze of the Frost Queen from half a century ago still occupied his mind¡ªbut this residual image, which should have provoked a flurry of thoughts, now ran smack into Alice, the idiotic doll, shattering into pieces and gradually transforming into a farcical figure amidst her ¡°bobbling¡± head movement.


    After staring for a long time, Duncan finally couldn¡¯t help himself, ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Ah! Captain!¡± Only then did Alice belatedly realize, and she quickly propped up her head to look at Duncan, ¡°Oh, I always felt like there were a few strands of hair caught inside my neck joint¡­¡±


    Duncan, expressionless, ¡°If you keep pulling at it, you¡¯ll have to come up with a new name for the new hair.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already thought of one! If they fall out, I¡¯ll call them the Williams family¡­¡±


    Duncan had to exert great effort to control his expression and restrain himself from throwing the doll out of the cabin.


    After a few seconds, he finally sighed deeply, his mind gradually calming down.


    To be fair, Alice¡¯s presence had indeed brought a bit of a joyful atmosphere to the dreary Homeloss, but sometimes it was just too much joy¡­ Even Goat Head couldn¡¯t keep up with the doll¡¯s rhythm at times, and Duncan was mostly baffled by the structure of the thing¡¯s head.


    It might as well be solid.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze swept over Alice, and he couldn¡¯t help but recall what he had seen in that dark space¡­ the ¡°echo.¡± He grew serious as the details of that echo made him frown slightly.


    He was certain¡ªit was the Frost Queen, Lei Nora, executed by the rebels half a century ago, the ¡°prototype¡± of the doll Alice, mentioned in the background details of anomaly 099; he had seen that ¡°execution¡± scene, and the trigger was undoubtedly derived from the ¡°Spiritual Body Coffin¡± in front of him.


    The flame of the Spiritual Body had established a connection between him and the coffin.


    But what was the nature of those images? Was the ¡°coffin¡± consciously telling him something? Were they ¡°images¡± passively recorded? Memories of anomaly 099? Were they actual historic fragments, or were they a distorted, amended ¡°illusion¡±?


    His mind conjured the calm gaze of the young queen looking at him, remembering her soft plea¡ª


    ¡°Whoever you are, please do not contaminate history.¡±


    Who was that statement meant for? Was it really meant for him? Did that phrase actually transcend time and space? Or was it just an illusion created by the coffin, reacting to his own ¡°visit¡±? And after the queen said those words, there was a slightly startled voice below the guillotine, asking who she was speaking to¡­


    The consecutive reactions were so real it was almost chilling.


    As for the end of the ¡°echo,¡± the voices that came from the darkness also particularly intrigued Duncan.


    The Frost Queen was executed by the rebels, and one of her ¡°crimes¡± was ¡°attempting to bring the Homeloss into the real world¡± and ¡°building a second Homeloss,¡± as well as a ¡°Deep Abyss¡± plan, which seemed to have also led to the queen¡¯s abandonment by her allies¡­ But he had never heard Goat Head mention these things!


    Goat Head often boasted to him about the ¡°great deeds of the Homeloss,¡± like how many ships it swallowed on which route, how much commotion it caused in which City-State¡ªeven though eight out of ten of his stories were not reliable. But if a City-State ruler had ever ¡°colluded¡± with the Homeloss, he would have mentioned it long ago¡ªGoat Head could make up three thousand words about nothing, let alone such a big matter!


    Unless¡­ that story was false, a crime fabricated by the rebels against the queen.


    ¡°Captain? Captain, are you alright?¡±


    Alice¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side, interrupting Duncan¡¯s wild thoughts.


    Duncan exhaled softly, forcibly suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and glanced at Alice, trying to find a trace of the Frost Queen, Lei Nora. But he shook his head shortly after, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just saw a bit of ¡®record¡¯ preserved in the coffin.¡±


    ¡°Record?¡± Alice asked with widened eyes, curious, ¡°What kind of record is it?¡±


    ¡°The moment the Frost Queen was beheaded, half a century ago,¡± Duncan said indifferently, ¡°I saw her¡ªindeed identical to you.¡±


    Alice instinctively touched her neck, the doll miss unsure whether to feel nervous or to think it¡¯s nothing unusual, struggled for a while before finally managing to say, ¡°Could it be that I¡¯m really that Frost Queen? That I didn¡¯t die after being beheaded but was transformed by Transcendent powers into my current form?¡±


    Duncan thought for a long time and spoke honestly, ¡°If you remain silent, motionless, and just lie quietly in this box, I might indeed think so.¡±


    Alice responded, then didn¡¯t quite catch on.


    However, she quickly dismissed this doubt from her mind and seriously looked at her own ¡°Spiritual Coffin.¡± ¡°So, after you burned it with¡­ ¡®fire,¡¯ did it undergo any changes? Did you successfully control it?¡±


    Duncan then refocused his attention on the wooden box and carefully sensed the residual connection between himself and the box.


    The fire had receded, yet the traces left by the flames were permanent.


    In his intangible perception, he could clearly ¡°see¡± the mark he left in the Spiritual Coffin and feel the delicate strands of connection between him and it. This was somewhat similar to his link with the mutated Sun Emblem, but even more complex and subtle.


    Putting aside the huge mystery brought about by the information recorded in the Spiritual Coffin, he had indeed established a connection with it. However, unlike the structurally simple Sun Emblem, he was clueless about how to control the Spiritual Coffin.


    He couldn¡¯t even sense the existence of an option to ¡°control¡± it.


    He could only be sure of one thing: The Spiritual Coffin was now very stable, very¡­ ¡°tame.¡±


    After the touch of flame, it seemed to have been completely ¡°tamed,¡± just like¡­ a part of Homeloss.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, perhaps we need further testing to know if it¡¯s safe, and then more tests to determine whether the ¡®Beheading¡¯ effect originates from the Spiritual Coffin or you,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°But from what I can feel now, it¡¯s very ¡®subdued,¡¯ just like the other items on Homeloss¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he turned to look at the doll beside him.


    ¡°The key now is you¡ªdo you feel anything abnormal?¡±


    Alice curiously pointed at herself, ¡°Me? I don¡¯t feel anything, why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You and your wooden box were originally one entity, you together are ¡®Anomaly 099.¡¯ Now that I¡¯ve usurped the Spiritual Coffin¡¯s permissions with fire, you, this doll, might be affected,¡± Duncan looked at Alice earnestly; he knew the doll responded slowly and thus had gradually grown accustomed to explaining things clearly to her, ¡°Move your body, and tell me if anything feels off.¡±


    It was only then that Alice realized what was happening and hastily got up to check herself. She ran around the room twice and then jumped in place. Finally, she returned to the front of the box and beckoned to her Spirit Coffin.


    The wooden box didn¡¯t move an inch.


    ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s not obeying!¡± Alice exclaimed in shock, finally noticing a major issue, ¡°Before, it would float up whenever I commanded it to!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s heart stirred¡ªat the moment Alice beckoned to the wooden box, he indeed felt the Spiritual Coffin respond, but¡­


    The Spiritual Coffin was waiting for his command.


    His eyebrows twitched suddenly, and he felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°Possibly¡­ after the encounter with the fire of the Spiritual Body, the Spiritual Coffin now sees me as a higher-leveled ¡®master¡¯.¡±


    Alice stared dumbfounded at the captain in front of her, and then her expression visibly began to show hurt feelings.


    ¡°But no worries, I can lift my own restrictions on it,¡± Duncan saw the doll¡¯s pitiful expression and felt even more embarrassed, quickly waving his hand, ¡°It will still obey your commands.¡±


    Alice paused, then turned again to beckon to her wooden box¡ªthis time, she finally saw it respond to her commands as usual.


    Miss Doll immediately beamed with joy. After letting the box fall back to the ground, she immediately threw herself onto its lid, ¡°That¡¯s great! I thought you were going to be disobedient from now on!¡±


    With a nuanced expression, Duncan watched as Miss Doll swiftly transitioned through her emotions, and after a long pause, he managed to say, ¡°Sometimes¡­ I really envy your carefree attitude towards life.¡±


    After hearing the captain¡¯s words, Alice gave a puzzled look, took a while to react, and still didn¡¯t quite understand¡­


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    ¡°Never mind, as long as you¡¯re happy,¡± Duncan sighed, ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s nothing wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Alice looked down at herself, ¡°I don¡¯t feel uncomfortable at all, and¡­ I even feel like it¡¯s better than before?¡±


    ¡°Better than before?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but I feel¡­ relaxed? And there¡¯s a feeling of peace and security?¡± Alice thought for a moment, trying hard to find the words to describe her feelings, ¡°It¡¯s kind of like the peace I felt lying inside the box, but now I¡¯m standing outside the box, and I feel just as secure¡­¡±


    As Doll voiced her thoughts, she didn¡¯t wait for Duncan to analyze and dismissed her own concerns with a nonchalant wave of her hand, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s not a bad thing anyway!¡±

 Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 102: Nemesis of the Goat Head

    Chapter 98: Chapter 102: Nemesis of the Goat Head


    Alice accepted very openly that her box had been remodeled into a part of the Homeloss, then quickly dismissed the matter of the Frost Queen, Lei Nora, from her mind¡ªthe extent of her open-mindedness left Duncan trailing in the dust.


    According to the doll-like lady herself, she was so composed because all of this was ¡°extraneous¡± to her.


    ¡°After all, I now reside on this ship and have no plans to leave, so it¡¯s no big deal that my box has become part of the Homeloss. The matter of the Frost Queen is even simpler¡ªI don¡¯t even know her,¡± Alice reassumed her seat on her wooden box cover, wearing a pleasant smile, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I am her or what kind of person she once was. After all, that was half a century ago¡­ Let history be history.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re at ease,¡± Duncan merely watched Alice¡¯s light purple eyes and nodded slowly after a long while.


    In the end, he chose not to bring up the ¡°details¡± echoed in the reverberations nor mentioned the words the Frost Queen, Lei Nora, uttered unexpectedly before her execution.


    After all, even if he had mentioned it, the doll-like lady surely would not know anything¡­ Her worry-free state was rather pleasant.


    ¡°That will do for now. We now have a preliminary understanding and control over your ¡®spiritual coffin,¡¯ but whether the beheading effect of ¡®anomaly 099¡¯ can also be controlled requires more tests in the future,¡± Duncan sighed softly, ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Captain, take care~~¡±.


    Leaving Alice¡¯s room, Duncan returned to the deck, pondering the issues he had encountered as he slowly walked toward the captain¡¯s quarters.


    He had intended to confirm whether the beheading power of anomaly 099 was controllable, but in the end, he did not resolve this issue. Instead, he inadvertently stumbled upon a half-century-old chapter of history¡­ The Frost Queen, executed by the rebels, the charges of her collusion with Homeloss, and some mysterious ¡°Abyssal Plan¡± kept swirling in his mind, refusing to fade away.


    And aside from those, there was another matter that bothered him.


    Duncan reached into his chest and took out something.


    It was a small hairpin, resembling a silver-white feather surrounded by waves.


    In any case, it didn¡¯t seem like something a rugged male sailor would own.


    As he looked at it, he felt a distant and blurry sense of nostalgia. This hairpin¡­ seemed to hold a special significance for the ¡°real Captain Duncan¡±.


    With many questions in his mind, Duncan knew that he couldn¡¯t directly ask Goat Head about this.


    He kept the hairpin and returned to the captain¡¯s quarters heavy-hearted. Goat Head was still diligently controlling the ship there. To Duncan¡¯s surprise, Dove Ai Yi, who was supposed to stay in the bedroom, was also with him.


    The bird was arrogantly perched on Goat Head¡¯s horn, proudly rubbing its beak on Goat Head¡¯s forehead.


    As Duncan opened the door and saw this scene, he curiously asked, ¡°When did you two get so chummy?¡±


    The Dove flapped its wings arrogantly without saying a word, while the Goat Head creaked and turned its head around, its eyes made of Obsidian staring straight at Duncan: ¡°Great Captain¡­ Next time you walk with Ai Yi in the Spirit Realm, could you bring back some fries?¡±


    Duncan was taken aback, ¡°¡­why are you also starting with this ¡®fries¡¯ thing?¡±


    Goat Head¡¯s voice trembled slightly, ¡°Please, get some fries¡­ consider it for silencing your Dove¡­¡±


    Duncan stared dumbfounded at the bird and goat duo, guessing what might have happened, and couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°So, you¡¯ve finally met your nemesis, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve changed the subject seventy-six times! Seventy-six! I¡¯ve exhausted all my knowledge, reviewed a thousand years of history, discussed everything from poetry to cooking, from divine sacrifices to pig breeding! But all I get back is ¡®get some fries¡¯,¡± Goat Head¡¯s voice sounded almost desperate, ¡°How do you usually deal with this Dove?¡±


    ¡°Simple, just talk less with it. If you don¡¯t talk to it, it will quiet down soon enough,¡± Duncan shrugged, ¡°I guess you can¡¯t do that.¡±


    Goat Head thought for a moment and sighed, ¡°¡­then please, get some fries next time.¡±


    Duncan neither agreed nor disagreed but just waved at Ai Yi. The Dove immediately fluttered over and landed on his shoulder. Then he sat down in his chair and turned to Goat Head, seemingly casually, ¡°The ruler of Frost City-State half a century ago, Frost Queen Lei Nora¡ªdo you know anything about her?¡±


    ¡°The Frost Queen? The one executed by the rebels half a century ago?¡± Goat Head was momentarily stunned. ¡°I have indeed heard of this matter. It seems that decades ago we even fought a battle near there with them¡­ But aside from that, we haven¡¯t had more dealings. Why do you suddenly bring this up?¡±


    Duncan calmly gazed into Goat Head¡¯s eyes; he knew this ¡°first mate¡± was not lying.


    Goat Head was truly unaware of the affairs of the Frost Queen, as the Homeloss had never made contact with the Frost City-State.


    Not only had there been no contact, but the Homeloss had even clashed with that city-state¡¯s guard troops in the past¡ªas it had with other city-states and ships on different routes.


    Since in Goat Head¡¯s memory the Homeloss had never been an ally of the Frost City-State, it indicated that the charges the rebels pinned on the Frost Queen half a century ago were completely fabricated.


    Of course, to conclude this now might still be a bit premature after all; it¡¯s an old story from half a century ago, and buried history might still hold many twists and details. He is here with only the first mate¡¯s side of the story; this first mate might just be telling the truth as he knows it, but his knowledge might not necessarily be the whole truth¡ªthough none of this really mattered.


    Duncan wasn¡¯t intent on exonerating the Frost Queen from half a century ago right now; he merely wanted to know about matters related to the Homeloss and Alice.


    ¡°Did you know? Alice¡¯s appearance is identical to that of the Frost Queen from half a century ago¡ªthe so-called Anomaly 099, very likely born from the Endless Sea curse after the executed Frost Queen,¡± he casually spoke while playing with a pigeon perched on his shoulder, ¡°and the main ¡®charge¡¯ the Frost Queen faced back then was her collusion with the Homeloss.¡±


    Goat Head suddenly froze.


    It was rare for Duncan to see this fellow caught off-guard.


    ¡°Collusion with the Homeloss?!¡± After several seconds, Goat Head finally burst out laughing uproariously; he found the situation utterly ridiculous, ¡°Don¡¯t mind my loud laughter, but those human beings from the city-states are so foolish and weak, they probably blame the Homeloss¡¯s curse even if they trip while walking out the door! Such a ¡®charge¡¯ is ridiculously fabricated!¡±


    He paused, then continued: ¡°But you say Miss Alice looks a lot like that Frost Queen? That really is¡­ incredible. If Miss Alice truly is a transformation of that Frost Queen¡­ then this matter is filled with irony.¡±


    ¡°Yes, if there truly is such a connection, it is indeed filled with irony,¡± Duncan leaned back, resting comfortably against the back of his chair, ¡°The Frost Queen never had contact with the Homeloss during her lifetime, yet the rebels framed her with a charge of conspiring with the Homeloss. Now, half a century later, Alice has indeed become a crew member of the Homeloss¡ªthe crime those rebels forcefully pinned on her has transcendentally become a reality across time.¡±


    ¡°No wonder you rushed to find Miss Alice as soon as you returned; you found crucial information about Anomaly 099,¡± Goat Head immediately started to flatter, ¡°Truly worthy of the great Captain Duncan, each of your voyages always yields results! This reminds me of a saying by a navigator, or perhaps it was a¡­¡±


    Duncan quickly shot Goat Head a stern look and casually removed the pigeon from his shoulder, placing it in front of Goat Head: ¡°You two chat.¡±


    Goat Head: ¡°¡­!?¡±


    ¡­


    Inside the central cathedral of Plunder City-State, Fenna handed a document she had just signed to her attendant: ¡°Deliver this document to the western church¡ªthis is the last search warrant.¡±


    The young guardian warrior took the document: ¡°Yes, Judge.¡±


    Fenna sighed softly, moving her slightly stiff neck from handling paperwork. It felt more tiring than dealing with pens than swinging a greatsword and battling heretics.


    At the edge of the desk, an oil lamp was quietly burning, and bluish smoke was curling up from a brass incense burner¡ªtwo essential protective measures for handling paperwork at night¡ªeven within the sacred cathedral.


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    ¡°Hope no more troubles arise tonight.¡±


    The young miss Judge stretched and couldn¡¯t help murmuring.


    As if in response to her murmur, just as Fenna¡¯s words fell, a slightly frantic and sharp bell sound suddenly came from the direction of the main building of the cathedral!


    The guardian warrior, who had just taken the document and hadn¡¯t yet left the room, stopped in his tracks upon hearing the bell. He looked out the window in confusion, then back to his superior, who had only half stretched: ¡°The night bell tolls¡­ What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the summoning bell,¡± Fenna quickly discerned the message conveyed by the bell, her expression turning serious, ¡°Seven consecutive short rings, from the ¡®Tomb of the Nameless King¡¯¡­ Could it be that a new anomaly or apparition has been discovered?¡±

 Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 103: The Tomb of the Nameless King

    Chapter 99: Chapter 103: The Tomb of the Nameless King


    The evening bells rang three times, and before the third toll, Fenna had already arrived at the cathedral.


    The old bishop Valentin had been waiting there, a highly respected elder draped in a black cleric¡¯s robe, silently standing in prayer before the statue of the Storm Goddess Gomona. Hearing someone enter the sanctuary, he didn¡¯t turn around, knowing it was Fenna.


    ¡°Fenna the Judge,¡± Valentin said gravely, ¡°The Storm Cathedral has issued an order to summon the Listener.¡±


    ¡°The Storm Cathedral itself?¡± Fenna exclaimed in surprise, quickly stepping in front of the statue, bathing herself in the bright glow of the lamps. ¡°Can it be that they¡¯ve found new anomalies or omens?¡±


    ¡°If it were merely new anomalies or omens, the bells would not have rung three times,¡± Valentin shook his head. ¡°It is the Tomb Guardian from the ¡®Crypt¡¯ who has sent the message directly, stating that there is some activity with the body of the unnamed king. Although it¡¯s still unclear what message He intends to convey, it seems¡­ the existing list of names is undergoing changes.¡±


    As he spoke, the old bishop turned his head and quietly looked into Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°This time we need to send a Listener into the inner parts of the Crypt, to receive intelligence directly from the body of the unnamed king. Currently, the rotation falls to the Deep Sea Church, and the Listener will be selected from the followers of the Storm Goddess¡ª the specific individual has not yet been determined, both you and I are on the list of candidates.¡±


    Fenna composed herself and calmly asked, ¡°When do we depart?¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± Valentin nodded and gestured for Fenna to follow. He walked towards the back of the goddess¡¯s statue, where a door embellished with many Holy Symbols was already open, revealing a long and profound corridor beyond. ¡°The Spiritual Energy channel is ready.¡±


    Fenna bowed to the statue of Gomona, then turned and followed the old bishop¡¯s footsteps.


    They passed through that door, and the long corridor, until two devout Believers reached the deepest part of the ancient church¡ªa special chamber located at the end of the corridor.


    This was a small room, unlike the cement and brick structure of the main church, this diminutive chamber was constructed entirely of stone. The gray, irregular stones fitted tightly together to form the walls and roof of the room. In the center of the room was a recessed fire pit where flames crackled and burnt vigorously¡ªbut no fuel could be seen at the base of the flames, as if they were conjured from the air.


    Aside from the central flame, there was no furniture in the entire chamber, only the continuous, faint sound of flowing water coming from nowhere in particular. Every wall appeared damp, and even the floor seemed constantly traversed by tiny flowing streams¡ªgiving the sensation that this stone chamber wasn¡¯t just any room within the cathedral, but rather¡­ a submerged cavern beneath the sea.


    Fenna, not her first time in this chamber¡ªas a Judge of the City-State, with status equal to a bishop¡¯s, she also had the right to use the ¡°Spiritual Energy channel¡± here. This inconspicuous room was, in fact, the ¡°portal¡± for constructing the Spiritual Energy channel.


    In the central church of each City-State, there were facilities like this, and each congregation had similar technologies¡ªthe priests of the Storm Goddess used such ¡°submerged caverns,¡± whereas the priests of the God of Death constructed interconnected pathways in ¡°pale crypts.¡± These seemingly grim and oppressive installations actually performed a miraculous function: they could extract the user¡¯s spirit and transport it into a vast, interconnected realm of Spiritual Energy. No matter how distant these City-States lay from one another, no matter how fierce the storms on the Endless Sea.


    It was a miracle realized with the gods¡¯ blessings, allowing churches spread far across the Endless Sea to communicate promptly, and in more ancient times, when ocean-going vessels were not as reliable as they are now, this was the only means many City-States had to maintain communication and confirm each other¡¯s survival.


    The door to the chamber slowly closed, the heavy, dark metal door emitting a dull thud. The complex runes inscribed on the twin doors began to race across the surface, intertwining and gnashing like living entities, sealing the room completely.


    Fenna and Valentin stood together by the fire pit at the center of the room. They lowered their heads, gazing at the leaping sacred flames, silently reciting the holy name of the Storm Goddess Gomona.


    The phantom sound of flowing water came continuously from all around, growing louder with the chanting of the holy name. Gradually, the sound of flowing water merged into the sound of waves, even starting to roar, while a damp scent filled the room. As the heaviness of the moist air intensified, Fenna saw the trickling streams on the ground suddenly swell into churning waves, rising rapidly.


    She watched the flames in the center of the room, burning fiercely as ever amid the rising waves.


    Fenna closed her eyes, serenely allowing the illusory seawater to completely submerge her.


    The icy sensation quickly vanished, and when she opened her eyes again, she no longer saw the rock chamber like a submerged cavern, but instead a vastly wide space of chaos¡ªan apparent plaza, boundless and majestic, supported by numerous grand columns in the distance. The tops of these columns appeared shattered and dispersed into the distant sky, and a muddled flow of light shrouded the space above the plaza. Something seemed hidden in the depths of that light, yet it was beyond the reach of mortal eyes.


    Fenna steadied her spirit, and she saw that the plaza was already filled with many figures¡ªmerely silhouettes of black shadows. Although their faces were indiscernible, through the familiar aura each shadow radiated, she could confirm that they were all devout saints of the Storm Goddess¡ªfrom various City-States as well as from the various mobile cathedrals and even the saints from the Storm Cathedral.


    Only ¡°saints¡± could become the alternative ¡°Listeners¡±¡ªbecause some ¡°voices¡± can only be fully heard by powerful saints while maintaining clarity of mind.


    ¡°It seems we are the last to arrive,¡± a shadowy figure approached, drifting in and out of solidity. Fenna recognized him as Bishop Valentin before he even spoke. The old man¡¯s tone seemed slightly embarrassed, ¡°The last time there was a meeting, I was also the last to arrive¡­¡±


    ¡°Do the saints from other City-States live in secret chambers or what¡­¡± Fenna muttered under her breath, ¡°every time the convocation is announced, it takes less than ten minutes for them to gather half the people¡­¡±


    ¡°Since twenty years ago, when Saint Folson wrote ¡®first¡¯ on the register at the meeting site, they¡¯ve started competing to arrive early,¡± Valentin shook his head, ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t understand it¡­ the Goddess won¡¯t grant any special attention for this.¡±


    Fenna expressed neither agreement nor disagreement, but at that moment, a sudden roar arose from the end of the crowd, interrupting her thoughts as well as the conversations among the shadowy saints.


    Fenna and Valentin simultaneously looked up, only to see the ground in the center of the plaza rising¡ªan ancient, shattered cobblestone began to ripple like water waves. Amidst the overlapping ripples, a massive object rose rapidly, first the pale spire, followed by its tilting stone walls and primitive columns.


    In almost an instant, the object entered Fenna¡¯s full view¡ªa massive building constructed of giant pale stones.


    It was a gloomy ¡°palace,¡± a structure erected in an already lost epoch, its silhouette embodying a pyramid at the core, surrounded by numerous obelisks and towers. No City-State on earth featured such an architectural style, and its low and oppressive atmosphere did not seem designed for the living.


    To call it a palace was perhaps less accurate than calling it a vast tomb.


    In fact, it was indeed a tomb¡ªa mausoleum belonging to some ancient and powerful being.


    Like everyone else, Fenna¡¯s gaze uncontrollably fell upon the base of the great pyramid. Under the watch of countless eyes, the mausoleum¡¯s gates finally began to open slowly.


    The heavy, pale stone doors receded to either side, revealing a very tall figure slowly walking out from within.


    That was the Tomb Guardian of the Nameless King¡¯s burial chamber.


    In Fenna¡¯s eyes, it was difficult to say whether ¡°he¡± was still a living human.


    His body was wrapped in layers of mummification linen, half of his body and linen blackened as though scorched. The other half was entwined with heavy rune shackles, the somber chains extending directly from his flesh, their tips twined with pulsating veins and nerves¡ªthis ancient Tomb Guardian, a terrifying creature made of flesh, iron restraint, and deathly curse, stepped out from the Nameless King¡¯s tomb, taking heavy footsteps towards the gathered shadows in the plaza.


    Despite it not being her first time seeing the ¡°Tomb Guardian,¡± Fenna subconsciously took a breath, feeling her muscles tense.


    Then, she saw the Tomb Guardian head straight towards her.


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    The choice had been made.


    Without hesitation, the Tomb Guardian passed by everyone in the plaza, halting before Fenna. His head, entwined with linen and chains, bore only one exposed eye, which calmly looked at her¡ªeven though Fenna was already quite tall, the Tomb Guardian still towered a full head above her.


    ¡°You, may enter the burial chamber,¡± the Tomb Guardian spoke, his voice as hoarse as if coming from a corpse. He then raised his right hand, which looked scorched by fire, clutching a feathered pen and a roll of parchment.


    ¡°Record what you hear,¡± the Tomb Guardian instructed succinctly.


    (Mama mia!)

 Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 104: The Note

    Chapter 100: Chapter 104: The Note


    Looking at the feather pen and parchment handed to her by the Tomb Guardian, Fenna took a deep breath to quickly steady her emotions.


    ¡°How long may I stay inside?¡± she looked up and stared at the nameless Tomb Guardian.


    The Tomb Guardian slightly bowed his head, this being that simultaneously embodied life and death seemed to seriously judge the strength of the soul before him and gave a chilling response, ¡°A moment, or eternity.¡±


    This answer implied that the message soon to be conveyed from the tomb would be brief and singular, yet it might point towards a very dangerous ¡°origin¡±, where the Listener risked death.


    Fenna nodded slightly and withdrew her gaze from the Tomb Guardian.


    She stepped towards the massive tomb not far away, with the Tomb Guardian following close behind. Rusted chains dragged on the ground, screeching sharply, while the gathered shadows in the plaza merely watched silently as a chosen saint approached the sepulcher.


    Before the tomb¡¯s grand entrance, Fenna stopped. She looked up at the towering pale stone doors, whose ancient, desolate aura subtly moved her.


    She had not seen the tomb for the first time in a Spiritual Energy congregation, but it was her first time being chosen to enter the tomb as ¡°the Listener.¡±


    Anomaly 004, ¡°Tomb of the Nameless King¡± ¡ª this ancient sepulcher, situated in some bizarre temporal rift, wasn¡¯t under the control of the Deep Sea Church. Instead, it was guarded and shared in turn by various orthodoxies. From the outside, it had the distinct architecture of the Ancient Crete Kingdom, and current evidence suggested that the tomb indeed was a legacy left by that ancient kingdom ¡ª yet no one knew who built it; nor did anyone understand why this ancient tomb had turned into an ¡°anomaly.¡±


    People only knew that the master of the tomb would intermittently convey some messages to the outside world. The contamination carried by these messages, in most cases, was lethal to mortals. And yet, these messages were reliable, precise, even able to directly reveal the ¡°true information¡± of certain powerful anomalies and phenomena.


    Whenever the master of the tomb conveyed a message, a Tomb Guardian would emerge from the sepulcher and select a Listener to enter the tomb ¡ª the Tomb Guardian himself was part of Anomaly 004, nameless, dutifully committed, and keeper of secrets. He would prioritize souls close to the congregation plaza, but if none were there, he would take willing candidates from all over the world.


    In the days before the patterns of Anomaly 004 were summarized, such ¡°random selections¡± had claimed hundreds of lives ¡ª until thousands of years ago, the emergence of a natural-born saint broke this terrible cycle for the first time.


    That saint returned alive from the Tomb of the Nameless King to the world of the living and disclosed the first sacred gift from the ¡°Nameless King¡±: the original list of anomalies and phenomena.


    While it was common knowledge that the classification and list of anomalies and phenomena were gifts from the Ancient Crete Kingdom left for posterity, few knew that this gift actually entered the world through such means ¡ª the ancient kingdom left behind Anomaly 004, which, after hundreds and thousands of failed summons, succeeded in publishing the initial catalog.


    And since then, the churches gradually grasped the method of approaching the tomb via Spiritual Energy congregations and actively sending saints to become ¡°Listeners,¡± thus rendering this ancient anomaly relatively safe for human use.


    ¡°Enter the tomb, prepare to listen,¡± came the Tomb Guardian¡¯s deep and hoarse voice from behind. Fenna then stepped forward.


    The sound of the stone doors slowly closing came from behind, and the breath of the Tomb Guardian also dissipated into the air at the same time ¡ª the ancient custodian merged back into the tomb, now monitoring through invisible senses every move of the soul that had entered the grave.


    Pale flames ignited on either side of the corridor leading to the burial chamber, and Fenna walked along the path lit by the flames towards the heart of the tomb, her eyes scanning the walls on either side where one could faintly see¡­ ¡°carvings¡± as if etched out forcibly with fingernails.


    ¡°Move straight ahead, do not look back.¡±


    ¡°Do not ask the Tomb Guardian about the identity or name of the master of the tomb.¡±


    ¡°Do not run, do not shout, do not pray to any deities.¡±


    ¡°Maintain humility and reverence, but do not kneel.¡±


    ¡°Once in the burial chamber, do not speak.¡±


    These were warnings left over innumerable ages by countless ¡°Listeners¡± ¡ª in ancient times, the vast majority of Listeners died on this very path, and only one in a hundred or even one in a thousand might be strong enough to leave these ¡°instructions¡± as a warning for posterity before their own death.


    These precious pieces of ¡°advice¡± had already been written in the books used by various churches to train saints, and Fenna knew them by heart, daring not to forget a single word or phrase.


    However, at this moment, Fenna suddenly became curious again¡ªshe had heard of the advice left by her ancestors in this crypt, yet she hadn¡¯t expected to find only these pieces of advice. What about those who had become hysterical, those who had fallen into insanity, those who had lost hope in despair and had desperately pleaded or even rabidly destroyed? Had they not left any traces in this crypt?


    Human nature is complex. Before the churches successfully controlled vision 004, Tomb Guardians had brought hundreds, perhaps thousands of people here. Among those people, there surely must have been some who experienced mental breakdowns, some who cursed their fates, and it would have been unavoidable for some to leave behind mad ravings or even curses on the walls of the crypt¡­ but along the way, all Fenna had seen were the encouragements and reminders left by her forebears, as though¡­


    Only those steadfast and noble souls were allowed to leave their mark here.


    Fenna was somewhat puzzled in her heart, but in the end, did not call out to the Tomb Guardian to ask about her doubts.


    In theory, she could have spoken to the Tomb Guardian during the crypt phase; this would not have violated the ¡°rules¡± of the tomb. The Tomb Guardians themselves indeed had records of responding to visitors and proactively answering questions, but this was the first time Fenna had entered here as a listener. She was very cautious and did not dare to do anything unnecessary.


    So, under this nerve-wracking condition, the young Judge finally arrived at the end of the crypt¡ªthrough the flickering light ahead, she could already see the ¡°Tomb of the Nameless King¡± in its deepest part.


    She stepped across the stone doorway at the end of the hallway.


    A broad and primitive tomb chamber appeared before her eyes.


    Within the vast pyramid-shaped room, the sloping pale stone walls were covered with unclear patterns. Two rows of dark brown metal braziers were distributed on both sides of the entrance, burning with pale flames and emitting a hazy smoke, yet in the center of the tomb chamber, there was no sign of a coffin or anything of the sort¡ªthere was only a stone chair, and upon that chair sat the tomb¡¯s master.


    It was a headless body, seemingly that of a large man¡ªhis limbs were firmly bound by chains, his arms and chest covered with thick black fur, like that of an animal. His feet were deformed and twisted, resembling the misshapen limbs of an animal, or as if they had been scorched by flames, presenting a charred and rotting appearance.


    The body sat quietly on the throne, seemingly unresponsive to Fenna¡¯s visit.


    But Fenna remembered what she had been taught. The moment she saw that ¡°Nameless King,¡± she took out the parchment and the quill pen, concentrating her mind to prepare for the imminent spiritual contamination, while getting ready to record what she would hear¡­


    Fenna opened her eyes.


    She saw herself lying on the ground of the gathering square, where distant and towering broken pillars connected the chaotic sky with the fractured earth, and further away, groups of dark figures were gathering.


    A few shadows were moving toward her, one of which appeared to be Bishop Valentin.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake. Leave,¡± said the hoarse and low voice of the Tomb Guardian, suddenly coming from beside her. Fenna, startled and struggling, lifted her head and to her shock, realized she was lying at the entrance of vision 004. In the corner of her eye, she saw the tall Tomb Guardian turning to enter the stone door of the tomb, followed by a thunderous rumble¡ªthe massive tomb structure rapidly sinking beside her and disappearing into the ground of the square.


    Fenna had yet to comprehend what had happened when a few shadows had already reached her side, one of which spoke with Bishop Valentin¡¯s voice: ¡°Fenna, are you all right? I saw you walking out of the tomb and then you just fainted at the door¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Fenna slowly propped up her body, feeling as if all her strength had been drained out, but now it was gradually returning, which helped her mind to slowly clear up, ¡°How long was I inside?¡±


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    ¡°A moment,¡± said another saintly figure solemnly beside her. ¡°You entered the door, then the door closed for a moment, and next you walked back out from inside.¡±


    Fenna stared for a moment, then she heard Bishop Valentin speak again: ¡°What about the parchment? What did you write down?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, the parchment!¡± Fenna finally became fully alert and immediately felt something indeed in her hand. She quickly raised her hand, and in the next second, her gaze froze.


    The initially whole piece of parchment in her hand had, for some reason, been torn to just a few centimeters long scraps, and on the tiny scrap of paper, there were only a few hasty numbers and letters:


    ¡°Anomaly 099 ¨C Puppet.¡±

 Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 105 After the Dissolution of the Assembly

    Chapter 101: Chapter 105 After the Dissolution of the Assembly


    ¡°`


    Anomalous Item 099-Doll.


    This was the only content on the parchment, the only piece of information Fenna had brought back after returning from the Tomb of the Nameless King.


    At the sight of those few scribbled letters, Fenna¡¯s expression became somewhat blank. She could feel that Bishop Valentin, standing at her side, along with several other figures, was similarly plunged into astonishment. After a brief silence, one of the saints¡¯ dark shadows finally spoke up with a heavy voice, ¡°An existing ¡®anomaly¡¯ has been altered out of thin air¡­ and it happened beyond the gaze of the civilized world.¡±


    ¡°It has fallen into the hands of Homeloss,¡± another saint nodded in agreement, ¡°Perhaps that Ghost Ship captain did something¡­¡±


    ¡°But what kind of change could have produced such a result?¡± The saint who had spoken earlier appeared worried. ¡°The difference between a ¡®Doll Coffin¡¯ and a ¡®Doll¡¯ isn¡¯t just a few letters¡­ and this change has directly touched the Tomb of the Nameless King, even causing the Tomb Guardian to suddenly summon listeners to enter the tomb chamber to convey this piece of information¡­¡±


    The saints were discussing seriously in hushed tones, their gazes eventually converging back on Fenna. She had by now gradually recovered and, with the help of Bishop Valentin, stood up, looking at the remaining scrap of parchment in her hand, ¡°¡­I don¡¯t remember at all what happened in the tomb chamber, only that I was walking through the tomb corridor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very common to forget experiences in the tomb chamber; it¡¯s your psyche protecting itself. That¡¯s why listeners need the parchment and feather pen provided by the Tomb Guardian to record useful information,¡± Bishop Valentin slowly explained. ¡°But for your parchment to be left with only these few words¡­ that¡¯s rather odd.¡±


    Fenna stared blankly at her own hands for a long while before muttering hesitantly, ¡°Was it me who tore up the parchment¡­¡±


    ¡°In theory, it could only be you,¡± Bishop Valentin looked at her. ¡°There would be no one else in the tomb. The Tomb Guardian never interferes with the communication between listeners and the master of the tomb chamber, and the tomb chamber master would do no more than convey a message.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s heart was filled with confusion, but before she could say more, a deep and solemn female voice suddenly came from the edge of the square, interrupting the saints¡¯ exchange, ¡°The moment to end the gathering is near.¡±


    The saints immediately stood erect and looked toward the direction of the voice. Fenna quickly composed herself and looked toward the figure at the far end of the square who had uttered the sound¡ªa woman in what seemed to be regal attire, stood there in silence, watching the gathering of saints.


    The woman¡¯s silhouette had no attendants by her side. Alone, she exuded sufficient dignity and presence. Her silhouette, like the other ¡°souls,¡± was also a black shadow, but her shadow was clearer and more solid than anyone else¡¯s, solid enough that one could vaguely make out the contours of her face, identifying her as a woman of grace and elegance.


    Fenna bowed slightly to the figure with reverence.


    That was the leader of the Deep Sea Church, the Storm Goddess Gomona¡¯s proxy in the mortal realm, the Pontiff of the Storm Cathedral. This Transcendent, blessed by the divine, was so powerful that her soul had undergone a transformation, and she could even present a complete human appearance in this gathering of Spiritual Energy.


    Bear in mind that even the ¡°saints,¡± whose powers far exceed those of ordinary Transcendents, could barely maintain a human outline in this council.


    Fenna felt the Pontiff¡¯s gaze on her.


    ¡°You have done well, Saint Fenna,¡± the Pontiff nodded gently, her voice authoritative yet kind, alleviating Fenna¡¯s slightly despondent mood, ¡°Listeners bringing back any amount of information from the tomb chamber is always uncontrollable. And often, the information listeners bring back isn¡¯t limited to what is written on the parchment.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that¡­¡± Fenna looked up curiously, boldly asking.


    ¡°The less content left on the parchment, the more dangerous the message from the tomb chamber master, it¡¯s your spiritual warning driving you. It made you destroy the words you had written in the tomb chamber to prevent those dangerous truths from being revealed¡­ Having this piece of information is enough. It¡¯s sufficient for the Storm Cathedral to use as a reference when plotting our future course, and to offer special prayers to our Lord for guidance.¡±


    Fenna listened intently to the Pontiff¡¯s words; her mind gradually settled.


    She knew this was not just empty comfort¡ªthe Pontiff wouldn¡¯t do something meaningless. If her Eminence said so, it meant that the Goddess had, to a certain extent, approved of this matter.


    She had brought back information of sufficient value from the Tomb of the Nameless King.


    ¡°Disperse for now,¡± the graceful lady said softly, ¡°This gathering is concluded. The Storm Cathedral will carefully evaluate the signal conveyed by Anomalous Item 004¡ªshould the need arise, I will issue a decree or once again convene the saints.¡±


    ¡°`


    Fenna quickly refocused her mind and bowed respectfully in the direction of the Pope before her figure gradually dissipated in this vast and chaotic space. The other saints¡¯ figures followed closely after, one silhouette after another vanishing from the square. In the blink of an eye, silence returned to the place.


    In the vast assembly area, only the ancient and cracked stone bricks, pillars supporting the chaotic firmament, and the spiritual projection of the Storm Pope Helena remained.


    This Pope, blessed by Gomona, had not left. After dismissing the assembly, she stood quietly in the square, motionless, staring at the empty space in the middle of the square.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, Helena suddenly turned her head to look not far from her side¡ªwhere the air began to ripple like water waves. In an instant, a tall and thin figure appeared in her sight.


    The tall and lean figure seemed to be dressed in robes, and just like Helena, his features were faintly discernible¡ªit was a stern and elderly male.


    Following this, another figure appeared beside the tall and elderly man, a short and chubby old man, with a recognizable face and a friendly smile.


    ¡°Banster,¡± Helena first nodded to the tall and solemn old man, and then turned to the short and chubby old man with a friendly smile, ¡°Rune¡ªwhat, you all have some free time? Aren¡¯t the death faction and the Academy of Truth supposed to patrol the borders?¡±


    ¡°The border has been stable recently, with reliable surveillance left in place,¡± said Banster, the tall and elderly man, succinctly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve temporarily handed over the task of patrolling the borders to trustworthy people,¡± the short, chubby old man called Rune added, nodding, ¡°We primarily came to check on your situation¡­ It looks like the civilized world is not so peaceful.¡±


    ¡°The last time a situation like this occurred at a tomb, it was also during the watch of the Deep Sea Church,¡± Banster said expressionlessly, ¡°Was it a hundred years ago?¡±


    ¡°Feigning ignorance,¡± Helena said calmly, ¡°Of course, it was a hundred years ago¡ªthat was when I entered the tomb as a listener. I wasn¡¯t the Helmsman of the Storm Cathedral back then, I remember it very clearly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you went in last time; I also remember it very well,¡± Rune, the short and chubby old man, stroked his beard, reflecting with some emotion, ¡°You were thrown out of the tomb as soon as you entered, disoriented for a long time before regaining clarity. And just like that young lady today, the parchment you brought into the tomb was left with only a small scrap of paper with a few hastily scribbled letters¡­ Helena, do you still remember the message you brought from the tomb a century ago?¡±


    The Helmsman of the Storm Cathedral fell silent for a moment before speaking softly, ¡°I remember very clearly¡ª¡¯Vision 005-Homeloss¡¯.¡±


    Rune nodded gently, ¡°Exactly, you were the first to bring back the news that Homeloss had turned into a vision¡­ And the few letters you brought back were confirmed just a month later. The phantom of the Homeloss swept past the edge of the death faction¡¯s grand graveyard, and poor Banster watched helplessly as his newly built and not yet inaugurated escort ship was swallowed whole, leaving nothing but the ribbon used for the cutting ceremony¡­¡±


    The leader of the death faction, Pope Banster, looked expressionlessly at Rune.


    Helena, as though she hadn¡¯t heard Rune¡¯s last few words, remained lost in thought. After a long while, she slowly began, ¡°Whether it¡¯s ¡®dolls¡¯ or ¡®doll coffins,¡¯ they are just an ¡®anomaly¡¯ ranked close to the hundredth place, incomparable to the fifth-ranked vision.¡±


    ¡°There is no comparison, but you also know, the key issue isn¡¯t the information left on the paper¡ªit¡¯s those parts that couldn¡¯t be left behind,¡± Rune said, his expression gradually becoming serious, ¡°It¡¯s those truths that could verge on breaking the spirit of a saint, forcing an instinctive drive to destroy and bury them in the tomb¡­ The name changed from Doll Coffin to Doll for Anomaly 099, which in itself isn¡¯t much, but it¡¯s the related yet hidden information that is truly fatal¡­¡±


    ¡°The only speculation now is that it¡¯s related to that Ghost Ship,¡± Helena said, ¡°But a few days ago, when I sought enlightenment from the Lord¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped, then shook her head as if deciding not to continue the topic.


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    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Frem come?¡± she looked at the two figures in front of her, ¡°Doesn¡¯t he always enjoy a spectacle?¡±


    ¡°Frem and his Fire Transmitter Church are busy with something very important,¡± Rune said with a smile, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do for all the leaders of the four orthodox churches to gather here for the excitement¡­¡±


    ¡°Something very important?¡± Helena frowned, ¡°What is he doing?¡±


    ¡°Patrolling the borders,¡± Banster stated tersely.


    Helena: ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 106 Duncans Gift

    Chapter 102: Chapter 106 Duncan¡¯s Gift


    The illusory seawater disappeared as swiftly as a dreamscape at dawn, and Fenna¡¯s spirit returned to her body once more. After taking a deep breath, she abruptly opened her eyes and saw that she was still standing in that stone chamber, resembling an underwater cave, with a raging fire burning before her.


    She turned to her side and saw Bishop Valentin also opening his eyes.


    The memory from the assembly of Spiritual Energy was still vivid in her mind. Fenna instinctively looked at the palm of her hand¡ªof course, it was empty. The piece of parchment that only existed at the assembly site had not been brought into the real world.


    ¡°We had only just issued a notification, informing the captains of the distant seas about the ¡®Puppet Coffin¡¯ going out of control,¡± Bishop Valentin sighed, ¡°and now it seems we have to issue a new notification.¡±


    Fenna moved her wrist slightly, contemplatively looking at the bishop, ¡°The question is¡­ how should the notification be written? Apart from the fact that Anomaly 099¡¯s name has changed, we know nothing¡­¡±


    The old bishop didn¡¯t speak immediately, evidently finding it a rather thorny issue as well.


    Fenna had brought back a message from Vision 004, but that message was merely the new name of Anomaly 099. Perhaps she had indeed heard more comprehensive information from the tomb¡¯s owner, or even the new traits after Anomaly 099 was renamed ¡°Puppet,¡± but that part of the content had clearly been left forever in the main tomb chamber with the shredded parchment.


    ¡°At this stage, we can only announce the situation of Anomaly 099¡¯s renaming from ¡®Puppet Coffin¡¯ to ¡®Puppet,¡¯ and revise the description of all traits of Anomaly 099 as ¡®possible mutations,¡¯¡± Valentin finally said after a long silence, ¡°Being an anomaly within the first hundred, its change of name is certain to bring about a series of chain reactions. Its power, triggering conditions, sealing conditions, and even external traits are very likely to have changed as well. To continue treating it according to old intelligence could be disastrous¡­¡±


    Fenna silently nodded her head.


    The number of Anomaly 099 had not changed, and its absolute dangerousness and eerie level may not have varied greatly, but to humanity, it had now transformed from a known anomaly to an unknown one¡ªthe experience built upon countless human lives was thus rendered useless, and ¡°unknown¡±¡­ had become its greatest danger.


    If after the last notification, the captains upon the Endless Sea encountering Anomaly 099 still had a chance to try and recontain and seal the ¡°Puppet Coffin¡± using old data, then starting today¡­ the only choice for anyone encountering the ¡°Puppet¡± was to immediately get away and hope that the Four Orthodox Guardians could seal it again.


    The chamber fell silent for a while as both Fenna and Valentin pondered their own thoughts. After some unknown length of time, Fenna suddenly broke the silence, ¡°¡­All numbers of anomalies and visions originated from Vision 004, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Valentin nodded, ¡°Why do you suddenly ask?¡±


    ¡°I am thinking¡­ about the anonymous corpse in that tomb and the always silent Tomb Guardian, exactly ¡®who¡¯ they are,¡± Fenna mused, ¡°They are clearly not human, nor even beings from this reality¡ªnot gods, nor the shadow of ancient deities in the Subspace¡­ Why would a vision capable of interacting with the outside world ¡®help¡¯ humanity in this way? And how did the owner of the tomb ascertain the list of anomalies and visions?¡±


    Valentin looked into Fenna¡¯s eyes, and only after she rattled off all her questions did he sigh, ¡°This is your first time entering the interior of the tomb as a listener. Most people, like you, will leave with many such questions¡­ Unfortunately, as the years go by, while our understanding of anomalies and visions has grown, the essence of Vision 004 remains beyond reach. That tomb¡­ it never explains information related to itself.¡±


    ¡°I recall you also entered that tomb,¡± Fenna turned her head, curiously looking at the old bishop, ¡°What was the information you brought back? Was it also related to anomalies or visions?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Valentin shook his head, ¡°While in most cases, the information revealed by the tomb is related to anomalies or visions, the owner of the tomb occasionally conveys other things, sometimes even very¡­ odd and useless information. When summoned by the Tomb Guardian, no one can be certain what the owner of the tomb wants to communicate, the only certainty is that the information from the tomb is genuine¡­¡±


    Fenna still looked at the old bishop with curiosity, ¡°So, what was the information you brought back¡­?¡±


    The bishop seemed a bit conflicted, ¡°It wasn¡¯t very useful, just¡­ a single sentence¡­¡±


    The bishop¡¯s intent to avoid was obvious, but Fenna was a persistent person and did not pick up on the old man¡¯s attitude, ¡°So what was it specifically?¡±


    Valentin reluctantly glanced at the persistent Judge and spread his hands, ¡°July 24th, clear weather in Prand, southeast wind at force four to six¡­¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that; sometimes the messages are just like this,¡± Valentin covered his forehead, ¡°anomalies and apparitions are unpredictable, and this ¡®unpredictable¡¯ manifests in all sorts of ways. I just happened to catch a particularly special one¡­ If you¡¯re going to laugh, could you turn around? I¡¯m already at such an age¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Fenna strained to keep a straight face, then turned away before adding, ¡°But to be honest, I¡¯m kind of jealous. Even a simple weather forecast would be better than the bizarre and eerie experiences of today¡ªno news is good news, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, I guess I¡¯ll just take your word for it¡­¡±


    ¡­


    On the edge of the Upper City District, inside an older standalone house, Heidi looked expressionlessly at her father, who appeared somewhat uneasy: ¡°¡­So, you went on a home visit to a student¡¯s house a couple of days ago, you spent several hours chatting leisurely with the parents, but only took about twenty minutes to talk about the student? And when you left, you forked out over three thousand solaras for an old dagger and a fake crystal pendant made of glass?!¡±


    Morris was seated behind a table, which had a purple crystal pendant (the tag had been removed) on it, and behind him a shelf was filled with all sorts of collectibles. He wiped his forehead, where not a trace of sweat existed, looking a bit embarrassed: ¡°The pendant was free, a gift with the purchase¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­And you¡¯re presenting it to me as a birthday gift? Isn¡¯t that an even bigger problem?!¡± Heidi could not help but cover her forehead, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you at least pretend that it was carefully chosen¡­¡±


    Morris thought for a moment, then spread his hands helplessly: ¡°I really couldn¡¯t find a second genuine item in that store, there wasn¡¯t much to choose from¡­¡±


    Heidi: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a few more seconds of indignant confrontation, she couldn¡¯t hold it in and let out a sigh of surrender: ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s not the first time¡­ How do you always end up being such an easy mark?¡±


    ¡°This time I didn¡¯t suffer a loss! It was that Mr. Duncan who lost out,¡± Morris immediately said, ¡°The dagger I bought was twenty percent cheaper than the market price¡­¡±


    Heidi was shaking her head in resignation but suddenly froze when she heard the name her father mentioned: ¡°The owner of that antique shop is named Duncan?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, he¡¯s Duncan Strain,¡± Morris said nonchalantly, ¡°There¡¯s always been rumors that he¡¯s a drunkard and a gambler, but I realized they were just malicious when I actually met him. The man is genuinely witty, humorous, and knowledgeable¡­ Hm? What¡¯s with that look? Is there something wrong with that name?¡±


    Heidi opened her mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then said: ¡°Sigh, I¡¯ve been dealing with a very tricky ¡®case¡¯ recently, which happens to involve this name; just hearing it makes me a bit jittery.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a very common name, plenty of people have the same name,¡± Morris nodded in agreement but then seemed a bit concerned, ¡°What kind of case is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your field of expertise, so don¡¯t ask. It¡¯s definitely not the same person,¡± Heidi waved her hand, ¡°A fearsome Ghost Ship captain and the owner of an antique shop in the Lower City District¡ªcould they possibly be the same person?¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s absolutely impossible,¡± Morris exhaled in relief as he listened; he knew his daughter often helped the city hall and even the church as a consultant in handling dangerous cases, sometimes even those related to Transcendents. Naturally, he got a bit anxious in this regard, but now he relaxed and turned his gaze to the crystal pendant on the table, ¡°So, do you still want this pendant or not¡­¡±


    ¡°I want it! Of course, I want it!¡± Heidi snatched the pendant from the table, ¡°It¡¯s rare that you remember to bring me a gift, even if it¡¯s just a promotional item¡­¡±


    Morris pondered and then seriously made a suggestion: ¡°¡­Actually, you could pretend that I spent over three thousand solaras to buy you this pendant, and the dagger was the freebie.¡±


    Heidi placed the pendant around her neck, giving Morris a look: ¡°If you really spent over three thousand solaras on this, I¡¯d have to drag you to my treatment room, even if I had to tie you up!¡±


    (Book recommendation time~ A friendly recommendation for ¡®My Stand-in Is Steve.¡¯ To be honest, Minecraft fan fiction is quite rare, so here¡¯s a shoutout. If you have time, please give it some support~)

 Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 107: Highly Contagious

    chapter 103: chapter 107: highly contagious


    the gentle waves undulated softly, and the homeloss sailed smoothly on the endless sea. after many days of sailing, this ancient ghost ship still hadn¡¯t found any islands or navigation marks that could serve as sailing landmarks.


    the seemingly endless voyage appeared to have no conclusion, yet its captain still had many matters to attend to.


    duncan returned to the captain¡¯s quarters once again, where the golden sun mask still lay quietly on the table. however, before that, there were other things he needed to contemplate.


    alice¡¯s matters could be arranged later, the follow-up testing and research on ¡°anomaly 099¡± weren¡¯t urgent, and the frost rebellion half a century ago was not something to be investigated right now. but apart from these matters, there was one thing closely related to him.


    duncan raised his head and looked at the mirror hanging on the wall.


    the green flames that once floated on the mirror¡¯s surface had long since dissipated, and the vista of a distant place that once appeared in the mirror was now gone without a trace. however, duncan could still faintly feel that the weak and vague ¡°connection¡± had not vanished with the disappearance of the mirror¡¯s reflection¡ªit still existed, and it pointed towards the majestic cathedral at the heart of plunder city-state.


    the connection felt somewhat like the ¡°link¡± he had with the ¡°antiquities shopkeeper¡± and the ¡°white oak,¡± yet even weaker, more ethereal, and if one had to describe it¡­ it resembled some kind of derivative, a ¡°secondary channel¡± extended from a clear and definite connection.


    duncan closed his eyes slightly, and on the table beside him, ai yi¡¯s brass compass quietly opened a slit, within which a quiet green flame burned silently.


    duncan returned to that dark space filled with countless stars and streams of light.


    but this time, he did not perform ¡°spirit realm walking.¡± instead, he maintained the critical state of entering the spirit realm walk, observing carefully the flow of faint light in the dark space and the specks of starlight.


    first, he saw the brightest ¡°star,¡± which pointed towards the antique store, representing his other shell, which was cleaning the warehouse and casually taking stock of the goods in inventory;


    then, he saw a hazy and formless light mist, much larger than ordinary stars, representing the ¡°white oak,¡± a steamship that had once collided head-on with homeloss and had been thoroughly burnt by his spiritual fire;


    finally, he discerned that ¡°star¡± with which he had a faint connection amid the haze of indistinguishable starlight.


    duncan leaned in curiously, wanting to observe this cluster of starlight closely.


    but as soon as he approached, he felt a subtle repulsion emanating from that cluster of starlight.


    the repulsive force wasn¡¯t strong, seemingly just a pure and steadfast will protecting itself. duncan felt that if he forcibly extended his spiritual fire, he could burn away this subconscious protection¡ªyet he immediately stopped and maintained a distance from the starlight.


    the owner behind this starlight should be the judge called ¡°fenna,¡± a storm saint, a powerful transcendent¡ªreckless contact might first disturb the owner of the starlight, and in a worse scenario, might even alarm the ¡°deity¡± standing behind the saint.


    with his current limited understanding of the deities of this world, duncan was not ready to take this risk.


    moreover, from another perspective, this subtle sense of repulsion might also be a reminder of the different natures present in these starlights¡ª


    when he first occupied the shell of that ¡°sacrifice,¡± he hadn¡¯t felt any repulsion. nor did he feel any when he took over the dead heretic ¡°ron¡¯s¡± body. so why was there this sense of repulsion around fenna¡¯s starlight?


    was it because she was still ¡°alive¡±? was it because the mental power of a living person would instinctively defend against indescribable corrosion? or was it because of¡­ the so-called protection of faith and divine grace?


    duncan backed away a bit, pondering the significance of the starlight in this dark space while gradually extending his hand towards another cluster of starlight closest to him.


    he stopped at the last moment before touching that cluster of starlight.


    no sense of repulsion.


    he then tried many more times around him, none of the stars ever repulsed his approach¡ªand within some stars, he vaguely sensed some new¡­ ¡°elements.¡±


    he felt the vibrant sense of life and even the instinctive trembles and cringes of those stars¡ªthat was the instinctive retreat of life when faced with the irresistible shadow of death.


    duncan returned to a zone of darkness where starlight could not reach and looked down at his own hands.


    green flames wandered through the darkness, sketching eerily realistic shadows between his fingers.


    it seemed that with the increasing number of journeys through the spirit realm, his control and perception of flames had become more precise and sharp. he could now sense the presence of vitality within those stars!


    duncan slightly furrowed his brow and looked into the far reaches of the endless darkness. the specks of light stretched densely into the chaotic black, looking almost magnificent from afar.


    out of caution, he had never ventured far into this dark space, but just by gazing at the scale of the starlight, he could imagine how numerous these points of light were.


    at first, he thought that the starlight here represented only ¡°corpses¡± that had just died and met certain conditions, as his first two ¡°attachments¡± involved inhabiting bodies. but now, as he felt the presence of life from some of the stars, it seemed his initial speculation was mistaken.


    not only were there deceased among these specks of starlight, but there were also the living; it was merely a coincidence that he initially occupied two bodies.


    that ¡°judge¡± named fenna was also among these lights, and she was undoubtedly alive.


    then¡­ could the countless stars here truly represent all the living and dead in the world?


    duncan furrowed his brow in the darkness. the idea emerged so naturally in his mind and seemed plausible, but he shook his head quickly, feeling he could not yet jump to that conclusion.


    although there were many points of light here, and the world¡¯s population was much lower than earth¡¯s, the stars within sight probably did not match the world¡¯s entire population. moreover, the living were one thing, but how should the number of the dead be defined?


    did it include all the deceased from ancient to modern times or only those with remaining corpses? and should it count any remaining corpse, or was there a time limit after death to make the count?


    additionally, there were clusters of light like the ¡°homeloss¡± that appeared here¡­ how could the projection of a whole ship be explained?


    therefore, it was still too early to define the stars here as ¡°the dead and living of the world¡±¡ªat least not until he had sufficient evidence to be certain.


    regardless of how these points of light were connected to the real world, one thing was very clear: most of the starlight did not repel duncan¡¯s approach. only the light from the ¡°saint¡± fenna produced a self-protective reaction.


    perhaps this was the influence of the deity she believed in.


    duncan became slightly curious about the power of ¡°faith¡± in this world.


    but however strong the protective barrier fenna established through faith, it was evidently flawed¡ªit had not prevented the captain of the homeloss and her from forming a deep and hidden connection.


    so only one question remained: when and how was this connection established?


    duncan pondered seriously in the darkness, considering any intersections he might have had with the judge he had never met, wondering why such a connection would emerge from nowhere. after dismissing one speculation after another, a very audacious idea suddenly came into his mind¡ª


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    could it have been the ¡°sacrifice¡± he initially inhabited?


    duncan recalled the first time he set foot on the land of the plunder city-state, remembered the solar sacrifice¡ªwhere he, as the sacrifice, had caused a commotion at the event, subsequently leaving the ¡°shell¡± he had inhabited behind at the scene. not long after, judge fenna led a raid on the heretics¡¯ stronghold, capturing heretics left at the site, where she certainly dealt with the ¡°remains¡± left behind.


    strictly speaking, his only ¡°intersection¡± with judge fenna could have only happened at that time.


    just a body he once occupied, just a place they had both been present.


    ¡°this is¡­ the connection?!¡± the more duncan thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and he couldn¡¯t help but look down at his hands in astonishment. after a while, his surprised expression turned into an extremely awkward, resigned smile, ¡°what kind of space-time companion infection route is this¡­¡±

 Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 108: The Illusory Scorching Sun

    chapter 104: chapter 108: the illusory scorching sun


    duncan was beginning to understand why the world so deeply feared and despised homeloss, viewing its captain as though he were a plague.


    for in a certain sense, this ¡°moving disaster¡± truly was like a plague.


    in a space of darkness and chaos, duncan gazed quietly at the flames dancing between his hands, feeling the power contained within this flame which was extremely docile towards him.


    fire was the most special existence in this world¡ªit was not only the medium of light and warmth but also the safeguard that allowed mortal civilization to develop amidst crises. it maintained the balance of order between the transcendent realm and the real world and symbolized the gods¡¯ blessings and protection for the mortal world.


    in the vast majority of fields involving transcendents, ¡°fire¡± occupied a special position and played a significant role.


    yet, his flame seemed to carry inherent dangers with its¡­ traits, even within the transcendent realm, it was more fearsome than all other flames.


    it possessed the ultimate contamination, secrecy, usurpation, and blasphemous power.


    based on the information known so far, the spiritual body¡¯s fire had the trait of contaminating and distorting transcendent items, could be used to possess the corpses of the dead, and could even hide within the living souls. not even the power of saints could completely eradicate it¡ªas long as the right moment came, the flames would ignite within the soul, establishing a secret channel to homeloss.


    this was akin to an almost unnoticeable and incurable plague, and at least for now, the so-called ¡°saints¡¯¡± powers seemed to have no effect on this kind of flame.


    duncan sighed softly.


    currently, he had no idea what use the faint connection he had established with fenna might serve, but at least for now, it seemed that all he needed was the right ¡°medium¡± along with a certain ¡°opportunity,¡± and he would be able to directly see and hear what was happening near that saint. based on what he had perceived next to the ¡°mirror,¡± he should also be able to project his power to some extent near the saint¡ªthe most effective method would probably be to contaminate the ¡°fire¡± near the saint.


    when the channel was establishing, he distinctly perceived the presence of ¡°fire¡± near fenna, which responded to his scrutiny. coupled with his past experience in controlling the spiritual body¡¯s fire, he was certain that ¡°fire¡± must be a condition for establishing the connection.


    as for the specific what the appropriate ¡°medium¡± and ¡°opportunity¡± were¡­ the former could tentatively be confirmed as the ¡°mirror¡± and ¡°fire¡± acting as carriers for the projection channel (or in the transcendent realm¡¯s ¡°professional terms,¡± called ¡°ceremonial props¡±), as for the latter¡­


    duncan recalled the sentence he had heard when the connection was suddenly established:


    ¡°¡­ might actually link them with homeloss ¡­¡±


    he had sensed the channel¡¯s establishment immediately after hearing this sentence, so the opportunity was likely tied to this phrase.


    ¡°the word ¡®homeloss,¡¯ then¡­¡±


    duncan¡¯s understanding of the transcendent realm was limited, but even with that little understanding, he knew the special role ¡°names¡± played in the transcendent realm.


    the name ¡°duncan ebnomal,¡± the name ¡°homeloss,¡± both held power.


    he had a tentative answer in his mind:


    when fenna, the ¡°carrier,¡± uttered the name ¡°homeloss¡± near the flame and mirror, her connection with homeloss would be instantaneously strengthened. if at that moment, duncan on this end actively responded to this ¡°call,¡± the channel would be established.


    with his thoughts gradually calming, duncan retracted his gaze from the distant ¡°stars.¡±


    he had no disagreement with the deep sea church, and he bore no ill will toward the young judge miss, naturally not intending to use this connection to harm her. however, if this connection could occasionally provide him with valuable information¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing.


    the space of darkness and chaos and the glimmers of light receded like flowing water, and duncan opened his eyes to find himself back in his own bedroom.


    the golden sun mask, modeled after the sun god, lay quietly by his hand, while the dove, ai yi, perched nearby on a desk, dozing off.


    this bird had been sent to chat with the goat-headed one, but for some reason, the latter did not want to talk and thus sent the bird back.


    after a moment¡¯s hesitation, duncan reached out and picked up the sun mask.


    although some minor episodes had occurred and he had unexpectedly bumped into plenty of unexpected information, things were finally back on track¡ªhe had time to study the ¡°sun sacred relic.¡±


    he first flipped the mask back and forth several times to confirm the details of its design and the specifics of its material. however, during his examination, he suddenly noticed a small chip in one corner of the mask.


    a dim hue was faintly visible through the chipped location.


    duncan furrowed his brow, and the next second, the pigeon that had been dozing on the table suddenly opened its eyes, flapping its wings and hopping around as it squawked, ¡°it¡¯s iron with copper plating! iron with copper plating!¡±


    hearing the bird¡¯s words, duncan felt even more that the damaged part of the mask was sore to the eyes. he hurriedly scratched at the blemished spot with his fingernail and studied it carefully for a moment before finally concluding with an expressionless face¡ª


    it really was iron with copper plating, not even gilded.


    because some corners of the mask were even starting to turn green¡­


    ¡°this is a swindle!¡± the psychological gap made duncan finally unable to resist muttering to himself. he looked dejectedly at the weighty lump of iron in his hand, recalling his initial ¡°resale¡± plan when he was about to study the mask, feeling a chill in his heart, ¡°i was still hoping to fleece those heretics a bit more¡­ even mass-produced relics shouldn¡¯t be faked like this, right?!¡±


    pigeon ai yi, listening to duncan¡¯s grumbles, rolled its eyes and flapped its wings as it cried out, ¡°is your fruit even ripe?¡±


    it took a moment for duncan to understand what the pigeon meant¡ªwas it saying, ¡°is everything in your shop genuine?¡±


    he recalled the stack of modern industrial rejects in his shop and looked at ai yi expressionlessly: ¡°shut up.¡±


    having said that, he no longer paid any attention to the bird next to him and instead focused his attention on the golden mask.


    after confirming that this gadget was indeed a worthless mass-produced item, his ¡°test¡± was free of worries.


    a cluster of faint green flame rose at his fingertips and flowed over the surface of the golden mask like water, then under duncan¡¯s control, it gradually infiltrated the interior of the ¡°sacred relic.¡±


    a mass-produced relic was still a relic, and even if its true material was iron plated with copper, the runes engraved inside it and the sun-shaped design on its surface were certainly capable of exerting transcendent powers. since that sun priest could use this thing to communicate with his ¡°deity,¡± it meant that this sun mask could be analyzed and researched according to the laws of transcendent items.


    duncan had considerable experience in the field of transcendent item research, and his main approach was to set fire without hesitation¡ªthe last practical instance was when he set ai yi¡¯s coffin box ablaze with green fire, which proved to be a very effective research method.


    feeling the flame gradually penetrating inside the mask, duncan also concentrated his spirit, beginning to perceive the information that might be contained within the transcendent item.


    this was a mass-produced thing, and its ¡°presence¡± definitely couldn¡¯t compare to eli¡¯s puppet sarcophagus. duncan believed he should be able to quickly understand the functionality and operations of this object and subvert it to become his own.


    with that thought, he peered into the depths of the mask for the truth¡ªhowever, the next second, the development of events exceeded his expectations!


    a boom like thunder suddenly exploded in his mind, as if he had ¡°blasted¡± open a passage deep within the ordinary mask. as he delved into the mask¡¯s interior, his spirit violently encountered a massive and searing power that overflowed from all sides. then, he felt as if he had ¡°passed through¡± a channel, or opened a door, and a grandiose, magnificent illusion flooded into his brain!


    it might have been just one second, maybe even shorter. it was just a few fleeting images¡ªin these images, he saw a solitary, fiery burning fireball hanging in the dark void of space.


    the sun, a true, burning, gravity-emitting¡­ star.


    amidst the incredible heat and the tearing force of gravity, duncan faced the scorching sun, yet he did not turn to ashes within it¡ªthe star seemed to be nothing more than a phantom from ancient times. it retained the majesty and might that it once truly possessed but couldn¡¯t actually affect the real world in the slightest degree.


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    stunned, duncan watched as this blazing sun in the illusory realm gradually turned an angle within his view.


    behind the sun was a pale, dark flesh and billions of coiled, withered tentacles stretching over countless kilometers. these detestable limbs together encircled a gigantic eyeball that was half-open, half-closed, already decaying for who knows how many eons.


    the fierce solar corona was burning fiercely atop a false shell woven and supported by blood and tentacles¡ªreleasing the might of something trying desperately to mimic the ¡°sun,¡± yet in the end, a mere counterfeit.


    a faint, ethereal voice, almost like an illusion, began whispering beside duncan¡¯s ear:


    ¡°usurper of flame¡­ extinguish me¡­ please¡­¡±

 Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 109 "Usurper of Fire

    chapter 105: chapter 109 ¡°usurper of fire


    a violent sensation of freefall came upon duncan suddenly, stripping his spirit swiftly from before the blazing sun. he felt as if he were being dragged by a powerful gravity through a deep and lengthy tunnel, the raging burning corona and the flesh that supported it quickly receding from his vision¡ª the next second, he felt a solid touch on his back.


    that was the back of his seat.


    duncan opened his eyes abruptly, gasping heavily. his heart had never thumped so vigorously, and in his retinas, it seemed as if the blinding light cast by that burning star still lingered.


    the terrifying truth beneath that sea of fire was imprinted even more intensely in his mind.


    a few seconds later, those strong impressions finally began to subside in his mind, leaving only that ethereal phrase echoing in the depths of his memory¡ª


    ¡°usurping flame, extinguish me, please¡­¡±


    duncan furrowed his brows slightly; he was sure he had really heard that sentence.


    was this¡­ something ¡°the sun¡± had conveyed to him? did it sense his prying and then send out this¡­ call for help to him?


    duncan rubbed his forehead, recalling every detail of that intense sun while speculating about the true nature of this ¡°call for help¡±.


    without a doubt, that was what the followers of ¡°the true sun¡± worshipped, the ¡°real sun¡± they spoke of.


    to be honest, in that brief moment when he first saw it, duncan truly felt a surge of emotion in his heart. he was overwhelmed by the fiery ocean of that intense sun, almost believing he had seen the ¡°sun¡± from his own memories, his own understanding¡ªthat he had seen the star he had observed on earth¡­


    his emotions were as turbulent then as his astonishment and bewilderment were when he saw the truth behind the sun.


    the front of that sun indeed matched ¡°the true sun¡± perfectly, consistent with what the sun cultists described, but that scene was merely the shell of the sun¡ªit housed an indescribable thing inside.


    duncan remembered those pale, murky pieces of flesh and the withered, decaying state displayed by the tendrils wrapped around the pupil.


    that ¡°creature,¡± encapsulated by the shell of the sun, seemed to be not in good shape.


    in fact, duncan even thought it was already ¡°dead¡±¡ªthat feeling of lifelessness was so strong, that even just sneakily glimpsing it from afar, he could feel the ¡°death¡± emanating and hitting him in the depths of his soul.


    it was essentially a burning corpse of an ancient god.


    and that ancient god¡¯s corpse was pleading with him, hoping someone would come to extinguish the flames on its body.


    a corpse pleading for help was both contradictory and terrifying, bizarre and surreal, yet fitting the already abnormal ¡°logic¡± of this world.


    duncan gradually organized his chaotic thoughts, recalling that during his brief peek, there was one particularly notable aspect¡ªthe name ¡°the sun¡± had called him¡ª¡±usurping flame¡±.


    was that indescribable piece of flesh really addressing him? did it genuinely sense the approach of this unexpected visitor and therefore made a sound? was it not just babbling in a haze of confusion?


    if that plea for help indeed was directed at him, then this was a very clear indication¡ªusurping flame¡­


    duncan lowered his head, gently twirling his fingertips, observing a cluster of flames quietly burning there.


    the green fire of his spiritual body obediently awaited his command, ready to contaminate other fires, to usurp other aberrant powers.


    the next second, duncan dispersed the spiritual body fire in his hand.


    regardless of whether ¡°the sun¡± was truly speaking to him, regardless of what the other party meant by ¡°usurping flame,¡± these were not matters he could attend to right now¡ªthe hidden cultists of the plunder city-state were still lurking in the dark, and he had neither the ability nor the standpoint to deal with the ¡°sun god¡± behind those heretics.


    besides, how was he supposed to ¡°help¡± that burning sun? use the small flicker of his spiritual body¡¯s fire to engulf and burn a huge blob of matter? he¡¯d die of exhaustion before he could burn through it all! and besides, just because the other party was begging him for help, it didn¡¯t mean that thing was on ¡°his side¡± ¨C who knows what would happen after extinguishing that sun, what if the flame was a seal, and extinguishing it would awaken something unspeakable inside the sun that would then wreak havoc in all directions? would it still remember his ¡°favour¡± of helping to ¡°put out the fire¡± then?


    having dealings with something akin to a deity so casually was hardly a wise move.


    duncan shook his head, feeling somewhat sentimental¡ªthis so-called ¡°sun god¡± was indeed not the sun he was familiar with.


    perhaps he would never see real ¡°sunlight¡± again in this world.


    the golden mask, modeled after the sun, still lay quietly on the table, its surface luster a bit dim, as if it had already exhausted its internal energy.


    duncan reached out to pick up the mask, but the moment his fingertips touched it, a soft sound of cracking entered his ears.


    the mask, which was originally very sturdy (and plated with copper), seemed to have weathered millions of years of erosion and the next second turned to dust in his hands, dissipating with the wind.


    ai yi hopped over and opened her wings in front of duncan, gesticulating: ¡°happy, slap, gone!¡±


    however, duncan did not mind this bird¡¯s aggravating behavior; a vague realization began to dawn on him¡ª


    the mask was ultimately just a mass-produced ¡°sacred relic.¡± those sun cultists seemed to excel in creating these sorts of limited-efficacy forgeries through various rituals. these forgeries had some of the mighty powers of the genuine items but were ultimately worrisome in longevity.


    the function of the sun mask was likely to act as a channel of communication, with the lower-ranking priests using it to connect with the deities or deities¡¯ ¡°offspring¡± they worshipped. just now, he had used the fire of the spiritual body to forcibly unlock all the power of the mask, giving it a fleeting effect akin to a ¡°genuine article,¡± allowing him to glimpse the appearance of the sun god through the channel ¨C which exhausted the ¡°lifespan¡± of the mask in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°maybe i should find a way to get a real one in the future¡­¡± looking at the ashes dissipating in the air, duncan mused, ¡°this thing can¡¯t even last three seconds before burning out¡­¡±


    he did not plan to really ¡°save¡± any sun god, but he was still interested in the secrets guarded by those sun cultists and was also curious about the history before the great annihilation. he felt he would continue his research in the transcendent realm; the wool on those heretics¡­ he had to keep shearing as needed.


    but as his research went deeper, he would have to find a way to shear some high-quality wool.


    after taking a brief rest to recover his spirits, duncan left his bedroom.


    the goat-headed navigator, who was spacing out next to the navigation table, immediately turned his head at the sound. he first checked to see if the pigeon had followed him out and sighed with relief after finding duncan alone: ¡°ah, great captain, your loyal subordinate omitted here has been diligently steering for you, how was your recent ¡®voyage¡¯? i sensed your soul went to a distant place again, but it wasn¡¯t to a human city-state this time? if you¡¯re planning another long trip next time, you might think about¡­¡±


    ¡°how much do you know about the ¡®true sun god¡¯ worshipped by those sun cultists?¡± duncan waved his hand dismissively, cutting straight to the question.


    after dealing with this goat-head for a while, he had gotten to grips with its temperament and had become more confident in his ¡°captain identity.¡± in conversation and questioning, he no longer acted as carefully as he did at first, and it didn¡¯t matter to ask some questions unrelated to the essence of homeloss casually.


    this also served to probe just how much this peculiar goat-head knew about the transcendent realm.


    ¡°true sun god?¡± the goat-head was taken aback, then hesitantly said, ¡°honestly, i¡¯m not too clear, i just know that those followers of the sun god are both insane and foolish, but i don¡¯t know what deity they serve¡­ however, the ¡®blessing¡¯ of the sun god does exist. those cultists, when their devotion reaches a certain level, do receive some weird and strange powers, which is also why this cult has been able to grow¡­¡±


    as he spoke, the goat-head slowly came to a realization: ¡°ah, why do you suddenly bring this up? don¡¯t tell me you just now¡­¡±


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    ¡°i was just thinking, if a so-called ¡®deity¡¯, was being roasted over a fire by its own believers, and the believers are completely unaware of it, working overtime to stoke the fire every day, mistaking the ¡®grease¡¯ dripped from the deity¡¯s body as blessings sent down by the deity¡­ then that would be quite ironic,¡± duncan mused, ¡°it¡¯s something out of hell¡¯s jokes that seems too much even for hell.¡±


    the chart room grew quiet, the goat-head didn¡¯t pick up the conversation, which made duncan look at him in surprise, ¡°why are you silent? you¡¯re usually quite talkative, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    the goat-head opening up somewhat sullenly: ¡°¡­the topic is too awesome, i dare not speak, i dare not ask, i can only say, the captain is insightful¡­¡±


    duncan burst into laughter.


    whether it was an illusion or not, he began to feel that even this goat-head in front of him was not as ominously dangerous as at first, and the atmosphere on the ship¡­ seemed to be slowly getting better?

 Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 110: What a Coincidence

    chapter 106: chapter 110: what a coincidence


    plunder city-state, in the antique shop of the lower city district, duncan held a copy of the city-state weekly behind the counter, seemingly reading the newspaper content casually.


    suddenly, he blinked twice, his previously unfocused gaze sharpening as he glanced at the newspaper in his hand and nonchalantly turned it upside down.


    the front page headline detailed a recent major event in the city¡ªthe esteemed bishop valentin of the deep sea church would soon preside over a massive prayer event, during which bells and steam whistles from over ten churches across the city would sound to summon the power of the storm goddess to bless the city.


    as a prelude to this prayer event, governor dante wayne had congratulated the cathedral last night and presented a gift¡­


    printed on the front page was the image of the city-state¡¯s governor¡ªa middle-aged man with a stern expression, grey hair, tall and thin figure, and most notably, a frightening scar on his face, with a prosthetic eye replacing the original.


    clearly, these were the remnants of some deadly accident.


    duncan¡¯s gaze slowly swept over the newspaper, but his mind envisioned the face of the young judge named ¡°fenna¡±¡ªwho similarly had a scar near her eye, though it did not affect her vision but was quite conspicuous.


    he recalled the intelligence he had recently gathered:


    governor dante wayne of the city-state was judge fenna¡¯s uncle, and both had scars from the same incident. it had happened eleven years ago near the cross district in an area known as the ¡°sixth street,¡± where a factory leak and a heretics¡¯ riot occurred. dante wayne and fenna wayne were injured by the mob, leaving them with permanent scars, which had now made them staunch supporters of the deep sea church and active combatants against heretic activities in the city-state¡­


    this information was no secret in the city-state, found in both official records and common rumors. anyone in the lower city district could easily hear about these events.


    yet again, eleven years ago, and the ¡°factory leak¡± in the sixth street¡­


    duncan silently turned to the next page of the newspaper, pondering and connecting various clues he had gathered recently.


    sun shard, nina¡¯s memories of a great fire, nina¡¯s recent nightmares, the accidents that befell judge fenna and governor dante, and the girl named ¡°sherry,¡± seemingly investigating the truth, of unknown origins¡­ all these elements revolved around the ¡°factory leak¡± incident on sixth street eleven years ago. currently, the sun cultists were stirring in the city again, their ¡°sun god¡± a blazing entity, akin to an evil god.


    that entity was still crying out for help.


    duncan wasn¡¯t yet ready to deal with this sun god, but he worried about the nameless fire brewing in the shadows touching nina.


    he had released a pigeon early in the morning to gather clues about the heretics in the city-state, and it was still out there roaming. nina was upstairs packing her books, soon to head for school, as the streets outside the shop gradually buzzed to life, the sound of carriages and pedestrians flowing in through the door, bringing fresh vitality and vigor.


    suddenly light footsteps came from the stairs, the old wooden floorboards creaking softly. nina hurried into duncan¡¯s line of sight, her book bag in one hand and a loaf of bread for lunch in the other, ¡°uncle! i¡¯m off to school!¡±


    ¡°slow down, don¡¯t trip. there¡¯s still plenty of time,¡± duncan looked helplessly at her, then remembered something, ¡°right, isn¡¯t today your trip to the museum?¡±


    ¡°yes! i made plans with a classmate!¡± nina turned back with a radiant smile, ¡°i won¡¯t come back for lunch. i¡¯ll go straight to the museum with my classmate. you¡¯ll have to fix something to eat yourself.¡±


    ¡°got it, got it,¡± duncan smiled and waved his hands, then repeated his caution, ¡°slow down. watch for cars on the road¡­¡±


    ¡°alright, alright, goodbye, uncle!¡±


    with her cheerful shout and brisk footsteps, accompanied by the doorbell tinkling, nina¡¯s figure vanished from duncan¡¯s sight.


    she crossed the street in front of the antique shop and sprinted into the morning light of plunder.


    as duncan watched nina leave, he remembered the previous ¡°home visit¡± and what mr. morris had told him:


    nina had few friends at school, and most classmates didn¡¯t interact much with her.


    but even if she had few friends, it seemed there were one or two classmates close enough to invite her to the museum, and clearly she was happy about it, a good sign indeed.


    he had inquired yesterday, and the classmate going to the museum with nina was a quiet girl also from the lower city district; the two had recently become friends and were on good terms.


    duncan put down the newspaper in his hands.


    nina had already gone to school and would not return in the afternoon, and as it was a weekday, the antique shop was unlikely to see much business.


    staying here to mind the store seemed like a waste of time, and perhaps he could take a stroll in the city and¡­ investigate some matters.


    duncan sensed ai yi¡¯s current location in his mind, issued a ¡°continue patrolling¡± command to the pigeon, then put on his coat, hung the ¡°temporarily closed¡± sign at the door, locked up, and headed to the nearby bus station.


    the bus station was crowded, as it was peak time for people to commute to work and school. duncan blended into the crowd and came up to a standing sign next to the station, looking at the route map it displayed.


    his gaze fell on one of the routes¡ªthe clear print of a location stood out: the sixth district.


    the place mentioned in official records where a ¡°factory leak¡± had occurred.


    duncan withdrew his gaze, patiently waiting among the crowd. buses came and went, and several steam engine-driven buses carried away half of the people on the platform. after a long wait, he finally saw an old bus shake its way from the end of the road, the number on the front of the bus showing that it was the one he was waiting for.


    duncan squeezed onto the bus along with a large group of people.


    the old bus was crammed full of passengers hurrying to work, with every seat and aisle filled. duncan quietly made his way to a spot near the rear door, patiently waiting for the bus to start.


    accompanied by the hoarse effortful roar of the steam engine, the severely overloaded bus started moving. the ticket collector began to struggle his way through the sardine-packed crowd, calling out for people to buy their tickets as he made his way to duncan. his deep blue uniform was so compressed it was misshapen.


    ¡°sixth district,¡± duncan said to the ticket collector with a friendly smile.


    the weary ticket collector, disoriented by the jostling, paused at the sound of duncan¡¯s voice, seemingly baffled, and asked, ¡°huh? where are you going to?¡±


    duncan furrowed his brow, ¡°sixth district¡ªi saw it on the route map, doesn¡¯t this bus go there?¡±


    the ticket collector stalled again, then looked up hastily at the route map on the side of the carriage, and as if suddenly waking from a dream, he hurriedly nodded, ¡°oh right, of course it goes there. not many people go there usually, i almost forgot¡­ four pence.¡±


    not many people go to the sixth district? it had been eleven years since the accident; hadn¡¯t the area around that factory been rebuilt yet?


    a flicker of doubt crossed duncan¡¯s mind, but he purchased a ticket without showing any concern, then watched as the ticket collector struggled back into the crowd like a warrior forging through enemy ranks.


    now, it was just a quiet wait for the bus to reach the station.


    but just then, he suddenly felt a gaze nearby.


    that gaze was very brief, as if it had accidentally swept over him and then hurriedly moved away. however, duncan¡¯s senses were exceptionally sharp. not only did he feel that the gaze was indeed ¡°directed¡± at him, but he also faintly sensed a flavor of¡­ fear and evasion, which immediately made him curiously follow his instincts to look back.


    in the next second, he saw a small figure among the crowded passengers at the back of the bus, attempting to shrink away.


    he saw the figure, and the figure saw him¡ªthus, the latter instantly stopped, standing rigidly in place as if even scared to dodge further.


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    it was a girl wearing a black skirt, looking about nina¡¯s age, with a peculiar collar around her neck adorned with a small, delicate bell¡­


    it was sherry.


    duncan raised an eyebrow, hardly expecting things to align so coincidentally, then slowly made his way through the crowd toward the girl¡ªwho by now had completely stiffened, watching duncan approach with a face full of tension and even some fear, not daring to continue dodging or even to turn her head.


    duncan slowly approached her, smiled, and greeted the girl, ¡°we meet again¡ªat this time, are you going to school?¡±


    sherry mustered all her courage and managed a smile, although before, in front of gary, she had bravely declared her intent to leverage influential connections. now, recognizing how frightening duncan could be, her smile looked more pained than weeping, ¡°hello¡­ hello¡­¡±

 Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 111 Lecture from the Big Shot

    chapter 107: chapter 111 lecture from the big shot


    the bus was crowded to the brim during the rush hour for work, and even at the back of the vehicle, scarcely any space could be found. the diminutive sherry was squeezed in the midst of the crowd, neck shrunk, too frightened to move, resembling a pitiable little animal.


    if duncan hadn¡¯t personally witnessed how she swung a dog to knock over a room full of heretics, he would have truly believed this girl was ¡°harmless to humans and animals.¡±


    he slowly squeezed his way to sherry¡¯s side; his large adult body carved out a slightly more spacious corner for the girl and left a gap conducive for conversation. duncan keenly noticed that sherry¡¯s body was trembling slightly¡ªshe was very nervous, even to the point of fear.


    ¡°what are you afraid of?¡± he glanced at sherry, ¡°i¡¯m not going to swallow you whole.¡±


    sherry grimaced, ¡°you¡­ you prefer to eat cooked?¡±.


    duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    he could probably guess why the girl was so frightened. after all, that ¡°dog¡± had peered through his human guise to see some of the ¡°real situation¡± beneath, and after its escape, it must have embellished its experience to its mistress, inevitably leaving a deep impression on her.


    he didn¡¯t know what image he currently portrayed in sherry¡¯s mind, but it was probably similar to how the captains on the endless sea saw the homeloss; the kind you¡¯d preferably start writing your will upon sighting, and you¡¯d better write it quickly, too, because death typically came faster than legacies¡­


    duncan was also helpless in this situation. he wanted to appear as friendly as possible but could not help that a demon from the mysterious deep sea had a different ¡°vision¡± than humans. the ¡°black sun¡± was still calling out to him for help in the illusion, earnest in its plea, but every time he thought about what lay beneath the corona shell, he couldn¡¯t help but remain vigilant.


    he just hoped that his image in the eyes of the abyssal hound was somewhat more pleasing than the sinister evil god he saw inside the sun, at least having a proper set of facial features¡­


    thinking of the abyssal hound, duncan slightly furrowed his brow, looking at the girl in front of him: ¡°is ¡®the dog¡¯ with you now?¡±


    sherry swallowed hard and reluctantly answered, lowering her voice, ¡°the dog¡­ usually hides where others can¡¯t see¡­ but it can ¡®know¡¯ what¡¯s happening around me¡­¡±


    ¡°oh, then send my regards to it,¡± duncan nodded, ¡°we parted in a hurry last time, and i still have many questions i didn¡¯t get a chance to ask.¡±


    the moment he said this, he felt sherry shudder again¡­


    ¡°relax,¡± duncan sighed helplessly. he seemed to faintly sense strange glances directed his way, ¡°why are you so nervous talking to me? i have no ill intentions toward you or the dog.¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s¡­good to hear¡­¡± sherry stiffly nodded and, seemingly attempting to seem more relaxed on purpose, struggled to find a topic. her gaze finally settled on duncan¡¯s shoulder, ¡°you¡­ you haven¡¯t brought your pigeon with you this time?¡±


    ¡°pets aren¡¯t allowed on the bus,¡± duncan said offhandedly, ¡°i let it out to hunt.¡±


    sherry stared at him in disbelief, her words fragmenting, but then she quickly nodded, ¡°oh right, you are correct, pigeons are quite suited for hunting, sharp-eyed and fast¡­¡±


    her train of thought was a bit muddled, looking like she didn¡¯t know what she was talking about, but then the bus suddenly jolted, and the conductor¡¯s voice came from the middle of the vehicle, cutting off her disjointed thoughts: ¡°sixth district! anyone getting off?¡±


    at the conductor¡¯s call, sherry visibly breathed a sigh of relief. she hurriedly hopped to her feet, clamoring to get off, then pushed forward while hurriedly bidding duncan farewell, ¡°i¡¯m getting off now. it was nice to see you today. next time we can¡­¡±


    then, before she could finish speaking, she saw duncan squeeze over as well, his expression shifting from brilliant to grim in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°i¡¯m getting off here too,¡± duncan stated expressionlessly.


    sherry¡¯s expression froze on her face, knowing that it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to say she wasn¡¯t getting off now¡ªespecially since this big shot might be intending to follow her. continuing to play tricks might anger him, and then she really might be cooked and eaten¡­


    fully imagining this scenario, the girl was thoroughly scared, and just then she heard the conductor urging them, so she shrank her neck and began walking stiffly towards the exit.


    but as soon as she reached the door, she heard the conductor¡¯s voice suddenly come through, ¡°wait a minute, child, did you not buy a ticket?¡±


    sherry was stunned for a moment, looking somewhat astonished at the ticket inspector in the deep-blue uniform as if she had never expected to be stopped, never expected her fare evasion to be discovered. but in that brief moment of distraction, the inspector had already verified the situation, ¡°you didn¡¯t buy a ticket, i remember now. you first¡­¡±


    ¡°this child, i know her. she might have just lost her ticket,¡± duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside her, ¡°let me buy her another one.¡±


    the inspector turned his head doubtfully to look at duncan, then at sherry, who was looking anxious. after pondering for a moment, he just nodded, ¡°alright then.¡±


    duncan fished out a few coins to buy sherry a ticket, then followed her out of the carriage, alighting at an empty, old platform.


    the bus was packed with passengers, but only the two of them got off at sixth street.


    duncan first looked around to gauge the area, but all he saw was the typical scenery of the lower city district. although the buildings around were somewhat old, and there weren¡¯t many pedestrians near the station, it wasn¡¯t as utterly dilapidated as he had imagined¡ªthe aged shops along the street were still open for business, and although there were fewer pedestrians compared with other bustling districts, there were still people walking on the streets. in the distance, factory chimneys emitted smoke, and he could see a paperboy riding a bicycle across the intersection at the end of the alley.


    overall, it was just a quieter, less developed district, but it seemed that the residents were living their normal lives.


    the factory leak that had happened here eleven years ago seemed to have left some impact, though it wasn¡¯t as serious as he had imagined¡­


    after quickly surveying the surroundings, duncan turned his gaze back to sherry.


    the girl had stood obediently still after getting off the bus, like a small animal trapped in a snare, motionless. even though duncan wasn¡¯t initially paying attention to her, she didn¡¯t make any move to escape.


    completely resigned to her fate.


    duncan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her harmless appearance, thinking that if he hadn¡¯t seen her ferocious fighting spirit with his own eyes, he might have been deceived by her current guise.


    he shook his head and approached sherry, ¡°what are you doing in the sixth street area?¡±


    sherry immediately stood up straight, ¡°i¡­ i heard the scenery here is good!¡±


    duncan looked her up and down, ¡°i¡¯ve been wanting to ask since earlier. are you really¡­ playing the good girl?¡±


    ¡°i¡­ i¡¯m not pretending!¡± sherry immediately stood even straighter, ¡°i¡¯ve always been very well-behaved!¡±


    duncan shook his head. he had seen plenty of kids suddenly act well-behaved and cute. this girl¡¯s skills were far from polished, but he didn¡¯t say much more. instead, he looked up at the streets in the distance and casually started, ¡°the sixth street area¡­ eleven years ago, there was a factory leak here, and it¡¯s said that heretics were behind the sabotage.¡±


    sherry blinked, seemingly puzzled, ¡°why are you suddenly bringing this up?¡±


    ¡°come off it, stop playing dumb. you were previously asking about the incident from eleven years ago at the sun cultists¡¯ stronghold,¡± duncan glanced at sherry before walking forward, ¡°this place is the focus of all official records. the factory that ¡®leaked¡¯ is up ahead.¡±


    sherry paused for a second, then hurried to catch up with him, bustling along with her short legs and looking at duncan in amazement, ¡°are you¡­ also investigating the accident from eleven years ago?!¡±


    seemingly assured that the boss wasn¡¯t going to eat her (at least not for the time being) and that they shared a common purpose, she became a bit more courageous and even dared to ask questions proactively.


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    ¡°yeah, i¡¯m somewhat interested,¡± duncan nodded noncommittally, but he stopped after a few steps and curiously looked at sherry, ¡°do you often evade fares?¡±


    sherry opened her mouth to answer, ¡°i¡­¡±


    duncan read her expression and knew what was up. he shook his head, ¡°it¡¯s not good to evade fares.¡±


    upon hearing that, sherry almost burst into tears¡ªshe had been lectured by old dog, scolded by the uncles and aunties in the neighborhood, even reprimanded by the city-state¡¯s law enforcement, but she had never expected to be randomly lectured one day by someone like the evil god. and for a big shot like him to lecture her about not evading fares on the bus¡­ had the moral standards in the subspace really gotten that high?!


    ever since old dog had described to her the terrifying entity residing within ¡°mr. duncan,¡± she had begun to associate this imposing figure with the shadows of the subspace.

 Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 112: The Ruined District

    chapter 108: chapter 112: the ruined district


    sherry cautiously trailed alongside duncan. the temporary quiet atmosphere not only failed to relax her, but rather intensified her sense of oppression and fear lingering in the silence¡ªshe knew that these fearful emotions were not entirely her own, they largely stemmed from ¡°adog.¡±


    adog was feeling scared, and its emotions spread to her through a symbiotic shackle.


    to mitigate this oppressive feeling in the silence, she muttered softly, ¡°actually, i used to skip fares without getting caught¡­ adog helped me cover it up¡­¡±


    ¡°are you referring to the ¡®disguise¡¯ the abyssal hound did for you?¡± duncan arched an eyebrow. he remembered that sherry, using some sort of ¡®disguise¡¯ power from adog, had infiltrated a cult¡¯s den. that disguise seemed to be some type of cognitive confusion ability, but he quickly shook his head, ¡°it feels utterly unreliable. it was seen through last time, and this time you were even caught by the ticket seller.¡±


    upon hearing that, sherry instantly felt full of grudges¡ªwhere was there ever a problem with adog¡¯s disguise! wasn¡¯t it because it was nullified by the gaze of some terrifying being that it was exposed? was it appropriate for such an important figure to joke with her like this¡­


    but she dared not voice these grievances, and after stifling them for a long while, they turned into a dry laugh, ¡°ah haha¡­ you¡¯re right, you¡¯re right¡­¡±


    duncan shook his head, not caring what sherry was thinking about, but rather curious about the girl¡¯s investigation, ¡°why are you interested in that ¡®accident¡¯ from eleven years ago?¡±


    sherry suddenly fell silent. she instinctively didn¡¯t want to respond to this question, but then she pressed her lips together, realizing that concealing this matter seemed pointless in front of an entity almost like a subspace shadow, and she spoke in a low voice, ¡°it¡¯s nothing much, just trying to figure out¡­ my parents¡¯ matter¡­¡±


    after saying this, she quickly added, ¡°such matters must seem boring to an existence like you, i¡¯m aware. our human familial obsessions must look so trivial to you¡­¡±


    ¡°no, i understand,¡± duncan interrupted her before she could continue rambling, as he could almost guess how sherry viewed him. her words, if spoken, would probably contain a lot of bluff, ¡°that¡¯s indeed a very important reason.¡±


    he looked at sherry with a more serious gaze, ¡°were your parents involved in that ¡®leak¡¯ incident eleven years ago? or were they attacked by heretics?¡±


    sherry looked at duncan with some surprise; she didn¡¯t quite understand why such a significant figure would care so much about this matter. still, she nodded honestly, ¡°they¡­ disappeared eleven years ago¡­ well, disappear sounds too dramatic, they died, but their deaths were sudden and unclear¡­ and then adog and i had to rely on each other¡­¡±


    the girl¡¯s voice grew lower, these memories clearly not pleasant for her. duncan did not let her continue, ¡°how did you meet adog? those sun cultists claim you are a believer of the obliteration sect and say only its believers can summon profound demons, but you seem to deny this claim.¡±


    ¡°i don¡¯t believe in any ¡®sects¡¯! i only fucking believe in myself!¡± sherry exclaimed impulsively but then quickly quieted down, attempting to maintain a well-mannered and polite demeanor, ¡°i met adog¡­ just eleven years ago.¡±


    duncan suddenly stopped walking, looking into sherry¡¯s eyes, ¡°eleven years ago? so¡­¡±


    ¡°just after that so-called ¡®factory leak¡¯,¡± sherry also stopped, bowing her head as she explained, ¡°i don¡¯t remember the details, and adog says it doesn¡¯t remember either¡­ it might have been summoned by some obliteration believer, but whoever summoned it must have been taken out by the guardians of the deep sea church, and then it just inexplicably ended up bound to me¡­¡±


    sherry was concealing a lot, and many details were skipped over in her vague and brief account.


    duncan could sense the girl¡¯s concealment and evasion but didn¡¯t take it too seriously.


    it was a very normal form of self-protection. even in the face of an overwhelmingly powerful being, she was instinctively avoiding exposing all her secrets.


    he could possibly use threats to force sherry to reveal more, but that might not yield the whole truth. moreover, there was a lack of fundamental trust between him and the girl at this moment, so it was appropriate to leave the topic there for now.


    duncan shook his head, looking at the somewhat dilapidated streets and the passersby who were noticeably more idle and slow-paced compared to other districts, he remarked with a hint of lamentation, ¡°¡­ you hardly see any kids around here. everyone on the streets is either old or middle-aged, even young people are scarce.¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s typical of old districts,¡± sherry responded as if it were to be expected, seeming quite informed, ¡°those who can afford it have moved to the cross district. those who can¡¯t move are either old or just idling through life. plus, it¡¯s not like you can find community schools in these kinds of districts, so naturally, children wouldn¡¯t stay¡ªthey must have all followed the adults and left¡­¡±


    listening to sherry¡¯s serious analysis, duncan just hummed noncommittally.


    he could imagine the aging population trend of the old city district, but even so, the gloomy atmosphere on the street was a bit too concerning.


    lost in thought, duncan¡¯s gaze landed on an elderly man with white hair sitting in front of a street shop, seemingly basking in the sun but now giving the strangers a somewhat confused look.


    duncan, accompanied by sherry, walked straight over.


    ¡°good morning,¡± duncan greeted the sun-basking senior, ¡°we¡¯re from the fourth district and were wondering¡­ how to get to the church?¡±


    he didn¡¯t actually care where the church was; he was just making small talk with the locals.


    ¡°the church? the church hasn¡¯t been open for a while, heaven knows where that nun went,¡± the sunbather awakened a bit from his lethargy and curiously sized up the newcomers, ¡°it¡¯s really rare, we normally don¡¯t have outsiders willing to come here¡­ what are you here for?¡±


    ¡°just visiting a friend,¡± duncan replied casually, ¡°not many people willing to come? why is that?¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s that damn factory,¡± the old man complained bitterly, clearly dissatisfied with the state of abandonment in the district, ¡°for so many years! the area around the factory is still a complete mess with not a blade of grass growing. everyone says the chemicals leaked back then were never properly cleaned up. even people from nearby districts detour around this place, who would dare come close¡­¡±


    duncan exchanged looks with sherry, then spoke again, ¡°i saw an old newspaper saying that the area around the factory had been cleaned up though¡­¡±


    ¡°what the newspapers say¡­ newspapers say lots of good things! they also said the new governor would revitalize the west city industrial zone!¡± the old man spat to the side, ¡°and what happened? west city is worse by the day, and our old factory here is still a ruin¡­ let me tell you, when that factory was still here, this was a good place, cross district was among the richest stre¡­


    the old man, once he started complaining, wouldn¡¯t stop, grateful for the rare stranger listening to his grievances. this erased the earlier lethargy from sunbathing in an instant, and seeing this, duncan quickly interrupted, ¡°right, i noticed there aren¡¯t many children around¡­ not many young people either, did they all move away?¡±


    ¡°move? no one¡¯s moved from here; at least we have our old houses. can¡¯t easily afford the rent in other districts, can you?¡± the old man shook his head, ¡°not many young people because the young people have all aged, children¡­ pff.¡±


    the old man suddenly sighed.


    ¡°this place, hasn¡¯t seen a child born in eleven years!¡±


    ¡°eleven years with no newborns?!¡± duncan finally widened his eyes slightly, ¡°really?¡±


    ¡°how could that be fake? i have lived here most of my life,¡± the old man rolled his eyes, ¡°if you ask me, it¡¯s all because of that factory¡­ the land around the factory got contaminated¡­¡±


    duncan didn¡¯t say a word, just slowly stood up straight, his gaze shifting towards the end of the street, looking at the location of the derelict factory he had found on the map earlier.


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    sherry, by his side, was still curiously conversing with the old man, asking about the factory, asking about the residents who remained in the cross district, asking how many people had moved from here over the past eleven years.


    however, the old man seemed to have lost patience, waving his hands irritably, muttering some complaints, and mostly giving perfunctory responses to sherry¡¯s questions.


    ¡°let¡¯s go,¡± duncan suddenly said to sherry, shifting her attention before the irritable girl could erupt, then he looked back at the old man, who had resumed sunbathing, and nodded slightly, ¡°thank you.¡±


    ¡°oh, you¡¯re welcome,¡± the old man waved a hand, ¡°safe travels.¡±


    (and it¡¯s book recommendation time again, from mr. fox¡¯s ¡°the abyss express,¡± a lively underground (netherworld) adventure story¡ªyes, i¡¯ve recommended it before, and now i¡¯m recommending it again!)

 Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 113: Searching for a Great Fire

    chapter 109: chapter 113: searching for a great fire


    walking along the road, sherry seemed a little frustrated, ¡°why won¡¯t that old man answer my question! it¡¯s like he didn¡¯t hear me when i was talking to him¡­ is it because i¡¯m short that i get so little attention?!¡±


    ¡°i think the main reason isn¡¯t your height, it¡¯s that you kept asking him about the factory,¡± duncan glanced at the girl with a slight turn of his head, ¡°and instead of wasting time on a local who doesn¡¯t want to cooperate, wouldn¡¯t it be better to take a look at the factory yourself?¡±


    sherry pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say much more. ahead of her and duncan, at the end of this street, the factory that had been abandoned eleven years earlier was faintly visible.


    in the lower city district, many factories were located near residential areas, some separated from living quarters by a mere wall¡ªlimited land in the city-state and the blockade of the endless sea meant that city planners couldn¡¯t allocate enough plots for industrial facilities. steady ground was almost everywhere crammed with people, naturally negating concepts such as ¡°industrial relocation¡± or ¡°suburban resettlement.¡±


    most people in this world were too preoccupied to consider the health risks of industrial pollution. for the general public, the security enhancements brought about by modern technology development were obviously more important than the risks posed by factories¡ªgas lamps, heavy firepower, steam networks, pharmaceuticals, and mechanical ships. these innovations had nearly tripled the population of the new city-state era compared to older times, and anyone familiar with the mechanisms of modern city-states could clearly recognize a fact: factories were the skeleton and flesh of modern civilization, already inseparable from the city-state.


    in fact, according to nina¡¯s textbook, these factory facilities were not just clustered in the lower city district. even though city planners tried hard to transition particularly hazardous facilities to the edges of the city-state, some things had to be situated right in the heart of the city, even next to grand cathedrals¡ªlike the sacred great bell tower and the ¡°central steam core¡± that delivered ¡°holiness gas¡± throughout the city.


    these were essentially huge machines containing terrifying energy and great risks, yet they were still placed beside the heart of the city.


    in nina¡¯s engineering and mechanics textbooks, the authors explained this specially: people had to ¡°endow the sacred steam with holiness,¡± and rely on the power of the cathedrals to ensure the punctual operation of the bell towers¡ªmachines were not just machines, they were sacred and pure hearts, supporting the operation of modern civilization. it was necessary to place these pristine steels under the watchful eyes of deities, to prevent the shadows of subspace from contaminating their oil and bolts.


    duncan recalled the content he had read on nina¡¯s textbooks, then looked up at the still-deserted factory standing in the district, feeling a strange sense of wonder.


    this bizarre world¡­ really challenged his values at every turn.


    he and sherry arrived in front of the factory, where a thin and partially collapsed fence was the only boundary between the factory and the surrounding residential area. between the plant and the nearby living areas, they could see a narrow ring of wasteland¡ªa desolate tract of land where nothing grew, strewn with scattered bricks and stones, and rusted pieces of scrap metal.


    no matter how important factories were to the city, no matter how accustomed people were to living with them day and night, factories were still factories. when these behemoths lost control, they still left huge scars in the city.


    but in the precious land of the city-state, for such a scar to be left unattended for eleven years still seemed odd to duncan.


    ¡°the land in the city-state should be very valuable,¡± he said, standing at the edge of the wasteland and looking thoughtfully at the abandoned buildings in front of him, ¡°leaving it like this¡­ doesn¡¯t really make sense.¡±


    ¡°didn¡¯t that old man just say it? the pollution hasn¡¯t been cleaned up properly¡­¡± sherry seemed less concerned about it, ¡°some pollution can only fade away with time.¡±


    ¡°perhaps¡­¡± duncan shook his head, his gaze moving between the series of pipes and tanks at the edge of the factory area, trying to reconstruct the original scene of the accident that had occurred there. he saw several segments of broken pipes, and noticed a tank whose base had collapsed, the whole tank lying down, pressing into the nearby building debris, looking like the carcass of a massive beast.


    judging from these scenes alone, it did seem like a leakage accident had occurred here.


    but duncan¡¯s brow was still slightly furrowed.


    the sunbathing old man had said that the area around the factory was still contaminated, and the pollution had even resulted in the lack of newborns in the entire sixth street district for the past eleven years. yet around this factory, there were no warning signs, nor any patrolling or guarding personnel.


    the situation was not reasonable. although it was not any major anomaly, these slight inconsistencies still bred doubt.


    ¡°do we¡­ really have to go in?¡± sherry¡¯s voice rose from beside him, her expression seeming a bit tense, ¡°there might actually be pollution here¡­¡±


    ¡°can¡¯t your abyssal hound give you some advice?¡± duncan glanced at sherry, ¡°it¡¯s deserted here, you could let the abyssal hound out for some air, and besides, i don¡¯t believe you¡¯re truly afraid of the so-called ¡®pollution¡¯ here¡ªyour nervousness seems a bit too fake.¡±


    sherry evaded duncan¡¯s gaze, raising her hand while replying, ¡°alright, alright¡­ it¡¯s just that abyssal hound isn¡¯t feeling very well¡­¡±


    no sooner had the girl finished speaking than the crackling of leaping flames suddenly appeared out of nowhere next to her. following that, a pitch-black blaze spread across her arm and half her body¡ªflames congealing into chains, and within the dense smoke and dark flames at the end of the chains, the figure of the abyssal hound emerged.


    duncan watched the process with curiosity, and only after the abyssal hound appeared did he smile and nod at it, ¡°long time no see, abyssal hound¡ªyou all ran off pretty fast last time.¡±


    ¡°left in a rush, left in a rush, please don¡¯t take it amiss,¡± as soon as abyssal hound made an appearance, it clenched its tail tightly. hearing duncan¡¯s voice made it visibly shrink by half an inch. while trying hard to draw in its limbs, it carefully lowered its head, ¡°do you have any orders? i¡¯m skilled at many things, carrying dishes, sweeping, amusing children, anything really¡­¡±


    the abyssal hound hadn¡¯t finished speaking when sherry covered half her face, assuming an ¡°as if i haven¡¯t been cowardly enough on this journey, and yet you can stoop even lower¡± expression. duncan couldn¡¯t help but laugh, pointing at the factory ahead, ¡°i don¡¯t have any orders, just need to borrow your eyes¡ªyou can see some things that ordinary people can¡¯t, right? take a look at that factory, tell me, what¡¯s not right.¡±


    ¡°who would have thought, you¡¯d value my ability to see,¡± abyssal hound immediately started flattering modestly but still turned its head toward the factory while muttering, ¡°i was observing this factory just now and didn¡¯t notice anything¡­ looking at it now is the same, just an abandoned¡­¡±


    abyssal hound¡¯s voice suddenly came to a halt, then it abruptly lowered its body, letting out a threatening growl from deep in its throat¡ªbut the next second, it shook its head in confusion, voicing its doubt, ¡°huh?¡±


    seeing this, sherry immediately grew tense: ¡°abyssal hound, what did you see?!¡±


    ¡°i¡­ i don¡¯t know, just for a moment, i thought i saw¡­ fire? it seemed like a huge fire, like a giant wave surging out of the factory, but¡­ it disappeared in the blink of an eye¡­¡±


    abyssal hound¡¯s voice was filled with skepticism, but sherry became excited: ¡°are you sure you saw fire?! a real large fire?!¡±


    abyssal hound shook its gigantic skeletal head: ¡°it was just a fleeting image, could have been an illusion. after all, i¡¯m a profound demon, occasionally having illusions or being a bit mentally unsound is perfectly normal¡­¡±


    ¡°but a large fire is different!¡± sherry¡¯s voice was urgent, ¡°we¡¯ve been looking for so long, and finally found traces of a ¡®large fire¡¯, it must be here, abyssal hound, it has to be¡­¡±


    sherry was halfway through her excited speech when she suddenly felt a large hand on her shoulder. her words stopped short, and a belated sense of tension set in. her neck stiffened as she turned, only to see the formidable ¡°mr. duncan¡± serenely watching her.


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    ¡°why do you have such a big reaction to ¡®large fires¡¯?¡± duncan looked into sherry¡¯s eyes and slowly asked.


    ¡°i¡­¡± sherry opened her mouth, ¡°nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°you, too, are looking for a ¡®large fire¡¯ from eleven years ago, aren¡¯t you?¡± duncan paid no attention to the girl¡¯s attempt to change the subject. he had suddenly made a connection from sherry¡¯s abnormal reaction, ¡°a fire not recorded in any official record, yet one you experienced firsthand, right?¡±


    sherry was a bit stiff, she slowly swallowed, ¡°how¡­ how did you¡­¡±


    ¡°i¡¯m also looking for it,¡± duncan smiled, ¡°looks like i¡¯ve come to the right place.¡±

 Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 114: Erased Traces

    chapter 110: chapter 114: erased traces


    in front of the dilapidated, abandoned factory, the abyssal hound ¡°a-gou¡± gazed with vacant eye sockets at the crumbling structures as if trying to observe the ruins from another dimension.


    sherry stood next to a-gou, looking around a bit nervously. after glancing at duncan¡¯s expression, she whispered hesitantly, ¡°a-gou, is there really no ¡®residual pollution¡¯ here?¡±


    ¡°if you mean ¡®chemical spill¡¯ as ordinary people call it, rest assured, any pollution here likely dissipated years ago,¡± a-gou¡¯s voice rumbled from his throat, ¡°but if it¡¯s pollution from certain transcendent realms, that¡¯s uncertain.¡±


    ¡°did you find anything?¡± duncan asked.


    ¡°¡­ no, really nothing,¡± a-gou hung his head slightly, ¡°i just saw a flash of¡­ ¡®fire¡¯ a moment ago, but now there¡¯s nothing; it might just be some kind of ¡®echo,¡¯ a memory solidified and left behind by these ruins¡­ many transcendent forces can leave similar traces in the real world, but to understand what kind of transcendent force it is¡­ i¡¯m afraid we need to go in and take a look.¡±


    ¡°then let¡¯s go in,¡± duncan nodded and stepped toward a gap in the abandoned factory, ¡°you guys follow too.¡±


    sherry hesitated, but she followed, and a-gou shook his head from side to side, the dark chains rattling. the abyssal hound looked curiously and cautiously at duncan walking in front, ¡°sir¡­ why are you also interested in the event from eleven years ago? ah, of course, i¡¯m just casually asking, a bit of trivial curiosity. someone like you surely has your reasons¡­¡±


    ¡°let¡¯s just say it¡¯s a personal interest,¡± duncan cut off the abyssal hound¡¯s words, ¡°don¡¯t be so overly nervous in front of me, it makes me uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°right, right, not nervous, we¡¯re not nervous¡­¡±


    listening to their obviously nervous response, duncan simply shook his head helplessly, then glanced curiously at sherry beside him, ¡°in your memory, there was a major fire, but besides you, no one else remembers its existence, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ yes,¡± sherry nodded, realizing something, ¡°by your tone¡­ you also know about that fire, don¡¯t you? it really existed, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ yes, i know. so now i¡¯m more curious about who erased the traces of that fire,¡± duncan said softly, nodding slightly.


    at the same time, his mind was filled with turmoil¡ªhe never expected things to align so coincidentally, nor did he expect that aside from himself and nina, there would be a third person in plunder city-state who knew about that ¡°disaster.¡± his chance meeting with sherry, their joint investigation, the fire traces that were erased, the illusion a-gou just had¡­ it all seemed to be drawn together by an invisible force, as if planets orbiting the sun.


    this feeling of various elements being drawn together by invisible forces had made him cautious.


    nina¡¯s textbook had briefly described some ¡°common knowledge¡± of the transcendent domain, mentioning how powerful anomalies or phenomena often possess the ability to interfere with the course of reality and could even guide certain events to occur like writing a script. too many coincidences or continuous clues are often precarious ¡°omens¡± which usually imply that the involved individuals are already influenced by some anomaly or phenomenon, unwittingly participating in or even advancing such events.


    against such intangible and harmless influences, his ¡°spiritual body fire¡± was essentially useless.


    thinking this, he couldn¡¯t help but steal a glance at sherry.


    the girl and ¡°a-gou¡± were cautiously guarding against any disturbances in the factory ruins. she seemed to have no excess complicated thoughts, perhaps his sheer presence, a ¡°great terror,¡± kept her from any distractions.


    ¡°¡­ this looks just like an ordinary ruin¡­¡± a-gou¡¯s deep voice broke duncan¡¯s contemplation, ¡°i don¡¯t sense any transcendent forces.¡±


    sherry looked up, examining the crisscrossing pipes and the warped and deformed beams of the ceiling.


    this was the first ¡°factory hall¡± they entered after coming into the factory, severely damaged in an accident eleven years ago. a powerful explosion had pierced its roof, causing the high pipes to rupture and the building materials to collapse. sunlight streamed through the large hole above, making the scene resemble the jagged skeleton of a dead beast.


    yet aside from the explosion and collapse, there was absolutely no trace of a ¡°fire¡± in the factory hall.


    ¡°it doesn¡¯t look like there was ever a fire here¡­¡± sherry muttered thoughtfully.


    ¡°no traces of fire, that¡¯s the biggest problem,¡± duncan¡¯s deep voice suddenly came from beside her, as he also looked up at the broken pipes and roof structure, his brow slightly furrowed, ¡°this level of damage, and clearly there was an explosion, would inevitably involve some form of accompanying fire, no matter the scale. there should at least be some traces of burning in the factory hall¡­ but there¡¯s not even a trace of a flame having been here.¡±


    duncan¡¯s voice fell, and a-gou immediately spoke gravely, ¡°yes, the way it looks here now, it¡¯s as if all elements related to ¡®fire¡¯ had been deliberately erased, yet because it¡¯s been erased too cleanly, it has left a more conspicuous void.¡±


    ¡°was it erased¡­¡± duncan muttered softly, slowly walking deeper into the factory. when he passed an abandoned, twisted machine, he stopped and casually glanced at a hole in the wall nearby.


    he suddenly stopped walking, his eyes widening slightly.


    fire! a towering inferno!


    he saw a sea of flames rising from the other side of the hole, saw the whole barren land outside the factory rolling with flames like a surging ocean, leaping into the air and plunging toward the ground, flowing toward the nearby streets and houses, with thick smoke billowing up and countless frantic people running through this hellish mirage!


    this horrifying and intense scene had suddenly entered duncan¡¯s field of vision, but the next second, just as he turned his head to call sherry over, the fiery scene suddenly dissipated.


    duncan blinked hard and walked up to the hole to look outside, only to see a barren land and a few dilapidated houses at its edge that were uninhabited.


    a-gou noticed duncan¡¯s unusual actions and immediately asked, ¡°did you find something?¡±


    ¡°i saw it too just now, fire,¡± duncan answered gravely, ¡°but it disappeared as i turned around.¡±


    ¡°then it seems the ¡®echo¡¯ left here is strong,¡± a-gou immediately analyzed. ¡°to reappear twice in such a short time is not a mark left by ordinary transcendent powers. it seems that the ¡®sun shard¡¯ the heretics are looking for indeed appeared here¡­ but i don¡¯t know what triggers the ¡®echo¡¯¡­¡±


    duncan said nothing; he just slowly returned to the position where he had first seen the ¡°echo¡± and stood there thoughtfully looking at the spot where he had stood before.


    it seemed as though there was nothing here.


    after a moment of thought, duncan suddenly raised his hand and gently rubbed his fingertips.


    a cluster of faint green flames quietly emerged from his hands.


    the moment a-gou saw the faint green flame, he suddenly shrank his neck and then stepped back three or four steps, while sherry, accompanied by the clanging sound of black chains, also stepped back half a step, looking horrified at duncan, ¡°are you¡­ are you really planning to go through with this?¡±


    ¡°what¡¯s there to be afraid of,¡± duncan looked emotionlessly at the pair, ¡°this isn¡¯t meant to roast you.¡±


    as his voice fell, he pointed his fingertips toward the ground.


    the faint green flame seemed to become a flow of water, silently falling to the ground, and the next second, a translucent spiritual body of fire rippled and spread across the surface, instantly sweeping a few meters around duncan¡¯s feet!


    sherry looked at the scene with uncertainty, suddenly widening her eyes, ¡°ah!?¡±


    where the flames swept through, something suddenly emerged from the seemingly empty ground.


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    it was a pile of ashes, a curled up figure that faintly resembled a human!


    it was a human being turned to ash, staring in the direction duncan had just been looking at before dying.


    suddenly, sherry thought of something, she lifted her head, surveying the empty factory.


    and under duncan¡¯s deliberate control, the faint green fire of the spiritual body swept through the entire factory like a breeze.


    thus, the traces that had been erased were finally briefly unveiled before the visitor.

 Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 115: The Origin of the Invisible Veil

    chapter 111: chapter 115: the origin of the invisible veil


    the ethereal green spiritual body¡¯s fire flitted across the entire factory like a drifting play of light and shadow, taking only a few seconds. this disturbance, stemming from a higher transcendent power, was like a gust of wind lifting the veil laid upon ¡°reality,¡± thus revealing the concealed truth underneath to sherry and duncan.


    ashes, nothing but ashes, human-shaped ashes, shapeless ashes, charred walls, melted rooftops, the twisted and brittle casings of machines licked by flames, and heaps of molten material that had almost lost their outlines were piled together. the entire factory area seemed like a flaming inferno that had just cooled down not long ago. the fire was out, but the might that had melted everything still seemed to linger in the air.


    sherry stood in the center of the remnants of the fire scene, her gaze somewhat vacant, while ah dog silently approached her side and gently propped up her body with his bony and jagged back.


    soon, the ethereal green fire of the spiritual body faded away, and everything within the factory reverted to its original state.


    duncan looked at his hands with a tinge of regret¡ªafter all, this was just an ¡°ordinary¡± body, incomparable to his original form. the spiritual body¡¯s fire he could call upon was also quite limited; in the situation of spreading flames across a wide area, it could only be maintained for such a brief moment.


    yet, even that brief moment of ¡°re-enactment¡± was enough to reveal a crucial truth.


    ¡°there really was a big fire¡­ i knew i hadn¡¯t remembered wrong¡­¡± sherry muttered to herself, ¡°i¡¯ve been looking for it for eleven years, and it turns out to be here¡­¡±


    ¡°but this fire has been erased,¡± ah dog spoke in a low voice, ¡°some force has woven a veil over the real world, filtering out all traces related to the ¡®fire¡¯¡­ this veil could even block the sight of the profound demons¡­¡±


    ¡°is it the sun shard? or the one who brought the sun shard to the city-state in the first place?¡± sherry frowned, then she suddenly noticed that duncan had been unusually silent since earlier and couldn¡¯t help but glance at him, ¡°what do you make of this¡­¡±


    ¡°the fire scene here doesn¡¯t quite match my memories,¡± duncan shook his head before sherry could finish her sentence, his gaze slowly sweeping across the factory¡¯s equipment, recalling the details he saw when the veil was briefly lifted, as well as remembering the scene of the great fire from his memories. recalling the details of the building and its surroundings as ¡°he¡± had fled the scene with nina, he finally confirmed his judgment was correct, ¡°it¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°ah?¡± sherry was startled, ¡°the big fire in your memory¡­ isn¡¯t here?¡±


    ¡°the discrepancies in the details are too great,¡± duncan declared somberly, and slowly began to walk towards the factory¡¯s exit. his gaze passed through the fallen gates and looked at the decrepit streets in the distance, ¡°or to be more precise, the entire landscape of the sixth district¡­ seems off.¡±


    sherry unconsciously exchanged glances with ah dog and asked in a lowered voice, ¡°what do you think is going on?¡±


    ¡°how should i know, i¡¯m just a dog,¡± ah dog shook his head, ¡°and eleven years ago, i was even more confused than you.¡±


    duncan heard the soft conversation between sherry and ah dog behind him, and he slightly turned his head, ¡°this factory, is it the only suspicious place?¡±


    ¡°it might be¡­¡± sherry said uncertainly, ¡°at any rate, according to what i¡¯ve found out, this factory was the center of the chaos eleven years ago.¡±


    duncan did not agree or disagree, but for the following two hours, he, sherry, and the abyssal hound checked all the accessible areas of the abandoned factory.


    strangely, apart from the ¡°veil¡± covering reality, they found no traces of transcendent powers or items left behind.


    ¡°this doesn¡¯t add up¡­¡± after a cursory check of the last building, ah dog finally voiced his own suspicions, ¡°that ¡®veil¡¯ covering the fire scene must have been the work of transcendent forces, but after scouring the whole factory area, we didn¡¯t find the ¡®source¡¯ of the veil¡­ that¡¯s not reasonable.¡±


    ¡°there has to be a source?¡± sherry¡¯s voice carried a bit of curiosity.


    duncan was curious as well, but he didn¡¯t show it, maintaining a stony face while silently waiting for ah dog to speak¡ª


    who would¡¯ve thought that the only transcendent expert on the scene would be a dog¡­


    a-dog himself hadn¡¯t thought too much about it. as a profound demon, many of the knowledge realms of the transcendent were common sense to him. he casually started to explain, ¡°the force that conceals the traces of the great fire is obviously a sustained power, and this power must have a source to maintain it until now. moreover, just now¡­ after mr. duncan¡¯s flames subsided, the veil closed again, which also indicates that there is something behind this veil sustaining it¡­ it could be a powerful anomaly, or it could be a powerful transcendent being. in any case, whatever it is, it must exist somewhere in the city-state¡­¡±


    while speaking, the abyssal hound raised its head, its hollow eye sockets sweeping over the distant streets and further afield to the urban districts.


    ¡°we didn¡¯t find the source of the veil within the factory area, which means that whatever is supporting the veil is projecting its power from afar toward this place, or¡­ it might be that the scope of the veil is beyond imagination, and we have only lifted a small corner of it. if it¡¯s the latter¡­¡±


    a-dog said, suddenly lowering his voice with a hint of anxiety, ¡°if it¡¯s the latter, then this might be quite troublesome to deal with. a regular ¡®anomaly¡¯ simply couldn¡¯t have such a large coverage area! that would likely be a spectacle, an unknown spectacle¡­¡±


    ¡°the sun shard definitely isn¡¯t a regular ¡®anomaly.¡¯ after all, according to those heretics, that shard is the body of the sun god,¡± sherry suddenly interjected, ¡°perhaps it is a method used by the sun shard to conceal itself.¡±


    ¡°¡­a higher anomaly with the tendency to think? to prevent being controlled, it actively creates a veil to erase all traces of its existence and hide somewhere behind the veil?¡± a-dog mused, ¡°that¡¯s certainly possible. if that really is the remains of a deity, it could indeed have the capacity to think before awakening.¡±


    sherry rubbed her chin, thinking seriously, then as if suddenly realizing something, she looked at a-dog in surprise, ¡°are you really that knowledgeable? you can¡¯t even read¡­¡±


    ¡°i¡¯m a profound demon! i¡¯m a shadow evolved from the flesh of the saint! this knowledge has been branded in my memory from the moment i was born, okay?¡± a-dog jangled the chain irritably, ¡°and speaking of illiteracy¡­ are you in any position to talk?!¡±


    duncan watched with amusement as sherry and her abyssal hound interacted. this strange combination had many secrets, which intrigued him deeply. but before he could ask anything, sherry seemed to suddenly remember something. she looked up nervously at the sky, saw that the sun was slowly moving toward its zenith, and exclaimed, ¡°ah! it¡¯s noon already!¡±


    duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°do you have other arrangements?¡±


    ¡°i¡­¡± sherry said nervously, ¡°i must get home before noon!¡±


    duncan watched the girl quietly, ¡°didn¡¯t you say your parents were no longer around? who is there to lecture you if you return home late?¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s not about being lectured¡­ it¡¯s an appointment i made with someone!¡± sherry hurriedly waved her hands, seemingly a bit braver in front of duncan after the exploration in the factory, ¡°maybe¡­ can we continue another time?¡±


    duncan glanced at the abyssal hound next to her, which immediately retracted its neck, ¡°it¡¯s up to you, sir. if you want to continue investigating, i and sherry¡­¡±


    ¡°no need,¡± duncan shook his head, ¡°continuing the search here won¡¯t yield any more results. let¡¯s wait until we find new clues. since you have other matters, you should go.¡±


    sherry¡¯s face lit up with surprise, as if she did not expect the boss to let her go so easily. but she didn¡¯t dare to run away directly, so she cautiously confirmed, ¡°then¡­ a-dog and i will be leaving, okay? and if you want to find us later¡­¡±


    but duncan just flashed a slight smile, kindly watching her, ¡°if it¡¯s meant to be, we¡¯ll meet again.¡±


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    he smiled warmly at sherry and a-dog, and in his line of sight, on the dark chain that linked to the abyssal hound, a small green spark quietly smoldered.


    this was the result of his deeper understanding of the ¡°spiritual body¡¯s fire¡± after accidentally establishing a connection with fenna last time, a small experiment.


    the mark he released was more intense than the flame left on fenna, yet gentle and harmless.


    sherry suddenly felt a chill run through her ¨C despite his smile being so warm, she felt a shiver coming on.


    but in the end, she controlled her expression and bid farewell as politely as possible before quickly leaving with a-dog.

 Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 116 Everything is Normal

    chapter 112: chapter 116 everything is normal


    sherry, with adog in tow, hurried away. duncan¡¯s gaze shifted from the distant intersection and resettled on the ruins of the factory.


    after the fire of the spiritual body had died down, the invisible curtain closed once more, and the factory returned to its ¡°normal¡± appearance¡ªthe traces of the fire had been completely erased, and ash omnipresent, hidden within nothingness.


    duncan¡¯s gaze slowly moved upward, to the sky above the factory.


    he imagined there being a veil-like curtain that quietly enveloped the surroundings, hiding the truth beneath reality. although the sixth district had only a few residents, there were still thousands, and right under their noses, this invisible curtain had veiled the truth for eleven years.


    the residents had even completely forgotten about the fire in their memories¡ªthey simply thought it was ¡°chemical pollution¡± from the factory that had led to the district¡¯s dilapidation.


    at this point, duncan suddenly furrowed his brow.


    the truth inside the factory was a fire, and adog also confirmed that there was no chemical pollution residue around the factory. since there was no ¡°pollution¡±¡­ then why had there been no newborns in the sixth district for eleven years?!


    if it wasn¡¯t chemical pollution causing the generation gap¡­ could it be some force within the transcendent realm, preventing the emergence of a new population in the sixth district?


    duncan thoughtfully stared at the sky.


    it seemed¡­ that this invisible curtain was even larger than he had imagined.


    ¡­


    ¡°did we really¡­ make it out?¡±


    in a dingy alley some distance from the sixth district, sherry poked her head out from the shadows, carefully checking to see if any law enforcement officers were patrolling nearby while whispering to a corner of the wall.


    crouched in the corner was a dark, viscous shadow, as if the tangible darkness had a sticky quality, from which adog¡¯s voice emerged, low and indistinct: ¡°it¡¯s not us who escaped, someone powerful let us go.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s the same damn thing,¡± sherry waved her hand dismissively, uncaringly sitting on the ground, ¡°shit, i was scared to death¡­ i didn¡¯t even dare to breathe hard, couldn¡¯t swear, had to act all obedient¡­ adog, you have no idea¡­¡±


    ¡°i know, i see more than you do, remember?¡± came the ghostly voice from the shadows, ¡°how does it feel, walking with a smiling subspace shadow compared to dealing with a bunch of menacing law enforcers and guardians?¡±


    ¡°¡­stop it, i¡¯m cold,¡± sherry rolled her eyes, ¡°it¡¯s all because of that terrifying story you told me last time. if i knew nothing, i¡¯d be fearless today¡­ why does such a significant person pretend to be a ¡®normal person¡¯? they even ride the bus like everyone else, even buying a ticket! who would have thought to encounter him this way!¡±


    adog fell silent for two seconds: ¡°¡­maybe it¡¯s just a whim, or perhaps they are watching you. what i fear most is this¡­ we¡¯ve already dealt with such beings; i guess our fate is already tangled¡­¡±


    sherry shivered slightly, cautiously asking, ¡°you mean¡­ we¡¯ll really meet him again? spare me¡­¡±


    ¡°did you forget his parting words?¡± adog sighed, ¡°he will find us.¡±


    sherry stayed silent, head lowered, and after a moment, adog suddenly added, ¡°what? scared? regretful? it might be a bit late now¡­ i warned you before. stepping into the transcendent realm, you should be ready to deal with all sorts of powerful forces¡ªmost of which are beyond human comprehension¡ªif you had listened to me a few months ago and stopped investigating old matters, you could still be living your peaceful life¡­¡±


    ¡°regretful my ass!¡± sherry lowered her head, interrupting adog¡¯s speech fiercely, ¡°i have never regretted it from the start, and i won¡¯t in the future! stop talking such disheartening crap to me!¡±


    ¡°alright, alright, i¡¯ll stop¡ªhave you rested enough? we should be moving soon, didn¡¯t your ¡®new friend¡¯ arrange to meet?¡±


    ¡°i¡­ i¡¯ll wait another two minutes,¡± sherry scratched her head, her voice a bit muffled, ¡°my legs are a bit weak, just a bit longer¡­¡±


    a¡¯gou had stopped speaking, only emitting a hoarse purring sound before the writhing shadow in which it hid began to shrink, gradually merging into sherry¡¯s shadow.


    ¡­


    at lunchtime, fenna stuffed bread smeared with jam into her mouth, swallowing huge bites while glancing at the briefings on the table beside her. feeling somewhat choked, she casually grabbed a glass nearby and gulped down several large mouthfuls.


    uncle dante¡¯s voice came from the opposite side of the table, laced with resignation, ¡°fenna, eat a bit more gracefully¡ªand don¡¯t drink the wine like it¡¯s water.¡±


    ¡°heretics won¡¯t wait. the faster we eat, the sooner we can dispatch these heretics to meet their maker,¡± fenna looked up at her uncle while struggling to swallow the food in her mouth, ¡°besides, this isn¡¯t some outdoor banquet¡­¡±


    ¡°a family meal should still be conducted with proper manners¡ªyou¡¯ll never get married at this rate,¡± dante watched his niece, who was of marriageable age yet had never brought a boyfriend home, with a headache, ¡°well, it¡¯s more like you¡¯re already unmarriageable¡­¡±


    fenna¡¯s eating finally slowed, the young judge somewhat embarrassed, ¡°i¡­ the duties of a judge are quite¡­¡±


    ¡°the deep sea church doesn¡¯t forbid priests from marrying. judges also have normal families, and i¡¯ve read the ¡®storm scripture¡¯ as well,¡± dante shook his head, ¡°seriously, are there really no suitable candidates?¡±


    fenna bowed her head, poking at the bread on her plate with a dinner knife, ¡°mainly, there¡¯s no one strong enough¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­we should probably ask if an oath can be taken back,¡± dante sighed, looking worried, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t have made that vow so carelessly during your initiation, especially the first one, demanding someone strong to be by your side. bishop valentin should have stopped you¡­¡±


    fenna¡¯s head lowered further, and despite her tall stature, her face was flushed with embarrassment, and her voice slightly muffled as when she was chastised in her younger years, ¡°an oath is a sacred vow made before the goddess and cannot be rescinded lightly, and¡­ it wasn¡¯t carelessly made. almost every female guardian makes that vow; it¡¯s a symbol of courage bestowed by the storm, also to prove to the goddess¡­¡±


    dante silently watched his niece who stood a head and a half taller than him, ¡°have you ever considered that one day you might train yourself to be unbeatable?¡±


    fenna, ¡°¡­ that¡¯s for the second and third parts of the oath, right¡­¡±


    dante, ¡°¡­ sigh.¡±


    this was a subject the uncle and niece brought up every now and then in the past two years, and every time it ended awkwardly, this instance was no exception.


    however, fenna quickly adjusted her mood, finishing the battle on her plate with astonishing speed, then gathered the documents beside her and stood up to leave, ¡°i¡¯m done eating, uncle¡­ hmm?¡±


    fenna suddenly stopped, staring at dante wayne¡¯s face in surprise, she pointed at his ruby prosthetic eye, ¡°uncle, the wound around your eye is bleeding¡­ are you alright?¡±


    ¡°huh?¡± dante was momentarily stunned, quickly touching his face and upon seeing the blood on his hand, hastily got up to fetch a mirror to inspect his ruby eye¡ª he was shocked to see the edge of the ruby eye slowly seeping blood, trickling down around the scarred folds, not much but quite alarming.


    ¡°don¡¯t move,¡± fenna quickly came over, pressing her hand near dante¡¯s eye while softly reciting words from the ¡®storm scripture¡¯, ¡°may the sea breeze moisturize the limbs and restore this flesh and blood to its original state.¡±


    under the divine prayers, dante felt a slight itch near his wound, and the slight bleeding soon stopped, he said with a bit of resignation, ¡°no need to make a fuss over it, this isn¡¯t the first time in these years¡ªafter all, it¡¯s cold minerals and metals, and occasional ¡®minor conflicts¡¯ with the flesh are normal.¡±


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    but the expression on fenna¡¯s face was none the more relaxed, she still stared intently at dante¡¯s ruby eye, asking after some time, ¡°are you feeling anything else? any burning pain? or seeing some illusions through that ruby eye?¡±


    dante blinked, looking at fenna; his blessed ruby eye clearly reflected everything in sight¡ª


    flames blazed behind fenna, ash and burn marks scattered around the dining room, disfigured charcoal, and molten remains dripped from the ceiling like grotesque omens.


    the ruby eye was slightly warm, then gradually returned to being ice cold.


    dante smiled, ¡°of course not, everything is normal.¡±

 Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 117: Museum

    chapter 113: chapter 117: museum


    getting off the car, heidi stepped onto the stone square in front of the museum and couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath. the cool, slightly salty sea breeze blew, as if it also swept away the tiredness and anxiety accumulated after her continuous work, bringing her a sense of relief.


    the young psychiatrist had not taken a vacation in almost a month, and recently she had been dealing with frenzied heretics almost daily. she even felt that the madness in the minds of these heretics was gradually infecting her own spirit, making her struggle with insomnia and vivid dreams every day.


    fortunately, today she did not have to think about those crazy cultists and their deformed minds.


    another gust of sea breeze came from the end of the street, lifting heidi¡¯s skirt. she raised her hand to hold down her long dress and the wide-brimmed hat on her head, and looked up at the large white building in front of her with streamlined domes and beautiful side buildings.


    this ocean museum located in the cross district was one of the largest¡ªand most legendary¡ªmuseums in the plunder city-state.


    heidi stepped towards the museum while not far away, a guide was introducing the background of the museum to the tourists. the guide¡¯s penetrating voice reached heidi¡¯s ears:


    ¡°¡­this large building, constructed in 1802, was originally the property of the parl brothers overseas shipping company. in its heyday, it served as the largest storage center in plunder, swallowing enormous wealth and was seen as a symbol of the zenith of plunder¡¯s commercial prosperity. but an upheaval in 1822 completely changed the fate of this building¡­¡±


    someone timely asked, ¡°what happened then?¡±


    ¡°it is said¡ªjust said¡ªthat, at the time, one of the parl brothers¡¯ ocean-going vessels encountered a strange dense fog on its return voyage. in the fog, the unfortunate ship came upon a blazing ghost ship and passed it by¡­


    ¡°the cargo ship eventually escaped the dense fog and even safely returned to the port, but the shadow of madness remained deeply in the hearts of all the crew members at the time, and quickly spread throughout the entire parl brothers¡¯ fleet. in the following months, all the ships under the parl brothers began to encounter terrible disasters, with crew members rebelling, disappearing, or even conducting bloody sacrifices to please unknown deities¡­


    ¡°sailing ships encountered storms on what should have been calm seas, or collided with icebergs in warm waters, rebellious sailors detonated explosives, damaged boilers, or even hunted their colleagues¡­ such bizarre disasters repeated one after another, ultimately completely ruining the parl brothers¡¯ business, forcing their shipping company to file for bankruptcy reorganization at the end of that same year¡­


    ¡°after that, the parl brothers divided their remaining property and donated a part of it to the city-state authorities, including this building right here¡­ it underwent numerous renovations and changed functions several times until 1855 when it was finally turned into an ocean museum and has continued to this day.


    ¡°it is said that even today, the shadows of nearly a century ago still linger in this ocean museum¡­ the shadows of the parl brothers occasionally return to the museum, temporarily staying in their former offices, or employees wearing the shipping company¡¯s uniforms appear in the exhibition area, confusedly asking visitors for the location of the offices¡­


    ¡°of course, of course! these are all just rumors, and the museum has been inspected and blessed by church clergy, and there is a team of guards stationed here permanently, ensuring no transcendent disasters occur. everyone can rest assured and visit¡ªbut if you are really interested in these thrilling and bizarre legends, you might also try the ¡®adventure escape room¡¯ on the side of the museum, however, you¡¯ll need to go to the square¡¯s chapel for a temporary baptism and a willpower test before experiencing the room¡­¡±


    the voices of the guides and tourists gradually faded away as heidi walked past the crowd, yet suddenly felt her steps become heavy.


    a century-old maritime trade warehouse, disastrous sea fog, cursed fleet, shadows lingering in the museum¡­


    having dealt daily with heretics and hearing various ¡°rumors¡± through official channels recently, heidi suddenly felt that choosing the museum as a vacation sightseeing spot might not be a good idea¡­ she might even be better off visiting the lower city district, or following her father¡¯s coaxing to check out that quirky antique shop.


    but after hesitating for less than two seconds, the young psychiatrist suddenly made up her mind and strode toward the main entrance of the museum.


    telling some perfectly thrilling stories when introducing attractions is a common tactic for guides, and over half the thrillers in the world involve elements like sea fog, ghost ships, and mutinous sailors. the museum has ghost stories, and the antique shop might have even scarier things than ghost stories¡ªcould she, a psychiatrist who deals with mental illnesses daily, be scared of this?


    nobody could stop her from enjoying the hard-earned vacation! not even the evil gods of subspace!


    with a resolute determination and swift steps, miss psychiatrist, like a warrior ready to march into battle, marched past the ticket checkpoint, through the museum¡¯s main gate, and into the nearly century-old historic building.


    the visitors in the museum were fewer than expected, perhaps because it wasn¡¯t a public holiday. the first floor¡¯s hall even seemed a bit deserted.


    a few museum guides were assisting some visitors who were having trouble finding their way to the main exhibition area. at the end of the first-floor hall, a giant whale skeleton and various exquisite ship models were mounted on the towering wall, and a person dressed as a captain was introducing knowledge about early sailing warships to a group of children.


    two girls, who looked about sixteen or seventeen and were probably still in school, were walking together towards the main exhibition area¡¯s entrance, chatting and laughing along the way, seemingly in good relationship.


    the lighting inside the venue was bright, creating a comfortable atmosphere.


    heidi breathed a sigh of relief and followed the two young girls towards the hall of the main exhibition area, ready to enjoy the quiet time.


    then, she smelled something strange.


    it smelled¡­ as if something was burning¡­


    near the cross district, duncan stepped out of a steam bus. he bought a leisure magazine from a nearby newsstand, planning to kill some time with it.


    the investigation near the factory ruins hadn¡¯t made much progress. after sherry and a dog had left, he¡¯d wandered around the sixth district for a long time and asked the locals for information. it was clear that as ordinary citizens, they could not peer behind the ¡°curtain¡± to the truth. the residents of the sixth district only remembered the snippets of official information disclosed, and everyone believed the decline of the district was due to chemical pollution left by the factories and the negligence of the city-state authorities¡ªthis matched exactly with what the sunbathing old man had revealed.


    the truth was covered by a ¡°curtain,¡± and the records in reality were manipulated. the intelligence disclosed by the city-state authorities was just the manipulated version, but duncan couldn¡¯t conclude just from this that the ¡°curtain¡± was set by the plunder city-state¡¯s town hall or the church¡ªbecause in this world where transcendent phenomena existed, a powerful anomaly or abnormality could blind everyone¡¯s eyes.


    in the face of strong anomalies and abnormalities, even so-called ¡°reality¡± was a canvas that could be smeared and altered.


    now, it seemed that the source of the ¡°curtain¡± wasn¡¯t in the factory, and might not even be in the sixth district. if the so-called ¡°source¡± was the sun shard, then it must be hidden even deeper.


    without more clues, the investigation could not proceed.


    duncan sat down on a bench by the road, casually reading the contents of his leisure magazine while pondering his next steps.


    the sun cultists were searching for the sun shard, stirring unrest in the city-state; nina¡¯s memories and dreamscape subtly pointed towards the sun shards¡ªthere was likely some connection between her and the shards; he himself had glimpsed the true sun through the sun mask, that indescribably sinister entity had seen him and had even spoken to him, asking for help¡­


    unknowingly, he seemed to have entangled himself in a messy skein of threads.


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    plunder city-state, his first touchpoint in this world¡¯s civilized society, he thought it would be a peaceful, prosperous, and tranquil place, but the ¡°first stop¡± turned out to be quite tumultuous.


    duncan sighed and shook his head slightly. just then, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed an abnormal plume of smoke rising over a nearby district.


    there were glimpses of flames amidst the smoke.


    duncan hesitated for a moment, then stood up from the bench. he noticed that many other people on the street also saw the smoke and flames; many pedestrians were stopping in their tracks, followed by a scene of people panicking and running across the street, and cries were heard shouting,


    ¡°the museum is on fire! the museum is on fire!!¡±

 Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 118 Fire Scene

    chapter 114: chapter 118 fire scene


    thick smoke billowed up, with flickering firelight mixed in the haze. people ran and screamed in the streets, and duncan¡¯s eyes widened slightly the moment he heard the cries.


    the museum¡­ the marine museum near cross district¡­ nina!


    nina was visiting the marine museum near cross district with her classmates that very afternoon, in the direction from which the smoke was rising!


    duncan took a step to rush towards the museum, but soon realized it wouldn¡¯t be easy to run there from this district. even if the smoke was visible, the winding roads would waste a lot of time, and taking a taxi was impractical¡ªnot to mention the lack of convenient and adequate transportation, even if he could flag down a car, it was unlikely anyone would want to take him to that dangerous fire.


    duncan rapidly calculated in his head. he was urgent but did not lose his composure; after quickly organizing his thoughts, a bold idea came to mind.


    ¡°ai yi!¡± he suddenly ordered in his mind, quickening his pace as he darted into the shadows of a building in a nearby alley.


    a flash of green spiritual fire passed by, and ai yi, who was patrolling nearby, appeared out of thin air and flapped its wings, settling on duncan¡¯s shoulder.


    duncan turned to glance at the dove and had already sorted out his thoughts:


    it was known this bird could carry physical matter through space, ensuring the ¡°cargo¡± remained intact during the process, and it was also known this bird had a sufficient carrying capacity, having never reached its limit in several tests.


    could it possibly ¡°transport¡± him to the museum?


    this bold thought quickly solidified, and duncan also felt a slight sigh of relief within¡ªhe had never tried letting ai yi carry a living person through teleportation before since it was an extremely dangerous experiment. he had not found a suitable heretic willing to sacrifice for research recently. initially, he planned to arrange a human trial after ai yi had some ¡°hunting¡± success, but this situation arose unexpectedly¡­ however, it turned out well.


    since he could not find a tester, he might as well use his fearless body and soul as the first experimental subject¡ªafter all, at least ai yi could ensure the ¡°cargo¡± itself remained intact during transport, meaning at least his body could arrive completely intact at the district where the museum was located. and if his body really died again during transmission due to mysterious forces¡­ then he could simply project his soul again from homeloss.


    ¡°i need you to transport something,¡± duncan said, touching ai yi¡¯s wings, ¡°to the museum at cross district¡ªthe large white building you flew over this morning.¡±


    ai yi cocked its head, its intelligence understanding duncan¡¯s intentions from the sight of the smoke rising in the sky: ¡°a trip on the spur of the moment?¡±


    ¡°just tell me if you can do it.¡±


    ¡°right now¡­¡±


    ¡°yes.¡±


    without a word, the dove vigorously flapped its wings, and a burst of green spiritual fire erupted out of nowhere, transforming it into a spiritual bone dove. it then soared up, quickly swirling around duncan¡ª the next second, the eerie green flames flashed and disappeared, and duncan had turned into a stream of light, vanishing in the vortex formed by the flames.


    a second later, a snow-white dove burst out from the shadows deep in the alley and quickly headed towards the dense black smoke column over the next district.


    near the cross district marine museum, firefighters rushed from the fire station had begun trying to combat the sudden blaze. thanks to cross district¡¯s relatively good infrastructure and the museum¡¯s special status as a public place, there were not only permanent fire units nearby but also adequate emergency water pumps and exits. as firefighters began their efforts to extinguish the fire, some people trapped in the museum had already escaped through evacuation exits on both sides of the main building and gathered anxiously at the edge of the square.


    people discussed in panic about the flames that burst suddenly in the corridors and hallways, the strange and eerie booms from deep within the museum, and certain distorted, bizarre shadows¡ªsome were clearly hallucinating under severe stress, describing eerily terrifying scenes to others around them, which only spread the panic further.


    professional personnel had already taken action. the clerics from the square¡¯s church and the permanent guardians were experienced in dealing with premonitions of contamination caused by group psychological stress. two priests had entered the crowd, lighting incense near the most agitated individuals to calm their overly excited emotions, while a few guardians began separating the crowd, taking those potentially contaminated away for subsequent psychological soothing and will testing.


    near the museum square, and a few dozen meters away in the shadows of a building, a cluster of green light suddenly surged.


    the eerie green fire twirled and concentrated, forming a gateway out of thin air. duncan stepped out from it, the threads of flame wrapped around him dissipating in the wind, and he walked out of the shadows, with the dove ai yi flapping its wings and settling steadily on his shoulder.


    duncan looked back at ai yi, recording the new experience in his mind, as well as his sensations during the ¡°live teleportation.¡±


    as he had expected, ai yi arrived at the museum by ¡°flying¡± rather than ¡°instantly arriving¡± as he usually did when transporting between the antique shop and the homeloss.


    this indicated that ai yi¡¯s ¡°transportation¡± had to be based on anchor points¡ªwhen transporting between the antique shop and homeloss, the anchor points were the ¡°antique shop owner¡± and the ¡°captain.¡± however, when carrying one of the anchors, ai yi could only honestly fly through physical space.


    as for the feeling of being carried by ai yi while flying¡­ it was quite peculiar.


    during the process, he did not lose consciousness but also could not smoothly observe his surroundings. connected through the spiritual body¡¯s flame, he could vaguely share ai yi¡¯s perception, even catching glimpses of overhead views and feeling the air brushing past his body. yet, all these ¡°shared feelings¡± seemed to be separated by a curtain, not as clear and direct as his own body.


    perhaps¡­ this was because ai yi¡¯s body structure was vastly different from humans, or it could be because ai yi had its own will, preventing full control.


    but these were minor issues, and duncan did not care right now¡ªthe emergency unlocking of ai yi¡¯s ¡°new function¡± today was already a significant gain. he could ponder over any details later. currently, the most important thing was to confirm nina¡¯s condition.


    flying was certainly not as fast as transporting. it took him a few minutes to ¡°fly¡± over from the nearby district, but compared to running or using regular transportation, this speed was already quite astonishing¡ªhe hadn¡¯t delayed much on the way.


    duncan had already seen the burning large building. he saw that the main building of the white museum was split into three levels, with the fiercest fires on the first and second floors. dense smoke billowed from several windows on the second floor, with explosive flames spewing and undulating out of a few windows, and smoke trailing from the roof where faint flames sporadically emerged.


    the distribution of the fires seemed as though a massive column of fire had erupted from the first floor of the museum, piercing through several floors and the roof.


    firefighters had activated several hydrants at the edge of the plaza. massive jets of high-pressure water were being sprayed at the main building of the museum in an attempt to cool the exterior walls and prevent the century-old building from collapsing catastrophically while some survivors gathered at the edge of the plaza, being comforted by priests or answering inquiries from officials.


    duncan headed straight toward those survivors, all the while checking to see if nina was among them.


    halfway there, he heard some survivors tremblingly describe what they had seen¡ª


    ¡°¡­the fire just suddenly appeared out of thin air! it really came out of nowhere! it was as if it had been burning for a long time, but no one had seen it until it suddenly emerged!¡±


    ¡°there was a shrieking sound, a sharp shriek, like a devil laughing!¡±


    ¡°¡­a person all burned up crawled out of a room, oh, goddess above! that was someone in old clothes from decades ago¡­ he crawled out of the room, but that room hadn¡¯t been on fire before! the fire only started after that person crawled out!¡±


    the survivors at the edge of the plaza were in extreme panic, many jabbering about the terrifying scenes. duncan approached them and saw a deep sea church official with short black stubble and wearing a priest¡¯s robe frowning deeply.


    ¡°the panic is too high, one-third of the people are mentally unstable, these folks show signs of contamination by transcendent powers¡­¡± the deep sea priest said in rapid-fire to a nearby guardian warrior, ¡°there might be something unclean in the museum¡­ when can the cathedral support arrive?¡±


    ¡°at least half an hour.¡±


    ¡°¡­no, that¡¯s too late. if there really is something unclean, looking at this scale, it might get out of control within ten minutes¡­¡± the black-robed priest glanced at the museum one last time, then suddenly turned to an attendant next to him, ¡°please have the sheriffs handle this area.¡±


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    following that, he swiftly tore off his priest robe, revealing a black short-sleeve shirt and pants underneath, then raised the ¡°storm scripture¡± in his hand and prayed loudly and briefly¡ª


    ¡°please bear witness! we march forth unwavering!¡±


    the other guardians also called out in unison, ¡°please bear witness!¡±


    after the prayers, a faint mist started to swirl around the storm believers, encircling their bodies like ocean waves. next second, they strode boldly towards the still fiercely burning building.


    (push book recommendation from demon monk hua wuzhao¡¯s ¡°carrying a door wherever i go¡±: earthling cao xin dies in a car accident, transmigrates to a world with scarce resources, and acquires a ¡°bronze immortal gate¡±¡­)

 Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: 119 Chapter "A Pair of Friends

    chapter 115: 119 chapter ¡°a pair of friends


    from discerning the potential loss of control over transcendent powers inside the museum, to performing self-blessings and storming into the fire, it took these storm believers under the deep sea church only a dozen seconds.


    duncan watched as these people charged towards the fire. subsequently, the firefighters in the square began to cooperate skillfully, using their fire hoses for coverage as they cooled down the museum entrance and cleared a path. another team, hanging the emblem of the deep sea church and items like amulets over their standard protective gear, also rushed into the museum.


    sheriffs at the edge of the square took over the task of comforting remaining civilians and started arranging for nearby churches to receive those marked as potentially mentally contaminated survivors from the fire scene.


    well-trained and tightly coordinated, this was not only rehearsed countless times but seemingly battle-tested countless times.


    this is the sight presented by city-state, a prosperous civilization surviving to date in a world filled with supernatural phenomena¡ªquickly identifying the shadow of the transcendent amid disasters, suppressing the corrosion before it erupts beyond what mortals can bear. both transcendent beings and ordinary people were thoroughly educated and trained, honing these fundamental response measures to near muscle reflex¡ªthis was how the community maintained its survival.


    duncan observed all this, but he hardly had time to marvel¡ªhe checked the disheveled survivors at the edge of the square and did not spot nina among them.


    suddenly, he looked up towards the direction of the museum.


    from the fiercely burning museum, a somewhat familiar aura emanated.


    he started walking towards the museum, but after just two steps, a sheriff stopped him, ¡°sir, it¡¯s dangerous ahead, please leave it to the professionals.¡±


    duncan glanced at the sheriff, nodded, and turned away.


    tangling with the official personnel on site would not only waste time but would also hinder the professionals¡¯ work. practical as ever, duncan briskly gave up on the museum¡¯s main entrance, quickly circled to another side of the square, and then slipped into a shadow¡ªthe next second, a dove flew across the square and dove straight into a window of the museum where flames were cursing.


    some people in the square witnessed this scene but merely thought it was a poor dove, stunned and disoriented by the thick smoke and blaze, lamented briefly, and turned away.


    inside the museum, however, duncan stepped out from a whirl of ghostly green flames.


    smoke, firelight, and heat waves attacked him all at once.


    duncan was not afraid of these elements, but he could feel his flesh body¡¯s functions getting affected by the fiery environment; walking further in, his soul might survive, but this body would surely be unusable.


    however, he was not reckless¡ªbefore storming in, he already knew what he had to do.


    flames were everywhere, and flames¡­ were very obedient.


    duncan held his breath; a stream of ghostly green flame trickled under his feet and, in the blink of an eye, vanished into nothingness. within that brief contact, he had established an invisible connection with the surrounding flames¡ªjust as he had with the flames at the sun cultist gathering in the abandoned factory¡¯s basement, he sensed the flames¡¯ submission around him.


    even the scorching air currents began to change, no longer affecting the breathing of this body.


    duncan took a gentle breath and walked towards the fire-blocked door.


    ¡°recede.¡±


    and so, the flames receded and slowly extinguished, revealing a corridor filled with thick smoke and lingering fires behind him.


    duncan glanced back, observing the wall signs nearby, and deduced that the place where he ¡°landed¡± was likely an office at the edge of the main exhibition area, and the corridor in front must be one used by museum staff, leading to the primary exhibition space; to one side were stairs or elevators leading to other floors.


    he walked into the corridor, searching forward while focusing his mind, trying to locate nina in the museum¡ªbut honestly, he had no assurance he could successfully ¡°pinpoint¡± her.


    after all, this was his first time attempting such a feat¡­ although his perception now exceeded that of ordinary people, and goat head had said ¡°the captain¡¯s intuition is the most accurate compass,¡± this advanced operation of sensing someone¡¯s presence from afar still felt like a completely unfamiliar territory to him, almost a skill one would only read about in stories.


    he attempted this now purely because, back in the square, he had sensed a hint of a familiar aura from the museum, §ï§ä§à §Õ§Ñv f?r_sub this thought to him_lst jordan.


    duncan continued advancing through the corridor, flames retreating and extinguishing around him, yet still unable to sense nina¡¯s location. suddenly, however, he sensed something else.


    ¡°hmm?¡±


    duncan murmured doubtfully, his gaze drawn towards the direction from which the sensation came¡ªjust not far ahead, beneath the stairs on a lower floor, a ¡°mark¡± becoming increasingly clear in his perception was slightly throbbing.


    the owner of this mark seemed to be in a lively and buzzing state.


    duncan hesitated only for a moment before quickly running towards the sensation, navigating through the retreating, extinguishing fire, across stairs that were starting to become fragile and loose, all the while extending his control over the flames as far as this body could endure, suppressing the building¡¯s blaze as the ¡°mark¡± in his mind became more defined, until he could faintly hear the ¡°voice¡± coming from the mark¡ª


    ¡°¡­hand? hey, these are just minor injuries on my hands, they¡¯ll be fine in a couple of days¡­¡±


    ¡°that¡¯s because i¡¯ve always been strong¡­¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t worry, the gap under the door is blocked, the smoke won¡¯t come in for now¡­ you¡¯re really smart to know there¡¯s a water room here¡­ uh, did you check the map in advance? did the teacher talk about it in class? safety education¡­ uh¡­ i might not have listened carefully, ahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°did you say you saw a dog just now? you must¡¯ve seen wrong, there are no dogs around here, ahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­what about this unconscious woman here? you don¡¯t know either? okay¡­ at least she¡¯s still alive¡­ don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll definitely be rescued¡­¡±


    i hadn¡¯t misheard; it was sherry¡¯s voice.


    duncan recognized the mark; it was the same ¡°flame¡± he had left on sherry not long ago, and her voice was now coming through that mark into his mind.


    the familiar scent he had felt momentarily in the plaza also seemed to come from this mark¡ªhe hadn¡¯t actively contacted the mark, but because he was too close, he had passively sensed its presence.


    this ¡°mark¡± was the first duncan had actively released, so he was still unfamiliar with many of its traits, but now it seemed that the connection between the spiritual bodies¡¯ flames was more useful than he had imagined.


    amidst slight emotion, a hint of confusion also arose:


    sherry was talking with another person, seeming to be her friend¡­ who was she with?


    ¡­


    the enclosed water room became a temporary shelter, its narrow, confined space blocking the disaster steadily approaching from outside. the sound of water running from the sink nearby still filled the room, the electric light had gone out, and the flickering light coming in through the window was the only light source here. nina was carefully curled up next to the sink, close to counting her own heartbeat.


    abnormally rapid.


    her new friend, the girl named sherry, was checking the door and windows¡¯ seals. her hands were burned by flames, but she kept moving around as if nothing had happened, and not far from her a lady lay on the ground¡ªnina didn¡¯t know this lady; she had just seen her get knocked unconscious by a fallen brick while blindly fleeing into this place and had dragged her in here with sherry.


    judging by her clothing, this lady was clearly not a poor person from the lower city district like herself, but someone from the upper city district¡­ unfortunately, in the face of disaster, respectable people and the poor from the lower city district weren¡¯t all that different.


    the sound of water in the sink suddenly decreased and gradually stopped.


    ¡°¡­the main water pump has stopped working,¡± nina, who had been listening to the sounds around them all this time, suddenly said, ¡°the fire is very big.¡±


    her ¡°new friend,¡± who was even shorter than her, came over and squatted down in front of her, their eyes level in the darkness.


    ¡°are you very scared?¡± sherry asked softly.


    ¡°i¡¯m really afraid of fire¡­¡± nina hugged her legs tightly, her voice trembling a bit,


    ¡°really, really afraid of fire.¡±


    ¡°¡­actually, i¡¯m pretty scared, too,¡± sherry said after a two-second pause, ¡°okay, the most¡ªthe thing i¡¯m most afraid of is fire¡­¡±


    ¡°you wouldn¡¯t know it,¡± nina shook her head, ¡°you were charging around just now.¡±


    ¡°because i¡¯m afraid, i charge around,¡± sherry sprawled down casually, ¡°because i¡¯m so scared, once i stop, i¡¯d definitely not dare to rush in again¡­ but now it¡¯s fine; the two of us are damned stuck here, no place to run, just have to wait like two idiots.¡±


    nina touched sherry¡¯s arm in the darkness and suddenly discovered that the other was also trembling.


    indeed, she was really scared.


    ¡°you¡¯re swearing,¡± nina said softly, ¡°i thought¡­ you were a very well-mannered good student.¡±


    ¡°at this point, don¡¯t friggin¡¯ pretend; i¡¯ve always been like this,¡± sherry said, her soot-blackened face wearing a brilliant smile, ¡°and¡­ never mind.¡±


    it seemed like she wanted to tell nina something but swallowed it in the end. then she looked back at the door and asked, ¡°quick, use that good brain of yours to analyze how long we can survive here?¡±


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    nina looked up, ¡°i¡­ don¡¯t know, but as long as we can keep the smoke out, it¡¯s temporarily safe. this room is very sturdy, and it¡¯s at the staircase corner; it probably won¡¯t collapse for a while.¡±


    sherry responded nonchalantly and then hesitated for a moment before slowly starting again, ¡°right, i mean¡­ if, i¡¯m just saying if, i had a way to get us out, but it might be kind of scary, would¡­ you want to try it?¡±


    ¡°a way?¡± nina looked puzzled at her, ¡°what way?¡±


    ¡°just¡­¡± sherry stood up but then sat back down again, ¡°ah, forget it, let¡¯s wait a little longer, it¡¯s not time yet, not time yet¡­¡±


    nina: ¡°?¡±

 Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 120 Rescue

    chapter 116: chapter 120 rescue


    time seemed to suddenly slow down, slow down to a crawl; in the darkness and the gradually approaching heat, nina felt her mind uncontrollably racing¡ª


    she seemed to recall her childhood smallness, the chaos she¡¯d create ¡°helping¡± her uncle in the antique shop as they ran up and down, her uncle fabricating stories behind those ¡°antiques,¡± recalling her first day of school, the first time she saw a steam machine in her textbook, the first time she received praise from a teacher, the first time she made a friend¡­ and the first time she lost one.


    her mind was muddled, consciousness increasingly confused.


    smoke began to slip into the room bit by bit, affecting her breathing and her stream of thoughts.


    and those scattered memories all eventually morphed into images engulfed by flames.


    a great fire¡­ a great fire that existed only in memory seemed to blaze before her eyes once again.


    nina gazed absently at the ground nearby, as if at any second it would suddenly burst into flame, but just then, she felt an icy hand rest on her forehead.


    ¡°are you okay?¡± sherry looked at her ¡°friend¡± with some concern, ¡°your eyes just glazed over¡­ and you were mumbling something under your breath.¡±


    ¡°i¡­ i¡¯m fine,¡± nina quickly shook her head and grasped sherry¡¯s arm, ¡°thank you¡­ i just suddenly thought of my family.¡±


    ¡°family¡­¡± sherry hesitated at these words, then seemed to ask casually, ¡°who do you have at home?¡±


    ¡°just an uncle¡­ my parents haven¡¯t been around for many years, i grew up with my uncle,¡± nina thought for a moment, her head slowly sinking into her knees, ¡°i promised him i¡¯d come home early today¡­¡±


    ¡°you¡­ you must be very close with your uncle, right?¡± sherry seemed a bit uncomfortable with the topic, as if unsure how to comfort a friend, speaking as if grasping for words, ¡°what does he do?¡±


    ¡°he¡¯s just an ordinary person, we run an antique shop in the lower city district, he takes care of it alone¡­¡± nina said slowly, quickly gesturing with her hands when she noticed sherry¡¯s surprised look, ¡°it isn¡¯t the kind of impressive antique shop you¡¯re thinking of, there are no real valuables.¡±


    ¡°that still sounds impressive!¡± sherry quickly offered a compliment, ¡°a shop owner! owning a shop of your own, even if it is in the lower city district¡­ so life at your home must be pretty good, right?¡±


    ¡°actually, it¡¯s quite ordinary,¡± nina continued to gesture, ¡°my uncle hasn¡¯t been well for a few years, and the business isn¡¯t doing so great, we haven¡¯t saved much money¡­ but i think my uncle is really amazing, he can even talk with mr. morris for ages! he knows a lot, mr. morris always says he¡¯s a learned man¡­¡±


    after listening to nina¡¯s tale, sherry nodded as if very seriously, ¡°then when we get out of here, i definitely want to meet your uncle¡­¡±


    nina smiled, was just about to say something, but suddenly heard a loud noise from the direction of the entrance¡ªnext second, the already flimsy washroom door was kicked open from the outside and came crashing down with a clang!


    the instant she saw this, nina¡¯s first reaction was to fear that the corridor¡¯s flames would roar in, fuelled by the broken door, a knowledge she had gleaned from school, but the next second, she saw a familiar figure step through the entrance¡ªno flames materialized as she had envisioned.


    sherry too was startled by the thud of the breaking door; she turned around in shock, stiffening upon seeing the figure at the doorway.


    she saw the shadow of the subspace silently standing at the entrance, and in her peripheral vision, the last flicker of flame seemed to cower and dissipate at the figure¡¯s feet. with a trace of fear, she attempted to step back¡ªthere was a fraction of a second when she even considered whether to send nina, her new ¡°friend,¡± out but before she could act, nina had stood up behind her.


    ¡°uncle duncan?!¡± nina looked at the figure in the doorway with delight, all fear and repression seemingly dissolving with the appearance of that silhouette.


    ¡°nina?¡± duncan looked at the girl with some surprise¡ªhe had actually followed the ¡°mark¡± left on sherry to find this place, intending to locate sherry the summoner then continue the search together for remaining parts of the museum but didn¡¯t expect to stumble upon nina directly.


    next second, his gaze fell on sherry.


    so¡­ the conversation he had heard through the ¡°mark¡± before, it was nina talking with sherry¡­ nina¡¯s classmate who said they should travel together was sherry?!


    quickly piecing things together in his mind, duncan realized what was happening and promptly noticed the rapid change in sherry¡¯s expression. before this transcendent summoner with whom he had a certain ¡°affinity¡± could speak, he stepped forward, scanning their surroundings, ¡°it seems like both of you are okay.¡±


    next second, he noticed a third person in the room: a young lady in a long dress lying unconscious on the floor but apparently still alive.


    sherry finally regained her ability to think. she abruptly recalled what nina had said earlier and after a moment, her neck stiffly turned as she looked at nina with an expression as if she had seen a ghost, ¡°nina¡­ he is¡­ your uncle?¡±


    ¡°yes!¡± nina said happily, then rushed over to duncan in a few steps, ¡°uncle, how come you are here?! is the fire outside extinguished?!¡±


    ¡°not yet, but the flames are under control,¡± duncan replied casually. he knew that such a vague answer would seem highly suspicious under normal circumstances, but now nina was clearly in a state of confusion, and the startled girl just clutched at his arm, repeating, ¡°that¡¯s great, i thought today i would have to¡­¡±


    ¡°alright, let¡¯s talk about everything once we get out; this isn¡¯t the place for it,¡± duncan interrupted nina, then his gaze swiftly swept over sherry and the lady who was lying on the ground, ¡°we need to take this lady with us.¡±


    ¡°ah¡­ okay!¡± nina belatedly realized what was needed and hurried over to try to lift the woman. sherry also rushed over to help¡ªbut due to the height difference, it wasn¡¯t easy for them, so duncan stepped forward, ready to do it himself.


    but as he reached out to help the woman up, something suddenly caught his eye, causing him to pause.


    it was a familiar-looking amethyst pendant.


    duncan paused, slowly recalling the home visit by mr. morris and some of the details mentioned during the conversation.


    ¡°uncle?¡± nina¡¯s voice came from beside him, interrupting duncan¡¯s thoughts.


    duncan shook his head gently, glanced at nina, then his gaze seemed to casually sweep over sherry and he smiled slightly, ¡°it¡¯s a small world.¡±


    after speaking, he helped the woman up, then with the assistance of the two girls, he picked her up on his back.


    the group left the utility room. there were no flames to be seen in the corridor outside the utility room, and even the thick smoke had mostly dissipated ¡°for unknown reasons.¡± sherry looked ahead at the pitch-black corridor and hesitated before asking, ¡°which way should we go?¡±


    duncan looked up, just about to point out a direction, but suddenly, through the ¡°fire power¡± that had earlier engulfed the museum, he sensed something. with a thought, he changed the originally intended path and swiftly headed toward another exit, ¡°this way.¡±


    guided by the retreat and instruction of the flames, they quickly left the area. shortly after their departure, a squad appeared around the corner of the corridor near the utility room.


    it was the squad of deep sea church guardians who had previously rushed into the blaze.


    the squad was dirty and sooty, but the ocean¡¯s blessing had yet to wear off their bodies¡ªthey had charged in with a resolution to die if necessary but had narrowly escaped harm due to the sudden rapid retreat of the fires inside the museum.


    ¡°the fire here is out too,¡± the priest leading the team murmured with a slight frown as he observed the surroundings, ¡°even the smoke has dissipated.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s good that the fire is out,¡± a guardian whispered.


    ¡°it is good, but normally, a fire of this scale wouldn¡¯t extinguish so easily,¡± the priest said in a solemn voice. suddenly, he noticed the violently destroyed door of the utility room.


    ¡°somebody has been here¡­¡± a guardian swiftly approached to inspect, confirmed the traces near the door, and expertly took out an incense burner and prayer book. he then donned a set of specially made lenses on his head.


    the lens set looked like a half-helmet made of brass tubes, cranks, and a series of lenses, with complex runes etched around the edges of some of them.


    this guardian placed the incense burner on the ground and then started adjusting the lens set on his head, observing all the residual clues in the vicinity.


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    ¡°no residual transcendent powers¡­ they are ordinary people, the exact number is uncertain, their presence is very chaotic,¡± the guardian rapidly reported, ¡°they¡¯re likely tourists who were trapped earlier¡­ the door was destroyed from the inside, it looks like someone broke the door from outside to rescue them.¡±


    ¡°are you sure there are no transcendent powers?¡±


    ¡°none.¡±


    ¡°¡­continue the search upstairs.¡±


    ¡°yes!¡±

 Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 121 Miss Psychiatrist

    chapter 117: chapter 121 miss psychiatrist


    in front of an emergency exit on the western side of the museum, duncan, nina, and sherry burst into the open air. when fresh air and bright sky light appeared simultaneously, sherry couldn¡¯t help cheer, ¡°fantastic! we made it out!¡±


    duncan glanced at the girl, but before he could say anything, he suddenly felt a light movement from the young lady on his back¡ªunder the stimulation of the fresh air and the jostling they had endured, she finally woke up.


    duncan quickly found a place nearby and gently set her down.


    heidi slowly came to her senses.


    her forehead throbbed as if it had been smacked with a plank, followed by discomfort in her lungs from inhaling a small amount of smoke. these were the first sensations heidi became aware of as she regained consciousness. then, she abruptly opened her eyes and began to cough violently.


    after the tremendous confusion and severe coughing, she suddenly realized she had been rescued¡ªshe was somewhere outside the museum, surrounded by bright sunlight and fresh air, with several figures in front of her.


    ¡°you¡¯re awake,¡± nina squatted down beside the young lady, looking at heidi with concern as she opened her eyes and tried to adjust to the surrounding light, ¡°how do you feel? is anything hurting?¡±


    ¡°my head hurts¡­ did you two save me?¡± heidi¡¯s eyes finally focused and adjusted to the bright outdoor light. she quickly assessed the situation and recognized the two young girls, ¡°ah, it¡¯s you two¡­¡±


    ¡°you know us?¡± sherry blinked, speaking reflexively.


    ¡°don¡¯t know you, but i remember seeing you at the museum,¡± heidi shook her head, sitting up and looking around, ¡°cough cough¡­ what happened to me¡­?¡±


    ¡°you were knocked unconscious; nina and i dragged you to a safe place for a while, then my uncle rushed into the fire to save people and brought you out too,¡± nina explained quickly, ¡°you¡¯re safe now.¡±


    ¡°uncle¡­ ah, this gentleman? thank you¡­¡± heidi¡¯s gaze quickly fell on duncan, and as she spoke, she tried to stand up, seemingly intending to bow as a sign of gratitude but almost fell over again before she could complete the gesture.


    duncan steadied her, ¡°no need for formalities.¡±


    ¡°thank you,¡± heidi stood weakly, bowing her head in thanks while feeling the residual fright, ¡°if it weren¡¯t for you, i would certainly have been burned alive in there¡­ that fire was terrible¡­ i really can¡¯t thank you enough, i don¡¯t know how i could possibly repay¡­¡±


    ¡°no need for such distant words,¡± duncan said with a smile, looking at the lady, ¡°we actually have some connection¡­ do you know mr. morris?¡±


    heidi paused, her expression turning to one of confusion as she looked at duncan, ¡°that¡¯s my father¡­ you know him?¡±


    ¡°that pendant,¡± duncan gestured at the purple ¡°crystal¡± pendant on heidi¡¯s chest, ¡°came from my shop.¡±


    heidi looked down at the pendant on her chest, her expression somewhat blank, ¡°¡­ ah?!¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s a small world, isn¡¯t it?¡± duncan laughed, extending his hand, ¡°let me introduce myself properly, duncan strain. i run an antique shop in the lower city district. this is my niece, nina, and this one over here¡­¡±


    ¡°i¡¯m sherry!¡± sherry immediately spoke up, as if afraid that if she was too late to introduce herself, her name would be spoken by some profoundly evil entity and become tainted with a curse of some sort, ¡°you can just call me sherry!¡±


    ¡°heidi underwood,¡± heidi shook duncan¡¯s hand, her head still feeling slightly dizzy, but she was trying her best to adjust, ¡°i¡¯m a psychiatrist.¡±


    ¡°a psychiatrist?¡± duncan raised his eyebrows unconsciously, ¡°you are a psychiatrist?¡±


    ¡°ah, yes, might look a bit young¡­ but i am a fully licensed psychiatrist,¡± heidi said with some pride, then began searching her person. it took her a while to find a wrinkled business card. she handed it to duncan with both hands, ¡°here¡¯s my card. if it could be of use to you, i am willing to offer my consulting services for free anytime¡­¡±


    a highly-licensed psychiatrist from the upper city district might indeed be a connection worth having.


    duncan took the card, glanced over it, and saw an address for a clinic in the upper city district, heidi¡¯s name, license number, and a code consisting of five digits and letters.


    beneath that line of code was a note: express code.


    duncan¡¯s gaze lingered briefly on the ¡°express code¡± line. he remembered that it seemed to be a part of the pland postal system, but it was different from regular mail. in some part of the lower city district, he had seen facilities dedicated to the dispatch and reception of ¡°express¡± items, but the original owner of his body had never used this service.


    because it was very expensive, postage was nearly ten times that of a normal letter, and the original owner of this body had no friends or relatives worth the high cost of emergency communication.


    duncan vaguely knew that this special ¡°mail¡± was delivered quickly through high-pressure steam pipelines and standardized capsule containers. not only could it send letters, but it could also deliver small packages. even accounting for the last leg of manual processing and potential delivery times, it would take at most a few hours to deliver a piece of mail to any corner of city-state.


    well¡­ he could only admire that it was indeed a luxury worthy of an upper city district high-class psychiatrist, even their appointment requests were made with such expensive gadgets¡­


    after reflecting on this for a moment, duncan carefully stored the business card away and then heard heidi suddenly ask, ¡°by the way, do you need to undergo¡­ a post-disaster spiritual assessment?¡±


    duncan looked at her puzzledly, and the young psychiatrist miss quickly explained, ¡°of course, it¡¯s free¡ªi don¡¯t mean anything by it. mainly, after an accident, it¡¯s easy for people to have mental issues, especially in a museum where many historical artifacts are present. serious mental stress combined with the influence of certain artifacts¡­ can easily leave a shadow on the spiritual level.¡±


    heidi seemed to be carefully choosing her words, trying to convey some very professional and sophisticated¡ªsometimes even removed from ordinary life¡ª¡±knowledge¡± to the people in front of her. she was a bit worried that such ¡°science popularization¡± might seem offensive, so her tone and demeanor were as sincere and gentle as possible. duncan recognized her efforts in this regard, but his thoughts were elsewhere¡ª


    he, of course, did not need any spiritual assessment. having been a ¡°captain¡± for so long, he had some understanding of his own special nature. to say nothing of the psychological pressure brought on by such a fire, even if something emerged from the mysterious deep sea to greet him personally, it would be the other party needing a sc, not him.


    as for sherry¡­ did this warrior woman, who could fight heretics and profound demons for three hundred rounds, need a spiritual assessment? the psychological shock she suffered in the entire fire probably wasn¡¯t as significant as the shadow left by seeing herself kick open a door afterward¡­


    but nina¡­ nina might truly need the help of a psychiatrist.


    not just because of today¡¯s fire, but also because of her poor mental state over the past few days and those dreams with a hint of premonition.


    this needed a professional¡¯s touch; his own powers were of no use in this area. he had discussed with nina the possibility of visiting a church when they had the chance, but now that a high-class psychiatrist was offering help¡­ it would be foolish to refuse free service.


    ¡°nina might need help,¡± duncan looked at his ¡°niece,¡± gently ruffled the girl¡¯s hair, ¡°but not just because of today¡¯s fire¡ªshe¡¯s been having strange dreams lately, and her mental state is not good.¡±


    nina immediately muttered, ¡°i¡¯m actually okay¡­¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s free, you know,¡± heidi said with a smile, pointing at herself, ¡°my usual consultation fee is¡­ ow, ow, ow!¡±


    she accidentally poked at the place on her body that had been hit by a brick. it had swollen up quite a bit, and it was easy to touch accidentally.


    ¡°that¡¯s right, free. why not take advantage if there¡¯s no charge,¡± sherry, who had been quiet for a while, also joined in the chatter, ¡°she still owes us a favor¡­¡±


    ¡°well¡­ okay then,¡± nina hesitated for a moment before finally nodding lightly, but then she looked at heidi with some confusion, ¡°what does a spiritual assessment entail? can it be done here? do i need to answer some questions, or fill out some forms?¡±


    ¡°we need at least a quiet environment, and i need to be in a better state¡ªat least this big bump on my head needs to go down a bit,¡± heidi explained with a smile, ¡°i am a professional, unlike those shoddy doctors who ask a few questions and then give you a diagnostic report. how about this, tomorrow is a school holiday, if miss nina has time, i will come to visit in the afternoon¡ªi will ask your father for your address.¡±


    she paused and then gingerly touched the wound on her forehead.


    ¡°as for now, i need to find a place to treat this wound¡­ hiss¡­¡±


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    ¡°there are peace officers maintaining order in the square, and medical staff,¡± duncan thought for a moment, ¡°do you need us to accompany you? your current state¡­¡±


    ¡°no need, i¡¯ve fully regained consciousness,¡± heidi waved her hand and then looked back at the museum still emitting wisps of smoke, a trace of fright on her face along with unabashed regret, ¡°ah¡­ there goes my rare holiday¡­ all spoiled.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s bad to have a holiday spoiled for sure,¡± duncan commented offhand, ¡°but fortunately, we¡¯ve just survived a disaster, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°alright¡­ that¡¯s a good point,¡± heidi said, and then sighed, murmuring to herself, ¡°ah, i just hope certain heretics and roaming sky light can stay quiet for a bit, so at least my next holiday can come sooner¡­ ah, sorry, i shouldn¡¯t complain about these things to strangers, you must find it amusing.¡±


    duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 122: The Figure at the Edge of the Square

    chapter 118: chapter 122: the figure at the edge of the square


    after finding out the location of the nearby rescue point, heidi covered her head and left on her own, but duncan had no intention of dealing with the ¡°official personnel¡± there¡ªnot least because he now had sherry by his side, a girl capable of summoning profound demons who clearly didn¡¯t want to deal with the deep sea church.


    as duncan watched heidi¡¯s figure gradually fade into the distance, he sighed gently, then turned to look at nina, ¡°are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°no,¡± nina was still somewhat frightened, having been subconsciously gripping duncan¡¯s sleeve all this time. only now did she suddenly let go, and then, somewhat surprised, she looked at duncan, ¡°you haven¡¯t said yet, why were you at the museum?¡±


    ¡°i happened to be nearby on business,¡± duncan said with a smile, ¡°and then suddenly i heard the museum was on fire, so i came to rescue you.¡±


    before she could say anything else, he reached out and ruffled the girl¡¯s hair, comforting the frightened nina, ¡°it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s all over now, and you¡¯re not hurt.¡±


    ¡°¡­i¡¯m not a child anymore!¡± nina shook her head, then her gaze landed on sherry standing beside her. just as she was about to speak, a strange expression suddenly appeared on her face as if she had suddenly recalled something dissonant; she sized up the girl in front of her, ¡°sherry¡­ why do i suddenly feel¡­ you seem a bit¡­¡±


    a second ago, sherry¡¯s attention had been entirely on duncan. seeing nina¡¯s reaction, her face instantly showed visible panic. her eyes slightly widened as she glanced again at duncan, her expression now filled with even more fear.


    seeing the change in her expression, duncan was struck by a thought, for the girl¡¯s expression was exactly like the time she¡¯d been caught fare-evading on a bus. he thoughtfully glanced at nina and then briefly recalled his dealings with sherry and the identity she was now assuming¡ª


    it was known that both times he had interacted with sherry, nina had been at school. it was also known that sherry¡¯s true character was extremely nasty and brash, certainly not that of a ¡°quiet good girl.¡± additionally, it was known that one of the profound demon¡¯s abilities was to disrupt normal human judgment to maintain a disguise¡­


    and her current ¡°identity¡± was a new friend nina had met at school, a persona full of holes.


    duncan stroked his chin, placed his hand on nina¡¯s shoulder, and, nodding towards sherry, asked, ¡°do you really know her?¡±


    ¡°yes, her name is sherry, and she¡¯s a new friend of mine, but¡­¡± nina furrowed her brow, ¡°but for some reason, i suddenly can¡¯t remember when she started showing up at school¡­¡±


    duncan turned and quietly stared at sherry, who was now trying her best to be unnoticed, and after a long time softly spoke, ¡°you still have a chance to explain yourself, or i might¡­¡±


    before he could finish his sentence, sherry burst forth in a rapid flurry, ¡°i¡¯m sorry i was wrong i just wanted to investigate things so i sneaked into the school but i really haven¡¯t hurt nina and just now at the museum i even helped block the wood from hitting her you really have to believe me i really didn¡¯t know she was related to you i don¡¯t grasp the interests of such great figures please just let me¡­¡±


    duncan hadn¡¯t even managed to speak the rest when he was stunned by the tearful outburst of this girl, his first thought being that this girl had an exceptional talent, perhaps usable as a sparring partner for the goat-head¡­


    then he cleared his throat, interrupting sherry¡¯s rapid speech, ¡°not a relative; she¡¯s my niece.¡±


    as he said this, his gaze also fell on the hands of sherry.


    there were traces of being scorched by flames, though under her astonishing healing power, only faint scars remained. it seemed she had indeed been injured in the museum.


    if she wasn¡¯t lying (and she probably didn¡¯t dare), then she must have truly been trying to protect nina.


    of course, sherry didn¡¯t know what duncan was thinking, and at this moment, she was nearly in a state of mental blankness, ¡°if you say she¡¯s your niece then she must be¡­¡±


    at this moment, nina finally began to vaguely understand. she looked at her uncle in surprise, then at her ¡°friend¡±, ¡°wait, you two¡­ do you know each other? and sherry, why did you¡­¡±


    ¡°met by chance,¡± duncan said lightly, not letting sherry speak since it was uncertain what she might reveal in front of nina, ¡°it looks like we have a lot to talk about, don¡¯t we, sherry?¡±


    sherry was nearly crying, her face mournful as she looked at duncan, ¡°if you say so¡­¡±


    ¡°you say so.¡±


    ¡°yes.¡±


    ¡°uncle, don¡¯t be so harsh on sherry,¡± nina was still confused, but she could see that her new friend, for some reason, was very afraid of her uncle, and that her uncle was not very kind to sherry, which made her a bit uneasy but also somewhat puzzled, ¡°my head is all muddled right now¡­ can someone explain to me what exactly is going on?¡±


    ¡°let¡¯s go home and talk slowly,¡± duncan sighed softly, looked up to see the museum emitting plumes of smoke, then turned in the direction he had come from, ¡°it¡¯s too chaotic here, and you two with your dusty and dirty appearance need to hurry back and take a bath and change clothes.¡±


    sherry stammered, ¡°do i¡­ do i have to come along too?¡±


    then she nodded vigorously without waiting for duncan to speak, ¡°you¡¯re right!¡±


    duncan sighed, somewhat amused. it seemed that no matter what sherry intended by approaching nina, she would definitely be harmless in nina¡¯s vicinity from then on. shaking his head, he prepared to take the girls and leave.


    just at that moment, his gaze swept across the edge of the museum square.


    an elusive figure near the crowd at the edge of the square suddenly captured his attention.


    he was a tall, thin male figure wearing a black coat, his back to this side, gazing in the direction of the fire. the style of his coat resembled a long trench coat, its lengthy hem almost concealing his entire body. the most bizarre aspect was the large black umbrella he was holding in this clear weather.


    in calm and not excessively sunny weather, a tall, thin man wearing a trench coat and holding an umbrella while looking at a fire scene was a bit odd anywhere, yet many people were gathered at the edge of the square, and not one glanced toward the umbrella-man.


    ¡°uncle?¡± nina noticed duncan had stopped and curiously looked in the direction he was gazing, ¡°is there something over there?¡±


    ¡°there¡¯s a person holding an umbrella on a clear day, quite strange,¡± duncan said casually.


    ¡°a person holding an umbrella?¡± nina paused, ¡°where? i don¡¯t see him¡­¡±


    ¡°i don¡¯t see him either,¡± sherry also rubbed her eyes and curiously followed duncan¡¯s gaze, ¡°you might have seen it wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°none of you saw him?¡± duncan frowned instantly. he glanced at sherry and nina, but when he returned his gaze to the direction of the square, the figure with the umbrella had somehow disappeared.


    ¡°uncle?¡± nina looked at duncan with concern, ¡°are you feeling unwell from inhaling too much smoke earlier?¡±


    ¡°i¡¯m fine, maybe i just ¡®saw it wrong¡¯.¡± to keep nina from worrying, duncan simply shook his head and spoke indifferently.


    however, his gaze still lingered there, and before withdrawing his view, he gave one last profound glance in that direction.


    if it were merely an eccentric umbrella carrier, it would be no significant matter.


    but if it were a figure only he could see, that was a different story entirely.


    he remembered that figure.


    ¡­


    fenna arrived near the ocean museum with a team of elite guards, but by the time she arrived, the unexpected fire had nearly ended.


    a bedraggled deep sea priest with several guards, fresh from rushing out of the fire, approached the judge.


    ¡°the fire extinguished suddenly on its own,¡± said the deep sea priest, after saluting fenna, ¡°but we didn¡¯t find any trace of transcendent power at the scene.¡±


    ¡°extinguished on its own?¡± fenna¡¯s expression hardened upon hearing the priest¡¯s report, ¡°did you lead the team into the fire based on some suspicion?¡±


    ¡°among the civilians escaping the scene, many exhibited severe panic and hallucinations; i suspected transcendent contamination in the museum,¡± the priest nodded, ¡°but we found nothing upon searching¡­ the only anomaly was the flame dying out spontaneously.¡±


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    at this, the priest made a gesture of prayer to the goddess and added, ¡°but it is due to the fire dying down that my guards and i were able to get out unscathed.¡±


    after pondering briefly, fenna nodded slightly, ¡°alright, after the fire is completely out i will arrange for a thorough search of the museum to see if there are any signs of artifacts transforming¡­¡±


    after giving these brief instructions, the young judge lifted her head, her gaze sweeping over the civilians receiving aid and reassurance, as if searching for something in the crowd.


    at that moment, a voice suddenly called from not far away, ¡°fenna! i¡¯m here!¡±


    fenna looked up and saw a disheveled heidi waving vigorously at her through the crowd.

 Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 123 Sealed in Memory

    Chapter 119: Chapter 123 Sealed in Memory


    Heidi, panting heavily, ran up to Fenna. Nearby guards, upon seeing her approach, instinctively wanted to step forward to stop her but quickly recognized the disheveled, dirt-covered lady as the senior advisor to the city hall and church and immediately let her through.


    ¡°You¡¯re leading the team personally,¡± Heidi said in surprise as she looked at Fenna, fully armed, and then glanced at the elite church group behind her. ¡°And you brought so many people?¡±


    ¡°A fire at the museum is no ordinary situation,¡± Fenna replied briefly. She then looked Heidi over several times to make sure her friend was unharmed before she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It looks like your vacation is ruined.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®ruined again!¡¯¡± Heidi said with a sad but resigned expression. ¡°Why am I always so unlucky¡­ah, it hurts¡­¡±


    Fenna noticed the unique large bump on Heidi¡¯s head, stepped forward, and casually touched near her friend¡¯s wound, while glancing in the direction from which Heidi had just run, her brows slightly furrowed. ¡°Did you just escape?¡±


    ¡°I was saved¡­¡± Heidi sighed, feeling more comfortable as the pain on her forehead gradually faded. Her attention focused more sharply, and then she paused as if suddenly remembering something. She quickly scanned her surroundings and then suddenly moved closer to Fenna. ¡°I need a quiet and blessed environment, preferably inside a church.¡±


    Seeing her friend¡¯s suddenly serious expression, Fenna quickly understood. She didn¡¯t ask any questions but turned to instruct her own priests. ¡°Take over the scene, seal off the museum, upgrade the contamination level to Spirit Realm¡­¡±


    She hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Heidi interrupted in a low, urgent voice: ¡°Deep Abyss level.¡±


    ¡°Adjust to Deep Abyss level, evacuate all civilians within two hundred meters around the plaza!¡± Fenna ordered in shock. Then she turned to a priest with a short beard. ¡°Take us to the nearest church, we¡¯ll need a private prayer room¡ªprepare incense number 16.¡±


    The priest, who had just escaped from the fire, immediately nodded. ¡°Yes, please follow me; it¡¯s near the square.¡±


    Fenna and Heidi quickly left the square and rode with the guide priest to a community church near the plaza. Before they arrived at the church, Fenna noticed Heidi¡¯s complexion starting to unnaturally flush red.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Fenna¡¯s brows furrowed tightly as she touched Heidi¡¯s forehead, the high temperature under her fingers making her voice instantly change. ¡°Why is it so hot?!¡±


    ¡°I might have come into contact with something ¡®in the museum,¡¯¡± Heidi quickly explained. ¡°I used self-hypnosis to lock some information deep in my memory. The effect of the hypnosis just ended¡­ I am gradually remembering.¡±


    Listening to Heidi¡¯s narrative, Fenna¡¯s eyes slightly widened as she rapidly made a judgment¡ª


    A severe Transcendent phenomenon contamination, simply the cognition of which could impact the real world.


    ¡°Stop remembering immediately, slow down your thoughts,¡± Fenna put her hand on Heidi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Look into my eyes, shift your focus elsewhere! If necessary, hypnotize yourself again!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Heidi took a deep breath. She stared into Fenna¡¯s eyes, deep and serene like the ocean, struggling to control the memories slowly surfacing in her mind, trying not to recall that majestic and grand stream of fire, not to recall the sea of fire churning in the pitch-black void. Yet, those memories still seeped out, like blood oozing from a wound, uncontainable.


    But suddenly, a slight coolness coming from her chest made Heidi, who felt almost engulfed by flames, sober up a lot.


    She looked down subconsciously, only to see the glass ¡°crystal pendant,¡± worthy only as a freebie in an antique store in the Lower City District, faintly glowing at her chest.


    That minor glow was nearly imperceptible to the naked eye, yet it served as an anchor firmly rooted in the real world, pulling back her dispersing spirit.


    The next second, she heard the priest¡¯s voice coming from ahead, ¡°We have arrived at the church!¡±


    Under the personal escort of Fenna the Great Saint, Heidi was quickly taken into the church. Because the priest had already sent a spiritual message to the church, a prayer room had been prepared, and the powerful soothing and protective incense was already lit.


    In the faint smoke from the incense, the statue of the Storm Goddess Gomona quietly overlooked Heidi and Fenna as they hurried into the room.


    The priest was left outside the prayer room¡ªhe might not be able to withstand the spiritual contamination that could occur next.


    As Heidi set foot into the prayer room, Fenna heard the illusory sound of waves ringing in her ears, and she felt as though a supremely great existence was gazing directly at her soul. Following that, all the candles in the church began to burn fiercely, crackling and popping amidst the intense flames!


    She looked up at the statue of the Storm Goddess, which seemed to have suddenly become distant and majestic. An indescribable aura of authority was exuding from the statue, slowly focusing around Heidi.


    ¡°The Lord is watching¡­¡± The visions in the prayer room startled Fenna, but she quickly breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to Heidi, noting that the flush on her face was fading, ¡°You are safe now. Release your memories, let us see what you have seen.¡±


    Heidi didn¡¯t speak, merely nodding her head. Then, she casually took off one of her earrings, which had a small mechanism at its end. She used her fingernail to trigger the device, ejecting a sharp spike just a few millimeters long.


    Without hesitation, she tightly clenched the earring with the protruding spike, allowing the blood to seep out from her palm.


    This was the deepest mental suggestion she had branded into herself at the beginning of her career as a mental therapist¡ªwhen the platinum spike pierced her palm, it could release all the impurities sealed in her memory.


    The next second, the illusory and overlapping sound of waves in the prayer room became extremely distinct, all while the burning candles turned dim and flickered. The entire room seemed to be draped with a swaying, blurred veil of gauze; multiple layers of this gauze moved around the statue of the goddess, reflecting faint, blurry illusions¡ª


    That was a scene Heidi had urgently sealed in her own memory.


    It was only a fleeting glimpse of the momentary truth.


    Within the shimmering phantom veils, Fenna saw what Heidi had seen:


    In a pitch-black void, a column of flames surged skyward, more blazing than any fire in the world, more breathtaking than any power created by humans¡ªa flame-wave sweeping across and engulfing everything. Even a saint like Fenna tensed her muscles upon seeing it!


    How far did that flame surge in the darkness? Tens of thousands of kilometers? Millions? Or even further?


    What was it? Pure flame, or something more primitive that could touch the eternal truths?


    Fenna didn¡¯t know when she held her breath, watching the column of flames rise in the darkness, then watching it gradually fall. The flowing fire, like a viscous paste, formed a fierce and irregular arc in the void darkness, until the vision gradually faded, until the surrounding illusory waves of sound slowly calmed down. She remained stunned for a long time.


    It was after a while that she suddenly felt as if sea wind were moisturizing her thoughts; the tender consolation of the Storm Goddess brought her back to her senses. She looked at Heidi, only to find Heidi staring at her in astonishment.


    ¡°Is this¡­ what you saw in the museum?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ maybe¡­¡± Heidi¡¯s heart thumped wildly. Although this was extracted from her own memory, the effect of self-hypnosis had still surpassed her imagination, ¡°But this thing¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like an ¡®artifact¡¯ that could be displayed in a museum¡­¡±


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    ¡°This couldn¡¯t be any ¡®artifact¡¯,¡± Fenna said quickly, ¡°Even if we can¡¯t judge its scale, but just by intuition, I know it couldn¡¯t possibly be stored within any building¡­ You couldn¡¯t have seen it in the real world.¡±


    Heidi paused, frowning tightly, and after a long time, cautiously spoke, ¡°I might have seen it while I was unconscious¡­ and performed self-hypnosis while unconscious. What I saw might not be its physical form or entity, but rather I saw its ¡®projection¡¯ on a mental level.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Fenna looked at her, ¡°I am not questioning your abilities as a mental therapist, but¡­ it¡¯s not easy to temporarily contain spiritual contamination in an unconscious state.¡±


    ¡°I am confident,¡± Heidi said slowly but firmly, nodding her head, ¡°I received rigorous training at the Academy of Truth, where I could contain hazardous information with my subconscious mind even when my main consciousness was out of control, but because self-hypnosis in such situations is uncontrollable, it results in the loss of many key pieces of information, so I can¡¯t tell you what the specific circumstances were when I saw this ¡®projection,¡¯ nor do I know what the opportunity or medium was.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, I trust your professionalism,¡± Fenna scrutinized Heidi for a while before softly exhaling, ¡°It seems¡­ you really saw something incredible, huh.¡±

 Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 124 Reflection of Fragments

    Chapter 120: Chapter 124 Reflection of Fragments


    In the prayer room filled with the scent of incense and watched over by the statue of the goddess, two long-time friends fell silent at the same time, the only blessing descending from the deity gently soothing their unsettled hearts, while the faint and gentle sound of waves gently echoed in Fenna¡¯s ears, the whispers of the Storm Goddess Gomona.


    The goddess was still paying attention here, unprecedented attention.


    After an unknown amount of time, Heidi gradually calmed down, and cautiously broke the silence, ¡°What exactly did I see?¡±


    Fenna hesitated for a moment before quietly speaking, ¡°Perhaps¡­ that is exactly what those Sun Heretics have been searching for.¡±


    ¡°The Sun Heretics have been searching for it?¡± Heidi paused, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Sun Shard,¡± Fenna gently nodded without waiting for Heidi to finish, ¡°Perhaps only the Sun Shard is worthy of the scene of might you saw in the vision.¡±


    While saying this, Fenna slowly raised her head, gazing at the statue of the Storm Goddess, and murmured thoughtfully, ¡°After all¡­ those heretics claim that the Sun Shard is a fragment that fell from the so-called ¡®True Sun¡¯¡­¡±


    Heidi was stunned for a moment, her expression slightly changing, ¡°If such a thing really appeared in the real world, Plunder City-State couldn¡¯t possibly still be unscathed¡­¡±


    ¡°So the artifact must be in some kind of sealed state,¡± Fenna nodded, ¡°The information shows that eleven years ago the Sun Shard appeared in Plunder City-State, but it seems that what was called an appearance at that time was probably just a slight leakage of power, and for the past eleven years, it has been dormant¡­¡±


    ¡°And now those Sun Heretics want to awaken that thing?!¡± Heidi looked horrified, ¡°Are they trying to destroy the whole of Plunder?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a newcomer to dealing with heretics,¡± Fenna glanced at Heidi, ¡°Aren¡¯t you familiar with their mental state? For those fanatical heretics, bringing the ¡®Black Sun¡¯ to wake, sacrificing one or two city-states is nothing to them; they would not even mind letting the entire world blaze, serving as kindling for the resurgence of the Sun God!¡±


    Heidi stood with her mouth agape, speechless for a long while, while Fenna calmed down before slowly continuing, ¡°Now the most critical problem is, what exactly happened when you saw that vision¡ªwhat happened to you, what happened around you, what happened to the museum itself, understanding these will help us understand in what state that shard is dormant, and where exactly it is sleeping.¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t remember the details,¡± Heidi tapped her forehead gently, ¡°But now I can roughly confirm that I saw its projection while I was unconscious, and I performed emergency hypnosis on myself to preserve important clues¡­ Let me think, at that time I was rescued by someone and temporarily placed in a room on the first floor of the museum¡­ Based on what they told me after I came out, that room was near the main exhibition area¡­¡±


    As Heidi struggled to recall, she pondered in thought and asked, ¡°Can¡¯t we conclude that the clue is in the museum?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, from a mysticism perspective, what you saw was not the shard itself but a fraction of its ¡®shadow¡¯ leaked into the real world by a gigantic transcendent entity. The museum might not be where the shard is dormant, there might just be a ¡®rift¡¯ there, and when in a state of unconsciousness, your mental barrier weakens, allowing your consciousness to accidentally cross this rift and see the scene on the other side.


    ¡°These rifts hovering on the edge of reality are often not fixed, it might have been in the museum before, but it likely has shifted to some other location by now.¡±


    Fenna patiently explained, then suddenly shook her head, ¡°Of course, we will still conduct a highest-level search of the museum and maintain surveillance thereafter, considering anomalies and apparitions always have their irregular moments. Maybe the shard truly is present there in some form of sealed medium, and even if it isn¡¯t, we might still find some clues in the aftermath of a fire, explaining why the ¡®rift¡¯ happened to appear in the museum¡­


    ¡°But this subsequent search does not concern you anymore. For safety reasons, you¡¯d best stay away from that museum for the next month.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯d rather keep my distance from this matter,¡± Heidi immediately nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough misfortune already!¡±


    Fenna quietly observed her friend, who seemed unlucky from childhood, as if wanting to say something but ultimately remained silent. She just sat silently beneath the goddess¡¯s statue, after half a minute of silence she suddenly spoke, ¡°Who exactly rescued you?¡±


    ¡°Two girls who are still in school and a man who looked to be in his forties,¡± Heidi thought for a moment, ¡°It¡¯s also a coincidence, one of those girls just happened to be a student my father visited at home a few days ago, and the gentleman is her uncle¡­ Have I mentioned him to you? His name is Duncan Strain, an antique shop owner.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m a bit allergic to the name ¡®Duncan¡¯ now,¡± Fenna¡¯s mouth twitched visibly, ¡°though I know it¡¯s definitely not the same person¡­¡±


    ¡°The first time I heard that name from my father, I reacted the same as you,¡± Heidi shrugged, ¡°Speaking of which, I promised that gentleman to assess his niece¡¯s mental state at their home tomorrow afternoon, and to formally thank him at the same time¡­ Today everything has been so chaotic, I hurriedly said goodbye without proper courtesy.¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not only the ¡®niece¡¯ who needs a psychological assessment,¡± Fenna¡¯s expression suddenly became serious, staring directly at Heidi, ¡°All three of them need it.¡±


    ¡°Why did¡­¡± Heidi subconsciously started to speak, but then she realized, ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, they were all by your side, and you saw the form of the Sun Shard in your coma,¡± Fenna stared into Heidi¡¯s eyes, ¡°If that truly was a remnant of an ancient god, its contamination might have spread to them through your consciousness. Though the extent of this spread might have been slight, it could still be fatal for ordinary people.¡±


    Heidi was dumbfounded.


    ¡­


    In the antique store in the Lower City District, Duncan had already closed the shop early and was sitting relaxedly behind the counter, with Nina and Sherry sitting opposite him, one on each side.


    Both girls had taken a bath in the simple upstairs bathroom, Nina had changed into fresh clothes, but Sherry was still wearing her black dress¡ªnot that Nina was unwilling to lend her clothes, but the difference in their sizes was a bit too much, and Sherry had voluntarily refused the few sets of clothes that were too large for her.


    Of course, whether she had other concerns when refusing was unknown¡­ Maybe she thought accepting Nina¡¯s clothes was akin to accepting a gift from a follower of the Evil God? Only she knew.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the counter, was Ai Yi leisurely pacing back and forth.


    Behind it, a large heap of fries was stacked on the table¡ªthese were what Duncan had promised it.


    Ai Yi got the fries it had been longing for, Nina safely returned home, Duncan saved his niece, and further familiarized himself with the power of fire.


    Everyone was happy.


    Except for Sherry.


    She was almost crying¡ªshe felt like crying several times today.


    ¡°So¡­ Sherry, you¡¯re not actually my classmate¡­ You just used some kind of¡­ ¡®Detective Skills¡¯ to sneak into the school to investigate some matters,¡± Nina looked at her hard-won friend with a complex expression, ¡°And you don¡¯t even like steam and machinery¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t even understand those textbooks¡­¡± Sherry carefully started, responding to Nina¡¯s words but occasionally glancing at Duncan, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    However, Nina seemed to not notice Sherry¡¯s apology; she was just very confused and furrowed her brows, ¡°But how did you manage it? I¡­ now that I think about it, you always seemed to appear suddenly in my classroom, and then you were often around me, but you never attended classes normally, and even the nearby teachers and students seemed not to notice you, you¡­¡±


    Sherry quickly glanced at Duncan again, making sure his expression was still calm before she murmured softly, ¡°It¡¯s actually a bit of Transcendent skills¡­¡±


    ¡°Transcendent?¡± Nina widened her eyes in surprise, ¡°Are you a church investigator?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not from the church, I¡­¡± Sherry glanced at Duncan again, remembering the instructions he had given her when Nina went upstairs to bathe, although still completely confused about why this boss was playing the ¡°pretend to be human¡± game in this antique store, she rigorously followed his instructions, ¡°I¡¯m kind of a wild¡­ a wild Transcendent¡­¡±


    Nina looked surprised: ¡°There are wild Transcendents?!¡±


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    ¡°If they are unregistered, isn¡¯t that wild?¡± Sherry seemed to have given up on everything, speaking with a kind of resigned intensity, ¡°Aren¡¯t those troublesome people in the church usually the ones who refer to people like us that way?¡±


    Nina was taken aback, listening to Sherry¡¯s explanation, then looking her up and down several times. This scrutinizing gaze made Sherry uncomfortable, and she instinctively dodged, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really awesome!¡± Nina suddenly blurted out seriously.


    Sherry was momentarily at a loss: ¡°¡­that¡¯s what amazes you?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±

 Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 125 Getting to Know Each Other

    Chapter 121: Chapter 125 Getting to Know Each Other


    Nina¡¯s focus seemed to be on a very subtle aspect, but for Sherry, this was a good thing.


    She had, from the bottom of her heart, considered the seemingly innocent and ordinary girl before her a Subspace Shadow¡¯s kin¡ªand not just any kin but one akin to a favored daughter. The less negative impression she made in front of this kin, the higher her own chances of survival in front of the big boss would be.


    But Nina was unaware of the myriad thoughts hidden beneath Sherry¡¯s awkward and rigid smile. At the moment, the girl was surprised and a bit excited, for she had never been in such close contact with a real Transcendent (visits to the church didn¡¯t count). Her understanding of these matters was limited to books, and in her eyes, Sherry, who seemed to use some ¡°supernatural illusion¡± to sneak into school and investigate, was already shrouded in a mysterious and formidable aura.


    She even momentarily forgot the slight ¡°deceit¡± the other had played on her and turned all her attention to the extraordinary life and adventures of a Transcendent¡ªthough these adventures were mostly conjured up by her own imagination: ¡°Where do you usually live? Do you have your own secret base or something? Or belong to a mysterious organization?


    ¡°Do you hide in caves? Or places like sewers? Do you have a warehouse-like place to store various ritual items?


    ¡°Are you born with special abilities, or do you have some powerful Transcendent item? Are you one of those legendary ¡®Arcane Mages¡¯? I¡¯ve heard of this ancient profession. Arcane Mages can cast Spells without relying on any gods, and they say their power comes from their bloodline¡­


    ¡°What do you normally eat? Do you have to drink herbal concoctions or the strange blood of animals often? Huh? You eat normal food? Really?¡±


    Nina¡¯s questions poured out one after the other, nonstop, and Sherry broke out into a cold sweat while trying to cope¡ªNot because she couldn¡¯t answer the questions, but because Duncan was beside them!


    Since the beginning of their conversation, Duncan had been silently observing Sherry, with a smile that was warm and friendly¡ªas if he were a parent accommodating a child¡¯s classmate who came to visit.


    Simple, friendly, harmless.


    But at his smallest smile, Sherry would break into a sweat.


    ¡°You seem to be quite afraid of my uncle,¡± even with Nina¡¯s slow reactions, she couldn¡¯t help but notice Sherry¡¯s odd behavior. Coupled with her recall of the other¡¯s reactions back at the museum, she couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°What¡­ exactly happened between you two?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡­ nothing at all! Really!¡± Sherry nearly jumped to sit upright, flailing her hands, ¡°I¡­ what could possibly happen between me and your uncle? I¡¯m just a child¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Duncan felt something was off. He knew he couldn¡¯t let the two girls go on freely any longer and hastily, before Sherry could blurt out more nonsense, he coughed lightly to interrupt her: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing. She was just caught by me fare-dodging once.¡±


    ¡°Just for that?¡± Nina looked at Sherry in surprise, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t leave such a big impression¡­ But Uncle¡¯s right. Dodging fares isn¡¯t good.¡±


    Tears were nearly falling from Sherry¡¯s eyes: ¡°I really won¡¯t dodge fares again, is that enough?!¡±


    Nina nodded and then, as if she remembered something, she looked seriously at Sherry: ¡°Then¡­ can you tell me what exactly you¡¯re investigating? Is being friends with me also part of your ¡®investigation¡¯?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s body stiffened, her eyes started to drift to the side, but halfway through, they met Duncan¡¯s calm gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m investigating the fire from eleven years ago,¡± Sherry suddenly lowered her head slightly, as if she had suddenly understood something or simply given up, her voice low, ¡°The one the official records mention, the leak at the factory in District Six¡­¡±


    ¡°The fire from eleven years ago?¡± Nina immediately widened her eyes, her tone carrying shock, ¡°Wait¡­ you know about the fire from eleven years ago?!¡±


    ¡°¡­You know about it too?!¡± Sherry seemed equally surprised, standing up from her chair, ¡°You also experienced that fire?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know. My parents died in that fire¡ªI was six years old then, and it was Uncle Duncan who saved me,¡± Nina spoke rapidly, subconsciously gesturing with her hands, ¡°But everyone has been saying that the toxic smoke in the streets confused me, they all deny there was such a fire. Even the newspapers later stated it was just an accident at a factory¡­¡±


    ¡°That year¡­ I was also six years old. My parents died in that fire too, I remember it clearly,¡± Sherry looked straight into Nina¡¯s eyes, ¡°But people around me also told me there wasn¡¯t any fire¡­ No wonder, no wonder the Abyssal Hound said it smelled a familiar scent on you¡­¡±


    As her words finished, Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side: ¡°So, it was the Abyssal Hound that guided you to approach Nina and infiltrate the school¡ªand you didn¡¯t know why you had to do it, which is why you were so surprised after hearing Nina¡¯s words.¡±


    Facing Duncan¡¯s calm gaze, Sherry quickly nodded, while Nina showed a somewhat puzzled look, ¡°A¡¯Gou? Who is A¡¯Gou?¡±


    ¡°A¡¯Gou, it¡­¡± Sherry began, but hesitated the next second. She glanced at Duncan, then back at Sherry, ¡°A¡¯Gou is my friend, it¡¯s right beside me, but its appearance might be a bit scary¡­¡±


    Although Sherry said this, she felt extremely strange inside¡ªbecause right there was a Subspace Shadow, countless times more frightening than A¡¯Gou, sitting beside them, and this Subspace Shadow was constantly in Nina¡¯s company. Yet Sherry had to comply with the ¡°personal hobby¡± of a big shot, pretending that A¡¯Gou was the scariest entity here and to regard the big shot as an ordinary human¡­


    To be fair, she usually utilized A¡¯Gou¡¯s disguise capabilities to move around, had dealt with Heretics, City-State Sheriffs, and even the priests of local churches. But all those added up were still not as nerve-wracking as sitting in this antique shop for ten minutes.


    To her eyes, this unremarkable shop was almost on the same level as a Subspace entrance.


    Yet, Nina was merely looking around curiously, searching for ¡°A¡¯Gou¡± beside Sherry. She peered around for quite a while before curiously asking, ¡°Then, could you let ¡®A¡¯Gou¡¯ come out to meet me? Since it¡¯s your friend¡­ what do I have to be afraid of?¡±


    Sherry still hesitated, but then Duncan suddenly tapped the table gently and said to Nina, ¡°Then you should be mentally prepared. I¡¯ve seen ¡®A¡¯Gou,¡¯ and it¡¯s really ugly.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m even more curious now,¡± Nina became more intrigued upon seeing the reactions from Uncle Duncan and Sherry, ¡°I really want to meet Mr. ¡®A¡¯Gou¡¯ and find out why Sherry¡¯s friend has such a strange name¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright then, since you wish to see it,¡± Duncan shook his head with a hint of resignation and looked toward Sherry, ¡°let A¡¯Gou come out to say hello, after all, it¡¯s also a ¡®guest¡¯ today.¡±


    Under normal circumstances, Sherry would never expose the secret of herself and A¡¯Gou, because in the order of the City-State, associating with Profound Demons was an extremely taboo affair. The clerics of the Deep Sea Church could confront her with eight-pound cannons and six-barreled machine guns if they sensed even a hint of the Profound.


    However, now, a being of the Subspace Shadow¡¯s level was requesting her to summon A¡¯Gou.


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    She nodded, and then slowly raised her arm.


    The next second, to Nina¡¯s astonishment and a touch of nervousness, pitch-black flames and thick smoke suddenly rose beside Sherry!


    Chains extended from the flames, and at the end of the smoke and black fire, the figure of the Profound Demon took shape.


    The Abyssal Hound appeared amidst the flames and quickly curled up into a ball in one second, using its front paws to hug its head, concealing its most frightening eye sockets, and greeted Nina from within a wisp of smoke with its muffled voice, ¡°Good evening, miss. I am A¡¯Gou, Sherry¡¯s friend and guardian hound. My appearance does not conform to human mainstream aesthetics, but you can regard it through an abstract and generous view. Then I¡¯m merely a pile of cleverly stacked bones and a clump of oddly colored flames¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at Sherry indifferently, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve never seen a dog that¡¯s so emotionally appealing in my life¡­ and in terms of personality, it¡¯s quite adorable.¡±


    Nina, on the other hand, was dumbstruck. After staring at A¡¯Gou for a long time, she finally let out an exclamation, ¡°Ah!¡±


    Sherry quickly interjected, ¡°I told you, you might get scared¡­¡±


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    But before she could finish her sentence, she heard Nina continue after her exclamation, ¡°That¡¯s pretty amazing!¡±


    Sherry: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hello¡­ you there?¡± Taking advantage of Sherry¡¯s momentary stupefaction, Nina had already begun tentatively greeting A¡¯Gou, ¡°Mr. A¡¯Gou? Uh, are you a ¡®sir¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Profound Demons do not possess a gender, but if you wish, you can address me as such,¡± A¡¯Gou replied in a muffled tone, seeming a bit surprised as well, ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°Not really, even though it does look quite scary,¡± Nina pondered for a moment, her face breaking into a brilliant smile, ¡°But I¡¯m quite brave~¡±

 Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 126: What Did You See?

    Chapter 122: Chapter 126: What Did You See?


    Watching Nina¡¯s expression shift from shock and tension to pure excitement and curiosity within moments, Sherry couldn¡¯t help but mutter softly, ¡°This is beyond bravery already¡­¡±


    However, Nina didn¡¯t hear a word Sherry was muttering. Her attention was wholly captured by the dark mass of the Skeleton Hunting Dog in front of her. After jumping off her chair, she circled the beast twice, meticulously examining it from top to bottom¡ªshe was finally startled when she saw its hollow eye sockets filled with blood, but that was the extent of her scare.


    ¡°How awesome¡­¡± She repeated, even looking as though she wanted to reach out and touch the Skeleton Hunting Dog¡¯s bony head, but at the last second, she withdrew her hand and looked up at Sherry, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a Transcendent being¡­ What is the Skeleton Hunting Dog? A creature summoned by a spell? Or¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a demon,¡± Sherry answered bluntly, as if trying to instill a sense of the dog¡¯s danger in Nina, ¡°The most dangerous kind of demon.¡±


    Nina seemed a bit intimidated indeed. She probably hadn¡¯t expected this seemingly polite, albeit ugly, creature to actually be a ¡°demon,¡± her face full of disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a demon?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, a Profound Demon,¡± the Skeleton Hunting Dog said as it slightly lifted its head, its hollow eye sockets staring at Nina. ¡°Miss, this might be your first time seeing a Profound Demon. Don¡¯t let my presence give you the wrong impression of Profound Demons. My kin are diverse, yet they all share one common trait¡ªthey are particularly brutal and heartless¡­¡±


    ¡°Profound¡­¡± Nina paused, finally snapping out of the novelty and tension of encountering a Transcendent being for the first time, recalling what she had read in books, ¡°Sherry, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Just as you see, I¡¯m bound to a Profound Demon,¡± said Sherry, lifting her arm to show Nina the chain fused with her body, ¡°which is why I don¡¯t want people to know my secret. If the members of the Deep Sea Church knew, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to throw me into a fire, or perhaps into the Endless Sea.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression was solemn. Nina, perceiving something from her serious demeanor, gave Sherry a complex look and then glanced back at the Skeleton Hunting Dog: ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve read in books that the Mysterious Deep Sea teems with frenzied evil creatures, remnants expelled from the body of The Saint, governed by chaos and madness from birth to extinction, but Mr. Skeleton Hunting Dog seems¡­¡±


    ¡°The Skeleton Hunting Dog is special,¡± Sherry said tersely. ¡°Normal Profound Demons lack a heart and don¡¯t comprehend human emotions, but the Skeleton Hunting Dog does¡ªeven though it doesn¡¯t know why it has gone through such a change, this change makes it impossible for it to survive in the Mysterious Deep Sea.¡±


    Nina looked confused, nodding her head slightly, ¡°Oh.¡±


    As she spoke, she fell into a brief silence, then suddenly scratched her head, looking distressedly at Duncan, ¡°Uncle, my mind feels all messy.¡±


    Recalling the chaotic events of her day and her interactions with Sherry, and looking at the Skeleton Hunting Dog before her, a surreal sense of absurdity belatedly surged within her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve experienced too much today,¡± Duncan¡¯s calm and soothing voice came, like a candle flickering in the dim light, stabilizing Nina¡¯s suddenly bewildered mind once again, ¡°A bit of confusion is normal.¡±


    Nina blinked, finally realizing something she had been overlooking since earlier, and fixed her gaze on Duncan, ¡°Uncle, if you knew Sherry all along¡­ did you also know her secret? Do you know the Skeleton Hunting Dog?¡±


    ¡°Earlier than you,¡± Duncan said with a faint smile, ¡°but I didn¡¯t know she was the ¡®friend¡¯ you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Nina hesitated for a moment, ¡°Are you also investigating the incident from eleven years ago? Are you two investigating it together?¡±


    ¡°Sort of, we¡¯ve collaborated occasionally,¡± Duncan nodded.


    ¡°¡­Why do I feel like you¡¯re only keeping me in the dark?¡± Nina muttered somewhat belatedly, ¡°And about the investigation of the incident eleven years ago¡­ What secret does that incident hold?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know yet, but we both acknowledge that there was a big fire that year, one that was erased,¡± Duncan said gravely, his gaze on Nina, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I did keep it from you because it¡¯s too dangerous for you now.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Uncle?¡± Nina suddenly felt a bit angry, ¡°Aren¡¯t you in danger?!¡±


    Before Duncan could respond, both the Skeleton Hunting Dog and Sherry covered their faces, with Sherry even muttering softly, ¡°Of course your uncle is in danger. He¡¯s the most dangerous¡­¡±


    Duncan simply gave Sherry a look and then gently shook his head at Nina, ¡°Uncle is an adult, and believe me, I¡¯m far more capable than you might think.¡±


    Nina¡¯s gaze swept back and forth between Duncan and Sherry, her expression changing several times as countless thoughts spun through her mind. Just when Duncan thought she might become stubborn or act like a typical rebellious teenager, Nina suddenly sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting dark,¡± she said, looking up at the sky outside as if the whole conversation had never happened, ¡°I¡¯ll go cook¡ªSherry, you should stay too. It¡¯s not safe to travel at night.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ ah?¡± Sherry was momentarily taken aback, unable to keep up with Nina¡¯s train of thought. Then she hurriedly waved her hands, ¡°Oh, no need, no need! Mr. Dog and I can hurry back and still make it¡­¡±


    But before she could finish, Duncan¡¯s voice came from nearby, ¡°Stay over, the sun will set in a few minutes¡ªthen the streets will be filled with guardians. Do you really want to cross the martially controlled district under those circumstances?¡±


    Sherry stiffened all over. She turned to look at the sky outside the shop and then at Duncan¡¯s calm expression, finally realizing that there was no way she could leave the antique shop today.


    ¡°Well¡­ alright then,¡± the girl sat down despondently, trying to force a smile as she looked towards Nina, ¡°Is there anything I can help with?¡±


    ¡°No need, I always do the cooking at home,¡± Nina smiled, walking towards the staircase leading to the second floor. But just as she was about to step on the stairs, she suddenly stopped. Standing there, she stared intently at Sherry for several seconds before speaking, ¡°Sherry, are we friends?¡±


    Sherry was startled, her first instinct was to glance at Duncan, who, however, looked away, leaving her no choice but to turn back to Nina. After a brief yet uncomfortable silence, she shook her head, ¡°¡­no.¡±


    But then, she nodded her head, ¡°But I can try.¡±


    Nina chuckled, seemingly satisfied with the less-than-definite answer, as if she had received the perfect response. She quickly ran upstairs, her footsteps hurried and light.


    A bit dazed, Sherry watched her ascend to the second floor when suddenly a calm voice drifted from beside her, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    It was Duncan speaking.


    Sherry jumped, quickly straightened up, and turned towards Duncan, ¡°Thank you for what?¡±


    ¡°Nina doesn¡¯t have friends at school,¡± Duncan, accustomed to her overly anxious reactions, spoke evenly, ¡°So, a couple of days ago, when she mentioned she had made a new friend at school, she seemed very happy.¡±


    Sherry blinked in confusion, not quite understanding.


    ¡°So first, thank you for not perfunctorily telling Nina that you are her friend, and second, thank you because you said you could try.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t quite understand,¡± Sherry was even more puzzled now than before, ¡°Are you just playing a normal person here? Nina¡­ she seems completely oblivious to how special you are. Even at school, she¡¯s almost invisible. If not for Mr. Dog guiding me, I would have missed her entirely on my first visit. Logically, being someone under your care, a ¡®Follower¡¯ like her¡­¡±


    ¡°Not a follower, a niece,¡± Duncan stressed once more, then gazed at her seriously, ¡°Now that Nina has left, I have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, go ahead¡­¡±


    ¡°Did Mr. Dog guide you to get close to Nina?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Because Mr. Dog ¡®smelled¡¯ a specific scent on Nina? It concluded that she¡¯s related to the big fire eleven years ago?¡±


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    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What kind of scent was it? Was it the same as that from the factory, or something else?¡±


    This time Sherry didn¡¯t answer. Her gaze shifted to Mr. Dog.


    Under Duncan¡¯s gaze, Mr. Dog hesitated for a few seconds before finally bowing its head:


    ¡°There are countless ashes floating around her, Mr. Duncan.¡±

 Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 127: Dinner Together

    Chapter 123: Chapter 127: Dinner Together


    Some things are simply not meant to be discussed in front of Nina.


    Listening to A-dog describe the scene, Duncan felt his heart skip a beat.


    Ashes floating around him¡­ lots of ashes¡­ what did that imply?


    In that factory shrouded by curtains, everywhere was filled with hidden ashes¡ªashes were the traces that flames had once burned, the proof that a great fire had existed, symbolizing that which had been destroyed. Then the ashes by Nina¡¯s side¡­


    He raised his head, looking toward the staircase leading to the second floor.


    Nina was busy in the kitchen on the second floor, and the faint sounds of cooking could be heard from here¡ªthe clink of utensils sounded cheerful as the optimistic girl, who had been through a lot that day, still managed to stay in a good mood.


    He withdrew his gaze and looked at Sherry, sitting across from him.


    ¡°So, after A-dog told you it had found a very suspicious target, you found a way to sneak into the school, and tried to find clues around Nina. Meanwhile, you also began approaching those Sun Cultists active in town, trying to find clues from them, to uncover the secret of the fire that happened eleven years ago¡­¡±


    Sherry gently nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing what you¡¯re actually looking for isn¡¯t the Sun Shard, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s the point in finding the Sun Shard?¡± Sherry retorted, ¡°To find a flame and then demand why it burnt? What I¡¯m looking for¡­ is the person who set the fire that year.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just an ordinary flame,¡± Duncan said quietly, gazing intently into Sherry¡¯s eyes, ¡°If that really was a shard of the Sun¡­ its power could do more than merely burn down a factory. Sherry, you¡¯re doing something very, very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest and don¡¯t get mad,¡± Sherry thought for a moment and said humbly with her head down, ¡°I feel that sitting in front of you is dangerous enough¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Haha, maybe,¡± Duncan was momentarily taken aback and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Then he got up from behind the counter and slowly walked toward the staircase leading upstairs, ¡°I¡¯m just giving a friendly reminder, of course, it¡¯s up to you to decide what to do.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Sherry suddenly stood up, but hesitated, pausing for two seconds before continuing, ¡°By your attitude¡­ Did you not know about Nina¡¯s special situation before?¡±


    Duncan stopped in his tracks and, after a moment of contemplation, raised his hand to point at his eyes, ¡°It seems the ¡®vision¡¯ of this body I¡¯m using now isn¡¯t that great. Indeed, I haven¡¯t noticed some things.¡±


    This body¡­


    Sherry keenly picked up on these few words but dared not ask anything. She just curiously watched as he continued to walk upstairs, wondering, ¡°What are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°Doing what? Of course, I¡¯m going upstairs to eat,¡± Duncan glanced down as if it were a matter of course and stated, ¡°You guys come up too. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


    Dinner time.


    What¡¯s it like to have a meal at the house of a Subspace big shot?


    Sherry didn¡¯t know how to describe to people the myriad of bizarre thoughts that had flashed through her mind while following the big shot upstairs. She was nervous yet expectant, curious yet fearful, knowing well this could very well be just an ordinary meal, yet she couldn¡¯t help but guess what astonishing and bizarre items might appear on the dining table.


    In this seemingly ordinary antique shop lived a Subspace Shadow, a nest of the Subspace Shadow¡ªthe collapsing crevice between the real world and the deepest layers. And in such a nest¡­ even if the spawn of the Evil God appeared at the dinner table, it would seem quite normal to her.


    With all these wild guesses and an anxious heart, Sherry went upstairs and arrived at the slightly cramped kitchen, then saw what was on the table.


    It was nothing more than a plate of freshly heated hard bread, a bowl of vegetable soup most common in the Lower City District, and some tomato and mushroom sauce.


    The most eye-catching thing on the table was just a bowl of fish soup¡ªthe pale soup was dotted with pieces of cut and processed fish that were unrecognizable in their original form; the aroma wafted over, enticing Sherry¡¯s stomach to growl.


    ¡°I made some soup out of the leftover salted fish,¡± Nina said with a smile to Duncan and then looked at Sherry, ¡°This fish was bought by uncle, try it, it tastes really good!¡±


    Sherry sat down at the table somewhat dazedly, her gaze sweeping over the common dishes, prompting Duncan beside her to chuckle, ¡°What, the food is too ordinary, and that takes you by surprise? Or does it not suit your taste?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, no, no¡­ it¡¯s much better than what I usually eat¡­¡± Sherry replied reflexively and then quickly added, ¡°But I really didn¡¯t expect it to be so ordinary.¡±


    ¡°This fish looks kind of strange,¡± A-dog also peered over at the food on the table and muttered in a muffled voice, ¡°I feel like¡­ I sense something familiar?¡±


    ¡°What do you know about gourmet food?¡± Sherry glanced at it and said, ¡°You, who normally nibble on stones as if they were crackers¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. A-dog isn¡¯t eating?¡± Nina asked in surprise upon hearing this.


    ¡°Profound Demons don¡¯t eat human food¡ªin fact, they don¡¯t need to eat at all,¡± Sherry nodded, ¡°Only occasionally when they feel the need to gnaw they¡¯ll crunch on stones and steel plates.¡±


    Upon hearing this, A-dog immediately started shaking its head with a grunt, ¡°You¡¯re making me a little sad saying that, you¡¯ve forgotten how I managed to steal food to feed you outside? Occasionally I also eat a bit of¡­¡±


    As it spoke, A-dog leaned close to the edge of the table, peering into the bowl of fish soup. However, after staring at the soup for two seconds, the rest of its statement abruptly stopped.


    ¡°`


    The next second, the Abyssal Hound abruptly withdrew its gaze, zipping back to its original spot, where it lay motionless.


    Sherry was puzzled by this reaction, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Doggie?¡±


    Doggie¡¯s first instinct was to look at Duncan, but what it saw was his mild smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like fish?¡± asked the indescribable vortex of light and shadow with a laugh.


    Doggie¡¯s head swiveled from side to side, and suddenly, it felt that the seemingly kind and friendly conversation, the gentle and amiable smiles, and the camaraderie of the cooperative investigation were all just illusions. Within the depths of that indescribable twisted light and shadow, there was nothing but terror!


    A ¡°Deep Sea Offspring,¡± a being of a higher rank than itself, had been chopped up and stewed into a soup, even its very essence had truly become ¡°food¡±¡­ This horrifying act was unfolding right there, at the dining table!


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t like to eat fish.¡±


    The Abyssal Hound muttered gruffly.


    In the corner of its eye, that freshly prepared fish soup still steamed, emitting a scent that humans would find delightful.


    It knew that the contents of that bowl were indeed ¡°fish,¡± no matter what it had once been; it was now fish.


    The essence of the offspring had been twisted and altered long ago; if not for the pair of eyes the Saint of the Abyss had blessed it with, even it wouldn¡¯t be possible to recognize what those chopped-up pieces of meat used to be.


    Nowadays, it was indeed harmless food, even if Sherry consumed it, there would be no problems.


    But Doggie was adamant that it wouldn¡¯t go anywhere near that dining table today!


    Duncan was unaware of why Doggie had such a strong reaction to the fish soup, but he presumed it had something to do with the peculiar diet of the Profound Demons; he didn¡¯t give it much thought.


    His attention was on Nina.


    There seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary with Nina, though she may carry a few additional concerns, this sensible child had chosen a way to handle her feelings that wouldn¡¯t make anyone uncomfortable.


    On the other hand, Duncan already knew that Nina had something ¡°hidden¡± around her.


    Or to put it another way, the immense and invisible ¡°curtain¡± that lay within the factory was also invisibly spreading, enveloping her.


    He dared not jump to conclusions yet, nor could he be certain of what the ash swirling around Nina truly meant, but there was no doubt, she must have been in an exceptionally unique position during that devastating fire eleven years ago.


    Just as unique as that factory was.


    Yet Nina knew nothing; she had been living in ignorance for eleven years.


    ¡°Uncle?¡± Nina finally noticed Duncan¡¯s gaze and looked puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t reply but merely reached out, gently stroking the top of Nina¡¯s head.


    Nina froze for a moment, then began shaking her head from side to side, ¡°I¡¯m not a little kid anymore!¡±


    ¡°I know, you¡¯re not a little kid,¡± Duncan smiled as he said this, tiny specks of a ghostly green light flashed and disappeared within her shaking hair, ¡°but you¡¯re still a child.¡±


    Nina puffed out her cheeks slightly.


    ¡°Uncle, are you going to keep going on ¡®investigations¡¯ with Sherry?¡± she finally couldn¡¯t help asking.


    ¡°Within safe bounds,¡± Duncan answered very seriously.


    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you not go?¡±


    Duncan shook his head: ¡°No.¡±


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    Nina fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Then what can I do?¡±


    ¡°Eat well,¡± Duncan revealed a slight smile, pointing at the dining table, ¡°then sleep well, study well, and most importantly, take good care of yourself, and trust your Uncle Duncan.¡±


    Nina stuffed a piece of bread into her mouth, her cheeks bulging.


    ¡°Mhm, I got it.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 128: Changing Course

    Chapter 124: Chapter 128: Changing Course


    The second floor of the antique shop was not large; aside from the kitchen and washroom, there were only two rooms, one was Duncan¡¯s, and the other belonged to Nina¡ªSherry, who was staying overnight temporarily, clearly had no choice but to share a bed with Nina.


    ¡°Actually, I could sleep in the hallway¡­¡± Sherry said, looking a bit uneasy as she watched Nina busily preparing for her, ¡°Or I could just lay out a bed on the first floor¡­¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± Nina said as she looked up briefly towards the direction of the room door¡ªUncle Duncan had already gone back to his room, leaving just the two of them here, plus ¡°A-Dog¡± who was lying next to them, dozing off, ¡°How could we let a guest sleep in the hallway, and besides, the first floor¡­ the first floor is all Uncle¡¯s ¡®treasures,¡¯ he would never agree to that.¡±


    ¡°His treasures?¡± Sherry was taken aback, recalling what she had seen on the first floor¡ªshe had been too nervous before to take a good look around, but now that she thought about it, the first floor seemed to be nothing more than a pile of cluttered junk. To say that it was the ¡°collection¡± of a Subspace Shadow seemed a bit far-fetched.


    But she quickly realized: here, ¡°Mr. Duncan¡± was nothing more than an ordinary person, and Nina seemed genuinely unaware of her ¡°uncle¡¯s¡± other identity.


    With that in mind, Sherry¡¯s expression became somewhat strange. Under the bright light of the electric bulb, she glanced quickly at Nina and whispered, ¡°You¡¯re not really mad, are you?¡±


    Nina stopped making the bed, raised her eyebrows, ¡°Mad? Why would I be?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve been lying to you for quite some time,¡± Sherry said quietly, feeling awkward and speaking in a lower voice than she had in her entire life. But ever since she met ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± she had grown more and more accustomed to speaking softly, ¡°I only approached you because A-Dog hinted at it. But I didn¡¯t expect you to trust me so easily, or¡­ to accept me as your ¡®friend¡¯ so readily. I think you should be a little bit angry.¡±


    ¡°¡­ No one has really spoken to me at school for a long time, I thought¡­¡± Nina mumbled something but quickly shook her head, ¡°But I¡¯m really not angry, whatever the reason, you still truly kept me company, talked to me, shopped with me, and went to the museum.¡±


    Sherry, however, didn¡¯t quite accept Nina¡¯s candid response. If anything, she was more accustomed to a much colder social environment, and it felt particularly strange for her to be next to Nina, who always seemed to radiate warmth, ¡°You really are a strange person.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± Nina finished making the bed and sat down, tilting her head slightly, ¡°But a long time ago someone said the same thing about me¡­ ¡®This child has such a generous heart,¡¯ I think that was the phrase.¡±


    While speaking, she waved Sherry over, ¡°Come sit up here, why are you just standing there like that?¡±


    Sherry hesitated before sitting down beside Nina, feeling extremely odd inside.


    She had never imagined things would turn out like this.


    She was being watched by a Subspace Shadow, forced to take refuge in its ¡°lair;¡± she shared a room with one of the Subspace Shadow¡¯s ¡°kin,¡± and A-Dog had been curled up in fear since a while ago. She knew the true danger of her current situation, how bizarre and precarious it was, possibly a hair¡¯s breadth from death¡ªyet when she opened her eyes, all she actually saw was the warm glow from the lamp and a girl smiling warmly.


    ¡°The light from the electric bulb is really bright¡­¡± Sherry mumbled, perhaps to break the tension, or maybe just making conversation.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have electric lights where you live?¡± Nina was surprised.


    ¡°I live in¡­ an even older district, they don¡¯t have electric lights there,¡± Sherry said, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°After dark, we have to use oil lamps.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Nina opened her mouth, feeling slightly awkward, then changed the subject somewhat stiffly, ¡°Do you want to change into pajamas? You can wear mine. I have one from two years ago that should fit you.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Okay.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed early today. Tomorrow is a rest day, and in the morning I¡¯ll take you around the neighborhood. We can also buy you a new dress; your skirt has been burned.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t have any money.¡±


    ¡°Then consider it a gift from me.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Okay.¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan stood at the windowsill of his bedroom, quietly looking out toward the direction of the sixth district, his expression becoming serene.


    The two girls had already gone to sleep in the next room. He didn¡¯t know if Sherry was tired after everything that happened today, but Nina definitely was.


    He slightly closed his eyes and turned his head to ¡°look¡± to the side.


    In the darkness of his vision, two small green flames flickered to life.


    That was the direction of the room next door; the two flames were the ¡°marks¡± he had left. One of them came from Sherry, the other¡­ pointed out Nina¡¯s location.


    To this day, Duncan still didn¡¯t know what the circling ashes around Nina meant, nor did he know what secrets were buried in the City-State, where that ¡°Curtain¡± came from, or who was controlling everything behind the scenes.


    But he could feel he was drawing closer to the truth of eleven years ago, slowly prying open the dense fog that hovered over this city-state, a fog formed by some transcendent element.


    Leaving the ¡°mark¡± on Nina was one layer of insurance, which would allow him to detect her status immediately and serve as a point of location in an emergency. Moreover, if he ever figured out what the ¡°ashes¡± around Nina were about, he could also use the power of the mark to intervene at once¡ªat the very least, he could isolate Nina from the harmful transcendent forces around her.


    But having just one layer of insurance was not enough.


    Duncan glanced at his hands.


    This body was still too weak, too far removed from his true form. The amount of power that could be transmitted from his true form and the power this body could wield were limited, and the hidden dangers within this city-state might exceed his expectations.


    He took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.


    The next second, Duncan, who was on the Homeloss, opened his eyes and rose to push open the door of the captain¡¯s quarters.


    The goat-headed figure¡¯s grating voice came without delay, ¡°Oh, great Captain! Your loyal below omitted is calibrating¡­¡±


    ¡°Which direction is Plunder City-State?¡± Duncan glanced at the goat-headed figure and cut it off with practiced ease.


    ¡°Plun¡­ Plunder City-State?!¡± Caught off guard, even the wooden face of the goat-headed figure showed a moment of surprise, but quickly it recovered, its tone suddenly filled with excitement and surprise, ¡°Plunder City-State! The human city-state! Is the great Captain Duncan finally setting out on a plundering expedition? Is this your target of attack? Are we to strike directly at the harbor, or raid the merchant ships passing by the city-state? We could also slowly corrode the near seas of the city-state, gradually blockading its coastline; the city-state navy might be a pro¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t make unnecessary arrangements,¡± Duncan walked straight to the navigation desk and tapped on the surface, ¡°I only asked you, in which direction is Plunder City-State.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright, alright, as you wish¡ª¡±


    The goat-headed figure¡¯s tone dropped lower, and as it started to speak, Duncan noticed a flashing bright spot suddenly appeared on the edge of the chart shrouded in fog.


    ¡°The Plunder City-State you¡¯re seeking¡­ should not be too far off,¡± the goat-headed figure said respectfully, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s regrettable that the chart has slept for too long; it can only mark the approximate location of Plunder. The sea conditions and landmarks along the way are still shrouded in the unknown¡­¡±


    ¡°It looks very far,¡± Duncan glanced at the bright spot in the mist and gauged the range of the known seas around the Homeloss, furrowing his brow slightly, ¡°At full speed, how long will it take to approach the near seas of Plunder?¡±


    ¡°Half a month? Perhaps a month? Actually, that¡¯s quite fast, we haven¡¯t truly reached the borders of civilization yet,¡± the goat-headed figure babbled on, ¡°You could also choose to have the Homeloss proceed at full speed through the Spirit Realm, but that¡¯s not very safe, though the Spirit Realm itself doesn¡¯t pose much of a threat to us, the Mysterious Deep Sea has many daredevils who may cause trouble¡­¡±


    The Mysterious Deep Sea¡­


    Duncan thought of ¡°Adog¡± subconsciously, but soon shook his head, ¡°Then let¡¯s sail in the real seas for now, approaching Plunder City-State¡ªlast question, can we approach without being detected by the city-state?¡±


    He stared into the goat-headed figure¡¯s eyes.


    As the ¡°captain¡± of the Homeloss, his inquiry was somewhat risky.


    Because he should have completely mastered this ship, fully understanding its capabilities.


    Yet, he asked anyway, testing his ¡°first mate¡± bit by bit.


    No emotion could be seen in the obsidian-crafted eyes of the goat-headed figure; it just quietly met the captain¡¯s gaze. After a few seconds of silence, it spoke as usual, ¡°¡­We can hide in the mist, and if necessary, briefly submerge into the sea wave¡¯s fractured reflections. By doing so, at least fifteen nautical miles from the coast, human city-states and their ships will not be able to detect the approach of the Homeloss.


    ¡°But any closer than that won¡¯t work¡ªthe divine gaze would notice, the city-state¡¯s great cathedral would sound the alarm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all a century-old experience,¡± Duncan¡¯s expression remained tranquil, ¡°Does it still work now?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the goat-headed figure¡¯s tone was light, ¡°A mere century¡ªgods wouldn¡¯t have made much progress in this century.¡±


    Duncan breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Very well, then let Homeloss approach Plunder City-State while keeping itself hidden.¡±


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    ¡°May I ask?¡± The goat-headed figure spoke, ¡°You¡­ what exactly do you intend to do?¡±


    ¡°Just a test,¡± Duncan thought for a moment, a slight smile appearing on his face, ¡°To see if the wifi would get any better like this.¡±


    Goat-Headed Figure: ¡°¡­wi¡­ what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Why not let Ai Yi explain it to you later?¡±


    ¡°No! Your loyal below omitted does not care to know what that means at all!¡±

 Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 129: The Dark Night

    Chapter 125: Chapter 129: The Dark Night


    ¡°`


    Homeloss set sail at full speed.


    In the pale glow cast by the Creation of the World, the semi-translucent sails of the Spiritual Body filled without wind, as if controlled by countless unseen hands, making squeaking and creaking sounds. The complex system of masts and ropes rapidly and sensitively adjusted their angles. Duncan felt the deck beneath his feet slightly sway and tilt, pointing the ship¡¯s bow towards a certain direction in the Endless Sea. The sound of tiny waves hitting the hull mingled with the ¡°sensory signals¡± emanating from Homeloss itself, gently reverberating in the depths of his mind.


    For some reason, just as the ship changed its course, Duncan felt as if the atmosphere aboard had subtly transformed. The scenery around remained identical, but¡­


    He seemed to hear the ship let out a satisfied, soft sigh.


    Duncan left the captain¡¯s cabin and casually walked onto the deck, where he looked up into the night sky, watching the billowing sails and towering masts. He then gently tapped a nearby railing, thoughtfully saying, ¡°Are you also bored with aimless drifting?¡±


    Homeloss did not speak, merely emitting a slight creak from below the deck. Nearby, several ropes made rustling noises, slithering like snakes around Duncan.


    ¡°¡­This isn¡¯t cute, and it¡¯s even a bit scary,¡± Duncan glanced at the ropes, ¡°Last time, you scared Alice into a frenzied run, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The ropes shook in place for a moment, then quickly slipped away.


    Duncan took a deep breath, preparing to enjoy the refreshing night breeze at sea, but suddenly, a distant ¡°touch¡± appeared in his consciousness.


    At first, he didn¡¯t realize what it was, but then he quickly understood that this sensation originated from Plunder City-State.


    Inside an antique shop on the second floor in Plunder City-State, Duncan suddenly blinked and immediately looked in a certain direction¡ªtoward the neighboring room belonging to Nina.


    In his vision, a cluster of ghostly green flames was flickering rapidly¡ªnot from Nina, but from the mark left on Sherry.


    The cluster of flames sensed the growth of Transcendent power, and perceived that the host¡¯s emotions were fluctuating abnormally.


    What happened to Sherry?!


    Duncan didn¡¯t hesitate much, as he got up and rushed to Nina¡¯s bedroom door, knocking lightly, but there was no response from inside.


    He hesitated for a moment, but the next second, he sensed the mark on Sherry pulsate again.


    There wasn¡¯t time to think too much¡ªDuncan pushed open Nina¡¯s room door.


    As usual from when she was a child, Nina had the habit of not locking her door while sleeping.


    The bedroom was dim, with only the faint light from a streetlamp outside casting shadows of the room¡¯s contents. Within his range of sight, Duncan saw nothing abnormal.


    Sherry and Nina were quietly sleeping on the bed, one¡¯s head towards the foot of the bed, and the other lying horizontally on the other¡¯s belly.


    ¡­Their sleeping positions were quite artistic.


    Of course, Duncan wasn¡¯t interested in how the girls were positioned. He now noticed Sherry¡¯s furrowed brows, and on her arm, which she normally used to summon her Abyssal Hound and coexist with her chains, a thin black pattern was slowly creeping.


    Duncan frowned slightly, then activated the mark left on Sherry, trying to use the unique properties of the Spiritual Body fire to locate the source of the ¡°Corrosion¡± in the room.


    In his view, Sherry¡¯s current state, combined with the warning from the mark, unequivocally signaled that Transcendent power was causing Corrosion.


    A tiny green flame rose beside Sherry, its ghostly light illuminating the surroundings, but the flickering flame eventually remained stationary.


    There was no Corrosion in the room.


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed as he moved closer, observing Sherry¡¯s tightly knitted brows.


    Uncertain of how much the Spiritual Body fire would affect a living person, he couldn¡¯t release a large burst of flame to ¡°scan¡± the entire room like he would in a factory, but even the slightest spark of Spiritual Body fire should have reacted to unfamiliar Transcendent powers.


    Corrosion¡­ not in the real world? On a mental level? Or something else?


    Duncan pondered for a moment, then seemingly thought of something, and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him as he returned to his own bedroom. There, he saw Ai Yi napping on the windowsill.


    ¡°Spirit Realm wander.¡±


    Among a series of ¡°cooing¡± protests from Ai Yi after being awakened, Duncan entered the dark space filled with endless twinkling stars again. He then calmed himself and¡ªas he had sensed the White Oak and Fenna before¡ªsensed his own ¡°marks¡± among the surrounding stars.


    This was not difficult because the mark was intentionally left by him, far clearer and more stable than the ¡°sparks¡± on Fenna. Almost instantly, Duncan locked onto the starlight belonging to Sherry¡­


    In the darkness, Sherry opened her eyes to find herself sleeping in a bed both familiar and strange.


    ¡°`


    She groped in the darkness and sat up, her mind sluggish for quite some time before she slowly regained clarity. She looked around in confusion, finally distinguishing some outlines of objects from the darkness.


    Memories, familiar yet distant, began to awaken as she could clearly see her surroundings, and Sherry finally opened her eyes wide.


    The next second, she jumped off the bed, emitting a string of curses that were extremely irritant, even trembling, displaying signs of fear and tension through her shaking voice: ¡°Damn, damn, damn¡­ X! FMD, not this again, not this again! My X!¡±


    Her loud swearing shattered the tranquility of the darkness, yet the curses didn¡¯t belong to the Sherry she recognized but to a younger, more juvenile voice that only existed in her memories. She landed on the floor, noticing her arms and legs had returned to their thin, childlike state. She wore a light pink nightgown, identical to one from her memories, complete with a familiar, clumsily stitched little dog on a torn sleeve cuff.


    ¡°No fucking hassle me anymore! No fucking hassle me anymore!¡±


    Sherry shouted in the dark room, rushing toward the closed door, punching and kicking the mottled wooden boards. However, the door remained immovable, as solid as if made from reinforced concrete. She used her head to ram and her teeth to bite at the doorknob: actions purely for venting that proved utterly futile. She could only keep banging herself against it with her petite body as time passed, as the morning light began to seep through a nearby window, as the last voice she wanted to hear at this dawn approached from outside.


    She heard someone getting up in the neighboring room, footsteps, sounds of tidying up.


    She heard one set of footsteps approaching the door, a very gentle, very familiar voice softly inquired, ¡°Sherry, Sherry? Are you up? Are you still angry?¡±


    Sherry suddenly halted her assault on the door, as if drained of all strength, she leaned against the wooden panel, using all her might to stick close to it, not wanting to listen yet greedily catching every noise coming from outside.


    ¡°Sherry, Dad and I are going to buy you a cake, today is your birthday¡­ Let¡¯s not be angry when we return, okay?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­¡± Sherry suddenly spoke, initially a faint murmur, but soon the murmuring turned into screams, ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­ Don¡¯t go! Don¡¯t leave! Don¡¯t leave!¡±


    She finally began to cry and shout, knowing it was futile, yet screaming aloud: ¡°Don¡¯t leave! Don¡¯t go out! Don¡¯t go out, damn it! Don¡¯t go out!¡±


    However, time moved to the next second, as if etched into her brain, the memories could not be rewound¡ªthe footsteps outside faded.


    The sounds of picking up a bag, the distant and blurred conversation of her parents, the door handle turning, opening the door, closing it, the keys turning once and then half a turn.


    Sherry slowly sat down in the darkness, beginning to count her heartbeats.


    By the one thousand two hundredth heartbeat, cries of alarm from a fire came from afar.


    By the one thousand six hundredth heartbeat, the acrid smell of smoke and suffocating fumes began to seep through the crack under the door.


    ¡°`


    By the one thousand eight hundredth heartbeat, the streets were already filled with frantic shouting, and a blinding red light flooded through the windows as if the entire City-State had been cast into molten magma.


    By the two thousandth heartbeat, a heavy, muffled thump came from the direction of the front door¡ªit had been broken through, as if some gigantic beast were stepping heavily towards the locked room step by step.


    Then, the door of the room finally fell down¡ªthe wooden door, which Sherry could never have opened with all her strength, now shattered like torn paper.


    A terrifying creature appeared there, a massive black demon dog, a nightmare assembled from bones, shadows, smoke, and scorching ashes. To a six-year-old child, this demon from the Abyss seemed almost overwhelmingly large, and now its empty, blood-red eye sockets had already locked onto the ¡°living being¡± in the room.


    Sherry calmly stared at the Abyssal Hound that had appeared before her.


    This was an Abyssal Hound¡ªbut not yet her ¡°A-Dog.¡±


    Not the one with a ¡°heart,¡± not the one that would rummage through the trash for food to feed itself, not the one that tried to tell lame jokes to amuse her but ended up teaching her only a string of swear words.


    The Abyssal Hound stepped into the room.


    The sounds of flesh and bone being chewed filled the air.


    Sherry lay on the floor, feeling her limbs being devoured by the demon dog, the heart-wrenching pain piercing through the veil of her eleven-year-old memory, spreading slowly and numbly in her mind as she continued to count her heartbeats, wondering when A-Dog would truly become her A-Dog, and calculating how much longer she would have to stay here¡ªbased on past experience, was it a week? Or two?


    Her consciousness gradually began to scatter, even in this pitch-black Dreamscape, the distant, dull, and numb pain finally caught up to her, and through her increasingly blurred vision, she suddenly saw a figure appear on a bed not far away, within the deepest shadows of the darkness.


    That figure seemed not to have appeared suddenly; it was as if it had always been there, from the beginning of this dream, from every dream, and even¡ªSherry didn¡¯t know why she would come up with such a startling thought¡ªeven from eleven years ago.


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    There he sat, yet it was only now that she had noticed his presence for the first time, as if the long-standing fog had suddenly parted, allowing her to glimpse the existence behind it.


    A faint, eerie green flame appeared from nowhere, illuminating the face of the figure, somber and majestic¡ªSherry had never seen this face before, but she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.


    ¡°No offense intended.¡±


    The somber and majestic figure spoke.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 130: Your Notorious Reputation Is Known to All

    Chapter 126: Chapter 130: Your Notorious Reputation Is Known to All


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend.¡±


    Just as the figure started to speak, Sherry suddenly heard a ¡°boom¡± from nowhere¡ªan unreal booming that existed neither in this dreamscape nor in the memory, it exploded directly in her mind, and amidst this booming, the distant sounds of flames burning and crowds crying out in chaos instantly dissipated.


    The entire world suddenly became incredibly silent.


    The next second, Sherry noticed her body had changed¡ªshe had reverted to her seventeen-year-old self, no longer wearing the familiar nightgown from her memory but now dressed in her usual black skirt. Her arm, which had been devoured by the Abyssal Hound, had somehow restored itself¡ªa pitch-black chain extended from her arm, at the end of which A-dog seemed to be sleeping, quietly lying in the corner of the room, the blood-red glint in its eyes flickering dimly.


    Sherry suddenly sat up, startled and tense, looking at the figure sitting on the bed.


    She didn¡¯t know who this figure was, but she knew that a powerful being had penetrated the Profound Curse and invaded her dreamscape.


    Even she, the ¡°master of the dreamscape,¡± couldn¡¯t detect the intruder in advance, which indicated that the invader was a presence too powerful to contend with.


    ¡°Who¡­ who are you?!¡±


    Duncan slowly stood up, presenting himself as ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± his original posture in this conscious-level world, oppressive in height, making Sherry subconsciously take a half step back.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen me in this form before, it¡¯s normal for you to react this way,¡± Duncan said gravely, ¡°I sensed you were having a nightmare and came to see.¡±


    ¡°I sensed¡­ came to see¡­¡± Sherry blinked, slightly confused, before catching on slowly, ¡°Wait, you are¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s reintroduce myself, I¡¯m Duncan,¡± the gloomy yet authoritative man revealed a slight smile, ¡°Duncan Ebnomal.¡±


    He gave his name because he was not worried about Sherry daring to share this encounter¡ªeven if she were foolhardy enough, that timely wise Abyssal Hound would make her keep this matter buried within herself forever.


    ¡°Duncan¡­ Mr. Duncan? You are Mr. Duncan?!¡± Sherry¡¯s eyes widened in shock, a feeling of palpitations quietly spreading within her, but then she was confused again, ¡°But aren¡¯t you called Duncan Strain? What is Ebnomal?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Her reaction momentarily confounded him, making him pause for two seconds before he spoke curiously, ¡°You¡­ haven¡¯t heard of this name?¡±


    After a thought, Sherry honestly shook her head: ¡°No.¡±


    Then it dawned on her, her face marked with fear, ¡°Should I¡­ have heard of this name?¡±


    Duncan suddenly realized this girl truly hadn¡¯t heard of the name ¡°Endless Sea Moving Catastrophe.¡± Her reaction was genuine, and regardless of how fierce Captain Duncan¡¯s reputation was, it seemed some people truly had limited knowledge, which indeed was somewhat deflating. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°¡­are you illiterate?¡±


    To his surprise, Sherry actually lowered her head in silence.


    ¡°Forget it, that¡¯s not important,¡± seeing her reaction, Duncan immediately ended the topic, his gaze slowly sweeping across the small room. By this time, the noise and fires in the streets outside had already calmed down, resembling a hastily concluded drama, leaving only dark red chaotic light spreading outside the window. Duncan¡¯s gaze fell on Sherry, his expression serene, ¡°This is what you experienced back then, right?¡±


    Sherry still had her head lowered: ¡°¡­ Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I did not intend to pry, but I discovered your secret in the process of entering,¡± Duncan expressed sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Sherry was stunned, never having expected that this Evil God-like terrifying being was actually apologizing to her. Her mind¡¯s turmoil swiftly converged into waves of cold sweat, and she hurriedly stepped back two steps, ¡°No¡­ no, it¡¯s okay, how can you apologize to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Regardless, snooping on a lady¡¯s dreamscape is not polite¡ªeven if it¡¯s a ¡®small¡¯ lady like you,¡± Duncan revealed a slight smile, then his gaze fell on the Abyssal Hound, ¡°When will it wake up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Sherry appeared somewhat at a loss as she looked at A-dog sleeping, ¡°This nightmare has never changed like this before, I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    She had only gotten halfway through her sentence when she heard a faint sound of bone fragments clinking from within Adog¡¯s body. The next second, Adog, who had been in a deep sleep just a moment before, slightly shook its head, the red light in its hollow eye sockets slowly brightening. The next second, the terrifying giant hound suddenly stood up.


    Perhaps the nightmare from the moment before still had some lingering effects, causing Sherry to take a half step back instinctively, but she quickly recovered and stepped up to Adog¡¯s side.


    ¡°Sherry¡­¡± Adog finally began to wake, suddenly noticing the room around it. Its gaze fell on Sherry¡¯s arm in the next second, its tone tinged with a hint of panic, ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, just a nightmare,¡± Sherry smiled and stepped forward to hug Adog¡¯s huge and hideous skeletal head, ¡°You had a nightmare too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Adog kept repeating in a low voice, while the chain that linked it to Sherry rattled, ¡°Does it hurt? Does it hurt a lot?¡±


    Sherry awkwardly turned her head, ¡°Stop being melodramatic¡­ there are strangers watching us¡­¡±


    ¡°Strangers?¡± Adog paused, finally noticing that there was another person in the room. Then, it clearly recognized Duncan¡¯s appearance, saw his captain¡¯s uniform, and his gloomy and imposing face. More importantly, it could see the cascading green flames floating behind Duncan.


    ¡°Holy crap!¡± Adog suddenly exclaimed, pulling Sherry behind him reflexively the next second, positioning his huge body between Sherry and Duncan. Its bones clattered and shook, but it still tried hard to look in Duncan¡¯s direction, ¡°Is¡­ is that the Ghost Captain!?¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow upon seeing the reaction, ¡°Sherry doesn¡¯t recognize me in this form¡ªyou do?¡±


    ¡°Adog?¡± Sherry quickly caught on, ¡°Adog, have you seen him?¡±


    ¡°Seen him? At this time, all the Profound Demons that have seen him are mostly sent to Subspace!¡± The black smoke inside Adog fluctuated, its tone carrying terror, ¡°The moving disaster of the Endless Sea¡­ why is he in your Dreamscape?!¡±


    ¡°Endless Sea moving disaster?¡± Sherry was still confused, ¡°Why have you never mentioned this to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! There¡¯s too much I haven¡¯t told you¡ªthe world is full of disasters, we can¡¯t cover them all, and under normal circumstances, who would think you¡¯d meet a Ghost Captain on land!¡±


    Sherry listened in bewilderment, seeming to want to ask something else, but Duncan suddenly broke the silence¡ªhe quietly gazed at the defensive Abyssal Hound, ¡°I thought only people of the real world were this afraid of me, I didn¡¯t expect to have such a reputation among the Profound Demons too.¡±


    Adog stepped back slightly, maintaining a fully concentrated defensive stance as it spoke, ¡°You underestimate yourself¡ªyour notoriety is known from the Mysterious Deep Sea to the real world, even the heartless Profound Demons know to instinctively avoid your Homeloss¡­ honestly, if the Profound Demons had hearts, even the fear demons of the Gray Ashes would probably tattoo your image on their backs to embolden themselves¡­¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, suspecting that the other party was actually praising him¡ªin its own supposed way.


    Meanwhile, Sherry overheard Adog¡¯s faint mutterings¡ªthrough the spiritual connection established by the chain, she was the only one who could hear, ¡°Sherry, I¡¯ll try to entangle this shadow while you try hard to wake up. He is likely just a Spiritual Body projection, I can hold him off for a while, and once you break free from this Dreamscape, he won¡¯t be able to follow¡­¡±


    Sherry didn¡¯t catch on immediately¡ªor rather, she and Adog weren¡¯t quite on the same wavelength, ¡°Ah¡­ then what?¡±


    Adog spoke urgently, ¡°Then you hurry to the next room, seek help from that important person¡ªsay you¡¯re entangled by the Homeloss, be earnest, even offer to become his follower for protection if needed. We can¡¯t worry about safety now; being torn apart by the Homeloss and dragged into Subspace is far more dangerous than becoming a follower of a Subspace Evil God¡ªat least the latter still counts as ¡®alive¡¯¡­¡±


    Sherry showed no reaction.


    ¡°Sherry?¡± Adog grew more anxious, ¡°Sherry, don¡¯t space out! Use this disruption in the Dreamscape, figure out how to wake up! Let the big shot handle the big shot; it¡¯s our only¡­¡±


    Adog cut off halfway when Sherry finally responded in their spiritual connection:


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    ¡°Adog¡­ the two big shots you¡¯re talking about seem to be the same person¡­¡±


    Adog: ¡°¡­?¡±


    The conversation in the spiritual connection took only an instant.


    The Abyssal Hound somewhat dazedly lifted its head.


    In its view, the Ghost Captain, holding the fire of Spiritual Bodies, simply quietly watched this side, revealing a smile as cold and dark as Subspace.

 Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 131: Breaking Free from the Dreamscape

    Chapter 127: Chapter 131: Breaking Free from the Dreamscape


    Duncan looked at the nervous A-Dog and revealed the most affable smile he could muster¡ªhe felt there might have been some misunderstanding between them, and it was best to clear it up sooner rather than later.


    But just as he was about to speak, he suddenly saw a flash of blood in A-Dog¡¯s eyes¡ªeven though it was hard to read any emotional change from a bony skull, he felt a moment of intense turmoil in the Abyssal Hound.


    The next second, he heard A-Dog¡¯s faltering voice: ¡°Are¡­ Are you the ¡®Mr. Duncan¡¯ we have been dealing with these past few days?¡±


    Duncan was startled, and then glanced at Sherry beside him.


    He hadn¡¯t seen any interaction between A-Dog and Sherry, but evidently, these two beings, chained together, had a convenient means of sharing information.


    ¡°It is I,¡± Duncan said with a slight smile, his tone gentle, ¡°Is there anything else I need to explain? Or is there something you would like to know?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± A-Dog almost yelled out, his entire body retreating, ¡°We do not need to know any ¡®knowledge¡¯ or ¡®truth¡¯. We have no intention of prying into your mysteries!¡±


    ¡°I still feel like there might be some misunderstanding between us, but it seems more and more unclear,¡± Duncan sighed, shaking his head somewhat helplessly, ¡°Let¡¯s leave it to time to slowly help us build trust. As for now, I have some things I¡¯d like to understand.¡±


    A-Dog hung his head: ¡°Please¡­ Speak.¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brow; he was actually quite curious why he, a notorious ghost ship captain in the real world, also had such a significant impact among the Profound Demons, since the Mysterious Deep Sea was a ¡°place¡± especially close to the Subspace. The demons dwelling in the depths of the sea should have been closer to those ¡°basic shadows¡± compared to the mortals of the real world, and accordingly, they should not be so fearful and repulsive towards the Homeloss returning from the Subspace.


    However, it seemed that these beings, considered ¡°dangerous existences¡± to humans, were just as afraid of the Homeloss, which puzzled him.


    But before figuring out this problem, he was primarily concerned with the present ¡°nightmare¡±¡ªthis one from the depths of Sherry¡¯s memory, likely revisiting the truth of eleven years ago.


    ¡°I want to know about this Dreamscape,¡± he spoke while his gaze shifted to Sherry, ¡°I know this is a painful memory for you, and you can refuse if you don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I don¡¯t want to talk about,¡± Sherry responded, merely shaking her head lightly, ¡°I should thank you, really. You interrupted this nightmare, letting me suffer less¡­ As you¡¯ve seen, that was what I went through back then.¡±


    ¡°Great fire¡­¡± Duncan nodded lightly, then looked back at A-Dog, ¡°What I saw, was it how you first ¡®met¡¯ Sherry?¡±


    A-Dog turned his face away: ¡°I was just a Profound Demon back then.¡±


    ¡°How did you suddenly get a ¡®heart¡¯?¡± Duncan asked curiously, ¡°From what I just saw, you had almost killed Sherry.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± A-Dog fell silent for a few seconds, his ugly head shaking slightly, ¡°When I first gained self-consciousness, the scene I saw was Sherry barely breathing on the ground.¡±


    Duncan looked deep into the Abyssal Hound¡¯s eyes, then his gaze followed the chain on its neck and saw Sherry¡¯s black, contorted body that was fused and symbiotic with the chain.


    ¡°Did you then¡­ merge together?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Sherry said softly, her head bowed, hiding her eyes and expression in the shadow of her hair, ¡°I don¡¯t really remember clearly, I was only six then, and for a long time afterward, things were quite muddled¡­ If you¡¯re really curious about how I slowly developed this relationship with a Profound Demon who almost killed me, maybe you could bring a psychiatrist over to hypnotize me, perhaps¡­¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s words were suddenly interrupted, and then she was startled to feel a large, warm hand resting on the top of her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not trying to rip open your wounds, I just want to know the details of what happened eleven years ago,¡± Duncan gently touched the girl¡¯s hair, understanding that his questions were not very pleasant for Sherry, who had just escaped from a nightmare. ¡°You should know that the incident eleven years ago wasn¡¯t just about the appearance of the Sun Shard, there were countless heretics active, and the Abyssal Hound¡­ theoretically, it should have been a summoned creature of the Obliteration Sect.¡±


    Sherry lifted her head in a daze as she heard Duncan continue, ¡°A demon-like creature from the Mysterious Deep Sea suddenly acquiring human characteristics is itself a ¡®mutation¡¯. Have you ever considered that this mutation might also have been influenced by some catalyst back then?¡±


    Sherry blinked and said somewhat slowly, ¡°The Sun Shard?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ no one knows exactly what form the Sun Shard takes, or what its power is, merely in the doctrines preached by the Sun Cultists, the ¡®True Sun God¡¯ does not have the authority to ¡®bestow humanity¡¯ or anything similar,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°so whatever gave Argo humanity might have been something other than the Sun Shard¡­ something else.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that there might have been more than just the Sun Shard in Plunder City-State eleven years ago?!¡± Sherry finally snapped to attention, her eyes wide.


    ¡°Just a suspicion,¡± Duncan gently patted Sherry¡¯s shoulder before withdrawing his hand, ¡°because I¡¯ve always felt there¡¯s a significant inconsistency: the Sun Shard is a ¡®Sacred Relic¡¯ directed towards Sun Cultists, and according to those heretics, its power is quite simple, only really pertaining to the ¡®True Sun God¡¯ in mysticism. Yet, in the chaos eleven years ago, the heretics captured included members of the Obliteration Sect and Doomsday Preachers, who certainly have nothing to do with the ¡®True Sun God¡¯¡­ what were they doing there?


    ¡°Of course, it could be explained that the power of the Sun Shard is so great that even those who don¡¯t believe in the Sun God were affected, causing them to go mad on the same day, but that doesn¡¯t explain why an inherently frenzied demon like Argo suddenly gained reason¡ªwhat¡¯s that about?


    ¡°There are even more suspicious aspects if we delve further, including but not limited to the canopy over the ¡®fire¡¯, the lingering memories in your mind and Nina¡¯s, the bizarre phenomena in the sixth district¡­ all these inconsistencies have been attributed to the Sun Shard, but now that I think about it carefully, is it really all the power of the ¡®Sun Domain¡¯? The so-called True Sun God would be incredibly omnipotent then.¡±


    Duncan voiced his doubts, some of which had arisen even before today, but had grown firmer after seeing Argo¡¯s mutation from eleven years earlier.


    Perhaps the fire eleven years ago was indeed triggered by the Sun Shard, but there was definitely something else at play in the whole event!


    Sherry was still a bit dazed. She wasn¡¯t very good at dealing with these complex issues, and while zoned out, she heard Argo¡¯s voice hastening in her mind: ¡°Sherry, are you alright? Did him touching your head just now release a curse? Are you still lucid? You¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Sherry replied somewhat amusedly in her mind, ¡°Argo, you worry too much.¡±


    ¡°No kidding, shouldn¡¯t I be worried! You¡¯ve just had direct contact with a pollutant powerful enough to drive a normal person insane instantly!¡± Argo¡¯s voice was frantic, ¡°What do you feel?¡±


    Sherry thought for a moment, unsurely touching the top of her head.


    The last time someone had stroked her hair like that, comforting her softly like a child, had been many years ago.


    ¡°¡­Warm and cozy.¡±


    She said absentmindedly in a light voice.


    Argo was immediately alarmed: ¡°Sherry, did your mind really get messed up?¡±


    ¡°¡­Shut up!¡±


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    But Duncan didn¡¯t know what Argo and Sherry had exchanged in that brief moment, he just looked thoughtfully at the window suffused with a dim red light and suddenly asked, ¡°What¡¯s outside?¡±


    Sherry blinked, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Duncan raised his hand, pointing towards the window: ¡°Outside the room, what¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Sherry blinked, suddenly realizing that in this recurring nightmare that constantly troubled her, a choice that shouldn¡¯t have been possible had suddenly appeared, ¡°I never considered this question. Every time I dream, I am trapped in this room¡­¡±


    ¡°But now you¡¯ve broken free,¡± Duncan walked to the door of the cabin, turned back, and said softly, his words like a lure in the darkness, presenting an unprecedented choice to Sherry and Argo, ¡°Why not try, while lucid¡­ to see what the edge of your own dreamscape looks like?¡±

 Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 132: Edge of the Dreamscape

    Chapter 128: Chapter 132: Edge of the Dreamscape


    ¡°Would you like to take a look at the edge of your own Dreamscape while awake? What does it look like?¡±


    Duncan said with a smile, but his words sounded to Sherry like a low, tempting call that seemed to emanate from the dark depths of the sea. A shudder rose within her heart, and she instinctively resisted the suggestion, yet an irrepressible urge surged within her¡ª


    In this nightmare that had tormented her for eleven years, outside this locked cabin, on that street she had never laid eyes on eleven years ago¡­ what could possibly be there?


    She subconsciously took a slight breath and turned her head towards the small window nearby.


    A withered, blood-like crimson hue filled the little window, obscuring any view of the street outside¡ªin that dawn illuminated by a great fire eleven years ago, she never managed to glance outside. Thus, in this Dreamscape, the scenes beyond the window remained shrouded in chaotic light, indistinct and vague, even the living room outside this room. Looking through the doorway, all she could see was a dim, hazy darkness.


    The Dreamscape reflected her own memories and cognition. Eleven years ago, she couldn¡¯t escape this cabin. Today, eleven years later, was it really possible for her to walk out of this room?


    ¡°Can a person really walk around in their own Dreamscape¡­¡± Sherry murmured uncontrollably, ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s outside¡­ Could it be just emptiness out there?¡±


    ¡°A Dreamscape is the projection of a person¡¯s subconscious, and the subconscious tends to remember some ¡®details¡¯ that even the person is unaware of,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice came from the direction of the doorway, ¡°Perhaps you were trapped in this room eleven years ago, but the light and shadows from outside the window, the sounds, and the things you remembered through ¡®Intuition,¡¯ all fill in your Dreamscape. Among these details, we might glimpse some clues.


    ¡°Of course, the decision is yours. If you refuse, I won¡¯t continue to probe into your Dreamscape¡ªI¡¯ll stay here, and rest assured, as long as I¡¯m here, this nightmare will not continue. Sleep peacefully, and tomorrow there will still be a bright morning.¡±


    Sherry bit her lip lightly, then, as if summoning great strength, made up her mind, ¡°I¡­ want to go out and see.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Duncan nodded, stepping aside to clear the doorway, ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you.¡±


    A Subspace Shadow, a roaming disaster, had proactively offered to walk with her¡ªan invitation that should have been terrifying. Yet, for some reason, Sherry felt a sudden release of tension this time.


    It was as if a warm light had suddenly appeared in this endless, dark nightmare, allowing her to relax a little.


    She felt she must be going mad, slowly losing her mind in the company of the Evil God.


    Duncan followed behind Sherry, and they both stepped through the wooden door of that small room, entering Sherry¡¯s living room from her childhood memories.


    The Abyssal Hound was also beside them, looking very tense, carefully watching the surroundings and occasionally cocking its ears to listen, attentive to any unusual sounds from the street.


    Surprised, Sherry asked, ¡°What are you doing, Abyssal Hound?¡±


    ¡°Scouting,¡± replied Abyssal Hound in a grave tone, ¡°We¡¯re moving into unknown territory within the Dreamscape¡­ ahead lies regions that don¡¯t exist in your memory. Theoretically, the further we go, the more likely we are to encounter manifestations of your subconscious imagination and intense emotions. And in a state dominated by fear, these imaginations and emotions tend to create some¡­ less than friendly entities.¡±


    Sherry was amazed, ¡°You know about this too, Abyssal Hound?¡±


    ¡°A bit,¡± Abyssal Hound shook its head, ¡°I am, after all, a bona fide Profound Demon¡­¡±


    Duncan, however, wasn¡¯t paying attention to the conversation between Sherry and Abyssal Hound. He was busy observing the living room for any clues.


    A hazy, chaotic darkness enveloped the rather shabby hall as if an unyielding mist pervaded the space. He saw wooden shelves placed against the wall, tables and chairs on one side of the living room, and an old wall clock, its hands blurred and twisted like flickering smoke, spinning senselessly round and round.


    In the center of the living room floor, deep scratch marks were visible.


    They were the traces left by Abyssal Hound when it had burst in years ago.


    Beyond that, there was no blood, no bodies, nor any signs of fire damage¡ªthe ¡°fire¡± seemed constrained to the street outside, or perhaps it never spread to the interior of the room in Sherry¡¯s subconscious.


    They passed through the living room and approached the main door.


    This door was broken with a large hole, only the frame and some fragmented woodwork still clinging to it, clearly also the work of the Abyssal Hound.


    Beyond that lay the street devoured by fire.


    Sherry suddenly halted.


    Having come this far, she realized all at once what it was she truly feared and resisted.


    ¡°Sherry?¡± Abyssal Hound noticed Sherry¡¯s hesitation and curiously lifted its head for a look.


    Clamping her lips tight as if she hadn¡¯t heard Abyssal Hound¡¯s words, Sherry stared at the street beyond the door, at that mist pervaded by distorted red light, feeling every cell in her body, every nerve tensing, shrinking back in fear.


    It was as if she saw her parents who had never returned after leaving the house, lying right outside the front door. She didn¡¯t even dare to imagine what the scene would look like, didn¡¯t dare to think what might happen the moment she stepped out.


    Then, she heard the sound of chains lightly clinking.


    Abyssal Hound stepped forward, poked its head out toward the direction of the street, then retracted it.


    ¡°Sherry, it¡¯s okay, there¡¯s nothing scary outside, and if there is¡­ you can¡¯t really tell anymore.¡±


    Sherry looked at the Abyssal Hound¡¯s hollow eye sockets with some surprise, and she pursed her lips, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Then she took a step out, stepping out of the door of her home from eleven years ago.


    A thin fog filled the street, and within the thin, dark red mist, the outlines of houses and streetlights could be faintly seen, along with the twisted and undulating road surface.


    In the distance, the buildings trembled unnaturally within the mist, their structures burned down to frames by the great fire, presenting shades of pitch black or dark red. Their edges quivered like formless flames, and from time to time, there were crackling and popping noises coming from nowhere, as if the fire was still spreading in unseen places.


    Tiny sparks, dust, and ashes floated in the air, mixed with a pungent smell.


    Duncan frowned slightly.


    The fire on the street had already gone out, leaving only the traces of burning, with ashes everywhere and those suspicious molten piles in the corners of the street, proving the fire¡¯s real existence.


    But he didn¡¯t see any clues that might be related to the Sun Shard.


    But on second thought, this seemed normal¡ªafter all, this was just Sherry¡¯s Dreamscape, a stage woven by her memory, perception, and imagination, not truly bringing everything back to eleven years ago.


    With that thought, he followed Sherry at a slow pace down the street that had been scorched by the great fire.


    Suddenly, his steps came to a halt.


    Sherry turned back in surprise, ¡°Mr. Duncan?¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brows and waved his hand, listening intently to the sounds around him.


    Just now, he had thought he heard a faint voice whispering something by his ear.


    He listened carefully for a while, then suddenly walked over to a pile of ashes by the roadside.


    It was a pile of twisted black ashes with some charred fragments that seemed not fully burned, even with sparks still silently burning next to the ashes. If one looked closely, they could barely make out the outline of a curled-up¡­ ¡°person.¡±


    Duncan stared at the ashes for a long time, then slowly bent down, listening closely¡ª


    ¡°¡­I¡­ don¡¯t want to¡­ die¡­¡±


    The heap of ashes murmured softly.


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    And Sherry, who was following closely behind him, also heard the whisper, her reaction being more straightforward:


    ¡°What the fuck is this?!¡±


    Duncan turned back slightly, and Sherry hurriedly adjusted her terms, ¡°Uh, I mean, this is so scary¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I actually prefer the candid you,¡± Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched. He had been startled by the murmur from the ashes himself but was completely overshadowed by Sherry¡¯s outcry. Then his gaze fell on more piles of ashes on the street.


    Quiet, continuous, overlapping voices murmuring accompanied the floating ashes and sparks on the street, entering the ears of both him and Sherry.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± ¡°Help¡­¡± ¡°¡­to go home¡­¡± ¡°Who will help me¡­¡±


    A chilling sensation spread through the bottom of their hearts, and Sherry instinctively moved closer to the Hound, feeling her muscles tense up.


    She dared to swing an Abyssal Hound at the Heretics, yet lacked the resistance to this pure eccentric evil.


    Moreover, this was her own nightmare¡ªthe hardest thing to fight against is always the terror within one¡¯s own heart.


    But at that moment, she suddenly became puzzled:


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    Is this really my nightmare?


    Is this purely a Dreamscape? On the ¡°edge of a Dreamscape¡± that was far removed from her memory and cognition, why were there these ¡°cries for help¡± that she should never have encountered or imagined?


    Sherry looked at Duncan subconsciously but saw that he was also turning his gaze toward her, his deep eyes filled with scrutiny and thought.


    ¡°This might not be simply a Dreamscape,¡±


    Duncan said in a grave voice.

 Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 133: The Strange Shadow

    Chapter 129: Chapter 133: The Strange Shadow


    To be fair, Duncan was not an expert in the Transcendent realm, nor was he knowledgeable about the disciplines related to the Dreamscape and the spiritual domain. Nevertheless, he faintly discerned that the scenery displayed on this street should be more than just what Sherry ¡°saw in her dream.¡±


    Because the whispering ashes for help gave him a peculiar d¨¦j¨¤ vu¡ª


    He thought of that factory, thought of the people burned to ashes in the fire, hidden behind the curtain.


    Of course, the ashes in the factory did not call for help¡ªthe ashes gave him a more direct and intense signal: they let him directly see the ¡°echo¡± of the fire that occurred eleven years ago.


    Subconsciously, Duncan believed there was some connection between the ashes on the street in Sherry¡¯s dream and those in the factory.


    He raised his head and surveyed the surroundings. In the trembling dim red light, the entire street depicted the aftermath of a great fire, with incessant falling sparks and dust, innumerable piles of ashes, and suspicious dark shadows imprinted on the nearby walls.


    ¡°You were only six years old then, and even if you observed a lot subconsciously, it shouldn¡¯t be enough to sustain such a massive dreamscape¡ªlet alone create these calling remnants and such a vast illusion in the distance.¡±


    Duncan softly spoke, and his voice made Sherry, who was somewhat anxiously uneasy, suddenly feel a bit more grounded.


    Sherry raised her head and looked at Duncan standing beside her¡ªMr. Duncan now didn¡¯t resemble his everyday appearance. Here, he presented himself as a gloomy and authoritative captain, honestly quite terrifying. Even without an Abyssal Hound¡¯s ¡°True Sight,¡± she could feel a profound pressure emanating from him.


    But in this increasingly unfamiliar nightmare, such a powerful presence still provided her with some reassurance: at least for now, this entity stood on her side.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move forward and see how far the dreamscape can extend.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside her, and Sherry blinked, then quickly grasped the Abyssal Hound¡¯s leash to follow him.


    Surrounded by the continuous faint whispers for help from countless ash piles, the two of them and the dog traversed the street covered with remnants and sparks, gradually heading towards the twisted, wavering shadows of the building cluster.


    They walked on the street for an indeterminable duration, with Duncan seriously observing the changes in the nearby scenery along the way; what struck him as odd was that the landscape on the street remained the same as always.


    There were no additional distorted illusions, nor did it become more blurred, bizarre, or show any ¡°dangerous dream constructs¡± like the Abyssal Hound had described.


    Duncan suddenly stopped, his brow slightly furrowed.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan?¡± Sherry looked at him curiously, ¡°Did you discover something else?¡±


    ¡°¡­How far have we departed from the ¡®origin¡¯? Duncan raised his head and looked back in the direction from which he and Sherry had come; the house where they started had already vanished into the hazy red mist.


    ¡°¡®The origin¡¯?¡± Sherry paused, ¡°Oh, you mean the room where my dream started? It should be¡­ quite far by now, I think we¡¯ve walked at least half a city block.¡±


    ¡°Sherry, something isn¡¯t right,¡± the Abyssal Hound also suddenly realized something and anxiously regarded the surrounding mist, its voice grave, ¡°Let¡¯s stop for a moment.¡±


    Sherry still hadn¡¯t grasped the situation, her expression puzzled: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Dreamscapes are centered around the subconscious perception of the Dreamer as the ¡®core¡¯, and your cognitive foundation in this dreamscape is that room, along with all your memories and emotions contained within,¡± the Abyssal Hound rapidly explained, ¡°Areas outside the room are ¡®imaginary supplements¡¯ of the dreamscape; theoretically, the farther away you move from that room, the more these imaginarily supplemented scenes should deviate from logic and common sense, and the edges of the dreamscape should become more absurd, dangerous, and might even feature precipitous cliffs that appear out of nowhere, but we have walked so far¡­ and this dreamscape still continues!¡±


    Duncan listened and gently nodded his head¡ªhe did not have as precise and complete a theoretical understanding as the Abyssal Hound, but his guess was much the same.


    Sherry finally caught on, her breath lightly taken: ¡°So¡­ I should have already walked out of my own realm of dreamscape. Theoretically, this place should either be distorted beyond recognition or should be nothingness¡­ So where are we exactly now? Is this still my dream?!¡±


    No one could answer Sherry¡¯s question, Duncan could only look around with a thoughtful expression.


    Everywhere he looked were streets blackened by fire, the city area after the disaster like an ugly scar, deeply cleaved into the City-State, and this mark of fire extended endlessly into the distance, its reach unknown through how many city blocks.


    He looked in another direction and saw some towering buildings nearby. One of the factory¡¯s distillation towers pierced the sky straight through the smoke and haze, its surface tangled in pipes and its skeleton rugged, resembling a bizarre mountain peak.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but stare at the tall distillation tower, thinking that if he stood atop it, he might be able to overlook the entire burning city.


    Suddenly, his gaze froze.


    The scene Nina had once described to him emerged in his mind:


    From a great height, he looked down upon a city scorched by fire, its streets like a scar running through the entire City-State¡­


    This was the scene Nina had seen in her dream¡ªonly from a different perspective!


    An astonishing speculation sprang into Duncan¡¯s mind. He turned to Sherry, ¡°We¡­ might have entered another Dreamscape.¡±


    ¡°Another Dreamscape?¡± Sherry was startled, ¡°Whose dream?¡±


    ¡°Nina¡¯s¡ªfollow me.¡± Duncan said briefly, then promptly started walking toward the direction of the distillation tower.


    He didn¡¯t summon Ai Yi in the Dreamscape for transport because firstly, he didn¡¯t know if the pigeon could enter this dream via the Spirit Realm like him. Secondly, he still needed Ai Yi outside to ¡°stand guard¡± and monitor if any other Transcendent forces interfered with their action.


    Luckily, the distillation tower wasn¡¯t far from this street block; it was just a factory next door, connected by a straight alley between two blocks.


    Sherry followed, utterly confused as to why Mr. Duncan insisted they had entered Nina¡¯s dream. Meanwhile, Duncan walked briskly, occasionally looking up at the towering structure.


    He was trying to spot Nina.


    If this was indeed Nina¡¯s dream, her figure should be standing atop the distillation tower¡ªit was the highest building in sight and perfectly fit the position to oversee the entire fiery scene.


    However, as the two of them and the Abyssal Hound neared the factory, Duncan had not seen any figure on the distillation tower.


    He was slightly puzzled, yet before he could think further, a strange sensation of being watched suddenly came from not far away, making him abruptly stop.


    Duncan looked toward the direction where he felt the presence, and in his line of sight, a figure dressed in a bizarre black long coat, tall and thin, holding a large black umbrella, had somehow appeared at the corner of the alley!


    In this Dreamworld littered with traces of fire, the emergence of such a strange umbrella-carrying figure was utterly bizarre. And this time, not only did Duncan see that figure, but Sherry next to him also stopped abruptly.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone over there!¡± Sherry exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°Did you also see it?¡± Duncan asked subconsciously, and as his words fell, a muffled, eerie muttering suddenly emerged from the direction of that figure.


    It was not any language known to Duncan, and the overly complicated, twisting tremolo and multiple echoes made him question if it was a language at all, but he nevertheless detected a hint of astonishment in that voice¡ª


    The umbrella-carrying ¡°strange person¡± seemed utterly surprised, as if he had never expected to encounter some wandering ¡°uninvited guests¡± here.


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    And right when the muttering fell, the eerie figure with the umbrella suddenly moved!


    Duncan could not see clearly what the other did, but his sharp peripheral vision keenly noticed several shadow-like figures suddenly darting out from the hem of the long coat. They were purely ¡°shadows,¡± rapidly surging toward him along the nearby walls and streets. Meanwhile, the distant figure with the umbrella vanished into thin air, and the next second, his body, using one of the swiftly approaching shadows, reappeared, teleporting directly in front of Sherry!


    But by then, Sherry had already reacted, and in sync with the Abyssal Hound, she too had a reaction speed just as fast. Before the figure had fully materialized and could make a move, she had already suddenly raised her right hand¡ª


    ¡°Either way, throwing a punch can¡¯t be wrong!¡±


    The girl yelled loudly, with an unusual excitement; the black chain in her hand creaked and twirled as she swung the hound round and smashed it toward the figure!

 Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 134: Feast in the Fire

    Chapter 130: Chapter 134: Feast in the Fire


    Sherry¡¯s fighting style was as it had always been.


    Simple, brutal, effective, with a sense of freewheeling boldness¡ªthe iron chains whistled through the air, proclaiming equality among all beings.


    The shadowy figure that had leaped through the shadows seemed not to have anticipated that the girl accompanied by Profound Demons¡ªa ¡°Summoner¡±¡ªwas essentially a close combatant. According to normal logic, closing the distance at first sight of a spellcasting profession and initiating a melee would definitely be the right choice. But when the distance was closed, and it was suddenly discovered that the caster had whipped out a meteor hammer, the situation became a different matter entirely. Thus, the scene Duncan had seen before replayed:


    The iron chains creaked, Sherry smashed down, and the shadowy figure was solidly hit on the spot, emitting a thunderous ¡°bang¡± and almost whistling as it was sent flying backward!


    With a ¡°boom,¡± the figure was directly smashed into a nearby building, still ablaze with lingering fires, kicking up a cloud of smoke and sparks, followed by silence.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± The smoothness of the fight was unexpected; even Sherry herself hadn¡¯t had time to react. She held her chain in one hand while warily surveying the distance, ¡°Why do I feel the impact¡­¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, a cry of alarm suddenly rang out from the other end of the iron chains: ¡°Watch out!¡±


    Sherry¡¯s muscles instantly tensed, and the next second, she finally noticed that the shadow at her feet had somehow become a bit darker than before. Then, a vague ¡°whip¡± that couldn¡¯t be clearly seen sprang out from the shadow!


    The black whip, carrying a vicious air-splitting sound, headed straight for Sherry¡¯s neck. In the nick of time, she sharply dodged backward but was still struck on the arm, blood spraying everywhere.


    Sherry clicked her tongue, seemingly indifferent to the pain; she quickly retreated, and that¡¯s when she noticed that part of her shadow had stayed in place, and the strange, tall, thin man holding an umbrella rapidly emerged from that shadow. She had now seen clearly what had struck her¡ª¡±whip¡± was actually a ¡°limb¡± extending from beneath the man¡¯s clothes!


    The shadow seemed to swirl with thick smoke, containing undulating, deforming flesh that seemed to be constantly rotting and regenerating, a grotesque sight that was nauseating and chilling to behold.


    Sherry only glanced at the tentacle-like limb, feeling a wave of nausea well up inside her, and in the next instant, she heard the strange umbrella-holding man utter a low, muffled murmur. The weird ¡°limb¡± extending from his garment¡¯s hem transformed into a whip once more, sweeping towards her face.


    She instinctively lifted the chains, ready to swing her dog again, but just at that moment, a ghostly green glow suddenly appeared at the edge of her vision.


    With the emergence of this eerie green glow, she noticed that the tall figure across from her suddenly froze, as if some innate fear had abruptly halted his movement. In an instant, the figure swiftly moved backward, and a thick black smoke churned beneath the large black umbrella, with low, indistinct roars coming from within. Meanwhile, the green flames almost grazed the edge of the smoke, casting a ghastly color over the smoke under the light of the Spiritual Fire.


    Sherry instinctively glanced in Duncan¡¯s direction, and she saw him standing quietly in place while phantom flames spread from him in all directions. Wherever the flames reached, from the buildings nearby to the fire sparks floating in the air, even the silhouettes of distant buildings, everything began to take on a shade of ghostly green!


    It was as if some spreading plague was infecting everything touched by those bizarre flames!


    Was this the power of this great being? Or was it merely the tip of an iceberg of his strength?!


    A surge of surprise and suspicion arose in Sherry¡¯s mind, but she had no time to ponder. The rapidly retreating Assailant was clearly suppressed and intimidated by the Spiritual Fire in the surrounding environment. Following the principle that one shouldn¡¯t hold back in a fight, Sherry took advantage of the opponent¡¯s weakness to swing her chain again, putting all her strength into smashing her dog on the Assailant!


    The feedback, weirder than before, traveled up through the dog¡¯s senses. Sherry felt as though she had smashed into a pile of rotting flesh. She saw the figure with the black umbrella shatter directly under the impact, accompanied by a nauseating tearing sound, the black ¡°coat¡± burst apart, and several shapeless chunks of flesh wrapped in thick smoke fell from the clothing. They started to scurry around like they had wills of their own, all the while continuing to split into smaller fragments as they ran.


    Countless overlapping, piercing cries came from within each piece!


    It was an absolutely terrifying and bizarre scene¡ªtwisted, black, alien limbs split apart, moving, dividing, and scurrying across the street still covered in embers, with sharp cries that seemed capable of piercing the sanity of mortals, echoing incessantly, growing more numerous and stranger as the pieces kept splitting until it seemed that the entire world was filled with their ear-piercing, mournful screams!


    For the first time since the fight had begun, Sherry felt truly horrified. She gripped the chains in her hands, uncertain how to counter these continuously splitting, squirming pieces with her usual ¡°tactics.¡± But soon she noticed that these fragmented pieces had no intention to keep fighting¡ªthey were, in fact, unanimously fleeing.


    Escape from the still-spreading green flames.


    Now they had splitted into hundreds of pieces, moving like a swarm of black insects through the street, frantically escaping through the gaps in the green flames, toward the far end of the street. Among them, pieces were continuously captured by the nearby Spiritual Fire¡ªa mere careless brush or just a spark touching them would immediately allow the flames to spread over, burning through them in an instant!


    But the burning was not the end, it was merely a beginning¡ªthe fragments engulfed by the Spiritual Fire did not die, but suddenly turned around and began to hunt, attack, and devour those chunks of flesh that had not yet escaped from the blaze and had not been touched by the green flames.


    Everything happened so quickly that within half a minute, half of the fleeing, bloodied fragments in the streets had been consumed by the Spiritual Fire¡¯s corrosion. Those that were corroded by the green flame preyed on their ¡°brethren¡± just a second before, while a faint green wall of fire closed in at the end of the street, completely blocking all escape routes.


    The flaming scene had become a hunting ground, where thousands of fragments from the same black-clad Assailants turned into a fray of battling swarms. The ongoing screams finally subsided, but they were replaced by an even more spine-chilling sound¡ª


    That was the sound of chewing that filled the entire street.


    The Assailants attempted to disassemble and flee, now they had become a feast for themselves.


    Sherry felt goosebumps rise all over her body, and she could feel the trembling of Ah Dog beside her. She quivered slightly on these ash-strewn streets, but the next second, she felt a warm hand rest upon her shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Duncan soothed Sherry in a soft voice, ¡°Insects fear fire the most.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s shoulder twitched, and a bizarre mix of emotions surged within her. The comfort of being safeguarded and soothed by a mighty presence combined with the chilling sensation of being watched by an indescribable entity. She mustered her courage to glance at Duncan beside her, only to see his brow deeply furrowed.


    ¡°To be honest, it is a bit disgusting,¡± Duncan said to Sherry as he looked at the feasting ¡°swarm,¡± his remark resonating with sincerity.


    Who would believe that!


    ¡°Indeed¡­ indeed¡­¡± Sherry meekly agreed, accepting whatever the boss said, ¡°It is a bit revolting¡­¡±


    ¡°Luckily it¡¯s almost over,¡± Duncan said with a slightly relaxed tone.


    It was almost over.


    The sounds of flames spreading and feasting on the street began to dwindle, and both the predators and prey were finally exhausting their life force, turning into heaps of ash that scattered in the wind. The strange Assailants thus turned to nothingness, and the spreading Spiritual Fire also began to gradually retract and fade away.


    It was only then that Sherry finally swallowed, looking at those tiny drifting heaps of ashes, and asked with some courage, ¡°Is it¡­ all over?¡±


    Duncan shook his head, ¡°¡­not necessarily.¡±


    Sherry looked at Duncan with surprise and confusion, only to see him walking forward. The last fragment of the Assailants emerged from a nearby heap of ashes, that shapeless, abhorrent flesh shuddered and wobbled as if attempting to flee but stopped after moving just a few steps.


    Duncan stopped in front of that fragment, crouched down, his fingertips alight with a hint of green fire.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard many thrilling and bizarre tales, and these stories taught me one lesson,¡± Duncan began to explain to Sherry, ¡°If you suddenly discover that your enemy has the ability to split, then you better assume the first one you encounter is just a fragment¡ªalways assume there¡¯s an original hidden behind the fragments, kept as a device for lazy authors to write sequels.¡±


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    With a light tap of his finger, he ignited the green flame on the surface of the last fragment.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of sequels, even less so of an inexplicable original lurking behind the scenes, waiting to jump out and strike when the heroes let their guard down.¡±


    The green flame blazed fiercely as the filthy fragment suddenly trembled. Following that, it sprouted many insect-like appendages from its base, which propped it up as it shakily stood.


    Duncan slowly stood up, quietly observing the last remaining fragment of the Assailants.


    ¡°Go home, and take my gift with you.¡±

 Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 135: The End of the Dreamscape

    Chapter 131: Chapter 135: The End of the Dreamscape


    The spiritual fire gathered and submerged into the flesh fragments.


    The fire-contaminated remnants shakily rose, then sped up and swiftly disappeared at the end of the street.


    This mass of flesh, no longer capable of thought, embarked on a journey home¡ªbut whether it could truly return to a ¡°source¡± entity, or if it would dissipate along the way or be intercepted and purified by something was uncertain even to Duncan.


    He merely avoided all potential dangers within his capabilities.


    After Sherry began fighting that bizarre shadow, Duncan quickly analyzed the origins of the ¡°Assailant¡± appearing in the nightmare, hypothesized about its abilities, and after seeing its reaction to the spiritual fire, he further confirmed that this seemingly random Assailant was likely a splintered ¡°Pathfinder.¡±


    Faced with the spiritual fire, the Assailant showed no will to fight; its first reaction was to tear itself apart and break out in all directions, which could perhaps be interpreted as a panic-stricken escape, but more so as a ¡°Pathfinder¡± attempting to send away information¡ªif this massive dreamscape was indeed woven by some hidden mastermind, then the emergence of Duncan as an ¡°Intruder¡± was undoubtedly significant intelligence.


    Duncan thoughtfully watched the direction in which the chunks vanished. After moving a certain distance, they disappeared into a cloud of rising dust, which further confirmed his suspicion:


    The sudden appearance of the Assailant meant it was more familiar with this dreamscape than Duncan and Sherry were, knowing more convenient ways to move and some invisible ¡°pathways¡±; hence, the umbrella-wielding figure had been able to appear nearby without him noticing.


    In comparison, he, Sherry, and A-Dog, as newcomers to this exploration mission in the dreamscape, seemed like headless flies, making it tricky to locate those hidden figures.


    But it didn¡¯t matter¡ªthe seeds of fire had been spread, and a faint connection still lingered dimly within his perception; Duncan believed that the flames he had dispersed would yield some results. As soon as that bit of spiritual fire started to spread, a clearer perception would be formed, and he would eventually find some hidden figures in the spreading fire¡ªthen Nina and Sherry wouldn¡¯t have nightmares anymore.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan¡­¡± Sherry, somewhat frightened, looked at Duncan, who had suddenly fallen silent, and hesitated for a long time before plucking up her courage to speak, ¡°Do you know what that thing just now¡­ was?¡±


    She was referring to the Assailant with the black umbrella.


    ¡°¡­Hard to say,¡± Duncan pondered for a moment, then shook his head, but then he looked thoughtfully at the street that had been scorched and said, ¡°But do you remember the figure I mentioned on the way back from the museum, standing at the edge of the square?¡±


    ¡°The one only you could see?¡± Sherry immediately recalled, ¡°Ah, the one that attacked us just now was that figure you saw¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure it¡¯s the same one,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°But it¡¯s definitely the same ¡®kind¡¯, and I suspect it¡¯s related to those Heretics who worship the Sun God¡ªboth times it appeared in scenes related to ¡®fire¡¯, which is very suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Related to those Heretics¡­¡± Sherry blinked, quickly catching on, ¡°Could it be the ¡®Scions of the Sun¡¯ that those Heretics talk about?!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s suspect that for now, even though there¡¯s no evidence,¡± Duncan sighed lightly, ¡°But more than the identity of the Assailant, I¡¯m more concerned about why this thing would appear in your and Nina¡¯s ¡®Dreamscape¡¯¡­ What connection is there between the museum scene and your dreams?¡±


    While saying this, he looked up, his gaze sweeping over the tall tower.


    At the top of the tower, Nina¡¯s figure was still not visible¡ªbut Duncan was almost sure this was the place Nina had seen in her dreams.


    ¡°Is this really Nina¡¯s dream?¡± Sherry was also curiously looking around, her face full of disbelief, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°She mentioned this dream to me, and in the dreamscape, she stood on that tallest distillation tower, overlooking the City-State after the fire,¡± Duncan pointed at a nearby tower as he explained, ¡°This location is about two blocks away from the cottage in your nightmare. Although I don¡¯t know the reason, your dreams are evidently interconnected at a deeper level.¡±


    Sherry was amazed, seemingly wanting to ask more, but suddenly, A-Dog, who was nearby, seemed to have spotted something: ¡°Hey Sherry, look, it seems like the umbrella that guy was holding is still here!¡±


    Sherry and Duncan simultaneously looked in the direction A-Dog pointed, and indeed, a large black umbrella was quietly lying on the edge of the street!


    Just now, their attention had been focused on the Assailant, and after its main body split, the umbrella had been left by the roadside, temporarily unnoticed by anyone.


    Duncan stepped forward, finally seizing the opportunity to closely observe the large black umbrella, but upon seeing the inner layer of the umbrella, he could not help but exclaim, ¡°Huh.¡±


    He had imagined what this umbrella, always held by the assailants, might look like¡ªit could be a transcendent item engraved with runes, or perhaps it looked ordinary but possessed many unusual traits. In any case, given the strange and terrifying abilities and forms of the assailants themselves, the style of this umbrella should certainly have developed in a sinister direction.


    However, the underside of the umbrella was drastically different from what he had expected¡ª


    He saw an extremely complex man-made structure; hexagonal, intricate lattices densely arranged on the framework, forming something akin to¡­ solar panels. Between the deep purple lattice gaps, he saw fine tubes and wiring. In the center of the umbrella, there seemed to be a sophisticated device that served as some sort of control hub, connecting the handle to the surrounding lattice array. Its precision and complexity far surpassed any steam mechanisms in the Plunder City-State.


    Duncan stared dumbfounded at the object.


    Technology, his first reaction was technology!


    This thing was definitely not a transcendent item, nor did it resemble some ¡°anomalous¡± items in style, and it was certainly not a device manufactured by the current City-State civilization. This umbrella was an extremely sophisticated and complex technological artifact.


    It¡­ came from a civilization that modern City-States could not comprehend!


    ¡°What is this thing?¡± Sherry looked at the structure inside the umbrella, shocked and puzzled. She couldn¡¯t understand at all what it was, and lacked the knowledge from another world that Duncan had. She only felt that it was a hundred times more complicated than she imagined, having a dizzying effect. She instinctively reached out her hand, ¡°It looks like¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch!¡± A-Dog suddenly interrupted Sherry, ¡°This looks like some kind of desecration prototype.¡±


    Sherry was startled, ¡°Desecration prototype? What is that?¡±


    ¡°Something from some taboo history that should not exist in the real world, yet was forcibly retained in the real world,¡± A-Dog said gravely in a low voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to explain it to you¡­ because I don¡¯t understand the principles behind it myself. Just remember, in the long river of history of this world, some histories are ¡®locked down¡¯, and the things born from these forbidden histories are desecration prototypes, and typically, their mere existence is harmful to the biological beings of the real world¡­ Never touch them if you see one!¡±


    Sherry immediately withdrew her hand nervously, while Duncan glanced thoughtfully at A-Dog, ¡°Is this also the ¡®knowledge¡¯ innate to the Profound Demons?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± A-Dog shook his head, ¡°Not all Profound Demons know this, but I was born closer to the head of the Profound Saint, so I have a bit more knowledge in my brain.¡±


    Duncan hummed noncommittally and kept his gaze on the strange black umbrella. Just then, seemingly due to the loss of some ¡°support,¡± the umbrella suddenly began to disintegrate and collapse rapidly before his eyes.


    The intricate lattice structure gradually became translucent, the framework and wiring faded and turned into grayish-white debris that drifted away with the wind. The core complex device also melted and flowed down like heated wax. Just before this object completely dissolved, Duncan caught a glimpse of tiny text on some part of the device from the corner of his eye.


    It was not the common language used by the City-States today, nor any other language he was familiar with¡ªbut the meaning of those words still emerged in his mind:


    ¡°K-22 Spectral Filtration Crystal Core.¡±


    The next second, including this final component, the entire umbrella dissipated with the wind.


    Duncan slowly stood up, and just then, Sherry, who was standing next to him, suddenly exclaimed in a soft voice, ¡°Ah! What¡¯s wrong with my hand¡­¡±


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    Duncan looked at Sherry¡¯s arm and saw that not only her arm but her entire body was gradually becoming translucent and blurry.


    Sherry was instantly terrified, ¡°Save, save, save¡­¡±


    ¡°Save my ass!¡± A-Dog interrupted Sherry directly, ¡°That means you¡¯re waking up! It¡¯s your first time waking up normally from this Dreamscape¡ªshouldn¡¯t you be thanking Mr. Duncan?¡±


    Sherry then realized, hastily looked at Duncan, but saw that his figure was also fading away in the Dreamscape.


    Duncan smiled and waved at the young girl, ¡°Good night, and good morning¡ªdon¡¯t forget to wake Nina up for breakfast later.¡±

 Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 136: An Ordinary Morning in the Antique Shop

    Chapter 132: Chapter 136: An Ordinary Morning in the Antique Shop


    A touch of morning light illuminated the Plunder City-State, which had slumbered through the night. The sun, locked by twin Rune Circles, rose slowly in the sky like a blazing wheel, and under the formidable might of anomaly 001, the night¡¯s non-terrestrial beings began to fade away at last.


    The shadows in the alleys, the whispers in deserted places, the murmurs amongst the coastal waves, the gaze of nothingness in the depths of the lanes, and the entangling Dreamscape.


    Sherry opened her eyes.


    She saw the unfamiliar ceiling, and through the nearby window, the sunlight fell upon the bedside cabinet and the adjacent desk. The room, clean and tidy, was a simple cottage, but still much nicer than where she lived.


    She smelled the aroma of food and heard some noise coming from the kitchen direction. She saw Nina sprawled out, sound asleep on the bed. Today was a rest day, and the girl could indulge in a lazy morning because she had an ¡°uncle¡± to depend on, ready to serve her breakfast when she woke up.


    Sherry sat up somewhat dazedly and took a few seconds to fully recall why she was there and her experiences in her dream.


    Then she nudged Nina beside her, ¡°Nina, time to get up¡­ It¡¯s time to wash up and have breakfast.¡±


    Nina responded groggily, ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy¡­ let me sleep a little longer¡­¡±


    Sherry was momentarily startled; she didn¡¯t know what to do next.


    It had been too long since she¡¯d lived this kind of life, so long that there was a chasm of eleven full years¡ªbut she still vaguely remembered that she too had been like this once, that she too could do this.


    Slowly she climbed out of bed, put on her own clothes, and while listening to the various sounds from outside, she reminded herself that this wasn¡¯t some peaceful and tranquil safe haven¡ªit was essentially a nest, one that a Subspace Shadow and his kin had whimsically dressed up in this guise¡­


    But this nest somehow felt more like ¡°home¡± than where she and the dog lived.


    Sherry was a little distracted, but just then, Nina¡¯s voice suddenly broke her train of thought, ¡°Wow! Is it that time already?!¡±


    Sherry turned around and saw Nina, her hair a mess, sitting on the bed with wide eyes. Nina looked up at the window, then noticed Sherry standing beside her, shook her head, and said, ¡°Sherry? Why are you¡­ Ah, right, you stayed over at my place last night¡­¡±


    Then Nina promptly hopped off the bed while chattering away, ¡°Ah, no time to talk, I need to make breakfast¡­¡±


    Mid-chatter, she heard noises from the kitchen and smelled the food, paused for a moment before suddenly realizing, ¡°Oh, uncle is making breakfast today¡­ that¡¯s right, uncle has been feeling better lately¡­ Oh no! School! I¡¯m going to be late for school!¡±


    Before she finished speaking, Nina dashed towards her desk to gather her things but stopped short after two steps, looked up at the calendar on the bedside cabinet, ¡°Wait, that¡¯s wrong, today is a rest day¡­¡±


    Then she spun around on the spot, and with another dive, her head hit the pillow again, ¡°Then I¡¯ll sleep for two more minutes¡­¡±


    Throughout this, Sherry looked on, befuddled as she watched Nina jump out of bed and perform a rapid sequence of dizzying actions, only to end up back where she started as if nothing had happened, with Sherry finding no opportunity to get a word in. It wasn¡¯t until Nina hit the bed again that Sherry hesitantly moved closer, but before she could speak, she saw Nina spring up once more, stretching widely, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m awake now.¡±


    Sherry: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Sherry?¡± Nina turned around, looking spirited at Sherry, ¡°What¡¯s with that expression?¡±


    Sherry: ¡°Do you¡­wake up like this every morning?¡±


    Nina, puzzled: ¡°Ah? Like what?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­¡± Sherry gestured wildly, struggling to find a way to explain, ¡°you jump up, then you do this, then that, and then this and that¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I tend to get confused when I wake up in the morning,¡± Nina actually deciphered the correct information from Sherry¡¯s magical and abstract body language, nodding while beginning to change clothes, ¡°But I¡¯m completely awake now! By the way, Sherry, did you sleep well last night? I¡¯m not very still when I sleep, I hope I didn¡¯t bother you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Sherry was about to reply when a flood of memories hit her. She remembered the confined little cottage, that morning, the receding footsteps and the locked door, and the Abyssal Hound bursting in through the door¡­but after that was an incredible adventure, a bold exploration.


    A little bizarre, a little scary, but¡­ pretty impressive.


    ¡°I slept very well,¡± she smiled, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m quite restless when I sleep too. The dog always says that one day I¡¯m going to dismantle my own bed in my sleep.¡±


    ¡°Uncle used to say the same about me,¡± Nina, now dressed, let out a final yawn, took Sherry¡¯s hand, and headed for the door, ¡°Let¡¯s go now, I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡±


    Thus, Sherry was bewilderingly led out the door, and then she saw Duncan coming out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on his apron, having obviously just finished cooking.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan¡­¡± Sherry became apprehensive subconsciously, even witnessing it firsthand made her feel peculiarly dissonant thinking about such an entity cooking in the kitchen. But she quickly suppressed this dissonance and respectfully lowered her head to greet him, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°`


    Just as the boss had instructed, treat this place like any ordinary place and make yourself at home like a normal person.


    Although she herself had no idea what it was like to visit someone¡¯s home normally, saying hello in the morning was never wrong.


    ¡°What¡¯s for breakfast?¡± Nina had already headed toward the kitchen, craning her neck to look behind Duncan as she went, ¡°It smells delicious!¡±


    ¡°I fried up some little sausages that I bought on my way home yesterday,¡± said Duncan offhandedly as he pressed down on Nina¡¯s head, forcibly turning her toward the bathroom, ¡°Go wash your hands first!¡±


    Then he glanced at Sherry, hands on hips, ¡°And you too, don¡¯t just stand there. Go wash your hands, and while you¡¯re at it, wash your face!¡±


    Sherry was taken aback but hurried after Nina to wash her hands and face, and then she was the first to return to Duncan with her hands outstretched, ¡°¡­All clean.¡±


    After she finished speaking, she started to feel embarrassed, suddenly feeling a bit foolish: for someone nearly an adult, to show her hands to an adult after washing them was more the behavior of a seven-year-old child than a seventeen-year-old¡ªshe didn¡¯t know why she had such a brain fart all of a sudden.


    But Duncan didn¡¯t seem to mind that, he just nodded and while turning to head back to the kitchen, asked casually, ¡°How did you sleep?¡±


    Sherry looked down, ¡°Well, good¡­better than before.¡±


    ¡°Did the injury you received in the Dreamscape affect you in reality?¡± asked Duncan.


    Sherry was startled, remembering that she indeed seemed to have been whipped by some eerie Assailant in her Dreamscape, she promptly raised her left arm and was shocked to see a faint scar!


    Thanks to her robust Self-Healing Trait, the scar had almost healed by now, and it didn¡¯t even feel sore, but there was no doubt that her body in reality had received the same injury when she got hurt in last night¡¯s Dreamscape!


    And at that time, she was as good as trapped in the Dreamscape, so even though her body in the real world was injured, she couldn¡¯t wake up.


    Duncan saw the mark on Sherry¡¯s arm, and his gaze briefly stiffened, then he nodded lightly.


    The abnormal phenomenon wasn¡¯t beyond what had been foreseen.


    That eerie Dreamscape¡­ it couldn¡¯t just be a simple dream.


    ¡°It seems that injuries sustained in that Dreamscape do affect reality in sync,¡± he said seriously to Sherry, ¡°in the future, unless you¡¯re with me, don¡¯t explore that Dreamscape on your own. You¡¯re a strong fighter, but that type of creature that can split, is not affected as much by it.¡±


    Sherry quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment and then added, ¡°Also, if you get trapped in that nightmare again, you can call out directly to me.¡±


    Sherry paused, seemingly a bit slow to catch on, ¡°Call out to you?¡±


    ¡°Call my name, the complete one I told you in the Dreamscape,¡± said Duncan indifferently, ¡°Or, call for Homeloss¡ªpreferably next to something like glass or a mirror that has reflective properties, so I can hear you more clearly.¡±


    As Sherry listened, she suddenly realized something; at the same time, through her mental bond with her dog, she could feel a surge of anxious emotions from the other side.


    ¡°Are¡­ are you asking me to become one of your wards?¡± she asked, looking up with a mix of nervousness and confusion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what ¡®wards¡¯ are, and I¡¯m not asking for anything from you, but you¡¯re a friend of Nina¡¯s and now you¡¯re acting with me¡ªjust a little extra care, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath, yet she dared not reply rashly. Just then, Nina¡¯s cheerful voice suddenly sounded from the kitchen doorway, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡±


    ¡°No need to answer me now,¡± Duncan whispered to Sherry, then looked up at Nina, ¡°Why did it take you so long to wash your hands?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get the sleep out of the corners of my eyes,¡± Nina said, rubbing her eyes, ¡°rubbed them so much it almost hurts¡­¡±


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    ¡°Drink more water these days,¡± Duncan said, resigned, glancing at the girl before asking casually, ¡°By the way, did you have that dream again last night? The one where you¡¯re standing up high, looking down over a fire.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nina thought for a moment and shook her head, ¡°Last night I dreamt that a horse and then a cow were lying on top of me. It was so heavy¡­ Uncle, why are you suddenly asking this?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, just remembered that the psychiatrist is visiting today,¡± Duncan shook his head, dispelling the contemplation from his face momentarily, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    (Time to recommend a book, and this time it¡¯s ¡®The End of Technology¡¯ from Bucket of Pudding. It¡¯s under the science fiction category, and as for its type¡­ perhaps an everyday life story from the perspective of a super genius? In any case, I highly recommend everyone to check it out.)


    ¡°`

 Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 137 "Two Descendants

    Chapter 133: Chapter 137 ¡°Two Descendants


    North of Pland and the city-state of Rensa, beyond the bustling ¡°Great Cross Route,¡± an eternal and cold breath loiters over the seascape known as the ¡°Chill Sea.¡± Under the influence of this seemingly never-dissipating mysterious cold air, the entire Chill Sea displays a visage distinct from other places.


    Here, the sea water shows a profound quality starkly different from warmer regions. Tiny ice fragments often appear where currents meet the islands. Periodically, colossal icebergs rise from below the sea surface, forming temporary barriers or movable lands. These serve as navigational markers or emergency shelters for some sailors making their living in the Chill Sea. Various mysterious cold fogs, icy winds, and phantasmal light phenomena add unique scenic features to this cold maritime area, bringing countless bizarre legends that impart a mystical aura to the two major city-states of Frost and Cold Harbor.


    However, more frequently discussed by captains making a living in the Chill Sea than these predictable icebergs and mostly legendary transcendent phenomena are the terrifyingly real yet enigmatically shrouded fleet active since half a century ago¡ªled by Tirian Abnormal, the son of Duncan Ebnomal, its influence spans a third of the Chill Sea¡¯s routes, known as the Mist Fleet.


    At the edge of an island concealed by special currents and fog barriers, a steel warship with a gunmetal grey hue and rigid lines, its bow jutting high, was quietly docked in the shipyard. Crew members and sailors bustled about, loading the warship with fuel, fresh water, and ammunition.


    If someone familiar with the history of the Frost City-State were standing here, they would immediately notice the sailors still dressed in Frost Navy uniforms from half a century ago and see the white badges worn on their shoulders or chests¡ªsignifying mourning in the Frost tradition.


    In the captain¡¯s quarters atop the warship, a man in a black naval cloak was perusing some documents.


    This man was slim, with a high nose and deep-set eyes, his black hair short and neat. Over his left eye was a black eyepatch made from unknown leather, giving him an even more somber appearance, reminiscent of the notorious ¡°Ghost Captain.¡±


    A large, brightly feathered parrot perched on a nearby wooden stand intently watched a brass device beside the slender man¡ªit was a complex assembly of lenses surrounded by a ring of arms and smaller lenses, with a large crystal ball at its center, luxurious and full of a mysterious ambience.


    Without looking up, the slender man said, ¡°Perly, if you touch it, I¡¯ll send you to the Brilliant Starship next month to be with the puppets and ghosts.¡±


    ¡°Ah, cruel!¡± the large parrot immediately shrieked, shaking its perch, ¡°Ah, cruel! Tirian is such a cruel captain!¡±


    ¡°¡­I really should find out which bastard taught you that,¡± Tirian Abnormal frowned, ¡°Can¡¯t you say something else?¡±


    The large parrot flapped its wings pridefully: ¡°Perly learned by himself! Perly learned by himself!¡±


    Tirian rubbed his forehead, ¡°Dammit, there¡¯s that line too¡­¡±


    Just then, a knock suddenly came from the side, interrupting the exchange between Tirian and the parrot.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Tirian turned and said.


    The door to the captain¡¯s quarters opened, and a tall, bald man walked in.


    His skin was pale, like that of a long-dead body, and his eyes harbored a perpetual murky gloom. A faint fishy smell wafted around him, mixed with a chilling, almost tomb-like coldness.


    A walking corpse, a lingering remnant of a deceased soul.


    Tirian looked at the ¡°living dead¡± entering the room: ¡°Aiden, how much is left for the fuel uptake?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nearly complete, Captain,¡± the tall bald man named Aiden slightly bowed his head, his voice hoarse and rough, a faint cold mist escaping his mouth and nose as he spoke, ¡°The boilers are preheating now.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Tirian nodded slightly, ¡°Any movement from Cold Harbor?¡±


    ¡°Quiet as a stone,¡± Aiden¡¯s tone carried a hint of disdain, ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare offend our territory¡ªeven with only half the Mist Fleet in the Chill Sea, those cowards lack the courage to cross the line.¡±


    ¡°They are wise and adept at precisely calculating the losses and gains, just like half a century ago,¡± Tirian chuckled, ¡°Then go prepare, we¡¯ll depart on schedule.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    The cold breath of death lingered as the first mate pushed open the door and left the room, with Tirian¡¯s gaze gradually retracting.


    His first mate was an ¡°undead,¡± and in fact, aside from him the ¡°Long-Lived One,¡± everyone in the Mist Fleet was this type of being, teetering between life and death.


    His loyal subordinates had faithfully served in this fleet for half a century.


    In a way, he himself, cursed by Subspace to never die, was no different from his crew members.


    Tirian shook his head, and just then, the brass device at his side suddenly emitted a mechanical sound¡ªturning towards the noise, he saw the complex levers and lenses moving rapidly and arranging themselves in a specific pattern, focusing the lens at the center of the Crystal Ball. The next moment, the Crystal Ball emitted a faint glow, and a blurry image emerged.


    A young lady with black straight hair, clad in a black silk dress, with delicate features exuding a hint of cold mystery appeared in the Crystal Ball¡ªbehind her, one could faintly see many Magical Mechanisms operating automatically and specks of phosphorescent light floating in the air.


    ¡°Lucrecia,¡± Tirian glanced at the lady in the Crystal Ball and nodded slightly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to remember to send greetings before your brother embarked.¡±


    The young lady in the Crystal Ball was about to speak, but paused upon hearing Tirian¡¯s words, ¡°You¡¯re leaving today?¡±


    Tirian frowned, ¡°¡­ didn¡¯t you send greetings because I was leaving today?!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the lady, carrying an air of a mystic mage, shook her head calmly, ¡°My Deep Sea Detector exploded.¡±


    Tirian¡¯s lips twitched, then he heard his sister continue, ¡°Everything else is easy to fix, but I can¡¯t find a replacement for the core crystal lens.¡±


    Tirian remained expressionless.


    ¡°Do you have any new ones? I¡¯ll trade you border minerals and samples for it.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Only two City-States can produce the Spirit Realm lenses that meet your precision requirements, and the main trade channels are controlled by the Academy of Truth, the number that circulates outward is extremely, extremely¡­ limited,¡± Tirian finally couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°It¡¯s only been two months since the last time you wrecked your detector¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve found a very interesting sample, possibly drifted up from the Abyssal Sea,¡± Lucrecia said.


    ¡°¡­ Samples from the Abyssal Sea won¡¯t work either, although those things really can be sold to the Academy of Truth¡­¡±


    ¡°I also collected phantasms left from the collapse of the border.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Tirian rubbed his forehead with a headache, ¡°Mainly, I really don¡¯t know where to find you a new set of lenses right now¡­¡±


    Lucrecia pondered, ¡°Robbery?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t always rely on robbery,¡± Tirian sighed, ¡°The Mist Fleet is preparing for legitimate operations, we¡¯re primarily relying on protection fees now¡­¡±


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    ¡°Oh, then forget it,¡± Lucrecia finally shrugged; her first part of the statement relieved Tirian, but the latter half made the renowned pirate leader tense, ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask again tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ Oh well, I can¡¯t possibly stop your exploratory plans,¡± Tirian eventually sighed helplessly (he didn¡¯t know how many times he had sighed in just these few minutes), ¡°Tell me about your situation, my ¡®respectable¡¯ great explorer sister¡­ You wander the frontiers of the civilized world all day, have you really discovered any signs that our world is heading towards its end?¡±


    ¡°I can detect your mockery, brother,¡± Lucrecia said expressionlessly, ¡°You¡¯ve always been disdainful of my urgency, never really cared about what I¡¯ve discovered at the border. I understand that you are focused on more practical matters, and hence I appreciate even more that you have provided all possible help even when you don¡¯t understand. But don¡¯t forget, our father¡­ the warning he once made.¡±


    ¡°¡­Our world is just a heap of dying embers¡­¡± Tirian leaned back in his chair, murmuring as if sighing, ¡± I still don¡¯t know what exactly he saw that day, but one thing is clear, he was already mad when he made that warning¡ªand you are repeating the same actions he once took, even trying to uncover the truth that drove him to madness.¡±


    Tirian shook his head and looked seriously at the figure in the Crystal Ball, ¡°Lucrecia, one Homeloss in this world is already bad enough.¡±

 Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 138 Brilliant Starship

    Chapter 134: Chapter 138 Brilliant Starship


    ¡°In a world where just one Homeloss exists, could things possibly get any worse?¡±


    In the divination room lit by dim candlelight, Lucricia sat quietly on a high-backed chair with a velvet cushion. She gazed at the crystal ball resting on the table, yet her mind inexplicably drifted back to events long past, on an afternoon a century ago¡­


    That figure, now slightly blurred in her memory, stood on the deck, against the gradually sinking sun on the horizon. His tall frame appeared as a flickering, phantom flame in the sunset, and in a deep, suppressed tone she had never heard before, he told her,


    ¡°Our world is but a cluster of dying embers¡­¡±


    By now, she certainly knew that her father had already succumbed to madness by then and that he would soon completely abandon his humanity to willingly embrace the ¡°blessing¡± of Subspace. Yet, she still occasionally wondered, what if she had spoken more with her father that day, earnestly asked about the meaning of his words, or what he had seen on the edge of the world; would things have turned out differently?


    Perhaps her father¡¯s madness was inevitable, perhaps the creation of Homeloss was a predetermined fact engraved in the river of time¡ªimmutable. But at least, she would have known how it all happened, known where to seek the truth¡ªinstead of now, aimlessly wandering the borders in this cursed ship where even the Church inspectors dared not tread.


    ¡°Lucricia, are you still listening?¡±


    Tirian¡¯s voice suddenly emerged from the crystal ball, startling the young lady who had been somewhat lost in thought at the table. Lucricia shook her head, casting aside the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind.


    ¡°Brother,¡± she said solemnly, looking into the crystal ball at Tirian, her tone becoming serious, ¡°do you remember the last words Father said before he sailed to the borderlands? That time he didn¡¯t let us follow¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, I remember,¡± Tirian nodded, ¡°he said he had found a clue to anomaly 000 and was going to find ¡®a cure for this world.¡¯ He refused not only the two of us but also a few other escorting ships¡ªafter he and Homeloss returned, both he and that ship had changed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, all the crew on Homeloss stopped speaking, as if struck by a Curse of Silence. Father was still sane enough to communicate with us then. He said he had not found anomaly 000, then claimed that even if anomaly 000 existed, it was not the origin point causing the world¡¯s distortion, that the supposed cure never existed from the start¡ªuntil the day he told us on the sunset deck that ¡®the world is a bundle of embers,¡¯ he had never revealed anything related to that trip to the borders¡­¡±


    Tirian inside the crystal ball fell silent, and after an unknown length of time, it was Lucricia who spoke again, ¡°After that, I made contact with the Church fleets patrolling near the borders, including the Fire Transmitter, deep-sea clerics, scholars from the Academy of Truth, and even those gloomy death cultists. I asked around about anomaly 000 but they all claimed such a numbered anomaly or phenomenon could not exist¡­¡±


    ¡°I asked around too,¡± Tirian¡¯s voice deepened, ¡°I received the same replies¡­ there are no anomalies or phenomena numbered zero in the world, not because there are none currently, but because there is no corresponding ¡®slot¡¯¡ª


    ¡°The list originally leaked from the Tomb of the Nameless King had already detailed all numbers. Every undiscovered or unformed anomaly and phenomenon has its own slot to fill, even ¡®mycelium bottles¡¯ and ¡®fungus islands¡¯ that evolved over the course of history had their slots planned in advance, but at the start of the entire list, there was simply no zero position¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s why I say, Father was probably not in his right mind even before he left for the borders; he couldn¡¯t have been unaware of this information.¡±


    At this point, Tirian suddenly halted, then raised his head to look at Lucricia in the crystal ball, his expression becoming particularly serious, ¡°Why bring up this topic suddenly? We haven¡¯t spoken about this for half a century¡ªwhat are you planning to do?¡±


    ¡°¡­.Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t dive headfirst into that grand wall of fog like Father,¡± Lucricia, rarely expressive, managed a slight smile this time, ¡°I am looking for clues left by Father, certainly not to tread his old path.¡±


    Tirian was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded, ¡°¡­.That¡¯s good.¡±


    Lucricia then fell silent; the siblings, separated by vast distances and having rarely met in person over the past century, each harbored their own thoughts. It was only when the distant, faint sound of a whistle from Sea Mist reached through the crystal ball that Lucricia finally broke the silence, ¡°Are you really going to Prandt? Because of that Governor¡¯s ¡®invitation¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The ¡®invitation¡¯ doesn¡¯t matter, I don¡¯t care about the safety issues of that City-State, but that Governor mentioned in the letter that Homeloss has reappeared in the real world, convincingly so; I must check it out,¡± Tirian spoke earnestly, ¡°That ship hasn¡¯t reappeared in nearly half a century, its sudden appearance is indeed suspicious.¡±


    After pondering for a moment, Lucricia asked, ¡°Half a century ago, you encountered Homeloss once when you were in Frost¡­ was it really Homeloss you saw at that time?¡±


    ¡°¡­.Absolutely, though unbelievable, it was indeed Homeloss,¡± Tirian¡¯s voice was deep, ¡°I could never confuse the positions of its masts or the distribution of its rigging.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ the man standing on the ship then, was it really ¡®Father¡¯?¡±


    Tirian slightly lowered his head, his face hidden in the shadows, ¡°¡­It¡¯s him, although I wish it weren¡¯t.¡±


    Luny looked at her brother through the crystal ball and hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, ¡°Be very careful, if it really is him, you¡¯ll be in great danger.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Tirian sighed softly, ¡°he has now become a frenzied ghost completely warped by subspace. I wouldn¡¯t take him lightly¡­¡±


    Luny shook her head expressionlessly, ¡°No, what I mean is, if it really is father, seeing you¡¯ve turned the Sea Mist into a big pile of iron, he¡¯d strike with even more force than half a century ago.¡±


    Tirian was stunned for a moment and then his eyes widened, ¡°What do you mean by that? This is an efficient modernization! What¡¯s wrong with steam boilers and rapid-fire cannons! And you have the nerve to criticize me¡ª I at least kept parts of it intact, while your ship doesn¡¯t have a single piece of the deck from the Brilliant Starship anymore¡­¡±


    The crystal ball went dark.


    Luny exhaled softly and stood up from her chair.


    Her brother was still spirited, his curiosity about modern things thrived momentarily upon stimulation, which was good.


    In the endless eternity, the most dreaded thing was mental decay, the rotting of the soul.


    A series of light footsteps accompanied by the friction sound of mechanical gears and spring mechanisms came from the darkness. Luny followed the sound and saw a clockwork magic doll with a feminine appearance walking towards her ¡ª it resembled her by sixty percent but was overtly adorned with rivets and mechanical joints. The main material of its shell, crafted from fine steel and ceramics, was fashioned into a maid¡¯s dress, which looked somewhat eerie and terrifying under the dim light.


    As the doll approached, the ticking from its spring mechanism continued, and when it reached Luny, it handed her a cup of tea. Its articulated mouth clicked as it spoke in a slightly stiff and monotonous female voice, ¡°Mistress, please enjoy your tea.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Luny took the teacup and asked casually, ¡°Luny, where are we now?¡±


    The magic doll named Luny responded, ¡°The Brilliant Starship has just passed ¡®Foghorn Island¡¯ and is now sailing on the edge of the Eternal Veil. Would you like to enjoy the view outside?¡±


    ¡°¡­Open the dome,¡± Luny took a sip of the tea and placed the teacup back onto Luny¡¯s tray, ¡°it¡¯s daylight, and I should catch some sun.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress.¡±


    Luny bowed slightly and backed away.


    As the clockwork doll finished speaking, the entire ¡°Divination Room¡± suddenly shook slightly!


    The creaking of mechanical devices intensified, and the buzzing and rustling sounds of gigantic springs and magic units, mingled like a concerto, filled the air. Amid countless gears and slides, the walls of the room began to retract and unfold, and the originally dimly lit room was instantly brightened by sunlight¡ªunder the sunlight, the entire room bloomed slowly like a mechanical flower, eventually unfolding into a stage-like appearance.


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    This was the upper deck of the Brilliant Starship. The ¡°Sea Witch¡± Luny¡¯s room bloomed at the forefront of the deck into a towering stage, and around this blooming mechanical flower, the entirety of the Brilliant Starship could be seen¡ª


    The ship had been split in two.


    The front half of the ship had been drastically transformed, adorned with countless runes and magical contraptions, making it look less like a ship and more like a huge magical mechanism. Various exotic materials gathered from border regions or the sea had reconstructed the ship¡¯s deck structure, lending a bizarre, hallucinogenic color to everything in sight, almost as if an unending magic ritual was ongoing among those intricate arrays and crystals;


    Meanwhile, the ship¡¯s rear half presented a stark contrast¡ªthere, half of the ship¡¯s body appeared ghostly with a translucent form, shrouded by a veil thin as mist, wherein fleeting phantasmal lights floated, faintly revealing that section¡¯s structure still maintaining the original appearance of the ship¡ª


    A sail warship built a century ago, vaguely resembling the style of the Homeloss.

 Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 139: The People Defending the Border

    Chapter 135: Chapter 139: The People Defending the Border


    A century ago, the Brilliant Starship and Sea Mist, much like the Homeloss, were both escort ships.


    However, few people knew what those two legendary warships had been through after parting ways with the Homeloss and how they gradually transformed into their current state.


    Commanded by ¡°Iron Marshal¡± Terrian, Sea Mist, after several handovers, became a main warship of Frost City-State, known to people as the ¡°Unsinkable Ship¡± and the ¡°Breathing Corpse.¡± The ship was heavily damaged multiple times in battle, yet it seemed as if a deathless soul dominated it, allowing it to struggle out of an almost certain fate of sinking time after time, slowly turning into an iron behemoth with almost every defiance of shipbuilding principles in its repeated transformations.


    It was said that the ship would directly consume steel and seabed deposits for sustenance, growing out turrets and armor plates bit by bit during its unmanned night voyages.


    As for the Brilliant Starship, inherited by the ¡°Sea Witch¡± Lucresia, it maintained an even denser veil of mystery since it seldom approached the civilized world¡ªin fact, apart from a few members of the Explorers¡¯ Association and the church fleets that often patrolled the frontier, ordinary captains on the Endless Sea hardly had a chance to lay eyes on the ship.


    Those who were fortunate enough to see the Brilliant Starship described it thus:


    ¡°It clearly no longer belongs entirely to our reality. That ship has truly sunk at least once, and during its journey in the Endless Sea, it lost half of its structure. One side of it remained like a ghost vessel, a remnant from a century ago, while the other half, under the power of the witch, twisted into bizarre shapes, with the bow draped with cursed objects from the deep sea. It was cluttered with clanking machinery and magical gear. The crew had long perished, replaced by soulless clockwork automatons and cursed dolls running about the deck.


    ¡°Without a doubt, that ship is a corpse sailing through the seas¡ªor rather, half of a deformed corpse, dragging along its half soul.¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s gaze drifted slowly over her command ship, nodding slightly with satisfaction.


    The Brilliant Starship was in good shape, and her crew was content.


    She knew how the world described her ship¡ªand how they described her brother¡¯s Sea Mist. She knew many captains feared them, second only to their father who had returned from Subspace.


    But she did not care; she rarely interacted with humans on a regular basis, and those she did engage with were either incredibly brave, possessed profound knowledge, or had at least experienced some true adventures. Those people could communicate with her in a rational manner, which was enough.


    She and her brother were still considered part of the real world, seen as ¡°standing with humanity,¡± despite many feeling that both Sea Mist and Brilliant Starship were cursed; the aforementioned perceptions would not change.


    Ultimately, in a world teeming with curses, where nearly every City-State lived amidst countless abnormalities and apparitions, where even modern human civilization was described as ¡°cursed,¡± it was reasonable to reserve some room for two such peculiar ships.


    Lucresia walked slowly from her mechanical-flower-like ¡°stage¡± toward the bow deck, where two clockwork puppets wearing comical masks clinked past her, and a large doll made of velvet, silk, and ribbons ran up to her, chirping in a thin voice, ¡°Mistress! Mistress! Good morning! Good morning!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost noon,¡± Lucresia said offhandedly, bypassing the doll to stand at the bow and gaze into the distance.


    There she saw a majestic gray-white wall of fog, standing like a colossal curtain at the world¡¯s edge on the distant sea, connecting the sky and ocean in an imposing and grand posture.


    That was the ¡°Border.¡±


    The grand wall of fog had many names¡ªWorld¡¯s Frontier, Grand Mist, Mist Barrier, but its most official term was the ¡°Eternal Veil.¡±


    However, Lucresia preferred to simply call it ¡°Border.¡±


    That¡¯s how her father had once referred to it.


    Normally, the Eternal Veil acted like a circular barrier, encompassing all known seas and undulating slightly within a fixed range, never shrinking nor expanding, just a constant natural phenomenon.


    But on rare occasions, part of the barrier would suddenly ¡°appear¡± within the boundaries of civilization and cause catastrophic disasters during its inward collapse, dragging nearby physical matter into the deeper realms of the world and even opening gateways directly to Subspace¡ªthese terrifying disasters were known as ¡°Border Collapses.¡±


    For captains frequently navigating the Endless Sea, Border Collapses were more dreadful than storms, turbulent currents, or mass hysteria.


    The only good news was that such collapses were infrequent.


    Lucresia spent most of her time in the Border regions, observing and studying the Border, and had even tried to deduce the underlying mechanisms of its sudden inward collapses¡ªher father had done the same a century ago.


    Yet, to this day, no one had unraveled the secrets behind this veil.


    What had her father discovered, or ¡°heard,¡± that made him suddenly decide to cross through the mist in search of Anomaly Zero?


    Lucresia withdrew her gaze from the borderland.


    In the borderland, one should not stare at the Eternal Veil for long. Although there was no clear evidence that the dense fog could devour one¡¯s mind or influence thoughts, watching any target on the surface of the Endless Sea, especially in places far from the civilized City-States, naturally carried risks.


    Heaven knew what things could spread with a ¡°gaze.¡±


    A melodious steam whistle broke the calm of this borderland sea.


    Lucresia looked toward the sound and saw small silhouettes suddenly emerging from the edge of the thick fog wall. The silhouettes gradually approached and finally outlined ships.


    There were three vessels, the newest steel warships powered by robust steam cores, heading towards the location of Brilliant Starship, but it was just a chance encounter.


    The other party sounded the whistle first, a greeting¡ªin this borderland, meeting anyone who wasn¡¯t an Evil God from Subspace was a cause for joy.


    ¡°Mistress,¡± Luny approached, her clockwork maid¡¯s voice mechanically emanating, ¡°It¡¯s the Church¡¯s patrol fleet¡­ visual confirmation, Fire Transmitters.¡±


    ¡°¡­Only the Fire Transmitters and Storm Cultists would patrol so close to the Eternal Veil,¡± Lucresia muttered softly, ¡°A bunch of daredevils.¡±


    ¡°Should we respond?¡± Luny asked.


    ¡°¡­ Sound the whistle in greeting,¡± Lucresia whispered, ¡°To our civilization that still endures.¡±


    ¡­


    Today, the antique shop had few customers, with only an unremarkable pair of ornaments sold in the morning, after which no one else stepped through the door.


    Nina sat next to the counter with a mechanical engineering textbook, studying its intricate mechanical structures intently, occasionally picking up a sketchbook next to her to doodle in the blank spaces. Duncan sat inside the counter, curiously flipping through Nina¡¯s history textbook while casually making notes in his own notebook.


    Only Sherry had nothing to do. She wanted to go home but didn¡¯t dare to leave. She wanted to chat with Nina but didn¡¯t understand the material Nina was studying. Extremely bored, she wandered between the nearby shelves several times before finally muttering, ¡°Is reading really that interesting?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting!¡± Nina looked up, ¡°And I have my final exams coming up. I need to hurry and revise.¡±


    Duncan also glanced at Sherry. ¡°If you¡¯re really bored, you could find a book to read too¡­ I have a Brief History of the City-State Era here, interested?¡±


    Sherry looked at the books near Duncan, opened her mouth, and her face showing an awkward expression, ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t read¡­¡±


    Duncan stopped reading abruptly, and Nina also looked up in surprise.


    ¡°Why are you so surprised,¡± Sherry, feeling somewhat hurt by their reactions, widened her eyes, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve told you I sneaked into school, I¡­ is it so strange that I never went to school, that I was raised by a dog¡­¡±


    Duncan was indeed surprised, but seeing Sherry¡¯s reaction, he felt more reflective, ¡°You not knowing how to read but still managing to sneak into school confidently; I don¡¯t know whether to call you overly confident or too trusting of Ardog¡¯s unreliable cognitive interference capabilities.¡±


    ¡°Ardog¡¯s cognitive interference capabilities are very reliable!¡± Sherry immediately defended, ¡°It just¡­ just¡­¡±


    The girl¡¯s face turned slightly red, seemingly hesitant to continue, but Duncan guessed what she wanted to say and showed a slight smile, ¡°You¡¯re already arguing with me¡ªlook, it¡¯s not that scary, is it?¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s right, my uncle is so kind,¡± Nina, the na?ve girl, randomly chimed in, ¡°He used to be a bit irritable for a while, but he¡¯s all good now!¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Sherry opened her mouth but suddenly didn¡¯t know how to communicate with the ¡°uncle and niece¡± in front of her. After struggling for a while, she couldn¡¯t even form a second word.


    Duncan smiled and shook his head, but just as he was about to say something more, a slightly familiar scent suddenly appeared in his senses!


    Duncan was momentarily startled. The next second, he recognized who the scent belonged to¡ª


    Fenna! The young Judge was approaching the antique shop¡­ and quickly!

 Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 140 Two Guests

    Chapter 136: Chapter 140 Two Guests


    In Duncan¡¯s perception, Fenna¡¯s presence was rapidly approaching the antique shop, and she wasn¡¯t moving in a straight line. She would frequently change directions, with abnormal pauses in her movement.


    A Judge from the Upper City District, suddenly visiting this antique shop in the Lower City District? And with such a bizarre trajectory?


    The moment the young Deep Sea Judge¡¯s presence appeared in his perception, Duncan slightly furrowed his brows and then subconsciously glanced at Sherry.


    Could it be because of Sherry? Had the Deep Sea Church finally discovered a ¡°Summoner¡± walking with Profound Demons hidden in the city? Or was it because of himself? His own actions were always careful, and there was absolutely no slip up that could point towards Homeloss, at most, the original Sun Cultist identity of this body might be exposed¡­ But that shouldn¡¯t be enough to alarm a distinguished Judge, right?


    The purposeful and circuitous path of that approaching presence was definitely not of someone casually passing by, but of someone with a strong intent.


    His thoughts rapidly fluctuating, Duncan casually glanced at Nina who was reading beside him, stood up, and went towards the entrance of the antique shop.


    Sherry noticed his actions and subconsciously followed, ¡°Mr. Duncan? What¡¯s happening¡­¡±


    ¡°Stay in the shop.¡± Duncan looked at Sherry, who should be classified as a ¡°heretic¡± regardless, and instructed her to stay put. Then he moved to the store¡¯s entrance to look in the direction from where the presence was emanating.


    And then he understood why Fenna¡¯s presence was approaching so rapidly¡ª


    She had driven there.


    A deep grey steam-powered vehicle screeched to a halt in front of the antique shop. The door opened and two people stepped down¡ªone was Fenna, who, despite being in casual clothes, was still exceptionally tall, and the other was Miss Heidi, the mental physician he had met once before.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He slightly reflected on the chaotic thoughts that had flooded his mind when he first sensed the rapidly approaching presence, realizing he shouldn¡¯t have assumed all matters related to the Transcendent to be so ethereal and swift. The brief pauses in Fenna¡¯s approach were probably her waiting for traffic lights¡­


    Then he saw Miss Heidi energetically waving at him and cheerfully greeted, ¡°Mr. Duncan!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched. Seeing Fenna in casual attire, he realized he had overthought the situation but still deliberately took an extra look at the Judge as he approached and managed to express a fittingly surprised tone, ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you must recognize her; there¡¯s nobody in this city who doesn¡¯t¡ªour respected Judge, Miss Fenna Wayne,¡± Heidi said with a teasing smile, ¡°but today she¡¯s on leave, so just relax¡ªshe¡¯s my friend. After hearing about the museum incident, she insisted on coming over to offer her thanks¡­ and to inquire about a few things.¡±


    ¡°Friend?¡± Duncan¡¯s surprise had a hint of authenticity this time, something he hadn¡¯t anticipated, ¡°I certainly didn¡¯t expect you to bring such a distinguished person¡­¡±


    ¡°Calling me ¡®distinguished¡¯ is a bit too much, Mr. Duncan,¡± Fenna, who had been assessing the antique shop owner discreetly since the beginning, now spoke with a smile. Her voice was slightly husky and low, with a magnetic texture¡ªalthough for Duncan, this wasn¡¯t the first time he had heard the Judge¡¯s voice, ¡°Just treat me as a regular customer. As Heidi said, I¡¯m on leave today¡ªI came mainly to thank you for assisting Heidi at the museum, and to casually understand a few things¡­ please rest assured, this isn¡¯t an official inquiry.¡±


    Understand a few things?


    Duncan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much; he just maintained his usual friendly smile and turned to invite the two special guests inside, ¡°Then let¡¯s not stand at the door, please come in¡ªjust in time, it¡¯s quiet in the shop today; now it can liven up a bit.¡±


    While saying this, he walked towards the antique shop. Upon entering, the first thing he saw was Sherry, who was curiously poking her head out to check what was happening outside. He casually ruffled the girl¡¯s hair, ¡°Behave calmly.¡±


    Sherry blinked, ¡°Calmly for what¡­¡±


    The next second, she knew why she needed to be calm.


    She saw the Judge, the pinnacle of the Plunder City-State Church¡¯s martial might, stride in. The big sister, towering over one meter ninety, walked past the little dwarf who was less than one meter sixty, bringing not just a visual oppression.


    Sherry almost blurted out subconsciously, ¡°Wow¡­ wow, you¡¯re really tall!¡±


    Fenna instinctively stopped, gave a glance at the girl who stood beside her with a strange expression and her muscles all tensed up, and nodded friendly, ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s called Sherry,¡± Duncan chimed in casually, ¡°helps out at my shop. She was also at the scene when the museum incident happened. Miss Heidi must have mentioned her to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Sherry?¡± Fenna nodded, matching the description she had heard to the person before her eyes, ¡°Indeed, a cute little sister.¡±


    At this moment, Nina, who was reading next to the counter, heard the commotion and ran over. The first thing she saw was the impressively tall Fenna. She recognized the famous Judge and exclaimed in surprise, much like Sherry had.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like going out with you,¡± Heidi, who had been standing behind Fenna and unnoticed by Nina, could not help but speak up, ¡°Once you stand there, all the attention is drawn to you¡ªI¡¯m supposed to be the protagonist today, okay?¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to attract attention in this way either,¡± Fenna looked at her friend expressionlessly, ¡°I¡¯ve tried to make myself look as ordinary as possible today.¡±


    ¡°¡­Never mind, I¡¯m used to it.¡± Heidi sighed, then greeted Nina and Sherry, before taking out the gift she brought, and handing it to Duncan.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what you¡¯d like, but it¡¯s impolite to visit without a gift. This is from my father, for you. He said someone with such broad interests in history and the occult like you would appreciate this.¡±


    ¡°Really, it¡¯s too kind of you. It was no trouble at all,¡± Duncan said politely, taking the gift¡ªa wooden box that seemed to have some years on it. He opened it on the spot, looking puzzled at the contents, ¡°This is¡­¡±


    It was a book, a fine and valuable one by the looks of it, something that scholars from the Upper City District would keep in their collections. On the rich purple hardcover were beautifully ornate letters:


    ¡°The City-State and the Gods¡±


    ¡°This is a book from my father¡¯s collection, now quite rare to see on the market,¡± Heidi said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s a work by the great natural and theological scholar Maldino Victor from a century ago, describing the historical changes of the City-State era and the influence of various divine faiths, including the Four True Gods, on civilized society. He thought you would like this sort of thing.¡±


    Duncan silently admired the beautiful book in the box, slowly revealing a smile.


    ¡°Of course, I really like it, please thank Mr. Morris for me.¡±


    After exchanging pleasantries and getting comfortable¡ªsince there were no customers that day¡ªDuncan simply closed the door of the antique shop and turned the fairly spacious first floor into a reception area.


    Nina moved two chairs over, Duncan made the best coffee the shop had to offer for their guests, Sherry pretended to arrange the shelves but actually found a corner to minimize her presence, and Fenna curiously examined the seemingly unremarkable little shop. Meanwhile, Heidi had already placed her ¡°medicine box¡± on the counter and began talking to Nina: ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the point. I heard you¡¯ve been troubled by nightmares lately, and you¡¯re often in a daze?¡±


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    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not exactly nightmares, just a strange recurring dream¡­¡± Nina didn¡¯t expect Miss Heidi to be so brisk. She was taken aback for a moment before answering, ¡°I keep dreaming that I¡¯m standing in a very high place, like on top of a tower, and then I see several blocks below have been burnt to ashes. There aren¡¯t any scary things appearing though¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Heidi gestured with her hand while opening the medicine box and casually continued, ¡°Recurring scenes, high places, fires, and no frightening, tangible things, but the dreamscape repeatedly visiting causes an inability to relieve mental fatigue¡­ Let¡¯s have a look¡­¡±


    Nina peeked into Heidi¡¯s medicine box, immediately noticing the chisels, axes, saws, and various bottles and jars, and instinctively shrank back a bit: ¡°Um¡­ Miss Heidi¡­ can I forgo the treatment? I actually think my condition isn¡¯t that bad¡­¡±


    Duncan also caught sight of the contents of Heidi¡¯s medicine box, his eyebrows twitching, ¡°Pardon my boldness¡ªis this truly necessary for mental treatment?¡±


    Was this elegant and gentle physician actually a psychiatrist or a vet?!

 Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 141 Mr. Duncan, Honest and Reliable

    Chapter 137: Chapter 141 Mr. Duncan, Honest and Reliable


    It turned out that in this world, filled with bizarre elements, ¡°Mental Treatment¡± was a skill far harder than Duncan had imagined¡ªit had surpassed what the word ¡°skill¡± could describe and headed directly toward what one might call ¡°craft¡±¡­


    Fortunately, the box of things Heidi brought wasn¡¯t for Nina. Seeing the terrified expressions on the faces of the uncle and niece, the mental therapist Ms. flashed a smile that said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen this reaction from my clients far too often.¡± She then pulled out a printed form from the bottom of the box and handed it to Nina, ¡°You can start by filling this out roughly.¡±


    Nina breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°I thought these¡­ tools were prepared for me.¡±


    ¡°This is what I use for my job¡ªwhen working for the authorities and the church,¡± Heidi chuckled, ¡°I often deal with extremely paranoid and stubborn threats, and ordinary methods can¡¯t pry open their heretically fortified skulls.¡±


    The more Duncan listened, the more he felt something was off. Sherry, who was beside him and tried to make herself inconspicuous yet couldn¡¯t help but eavesdrop, instinctively shrank her neck. She quickly moved to a farther spot, pretending to dust the shelves while mentally communicating through her link with the hidden Ah-Dog, ¡°So scary, so scary¡­ This place is terrifying¡­ Mr. Duncan is already scary enough, why did a Judge appear¡­ And that Heidi¡­¡±


    Ah-Dog¡¯s voice resonated within her, sounding even more ethereal, ¡°How the hell would I know why! Who knows why we¡¯d get caught by a Ghost Ship captain on land, and while being with a Ghost Ship captain, a Judge from the church would pay a visit¡ªhas either the world gone mad or have we? Would you believe it if you said it out loud?¡±


    While Sherry covertly paid attention to the noises near the counter, she frowned and murmured in her mind, ¡°Who would believe that, it¡¯s like telling a fish it would die in a car accident¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t mention ¡®fish¡¯, I¡¯m scared¡­¡±


    Sherry was startled, ¡°Ah-Dog, since when did you start fearing fish?¡±


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t talk to me, don¡¯t let the Judge notice anything¡ªalthough theoretically I¡¯m in a hidden state, by Mr. Duncan¡¯s side, I always feel like my abilities are hit or miss¡­¡±


    Sherry quickly gathered her thoughts and walked towards another end of the shelf, while the people by the counter clearly didn¡¯t pay much attention to the inconspicuous Sherry.


    Nina, looking at the form before her, noticed that it was filled with fairly standard psychological assessment items, no different from the psychological measurement forms she¡¯d fill out in school before a Mysticism lesson or visiting a museum, only with slightly more questions and a few uncommon ones.


    As she began filling it out, she said curiously, ¡°I heard you mention earlier that your treatment methods were more professional, so I thought you wouldn¡¯t use these ordinary forms¡­¡±


    ¡°Filling out forms is the basic step in psychological measurement, but unlike those amateurs, their diagnosing often ends after the form is filled,¡± Heidi smiled while she took off a purple crystal pendant around her neck and fiddled with it, saying casually, ¡°My treatment only truly begins as you fill out the form.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s gaze inadvertently fell on Heidi¡¯s crystal pendant, curious, ¡°I¡¯ve seen you wearing that new pendant these past few days¡­ You seem to really like it?¡±


    Heidi paused, looked down at the pendant in her hand, as if remembering something, but then shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s just a rare gift from my father¡ªthat said, Fenna, did you know? This pendant was ¡®bought¡¯ from this shop.¡±


    She emphasized ¡°bought¡± as if trying to forcefully deny the fact that it was merely a complimentary item. Duncan, standing nearby, smiled and nodded lightly, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a product of this store¡ªmay this pendant bring you good luck.¡±


    Fenna couldn¡¯t help but take another glance at the clearly counterfeit ¡°crystal¡± pendant, almost blurting out: Such a renowned scholar as Morris fell for this too?!


    But she restrained herself considering Duncan present at the scene; the words hovered near her bronchus and then returned to her lung lobes. Meanwhile, Nina swiftly completed the form, pushed it to Heidi, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve finished, do you see any problems?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve observed everything as you filled it out¡ªincluding all your subtle expressions and movements,¡± Heidi straightforwardly collected the paper, and said bluntly, ¡°You have a psychological shadow lurking for many years? Have you had additional stress recently causing you to recall this shadow occasionally? Your bizarre dreams have eased these past days¡­ Has the stress disappeared, or has it transitioned?¡±


    Nina unwittingly widened her eyes as if something deep had been touched upon, then she instinctively glanced towards Duncan with a hesitant expression on her face.


    ¡°We need a quiet and private environment for further psychological easing and release,¡± Heidi looked up at Duncan and said, ¡°Of course, this firstly requires the permission of you, her guardian, and Ms. Nina¡¯s cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs,¡± Duncan nodded, looking at Nina, ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Nina nodded obediently with not a sign of protest, though a hint of nervousness still lingered in her eyes, which did not escape Heidi¡¯s notice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nina, it¡¯s just simple mental relaxation techniques¡ªyou really have no problem at all, it¡¯s just a bit of stress and anxiety,¡± Heidi said with a reassuring smile, her calming aura seemingly emanated from her smile, which effortlessly smoothed away the tension in Nina¡¯s heart. She casually closed her medical kit and set it aside, ¡°I think we don¡¯t even need any tools, incense, or medication; I¡¯ll just ask you a few questions.¡±


    Only then did Nina fully relax. She nodded at Duncan and then walked upstairs with Heidi.


    The sound of their footsteps gradually faded away up the staircase.


    Sherry was still hiding far away, busily tidying the junk in the corner.


    Eventually, only Duncan and the Judge sitting opposite him remained by the counter.


    Today was the first time Duncan had met face-to-face with the Judge who, by a strange twist of fate, had left the imprint of the Spiritual Body fire on her. At this very moment, he could more clearly perceive the imprint in Fenna¡¯s body, feeling how this originally faint imprint was slowly growing stronger due to his proximity.


    Even without physical contact, the spark was still replenished from the ¡°source,¡± and began to smolder and spread within Fenna¡¯s soul.


    After realizing this, Duncan consciously controlled the growth of the imprint¡ªhe didn¡¯t want the mysterious Storm Goddess to notice this imprint, as it would cost him the loss of Fenna, a unique ¡°node.¡±


    He was curious about Fenna, strictly speaking, about her priestly status and the faith behind her.


    From another perspective, Fenna was also curiously observing the place and ¡°Mr. Duncan¡± sitting opposite her.


    She had indeed come here today to join Heidi in expressing their thanks, but there was another reason: there were far too many suspicious aspects in that museum fire.


    Theoretically, it was impossible for the fierce fire to extinguish abruptly¡ªHeidi had seen a projection resembling a Sun Shard in the fire, and Duncan, a mere commoner, had rushed into the fire to save people, emerging unscathed with the trapped individuals¡ªalthough no concrete evidence could be found to interlink these facts, her intuition told her that she should check out this antique shop.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± Fenna was the first to break the silence, her expression calm as she looked at Duncan, ¡°About the fire at the museum, I have some things I want to understand, may I?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Duncan nodded reassuringly, ¡°I was at the scene; I should be able to provide some information.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation,¡± Fenna nodded lightly, ¡°You rushed in to save people, and the fire in the museum was still burning at the time, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Duncan nodded without hesitation¡ªsince he didn¡¯t know how much information the Judge had, he decided to tell the truth about some potentially incriminating details, ¡°The fire was huge, especially in the direction of the corridor leading to the main exhibition hall; it was almost completely ablaze.¡±


    ¡°But you all came out unscathed in the end,¡± Fenna continued to inquire, ¡°Can you tell me what happened after you entered the museum?¡±


    Duncan appeared thoughtful, pondering for two or three seconds before responding uncertainly, ¡°I, too, find it unbelievable that I got out alive¡­ but at that moment, the fire in the museum just went out, can you imagine? It wasn¡¯t extinguished by the external fire hoses, nor did it burn itself out after the flammable material was consumed¡ª it just went out suddenly, even the smoke disappeared¡­¡±


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    As he recalled his astonishment, he gestured with his hand, ¡°It must have been a blessing from the goddess, right?¡±


    Just as he finished speaking, there was a crashing sound from where Sherry was¡ªshe had accidentally knocked over a wooden sculpture in the corner.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± he immediately turned and shouted, just like a true store manager reminding his staff, ¡°The base of that thing has already been broken once by me and is now glued back together; don¡¯t knock it off again!¡±


    ¡°¡­ May the goddess protect everyone in the City-State,¡± Fenna¡¯s expression subtly changed as she looked into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°It¡¯s clear, you are a truly¡­ honest man.¡±


    Duncan looked serious and straightforward: ¡°That¡¯s right, we who run a business should never deceive people.¡±

 Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 142 Inquiry and Treatment

    Chapter 138: Chapter 142 Inquiry and Treatment


    Duncan¡¯s expression was very sincere, carrying a confidence and determination that said, ¡°If I open my doors to sell fakes, I have to make sure that my dupes die with their eyes wide open, and if you can find something genuine in the back warehouse, I don¡¯t need this shop anymore.¡± Nina, evidently struck by this honesty, took a moment to respond, ¡°Your honesty¡­ is indeed very impressive.¡±


    ¡°Any more questions about that fire?¡± Duncan asked, unperturbed by the oddity in her tone. ¡°I heard afterwards that the entire museum was sealed off on the day of the incident?¡±


    ¡°In fact, we highly suspect that there were Transcendent factors influencing the museum fire,¡± Nina didn¡¯t hide this suspicion, for speculations about it had already spread throughout the streets and alleys. The city hall¡¯s mystics also publicly urged citizens not to approach the museum square lately. For the people of City-State, the existence of Transcendent incidents was not something that needed to be kept secret, only the details and truths behind them, ¡°The fire died down extremely rapidly, far beyond normal¡­ Mr. Duncan, please think back, did you really not see or hear anything unusual after you entered the museum?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± said Duncan, frowning. ¡°With the situation as it was at that time, where would I have found the spare capacity to notice any changes in the fire? After all, I am just an ordinary person, not a trained guardian.¡±


    At this, he paused and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Does the church suspect that those of us who escaped from the fire might be involved with the ¡®Transcendent factor¡¯ behind it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my personal suspicion,¡± said Nina seriously. ¡°Please forgive me, but being vigilant against all uncontrolled Transcendent threats in City-State is the duty of a Judge. Moreover, I have no intention of suspecting you as the main culprit of the fire¡ªTranscendent powers can contaminate ordinary people, regardless of whether the individual has any subjective intentions. I am concerned that you may have been passively involved in some Transcendent influence during the fire, which is also a concern for your safety.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Duncan replied, now more open than before since he wasn¡¯t the slightest bit angry. The Judge before him was genuinely discharging her duties. ¡°So, having observed this place for quite some time, have you discovered any clues?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I haven¡¯t found anything,¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no residual Transcendent power here, and the distribution of shadows and flow of auras both inside and outside of the building are quite normal. I think¡­ you truly are just ordinary people caught up in a Transcendent event.¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, then couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°Maybe¡­ you should check more carefully? What if there¡¯s some residual Transcendent power here that hasn¡¯t been detected? As you said earlier, it¡¯s also for our safety¡­¡±


    ¡°I have confidence in my judgment,¡± Nina asserted confidently without letting Duncan finish, puffing out her chest with firm conviction, ¡°Blessed by the Goddess¡¯s grace, my eyes are the most effective detection tools. Especially during the daytime, no heretical forces or deep shadows can escape my sight¡ªeven the most adept at hiding Evil Gods and demons cannot hide from me!¡±


    No sooner had Nina finished speaking than a clatter came from not far away. Sherry had finally knocked the base off the wooden sculpture she was fiddling with.


    ¡°I¡­ was trying to find a safer place for it¡­¡±


    ¡°Leave that stuff alone! If it comes to that, go wipe the windowsill!¡± Duncan said helplessly to Sherry, who was trying hard to play the part of a shop assistant, and then turned back to Nina, squeezing out after a long pause, ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°The kid seems a bit clumsy,¡± Nina glanced at Sherry briefly, then remarked offhandedly, ¡°And she looks¡­ a little nervous, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just helping out for the first day,¡± Duncan told the truth, ¡°Not an official shop assistant, just a friend of my niece¡¯s. She¡¯s here to learn a few things and to help out with family expenses. Kids from the Lower City District usually start earning money earlier.¡±


    Nina nodded, finding the explanation quite normal, then pondered a moment before looking back at Duncan, ¡°I¡¯d also like to confirm one more thing¡ªafter leaving the museum, did any of you experience any lasting discomfort? Have you had any nightmares?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer immediately.


    Someone had nightmares. Not only did Sherry have nightmares, but she also saw incredible things with him at the edge of the Dreamscape¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t say that.


    The Judge before him, although a ¡°positive character¡± upholding the order of City-State, viewed Sherry in the eyes of the authorities and church as an undeniable Heretic. In a world strung tight with nerves, even the most just and fair Judge would find it hard to show much tolerance or empathy to a ¡°Heretic¡± at a first meeting.


    ¡°No, everything¡¯s normal,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°But may I ask what kind of nightmares? If anything similar happens to us in the next few days, I would like to be able to confirm it right away and seek help from the nearest church.¡±


    ¡°It must be related to flames,¡± Fenna answered, ¡°extremely vast flames that surge violently in the darkness of the void, bending during the eruption to form a magnificent arc¡ªconsidering that you¡¯ve just narrowly escaped from a fire, recent traumatic shadows could also be causing you to dream of similar scenes in the recent period. Ordinary people can¡¯t distinguish between normal dreams and the nightmares influenced by Transcendent forces, so I suggest you seek help from the nearest church as soon as you dream of flames.¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brows.


    Flames surging violently in the darkness of the void, a spectacular arc-shaped flame¡­


    This did not sound like Nina¡¯s dreams, nor Sherry¡¯s dreams, nor was it the scene of the fire-ravaged ruins he had seen the night before.


    If he had to say, Fenna¡¯s serious expression while describing that sight inexplicably reminded him of something else¡­ the Sun Shard.


    Only the shard of the sun could possess the might described, and make a Judge look so solemn.


    Duncan pondered for a moment, carefully adjusting his words within the framework of the persona ¡°concerned citizen,¡± before suddenly speaking, ¡°May I ask out of curiosity¡­ is this related to the Sun Cultists that have been causing trouble in the city lately? Those heretics seem to be always doing something with the sun, flames, sacrifices, and the like, it sounds like they¡¯re about to set fire to the city at any time.¡±


    There were Sun Cultist activities within the city, and the authorities were hunting them down; this was common knowledge. Fenna didn¡¯t think too much about it and nodded, ¡°It¡¯s not ruled out that they are behind this¡­ but you just need to know enough, don¡¯t inquire too deeply; it¡¯s very dangerous for ordinary people.¡±


    As a high-ranking Judge, Fenna was aware that not long ago, a cultist hideout in an abandoned factory had been reported and demolished, and she had even gone to investigate the site in person, but there was no need for her to personally understand more details. Thus, she was unaware that the ¡°concerned citizen¡± who initially reported the heretics¡¯ hideout was the antique store owner standing before her.


    Duncan didn¡¯t bring up his own action of reporting either, as he had already vaguely confirmed his suspicions from Fenna¡¯s answer and was thus lost in thought.


    Even the church¡¯s higher-ups believed this matter was related to the Sun Cultists; it must indeed be the Sun Shard¡ªduring the fire at the museum, the Sun Shard¡¯s influence had briefly appeared in the real world, alerting Fenna who later dealt with the site.


    Then were the ¡°dreamscape scenes¡± Fenna described¡­ the actual appearance of the Sun Shard?!


    A colossal flame, furiously bursting forth in the darkness of the void¡­ this was entirely different from what Duncan had initially imagined when he first heard the name ¡°Sun Shard¡±!


    In his original conception, something like the ¡°Sun Shard,¡± chased and sought by the heretics and that could seal the Evil God slumbering in the City-State, should have been something ¡°abnormal,¡± a tangible, substantial entity with a spurious connection to the sun but actually not much to do with the real sun. However, if he went by Fenna¡¯s description¡­


    Duncan tried to supplement his imagination, recalling his impression of the ¡°sun¡± as a person from Earth, and eventually felt more and more that the thing¡­ seemed like a ¡°solar flare¡±?!


    Leaving everything else aside, just by visual appearance, that was essentially a solar flare ejected into space!


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    His expression unchanged, his mind, however, was turbulent¡ª


    So the Sun Shard¡­ was literally what that TM stood for?!


    Meanwhile, at the same time, upstairs in Nina¡¯s bedroom, Heidi had completed the routine questioning and guidance for the ¡°patient.¡±


    She had roughly confirmed that Nina¡¯s dreams were not ordinary nightmares or merely due to mental stress-induced recurring dreams, but whether these dreams were affected by Transcendent factors required further determination.


    ¡°We may need a brief and moderate hypnotic treatment,¡± Heidi picked up the amethyst pendant in her hand, speaking in a calm tone to the girl before her, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, just follow my guidance and answer some questions.¡±

 Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 143 Hypnosis

    Chapter 139: Chapter 143 Hypnosis


    Watching the crystal pendant in Heidi¡¯s hand gently sway, Nina swallowed nervously¡ªalthough she was told to relax, this was her first time receiving hypnotherapy, and she found it hard to control her reaction.


    And while her gaze was captured by the pendant, she also noticed a seemingly simple stone bracelet on Heidi¡¯s wrist. The bracelet, woven with tough silk cord, was strung with many colorful pebbles, some of which bore rune-like marks.


    Noticing Nina¡¯s gaze, Heidi smiled and shook her wrist, ¡°I am a ¡®student¡¯ of the Academy of Truth, following and serving the God of Wisdom Rahm¡ªalthough it may not look it, my registration says that I am a clerical worker.¡±


    Clerical worker¡­ not only a mental health physician but also a member of the Academy of Truth?


    Nina had certainly heard of the Academy of Truth¡ªdespite its name suggesting a scholarly institution, in reality, this ¡°Academy¡± was one of the four major religious orders of the pantheon of gods. Along with the Deep Sea Church, the Death Sect, and the Fire Transmitter Church, they maintained the civilization order of the Deep Sea era. Unlike the other three churches, the ¡°theological¡± presence of the Academy was not strong, instead favoring pure knowledge inheritance and the research and promotion of cutting-edge technology. Its believers also built relationships based on mentorship and schools of thought.


    Other churches rooted themselves in chapels and sanctuaries, spreading faith and organizing masses on a daily basis. However, the Academy of Truth established countless universities and laboratories in each City-State, where the daily routine for high-ranking clerics seeing lower ones was to throw a difficult question at them, to see if their faith in the Lord had reached the passing score¡ªit was indeed a unique style.


    It was precisely because of the Academy of Truth¡¯s special ¡°style¡± that it had the fewest members among the four major religious orders, with even fewer having the qualification to wear the emblem daily and be officially recorded as clerical workers¡ªbecause the questions were really hard.


    In an average university, it was not certain that a few would qualify to devote themselves to Rahm each year, let alone someone like Nina, a poor child who studied in the public schools of the Lower City District.


    To her, Heidi suddenly seemed to be enveloped in an aura, one that, far from relaxing her, only made her more nerve-wracked.


    This was the awe of a vocational high school student with aspirations when confronted by the valedictorian of a top university.


    Heidi certainly noticed the change in Nina¡¯s expression but was unconcerned, instead casually playing with the pendant in her hand, and began speaking in the same calm tone of voice as before, ¡°Can you tell me about your childhood? You mentioned earlier that your parents died in an accident, that incident might be the shadow in your heart¡­ Would you tell me about it?¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t talk about,¡± Nina thought for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ve told many people, but everyone thinks I was too young back then to remember clearly, they think I¡¯m talking nonsense¡ªEleven years ago, there was a leak in a factory in District Six, and at that time, there were many Heretics destroying things everywhere. Later, a lot of people were arrested, do you know about that?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Heidi nodded, ¡°I was only in my teens at the time, and when the accident happened, my family happened to be staying near Cross District, we also saw the rushing crowd¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you remember a big fire at the time?¡±


    ¡°A big fire?¡± Heidi tilted her head slightly, unconsciously stopping her play with the crystal pendant, ¡°What fire?¡±


    ¡°See, you don¡¯t know about that fire either¡ªbut in my memory, there was always a big fire, and my parents died in that fire, but everyone says I remembered it wrong¡­¡±


    Heidi listened quietly to Nina¡¯s account and after a while, nodded gently before asking again, ¡°So this should be the shadow in your heart, you fear a fire that only you know exists, and you worry that at any time, this bizarre phenomenon will reappear and take away the people around you, with no one to help you¡ªnot even anyone to notice your plight.¡±


    Nina nodded lightly.


    ¡°Have you had any stress recently?¡± Heidi asked further, ¡°In terms of your studies, your daily life, these recent pressures might magnify the long-standing gloom in your heart¡­¡±


    Nina fell silent for a moment before speaking hesitantly, ¡°It¡¯s probably because my uncle has been in poor health, and it¡¯s been getting worse lately, which worries me¡­¡±


    She paused, then hurriedly added, ¡°Ah, but now his health is better, and I feel like I¡¯ve relaxed a lot too, and these past few days, I haven¡¯t had that strange dream¡­¡±


    ¡°Worried about a family member¡¯s health, hm¡­¡±


    Heidi mused softly. As she listened to the girl across from her murmuring as if in a dream, she watched Nina half-asleep leaning against the headboard and casually set down the crystal pendant.


    As a ¡°psychiatric doctor¡± who studied at the Academy of Truth and dealt with the Transcendent realm, she didn¡¯t need to use methods like shaking pendants or lighting medicated smoke for hypnosis treatments¡ªjust a few words would suffice.


    The only purpose of this pendant was to attract Nina¡¯s attention, helping her relax and lowering her defenses against ¡°words.¡±


    Miss Psychiatrist let out a soft sigh and looked tenderly at Nina, who had completely relaxed and was gradually falling into a deeper sleep.


    ¡°You can tell you¡¯ve had a tough life¡­ all the tension and anxiety are buried deep within you, and you¡¯ve grown used to this way of life. You hope it will make those around you more comfortable, yet you neglect yourself¡ªnow just relax, have a good sleep, leave all the pressure in a dreamscape that will soon dissipate. When you wake, those anxieties will no longer concern you.¡±


    In the half-dream state, Nina¡¯s voice softly arose, ¡°¡­Thank you¡­¡±


    Heidi smiled and, to further help Nina relax, she seemed to ask nonchalantly, ¡°By the way, your uncle was ill before? What disease did he have? I saw Mr. Duncan earlier, and he seemed quite healthy.¡±


    Nina was silent for a longer time before she spoke softly, ¡°Just a bit of physical weakness, he¡¯s¡­ completely recovered now¡­¡±


    However, Heidi could no longer hear Nina¡¯s response.


    The moment she asked the last question, she had already slumped at the foot of Nina¡¯s bed, falling into an even deeper dreamscape than her patient.


    On Heidi¡¯s right wrist was a handwoven bracelet made of stones¡ªa common identifier worn by Believers from the Academy of Truth, symbolizing that the wearer was a monk trained rigorously, graced by the God of Wisdom Rahm, and steadfastly against the mad power of heresy. Each runic stone on it represented a divine attention from Rahm.


    Seconds after a flicker of light, one of the agate stones on the bracelet emitted a slight cracking sound before disintegrating quickly into dust and vanishing with the wind.


    Down in the shop on the first floor, Fenna was asking Duncan a few more questions, partly to understand if there were any details overlooked from the museum fire, and partly to confirm if Duncan and the others were affected by the Sun Shard.


    In the conversation, the initial awkwardness and estrangement of a first meeting gradually faded, and the atmosphere became friendlier and more familiar.


    Duncan could feel that the ¡°Judge¡± from the Deep Sea Church, who held a high position, was truly concerned about the safety of the survivors from the fire¡ªnot just to combat heresy or investigate clues. Her attitude was genuinely and earnestly sincere.


    He did not know if this young Judge could care so much for every person in the City-State or if it was just out of a connection with Heidi that she showed concern for the few people in the antique shop. Yet, Fenna¡¯s demonstrated sincerity was enough to leave a good impression on him.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Miss Heidi and Nina have been upstairs for a while, haven¡¯t they?¡±


    In the course of the conversation, Duncan thought of his niece and subconsciously looked up at the stairs leading to the second floor.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Fenna realized as well after being reminded and slightly furrowed her brows, ¡°Usually Heidi¡¯s treatment sessions are quite swift¡­¡±


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    ¡°¡­I think you can¡¯t use Miss Heidi¡¯s usual treatment method as a standard, physical hypnosis and kinetic anesthesia are swift on anyone,¡± Duncan¡¯s lips quivered, ¡°But the time they¡¯ve taken is indeed too long¡­ Could something have happened?¡±


    Fenna shook her head, ¡°No, Heidi is a trained professional from the Academy of Truth; she wouldn¡¯t mess up a typical hypnotic treatment. She must have gotten into a conversation with Nina, she does that sometimes¡ªtoo much dealing with paranoid heretics, and talking to a normal person is like a novelty to her. Shall we go check on them?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go up.¡±


    Duncan and Fenna then rose to go upstairs, arriving one after the other at Nina¡¯s room. Before they could even push open the door, they simultaneously heard noises from the room¡ª


    Two overlapping snoring sounds.

 Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 144 Fennas Vigilance

    Chapter 140: Chapter 144 Fenna¡¯s Vigilance


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, so sorry, I don¡¯t know what happened¡­¡± Heidi said, her face flush with embarrassment. As a seasoned psychiatrist who had even managed to complete all her studies under the strict standards of the Academy of Truth, her discomfort was indescribable¡ªfrankly, the moment Fenna had to snap her out of it with an exasperated look, Heidi almost felt like her career had come to an end¡­


    At this time, Nina, who had just been roused from sleep on the bed, was also baffled. She had no idea what had happened and looked on in confusion as Heidi apologized to her. Eventually, she turned her gaze to Duncan beside her, ¡°Uncle Duncan, what¡¯s happened? Why is Miss Heidi¡­¡±


    ¡°The psychiatrist who was hypnotizing you just now was sleeping even more soundly than you,¡± Duncan replied with a helpless expression and sighed while pointing at the bedside, ¡°She was drooling all over the floor.¡±


    His words were quite direct, and the moment they were uttered, Heidi¡¯s head dropped even lower.


    In this awkward and chaotic atmosphere, only Fenna maintained a stern look. She scanned the entire room first, as if searching or sensing something, before finally focusing on Heidi, ¡°Are you really okay? Why did you fall asleep during the hypnosis session?¡±


    Hearing her friend¡¯s serious tone, Heidi began to come around. She furrowed her brows and carefully recalled the events, then shook her head faintly after a moment, ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine. It must have been due to excessive exhaustion, and I let myself relax too much after the session was completed.¡±


    ¡°The treatment is complete, is it?¡± Fenna still seemed a bit concerned and followed up with another question.


    ¡°It is,¡± Heidi nodded after another period of serious thought, ¡°I asked Miss Nina some questions; it was only after she answered that I drifted off.¡±


    Duncan noticed Fenna¡¯s unusually solemn expression and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, just a bit worried about Heidi¡¯s condition. She¡¯s never had this kind of issue,¡± Fenna shook her head, ¡°But perhaps, as she said, she¡¯s just been overworked¡ªshe¡¯s been working continuously, and even her precious day off was ruined due to the museum fire.¡±


    Hearing this, Nina immediately blurted out an apology to Heidi, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it seems I¡¯ve taken up your rare day off¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, you don¡¯t have to apologize,¡± Heidi quickly waved her hands, ¡°And if you think about it from another angle, I actually had a good sleep here¡ªI haven¡¯t slept this soundly in a long time.¡±


    After making sure that Heidi was indeed fine, Fenna looked up at the sky outside the window and stood up, turning to Duncan, ¡°It¡¯s getting late; it seems we should say our goodbyes and leave.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to rest a bit?¡± Duncan showed the concern befitting the host, ¡°Miss Heidi still looks quite tired.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better now,¡± Heidi said with a slight smile, ¡°It¡¯s not safe to be outside at night, and I need to be home before the sun sets¡ªmy father worries a lot about these things.¡±


    Accepting her reason, Duncan didn¡¯t press further. He helped Nina off the bed and then turned to the day¡¯s guests, ¡°I¡¯ll walk you downstairs.¡±


    He escorted Heidi and Fenna to the front door on the ground floor, just as the sun was slowly sinking toward the distant horizon.


    Fenna went to start the vehicle¡¯s steam core. The unbelievable steam-powered machine of this world seemed to require no boiler preheating to start up quickly; Duncan watched as the dark grey vehicle quickly hummed into action. Heidi, before stepping out the door, suddenly turned back. She glanced at Nina and then settled her eyes on Duncan.


    ¡°You seem to be a very capable guardian now, but there was a time when you seemed to neglect Nina a bit¡ªher mental tension and anxiety stem from that,¡± the psychiatrist said earnestly and directly, ¡°Of course, her condition has improved significantly. The counseling session should make things even better, but even the best treatments need reinforcement, and the finest healing for the mind comes from the care of family.¡±


    Nina¡¯s mental tension and anxiety? And was that before he had taken over this body?


    Duncan realized then and nodded to Heidi, expressing his gratitude, ¡°Thank you for your help. I¡¯ve not been in the best state recently, and that¡¯s been my negligence.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I should really have a thorough talk with you. Communication with the family after the treatment process is also an important step, but there simply wasn¡¯t enough time today,¡± Heidi exhaled in relief and stepped back half a step, ¡°I¡¯ll go home and sort through Nina¡¯s situation again and write up some follow-up suggestions to send to you in a letter.¡±


    The two special guests finally bade farewell and left.


    As Duncan watched the car, which stood out in the Lower City District, disappear into the streets at sunset, he let out a sigh of relief; his first face-to-face interaction with the ¡°Judge¡± from the church was more peaceful and smooth than he had expected.


    After Fenna and her companion had left, Sherry finally emerged from a corner on the first floor. The girl looked anxiously toward the door until she saw Duncan and Nina return and then dared to approach, ¡°Are they really gone?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, don¡¯t worry,¡± Duncan glanced at Sherry with a helpless tone, ¡°You¡¯re hiding too obviously. That¡¯ll only make people more suspicious, you know? Lucky for us, the Judge didn¡¯t think too much about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared! That¡¯s a Judge! The highest martial power of the Church within the City-State!¡± Sherry¡¯s eyes widened as she explained anxiously, as if fearing that Duncan didn¡¯t grasp her concern, ¡°The highest-ranking clergy I usually deal with are just the community church priests and the patrolling guardians, and I still have to avoid them¡ªespecially with Dog around, as you well know¡­¡±


    She paused, then sighed, ¡°Ah, of course, you wouldn¡¯t understand how I feel. To a being like you, there¡¯s probably no difference between a Judge of the City-State and a community church priest¡­¡±


    Nina looked at Sherry, then turned to glance in the direction where Fenna and Heidi had left, furrowing her brows, ¡°Sherry, as a ¡®wild supernatural being¡¯ like you¡­ would the Church really arrest you? You haven¡¯t done anything wrong; both Miss Heidi and Miss Fenna are nice people¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I¡¯ve done something wrong,¡± Sherry sighed, ¡°The Church won¡¯t arrest all wild supernatural beings, because in this world some people gain supernatural powers for odd reasons. They¡¯re not all heretics, and the Church turns a blind eye to some supernatural beings who live their lives quietly among the populace¡ªbut they would definitely arrest me and Dog because according to their standards, anyone associated with Profound Demons or Subspace, regardless of their current state, is a potential heretic.¡±


    Nina frowned, lost in a realm she had never encountered before. Sherry¡¯s words had plunged her into a brief dilemma, but Duncan soon broke her indecision, ¡°Nina, how are you feeling now?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m fine,¡± Nina responded promptly, ¡°I think Miss Heidi¡¯s ¡®treatment¡¯ worked well. After talking with her for a while and taking a short nap, I feel much more relaxed!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    Duncan nodded lightly, said no more, and started walking toward the staircase. Only then did Sherry seem to realize something, glancing outside at the darkening sky and letting out a mournful cry, ¡°Ah, I was planning to go home today¡­¡±


    ¡°Just wishful thinking,¡± Duncan replied without turning back, ¡°With the way it¡¯s getting dark outside, do you really plan to outwit the Church¡¯s guardians at night?¡±


    Nina laughed too, stepping forward to pat Sherry on the shoulder, ¡°Just stay here and settle down; it¡¯ll be great to have someone to chat with before bed¡ªand we can talk about going home tomorrow!¡±


    ¡­


    On the way back to the Upper City District, Fenna gripped the steering wheel while Heidi, who sat in the passenger seat, was yawning, ¡°Yawn¡­ I had such a good sleep¡­¡± she said before asking casually, ¡°So, what did you talk about with the antique store owner? Notice anything amiss?¡±


    ¡°¡­Nothing unusual,¡± Fenna replied while keeping an eye on the road ahead, ¡°The store owner is just an ordinary person, and so is that girl Sherry. There¡¯s no sign that the antique store has been influenced by any supernatural power or evil will; they really must have just been lucky to escape. What about you? Did you find anything during your time with Nina?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s normal,¡± Heidi nodded as well, her hand stroking the crystal pendant she had put back on, with the bracelet of stone beads, representing the Academy of Truth, slipping slightly on her wrist¡ªwith one bead missing, which she seemed not to care about, ¡°But Nina mentioned something during the hypnosis ¡®treatment¡¯ that was a bit odd.¡±


    ¡°Odd? What was it?¡±


    ¡°She mentioned a fire she experienced as a child, the factory leak incident from eleven years ago,¡± Heidi said offhandedly, ¡°But you know, eleven years ago there wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    She stopped mid-sentence as the sound of abrupt braking and the vibration of the car interrupted her. Fenna suddenly stopped the car and looked at her friend wide-eyed, ¡°A fire?! Nina said she remembers a fire from eleven years ago?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah,¡± Heidi seemed baffled, ¡°Why such a reaction?¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t speak for a moment, her face changing rapidly, but Heidi could sense something from her friend¡¯s reaction, ¡°Should we turn around and go back now? We could ask more about it¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Fenna shook her head after a moment of contemplation and then refocused on the road ahead.


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    The car started moving again, the scenery of the streets on both sides speeding away in the increasingly dim light.


    Heidi looked at her friend in the driver¡¯s seat, worried and confused, seemingly about to ask something, but before she could speak, Fenna gently shook her head.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re confused, but don¡¯t ask yet. Until I confirm some things, don¡¯t mention this to anyone else.¡±


    After pausing, she seemed to speak to herself in a low voice, ¡°Perhaps¡­ we¡¯ve been a bit too hasty today.¡±


    (¡­)

 Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 145 Heidi and her family

    Chapter 141: Chapter 145 Heidi and her family


    Haidi wisely did not press further.


    She knew that she and Fenna were different; although she was nominally a ¡°clergy¡± with accreditation from the Academy of Truth, she was better at pure research and contemplation rather than directly confronting those dangerous, secretive forces. Indeed, she could pry secrets from the minds of heretics and tease out the heretical shadows left behind by mass hallucinations, but this was starkly different from the work of a Judge.


    She herself lacked sensitivity to certain threats.


    But Fenna was someone who had been confronting heretics and secret forces head-on for years, and she might have already keenly sensed the presence of some shadow¨Ctoday¡¯s visit to the Lower City District probably inadvertently disturbed something.


    As they were getting close to home, Haidi asked a question, ¡°Is there a problem with that antique shop?¡±


    ¡°The antique shop is normal,¡± Fenna slowly decelerated the vehicle, her expression thoughtful, ¡°but there might be something abnormal in our City-State.¡±


    The sky had completely darkened, the bell for the change of day and the whistle from the central steam core sounded at the same time, penetrating the clouds above the City-State in the sunset. In the Upper City District, the gas lamps along the streets had been lit a half-hour early. Arriving at her doorstep, Haidi heard the sound of the car diminishing into the distance.


    There was a curfew at night in the city, but the decree only applied to common folk lacking the ability to protect themselves. The Church¡¯s Judges were clearly unaffected¨CFenna still had to check on the museum before returning to the cathedral and meet with the guards responsible for the scene blockade, her days off often went by without real rest.


    Haidi inadvertently recalled her own disrupted day off and let out a sigh before entering her house.


    The living room was lit but empty, and quietness pervaded the house. The day maids responsible for cleaning and laundry had gone home before sundown, leaving the large house feeling a bit desolate.


    However, Haidi had long been used to this; her father was the kind of man who once holed up in his study, could not be easily called out, and her mother, with her health issues, often rested in the bedroom. The house, a bit too spacious for a family of three, was mostly this quiet every day.


    But this didn¡¯t mean that the large house was devoid of warmth¨CHaidi had a very good relationship with her parents, and it had always been so.


    She expertly hung up her coat, put away her hat and portable medicine box, glanced at the lit study without disturbing her father who might be deeply immersed in reading, and as usual, went to her parents¡¯ bedroom and knocked, ¡°I¡¯m back¨Care you in there?¡±


    Her mother¡¯s voice came from inside, tinged with helplessness and a bit of feigned annoyance, ¡°You¡¯re back so late!¡±


    Haidi stuck her tongue out at the door and quickly composed her expression before entering with a smile, murmuring, ¡°I went out with Fenna, what¡¯s there to worry about, she could fight off the entire city with one hand¡­¡±


    The room¡¯s lighting was dim because too bright of a light would irritate her mother¡¯s eyes¨Cher mother had suffered from chemical fumes during a factory leak eleven years ago, which had left her vision impaired.


    Haidi adjusted to the dim light before she saw her mother leaning against the headboard, dressed in soft pajamas, weaving a unique rope craft from Plunder City-State by touch. In the shadowy glow, her mother looked up at Haidi with a mix of resignation in her voice, ¡°You¡¯re always hanging around Fenna; you¡¯ll end up unmarried just like her. I know it; she sneaks off to the marital aid center every weekend, then picks someone to beat up, and the church receives complaints daily¡­¡±


    Haidi¡¯s expression became quite amused, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that¡­ Fenna is already a Judge¡­¡±


    ¡°So what if she¡¯s a Judge, she¡¯s the one who ate lunch at our house for several years¨Cever since her uncle became Governor, he¡¯s been all about the City-State,¡± the old lady muttered nonstop while her hands moved quickly, ¡°In my opinion, the problem is with the upbringing she got from her uncle, the girl¡¯s too single-minded. At her baptism, she insisted on making a vow, she might as well, but she took on all three major vows at once to prove her devotion when most normal nuns just choose one; because of that, she¡¯s now stuck unable to marry¡­¡±


    As her mother rambled on, Haidi could only smile awkwardly. When the old lady paused for breath, Haidi seized the chance to change the subject and looked at the craft in her mother¡¯s hands, ¡°Are you almost finished with that?¡±


    ¡°I weave and I unravel, now I am finally a bit satisfied,¡± her mother smiled, showing off the piece that resembled a dazzling ribbon¨Ccomplex structures woven meticulously from fine ropes, adorned with pretty stones and colored beads, a unique skill of Plunder City-State known for its complexity, long hours of work, and believed to bring blessings and ward off evil, ¡°I wonder if it will be ready when you find a nice young man¡­¡±


    Haidi looked at the nearly finished rope craft and delicately suggested, ¡°Then maybe¡­ you could unravel it one more time, maybe it will be ready in time¡­¡±


    ¡°You are really teasing me!¡±


    Heidi hurriedly wore a smile and turned to leave the room.


    Her mother¡¯s nagging voice came from behind her. Heidi casually closed the door and then tiptoed, preparing to head to the kitchen. But just as she was about to walk away, she saw her father standing in the hallway.


    Morris, with his refined demeanor and sparse white hair, looked helplessly at his sneaky daughter, ¡°I heard you come home quite a while ago¡­ Did you upset your mother again?¡±


    Heidi quickly waved her hands, ¡°No, no, we were just chatting.¡±


    ¡°Did you deliver the gift to Mr. Duncan?¡± Morris asked.


    ¡°I did¨CMr. Duncan was very pleased,¡± Heidi nodded and then couldn¡¯t help but take another look at her father, ¡°But I really didn¡¯t expect you would part with your beloved book collection¡­¡±


    ¡°That was just one item from my collection¨Che saved your life,¡± Morris said indifferently, ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s enough. I need to go thank him in person in a couple of days.¡±


    Heidi suddenly remembered her ¡°little mishap¡± during the hypnosis treatment she conducted for Nina today, and her expression turned somewhat awkward, ¡°You don¡¯t need to¡­ be so formal, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about being formal. Mr. Duncan saved your life and not only am I your father, I¡¯m also Nina¡¯s teacher. On the other hand, Mr. Duncan is a keen and enthusiastic antiques dealer with a strong desire to learn. From a social standpoint, it¡¯s a relationship worth cultivating,¡± Morris explained casually, ¡°I like a phrase Mr. Duncan often uses, it¡¯s called ¡®fate¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, your point makes sense, makes sense,¡± Heidi, already feeling a headache coming on as her father, not particularly good at socializing himself, started to impart social etiquette on her, ¡°Next time you visit, just visit, please don¡¯t buy random things anymore, okay¡­¡±


    ¡°That will depend on whether or not there are any collectibles that interest me,¡± Morris said offhandedly. He then paused to think and seemingly in a casual manner asked, ¡°Did you go with Fenna today?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, she had the day off, so I took her car.¡±


    Morris thought again, his expression hesitant, ¡°You seem¡­ quite close with Fenna.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been close with her for years now, haven¡¯t I?¡± Heidi was bewildered, ¡°We¡¯ve known each other since we were kids¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I just feel¡­¡± The old man suddenly stuttered, and for some reason, he was reminded of a phrase Mr. Duncan, the antique dealer, had mentioned during his last visit,


    ¡°Girls¡¯ school, could be¡­¡±


    ¡°Father?¡± Heidi, seeing her father acting out of character, couldn¡¯t help but speak up.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Morris suddenly snapped back to reality, feeling his previous train of thought might have been a bit too outrageous. He quickly tried to gather his composure and change the subject to prevent his daughter from noticing anything amiss. In that brief moment of shifting his gaze, his eyes suddenly fell upon Heidi¡¯s wrist.


    On the charm bracelet symbolizing the protection of the God of Wisdom Rahm, a red agate bead was missing.


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    The old man¡¯s expression suddenly changed, but then he noticed Heidi¡¯s completely normal demeanor and quickly forced himself to control his emotions, making an effort to remain calm and seemingly casual, ¡°Did you lose a bead from your bracelet? Did it accidentally come off?¡±


    ¡°Bracelet?¡± Heidi was startled and looked down at her wrist, where she saw the missing section of string. However, her expression seemed completely unsurprised, ¡°Wasn¡¯t there always one missing here?¡±


    There was always one missing?


    Morris slowly controlled his breathing and heartbeat while managing his emotions and thoughts, as if he feared his own intense ¡°ideas¡± might attract some dangerous attention. At the same time, he also began to recall the last time he saw his daughter¡¯s charm bracelet and what it looked like.


    After two seconds, he finished controlling his thoughts and safeguarded them before slowly easing his mood, asking in a tone as normal as any other day, ¡°By the way, you only went to that antique shop today, right?¡±

 Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 146 "Ashes

    Chapter 142: Chapter 146 ¡°Ashes


    Heidi did not notice anything unusual in her father¡¯s tone.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded calmly, ¡°I just went to Mr. Duncan¡¯s antique shop with Fenna, had a few words with Mr. Duncan, then administered hypnotherapy to Nina, and afterward, Fenna and I returned together.¡±


    When she got to the end, she hesitated for a moment, pondering whether to tell her father about the things regarding the fire that she had learned from Nina, as well as Fenna¡¯s strange reaction to hearing about it. But in the end, she decided against it.


    She still vividly remembered Fenna¡¯s uncharacteristically grave expression in the car; there might be dangerous secret powers involved in this matter, and it could be severe enough that speaking up might invite prying eyes¨Calthough her father, like her, was also a true Believer of the God of Wisdom Rahm, and could be considered half Transcendent, he was similar to most Believers in that he resembled a pure scholar more than someone adept at dealing with those dangerous entities directly.


    Maurice still wore a calm and gentle expression on his face as he nodded lightly and said, as if offhandedly, ¡°You did spend quite some time there¡­ Did you lose track of time chatting with Mr. Duncan? He indeed is someone with an insatiable thirst for knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ no, not exactly,¡± Heidi suddenly seemed a bit embarrassed, ¡°it¡¯s just that¡­ the hypnotherapy with Nina took a little longer than expected.¡±


    ¡°During Nina¡¯s hypnotherapy?¡± Maurice¡¯s eyebrows raised when he heard his student¡¯s name, ¡°Did it not go smoothly? Is her mental state poor? Was it affected by the museum fireincident?¡±


    At her father¡¯s barrage of questions, Heidi couldn¡¯t help but want to roll her eyes, ¡°You really care about your student, don¡¯t you¨Crelax, she¡¯s doing fine. She was just a bit anxious, and after my relaxation guidance, she¡¯s completely fine now and won¡¯t be affected during the final exams. The delay I was talking about¡­ was because of something else.¡±


    Maurice made a curious sound, ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Aha, I might have been a little too exhausted lately,¡± she said with an embarrassed, dry chuckle, ¡°After putting her under hypnosis, I fell asleep too and slept straight through until evening¡­¡±


    ¡°You fell asleep yourself during Nina¡¯s hypnotherapy?¡± Maurice¡¯s expression finally changed slightly, but he quickly regained composure, ¡°That¡¯s not like you.¡±


    ¡°People are prone to lapses now and then, and besides, it¡¯s been so long since I had a holiday,¡± Heidi said impatiently, waving her hand, ¡°Hey, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. I¡¯m an adult now, yet both you and mom get so worked up if I¡¯m late, it¡¯s just one question after another¡­¡±


    Maurice just quietly looked at his daughter for a few seconds, then his face returned to its usual gentle expression, and he smiled, shaking his head, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t ask anymore¨Cthere¡¯s still food in the kitchen, just heat it up. I¡¯ll go and check on your mother.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Heidi nodded, said goodbye to her father, and then headed to the kitchen. After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned back, ¡°By the way, you were planning to visit that antique shop later on, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Maurice stood at the bedroom door, the hallway wall sconce casting a dim yellow light, creating mottled shadows on his aged face, ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°I left in a hurry today and didn¡¯t have a proper talk with Mr. Duncan about Nina¡¯s situation. I am going to write a letter, if you could take it with you when you go.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Maurice nodded, then muttered to himself as if speaking to himself, ¡°I need to go there again¡­¡±


    After Heidi left, the elder historian with graying hair just quietly stood at the bedroom door. He appeared to be deep in thought and after nearly ten seconds, he finally exhaled softly and pushed open the dark-colored wooden door.


    The light in the bedroom was still dim; with only a small wall light on, the decorative style of the room was elegant, the faint yellow light barely illuminating the outline on the bed.


    Maurice turned, carefully locked the door, and slowly approached the bedside.


    ¡°My dear, are you alright?¡± he spoke softly to the pile of writhing ash that maintained a human outline on the bed.


    From within the pile of floating, writhing ash that vaguely resembled a human shape, a soft whispering sound emerged as if tenderly responding, and among the ashes, the almost-finished rope knot ribbon made a soft friction noise. The beautiful silk rope, pulled by the ashes, slowly wove in and out, steadfastly tying one knot after another.


    ¡°Yes, truly beautiful. Your craftsmanship has always been outstanding,¡± Morris heard the reply amidst the faint murmuring and smiled as he praised his wife¡¯s knitting skills. ¡°The one you knitted for me is still hanging in my study.¡±


    The room fell silent, and in the dim light, time seemed to be deceived, freezing at this moment. But after half a minute, Morris broke the silence, ¡°Heidi went out today and when she came back, a red agate bead was missing from her bracelet.¡±


    The pile of ashes on the bed suddenly stilled, emitting a low grunt.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s still unclear what exactly happened; if that was an instance of our Lord Rahm¡¯s protection kicking in, it indicates that Heidi faced a danger today that could¡¯ve breached her mental safeguard, but she herself is unaware of anything, and I did not notice any malicious intent around her,¡± Morris spoke slowly, ¡°It seems more like she unwittingly brushed past ¡®something,¡¯ inadvertently triggering the bracelet¡¯s protection¡­¡±


    Morris suddenly stopped and listened to the low whispers emanating from the ashes.


    ¡°Hmm, after my reminder, Heidi noticed the missing part on her bracelet. Therein lies the problem¨Cshe believes that the red agate never existed,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a form of self-defense, possibly stemming from her intuition or perhaps from the ¡®enlightenment¡¯ of the God of Wisdom. But either way, this protection is preventing her from delving further into certain matters¡­


    ¡°Me? I want to investigate it on my own, by myself.¡±


    The pile of ashes on the bed undulated slightly.


    Morris shook his head, ¡°There might be some risk, so I will pray and perform divination in advance, but I must make the trip¨Cactually, I¡¯ve been to that place once before. It seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary antique shop, inhabited by a diligent shopkeeper and an eager-to-learn child. At that time, I didn¡¯t sense any malice or evil lurking there¡­


    ¡°So if the danger materialized in the shop during Heidi¡¯s visit today, then the shop¡¯s owner might also be threatened¨Cmy student lives there, and I must check on her.


    ¡°After all, I am her teacher and a servant of the God of Wisdom¡­¡± Morris said softly, then heard an almost indiscernible whisper from the pile of ashes on the bed. He listened intently for a long time before slowly shaking his head.


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t disturb the cathedral¡­ though their involvement might be more effective, their overly decisive approach could harm my student. To the guardians of the church, the priority of suppressing heresy and eradicating evil is too high, and moreover¡­¡± Morris paused, sighed softly, and continued, ¡°Besides, I¡¯d rather not draw the attention of the cathedral, after all¡­ I am a wavering heretic in hiding.¡±


    His voice was low as he gently gazed at the pile of ashes on the bed, at¡­ his wife who had died in a great fire eleven years ago.


    At her lingering shadow in this mortal world.


    The ashes slowly rose, seeming to coalesce into an arm-like shape, gently caressing Morris¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°I know¡­ I know¡­¡± Morris bowed his head as if speaking to himself, yet as if confessing to some unseen entity, ¡°I am a man whose faith has faltered, too cowardly to fully fall¡­ The God of Wisdom granted me eyes to see through deception on that day, yet I weakly closed them, making unrealizable wishes. I wanted to keep you in this world, yet couldn¡¯t completely fool myself¡­ Instead, I¡¯ve trapped myself in this most awkward position¡­¡±


    He lifted his head and gently grasped the drifting wisp of ash, his fingers passing directly through the dust.


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    ¡°How I wish I could be ignorant, like Heidi, so I could clearly see your other form¡­ I haven¡¯t seen you in eleven years.¡±


    A soft voice came from the ashes, like sand rubbing together, like a warm little fire crackling, and as Morris listened to this sound, his mind gradually calmed.


    ¡°I understand, I understand¡­ all this will end, the curtain must eventually fall on the stage, regardless of what day my wish is responded to, the time will come for the destined price to be paid. I have long been prepared to vanish cleanly and completely from this world when it comes to collect, not even the shadows of Subspace will be able to touch the real world through this ¡®wish,¡¯ but¡­¡±


    Morris lifted his gaze to the contour of ashes in the dim light.


    ¡°But, until that day comes¡­ stay with me a little longer.¡±

 Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 147: Appearing in the Real World?

    Chapter 143: Chapter 147: Appearing in the Real World?


    ¡°Uncle Duncan, I¡¯m off to school!¡±


    With a cheerful greeting, Nina darted downstairs. She turned to wave at the second floor, then headed towards the front door.


    The rest day had ended; it was a school day again.


    But before she reached the door, Nina suddenly stopped. She saw a figure swaying behind a nearby shelf¨Cit was Sherry.


    ¡°Ah, Sherry,¡± Nina said happily, waving at the girl in front of her, ¡°I was wondering where you went¨Cshall we go together?¡±


    ¡°Together?¡± Sherry blinked, confused, ¡°Go where?¡±


    ¡°To school. Today is¡­¡± Nina began instinctively, but then she remembered halfway and her face showed an awkward expression, ¡°Ah, sorry, I forgot¡­¡±


    Sherry wasn¡¯t her classmate and didn¡¯t attend school; their pleasant times spent in the campus were merely a play¨CNina knew this, but after all, it had indeed happened. Many times, she still forgot.


    Sherry¡¯s face also showed an odd expression for a moment, and a hint of apology flashed in her eyes, but she quickly recovered and shook her head gently, ¡°I won¡¯t join you, my¡­ ¡®Scout activities¡¯ at that school are done.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Nina pursed her lips, returning to her usual smiling self quickly, ¡°Sorry, I forgot. Shall I go ahead then?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sherry nodded, but then seemed to remember something, adding, ¡°By the way, Nina, I¡­ I¡¯m going home today.¡±


    ¡°Going home?¡± Nina paused, seemingly unable to process the two words. In just two days, she had naturally come to consider Sherry as part of this place, so when the latter mentioned going home, Nina was a bit slow to grasp the concept, ¡°You won¡¯t be here?¡±


    ¡°I have to go home; I was only staying here temporarily,¡± Sherry explained, waving her hands, as she conveyed what she had wanted to say for a while. ¡°I mentioned it to Mr. Duncan too, and he agreed.¡±


    Nina fell silent, a bit dazed, and after a few seconds, she hesitantly spoke, ¡°Then¡­ will you come back?¡±


    If she could, she wouldn¡¯t come back¨Cmaybe even steal a ticket to flee to Frost to dodge the bullet.


    The thought of fleeing crossed Sherry¡¯s mind, but she immediately felt as if eyes were piercing through the floorboards from the second floor onto her. She instinctively shrank her neck, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll come to visit if I have the chance, I don¡¯t live that far, haha, ha¡­¡±


    Nina tilted her head, not sure why, but she felt Sherry¡¯s reaction just now was a bit odd. However, she didn¡¯t think much about it and was soon cheery again, satisfied with the promise of ¡°visiting whenever possible.¡± She waved happily, turned, and ran out the door like a gust of wind, disappearing into the street outside the antique shop.


    Sherry watched Nina run off like a breeze and only snapped back to her senses after a moment when she realized a figure was standing on the nearby stairs, watching her calmly.


    She hurriedly turned around and bent in a bow with a politeness that was rare for her, ¡°Good morning, Mr. Duncan!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve become much more polite, which suits a girl your age,¡± Duncan said lightly, descending the stairs slowly, ¡°Did you clear things up with Nina? You¡¯re going home today?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ clarified it,¡± Sherry said, her head bowed low, her voice barely audible as if afraid that the boss might retract the settled matter, ¡°You agreed too; I can leave today.¡±


    ¡°Why have you become nervous again? You were fine yesterday. Does your nervousness reset every morning?¡± Duncan shook his head, half amused, half exasperated. He stepped forward and gently patted Sherry¡¯s slender shoulder, ¡°Relax, I never said I¡¯d confine you to a particular place; it was merely an invitation to stay as a guest for two days. You can go back whenever you want¨Cand come back whenever you wish.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I understand,¡± Sherry nodded repeatedly, then slightly helplessly added, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not that nervous. It¡¯s Ah Dog that¡¯s always on edge. Whenever you¡¯re nearby, it instinctively gets nervous, and then its nervousness transfers to me.¡±


    ¡°Ah Dog, huh¡­ well, that can¡¯t be helped. Its nervousness seems to originate from Profound Demons¡¯ keen senses,¡± Duncan shrugged, then looked at Sherry, ¡°But are you sure you don¡¯t want to reconsider? You could stay here. The place you and Ah Dog stay doesn¡¯t seem very comfy and it¡¯s not safe at night either. Comparatively, this is a safe place.¡±


    A Subspace Shadow claiming its lair was a safe place was a statement with both plausible and absurd features. Yet, after pondering for a while, Sherry found no point to argue against it (primarily due to lack of courage), thus, she ended up with a silly laugh, ¡°Ah¡­ aha ha¡­ that¡­¡±


    ¡°Never mind, I was just saying; don¡¯t dwell on it,¡± seeing her reaction, Duncan knew what was happening, and he waved it off, ¡°Go if you want to go, but you know how to reach me now. If you find new leads on those Sun Cultists, remember to call me anytime.¡±


    Sherry silently nodded.


    After what felt like a dreamy two days, she had finally obtained permission to leave this place, and the chance to distance herself from this formidable presence. But when the opportunity truly arose, she suddenly found herself somewhat at a loss.


    Chatting happily with a ¡°friend,¡± living under the care of an ¡°elder,¡± enjoying the warmth of the bedroom, the bright lights, tasty food, and a peaceful life free from the fear of nightmares and the need to hide from the guardians.


    She had been permitted to leave now.


    For some reason, Sherry suddenly had an absurd thought¨C


    A bright world had briefly opened its doors to her, and now, those doors were about to be closed.


    Just recently, this was what she had longed for¨Cin fact, it still was; she was just¡­ somewhat conflicted.


    In the psychic link, she suddenly heard Agou¡¯s low murmur, ¡°Our lives are going to be back on track, Sherry.¡±


    ¡°Yes, back on track.¡±


    Sherry murmured softly in her mind, then lifted her head, intending to say goodbye to Mr. Duncan.


    But at that moment, Mr. Duncan¡¯s expression subtly shifted.


    In the depths, he sensed a flash of an aura far away, one of the marks he had left!


    ¡°Mr. Duncan?¡± Sherry noticed the sudden seriousness on his face and immediately became a bit nervous, ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I sensed an aura,¡± Mr. Duncan interrupted Sherry softly, looking into the distance, ¡°It seems to be coming from that direction.¡±


    Sherry was momentarily at a loss, ¡°An aura?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a small flame I left for that ¡®little bug,''¡± Mr. Duncan slightly lowered his head, gazing into Sherry¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you remember the umbrella-wielding assailant who attacked you at the edge of the Dreamscape?¡±


    Sherry paused, then her eyes widened, ¡°The fragment you sent ¡®home¡¯? But¡­ but that was in the Dreamscape world¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, that was an assailant that appeared in the Dreamscape,¡± Mr. Duncan¡¯s voice became suggestive, ¡°But now I¡¯ve sensed that mark in the real world.¡±


    Sherry stared wide-eyed. She suddenly remembered what Mr. Duncan had told her in that nightmare:


    Perhaps, it was more than just a dream.


    ¡°Sherry,¡± Mr. Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came, breaking the girl¡¯s reverie. He slightly lowered his head with a smile, ¡°Before we head home, do you want to come scout with me one more time? Of course if you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to go!¡± Sherry immediately responded before he could finish, so decisively that she even startled herself. Then, as if to ease the awkwardness, she explained, ¡°That¡­ ¡®thing¡¯ appeared on the street after the great fire, it must be related to that fire from years ago¡­¡±


    Mr. Duncan pressed on Sherry¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Then let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡°How will we get there?¡± Sherry inhaled softly. ¡°Are you certain of the exact location of that thing? Are we going to take the bus like last time¡­¡±


    Mr. Duncan shook his head with a smile, ¡°Now, I have a more convenient mode of transportation.¡±


    Sherry paused, about to ask what this convenient mode of transportation was, when from the corner of her eye, she suddenly saw a shadow swoop down from the second-floor staircase, accompanied by a series of shrill, strange female voices: ¡°To Erxianqiao, take Chenghua Avenue¡­ Plenty of seats! Seats in the back¡­ Seeds, beverages, mineral water! Tuck in your feet on both sides!¡±


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    The sudden appearance of the swift shadow and the strange voices startled Sherry, but once she could see what it was, her eyes widened even more than before: It was that bizarre pigeon! The pigeon that could eat nearly its own size in fries in one meal!


    The next second, under Sherry¡¯s astounded gaze, Ai Yi quickly circled in the air, and green flames rose around it. In the blink of an eye, the clumsy-looking white dove transformed into the terrifying Spiritual Body Bone Dove.


    Sherry: ¡°¡­?!¡±


    Her neck stiffly turned as she seemed to want to confirm something with Mr. Duncan, but before she could speak, her vision blurred¡­


    Amidst Ai Yi¡¯s continuous chirping of ¡°Plenty of seats, seats in the back,¡± a vortex resembling a fiery doorway flashed past, and the next second, a swift white dove burst out of the antique shop and flew straight into the distance.

 Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 148 Overlapping

    Chapter 144: Chapter 148 Overlapping


    A swift white shadow darted through the old and dirty alleyways of the Lower City District, over the crisscrossing pipes and pressure-relief structures above the factory area, past desolate stations and deserted streets, and finally slipped into a narrow, shabby lane.


    A pale green flame suddenly bloomed, spreading wildly in the air like a doorway, and the vortex within the gate briefly expanded before Duncan stepped out from it.


    Immediately following was the still somewhat dazed Sherry.


    Duncan looked back at the girl behind him, gave her a once-over, then spoke in a deep voice, ¡°How do you feel? Is there any discomfort?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m okay,¡± Sherry was still reeling, but her confusion was more due to the disorientation caused by suddenly being whisked through dimensions by the big shot rather than any physical discomfort. She looked up at Ai Yi, who had returned to its Bone Dove form and was now perched on Duncan¡¯s shoulder, and after a long pause, she finally reached out with telepathy to communicate with A Dog, who was hidden within her Spiritual Body, ¡°A Dog, can you beat this dove?¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t ask, the answer is no,¡± A Dog¡¯s voice sounded muffled, ¡°Not just birds raised by the big shot, but even fish stewed by him, I can¡¯t beat¡­¡±


    Sherry was taken aback, ¡°Why suddenly mention fish?¡±


    ¡°Because I can tell that, with this person, there is likely nothing that abides by common sense¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t know that Sherry was whispering with A Dog; he was simply rechecking Sherry¡¯s condition and sensing the state of the mark he had left on her. Only then did he completely ease his mind.


    In fact, he was confident in Ai Yi¡¯s ability to transport living beings, not only because he had tested it with his own now-mortal body but also because, after that, he had Ai Yi perform numerous ¡°live experiments¡± with various animals on the outside. All the tests were perfect, confirming that the dove could safely transport living targets¨Cbut even with so many tests, he still subconsciously checked on Sherry¡¯s condition.


    After all, Ai Yi was mysterious and filled with puzzles, and no one knew how many special traits it had yet to reveal. Using the ¡°Bone Dove Express¡± warranted extra caution.


    After confirming Sherry¡¯s condition, he then turned his attention to their surroundings.


    The view before him was a quiet, mean lane, at the end of which one could faintly see the old street scenery, with decrepit piping facilities stretched overhead from houses on both sides, some of their connections leaking slight hisses of steam.


    This was a common sight in many areas of the Lower City District.


    But Sherry immediately realized where they were.


    ¡°Is this¡­ the Sixth District?¡± She widened her eyes in surprise, ¡°Mr. Duncan, did you sense the mark appear here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Sixth District, we¡¯ve come back here but¡­¡± Duncan exhaled slowly, then frowned lightly, ¡°but the sensation of the mark faded a minute ago.¡±


    ¡°¡­Faded? Did it go out?¡±


    Sherry asked in surprise, but Duncan didn¡¯t give an answer, instead looking thoughtfully in a certain direction.


    In Sherry¡¯s ¡°Dreamscape,¡± he had implanted a flame within the remnants left after the Assailants split, instructing it to return to its ¡°original body.¡± Shortly after, he lost the sensation of that flame as Sherry¡¯s Dreamscape ended¨Cuntil just now, when the mark suddenly appeared in his awareness again, guiding him here.


    To the Sixth District in the real world.


    The Spiritual Body fire that should have spread within the Dreamscape had suddenly sent signals back in the real world¨CSherry¡¯s own Dreamscape, the fringes of which connected with the scenes from Nina¡¯s dream, the umbrella monster that attacked Sherry in the nightmare had appeared at the real fire scene at the museum¡­


    Unconsciously, many contradictory yet vaguely connected clues linked together in Duncan¡¯s mind, feeling as if he was about to touch that invisible veil.


    Or rather, that vast veil, although shrouding the entire City-State, still retained a ¡°gap¡± somewhere in the Sixth District¨Cat some place they had previously overlooked.


    He looked towards the last direction from which the mark sent a ¡°signal¡± in his perception.


    The trace of the mark only appeared for a short period and had quickly faded away a minute ago, but Duncan did not think the flame he left behind had been extinguished¨Cdespite not being able to pinpoint its location accurately, he could still sense that the flame was still burning, and even growing stronger than before.


    Since the flame still burned and grew, it indicated that its ¡°mission¡± was not yet over¨Cit was still chasing, consuming, and assimilating the Assailant, even possibly spreading into a large fire. Its brief appearance in the Sixth District followed by a quick retreat could be due to an unstable ¡°veil¡± in this area, with a gap that had briefly opened and closed, causing a crossover connection between two dimensional worlds.


    He needed to find that gap, the one that seemed to connect the Dreamscape and reality.


    Days later, Duncan was leading Sherry through the desolate and dilapidated streets of District Six once again, this time they didn¡¯t waste their time asking the locals for information but headed straight to the deepest part of the district.


    ¡°That abandoned factory is in a different direction¡­¡± Halfway, Sherry lifted her arm and pointed to a large building in the distance.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to that factory,¡± Duncan said quickly, ¡°this way.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Sherry followed his response, scurrying to keep up with Duncan¡¯s pace.


    The withered leaves drifted with the wind, landing under Sherry¡¯s feet. As she stepped on them, the light crackling sound of breaking beneath her seemed like the crunch of charred wood, or the faint popping of tiny flames.


    She looked around, only to see the ordinary streets, with old houses lined along, standing amid the falling leaves, facing the intruders with cold indifference.


    Suddenly, Sherry noticed something was wrong.


    She realized she hadn¡¯t seen a single pedestrian for some time.


    District Six was indeed quiet, with few pedestrians in most parts, and the few residents who were there seemed listless, indifferent, and solitary. But it was never so deserted that there were no people at all!


    An uncomfortable feeling began to spread from the bottom of her heart, eerily reminding her of the dreamscape where she had been trapped. She subconsciously moved closer to Duncan, not expecting him to suddenly stop¨Cthump, she bumped into his back.


    In the next second, Sherry had prepared her entire last will in her mind, and envisioned three styles of tombstones, but it quickly occurred to her that those crushed by the Subspace Shadow likely wouldn¡¯t leave a body behind¡­


    Duncan¡¯s calm voice interrupted the girl¡¯s fleeting chaotic thoughts: ¡°It seems we have arrived.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very, very sorry I really didn¡¯t mean to please you¡­huh?¡±


    With an instinctive burst of apologies, Sherry then realized that the dignified figure before her didn¡¯t seem angered. Following this, she noticed that she had stopped in front of a building that looked long-forgotten.


    It was a church.


    A community church commonly found in Plunder City-State stood at the end of this small path.


    It had the characteristic slim spires of Deep Sea churches, black roof tiles, and white stone walls, but they were covered with hanging withered vines and decayed filth. The grand doors, although slightly ajar and featuring complicated sacred runes, were starting to decay. The stained-glass windows were also shattered, nearly reduced to twisted iron shapes. Through the cracks in the door and the holes in the windows, one could dimly see a shadowy interior.


    This had once been a sacred place, but an aura of ruin and abandonment now permeated every crack between its bricks.


    ¡°¡­Is this the ¡®church¡¯ that old man near the intersection mentioned last time?¡± Sherry recalled their last investigation in District Six, ¡°I remember he said a nun lived here, but that nun wasn¡¯t often in the church¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beyond just ¡®not often¡¯ to explain this level of disrepair,¡± said Duncan casually, as he stepped toward the church door, ¡°rather than the nun being out often, it seems this place has been forgotten for as long as eleven years.¡±


    Sherry watched him walk towards the church, instinctively feeling averse and tense about the building. However, after a moment of hesitation, she still followed Duncan¡¯s footsteps.


    The next moment, Duncan pushed open the church door that was ajar, and the inside scenery of the small church became vividly clear to both him and Sherry.


    Warm, bright candlelight caught Sherry¡¯s eye. The clean and tidy small church was lit up brightly, and at the end of the neatly arranged pews, the statue of the Storm Goddess Gomona stood silently amidst the light.


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    A nun, who had been kneeling in front of the statue praying devoutly, heard the door and stood up, turning around.


    She saw the visitors at the entrance, her face revealing a gentle smile: ¡°It¡¯s been a very long time since anyone visited this church.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ it seems we¡¯ve got the right place,¡± Duncan said quietly, looking at the smiling nun with a composed expression, ¡°the breach in the veil.¡±


    He blinked, and in his eyes, the smiling nun at one moment retained the appearance of a living person, but at the next, became a heap of writhing human-shaped ashes. Behind her, the church exhibited a bizarre superimposed state¨Cthe flames burned fiercely on the intact pews; ash and sparks fell from the ceiling; the scene after the fire and the intact church overlapped in a strange and tearing display.


    It was as if two entirely different realities had been forcibly merged within this church.

 Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 149: Behind the Curtain

    Chapter 145: Chapter 149: Behind the Curtain


    The community church, apparently abandoned for countless years on the outside, was brightly lit and clean inside. At the same time, in Duncan¡¯s eyes, the brightly lit interior was distinctly overlaid with a dilapidated scene as if ¡°another reality.¡±


    It gave Duncan a feeling that this small church seemed like an ¡°erroneous space¡± superimposed upon reality or a forgotten place stuck in the cracks of time and space. Two entirely opposite histories had once intersected here, yet the church remained at the point of intersection, its internal time having never moved forward since then.


    It had neither been destroyed nor survived that great fire.


    Then¡­ did the nun who stayed alone in this church know anything?


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since anyone has visited this church,¡± the nun in the black priestly robe repeated softly again, smiling as she lifted her head, her gaze seemingly passing through Sherry and Duncan standing in front of her, ¡°Where do you come from? Strange faces¡­ You aren¡¯t residents here, are you?¡±


    Before her was a bright and warm scene, yet Sherry suddenly shrank her neck under the nun¡¯s smiling gaze, inexplicably feeling a chill and nervously whispering to Duncan, ¡°I¡­ I feel weird about this place¡­ It looks so dilapidated from outside, but inside¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond, merely patting Sherry¡¯s shoulder casually. From the girl¡¯s reaction, he guessed she could probably only see one ¡°side¡± of the church, likely the side that wasn¡¯t destroyed. But now he didn¡¯t know how to explain his guess to Sherry¨Cwould releasing the Abyssal Hound now allow it, with its ¡°eyes,¡± to see the true situation here?


    However, it was better not to let Sherry rashly summon the Abyssal Hound until he understood more about the nun¡¯s background.


    ¡°We¡¯re just passing through,¡± Duncan said calmly to the nun, as if he was just a normal visitor to the church, ¡°Have you always been here?¡±


    ¡°I? I¡¯ve always lived in this church,¡± the nun nodded gently, ¡°I¡¯ve always been here praying to the great existence.¡±


    ¡°But people in the district say that the nun of the church hasn¡¯t been back for a long time,¡± Duncan said, observing the nun¡¯s reaction, ¡°They say the church has been neglected, as if it has been abandoned for a long time.¡±


    The nun listened quietly to Duncan¡¯s words, yet there was no strong reaction, as if her heart had eternally calmed.


    She just showed a faint smile, ¡°Oh, is that so, but I¡¯ve always been here¡­ Perhaps they¡¯ve forgotten the days of prayer and mistakenly thought the church was closed.¡±


    Duncan neither agreed nor disagreed, but he had already confirmed that not only the church but even the entire Sixth District outside had issues.


    This abandoned church was deep within the district, visually seeming abandoned for over a decade! For the ordinary people of this world, a church was not just a place for spiritual comfort¨Cit also functioned as a facility to maintain regional safety, to ward off evil forces after nightfall, and as a healing place for civilians troubled by mental issues or nightmares¡­ such an essential facility lay wasted for eleven years, yet the residents of the Sixth District strangely felt nothing amiss, merely casually stating, ¡°the nun hasn¡¯t been around recently¡±?


    Imagine a community without water or electricity for eleven years, yet the local inhabitants felt nothing wrong, and when asked by outsiders, they would simply mention, ¡°The utilities department hasn¡¯t been working recently.¡± How bizarre is that scenario!


    As for the nun inside this church¡­ Duncan still wasn¡¯t certain whether this occasionally visible figure of human ash was what it appeared to be, but through initial conversations, he could feel that she seemed¡­ to harbor no hostility.


    Not only was there no hostility, but her line of thinking also appeared to be in a strange state. It couldn¡¯t be said she lacked rationality, but she was definitely not lucid.


    Duncan indirectly asked a few questions, and the nun in the church calmly answered each one, and her calm response itself¡­ was a manifestation of her lack of lucidity.


    Because under normal circumstances, if a stranger suddenly ran into the church and bombarded the attending nun with a bunch of irrelevant questions, the nun would have found it extremely strange.


    She had rationality¨Cbut not much of it.


    ¡°Would you like to pray? Or do you need help with calming and exorcising?¡±


    The nun asked softly with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you, but it¡¯s not necessary,¡± Duncan shook his head and then looked around, as if asking casually, ¡°By the way, where are the guardians of this church?¡±


    Every church should have guardians stationed within, even the smallest community church in a slum area had a troop of guardians sufficient to handle common threats, and this church was no exception.


    ¡°Guardians¡­ the guardians are resting in the church, they will only appear after nightfall,¡± the nun¡¯s smile remained unchanged, ¡°Are you looking for the guardians for something?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t reply, just slowly scanned the benches next to the nun.


    In his sight, the phantasms of a great fire destroying everything, of ash and ruins piling up, overlaid on the brightly lit church like layered films, and in that overlapping other dimension, there were scorched corpses.


    ¡°Are the guardians resting there?¡± Duncan raised his hand, pointing nearby, but in Sherry¡¯s eyes, there were only two rows of empty benches.


    The nun paused, looked where Duncan had pointed, and after a moment softly said, ¡°Shh¡­ they are sleeping.¡±


    Duncan hummed in response, then casually asked, ¡°Can we look around?¡±


    ¡°Of course, the church is open for visitors,¡± the nun nodded gently, ¡°Please feel free to explore. I must continue praying¨Cif you need any help, please call for me.¡±


    After saying this, the strange nun truly turned and walked toward a statue of the goddess not far away, leaving Duncan and Sherry to themselves.


    It wasn¡¯t until the nun had left that Sherry, who had been tense the whole time, suddenly let out a breath of relief. At this point, she couldn¡¯t be afraid of Duncan, as the church¡¯s omnipresent eerie atmosphere had even put their hidden dog, Abyssal Hound, on edge. The unusual tension was transmitted directly into her mind through their psychic link, causing her to instinctively draw closer to Duncan, ¡°What¡­ what is going on with this place¡­ this nun feels creepy, she looks normal but seems entirely not normal¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems there are two churches here,¡± Duncan said in a low voice, explaining simply, ¡°One has been burnt down, and one is still intact, both overlaying this point in time and space, and the nun in the church¡­ neither alive nor dead.¡±


    Sherry was stunned, and after a full half-minute, she spoke in confusion and astonishment, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Duncan glanced at her, ¡°You should read some books sometime¨Cor I can teach you.¡±


    Then, without waiting for Sherry¡¯s reply, he walked deeper into the church.


    The nun had said the church was open for viewing, so he was certainly going to ¡°look around.¡±


    Sherry hesitated for a moment before quickly following Duncan¡¯s footsteps. They crossed the neatly placed benches, passing by statues and prayer podiums at the end of the benches.


    The serene nun was already kneeling before the Storm Goddess¡¯s statue, hands pressed against her chest, devoutly praying to the divine as if she had completely forgotten about their visit, as if she had been kneeling there continuously for the past eleven years, maintaining an unbroken prayer.


    Duncan blinked, and the nun turned into a writhing human-shaped pile of ashes stacked next to the charred praying podium, with flickering bits of firelight falling from the dome like scattered leaves.


    He suddenly felt a sensation, lifting his head to look at the statue of the Storm Goddess above.


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    The long-robed statue stood quietly on a high pedestal, with a stark crack abruptly running across its head!


    In that brief moment, Duncan saw a core truth overlaid on the twin churches. He clearly saw that a dark, dim crack had opened in the position of the goddess¡¯s head, within the crack were faintly discernible shadows of chaos, like the orientation of a terrifying eye, its pupil reflecting scenes that should not belong to this reality. The aura of ¡°Holiness¡± that should envelop the statue of the goddess had completely vanished, leaving only coldness and emptiness on this eerie stone sculpture!


    In the next instant, that horrific scene disappeared completely, and Gomona¡¯s statue still stood quietly on the high pedestal, majestically overlooking the surroundings, emitting a reassuring and awe-inspiring dignity.


    Suddenly, the nun kneeling before the statue of the goddess opened her eyes, she turned her head slightly and calmly looked at Duncan.


    ¡°Do you wish to pray to the goddess?¡±

 Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 150: The Secret in the Underground Sanctuary

    Chapter 146: Chapter 150: The Secret in the Underground Sanctuary


    ¡°Do you wish to pray to the goddess?¡±


    To be honest, Duncan¡¯s instinctive reaction at that moment was that there was something wrong with Gomona, the Storm Goddess¨Cit was this seemingly protective deity¡¯s dangerous other side that cast a terrifying shadow deep within the City-State, and the occasional distorted appearance of the statue was evidence of that.


    But the next second, another doubt arose: if there really was something wrong with Gomona, why were the other churches around the city normal?


    He had indeed seen other Deep Sea Churches before¨Cthere was a community church near the antique shop, and there was one next to that ocean museum as well. Even though he hadn¡¯t entered to investigate thoroughly, he had lingered nearby, and the aura those churches emitted¡­ was clearly different from the eerie church in front of him.


    He had also encountered other clergy, including entry-level priests and guardians, as well as Judges like Fenna, who resided at the pinnacle of the City-State. All these people who served the Storm Goddess day and night seemed completely normal, even more resolute and clearheaded than most.


    He ignored the nun and looked up at the statue.


    After the fleeting glimpse just moments ago, the eerie crack in the statue¡¯s head had not reappeared. Even in another aspect overlaid within the church, the statue was merely blackened by smoke, as if that crack had sensed something and actively hidden itself away.


    Duncan frowned.


    This church¡¯s peculiarity was clearly an exception. Thus, if it wasn¡¯t the Storm Goddess who was at fault¡­ the scene he had just witnessed could possibly be explained as some force using this church as a node, attempting to erode reality.


    But what exactly was it?


    The form of that crack bore no relation to the Sun God and didn¡¯t remind him of a Sun Shard either. If anything¡­ the dim shadows surging within the fracture made him think of the chaos outside the hull of the ¡°Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°Do you wish to pray to the goddess?¡±


    The nun¡¯s voice came again. She showed neither impatience nor urgency but seemed to repeat the question again and again like a triggered keyword whenever Duncan and Sherry stood beside the statue.


    Sherry seemed a bit at a loss, instinctively looking towards Duncan, who finally responded calmly, staring at the nun: ¡°Are you praying to your goddess?¡±


    This should have been a straightforward question, to which any normal believer would have responded affirmatively, but the nun¡¯s reaction made Sherry¡¯s eyes widen.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± the nun said calmly, shaking her head as if she saw no issue with her response, ¡°I am just praying, He asked me to pray here.¡±


    Duncan immediately frowned, ¡°Who is ¡®He¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The Supreme Being.¡± The nun smiled.


    Yet, the gentle smile from the nun sent a chill through Sherry.


    ¡°I do not pray to any deity,¡± Duncan stated flatly, subtly pulling Sherry back a half step away from the prayer stand, ¡°including your goddess.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a pity,¡± the nun sighed softly, then bowed her head again, no longer paying any attention to Duncan and Sherry.


    Duncan stared at the shifting ash in human form for a few seconds, making sure it truly was no longer paying him any mind, then turned to walk elsewhere.


    The small chapel was limited in size, with virtually nowhere to hide; apart from the main hall where the statue was enshrined, there were only a few rooms connected to it and a basement.


    Duncan first led Sherry to check the surrounding rooms, finding nothing of particular importance. Lastly, they found a staircase leading down to the basement at the end of a corridor outside the main hall.


    ¡°Are we really going down there?¡± Sherry looked uneasily at the dark staircase before her, instinctively glancing back towards the main hall, ¡°Could that weird nun suddenly come killing our way?¡±


    ¡°That ¡®nun¡¯ is clearly trapped in the main hall and cannot stray too far from the statue,¡± Duncan shook his head. ¡°But if she really comes at us¡­ we¡¯ll have no choice but to take action. After all, with that posture¡­ it¡¯s hard to say she¡¯s still a living human.¡±


    Swallowing nervously, Sherry¡¯s courage was usually vast, but however bold, this was her first time stirring trouble in a Deep Sea Church chapel. A deep-seated nervous reverence accumulated over years caused her heart to thump wildly.


    But she knew she better not refuse¨Cshe had some sense of which was more dangerous, a nun transformed from a commoner or a shadow from the Subspace.


    At that moment, Duncan suddenly spoke again, startling Sherry just as she had made up her mind, ¡°By the way, summon Ah Dog.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened in an instant, ¡°What?! Summon Ah Dog? In the Storm Goddess¡¯s church?!¡±


    ¡°This place might no longer be the Storm Goddess¡¯s church,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say what is dominating here now¨Cgo ahead and summon Ah Dog. Look, even I am standing here in this ¡®church,¡¯ could a Profound Demon be more out of place than me?¡±


    Thinking about it, Sherry felt there was some reason in his words, but mainly because she dared not disagree, she had no choice but to honestly raise her arm and summon Ah Dog into the real world.


    Black fiery flames and swirling smoke surged upward, and the gigantic Abyssal Hound appeared in front of Duncan in an instant.


    Just as the summoning finished, Ah Dog professionally sprawled right under Duncan¡¯s feet, its skeletal tail wagging like a five-speed electric fan, ¡°Greetings to you, great Dun¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, save the formalities,¡± Duncan waved his hand to cut him off before he could finish. He already had an annoying goat head bothering him and truly did not want another similar-style dog added to the mix, ¡°You must have already felt that there¡¯s something off with this church. Take a look with your own eyes¨Cnext, I might need your ¡®keen sight.''¡±


    Ah Dog promptly got up from the ground, turned its head to survey the surrounding corridors, and the staircase leading down to the basement, its hollow scarlet eye sockets flickering with light.


    ¡°This is a truly sinister place¡­¡± the Abyssal Hound¡¯s voice was hoarse and deep, ¡°It¡¯s dizzying to look at¡­¡±


    After pausing, as though making further judgments, it slightly turned its head to Duncan and said, ¡°It¡¯s somewhat similar to the situation in that abandoned factory we visited before, but it¡¯s even more distorted here. This distortion has nearly reached the threshold that the real world can withstand¡­ Yes, it seems we have indeed found a crucial ¡®point¡¯ on this veil.¡±


    ¡°The distortion has nearly reached the threshold of the real world, no wonder I can observe it directly,¡± Duncan nodded knowingly, his gaze then fell on the stairs ahead, ¡°The entire church has been checked, what remains¡­ should only be this basement. According to the structure of most Deep Sea Churches, the area ahead should be what is referred to as the ¡®Underground Sanctuary.''¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to get excited,¡± Ah Dog wagged its ugly head, the chains on its neck clattering, ¡°This is the first time in my life that I¡¯m legitimately entering the forbidden grounds of the Deep Sea Church¡­ I¡¯ve never seen what it¡¯s like down there!¡±


    Sherry gave Ah Dog a strange look, ¡°Can you not act like some pervert getting ready to sneak into a women¡¯s restroom?¡±


    Ah Dog: ¡°¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored the dysfunctional duo, having already passed Ah Dog and walked down the steps, arriving at the great doors leading to the Underground Sanctuary.


    As a small community church, the so-called ¡°Underground Sanctuary¡± was merely a spacious basement, and the door to the Underground Sanctuary was a sturdy oak door, reinforced and blessed with steel frames and holy runes.


    Duncan placed his hand on the door, giving it a light push, and found it unlocked. However, when he pushed harder, he felt some resistance as if something was blocking the door from the other side.


    ¡°There¡¯s something behind the door.¡± Duncan stepped back slightly, observing the dark oak door in front of him.


    Somehow, when he arrived at the doorway to the Underground Sanctuary, the eerie ¡°superimposition¡± scene had receded, and all he could see was this sole door.


    It seemed that the ¡°two branches¡± overlapping in the church had converged here, leaving only the sole ¡°reality.¡±


    ¡°Shall we break the door?¡± Sherry had followed him up, already lifting the chain in her hands, her expression eager to try it out, while Ah Dog also readied itself¨Cspecifically by grabbing its head with its paws, assuming the form of a morning star.


    ¡°¡­It might destroy evidence,¡± Duncan stopped Sherry, who was ready to use her traditional skills of swinging the dog. He placed his hand on the rune-covered door, a tiny flame sparked between his fingers, which quickly traveled along the etched grooves on the door, ¡°Theoretically, this door should belong to Transcendent items, so¡­¡±


    In the next second, the once-blessed sanctuary door turned into fuel for the spiritual fire, burning fiercely with a pale green light, loyally following the ¡®master¡¯s¡¯ command.


    It burned itself out.


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    And as the door vanished in ash and smoke, the object that had been blocking it from the other side also appeared before Duncan and the others, collapsing to the ground with a thud.


    It was a nun in a black robe, covered in wounds, still holding a longsword in her hand, still glaring angrily at something in the darkness even in death.


    Sherry saw the face clearly, a chill rising from the bottom of her heart.


    ¡°Is that¡­ the nun we saw earlier?!¡±


    (End of the month~ Double votes start now~ If you have votes, cast one~)

 Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 151 The Fear of Profound Demons

    Chapter 147: Chapter 151 The Fear of Profound Demons


    Duncan bent down to examine the scene.


    It was indeed the nun¨Cthe same nun who had spoken to Duncan and Sherry not long ago and who, theoretically, should have been praying in the main hall at the moment.


    But now she lay here, dead near the entrance of the Underground Sanctuary, and until the moment Duncan pushed the door open, she had been using her body to firmly blockade it.


    It seemed she was trying to prevent something from entering the Underground Sanctuary. However, considering her state before she collapsed, it looked as though she had been desperately fighting against something within the Underground Sanctuary and had closed the doors before she died, to stop that thing from getting out.


    ¡°It looks¡­ as if she just died¡­¡±


    Sherry, bravely edging closer now, peeked over Duncan¡¯s shoulder and after two or three seconds, she cautiously spoke up.


    ¡°Yes, it seems she hasn¡¯t been dead for long, even¡­¡± Duncan said, as he placed his hand on the nun¡¯s arm, ¡°she still has warmth.¡±


    The body at the entrance of the Underground Sanctuary retained a residual warmth. Her horrendously wounded body was smeared with blood that had yet to dry, which gave Duncan the impression that the battle in the basement had still been ongoing when he and Sherry had first stepped into the church; the nun was alive at that time, and even¡­ she might have still been breathing when they began to explore the church.


    But that was impossible.


    The church had been deserted for eleven years, and the supernatural phenomena in the Plunder City-State had occurred eleven years ago as well. If this church was indeed a ¡°key node¡± on the curtain, then everything here should have happened and ended eleven years ago. The nun, who fought in the Underground Sanctuary until her last moment, couldn¡¯t possibly have just drawn her last breath now.


    With a grave expression, Duncan slowly stood up and directed his gaze towards the opposite side of the door.


    As he had expected, the community church¡¯s Underground Sanctuary was nothing more than a slightly spacious basement. There was no light in the sanctuary, not even the Everlasting Oil Lamps and gas lamps that were supposed to ward off evil spirits; all were extinguished. Only the faint light pouring in through the doorway illuminated the interior, where in the dimness, one could vaguely make out the silent figure of a female deity¡¯s statue standing in the center of the basement. Pillars adorned with scriptural tapestries lined both sides of the sanctuary, along with niches for storing Holy Artifacts.


    Duncan stepped over the nun¡¯s body and began to search for traces of battle within the basement. He spotted cuts and notches on the walls and columns, pits from gunshots, and scorches from flames¨Call signs of combat.


    But he could not find the ¡°enemy¡±¨Cthe ¡°invader¡± the nun had desperately fought against before her death.


    He turned his head to look at the Abyssal Hound following behind Sherry, keeping its head low and cautiously scanning the surroundings: ¡°Ah-Gou, can you make anything out?¡±


    ¡°Signs of severe time-space distortion¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem to have the same kind of ¡®reality overlap¡¯ phenomenon as above in the surface church, but the time-space distortion here is more severe than anywhere else,¡± Ah-Gou spoke with extra seriousness. As the only Transcendent expert in the trio, its analysis was clearly much more systematic than Duncan¡¯s wild guesses. ¡°To my eyes, the entire Underground Sanctuary is shrouded in a thin mist. The incorrect time-space has completely replaced reality, but¡­ aside from the time-space distortion, I can¡¯t find anything else.¡±


    ¡°What about the ¡®invader¡¯ who attacked this place?¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°The nun couldn¡¯t possibly have been fighting air in a battle of wits, could she?¡±


    ¡°There are no invaders,¡± Ah-Gou sniffed¨Cthough it didn¡¯t have a respiratory system¨C¡°no scent of living beings, nor the scent of Profound Demons or creatures from the Spirit Realm.¡±


    Pausing, it then added, ¡°Please trust my judgment in this regard; the Abyssal Hounds excel at hunting. Distinguishing the scent of prey in the environment is a basic skill for a predator, unless¡­¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°Unless?¡±


    Ah-Gou quickly glanced around, seemingly becoming very cautious. It lowered its voice as it approached Duncan, ¡°Unless something from the Subspace slipped out¡­ I can¡¯t track that, but if it is something from the Subspace, you should be more familiar with it than I am¡­¡±


    At that, Duncan instantly became expressionless, ¡°Sorry, not familiar with it.¡±


    Ah-Gou quickly lowered its head, ¡°If you¡­ If you say you¡¯re not familiar, then you¡¯re not familiar¡­¡±


    ¡°¡±


    Duncan pondered for a moment. He knew that A-Gou certainly didn¡¯t believe his words, but he was indeed not familiar with Subspace. On the other hand, A-Gou¡¯s words had reminded him¨C


    He recalled the crack he had glimpsed in the main hall of the church while observing the statue of the Storm Goddess, the chaotic light and shadows leaking from that crack, and the bizarre visions he had seen under the hull of Homeloss.


    Could it really be something from Subspace that had gotten out?


    ¡°If it really is something that escaped from Subspace,¡± Duncan furrowed his brows as if talking to himself, ¡°how could it directly break into the Storm Goddess¡¯s Sanctuary? Isn¡¯t this supposed to be the place with the strongest defenses? And from the traces at the scene, the invader doesn¡¯t seem to have broken in from outside; rather, it appears to have materialized in the Sanctuary and launched an attack outward¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± A-Gou shook his head, ¡°the secrets of the Four Great Churches are a blind spot in the knowledge of Profound Demons, and Subspace is universally recognized as taboo. Even fear demons wouldn¡¯t pry into such secrets¨Cactually, in my eyes, humans are an even crazier race than demons when it comes to this field. They dare to study Subspace and haven¡¯t had any accidents for so many years¡­¡±


    ¡°Human beings have always been a very bold race,¡± Duncan casually remarked and then looked at A-Gou, ¡°but I am somewhat surprised. Mysterious Deep Sea is closely adjacent to Subspace, yet you Profound Demons are more afraid of that place than humans? Isn¡¯t Subspace essentially right next to your home?¡±


    ¡°People who live next to volcanoes don¡¯t drink lava because they like it,¡± A-Gou drooped his head, explaining to the boss, ¡°Living next to Subspace makes us more aware than humans of how terrifying it is to fall into it.¡±


    Duncan became thoughtful and asked the question he hadn¡¯t managed to ask last time: ¡°¡­So that¡¯s why you, like humans, are also afraid of Homeloss¡¯s return from Subspace?¡±


    A-Gou shrank his neck, very cautiously glanced at Duncan as if afraid that discussing this topic might inadvertently anger the owner of Homeloss before him. But since the boss had started the topic, he dared not continue, so he just honestly said, ¡°Actually¡­ if Homeloss had only returned from Subspace that wouldn¡¯t be so scary. The key is, during the initial period, the ship kept ¡®falling¡¯ back into reality from Subspace, like oscillating between two dimensions, passing through Subspace and reality again and again¡­¡±


    Duncan had simply asked casually, but he didn¡¯t expect to hear such information. Suddenly his heart stirred, ¡°Oscillating between reality and Subspace?¡±


    ¡°Yes, every time it would pierce through Spirit Realm and Mysterious, dragging along everything it encountered on its way, like a wildly careening cannonball,¡± A-Gou said with an obvious residual fear, ¡°I even remember a terrifying scene to this day. The ship, like an everlasting comet of fire, fell from the upper layers, flames enfolding screaming humans and a distorted hull. The fight-blind Profound Demons scattered in panic, but in the blink of an eye, they were swept into the flames by the immense force, and those humans were instantly merged into strange, twisted clumps that were then shredded and scattered into the depths of the Mysterious¡­


    ¡°Homeloss smashed through various dimensions this way, and fell deep into Subspace, then after a couple of days, it came out from below again, and¡­ did it all over once more.¡±


    As A-Gou spoke, he swallowed hard, and the sound of rough friction and the movement of corrosive substances came from his throat.


    ¡°At that time, even some of the blinder and duller Profound Demons halted their struggles temporarily. Every day, they would just blankly stare in the direction of Spirit Realm, fear even surpassing slaughter to become their new instinct¡­ and I was one of the ones with the deepest imprint of fear at that time.¡±


    Duncan listened with a wooden expression and finally managed to get a word out: ¡°Then¡­ I see why you have such a big psychological shadow now.¡±


    A-Gou dared to lift his head and look at Duncan, ¡°You¡­ you really didn¡¯t know about these things?¡±


    Duncan nearly lost control of his expression¨Che didn¡¯t know crap! He didn¡¯t do this! Why should he have to shoulder such an old, hefty blame?!


    But his complaints were confined to muttering in his heart. In front of A-Gou, he could only continue to keep a straight face: ¡°¡­Maybe I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±


    A-Gou: ¡°¡­¡±


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    Seeing the deeply stricken look on this Abyssal Hound, Duncan let out a sigh and had to add: ¡°I¡¯ll pay attention in the future.¡±


    His tone was very sincere.


    A-Gou was moved and dared not make a move.


    Meanwhile, Duncan fell into brief contemplation afterward.


    If everything A-Gou said was true, did that mean Homeloss¡­ had gone through a period of complete loss of control? It wasn¡¯t simply returning from Subspace, but rather, for a considerable amount of time, it had been ¡®oscillating¡¯ between reality and Subspace?!

 Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 152: When in Doubt...

    Chapter 148: Chapter 152: When in Doubt¡­


    Duncan had not expected that a casual question would elicit such important intelligence about Homeloss from the lips of A-dog¨Cdespite having heard this Abyssal Hound describe Homeloss¡¯s formidable reputation in the Mysterious Deep Sea before, who could have imagined that such a reputation was hammered out in such a crude and violent manner?


    A Ghost Ship continuously oscillating between subspace and the real dimension, like a shell darting back and forth between the roof and the foundation, shook through the ¡°floors¡± of the Spirit Realm and the Mysterious Deep Sea with each oscillation, leaving no blade of grass in its wake. Everything it touched was dragged into subspace¡­ and it sounded like this had been going on for quite a while!


    No wonder a Profound Demon like A-dog had such deep-seated fear of Homeloss¨Chow could anyone not have their legs turn to jelly if a natural disaster that had been randomly wreaking havoc suddenly stopped and its captain cheerfully came to greet you? Even if A-dog didn¡¯t have any muscles in its legs, they would have to twist!


    After all, although the ship was now stationary in the real dimension, what if¡­ some Ghost Ship captain wanted to pop back to subspace for a visit?


    However, more than the havoc Homeloss had once wreaked, Duncan was concerned about the state of the ship itself and what the real Captain Duncan was like at that time.


    Was the ¡°oscillation¡± deliberately caused by the real Captain Duncan, or was it some kind of uncontrolled drifting? Did Goat-head know the situation at that time? If it was intentional, what was the purpose of ¡°Captain Duncan¡± and Goat-head doing so? If it was all due to loss of control¡­


    That would be even more intriguing.


    Could Homeloss lose control again?


    Homeloss had always been Duncan¡¯s biggest backing and where his true body resided. The safety of the ship was equivalent to his own safety. He explored and controlled the ship to further ensure this safety, but if the entire ship posed a risk of loss of control, even suddenly ¡°crashing¡± back into subspace from the real dimension¡­ then what was the use of his current control over Homeloss?


    Could he pull back a Ghost Ship that was madly charging towards subspace?


    The current stable sailing of Homeloss on the Endless Sea might only be a temporary state of balance. Its true state of being might actually be ¡°out of control¡±¨Cthis possibility uncontrollably spread in his heart, causing Duncan to feel an involuntary annoyance.


    And what annoyed him even more was the door at the bottom of Homeloss leading to subspace and Goat-head¡¯s tense reaction upon learning that the door had opened a crack, which seemed to tacitly confirm his worries¨C


    Homeloss was unstable, and subspace¡¯s call for the ship had never ceased for a moment.


    Duncan inhaled softly, subtly calming his mood.


    No matter how much he thought, he currently lacked the power to get involved with matters related to subspace¨Chis understanding of the mystic domain was still too limited.


    If he wanted to accumulate knowledge related to subspace, engaging more with transcendent events was one way to go, especially this church right in front of him, this¡­ church that might have been invaded by subspace.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pay more attention to this place,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°If it¡¯s true that something from subspace has invaded the Underground Sanctuary, then the events from eleven years ago might be more complex than anyone imagined¡­¡±


    He looked up at the once-sealed door.


    ¡°The nuns struggled against the door before they were killed in battle, probably to prevent the thing inside the sanctuary from escaping outside. But can a door really hold back an invader from subspace?¡±


    ¡°Invasions from subspace also depend on the situation,¡± said A-dog thoughtfully, ¡°In most cases, the real world is under effective protection from the gods¡­ well, although I¡¯m not very fond of Them, the real world really is well-protected, making it difficult for subspace to directly influence reality. What manages to cross over is usually not the original entity, but rather projections, corruption, or even illusions cast by the human mind¡­¡±


    A-dog suddenly stopped talking mid-sentence, nervously looking at Duncan.


    In his eyes, the vortex of light and shadow within this human body was chaotically active, with the madness enough to drive demons insane continuously emerging.


    This Ghost Ship captain returned from subspace¡­ Goddamn it, he¡¯s the biggest subspace invader in this place!


    ¡°Go on, then what? What about the subspace invasion?¡±


    The ¡°embodiment of a subspace invasion¡± lowered its head, curiously asking about the affairs of the subspace invasion.


    ¡°I¡­ I mean, under normal circumstances, the sacred installations in the church can block a subspace invasion¡­ and since the invaders are not their original selves, cutting off the invasion pathway will quickly dissipate their presence in the real world¡­¡± A-dog swallowed hard, struggling to explain the matters of subspace invasion to the subspace invader himself, ¡°Of course, what horrific price must be paid in that process is another matter altogether¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened,¡± Duncan nodded in understanding, then looked at the nun lying on the ground with even more admiration, ¡°She must have given her all in an attempt to prevent that disaster.¡±


    ¡°But she didn¡¯t succeed, did she?¡± Sherry¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside him. Since the matters Duncan and A-Dog were discussing were either too high-level or too frightening, she had not found an opportunity to interject, ¡°The fire still broke out eleven years ago¡­¡±


    ¡°The fire eleven years ago was caused by a Sun Shard, but we have found traces of what seems like Subspace in this church. How the two are connected is still unclear,¡± Duncan shook his head, then, as if suddenly struck by a thought, slowly approached the statue of the goddess in the center of the Underground Sanctuary, a thoughtful expression on his face, ¡°However¡­ I am suddenly curious about something.¡±


    He tilted his head back to look at the statue of the goddess¨Cslightly different from the Gomona statue in the church above ground¨Cthat stood in the dim light without any sign of damage.


    ¡°What are you curious about?¡± Sherry followed and cautiously glanced at the statue, whispering.


    ¡°What is the Storm Goddess doing?¡± Duncan raised his hand, pointing at the statue, ¡°The church has been invaded, the clergy died in battle, and outside there¡¯s only a phantom praying incessantly like a lingering soul. Why is there no reaction from the goddess here? At the very least¡­ shouldn¡¯t she give some warning to the believers in other churches, so they could come to aid?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand much about matters related to the gods, but this does seem suspicious,¡± A-Dog said, grumbling in agreement, ¡°Although the gods don¡¯t have a close relationship with the mortal world, they do pay close attention to their ¡®sanctuaries.¡¯ These buildings where believers gather serve as ¡®anchors¡¯ between the gods and the mortal world. Now that one of these anchors has been silently removed, and eleven years have passed¡­ yet no signal has been sent out, something¡¯s off.¡±


    Thinking it through, Duncan suddenly raised his right hand, and at his fingertips, a small flame materialized out of thin air, its pale green glow illuminating the statue¡¯s surroundings.


    Chains rattled and A-Dog immediately stepped back two paces, ¡°What¡­ what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°When in doubt, use a little fire,¡± Duncan said with a smile, ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll reveal something hidden.¡±


    A-Dog was taken aback, about to remind him that they were in an Underground Sanctuary, and that they might attract the attention of Gomona herself, but before the words could escape, he held them back¨Cthis place had already been turned upside-down, never mind its remaining holiness, and now this big shot was about to do his job of ¡®Subspace invasion.¡¯ Why bother saying anything?


    Still, it stealthily backed away a few steps and also pulled Sherry a little further away.


    If divine punishment or something of the sort were to strike down, the big shot might not fear it, but A-Dog and Sherry wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand it.


    Duncan noticed A-Dog¡¯s actions but didn¡¯t pay them any mind.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t want to draw the Storm Goddess¡¯s attention onto himself, but in the main hall of the church above, he had already ascertained that this ¡°sanctuary¡± had been utterly corroded, with Subspace powers lingering even on the statue. Considering the anomalies here had remained hidden for eleven years without detection, the connection between the deity and this place had clearly been severed long ago.


    Now, this once holy place was devoid of sanctity, leaving only shadows behind.


    The Spiritual Fire burned silently, falling onto the ground like droplets of water, its faint and illusory flame quickly rippling throughout the Underground Sanctuary, soon enveloping the entire room.


    Then, the flames that had spread to the edges silently flickered out.


    Sherry and A-Dog exchanged glances. After a long while, Sherry ventured cautiously, ¡°Did you¡­ find anything?¡±


    Duncan looked at the little flame still dancing on his fingertip with some surprise, then back at the empty Underground Sanctuary, where nothing had happened.


    Could it be that there really is nothing here? Or is the power of the fire insufficient to pry open the ¡°veil¡± that covers this place?


    He frowned, and just at that moment, a very faint whisper, almost like an illusion, reached his ears¨C


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


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    Startled, Duncan abruptly looked toward the direction of the sound.


    The statue of Gomona stood silently in the darkness.


    (Book recommendation time! This time I am recommending ¡°The Young Priest in the Containment of Divine Anomalies¡± by Xueyu Xinfeng. The story takes a mysterious path, featuring elements of gaming, otherworlds, foundation lore, and D&D. The author is actually one of my readers, so I wanted to give them a shoutout. You can support their work if you have time~


    Also, during the double rewards period, I¡¯m eagerly asking for monthly votes =.=)


    ¡°`

 Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 153: Temporal Lockdown

    Chapter 149: Chapter 153: Temporal Lockdown


    In the darkness, the statue of the Storm Goddess Gomona still stood silently at the center of the Underground Sanctuary, her face veiled by a thin gauze, overlooking the mortal world.


    Of course, if one were to strictly distinguish according to doctrine, the ¡°Goddess¡± in the Underground Sanctuary was another aspect of Gomona and should be named ¡°Maiden of the Quiet Sea.¡±


    Duncan stared intently at the cold stone sculpture, and he was certain he had heard a voice just now, a whispered murmur as if from a dream, coming from that statue.


    However, Sherry and Dog, close at hand, had shown no reaction so far¨Cclearly, he was the only one who had heard the voice.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan?¡± Sherry also noticed Duncan¡¯s strange behavior at this time. She widened her eyes a bit nervously, unconsciously clinging to Dog, ¡°Did you find something?¡±


    ¡°Did you hear anything just now?¡± Duncan casually snuffed out the flame on his fingertip and cautiously moved closer to the statue of the Maiden of the Quiet Sea while asking in a low voice.


    ¡°Voices?¡± Sherry and Dog looked at each other, shaking their heads, ¡°No, nothing.¡±


    The goddess statue had no reaction to Duncan¡¯s approach and no further voices came through.


    Duncan felt he might have been a bit rash this time.


    He just felt that the link between the Storm Goddess and this church had been severed. When he had called out Dog and burned down the church doors earlier, no anomalies had occurred, so he became increasingly unrestrained in his exploration, not expecting that a single flame would attract the attention of that ¡°divine being¡±¨Cif that questioning voice was indeed from Gomona.


    From this, he reflected a bit inwardly, deciding to be more cautious next time he acted impulsively.


    While reflecting inwardly, he suddenly came up with a question:


    Judging by the state of this church, it had clearly been completely abandoned and forgotten before he and Sherry entered. The connection between the Storm Goddess Gomona and this place was also evidently sealed off. By logic, his flame should have been an ¡°invading force¡± in this church, and after burning, it should have made the corrosion and sealing of the church even worse than before. It was like setting another fire on top of already severely burnt ruins, but why¡­


    After his own flame passed through, the connection between the Storm Goddess and this place seemed to have briefly intensified!?


    Wasn¡¯t he an invader? Shouldn¡¯t his flames be quite destructive to the orderly power of a deity? How come it ended up empowering the Goddess?


    The more he thought about it, the more confused Duncan became, but he didn¡¯t let his mind wander for too long.


    After all, he couldn¡¯t be sure whether the vague whisper was Gomona¡¯s voice or not. He was merely making wild guesses based on that assumption. The more pressing matter at hand¡­ was to consider how to deal with this troublesome church.


    After the whisper disappeared, there was no follow-up. Duncan didn¡¯t know what a goddess normally keeps herself busy with, but she didn¡¯t seem to have the intention to keep watching this place, and the rest of the Underground Sanctuary maintained its initial appearance. The flames he had released hadn¡¯t unveiled any ¡°curtain¡± like they had in the abandoned factory.


    He didn¡¯t sense the situation on the other side of the ¡°curtain¡± either. The flame he had left in the umbrella-wielding freak¡¯s split body was still without a trace. He could only ascertain that the flame was still burning, and had even begun to spread, yet he couldn¡¯t touch the ¡°dimension¡± where that flame resided.


    This church was indeed an important node on the curtain, but with his current state and the influence of the distance between Homeloss and Plunder City-State, it was difficult for him to summon a greater scale of flames or cause more commotion here.


    Having weighed these thoughts quickly in his mind, an idea faintly formed in Duncan¡¯s heart.


    It was time to play the role of ¡°Enthusiastic Citizen Mr. Duncan¡± once again.


    This church had been concealed to this day; some mysterious force had continuously blocked outsiders¡¯ prying into this place. So, what if¡­ he were to forcefully lift this lid?


    He was curious how the Deep Sea Church of Plunder City-State would react to this, and even more curious about what actions the Storm Goddess might take¨Cif he couldn¡¯t open the curtain here, then he might as well turn this place into a major news story.


    Of course, it probably wouldn¡¯t work to report it to a few patrolling watchmen as he had done before; that might actually get the first team of investigators killed. As for how to turn this place into big news in a reliable and effective manner¡­ that required some serious consideration.


    While contemplating, Duncan unconsciously revealed a slight smile on his face, the kind of smile a schemer wears when plotting a major scheme. However, this smile startled Sherry and Dog who were beside him, especially the latter who tucked his tail in fright: ¡°Dun¡­ Dun¡­ Mr. Duncan, do you have a plan?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Duncan waved his hand dismissively: ¡°Nothing much, just planning to contribute to the maintenance of City-State order.¡±


    Dog grumbled in his throat, thinking that no one would believe these words, not even the lunatic demons of the Mysterious Deep Sea. Just now, the big fellow¡¯s expression was unmistakably that of a Subspace invader who finally understood the concept of a Subspace invasion and was preparing to execute it¡­


    ¡°Okay, there¡¯s nothing more to see here,¡± Duncan said, unconcerned by Sherry and the dog¡¯s reactions. He glanced back at the icon of Gomona for a moment with a meaningful look, then turned and walked toward the exit, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t stay here for long.¡±


    The group walked briskly toward the exit, but before leaving, Sherry couldn¡¯t help but stop: ¡°Mr. Duncan, what about¡­ what about the dead nun?¡±


    Duncan too stopped and silently observed the lady who had died in battle.


    She was young, tragically so. She was not a combat-ready guardian of the church but died here in the darkness of the Underground Sanctuary, sword in hand.


    Suddenly, Duncan realized a problem.


    Nuns¡­ why would a nun be guarding the sanctuary? Under normal circumstances, shouldn¡¯t there be a squad of specially trained guardians stationed here?


    He recalled the scene he had seen earlier in the main hall.


    The squad of guardians seemed to have died in the church¡¯s main hall¡­ and according to the scene he had witnessed in the ¡°superimposed reality,¡± those guardians had not died in battle but seemed to have just collapsed while praying on the benches.


    The guards who were supposed to be stationed at the Underground Sanctuary died suddenly in the main hall without any signs of battle. The nun who was supposed to stay in the main hall died alone in the sanctuary, fighting an invader that seemed like Subspace, leaving behind no trace after the fight. The church was then sealed and forgotten, with some kind of ¡°echo¡± of the nun returning to the main hall, continuing the daily prayers¡­


    Duncan¡¯s attention returned to the present, and after quietly observing the nun for a few seconds, he spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t bury you. You¡¯ll have to stay here, perhaps someone will come to uncover the truth of that year.¡±


    This matter really needed the hands of a ¡°professional.¡±


    Duncan stood up and walked towards the exit leading to the main hall, while Sherry, unable to hold back, called out from behind, ¡°Ah, are we just going to leave her here?¡±


    ¡°This is called preserving the scene,¡± Duncan did not look back, ¡°Let¡¯s go. The investigation here is not over, but for what comes next, we don¡¯t need to do it ourselves.¡±


    Sherry made a noise of half-understanding and, with the dog in tow, followed Duncan¡¯s footsteps. They left the Underground Sanctuary and headed for the stairway that led to the main hall.


    A slight knocking noise came from behind them.


    Duncan abruptly stopped and turned toward the direction of the sound.


    A dark wooden door stood at the entrance to the main hall; it was slightly ajar, reinforced with steel and rivets, with faintly visible holy symbols etched onto the door.


    Sherry turned and looked back, her eyes widening in terror.


    Then she turned back to see Duncan, his face stern and his expression as deep as water.


    ¡°The door¡­ the door¡­¡± Sherry pointed toward the door, her mouth opening and closing several times, not knowing what to say.


    ¡°I saw it,¡± Duncan interrupted her, then stepped back to the sanctuary entrance and looked at the dark door, gently pushing on it.


    The door wasn¡¯t locked, but there was resistance when he tried to push further.


    It was barricaded from the other side.


    He withdrew his hand and thought quietly for a few seconds, restraining the impulse to set the door ablaze with a flick of a finger.


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    He already knew what lay behind that door, and the overly strange phenomena here made him give up the idea of trying brute force over and over again.


    ¡°Twisted space-time¡­ It¡¯s truly become twisted to a certain degree.¡±


    At the same time, in the Upper City District, the solemn-faced Fenna ended her daily prayers in the Mysterious Deep Sea Church. After arranging today¡¯s tasks with her subordinates, she dismissed her attendants and came alone to the depths of the grand and sacred building.


    This was the church¡¯s archives. Under the gaze of the Storm Goddess, it contained all those records involving Transcendents, those not suitable for public disclosure.


    In a sense, this place held the history of the Plunder City-State, the church¡¯s ¡°memory¡± of this land.

 Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 154: Archive Library

    Chapter 150: Chapter 154: Archive Library


    The caretaker of the archive was an aged old priest, bent at the waist, his sparse white hair in disarray, adorned atop with a complex set of lenses made from brass cranks and crystal panes, with a scent of machine oil emanating from his being.


    The old priest sat behind a dark-hued circular desk, intently studying what appeared to be a mechanical creation akin to a Rubik¡¯s cube through the lens assembly, using some delicate tools to disassemble the cube into a pile of components. The brilliance of the gas lamp shone on these parts, giving them a glittering glow.


    As Fenna approached, her tall figure blocked the light to the side, prompting the old priest to lift his head and push aside the lenses from before his eyes. Seeing who it was, he smiled, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the Judge¨Cwhat assistance do you need today?¡±


    ¡°Where can I find the City-State¡¯s disaster records from around the year 1889?¡± Fenna nodded to the old priest and inquired.


    ¡°Disaster records for the year 1889?¡± The old priest murmured while tapping a section of the large circular table, which promptly emitted a gentle sound of mechanical friction. A panel within the table slid down, and a mechanical stand laden with numerous cranks, numbered dials, and switches rose from within.


    Accompanied by the squeaking and creaking of machinery in motion, the old priest deftly manipulated the switches and dials of the intricate device. After entering the required information, Fenna heard the characteristic low roar of large machinery in operation. She felt the floor beneath her feet slightly vibrating as innumerable gears and linkages joyfully rotated under the propulsion of the steam core. Soon after, a crisp ¡°ding¡± issued from the mechanism in front of the old priest, and a printed strip of paper subsequently emerged from the machine.


    ¡°Go straight ahead on this path, turn left at the third row of shelves, turn right at the end, and a shelf will have lights turned on¨Cthat row with the lights is the one you need. The content is quite mixed, all incidents that can be considered disasters are recorded, including the smallest steam-related injuries. If you need help, ring the bell.¡±


    While speaking, the old priest passed over the strip of paper¨Cgrasped in a prosthetic hand, a brass-made palm and forearm with sophisticated mechanical structure, and through a transparent window on its back, one could see gears ticking away inside.


    Fenna thought to herself that this might be a veteran guardian retired from the front lines¨Camong the ecclesiastical departments of the Storm Church, such veterans were not uncommon.


    Their bodies had been maimed, and with blood and sacrifice, they had proved their faith and loyalty. The assistance of steam mechanisms or magic prosthetics enabled them to continue serving the church, and working with archives formed part of the final repose for some of these old soldiers.


    In a certain sense, of course, this was preferential treatment for the warriors¨Crelatively leisurely and comfortable, the archive department was suitable for ¡°retirement,¡± and from another perspective, it was also an excellent application of their abilities¨Cthese old soldiers may no longer be fit for combat against the heretics, but their will remained steadfast, and guarding books and archives¡­ always required a steadfast will.


    A wave of respect emerged in Fenna¡¯s heart as she received the strip of paper with both hands, bowing slightly, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Make sure to put the books back after you¡¯re done, and don¡¯t touch those that aren¡¯t listed,¡± the old priest waved his hand, ¡°many books here have been placed for a long time, don¡¯t disturb them needlessly.¡±


    Having said that, he returned to his ¡°work¡± and paid no further attention to Fenna.


    Fenna did not mind, simply carrying the strip with the book listings towards the depths of the archive. Grand enough to be described as ¡°majestic,¡± rows of shelves neatly lined up on either side of her, each linking to the dome above, like eternal sentinels standing in formation, gazing down upon the tiny human figure below. Bright electric lights and precisely positioned gas lamps alternated between the shelves, lighting up the place brightly and leaving not a single dark shadow buried between even the deepest shelves.


    Fenna found the shelf mentioned by the old priest¨Ca row of small light bulbs illuminated on the shelf, signaling the files she was permitted to peruse.


    The files were not placed low, but fortunately, Fenna was tall enough to retrieve the books without the need for a ladder, which was a relief.


    Pushing ladders up and down such an enormous library would not be an easy task.


    She took a deep breath, located the starting point of the file on the shelf, pulled out the archive labeled with a number, and began rapidly flipping through it.


    What she was looking for was simple: the great fire from eleven years ago, or rather, the fire that had been disguised as a factory leak incident.


    In truth, it was not her first time investigating this incident¨Cas a Judge, she naturally had a keen sense for all ¡°unusual phenomena,¡± which also included events that happened to her own person. Once she knew that she alone remembered the fire from her childhood, she had privately sought out some records from that time, but those cursory investigations yielded no results.


    At the time, she quickly put the matter out of her mind.


    Because no matter what, she was only twelve years old when that accident happened. She was neither a believer of the goddess nor did she have an exceptional mind¨Ca panicked child who inhaled poison smoke could easily have some incorrect memories. There was no need to overthink it. So after perusing some public archives, she let the issue go.


    But now, she suddenly discovered that there were others in the Plunder City-State who had experienced the fire that lingered in her memory.


    The doubts and numerous speculations that had been put aside surged up in an instant, and her ¡°professional alertness¡± as a Judge rang wildly in her mind.


    It was also because of this professional alertness that she declined Heidi¡¯s suggestion to ¡°return to the antique shop¡± at the time and waited discreetly until today when she ran straight to the goddess-favored archive to investigate the unpublicized original materials.


    The reason was simple; there was a dangerous scent to this affair¨Cerasing a great fire sounded easy, but it actually involved the cognition and memories of thousands of people. Moreover, this event was also tied to the destruction wrought by the heretics in those years. If all this was the work of some ¡°behind-the-scenes manipulator,¡± that manipulator would certainly not sit idly by and allow anyone to detect this truth.


    The memories lingering in her mind, the memories lingering in the mind of a girl named Nina¡­ these ¡°remnants¡± could very well be oversights by the manipulator. The ¡°person¡± hidden behind the scenes may not have noticed these oversights yet, but if he did¡­ she was not afraid, but Nina and her uncle, as well as a girl named Sherry, were all ordinary people.


    That¡¯s why she had refused Heidi¡¯s suggestion at the time and also insisted that Heidi not bring up the matter again afterward¨Con one hand, she did not want to startle the snake out of its hole and aimed to carry out her investigation under the radar; on the other hand, it was to avoid involving the innocent.


    Before gaining certain intelligence, she absolutely could not show any excessive attention to the antique shop beyond what was necessary.


    Slowly flipping through the archives in her hands, Fenna¡¯s thoughts undulated continuously.


    For some reason, as soon as she sensed a shadow, she developed an illusion of being watched and trailed by an omnipresent gaze. This awful feeling of being under surveillance from the dark was like a thorn in her side, making her slightly irritable.


    She put down the file in her hand and reached for another one nearby.


    Simultaneously, she also thought about the recent events in the City-State.


    The Sun Heretics active in the city had already been arrested in significant numbers. It seemed that the City-State¡¯s resolute actions had effectively deterred those heretics, or perhaps their channels of infiltration indeed had been completely destroyed. In any case, the number of Sun Heretics in the city had greatly decreased, filling up the heretics¡¯ detention cells beneath the major churches to the brim.


    And the purpose of the Sun Heretics¡¯ activities in the City-State had already been uncovered.


    Searching for the ¡°Sun Shard¡± that made a brief appearance eleven years ago and might still be hidden somewhere.


    Sun Shard¡­ the great fire eleven years ago¡­


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    The ¡°illusion¡± that Heidi had glimpsed in the museum before.


    Fenna stopped flipping through the files, as some clues that hadn¡¯t previously caught her attention suddenly connected, becoming more prominent as she re-examined her memory of the fire.


    ¡°These events are connected¡­ the great fire eleven years ago definitely existed¡­¡± the young Judge took a soft breath. Simultaneously, her eyes inadvertently scanned some of the text on the archives:


    ¡°¡­X month X day, XX district, a violent heretic worship incident, three households built altars at home, offering fresh blood and prayers to some unknown evil entity never recorded before, causing widespread panic and nightmares among nearby residents. The sacrifice ceremony was later denounced and destroyed, but the evidence left at the scene could not be tied to any known Evil God or malevolent spirit¡­


    ¡°Theoretically, that sacrifice ceremony should have been ineffective, likely a blind attempt by ignorant fools for personal desire. However, the collective panic and nightmares of the local residents indeed occurred. Subsequent investigations confirmed that the region had indeed been affected by Transcendent forces¡­¡±

 Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 155: Suspicions

    Chapter 151: Chapter 155: Suspicions


    Fenna¡¯s gaze lingered on this record for a few seconds, and the Judge¡¯s sharpness let her sniff out something noteworthy from these brief phrases.


    Sacrificial acts of heresy suddenly emerging among ordinary residents, targeting a nonexistent entity¨Csacrificial actions that utterly failed to meet ritual requirements had actually drawn the attention of transcendental powers. Isolated incidents of mental disorder, with no follow-up investigation¡­


    Fenna suddenly remembered something, put the file in her hand down, and hurriedly flipped through another record she had just seen.


    In the year 1889, a bit earlier, an armed assault happened in a street-side shop in the Lower City District. This incident should have been managed by the public security bureau and not appear in the church¡¯s archives, yet the post-incident investigation proved that the assailant¨Ca ¡°customer¡± who suffered a sudden mental disorder inside the shop¨Cinsisted he saw a blasphemous shadow in the store¡¯s display window and wielded a knife to ¡°counterattack¡± against the ¡°unseen entity¡¯s pursuit.¡±


    In subsequent inquiries, the church discovered traces of heretical worship in the shop¡¯s basement. However, the sacrificial symbols on the site were jumbled and indiscernible, not pointing to any effective entity. Through interrogation, it was learned that the shopkeeper, who conducted the sacrifices in private, had no understanding of mystical rites at all, his haphazard sacrifice was guided by ¡°unknown instructions.¡±


    As before, a haphazard sacrificial ritual, theoretically ineffective, sparked mental disorder in a small area, again with no further investigative conclusions.


    Fenna slightly furrowed her brows. These two events seemed to have no connection with the factory leak from eleven years ago or the fire that was erased¨Ctimewise, they didn¡¯t match up either. This was not the focus of her investigation today, but the consecutive mention of two similar incidents of heretical worship in such close records touched a nerve in her as a Judge.


    Moments later, she put down the two files she was holding and continued searching the shelves for subsequent volumes, this time paying extra attention and actively looking for records of incidents that might be related to heretical worship.


    After an unknowable amount of time, she suddenly stopped.


    The third record was still at some point before the ¡°factory leak¡± incident, occurring on the edge of the Upper City District. A maid working in a wealthy household suddenly went mad, grievously injured three servants and the male owner of the house, then locked herself in a storeroom. By the time the church guardians and the public security officer arrived and broke in, the maid had already taken her own life.


    In the storeroom, symbols of sacrifice carved with a dagger were found, made by the deceased just before her death. The maid¡¯s room also revealed traces of heretical sacrifice¨Conce again pointing to another nonexistent entity, and the sacrificial procedure did not comply with any standards. However, unlike the previous records, the ineffective sacrifice did not drive others insane, but rather the sacrificer herself.


    There were already three of them¡­


    If Fenna was only slightly concerned when she saw the first two records, her expression turned completely grave upon seeing this third record.


    She rapidly arranged the information from these records in her mind, analyzing them based on the timing and locations of their occurrences.


    The incidents were dispersed, independent of one another in time, unrelated in location, and there were theoretically no connections between the people involved.


    Moreover, there was nothing related to the factory leak from eleven years prior, and no traces of the Sun Heretic were found in the subsequent investigations.


    Fenna concentrated and continued to search for more records. It wasn¡¯t long before she found the data on the factory leak.


    It was a major incident, its impact widespread, and the number of captured heretics was nearly the highest in recent decades. Therefore, the whole thing was recorded in a separate file, a thick and hefty file filled with numerous pictures and interrogation reports.


    But it did not take Fenna long to go through the entire contents of the file.


    Because she had seen these contents many times before in other places, in the past few years, she had reviewed files related to this old case more than once.


    It seemed that even in this archive deep within the church, there was no more information about the factory leak from eleven years ago.


    Fenna put the file concerning the factory leak back in place and continued to look through more records when she suddenly realized something:


    After the ¡°factory leak¡± incident, there were no more records appearing like the previous three cases of ¡°heretical worship.¡±


    Yet, the factory leak happened in the middle of the year, leaving half a year¡¯s time after it.


    This gave Fenna a feeling as though all the ¡°ineffective yet somehow effective¡± heresy cult events had cropped up right before the factory leak, and after the incident, they became a turning point; all the heretical worship had come to an abrupt stop thereafter¡­


    Of course, this could also be explained by common sense: after the factory leak accident, the church and authorities had arrested thousands of Heretics, and this large-scale crackdown had cleared up the City-State¡¯s heretical forces, so it was quite normal for there to be no heretical worship incidents in the following half a year.


    However, for some reason, she always felt that the logic behind these seemingly unrelated events should not be so simple.


    She paused next to the large bookshelf and, after pondering quietly for a long time, returned to the starting point, pulling out the first file about ¡°heretical worship¡± and flipping through it while musing.


    The events were too scattered, drowned in a mess of disaster records. If it hadn¡¯t been for her sudden, bullheaded determination to sort through them today, and the suspicion already planted in her heart, she probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed anything unusual when she first received these materials. Yet once noticed, the discordant and uncomfortable sensations took root in her heart like a seed, making it difficult for her to ignore the warnings from her intuition.


    While Fenna was earnestly reviewing the materials, a measured pace of footsteps suddenly came from nearby, accompanied by the faint scent of machine oil mixed with incense.


    Fenna looked up to see the old priest responsible for managing the archives approaching her.


    As he walked, he limped, making it obvious that it wasn¡¯t just his right hand that had been injured; his legs had suffered as well.


    ¡°There are not many people around in the archives at this time, so I came over to see,¡± said the old priest with a smile, ¡°Have you found the materials you were looking for?¡±


    Fenna exhaled softly and put the file back in its place, ¡°I found some materials, but not the answers I was looking for.¡±


    ¡°Answers?¡± the old priest asked curiously, ¡°What kind of answers do you want?¡±


    ¡°¡­How long have you been here?¡± Instead of answering directly, Fenna suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s been a long time, let me think¡­ nearly twenty years,¡± the old priest said with a smile, ¡°Ever since my hand and leg were blown off by those heretical fanatics¡¯ homemade bomb, I¡¯ve been here.¡±


    After some thought, Fenna curiously asked, ¡°Is it usually this quiet here? Does anyone else come to consult these archives like I do?¡±


    ¡°Most of the time, it is very quiet here¨Cthere are some who come to consult the archives, but not many,¡± the old priest replied with a smile, ¡°Books are a person¡¯s memory of the world, and this archive is where memories lie deepest¨Cstored here are ¡®old cases¡¯ that have been dealt with or ¡®confidential scrolls¡¯ deemed unsuitable for public disclosure. Once filed away, they are buried deep in the annals of history along with the past.


    ¡°Every day in the City-State, countless new things happen, and everyone is busy moving towards tomorrow; who has that much time to come back and flip through these sealed documents. And moreover¡­¡±


    The old priest suddenly paused there, raising his head to quietly gaze at the stacks of scrolls reaching up to the dome, taking a while before he softly continued.


    ¡°And moreover¡­ the archived documents sometimes are not just a record of the past but might contain ¡®history¡¯ itself sealed within those pages. Our world¡¯s past, present, and future all rest on unstable foundations, and rifling through too much in this archive can be detrimental to one¡¯s well-being.¡±


    ¡°¡­That sounds somewhat like a warning from the Fire Transmitters.¡±


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    ¡°Yes, Fire Transmitters like to caution about such things. They guard history and are always worried about something creeping over from ancient times, contaminating the roots of our world¨Cthey are excessively sensitive on this matter, so much so that some people even think that the Doomsday Preachers spreading ¡®end-of-the-world contamination theory¡¯ are Fire Transmitters who have fallen¡­¡±


    As he spoke, the old priest chuckled and shook his head, ¡°I had close friends from the Fire Transmitter sect when I was young, and naturally, I heard plenty of their theories. Even though their direction differs from the teachings of the Storm Goddess, they all belong to the orthodox gods, and some of their ideas are certainly worth considering.¡±


    For some reason, as she listened to the old man speak, Fenna¡¯s thoughts also gradually calmed down. She held a measure of respect for this elder who had dedicated most of his life to the church, and at this moment, she did not mind engaging in more conversation with him, so she casually asked, ¡°Do you still keep in touch with those friends?¡±


    ¡°No more contact,¡± the old man slowly shook his head, ¡°One morning, I suddenly realized I never knew their names, so most likely they have already been martyred¡­¡±


    (A new month begins, and it¡¯s time for double monthly votes, everyone gives some votes~~)

 Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 156: The Missing Years

    Chapter 152: Chapter 156: The Missing Years


    The old man¡¯s tone was very calm, as if he was telling a story with which he just happened to have been involved for a while.


    ¡°Sorry for being talkative, old age makes one prone to chattiness,¡± the priest smiled and said to Fenna, ¡°Do you have friends from other religious sects?¡±


    ¡°¡­I have a good friend who is a cleric at the Academy of Truth,¡± Fenna thought for a moment, ¡°but she doesn¡¯t talk to me much about the precepts of the God of Wisdom Rahm.¡±


    ¡°Believers of the God of Wisdom, eh¡­ That¡¯s normal. Their creeds usually require a college degree to understand, and sometimes even a passing score in higher mathematics,¡± the priest nodded as if it were a matter of course, ¡°By contrast, the followers of the Death God are the easiest to deal with¨Cafter all, we all have to die.¡±


    With that, the old man paused and looked curiously at the neatly arranged files behind Fenna, ¡°Judge, can you tell me, what are you looking for?¡±


    Fenna suddenly hesitated.


    She didn¡¯t know whether she should reveal that secret to the old priest before her. The hidden fire could very well point to a very dangerous shadow, and she was not sure if that ¡°shadow¡± was somehow monitoring the City-State or if the old man could actually help her. Speaking rashly might startle the quarry.


    But after a brief hesitation, she decided to reveal some information.


    This was the deepest part of the Deep Sea Church, a sacred place under the care of the Storm Goddess, and this old priest guarding the archives was a steadfast warrior. He remained here to provide help to visitors in such situations.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a file¨Cnot exactly a file because it might never have existed,¡± Fenna began cautiously, ¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s a clue, from June 1889, possibly pointing to a big fire, but all the relevant information has been erased.¡±


    ¡°A fire in 1889?¡± the priest pondered, ¡°I do not remember any fire¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped, thoughtfully looking at Fenna.


    ¡°So, the erased information includes our memories as well, right?¡±


    ¡°At least the memories of the people,¡± Fenna nodded slightly, ¡°I don¡¯t have enough evidence, other than my ¡®cognition.¡¯ I have no way to prove the existence of that fire, and I am unsure of what force is manipulating these events, I¡­ am just doubting.¡±


    She suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. As a Judge, she was accustomed to questioning and investigating, but this situation was completely different from the usual. She didn¡¯t know the target of her suspicion, not even sure whether it was human or ghost. She had launched her investigation based only on her own thoughts, which was entirely unlike her usual calm and steady style of behavior.


    However, the old priest before her just nodded calmly, ¡°Your devotion and character are evidence enough, Judge.¡±


    As the priest finished speaking, he quickly walked to a column between the nearby bookshelves and knocked on several specific protrusions with his mechanical arm. The next second, a deep rumble came from beneath the floor and the squeaking and creaking sounds of gears and connecting rods followed suit.


    The doors of the archive closed, and part of the bookshelves began to move slowly. Some drew closer and converged, while in the cleared area, pillars engraved with many complex runes slowly rose from the floor.


    With the rising of those pillars, the soft sound of waves gently resounded in Fenna¡¯s mind.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need to go to such lengths,¡± Fenna was somewhat taken aback by the priest¡¯s actions, ¡°It¡¯s just the preliminary investigation¡­¡±


    ¡°PAST experiences tell me there is no ¡®preliminary¡¯ in investigations against a great threat,¡± the priest slowly approached Fenna, raising his brass-forged mechanical arm, ¡°and I believe a thing that can interfere with cognition on a large scale, even erasing specific historical events, is a ¡®great threat.''¡±


    ¡°¡­But your hasty sealing of the archive could draw a lot of attention.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, the archive is randomly sealed several times a month to ensure that the sacred devices and bookshelves here get some exercise,¡± the priest laughed, showing his uneven teeth, ¡°¡®Do not let the ancient scrolls be quiet for too long,¡¯ that¡¯s the rule.¡±


    ¡°Then I have no more questions.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve looked at many records just now and from your expression, you must have found something,¡± the priest nodded, ¡°I can help.¡±


    ¡°I found some records about ¡®heretical worship¡¯ ¨C although they don¡¯t directly relate to the incident I¡¯m investigating and the records themselves are very fragmented, they didn¡¯t feel right,¡± Fenna spoke frankly, ¡°These heretical worships have common characteristics and were predominantly occurring in the first half of 1889, then abruptly ceased after the leak incident in the 6th district factory¡­¡±


    The priest listened intently to Fenna¡¯s description and then, with her guidance, located the corresponding archive materials.


    ¡°These are the ones,¡± Fenna pointed to the documents that had been unearthed, ¡°Rituals of sacrifice that should be ineffective, substantial psychological damage, though all small in scale, they are indeed acts of heretical worship. The closing reports of all the cases seem normal, with the culprits caught and judged, but I believe that each of these cases¡­ was not thoroughly investigated.¡±


    ¡°For cases of this scale, capturing the involved and putting them on trial would normally be considered sufficient investigation. But you¡¯re right, when several similar events stack up¡­ the situation is different,¡± the priest flipped through the archives, furrowing his brow, ¡°Everyone involved in the sacrifices was ¡®mysteriously beguiled,¡¯ yet the source of the beguilement can never be traced¡­¡±


    He muttered to himself and suddenly looked up.


    ¡°Judge, did you only check the archives from 1889?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fenna nodded and then quickly realized, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°What you are interested in did indeed happen in 1889, but have you considered that these bizarre cases of heretical worship might not have started in 1889?¡± the old priest spoke quickly, immediately looking up to another row of shelves, ¡°The earlier records are here, the third row from the bottom upward; all of them are available for review.¡±


    Fenna immediately approached those archives, joining the old priest in examining the records within the case files.


    Shortly thereafter, they nearly simultaneously discovered similar accounts of heretical worship events in the case files each was perusing.


    1888, 1887, even as far back as 1886, there were incidents.


    ¡°Here¡¯s another record¡­ a sacrificial event in the port district, and over here, just two months apart from the last entry!¡±


    Fenna flipped through the casebook in her hands, her heart pounding rapidly. She looked up at the old priest to share her findings, only to notice him standing still as a statue in front of the bookshelf, staring intently at a certain spot.


    ¡°Have you found something?¡± Fenna immediately furrowed her brows, asking with a hint of nervousness.


    ¡°There are no records for 1885,¡± the old priest muttered as if speaking to himself, ¡°They should be right here, in this row, right after 1884¡­ but now it goes directly from 1884 to 1886¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop here,¡± on the edge of Sixth District, Duncan turned to glance at the direction he and Sherry had come from and let out a sigh, ¡°Further investigation here probably won¡¯t yield anything more.¡±


    They had spent a long time in that small church, but with their combined knowledge of esoteric studies being less than that of a dog, they were obviously not capable of unraveling the mysterious space-time lock phenomenon in the Underground Sanctuary.


    Before they left, the Underground Sanctuary had returned to its initial state, and the Nun, suspended between ashes and the living, continued to pray devoutly in the main hall of the church, seemingly unaffected by Duncan and Sherry¡¯s departure.


    The church¡¯s exterior remained dilapidated, its surroundings still desolate and empty.


    However, Sherry wasn¡¯t too concerned about the secrets within the church anymore.


    ¡°I¡­I really can go home?¡±


    She looked at Duncan with a nervous manner, her voice revealing a mixture of trepidation and an indistinct hesitance.


    ¡°Of course, you can. I never restricted your freedom to leave,¡± Duncan smiled, ruffling her hair. Although Sherry was about the same age as Nina, her frail and delicate stature always made him treat her as if she were a much younger child, ¡°The investigation for today is over; you can go home now.¡±


    Sherry subconsciously turned to look in the direction of her home, wanting to step forward but hesitating, ¡°Then¡­ will we continue the investigation later?¡±


    ¡°Of course, this matter is far from over,¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to leave?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, no!¡± Sherry quickly waved her hands in denial, ¡°I was just¡­ wondering about the next investigation¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to contact you, and you can come find me anytime,¡± Duncan smiled again as he ruffled Sherry¡¯s hair, ¡°And it¡¯s not just for investigations, if you run into any sort of trouble, you can also come directly to me.¡±


    Sherry blinked, feeling something odd, but eventually nodded lightly. However, before she turned to leave, her curiosity couldn¡¯t help but win out as she asked, ¡°So¡­ what are your plans next?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Duncan was momentarily startled before replying, ¡°I¡¯m going to buy a bicycle this afternoon.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback, ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m buying a bicycle,¡± Duncan repeated seriously, ¡°I promised Nina, and it¡¯s been several days. I need to keep my word today. Is there something wrong with that?¡±


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    Sherry opened her mouth, struggling to speak, before finally managing to say, ¡°Ah¡­ A-Dog said you were supposed to be doing things related to a Subspace invasion¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, a shadow suddenly burst out of the air next to them, with A-Dog¡¯s gruff voice urgently shouting from within, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡±


    The next second, the shadow vanished as if it were smoke blown away¨Cclearly A-Dog was terrified of being seen if he showed his face outside.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He held back a reply for a long time, finally releasing a resigned laugh, ¡°Alright then, now the invader from Subspace is off to buy his niece a bicycle¨Cwe¡¯ll part ways here.¡±

 Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 157: The Captains Big Shopping Spree

    Chapter 153: Chapter 157: The Captain¡¯s Big Shopping Spree


    Dengken spoke the truth¨Che really had run off to a store near the Cross District to buy a bicycle for Nina after parting ways with Sherry.


    By the way, he was doing something he had planned long ago but had kept putting off until today due to various things: opening a bank account for himself.


    Inside the Plunder City-State Bank, Dengken was waiting for a clerk to finish preparing the last form for him; the waiting process was boring, so he turned his attention to observing his surroundings.


    Perhaps because it wasn¡¯t a day off, and there weren¡¯t many citizens from the Lower City District who needed to conduct bank business, this rather small bank lobby seemed quite tranquil. Three out of the five service windows were idle, with staff in black uniforms chatting behind them, while the bright lights shone on the counter glass, casting a lazily gleaming halo.


    Dengken looked up and saw long iron pipes extending near those counters, the pipes running up to the ceiling like slender pillars and arranged neatly above, stretching to some place behind the hall. A low, rhythmic clacking sound came from the floor beneath, as if some mechanical device was operating underground.


    Finally, the clerk prepared the last item on the form and handed it to Dengken, saying as a matter of routine, ¡°After confirming everything is correct, sign at the end. There are your account and seal pattern. The service fee for a bearer account is 6 sollars and 5 besols.¡±


    Taking the form, Dengken curiously examined its contents and spontaneously conceived numerous speculations about the civilization and economic systems of this world¡¯s city-states. However, as he wasn¡¯t an expert in this field, after musing for a moment, he focused on the end of the form¨Cremembering the short string of numbers at the top, he signed his name and handed over the form with the service fee.


    The clerk took the form, glanced at it casually, and then placed it into a punch machine. Accompanied by a brisk clack, the punch machine created a dazzling array of holes in the blank frame on the edge of the form, and then the clerk rolled up the paper, stuffed it into a metal tube, and dropped it into one of the pipes next to the counter.


    The sound of metal clashing was heard, followed by the closing of the pipe, and the hiss of steam pressurizing, along with the sound of an object rapidly sliding through the pipe reached Dengken¡¯s ears. As he followed the sound with his eyes upward, he noticed a slight tremor in one of the pipes connected to the ceiling¨Cthat document had been sent to some remote place.


    ¡°Just wait a moment,¡± said the clerk behind the counter offhandedly, ¡°if the pipes aren¡¯t faulty today and the machines on the other side are in good condition, you should get your receipt within half an hour¨Cif that fault light over there turns on, though, you¡¯ll have to come back tomorrow.¡±


    An extraordinary process.


    For Dengken, none of this was very efficient, but for this world, it represented the pinnacle of progress that city-state civilization had striven to develop since the advent of the Deep Sea Era.


    He watched all of this with both curiosity and emotion, and at the same time, he overheard a conversation between clerks¨Cat the counter next to him, a young man was exclaiming, ¡°I hear that the Academy of Truth is in touch with the head office, saying they want to install some new machine that could increase the head office¡¯s processing efficiency by several times¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s called a large difference engine¨CMoco¡¯s city-state banks have been using them for a while. Actually, there are some in Plunder City, too¨Ca few smaller ones at the tax office and the mathematics research institute, and even in the cathedral I heard they¡¯re used to manage archives,¡± the clerk sitting across from Dengken chimed in nonchalantly, ¡°if you ask me, the head office is just now thinking of this, it¡¯s already ridiculously behind the times.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t really concern us,¡± another idle clerk joined the conversation, ¡°That thing is both expensive and cumbersome. Including the steam core that acts as a power source, along with the matching punch machine, and an analyzer, a whole difference engine set could fill this entire hall¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard that the Academy of Truth is also organizing people to study the next generation of difference engines? It seems they can be half the size, with performance not far off from the current large machines, and run on electric power instead¡­¡±


    ¡°Electricity? Without a steam core? What if the machine gets possessed while operating? That thing needs to continuously process a huge amount of data; without the sacred protection of steam, the bearings and gear assemblies are way too susceptible to attracting evil spirits, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°How would I know¡­ Maybe there needs to be a pastor standing next to it, doing mass with incense for the machine while it calculates¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Then it feels like the miniaturization hasn¡¯t saved much trouble, but instead takes up an additional clergyman¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, how much space does a pastor take, and how much does half a difference engine take? Do you know how expensive the downtown property prices are¡­¡±


    It seems that no matter the world, people¡¯s idle chitchat while slacking at work is just as wild and aimless. The bank clerks¡¯ topics soon shifted from difference engines to city-state housing prices, but on the other hand, their casual conversation was so peculiar and interesting to Dengken¨Che was so engrossed that he even forgot the boredom of waiting.


    But this idle chat didn¡¯t last long; following a clang in a nearby transfer pipe, everyone¡¯s discussion about ¡°whether housing prices or pastors are more expensive¡± was finally cut off.


    The clerk opposite Dengken opened the brass pipe next to the counter and pulled out a metal small tube¨Cthis one was obviously a different model from the one sent earlier, seeming sturdier, with a complex locking mechanism at the seal. It took quite some effort with a special tool for the clerk to open the lid and retrieve the item inside.


    It was a rectangular metal plate no larger than half a palm, stamped with letters and symbols, the edges dotted with randomly arranged holes of various sizes. The series of numbers that Dengken had just memorized was imprinted on one end of the plate.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your seal card,¡± the clerk handed the metal plate to Duncan, ¡°You can use it at any bank in Plunder City-State or the banks of the Endless Sea Commerce Association in other city-states¨Cbut transactions in other city-states would have a delay of three to seven days, due to the transmission time for cross-sea telegraphy or Spirit Realm communications.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Duncan took the metal plate and curiously examined this artifact that seemed to represent the level of technology in the city-state civilization; he scrutinized the delicate holes, while at the bank counter, he discovered the machine that read these metal plates.


    These creations, utterly different from those on Earth yet also representing humanity¡¯s wisdom, were the ¡°footprints¡± of the city-state civilization of the deep-sea era up to the present day.


    ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± came an inquiry from behind the counter.


    ¡°Ah¡­ no, thank you,¡± Duncan came to his senses, smiled, and rose from his chair, but before leaving, he seemed to remember something abruptly, pausing in his tracks to ask offhandedly, ¡°By the way¡­ can machines really be possessed by evil spirits?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they can, what¡¯s so strange about that?¡± The clerk immediately replied as if it were a question that required no contemplation on her part, ¡°Apart from Subspace, anything in this world can be corrupted, isn¡¯t that common knowledge?¡±


    Duncan was taken aback; he had just asked the question in passing, but her answer, for some reason, touched his thoughts, giving him a fleeting twinkle at the bottom of his heart.


    A moment later, he nodded gently: ¡°¡­Indeed, apart from Subspace, anything in this world can be corrupted.¡±


    Then he left the bank.


    As per his plan, he still had a major shopping spree to undertake today¨Cbesides buying Nina a bicycle, his shopping list had a whole stack of items listed that could scare Nina out of her wits.


    The income from the dagger he sold to Old Mr. Morris, together with the reward for reporting heretics, was enough to support a family of three living carefree in the Lower City District for one or two years. And since most of that money had not yet been touched, Duncan felt it was time to put it to good use.


    So, for the next half-day, Duncan virtually swept through the markets and shops near the Cross District¡­


    Around four o¡¯clock in the afternoon, in a shadowy alley near the Cross District, Duncan clanged as he put down the last package, and he sighed with relief.


    He looked at the mountain of goods before him with satisfaction.


    Flour, vegetables, seeds, spices, fresh meats, cured ingredients, various dried mushrooms, wines¨Cand cheese.


    Cheese that was edible, normal, younger than him.


    Moreover, there was even a pile of pots, pans, ladles, and many things ¡°Duncan thought might be useful.¡±


    Transporting all these items to the ship, Homeloss, would undoubtedly revolutionize its living environment.


    At the very least, the kitchen would now be able to produce stable human meals.


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    Duncan nodded with satisfaction and casually called out, ¡°Ai Yi!¡±


    The fluttering sound came from above a nearby building, and Ai Yi landed neatly on his shoulder.


    The next second, after glancing at the goods on the ground, the pigeon exclaimed, ¡°You¡¯re not messing with me, are you?¡±


    Before the words were finished, the bird tilted and fell straight to the ground¨Calthough Duncan hadn¡¯t yet said what he wanted it to do, this clever creature had obviously realized its predicament.


    But Duncan just chuckled, catching the free-falling pigeon mid-air, ¡°No worries, if you can¡¯t carry it back in one go, you can make a few trips¡­¡±

 Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 158 Rose Doll House

    Chapter 154: Chapter 158 Rose Doll House


    To tell the truth, there actually wasn¡¯t much stuff piled up in the alley. After all, Duncan was just one person, and even though he had bought a bicycle in advance to carry goods, there was a limit to how much he could haul at once. Ai Yi¡¯s reaction was actually quite understandable¨C


    That bird was bargaining; it hoped to score some more fries.


    From a certain perspective, the bird was really easy to understand.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Duncan, holding the pigeon, brought it close to a basket of potatoes. ¡°This is called a potato, also known as a spud.¡±


    Ai Yi blinked its mung bean eyes, carefully inspecting the basket of items for a long time before actually catching on, and suddenly it stretched its neck eagerly, ¡°Delicious! Delicious!¡±


    ¡°Good to know. Work hard, and this whole basket is prepared for you¨Cby the time the fries are fried, there¡¯ll be enough to stuff you to death dozens of times,¡± Duncan chuckled sneakily, casually tossing the pigeon out, ¡°Send these items back to Homeloss¨Cjust place them on the deck, ¡®I¡¯ will be there to receive them.¡±


    Ai Yi flapped its wings in the air. Before landing, it was enveloped by a faint green flame. After transforming into an undead bird, it circled around the pile of goods twice. The ¡°cargo¡± within the flames began to dematerialize swiftly, but suddenly, it paused and landed on top of the goods, cocking its head at Duncan, ¡°Do you need to specify the next memory address?¡±


    Duncan was taken aback for a moment before he realized the bird was asking what it had to do next¡­


    Then he couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself¨Cin the bird¡¯s vocabulary there were too many bizarre and diverse terms. It was as if every creation from human interactions on the internet was stored in its mind. Although he had managed to guess the bird¡¯s meanings from its phrases while living with it for a while, most of the time his communication with Ai Yi was just barely skirting what he knew¡­ Couldn¡¯t it try to speak a few words of normal human language?


    Nonetheless, despite his inner grumbling, Duncan still nodded in response to Ai Yi, ¡°You take care of these first, I still have more to buy¡­¡±


    This time, Ai Yi was truly startled. It soared up into the sky, and a large ball of flame enveloped and swept away the heap of goods on the ground in the blink of an eye. As it quickly disappeared from Duncan¡¯s view, it kept squawking loudly, ¡°So terrifying! So terrifying!¡±


    Seeing this, Duncan merely shrugged his shoulders and turned to the bicycle he had just bought.


    It was a very ordinary bike, with a black frame, shiny silver hubs and handlebars, a brand-new bell, and a sturdy, practical basket and rear seat¨Cnot particularly distinctive, neither pretty nor ugly, but its biggest advantage was probably its decent quality.


    Duncan had intended to carefully select a pretty female bicycle for Nina, but after looking around the shops in the Lower City District, he gave up on the idea¨Csimply because there weren¡¯t any.


    In the Lower City District, a bicycle was just a bicycle, an aid in life but also a tool for production. All the bikes were more or less the same, without specialized styles like male, female, mountain, or road varieties. People of different body sizes could adjust the handlebars and seats for comfortable riding, and beyond that, there were no other functions or definitions for bicycles.


    Most ordinary people in this world didn¡¯t seem to have the luxury of pursuing or customizing a ¡°more refined life.¡±


    In the ¡°Deep Sea Era¡± city-states, a lot of things were ultimately different from the ¡°another world¡± Duncan was familiar with¨Ceven if they looked like similar things, many details were filled with characteristics unique to this world. And it was precisely these misleading things¡­ that kept reminding Duncan of the fact that he was ¡°in a foreign land.¡±


    He got on the bike, and this brand-new mode of transport was light and handy, quickly taking him away from the alley and toward the nearby bustling commercial district.


    Nina would like the bike.


    Leaving the Cross District, he headed northwest, riding up towards the higher streets, and then he would truly arrive in the Upper City District¡¯s territory¨Cgenerally speaking, the citizens of Plunder called this ¡°the real boundary line of decent living,¡± unlike the Cross District, which could only be considered a ¡°place for middle-class citizens to embellish their facades.¡±


    Different from Duncan¡¯s initial expectations, although Plunder had clear administrative boundaries between the ¡°Upper¡± and ¡°Lower¡± City Districts, there were no physical barriers between these two districts. Going from the Lower to the Upper City District merely required passing through some completely open crossroads¨Calthough there were security officer¡¯s posts at these crossings, it was clear that they didn¡¯t prohibit the citizens from passing through.


    Of course, this was the situation during the day. According to what Duncan had found out, the Upper and Lower City Districts did enforce strict restrictions at night¨C even if one had a nighttime pass, crossing between the two districts¡¯ checkpoints would still require extra procedures.


    But now it was daytime, and the crossroads were free of any impediment.


    Duncan directly entered the Upper City District¨Cfor the first time since he had set foot in this city-state.


    He had to admit, the Upper City District truly was a completely different place from the Lower City District.


    This was reflected in every aspect¨Ccleaner and broader streets, more imposing and magnificent buildings, newer and more advanced city facilities, and a number of gas streetlights and ¡°Night Shelters¡± that clearly surpassed those in the Lower City District.


    Duncan slowly came to a stop in front of a small pavilion near the intersection.


    It was a Night Shelter, intended to assist those citizens who had not returned home in time for various reasons after nightfall. The sign at the entrance of the pavilion provided a simple explanation:


    ¡°Providing night-time shelter, equipped with gas lights, Soothing Holy Oil, and the ¡®Storm Canon.¡¯ Please lock the door upon entering and wait for rescue, as the night guards hold safety keys.¡±


    In the Lower City District, Duncan had also seen similar facilities, but there were only one or two in an entire district, and they looked mottled and old, he was not sure if they could still be used.


    Duncan withdrew his gaze, mounted his bicycle, and continued to ride slowly along the street.


    His eyes occasionally swept over the shops lining the road.


    The dazzling windows and the elegant and refined displays within them were incomparable to the shops in the Lower City District, but Duncan was not concerned with these insignificant details.


    He still had many things to buy, procuring supplies for Homeloss had been a matter too long delayed, and¡­


    Duncan stopped his bike in front of a roadside shop and looked up, a slight smile on his face.


    There were some things you couldn¡¯t buy in the Lower City District¨Conly the ¡°respectable people¡± of the Upper City District would spend a lot of money and effort on certain things unrelated to survival, such as what was before him.


    He locked his bicycle and stepped forward to push open the door of the shop. Accompanied by a crisp and pleasant bell sound, a plump old woman who had been reading a newspaper behind the counter looked up. She wore a kind smile and stood up, saying, ¡°Welcome to Rose Doll House¡­ Oh, a gentleman, are you here to choose a companion for your loved one or a younger family member?¡±


    ¡°Just looking around,¡± Duncan replied briefly, then raised his head, curiously observing the shop known as ¡°Rose Doll House.¡±


    In his line of sight, there were dolls of all kinds¨Cexquisite, elegant, mysterious, cute, playful¡­ dolls.


    From outside on the street, he had seen through the window into the shop, but only upon entering did he realize that the space inside was even larger than it appeared from outside, and almost every visible spot was filled with things related to dolls, even under the stairs was stuffed with various styles of storage boxes and stands, as well as accessories large and small and bodies waiting to be assembled.


    It was a shop specializing in the sale of dolls and related items, with a classic style and a quiet, mysterious atmosphere.


    And in this large doll shop, there was only one very kind-looking old lady tending the store, with Duncan as the sole customer.


    The classic shop filled with dolls, the smiling old woman, the single customer.


    Duncan was captivated by the dazzling array of dolls, while the shop owner looked curiously at this unfamiliar customer.


    Men browsing in a doll shop was not rare; respectable men of the Upper City District often gave exquisite dolls as gifts to their partners or younger relatives, and some men even had the hobby of collecting dolls¨Cwhat really made the old woman curious as the shop owner was the plainness of the customer¡¯s attire.


    Duncan wore an old jacket he was accustomed to, not the attire of the wealthy who lived in the Upper City District¨Cand dolls, as collectibles, were anything but cheap.


    However, the old lady just took a curious glance and quickly averted her gaze.


    It wasn¡¯t polite to judge customers by their clothes, and a mature businessman shouldn¡¯t judge a customer by appearance¨Cfurthermore, everyone had the right to appreciate the goods.


    After looking around for a while, Duncan finally looked away and exhaled softly.


    He had to admit, he was a bit dazzled by the choice.


    The doll craftsmanship of this world was more developed than he had imagined, those myriad parts with names he couldn¡¯t even recall¡­ ¡°accessories,¡± had exceeded his understanding of dolls.


    ¨CHis understanding of dolls was limited to the worthless crew members who were cowardly and incompetent, with problematic necks and not even a properly functioning brain.


    Duncan looked towards the plump old lady, thinking it best to humbly inquire about the workings of dolls from a professional¨Cespecially regarding joint care and hair planting.


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    But before he could speak, he suddenly froze.


    He stared absent-mindedly at the old woman in front of him, who quickly caught on and smiled, pointing to her ears: ¡°Elves from the Plunder City-State are indeed rare.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He had to admit, elves from the Plunder City-State were perhaps truly rare, and this was his first time seeing one in his life.


    But what astonished him even more was the thought that in this world, there could be a plump elf grandmother¡­

 Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 159: Who Isnt Persecuting Whom

    Chapter 155: Chapter 159: Who Isn¡¯t Persecuting Whom


    After the advent of the Deep Sea Era, the intelligent races that survived from the old world and established City-State civilizations were not solely humans¨Capart from humans, there were the Gyplo People, the Senkin People, and the Elves, three other species that existed in this world, each developing their own civilizations.


    This was knowledge written in Nina¡¯s textbooks, which Duncan had been familiar with for a long time, and he had been immensely interested in these ¡°alien races¡± mentioned in the textbooks, particularly the Elves¨Ca race always featured in various fantasy tales and surrounded by an aura of mystery, and truly existing in this world, sparking his curiosity to no end.


    Nina¡¯s textbook illustrations had once depicted the appearance of Elves to Duncan; the image showed them with long, pointed ears and slim figures¨Cso beautiful they were, indeed, indistinguishable as male or female.


    This directly established his initial impression of the ¡°Elves¡± in this world: a species with lifespans reaching a thousand years, universally attractive, elegant, and mysterious.


    However, in this superficial initial perception, he had never sketched what millennia-old Elves might look like as they aged¡­ He hadn¡¯t even considered that this race would exhibit the changes in appearance that come with aging, just as humans do.


    But now he knew that his understanding of the ¡°Elves¡± in this world was far too superficial.


    The owner of the ¡°Rose Doll House¡± was an Elf, a plump, kind-faced old Elf lady¨Caside from the signature pointed ears and green pupils, and the traces of beauty that could vaguely be discerned from her youth, she looked no different from an ordinary elderly lady next door.


    Staring at others is impolite.


    Duncan quickly realized this and hurriedly withdrew his excessively curious gaze, awkwardly touching his chin, ¡°This is my first time seeing an Elf.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t worried that his ¡°ignorant rusticity¡± would reveal anything, because it was indeed rare to see Elves in the Plunder City-State.


    Each major race had its own City-State, and because travel was inconvenient in the Deep Sea Era, most citizens seldom left their homeland throughout their lives, with only the brave ocean explorers and merchants shuttling between City-States¨Cand they were merely passers-by, almost never settling down in a different race¡¯s City-State¨Cthis was the same for all major City-States, where over ninety-nine percent of the residents were the ¡°dominant race.¡±


    Someone who lived in their own City-State and rarely ventured out might never encounter an ¡°alien race¡± individual living on the opposite side of the city in their entire life.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite normal,¡± the old Elf lady chuckled, ¡°There are probably not even a hundred Elves in this city, including those dozen or so who have holed up at the mathematics research institute for two hundred years and never venture out¨Ccan I help you with anything?¡±


    Hearing the old woman¡¯s reminder, Duncan remembered his original purpose and looked back at the dolls crammed into the display windows, counters, and stair spaces, while pondering and speaking, ¡°I would like to buy some doll-related items, and if possible, I¡¯d also like to ask some questions about dolls¡­ but I was overwhelmed as soon as I came in.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it seems you are a ¡®novice¡¯,¡± nodded the old lady, ¡°Are they female dolls? Are they part of your own collection, or¡­¡±


    ¡°Female, my own ¡®collection¡¯,¡± Duncan replied offhand, but as soon as he finished speaking, he felt there was something odd about it and involuntary twitched the corner of his mouth, ¡°This hobby isn¡¯t strange, is it?¡±


    He had been better off not asking, but once he did, it felt even stranger¡­


    ¡°Of course not, collecting and taking care of dolls is a hobby of taste,¡± the old lady didn¡¯t react much, probably the confidence of one who has seen much after running a centuries-old shop, ¡°Are you looking to buy some clothes or accessories for your doll?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, ¡°Let¡¯s start with a wig¡­¡±


    ¡°Over here,¡± the old lady led Duncan towards a corner of the shop, while continuing to ask, ¡°What size is your doll? Quarter size? Or third size?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­ it¡¯s the same size as a real person.¡±


    The old lady¡¯s steps involuntarily paused, and she turned around, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ quite rare. A life-sized doll? That must be quite valuable, I imagine?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Actually, I¡¯m not quite sure how much she ¡®is worth¡¯,¡± Duncan tried to keep a straight face while fighting off the awkward feeling inside, ¡°She was a gift from someone¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it sounds like you have a very generous friend,¡± the old lady smiled, opening a wooden chest near the circular counter and placing its contents onto the nearby countertop, ¡°Life-sized dolls are rare and so are their accessories, all here¨Cthere are wigs and also hair ornaments.¡±


    Duncan coughed twice and leaned in while muttering under his breath, ¡°I don¡¯t know whether he¡¯s generous or not, he¡¯s just a captain¡­ It¡¯s a complicated matter.¡±


    His gaze fell on the items the elderly woman had brought out.


    Exquisitely crafted and well-maintained, they were clearly the product of considerable effort by the creator.


    He carefully selected, all the while imagining how Alice would look wearing these items, then he found he couldn¡¯t continue the thought.


    ¡­ The idea that the elegant, beautiful, and mysterious cursed doll would one day go bald and have to rely on wigs was just too much cognitive dissonance, even he found it almost unbearable.


    And this was an idea he had come up with himself.


    But Duncan quickly steeled his resolve, operating on the principle that since he had started the torment, he might as well go all the way¡­


    He picked out a splendid golden wig with matching silver hair accessories.


    Yes, silver hair accessories¨Cas a luxury item accessible only to high society, nothing about the doll¡¯s paraphernalia was cheap!


    Looking at the wig set before him, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but imagine how Alice might react to these gifts¡­ The simpleton might burst into tears, or she might turn and run, just like anyone facing their fate in terms of hair volume, a mental adjustment process was needed. But no matter how Alice would react in the end, he himself was beginning to feel quite pleased now.


    During the selection process, he casually inquired, ¡°By the way, could I ask about some doll maintenance issues?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± replied the kindly old woman with a smile, ¡°dolls do require meticulous care.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ what should I do if the doll¡¯s joints are frequently loose?¡± Duncan asked, gesturing as he organized his words, ¡°It¡¯s mainly the neck and head connection, the ball joint. For some reason it has loosened, and the head keeps falling off.¡±


    ¡°Wear and deformation of the ball and socket can cause joint looseness¨Cif it is not due to neglect or rough treatment later on, it must be that the initial design or materials were inadequate,¡± the elderly woman immediately responded. ¡°If it has reached the point where it frequently falls off, ordinary repairs won¡¯t do much. You might consider replacing the joint altogether.¡±


    She paused, then added, ¡°However, replacing joints for large dolls isn¡¯t easy. You probably won¡¯t be able to do it yourself, you could bring the doll here, and I could help with the replacement¨Cjust charging for the parts.¡±


    After hearing this, Duncan thought it didn¡¯t sound quite reliable.


    Alice¡¯s ¡°guillotine¡± ability was secondary; the main issue was that Abnormality 099 wasn¡¯t an ordinary doll! Could her joints even be replaced?


    If he mentioned going into the City-State for surgery, needing to disassemble the whole neck and put in a new one, she might just run off¡­


    So Duncan glossed over the topic and instead began inquiring about techniques for doll hair implantation¡­


    The shop owner lady patiently explained many things to him, and after finishing, she added, ¡°¡­ From what you say, your doll comes with her own hair. For such dolls, retouching or adding more hair later on is difficult to perfect unless done by the creator themselves. Plus, you said her head joint is also problematic. I suggest you simply order a new head sculpture¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    The shop owner lady remained enthusiastic, ¡°Looking at your reaction, you seem hesitant? Don¡¯t worry, our shop is known for excellent craftsmanship, and for hundreds of years, we have never disappointed a customer¨Cthere hasn¡¯t been a single complaint from our regulars¡­¡±


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    Duncan thought to himself that the old lady¡¯s ¡°regulars¡± probably couldn¡¯t even be found in the bones now, let alone come to complain, but obviously, he couldn¡¯t say that out loud, so he could only smile awkwardly and made up an excuse to brush it off, ¡°That¡¯s not exactly the issue¡­ it¡¯s just, if the head is replaced, then she wouldn¡¯t be the same, right?¡±


    He said it off the cuff, but to his surprise, the old lady¡¯s eyes lit up, and her smile became even more genuine, ¡°Ah, your way of thinking is quite remarkable. Many people treat dolls merely as objects and, even if they cherish them, few would consider them as you do.¡±


    Duncan suddenly felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°Ahem, that makes me feel a little guilty now¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± the old lady sighed, ¡°Dolls need to be cared for attentively. The moment they are given human form, they should not be treated as inanimate any longer. There¡¯s this saying among puppeteers¨Cthat dolls given meticulous care have their own souls. You should even believe they possess their own joys and sorrows¡­¡±


    At that moment, in Duncan¡¯s mind emerged the image of Alice¡¯s harmlessly chuckling ¡°heh heh,¡± and he nodded vigorously, ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right.¡±

 Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 160: The Most Outstanding Puppeteer

    Chapter 156: Chapter 160: The Most Outstanding Puppeteer


    Onboard the Homeloss, the brilliant sunlight was shining on the freshly scrubbed upper deck, where a spiraling green flame was gradually dissipating above the deck. Alice stood by an open space, staring dumbfounded at the large pile of items that had appeared.


    ¡°This¡­ this¡­ what is this?!¡±


    The doll lady cried out in astonishment, and just as her words ended, Duncan¡¯s voice came from not far away, ¡°Stuttering as if your brain¡¯s fallen out¨Chaven¡¯t you ever seen pots, pans, ladles, fruits, and vegetables?¡±


    Alice turned her head somewhat stiffly, gave Duncan a look, and then took another serious look at the pile of supplies that had suddenly appeared on the deck. She put her hands on her hips, justifying herself, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°I really haven¡¯t,¡± Alice continued assertively, ¡°I¡¯ve been in a box for so many years, where would I have seen these things?¡±


    Duncan immediately paused, then slapped his forehead, ¡°¡­I forgot. Alright, you make a good point. In some ways, you¡¯re even more ignorant than Sherry.¡±


    Just as Alice was about to step forward to study the pile of things that Ai Yi had suddenly teleported over, she turned her head with puzzlement upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, ¡°Sherry? Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Someone I met in the City-State; maybe one day you¡¯ll have the chance to meet her,¡± Duncan pondered, ¡°I think you might have a lot in common with her.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Alice acknowledged and quickly cast the thought aside. Then she approached the pile of supplies on the deck, circling around it curiously.


    ¡°So this is flour¡­ this is meat? It¡¯s different from the dried meat on board¡­ these are vegetable leaves? They seem so fragile, and they¡¯re cool to the touch¡­ what¡¯s this round thing¡­ oh, it broke¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mess with the eggs!¡± Duncan saw the naive doll was about to create a mess and hurriedly stepped forward to swat away her wandering hands, ¡°These are for improving conditions on board.¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Alice let out her signature giggle, a bit embarrassed as she withdrew her hand, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit curious¨CI¡¯ve only heard of many of these things.¡±


    Duncan looked at the doll helplessly, yet he also felt a bit of understanding for her.


    In Alice¡¯s mind (if such an organ truly existed in her head), there was a wealth of ¡°innate knowledge.¡± She knew how to communicate with people, was aware of many things in the world, and even accumulated her initial impressions of the world by ¡°listening¡± to the sounds outside her box. But ultimately, she had always been under seal, and strictly speaking, her true contact with the world was only a recent affair. Moreover, her first encounter upon emerging was with the Homeloss, a place absolutely unsuitable as a ¡°starting village¡± for beginners.


    She lacked a real understanding of the actual world.


    For a while, she could only interact with the things on the Homeloss, and the ship¡¯s limited space and objects had been relatively easy for her to get accustomed to. But now, Duncan had brought a whole load of fresh items from the human City-State right to the doll¡¯s presence.


    Even a piece of green vegetable or a bag of flour was an incredible item to Alice.


    ¡°Human City-States really are incredible places¡­¡± the doll lady remarked sincerely while gazing at the pile on the deck and at the colorful packaging, ¡°It must be much, much bigger than the ship, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s big, but much smaller than the Endless Sea,¡± Duncan replied offhandedly, observing the wonder and anticipation in Alice¡¯s eyes, and was reminded once again of the promise he had made to her.


    He had said he would take Alice to see the City-State.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the troubles in the City-State soon and figure out the secrets about you,¡± he told the doll in front of him earnestly, ¡°Just be patient for a while.¡±


    Alice immediately showed a beaming smile, ¡°Okay!¡±


    As always, blissfully oblivious.


    But just watching this carefree doll, Duncan felt the anxiety he had accumulated in Plunder City-State begin to fade bit by bit. He breathed a sigh of relief and pointed to the items on deck, ¡°Let¡¯s move them to the kitchen together¨CAnd these miscellaneous items over here, take them to the captain¡¯s cabin.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright!¡± Alice immediately agreed, and then while stepping forward to help, she asked, ¡°Will we use these for dinner tonight?¡±


    Duncan gave her a skeptical look, ¡°We could¡­ but do you know how?¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Alice said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, ¡°But I can always ask Mr. Goat Head for some tips. He claims his culinary skills are astonishing and that he hold over ninety percent of the world¡¯s cooking secrets¡­¡±


    ¡°You believe that too easily!¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Don¡¯t ruin the food ingredients I¡¯ve managed to get with great difficulty. I will cook dinner. If you really want to seriously learn how to make something edible, just watch how I do it. Don¡¯t learn from that goat head¨Che doesn¡¯t even have a digestive system.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alice nodded, and then glanced at Ai Yi pacing on the deck nearby. Her eyes shifted curiously, ¡°Will Ai Yi be going ¡®over there¡¯ later?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it has more things to deliver later.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still buying things?¡± Alice asked curiously, ¡°What else are you buying?¡±


    Duncan turned to look into the Puppeteer Miss¡¯s eyes and, after a moment, a faint smile appeared on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m buying something for you.¡±


    Alice: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡­


    In the Plunder City-State, within the ¡°Rose Doll House¡±.


    Duncan felt that the kind elf matriarch might have misunderstood him, but he had no intention of explaining.


    Mainly because there was no way to explain¨Cwhat could he say? Could he say that he actually had a doll with a soul, capable of joy and sorrow, and that this doll was recently troubled by its thinning hair? Putting it optimistically, the old lady would probably run off to the church to report him¡­


    In the eyes of the ¡°Rose Doll House¡± proprietor, Duncan had become a true connoisseur who loved dolls and was willing to pour considerable effort into this hobby¨Cin the upper echelons of Plunder society, there were many who bought dolls, and not a few who were enthusiastic collectors, but rarely did someone show such a heartfelt concern for dolls as this gentleman did today. It gave her the impression that when the gentleman talked about his ¡°doll¡±, he was referring not to an item but to a living person, perhaps even to a friend about whom he cared deeply.


    Not even many Puppeteers would feel as he did.


    The two chatted enjoyably, and Duncan finally learned much about dolls from a professional (although he didn¡¯t know how much of this knowledge could be applied to Alice), while the proprietor of the doll house, clearly not having encountered such a kindred customer in a long while, couldn¡¯t help but laugh and sigh after their conversation, ¡°I¡¯ve lived in this city for three or four hundred years, outlasted seventeen Governors, and met countless humans¨C and yet hardly any of them truly understood ¡®dolls¡¯¡­ Ah, I know this might be uncomfortable for you to hear, but in my view, humans are certainly a much colder species than Elves.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very familiar with elf society,¡± Duncan chimed in, hoping to encourage her to share more about elves, ¡°But I¡¯ve heard¡­ In the Elven City-State of Light Breeze Harbor, there gathers the world¡¯s most outstanding craftsmen? The Elves¡¯ unique handicrafts are famous around the world¡­¡±


    ¡°Elves are indeed adept at delicate crafts, as we are naturally sensitive to both mathematics and art¨Cthe world¡¯s famous Puppeteers are mostly Elves,¡± the old woman said matter-of-factly with a tone of taken-for-granted pride. However, she quickly changed the subject, ¡°But speaking of the profession of Puppeteers, many of my peers from other races have a certain prejudice against Elves¡­ They often say that Elves don¡¯t truly possess such exceptional talent for crafts and the reason we have so many master Puppeteers is simply because we live long enough to learn by continual practice¡­¡±


    Duncan was a bit at a loss for how to continue the topic, ¡°Well, I suppose professional rivalry is the same everywhere. What is your opinion on these comments?¡±


    The old woman chuckled, ¡°Me? I think they¡¯re right!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°I do think they¡¯re right,¡± the old woman emphasized again, her face bright with amusement, ¡°Anyway, every year on the Day of the Dead I go to a few of my old colleagues¡¯ graves and greet them by saying, ¡®You were right¡¯¨Cif they have the guts, they should come back and hit me!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


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    Are all Elves in this world like this? Why does he feel something is off about this picture?!


    ¡°Ah¡­ just kidding,¡± seeing the expression on Duncan¡¯s face, the old woman then shook her head, ¡°In truth, there aren¡¯t so many enemies. We¡¯ve just been fellow travelers during such brief periods, and if we¡¯re talking about the profession of Puppeteers¡­ I¡¯ve always believed that the most outstanding Puppeteer in the world is not some ¡®master¡¯ among the Elves, but a human.¡±


    ¡°A human?¡± Duncan asked offhandedly.


    ¡°Yes, your average human these days probably doesn¡¯t know this name anymore¡­¡± the old woman said somewhat wistfully, ¡°Her name is Lucresia Abnormal, the famous ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯s¡¯ daughter. She was the most outstanding Puppeteer I have ever seen¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°?!¡±

 Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 161 Another Connection

    Chapter 157: Chapter 161 Another Connection


    In the eyes of the ¡°Rose Doll House¡± shopkeeper, the world¡¯s greatest puppeteer was a human named Lucresia Abenomar, the daughter of the famed ¡°Captain Duncan.¡±


    As soon as the old lady let out these words, the entire shop fell silent for several seconds, followed by Captain Duncan¡¯s earth-shattering coughing fit, ¡°Cough cough, cough cough cough¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you all right, sir?¡± The shopkeeper was immediately frightened by Duncan¡¯s reaction, just like any elf who has long dealt with short-lived races, her face instantly expressed concern that the human before her might drop dead on the spot, ¡°Do you need a doctor?¡±


    ¡°Cough cough¡­ I¡­ cough, I¡¯m fine,¡± Duncan finally managed to stop his coughing, but it still took him a moment to wave off the old lady¨Cbecause at the same time, he also had to calm down the Cursed Doll who had been startled by his coughing aboard the Homeloss, ¡°I just got choked on some saliva. What were you saying again? Lucresia¡­¡±


    ¡°Lucresia Abenomar, the lady of the Brilliant Starship, one of Captain Duncan¡¯s children,¡± the shopkeeper said with a face that read ¡°this is all recent news, why do you humans make such a big fuss over it,¡± ¡°the world¡¯s greatest puppeteer¡­¡±


    Duncan, who had just managed to catch his breath, suddenly choked on his saliva and into his lungs again upon hearing the old lady¡¯s words: ¡°Pfft¨C¡±


    At the same time, on the deck of the Homeloss, the doll Alice, who had just been frightened by Captain Duncan¡¯s severe coughing, was startled again by his exclamation ¡°Holy shit,¡± and the puppet lady, holding a large basket of vegetables and fruits, looked stupefied at the captain, who was acting strangely today, ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Duncan took a breath, slowly calming his emotions. Having mastered dual-body control over time, he almost panicked again at this moment. To avoid acting too bizarrely back in the City-State, he had no choice but to wave at the doll before him, ¡°You go on to the cabin for now, I have something to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all right?¡± Alice still looked at him suspiciously, her pale violet eyes reflecting Duncan¡¯s face, ¡°Do you want me to check your body, maybe give you a back tap or help you catch your breath¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know how?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Off you go!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    After finally sending away the naive doll, Duncan quickly refocused his attention on Plunder City-State. He lifted his eyes and looked seriously at the slightly plump elf old lady, ¡°That famous Captain Duncan¡­ the legend of the Homeloss¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh, don¡¯t just blurt out that name!¡± the shopkeeper hastily interrupted Duncan¡¯s words, ¡°An ordinary person like you doesn¡¯t know, but carelessly uttering the name of such a grand terror and curse could bring misfortune upon you! Be careful, or that ship might come to you in your dreams!¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right,¡± Duncan choked for a moment and nodded with effort, holding back the odd feeling in his heart, ¡°So, that captain¡­ Not only has a daughter named Lucresia, but he also has a son, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, from a hundred years ago, I¡¯ve even met them both. The son is Tirian Abenomar, who later became some sort of general for the Frost Queen, but didn¡¯t last long before a rebellion broke out in Frost, and he gathered a group to become pirates. The daughter is Lucresia Abenomar, the world¡¯s most outstanding puppeteer¡­¡±


    The old lady prattled on, then paused, and started to reflect, ¡°But these are all events from many years ago, at least they are for humans¡­ In Plunder, few people bring up their stories anymore, even in the elven city-states, people don¡¯t dare to discuss matters related to that ship, but what¡¯s the harm, really? The siblings aren¡¯t insane like their father, they¡¯re still capably fulfilling their roles as captains¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Duncan immediately widened his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re saying they¡¯re still alive?!¡±


    ¡°Alive, indeed. It¡¯s said they were cursed by the Subspace, granting them eternal life,¡± the old lady lamented, ¡°They might live even longer than me¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you really all right, sir?¡± the shopkeeper finally couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°You¡¯ve been looking pale since a while ago, you don¡¯t like this topic? It¡¯s normal, most humans don¡¯t seem to enjoy hearing about this, they¡¯re afraid even in broad daylight¡­¡±


    ¡°I dare to listen, I dare to listen,¡± Duncan said, immediately snapping to attention at the mention. He quickly composed his expression and posture, nearly staring fixatedly at the shop owner. ¡°Could you tell me a bit more about the siblings? And you said just now¡­ you¡¯ve seen them both?¡±


    ¡°A century ago,¡± the old woman began with a reflective tone, ¡°I had my shop on this street back then. The siblings came here to shop. Lucresia bought a one-third scale Magic Doll, and Tirian paid for it. They were still young then, and their father¡­ he was still a normal human being. Oh, but I shouldn¡¯t mention him. Mustn¡¯t speak of him.


    ¡°And then another decade or so passed, and on my way to Rensa to exchange ideas with colleagues, I met Lucresia again, by herself. By then, she had become an outstanding Puppeteer and Mechanic Master¡­ the automaton-driven Magic Dolls she created were even beyond what I could make¡­¡±


    The shop owner rambled on, sharing tales that would be considered historical to most humans but were merely personal memories for her.


    It seemed that no matter the race, the elderly enjoyed reminiscing and chattering away; as long as someone initiated the topic, there was never an end to such conversations.


    Duncan¡¯s turbulent thoughts had yet to settle, but his face had regained composure. He perked up his ears, absorbing every word the old woman said, capturing the astonishing intelligence without missing a single detail.


    For the ordinary people of the City-State, the story of the century-old cursed captain and his cursed children was just a distant tale; but to an Elf who had lived here for several centuries, many so-called ¡°secrets¡± were just part of her earlier experiences¨Cshe spoke a lot about Lucresia, and also mentioned Tirian and his ¡°Sea Mist¡± a few times.


    However, her knowledge about Tirian and the ¡°Sea Mist¡± was clearly less than it was about Lucresia.


    ¡°Tirian Abnormal pledged loyalty to the Frost Queen, which was half a century ago, not too far from today. Some of the older humans have heard of it,¡± the shop owner commented casually, ¡°but that¡¯s all they¡¯ve done¨Cheard. The City-States around the Chill Sea were more closed off decades ago, and their interactions with Plunder were limited¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s heart thumped in his chest. Of course, he knew who the Frost Queen was; his family even had a life-sized Frost Queen doll that hopped around all day. But he had never imagined that the queen executed by rebels half a century ago would establish another connection with him¨Cin the form of an ¡°eldest son¡± whose existence he himself had only just learned of.


    ¡°The Frost rebellion, half a century ago¡­¡± he chose his words carefully, striving to appear as a casual customer fascinated by gossip, ¡°I¡¯ve read about it in history books, but they¡¯re rather vague¡­¡±


    ¡°That affair was indeed vague,¡± the shop owner waved her hand dismissively, ¡°It is said to be connected to ¡®that ship,¡¯ who would dare to record it clearly?¡±


    ¡°Did Tirian Abnormal become a pirate after the Frost rebellion, leading his crew?¡± Duncan asked again, ¡°Is he still active around the Chill Sea?¡±


    ¡°He seemingly is,¡± the shop owner recalled, ¡°Anyways, more than twenty years ago, a compatriot of mine who did business on the seas said so.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ do Tirian and Lucresia still communicate?¡±


    ¡°How would I know that?¡± The shop owner waved her hand again. ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary old woman with a shop here on the streets of Plunder. At most, I met them once in earlier years and happen to remember a bit more than what you humans do. How could I know everything?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that makes sense.¡±


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    Duncan smacked his lips, realizing he might have shown a bit too much interest in the matter, and wisely refrained from asking further.


    At that moment, however, the old woman opposite him seemed to suddenly remember something. She stood up from behind the counter, ¡°Ah, right, speaking of Lucresia, I just remembered something. I¡¯ve had it for quite a few years now, don¡¯t know if you¡¯d be interested?¡±


    While speaking, the shop owner walked toward a short door in the corner near the stairs. Opening the door, she rummaged through a storage room for what seemed like ages before pulling out a box over half a meter long from the deepest part and placing it on the counter.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Duncan looked at the item she brought out with curiosity.


    ¡°A doll,¡± the old woman revealed with a kind smile, carefully opening the lid, ¡°Her name is Niru¨Cremember what I just mentioned? Many years ago, Lucresia and her brother bought a doll here in my shop. That doll, in fact, was one of two sisters. She took the older sister, named ¡®Luny.¡¯ This one left here, her name is ¡®Niru.''¡±

 Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 162 "Niru

    Chapter 158: Chapter 162 ¡°Niru


    Duncan quietly observed ¡°Niru,¡± lying in the box.


    It was just a common ball-jointed doll, perfectly reflecting the ¡°court girl¡± style popular in the Plunder City-State a century ago, with beautiful golden curls and a lace-filled dress. Its arms had the old-fashioned spherical joint structure that was more conspicuous than that of Alice. Its face was made of porcelain, showing the old-fashioned doll¡¯s characteristic seam structure around the mouth and eyes.


    Frankly speaking, the doll was exquisitely made and preserved very well, making it hard to believe it had been lying in a box for a century. Although it couldn¡¯t compare to dolls like Alice, which almost resembled real people, this little one called ¡°Niru¡± could also be described as beautiful.


    A hundred years ago, Lucrescia had bought another doll called ¡°Luny¡± from this shop, which was a pair to this little one, and now, the one left behind, ¡°Niru,¡± lay quietly in its box in front of Duncan.


    Duncan himself had casually walked into the shop today, initially intent on just buying a wig for Alice and to inquire about maintaining dolls.


    Fate is really a strange thing.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it has been preserved for a century,¡± Duncan mused, ¡°It¡¯s only slightly aged.¡±


    ¡°Elves make things that are famous for their durability¨Cafter all, we usually use them for a very long time. I wouldn¡¯t boast about my craftsmanship as masterful, but it should exceed many of my peers. I wouldn¡¯t want my creations to fail to last even a couple of centuries.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand, but this would be considered an antique for humans,¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows. He quickly came out of his reverie, realizing that the well-preserved doll in front of him was not just a simple item, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can afford this.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t forgotten he had made more than a year¡¯s living expenses for an ordinary person from Mr. Morris with just a century-old dagger. This finely crafted and well-preserved doll¡­ couldn¡¯t possibly be cheap.


    ¡°Antique? I hadn¡¯t really thought of that,¡± the shop owner smiled with a pleased expression on his chubby face, ¡°It¡¯s not expensive. In fact, if you buy the wig and the matching silver hair accessory, I can sell you the doll at cost¨Cthe original cost from back then, one hundred forty-two solas.¡±


    This time, Duncan was surprised, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It might just be fate,¡± the shop owner slowly said, ¡°Niru has been lying here quietly for many years, always without a rightful owner to take her away. This ¡®sister¡¯ left alone is really lonely, and today there have been no customers here all day, except for you, a gentleman who loves dolls and discussed so much with me. Even bringing up Miss Lucrescia who took ¡®Luny¡¯ away a hundred years ago, I feel it might be guided by fate¡­¡±


    ¡°Fate¡­¡± Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched. He usually loved to use this word to deceive others, but he didn¡¯t expect to be duped himself, and then he realized, turning his gaze towards the elderly elf lady, ¡°So the real situation is that it can¡¯t be sold, right?¡±


    Shop owner: ¡°¡­It¡¯s fate.¡±


    ¡°Because it has some contact, however slight, with the cursed ¡®Ebunomal¡¯ family, so it can¡¯t be sold at all, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­It truly is fate.¡±


    ¡°Does this doll have any other curses? Like, if thrown away, it comes back on its own? Or it might go into the kitchen to find a knife while someone is asleep¡­¡±


    The old woman finally widened her eyes, her voice rising an octave: ¡°I specifically had priests exorcise it! I still have the exorcism certificate¡­¡±


    Duncan chuckled, ¡°See, it can¡¯t be sold because people suspect it carries a curse, right?¡±


    Old woman: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I own an antique store in the Lower City District,¡± Duncan sighed, ¡°A store in the Lower City District, you know.¡±


    ¡°¡­I really don¡¯t love dealing with businessmen, especially ones like you,¡± the old woman shook her head and sighed, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s indeed the reason. Niru hasn¡¯t been sold for a long time, and the longer it stayed, the older it got, so we just stored it in the warehouse¨Cif you really want it, take it at a discount price of seventy-five solas, at least let me recover the cost of the exorcism from back then¡­¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Duncan agreed before she could finish.


    Regardless, he had developed a significant interest in this doll. Although there was no evidence of any connection between the little one and Lucrescia, just by the factor of ¡°fate,¡± he decided to buy this doll.


    This was a subconscious reaction after he suddenly learned that a pair of ¡°children¡± had appeared ¡°by himself¡±: you never know when the siblings would appear, and who knows what trouble might happen then. Now seeing something related to Lucrescia¨Che¡¯d rather secure it and examine it later.


    In a world filled with Transcendent powers and various strange things, items with such ¡°connections¡± often play a role in mysticism.


    ¡°Then ¡®Niru¡¯ is yours,¡± the elderly shop owner was a bit stunned by Duncan¡¯s swift response, perhaps regretting not asking for a higher price, but she soon shook her head, pushed the box containing the doll forward. Before Duncan reached out, she couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°You need to take good care of this child¡­ Although I can see that you¡¯re a gentleman who truly loves dolls, I still want to remind you not to treat Niru as a cheap commodity.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Duncan took the wooden box, closed the lid, and then looked at the wig and hair accessory he had chosen, ¡°How much for these two together?¡±


    ¡°425 Sora, non-negotiable,¡±


    Duncan instantly grimaced, as if he were experiencing a toothache.


    In the Lower City District, this was the living expenses of two months for an entire family! But in the Upper City District¡­ it was only enough to buy two accessories for the rich¡¯s luxury items.


    He was even slightly shaken at that moment, thinking about giving up, but he quickly dismissed the thought.


    This was the gift he had promised to Alice (although Alice might feel a bit complicated when receiving the gift). On the other hand, considering today¡¯s find in this doll shop, the price seemed somewhat acceptable.


    After slightly comforting himself like that, Duncan took a deep breath, ready to obediently pay.


    Just as he was about to pay, he suddenly remembered something and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Right, why did Lucrecia only take Luny, but not take ¡®Niru¡¯ as her sister?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± The shop owner asked, her expression turning mysteriously deep, ¡°That matter¡­ is another secret related to the Ebunomal Family.¡±


    Duncan subconsciously leaned in closer, ¡°Now I¡¯m even more curious.¡±


    ¡°Then settle the bill first.¡±


    Duncan, a bit startled, paid with a chuckle, ¡°Can you tell me now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing much,¡± the elderly shop owner said nonchalantly as she took the money, ¡°Those two kids didn¡¯t have enough money back then¨CLucrecia was tearful when she left, even said that she would definitely take Niru too once she had enough money, but it looks like she¡¯s forgotten¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Was it that this old lady had an eccentric style, or did all elves in this world have some kind of serious issue?


    ¡­


    On the Homeloss, which was slightly swaying with the rise and fall of the sea waves, Alice returned to the upper deck after transporting the last batch of items to the ship¡¯s cabin, where she immediately saw the captain, who was quietly standing near the ship¡¯s rail, seemingly lost in thought.


    ¡°Captain~~¡± the doll lady cheerfully approached, ¡°I¡¯ve delivered all the items to the cabin! The ingredients and kitchen utensils to the kitchen, other items to the captain¡¯s quarters!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Duncan came back to his senses, he let out a sigh of relief, his gaze finally focusing on Alice, ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°Captain¡­ are you okay now?¡± Alice looked at Duncan up and down, hesitantly asking, ¡°Your face suddenly turned strange earlier, are you really all right?¡±


    Duncan shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a minor issue.¡±


    His mind was still a bit scattered, filled with the names Terian and Lucrecia that had suddenly sprung up, along with the potential trouble behind them. Looking at Alice, who undoubtedly had some connection to the Frost Queen and was a cursed doll, his thoughts were even more troubled, but eventually, he held back many things.


    Regardless of any connections with the Frost Queen, Alice was just a doll who knew nothing after all; discussing certain things with her¡­ might as well go find Sherry, who was illiterate.


    At least Sherry had a somewhat literate dog by her side.


    He turned his head, looking at the pigeon staying on the deck, whose figure flickered in the air for a moment before disappearing in a burst of flames.


    Alice curiously watched the spot where the flames vanished, ¡°Did Ai Yi go ¡®delivering goods¡¯ again?¡±


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    ¡°Yes, not much this time,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, then smiled at Alice, ¡°It¡¯s your gift.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°A gift? Really for me?! Captain, you really¡­¡±


    Before the doll lady could finish, a green flame vortex suddenly appeared above the nearby deck¨CAi Yi blinked, completing the teleportation from Plunder City-State to Homeloss in the ascend of flames, and a batch of new items appeared before Alice¡¯s eyes.


    The doll was suddenly at a loss for words.


    The first thing that caught her eye was a wig¡­

 Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 163: Exhausted Physically and Mentally from Communication

    Chapter 159: Chapter 163: Exhausted Physically and Mentally from Communication


    The Bone Dove, enveloped in Spectral Flame, circled twice above the deck. Out of the flames, cargo from the Plunder City-State materialized, and Alice stared blankly at the object that first appeared before her for a long while before finally lifting her head to look at the captain.


    Honestly, Duncan almost thought that the doll would cry and run away at this instant¨Cit was the most likely reaction he anticipated from Alice. But after a long staring contest between the simple-minded doll and himself, she finally nodded blankly, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°You really bought me new hair!¡± The next second, Alice¡¯s face lit up with joy as if she had received the most heartwarming gift, ¡°I thought you were just joking last time! Mr. Goat Head said that wigs for dolls are quite expensive¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    The persecution he had eagerly awaited did not happen, and his malicious plan had faced a major failure from the very beginning¨Cthe supposed victim was beaming with joy, filled with heartfelt gratitude.


    Duncan felt like an entertainer who had lost his source of amusement.


    ¡°Captain? Captain, why are you spacing out again?¡± Alice¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, snapping Duncan from his reverie. She held the wig on tiptoe, her face nearly touching Duncan¡¯s nose, ¡°You¡¯ve been daydreaming a lot today¡­¡±


    Duncan blinked and drew his face back a bit, looking at the cursed doll with a puzzled expression, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so broad-minded¨Cweren¡¯t you quite upset when we talked about wigs last time? I thought receiving this gift would at least cause you some internal struggle¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m upset about losing hair, why would I be upset about getting new hair?¡± Alice blinked, as though she found Duncan¡¯s worldviews questionable, and explained, ¡°I¡¯m a doll!¡±


    Duncan finally realized where the problem lay.


    Alice was usually so lively aboard the ship, bouncing around. Apart from her surprisingly sturdy cervical spine, she looked just like an ordinary human, and having been around her for so long, he unconsciously treated her as one¨Coverlooking her unique perspective as a doll¡­


    As a doll, why would she care about wearing a wig! Would humans care about changing into a new pair of shoes?


    ¡°Forget it, I must¡¯ve thought too much,¡± Duncan covered his face and waved his hand, as the greatest disaster of the Endless Sea once again felt unable to maintain his composure around Alice, ¡°Anyway¡­ as long as you like it.¡±


    ¡°I do like it!¡± Alice chirped, holding the wig then craning her neck to see the rest of the items on the deck, ¡°And these other things¡­¡±


    ¡°This is for you too,¡± Duncan sighed, trying to ignore the visual shock of an elegant Gothic doll holding a wig in high spirits, and turned to pick up a box from the deck, ¡°Open it and see.¡±


    Alice curiously opened the delicate little wooden box to find a set of silver hair ornaments, made of diamond-shaped thin plates, lying quietly against the velvet lining.


    Her surprise lifted her gaze to the captain, who nodded slightly at her.


    ¡°Last time, I took away the feather hairpin you found in the cabin,¡± Duncan spoke casually, ¡°I promised you a new one, and now I¡¯m keeping that promise.¡±


    Alice stared for a long while before it dawned on her, her smile containing an unprecedented happiness: ¡°Thank you, Captain! You¡¯re too kind!¡±


    ¡°Not so loud,¡± Duncan was startled by the doll¡¯s suddenly high-pitched voice that made his ears buzz and couldn¡¯t help but wave his hand, ¡°It¡¯s just a hair ornament, no need to get so worked up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the hair ornament, it¡¯s also the new hair you bought me!¡±


    Duncan felt a bit embarrassed, a strong sense of shame washed over him as if his plan to tease had turned into a heartfelt thank-you from the recipient: ¡°¡­ don¡¯t mention that wig anymore¡­¡±


    But Alice, oblivious to the captain¡¯s nuanced feelings at the moment, was completely immersed in her joy. Soon, she naturally noticed the last wooden box on the deck.


    It was a wooden box over half a meter long¨Cor rather, a chest¨Cwith elegantly simple decorations and brass locks and hinges, exuding a sense of luxury.


    And for some reason, it reminded her of her ¡°house¡±.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Alice set aside the wig and hair ornament in her hand and moved forward with curiosity, pushing the wooden chest, then looked up to ask.


    ¡°I bought it from the doll shop as well, but it¡¯s not for you,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°You can open it and take a look.¡±


    Alice uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± and with curiosity, she opened the chest.


    A delicately crafted, classically styled young girl doll lay quietly inside a wooden box.


    Alice: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°You can call her ¡®Niru¡¯,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice came from the side, ¡°but unlike you, she¡¯s just an ordinary doll¡­ probably.¡±


    Alice, however, didn¡¯t respond for quite some time. Nearly ten seconds later, she finally moved with a click-pop sound, and her head fell into Niru¡¯s box and rolled together with the small doll inside¡­


    ¡°Help¡­ help¡­ help me¡­¡±


    Duncan sighed, expertly picked up Alice¡¯s head and put it back in place, looking helplessly at this embarrassing creature: ¡°Do you really need to react like this?¡±


    Alice just held her head with both hands, straightened her neck, and then stared at her captain with wide eyes full of disbelief: ¡°Captain, you¡­ you¡¯ve got a new doll¡­¡±


    ¡°What nonsense!¡± Duncan felt there was something off as soon as he heard this and quickly interrupted her before Alice could blurt out more rubbish, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, Niru is different from you, she won¡¯t be running and jumping around like you, and what do you mean by ¡®got a new doll¡¯? You make it sound like I have some sort of peculiar collecting habit.¡±


    ¡°Then why would you buy a doll if not because¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a very special reason for this,¡± Duncan breathed out softly, stood up, and gazed at the distant surface of the Endless Sea, trying to suppress the nonsense in Alice¡¯s silly head with a serious and deep expression on his face, ¡°This doll named ¡®Niru¡¯ and another named ¡®Luny¡¯ were originally a pair. Many years ago, my daughter took ¡®Luny¡¯ with her, and now by coincidence, I¡¯ve discovered ¡®Niru¡¯, covered in dust in a shop. I thought¡­ I should buy her.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t conceal the information he had just learned and spoke of it naturally¨Cas it was, he now had to play the role of ¡°Captain Duncan¡± well, and from this persona, he had to ¡°naturally know about his children¡¯s affairs.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened unsurprisingly, staring at her captain in confusion.


    ¡°Captain¡­ you have a daughter?!¡± The doll clutched her head as if afraid it would run away from shock the next second, ¡°This¡­ this is the first time I¡¯m hearing about this!


    Duncan sighed internally, thinking he himself was also hearing about it for the first time¡­


    But he maintained the same expression on his face, merely nodding slightly: ¡°Is that so strange? I also have a son, and I haven¡¯t seen either of them for a century.¡±


    ¡°You have a son too!?¡± Alice¡¯s surprise grew even stronger, and she stepped back twice. Then her eyes whirled around as her brain processed the information, and she suddenly blurted out, ¡°Then they must have a mother too?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    In that instant, it was just a stare down between the two.


    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to regret starting this conversation with you,¡± Duncan finally sighed after a long while, his face showing signs of weariness, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ oh! Okay!¡± Alice¡¯s mind apparently filled with wild guesses, paused for a moment, and then nodded repeatedly. She then looked down at ¡®Niru¡¯ in the wooden box and had a sudden realization, ¡°Ah, that feather-shaped hairpin I found in the cabin last time¡­ Could it be your daughter¡¯s?¡±


    Duncan neither confirmed nor denied.


    He wasn¡¯t sure about this himself, but considering the nostalgic feelings that had involuntarily risen in his heart when he saw that hairpin, it was probably not far from Alice¡¯s guess.


    He then noticed that Alice was sneakily sizing him up, noticing the strange, hesitant expressions that occasionally crossed the doll¡¯s face.


    ¡°Just speak your mind,¡± he said coolly, ¡°sneaking glances like that is even ruder than speaking without restraint.¡±


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    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing, nothing, I was just¡­¡± Alice waved her hand, hesitating before speaking, ¡°I was just suddenly feeling¡­ you seem to still have some humanity in you.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­ Is that supposed to be a compliment?¡±


    Alice suddenly hesitated, then, as if she remembered something Mr. Goat-Head had taught her, showed an apologetic face: ¡°Ah, sorry Captain, I shouldn¡¯t have insulted you by saying you have humanity¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ thank you,¡± Duncan sighed, waved his hand, looking utterly drained, ¡°take your gift and go back, I want to be alone for a while.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±

 Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 164: Call Not Answered

    Chapter 160: Chapter 164: Call Not Answered


    Alice cheerfully left, looking like she could stay happy for many more days, while Duncan remained alone on the deck, staring at the wooden box containing ¡°Niru.¡±


    He had controlled his ¡°alter ego¡± located in Plunder City-State to leave the Upper City District, and was now cycling back to the antique store. Before leaving the doll shop, he had discussed many things related to Lukecrecia and Terian with the old lady shop owner, but it hadn¡¯t yielded much more.


    As the shop owner herself had said, she was just a normal citizen whose lifespan just happened to be longer than that of humans and who had personally experienced some events many years ago. However, beyond an initial meeting and some hearsay, her knowledge about the two ¡°Duncan descendants¡± was quite limited.


    Meanwhile, on the Homeloss, Duncan was immersed in thought.


    His body apparently had a son and a daughter, even still living ones, and it seemed that these siblings were no ordinary people¨Cone had once been loyal to the Frost Queen and had now become the biggest pirate head in the Chill Sea, while the other had long been on the fringes of the civilized world, engaging in mysteriously secretive explorations, reverently referred to as the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± by captains.


    Such a pair of ¡°children¡± only brought Duncan feelings of trouble and a bit of tension now.


    He was the ¡°Duncan¡± captain of Homeloss, and it looked like he must continue to be so for the foreseeable future. Therefore, he needed to figure out how to maintain this identity, but what if one day¡­ he actually encountered those siblings? What should he do?


    Should he show fatherly love and filial piety? Or should he show ruthless severity? Should he greet them, or should he coldly pass them by?


    According to the store manager¡¯s story, a hundred years ago, the Terian siblings had a ¡°breakup¡± with their father. After a mysterious ¡°family conflict,¡± Sea Mist and Brilliant Starship broke away from their flagship, Homeloss, which was publicly known.


    But what actually happened back then might only be known by the three parties involved.


    Duncan sighed softly.


    Regardless of what the real situation was at the time, one thing seemed certain: his relationship with the siblings did not seem to be one where fatherly love could be shown¨Cif they did meet, it might be best to push toward the unfortunate direction of family affairs¡­


    He bent down and picked up the wooden box containing ¡°Niru.¡± Inside, lined with velvet, the doll girl of just a few tens of centimeters height lay quietly. This little fellow, born a hundred years ago, was now a new ¡°member¡± of the Homeloss.


    Did ¡°she¡± really have a connection with Lukecrecia? Or rather, did Lukecrecia still keep the doll named ¡°Luny¡± that she had bought a hundred years ago by her side?


    Duncan hadn¡¯t thought much when he bought Niru, but now his thoughts became active, holding the wooden box, he returned to his captain¡¯s quarters.


    Goat head was steering the ship as usual. As soon as Duncan opened the door and entered, his perennially noisy voice immediately rang out, ¡°Ah! The great captain has returned to his loyal captain¡¯s quarters. It seems you have transported a lot of goods from the City-State. Your loyal subordinates are very concerned about the health of the ship¡¯s food. If you don¡¯t mind, I will personally guide Miss Alice to become a qualified¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up, stop fussing with that doll over some recipe. I don¡¯t want my next meal to look like a pot of Profound Demons¡¯ vomit,¡± Duncan glared at Goat head, ¡°Where are we now, how far from Plunder?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we are still speeding toward Plunder, and we have successfully accelerated in the Spirit Realm several times¨Clike ¡®skipping stones¡¯ on the edge of the real world. Now Homeloss is only ten days¡¯ travel from that City-State,¡± Goat head immediately said cheerily, ¡°I estimate that soon, you will feel a significant surge of power during your walks in the Spirit Realm¨CHomeloss¡¯s influence will become the greatest aid in your activities within the City-State¡­¡±


    Duncan silently looked at Goat head, who stopped his prattle and after being silent for two seconds, suddenly blurted out, ¡°The loyal first mate always understands the captain best.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Duncan nodded and walked toward his bedroom holding the box, but soon he stopped, rapidly weighing and combining words in his mind before asking casually with a calm expression, ¡°What do you think would be Terian and Lukecrecia¡¯s reaction if they saw me again?¡±


    This was a careful probe after careful consideration, a question he crafted to sound normal, not arouse suspicion, yet gather some information.


    He didn¡¯t ask Goat head for his opinion about the siblings, as such a question would be too blunt, nor did he inquire about past events between Homeloss and the siblings, as this would reveal his own circumstances¨Cthe nature of the question he ultimately chose was more in line with his identity and his relationship with Goat head.


    Goat head visibly hesitated, his voice delayed a long time before reaching Duncan¡¯s ears, ¡°Do you mean¡­ your children¡­ Sorry, captain, I don¡¯t know if I should talk about your family matters since you rarely mention them to me, but if I must say¡­ if I really must¡­¡±


    Normally quite articulate, Goat head actually stuttered several times before finally continuing, ¡°If I really must say, I think we might end up fighting with Terian again, just like we did at Frost, considering he always likes to solve problems with cannons, and as for Miss Lukecrecia¡­ she would probably stay far away¡­¡±


    Duncan remained noncommittal, but suddenly, he realized two things!


    First, he remembered the Goat-Head had once revealed that initially, ¡°Homeloss¡± had fought a battle near Frost City-State, and that battle had been fought against Tyrion!


    Second, Goat-Head¡¯s initial reaction was peculiar, and he specifically emphasized that Duncan rarely talked about those siblings¡­ Could it be that Goat-Head had not actually interacted with the siblings? Was his understanding of them solely based on what Duncan ¡°mentioned¡±?


    Wasn¡¯t this guy on ¡°Homeloss¡± from the very beginning?!


    Duncan¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed, but his face showed nothing as he simply nodded to acknowledge Goat-Head¡¯s response before continuing his steps silently back to his own bedroom.


    The thick oak door closed behind him, blocking the view from Goat-Head in the chart room and gradually calming Duncan¡¯s nerves.


    He took a long breath, took ¡°Niru¡± out of the wooden box, and placed her on his desk. He stared at the doll for several minutes before finally speaking, ¡°Hello, my name is Duncan.¡±


    Of course, the doll did not respond.


    She was really just a doll.


    Duncan suddenly felt his behavior was a bit foolish. He laughed awkwardly to himself and thought, fortunately, no one aboard had the guts to pry into the captain¡¯s bedroom. Then he opened the drawer beside him and took out an item.


    It was a small, exquisitely crafted hairpin with a design of waves and feathers.


    This was an ¡°old object¡± Alice had found in the ship¡¯s cabin.


    Duncan quietly gazed at the small hairpin, and just like before, that strange nostalgic feeling began to spread from the bottom of his heart.


    It seemed like the only trace of ¡°humanity¡± left by the original owner of this body, existing in his heart as fragments of indifferent emotions.


    ¡°This is probably Lucracia¡¯s¡­¡± Duncan muttered softly to himself, ¡°Was it a gift that was never given, or the only memento she left on this ship after she left¡­¡±


    He slowly picked up the hairpin, gently flipping it in the sunlight. The sunlight, passing through the window, caused the silver edges of the hairpin to glow brightly.


    A small green flame emanated from Duncan¡¯s fingertips, quickly engulfing the hairpin, then the flames flowed in the air, wrapping around the doll ¡°Niru.¡±


    Duncan calmed his mind, trying to feel if there was any Transcendent power lingering inside these two objects, or even a slight ¡°connection¡± that could point to ¡°somewhere far.¡±


    However, the flames quickly vanished, and neither the doll nor the hairpin reacted.


    Was it because they were truly just ordinary mundane items, or was it because Lucracia was currently at the frontier of the civilized world, too far away, that the ¡°connection¡± in these items was too weak to be captured even by the Spiritual Body fire?


    Duncan frowned, letting the flames spread again, and with a mindset he could not fully explain, he attempted to call out, ¡°Lucracia¡­ Lucy?¡±


    He used the nickname of Lucracia¨Cperhaps, the bond established by this nickname was slightly stronger than her formal name?


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    Nothing happened.


    Duncan waited for a long while, and in the end, he could only extinguish the flame in disappointment.


    At the same time, in a distant frontier, at the edge of the eternal curtain, the clockwork doll ¡°Luny,¡± whom Lucracia had transformed countless times and was now nearly an ¡°alchemical life¡± or ¡°engineering creature,¡± suddenly stopped wiping the table.


    A series of loud whirring of gears and bearings echoed from inside it, followed by a series of ¡°squeak, squeak¡± noises.


    The key in Luny¡¯s back snapped out and fell to the ground, while the alloy-enhanced arm stiffly drooped down, and a wisp of blue smoke slowly emerged from the seam at the back of the maid¡¯s shell¡­

 Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 165 Lucresias Pressure

    Chapter 161: Chapter 165 Lucresia¡¯s Pressure


    Accompanied by a series of strange noises, the clockwork automaton stiffened and came to a complete halt like a rusted machine, and at almost the same moment, Lucresia in a nearby chamber sensed the anomaly in her creation.


    The cabin door was flung open violently, and a whirlwind of colorful papers swirled into the room, converging into a human form. The ¡°Witch of the Sea,¡± Lucresia, stepped out from the flurry of papers, and at first glance, saw Luny, who had slumped and was sitting by the table, her head hanging low.


    ¡°Luny?¡± Lucresia hurried forward, and immediately noticed a winding key that had fallen onto the floor beside her. She picked up the key, then proceeded to tap on the mechanism on the back of the clockwork puppet, ¡°What happened?¡±


    A series of intermittent creaks came from inside Luny, and after a moment, some of her parts finally resumed function, and a severely detuned and deformed voice rose from her chest cavity, ¡°Old master¡­ is looking for you¡­¡±


    With a clang, the winding key in Lucresia¡¯s hand dropped to the ground.


    Luny turned her head toward the sound, instinctively reaching out to feel for her winding key, wanting to insert it back into her back, but her motion seized up halfway, and the sound of gears idly turning ensued.


    Lucresia¡¯s complexion changed dramatically at the mention of ¡°old master,¡± her pupils quivering, but the sound of malfunctions inside Luny quickly jolted her back to reality. She shook her head abruptly, forcibly suppressing the myriad of chaotic thoughts while embracing the clockwork automaton¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Luny, standby.¡±


    The clockwork puppet slowly closed its eyes, ¡°Command received, Luny is beginning standby.¡±


    Moments later, in a brightly lit chamber deep within the Brilliant Starship, Lucresia was bustling beside a workbench.


    This was a laboratory that even the headquarters of the Academy of Truth might describe as ¡°fully advanced,¡± with a spacious room equipped with intricate mechanical devices and pressure pipelines supplying energy to various systems. Amidst the countless machines were auxiliary equipment inscribed with magical runes, and many glowing crystal containers and reactor vessels. A dozen automated automata were tending to these self-operating devices, allowing Lucresia to concentrate fully on the work in front of her.


    Before the ¡°Witch of the Sea,¡± Luny lay quietly on a large workbench.


    The clockwork automaton had been disassembled, the replica maid¡¯s dress set aside. Her aurichalcum skeleton and various brass mechanisms nearly covered the platform, with only the part of her above the chest remaining intact, positioned at the edge of the platform. She stared blankly at her dismembered body, occasionally blinking.


    ¡°Can¡­ repair¡­ good?¡± The untuned voice sounded from Luny¡¯s chest cavity.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just that the transmission mechanisms suddenly seized, causing deformation of the bearings,¡± Lucresia said actively working without looking up, ¡°It¡¯s a lot of work, but the repair process itself isn¡¯t complicated¨Cyour ¡®heart¡¯ isn¡¯t damaged.¡±


    Luny slowly turned her eyeballs, observing her ¡°heart¡± placed at the center of the workbench.


    It was a delicate brass sphere, composed of countless complex and precise metal pieces. It hovered quietly over a pile of parts, its metal plates shifting positions occasionally, revealing the inscribed structure within. When the plates aligned at the proper angle, one could clearly see the bright runes etched inside, and at the center of those runes floated an even finer object.


    That was a segment of a finger¨Cextremely delicate, and very fragile, finer than that of a human infant, crafted meticulously by a Puppeteer a hundred years ago.


    This was the true core, the true essence of the automaton ¡°Luny¡±¨Cthe last testament of a puppet from a hundred years ago left in this world.


    Lucresia noticed Luny¡¯s gaze and looked up, her own movements halting for a moment.


    After a brief pause, she resumed her busy work and spoke almost casually, ¡°I transformed you like this, have you ever resented it?¡±


    ¡°Luny¡­ why resent?¡± the automaton¡¯s head on the workbench uttered in a stiff voice, ¡°Mistress¡­ gave Luny life, for which¡­ Luny is happy¡­¡±


    ¡°But all of this was initially just a whim of mine¨Cand for that whim, I discarded your original body,¡± Lucresia said calmly, ¡°For a very long time at the start, I wasn¡¯t aware that you developed real thought due to the border¡¯s influence. I just thought of you as a machine and conducted many reckless ¡®experimental modifications¡¯.¡±


    Luny did not respond to her mistress but, after being silent for a moment, suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯re tense, you¡¯re preoccupied¨Cunder normal circumstances, Mistress wouldn¡¯t talk about these nonsensical things.¡±


    Lucresia was silent for two or three seconds, ¡°¡­do you remember what you said just now? After I arrived at the dining room and woke you up.¡±


    ¡°¡­Memory retrieval failed, Luny does not remember.¡±


    ¡°You told me, ¡®old master¡¯ is looking for me.¡±


    A series of strange noises came from the chest cavity of the clockwork puppet, not due to malfunction, but from confused thought processes.


    ¡°Do you really not remember?¡± Lucresia lifted her head, quietly watching Luny¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Memory retrieval failed, Luny does not remember.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then it seems my fearsome father does not want to give me any chance to probe into his affairs,¡± Lucresia¡¯s face revealed a complicated smile, she slowly dismantled a deformed gear, her tone somewhat elusive, ¡°He just sent a one-sided signal, telling me¡­ he knows where the Brilliant Starship is, he knows how to find me¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid.¡±


    ¡°Frightened to death¨Cbut more than fear, what I¡¯m feeling is a kind of¡­ sorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sorrow? Why?¡±


    Lucresia looked into Luny¡¯s eyes, and after a long time, she gently shook her head, ¡°This emotion is too complex for you; you probably can¡¯t understand it yet.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Luny will try to understand in the future,¡± the clockwork doll replied and then asked another question, ¡°Do you think the old master is giving you some kind of warning?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know, but it indeed seems like a warning,¡± Lucresia whispered, ¡°almost like a declaration before a hunt¡­ He¡¯s returned from subspace, and he¡¯s become more elusive than the last time he came back. Maybe I should remind my brother¡­¡±


    ¡°You should indeed remind Mr. Terian. He has already set off for Plunder, and the Governor of Plunder said that the Homeloss is approaching that city-state.¡±


    Lucresia nodded slightly and didn¡¯t say much else, simply continuing to busy herself.


    ¡­


    Duncan carefully placed ¡°Niru¡± into the antique wooden box and returned the feather-shaped hairpin to the drawer.


    Then he stared at the wooden box containing ¡°Niru,¡± worried.


    As a grown man, he always felt that having a doll with a girlish style in his own bedroom was somewhat inappropriate.


    But apart from keeping it in his bedroom, he couldn¡¯t think of a better place.


    Even though the first test hadn¡¯t yielded any results and no clues leading to anything transcendent had been discovered within the doll ¡°Niru,¡± it was, after all, an item related to ¡°Lucresia.¡± Since he wasn¡¯t sure if it might be of use in the future, he dared not let the doll out of his sight.


    After much deliberation, Duncan still sighed and temporarily placed ¡°Luny¡¯s¡± box by his bedside.


    ¡°If you really have something special about you, you¡¯d better ¡®show your hand¡¯ quickly,¡± he said to the ornate classical box, shaking his head slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t be like Alice. You don¡¯t have to be thrown into the sea before you perform any feats against the storm-tossed waves.¡±


    Of course, the wooden box didn¡¯t respond, but Duncan didn¡¯t care.


    He walked to the window and glanced outside at the sky.


    Night had fallen, and the Creation of the World¡¯s pale, gloomy light was shining over the Endless Sea.


    The powerful force from the sun that dispelled evil was fading in the real world, and twisted, ominous, corrosive forces were gradually rising throughout the world. At this time, humans entered the Dreamscape, seeking refuge from the world¡¯s interference with their sanity.


    But for Duncan¡­ he had never felt any discomfort in the night, nor had he ever seen those shadows that filled ordinary people with dread.


    Night was the time when his thoughts were sharpest.


    He returned to his desk and quietly spread out a sheet of white paper, then picked up a steel pen from beside it.


    These were things he had just bought from the Plunder City-State.


    After a short contemplation, he wrote down lines of text:


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    In 1889, the Sun Shard appeared, sparking the great Plunder fire;


    Underneath the Sixth District factory¡¯s curtain, there lies a ¡°reality¡± destroyed by the fire;


    Within the community church of the Sixth District exists a suspected locked time loop, where two completely opposite realities overlap inside the church;


    The ¡°humanity¡± of Mr. Dog is of unknown origin, but it¡¯s clear his influence isn¡¯t from the Sun Shard¡¯s power;


    The statue of the goddess inside the Sixth District church is suspected to be influenced by subspace rifts, the Nun in the Underground Sanctuary seems to have perished in the struggle against the subspace invasion¡­

 Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 166: Captain Hou Ru Enters the Dream

    Chapter 162: Chapter 166: Captain Hou Ru Enters the Dream


    Over this period of time, Duncan had written down the known pieces of intelligence one by one on paper, drawing lines between them according to their degree of connection. Interspersed among these clues were Nina and Sherry¡¯s memories of the great fire and their respective ¡°dreamscapes,¡± which had clearly become altered.


    After laying out all the clues, Duncan then started a new line at the end of this chart. He furrowed his brow, deep in thought, and during his deliberation jotted down a few sentences¨C


    First, in this world, everything but subspace can be ¡°polluted.¡±


    Second, the reality of this world is built on an unstable foundation: space is unstable, time is unstable, and even reality itself may not be as unshakeable as people perceive it to be.


    Third, the power of subspace has invaded Plunder! The apparitions in the church of the Sixth District are proof¨CThe Sun Shard from eleven years ago might not have been the crucial link in this whole affair after all. From a dimensional standpoint¡­ subspace is more likely to have caused the current abnormalities in Plunder!


    Duncan set down his steel pen, looking at the three points he had written down¨Cthese were not clues, but ¡°premises¡± and ¡°conclusions¡± deeply related to the current state of Plunder.


    His gaze fell on the first point, the briefest one, which happened to be the foundation of everything. The ¡°inspiration¡± for this had come from a phrase he had inadvertently overheard while opening an account at the City-State bank.


    He reflected thoughtfully for a moment, then picked up a pen beside him and drew a line from this point to one of the clues above¨Cthe church in the Sixth District that was in a state of spatial-temporal lock.


    Pollution began at the church, manifesting as spatial-temporal chaos and the overlay of different ¡°world lines.¡± Its level of pollution was quite high, so high that it seemed to have even affected the Storm Goddess¡¯s monitoring of reality¡­ So how was this pollution achieved? Was it really just the church itself that was polluted?


    He remembered the words he said when bidding farewell to Sherry¨Cthis matter should be made a bigger deal, but ordinary citizens reporting it would hardly suffice.


    Lost in thought, a slight smile crossed Duncan¡¯s face. He then turned his head to look at the pigeon strutting back and forth on the windowsill.


    The pigeon suddenly stopped in its tracks, staring straight at Duncan: ¡°There¡¯s a murderous aura!¡±


    Duncan ignored it completely, snapping his fingers.


    A tuft of ghostly-green flame burst forth from the compass on Ai Yi¡¯s chest. The compass opened, and the needle spun. The boundary between reality and illusion blurred in an instant. Duncan¡¯s surroundings flickered, and he was already in the state of walking within the Spirit Realm, that familiar space of dark chaos and the billion points of starlight swelled into view.


    He stood quietly in the depths of darkness, took a gentle breath, and calmed himself down. Then, following a subtle sense, he moved towards a dot of starlight not far away.


    He approached that starlight, and without actually touching it, clearly perceived the young Judge¡¯s mind¨Copposite this cluster of starlight was Fenna¡¯s spirit.


    Compared to the first time he¡¯d found this point of starlight, Duncan could feel that the connection between himself and Fenna had strengthened considerably. Their last visit to the antique shop had reinforced their bond, and these strengthened connections were now going to be useful.


    Duncan turned his head to look at the darkness beside him, where the spectral form of Ai Yi was idly spinning in the air. Noticing its ¡°master¡¯s¡± gaze, the bird immediately came closer: ¡°Who¡¯s calling the fleet?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember how we connected with Sherry¡¯s mind last time?¡±


    Ai Yi thought for a moment, tilting its head: ¡°I¡¯ll need a raise!¡±


    ¡°It will indeed be more difficult this time. After all, the other party is a devout saint, likely to have a firmer will than Sherry, and it might even attract the attention of the Storm Goddess,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, but still stretched out his finger and inched closer to the starlight. ¡°However, now that my connection with Fenna is strengthened, if we only engage in a shallow communication without causing any harm, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    ¡°After all, this is just a fervent ship captain¡¯s righteous complaint.¡±


    The next second, his fingertip touched the starlight.


    Layers and layers of illusory ocean sounds seemed to come from the far and boundless distance, yet vanished in a moment. Duncan didn¡¯t even have time to notice the existence of those ocean sounds before he felt contact with a mind.


    ¡­


    Fenna rubbed her eyes, lowered her head, and saw that she was holding a thick file in her hands. She raised her head again and found herself sitting in her room, facing her vanity. In the mirror of the vanity, her reflection showed a slightly tired face.


    A moment of disorientation rose from the bottom of her heart, but she quickly shook her head, recalling what she had been doing.


    She continued her investigation into the heretical worship documents of the Plunder City-State before 1889¨Cafter leaving the archives, she had borrowed some of the documents she hadn¡¯t managed to examine in detail from the old priest in charge and brought them back to her home.


    At the archives, she and the old priest had noticed the peculiar absence of documents from 1885, but in the end, they had been unable to find those vanished records. This unusual incident aroused her alertness, and as a Judge tasked with investigating heretical events, this would be among the main focuses of her continued investigation.


    She arranged for the clerical priests to consult the archives in other parts of the City-State, to retrieve corresponding years¡¯ security reports from the municipal hall, and to dispatch guardian squads to visit and surveil those places where unorthodox worship incidents had occurred in the past. She considered consulting with Bishop Valentin to see if further guidance could be obtained from the Storm Goddess¡­


    Fenna had a rough plan for follow-up actions in her mind, but before any of these actions could be initiated, she needed to first complete a compilation of all unorthodox worship incidents between the years 1886 and 1889.


    She glanced outside and saw the Creation of the World hanging high in the night sky, its pale glow scattering across the City-State.


    She lowered her head again and noticed that she had only gone through half of the thick archive documents. Perhaps the prolonged reading had caused eye fatigue, making the text appear somewhat blurry.


    Wait, that¡¯s not right!


    Fenna suddenly realized something, then swiftly closed the document in her hands and turned to look out the window.


    It was midnight, the time when the influence of the Creation of the World was strongest¨Creading at this time was extremely dangerous. Even the specially trained librarians would avoid reading any text during the midnight hour, let alone her, who was now facing a highly dangerous historical document borrowed from the archive!


    A professional clergy would not make such a mistake¡­ This was not reality, but her own Dreamscape, one that was being influenced!


    Fenna¡¯s eyes sharpened as she realized the invasion of her Dreamscape. She began to search for the trace of the intruder in her surroundings, and the very next second, she saw the existence of the invader¨C


    Right in front of her, on the dressing table and within the oval mirror framed by patterns, stood a sullen and majestic figure, silently in the dark, with ethereal green flames quietly burning at the edges of the mirror.


    The figure watched Fenna calmly through the mirror and, upon seeing her lift her head, revealed a faint smile, as a deep voice came from the mirror, ¡°Good night, Fenna, we meet for the first time¨Cbut I have been watching you for a long time. You may call me¡­¡±


    ¡°Captain Duncan!¡± Before the voice from the mirror had finished, Fenna had already reacted, and then the experienced Judge leaped backward two meters, while kicking the round stool in her way. As soon she landed, she immediately focused her mind and drew her great sword out of thin air, swinging it down in a leaping slash!


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?!¡±


    With a loud bang, the entire dressing table shattered, the mirror directly smashed into a shower of glass shards by the tremendous force, Duncan¡¯s phantom becoming scattered shards of light before Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    The tiny glass shards clattered to the floor, and Fenna clutching her great sword tightly, looked around sharply like a lioness ready for battle. Meanwhile, she began to pray softly and tried to use the mental control techniques she¡¯d trained with daily to break free from the tainted Dreamscape and forcibly awaken herself.


    However, just as she felt she was about to reach the reality, that deep and majestic voice echoed once again¨Cresounding heavily in her ears:


    ¡°Your reaction surprises me.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened as she looked in the direction of the voice, only to see the dressing mirror shards scattered throughout the room.


    In each shard, the ethereal flames began to rise quietly, and within each one stood Captain Duncan, silently in the dark.


    This legendary terror, the moving disaster of the Endless Sea, watched Fenna, who was on full alert, with a hint of reluctance.


    ¡°Relax, child, I just want to discuss a matter with you,¡± the voices of thousands of Captain Duncan vibrated through Fenna¡¯s will, ¡°It regards Plunder¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it the mirrors¡­¡± the young Judge muttered to herself suddenly.


    Duncan: ¡°Hmm?¡±


    But Fenna did not answer; instead, she suddenly tilted the tip of her great sword diagonally against the ground and then fiercely punched the blade!


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    A loud explosion burst forth, the powerful impact transformed into controlled sound waves that echoed wildly in the room. The next second, every smooth, reflective surface in the room turned to dust, leaving not a single piece of mirror behind!


    The room fell silent as Fenna gently exhaled, slowly straightening her posture.


    She saw Captain Duncan standing quietly in front of her.


    No matter how she blinked or moved her gaze, Captain Duncan stood silently in the center of her vision, looking into her eyes.


    ¡°Your guess is not quite accurate; it¡¯s not the mirrors, but anything that reflects like a mirror,¡± the spectral captain¡¯s somber and authoritative voice directly entered her mind, ¡°Now, I am in your lens.¡±

 Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 167: High-Level Reporting

    Chapter 163: Chapter 167: High-Level Reporting


    To be honest, Duncan somewhat regretted his words as soon as he uttered them¨Che was genuinely afraid that Fenna, this blunt girl, would destroy her own eyes on the spot¡­


    The reaction of the young Judge exceeded his expectations. He had imagined that once he, a top villain, showed himself, it would definitely provoke strong hostility from Fenna. However, he hadn¡¯t expected her actions to be so decisive and swift, deducing the critical elements of a Dreamscape invasion and mirror medium almost instantaneously and taking targeted countermeasures, which was completely different from the initial invasion of Sherry¡¯s Dreamscape.


    She even tried her best to avoid communicating with him, the invader, which was an ¡°emergency measure¡± to prevent the spread of mental contamination during a Dreamscape invasion.


    The fact proved that the gap between a trained high-ranking Judge and an untamed Transcendent was not slight. If it weren¡¯t for Duncan¡¯s own powers being so bizarre and the entire invasion process being completely built on Fenna¡¯s own psyche, perhaps any lesser invader would have been detected and thrown out by the Judge at the first confrontation.


    Now, Fenna had quieted down and was just silently watching the Ghost Ship Captain appear in the center of her vision¨Cshe hadn¡¯t been impulsive enough to destroy her own eyes, perhaps because she had realized that the Dreamscape had been thoroughly invaded and ordinary expulsion methods were mostly ineffective.


    She closed her eyes; Duncan still stood before her, in the darkness, looking increasingly gloomy, his figure indistinct under the illumination of the Spiritual Body¡¯s fire.


    ¡°What do you want to do,¡± the young Judge finally spoke, her voice as cold and hard as steel, ¡°how did you invade my Dreamscape?¡±


    Her attitude was full of hostility, yet Duncan found it amusing¨Cthis Judge¡¯s demeanor was a stark contrast to the polite and composed manner she had shown when visiting the antique store.


    Who knows what her reaction would be if one day she were to discover the true nature of that antique shop.


    ¡°I just came to tell you one thing,¡± Duncan spoke straightforwardly, ¡°if you truly care about the safety of the City-State, you might want to visit the small church on Sixth Street.¡±


    After he spoke, he closed his mouth, standing quietly amidst the flames, maintaining a mysterious and majestic aura.


    Fenna was stunned by the Ghost Ship Captain¡¯s response.


    In that moment, it was as if something pierced through a veil in her mind, unveiling a corner that had always been hidden¨CSixth Street, small church, these words were strongly etched into her brain, leaving her momentarily dazed.


    But compared to this moment of daze, the reality of her Dreamscape being contaminated by Captain Duncan spurred a stronger disturbance in her mind. She tried to pray to the Goddess in her heart, but the Goddess¡¯s power could not penetrate this layer of illusion. She watched the ¡°Captain¡± with full vigilance but could not discern any emotional clues from his gloomy figure.


    A few seconds later, she finally gritted her teeth slightly and tried to maintain her composure as she said in a deep voice, ¡°You invaded a Judge¡¯s Dreamscape just for¡­ this?¡±


    ¡°You can judge for yourself,¡± Duncan said lightly, ¡°I am looking forward to what you will find there.¡±


    As he said this, he began to feel the connection with the Dreamscape rapidly destabilizing.


    A strong force of rejection was taking effect.


    He noticed that Fenna had not calmed down as it seemed on the surface¨Cdespite seemingly conversing with him, this young Judge was resisting the invader with her willpower every second, her determination so strong that she was struggling to the brink of awakening!


    This made Duncan realize that their communication had to end quickly. After conveying the necessary information, he should leave behind a mysterious image and gracefully step back.


    He didn¡¯t plan on explaining too much to her, nor did he expect to be able to clarify his friendly stance or establish even the slightest trust with Fenna through a few words¨C¡°Captain Duncan¡± and ¡°City-State Judge¡± were not the type of adversaries that could be resolved with mere words. Explaining too much would only make him seem suspicious and might even divert Fenna¡¯s attention to unnecessary directions.


    The Spiritual Body fire spreading in the darkness gradually receded, and Duncan¡¯s figure began to slowly back away from Fenna¡¯s view.


    But just in the last few seconds before the connection was about to break, Fenna couldn¡¯t help but demand, ¡°What are you really plotting against Prand?¡±


    Duncan raised his head in the darkness, and suddenly, a strong sense of mischief surged within him.


    He gazed at the young Judge through the Dreamscape, his lips slowly curling up under the eerie green glow of the Spiritual Body fire. Fenna heard the most absurd and puzzling phrase she had ever heard since becoming a Judge:


    ¡°Order some fries.¡±


    The Dreamscape abruptly collapsed, the connection completely severed.


    In the chaotic void of darkness, Duncan slightly stepped back, observing the flickering starlight before him.


    The Bone Dove-shaped Ai Yi flew through the darkness, flapping its wings and landing on his shoulder.


    ¡°No matter what she is going to wildly conjecture next, one thing is certain,¡± Duncan glanced at Ai Yi and murmured as if talking to himself, ¡°The sixth district, the small church, these two key pieces of information have already caught the eye of the Storm Cathedral¡­ Whatever their reason, they will definitely launch an intense investigation there.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s approach was simple and effective¨Call he needed to do was to lift the lid on that small church in the sixth district, to draw the attention of the Deep Sea Church, and as for whatever Fenna and her fellow priests might contemplate afterwards, that was completely irrelevant.


    The largest moving disaster in the Endless Sea directly sought the Judge in a dream to report heresy and corruption within the City-State; this matter would keep those priests occupied endlessly, but before they exhausted themselves, they would throw everything they had at that small church¨Cto uncover whatever secrets might be hidden there.


    Of course, during this investigation, Fenna might also waste some energy due to the existence of Homeloss, but that was just a minor detail.


    Finally, remembering what he did as the Dreamscape neared its end, a smile appeared on Duncan¡¯s face.


    ¡°How about some fries?¡± Ai Yi, perched on his shoulder, noticed the smile and tilted her head, ¡°Sliced thin as hash?¡±


    ¡°¡­Your speech is becoming more fragmented,¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°But making some fries tomorrow morning is doable, and it¡¯s a good chance to teach Alice how to make some proper food.¡±


    ¡­


    Fenna suddenly opened her eyes.


    There was no light in the room, only the pale, cold glow of the Creation of the World streaming through the window, casting mottled shadows on the furniture in the dim light.


    Her heart was beating violently, her head felt as though it was stuffed with burning hot iron bars, a throbbing pain resulting from severe spiritual power depletion and high stress pulsated between her temples, and her nightgown, soaked with sweat, clung coldly to her skin, making her extremely uncomfortable.


    But this discomfort was nothing compared to the contaminated dream she had just experienced.


    Fenna sat up cautiously in bed, taking a careful look around, then slowly blinked, closed her eyes, and opened them again.


    Each time, her heart violently thudded twice¨Cshe was testing whether she had really escaped the Ghost Ship captain¡¯s ¡°phantom,¡± yet simultaneously fearful that his figure would appear directly in her field of vision the next second.


    Not until she confirmed she had escaped the intrusion, and that this place was indeed the real world, did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    Being a Judge for so many years, she rarely felt this nervous.


    Fenna left the bed and walked to the dressing table nearby.


    The dressing table stood intact, reflecting only her own image in the mirror.


    She stood in front of the mirror for several seconds, as if to inspect every detail in her reflection, before she vigorously shook her head, pulled open the drawer, and took out a small dagger inscribed with runes of storms and waves.


    Holding the Holy Artifact, she cut her skin to let the blood soak the runes, then prayed to the Storm Goddess.


    In the short prayer, she heard the gentle sound of waves in her ears; the Goddess¡¯s blessing was as comforting as ever, soothing her anxious mind.


    After reestablishing the connection with the Goddess, Fenna finally relaxed¨Cthen she quickly changed out of her sweat-soaked nightgown, dressed in her outer garments at great speed, grabbed the great sword near her bed, and walked out of the room.


    Moments later, a steam-core driven private car broke the tranquility of the Upper City District¡¯s city center; under the bright gas street lamps, Fenna drove straight to the cathedral.


    She had to inform Bishop Valentin about what happened today at the earliest opportunity, including the suspicious details she had previously uncovered in the archives¨Cthe complexity of the situation had far exceeded her expectations, and it was no longer an event that a Judge could resolve alone.


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    If necessary, Homeloss might even need to contact the Storm Cathedral, which was patrolling the Endless Sea.


    Fenna¡¯s gaze was determined, her breathing steady, her thoughts clear.


    But suddenly, a hint of hesitation arose.


    She recalled the bizarre scene at the end of the dream.


    What on earth did he mean by ¡®how about some fries¡¯?

 Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 168: Warning Signs Spread

    Chapter 164: Chapter 168: Warning Signs Spread


    Bishop Valentin, groggy from sleep, immediately woke up when he met Judge Fenna, who had rushed to the church in the dead of night. As soon as he heard the first sentence Fenna uttered, the old man was fully alert.


    ¡°Captain Duncan entered your Dreamscape?!¡± The elderly bishop stared at Fenna, dumbfounded, even doubting whether he was still dreaming, ¡°The Ghost Ship captain approached you¡­ just to give you a location to investigate?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely¨Cthough I know it sounds incredible,¡± Fenna nodded vigorously. On the way here, she had anticipated the old bishop¡¯s reaction, but she couldn¡¯t help it as her own confusion was no less than Valentin¡¯s, ¡°The small chapel in the Sixth District¡­ I have had little interaction with that Ghost Ship captain, and this information was the most crucial he disclosed.¡±


    The old bishop fell silent for a moment. He turned around, gazing at the statue of the Storm Goddess at the end of the cathedral, and after what felt like forever, he finally broke the silence, ¡°Fenna, do you remember the contamination you contracted at the scene of the cult ritual in the sewer? After that, we conducted a remedial purification, but now it seems¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand what you mean,¡± Fenna took a light breath, her expression still calm, ¡°It looks like our purification was never successful. The ¡®Homeloss¡¯ is still pursuing me, and that Ghost Ship captain¡­ has extended his power into my dreamscape.¡±


    ¡°Are you still coherent?¡± Valentin turned back, quietly gazing into Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Coherent. I tried it on the way here; I can completely recite my name and the Goddess¡¯s name and also recite passages from the ¡®Storm Scriptures,''¡± Fenna nodded, ¡°For now, the contamination remains superficial, only affecting my dreamscape and not yet spread to my physical actions and speech in reality.¡±


    ¡°The contamination is superficial but cannot be completely eradicated, like an irreversible countdown¡­¡± Valentin¡¯s voice was low, his eyes filled with deep concern, ¡°And yet you are still the Judge of the Plunder City-State, and no one can replace you on short notice¡­¡±


    Fenna knew what the old bishop meant.


    She had been contaminated by a superior Transcendent force. As the church¡¯s Judge, her ¡°fortress¡± was already being breached, and a soon-to-be-breached fortress was unreliable because no one knew how severe the mental contamination would become. No one knew if Fenna who woke up the next morning would still be Fenna, and while she still served the Storm Goddess now, the next moment¡­ no one knew whom she might serve.


    If an ordinary guardian or priest became contaminated, an easy solution would be to carry out a confinement and exorcism ritual, or, in times of peace within the City-State, her assistant could temporarily take over while she retreated to the deepest sanctuaries of the cathedral for the highest standard of ¡°secure isolation¡± and ¡°divine purification,¡± but¡­


    Now she, as ¡°Judge,¡± found herself in an irreplaceable position. Even if they sought help from the headquarters of the Storm Church, the problem wouldn¡¯t be resolved anytime soon.


    ¡°¡­I cannot leave my post,¡± Fenna shook her head after a brief contemplation, aware that she was posing a difficult challenge to the old bishop, but she had to continue performing her duties, ¡°I have a very bad feeling; we are facing a true, significant crisis. This crisis might not necessarily stem from ¡®Homeloss¡¯ or the ¡®Sun Shard.¡¯ A bigger shadow lurks within the City-State, and in such times, I cannot hand over the duties of a Judge to anyone, not even to my most trusted assistant.¡±


    Valentin picked up a hint of unusual gravity in Fenna¡¯s tone and immediately frowned slightly, ¡°A crisis beyond ¡®Homeloss¡¯ and the ¡®Sun Shard¡¯? What have you found out recently?¡±


    ¡°¡­I investigated some matters at the archive, which I was supposed to tell you tomorrow morning, but given the circumstances, the urgency level needs to be heightened,¡± Fenna nodded, her tone noticeably serious, ¡°I questioned the timeline of the ¡®Sun Shard¡¯s appearance in the Plunder City-State and consulted records from 1889 and earlier years, where I found a massive, frequent, but less urgent¡­records of heretical worship¡­¡±


    As Fenna continued, Bishop Valentin slowly widened his eyes.


    ¡°These records just sat quietly in our archive?¡± Valentin exclaimed incredulously, when Fenna finished speaking, ¡°All this time, no one noticed? Not even the missing 1885¡­¡±


    ¡°No one noticed; our City-State seems as if someone ¡®stole¡¯ a part from it. Some apparent ¡®realities¡¯ just vanished from everyone¡¯s sight,¡± Fenna spoke solemnly, ¡°And this kind of ¡®disappearance¡¯¡­ doesn¡¯t seem like something the ¡®Sun Shard¡¯ could cause.¡±


    Valentin gripped his staff tightly, his knuckles whitening from the force.


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a link between this and the message ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ conveyed in the Dreamscape?¡± he suddenly asked.


    ¡°Uncertain, but firstly, ¡®stealing reality from the City-State¡¯ is not a capability of ¡®Homeloss¡¯; secondly, if it were the Ghost Ship captain doing this, he wouldn¡¯t have a reason to further contaminate my dreamscape, giving me crucial clues¨Cit doesn¡¯t match the captain¡¯s chaotic and violent style noted in the records,¡± Fenna analyzed calmly, ¡°Unless¡­ he suddenly changed his nature, becoming a cruel devil playing tricks on the world, or¡­¡±


    ¡°Or?¡±


    ¡°Or turned into a conscientious person concerned for the City-State¡¯s safety,¡± Fenna spread her hands, ¡°seeing a danger and reporting it to me.¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough. That is practically a ¡®Subspace¡¯ level joke,¡± Valentin immediately coughed, then glared at Fenna, ¡°Don¡¯t make such jokes with me, knowing that we are under the scrutiny of a superior Transcendent being. It makes me question your mental state.¡±


    Saying this, the old man thumped his chest to regain his breath and then fixed his eyes seriously on Fenna¡¯s, ¡°Who knows about the anomaly discovered in the archive, apart from you?¡±


    Fenna thought for a while and shook her head, ¡°Only I know, I went to investigate it myself¡­¡±


    She suddenly paused as if her thoughts had hit a snag, but then shook her head again, ¡°I went to investigate the archives myself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ If there is a conscious black hand behind this matter, then he probably hasn¡¯t realized that the conspiracy has been exposed,¡± Valentin sighed and had to agree with what Fenna had just said, ¡°You really can¡¯t leave your post now¡­ You must already have an investigation plan for those archives, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, including coordinated actions with the city hall.¡±


    ¡°Start immediately tomorrow, I will provide you with all the assistance,¡± Valentin immediately nodded, ¡°Also, I will report the incidents here to the Pope, hoping that the Storm Cathedral can provide us with some support¡­¡±


    While speaking, the old man pondered for a few seconds and then asked, ¡°Can you still pray to the Goddess normally?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fenna promptly responded, ¡°My connection with the Goddess has not been affected by that dreamscape.¡±


    Valentin frowned, ¡°But the Goddess didn¡¯t reveal or warn you about the mental contamination you suffered?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Fenna hesitated for a moment but still nodded in acknowledgment, ¡°The Goddess did not warn me.¡±


    Valentin stroked his chin, and after a moment of deep thought, suddenly looked directly into Fenna¡¯s eyes, ¡°During this time, you must return to the cathedral to rest at night. Do not sleep outside the cathedral. Also, you must always carry the ¡®Storm Canon¡¯ when you are out, and if you feel unusually tired or fatigued while on the move, you must immediately go to the nearest cathedral. Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, I hope you don¡¯t think this is some kind of harsh treatment or a doubt,¡± the bishop sighed, and although Fenna¡¯s response was firm, he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You cannot leave your post now, and there is no higher-ranking cleric in the Plunder City-State who can be your ¡®supervisor¡¯. This is a necessary arrangement to ensure you can fulfill your basic duties¡­¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I certainly understand,¡± Fenna showed a faint smile and reassured the old bishop, ¡°I am as aware as you of the dangerous nature of what we are combating. Compared to those predecessors who sacrificed due to a lack of experience and theory, it¡¯s a great fortune that we can fight under the protection of rules.¡±


    Pausing, she continued, ¡°About that small church in the Sixth District¡­¡±


    ¡°It must be investigated, regardless of what purpose that ¡®Ghost Ship Captain¡¯ had in finding you, we need to inspect that church,¡± Valentin slowly nodded, ¡°Also¡­ I just briefly tried to recall and couldn¡¯t remember who is in charge of that church. It seems there really is some situation there.¡±


    ¡°Good, I will personally lead a team there tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Valentin nodded slightly, then looked curiously at Fenna, ¡°Besides the matter of the small church, what else did the Ghost Ship Captain tell you?¡±


    This question made Fenna¡¯s expression turn odd right away.


    Valentin, ¡°¡­Why that expression?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ indeed said another sentence to me, a very baffling one,¡± Fenna¡¯s face was filled with hesitation, ¡°I don¡¯t know if we should take it seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°What shouldn¡¯t you take seriously? The more baffling the content, the more likely it could be key to everything!¡± Valentin suddenly widened his eyes, ¡°What did he say exactly?¡±


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    Fenna hesitated for two more seconds, finally took a deep breath, and said gravely, ¡°Straight-up fries.¡±


    Valentin, ¡°¡­¡±


    After a moment of silence, the bishop finally spoke again, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°As true as my faith in the Goddess.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, then that is indeed¡­ quite baffling¡­¡±

 Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter 169: Entering the Curtain

    Chapter 165: Chapter 169: Entering the Curtain


    ¡°Watched closely? Making fries is really simple¨Cjust make sure not to burn or undercook them. You don¡¯t need to keep an eye on it the whole time, neither do you have to taste for seasoning. Got it?¡±


    On the morning aboard the Homeloss, Duncan directed a nervous Alice in the kitchen with a serious face, while in front of them, the fries, still a bit pale, tumbled in the hot oil, continuously sizzling.


    ¡°I¡­ I got it!¡± Alice watched the sizzling pot intently without blinking, one hand tightly gripping a kitchen knife, beside her on the cutting board were badly shaped chunks of potatoes¨Cthese were supposed to be used for other dishes.


    Duncan glanced at the frying pan, then looked at the person next to him, nodding slightly. He thought to himself that such a simple task shouldn¡¯t be messed up again, but then he noticed the kitchen knife in Alice¡¯s hand, feeling a bit uncomfortable, ¡°¡­Can you put the knife down first? Don¡¯t always carry it around after you¡¯re done chopping.¡±


    A doll armed with a kitchen knife in the kitchen, exuding a murderous aura (towards the potatoes), somehow didn¡¯t bode well.


    It felt as if, in the next second, the background music would switch to something thrilling, and then a health bar that could pierce the screen would pop up above Alice¡¯s head.


    ¡°Oh¡­ oh!¡± Alice suddenly realized, quickly placed the knife back, and waved confidently at the captain, ¡°Captain, you can go back! I¡¯ve learned this now. You and Ai Yi just wait to eat!¡±


    Duncan stared at Alice for a long while, making sure the doll wouldn¡¯t cause any more trouble before he finally relaxed slightly. Soon after, a sense of emotion naturally emerged¨C


    After such a long time, he could finally have a stable output of fries on Homeloss!


    ¡­


    In the antique shop on the second floor, by the dining table, Nina, her head plastered with a medicated patch, suddenly looked up curiously at her uncle, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask, why were you frowning all morning¡­ and you seemed to suddenly relax just now, sighing¡­¡±


    ¡°Did I? I didn¡¯t notice¡­¡± Duncan was startled, and his attention instantly spanned the vast space, falling on this small antique shop, then he shook his head smiling, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just remembered some accounting stuff, did the calculations in my mind just now, and figured it out.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Nina nodded, ¡°I thought so, you seemed all tensed up just now.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond, just maintaining a calm smile, though inwardly he muttered¨CThis girl has quite an eye for detail.


    At this moment, Nina peeped towards the little window at the end of the second-floor corridor facing the street, hesitated for a moment before whispering, ¡°Sherry didn¡¯t come today.¡±


    ¡°¡­ She has her own place to live,¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly at the girl opposite him looking lonely, ¡°Plus, you have school today; there¡¯s no time to go out and have fun with her.¡±


    ¡°I should ask about where she lives exactly,¡± Nina continued, ¡°so if she can¡¯t come to me, I can go to her.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a second or two before softly asking, ¡°Do you really like this new friend? Considering you haven¡¯t actually spent much time together.¡±


    ¡°Sherry is really nice, she even saved my life in the museum,¡± Nina promptly replied, ¡°and¡­ and¡­¡±


    ¡°And what?¡±


    ¡°And when she was staying here, I would chat with her and Ah Gou in the evenings, learning about her life¨Cshe¡¯s always lived with Ah Gou in the slums, in a small alley where there aren¡¯t even street lights at night, and the houses leak when it rains. I¡­¡±


    ¡°Nina,¡± Duncan suddenly interrupted the girl in front of him, his expression becoming slightly stern, ¡°Friendship can¡¯t be built on the basis of sympathy, especially for kids like Sherry.¡±


    Nina paused, then slowly reached up to touch her hair by the temple as she met Duncan¡¯s gaze, ¡°Uncle, you just said something quite philosophical¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But Uncle, you really made me think¨CI might feel a little sympathy,¡± Nina continued, ¡°but¡­ I just want her to have a better life. I can tell, even though she always seemed mysteriously tense when living here, she was actually very happy, me¡­ am I being presumptuous in making such judgments for her?¡±


    Duncan gave no immediate answer, seemingly lost in brief thought before he chuckled and shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it, let¡¯s ask Sherry about her place next time we see her. For now¡­, hurry up and finish your meal, school time is almost here.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Nina nodded obediently, then as if something struck her, her face lit up with excited anticipation, ¡°Speaking of which, can I ride that new bike to school today?¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Duncan lifted his eyelids and refused without hesitation. ¡°Have you forgotten how badly you fell last night?¡±


    While he spoke, the events from when Nina got home last night flooded his mind¨Cthe moment she laid eyes on the shiny new bicycle parked on the first floor, her excitement almost made her jump on the spot. Then, she rushed to ride it and within about thirty seconds, she crashed at the doorstep¡­


    She still had a bandage on her forehead.


    ¡°I¡­ I thought riding a bike would be easy,¡± Nina said, lowering her head in embarrassment. ¡°I saw my classmates could¡­¡±


    Duncan sighed.


    He should have seen it coming. If there were no bicycles in the antique store, and Nina had no friends for these years¨Chow could she possibly have had a chance to learn to ride? He completely overlooked this when he bought the bicycle.


    ¡°Take the bus to school today. Don¡¯t run, we can afford the bus fare now,¡± Duncan took out a few coins and placed them in front of Nina. ¡°When you come back, I¡¯ll teach you to ride¨Cit¡¯s not hard. With your smarts, you¡¯ll probably learn in a few days.¡±


    Initially, Nina seemed a bit disheartened, but she quickly brightened up and nodded happily. ¡°Oh!¡±


    After a while, Nina joyfully ran out of the big door of the antique store. Duncan stood at the small window on the second floor of the antique store, watching as the girl¡¯s figure crossed the streets bathed in morning light, running towards the nearby bus stop.


    The noise of more and more carriages and crowds echoed through the alleys, and the district was gradually awakening under the sunlight. The golden-red sun spread along the distant rooftops, creating an illusion of a splendid curtain ascending.


    Formed by flames, a curtain sweeping over the entire City-State.


    Duncan¡¯s expression suddenly stiffened, and he frowned deeply at the distant, densely-packed houses.


    The grand image of the curtain of flames sweeping over the City-State vanished from the light, as if that very moment in his mind was just an instant, baseless fantasy.


    However, Duncan¡¯s furrowed brows did not relax in the slightest. He continued to stare into the distance, as if trying to find another layer of reality overlapped with that glorious dawn¨Cfor several long minutes, he finally slowly shifted his gaze.


    He thought for a moment, then waved at the air beside him: ¡°Ai Yi.¡±


    The next second, a cluster of bluish-green flames exploded in the air. From within the fiery burst, a specter bird spiraled into form. Ai Yi, flapping his wings, landed on Duncan¡¯s shoulder, belching loudly as he crowed, ¡°Burp¡­ who is calling¡­ burp¡­ the fleet?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s emotions became disordered instantly. He turned his head, gaping at the pigeon that had swollen considerably: ¡°¡­How much did you eat on the ship?¡±


    Flapping his wings and stretching his neck vigorously, Ai Yi replied, ¡°The moment to feast on provisions has come¡­ burp!¡±


    Duncan looked emotionlessly at the bird, and after a moment sighed, ¡°No wonder Alice had trouble preparing the cargo. It turns out you snatched it all¡­ Well, let¡¯s consider it not wasted. Can you still fly? To the Sixth District.¡±


    The pigeon suddenly made a loud, ecstatic noise: ¡°Mission must be accomplished! Mission must be accomplished!¡±


    The next second, a flash of fire at the small window on the second floor of the antique store, and a bloated, fat pigeon leapt from the window, wobbling towards the direction of the Sixth District.


    At the same time, in the depths of the Sixth District, two dark gray steam cars drove along the empty and quiet streets.


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    Tall and imposing, Fenna sat in the back seat of one of the cars, her giant sword beside her, quietly watching the sights of the street outside.


    Due to uncertainty about the status of the small church, Fenna chose not to enter the district directly with the eye-catching steam walker but instead opt to lead a section of elite troops discreetly, while the support team remained on standby in nearby districts.


    Upon entering the Sixth District, she immediately sensed the ¡°atmosphere¡± here¡­ something was very off.


    An overabundant lack of vitality in the community, scattered, sluggish residents unresponsive to external stimuli, and the deteriorating infrastructure, even beyond what the Lower City District could tolerate.


    An aura lingered everywhere here¨Cthe entire district felt to her as though time had solidified in a crevice forgotten by people.

 Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 170: Loosen

    Chapter 166: Chapter 170: Loosen


    After a long while, Fenna finally withdrew her gaze from the car window.


    Her main purpose for coming here today was to investigate the small chapel, but after entering the sixth district, she had sensed that the atmosphere of the entire area was abnormal, making her feel as if every inch of this district perhaps needed to be investigated.


    After some contemplation, she reached out her hand and picked up a thick stack of documents that were placed on the nearby seat.


    These were records from the city hall, obtained through the authority of the Judge and the relevant provisions in the ¡°Special Executive Regulations for Abnormal Events.¡± On her way here, she had already read through part of this data.


    The documents from the city hall were not top secret, nor did they involve any high-profile Transcendent events or unresolved, major cases. On the contrary, what Fenna had brought were the most basic things¨C


    Gas meter records, electricity billing situations, shop taxes, water supply, heating, waste management, law enforcement patrolling¡­


    As the pages turned, Fenna¡¯s gaze swiftly scanned through the documents.


    If her years as a Judge had taught her any ¡°case handling experience,¡± one lesson was absolutely crucial¨C


    The traces of Transcendent phenomena often hid within the most ordinary everyday occurrences.


    Surrounded by the Endless Sea, abnormal and supernatural phenomena pervaded the human world. Under the looming threat of these forces, the ¡°daily life¡± in the City-State was the world¡¯s greatest treasure. Ordinary people of Plunder might have taken peaceful days for granted, but those warriors who fought against abnormalities and abnormalities year-round knew well¨C


    A ray of morning sunlight, a meal hot on the table, street vendors calling out, and a goodnight before sleep; all these were continuous miracles.


    These were breathtaking views constructed by mortals in this unstable world over ten thousand years.


    Any Transcendent phenomena intruding would leave its mark on this miraculous sight.


    ¡°Have you noticed anything amiss?¡± asked the voice of the Guardian driving the car from the front row. The young church warrior had noticed Fenna¡¯s slightly furrowed brow, ¡°Are there missing municipal records?¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, all the municipal records are complete,¡± Fenna gently shook her head. ¡°The water, gas, electricity, heating, and pollution records are all there, and they are maintained at a very balanced value, exceptionally logical.¡±


    ¡°Then your expression¡­¡±


    ¡°There are no law enforcement cases,¡± Fenna slightly lifted her eyelids. ¡°Law enforcement cases are absent, and so are the birth records and the death records of residents.¡±


    The Guardian driving the car widened his eyes slightly. In the rearview mirror, Fenna could see the young man¡¯s incredulous expression.


    ¡°A clear anomaly, right?¡± Fenna whispered. ¡°A district, all these years, no change in population, not a single law enforcement incident, not even fights or brawls. Even the safest places in the Upper City District can¡¯t achieve this level, but all the records of water, electricity, and gas are intact. It gives the feeling as if¡­¡±


    She paused, her gaze shifting towards the window: ¡°As if all the residents here are docile phantoms¡­ They quietly exist in this enclosed area, neither increasing nor decreasing, without internal conflicts or external communications, just quietly undergoing normal ¡®resource consumption¡¯, regularly sending a ¡®all is normal here¡¯ signal to the city hall. And yet, despite such blatantly abnormal situation, it has been overlooked for many years.¡±


    The inside of the car fell silent, only the dull sound of the steam core operating could be heard. After an indeterminate amount of time, Fenna suddenly felt a jolt from the car body.


    ¡°We have arrived at that small chapel.¡±


    Fenna raised her head and saw through the car window the community chapel that had somehow disappeared from the ¡°sight¡± of the large cathedral.


    From the outside, it seemed as though it had been abandoned for over a decade.


    This was the place where the terrifying Ghost Ship captain had directed her.


    Fenna¡¯s mind involuntarily flashed back to those burning ghostly flames and the somber, imposing figure forever fixed in her central vision. The next second, she sharply inhaled, quietly chanting the holy name of the Storm Goddess Gomona, picked up her weapon, and opened the car door.


    A cold, bleak wind blew from the end of the street, lifting the dried leaves beside the road. The black-clad Guardians followed alongside the Judge, cautiously closing in on the abandoned chapel.


    Stepping on the fallen leaves, a faint crunching sound was heard, sounding almost like fire consuming rotten wood, crackling.


    Suddenly, a flapping of wings came from above her head, and Fenna, amid the swirling leaves, looked up to see a white dove flapping its wings and landing on the spire of the church.


    The dove tilted its head, seemingly curiously watching the guardians moving around.


    ¡°A white dove¡­ a sign of calm seas, perhaps¡­¡± An odd thought suddenly crossed Fenna¡¯s mind, then she dismissed the sudden appearance of the dove and moved forward to gently push open the slightly ajar doors of the chapel.


    Warm, bright light entered her vision, and a nun with a gentle smile on her face appeared before her.


    ¡°Hello, sister, it has been a long time since anyone visited this church¡­¡±


    The nun¡¯s gentle voice echoed into the ears of the guardian warriors.


    ¡­


    One after another, gas lamps were neatly arranged between the shelves, the bright light dispelling the shadows among these ancient scrolls. Slow, heavy footsteps reverberated between the shelves, interspersed with the low mumbling of the old priest:


    ¡°Row seven, column six, row seven, column six¡­ The records from 1885, they should be here¡­ they should be here¡­¡±


    The old priest stopped in front of a bookshelf, he looked up and saw the giant bookshelf quietly towering over him, the scrolls that bore the memory of the City-State¡¯s history neatly arranged within this giant¡¯s bones and flesh.


    His gaze fell upon a few archives, and he slowly reached out his hand.


    The sound of slightly rusted friction came from his brass mechanical limb.


    ¡°At last, I found it!¡± The old priest¡¯s eyes suddenly shone with brilliance, his tone filled with barely concealable excitement, ¡°To think it was hiding here¡­ After searching for so long with Fenna the Judge!¡±


    His fingers touched those documents.


    The slow, heavy footsteps echoed between the shelves again, mixed with the low mumbling of the old priest: ¡°Row seven, column six, row seven, column six¡­¡±


    ¡°At last, I found it!¡± excitement sparkled in the old priest¡¯s eyes, he reached out to the archives, the rusted creak of his brass mechanical limb filling the air, ¡°To think it was hiding here, after searching for so long with the Judge!¡±


    His fingers were about to touch those documents.


    The slow, heavy footsteps echoed between the shelves.


    ¡­


    Suddenly, the old priest halted.


    He lifted his head, his neck as stiff as if rusted, and he quietly watched the huge bookshelves neatly lined up before him, each gas lamp burning between the shelves, and columns decorated with wave patterns silently standing among the shelves.


    A sudden gentle sound of waves surged within his heart, momentarily clearing the haze in the old man¡¯s mind.


    Had the archive¡¯s protection been activated? Who activated it? Why? Was it himself? When had he activated these protections? What was he doing here?


    With a start, the old priest instinctively reached for the large-caliber revolver at his waist, but the next second, he noticed something odd about his body.


    His once agile arm had become inexplicably stiff and heavy, the grating sound of parts rubbing together sounded almost like a pile of long-discarded scrap metal being crushed against each other.


    He looked at his brass mechanical limb in astonishment, only to see an arm covered with rust, verdigris, and filthy liquid seeping from the metal seams staining the entire limb; his gaze continued downward to see a tattered coat and a left leg constantly oozing black oil.


    It seemed as though he had been trekking through this archive for many years.


    The old priest stared blankly at the marks left on his body, the sealed memories finally beginning to loosen at this moment, and he suddenly remembered many things, many things as distant as if they had happened in a past life¨CThe visit of the Judge, investigating the records, weird records of heretical worship, the missing years¡­


    Then the Judge had left the archive, and he had stayed, continuing the search for the missing records of the year 1885¡­


    The gentle sounds of waves resurfaced, a little clearer than before, yet still as if muffled by a thick curtain, as if coming from another dimension.


    But it was this distant, ethereal sound of waves that suddenly made the old priest¡¯s mind even clearer than before, and as his memory loosened, his reasoning and judgment swiftly returned, and the next second, he realized what might be happening.


    A massive anomaly¨Cnot simply an anomaly, not a malevolent Transcendent being, not a puppet master or a supernatural phenomenon, but a massive anomaly!


    Plunder City-State was at the center of a massive anomaly!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


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    The old priest exclaimed, turning to drag his no longer agile body towards his post.


    The next second, he forcibly stopped dead in his tracks.


    A strange black figure had appeared in the archive without warning.


    Inside the enclosed space, this odd figure held up a bizarre black umbrella¨Cas if to block out the pervasive sunlight.


    (Recommendation time, a friendly recommendation from this fish, ¡°The Resurgence of Tricks,¡± a background world view of the resurgence of mystery and occult powers. The author is also one of the readers, feel free to support them~~)

 Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter 171: A Crossroads in History

    Chapter 167: Chapter 171: A Crossroads in History


    The figure was very tall, even taller than Judge Bifana. The figure was extremely thin, as if what was wrapped under the heavy, dark overcoat were just withered flesh and blood. He was holding a large umbrella inside this sealed room, and the lowered surface of the umbrella obscured the face of the uninvited guest¨Chowever, it only took one look for the old priest to spot the blasphemous and twisted shadows on the other¡¯s body.


    ¡°Remnants of the Black Sun?¡± the old man exclaimed in astonishment as he looked at the figure, followed by an angry shout, ¡°You dare to step into this holy archive!¡±


    The next second, a loud bang shattered the tranquility of the archive, and the old priest had already drawn the large-caliber revolver from his waist. The blessed bullets, carrying firelight and thunder, were fired, but perhaps the old man¡¯s limbs were too slow, for before the sound of the gunshot, the figure had already moved¨Ctwo shadows shot out from under the hem of his coat, one intercepting the bullet mid-air, and the other shadow instantly covered a distance of ten meters, striking the old priest¡¯s shoulder.


    A grating sound of metal friction rang out, and the old priest¡¯s body was thrown sideways, crashing into a nearby bookshelf. The huge bookshelf shook violently, and countless books and scrolls fell to the ground.


    The strange, umbrella-carrying shadow stepped forward, walking towards the direction where the old priest had fallen. A low and chaotic murmuring came from within its body, sounding like filthy flesh boiling in a pot.


    However, the next second, a roar erupted from the pile of collapsed books, and soon after, the old priest leapt out¨Chis hand now held a sharp steel longsword, which emitted a sharp whistling as it swiftly slashed towards the figure invading the archive.


    The invader suddenly halted, and the black umbrella tilted slightly to block the fierce blow. Sparks flew between the sword and the ribs of the umbrella, followed by the old priest landing and continuing his assault without pause. The longsword turned in an arc and then slashed at an angle towards the side of the invader!


    The longsword spun, metal clashing against metal, and the old man¡¯s mechanical limbs let out a low, hoarse roar. The storm swordsmanship, honed over decades, unleashed its power after many years of silence, as continuous as the unending waves at sea. A slew of circular cuts cascaded towards the blasphemous enemy. Amidst the arcs cut by the longsword, layers of phantom waves could be seen taking shape¨Cthese ethereal waves grew more tangible and weighty, eventually showing the impact and might of real ocean waves!


    The Storm Goddess¡¯s power surged within the endless arc cuts, the heavy pressure of the waves pouring into the specially forged steel longsword. Each slash carried the salty sea breeze and made the air and ground around tremble slightly.


    The black umbrella in the invader¡¯s hand was exceptionally sturdy. Despite more than ten slashes, it remained unshaken. However, the figure itself was steadily retreating, gradually pushed back to the edge of a nearby bookshelf by the relentless wave assaults, and an irritated growl mixed with murmuring, filled with bewitching power, emitted from within.


    But the old priest had long closed off all unnecessary perceptions, completely ignoring the noise from the invader. He knew his attacks could not stop. Storm swordsmanship required this ceaseless pressure. Like waves that cannot halt halfway, the strength of these remnants, cleaved from the Scions of the Sun, should not be underestimated. If his own pressuring ceased, the enemy would escape the fray the next second.


    Meanwhile, the old priest was filled with suspicion¨Chow had this blasphemous residue infiltrated the archive? This church, imbued with the goddess¡¯s power and countless layers of defenses, from the inside out, not even the Scions of the Sun themselves would breach it unnoticed¨Chow then had an invader escaped detection?


    Could it be¡­ this residue did not enter through the normal structure of time and space?


    Just then, a sharp sound of something tearing through the air suddenly arose. The old priest¡¯s muscles instantly tensed up, and this seasoned warrior instantly reacted without stopping his sword but subtly adjusting its angle, ready to meet the invader¡¯s sneak attack.


    Agony shot up from beneath his ribs.


    The continuous flashes of sword light stopped, and the old priest gazed in shock at the tentacle that had pierced his body, watching as blood slowly dripped from the tattered edges of his clothes. The brass prosthetic emitted intense heat, and the heavily worn and rusted gears made one last clattering noise, grinding to a halt with squeaks and creaks.


    Another second passed before the old priest realized what had happened¨Che had grown old.


    He and the gears on his body had aged.


    With a revolting noise, the hideous tentacle slowly retracted back into the clothes of the invader. This unearthly being slowly approached the old man, who was now propped up by his longsword, desperately trying not to fall. It set down its black umbrella, revealing a continuously swelling and deforming ¡°head¡± that resembled a blooming flower of flesh. A hoarse voice emitted from its ¡°petals.¡±


    It was a barely discernible universal language:


    ¡°Go tell your god, this ugly age is over. The sun will rise again from history¡­¡±


    ¡°History¡­¡± the old priest¡¯s body trembled. He had not yet succumbed, but no longer had the strength to lift his sword. Suddenly, realization dawned on him, ¡°You¡¯ve tampered with history?!¡±


    The invader seemed to laugh, though it was merely a blossoming flower of flesh. Its quivering ¡°petals¡± and disordered teeth seemed to convey a semblance of mirth, ¡°On the day the great fire was kindled, everyone¡¯s wishes were fulfilled.¡±


    The elderly priest slowly bowed his head, as life swiftly faded from his aged body. It seemed he finally gave up his struggle in this world and began to wait serenely for the final moment¡¯s arrival.


    The invader appeared rather bored by this outcome and reopened its umbrella, ready to depart.


    However, in the next second, a roaring noise of metal friction suddenly erupted as the previously still mechanical limb came to life again with the sound of gears turning and oil pumps pressurizing. Taken aback, the invader turned its head, only to see a flash of the sword rapidly striking.


    ¡°Please bear witness!¡±


    The elderly priest let out a fierce roar as the steel longsword, without any hesitation, chopped at the invader¡¯s body¨Cwith no umbrella to block it, no tentacles to interrupt, the force of the entire blade nearly tore through the enemy¡¯s body like ripping open a piece of torn fabric.


    The invader was split in two by the sword, its severed body parts falling to the ground.


    Yet in the next second, both halves of the cut body began emitting foul sounds of flesh wriggling, as countless tiny fleshy tendrils sprouted from within, beginning to gravitate towards each other and reassemble.


    The invader began to reshape itself, and an angry growl emanated from within it.


    But the elderly priest had already lowered his sword tip and his body slowly collapsed to the ground, his clouded eyes watching as the invader steadily rose again, a smile of relief appearing on his face.


    He knew that even his last bit of strength couldn¡¯t kill the monster¨Cfor it was the remnants of the Scions of the Sun, far beyond what a dying, aged guardian could contend with using just a steel sword. But at least, he had proven his loyalty to the goddess in his final moments.


    The Storm had borne witness, it was time to end.


    The invader got up again, and in its irritation, tendrils filled with contaminated power spread from its body, their edges bristling with sharp teeth.


    However, in the elderly priest¡¯s vision, he saw a great fire ignited behind the invader, a great fire engulfed the archive, the entire church burning fiercely.


    The goddess¡¯s statue collapsed in the distance with a thunderous crash.


    An image of Prand consumed entirely by flames emerged before him, a history branch where ¡°the Sun Shard had descended successfully, and the guardians of Prand were completely annihilated¡± appeared before his eyes.


    The old man¡¯s consciousness slowly sank into this contaminated and created history branch, yet suddenly, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of something else.


    A clump of ghostly green flames was spreading surreptitiously within the blazing inferno, flitting through the cracks between light and shadow, through the fiery illusions, dividing and flowing everywhere.


    Behind a collapsed bookshelf nearby, a clump of ghostly green flames seemed to suddenly ¡°sniff¡± out something, and in an instant, darted over like a hound that had found its prey, viciously pouncing on the invader preparing to strike its final blow.


    The elderly priest watched all this in a haze, his consciousness floating between reality and fantasy, unable to discern whether what he was seeing was real or an illusion. He saw the invader suddenly enveloped by the green flame, the body containing the power of the Scions of the Sun melted away as if made of wax, and he heard the invader¡¯s dying screams echoing throughout the archive, filled with unbelievable madness and terror.


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    Then, all became silent.


    The sea of fire receded, the contaminated history temporarily retreated into the depths behind the veil, and the archive, situated between two branches of history, fell into a deadly silence, unvisited and forgotten.


    Only an old man who had died in battle with a sword lay quietly on the ground, his half-open, half-closed eyes gazing into the distance¨Cone reflecting the Prand that had survived in peace, the other the history branch of the Sun¡¯s destruction.


    And he belonged to neither¨Che hadn¡¯t perished in that great fire, nor had he survived it.


    The slowly cooling blood flowed out from under the elderly priest¡¯s body as if directed by a powerful will, quietly coursing over the ground and coalescing into a trail of footprints that stretched slowly towards the nearby caretaker¡¯s console¡­

 Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 172: Fennas Discovery

    Chapter 168: Chapter 172: Fenna¡¯s Discovery


    Fenna stood silently in front of the staircase leading to the Underground Sanctuary, looking at the black door that had just been restored before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Three hours ago, she had led her team to this abandoned church and had seen the warm and bright lights inside, the main hall where everything seemed normal, the silently praying nun, and the clean and tidy pulpit.


    Two hours ago, she had shaken off that obviously odd nun, led her guardians to this Underground Sanctuary, and upon opening the doors of the sanctuary, she had seen the truth within¨Ca subspace plunged into darkness, a sword-wielding nun who seemed to have died in battle not long ago, the scattered marks of combat in the basement, and the absence of the infiltrators.


    Two minutes ago, she had completed a meticulous scout of the Underground Sanctuary and, along with her subordinates, had brought the body of the nun out from the Sanctuary, preparing to send it to the Central Cathedral for autopsy and burial.


    Then, as everyone watched, the body of the nun that had been brought outside the Sanctuary turned to ashes that dispersed with the wind, while the door to the basement, which had been violently pried open two hours earlier, was instantly restored to its original state. Now it stood quietly at the end of the staircase, as if mocking the explorers standing on the stairs.


    ¡°Judge¡­¡± a bearded guardian warrior approached Fenna with a low voice, ¡°It seems that there is some kind of time loop here¡­¡±


    Fenna nodded slightly, saying nothing.


    What emerged in her mind was the terrifying dreamscape of the previous night, as well as ¡°Captain Duncan¡± who had invaded and contaminated her dream.


    The words of the ghost captain echoed in her mind, ¡°¡­If you truly care about the safety of the City-State, why not visit the sixth district, take a look at that small church¡­


    ¡°I look forward to your discoveries there¡­¡±


    Was this what ¡°Captain Duncan¡± wanted her to see? A sealed timescape, a small church contaminated and isolated by some unknown force, a nun who had died fighting against a mysterious infiltrator? Why did he want her to see these things? What did it all mean?


    Fenna frowned deeply. When she had set off this morning, her mind was filled with thoughts about the Homeloss and the schemes of the ghost captain, pondering whether the other party was guiding her to this small church to corrupt or attack her, the Judge, in some way. But now, she suddenly began to doubt her initial judgment.


    Could it be¡­ that ghost captain just wanted to provide her with a clue? Like a helpful bystander¡­ reporting a heretic within the City-State to her?


    The thought emerged in Fenna¡¯s mind¨Cat not too long ago, she had jokingly said the same thing to Bishop Valentin, but now she couldn¡¯t help but run this absurd joke, at the level of subspace, through her mind again.


    The next second, the young Judge shivered, her expression stern.


    She was actually associating that ghost captain with being ¡°harmless¡±; this must be the effect of his mental contamination working! She mustn¡¯t continue thinking it¡­


    ¡°Judge?¡± The voice of a subordinate came from beside her again, pulling Fenna out of her reverie. The bearded guardian wore a worried expression, ¡°Did you¡­hear or see something?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, I am perfectly lucid,¡± Fenna shook her head, responding to her seemingly reliable subordinate. She knew that before setting off, this subordinate had been in contact with Bishop Valentin and was likely also tasked with ¡°monitoring¡± her, the superior officer. And she had no complaints about this¨Cafter all, she had been contaminated by Captain Duncan; it was normal to be on a mission even with shackles on now.


    ¡°The timescape here has reset. Shall we go down again?¡± the subordinate asked.


    Fenna pondered for a moment, then turned her head and asked, ¡°What is that ¡®nun¡¯ in the main hall doing?¡±


    ¡°She is still praying,¡± replied a guardian who had just returned from the main hall, ¡°It seems that nothing we do outside the main hall attracts her attention.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Fenna nodded lightly, her eyes landing on the door at the end of the stairs. After a long moment, she bit her lip, ¡°Go down again.¡±


    She led the guardians back to the entrance of the Underground Sanctuary, pushed the door, and felt the familiar resistance again¨Cthe door was blocked from the other side by the body of the nun.


    Last time, she instructed her subordinates to pry open the door hinge with a crowbar, opening the passage without damaging the runes on the door as much as possible.


    This time, she pressed her hand against the door panel, took a gentle breath, and then suddenly clenched her fist and swiftly knocked on the door.


    Within one-hundredth of a second, the entire door vibrated in a way that human senses could not detect, and then the sturdy door suddenly shattered into endless dust. Wood shavings and metal particles fluttered down, only to be repelled and blown away by the aura swirling around Fenna.


    The body of the nun fell behind the door, unscathed except for her original wounds.


    It wasn¡¯t until then that the guards on the scene heard a very deep hum, which seemed to diffuse into the brain and then vanished in the blink of an eye.


    The warriors cast their awe-filled gazes towards the young Judge, while Fenna, accustomed to these looks, had her longsword slung across her back and took a lantern from her waist with her left hand. As soon as the door had shattered, she stepped forward.


    The glow from the lantern once again lit up the dark underground space, revealing a scene identical to what they had seen upon their first entry, just as expected, the time and space here had returned to the starting point.


    After another careful scouting, Fenna and the warriors returned to the side of the nun who had died in battle.


    Not long ago, Fenna had attempted to take the body of the nun out of the Underground Sanctuary, but now she realized that this body had likely become a part of the ¡°cyclic lockdown¡± of this aberrant time and space, unable to leave this place anymore.


    Quietly gazing at the nun¡¯s blood-stained face, Fenna pondered for who knows how long before she suddenly said softly, ¡°¡­Are you still fighting in this cyclical time and space¡­¡±


    A brief silence fell over the Underground Sanctuary until a guard¡¯s voice suddenly broke it, ¡°Judge, what do you think¡­ she was fighting against?¡±


    Fenna thought quietly, and after a long time, she raised her head thoughtfully, analyzing the information they had:


    ¡°The Underground Sanctuary is an excellent sealing environment; once the door is closed, it becomes a prison;


    ¡°The fate of the church¡¯s guard troops is unknown, but it¡¯s clear they didn¡¯t partake in the battle here;


    ¡°The nun locked herself inside, armed, which means she anticipated a battle before entering;


    ¡°There are no traces of intruders, and given the closed-loop structure of time and space here, the invaders should also be repeating the cycle here. Even if the invaders were to flee quickly, they wouldn¡¯t have had time to erase all the evidence at the moment we opened the door¡­¡±


    The surrounding guards listened to their superior¡¯s analysis, and suddenly someone realized, ¡°Clerics only seal themselves off and prepare for an ¡®endgame¡¯ battle in one situation¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s only one situation,¡± Fenna said softly, slowly standing up, ¡°when a cleric realizes a door to Subspace is about to open within their own soul.¡±


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    ¡°A Subspace invasion!¡± A guard exclaimed in a low voice, ¡°She was fighting against¡­ her own shadow?! But¡­ how is that possible, this is a church, and¡­¡±


    ¡°And no alarm was ever received from this church,¡± Fenna interrupted before her subordinate could finish, her voice heavy. She knew well how many things were amiss here, ¡°A cleric completely corrupted by Subspace becomes a vessel, opening a gate to Subspace within their soul, but usually, there is a process to this, especially in an environment like a church. Even in dire situations, the on-duty personnel should have had the chance to send out an alarm. But now it seems the contamination the nun suffered progressed very rapidly¡­ so rapidly that she only had time to grab her longsword and lock herself in here¡­¡±


    She paused for a moment and then mused, ¡°¡­Or perhaps an alarm was sent out, but its transmission was disrupted by Subspace interference, preventing it from reaching outside the church.¡±


    ¡°¡­But this isn¡¯t a ship sailing on the sea,¡± a guard mumbled incredulously, ¡°this is land, the church is under widespread protection, how could the power of Subspace corrupt a priest so quickly and sever the entire area¡¯s external communications?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, something isn¡¯t right, everything here isn¡¯t right, but what¡¯s even more wrong is¡­¡± Fenna said in a low voice, scanning the Underground Sanctuary as the lantern¡¯s radiance illuminated the dim walls and pillars where countless menacing secrets seemed to lurk, ¡°if Subspace once tainted this place, where has it gone now?¡±

 Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 173: The Fire is Spreading

    Chapter 169: Chapter 173: The Fire is Spreading


    Subspace pollution does not dissipate on its own, just as justice does not assert itself ¡ª after so many years of battling against the deep, distorting shadows of the world, Fenna was all too aware of this.


    If this church had once been polluted by subspace, and if the nun on duty had already fallen to the pollution, then the thing that invaded this place would certainly not just disappear on its own ¡ª considering the eerie ¡°echo¡± of the nun in the main hall of the church and the somewhat off atmosphere of the entire Sixth District, the great doors of the Underground Sanctuary had clearly failed to block the invaders of this land, so¡­ where had the invading subspace force gone now?


    Fenna lifted the lantern in her hand, in which whale oil imbued with holy power burned quietly, illuminating everything in the Underground Sanctuary as the light touched it. The marks of blades and bullet strikes scattered across the walls seemed like texts repeatedly inscribed by a closed-off space-time, calmly recounting secrets to her.


    ¡­Texts?


    Fenna suddenly knitted her brows, as if a flash of lightning had streaked across her mind.


    If the nun who died here in the Underground Sanctuary had foreseen her own fate at the moment she closed the doors, might she have tried to leave some record by some means to warn the investigators who would come after?


    That would be the expected response of a well-trained holy servant!


    ¡°Check here again,¡± she abruptly raised her head and ordered the warriors beside her in a loud voice, ¡°All the traces, sword cuts, bullet marks, bloodstains, all of it ¡ª this sister might have left behind some kind of message before she fell in battle!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The guardians swiftly got into action, scattering in all directions with lanterns in their hands, starting a more thorough and targeted search in this Underground Sanctuary that had already been searched once.


    Fenna, of course, was not idle herself. Having realized that the fallen nun might have left a message before her death, she returned to where the other had died, back to the entrance of the Underground Sanctuary, carefully examining the ground and walls near the door.


    ¡ª She had just completely shattered the doors of the Sanctuary, but she believed that there would not be a message on that door, for the Sanctuary¡¯s door was part of a precise sealing mechanism, and it bore the Holy Symbols of the Goddess. Leaving marks on it would weaken the Sanctuary¡¯s defenses, something the nun would not have done.


    The nun holding the longsword still lay serenely on the ground, her uncoagulated blood flowing slowly beneath her.


    Fenna crouched down next to the nun¡¯s body, carefully inspecting her from head to toe, then, after considering the angle at which the nun had fallen when she had broken through the door, she surmised the position and orientation of the nun at the time of her death. Bending at the most likely angle, Fenna then pried open the tightly clutched hand of the nun, checking the state of the longsword.


    Suddenly, her movements stopped.


    Fenna¡¯s gaze fell on the ground beside the nun.


    There was a series of sword marks, which at first glance appeared to be chaotic etchings, as though the imprints on the ground had been made by someone who could not steady their sword as they neared death.


    In previous inspections, Fenna and her subordinates had overlooked these marks, but this time, the young Judge finally realized that these seemingly random scratches were actually a ¡°message¡± that had been severely distorted and then etched repeatedly.


    ¡°Here,¡± she lifted her head and spoke out to the guardians who were searching around, then dropped her gaze again, carefully discerning the intelligence within the sword marks.


    After a while, she made out a few characters:


    ¡°1885¡±


    It was merely a string of numbers.


    The guardians had gathered around, standing beside Fenna, and from those sword marks, they too discerned this string of numbers. The bearded guardian at the head, obviously unaware of what the characters meant, looked at his superior officer in confusion: ¡°Judge, these numbers¡­ Judge?¡±


    He saw shock spread across Fenna¡¯s face ¡ª at the sight of that string of numbers, her eyes had widened as if thunder had boomed inside her heart, and even the usually steadfast and composed Judge couldn¡¯t control her expression.


    Fenna came to her senses amidst her subordinates¡¯ cries, taking a deep breath, her heart pounding furiously. Memories of searching alone through the archive resurfaced, recalling those strange records of heretical cults, the archives going back from the year 1889, and the missing records from 1885¡­


    All these memories, finally converged on this Underground Sanctuary, on these chaotic sword marks before her eyes: 1885.


    ¡°It¡¯s the year 1885¡­ she¡¯s reminding us with her last breath that she actually died in the year 1885¡­¡±


    Fenna murmured to herself, but the guardians surrounding her exchanged looks of confusion, with one frowning and asking, ¡°But why did she specifically emphasize that year?¡±


    ¡°To prove that she didn¡¯t die in the year 1889¡­¡± Fenna began instinctively, but she cut herself off as realization dawned upon her, her face likewise displaying incomprehension, ¡°Right¡­ why would she emphasize that year¡­ If she died in 1885, she couldn¡¯t possibly know that a disaster would strike the City-State four years later¡­¡±


    The young Judge was plunged into confusion. A multitude of clues had surfaced and seemed to be on the verge of converging, but there was a gaping chasm preventing her thoughts from fully connecting.


    If the numbers left by the Nun were meant to indicate the year of her death, then that year must hold particular significance, hiding within it the ¡°warning¡± she sought to convey. But¡­ what warning could be so tightly linked to the year 1885?


    Had the Nun seen something before her death? Could she have foreseen the records of 1885 disappearing from the cathedral¡¯s archives? Or did she know why those records would disappear?


    Alas, the truth had faded with her cooling blood, lost to the passage of time. With the closing of the Underground Sanctuary¡¯s gates, the secrets known by the Nun were fated to remain undiscovered, her life-spanning attempt to impart a series of incomprehensible numbers to Fenna all that was left.


    Fenna raised her head and saw the attending guardians focused on her, their gazes filled not just with concern but also with wary observation.


    ¡°I visited the cathedral¡¯s archives before,¡± she gathered her thoughts and said to her subordinates, ¡°and for some reason, all the records from 1885 were missing. Now it seems that year is definitely¡­¡±


    She stopped abruptly.


    Scenes of her seeking records in the archives inexplicably flashed through her mind again, as if another force was insistently reminding her, drawing her back to those memories of walking among the massive bookshelves. Amidst these recollections, she suddenly heard the faint sound of waves.


    Fenna¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    She still couldn¡¯t recall anything other than her solitary search through the archives, but she was now aware there might be a problem with her memories from there¨Cher spiritual talent was sounding an alert, and the goddess was warning her, too!


    ¡°Return to the cathedral,¡± she suddenly said to the guardians beside her, ¡°I need to make a trip to the archives!¡±


    The guardians exchanged looks, unsure why the Judge was so anxious and serious, but they quickly stopped hesitating and immediately accepted the order.


    As the guardians prepared to depart, one of them glanced at the ground next to them and suddenly cried out, ¡°The writing is disappearing!¡±


    Fenna immediately looked in the direction of the voice, a faint green light reflected in her eyes.


    Her breath caught in her throat.


    On the ground, the marks carved by the dying Nun were gradually vanishing, like pencil scribbles being erased from paper, and where the sword marks were disappearing, tiny green flames almost imperceptible to the naked eye flickered¨Cthese ¡°sparks¡± seemingly originating from an undetectable dimension, now suddenly appearing before the eyes of those in the material world.


    Fenna was all too familiar with these green flames!


    It was their master who had led her to this church!


    In that moment, endless speculations surfaced in her mind¨Cabout the Homeloss, the Ghost Ship¡¯s captain, Subspace, and the numbers ¡°1885¡±¨Cyet none of the guesses seemed to fit.


    No one could explain what role the Ghost Ship¡¯s captain was playing. Fenna couldn¡¯t understand why their flames were erasing those marks right before her eyes, but one thing was clear¨Cshe couldn¡¯t stay here long; she had to return to the cathedral immediately.


    In the blink of an eye, the marks on the ground had disappeared, and the mysterious green light had gradually vanished from everyone¡¯s sight.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t go near that part of the floor, be careful in case the flames are still spreading outside the visible spectrum,¡± Fenna warned her subordinates, ¡°Now, withdraw from this church¨CTeam Two will stay outside the church and establish a blockade to wait for orders, the rest will follow me back to the cathedral.¡±


    The guardians responded in unison, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Fenna nodded, then after a moment¡¯s thought, she further instructed, ¡°Also, notify the standby troops in the nearby blocks¡­ seal off the entire Sixth District.¡±


    Fenna led the guardians through the main hall of the small church.


    A guardian glanced unconsciously towards the statue of the goddess and suddenly exclaimed, ¡°That praying ¡®Nun¡¯ has vanished too!¡±

 Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter 174: The Eve of the Storm

    Chapter 170: Chapter 174: The Eve of the Storm


    The nun who had always been praying quietly before the statue of the Storm Goddess was gone.


    Only the empty floor remained in front of the pulpit, the bright gas lamps illuminating the vacant main hall and rows of seats, where Fenna and the guardian warriors searched through the not-so-large main hall without finding the peculiar ¡°nun.¡±


    Fenna, of course, knew that the nun probably ¡°did not exist¡± from the start¨Cthe real body of the other party had clearly died in the Underground Sanctuary years ago, and what remained in the main hall was nothing more than a phantom of her prayers. However, the sudden disappearance of this phantom still made everyone feel uneasy amidst their confusion.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one in this corridor or the small rooms!¡±


    Finally, the last two guardian warriors who went to scout returned to the main hall, their report confirming something: the nun¡¯s ¡°phantom¡± had indeed completely vanished from the church.


    Fenna¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as her mind raced¨C


    The phantom had disappeared, but when had it happened?


    Was it when she entered the Underground Sanctuary for the second time? Was it when she saw the sequence of numbers written by the real nun just before her death? Or¡­


    Was it when the eerie pale green flames ignited out of nowhere, erasing the traces on the ground?


    If it was the former, then the disappearance of the phantom could likely be due to her role as an ¡°Observer from the real world,¡± which had shattered a part of the illusion here. However, if it was the latter¡­ it meant the ghost captain had made a move.


    The ghost captain, while erasing the traces within the Underground Sanctuary, had also erased the nun¡¯s phantom in the main hall¨Cfor reasons unknown to anyone.


    There would be no more discoveries by continuing to stay here; the urgent matter was to inform Bishop Valentin of the current intelligence, and then go to the archives to confirm the warning signs she had just sensed.


    Fenna quickly led her team out of the church, they crossed the grand entrance of the church and looked back to see, as expected, the church in its completely deserted and dilapidated state.


    Fenna sighed in relief; at least she had safely left this eerie place with her subordinates. Then, suddenly feeling a hunch, she instinctively looked up at the top of the church.


    A plump white dove was perched on the high spire, cocking its head to look over here, utterly harmless in appearance.


    Why was this dove still here?


    Fenna couldn¡¯t help but be a bit curious, but soon dismissed these minor doubts. After arranging for personnel to stay around the small church, she turned and got into her car, heading back to the main cathedral.


    The white dove took flight, swiftly leaving the church.


    But the dove did not fly far¨Cafter leaving the field of vision of the guardians stationed around the church, it dove straight into a nearby alley.


    A brilliant green spiritual flame rose fiercely in the deserted alley, transforming into a gate and vortex, from which Duncan stepped out of the blaze. He then slightly knit his brows and looked thoughtfully in the direction of the church.


    It was the right decision to expose this matter, attracting Fenna and the ¡°official power¡± behind her indeed yielded results beyond expectation¨Cthe investigation was moving forward; professionals were indeed professionals, their knowledge far exceeded that of amateurs like Sherry and A-Dog.


    When he was close enough, Duncan was able to eavesdrop on the surroundings of his target directly through the ¡°mark¡± he left on them. As the mark on Fenna had been enhanced during her last visit to the antique store, this eavesdropping even allowed Duncan to some extent, to perceive the young Judge¡¯s emotional fluctuations¨Che had stayed in the air above the church the entire time with Ai Yi, ¡°observing¡± the guardians¡¯ scouting process through such monitoring.


    Duncan stood quietly in the shadows of the alley, pondering and sorting through the intelligence he had just obtained.


    The nun likely confronted her own ¡°Subspace Projection¡±¨Cthere were no other invaders; the invader came from the ¡°crack¡± in her own soul?


    The clergy of this world¡­once completely overwhelmed by contamination, actually turn directly into a ¡®channel¡¯ that connects Subspace with the real world?


    Is it only the clergy who are like this, or do all humans have this hidden danger, with the clergy posing even greater risk once contaminated?


    Among all the intelligence, this was the point that captured Duncan¡¯s attention the most, also leaving him surprised and confused.


    Duncan didn¡¯t know much about the several gods of this world and their churches, but at least through observing over time, he could confirm that these churches¡¯ stance was on the side of order and protection. The clergy ensured the safety of the City-States in the Transcendent realm, and they also formed the most staunch line of defense against the ¡°deep¡± contamination of the world.


    However, he now knew that this resolute defensive line, under certain conditions, became a ¡°conduit¡± between the real world and Subspace¡­ Why was that?


    If this transformation could occur in all humans, given the right conditions, not just in clerical figures, then what did it mean?


    The Subspace, feared by people, seemed to have a more complicated relationship with the real world and ordinary mortals than he had initially thought¡­


    Besides this piece of intelligence, there was also the string of numbers, ¡°1885,¡± left by the nun.


    Indeed, it was a detail that Duncan and Sherry had not discovered during their previous investigation here¨Ca detail that now took Duncan by surprise.


    If Fenna¡¯s judgment was correct, the nun had not died in the Sun Shard incident of 1889, but had passed away in 1885. And for the years that followed, this chapel must have been enveloped by distorted time and space!


    What did this mean?


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts surged as he slowly raised his hand. He gently rubbed his fingertips, and a tuft of ghostly green flame quietly ignited within his line of sight.


    He could distinctly feel the Spiritual Fire spreading¨Cin the invisible dimensions, throughout the ¡°other side¡± of Plunder City-State, and sending him faint feedback.


    This was his third confusion.


    Not long after Fenna discovered the numbers in the Underground Sanctuary, they vanished into thin air. There had been a brief appearance of Spiritual Fire at that time, and the young Judge surely thought it to be the handiwork of ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± but in reality¡­


    Duncan was more bewildered than she was.


    He hadn¡¯t erased the numbers himself; he was clueless as to why the flames he had released would suddenly appear in the Underground Sanctuary and specifically burn away the numbers ¡°1885¡±¨Cit gave him the feeling as if the fire hadn¡¯t spread to the church through space, but had spread through time to the year 1885!


    Duncan suddenly froze.


    Maybe¡­ this wasn¡¯t an illusion¡­


    For some reason, he suddenly recalled the time he studied Alice¡¯s wooden chest, remembering the moment he glimpsed half a century back when the Frost Queen was executed, and the advice he heard¨C


    ¡°Please do not contaminate history¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s face grew solemn, his brow furrowed bit by bit. He thought about a phrase he had heard not long ago:


    In this world, anything but Subspace could be contaminated.


    ¡­


    Fenna hurried back to the Cathedral, intending to go straight to the archives to confirm the severe discordance she remembered. Still, she decided to first report her findings from the small church in District Six to Bishop Valentin.


    After hearing Fenna¡¯s account, Valentin remained silent for a long time. He pondered with furrowed brows for quite a while, then muttered with an expression like he was nursing a toothache, ¡°Subspace¡­ indeed, it¡¯s the most troublesome of all troublesome matters¡­¡±


    ¡°As we were preparing to leave, the numbers pointing to the year 1885 and the nun praying in the main hall had both disappeared, seemingly related to that ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯s¡¯ powers,¡± Fenna added, ¡°But we did not stay in the church to conduct repeated tests, fearing the risk of contamination spreading.¡±


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    ¡°Prudent, indeed,¡± Bishop Valentin nodded slightly, ¡°We can¡¯t be sure of what stance this Ghost Captain has for now. While he indeed provided us crucial information, he also erased some of the clues¡­ In any case, he is not our ¡®friend.''¡±


    Fenna pondered for a moment, then looked at the elder before her, ¡°Has there been any response from the church headquarters? Have you reported the situation here to His Holiness the Pope?¡±


    Valentin glanced at Fenna, nodding as he spoke, ¡°I have reported the entire situation to the Storm Cathedral. His Holiness the Pope has indicated that support will be sent as soon as possible¨Cbut the cathedral ship is still a distance from Plunder, and even the swiftest courier ship would find it hard to arrive within a few days, so¡­ we must be prepared to rely on ourselves.¡±


    As he spoke, the old Bishop sighed softly and turned to gaze at the saintly image of the Storm Goddess.


    ¡°Disaster is brewing, and we know not when it will erupt. Whether Plunder, this jewel of the seas, can clear the clouds, rests on our own skills now.¡±

 Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 175 Dark Clouds O

    Chapter 171: Chapter 175 Dark Clouds Over the City


    The sky had darkened without notice, thick clouds layering heavily above the City-State, a tangy, saline sea breeze sweeping through the streets as though intending to pour the cold air directly into one¡¯s bones.


    Old Captain Lawrence stepped out of the church¡¯s grand entrance, shrugging his neck against the chilling wind. Looking up at the sky, he began to grumble about the miserable weather, ¡°Bloody hell, such rotten luck. Just when I¡¯ve finally finished the quarantine observation, I have to trudge home through this wind for half an hour¡­¡±


    On the church square, pedestrians hurried along, a rain seemed imminent; everyone was preoccupied with clothes left out to dry or windows left unclosed at home, but the first thing the old captain thought of was his temperamental wife¨Che had been ¡°quarantined for observation¡± in the church for many days without sending a single message home; how could he not expect a severe tongue-lashing or even a black and blue ¡°welcome¡± of love?


    Lawrence rubbed his arms and hands together, sighed, and braced himself against the cold wind ahead. But just two steps forward, he caught a glimpse in the corner of his eye of a church guard hurrying toward him, while a little further away stood that young Psychologist who provided counseling¡­ what was her name, Heidi or Hailie?


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Lawrence murmured instinctively, then saw the guard arrive in front of him, performed a polite bow, and then seriously extended his hand to block Lawrence¡¯s path, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Captain Lawrence, we¡¯ve just received an emergency notice, you still¡­ cannot leave.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I already finished my observation period?¡± Lawrence had a premonition at the sight of the guard, but could not help but show his frustration, ¡°You better have a good reason.¡±


    ¡°The specifics cannot be disclosed, but¡­¡± The young church guard seemed to have difficulty saying it, yet he proceded with a matter of fact manner, ¡°It is a direct order from the Judge¨Cthe situation has changed, all those who had contact with Homeloss must continue to stay in the church.¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s mouth twitched upon hearing the three words ¡°Homeloss,¡± knowing that he had to abide by the instructions, but the bad mood was uncontrollable, the old captain frowned, ¡°Alright, extend it, I understand¨Cbut who¡¯s going to explain this to my wife? I¡¯ve been away for¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± Heidi¡¯s voice came from the side just as the captain didn¡¯t finish his sentence, ¡°Do you have any concerns?¡±


    Lawrence turned to look at Heidi¨Cwith the days spent in isolation at the church, he had some dealings with the young Psychologist, and he knew that despite her youthful appearance she was indeed a reliable ¡°expert¡± and had indeed helped him and the crew alleviate many tense and frustrated emotions. His expression softened, ¡°I¡¯ve been away from home too long, my wife isn¡¯t exactly the gentle type¨CI¡¯m supposed to be on vacation after finishing the last sea consignment, I can¡¯t spend the first half of my holiday in quarantine at the church and the second half healing in bed¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed, no one wants to go through something like that,¡± Heidi sighed with empathy, then pulled out a glass vial of medicine from her medical bag and handed it to the old captain, saying, ¡°But things are complicated right now, it¡¯s best to follow the Cathedral¡¯s instructions for now¨Cdon¡¯t worry, someone will contact your family.¡±


    ¡°What is this stuff?¡± Lawrence took the vial, looking skeptically at the liquid inside, then back at Heidi with suspicion¨Cthere were always some strange things in this Psychologist¡¯s medicine chest that made one nervous.


    ¡°Sedative, soothing, and also somewhat enhances mental protection,¡± Heidi replied offhand, ¡°Preparing for the next stage of quarantine observation.¡±


    ¡°Damn, no exceptions, then¡­¡± As soon as Lawrence heard the words ¡°next stage of quarantine,¡± he winced, then uncorked the vial and downed the salty, bitter liquid, handing back the empty tube to the Psychologist.


    The effects of the medicine became apparent quickly, with the old captain shivering in the cold wind, his eyes shifting, before settling into a state of calm and letting out a complex, long sigh.


    ¡°Do you need me to walk you back?¡± Heidi asked, observing the captain¡¯s expression with a gentle voice.


    ¡°No need, I know the way,¡± Lawrence¡¯s mood was a bit downcast, but soon showed resignation, shaking his head, ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to stay and have someone to talk to; those novice monks are actually quite interesting to chat with¡­¡±


    He turned and walked towards the church¡¯s grand entrance alone, with two guards waiting to escort the old captain back to the place of isolation.


    However, just as he was about to enter through the grand doorway, Heidi¡¯s voice called out, ¡°Mr. Lawrence, as a Psychologist, I must give you sincere advice¨Cit¡¯s about time you retired, the Endless Sea is not good for your mental health.¡±


    Lawrence did not respond vocally, simply waving his hand from afar to show he had heard, then his figure slowly disappeared into the towering, solemn doors.


    The square was left with only Heidi carrying her medical chest and a guard clad in a black long coat.


    The guard looked towards the old captain with a hint of respect in his eyes.


    Then the guard turned his head, looking at the Psychologist beside him, ¡°Miss Heidi, do you know what happened exactly?¡±


    Heidi rolled her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re with the church and you don¡¯t know, how would I, a ¡®consultant from outside¡¯ sent by the City Hall, know?¡±


    ¡°But you and His Excellency the Judge¡­¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me anything, and since yesterday, I haven¡¯t even seen her face,¡± Heidi shook her head, then curiously glanced at the guardian warrior in front of her, ¡°though I heard she suddenly issued a bunch of investigation tasks? This morning, a team of clerical priests even ran to the city hall to borrow archives¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, a whole bunch of investigation tasks,¡± the guardian sighed, ¡°Borrowing archives, visiting communities, checking a load of old accounts, and even setting up checkpoints at the harbor to monitor twelve French fries vendors¡­¡±


    Heidi: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°So now even we are guessing what on earth has happened,¡± the guardian sighed and looked up at the gloomy sky, ¡°Tsk, this damn weather.¡±


    ¡­


    Morris sat at his desk, his fingers gently brushing over the rough edge of a thick tome, as his thoughts slowly calmed down until he could hear his own heartbeat clearly.


    He lowered his head, slowly opened Rahm¡¯s Scripture in front of him, skillfully turned to the chapters about psychical protection and wisdom discernment, and silently recited the admonitions inside.


    After completing the most basic self-suggestion and mental reinforcement, he stood up, lit the candles and incense on the desk in sequence, and dripped extracted essential oil into three bunches of candle flames.


    In the suddenly rising flames, he watched his reflection in the mirror before the ritual altar, his face showing a somewhat self-mocking smile.


    ¡°I really have gotten old¡­ Luckily, I can still perform these ritual details precisely.¡±


    The crackling sound of the candles gradually grew faint, and the smoke from the incense formed a lingering cloud above the mirror, which obscured the old man¡¯s view, making it difficult for him to see his own reflection clearly. At this point, the protection of his mind and the blessing from the God of Wisdom Rahm were fulfilled.


    ¡°I have strayed from you for eleven years¡­ You are still willing to look after me,¡± Morris sighed softly as the ritual completed so smoothly, ¡°Do you still have any expectations of me¡­¡±


    The room remained silent, of course, the God of Wisdom wouldn¡¯t just appear, but Morris still listened carefully, as if he could hear the divine charges in the silence, his expression gradually becoming serene as he opened a drawer next to him.


    A bracelet strung with brightly colored stones lay quietly in the drawer, there were twelve stones in total.


    Morris hesitated for a moment, then picked up the bracelet and wore it.


    In that instant, he felt a clarity in his mind, as if a veil that had covered him for years was suddenly lifted, then he took another look at the layer of smoke still gathered in front of the mirror and finally made up his mind, pushed open the door, and left the room.


    Heidi was not at home, and the empty mansion seemed extraordinarily quiet.


    The bedroom he shared with his wife was not far to the left, the door ajar, dim and silent within.


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    Morris touched the stone bracelet on his wrist, daring not to cast his gaze toward the ajar door, and hurried down the hallway as if fleeing, then passed through the living room, walked out the front door, started the car parked in the courtyard, and drove toward the Lower City District.


    At the same time, a white dove quickly flew over the low, old buildings of the Lower City District.


    Unnoticed, the dove flew through the second-floor window of Duncan¡¯s Antique Shop, and moments later, a faint green flame flashed behind the window.


    Duncan emerged from the flames, glanced at the terrible weather outside, then looked at the clock hanging on the nearby wall¨Cthere was still a short time before Nina would return home from school.


    He went downstairs, opened the shop door, moved a chair out, and just sat there at the doorway, his expression serene as he watched the street ahead, silently pondering.

 Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter 176: Warm Family

    Chapter 172: Chapter 176: Warm Family


    Nina appeared in Duncan¡¯s line of sight¨Cthe girl was trotting all the way, a pleasant smile on her face, and as soon as she saw her uncle sitting at the door of the antique shop in a daze, she picked up her pace and raised her hand to wave, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m back!¡±


    Duncan was jolted out of his reverie, and he set his thoughts aside for the moment, rising to greet his ¡°niece.¡± Seeing the girl out of breath, he paused slightly and knitted his brows, ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you money for the bus? Why did you run back after school?¡±


    After stopping in front of Duncan and catching her breath, Nina scratched her head with a bit of embarrassment and then reached into her backpack, searching for something. After a long while, she produced a small paper packet and handed it over, ¡°I¡­ on my way back, I passed by Dr. Albert¡¯s clinic¡­¡±


    Duncan took the packet and felt it, realizing it contained a few pills.


    ¡°Dr. Albert said that using alcohol for pain relief, though your health has improved and you¡¯ve successfully quit drinking, quitting alcohol forcefully can cause adverse reactions in someone who¡¯s been drinking for a long time,¡± Nina explained in a low voice, ¡°This is medicine to alleviate the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. You can take one if you feel unwell¡­ Also, Dr. Albert said if your health hasn¡¯t worsened recently, you can completely stop the medication you were on before. But he still suggests you visit his clinic for a thorough examination when you have time¡­¡±


    Duncan silently listened to Nina¡¯s soft, even somewhat cautious explanation without speaking for a long time. Only after she finished did he silently tuck the small packet of pills carefully close to his body.


    Then he reached out and placed his hand on Nina¡¯s hair, gently ruffling it.


    ¡°Uncle?¡± Nina looked up with a hint of confusion, only to see Duncan¡¯s face bearing an indescribable seriousness, even a touch of worry. This made her sensitive mind suddenly uneasy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling ill? Or¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Duncan suddenly smiled, bending down slightly to look into Nina¡¯s eyes, ¡°but from now on, don¡¯t use your bus fare to buy me medicine¨Cthere¡¯s no shortage of money at home, you can carry more pocket money on you¡­ and ask me for more if it¡¯s not enough.¡±


    Nina looked at Duncan somewhat blankly, feeling that her uncle had suddenly become a bit odd without being able to pinpoint exactly what was amiss. It took her quite a while before she hesitantly nodded, ¡°Oh, oh¡­¡±


    Then, after thinking a bit, she peeked into the shop, her face revealing a look of anticipation mixed with hesitation, ¡°Uncle, about that¡­ you said you¡¯d teach me to ride a bike after school¡­¡±


    ¡°The weather isn¡¯t good right now,¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°it might rain.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just at the entrance,¡± Nina whispered eagerly, clutching Duncan¡¯s arm, ¡°if it rains, we can immediately go back¡­¡±


    Duncan laughed and nodded helplessly, ¡°Alright, put your backpack away, and I¡¯ll teach you to ride a bike¨Cbut only for a little while, dinner isn¡¯t made yet.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Nina let out a small cheer and then ran into the antique shop like charging forward, tossing her backpack onto the counter, and pushing out a brand-new bike. Her pushing was clumsy, and she struggled by the doorway for a while before she finally managed to get the bike to Duncan.


    ¡°¡­Actually, I think you need to learn how to push a bike from scratch,¡± Duncan sighed amusedly at Nina¡¯s awkward movements, then moved forward to steady the handlebars, ¡°but seeing how eager you are, get on first¨CI¡¯ll hold the bike for you, so you can get a feel for pedaling and balancing while moving.¡±


    Nina nodded obediently and, once Duncan steadied the bike, grabbed the handlebars tightly and clambered onto the seat, emphasizing anxiously as she exerted effort, ¡°You must hold it steady, uncle! Don¡¯t let go, please!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, just trust me¡­¡±


    A briny, cool breeze swept through the antiquated streets of the Lower City District, lifting leaves and dust among the dilapidated buildings, with dark clouds hanging low. The impending rain seemed indecisive, lingering in the sky without falling to earth for a long time.


    In front of the antique shop, on a small open ground, rose the girl¡¯s excited and nervous exclamations, the intermittent ringing of the bike bell, and Duncan¡¯s occasional guidance and teasing.


    A classic black sedan stopped on open ground near the antique shop, and an old man in an old-fashioned scholar¡¯s wool coat, holding a cane and wearing a low bowler hat, pushed open the car door and looked up toward the direction of the antique shop.


    Morris saw the familiar, old-fashioned store, as well as the uncle and niece practicing cycling in the open space in front.


    The common street scene of the Lower City District, warm and ordinary family routine; everything looked so normal, and even under the melancholy street scene with the low clouds and chill autumn winds, the scene not far away appeared exceptionally warm and peaceful.


    Yet Heidi had spent only half a day in the antique shop and exhausted one of the protections of God of Wisdom Rahm¨Cand that was with the protection of a Deep Sea Judge.


    And after the incident, neither Heidi herself nor Judge Fenna had detected any abnormalities.


    Morris took a breath, and despite the normalcy of the scene, his heart began to beat faster.


    He then bit his lip and refrained from rashly greeting the uncle and nephew in front of the antique shop. Instead, he decided to first complete his observation of the shop¨Cif possible, he really didn¡¯t want to involve unrelated people in Transcendent events.


    The old man fumbled in his coat pocket and pulled out a monocle with a thin gold chain. The delicate chain was clipped to the inside of the pocket on one end, and connected to the frame on the other. The frame was engraved with the name of the God of Wisdom Rahm in ancient Cretan script, along with numerous Holy Symbols. Within the transparent lens, a faint light seemed to shimmer.


    ¡°May wisdom grant me the eye of insight, enlighten my mind, let me see the truth, and penetrate the fog¡­¡±


    Morris whispered a few words of prayer and then placed the monocle over his eye. He then turned his gaze towards the antique shop and ¡°opened¡± his eye that he had sealed voluntarily eleven years ago¡­


    Morris blinked, lowering his gaze to the monocle in his hand, seeing Rahm¡¯s name and the numerous Holy Symbols inscribed upon the frame. Within the transparent lens, a faint light shimmered.


    ¡°May wisdom grant me the eye of insight¡­¡±


    He whispered a few words of prayer, put the monocle over his eye, and raised his head¡­


    Morris blinked, lowering his gaze to the monocle in his hand.


    A sudden cold breeze swept across from the other side of the street, carrying with it a deep murmur. The old scholar abruptly stopped the action he was about to continue, then suddenly lifted his right wrist.


    A bracelet strung with colorful stones and silk thread adorned his wrist, bearing eight stones.


    The chilly wind blew, carrying with it roadside leaves and the cold of deep autumn. The sounds in Morris¡¯s ears seemed to fade away, the hustle and bustle of the street and the distant church bells all seemed as if coming from another world. He heard only his own heart pounding, the sound of his blood pulsing like thunder, and amidst this heartbeat, only the sound from one direction remained clear¨C


    A girl¡¯s voice, cheerful yet a bit anxious, ¡°Uncle, hold on tight! Ah, it¡¯s tilting¡­ the bike is going to fall!¡±


    A middle-aged man¡¯s voice, warm and gentle, with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve got it, it won¡¯t fall¨Cyou just straighten the handlebar¡­ keep pedaling forward, that¡¯s how it is with bicycles, as long as you pedal and hold the handlebar straight, you won¡¯t fall.¡±


    ¡°You have to hold on tight! I¡¯m going forward now!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m right behind you.¡±


    Morris suddenly heard another sound. It was the creaking of bones and joints, and with this sound, his field of vision before his eyes began to shift and turn slightly¨Che took a second to think, and finally realized what was happening.


    He was slowly turning his head, shifting his gaze from the antique shop to the open space in front of the shop door.


    A strong sense of warning surged from his soul. The bracelet, still with eight stones, emitted a low strange moan as if sobbing. Each stone turned searing hot, as if desperately trying to pull a drowning man out of the water, straining against his reason in vain. Morris was still capable of thought; he knew the blessings he had cast upon himself before setting off had been activated and were taking effect, but that was all the thinking he could manage¨Chis neck kept turning, his sight involuntarily focusing on the most dangerous direction.


    Close your eyes! Close your eyes! Close your eyes!


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    Innumerable voices exploded in his mind, yet Morris¡¯s reason could not move his muscles to complete even this simplest of actions. His head turned slowly, and then at last, with his blessed eyes ¡°open,¡± he saw the direction from where the sounds were coming.


    He saw a frenzied, writhing vortex of light and shadow, a mirror that seemed to simultaneously reflect all times and spaces, crushed into fragments. These fragments melded together, forming a barely human silhouette, a giant strewn with starlight on its surface, hunched over carefully¡­


    Assisting with the upsurge of an arcing blaze.


    The world exploded in Morris¡¯s mind, then all went quiet.


    (Time for book recommendation: this time from Bahrun, ¡°The World Doesn¡¯t Need a Succubus to Save It,¡± still by a friend and reader, a fantasy-style light novel with a million words. The main character is a half-succubus male, worth checking out for those interested.)

 Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter 177 Madness Threshold

    Chapter 173: Chapter 177 Madness Threshold


    After a thunderous boom, the world went quiet.


    Maurice felt his consciousness drifting, seemingly completely detached from his shell. He didn¡¯t know where he was, what year it was, and, for an instant¨Cor possibly for a long stretch of years¨Che even forgot his own name. He simply floated, mindlessly, in an abyss of chaos and nothingness, surrounded by incomprehensible streams of light and shadow and a silence as deep as death.


    It took Maurice an excruciatingly long time to piece back together his shattered thoughts and mend the incomplete humanity within him¨C


    He remembered now. His name was Maurice, resident of the Plunder City-State, a historian by trade. Today, he was to visit an antique shop in the Lower City District to discern what nearly claimed his daughter¡¯s life.


    He figured it out.


    It was the warm family of Subspace.


    Countless roars and ear-splitting noises like the earth tearing apart finally erupted again in the void of quiet chaos, things he could now perceive, almost shattering his newly coalesced humanity once more. However, just before total obliteration could occur, he ¡°saw¡± a cloud of chaotic nothingness suddenly converge from all directions, enveloping all his senses.


    This ¡°smoke¡± shielded his mind, isolating him from the surrounding noise and the erratic flow of light and shadows with a protection called ¡°Ignorance and Dullness.¡± Once again capable of thought, Maurice peered through that smoke and noted that he could no longer discern the maddening knowledge and truths. Deep within the endless fog, only a twinkling light captivated his attention.


    It was a glow made of many large and small light sources, with a red light at the center the size of a human head, surrounded by dozens of blue, green, and red specks, flickering rapidly in a pattern that seemed random yet contained some sort of¡­ ¡°reason.¡±


    Amidst the myriad streams of light and shadow, these methodically twinkling lights became the anchor that completely stabilized Maurice¡¯s mind. After a moment of shock, he realized what the flickering lights were¨C


    He was facing the God of Wisdom, Rahm.


    In every university and laboratory of the Academy of Truth, depictions of Rahm were present, and Rahm¡¯s Scripture also contained corresponding verses¨Cthis deity, who held both wisdom and foolishness, bore no human form, hiding in the mist, occasionally revealing an outline that was a plane dotted with lights, with dozens of points circling a round glow.


    ¡°My Lord!¡± Maurice jolted to attention, quickly paying homage to the matrix of lights that had sheltered him, ¡°Are You guiding me?¡±


    However, those flickering ¡°lamps¡± didn¡¯t respond to the old scholar, only emitting a vague, deep tremor. After some time passed, Maurice finally heard Rahm¡¯s ¡°voice¡± in the recesses of his mind¨C


    ¡°Return, touch, understand, convey¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Maurice looked at the cluster of lights, perplexed. He couldn¡¯t comprehend Rahm¡¯s intentions, but the elusive God of Wisdom didn¡¯t grant him the opportunity to inquire further¨Cwithin the next second, a strong rejection surged, and in an instant, Maurice was ¡°ejected¡± from this chaotic and terrifying place.


    His body wobbled, his brain seething like boiling liquid, as the mundane world¡¯s information flooded his senses¨Cthe cacophony of traffic on the streets, the distant tolling of bells, the chill wind, the clear ring of a bicycle bell.


    Then came the rapidly approaching footsteps, the concerned voice of a girl¨Cvery familiar, it was his ¡°student.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Maurice?! What brought you here¡­ Are you alright?¡±


    Maurice, in a daze, looked up to see Nina standing before him, but in the next second, the girl in front of him transformed into a blaze of arcing flames, its surroundings engulfed in ashes that seemed to cover the entire City-State¨Cthen morphed back into human form.


    His gaze rigidly shifted to the side, spotting a giant shimmering with starlight looming over him. The giant¡¯s interior swarmed with maddening light and shadow, yet this giant suddenly turned into a middle-aged man with a familiar face, looking down at him with concern, his eyes filled with the shadows of Subspace.


    The distant streets trembled, the ground beneath his feet writhed, the storefronts¡¯ windows and doors went from normal to void-like black caverns, the sky hung down askew, cascading flames and amorphous limbs flickered in and out of the clouds; a passerby on a bicycle rushed past nearby, his body momentarily transforming into fragmented concrete before returning to normal.


    Maurice struggled to lower his gaze to his wrist.


    On it was a bracelet strung with colorful stones, four in total.


    But the stones didn¡¯t continue to crumble, nor did his sanity slide any further towards madness. The world in his eyes was severely distorted, yet his ability to think and judge had recovered¡­ at least partly.


    The old scholar swiftly discerned his current state¨Cunder the protection of Rahm, he had attained a temporary balance known as the ¡°Madness Threshold.¡±


    He had gone mad¨Cyet the god allowed his madness to assume the guise of sanity.


    Perhaps he could recover, but he must find a way to do so before Rahm¡¯s protection ended, before all the pebbles shattered; otherwise, the temporary Madness Threshold might collapse at any moment, and no one would be able to rescue his sanity from the frenzy.


    As Morris pondered slowly and with difficulty, Nina and Duncan were also looking with concern at the old man, whose state was clearly askew.


    They had been practicing cycling when they suddenly saw Morris standing on the empty ground next to them. Nina had intended to run over to greet him but realized halfway that something was wrong with the old man¡¯s expression.


    Blank, hazy, unresponsive to the world around him, he looked as though he was standing asleep with his eyes open.


    ¡°Could it be sudden dementia?¡± Duncan muttered, waving his hand in front of Morris¡¯s face, then turned to look at Nina, ¡°Has your teacher been like this at the Academy these past few days?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Nina shook her head, supporting the old man¡¯s arm as she spoke, ¡°The teacher has always been in good health; how could he suddenly become demented!¡±


    ¡°People of advanced age are unpredictable,¡± Duncan said, taking the other arm of Morris and then glancing up at the sky, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk here any longer, looks like it¡¯s about to rain; let¡¯s get the old man inside first.¡±


    ¡°Nina responded with a sound of understanding and together with Duncan, they supported the bewildered Morris into the shop. She then ran back to the open space outside, moving the bicycle indoors.


    Duncan eased Morris down on a chair beside the counter. At this moment, it seemed as though the old man regained a bit of his ability to think. He sat down with a rigid expression, his head slowly turning left and right until his gaze finally settled on Duncan.


    ¡°Return, touch, understand, transmit¡­¡±


    Rahm¡¯s voice resonated abruptly in his mind.


    The vestiges of Morris¡¯s sanity seemed to grasp these few words.


    Was this the will of the God of Wisdom? To continue contact with this¡­ ¡°entity¡± in front of him?


    In Morris¡¯s eyes, Duncan momentarily stabilized into a human shape. Although all the scenery around him continued to tremble and warp, at least he could not see the true form of the stellar giant for the moment, and reason was gradually gaining the upper hand.


    Morris had realized that this ordinary-looking ¡°antique shop owner¡± definitely should not exist in the real world.


    And even his ¡°student,¡± the girl who always smiled gently, eternally sunny and optimistic, was not a normal human being.


    To keep staying here, to keep interacting with this ¡°family¡± meant he might soon surpass the balance point of the Madness Threshold and slide into the abyss of permanent madness.


    Yet the voice of the God of Wisdom seemed to take root in his mind, compelling him to sit motionless. Meanwhile, a more audacious thought began to gradually fill his heart.


    In the ¡°Madness Threshold¡± under divine protection, even if his sanity veered toward lunacy, it would not completely lose control. As long as he didn¡¯t cross that critical point, he could even confront the Subspace while maintaining his self, preserving his humanity¡­


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    It was said that the greatest yet maddest seekers of knowledge in the Cretan Kingdom would actively use this, and after a lifetime¡¯s preparation, they would embrace the ¡°Madness Threshold¡± through potions and rituals. In the sole opportunity of their lives, they would peer into the truths of Subspace and bring precious knowledge back to the human world, then nobly accept death.


    Now, it seemed he stood on the same ¡°battlefield¡± where those sages of the Cretan era once stood.


    Slowly, a change came over the old gentleman¡¯s blank and stiff face. He began to smile, his cloudy eyes looking at Duncan, and he spoke slowly, ¡°Good day, Mr. Duncan.¡±


    Duncan looked at the changes in the old man¡¯s expression and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.


    This old man¡­ why does his smile suddenly seem so terrifying?

 Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter 178: Friendly

    Chapter 174: Chapter 178: Friendly


    Duncan cautiously observed the old man¡¯s expression before him. The eerie feeling had not dissipated since it had begun, and he could clearly tell that there was something off about Morris¡¯s current state. Unfortunately, he was not a doctor.


    ¡°Should I look for a doctor?¡± he asked with concern. ¡°How are you feeling now? Do you have dizziness or nausea, or perhaps you feel mentally absent?¡±


    Morris rubbed his forehead.


    In his ears, Duncan¡¯s voice seemed to mingle with a thousand overlapping screeches, and alongside the sound waves entering his ears came dazzling, colorful ¡°information¡± which seemed filled with knowledge incomprehensible to humans. Each moment tested his mind, but even on the brink of the Madness Threshold, he managed to maintain his sanity and slowly shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just need a little rest¡­¡±


    This being before him, whose true nature he did not know, had shown him concern. However, Morris dared not ponder what the ¡°true situation¡± under this facade of care might be. Perhaps a thousand eyes were watching him, or swarms of wriggling teeth and tongues? Were those caring words whispers from Subspace, or howls from the Mysterious Deep Sea? He thanked God Rahm for this moment of foolishness, sparing him from overly focusing on that truth.


    He simply tried to respond normally, on a human level.


    Meanwhile, he attempted to actively shut down the ¡°Eye of Truth¡± he had opened upon alighting from the car¨Ca divinely endowed ability that followers of the God of Wisdom beckon when exploring the world. However, it seemed now¡­ its cost was indeed worthy of the dangers bestowed by the four gods.


    He failed. The Eye of Truth had opened and could not be closed in a short time¨Cand what use would closing it be? His mind, sinking into Madness Threshold, wouldn¡¯t simply recover upon closing his eyes¡­


    Morris thought sluggishly, pausing a while before slowly beginning, ¡°I¡­ just came to say thanks¡­ Oh yes, thanks¨C for my daughter, once again I thank you for your help in the museum, she asked me¡­¡±


    He suddenly stumbled, hesitating for several seconds before continuing, ¡°She asked me to bring a letter over, it¡¯s in my pocket.¡±


    The old man groped, taking out a carefully sealed envelope from his pocket and handing it to Duncan who opened it in front of him. It contained a report on Nina¡¯s physical and mental health along with ¡°doctor¡¯s recommendations.¡±


    This was a summary Heidi had made after hypnotically treating Nina last time; she had mentioned her intention to send a letter specifically about it, which Duncan remembered.


    ¡°No need for so much courtesy. At that time, stepping in to help was my instinctive reaction,¡± Duncan put away the letter, earnestly speaking to Morris, ¡°Also, please thank Miss Heidi for me¨CNina¡¯s been much better since the hypnosis session, and she hasn¡¯t had those strange dreams these days.¡±


    Morris nodded, pressing his temples with his fingers, guiding himself to not stare into Duncan¡¯s eyes while forming his words, ¡°And how have you been these days?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m doing well,¡± Duncan felt a bit perplexed, thinking the way the old man started the conversation was odd, ¡°Healthy, spirited, good spirits¨Cjust that today¡¯s awful weather is a bit depressing, nothing else is wrong.¡±


    Weather?


    Could this minor change in weather really make an Evil God feel ¡°depressed¡±¨Cwas this the latest joke in Subspace?


    Morris felt a bit better than before and even found himself inwardly murmuring to these words from Duncan. Meanwhile, he heard Nina¡¯s voice not far away, ¡°Uncle! I¡¯ve parked the bike and closed the shop door! The wind is getting stronger¡­ How is Mr. Morris doing?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s much better, but he didn¡¯t tell me about any discomfort just now,¡± Duncan looked back at Nina approaching, ¡°Maybe later you can stay with the old man, and I¡¯ll send an ¡®express message¡¯ or a telegram to Miss Heidi to come over¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯m fine,¡± Morris suddenly raised his voice, waving his hands urgently before Duncan could finish, ¡°Don¡¯t make her come over, it¡¯s just an old problem, I just need to rest for a while.¡±


    Duncan was startled by the old man¡¯s sudden intense reaction, and after surveying Morris and confirming his condition and demeanor, he nodded, ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t go. Nina, go upstairs and make some soup, a warm meal might make Mr. Morris feel better.¡±


    Nina blinked, slightly confused as she scanned between Duncan and Morris, feeling an odd atmosphere but soon nodded obediently, ¡°Oh!¡±


    The girl cheerfully ran up the stairs, her footsteps gradually fading away.


    And as Nina left, Morris also felt a slight decrease in his mental pressure¨Calthough compared to the immense pressure brought by Duncan, this relief was almost negligible. Yet, he still sighed in relief.


    Subsequently, the elderly man who deals with history daily paused for a moment, then cautiously chose his words before saying, ¡°Was my behavior just now inappropriate?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes remained focused on Maurice¡¯s changes. Initially, he found the other¡¯s words and deeds peculiar today, but gradually, he seemed to discern a familiar ¡°feeling¡± from the old man¡¯s reaction. While recalling where this sense of familiarity came from, he casually replied, ¡°It was indeed strange, so what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Maurice fell silent for two or three seconds before he spoke again, his voice low and cautious, ¡°My profession often deals with history and knowledge, which makes my mind occasionally quite sensitive.¡±


    He was just trying to probe, to see what the attitude of this ¡°Subspace existence,¡± who always appeared amicable and hadn¡¯t caused any trouble here, was really like.


    Upon hearing this meaningful statement, Duncan immediately furrowed his brows; suddenly, he knew what that familiar feeling was about!


    Maurice¡¯s strange reaction had also occurred in another familiar ¡°person¡±¡­ A Dog!


    The Abyssal Hound beside Sherry, that Profound Demon with the special ¡°True Sight¡±! A Dog was similarly terrified and anxious when it saw him¨Cbecause it could see some ¡°true circumstances¡± beneath his human exterior. However, the difference is that A Dog is a Profound Demon with a very high resistance to corruption, whereas Maurice is a fragile human, making the latter¡¯s reaction more intense, which means¡­


    Duncan faintly guessed the truth and immediately looked up into Maurice¡¯s eyes, ¡°You saw something you shouldn¡¯t have, right?¡±


    Maurice gently inhaled a breath of cold air.


    But the next second, the anticipated apocalypse did not descend¨Cquite the contrary, he felt the mental strain he was enduring quickly diminishing, even to the extent that he could bear it as a human without the protection of Rahm!


    Without a sound, Duncan transferred his ¡°main consciousness¡± to the Homeloss, controlling the antique shop¡¯s shell through ¡°remote¡± techniques used only within the Spirit Realm.


    Through the practice over this period, he could still command the distant body and sense its surroundings, even while remotely controlling it; the only effect was that the power he could employ was somewhat weaker¨Cbut there were no enemies here anyway.


    He wanted to see if this could make Maurice feel a bit better.


    ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s deep, gentle voice arose from the side, startling Maurice back to awareness.


    The elderly man quickly looked up and saw Duncan¡¯s stable, clear, and harmless human form, while, from the corner of his eye, he noticed that the surroundings had also stabilized.


    The chaotic lights and shadows had disappeared, the noise was gradually subsiding, and the torn houses, flowing flames, and wriggling, distorted dark entities had all vanished from view¨Chis mental state was rapidly recovering, and the dangerously close Madness Threshold showed signs of improvement.


    He looked incredulously at Duncan, who then nodded apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I hadn¡¯t expected a human to have such a ¡®keen eye¡¯¨CI¡¯ve only ever scared a Profound Demon before, but their nerves are much tougher than humans¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ am much better,¡± Maurice swallowed, finding recovery not particularly pleasant as he could feel his heart beating as if it would burst, but nonetheless, it did restore most of his cognitive abilities¨Cand allowed him to extract useful information from Duncan¡¯s words, ¡°I¡­ Ah, I hadn¡¯t thought I¡¯d see your true form, I¡¯ve become too complacent in life away from my faith over the years¡­¡±


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    Duncan paid no mind to Maurice¡¯s mutterings.


    He was thinking rapidly, considering how to resolve the situation at hand.


    After all, this great historian was no A Dog¡­ While the latter could be frightened into compliance, such brusque tactics would not work with the old gentleman.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious,¡± he suddenly said amid his thoughts, ¡°why can you see?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Maurice opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, then honestly confessed, ¡°I am a follower of Rahm, the God of Wisdom.¡±

 Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Chapter 179: One Should Have Some Self-Awareness

    Chapter 175: Chapter 179: One Should Have Some Self-Awareness


    Duncan recalled the content he had seen in books.


    The God of Wisdom Rahm, one of the four gods who sheltered the world during the Mysterious Deep Sea era, held two contradictory powers just like the Storm Goddess and the Master of Death¨Che was the giver of wisdom but also bore the holy names of ¡°The God of Foolishness¡± or ¡°Gospel of Dullness.¡±


    The number of Believers following this deity was small, and they often required stringent tests before they were allowed to convert, but once they successfully took refuge in this god, Believers would receive two types of blessings.


    The first was wisdom, allowing mortals to perceive the truth, grasp knowledge, more easily understand the operation of all things, and discern realities that might interfere with their fate.


    The second was dullness, which could erect a barrier called ¡°ignorance,¡± keeping people away from truths that were too premature, away from the pollution and temptation of Subspace¨Cin this dangerously enveloping world, the dull were the most blissful and fortunate.


    Clearly, during the Mysterious Deep Sea era¨Cwhere abnormalities and otherworldly manifestations abounded, madness lay beneath the deep sea, and ominous clouds crowded the surface¨Cthe significance of the two blessings bestowed by Rahm was profound¨Calthough there were few Believers of the God of Wisdom, they were without exception the elite of civilization.


    Sounds of Nina bustling in the kitchen above and the gradually decreasing noise of horses and carriages on the street outside could be heard, making the ground floor of the antiques store seem exceptionally comfortable and quiet amidst these everyday sounds.


    Duncan sat behind the counter, fingers of both hands interlaced on the surface, thoughtfully sizing up Mr. Morris.


    The blessing of the God of Wisdom was a good thing, but evidently, His followers, due to their professional habits and the instinctive pursuit of knowledge, faced even greater dangers in their everyday lives.


    Even gods couldn¡¯t stop a wipe-triggering output¨Cif this old gentleman, a historical researcher, were in another script, he likely would have grown tentacles a foot long by now.


    By that point, Duncan had already realized what was happening. He was somewhat confident about his own special nature, but at this moment, he was more curious than anything, ¡°Can all Believers of the God of Wisdom see through my situation like you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid only those who are the most outstanding and most favored by the God of Wisdom can¡­¡± Morris rubbed his head, the sound of Duncan¡¯s voice still mixed with some piercing noise to his ears, but fortunately, most of it was already comprehensible to humans, ¡°You might find it ironic¡­ but most Believers of Rahm aren¡¯t actually qualified¡­ to have their minds taken by you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you are especially blessed,¡± Duncan muttered with a slightly odd expression, especially when he said the word ¡°blessed,¡± which felt awkward no matter how he thought about it, ¡°Your place¡¯s ¡®blessings¡¯ are really fatal¡­ Wait a second, why weren¡¯t you affected last time you came?¡±


    Morris was somewhat surprised, unsure whether Duncan truly didn¡¯t know or was maliciously pretending to be an ignorant mortal, but under the current circumstances, he dared not let his thoughts wander and could only concentrate as he answered, ¡°Even Believers blessed by Rahm aren¡¯t always using the ¡®Eye of Truth.¡¯ Last time I came, I didn¡¯t use any Divine Power, but this time¡­¡±


    The old man gave a wry smile and raised his hand to point at his eye¨Cthe monocle previously used to enhance the ritual¡¯s effect had been removed, yet one of his eyes still shimmered with a faint white light; a floating halo could also be seen between the sclera and the pupil, which was quite distinguishable when looked at closely.


    Duncan was curious, ¡°¡­So you can¡¯t terminate this effect now?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve tried, to no avail,¡± Morris shook his head, ¡°And even if I succeeded, it would not make much difference. I have already seen¡­ your form.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m really sorry, I didn¡¯t want this,¡± Duncan felt a bit guilty, ¡°Will you recover after you go back, or will you need some special Treatment?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Morris opened his mouth, feeling especially strange. In his earlier years, he had imagined whether his constant study of history might cause him to establish a connection with some eerie and dangerous entity, and what a terrifying face-to-face encounter with an entity from Mysterious Deep Sea or Subspace would be like, yet he never expected this situation¨C


    He truly saw a madness-inducing Subspace Shadow, and this ¡°Shadow¡± was polite, even cordially concerned about a human who was frightened by ¡°It.¡±


    But the concern from a being from Subspace¡­ was it really the kind of concern that humans could understand?


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the old man finally shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m much better now. After you withdrew your¡­ presence, I think I should be alright.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Seems like I¡¯ll have to be careful when I move around the City-State in the future¨Cthere are individuals like you with keen eyes among the humans, and that¡¯s a troublesome matter,¡± Duncan nodded, then asked with some curiosity, ¡°So to speak, you didn¡¯t come today just to ¡®have a look¡¯ by passing by¨Cwhy did you open your ¡®Eye of Truth¡¯ outside the antique store, what were you looking for?¡±


    A pang of alarm struck Morris¡¯s heart.


    He met Duncan¡¯s gaze, and all he saw was an ordinary middle-aged face with a touch of curiosity and concern. However, around this face, in between the shelves behind him, those trembling, distorted things began to emerge little by little.


    Not until Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly rose again did the distortions in Maurice¡¯s vision once again restore to their original state.


    ¡°You¡¯re hesitating, you have concerns, you don¡¯t want to answer this question,¡± Duncan read the emotions in the old gentleman¡¯s eyes, while his own heart began to form an answer, ¡°Does it have something to do with Miss Heidi?¡±


    ¡°How did you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Heidi is a spiritual therapist, and it seems she¡¯s also a believer of Rahm¨Cthough she doesn¡¯t seem as ¡®seasoned¡¯ as you,¡± Duncan replied indifferently, ¡°Now that I think about it, she seemed a bit off when she left with Miss Fenna last time¡­ Considering your reaction to my question just now, it¡¯s not hard to make the connection.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, as you said,¡± Maurice sighed, knowing he could no longer hide the truth, ¡°After Heidi returned, I discovered a layer of her mental protection had been breached. At the time, I thought it was due to something dangerous in this antiquity store; I hadn¡¯t expected¡­¡±


    He sighed again, looking across at Duncan.


    But Duncan was already frowning.


    Heidi¡­ That young spiritual therapist had only performed a hypnosis treatment on Nina in the antiquity store, and her mental protection was breached?


    He had no knowledge of this incident¨CHeidi herself didn¡¯t seem to have noticed at the time!


    Maurice looked uneasily at the middle-aged man across the counter, who seemed lost in thought. Not daring to intrude with questions, he took advantage of the brief silence to control his own thoughts, repairing the damage to his mind, while sneakily glancing at the pebble bracelet on his wrist.


    There were still four colored pebbles.


    The protection from Rahm was very calm.


    Finally, he let out a slight sigh of relief, and at that moment, Duncan finally lifted his head from his contemplation.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything, does she?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Heidi doesn¡¯t know anything,¡± Maurice quickly responded, his mind clear as usual when it came to matters involving his daughter, ¡°She didn¡¯t even realize her protection had been damaged, let alone knowing why I came here today¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t bother her. I just want to express my apologies to you,¡± Duncan said politely, ¡°Consider it a repayment for the help you offered at the museum that time.¡±


    At this point, he paused, and a question sparked his curiosity, ¡°Could you describe in detail what you saw just now¨Cif it¡¯s not too much trouble?¡±


    Maurice didn¡¯t respond immediately, so Duncan explained, ¡°I¡¯m very curious to know how I appear in the eyes of different ¡®Observers¡¯¨Ca mirror can¡¯t resolve this.¡±


    Duncan was genuinely curious about this matter, and understanding his ¡°true form¡± as seen by others might even help him to master his special powers and unravel the mysteries of his being more quickly.


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    Maurice hesitated for a moment, the non-human horror he had seen at the door of the antique store flashed through his mind once more, even unsettling his recently calmed mind. Yet under Duncan¡¯s intense gaze, he eventually swallowed and began to speak in a low voice:


    ¡°I¡­ saw you as a giant filled with chaotic light streams, draped in starlight, standing on a twisted, bizarre street. You were supporting Nina¨Cshe was an arc of flame erupting violently¡­¡±


    Duncan had been nodding slowly while listening to the first part, thinking that his image indeed matched his reputation in the Endless Sea. But upon hearing the latter part, his eyes suddenly bulged, and he nearly choked, ¡°Cough¡­ cough cough¡­ What did you say? What is Nina in your eyes?!¡±


    Startled, Maurice responded without thinking much, ¡°An¡­ an arc of flame erupting violently¡­ Is there a problem?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter 180: Historians Speak of History

    Chapter 176: Chapter 180: Historians Speak of History


    What¡¯s the problem? This is a huge problem!!


    Duncan stared at the old man before him, and quickly realized that Maurice did not understand what the jetting flame stream he saw meant¨Cthis scholar did not know about the Sun Shard, and he very likely mistook Nina for another ¡°Transcendent being,¡± such as Duncan¡¯s own follower, or something else that had escaped from Subspace.


    Indeed, that¡¯s what Maurice thought. The moment he saw the jetting flame stream, he regarded his ¡°student¡± as a being similar to Duncan. As to why this ¡°Subspace family¡± looked like a giant in one instance and like a flame in another, he didn¡¯t think too deeply about it¨CSubspace oddities were the norm, after all, and that place wasn¡¯t known to have any living people; the big shots could look however they wanted¡­


    However, now that he saw Duncan¡¯s reaction, Maurice finally started to vaguely realize that the situation might be different from what he had guessed.


    ¡°Nina, she¡­¡± The old man hesitated to speak. After experiencing that kind of fear and shock just now, he actually felt a trace of worry¨Cworry for his student.


    He even found this concern a bit laughable because that jetting flame stream¡­ whatever it was, clearly seemed powerful beyond belief. Such a powerful entity could not possibly still be his fragile and ordinary student.


    Duncan shook his head.


    ¡°Nina is different from me¨Cshe¡¯s a normal person, always has been,¡± he said slowly, his expression very serious, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know that there¡¯s anything special about her. As for the flame stream you mentioned¡­ that might be ¡®something else.''¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    Duncan looked at Maurice for a while before deciding not to bring up the Sun Shard directly. Instead, he abruptly changed the subject, ¡°Do you know about the so-called ¡®True Sun God¡¯ worshipped by the Sun Cultists?¡±


    ¡°True Sun God?¡± Maurice frowned, not understanding why the other party suddenly steered the conversation in this direction, but he quickly responded, ¡°Of course, I have some understanding. After all, those Heretics have been around for a long time, and many of their sacrificial activities are actually part of historical research.


    ¡°The True Sun God is how they refer to their deity, but usually, followers of the orthodox gods don¡¯t speak of it that way¨Cwe call it the ¡®Black Sun¡¯ or ¡®Dark Sun God,¡¯ and in some older texts, ancient scholars referred to Him as the ¡®Wriggling Solar Disk.''¡±


    ¡°Wriggling Solar Disk?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows. He had heard of the Black Sun, but this name was new to him, and it instantly reminded him of the sight he once saw through that Sun Mask¨Can impressive corona covering decaying limbs, a burning, bizarre ancient god.


    ¡°Yes, outside the professional field, this name is rarely mentioned because it¡¯s a record passed down from the time of the Ancient Kingdom, and the original manuscript was written in Cretan script. This led to the name ¡®Wriggling Solar Disk¡¯ having an esoteric inclination, and widespread dissemination among common folks might have detrimental effects.¡±


    Maurice nodded, detailing this aspect while discussing academic field matters. It was as if he had forgotten the terrifying ¡°reality¡± behind Duncan and had returned to the days when he had visited the antique shop, conversing joyfully with the shopkeeper.


    He even felt as if the buzzing noise in his head had unwittingly disappeared.


    ¡°Ancient Crete Kingdom¡­¡± Duncan exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Those Heretics who worship the Sun God have such a long history?!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, although it¡¯s unbelievable, those who worship the Wriggling Solar Disk can even be traced back to the heyday of the Ancient Kingdom. And considering that the phenomenon 001-True Sun rose from the sea after the collapse of the Ancient Crete Kingdom¡­¡± Maurice paused for a moment, seemingly conflicted for a few seconds before he continued, ¡°The truth is, the orthodox academic world and the Church of the Four Gods have always been reluctant to discuss this issue directly¨Cconsidering the time period when the phenomenon sun rose, the faith in the Black Sun actually pre-dates the history of phenomenon 001¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t make a sound for a while.


    The history of the Black Sun being older than the history of the phenomenon sun is a very logical fact, yet one that even the Church of the Four Gods is reluctant to acknowledge.


    Acknowledging this fact meant acknowledging another¨Cthe claim made by the Sun Cultists was true:


    ¡°The True Sun God was the real sun in the Ancient Era, and the later veiled sun was a ¡®blasphemous creation¡¯ that had stolen the sun¡¯s sovereignty.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, what those Sun Cultists say is true, before the Deep Sea Era, it was their ¡®Lord¡¯ who illuminated this world,¡± after remaining silent for half a minute, Duncan suddenly spoke, ¡°If we go by the standard of ¡®antiquity equates legitimacy,¡¯ they are the orthodox.¡±


    ¡°The academic community is riddled with factions and manifold theories, and this is the most heretical of all¨Ctheories so heretical they almost step into the realm of apostasy,¡± Maurice sighed, ¡°but the existence of many manuscripts from the Ancient Crete Kingdom makes this issue unavoidable.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say those heretics possess some truth,¡± Duncan shook his head slightly, ¡°but this doesn¡¯t change the fact that their beliefs are now very dangerous to the world, after all, regardless of what their Lord was like before the Deep Sea Era, His current state¡­ tsk tsk.¡±


    Maurice listened, then suddenly realized.


    He woke from the calm aura of discussing academic matters with an acquaintance, looked at Duncan with uncertainty, and asked, ¡°Wait, are you implying¡­ could it be that you¡­¡±


    ¡°I happened to have seen Him once,¡± Duncan thought for a moment, feeling it was necessary to share some substantial information with the old gentleman, as he had freeloaded so much knowledge from the scholar, ¡°How should I put it¡­ it was so pitiful that I couldn¡¯t bear to look, and there was no hope of recovery. I don¡¯t believe the actions of those Sun Cultists can save their Lord¨Crather, I think they¡¯re pushing their Lord towards an even more deranged and distorted direction.¡±


    He paused, then looked at the opposite gentleman, ¡°Would you like me to describe what He looks like now? Maybe you could have some spiritual¡­¡±


    Maurice had felt his mind trembling since Duncan had started speaking, and now, seizing the brief pause, he suddenly exclaimed, ¡°No need!¡±


    Then, as if he felt this was somewhat offensive, he quickly coughed twice, and said with a serious and reverent face, ¡°This is not the knowledge I should come into contact with.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Oh right, sorry,¡± Duncan was taken aback, realizing his mistake, and quickly waved his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss this subject anymore. Let¡¯s talk about the Black Sun belief in the real world¨Cthose heretics are always trying to resurrect their master, but their crude and brutal human sacrifices never work. Historically, have they ever achieved any ¡®results¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The havoc wrought by the Sun Heretics is not small, but to truly speak of ¡®resurrecting the Sun,¡¯ how could such a thing be within mortal power?¡± Maurice recalled, speaking slowly, ¡°To my knowledge, there are only a few instances on record where the power of the Black Sun has manifested on a large scale in history.


    ¡°The earliest record is from the end of the Chaotic Dynasty, after the collapse of the Ancient Crete Kingdom, when many City-States were constantly breaking out in turmoil and famine. The Sun Heretics took advantage of the chaos and created a bloody great sacrifice in a City-State called ¡®Charon¡¯; later, they summoned a giant living Fireball that floated above Charon for five days before dissipating, ultimately melting the entire City-State into a slab of glass.


    ¡°Another incident occurred during the Classical City-State Era, with the specific causes now unclear. The result was that several small City-States on the edge of civilization disappeared overnight¨Ceyewitness records indicate that a gigantic glowing rift appeared in the sky, with a sun-wheel rising from within; the City-States were pulled out of the sea by tremendous gravity, torn into thin strips, and then fell into it.


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    ¡°The most recent incident occurred at the beginning of the New City-State Era and is the most mysterious one, because that disaster left no eyewitness reports, no damage reports, no evidence, no records, no one knew or remembered it, and it¡¯s even uncertain in what year and where exactly it happened¡­¡±


    Duncan listened with astonishment until he couldn¡¯t resist speaking up, ¡°Nobody knows it happened? How can it be called a large-scale manifestation of the Black Sun¡¯s power? Do people even know which City-State was attacked?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s that eerie. It goes beyond the realm that a regular scholar would study, but my position at the Academy of Truth has allowed me access to some relevant documents,¡± Maurice nodded, speaking with grave sincerity, ¡°That incident did indeed happen, because one morning, the most sacred ¡®Pillar of Annals¡¯ in the Fire Transmitter Church suddenly bore a line of text.


    ¡°That line referred to a City-State that didn¡¯t exist at all, consisting of just one sentence:


    ¡®Wilhelm¡¯s final message, the Black Sun descends from the annals of history, we have failed.''¡±

 Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Chapter 181: History, Pollution, and Black Sun

    Chapter 177: Chapter 181: History, Pollution, and Black Sun


    ¡°On the ¡®Pillar of Eras,¡¯ a line of text suddenly appeared¨Cabout a City-State unknown to all, a battle unknown to all, a failure and sacrifice unknown to all¨Ca piece of history that existed in no one¡¯s memory, leaving behind only the faintest imprint after its demise.


    And even this exceedingly brief sentence, I¡¯m afraid, was conveyed to the real world at the cost of countless lives of the Fire Transmitters.


    After hearing Morris¡¯s words, Duncan briefly fell into a baffled silence before plunging into deep thought.


    Church of the Fire Transmitters¡­ He knew the general situation of the sect.


    After learning that there was a ¡°Faith of the Four Gods¡± in this world, he became deeply interested in these gods who had a tremendous influence on the workings of the mortal realm. Morris had previously sent him a book that contained much information about the Church of the Four Gods, so he had come to understand the churches of the four major gods, among which he thought the Fire Transmitters were the most unique.


    The core belief of the Fire Transmitters, or perhaps their ¡®faith,¡¯ differed starkly from those of the other three gods. The concepts of storm, wisdom, and death followed by the other three god¡¯s believers were relatively easier to comprehend, whereas what the Fire Transmitters followed was ¡®history,¡¯ a more elusive matter.


    History is the memory of civilization, passed down through the ages like a torch¨Cthis was the core of the Fire Transmitters¡¯ faith. They believed that civilization began with ¡®fire¡¯ and that ¡®fire¡¯ symbolizes its continuation to this day. Countless threats in the world attempt to disrupt or distort the transmission of this torch, and combating these threats to ensure the stable continuation of civilization¡¯s torch was their mission.


    The Fire Transmitters followed and worshipped the ¡®Ever-Burning Torch¡¯ Tarrikin, a giant who stood at the beginning of civilization. It was said that He retained and guarded the first bonfire ignited by mortals, incorporating this bonfire as part of His own body. He discerned the correct history from the leaps and branches of flames and engraved it onto His own body. As civilization progressed, this giant grew ever larger. Once He reached His limit, the civilization of mortal men would achieve true safety, with no one able to threaten the correct continuation of history, not even the Subspace.


    This was the original text in the book that Morris had brought, and it was also the most important passage in the ¡®Scripture of the Torch¡¯ held by the Fire Transmitters.


    To Duncan, the last part of these descriptions seemed like just wishful thinking by the believers, a pie in the sky drawn by the church, whose credibility was questionable. However, the descriptions of ¡®Fire Transmitters guarding history¡¯ were likely true.


    History can be corrupted, and naturally, it can be protected, and vice versa.


    ¡°¡­So they¡¯ve done this once before¡­¡± Duncan suddenly muttered thoughtfully.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Morris, who hadn¡¯t caught on in time, asked, ¡°They¡¯ve done it once before? What do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just talking to myself,¡± Duncan shook his head slightly, looking very seriously at the elderly man before him, ¡°The intelligence you¡¯ve brought is extremely important.¡±


    ¡°The intelligence I brought?¡± Morris was a bit confused, ¡°Do you mean the third record I mentioned? The one that appeared on the Fire Transmitters¡¯ Pillar of Eras?¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, then suddenly frowned again, ¡°But there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about. Does the Black Sun have the authority to corrupt history?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Morris hesitated, clearly, this was somewhat beyond his expertise as a ¡®history specialist,¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not very clear about the authority issue of the Black Sun. Probably only those experts who specialize in combating the Evil God would know. But as far as I know, theoretically, the Black Sun shouldn¡¯t have this ability¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded thoughtfully, while Morris looked somewhat uneasily at the man before him, who seemed to be contemplating as the ¡®Subspace Shadow.¡¯


    ¡®Mr. Duncan¡¯ had been very polite and patient all along, discussing academic issues with him, asking questions and thinking from time to time, just like the last time he visited the antique shop. However, the visions and noises that occasionally appeared in Morris¡¯s mind still continuously reminded him, making him realize that he was walking on the edge of the Abyss.


    ¡®Mr. Duncan¡¯ seemed to have developed an interest in the Fire Transmitters, in the ¡®corruption and protection of history.¡¯ Why was that? Was this being, who possibly hailed from Subspace, planning something? Was God of Wisdom Rahm asking him to stay in contact with them to gather information on this matter? What was the relationship between this Subspace Shadow and the God of Wisdom? Could it be some kind of opposition?


    Was he now participating in the machinations of gods? Was he acting as the ¡®eyes and ears¡¯ of the God of Wisdom spying on his opponents?¡±


    Chaotic thoughts ebbed and surged in Morris¡¯s mind, and he became increasingly cautious. Upon realizing the ¡°role¡± he might take on, he even developed a sense of mission, feeling as if Rahm stood right behind him, observing ¡°Mr. Duncan¡± through his eyes.


    Meanwhile, as the old man was lost in thoughts, Duncan finally ended his contemplation. He suddenly looked up, half curious and half wistful, and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s incredible that those ¡®Sun Heretics¡¯ have caused so much trouble and still thrive to this day¡­ Have the normal folks in every City-State never thought of completely exterminating these lunatics?¡±


    ¡°Exterminating an Evil God Cult is not so easy,¡± Morris awoke from his reflections, shaking his head subconsciously, ¡°The heretics¡¯ beliefs seep in like mercury, infiltrating everywhere. No matter how many you eliminate, there will always be new ones emerging. Ultimately, this is because their ¡®deity¡¯ behind them is still active¨Cwhile the corresponding Evil God still exists, the corruption and infiltration into mortals will never cease. You should know, even if every adult in a City-State dies, leaving only the purest newborns, among those newborns, there will naturally arise minds that have been bewitched¡­¡±


    Morris spoke and shook his head, ¡°Some people just live their lives normally, being honest and diligent for most of their lives, but because of a moment of weakness in some failure, a flicker of fear in some terror, or having seen or heard something they shouldn¡¯t have, they can become heretics overnight, filling their minds with forbidden knowledge, donning black robes, becoming followers of the Evil God. How can we ever completely clean up such heretical corruption?¡±


    At this, the old man glanced at Duncan involuntarily, his gaze turning a bit peculiar.


    Duncan looked puzzled, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Forgive my impudence,¡± Morris took a deep breath and mustered his courage, ¡°but you should be quite familiar with this kind of corruption among mortals, right?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t catch on at first, it took him two seconds to realize what Morris meant, then he looked helpless, ¡°I don¡¯t engage in that¨CI¡¯m usually very law-abiding, and when I see heretics, I immediately report them to the nearest sheriff.¡±


    Morris: ¡°¡­?¡±


    The old gentleman clearly had a lot to say but dared not utter a word.


    Feeling the topic was off-track, Duncan quickly waved his hand before Morris could speak, ¡°I understand what you mean, that the followers of the Evil God are just ¡®manifestations¡¯, the biggest issue is the ¡®Evil God¡¯ itself can¡¯t be eliminated, so their corruption keeps spawning new generations of cultists like a lingering poison, and the guardians can fight for ten thousand years but can¡¯t clean them up¡­ But is the influence of the Black Sun really that strong? I¡¯ve seen that unfortunate being, He¡¯s nearly dead, can barely interact with the mortal realm, even speaking to me requires borrowing light to revive, and yet He still contaminates the mortal world?¡±


    Morris¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily, ¡°The state of the Black Sun might be bad in your eyes, but we¡­ are just fragile mortals¡­¡±


    Duncan felt an indescribable strangeness in his heart and wanted to say to the old man on the spot, ¡°I am also a human, what part of me doesn¡¯t look human?¡± but considering the old man¡¯s health, he awkwardly held back.


    As Morris subconsciously voiced his thoughts then suddenly seemed to remember something, pausing briefly before adding, ¡°However, your doubts might point towards a key issue. If the state of the Black Sun is as bad as you say, His contamination of the mortal world indeed shouldn¡¯t be this strong, at least not to the extent of making Sun Heretics so troublesome¡­ Perhaps this all relates to those beings called ¡®Scions of the Sun.''¡±


    ¡°Scions of the Sun¡­¡± Duncan murmured thoughtfully, his mind involuntarily recalling the tall, thin dark figure that had appeared in Sherry¡¯s Dreamscape.


    Although he had no solid evidence, he always felt that creature was probably connected to the legendary ¡°Scions of the Sun.¡±


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    The Black Sun was already in decline, no longer able to illuminate this world, yet the influence of the Black Sun¡¯s scions continued, perpetuating the Black Sun¡¯s influence, making the Sun Cultists indestructible, their threat ever growing.


    But there remained an unresolved question:


    The Black Sun did not have the capacity to contaminate history, and certainly His scions couldn¡¯t either.


    However, early in the new City-State history, from messages from the forgotten City-State ¡°Wilhelm,¡± it was said that ¡°the Black Sun descended from history,¡± and now Plunder City-State also showed signs of historical contamination, what was going on?


    Could it be¡­ that someone was ¡°helping¡± the Black Sun revive from history?

 Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: Chapter 182: A Peaceful Tomorrow Will Still Come

    Chapter 178: Chapter 182: A Peaceful Tomorrow Will Still Come


    The noise in his mind rose and fell, as though a massive source of interference hovered around his brain, now close, now distant. The antique shop in his view maintained its stability; however, from time to time, dark things flitted between the shelves, as if to show the reckless Visitor a perilous truth from Subspace.


    Morris sat cautiously in front of the counter, containing his thoughts and emotions. In the brief lucidity granted by the God of Wisdom Rahm, he pondered each question with limited and earnest effort.


    The conversation continued. As long as the man opposite him, whom he referred to as ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± delighted in it, Morris, as the ¡°companion,¡± was obliged to entertain him.


    However, Duncan was not talking at the moment¨Che too was deep in thought, contemplating matters related to the Black Sun and the contamination of history.


    After a deathly silence filled with piercing noise, Morris suddenly heard a deep voice from the other side, ¡°One last question. If something really is contaminating history, how would you resolve that issue?¡±


    ¡°Is someone really¡­ contaminating history?¡± Morris asked slowly, raising his head and looking at Duncan with confusion. ¡°Who do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who,¡± Duncan said indifferently. ¡°It might be Subspace, the Black Sun, or some other heretical deity. In any case, if something is trying to contaminate history, how should it be resolved? How do the Fire Transmitters deal with such a crisis?¡±


    Morris paused for a moment and then shook his head hesitantly, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t answer that. It¡¯s beyond my scope of knowledge. Even for the Fire Transmitters, probably only the most powerful saints or the Chosen Ones know the secrets within the course of history¨Cafter all, most Fire Transmitters are like the Storm Church¡¯s guardians, their day-to-day work involves eliminating heretics and purifying contamination. True contamination of history is almost impossible to happen¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed, my question was too probing, burdening you,¡± Duncan sighed lightly, realizing that his curiosity had probably put considerable psychological pressure on the old man before him, so he decisively ended the current topic, ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today.¡±


    A wave of unprecedented relief suddenly swept over Morris, and he instantly relaxed.


    His mind had been foggy ever since the conversation began, his thoughts intermittent. Many questions surfaced, but he couldn¡¯t organize them. Now that Duncan was willing to end the conversation voluntarily, there was nothing he wished for more.


    Duncan, on the other hand, lifted his head and glanced outside through the glass display case.


    Judging by time, sunset was still a while away, but the gloomy sky had already turned everything outside pitch black. The gas street lamps had lit up prematurely, casting their bright yellow glow on the streets, while the somber clouds above made the Lower City District seem as if it had been plunged into night early.


    ¡°The weather looks bad,¡± Duncan withdrew his gaze and looked at the old man opposite him. ¡°Would you like to stay? Nina should already have the meal prepared.¡±


    A surge of panic suddenly pounded in Morris¡¯s heart, and he remembered a saying popular in the Academy of Truth, describing those most legendary Scholars pursuing knowledge with the fiercest zeal¨C


    ¡°Swimming through Subspace, boasting before the Evil God, witnessing the strife of gods, scrounging a meal with their kin.¡±


    If he were to consider this antique shop, now occupied by ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± as Subspace, if Mr. Duncan¡¯s status was on par with that of the deities, if there really was a clash between this Shadow of Subspace and the God of Wisdom, then he had now achieved three out of the four great wonders¡­


    At this moment, going upstairs for a bowl of soup seemed like it would indeed make him a legend on the spot!


    Morris was amazed that he could spare a thought for such chaotic things at a time like this, but he carefully formulated his language, ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, you want to leave, right?¡± Duncan didn¡¯t let the old man finish before nodding in understanding, still somewhat self-aware. ¡°Although I would say that with this poor weather, staying for a hot bowl of soup might be better for you, it seems that the comfort it offers isn¡¯t quite enough compared to the pressure you¡¯ve been under sitting across from me?¡±


    Morris quickly stood up and nodded as he took the opportunity, ¡°Frankly, every minute and second here is a torment¨Cof course, I mean no offense, it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to explain. I understand,¡± Duncan waved dismissively, his expression carrying a bit of resignation, ¡°If there was a more relaxed way of meeting, I¡¯d still like to have a proper talk with you about history and the gods. I¡¯m very interested in knowledge¨Cthe kind without malice, but it looks like that won¡¯t happen this time.¡±


    Standing beside the counter, Morris fell silent upon hearing the words from across. After a while, he met Duncan¡¯s gaze, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve been distracted several times and almost forgot the ¡®truths¡¯ I¡¯ve witnessed. Your¡­ curiosity and friendliness are so genuine, like talking with a friend. I¡¯ve never met anyone as approachable as you, a¡­ a¡­¡±


    The old man stumbled, seemingly unable to find the right term of praise. Seeing this, Duncan chuckled, ¡°No need to search for the right words. Just don¡¯t report me to anyone after you leave.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no! I would never do that!¡± Morris started waving his hands vehemently as if afraid Duncan might misunderstand something, ¡°After all, you definitely saved Heidi¡¯s life, and you¡¯ve been friendly throughout. I have no reason to report you¨Cespecially considering¡­¡±


    The elderly gentleman hesitated for a moment and spread his hands with a bitter smile, ¡°Judging by your demeanor, you don¡¯t seem to fear any sort of ¡®reporting,¡¯ do you¡­¡±


    ¡°It would be bothersome,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°but probably not a big problem.¡±


    Then he paused slightly, looked up in the direction of the second floor, and turned his gaze back to Morris, ¡°If the weather clears up tomorrow, Nina will go to school as usual.¡±


    ¡°Nina¡­¡± Morris blinked, remembering the arc of flame he had seen, as well as the matter he had just discussed with Duncan, especially the part about the Black Sun, and connecting it to the attitude Duncan had just displayed, he already vaguely guessed something, ¡°Is Nina¡­ related to what those Sun Heretics worship¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish the question because Duncan gently shook his head.


    ¡°Nina is just Nina, you don¡¯t need to be curious about the secrets behind her,¡± Duncan said softly, ¡°Treat her as usual, and nothing will happen.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand,¡± Morris nodded slightly, for some reason feeling more relieved after hearing Duncan¡¯s words, then he stepped back a couple of steps, ¡°Then I should take my leave, please say goodbye to Nina for me¨CI¡¯m not in the right state to ¡®see¡¯ her right now.¡±


    Duncan hummed a response and came around from behind the counter to escort the elderly gentleman to the front door.


    The street was nearly devoid of pedestrians, save for the glow of streetlights illuminating the cloud-covered City-State, with the cold wind twisting and turning between the buildings, carrying an increasingly heavy dampness.


    Morris tightened his overcoat and pressed down on the short top hat he was wearing, but before heading to his car, he couldn¡¯t help but stop and look back once more at Duncan, who was still standing at the storefront.


    What he saw was a middle-aged man with a peaceful smile; the distant street scene occasionally flickered, but no longer looked as terrifying and abnormal as at the beginning.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± Morris suddenly said, ¡°you actually like this place a lot, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Right, I am quite fond of it,¡± Duncan smiled and waved to the old man, ¡°So go home in peace, Pland will safely welcome tomorrow¨Cand every day that follows.¡±


    Morris took off his hat, nodded gently at Duncan, and turned to walk to his car parked by the roadside.


    Duncan didn¡¯t take his eyes off the car until it started up and disappeared at the end of the street.


    But he didn¡¯t go straight back inside; instead, he stood at the door, deep in thought.


    The first question on his mind was whether the old man would actually report him after heading back¡­


    The conclusion was extremely unlikely¨Cif he had just been an ordinary Heretic, or even a slightly higher-ranking Sun Priest, then Morris, as a faithful Believer of the true gods, would have certainly reported him without hesitation. However, today, Duncan suspected that in the old man¡¯s eyes, he might be seen as possessing the visage of an ancient god, and the probability of being reported had therefore almost dropped to zero.


    The reason was simple¨Cif you report a few Heretics, a couple of security officers could wrap them up easily, if you report a Cult Priest, a few guards could take them down on the spot, but what if what was entrenched here was a Subspace Evil God? To what level would one have to report that?


    Forget the community church, even reporting to the Bishop of the City-State would be pointless¡­


    Muttering a couple of sentences to one¡¯s own God of Wisdom would be more reliable than reporting to the church.


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    Even without considering all that, Duncan wasn¡¯t actually that concerned about Morris potentially making a report.


    After all, even Fenna, the Judge at the pinnacle of strength within the Storm Church, seemed a bit too green in his eyes¡­


    What Duncan was more concerned about right now was actually Nina¡¯s condition.


    The surging, burning arc of flame¡­ This was the ¡°truth¡± that Morris, with the Eye of Truth bestowed by the God of Wisdom, had seen in Nina.


    ¡°Sun Shard¡­¡± Duncan looked up at the darkening sky outside, muttering to himself in a low voice, ¡°What on earth is the Sun of this world¡­¡±

 Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter 183: Nighttime Invasion

    Chapter 179: Chapter 183: Nighttime Invasion


    ¡°Nina hurried downstairs in dismay upon hearing that the teacher had already left, her eyes wide with surprise. Then, complaining a bit, she said, ¡°Uncle, why didn¡¯t you ask him to stay? Letting the teacher leave in such terrible weather¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be dark soon,¡± Duncan replied, locking the front door and speaking casually as he headed towards the stairs. ¡°He drove here; a little rain shouldn¡¯t affect him too much.¡±


    ¡°But the teacher looked like he was feeling unwell,¡± Nina followed Duncan up the stairs, muttering to herself, ¡°He should have rested a bit more¡­¡±


    Duncan thought about it for a moment, pondering that if the old man did rest a bit more here, it might not just be a matter of feeling unwell anymore¨Cthere was a chance of a catastrophic failure in willpower checks, not to mention seeing the Creation of the World tonight, let alone tomorrow¡¯s sun¡­


    But he couldn¡¯t explain that to Nina, so he just uttered a few evasive phrases and moved on to the dining table on the second floor.


    Nina had already prepared the steaming hot meal¨Cbeet soup, roast bread, vegetable rolls, and sliced ham.


    Clearly, there was an extra portion.


    ¡°We¡¯ll save what¡¯s left for breakfast tomorrow,¡± Nina murmured, then looked up at Duncan curiously. ¡°What were you and the teacher talking about? I couldn¡¯t hear clearly from upstairs, but it seemed like you were having quite the animated discussion¡­¡±


    Duncan silently watched Nina, having been observing her like this since she came upstairs. As always, she was bustling about with a smile, never showing true anger even when complaining, always busy with endless tasks, as if she had boundless energy and was perpetually looking forward to tomorrow.


    Duncan could only see this side of Nina; he didn¡¯t have Morris¡¯s eyes that could ¡°see through reality,¡± nor could he see the blazing flame within her.


    If he hadn¡¯t heard it with his own ears just now, he would never have imagined that the Sun Shard, which affected countless people, was quietly ¡°sleeping¡± here right under his nose.


    The Sun Shard¡­ What exactly is it?


    Duncan had once thought it was a tangible, Transcendent object, and had later determined through various clues that it was a severed sunbeam. However, now he realized that this object might be sleeping within Nina¡¯s body¡­


    If that thing truly originated from a ¡°star¡± that he was familiar with, what kind of transformation would a star need to undergo to shed such a strange¡­ ¡°fragment¡±?


    ¡°Uncle Duncan?¡± Nina noticed the gaze from across the table and shifted awkwardly. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, nothing at all,¡± Duncan shook his head gently, tearing the bread as he casually asked, ¡°By the way, have you been feeling unwell lately? Have you had that strange dream again?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Nina waved her hand, ¡°The hypnosis session Miss Heidi did last time worked pretty well. I haven¡¯t had any weird dreams since then, and I¡¯ve been feeling quite energetic every day.¡±


    She paused, then looked at Duncan with slight concern. ¡°Uncle, is something wrong? I feel¡­ you¡¯ve been acting a bit strange, especially after your conversation with Mr. Morris¡­ Ah, it¡¯s not because of my test scores last time, is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not, don¡¯t worry about it; your teacher certainly didn¡¯t come here to complain,¡± Duncan suddenly raised an eyebrow. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡±


    Nina nodded and started eating. At that moment, Duncan seemed to sense something and looked uncertainly towards a direction outside the window.


    ¡­


    In the Lower City District, within a dilapidated and dim alley, the hastily lit gas lamps finally dispelled the surrounding darkness just before night enveloped the streets completely. Under the drowsy light of the gas lamps, Sherry was lying on the windowsill, staring blankly at the dark street outside.


    The raspy sound of a chain could be heard from behind her, as Ah Dog spoke, ¡°Staring outside again? What¡¯s there to see?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep. It¡¯s so early, and there¡¯s nothing to do,¡± Sherry grumbled. ¡°So boring¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ How about we go out tomorrow and continue troubling the heretics?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Feels like it¡¯ll be fruitless,¡± Sherry thought for a moment and shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know if the church guys suddenly got competent, but recently it seems like the heretics in the City-State have been wiped clean, you can¡¯t even smell them¡­¡±


    ¡°Recently, all the Sun Cultists in the city have indeed disappeared, likely they¡¯ve been completely captured,¡± A-Gou approached, lazily lying down by Sherry¡¯s feet, ¡°but I think you¡¯re not bored just because of this¡­¡±


    Sherry immediately rolled her eyes, ¡°Then what else could it be?¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you missing ¡®that place¡¯?¡± A-Gou lifted his head, a faint light dancing in his hollow blood-red eye sockets, ¡°You miss that warm house, that bright room, the piping hot meals, the days someone would wake you up and hurry you to eat, or perhaps¡­ you miss that girl named Nina from Subspace? Or even that Mr. Duncan¡­¡±


    ¡°STFU! Annoying!¡± Sherry abruptly yanked on the iron chain in her hand, harshly interrupting A-Gou, ¡°I¡¯m not some crying whining little brat, I¡¯m not that weak!¡±


    A-Gou was unfazed by Sherry¡¯s harsh reaction, ¡°¡­Yearning for light and warmth is not a weakness, it can only prove that you are still human.¡±


    ¡°Eeek¡­¡± Sherry suddenly shivered, then looked disgusted, ¡°How can you suddenly turn so cheesy? You¡¯ve even started talking all fancy, saying it proves I¡¯m still human¡­ Are you complimenting me or saying I¡¯ve made no progress over the years?¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯ve merged with me, a Profound Demon, for eleven years, you¡¯ve truly become a demon. Openly acknowledging your human side isn¡¯t a bad thing,¡± A-Gou shook his ugly large head, ¡°Besides, don¡¯t forget, it¡¯s not just this chain that binds me to you¨Cif there¡¯s any change in your emotions, how could I not understand?¡±


    ¡°¡­Shut up,¡± Sherry turned her face away, looking outside irritably, ¡°If you keep blabbering, I¡¯ll really take you to see Nina tomorrow, then I¡¯ll stay with Nina and you can accompany Mr. Duncan, we¡¯ll both have a bright future¨Cscared yet?¡±


    A-Gou finally fell silent.


    Yet after a moment of quiet, Sherry couldn¡¯t help but kick the Abyssal Hound beside her with her toe, breaking the silence, ¡°Stop worrying, aren¡¯t you still with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re cheesier than I am,¡± A-Gou shifted slightly, the iron chain rattling, ¡°Stop, if you keep talking, I¡¯m going to throw up¨Cthen there will be another hole in the floor.¡±


    The Abyssal Hound muttered, but through their connected minds, Sherry could feel that ¡°A-Gou,¡± who had once nearly devoured her alive yet also raised her, suddenly felt better.


    In the dim twilight and the faint light of the street lamps, the frail girl pursed her lips, hiding a small smile.


    This was just right, everything was back on track, the familiar days had returned, just continue on¨Cdon¡¯t think about that peace and warmth that don¡¯t belong to you, especially when that peaceful and warm place is still haunted by a shadow from Subspace.


    That warmth was too dangerous.


    Sherry let out a soft sigh.


    However, the next second, she subtly furrowed her brows, sensing something malevolent approaching, feeling the hairs on her back stand on end.


    A-Gou suddenly stood up from his lying position, the massive Abyssal Hound erupting with black smoke and flames, its blood-red hollow eyeballs blazing red, scanning the room with vigilance and hostility.


    The room was dark, to save money, Sherry had turned off the oil lamp on the table the moment the street lamps lit up, and now only the light from the street lamps outside illuminated the room, the dim light filling the space, casting bizarre, splotchy shadows of the simple furniture on the floor and walls.


    In the simple home, everything was plain and visible, familiar and straightforward.


    However, for some reason, Sherry suddenly felt as though the furnishings in the home were unfamiliar¨Cbetween the patchy light and shadows, from the corners of tables and chairs and the cracks at the foot of the bed, an out-of-place and discordant breath continuously seeped out!


    Sherry instinctively tightened her grip on the chain, ¡°A-Gou!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± A-Gou growled in response, ¡°I¡¯m looking! Something is entering here¡­ surrounding us¡­ Damn! What is it, I¡¯m dizzy!¡±


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    Before the Abyssal Hound finished speaking, Sherry suddenly noticed that the light from the street lamps entering the room through the windows began to twist and dim!


    It was as if a heavy black curtain had suddenly enveloped the entire house, the once clear street view outside the windows obscuring all at once, the light from the street lamps shattered into disjointed fragments, turning into pale glimmers falling inside the room, followed by those pale glimmers and ubiquitous shadows simultaneously wriggling, accompanied by a series of nauseating low murmurs and strange noises, several figures emerged abruptly from between the lights and shadows¨C


    They were in tattered black robes, their arms exposed beneath the robes thin as kindling, black tomes hanging at their waists, as if soaked in ink-like filth, a continuous drip of suspicious black liquid seeping from the books, each with a twisted iron emblem hanging on their chest, in the center of which flickered a murky pale flame.


    This leader in black robes pointed his finger toward Sherry, incomprehensible hoarse syllables issued from beneath the hood, ¡°You shall perish¡­¡±


    A-Gou¡¯s cry finally reached Sherry¡¯s ears, ¡°F*cking Doomsday Preachers!!!¡±

 Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Chapter 184: Attack of the Doomsday Preacher

    Chapter 180: Chapter 184: Attack of the Doomsday Preacher


    ¡°Get back, you filthy beasts!¡± A-Gou¡¯s roar thundered like exploding lightning, reverberating through the dilapidated hut, while those attackers clad in tattered black robes, resembling ascetic monks, were clearly shocked to hear a Profound Demon articulate human speech with reason¨C and the next second, something even more astonishing happened.


    Sherry swung her chain and hurled the Abyssal Hound she was holding directly at the nearest ¡°Doomsday Preacher.¡±


    She didn¡¯t really understand much about Doomsday Preachers, vaguely aware they were another group of heretics, even more fanatical, more extreme, worshipping ¡°the Master¡± that was Subspace itself. Sherry had no idea why a bunch of lunatics like these had suddenly appeared in Plunder City-State, nor why they had found her, but that didn¡¯t matter¨C


    Her experience fighting in filthy backstreets and alleys taught her one thing: when faced with danger, don¡¯t bother with incomprehensible matters, just roll up your sleeves and get the damn job done!


    The massive Abyssal Hound, like a cannonball, whizzed through the air and smashed into one of the black-robed ¡°preachers.¡± After the dull thud of flesh and bone colliding, the assailant was sent flying backwards and crashed solidly against a nearby column, twisting into an unnatural angle before sliding to the ground.


    Sherry yanked the chain to drag A-Gou back to her side, then swung it in a wide arc towards another enemy.


    But in that brief moment, the few figures in black robes had already reacted¨Cclearly, they were more experienced in combat than those lowest-level Sun Cultists that Sherry had encountered before. Even when faced with such a rare combat style and falling into a momentary bewilderment, these bastards quickly regrouped and managed to scatter and dodge as the Abyssal Hound lunged at them.


    One of them narrowly dodged A-Gou¡¯s skeletal head, moving to the side while raising a hand towards Sherry. From beneath the hood came a hoarse, grim shout, ¡°Thou shalt exhaust thy strength!¡±


    ¡°Quit your goddamn mumbling, what the hell are you even saying!¡± Sherry was extremely irritable at that moment, and hearing his esoteric outcry only fueled her rage further. She stepped, twisted her waist, turned around, and the chain in her hand whooshed out, slamming A-Gou¡¯s skeletal body right into that screaming Doomsday Preacher, sending him flying.


    However, it was during those few flicks of the chain that Sherry suddenly felt something wrong with her body.


    She felt a bit tired, not too severe, but the sensation of fatigue was definitely there.


    At the same time, she felt a buzzing in her mind, her rage seeming to rampage uncontrollably in her chest, impulsively urging her to abandon all defense and rush forward to meet her enemies in mutual destruction. The urge pounded violently, almost causing her head to throb and swell.


    Out of nowhere, a strange squeaking and cracking sound reached her ears. Sherry looked toward the source of the noise and saw the assailant she had just sent flying now crawling up from the ground. The attacker¡¯s body was drenched in blood, many bones clearly broken; however, this ¡°Preacher¡± seemed to ignore the pain that would have incapacitated an ordinary person and, whilst spouting blood, raised both hands high: ¡°My brethren, shall not die by the curse of flesh and blood!¡±


    After this delirious proclamation, the surrounding Doomsday Preachers suddenly seemed to gain boundless courage and strength. The next second, Sherry watched in horror as these lunatics¡¯ bodies began to transform¨Ctheir gaunt frames swelled and contorted, thick bone spurs and resilient muscle whips grew and extended from their limbs like weapons, their bodies tearing and reshaping in immense pain to become hideous and grotesquely twisted¨Cand yet these maniacs seemed to fall into a state of inexplicable ecstasy amidst their agony, cheering, shouting, and praising, before lunging at Sherry with renewed fervor.


    ¡°What the hell is this?!¡± Sherry certainly wasn¡¯t about to sit around waiting for these assailants to cause more trouble. As the body of the first Doomsday Preacher began to transform, she whirled her chain with a whoosh, smashing the dog into the nearest enemy. The enemy was smashed to the point of broken tendons and shattered bones; though not dead immediately, his mutation process was instantly halted. However, just by raising her arm, Sherry felt more fatigue than before and a sharper, more agonizing surge of violent impulse in her mind.


    She even started hearing noises that didn¡¯t exist, with each muscle in her body feeling as though it were being gnawed upon by invisible fangs, suffering cruel and brutal pain, as if every fiber of muscle was about to detach from her body.


    ¡°These ¡®Preachers¡¯ willingly embrace the madness of Subspace! Their words and figures carry contamination!¡± Dog¡¯s voice suddenly rang in Sherry¡¯s mind, fraught with unprecedented urgency, ¡°Don¡¯t let them keep spouting off! Whichever son of a bitch opens his mouth, you smash that one! Don¡¯t look them in the eyes, don¡¯t listen to their cries!¡±


    In a flash, a cold gleam suddenly appeared on the edge of Sherry¡¯s vision. She instinctively tried to dodge but still got her arm pierced by a bone spur. As she hastily swung the chain to retaliate, she felt her limbs twice as heavy as before. This time, her vision even began to blur with dark afterimages.


    Another Doomsday Preacher took the opportunity to spread his arms again, loudly uttering a venomous prayer: ¡°Thou shalt incur an injury that will not heal¡­¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    ¡°Screw the hell off!¡± Sherry, swinging the dog around, smashed the crazed, spine-covered mutant ¡°Preacher¡± into the wall. But the next second, she suddenly felt a fierce pain in her back.


    A bone spur, like a long spear, came from a treacherous blind spot and plunged deep into her back. Had her body not become as tough and resilient as a Profound Demon¡¯s from years of ¡°Demon Symbiosis,¡± she would probably have been pierced straight through.


    Sherry¡¯s body involuntarily pitched forward, while Dog abruptly stepped in front of the assailant seeking to strike again, opening its mouth to expel a highly corrosive mixture of black flame and acid.


    The assailants were temporarily pushed back, but Sherry was in very bad shape. She propped herself against a nearby wall, feeling the blood continuously flow down from her back, feeling her muscles twitch uncontrollably throughout her body.


    The Doomsday Preacher¡¯s corruption had taken its effect¨Calthough the Profound Demons¡¯ resistance allowed her to withstand this abnormal state better than ordinary people, because she was caught off guard with weakening and curses at the start, she could now clearly sense her body gradually¡­ losing control.


    Her blood was boiling, the noise in her mind was intensifying, her muscles were twitching, she saw smokes rising from the wound on her arm, where instead of healing, the torn flesh was sprouting up grotesque, disgusting new flesh, and blood, as if with a life of its own, was moving around the wound, coagulating, taking shape.


    The injury on her back was likely in a similar state.


    ¡°¡­Fuck, all this effort, just to kill three¡­¡±


    Sherry spat out a mouthful of blood to the side and chuckled with a grimace.


    ¡°That¡¯s not too bad,¡± A-Gou¡¯s grumbling voice came from nearby. The voice of the Abyssal Hound sounded somewhat dispirited¨Cas the first line of defense when Sherry was contaminated, it was actually affected even more severely by those Doomsday Preachers, ¡°These are all priest-level ascetics, not the kind of rabble that gets swindled into donating money at basement meetings¡­ You fought them, it¡¯s almost like assaulting a church district¡­ You didn¡¯t get a bad trade.¡±


    ¡°Fucking hell, a bunch of grown-ass men ganging up on a harmless little girl, you adults really have no shame,¡± Sherry lifted her head, her face smeared with blood, and looked at the Doomsday Preachers who were gathering around her, her eyes filled with ferocity, ¡°What did I ever do to you?¡±


    There were still three standing Doomsday Preachers, who had all transformed into monstrous creatures with skeletal frames and flesh grotesque. The tattered robes hung on their mutated bodies like shrouds, appearing even more sinister in the dim light.


    Of course, they didn¡¯t respond to Sherry, just as a hunter would not negotiate with his prey.


    Sherry coughed out blood and looked around.


    The commotion from the fight was significant, yet until now it hadn¡¯t drawn the attention of any guardians, nor had it disturbed the neighbors. The scene outside the window remained hazy, the street unusually quiet.


    Clearly, the entire house was enveloped by some sort of ¡°barrier,¡± a thorough preparation made by the assailants before making their move.


    The furniture was destroyed.


    The walls and columns were shaky and unstable.


    The only wardrobe was shattered by a shockwave during the fight, the few pieces of clothing and the small drawer for loose change fell to the ground, soaked in corrupted blood, corroded away by acid.


    The most valuable oil lamp in the house was knocked over as well, its shade shattered on the floor.


    ¡°All the little things I had, smashed to pieces by you,¡± Sherry could no longer support herself, her body slowly slid towards the floor, but she still looked up, at the enemies who had raised their bone spikes ready to strike, ¡°You bastard things, I¡¯ll make sure to splatter your faces with blood¡­¡±


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    The bone spikes pierced down through the air.


    Then they slowed in the blink of an eye, casting multiple overlapping afterimages, finally freezing mid-air.


    A streak of green flame abruptly appeared in the room, which should have been completely shrouded by the barrier. Within the flames, a huge and fierce skeletal bird circled and danced midair, and a shrill, strange female voice entered Sherry¡¯s ears¨C


    ¡°Our warrior is engaged with the enemy¡­ Teleport successful!¡±


    (Time to recommend a book, this time it¡¯s from Aikanxue¡¯s Big Goose ¡°Spreading Faith in a Text Game.¡± It¡¯s an urban genre, emmmmm¡­ This is a novel about saving the world by cultivating both in a text game and reality. The author is still one of our fellow readers, everyone can go support it~)

 Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Chapter 185 Each in Peace

    Chapter 181: Chapter 185 Each in Peace


    The undead bird, formed of illusory flesh and crystalline bones, let out a sharp, ear-piercing and strange female voice, surrounded by the rising, burning green flames¨Cand sentences that no one could understand.


    Sherry¡¯s already muddled consciousness suddenly snapped to alertness as she gaped at the bizarre bird that had burst in. She watched it circle again in the air while the figures of the Doomsday Preachers around her froze into odd stances, as if¡­ ¡°theatergoers¡± in a ¡°cinema¡± had suddenly stopped moving because of a jammed reel.


    One of these monsters had been mid-step when frozen, leaving his body nearly floating in mid-air, appearing eerie, horrifying, yet somewhat amusing.


    The undead bird circled once more, and this time, doors and whirlpools of green flame opened in the air. Soon after, a tall figure stepped out and came before Sherry.


    ¡°I remember reminding you that you could ask for help when you encounter difficulties,¡± Duncan said, looking down silently at the girl lying on the ground, covered in blood, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you seek me out?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I forgot,¡± Sherry blinked, quickly realizing that the contamination and curses from the Doomsday Preachers began to recede rapidly at Duncan¡¯s arrival, and as the piercing noise and chaotic thoughts in her head subsided, her mind gradually cleared, revealing a face twisted with confusion and bemusement, ¡°My mind was messy just now¡­ Yes, these guys kept yelling non-stop, making my head pound¡­¡±


    Duncan slowly turned his head to glance at the assailants frozen mid-air by Ai Yi¡¯s high ping strike.


    It was his first encounter with these strange¡­ creations. They resembled people clothed in tattered garments, yet their bodies were so mutated they barely looked human. Their limbs were twisted, bone spikes protruding from every joint, faces contorted with both fanaticism and an almost comical ugliness¨Cslightly uglier than the Meteor Dog.


    Duncan frowned and turned back to Sherry, ¡°Did they beat you? Where did they come from?¡±


    ¡°They were the ones who beat me up!¡± Sherry immediately said aloud; as she did, she felt something was off, but quickly brushed aside that odd sensation, ¡°I have no idea where these guys came from. The dog said they are Doomsday Preachers, followers of those crazies in Subspace¡­¡±


    ¡°Doomsday Preachers¡­ following those from Subspace?!¡± Duncan was initially indifferent, but his expression changed slightly after hearing the latter half of Sherry¡¯s words, then he seemed to recall something and quickly turned to Ai Yi, ¡°Don¡¯t release them yet!¡±


    As he spoke, the frozen figures of the Doomsday Preachers showed signs of flickering out of existence, but Ai Yi quickly flapped its wings and the three assailants about to be isolated from reality were suddenly pulled back to the physical dimension, with Ai Yi¡¯s sharp cry echoing in the room: ¡°Connection established, connection established!¡±


    ¡°Take them aboard the ship,¡± Duncan nodded to the pigeon spirit, ¡°I¡¯ll receive them on the deck over there.¡±


    ¡°Mission will be accomplished! Mission will be accomplished!¡±


    After two loud cries, Ai Yi rapidly carved a fiery vortex in the air, and the figures of the three Doomsday Preachers disappeared in the blink of an eye amidst the rising flames of the Spiritual Body.


    In the dimly lit room, only Duncan, the Meteor Dog, and Sherry remained, along with the three bodies of the Doomsday Preachers crushed into pancakes by the Meteor Dog nearby.


    Sherry stared blankly at the unfolding events, baffled at how the Subspace Believers, who nearly ended her and the dog¡¯s lives, disappeared from the room in the blink of an eye¨Cthis ¡°battle¡± ended so bizarrely and effortlessly, it could hardly be considered a battle at all.


    Mr. Duncan hadn¡¯t even lifted a finger. From start to end, he hadn¡¯t paid any attention to the Doomsday Preachers¡¯ tactics or special curses; he just appeared, seemed a tad curious about those guys, and nonchalantly abducted them as if picking stones from the roadside.


    He probably didn¡¯t even realize that the Heretics had any ¡°combat ability.¡±


    Just then, Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly broke through Sherry¡¯s random musings, ¡°How are your injuries?¡±


    Sherry snapped out of her thoughts about how scary Mr. Duncan was and, out of habit, wanted to show off her resilience, pretending to be indifferent to her injuries. But as soon as she attempted to speak, she grimaced and yelped in pain, feeling heart-wrenching agony in her back and arms that elicited an involuntary curse, ¡°Damn it, it hurts like hell¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at her with concern, ¡°Do you need to go to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Sherry snapped back to reality, grimacing as she tried to push herself up, ¡°I don¡¯t have money¡­¡±


    Duncan looked stunned, ¡°Is this about money? You¡¯re in this state!¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t finished,¡± Sherry finally sat up, ¡°My physique is unusual; going to the hospital would definitely raise suspicions. If the church notices, I can¡¯t explain it away. And look¨C¡±


    As she spoke, she lifted her arm to show Duncan her wound.


    The wound was healing¨Cnow that the Doomsday Preachers¡¯ curse and contamination receded, her self-healing ability had restored. The gruesome tear had stopped bleeding, the polluting matter pushed out by the squirming flesh, and the new tissue¡¯s growth was visibly swift.


    Even the deepest wound on her back was progressively healing. It still hurt, but Sherry knew she would live.


    ¡°Just as long as those Doomsday Preachers don¡¯t keep nagging, I¡¯m not afraid of them,¡± Sherry declared hardheadedly, tilting her head back, ¡°Normally a wound like this wouldn¡¯t have me lying on the ground¡­ ow, it hurts¡­¡±


    A faint crackling sound suddenly came from not far away, interrupting Sherry¡¯s muttering.


    She and Duncan both looked towards the source of the sound, only to see that it came from the body of a dead Doomsday Preacher. Somehow, the deformed and mutated body had turned into lumps of grey-white, like weathered rock, and started to crumble, flaking off piece by piece. The residue peeled off, turning to dust before it even hit the ground, swiftly disappearing.


    As the Preacher¡¯s corpses continued to erode away, the room shrouded in veils changed as well¨Cthe shadows lurking outside the window began to retreat rapidly. The light from the streetlamps, reaching from the direction of the road, returned to normal, and the unnatural shadows and pervasive cold malice in the room also dissipated along with them.


    ¡°¡­The Doomsday Preachers offered themselves up to the Subspace, now it¡¯s time to pay the price,¡± Meteor Dog¡¯s muffled voice rose, answering Duncan¡¯s confusion, ¡°This scum will be devoured by the Subspace, leaving not even a speck of dust in the real world.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, these Heretics die rather eco-friendly deaths,¡± Duncan mused, ¡°sure saves the hassle of cleaning up the scene.¡±


    Then he turned to Sherry, ¡°Feeling any better? If you are, then come with me.¡±


    As he spoke, a cluster of faint green flames appeared in the air, and Ai Yi flew out from among them, circled once, and then landed on his shoulder.


    ¡°Go with you?¡± Sherry was taken aback, ¡°To where¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not planning to spend the night here today, are you?¡± Duncan gestured towards the mess in the room, ¡°Does this place look livable to you?¡±


    Sherry slowly got up, leaning against the wall, her eyes sweeping over the old house that she and Meteor Dog had relied on each other for many years.


    Everywhere was the wreckage of smashed furniture, everywhere were the remains of things corroded away, valuable or not, all destroyed cleanly.


    Actually, there weren¡¯t many possessions to begin with.


    Sherry¡¯s eyelids drooped, and for a moment, she remained silent.


    ¡°The patrolling Guardians don¡¯t seem to have noticed the commotion here, we can still gather some belongings,¡± Duncan sighed, knowing Sherry¡¯s state of mind but unable to offer any consolation, ¡°But no matter what, this place is definitely not fit to live in anymore¨Cnot even considering the destroyed items, you have to consider the possibility of more attacks. Even though we don¡¯t currently understand why the Doomsday Preachers targeted you, you¡¯ve been marked by them¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t continue.


    He knew that Sherry was a child far more mature than she appeared, having grown up in harsh conditions up until now, she should be aware of priorities.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ gather some things,¡± Sherry said, her voice subdued.


    ¡°Need help?¡± Duncan asked.


    ¡°No need,¡± Sherry shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s¡­ not much.¡±


    Her belongings were indeed scarce.


    Duncan only waited for a short while before Sherry had collected the things she wanted to take from various nooks and crannies, which were only some inconspicuous old objects, including an almost tattered old rag doll and a few articles of old clothing that hadn¡¯t been destroyed, as well as two slightly misshapen little iron boxes that seemed to contain jingling trinkets.


    She put all these things into an old small suitcase, then came up to Duncan with her head humbly low, ¡°I¡¯ve finished packing.¡±


    Meteor Dog turned to glance at the small suitcase in Sherry¡¯s hand and muttered gruffly, ¡°You¡¯re taking all this with you¡­ So we¡¯re not coming back?¡±


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    Sherry didn¡¯t respond.


    Duncan quietly looked at the girl in front of him, and a gentle smile slowly spread across his face.


    He stepped forward and patted the girl¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re heading home.¡±


    The green flames soared, and the spectral bird spread its wings amidst the fire, blocking Sherry¡¯s last glance back at the cottage.

 Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: Chapter 186: Local Products from the City-State

    Chapter 182: Chapter 186: Local Products from the City-State


    On the first floor of the antique store, Nina sat anxiously on a chair next to the counter. She occasionally got up to glance outside the display window, only to see the deserted street under a streetlamp before she would check the door again to ensure it was still securely closed.


    She had the urge to go outside several times, but stopped herself just before her hand touched the doorknob, recalling her uncle¡¯s hurried instruction before he left¨Cdo not leave through this door, stay home and wait for his return.


    ¡°Uncle really¡­¡± Nina sat back behind the counter once again, muttering to herself, ¡°He insists on going out after dark even though there¡¯s a curfew¡­ If the night patrol guards find him, they will surely detain him again, and it¡¯s so dangerous¡­¡±


    She did not know how many times she had muttered this.


    Finally, she heard some slight noises at the door¨Cfootsteps suddenly sounding, followed by the noise of turning the door lock¨C


    Nina abruptly looked towards the door and saw it being pushed open. The bell hanging at the entrance chimed clearly and pleasantly, and that familiar figure finally appeared in her sight.


    ¡°Nina, I¡¯m back,¡± Duncan said, looking at the girl who was quickly walking from beside the counter, a slight smile on his face, ¡°See, it¡¯s not too late.¡±


    Nina rushed over in a few steps and crashed into Duncan¡¯s chest, immediately followed by a flood of complaints: ¡°Not too late! What time is it now! It¡¯s so dangerous to go out during the curfew, and you didn¡¯t even tell me what you were going to do, just let me wait at home¡­¡±


    Nina¡¯s complaints were like a storm at sea, ceaseless as they whipped up, but suddenly, she noticed a small figure hiding behind Duncan, and her complaining stopped abruptly.


    Sherry, carrying a small suitcase and lowering her head, emerged from behind Duncan, somewhat nervously and awkwardly waving at Nina: ¡°Nina¡­ and me.¡±


    Duncan turned around and closed the shop door tightly to avoid any nosy passersby noticing their situation, while Nina, after getting a good look at Sherry, widened her eyes: ¡°Sherry?! You¡­ how did you come, and you¡¯re with uncle¡­ wait, there¡¯s so much blood on you!¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry,¡± Sherry quickly waved her hands, although the wounds on her back had not completely healed, she still tried to show a bright smile as usual, ¡°Just ran into a little trouble, I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    ¡°How is this a little trouble!¡± Nina frantically took the small suitcase from Sherry¡¯s hands, quickly checking the bloodstains on her, and soon noticed the torn spots on Sherry¡¯s clothes, suddenly turning pale with fright, ¡°How¡­ how badly are you hurt! We must find a doctor right away! You¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really okay, hey calm down,¡± Sherry quickly grabbed Nina¡¯s hand, her face helpless, ¡°You forgot that I¡¯m not a normal person¡­¡±


    Nina opened her mouth as if she wanted to say more, but suddenly heard Duncan coughing by her side.


    ¡°Cough, cough,¡± Duncan interrupted the increasingly chaotic conversation between the two girls, his gaze resting on Nina, ¡°Don¡¯t ask so many questions now, Sherry¡¯s injuries shouldn¡¯t be a concern¨Ctake her upstairs first to take a bath and change clothes; we¡¯ll explain everything afterwards.¡±


    Nina¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between Sherry and Duncan, confusedly agreeing while Sherry rubbed her stomach, somewhat embarrassed: ¡°Um¡­ is there anything to eat¡­ I¡¯d like to eat something first¡­¡±


    Perhaps because too much energy was consumed during the process of recovering from her injuries, she felt very hungry now¨Ccompared to this, the pain from her wounds didn¡¯t seem so urgent.


    ¡°Ah, yes there is!¡± Nina startled for a moment, then quickly reacted, ¡°Just so happens we prepared extra dinner tonight¡­ I¡¯ll go heat it up for you!¡±


    Nina quickly ran up the stairs, and the sound of her footsteps gradually faded away. Sherry stayed behind, slightly dazed, and looked around to see the familiar first-floor shop filled with fake antiques, a not so clean display window, and Mr. Duncan standing nearby with a half-smile.


    After several seconds of being stunned, she softly muttered, ¡°I¡¯m back¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re back,¡± Duncan said with a smile, bending down to pick up Sherry¡¯s small suitcase and began walking forward, ¡°We¡¯d better discuss how to explain your injuries now and think of a reasonable reason to let you stay here regularly¨Cthough I don¡¯t think that reason needs to be very hard to come up with, Nina would probably be very pleased to have you stay.¡±


    Sherry, dazedly watching from behind, suddenly perked up and quickly took a few steps to catch up with Duncan, reaching out for her own suitcase while hurriedly saying, ¡°I can do it myself! I can¡­¡±


    Duncan smiled and shook his head, looking ahead.


    The pale, cold glow of the Creation of the World shone on the vast, boundless ocean, the gently undulating waves reflecting the fragments of light, the cool night breeze blowing over the deck, fluttering the hem of the captain¡¯s uniform.


    Duncan stood on the deck of the Homeloss, watching the three ¡°Doomsday Preachers¡± who still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness but were slowly transforming back into human form.


    Could these twisted creatures actually turn into normal people?


    Footsteps approached from nearby, and Duncan turned to see Alice¡¯s silver-white hair fluttering in the night breeze¨Cher gothic doll dress flapping as she ran over, excitedly shouting, ¡°Captain, captain, Mr. Goat Head just told me you brought more stuff onto the deck? Did you buy something else from the human City-State¡­¡±


    Alice stopped abruptly mid-sentence, puzzled, as the lively doll came to a halt next to the captain, gazing confusedly at the three ¡°humanoid creatures¡± lying on the deck.


    After a moment of stunned silence, the doll cluelessly turned her head towards Duncan, ¡°Captain¡­ is this also a specialty from the human City-State?¡±


    ¡°¡­Suppose so,¡± Duncan thought for a moment, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them anywhere else, they just keep popping up in the City-State.¡±


    Alice murmured vaguely, scratching her head, feeling an itch¨Ca sensation of her brain wanting to develop, but unable to.


    ¡°They look¡­ human, right?¡± the doll muttered. ¡°Captain, what are you doing bringing three of these things onboard? They can¡¯t be something you bought, right?¡±


    ¡°Not bought, picked up on the way.¡± Duncan responded offhandedly to the scattered thoughts of the doll, while he kept an eye on the three Heretics from Subspace, almost completely returned to human form. He noticed one of them showing signs of awakening, which finally eased his mind.


    It seemed Ai Yi¡¯s teleportation process was as reliable as ever; these heretics were still alive, and even capable of waking up.


    So¡­ could Ai Yi start transporting regular people to the ship as well?


    Duncan began to consider this, his mood gradually improving.


    He had always wanted to find some heretics and use them as ¡°experiment subjects¡± to test Ai Yi¡¯s long-distance teleportation capability, the special environment of the Homeloss, as well as Alice¡¯s guillotine power, but had never found the opportunity.


    The Sun Cultists in the City-State were almost entirely captured in a sweep by the Deep Sea Church and now crammed into various churches, while scattered cultists fled and hid. He had given up looking¨Cyet he hadn¡¯t expected to encounter this situation tonight.


    A few heretics worshiping Subspace had inexplicably appeared.


    What else could Duncan say? He could only be grateful for nature¡¯s gift¡­


    And while he was pondering, the ¡°gifts of nature¡± on the deck finally began to wake up.


    One of the Doomsday Preachers suddenly twitched his body, a hoarse and low murmur coming from his throat, followed by his skinny arm suddenly propping up his body. The worshiper of Subspace sat up, staring bewilderedly at the unfamiliar surroundings.


    The gentle waves and cold sea breeze stimulated his altered nerves influenced by Subspace, and a gentle, deep voice came from the side, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    ¡°This place¡­¡± The heretic slowly turned his head, his cloudy eyes reflecting the figures of Duncan and Alice. His brain sluggishly processed thoughts, and after several seconds, he suddenly stood up, facing Duncan with hostility and taking a small step back, ¡°Who are you?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, you haven¡¯t seen me before,¡± Duncan smiled, watching the other two Doomsday Preachers gradually awaken, his voice low as he spoke, ¡°Welcome aboard the Homeloss¨Cyou can call me Captain Duncan.¡±


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    ¡°¡­Homeloss?!¡± The first awakened heretic paused, clearly recognizing the name. After a brief moment of astonishment, his eyes widened, ¡°Is this¡­ is this on that Ghost Ship that returned from Subspace?!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, it seems you know the situation. That makes our conversation simple,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°First, I have some questions¡­¡±


    Before he could continue, he saw the heretic suddenly raise his arms high, ecstasy seemingly flooding his mind, causing him to cry out, ¡°Subspace! You have finally opened your doors to us! Eternal life amid apocalypse! Salvation amid disaster! All destruction, all revival! The Ark of Promise has descended¡­ The Ark of Promise has descended!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s next words were instantly stifled¨C


    What in the world was wrong with this heretic¡¯s brain?!

 Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Chapter 187: The End of the Sermon

    Chapter 183: Chapter 187: The End of the Sermon


    The subspace believer who had just awakened fell into an inexplicable frenzy upon realizing they were aboard the Homeloss, raising their hands and shouting unintelligible words in a fervor that sent Alice backing away in fear¨Cthankfully, she caught her head just in time to keep it from falling off.


    ¡°This local specialty is terrifying!¡± Miss Puppet¡¯s eyes were wide open as she tucked herself behind Duncan, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    Duncan had no idea¨Che hadn¡¯t even finished asking his question!


    Then, the other two Doomsday Preachers woke up, and upon understanding their situation, they too fell into the same ecstatic state as the first, crazily chanting about the ¡°Ark of Promise¡± and ¡°the gates of Subspace.¡± Regardless of what Duncan and Alice said, they were beyond communication.


    By this point, Duncan had an inkling of why these Doomsday Preachers were so ecstatic¨C


    They were fanatics chasing after subspace, and Homeloss was a Ghost Ship returned from subspace. Could it be that in the eyes of these madmen¡­ Homeloss was considered some kind of divine ¡°miracle¡±?


    Were they fanatical Believers witnessing a miracle?


    But this fervor seemed a bit too excessive.


    The three Heretics huddled together, crying, laughing, and shouting, praising the greatness of subspace while calling upon the Homeloss. Occasionally, they would even emit sounds uncanny for a human throat, their trembling howls as if truly originating from the roars of subspace. In the end, they all knelt together and began to kiss the deck of the Homeloss!


    This final spectacle provoked the previously spectating Alice. Miss Puppet¡¯s eyes blazed as she grabbed a mop nearby and whacked it down on a Heretic¡¯s head, ¡°My freshly washed deck!¡±


    Before Alice¡¯s words fell, two buckets and several mop handles scampered over, beating the fervent Believers without mercy¨Cthe uncontrollable shouts of the fanatics, the reprimands from Alice, and the clamor of colliding buckets and mops suddenly mixed together, turning the usually quiet Homeloss into a noisy commotion.


    Duncan stood by, astonished, the spectacle of the ¡°Cursed Puppet and her lackeys beating up the intruders¡± leaving him deeply shocked. His first thought was curiosity about when the puppet became so close with things on the deck, and his second was to step forward and stop this farce, ¡°Stop!¡±


    The buckets and mops instantly halted, while Alice couldn¡¯t resist whipping a Doomsday Preacher with the mop once more before kicking him. She then stomped away, grumbling, ¡°My freshly washed deck, and they lick it all over¡­¡±


    ¡°Although I do find their actions somewhat disgusting, there¡¯s no need for this¡­¡± Duncan looked helplessly at the puppet, then turned to address the Heretics who had just been beaten up, ¡°Have you calmed down yet?¡±


    The Doomsday Preachers lay on the ground, but despite the past beating, they showed no signs of faltering or fear, still eerily spirited with a haunting smile on their faces. Their seemingly frail and lean bodies endured the pain with astonishing tolerance, almost as if they had abandoned the normal human sense of pain.


    Upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, one of the preachers slowly turned his head. He stared into Duncan¡¯s eyes, and after a long moment, his chaotic eyes finally focused. Then, producing a chilling laugh, he said, ¡°Ha, haha¡­ The gatekeeper of the promised land, the ghost at the helm, the navigator of the Ark! I can see¡­I can see your heart! How sad¡­you were granted this bliss, yet you reject His gift¡­ You were worthy of entering the promised land, yet you refuse it! You¡­fool!¡±


    Duncan frowned slightly.


    Alice immediately leaned in from behind, ¡°Captain, shall I beat him up again?¡±


    The nearby buckets and mops also hopped over, swaying behind Alice.


    Like lackeys, and the lackeys of those lackeys.


    ¡°Just be quiet over there for a bit,¡± Duncan motioned with his hand, staring at the Doomsday Preacher who was still giving him a strange laugh, his expression unchanged, ¡°It seems you know a lot about me, this ¡®Ghost Ship Captain.''¡±


    ¡°Subspace whispers your name¡­ whispers of your foolish refusal¡­¡± The heretic grinned, blood from the beating dripping down from the corner of his mouth, writhing like a living thing upon his chin as if they were tentacles, ¡°You had the blissful qualification, why then did you flee¡­ Do you not know that Subspace is the eternal and ultimate destination for everything? You had already reached the end¡­ why did you turn back from that endpoint?!¡±


    Duncan merely watched the cultist¨Cuncertain whether he had gone mad or was simply caught in fanaticism¨Cwith an unreadable face but inwardly unsettled.


    These fervent followers of Subspace indeed had something about them; their deranged beliefs not only granted them bizarre powers but also seemed to have truly unveiled to them some secrets about Subspace¨Cwhat this man before him was saying¡­ a part of it might actually be true.


    Captain Duncan escaping from Subspace? Rejecting Subspace¡¯s blessings?


    Could it be that after Homeloss had fallen into Subspace back then, the real ¡°Captain Duncan¡± hadn¡¯t completely succumbed to madness as rumors claimed? Homeloss¡¯s return journey from Subspace¡­ was it, in fact, a successful flight? Did ¡°Captain Duncan¡± still possess some rationality at that time?


    When, then, did he become utterly mad? And when did he die?


    Duncan suddenly recalled the goat-headed being¡¯s attitude when facing Subspace¨Cwary, resistant, even faintly panicked.


    This seemed to provide indirect confirmation of the Doomsday Preacher¡¯s words, a confirmation of that escape.


    Afterward, the Doomsday Preacher fell back into his demented state, muttering to himself incomprehensibly, breaking out into fits of joyous laughter, or smacking his own body, while his two companions remained unconscious throughout, lost in unsettling mental confusion.


    These followers of Subspace were even more insane than the Sun Cultists Duncan had encountered, further removed from the rationality of the real world¨Cthey seemed to be perpetually in a state of mental instability, their thoughts drifting between reality and Subspace, unable to think or communicate normally unless someone was talking to them or they were on a specific mission.


    Was it because of Subspace¡¯s influence? Or had they deliberately destroyed their own sanity as a means to embrace Subspace more fully?


    What puzzled Duncan even more was¨Chow did such mad, strange heretics, whose appearance had even altered, manage to move about within the City-State?


    These lunatics, just walking down the main street, would hardly go unnoticed, probably getting surrounded and gunned down by the security¡¯s steam-powered walkers within five paces!


    After a while, seeing that the Doomsday Preachers showed no signs of coming to their senses, Duncan was forced to take the initiative again, ¡°Why did you attack Sherry?¡±


    The three heretics reacted, one of them lifting his head in his dazed state, swaying to and fro, ¡°Attack? Attack who?¡±


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    ¡°The thing you just did,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice was cold and stern, his demeanor like still water, ¡°You attacked a girl with an Abyssal Hound¨Cwhy attack her?¡±


    ¡°Attack¡­ oh, attack¡­¡± The dazed cultist suddenly grinned widely and began shouting, ¡°We were merely putting everything back on track, allowing the right history to descend smoothly! Holes, flaws, a minor hidden danger¡­ must eliminate the hidden dangers¡­ She was supposed to die in the right history, she should not have lived! With her alive¡­ flaws keep appearing¡­¡±


    ¡°The right history?¡± Hearing the heretic¡¯s mad gibberish, Duncan¡¯s gaze subtly changed, he caught on to key information, reacting instantly, ¡°There are problems with the history line of Prand? You did it?!¡±


    ¡°Problems? No problems, no problems¡­ We are just setting everything on the right course!¡± The frenzied cultist tilted his face, his eyes alight with the fervor of a martyr, ¡°This world should all return to the right track! That doomed fate has been delayed for so many years, everyone has defied the grace of Subspace, defied the fate that was meant to occur! We are correcting history to the right trajectory!¡±


    ¡°Correcting history to the right trajectory!¡± The other two Doomsday Preachers, as if infected, also started shouting praises fervently, one of them even stood up after shouting, hands raised high as if declaring some truth, ¡°Only by going back on track, after total extinction can there be a rebirth! Subspace will devour everything and Subspace will also Reshape everything! The fire is extinguished, embers hard to rekindle¡­ Only by lighting a second bonfire can the world survive through that grace!¡±

 Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter 188 The Maniac

    Chapter 184: Chapter 188 The Maniac


    The clues seemed to be connecting.


    The history of Plunder exhibited signs of contamination, and within the small church in the sixth district lay a twisted, sealed spatial rift. On the sacred statue of the Storm Goddess hid a bizarre Subspace crack, and Subspace¡­ could contaminate everything outside of it.


    Sherry was one of the few who remembered the great fire of that year. When the fire roared to life, she should have perished like everyone else, but she somehow merged with an Abyssal Hound and survived in a daze. While everyone¡¯s perception was twisted due to the contamination of history, she retained the memories of the fire from that time.


    Now, a group of Doomsday Preachers had attacked Sherry¨Cthese madmen worshipping Subspace were delirious and spouted nonsense, yet every sentence did not stray from ¡°correct history¡± and ¡°loopholes¡±.


    Of course, Duncan would not believe the absurd ¡°truths¡± they spoke, and he listened contrarily to their version of the ¡°correct history¡±. But one thing was clear¨Cthese Heretics were inextricably linked to the chaos of Plunder City-State¡¯s history, and the Subspace force behind them was the arch-culprit of everything. And those like Sherry, who remembered the fire of that year¡­ were the archenemies in the eyes of the fanatics who sought to contaminate reality with incorrect history.


    But not all questions had been answered.


    How did these lunatics suddenly find Sherry, this ¡°loophole¡±? What was the connection between historical contamination and the ¡°Black Sun¡±? The Black Sun did not possess the capability to contaminate history, so what role did the ¡°Sun God¡± play in all this? And most importantly¡­


    Nina, the suspected carrier of the Sun Shard, would she also be targeted by these Heretics?


    Duncan¡¯s gaze was icy as he watched the three delirious Doomsday Preachers, slightly lifting a finger¨Ca cluster of ghostly green flames suddenly ignited on one of them, scorching the body of the Heretic, which could be considered a ¡°Transcendent item¡±. He suddenly screamed and curled up on the ground, which also brought sudden quiet to the other Doomsday Preachers.


    ¡°Fire¡­ blasphemous fire¡­¡± one Heretic¡¯s eyes bulged, even the delirious and pain-desensitized followers of Subspace revealed fear upon seeing the green flames, ¡°Blasphemy, blasphemy¡­ oh you blasphemous thing!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be consumed by fierce flames, then continue to cooperate with my questions,¡± Duncan commanded flames to rise up from the deck, creating an interwoven net of fire that surrounded the three Heretics, searing their spirits and bodies, ¡°I ask you, how exactly do you contaminate history? Did it start in the sixth district?¡±


    ¡°We are bringing history back on track!¡± Even intimidated by the Spectral Flames, the Doomsday Preachers did not abandon their spiel. One of them threw back his head and shouted, ¡°The sixth district¡­ The sixth district was just a failed attempt, but it was nothing, nothing¡­¡±


    The sixth district was just a failed attempt?


    Duncan immediately furrowed his brow, the other party did not answer directly, but still revealed some crucial information!


    Firstly, the great fire of that year was indeed the work of these Subspace followers and not, as he had initially thought, merely a wildfire caused by the manifestation of the Sun Shard. Secondly, these Heretics¡¯ attempt to contaminate history appeared not to have been entirely successful¨Cthe fire from eleven years ago did not achieve the expected effect!


    Following that, another key year number suddenly came to mind¨C1885.


    That was the number Fenna discovered in the Underground Sanctuary of the small church, pointing to the year the Nun perished in battle, which should theoretically mark the time when the church was invaded by Subspace forces.


    And the fire that erupted eleven years ago took place in 1889, four years after the death of the Nun.


    This meant that four years after the church was invaded, these Doomsday Preachers orchestrated the fire of 1889¨Cwhich they referred to as a ¡°failed attempt¡±.


    A timeline seemed to gradually clear up in Duncan¡¯s mind.


    ¡°You actually failed twice,¡± Duncan said solemnly, watching the Doomsday Preacher being scorched by the Spectral Flame, ¡°In 1885, you invaded a small chapel, hoping to spread historical contamination from there as the origin. But a nun sacrificed her life to thwart your plans, sealing that year¡¯s ¡®invasion¡¯ and her own ¡®death¡¯ in the Underground Sanctuary;


    ¡°Four years later, in 1889, you launched a second plan to start a huge fire in the 6th district where the chapel was located, aiming to overwrite reality with a historical branch where a ¡®City-State was destroyed by raging fire.¡¯ But once again, you failed. The fire was erased without a trace by an unknown force and couldn¡¯t continue to burn¡­


    ¡°Then you lurked in the City-State until today, always looking for opportunities to continue this plan. Until you found Sherry¨Ca loophole, thinking the failure of the original plan was related to her survival, and so you wanted to eliminate this ¡®risk¡¯ first?¡±


    The Spectral Flame blazed fiercely, and the Doomsday Preacher curled up within it. Even a body that knew no pain seemed to struggle against the agony of the soul being directly incinerated. However, the madman showed no intention of answering the question; instead, he slowly stretched his lips into a spine-chilling smile as he looked at Duncan.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer, I can see the answer in your eyes¨Cyou mock and resent, which means I¡¯m right,¡± Duncan continued calmly, unaffected by the provocation, ¡°I have another question¡­ What exactly is your connection with ¡®Black Sun¡¯? Was the fire of 1889 ignited by a Sun Shard¡­ did you orchestrate that?¡±


    The Doomsday Preacher remained silent.


    Duncan spread the flames to the other two individuals, watching them curl up and convulse in the fire, but still not receiving a word in response.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t talk, then I can only guess,¡± Duncan sighed, waving his hand to dispel the flames¨Che had realized that such simple ¡°suffering¡± had no meaning for these madmen who embraced Subspace. Their body and mind had long since mutated into something inhuman, ¡°I guess, you have some sort of cooperation with those Sun Believers¡­ No, perhaps you collaborate with the Scions of the Sun behind those believers? You help those Scions of the Sun resurrect their ¡®master,¡¯ and the way to resurrect¡­ is by summoning the sun from ¡®history¡¯?¡±


    Watching the Heretics still maintain their silence, Duncan paused briefly before continuing: ¡°In the early history of the new City-States, there was an unknown City-State called ¡®Wilhelm,¡¯ known only by name. The last message this City-State left behind spoke of ¡®Black Sun descending from history¡¯¡­ So, this isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve done this, calling forth a sun that should have extinguished from history¡­ And this summoning process itself is the greatest pollution of history, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    When all the scattered clues suddenly pieced together, when all the lines gradually connected into one, things that were once incomprehensible, even unthinkable, became imaginable facts. At this moment, Duncan¡¯s imagination and memory operated at high speed, transforming the known, the unknown, and the knowable into distinct orbits in his mind.


    Of course, there were many questions left unexplained¨Cfor example, how exactly did this group of Doomsday Preachers collude with the Sun Cult, or how they managed to summon the sun from history, or whether the ordinary Sun Cultists and priests were aware of these upper-level secrets, he still had no answers.


    And even those things he had just thought of were largely based on speculation; without the confirmation of the Doomsday Preachers before him, he lacked the key evidence.


    The Spectral Flame on the deck gradually receded, leaving only a ring of fire around the three Heretics. Duncan stood before this blaze, expressionless, looking down at the ¡°preachers.¡±


    ¡°There must be more Doomsday Preachers infiltrating the City-State than just you few, right?


    ¡°Where are the others hiding? What do you plan to do next? Continue to eliminate what you call ¡®loopholes¡¯? Or wait for an opportunity to create greater contamination?


    ¡°Still refusing to answer?¡±


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    Duncan¡¯s questions were thrown out one by one, and finally, one of the Heretics moved.


    This gaunt madman slowly twisted his mouth, lifting his gaze to Duncan, his voice hoarse and unclear: ¡°We are not hidden within the so-called City-States¡­ We hide in this cursed, twisted history, which has begun and will not cease¡­ What the Fire Transmitter failed to do, you cannot do either, ¡®Captain¡¯¡­¡±


    His grin widened, the smile chilling to witness. His voice was deep, as if laced with enchantment and coldness: ¡°I just saw how glaringly bright your humanity is, where did you pick that up from?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes subtly shifted, taking a step forward, his voice grave and restrained, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°¡­I wish you a pleasant day, ¡®Captain,''¡± the preacher suddenly switched personas, from a frenzied Believer to a courteous citizen. Slowly rising to a crouch, sitting on the deck, though his gaze seemed to pass through Duncan, sweeping over the vast and desolate Homeloss, ¡°Ah¡­ the promised land, the Ark of Promise¡­¡±

 Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Chapter 189 Alice Test

    Chapter 185: Chapter 189 Alice Test


    After that, Duncan never heard any valuable intelligence from the mouths of those Doomsday Preachers again.


    They simply sat silently on the deck, seeming to enjoy every second of breathing in the Endless Sea breeze as much as possible, meeting Duncan¡¯s questions either with vacant, indifferent stares or with deranged, confused laughter.


    But the last sentence they had spoken before was deeply imprinted in Duncan¡¯s mind.


    These madmen who followed Subspace, whose sanity was in chaos, whose san values might already be negative¡­ seemed to have acquired theoretically impossible knowledge through their frenzied faith, knowledge of truths that theoretically should never have leaked.


    They ¡°saw¡± that there was an abnormal ¡°humanity¡± inside ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± and this humanity was ¡°picked up¡± ¡ª what did this sentence imply? Could it be that they recognized the soul inside his shell had already been replaced?


    And these Heretics had also mentioned, they had not been hiding within the City-State¡­ but within cursed history? What did that mean? Could it mean that these crazed Doomsday Preachers didn¡¯t actually exist in normal spacetime, which is why they could evade the City-State¡¯s guardians¡¯ surveillance with such strange behavior?


    Duncan silently watched the Doomsday Preachers with their weird smiles, his thoughts undulating. He was also paying attention to the entire ship¡¯s condition, sensing if there were any changes to the Homeloss.


    The goat-headed helmsman was still honestly steering in the captain¡¯s quarters, seemingly unaffected by the commotion on the deck.


    All parts of the Homeloss were operating as normal, and the words of the Doomsday Preachers had no effect on the ship.


    Alice was sitting on a large barrel not far away, idly organizing her hair with a bored expression ¡ª the Gothic doll¡¯s mind could not keep up with the topic between the captain and the Heretics and had wandered off long ago.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, Duncan finally let out a light sigh.


    The time he had wasted on these Heretics seemed a bit long, and he even felt somewhat influenced by their mad words.


    He had already received quite a bit of useful information from these people, and it seemed there would be no more to gain, so there was no need to continue wasting emotion on the lunatics.


    Just as Duncan¡¯s expression began to change, a Doomsday Preacher suddenly lifted his head, his chaotic eyes reflecting the Homeloss¡¯s hollow, unreal sails, muttering as if in a daze, ¡°Is it time to disembark?¡±


    ¡°There was never a place for you on this ship,¡± Duncan said expressionlessly, looking at him, ¡°but before I throw you overboard, you might still be useful.¡±


    All three Doomsday Preachers lifted their heads, slowly spreading their mouths into strange smiles.


    Despite their elated behavior when they had just boarded, even going so far as to kiss the deck passionately, now, hearing Duncan¡¯s words, they showed no sign of loss or fear.


    Originally, Duncan thought they would at least resist, would try to stay on this ship by force, or even try to reach the Subspace, their dearly held ¡°Promised Land,¡± but none of that happened¨Conly a peculiar numbness filled their eyes.


    It was as if in a moment unknown to others, most of their personalities and memories had suddenly left these bodies, or as if they had suddenly heard some ¡°calling¡± in destiny and then calmly accepted their fate.


    Duncan frowned but did not probe what these already deranged Heretics were thinking; instead, he turned to look at the Gothic doll who was daydreaming not far away: ¡°Alice, come here.¡±


    The doll immediately reacted, deftly placing her head back onto her neck, jumped down from the barrel, and trotted over to Duncan: ¡°You called for me, Captain?¡±


    ¡°¡­Could you not always remove your own head? The joints are unstable as it is, and your intelligence seems to drop each time you take it off,¡± Duncan started with a frown of complaint, then shook his head, pointing at the three Heretics, ¡°I¡¯m getting ready to do some testing on you.¡±


    ¡°Testing?¡± Alice paused, ¡°What kind of testing?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if your uncontrollable ¡®guillotine¡¯ power is still there,¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten about that.¡±


    ¡°I forgot!¡± Alice nodded vigorously, ¡°You reminded me just now, and I¡¯ve only just remembered!¡±


    Then she ignored Duncan¡¯s subtly changing expression and turned to greet the ¡°Doomsday Preachers,¡± ¡°Hello, I forgot to introduce myself just now, my name is Alice, and I¡¯m the ship¡¯s¡­ chef?¡±


    ¡°You should tell them about your other identity,¡± Duncan said flatly. While speaking to Alice, his gaze rested on the Heretics, ¡°Anomaly 099.¡±


    The three Doomsday Preachers finally showed a change in their expression. One of them couldn¡¯t help but take a look at Alice, his face suddenly taking on an air of gravity.


    ¡°I thought you were truly numb to the extent that you didn¡¯t fear death,¡± Duncan noted the change but still remained calm, ¡°So, I hope you fear-nothing madmen who aren¡¯t afraid of Subspace will like the following arrangements¨Cyou just need to stay near Alice and then either survive or be beheaded and die.¡±


    Alice, listening to the side, suddenly leaned in and muttered, ¡°Captain, you sound like a villain when you say that¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at the artificial being in surprise: ¡°¡­Whose side are you on, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Death has no meaning for us¡­¡± While Duncan and Alice were whispering, one of the Doomsday Preachers finally spoke up. He glanced at Alice, actually took a step forward, his expression laced with mockery, ¡°It¡¯s just one more pause in this long journey¨CYou who refused the grace of Subspace, dull and obsessed with the illusion of the real world, will never know the truth beyond life and death¡­¡±


    Duncan quickly tugged at Alice¡¯s arm, ¡°Did you hear that? That¡¯s what a villain sounds like¡­¡±


    Alice nodded, ¡°Oh.¡±


    After that, Duncan ignored the Preachers¡¯ reactions. He looked up at the night sky where the Creation of the World hung and suddenly asked, ¡°How long have these people been on board?¡±


    ¡°Several hours now, I guess?¡± Alice thought about it, ¡°I¡¯m pretty accurate when it comes to the sense of time!¡±


    ¡°A few hours¡­ which means the testing and activation period for the guillotine must have passed at least once,¡± Duncan pondered, his eyes on the puppet before him while recalling the descriptions related to Anomaly 099¡¯s Traits, ¡°But it¡¯s still not safe¡­ Let¡¯s wait a bit longer, then conduct another round of tests.¡±


    ¡°Another round of tests?¡± Alice blinked in confusion, ¡°How will we test?¡±


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s fairly certain that your beheading ability hasn¡¯t activated, but it¡¯s not yet clear if it¡¯s due to the influence of Homeloss or me,¡± Duncan glanced at the Doomsday Preachers as if to doubly ensure their heads were still in place while he spoke, ¡°In a few more hours, after ensuring at least one cycle of your ability¡¯s testing and activation period has passed, I want you and these ¡®Preachers¡¯ to temporarily leave Homeloss.¡±


    Alice paused at this, ¡°Temporarily leave Homeloss? Where would we go then?¡±


    She looked up, gazing beyond the ship¡¯s railing, taking in the Endless Sea that stretched to the horizon. The sea was calm at the moment, its entire surface bathed in the pale glow of the Creation of the World, giving the impression of an endless snowy plain. In this boundless sea¡­ there was nowhere to land.


    Duncan gave it some thought.


    Now that he had found the ¡°material¡± for testing Alice, he still needed a ¡°test site¡± that would eliminate his own interference to ensure the rigor of the testing process. This site couldn¡¯t be on densely populated land and had to be outside of Homeloss; it seemed he didn¡¯t have many other options.


    ¡°There are a few lifeboats in good condition. I¡¯ll let one down and then temporarily sever its connection with Homeloss,¡± Duncan looked into Alice¡¯s eyes, ¡°You¡¯ll drift at sea for a while¨CI¡¯ll have the ship wait nearby, I won¡¯t abandon you.¡±


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    The artificial lady shrank her neck as she listened to the captain¡¯s plan: ¡°Drift at sea again? I have a psychological trauma over this! And the visibility at night is so bad, what if you lose me? What if a storm sweeps away the lifeboat, what if it capsizes¡­¡±


    Duncan cut her off before she could finish her rant: ¡°Stop, stop, stop, with all these ¡®what ifs.¡¯ Can¡¯t I just have Ai Yi circle overhead and keep watch¨CAnd speaking of which, aren¡¯t you scared of not being able to get back to the ship? When you were given a coffin board, you managed to sail back through the waves, eight cannonballs couldn¡¯t keep you down. This time, you at least have a couple of proper oars!¡±


    Alice¡¯s complaints were stifled, but only for a moment. She then looked worriedly at the nearby sea and the Subspace Believers who were neither human nor ghostly, delirious and chaotic, tugging at Duncan¡¯s sleeve with determination, ¡°Captain, you promised, don¡¯t you dare lose me later!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help feeling this artificial being grew more useless the longer it stayed on the ship¨Cshe wasn¡¯t even as good as when she was braving the waves on the Endless Sea, back then, she at least had a foolish drive¡­

 Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Chapter 190: Vanished Like Yesterday

    Chapter 186: Chapter 190: Vanished Like Yesterday


    The Creation of the World hung high in the night sky, a cold wind swept over the Endless Sea, and the broken waves gently floated around. The small boat rocked and swayed, like a dream that was about to wake before dawn.


    But Alice didn¡¯t actually know what it meant to ¡°dream.¡± She had slept for a very, very long time but had never truly dreamed like humans do. She guessed that dreaming must be similar to this state.


    Floating in a vast, vast place, her thoughts also drifted about.


    She lifted her head and saw only the sea in the distance; the remote lights of the Homeloss seemed like tiny candle flames hovering over the surface of the water. This even gave her the feeling that the whole world had disappeared, leaving only herself, the small boat beneath her, and the boundless Endless Sea.


    Oh, and the three Doomsday Preachers tied up with ropes across from her.


    The doll miss shifted her gaze from the distance and curiously observed the Heretics tied up in front of her.


    These were humans, the nasty kind¨CAlice didn¡¯t know much about humans, but she knew there were good people and bad people among them. Good people did very good things; Captain Duncan would praise them; sometimes, he even helped them. Bad people did very bad things; Captain Duncan would despise them; sometimes, he even reported them. And these three in front of her¡­ belonged to the type the captain liked the least.


    They believed in Subspace, followed malicious doctrines, and would kill anyone for the faux righteousness they concocted¨Ceven attacking a poor little girl who relied on her dog for company. If the guardians of the City-State discovered them, they would shoot them dead in the streets without hesitation. If the sailors at sea found them, they would hang them from the masts¨C even the most vicious pirates, upon finding them, would stuff these madmen into wooden crates and throw them into the sea as a way to seek protection from the Storm Goddess.


    But now they were tied up, quiet, and showed no signs of crazy outbursts¨CAlice still remembered the terrifying state of these people when they first arrived on the ship, as agitated as if they had taken the wrong medication.


    As time passed, these Doomsday Preachers became more and more docile.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± After holding in for a long time, Alice couldn¡¯t help but speak out. She felt really uncomfortable here, although she knew this was a necessary ¡°safety test¡± to let her move about in human City-States, the feeling of drifting over the Endless Sea still left her unsettled.


    One of the Doomsday Preachers responded to the doll¡¯s voice. His skeletal head slowly lifted, staring into Alice¡¯s eyes, ¡°Foolish filth, crude shell¡­ Your soul is pale and empty. Subspace will not take you in¡­¡±


    Alice was stunned for a moment, and it took her a few seconds to react, ¡°Hey, why are you insulting me?¡±


    However, the Doomsday Preachers opposite her only emitted a series of hoarse and unpleasant laughter. Facing the fear-inducing ¡°anomaly 099,¡± they seemed to have no fear at all.


    Or maybe, as they themselves claimed, they had transcended the concept of life and death and no longer cared about the arrival of death in the real world.


    Alice could only hold her annoyance, but after a while, she shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not angry anymore.¡±


    Another Doomsday Preacher looked up at her and remained silent.


    Alice kept talking to herself, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be angry. You could complain a bit, after all. You are the ones tied up, not me. You are the ones undergoing this beheading test, not me. The captain always said, ¡®Don¡¯t get too carried away when the wind is favorable, for a big wave can capsize the boat, and if a person jumps too much they might lose their life¡¯¡­ And since you¡¯ve fallen to this state, I, being generous, will allow you a few unrestrained words.¡±


    The Doomsday Preachers silently sat in the cabin, listening to the doll rambling on as if they had completely blocked her out. But after a while, Alice noticed that these men had some ¡°little movements¡± ¡ª


    They were subtly examining each other¡¯s heads, occasionally moving their necks, and sometimes cautiously glancing this way with puzzlement in their eyes.


    Alice thought for a moment and felt that these men might be curious as to why their heads were still on their necks.


    These Heretics apparently knew about anomaly 099. Perhaps they truly weren¡¯t afraid of dying, but their curiosity was still present¨Chaving been so close to anomaly 099 for so long, they couldn¡¯t comprehend their own survival.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m a bit afraid,¡± Alice suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that your heads will suddenly fall off¨CCaptain said I have the ability to behead people; I was startled when I heard that for the first time. Humans are different from me; human¡¯s heads can¡¯t be put back on once they¡¯ve fallen off¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings came from above. Alice curiously looked towards the direction of the sound and saw the pigeon, Ai Yi, suddenly flying towards the distance. Then, not long after, it flew back from the direction of the Homeloss, carrying green flames on its body.


    Ai Yi circled above the surface of the sea near the small boat, the ghostly green fire soaring into the air, and within the grand vortex of flames, an ornate wooden chest emerged out of thin air and then plopped onto the sea nearby.


    ¡°My chest!¡± Alice¡¯s eyes widened in amazement, and she exclaimed with surprise; then, the words ¡°sweeping before stepping out¡± surfaced in her mind, and her head almost fell off her neck¨Cbut then she noticed a piece of paper stuck to the wooden chest, quickly paddled the boat over with an oar at hand, and after getting closer, she took off the note and saw a line of words written on it:


    ¡°The guillotine ability might also be related to your wooden box; both should be sent for testing. Also, you must be imagining again that I want to throw you off the ship¨Cdon¡¯t overthink it, come back quickly after the test is complete.¡±


    Alice looked at the note over and over, struggling to make sense of its content.


    She was illiterate¡­


    But soon on the back of the note, she saw something else¨Ca crudely drawn sketch that depicted her rowing back to the ¡®Homeloss,¡¯ ending with a smiley face.


    Thus, the doll-like lady understood¨Cregardless of what was written on the front of the note, the captain had no intention of sending her away.


    Relieved, she carefully tucked away the note and casually lifted the wooden box from the sea with a ¡°thump,¡± tossing the actually quite heavy box onto the small boat with one hand. Only then did she look up at the several heretics opposite her, ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    The preachers gave no response, but she didn¡¯t mind and mumbled to herself, ¡°Although the captain said you deserve to die, he also said if you really manage to survive the test, he won¡¯t kill you¨Che plans to bring you back to the city-state, for something¡­ what was it called¡­¡±


    The doll-like lady stumbled a moment, trying to remember what the captain had said, ¡°Oh, to demonstrate the citizens¡¯ concern for the safety of the city-state¡­ He said you are each worth at least seven bicycles. What is a bicycle?¡±


    ¡°Subspace will grant us warmth¡­ Subspace will grant us peace¡­ Subspace will bestow blessings upon all that perishes, after the end has come as promised¡­¡± mumbled a Doomsday Preacher ambiguously, seemingly in response to Alice¡¯s incessant talking, or perhaps merely engaging in some kind of blasphemous prayer, ¡°We walk through the end, abandoning this cursed flesh, our minds will transcend that barrier, and in the new world, our eyes will open once again¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Alice was confused, ¡°What are you muttering about?¡±


    The Doomsday Preachers stopped responding to her, and after that did not give any further response.


    Until sunrise, all they did was bow their heads, murmuring endlessly about matters related to Subspace, about the end of a time continuum, about an apocalypse that is destined and justified to come. Amid the rolling waves and the sound of water slapping against the boat, there was only the incessant muttering of these madmen.


    This was an atmosphere that could send chills down the spine of an ordinary person, and their prayers could curse the weak-willed, snaring them in the shadows that seeped from the depths of the world. Yet Alice sensed only annoyance.


    Having received the captain¡¯s note, she was no longer afraid of this drifting journey, left only with utter boredom.


    But the tedious wait was finally over.


    A streak of dawn light appeared on the distant sea. In the faint morning glow, the ¡®Creation of the World¡¯ in the sky quickly faded, and the sun that was doubly sealed by runes slowly emerged from the sea, ascending into the sky.


    Dawn had broken.


    Alice hadn¡¯t beheaded anyone.


    The doll-like lady cheerfully watched the sunrise, stood up from beside the wooden box, and turned to the heretics, ¡°Hey! It¡¯s dawn! You¡¯re still alive! We can go back now!¡±


    However, the three Doomsday Preachers still didn¡¯t respond to her. They just hunched there in the cabin, heads bowed, muttering softly, calling out for the ¡°attention¡± of Subspace one last time in the fleeting darkness before the sunlight could flood the cabin.


    Not until Alice raised her voice once more did one of them finally lift his head. The heretic glanced at the sunlight steadily spreading across, a bit dazed, but gradually, a strange smile appeared on his face.


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    ¡°Oh, our day is over¡­¡± the madman murmured, then slowly turned his head to look at Alice¡¯s gem-like, perfectly sculpted eyes, his smile weirdly mixing insanity and serenity, ¡°Doll, we shall meet again one day.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Alice was startled, ¡°What do you mean? You can¡¯t just disappear into thin air¡­¡±


    The sunlight spread.


    The figures of the three Doomsday Preachers silently vanished with the morning light, like ephemeral shadows of the past day.


    ¡°Run away, could you¡­¡± Alice finished the sentence out of inertia and then, widening her eyes, exclaimed, ¡°You really did run away, huh?¡±

 Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 192: Ark of Promise

    Chapter 188: Chapter 192: Ark of Promise


    In the chart room, as always, sunlight from the Endless Sea streamed through the portholes, casting a brilliance upon the antiquated artifacts that had gathered a century¡¯s worth of time. The black goat-head statue sat quietly in the corner of the chart table, controlling the direction of Homeloss, while the surface of the ancient sea chart was enveloped by rolling, thin mists. Within these swirling layers, the trajectory representing the known routes stretched straight toward a certain direction, moving forward.


    At the end of the course lay the Plunder City-State. The shimmering point of light had now appeared in the fog ahead and was slowly closing the distance to Homeloss, barely perceptible to the naked eye.


    The door opened, and Duncan¡¯s silhouette appeared in the doorway.


    The goat-head statue immediately stirred, its wooden neck creaking as it turned its head toward the source of the sound. ¡°Ah, the great captain has come to his faithful deputy! How are things going for you? You have been busy since yesterday, do you have a good mood today? Today¡¯s weather¨C¡±


    ¡°Stop, stop, stop, there¡¯s no need to repeat such greetings several times a day.¡± Duncan interrupted before the other could finish, his gaze then casually lingering on the face of the goat-head statue for a moment.


    The goat-head, as always, showed no expression, and its obsidian-crafted eyes remained eerily cold. It watched from the table with a non-human quality in its gaze.


    But there was no dangerous aura, nor anything different from usual.


    It seemed that the statue was always seriously following Duncan¡¯s orders. Duncan had instructed it to focus on steering, and it merely focused on steering.


    ¡°Captain, you seem to be heavily burdened?¡± The goat-head¡¯s voice rang out, carrying a familiar, obsequious enthusiasm, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve captured some prisoners¡­ but they don¡¯t seem to be on board anymore?¡±


    ¡°They disappeared after the sunrise,¡± Duncan casually moved to the navigation desk and sat down, ¡°They were a few Doomsday Preachers.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Doomsday Preachers¡­ troublesome and dangerous fellows indeed. They are indeed hard to capture, always appearing and disappearing mysteriously,¡± the goat-head immediately began to prattle as Duncan knew it would. Once a topic was brought up, it would produce a stream of nonsense which, however, often contained useful information without needing much probing, ¡°But what did they do to provoke you? Those insane preachers usually don¡¯t show themselves much and, compared to Sun Cultists or the cult of obliteration, they are much more low-profile and rare¡­¡±


    ¡°They attacked a human I was observing, and I captured them incidentally for Alice to test her abilities,¡± Duncan said offhandedly while observing the goat-head¡¯s reaction, ¡°They also babbled a lot of nonsensical stuff related to Subspace¡­ How much do you know about these heretics?¡±


    ¡°I would advise you not to pay too much attention to their insane ¡®sermons,''¡± the goat-head immediately said, ¡°Just frequently invoking the name of Subspace can attract dangerous attention, let alone dealing with those madmen who follow Subspace. Of course, someone as great as you might not be affected, but listening to them always isn¡¯t good¡­¡±


    It paused briefly, then continued, ¡°I tell you, my understanding of those lunatics is limited, and not many in this world know about them. Doomsday Preachers should be considered the strangest among various heretic groups, expert at disappearing without a trace, with fragmented and incoherent thinking, and unlike common heretics, who have a large number of low-level followers¨Cthey are far fewer in number and lack anyone who can communicate normally¡­¡±


    The goat-head rambled on, the nonsense increasing towards the end, but even amidst this verbosity, Duncan still picked up some key pieces of intelligence.


    According to the goat-head, Doomsday Preachers were far fewer in number compared to two other equally troubling heretical forces, the followers of the sun and the cult of obliteration. Based on current records and observed patterns of activity, their number might only be in the thousands, possibly even fewer.


    Typically, heretical groups had a large number of ordinary people forming a ¡°lower tier of Believers,¡± who were powerless and led normal social lives apart from their corrupted thinking, essentially indistinguishable from ordinary people. However, Doomsday Preachers lacked such a base structure¨Cwhenever they appeared, it was always as powerful ¡°clergymen.¡±


    No one knew how a cult operated and sustained itself without this lower-tier support, just as no one understood the specific process of conversion among ordinary people by Sun Cultists and servants of obliteration.


    Additionally, though Doomsday Preachers bore the word ¡°preacher¡± in their name, it seemed they had almost no instances of successful ¡°preaching¡±¨Ctheir sanity had long evaporated, and their language and logic were alien to common folks. Despite always muttering some ¡°truth¡± related to Subspace whenever they showed up, any person of sound mind wouldn¡¯t listen to their trickery, and the weak-willed¡­ would have been turned into monsters by Subspace contamination beforehand.


    In other words, it was theoretically impossible for Doomsday Preachers to increase their numbers through ¡°preaching.¡±


    Lastly, Doomsday Preachers were extremely elusive, very much so.


    Duncan had already experienced this firsthand.


    Having claimed to know little about Doomsday Preachers, the goat-head nonetheless revealed substantial information.


    ¡°A group of preachers so deranged they can¡¯t even ¡®preach¡¯ anymore¡­¡± Duncan stroked his chin, muttering thoughtfully, ¡°So where did the original Doomsday Preachers come from?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± the goat-headed figure¡¯s neck creaked and groaned as it swayed, ¡°Maybe it sprouted directly from subspace¡­¡±


    Duncan did not pay attention to the goat-head¡¯s clearly fabricated ¡°subspace joke,¡± nor did he share his own ¡°non-linear speculation¡± about the Doomsday Preachers.


    He just pondered, if someone like him who had just encountered a Doomsday Preacher could come up with such speculation, what then could the long-standing guardians and bishops in the human city-states, those who continuously battled heresy, possibly know about the group of subspace believers? Did they have a more complete theory to explain the oddities of those lunatics?


    ¡°Captain, you seem to be very interested in those Doomsday Preachers?¡± In the silence, the voice of the goat-head suddenly broke the quiet in the room, ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you with such a serious expression¡­¡±


    Duncan looked up and quietly glanced at the goat-head.


    ¡°What do you think, if a city-state¡¯s history had been contaminated, could it still be saved?¡±


    He suddenly asked this.


    Calmly and casually, as if merely discussing a mundane ¡°academic speculation¡± during leisure.


    The goat-head was stunned (although its rigid face was originally expressionless), and it took two or three seconds before responding, ¡°Historical contamination? Oh, that¡¯s a high-level topic, sounds like something only subspace could pull off¡­¡±


    ¡°Only subspace could pull off such a thing?¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Besides subspace, this inherently chaotic and dangerous entity where time, space, and causality are all entangled, what else could so easily pollute the history of a city-state?¡± the goat-head casually said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing in this mortal world that possesses such power¡­ oh, not to say there isn¡¯t one; speaking of power alone, there might be one so capable, but that thing hangs in the sky¡­¡±


    Listening to the goat-head¡¯s rambling, Duncan felt a jolt in his heart.


    Subspace itself has chaotic time and causal relationships?


    This was the first time he heard such clear and direct information related to subspace.


    And along with this information emerging in his mind, he remembered a phrase the Frost Queen had said to him in that illusory vision¨C


    Please do not contaminate history.


    He frowned, temporarily supressing the complex thoughts in his mind, and turned his gaze back to the goat-head, which immediately noticed the captain¡¯s stare, stopped its chatter, and quickly responded, ¡°Ah, no wonder you suddenly took interest in those Doomsday Preachers¡­ Could it be that they¡­¡±


    ¡°They might have stirred up a big mess,¡± Duncan murmured, ¡°which makes me somewhat¡­ restless.¡±


    He quietly watched the eyes of the goat-head, which also looked back expressionlessly, as if observing each other, yet seemingly with no additional communication.


    ¡°The city-state has its guardians, and those Fire Transmitters watching over the course of history,¡± the goat-head began to speak, ¡°no matter what those Doomsday Preachers stir up, they pose no threat to you, even if they could contaminate history, they can¡¯t contaminate you and Homeloss¡­¡±


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    ¡°Can¡¯t contaminate me and Homeloss, you say?¡±


    ¡°¡­We returned from subspace, Captain,¡± the goat-head slowly said, ¡°everything in the world can be contaminated¨Cbut subspace is an exception, and we¡­ have already stayed in subspace long enough.¡±


    Duncan frowned, and for some reason, the frenzied words once spoken by those Doomsday Preachers suddenly surfaced in his mind.


    After a moment of silence, he couldn¡¯t help but murmur softly, ¡°Ark of Promise¡­¡±


    (Book recommendation time! The book¡¯s title is ¡°Standing Below Billions of Lives,¡± by author Chen Laite. Actually, this book was promoted once before, but unfortunately, it was reported and went into a period of closure. Now the content has been renewed and reborn, featuring the interesting story of a mentally ill young man who refuses unpaid overtime and runs away from home in a magical world. If interested, check it out.)

 Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter 193 "Captain

    Chapter 189: Chapter 193 ¡°Captain


    Subspace could contaminate everything beyond itself, including reality and time itself, yet this didn¡¯t seem to be a problem for Homeloss.


    In a sense, the ship had already become a part of subspace¨Cindeed, its hull was still navigating through subspace at that moment.


    You cannot drive a person with zero sanity into madness, nor can you contaminate the Homeloss, which had been thoroughly transformed by subspace.


    Listening to the goat head¡¯s words, Duncan Ebnomal showed a contemplative expression, but he didn¡¯t ponder for long because the goat head¡¯s voice came from the navigation desk again, ¡°Captain, you¡¯ve started taking an interest in matters within the civilized boundary¨Cyou used to be focused solely on voyaging beyond the frontier. Does something in the City-State hold special meaning for you?¡±


    Voyaging beyond the frontier?


    Duncan¡¯s heart stirred slightly, but his facial expression remained unchanged, as he casually replied, ¡°Just a simple interest, no need for a reason.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay, you¡¯re the captain, what you say goes,¡± responded the goat head immediately, followed by two seconds of silence, as if hesitating or contemplating something, before it finally spoke in a low voice, ¡°Well then, just in case, I¡¯d like to ask you a question.¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows.


    He heard the hoarse, deep voice emanating from within the wood carving, ¡°Your name?¡±


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal,¡± Duncan replied impassively, his fingertips lightly crossed over each other, but this time, after uttering his name, he suddenly laughed and quickly asked back, ¡°I¡¯m rather curious, what would happen if I gave a different name?¡±


    It was the first time he¡¯d asked this question, and it was also his boldest ¡°transgression¡± to date¨Cwas it the life he¡¯d led on this ship, the many encounters with the goat head, and the increasing understanding of his own powers and traits that had finally led him to take this step?


    The mutual probing and observation had established a fundamental tacit understanding, Duncan¡¯s counter-question revealing a fact both parties were aware of but left unspoken, and after this question, the goat head fell into a prolonged silence. Only after a full minute did the captain¡¯s quarters reverberate with its low, hoarse voice again, ¡°Then, please spare me the jokes, Captain. Homeloss still needs you at the helm.¡±


    Duncan laughed.


    As he had suspected, if the goat head had been ¡°Captain Duncan¡¯s¡± right-hand man for the past century, then it probably knew the Ghost Captain even better than the captain knew himself. Considering all the strange and transcendent entities in this world, how could an extremely knowledgeable ¡°first mate¡± not notice a change in the captain, not consider the possible scenarios?


    Even the most cautious disguise has its flaws, and the fact that nobody had mentioned it meant that these flaws were obvious and necessary to some extent.


    Homeloss needed a captain, and that captain¡¯s name was ¡°Duncan Ebnomal.¡± It didn¡¯t matter what lay behind that name or whether the captain himself was real; all that mattered was having someone qualified at the helm.


    Duncan was just curious about why it had to be him, and whether his own ¡°Self-Will¡± was an unexpected development, because from what he knew about ghost ships, if a cursed vessel needed to ¡°grab¡± people to be captains, then those chosen should be under the curse¡¯s control, yet he was clearly unfettered.


    But he didn¡¯t voice these thoughts, as the goat head¡¯s demeanor subtly reminded him:


    Some things, everyone knows them; no need to state them too plainly.


    Until all the secrets behind Homeloss were unraveled, this topic could come to a close.


    ¡°Still needing your loyal first mate at your service, and Homeloss still needing its great captain personally at the helm, what do you think?¡± came the goat head¡¯s voice from the side, sounding somewhat hopeful, even eager.


    Duncan turned his head, gazing at the Obsidian-carved eyeballs of the other.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said with a smile.


    He then stood up and headed for the door of the captain¡¯s quarters, ¡°I¡¯m going to step out for a moment; keep an eye on the ship.¡±


    The goat head returned to its usual obsequious manner, its tone pleasant, ¡°Of course, your loyal subordinate will wait here for your return, wish you a good¡­¡±


    Duncan had already pushed the door open and left the room, blocking the rest of the goat head¡¯s words behind it.


    He stood on the aft deck, exhaling softly, a strange relief rising within him. The morning sun was spreading over the sea, lending the whole deck a warm and comforting atmosphere, while the door leading to the captain¡¯s quarters stood quietly in front of Duncan, the letters ¡°The Door of The Displaced¡± glistening in the sunlight.


    He pressed the handle and gently pushed forward.


    Inside the captain¡¯s quarters, the goat head sensed that the captain had temporarily left Homeloss.


    It was silent, everything in the room was silent, even the entire ship was silent, but after a few minutes, a low creaking sound suddenly emerged from beneath the floorboards, followed by some of the room¡¯s furnishings beginning to sway slightly, producing various faint noises.


    The voice of the goat¡¯s head broke the silence, muttering to itself, ¡°Geez¡­ not angry, right¡­ should not be angry¡­ I mean, really not angry¡­¡±


    The various tiny sounds in the room became more pronounced.


    ¡°I know, I know¡­ it¡¯s not that I want to keep asking for names every now and then! It¡¯s for navigation safety! Just in case we fall back into Subspace, at least we¡¯d be prepared¡­ Stop fussing, stop fussing, I¡¯m already all over the place¡­ How about next time you ask! If not, then keep it down¡­ You know I¡¯m the only one on board with a mouth¡­


    ¡°That doll? Are you guys crazy? She doesn¡¯t know the situation¡­ Wait, when did you get on such good terms with her? Aren¡¯t you always fighting¡­ Feeling guilty for bullying her too much? Can it really be like this?


    ¡°Alright, alright, everyone scatter, focus on the journey, the captain might return at any time, he might ask about the progress of our voyage¡­ Anchor, can¡¯t you learn to swim? Providing some power when you swing, I¡¯ve seen those steamships¡¯ propellers¡­ Alright then, forget I said anything¡­ Or maybe you two lifeboats could jump in and mess around? Okay, okay, forget I said that too¡­¡±


    The sounds in the captain¡¯s quarters gradually subsided.


    The goat¡¯s head sighed silently and continued to steer the massive Ghost Ship towards the direction of Plunder City-State.


    On the sea chart shrouded in mist, the twinkling light where the City-State was located drew nearer by a bit.


    ¡­


    Zhou Ming pushed open the door to his single apartment and stepped into the world he was familiar with.


    Outside the window, the mist was still enveloping everything, and the world he knew was still confined to this small area.


    Inside the room, everything remained as it was when he left, the bedcovers were somewhat messy, the book on the nightstand was still open, and the computer screen in the corner flickered faintly, with the ¡°Network Disconnected¡± prompt popping up again and again in the bottom right corner.


    Duncan breathed a sigh of relief and strolled over to the shelving unit at the end of the room.


    The model ship Homeloss still lay quietly in its compartment, exactly where he had last placed it.


    Duncan picked up the intricately detailed Ghost Ship ¡°model,¡± then opened the door to the captain¡¯s quarters and peeked inside.


    The navigation desk was still empty, the figure of the goat¡¯s head was not to be seen.


    Duncan pondered for a moment before returning Homeloss to its original spot, then turned and walked over to the desk, preparing to sit down and rest, and organize the intelligence he knew and collect his thoughts in this familiar and quiet environment.


    But all of a sudden, his gaze was drawn to something on the desk.


    To be precise, not something, but a rather strange¡­ phenomenon.


    He saw very, very tiny flames continuously leaping on the empty desk top, like sparks chaining together, and under the outline of these faint and eerie green flames, there were vague outlines appearing and disappearing in the air.


    It was as if something was taking shape on the desktop, yet the coalescence was too slow, getting stuck in an almost-formed state.


    Duncan sat down in front of the desk, quietly watching those dancing flames and the outlines faintly appearing amidst the fire, the eerie green light reflecting off his face, lending his slightly gaunt features a solemn air.


    He recognized that the outlines traced by the flickering flames were places he was familiar with¨Cthose were some of the streets of Plunder!


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    He could even make out some details of the City-State¡¯s coastline.


    The fire was burning, and Duncan remembered that he had commanded those flames to persistently chase and hunt down those ¡°things¡± with black umbrellas.


    Now it had nearly spread to every corner of the City-State.


    The prey¡­ is everywhere!?


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed bit by bit, thoughtfully tracking and distinguishing the paths of those spreading flames, searching for the patterns in their congregation, and the directions they might converge on next, like a hunter tracking the scent of his prey.

 Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 194: Transmission

    Chapter 190: Chapter 194: Transmission


    Fenna once again found herself within the archives.


    Even though she herself did not understand why she had returned there, a sense of disharmony and impending crisis seemed to be chasing her like an unseen shadow, compelling her to continuously recall the details of her previous searches in the archives and constantly feeling that she might have forgotten something.


    Of course, another reason for her return to the archives was that there was nowhere else to go at the moment.


    As her connection with the Homeloss had been intensifying, she was actually under round-the-clock surveillance¨Cshe remained a judge of the Plunder City-State, but this was only because no one could replace her in her crucial duties at the moment; therefore, apart from necessary attendances, she had to stay in the cathedral.


    The encounter with ¡°Captain Duncan¡± in the Dreamscape was anxiety-inducing, and the clues found in the small chapel in the Sixth District were unsettling; in the solemn and holy archives, she could somewhat block out the surrounding gazes and interferences, allowing herself a moment of respite.


    Footsteps echoed through the empty archives, row upon row of towering shelves stretched up to the ceiling like giants standing silently in her line of sight, and the ancient scrolls quietly slept on the shelves, overlooking the young judge passing below.


    Fenna raised her head, gazing at the shelves that stretched out before her in her vision, recalling once again her previous experience of searching for documents here, while a middle-aged priest responsible for managing the archives quietly followed not far behind her, with his lantern casting a warm, soft glow.


    Entering the archives, searching for the records of 1889, discovering suspicious traces of heretical sacrifices, using this clue to widen the search, finding records of heretical sacrifices between 1889, and finally noticing the abnormal disappearance of the corresponding archives from 1885.


    These memories combed through her mind over and over¨CFenna could no longer remember how many times she had recalled them; they were now so vividly present in her mind, seamlessly perfect from start to finish, with no trace of any flaws or distortions.


    But Fenna¡¯s brow was gradually furrowing.


    The young judge suddenly stopped, and the middle-aged priest following behind her also stopped.


    ¡°Judge, Your Honor?¡± the middle-aged man called from behind.


    Something isn¡¯t right, something is off¨CI definitely wasn¡¯t alone when I first came to look for the documents, someone was with me¡­ but who was it?


    Fenna seemed not to hear the voice behind her, merely frowning and thinking hard; she remembered again the small chapel in the Sixth District and the nun who had died in battle in 1885¨Cthe chapel that had disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight, even Bishop Valentin had forgotten its existence over the years, a situation so similar¡­


    I, too, have experienced a similar ¡°forgetting,¡± everyone has forgotten the same thing, so I can¡¯t detect the void in my memory, nor can anyone else remind me¡­ but what exactly have I forgotten, and since when did I start forgetting?


    ¡°Judge, Your Honor?¡± the middle-aged priest¡¯s voice came again from behind.


    Fenna felt the Power of Storm gathering; the middle-aged priest¡¯s hand had already discreetly approached his waist.


    ¡°How long have you been a custodian here?¡± Fenna suddenly asked.


    The Power of Storm dissipated; the middle-aged priest lowered his hand again, bowing slightly, ¡°Seven years¨Cfrom after I retired, I¡¯ve been here.¡±


    ¡°There is more than one custodian here, correct?¡± Fenna asked again.


    ¡°There are two, plus another lady older than me who is responsible for the night shift, also retired from the guard.¡±


    Fenna spoke casually as she continued to slowly walk between the shelves, chatting, ¡°Two people¡­ can you manage?¡±


    ¡°We manage alright. The archive custodian¡¯s job isn¡¯t very demanding. Security is maintained by visible and hidden guards, while tasks like moving and sorting are done by servants and novice monks. It¡¯s only during the filing and retrieval of documents that we need to handle personally¨Cmost of the data here, once stored, doesn¡¯t get ¡®moved¡¯ again, so there¡¯s not much work,¡± the middle-aged priest explained earnestly. ¡°However, because the custodian¡¯s position requires spending long hours in the archives surrounded by volumes, it¡¯s essential that the appointed clergy is steadfast and experienced, no matter how small the workload is.¡±


    At this point, the middle-aged priest paused, then added, ¡°Of course, with only two people, it can still be quite troublesome if a special situation arises. I¡¯ve always felt it would be better to add another person, a rotation of three would be more reasonable.¡±


    ¡°Three-person rotation¡­¡± Fenna murmured to herself, then asked, ¡°The archives from 1885 still haven¡¯t been found?¡±


    ¡°They have not,¡± the middle-aged priest shook his head, ¡°After you mentioned the anomaly here, we organized a team to check the entire archive; hundreds of servants and novice monks were used, but to no avail.¡±


    Fenna hummed a response, then fell silent, standing quietly in front of one of the shelves lost in thought, while her silence made the priest behind her tense.


    Fenna noticed the other¡¯s tension and laughed, shaking her head, ¡°No need to worry so much; I¡¯ve only met that ghost captain once, I¡¯m not out of my senses yet. Besides, who knows how many eyes and detection devices are watching in and outside the archive now? If I notice something unusual, I will alert immediately¨CI still have that professionalism.¡±


    ¡°Please forgive me,¡± the middle-aged priest sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve already seen too many comrades disappear from this world due to a moment¡¯s carelessness.¡±


    Fenna remained silent, her gaze shifting towards the end of the bookshelf, where the archive administrator usually stayed¨Cshe had walked a circle around the massive shelves and returned near the entrance.


    She seemingly saw a slightly hunched figure sitting there.


    The young Judge suddenly widened her eyes.


    The figure had vanished.


    The middle-aged priest noticed something, ¡°Judge, did you see something?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it was nothing¡­ no, let¡¯s go have a look.¡±


    Fenna quickly uttered a phrase and started to advance without waiting for a response. She walked faster and faster until she was almost running towards the massive curved desk, where she closely examined the table that contained numerous intricate mechanisms.


    There was no one beside the table, and the few items on it were fully visible.


    Fenna walked behind the desk and looked it up and down.


    From the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed something¨Cseveral scattered small parts were carelessly abandoned behind a panel on the edge of the table, the parts had rusted, seeming as if they had been discarded for many years, and judging by their outlines¡­ they appeared to be part of a mechanical cube.


    For some reason, the moment she saw these parts, Fenna felt a peculiar smell¡­ it seemed like incense mixed with mechanical grease, and something burnt had an acrid smell.


    The middle-aged priest holding the lantern followed up, curiously following Fenna¡¯s line of sight, and asked in a puzzled voice, ¡°Who left these things here?¡±


    ¡°There are traces on the desk.¡± Fenna had already found other clues next to those parts, which looked like oil stains but also seemed like deliberately created drawings upon closer inspection.


    Her heart thumped wildly, a piercing noise seemed to echo repeatedly in her mind, and even the peripheries of her vision began to tremble uneasily. Between those quivering shadows, it seemed like fire was burning and leaping, but these highly uncomfortable sensations not only didn¡¯t bring chaos, but rather made her heart slightly excited¨Cher spirit was pulsating, she was observing and touching Transcendent traces, the clues she sought¡­ indeed existed in this archive!


    Mentally invoking the name of the Storm Goddess Gomona, Fenna reached out to the side, ¡°Hand me the lantern.¡±


    The middle-aged priest immediately handed over the ¡°administrator lantern,¡± which was protected with Holy Symbols and fueled by holy oil, ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Fenna took the lantern and carefully brought the light close to the area with the oily traces on the desk. Under the light, it seemed like fine dust or mist appeared out of thin air and then quickly faded, and between the light and shadows brought by the flame, she finally saw the ¡°stains.¡±


    They were dark red blood, seemingly like someone who was on the brink of death had used trembling fingers to draw with their own blood on the desk, forming something that looked like a cluster of bonfires, with a cylindrical object standing in the middle of the fire.


    This was nothing like any of the Holy Symbols used by the Deep Sea Church, nor was it any kind of blessing from the Storm Goddess Gomona.


    Yet, Fenna still recognized this symbol¨Cit was unexpectedly the mark of a Fire Transmitter.


    Fire Transmitters? Why would the mark of a Fire Transmitter appear in a chapel of the Deep Sea Church?


    A sudden confusion arose in Fenna¡¯s mind. Although the four gods were indeed in the same alliance, and the churches of the four gods had many cooperative relationships, the Holy Symbols of each faction, being highly symbolic, would normally not appear within the sanctuaries of other churches under normal circumstances, but why¡­ would the mark of a Fire Transmitter appear here?


    Fire Transmitters¡­ the small chapel in the sixth sector¡­ the forgotten people, the forgotten events, another Plunder hidden beneath the real world¡­


    Fenna¡¯s breathing suddenly became rapid, and at this moment, she finally understood.


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    This symbol was a warning, a solitary guardian¡¯s only message left for reality from his lonely battlefield, already forgotten by all.


    ¡°Someone has tainted history!¡±


    The young Judge suddenly exclaimed loudly and abruptly turned to look at the middle-aged priest following behind her.


    The archive was empty.


    As if from the beginning, there was only her.

 Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter 195 Disappearance

    Chapter 191: Chapter 195 Disappearance


    With a clang, Dante Wayne¡¯s silver fork dropped onto the plate.


    The sound of the falling fork was a bit shrill in the somewhat cavernous dining room, startling the maid who was standing by. She quickly came forward to ask, ¡°Mr. Dante?¡±


    Dante didn¡¯t respond to the maid¡¯s inquiry. The City-State Governor remained sitting there, stunned, as if his soul had temporarily left his body. After a good while, he suddenly blinked, his consciousness seemingly snapping back to the surface from the brink of drowning ¨C the sounds of the real world boomed in his ears¨Che took a sharp breath, hearing the maid¡¯s voice again, ¡°Mr. Dante, are you alright?¡±


    Dante Wayne stared blankly at the fork that had fallen onto the plate, slowly reached out to pick up the fork, and noticed his hand was shaking violently. Countless intertwining, chaotic memories shuttled and overlapped in his head; he felt a burning pain near his eye sockets, as if his Ruby prosthetic eye was burning hot.


    Suddenly, he turned his head and, before the maid could speak for the third time, he broke the silence with a somber tone, ¡°Has Fenna sent someone with any messages?¡±


    The maid paused, looking at the respected Governor with some confusion, ¡°¡­ Who is Fenna?¡±


    The next second, the maid was startled by the Governor¡¯s sudden ashen face and ominous aura.


    Dante Wayne¡¯s face changed dramatically, as if even the air pressure around him dropped. He was silent for several seconds, but eventually, he managed to maintain a calm demeanor and waved the maid off, speaking as evenly as possible, ¡°Please leave for now, and don¡¯t come in.¡±


    Confused and a bit tense, the maid left, and the dining room fell completely silent. Dante Wayne sat quietly at the end of the dining table, alone.


    As if for the past eleven years, he had been sitting at the table like this, living alone in this expansive mansion.


    Layer upon layer of tumultuous, disordered memories continued shuttling through his brain; ¡°realities¡± from different dimensions seemed to overwrite his memory, but Dante just sat there quietly, letting his memory be constantly rewritten, murmuring as if in a dream, ¡°Fenna is still alive¡­ Fenna is still alive¡­¡±


    He suddenly looked up.


    At the other end of the dining table, a figure had appeared at some unknown time.


    It was himself¨Cat least, it appeared to be another version of himself.


    It was a gray and white figure, dressed just like Dante Wayne, with the same face and hairstyle, even the wrinkles on the back of the hands were identical, but the features of the figure were slightly blurred, and its eyes were just two hollow and sunken caverns filled with endless void and eeriness.


    Dante quietly watched the gray and white ¡°self¡± across the table. The figure also lifted its head to quietly observe him. After a long time, the gray figure suddenly grinned, revealing a silent smile, its sunken eye sockets reflecting a tumult of disordered light.


    The thing spoke, its skin shifting and cracking with the movement of its lips, ¡°Ah, your heart has finally developed a hole, ¡®Mr. Myself¡¯.¡±


    Dante Wayne stopped his continuous murmuring and stared hard at the figure sitting across from him, his own ¡°reflection¡±: ¡°What have you done?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know either; it just happened, the surprise came too quickly, a hole annihilated itself,¡± the thing across the table shook its head, ¡°But don¡¯t you want to see this? You no longer need to bear the pressure of the truth, nor need to worry about any responsibility or future¡­ Everything is returning to the right track, and eternal relief and peace await everyone, just like the promise you received many years ago¨Ceveryone¡¯s wish will be fulfilled¡­¡±


    Saying this, the thing slowly stood up from across the table, its face twisted into a broken smile, ¡°I understand your heart very well, just as I understand my own¡­¡±


    Dante Wayne also slowly stood up. There were no weapons in the dining room, but he always carried a short dagger with him, and now he gripped that sole weapon tightly, staring down the gray figure, ¡°Nothing but a void, a hollow shadow¡­ Do you presume to understand the human heart?¡±


    ¡°I am your Spiritual Body reflected in the Subspace¡­¡± the gray figure spread its arms, seemingly unconcerned by Dante¡¯s hostility and provocation, ¡°Subspace understands everything, including that shallow, laughable human heart¡­ Come, kill me, then see me once again, we haven¡¯t played this game for a long time¡­¡±


    The gray shadow¡¯s words stopped abruptly.


    Dante Wayne looked across the dining table in bafflement. He saw a clump of green flame that had spread from nowhere, pouncing on the phantom like a predator smelling its prey. The phantom tried to dodge it, but the flames seemed to defy the laws of space and burned fiercely upon it.


    Piercing howls and strange cries came simultaneously, the sharp sound waves instantly shattering all the glass in the dining room. However, these sounds were trapped within the space and could not escape¨Cso, layers of sound waves echoed in the dining room, becoming more bizarre and chill-inducing.


    Dante Wayne watched blankly as his Subspace projection twisted into a strange, writhing ¡°grease¡± in the flames and from it continued to emerge hisses and howls. He could barely make out a few words amidst the venomous curses, and only one word had some meaning: ¡°Homeloss!¡±


    This word was almost bellowed out by the ¡°grease¡± as it exhausted its voice.


    Then the grease too was consumed by fire, leaving only pale ashes in the flames. Dante Wayne stared blankly at this all, and the next second, a searing, intense pain suddenly filled his entire body.


    The burning of the subspace projection now had a reverse effect on the physical body.


    The dagger fell to the ground, and the Governor¡¯s robust body immediately dropped, Dante curling up in agony, feeling as if he, too, was being consumed by fierce flames. This belated fiery ordeal was tearing and destroying his spiritual body and mind. In the hallucinatory flames that rose into the air, he saw the spreading green flames slowly circling around him, but they showed no real intention of coming up to ¡°hunt.¡±


    The spiritual fire took one last turn in front of the Governor, flickered twice, and then rapidly spread elsewhere.


    Dante even felt that the fire ¡°spat¡± at him, as if to express disdain for food that did not meet its taste.


    He felt he might already be delirious from the pain of being burned by the flames.


    The next second, all the pain disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived, and Dante¡¯s consciousness felt like a spring stretched to its limit, suddenly released with a snap. This sudden release was the final blow that destroyed his consciousness, an intense dizziness came over him, his vision went black, and the perception of the whole world began to rapidly fade away.


    And just before he completely lost consciousness, he heard the sound of the door opening, the maid¡¯s cries of alarm, and the confused footsteps of others who had been disturbed.


    ¡­


    Fenna calmly surveyed the empty archive room, attempting to find the trace of the middle-aged priest.


    In the first two minutes, she didn¡¯t move from her spot, didn¡¯t rashly try to leave, nor did she touch any of the objects within sight.


    This was to prevent triggering a contamination source after falling into some kind of hallucination, which would allow her sanity to be invaded.


    Not until she confirmed that all the items in her sight were physical entities, and after she had taken protective measures for her own mind, did she go behind the arch-shaped desk of the administrator and decisively pressed a button underneath the desk.


    That was the alarm bell.


    As the bell rang out, it echoed continuously in the empty archive room.


    Fenna then lowered her head to look at the lantern in her hand.


    The middle-aged priest had disappeared, but the lantern he had lent her was still in her hand. The lantern continued to give off a soft, warm glow. Despite the fact that the archive room was not dark, the flame of the oil, which bore Holiness, seemed to dispel something, forming a hazy halo within a few meters¡¯ radius around her.


    Fenna did another round in the administrator¡¯s resting area but still couldn¡¯t find any trace of the priest.


    The alarm was still going, sharp, piercing, anxiety-inducing.


    Fenna returned to the front of the arch-shaped desk, her gaze falling on the pile of scattered parts and the symbols written in blood.


    As the bell tolled emptily, no one entered the place.


    The young Judge suddenly realized¨C


    It wasn¡¯t the middle-aged priest who had disappeared.


    It was her.


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    The very moment this thought rose from the depths of her mind, Fenna felt the ¡°atmosphere¡± around her change, as if a veil was suddenly lifted to reveal another dimension overlapping reality, and she suddenly widened her eyes to see boundless flames igniting everywhere in the archive room!


    And in that roaring sea of fire, a silhouette holding a black umbrella stood not far in front of her, unnoticed until then.


    The figure was tall and thin, exuding an otherworldly aura. He raised an arm toward Fenna within the flames, and a low, hoarse voice came from within him, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Fenna only heard one syllable before she took down the greatsword that normally required two hands to hold, then with one hand gripping the lantern and the other lifting the greatsword, she launched a leaping slash from three meters away.


    ¡°Heresy!¡±

 Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter 196: Reckless Player Selection

    Chapter 192: Chapter 196: Reckless Player Selection


    Fenna didn¡¯t actually recognize the figure that suddenly appeared in front of her at first, as it was entirely obscured by a long black trench coat and a large black umbrella, and her own consciousness was momentarily shocked by the sudden peek behind the curtain, causing her to lose her usual sharpness.


    But as the monster spoke in a hoarse, low noise, as the filthy, blasphemous aura exuded, and as it revealed its corrupted, decaying outline with a lift of its hand, she recognized it.


    It was a Sun Heretic.


    That simplifies things¨CFenna liked simple things.


    The heavy alloy broadsword roared terrifyingly through the air, the holy lantern dispelled the impure air, and Fenna¡¯s leap high into the sky resembled a massive wave. As she descended, her strike carried with it the force of a crashing wave¨Ctons of seawater pressure concentrated in one sword strike. The umbrella-wielding Sun Heretic clearly hadn¡¯t anticipated such a decisive attack, losing the opportunity to dodge and hastily lifting the black umbrella to block.


    Then, like a small boat shattered by a giant wave, both the person and the umbrella were split in two.


    The remnants of the Scion flew apart, foul and blasphemous flesh splattered along the way, and the tough alloy umbrella also broke in half, falling to the ground with the sound of clashing metal, the break site between its ribs and handle continuously sparking small blue flames, with scattered crystals cracking out from its frame, quickly losing their lustrous light.


    Fenna crushed the fallen components underfoot, yet her gaze had already noticed that the severed flesh nearby had started to rapidly wriggle, regenerate, and consolidate. Not much later, the tall, slim figure in a long black coat reappeared amidst the fire, its grotesque true form clearly visible to Fenna without the obstruction of the black umbrella.


    Its head bloomed like a flower of flesh, its body composed of countless twisted, entwined tentacles. At this moment, the flower of flesh emitted an angry and mournful howl, a sound potent enough to knock an ordinary person unconscious, but it brought a slight smile to Fenna¡¯s face.


    Regeneration Ability does not equate to invincibility; this thing was weakened, and without the protection of that bizarre black umbrella, it appeared to be in great pain.


    The young Judge nonchalantly clipped her lantern to her waist, adjusted her sword stance, and took large strides toward the monster, but suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she noticed a momentary distortion in the flames beside a bookshelf.


    Years of combat experience and sharp intuition made her abruptly stop and turn around, and the next second, a coiled tentacle emerged from the distorted flames, and a red-hot shard of steel, swept up by the tentacle like a cannonball, came whistling toward her!


    At the same time, the Sun Heretic who had just completed regeneration suddenly turned into a dark shadow, launching a sneak attack from the side. His body, amidst a brief transformation of light and shadow, reached a few meters beside Fenna, lashing out with two bloody flesh whips from his hands, targeting Fenna¡¯s neck and back.


    Fenna clicked her tongue, twisted her body, and wielded her sword, unexpectedly using the huge sword like a spear and hurling it at the attacking Sun Heretic. With great momentum and force, the sword smashed the assailant and pinned him against a wall several meters away. Simultaneously, a scorching steel plate flew towards Fenna¨Cshe raised her hand to block it, and the red-hot steel stopped as though it had hit a mountain. Where her fingers gripped, the metal visibly twisted and curled from the heat between the steel and flesh, hissing.


    ¡°It seems that you are the ones causing trouble.¡± Fenna, seemingly without pain, casually tore the steel plate in two and tossed it aside, while beckoning behind her. The giant sword that had impaled her enemy was then drawn back to its master¡¯s hand by an invisible force, bringing with it the still writhing and screaming remains of the Scions of the Sun.


    Fenna flipped her right hand, casually dropping the nailed creature onto the ground, and walked forward without turning back, leaving behind only the words, ¡°You regenerate here first; I¡¯ll go purify your accomplices.¡±


    The mass of flesh pierced by the sword screamed manically, emitting obscenities and furious curses from Subspace, yet Fenna, having calculated its regeneration speed, knew its recovery was greatly reduced after another critical hit and the loss of the Black Umbrella¡¯s protection. She confidently strode towards a burning bookshelf nearby¨Canother figure emerged from the flames, the second Sun Heretic.


    The one who had thrown the steel plate was this guy.


    Looking at the Judge confidently striding towards him, the tall, thin shadow issued a series of indistinct, deep murmurs. Amidst the disgusting, squelching sound of its limbs, numerous tentacles extended from its ¡°coat.¡±


    ¡°Fear, anger, confusion¡­ it seems you do have emotional responses and are not just mindless ¡®fragments¡¯ as many believe,¡± Fenna proceeded, being wary of more potential assailants while calmly speaking¨Cshe was not one to speak unnecessarily, but against these blasphemous murmurs from chaotic monsters, the reasoned words of a clergy were an effective weapon as well. ¡°Scions of the Sun¡¯s remnants¡­ Since you¡¯re here, it means there¡¯s at least one main body of the Scions of the Sun lurking nearby¡­ Where is it? Deep in the inferno? Outside the church? Or perhaps¡­¡±


    The creature launched an attack, a shadow leaping from its side and viciously striking towards Fenna¡¯s neck.


    Fenna slightly sidestepped and casually caught the tough, barbed tentacle, quickly shaking her wrist.


    ¡°¡­ in the great fire of 1889? In the small church from 1885?¡±


    The tentacle in Fenna¡¯s hand burst into a cloud of blood mist. The explosive blood mist quickly traveled along the tentacle towards the creature, until the entire tentacle, along with a third of the creature¡¯s body, suddenly exploded. This shockwave was fully absorbed, and the next second, Fenna had charged to the back of the creature, her great sword raised high and then swung horizontally like a baseball bat at the creature¡¯s waist.


    With a loud bang, the screeching of the creature abruptly stopped as it flew like a dirty clump of meat, landing near the remains of the first Scions of the Sun.


    The remnants of the first Scion were nearing the end of regeneration; within the wriggling flesh, one could vaguely make out the tall, thin shape and what seemed to be a mimicry of a protective shell¨Can ¡°black coat.¡±


    Fenna approached the two Assailants, looking down upon the monsters from her perch.


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why Black Sun can be involved in the contamination of history, or what kind of surprises the ¡®entity¡¯ behind you has prepared for me,¡± she declared, ¡°one thing is certain,


    ¡°I will fight here to the end, to see if you really are endless¨Ceither I will fight my way out of here, or¡­ I will have proven my loyalty and orthodoxy to the goddess.¡±


    The great sword was raised, followed by¡­


    A series of meticulous slashes.


    Fenna¡¯s strategy was straightforward¨Cthe Scions of the Sun had powerful regeneration abilities, but even the strongest regeneration isn¡¯t invincible. As long as their recovery required resources, it wasn¡¯t an issue to deal with them.


    A fine mince would do, and if that wasn¡¯t enough¡­ cut twice.


    ¡­


    Sherry opened her eyes to see the unfamiliar ceiling and the sunlight streaming through the nearby window.


    The bed she was in was very comfortable, the blanket had a fresh, dry scent¨Csuch dryness was rare in the slums, where the oldest pipes and clogged sewers converged, the air always damp with an odd smell, blankets air-dried for three days could only fully soak up the sewer¡¯s stench into the fabric and batting.


    Sherry lay there quietly, the touch too comfortable to even want to turn over, but eventually, she propped herself up and looked around.


    Nina was no longer in the room, and judging by the sunlight coming through the window¡­ it was probably close to noon now.


    ¡°Spot,¡± Sherry called softly, ¡°how long have I slept?¡±


    Spot¡¯s voice immediately arose in her heart: ¡°It¡¯s at least 10:30 now, maybe 11:00¨Cyou fell asleep right after eating and bathing last night, you¡¯ve been out cold for at least twelve hours¡­ It¡¯s normal after such exhaustion.¡±


    Sherry was still a bit groggy, the events of the day before felt dreamlike, floating in her mind; it took her a long time to sort through her memories, confirming what had truly happened and what was part of the bizarre Dreamscape during her sleep.


    Then she lifted her head and looked towards a corner of the room.


    A shabby little box was quietly sitting there.


    Ah, that was her entire past ten years¡­ hers and Spot¡¯s everything.


    ¡°We really¡­ moved here, huh,¡± Sherry murmured to herself, ¡°Spot, it¡¯s like a dream.¡±


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    ¡°Stop it, I¡¯m freaking out right now, Mr. Duncan is cooking in the kitchen, I damn well can¡¯t even think about what I¡¯ll see on the dining table later¡­¡±


    ¡°Spot, why do you have such a big issue with the food here? You¡¯ve brought it up more than once¡­¡±


    ¡°Darn, just don¡¯t ask¡­¡±


    Listening to Spot¡¯s complaints, Sherry suddenly laughed.


    The sunlight today was truly lovely.

 Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter 197: The Sunshine is Bright

    Chapter 193: Chapter 197: The Sunshine is Bright


    The sunlight outside the window was bright and cheerful, as if the atrocious weather of the extreme before was but a distant dream. Only the water stains on the windowsill and the damp ground in the streets confirmed that late last night, a heavy rain had indeed fallen¨Cthe sunny weather that followed seemed just right for indulging in sleep at home.


    However, Sherry had already slept enough. She had never slept this long in one go, and the hint of hunger nudging at her stomach was urging her to get up.


    Because lying in bed on an empty stomach was an unpleasant memory for her¨Cat a younger age, she had used sleep to get through the hungriest of nights. If it weren¡¯t for A-Dog¡¯s waking and support, she might have left this world on one of those cold, hungry winter nights.


    When hunger crossed a certain threshold, one could brush shoulders with death in their sleep. This was one of Sherry¡¯s precious life experiences.


    She left the soft and comfortable bed, got dressed, and just then, a series of brisk footsteps came from outside the door.


    ¡°Sherry! Are you awake? I heard some noise!¡±


    It was Nina¡¯s voice.


    Sherry paused for a second, and hurriedly replied, ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡±


    The door was pushed open, and Nina appeared at the doorway, garbed in a white shirt, short jacket, and a light brown plaid skirt. She immediately noticed Sherry, who had just changed her clothes, and a smile spread across her face, then she quickly walked over, ¡°You really slept a long time! How are you feeling now? Does your back still hurt? How about your wounds¡­ let me see, let me see¡­¡±


    ¡°The consumption was quite large, so I slept for a long time¡­ I¡¯m fine, really,¡± Sherry awkwardly dodged the overenthusiasm of Nina, but the usually mighty Sherry¡¯s dodging and resistance seemed utterly feeble in front of Nina. In the end, she obediently turned around, allowing Nina to check the injuries on her back and arms, ¡°They are just minor wounds. I¡­ have strong regeneration ability, and also¡­ eh, that tickles, don¡¯t¡­ ahaha¡­ stop, it tickles!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really all healed!¡± Nina finally released Sherry, who had started hopping and dancing to the side to evade. She looked at her friend with astonishment, as if observing some rare creature, ¡°There was such a big wound just last night, and now not only has it disappeared, but there isn¡¯t even a scar left¡­ How did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I have Demon Symbiosis with a Profound Demon. A-Dog¡¯s trait includes a tough body and Regeneration Ability,¡± Sherry was straightening out her dress¨Cher clothes from yesterday had been damaged in the fight, and the one she was wearing now was another old piece brought from home, also one of the few belongings she had rescued after that attack, ¡°Actually, my regeneration ability could be even stronger, but A-Dog said I¡¯m malnourished which discounts the regeneration¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you should eat well while you¡¯re here. Uncle¡¯s cooking has really improved,¡± Nina immediately said, and then became curious, ¡°Um¡­ Are all those like you¡­ I mean, those with Demon Symbiosis, are they all this powerful?¡±


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    ¡°It specifically depends on which demon one is symbiotic with¨Cif it¡¯s an Abyssal Hound, it imparts toughness and regeneration ability, as well as a certain enhancement in perception. Symbiosis with a Scare Demon results in willpower and resistance to mental tarnishing. Then there are all sorts of other demons, I don¡¯t know the specifics¡­ In any case, those who have Symbiosis with Profound Demons are the most disorderly among Transcendents. Those demons, in order to act in the physical dimension, are always very generous to their symbionts¡­¡±


    At this point, Sherry suddenly paused, her expression becoming serious as she looked into Nina¡¯s eyes, ¡°That said, I suggest you not get too involved with this field¡­ You should already know, under normal circumstances, the symbionts with Profound Demons are the crazies from the Obliteration Sect. They¡¯re not like me, and their demons are not like A-Dog.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, I¡¯m not a kid,¡± Nina hurriedly waived off the comment, but her curiosity was still evident, ¡°But have you seen other Demon Symbiosis individuals? I mean, those Obliteration Believers¡­¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen them, and I don¡¯t want to. Just hearing A-Dog describe them is disgusting enough. If I did see them, I would certainly b¡­ well, beat them up and then report them to the marshals,¡± Sherry said, frowning, ¡°Nina, you¡¯re asking so many questions today¡­ You didn¡¯t ask this much when you saw A-Dog before. Besides, aren¡¯t you supposed to be at school today?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to live with us from now on, of course I need to know more about you. I heard from Uncle that your house was destroyed by a gas explosion and you have nowhere to go¡­¡± Nina said seriously, all the while pulling Sherry by the hand toward the direction of the kitchen, where the aroma of food was drifting in. She noticed that the entire second floor was silent, and couldn¡¯t help but become curious, ¡°Is Mr. Duncan not in?¡±


    ¡°Uncle has gone downstairs; he said he was receiving some guests and asked us to eat on the second floor first,¡± Nina explained as she pulled Sherry to the kitchen door, then seemed to remember something and quickly veered toward the bathroom, ¡°Oh right, wash hands. We should wash our hands before eating, or Uncle will nag again.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ oh.¡± Sherry was confusedly dragged around by Nina, not knowing if it was because she was hungry or had slept too long. She felt dizzy, but¡­ this feeling seemed not too bad.


    At the same time, by the counter on the first floor of the antique shop, Duncan was carefully explaining something to the person opposite him. Seated across from him was a young lady dressed in a refined and elegant long gown, wearing a fine mesh veil, with blond hair, and a face that was dignified and beautiful.


    Dignified and beautiful blond lady (x)


    It was Alice wearing a wig ()


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s about it. There are many, many common senses you need to understand to live in human society, but as long as you grasp the most basic parts, that¡¯s enough for your current range of activities. Also, there¡¯s not much for you to do in this store. Start by becoming familiar with the simplest tasks, like cleaning and organizing the shelves,¡± Duncan finally finished explaining what to be aware of here, but still looked at the blond girl sitting upright with concern, ¡°¡­Do you also remember the things I taught you on the ship?¡±


    ¡°I remember, I remember!¡± Alice quickly nodded with vigor, but after nodding twice, she seemed to remember something and quickly reduced the amplitude of her nods, giving a very dignified and graceful bow, ¡°Please rest assured, I remember clearly!¡±


    ¡°Yes, the amplitude of your nod should be small, it seems you at least remember that,¡± Duncan breathed a sigh of relief and his gaze immediately scanned over Alice, checking the details one more time.


    Golden wigs were used to cover her original silver hair, a bit of makeup was applied to adjust the details of her features, and a veil was used to cover the lower half of her face. She wore silk long gloves on her hands and a lace-decorated collar around her neck to conceal the special joint details.


    Basically, everything that could be disguised was managed.


    Of course, if someone who was extremely familiar with the Frost Queen Lei Nora or someone who had closely observed Transcendent 099 were standing here, they might still notice something suspicious about the features of this ¡°blond girl,¡± but the likelihood of such an occurrence was negligibly small.


    The Frost Queen had been a figure from half a century ago, and those who had come into close contact with Transcendent 099 were almost certainly no longer alive.


    Ordinary people, even the guardians of the church, would definitely not recognize that the Alice they saw at this moment was the out-of-control cursed doll.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help sighing softly in his heart.


    He had originally planned to wait a while longer before bringing Alice to human society to ¡°see the world.¡± He thought of spending a few more days teaching the doll aboard the ship properly. However, he couldn¡¯t bear the doll¡¯s wistful gazing into the distance while idling by the railing and her restless murmuring when she had nothing to do, so he moved up the schedule.


    Still, within his capabilities, he had urgently crammed her with common knowledge and instilled the most basic ¡°norms,¡± hoping it should be enough.


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    Probably.


    Now, Nina and Sherry were eating upstairs, and he had found the timing to let Ai Yi escort the doll from the ship to the shop to get acquainted with the environment. The first thing Alice did upon arriving here was to curiously touch and look around everywhere. He had to work hard to get her ¡°pinned down¡± next to the counter, but even so, he could tell that this doll was hardly paying attention to his lectures.


    She began to look around again, maintaining as much of a dignified posture as possible, but the darting glances and the moving neck couldn¡¯t fool anyone.


    Duncan could only say, putting together the poised sitting posture and the restless gaze, that it was truly Alice¨Celegance and silliness were two states that seemed to coexist in a superimposed state within one individual¡­


    And after a series of looking around, her attention finally returned to Duncan with an unmistakable focus and¡­ curiosity.

 Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 198 Alices First Day Out in the World

    Chapter 194: Chapter 198 Alice¡¯s First Day Out in the World


    Duncan was a little creeped out by the direct gaze of the doll, but after a few seconds of calm, he couldn¡¯t help frowning and asking, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Alice honestly replied, ¡°Looking at you.¡±


    Duncan had a bewildered look on his face, ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about me?¡±


    ¡°The first time I saw you speak with¡­ this appearance,¡± Alice said incredulously, ¡°Although you mentioned before that you have another body and identity here, it¡¯s still so incredible to actually see it! Captain, your current appearance is completely different from when you¡¯re on the ship. You¡¯re not as tall or as grim, um¡­ you look more like a good person¡­¡±


    As soon as Duncan heard this, his eyes widened, but before he could speak, Alice hurriedly added another sentence, ¡°Ah, I shouldn¡¯t speak ill of you, Captain¡­¡±


    ¡°How many times have I told you not to blindly follow that goat-headed idiot! Complimenting someone as a good person isn¡¯t speaking ill¨Ccomplimenting me is the same!¡± Duncan glared at her, feeling his brain shaking, ¡°And did you forget my reminder? Here in the City-State, don¡¯t call me ¡®Captain¡¯, call me Mr. Duncan or Manager, got it?¡±


    Alice shivered and retracted her head slightly, ¡°Ah¡­ Right! Remembered it, Manager¡­ I mean Mr. Manager!¡±


    ¡°¡­You might as well just call me Mr. Duncan,¡± Duncan sighed with a weary expression, ¡°At least you¡¯re more familiar with that name, there¡¯s a lower chance of messing it up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay, Mr. Duncan.¡± Alice quickly nodded in agreement, but as soon as she lowered her head, she heard Duncan remind her again with resignation, ¡°Don¡¯t lower your head, your head will fall off¨Cif you drop your head in front of everyone, your trip to the City-State would be over.¡±


    Alice let out an ¡°Oh,¡± and then frowned and thought for a moment, ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve heard Ai Yi mutter a similar sentence to what you just said, but it wasn¡¯t like that¡­ It said, ¡®Don¡¯t lower your head, the crown will¡­''¡±


    ¡°Do you have a crown on your head?!¡± Duncan glared, ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing but a wig on your head¨Cit¡¯s on there tighter than your actual head!¡±


    Alice pondered for a moment: ¡°Heh heh¡­¡±


    She was quiet for less than two seconds before suddenly starting to stare at Duncan again, and this time she spoke before he could, ¡°Captain¡­ Can I touch your face?¡±


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    Duncan looked puzzled, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but why?¡±


    Alice had already reached out as soon as she heard the words ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± It seemed that after leaving the authoritative ¡°main body¡± of Captain Duncan, the doll¡¯s courage had inflated to unprecedented levels. She stepped forward, pinching the cheeks of Duncan¡¯s current body, eyes filled with amazement, ¡°Incredible! This is real! When I saw you on the ship, I thought your face was carved out of stone!¡±


    Duncan felt extremely awkward, dodging backwards while opening his mouth helplessly, ¡°Have you had enough? That¡¯s about¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, he heard two light footsteps coming from the direction of the staircase. Then came Nina¡¯s clear and cheerful voice, ¡°Uncle, Sherry and I have finished eating! What are you busy with down here¡­?¡±


    Duncan turned his head with a blank expression, and Alice still had her hand outstretched. Nina stood at the second-floor staircase, staring dumbfounded at the scene next to the counter, looking at the elegant and beautiful lady who seemed to be a noblewoman from the Upper City District, who had appeared in the shop at some unspecified time. Sherry almost bumped into Nina, ¡°Hey, why did you suddenly stop?¡±


    Alice briskly withdrew her hand and placed her crossed hands on her lap, sitting straight and dignified in front of the counter.


    As prim and proper as a gorgeous doll displayed in the window of the Rose Doll House.


    It took Nina a while to come to her senses. She hesitated to walk down the stairs, carefully observing the beautiful lady sitting across from Duncan. Sherry, following her, also saw the situation on the first floor, but her mind was entirely on something else¨C


    ¡°Argo Argo, look, what is that sitting across from Mr. Duncan¡­ Is it a person? Can you beat it?¡±


    Argo¡¯s voice took a long time to respond, sounding extra cautious, ¡°I can¡¯t see too clearly through your eyes, but the more I look, the less it looks like a person¡­ Not sure if I can beat it, but I definitely wouldn¡¯t fight her.¡±


    Sherry was stunned, ¡°Why? You can¡¯t even tell what that is, why are you so scared?¡±


    ¡°Of course! She dared to pinch Mr. Duncan¡¯s face!¡± Argo¡¯s voice sounded feeble, ¡°Just for that, if she wanted to stew me, I¡¯d volunteer to chop the wood¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Argo, you¡¯re getting more and more embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°This is called judging the situation¨Cdo you know how many humans spend their whole lives¡¯ wisdom just to grasp this essence of survival?¡±


    Sherry ignored Argo.


    During their conversation, she and Nina had reached the first floor. She saw Nina approach the pretty young lady sitting in front of Duncan and heard their conversation begin.


    ¡°Uncle, who is this lady?¡± Nina asked curiously, her eyes surreptitiously sizing up Alice next to her, filled with surprise and speculation¨Cshe had never seen such a beautiful woman before, nor had she seen any young lady behave as intimately with her uncle as she had just witnessed. Her intense curiosity made her eyes sparkle slightly.


    ¡°Oh, let me introduce you,¡± Duncan cleared his throat twice to ease the awkwardness from before, then calmly raised his hand to point, ¡°Her name is Alice. Remember I mentioned before about recruiting another pair of hands for the shop? That¡¯s her.¡±


    After finishing his introduction, he immediately pointed towards Nina and Sherry: ¡°This is my niece, Nina, and this is Sherry, who is staying here temporarily for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Alice immediately greeted them proactively, this time remembering Duncan¡¯s instructions, sitting up straight with the perfect nod, reining in her previously boisterous demeanor and greeting them in the most polite manner possible.


    However, it was perhaps due to some indelible ¡°texture¡± unique to an android that Alice¡¯s restrained manner seemed to Nina and Sherry as an ineffable elegance and breeding, as well as a certain mysterious and reserved temperament.


    The two girls¡¯ first encounter with this simple-minded android culminated in an epic misunderstanding.


    ¡°You¡­ hello,¡± Nina said nervously, swallowing hard as if afraid of leaving a bad impression, and nodded at Alice, ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡±


    Sherry followed suit with her greeting, also a bit nervous, but her anxiety stemmed more from what A Dog had said earlier, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m very¡­ very happy to meet you too.¡±


    Then the room fell into a stalemate, both parties keeping straight faces, neither one speaking.


    Sherry and Nina didn¡¯t know what to say next; the beautiful and elegant lady in front of them seemed almost out of place in the Lower City District, making the two girls feel like anything they might say would displease Miss Alice.


    As for Alice, it was even simpler¨Cher mind was mostly empty.


    And occasionally filled with mush.


    Fortunately, Duncan had anticipated such a situation and knew exactly what was happening the moment he saw the awkward silence; he promptly coughed to break the silence: ¡°Ahem, Sherry, how¡¯s your injury?¡±


    ¡°Injury¡­ Oh! It¡¯s completely healed!¡± Sherry was startled for a moment before realizing and straightened up, responding to Duncan as if giving a report, ¡°And I ate a lot just now, not hungry at all now!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you that¡­ but I¡¯m glad you enjoyed today¡¯s meal,¡± Duncan said with a smile, ¡°Rest up these next few days, I¡¯ll cook you some nutritious food to restore your Vital Energy. Nina, do you have any plans for today?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to take Sherry to shop in the next street over,¡± Nina promptly said, ¡°To buy her a couple of new dresses and some shoes¨Cher clothes are pretty old.¡±


    Saying this, she turned her head towards Sherry, emphasizing before the other could speak: ¡°It¡¯s a welcome gift for when you moved in, it¡¯s rude to refuse.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Sherry opened her mouth, momentarily unsure of what to say and eventually nodded, ¡°Well then, thank you¡­ and thank you, Mr. Duncan.¡±


    Duncan nodded and a smile spread across his face, ¡°Then don¡¯t wander too far, come back before evening¨CSherry, you take good care of Nina.¡±


    Sherry immediately straightened up, her voice so loud it startled Nina: ¡°Yes, Mr. Duncan!¡±


    Afterward, the two girls bid farewell to Duncan and Alice and set off towards the door, with Nina muttering as they walked, ¡°Why did you suddenly shout like that, it startled me¡­ Uncle? My uncle isn¡¯t scary.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I was being polite, I¡¯ve been learning manners lately¡­¡±


    Listening to the receding murmurs of the two girls, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but smile to himself, then turned his head, only to see Alice staring straight at him again.


    ¡°What are you staring at me for?¡±


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    ¡°Mr. Duncan¡­ you¡¯re quite different here than on the ship,¡± Alice said seriously, looking at Duncan and sizing him up before she spoke, ¡°You¡¯re much more approachable than you were on the ship!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, don¡¯t dwell on the unnecessary,¡± Duncan said with a resigned smile, well aware of why Alice felt this way¨Ceven he knew that he had always been on edge on the ship, and although he had relaxed a bit recently, it was nothing compared to the freedom he felt in the City-State. He didn¡¯t elaborate on the matter, and quickly steered the conversation elsewhere, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your situation¨Cwithout legal documentation, it¡¯s best not to draw attention in the Upper City District. For now, just help out at the antique shop. That will help you adapt to the environment and give me a hand. When I¡¯m out, you stay by the counter. When customers come, just¡­ wait, I¡¯ve just thought of a problem!¡±


    Duncan suddenly paused and looked at the android in front of him with a peculiar expression, taking several seconds before speaking hesitantly, ¡°Do you¡­ know what money is?¡±


    Alice¡¯s face showed curiosity: ¡°What is money?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Chapter 199: The Historians Vigilance

    Chapter 195: Chapter 199: The Historian¡¯s Vigilance


    Duncan felt he had been careless.


    He had considered that Alice lacked the common knowledge required to live in the human world, but he hadn¡¯t realized the extent to which this lack of knowledge could reach. He originally thought that after she arrived, she could at least help out a little in the store, but he didn¡¯t expect that she didn¡¯t even recognize money.


    But this was quite reasonable.


    After all, she didn¡¯t need to spend money while lying in the coffin¡­


    ¡°Ah, while Sherry and Nina are not around, I might as well continue tutoring you,¡± Duncan sighed, abandoning his plan to go out that afternoon, ¡°First, I need to introduce you to the most basic things in the human world, like currency¡­¡±


    He paused and sighed again, ¡°Looks like I really need to start a literacy class for you and Sherry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sherry, she¡¯s the really short girl we just met, right?¡± Alice immediately caught on, her face lighting up with joy. It seemed to her a delightful thing to meet someone new, ¡°I heard you mention that she¡¯s a¡­ what¡¯s it called, ¡®illiterate,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing to be happy about!¡± Duncan knocked on the table, ¡°And even Sherry is better than you¨Cat least she knows how to dodge a fare!¡±


    Alice: ¡°What¡¯s dodging a fare?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Heidi sneezed forcefully.


    She got up to close the living room window, rubbing her nose and muttering about the recently unpredictable weather, then looked up with some concern at her father sitting near the coffee table.


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    School had let out, and the annual autumn break for all Plunder City-State¡¯s public schools would last over two months. During this period, her father didn¡¯t have to report to school and typically had few social engagements, so usually, he would spend this time buried in the City-State¡¯s libraries or, like today, leisurely staying at home.


    But for some reason, Morris looked quite off today.


    He held a newspaper in his hands, but his gaze wasn¡¯t focused on it at all. He had been sitting on the couch in a rigid posture for nearly an hour now, appearing to be lost in thought about something, and he had even ignored the midday maid¡¯s inquiry earlier.


    Heidi frowned.


    Ever since returning from Mr. Duncan¡¯s antique shop, her father seemed continually absent-minded, occasionally showing strange expressions, ignoring others, and deeply engrossed in thought.


    He even avoided going to his study¨Cas if instinctively resisting books.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Heidi finally couldn¡¯t help but ask as she got up and came over to Morris, bending down to inquire with concern, ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    After asking twice, Morris finally heard his daughter¡¯s voice, hastily lifted his head, felt the buzzing in his head subside slightly and then waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Oh, didn¡¯t you go to the church, city hall, or the clinic today?¡±


    ¡°The church and city hall work was finished long ago, and the clinic is closed today,¡± Heidi¡¯s brow remained unfurrowed, ¡°I remember you asked that this morning already.¡±


    ¡°Oh, did I? I forgot.¡±


    Morris gently tapped his temple, speaking somewhat hesitantly.


    He knew he wasn¡¯t in great shape, but he couldn¡¯t explain the problem to his daughter.


    He couldn¡¯t casually disclose information about a subspace existence¨Cnot only because it might enrage Mr. Duncan, but also because handling these pieces of information improperly could lead to contamination affecting Heidi.


    A deep buzzing noise arose in his mind, interrupting Morris¡¯s thoughts, but the noise soon subsided, stabilizing his thoughts again.


    Mental noise, this was a lingering effect since he returned from the antique shop.


    But in fact, compared to yesterday, this aftereffect had diminished manifold.


    Morris knew he should be grateful¨Che had not only preserved his life after directly facing the shadow of subspace but also his sanity. It was the protection of the god of wisdom and Mr. Duncan¡¯s goodwill that had taken effect. He retained some symptoms caused by the ¡°Madness Threshold,¡± but after a simple self-assessment, he was certain these would swiftly lessen over time, and there was nothing to be nervous about.


    However, before the symptoms completely disappeared, he feared Heidi would have to worry about him for a while longer.


    Suddenly, Morris furrowed his brows, remembering his daughter was an excellent psychiatrist¨Che couldn¡¯t let her continue to notice there was something abnormal about his mental state.


    At that moment, Heidi¡¯s voice came again, ¡°Did you talk with Mr. Duncan yesterday? I feel like you¡¯ve been distracted ever since you came back¡­¡±


    ¡°About some¡­ topics in the knowledge domain, very profound knowledge,¡± Morris struggled internally as the information about ¡°Creeping Day Wheel¡± surfaced uncontrollably in his mind, recalling the intelligence Mr. Duncan had disclosed about the current state of Black Sun. He used tremendous willpower to control these pieces of ¡°knowledge¡± that seemed to possess lives of their own and were chaotically moving through his mind, and smiled at Heidi, ¡°Quite brain-consuming, I haven¡¯t figured it out yet, so I¡¯ve been absent-minded today¡­ Let¡¯s not talk about this now, I just remembered, didn¡¯t you arrange to go to the theater with a friend during the rest day?¡±


    Heidi paused, ¡°¡­Friend? I don¡¯t remember¡­ having any arrangement to go to the theater with any friend¡­ Are you sure you didn¡¯t remember it wrong?¡±


    ¡°Did I remember wrong?¡± Morris rubbed his temples, suddenly feeling a pulsing heat near his temples, his memory blurry as if something forgotten was waking up in his consciousness, ¡°But I clearly remembered, you mentioned the day before yesterday, a friend¡­ what¡¯s his name, a very tall one, also very familiar to me¡­¡±


    Morris¡¯s actions of massaging his temples gradually became agitated. He started tapping his forehead with his fists, mumbling, which immediately made the slightly puzzled Heidi feel inexplicably nervous. She quickly crouched down and took the old man¡¯s hand, ¡°Are you alright? Is it a headache? Do you want¡­ me to do some hypnosis relaxation or soothing guidance? Or should we find another doctor¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a doctor, no,¡± Morris waved his hand forcefully. His mind was again filled with noise, but this time the noise was different from the previous ¡°mental noise.¡± It seemed desperate to convey some information, desperate to awaken something, he felt as though another consciousness was waking up in his brain¨Cstill his own, yet subtly different from his current thoughts, ¡°I just need to remember, remember something very important¡­ Heidi, you have a friend, listen, you have a friend, very important¡­¡±


    Heidi¡¯s face showed increasing worry and tension. She gripped Morris¡¯s other hand tightly, her words unconsciously taking on the power of soothing guidance, ¡°I certainly have friends, but who are you talking about exactly¡­¡±


    But Morris was already unable to hear Heidi¡¯s words.


    He felt a sudden thunderous noise inside his head, as if all the noise compressed to be released in an instant, followed by the long troubling mental noise disappearing completely, while a massive amount of bizarre memories surged from the depths of his consciousness. In a daze, he seemed to see that scene again¨Ca giant, full of starlight, a giant formed by twisted, crushed mirrors, then, he saw green flames, the flames burnt, the fog cleared.


    This time, he didn¡¯t suffer mental damage from seeing the giant; on the contrary, the impressions that surfaced in his mind seemed to carry a strange, mighty force, piercing through an invisible veil.


    The old man suddenly raised his head, staring intently into Heidi¡¯s eyes, ¡°Where is Fenna?¡±


    Heidi hesitated, ¡°¡­Fenna? Who is that?¡±


    ¡°The City-State¡¯s Judge, one of your best friends, the Governor Dante¡¯s niece¡­¡± Morris spoke slowly, his breathing had steadied down, his eyes regaining the depth and sharpness of former days, the noise was gone, the giant¡¯s figure disappeared, but two simultaneous yet distinctly different memories remained in his mind, and he could clearly discern all the discrepancies in those memories as if he was browsing through two historical scrolls unfolded before him¨Cdistinguishing history and seeking truth, this was one of his best skills, ¡°You don¡¯t remember, do you?¡±


    Heidi hesitated, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know who you are talking about, but I am really worried about your state¡­¡±


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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m in very good condition now, but we should worry about Fenna,¡± Morris suddenly stood up, his expression more serious than ever, ¡°Heidi, our City-State might be facing a serious problem, we need to take action.¡±


    Instinctively, Heidi also stood up, sensing an unexplainable reviving spirit in her father, yet utterly clueless about what had happened, ¡°Action? What are we to do?¡±


    ¡°You go to the cathedral, find Bishop Valentin, tell him¡­¡± Morris spoke quickly, but stopped halfway, hesitating seriously before shaking his head, ¡°No, Fenna might be in trouble because she realized the truth¡­ when you find Bishop Valentin, just say you seek asylum, the highest level of protection, tell him I asked you to do this, say that the most distinguished historical scholar of Plunder City-State asked you to do this, don¡¯t say anything else¡­¡±


    Heidi listened bewilderingly, already sensing that some dangerous and urgent issue was taking place, something that couldn¡¯t be spoken directly, hence she controlled her urge to ask questions and prepared to follow her father¡¯s instructions, but then she noticed Morris picking up a coat nearby, her eyes widening slightly, ¡°What about you? What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°¡­Go to the antique shop,¡± Morris said gravely.

 Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Chapter 200 Interception

    Chapter 196: Chapter 200 Interception


    ¡°`


    The morning had been sunny, yet now, for some unknown reason, the sky had grown heavy¨Cgrey clouds and a thin mist descended over the Plunder City-State, casting the distant bell tower and chimneys into vague ink-wash silhouettes against the murky backdrop, while cold winds gusted erratically, stirring the colorful banners on nearby towers into a wild flap.


    Two cars left the Underwood Family estate, one heading straight onto the main thoroughfare, speeding towards the city center, and the other turning onto a shortcut leading to the Lower City District, driving off into the distance under the gloomy skies.


    Morris sat in the driver¡¯s seat, cautiously steering the vehicle along the path while glancing outside at the weather.


    The skies had darkened further since a moment ago, and the chaotic wind seemed on the verge of howling, wildly smacking the colorful flags on a few nearby towers.


    This abrupt turn in the weather gave him an uncomfortable feeling, also reminding him of the last time he had visited that antique store.


    The weather had been just as terrible then.


    The old man raised his right hand to pat his forehead, hoping to feel more alert, while also casting a sidelong glance at the string of stone beads on his wrist.


    Among the intricately knotted cords, only four colored beads remained, these divinely blessed stones twinkling weakly in the gloomy Sky Light, exuding a calming aura.


    Rahm¡¯s protection could save scholars from death when they encountered knowledge beyond their comprehension, but this protection was only marginally effective against the real danger of Subspace Shadows. Morris had no idea what awaited him at the antique store this time, nor if these beads could protect him as before.


    Yet, he still set out for the antique store.


    As long as he kept his curiosity in check, as long as he refrained from using his ¡°Eye of Truth,¡± as long as he didn¡¯t foolishly scrutinize Mr. Duncan and the various objects around him, he would be safe¨Cthe Subspace Shadow was friendly (although that was incredible), and as long as he didn¡¯t overstep, it wouldn¡¯t harm him.


    It might even offer help.


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    Morris took a deep breath, slowing his racing heart.


    He knew he had brushed against some terrifying truths hidden beneath the peaceful facade of the City-State, and as a historical scholar, he had an inkling of what these truths were. Yet, he hadn¡¯t chosen to report directly to the Church but had instead sought out an indescribable entity from Subspace.


    It was undoubtedly an act of defiance, even heresy.


    However, he still made that bold decision.


    Heidi had gone to the cathedral. Her act of seeking refuge and the cryptic messages she¡¯d sent should alert Bishop Valentin to the situation. Before he left, Morris had said a brief prayer. If Rahm was still watching over him, he had fulfilled his duty to warn the Church. Now, he headed to the antique store¨Cwith three courses of action at play, the chances of success were at least improved.


    Fenna might be in trouble, and as a Judge of the Deep Sea Church, even she wasn¡¯t safe, which made Morris reluctant to put all his hopes in the Church.


    He just hoped that, at the very least, the cathedral itself wasn¡¯t compromised, hoping¡­ his decision to send Heidi there for refuge and to warn them had been the right one.


    A sudden clap of thunder roared, and following the thunderous boom, raucous noises echoed from afar.


    Busy driving while pondering these matters, Morris flinched at the unexpected disturbance, instinctively looking towards the source of the commotion and faintly discerning thick smoke rising above a distant building.


    It seemed lightning had struck and ignited the roof¨Cterrible weather, terrible luck.


    That building was directly on his path, prompting Morris to mutter a curse before deciding to take an alternate side road, turning the car into it.


    But he hadn¡¯t driven far before a pack of rabid-looking wolf-dogs burst into the alley ahead, followed by a stumbling, drunken man wielding a club, chasing after the crazed animals. Noticing the car entering the alley, the drunkard cursed and rushed forward, waving his club as if to intercept.


    ¡°What kind of lunatic¡­¡± Morris furrowed his brow, pressing hard on the horn, hoping to snap the drunkard out of his stupor and clear the way. However, the horn seemed to only embolden the man, who cursed louder, charged in front of the car, and brought the club crashing down on the hood with a loud thud.


    Startled by the noise, Morris suddenly realized something, immediately fixing his gaze on the drunkard¡¯s eyes, and commanded in a deep voice, ¡°Modazoro¡¯s Geometric Law!¡±


    ¡°`


    Complicated and jumbled knowledge and memories suddenly flooded the drunken man¡¯s brain, sparking a brief thought storm in the surface of his consciousness. The brute, who on a normal day likely never used addition or subtraction beyond double digits, immediately let out a pained and terrified scream, and ran away in madness.


    Maurice immediately restarted the car and drove straight past the mad dogs still frantically barking on the roadside, charging towards the increasingly gloomy streets ahead.


    Having shaken off the temporary trouble, no trace of relaxation appeared on Maurice¡¯s face; instead, when a sudden large ditch appeared in his field of vision and a steam pipe by the road unexpectedly burst, sealing off the path with steam, his bad feeling finally got confirmation.


    It wasn¡¯t that the weather had turned bad out of nowhere, it wasn¡¯t that trouble had suddenly sprung up, it wasn¡¯t that his own luck today was poor.


    Something was obstructing him¨Cobstructing him, the ¡°one who perceived the truth,¡± from moving forward.


    This was not a forceful obstruction or a directly fatal threat; the series of accidents seemed more like some kind of ¡°stress response,¡± akin to an auto-operative alarm rule.


    How was this alarm rule activated? How had ¡°they¡± found him? Was it because of his ¡°awakening¡±? Or was it a specific action?


    He had only vaguely perceived the truth and had not engaged in direct confrontation with the hidden enemies behind the scenes, yet he had already encountered this series of ¡°obstacles.¡± Then what about Fenna? What exactly had she discovered, and what had she encountered that caused her entire being to disappear from this dimension of reality?


    Maurice silently recited the Holy Name of Rahm and glanced out of the corner of his eye at the several colored pebbles on his wrist. He steered around the obstacles ahead and chose a main road leading to the Fourth District.


    On the open and straight road, how were ¡°they¡± planning to obstruct him?


    Maurice blinked, and suddenly, he saw another figure besides his own in the rearview mirror.


    A ¡°person¡± wearing a tattered monk¡¯s robe, withered and shriveled like a skeleton, sporting a grotesque smile on his face, was sitting in the back seat, looking at Maurice¡¯s eyes through the reflection of the rearview mirror.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Maurice,¡± the withered and strange figure suddenly spoke, surprisingly polite, ¡°Where are you heading to?¡±


    ¡°I should have realized¡­ when Mr. Duncan and I were discussing the ¡®Wilhelm Transmission Incident,¡¯ I should have known it was you so-called ¡®Preachers¡¯¡­¡± Maurice slammed on the brakes and slightly turned to look at the figure sitting behind him, ¡°¡­when did you sneak onto this car?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say, might have been yesterday, or maybe in 1889¨Cright when you and your wife first bought this car,¡± the gaunt figure seemed to be smiling, his shriveled flesh crinkling into a mass, ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry, do you have an urgent matter?¡±


    Maurice responded with silence, but the gaunt Doomsday Preacher didn¡¯t seem to mind, continuing very politely, ¡°Wherever you¡¯re going, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let you through¨Cbut I won¡¯t take your life, after all, regardless of everything, you once prayed to the Subspace during that great fire, which somewhat makes you our half-brethren¡­ Ah, you don¡¯t still remain unaware of whom you prayed to at the time, do you?¡±


    Maurice¡¯s face underwent a couple of rapid changes, eventually settling into a wry smile, ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°As we often say, Subspace is the promised land; it will answer all the desires of living beings and grant fulfillment fairly¡­¡± The Doomsday Preacher raised one hand, speaking devoutly and gently, then his gaze rested on Maurice, ¡°What will you do next? Try to expel me? I have studied the power granted to the Believers by the God of Wisdom; they say your words can turn knowledge and memories into power, making the uttered words as forceful as bullets. I¡¯m quite curious to witness¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!¡±


    Six deafening gunshots abruptly exploded inside the car; the Doomsday Preacher¡¯s words were cut off as he was turned into a corpse by the large caliber revolver, with two shots to the heart and one to the forehead.


    The withered body rapidly disintegrated into pale fragments, then dispersed like dust in the wind.


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    Maurice pulled his right hand from the angle covered by the side seat, a revolver still smoking in his grip.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got bullets, why waste words with you¡­¡±


    The elderly scholar muttered a few words, hastily reloaded the revolver, and once again started the car.


    He knew that his journey was still not easy; who knows what might be blocking his path ahead¨Ckilling one mentally defunct Doomsday Preacher couldn¡¯t end it all.


    This Doomsday Preacher might even persist in troubling him tomorrow¨Csince this fellow dared to board this car, it showed that he simply didn¡¯t care about his death at this moment.

 Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter 201 Penetration

    Chapter 197: Chapter 201 Penetration


    Fire, everywhere was rampant, roaring fire, or else it was the aftermath of ash-laden ruins left by flames consumed. Churches destroyed by the inferno, bell towers obliterated, the City-State itself seemed to have been devastated by fire.


    Hot, dry winds howled through the charred remains of the church plaza, lifting whirls of ash, while tiny sparks cascaded from the great bell tower, and scorched banners drooped and fell in the breeze.


    A tall figure clad in light armor stepped onto the square, a heavy broadsword in hand, striking a trail of sparks against the searing ground.


    Fenna¡¯s hair tips had singed from the astonishing heat of the environment around her, her armor showed signs of damage with some wounds still bleeding beneath the breaks, the flesh within twitching and slowly knitting together.


    In her right hand, she wielded the sword, while in her left she held a massive Gatling gun, its hefty ammo box strapped to her back¨Cshe had removed the weapon from a half-destroyed steam walker in an armory she had passed by not long ago, finding it fairly easy to handle.


    The hot wind came, carrying the scent of ashes into her nostrils. Fenna narrowed her eyes slightly, observing the distant streets and the rising plumes of thick smoke and red glow against the street backdrop.


    In this ¡°history,¡± all of Plunder had already been burned to the ground.


    The fire had spread since 1989, unnoticed for eleven years, until it engulfed the entire city, and slowly calcified the City-State in a state of ruins.


    Even the power of the Storm Goddess had been severely twisted and interfered with¨CFenna felt increasingly unable to sense the moisture of the sea breeze, the longer she stayed here.


    To burn down a City-State was easy, but to do so without the gods¡¯ notice was difficult. The heretics exploited a loophole in history and possibly even used the divine authority of the Black Sun to disrupt the gods¡¯ judgment of the mortal realm.


    But¡­ where exactly were those heretics?


    Suddenly, a deep, hoarse whisper came from the shadows between nearby buildings. The whisper was filled with sacrilegious, malicious strength. Shadows congealed from the whispers out of thin air, forming enticing illusions. But Fenna didn¡¯t so much as glance in the direction of the growing shadows or the whispering voices. Instead, she casually lifted the Gatling gun in her left hand and pulled the trigger towards another direction, seemingly empty.


    The deafening roar exploded above the plaza, brass casings fell like rain, and as the flames swept through, the air suddenly revealed a tall, thin figure that had been hiding in the chinks of light and shadow, now forced to show itself. In a panic, it could only use its many tentacles and a black umbrella it held to block the oncoming barrage of bullets¨Cand just as it defended itself, a roaring wave exploded fiercely!


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    Fenna hurled her great sword, wrapped in the Power of Storm, and it smashed down with a thunderous crash, impaling the creature, flinging it ten meters away, and firmly nailing it to the ground. Then, without a second thought for the skewered Assailant, she spun around, sidestepped, and casually grabbed and pulled free a twisted and deformed street lamp post, smashing it mightily into the side.


    The second hidden Assailant was struck down by the lamppost, its head, grotesque like a bloom of flesh, shattered into a pile of gore. Its remaining parts writhed and squirmed violently on the ground, until Fenna swung the massive Gatling gun around and unleashed a storm of searing bullets.


    ¡°Two-person stealth ambushes¡­ it seems your tactics end there,¡± muttered Fenna, casually discarding the severely bent lamppost and beckoning back her storm-wrought great sword. She propped the sword by her side while still holding the Gatling gun, continuing to point it execution-style at the splattered remains of the creature on the ground.


    Several seconds later, she frowned.


    ¡°No regeneration?¡±


    The young Judge bent down to confirm that the pile of remnants that had once been part of the Scions of the Sun was just lying there motionlessly on the ground. Not only was there no sign of regeneration, but the remains had already started to lose moisture and vitality rapidly, withering into a heap of dry, charred waste before her very eyes.


    Why was this happening? Why had these remnants lost their Regeneration Ability? Was it because their main body had suddenly weakened? Or had these remnants been greatly diminished for some reason?


    Fenna watched the scene with confusion and vigilance, then suddenly looked up as if sensing something, staring intently at the alleyway not far away.


    A mass of green fire appeared in the darkness, quickly gathering and spreading at the edge of the square. Then, as if it sensed something, it pounced on the corpse of the Scions¡¯ remnants!


    Burning, consuming, growing.


    Before Fenna¡¯s eyes, the invading green flames consumed the lifeless flesh as if a predator was relishing its prey.


    The young Judge¡¯s eyes hardened instantaneously, her gaze locked onto the spreading green flames with extreme vigilance. A web of thoughts and speculations surged through her mind, but the flame seemed to ignore her¨Cflowing past her surroundings, prowling around the square before flowing away into the distance.


    Thoughtfully watching the fire spread and flow, Fenna took a step and walked deeper into the City-State.


    ¡­


    Torrential rain poured down, connecting the skies to the earth with curtains of water. The sudden downpour from the dark clouds seemed like a long-conspired, now evident plot, washing away everything in the Plunder City-State.


    But even the force of the storm could not stop Morris¡¯s progress¨Cuntil, inevitably, his car broke down.


    The old scholar decisively abandoned the idea of restarting the vehicle, knowing that the obstructive forces would only intensify since the Doomsday Preacher had, at some moment unknown to him, cursed him. This Curse would not allow him to fix the car.


    But the Doomsday Preacher¡¯s ¡°proclamation¡± was not an unsolvable spell. Generally speaking, it only provided varying degrees of guidance or interference with ¡°events,¡± and the longer the duration and the larger the coverage area, the more powerful the force needed, resulting in greater consumption.


    He could not stop in this storm.


    Morris opened the car door, and the bone-chilling wind and rain hit him all at once, instantly drenching him and even blowing him into a stagger.


    But the old man simply reached to hold his hat in place, while his other hand clenched the walking stick tightly as he stepped into the chaotic, blurry curtain of rain.


    He didn¡¯t carry an umbrella, for in this weather, an umbrella was futile.


    He was now very close to the antique shop, just half a block away. In slightly better weather, he might have even seen the store¡¯s sign.


    But under the current severe conditions, all he could see was a vast expanse of rain and the nearest few shops on either side of the street, their doors and windows firmly shut.


    Morris trudged through the downpour, not knowing how long he had walked, until finally, he saw the familiar storefront come into view.


    The old man instinctively quickened his pace.


    The curse that the Doomsday Preacher had laid upon him seemed to finally be losing its potency; the headwind that had been blowing against him the whole time was gradually weakening. The chill it carried no longer bit to the bone as it had at the beginning, and though the rain was still dense, it no longer pelted his body like stones.


    Just a few steps away from the antique shop, Morris suddenly heard a voice near his ear¨C


    ¡°Stop, you¡¯ll regret it!


    There¡¯s no redemption ahead¡­ Plunder will only be swallowed by another disaster!


    History is about to be exchanged¡­ What you¡¯re saving is no longer the true reality, but an echo on a misguided path¡­¡±


    Morris¡¯s pace didn¡¯t falter for a second; he broke into a run and nearly crashed through the door.


    In that instant, the voice at his ear suddenly vanished, as if it had never existed.


    The cold wind and sudden rain were also shut out behind the door.


    Morris stumbled a few steps forward, the water from his clothes dripping onto the floor. The warm and bright interior momentarily disoriented him.


    He faintly heard voices coming from upstairs, two young girls chatting. One of them was Nina: ¡°It¡¯s raining so hard!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it came down suddenly¡­ Luckily we listened to your uncle and came back early.¡±


    ¡°My hair got wet too¡­ Sherry, could you help me dry the back of my hair?¡±


    Morris shook his head, allowing his somewhat numb thoughts from the cold wind and rain to slowly clear. He looked up toward the counter.


    In the warm light, a blond lady in a dark purple, elaborate gown sat quietly behind the counter, casting a curious glance his way.


    A very pretty lady, but Morris didn¡¯t pay much attention to her appearance.


    What he noticed was the detached and elegant aura around her, along with the mysterious and tranquil atmosphere that seemed to linger around her.


    She appeared not to be sitting in an antique store in the Lower City District, but rather in a serene court garden, surveying him¨Can abrupt Outsider¨Cwith a detached and calm gaze, rich in grace.


    Morris felt he might have sensed something¡­ non-human about the lady, but the next second, he reined in all his perceptions.


    There was a ¡°newcomer¡± in Mr. Duncan¡¯s antique shop whom he had never seen before, but no matter who this newcomer was, one must never pry carelessly.


    Then, a greeting came from across the room: ¡°The rain is heavy outside, sir. Do you need any help?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Duncan¡­ I¡¯m looking for Mr. Duncan,¡± Morris paused before hastily responding, ¡°It¡¯s very important! Isn¡¯t he in the store?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± the mysterious and elegant lady smiled, ¡°He said his blood pressure was a bit high, so he¡¯s resting on the second floor.¡±


    Morris looked astonished: ¡°Blood pressure¡­ a bit high?¡±


    The blond lady behind the counter shook her head: ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened¨Chis mood wasn¡¯t very good after we finished discussing history and forgeries.¡±


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    History and forgeries?!


    Morris¡¯s heart skipped a beat, wanting to ask more, but just then, he heard footsteps descending the stairs, followed by Mr. Duncan¡¯s voice: ¡°Alice, do we have visitors?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Duncan! An elderly man I don¡¯t recognize!¡±


    Morris looked up and saw Mr. Duncan standing on the stairs, half of him illuminated by light, the other half shrouded in shadows.


    He saw Morris and his face light up with surprise and curiosity.

 Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter 202 Rescue

    Chapter 198: Chapter 202 Rescue


    Duncan looked at Mr. Morris standing on the first floor with some surprise, taking note of his disheveled appearance and the peculiar expression on his face.


    He slowly came downstairs, greeting the elderly scholar, ¡°Good morning¨Cwhat happened? You look like you¡¯ve run through wind and rain to get here.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± Morris regained his composure, momentarily setting aside the mysterious blonde lady nearby. He took off his thoroughly soaked hat while moving forward, ¡°I need your help¡­ I don¡¯t know how to explain this to you, nor am I sure if you are willing to intervene, but¡­ I¡¯ve discovered that Doomsday Preachers are active in the city, tampering with Plunder¡¯s history, I¡­¡±


    The man hesitated, suddenly faltering.


    It seemed like he abruptly realized how rash and impulsive his request for help was, realizing he was seeking assistance from an unclearly allied entity from the Subspace¨Cwould Mr. Duncan help him? And why should he? Did the survival of humanity and the continuity of the City-State mean anything to Duncan? What threat could Doomsday Preachers pose to him?


    So rash, was his act simply based on the friendly demeanor this Subspace entity had previously shown, or because he had coincidentally shown interest in certain matters last time?


    Morris paused for a moment, then saw Duncan nod gently.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    These chaotic stars, the shattered mirrors, the titans of light and shade¨Ca mortal husk, spoke to him calmly, standing on the staircase.


    ¡°You¡­ know?¡± Morris froze but then quickly reacted, his expression turning peculiar, ¡°Ah, right¡­ of course, you don¡¯t need me to remind you, I¡­¡±


    The old man tossed his hat aside, slapped his forehead as if he realized his own folly, and murmured, ¡°How foolish of me to think you wouldn¡¯t notice the anomalies in the City-State, then you must also know about Fenna¡­¡±


    Duncan frowned slightly, ¡°Fenna? The City-State Judge who is very close to Heidi? What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°Fenna¡­ ¡®disappeared¡¯,¡± Morris hesitated, surprised by Duncan¡¯s reaction, but instinctively continued, quickly adding, ¡°I don¡¯t mean she¡¯s missing, but that from today she just vanished from the real world, Heidi has forgotten her existence, so have others, even the City-State¡¯s newspapers¡­¡±


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    Duncan quickly walked down the stairs as Morris spoke, realizing the gravity of the situation, and his expression grew severe, ¡°Sit down. Let¡¯s talk it over slowly. Alice, prepare some hot tea¨Cdo you remember how?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Duncan.¡±


    Morris watched the elegant and mysterious blonde lady rise immediately upon Duncan¡¯s command, while he also noticed each of her movements was slightly peculiar¨Cher actions were minimal, marked by a strange caution and restraint, reminiscent of those well-bred from ancient noble families, which piqued his curiosity about her identity.


    However, his curiosity gave way to the current situation.


    After sitting down at the counter, he immediately relayed the abnormalities he noticed on his way here to the ¡°antique shop owner¡± in front of him.


    Duncan listened solemnly throughout, not interrupting Morris until he finished speaking, then almost sighing softly murmured, ¡°Doomsday Preachers¡­ indeed a troublesome lot.¡±


    ¡°These lunatics, exiled from the real dimension since ancient times, always emerge suddenly from the cracks of time, dedicated to disrupting historical continuity, posing a significant threat to the stability of the real world¡­ But they seldom have the chance to escalate matters to this extent,¡± Morris spoke in a deep tone, ¡°Normally, the protection of the gods prevents the Doomsday Preachers¡¯ infiltration, while Fire Transmitters constantly fortify historical ¡®barriers.¡¯ This time, those lunatics must have used some other power to break the blockade¡­¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s your tea, sir,¡± Alice approached, placing the hot tea on the counter.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Morris quickly thanked her. He truly needed a hot tea to warm himself after his journey through wind and rain, but after taking a sip, he couldn¡¯t help but spit out, ¡°Pfft¨C¡±


    Across from him, Duncan¡¯s expression was indifferent, ¡°Make do with it. At least she really found where the tea leaves are, although she¡¯s questionable in her measurements.¡±


    Morris looked at the mysterious lady named Alice in confusion, only to find her leaning against the stairs, lost in a trance.


    ¡­Who exactly is this mysterious person?


    Duncan casually chewed on the tea leaves, affirming something in his mind.


    Indeed, the Transcendents of this world have noticed the ¡°non-linear¡± trait of the Doomsday Preachers, and they have targeted countermeasures.


    However, it seemed these measures weren¡¯t always effective.


    He closed his eyes slightly, and at the far end of his dark vision, a distant green flame suddenly leaped up.


    Morris curiously watched Duncan suddenly begin to ¡°rest with closed eyes,¡± ¡°Mr. Duncan, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Fenna is still alive,¡± Duncan opened his eyes, his expression calm, ¡°She is just¡­ outside of Plunder City-State at this moment.¡±


    ¡°Do you know her exact location and condition?¡± Morris¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. His primary purpose was to report ¡°historical contamination.¡± Mentioning Fenna¡¯s situation was merely incidental; from his perspective, Duncan should have no particular connection with the City-State Judge. But Duncan had already focused his ¡°sight¡± on Fenna.


    ¡°I am keeping an eye on her; she¡¯s a capable Judge,¡± Duncan stated calmly with a nod, then suddenly stood up from behind the counter, ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡±


    Maurice stood up in surprise, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    As Duncan was heading towards the stairs, he stopped at Maurice¡¯s question and looked back slightly, ¡°I¡¯m going to bring Fenna back¨Cand see what¡¯s going on ¡®over there.''¡±


    He then paused, observing Maurice¡¯s disheveled state, ¡°Would you like to go upstairs and take a hot bath and change clothes? I¡¯m a bit bigger than you, but you should be able to fit into my clothes.¡±


    Taking a bath in the Subspace lair and then put on the Evil God¡¯s clothes?!


    ¡°Four Great Achievements of the Mad Scholar¡± did not even dare to mention these two things!


    Maurice suddenly felt his scalp tighten and quickly shook his head, ¡°No, no, no need, I will just wait here¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, make yourself comfortable,¡± Duncan nodded and then proceeded up the stairs.


    Upon reaching the top, he immediately saw Nina and Sherry standing at the staircase.


    Sherry looked uneasy; upon seeing Duncan, she came up to him immediately, ¡°Mr. Duncan, has something happened?¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°We just heard some noise coming from the first floor,¡± Sherry wrung her hands, looking down as if she had done something wrong, ¡°Actually, it was Dog who heard it. He said the Doomsday Preacher appeared again, something about historical contamination, and someone named Fenna has disappeared? It sounded like a very important person¡­¡±


    Nina also looked uneasy, clearly more confused than Sherry, ¡°Uncle, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Just some minor issues,¡± Duncan, seeing the two girls vaguely sensing impending turmoil and feeling nervous, pondered for a moment before comforting them, ¡°Just stay inside and relax, or if you¡¯re bored you could go downstairs and chat with Mr. Maurice. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡±


    Sherry uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± while Nina seemed hesitant. After holding back for a while, she couldn¡¯t help but step forward and grab Duncan¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Uncle, I feel¡­ I feel a bit scared. Is everything really okay? Also, what¡­ what are you going to do?¡±


    Duncan paused and looked quietly into Nina¡¯s eyes.


    As he had noticed before, Nina was quite sensitive¨Cshe was not unaware; she was just overly sensible.


    But now, the situation barely crossed the boundaries of her ¡°sensibleness.¡±


    ¡°You see, I am actually quite powerful, Uncle,¡± Duncan suddenly smiled, placing his hand on Nina¡¯s head, ¡°but now I can¡¯t explain it to you¡­ Stay with Sherry for a while, and once everything is over, I¡¯ll tell you what¡¯s happened.¡±


    With just that much reassurance, Nina relaxed, nodding obediently with a soft voice, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Nina and Sherry went downstairs.


    Duncan then controlled his expression and quickly went back to his room, summoning the pigeon Ai Yi who was busy devouring french fries aboard the Homeloss.


    ¡°We need to find someone,¡± Duncan said sternly as soon as he saw the pigeon appear, not waiting for it to speak, ¡°Important business, urgent matter. After that, you¡¯ll get double the ketchup.¡±


    Ai Yi jumped up immediately in place, ¡°Loyalty unspeakable, loyalty unspeakable!¡±


    Duncan sighed softly, once again focusing his mind, sensing a distant, flickering flame.


    That was the mark he had left on Fenna.


    The events surrounding Fenna were unexpected for him, but this accident also brought unexpected outcomes.


    Through the ¡°window¡± of Fenna, he had sensed something else just now¨Cthose were the flames he had released in Sherry¡¯s ¡°Dreamscape!¡±


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    Those flames had briefly appeared in a small chapel in the Sixth District, and then, as the curtain closed again, they disappeared without a trace. He could only confirm that the flames were still spreading, but he had always been unable to pinpoint their location until now¡­ Now, he could distinctly feel the presence of those flames, feel that they were around Fenna!


    Although he didn¡¯t know how all this had happened, one thing was undeniable¨C


    Fenna had reached the other side of the curtain.


    Now, this powerful Judge, carrying Duncan¡¯s ¡°mark,¡± had become Duncan¡¯s conduit to the influence that curtain.


    ¡°Spirit Realm walk.¡±

 Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 203: Both Sides of the Curtain

    Chapter 199: Chapter 203: Both Sides of the Curtain


    The torrential rain poured down, the entire City-State was enveloped in an unprecedented downpour.


    It was as if the sea had overturned, endless abysses gazing down from the sky onto the earth, as though the world had plunged into The Abyss, with pitch-black clouds hanging heavy like iron above, endless rains scourging the ancient bell towers, skyscrapers, and fortifications of City-State, and moreover, continuous surges of waves streaming from the sea as if to form some sort of siege, encapsulating the entire City-State from all directions.


    Even the dullest of individuals could sense an eerie atmosphere from this abnormal downpour, leading citizens to flee back to their homes in panic; every door and window was tightly shut, the street¡¯s homeless rushed into the nearest Shelters or relief centers, and those less fortunate scurried into sewer entrances or pipe interchange stations¨Cplaces that at least had gas lamps and sacred steam to provide a minimal sense of security on this deluge-stricken day.


    Heidi reached the plaza of the Storm Cathedral amidst this violent storm¨Cperhaps still under the goddess¡¯s protection, the rainfall around the cathedral was slightly lesser than everywhere else, but this minor reduction in rain only intensified Heidi¡¯s worries.


    The lighter rain at the cathedral compared to other places was evidence that this storm was indeed connected to Transcendent powers.


    The cathedral¡¯s guards opened the grand doors, and Heidi rushed out of her car and into the sacred triple-pointed archway; the few steps took soaked her to the bone with icy rainwater.


    However, she no longer cared about these things because the moment she entered the cathedral, she felt the agitated atmosphere around her, a spiritual warning, a reminder that at the center of this place a ghostly ¡°conflict¡± was gradually unfolding.


    A silent monk received her and, upon her insistent request, notified Bishop Valentin who was praying in the main hall of the Sanctuary. Amidst anxiety and unrest, Heidi waited for three minutes and finally saw the venerable old man appear before her.


    She noticed that the bishop was dressed in full ceremonial garb, a heavy triple-tiered crown neatly placed on his head, his hand holding a long Holy Staff, and at his waist, hung the ¡°Storm Codex¡± adorned with silver and gems.


    This was not attire for ordinary days but that reserved for extremely significant ceremonies, these heavy and splendid decorations being a burden enough to tire a robust adult while walking. Yet, Valentin advanced with steady and imposing steps, and his eyes seemed to conjure thunderstorms, his aura transcendent and full of Holiness¨Cthese sacred objects momentarily stripped the old man of his mortal identity, transforming him into some symbolic shell as he approached Heidi with a grave expression to face the ¡°psychologist¡± who visited the cathedral amidst the harsh weather, ¡°Child, what has happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I need Shelter, the highest level of Shelter!¡± Heidi immediately responded, remembering her father¡¯s particularly serious reminder just before he left, and said with a solemn expression, ¡°I need the entire Storm Cathedral on alert, to protect me¨Cthe child of City-State¡¯s most distinguished historian.¡±


    ¡°The most distinguished historian of City-State¡­¡± Bishop Valentin quietly watched Heidi¡¯s eyes, his gaze seemingly flashing with lightning, after which he slightly closed his eyes and gently nodded, ¡°I have received your request, child. The Cathedral will provide Shelter, you are safe now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Heidi deeply inhaled, her eyes not leaving the old man once she saw Valentin¡¯s attire, she knew the Cathedral had seemingly entered a ¡°pre-battle state¡± before her arrival, ¡°May I ask¡­ what exactly has happened?¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s war,¡± Valentin stated calmly, ¡°Someone has waged war on City-State¨Ca storm not blessed by the goddess has descended on City-State, that was the signal of war beginning. But it wasn¡¯t until your arrival that I finally knew who the opponent was.¡±


    ¡°War?!¡± Heidi was utterly stunned, ¡°Who is the enemy? Where are they?¡±


    Valentin quietly watched Heidi, and after a long pause, softly said, ¡°It¡¯s City-State¨C


    ¡°A City-State that has been obliterated from history.¡±


    A thunderclap exploded, shaking the entire cathedral violently. Heidi jumped in fright, lifting her head to look at the clattering glass windows and the heavy chandeliers swaying overhead. Amidst this shaking and swinging, she suddenly felt a faint tremor¨Cdifferent from the thunderclaps.


    It was the roar of numerous steam-powered walkers assembling in the plaza, and the rumble of the cathedral¡¯s steam tanks rolling out from the garages.


    In terror, Heidi turned her head to look at the bishop standing solemnly before a statue of the goddess, and she hurriedly asked, ¡°Are the enemies coming?!¡±


    ¡°The enemies have already arrived,¡± Valentin murmured, his whispers still distinct amidst the continuous thunderclaps, ¡°They arrived years ago¡­¡±


    ¡­


    With a thunderous crash, the longsword smashed down, scattering the obstructive debris like dust, and Fenna wielding a sword stepped over a section of collapsed roadway to see the buildings in front collapsing like wax figures in fire, the hot and heavy ash blanketing the road like snow, with remnants ofembers dancing and scattering amongst the ash and rubble. A suspicious humanoid figure wriggled slowly within those hot ashes, presenting an eerie and miserable sight to behold.


    Fenna restrained herself from focusing too much on those writhing humanoid ashes.


    She knew they were all citizens of City-State, people she was familiar with, protected, and loved; they died in this fire that would burn the entire City-State, no one from the entire City-State was spared.


    In this part of history, they had perished, yet were transformed by unquenchable flames into these horrifying and pitiful phantasms.


    These scenes disturbed her emotions and judgment.


    The young Judge pressed her dry, pale lips, feeling her respiratory tract gradually burn in the ash-filled air, sensing her strength waning and reminded herself once more¨C


    This never happened, nor would it ever happen.


    She looked up and gazed toward the end of the street.


    Between the writhing ashes and leaping sparks, a ghostly green flame occasionally flashed by¨Can imprint left in this erroneous history by a fearsome Ghost Captain. The stance of the Ghost Captain in this event was bizarre and unclear. Fenna could not see through the opponent¡¯s true purpose at all. She only knew that the opponent¡¯s power had somehow blended into the background and was spreading everywhere in the destroyed Prand, subtly opposing the force that twisted history.


    At the end of her sight was the destination of her journey, one of the ¡°targets¡± she had set for herself in this destroyed Prand.


    A small chapel, still maintaining its main structure despite the fire, stood quietly at the end of the street.


    She had walked through almost half the City-State to get to this small chapel in the sixth district.


    Strictly speaking, she had fought her way through almost half the City-State.


    Holding her sword, Fenna moved past all obstacles. The chapel door had already collapsed, revealing a dimly lit hall that now appeared before her.


    The hall no longer had the warm, bright lights, nor the neat and sacred prayer altar, nor the calm, praying young nuns.


    Fenna directly bypassed this ruin and went to the back of the main hall, where she found the tilted staircase leading underground.


    A dark wooden door stood quietly at the end of the staircase.


    Fenna sighed gently, easing the pain and fatigue in her joints all over her body, then descended the stairs¨C


    The rotating machine gun she had previously dismantled from the treadmill had already broken and been discarded along the way. Now, all she had was the massive, loyal sword that had been with her for many years.


    With the sword in hand, she approached the door and gently pushed it.


    The door was locked, but only with a latch; it wasn¡¯t barricaded from the inside.


    Faintly, she could still sense the fluctuating air and hear noises from behind the door.


    With force in her hand, the fragile lock did not last more than half a second before breaking with a metallic tearing sound. With that, Fenna pushed open the great door of the Underground Sanctuary.


    A startled and tense young voice came from beyond the door, ¡°Don¡¯t open the door!!¡±


    Simultaneously with this voice, a vague noise seemed intertwined within it.


    ¡°Your junior,¡± Fenna pushed the door open, her sword scraping and sparking against the ground as she entered, the stubborn lantern at her waist still emitting light, illuminating the already dark Underground Sanctuary. ¡°Your sister in arms.¡±


    The sanctuary was lit by a faint light.


    A nun with a long sword stood cautiously underneath a statue of a goddess, fully alert and watching Fenna as she entered¨Cshe was wearing an old-fashioned nun¡¯s robe from 1885, and her face was still young.


    She was about the same age as Fenna when she fell.


    Fenna looked at the fully alert nun across from her and sighed softly.


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    As she had imagined, only within this corrupted, twisted veil could she step into this sealed Underground Sanctuary before the nun¡¯s death¨Cthe brief moment before the nun¡¯s death was part of the contamination in history.


    The small chapel in the sixth district was the first point of distortion.


    The young Judge had finally investigated the most crucial information, but¡­ how should she report all this?


    ¡°Sister?¡± The long-sword-bearing nun adjusted to the sudden light, and only now seemed to realize that all the lights in the Underground Sanctuary had gone out, and that she had been standing in darkness without knowing when it happened. Something seemed to be stirring in the dark below her feet; she lifted her head, looked at the tall female figure in the faint light, and finally discerned the emblem of the Storm Cathedral on the opponent¡¯s armor and sword. ¡°Are you from the Cathedral? Leave quickly! The contamination here is already out of control, while I still have¡­¡±


    Fenna shook her head, moving forward slowly, ¡°I¡¯m here to help you.¡±

 Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Chapter 204: Instant Teleportation

    Chapter 200: Chapter 204: Instant Teleportation


    ¡°I¡¯m here to help you.¡±


    ¡°Help me?¡± Upon hearing Fenna¡¯s words, the young nun furrowed her brows in confusion. Only then did she notice some details in the other¡¯s equipment.


    That indeed was the attire and insignia of the Storm Church, yet it was unlike any standard issue she was familiar with. She had never heard of any high-ranking female church official using such a grotesque longsword in battle¨Cclearly, the sword was custom-made and not meant for ordinary guardians.


    The ¡°battle sister¡± standing before her, who looked as young as herself and unusually tall, was from an era she did not recognize.


    The young nun fell silent for a few seconds, then said calmly, ¡°Where are you from?¡±


    ¡°1900.¡±


    ¡°I died in battle today, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fenna advanced calmly, ¡°it seems you already know what happened.¡±


    ¡°The Doomsday Preachers. I don¡¯t know how they accomplished it, but they opened a subspace rift within the church. I sounded the alarm to the outside, but received no response¡­¡±


    A subspace rift opened within the sanctuary of gods?!


    Fenna felt a shock in her heart. This unprecedented situation escalated her confusion. Then she heard the young nun quietly ask, ¡°Did I succeed today?¡±


    ¡°¡­At least in this invasion, you did,¡± Fenna looked up, meeting the nun¡¯s eyes, ¡°You sealed both your death and their intrusion back in 1885.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good,¡± the nun sighed in relief and slowly raised her longsword. Meanwhile, a low, creeping noise emerged from the nearby darkness. It sounded like some slippery, sticky limbs crawling on the floor or something emerging from a pool of viscous liquid. Although invisible to the naked eye, it was indeed beginning to enter this reality, ¡°The rest should be straightforward.¡±


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    Fenna also slightly raised her huge sword: ¡°This is my area of expertise.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± the nun suddenly turned her head and asked, ¡°Are you prepared on the ¡®other side¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­We did not receive the alarm you sent out, so there were no extra preparations,¡± Fenna spoke calmly, steadying her breath to its optimal state, ¡°But¡­ the Guardians are always ready.¡±


    A roar came from the darkness, and the creature from subspace finally formed a malevolent projection in this sealed timeline.


    At once, the lantern at Fenna¡¯s waist was triggered, sparking furiously as if to burn all its fuel in moments, almost bursting from its enclosure. The longsword and the massive sword vibrated with a humming tremor, eventually creating a thunderous sound from their clashing.


    Fenna saw the ghastly shape of the shadow¨Cit appeared as an amorphous blob of sludge, with the young nun¡¯s image continuously twisting at its core, and bizarre, misshapen hands and feet sprouting from tendrils at its edges. It was a profane entity crudely attempting to mimic human form but failing due to a misunderstanding of the rules of this dimension¨Cwith repulsive limbs rapidly crawling toward them!


    ¡°This time, it¡¯s up to you, sister.¡±


    The young nun¡¯s voice resonated from the side, and as the creature appeared, she lowered her longsword and pulled out a silver dagger engraved with many patterns. She glanced at the rapidly approaching monster, gave Fenna her final entrustment, then calmly plunged the dagger into her chest.


    The moment the nun¡¯s heart stopped, the creeping monster also seemed to suffer a heavy blow. Its amorphous surface suddenly burst with dozens of mouths of various sizes, followed by piercing, noisy screams from each one!


    Fenna heard the sound of the nun falling behind her, but she did not turn back, instead stepping boldly toward the ¡°sludge¡± projected from subspace. As she raised her giant sword, she prayed softly and solemnly, ¡°Please bear witness¡­¡±


    The battle ended.


    Even swifter than eliminating the remnants of a Scion of the Sun.


    At this time point, what appeared in the Underground Sanctuary was only a projection that had infiltrated reality from the hollow soul of a lowly clergy member. Although it came from subspace and was constrained by the ¡°gateway,¡± it didn¡¯t possess much power¨Cthe only issue was that, in this sealed timeline, the projection would forever remain bound to the nun.


    Now, this detestable cycle seemed to have finally ended.


    Fenna watched as the ¡°sludge¡± gradually disappeared, let out a soft sigh of relief, turned, and returned to the side of the now-deceased young nun. She knelt on one knee, bowed her head, and said, ¡°Thank you for your noble sacrifice.¡±


    The next second, she saw the nun¡¯s corpse begin to gradually disappear, vanishing into thin air like a phantom from the past.


    Then, the doors of the Underground Sanctuary slammed shut with a bang, and traces of sword slashes and bullet impacts abruptly began to surface on the surrounding walls and floor. Hollow, empty roars erupted from nowhere, followed by bloodstains appearing on the ground and slowly extending towards the tightly closed doors¡­


    The horrendous cycle continued, everything that had once transpired in the Underground Sanctuary began to operate on schedule. Her intervention as an Outsider had merely created a ripple in this pre-determined history, a ripple that was smoothed out almost instantaneously.


    ¡°How can this be¡­¡± Fenna rose to her feet in bewilderment, unable to believe the sudden traces appearing in the Underground Sanctuary, ¡°This is just a piece of contaminated hist¡­¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, the corner of her eye caught a flash of eerie green light in the dark corner. In the next second, that small flame abruptly expanded into a massive vortex, a doorframe, and a tall imposing figure emerged from the flames and stepped forward.


    She heard the tall figure speak to her,


    ¡°Because the contamination is deep, and the culprits have already noticed your awakening and resistance¨Csimply eliminating a subspace invader can no longer correct the sequence of historical misplacements, Fenna. The source of the contamination is no longer this small church, but the entire City-State.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Captain Duncan!¡± Fenna¡¯s eyes widened instantly. She had sensed the power of this Ghost Ship captain infiltrating ¡°this side¡± when she saw the green flames spreading, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to appear directly here, inside the Underground Sanctuary. Instinctively, she gripped her longsword tightly, almost reflexively launching an overhead slash, but at the last moment, she forcefully stopped herself, instead watching the figure warily, trying to determine if it was the real entity or just an illusion in her field of vision, ¡°What do you want?!¡±


    ¡°To take you back to the real world,¡± Duncan said indifferently as he looked at her, ¡°I thought you would greet me with an overhead slash like last time.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I know that attack is useless against you. It¡¯s impossible for your real body to be in front of me,¡± Fenna¡¯s muscles all tensed to their optimal state, ¡°You said you are taking me back to the real world? What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Is it that hard to understand? Don¡¯t you need help right now?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°Or do you have a way to walk out of this veil by yourself? Just by recklessly navigating the City-State?¡±


    Fenna¡¯s eyes twitched unconsciously, watching the Ghost Ship captain before her with great suspicion.


    What does this dangerous mariner disaster truly intend?


    However, Duncan didn¡¯t bother to explain further to her, instead suddenly raising his right hand, and a cluster of jumping green flames appeared at his fingertips.


    Fenna gasped, lifting her longsword while she took a small step back, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°Sending you back to the real world, what else?¡± Duncan replied casually, ¡°But I haven¡¯t done this before, so I still need to see whether it actually works. If it¡¯s successful, you¡¯ll just go back; if it¡¯s not¡­ we¡¯ll consider other methods.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Try?¡± Fenna looked at the infamous Ghost Ship captain in front of her, confused by his seemingly incongruous actions, but as she saw the fire in his hand expanding, all her doubts momentarily gave way to vigilance and resistance, ¡°Stop, or I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    ¡°The battles have begun in the real world, Fenna. The storm is ravaging the City-State, your real enemies have already become alert,¡± Duncan suddenly interrupted the young Judge, his gaze fixed intensely on Fenna¡¯s eyes, his tone solemn, ¡°Compared to acting alone here, the battlefield outside needs you more¨Ctouch this flame, or I¡¯ll make a move.¡±


    Fenna stared fixedly at the flame in Duncan¡¯s hand, unmoving.


    To be fair, even if she didn¡¯t know who Duncan was, a normal person seeing such an ominous thing would definitely not touch it.


    Duncan, of course, was aware of this, so he was just being polite to Fenna.


    While the girl was focusing hard, a trail of hidden burning fire suddenly spread beneath his feet, and the next second, a grand wall of fire erupted in front of Fenna, sweeping over her ferociously!


    Fenna¡¯s hair stood on end, eyes widening, and the next second, she swung her longsword furiously, leaping high with a shout, ¡°Other¡­¡±


    The wall of fire swept past, and the young Judge¡¯s figure vanished amid the fierce flames.


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    On the deck of the Homeloss, a brief burst of eerie green flames appeared, then disappeared immediately.


    In the drenched streets of the Plunder City-State, a tall female figure abruptly materialized from mid-air, roaring as she swung her sword down, ¡°¡­end!¡±


    A trash bin was split into two by Fenna¡¯s jump slash, leaving a wind slash mark over ten meters long on the ground.


    Fenna lifted her head in astonishment, blankly watching the world drenched in downpour around her.


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 Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter 205: Accelerate

    Chapter 201: Chapter 205: Accelerate


    Maurice sat on the first floor of the antique shop, waiting anxiously for time to pass.


    The storm still raged outside the window, with cold winds howling. The sound of the wind and rain, after being dampened and weakened by the doors and windows, turned into an even more unsettling strange howl. It was like waves striking an isolated island in a storm, coming from all directions over and over. And beyond the nearby display window, the scenery across the street was no longer visible.


    Nina and Sherry also came down to the first floor. The two girls ran to the window and watched the storm outside with nervous apprehension, occasionally whispering to each other.


    However, that mysterious lady named ¡°Alice¡± seemed to be completely free of such nervousness. She too was gazing out the window, but her eyes sparkled with curiosity and pleasure, a kind¡­ a kind of pleasure that Maurice could not understand.


    ¡°The scenery in the City-State is really interesting,¡± Alice suddenly spoke up, her abrupt voice carrying an inexplicable magnetism and penetration amid the noise of the wind and rain, ¡°but it seems like all of you are very nervous¡­ Is it that terrifying?¡±


    ¡°Miss Alice, aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Nina turned her head curiously toward the sound, having heard the conversation.


    ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s interesting,¡± Alice said with a smile, modestly shaking her head, ¡°and Mr. Duncan will take care of all the problems.¡±


    ¡°Miss Alice, do you know what exactly is happening?¡± Nina bit her lip and bravely asked. She looked into Alice¡¯s eyes¨Cthe eyes of a beautiful lady, who seemed to have a good relationship with her uncle and whom she had never met before, ¡°It seems¡­ you really trust Uncle Duncan?¡±


    ¡°I do trust him,¡± Alice replied matter-of-factly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what has happened, but Mr. Duncan will solve it in the end.¡±


    Her overtly candid attitude left Nina briefly at a loss for words, not knowing how to continue the conversation. It was then that a particularly loud peal of thunder exploded outside the window, startling everyone and cutting off the conversation in the shop.


    Sherry and Nina instinctively covered their ears and drew in their necks, while Maurice, after a brief moment of astonishment, seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up toward the window.


    ¡°Fenna has returned¡­¡±


    The old man murmured to himself, then repeated it again, this time louder: ¡°Fenna has returned!¡±


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    ¡°The Judge?¡± Sherry turned around in surprise when she heard Maurice shouting, ¡°What about the Judge? What do you mean by coming back or not?¡±


    Maurice, however, did not pay attention to Sherry¨C he didn¡¯t know how to explain the matter. He simply took a deep breath. Despite it being a chaotic and fragmented memory in his head that suddenly came together out of nowhere, he felt as if he had seen a ray of sunshine on a stormy day, and he calmed down entirely.


    The old man reached out and picked up the teacup beside him.


    At that moment, he even felt that the tea, which was difficult to swallow, tasted a bit better.


    The green fire wall faded, and the dim Underground Sanctuary was restored to its former state, leaving only the last flicker of flame quietly floating next to Duncan, allowing him to see this place hidden in darkness.


    Fenna had already left ¡°this side¡± and now reached the other side of the veil.


    She was like a vibrant beacon, outlining the trajectory through the veil for Duncan clearly. Duncan could feel how she left this place¨Cand could confirm that his own ideas were established.


    He exhaled softly, looking up toward the position where Fenna had been last.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be honest, that dive attack was really terrifying.¡±


    He muttered softly to himself, then turned and walked toward the entrance of the Underground Sanctuary, approaching the firmly closed door.


    The doors had closed again, and a body, covered in scars, sat slumped against them. She pressed her body tightly against the doors, a Longsword clutched in her hand, surrounded by sword marks and bloodstains.


    Among those crisscrossing sword marks, the Nun had carved the numbers ¡°1885¡± with her last bit of strength, barely discernible.


    The cycle continued as ever, in a looping pattern.


    History had solidified here, and Fenna¡¯s intervention had not stopped the cycle of this locked time loop from continuing. Although she was indeed powerful, she had not yet the ability to interfere with the flow of time and space.


    Duncan stood quietly beside the Nun for a moment, and then slowly extended his hand. Just then, the Nun¡¯s body moved slightly. She slowly lifted her head, her weak eyes barely opening as she curiously and confusedly observed the unexpected guest before her.


    ¡°Oh, as I had deduced earlier, you hadn¡¯t yet died at the moment you were holding back the doors,¡± Duncan said calmly, facing the Nun¡¯s gaze, ¡°Is there anything you wish to say?¡±


    ¡°I had a brief dream. I dreamt that a sister in battle appeared here; she tried to give me peace within this loop, but she failed,¡± the Nun spoke softly, ¡°She really came here, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°She did all she could, but this is not her forte¨Cshe has returned to her own battles,¡± Duncan bent down, placing his hand gently on the blade of the Nun¡¯s Longsword. Small sparks of Spiritual Fire flickered at his fingertips, moving fluidly like water along the edge of the sword, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you also a guardian of the City-State?¡± The nun seemed to no longer have the strength to fully open her eyes. She lowered her eyelids, murmuring softly as if caught between sleep and wakefulness, ¡°I have never seen you¡­¡±


    ¡°I am not,¡± Duncan gently shook his head, ¡°but I can be for the moment.¡±


    The nun, however, seemed to no longer hear his voice. Her eyelids closed completely, as if she was slowly stepping into a Dreamscape. In the final moment before the eternal slumber took her, her lips moved slightly, whispering, ¡°¡­please bear witness¡­¡±


    ¡°I have witnessed.¡±


    A pale green flame rose into the air, sweeping across Duncan¡¯s line of sight as his words fell, engulfing everything¨Cthe nun and her Longsword, as well as the bloodstains around, all turning to ashes within the flames. Under his deliberate control, any Transcendent power involved was completely stripped away in this one conflagration.


    Once the flames burned out, they consumed not only a body, but also the closed cycles of time and space. In the dim Underground Sanctuary, only a tiny spark remained, jumping on the ground, meandering through the sword scars, and just before disappearing, it burned away the string of numbers ¡°1885.¡±


    Duncan quietly waited until everything had ended, then he shook his head with a sigh and walked forward to pull open the great door that led to the cathedral ruin¡¯s ground structure.


    For the first time since 1885, this door was opened from the inside of the Underground Sanctuary.


    Duncan ascended the steps, walking up the long staircase to the ground level of the small cathedral ruins. He passed through the collapsed main hall, through the rows of abandoned pews, and the ash that filled the floor, walking towards the street outside.


    The pale green flames reappeared like phantoms, gathering out of the air beside him, spreading and burning along his path. The Spiritual Fire, which had been spreading within the shadows before he arrived, sensed their master¡¯s approach, resonated, and began to blaze fiercely within the small cathedral ruins.


    When Duncan stepped out of the door and turned back to look at the small cathedral ruins, the entire structure was engulfed in a majestic Spiritual Fire.


    Further in the distance, at every corner of the neighborhood, nearby, and even at the ends of the City-State, more clusters of Spiritual Fire were leaping, spreading, and blazing fiercely, forming torches of various sizes that gradually connected into a blanket.


    They were all Spiritual Fires that had suddenly entered an ¡°activated¡± state upon sensing Duncan¡¯s presence inside the veil.


    Unconsciously, they had already spread to such a vast area.


    And as these fires burned, Duncan felt something stirring to life within the City-State¨Cthe rising and falling roars echoed, the ashes and dust in the streets stirred, and scarlet flames rose everywhere, presenting a formidable sight.


    Duncan looked up towards a direction deep within the City-State, ¡°Starting to get nervous now might be a bit too late.¡±


    ¡­


    Onboard the Homeloss, Duncan pushed open the door of the captain¡¯s cabin. He strode to the navigation table, rested his hands on it and studied the sea chart, his voice low, ¡°How far are we from the City-State?¡±


    ¡°Oh, great captain, less than two days¡¯ journey remains,¡± came the eager voice of Goat Head immediately, ¡°Theoretically, we might now encounter merchant ships running business routes in the City-State or the navy¡¯s patrol vessels¡­¡±


    Duncan listened to Goat Head¡¯s rambling without interrupting, simply mulling over something, then suddenly stood up from the navigation table and pushed open the door of the captain¡¯s cabin to walk out.


    Goat Head¡¯s voice came in surprise from behind, ¡°Ah, captain, what are you going to do?¡±


    Duncan had already left the captain¡¯s cabin with long strides. He crossed the aft deck and climbed the staircase, reaching the platform above the captain¡¯s cabin. Offhandedly, he replied in his mind, ¡°I¡¯m going to helm myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes! Captain!¡±


    Goat Head gave a resounding acknowledgment. The next second, Duncan felt a slight trembling throughout the Homeloss. To his senses, the ship seemed to suddenly come ¡°alive,¡± every living part of it invigorated.


    As he took hold of the wheel, the ship, which was already prepared, immediately entered its optimal state¨Cthe semi-transparent sails of the Spiritual Body billowed out further, the tight ropes vibrated in the air, the hull murmured lowly under the slap of the waves, and the sea around the entire vessel seemed drawn by an inexplicable force, with waves coming in layers as if pushing the ship forward!


    The Homeloss¡¯s speed abruptly increased.


    Feeling the distance between himself and that body in the antique shop shrink, Duncan let out a soft breath.


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    But suddenly, a strange sensation emerged from the depths of his heart.


    It was a subtle sense of being perceived from afar, being seen as a ¡°target.¡±


    As if the very moment he took the helm, something had sensed the existence of this ship and was heading straight for it.


    Duncan furrowed his brow, looking in the direction from which the subtle sensation came. Almost at the same time, he heard Goat Head¡¯s voice rise in his mind:


    ¡°Captain, the Sea Mist has appeared nearby.¡±

 Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 206: Encounter Battle

    Chapter 202: Chapter 206: Encounter Battle


    A steel warship with a towering bow sailed across the vast Endless Sea, while a thin layer of cold fog hovered and undulated within hundreds of meters around the ship¨Cthis fog was just like the curse that clung to the Sea Mist in the frozen seas to the north, and even though they were now in the relatively warmer central waters, the coldness within the fog remained dense and undispersed.


    On the deck of the steel warship, six triple-barreled main artillery cannons and dozens of secondary guns of various sizes were already in readiness for battle, with the undead sailors, shrouded in chill, moving busily between facilities, preparing for potential combat.


    Below the deck, in the ammunition storage, elevators clattered as they transported powder bags and shells to the turrets¡¯ transfer chambers, while other sailors operated the pipe hubs scattered around, checking the delivery and pressure of the sacred steam and grease throughout the vessel.


    At the stern of the warship, a small church had lit its independent boiler, and steam pipes on top of the church spewed plumes of vapor into the sky. Accompanied by the sound of the church¡¯s steam whistle, the scent of incense mixed with the steam and gradually enveloped the entire deck.


    An undead priest dressed in a somber long robe stood in the prayer room of the ship-borne church, solemnly lighting incense and candles before the statue of the Storm Goddess¨CGomona. This priest, with his shriveled, pale skin, appeared quite old; one side of his skull was caved in, and the corresponding half of his body seemed perpetually soaked, presenting an eerie wetness as if still immersed in the sea, while in his eyes, the milky whites seemed to eternally churn with twin dark clouds, faintly reflecting the flickering candlelight before the goddess¡¯s statue.


    Before the priest stood the statue of the Storm Goddess Gomona¨Ca protector of every ship upon the Endless Sea, even if those ships were manned by the deceased. The base of this statue sat on top of a large pipe, with many smaller pipes stretching out like blood vessels into every corner of the church; the lower half of it was buried deep into the hull, penetrating through several decks, all the way down to the ballast chamber¨Cthe darkest and coldest room that connected directly to the Endless Sea.


    A fully equipped ship-borne church, an independent church boiler, as well as sacred steam pipes that penetrated all decks, had become the standard configuration for every warship that needed to sail and fight for long periods on the Endless Sea since the great military technological revolution of 1835 among the City-States. These facilities effectively prevented the outbreak of mental contamination within a ship under high-pressure, harsh, casualty-ridden combat conditions, or the collective mental breakdown of sailors leading to their capture by Subspace.


    From a certain perspective, the beginning of the great revolution in technology in 1835 could even be traced back thirty-five years, all the way to the ¡°Homeloss incident¡± in 1800¨Chumanity¡¯s most advanced exploration vessel, the finest explorers, plunged directly into Subspace after a lengthy voyage, a direct shock to everyone concerned with maritime endeavors.


    The priest withdrew his gaze from the statue, but thoughts related to the Homeloss and the ship-borne church before him involuntarily stirred within him.


    His icy, numb brain and heart, which had stopped beating for half a century, were restless and anxious about what was about to happen.


    ¡°May you protect us,¡± the priest bowed his head, praying devoutly to the goddess, ¡°We shall confront the shadows of Subspace head-on, please bear witness¡­¡±


    Suddenly, an electric bell beside him rang out, and a small light flashed at the communications desk.


    The priest approached the communications desk and opened the corresponding brass tube: ¡°This is the church¡­ Yes, the grease and steam are in place, blessings have arrived.¡±


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    On the bridge, the captain of the Sea Mist, Tirian Abnormal, stood quietly at his station, gazing at the seemingly calm sea in the distance.


    His eyes ached slightly, his mind echoed with frustratingly low murmurs, and next to him sat a brass mechanical device of intricate and complex construction, comprised of intermeshing gears, several delicate Compasses, and numerous arc-shaped tracks, at its center a half-spherical bowl supported by three brass columns.


    At that moment, about one-third of the bowl was filled with fresh blood, which rolled and boiled as if alive; the entire brass device, trembling, was continuously adjusting the angles of its gears and Compasses, with its many pointers aiming towards the distance.


    The first mate, Aiden, approached Tirian with a nod: ¡°Captain, all units are prepared, and the church has just sent feedback¨Cthe goddess¡¯s blessing has descended.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Homeloss is right ahead,¡± Tirian murmured so softly it was almost to himself, then he turned to glance at the brass machine beside him, ¡°I think ¡®he¡¯ must have felt me, too.¡±


    The gaze of the first mate Aiden also fell on the brass device, especially the boiling blood.


    This pale, bald man spoke in a deep voice, ¡°The blood compass will guide those bound by blood to reunite, but this item never brings good fortune or reunions¡­ It only points to slaughter and desolation.¡±


    ¡°That fits the situation,¡± said Tirian indifferently, as at the edge of his vision, a misty dark dot seemed to be emerging faintly, ¡°¡­ It¡¯s really here, pointing straight at Pland.¡±


    ¡°We could open fire,¡± the first mate couldn¡¯t help but remind, ¡°Actually, we could have done that just now.¡±


    ¡°¡­ No, keep closing in, we need to be within close-firing range,¡± Tirian shook his head, ¡°Half a century ago we already tried, artillery fire from certain distances will never land on the Homeloss; that ship is influenced by some kind of distorted space-time, with a disconnection and misalignment between it and our current dimension.¡±


    Aiden bowed his head, ¡°¡­Yes, the Sea Mist will continue to advance.¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan put down the monocular he held and hung it back at his waist, then continued to grasp the wheel tightly.


    He had seen that ship.


    Sea Mist, as its name suggested, was shrouded in a mist of thin ice, which didn¡¯t look normal at all.


    But what truly took him by surprise was not the seemingly transcendental ice fog, it was the attitude the ship itself exhibited¨C


    It was an extremely advanced steel warship, boasting heavy armor, towering smokestacks, a bridge structure with sensible design and majestic style, and advanced, multi-gun turrets that brought to mind the main guns of a battleship.


    All this did not look like something a century-old ship could be equipped with¨Clet alone retrofitted; it was hard to imagine how a sailing warship could be transformed into this.


    This brought to mind some of the rumors related to the Sea Mist and the Brilliant Starship that he had heard while making inquiries in the City-State.


    For instance, Tirian¡¯s warships would devour metals from the seabed and the remains of the defeated, and grow and modify themselves during the unobserved midnight.


    Now it seemed that there was some logic to the birth of these rumors¨Cjust like if you had to explain why a ¡¯59 suddenly performed a faster-than-light jump, you could only say that the machine spirit was greatly pleased¡­


    Duncan shook his head, temporarily casting aside the discordant thoughts in his mind.


    The Sea Mist showed no intention of retreat and appeared to be ready for battle; Homeloss didn¡¯t have time for evasive maneuvers, a head-on confrontation seemed inevitable.


    He didn¡¯t understand naval battles, but in theory, he shouldn¡¯t have to worry about fighting¨Cthe cannons on Homeloss could handle everything that was coming.


    He was just a little¡­ dazed, and in that daze, there was also a touch of nervousness and¡­ anticipation.


    Tirian Abnormal, the captain of Sea Mist, one of Captain Duncan¡¯s son and daughter.


    Theoretically, Duncan¡¯s current identity was the pirate chieftain¡¯s father.


    He never would have thought that he¡¯d be encountering the Sea Mist under such circumstances¡­ Wasn¡¯t that ship supposed to be in the Chill Sea? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be busy raiding and collecting protection money in that icy region? What was it doing here?


    Tirian seeking out daddy? A tender father-son relationship?


    Unimaginable.


    The tale of Captain Duncan sounded more like the storyline of unfortunate family affairs.


    ¡°Captain,¡± came the enthusiastic voice of Goat-head, ¡°Sea Mist has entered firing posture. Should we adjust our heading?¡±


    Adjusting heading to avoid the first salvo¡¯s direct hit, while positioning the ship to bring the smallest profile into the combat position and allowing as many of their own guns as possible to be at firing angle¨CGoat-head was clearly prepared for an artillery duel.


    Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°You sound like you¡¯re looking forward to it?¡±


    ¡°Sea Mist is a good opponent. First of all, it can¡¯t beat us, and secondly, it dares to fight us,¡± Goat-head¡¯s voice was filled with delight, ¡°And lastly, it¡¯s very resilient¨Cthe ship is full of the Undead, and even the ship itself has a bit of the ¡®unsinkable undead¡¯ trait. If Homeloss wants to stretch its limbs, there¡¯s no better target.¡±


    ¡°¡­In other words, the kid can take a beating, right?¡± Duncan commented offhandedly when suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he noticed several clouds of fog emerging in the far distance around Sea Mist and slowly dissipating.


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    After a short while, he suddenly heard the shrill wailing from the sky above, accompanied by a powerful force diving straight towards Homeloss¡¯s position.


    Sea Mist had fired the first shot¨Cwith its technological superiority as a steel warship, it had the range advantage and was able to initiate the attack even if it delayed to close-range firing, it could still fire before Homeloss.


    Duncan¡¯s heart tensed for a moment, and then he saw huge water spouts rising one after another near Homeloss, where each powerful hit from the battleship-grade main gun demonstrated extraordinary force, causing Homeloss¡¯s massive body to slightly shake.


    But not a single shell hit Homeloss¨CSea Mist¡¯s first round of firing was all for naught.


    Duncan watched the spouts fall one by one, and thought that this might just be a normal occurrence in a sea battle¨Cwithout guided weapons and modern fire control computers, the hit rate of ship cannons was probably at that level.

 Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 207: A Kind Father and a Filial Son

    Chapter 203: Chapter 207: A Kind Father and a Filial Son


    The battle began.


    The fight commenced with the Sea Mist¡¯s first round of cannon fire. Thunderous booms reverberated across the entire sea area as cannonballs whistled through the sky and plunged into the ocean at the end of their parabolic paths, stirring up towering columns of water and small chaotic surges.


    The first round entirely missed, as did the second, until finally, during the third round, the barrage from Sea Mist barely grazed the side of Homeloss.


    Towering Spectral Flames blazed between every seam and mast of Homeloss. Duncan clutched the ship¡¯s wheel, steering the massive Ghost Ship like a moving mountain range of fire across the sea. The majestic bow broke through the waves ahead, stirring up a series of white foam and ripples on either side of Homeloss. In the corner of his eye, Duncan caught a swift shadow diving toward the stern deck.


    It was a cannonball from Sea Mist¨Cafter several misses, the iron battleship seemed to finally have adjusted its aim. A cannonball hurtled unerringly toward the rear of Homeloss; this time, there was no avoiding it.


    Sudden evasive maneuvers by spinning the steering wheel wouldn¡¯t happen in reality. Homeloss, massive in structure, still had to obey the most basic laws of physics when traversing the real world¡­ probably.


    The ship was about to be hit.


    But in the next moment, Duncan suddenly felt his vision sharpen immensely. He could track the complete trajectory of the slightly tilted descending cannonball, see the distorted heat waves around it, feel the airflow pushed by the shockwave, observe the glowing red projectile, and the blurred dents on the body of the shell¨Che watched that blazing iron, and the iron responded to his call.


    Just as it was about to strike Homeloss, the surface of the cannonball from Sea Mist suddenly burst into eerie flames¨Calmost as if it had been instantly infected and assimilated by the Spiritual Fire surrounding Homeloss. It quietly transformed into a green meteor, gently falling in a slow, bizarre arc into the fiery sea rising above Homeloss.


    The cannonball, burning with eerie green flames, landed on the deck of Homeloss with a thud, causing what seemed like a tremble throughout the entire ship¨Cbut no additional damage followed.


    ¡°A neat catch!¡± bellowed a voice that sounded like it was from a goat-headed creature, suddenly resonating in Duncan¡¯s mind, snapping him back to reality, ¡°Captain, how did you manage that?!¡±


    ¡°¡­ It was instinctive; I didn¡¯t think much about it,¡± Duncan replied casually, then almost immediately, more whistling sounds crossed the sky, attacking relentlessly.


    His nerves instantly tensed, and while slightly adjusting the course of the massive ship Homeloss, he tracked those falling shadows from the sky. In the next second, one green ¡°meteor¡± after another weirdly emerged above the burning body of Homeloss.


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    But Duncan¡¯s ability to catch was not unlimited. As the distance between Homeloss and Sea Mist decreased, the latter¡¯s cannon fire became more precise and fiercer. Its many secondary and close-defense guns finally came within effective range. When a barrage of shells fell from the sky, some finally evaded Duncan¡¯s sight and struck the body of Homeloss.


    Amid the continuous explosions, Duncan saw a section of the hull near him suddenly get struck by something. A shadow pierced through the wooden planks, causing severe tearing damage before plunging into the sea. The struck hull exploded into countless fragmented pieces¨C


    Those torn, broken structures scattered, soaring upward and then abruptly stopping, hovering in the air, synchronized in posture with Homeloss.


    This was an utterly bizarre sight; it was as if those shattered structural pieces of the ship in the real dimension were still unified with Homeloss in some higher dimension¨Cthey appeared visually fragmented, yet the pieces were still tightly connected!


    This instantly reminded Duncan of the ship¡¯s hull, thinking of the shattered yet still functional walls that navigated and soaked in the Subspace.


    The next second, he watched as those fragments from the hull began to slowly fall and return, swiftly reconstructing as if time had reversed.


    Duncan finally looked away from the hull.


    This was the first time he witnessed Homeloss taking damage and also the first time he saw the ship repair itself¨Cthis ship could heal itself so rapidly! And that ¡°healing,¡± it seemed to simply revert the ship¡¯s condition to before it was damaged?


    He finally understood why a modern, fully armed iron battleship like Sea Mist couldn¡¯t defeat a century-old Ghost Ship.


    Subspace had completely transformed Homeloss, placing the entire ship within a bizarre spatial-temporal structure¨Cit simply couldn¡¯t be defeated by ordinary firepower in the real dimension!


    The voice of the goat-headed creature rang in his mind again, dripping with pride: ¡°Captain, Homeloss is the best ship in the world, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­ To be fair, indeed it is.¡±


    ¡°What are your plans next?¡±


    Duncan slightly lifted his head, peering at Sea Mist, which was now approaching closer, ¡°¡­ March on and discipline the child along the way. Idle time is idle time, right?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Captain! That ship is charging over at increased speed!¡± Aiden¡¯s voice arose in the bridge, tinged with a slight nervousness, ¡°Something is off¡­ Our attacks are even less effective than that hurried skirmish half a century ago, more than half of our cannonballs just mysteriously disappeared into the fire sea of Homeloss!¡±


    ¡°I see it,¡± Teryian stood upright on the bridge, his gaze fixed on the Ghost Ship that was accelerating and already beginning to slightly adjust its course. His hands unconsciously tightened around the railing in front of him, his expression as dark as an impending storm, ¡°Half a century has passed, ¡®he¡¯ has become stronger than last time¡­¡±


    ¡°Should we still fight?¡± asked the first mate loudly, ¡°Looking at it now, it might not be so easy to drive that ship back into Subspace like last time! And I think your father must be very angry¡­ That ship¡¯s speed is simply freakishly fast TMD!¡±


    Tyrion merely scowled, and after several seconds of silence, he said in a deep voice, ¡°¡­continue to engage.¡±


    As he uttered these words, his gaze remained fixed on the burning large sailing warship, focused on the rear deck of that ship.


    He knew that was where the Homeloss¡¯s helm was located, and in those distant, yellowed memories, his father always stood there.


    Was he still there now? Was he watching the Sea Mist?


    Great plumes of smoke rose from the sea, followed by the faint rumbling that reached his ears.


    ¡°Homeloss is firing!¡±


    A sailor cried out in alarm.


    Tyrion still stood steadily on the captain¡¯s chair, like an iceberg standing in the Chill Sea, but he soon furrowed his brows.


    The Homeloss hadn¡¯t fully adjusted to a suitable angle before firing; instead, it had entered the path of the Sea Mist at a slightly tilted arc and fired while on the move.


    This meant that only about one-quarter of the side cannons could be brought to bear.


    Was it just symbolically retaliating? Did it not intend to battle the Sea Mist to the death?


    That was not his father¡¯s style, nor did it align with the experience from their encounter half a century ago¨Cduring that battle half a century ago, the Homeloss had fought the Sea Mist to the bitter end, until both ships were severely damaged before ceasing the fight.


    The outcome of that battle pushed the Homeloss¡¯s repair capabilities to their limit, forcing it to temporarily retreat into the Subspace, while the Sea Mist almost sank and took three full years to re-emerge on the Endless Sea.


    But the current situation did not allow Tyrion to continue pondering.


    The Homeloss¡¯s retaliation came¨Ccompared to the Sea Mist¡¯s initial and secondary rounds all missing, each shot fired by the Ghost Ship upon entering effective range was terrifyingly accurate.


    Dozens of blazing green fireballs streaked across the sky from above the sea, crashing onto the steel warship like meteors, causing thunderous roars as the Spiritual Fire boiled.


    Streaks of radiance floated around the Sea Mist, sacred relics and the shipborne chapel activate automatically to counteract the spread of the flames¡¯ corruption, but the steel warship¡¯s hull was still instantly riddled with terrifying voids¨Cthe burning iron shells seemed like fireballs falling into snow, everything they touched, whether wood or steel, was melted, devoured, and erased in the blink of an eye.


    Even the strongest armor became meaningless¨Cthe Homeloss¡¯s attack did not rely on kinetic energy or explosions to take effect, but rather on a higher-dimensional absorption and Transition, with the Sea Mist being erased under the falling shells like a pencil drawing under an eraser, half of its main cannons scraped away in the first round, and several holes capable of sinking a normal ship appearing on its hull after the second round.


    The Sea Mist¡¯s attack was forced to cease, even its power rapidly diminishing almost immediately.


    Tyrion¡¯s eyes widened.


    Something was wrong¡­ This was completely different from last time!


    He did not recognize this ship; this was not the Homeloss he remembered!


    And amidst this shock, he noticed that the Homeloss had suddenly stopped its bombardment.


    The Ghost Ship unfurled all its sails, enveloping the entire sea area in massive waves, its speed suddenly soaring to the extreme as it charged directly towards the Sea Mist.


    ¡°¡­hard to port! Dodge! Dodge!¡±


    First Officer Aiden suddenly roared, and the helmsman had already begun desperately turning the wheel, trying to steer the warship below them away from the impending collision¨Cyet all efforts failed.


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    ¡°The helm¡¯s failed!¡± the helmsman cried out in terror, ¡°It¡¯s turning on its own! We¡¯re heading straight into it!¡±


    Just as the helmsman had said, the Sea Mist was actively meeting the Ghost Ship.


    Tyrion had already noticed this anomaly; he heard the machinery below hissing unnaturally, heard all the windows around clicking, saw the remaining turrets on the deck lower their barrels one by one, and within the large voids punched out by the Homeloss, green flames were rising higher with each wave.


    This was a nightmare unheard of in that fierce battle half a century ago¨C


    The Sea Mist recognized its own flagship.

 Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 208: A Conversation After 100 Years

    Chapter 204: Chapter 208: A Conversation After 100 Years


    On the vast Endless Sea, two cursed warships headed straight toward each other, the ocean around them stirred by an invisible force into restlessness, even affecting the nearby sky.


    The cold fog around Sea Mist spread, and large patches of ice began to appear on the ocean surface. These areas of ice shifted continuously like whirlpools, covering several nautical miles. Though the sea had been calm, now the waves surged, each stronger than the last, mixed with chaotic gusts of cold wind, while Homeloss was enveloped in layers of eerie green flames, pushing through all the extreme weather conditions straight towards the steel warship at the center of the ice.


    Sea Mist also accelerated, all its engines roaring like dying beasts, the rudder adjusting itself without human control. The shipborne church¡¯s whistle sounded incessantly, the sacred sound now resembling a death knell¨Cthe undead sailors stood on deck, at the guns, behind each porthole, watching helplessly as their warship sped toward the burning Ghost Ship. On the bridge, Tyrion could even faintly see the figure at the high stern of Homeloss.


    He saw a tall man gripping the steering wheel, standing firm like a rock amidst the storm, with an indifferent gaze fixed on him.


    So similar to someone he remembered.


    And then, unsurprisingly, the two ships ¡°collided.¡±


    The anticipated destructive impact and disintegration did not occur.


    In the next minute, the crew of Sea Mist had the fortune to experience a bizarre and eerie ¡°spectacle¡± similar to the original encounter with the White Oak¨Ca burning Ghost Ship loomed like a mountain, crushing over them, and amidst the flaming spirits, everything¡¯s boundaries blurred. Sea Mist turned into a Spiritual Body, and its sailors turned into Spiritual Bodies, the scene resembling one phantom crashing into another.


    First mate Aiden stared in horror, seeing Homeloss¡¯s bow and masts rushing headlong towards him, then, without any harm, passing right by. He momentarily entered a cabin in Homeloss, ancient columns and flaming lanterns nearly brushing his ears as they whizzed past¨Cfinally, he saw the tall figure behind the wheel on the soaring deck of Homeloss.


    Tyrion instinctively stepped back, but the next second, he straightened up, as if heeding advice from his childhood once whispered by his father¨C


    ¡°Never retreat, never bow to the storm!¡±


    Thus he held up his head, facing the storm before him¨Chis father, taken by Subspace and returned to the earthly realm.


    Then, they were face to face, Homeloss¡¯s structure at the stern directly entering the bridge, Duncan¡¯s position merely a few steps away from the captain¡¯s seat on Sea Mist.


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    At that moment, it felt as if the entire world fell silent.


    A solemn, deep voice reached everyone¡¯s ears, ¡°I¡¯m very busy.¡±


    Tyrion was stunned, his eyes widening as he suddenly looked toward the source of the voice.


    However, this brief encounter had already ended. The two swiftly sailing phantoms overlapped only for an extremely brief instance. Homeloss, as ghostly as a gust of wind, swept past Sea Mist. By the time Tyrion could react, he found that he and his crew had returned to their corporeal states.


    He hastily ran to another observation window and saw Homeloss speeding towards Plunder¡¯s direction¨Cleaving Sea Mist far behind.


    The steel warship slowly came to a stop on the ocean, the invisible force that had been driving it subsiding. Now it was once again under the control of the helmsman. The severely damaged engine system was shut down with great effort by the sailors, and restarting it seemed no easy task.


    ¡°¡­What just happened?¡± Aiden scratched his smooth head, the sturdy first mate looking puzzled, ¡°That ship¡­ just left? Weren¡¯t we supposed to fight to the death?¡±


    The boatswain spoke hesitantly, ¡°¡­It seemed like it didn¡¯t intend to fight us to the death from the beginning, it didn¡¯t even slow down, just rolled over us¡­¡±


    ¡°It was terrifying, I even felt my heart start beating again¡­¡±


    The crew¡¯s murmurs reached Tyrion¡¯s ears, but he had no interest in listening. His mind was echoing with that brief phrase¨C


    ¡°I¡¯m very busy.¡±


    That was his father talking¨Cunemotional, not at all like a family reunion greeting, almost cold like it was addressed to a stranger, but it was definitely a coherent, intelligible human phrase.


    Not a mad scream unique to Subspace.


    ¡°Captain,¡± First mate Aiden approached, looking uneasy at the silent Tyrion, ¡°What do we do next?¡±


    Tyrion snapped out of his thoughts, looking up, ¡°Can the ship still move?¡±


    ¡°Not really, the engine is off for now; repairs will take some time. Plus, many got hurt in the recent clash¡­ serious injuries, the kind that take a while to clear up,¡± Aiden shook his head, his shiny forehead gleaming, ¡°But the most unbelievable thing is that those who took a direct hit from Homeloss¡¯s cannons are actually unharmed. Cannons one and three completely disappeared, but the people in the turret fell into the holes unscathed¡­¡±


    ¡°The ones shaken by the shockwaves were badly injured, but those directly hit survived?¡± Tyrion confirmed in surprise, then furrowed his brow, ¡°How could that be¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ your father didn¡¯t strike to kill?¡± Aiden glanced at his captain and cautiously said, ¡°From the bombardment of the Homeloss, it just seemed to want to stop the Sea Mist¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± Tieryan said reflexively, then shut his mouth and, after a few seconds of silence, he gently shook his head. ¡°Hurry and restore power to the ship while sending a message to Plunder, saying that we¡¯ve done everything to intercept, but the Homeloss is still heading towards the City-State¡­ Let the massive Navy of the City-State figure out the rest. We¡¯ve done our part.¡±


    Aiden immediately left to carry out the orders, but soon came rushing back in a hurry. ¡°Captain! We can¡¯t make contact with Plunder!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t make contact?¡± Tieryan frowned. ¡°Is it because the signal was disrupted by the recent battle?¡±


    ¡°No, we can still receive signals from the patrol points in the deep sea, but not from Plunder¨Cnot any signals,¡± Aiden swiftly said with a puzzled expression. ¡°It¡¯s like Plunder has disappeared from the radio¡­ At this distance, that¡¯s simply impossible. And it¡¯s not just the telegraph; even the spiritual energy calls to the church aren¡¯t getting any responses!¡±


    ¡°No response from the spiritual energy calls either?!¡± This time, Tieryan¡¯s expression visibly shifted, and he thought again of the Homeloss¡¯s determined rush towards Plunder, an intense unease finally stirring in his heart. ¡°When did the communication stop? Is someone monitoring the telegraph station?¡±


    ¡°The last call was yesterday when we were doing our routine reporting with the Port Authority of Plunder, and communications were still normal,¡± Aiden recalled, speaking rapidly. ¡°Captain, what should we do? Should we return?¡±


    He paused then, his expression somewhat hesitant. ¡°This situation¡­ It¡¯s already gone beyond the original plan.¡±


    Tieryan¡¯s face remained taut, and for several seconds, he didn¡¯t speak, finally letting out a deep sigh.


    ¡°We¡¯re heading to Plunder¨Cset sail as soon as the Sea Mist is restored.¡±


    Aiden looked startled, but after a brief moment of surprise, the loyal first mate braced himself. ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    ¡­


    The turbulent sea around them gradually returned to calm, leaving only the sound of waves reaching their ears.


    The deafening roar of the cannons seemed still to echo in Duncan¡¯s mind, causing him to reflexively scratch his ear¨Cclearly still unaccustomed to the sudden encounter.


    The voice of the goat¡¯s head reached his ears: ¡°You sped straight towards the Sea Mist just now; I thought you wanted to speak to Tieryan, especially since¡­ this counts as a particularly meaningful ¡®reunion.''¡±


    ¡°I did think so initially,¡± Duncan responded nonchalantly, ¡°but then I suddenly changed my mind.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­ After meeting, I suddenly realized I didn¡¯t know what to say,¡± Duncan said frankly. Having come clean in a way with the figure of the goat¡¯s head, he was no longer as cautious as before, ¡°After all, we¡¯re not close.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, you decide,¡± the goat¡¯s head seemed indifferent, ¡°But you better still think about how you¡¯re going to get along with that pair of ¡®children.¡¯ Everyone is quite hardy; sooner or later you¡¯ll have to meet them, and good family relationships are crucial to one¡¯s fate. Remember, there was once a¡­


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Duncan smoothly interrupted the other¡¯s drifting topic and then seemed to suddenly remember something, his expression turning peculiar, ¡°Speaking of which, we¡¯re missing a person this time; it¡¯s quite regrettable.¡±


    ¡°A missing person? You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Alice wasn¡¯t there; she was helping out at a store in the City-State,¡± Duncan¡¯s tone was leisurely, even cheerful. ¡°I just remembered, Tieryan once served under the Frost Queen, and Alice wears the Frost Queen¡¯s face¨Cimagine if Alice had been on the ship just now, how interesting that would have been. I bet Tieryan would have been pondering it for days¡­¡±


    The goat¡¯s head: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? You usually talk a lot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate for me to comment on your family affairs¡­¡± the goat¡¯s head replied, ¡°But now that you mention it, I also think that would¡¯ve been quite a scene to witness¡­ What if we make another trip, this time bringing Miss Alice¡­¡±


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    Of course, Duncan dismissed the fanciful suggestion. He fell silent for two seconds before suddenly saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were such a reveler.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®reveler¡¯?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer, suddenly raising his head to gaze in a specific direction across the distant sea.


    Just in that moment, aboard the Homeloss, Duncan distinctly sensed his own body located within the Plunder City-State, even sensing flames spreading throughout the city.


    As he had previously anticipated, once the Homeloss was close enough, the connection between the ship and Plunder¡­intensified!

 Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter 209: Invasion of Reality

    Chapter 205: Chapter 209: Invasion of Reality


    The torrential rain had not ceased. It had even shown signs of intensifying. The frenzied winds, carrying the cold rain, lashed against the towering outer walls of the Deep Sea Cathedral and its stained-glass doors and windows, as if mimicking the City-State¡¯s dense and chaotic heartbeat.


    In the square before the City-State, steam walkers and steam tanks had already completed their assembly. The fully armed guardians were silently sealing off all the roads.


    Atop the bell tower at the rear of the cathedral, a special fire basin had been lit. Refined whale blubber mixed with shavings of Sea Breath Wood burned fiercely in the basin, the flames in the storm shining like a beacon guiding ships home. Enhanced by a special focusing mirror, this bright flame was even clearly visible across a good part of the City-State.


    With the lighting of the central cathedral¡¯s fire basin, similar flames appeared above the cathedrals throughout the City-State¨Ceven the most remote community cathedrals had towering bell towers facing those of the central cathedral in the distance, and at the top of those towers were the locations where fire basins were placed.


    On this stormy day as darkness fell, one after another, the lit bell towers formed a continuous chain of beacons across the sky of Preland. And when all the lights were kindled, the melodious tolling of bells and the loud blasts of steam whistles spread throughout the entire City-State.


    Every church¡¯s boiler had been fired up, every church¡¯s bells were ringing. Preland roared in the midst of the storm, as if civilization itself were resisting some unseen invading force in the dark. The unusual situation prompted all residents to firmly close their doors and windows, while those with greater knowledge of the Transcendent realm detected the current emergency situation from the abnormal activities of the churches across the town.


    Deep within the Governor¡¯s residence, Dante Wayne, who had just awoken from unconsciousness, first heard the intermittent sounds of bells and steam whistles ringing outside the window. Then, seeing the distant and near ¡°beacons¡± in the darkness, he stood up with the help of his attendant, looking out the window in shock at the apocalyptic scene: ¡°The cathedral has activated the reality stabilization barrier¡­ has there been a reality invasion-level disaster?!¡±


    ¡°We are still investigating the situation,¡± an aide approached Dante¡¯s bedside, his tone slightly tense, ¡°The situation was very sudden. The cathedral simply stated that all districts of Preland need the highest level of lockdown¨CYour Excellency was unconscious at the time, and Bishop Valentin utilized emergency authority¡­¡±


    Dante did not respond to the aide¡¯s words. Instead, he seemed to suddenly realize something, his frown relaxing, ¡°¡­ Fenna has returned.¡±


    ¡°Miss Fenna?¡± The attending servant, upon hearing this, turned in confusion, ¡°Miss Fenna hasn¡¯t returned to the residence. She should¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Dante, realizing that others would not understand the meaning of his cryptic statement, waved his hand and then focused his gaze on the aide, ¡°Are the City-State Guards still under the town hall¡¯s command?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bishop Valentin only took control of the security officers¡¯ forces and a small part of the City-State Guards responsible for emergency response,¡± the aide immediately nodded, ¡°The majority of the City-State Guards are still waiting for your orders.¡±


    ¡°Good, all City-State Guards except for the First Division should follow the cathedral¡¯s arrangements,¡± Dante, still feeling groggy, nevertheless swiftly issued orders, ¡°Additionally, initiate the highest level of martial law throughout the city, sound all the martial law bells, and after the bells ring, anyone found on the streets¡­ regardless of who they are, treat them all as heretics.¡±


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    The aide was startled by this order: ¡°Mr. Dante, this¡­¡±


    ¡°Carry out the order,¡± Dante raised his head, his remaining eye sharp, while blood once again seeped from around his ruby prosthetic eye, ¡°We are now in a state of war.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes!¡±


    The aide took his leave to carry out the order, and Dante was seized by a violent coughing fit. After a while, his coughing subsided slightly, and he spoke in a low voice to the attendant beside him: ¡°Take me to the cathedral.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wayne, your health¡­¡±


    ¡°My health isn¡¯t important, I have something urgent to tell Bishop Valentin.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡­


    Nina clutched Sherry¡¯s hand tightly, sitting behind the display window, watching the violent wind and pouring rain outside with terror. Thunderclaps exploded in the sky one after another, making all the doors and windows tremble ceaselessly. Even the usually brave Sherry couldn¡¯t help but shiver faintly and couldn¡¯t resist muttering under her breath, ¡°Damn it, what the hell is this weather¡­¡±


    ¡°Sherry, you can¡¯t¡­ you can¡¯t curse,¡± Nina was also frightened but still managed to keep a straight face and said, ¡°Uncle said you¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t curse, I won¡¯t curse anymore, don¡¯t tell Mr. Duncan,¡± Sherry hurriedly said, and then out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed a figure appearing on the stairs and instinctively shrank her neck, ¡°Ah, Mr. Duncan is coming down.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Duncan!¡± Nina immediately stood up and almost ran towards the figure descending the stairs, ¡°Are¡­ Are you done with your business?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m temporarily finished, but it¡¯s not over yet,¡± Duncan said, casually patting Nina¡¯s hair, then he turned to look towards the counter. Morris was still sitting there, but he seemed to have recovered a bit. Duncan nodded at him, ¡°I¡¯ve brought the person back.¡±


    ¡°I felt it just now, she¡¯s back,¡± Morris immediately said, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know how you managed it, but¡­ thank you very much for your help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only the beginning, it¡¯s too early for thanks,¡± Duncan said, turning his head to look outside the display window, ¡°The conspiracy has been revealed, and they have started to act ahead of schedule, invaders are attacking from behind the curtain¡­ I reckon they¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    Morris appeared deeply concerned, while Nina looked at Duncan in confusion, ¡°Uncle, what invaders? What are you talking about¡­¡±


    ¡°Nina,¡± Duncan cut the girl off directly, turning his head with an earnestness and seriousness Nina had never seen before, ¡°Do you trust me?¡±


    Nina hardly hesitated, ¡°I trust you.¡±


    ¡°Good, then believe that this storm will end safely. No matter what happens later, don¡¯t panic, don¡¯t get nervous, and don¡¯t be afraid, regardless of what I do,¡± Duncan looked into Nina¡¯s eyes, speaking earnestly, then raised his hand to point towards Alice, who was quietly standing by the stairs, ¡°Alice can be trusted. If an emergency really occurs, stay with her.¡±


    Nina nodded blankly, and Alice immediately reassured, ¡°Please rest assured, Mr. Duncan, I will protect Miss Nina.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so confident in your combat abilities,¡± Duncan glanced at Alice, then sighed helplessly, ¡°But there¡¯s no one else I can entrust her to.¡±


    Another clap of thunder suddenly exploded, and a loud crash of something collapsing came from the distant streets, accompanied by the piercing sound of alarms from an unknown source and the rapid ringing of the church bell tower even farther away.


    The lights in the antique shop flickered a few times before going out entirely.


    The power was out.


    Darkness instantly enveloped the entire block, everything seemingly plunged into nightfall ahead of schedule amidst the storm.


    In the dimness, Sherry¡¯s voice came from not far away, ¡°I¡¯ll light the oil lamp! I know where the oil lamp is.¡±


    Duncan grunted in response, but suddenly, he felt Nina grab his hand.


    Her hands felt somewhat hot.


    ¡°Uncle¡­¡± Nina whispered anxiously and in a hurried tone, and soon, even the breath she exhaled carried a bit of heat, ¡°I feel¡­ a bit hot¡­¡±


    In the darkness, Duncan¡¯s gaze suddenly became serious.


    But beyond seriousness, there was no excess panic.


    He had been prepared from the start for any unexpected situations that might arise with Nina.


    He simply held Nina¡¯s increasingly scorching hand gently, and between his palm and Nina¡¯s fingers, in the space hardly noticeable to the eye, tiny green sparks jumped around.


    The sound of flapping wings came through, as the pigeon Ai Yi flew down from upstairs in the darkness and landed steadily on the counter nearby.


    Sherry lit the oil lamp, and its flickering flame temporarily dispelled the darkness in the shop, but outside on the streets, the sky was already black as ink, the glory and power of the sun entirely blocked by the storm outside the City-State.


    ¡°Nina, do you remember what I just told you?¡±


    In the darkness, Duncan¡¯s voice reached Nina¡¯s ears.


    Nina nodded gently, ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared later, something¡­ pretty incredible is going to happen,¡± Duncan said softly with a smile.


    The corner of his eye, however, looked toward something farther away.


    Outside the shop window, in the streets where the rain poured like spouts, the water was gradually taking on an abnormal shade of crimson, the red bright and flickering as if it were a reflection projected from another dimension into the real world.


    But he was not looking at the rain, which had started to turn abnormal, nor was he concerned with any ¡°reflection¡± that might be casting itself through the curtains.


    His gaze passed over the uneven buildings of Prand City and the coast, fixed on the direction of the Endless Sea.


    The ethereal silhouette of the Homeloss was gradually emerging in his pupils.


    ¡­


    At the moment the thunder sounded, Heidi instinctively shrank her neck.


    She was nestled on a bench in the main hall of the cathedral, clenching the crystal pendant that served as an amulet in her hands, silently reciting the holy name of the God of Wisdom Rahm, but then she stopped halfway through, looking up at the statue of the Storm Goddess not far away.


    ¡°The Goddess is merciful¡­ she probably wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±


    She murmured softly, then continued reciting Rahm¡¯s name.


    But suddenly, she stopped, an odd palpitation making it difficult for her to concentrate any longer.


    Heidi rose from the bench, looking around amid the inexplicable palpitations.


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    She saw the guardians gathered near the main entrance, a small group of commoners who had come to the cathedral for shelter because they couldn¡¯t make it home in time were seated on the benches in front of the statues, several priests were moving around the main hall, and Bishop Valentin with his staff was standing quietly in front of the statue, his gaze calm and steady.


    Everything appeared normal, but¡­ where did the palpitations come from?


    Unconsciously, the crystal pendant around her neck seemed to heat up slightly, but Heidi seemed not to notice, merely moving subconsciously to a window nearby, looking through the clear panes at the edge of the stained glass window at the square outside.


    The young mental health specialist suddenly widened her eyes.


    ¡°Fire¡­ fire!¡± she exclaimed in shock and terror, ¡°The rain has turned into fire!¡±

 Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter 210: Rain of Fire

    Chapter 206: Chapter 210: Rain of Fire


    The rain turned into fire.


    Heidi gasped in shock, and this seemingly illogical outcry was the only description she could think of at the moment¨Cshe simply couldn¡¯t comprehend the scene before her eyes, couldn¡¯t understand what was happening, she only knew that a fiery downpour was falling from the sky.


    It was just a momentary event.


    The torrential rain that had enveloped the City-State was instantly transformed into a cascade of flames falling from above, as if the dying sun was plummeting, its corona inverted, and in less than a second the entire City-State had shifted from a rain-soaked city to a scene of molten, living fire.


    Everything was ignited¨Ctrees, houses, towers, bell towers, even the ground itself was spewing flames, and the water flowing on the ground turned into scorching lava. The deafening thunder turned into explosions all over the City-State, caused by the continuous bursting of all steam pipes, gas pipes, and pressure vessels within a short time. These explosions were even more terrifying than the previous thunder¡­ The whole cathedral was shaking violently!


    Heidi backed away in terror, witnessing the apocalyptic destruction overlaying itself on the current reality dimension, then she heard the sound of a bell.


    The sound seemed to come from behind a thick barrier as if it was originating from a far-off place¨Cit came from the steam bell tower behind the cathedral.


    The loud, melodious ringing of the bell shattered the fiery rain, followed by a proliferation of bell sounds, both distant and near.


    The cathedral matrix of the City-State rang with hundreds of bells, reality stabilization barriers were triggered reflexively. The fiery rain seemed to be disturbed by an invisible force amid the bell sounds, the flames above the cathedral transformed back into ordinary torrential rain, even the already ignited spires and flags of the cathedral returned to their former state in the blink of an eye.


    The entire City-State was ablaze, yet all the cathedrals stood firm against the flames from the sky. The bizarre rainstorm and even more bizarre sea of fire were strangely mixed on this burning land. Each cathedral appeared like lonely islands in purgatory, serving as continuous anchors amidst the cataclysm.


    It was only then that Heidi finally heard a calm and aged voice coming from behind her. It was Bishop Valentin breaking the silence, ¡°The enemy is attacking¡­ Destroy all targets attempting to approach the cathedral¡¯s bell tower!¡±


    Heidi turned around, about to ask for clarification when a series of deafening roars suddenly came from the direction of the square outside the cathedral.


    She ran to the window and saw the assembled defenders firing¨Csteam walkers¡¯ turret guns spraying bullets down the street, steam tanks firing their main cannons continuously. The forces urgently dispatched from the City-State Guards had already built fortifications at the edge of the rainstorm, pouring firepower into something within the sea of fire.


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    Heidi finally saw the enemy.


    They were writhing humanoid ashes, endlessly emerging from the sea of fire, their appearance chilling to behold.


    These ashes seemed to spontaneously generate from the flames, their shapeless forms appeared to be screaming and wailing in agony every second. They surged from all directions, like herds of animals drawn by some unknown force, heading towards all the reality stabilization nodes¨Cthe cathedral bell towers.


    The warriors triggered their triggers in bewilderment, most of them had no idea why the battle started or what had happened to their familiar homes, nor dared to think where the exceptionally unsettling ¡°enemies¡± came from. It was only the mission to defend the City-State, instinctive obedience to orders, and the will to survive that kept them firmly holding the line in the face of this hellish sight, responding with muscle memory honed through hundreds of training sessions.


    Thus, the defenders¡¯ gunfire echoed in unison, easily tearing apart the first wave of clustering ashes.


    However, the next moment, even more ashes, along with more warped things burnt to a cinder, emerged from behind those torn apart, engulfing flames and dense smoke sweeping toward the cathedral.


    Their numbers seemed as vast as the population of the entire City-State.


    ¡°Hold the bell tower,¡± Valentin¡¯s voice suddenly resonated, echoing over the entire cathedral square and even across the entire City-State, ¡°As long as the bell is still ringing, our reality will not be altered or overwritten! Believers, the time to witness our faith has come¡­ Hold the bell tower!!¡±


    Heidi watched all of this amidst tremendous chaos, feeling as if her world was already falling apart at that moment, but after a brief adjustment, she forcibly calmed her thoughts. Realizing this was a reality invasion-level disaster, she forced herself not to focus on the sea of fire across the square, not to ponder the ¡°fact¡± that ninety percent of the City-State was already substantially destroyed, but to immediately run to Valentin: ¡°Is there anything I can help with?¡±


    ¡°Comfort the civilians taking refuge in the cathedral, we need to prevent mental breakdowns in the area as much as possible,¡± said Valentin solemnly, ¡°Then wait with them for the storm to end.¡±


    Heidi nodded immediately, but then Valentin suddenly looked up, his gaze as if piercing through the high walls of the hall, gazing into the distance.


    The Archbishop¡¯s eyes reflected flames and flashes, a bird¡¯s-eye view of the entire City-State emerged in his sight.


    He clearly saw the entire City-State blazing in the fire rain, each cathedral transforming into isolated islands in a sea of fire, every cathedral facing invasions from beyond reality, released from some apocalyptic branch, feverishly attacking those still-ringing bell towers as if desperately trying to drag this still-existing reality into an equally tragic end. And behind those ashes, countless tall, thin shadows.


    Those shadows stood silently in the flames, silently pushing the City-State towards doomsday.


    Scions of the Sun¡¯s minions.


    Scions of the Sun¡¯s minions?


    Valentin¡¯s expression slightly changed, faced with this reality invasion-level major disaster, he suddenly remembered an issue that seemed to have been resolved long ago and therefore almost forgotten.


    He suddenly turned to a high-ranking assistant beside him, ¡°Are those Sun Heretics still in the Underground Sanctuary?!¡±


    ¡°Sun Heretic?¡± The high priest assistant didn¡¯t react at first, he was stunned before he hurriedly spoke, ¡°Yes, they are still imprisoned in the Underground Sanctuary, guarded by a whole squad of guardians. They can¡¯t escape¡­¡±


    ¡°They never intended to escape from the start!¡± Valentin quickly said, ¡°They wanted to be locked inside the church from the very beginning!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    The high priest assistant¡¯s eyes widened, and just before he could finish his sentence, a dull, massive sound suddenly emanated from the depths beneath the church.


    It was as if some giant beast was awakening in the Underground Sanctuary.


    Some of the clergy in the cathedral, who had experienced a Sun Crisis four years ago, were reminded by this loud sound of another event¨C


    Four years ago, hundreds of Sun Heretics gathered at their hideout and during a bloody, frenzied sacrifice, they summoned a brief but terrifying forbidden power. A fake, fierce sun formed underground, nearly causing a catastrophe.


    But before their plot could succeed, it was detected by the then newly appointed Judge, Fenna, who led her team to quash it.


    ¡°¡­That was a test¡­¡±


    The high priest assistant, eyes wide, muttered to himself.


    Heidi felt the sudden rise in temperature around her and the vibrations from deep underground, growing stronger and stronger.


    ¡­


    A sea of fire ascended, bells rang in unison, steam whistles shrieked sharply amid the fiery rain, and countless ash monsters emerged from all directions, running rampant in the mortal world.


    Fenna had faced many perilous battles; she had confronted Heretics, forbidden creatures created by Heretics, even out-of-control Profound Demons, and deranged Doomsday Preachers, but none of these battles could compare to the hell she faced at this moment.


    What she faced was no longer merely a battlefield, but a sudden apocalypse.


    Or perhaps, the apocalypse had already descended long ago, only shielded by a veil until today, when suddenly the veil was lifted¨Cthose alive had no time to react before becoming ashes of the apocalypse.


    But she was still alive, slashing a bloody path through the sea of fire and ashes, laboriously moving toward the towering cathedral at the center of the City-State.


    Every breath was a burning sting, the fatigue on her body was enough to crush an ordinary person multiple times, Fenna¡¯s armor was severely damaged, and her body¡¯s recovery gradually couldn¡¯t keep up with the injuries, her wounds slowly worsening.


    But the young Judge continued forward.


    The bell of the cathedral was still ringing, indicating that Bishop Valentin¡¯s defense had not yet been breached¨Cperhaps the guardians were unaware of this history-tainting conspiracy, but they were always prepared for all conspiracies and battles.


    Since the battle at the cathedral continued, she had a duty to return to her battle position.


    Fenna thought.


    She noticed that Bishop Valentin had initiated reality stabilization measures, which meant he had realized part of the truth. That part of the response was not an issue, and as long as the bell tower was not lost, the Heretics¡¯ attempt to replace real history with ¡°pseudo-history¡± would not easily succeed.


    As long as the process of overlaying was ultimately disrupted, removing the contamination from history at its source, the City-State could still be saved¨Cthe current destruction was not real destruction, it was just the terrifying ¡°possibility¡± of two histories overlapping¡­It was not too late, not too late yet.


    Fenna repeated this in her heart as if to encourage herself; she struggled not to think about the possibility of other churches being breached, or where that mysterious and terrifying Captain Duncan might be lying in wait, but just mechanically moved her feet, destroying all obstacles she encountered on the burning streets, narrowing the distance between herself and the cathedral.


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    Suddenly, however, she stopped not far from the cathedral at an intersection.


    A dark grey car was upside down by the roadside, apparently rolled over in the accident, several corpses were strewn beside the road, looking as if they had been thrown out of the car.


    And inside that car, there was another person¨Ca hand had reached out through the twisted car window, stuck on the deformed car door.


    Fenna instantly recognized the car and the arm.


    It was her uncle, Dante Wayne.

 Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter 211 "Blessing

    Chapter 207: Chapter 211 ¡°Blessing


    The familiar car had overturned on the road, seemingly involved in an accident midway to the Cathedral, with Fenna¡¯s uncle trapped inside. Fenna, already somewhat dazed from exhaustion, snapped to attention in an instant and rushed to the car.


    Then, she noticed the arm hanging out of the car window twitching slightly; the blood-soaked palm seemed to rise a bit as she approached.


    Her uncle was still alive!


    Reacting instantly, Fenna steadied the car with one hand while she used the other to break the deformed door frame. She then leaned in, supported the warped internal structure, and examined Dante¡¯s injuries. Doing her best to avoid causing further harm, she extricated her uncle from the vehicle. Immediately after, she summoned the nourishing sea breeze with her dwindling energy, trying to restore some vitality to the already delirious Dante.


    The suffocating hot wind still rampaged through the streets, with scorching ashes and floating sparks making the city-state seem like hell. Fenna opened a shield of protection, with a formidable force resisting the deadly environment around her. After laying Dante down on the ground and administering first aid, she finally saw her relative, who had depended on her for eleven years, slowly open his eyes.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Fenna¡­ you¡¯ve come back¡­¡±


    These were the first words Dante uttered upon opening his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve come back,¡± Fenna initially didn¡¯t notice anything off about Dante¡¯s expression ¡°come back.¡± She unconsciously moved forward to hold his hand. ¡°How do you feel now? Can you stand? I¡¯ll take you to the Cathedral¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t bother with me, this burden,¡± Dante shook his head slightly, clasping Fenna¡¯s hand with a faint force, ¡°I should have expected this day¡­ They would come to collect the price¡­ You must leave before they find you¡­ Leave Prandel, to a place where no one knows you¡­¡±


    Hearing her uncle¡¯s whisper, Fenna suddenly froze, realizing that her uncle might know something even she was unaware of, causing her voice to tremble slightly, ¡°What do you mean? Who are ¡®they¡¯? What price are they collecting? You¡­ you knew what was happening in the city-state?!¡±


    Dante strained to open his eyelids, his ruby-made artificial eye shattered unbeknownst to him, blood flowing down from a wound on the edge of his eye socket. The remaining human eye reflected the raging fire on the streets. After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke softly, ¡°The Doomsday Preacher¡­ and the forces behind Subspace¡­ Fenna, do you remember the fire from eleven years ago?¡±


    ¡°The fire eleven years ago¡­¡± Fenna¡¯s eyes widened slightly, ¡°You actually remember that fire?!¡±


    ¡°How could I forget¡­ It burns before me every day,¡± Dante gave a bitter smile, ¡°Yet I thought I could deceive myself for a lifetime.¡±


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    Chaotic thoughts swirled in Fenna¡¯s mind, as if forgetting her own fatigue and pain. She stared intently at her uncle¡¯s now clouding eyes, with connections about the fire, Black Sun, Subspace, and Doomsday Preacher surfacing in her mind. Before these clues could overwhelm her, she finally asked, ¡°But what does this have to do with Subspace and the Doomsday Preacher¡­ And me, how am I connected? Why do ¡®they¡¯ want to find me? What ¡®price¡¯ do they want to collect?!¡±


    After voicing her flurry of questions, Fenna somewhat regretted them, feeling not as though she were speaking with her uncle, but rather interrogating a criminal. However, Dante seemed not to mind; he just took a few breaths and spoke almost deliriously in a low voice, ¡°When that fire erupted, I glimpsed a sliver of Subspace¡¯s projection. In that moment of extreme and dangerous truth, I made a wish to Subspace.¡±


    ¡°You made a wish to Subspace?¡± Fenna looked at Dante in shock, ¡°What wish?¡±


    ¡°I wished for none of it to have happened, hoped that you¡­ would come back to life.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s entire expression froze.


    Dante quietly watched his niece, his face appearing to cry yet bearing a bitter smile. Slowly raising his hand as if to caress Fenna¡¯s hair, his lips moved, his voice deep, ¡°Fenna¡­ you¡¯ve grown up¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, truly sorry. I couldn¡¯t save you that day¡­¡±


    ¡°But I remember you taking me away from that fire¡­¡±


    ¡°What I carried out from the fire was mere ashes,¡± Dante whispered, ¡°It happened in an instant, too quick to react, you just turned into a little pile of ash¡­ I desperately wanted to escape that nightmare, to return everything to before the disaster struck. Any help would do, gods or devils, even Subspace¡­ Then, something responded to my wish. It took me many years to understand what exactly had answered me at that moment¡­¡±


    Fenna seemed unable to hear what Dante said afterward.


    She slowly raised her hands, looking at her own flesh-and-blood body.


    After who knows how long, she finally broke the silence, ¡°So, my survival is, in a way, a result of a blessing from Subspace?¡±


    Dante slowly closed his eyes, unable to answer the question and only able to tacitly agree in this manner.


    ¡°Then¡­ how did I become a Saint?¡± Fenna asked next. She was asking her uncle but seemed to be questioning herself as well, ¡°How could the Storm Goddess allow someone who survived only because of a blessing from the Subspace to become her Believer, and even bestowed upon them great power and protection?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Dante slowly shook his head, ¡°Perhaps only the goddess herself can answer your question, but¡­ how can we¡­¡±


    Fenna fell silent, her mind more chaotic than ever before. The beliefs that had sustained her for so many years had developed an irreparable fissure in that instant, leaving her unsure how to face her own faith, and even how to confront her own ¡°existence.¡± However, after a moment of silence, she slowly stood up as if talking to herself and softly said, ¡°Regardless, someone must stop this invasion of reality, we must¡­ bring everything we know back to the real world.¡±


    ¡°Fenna, you will die,¡± Dante suddenly opened his eyes wide, using all his strength to push himself up, ¡°You can¡¯t stay here anymore, the reality¡¯s foundation here is fracturing, you must leave Prande, leave this illusion, until it completely vanishes from your memory¨Clisten, if your survival truly is the result of a blessing from the Subspace, then correcting history may cause you to vanish into thin air, such a paradox is not something mortals can¡­¡±


    But Fenna just quietly looked at her uncle, her gaze gentle and calm.


    ¡°Uncle, didn¡¯t you say you loved this City-State, everything about it?¡±


    Dante paused slightly, determination returning to his face: ¡°¡­Of course, that¡¯s why I will stay here, facing fate with the City-State, whether I survive or die I am prepared, but¡­ but you are different, Fenna, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I am the same,¡± Fenna softly interrupted him, ¡°I also love this place and am prepared for everything¡­ just as you taught me since I was young, where my duty lies.¡±


    Dante silently watched Fenna, standing in front of him, his only relative in this world, whose figure was as imposing and firm as a seawall ready to face a massive wave.


    He knew his words would no longer have any effect.


    So he sighed softly, using his last bit of strength to support himself and slowly shuffled to lean against a nearby streetlamp.


    ¡°Then go,¡± he said softly, ¡°I will be here¡­ waiting for your return.¡±


    Fenna lowered her head to look at the uncle before her.


    In her memory, her uncle was still a towering and resolute mountain, but since when had he become so much shorter than her?


    She gently bent down, her voice tender and soft: ¡°¡­If all goes well, the Prande you know will return to the real world, and then¡­ don¡¯t forget about me.¡±


    Dante didn¡¯t say anything more, just gently nodded.


    Fenna straightened up.


    However, in the next moment, an unsettling tremor suddenly came from afar, interrupting her movement, followed by a terrifying explosion and the grating sound of buildings being ripped apart and collapsing.


    Fenna looked in shock towards the direction of the sound, never having felt as scared as she did in that moment, and the next second, the sight before her eyes confirmed the source of her unease.


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    She saw a fiery blaze shooting up around the direction of the cathedral, the explosion¡¯s blast nearly scattering the scorching cloudy sky, followed by a bizarre and blinding flash, as if a small sun was gradually rising from beneath the ground, aiming to melt everything from below upwards.


    Then, even more terrible things occurred.


    She heard more explosions, more piercing noises; she saw flames rising up into the sky from various parts of the City-State, each massive fireball appearing like a small sun floating above a sea of flames, and each location where a fireball rose signified a cathedral.


    Even the incessant bell ringing that had persisted through the fiery melting of the city gradually died down, the City-State¡¯s sheltered islets succumbing one after the other.


    Fenna felt nearly blank, and the next second, driven by instinct, she charged towards the direction of the largest flash, towards the Storm Cathedral at the heart of Prande.

 Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter 212: The End of the Crossroad

    Chapter 208: Chapter 212: The End of the Crossroad


    Every church fell within a short time, as round after round of scorching ¡°fireballs¡± rose from beneath the City-State, burning Prouland¡¯s last anchors of reality to the ground. The sound of bells ceased, one after another, and in but a moment, all that remained of this oceanic gem were endless ruins and ashes.


    Fenna rushed through the burning intersections and streets like a storm, heading for the cathedral that was now ablaze with a pillar of fire reaching to the sky. In her view, the cathedral had already changed rapidly¨C


    The main building had collapsed, its thousand-year-old structural frame melting and crumbling like wax. The towering side arms were left as nothing more than twisted, glowing-hot skeletons, and above it all, a sun with a bright white edge but a dark, blood-red center hung silently in the air above the cathedral, resembling a horrific void leading to an endless abyss, while continually emitting devastating light and heat.


    Droplets of bright liquid steadily dripped from the defiled sun¡¯s edge¨Cwas it fiery lava, or the blood plasma of The Profaner?


    What could rushing over there accomplish now? Kill the chief culprit? Reverse the overlapped history? Or was it to heroically yet futilely prove her faith and loyalty with her own power?


    Fenna didn¡¯t know; she was also clueless as to what else she could do, but she instinctively charged toward the church. However, at that moment, a twisted greenish light flickered in the corner of her eye, as if something flashed through the sea of flames. Then, an authoritative and deep voice resonated directly in her mind: ¡°Go to the great bell tower.¡±


    The voice came so unexpectedly that Fenna stopped in her tracks subconsciously. She searched for the direction of the voice or any signs that the Ghost Ship captain was casting a gaze upon her¨Cyet, she saw nothing but the raging inferno, with the molten lava dripping from the vile dark ¡°sun¡± igniting every last inch of the land near the cathedral.


    But then, another voice broke Fenna¡¯s brief hesitation.


    She heard a distant tolling of bells suddenly¨Ccoming from the ancient bell tower behind the cathedral.


    The bell sounded as if it meant to envelop all of Prouland in its sonorous peal.


    And that bell tower had already been thoroughly consumed by flames, which should have rendered it incapable of making any sound.


    At this moment, Fenna cast aside all hesitation and concern and bolted toward the direction of the bell tower.


    She no longer cared about the intentions of the Ghost Ship captain, nor did she concern herself with the consequences of following his directions¨Cat a time when all the churches had fallen instantly, in the face of the complete destruction of the entire City-State, the only path left for her was the still-resounding bell tower.


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    She crossed the plaza in front of the church.


    The defense forces that had once assembled there had been annihilated entirely, with only the twisted wreckage of steam walkers and steam tanks visible in the searing heat, the defensive line erected by the defenders and the City-State Guards reduced to layers of charred remains, overtaken by the sight of ghastly ashes.


    She cut down countless ashen shadows that swarmed towards her, then passed through the church¡¯s main building and sanctuary that had been burned to ruins, through the wide-open courtyard, and saw the bell tower standing tall at the end of her gaze.


    Hot ash fell from the sky, and sparks flew like fireflies.


    This reminded her of the scene she had seen on the ¡°other side of the curtain¡± not long ago¨Cthe Prouland she had witnessed consumed by a great fire in 1889.


    False history had overlaid the true past; the things behind the curtain had replaced the reality of the world in front of it.


    But the bell was still tolling.


    The gates leading to the upper levels of the bell tower had collapsed, and the interior stairs had also broken and fallen. After confirming this, Fenna abandoned the idea of climbing the tower by normal means. She reached the base of the bell tower¡¯s outer wall, quickly assessed a route upward, and then directly reached out to grab the protrusions on the wall starting her climb.


    The outer wall, after being baked by flames for a long time, was as hot as a red-hot iron plate, but Fenna¡¯s climbing speed was not affected in the slightest. She ascended like a gust of wind, and in no time, she reached the upper part of the bell tower, passed the stationary mechanical clock face, and arrived at the tower top equipped with a bonfire and the great bell.


    This place was spacious, with a four-sided open spire structure for shelter. Beneath the spire, aside from the fire basin, was the bell mechanism¨Ca massive machine powered by gears and levers.


    The great bell was positioned below this mechanical device, hidden in a resonating chamber.


    Fenna leaped onto the top of the tower and landed on the ground.


    She turned to glance back at the way she had come, seeing the City-State below engulfed in flames, hot lava flowing through the streets, leaving behind shocking rivulets, surveying purgatory from atop the city, looking out on desolation.


    Then, she turned her head back to face the bell mechanism, which was inexplicably continuing to operate despite having lost its power.


    A figure¡­ or rather, a lump of char barely maintaining human contours, was clinging next to the lever of the ringing apparatus, pushing the heavy gears to continue turning by human force.


    Fenna instinctively stepped forward, and the lump of char seemed to sense her approach. It slowly raised its head and turned its face, revealing a pair of human eyes gazing at the young Judge who had appeared atop the tower.


    ¡°Hold the¡­ clock tower¡­¡±


    The voice of the charred figure rasped.


    Then he fell to the ground with a thud, his thoroughly carbonized body breaking apart, leaving embers fading among the remnants of the red flames.


    A storm emblem, symbolizing the Deep Sea Church, rolled out of the ashes and onto the ground.


    The final chime of Prand¡¯s clock tower finally stopped.


    ¡°Archbishop!¡±


    Fenna recognized those eyes, and she rushed forward, hoping to salvage the pile of ashes or to restart the now-stilled bell mechanism, but as soon as she took a step forward, a suddenly imposing force stopped her in her tracks.


    Fenna came to an abrupt halt, turning her head in the direction from which the oppressive force was emanating.


    A tall, thin figure clad in ragged grey robes, his body withered and shriveled as if a hermit-like monk, was quietly standing at the edge of the high platform.


    The ¡°hermit-like figure¡± looked at Fenna with a pitying gaze, while behind him in the sky was a dark sun, continuously dripping with scorching magma and encircled by a glaring halo.


    That figure had appeared there at some unknown time, so silently that Fenna hadn¡¯t noticed ¡ª as if he had been standing atop that tower all along, long before the fire started.


    ¡°You struggled hard, child, all of you did, even delaying far beyond the expected time, but your delay and resistance are meaningless¡­ no one will come to your rescue, in this history anomaly that has already closed its loop, any reinforcements are destined to be unable to reach Prand before history corrects itself¡­¡± The gaunt shadow spoke slowly, lifting a hand slightly, his bony arm casting a shadow in the dark sun that seemed to flutter with flames, ¡°Now, embrace this new future, child reborn from the ashes¡­ Your survival and return have changed nothing.¡±


    Fenna said nothing, silently drawing the greatsword from her back.


    ¡°Oh, negotiations have broken down¡­¡± The Doomsday Preacher saw Fenna¡¯s action but still wore a face of sympathy and composure, ¡°Of course, you can easily kill me, but it would be meaningless¡­ The offspring of the sun are already prepared for the coming, and as for me, I am but a witness to the end of times, I will witness this moment, and I will witness in days to come, and you¡­ do you see that sun?¡±


    Fenna raised her eyes slightly, her gaze moving past the Doomsday Preacher¡¯s figure, finally noticing something throbbing slowly in the darkness at the heart of the profaned sun, like an embryo being nurtured, a heart gradually resurrecting.


    An unusual palpitation suddenly surged.


    She realized then that the sudden imposing force was not coming from the frail Doomsday Preacher in front of her ¡ª but from the dark sun behind him.


    Something was waking in the depths of that sun!


    ¡°This plan has encountered many twists and turns, a force we could never see clearly has interfered with our correction of history time and again,¡± the Doomsday Preacher said with that same look of pity, his voice low as if to tempt, ¡°The disturbances it caused allowed some eyes that should not have been opened to perceive the truth¡­ You were actually very close to uncovering the whole truth, really just a little bit more ¡ª but such is fate.


    ¡°Child, fate is so unreasonable.¡±


    He lamented with pity, slowly walking forward, coming face to face with the still resolute Fenna, declaring as if reading some truth: ¡°But you are blessed, you who have died and been reborn, who will live and die again, you have received the highest blessing¡­ and thus have the chance to embrace it all.¡±


    Fenna clenched her sword hilt, for the first time in her life, she felt the urge to kill, driven not by justice or duty but by intense hatred. However, just as she was about to raise her sword, her move was abruptly interrupted by a flow of flame that ignited out of nowhere on the edge of the high platform.


    A door of green spectral flames suddenly appeared behind the Doomsday Preacher, and a tall and majestic figure enveloped in spectral flames stepped out from it.


    The Doomsday Preacher seemed completely oblivious to the portal that had appeared behind him, and he opened his arms to Fenna as if a prophet proclaiming to the world before final judgment ¡ª


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    ¡°Blessed child, do not resist, as you can see, the times have changed¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped.


    A nameless fear abruptly invaded his chaotic mind, a discordant noise as if coming straight from Subspace mingled with the fierce burning of Prand, and he hastily tried to turn his head, but before he could, a hand was already lightly placed on his shoulder.


    ¡°Change back.¡±


    A calm voice said so.

 Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter 213: Ark of Promise

    Chapter 209: Chapter 213: Ark of Promise


    ¡°Transform back.¡±


    At the moment Fenna heard those words, she simultaneously heard an immense noise¨Cindescribable in language¨Cthat was a continuous, deafening roar mingled with screams tearing through the burning flames. The sound did not come from any particular direction but seemed as if the entire City-State, even the whole world, was emitting this terrifying cacophony.


    In the midst of the headache-inducing clamor, she looked towards the figure standing behind the Doomsday Preacher¨Cthat was ¡°Captain Duncan¡± whom she had seen in the Dreamscape. But unlike the last time she saw him, the figure standing there now was entirely enveloped in Spectral Flames, his entire being taking the form of a ¡°ghost¡± with a spectral body.


    It only took a moment for Fenna to deduce that this was not the true form but another projection¨Cexcept that this projection had come to this high tower using her as the ¡°medium.¡± She could feel the flow of that power, feel something in her soul burning, feel a voice in her mind that was not her own.


    She instinctively raised her hands, noticing a quiet greenish fire clinging to her body, seeing a fiery path spreading at her feet. She realized that the Ghost Ship captain had long since turned her into a sort of ¡°node¡± capable of projecting power. The degree of erosion and contamination had far surpassed what she and Archbishop Valentin had imagined. And all of this¡­ was for today.


    The next second, the entire world before her eyes changed dramatically.


    The spectral green flames spread¨Cthroughout every sea of fire in Plunder, through every pile of ashes, and within every rising plume of smoke across Plunder, these spectral green flames had been lurking for who knows how long. Now, in an instant, they erupted, engulfing the entire City-State!


    It was too fast to react, or rather, everything had been completed before this ¡°reality invasion¡± had even begun¨CFenna recalled the scene she had witnessed on the other side of the veil, suddenly realizing that the great fire caused by the Doomsday Preachers and Sun Heretics had, unbeknownst to everyone, become the carrier for those Spectral Flames¡­ Their action of burning the entire City-State with fire was the final step needed for the Ghost Ship captain to complete the ¡°Usurping Flame¡±!


    A piercing scream suddenly erupted, jolting Fenna back to reality. She turned towards the source of the sound and saw the emaciated Doomsday Preacher also burning with raging Spectral Flames. He twisted and howled at the edge of the platform like a torch, while the scene of the city¡¯s flames being instantly usurped reflected in his melting eyeballs, causing the lunatic to loudly curse:


    ¡°Foolish acts, foolish acts! All is ruined in an instant! You refused the gifts of Subspace; now you will forever suffer in this world of torment¡­ Foolish acts!!¡±


    Opposite to the madman¡¯s cursing, however, was another scene¨C


    Plunder, completely burnt by the Spectral Flames, was recovering at an unbelievable speed!


    Buildings burnt by the flames were rapidly reconstructing themselves; roads that had melted and torn apart were healing to their original state; the falling fire from the sky had ceased, and the clouds that seemed to herald the apocalypse were rapidly dissolving as if time was flowing backward. On the edge of the City-State, even a corner of the normal sky appeared, and from a much farther place¡­


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    Came the sound of bells that had long been silent.


    Just as Captain Duncan had said, transform back.


    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened at this incomprehensible scene. She had never imagined that a city-state, completely destroyed, could actually be restored. Soon, she realized the nature of this ¡°restoration¡±¨C


    The historical pollution brought by the Doomsday Preachers and Sun Heretics was being peeled away; the ¡°pseudo-history¡± that had completely covered and replaced the reality of Plunder City-State was being ¡°expelled¡± by some powerful force!


    She looked in astonishment at the tall figure standing not far away. He simply watched the Doomsday Preacher, who was nearly burnt to cinders, and after a long while, he spoke softly as if talking to himself, ¡°Anything can be contaminated, except for Subspace¡­¡±


    The Doomsday Preacher was not yet dead, despite being fully twisted into an inhuman form, and from that heap of char came a hoarse, shocked voice: ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve turned this City-State into a part of Homeloss?!¡±


    ¡°Homeloss is the Ark of Promise, and I think we can expand the concept of ¡®ark,''¡± Duncan said with a smile, bending slightly, ¡°If ships that encounter Homeloss on the sea get assimilated and absorbed, then¡­ why can¡¯t Plunder, under my gaze, be considered another Homeloss?¡±


    The resonant bell tolls of a ship entering the harbor came from afar. Fenna instinctively looked up towards the distance. The next second, she saw a sight that left her stunned¨C


    She saw a ship.


    Homeloss appeared, sailing in from the direction of the Endless Sea, its body ablaze with towering Spiritual Fire, its translucent spiritual sails billowing like a curtain that blots out the sky.


    The ship crossed the coast, passed the rapidly restoring harbor, and, as if sailing upon the water¡¯s surface, directly entered the City-State of Plunder, now covered in spectral green flames. Between the continually repairing and resetting high walls, houses, and towers, it forged ahead majestically. Ripples of illusion spread from its sides, and with each ripple that dispersed, the City-State¡¯s restoration advanced further. It seemed as if the entirety of Plunder was reborn in the wake of Homeloss!


    ¡°You¡­ You may save the City-State¡­ yet you can¡¯t stop the coming of the Sun¡­¡± A faint sound emerged from the pile that once was the Doomsday Preacher, twisted and charred, like the final murmur before a nightmare dissipates, ¡°Even if it¡¯s just fragments summoned from history¡­ they are still enough to¡­ destroy¡­ inevitably¡­¡±


    The voice gradually weakened, fading to silence, and the twisted char laid to rest, finally devoid of all life, turned into a pile of dust scattered in the wind under the burn of the Spectral Flame.


    Fenna, upon hearing the Doomsayer¡¯s words, suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. She abruptly looked up into the sky, her eyes widening at the sight of the ¡°Black Sun¡±¨Cits edges blindingly bright, and its innards black and crimson like the mouth of an Abyss¨Cstill suspended high above the City-State. The pulsating sensation within the sun seemed even more apparent and intense than before!


    The Homeloss¡¯s flames had purged Plunder of its historical contamination, yet that profane sun¡­ It had never been a part of Plunder from the start; it was a historical projection summoned by the Dooms Preacher and the Scions of the Sun, existing independently of all true and false history!


    ¡°There¡¯s something awakening inside the Black Sun!¡± At that moment, Fenna forgot her identity and that of the ¡°Captain Duncan¡±, instinctively raising her voice in warning, ¡°It will¡­¡±


    Duncan simply gave a gentle wave of his hand in response.


    Then, Fenna saw the Ghost Captain turn toward the direction of the hanging profane disk. He lifted his hand as if calling, welcoming something, his voice gentle as he spoke¨C


    ¡°Come this way¡­ yes, don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t fall, just move forward.


    ¡°Do you remember how to ride a bike? Like that¡­ come forward, I¡¯ll hold you.¡±


    The next second, a bright arc of golden flame suddenly pierced Fenna¡¯s vision. She saw a massive gap tear open along the edge of the black sun, and an arc of flame leaped joyously onto Captain Duncan; and with the flame¡¯s departure, a piercing howl erupted from within the profane and terrifying disk in the sky!


    As if some giant beast had suddenly been struck through the heart, the black and crimson core of the sun rapidly filled with countless blinding red cracks. The bright halo around its edge was instantly infiltrated and consumed by a usurping green flame; then, that green flame began to rapidly spread into the sun¡¯s dark heart.


    The pulsating sensation within the dark core vanished entirely, the faint signs of life that had been there gone in the blink of an eye. It ruptured, and boiling hot matter flowed out, only to be cleanly burned away by the omnipresent green Spectral Flame before it could fall upon the City-State.


    Accompanied by a succession of piercing shrieks, roars, and crackling explosions, the malformed, profane sun finally disintegrated, leaving only a few remnants that fell into the ripples around the edge of Homeloss.


    The colossal Homeloss had now sailed to the center of the City-State, its spiritual form slowly ascending¨Cclose to the Cathedral¡¯s bell tower amidst illusory sea water and ripples. The spectral sails that blotted out the sun swept across the sky, the light and shadow of the mast and ropes flitted past Fenna.


    She heard the bells ringing¨CIt was the Cathedral¡¯s bells. The bell tower beneath her feet had also shaken off the historical corruption, and its bell mechanism began to operate automatically.


    The figure of Archbishop Valentin gradually materialized in the air¨CThe Archbishop who defended the City-State until the last moment returned to reality, proving that the historical branch leading to destruction had completely vanished.


    Fenna¡¯s gaze, however, didn¡¯t linger on the Archbishop. She continued to stare intently at Duncan nearby, who had now turned around¨Che was surrounded by the leaping arc of flame, its warmth and brightness softening even his stern and dignified countenance.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d go for a flying kick,¡± Duncan said with a smile, speaking casually to Fenna as if in friendly chatter, ¡°like the last time.¡±


    ¡°¡­I am not a mindlessly impulsive person.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I thought you loved flying kicks¨Cafter all, every seasoned warrior cannot resist the urge to start with a flying kick at the opponent,¡± Duncan joked offhandedly. He reached out to soothe the arc of flame that seemed a bit restless at his side and then nodded at Fenna, ¡°I¡¯m done here, see you next time.¡±


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    Fenna paused, moving forward instinctively, ¡°Wait! You can¡¯t just¡­¡±


    But Duncan had already turned away, waving his hand as he stepped towards the open air beyond the bell tower platform¨CHomeloss¡¯s towering stern passed slowly by the high tower, next to the ship¡¯s helm on the deck, the Captain personally at the wheel.


    Duncan¡¯s projection, wrapped in Spiritual Fire, stepped aboard and merged into one with his true self.


    He stood at the helm, holding the steer, and nodded at Fenna with a smile.


    The massive Ghost Ship then began to accelerate, the ethereal vessel sailing over Plunder, heading towards the coast on the other side of the City-State, into the Endless Sea.

 Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter 214: After Homeloss Departs

    Chapter 210: Chapter 214: After Homeloss Departs


    Homeloss departed in all its grandeur, just as it had arrived with an unstoppable presence.


    Fenna watched as the nearly ¡°magnificent¡± giant ship sailed majestically through the center of Plunder City-State, passing the densely packed rooftops and towers of the City-State. Its ghostly hull, like a fading illusion, gradually disappeared from her sight. With the departure of Homeloss, the spiritual fires that had blazed everywhere in Plunder City-State also began to extinguish and recede as if fulfilling some mission, returning to nothingness.


    Only a clear sky, a City-State as usual, and all living beings who had just experienced a nightmare remained.


    The sound of bells, one after another, echoed in the skies above the City-State. The bells from the churches around the city continued to chime along their original historical trajectory, but the sound, originally meant to counter reality¡¯s invasion, now seemed more like a farewell. The whistle from above the cathedral blared, startling Fenna with its piercing shrillness.


    She sensed a presence approaching, turned around, and saw Bishop Valentin had quietly joined her. The elderly bishop, who had once faced death, held his staff tightly and gazed in the direction Homeloss had left, murmuring to himself as though in a soliloquy, ¡°I feel as if I¡¯ve had a very long dream¡­¡±


    ¡°You should know that wasn¡¯t a dream.¡±


    ¡°I mean I just dreamed about twenty rabbits in cha-cha dance dresses twirling and dancing around me¡­¡±


    Fenna paused, taken aback, ¡°You were indeed dreaming then, perhaps a part of recovering consciousness¡­ Do you really have to make such a cold joke right now?¡±


    ¡°But it did snap you right back into focus, from total disarray to returning quickly to work mode,¡± the old bishop calmly said, with an expression so serene it was as if the one who had made the cold joke wasn¡¯t him. Then he lowered his gaze toward the direction of the cathedral square, ¡°We have a lot of work ahead of us. This time, it¡¯s not just a matter of a White Oak ship barely brushing past Homeloss.¡±


    Fenna followed the old bishop¡¯s gaze and saw the guards and City-State Guards on the cathedral square had fallen into a kind of confused chaos. They seemed to have just woken from a grand dream, looking at the now-normal City-State with memories still lingering in the battle where historical contamination invaded reality. Some, who had ¡®awakened¡¯ earlier, had even witnessed the departure of Homeloss, which further intensified the resulting confusion and tension.


    Valentin¡¯s voice continued to rise beside Fenna, ¡°¡­first, let the guard forces restore order, then start investigating and sorting out the current situation in the entire City-State, confirming if everyone has ¡®returned¡¯, and if anything in the City-State is missing or if there¡¯s something extra, and¡­¡±


    Valentin paused, looking at the young Judge beside him.


    ¡°And prepare to report the situation to Storm Cathedral¨CFenna, the most challenging paperwork of your life is about to begin.¡±


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    Fenna¡¯s breath halted suddenly.


    The disaster had ended, but not all was over; after everyone survived¡­ it seemed the real investigation work was just beginning.


    ¡­


    The sunlight was just right.


    The solemn and heavy doors of the cathedral creaked open as Heidi, with a somewhat dazed expression, arrived in the cathedral square. She looked at the streets under the clear sky light, which were as usual, but her mind still harbored the remnants of the recent torrential rains, and the terrifying moment when the rain turned into a fiery downpour.


    How had it all ended?


    All she remembered was a ghost ship rising from a sea of fire, gliding over the City-State as if on patrol, her consciousness drifting in a dimension between reality and illusion. Two completely opposed histories met in her view and split at the ghost ship¡¯s course¨Cone solidifying into reality, the other crushed into dust.


    A slight burning sensation came from her chest. Heidi looked down to see the pendant her father had brought back from the antique shop as a ¡°free gift¡± emanating a faint glow. She reached out to touch it, but at the moment of contact, the pendant emitted a soft crack and seemed to exhaust its power, silently disintegrating into dust, the string that held the pendant also disappearing in smoke.


    Heidi remained stunned for a moment, but soon, the noisy voices from all over the square broke her trance.


    The guards were restoring order; the garrison troops from the town hall began to call the roll and regroup under the command of their senior officers. Some priests who aided in restoring order emerged from the cathedral, conveying commands from Bishop Valentin and Judge Fenna. At the same time, there were conversations about the silhouette of the departing ghost ship.


    ¡°¡­As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw that thing floating above my head, as if sailing through transparent seawater¡­¡±


    ¡°It was too frightening! Those flames nearly grazed the cathedral¡¯s spire! But it seemed to just¡­ move on¡­¡±


    ¡°That was Homeloss, no doubt about it¡­ Don¡¯t you not believe it; that was definitely Homeloss!¡±


    A loud voice was shouting across the square, proclaiming with absolute certainty that the ghost ship that had just passed through the City-State was none other than the legendary maritime disaster known as the Homeloss. Heidi looked in the direction of the voice and saw a familiar old ship¡¯s captain with graying hair¨Cshe had dealt with him on a daily basis and knew him well.


    ¡°Captain Lawrence,¡± Heidi walked over, greeting the old captain who was talking to a few refugees, ¡°how are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m doing just fine, although I also don¡¯t quite understand what¡¯s happening,¡± the old captain said, smiling upon seeing Heidi, ¡°Seeing that you¡¯re safe and sound is truly a relief, Miss Doctor¨Cwhat with all that rain and fire earlier, it was quite frightening!¡±


    Heidi casually responded, then immediately asked, ¡°You said the one that left just now¡­ was the Homeloss?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed, I¡¯m certain of it,¡± Captain Lawrence immediately nodded, ¡°Too familiar I am with that sight¨CI¡¯ve seen it before!¡±


    A citizen who had taken shelter in the cathedral and was still somewhat shaken chimed in, ¡°You¡¯ve seen it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, why do you think I¡¯ve been quarantined in the cathedral for so long?¡± Lawrence glared, then turned back to Heidi, ¡°I know you can speak with the upper echelons of the church. I have a suggestion for you, check carefully what¡¯s missing in the City-State. Whenever the Homeloss passes by, it tends to take something with it¡­ I have experience!¡±


    Heidi listened, dazed, and nodded along just as dazedly. It was a long while before some memories of events that had recently transpired, yet felt like a lifetime ago, suddenly surfaced in her mind¨C


    How was it on my father¡¯s side?


    ¡­


    Maurice wasn¡¯t feeling very well; his head was spinning, and his stomach was churning as if he had drunk a potent liquor. He wanted to vomit, but he didn¡¯t quite dare to.


    He felt as if the mops and buckets in front of him were glaring at him menacingly, and Miss Alice beside him was silently watching him too.


    If he truly vomited on deck, he might get beaten¨Cfor on this ship, even the simplest rope was older than him, and they probably didn¡¯t have the concept of respecting the elderly.


    He felt he was seasick, or perhaps, sick from the pigeons.


    Maurice raised his head and saw the pigeon named Ai Yi strutting proudly around the deck, inspecting the mountainous piles of french fries. That same pigeon had previously transformed into a horrifying skeletal giant bird and had transported him onto this ghost ship amidst the sudden rain of fire outside the antique shop. Now it appeared harmless again, strutting among piles and piles of french fries.


    A girl named Sherry was sitting not too far away with an Abyssal Hound by her side. It seemed like a typical Summoner and Profound Demon relationship, but at the moment, both were behaving more demurely than the other¨CSherry sat primly and properly like a well-mannered lady, not daring to make a sound, while the creature she called ¡°A-Dog,¡± the Profound Demon, had somehow found a newspaper and was sitting upright on a barrel, clumsily holding the paper and pretending to read it¨Ceven though it clearly couldn¡¯t read, as the newspaper was upside down.


    Further away, one could see the towering masts, the sails made of ethereal Spiritual Bodies as translucent and elusive as gauze curtains, the vast expanse of the sea, and the Plunder City-State, which was becoming more and more distant.


    Recalling everything he¡¯d witnessed and experienced while sailing through the City-State on this ship, Maurice still felt his heart pounding. The experience of being turned into a Spiritual Body by ghostly flames and overlooking the burning land below was somewhat exhilarating. If this had happened many years ago, he might have found it an exciting and nerve-wracking adventure, but now he was no longer a young man, and such an experience was perhaps¡­ a bit too stimulating.


    Maurice took a deep breath, his thoughts jumbled. He pondered whether he had a chance to return and worried about his family back home.


    At that moment, a voice suddenly came from across, from the Abyssal Hound¨CMaurice knew what Abyssal Hounds were, but he never imagined one would be as rational and polite as this one, ¡°E-excuse me, s-s-sir, do you th-think I look like a well-mannered, cu-cultured dog?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ To be honest, I don¡¯t think a dog needs to read the newspaper to show its manners, but you¡¯re a Profound Demon, so the standards can¡¯t be the same as a dog in the human world¡­ Anyway, the smartest dogs in the human world can¡¯t learn to read a newspaper while sitting on a barrel,¡± Maurice was taken aback for a moment and answered the question with a perplexed expression, ¡°Besides two things, first, the newspaper in your paws is upside down, and second¡­ do you stutter?¡±


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    A-Dog was startled and hurriedly righted the newspaper in its paws, replying, ¡°I-I don¡¯t stutter, I¡¯m just n-n-nervous¡­¡±


    ¡°A-Dog, I don¡¯t think you need to be this nervous,¡± Sherry murmured all of a sudden, ¡°And anyway, what newspaper are you looking at¨CMr. Duncan already knows we both can¡¯t read¡­¡±


    As soon as Sherry finished speaking, before A-Dog had the chance to respond, Alice, who was lost in thought beside them, suddenly raised her hand, ¡°I can¡¯t either!¡±


    Sherry looked surprised, while Maurice silently bowed his head and rubbed his forehead.


    The old scholar felt he had arrived at a place far too outlandish¡­ What was all this even about?

 Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter 215: Clever Sun

    Chapter 211: Chapter 215: Clever Sun


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation over at Prand now?¡±


    After a long silence, Sherry finally couldn¡¯t help herself, looked up at the old scholar in front of her, then glanced towards Miss Alice, who seemed to be well-acquainted with Mr. Duncan, and hesitated to ask.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I think Mr. Duncan might have already handled the problem¨Calthough I can¡¯t figure out how,¡± Morris rubbed his forehead, pondering as he spoke, ¡°But I¡¯m more concerned about this place right now¡­¡±


    He lifted his head and looked around, his eyes finally resting on the Spiritual Body sails fluttering above, his expression turning peculiar.


    ¡°This ship, it reminds me irresistibly of that legend, the legend about Homeloss¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Morris had barely finished speaking when Alice¡¯s voice came from beside him, her face wearing a proud smile, ¡°This is Homeloss¨Cwelcome aboard.¡±


    The motion of Morris rubbing his forehead stopped abruptly, his eyes widened in shock: ¡°This is really Homeloss?! Then, Mr. Duncan¡¯s identity¡­¡±


    ¡°Captain, old man, you¡¯re too slow to catch on,¡± Sherry retorted, a lip curling slightly. After the tension of so long, she finally felt some pleasure in knowing something others did not, which considerably relaxed her, ¡°He¡¯s called Duncan and you still couldn¡¯t guess?¡±


    ¡°You knew about this all along?¡± Morris looked incredulously at the girl in front of him, ¡°I thought you, like me, were on this ship for the first time¡­¡±


    ¡°I am here for the first time¨Cbut it¡¯s not my first time seeing Captain Duncan in his true form,¡± Sherry asserted proudly, puffing out her chest, ¡°I and Ah Dog have known Captain Duncan for a long time¡­ definitely longer than you!¡±


    Morris, however, did not pay attention to the latter half of Sherry¡¯s words; upon hearing the phrase ¡°Captain¡¯s true form,¡± he couldn¡¯t help a twitch in his forehead, and he murmured with a weird expression, ¡°¡­If possible, I¡¯d rather not know what ¡®true form¡¯ means¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Old man, what did you say?¡± Sherry blinked.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ Some things are better not discussed often, for the sake of mental and physical health.¡±


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    ¡°Tch, say it or don¡¯t, you scholars always love being all mysterious,¡± Sherry scoffed, but couldn¡¯t stay quiet for two seconds longer as she looked towards the deck¡¯s end of the great ship, ¡°Do you think¡­ Nina is alright? She just disappeared before our eyes, but Mr. Duncan said she just stepped away for a moment¡­¡±


    Alice¡¯s soft and confident voice rose beside them, comforting the somewhat worried Sherry: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Sherry looked up, she wasn¡¯t acquainted with Alice, but she knew this exceptionally beautiful and mysterious lady had been following ¡°Captain Duncan¡± for quite some time and must be privy to some insider details, leading her to curiously ask: ¡°Why do you say that? Do you know about Nina¡¯s situation¡­¡±


    ¡°Because the Captain said so,¡± Alice smiled, ¡°He said there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    Sherry was left speechless.


    For some reason, she suddenly felt that this exceptionally beautiful lady seemed¡­ not so smart¡­


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, on Homeloss¡¯s aft deck, Duncan was watching a bright arc of flame floating in mid-air across from him.


    Now, he could be one hundred percent sure that, at least in form, this arc of flame was a Sun Shard¨Cthe process of gushing and falling repeating incessantly¨Cand it felt¡­ as though a Sun Shard had been directly ¡°cut off¡± from a sun, not only capturing its existence but also its rhythmic state during a certain period.


    Now, this ¡°cut off¡± Sun Shard quietly floated above Homeloss, appearing to be only as tall as a person.


    But that didn¡¯t mean it was truly just so¡­ ¡°small and harmless.¡±


    Duncan could feel the astounding energy contained within it, and although he could only sense a fraction, the destructive heat and terrifying power originating from a star were still enough to take his breath away, this feeling even surpassed the moment he peered at the ¡°Crawling Celestial Wheel¡± through the golden mask, reinforcing his belief that this flame stream was truly from a ¡°sun.¡±


    From a real sun, beyond the understanding of Sun Shard Believers, one from an ancient era that had undergone alien Transformation.


    This Sun Shard appeared small and harmless now only because it was still under control.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t comprehend, in the entire body of knowledge he possessed, there was no way to explain why a part of a sun could turn into this appearance, nor could he guess what had happened to the true star to which this Sun Shard once belonged.


    Much like he couldn¡¯t understand this world or what kind of great annihilation had created the eerie and dangerous ¡°Deep Sea Era.¡±


    But he eventually shook his head.


    Those matters were of no immediate import.


    Duncan took a deep breath, refocusing his mind, then tentatively reached out his right hand towards the ¡°Sun Shard.¡±


    Fatal high temperatures appeared in his perception, but in the next second, the heat dissipated like an illusion¨C he saw a flicker of pale green flame at his fingertips, and within the Sun Shard, strands of green flame quietly moved, as if in resonance.


    Not long ago, it was the ¡°pollution¡± injected in advance that called off and tore apart the genesis of the dark sun hovering above Pland, preserving Nina¡¯s ¡°humanity.¡±


    ¡°Nina, try again,¡± Duncan said, ¡°remember the sensation of the Transformation, bring yourself ¡®back¡¯. We were very close to success just now.¡±


    The stream of flames leapt a few times in the air and then swelled up, golden flames rising and swirling. In a short while, within the dancing lights, a figure gradually took shape¨Ca blurry figure that resembled a young girl, but her facial features were indistinct.


    She lowered her head, seemingly curious as she looked at her own body, but in the next second, the newly-formed flames shattered abruptly, and she reverted back to her state as a surging stream of flames.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose heart, we¡¯ll try again,¡± Duncan remained patient, gently continuing his guidance, ¡°I will ¡®support¡¯ you. Since you can recover to this extent, it proves this approach is viable¡­¡±


    The arc of flames swelled again, popping and crackling noises emanating from within the golden flames, and then Nina¡¯s figure emerged from the flames once more.


    Duncan watched anxiously¨Csimilar attempts had been conducted countless times, but each had failed midway. Although, based on the feedback from the Sun Shard implanted within the Spiritual Fire, the process was supposed to be controllable. Clearly, however, this vast and alien power was not so easily mastered.


    The golden flames crackled loudly, and Duncan prepared himself for another failure.


    But in the next breath, the light and arcs of flame in front of him vanished in an instant.


    A familiar figure leapt out from the last flicker of leaping flames.


    The gentle sea breeze brushed the deck, bringing dampness and chill. Nina¡¯s hair fluttered in the wind, the slanting sunlight piercing through the clouds and through her uplifted hair. In the fluctuating strands, the sunlight danced like flames.


    And in the next moment, the sunny flames dancing within her hair vanished like an illusion.


    Nina smiled, looking at the ¡°Uncle Duncan¡± before her, completely different from her memory but undoubtedly real, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m back!¡±


    It was only at this moment that Duncan finally took a gentle breath of relief. With his sigh, the entire Homeloss seemed to respond¨Cthe ship had been tense up until now, all ropes, masts, and sails taut. But now, a flurry of cracking and whooshing sounds erupted from all directions, mixed with the sounds of puffing and clacking from beneath the deck.


    It was as if the entire ship was cheering, celebrating together with the captain.


    ¡°Quiet,¡± Duncan said, turning around, and the entire ship immediately fell silent. Then he turned back, looking at Nina curiously, ¡°Can you still recognize me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are Uncle Duncan,¡± Nina said matter-of-factly, but then she scratched her face¨Ca habit she adopted when feeling awkward and at a loss, ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t know how I recognize you. I just felt it was you. When you called me down from the sky earlier, I recognized you right away¡­¡±


    She hesitated, looking Duncan up and down, squinting slightly as if trying to discern some fine detail of the ¡°uncle.¡±


    Nothing like the Uncle Duncan from the antique store.


    But the clear cognition was directly mapped in her mind.


    As if she wasn¡¯t recognizing him through her eyes but directly through ¡°reading the facts.¡±


    Nina didn¡¯t know how to explain her current feelings, managing only to smile foolishly until Duncan stepped forward to ruffle her hair as he always did.


    ¡°That¡¯s also good,¡± Duncan exhaled softly, ¡°I was wondering how to explain this ship and my other appearance to you.¡±


    Nina dodged the hand resting on her head, noting that this Uncle Duncan was significantly taller than the one in her memory, his palms broader and rougher, the calloused fingers passing over her forehead felt ticklish.


    After a while, when he withdrew his hand, she suddenly looked up, staring straight into Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I actually have two ¡®uncles¡¯¡­ right?¡±


    She suddenly said.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t falter, though the moment had indeed come abruptly, he wasn¡¯t too surprised.


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    As if he had known all along that this moment was inevitable.


    If there was any power in this world that could resist the might of ¡°Captain Duncan¡±, the ¡°Sun¡±¡­ regardless of which Sun, was always a foreseeable option.


    He quietly met Nina¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Have you noticed?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

 Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter 216: Hospitality on the Homeloss

    Chapter 212: Chapter 216: Hospitality on the Homeloss


    The sea was serene, the breeze pleasant, the gentle waves slowly lapping, the sunlight not too intense. Had it not been for the knowledge of the great terror lurking beneath the deep sea, one could even describe this as a delightful scene.


    It was as if, not long ago, the whole City-State being dragged into an apocalypse, ablaze with raging fires, was nothing but a horrific nightmare that never happened.


    On the high platform at the stern of the Homeloss, the dark steering wheel was turning angles automatically, uncontrolled by any person, while not far away, the sails were also slowly adjusting their angles.


    Nina sat on the deck at the edge of the high platform, her upper body leaning on the railing¡¯s edge with her legs hanging outside, gently swaying back and forth, while Duncan was sitting on a large barrel beside her.


    ¡°¡­It feels very strange. I know you¡¯re my Uncle Duncan, I know you¡¯re someone I can rely on and trust, but at the same time, another ¡®fact¡¯ is just so clear¡­¡±


    She seemed to be speaking to herself, with a voice that was light and slow.


    ¡°I had an uncle who was a regular person, he used to be a very good man, honest and hard-working, but then he became¡­ not so good. He got sick, started to drink, to gamble, became irritable, and things got worse every day. At that time, I even felt that going home was a terrible thing to do¡­


    ¡°But suddenly, my uncle got better, like in a dream. His health improved, his temper got better, and the atmosphere at home seemed to return to the past¡­ even better than before. In fact, from that time onwards¡­ I often thought how nice it would be if you could always be my uncle.¡±


    Duncan slightly furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Did you realize something was amiss back then?¡±


    ¡°Vaguely¡­ but I wasn¡¯t sure. And there¡¯s something I couldn¡¯t understand,¡± Nina turned her head slightly and looked up, ¡°If it was really like what the books say, a ¡®malevolent spirit¡¯ taking over my home, then why would that spirit be so good to me?¡±


    Duncan looked into Nina¡¯s eyes, and after a while, he suddenly laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m much more formidable than any malevolent spirit.¡±


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    ¡°Now I can see that, and you are also much friendlier than a malevolent spirit,¡± Nina laughed as well, resting her head on the railing beside her in a languid manner, ¡°You¡¯re Uncle Duncan, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I can always be.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really comforting¡­ I¡¯m much more at ease now,¡± Nina sighed softly, then fell silent for a while before hesitantly speaking again, ¡°My other uncle¡­ was he at peace when he left?¡±


    Duncan recalled the night he truly entered the Plunder City-State.


    A beyond-redemption heretic breathed his last in the cold, damp sewer, his sinister brethren plotting to cast his body into the depths of darkness, while his muddled mind harbored nothing but malicious resentment and twisted fanaticism for the dark sun.


    But there remained a sliver of humanity, concern for a relative he depended on.


    Let it be for that sliver of humanity.


    ¡°He left peacefully, and by now he must be at rest,¡± Duncan said softly, ¡°He didn¡¯t have many worries left at the end, and you were among them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Nina exhaled gently, as if she had let go of the last burden she carried, and then stretched vigorously, laying herself back on the deck. The Homeloss¡¯s translucent Spiritual Body sails were reflected in her pupils, ¡°So much has happened lately, especially today¡­ Can you tell me about it? The things you haven¡¯t told me yet, about this ship, about you, and¡­ about me.¡±


    Duncan got up from the barrel and lay down beside Nina, settling in slowly: ¡°That would take a long time to tell, my dear. Uncle Duncan, you see, has many stories¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°In conclusion, Captain Duncan is just that impressive¡­¡±


    On the wide deck of the Homeloss, Alice was enthusiastically regaling her ¡°guests¡± with the captain¡¯s great feats. She had been speaking non-stop for quite some time, and at least two-thirds of these exploits she had heard from the Goat Man, which first were embellished by him and now further scrambled by the doll-like miss, to the point that they were completely warped beyond human comprehension¨Cif Duncan himself heard them, he might be startled, and even Alice herself wouldn¡¯t dare to guarantee that she could repeat the stories accurately on the spot.


    But such wild tales were listened to with utmost seriousness by Sherry and Morris on the other side, even Ali the dog had put aside his newspaper and was all ears.


    They didn¡¯t find anything unreasonable about the jumbled stories Alice was telling¨C even when Alice insisted that the Homeloss actually had two large legs hidden underneath it, which allowed it to sprint so quickly across the seabed.


    Subspace bigwig, eh? Homeloss, eh? Number one disaster of the Endless Sea, eh?¨Cthe more outrageous, the more credible, the more irrational, the better it fit.


    The woman before him was ¡°Miss Alice,¡± who had a place on the Homeloss and followed Mr. Duncan, even daring to pinch Mr. Duncan¡¯s cheeks in the antique shop. Whatever she said must be right.


    ¡°Homeloss is really something¡­¡± Morris applauded in admiration. He had studied his whole life and only realized his ignorance upon meeting Alice. ¡°I¡¯ve seen numerous articles about this ship in books. Those authors sit in their rooms and write entire books based on imagination, but now it seems more than ninety percent of that content is simply preposterous¡­¡±


    No sooner had the old gentleman finished speaking than a commanding voice suddenly came from the side, ¡°I strongly advise against taking Alice¡¯s words seriously¨Cher wild tales are far more exaggerated than those fabricated books.¡±


    The moment the voice emerged, A-Dog scurried behind Sherry, and Morris quickly got up to look at the large figure striding down the nearby staircase, ¡°Ah, Duncan¡­ Captain, are you done with your duties?¡±


    Duncan nodded and continued down the staircase, followed by a petite figure also descending behind him.


    ¡°Nina!¡± Sherry exclaimed joyfully upon seeing the figure and sprang up to meet her, ¡°You¡¯re all right! You¡¯ve returned!¡±


    As she got up to greet her, the black chains on Sherry¡¯s arms instantly became taut. A-Dog, who had been pretending to be nonexistent with its head down, was dragged forward, tumbling and exclaiming, ¡°Hey, slow down¡­ damn it, you¡¯re still dragging me¡­ oh my goodness¡­¡±


    ¡°Sherry,¡± Nina greeted, smiling brightly as she grabbed Sherry¡¯s arm and gave it a vigorous shake, then bent down to look at A-Dog, who had just crashed headfirst into the staircase, patting the creature¡¯s skeletal head, ¡°And Mr. A-Dog, I¡¯m back.¡±


    Morris also stepped forward to greet his student, then turned to look at Alice, ¡°Miss Alice, what you just mentioned¡­ was all that made up?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t make it up! Mr. Goat Head said so!¡± Alice immediately retorted with wide eyes, ¡°It said it has served on the Homeloss for a century and knows more about this ship than anyone!¡±


    Morris was bewildered, ¡°Goat Head?¡±


    ¡°My first mate¨Cyou wouldn¡¯t enjoy dealing with it,¡± Duncan remarked offhand, then glanced around at those standing before him.


    Morris, Sherry, A-Dog¨Cunexpected boarders, long-absent visitors of the Homeloss.


    During the emergency in the Plunder City-State, although Duncan already had a plan to exploit the Homeloss¡¯s unique properties to strip away the historical contamination, as a precaution, he had urgently transported the ¡°guests¡± seeking refuge in the antique shop to the ship. But now that things in the City-State had settled, it was time to consider the future.


    At least Morris, an old man with family in the City-State, was unlikely to wish to stay forever on this Ghost Ship.


    After a brief contemplation, Duncan withdrew his gaze.


    ¡°I suppose you are already aware of your current location and know my identity¨Cas you can see, this is the Homeloss, and I am the captain of this ship. In the last century, at least half of the horror tales in the Endless Sea¡­ are somewhat related to me.


    ¡°As for the veracity and exaggerations of these tales, I express no opinion. However, one thing is certain, as the tales say: once you¡¯ve boarded the Homeloss, it¡¯s very hard to sever the connection with this ship. In some sense, having gone through Ai Yi¡¯s transfer and the Homeloss¡¯s ¡®Spiritual Body¡¯ transformation, you are now part of the crew.


    ¡°Unfortunately, this process is neither reversible nor avoidable.¡±


    Duncan bluntly delivered this truth¨Ca realization he had come to based on his recent experiences with the Homeloss and his own powers.


    Those who encountered the Homeloss, those who encountered the Ghost Flame, would inevitably establish a connection with Duncan, even if he himself knew nothing of it¨Cthe earliest case was with the Oak Ship, and the most recent was with Fenna.


    The reactions from Morris and Sherry were calmer than Duncan expected, only A-Dog muttered something indistinct with a droopy head.


    It seemed they had already foreseen this situation and were prepared for it.


    Duncan paused deliberately for two or three seconds before suddenly shaking his head with a smile.


    ¡°However, there is one aspect where it differs from the legends,¡± he said more relaxedly, ¡°this ship doesn¡¯t just have one-way tickets, and as you can see, I, the captain, am not the uncontrollable natural disaster depicted in the tales.


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    ¡°You boarded the ship because of the emergency at the time, so I do not restrict your freedom.¡±


    This time, Sherry and Morris finally widened their eyes a bit, especially Morris, who had just been wondering how he could return to the City-State and obtain the qualifications to return to the mortal world from a Subspace Shadow. He was surprised to find it so simple: ¡°Does that mean¡­ we can go back?¡±


    ¡°Of course you can,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°The crisis in Plunder has ended. You¡¯re free to come and go as you please, but¡­¡±


    Morris tensed up again.


    ¡°However, please eat before you leave,¡± Duncan suggested casually, ¡°Hospitality dictates I offer you a meal. The food on the Homeloss is simple, but it has its specialties, especially the seafood, which is unlike anything you can find in the City-State¡­¡±

 Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 217: The Devotees Doubts

    Chapter 213: Chapter 217: The Devotee¡¯s Doubts


    Heidi suddenly sneezed vigorously, startling the young monk who was taking notes across from her.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± the young monk asked with some concern, looking at the lady psychiatrist in front of him, ¡°Do you feel unwell, or is there anything unusual?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¨Cit might just be the cool breeze I caught in the square earlier, coupled with the tension before that¡¯s making me chilly now,¡± Heidi interrupted, waving her hand and rubbing her nose, ¡°Where were we?¡±


    ¡°We were discussing how you, in a near ¡®out-of-body¡¯ state, witnessed two ¡®realities¡¯ overlapping in the City-State, and the arrival of Homeloss caused one reality to peel away and vanish,¡± the young monk glanced at the notes he had just taken, then flipped through earlier pages, ¡°You also mentioned possessing a crystal pendant, which you believed might be key.¡±


    ¡°The pendant is broken,¡± Heidi thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°My father acquired it from an antique shop, but I suspect neither he nor the shopkeeper knew of its special nature¨Cit was nothing but a free gift, carrying even a glass workshop¡¯s label.¡±


    ¡°That is, an item with transcendent power, hidden in plain sight, arrived in the Lower City District by chance and landed in your possession,¡± the monk looked down as he continued recording, ¡°Could you tell me about the antique shop and some specific details about the pendant? It might help us to grasp a more detailed account during the recovery efforts, as items of transcendent nature often have the ability to influence fate, and its encounter with you might not be coincidental.¡±


    ¡°Of course, no problem,¡± Heidi nodded immediately, sharing what she knew. After outlining the general situation, she hesitated for a moment before finally uttering, ¡°Has everyone¡­ come back yet?¡±


    ¡°From what we currently understand¡­ yes,¡± the young monk nodded, ¡°Although almost everyone has a memory of the City-State being consumed by flames, everything has now returned to the state before the catastrophe¨Ccurrently, the explanation given by the Archbishop and the Judge is ¡®an invasion-level historical contamination disaster¡¯, but the specifics are yet to be disclosed.¡±


    With that, he paused, adding, ¡°But your case is the most peculiar¨Calmost no one remembers how the disaster ended, yet you ¡®saw¡¯ the critical process, making your testimony crucial.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Heidi sighed softly, then as if suddenly remembering something, ¡°Should I check in with my family first? It looks like I won¡¯t be going back anytime soon¡­¡±


    ¡°We have already sent someone,¡± the young monk smiled slightly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been notified? That¡¯s good,¡± Heidi thought for a moment and gently nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s continue then, what else do you need to ask?¡±


    ¡°Right, the next question, do you remember any distinct details about the Ghost Ship that appeared in both historical trajectories? While recalling those details, did you experience any mental distraction or hallucinations?¡±


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    ¡­


    Fenna arrived at the grand cathedral.


    The vast, sacred space was particularly quiet at this moment, except for the necessary guards at the entrance, with only Bishop Valentin standing silently in front of the holy icon.


    The sound of Fenna¡¯s footsteps broke the serene atmosphere inside the cathedral.


    Valentin turned around, now having shed the ornate garments and crown he only wore on special occasions, clad simply in a robe and wearing a soft hat. Apart from holding the staff that signified his position as City-State Bishop, he looked no different from an ordinary old man.


    Fenna approached Valentin, her expression calm, ¡°Order in the cathedral district has been restored, the garrison troops are returning to their stations in sequence to regulate the City-State¡¯s order, and the high-ranking priests have gone to soothe the steam cores at major factories. At least before nightfall, we can ensure the ¡®Evening Bells¡¯ ring as usual, and the city¡¯s gas supply will not be interrupted.¡±


    The old bishop seemed visibly relieved, ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Fenna.¡±


    ¡°As I should,¡± Fenna spoke calmly, ¡°The lingering spiritual and cognitive chaos from the contamination continues to affect the untrained populace, making it difficult for ordinary people to snap out of the disaster all at once. Even the city hall is in disarray, with only ¡®professionals¡¯ temporarily managing the order.¡±


    Valentin nodded, then reminded, ¡°Besides ensuring the gas supply after dusk, extra patrols need to be dispatched in every district with sufficient lanterns and incense to guard against anything ¡®sneaking¡¯ in during the night¡­ We have just gone through a reality invasion, and the foundation of reality in Plunder is at its most vulnerable. Also, check all the nighttime shelters in the city, as there might still be citizens too panicked, locking themselves inside¡­ Once the holy oil runs out in the shelters, those troubled refugees could turn into a big problem.¡±


    Fenna nodded, ¡°Understood, I will arrange it later, and I will personally lead the team to inspect key areas tonight.¡±


    ¡°¡­you can delegate it to your assistant,¡± Valentin looked worriedly at the young Judge, ¡°Go rest once you¡¯ve managed what¡¯s on your hands. You are still injured.¡±


    ¡°After returning to the cathedral, the injury has mostly healed,¡± Fenna immediately responded, and she size up the old man before her, ¡°Your ¡®injury¡¯ earlier was more severe than mine¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that the same?¡± Valentin sternly said, ¡°I have recovered from historical pollution, but you actually fought through the entire City-State twice, inside and outside the veil! I can see your current weakness.¡±


    Fenna said nothing; she simply turned around, raising her head under the glow of candles and gas lamps, quietly gazing at the holy icon of the Storm Goddess Gomona.


    The cathedral fell into a brief silence until Valentin broke the eerie quiet, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been pondering how to write the latter half of this report,¡± Fenna sighed, ¡°When Her Holiness wants to understand the catastrophe at Plunder, how should we explain to her how all of this ended?¡±


    Valentin¡¯s expression suddenly became more compelling.


    ¡°In a sense¡­ well, perhaps ¡®a sense¡¯ no longer applies,¡± the Archbishop struggled for a moment, then sighed much like Fenna, ¡°The fact is, Homeloss¡¯s arrival extinguished the historical pollution brought by the Doomsday Preacher and prevented the imminent birth of the Black Sun in this mortal world. Although we do not know the purpose behind the Ghost Ship¡¯s captain¡¯s actions, there is no doubt¡­¡±


    The Archbishop paused, and after nearly half a minute of silence, he couldn¡¯t help but speak in a heavy voice: ¡°Plunder survived because of the arrival of Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, he came for the ¡®Sun Shard¡¯,¡± Fenna thought to herself, holding back much of her own thoughts, ¡°Do you remember the ¡®White Oak¡¯? That ship faced Homeloss head-on and managed to retreat unscathed, only the anomaly 099 was taken¨Cperhaps the motives of ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ are simpler than anyone imagines.¡±


    ¡°Taking away a Sun Shard and abducting an anomaly aren¡¯t the same,¡± Valentin shook his head, ¡°But you¡¯re right, this indeed is the only explanation we can think of now. If Her Holiness needs an answer, then it¡¯s the only one we can offer¡­ For the rest, we can only report everything that happened here as it is, and see what conclusions the clerics of the Storm Cathedral can draw.¡±


    Fenna hummed softly, then turned back, her gaze once again falling on the sacred image of the goddess.


    ¡°Your mind is still very unsettled,¡± Valentin, knowing her for many years, easily noticed something was amiss with Fenna, ¡°Fenna, we have already discussed the matters of the City-State and the Church, what else is shaking your will now?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for many years,¡± Valentin shook his head, ¡°Although professionally, you and I are equals, you¡¯ve always treated me as a trusted elder in our personal dealings¨CI can see that something hasn¡¯t been right since you returned. What exactly happened?¡±


    Fenna fell silent momentarily, gazing up at the goddess veiled in her mantle, then after a while, she lowered her gaze to her own body.


    The words of Dante Wayne seemed to echo in her ears.


    Eleven years ago, in the great fire, the one the Doomsday Preachers used to initiate historical pollution, her uncle¡­ he hadn¡¯t actually saved her.


    The great fire marked the beginning of historical pollution, the division between ¡°true history¡± and ¡°pseudo-history,¡± where those who died that night genuinely perished, and following that great fire, the destruction and survival of Plunder were split into two diametrically opposed ¡°world lines.¡±


    Meaning, she, who had died that night¡­ shouldn¡¯t have survived.


    It was the ¡°blessing of Subspace¡± that allowed her to live to this day.


    The frenzied screams of the Doomsday Preacher still rang in her ears from the top of the bell tower¨C


    ¡°You resurrected after death, shall also die after being born¡­¡±


    She had already died and been resurrected.


    Yet wasn¡¯t reborn to die again.


    The appearance of Homeloss disrupted it all.


    Now, she still stood here, breathing the air of the mortal world, enjoying the warmth of the living.


    Even the Storm Goddess still blessed her, using the moisturizing power of the sea winds to heal all her wounds from the previous battles.


    This even caused Fenna, for the first time in her life, a confusion related to the goddess¨C


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    The Storm Goddess¡­ did she really not mind that she was still alive due to the ¡°blessing of Subspace¡±?


    And this confusion further extended and expanded into something far more chilling for Fenna¨C


    If, as per the words of the Doomsday Preacher and Captain Duncan, the whole of Plunder City-State at this moment, was already saturated with the flames of Homeloss, every person in this city-state, even the land itself, had become ¡°profaned heretics.¡±


    Yet¡­ the blessings in the cathedral continued, and every prayer to the goddess by the Deep Sea Priests in Plunder still received responses as before.


    For the first time in her life, Fenna doubted the faith she had always held.

 Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Chapter 218: The Survivors

    Chapter 214: Chapter 218: The Survivors


    The statue of the Storm Goddess, Gomona, stood quietly in the grand cathedral, as majestic, mysterious, and silent as ever.


    It seemed that the veil not only covered the goddess¡¯s face but also a certain connection between the mortal world and the deity. For the first time, Fenna realized that she actually had no understanding, and perhaps no comprehension, of the divine being she worshipped.


    She had always taken her faith in everything related to storms and deep seas for granted, never questioning it like she did today, never contemplating from a skeptical perspective the relationship between herself and the divine.


    Suddenly, Fenna snapped out of her brief reverie, her heart pounding and a cold sweat breaking out on her back.


    Thought bred heresy, and the divine was unfathomable.


    She couldn¡¯t believe that those nearly blasphemous thoughts had originated in her own mind¨Cbeginning to question the ¡°actions¡± of the divine was almost akin to heresy.


    However, in the next moment, she felt the gentle sound of ocean waves in her ears, the goddess¡¯s gaze and soothing touch emerged as usual, further easing the physical pain accumulated in her body and calming her spirit.


    Even here in the grand cathedral, even with such unsettling thoughts, the goddess remained unchanged¡­ Was it because the gods were ignorant, or because the gods did not care?


    ¡°¡­Are you sure you don¡¯t need to rest?¡± Valentin¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside her, interrupting Fenna¡¯s distraction once again; the elderly Judge looked worriedly at the young Judge beside him, as she had never been seen lost in front of the goddess so continuously before, ¡°You look distracted¡­ Physical wounds are easy to heal, but mental fatigue is troublesome.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Fenna hesitated, ¡°I might indeed be a bit tired.¡±


    ¡°Then go rest. I will handle the rest,¡± Valentin immediately said, quickly adding before she could say anything else, ¡°I just received the news that Mr. Dante has safely returned home. I think¡­ your family needs you now, and you need them too.¡±


    ¡°Uncle¡­¡± Fenna paused, the memory of parting with her uncle surfacing in her mind, a strange feeling touching her emotions, finally dispelling her last resistance, ¡°Alright, then I will leave first, and leave this place to you.¡±


    ¡°Go in peace,¡± Valentin nodded lightly, ¡°May the Storm protect you.¡±


    wuxiaworld.site wuxiaworld.site.co


    ¡°¡­May the Storm protect,¡± Fenna said softly.


    A deep grey steam car drove out of the church square, first heading towards the direction of the Governor¡¯s mansion.


    Fenna sat in the passenger seat, and Heidi, who had just finished being questioned in the church, was driving.


    ¡°Thanks, sorry to trouble you with giving me a ride,¡± Fenna said quietly to her friend as she watched the scenery recede through the car window, ¡°You could have left earlier.¡±


    ¡°No need to be formal with me,¡± Heidi gripped the steering wheel, observing the road conditions while casually speaking, ¡°And I couldn¡¯t have left earlier anyway. That young Monk asked me a bunch of questions, and then made me burn incense for a long time¨C¡®necessary safety measures.¡¯ It was almost evening by the time it ended.¡±


    Fenna looked out the window, seeing the City-State Guards and wardens patrolling, citizens shaken by fright quickly crossing the streets, and some who seemed to have just left the shelters asking passersby for updates. Occasionally, a constable with a megaphone stood at the intersections informing the nearby public about the latest situation¨Cthe content being about the City-State suffering supernatural disturbances, the danger being neutralized, and the declaration of a Level 3 curfew for the night.


    The City-State, like recovering from a severe illness, still showed chaotic order, but even such a chaotic, tense scene filled Fenna with an indescribable sense of relief and¡­ warmth.


    Fear and tension are proofs of life; only those who survived the disaster had the right to be anxious at this moment¨Cand the next day¡¯s sunrise would be the best consolation for the City-State.


    ¡°Are you okay? You look so drained,¡± Heidi, even while driving, noticed Fenna¡¯s exhaustion and haziness, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you so out of spirit¨Calmost like you were forged from a piece of steel.¡±


    ¡°¡­What if I told you, during the time when the fire rained down, I fought through the entire City-State by myself, would you believe me?¡± Fenna glanced at her friend, already feeling more relaxed after leaving with Heidi, ¡°I¡¯m about dead tired.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I believe it, it¡¯s you after all. You could say you¡¯re back from battling in the Subspace, and I¡¯d believe it,¡± Heidi responded without changing her expression, confidently nodding her head, then suddenly giving Fenna a thorough once-over, ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so out of it¡­¡±


    Fenna felt uncomfortable under her friend¡¯s scrutinizing gaze: ¡°Your¡­ your gaze feels weird.¡±


    ¡°I just had a sudden idea,¡± Heidi said seriously, ¡°Why don¡¯t you make a trip to the Marriage Aid Center now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re rarely this weak, there might actually be someone you can¡¯t beat now, and it wouldn¡¯t violate your second vow from back then¨Cevery battle fought with all your might,¡± Heidi¡¯s thoughts seemed to soar freely, completely disregarding Fenna¡¯s increasingly twisted expression, ¡°Otherwise, once you go home and get some sleep, you¡¯ll be invincible again, and the Marriage Aid Center will have to keep sending people to the hospital¡­¡±


    Fenna clenched her fist slightly.


    The crackling sound of the air made Heidi abruptly fall silent.


    It quieted down for two seconds before Heidi murmured again, ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy, just say you¡¯re unhappy. Since we were kids, you¡¯ve been threatening me, and you even took my lunches¡­¡±


    The car then fell silent. After a few seconds of silence, Fenna suddenly spoke in a soft voice, ¡°Thank you, I feel much calmer now.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am, after all, the finest psychiatrist in Prand¨C and you really do need a good state of mind to face Mr. Dante,¡± Heidi revealed a smile as if her plan had succeeded. Then, under her control, the car smoothly came to a stop. ¡°You¡¯re home now, my invincible knight miss¨C perk up, we¡¯ve all gotten our lives back today.¡±


    We¡¯ve gotten our lives back¡­


    Heidi had merely said it casually, but Fenna couldn¡¯t help but think of a phrase often spoken by the followers of the Death Cult¨C


    Survival is not an inherent right, but an item paid for in advance.


    Fenna lowered her eyelids, took a gentle breath, thanked her friend, and said goodbye before getting out of the car and walking towards her nearby home.


    Heidi remained quietly in the car, watching Fenna¡¯s retreating figure. After a while, she started the car, turned it around, and headed towards her own home.


    Is Father safe now? If he is, then¡­ what is he doing at this moment?


    ¡­


    Outside the cabin, lightning flashed and thunder roared as the storm abruptly intensified. The fierce wind whipped up giant waves that repeatedly battered the towering hull of the Homeloss. Beneath the deep, dark sea surface, it seemed as if some indescribable sea monster had been enraged, unleashing its towering malice upon the world.


    Through the porthole, one could see a giant, engulfed in blazing flames, standing at the bow. Burning chains extended into the sea, and a huge creature with numerous tentacles, nearly as big as the Homeloss, was wildly thrashing below the surface. It continuously thrust out its manifold fanged and eyed tentacles above the water, climbing up the hull, seemingly trying to break free from the chains or to drive the Homeloss away from this sea area.


    Inside the cabin, the lamp oil burned brightly but couldn¡¯t dispel the tension and fear. Sherry was trembling in fear, holding onto a dog while listening to the noises outside. The dog was stretching its neck to avoid being strangled and asked Alice in a frightened tone, ¡°Are you¨Care you sure the captain is just fishing?!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alice nodded with certainty and indifference, her expression suggesting a bit of ¡°you city-state people are always overreacting.¡± ¡°Fishing is the captain¡¯s favorite hobby!¡±


    ¡°I finally understand why you reacted that way every time Duncan¡¯s fish were mentioned¡­¡± Sherry, now realizing something, said with a gloomy face to the dog, ¡°I¨Cif I had known when I was eating them¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence when Morris, sitting across with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes. The old man looked terrified at the girl across from him, ¡°You¡­ have eaten the ¡®fish¡¯ Mr. Duncan caught?¡±


    ¡°How would I know?!¡± Sherry was about to cry, turning her head towards Nina, ¡°You¨Cyou never told me that¡¯s how your uncle gets his fish¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know either,¡± Nina shook her head, but her expression wasn¡¯t as exaggerated as the others, rather, it seemed a bit¡­ excited. She leaned over the table, peering through the porthole at the scene on the deck, and those emerging tentacles didn¡¯t make her feel scared, just very intrigued, ¡°You all say¡­ how do those things turn into fish at the end?¡±


    To be fair, Nina¡¯s behavior now was no different from when she was in the city-state¨C cheerful, lively, and sunny as ever. But such behavior, maintained even in the ¡°fishing scene¡± of the Homeloss, was kind of scary, and it was under such circumstances that Sherry seemed to finally realize Nina¡¯s incredible nature, ¡°¡­ you and your uncle are too terrifying, really¡­¡±


    Nina scratched her head, looking slightly puzzled, ¡°Really? I think it¡¯s quite alright¡­¡±


    As they were talking, Alice suddenly stood up and walked outside.


    Sherry immediately became nervous, ¡°Ah, what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°To prepare dinner,¡± Alice said matter-of-factly, ¡°the captain is about to secure the big fish.¡±


    Alice left, leaving a few mismatched ¡°visitors¡± who had boarded the ship staring at each other in the cabin.


    ¡°I¨CI want to go home¡­¡± Sherry clung tightly to the dog, looking like she was about to cry.


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    The dog¡¯s eyes flickered red as it said faintly, ¡°You¡¯re choking me¡­¡±


    Morris suddenly sighed.


    Seeing this, Nina quickly asked, ¡°Why are you sighing, teacher?¡±


    ¡°I think I can write a book when I get back,¡± Morris thought for a moment and spread his hands, ¡°I¡¯m just worried my daughter will think I¡¯ve gone mad¡­¡±


    Nina: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter 219 "The New Crew Members

    Chapter 215: Chapter 219 ¡°The New Crew Members


    Duncan returned to the cabin with a bountiful catch.


    With a heavy thud, he threw a massive fish, almost as tall as an adult, onto the floor, and a few smaller, uglier ones followed with a clatter beside the big one.


    ¡°These fish sure put up a strong fight today, but luckily, I still had the upper hand in strength,¡± Duncan spoke with a proud and happy tone, as he lifted his hand to wipe his forehead¨Cthough he hadn¡¯t actually broken a sweat. But as a fisherman coming back to show off his haul, wiping his forehead was the most basic respect to offer his catch, ¡°Come take a look, this is quite the specialty from the depths of the Endless Sea. Ugly, sure, but the taste is actually quite¡­ Why are you all making those faces?¡±


    Duncan finally shifted his gaze away from his catch and looked up, only to spot Sherry, Morris, and A-Gou all huddled far away in the cabin. Aside from A-Gou¡¯s unfathomable expression, Morris and Sherry¡¯s complexions clearly looked off.


    Only Nina ran over as usual to greet him, ¡°Uncle Duncan!¡±


    Then, she curiously examined the fishes that had been tossed onto the floor.


    They were really fishes, although very ugly¨Cbut indeed the same kind that Uncle Duncan used to bring home.


    ¡°They¡¯re so ugly¡­¡± Nina exclaimed in amazement, ¡°Is this what they look like before they turn into dried fish? And how did they transform into this¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do they all look like that?¡± Duncan asked, looking across the cabin at Sherry and Morris, who resembled people who had seen a ghost, unable to restrain his curiosity.


    ¡°They were scared by the noise you made while fishing, Uncle,¡± Nina promptly answered, and after what seemed like a moment of thought, an embarrassed expression also appeared on her face, ¡°Actually, I was startled too¡­ The noise you made while fishing was really quite loud¡­¡±


    ¡°Was the noise I made fishing that loud?¡± Duncan asked with a puzzled frown, as if he sensed something amiss, and looked up at Morris sitting in the distance, ¡°Did something happen just now?¡±


    It was then that Morris carefully got up from his chair and cautiously approached the ugly fish, scrutinizing them over and over to confirm they really had turned into fish. After that, he spoke hesitantly, ¡°Mr. Duncan, do you¡­ have a bad relationship with the deep-sea offspring? So much so that you twisted them into this shape¡­¡±


    Duncan was momentarily stunned, finally realizing what this persistent sense of dissonance was all about. He slowly turned his head toward Nina and began thoughtfully, ¡°¡­From your perspective, what I caught are not fish?¡±


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    ¡°They are now, but they weren¡¯t before,¡± Nina stuck out her tongue and whispered in reply, ¡°Just now we saw you struggling with something huge¡­ it looked¡­ like this¡­¡±


    Nina stretched her arms wide, trying to gesture the enormity of the sea creature that would not typically exist in the realm of human comprehension. Then she continued to describe the scene she had witnessed on deck, and while she did, Duncan¡¯s expression turned serious, and he fell deep into thought.


    ¡°It was about like that,¡± Nina finished her account, turning her head again to glance at the strange fish, her voice carrying an air of disbelief, ¡°But we never imagined that thing would actually turn into¡­ fish.¡±


    Duncan then fell silent for a long time before he softly muttered with reflection, ¡°That sounds like it could be a huge octopus¡­¡±


    Sherry, who had been silently lurking on the sidelines, finally mustered the courage to edge closer and, hearing his words, couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity, ¡°An octopus? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually edible,¡± Duncan explained, ¡°It looks scary, but it tastes okay.¡±


    At his words, the expressions on Sherry and Morris¡¯s faces turned entertaining once again.


    But Duncan paid no heed to their reactions at that moment; he just looked at his catch, lost in thought.


    The ¡°fish¡± he had caught¡­ hadn¡¯t started out as fish.


    The deep-sea offspring, the terrible ¡°monsters¡± of the Endless Sea that struck terror into the hearts of captains and sailors¨Conly after he had ¡°fished¡± them out did they turn into fish.


    Why had this transformation occurred?


    Duncan first felt surprised and confused, but eventually, these feelings coalesced into a more fundamental question:


    Could this fish still be eaten?


    Duncan was a bit torn for a moment, but after several seconds, he came to a conclusion¨Che had eaten them before, and apart from being ugly, the fish tasted quite good.


    This was the Endless Sea, where countless strange things happened. Compared to the truly indescribable terrors of the sea, what was so surprising about sea monsters turning into ugly fish once on land? Although ¡°deep-sea offspring¡± sounded intimidating, if you thought about it, weren¡¯t they just a type of sea monster? Throughout human civilization, how many creatures once considered terrifying beasts ended up on the dining table?


    Duncan figured the essence of the whole matter was simply that one type of ingredient on the Homeloss had turned into another¡­


    The phrase ¡°I¡¯ve eaten it before¡± dispelled all the doubts and concerns in Duncan¡¯s mind. He decided not to worry about it and regarded it as uncovering the secret behind the delicious taste of an ingredient¨C and if there were any real concerns, Eli could simply cook it a bit longer later.


    Sherry and Morris watched as the expression on Duncan¡¯s face brightened again, hearing his decision, ¡°No use thinking about it too much, I¡¯ll take these fish to the kitchen first.¡±


    Sherry could no longer afford to be cautious at this point, ¡°We¡¯re really going to eat this?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve eaten it before,¡± Duncan looked at the girl with a strange expression, ¡°didn¡¯t you find it quite delicious last time?¡±


    Sherry: ¡°¡­¡±


    Regardless of what the visitors felt, Homeloss¡¯s special dinner was ultimately served at the table.


    And for Duncan, today was destined to be a special day.


    After being desolate for so long, Homeloss finally ushered in what could arguably be called a ¡°lively¡± day, with the restaurant in the mid-deck cabin, long closed, being reopened. The bright whale oil lamps dispelled the gloom of the cabin, the long table was wiped until it shone, and on it was the most sumptuous meal the ship could offer now¨C


    Freshly roasted bread, vegetable soup, pea stewed meat, jam and mashed potatoes, two kinds of low-alcohol drinks and one strong liquor, and fish.


    Of course, there were also Ai Yi¡¯s French fries and ketchup.


    Duncan sat at one end of the long table, with Nina next to him, and Alice, who had come to make up the numbers, on the other side, while Sherry, A-Gou, Morris, and Ai Yi sat along either side of the long table.


    Honestly, compared to the vast dining room and long table, the few people present hardly qualified as ¡°lively,¡± and strictly speaking, besides Morris, not even a real ¡°ordinary human¡± could be found. Yet even so, this was going to be the most atmospheric meal Duncan had had since coming aboard.


    After all, usually his dining companions were either a goat¡¯s head or Alice; the whole ship couldn¡¯t muster two people who ate human food. With some trouble, there was Ai Yi, but his recipe had nothing but French fries¡­


    For the ¡°visitors¡± who had boarded the ship today, this seemed to also be the most unbelievable and memorable meal of their lives.


    Morris looked at the plate in front of him, the roasted fish carved by Alice¡¯s own hands was placed in the center. After cooking, the offspring¡¯s flesh no longer showed any strange or horrifying elements¨Cit was just like real food, even emitting an inviting aroma.


    Sitting on Homeloss, coexisting with the shadows of Subspace, sharing the flesh of the deep-sea offspring.


    Morris couldn¡¯t help wanting to whisper the name of the God of Wisdom Rahm¨Cbut feared that the deity might really bestow a blessing upon him, causing him to inadvertently see something he shouldn¡¯t.


    The atmosphere around the dining table was somewhat tense, and Duncan noticed this, so he was the first to raise his glass, ¡°First, once again, welcome to all of you¨Calthough the process was somewhat unexpected, you are now all part of Homeloss. Let¡¯s use this drink as a rite of initiation.¡±


    The conflict and tension in his heart quickly gave way, and Morris hurriedly raised his glass to stand up, followed closely by Sherry and Nina, imitating him¨Cthough Duncan soon glanced at the two girls, ¡°You two can just drink juice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost of age!¡± Sherry immediately blurted out without thinking.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll just have a sip,¡± Nina also murmured softly, ¡°fruit wine is fine¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, you two are only allowed a little,¡± Duncan said sternly, ¡°I¡¯ll have Alice keep an eye on you.¡±


    ¡°Hey! All right, Uncle/All right, Mr. Duncan!¡±


    Morris watched the exchange between Sherry, Nina, and Duncan with some astonishment; this strangely grounded scene seemed to relax his tense nerves a little.


    Not just Morris¡¯s nerves relaxed a bit.


    When Nina eagerly took a sip of fruit wine but still choked and coughed repeatedly, the atmosphere in the entire dining room seemed to relax as well.


    Duncan felt it was now time to talk about his plans and arrangements for the future.


    ¡°After dinner, I will arrange for Ai Yi to send you back to the City-State,¡± he surveyed the people around the table with a relaxed and amiable tone, ¡°Mr. Morris, you can go straight home. Sherry, A-Gou, and Nina, you can return to the antique shop.¡±


    Nina, just recovering from the coughing fit caused by the fruit wine, suddenly thought of something when she heard Duncan¡¯s words, ¡°Cough cough¡­ Uncle¡­ cough, and you¡­¡±


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    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be there waiting for you,¡± Duncan smiled, his gaze also falling on Sherry, ¡°It has always been the case¨CI am here, and also in the City-State.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Sherry was slightly stunned, taking a few seconds before suddenly blinking, ¡°I thought¡­ after dealing with Prand¡¯s matter, you would no longer pay attention to that City-State, just¡­ like the story said, the captain continues on with the adventure¡­¡±


    ¡°The captain will certainly continue with the adventure. Homeloss remains sailing the Endless Sea,¡± Duncan looked at Sherry with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, ¡°but the captain is still watching over the civilized world, and the crew of Homeloss¡­ You will return to your familiar land life, but it¡¯s also not ruled out that you¡¯ll reboard the ship when the situation calls for it.¡±


    ¡°¡­ We have to come back?!¡± Sherry was startled, suddenly realizing.


    Nina also came to a realization, ¡°We can come back?!¡±

 Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Chapter 220 "Group

    Chapter 216: Chapter 220 ¡°Group


    Those who encountered the Homeloss would inevitably establish a ¡°connection¡± with Duncan, and from another perspective, Duncan, the ¡°Outsider,¡± indeed needed to build such connections within this world as well¨Conly by mastering as many channels of knowledge and support as possible could he further understand this world, the Transcendent realm, and even¡­ understand himself.


    Morris and others were brought aboard perhaps out of urgency, but even if they hadn¡¯t boarded today, Duncan had plans to expand his ¡°influence¡± in this world, and in his view, the few individuals now gathered on the Homeloss were indeed suitable candidates.


    Morris, an outstanding historian and scholar, a Believer of the Wisdom God, possessed valuable knowledge, which was exactly what Duncan was currently lacking. Moreover, this gentleman also had a certain network and status in the civilized world as a ¡°high-society¡± figure, which could prove very useful when the time was right.


    Sherry and A Dog, a controlled Profound Demon and the Demon Symbiosis Summoner, possessed both combat power and knowledge about the Abstruse Domain and even some Subspace knowledge. This knowledge complemented that of Morris, the ¡°Human Scholar.¡± In addition, this duo had a special sense, able to detect traces left by Transcendent forces at no or minimal cost.


    Nina, the well-behaved and adorable niece.


    Incidentally, the current vessel for the Sun Shard.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze slowly swept over the long table, where the faces around it were tense, restrained, or filled with innocent curiosity.


    They seemed not yet to realize that a very special ¡°team¡± was forming in this dinner, and binding this team together was their current identity:


    The crew members of Homeloss.


    ¡°My previous promise still stands, the identity of being a crew member on Homeloss will not restrict your personal freedom. I don¡¯t need forced loyalty, nor any sacrifices or tributes¨Cnone of that means anything to me,¡± Duncan said slowly, his voice low and the gentle sound of waves emanated from the porthole nearby, ¡°Yet considering the connection that has already been established between us, this connection could perhaps be regarded as the foundation of a¡­ loose team.


    ¡°Frankly, I have been away from the civilized world for many years¨CMorris should be well aware that Homeloss hasn¡¯t had any contact with any City-State in the past century. There are many thrilling and terrifying stories about me and this ship in the civilized world. I admit some basis in fact, for in many years¡­this ship has been out of control.


    ¡°But as you can see, I have reclaimed my humanity and re-stabilized the condition of Homeloss, and now¡­ I am quite interested in the civilized world a century later.¡±


    Duncan spoke unhurriedly; these were thoughts he had pondered deeply while fishing earlier¨Che needed ¡°to recruit crew members,¡± but the ominous background of Homeloss meant the newcomers wouldn¡¯t be in the best state of mind upon joining, hence he needed a rational, gentle, legitimate reason to soothe the newcomers¡¯ emotions. So, the first step was to establish an image of a ¡°reasonable and friendly¡± captain.


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    Homeloss had been out of control, but now the captain had reclaimed his humanity and regained control of the ship, which was the premise for the team¡¯s formation.


    As for whether the newcomers believed it¡­ that was their problem.


    It must be said that fishing indeed was a leisure activity conducive to nurturing the body and mind, and conducive for contemplation¨CDuncan felt he should indeed thank nature¡¯s gifts¡­ or perhaps the thanks could go to the offspring of The Abyss.


    Hearing Duncan¡¯s words, Morris¡¯s face immediately displayed a thoughtful expression. He still couldn¡¯t believe that what he heard was real, and indeed still couldn¡¯t believe that Homeloss was the true appearance of the ship, but recalling Duncan¡¯s consistently friendly attitude, he gradually began to¡­ convince himself.


    At least if this was true, the friendly behavior of the Subspace Shadow would become a little more credible.


    Sherry was still pondering, not fully grasping the situation, while A Dog, seated next to her, had already caught on. The Abyssal Hound boldly glanced at Duncan: ¡°So you mean, you need us¡­ to be your followers, to do some things for you in the world?¡±


    ¡°Only possibly,¡± Duncan replied with a smile, ¡°when I need it. Besides, I don¡¯t think that relationship should be considered as ¡®followers¡¯¨Cyou are crew members, so just calling me Captain will suffice, or you may use the same names as before.¡±


    Sherry and A Dog uttered an understanding ¡°oh,¡± and after a moment¡¯s thought, Morris suddenly spoke up: ¡°How will you contact us then? Ah, of course, I know you have an incarnation in the Plunder City-State, but what I mean is¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand what you mean,¡± Duncan interrupted gently nodding, ¡°If I want to find you, naturally I¡¯ll find you immediately. If you encounter situations that require contacting me, you can just call my name or the name of Homeloss near a smooth mirror, and I can hear you. Additionally, flame can augment my power, so if you¡¯re in danger, you can light a flame after calling my name.¡±


    Morris listened, a complex expression on his face. After all, he was still a Believer of the Wisdom God and yet he was half willingly joining such a ¡°heretical group,¡± even learning knowledge from a Subspace Shadow, which made him somewhat uncomfortable. But what made him even more uncomfortable was¡­ the charm bracelet on his wrist, with its remaining four pebbles, showed no reaction whatsoever at that moment.


    The Lord didn¡¯t see, the Lord didn¡¯t care, the Lord thought what you did was right¨Cwhichever answer it was, it all made the old man¡¯s emotions quite complex.


    Nina¡¯s eyes widened slightly after hearing Duncan¡¯s words, her face even showing a bit of excitement, ¡°That sounds so cool!¡±


    Duncan glanced at her indifferently, ¡°You don¡¯t need any additional flames¡­¡±


    Nina was momentarily puzzled, ¡°Huh? Why?¡±


    Then, before Duncan could answer, she realized and quickly waved her hands, ¡°Oh, oh I get it, I get it, I can¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t transform here!¡± Noticing the air around Nina starting to distort subtly, Duncan quickly interrupted, ¡°Until you can master the power of the Sun Shard, do not attempt to switch your form in enclosed spaces or crowded areas!¡±


    Nina immediately drooped her head, ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Duncan watched as the air around the girl gradually returned to normal and felt the heat dissipate before he let out a soft sigh of relief.


    With the help of this ¡°Usurping Flame,¡± Nina¡¯s Sun Shard had come under control, but evidently, the girl herself had not fully realized the power dormant within her¨Cno matter how mature and sensible, she was only sixteen or seventeen, and for someone of that age, the novelty and rush of first touching Transcendent power was not so easily suppressed.


    There would be an opportunity to let her familiarize herself more with her powers on the open and vast Endless Sea¨Con the one hand to enhance the controllability of the Sun Shard, and on the other to make her realize just how dangerous that stellar-born fire could be.


    ¡°We may add new members in the future,¡± Duncan thought for a bit and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s make gatherings like today a standard procedure for welcoming newcomers. I think it will help to foster relationships among team members.¡±


    Morris subconsciously glanced at his plate in front of him, feeling as if he had glimpsed some reality beneath the warm atmosphere¨C


    Dining under the watch of the Subspace Shadow, sharing the flesh of deep-sea offspring, learning the rituals and incantations to summon Transcendent forces, this¡­


    This whole set-up indeed had a strong sense of deja vu.


    But what could he say? He was now part of this ship, had accepted Mr. Duncan¡¯s protection, and the flesh of the deep-sea offspring, now a key part of this ¡°ritual,¡± lay before him; it was certainly not the time to back out, so he could only accept his delicious fate calmly, just like the pigeon next to him that had been eagerly devouring fries since earlier¡­


    The old man sighed silently in his heart, fully accepting this abrupt turn in his destiny, while also reassuring himself¨Cthat from today onwards, he, like the legendary scholars who had made history, was on a point of no return journey to the Abyss of truth, and there was probably nothing left in the world that could surprise or bewilder him.


    As he was thinking this, he suddenly heard Miss Alice, who had been quiet until now, break the silence¨Cthe beautiful lady had been standing quietly behind Duncan, and only now seemed to realize something, ¡°Ah, Captain, does this mean that from now on I won¡¯t be the only crew member here anymore?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just realizing this?¡± Duncan looked at the doll with a slight tilt of his head, ¡°Of course you won¡¯t be the only crew member here anymore. Moreover, before they leave, you¡¯ll need to teach them the crew rules, just like Goat-head taught you.¡±


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    Alice was momentarily stunned, finally understanding the current situation. She then smiled belatedly, clapping her hands in delight, ¡°That¡¯s great! So from now on I will¡­¡±


    The next second, perhaps due to her excitement, a familiar sound rang by Duncan¡¯s ear, ¡°Boing¨C¡±


    A head still wearing a golden wig dropped beside him and rolled to the center of the table in full view of everyone.


    The table fell silent for a moment, until Sherry¡¯s cries broke the quiet, ¡°Ahhh¨Cher head fell off, her head fell off! Fell, fell off!¡±


    Chaos ensued, with screams from Sherry and Nina, scolding from Ah Dog, and Alice¡¯s stuttering calls for help intermingled with Ai Yi¡¯s loud cooing; Morris watched all this expressionlessly, suddenly feeling like adapting to this ¡°new team¡± was going to take a bit longer¡­

 Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter 221 Reunion

    Chapter 217: Chapter 221 Reunion


    The familiar house stood quietly at the end of the serene street, its first-floor windows emanating bright, warm light.


    The sky had completely darkened, and the streetlights on either side of the road made the surroundings even more tranquil. Heidi slowed down as she neared the last hundred meters to her house, using slow, deep breaths to gradually adjust her emotions.


    She had helped Fenna calm down, but she knew that her own feelings were not as relaxed and detached as she appeared.


    The scene of saying goodbye to her father seemed to have occurred just a moment ago when she had no idea what would happen in the City-State¨Cand it was evident that her father had sensed something at that time.


    It was a belated separation of life and death.


    Her father told her to seek refuge in the cathedral while he went to that antique shop in the Lower City District¡­ But why did he go to that antique shop?


    A thread of doubt suddenly surfaced in Heidi¡¯s heart. However, she quickly set the doubt aside for the moment¨Cthe lights in the hall were on, waiting for her.


    The deep-gray car smoothly entered the courtyard. Heidi pushed open the front door, took a few steps inside, and stopped in surprise.


    It was not her father, who theoretically should have been home by now, waiting for her in the house. It was her mother¨Cwrapped in a woolen shawl with dark blue stripes, sitting in the high-backed chair by the dining table, wearing delicate glasses, intently reading the newspaper. There was a tall stack of old newspapers beside her, seemingly moved out from her father¡¯s study.


    Heidi stood frozen at the entrance to the dining room, not coming to her senses for a moment.


    She couldn¡¯t remember how long it had been since her mother had walked out of that bedroom¨Cit seemed that for all these years, the image of her mother was always confined to that dimly lit bedroom, and the seat by the dining table was perpetually empty. Her father said it was meant for her mother, but it had never been filled.


    Heidi always found this odd, but after so many years, she had gotten used to her mother not leaving the room, until now¡­ Seeing her mother sitting in that chair, she felt an almost otherworldly sense of unreality.


    Heidi subconsciously took a couple of steps forward, and the sound of her footfalls finally drew the attention of the elderly woman at the table who lifted her head and immediately smiled upon seeing her daughter, ¡°Ah, Heidi, you¡¯re back.¡±


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    ¡°I¡­¡± Heidi opened her mouth, finding herself at a loss for words with her mother. Although she visited her parents¡¯ bedroom daily to greet them, the feeling now was as though she and her mother hadn¡¯t seen each other for over a decade, ¡°I got held up at the cathedral for a while. How¡­ How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well, just sitting here,¡± her mother replied cheerfully, with a glimmer in her eyes that Heidi couldn¡¯t quite understand. She rose from the chair and slowly approached her daughter, staring at Heidi¡¯s face in a trance, then reached out to touch her hair, ¡°Let me take a good look at you¡­ It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve really seen you¡­¡±


    ¡°We see each other every day though,¡± Heidi replied instinctively, then looked at the elderly woman with concern, ¡°Why have you come out of the bedroom? Are you feeling better today?¡±


    Her mother smiled as if speaking to herself or to her daughter, ¡°I¡¯m better now, all better¡­ By the way, how come Morris isn¡¯t back yet?¡±


    ¡°Father isn¡¯t home yet?¡± Heidi was startled and growing quietly anxious, ¡°He should have arrived home before me. His location was closer than the cathedral, and he didn¡¯t get held up like me¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe his car broke down on the way,¡± her mother suggested slowly, ¡°His driving has never been commendable. Come, let¡¯s wait for him together.¡±


    Heidi hesitated, then nodded, following her mother back to the side of the dining table. Then she noticed the lavish meal¨Cthe dishes were not the usual ones prepared by the temporary maid they hired.


    ¡°Did you make this?¡± Heidi looked up in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve cooked.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve cooked. I couldn¡¯t even find where the ingredients were kept. I had to ask that maid to help me find them, and I don¡¯t know how it tastes,¡± her mother said with a faint smile, ¡°Fortunately, I still remembered the general process.¡±


    Listening, Heidi gazed at the food on the table and was about to taste a forkful when she heard her mother¡¯s voice come from beside her, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for your father to come home before we start eating.¡±


    Heidi¡¯s motion halted.


    She hadn¡¯t heard that phrase for many years.


    Just then, a faint rustling sound suddenly came from near the entrance. It sounded like some large bird flapping its wings mixed with light crackling noises. Heidi was about to inquire about the sound when she heard the jingling of keys and the turning of a doorknob. She saw the front door opening not far away.


    Father had returned.


    Morris stood dazedly in the doorway, still dizzy from having been Transitioned directly from the Homeloss by Ai Yi. The swirling confusion of his senses left him befuddled to the point that for a long stretch of ten seconds or more, he believed he was hallucinating.


    He saw his wife sitting at the dining table, waiting for him to come home for dinner.


    Then, he realized it was not an illusion.


    The ¡°miracle¡± he had prayed for from Subspace eleven years ago had finally been solidified on this side of the veil after the intertwining of flames and history¨Cit was a realization of a wish he had not dared to dream of.


    Standing like a sculpture for what felt like an eternity, Morris finally began to move forward, with his pace quickening with each step.


    On the Homeloss, sharing the flesh of the children of the Deep Sea Church with his kinfolk, listening to the knowledge of the Subspace¡¯s shadows, becoming a member of the secret society¡­ These burdens that had weighed heavily on his heart felt as if they had suddenly lifted. And it seemed now he glimpsed the most reasonable interpretation¨C


    Every miracle¡¯s realization required a price to be paid, and now, that cost had settled upon him in the gentlest, most affectionate way possible.


    It was time to accept it willingly.


    His wife stood up from the dining table, and Morris embraced her tightly.


    ¡°I finally see you¡­¡± the old scholar¡¯s voice was low, as if afraid that Heidi, who was nearby, might hear, and equally afraid that his wife in front of him might not, ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, the child is watching¨Cthere¡¯s plenty of time for you to explain to me what exactly happened, no need to rush now.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­oh, you¡¯re right, you¡¯re right.¡±


    Morris responded somewhat frantically, releasing his wife and turning his head, only to see Heidi looking over with a surprised expression.


    ¡°Ahem¡­I¡¯m late coming back, on the way¡­ the car broke down, need to find someone to tow it back tomorrow,¡± Morris explained awkwardly for a moment before quickly changing the subject, ¡°Are you okay? Is everything alright at the cathedral¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides being quite startled and utterly confused, I am, like everyone else, without a scratch,¡± Heidi answered, taking another good look at her father, ¡°But you¡­ Why do I feel like something¡¯s off about you? Did something happen on your way back?¡±


    ¡°What could possibly happen to me?¡± Morris immediately said, as if dreading that Heidi might steer the conversation toward his recent whereabouts. And then, he noticed the sumptuous dishes on the dining table.


    A complex expression appeared on the old scholar¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡­had already eaten before coming back,¡± he hesitated, ¡°On the ship¡­ I dined at Mr. Duncan¡¯s.¡±


    Ugly and terrifying ¡°fish¡± swam into his mind.


    At the ¡°Subspace Banquet,¡± like the bizarre Abyssal Hound, he was extremely nervous about the fish, but under Mr. Duncan¡¯s watch, he still steeled himself and ate the flesh of the Deep Sea offspring¨Che couldn¡¯t remember much about what happened afterward.


    All he remembered was that it was delicious.


    Now he couldn¡¯t swallow a single bite.


    However, at that moment his wife¡¯s voice came from alongside, ¡°I made this with my own hands.¡±


    ¡°Mother hasn¡¯t cooked for many years,¡± Heidi also chimed in, ¡°She felt a bit better today, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat a little.¡± Upon hearing this, Morris did not wait for his daughter to finish speaking before he sat down beside the dining table, immediately picking up the soup bowl and gulping it down.


    ¡°How does it taste?¡± his wife asked expectantly.


    ¡°A bit¡­salty,¡± Morris said hesitatingly, but then he picked up the bowl again and took a few more hearty gulps, smiling as he swallowed, ¡°Salty, too salty¡­your cooking is always so salty¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then don¡¯t eat it!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t good¡­¡±


    ¡°Then eat quietly¨Cwhy so much talk at the table?¡±


    Heidi lifted her head to look at her father and then at her mother.


    It had been many years since she had heard such a conversation¨Cand after all these years, it seemed as though nothing had changed.


    So, she began to smile, bowed her head, and cut a piece of pan-fried steak to put in her mouth.


    Indeed, it was a bit salty.


    ¡­


    The uncle had already gone to sleep, soundly¨Che seemed to have not had a good sleep in a very long time, to the point of dozing off halfway through their conversation.


    Fenna slowly walked towards her bedroom.


    She had already changed into home clothes and simply tied her hair into a ponytail. After discarding her scar-ridden armor and laying down her greatsword, the battle-weary Judge seemed to shed her ferocious aura, becoming a young girl who, like anyone else, had her own life full of joys and sorrows.


    At home, she did not hide her feelings and worries, so the uncle clearly noticed that she was heavily preoccupied. Yet, during their recent conversation, he had not asked any questions.


    The two also tacitly avoided discussing the matter of the ¡°Subspace Blessing.¡±


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    It was clear that her uncle did not want to add to her burdens.


    But Fenna herself knew that the burden in her heart was not just about the so-called ¡°Subspace Blessing¡±; it wasn¡¯t even related to her own life or death.


    She returned to her bedroom, closed the door, approached the vanity, and took out the ceremonial dagger with intricate decorations from the drawer.


    It was a Sacred Relic of the Deep Sea Church and a gift personally blessed and presented to her by Bishop Valentin after her baptism.


    This Sacred Relic symbolized the beginning of her faith in the Storm Goddess Gomona.

 Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 222: Wavering

    Chapter 218: Chapter 222: Wavering


    As always, Fenna calmed her spirit and silently recited the sacred passages from ¡°The Storm Codex.¡± Then she took a partially burnt carved wax candle from the drawer beside her, placed it by her side, and lit the candlestick.


    A bright, tiny flame danced on the top of the candle, and a calming fragrance slowly diffused as the essential oil evaporated. Fenna took a gentle breath, then without hesitation, she drew the dagger across her arm.


    Blood seeped into the fine lines of the dagger as if absorbed by it, and a brief pain shot through her arm¨Ca pain that didn¡¯t even last a few seconds before it turned into a faint itchiness of the wound healing.


    Fenna could even hear the faint sounds of cells regenerating and blood clotting; she watched as the cut on her arm rapidly healed, and the gentle sound of the waves seemed to come faintly from her ears.


    She looked at the ritual dagger in her hand and, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, placed it above the burning candlestick, letting the flame lick the tip of the blade.


    ¡°Please listen, Sovereign of the Storm, Gospel of the Deep, Maiden of the Calm Sea; please listen, your follower needs guidance¡­¡±


    The flame crackled, the blood on the dagger ignited in the blink of an eye, and became a misty glow floating above the blade.


    This was the sign that the channel had been established.


    A saint, using blood as a lure, following a particular format of prayer, adhering to a special ritual process, could establish a more robust, more direct channel of communication between themselves and the deity than the prayers of ordinary priests. This unique power and ¡°grace¡± were what set ¡°saints¡± apart from other clerical figures.


    And as for how stable and direct this special ¡°channel¡± was¡­


    In some ways, it could even be considered a direct conversation with a god.


    Soft wave sounds began to rise, becoming increasingly vivid as if echoing directly in her mind. Fenna felt the air around her growing moist, and even the scent of brine seemed to waft into her nostrils; then, suddenly, she felt a wave of dizziness, and the scene before her changed.


    The familiar bedroom disappeared, and she was surrounded by endless, gently surging azure seawater. There was a faint blue light undulating in the depths of the waters, as if thousands of mystical light sources hid in the deep sea. Fenna felt as if she were situated in the heart of a vast, profound ocean, and amid the sparkling reflections before her eyes, a vague image began to emerge.


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    It seemed to be a woman wearing a long dress, and behind her, vast hazy shadows spread in all directions. The woman¡¯s face was hidden behind a veil, and her shadows intertwined behind her, like countless chains wrapped together, sketching out a form far more massive, far beyond human comprehension. And that figure in the long dress was just a small part of that enormous body¨Cthe small part that humans could comprehend.


    Fenna took a deep breath, steadying her heartbeat.


    It wasn¡¯t unusual for a saint to catch a glimpse of the Storm Goddess Gomona¡¯s phantom or avatar during special rituals, but considering her doubts and nearly heretical thoughts earlier that day, Fenna couldn¡¯t help but feel tense.


    The mysterious and hazy shadow seemed to come a bit closer. ¡°She¡± did not speak, but Fenna felt a ¡°thought¡± directly emerging in her own mind.


    The goddess¡¯s phantom was signaling for her to speak.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Fenna hesitated slightly, finally as if she had made up her mind, she said directly, ¡°I have survived till today because of Subspace. Why did You still choose me as a saint and bestow Your blessings?¡±


    The shadowy figure remained motionless. Fenna didn¡¯t dare to urge an answer, knowing well that what she saw was only a projection, but one that was indeed connected directly to Gomona. And the question she just raised was a great risk¨C


    It went beyond the duties of a Believer, but she genuinely wanted to know the answer.


    She waited anxiously, unsure how long had passed, when suddenly, a thought seemed to implant itself directly into her mind¨C


    ¡°¡­there is no difference¡­¡±


    ¡°There is no difference?¡± Fenna was startled; the answer was more enigmatic than the most cryptic prophecies and revelations, and she instinctively felt there must be other ¡°context¡± that she was failing to understand, which made her question further, ¡°What has no difference? I don¡¯t understand, You chose me knowing that I had been blessed by Subspace¡­¡±


    However, before Fenna could finish her questions, the illusion of the deep sea around her began to violently surge, and the soft, bright glow in the depths of the sea dimmed and faded one by one. The goddess¡¯s phantom was on the verge of collapse. Fenna felt as if she was being ¡°pushed¡± out of the channel, and before the connection completely broke, she only faintly perceived a few words:


    ¡°¡­time is limited¡­ approaching¡­ critical¡­¡±


    The connection was completely severed.


    Fenna felt as though she was rudely thrown back into the real world. Her heart pounded violently, and a sensation bordering on suffocation made her subconsciously gasp for air. She looked around, only to see that all illusions had dissipated, and the dagger, which she didn¡¯t realize when had dropped, lay on the table. The only constant was the carved candle, which still burned quietly, its flame flickering restlessly.


    Time passed, and finally, Fenna¡¯s gaze moved away from the candle. She picked up the fallen dagger and slowly placed it back in the drawer.


    In her mind, she circled the scant information that had surfaced during that brief communication.


    ¡°There is no difference,¡± and ¡°Time is limited, critical point approaching.¡±


    She still couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of the former, while the latter seemed to carry a more explicit message but only confused her more.


    Was the goddess telling her that something was about to happen? Was she warning her that the time to prepare for something was limited? What did ¡®critical¡¯ mean? What was approaching its critical point? Another crisis? Another disaster of the level of a reality invasion?


    Was it connected to the recent crisis that Prand had just gone through?


    Fenna¡¯s thoughts were in disarray, and the prayer this time did not calm her. Instead, she felt even more unsettled than during the day.


    But suddenly, a strange color emerged at the corner of her eye, bringing her chaotic thoughts to an abrupt halt.


    The flame dancing atop the carved candle had, for some reason, taken on a faint green hue.


    The next second, she sharply turned her head to look at the dresser in front of her, at the oval-shaped mirror.


    Captain Duncan¡¯s figure appeared in the mirror, calmly watching over her.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    That gloomy and commanding figure spoke, the question quite abrupt.


    ¡°Is it you?¡± Fenna stood up abruptly, and then as if it struck her, ¡°Did you disrupt my ritual just now?¡±


    ¡°Ritual? I think you¡¯re mistaken,¡± Duncan shook his head in the mirror, speaking quite earnestly, ¡°I just suddenly sensed that your aura was extremely chaotic. I thought there might still be some formidable enemy left in Prand, so I came to check¡­ But it seems I was mistaken.¡±


    Sensed chaos in her aura¡­ So came to check?


    Fenna was full of question marks, slightly doubting whether she had heard correctly, but then she quickly remembered the first time she had seen him in the mirror and instinctively exhibited a wary demeanor, ¡°Did you pull me into a dreamscape again?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still in the real world, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Duncan answered casually, ¡°So I strongly suggest you don¡¯t try a leaping chop like last time ¡ª you¡¯ll really make a mess of your room.¡±


    ¡°¡­I am not some brute who only knows how to leap and chop,¡± Fenna suddenly felt tired communicating with the ghost captain, whose words and actions always surpassed what was recorded about him. In these unexpected exchanges, she found herself inadvertently lowering her guard, ¡°Besides ¡®coming to check,¡¯ what else do you intend to do? I thought¡­ that you had completely left.¡±


    Duncan in the mirror frowned slightly, seemingly a bit troubled by the overly guarded and hostile demeanor of the young Judge, ¡°You might as well relax a bit, and perhaps be a little more polite. I indeed have left, but spatial-temporal distances don¡¯t mean much to me, besides ¡ª regardless, I just protected your City-State. Don¡¯t you think the least you could do is thank me?¡±


    Fenna stared intently at the ghost captain in the mirror and after a few seconds, she stepped forward and actually bowed her head, ¡°I¡¯m very grateful for your assistance. At least in this matter, Prand is under your Grace.¡±


    This candid appreciation seemed to catch Duncan off guard. He had assumed this girl was as stubborn as stone, and this unexpected gesture left him somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s no need to be so formal, I only mentioned it in passing.¡±


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    ¡°Our positions may differ, but the act of sheltering Prand cannot be denied,¡± Fenna lifted her head, serious, ¡°Today, countless people survived a catastrophe. Setting aside my role as a Judge, I ought to thank you.¡±


    With that, she paused, then stiffened her expression and continued, ¡°However, this does not mean that I have lowered my vigilance toward you and the Homeloss. We still cannot be certain of your intentions towards the civilized world¡­ At least until we are sure of that, I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I get your point,¡± Duncan cut off Fenna¡¯s words. He looked at the young Judge with a smirk that was almost a smile. Her words and demeanor could hardly be described as polite, yet her excessively candid nature was not entirely disagreeable, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else¡­ It seems you¡¯re in trouble?¡±


    Fenna met Duncan¡¯s gaze, and after a few seconds, she took a gentle breath, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s none of your concern.¡±


    ¡°¡­Irrelevant, but I¡¯m curious,¡± Duncan spoke indifferently, ¡°Whether you¡¯re willing to admit it or not, you can¡¯t dispel the mark I¡¯ve left on you. Fenna, I can sense your current distress ¡ª maybe I can help you.¡±

 Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter 223: Deepening Understanding

    Chapter 219: Chapter 223: Deepening Understanding


    Fair to say, Duncan was truly sincere at this time¨Che greatly admired the tenacity and straightforwardness of this Judge. He appreciated her performance in the disaster, and even without this esteem, he deeply valued Fenna as a special ¡°node.¡±


    If not for a sufficient coincidence, placing such a ¡°node¡± among the church¡¯s top hierarchy wouldn¡¯t have been easy, and to establish even the most basic ¡°acquaintance¡± would have been even more difficult.


    Fenna was incredibly straightforward, and this straightforwardness ensured she would not deny Duncan¡¯s credit in sheltering Plunder City-State, deciding that even if personally inconvenienced, she would treat this ¡°great favor¡± fairly.


    However, Duncan¡¯s sincerity might come off as rather frightening to others.


    A connection like a curse that cannot be severed, a Subspace Shadow that could invade one¡¯s thoughts at any time, a powerful, transcendent existence capable of altering history with unclear intentions¨Cit was only Fenna¡¯s resolve that kept her steady; anyone else might¡¯ve failed their sanity checks multiple rounds ago.


    Fenna steadied her mind and met Duncan¡¯s gaze unwaveringly, still full of vigilance. Rationally, she dared not believe every word said by this ¡°Ghost Ship Captain.¡± Even though he indeed sheltered Plunder, his act of protection might hide a more terrifying plot¨Cafter all, such schemes were not uncommon in history. But emotionally¡­


    Her emotions urged her not to trust her rationality too much.


    ¡°¡­What exactly do you want?¡± Fenna breathed in softly, once again expressing skepticism, but this time, there was not just pure defiance and caution in her question, but also seriousness¨Cshe wanted to have a genuine conversation with this legendary captain, hear what he had to say, even if not as friends, then temporarily not as enemies.


    And after she spoke, she paused, then quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t mention ¡®getting some fries¡¯ again¡­ I want to hear something serious.¡±


    ¡°¡­Actually, ¡®getting some fries¡¯ is serious,¡± Duncan said with a helpless look, ¡°if possible, along with a lot of ketchup.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°I am improving the food aboard my ship, isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Duncan suddenly laughed, Fenna¡¯s reactions had not exceeded his expectations. Then he seemed to sit on something in the mirror, continuing in a very relaxed posture, ¡°Fenna, what do you think a captain like me does normally?¡±


    ¡°What do you do normally?¡± Fenna was startled, not noticing that the conversation had shifted from a tense atmosphere to a more tranquil one. After the figure in the mirror sat down, the subsequent conversation seemed like casual chat between friends, ¡°I¡­ never thought about it¡­¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s it, you haven¡¯t thought about it, and nobody does, because a fearsome Ghost Ship Captain only needs to be ¡®fearsome.¡¯ I am supposed to be plotting world-overturning conspiracies 24/7, to fit the character¨C but in reality?¡±


    Duncan said, spreading his hands.


    ¡°I have an incredibly large ship to manage, and there are plenty of troublesome people on it. My ¡®crew¡¯ frequently causes chaos, making a mess on the deck. Homeloss¡¯s food is another headache, but an even greater problem is providing hot water; I have been considering installing a boiler system on the ship, do you have any recommendations?¡±


    ¡°I am not well-versed in boilers¡­ wait, that¡¯s not the point,¡± Fenna responded instinctively, halfway through her reply when she realized something was amiss, her eyes widened as she looked at the Ghost Ship Captain in the mirror with a bitingly sarcastic smile, feeling as though his smile was mocking and¡­ teasing her, ¡°Why are you suddenly telling me this? And¡­ err¡­ are you serious?¡±


    Duncan adjusted his position, looking into Fenna¡¯s eyes as his expression became more serious, ¡°Fenna, have you noticed¨CI am not as frightening as you imagined. Unknown is the source of fear, but now, you have some understanding of me.¡±


    Fenna was silent for a moment, completely unable to follow the captain¡¯s pace, and at a loss for words.


    But after a brief silence, she exhaled softly, trying to change the subject, ¡°¡­You took away the Sun Shard, thereby removing another major hazard within the Plunder City-State, for which I should express my gratitude.¡±


    The corner of Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, ¡°¡­A mere trifle, I have a hobby of collecting.¡±


    But what he actually wanted to say was that he had already returned the Sun Shard to Plunder¨Calthough Nina was initially excited to spend the night on the ship, she later realized she was not comfortable sleeping anywhere but her own bed¡­


    Duncan feared that if he spoke these words, he might be met with a leap and a slash¡­


    Unaware of the brief change in his expression, Fenna just nodded lightly and continued, ¡°Now the order within the City-State is gradually being restored, the contamination left by the Doomsday Preachers has completely dissipated, and those Black Sun Heretics summoning have¡­ as they wished, become nothing but burnt up kindling. I hope you are satisfied with this outcome.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright; sooner or later they will reemerge,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°Heresy worshipers are the Evil God¡¯s breath, and as long as their ¡®roots¡¯ are not destroyed, the Heretics cannot be entirely eradicated¨Cjust cleanse them the next time they appear.¡±


    Fenna pondered over each word Duncan spoke, her face only showing mild curiosity, ¡°It sounds¡­ like you have a terrible relationship with those heresy worshipers.¡±


    ¡°You want to gauge some information,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°because this is a rare opportunity in nearly a century, to directly understand ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ and the Homeloss¨Cyou could ask directly though.¡±


    Fenna momentarily found herself at a loss for words, her expression turning awkward, but soon she heard the Ghost Ship Captain¡¯s candid response from the mirror, ¡°I do not like those Heretics, neither the Sun Cultists nor the Doomsday Preachers, and as for the Annihilation Priests who worship the dark Saint¡­ I am not too familiar with them, but most of them are likely to be the madmen I loathe.


    ¡°So you can report this back, saying Homeloss is an enemy to the three major heresies. Under permissible conditions, Captain Duncan would be glad to eradicate any Heretic that appears before him¨Cthis information should be useful.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Thank you for your answer,¡± Fenna hesitated for a moment, but still nodded earnestly.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to know?¡± Duncan asked again.


    Fenna pursed her lips.


    Of course, there was more she wanted to know, but she didn¡¯t know whether asking this ghost captain about issues that could shake her faith and were related to Subspace was the right choice.


    In the end, she didn¡¯t discuss her current confusion and hesitation. Instead, she asked a question somewhat indirectly related to herself: ¡°I want to know if Subspace will respond to the desires of mortals¨Cand what kind of price must be paid for the answer to this question.¡±


    Fenna specifically mentioned ¡°price¡± because she was well aware that this question was completely different from the conversation she had just had with him.


    Their prior conversation did not involve knowledge of the transcendent realm, while this question was seeking forbidden knowledge from a shadow returned from Subspace¨Ca dangerous move.


    She was not afraid to pay a price, but she wanted to know what it was.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so nervous; there¡¯s no price,¡± Duncan in the mirror chuckled, ¡°because I¡¯m really not familiar with them.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡°Why does everyone think I would know so many secrets about Subspace,¡± Duncan rubbed his forehead with a hint of resignation, ¡°I¡¯ve been there, true, but it¡¯s not like I was conducting a census in Subspace¨Cdo you know every single person in your neighborhood simply because you live there?¡±


    Fenna nodded: ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Fenna suddenly realized her response, and, feeling a bit embarrassed and slow on the uptake, added, ¡°Of course, there might be some I¡¯m not so familiar with¡­ Alright, I understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t answer your question, but I can see it¡¯s related to the miserable state you were in just now,¡± Duncan said, returning to his serious and earnest demeanor, ¡°Have you been entangled with something from Subspace?¡±


    Fenna looked at Duncan in the mirror with a strange expression.


    After a pause, Duncan added, ¡°I mean, besides me¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Fenna shook her head. Then she opened her mouth as if to say something else but ultimately chose not to speak.


    ¡°Well, it seems you still have some reservations, and I understand,¡± Duncan appeared unbothered, ¡°but if it¡¯s really something from Subspace causing you trouble, you can ask me for help¨Cat least in this area, I can be of assistance.¡±


    Fenna fell silent. After almost a dozen seconds, she suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking why I¡¯m willing to help you?¡± Duncan¡¯s voice came from the mirror, still authoritative and even somewhat somber, but now it seemed to carry a touch of gentleness and sincerity, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because we fought side by side in Plunder¨CFenna, I admire your determination and bravery.¡±


    The image in the mirror rose to its feet.


    The ghost captain seemed ready to leave.


    Fenna felt a slight relief; she couldn¡¯t quite articulate whether it was caution or simply a sense of nervousness that affected her, but his intent to depart did indeed make her relax a bit.


    However, just as Duncan¡¯s figure was about to completely vanish from the mirror, she seemed to remember something and abruptly spoke up, ¡°Wait, there¡¯s one more thing.¡±


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    Duncan slightly turned his face, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Afterward¡­¡± Fenna stumbled a bit, organizing her words before beginning hesitantly, ¡°I mean, if you plan to ¡®appear¡¯ again, could you not do so quite so suddenly¡­¡±


    Duncan did not respond, his face shrouded in the shadows deep within the mirror, revealing no discernible expression.


    A few seconds passed before Fenna heard his voice in her ear, ¡°Next time I¡¯ll knock.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Chapter 224: The Captain Never Left

    Chapter 220: Chapter 224: The Captain Never Left


    The figure in the mirror really did leave¨Cwithout doing anything extra, just like he said at the beginning, he came ¡°just to see how things were.¡±


    Fenna stared at the mirror with full vigilance for a long time, before she was finally able to confirm this and truly set her mind at ease.


    Then she fell into a brief spell of introspection and paranoia.


    The paranoia was due to the professional habits of a Judge; she really found it hard to truly trust a ¡°person¡± like Captain Duncan, who carried a century¡¯s worth of terrifying legends and was also associated with Subspace, even if he seemed rational and friendly, and had indeed sheltered the Plunder City-State. The reason for self-reflection was simpler¨C


    She realized that her vigilance had gradually weakened during her communication with Captain Duncan.


    This manifested weakness was unexpected; she had never thought it would occur to her.


    Ultimately, it was because she had fallen into a state of wavering and self-doubt, losing the purity of belief and thus creating a vulnerability in her spirit.


    Fenna introspected deeply until finally, she heaved a gentle sigh.


    Regardless of everything, the city had survived unscathed, and she would tell Bishop Valentin about tonight¡¯s events, including¡­ her own wavering.


    The young Judge¡¯s sigh disappeared into the darkness along with the extinguished lights.


    ¡­


    On the second floor of the antique shop in the Lower City District, Duncan withdrew his gaze from the Plunder Cathedral and looked at the night view of the City-State aglow with lights near and far, his face bearing a contemplative expression.


    He didn¡¯t know what had happened to Fenna, but one thing was clear, the young Judge¡¯s mental state had just undergone a brief and dangerous wobble¨Ca wobble that had touched his perception directly, forcing him to make a projection in the real world to see what was happening to Fenna.


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    Looking back, the aura he had felt from Fenna was actually vaguely familiar¨Cit was hidden deep within her spiritual world, surrounding her, and on closer inspection, it was a bit like¡­


    Like that strange sensation felt when observing the chaotic light and shadows outside the hull through the cracks at the bottom of the Homeloss.


    It was Subspace.


    And judging from the last question Fenna suddenly asked him, the troubles she encountered might indeed be related to Subspace.


    Duncan tapped his fingers absentmindedly on the windowsill, speculating about the truth.


    Before leaving, he had reinforced the mark he left on her, which should be able to help her resist any potential Corrosion when necessary. But the key question was, why had a trace of Subspace suddenly appeared on Fenna, a high-ranking Saint?


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts spread out, and he suddenly connected to other clues, or ¡°knowledge¡±¨Cunder certain conditions, the souls of the Four Gods¡¯ Believers were more susceptible to Subspace Corrosion, and after their souls were eroded, they could even directly create a rift connecting the real dimension and Subspace. In that small church on Sixth Street, the initial infiltration had also started from the shadow of the Nun¡¯s spirit¡­


    Could a similar situation occur with Fenna? If so, what lay behind this counter-intuitive phenomenon?


    After a moment of contemplation, Duncan exhaled and turned away from the window.


    Regardless, he should pay more attention to Fenna, this special ¡°node¡± in the future¨Clacking trust in him, the ¡°Ghost Ship Captain,¡± she certainly wouldn¡¯t voluntarily reveal all her secrets, which meant he needed to put in more effort from his end.


    And on his way back to the bedroom, Duncan heard the giggling voices of two young girls coming from the next room¨Cit was Nina and Sherry.


    Although they had returned to the City-State from the Homeloss, they seemed quite excited, especially Nina.


    The girl didn¡¯t seem to have any mental scars from the eerie and terrifying Ghost Ship, nor any unease about the future¨Cshe was as cheerful as ever, and even¡­ seemed a bit cheerier.


    Was it the influence of the Sun Shard? Or was it because she inherently had strong adaptability?


    Duncan was thoughtful, suddenly feeling that¡­ he had discovered some unexpected ¡°talent¡± in Nina.


    The night fell low, and the cool, pale light of the Creation of the World illuminated the spacious deck of the Homeloss.


    Lively footsteps broke the silence on the Ghost Ship in the night, a figure in a luxurious gown with silver hair cascading down her shoulders approached the helm at the stern.


    Alice looked up at the captain who was steering personally, her shallow purple eyes reflecting the glow, sparkling brightly, ¡°Captain! Where are we going next?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no destination for now, let¡¯s just steer clear of the busy shipping lanes between the City-States,¡± Duncan glanced down at the doll, ¡°You seem to be in a good mood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Alice nodded vigorously, embodying a joyful energy despite her elegant and noble appearance, ¡°The ship was so lively today! It¡¯s the first time I realized that just having a lot of people together can be so much fun¡­¡±


    ¡°Not all gatherings are ¡®interesting¡¯¨Cbut you might find that concept a bit difficult to grasp right now,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°Also, control the amplitude of your nodding a bit, you scared them half to death when your head almost fell off today.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alice hurriedly held on to her head and then seemed a bit worried, ¡°They won¡¯t stop coming because of this, will they?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an unnecessary worry.¡±


    Alice gave another slow nod then fell silent for barely two seconds before asking, ¡°Then¡­ can I still go to the City-State to play? I didn¡¯t get a good look around this time before running into¡­ all that messy trouble; it was really disorienting¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze swept across the sea, then fell back to Alice, ¡°Of course, you can. Tomorrow, I can have Ai Yi send you to the antiquity shop¨CI still need your help at the store.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Alice¡¯s eyes lit up with surprise, ¡°I thought¡­ we wouldn¡¯t be returning to the City-State much anymore, after all¡­ it seems like you¡¯ve finished what you needed to do there?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond immediately, instead intentionally going quiet for several seconds before suddenly asking, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m interested in Plunder because I have some necessary task to accomplish there?¡±


    Alice was startled for a moment, then self-consciously scratched her head, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡±


    Duncan smiled, shook his head, and gently released the steering wheel.


    A faint creaking sound came from throughout the Homeloss, and the Spiritual Body sails on the mast gathered in a bit as the ship switched to ¡°cruising mode¡± controlled by the goat-headed figure.


    ¡°We only resolved a mess created by some heretics,¡± Duncan stepped down from the helm and walked towards the captain¡¯s quarters, casually speaking to Alice, ¡°As for Plunder¡­ I believe that City-State and I have a fate together.¡±


    The captain walked away, leaving a puzzled Alice to think on the spot, then she turned her head to watch him leave, ¡°The captain is truly profound¡­¡±


    Duncan arrived in front of the door to the captain¡¯s quarters, he looked up and saw ¡°The Door of the Displaced¡± reflecting the dim glow from the Creation of the World.


    He took a deep breath to calm his mind, then placed his hand on the doorknob.


    He pushed the door gently inward.


    A hazy, warped mist appeared before him, and Duncan stepped forward, experiencing the familiar feeling of momentary weightlessness and slight dizziness, as if traversing endless space and time, or as if instantly arriving at a destination. The misalignment sensation was fleeting, and then silence ensued.


    The ceaseless sound of the wind and waves on the Endless Sea and the faint creaking from all around the Homeloss had faded away, and the briny sea breeze had also quietly dissipated. A familiar scent surrounded him, the scent of the room he had lived in for many years.


    Zhou Ming opened his eyes and saw the unchanging view of his bachelor apartment.


    As usual, upon his return here, his first task was to check the general state of the room, to see if anything had changed during his absence, to check for any signs that the thick fog outside the window had dissipated, to confirm whether the thin strings and paper scraps he had left on the window and sill had been moved.


    Even though he knew it was meaningless to do so, he still treated this series of ¡°confirmations¡± as necessary tasks to be completed.


    After completing this series of checks, his second action was to approach his desk.


    Zhou Ming bowed his head and looked calmly at the items on his desk.


    A miniature model of Plunder City-State lay quietly on the table.


    Intricate and restorative, every minute detail precisely replicated, it might even be that every single brick, every streetlamp, was an exact match for the real Plunder.


    Or in other words, this was a ¡°projection¡± of the real Plunder manifesting in his bachelor apartment in some form.


    Its presence here was expected.


    When the fine, dancing flames on the desktop had completed their last sculpting of this ¡°collectible,¡± today, this perfect masterpiece presented itself before its master.


    Zhou Ming gently exhaled, sat down at the table, and contemplated this delicate ¡°model.¡±


    Compared to the ¡°model¡± of the Homeloss, the size of this ¡°City-State¡± was clearly much larger, yet obviously not to scale. Its size seemed just right to fit into a separate compartment of a shelf, as if it were custom-made for that space.


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    And within this lifelike model of the City-State, there was no sign of any inhabitants.


    It seemed that the ¡°people¡± who lived in the City-State could not form projections here?


    Zhou Ming pondered and scrutinized the Plunder City-State for a long time, finally letting out a sigh of relief. He carefully picked up the large ¡°collectible¡± with both hands and placed it delicately on a shelf not far away.


    After placing it, he took two steps back and silently admired his new collection.


    The Homeloss had already sailed far from Plunder, but the captain¡­ had never left his beloved City-State.

 Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Chapter 225 Delayed Sunrise

    Chapter 221: Chapter 225 Delayed Sunrise


    After placing his new ¡°collection¡± neatly in place, Zhou Ming did not leave the room directly as usual but instead sat down on the chair opposite the shelves, watching the Homeloss and the Plunder City-State while sinking into deep thought.


    He was trying to summarize and understand the significance of these ¡°collections.¡±


    The single apartment and the world opposite the door had always been in a state of isolation. Except for himself being able to pass through that door, nothing from either world could cross the barrier of thick fog in that doorway¨Ca fact he had tested many times.


    In a certain sense, the appearance of the Homeloss and the Plunder City-State ¡°models¡± in his room had actually broken this rule¨Cthey were clearly connected to the world beyond the door and their nature evidently possessed¡­ ¡°transcendent properties.¡±


    Transcendence was not a concept that should appear on this side of the door.


    The appearance of these two collections had one rule in common¨Cthey were objects that had been thoroughly burned by Spiritual Fire and then deliberately ¡°controlled¡± by him.


    Zhou Ming pondered quietly, summarizing the patterns, and eventually, he believed that ¡°burning¡± and ¡°control¡± must indeed be the two necessary conditions for the appearance of a collection.


    The Oak originally had also been consumed by the flames of the Homeloss, but at that time, he had not actively sought to control that ship. He had not exerted any influence or ¡°command¡± over the Oak, so after it burned, it left behind only a strong imprint instead of forming a corresponding ¡°collection¡± on this side of the door in his room.


    The Plunder City-State was consumed by the Spiritual Fire, and while it burned, he actively took control and cleansed it, even treating the City-State as a part of the Homeloss, and so the Plunder became a collection here.


    So¡­ What use could this transformation serve? What significance did the items that became collections have for him?


    Zhou Ming¡¯s gaze rested on the ¡°model¡± of the Plunder City-State, and he then slowly closed his eyes.


    A gentle breeze was blowing through the port district in the southeast part of the City-State, small waves lapping against the shore. The clock in the fourth district had just sounded its last chime, the steam factories in the Upper City District were roaring into action.


    He reopened his eyes, and things were just as he had anticipated.


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    He could sense the entire state of the City-State, down to every building, every street light¨Calthough he could not sense the part of the City-State that belonged to ¡°people,¡± the essence of the Plunder to him was as vivid as the lifelike model before him, all laid out before his eyes.


    This feeling¡­ It was just like the control he had over the Homeloss.


    Zhou Ming thoughtfully rubbed his chin with his finger, and realizing the extent of the influence he had over the City-State, he naturally started to use the Homeloss as a reference.


    Now, the Plunder could be regarded as another Homeloss. Therefore¡­ what he could do on the Homeloss, he could undoubtedly do with the Plunder as well.


    He could command all the bell towers of the City-State to chime for him, order the City-State to sink into the Spirit Realm, or even¡­


    Zhou Ming stopped the subconscious motion of rubbing his chin.


    He could even command the City-State to submerge into the Subspace.


    Zhou Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply, quickly suppressing this sudden frightening thought, but though the thought was restrained, his heart still pounded.


    He truly could do it because he could make the Homeloss do it. The Subspace was there, and he could clearly sense the ¡°direction¡± of that chaotic dimension¨Cthe ¡°promised land¡± that the Doomsday Preachers yearned for but could not reach, to him, it was as simple as going home¡­


    And it wasn¡¯t just that. At the moment that terrifying thought occurred to him, he had instantly felt a vague calling, like the terrifying impulse some people get to leap forward when standing on the edge of a cliff¨Che had just felt that impulse!


    With only a thought, a command, a concession to the impulse, a moment of carelessness, he¡­ could reach that place calling to him.


    And at the same time, bring along anything caught in his wake, dominated by him, corrupted by him, plunging together.


    Zhou Ming took a deep breath and slowly stood up from the chair.


    The world was right to fear the Homeloss and Captain Duncan to such an extent; they should be afraid.


    Zhou Ming gave one last deep look at his collection shelf, exhaled a heavy breath, and turned to walk toward the door of his bachelor apartment.


    In the captain¡¯s quarters, the black, wooden carved goat¡¯s head on the chart table heard activity at the door; it looked up and saw the tall figure of Captain Duncan appearing at the entrance. The eyes of the obsidian sculpture immediately lit up, and it began chirping adeptly, ¡°Ah! The great Captain has returned to his faithful first mate! Your deeds are known by all, your power makes the Endless Sea¡­¡±


    Captain Duncan stayed silent, sitting down beside the navigation table, just quietly watching the goat¡¯s head as it prattled on, his gaze indifferent.


    As a result, it was the goat¡¯s head that began to feel uncomfortable first. It balabala¡¯d halfway through and couldn¡¯t help but stop, ¡°Um¡­ Captain, don¡¯t you usually tell me to ¡®shut up¡¯ around this time¡­¡±


    Duncan looked nonchalant, ¡°I¡¯m just suddenly curious, if I don¡¯t tell you to shut up, how long exactly could you keep talking?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the goat-headed creature immediately perked up¨Cas if it had not detected the teasing in Duncan¡¯s words, or if it had, chose to ignore it: ¡°Well, now you¡¯ve hit the nail on the head, your loyal subordinate¨Comitting the following¨Chas always been erudite. I could talk from dawn till dusk about nothing but the recipes of the Endless Sea, if you¡¯re interested, we could start with the one hundred and thirty-seven classifications of butter cookies¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, shut up,¡± Duncan quickly interrupted the other, shaking his head helplessly, ¡°I thought at the very least you¡¯d grasp the concept of ¡¯embarrassment.''¡±


    The goat head shook its head, the sound of creaking coming from its neck before its pitch-black visage fully turned toward Duncan, its hollow eye sockets staring at his face: ¡°Captain, you seem preoccupied? We just completed an unprecedented feat, what else could possibly affect your mood?¡±


    ¡°An unprecedented feat, huh¡­¡± Duncan murmured softly to himself, then shook his head, ¡°You can feel it, can¡¯t you? The connection now between the Plunder City-State and the Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± exclaimed the goat head immediately, not forgetting to flatter, ¡°I never imagined there would come such a day¨Cyour power astounds, your recent prey is an entire City-State! So where¡¯s the next target? Shall we go to Rensa first, or perhaps Cold Harbor? Even Frost could¡­¡±


    Duncan waved his hand, and the goat head immediately fell silent.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in ¡®prey¡¯ for the moment. I just wanted to let you know that I don¡¯t have the energy to constantly watch over such a large place. If you sense something that shouldn¡¯t be stepping on Plunder, remind me¨Cof course, that is if you have the energy to spare since your main task is still to look after this ship.¡±


    ¡°More than happy to!¡± said the goat head immediately, ¡°It¡¯s a breeze for me, I won¡¯t disappoint you¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, then his gaze swept over the clock on the wall before looking out the window.


    Without realizing it, the night had already passed.


    A few seconds later, Duncan suddenly turned around, ¡°What time is it now?!¡±


    The goat head was taken aback, unsure: ¡°It should¡­ be morning now, the sun should be rising.¡±


    ¡°¡­The sun hasn¡¯t risen,¡± Duncan said in a solemn voice, his expression extremely serious. Then he suddenly turned back, staring intently at the ticking wall clock, ¡°¡­Sunrise should have been fourteen minutes ago.¡±


    The goat head fell silent instantly, while Duncan¡¯s gaze remained fixated on the advancing hands of the clock and the mechanical disc at the top that depicted the scale of the sunrise.


    The ¡°sun¡± of this world, anomaly 001, a super aberration, rose and set at incredibly precise moments every day, and the clock on the Homeloss was linked with the sea charts, indicating precisely in the current sea region when anomaly 001 would leap above the sea surface¨Csince Duncan arrived in this world, this had never been mistaken.


    Today¡¯s sun had not risen on time, and while ordinary people might not yet have noticed this change, Duncan did. And at the moment he noticed, he felt a sudden and tremendous¡­ unease.


    He didn¡¯t even know how this unease had suddenly emerged.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ if we just wait a little longer¡­¡± the goat head¡¯s voice rang out again, sounding a bit nervous, ¡°Look, the weather out at sea is always unpredictable, maybe something has blocked¡­¡±


    But Duncan wasn¡¯t paying attention to what the goat head was saying. He kept looking at the clock; however, the next second, a fine strand of golden light appeared on the edge of his vision.


    The golden light streamed through the window.


    Duncan immediately turned and strode to the window; after pushing it open, he looked out toward the distant sea.


    The sun had risen, a vast body of light constrained by two Rune Circles gradually ascending into the sky as usual, illuminating the whole Endless Sea with its majestic glow, simultaneously dissipating the cold, pale atmosphere left by the Creation of the World.


    He turned back one last time to confirm the time.


    Today¡¯s sunrise was fifteen minutes late.


    Why?


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    Was it the aftermath of the disaster in Plunder? Related to the Sun Cultists¡¯ summoning of the ¡°Warping Sun Wheel¡±? Connected to Nina¡¯s awakening and possession? Or perhaps¡­ the harbinger of another anomaly?


    Duncan returned to his desk, his thoughts racing uncontrollably. He knew he might be overreacting, but having just experienced the historical contamination crisis in Plunder, he was now hypersensitive to any unusual phenomena.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just the influence of the weather at sea, look, the sun has risen now,¡± said the goat head beside him, ¡°Sometimes a wide expanse of dense fog can refract the light, causing¡­¡±


    ¡°The sunlight in Plunder was also fifteen minutes late,¡± Duncan interrupted softly, ¡°The weather there is clear, the sea calm¨Cthe delay isn¡¯t with the sunlight, it¡¯s the sun itself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Damn.¡±

 Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Chapter 226: The Shaker

    Chapter 222: Chapter 226: The Shaker


    Slightly rushed footsteps broke the tranquility of the grand cathedral. Bishop Valentin, who was assigning duties to an assistant at his side, looked up upon hearing the noise and saw the figure of Fenna approaching him.


    The bishop waved his hand for the assistant and attendant at his side to step back temporarily, and his gaze fell on Fenna, ¡°I thought you would rest at home for a couple more days.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, it looks like I don¡¯t have that luxury,¡± Fenna shook her head, her expression slightly serious, ¡°What happened? I¡¯ve seen many priests hurrying about, and I heard that a group of monks was sent into the Stargazing Well¡­ does it have something to do with today¡¯s sunrise?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Valentin nodded, his expression solemn, ¡°Today¡¯s sunrise was fifteen minutes later than usual¨Cand it wasn¡¯t due to local anomalous astronomical phenomena causing the dawn to delay. I received spiritual energy messages from other city-states and maritime communication nodes, the same anomaly was observed all over the world.¡±


    ¡°¡­The world was illuminated by the ¡®Creation of the World¡¯ for an extra fifteen minutes¡­¡± Fenna¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ¡°Are there any reports of damage yet?¡±


    ¡°No, just one delayed dawn is not enough to cause any problems. Fifteen minutes of nightfall are still within the redundant range sheltered by the city-state,¡± the elder bishop shook his head, ¡°What¡¯s really unsettling is that the same phenomenon was observed worldwide, which indicates that the problem does not lie on the surface or the sea.¡±


    ¡°¡­It means there was a change in the operation of anomaly 001,¡± Fenna clearly knew what the old bishop was worried about, ¡°Has there been any notification from the Tomb of the Nameless King?¡±


    Valentin shook his head gently.


    ¡°No disturbances, so this might only be a minor¡­ ¡®incident¡¯ that does not involve a fundamental change in anomaly 001. But¡­ I¡¯m afraid most people won¡¯t be able to rest easy. We at least need to see today¡¯s sun set normally and tomorrow¡¯s sun rise as usual before we dare breathe a sigh of relief.¡±


    Fenna pondered silently for a while before asking, ¡°Have the ordinary people in the city been affected?¡±


    ¡°For now, there¡¯s no significant turmoil¨Ca portion of the people didn¡¯t notice the fifteen-minute delay, and those citizens who did notice probably didn¡¯t realize the gravity of the situation. I¡¯ve already sent a message to the Civil Affairs Office, asking them to evaluate whether to issue calming, guiding announcements. The matter hasn¡¯t had a big impact yet, and an overly proactive official explanation might actually cause public unrest¨Cespecially since we just experienced a major disaster.¡±


    Fenna listened silently to the old bishop¡¯s analysis without interjecting. As a Judge who devoted most of her energy to combat tasks, she knew she wasn¡¯t an expert in administrative matters, but occasionally she revealed a contemplative expression, indicating that her mood was not as calm as it appeared on the surface.


    Valentin, noticing the worried look hidden between her expressions, asked, ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


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    ¡°Just feeling a bit sentimental,¡± Fenna sighed lightly and shook her head, ¡°Whenever a transcendent disaster occurs, it makes us realize just how vulnerable the world we live in is¡­ City-states, cathedrals, ocean-going ships, everything we pride ourselves on seems to be built on a thin, fragile layer of ice. Any crack not promptly discovered, and we might disappear from this world¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why we must always remain vigilant and resilient,¡± Valentin said gravely, gazing into the young Judge¡¯s eyes, ¡°Fenna, you seldom reflect on things like this¡­ What¡¯s happened?¡±


    Fenna fell silent, and after a few seconds, as if resolving herself, she said to Bishop Valentin, ¡°There are two things. First¡­ I met ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ again yesterday.¡±


    Valentin¡¯s expression initially became grave, but after a moment, he sighed lightly, ¡°I suppose that was to be expected.¡±


    He paused, then continued, ¡°Thus far, we have no way to remove the mark that the ghost captain left on you, and now, possibly the entire Plunder City-State has already established contact with that captain. His coming to you¡­ was just a matter of time. What did he say to you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Mostly small talk,¡± Fenna said, her tone somewhat odd.


    ¡°¡­Small talk?¡± This time Valentin was genuinely surprised, raising an eyebrow, ¡°You mean to say, the captain of the Homeloss, the shadow returned from the Subspace, the one who reversed historical contamination and took away the Sun Shard, ¡®Duncan¡¯, came to you just to chit-chat?¡±


    ¡°I knew you would react this way¨CI couldn¡¯t believe it either, honestly. If he had told me he had a plan to conquer the world, I would believe it, but¡­¡± Fenna sighed, and then over the next several minutes, she relayed to the old man in front of her the details of her conversation last night with Duncan.


    Valentin rubbed his forehead as he listened to Fenna¡¯s account. The bishop, who had never wavered even in the face of impending apocalypse, showed an unmistakable expression of distress and fatigue on his face.


    But after a brief moment of troubled expression, he raised his head with a complicated tone, ¡°Fenna, I¡¯ve actually been pondering a question since last night.¡±


    ¡°What question?¡±


    ¡°¡­In your perspective, having directly communicated with Captain Duncan twice, does that ¡®ghost captain¡¯¡­ seem like an invader from the Subspace?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ What do you mean?¡± Fenna¡¯s face shifted subtly as she cautiously asked, ¡°The crash of the Homeloss into the Subspace and its return is a matter with clear¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that, I certainly know about the Homeloss returning from the Subspace, but if you think about it, what should someone fully influenced by Subspace be like, and¡­ is it really possible for a true Subspace invader to converse logically with others and not cause uncontrollable contamination?¡±


    This time, Fenna hesitated, unable to respond thoughtlessly as before. She paused for several seconds before speaking, ¡°Based on all the cases and basic knowledge of Subspace¡­ it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°When conducting mental evaluations on those deeply contaminated, there is a very simple and effective criterion¨Cthose who can speak logically are still salvageable, at least not completely transformed,¡± Bishop Valentin nodded, ¡°Subspace¡¯s contamination is extremely deadly, which is why there has never been a recorded instance of a conscious Contaminator or invader from Subspace maintaining sanity. Madness is an indelible mark of theirs, and perhaps¡­ we could also apply this simple criterion to the Homeloss and its captain.¡±


    ¡°¡­You mean, that ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ is very likely still human?¡±


    ¡°Or has regained his humanity,¡± Bishop Valentin corrected the subtle difference, ¡°In the early records, there are clear reports of indiscriminate attacks by the Homeloss and Captain Duncan¡¯s descent into madness, which obviously met the criteria of a Subspace invader then.¡±


    Fenna thought about it, her expression growing increasingly incredulous, ¡°Is that possible? To regain humanity after being completely transformed by Subspace contamination, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s not possible, how would you explain the Captain Duncan you ¡®chatted¡¯ with?¡± Bishop Valentin gently interrupted Fenna, then paused and reminded, ¡°Don¡¯t forget the ¡®Zeroth Law.''¡±


    Fenna was startled, then it dawned on her, ¡°There will always be anomalies and phenomena that do not conform to cognition or definitions¡­¡±


    The cathedral fell silent for some time, which seemed to stretch indefinitely, until Valentin suddenly said, ¡°But we still cannot assume that the Homeloss and its captain are harmless, do you understand?


    ¡°After all, it returned from Subspace, and even if that captain has regained his humanity, it¡¯s hard to say from what perspective he might now view us¡­ ¡®mortals¡¯.


    ¡°Moreover, we cannot make judgments rashly; we need to report all the intelligence we have to Her Holiness the Pope and see how she views this matter.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression became serious, and she nodded solemnly, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m very clear on that.¡±


    She paused, her expression a bit peculiar, ¡°Discussing such matters in this sacred hall really puts pressure on one. If this had happened in the past, I¡¯d probably have branded myself a ¡®heretic¡¯ by now.¡±


    Valentin merely sighed noncommittally and then asked, ¡°You said there were two things. Besides meeting that ghost captain, what¡¯s the second matter?¡±


    This time, Fenna remained silent even longer, seeming deeply conflicted until finally under the watchful gaze of the Storm Goddess Gomona¡¯s statue, she summoned tremendous courage and said solemnly to the old bishop, ¡°I¡­ should confess.¡±


    ¡°Confess?¡± Valentin looked at her in surprise, ¡°Why do you need to confess?¡±


    ¡°I wavered¨Cthough I¡¯m still devout, I can¡¯t avoid my own act of wavering,¡± Fenna took a deep breath and blurted out frankly, ¡°After that fire, I began doubting my faith.¡±


    She revealed her doubts about the Goddess and her wavering belief, omitting only the secret her uncle had told her, without any concealment.


    The old bishop was silent for a long time.


    Fenna watched his face nervously, finding for once she could not discern Valentin¡¯s attitude.


    The old bishop appeared to be contemplative, somewhat hesitant, yet offered no rebuke.


    After an indefinite silence, Fenna finally heard his voice.


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    ¡°Fenna, you came to me to confess¡­ then whom should I confess to?¡±


    A trace of surprise finally appeared in Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Now there are two believers wavering in this great cathedral,¡± the old bishop turned and quietly gazed at the Storm Goddess¡¯s statue, his voice carrying an unusual calm, ¡°Fenna, can you feel it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¡­The Goddess is still blessing us.¡±

 Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter 227: The Aftermath Still Lingers

    Chapter 223: Chapter 227: The Aftermath Still Lingers


    Devotees often waver twice: the first when they begin to question their own faith, and the second when, even after they have questioned it, the gods still bestow their blessings upon them.


    Noise, a fine layering of sounds that were sometimes distant, sometimes near, began to ring in Fenna¡¯s mind, like tinnitus. She remembered the vision of the goddess she saw in her hallucinations, and the incomprehensible words the goddess spoke to her. No longer did she accept everything unquestioningly as she once did, but instead, she started to seriously ponder the meaning of those words and even attempted to guess at Gomona¡¯s¡­ intentions.


    The more she thought, the more pronounced the buzzing in her head became, making it difficult to concentrate.


    But suddenly, all the noises disappeared. She shook her head as if in a trance and met the concerned gaze of Archbishop Valentin.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± the old man asked with some worry.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± Fenna replied, tapping her forehead gently, then looked up at her elder with a slightly strange expression, ¡°You too¡­¡±


    ¡°When the last bell tolled, I wavered¡­ There¡¯s nothing to hide; I don¡¯t possess the flawless will of the saints enshrined in the temple,¡± Valentin shook his head and admitted openly to Fenna, ¡°I wondered, why the contamination and infiltration of the Doomsday Preachers could get to this extent, why the cathedral¡¯s sanctuary still couldn¡¯t stop the sacrifices of the Sun Heretics¨Cwhy, as the crisis spread over ten years, the goddess never once warned us¡­¡±


    He stopped speaking, turned around, and silently watched the statue of Gomona. The cold stone statue overlooked him as well, as silent as ever.


    ¡°When I woke up again, I was filled with shame. I knew I had made the gravest mistake described in the ¡®Storm Canon¡¯, taking the protection of the gods as a panacea, and thus wavered in my will, but even so, these doubts took root, persisting until now.¡±


    ¡°¡­The enemy infiltrated from within and breached our defenses; they planned for many years, it was a difficult stealth attack to resist,¡± Fenna said after a moment of silence, calmly, ¡°Heresy always takes advantage of vulnerability, but that doesn¡¯t mean the goddess¡¯s authority can be easily subverted.¡±


    ¡°I understand that,¡± Valentin laughed, ¡°So, I say, even if there was a bit of wavering, I am still devout, because the goddess truly protects our world, and her compassion is real, it¡¯s just that¡­ I have had some surplus thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Thought breeds heresy, Archbishop Valentin,¡± Fenna said sternly, but then sighed as if talking to herself, ¡°The same goes for me.¡±


    ¡°Then let us consider this a trial,¡± Valentin spoke softly, ¡°For both of us.¡±


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    Fenna didn¡¯t say anything more, but walked up to the statue of the goddess, bowed her head, and prayed in silence as usual.


    However, before long, the tranquility of the cathedral was shattered by a sudden sound of footsteps.


    Fenna snapped out of her prayer, looked up toward the source of the sound, and saw a middle-aged church official, dressed in civilian robes, walking briskly towards them. The official bowed to the statue, and then handed a document over to Valentin: ¡°Archbishop, this is the report you asked for.¡±


    Valentin nodded in gratitude, took the document, and quickly browsed through a few pages before his expression visibly turned odd.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Fenna asked curiously, noticing his expression, ¡°What¡¯s written in there?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s an initial investigation of the City-State¡¯s current condition after the disaster¡­ sent from the town hall,¡± Valentin frowned, seemingly hesitant, but in the end, he gave the document to Fenna, ¡°Take a look for yourself.¡±


    Fenna took the documents with confusion and knew what they were as soon as she read the opening¨Cthey were preliminary damage reports, something she was very familiar with. They contained information about any damage to different parts of the City-State after the disaster, any changes, missing personnel, or ¡°additional¡± personnel, areas with residual supernatural powers¡­ The contents at the beginning were nothing special, basically indicating that every part of the City-State had been reset to its state before the disaster occurred, but the latter sections made her instantly understand the reason for Archbishop Valentin¡¯s strange expression.


    ¡°¡­There are reports from merchants in the docks area of a massive, mysterious disappearance of fries, and the loss report also mentions tomato ketchup¡­¡± The young Judge looked up with a wooden expression, meeting Valentin¡¯s similarly expressionless face, ¡°¡­Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you lead a team and ask yourself?¡± Valentin¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, ¡°In theory, no one would dare to falsify such reports.¡±


    Fenna held the report in her hands, speechless for a long moment.


    After a struggle, she finally blurted out, ¡°Why would this sort of content appear in such a serious report¡­¡±


    Valentin kept a straight face: ¡°An entire squad of guards has been monitoring the fries at the docks¨Cwhat do you think?¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­In any case, the ¡®things¡¯ mentioned in the report are the only known losses within the City-State so far,¡± Valentin sighed and then seemed to hesitate once more before looking into Fenna¡¯s eyes, ¡°Next time you see them, you might want to ask directly.¡±


    Fenna froze, ¡°Ask? Ask who?¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you think?¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a moment, the young Judge finally couldn¡¯t resist rubbing his forehead, ¡°I feel like my thoughts aren¡¯t connecting. Just to confirm, we were supposed to be discussing something very serious here, that¡¯s correct, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not connecting either,¡± Valentin said with a stern face.


    Fenna fell silent but suddenly had an odd thought¨Cif this was also the influence of that Ghost Ship captain, then he was¡­ somewhat terrifying in a certain sense.


    Just then, the sound of footsteps suddenly came from the doorway, once again interrupting the thoughts of Fenna and Valentin¨Ca priest hastened to the holy image.


    ¡°Archbishop, Judge, there¡¯s news from the port district¡­.¡±


    The priest saluted and began to speak rapidly, but Fenna heard the word ¡°port district¡± and couldn¡¯t help but interrupt him, ¡°Stop, we already know about the fries, no need to report it twice!¡±


    ¡°¡­Fries?¡± The priest looked bewildered, his eyes foggy as he stared at the typically composed and respected Judge, ¡°What fries?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ You¡¯re not here to report about the fries?¡± Fenna, seeing the situation, felt somewhat embarrassed and quickly coughed twice to cover it up, ¡°I thought it was another report¡­ never mind, continue. What¡¯s happening in the port district?¡±


    As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh with relief: thank goodness it wasn¡¯t about fries¨Cat least she wouldn¡¯t have to deal with that terrifying Ghost Ship captain anymore.


    The reporting priest then nodded, his face grave, ¡°News from the port district¨Cthe Sea Mist is requesting to dock¨CTirian Abnormal wishes to make contact with the cathedral as soon as possible. He brings news related to the Homeloss.¡±


    Fenna suddenly erupted into a thunderous cough.


    The priest was startled by the commotion, ¡°¡­Judge?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Fenna managed to stop coughing after great effort. She felt that ever since Homeloss had brazenly toured the City-State, things seemed different everywhere. She couldn¡¯t pinpoint it, but it seemed that many things around her were changing¨Cshe even wanted to attribute the sun that rose fifteen minutes late that morning to the Ghost Ship, ¡°Sea Mist? I know we did send a letter to its owner, but we never received a response¡­¡±


    ¡°The Sea Mist has indeed arrived and it seems that it was near Plunder¡¯s waters even before that ¡®disaster¡¯,¡± the priest immediately added, ¡°However, according to the message from the ship, it encountered Homeloss unexpectedly in the eastern seas and engaged in a fierce battle. Because of damage to its propulsion, it had to undergo repairs and only restored its ability to navigate last night.¡±


    ¡°A battle with Homeloss?!¡± Fenna finally became serious, realizing the gravity of the situation. She turned to Valentin, ¡°I must go there personally.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Valentin nodded immediately, ¡°Sea Mist is a special vessel, and although it belongs to ¡®our side¡¯, the crew on board could lead to panic and fear among the common people at the docks¨Cyour personal leadership in welcoming them should be able to calm the populace.¡±


    Fenna promised and quickly left the cathedral.


    Sea Mist had arrived¨Calthough later than expected, the vast warship shrouded in legends and fearsome curses had finally reached the Plunder City-State that had once sent out a distress call. Now, this formidable steel warship was slowly approaching the dedicated wharf for large vessels, guided by the dock¡¯s pilots, while some people who had heard the news gathered nearby the docks, nervously yet curiously watching the steel behemoth.


    Before long, the people near the docks realized that the imposing steel warship had reached the harbor after a fierce battle.


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    It was scarred all over: three of its six main cannons had vanished into thin air; the hull had ghastly gaps where something had been gouged out; a third of the bridge had been destroyed, and terrifying scars stretched from the side of the bridge up to the main armor belt¨Ceven near the waterline on the side of the ship, several frightening holes were visible.


    If such damage were inflicted upon an ordinary battleship, it would have sunk several times over.


    But Sea Mist still stubbornly floated on the sea¡¯s surface, with life-like holes in its belly¨Cas if filled with some soft, metallic luster material that had staunchly sealed the leaks. Continuously, seawater infiltrating the bottom cabin was being expelled outside the ship¨Cthe Sea Mist¡¯s bilge pumps had stopped, and thus that seawater was directly seeping out from the ship¡¯s side, as if¡­ the ship was sweating.


    This was an advanced steel warship, but also a cursed ship full of anomalies¨Ceveryone standing near the docks clearly saw the ¡°living¡± characteristics exhibited by that ship, and the onlookers¡¯ curiosity became mingled with more horror; whispers were everywhere.


    It wasn¡¯t until several imposing steam-powered walkers appeared on the dock that Fenna¡¯s tall figure silenced many of the murmuring watchers.

 Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter 228: The Great Pirate Entering the City-State

    Chapter 224: Chapter 228: The Great Pirate Entering the City-State


    The steam-powered walking machine stopped in front of the wharf, and Fenna stood on the casing of this spider-like machine, looking up at the ship in front of her that was hailed as the ¡°unsinkable battleship.¡±


    Unsinkable, but not invincible¨Cthe ship might truly be difficult to sink, but that didn¡¯t mean it couldn¡¯t be battered extensively.


    It was evident to the naked eye that the Sea Mist had been through a fierce battle¡­ Of course, if one were to recall its unscathed condition as seen from the great clock tower, one might say this ironclad was utterly thrashed¨CFenna didn¡¯t know much about ships, but she knew it was incredible for a ship in this condition to float smoothly to the port.


    This was the condition of the Sea Mist after using its strong ¡°unsinkable¡± ability to self-repair for a full day and night.


    Fenna¡¯s mind drifted back to the Homeloss, to the curse-like connection she had with Captain Duncan, and it gave her a headache. Rubbing her forehead, she jumped down from the steam walker and saw a long gangplank extended from the side of the nearby Sea Mist, with a few figures appearing on it.


    Leading them was a man in a dignified captain¡¯s uniform, with slightly curled black hair, sporting an eyepatch, a one-eyed man whose face bore a resemblance to Duncan Ebnomal. However, compared to the oppressive Ghost Ship Captain, the Tirian Captain walking toward the wharf looked quite weary.


    Behind this notorious pirate captain were several followers, their skin pale and their facial expressions like frozen plaster, subtly carrying a certain non-human aura¨Cyet overall, they were not as terrifying as often described in many horror stories.


    Fenna had heard plenty of rumors about the Sea Mist¨Csince this ship still belonged, to some extent, to ¡°human civilization,¡± the stories about it were naturally a bit richer and more detailed than those about the Homeloss. Those tales often mentioned Tirian Abnormal¡¯s undead sailors.


    Legend had it that these sailors had initially accompanied Tirian when he fled Frost, and some were even century-old veterans formerly from the Homeloss fleet. They, like their captain, were affected by Subspace¨Cthe curse that lingered over members of the Ebnomal family, which had seeped into their followers, turning them into undying undead.


    They could not die in the real dimension, nor could they enjoy the warmth of the real world like living people. They were unable to feel a moment¡¯s peace in the world of the living, yet could not step through the door of the rester belonging to the god of death, Bartok.


    In other rumors, these undead sailors were said to have long lost any attachment to the mortal world or their former kin, bound only by some ancient and powerful oaths to eternally serve their master¨Cthe eldest of the Ebnomal family.


    Fenna watched these figures intently as they stepped onto the land of Plunder City-State and walked toward her under Tirian¡¯s lead.


    Undead¡­ Strictly speaking, they were now the children of the god of death Bartok, and since Bartok was among the pantheon of regular gods, these undead sailors were permitted to set foot on the City-State¡¯s land. However, that did not mean ordinary people could accept these unnerving ¡°former kin¡± so easily. Considering these undead sailors¡¯ deep ties to the Ebnomal family¡¯s ¡°curse,¡± Fenna needed to keep a close eye on them.


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    But¡­ The Plunder that had been thoroughly torched by the Homeloss, compared to these cursed immortals before her, how different could they be, really?


    Fenna¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t help but raise this deeply troubling question. As she pondered, the one-eyed pirate captain had already approached her.


    ¡°Greetings, Judge,¡± said Tirian, removing his captain¡¯s hat and slightly bowing in salute. He was surprised by Fenna¡¯s youth and her tall stature but showed no sign of it, his manners impeccable, not at all like the fearsome pirate he was reputed to be, but rather like a navy commander still loyal to a City-State, ¡°Thank you for personally welcoming us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Captain Tirian,¡± Fenna quickly focused, nodding to the man in his thirties before her¨Cshe subconsciously compared him to the ¡°Captain Duncan¡± she had met, finding him not as tall as his father, but also lacking some of his oppressive majesty, ¡°Your response to Plunder¡¯s call for help alone warrants a personal reception.¡±


    ¡°But, we ultimately didn¡¯t serve any useful purpose.¡± Tirian¡¯s face twisted into a wry expression, then, instinctively, he looked around the port as if searching for something.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Fenna vaguely guessed what he was doing, but asked anyway.


    ¡°Forgive me for being forward, but did you receive the message we sent before docking?¡± Tirian said, nervously scanning the surroundings, ¡°We encountered the Homeloss on our way, and although we did our best to intercept, that ship still¡­¡±


    ¡°Your father was here,¡± Fenna sighed, ¡°He left yesterday.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the great pirate Captain Tirian across from her turned as still as a stone sculpture, and even the frozen stiff faces of his followers behind him shivered.


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t catch that,¡± Tirian reacted after a few seconds, his face ghostly as he looked at the young Judge before him, ¡°Judge, you said my father was here yesterday¡­¡±


    He deliberately emphasized the word ¡°father¡± as if he feared that Fenna was joking about this critical issue.


    ¡°The situation is complicated, we need to explain it well,¡± Fenna sighed again, ¡°The ¡®Homeloss¡¯ has indeed appeared, but the situation is completely different from what we initially described in the letter sent to you. The Plunder City-State just experienced a significant¡­ incident. Please follow me, Bishop Valentin is already waiting in the cathedral. We desperately need all sorts of information, and you must have countless questions that need answers.¡±


    Tirian felt as though all the plans he had conceived on the road had been scrambled. He almost hazily followed Fenna¡¯s steps, heading towards the steam-powered walkers from the cathedral¨Ca black steam carriage specially prepared for guests was already parked by the roadside, with the Deep Sea Church¡¯s emblem hanging on it.


    ¡°¡­Honestly, I thought you guys would have me stop at the docks,¡± Tirian perhaps intended to break the somewhat awkward atmosphere, or perhaps to alleviate some inexplicable pressure (somehow, he always felt a vague pressure whenever he saw Fenna) and suddenly said in a self-deprecating tone, ¡°After all, under normal circumstances, the City-State authorities would either refuse a pirate ashore or simply prepare a noose for the pirate.¡±


    ¡°This is not Frost¨Cthe northern City-States¡¯ warrants for the ¡®Sea Mist¡¯ cannot reach over the head of Plunder, unless one day you do something ¡®big¡¯ and get a combined pursuit from the entire Endless Sea,¡± Fenna casually said. ¡°But before that, to Plunder, you are just a captain who is keen to offer help, and¡­¡±


    While speaking, she turned her head back to look at the ¡®Sea Mist,¡¯ which, despite being battered, still exuded a strong aura.


    ¡°And honestly, even in the northern seas, would any City-State really put a noose around your neck when you dock?¡±


    Tirian thought for a moment and then laughed.


    ¡°When I land, the City-State Guards politely call me the ¡®owner of Sea Mist Venture Company¡¯ and portray my visit as a commercial interaction between the City-State and the Mist Fleet when questions arise¨CYou know what, pirates have this proverb: The lowest level warrant disturbs little pirates, the City-State level warrant makes great pirates sit on pins and needles, and the highest level warrant¡­ is used by the concerned party to wipe tables and swords.¡±


    The great pirate paused slightly and then said mildly, ¡°Besides Frost, I can step onto the land of any northern City-State with tranquility.¡±


    Fenna raised her eyebrows: ¡°Besides Frost?¡±


    ¡°¡­Her Majesty Lei Nora ordered me to leave Frost,¡± Tirian¡¯s face lost its smile, ¡°She has not rescinded that order yet.¡±


    Fenna glanced at him, noticing that the expression on this great pirate¡¯s face had become unusually serious.


    She said nothing more but stopped at the junction, pointing to the guest carriage beside: ¡°Please get on, Captain Tirian.¡±


    Then, she turned and jumped onto one of the steam walkers, standing on top of it as imposingly as usual.


    Tirian, with a few of his followers, turned and got into the carriage.


    The moment the car door closed, he exhaled deeply.


    ¡°Captain,¡± a follower noticed his boss¡¯s reaction and couldn¡¯t help but look over curiously, ¡°Are you alright? I felt you were a bit¡­ tense just now. You never seemed so tight when dealing with other renowned captains or City-State officials.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I always feel a certain¡­ indescribable pressure when talking to that young Judge,¡± Tirian didn¡¯t hide his feelings in front of his most trusted subordinates, ¡°This feeling is completely different from the usual dealings with other City-State officials, and even when we once barely crossed paths with the traveling Death Chapel, I¡¯ve never felt this strange pressure.¡±


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    ¡°Really?¡± The follower wrinkled his brows in confusion, ¡°I didn¡¯t feel it¡­ though that Judge did look quite formidable¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that kind of pressure,¡± Tirian shook his head, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not discuss it further. High Saints¡¯ powers are very strong, she can hear you speaking.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the follower immediately shut his mouth nervously.


    Tirian somewhat relaxed and looked out at the gradually moving landscape of Plunder with a complex expression.


    In his childhood, he and Lukecia had briefly stayed in this City-State, but that was a century ago. Today¡¯s jewel of the sea¡­ was to him completely unfamiliar territory.

 Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Chapter 229: Seeking the Blood Compass

    Chapter 225: Chapter 229: Seeking the Blood Compass


    The steel warship lay silently moored at the port of Plunder, its flag representing the Mist Fleet billowing in the wind beneath the sunlight. The emblem on the flag was a cluster of ice crystals, sharp as knives, with a fracture down the middle¨Cthe ice symbolized Frost, and the crack represented the self-exiled ¡°rebels.¡±


    After the notorious pirate captain and his followers had disembarked, no one else left the warship. The Sea Mist was like a silent iceberg, peacefully stationary. Its towering and majestic hull and prow blocked all curious gazes from the dock, while a contingent of City-State Guards rushed from a nearby garrison to seal off the access to the pier, preventing unrelated personnel from approaching.


    Only after the intervention of the sheriff did the onlookers gathered near the wharf finally begin to disperse gradually.


    First Mate Aiden stood on the bridge of the Sea Mist, silently watching the activity on the dock.


    He hadn¡¯t gone ashore with Tyrion¨Cwhen the captain left the warship, he, the First Mate, retained the captain¡¯s authority on board to prevent any chaos.


    ¡°Those City-State Guards seem really twitchy,¡± a sailor muttered nearby, ¡°as if they¡¯re scared we¡¯ll plunder the moment we land¨CI thought the Plunder City-State¡¯s guards would be a bit tougher than the scarecrows of the Chill Sea.¡±


    Aiden, without turning his head, responded, ¡°If they didn¡¯t maintain order, you would complain that Plunder¡¯s guards didn¡¯t even have the courage to cordon off the streets¨Cwould you face their steam tanks if it came to it?¡±


    ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t, I don¡¯t want to be hauled back on deck in a bucket again,¡± the sailor quickly shook his head, then looked up in the direction the steam walkers had left, ¡°The captain went with them¡­ Is everything okay? That tall woman seemed like trouble. I don¡¯t think the captain could take her¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not here to fight; we¡¯re here by invitation, understand?¡± Aiden finally couldn¡¯t help but give the sailor a sideways glance, ¡°You, and all of you, need to adjust your attitude. Have you forgotten the captain¡¯s teachings? We are now the Mist Maritime Investment Company¨Cpiracy isn¡¯t sustainable, isn¡¯t doing business a faster way to make money?¡±


    ¡°So, when do we plunder?¡±


    Aiden thought for a moment, the sunlight reflecting off his shiny forehead, ¡°Of course, when the other side isn¡¯t willing to do business¡­¡±


    The Undead sailors nodded, acknowledging the First Mate¡¯s wisdom. Then it was quiet for a few seconds, when a sailor, half of whose head was caved in, couldn¡¯t help but look towards the City-State, mumbling, ¡°Can we go ashore to have a look? Plunder, I heard that this city¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Aiden cut off his subordinate directly, ¡°Captain¡¯s orders, no one is to leave the Sea Mist without permission¨Cyou lot of oddballs would definitely frighten people. Plunder is not like the North; few here have seen talking corpses.¡±


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    ¡°So the captain only chose a few who looked most alive to go ashore, right?¡± the sailor with the caved-in head complained resentfully, then raised his hand to touch his head, ¡°I think I look alright; if I cover this up with half a shell and wear a hat¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Without the captain¡¯s orders, no one is allowed ashore!¡± Aiden glowered at the sailor who wouldn¡¯t stop talking, ¡°If you really have nothing to do, go below and check on those unlucky fellows who were stuck on the deck earlier. If they¡¯re alive, have them report¡­¡±


    A soft clicking sound suddenly came from nearby, interrupting Aiden¡¯s orders.


    Everyone on the bridge heard the faint clicking, and their gazes involuntarily turned towards the direction of the sound, with the first sailor who had spoken quickly identifying the source.


    Next to the captain¡¯s seat, a bizarre machine composed of numerous gears, rods, and compass needles sat¨Cquiet now, yet its few needles still trembled slightly, as if they had been abruptly activated moments before.


    ¡°Did this thing just move?¡± A sailor closest to the device approached the intricate and complex machine warily, eyes fixed on its now-still compass needles.


    Aiden also walked over, his gaze falling on the small hemispherical bowl at the center of the machine¨Cinside, a bit of dried blood remained, a remnant of Captain Tyrion¡¯s last use of the device.


    The bald First Mate¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


    As the captain¡¯s most trusted subordinate, Aiden was quite familiar with the device.


    Anomaly 203, the Compass, a complex, brass contraption of unknown principle, once part of the Frost Queen¡¯s collection, now owned by Captain Tyrion.


    This device, in the ranked list of ¡°anomalies,¡± was considered to have a more ¡°beneficial effect.¡± Its central bowl could hold blood and, after absorbing fresh blood, its series of compass needles would indicate the direction of the user¡¯s ¡°blood relatives.¡± The indication was linked to the closeness of kinship, distance, and the user¡¯s intent.


    Compared to most anomalies, which harbored direct malevolence and could be deadly if mishandled, the Compass was relatively safe to ¡°keep¡±¨Cit required no special sealing conditions. However, once activated, the device would reveal its perilous nature.


    First, once infused with fresh blood, the user would constantly be lured by the Compass to continue supplying blood, and those with weak minds might bleed themselves to death in an unending sacrifice. Second, although the Compass could indeed help the user locate ¡°blood relatives,¡± it often brought ¡°misfortune¡± along the way, continually steering events for the worse as user and relative drew near.


    Only Aiden knew that Anomaly 203 had once guided a father to his long-lost son, only for an unfortunate accident to result in the two killing each other upon meeting.


    However, these negative effects didn¡¯t matter much to Captain Tyrion¨Chis will was strong enough to resist the Compass¡¯s ¡°blood donation lure.¡± As for the tendency of misfortune when a relative approached¡­


    First, the captain and Miss Lucresia would never meet while Anomaly 203 was in effect. Second, the relationship between father and son Abunomal was anything but ¡°fond and filial.¡±


    Even the Compass could hardly conjure up a more ¡°doomed and dark¡± family reunion than that of two Cursed Warships firing upon each other upon encounter.


    In the past half-century, Captain Tyrion often treated the blood-seeking compass as some kind of ¡°warning device,¡± using it to determine whether the Homeloss had returned to the real world.


    Aiden and the sailors crowded around the abnormal device 203, with several pairs of eyes fixated on the brass device surrounded by a few ancient compasses with intricate patterns.


    The gears and pointers had completely quieted down.


    ¡°¡­ Maybe it just wanted to move a bit,¡± a sailor with a hole in his forehead cautiously spoke, seemingly trying to lighten the mood, ¡°After all, this thing usually doesn¡¯t budge¡­¡±


    Aiden glared at the sailor, ¡°If you can¡¯t joke, don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Or¡­ shall we wipe off the remaining blood in the center?¡± another mummy-like withered sailor suggested, ¡°Otherwise, it feels like this thing is about to ¡®wake¡¯ up any moment.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Aiden shook his head, ¡°The captain has ordered that the blood at the center of the compass must not be wiped off manually; we must wait seventy-two hours for the compass to absorb it on its own.¡±


    ¡°¡­ What happens if we wipe it off early?¡±


    ¡°No one knows. It¡¯s already hard enough just to summarize the ¡®abnormal device¡¯s¡¯ correct usage, who would be so full to test various wrong operations,¡± Aiden said casually, ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try? Consider it a contribution to human civilization.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, it was just a thought.¡±


    Aiden snorted coldly.


    ¡°Click-click¨C¡±


    Just then, the blood-seeking compass suddenly made that faint mechanical noise again, the conversation between the first mate and the sailors was abruptly interrupted, and Aiden immediately looked at the device. He saw its gears starting to tremble, and several compass pointers on the edge jerked violently. Then, all the pointers suddenly pointed towards Plunder¡­ around.


    The blood-seeking compass quieted down once more, this time it seemed truly motionless.


    All of its pointers had avoided Plunder.


    Aiden and the sailors looked at each other.


    ¡°¡­ I said this thing just wanted to move¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Aiden interrupted the sailor, but his eyes remained firmly on the abnormal device 203, while recalling the scene he had just observed in his mind.


    All of the pointers had turned to some random direction beyond Plunder, but he was certain that at some moment just before, there definitely was a brief instant when the compass¡¯s pointers pointed in the same direction¨Ctowards the Plunder City-State!


    It was such a fleeting moment that it could make someone doubt if it was just a coincidence during the chaotic spinning of several pointers, but to Aiden, it was as if the compass¡¯s ¡°eyes¡± had just spotted their target and then shifted their gaze in terror.


    And now, with all of abnormal device 203¡¯s pointers aimed near the sea around Plunder, it appeared more to Aiden like an attempt to ¡°conceal by making a show.¡±


    He suddenly recalled something the captain had once said to him¨C


    Abnormal device 203 occasionally exhibits ¡°living traits¡±; it doesn¡¯t always operate mechanically.


    This thing, it can feel fear.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right¡­ there¡¯s a problem with this City-State!¡± Aiden suddenly realized, ¡°We need to inform the captain about the situation here.¡±


    ¡°But hasn¡¯t the captain ordered us not to go ashore?¡±


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    ¡°Send a message first,¡± Aiden spoke quickly, turning to a sailor, ¡°Go, bring Polly over here!¡±


    The sailor ran off swiftly, and before long, he returned to the bridge¨Ca huge parrot with spangled tail feathers perched on his shoulder, sharpening its beak on the exposed skull of the sailor¡¯s nape.


    ¡°Polly, we need you to send a message,¡± Aiden called out loudly.


    The parrot immediately stopped its harassment of the sailor and lifted its head, looking at the first mate, ¡°Polly, can send a message.¡±


    ¡°Go to the City-State cathedral, look for the captain¡¯s scent, tell him¨Cthe blood-seeking compass points to Plunder, the City-State is unsafe!¡±

 Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter 230: The Warm Daily Life in the Subspace Nest

    Chapter 226: Chapter 230: The Warm Daily Life in the Subspace Nest


    The large parrot with colorful tail feathers flapped its wings and left the Sea Mist, flying over the dock area at a surprising speed, and headed straight for the City-State.


    ¡°First mate, what do we do? Just wait here?¡±


    Aboard the bridge of the Sea Mist, a sailor who watched the parrot Perl fly away turned to Aiden, who stood beside him silent.


    ¡°¡­We can only wait for now,¡± Aiden lowered his head to glance at the ground beneath his feet, his mind weighing options rapidly to ensure his cool head operated at its best, ¡°Not just because of the captain¡¯s orders, but also due to the current state of the Sea Mist.¡±


    His latter words quickly settled several of his subordinates who were starting to feel restless.


    The captain had only taken a few confidants ashore, leaving his first mate and the rest of the sailors on the ship. The official explanation was the Sea Mist¡¯s undead sailors were bizarre and frightening, likely to cause unrest and hostility in the City-State, but Aiden understood the reality very well.


    Because the Sea Mist had just recently encountered its flagship.


    The ship was in a bad way, not only because its hull had sustained damage, but even more so because the ship¡¯s¡­ ¡°soul¡± was restless. The boiler of the Sea Mist was still trembling, strange hollow sounds echoed from the little chapel, the pressure in the steam pipes had yet to stabilize completely, and although the ship had indeed returned to ¡°this side,¡± it was hard to say whether it would go out of control again.


    During this time of instability, the sailors who had served on this ship for over half a century were the ship¡¯s ¡°anchor¡±¨Cthe iron anchor of the Sea Mist allowed it to moor on the sea, while the ¡°anchor of humanity,¡± comprised of the undead, enabled it to stabilize in the real dimension.


    Aiden dared not rashly reduce the number of sailors aboard¨Cespecially after vaguely perceiving the odd situation in the Plunder. He was even less willing to let the members of the Sea Mist enter the City-State, as this might cause a ¡°disturbance,¡± alarming the newly settled ¡°soul¡± of the ship.


    Similarly, he dared not allow the Sea Mist to send signals directly to the Plunder City-State, including sounding the horn, ringing the bell, or contacting the City-State authorities directly by telegraph, for fear of alerting¡­ certain forces lurking within the Plunder.


    Sending the parrot Perl to pass the message was the lowest-risk plan he could come up with. He hoped that the captain would return soon after receiving the message¨Choping he was not yet trapped by something, hoping it wasn¡¯t too late.


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t place all his hopes on ¡°waiting¡±¨Cif the captain still hadn¡¯t returned after a day, he would have to send a small number of crew members to take a risk ashore.


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    Aiden furrowed his brows tightly and gazed at the shining Pearl City under the sunlight, recalling each detail of the captain¡¯s departure with the City-State Judge, attempting to identify anything amiss that could explain the abnormal behavior from earlier.


    ¡­


    Duncan, who was turning the pages of the newspaper by the counter, suddenly stopped his action and looked thoughtfully out the window.


    Alice, sitting beside him imitating him by aimlessly flipping through the newspaper, noticed and asked curiously, ¡°Mr. Duncan, what are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°¡­I just felt like something glanced over here for a moment,¡± Duncan muttered uncertainly with a frown, ¡°but it disappeared in the blink of an eye.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know, that¡¯s called ¡®the jolt of the strong¡¯! Mr. Goathead told me about it,¡± Alice said excitedly, ¡°It said the stronger you are, the more you can sense gazes or even thoughts directed at you, and someone as strong as you will have jolts all the time¡­¡±


    Duncan put down the newspaper and looked expressionlessly at Alice: ¡°Did it really say that?¡±


    The smile on Alice¡¯s face suddenly became a bit stiff: ¡°¡­The last part was my own deduction.¡±


    ¡°Stop making useless deductions,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, then slightly concentrated his mind, searching for the source of that ¡°jolt.¡±


    He didn¡¯t treat the fleeting sensation as an illusion¨Cafter spending so much time in this world full of oddities, he had developed the habit of paying attention to any ¡°sudden intuition¡± and digging deeper into it.


    Duncan¡¯s perception expanded rapidly and spread toward the edges of the City-State. In just an instant, he felt the outline of Plunder appear as clear in his mind as Homeloss, as if he could ¡°touch¡± the City-State like he could ¡°touch¡± Homeloss. He began to sense the complex ¡°touch¡± that this City-State beneath his feet transmitted, and among these senses, one most apparent and abrupt message entered his mind.


    At the southeastern port of Plunder.


    ¡°¡­Tyrion¡¯s ship?¡± Duncan was somewhat surprised after sensing the source of that aura, ¡°What is he doing here?¡±


    Then he recalled his previous encounter with that ironclad warship, the location of that ship at the time, and the intent shown by the opponent during the battle. After a short period of contemplation, his expression grew a bit peculiar.


    The Sea Mist appeared near Plunder and attacked Homeloss voluntarily¡­ Could it be that the Plunder authorities called for ¡°reinforcements¡±? Were they meant to intercept him?


    Gauging the cause and effect in his mind, Duncan could only chuckle wryly. He wasn¡¯t sure whether to first marvel at the filial relationship between father and son or the dedication of Tyrion acting as reinforcements¨Cafter being pummeled by Homeloss to the point where his ship was nearly sunk, he still resolutely made his way to Plunder. What kind of spirit was that?


    It certainly wasn¡¯t the spirit of an obligatory defender of world peace.


    More likely, it was the joy of competing with his father.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan, you¡¯re zoning out,¡± Alice¡¯s voice rang out again from beside him, and the automaton tilted her head slightly as she looked over, ¡°Do you want to go out?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan shook his head while maintaining his perception of the Sea Mist. Since it was not yet one of his ¡°collections¡± like Homeloss and Plunder, he couldn¡¯t sense the detailed situation on that ship. However, considering his connections with the Sea Mist and with Tyrion, he had started trying to locate his ¡°eldest son¡±¨Cbut since explaining these complicate matters to Alice would be beyond her understanding, he simply didn¡¯t bother to explain. He couldn¡¯t help frowning when he saw the automaton tilting her head, ¡°Don¡¯t tilt your head, it might fall off.¡±


    Alice quickly nodded with a slight motion, ¡°Oh, oh.¡±


    Just then, another set of footsteps sounded from behind the small door behind the counter, followed by the door swinging open, and a petite figure emerged from inside.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± Sherry patted the dust off her skirt and greeted Duncan with a face expecting praise, ¡°The storeroom is all cleaned up! And all those knick-knacks you asked about are arranged on a shelf too!¡±


    ¡°Mm, well done,¡± Duncan kept part of his attention on the harbor while nodding to Sherry, ¡°You¡¯ve got some dust on your shoulder.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Sherry turned and patted off the dust, then looked at Duncan with a bit of nervousness, ¡°Mr. Duncan, what¡­ what do we do now?¡±


    While speaking with Duncan here, the expression on her face was obviously not as panicked as on the Homeloss, but there was still some evident nervousness, which seemed hard to completely shake off anytime soon. However, she was clearly in a much better state now than she was initially.


    Clearly, at least rationally, she knew of Duncan¡¯s goodwill toward her, but as for that lingering nervousness¡­ it would first take addressing the dog¡¯s nervousness.


    Duncan nodded and then let his gaze slide over to Alice, who was randomly flipping through the newspaper without actually recognizing a single word.


    Illiterate.


    He looked at Sherry across from him.


    Another illiterate.


    And there was the dog hiding in the shadows nearby, although never showing itself, its presence was harder and harder to conceal.


    Still illiterate.


    Bringing these three to help out at the shop, none could even figure out the accounts.


    Duncan sighed internally, then remembered an idea he had before, along with his old profession.


    ¡°Come on, all of you sit down here, Sherry you sit to the right of Alice,¡± Duncan pulled a chair next to the counter without much effort, ¡°And Dog, you squat behind the counter¡­ no more hiding now, I see your shadow. All come over, I have a plan.¡±


    Sherry hurriedly sat obediently on the chair, while Alice, who had finally put down the unintelligible newspaper, looked over curiously, ¡°Ah, what plan?¡±


    ¡°Since Nina went out to shop and hasn¡¯t returned, we¡¯re not doing much; I might as well teach you how to read,¡± Duncan said cheerfully, getting up to straighten his clothes, ¡°You can¡¯t stay illiterate forever.¡±


    Sherry never expected that Captain Duncan¡¯s serious ¡®plan¡¯ would turn out to be this. She was instantly stupefied. On the other hand, Alice was full of curiosity, her eyes even sparkling with excitement, while the dog, who had been squatting obediently behind the counter, lifted its head to look at Duncan, then at Sherry, its doggy head filled with question marks, ¡°But I¡¯m just a dog, you know¡­¡±


    At these words, Duncan looked down, but before he could say anything, the Profound Demon suddenly shivered, its upper body abruptly straightened up, ¡°But I can try to be a cultured dog; I have the enthusiasm and confidence¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Duncan said pleasantly. He kept his watch on the harbor while reaching under the counter and pulling out several blank notebooks, distributing them to his ¡®students¡¯ as he spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s start with learning the alphabet then, the most basic¡­¡±


    Sherry received the notebook Duncan handed over with a puzzled look on her face.


    And then, she entered an even more baffled state.


    Alphabets and spelling, a gate to an entirely new world that she couldn¡¯t begin to understand.


    In just a few minutes, Sherry confirmed one thing: swinging a dog at Heretics was easier than this!


    But Duncan seemed unconcerned about Sherry¡¯s distressed expression¨Cor rather, he had grown accustomed to such expressions.


    He was just happy, a kind of joy one feels when, adrift in a foreign land, one suddenly comes in contact with familiar things, suddenly undertaking familiar tasks.


    However, the joyous time didn¡¯t last long¨Cwhile Sherry was stumbling through learning to write the fourth letter, a crisp bell sound and brisk footsteps came from the door, interrupting the ¡°Subspace Shadow imparting knowledge to its kin¡± classroom time.


    Nina¡¯s cheerful voice rang out at the entrance, ¡°Uncle Duncan! I¡¯m back!¡±


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    Duncan looked up from the pleasant teaching activity to see Nina pushing the door open to enter the shop, but then he noticed something else following her flying in.


    ¡°When I was coming back, I saw Eli,¡± Nina said happily, ¡°It looks like Eli brought a friend back too!¡±


    ¡°Friend?¡±


    Duncan frowned slightly and then saw Eli flying in after Nina, followed by a large parrot with colorful tail feathers¡­


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Chapter 231 Reliable Messenger Perley

    Chapter 227: Chapter 231 Reliable Messenger Perley


    Ai Yi flapped energetically into the shop, perched on the handrail of the stairs with her chest puffed out and an air of arrogance, as her mung bean eyes darted here and there.


    The brightly-feathered parrot that had followed her in also swept into the shop, settling on the counter beside Duncan¡¯s hand, striding and hopping about as if completely at home without any restraint.


    Duncan stared in astonishment at this unexpected visitor when the parrot also lifted its head, looking unabashed at Duncan. After a while, it suddenly flapped its wings, emitting a loud and grating sound, ¡°Ah! Polly!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re called Polly?¡± Duncan asked curiously, with no real expectation of a response from the parrot. After all, a parrot¡¯s speech is just mimicry. To his surprise, the bird actually nodded its head upon hearing his question, waving its wings, ¡°Polly! It¡¯s Polly!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression became wooden for a moment, then he turned to look at Ai Yi, who was loftily surveying the ground floor from the stair¡¯s handrail, ¡°Where did you find this¡­ ¡®friend¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Friends come from afar,¡± Ai Yi immediately flapped her wings, one eye on Duncan, the other eye flicking uncertainly towards the window, ¡°Since they¡¯ve come!¡±


    Nina immediately asked with curiosity, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Having learned the secret of Duncan and the Homeloss, Nina knew about Ai Yi¡¯s ability to speak. She had been quite surprised at first but had since calmed down¨Chowever, like everyone else, she found it difficult to make sense of the pigeon¡¯s random utterances.


    ¡°Perhaps it means she doesn¡¯t know where the parrot came from either,¡± Duncan used his imagination to translate for Ai Yi and turned his head to look at the parrot and pigeon in succession, finally unable to restrain himself, ¡°Ai Yi¡­ I don¡¯t object to you making friends, but are you aware that you¡¯re different species? At least find another pigeon¡­¡±


    ¡°The sea embraces all streams, tolerance is greatness,¡± the pigeon chanted zealously, head cocked, eyes staring blankly, ¡°Tolerance is greatness!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He often pondered life and doubted himself during his conversations with Ai Yi, wondering if he really was communicating with this bird spirit on the same wavelength.


    This feeling of somehow misaligning yet magically communicating was truly exceptional.


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    By this time, Sherry, A Dog, and Alice had also been drawn over by the commotion, all three crowding around the counter to observe the fearless parrot. Alice, curious, reached out to poke the parrot¡¯s wing, which simply hopped aside to avoid her touch, then cocked its head in a staring contest with the doll.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Alice inquired, looking towards Duncan with curiosity, ¡°It looks completely different from Ai Yi.¡±


    Sherry immediately responded, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s different; that¡¯s a parrot, and Ai Yi is a pigeon.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a parrot?¡± Alice asked, the very soul of curiosity, ¡°Is it edible?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sherry shook her head and then countered the doll, ¡°Why are you always concerned about this when you don¡¯t need to eat?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m responsible for cooking for the ship¡­ for Mr. Duncan!¡±


    There was a cacophony of voices around the counter, but Duncan did not join in. Instead, he thoughtfully watched the self-proclaimed ¡°Polly,¡± feeling a nagging sense of familiarity with the bird, as if he had just seen it somewhere not long ago.


    ¡°Where are you from? Why have you come here?¡± he suddenly asked.


    In the exchange just now, he had sensed that the parrot had the ability to communicate with humans¨Cclearly indicating an unusual origin.


    The parrot turned its head, tilted its brain, and pondered, ¡°Polly! Go, deliver message!¡±


    ¡°Deliver a message?¡± Duncan was momentarily stunned, his expression growing serious, ¡°What message? Who to?¡±


    The parrot seemed to think, recalling something before opening its beak to speak. However, before it could say anything more, Ai Yi suddenly fluttered over, shouting at the top of her lungs, ¡°Get some fries!¡±


    The parrot got a fright, ¡°Ah! Polly!¡±


    ¡°Get some fries!¡± The pigeon landed in front of the parrot, nodding seriously, ¡°Get some fries.¡±


    ¡°Polly?¡± ¡°Get some fries!¡±


    The two birds communicated like this, forcing Duncan to interrupt from the side, ¡°Stop¨CAi Yi, be quiet. Polly, what message are you supposed to deliver, and to whom?¡±


    The parrot seemed stunned, hesitating while rocking back and forth for several seconds before reluctantly responding, ¡°Get some fries.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He suddenly realized something, whatever message the parrot had previously wanted to convey, it clearly had forgotten all about it by now¡­


    Then, the parrot Polly seemed to dredge up some useful information from the remnants of its memory. It suddenly jumped up, flapping its wings vigorously, ¡°Tell the captain, tell the captain! Tell¡­ get some fries!¡±


    Soon after, the large parrot started shouting ¡°get some fries,¡± and with wings beating, it flew straight towards the door. Before the others could react, it had already burst through the door, soared into the sky, and accelerated towards the Upper City District of the Plunder City-State.


    Nina wanted to stop the parrot but was too late. She could only watch regretfully as its figure flew farther and farther away, then turned her head muttering, ¡°Ah, it flew off.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond¨Chis expression became serious immediately after hearing Polly shouting ¡°tell the captain,¡± and he began to recall why he felt vaguely familiar with this parrot.


    He had indeed seen this bird¨Cwhen Homeloss and Sea Mist overlapped on their courses, in one of the cabins on Sea Mist!


    ¡°Ai Yi, chase after that parrot.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s more or less the situation.¡±


    In a secluded meeting room within the grand cathedral of Plunder City-State, Valentin, the old Pontiff dressed in civilian clothes, said to Tyrion sitting across from him on the sofa by the coffee table.


    ¡°Homeloss last took the Sun Shard, thwarting the arrival of the Crawling Sun and neutralizing the impact of historical contamination on the City-State¨Calthough we still can¡¯t be sure¡­ your father¡¯s intentions.¡±


    Tyrion¡¯s expression was somewhat subtle, and somewhat stiff.


    He couldn¡¯t remember how many years it had been since he was last thrown into such a state of mental paralysis by astonishment¨Che understood every word the old Bishop said, but even in his most outlandish dreams, he had never considered such things happening!


    ¡°Homeloss really just left like that? It seems as though it only came to save the day,¡± said the renowned ¡°pirate captain¡± unbelievably, ¡°It took the Sun Shard¡­ and then? That¡¯s it? It didn¡¯t do anything else?¡±


    Valentin and Fenna beside him exchanged a look, both wearing expressions of helplessness and hesitation.


    At this point, it was truly hard to tell Tyrion to his face, ¡°Your dad just robbed half the city of its fries.¡±


    ¡°¡­No, that¡¯s it,¡± after much hesitation, the old Bishop still couldn¡¯t bring himself to mention it, he shook his head with a sigh ¡°I know you¡¯re confused¨CMr. Tyrion, we¡¯re just as confused as you are, and if even you don¡¯t know what your father intended, then we are even more clueless.¡±


    ¡°My father ceased to be my father a century ago,¡± Tyrion slowly shook his head and said solemnly, ¡°That¡¯s just a counterfeit, cobbled together with crude methods after being ripped apart by Subspace, an empty shell with no humanity inside¡­¡±


    Tyrion suddenly stopped mid-sentence, and for some reason, he recalled those few seconds when Homeloss and Sea Mist passed each other, the indifferent and distant words he had heard¨C


    ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±


    The great pirate suddenly felt a bit of hesitation.


    Inside that shell on Homeloss¡­ was there really no humanity? The voice that spoke to him back then and the aura he felt from that figure¡­ was it really just the chaotic echo of Subspace?


    As Tyrion was lost in thought, the voice of the young Judge came from across, interrupting his reverie, ¡°The question of whether Captain Duncan possesses ¡®humanity¡¯ is exactly what we¡¯re about to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Tyrion looked at Fenna with confusion, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°In fact¡­¡± Fenna hesitated, then exchanged glances with Bishop Valentin before nodding slightly, ¡°We¡¯ve had more than one communication with your father recently.¡±


    Matters concerning Homeloss were classified information, and so were the conversations with Captain Duncan; these details shouldn¡¯t have been revealed, but Tyrion¡¯s unique status made these problems no longer relevant.


    ¡°Communication? You and my father?!¡± Tyrion was indeed shocked, almost standing up from the sofa, ¡°This isn¡¯t some awful joke?¡±


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    ¡°Please remain calm, this is a very serious issue¨Cno one would joke about such matters after the City-State nearly perished,¡± Fenna looked at Tyrion calmly, then paused slightly, ¡°Strictly speaking, I¡¯ve had a few communications with your father, and based on my observations¡­ ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ doesn¡¯t seem to match the descriptions in the files anymore.¡±


    Tyrion noticed her grave demeanor, calmed down quickly, and his expression became especially serious, ¡°Judge, how did you establish communication? Why would he reach out to you? And¡­ what did he say?¡±


    ¡°It was initially an accident¡­ no, thinking about it now, it might¡¯ve been an intentional arrangement by your father,¡± Fenna collected her thoughts, speaking while recalling, ¡°I touched the ¡®fire¡¯ he left behind and established contact through it. As for why he chose me¡­ unfortunately, no one knows¡­¡±


    Fenna concealed the details about being marked and the ¡°contamination that couldn¡¯t be cleansed,¡± vaguely summing up the process as ¡°established contact,¡± and then told the details of her several communications with Captain Duncan to the ¡°pirate captain¡± before her.


    This man, theoretically, knew Duncan Ebnomal best.

 Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Chapter 232: Tyrions Memories

    Chapter 228: Chapter 232: Tyrion¡¯s Memories


    After listening to Fenna¡¯s account, Terrian fell into a short silence.


    Without having seen it with his own eyes, he was still unable to deduce from these fragmented words what kind of plan that ghost who had returned from Subspace was currently pursuing, or how these transformations came about, but one thing was certain¨Cthe ¡°Captain Duncan¡± described by Fenna was definitely not that frenzied monster the Sea Mist had encountered in the Chill Sea half a century ago.


    Nor did he much resemble the great explorer father he remembered from a century ago.


    ¡°Captain Terrian,¡± after a long silence in the parlor, Fenna¡¯s voice suddenly broke through, interrupting Terrian¡¯s contemplation, ¡°what is your opinion?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t believe this is really happening, but since it has, we can only temporarily accept this fact,¡± Terrian¡¯s brow slowly furrowed as he pondered and spoke, ¡°From your description, he does seem to be in a state of clear thinking, possessing reason and humanity, but his power¡­ that Curse-like flame, has also correspondingly grown stronger.¡±


    Fenna nodded: ¡°I don¡¯t know if that green flame is a Curse, but it is indeed very powerful.¡±


    ¡°That flame is related to Subspace,¡± Terrian said, ¡°he acquired this eerie power after falling into Subspace, so it¡¯s no problem to call it a Curse.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, the fact that the flame is stronger than the one you saw half a century ago suggests that Captain Duncan¡¯s connection with Subspace is now deeper than before,¡± the elderly Bishop Valentin pondered, ¡°which means he has not escaped the influence of Subspace, but rather is more deeply ensnared¨Cyet correspondingly, he has somehow recovered in this process?¡±


    ¡°¡­This does not conform to our understanding of Subspace.¡± Terrian shook his head.


    ¡°The believers of Rahm often say a phrase,¡± Valentin said, ¡°Our only understanding of Subspace is that we never understand it enough¨Cover thousands of years, aside from the Homeloss, no one or thing from the reality dimension has been able to return to this world after entering Subspace, and apart from some indirect observational records and the fragmented words penned by mad scholars from the ancient Crithe Kingdom in their insanity, no one knows what exists within Subspace¡­ Our ¡®summaries of laws¡¯ regarding that place are, in fact, meaningless.¡±


    Speaking to this point, this learned old man paused, then sighed deeply: ¡°Even, we cannot be sure whether Subspace is actually a ¡®place¡¯¨C


    ¡°A thousand six hundred years ago, the mad scholar Bayermin was devoured by an invisible entity in front of an audience, after reading an ancient scroll. Before he disappeared, he shouted ¡®Subspace is the shadow on the backside of the world,¡¯ his words drove one hundred and forty-two witnesses into madness, but with the madness of those one hundred and forty-two witnesses as a ¡®sacrifice,¡¯ this information became the greatest step we¡¯ve taken in understanding Subspace for thousands of years.


    ¡°Scholars are still trying to construct a theoretical model of Subspace based on Bayermin¡¯s dying exclamation¡­ and your father, not only did he actually go to that place, but he has now returned to our world with clear understanding.¡±


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    ¡°Yes, year after year of research, year after year of deaths, those who die are quickly replaced, continuing the research¡­ So I do quite admire those reckless scholars from the Academy of Truth, completely in the positive sense,¡± Terrian lamented as he shook his head, his voice then taking on a slightly somber tone, ¡°So now, my ¡®father¡¯ has perhaps become a valuable sample? Someone who really went to Subspace and can still communicate rationally?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just wishful thinking,¡± Valentin spread his hands, ¡°We can¡¯t expect ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ to comply with the research of mortals, moreover, although he possesses reason now, we cannot rashly assume his reason is biased toward humanity¨Cif he¡¯s a rational invader from Subspace, then that would be far more terrifying than those thoughtless projections of chaos.¡±


    Terrian was silent for a moment, as if falling into deep recollection and contemplation, and after an unknown length of time, he suddenly spoke: ¡°Before embarking on his last expedition, there was a period when he exhibited anxiety and unease¡­ No, to be precise, from some indeterminate point on, he seemed to be perpetually anxious about something and was making many¡­ chilling preparations because of it.¡±


    Valentin and Fenna immediately exchanged glances, both their expressions turning serious at once.


    This might be the first time in a century that someone had heard these crucial secrets from the descendant of Captain Duncan!


    Fenna couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What was he anxious about? And what was he preparing for?¡±


    ¡°The end of the world.¡± Terrian raised his head, stating calmly.


    Valentin slightly furrowed his brow: ¡°The end?¡±


    ¡°I know it sounds a bit cliche, like the ravings of Doomsday Preachers who pop up every year, but this really was the one thing the world¡¯s greatest explorer was losing sleep over a hundred years ago.¡±


    Terrian sighed softly and continued.


    ¡°From the day Lucrescia and I took over command of the Sea Mist and the Brilliant Starship, he would occasionally bring it up.


    ¡°He seemed to believe that our world has some sort of¡­ countdown, or a sort of time limit; although the world seemed stable and peaceful on the surface, this countdown was actually nearing its end, and once the moment arrived, it would rapidly descend into collapse, termination, with no one able to reverse or stop the process¨Cand he thought¡­ this era was the final tick of that countdown.¡±


    Valentin frowned: ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t think our world can be considered ¡®stable¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°But in my father¡¯s mouth, he called the present world ¡®the last bucolic era.''¡±


    Fenna thought for a moment and asked, ¡°So, did he fall into Subspace in his quest to halt this ¡®countdown¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No, he wanted to find the anomaly 000¨Che believed anomaly 000 could put an end to the world¡¯s distortion, jam that countdown. For that purpose, he crossed the ¡®Eternal Veil¡¯ at the end of the world.¡±


    Valentin was startled, ¡°He crossed the Eternal Veil?!¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ but I can only confirm that he indeed entered that mist, not whether he truly ¡®penetrated¡¯ it,¡± Tyrian said, ¡°He refused the escort of any guard ships. What I can be sure of is that he indeed returned from there alive¨Cmadness-stricken. As for falling into Subspace¡­ that happened afterward.¡±


    Valentin and Fenna fell silent together, and after a while, Fenna took the initiative to break the silence, ¡°Did he find the so-called anomaly 000 then? You know, theoretically¡­¡±


    ¡°Theoretically, there¡¯s no such thing as anomaly or phenomenon number zero, I know, and he indeed came back empty-handed,¡± Tyrian calmly said, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve always thought that he might have already been not quite right when he decided to look for anomaly 000.¡±


    Fenna pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°Do you know why your father initially thought there was a ¡®countdown¡¯ in the world? When did he begin to have this perception? Was it induced by something, or¡­ did he discover something?¡±


    Tyrian recalled seriously for a moment, somewhat uncertainly, ¡°I¡­ am not sure, it¡¯s been too long, but I vaguely remember that he had hosted a few people on Homeloss and talked with them through the night¨Cthe first time he mentioned to us the issue of the apocalypse was after that day.¡±


    ¡°Hosted a few people?¡± Valentin immediately became serious, ¡°What kind of people were they? What was the situation at the time?¡±


    ¡°They were all wearing gray-white coarse cloaks, barefoot. In my memory¡­ they were thin, the kind of thinness that seems to come from arduous ascetic practices, as if they had been through a very long journey. They appeared suddenly on the ship during Homeloss¡¯s voyage, as if they had long prearranged to board the ship and visit my father,¡± Tyrian slowly said, ¡°And after the overnight discussion, my father told us the guests had left, but I never saw them depart from the ship. Those people seemed to vanish into thin air.¡±


    Valentin had a strange expression, ¡°Doomsday Preachers? This sounds very much like¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Excellency, do you think having lived a hundred years, I wouldn¡¯t recognize Doomsday Preachers?¡± Tyrian shook his head gently, ¡°I had that suspicion, too, but those people were definitely not the Doomsday Preachers you and I know of¨Cthey were sane and friendly, and there wasn¡¯t a trace of madness about them.¡±


    ¡°Sane and friendly?¡± Valentin blinked and said thoughtfully, ¡°I¡¯ve indeed never heard of any sane Doomsday Preachers¡­ Did those people have any other characteristics?¡±


    This time, Tyrian recalled even longer, and only after a good few minutes, did he suddenly lift his head, ¡°One of them once spoke a few words to me. I can¡¯t remember the exact content, just some very ordinary greetings, but I remember they referred to themselves as ¡®humble seekers.¡¯ And¡­¡±


    Tyrian paused and looked around, ¡°Do you have a pen?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fenna immediately took pen and paper from the side, ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Taking the pen and paper, Tyrian bent his head and drew a pattern on the coffee table, with Valentin and Fenna curiously leaning in.


    They saw a hexagonal emblem with a fragmented, seemingly cross-like pattern at its center. As Tyrian drew the cross, there was a noticeable hesitation in his lines, as though the memory was hazy.


    ¡°The pattern was approximately like this¨Cone of them wore a talisman like this around their neck. It seemed very important to him. He wouldn¡¯t allow me to touch it, only saying it was a guide and protection on their path to seeking.¡±


    Fenna frowned and studied the pattern for a long time, then turned back to Valentin, ¡°You¡¯ve seen more, do you recognize this?¡±


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    ¡°¡­Never seen it before,¡± Valentin scrutinized it for a while, hesitatingly shook his head, ¡°It doesn¡¯t resemble any known religious symbol, nor does it look like anything used by the classical City-States.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Fenna murmured softly, her gaze still fixed on the paper.


    The odd pattern on the paper reflected in her eyes.


    Additionally reflected in her eyes was a cluster of faint green sparks, virtually imperceptible to the naked eye.

 Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter 233: The Familys Curse

    Chapter 229: Chapter 233: The Family¡¯s Curse


    Bishop Valentin gathered up the paper that depicted a strange emblem.


    ¡°We don¡¯t recognize this pattern; it¡¯s likely from an ancient era or from a secret society that never revealed itself,¡± the elderly bishop said as he put away the paper. ¡°Our archives may hold corresponding records. Moreover, I will contact some friends in the academic community to see if they recognize this item.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s gaze returned to Tirian as she curiously eyed the ¡°pirate captain¡± in front of her. ¡°Was there anything unusual about your father before he held that secretive meeting with those peculiar ¡®Ascetics¡¯? Did he suddenly acquire mysterious texts or explore certain secret realms?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say,¡± Tirian shook his head. ¡°As you may know, a century ago, he was one of the world¡¯s most outstanding explorers. Dealing with various strange relics and secret realms was essentially his daily work¨Che was almost constantly in touch with the things you just mentioned, and Lucresia and I were just starting to help my father with some of his tasks at that time and didn¡¯t have many opportunities to learn about his ¡®collection¡¯ in detail, and¡­¡±


    Tirian paused for a moment and then sighed softly.


    ¡°Moreover, at that time, Lucresia and I never expected what would happen later. Even though those peculiar ¡®visitors¡¯ were a bit odd, my father was used to hosting a variety of strange ¡®guests.¡¯ By the time we realized something was seriously wrong with my father, almost a year had passed since that ¡®secret meeting,¡¯ and it was too late to investigate anything.¡±


    Fenna nodded slightly, and just then, a loud chiming of bells and the sound of steam whistles suddenly came from outside the window, interrupting the conversation in the drawing room.


    ¡°The evening bells have sounded,¡± Bishop Valentin looked out the window, seeing the sun, bound by dual runes, slowly sinking into the sea, while the faint shadow of the Creation of the World could be seen in the sky. ¡°Let us conclude for today.¡±


    He then turned back to Tirian and nodded, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, you may rest in the cathedral tonight. We have prepared dinner and undisturbed guest rooms for our visitors.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tirian agreed gladly, then added, ¡°I plan to stay in this City-State for a few more days¨CI briefly lived here a century ago, and I am quite intrigued by how it has changed.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Valentin smiled. ¡°The Sea Mist is now a friend of Proland, and we are always ready for our friends¨Cyou may stay as long as you like.¡±


    Fenna then rose from the sofa and nodded towards Tirian, ¡°I will take you to your guest room.¡±


    After this special meeting ended, Tirian left the drawing room with Fenna, joining a group of sailors who were resting in a nearby room, and they proceeded deeper into the cathedral.


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    ¡°I never expected a Judge to personally lead the way,¡± Tirian casually remarked as they headed towards the guest room, ¡°For a ¡®pirate,¡¯ this is quite an honor.¡±


    ¡°Just a ¡®pirate¡¯?¡± Fenna looked back slightly, a smile on her face, ¡°Your identity is not that ordinary¨Cson of Duncan, general of the Frost Queen, commander of the Mist Fleet. If all the pirates on the Endless Sea were like you¡­ we wouldn¡¯t need any City-State authorities.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡¯Pirate¡¯ is just a convenient identity that makes it easier for me to trouble certain people in the Chill Sea; they too like this identity, as it allows them to issue more warrants and pretend to be somewhat useful,¡± Tirian stated flatly. ¡°But what you just mentioned, Judge, are all matters of the past.¡±


    After a brief silence, Tirian continued, ¡°I have never revealed so much about ¡®him¡¯ to anyone, and I hope you can understand that.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Fenna nodded slightly, ¡°If I were in your position, I wouldn¡¯t want to share my family¡¯s¡­ ¡®Curse¡¯ with outsiders either. Sorry, I can¡¯t think of another word.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, it indeed is a Curse,¡± Tirian sighed, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the bizarre and mysterious situation in Proland that you just brought up about ¡®his¡¯ peculiar situation, there are things I really wouldn¡¯t want to remember.¡±


    As he spoke, his gaze inadvertently swept across Fenna¡¯s eyes, and the next second, he involuntarily averted his gaze.


    That subtle yet discernible pressure appeared again, more palpable than what he had felt at the docks.


    Considering the young Judge¡¯s recent numerous interactions with ¡°that person,¡± Tirian¡¯s mind even harbored some dreadful conjectures about this indescribable pressure.


    Fenna noticed his peculiar behavior.


    ¡°You seem a bit tense, Captain Tirian,¡± she asked directly, ¡°Am I making you nervous?¡±


    ¡°No, Judge,¡± Tirian shook his head, then spoke with some hesitation, ¡°I was just reminded of what you just mentioned. You said you had communicated several times with my father¡­ besides those communications, did he also give you something else¡­ like, say, power?¡±


    Fenna suddenly stopped walking.


    ¡°Why would you ask that?¡±


    ¡°I mean no offense,¡± Tirian quickly realized that his question might be somewhat offensive to a devout and steadfast saint, immediately explaining, ¡°I just wanted to remind you that the power my father brought back from Subspace is very strange and hard to eliminate, just like other chaotic Corrosions from Subspace; that power is highly contaminating. If you¡¯re not careful and get too deeply contaminated¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the warning,¡± Fenna took a deep breath and sincerely thanked him.


    But in reality, she thought to herself that his warning might be a bit late¨Cthe impact of Captain Duncan was more severe than anyone imagined, and now she could only hope that next time he came to see her, he would actually knock¡­


    Unaware of the Judge¡¯s thoughts, Tirian only felt the atmosphere had become a bit awkward, but this awkwardness didn¡¯t last long¨CFenna took the initiative to break the silence.


    ¡°I have been curious about something,¡± she suddenly asked, ¡°about the ¡®countdown¡¯ your father mentioned before he went mad¡­ Do you know more about it? Did he mention any other details?¡±


    As Fenna asked this question, her mind flashed back to her previous communication with the Storm Goddess Gomona and the difficult-to-understand words the goddess had conveyed to her¨C


    Time is limited, a critical moment is approaching.


    That statement, which she could not comprehend at the time, now seemed eerily connected to the ¡°countdown¡± mentioned by Tirian!


    Tirian met Fenna¡¯s gaze.


    After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke solemnly, ¡°In his last days, he suddenly said something to Lucrecia, he said¨C ¡®Our world is just a bunch of dying embers.''¡±


    The corridor came to an end.


    ¡°Thank you for leading the way,¡± Tirian nodded at Fenna, ¡°I would like to spend some time with my subordinates now.¡±


    Fenna was jolted from her thoughts; Tirian¡¯s words still echoed in her mind, and she nodded subconsciously, bidding farewell to the pirate captain.


    The door to the guest room closed, and after everything quieted down around him, Tirian finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    He recalled his last conversation with the young Judge and the subtle pressure he had felt from him, a belated palpitation only now setting in.


    In a daze, he remembered the moment their eyes met for the last time¡­


    In that instant, he felt as though he was standing under the gaze of a ¡°father!¡±


    ¡°Captain, are you alright?¡± a trusted sailor asked worriedly, observing his chief, ¡°You have been on edge ever since we landed.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine,¡± Tirian steadied himself and waved his hand to his subordinates, walking toward a nearby table, ¡°Bring the things here.¡±


    A sailor immediately stepped forward, placing a case brought down from the Sea Mist on the table; Tirian unlocked the case with a key, revealing its contents.


    It was a complex lens device, composed of many small lenses and curved connecting rods, with a large crystal ball placed in the center.


    ¡°Watch the door, don¡¯t let anyone disturb us,¡± Tirian instructed his subordinates.


    After a few sailors left, he turned his attention to the crystal ball and gently adjusted one of the lenses¡¯ angles, calling out softly, ¡°Lucrecia.¡±


    After a long while, the lens assembly began to vibrate slightly and operate, and the crystal ball in the center began to emit a faint light; accompanied by a burst of static noise, a blurry figure of Lucrecia appeared in the crystal ball: ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Why is it so fuzzy?¡± Tirian frowned, ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ the border¡­¡± Lucrecia¡¯s voice came from the crystal ball, accompanied by crackling interference, but still intelligible, ¡°Here¡­ environmental¡­ interference is getting stronger, I¡­ adjusting¡­ Is it better now? Can you hear me clearly?¡±


    Finally, the interference vanished, and Lucrecia¡¯s figure gradually became clearer.


    ¡°There has been a slight change here; the Spirit Realm is causing strange disturbances in the physical dimension,¡± the voice from the crystal ball explained, ¡°Is something the matter, brother? The Brilliant Starship is passing through unstable waters; if there¡¯s nothing important¡­¡±


    ¡°I am currently in Prand,¡± Tirian cut to the chase, ¡°The Sea Mist was heavily damaged in the engagement with the Homeloss, and something seems off about this city-state too.¡±


    The figure on the other side of the crystal ball suddenly froze.


    After a few seconds, Lucrecia¡¯s slightly tense voice came through, ¡°You really encountered the Homeloss? Are you okay now?¡±


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    ¡°¡­To be honest, I took quite a beating, but I¡¯m alright for now,¡± Tirian¡¯s voice was low, ¡°The problem is¡­ ¡®his¡¯ condition seems a bit off.¡±


    ¡°¡®His¡¯ condition is off?¡± Lucrecia furrowed her brow, ¡°Did you see him up close?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Lucrecia opened her mouth, seeming hesitant, ¡°The one you saw this time, was it our ¡®father¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not entirely.¡±

 Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Chapter 234 Harmonious Family

    Chapter 230: Chapter 234 Harmonious Family


    Tirian had to expend considerable effort to explain the bizarre changes that had happened to their ¡°father¡± ¡ª as well as the strange activities that had taken place in Prand.


    ¡°¡­I can sense that he is no longer the chaotic, half-century-old subspace shell, It seems that ¡®humanity¡¯ and ¡®reason¡¯ have emerged in his body, but the feelings they evoke are utterly foreign to me¡­ I can¡¯t be sure what exactly resides within his shell,¡± Tirian slowly said, furrowing his brow, ¡°He seems to recognize me, but beyond that recognition, it¡¯s hard to say how much of him is still the father we knew, he¡­ has changed a great deal.¡±


    The black-haired woman across the crystal ball was silent for a few seconds, then remarked, ¡°But it sounds at least better than the situation half a century ago.¡±


    ¡°¡­That can be said,¡± Tirian replied gravely, ¡°Half a century ago, I stood on the bow of Sea Mist longing not to recognize that figure. Now, meeting him again, I¡¯m just confused whether it is really him¡­ Nevertheless, this time, Homeloss did not bring about the great calamity as before.¡±


    Lucricia remained unresponsive, pondering for a moment before suddenly bringing up something, ¡°Do you remember what I told you last time? Luny malfunctioned, then said ¡®old master¡¯ was looking for me¡­ Now it seems our father is really planning something.¡±


    ¡°What could he be planning?¡± Tirian frowned, ¡°To continue his last unfinished exploration from years ago? To reassemble the Exiled Fleet?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lucricia responded flatly.


    Meanwhile, a disruptive shadow suddenly appeared in the crystal ball, followed by a few of the automatically operated magic devices malfunctioning behind Lucricia, with faint bursts of noise emanating and a group of magic dolls rushing to inspect the equipment, creating a chaotic scene.


    ¡°What exactly is going on over there?¡± Tirian suddenly became concerned, ¡°Do you need to handle that pile of equipment behind you first?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the magic dolls will take care of it; it¡¯s a minor issue, nothing compared to the real storms on the border,¡± Lucricia said calmly, not even looking back at the chaos, ¡°I¡¯m almost through this unstable marine area.¡±


    ¡°Do you have another exploration plan? You¡¯re not heading straight into that fog, are you? I must remind you, the border is not a safe place¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tracking something that suddenly appeared near the border, darting into the sea with immense energy, but the ship¡¯s devices failed to capture its detailed image,¡± Lucricia remained unfazed, ¡°Rest assured, it¡¯s inside the Eternal Veil¨CI haven¡¯t been reckless enough to challenge that dense fog. Hmm, I¡¯ll send you the image once I find it, and if it¡¯s a dividable substance, I¡¯ll cut a piece for you as a souvenir.¡±


    Tirian waved his hand dismissively, ¡°No need, your souvenirs have never been anything but spooky; I¡¯d like to get some sound sleep.¡±


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    Lucricia didn¡¯t seem to mind, casually continuing, ¡°Did you manage to get me the Spirit Realm lens?¡±


    Tirian paused, his tone suddenly uncomfortable, ¡°That¡­might take some more days; you know, it¡¯s a matter of luck¡­¡±


    ¡°You forgot?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, the few suppliers I know don¡¯t have it, the four major churches do, but the procedure is too difficult¡­¡±


    ¡°You forgot, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying my best,¡± Tirian said sternly, ¡°There should be a way beside robbery.¡±


    ¡°It seems you indeed forgot,¡± Lucricia nodded to herself calmly across the crystal ball, her voice filled with anticipated calm, ¡°No worries, you¡¯re busy, and the request is indeed tough¡­¡±


    Listening to his sister¡¯s words, Tirian visibly relaxed a bit, then heard the rest of her sentence across the crystal ball, ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask again the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Tirian: ¡°¡­¡±


    The pirate wiped his forehead, seemingly wanting to say something, but just as he was about to speak, a flapping noise suddenly came from outside the window, interrupting him, followed by the sound of pecking on the glass.


    ¡°Hold on, something¡¯s happening here,¡± Tirian quickly said, looking up in surprise, ¡°Perly?!¡±


    He quickly arose, opened the window, and let in the large parrot with colorful tail feathers, Perly fluttering down onto the table, making a loud sound, ¡°Perly!¡±


    Tirian returned to his seat at the table, eyeing the large parrot, ¡°How did you get here? Did you escape from the ship? Or did Aiden send you?¡±


    ¡°Ah! Aiden sent Perly!¡± The parrot spread its wings, nodding back and forth while loudly proclaiming, ¡°Perly has come with an important message! Aiden says¡­ Aiden says¡­¡±


    The parrot was stuck for a while before finally shouting in Tirian¡¯s astonished gaze, ¡°Order some fries! Order some fries!¡±


    Tirian: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Lucricia on the other side of the crystal ball also heard the noise and asked in confusion, ¡°Brother, is Perly hungry?¡±


    ¡°Not right, it must be transmitting other intelligence, but the message was tampered with.¡± Tyrion realized immediately, as the owner of the large parrot, and being all too familiar with Aiden¡¯s character, he quickly became serious. ¡°Polly, has something happened on the ship?¡±


    The large parrot cocked its head to look at its owner and repeated the nonsensical phrase ¡°whole point fries¡± several times. But suddenly, it stopped as if it finally remembered something, and excitedly squawked, ¡°Blood-Seeking Compass!¡±


    Tyrion frowned slightly, ¡°Blood-Seeking Compass?¡±


    ¡°Pointing towards the City-State!¡± The large parrot, flapping its wings vigorously, exclaimed excitedly. ¡°Blood-Seeking Compass, pointing towards the City-State!¡±


    Tyrion was suddenly stunned, then quickly came to his senses, his expression changing abruptly as he looked up at the Crystal Ball in front of him, ¡°Lucy, he¡¯s in¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother, leave Preland immediately,¡± Lucy on the other side of the Crystal Ball said before Tyrion could finish, her voice urgent, ¡°This might be a trap!¡±


    Tyrion didn¡¯t react at all to his sister¡¯s urgent reminder; he sat there stiffly like a statue, his eyes fixed straight ahead.


    ¡°Brother?¡± Lucy¡¯s voice carried a hint of confusion, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Lucy, he¡¯s in¡­¡± Tyrion broke the silence softly, ¡°¡­ right in front of me.¡±


    The voice from inside the Crystal Ball went quiet.


    Tyrion stared fixedly ahead, at the table across from him where on the wall, a decorative mirror with an oval frame showed slight green flames flickering on its surface. Between these flashes, a majestic figure stood in the mirror, calmly watching from the other side.


    ¡°First thing,¡± the figure in the mirror began, ¡°This is not a trap, and I am as surprised by your arrival as you are.


    ¡°Second thing, I¡¯ve finished my business, so I came to see what you¡¯re up to.¡±


    Tyrion kept his composed, dignified posture, silent as ever, while Lucy in the Crystal Ball also stiffened¨Cthough she could not see the other side¡¯s scene, only hearing the voice, which made her feel even more uneasy, and she whispered quietly, ¡°Is he really there?¡±


    Without changing his expression, Tyrion grabbed a box on the table, shifting the Crystal Ball and lens towards the other side, ¡°Say hello to father.¡±


    As soon as Tyrion made a movement, Lucy¡¯s voice grew louder and more urgent, ¡°Don¡¯t need to, really, don¡¯t turn it around, I just¨C¡±


    She had already been turned around.


    Through the magic Crystal Ball, she saw the father hanging on the wall.


    Duncan was also looking at the female in the Crystal Ball on the other side of the mirror.


    This was his first encounter with her, and aside from a slight feeling of affection and nostalgia from the mind of this body he inhabited, he had no memories of interacting with her.


    Yet that tiny bit of existing affection and nostalgia still slowly suffused his heart¨Csimilar to the feeling he had upon seeing Tyrion, but now facing Lucy, there seemed to subtly be more¡­ guilt and regret.


    Was it because he owed more? Or was it due to a final gift he hadn¡¯t managed to give?


    Duncan didn¡¯t know; after all, these weren¡¯t his own memories and emotions, but due to his current identity, he nodded at Lucy mildly, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Lucy.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Lucy¡¯s expression was unusually panicked, the typically calm and mysterious ¡°Sea Witch¡± finally encountering a situation more unpredictable than the ¡°Frontier,¡± she tensed, almost reverting to many years ago, to the afternoon when she first broke her father¡¯s navigational instrument, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ been a long time¡­¡±


    Then the room fell into an oppressively silent stillness. Duncan just silently watched the ¡°children¡± before him; this unspoken pressure seemed to travel through the Crystal Ball to the distant frontier of the Endless Sea, Lucy desperately searching her mind for a topic to break this quiet, managing to blurt out after a long while, ¡°That¡­ the frame suits you¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I mean, this patterned frame you have now, particularly suits your demeanor¡­¡± Lucy nervously tried to mend, ¡°Restrained, understated, and¡­¡±


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    ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡°Especially when you¡¯re hung on the wall¡­¡±


    Duncan was baffled, ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡±


    Lucy finally turned her head to the side, as if trying to find Tyrion, murmuring under her breath, ¡°Help me out¡­¡±


    Tyrion sighed, pushed the case with the Crystal Ball to the side, and stood up between the Crystal Ball and the mirror, ¡°You¡¯ve come to find us, is there something you need?¡±

 Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Chapter 235: Crossing Time and Space

    Chapter 231: Chapter 235: Crossing Time and Space


    Separated by a layer of illusory mirror surface and flames, Duncan could still clearly observe Terian and Crexia¡¯s reactions from beginning to end¨Ctension, vigilance, and a faint trace of fear.


    From the perspective of a ¡°family reunion,¡± this atmosphere was far from good.


    But he didn¡¯t mind; this situation was within his expectations¨Cmeeting Terian in advance in a situation he controlled had already achieved his goal for today, and establishing a foundation now might avoid the chaos of a sudden reencounter later, especially considering¡­ there was a ¡°buy one, get one¡± deal today.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Crexia to be there as well.


    Moreover, while he was hidden in the mirror just now, he also heard the exchange between Crexia and Terian and learned that his previous attempt to call the latter through ¡°Niru¡± was not without effect. Although he hadn¡¯t received any feedback, there was movement on Crexia¡¯s end, an unexpected piece of intelligence.


    Steadying himself, Duncan maintained his usual composed expression and slowly glanced over Terian and the crystal ball on the table beside him: ¡°I thought a father searching for his child needs no special reason.¡±


    Terian¡¯s eyes widened momentarily, but he quickly suppressed this momentary falter, lowering his voice while still warily watching the man in the mirror, ¡°You must know this is the church¨Ceven you, should at least have some regard for the deities behind this sacred space.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is the church, of course, I know¨CI witnessed it being devoured by fire and reshaped this place from its broken history,¡± Duncan¡¯s tone was calm, ¡°If the deity behind this church is watching, then It owes me a thanks.¡±


    Terian was instantly at a loss for words.


    But this feeling of not knowing what to say when talking with his father was not unfamiliar to him.


    Even a hundred years ago, before the Abernathy surname was entangled in curses, he often fell silent before his father¨Cwho was always too imposing and engrossed in those mysterious and terrifying things, and at that time, Terian¡­ was not a man skilled in speech.


    And back then, whenever a father and son fell into an awkward silence, it was always the livelier Crexia who broke the stalemate.


    ¡°Have¡­ Have you freed your reason from the influence of the Subspace?¡± The voice of the ¡°Sea Witch¡± came from within the crystal ball, just like a hundred years ago, she broke the awkwardness between the father and son, ¡°This time you have returned, is it to continue¡­ your adventure?¡±


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    Duncan looked at Crexia, beneath his calm exterior was the frantic turning of his thoughts.


    This was a crucial meeting, he needed to lay groundwork for the future during this meeting, to prepare cover or explanations for the many ¡°suspicious points¡± that might be exposed. If possible, to make the Homeloss and all his own future changes seem ¡°logical¡± to these siblings.


    Fortunately, he had prepared a draft before coming.


    ¡°The Subspace has left a profound impact on me, perhaps I will never be able to completely rid myself of its influence,¡± he began slowly, controlling his speech and expression, ¡°I don¡¯t remember much clearly, including my understanding and¡­ perception of the real world. I am trying to reacquaint myself with this world, and after knowing of your existence, I thought that perhaps it could be a crucial step in rebuilding my cognition.¡±


    He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°But as you said, Lucy¨Cat least, my sanity has returned.¡±


    This was the most effective solution he could think of to address hidden dangers and prepare for the future.


    To maintain the stability of the Homeloss, he had to play the role of ¡°Captain Duncan¡± well, and even in collusion with Goathead, he couldn¡¯t relinquish this identity. Therefore, he had to continue the ¡°performance¡± in front of Crexia and Terian, but even the best performance had flaws, especially since he knew next to nothing about the siblings. The most effective method was, of course, to prepare an excuse in advance.


    Then blame it all on the Subspace.


    After all, all the wicked things in this world have something to do with the Subspace¨Cit was the pot of all pots, and it wouldn¡¯t matter one more¡­


    Besides, he emphasized that what was wrong with him was not just his memory but also his understanding and perception of the real world¨Cthis could almost explain all the incongruities about him.


    The rest was up to Terian and Crexia¡¯s imagination.


    Crexia in the crystal ball was clearly startled after hearing Duncan¡¯s words, and she seemed to carefully observe the expressions on her father¡¯s face to confirm the truthfulness of his speech, while Terian, after a moment of silence, suddenly asked, ¡°So, your previous actions in Prande were just to save this City-State?¡±


    Duncan showed a smile, ¡°Entirely out of benevolence.¡±


    ¡°¡­But the Bishop and Judge in the city seem not so willing to believe that,¡± Terian spoke gravely, ¡°Especially the Judge¡­ she is very cautious around you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I could feel that,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°She tried to strike me down twice in a row, both attempts failing.¡±


    Terian was once again at a loss for words.


    Duncan, however, paid no mind to Terian¡¯s silence and turned his gaze towards his ¡°daughter¡± in the crystal ball, asking casually, ¡°Is Luny with you?¡±


    ¡°She is.¡± Crexia nodded, then gestured to someone off-screen, and soon, a clockwork Magic Doll dressed as a maid appeared in the crystal ball.


    Duncan looked at the Magic Doll, which regardless of the angle was quite different from ¡°Niru,¡± with some surprise, ¡°¡­What has happened to her?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve done a bit of¡­ alterations to Luny,¡± Crexia said with a somewhat odd expression, while guessing her father¡¯s sudden change of topic, ¡°Why do you suddenly ask about her?¡±


    ¡°¡­I found Niru,¡± Duncan said calmly, ¡°In a doll shop, you didn¡¯t take her with you back then, and she hasn¡¯t been sold either.¡±


    Lucresia couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft exclamation, ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Some long-lost memories seemed to rise to the surface of this ¡°Sea Witch¡¯s¡± mind, and her expression suddenly became complicated.


    Her subtle facial changes did not escape Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    This was about it¨Cthe groundwork had been laid, and to continue might affect the impact.


    Duncan¡¯s voice came from the mirror. ¡°I must leave now.¡±


    Lucresia and Terrian hadn¡¯t quite reacted yet, and Terrian subconsciously blurted out, ¡°Leave?¡±


    ¡°I still have many things to do,¡± Duncan said indifferently, his gaze finally resting on Lucresia, ¡°I¡¯ll keep Niru here for now. If there¡¯s a chance in the future, I will give her back to you.¡±


    As his words fell, his figure rapidly began to dim, and the pale green flames at the edge of the mirror vanished quietly like an illusion, giving Terrian and Lucresia no time to speak again.


    The room returned to silence, and for the next several minutes, neither Lucresia nor Terrian spoke.


    Eventually, it was Lucresia who broke the silence, ¡°Did that really just happen?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t an illusion,¡± Terrian said with a wry smile, shaking his head, ¡°Did you ever think something like this would happen?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not even in my wildest dreams,¡± Lucresia said, then she suddenly asked with a slightly anxious tone, ¡°What do you make of this?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything he just said,¡± Lucresia said earnestly, ¡°Do you think it was true? Father mentioned that he has lost most of his memories and needs to reacquaint himself with this world. He also mentioned the deep impact of the Subspace and the inability to fully extricate himself¡­ but then claimed that his sanity has been restored¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Frankly, I don¡¯t trust a single word, including the words ¡®restored sanity¡¯,¡± Terrian said gravely, ¡°Until there¡¯s more evidence, I¡¯d rather believe it¡¯s a Subspace conspiracy.¡±


    ¡°There is no conspiracy in the Subspace,¡± Lucresia said calmly, ¡°Only humans know of conspiracies.¡±


    ¡°¡­What about a human who has been baptized by the Subspace?¡± Terrian inhaled sharply, shaking his head, ¡°When the chaos of the Subspace gains intelligence, it becomes more terrifying than pure chaos¡­ Of course, things may not be as bad as they seem. I too hope for a genuine miracle, but for now¡­ let¡¯s just maintain vigilance and watchfulness. You¡¯ve been active on the frontier for years; you should understand the necessity of this vigilance better than I do.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lucresia was silent for a couple of seconds before nodding softly, but then she lifted her gaze again, her eyes landing on the oval mirror with a hint of nervousness, ¡°¡­He¡¯s really gone, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    Terrian thought for a moment, took a few steps forward, took down the mirror, and placed it face down on the table.


    ¡°I feel even more nervous about father than before,¡± muttered the widely renowned pirate.


    Immediately, Lucresia¡¯s voice came from the Crystal Ball. ¡°That¡¯s because he just struck you; the feeling¡¯s still fresh¡­¡±


    Terrian looked back expressionlessly, ¡°Be careful. Who knows when Luny might suddenly speak with Father¡¯s voice.¡±


    The Crystal Ball went out at once.


    ¡­


    Aboard the Homeloss, in the captain¡¯s quarters, Duncan took a deep breath, pondering the interaction he¡¯d just had with that pair of ¡°children.¡±


    There should be no oversights.


    After organizing his thoughts, he casually reached for paper and pen from nearby and began to sketch from memory.


    After a few strokes, a peculiar hexagonal emblem appeared on the paper.


    That was the very same mysterious symbol that Terrian had shown before Fenna and Judge Valentin, the emblem that the odd ¡°penitents¡± who had visited Captain Duncan a hundred years ago had carried.


    Through Fenna¡¯s eyes, Duncan had received this unexpected intelligence!


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    Setting down his fountain pen, Duncan thoughtfully observed the peculiar hexagon and its internally disjointed cross structure, considering where to begin unraveling the secrets of this symbol.


    But suddenly, his gaze froze.


    He saw a section of the paper¡¯s edge gaining a damp mark, as though an invisible stream of water had soaked one corner of the paper, and then, in the middle of that damp stain, a blurry pattern began to emerge!


    It was a word.


    Thank you.

 Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 236: Secret Connections Are Local Customs

    Chapter 232: Chapter 236: Secret Connections Are Local Customs


    Thank you.


    A simple word, yet it abruptly made Duncan¡¯s breath catch.


    He was certain that the word had not been on the paper just moments ago, nor had there been that water-stained mark; it had appeared out of thin air right before his eyes!


    He stared intently at the impression that had materialized on the paper, while a faint green flame had slowly begun to burn around him. His consciousness in a flash swept over the entire ship, checking if some uninvited ¡°guest¡± had appeared¨Cbut he found nothing.


    How did this word get here? Who was conveying a message to him? And why?


    Frankly, he was now slightly empathetic towards those whom he had frightened, like Fenna who had once karate-chopped her vanity mirror in the Dreamscape, and just now, Tyrion and Lucrezia¨Cthough it was only a slight empathy, and next time he would do the same.


    The key issue now was why a word had suddenly surfaced on this piece of paper.


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, and suddenly, a detail flashed across his mind¨Cjust before, while he was conversing with Tyrion, he had jokingly said,


    ¡°If the deity behind this church is watching, then They owe me a ¡®thank you.''¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression became complex at the thought. His initial reaction was that such fanciful notions couldn¡¯t be taken seriously, but after dismissing it subconsciously, he couldn¡¯t help but start thinking along those lines again, becoming unable to calm his mind the more he pondered¡­


    He lowered his head, gazing at the water-stained corner of the paper. After hesitating for a moment, he picked up a fountain pen from beside him and wrote in a drier spot along the edge of the dampness:


    ¡°Storm Goddess?¡±


    Having written this, he then patiently waited, his gaze fixed on the damp area as if he was a commander who had pressed a big construction button and was now anticipating delivery¨Conly to wait so long without a response that the water had almost dried up.


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    It seemed the other party had left a message and slipped away¨Cor deliberately read and ignored him?


    Duncan¡¯s brain was teeming with absurd and bizarre thoughts. Having spent so much time in this strange world, the level of weirdness he felt in this moment still surpassed all he had experienced before, making it hard for him to maintain his usually unflappable demeanor. However, after waiting in vain for half a day, he slowly put down the fountain pen and allowed his mood to gradually stabilize.


    After pondering in place for a moment, he stood up and pushed open the wooden door leading to the chart room¨Cwhere, as always, the goat head was focused on the fog-shrouded sea chart until it immediately turned around upon hearing the door open.


    ¡°Nothing unusual on the ship just now, right?¡± Duncan asked before the other could speak.


    ¡°On the ship? There¡¯s nothing out of the ordinary,¡± the goat head replied with a bewildered tone, then seemed to sense something, ¡°Is something wrong? I can search the entire ship right away¡­¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already checked it once. I asked you just for a double confirmation,¡± Duncan waved his hand, then steadied himself and decided not to mention the eerie writing that had appeared on the paper, ¡°I just met Tyrion and Lucrezia¨Cthey were in the midst of contacting each other.¡±


    The goat head felt that the captain¡¯s demeanor was a little odd now, but since he didn¡¯t elaborate further, it wisely didn¡¯t ask for more. Upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, it remarked with some awe, ¡°Many people speculate that the relationship between siblings Tyrion and Lucrezia is strained, citing how Tyrion turns to piracy deep within the Civilization Frontier while his sister engages in grand ventures of exploration at its edge, with never a meeting between them¡­ But it seems the rash conjectures of the masses are just conjecture after all.¡±


    ¡°In my view, their relationship isn¡¯t bad, especially when they faced me together; that tacit understanding is clearly the result of growing up together and enduring the shared trauma of childhood beatings from their father,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°As for their current distance¡­ they¡¯ve simply chosen different paths in life.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the musings of a father,¡± the goat head remarked exaggeratedly, ¡°How was your communication with your ¡®son and daughter¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­I think it went quite well,¡± Duncan considered for a moment and then nodded slightly, ¡°I believe I¡¯ve adequately conveyed my goodwill and have planted the initial seeds of reason and ¡®return to humanity¡¯ in their minds, and I¡¯ve also laid some groundwork for future encounters. At the very least, the next time we encounter the Sea Mist, we shouldn¡¯t need to cover each other with gunfire, which is the first step towards family harmony.¡±


    For a moment, the goat head was silent, which struck Duncan as odd: ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking this time? You¡¯re usually quite talkative, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The goat head spoke faintly, ¡°Not needing to cover each other with gunfire equates to family harmony, that¡¯s just overwhelmingly powerful, and I¡¯m at a loss for words¡­¡±


    Duncan, unsure of how to respond, could only open his hands without comment, while the goat head, after a brief silence, asked, ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re preparing for your next meeting with Tyrion. Why have you become so proactive about this suddenly?¡±


    ¡°Because he once served the Frost Queen,¡± Duncan stated blandly, ¡°and I¡¯m now somewhat curious about that period of his life.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of Miss Alice?¡±


    ¡°A little, yes.¡±


    Duncan said offhandedly.


    Then he shook his head, turned back into the room, and tore off the water-stained corner of the paper where the writing had appeared, before returning to the chart table in the chart room, ¡°I have something to show you.¡±


    He placed the peculiar hexagonal pattern before the goat head.


    ¡°Have you seen this before?¡±


    The goat head¡¯s neck creaked as it turned, lowering its gaze to the curious pattern on the paper, then shook its head: ¡°Never seen it. What is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never seen it?¡± Duncan frowned and, after confirming the goat head didn¡¯t seem to be hiding anything, slowly began, ¡°¡­Over a century ago, several devout monks visited the Homeloss. One of them carried an amulet bearing this pattern.¡±


    The goat-headed figure fell silent for a moment, then spoke softly, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s ¡®beyond my sight.''¡±


    Duncan instantly understood what the other meant.


    At that time, the goat-headed figure wasn¡¯t on the Homeloss.


    It wasn¡¯t an original ¡°crew member¡± of this ship; it had only been serving on the Homeloss for a century¨Cat most, in fact, it appeared on this ship after it had plunged into Subspace.


    There were many secrets hidden behind this ship and this ¡°first mate,¡± and this was one of the few mysteries that Duncan had slowly probed and successfully unraveled.


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak for a moment.


    He had always been curious, curious about how this goat-head had come aboard, curious why it had become the ¡°first mate¡± here after the true Captain Duncan had gone completely mad, and¡­ curious about its connection with Subspace and the countless secrets it knew.


    But unfortunately, the goat-head never mentioned these things¨Ceven on several occasions when Duncan tried to probe slightly, it shifted the conversation in a noticeably stiff manner.


    It was an attitude and a hint¨Cit couldn¡¯t speak or it would cause serious trouble.


    Duncan snapped back to reality, temporarily set aside the myriad thoughts in his mind, and after a bit of contemplation, he nodded at the goat-head, ¡°Then you keep steering, I need to handle some affairs.¡±


    ¡°Of course, at your service anytime!¡±


    Duncan put away the paper, turned, and walked toward his bedroom. But just as he was halfway there, the voice of the goat-head suddenly came from behind him again, ¡°Captain.¡±


    Duncan stopped in his tracks, slightly turned his head, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You can always trust your loyal first mate.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, but he nodded lightly and then stepped into the room.


    ¡­


    Maurice tossed and turned in bed for a long time before finally sitting up.


    His wife was sleeping soundly beside him, her light and steady snoring occasionally breaking the silence. The glow of Creation of the World shone through the window, casting a nocturnal hue on the bedroom floor.


    Everything felt like a dream, but everything was real.


    Maurice seldom suffered from insomnia, but ever since his wife ¡°returned,¡± he¡¯d been struggling to fall asleep, and he knew all too well why.


    It was anxiety.


    He fretted that once he fell asleep, this dream-like reality would indeed turn into a mere dream and feared that all the miracles were just the fruit of his own wishful thinking, just like the futile Subspace Prayer he made eleven years ago, which resulted in nothing but an illusion easily popped.


    Because of this anxiety, he even dared not pray to Rahm carelessly¨Cover the years, even though he had intentionally distanced himself from the church, he never stopped the habitual prayers in his daily life. But now, subconsciously avoiding the effects of the ¡°Eye of Truth,¡± he forcibly restrained his prayers.


    Maurice sighed gently, allowing his somewhat groggy brain to clear up a bit in the cool night air, then got up, threw on a piece of clothing, and stood silently by the bed, looking at his sleeping wife.


    He often did this these past couple of days.


    But this time, just as he had been watching for a while, he suddenly felt a daze in his head, followed by a faint call and a blurry majestic figure emerging deep in his mind¨CMaurice immediately snapped to attention, realizing what was happening.


    The captain was calling him.


    The old scholar took a couple of deep breaths to fully awaken, then hastened to the junk room connected to the master bedroom. He turned on the light inside the junk room, and his gaze then moved to an antique mirror placed in the corner of the small room.


    The edges of that mirror were slowly stirring with ethereal Spectral Flame, and the captain¡¯s figure was gradually emerging within.


    For some reason, this scene, which should have frightened the average person, now gave Maurice an inexplicable sense of reassurance.


    He found a ¡°sense of reality¡± in those undulating flames and the majestic figure¨Cas pain can prove life, it was the ¡°evidence¡± that the miracle had truly occurred, proving that everything at this moment was not an illusion.


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    Maurice approached the antique mirror and bent slightly, ¡°Captain, what are your orders?¡±


    Duncan saw Maurice and the background of clutter behind him, and his mind immediately conjured up the image of a middle-aged man sneaking into the closet to play games, still afraid of being discovered by his wife¡­


    The next moment, he straightened his face, tossing the frivolous thought aside, and spoke to Maurice with a serious expression, ¡°I need you to investigate something that may be related to history or some secret organization.¡±


    ¡°What kind of thing?¡±


    ¡°A mysterious pattern that appeared on the amulets of a group of monks.¡±

 Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter 237 Insomniac People

    Chapter 233: Chapter 237 Insomniac People


    The flames in the mirror receded, and the majestic figure gradually disappeared into the darkness, but the mysterious symbol Captain Duncan had shown remained vividly in his mind.


    Maurice left the storeroom and after a glance at his sleeping wife, approached the writing desk under the window. He took out paper and a pen, and using the cold, luminous night light from outside, while his memory was still clear, he sketched the strange, ancient symbol.


    Subsequently, the knowledgeable old scholar furrowed his brows as he looked at the drawing on the paper, falling into a brief contemplation.


    Even scholars who had passed the strictest exams at the Academy of Truth were baffled by the sight of this symbol¨Cof one thing he was certain: that this was neither a symbol used by any City-State, church, or official organization, nor did it conform to the norms of mystical symbols.


    According to the captain, it was an emblem carried by several ascetics who had visited Homeloss a hundred years ago, and now, he had suddenly become interested in the emblem.


    As a ¡°family member¡± of the captain, Maurice did not intend to pry into the captain¡¯s secrets, but he was extremely curious about those mysterious ascetics¨Cwhat kind of ¡°person¡± would carry such an odd amulet and manage to catch Captain Duncan¡¯s attention once again after a hundred years?


    After a long contemplation, Maurice sighed lightly, carefully folded the paper, placed it in the drawer of the writing desk, and locked it meticulously.


    He planned to wait until the sun rose the next day then search through books about ancient City-States and secret societies in his study¨Calthough the god of wisdom had blessed his Believers with exceptional memory, even the best memory could have its gaps. Perhaps there was something about the symbol in his collection?


    If he could not find any clues in his own collection, he would investigate a few major libraries in the City-State and the archives of the universities in the Upper City District. Although he had left his university position many years ago, his old connections and influence were still intact; borrowing some precious books wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    If there were no records in all of Plunder about this matter, then he would have to write letters or send telegrams to old friends in places like Rensa¨Csome of his pals, who were well-studied in history and mysticism, might be able to help. Even if they couldn¡¯t, their universities and research institutions might.


    No matter what, this was the first task the captain had given him¨Che had bestowed upon him the miracle of resurrection, and now, at last, he had a chance to be of help.


    Thinking thus, Maurice¡¯s restless mind, upset from insomnia, unknowingly settled fully. He felt as if he had rediscovered the vigorous, goal-driven enthusiasm he had when he first entered the academy, and with that enthusiasm¡­


    The long-lost drowsiness also surged forth.


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    ¡­


    Terrian had been tossing and turning in bed for hours, still devoid of any urge to sleep.


    He could scarcely recall the last time he suffered from such severe insomnia. As the commander of the Mist Fleet, captain of the Sea Mist, he possessed strong self-discipline and a strict routine. His sleep and wake times were usually as precise and controlled as a machine¨Cexcept for today.


    Various thoughts and images surged endlessly in his mind, interspersed with numerous yellowed and trivial memories: the flames in the mirror; his somber, majestic father; the exploration ship that had set sail amid cheers and acclaim; the ship¡¯s silhouette returning from Subspace¡­


    Even the encounter near Frost waters with Homeloss and the words the Frost Queen had said at the beginning of the ¡°Deep Trench Plan¡±¨C


    ¡°There are terrifying things beneath the deep sea, but under the deep sea, there also must be all the answers.¡±


    Terrian sat up from the bed.


    He looked toward the wall not far away, where the mirror that had once hung had been taken down, now lying quietly face-down on a nearby table, leaving a slightly lighter oval trace on the wall. The case for placing the Crystal Ball and its lenses was at the foot of the bed, locked anew, and other parts of the room with mirrors or smooth reflective surfaces were also covered with cloth.


    But those white cloths covering the mirrors made the room appear even more gloomy and eerie under the cold radiance of Creation of the World, as if it was a dwelling place for specters.


    Nevertheless, Terrian was not afraid of any ghosts. He had a shipful of undead sailors, a cursed living battleship, and several secret bases that often produced bizarre, horrifying illusions¨Ccompared to his father, ghosts were hardly terrifying.


    After pacing back and forth in the quiet, eerie room for a few minutes, Terrian¡¯s gaze landed on the suitcase at the foot of the bed. After a slight hesitation, he picked up the case.


    Perry had already flown back to the ship to report his safety. As a captain, it wouldn¡¯t be proper to go next door to wake up his subordinates for a card game to relieve his boredom; it might be better to see what Lucille was doing.


    Perhaps she was suffering from insomnia just like him.


    He turned on the electric light, placed the case on the table, and opened the lid. The crystal ball, surrounded by complex lenses and curved connecting arms, appeared before his eyes, and as Terrian reached out, but before he even activated the lenses, the device started humming, and the crystal ball at the center lit up rapidly.


    In just a moment, Lucille¡¯s figure appeared in the crystal ball.


    Wearing a gossamer gown, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, the mysterious ¡°Sea Witch¡± now looked at her brother with an exhausted face.


    ¡°Brother, I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep? You could find amusement with your dolls or conduct your magic experiments,¡± Terian said sternly, still serious, ¡°I am currently planning the development for the Mist Fleet¡­¡±


    ¡°But your hair is as messy as if it had been tumbling on a pillow for four hours,¡± Lucresia spoke lightly, ¡°Is this a new posture for planning development?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Terian was silent for a few seconds, looking exhausted: ¡°Do you have any good suggestions for treating insomnia? Use your clever wit as a ¡®witch¡¯¡­ Never mind, forget I asked.¡±


    The siblings fell into a brief awkward silence, then casually chatted for a bit, though both seemed to deliberately avoid touching on something crucial. Gradually, however, the conversation inevitably began to converge toward a certain direction.


    ¡°¡­I just made some ¡®modifications¡¯ to Luny,¡± Lucresia said, ¡°I¡¯ve enhanced the protection on her joints and added a small container for storing holy oil and protective runes next to the sphere that holds her ¡®soul.''¡±


    ¡°Do you think this will stop Father from contacting you through ¡®Niru¡¯ next time?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t, but maybe Luny won¡¯t freeze up completely next time,¡± Lucresia¡¯s tone carried a hint of helplessness, ¡°She was actually quite traumatized by the last freeze, and we had a serious conversation about it just now.¡±


    Terian grew curious: ¡°A conversation? What did you and your doll talk about?¡±


    ¡°She advised me not to get tense, and I persuaded her to take things easy.¡±


    Terian: ¡°¡­¡±


    They fell silent again, but this time the silence didn¡¯t last long before Terian suddenly spoke: ¡°Actually, I was just considering something.¡±


    ¡°Considering what?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the last thing Father said today?¡± Terian spoke slowly, ¡°He said he had found Luny¡¯s sister ¡®Niru,¡¯ and mentioned that the doll had never been sold¡­¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s expression shifted slightly: ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°That means the shop is still there¨Cdo you remember where that doll shop is located?¡± Terian¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°I only remember that it¡¯s somewhere within Plunder.¡±


    Lucresia slightly furrowed her eyebrows in recollection while Terian continued to speak slowly: ¡°If Father really did ¡®purchase¡¯ Niru from that doll shop, then it reveals a critical piece of information: he had set foot in the Plunder City-State in some manner before its encounter with historical pollution, even moving about openly¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you considered that Father might have deliberately revealed this clue to us?¡± Lucresia suddenly said, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve thought of these things, maybe that¡¯s exactly what Father wanted you to investigate.¡±


    Terian was silent for a few seconds before speaking: ¡°I¡¯ve considered that possibility¨Cbut even so, you know I can¡¯t let this clue go.¡±


    ¡°¡­I only vaguely remember the location of that shop,¡± Lucresia said, ¡°It should be at the edge of the Upper City District, near an intersection close to the southern Lower City District. The owner was an elf lady¡­ I saw her a century ago, and she seemed quite old then, but considering the lifespan of elves, the owner is likely still her.¡±


    Terian nodded lightly, silently noting down the information Lucresia provided.


    ¡­


    A slight sea breeze had picked up, and Homeloss swayed slightly in the waves as Duncan sat at the navigation desk, somewhat boredly studying the fog-laden sea charts in front of him.


    His body located in the Plunder City-State had already gone to sleep, but his ¡°original body¡± on board the Homeloss hardly needed any rest. Consequently, night sailing turned into a rather dull time, especially with the double restrictions of it being unsuitable for reading at night or at sea, preventing him from bringing over the recreational books purchased in Plunder to relieve the boredom, intensifying the tedium.


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    After all, he couldn¡¯t always amuse himself by exploring the ship¨Cno matter how large Homeloss was, there was a limit to exploring it.


    ¡°I¡¯m even tempted to wander around the Spirit Realm knocking on glass, calling up Fenna and Terian for a game of cards,¡± Duncan sighed in boredom, glancing up at the goat head, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say with Fenna, but Terian is probably not sleeping tonight¡­¡±


    ¡°If you really do that, he¡¯ll probably have insomnia again tomorrow night,¡± the goat head immediately said, ¡°But honestly, your idea is really attractive, full of thrilling effects and amusement¨Care you planning to knock on whose first?¡±


    ¡°I was just saying,¡± Duncan glanced at the goat head, his gaze sweeping over the sea charts again, but suddenly, as if he remembered something, abruptly looked up, ¡°How long till sunrise?¡±


    ¡°¡­About three hours,¡± the goat head roughly estimated, ¡°If it rises on time today.¡±

 Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 238: The Pursuit of the Brilliant Starship

    Chapter 234: Chapter 238: The Pursuit of the Brilliant Starship


    There are three hours left before the sun will rise from the distant sea level, replacing the eerie night with the relatively safe and stable daylight¨Cif the sun indeed rises normally.


    Duncan glanced at the mechanical clock hanging not far away, its hands moving steadily.


    ¡°Do you plan to wait for the sunrise?¡± a goat-headed voice suddenly asked, ¡°There are still three hours.¡±


    ¡°¡­Waiting around for three hours is less interesting than sitting here looking at a mostly pale sea chart,¡± Duncan shook his head, stood up to stretch his shoulders, and slowly walked toward his bedroom, ¡°I¡¯ll go rest for a while. If I¡¯m not out before sunrise, you can just call me.¡±


    ¡°At your service.¡±


    Duncan nodded, pushed the door and returned to his bedroom, carelessly tossing the paper with the mystical emblem on it onto the desk, heading toward the bed not far away.


    His body didn¡¯t need much rest, but every once in a while, he would still take a short nap before dawn¨Cnot to relieve any fatigue, but purely for the sake of ¡°getting up and then greeting the sunrise.¡±


    This allowed him to maintain a sense of ¡°being alive¡± on the Homeloss, ensuring he didn¡¯t gradually lose his humanity aboard this Ghost Ship¨Ceven though he wasn¡¯t sure whether there was any danger of that, he had consciously maintained this habit of ¡°living a human life on board¡± ever since he realized that the state of Homeloss was not as stable as he had imagined.


    So Duncan lay down, closed his eyes, and listened to the whispers of the wind and waves coming from the sea, feeling the slight, constant swaying of the large ship beneath him, gradually relaxing his body.


    ¡­


    On the Brilliant Starship, in the captain¡¯s bedroom adorned with a feminine touch, Lucrescia, wearing a silk nightgown, suddenly sat up from the bed.


    Her hair was a bit messy, her expression carrying a hint of fatigue and irritability, and as she got up, she held a gigantic half-human-size rabbit doll with a comical yet subtly eerie design.


    The doll, cobbled together from pink and blue fabric, had a face with a scar that ran across it and a sawtooth-shaped mouth daubed with blood-like, eerily bright red color. As Lucrescia got up, the rabbit doll shifted slightly, then turned its head, its button eyes looking at its mistress, and a little girl¡¯s voice came from the cotton-filled body: ¡°Mistress, I thought you had fallen asleep¡­¡±


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    Lucrescia glanced at the clock next to her, her tone a bit irritated: ¡°I suppose I did sleep for a few minutes but then was startled awake by a strange dream¡­ What time is it now?¡±


    ¡°Two hours before sunrise,¡± the rabbit doll said as it hopped down from its mistress¡¯s arms to the ground, bouncing over to a nearby cabinet. It opened the cabinet door with what seemed like floppy plush palms and took out a treasured bottle of wine from the captain¡¯s collection. After pouring a small glass, it presented it to Lucrescia, ¡°You can still sleep for a while¨Cthis will help calm your spirit.¡±


    Lucrescia downed the wine but stood up nonetheless: ¡°No need, lying down any further would only increase my restlessness¡­ Let¡¯s tidy up.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mistress.¡±


    The rabbit doll, with its little girl¡¯s voice, crisply responded, took the wine glass from its mistress, and then began to hop and bounce around the bed, adeptly making it.


    Meanwhile, Lucrescia snapped her fingers carelessly, and the room¡¯s lights came on. She took a deep breath, dragged her feet to the dressing table, and tapped a drawer beneath the mirror with her fingernail¨Cit popped open in response.


    A carved wooden toy sailor leaped out, dressed in a classic naval uniform and holding a small baton. First, he saluted Lucrescia, and then he stood on top of the drawer waving the baton, issuing shrill commands.


    A troop of toy soldiers ran out of the drawer, quickly formed ranks for a roll call, then grabbed combs, hand mirrors, drinking glasses, toothbrushes, and rushed to Lucrescia¡¯s side or behind her on the chair¡¯s back, beginning their mistress¡¯s morning grooming.


    Lucrescia sat listlessly in front of the dressing table, allowing the dolls to fuss around her, combating the tired pressure from a sleepless night and rampant thoughts while sporadically contemplating matters concerning the Homeloss. After a while, she took a deep breath, forcing her mind to clear up.


    Just then, a faint golden glow suddenly penetrated the gap in the nearby curtains, catching the ¡°Sea Witch¡¯s¡± eye.


    Lucrescia initially didn¡¯t react to the glimmer of light, but after only two or three seconds, her gaze sharpened, and she abruptly looked at the mechanical clock.


    There was still one hour until sunrise.


    This wasn¡¯t the time for the sun to come up!


    She suddenly stood.


    The toy sailors briefly descended into chaos then quickly resumed their organization, efficiently tidying up, while the rabbit doll that had finished making the bed noticed its mistress¡¯s movements and hopped over: ¡°Mistress, it seems to have gotten light outside!¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°It¡¯s not daylight yet,¡± Lucresa said quickly as she strode towards the window, ¡°Where are we now?¡±


    ¡°Still advancing along last night¡¯s planned route,¡± the rabbit doll replied hastily, ¡°We¡¯re getting close to where that ¡®big fella¡¯ was spotted falling!¡±


    The very instant after the rabbit doll¡¯s words ended, Lucresa yanked open the thick curtains and then pushed open the window, reinforced with fine metallic mesh.


    A thin, hazy fog hovered over the sea outside the window, a common sight in the border regions, yet within the depths of that sheer haze, a vast expanse of faint golden light diffusely spread out was silently floating on the sea¡¯s surface, its distance from the Brilliant Starship momentarily indecipherable.


    A giant, luminous object floating on the sea.


    Lucresa stared intently in that direction and then took a deep breath. Her body suddenly transformed into a pile of scattering colored paper¨Cpaper that whirled out the window, flew across the deck, through the staircase, and into the central upper-level cockpit.


    Inside the cockpit, Luny, a wind-up Magic Doll dressed in a maid¡¯s attire, was at the helm. She sensed her mistress¡¯s approach the moment the colored paper began to whirl in and let go of the steering wheel. In the next second, Lucresa¡¯s figure had already materialized from the colored paper and reached out to take the ship¡¯s wheel.


    ¡°Mistress, I was just about to send someone to call you,¡± Luny stepped aside and said, ¡°That gold light suddenly appeared out of the fog; it should be the ¡®fallen object¡¯ we¡¯re tracking.¡±


    ¡°Increase to full speed, all hands on standby, and prepare to dive into the Spirit Realm at the stern at any moment,¡± Lucresa ordered hastily, ¡°Are the Spirit Dust and witch oil reserves sufficient?¡±


    Luny replied promptly, ¡°Reserves are ample, your command has been conveyed.¡±


    Lucresa nodded, and then under the captain¡¯s order, the Brilliant Starship awoke in full force.


    Scores of wind-up sailors, Magic Dolls, and Porcelain Soldiers rushed to their posts. The ship¡¯s uniquely crafted bright wheels on either side began to turn faster, the seemingly outmoded engine units gradually unleashed a power surpassing that of modern propellers, raising the ship¡¯s speed swiftly. At the ship¡¯s aft, the Ghost Ship-like ¡°original hull¡± became even more ethereal and ambiguous, while dark, hair-like stripes began to diffuse from the stern into the surrounding sea. From afar, it looked as if a dark wake extended behind the Brilliant Starship.


    Under Lucresa¡¯s direct control, the ship exhibited a state that was a mix of magic and mechanics, a blend of beauty, elegance, and horrific ugliness!


    As the Brilliant Starship¡¯s speed further increased, that massive golden Luminous Geometric Body floating between the thin mist and the sea surface also became more clearly visible to Lucresa.


    What also became apparent was the true scale of its massive size.


    Even Luny, the wind-up Magic Doll, couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes and let out a low exclamation, ¡°My God¡­ Mistress, what is that?¡±


    Lucresa didn¡¯t speak, simply staring ahead, fixating on that large golden phantom that was emerging clearer from the mist, now resembling a small mountain.


    It was so large that from a single viewpoint, it was nearly impossible to discern its full outline, and it was so majestic and perfect that it didn¡¯t seem like something that humans could have built.


    A gigantic and complex golden geometric body lay quietly floating on the sea, its entirety emitting a gentle, soul-stirring pale golden light. It towered almost three times higher than Brilliant Starship¡¯s tallest mast, with sides that extended like walls of battlements. Its upper half gently sloped outward like a terrifying cliff, and its exterior, devoid of any superfluous protrusions, seemed naturally formed.


    And as they drew even closer, Lucresa and Luny began to observe even more details of the colossal object.


    ¡°Does it seem to be translucent?¡± Luny curiously leaned against the expansive observation window, ¡°It looks¡­ like a piece of glowing colored glass?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, it seems not just as simple as being transparent¡­¡± Lucresa shook her head, her gaze unblinking before her as if she had spotted something incongruous at the edge of the vast Luminous Geometric Body. It was at that moment when a small black dot suddenly flew out from the nearby mist and entered her field of vision.


    It was a seabird¨Cstill existing even out on the Endless Sea, in this borderland filled with odd phenomena.


    Rather, it was precisely because they lacked complex intelligence like humans that these ¡°wild animals¡± managed to live in the bizarre border sea regions better than those brave and strong explorers.


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    Lucresa¡¯s gaze was drawn to the seabird. She noticed the poor creature seemed to have been confused by the golden light on the sea¡¯s surface and, in a flurry of panic, shot straight towards the softly glowing ¡°mountain.¡±


    However, the next second, the anticipated violent collision and death did not occur¨Cthe bird flew straight in, into the slightly inclined ¡°cliff.¡±


    It took a moment, but from the corner of Lucresa¡¯s eyes, she saw that the bird emerged from another direction, seemingly unharmed.


    Luny, too, witnessed this scene, the wind-up Magic Doll murmuring in surprise, ¡°¡­Is it an illusion?¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter 239 Falling Objects

    Chapter 235: Chapter 239 Falling Objects


    The speed of the Brilliant Starship gradually slowed down, finally anchoring to a cautious stop hundreds of meters from the faintly glowing semi-transparent ¡°cliff.¡±


    However, the hundreds of meters of distance were so insignificant compared to the scale of the gigantic object that visually, Luny still felt as if the Brilliant Starship was right up against the ¡°cliff.¡± The towering geometric body looked mountainous, almost oppressively looming, as if it could suffocate anyone standing here if they were just an ordinary person.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s truly spectacular,¡± the Magic Doll couldn¡¯t help but look up in awe, ¡°and very beautiful.¡±


    Indeed, the object was both spectacular and beautiful. If one ignored its eeriness, it could even be considered a magnificent sight, inspiring the greatest creativity in a talented artist or a multitude of poems from a poet¨C


    It appeared like a peak sculpted from pale golden, clear amber, or a particularly orderly geometric iceberg floating in the water, emanating a misty light haze, surrounded by thin mists that gently shifted along its surfaces, outlining a dreamlike aura.


    Various signs indicated that this object was indeed like a ¡°dreamscape¡±¨Cit had no physical substance, even though it was definitely there, but it seemed just like a massive shadow.


    ¡°Mistress,¡± Luny couldn¡¯t help turning back, ¡°What do you think this is?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know, I only know it fell from the sky,¡± Lucricia openly admitted her ignorance, recalling the first time the Brilliant Starship tracked this object¨Cjust the day before yesterday, in the waning hours of the daytime, the ship sailing along observed a huge and hazy glowing body suddenly falling from the sky, tearing through the clouds and disappearing deep within the bordering seas, and since then, she and her ship had been tracking it.


    Other than the obvious fact that it had ¡°fallen from the sky,¡± she knew nothing about this ghostly extraterrestrial visitor.


    Lucricia scrutinized the bottom of the huge geometric body and confirmed another thing:


    The object was very light, extraordinarily so. It floated on the surface of the sea, its lower half barely sinking into the water, but even that slight submersion indicated that this seemingly ¡°phantom¡± object did possess some mass and was more than merely a shadow.


    Having some mass implied it could be confined by physical materials¡­ With the power of the Brilliant Starship, could they possibly tow this thing away?


    Could they take it back to the civilized world for a proper professional team to study? The Explorers¡¯ Association would likely be happy to assist¡­


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    But theory was one thing; how could they practically manage it? How could they move a vast, penetrable phantom? Or was there¡­ a physical core within the depths of this luminous geometric body that was the source of its mass?


    Lucricia rapidly contemplated these thoughts, while Luny¡¯s voice then rose beside her, ¡°Shall we scout inside it?¡±


    ¡°Proceed with caution,¡± Lucricia said, raising her hand and biting her finger, a drop of blood oozing from the fingertip, slowly drifting forward, and suddenly ¡°bursting¡± into an exaggerated smoke cloud mid-way.


    As the smoke cleared, another ¡°Lucricia¡± appeared in the cockpit¨Cbut merely a ghostly apparition, dressed in a pale, tattered gown, its face rigid and haunted, hovering eerily with a translucent quality.


    Lucricia nodded at the apparition, which silently turned and flew towards the ¡°mountain¡± hundreds of meters away.


    Luny watched nervously as the ghostly apparition swiftly crossed the mist-covered sea and silently vanished inside the ¡°mountain.¡±


    Nothing happened.


    ¡°Mistress?¡± Luny looked back at her owner, ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡±


    ¡°Light and warmth, very warm but not burning hot, bright but not blinding¡­ inside, there are no winds or waves, and the sea below seems even calmer than ¡®outside¡¯,¡± Lucricia slowly relayed the sensed information from her ghostly double, ¡°It seems, at least the shallow parts of the ¡®mountain¡¯ are safe. I¡¯m speeding up towards the interior.¡±


    Luny nodded, and although just a Magic Doll, having a ¡°soul¡± closer to a human¡¯s than any other crew member on board, the tension naturally rose. She reached behind to wind her key twice, the action soothing the slight trembling of her parts due to nerves, then after a long wait, she suddenly noticed a change in her mistress¡¯s expression.


    Lucricia frowned slightly, looking forward.


    ¡°I¡¯ve reached the deepest part,¡± the ¡°sea witch¡± stated, ¡°There¡¯s a core.¡±


    ¡°A core? What kind of core?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a huge stone sphere,¡± Lucricia said with a somewhat strange expression, ¡°or at least it appears to be stonelike, grey-white, with many regular grooves on its surface, about ten meters in diameter, floating above the sea¡­¡±


    While speaking, Lucricia frowned and concentrated as though issuing commands to the ghostly apparition that had entered deep into the luminous geometric body, then continued, ¡°It can be touched, it¡¯s solid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s solid¡­¡± Luny paused, quickly grasping her mistress¡¯s implication from years of experience together, ¡°You mean¡­ to drag it back?¡±


    ¡°The Elves scholars at Light Breeze Harbor should be interested in this object,¡± Lucricia calmly said, ¡°The patterns on the surface of the stone sphere have a clear regularity and conceal a complex geometrical structure; I suppose¡­ someone skilled in mathematics might be able to discern something from it.¡±


    ¡°How shall we ¡®drag¡¯ this thing back?¡± Luny looked perplexedly at her mistress, ¡°With a sturdy rope or chain? We do have spare anchor ropes on board, but they may not be long enough¨Cthe projection of the glowing body is too large, and the distance from here to its core probably exceeds the limit of the anchor ropes¡­¡±


    Lucricia stared silently at the glowing ¡°mountain¡± for half a minute, then seemed to make a decision: ¡°We¡¯ll go inside and pull it.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten curious.¡±


    ¡°Well, you are serious.¡±


    Duncan slept in the captain¡¯s quarters on Homeloss and had a brief, bizarre dream.


    It was incredible; his body hardly needed sleep, let alone dream. In fact, since he had arrived on this ship, he had never experienced ¡°dreaming¡±¨Cwhile in Prand¡¯s body, he did have some tangled, trivial dreams, but none were as clear and vivid as this strange, brief dream.


    In the dream, he saw a meteor, a meteor that appeared suddenly during the day.


    He stood at the bow of Homeloss, where the ship was dead silent. He could neither hear the goat head¡¯s chatter in his mind nor the usual noise Alice made on deck fighting with buckets and mops, and even the Endless Sea was silent, with no waves or wind.


    The entire world seemed to have fallen into dead silence, and in this silence, a huge luminous body fell from the sky¨Cequally silent.


    One by one, the luminous bodies fell, dropping onto the calm surface of the Endless Sea. Despite being incredibly large objects, they did not stir any movement, as if a phantom fell upon another phantom. Eventually, the falling luminous bodies turned into a strange, terrifying meteor shower¨Cnumerous light bodies gradually covered the entire sea surface, surrounding Homeloss in a sea of brightness.


    However, as countless light bodies fell, the sky gradually dimmed, and at the end of the dream, the meteor shower gradually ceased, and the sky had turned pitch black.


    At the end of the dream, Duncan looked up and saw only a dark, mottled red void in the sky, resembling the dying ember of a fire in the darkness, ominously overseeing the earthly realm like a dying eye.


    Duncan jolted awake, the deep impression of the absurd dream still vividly lingering in his mind.


    He was astonished that he had dreamt on the ship, and even more astonished by the bizarre scenes he witnessed in the dream¨C


    The silent world, silent meteors, the dead darkness of the sky, and the ominous void overseeing the worldly realm like an eye¡­ Why had he dreamt of such strange scenes? What did this dream signify?!


    Duncan slowly calmed his breathing and sat up on the bed, rubbing his forehead with some irritation.


    On the mysterious Endless Sea, aboard Homeloss, he dared not believe the dream was merely a dream¨Csomething must have influenced him, or his ¡°intuition¡± sensed something, causing him to see that scene in his dream.


    In his agitated contemplation, he slightly furrowed his brow.


    Could it be related to the ¡°world countdown¡± he had just learned about? Connected to the ¡°truth¡± about the apocalypse touched by the mad ¡°Captain Duncan¡± a hundred years ago?


    Had this newfound information prompted associations, or had the memories lingering in this body suddenly become restless? Was his contact with Terrian and Lucreshia related to this dream?


    Duncan lightly tapped his forehead and reached for the bottle of liquor on the side cabinet, intending to calm his mood with alcohol, but as he reached out, his gaze swept past the wall clock nearby, and he stopped his movement.


    The hands of the clock were frozen.


    Frozen at the moment one minute before sunrise.


    Outside the window, it was dim, showing neither the glow of dawn nor the cold brilliance of the Creation of the World.


    The flame of the oil lamp in the bedroom was the only ¡°active entity¡± still burning calmly, but its light was faintly pale, casting an eerie glow throughout the room.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze coldly swept over all this, taking in every unusual phenomenon.


    The situation was clearly not right¡­ Was he still in a dream?


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    He quickly dismissed this possibility¨Che could distinguish whether he was dreaming when his consciousness was clear.


    Frowning, Duncan restrained the urge to push open the window to check the situation outside the ship, and instead rose and walked toward the wooden door of the bedroom.


    He would first go to the chart room to see if the goat head knew what was happening.


    He pushed open the door leading to the chart room and looked toward the navigation table that held the sea charts and the goat head.


    The goat head was not there.

 Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 240: Gorgeous Scenery Ahead

    Chapter 236: Chapter 240: Gorgeous Scenery Ahead


    The goat head was not there.


    This scene was even more incredible than that absurd, eerie Dreamscape!


    Duncan stood at the doorway, dumbfounded for a long while, before he gradually snapped out of it and then immediately drew the sword from his waist, advancing slowly forward with an extremely cautious posture.


    Indeed, the goat head was missing; the familiar navigational desk held only sea charts and a few miscellaneous items, while the spot where the goat head had been placed harbored nothing but an empty table surface.


    Duncan stared at the empty table surface for a few seconds before slowly shifting his gaze, then looked around.


    More disjointed scenes entered his sight.


    All the furnishings were mottled and outdated; the walls and pillars had unknowingly been covered with cracks of various depths, and the nearby shelving was missing many items, leaving almost only empty shelves. Where a decorative tapestry once hung on a wall, there was now just a suspicious dark stain, next to a window smudged with dirt, outside of which the dark, chaotic void occasionally revealed some suspicious flickers of light.


    It was as if there were some exceedingly swift shadows darting through the air outside the window.


    The whole chart room gave off the impression of having been abandoned for a countless number of years, the ravages of time having ruined most of the furnishings here, while some force more perilous than time itself left those varying dark stains on every wall, roof, and floor.


    Duncan even couldn¡¯t help pinching his thigh again to confirm whether or not he was dreaming.


    The clear sensation of pain and the lucid thought simultaneously reminded him that this was not a Dreamscape, but reality¨Ca reality he found exceedingly unfamiliar.


    The sensation he first felt when he had stepped onto Homeloss surged up once again, the tension of being surrounded by endless oddities causing Duncan¡¯s brows to slowly furrow.


    However, compared to the first time he had set foot on this ship, he now took a much shorter time to adjust himself and completely calmed down after several deep breaths.


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    After all, he had, by now, experienced many bizarre adventures he could never have imagined in the first half of his life, and the expertise he had accumulated dealing with this strange world, along with the mastery and confidence in his own powers, meant he was no longer the disoriented novice he once was.


    Now, the only thing that made him uneasy was the concern that ¡°Homeloss is quite unstable and will eventually encounter problems¡± seemed to be turning into reality.


    An anomaly had occurred on the ship.


    Duncan went around the room again, inspecting the now empty shelves, examining the dirtied walls, and the corner where two wooden crates used to sit¨Cmost of the items were gone, and save for the navigational desk, the place had nearly become an old, dilapidated empty room.


    But there was still one item left in its original place¨Cthe oval mirror with the intricately patterned frame.


    Duncan approached the mirror cautiously and took a glance inside.


    No horrific scenes appeared; the mirror did not reflect a bloody hell or distorted faces, it was just very dirty with blackish smudges spread across its surface, but in the parts with fewer stains, the reflection could still be seen normally.


    Duncan did not linger in front of the mirror for long; he returned to the navigational desk and glanced over the sea chart.


    In the next second, his gaze suddenly froze.


    The sea chart had altered its appearance!


    The mist that originally nearly covered the entire chart had almost completely vanished, leaving behind clear and complex routes on the parchment!


    Duncan unconsciously leaned in closer, trying to discern the contents of the sea chart, but immediately realized something was amiss.


    On the sea chart, paths interwove and sailing routes crossed, but there were no meaningful markers or ¡°locations¡±; it looked more like a tangle of mindlessly drawn lines, recording a bewildered sleepwalk with no islands, City-States¨Cnothing between the lines.


    He couldn¡¯t see Prand, Rensa, Cold Harbor, or Light Breeze¡­ Although he was indeed unfamiliar with most of these City-State names, at least he knew these places existed and definitely should have appeared on this mist-cleared sea chart!


    Duncan¡¯s frown deepened, and after realizing the sea chart lacked any useful land markings, he slowly straightened up and turned his ear to the noise outside the window.


    There was no sound outside; neither the sound of wind nor of waves, silent¡­ just like in his bizarre, brief nightmare.


    The lines on the sea chart denoted the navigational routes of Homeloss, which would update automatically as the ship drifted. So, the lines marked on this clear, interwoven chart¡­ in which dimension were they charting the course of Homeloss?


    Duncan exhaled lightly, and as if he had resolved on something, he grasped his sword and turned towards the cabin door¨Ctheoretically, right outside the door was the deck of Homeloss.


    He grasped the doorknob, took a deep breath, and then pushed the door open.


    The Homeloss was navigating through a dim chaos, and the deck and the structures on the ship were in a state of utter disrepair, long abandoned.


    At least, outside the door was indeed the deck of the Homeloss.


    Duncan stepped out of the doorway, walking on the uneven and crumbling deck that seemed on the verge of collapse. He heard a sudden, piercing creak that broke the stifling silence.


    Duncan carefully moved forward, confirming that the deck only looked dilapidated but was actually stable, before he somewhat boldly proceeded. Then he looked up, assessing the surroundings of the Homeloss.


    What met his eyes was an endlessly vast wasteland of chaos, filled with dim shadows. Among these shadows, murky and chaotic streams of light occasionally emerged and then slowly dissipated. At times, strange flashes or light streams would suddenly brighten, illuminating the nothingness in the distance like blind lightning, revealing large, floating entities that seemed to be slowly rotating and writhing.


    At the sight of these dim lights and chaotic flashes, Duncan could only think, ¡°Fuck.¡±


    This scene¡­ looked familiar.


    It was exactly like the scenery underneath the Homeloss¨Cit was Subspace!


    Duncan almost cursed aloud. His lips twitched as he thought how his worst fears always seemed to manifest. He had recently considered how Subspace was too eerie and seemed to beckon to him, thinking of ways to avoid contact with it, but unexpectedly, he found himself adrift in Subspace the moment he closed and opened his eyes¨Chow did he suddenly end up here?!


    But after the initial panic, he quickly calmed down and resisted the urge to turn back to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    He couldn¡¯t yet confirm if this was indeed Subspace, feeling only that this place bore a resemblance to the scenes outside the lower sections of the Homeloss, and if it was truly Subspace¡­ then retreating to the captain¡¯s quarters would be pointless.


    Besides this, he quickly noticed something¡­ suspicious about his own condition.


    He stood there, looking up at the (suspected) Subspace landscape, but felt no discomfort, no mental erosion, nor heard any strange noises¨Caccording to the ¡°common knowledge¡± of this world¡­ shouldn¡¯t humans go mad just by glimpsing Subspace?


    But he felt no discomfort.


    Not only did he not feel discomfort, but he could also still clearly sense his body back in Prand, and the ¡°imprints¡± of Nina, Morris, Fenna, and others left in the real dimension.


    Even if this ¡°Ghost Captain¡± had some special traits and resistance to Subspace, he shouldn¡¯t be so¡­ unharmed in this place, should he?


    Duncan was puzzled by his current state and even started to suspect whether this place might actually be the legendary Abyss of World¡¯s End. Then he steeled his mind and walked towards the railing at the edge of the deck.


    On reaching the ship¡¯s side, he leaned out to look.


    As expected, there was no sea beneath the Homeloss¨Cthis ship was as if floating in the cosmos, surrounded by the same void in all directions.


    He stood at the edge of the deck, observing the distant, hazy giant shadows and the intermittently brightening chaotic lights, carefully planning how to escape this predicament.


    First, to confirm whether this place was really Subspace, and second, to find and ascertain if there was still a connection between this place and the real dimension.


    Since he managed to arrive here, there must be some area linked to the real world, but it may not necessarily be in the bedroom where he had awoken¨Che had checked the bedroom and the chart room and found no traces of a ¡°gateway.¡±


    After pondering for a moment, he formulated a rough idea, then turned away from the ship¡¯s side and headed towards the mid-deck entrance to the cabin.


    Just then, from the corner of his eye, Duncan suddenly noticed something, causing him to instinctively stop.


    He looked up towards the direction his peripheral vision had caught, and a slightly bright electric arc slowly dissipated in the darkness afar. In the gradually weakening light, the faint outlines of something very large and clump-like could be seen slowly drifting over the Homeloss.


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    Duncan watched intently, and at that moment, another ¡°flash¡± appeared, like a sinuous and persistent bolt of lightning. This flash crossed the high skies, momentarily brightening a vast swath of the ¡°sky.¡±


    Finally, Duncan discerned a hint of the enormous object¡¯s outline¨Chis breath caught.


    It was a piece of¡­ land, or rather, a landmass-like shadow. Enormous in scale, it was enormous enough to trigger a fear of the colossal, its irregular outline as if directly torn from a planet by some immense force, then brutally thrown here.


    On that inverted ground, one could faintly see mountains, rivers, and other more suspect and unsettling linear outlines, all devoid of color and life¨Cthe entire ¡°continent¡± was a monotonous gray-black, with rivers frozen in the cracks of the earth, making it seem like a crudely-made model, sealed within a stagnant amber of space-time.


    This massive celestial fragment slowly moved above the Homeloss, presenting Duncan with a desolate, ancient image of the apocalypse.

 Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter 241 "Opposite

    Chapter 237: Chapter 241 ¡°Opposite


    A massive continent hung upside down was slowly moving overhead, its vast, eerie shadow covering four-fifths of the visible area, an oppressive sight that was astonishing¨Cin fact, Duncan felt a choking sensation at that moment and couldn¡¯t help but want to look away.


    But he forcefully controlled the urge to divert his gaze and instead forced himself to look up and observe the upside-down celestial fragment more closely.


    He didn¡¯t know what was happening here, didn¡¯t know how he had arrived, nor did he know how to return¨Cbut because of this, he needed to scrutinize every suspicious scene and gather all the potentially useful intelligence.


    Was the upside-down celestial debris real? Or just a terrifying illusion? Was it the remains of a world after being shattered, or merely a distorted projection from Subspace during a temporal distortion?


    The land drifted closer on a slanted trajectory, nearing Homeloss, and Duncan suddenly tensed because he realized that the ship beneath his feet seemed to be moving right along the edge of the ¡°continent,¡± and a collision seemed possible!


    But just as the continent drew near and Homeloss¡¯s stern was about to touch the edge of a fragmented mountain on the continent, Duncan suddenly felt the deck below him tremble.


    Following that, he seemed to hear surreal cries echoing from nowhere, harsh creaking and squeaking noises coming from various parts of this ancient, dilapidated Ghost Ship, breaking the silence aboard Homeloss. In the next moment, the giant hull beneath his feet began to subtly change direction¨Cpassing dangerously and narrowly by the fragmented mountain.


    Duncan watched the movements on the ship in amazement, his ears catching those unreal cries and creaking noises that gradually fell silent. Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he thought he glimpsed something, so he quickly looked up toward the fragmented mountain at the edge of the upside-down continent¨C


    Homeloss had now slowly moved past the midpoint of that mountain, the old ship¡¯s masts nearly brushing the dark, blurred peak. Then, Duncan saw what lay behind that mountain.


    He saw a cliff that appeared as if torn apart by brute force, and a massive humanoid creature leaned against it¨C¡°he¡± nearly as tall as the mountain itself, with lean, pale limbs and a grotesquely swollen head. His pitted face was adorned with a huge single eye, half-open and oozing dirty fluid that solidified mid-air into amber-like droplets.


    This giant with the single eye had evidently been dead for untold ages, but ¡°his¡± lingering body still emitted a captivating, formidable power. There were no clear wounds on ¡°his¡± body; it seemed he had died from exhaustion, and even at the moment of death, ¡°his¡± hands were pressed against the cliff behind him, fingers deeply embedded into the rock.


    The color-faded Dark Continent, along with the pale, one-eyed giant dead on the edge of the cliff, under a prolonged ¡°lightning¡± flash in the somber, chaotic Subspace, made a stark and profoundly lasting impression on Duncan¡¯s mind.


    Afterward, the long-lasting flash of light finally began to fade¨Cit crossed from the middle of the continent and gradually disappeared from the center. In Duncan¡¯s field of vision, the upside-down continent slowly relapsed into darkness.


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    But he still looked up, aware that the continent had not completely drifted away; its last bit of structure still floated slowly overhead, and he felt as though he could hear the deep rumble of that massive, heavy entity rolling above¨Calthough he knew it was just his illusion, that thunderous illusion still echoed in his mind, like a final lamentation of a dead world lingering in Subspace.


    Duncan finally averted his gaze, slowly looking around at the vast chaos beyond the ship¡¯s rail.


    Light and shadow bouts emerged intermittently, bright flashes cleaved the darkness, and in this murky chaos of void, those flashes and turbulent flow occasionally illuminated fragments, indescribable and varied shadows.


    Duncan took a deep breath and looked down at his feet at the ship beneath him¨Ca ship that was familiar yet distinctly different, displaying a sense of ruin everywhere.


    He slightly closed his eyes, wanting to try and communicate with the ship¨Cjust as he had communicated with the intact Homeloss in the real world, to understand this Ghost Ship floating in Subspace.


    But the next second, he suddenly opened his eyes wide.


    He could not feel this ship¨Cnot that he couldn¡¯t communicate, but he couldn¡¯t feel the ship¡¯s existence at all!


    The moment his perception expanded, he ¡°felt¡± that the ship beneath his feet had disappeared; there was no deck, masts, or cabins. He even felt as though he was drifting alone in this vast chaos, the immense sense of emptiness and perception disorder instantly disrupting his focus.


    Duncan looked around in astonishment at the structure of the surrounding ships and then stamped on the deck as if he couldn¡¯t believe that the ship carrying him was actually just an illusion.


    Or perhaps¡­ it was actually himself who was an ¡°illusion¡±?


    Duncan¡¯s mind was filled with thoughts for a moment, then he shook his head and walked toward the hatch that led to the lower deck.


    He decided to continue with his previous exploration plan.


    No matter what was going on with this ship, no matter why it presented itself as ¡°nonexistent¡± in his perception, at least it was actually carrying him now, and it had not shown any hostility or intent to expel him, the ¡°captain.¡± This gave Duncan the motivation and confidence to continue exploring.


    He descended the staircase to the spacious cabin below the deck.


    He opened several compartments, all presenting the same old and decrepit scene, mysterious black stains spattered across the walls and ceiling, and all the rooms were utterly empty¨Csome rooms in Duncan¡¯s memory had clearly been storage rooms filled with items, but now there were only ragged walls and pillars.


    He even specifically went to Alice¡¯s quarters, which of course were just as empty¨Ca fact that, somehow, made him breathe a sigh of relief.


    Rather than seeing familiar people or objects here, he preferred that they not appear in this eerie, dreadful place.


    After leaving Alice¡¯s room, Duncan directly crossed the crew and dining areas, heading deeper into the ship.


    As he passed the mid-level storage area, he hesitated for two minutes in front of the staircase leading deeper down.


    On the real dimension¡¯s Homeloss, he had explored those areas and knew that below were cabins with inverted lights and shadows, and deeper still, the ¡°shattered hull bottom¡±¨Cbut during that exploration, he had been carrying a special oil lamp.


    The oil lamp could help him expand his own perception and reveal the dangerous, mutated corners of the ship cabin in advance.


    However, he couldn¡¯t find the lamp here.


    After a brief moment of hesitation, Duncan still decided to go ahead.


    The situation here had changed so much from the reality dimension, it was hard to tell, even if he had found the lamp, whether it would be of any use in the cabins below. Besides, the main ability of the lamp was to expand his perception¨Cbut in his perception, this ship didn¡¯t exist at all. What was the point of expanding his perception several times over?


    Duncan simply raised his sword, his fingers gently tracing through the air above the blade, a faint green Spectral Flame then ignited on the blade, providing limited light.


    Taking the sword as his light, he descended step by step, walking slowly.


    A dark and open ship cabin appeared before him.


    This was the ¡°light inverse¡± cabin¨Cin the reality dimension, this cabin was filled with oil lamps everywhere, yet the light from the lamps and the darkness in the corners presented an inverse light situation, where the brighter it was, the darker it became, and the darker corners were brighter.


    Duncan looked around.


    There was no light inversion here, only a uniform, chaotic dimness. The flame burning on the blade did not trigger any light inverse mechanism but instead illuminated the surroundings normally.


    ¡°This place seems more normal now.¡±


    Unable to help himself, Duncan muttered softly and then cautiously crossed this empty space, advancing forward until another staircase came into his sight.


    This staircase led to the belly of the ¡°Homeloss,¡± that broken, shattered place.


    Duncan stood in front of the stairs and took a light breath, then stepped down.


    A door appeared at the end of the stairs.


    Duncan instinctively looked up at the door frame¨Che remembered that the door had a phrase written on it indicating that it was the last door to the ship¡¯s hold.


    There was nothing on the door frame.


    There were no warnings for future generations, nor directions for the way forward, it was just an ordinary wooden door, slightly ajar, as if welcoming a Visitor to step inside.


    Duncan wasn¡¯t too surprised; he just retracted his gaze, gripping the burning sword in one hand while slowly pushing open the door with the other.


    Opposite the door was another dim place, an old, decrepit ship cabin.


    But it was intact.


    As Duncan stepped inside, his first notice was of the intact cabin walls all around¨Cdespite being worn and dilapidated, these walls had not even a single breach, naturally preventing any view of the outside scene.


    The reality dimension¡¯s ship¡¯s hold was torn apart, yet here it was so intact?


    A strange feeling surged in Duncan¡¯s heart as he continued to move forward. But after just a few steps, he suddenly stopped.


    Ahead, in the dim depths of the ship cabin, stood an ancient door.


    Duncan¡¯s heart seemed to skip a beat, then he quickly moved towards it, and the door¡¯s appearance became clearly visible to him.


    It looked exactly like the door at the bottom of the ¡°Homeloss¡± in the reality dimension!


    Duncan reached the door, and the first thing he noticed was that it was slightly open¨Cajar towards the inside.


    And through the crack of the door, he could vaguely see the scene on the other side.


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    There was a broken, shattered ship cabin with a faint light floating within.


    Duncan abruptly turned his head, looking at the place he was currently in.


    The old, decrepit ship cabin, dim and dusty, long abandoned¨Cjust as he had first explored the belly of the ¡°Homeloss¡± with Alice, looking through the crack of that door.


    Duncan finally confirmed his initial speculation¨C


    This place was ¡°on the other side of the door.¡±

 Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 242 "Zhou Ming

    Chapter 238: Chapter 242 ¡°Zhou Ming


    She was now on the ¡°other side¡± of the door.


    After confirming this fact, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but approach the door slit to carefully observe the scene on the other side.


    It involuntarily reminded him of his experiences after exploring the bottom of the ship, when he had immediately returned to his bachelor apartment to check the situation on the other side of the door slit¨Can all-too-familiar mindset, an all-too-familiar scene.


    But just like last time, there wasn¡¯t another ¡°Duncan¡± on the other side of the door, trying to stab through with a sword.


    Duncan frowned slightly.


    He had reached this side of the door and had witnessed the situation here with his own eyes. He had even searched the entire ship and found nothing amiss during the process.


    So¡­ what exactly was that thing that had tried to disguise itself as him, that he had seen through the real-world dimension¡¯s door slit at the bottom of the ship?


    Duncan frowned slightly, turned around, and scanned the empty, dimly lit cabin as if trying to find the thing that had disguised itself as Zhou Ming here¨Che remembered stabbing it through the door slit, but if this side was really Subspace, a simple stab would hardly be enough to kill it; there should¡¯ve been some trace left.


    However, there was nothing, not a single trace.


    After a thorough search, Duncan finally began to doubt his judgment at the time.


    The things he had seen in the door slit¡­ were perhaps just illusions presented by Subspace, visible only to him at that moment, which matched the trait that ¡°Subspace reflects the mind¡¯s mirror image.¡±


    Only¡­ it didn¡¯t explain why the illusion had no impact on his mind and was easily dealt with.


    Duncan shook his head lightly, set aside these perplexities for the moment, but couldn¡¯t help feeling a sigh within¨CSubspace was indeed a place full of mysteries.


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    His gaze then returned to the door.


    On this side, the door was slightly ajar within the doorframe, while on the real-world dimension¡¯s Homeloss at the bottom of the ship, that door was cracked open outward, corresponding to this one.


    On the other side was the real world, the Homeloss he knew so well.


    It seemed he had found the entrance and exit point between Subspace and the real-world dimension aboard this ship. Theoretically, pushing this door open should allow him to return to the real world.


    Duncan placed his hand on the doorknob, his face revealing a faint smile.


    Then gently, he closed the door.


    Unexpectedly easy¨Che still remembered the time he and Alice had tried to close this door in the real-world dimension and found it as solid as if it were cast with space itself, unmovable no matter how much force they applied. Yet on this side of the door, it just needed a gentle pull to close.


    A soft click sounded, and the door fit tightly shut. Duncan silently watched the now closed door, and a few seconds later, his expression tensed, then gradually relaxed, and his heart, seemingly delayed in reaction, suddenly began to thump wildly.


    In those two seconds of closing the door, he had cleared his mind, not thinking about anything, not considering returning to the real world, not considering being trapped here, not considering any consequences. He only gave himself a strong suggestion that ¡°this door is dangerous,¡± then unhesitatingly executed it¨Cand only when the door was completely closed did he allow the emotional turbulence, which he had forcibly suppressed, to be released, and he took a deep breath.


    This might indeed be an ¡°exit¡± that connects to the real world, but the door must never be truly opened!


    Although there was no clear evidence, a strong intuition reminded Duncan, telling him that the way back to reality could not be simply pushing the door open from here¨Cit was a lure, a trap. He had already experienced one such lure at the bottom of the real-world dimension¡¯s Homeloss, and now this was the second time, even more surreptitious and guard-evading than the first.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze was fixed deeply on the door. Then he used the sword in his hand, burning with Spectral Flame, to swipe at its door panel. The eerily green flames soared and almost instantly engulfed the entire door, but after a burst of intense burning, the door still stood there silently, seemingly untouched.


    Duncan¡¯s frown deepened.


    Facing something that obviously belonged to the Transcendent realm, the Spectral Flame failed for the first time. However, it wasn¡¯t because the door was exceptionally strong¨Con the contrary, he felt no resistance from the flames.


    He didn¡¯t even feel the door¡¯s existence.


    Just like the ship, in his perception, this door didn¡¯t exist!


    Yet this door couldn¡¯t possibly not exist¨Cif even the ship truly ¡°did not exist,¡± this door must, because it was even capable of exerting complex influences on him like ¡°luring him to open the door,¡± with Transcendent power, this thing absolutely existed here!


    Huge confusion filled his mind, but Duncan found it difficult to sort out his thoughts. He checked around the door area and the entire cabin again, still finding no clues that could answer his doubts, and as time slowly passed, he could only temporarily give up.


    He couldn¡¯t waste all his time in this eerie place¨Cif the bottom ¡°exit¡± of the cabin posed a significant danger, it was time to look for another way out.


    While pondering, Duncan suddenly remembered something.


    He immediately turned and headed toward the stairs leading to the upper cabins, quickly crossing the dark, empty cargo hold and the higher crew cabins, through the somber wooden door connecting the upper deck and the cabin, onto the deck.


    The battered old Homeloss continued to drift in the chaotic darkness like outer space, with occasional streams of light and shadows sometimes casting huge, terrifying shadows of fragments drifting slowly by, some resembling broken landmasses, some distorted giant creatures, and some simply unrecognizable as anything more than colorless and shapeless ¡°accumulations,¡± terribly ominous to behold.


    But Duncan¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on these floating behemoths; he walked straight across the empty deck, back to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    The door to the captain¡¯s quarters stood quietly there, just as he had left it.


    Duncan looked up at the doorframe, where, in the dim light, he could faintly make out a few familiar words¨C


    Homeloss Door.


    Indeed, as he had expected, the special sign on the door was still there!


    Duncan steadied himself and placed his hand on the doorknob.


    If there was anything on this ship that held extraordinary significance for him, it would have to be this door.


    This door linked him to everything familiar and had brought him the first and greatest mystery in this world.


    Duncan applied a light force with his hand and pushed the door inward, accompanied by the faint sound of the hinges turning, the ¡°Homeloss Door¡± easily opened as he was accustomed to, revealing the thick fog opposite the door that he knew all too well.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Duncan took a step forward.


    The sensation of penetrating the fog hit him in the face, followed by a brief feeling of weightlessness and disorienting dizziness, but this sensation soon faded away, and Zhou Ming slowly opened his eyes.


    He wasn¡¯t back in his bachelor apartment where he had lived for a long time.


    He stood in extreme darkness.


    Zhou Ming looked down and indeed saw his own body, the one of an ¡°Earthling.¡± He then turned around and saw the door he had come through, standing silently there, seemingly floating in the darkness and remaining open.


    Looking around, all he could see was endless darkness, a purity of blackness that suggested a complete extinction of all things, as if the universe had ceased to exist.


    Zhou Ming quickly summed up a new experience: On the ¡°Aged and Dilapidated Homeloss,¡± opening the Door of the Displaced did not lead back to the familiar bachelor apartment, but instead he had entered a strange and pitch-black space.


    This extreme blackness was enough to make an ordinary person feel intense oppression and even fear, Zhou Ming knew this, yet for some reason, standing here, he felt no disgust but rather¡­ an inexplicable relaxation and comfort.


    He didn¡¯t understand why he felt this odd sense of relaxation, but rationally, he knew something was off about his state, and this conflict between reason and sensation made him even more cautious as he attempted to take another step forward.


    Despite the darkness as if nothing existed, there was ground beneath his feet¨Cwhen he stepped out, there was the sensation of solid ground.


    Zhou Ming looked down at where his feet landed, and just then, he suddenly saw ripples emanating from under his feet, colors other than darkness appeared in this black space¨Cthose ripples revealed text.


    The Chinese characters he was familiar with.


    ¡°His age?¡±


    ¡°About thirty-five years old.¡±


    Just two lines of text that appeared to be a question and an answer.


    Zhou Ming¡¯s eyes shifted slightly, and then he tentatively took another step. Sure enough, new ripples emerged in the darkness at the moment his foot landed, still in Chinese, still a question and an answer:


    ¡°His occupation?¡±


    ¡°A middle school teacher, teaching language; loves reading books.¡±


    Zhou Ming felt his heart thumping; he subconsciously changed direction and took another step in the darkness.


    ¡°His height?¡±


    ¡°About one meter eighty¨C Not very strong, but very healthy.¡±


    Zhou Ming stopped, quietly watching the ripples under his feet gradually spreading out; the grey and white Chinese characters became clearer in the ripples, then faded back into dimness and dissolved as the ripples spread out.


    After an unknowable length of time, he finally took a deep breath, and slowly but firmly, Zhou Ming took another step forward.


    Text waved and surfaced with his step:


    ¡°What does he look like?¡±


    ¡°Like this.¡±


    Suddenly, a light appeared in the darkness, within that light something seemed to instantly take shape, and Zhou Ming abruptly saw a figure facing him, a figure that was a mirror image of himself!


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    His heartbeat nearly skipped a beat, and he instinctively stepped back half a pace, and it was this backward movement that made him realize that what was opposite him was actually a mirror.


    That figure was his own reflection in the mirror.


    Immediately after, he looked down at the new ripples caused by his half step back, seeing the emerging words within those ripples¨C


    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°Zhou Ming.¡±

 Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 243: Return

    Chapter 239: Chapter 243: Return


    Zhou Ming stood in front of the mirror, silently observing his own reflection.


    So clear, so real¨Cif it weren¡¯t for the cold, hard surface he felt when he reached out his hand, he might even doubt whether the person standing opposite him was truly ¡°another self.¡±


    After a long while, he tore his gaze away from the mirror and looked around at the vast darkness that surrounded him.


    How big was this space? Could he walk endlessly outward into infinity? What was the nature of this dark realm? Why did it appear here, behind the door of The Displaced? What connection did the door of The Displaced in Subspace have with the real-world door of The Displaced? And most importantly¡­


    What were those texts that emerged from the darkness?


    Zhou Ming moved away from the mirror, and as he left, the mirror quietly dissolved, and the figure within it also disappeared into the darkness. As he walked, more pale texts emerged from the darkness¨Cdescribing everything related to him.


    Like an extremely detailed personal archive¡­ recorded in a vital database, the purpose of which remained unknown.


    Zhou Ming felt that his power of association was becoming inadequate¨Che tried to find a set of reasonable explanations for everything he had seen but found that no matter the theories, they all seemed like a pile of wild and pure fantasy in the end.


    He even began to feel that there was an ¡°apocalyptic shelter plan,¡± and that he was the one who had sought refuge in it without any awareness of it; his bachelor¡¯s apartment was his protective fortress, and these texts emerging in the dark space were the registration documents before entering the shelter¡­


    In the darkness, his thoughts flowed uncontrollably, but after an undefined amount of time, he suddenly gathered all his wild speculations.


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve wasted enough time.¡±


    He murmured softly.


    There were no more clues here, only illusions capable of shaking one¡¯s mind¨Cwhether this dark space truly harbored great secrets, or it was just another plot and lure of Subspace, he shouldn¡¯t linger here obsessing over it.


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    Zhou Ming took a light breath, allowing his thoughts to settle, and then decided to conduct one last test and exploration of the dark space before leaving.


    He walked towards the distance, cautiously and carefully distancing himself from the door.


    More texts emerged at his feet¨Csimilar in content to what he¡¯d seen before, only more detailed and formal, appearing more like registration information used in official scenarios.


    While noting these texts, Zhou Ming occasionally looked back to check his distance from the door and to confirm that he had not lost his way in the darkness.


    He became more and more cautious, eventually taking steps that advanced only a dozen centimeters at a time.


    Suddenly, he noticed a change in the texts that emerged under his feet¨C


    ¡°The situation of $#!¡­ *% is @#?¡±


    ¡°Approximately between 355 and *&, there might exist &¡­ *% of %&¡­¡±


    The words began to get chaotic, the sentences became strange and incomprehensible, the once clear and smooth records turned into something unreadable.


    Zhou Ming was stirred, but he did not stop moving forward, just more carefully, and as he continued towards the edge of darkness, even more texts emerged.


    They became increasingly bizarre and chaotic, and the frequency of chaos rose exponentially. At first, he still saw meaningful words in every sentence, but it quickly became to the point where not a single word appeared in several sentences. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t even see those ¡°garbled¡± codes.


    No longer were texts and symbols emerging from the darkness, but a series of twisted, jumping lines, chaotic, restless dots, and even trembling projections that nearly defied geometric principles.


    As he walked forward, the chaotic lights and shadows that human cognition found difficult to understand appeared like reflections of something indescribable on the edge of the universe, forming a path extending forward beneath his feet.


    Finally, even the chaotic, jumping lines and dots disappeared, and nothing new appeared.


    Zhou Ming immediately stopped walking.


    He had not lost his sanity, not succumbed to the continuous exploration towards the unknown.


    He turned back, and the door from which he¡¯d come was now almost a vague point of light, yet still stood quietly in the darkness.


    Zhou Ming decisively turned back¨Cregardless of what still lay in the depths of darkness, the moment the information at his feet reached its end, he knew he could not continue forward.


    He returned faster than he had arrived, and in no time at all, he crossed the vast emptiness of darkness and came back to the door leading to the Homeloss, ¡°The Displaced¡¯s Door.¡±


    Placing his hand on the door, the solid feel reassured Zhou Ming after his lengthy exploration in darkness, and after taking a light breath, he stepped through the door.


    The cool sea breeze blew head on, and Duncan was momentarily disoriented by the sudden appearance of bright Sky Light. It was only after a few tenths of a second¡¯s delay that the gentle sway beneath his feet and the sound of waves slapping against the hull registered in his awareness¨Cperhaps after spending too long in a silent place, the sudden onslaught of waves sounded almost like thunder.


    Duncan suddenly froze.


    He confirmed his surroundings and saw the familiar Homeloss, the familiar Endless Sea, and the sun, bound by double runes, hanging in the sky.


    He had returned to the reality dimension.


    This unexpected situation left him somewhat stunned, because just a second before stepping through the door from that dark place, he had been pondering how to continue exploring the ¡°ruined Homeloss¡± in search of a way back home. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that stepping through that door would bring him directly back to reality¡­ What was the rule governing this?


    To return from the ¡°ruined Homeloss¡± that presumably lay in Subspace to the reality dimension, did one only need to pass through the Displaced¡¯s Door as a transition point?


    He turned his head thoughtfully and saw that he was standing in front of the captain¡¯s quarters and that the Displaced¡¯s Door stood quietly in the sunlight, its few words engraved on the frame shining under the Sky Light.


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts sprang to life.


    There were many doors on Homeloss, but only three were special: the first was the ¡°Displaced¡¯s Door¡±, the second was the gloomy wooden door deep in the cabin that led to the lower decks, labelled ¡°The Final Door,¡± and the third was the towering door standing inexplicably in the center of the hold, connecting Subspace with the reality dimension, perhaps aptly named the ¡°Subspace Door.¡±


    On the ¡°ruined Homeloss,¡± whether it was the ¡°The Final Door¡± that led to the hold or that ¡°Subspace Door¡±, their markings had been wiped from the frame, yet the ¡°Displaced¡¯s Door¡± before the captain¡¯s room maintained the exact same appearance whether in reality or in Subspace.


    Now it seemed that this ¡°consistency¡± might have denoted the true ¡°exit¡± from the start!


    With a budding answer in his heart, Duncan breathed a sigh of relief and then pushed open the door to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    After crossing the threshold, he confirmed that the other side was not shrouded in darkness but was his own bachelor apartment¨Ceverything was normal inside.


    Then he returned to the ship and pulled open the door to the captain¡¯s quarters again.


    The familiar chart room, the familiar refined furnishings, the familiar desk, and the familiar goat head on the desk.


    For the first time in his life, upon seeing the goat head still properly placed on the desk, he felt a sense of solid grounding.


    Upon hearing the noise at the door, the goat head immediately turned its head, its neck causing a squeaky and creaky wood friction sound, ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal, it¡¯s me, I¡¯m back,¡± said Duncan immediately. He had guessed that the goat head would ask for confirmation¨Che expected that it could sense whether he had left Homeloss and might even be able to detect some kind of ¡°change¡± in him. This ¡°name confirmation¡± seemed somewhat arbitrary, but it seemed to follow a hidden logic, ¡°I¡¯ve been to a faraway place.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Captain! You have finally returned!¡± The goat head immediately let out an over-the-top and eager voice. It was as noisy as ever. ¡°You suddenly left the ship entirely, and I was truly startled! When you roam the Spirit Realm, at least you leave your shell here! But just now, all traces of your presence had vanished¡­ And now you¡¯re back from the deck? Where did you go?¡±


    All traces vanished? Left the ship completely?


    Duncan¡¯s gaze subtly shifted.


    He had indeed entered that place, suspected of being Subspace, with his physical body, not just a ¡°conscious projection¡± as he had initially thought!


    He lifted his head and looked into the black, dead eyes of the goat head, hesitating slightly before he spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t get scared when I tell you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry, your first mate is not only loyal and brave but also brave and loy¨C¡±


    ¡°I went to Subspace.¡±


    The goat head: ¡°¡­?!¡±


    After a full half-minute, the creature suddenly snapped, its neck almost twisting, ¡°Cap¡­ Cap¡­ Captain?! You¡¯re saying you¡­¡±


    ¡°I went to Subspace, if I¡¯m not mistaken,¡± Duncan said while walking into the captain¡¯s room and casually picking up the lantern from the shelf beside, ¡°Just wait for me a moment.¡±


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    With that, he didn¡¯t wait for the goat head to reply and left the captain¡¯s room with the lantern, then hurriedly passed through the deck and layer upon layer of cabins, heading straight for the lowest level of Homeloss.


    He passed through ¡°The Final Door¡± and arrived at the fragmented lower decks.


    The seams of the hull at the bottom were still cast in murky confusion, with limited visibility that didn¡¯t reveal much detail¨Conly the chaotic play of light and shadow and occasional flashes jumping and flowing in the darkness.


    And the most dangerous ¡°Subspace Door¡± stood silently in the center of the hold.


    The door was tightly closed, without the slightest crack.

 Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter 244: A Corner of the Veil

    Chapter 240: Chapter 244: A Corner of the Veil


    Duncan approached the door and once again verified its status with unease.


    The ¡°Subspace Door¡± was truly closed¨C he had indeed been to the other side of it, and the effortless shutting had indeed completely sealed off this door, which was difficult to move in the physical dimension.


    He let out a soft breath and looked up above the door.


    The line of ancient, mysterious text was still clearly imprinted on the frame: ¡°This door leads to the Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°Leads to the Homeloss¡­¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene on the other side of the door, the Homeloss that sailed through the subspace, looking as though it had been abandoned and decayed for countless years. He suddenly had a hint of realization about the words on the doorframe.


    The text on the door was true, the other side truly led to the Homeloss¨Ca twisted projection of the actual dimension¡¯s Homeloss in subspace.


    Duncan grabbed the lantern, turned around, and left the lower deck without hesitation, crossing through the cargo hold with inversely reflected light and shadows and the upper structures, returning to the captain¡¯s chamber.


    ¡°Ah! Captain, you¡¯re back!¡± The goat-headed creature was still here, confused, and blurted out the first thing on seeing Duncan return, ¡°Why did you leave so suddenly, just now you said you went to the subspace? This is no joking matter¨C¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve closed the ¡®Subspace Door¡¯ below deck,¡± Duncan casually said while placing the lantern down, ¡°I just went down to check it from ¡®this side¡¯.¡±


    The goat-headed creature¡¯s speech was suddenly choked off, and a ¡°crack¡± was heard between its head and the table.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but give it a glance: ¡°Take it easy, don¡¯t end up with the same problem as Alice.¡±


    However, the goat-headed creature ignored the jest in the captain¡¯s tone, not disguising its astonishment at all: ¡°You closed that door!? You mean, from the other side of subspace¡­ you closed the door?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Duncan countered, ¡°Isn¡¯t that door unable to be closed from ¡®this side¡¯? Otherwise, why would I go to all this effort?¡±


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    ¡°You¡­ You did it just for that?¡± The goat-headed creature was almost incoherent at this point, ¡°You entered subspace and returned to the physical dimension, all to close that door from the other side? That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not just an ordinary wooden door of a storage room or closet, you just¡­ closed it?!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s mood lightened.


    He watched the goat-headed creature with pleasure, witnessing the normally chatty creature who could nag someone¡¯s brain into boiling fall into a state of incoherence, shaking incessantly as if it were in vibration mode, his facial expression remained calm, and inside he was about to burst with joy.


    Duncan knew he hadn¡¯t made things clear yet, leading the goat-headed creature to some misunderstandings¨Cbut mostly, he wanted to see how this creature would twist its lips, which was the greatest joy for someone sailing the Endless Sea.


    In the midst of his amusement, the slight oppressive feeling from exploring the ¡°Fragmented Homeloss¡± and that dark space also lessened significantly.


    But eventually, Duncan spoke up, as the matter concerned subspace, and clarifying some things could avoid future risks. Plus, the goat-headed creature knew a lot of hidden knowledge, and its insights might be of help: ¡°I know you¡¯re in a hurry, but hold on, listen to me¨CI did indeed close the door, but this venture into subspace was an accident, and I also need to hear your opinion.¡±


    ¡°An¡­ accident?¡± The goat-headed creature paused, its tone turning immediately from astonishment to extreme seriousness, ¡°Please tell, what exactly happened?¡±


    Duncan then told the goat-headed creature about his sudden entrance into subspace upon waking from a light sleep¨Cof course, he omitted the details of exploring the dark space and instead focused on the door at the bottom of the ship and the various sights he had seen looking out over the chaos from the deck.


    After all, nowadays apart from his ¡°true name¡± and ¡°origin,¡± there wasn¡¯t much he needed to hide from the goat-headed creature, and the secrecy of his true name and origin was more about maintaining stability in the Homeloss, which had to be founded on the ¡°anchor¡± of ¡°Captain Duncan.¡±


    The goat-headed creature listened to Duncan¡¯s narration with utmost seriousness, not uttering a single word.


    Then it admitted that it also did not know what had happened¡­


    ¡°According to your description, that indeed was Subspace,¡± the goat-headed creature said calmly, ¡°but I have never heard of a case like yours where you directly¡­ ¡®entered¡¯ there in your sleep and came back unscathed¡­ You see, although Subspace poses a severe threat to our dimension, it doesn¡¯t mean it is easy to ¡®arrive¡¯ there; its danger more often lies in its unpredictable contamination.


    ¡°The loopholes in the mind, the wavering of faith, the wrong sacrifices, all these could lead to the infiltration of Subspace power, but ¡®infiltration¡¯ and going in like you did to¡­ ¡®explore¡¯ are completely different concepts.¡±


    At this point, it paused, then turned its head, its hollow black eyes staring straight at Duncan: ¡°Captain, did you really not get affected at all over there? Do you truly¡­ not feel anything lingering in your mind?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Duncan spread his hands, smiling earnestly, ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m out of my mind? I feel completely normal.¡±


    The goat head suddenly ran out of words.


    Duncan, thoughtful, said, ¡°I always see you worried about Homeloss falling into Subspace again, I thought it was easy to fall in¡­.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ is a relative concept,¡± the goat head explained somewhat embarrassingly, ¡°Falling from our dimension is very dangerous, but even for Homeloss, it¡¯s not something that just ¡®happens¡¯; ¡®it¡¯s dangerous to fall in¡¯ and ¡®easy to fall in¡¯ are not the same concept, and¡­ how do I explain this, generally, the victims who unfortunately fall into Subspace¡­ their process and sensations of entering Subspace are completely different from yours; it is an incredibly painful and terrifying process, and it often can¡¯t simply end with death¡­¡±


    Duncan thought carefully after hearing this and shook his head: ¡°I really didn¡¯t feel anything¡­¡±


    The goat-head held its breath for a long while, then sighed.


    This even shocked Duncan somewhat¨Cit was the first time in history that the chatty creature didn¡¯t say anything, just sighed!


    Duncan pondered for a moment, seriously, ¡°¡­Should I be a bit more solemn?¡±


    The goat-head: ¡°¡­You truly live up to the name of the wandering disaster of the Endless Sea¡­¡±


    Not a hint of emotion, the words came out like muscle memory.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s not discuss this issue,¡± Duncan said, waving his hand and quickly changing the subject, ¡°What were those huge shadows I saw in the Subspace? Those shattered lands, debris, and that pale one-eyed giant¡­ what are they all?¡±


    The goat-head suddenly fell silent, and after nearly half a minute, it slowly spoke: ¡°¡­As you saw, just wreckage.¡±


    ¡°Just wreckage?¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°That¡¯s hardly an answer. Whose wreckage? Where does it come from? When did it become wreckage? All these¡­¡±


    ¡°Wreckage of worlds,¡± the goat-head said, ¡°All those that didn¡¯t live to see today, turned into twisted shadows in Subspace in the ancient past.¡±


    Duncan was stunned for a moment, then solemnly repeated: ¡°Wreckage of worlds?¡±


    The goat-head fell silent again, seemingly hesitating and weighing something, but in the end, it slightly raised its head: ¡°Do you think the Endless Sea is vast? Do you think¡­ our current real world still feels spacious?¡±


    Duncan blinked, then suddenly realized: ¡°You mean, everything in the current dimension of reality¡­¡±


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    ¡°¡­Yes, what¡¯s left after the fall,¡± the goat-head said softly, ¡°a mere insignificant residue, with a few stubborn colonies clinging to it.¡±


    Duncan paused, then suddenly thought of something: ¡°Is this the true nature of the Great Annihilation?¡±


    ¡°Just an insignificant part of it,¡± the goat head said in a deep voice, ¡°The complete truth of the Great Annihilation has been buried in the river of time, trying to piece together its entirety is meaningless.


    ¡°In your words, there exists a ¡®horizon limit¡¯ there; all information is on the unknowable and unobservable other side. Unless there is some truly omniscient and omnipotent existence that can instantaneously see through from Subspace to the Mysterious Deep Sea, to the Spirit Realm and our dimension, and trace them back ten thousand years, only then could we possibly know what exactly happened during the Great Annihilation ¡ª but even so, what would be the point?


    ¡°I know you want to ask more, but I¡¯m sorry, this is all I know, and I don¡¯t guarantee all of it is true ¡ª I do know some things related to Subspace, but even the so-called ¡®truth,¡¯ after being affected by Subspace, might not necessarily be twisted into whatever form; cause and logic and chronological order there are all meaningless, and my fragmented knowledge¡­ I myself do not know how much of it is real memory, and how much is just shadows left from the process of leaving Subspace.¡±

 Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 245 Big Trouble Ahead

    Chapter 241: Chapter 245 Big Trouble Ahead


    Duncan fell silent in deep thought.


    It was the first time that Goat Head had revealed so much about the secrets of Subspace to him, and it was the most open and straightforward communication they had ever had.


    Before today, Goat Head had always shown a great aversion to Subspace, avoiding the topic whenever possible and never directly answering Duncan¡¯s roundabout questions. At that time, its attitude seemed to stem not only from concerns about the stability of Homeloss but also from worries about the stability of ¡°Captain Duncan.¡±


    But today, its attitude had softened¨Cafter the captain had run to the Subspace, shut the door, and then returned as if nothing had happened.


    It seemed that Goat Head had finally put its mind at ease and dared to share what it knew.


    Goat Head claimed to know only a little and didn¡¯t guarantee the accuracy of the intelligence. But for Duncan, even the information it shared now was enough to ponder for quite a while¨Cit had not only exceeded his current understanding of Subspace but perhaps also surpassed the depth of research by scholars of the civilized world.


    After a long period of thought, Duncan finally looked up, his gaze contemplative as he stared into Goat Head¡¯s eyes, ¡°¡­You knew so much.¡±


    ¡°Somewhat¡­but I never intended to deceive you,¡± Goat Head¡¯s voice sounded somewhat nervous, ¡°When it comes to things related to Subspace, the less you know, the better because often, knowledge is contamination. But now it seems, the great Captain Duncan obviously does not need to worry about this¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a sincere compliment,¡± Duncan said offhandedly. He then scrutinized Goat Head again, not content, ¡°Is this really all you know? Are there more details, like the identity of the pale one-eyed giant¡­¡±


    ¡°You really put me in a difficult position,¡± Goat Head replied with a sense of helplessness, ¡°to be frank, my memory¡­has had some issues. Much has been forgotten ¡®on the other side,¡¯ and I¡¯m left only with these superficial impressions.¡±


    Duncan silently observed Goat Head¡¯s eyes for a long time before finally looking away.


    Goat Head indirectly admitted to something else¨Cit was not an original ¡°crew member¡± of the ship but came from ¡°the other side,¡± from Subspace!


    Had Homeloss brought something out of Subspace in the process of disengagement, which then turned into Goat Head? Or had Goat Head intentionally caught a ride, escaping Subspace of its own volition? Was it a trade?


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    For some reason, Duncan¡¯s mind once again conjured the image of the pale giant who had died on the edge of celestial debris.


    Subspace was filled with remnants of the shattered old world, but those remnants seemed to be more than just debris¡­ Goat Head appeared to have come from Subspace, and it possessed cognition, the ability to think, and even to communicate. Were there other beings similar to it within Subspace? Or, if it returned to Subspace, would Goat Head transform into something else, becoming¡­ something like the pale giant? Was that why it so resisted the idea of ¡°going back¡±?


    Many questions surfaced in Duncan¡¯s mind, but ultimately, he did not directly ask them.


    Because he knew that questions directly targeting Goat Head and potential questions regarding ¡°Captain Duncan¡± would be absolutely unanswered¨Cthis involved the stability of Homeloss in the material dimension.


    So he let out a gentle breath, stood up, and gestured for a temporary end to the topic.


    Bright sunlight filtered through the window, falling on the gracious, classic furnishings of the captain¡¯s quarters, emitting a hazy luster amidst the dust.


    ¡°I missed the sunrise today,¡± Duncan suddenly said, ¡°Did the sun rise as usual today?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the sun rose on time at sunrise,¡± Goat Head immediately responded, ¡°It seems the delayed sunrise before was just an anomaly, Anomaly 001 is still functioning normally.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Once a problem occurs with an entity like Anomaly 001, the fear will be forever imprinted on people¡¯s hearts. Those who noticed the ¡¯15 minutes¡¯ probably won¡¯t welcome the sunrise as easily as before,¡± Duncan shook his head gently, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, ¡°Wait, do you remember when the sunset was yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Sunset?¡± Goat Head thought for a moment, then uncertainly began, ¡°The sunset was on time and wasn¡¯t affected. What is this quest¨CAh!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve realized,¡± Duncan shifted his gaze away from the window, ¡°Yesterday¡¯s sun delayed its rise by fifteen minutes but set on time. This indicates something.¡±


    ¡°¡­ It traversed the sky at a faster pace than usual yesterday,¡± Goat Head belatedly realized, ¡°Anomaly 001¡­ can consciously adjust its trajectory?¡±


    Duncan spoke gravely, ¡°At least, it consciously sped up yesterday to ensure ¡®sunset¡¯ occurred at the correct time.¡±


    Goat Head sounded hesitant, ¡°Is that¡­ a good thing? This means Anomaly 001 has a certain self-repair function, even though there was a small glitch, it¡¯s consciously ensuring that the world runs smoothly¡­¡±


    But Duncan did not speak again.


    While Goat Head¡¯s attitude seemed optimistic, Duncan felt no relief from Anomaly 001¡¯s ¡°self-adjustment.¡± Instead, he felt greater tension after confirming that the sun had intentionally sped up for a day.


    Because he knew a principle¨Cwhen a vast, ancient system that no one was guarding suddenly began to use its own reserves to self-repair, it oftentimes didn¡¯t mean the problem would be solved; instead, it was a signal that issues had accumulated to a dangerously critical point!


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but come to the window, completely opened it, and looked up at the sky to observe the immense luminary that illuminated the world, as well as the two rings of runes that encircled the body of light.


    Anomaly 001 emitted a bright light, but it wasn¡¯t blinding, and Duncan could even stare at it with some difficulty.


    But suddenly, Duncan¡¯s gaze froze.


    He was staring intently at the sun, at the runes on the edge of the ancient anomaly, carefully discerning, until he finally confirmed that he was not mistaken.


    On the outer ring of the double runes, under the brilliance that obscured less intense rays, there seemed to be a faint¡­ gap.


    ¡­


    Inside the antique shop in Prand, Duncan, who was sitting behind the counter overseeing Sherry, Alice, and A-Dog¡¯s copying of letters, suddenly lifted his head and then, under the astonished gaze of three ¡°students,¡± quickly walked out of the shop door and stepped onto the open ground in front of the antique shop to look up at the sky.


    After a good while, when his fragile human body began to feel a bit dizzy and his eyes hazy, Duncan closed his eyes and lowered his head.


    Nina, who had been helping to teach Sherry and the others letter recognition, ran out worriedly, ¡°Uncle Duncan, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Duncan lifted his head and gently ruffled Nina¡¯s hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just came out to check the weather.¡±


    ¡°Check the weather?¡± Nina looked up doubtfully at the clear sky, ¡°Can¡¯t you just glance outside from within the shop on such a sunny day¡­ Ah, is something going to happen again?¡±


    As she spoke, Nina suddenly lowered her voice and sneakily moved closer, clutching Duncan¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Did you think of something aboard the ship? Are we going to have an adventure?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Adventure, adventure, where are there so many risks to seek?¡± Duncan, unable to help but laugh at the girl who had been obsessed with the idea of an ¡°exciting new life¡± ever since learning about Homeloss, said, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you rather the world was at peace?¡±


    Nina embarrassedly stuck out her tongue, and Sherry, who had come to the door out of curiosity, stood dumbfounded after hearing Duncan¡¯s words. She remained stunned for a while, then turned her head to mutter to A-Dog, hiding in the shadows, ¡°The captain says he likes world peace.¡±


    A-Dog gave no response.


    Sherry frowned and repeated herself, then, at an angle blocked by the doorframe, she tugged at the chain that seemed fused with her arm, ¡°A-Dog, didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡±


    At last, A-Dog¡¯s voice came from the shadows, ¡°I¡¯m memorizing the alphabet, don¡¯t interrupt my learning.¡±


    Sherry: ¡°¡­ You actually took your studies seriously?!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, Mr. Duncan will check our work later¡­ Miss Alice is even more diligent than you!¡±


    Sherry paused, ¡°Homework? What homework?¡±


    However, A-Dog didn¡¯t answer her.


    Because Duncan had already returned to the door with Nina, and Sherry¡¯s last muttering fell upon the former¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Homework is something that if you don¡¯t do, I¡¯ll be quite upset,¡± Duncan said, smiling at Sherry, who had suddenly become stiff, ¡°Go back and copy the alphabet ten times.¡±


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    Sherry almost cried out, ¡°Then¡­ how about you just beat me instead¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Sherry shivered, ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯ll go copy the alphabet now!¡±


    Duncan shook his head, then temporarily arranged for Sherry, A-Dog, and Alice to self-study and instructed Nina to supervise, while he pondered once more in front of the display window while gazing at the sky outside.


    Anomaly 001¡­ serious trouble might indeed be afoot.

 Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 246: Warm Days

    Chapter 242: Chapter 246: Warm Days


    Phenomenon 001, having risen from the Blood Sea after the disappearance of the Ancient Crete Kingdom, replaced the old sun and illuminated the world of the Deep Sea Era.


    For ten thousand years, this massive light source operated as if eternal, bringing not only light and warmth but also a stable order to daytime¨Cif not for it, the City-State civilization as we know it would never have existed, and the entire world would likely be engulfed in a terrifying perpetual night, with all life that once thrived under the protection of the Ancient Crete Kingdom perhaps having silently perished in some ancient era.


    No one thought that Phenomenon 001 would one day have problems, just like no one considered whether the Endless Sea might dry up one day.


    However, it now seems that this ¡°eternal¡± sun wasn¡¯t truly eternal.


    First, the sunrise was delayed by fifteen minutes, and then there was that near-imperceptible crack on the Rune Circle¡­ all these unsettling pieces of information pointed to one fact: the lifespan of Phenomenon 001 was actually finite!


    Duncan stood by the store window, silently watching the bright Sky Light illuminate the street, his mind churning like a storm.


    He knew he wasn¡¯t the only one aware of the sun¡¯s anomaly¨Cthere were many intelligent people in the world. Ordinary folks might not notice the changes overhead, but authorities in various City-States and the Church were surely keeping an eye on this world¡¯s biggest phenomenon. By now, someone must have noticed the changes in the sun¡­ What would they think? How would they respond? Did anyone know what was happening?


    He also thought of those mad Sun Cultists, those heretics who worshiped the ancient True Sun¡­ prattling all day long about how Phenomenon 001, the evil ¡°False Sun,¡± would one day fall¡­ Did they know the sun was actually having issues?


    Or, was the change in Phenomenon 001 somehow really connected to those Sun Cultists and the Scions of the Sun behind them?


    To be fair, Duncan didn¡¯t really respect those Sun Cultists; whether they were ordinary heretics or the slightly more formidable Scions of the Sun, in his eyes, they were all the same¨Ceasily flammable material. But the great fire in the Plunder City-State reminded him that those ordinary heretics might be harmless, their ¡°Wriggling Day-Wheel¡± behind them had a very high status. Coupled with a bunch of elusive Doomsday Preachers stirring the waters and oddities like historical contamination and reality overlay, who knew if those Sun Cultists really had the ability to affect the operation of Phenomenon 001¡­


    After ruminating for quite some time, Duncan decided he would try to contact Fenna when he got the chance¨Cshe was a high-ranking member of the Church and should be well-informed about the Church¡¯s movements. He could discuss the matter of the sun with her.


    Incidentally, it would also show his friendly attitude and his concern for the security of the City-State.


    Of course, he¡¯d remember to knock next time he visited.


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    As Duncan contemplated this, he diverted a fraction of his attention to check on the situation at the cathedral, and suddenly he paused.


    He sensed that Terian had left the cathedral and was¡­ moving towards the southern part of the Upper City District.


    Duncan frowned slightly after confirming Terian¡¯s direction.


    He thought of another matter he had planned.


    After a bit of thought, he lifted his head and looked towards the counter.


    Alice was lying next to Sherry, gripping a pencil and writing something very, very earnestly on a sheet of white paper.


    Bright sunshine streamed through the antique shop¡¯s windows, crossing over the rustic displays on the shelves to pour into the store, casting a warm, gentle glow on the golden-haired doll¡¯s shoulder, as if plating Alice in a halo of warmth. The sunlight also touched the counter and the tip of the doll¡¯s pencil, bringing an indescribable softness and mysterious ambiance to the entire scene.


    If this were a painting, it should have a name¨C¡®Beautiful Doll Writing Quietly in the Warm Afternoon Sun¡¯.


    Even Duncan was somewhat stunned by this perfectly captured scene of light and shadow. He then walked over to take a look, only to see Alice diligently copying some letter¨Cwho knows where she had started making mistakes, but by now the entire paper was filled with interconnected little circles¡­


    Noticing the captain approaching, Alice immediately stopped and happily lifted her notebook for Duncan to see, ¡°Look at what I¡¯ve written, Mr. Duncan~¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    After holding back for a long time, he managed to keep his face straight and reluctantly nodded, ¡°There¡¯s¡­ improvement.¡±


    Although he couldn¡¯t tell at all what she was writing.


    Alice was very pleased, apparently just needing that bit of praise. She then curiously looked into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you have any instructions for me?¡±


    Duncan paused, ¡°How did you know I have something for you to do?¡±


    ¡°You always look like this when you¡¯re giving an order,¡± Alice gestured on her face, trying to mimic Duncan¡¯s expression, but no one could understand her demonstration, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Go to a place, with Ai Yi,¡± Duncan adjusted his face, looking at Alice¡¯s careless smile, thinking about his task, his mood became much lighter, ¡°Lead someone here.¡±


    ¡°Lead¡­ to here?¡± Alice looked puzzled, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®lead¡¯? Do we need to knock them out and tie them up?¡±


    ¡°Where did you learn that?!¡± Duncan glared at the puppet, ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ll show you how to do it¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Compared to a hundred years ago, this city had indeed changed a lot.


    Electric wiring, new models of gas street lamps, wider and smoother streets, taller buildings, and countless factories and pipelines¨Cthe scholars and engineers brought forces that drove civilization forward, and this force made the City-State change at a much faster pace, a change that even made the weathered Tyrion marvel spontaneously.


    But in this City-State, some things still roughly resembled those in his memories.


    After getting off the transportation, Tyrion thanked and bid farewell to the church personnel who had accompanied him, walking with a few sailors from the Sea Mist on the streets at the edge of the Plunder Upper City District, observing the somewhat familiar yet strange roads and shops, his face inevitably showing a hint of reminiscence.


    ¡°Captain,¡± one sailor curiously looked at his superior, ¡°What are we looking for here?¡±


    ¡°A shop,¡± Tyrion casually said, his gaze continuously searching among the buildings with a heavy Central City-State architectural style, ¡°A doll shop, with a sign bearing some Elven style.¡±


    ¡°Dolls?¡± the sailor was a bit surprised, ¡°You¡¯re into that?¡±


    Tyrion silently glanced at his subordinate, ¡°I have my reasons.¡±


    Another sailor approached, ¡°Captain, why don¡¯t you just silence him¡­ You can silence all of us if you¡¯re not comfortable, and tidy us up after you¡¯re done shopping¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m starting to regret bringing you guys.¡±


    The sailors just chuckled, but while joking, their eyes continuously swept across the nearby buildings, looking for the shop that met the description of their captain.


    Tyrion shook his head, slightly helplessly watching his subordinates.


    Outside of combat, this was how he interacted with his subordinates¨Cpeople would hardly imagine the legendary ¡°Iron Marshal¡± being such a peaceable man among his own, but Tyrion knew why.


    These men had followed him through life and death for half a century¨Cno relationship in this mortal world could surpass this half-century of loyalty and trust.


    Just then, a sailor¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside him, interrupting Tyrion¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Captain, could it be that one? The place across the street, that Rose Doll House¡­ The name sure has character.¡±


    Tyrion looked up and immediately spotted the familiar name among the row of street-front old stores: Rose Doll House.


    The sign was changed, the door was changed, even the facade decorations were changed, but the name of the shop remained the same¨Cthe sentimental Elves, even living in a rapidly changing human City-State, rarely changed their shop names easily.


    Tyrion suddenly felt a bit dazed, a yellowed memory surfacing in his mind, he seemed to see that long, long ago afternoon when his father went to the port for errands, and he, dragging his young sister, sneaked out of their home. The siblings wandered the bustling grand City-State until they ran into that shop in confusion¡­


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    And there, resolutely spent the small change stolen from their father¡¯s money box¨Cthat day, his sister gained a whole day¡¯s happiness, and he¡­ couldn¡¯t quite remember if he got a beating.


    Regardless, that was one of the few simple and warm segments in Tyrion¡¯s long, cold memories of a century.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± the great pirate murmured, ¡°¡®Doll House¡¯ is an Elven naming style, referring to a doll shop.¡±


    Saying so, he walked toward the store that seemed to occupy a special corner in his memory.


    (Book recommendation time, this time it¡¯s ¡°Dragon Clan: Starting at Cassel¡¯s Corner Wall¡± from Mirror Sea Dream, a Dragon Clan fanfiction, stepping into a different Dragon Clan, creating dungeons and apocalypses, with battleships and mechanical maidens and students blowing up gods and fate!)

 Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter 247 Revisiting the Old Place

    Chapter 243: Chapter 247 Revisiting the Old Place


    The clear ring of a bell accompanied the opening of the door, and the afternoon sun streamed into this old shop, almost filled with various dolls. The elf shopkeeper, busy adjusting a doll skeleton behind the counter, heard the noise and looked up to see a tall man with black hair and an eyepatch entering the shop.


    The elderly elf woman looked puzzlingly at this ¡°guest,¡± who didn¡¯t seem to be here to buy dolls, but after a moment of confusion, she still smiled and greeted him¨Cshe did not recognize that this tall, one-eyed man was the same child who had bought something from her shop with his sister a century ago, ¡°Ah, welcome to the Rose Doll House, feel free to look around.¡±


    She paused, then casually added, ¡°We don¡¯t see customers like you very often.¡±


    Tirian¡¯s gaze slowly swept around.


    The various dolls, the antique racks, the carved staircase, the warm and calm atmosphere, and the smiling old woman.


    Fragments of yellowed memories gradually pieced together into a familiar scene that began to overlap with the scenery before him.


    It indeed was the place; Lukrecia had given the right directions.


    It was normal that the elf shopkeeper didn¡¯t recognize him¨Chis appearance had changed too much compared to a century ago.


    Tirian slightly adjusted his expression, trying to make his face appear softer¨Chalf a century of roaming and plundering on the Chill Sea had turned him into a stern man. He knew he always carried an uncomfortable aura, which apparently affected the kind shopkeeper. Though she was smiling in greeting, her eyes could not hide the confusion and a hint of wariness.


    ¡°I want to inquire about something,¡± Tirian wasn¡¯t sure if his facial adjustment was adequate, as he struggled to recall what kind of expression and tone ordinary people would use when entering a store, ¡°Do you sell a doll named ¡®Niru¡¯ here?¡±


    He pondered for a moment, then added, ¡°A one-third scale doll, about this tall¨Cclassical court style with a lavish skirt.¡±


    The elf shopkeeper hesitated for a moment before responding, ¡°Indeed¡­ there was such a doll here. It had been in the store for many years and was bought by someone a while ago. But why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Who bought it?¡± Tirian felt his heartbeat quicken, he had not expected to find a clue so easily; his father had actually bought the doll from the store outright, ¡°Approximately when?¡±


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    The shopkeeper was visibly startled by Tirian¡¯s overly excited reaction, becoming even more wary, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t disclose customer information. That¡¯s the rule for us in business.¡±


    Tirian was taken aback, caught off guard by her response. He quickly thought it over and hesitated for a few seconds, as if making a decision, ¡°¡­You don¡¯t recognize me?¡±


    ¡°Recognize¡­?¡± The shopkeeper frowned, examining the stranger before her suspiciously. ¡°I don¡¯t recall serving a customer like you¨Cmost who buy dolls from my shop are women, young men selecting gifts for their lovers, or fathers picking out gifts for their daughters.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because the last time I was here was a very long time ago,¡± Tirian revealed a strange smile, ¡°Do you remember a hundred years ago, a brother and sister took a doll named ¡®Luny¡¯ from this shop?¡±


    The old lady paused, then her eyes gradually widened in disbelief as she looked at Tirian, ¡°Ah, are you¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you might not believe it, but I have something to prove my identity,¡± Tirian was quick-witted, and while speaking, he pulled out something from his chest, ¡°Being an elf as you are, you must be well-informed. You should have heard about me¡­ Please take a look at this.¡±


    The elf lady, while listening, took the paper handed to her with a puzzled look, opening it to see a large portrait printed on it, followed by a wanted notice, a bounty, and the official seal of Frost City-State¡­


    ¡°I should still have some renown,¡± Tirian said seriously, ¡°Strictly speaking, our family is fairly well-known¡­ even if it might not be for reasons that bring pleasure.¡±


    The old lady was at a loss for words.


    After a long while, the elderly elf woman regained control of her emotions, looked up at Tirian, and with an odd tone forced out, ¡°It really is you.¡±


    Tirian seemed to have realized that something was amiss too, and awkwardly smiled, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    The old lady thought for a moment and then said, ¡°So many years have passed¡­ Your bounty digits have increased quite a lot¡­¡±


    Tirian tugged at the corner of his mouth, ¡°The bounty¡­ indeed, has grown a bit. But it¡¯s just a formality, they just add a zero every four or five years, no one actually goes to claim it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone use their own wanted poster as identification, and a notorious pirate at that,¡± finally, the expression of the Elf old lady normalized a bit. While folding the wanted poster and handing it back, she murmured, ¡°I did hear that the ¡®Sea Mist¡¯ docked, and thought about visiting the port to see the excitement. I didn¡¯t expect you to come here first. How is your sister doing?¡±


    ¡°She¡­ lives even more freely than I do,¡± replied Tirian, and then, with a strange expression, glanced at the elderly woman opposite him, ¡°I thought you might get scared for a moment. Most ordinary people react that way upon seeing me¨C even if we¡¯re outside the Chill Sea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of strange things, more than just one big pirate like you, and the City-State has made it clear, ¡®Sea Mist¡¯ is a guest invited by Prand, the northern sea affairs have nothing to do with us,¡± the old lady mumbled as she walked to the counter, then the muttering turned into a lecture, ¡°However, I still have to tell you, always being a pirate isn¡¯t proper work; it¡¯s not a sustainable business. Look at your sister, at least she has a lifetime honorary title at the Explorers¡¯ Association. Of course, I also heard¡­ it seems your relations with the northern City-States are quite complicated¡­¡±


    At this, Tirian¡¯s head began to buzz. He felt he was now experiencing the calm composure of the long-lived races and had to quickly interrupt the old lady¡¯s ramble, ¡°The Mist Fleet is already changing. Acts of revenge and pillage against the northern City-States are a thing of the past; now, we mainly rely on protection fees¡­¡±


    Before the old lady could react, he briskly ended the topic and forcefully pulled it back, ¡°Can you now tell me, who bought that doll?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it was a middle-aged man who looked a bit like you¡­ maybe even shorter, skinny, seemed not very healthy,¡± the old lady didn¡¯t hesitate this time and blurted out, ¡°But I think you won¡¯t be able to find him, with so many people in Prand. Were you planning to bring back the other doll you couldn¡¯t buy before for your sister? Ah, that¡¯s too bad, it would¡¯ve been better if you had come earlier¡­ Wait, I just realized, how did you know someone bought ¡®Niru¡¯?¡±


    But Tirian didn¡¯t answer her question, instead inadvertently furrowing his brow.


    A man shorter than himself, skinny, with poor health¡­ That couldn¡¯t be his father.


    Could it be¡­ his father¡¯s subordinates?!


    After regaining his humanity and rationale, was he already recruiting new subordinates? What was he planning to do? Was it to rebuild the Exiled Fleet?!


    Tirian thought of many things at once until the Elf old lady had to call his name twice to snap him back to reality. Then he quickly asked, ¡°Besides buying the doll, did that guest say anything else? Did he take anything else?¡±


    ¡°He just had a normal chat,¡± the store owner recalled, ¡°Seemed like a guest who really likes dolls, very concerned about the repair and maintenance of the dolls, learned quite a bit from me. Oh, right, he also bought a wig and matching hair accessories, apparently for his own doll.¡±


    Tirian blanked, ¡°¡­ A wig? What kind of wig?¡±


    ¡°Blonde long straight hair, one-to-one scale, I remember it clearly,¡± said the store owner, suddenly recalling something else, ¡°Oh, right, I have another one similar here; you can take a look.¡±


    While saying this, she had already turned around and crawled into the storage room under the stairs.


    Tirian meant to say it wasn¡¯t necessary to go through the trouble, but didn¡¯t manage to, and just at that moment, a strange knocking sound suddenly came from nearby, drawing his attention.


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    It sounded like someone was tapping on the window outside.


    Tirian turned his head in surprise toward the sound.


    He saw a beautiful lady with golden hair down to her waist standing outside the window, gently tapping on the glass.


    At first, Tirian didn¡¯t recognize her, but upon seeing the lady¡¯s face clearly, he was struck as if by lightning, frozen on the spot.


    The lady¡¯s appearance¡­ was exactly like that of the Frost Queen Lei Nora from half a century ago!

 Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter 248 Invitation

    Chapter 244: Chapter 248 Invitation


    The owner of the Rose Doll House searched in the storage room for a long time and finally found what she was looking for. However, when she crawled out, she discovered that the ¡°guest¡± who had been standing in front of the counter had vanished without a trace.


    ¡°¡­So fidgety¡­¡± After confirming that Terry had left, the old woman couldn¡¯t help but mutter to herself, ¡°No wonder my sister became a scholar, while the brother went off to fight wars¡­¡±


    However, Terry would never know what the old elven lady was mumbling about him. By then, he had already dashed out of the doll shop and onto the streets outside.


    Yet, standing in the open space in front of the shop and looking around, he couldn¡¯t spot the blonde woman.


    The sailors who had been waiting outside the shop saw their captain come out and start looking around. They immediately gathered and said, ¡°Captain, we¡¯re right here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not looking for you,¡± Terry quickly said, his gaze still scouting the surrounding streets and alleys, ¡°Did any of you see a lady with long golden hair standing by the shop window? About¡­ half a head shorter than me, wearing a purple dress?¡±


    The sailors exchanged glances, then all at once, they looked at Terry with a shocked expression.


    Terry frowned, ¡°¡­What do those looks mean?¡±


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± One sailor mustered the courage to speak, his voice tinged with hesitation, ¡°Love at first sight is a wonderful thing, but I think crossing City-States¡­¡±


    Terry looked at his subordinate with a calm face, ¡°If you continue, I will stuff you into the six main guns of the Sea Mist and fire you off in different directions.¡±


    The sailor was silenced instantly.


    By then, Terry had already begun to think rapidly.


    He was sure he hadn¡¯t seen wrong; there had indeed been a woman who looked exactly like Lei Nora tapping on the shop window outside.


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    It¡¯s true that in the vast crowds, the mere appearance of someone resembling the Frost Queen might not elicit much of a reaction from him¨Cfor half a century, he had seen many people with similar faces. However, her knocking on the window from outside was different.


    Clearly, she had come for him.


    A person nearly identical to the Frost Queen appearing prepared near the doll shop, knocking on the window to catch his attention, then disappearing as soon as he showed up¨Cthis sequence of actions was sending a clear signal.


    Terry slightly furrowed his brow, seemingly having a vague idea. He lifted his head and addressed the men he had brought with him, ¡°You all go back to the cathedral.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The sailors paused, one of them baffled, ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no but,¡± Terry waved his hand, ¡°I have something to do, you all leave first.¡±


    Another sailor couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°But Captain, us few¡­¡±


    Terry¡¯s expression became stern, ¡°This is an order.¡±


    ¡°But we didn¡¯t bring any money,¡± the third sailor finally completed his sentence, ¡°and we have no fare¨Cfrom here to the cathedral is not close.¡±


    Terry: ¡°¡­¡±


    A moment later, this ¡°Iron Admiral¡± threw a bag of change to his subordinates and almost grudgingly squeezed out a few words, ¡°You all, get moving.¡±


    The sailors left, and Terry finally breathed a slight sigh of relief. He then looked around the environment, pondered briefly, and walked toward the most secluded corner in his field of vision, quietly waiting there for her to appear.


    If his guess was correct, she would definitely show up voluntarily¨Che had sent away the men he brought just now on the streets to convey a ¡°ready to meet¡± signal.


    And indeed, as he had expected.


    After waiting in this quiet alley for less than a moment, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from nearby. Looking up and following the sound, the blonde woman, bearing the visage of the Frost Queen, was indeed emerging from the shadows nearby.


    Even though he had seen her once through the shop window, Terry still couldn¡¯t help but be astounded¨Cshe was too similar!


    He had certainly seen people with similar features before, but to be this similar¡­ it was far beyond normal, beyond imagination.


    And because of this excessively similar appearance, Terry¡¯s first reaction after his initial shock was caution and wariness¨Che stared intently at the mysterious blonde woman, as if she were a dangerous individual worthy of his full vigilance. In this cautious observation, he also noticed some unusual peculiarities about her.


    Her demeanor carried a grace and restraint unlike ordinary people, her appearance was delicate yet somehow missing that bit¡­ ¡°breath of life,¡± which might not be noticed by most at a glance. However, as a captain leading an undead army, Terry slowly began to sense something on her¨Ca trait that felt extremely incongruous on living beings.


    ¡°Incredible,¡± just as Tyrion became increasingly vigilant, the blonde lady took the initiative to speak. ¡°You actually came¨Cturns out, luring someone here is this simple.¡±


    Her voice was identical to that of the Frost Queen?!


    Rather than feeling surprised or excited, Tyrion grew even more cautious. ¡°¡­Who are you.¡±


    ¡°My name is Alice.¡±


    The blonde opposite him smiled, speaking frankly.


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t ask your name,¡± Tyrion frowned, ¡°I asked your identity and what you want¨Cwhy did you specifically want to meet with me?¡±


    ¡°The captain wants to meet you,¡± Alice replied earnestly, answering the questions directly. ¡°He said that the cathedral is too crowded with people around, and many confidential matters are difficult to discuss. It would be better to lure you to a quieter place for a conversation.¡±


    A mysterious captain wanting to discuss some confidential matters, thus having someone draw him out?


    Tyrion frowned, but for some reason, he felt more relaxed¨Cafter all, he had been a pirate in the Chill Sea for half a century, and had seen countless situations like this. He was more familiar with a conspiracy meeting between captains than the Frost Queen Lei Nora suddenly resurrecting to find him.


    But he had no intention of meeting them.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in those who hide in the shadows,¡± Tyrion relaxed after confirming this was a familiar ¡°scene¡± and casually replied. ¡°Tell your master, if he wants to meet with the captain of the Sea Mist, he can come openly, find me at the cathedral¨Cand if it involves shady dealings, then I¡¯m sorry, but the Sea Mist only engages in legal businesses outside the Chill Sea.¡±


    Having said this, he was already indicating that he was about to leave, but the lady who claimed to be Alice suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know which ¡®captain¡¯ I¡¯m talking about?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Tyrion furrowed his brow. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Your father.¡± Alice said sincerely.


    However, upon hearing her words, Tyrion¡¯s expression changed in an instant. ¡°Sorry, that joke is in poor taste. Excuse me.¡±


    Alice thought for a moment. ¡°Ah, the captain also said you might react like this, so there¡¯s an alternative invitation¡­¡±


    As Tyrion was about to turn and leave, he subconsciously hesitated upon hearing her words. ¡°Another one¡­¡±


    He had only muttered a few words when he suddenly felt a change in the atmosphere around him. A surge of alarm came over him, and he quickly turned towards the direction from which the feeling emanated, only to see a little girl who had suddenly appeared, swinging her arm and throwing something at him.


    It seemed to be a dog.


    For less than a second, Tyrion thought he had a chance to dodge, even though it was a sneak attack, and even though her strength and speed were clearly that of a Transcendent. He still had a chance to dodge, but in the moment he tried, he found all his limbs unresponsive¨Cas if countless invisible threads bound his bones and muscles, robbing him of control over his body.


    All he managed to do was to turn his head with great effort and glance at the blonde lady with the harmless smile¨C the next second, the ugly dog head rapidly enlarged at the edge of his vision.


    With a loud bang, the great pirate was sent flying several meters and lay motionless.


    Sherry looked at her victory somewhat bewildered.


    ¡°¡­Just knocked him flying like that?¡± She looked at the chain in her hand, then at Tyrion who was smashed away, mumbling to herself as she walked over to check on him, ¡°I thought there¡¯d at least be a big fight, but the legendary pirate just¡­ didn¡¯t die from that, right?¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Alice joined her, looking at the unconscious Tyrion and muttering, ¡°The captain said Tyrion can take a beating.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he dodge just now?¡± Sherry crouched down, picking up a stick to poke Tyrion¡¯s face. ¡°At least those Doomsday Preachers could dodge a few times¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alice shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to fight.¡±


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    Sherry thought for a moment and then voiced another concern, ¡°¡­If the captain sees his son¡¯s head swollen like this, will he be angry?¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Alice continued shaking her head. ¡°The captain said if he doesn¡¯t cooperate, you should hit him with Ah Gou, make him spin like a top¡­¡±


    ¡°Did he spin just now?¡±


    ¡°He seemed¡­ to have spun, spun a lot of circles in the air.¡±


    Finally reassured, Sherry clapped her hands. ¡°Then that¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll signal Ai Yi to come over and carry him away.¡±

 Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter 249 The First Step Towards Sincerity

    Chapter 245: Chapter 249 The First Step Towards Sincerity


    Tirian felt surrounded by darkness and his senses fluctuated as if pulled by an invisible force, shuttling through a dimension that hovered between reality and illusion.


    He tried several times to open his eyes, but he could only barely see a dot of faint green light and rapidly moving shadows in the darkness, which he recognized after a while as a bird¡¯s-eye view of the City-State.


    It seemed he had been taken into the sky by something.


    This thought had just flashed through his mind when he lost consciousness again.


    When he became aware of his body again, he found himself in a stable place¨Csomething cold and hard underneath him, like a concrete floor, with dim lighting all around, like the poor quality lamps used in warehouses. A blurred figure sat beside him, seemingly curiously bending over him.


    Tirian¡¯s mind finally cleared.


    But instead of opening his eyes right away, he continued to pretend to be unconscious, while cautiously sensing his environment, trying to determine his situation from the humidity in the air, the faint noises by his ear, and through his slightly open eyelids.


    He had just managed to hear a bit of the sound of carriages and horses, confirming that he might be in a street-facing location of some district when he suddenly heard that familiar voice next to him, ¡°You¡¯re awake. Your eyelids are moving.¡±


    Tirian was startled and knew he couldn¡¯t hide any longer, so he reluctantly opened his eyes.


    Following that, he felt his whole body stiffen, the person in front of him leaving him dumbfounded and aghast.


    He saw Lei Nora¨Cthe Frost Queen¨Cjust like the one in his memory, not the blonde lady with the obviously different hair color from before.


    The silver-haired ¡°Frost Queen¡± was sitting on a chair next to him, watching him lying on the ground with a tranquil and detached expression. Tirian, after being dumbstruck for several seconds, suddenly snapped back to his senses and leaped to his feet.


    A sudden headache almost made him lie down again, but the pain also stimulated his spirit, finally ridding him of the last bit of dizziness after the blackout. He first confirmed that he was indeed awake and then quickly scanned the surroundings, trying to determine where exactly he was.


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    But all he saw was a warehouse filled with shelves and wooden crates¨Cthe old-fashioned goods of unclear age and origin were neatly arranged on erratically placed shelves, and somewhat disorganized wooden crates were stacked against the wall. There were no windows in sight, so he could not see the outside, and the only door was behind the chair where the ¡°queen¡± was seated.


    It seemed to be just a warehouse, impossible to tell where in the City-State it was located.


    Tirian¡¯s gaze returned to the ¡°Frost Queen.¡±


    However, after the initial shock and excitement had subsided, the calm pirate¡¯s first instinct was to doubt. He thought of the blonde lady he had seen earlier and the words she had spoken to him, and his eyebrows knitted slightly, ¡°You are not Her Majesty Lei Nora. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I told you, my name is Alice,¡± the silver-haired woman on the chair said with a smile, ¡°Ah, if you¡¯re talking about my hair¡­ I did a little disguise because the captain said my appearance might cause trouble in the City-State.¡±


    She mentioned the captain again.


    If Tirian was just a bit confused when she first mentioned the ¡°captain,¡± hearing this title now brought out an immense wariness and sense of danger in him, because he had confirmed that this was not a cruel joke or a ridiculous trap planned by some captain with a grudge against him¨Cthere really might be his dreadful father standing behind all of this.


    Tirian slowly stood up, watching the silver-haired woman calling herself ¡°Alice¡± opposite him, and spoke gravely, ¡°Is it really him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he wants to see you,¡± Alice said as she got up from her chair and slowly approached an antique mirror next to her, ¡°Captain, he¡¯s awake.¡±


    The next moment, a faint green flame rose up around the edge of the mirror, and Tirian felt as if he could hear a crackling sound entering his ears. Then, he saw the mirror suddenly turn black, and a familiar and imposing figure gradually emerged from the darkness.


    ¡°Tirian, we meet again,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice came from the mirror.


    ¡°¡­Yes, we meet again,¡± Tirian spoke hesitantly. Although he had already seen him once, the feeling of talking to his sane and sober father still felt very awkward, ¡°Why like this? Aren¡¯t you not opposed to contacting me through the cathedral?¡±


    ¡°In the cathedral we can catch up, but it¡¯s not suitable for discussing some more private matters¨Cthere are some things I don¡¯t intend for Gomona to overhear,¡± Duncan said unhurriedly, his gaze sweeping past Alice, ¡°You¡¯ve met Alice now. You must have quite a few questions.¡±


    Tirian couldn¡¯t help but have an odd expression appear on his face at the mention of the Storm Goddess by his father, but quickly, his attention was drawn back to Alice, who looked exactly like the Frost Queen. After pondering with a slight frown, he suddenly remembered something, and his expression changed dramatically, ¡°Before, the Explorers¡¯ Association issued a warning to all captains on the Endless Sea, mentioning that Anomaly 099 had gone out of control¡­¡±


    ¡°As you see,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°She¡¯s right in front of you.¡±


    Tirian looked at Alice next to him, who wore an innocent expression, with a sudden shudder, as if only now realizing the non-human traits hidden within her overly delicate and perfect face, and the ornaments on her body that clearly served to cover joints. The next second, he subconsciously touched his neck.


    Obviously, as one of the most experienced captains on the Endless Sea and someone extremely concerned with intelligence related to the Frost Queen, Tirian was quite aware of the traits of anomaly 099.


    His action caught Duncan¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Relax,¡± the voice from the mirror spoke, ¡°anomaly 099 is under control now.¡±


    ¡°The puppet in the container has awakened and is moving freely outside, and you call this ¡®under control¡¯?¡± Tirian said to Duncan while keeping an eye on Alice¡¯s movements, feeling a chilly sensation on his neck, ¡°How did you manage to use an ¡®anomaly¡¯ with such an early number for your purposes, and even suppress her beheading instinct?¡±


    ¡°Alice is a friendly puppet and not as terrifying as people might think¨Cat least not when she¡¯s by my side,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°And you, I thought you would have brought up the Frost Queen first. After all, as far as I know, you served her even longer than you did in the Exiled Fleet.¡±


    Tirian gradually caught on and watched the figure in the mirror with caution, ¡°Are you trying to get information about Her Majesty Lei Nora from me?¡±


    ¡°Do you resist speaking about it?¡±


    ¡°¡­I still can¡¯t fully trust your ¡®humanity.''¡±


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds before speaking in a deep voice, ¡°Do you know what my initial plan was?¡±


    ¡°Your initial plan?¡±


    ¡°To have Alice disguise herself directly as the Frost Queen Lei Nora, to pretend resurrection if need be, to play the part of a spectral projection, or even to step directly into your Dreamscape¨Cit¡¯s all too easy for me,¡± Duncan¡¯s gaze fixed on Tirian¡¯s eyes, ¡°I can guarantee that you won¡¯t be able to differentiate the truth from lies, and you would be led to reveal many things. I could easily obtain the information I want in this way.¡±


    Tirian suddenly felt a chill down his spine.


    He believed every word his father said, believed he could do these things, and more importantly, he knew he would have been fooled¨Cno matter if he managed to notice any discrepancies in detail, he would have been tricked into revealing a lot of information first!


    Even just now, having seen ¡°Golden-haired Alice¡± beforehand and knowing that the person in front of him could not possibly be Lei Nora, he had almost believed that the person opposite him was the Frost Queen returned from the dead!


    Tirian unconsciously lowered his eyelids slightly, as if trying to avoid direct contact with his father¡¯s eyes, and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you do it?¡±


    Duncan watched Tirian calmly.


    Why else? Because Alice couldn¡¯t memorize such long lines, couldn¡¯t play such an extended scene, and would panic at the slightest bluff, and without any hesitation she would start shouting captain save save save¡­ seventeen saves in a second.


    Unbelievably incompetent.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t want to resort to deception when dealing with my own children¨Ceven though I¡¯ve forgotten many things,¡± Duncan¡¯s expression turned solemn, his voice low.


    Then he paused and added, ¡°Nor do I want to insult the monarch you once served with such a ¡®farce¡¯¨Calthough I¡¯m not familiar with her, from our brief encounter, Lei Nora seemed to be someone to be admired.¡±


    ¡°Clap clap clap clap¨C¡±


    Hearing the captain¡¯s earnest response, Alice immediately started applauding¨Ceven though she had barely understood what the captain was saying.


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    Duncan and Tirian looked at the puppet with odd expressions in their eyes.


    ¡°¡­Shouldn¡¯t I applaud?¡± Alice shrank her neck and cautiously glanced at the captain in the mirror, ¡°I just think what the captain said was right¡­¡±


    A wave of weariness washed over him, and Duncan sighed, ¡°¡­as long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    At the same time, Tirian suddenly realized a detail in his father¡¯s words, and was astonished:


    ¡°You¡¯ve met Her Majesty Lei Nora?!¡±

 Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 250 Beneath the Surface

    Chapter 246: Chapter 250 Beneath the Surface


    Tirian took a few seconds longer to notice that Duncan had just mentioned an ¡°acquaintance¡± with the Frost Queen, and his astonishment was written all over his face.


    Duncan was not surprised by this reaction. He just shook his head gently, ¡°My ¡®encounter¡¯ with her was quite unique, not within the normal timeline. You could understand it as though I had intervened in the crevices of history and observed Lei Nora from the perspective of a bystander¨Cwhereas in the regular course of history, there was no contact between me and that Frost Queen.¡±


    Tirian frowned, as if he were trying to comprehend the profound meaning of these words. All of a sudden, his eyes flickered subtly, and he gathered all his emotions before looking up at Duncan, ¡°Why are you interested in the Frost Queen¡¯s affairs? Is it because of that ¡®acquaintance¡¯? Or because of¡­ this puppet who calls herself ¡®Alice¡¯? What has she told you?¡±


    ¡°Alice is unaware of the Frost Queen¡¯s matters; her memory is as pure as a blank sheet of paper,¡± Duncan said indifferently, ¡°I am interested in the Frost Queen because everyone says that the Frost rebellion back then was due to Lei Nora¡¯s collusion with the Homeloss conspiracy becoming exposed¨Cdon¡¯t you think it¡¯s normal for me to be intrigued upon hearing such rumors?¡±


    ¡°¡­Colluding with Homeloss,¡± Tirian¡¯s voice was deep, his eyelids lowered, hiding his current emotions, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how they fabricated the charges against Her Majesty Lei Nora.¡±


    ¡°From your reaction, it seems to be a framed charge,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice came from the mirror, ¡°So, was the Frost rebellion just an utter conspiracy, and the crimes leveled against Lei Nora were entirely unfounded?¡±


    While saying so, he was observing Tirian¡¯s reaction.


    However, Tirian did not respond immediately but slightly furrowed his brows and countered, ¡°Does this truth matter to you?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± Duncan expressed solemnly, ¡°after all, from a certain perspective, I am a half-party to the affair.¡±


    Tirian clearly startled for a moment, seemingly at a loss to contradict his father¡¯s answer. He then laughed helplessly and sighed, shaking his head, ¡°The rebellion certainly involved a conspiracy, but if it must be said, the cause touted by the insurgents was not entirely fictitious¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°The Frost Queen never colluded with any Homeloss, but she indeed¡­ engaged in some research in forbidden areas, had the plans come to light, even without a rebellion, she would have found it difficult to remain in her position as the ruler of the City-State.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze deepened. After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly spoke, ¡°It was called ¡®The Abyssal Project,¡¯ wasn¡¯t it?¡±


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    Tirian looked up abruptly, astonishment in his eyes.


    ¡°I know much more than you can imagine,¡± Duncan stated placidly.


    ¡°But all the data regarding the Abyssal Project has been destroyed. Even the insiders who exposed the project were dealt with and executed by the rebels¡­¡± Tirian said in disbelief, ¡°Everyone is convinced that even the name of the project itself has been contaminated by a curse, and the last people in the know had died off long ago¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? All the records have been destroyed?¡± This time, Duncan seemed somewhat surprised. He had thought the matter might be sensitive, but he had not anticipated that the cover-up would be so extreme, ¡°And all those in the know are dead?¡±


    Tirian hesitated. He knew the circumstances back then better than anyone and was clearly aware of why the project was buried. After a moment of silence, he finally began to speak slowly:


    ¡°This forbidden project was tainted with too much related to curses, subspace, and mental contamination, so much so that even the rebels of the time dared not casually discuss the evidence they found.


    ¡°But in fact, the name of this plan was made public only once¨Cthe sole instance was during the execution of the final judgment, where the rebels proclaimed the crime of the Frost Queen using these words. On that very day, the Sea-viewing Cliff of the Frost City-State experienced an unprecedented and terrifying collapse, as a quarter of the city along with the whole cliff fell into the Endless Sea, and all who heard the words ¡®Deep Abyss Plan¡¯ perished without exception, becoming lost souls in the depths of the sea.


    ¡°In that year, the rebels had initially prepared a series of follow-up propaganda efforts targeting the ¡®Deep Abyss Plan,¡¯ intending to widely expose the affair without revealing the forbidden elements, to completely erase the influence of the Frost Queen over the northern seas, and to emphasize the justice of the revolt. But after the great collapse of the cliff, these propaganda plans were immediately abandoned¨Cas I¡¯ve just mentioned, they were convinced that even the name ¡®Deep Abyss Plan¡¯ had been tainted by a curse, and so they simply destroyed all materials related to the plan, including its name.


    ¡°So, I am especially curious¡­ how did you come to learn of the ¡®Deep Abyss Plan¡¯?¡±


    Tirian finally stopped avoiding the matter and looked directly into Duncan¡¯s eyes. After hearing about that half-century-old plan from the other man, the turmoil in his heart could hardly be stilled. For a brief moment, he even truly began to suspect some kind of ¡°collusion¡± between the Frost Queen of those years and the Homeloss.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said that I ¡®witnessed¡¯ some events in the cracks of history,¡± Duncan spoke candidly and asked again, ¡°So what exactly is the Deep Abyss Plan? Why is this plan so secretive and forbidden that even you¡­ seem to retain a hint of fear when mentioning it?¡±


    Tirian, with a solemn face, remained silent for a long time before finally speaking slowly and gravely, ¡°Simply put, it is an exploration plan¨Cbut unlike the adventurers who explore new sea routes on the Civilization Frontier, the Deep Abyss Plan explores the deep sea.¡±


    ¡°Exploring the deep sea?¡± Duncan furrowed his brows, ¡°Do you mean the Spirit Realm, the obscure depths, and the Subspace? But if it¡¯s just a study of these domains, it shouldn¡¯t involve any ¡®forbidden¡¯ matters, should it? Despite being dangerous, studies in the mystical arts have always been conducted legally in the City-States, and the Academy of Truth even has specialized research groups¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not referring to the ¡®deep sea¡¯ as a concept in mysticism,¡± Tirian shook his head slightly, ¡°I mean the real deep sea, the deep sea within the natural domain¨Can expanse that lies before the eyes of us all, yet everyone pretends not to see, dares not to touch, and refuses to approach.¡±


    While speaking, Tirian suddenly posed a question, ¡°Father, have you ever considered this¨Cwhat lies beneath our City-State, under these sea-bound isles that carry our entire civilization¡­ what does it look like?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond.


    But beneath his calm exterior, a wave had suddenly surged in his heart.


    He truly had never considered this question, or rather¡­ he had not even realized it was a question that needed consideration!


    In this world, people had grown accustomed to referring to the world¡¯s ¡°depths¡± using terms like ¡°Spirit Realm,¡± ¡°obscure maritime regions,¡± and ¡°Subspace.¡± This structural model could indeed explain the current operation of the world to some extent, but in truth, this model is based on an interpretation of ¡°mystic concepts¡± and strictly speaking, it describes only the ¡°dimensional¡± structure of the world, not its ¡°physical structure¡±!


    What Tirian was talking about was clearly not this dimension-based model rooted in mystical concepts; he was referring to the physical concept, the body of water extending downward from the sea¡¯s surface.


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    In the classic model of ¡°Reality-Spirit Realm-obscure depths-Subspace,¡± the ¡°deep sea¡± that Tirian was talking about would actually be at the first layer: the reality dimension. Yet, it is this very ¡°deep sea,¡± which is merely at the first layer, that seems like a complete blank in human cognition.


    Duncan had not considered this before because he possessed a set of ¡°common knowledge¡± deeply ingrained in his thinking, naturally assuming that beneath the City-States must be geological structures like undersea mountains or volcanic rises, and further below, of course, there would be things such as the sea bed. However, at this moment, when he carefully recalled the various pieces of knowledge he had come across since arriving in this world, he realized that humanity had never conducted research into the water world beyond a depth of two hundred meters!


    ¡°Clearly, you haven¡¯t thought about this matter either,¡± Tirian¡¯s voice suddenly came, interrupting Duncan¡¯s contemplation, ¡°And before I met the Frost Queen, I hadn¡¯t thought about it either¨Cthe Endless Sea covers the whole world, our City-State is an island floating on the sea, the gods¡¯ protection lays a solid foundation for our reality, and the shine of Anomaly 001 brings us a secure and stable daylight. As for what lies beneath the water¡¯s surface¡­ why should we care? The Spirit Realm, the obscure depths, Subspace¡­ these ¡®dimensional¡¯ deep-sea regions are already enough to trouble us.¡±


    Tirian continued, shaking his head slightly.


    ¡°But Her Majesty Lei Nora told me that this question is important, as significant as the secrets of the ¡®Spirit Realm,¡¯ ¡®obscure depths,¡¯ and ¡®Subspace.¡¯ Right beneath our feet, beneath the City-State and below the sea surface, in our very reality, there lies such a vast area of the unknown. And she, with a spirit of exploration, could not accept that such a large expanse within her realm was shrouded in mystery.¡±

 Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter 251 "Abyssal Depths

    Chapter 247: Chapter 251 ¡°Abyssal Depths


    Listening to Tyrion¡¯s narrative, Duncan fell into brief contemplation. Half a minute later, he raised his head and spoke thoughtfully, ¡°So, she initiated a ¡®Deep Abyss Project¡¯ to satisfy her own desire for exploration, but the essence of this project isn¡¯t actually about exploring some Subspace, but just¡­ literally ¡®diving into deep water¡¯?¡±


    At this, he paused, feeling that something was peculiar about the whole affair, ¡°But if that was all, how did Homeloss get involved in the project? The Subspace Homeloss went to and the deep sea that the Frost Queen wished to explore are two entirely different concepts; surely, the rebels couldn¡¯t have failed to understand that¡­¡±


    Tyrion didn¡¯t answer directly but instead suddenly posed a question, ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange? If it¡¯s just about diving into the water to explore the depths near the City-State, what¡¯s so ¡®forbidden¡¯ about that? Port builders and nearshore fishermen from the City-States often dive into water for work. It¡¯s quite common to dive ten or even dozens of meters in the safe waters. Why has the Frost Queen¡¯s ¡®Deep Abyss Project¡¯ become a taboo?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze grew serious, ¡°¡­How deep did you dive?¡±


    ¡°Very deep, very deep. I don¡¯t know the exact depth Her Majesty eventually reached because I¡¯m not a scholar myself. I was merely involved as a naval commander and only in some peripheral assistance. Moreover, during the latter part of the plan, I no longer directly participated. But as far as I know, before the project started becoming¡­ ¡®wrong,¡¯ their manned submersible had already reached a depth of at least one thousand meters underwater and was continuously breaking that record.¡±


    One thousand meters underwater¡­


    Duncan quickly sorted through his knowledge¨Con Earth, this seemingly insignificant number is actually the limit of many advanced military submarines, and most military submarines can only dive to four or five hundred meters. As for those ¡°extreme deep-dive records¡± that reach several thousand or even nearly ten thousand meters, they are usually achieved by specially designed deep-diving vessels in a short amount of time, require extraordinarily high-spec equipment, and often only unmanned equipment can be used.


    At that time, the Frost Queen¡¯s manned submersible had already reached the threshold of ¡°one thousand meters¡±. Considering the industrial level of half a century ago in this world, even with the assistance of Transcendent powers, this was an astonishing number.


    And behind this astonishing number¡­ evidently came some even more ¡°astonishing¡± things.


    Tyrion had just mentioned that the project started to gradually become ¡°wrong,¡± and Duncan hadn¡¯t missed that phrase.


    He looked at Tyrion, his expression turning solemn, ¡°I would like to know the details of the entire exploration plan¨Cyou tell me as much as you participated in.¡±


    Perhaps because he had already answered many questions and had already adjusted to this manner of conversation, Tyrion didn¡¯t hesitate for too long this time. He fell into his memories and began to speak slowly:


    ¡°¡­Aside from the Frost¡¯s Deep Abyss Project, the recorded conventional diving depth for humans, or what is called ¡®safe water depth,¡¯ is one hundred and fifty meters, and it is confined to nearshore areas¨Cour plan also started at this depth, and everything went smoothly until we reached three hundred meters.


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    ¡°It was already very dark. The sunlight from the surface couldn¡¯t penetrate such a depth of water, and the high-powered lights carried by the submersible could only illuminate a small area. To explore the ¡®appearance¡¯ of the island below the City-State, and to avoid some of the dangerous ¡®creatures¡¯ from the far offshore, such as the deep-sea offspring, we directed the submersible to dive along the coast and move close to the island¡¯s nearshore area. I still remember the scenes described by the explorers when they came up¡­


    ¡°He said that underneath the island lay a column, ugly and rough, covered with thick calcareous deposits, with some bizarre organisms dwelling in the nooks of the deposits. Besides the ¡®column,¡¯ there was nothing else, just pitch darkness.¡±


    ¡°The island underneath is a column?¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help interrupting Tyrion, ¡°Not a gradually expanding support structure, but a column?¡±


    ¡°Yes, at least that¡¯s the case with Frost,¡± Tyrion nodded, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    Duncan shook his head, ¡°¡­No problem, continue.¡±


    Tyrion organized his thoughts and resumed his previous recollection, ¡°That was the scene observed at about three hundred meters deep, which was also the limit of the first submersible. After realizing this depth was far from sufficient to explore the deep sea, the Queen ordered scholars to build a second submersible. This submersible was very successful; it plunged straight down to a depth of eight hundred meters. And through the half-meter-thick high-strength glass, the explorers saw¡­ still a column, a perfectly straight column.


    ¡°Of course, in comparison to the radius of the City-State itself, this ¡®column¡¯ that was at least eight hundred meters long was still very short proportionally. It¡¯s less like a support column and more like a neat disk-shaped base, above which an island was perched.¡±


    ¡°Afterward, we constructed the third submersible. Because of technological limitations, this submersible had far fewer improvements than the second one. It had to descend cautiously to challenge the record set by the second submersible, and it was during this slow, meter-by-meter descent that we discovered something.


    ¡°The ¡®pillar¡¯ beneath the City-State is actually only eight hundred and fifty meters ¡®long.¡¯ There¡¯s nothing below that.


    ¡°The entire structure is floating in the seawater.¡±


    Tirian paused, then looked up into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Now you understand why I said earlier that it resembles less a pillar and more like the base of a disc?¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brow tightly. He didn¡¯t speak but swiftly sketched the entire structure in his mind based on Tirian¡¯s description¨C


    People of the deep-sea era ¡°lived¡± within the City-States, these isolated islands in the sea that initially gave Duncan the impression of being cramped and tiny, but in fact, as functional and self-sustaining living spaces, these City-States were bound to have a substantial ¡°size foundation.¡± Although there were also some smaller islands, most of the large cities that could be named had ¡°foundation radii¡± reaching tens or even dozens of kilometers in size. Frost, once the largest City-State in the Chill Sea, would not be smaller than these figures.


    In contrast to this vast sea structure was its underwater ¡°base,¡± which was ¡°only¡± eight hundred and fifty meters deep¨Cexplorers who first saw parts of the City-State underwater at a depth of three hundred meters and imagined it as a pillar reaching straight ¡°to the seabed¡±. However, in actual proportions, the ¡°pillar¡± resembled a thin disc more closely.


    The massive City was set atop this ¡°disc.¡±


    Just as Tirian had described: the whole structure was floating in seawater.


    But once this model materialized in his mind, Duncan was overwhelmed with immense doubt¨C


    Were all City-States like this?


    If every City-State was this way, floating without foundations, then how were they so stable? If it was said that the City-States¡¯ ¡°sturdiness¡± came from their size, then what about the relative stability between the City-States? How could that be explained?


    The waves of the Endless Sea were turbulent, yet these ¡°floating islands¡± had never changed their positions. Why was that?


    Duncan voiced his doubts, but Tirian simply shook his head, ¡°We also wondered about this, but in the end, we couldn¡¯t figure it out, and compared to what happened later¡­ the question of ¡®how the City-States float on the sea¡¯ became irrelevant.¡±


    ¡°What happened later?¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but become curious, ¡°What happened? What exactly did you see in the deep sea?¡±


    ¡°After that¡­ the third submersible continued to challenge the depth limits. It took us nearly two years to push the record from eight hundred and fifty meters to nine hundred and fifty meters. As you can imagine, during this descent, the submersible was gradually moving away from the City-State¡¯s ¡®base¡¯¨Cremember what I said at the beginning? To avoid problems in the remote sea areas, we had the submersible descend in the ¡®nearshore safe zone¡¯ close to the coast. Throughout the process, the submersible was always close to the City-State and its underwater ¡®structure.¡¯ But as the descent continued and the explorers moved away from that ¡®base,¡¯ things started to go awry.


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    ¡°Hallucinations, visual and auditory, feelings of inexplicable lights in the sea, the sensation that someone was knocking on the hull, or even turning the handles of valves outside¨C the deeper it went, the more severe these episodes became, and even the explorers who underwent special training and had strong will started to feel immense pressure with each descent while the protective effects of the holy oil, sacred scriptures, and consecrated cloths they carried became increasingly less evident.


    ¡°Of course, up to that point, it was all within our expectations¨Cexploring the unknown always requires facing challenges of the will. Scholars who explore the Spirit Realm and the profound sea areas often encounter these issues, so we continued, only enhancing the explorers¡¯ mental protection according to the strictest standards.


    ¡°The problem happened while attempting to reach one thousand meters from nine hundred and ninety meters.


    ¡°The third submersible suddenly sent out an emergency ascent signal, then, as if mad, it emptied its ballast tanks and rushed to the surface. The explorer inside seemed utterly oblivious to the fact that this rapid ascent could take his life. When he surfaced, he had gone mad. As the hatch opened, he screamed and shouted in the sun, desperately trying to tell us something terrible, but after a torrent of incoherent, jumbled words, he said the only lucid sentence:


    ¡°¡®We all died there.''¡±

 Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter 252: Deep Sea Silence

    Chapter 248: Chapter 252: Deep Sea Silence


    City-State floated rootlessly on the Endless Sea. Beneath the 850-meter ¡°thick¡± base lay seemingly endless dark waters that grew only noisier and more visually incomprehensible the deeper one went. The first explorer to cross a thousand-meter depth in the sea went mad after rushing to the surface, leaving only one sentence for posterity¨C


    ¡°We all died there.¡±


    This is what happened during the Frost City-State¡¯s ¡°Abyssal Expedition¡± as things gradually started to go awry.


    Duncan fell into a moment of brief contemplation. He suddenly realized that even without delving deep into the Spirit Realm or the profound depths, just within this ¡°real dimension¡± of the world, the dangers lurking in the Endless Sea were not few. After his brief contemplation, he then suddenly asked,


    ¡°What became of that explorer later?¡±


    ¡°He died quickly¨Crapid ascent and decompression took his life. He screamed and shouted for a while before dying from an embolism, at least that¡¯s the cause on a realistic level.¡±


    ¡°A submarine with only one crew member?¡± Duncan asked again.


    ¡°It could only fit one person. Of course, this would amplify the explorer¡¯s mental stress, but it was a necessary evil. On one hand, technology back then was limited, and on the other, such explorations were not suited for more people¨Cbeneath the deep sea, you can hardly be sure what might replace your companion next moment or if the noises you hear are real. So it might as well be better to dive alone, so you don¡¯t have to doubt if there¡¯s someone else in the submarine.¡±


    ¡°The deep sea, darkness, solitude, facing the bizarre unknown waters far from the civilized world¨Cthese could all be reasons for the explorer¡¯s madness,¡± Duncan slowly shook his head. ¡°But that¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is ¡­ it still doesn¡¯t explain why the Abyssal Expedition later turned into an extremely taboo topic.¡±


    He stared into Tyrion¡¯s eyes and continued, ¡°So far, what you have described is just an exploratory mission gone wrong, and such missions happen every year. The Academy of Truth even actively invests in and encourages scholars and explorers to embark on these missions. There¡¯s nothing taboo about it, nor should it be tied with ¡®Homeloss.''¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes, if the plan had stopped at a thousand meters, then those incidents wouldn¡¯t have occurred,¡± Tyrion shook his head, sighing in reminiscence. ¡°After an accident with the third submarine, Her Majesty Lei Nora once ordered a temporary halt to the exploration. But a few days later, something happened that ¡­ gradually made the situation eerie.¡±


    Duncan frowned, ¡°An incident?¡±


    ¡°At the edge of the temporarily sealed test area, the third submarine suddenly surfaced.¡±


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    Duncan was stunned for a moment, then realized, ¡°The second third submarine?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, the second,¡± Tyrion nodded. ¡°It surfaced right before the Frost Navy soldiers and started flashing signals that it needed assistance with the hatch. The well-trained soldiers were confused at first, but quickly followed standard procedures to secure the submarine onto the platform. They then aimed twenty-seven rifles, two rapid-fire cannons, and a flamethrower at its hatch before a brave priest stepped forward, sprinkled Holy Water, and unlocked the hatch.¡±


    Tyrion paused, then slowly said, ¡°The hatch opened, and an individual¡­ very similar to the explorer, came out.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression grew dark: ¡°Very similar?¡±


    ¡°The facial features were close, but there were discrepancies in height and weight. He wore the uniform of the Frost Navy, but there were many issues with the details of the clothes. More importantly¡­ the person who emerged from the submarine only remained alive for a short while on land before dying, without even managing to say a word. When the soldiers removed ¡®his¡¯ clothes, they found his flesh and the clothes seemed to be ¡®grown¡¯ together, with various incomprehensible wounds all over his body.


    ¡°After that, doctors and scholars from the church jointly examined the body; the Frost Queen also appeared to personally inspect the autopsy site. However, the conclusions of the examination were never disclosed¨Cor rather, before they could disclose anything, the third ¡®third submarine¡¯ appeared.¡±


    At this point, even Alice beside him, who had been quietly engrossed in the conversation, couldn¡¯t help but speak out, ¡°There¡¯s a third one?!¡±


    Tyrion glanced at Alice unconsciously, his expression a bit strange. He seemed uncomfortable with someone who looked exactly like the Frost Queen ranting and raving, but he quickly adjusted his expression, nodding lightly, ¡°The third one, and not just three¨Cafter that, every twenty-four or forty-eight hours, another ¡®Submersible Three¡¯ would pop out from there¡­¡±


    Alice listened in surprise to this bizarre ¡°story.¡± After pondering for a moment, she suddenly blurted out, ¡°So, you just needed to wait there, and you could have an endless supply of submersibles? And isn¡¯t that thing called a ¡®submersible¡¯ also very valuable? More valuable than the Heretics?¡±


    Tyrion had been immersed in his memories just a moment ago, but Miss Doll¡¯s questioning had abruptly broken his train of thought, leaving him with his mouth open, struggling to gather his emotions back up, ¡°That¡­we never considered that¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, her way of thinking is unusual,¡± Duncan glanced at Alice and said seriously to Tyrion, ¡°Continue, what happened next?¡±


    Tyrion regained his composure, organized his thoughts, and continued, ¡°After the third submersible surfaced, it also sent out a signal requesting to open the hatch. This time, the soldiers had some experience, they dragged the submersible to a more tightly secured area, and after the priests had set up a large amount of Transcendent protection, they finally opened the hatch. And this time¡­ what came out was a grotesquely swollen, deformed humanoid monster that barely resembled an ¡®explorer.¡¯


    ¡°That monster also didn¡¯t survive in the air for more than three minutes.


    ¡°The fourth submersible brought forth a constantly wriggling mass of flesh, this time not even a human outline was discernible.


    ¡°When the hatch of the fifth submersible was opened, nothing emerged¨Csoldiers at the site went forward to check and saw only a suspicious dark-red sludge in the cockpit, which had a faint life response.


    ¡°The sixth submersible contained just a small amount of black fibrous dry matter, resembling an incomplete neural structure or a dried blood vessel specimen¡­¡±


    As Tyrion continued to recount, Duncan¡¯s expression grew increasingly serious, and even Alice beside him seemed to sense the change in atmosphere, becoming solemn and alert.


    In this increasingly solemn and somber atmosphere, Tyrion slowly said¨C


    ¡°The seventh submersible, which to my knowledge was the last, was empty.¡±


    ¡°Empty?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows slightly, then shook his head, ¡°That makes it even more disturbing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, empty, which makes it even more disturbing. It¡¯s completely out of control now; we must find a way to end it,¡± Tyrion said gravely, ¡°but fortunately, ¡®Submersible Four¡¯ was finally completed. It was originally the successor model to Submersible Three, but the construction was halted after the ¡®One Kilometer Incident¡¯. However, as one Submersible Three after another surfaced, the Queen ordered the rapid assembly of ¡®Submersible Four¡¯ to use it to find out what exactly was happening in the waters at one thousand meters deep.¡±


    Tyrion paused, as if some details were missing from his memory, he organized his words before slowly continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t remember the specifics of Submersible Four; it was hastily completed, and the Frost Navy was only responsible for part of it. I know it was bigger than Three, could accommodate three people, and had a sample chamber¨Cscholars originally planned to use it to collect specimens from the deep sea, if there were any specimens to be collected.


    ¡°The day after the seventh ¡®Submersible Three¡¯ appeared, the Frost City-State¡¯s constructed Submersible Four was launched into the sea. It carried a scholar, a military officer, and a powerful priest¨Cwe could no longer worry about the risks of ¡®multi-person exploration¡¯ at that point. Avoiding the appearance of an eighth ¡®Submersible Three¡¯ was paramount.


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    ¡°Submersible Four descended smoothly toward one thousand meters deep. The priest inside used Spiritual Energy to maintain contact with the surface. Perhaps because the new submersible was more robust, their journey went smoothly, and they confirmed the sight of the ¡®base¡¯ of the City-State observed by previous explorers. But soon, the communication became intermittent, and after reaching a depth of one thousand meters, barely any sounds from the deep sea could be heard in the small church on the platform.


    ¡°However, fifteen minutes after losing contact, the priest on watch in the small church suddenly heard sounds from the deep sea again. They first heard a scream, which was emitted by the priest, yelling in a terrified tone to warn others, saying, ¡®Don¡¯t look! Don¡¯t think!¡¯ followed by the officer¡¯s voice, which was a roar, and then, a deafening explosion.¡±


    Tyrion raised his head, looking into Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Submersible Four had detonated the explosives,¡± the pirate stated slowly, ¡°They had packed the sample chamber with high-energy explosives to handle ¡®the ultimate dangerous situation.¡¯


    ¡°Then, everything was over, Submersible Four never resurfaced, and no more ¡®Submersible Threes¡¯ appeared before anyone¡¯s eyes again.¡±

 Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Chapter 253 Frost Grand Rebellion

    Chapter 249: Chapter 253 Frost Grand Rebellion


    Tirian¡¯s narrative had finally concluded, yet in Duncan¡¯s view, the bizarre story had ended too abruptly.


    ¡°Is everything over? Is it just over like that?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but look through the mirror at the great pirate opposite him, his tone full of skepticism. ¡°A submarine, carrying a hold of explosives, runs down to a thousand meters deep, and just solves the continuously worsening ¡®uncontrolled Transcendent phenomenon¡¯? Let¡¯s not discuss how much power those explosives could unleash at a thousand meters deep¨Cthe key issue, from a Transcendent perspective, is whether such an explosion could destroy a¡­ supernatural phenomenon?¡±


    ¡°We can only think so,¡± Tirian obviously wasn¡¯t surprised by his father¡¯s skepticism. ¡°In fact, nobody knows what exactly happened a thousand meters underwater at that time, nobody knows what the Homeloss Submersible No.4 actually encountered there. Our only connection with the depths below was the partial perceptions shared via Psychic Echo by the priest¡­ a scream, a roar, and a boom, these minor fragments assemble too little of the truth.


    ¡°And in fact, after the explosion of Submersible No.4, there indeed were no more ¡®Replication of Submersible No.3¡¯ rising from the deep. So, we can only believe ¡­ that the issue was resolved.¡±


    ¡°The issue was resolved¡­¡± Duncan frowned and shook his head, ¡°All right, let¡¯s assume the issue was resolved, then the Abyss Plan¡­¡±


    ¡°The Abyss Plan hasn¡¯t ended, and that is exactly the most unsettling part,¡± Tirian cut to the chase, ¡°After such an incident, having paid a huge price, and barely solving the eerie crisis of Submersible No.3, logically, we should indeed reconsider and promptly terminate this dangerous project. However, Lei Nora, in her highness, overruled all objections. Not only did she announce the reboot of the project and the construction of Submersible No.5, but even¡­ escalated the priority of the Abyss Plan to the highest, sparing no unusual amount of manpower and resources.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze grew profound, and he faintly realized that the truly ¡°uncontrolled¡± aspect of the matter probably began here¨Cfrom the ¡°crime¡± of the Frost Queen, to the rebellion half a century ago, it all stemmed from this.


    He stared into Tirian¡¯s eyes, ¡°It sounds like you didn¡¯t support your queen at that time.¡±


    ¡°I had a dispute with her, a fierce one, which is why I said I no longer directly participated in the ¡®Abyss Plan¡¯ after reaching the ¡®thousand meter¡¯ depth¨Cbecause after that, I felt things were sliding towards danger,¡± Tirian spoke slowly, his voice low, ¡°But now I think, I should have done my utmost to stop the Frost Queen, instead of avoiding her¡­ I trusted her too much, to the extent that I didn¡¯t realize she, too, could make mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe the Frost Queen indeed made a mistake?¡±


    ¡°The Abyss Plan caused a series of crises under Frost and gave adversaries their opportunity. This increasingly extreme exploration eventually even claimed the life of Her Highness Lei Nora, at least from this point of view, it was certainly a mistake.¡±


    ¡°¡­What happened after Lei Nora insisted on implementing the Abyss Plan?¡±


    ¡°After that, I no longer directly participated in the project, and I know little about it, but from what I occasionally heard, the plan was not going smoothly, and furthermore¡­ increasingly strange and serious incidents were occurring,¡± Tirian said calmly, ¡°Submersible No.5 was completed, employing the most advanced engineering techniques and durable materials of the time, but its dives were always accompanied by various accidents, as if something in the depths was resisting human penetration into the sea¡­


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    ¡°People involved in the project began to go mad, some were inexplicably injured, others suddenly disappeared, only to reappear dazedly in the City-State. The explorers who descended in the submarine became suspicious and irritable, no longer resembling the rigorous, respectable scholars and soldiers, but more like gloomy, fanatical zealots. And even¡­ it was said that even ¡®Submersible No.5¡¯ itself underwent some incomprehensible changes during its dives, its internal operations increasingly resembling some kind of¡­ ¡®living creature¡¯.


    ¡°And the eeriest part was, despite all these changes, despite the increasingly horrifying atmosphere of the whole project, the progress of the Abyss Plan still proceeded without hesitation. Those involved, those constantly accompanied by madness and accidents, even those who were themselves frequently encountering trauma, not a single one turned away in fear, nor did any question or resist the commands from above. It felt as if¡­¡±


    Tirian stumbled a bit, seemingly at a loss for the right words to describe the atmosphere back then.


    Seeing this, Duncan softly spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s as if the deep sea was calling them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, just like the deep sea was calling them,¡± Tirian blinked in surprise, immediately nodding his head, then looked at Duncan with a somewhat peculiar gaze, ¡°Very¡­ accurate description.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, just continue,¡±


    Tirian averted his gaze, organizing his thoughts: ¡°That¡¯s the nature of the entire plan. It seemed as if some force was calling and pushing it forward, as if the ¡®plan¡¯ itself had developed a will of its own, resolutely advancing into the deep sea, with each member involved, turning into a cell of this massive will.


    ¡°And in such an atmosphere, Submersible No. 5 had unconsciously surpassed a depth of one thousand meters. I don¡¯t know how deep it ultimately went; I only heard¡­ it was a staggering figure, incredibly overwhelming. According to engineering, material science, and the technology of the time¡­ it was a figure that should have been impossible to achieve.


    ¡°The deep sea embraced the Abyss Plan, accepted Submersible No. 5. That increasingly bizarre machine and its equally strange crewmembers moved effortlessly through the dark depths thousands of meters below, while in the surrounding waters of the Abyss Plan¡­ strange incidents began to multiply.


    ¡°Merchant ships began to continuously observe ¡®reflections¡¯ of their own vessels appearing near the surface of the water. Dense fog frequently descended on the eastern part of Frost, with shadows in the fog that seemed like ships, or like massive beasts. In the City-State, some¡­¡¯strangers¡¯ began to appear, an exceedingly large number of strangers. They gathered around the facilities related to the Abyss Plan, all claiming to be participants of the plan, and the number of these strangers even exceeded the actual number of participants in the Abyss Plan.


    ¡°In such circumstances, rumors¡­ actually, they couldn¡¯t be considered rumors anymore, spread everywhere. Initially, people said that the Frost Queen was conducting some suspicious research, but soon, the narrative changed to the Frost Queen researching the Subspace. Later on, it turned into the Frost Queen conspiring with the Subspace and had even already reached an agreement with a major figure within the Subspace¨CCaptain Duncan.¡±


    Tirian sighed lightly and spread his hands: ¡°And then, as you know, came the shocking Northern Rebellion in Frost.¡±


    The tiny storeroom, filled with ¡°antiques,¡± fell silent for what seemed like an eternity until Duncan¡¯s voice leisurely emanated from the mirror, ¡°It¡¯s understandable that people would link this to the Subspace, but linking it to Homeloss is quite an overactive imagination.¡±


    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s a very normal connection, and the process even involves me,¡± Tirian said with a bitter smile, shaking his head, ¡°given that I am your son¨Cwhile also loyally serving the Frost Queen and involved early in that dreadful project. You should know that conspiracy theorists always possess the wildest imaginations.¡±


    Duncan remained non-committal and after a brief pause, he added, ¡°If you want to look at it that way, then truly, the outbreak of that major rebellion wasn¡¯t at fault. Lei Nora¡¯s insistence on pushing forward the Abyss Plan was too dangerous, and from what you describe¡­ her mental state at the time also didn¡¯t seem quite right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to add,¡± Tirian suddenly said, ¡°I know, all signs indicated that the Frost Queen had lost her rationality at that time; she acted like a madwoman lured by something, single-mindedly pushing forward. But I know that she¡­ was always lucid, incredibly lucid and rational, and fully aware of what she was doing.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°We had disagreements, but I was still a trusted general of hers, and I could get close to her¨Cother senior officials from the City-State could too. They all knew, the Queen was never insane; she didn¡¯t have any plot to destroy the City-State or threaten the world. Yes, they knew¡­ but they were afraid, they hesitated, and some were bribed and misled, unlike my firm stance.


    ¡°But I know, perhaps the other participants of the Abyss Plan were indeed gradually influenced by something, but she¡­ apparently resisted this influence and was instead using it to her advantage.¡±


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    ¡°What you mean is, the Frost Queen actually had a clear and ¡®safe¡¯ plan, and she was confident she could accomplish it, but she didn¡¯t tell anyone¨Cnot even explaining it to you,¡± Duncan pondered as he looked at Tirian, ¡°and yet you still trust her unconditionally? Because you believe that, even if something beneath the sea was threatening the City-State, everything was under Lei Nora¡¯s control?¡±


    ¡°In your view, this trust might seem too blind.¡±


    ¡°Whether or not it¡¯s blind is up to you,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°I just want to say, it seems the Frost Queen didn¡¯t quite manage to keep ¡®everything under control¡¯¨Cshe was killed by the rebels in the end, and the Abyss Plan was completely buried. Things didn¡¯t unfold as she had planned.¡±


    ¡°¡­I indeed can¡¯t refute that point.¡±


    Tirian sighed in resignation.

 Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter 254 Perhaps Not Over Yet

    Chapter 250: Chapter 254 Perhaps Not Over Yet


    By this point, Duncan had finally unraveled the history of the ¡°Project Abyss¡± that had been shrouded in dust for half a century. He knew why it was considered taboo and even why the rebels¨Cwho had incited the Frost Rebellion¨Cwere deeply terrified of it¨Cthey had every reason to be afraid.


    Although the whole affair transpired within the bounds of reality, when things began to spiral out of control, it clearly transcended the order of the real world. Beneath the deep sea¡­ there lay a terror utterly unknown, and till the end, no one understood what it was. People kept falling into madness, and the project hastened forth as if sliding into the Abyss.


    The endless deep dives, the increasingly pervasive eerie atmosphere, coupled with the Frost Queen¡¯s almost reclusive behavior in her later years¡­ Frankly, even Duncan, faced with this series of facts, would instinctively think that Lei Nora had indeed been bewitched and controlled by something, even suspecting that ¡°Frost Queen¡± was colluding with Subspace.


    In such a case, it¡¯s not to mention that within Frost itself, there were opponents to the queen lurking; not to mention the many City-States in Chill Sea harboring ill intents towards the Frost Queen¡¯s rule. Even if the situation in the north had originally been stable, over time, undercurrents would begin to stir.


    But Terence always stressed that Lei Nora had never been influenced by anything. He firmly believed that the Frost Queen remained lucid until the very end and had always protected the City-State until the last.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t say whether Terence¡¯s judgment was correct, but he was inclined to believe it because¡­ he had also seen that ¡°Frost Queen¡± in fragments of history.


    She once lucidly pleaded with him ¡°not to contaminate history.¡±


    At least from that single encounter, the Frost Queen of those days did not seem like a terrifying madwoman controlled by Subspace.


    But it was precisely because of this that Duncan was all the more curious¨Che couldn¡¯t understand what kind of motivation would lead a lucid ruler of a City-State to make those reclusive and extreme decisions. To push forward with the project at all costs, even knowing there were issues with Project Abyss. And for what reasons did she keep all secrets locked within her heart, remaining silent even before her most trusted Naval Commander?


    After much contemplation, Duncan realized that all questions ultimately pointed to one thing: What ¡°secrets¡± did the Frost Queen come to understand in the depths of the sea?


    ¡°¡­After the great Frost Rebellion, have you never returned to that City-State?¡± Duncan lifted his head and asked Terence.


    ¡°No, Her Majesty Lei Nora had ordered me to take my direct troops and leave Frost. By that time, the rebels had already conspired with other northern City-States and had amassed an entire fleet in the outer seas,¡± Terence said with a particularly somber tone, clearly an era he was reluctant to revisit, ¡°¡­But if I had disobeyed and stayed, Frost would have had one more force that remained loyal to the queen, and those rebels wouldn¡¯t have been able to breach the port¡¯s defenses so easily¡­¡±


    ¡°So there are rumors in later times that you had taken part in the rebellion, even suggesting you were the one who let the rebels into Frost,¡± Duncan said, shaking his head. ¡°Have you ever thought about why the Frost Queen gave that order, didn¡¯t she have any other instructions for you?¡±


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    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been perplexed by this for many years,¡± Terence candidly spoke, ¡°The queen didn¡¯t instruct anything else, just ordered me to leave with the troops. I thought that maybe she wanted to preserve a force for vengeance in the future, but¡­ it made no sense, she forbade us from returning to the City-State, but with rebels occupying it, how could we seek revenge without returning?¡±


    ¡°You could have attacked the rebels¡¯ fleets off the coast, intercepted all merchants going in and out of Frost; you did that for many years.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the only thing I could think of doing at the time, and it was also the only way for the Mist Fleet to survive¡­ We didn¡¯t even have a home port then,¡± Terence shook his head, ¡°but now we¡¯ve gradually stopped those pillaging acts.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­Because the last rebel leader also died, death by old age,¡± Terence said with a bitter smile, spreading his hands, ¡°We always used every means to capture those rebel leaders, hanged them on the mast, and then threw their bodies onto merchant ships heading to Frost. So, they learned and simply holed up in the City-State, not leaving the city for decades. I could only watch helplessly as they died peaceful deaths, until all who partook in the rebellion left this world.¡±


    Duncan did not speak for a time, lost in thought for a long while before suddenly saying, ¡°The soldiers under your command, they are all ¡®the living dead,¡¯ correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a well-known fact,¡± Terence responded offhand.


    ¡°They also either directly or indirectly participated in ¡®Project Abyss¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I was involved in the project, they were my direct troops, so of course they were involved,¡± Terence rattled off, then frowned slightly, ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°You participated in the Submerged Abyss Project, yet unlike others involved in the latter stages who became mad and bizarre, after ¡®one thousand meters,¡¯ the Frost Queen had a dispute with you and excluded you from the project. And on the eve of the rebellion, your queen specifically ordered you to lead your direct troops away from Frost¡­¡±


    Duncan pondered as he spoke slowly, and his gaze finally settled on Tyrion, his voice deep, ¡°You¡¯re right, the Frost Queen probably did intend to leave a force behind, but it seems that she didn¡¯t do so for the sake of vengeance¡­¡±


    Tyrion slowly showed a look of astonishment. However, before he could ask further questions, the figure in the mirror gently shook its head, ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, I am even less clear about things you cannot understand yourself¨CI¡¯m just a bystander, sharing my own thoughts.¡±


    Afterward, a brief silence fell in the room. It was quite some time before Duncan¡¯s voice was heard again, ¡°Tyrion, our conversation has been long enough.¡±


    The deep-thinking pirate unconsciously looked up, surprised at the sight of his father in the mirror. It was as if only at this moment had he suddenly realized something, a complex look of shock appearing in his eyes.


    He seemed to have just realized how much he had discussed with the other party, that he had unwittingly become completely accustomed to the atmosphere of their conversation¨Ceven a century earlier, he rarely had such long conversations with his father. As for the faint vigilance he had felt upon awakening here¡­ it had vanished clean away without him knowing when.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He subconsciously wanted to say something, but then a sharp pain on his forehead made him involuntarily touch it, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s painfully sharp¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­The child acted without moderation, I hope you won¡¯t hold it against her,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice rang out from the mirror, ¡°Do you need an ointment?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ there¡¯s no need,¡± said Tyrion, waving his hand with a somewhat strange expression. He couldn¡¯t help but recall the last scene he remembered before arriving here, that peculiar little girl, and the thing that flew towards him¡­ like a dog, and then he suddenly realized, ¡°Wait, I remember now, that wasn¡¯t a dog; it was an Abyssal Hound!¡±


    He looked toward the mirror, disbelief in his eyes, ¡°Is that also one of your subordinates now? A¡­ Heretic Cultist?¡±


    He hesitated a bit when saying ¡°Heretic Cultist,¡± obviously unsure of Sherry¡¯s true identity¨Cafter all, he had seen creatures known as Heretic Cultists before, but he had never encountered one whirling a contract devil their way¡­


    ¡°She is indeed doing some tasks for me,¡± said Duncan with an ambiguous smile, ¡°but if you have a chance to see her again, I advise you not to mention the term ¡®Heretic Cultist¡¯ in her presence. She really dislikes it.¡±


    Tyrion muttered a confused acknowledgment, then subconsciously looked around, his gaze finally landing on Alice, who seemed to have started to wander off in her thoughts.


    Alice quickly came back to reality, looking at Tyrion with curiosity, ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Tyrion averted his gaze, hiding whatever complex emotions lay behind it. Finally, he looked at the mirror still burning with flames and asked with some uncertainty, ¡°So now¡­ may I leave?¡±


    ¡°Would you like to stay for dinner?¡±


    Tyrion quickly gestured with his hand, ¡°Ah¡­ no, that won¡¯t be necessary¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, then I will arrange my messenger to send you¡­¡± Duncan in the mirror nodded, but suddenly furrowed his brow as if something occurred to him, ¡°Wait, something just crossed my mind.¡±


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    Tyrion instinctively tensed up, ¡°Something?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s two doubts about one matter,¡± Duncan¡¯s expression became serious again as he focused on Tyrion, ¡°Do you remember mentioning the successive ¡®Replications¡¯ that surfaced from Submersible No. 3?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Tyrion nodded, ¡°Including the first original and the subsequent six replications, a total of seven ¡®Submersible No. 3¡¯ surfaced.¡±


    ¡°I have two questions,¡± Duncan collected his thoughts before slowly continuing, ¡°First, was the first submersible that surfaced actually the original?


    ¡°Second, was the seventh submersible that surfaced really empty?¡±

 Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter 255 Temporary Farewell

    Chapter 251: Chapter 255 Temporary Farewell


    Half a century after the conclusion of the Submersion Plan, Tyrion once again felt a chill from this enduring project¡­


    The ¡°Number Three Submersibles¡± that surfaced one after another seemed to reappear before his eyes, and with them came images of cautious soldiers, solemn priests, and the Frost Queen, silent and stone-faced. He felt as if he were once again witnessing the opening of the submersibles¡¯ hatches, seeing the mad explorers emerge, the near-human clones, the swollen, deformed monsters, the writhing masses of flesh, the silent, eerie muck, the dried, suspicious black fibers, and¡­ seeing the seventh ¡°Number Three Submersible¡± with its empty cockpit.


    ¡°Back then, the platform was equipped with extremely tight security, many clerics and guardians were guarding the venue,¡± Tyrion said with a frown as he recalled, ¡°But¡­ I must admit, your question is quite frightening.¡±


    Duncan said nothing, but after a few seconds, he suddenly asked, ¡°Those ¡®Number Three Submersibles,¡¯ how did you deal with them in the end?¡±


    ¡°Except for the ¡®original¡¯ that first surfaced, the other six replicas were all thrown into the furnace and melted into ingots in the sacred flames before being dumped back into the sea¨Ceven though it was a large amount of metal resources, no one dared to keep those things,¡± Tyrion said, hesitating a bit in his tone, ¡°But if, like you said, even the first one is not the ¡®original,¡¯ then the situation would be¡­¡±


    ¡°Where was the first one placed?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking about its current whereabouts, then I don¡¯t know,¡± Tyrion shook his head, ¡°The rebels must have destroyed everything related to the Submersion Plan, but no one knows how they disposed of those materials. Maybe they just dismantled and recycled?¡±


    ¡°But if you¡¯re asking about the period before the rebellion¡­ after it was decommissioned, the Number Three Submersible was always stored in a warehouse in the harbor area.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds before finally exhaling softly, ¡°I see¡­ Tyrion, thank you for being willing to talk so much to me, anyhow, this information has greatly satisfied my curiosity.¡±


    But Tyrion seemed preoccupied, analyzing the ¡°Submersion Plan¡± after so many years. He had detected too many chilling details¨Ceven though the plan itself was full of oddities, the retrospective scrutiny brought a creeping unease to his bones that was more pressing than his time amidst it, especially the question his father had just raised about the Frost Queen¡¯s final order. It made him faintly feel¡­ that this old case, which had supposedly ended half a century ago, was not truly over.


    Nevertheless, today¡¯s conversation had come to an end.


    His father had no intention of keeping him there.


    Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings came from the side, and Tyrion looked in its direction, only to see the silhouette of a bird enveloped in a lurid green flame flash through the air. Where the silhouette passed, a swirling vortex of green fire rose swiftly, forming a swirling portal.


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    From the mirror beside him came his father¡¯s voice, ¡°Step through it, and you¡¯ll be sent near the Storm Cathedral¨CI suppose, you wouldn¡¯t tell anyone about what happened here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve never been a snitch.¡±


    Tyrion replied, then looked at the blazing portal, hesitated, but finally made up his mind and stepped forward¨Cyet, just before crossing through the portal, he stopped again, unable to help but look back at the gothic doll standing quietly by the mirror.


    ¡°Anomaly 099¡­¡± he murmured to himself in a whisper, ¡°It¡¯s just too similar¡­¡±


    ¡°It is said that Anomaly 099 first emerged over the Chill Sea, near the waters where the Frost Queen was executed and thrown into the sea,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice emanated from the mirror, ¡°I share your suspicion, but even Alice herself can¡¯t clarify her own origin, just as you¡¯ve said¡­ There are too many things in the deep sea we can¡¯t understand.¡±


    Tyrion pondered for a moment before suddenly speaking, ¡°It seems, this doll likes to stay close to you.¡±


    Duncan spoke indifferently, ¡°Initially, she insisted on staying, but later I found she could be somewhat useful.¡±


    Alice¡¯s response was much simpler; she smiled happily, nodding and saying, ¡°I like being with the captain, he¡¯s so cool!¡±


    Tyrion looked surprised as he gazed at his father¡¯s expressionless face reflected in the mirror, and then at ¡°Alice,¡± who looked exactly like the Frost Queen but was nothing like her in any other way. After a moment, he burst out laughing.


    It was a genuine laugh of relief and joy.


    Then, he turned around and stepped decisively into the flame portal.


    The warehouse came back to silence.


    Alice looked towards where the flames had vanished, then turned to look at the mirror beside her. After a long moment of reflection, she suddenly blurted out, ¡°Captain, why was he smiling at us just now?¡±


    Duncan casually replied, ¡°How should I know?¡±


    Confused, Alice uttered a ¡°oh,¡± thought for another moment, and then asked, ¡°Just now, you were discussing Frost this and Submersion that¡­ Does it have anything to do with me?¡±


    This time, Duncan didn¡¯t offer a casual explanation to placate the doll but instead pondered seriously before speaking gravely, ¡°It could be related.¡±


    ¡°Can I understand it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably very difficult.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then I won¡¯t think about it for now,¡± Alice scratched her head, then smiled and looked at Duncan in the mirror, ¡°Anyway, if there¡¯s something I need to do or cooperate with, you just tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    ¡­


    A streak of firelight passed through the dark alley, and after a moment, the groggy Teryan stepped out of the alley to see the towering gates of Prandt Cathedral not far away.


    ¡°It really did send me close by¡­¡±


    The great pirate murmured and raised his hand to knock on his head, which felt heavy from the grogginess, but accidentally touched a swollen spot and instantly sucked in a breath of cold air.


    That little girl¡¯s strength was a bit too terrifying¡­ That was a Profound Demon heavier than two or three grown men bound together!


    Recalling how he got the wound on his head, Teryan couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself, and at the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but feel curious.


    His father was indeed regathering a team, at least from what he could see now, he had controlled Anomaly 099, and there was a weird girl who could summon Profound Demons with strong powers at his service, but this was clearly not all.


    Even if it had been yesterday, this would have been enough to make him very vigilant, to the point where he couldn¡¯t resist sending out warnings to the City-State and the Church¨Cbut at this moment, he had no intention of ¡°snitching¡± to the Church.


    His mind was filled with thoughts related to the ¡°Submergence Plan.¡±


    Teryan started walking towards Storm Cathedral, but after just a few steps, he saw several figures appear at the cathedral entrance, jogging in his direction.


    Those were the sailors he had sent back earlier.


    His disappearance for an entire day after leaving just a message had obviously started to unsettle his subordinates.


    In an instant, the sailors reached Teryan, one of them didn¡¯t wait to steady himself before he started rambling, ¡°You¡¯re finally back! The sun is almost setting, where did you go?¡±


    Another sailor immediately noticed Teryan¡¯s condition and exclaimed in shock, ¡°Captain, the wound on your face¡­ and why is your head swollen so much?!¡±


    Teryan knew he couldn¡¯t conceal his disheveled state; he had hoped his healing ability, which exceeded that of an ordinary person, would allow him to recover before returning to the cathedral, but it turned out that although the weird girl¡¯s use of Profound Demons was debatable, the wounds created by the Profound Demons were still very troublesome, and his head was still swollen after half a day.


    ¡°¡­I tripped.¡±


    After holding it in for a long time, Teryan could only resort to a lame excuse.


    He really didn¡¯t have the nerve to admit in front of his subordinates that this was a result of ¡°fatherly discipline¡±¨Cespecially since it hadn¡¯t even been his father who acted personally but a little girl whose height barely reached his chest.


    ¡°Tripped?¡± The first sailor looked at his captain with confusion, ¡°That trip of yours seems a bit too¡­ advanced, almost as if you viciously slammed your head against Prandt¡¯s walls and the ground¡­¡±


    Teryan looked at the sailor with a deep gaze, enunciating each word, ¡°I tripped on something on the way.¡±


    The sailor jumped suddenly, realizing, ¡°Oh, oh yes, clearly you just fell by accident, I¡¯ll help you with the medicines when we get back¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, I don¡¯t want to discuss this issue right now,¡± Teryan sighed and walked towards the cathedral doors, ¡°Let¡¯s go back, I need a good rest today, and then it¡¯s time to set sail back to the North.¡±


    ¡°Back to the North? Aren¡¯t we going to stay here for a few more days? You had been planning¡­¡±


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    The words ¡°Submergence Plan¡± resurfaced in Teryan¡¯s mind, and he waved his hand, ¡°Enough, we need to go back, there are things to do in the Chill Sea.¡±


    The sailors looked at each other and finally nodded, complying with their captain¡¯s decision.


    Yet, Teryan suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    He hesitated in front of the main entrance of the Storm Cathedral and touched the swollen spots on his face and head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s use the side entrance to go back.¡±

 Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter 256 The Rapid Bell Rings

    Chapter 252: Chapter 256 The Rapid Bell Rings


    Upon returning to his room, Tirian ordered his men to disperse, yet his mood did not settle with the quietness of the room.


    The long conversation with ¡°Father¡± still lingered in his mind, recollections of the Abyss Project twining uncontrollably around his heart. Flashes of scenes half a century old occasionally crossed his vision¨Crugged diving equipment, cliffs always drenched in continuous cold rain, silent platform guards, priests muttering prayers in the rainy night, the brightly lit yet eerie coastal laboratory, and the Frost Queen¡¯s gaze, which always overlooked the sea, harboring all secrets.


    Tirian shook his head, unsure why, but he suddenly thought of the puppet who called herself ¡°Alice¡±¨CAberration 099, completely released from the seal, moving freely in the human world.


    A ¡°controlled¡± aberration, a puppet that could think and communicate like a human, even exhibiting its own emotions¡­


    She bore such a striking resemblance to the Frost Queen, yet she was certainly not the Queen herself¨Calthough her existence and current activity readily evoked the notion of some kind of ¡°return¡± of the Queen, Tirian could feel that within the puppet¡­ there was not the slightest bit of Lei Nora¡¯s will.


    If he had to say, Tirian felt that ¡°Alice¡± was more like a¡­ replication that was externally perfected, but inwardly completely distorted.


    Much like the ¡°Number 3 Diving Apparatuses¡± that kept surfacing one after another.


    Tirian¡¯s expression suddenly shifted slightly, feeling a chill due to the associations that arose in his mind.


    He sat in his room, poured himself a strong drink, and relied on the strength of alcohol to reheat his icy thoughts and soothe his restless heart. After a good while, he felt a bit better, then lifted his head to look at the exquisite case beside the bed.


    After a slight hesitation, he placed the case on the table, opened the lid, and activated the complex lenses and the crystal at the center of the lens assembly.


    The crystal ball brightened, revealing a multitude of twinkling points of light, with disconcerting noise emanating from it.


    It took a good while before he could finally discern, amidst those twinkling points, the vague figure of Lucresia and her blurry voice¨Cafter another two to three minutes, the voice and image became reluctantly clear. His sister¡¯s voice reached his ears, ¡°Can you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Now it¡¯s clear,¡± Tirian nodded, ¡°the interference over there is even worse than before¡­ What is around you? Is that sunlight? It looks a little odd¡­¡±


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    He noticed faint golden light shimmering behind Lucresia, reminiscent of brilliant twilight streaming through a window into a room. However, the texture of that light was much warmer and brighter than twilight, and its distribution and diffusion created an almost-but-not-quite-sun-like impression that was of particular concern.


    Tirian knew his sister often operated on the fringe where strange phenomena frequently occurred¨Coften dangerous, though Lucresia always managed to turn peril into safety. Nonetheless, he couldn¡¯t help feeling worried.


    ¡°Ah, I picked up something strange on the border, but I¡¯ve thoroughly checked it, and it¡¯s not dangerous,¡± Lucresia answered nonchalantly, ¡°The thing might have fallen from the sky, projecting a vast expanse of radiance¡­ I¡¯m using the Brilliant Starship to drag it back for research.¡±


    Tirian frowned unconsciously, ¡°You¡¯re always picking up odd things on the border. Have you forgotten last time you were dragged into the depths of the Spirit Realm by a mass of humanoid smoke?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful, I¡¯m always careful¨Cit¡¯s just that accidents happen sometimes. With adventures, accidents are inevitable,¡± Lucresia waved her hand, then as if she suddenly noticed something, she stared intently at Tirian¡¯s face, ¡°Brother, what happened to your face and head?¡±


    ¡°¡­I took a fall.¡±


    ¡°But it looks like you fiercely rammed your head into a wall,¡± Lucresia frowned slightly, ¡°It would take a two-hundred-meter sprint and a determined head-butt to end up like that¨Cyou were attacked.¡±


    Tirian¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment before he reluctantly shook his head, ¡°Sometimes I really wish you weren¡¯t so clever.¡±


    ¡°Who attacked you?¡± Lucresia ignored Tirian¡¯s attempt to divert the subject, her expression especially serious, ¡°You¡¯re in the Plunder City-State, and you have no enemies there. The City-State authorities wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch a ¡®guest¡¯ get attacked¡­ Ah, just now you were denying an attack, saying you took a fall¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    Lucresia spoke, suddenly stopping. It seemed that something had crossed her mind, her expression changing dramatically, before she began to watch the Crystal Ball with flickering eyes.


    Tirian knew right away what was going on by the look on her face, shaking his head before she could even speak, ¡°No need to be nervous, he¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°Is it really¡­ from him?¡± Lucresia¡¯s eyes widened with astonishment. ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t it said that he isn¡¯t in the City-State? And why would he want to¡­¡±


    ¡°He is indeed not here; it¡¯s one of his current subordinates,¡± Tirian rubbed his forehead with some distress. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we haven¡¯t had any conflicts. This injury¡­ it¡¯s just a small accident; he wanted to discuss some matters with me, and I was overly cautious.¡±


    ¡°¡®Subordinate¡¯?!¡± Lucresia startled instinctively, her mind racing to ask how strong a subordinate could be to batter the ¡°Iron Marshal¡± into a pig¡¯s head with what kind of weapon; but then she noticed the second half of Tirian¡¯s sentence, her eyes shifting, ¡°¡­he sought you out so quickly for a talk, has something happened?¡±


    ¡°He has taken an interest in some old matters concerning Frost,¡± Tirian said casually, ¡°but you don¡¯t need to worry about that. I¡¯ve come to you to inquire about something else¨CAnomaly 099, you should be aware of it, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do; I also know that it was taken by the Homeloss. This has spread all over the Explorers¡¯ Association, and not long after that, the Deep Sea Church issued a notice, changing the name of Anomaly 099 from ¡®Doll Coffin¡¯ to simply ¡®Doll¡¯¡­ Many people have uneasy speculations about this.¡±


    Tirian lifted his eyelids, watching Lucresia¡¯s eyes with a solemn face. ¡°Do you know why its name changed from ¡®Doll Coffin¡¯ to ¡®Doll¡¯?¡±


    Lucresia furrowed her beautiful brows, seemingly catching on to something vaguely.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen her,¡± Tirian sighed, not wanting to continue beating around the bush, ¡°that ¡®Doll¡¯. She calls herself ¡®Alice¡¯, and she has awoken from the coffin. She now serves by father¡¯s side, alike the Frost Queen in appearance as the rumors suggest, but her personality¡­ is quite unexpectedly different.¡±


    ¡°This piece of intelligence is quite unexpected too,¡± Lucresia whispered, gold light reflecting peculiarly in her eyes as they seemed to glint slightly, ¡°you mean to say, father¡­ ¡®freed¡¯ Anomaly 099 from the coffin, allowing that dangerous anomaly to move freely outside, and she is willingly following father? She can even converse with you?¡±


    ¡°It sounds unbelievable, but it is the absolute truth,¡± Tirian nodded, ¡°She can speak, think, have emotions like a human, and even¡­ I feel that her relationship with my father isn¡¯t too bad, although I¡¯m not certain if it¡¯s a ¡®friendship¡¯ that humans can understand, considering one is a spirit returning from Subspace and the other is an ¡®anomaly¡¯ with a number below one hundred.¡±


    Lucresia did not respond, and after a moment of silence, she finally raised her head: ¡°What is it that you want to ask?¡±


    ¡°About the situation when Anomaly 099 was first discovered, you were on the scene,¡± Tirian looked at his sister, ¡°I want to know some true details from you. As you know, my fleet and I never approach Frost; we missed the original scene.¡±


    Lucresia pondered for a few seconds: ¡°Back then¡­ I was indeed in the vicinity of the incident, but it wasn¡¯t the Brilliant Starship that initially salvaged Anomaly 099, it was a coastal fishing vessel named ¡®Charvin¡¯. Strictly speaking, when I received the distress signal from Charvin and found that out-of-control drifting fishing vessel, that was already the secondary scene, so I can¡¯t confirm what the original scene looked like right after Anomaly 099 was brought up¨CI can only tell you what I saw on the Charvin at the time.¡±


    Lucresia paused, recalling the scenes she had witnessed.


    ¡°When I found the vessel, there were almost no survivors on board. Out of the twelve crew members, including the captain, eleven had been beheaded¨Cleaving only one sailor half-mad from fright, who described to me in a disjointed manner the ¡®Cursed Wooden Box¡¯ they had fished up from the sea.


    ¡°He claimed they couldn¡¯t dispose of that box because the box was alive, moving around the ship, and they couldn¡¯t destroy it, for the box was immensely strong and exceptionally durable, and the armed sailors were no match for it¡­


    ¡°You could find most of this information in the public records of the Explorers¡¯ Association, but one detail¡­ not recorded in the data, which you might find interesting.


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    ¡°During the half-hour after Anomaly 099 was salvaged, the sailors of the Charvin heard a faint cracking sound coming from the box several times. It sounded¡­ as if something inside was taking form.¡±


    ¡°Soft clicking sounds¡­¡± Tirian murmured with a frown, then he seemed to want to ask more, but just as he opened his mouth, an urgent series of bell chimes suddenly coming from outside the window interrupted his words.


    He looked up in confusion, hearing the unmistakable hurried chimes resonate through the darkening sky. After carefully discerning them for a moment, he mused uncertainly to himself, ¡°That¡¯s not the evening bell¡­ sounds like the ¡®Swift Bell¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Swift Bell¡­¡± Lucresia¡¯s voice came from the Crystal Ball, ¡°I heard seven short rings; if I¡¯m not mistaken, that¡¯s the bell signal representing ¡®The Tomb of the Nameless King¡¯, isn¡¯t it?!¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Chapter 257 "Politeness

    Chapter 253: Chapter 257 ¡°Politeness


    The swift bell rang urgently, pealing seven short chimes, and after a few seconds¡¯ interval, it rang another seven times, three rounds in total.


    Tirian listened attentively to the noises outside the window. He heard some talking in the hallways and rushed footsteps on the square outside.


    The mid and senior-ranking priests were responding to the bell, arranging protection at key points and preparing for the vigil. The highest-ranking figures in the cathedral probably had already gone to a secret sanctuary, ready to participate in the saints¡¯ assembly.


    Tirian was not a man of the church, but he had lived half a century and understood the rules quite well. He could discern critical information from the frequency and repetition of the bell¨Cit was the summoning bell for ¡°Listening.¡± It was an invitation to a meeting issued directly from the Tomb of the Nameless King, and the situation sounded quite urgent.


    ¡°Is there another anomaly or phenomenon causing trouble? Is it a new one? Or has an old one undergone significant changes?¡± wondered Lucrezia pensively.


    Tirian listened for a while to the noises outside, then turned his attention back and shook his head, ¡°This is Deep Sea Church¡¯s own affair; we needn¡¯t get involved.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Lucrezia nodded slightly, then looked at her brother, ¡°About anomaly 099, is there anything else you want to ask?¡±


    Tirian pondered for a moment and then shook his head, ¡°No, nothing more¨Cbesides, with the swift bell ringing this evening, the cathedral will soon enter the state of vigil. It¡¯s best we cease discussing matters related to the anomaly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get back to my own matters,¡± Lucrezia quickly responded. Following that, the crystal ball placed on the table began to flicker. Her figure also started to fade. But just before the connection was completely cut, she seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing, about our father.¡±


    Tirian hesitated slightly, ¡°¡­Go on.¡±


    ¡°Did father appear coherent when he approached you this time?¡±


    ¡°He was lucid, his logic clear, and even somewhat¡­¡± Tirian hesitated but eventually continued, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but it seemed almost affectionate.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good.¡±


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    ¡­


    Fenna rushed into the grand cathedral and saw Bishop Valentin already waiting by the statue of the goddess. She hurried forward, ¡°Why has there been another summons so soon¡­ That¡¯s never happened before.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; this time the bell was controlled directly by the Storm Cathedral. It wouldn¡¯t be rung without cause,¡± Valentin nodded at Fenna and turned, speaking rapidly as he walked toward the corridor leading to the ¡°Flooded Cavern,¡± ¡°It might be like last time, a direct change in the list of anomalies and phenomena, with the Tomb Guardian issuing the summons from the crypt.¡±


    Fenna followed the old bishop¡¯s steps. Passing by the statue of the goddess, she paused momentarily as if hesitant but eventually bowed reverently as she usually did before continuing towards the corridor entrance.


    Soon, they reached the chamber at the end of the corridor used for crafting the ¡°Spiritual Energy Channel,¡± the Flooded Cavern.


    The scene inside the chamber was as usual; the ancient stone walls piled up were perpetually damp, a firepit in the room¡¯s center burned with ethereal flames, gentle sounds of flowing water and overlapping waves filled the surroundings, creating a strangely serene atmosphere.


    The chamber door was closed.


    Fenna took a deep breath, stood before the firepit, and looked down at the flames that burned brightly without fuel.


    She allowed her mind to gradually calm, her spirit syncing with the goddess¡¯s guidance. The flickering flames became a stable anchor in her sight, slowly filling her vision.


    This process was usually straightforward, but this time, Fenna found it particularly challenging.


    She tried not to imagine the flames suddenly turning a ghostly green or envision Captain Duncan¡¯s eyes lurking behind them. She glanced at Bishop Valentin beside her, seeing his calm eyes and steady breathing, indicating he had entered the assembly ahead of her.


    Fenna turned her gaze back, inhaled gently, and again tried to focus her spirit to sync with the goddess¡¯s guidance.


    Luckily, she succeeded this time.


    The ethereal seawater surged up, gently enveloping her, her perceptions detached from her mortal body and reformed in another dimension. Fenna was slightly disoriented but soon found herself in the ancient, mystical assembly hall¨Ca familiar boundless square, surrounded by broken ancient pillars, and gatherings of blurry humanoid shadows between them.


    One of the shadows quickly approached her; it was Bishop Valentin, ¡°Fenna, having trouble? It took you quite some time.¡±


    ¡°Just couldn¡¯t concentrate,¡± Fenna casually remarked. Then, she noticed a conspicuous figure standing at the edge of the square¨Ca figure distinct and clear compared to the vague shadows of the other saints, clearly visible as a beautiful lady in an elaborate gown.


    Fenna certainly recognized that figure.


    ¡°The Pope herself has already arrived?¡± She was somewhat surprised, ¡°Ah, this really isn¡¯t the best time to be late.¡±


    ¡°No worries, you get used to being late,¡± Valentin said nonchalantly, ¡°When I arrived, Her Holiness was already here. She might have even been the first to arrive. I guess she might have had some special arrangements¡­¡±


    Fenna listened absently, somewhat perturbed by the solid yet elegant silhouette that seemed to cast an intermittent, focused gaze in her direction, a look that made her feel slightly uneasy, and even¡­ nervous.


    Just then, Pope Helena suddenly turned her head.


    She truly looked directly at Fenna, then a hint of a smile seemed to flicker across her face as she nodded slightly.


    Fenna paused for a moment, and just as she was about to return the gesture, a deep, thunderous rumble interrupted her.


    She followed the sound and saw the stone pavement at the center of the square rising up quickly; the fragmented ground rippled like water. In a moment, an ancient, gloomy palace built of pale giant stones appeared in the saints¡¯ view.


    The Tomb of the Nameless King had appeared.


    The saints, who were talking quietly, quickly fell silent. A hushed and solemn atmosphere enveloped the square. Fenna quickly gathered her thoughts, ignoring the Pope¡¯s gaze that was cast toward her, and instead focused intently on the ancient palace¡¯s pyramid-shaped main building, staring at its entrance.


    The large door at the entrance opened, and an extremely tall Tomb Guardian stepped out.


    Wrapped in shroud, half of its body charred, and the other half bound in chains, like the last time they had seen it, this terrifying creature made from flesh, iron bindings, and death curses strode towards the gathering of saints in the square.


    The selection had been made.


    In the next moment, it crossed each shadow on the square without hesitation and stopped right in front of Fenna.


    The Tomb Guardian lowered its head, calmly looking at the saint before it:


    ¡°You, may enter the tomb chamber.¡±


    He raised his hand, presenting a feather pen and parchment, waiting for Fenna¡¯s response.


    Fenna froze for a moment¨Calmost all the saints did.


    The Tomb Guardian had chosen the same saint twice to enter the tomb!


    This had never happened in the past thousands of years!


    Of course, there were no explicit ¡°rules¡± preventing the Tomb Guardian from selecting the same saint consecutively, but over the years, the Tomb Guardian always chose different saints in two consecutive callings; it had almost become an unwritten ¡°rule.¡± Even if a saint who had entered the tomb the last time came to the gathering again, it was merely to obey the command and ensure the completeness of the ¡°listening¡± ritual.


    No one expected that Fenna would be chosen again.


    Fenna remained frozen for several seconds while the patient Tomb Guardian continued to extend its hand, waiting. At that moment, the sensation of being watched struck her again, and subconsciously following the feeling, her eyes met Pope Helena¡¯s profound gaze.


    Fenna tensed up, a bit guilty as she diverted her gaze, then she noticed that the Tomb Guardian was still waiting¨Cthe ancient guardian, looking terrifying yet impassive, moved the parchment and feather pen slightly forward.


    ¡°Me again?¡±


    Fenna asked instinctively, but instantly regretted it¨Chow could the Tomb Guardian answer such trivial questions?


    However, she then heard a hoarse, deep voice coming from in front of her: ¡°Yes, it¡¯s you again.¡±


    Fenna was somewhat startled; she looked up at the Tomb Guardian¡¯s somewhat fierce face before reaching out to take the parchment and the feather pen.


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    The Tomb Guardian seemed to nod slightly, straightening up as it spoke:


    ¡°Please write down what you¡¯ve heard.¡±


    Fenna nodded subconsciously but suddenly felt something was off.


    It felt like¡­ the Tomb Guardian was much more polite than before?


    (Tomorrow¡¯s update time will temporarily be changed to 10 AM and 12 PM, for one day only.)

 Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: Chapter 258 Unnumbered

    Chapter 254: Chapter 258 Unnumbered


    Fenna faintly sensed that something was amiss, and the nearby saints also perceived a certain unease. These dim soul projections subconsciously gazed at the ancient being wrapped in a shroud, its countenance fierce and terrifying. In their impressions and according to the records of the Deep Sea Church, all descriptions of the ¡°Tomb Guardian¡± were imbued with words like ¡°cold,¡± ¡°dutiful,¡± ¡°indifferent¡±¨Cnever had any account mentioned that he would use the word ¡°please¡± to the chosen listener!


    However, Fenna had no time to ponder further. She noticed that the Tomb Guardian was patiently waiting for her, so she quickly collected her thoughts and nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    The Tomb Guardian turned and led Fenna towards the grand ancient tomb palace, leaving the saints in the square to watch their departing figures.


    The heavy tomb gates closed behind her, as if cutting off the sounds of the entire world. Standing in the cold, silent corridor, Fenna¡¯s heart gradually calmed, bit by bit.


    This was her second time entering this tomb. Compared to the slightly nervous trepidation she felt on her first visit, she now felt somewhat acclimated.


    She knew that she had to go straight ahead, pass through the corridor with messages left by many predecessors, enter the deepest burial chamber, meet the unnamed king¡¯s body, and then she would forget everything she had seen and heard, to be sent outside the tomb¨Con the parchment in her hand would remain the notes she recorded personally.


    Secrets that could not be taken out of the tomb would be torn up, things that could be revealed to the world would be left behind, and the contamination she suffered during the process of listening to knowledge would stay safely in the burial chamber with her ¡°forgotten¡± memories.


    Fenna steadied her spirit and began to walk forward.


    A slightly heavy footstep followed her.


    The young Judge stopped in astonishment and looked back at the Tomb Guardian following her.


    Under normal circumstances, wasn¡¯t the Tomb Guardian supposed to leave after the listener entered the tomb?


    ¡°Is there¡­ something else?¡± Fenna couldn¡¯t help but speak up, her wording cautious, fully on guard.


    The Tomb Guardian lowered his gaze, the turbid light filling his lone eye visible outside the shroud, and from his chest came a hoarse voice, ¡°No, just an escort¨Cdo you need escorting?¡±


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    The sense of dissonance surged up once again. Although Fenna had entered the tomb only once and was unfamiliar with all the details related to ¡°Anomaly 004,¡± she instinctively felt that the Tomb Guardian¡¯s behavior was a bit off¡­ quite different from the records.


    But Fenna did not lose her composure. She constantly reminded herself that she was in one of the top-ranked ancient anomalies, where every trifling detail was a matter of life and death, so she was extremely cautious, hesitant to rashly accept the Tomb Guardian¡¯s ¡°extra service.¡± ¡°I think¡­ I know how to proceed.¡±


    The Tomb Guardian just silently watched the ¡°visitor¡± in front of him, no emotion discernible in his single eye. After a few seconds, he nodded and slowly retreated, ¡°Very well, please go straight ahead, and I will escort you out afterward.¡±


    The figure of the Tomb Guardian disappeared into the corridor.


    Fenna was momentarily stunned, suddenly realizing that the other party had even used the term ¡°you¡± at the end.


    ¡­How come this cold, arrogant ancient guardian was so polite today¡­


    She shook her head, striving to clear her mind of all complex thoughts, worrying that this was some kind of mental disturbance caused by the ancient anomaly, and focused on what she was supposed to do. She finally traversed the long corridor and entered the burial chamber at the very depths of the palace.


    In the burial chamber, the mysterious headless corpse still sat erect on the lofty throne, pale basins of fire blazed on either side, and across from the unnamed king¡¯s body was a chair, clearly recently moved there.


    Fenna¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    In that instant, the solemn and self-disciplined Miss Judge harbored a somewhat absurd thought¨Cby the next visit, would there be the addition of a fruit plate here¡­


    She walked towards the chair, sat down gingerly, and then lifted her head to look towards the headless corpse on the throne.


    The next second, she opened her eyes and found herself standing on the spacious, magnificent stone square, the chaotic sky shrouding her vision, and mysterious flowing lights rising at the top of broken columns in the distance, while a roaring sound came from behind her¨Cthe Anomaly 004 was sinking rapidly, returning to the depths of the earth.


    Fenna was still somewhat dazed, while the saints awaiting on the square had already quickly gathered around.


    One of the saintly phantoms bore the familiar presence of Valentin. He approached Fenna, his tone urgent, ¡°Quickly see what¡¯s recorded on the parchment.¡±


    Fenna then came to her senses and quickly picked up the parchment in her hand¨Cthe outcome was expected, the parchment was still incomplete, but compared to the last time when only a small piece remained, the situation had much improved.


    The parchment was only torn in half, with the remaining piece bearing clear handwriting.


    Fenna¡¯s gaze swept over the familiar script¨C


    ¡°The shadow in the Dark Abyss has begun to surface.


    ¡°The day of setting sail.


    ¡°Omen¨CPlunder.¡±


    The saints looked at each other, and the shadow of Valentin Bishop raised his head, looking at Fenna in astonishment, as if instinctively wanting to ask something but not knowing quite what to inquire.


    There was a big problem with the content of the parchment¨Cyet listeners wouldn¡¯t remember their experience in the central tomb chamber, and the words that could be brought out on the scraps were all the information available. Omen 004 wouldn¡¯t answer any superfluous questions, the only guarantee was the accuracy and truth of the message on the paper.


    ¡°The shadow in the Dark Abyss¡­ the day of setting sail¡­¡± A saint couldn¡¯t help but murmur to himself, looking at his fellows in confusion. ¡°The messages conveyed from the tomb in the past were relatively accurate and straightforward; it¡¯s rare to encounter such cryptic metaphors¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps this is the accurate and straightforward message, but the key part is torn off,¡± another saint muttered, ¡°Compared to that, the content of the last sentence is¡­¡±


    ¡°Omen, Plunder.¡± Someone said softly, almost inaudibly.


    Fenna¡¯s gaze was also fixed on the last sentence of the paper; of the three, it wholly captured her attention. She naturally thought of the great fire, the Ghost Ship, and the ghostly flames that swept across the entire City-State¨Cbut then, she noticed something else.


    ¡°No number¡­¡± she said softly in surprise, then looked up at Valentin and repeated, ¡°No number?!¡±


    At that moment, she didn¡¯t even know what to be more astonished by¨Cwhether Plunder was identified as an ¡°omen¡± or that the omen had no number!


    The saints showed signs of unrest. Although they were high-ranking clergy from various Church regions, with strong wills and powerful forces, they still inevitably fell into confusion and helplessness. Hushed, uneasy discussions arose around them, and some saints more familiar with each other approached Fenna and Valentin to inquire about Plunder¡¯s recent conditions.


    This caused Fenna some confoundment ¡ª compared to the seasoned Valentin Bishop, she was still too young.


    Fortunately, the commotion only lasted a short while, as the saints gathered in the square suddenly fell silent. Fenna looked up to see the misty shadows giving way to either side as an elegantly dressed lady, wearing luxurious clerical robes, made her way toward her and Valentin Bishop.


    Fenna and Valentin promptly bowed in greeting: ¡°Your Holiness.¡±


    ¡°No need for formalities,¡± the ruler of the Deep Sea Church, the earthly spokesperson for the Storm Goddess, Pope Helena, turned her gaze to Fenna, then to the parchment, ¡°May I take a look?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Fenna quickly handed over the parchment, ¡°Here you are.¡±


    Helena took the parchment, scanned the text, and then lifted her head, smiling faintly at Fenna: ¡°The handwriting is very neat¨Cmuch neater than on your reports.¡±


    Fenna was taken aback, not expecting the Pope to suddenly bring this up, then she became somewhat embarrassed: ¡°That report¡­ I wrote it in a rush, and the situation in the City-State was somewhat chaotic¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable. The first time I wrote such a long report, I almost wanted to swallow the pen,¡± Helena said with a smile, ¡°So typewriters are a great invention, why not use one?¡±


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    Fenna¡¯s tone was a bit odd: ¡°¡­ I always seem to break them by accident, and also, I¡¯m not used to them.¡±


    Helena¡¯s smile grew more evident, then she handed the parchment back to Fenna, casually mentioning: ¡°I have already read your entire report on the historical pollution incident in Plunder¨Cincluding the part about ¡®Homeloss.¡¯ To be honest, after such tremendous changes, it¡¯s not surprising that Plunder City-State has become something like an ¡®omen¡¯¨Calthough the birth process of this omen is extraordinary, and ¡®extraordinary¡¯ is precisely the trait of anomalies and omens.¡±


    She spoke, pausing for a moment, her expression gradually becoming more serious.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ having no number is a bit too ¡®extraordinary.''¡±


    (Recommendation time: The book¡¯s title is ¡®Non-mainstream Food God,¡¯ from Cao Ahmeng¡¯s sea-crossing strategy to conquer the Otherworld with cuisine. Although it¡¯s a new work, everyone is welcome to give it support.)

 Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Chapter 259: After the Coin Roll

    Chapter 255: Chapter 259: After the Coin Roll


    Since the first ¡°list¡± was conveyed from anomaly 004 to the present world, all anomalies and phenomena had been assigned their own numbers. Regardless of how their locations shifted or traits changed, even when some anomalies and phenomena disappeared while others underwent transformation, there was always a corresponding empty spot on the list.


    For thousands of years, this pattern had never changed.


    Therefore, people believed that the essence of phenomenon 004 was a ¡°focal point¡± that transcended temporal and spatial order. All anomalies and phenomena, whether from the past or the future, had already left their marks in this temporal and spatial focal point, even if they had not yet come into being¡­ their locations were already predetermined.


    However, today, this pattern was broken.


    An unnumbered phenomenon appeared before the eyes of the world.


    What was even more unsettling was the name of this phenomenon, ¡°Prand¡±¨Cthe pearl atop the Endless Sea, the busiest stop on the maritime trade network, and the largest gathering place for believers of the Deep Sea Church.


    Yet for some reason, Fenna always felt that the Pontiff of the Deep Sea, who was before her with a calm and reserved demeanor, did not seem to show much worry. Seeing Prand become a phenomenon had only slightly surprised her¨Cthe degree of her concern for ¡°Prand becoming a phenomenon¡± seemed even less than her concern for ¡°Prand lacking a number.¡±


    Fenna looked nervously at the Pontiff, who was pondering something. After a few oppressively silent minutes, she suddenly raised her head, ¡°Since that ¡®disaster¡¯, what has been the situation in Prand?¡±


    ¡°The order of the City-State is being restored, all people who died due to historical contamination and all damaged places have been restored. Of course, except for those who genuinely died eleven years ago,¡± Bishop Valentin immediately responded, ¡°We have checked every corner of the City-State, including every sewer, every factory, every machine, even every pipeline, and found no traces of transcendental distortion. The City-State is in a very, very ¡®normal¡¯ state. Oh, except for¡­¡±


    ¡°The issue with the fries, right?¡± Helena said lightly, ¡°I saw it in the report.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression was somewhat embarrassed, ¡°It does feel a bit odd to include that in the report¡­¡±


    ¡°Not strange at all. After a transcendental event, all clues must be seriously considered,¡± Helena¡¯s expression remained calm, her eyes resting on Fenna, ¡°What about you, Saint Fenna? Have you felt anything amiss?¡±


    Fenna subconsciously tensed up, guessing that the Pontiff would inevitably ask her this since she had written everything in the report, except the part about shaken faith, ¡°I¡­ actually didn¡¯t feel anything special. No psychic contamination, no mental distortion, Bishop Valentin specifically conducted several checks on me, and the conclusion is that it¡¯s just a simple ¡®contact.''¡±


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    Helena slightly clenched her fist, resting it on her chin, seemingly pondering seriously before abruptly saying to the nearby saints, ¡°Everyone disperse for now¨CI have some matters to discuss with the two saints from Prand.¡±


    The gathered shadows in the square, upon hearing this, did not hesitate. They paid their respects to the Pontiff and then one by one vanished. Within less than half a minute, only Helena, Fenna, and Valentin remained in the large assembly area.


    ¡°You seem a bit tense, young saint¨Crelax a little,¡± Helena finally turned to Fenna after the surroundings quieted down, starting with a smile, ¡°You walk the right path, and the Goddess¡¯s approval and favor toward you remain as always. You need not worry about having been in contact with some ¡®dangerous¡¯ forces¨Cas defenders of order, dealing with various dangerous forces is our duty, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Fenna took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible, ¡°¡­ Indeed, as you say.¡±


    Helena nodded, her gaze shifting to Bishop Valentin, ¡°I saw a claim you mentioned in the report, that the well-known ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ has regained his sanity and humanity, and communication might be possible?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s not just a possibility; we have already started establishing communication¨Calthough it wasn¡¯t planned,¡± Valentin nodded slightly, speaking gravely, ¡°For some reason, that Ghost Ship captain is particularly concerned about the situation in Prand and has chosen Fenna as the point of contact, but thus far, he has not shown any hostility toward the civilized world.¡±


    ¡°The flames from Homeloss once burned through the entire City-State?¡± Helena immediately asked further.


    Valentin nodded again, ¡°Yes, those flames drove out the historical contamination created by the heretics and reset the City-State to the state before the contamination.¡±


    ¡°¡­ It could also be said that the flames contaminated the entire City-State and contaminated it into a state that had never been contaminated,¡± Helena looked into Valentin¡¯s eyes, speaking with a steady tone, ¡°In this matter, the line between ¡®contaminated¡¯ and ¡®uncontaminated¡¯ has become very blurred.¡±


    Valentin unconsciously exchanged glances with Fenna by his side.


    Then, they continued to hear Helena¡¯s voice, ¡°This might well be the reason why Prand became a ¡®Phenomenon¡¯¨Cthe parchment did not mention the specific traits of this new phenomenon, but we can boldly describe it:


    ¡°Phenomenon Prand, a city entirely consumed by the subspace flames; Duncan Ebnomal¡¯s power reshaped this phenomenon into a semblance of normalcy. Its twist is that it has twisted its own twist; the entire City-State operates as if it had never been tainted, with the sole truth left by the corruption being that the corruption indeed existed.¡±


    Helena paused and silently observed the two Saints before her.


    ¡°A coin flung into the air, spinning once, and landing still heads up.¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth as if to speak, but then saw the Pontiff gently wave her hand, halting Fenna¡¯s intention.


    ¡°But there is nothing wrong with that, Saint Fenna. Compared to the twisted forms in most parts of our world, a coin that still ends up heads up after spinning¨Cwhat does it matter?¡± Helena said indifferently, ¡°At least, Prand still exists, whether the coin spun once or countless times¡­ That should not be the concern of us mortals.¡±


    Somehow, Fenna always felt that there were deeper meanings hidden in the Pontiff¡¯s words, but she couldn¡¯t grasp them yet. She merely frowned, ¡°But how should we announce this news? And how do we explain to people that they are living within a massive phenomenon¨Cand still maintain their normalcy after they learn this fact?¡±


    ¡°A shocking fact born from a drastic change should either never be revealed or broadcast at a time when the aftermath is still felt, while people¡¯s capacity to accept is strongest,¡± Helena spoke somberly, ¡°The citizens of Prand have not yet fully recovered from the disaster¡¯s aftermath, nor have they completely settled back into a peaceful daily routine¡­ So, let¡¯s just announce it normally.


    ¡°However, be careful with the guidance, make people understand the significant uniqueness of this ¡®Phenomenon¡¯¨Cnot all Phenomena are dangerous, constantly remember, our world is still sustained by the illumination of Phenomenon 001.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Bishop Valentin bowed his head, ¡°I will discuss this with the town hall to figure out how the news can be delivered in the most secure manner.¡±


    Helena nodded affirmatively. Her gaze inadvertently swept over Fenna before adding, ¡°There¡¯s also something else.¡±


    Fenna and Valentin instantly responded, ¡°Your commands, please.¡±


    Helena pondered slightly, ¡°¡­It¡¯s not pressing, let¡¯s discuss it in detail when we meet.¡±


    Fenna initially didn¡¯t respond, but after two seconds, she suddenly realized something, ¡°Meet¡­ are you saying you will¡­¡±


    ¡°The Storm Cathedral has been touring for many years; it¡¯s about time it docked,¡± Helena said smilingly at Fenna, ¡°Make some preparations, the Storm Cathedral will arrive in Prand within a week¨Cthen I myself can verify with my own eyes to see exactly what posture this spun coin has taken.¡±


    The two Saints departed.


    In the large assembly hall, only Helena¡¯s figure remained.


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    But merely half a minute later, the nearby darkness began to reveal faint quivering lights and shadows. Soon after, the tall, slender, and elderly leader of the Death Church, Banster, and the amiable, slightly portly leader of the Academy of Truth, Rune, emerged from the darkness and approached Helena.


    Banster first glanced towards the direction where Fenna had left, before shifting his gaze to the Pontiff of the Deep Sea, ¡°Is it her? She seems¡­ unremarkable.¡±


    ¡°But she was chosen by the master of the storm,¡± Helena responded softly, ¡°It is the goddess¡¯s will.¡±


    The portly and amiable Rune, thoughtfully curious, asked, ¡°But why would the master of the storm choose her?¡±


    ¡°¡­No one can guess the intentions of the storm,¡± Helena gently shook her head, then changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss that now, let¡¯s focus on the information released by Phenomenon 004¨Ca phenomenon without a number, which is far more puzzling than the phenomenon itself.¡±

 Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter 260 Church Ark

    Chapter 256: Chapter 260 Church Ark


    In the vast and dimly lit assembly hall, three church leaders fell into silence at the same time.


    After an unknown amount of time had passed, the Pope of the Deep Sea Church, Banster, who served the god of death, suddenly spoke softly, ¡°The Law of Anomalies and Omens Misalignment¨Cthere will always be exceptions beyond the norm or omens that arise.¡±


    ¡°The Zeroth Law is indeed useful, but it cannot be used indiscriminately,¡± the short, plump, and affable Rune shook his head, ¡°We can¡¯t just apply the Zeroth Law to every incomprehensible thing we encounter. Doing so would make us complacent during an actual crisis, causing us to miss our chance.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting¡­ that there¡¯s an issue with the information provided by Omen 004?¡± Banster tilted his head slightly, ¡°Is it that Omen-Plante was not unnamed, but rather, its code was concealed?¡±


    ¡°It could also be a completely new naming mechanism,¡± Rune said while pondering, ¡°Omen 004 and Omen Plante are both problem-free; it¡¯s just that we can¡¯t understand this new way of naming omens yet¨CPlante has recently undergone something very special. It is a city-state that has been contaminated by history and then ¡®saved¡¯ by the forces of subspace. Nothing like this has ever happened before¡­¡±


    ¡°I dislike ¡®new mechanisms¡¯,¡± Banster shook his head, his voice deep, ¡°New mechanisms mean new uncontrollable factors; we¡¯ve already sacrificed too much to figure out how the world works¡­ and yet, this world is always changing.¡±


    ¡°Nobody likes it, but the world is always so heartless,¡± Rune shrugged his shoulders, then his gaze fell upon Helena, ¡°I hope you can gain something from your visit to Plante; see with your own eyes exactly what happened to that city-state.¡±


    Helena said nothing for a moment, just giving a slight nod of her head. She seemed to be deep in thought, and after some time, she suddenly broke the silence, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing, you¡¯ve probably noticed as well¨Cthe issue with Omen 001.¡±


    Rune¡¯s expression became serious, this elder who served the god of wisdom rarely looked so tense, ¡°Indeed, the Observatory Tower has confirmed it, the runic circle on the edge of the sun¡­ has indeed suffered damage, although the missing part is only a small fraction of the whole runic structure. But that part is definitely gone. At the moment, I am still having people monitor Omen 001, but there has been no further damage to the runic circle¨Cnor any signs of self-repair.¡±


    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been any unusual movements from the Sun Cultists,¡± Banster quickly added, ¡°I also suspected immediately that this was related to them, but from the intelligence we have at the moment, those Sun Heretics seem not to have noticed the changes in Omen 001 themselves.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we can rule out its relation to the ¡®Crawling Sunsphere¡¯,¡± Helena said emphatically, ¡°The Crawling Sunsphere is one of the oldest existences in the world, while those Sun Heretics, at best, are like mold spots that grew under its influence. Their connection to their god is not as close as they imagine it to be.¡±


    ¡°We will continue to keep an eye on those Heretics and the ¡®Scions of the Sun¡¯ behind them,¡± Banster slowly said, ¡°and those Doomsday Preachers¡­ No matter what, we cannot allow a repeat of what happened in Plante.¡±


    Helena gave a slight nod, then in the darkness, she saw the flickering of light and shadows, the figures of the two Popes gradually fading, dissolving into nothingness.


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    She turned her head, glancing at the place where the Tomb of the Nameless King had sunk, then her figure also gradually dissipated within the assembly hall.


    The next second, Helena opened her eyes in the real world.


    She stepped out of the secret chamber, and two attendants approached her¨CHelena waved her hand, signaling for the attendants to leave, then she alone walked through the long corridor, making her way to the upper deck of the Church Ark.


    A grand cathedral sailed through the vast and dim expanse of the Endless Sea. It had triple spires and tall towers and a belfry reaching up to the sky, their tips lost in the mist, while the lower half consisted of heavy armor, huge pipelines, and the robust mechanical structures connecting to the deck area.


    A giant ark ship, part steel fortress, part holy cathedral¨Cthis was the true headquarters of the Deep Sea Church, the ¡°Storm Cathedral¡± cruising the Endless Sea.


    Helena walked out from the cloister adorned with sacred reliefs and stepped onto the balcony of the upper deck, quietly overlooking the monumental work of engineering beneath her.


    The cathedral was actually quite new¨Cin fact, only thirty-five years had passed since the completion of its hull, and its superstructure had been finished just twenty years ago. Scholars from the Academy of Truth had assisted in designing the Ark¡¯s immense propulsion system and intricate control mechanisms, which, at least for now, operated smoothly.


    Before the completion of this Church Ark, ¡°Storm Cathedral¡± was much smaller in size and had a much shorter cruising duration on the Endless Sea.


    The Storm Goddess did not mind her followers seeking the help of other faiths to build her temple; none of the four deities minded such matters.


    In fact¡­ the four deities did not care about anything that happened in the mortal world at all.


    Helena took a gentle breath and gazed at the thin mist surrounding the Church Ark. The sheer fog and the chaotic darkness of the surrounding sea indicated that the entire ark was currently sailing in the crevice between reality and the Spirit Realm. At this location, the vast majority of ordinary ships sailing upon the Endless Sea could not detect the presence of the Storm Cathedral.


    After silently being caressed by the cold wind for a while, Helena reached out and took a piece of wood that had been hand-carved into the shape of a wave.


    She silently invoked the name of the Storm Goddess Gomona and threw the wave amulet, carved from ¡°Sea Breath Wood,¡± far out into the ocean.


    ¡°Your concerned Believer¡¯s faith has begun to waver,¡± Helena murmured to herself as she watched the direction in which the amulet fell into the water, ¡°but it seems her human side has not been clouded¨Cshe is still human.¡±


    The waves gently undulated as if soft whispers mixed with the sound of the waves; Helena listened attentively for a long time, then nodded slightly, ¡°Is that so¡­ I understand.¡±


    The Sea Breath Wood amulet tossed and turned on the water¡¯s surface for a long while before quietly sinking into the depths of the Endless Sea.


    Prandt, inside an antique shop.


    The morning sunlight was just right, its brilliant rays streaming through the freshly cleaned shop window, casting a subtle golden glow on the staggered shelves and making the fake antiques seem almost genuine. Nina was humming a cheerful tune, joyfully polishing the ¡°merchandise¡± on the shelves and occasionally peeking at the figures by the counter.


    Alice and Sherry were sitting there, brows furrowed as they held stacks of letter cards, while Agou hid in the shadows beside the counter, clutching a pencil with his paws, trying to memorize a list of words.


    Nina found it an amazing sight¨Cshe still couldn¡¯t figure out how Agou managed to hold the pencil with his paws.


    After nearly falling asleep for the third time, Sherry yawned mightily and carelessly threw her letter cards onto the counter, looking up at her intensely focused companion, Alice, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    ¡°Not tired,¡± Alice lifted her head and dutifully replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know what ¡®tired¡¯ feels like¨CI only sleep when it is time to sleep.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m really curious what it¡¯s like to be a soulful doll,¡± Sherry murmured, then cautiously glanced around, looking like a thief as she peered upstairs, and whispered, ¡°Hey, why hasn¡¯t Mr. Duncan come down today¡­ and he seemed preoccupied when I saw him this morning.¡±


    Alice set aside the letter card she had just memorized and picked up another, wiping it clean to start over, responding carelessly, ¡°He¡¯s contemplating the secrets of the deep sea.¡±


    ¡°Thinking about the secrets of the deep sea?¡± Sherry paused, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, he said so,¡± Alice shook her head slightly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ask him? He would probably be happy to teach you some things¡­¡±


    Sherry was about to speak when she suddenly heard Agou¡¯s panicked and frightened voice from the shadows by the counter, ¡°If you¡¯re going to court death, don¡¯t drag me into it!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going to ask,¡± Sherry glared in the direction from where the voice came, ¡°I still haven¡¯t even¡­¡±


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    She was cut off by the crisp ringing of the doorbell.


    Agou¡¯s figure instantaneously vanished, while Alice, well-practised, merely placed her letter cards to the side and looked up toward the doorway, ¡°Welcome, may I help you¡­ ah? Mr. Morris?¡±


    The early visitor was indeed Morris¨Cthe elderly scholar, clad in a dark winter coat with a thick, round-top felt hat, was carrying what appeared to be a substantial old tome under his arm. After entering, he first greeted Alice and Sherry at the counter, then looked toward Nina, who was tidying the shelves nearby, ¡°Is Mr. Duncan in?¡±


    ¡°He is upstairs,¡± Nina nodded, looking curiously at the old gentleman, ¡°Do you need him for something?¡±


    ¡°I think I have found the origin of that symbol,¡± Morris said joyfully, holding up the old book he had brought with him, ¡°It¡¯s incredible¨Cit appears in a document about the Ancient Crete Kingdom and is so inconspicuous!¡±

 Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Chapter 261 Mysterious Symbol

    Chapter 257: Chapter 261 Mysterious Symbol


    As Nina was about to run up to the second floor to say hello, Duncan appeared at the top of the staircase.


    He had heard the noise coming from downstairs.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± Maurice came up to the stairs, looking up at the ¡°Captain¡± peering down, ¡°I found the symbol you showed me in a document about the Ancient Crete Kingdom¡­ At least it¡¯s very similar.¡±


    Duncan noticed the slight redness in Maurice¡¯s eyes and his slightly swollen eyelids, clearly, the old scholar had gone to some lengths to find this information, yet his eyes gleamed with excitement, his spirits were exceptionally lifted¨Cthis was the kind of vitality that came only when one was immersed in research and had finally achieved something.


    Duncan glanced at Nina and Alice and others downstairs, nodded slightly: ¡°You all man the shop.¡±


    Then he looked at Maurice: ¡°Come upstairs to talk.¡±


    The elder, clutching the large book, stepped onto the creaky antique wooden staircase and followed Duncan to the master bedroom on the second floor¨Cthis was his first time entering this place.


    For the residence of a Subspace Shadow, the bedroom was rather simple, but considering Mr. Duncan¡¯s special ¡°fondness¡± for ¡°playing the mortal,¡± this simplicity seemed rather normal.


    Maurice carefully controlled his movements, satisfying his curiosity without engaging in any unnecessary prying, while Duncan pulled over two chairs and gestured for the elder to place the large book on the desk by the window.


    ¡°Tell me about your findings,¡± Duncan said after sitting down, ¡°what does that symbol represent?¡±


    ¡°As for its meaning¡­ I¡¯m still clueless at the moment. I¡¯ve just found the most likely source of it,¡± Maurice steadied himself and opened the valuable-looking document to the page marked with a bookmark, ¡°Did you notice this spot? It¡¯s here.¡±


    Duncan frowned slightly; he saw a drawing, a rather exquisite hand-drawn illustration, which appeared to be part of some large structure, looking like the main entrance of a palace, while that symbol¨Cwith a hexagonal frame and shattered cross structure¨Cappeared in the relief above the main entrance, situated in the center of the entire scene.


    As for the content of the relief¡­ it seemed to be just some meaningless patterns.


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    As Maurice had just mentioned downstairs, this symbol was in an inconspicuous place¨Cit was merely a small decorative part of an illustration, accounting for less than a tenth of the entire picture and not specially marked.


    It was quite a feat for Maurice to have found this book among piles of documents and to have discovered such a corner in it.


    ¡°I vaguely remembered it, must have seen it a very long time ago, thanks to the blessing of the god of wisdom, this ¡®impression¡¯ still worked today, allowing me to find this ¡®little toy,''¡± Maurice explained, ¡°The illustration is a copy, its original appeared in a document regarding the research of the ruins of the Ancient Crete Kingdom, that document is not currently in Preland, but I believe some of my academic friends might be able to help¡­


    ¡°Of course, even without the original, the content recorded in this book is also very valuable. It mentions that the hand-drawn illustration depicts a lost ruin that was once located on the border seas, on an unidentified island that mysteriously disappeared in a dense fog around the year 223 of the New City-State Era. Before it completely vanished, a number of expeditions successfully landed on the island, verified the form and age of the ruins, confirming it should be from the time of the Ancient Crete Kingdom. Judging from the surface decoration and relief of the building, the entire facility should have been some kind of large structure with both academic and religious significance¡­¡±


    Maurice spoke while pointing to the text next to the illustration on the slightly yellowed pages, and one could see annotations written by the scholar in his youth.


    ¡°This type of relief with robust, profound lines and the abundant rhombic elements in the patterns is characteristic of Ancient Crete Kingdom architecture. They revered an architectural style that was thick in lines and exuded a sense of strength; the main parts of their palaces and buildings were mostly rectangular or pyramid in shape, and this structure perfectly matches those characteristics¡­¡±


    While listening to Maurice¡¯s interpretation, Duncan¡¯s gaze slowly swept across the drawings and text, his attention returning to the hexagonal pattern at the center of the relief above the entrance in the picture, his brow furrowed slightly: ¡°About this symbol, there is no targeted interpretation.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Unfortunately, this document is just a general introduction and does not delve into a detailed interpretation of the various details of the ruins,¡± Maurice shook his head, ¡°but this is an inevitable situation¨Cthe Ancient Crete Kingdom goes back ten thousand years, and the few relics it left are mostly severely damaged. Additionally, with the loss or ¡®contamination¡¯ of various records, the knowledge available for subsequent analysis is already fragmented, and it would be difficult to find an article specifically studying a certain pattern on a door of the old kingdom¡­¡±


    ¡°Academic or religious facility, emblems at the entrance¡­¡± Duncan pondered as he stroked his chin, ¡°Why would a group of ¡®ascetics¡¯ ten thousand years later carry an amulet from the time of the Ancient Crete Kingdom?¡±


    He turned his head and looked at Maurice, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible that there exists a ¡®Descendant of Crete¡¯ that has inherited its lineage for ten thousand years?¡±


    ¡°Some have said that a rigorous scholar should not blindly deny any possibility, however minuscule the odds, but personally, I find that truly unlikely,¡± Maurice said cautiously as he pondered.


    ¡°A group resembling ascetics, perhaps very few in number, extremely secretive in their activities, having endured the great chaos after the Ancient Kingdom¡¯s collapse, the era of strife, and the City-State wars, for a whole ten thousand years without a break in their lineage or being discovered¡­ If this possibility were plausible, I would rather believe they are a secret society established in more recent times, who, by chance, discovered some ancient manuscripts or similar relics and adopted a symbol from the Crete period as their own¨Can even likelier possibility.¡±


    Duncan listened to the old man¡¯s thoughts and hummed noncommittally, his gaze sweeping over the documents again.


    On the document, some passages clearly quoted records from original manuscripts, describing fragments left by explorers over a thousand years ago:


    ¡°¡­It stood at the center of the island, the main building, and its surrounding appendages nearly occupied the entire island as if the island itself existed solely for this structure¡­


    ¡°¡­The main material of the buildings seemed to be stone, yet tougher than stone, with a pale color. Soldiers attempted to chip away a piece of the wall brick with an ice pick and only succeeded with great effort¡­ Sparks exaggeratedly shot out when the ice pick struck the wall brick, and the broken area had a silvery-gray texture.


    ¡°The nearby islands were quite desolate, with sparse vegetation and hardly any insects to be seen¡­ No remaining buildings, perhaps there were once, but too insignificant in scale, now devoured by time¡­


    ¡°¡­On the evening of the third day, as a small boat circled the island for inspection, it found that a collapsed area which had been above water was now submerged without any signs of high tide¡­ Fog started to gather around the sea area, the priest felt an ominous premonition, after praying to the death god Bartok for revelations, he suggested that we immediately distance ourselves from this island.¡±


    Duncan went directly to the end of this quoted passage and saw how the author of the manuscript had recorded:


    ¡°After the exploration team withdrew, on the seventh day the dense fog dissipated, another team arrived near the sea area, but could no longer find the nameless island.¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but feel some regret.


    ¡°Swallowed by the dense fog, huh¡­¡± he sighed softly, ¡°It sounds like the result of a border collapse.¡±


    ¡°It does seem so¨Cbut back then there weren¡¯t mature sigil navigation technologies, nor sufficient observation means, and several anomalous phenomena including border collapses and ¡®Fog Devouring¡¯ could easily be confused.¡±


    ¡°Fog Devouring¡­¡± Duncan briefly reminisced before finding the corresponding knowledge in his mind¨Che had been diligently brushing up on this area through books lately, ¡°If it really is the Fog Devouring phenomenon, then this island might reappear briefly in a similar dense fog in the future, but it seems there are no such records passed down.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, but it¡¯s also possible that related records have been scattered and lost.¡±


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    Duncan hummed, his fingers unconsciously brushing over the illustration, over the small broken cross marks on it.


    ¡°This illustration¡­ There¡¯s no possibility that the copier took creative liberties, is there?¡± he suddenly asked, feeling uncertain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Maurice answered immediately, ¡°These are very rigorous documents, the illustrator and the compilers of the original manuscripts are both scholarly authorities known for their meticulousness. When leaving these records, they would rather leave the unclear parts untouched for posterity than make any ¡®supplementary adjustments¡¯ without evidence, or that is to say, even if they did make adjustments, they would surely specify the corresponding situations in the notes.¡±


    ¡°Truly verifiable¡­¡±


    Duncan murmured thoughtfully.

 Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter 262 Captain Duncans Gift

    Chapter 258: Chapter 262 Captain Duncan¡¯s Gift


    In the voluminous document brought by Morris, only a short section was connected to the mysterious symbol¨Cand that symbol was just an inconspicuous part of that section. The author of the document had not devoted a single stroke to interpret the symbol or the relief patterns surrounding it.


    Duncan and Morris could only analyze it through the details presented in the manuscript illustrations, tentatively identifying the shattered cross surrounded by a hexagonal outline as a religious symbol or scholarly emblem from the time of the ancient kingdom.


    Duncan slowly closed the heavy tome.


    From a rational perspective, Morris believed that the ascetics who visited Homeloss a century ago couldn¡¯t possibly be descendants of the Ancient Crete Kingdom¨Ca group of hermits passing down traditions over ten thousand years in the chaotic and dangerous deep-sea era was nearly impossible. From a rigorous scholarly standpoint, he couldn¡¯t hastily make this assumption without further evidence.


    But Duncan still intuitively believed that those ascetics definitely had deep connections to the Ancient Crete Kingdom. They possessed the mysterious emblem and regarded it with great importance, indicating they knew its significance.


    Of course, assumptions aside, without evidence, everything was empty talk. At this stage, unless those ascetics appeared before Duncan again, no one would be able to unravel their origins.


    ¡°¡­How many well-preserved Cretan relics that have been discovered are still in the world?¡± Duncan suddenly looked up and asked.


    ¡°There are very few discovered relics, you could count them on one hand. As for well-preserved¡­¡± Morris said, ¡°that depends on what the standard for ¡®well-preserved¡¯ is. For researchers of the ancient kingdom, finding a pit confirmed to be related to Crete, a dozen meters of connected wall bricks, or even just a few stone doors fallen on the ground, would all be considered well-preserved.¡±


    At this, the elderly scholar couldn¡¯t help but let out a slight sigh, ¡°Under normal circumstances, relics within the City-State¡¯s territory are unlikely to survive. We do our best to leave behind textual and visual documentation, to record every detail as much as possible, then collect the relics that can be analyzed into research facilities, and finally¡­ the relics themselves are leveled, buried, and become a part of the city.¡±


    Duncan pondered for a moment, mumbling to himself, ¡°Land is as precious as gold.¡±


    Morris nodded, ¡°We study history, preserve history, and strive to remember those things of the past as time flows by, but we can¡¯t let the past squeeze our living space.


    ¡°The new City-State has been around for nearly two thousand years, and during the era when explorers were most active, new islands were often discovered, unknown wilderness and ancient ruins entered our sight, but in the past century or two, such ¡®discoveries¡¯ have almost ceased.


    ¡°The ¡®new islands¡¯ of the past have gradually become one City-State after another. There is only so much land on the Endless Sea where we can stand. The few remaining relics¡­ either lie on uninhabitable solitary islands, are shrouded in transcendent powers, or sit on the fringes of dangerous anomalies, such that even the doctrine of the four deities could only scout them out and then seal their existence on the sea map.¡±


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    Duncan was silent for a long while, yet his focus returned to the symbol and the original document behind it, ¡°You just mentioned, your friends in the academic community can find more information related to this symbol?¡±


    ¡°I have a friend in Rensa who specializes in the history of the ancient kingdom. He was my classmate at the Academy of Truth,¡± Morris nodded, pointing to the large book on the table, ¡°This book was a gift from him years ago. I remember he mentioned something about related documents. I¡¯ve written a letter, but I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll get a response.¡±


    Duncan let out a sigh, ¡°Patience, then. Let it be as fate wills.¡±


    Then, he discussed many things about the Ancient Crete Kingdom with Morris¨Cabout those scattered discoveries, those elusive and strange legends, and those documents and scrolls, which were a blend of truth and fiction, to the point where it was hard to tell if they were reality or myth.


    After a thoroughly enjoyable conversation, it was time for Morris to take his leave.


    ¡°As I was leaving, I promised my wife to return home for lunch,¡± the old scholar said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be scolded by my wife and daughter if I go back too late.¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°It seems to me you actually enjoy that.¡±


    Morris chuckled and nodded, buttoning his hat, then tucked the large book under his arm and went down the stairs with Duncan.


    Nina was behind the counter, counting several banknotes, while Alice watched curiously. Sherry had vanished at some point, likely having run off to play.


    When Duncan came down the stairs, Nina was patiently explaining monetary knowledge to Alice, who lacked common sense: ¡°You see, this one with the gold corner is a Sola; here is the denomination¡­ These coins are ¡®peso,¡¯ the number on the front is the value¡­ Don¡¯t bite them, they¡¯re dirty!¡±


    ¡°Looks like business is good today?¡± Duncan glanced at Nina¡¯s hand and raised his eyebrows slightly, ¡°Not usually this much.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know why, but business is very good today,¡± Nina happily waved the banknotes at Duncan, ¡°Seems to be related to Alice?¡±


    Duncan was taken aback when he heard it, ¡°Related to Alice?¡±


    ¡°An old lady mentioned it when she left just now,¡± Nina said with a smile, ¡°She said the store looks more authentic now that there¡¯s an employee like the young Miss around¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    He silently looked towards Alice, who appeared bewildered as she looked back at him.


    However, the doll Miss had no clue what was going on¨Cshe was still trying hard to memorize what the bills looked like and learning how to count money.


    ¡°I never expected Alice to have this effect here,¡± Duncan mused after a while and then suddenly turned to Morris, ¡°Do you want to take something back with you?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Morris was surprised, ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t plan to when I left¡­¡±


    ¡°No charge, it¡¯s a gesture of thanks for your diligent research,¡± Duncan smiled, stepped over to the counter, and reached onto the shelf to take down a crystal pendant¨Cidentical to the one he had given Morris as a ¡°free gift¡± before, since he had bought a whole box of these pendants, ¡°I remember you mentioned your daughter¡¯s pendant was damaged. I¡¯ll give this one to you.¡±


    Morris looked at the pendant in Duncan¡¯s hand, gazed at the beautiful crystal that symbolized modern industry gently swaying in the air, its surface reflecting dazzling light, but the first thing he thought of was the incredible experiences Heidi had mentioned upon her return:


    The lucidity amid the breakdown of the City-States, witnessing the split of two histories and the erasure of one of them, along with the protection from the amulet.


    It was only then that he belatedly realized that Captain Duncan had extended his kindness so early on.


    The dagger worth three thousand four hundred solars was an insignificant gift; the real treasure had almost been lost to dust before his eyes.


    ¡°I hope this amulet will continue to bring good fortune to Miss Heidi,¡± Duncan said with a smile, ¡°Take it, you deserve it.¡±


    Morris earnestly took the crystal pendant and expressed his gratitude, but it seemed as though Duncan had thought of something else, muttering thoughtfully, ¡°If you just take this pendant back, you¡¯ll surely get an earful from your daughter, and this time you¡¯ll have to include your wife. Wait here, I¡¯ll find you something genuine to make peace with your wife and child.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Morris immediately waved his hands in protest, ¡°No need, no need, you don¡¯t have to go to such lengths for me¡­¡±


    However, Duncan had already turned and started rummaging through a pile of miscellaneous items by the counter, muttering to himself without looking up, ¡°No need to say more, I understand¡­ Ah, got it.¡±


    While saying this, he came back to the counter with the ¡°genuine¡± item he had found and with a ¡°bang,¡± placed it on the surface.


    The sudden noise even startled Alice, who quickly reached out to stabilize her own head.


    Morris gaped at the item Duncan had brought onto the counter.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡± the old man was a bit puzzled.


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    ¡°An antique,¡± Duncan looked seriously at the gentleman before him, ¡°There aren¡¯t many genuine items in my shop, but this one is definitely authentic.¡±


    ¡°Looks like a cannonball?¡±


    ¡°Yes, from the Homeloss, in very good condition. You could even fire it if you find a smoothbore cannon with the right caliber,¡± Duncan said cheerily, patting the large iron ball on the counter, ¡°More importantly, it still bears the complete steel stamp from the cannonball foundry and the personal mark of the founder. Honestly, it¡¯s even rarer than the dagger last time¨CI¡¯m giving it to you.¡±


    Morris looked at the cannonball, then at Duncan, his expression growing ever more bewildered. He couldn¡¯t decide which would be more likely to raise his wife and daughter¡¯s blood pressure¨Cbringing home a cannonball or bringing a glass pendant. Yet, faced with Mr. Duncan¡¯s warm and enthusiastic smile, he ultimately swallowed everything he wanted to say and resignedly accepted the¡­ ¡°gift.¡±


    ¡°Very¡­ grateful for your kindness.¡±

 Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter 263 Knocking on the Door

    Chapter 259: Chapter 263 Knocking on the Door


    Maurice had left, with a strange expression, carrying a century-old cannonball as he did.


    Duncan stood at the counter, watching the old man¡¯s retreating figure, his smile tinged with pleasure.


    ¡°¡­You really did give the cannonball to Mr. Maurice.¡± Alice muttered from the side.


    ¡°Really gave the cannonball to Teacher Maurice¡­¡± Nina chimed in, muttering as well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like cannonballs,¡± Alice said softly, ¡°especially not.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Nina asked curiously.


    Alice looked serious, ¡°Because the captain once gave me eight cannonballs¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop harping on about it,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side; he looked helplessly at Alice, who bore a grudge, and Nina, whose curiosity had clearly been piqued, ¡°Where did Sherry go?¡±


    ¡°She said she was dizzy and had a headache from memorizing the alphabet and needed to go out for some fresh air,¡± Nina stuck out her tongue, ¡°but I guess she might already be in the next block by now.¡±


    ¡°As expected,¡± Duncan sighed, ¡°Considering Sherry¡¯s level of culture and personal cultivation, it¡¯s already quite impressive that she can refrain from swearing in front of me every day¡­¡±


    In his reflection, he turned to look out the window. Through the clear shop window, the everyday and tranquil street scenes of Prand came into view.


    The street was bustling with pedestrians, the citizens busily going about their day, nothing out of the ordinary in the Lower City District today¨Cthe brief malfunction of anomaly 001, the nearly invisible defect on the Sun Rune Ring, the long-forgotten deep-sea operation in the far north, a mysterious symbol left behind by the Ancient Crete Kingdom¡­ all these seemed still very distant from this sunlit street.


    He squinted his eyes slightly, and after a long while, he murmured to himself as if talking to himself, ¡°Tirian is indeed heading back earlier than expected¡­¡±


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    ¡­


    At the southeastern port of the City-State, the enormous steel warship Sea Mist was ready to set sail.


    This warship, which had been severely damaged by Homeloss, had undergone a few days of ¡°self-healing¡± and had now mostly recovered its form; its armor belts and numerous cracks on the deck had completely healed, showing no traces of damage, while Undead sailors were busy transferring supplies and farewell gifts provided generously by Prand between the pier and the warship.


    Fenna, tall in stature, had come to the dock to personally bid farewell to the captain of the Sea Mist.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t expect you to leave so soon,¡± Fenna said, ¡°The Archbishop was prepared for Sea Mist to be our guest for at least two weeks.¡±


    ¡°I actually thought I would stay here for a long time as well¨C but then something unexpected happened,¡± Tirian gently rubbed his forehead, ¡°There are some matters up north I need to take care of.¡±


    This seemed like just an excuse, but Fenna was not interested in probing into parts others wished not to disclose. She was rather concerned as she examined Tirian, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, ¡°Forgive my boldness¡­ Captain, is your face swollen?¡±


    ¡°Small accidents, small accidents.¡± Tirian immediately waved his hand, thinking to himself how fortunate it was that he had recovered another day. If this Judge had seen him yesterday, he wouldn¡¯t know how to explain his head swollen to twice its size.


    Then, seemingly to prevent the awkwardness from continuing, he quickly changed the topic, ¡°My days as a guest in Prand have been very pleasant, and I thank you for your gifts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you liked them,¡± Fenna smiled and nodded, then she looked up curiously at the towering hull of the Sea Mist and the main gun turret visible from the side, ¡°Although I had heard of it, seeing it with my own eyes still seems incredible¡­ This ship really ¡®healed¡¯ itself, even those main guns that were completely obliterated¡­ ¡®grew back¡¯?¡±


    Tirian looked back at his warship, his eyes fell on the three newly restored main guns that seemed a bit smaller than the others, his face wearing a proud smile, ¡°Sea Mist knows what it should look like; it always tends to keep itself in the best condition¨Chowever, those few main guns can¡¯t quite be of use yet. They¡¯re still small and need a few more days to grow before they can fire full-charged standard caliber cannonballs like the others.


    Fenna was stunned, feeling that something about the way he smiled and spoke while looking at his ship¡¯s main guns seemed off, but she couldn¡¯t quite place it¡­


    But luckily, she wasn¡¯t one to dwell on such details.


    At 3:20 in the afternoon, accompanied by a melodious sound of a steam whistle, the towering steel warship slowly accelerated and left the City-State.


    Fenna stood on the dock, watching the warship slowly turn into an inconspicuous shadow on the ocean horizon before she exhaled softly and turned to board the black steam carriage that had been waiting for some time.


    The chauffeur looked up, catching a glimpse of Fenna in the rearview mirror, her face showing signs of fatigue, ¡°You seem very tired?¡±


    ¡°One thing after another, paperwork is far more exhausting than wielding a great sword in combat against heretics,¡± Fenna stretched her shoulders and neck, unceremoniously leaning back in the rear seat, ¡°and lately I¡¯ve been plagued by insomnia too.¡±


    The steam core transmitted a deep vibration and whirring sound, and the gears and connecting rods began to operate swiftly. Listening to the complaints of her superior, a subordinate couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°But at least the City-State has been peaceful recently¨Cno heretics, no monsters, and no unfortunate souls trapped by the night; the night watch guards haven¡¯t encountered any distortion phenomena in the night for several days¡­ After a storm comes a calm, right?¡±


    Fenna listened to her subordinate¡¯s sentiments, and after a while, she slowly said, ¡°Indeed, the nights have been calmer recently than ever before, even in the usually dark-covered Lower City District and the sewers, no noise emerges anymore.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course, it¡¯s a good thing,¡± Fenna said softly, then adjusted her posture in the seat and closed her eyes, ¡°Let me take a short nap, wake me up when we reach the cathedral.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As her subordinate responded, Fenna already felt herself enter a light, drowsy state of sleep, the mechanical sounds of the carriage and the noises from outside the window gradually fading away.


    She was indeed very tired; she hadn¡¯t had a proper rest in many days.


    The order in the City-State had been completely restored, and all the follow-up work was being concluded systematically, and the paperwork was also finished. There had been no issues with the report to the cathedral and various interactions with City Hall¨Cbehind this ¡°smooth sailing¡± was the fatigue of consecutive days.


    After sending off the special ¡°visitor,¡± the Sea Mist, she could finally breathe a little easier.


    At least until the Storm Cathedral arrived in Prandt, and before hosting His Holiness the Pope, she should be able to rest for a few days.


    Suddenly, a gentle night breeze brushed her cheek, carrying a slightly cool fresh scent. Along with it, she heard the sound of waves slapping against the hull.


    Fenna abruptly opened her eyes.


    She found herself in an unfamiliar room.


    What came into view were the classical and elaborately arranged decor, walls adorned with tapestries that seemed from the last century, dark-colored shelves and a liquor cabinet placed in the corners, and a thick woven carpet in the center of the room. On the carpet stood a carved table and chairs with backs, and she herself was sitting in one of those chairs.


    Fenna suddenly got up, then like a fierce beast bracing for battle, she slightly arched her body, cautious of everything around her.


    In the next second, she saw a window nearby¨Cthe window was open. Though she had fallen asleep during the day, the scene outside the window was now draped in nightfall. The cold night wind blew through the window, filling the room with a cool, clear light that spread across the windowsill. Within the light, she could faintly make out the undulating surface of the sea and the shimmering lights floating on it.


    Those shimmering lights were fine as quicksilver.


    Fenna¡¯s gaze involuntarily fell outside, and, following that, she seemed to suddenly discover something and swiftly rushed to the window, tilting her head up to look at the sky.


    There was something¡­ something she couldn¡¯t understand.


    It was a glowing circular object, seemingly like the core of the sun, but neither blinding nor scorching, rather, it was like a cool glowing disc quietly hanging in the sky. On its surface, one could faintly discern some textures¨Cthe whole glowing body seemed to emit a calm and serene mysterious aura.


    Fenna stared blankly at this strange light body, and at that moment, she felt as though her thoughts had also fallen into a tranquil state along with the clear light, and this blank state of mind lasted for an unknown length of time before she dully thought¨Cwhat is that?


    Is that a cooled sun?


    Where has the Creation of the World gone?


    She then withdrew her gaze, looking back at this unfamiliar room.


    Where is this place?


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    Outside was the undulating sea, beside her an unfamiliar room, and outside the window, a strange sky, a bizarre celestial body¡­ Considering her experiences these recent days, the answer seemed not too difficult to guess.


    But this time it seemed slightly different from before; this time¡­ she didn¡¯t see that terrifying Ghost Ship captain.


    Fenna thought this, but as if to respond to her thought, the next second, she suddenly sensed a presence approaching.


    ¡°Thud, thud, thud.¡±


    Someone knocked on the room door.

 Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: Chapter 264 Captains Warning

    Chapter 260: Chapter 264 Captain¡¯s Warning


    To be fair, Fenna had hardly ever been afraid of anything in her life, but Captain Duncan Ebnomal¡­seemed to always bring her various ¡°unexpected situations.¡±


    The room sealed by the Dreamscape, the boundless dark sea outside the window, the eerie luminous body hanging in the sky, under the silent night sky, someone knocked on the door.


    Fenna almost instinctively wanted to summon her greatsword in the Dreamscape and leap to cleave towards the direction of the door¨Cfortunately, she controlled this impulse at the last second.


    ¡°Thud, thud, thud.¡±


    The knocking still came, unhurried, with full patience and politeness.


    Fenna took several deep breaths, not sure what expression she should show, so she could only keep her face taut, trying to make her tone sound normal, ¡°Come in.¡±


    With a click, the handle turned, the heavy, dark wooden door was pushed open from the outside, and an exceedingly tall and imposing figure appeared in front of Fenna and stepped into the room.


    And behind this figure was pure darkness, as if the edge of the Dreamscape¨Cbeyond the edge, there was the ¡°nothingness¡± where no entities existed.


    Duncan stepped into the room and greeted Fenna with a friendly smile, ¡°Good afternoon, Fenna¨CI knocked this time.¡±


    Fenna silently watched the Ghost Ship captain walk into the room, watched him go to the liquor cabinet on his own, take out a bottle and two glasses, and watched him unhurriedly come to the table and sit down on the chair.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you come sit?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows and glanced at the young Judge standing near the window, motioning towards the empty space opposite him at the table, ¡°You don¡¯t look very happy.¡±


    Fenna hesitated for a moment, then finally approached Duncan with a strange look on her face, cautiously sitting down while eyeing him pouring the drinks. After a while, she sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is even scarier now?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Duncan looked at Fenna in surprise, then looked around at the Dreamscape he had taken a while to arrange, at the cozy everyday decorations and the friendly glass in his hand, and frowned uncertainly, ¡°Then next time I¡¯ll try a brighter hue¡­¡±


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    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s about the hue¡­¡± Fenna felt her eyebrows twitch but then seemed to think of something and let out an exasperated sigh, ¡°Alright, at least I think I really felt your ¡®good intentions¡¯¡­ They¡¯re a bit frightening, but I can somewhat confirm their sincerity now.¡±


    Duncan pushed a glass of wine towards her, ¡°Seems like a good thing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Fenna took the glass, hesitantly looking at the clear golden-red liquid inside. She deliberated for a long time before setting it aside for the moment, then lifted her eyes to look at the captain opposite her, ¡°This is another Dreamscape¨Cis it a room on the Homeloss?¡±


    ¡°It has some basis, but it¡¯s not entirely so. I arranged it according to personal preference,¡± Duncan said calmly, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not very good at weaving Dreamscapes. I prefer to enter dreamscapes that already exist, but you were restless in your sleep, with fractured and chaotic dreams, so I prepared a place for you to rest well.¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t care about the last part of Duncan¡¯s words. She just turned her head to look out the window and asked her biggest question, ¡°That glowing thing in the sky outside¡­what is it? Also your ¡®personal preference¡¯?¡±


    Duncan fell silent for a moment, his gaze looking out the window, silent in the moonlight for a long before he sighed and shook his head, ¡°Sort of¨CI don¡¯t really like the too pale and cold glows of the Creation of the World; they¡¯re not soft enough, and they make one feel soaked in malice. As for what you see now¡­you can call it ¡®moon.''¡±


    ¡°¡®Moon¡¯¡­¡± Fenna awkwardly repeated this strange word that seemed to be transliterated directly from an unknown language, ¡°It¡¯s quite a mouthful.¡±


    ¡°Are you interested in it?¡± Duncan looked at Fenna with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Then I could tell you the story behind this name¡­¡±


    But before he could finish speaking, Fenna¡¯s entire body jolted, ¡°No! Thank you!¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright, it¡¯s always like this,¡± Duncan shrugged, not caring much, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s some of the most mundane things, with nothing to do with Subspace.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I believe you are friendly, but¡­just think of me as a coward,¡± Fenna said awkwardly. After so many encounters and a series of events, her wariness and defensive attitude towards the Ghost Ship captain had subtly changed quite a bit. Regardless, from a logical and rational standpoint, she also didn¡¯t dare to casually accept ¡°knowledge¡± from this returnee of Subspace, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else, why are you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Two things,¡± Duncan looked into Fenna¡¯s eyes, ¡°First, thank you for taking care of Tyrion these past couple of days; it seems he has been quite content in Prand.¡±


    ¡°Captain Tyrion?¡± Fenna¡¯s heart stirred, suddenly realizing something, ¡°Have you been paying attention to this all along¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have been paying attention to this matter,¡± Duncan said with a tone of contemplation, ¡°He has been wandering in the north for many years, picked up some pirate habits, and usually only has a bunch of Undead sailors for company, so his social habits are extremely unhealthy. Plus, with that old Frost affair, one can¡¯t help but worry about his mental state¨Cto avoid becoming a reclusive, grumpy cynic, he needs a bit of healthy and orderly human interaction¡­¡±


    Duncan was basically making this up off the top of his head, solely to further solidify his image of ¡°regaining human sanity,¡± to facilitate dealings with Fenna and the ¡°civilization of order¡± behind her. However, Fenna didn¡¯t take this as fabrication. The Judge listened blankly as this Ghost Ship captain rambled on like an old father, and after quite some time, she managed to artlessly say, ¡°You¡­care quite a bit about him¡­¡±


    Duncan stated seriously, ¡°It¡¯s the first step to maintain family harmony for family members to care for each other.¡±


    ¡°¡­But you almost blew the Sea Mist to smithereens.¡± Fenna cautiously reminded him.


    Duncan still spoke in earnest, ¡°Appropriate education and guidance is the second step.¡±


    Fenna, ¡°¡­¡±


    Weird, discordant, full of strangeness, Fenna increasingly felt there was an indescribable eeriness in the communication with Captain Duncan. Oddly enough, in this bizarre and alien conversation, she really began to feel¡­ the Ghost Ship captain ¡°came to life.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but shake her head, pushing the sudden thought aside, ¡°What about the second thing you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°The second thing,¡± Duncan¡¯s expression tightened slightly with seriousness, ¡°is about the sun¨Chave you noticed any changes in it?¡±


    Outside the window, the sound of the waves somehow began to die down, turning into a distant murmur, and the breeze that blew into the room grew faint.


    When Fenna heard him mention ¡°the sun,¡± her eyes subtly changed, ¡°Are you referring to the sunrise that was delayed by fifteen minutes, or¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a gap in the runic ring around it,¡± said Duncan, ¡°judging by your expression, you must have noticed too.¡±


    Fenna was silent for a couple of seconds before nodding slightly, ¡°It¡¯s hard not to notice¨Ceven though it¡¯s a gap hard to detect with the naked eye, for thousands of years, vigilant eyes have been observing anomaly 001¡¯s movements. The Deep Sea Church detected this unsettling situation immediately.¡±


    ¡°The guardians are ever vigilant¡­ My impression of you has improved a bit,¡± said Duncan before suddenly asking, ¡°What do you make of it?¡±


    ¡°¡­It depends on the response from the Storm Cathedral,¡± Fenna stated in a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°here in Praland, we can only report our observations. We are not a research facility, and can¡¯t think of any way to intervene in the running of anomaly 001.¡±


    She pondered for a moment before shaking her head with some uncertainty, ¡°Perhaps even the Storm Cathedral won¡¯t give a clear response. Anomaly 001¡­ its operation affects the whole world, and its abnormalities alarm more than just one Deep Sea Church.¡±


    Speaking thus, Fenna seemed to suddenly realize something and looked up at Duncan, ¡°Are you suddenly discussing this with me because you know something? Do you know what¡¯s wrong with anomaly 001?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t reply immediately.


    His mind involuntarily recalled the brief, strange dream he had had.


    In the dreamscape, massive bodies of light fell like meteor showers, the world gradually enveloped in darkness until the sky was left with only a terrifying void, resembling a gaping hole or a dying eyeball.


    At that time, he hadn¡¯t grasped anything from that dream. But now, he felt as if he had caught a glimpse of a premonition from it.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be certain myself, Fenna,¡± he finally broke the silence, calmly looking into her eyes, ¡°but I think this is just the beginning.¡±


    A chill slowly spread down her back; Fenna felt she was seeing something extremely unsettling in his eyes, ¡°Just a beginning?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have enough evidence yet, but I guess anomaly 001 might actually have a ¡®lifespan¡¯,¡± said Duncan seriously, ¡°What the Ancient Crete Kingdom left for future generations was not eternal shelter, but just temporary peace. The sun above us¡­ is probably about to stop working.


    ¡°As for when that evidence will come¡­¡±


    Duncan paused, then said slowly,


    ¡°Perhaps huge chunks will fall from the sky, signaling the countdown ticker.


    ¡°It¡¯s more likely that the first chunk has already fallen, just outside the field of vision of the civilized world.¡±


    A shiver and unease spread at the pit of her stomach. Fenna¡¯s gaze dropped, concealing all movement in her eyes while her hand slowly picked up the wine glass next to her, and she subconsciously brought it to her lips, seemingly trying to steady her nerves with alcohol.


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    She took a sip, furrowed her brow slightly, and looked up at Duncan, ¡°It¡¯s tasteless¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s tasteless,¡± Duncan smiled, raising his glass slightly to Fenna, ¡°Because you¡¯re about to wake up.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s eyes snapped open.


    She was still seated in the moving steam carriage, with the spires and main structure of the cathedral coming into view.


    She gasped slightly, hearing the voice of a subordinate from ahead, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake. Good timing, we¡¯re almost at the cathedral.¡±

 Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Chapter 265: Sea Witch and Border Relic

    Chapter 261: Chapter 265: Sea Witch and Border Relic


    A pale golden glow spread and enveloped the entire sea. It filled all the space around the Brilliant Starship.


    This oddly shaped ¡°magic battleship,¡± draped in a cloak of brilliance, was moving forward, with the front half of its hull operating at full power. The luminous wheel structures on the sides of the hull roared, and the many magic mechanisms on the deck continuously projected shimmering gratings into the surrounding air. Devices personally crafted by the ¡°Sea Witch¡± were constantly monitoring the environment, collecting valuable data as they sailed.


    The latter half of the ship seemed misty and illusory, resembling a ghost ship, occasionally forming solid structures then becoming almost transparent, dissipating like mist in the fluctuating light. Many ghostly sailors moved on the translucent deck, monitoring the ¡°Spirit Realm depth¡± while ensuring the stability of the Brilliant Starship.


    The sailors at the front and the rear of the ship were clearly divided by their responsibilities, only interacting or moving around occasionally when necessary.


    Lucresia stood at the forefront of the ship, on the top deck, which was in a ¡°blossomed¡± state, like an open terrace offering the best view of the ship, allowing her to clearly see the conditions on the sea.


    Two thick chains extended from the waist of the Brilliant Starship, crossing the slightly undulating sea behind it, and wrapping around a giant stone sphere about several dozen meters from the stern.


    The sphere floated a few meters above the sea, appearing weightless, yet the occasional creaking of the chains and the fact that the Brilliant Starship was at full power but still moving slowly proved that dragging this object was not as easy as it seemed.


    Lucresia watched the stone sphere for a long time before finally pulling her gaze away and rubbing her eyes.


    The endless fog of light released from around the stone wasn¡¯t dazzling, but staring at the boundless brightness for a prolonged period still caused some discomfort to the eyes. The mysterious concave and convex patterns on the surface of the stone were dizzying if looked at for too long.


    Apart from these dizzying effects, the stone sphere and the surrounding light fog seemed to have no more harmful effects; there was no mental impairment when looking at them, nor were there any strange and terrifying sounds when near them¡­ For an odd relic ¡°picked up¡± from the border, this was uncommon.


    Lucresia, having wandered the borders for years, had seen many dangerous things that could easily drive mortals to madness. This sphere, projecting huge geometric illusions, was indeed the safest anomaly among many border relics.


    The sound of footsteps came from beside her, and the voice of the clockwork magic doll Luny followed, ¡°Master, the boiler room has reported, we can¡¯t increase the power any further. This is the maximum speed now.¡±


    ¡°¡­ less than a third of our usual speed,¡± Lucresia sighed, ¡°This sphere looks so light and buoyant, yet it¡¯s so hard to drag.¡±


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    ¡°It really is strange,¡± Luny tilted her head, making a puzzled expression like a human, ¡°We¡¯ve tried every method, but we can¡¯t measure its exact mass.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, we can still drag it, slow as it might be, but we¡¯ll eventually get it back.¡±


    Lucresia said this as she turned her head to look in the direction of the prow¨Csince the length of the chains was limited, the Brilliant Starship was currently sailing within the ¡°huge geometric body¡± projected by the stone sphere. Outside the prow, nothing could be seen but the endless brilliance, unable to see the normal sea.


    But she wasn¡¯t worried about the ship getting lost or hitting something like a reef.


    Because the stern of the Brilliant Starship was sailing in the Spirit Realm, unaffected by the stone sphere, her ghost sailors could observe the sea conditions and guide the navigational route from the stern¡¯s lookout tower and chartroom, ensuring the Brilliant Starship traveled on the right track.


    This was unimaginable for ordinary ships, but for the mistress of the Brilliant Starship, it was routine work.


    ¡°Has Light Breeze Harbor received our message?¡± Lucresia asked slightly turning back, ¡°What was their response?¡±


    ¡°They have received the message, a research team comprised of mathematicians, rune scholars, and transcendental experts is already prepared at the harbor, along with people from the Explorers¡¯ Association,¡± Luny immediately responded, ¡°But I also told them that the Brilliant Starship is currently moving very slowly, so they¡¯ll have to wait a bit longer¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just a matter of waiting a bit longer,¡± Lucresia looked at the omnipresent golden glow on the sea and couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips, ¡°Tell them, what I found this time isn¡¯t a little trinket¨Calthough its ¡®entity¡¯ is indeed not large, its range of influence is too great.


    ¡°Have them find a suitable transfer point in the coastal area, at least two or three miles away from the harbor, otherwise we need to be prepared for the entire harbor area to be enveloped in endless daylight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mistress, we will pass a lighthouse facility in fifteen minutes,¡± Luny bowed slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll send another telegram to Light Breeze Harbor then.¡±


    Lucresia hmmmed softly and then, lost in thought, chuckled self-deprecatingly and shook her head after a few seconds of silence.


    The Magic Doll Luny looked at her puzzled, ¡°Mistress?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just suddenly remembered some things from a long time ago,¡± Lucresia spoke softly, ¡°Luny, did you know that I used to scold my father every time he returned from his explorations?¡±


    ¡°The old master? You scolded him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I scolded him for always bringing back all sorts of strange things,¡± Lucresia seemed to fall into her memories, pondering while she slowly began to speak, ¡°Sometimes he would be excited to study a broken rock he found in the borderlands for half a month, dragging me and my brother into his research.¡±


    She turned around and gazed absent-mindedly at the chains extending from the stern of the ship and the stone ball at the end of those chains.


    ¡°Now, I too have brought back a ¡®big rock¡¯¡­ I wonder what he would think if he knew.¡±


    Luny, unsure of what to say to her mistress, fell silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°¡­ You rarely mention the old master.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because a lot has happened recently,¡± Lucresia shook her head, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore, I¡¯m somewhat tired, what time is it now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already deep in the night,¡± Luny nodded, ¡°You really should rest.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already deep in the night?¡± Lucresia exclaimed, then waved her hand, ¡°Dragging this thing around, twenty-four hours feel like daytime, living in a day and night reversal¡­ Keep an eye on the ship, I¡¯m going to rest now.¡±


    Before the words were fully spoken, her figure suddenly dissolved into numerous colorful paper strips, fluttering in the wind towards the direction of the captain¡¯s quarters.


    ¡­


    Until she returned to the cathedral, until after the evening prayer, Fenna still appeared deeply troubled¨Ca state of mind that could hardly escape the notice of Bishop Valentin.


    Faced with the bishop¡¯s inquiry, she did not hide the ¡°dream exchange¡± she had with the ghost ship captain on her way back from the harbor.


    In the small prayer room adjacent to the side hall, Valentin quietly listened to the content Fenna recounted.


    ¡°¡­ Regarding ¡®his¡¯ visit, I am not surprised,¡± the old bishop said calmly, ¡°The entire Plunder City-State has undergone some kind of¡­ transformation, whether we like to admit it or not, we and the land beneath our feet are now inextricably linked with the Homeloss. I¡¯ve discussed this with your uncle, do you know what he said?¡±


    ¡°¡­ What did he say?¡±


    ¡°Behind today¡¯s Plunder stands a shadowy ¡®master¡¯, just as the ¡®Goran Songs¡¯ depict the ¡®ten cities¡¯, with a shadowy, crownless king, an unnamed great governor, an invisible yet real ¡®owner¡¯,¡± the bishop explained. ¡°This ¡®master¡¯ has not declared his authority to the City-State, just as you wouldn¡¯t announce to the coins in your pocket that you are their master¨Cbut when you take out the coins, you don¡¯t think to consult them either.¡±


    Fenna looked thoughtful, ¡°¡­ The ten cities, said to be the most chilling passage in the ¡®Goran Songs¡¯, describe the gradual takeover and transformation of ten city-states by an invisible ruler into a shadowy realm. Even until the epic¡¯s end, the author did not describe the ruler himself, but only hinted at the ¡®invisible king¡¯ through depictions of the city-states¡¯ atmosphere, customs, and environment. I¡¯ve read it, but I was too young to understand why adults were so enthralled and terrified discussing that epic.¡±


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    With that, she gently shook her head.


    ¡°But I feel at the very least, Captain Duncan isn¡¯t trying to transform the city-state into some sort of¡­ indescribable breeding ground, at least not currently showing any malice.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, he has shown no malice, even going so far as to come and give you a warning,¡± Bishop Valentin nodded slowly, ¡°The issue with Vision 001 has indeed caught the attention of the Quaternion Church, but from what I understand, the mainstream view within each church is still waiting for Vision 001 to ¡®return to normal¡¯. But if Captain Duncan¡¯s warning is true¡­¡±


    The old bishop paused, then sighed softly.


    ¡°Then our world is in great trouble.¡±

 Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Chapter 266: Thought Proliferation

    Chapter 262: Chapter 266: Thought Proliferation


    Fenna stood up and approached the statue of the Goddess in the small prayer room, which was placed on a high pedestal, surrounded by bright, quietly burning candles.


    ¡°We should convey this warning to the Storm Cathedral, and it would be best to pass it on to other churches and City-States as well,¡± came the voice of Bishop Valentin from behind, ¡°but that involves the source of the warning. To be sufficiently convincing, we must present reasons compelling enough for the other Three Gods Church to believe. Merely saying ¡®a saint had a revelation in a dream¡¯ won¡¯t be enough.


    ¡°The Pontiff is already aware of your connection with Captain Duncan, and she has not issued any admonition regarding this, which seems to be a tacit approval. However, if the other churches learn of the real situation¡­ their reaction would be hard to predict, especially the Death Church.¡±


    ¡°The influence of the Vesland Thirteen Islands¡­¡± Fenna muttered softly, ¡°The Death Church¡¯s caution towards the Homeloss is extraordinary.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, the Vesland Thirteen Islands, the sacrifices dragged into the Subspace by the Homeloss, one century ago the largest group of island City-States under the control of the Death Church, for the followers of the Grim Reaper, those thirteen islands¡¯ status is equivalent to Plunder today for the Deep Sea Church,¡± Valentin sighed, ¡°It¡¯s troublesome, after a hundred years, it¡¯s not just a matter of hatred, but a natural distrust of humans towards a ¡®disaster out of control.¡¯ If they knew the source of this warning, they might think of it more as a conspiracy.¡±


    Fenna was silent for a moment before abruptly speaking up, ¡°The Storm Cathedral will be arriving soon, maybe the Pontiff has her own considerations regarding this.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so,¡± Valentin muttered with some uncertainty, ¡°Regardless, the Four Gods Church has already taken notice of the anomaly 001. It¡¯s just that our level of concern


    Fenna slowly nodded and then raised her gaze, looking at the statue of the Storm Goddess Gomona, before softly murmuring a prayer, ¡°¡­may You protect us.¡±


    ¡­


    On the aft deck of the Homeloss, Duncan had just finished inspecting the entire ship and was ready to retreat to his room for rest.


    The Homeloss required a thorough inspection periodically, especially the parts of the ship submerged in the Endless Sea¨Cthe cabins needed the captain¡¯s intimidation and reassurance to ensure stability.


    During this inspection, Duncan also specifically checked the status of the ¡°Door to Subspace¡± in the ship¡¯s hold, confirming that the door remained firmly closed.


    This brought him some peace of mind.


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    In contrast to this ¡°peace,¡± a sense of unease weighed on his heart: he still hadn¡¯t figured out how he managed to enter the ¡°other side¡± of the door by simply sleeping in his bedroom last time.


    Entering the Subspace in a daze, spending half a day on another Homeloss within the Subspace, although he eventually found a way back safely, until he could determine the mechanism by which he entered the Subspace, he could never be completely at ease.


    And the time he entered the Subspace was right after anomal 001 acted up.


    The ¡°Sun¡± malfunctioning, unsettling dreams, entering the Subspace¨Cthe proximity of these events made it hard not to speculate on whether there was a hidden connection behind them.


    Standing in front of the captain¡¯s quarters, Duncan, holding a lantern in one hand, took a deep breath in the chilly night air.


    Perhaps it was this ¡°unease¡± that had compelled him to send a warning during the prior ¡°Dreamscape Communication¡± with Fenna, although he was still not certain how much his strange and bizarre dreams reflected reality. Yet, after so many encounters with Transcendent phenomena, he had at least one insight: it might be nothing if an ordinary person had a dream, but if he, ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± had a dream¡­ it should never be dismissed merely as a dream.


    Now, he only hoped that his warning could prompt the Four Gods Church to focus more attention on Anomaly 001.


    He knew he was no expert in the Transcendent realm, even if he wanted to investigate Anomaly 001, he wouldn¡¯t know where to start, and what he could do¡­ was to attract those real experts to the issue.


    A warning from ¡°Captain Duncan¡± was undoubtedly a reason for many to take the matter seriously.


    Collecting his thoughts, Duncan placed his hand on the doorknob of the captain¡¯s quarters. But before opening the door, he suddenly recalled another matter.


    The Abyssal Plan that Valentin had mentioned to him.


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed slightly in thought, then he pushed open the ¡°Door of the Displaced.¡±


    A swirling mist appeared within the doorframe.


    He stepped through.


    After a brief sensation of dizziness and spatial disorientation, Zhou Ming opened his eyes to his familiar bachelor apartment where everything remained unchanged.


    As usual, he first checked the windowsill, desk, and other spots to ensure everything was as before, then he walked to the end of the room.


    On the simple shelf, the intricate ¡°models¡± of the Homeloss and Plunder still sat quietly in their original positions.


    Zhou Ming approached and directly picked up the ¡°model¡± representing Plunder, holding the collection, which wasn¡¯t light nor too heavy in his hands, and sat down at the nearby desk to closely inspect its ¡°base¡± structure.


    Before this moment, he had never considered the matter¨Cit must be admitted that ¡°beneath the City-State¡± was not just a blind spot in the thoughts of many people in this world, but also in his own.


    He saw only an extremely smooth base.


    Below the sea level of Plunder City-State, the corresponding part on the model came to an abrupt halt, its base as smooth as if sliced by a sharp blade.


    Zhou Ming stared at the base of the model, falling into deep contemplation.


    If it was simply a ¡°model,¡± this neatly trimmed base would undoubtedly be normal, but he knew this ¡°collectible¡± was no ordinary model; it should be a ¡°reflection,¡± a ¡°projection,¡± of the real Plunder within this room¨Cthe thing it presented¡­ should be the complete appearance of Plunder!


    No matter what lay beneath the City-State, whether it was an infinitely long column or a thin base, it should have some structure, not like now, where everything below the sea surface just stopped abruptly.


    Was it because he hadn¡¯t burned the City-State thoroughly enough with flames before? Or was it because¡­


    He had ¡°overlooked¡± this part?


    Zhou Ming slightly furrowed his brow, his fingers unconsciously tapping the edge of the desk, then he steadied himself, placed his hands over the model, and his mind began to spread out.


    Inside an antique shop in Plunder City-State, Duncan, having just wished Nina and Sherry goodnight, walked back to his room silently. He came to the window and quietly gazed out at the peaceful night view of the district, with its scattered night lights.


    The night had deepened, almost all the inhabitants of the City-State had returned to their homes, and the streets were extremely quiet, with only a few specks of light moving in the darker alleys¨Cthese were the patrolling guards and the glow from the lanterns they carried.


    Duncan closed his eyes slightly.


    A clearer, more direct perspective of the entire Plunder City-State appeared directly in his mind.


    The crowded residential areas, the steam factories operating day and night, the quiet commercial districts, the damp streets close to the sea, the gas lamps along the road, the pipe system crossing the City-State¡­


    In some part of the City-State, a team of guards emerged from an alley, ready to check the next set of gas and steam nodes.


    A young team member holding a lantern looked at the silent street ahead and muttered with a hint of sentimentality, ¡°It looks like another peaceful night is ahead¡­ To be honest, I¡¯m not quite used to these quiet nights.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down,¡± said the team leader, glancing at his subordinate, ¡°Anything can happen under the cover of night, look out for the darkest places.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± replied the guard quickly, straightening up, but he couldn¡¯t help adding, ¡°But don¡¯t you think it has been really quiet recently? I¡¯ve heard that the recent night patrol records for the whole city don¡¯t even have a single¡­¡±


    A trace of pale green light suddenly flickered at the edge of their vision and then disappeared, causing the team member to involuntarily stop.


    It seemed as if the light from a distant gas lamp had changed for a moment, but it was so brief and subtle, almost impossible to capture.


    ¡°Did you just see something flash by?¡± the guard instinctively placed his hand on the runic steel sword at his waist and said in a low, serious voice, ¡°The gas lamp seemed to flicker.¡±


    ¡°I saw your lantern flicker a bit too,¡± another team member chimed in.


    The guards instinctively turned their eyes to the team leader.


    But the team leader was frowning deeply, as if pondering something. Several seconds passed before the experienced guard shook his head: ¡°Continue the patrol¨Cjust report any incidents to the Church afterwards.¡±


    The team of guards left the place.


    However, similar incidents were happening all over the city.


    Green shadows passing through flames, invisible gazes flashing in the dark¨CDuncan¡¯s thoughts flowed through the entire City-State and then gradually sank deeper into the City-State.


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    With that transcendent and clear ¡°perception,¡± Duncan allowed his consciousness to sink, bit by bit, exploring the structure of the City-State beneath the sea surface.


    Back in the apartment room, Zhou Ming suddenly opened his eyes.


    A faint friction sound reached his ears.


    He picked up the ¡°collectible¡± in front of him, staring intently at the base of Plunder City-State.


    Rough and complex new structures¡­ were beginning to ¡°grow¡± from the base of this ¡°model.¡±

 Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Chapter 267: Beneath the Darkness

    Chapter 263: Chapter 267: Beneath the Darkness


    ¡°The ¡®model¡¯s¡¯ base was growing.


    As Zhou Ming-Duncan¡¯s thoughts spread, the structures representing Plunder City-State¡¯s subterranean world began to emerge in his mind one by one; those that appeared in his cognition were now becoming the new parts corresponding to this ¡°collectible.¡±


    It was a rough object, resembling a stone disc, which grew at a visible speed and covered the entire underground portion of Plunder City-State. It then started to gradually extend, displaying even more bizarre and intricate details¨Clayers of sediment thousands of years old, growths resembling tiny spikes, and strange protrusions meandering between the layers of sediment.


    It felt like the coarse exterior of an echinoderm or the ugly outer layer left by rocks corroded in strong acid.


    Finally, the growth process came to a halt.


    The ¡®model¡¯ representing Plunder City-State had now acquired a base that resembled a disc.


    However, Zhou Ming furrowed his brows.


    He could feel¡­ his consciousness, which was spreading throughout Plunder City-State, had not stopped but was continuing to extend ¡°downward¡±!


    In the darkness, in the cold, and within the transcendent perception beyond ordinary senses, he felt his spirit seeping into the soil like mercury, continuing to permeate and flow downward. He clearly felt his ¡°gaze¡± passing through thick concrete, soil, and rock, beyond an extremely dense ¡°shell¡± that was neither metal nor stone, sinking into the icy cold seawater, then carrying on downward, further and further!


    In just the blink of an eye, he felt he had plunged into the pitch-black deep sea, bypassing the 850-meter-thick base, and quickly extending along some invisible yet existing ¡°pathway!¡±


    And how much further had it stretched after that? A hundred meters? Two hundred meters?


    Zhou Ming could not be sure. He only knew that his perception was still spreading downward, even though he had already left the boundaries of Plunder City-State, and even though no new structures were appearing on the ¡°collectible¡± in his hand, his thoughts were still flowing along some invisible ¡°medium!¡±


    His first reaction was, of course, nervousness, and he subconsciously tried to control this tendency of his thoughts to ¡°fall¡± into the deep sea. Yet before he could react, this continuous ¡°fall¡± suddenly stopped.


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    It was as if he had suddenly hit some invisible ¡°limit,¡± or had reached the end of the ¡°medium.¡± His perception ultimately settled in the deep water beneath the city-state at some depth and stabilized there.


    Zhou Ming felt his heart pounding. It was like a sudden fall halted abruptly mid-descent by a rope, causing a severe adrenaline rush, and it took him nearly half a minute to calm down and regain control over his breathing and heartbeat.


    Once he had steadied his nerves, he slowly lifted the Plunder model in front of him to observe the thick ¡°rock plate¡± that had spread out from under its base.


    The structure was rough and ugly but relatively orderly overall. Its bottom was a rugged fracture surface, giving the impression that it had been clumsily snapped off from somewhere, or that it had been interrupted during the ¡°generation¡± process from top to bottom, leaving an ugly break.


    The internal structure of this disc was utterly chaotic and impenetrable, almost impossible to sense or scout.


    But Zhou Ming¡¯s attention was not on the disc-shaped base. Instead, it was on the space beneath the base.


    A part of his ¡°consciousness¡± that had extended out was now hovering in that position.


    Zhou Ming slowly closed his eyes.


    The next second, the sensation from afar was instantly intensified.


    He felt himself in the dark, icy depths of the sea, enveloped and weighed down by immeasurable waters. The pressure was so real that it seemed to suppress and bind even his consciousness. He tried to open his ¡°eyes¡± in this darkness, but he could only see endless nothingness.


    Gradually, however, tiny specks of light appeared within that nothingness.


    Were those some deep-sea plankton? A school of bioluminescent fish? Or something else entirely?


    Zhou Ming strained to discern for a long time before realizing¡­ that was the bottom of Plunder.


    He was ¡°looking up¡± at Plunder and saw the underside of the rough disc base in the pitch darkness, where there were small glowing structures.


    But it was impossible to clearly see what those were¡­ Pure conscious perception, separated by such vast distances and thick seawater, transmitted information that was too vague.


    Zhou Ming then slowly adjusted, attempting to focus his attention in another direction: even deeper beneath the seafloor.


    He only felt an endless void, an endless darkness.


    In the deep sea¡­ there seemed to be nothing.


    But after a while, he vaguely sensed something.


    Something enormous and lifeless, possibly as gigantic as Plunder itself, was slumbering in that vast expanse of darkness.


    Zhou Ming could not see it, could not hear it; the extreme darkness and silence concealed all details of the enormous presence. However, he was certain that something was there, silently lurking as if it had always been.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, Zhou Ming returned without success.


    In the end, he was unable to ¡°see¡± whatever lay in the deep sea directly beneath Plunder.


    Yet, he had an inkling of one thing¨C


    That vast structure hidden directly under the city-state was probably the reason why Lei Nora, the Frost Queen, stubbornly pursued the Deep Abyss Project half a century ago!


    Beneath Frost there was something; beneath Plunder there was something; and beneath the other city-states¡­ there was likely something as well!


    Zhou Ming took a deep breath, stood up, cradled the Plunder City-State model, and slowly approached the shelf at the end of the room.


    The model now had an additional ¡°base,¡± but it still fit into the storage compartment on the shelf¨Cas if from the beginning, the model and the compartment had been designed with ample space in mind.


    Before placing the model into the compartment, Zhou Ming¡¯s gaze once again fell on the base below, and a hint of curiosity surfaced in his mind.


    His consciousness could spread throughout the City-State, yet in the deep sea, his consciousness clearly exceeded the physical boundaries of this City-State model¡­ The structure at the base came to an abrupt halt at 850 meters, but beyond that, his consciousness extended further down another hundred or two hundred meters¡­ How did it continue to extend in the subsequent meters? What was the invisible medium that facilitated it?


    Zhou Ming slowly returned the model to the storage rack.


    ¡­


    Once again, the sun rose as normal into the sky.


    In the Lower City District of Plunder, in the small open space in front of the antique shop, Duncan watched as Nina rode her bicycle around in a cheerful circle, then up and down the street, before coming to a steady stop right before him.


    ¡°Uncle! I¡¯m already very proficient!¡± Nina said, one foot steady on the ground, her face showing excitement and pride.


    Duncan¡¯s face broke into a smile, ¡°Not bad, you¡¯re riding quite proficiently¨Cbut you¡¯ve stopped on my foot now.¡±


    Nina quickly looked down and, in a flurry, moved the bicycle wheel away: ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Duncan smiled and waved his hand before heaving a sigh of relief and looking up at the sunlit street.


    Everything in the City-State remained unchanged.


    Below the sunlight-bathed streets, the profound darkness and massive shadows seemed like they belonged to another world, not impacting people¡¯s daily lives in the slightest.


    However, ever since he completed the scouting of ¡°underneath¡± Plunder, he couldn¡¯t help but think of the cold, dark depths of the sea and the immense structure he sensed there.


    It caused him to drift off in thought frequently.


    He even couldn¡¯t resist wondering if the Frost Queen from half a century ago felt the same way. Had she also glimpsed the secrets in the deep sea through some means¡­ perhaps even more than he had uncovered?


    ¡°You¡¯re spacing out again, Uncle?¡± Nina¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside him, interrupting Duncan¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Are you alright? You¡¯ve been daydreaming since the morning.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Duncan quickly said, waving his hand and then glancing toward the end of the street as if to change the subject, ¡°But speaking of which, Alice still hasn¡¯t returned, huh.¡±


    ¡°She just left not too long ago,¡± Nina said casually, ¡°And you don¡¯t need to worry so much, right? It¡¯s just a trip to buy a newspaper, not crossing half the city. She shouldn¡¯t get lost, right?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but worry,¡± Duncan sighed, ¡°This is her very first time going out on her own¨Ceven if it¡¯s just to the newsstand at the corner of the street.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯ll be fine,¡± Nina considered before stating confidently, ¡°I rehearsed it many times with her before leaving, including how to tell the vendor what she wants to buy, how to make change, and to say thank you after receiving the items¡­ She learned it all.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hope so,¡± Duncan sighed, ¡°Mainly because when she was first on the ship, just going to the kitchen to get a plate would get her a smack with a frying pan.¡±


    Nina paused: ¡°I think these two things aren¡¯t comparable¡­¡±


    As they were talking, Alice¡¯s figure appeared in the sight of the uncle and niece.


    The doll lady was running towards them with a newspaper in her arms, a bright smile on her face, and calling out, ¡°Mr. Duncan! I¡¯ve bought the newspaper!¡±


    Nina laughed: ¡°See, I told you Miss Alice would be fine!¡±


    But Duncan, upon seeing Alice running towards them, was suddenly alarmed and hurried forward while calling out loudly, ¡°Don¡¯t run! Slow down!¡±


    Just as feared, during their conversation, he watched helplessly as Alice tumbled to the ground, right in front of him less than five meters away, falling flat on her face.


    The next second, however, the doll got up as if nothing had happened, dusted off her skirt, picked up the newspaper that had fallen on the ground, and arrived before Duncan with a beaming smile: ¡°Newspaper!¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t take the newspaper right away; instead, he gazed at the doll miss, whose head was still on, in disbelief for a moment before finally managing to say, ¡°¡­ How did your head not fall off after a fall like that?¡±


    Alice continued to maintain her confident posture, head held high, with a radiant smile: ¡°I¡¯ve found a good way to reinforce it!¡±


    Duncan looked at the doll with suspicion: ¡°A good way?¡±


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    Alice: ¡°I used glue!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?!¡±


    After being stunned for a couple of seconds, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Who taught you that?¡±


    ¡°Sherry!¡±


    (Because of the memorial day, the update for tomorrow is moved to today.)

 Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter 268: Alice with a Stable Head

    Chapter 264: Chapter 268: Alice with a Stable Head


    Watching Alice with her neck stuck out in a confident pose, Duncan¡¯s emotions became disjointed¨C¡°And he suddenly realized this silly posture wasn¡¯t confidence or pride at all. It was just frozen and unable to move¡­


    But the doll herself seemed completely unaware of the seriousness of the situation, still wearing a smug expression, handing over the newspaper to Duncan while giggling foolishly, clearly very happy about succeeding in shopping alone. ¡°Here you go, the newspaper, and I even remembered the change!¡±


    Duncan finally took the newspaper expressionlessly and after two or three seconds, he reminded the silly doll, ¡°Alice, just nod your head.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Alice was puzzled, but she still chose to obey the captain¡¯s order. As a result, her head just shook slightly, a strange noise came from her neck, and then it couldn¡¯t move anymore.


    After two seconds of being stunned, the doll finally reacted and exclaimed, ¡°Mr. Duncan! I can¡¯t move! Help, please help!¡±


    Duncan looked at the doll wearily, turned around, and walked towards the antique store. ¡°Stop shouting outside, we¡¯ll figure it out when we get back.¡±


    Alice hurriedly followed Duncan¡¯s footsteps, with the equally puzzled and helpless Nina trailing behind them. The three entered the antique store, and Nina who was last, turned around to close the door carefully, making sure to hang the ¡®Closed for Break¡¯ sign.


    Duncan casually threw the newly bought newspaper on the counter, ready to check on Alice¡¯s situation when his eyes inadvertently swept over a headline on the front page of the newspaper.


    His attention was drawn back to the newspaper.


    It printed in bold black letters:


    ¡°The Storm Cathedral will arrive at loyal Plunder at noon tomorrow¨Cthe glory of the Storm Overlord blesses us all.¡±


    The Storm Cathedral? The Deep Sea Church¡¯s mysterious ¡°sea headquarters¡±? Was the messenger of the Storm Goddess, Gomona, coming to this city-state because of the historical pollution incident? Or because of the Homeloss? Or both?


    Duncan frowned, picked up the newspaper, and glanced through the headline article.


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    Meanwhile, Alice, who was dreadfully agitated, kept bustling about. She finally realized that filling her neck joint with glue was not a wise decision. Noticing that the captain was too busy to attend to her, she turned to Nina for help. ¡°Miss Nina, help! Save, save, save, save me¡­¡±


    Nina was also panicking, stepping forward and shaking Alice¡¯s head from side to side, only to find the glue had completely hardened. ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be pulled off! It¡¯s obvious it¡¯s super glue!¡±


    ¡°Think of something,¡± Alice seemed almost about to cry, holding her head with both hands, ¡°Miss Nina, didn¡¯t you study something about repairing mechanics, you even know how to fix those complicated steam cores, fix me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to repair dolls though!¡± Nina, also frantic, ultimately turned her pleading eyes to Duncan, ¡°Uncle, please think of something, Miss Alice¡¯s head is completely stuck¡­¡±


    Duncan finally put the newspaper down and turned to look at the two causing a ruckus beside him, his gaze landing on Alice. ¡°How much glue did you pour in, what kind was it?¡±


    ¡°A whole bottle, about this big,¡± Alice gestured with her hands, ¡°I found it in your room, a brown little glass bottle.¡±


    ¡°You poured it all in?!¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched visibly, ¡°How did you manage that?¡±


    ¡°I just took off the head, turned it upside down, poured in glue, shook it slightly, then immediately put it back on,¡± Alice¡¯s voice almost whimpered, ¡°Sherry said this would make it secure¡­¡±


    Duncan stared dumbfounded at her. He could feel the beautiful doll¡¯s profound despair¨Cthough dolls couldn¡¯t cry, all their sorrow must just flow within their hollow hearts¨Ca rather poetic sentiment if one could overlook the detail that ¡°the doll¡¯s despair stems from her head being glued on.¡±


    Duncan sighed, tossed the newspaper aside, stepped forward to remove Alice¡¯s lace decoration on her neck, examining the rigid superglue at the joint edges. After a moment of silence, he turned to Nina, ¡°¡­Where did Sherry go?¡±


    ¡°She¡­ said she got a headache from memorizing vocabulary and went out to clear her head an hour ago,¡± Nina responded, shrinking her neck, ¡°Did she flee because she¡¯s guilty?¡±


    ¡°I highly doubt she thought that far. The only thing she usually thinks about is skipping class,¡± Duncan sighed and shook his head, ¡°No use, it¡¯s completely dry, at least half an hour dry. It¡¯s fast-acting glue, you can¡¯t pull it off by force now.¡±


    ¡°What should we do then!¡± Alice looked helplessly at Duncan, ¡°I¡­ need to take off my head when combing my hair, I can¡¯t comb it with the head attached.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re only worried about that after your head got stuck?¡± Duncan glared at Alice and then waved his hands wearily, ¡°Alright, stop frowning. Although this glue is solid, it¡¯s not resistant to heat or water. Just soak it in hot water, it will loosen.¡±


    Alice felt like she had been rescued, and the anxious Nina immediately reacted, quickly stepping forward to take Alice¡¯s hand, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you to the bathroom, I can heat up water very quickly!¡±


    The Sun Shard, with its head glued on, went thumping upstairs, while Duncan sighed helplessly, picking up the newspaper he had set aside.


    According to the news released, the arrival of the Storm Cathedral in Plunder was just a regular docking for repairs. The Pontiff of the Deep Sea, Helena, would be visiting the Plunder Cathedral during this time and discussing some church matters with the Archbishop and the Judge. The newspaper made no mention of the previous historical pollution incident or anything related to Homeloss.


    Even without a mention in the newspapers, any keen observer would have known that the Pontiff of the Deep Sea was here because of those two major events.


    Duncan didn¡¯t care about the faith of the Storm Goddess, but he couldn¡¯t help but ponder what impact this event might have on him.


    Or rather, could he use this opportunity to gather some information?


    He still remembered the message that he suspected had come from the Storm Goddess: ¡°Thank you.¡± Even if that hadn¡¯t happened, he was still quite curious about the deities of this world and also quite interested in the Storm Cathedral that was said to cruise the Endless Sea year-round.


    On the other hand, he was curious if the highest spokesperson of the Storm Goddess arriving here might notice something unusual about the Plunder City-State, or perhaps notice him, the ¡°Subspace Shadow¡± hidden within the City-State.


    Things were getting interesting.


    Duncan set the newspaper aside and sat down next to the counter, thoughtfully stroking his chin.


    The antique shop was very quiet; even the faint sounds from Nina and Alice in the second-floor bathroom managed to trickle down, Nina¡¯s voice being the clearest:


    ¡°Wow! These joints are really amazing¡­ so beautiful!


    ¡°Miss Alice, can your wrist really rotate 360 degrees¡­ really?!¡±


    ¡°Miss Alice, there¡¯s a keyhole on your back, huh? You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s for?¡±


    ¡°Is it okay if the keyhole gets water in it? Oh, then I¡¯m relieved¡­¡±


    Duncan rubbed his temples with a slight headache.


    He began to suspect that the two upstairs had completely forgotten about their actual tasks.


    But soon, the noise from upstairs quieted down, followed by a rush of frantic footsteps clattering to the staircase, with Nina¡¯s voice trailing behind, ¡°Uncle Duncan! This won¡¯t do! Come see, it just won¡¯t come off!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    He ascended the stairs baffled, seeing Nina standing helplessly in the hallway, and he looked towards the bathroom at the end of the corridor to see Alice peeking out somewhat awkwardly.


    Then the doll Miss came out, her whole body wet, wrapped in a towel, her head still perfectly in place.


    ¡°Captain, it didn¡¯t work,¡± said Alice with a downcast face.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t budge at all,¡± Nina muttered quietly, ¡°even after flushing with hot water for ages.¡±


    Duncan looked at Alice, then at Nina clutching at her clothes nearby, and finally sighed deeply.


    ¡°Use boiling water.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Nina was immediately startled, ¡°Really¡­ really?! Can Miss Alice endure that¡­¡±


    ¡°She once deep-fried her head; she definitely won¡¯t fear this temperature,¡± Duncan spread his hands, ¡°It seems using hot water is ineffective, boiling her head might still have some hope.¡±


    Nina¡¯s eyes seemed a bit glazed as she pondered the process for a while, hesitatingly said, ¡°Boiling water is easy, I can make that quickly, but¡­ we don¡¯t have a pot big enough or a tub to submerge her whole body. To boil her head, Miss Alice would have to crouch in the water, right?¡±


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    She gestured as she spoke though being academically excellent at school, at this moment, Nina still felt her imagination struggling to keep up with reality.


    However, Duncan didn¡¯t have such limitations in his thinking; he just looked at the pitiful, towel-wrapped gothic doll nearby, then turned to Nina and said, ¡°It¡¯s simple, just find any large pot, let her dive headfirst into it¡­ I¡¯ll hold her steady if needs be.¡±


    Nina visualized it, though her tone remained especially hesitant, ¡°It just seems a bit pitiful for Miss Alice¡­¡±


    ¡°Pitiful my ass!¡± Duncan finally lost his temper, swearing like never before, ¡°She let an illiterate swindle her into pouring an entire bottle of glue into her joints. She needs to learn her lesson!¡±


    (Bad news, wife tested positive, so did the kid, and I¡¯m not feeling great either. It¡¯s going to be tough to keep up with writing¡­ Not sure if I can maintain updates, but I¡¯ll try my best. Will write whenever I have the energy, trying not to stop.)

 Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter 269: Subspace Nest is Still Warm Today

    Chapter 265: Chapter 269: Subspace Nest is Still Warm Today


    ¡°Are you really sure this will work?¡±


    As Nina looked at the large basin of water on the table, she couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. She glanced nervously at Alice beside her, then at the expressionless Duncan, and muttered softly,


    ¡°If this doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll have to use solvent, but that stuff is corrosive. I don¡¯t know if Alice¡¯s body will be affected,¡± Duncan said irritably, eyeing the goth doll that had changed back into her regular clothes yet whose neck remained rigidly fixed. ¡°Or maybe she should just stay in that position.¡±


    Alice panicked when she heard this and quickly waved her hands, ¡°No, let¡¯s try boiling water first!¡±


    Nina¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between Alice and the basin several times before she finally nodded and slowly dipped her hand into the cool water.


    She controlled her movements very, very carefully, as if trying to precisely extract a single grain of sand from a desert. Guiding the flame that burned deep in her soul outward¨CAs a girl with an inner passion of 6000 degrees, such precise control was not easy. However, she had been practicing this control whenever she had spare time over the past few days, and she had made significant progress. It took only a short time, and she succeeded.


    The water boiled.


    Alice turned to look at Duncan, who glanced back at her.


    Then, without hesitation, Duncan pushed the doll¡¯s head into the basin of boiling water.


    ¡°Let it cook a while,¡± he said, pressing on Alice¡¯s shoulders in resignation, ¡°but if you feel uncomfortable, we¡¯ll stop.¡±


    Alice immediately replied, ¡°Gurgle gurgle¡­¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, then looked up at Nina and said, ¡°I guess she¡¯s not uncomfortable.¡±


    Nina just stared wide-eyed at the scene before her and couldn¡¯t help muttering, ¡°I still think this scene is really creepy¡­¡±


    Duncan sighed, thinking to himself that it was needless to say how creepy the scene was. In the somber, cramped space of the antique shop¡¯s second floor, an uncle and his niece were boiling a goth doll¡¯s head in water. Moreover, the goth doll had raised her hands, giving a thumbs-up to show she was alright¡­


    Anyone who saw this scene for the first time would go report it to the sheriff¨Cand the second time, they¡¯d call the church guardians.


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    Just then, footsteps suddenly sounded from the stairs, followed by Sherry¡¯s voice reaching Duncan and Nina¡¯s ears: ¡°I¡¯m back! Mr. Duncan, old man Morris is here again, I told him to come right up¡­¡±


    The next second, Sherry appeared at the door, her voice abruptly stopping.


    In the dimly lit room, Duncan and Nina stood quietly next to a basin of boiling water, Nina¡¯s hand still immersed, maintaining the boil, while Duncan pressed down on Alice¡¯s shoulders, keeping the goth doll¡¯s head firmly submerged as only the bubbling noise of boiling water could be heard.


    Duncan and Nina both looked up at Sherry in the doorway.


    Following her, Morris appeared, standing right behind Sherry.


    The scene in the kitchen-cum-dining room also fell into the historian¡¯s view.


    The old man thought for a moment and then it clicked¨CAh, they were cooking Unusual 099 with Subspace Shadow and Sun Shard.


    Morris nodded, thinking today¡¯s antique shop was just as normal as any other day.


    ¡°Bloody hell!¡± Sherry¡¯s belated exclamation finally erupted as she almost jumped up, her face showing panic. But then she quickly covered her mouth, as if trying to shove the curse words back in, mumbling indistinctly.


    ¡°What are you screaming for?¡± Duncan immediately glared at this jumpy individual, ¡°Was it your idea to pour glue into Alice¡¯s neck?¡±


    It finally dawned on Sherry what was happening in front of her. Her first instinct was to turn and run, but under Duncan¡¯s gaze, she dared not move.


    ¡°I¡­ It was just a casual suggestion, I had no idea she¡¯d really do it,¡± Sherry¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°Who would believe that normally¡­¡±


    Duncan was about to say something when he suddenly felt Alice¡¯s body shake a bit, so he quickly let go. Then he saw Alice straighten up from the basin.


    Her body only.


    Her head was still boiling in the basin.


    ¡°Ah, it worked,¡± Nina exclaimed in surprise.


    Alice¡¯s body stood motionless for a few seconds, then began to reach out, groping to fish her own head out of the water, which bubbled pleadingly, ¡°Help¡­ gurgle¡­ help¡­ gurgle.¡±


    Nina quickly fished out Alice¡¯s head, somewhat clumsily helping the latter fix it back in place. After hearing the familiar ¡°pop,¡± everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.


    Alice turned her head left and right, discovering that although her neck was still somewhat stiff, she could indeed move it. She immediately looked at Duncan with a delighted expression, ¡°Captain! I can move again!¡±


    ¡°You take her to dry her hair, her collar is also wet, help her dry it off,¡± Duncan sighed and raised his head to speak to Nina, then glanced at Sherry, who looked terrified and wanted to run but didn¡¯t dare to, not very pleased, ¡°Copy the alphabet twenty times later, each new word twenty times each.¡±


    After finishing, he didn¡¯t care about Sherry¡¯s expression, which was like the sky had fallen, and turned directly to Morris, ¡°What happened? Is there any new discovery about that symbol?¡±


    Morris, seemingly still not recovered from the eerie, thrilling, chaotic scene just now, was startled for a moment before responding hurriedly, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not about the symbol. I suddenly received a piece of news from a friend at the city hall today, and I think¡­ you might be interested in it.¡±


    ¡°A message from the city hall?¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°Go on in detail.¡±


    Several minutes later, Morris shared with Duncan the information he had learned just that morning.


    ¡°Apparition-Plunder¡­¡± At the dining table, Duncan repeated the term with a slightly solemn expression, then looked at Morris, ¡°When will this news be announced?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not decided yet, but it should be in the next few days,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°Logically speaking, as the Plunder City-State is still in the aftermath of the previous disaster, most citizens are still very receptive. Announcing the situation of the City-State turning into an apparition as one of the disaster aftermath conclusions might not yet cause too much chaos¨Cif we wait until the City-State has completely stabilized and everyone has lived peacefully for a long time before announcing, then it could become a new round of chaos.¡±


    Duncan just nodded slightly without a word, but his mind inevitably recalled the news he had just seen in the newspaper.


    The Storm Cathedral will arrive at Plunder.


    The change in the registry of anomalies and apparitions is released by the major churches from the source, so the Storm Cathedral must have been the first to know about this situation.


    ¡°A city-state turning into an apparition, yet still operating as usual, this is unusual, but what¡¯s even more unusual is that this newly emerged apparition has no number,¡± Morris added, ¡°Do you¡­ have any thoughts on this?¡±


    Duncan certainly noticed the issue of the newly emerged apparition lacking a number, but what could he think? His expertise in the mystic arts was actually no better than that of a dog¡­


    But he couldn¡¯t say that, so he just pondered for a moment, then shook his head with an indifferent expression, ¡°I have no thoughts on it. The ¡®codes¡¯ of anomalies and apparitions announced by the major churches are incomprehensible and meaningless to me.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Morris opened his mouth, but then he thought of the green flames that had engulfed the entire city-state, the disintegrating Black Sun, and the anomaly 099 that had just been pressed into the basin very obediently.


    All of this, it seemed, was just the same to Captain Duncan, just some¡­ minor ¡°daily problems¡± that needed addressing.


    There was no need for one to care about the name of every speck of dust one swept up daily.


    ¡°Alright, it indeed has no meaning for you,¡± the old scholar looked at Duncan with some reverence, then hesitated for a moment before slowly organizing his words, ¡°Also, although this should be without question, I still want to confirm that Plunder was indeed turned into an apparition by your intervention, right?¡±


    Duncan slightly turned his face, ¡°Any doubts?¡±


    ¡°No, I have no doubts, I¡¯m just curious what you plan to do with this city-state,¡± Morris said while choosing his words carefully to express his thoughts as clearly and unambiguously as possible, ¡°You transformed it into an apparition, do you intend to¡­¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of controlling the fate of this city-state, nor do I plan to meddle in anyone¡¯s future,¡± Duncan interrupted Morris gently shaking his head, ¡°If I must say something¡­¡±


    He paused, turned his head to look out the window, at the tranquil scenery on the street.


    ¡°I quite like this place, so I hope it will remain peaceful.¡±


    ¡­


    Inside the Storm Cathedral, Fenna was talking to Heidi when she suddenly stopped and looked back in confusion.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Heidi looked curiously at her friend.


    ¡°I just thought I suddenly heard a bell ringing and someone speaking softly to me,¡± Fenna frowned, ¡°I think I misheard.¡±


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    ¡°It must be a mistake, I didn¡¯t hear anything,¡± Heidi waved her hand, ¡°You must be too stressed lately, do you need me to¡­¡±


    ¡°No need!¡± Fenna cut Heidi off quickly, ¡°I feel quite well mentally, and I would handle it myself if there were any issues, you know, a cleric is half a psychiatrist.¡±


    ¡°Alright, no need then, you don¡¯t have to be so tense,¡± Heidi muttered somewhat helplessly, ¡°By the way, where had I left off?¡±


    Fenna thought for a moment, reminded, ¡°You were saying that your father bought a shell from an antique shop and you¡¯re worried about his mental state now¡­¡±


    (I also confirmed I¡¯m infected, it¡¯s hard for me to get up and write now, I have a few emergency chapters stored up, letting them out first, hope to recover some energy before the storage runs out. Also, I have enough medication on hand, thanks everyone for your concern.)

 Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Chapter 270: A Letter from Afar

    Chapter 266: Chapter 270: A Letter from Afar


    Father had visited the antique shop earlier and spent a long time there. When he returned home, he was holding a shell and then solemnly placed it in the best position on the antique shelf, meticulously wiping it every now and then.


    Every time she thought of this, Heidi was very worried about her father¡¯s mental health.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, you don¡¯t know how strange it looks,¡± the psychiatrist sighed again. ¡°He treasures it, saying it¡¯s a very, very special antique. He even wipes the shell before washing his face every day¨Cmy mother doesn¡¯t care at all, and if I say something, she just says, ¡®Let your father enjoy his collecting hobby without disturbance.''¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t know how to comment on this; after all, she knew nothing about antiques. Her most memorable close encounter with an antique was when she, as a child, used a toy sword to jump and smash her uncle¡¯s vase. She still vividly remembered the beating she received. So, she struggled to find the right words and only managed to come up with, ¡°¡­Mr. Morris is a well-respected historian and collector; I suppose his collection must have special insights.¡±


    ¡°Not even if the shell were real,¡± Heidi sighed. ¡°The shell definitely is real, at least solid, very heavy.¡±


    Fenna was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking about something, then suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the amulet. Did Mr. Morris get you another one just like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one,¡± Heidi nodded, pulling a ¡°crystal¡± pendant from her blouse. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it before. I had one just like it, but it was destroyed in the previous ¡®disaster.¡¯ The monk who registered it at that time said it might be an item that accidentally absorbed transcendent powers but normally conceals its unique properties¡­¡±


    Fenna looked at the ¡°crystal¡± pendant Heidi pulled out, her expression thoughtful.


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something wrong?¡± Heidi couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°¡­After the disaster, the cathedral was understaffed, but we still sent people to investigate the antique shop. Everything was normal; from the shop¡¯s supply chain to the shop owner¡¯s identity and background, everything was clear in the city records. It seems that the pendant is truly just a coincidence,¡± Fenna slowly said, her gaze still lingering on the pendant, ¡°but I keep wondering¡­ Heidi, remember, I went with you to that antique shop.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I remember,¡± Heidi nodded. ¡°Honestly, I do have a certain connection to that shop¨Cthe owner once saved my life at a museum, and his niece is one of my father¡¯s students. Moreover, my previous pendant came exactly from that shop¡­ But as you said, the church has investigated covertly and found no issues.¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t reply but after a moment of thought, stretched out her hand, ¡°May I take a look?¡±


    Heidi, without thinking much, unhooked the pendant and handed it over, ¡°Of course, here you go.¡±


    Fenna took the still warm crystal pendant, examined it carefully in the sunlight, and after a while, almost as if talking to herself, said, ¡°There¡¯s no transcendent aura.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s just an ordinary amulet, even made of glass,¡± Heidi said. Then, looking earnestly at her friend, she added, ¡°Fenna, you¡¯re being overly anxious. I know it¡¯s part of your job as a Judge, but I think¡­ the shop owner really is a good person; you shouldn¡¯t distrust him.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m being cautious, not distrustful. I do feel something off about that antique shop, but I¡¯m not viewing this matter with the same attitude I would toward heresy,¡± Fenna said, handing back the pendant. ¡°But you¡¯re right; perhaps I am being a bit overly nervous.¡±


    Heidi put the pendant back on and then glanced at the mechanical clock hanging next to her, ¡°Ah, is it that time already?!¡±


    ¡°Time to go?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary,¡± Heidi said while getting up and picking up the briefcase she had set aside, ¡°I have an appointment this afternoon¨Cthe captain who was observed by the cathedral for several days.¡±


    Fenna frowned as she recalled, quickly finding the relevant memory, ¡°Captain of the White Oak, right? I believe his name was Lawrence¡­ Has he run into trouble?¡±


    ¡°Captains who traverse the Endless Sea, particularly at his age¨Cneeding a psychiatrist¡¯s help is quite normal,¡± Heidi said, her expression growing a bit complex. However, she quickly shook her head, ¡°But compared to most captains his age, Mr. Lawrence is actually doing quite well. I can¡¯t say more than that, as it pertains to patient confidentiality.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wish you a smooth day at work.¡±


    ¡­


    The first thing Morris did upon returning home was to embrace and kiss his wife, and the second was to meticulously wipe the shell he had placed on the antique shelf.


    Although he felt somewhat strange about bringing this artifact home, he knew this seemingly odd ¡°collectible¡± had its unique significance.


    It represented his connection to the Homeloss, as well as Captain Duncan¡¯s ¡°goodwill¡± towards his own family.


    The enigmatic Ghost Ship captain had always communicated his benevolence in the most bizarre ways, including but not limited to stewing soups with deep-sea progeny, equipping a century-old stamped cannonball, and helping the less educated among his kin learn to read. Maurice had initially found this odd, but now he had perfectly adjusted his mindset.


    Captain Duncan had said it was right, Captain Duncan had done what was normal.


    With this mindset, Maurice felt he had fully adapted to the new team¡¯s atmosphere.


    Footsteps sounded from behind.


    Without turning around, Maurice knew it was his wife.


    ¡°You¡¯ve nearly polished it to the point it can reflect a person¡¯s image,¡± the dignified old lady chuckled, watching her husband, ¡°Didn¡¯t you used to say antiques shouldn¡¯t be cleaned too often?¡±


    ¡°But this is no ordinary ¡®antique¡¯, Mary,¡± Maurice turned around, smiling at his wife, ¡°This is part of a miracle.¡±


    The old woman looked up, scrutinizing the two special artifacts on the antique shelf¨Ca dagger and a cannonball. After a moment, she suddenly spoke, ¡°Will you tell your daughter the truth later? About this ¡®miracle¡¯, about¡­ your new ¡®identity.''¡±


    Maurice stopped his actions.


    Some ¡°miracles¡± can be kept from others but not from those who have directly experienced the miracles themselves.


    As a once incomplete product of a ¡°Subspace Prayer,¡± his wife had lain on the bed for eleven years in the form of human ashes, clearly understanding her situation. Now truly surviving due to the Homeloss¡¯s influence, she naturally questioned her own survival.


    It was unavoidable.


    So, with the captain¡¯s permission, Maurice had told his wife about the Homeloss, but he had not told Heidi.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need yet,¡± Maurice said, ¡°Heidi doesn¡¯t need to be involved in this matter yet, and whether to tell her or not¡­ still depends on the captain¡¯s wishes.¡±


    As they were speaking, the doorbell suddenly rang, interrupting their conversation.


    The old scholar was just about to answer the door when his wife, laughing, stopped him, ¡°Let me go¨CI haven¡¯t moved around for many years, now I need to exercise a bit.¡±


    Saying this, she turned and walked to the hallway. Brief voices came from the direction of the door, and shortly after, she returned to Maurice.


    ¡°It was the postman,¡± the wife handed over a letter, ¡°For you.¡±


    ¡°For me?¡± Maurice was surprised, noticing the large denomination stamps and several special seals on the envelope immediately, he frowned slightly, ¡°I did write to a few distant friends, but they shouldn¡¯t have replied this soon¡­ Hmm?¡±


    His action of opening the letter suddenly stopped, his gaze falling on the stamp indicating the place of origin, his expression turning somewhat odd.


    ¡°Where is it from?¡± his wife¡¯s curious voice sounded beside him.


    Maurice paused for two seconds, then said in a low voice, ¡°¡­Frost.¡±


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    ¡°Frost? That¡¯s a very distant place,¡± the wife recalled uncertainly, ¡°I remember you had a friend in Frost, named Brown or something?¡±


    ¡°Brown Scott,¡± Maurice slowly said, his tone inexplicably becoming more somber as he hesitantly used the letter opener, ¡°Like me, he is a scholar in history and deeply engaged in the field of mystical studies.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, Brown Scott. I remember he was a rather thin man, giving off an impression of meticulousness,¡± his wife realized, ¡°Does he still keep in touch with you? I remember he moved to Frost years ago, but before moving his relationship with you was indeed¡­¡±


    ¡°He has already died,¡± Maurice abruptly said, ¡°He died in a maritime accident six years ago.¡±


    As he spoke, the room fell silent in an instant.

 Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Chapter 271: From the Frost

    Chapter 267: Chapter 271: From the Frost


    Maurice used a letter opener to carefully open the envelope that had come from afar.


    On the envelope, a series of stamps along with the stamp indicating ¡°already purified,¡± silently spoke to him of an extremely long wandering journey.


    As the letter unfolded with a slight rustle, rows of neat and tidy handwriting appeared before Maurice, and it was indeed the familiar script of his old friend:


    ¡°To my good friend and academic partner,


    ¡°Since our last contact, it seems that years have passed. This estrangement is truly regrettable. I feel as though these past years have been muddled and hectic, as if I¡¯ve been doing things without meaning. Only recently have I become suddenly aware that I have wasted my time¡­


    ¡°¡­Many fascinating things have happened lately, which are difficult for me to describe to you in writing concerning changes in my life¡­ Frost is an incredible place, not only for its cold and protracted winters but also for many things worthy of serious study¡­


    ¡°Do you remember the topic of certain ancient legends in the far northern icy seas we discussed the last time we met? This topic has once again entered my mind, and I feel as though I may have grasped some key points, which could help us clarify many of the unresolved questions we had, such as whether there were City-States in the icy seas and the origin of many mysterious customs here¡­


    ¡°Frost really is an incredible place, my friend, and my mind grows ever clearer on this point. In these chilly seas, there are many mysteries worth exploring. I plan to meet some illustrious individuals in the fields of history and folklore. I also have plans to visit Cold Harbor soon. Most importantly, I would like to invite you to visit here¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s been many years since we¡¯ve seen each other, Maurice. You said you dislike the cold air of the north, but I think you would like the warm fireplace in my home and the fine wines I¡¯ve collected. Seriously consider it. We can discuss those intriguing secrets by a warm fire once again. Believe me, Frost is indeed an incredible place¡­


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you want to come and see? To this incredible Frost City-State¡­


    ¡°Your most trustworthy friend and academic partner, Brown Scott, 1900-12-2, written at 42 Hearth Street.¡±


    Maurice¡¯s gaze silently swept over the last line of the letter, and then for a long time, he said nothing.


    It wasn¡¯t until several minutes later that he mumbled to himself as if speaking aloud, ¡°It¡¯s his handwriting, and those discussions he mentioned did indeed happen.¡±


    ¡°Today is December 17th. This letter was sent out half a month ago,¡± said his wife from beside him, her voice carrying a hint of unease, ¡°Considering the distance between Frost and Plunder, the timing is about right.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the timing is normal, and the postmarks are normal. What is abnormal is the person who wrote the letter died years ago,¡± Maurice said slowly, ¡°I still remember the day I received the death notice¨Ca letter from Frost. One of his favorite students wrote it, saying that her teacher had unfortunately fallen overboard on a voyage to Cold Harbor and that they hadn¡¯t been able to recover the body.¡±


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    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t remember this, as it happened during those muddled years of mine,¡± said his wife, coming over and taking Maurice¡¯s hand, ¡°We should report this to the church. The content and wording of this letter seem normal, but upon closer inspection, they are quite unsettling.¡±


    Maurice clasped his wife¡¯s hand and exhaled softly, ¡°Of course, we should report this to the church¡­ but not just to the church.¡±


    ¡­


    On the Homeloss, inside the captain¡¯s cabin, Duncan leaned his hands on the navigation table, gazing intently at the mist-shrouded sea chart and the progressively extending route lines.


    Representing the Homeloss, a ghostly image was moving slowly at the center of the sea chart. Surrounding the ship, the thick mist progressively dissipated with the ship¡¯s advance. At one end of the route, one could see the Plunder City-State that had been temporarily left behind, and outside the route in the mist, one could faintly discern another dimly glowing spot.


    Duncan¡¯s eyes landed on that glowing spot.


    It was the Sea Mist.


    Ever since the last incident of ¡°mutual fire at dusk¡±, the mark of the Sea Mist had appeared on this chart.


    In Duncan¡¯s own perception, he could also roughly sense the direction of the Sea Mist and even the general state of the ship.


    This perception was vague, but it did not seem to diminish as the distance between the Homeloss and the Sea Mist increased.


    Obviously, just like those marked by the Spectral Flame, the Sea Mist, which had been bombarded from close range by the Homeloss, had also established a connection with him.


    However, this was after all only a ¡°connection¡± and not a complete control like with the Homeloss, so on the sea chart, the Sea Mist could only show up as a glowing point and was unable to disperse the fog covering the route.


    ¡°Are you deciding the next course?¡± The voice of Goat Head suddenly came from the edge of the navigation table, ¡°In that case, I have about a hundred and forty very useful suggestions, I can¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you cannot,¡± Duncan interrupted very adeptly without waiting for the other to start babbling, ¡°No need for any suggestions, I have my own plans.¡±


    Goat Head shook its head as if wanting to say something more, but before it could speak, a series of footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. Soon after, the door to the captain¡¯s cabin was pulled open from the outside, and Alice walked in.


    Then, Miss Doll paused and quickly turned around to close the door, knocking on it.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve already come in, no need to knock now. You¡¯re supposed to knock before opening the door,¡± Duncan looked at her expressionlessly, ¡°Is everything ¡®over there¡¯ taken care of?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Alice nodded vigorously, ¡°The shelves on the first floor are organized, the counter and stairs are wiped down, and the kitchen is in order!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Duncan absently responded, ¡°What about Ai Yi?¡±


    ¡°Ai Yi dropped me off and then went to the kitchen,¡± Alice said, ¡°When flying away, kept shouting about some ¡®Mad Thursday¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°He is quite carefree,¡± Duncan said with a smile and shook his head, then suddenly noticed Alice¡¯s head movements were a bit jerky when she nodded, and he frowned subconsciously, ¡°Why does your neck seem odd when turning¡­ Is the glue in the joints not cleaned out yet?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Alice moved her head from side to side, her neck emitting clear signs of sticking and delay.


    ¡°It seems¡­ a little bit,¡± the automaton lady seemed somewhat embarrassed, ¡°it feels stuck.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eye twitched, and he helplessly watched the automaton, who was holding her head with her hand, and after a long while let out her signature laugh, ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop laughing,¡± Duncan sighed, ¡°come here, let me clean it up for you. If you don¡¯t clean the residual glue, it will further damage the joints, and seeing you nod with such stiffness is really uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Alice immediately walked over obediently. Once she reached Duncan¡¯s side, she grabbed her head and shook it left and right a couple of times before ¡°pop¡± pulling it off.


    The headless automaton held her own head out, ¡°Cap¡­ Captain, for you.¡±


    A faint feeling of eeriness inevitably surfaced, but Duncan still reached out and took Alice¡¯s head. Then he pulled out a scraper, a brush, and a soft cloth from a small drawer under the navigation desk, sighed, and began to examine the situation inside the dummy¡¯s joints.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel moved.


    He could already face these strange scenes so calmly, even naturally participating in them.


    The adaptability of human beings was indeed wonderfully profound.


    Picking up the scraper, he gently scraped off the remnants of the adhesive, which was no longer so firm, from the joint. Duncan then lifted his eyelids and glanced at Alice¡¯s face.


    Her silver hair spread out over the navigation desk, and the automaton blinked at him, locking eyes.


    She was truly beautiful, a delicate and perfect face that could make people forget the strangeness, evoking admiration for this beauty despite the bizarre circumstances.


    But what a pity that she was normally too great at causing a ruckus, to the extent that Duncan, while admiring her beautiful appearance, regretted even more in his heart why she had to have a mouth¡­


    ¡°Are you feeling any discomfort?¡±


    ¡°No, no, not really, just a little, a little itchy, but very¡­ very light,¡± Alice stammered.


    Then she quieted down, and even the goat head sculpture beside her miraculously quieted down too. The room was left with only the light sound of the scraper scraping and the soft sound of the waves outside the window.


    After an unknown amount of time, Alice suddenly opened her mouth.


    She stammered, her tone carrying a hint of hesitation and rare sense of loss, ¡°Cap¡­ Captain, am I¡­ am I very¡­ very dumb?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s actions suddenly stopped.


    He was surprised that the automaton was even capable of self-awareness and reflection.


    But then he just shook his head expressionlessly, ¡°Why do you suddenly feel this way?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I always fail to, to learn what you teach¡­ teach me, and I always¡­ always mess things up, even¡­ even delay your¡­ your time.¡±


    Duncan fell silent for a moment, then lifted the scraper in his hand again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re wasting my time,¡± he said lightly, ¡°And yes, you are a bit dumb.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ is that¡­ that how it is.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s alright, everyone has things they¡¯re good at and not good at, and everyone is just ¡®dumb¡¯ in the areas they¡¯re not good at. You might just have a few more of those areas,¡± Duncan looked into Alice¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you care about this a lot?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know, I haven¡¯t thought¡­ thought about this, but I¡¯m worried it will¡­ will¡­ will drag down¡­ your work¡­¡±


    ¡°Then drop those useless worries. Just keep living happily,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°If you encounter something you can¡¯t learn, then just learn it a few more times.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ will¡­ will you teach me¡­ teach me a few¡­ a few more times?¡±


    ¡°¡­If I have the time.¡±


    Alice blinked, as if pondering for a moment, then slowly smiled.


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    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    Hearing that signature laugh, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but smile as well, then picked up the brush and soft cloth to clean off the dry glue scraps that had been scraped off.


    And that was when a distant, yet clear call suddenly appeared in his mind.


    It was Morris¡¯s voice.


    (I¡¯m not running a fever anymore, my body aches less, my throat is still sore, can¡¯t sit for long, am feeling fatigued, and I¡¯m groggy all day from not being able to rest properly¡­ The good news is I¡¯m indeed getting better.)

 Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Chapter 272: Turning to the North

    Chapter 268: Chapter 272: Turning to the North


    Duncan momentarily paused his efforts to remove the residual glue from Alice, as if he was intently listening for a sound from afar. After a moment, he bent his head down again and wiped away some small fragments from the table with a soft cloth.


    Alice blinked her eyes curiously, looking at the captain, ¡°Cap-captain, what just ha-happened?¡±


    ¡°Morris received a letter from a distant friend and he¡¯s not too reassured by what the letter reveals,¡± Duncan smiled, stood up, and continued to clear the glue from around Alice¡¯s neck joint as he spoke, ¡°He wants me to take a look at the situation.¡±


    ¡°Distant fr-friend?¡± Alice stammered from the navigation desk, ¡°Are they in da-danger? Are we going to re-rescue someone?¡±


    The glue on the neck joint wasn¡¯t much and it was easier to clean than the residual glue inside the head joint¡¯s crevices, so Duncan quickly dealt with the dried glue. He finished the final wiping meticulously and then bent down to lift Alice¡¯s head, placing her back in position with the care one would give to an artwork.


    ¡°We might be going to rescue someone,¡± he said softly, as he rotated the doll¡¯s head left and right, ¡°but it could also be to help them rest in peace. Either way, we are heading to a far-off place.¡±


    The doll¡¯s head was settled in place and Alice¡¯s somewhat vacant eyes instantly became animated. She gave her head a gentle shake, like a puppet infused with a soul, and spoke smoothly, ¡°Ah, then where are we going?¡±


    Duncan put away his cleaning tools and his gaze shifted to the sea chart shrouded in mist.


    On the chart, the little bright dot representing the Sea Mist was slowly moving, having left the proximity of Prand for some distance.


    ¡°North,¡± he said in a low voice, his eyes on the figurehead of a goat, ¡°Raise the jib and the foresail, turn toward north¨Cfollow the Sea Mist.¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain!¡±


    ¡­


    Heidi placed the small brown bottle on the coffee table. About two-thirds of the clear medicine inside was visible, reflecting a pale golden light in the gradually sinking sunset, and within the spreading rings of golden light, tiny bubbles seemed to continuously emerge and dance near the surface of the liquid.


    ¡°This is the last dose of the medicine, slightly stronger than the ones you¡¯ve used before. You can drink it when you set sail; you¡¯ll need only three drops each time¨Cof course, I also suggest you start taking it now,¡± the psychiatrist said, lifting her head to look at the old captain with graying hair, ¡°As a captain who has spent half his life on the Endless Sea, you should take more responsibility for your health.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the suggestion, Miss Heidi. I¡¯m aware of my condition,¡± Lawrence replied, neither impatient nor particularly enthusiastic, merely curiously lifting the bottle to observe the liquid bubbling through the glass in the sunlight, ¡°¡­A beautiful medicine. Is it bitter?¡±


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    ¡°A little, but mostly it has the scent of herbs, and I¡¯ve added some honey to mask the bitterness,¡± Heidi said, ¡°It won¡¯t be too hard to swallow.¡±


    As she spoke, she lifted her head and glanced out the window.


    The sun was gradually sinking, with the slightly orange-red sunlight shining through the glass window into the living room.


    This was the home of Lawrence, the captain of the White Oak, and as a seasoned old captain, he had decorated his living room with many items that testified to his seafaring experience¨Cfrom coral specimens collected from shallow waters near the shore to models of ship¡¯s wheels and vessels, totem decorations from certain remote City-States, and against the wall stood a large shelf filled with awards and memorabilia given by the Explorers¡¯ Association, City-State authorities, and the four major churches.


    Now, these symbols of glory and memory were submerged in the slanting sunlight, coated with a layer of golden glow, fading gradually within the light.


    The time to leave had come, and after sunset was not the best time to continue providing psychological support.


    ¡°I should take my leave,¡± Heidi sighed softly, rising from the sofa. Her gaze fell on the bottle in Lawrence¡¯s hand, ¡°Please don¡¯t forget to take your medicine¨Cit will effectively help you resist the psychological impact of the Endless Sea.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, you¡¯ve been a great help to me,¡± said Lawrence, grey-haired, standing up with a sincere smile, ¡°I¡¯ll see you out.¡±


    Heidi was escorted to the door by the old captain, but before leaving, she couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Lawrence and added, ¡°Also, I have one last suggestion¨Calthough you¡¯re still in good condition compared to other captains your age, you really have reached the age of retirement. You should consider handing the White Oak over to a reliable Successor.¡±


    After saying what she wanted to say, she didn¡¯t expect an answer from the old captain, merely bowed politely before saying goodbye and leaving.


    The psychiatrist walked toward her car parked at the corner while Lawrence sighed softly, turning back into the living room.


    Alice stood at the door frame not far away, holding her shoulders, and looked over with some displeasure.


    She was a tall woman who, although advanced in years, still retained some of the grace of her youth. Standing there, she was like the renowned female explorer she had been aboard the ships on the Endless Sea.


    But now, the explorer¡¯s mood was clearly not good.


    ¡°Day in and day out, if it¡¯s not the church scrutiny, then it¡¯s the psychiatrist knocking. What kind of trouble have you stirred up outside?¡± she said with a glare and a loud voice, ¡°And what¡¯s with that bottle of medicine¨Cyou never mentioned that your mental state was so poor that you need medication to maintain it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I wanted to come across that Ghost Ship,¡± Lawrence glanced at the medicine bottle in his hand and shook his head helplessly, ¡°but now, since the entire City-State has been affected by the Homeloss, nobody cares about the White Oak anymore. As for this medicine¡­ it¡¯s nothing serious. After all, it¡¯s common to hear and see things occasionally after spending so much time at sea.¡±


    His wife didn¡¯t respond but just stared straight at him for a long time before finally sighing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to retire?¡±


    ¡°I want to search a bit more¡­¡± Lawrence said with less conviction, ¡°After all¡­ there was never a clear report of death¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die doing this!¡± Her voice rose again as she pointed at Lawrence¡¯s nose, ¡°What is that? That¡¯s a huge storm on the Endless Sea! After a storm passes, if a ship strays off course and loses contact, they are dead! Do you understand?


    ¡°Look at yourself. How many years have you been searching? You¡¯ve surpassed the age for retirement. Those captains who started with you, the sensible ones, have already retired, now able to peacefully enjoy the savings from half a lifetime. Those without sense, like you, who forced themselves to continue, what¡¯s become of them? Drooling in bed? Lying in the grave? Locked up in an asylum?


    ¡°I suggest you take this medicine now, and then go directly tomorrow to arrange a handover, pass the White Oak over to one of your trusted proteges you¡¯ve groomed since they were young. Then come home honestly and live out the rest of your days on your pension. Don¡¯t fucking wait until you also die in some storm. I can¡¯t bear that worry¡­¡±


    Lawrence listened to his wife¡¯s increasingly loud reproach with a mild smile but didn¡¯t argue. In the end, he placed the small brown medicine bottle on the coffee table: ¡°Let me search one last time.¡±


    Finally, his wife stopped, staring at the medicine bottle on the coffee table. After a long while, she sighed, her anger not completely faded, and muttered as if resigned, ¡°Where are you searching this time?¡±


    ¡°North,¡± Lawrence said calmly, ¡°the very first place. The stretch of sea where the ¡®Black Oak¡¯ encountered a storm. I¡¯ve just accepted a contract to escort someone to Frost¡­¡±


    His wife said nothing, just waved her hand silently in dismissal.


    ¡­


    Morning sunlight drenched the streets as Prandle gradually awoke from a night¡¯s slumber.


    Fenna got out of the car, squinting slightly in the sunlight. In her line of sight lay the familiar sign of the antique shop she had visited once before.


    The shop was already open. A petite girl with black hair and a black dress was sprinkling water at the door, while another girl, not much older, was hanging a ¡®Now Open¡¯ sign at the doorway.


    If memory served correctly, one of the girls was Sherry, and the other Nina¨Cthe niece of the shop owner.


    Fenna rubbed her forehead, recalling the last visit to the antique shop. For some reason, she felt that some details were now rather hazy in her memory.


    This convinced her even more that she should come by to visit today.


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    The voice of a subordinate came from the car: ¡°How long will you be absent?¡±


    ¡°Within an hour,¡± Fenna answered, ¡°just wait here for me.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± the young guard driving the car nodded inside but still reminded her with some concern, ¡°Please be mindful of the time. Today is the day Storm Cathedral arrives in Prandle, and you need to be present in person for the welcoming ceremony; Bishop Valentin specifically mentioned it. Also, this visit wasn¡¯t in our schedule¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯ve told me several times,¡± Fenna waved her hand, with a somewhat helpless expression, ¡°I know everyone is tense about the Storm Cathedral docking this time. I¡¯ll keep an eye on the time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±

 Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter 273: Amulet?

    Chapter 269: Chapter 273: Amulet?


    A very tall figure suddenly blocked out the sunlight.


    Sherry, who had just finished sprinkling water in front of the shop door and was preparing to return with an empty basin, paused for a moment and lifted her head to see the Judge standing quietly in front of her against the backlight.


    ¡°¡­ Fuck!!¡± She instinctively exclaimed in shock, but immediately caught herself and coughed twice, nervously groping for words, ¡°Uh, you¡­ I mean¡­ You¡­¡±


    Fenna slightly frowned, wondering why the small and frail girl looked excessively nervous upon seeing her. It had been the same when she and Heidi had visited the antique shop last time, and it was the same now.


    However, she didn¡¯t dwell on it; after all, due to various reasons, she was quite accustomed to this kind of ¡°nervous reaction¡± from others when they saw her.


    ¡°I remember you¡¯re called Sherry,¡± Fenna said with a smile, trying to use her smile to make the short girl relax, ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense. I¡¯m just here to browse.¡±


    Sherry quickly stood up straight, nodding stiffly: ¡°Uh¡­ Ah! Sure, welcome to the shop¡­¡±


    Fenna helplessly shook her head, walking past the still tense Sherry, and gave a slight nod to greet Nina who was curiously watching them, then headed straight for the antique shop in front of her.


    Pushing open the door, the crisp sound of the bell breaking the silence on the first floor of the antique shop, Fenna stepped inside, her gaze shifting to the figure behind the counter.


    The next second, she frowned in surprise.


    In the morning sunlight sat a blonde woman behind the counter whom she had never seen before, a very¡­ beautiful lady, exuding an elegance and mysteriousness that seemed out of place in this location, perhaps even from this era. Her profile shimmered with a warm radiance in the sunshine.


    Upon hearing the noise at the entrance, the blonde woman behind the counter lifted her head and curiously glanced at Fenna as she walked in. She offered a faint smile, her voice soft and slightly magnetic: ¡°Welcome, would you like to look around?¡±


    Fenna was momentarily lost in thought, feeling for some reason that this new face in the antique shop shouldn¡¯t be here. But the next second, she thought that the woman¡¯s mysterious and refined demeanor seemed to fit the atmosphere the antique shop presented.


    The place was filled with an assortment of objects that looked quite ancient and mysterious, just right to have a lady with a mysterious and elegant air sitting behind the counter.


    Yet everything in this antique shop was a fake.


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    Fenna stared intently at the blonde woman behind the counter.


    Ah, yes, fakes.


    ¡°May I ask¡­¡± Alice looked puzzled at Fenna who, after walking in, stood there suddenly and began to daydream, confused as the situation seemed beyond the ¡°customer greeting procedure¡± that the captain had instructed her to follow, leaving her a bit at a loss, ¡°Are you looking to buy something?¡±


    Fenna jolted back to reality.


    A chaotic numbness and dizziness pervaded her brain, making her thoughts disjointed. She vaguely remembered having seen something or thought of something just a moment ago, but the sudden confusion completely obscured everything she had known in that instant.


    The next second, the soft sound of waves started ringing in her mind again, and in those wave sounds, she completely forgot the previous disorientation and dizziness.


    She felt as if she had just entered the shop, and the young woman behind the counter was talking to her.


    ¡°Ah, is Mr. Duncan not here?¡± Fenna curiously surveyed the ground floor but couldn¡¯t find the figure of the antique shop owner, ¡°I know him.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Duncan? He went upstairs to put some things away; he¡¯ll be down shortly,¡± Alice didn¡¯t dwell on Fenna¡¯s momentary spacing out, figuring everything was fine as long as the conversation continued, ¡°Are you looking to buy something? Do you have an item reserved? I can help you look for it¨Calthough I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll find it¡­¡±


    Such a candid statement.


    Fenna felt strange, instinctively sensing something off about the beautiful young woman before her, but every time she tried to focus on that feeling, she would immediately forget what she was thinking, making her speech slower than usual: ¡°I¡¯m¡­ just looking. I¡¯ll be fine in a moment. Are you new here? I didn¡¯t see you last time I was here.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m new, my name is Alice,¡± Alice immediately responded with a smile, clearly enjoying introducing herself, ¡°Mr. Duncan asked me to help with the shop.¡±


    Faintly, Fenna sensed something was amiss, an oddity hidden in Alice¡¯s modest yet somewhat stiff movements, in that perfect yet overly perfect smile, and even in the breathless sound of her speech.


    The Judge furrowed her brows, not truly detecting anything unusual.


    ¡°`


    It was just a new clerk, nothing out of the ordinary.


    At that moment, a series of footsteps suddenly came from the staircase beside them, interrupting the conversation between Fenna and Alice.


    Duncan appeared at the top of the stairs.


    He had sensed Fenna¡¯s arrival earlier, but in order to confirm the purpose of the Judge¡¯s visit, he deliberately waited a few more minutes on the second floor; now that he saw she didn¡¯t appear to have any special intentions, he came down.


    ¡°It looks like we have a special guest,¡± Duncan said to the lady behind the counter, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, it¡¯s someone I know¨CAlice, you go make some tea.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, Mr. Duncan!¡±


    Alice stood up happily, agreed, and then headed towards the small stove on the other side of the stairs, while Duncan approached Fenna, smiling as he greeted this Judge whom he had actually met several times before, ¡°Long time no see, Miss Judge.¡±


    ¡°Just call me by my name,¡± Fenna rubbed her forehead, ¡°Sorry for the sudden visit, but I actually came here to verify some matters.¡±


    ¡°Matters?¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°What matters?¡±


    Fenna steadied herself, pondering how to begin.


    Some vague clues pointed to this ordinary-looking shop, and some instinctual guidance brought her here; the experience and intuition of a Judge seemed to be quietly throbbing, yet previous official church investigations had revealed no abnormalities. It seemed that the only reason supporting her visit to scout this time was a ¡°talisman¡± belonging to a good friend.


    ¡°From what I know, Heidi had a talisman from here,¡± Fenna slowly said, ¡°She had been wearing it before the reality contamination disaster occurred.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I remember that,¡± Duncan nodded nonchalantly with a flash of recognition, ¡°That was a talisman I gave to Mr. Morris¨Cand I¡¯ve given out another one these last two days.¡±


    As he spoke, he turned and took another talisman from the shelf behind him, showing it to Fenna.


    ¡°Like this one.¡±


    Fenna looked strangely at the action of the antique shop owner who was frankly presenting an item from the store¡¯s ¡°collection¡± as mass-produced goods, ¡°Do you have many of these talismans?¡±


    ¡°I bought a large box of them, and have given or sold a total of twenty-one so far,¡± Duncan stated matter-of-factly, nodding, ¡°Are you also interested?¡±


    As he spoke, he subconsciously sized up the young Judge again.


    Fenna today seemed odd to him, appearing somewhat absent-minded and slightly slow in speech. More unsettling than those surface peculiarities, however, was her unstable ¡°aura¡± at the moment.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t explain what was happening, but somehow it felt as though there was someone else tucked inside the young Judge¡¯s thoughts, another set of eyes hidden within her gaze. She was here conversing with him, but it seemed something else was concealed deep within her consciousness.


    Fenna, however, seemed unaware of Duncan¡¯s assessment. She was just slightly uncomfortable with his frank business demeanor¨Calthough she had known from the beginning that this store didn¡¯t have anything genuinely authentic, ¡°Uh¡­ no, I¡¯m just here to investigate some matters. I want to ask about the specific channels through which these talismans are acquired and if they have ever exhibited any peculiar properties, or if the people who bought them have reported any unusual experiences?¡±


    ¡°Do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Heidi believed the talisman she wore had provided actual protection, even helping her remain clear-headed during the ¡®disaster¡¯,¡± Fenna summarized without going into too much detail, ¡°I think it¡¯s very possible that the talisman you gave to Mr. Morris had been affected by¡­ transcendent forces, hence my inquiry. Of course, there¡¯s no need for concern, as the current information suggests it¡¯s not a harmful influence.¡±


    As she spoke, she left one thing unsaid: investigation aside, she hadn¡¯t expected Duncan to have an entire box of similar talismans! And that he had already sold so many!


    Meanwhile, Duncan felt a slight stir in his heart upon hearing Fenna¡¯s words.


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    Did that thing¡­ really work? The ¡°gift¡± he had casually given away had actually protected the spirit doctor¡¯s self-awareness?


    Why had this happened?


    What was the key factor?


    Was it purely the act of ¡°giving the gift¡± itself, or because the spirit doctor¡¯s own ¡°intuition¡± had been too strong?


    ¡°`

 Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter 274: Pleasant Meeting

    Chapter 270: Chapter 274: Pleasant Meeting


    In that instant, Duncan ran through all the similar charms he had recently sold in his mind. After a long period of reflection, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    The only charms he recalled giving as special gifts were the two he gave to Morris. The rest were merely ordinary goods, and after such a long time, not a single buyer of the charms had reported any unusual phenomena.


    After his sigh of relief, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but fall into contemplation.


    Although the reason for the charms¡¯ change was still unclear, the news Fenna brought undoubtedly served as a wake-up call. It deepened his understanding and mental preparedness for the ¡°strange phenomena¡± that might occur around him.


    From now on¡­ it seemed he couldn¡¯t casually give things away or readily make promises.


    Duncan¡¯s brief silence also caught Fenna¡¯s attention. She looked at him curiously, ¡°Did you remember something?¡±


    ¡°¡­After thinking carefully about the recent period, nothing seems amiss,¡± Duncan shook his head, speaking with a calm face and sincere tone. ¡°Could it be that Heidi was mistaken?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unlikely. She¡¯s a seasoned psychiatrist with a fair understanding of the Transcendent realm and is very aware of her own mental state,¡± Fenna shook her head. ¡°However, the issue with the charm could indeed lie elsewhere¡­ Perhaps, it¡¯s just a Transcendent item that got mixed in with ordinary goods, or maybe it happened during the production process¡­¡±


    Fenna spoke slowly, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was explaining to Duncan; rather, it seemed like she was hypnotizing or convincing herself.


    As a Judge, she shouldn¡¯t have been negligent about potential Transcendent incidents, but her focus eventually shifted away from the charm issue.


    The gentle sound of ocean waves echoed in her mind, bringing wave after wave of relaxation, which gradually made her forget her initial purpose for being there.


    Fenna looked up, silently surveying the antique shop.


    Sherry, the girl named Sherry, had returned to the shop and was carefully placing items on the shelves while watching from the corner of her eye.


    Nina was also helping in the shop.


    Alice, the blonde-haired woman, was bustling around by a small stove.


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    Mr. Duncan was sitting behind the counter, his face bearing a friendly smile.


    The sound of bustling traffic on the street outside the shop seemed distant, and the kettle inside the shop was gradually emitting a sharp sound; the corner of a nearby shelf seemed to have shadows wriggling and jumping, and the staircase leading to the second floor stretched into an infinitely dark height.


    The entire building seemed to be filled with faint whispering sounds.


    ¡°The tea is ready,¡± Alice¡¯s voice came from nearby. She brought over a cup of tea and placed it on the counter, pushing it towards Fenna, ¡°Please enjoy.¡±


    Fenna silently picked up the tea cup, brought it to her lips, and took a sip. Then she chewed ¡ª swallowing the scalding tea and leaves expressionlessly.


    Duncan was utterly astounded when he saw this ¡ª it was the first time he had seen someone swallow Alice¡¯s tea so calmly. Miss Fenna indeed lived up to being Plunder¡¯s foremost beauty and warrior; such feats were beyond ordinary people.


    After a while, noticing that Fenna was just looking around without intending to speak, Duncan finally broke the silence, ¡°Is there anything else besides the charm?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry, I got distracted for a moment,¡± Fenna seemed to snap back to reality, then suddenly coughed violently a few times as though she had choked on something. She frowned, glanced at the empty tea cup in front of her, and shook her head, ¡°No, I just came here to inquire about this.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re interested in the charm, I can give you one,¡± Duncan smiled as he pushed forward a charm he had just taken down, ¡°You can study it gradually.¡±


    Fenna looked at the ¡°crystal¡± charm in front of her with some surprise, then asked after a moment, ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you, it¡¯s not something valuable anyway. I usually just give it away as a free gift,¡± Duncan said with a smirk. ¡°Or do I need to craft an impressive product description for you? Do you want the historical artifact version or the health and wellness version?¡±


    Fenna, stunned, asked, ¡°Is¡­is this how you sell things here?¡±


    ¡°Honest business,¡± Duncan spread his hands. ¡°If we¡¯re talking prices, the charm itself costs eight Sola, with a health and wellness theory it¡¯s sixteen, and with a historical story, twenty-two. If you pay twenty-five, I can include a black walnut wood box¨Cguaranteed not to fade for six months, and I can also provide a two hundred Sola receipt.¡±


    Raised in the Upper City District from a young age, and having joined the church as a minor and fought heretics with a sword as an adult, Fenna had never encountered such things in her twenty-something years of life. She felt a bit bewildered: ¡°A¡­ two hundred Sola receipt?¡±


    ¡°It can be used as a gift for colleagues,¡± Duncan said seriously, ¡°Or for young people to give to their lovers¡­¡±


    Fenna thought it over earnestly and shook her head, ¡°Then I might not need it¨Cbut I can¡¯t just take your item for free.¡±


    Saying this, she fished around in her pocket and pulled out two ten Sola bills, placing them on the counter.


    ¡°The original price is eight solars¨Cthe rest is a token of my appreciation for your cooperation, and for the tea earlier.¡±


    Duncan wanted to say more when he saw Fenna standing up and picking up the crystal pendant.


    ¡°It was a pleasant meeting,¡± she slowly smiled, then suddenly spoke in an unusually solemn tone and expression, while lifting her hand to wear the crystal pendant around her neck, ¡°I look forward to our next meeting.¡±


    Duncan felt the woman had suddenly become somewhat strange, unconsciously furrowing his brow, but in the end he said nothing more, just politely nodding, ¡°Very well, you¡¯re always welcome to return.¡±


    Fenna nodded slightly and turned to leave.


    She walked straight through the shop, exited the front door, and stopped on the open ground in front of the antique store.


    A series of beeps from a horn suddenly sounded from nearby.


    Blinking, Fenna noticed the car parked on the roadside, remembered today¡¯s arrival of the Storm Cathedral in Prand, and hurried over to open the door and get into the car.


    ¡°You finally came out,¡± the young subordinate in the car started the vehicle quickly and spoke, ¡°It¡¯s been almost an hour and a half, and I was about to go in if you hadn¡¯t come out¡­¡±


    ¡°An hour and a half?¡± Fenna was surprised. ¡°I thought¡­ only forty minutes had passed.¡±


    While speaking, she gently tapped her forehead, feeling as though she had forgotten something, and couldn¡¯t help but mutter softly, ¡°I left in such a hurry, it seems I didn¡¯t even say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°You can come again next time, the shop is still here,¡± the young subordinate said offhandedly, then, through the rearview mirror, he noticed the crystal charm on Fenna¡¯s neck and was somewhat surprised, ¡°Is that a new pendant you bought? It¡¯s unexpected, you don¡¯t usually buy these.¡±


    ¡°Pendant?¡± Fenna looked down at her chest, taking two seconds before speaking hesitantly, ¡°Ah, yes¡­ I bought it.¡±


    She shook her head, seeming to fully awake.


    ¡°Enough of that, drive faster, head straight to the port.¡±


    ¡­


    Inside the antique shop, Sherry was the first to run to the counter, looking back uneasily at the direction Fenna had left, then turned to Duncan, ¡°What did that Judge come for? Was she here to arrest me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it,¡± Duncan looked at the uneasy girl, his expression helpless, ¡°She was investigating something else, it has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, as long as she wasn¡¯t here for me, that¡¯s fine,¡± Sherry breathed a sigh of relief, but then couldn¡¯t resist adding, ¡°She seemed strange today, her words were a bit off.¡±


    ¡°Maybe work pressure is too high,¡± Duncan casually said as he stood up from behind the counter, ¡°after all, her superior is coming.¡±


    Nina also approached upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, quickly reacting, ¡°Her superior¡­ are you referring to the news that was on the newspaper before? Storm Cathedral?¡±


    Duncan smiled and nodded, his gaze sweeping over Nina, Sherry, and Alice, suddenly asking, ¡°Interested?¡±


    ¡°Interested?¡± Sherry paused, then realizing what he meant, her expression turned to shock, ¡°Wait, you mean to say we¡¯re going to¡­¡±


    ¡°Today¡¯s business is unlikely to be much¨Cmost will either go to the cathedral for mass or to the port to spectate. Sitting around here is the same as doing nothing,¡± Duncan spoke as though it were obvious, ¡°Let¡¯s go see. The arrival of the Storm Cathedral isn¡¯t an event that happens every year.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Nina jumped up excitedly, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s!¡±


    On the side, although Alice didn¡¯t know what was happening, seeing Nina¡¯s excitement, she also started clapping, only Sherry had an expression like she had seen a ghost, ¡°But¡­ but¡­ but that¡¯s the Storm Cathedral! Won¡¯t something happen if we go¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at her with a half-smile, ¡°Like what?¡±


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    Sherry looked up at Duncan, thought for a moment, then vigorously shook her head, ¡°Nothing at all!¡±


    Duncan nodded in satisfaction.


    Then he lifted his gaze, his eyes moving beyond the streets outside, beyond the city districts, aiming towards Prand¡¯s port.


    And in his Transcendent perception that spanned the entire City-State, he could already feel an overwhelming presence¡­ ¡°being,¡± gradually approaching Prand.


    The Storm Cathedral had arrived.

 Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Chapter 275 Storm Cathedral

    Chapter 271: Chapter 275 Storm Cathedral


    In Duncan¡¯s perception, an entity exuding a massive presence was gradually approaching the Plunder City-State.


    His senses weren¡¯t quite capable of extending beyond the physical confines of Plunder and reaching outwards, but as the significant presence drew ever closer, he could still indirectly sense a kind of¡­ ¡°illumination,¡± like a heat source, a bright, shining thing that was becoming clearer bit by bit over the Endless Sea.


    A mere large vessel could not evoke such a feeling, nor could a group of powerful priests.


    Duncan squinted slightly, and in the ¡°darkness¡± beyond the City-State of Plunder, the bright, glowing, and warm entity was beginning to take shape.


    Was it emanating the so-called ¡°divine power¡±?


    Moments later, from a second-story window of an antique shop, a green flame unexpectedly surged, and then, a plump white dove flew out of the window, swiftly crossing the sky.


    ¡­


    The port in the southeast of Plunder was now gathered with a massive crowd.


    For any Believer who follows the Storm Goddess Gomona, the Storm Cathedral¡¯s impending dock at the City-State was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. Whether to demonstrate their piety or merely to behold the majestic visage of the Storm Cathedral, the citizens of Plunder did not want to miss out on today¡¯s grand occasion¨Csoon after the sun had risen and the curfew had just lifted, the residents nearby the port began to gather, and by around noon, virtually every spot around the harbor suitable for ¡°attending the ceremony¡± was filled.


    After that, traffic control was enforced in the vicinity of the port, and the City Hall, in coordination with the Church, no longer allowed more onlookers to approach the harbor and dispersed the crowd to various sanctuaries. As the Storm Cathedral docked, mass would be conducted simultaneously in various churches as part of the ceremony, which was meant to welcome the ¡°glory of the Goddess¡± and also to alleviate the pressure on the port area by redistributing the Believers.


    Beyond the sea of people, inside the port area, was the ¡°ceremonial area¡± temporarily cordoned off by the Church¡¯s Guardians and City-State security officers, where the local Church hierarchy and the senior officials of the City-State gathered, ready to welcome the Storm Cathedral.


    Hastening along, Fenna finally arrived at the port in time.


    ¡°You almost missed it,¡± Governor Dante looked at his niece, who was hurrying over, with resignation in his one good eye, ¡°On such an important day, you, as a Judge, are the last to arrive.¡±


    ¡°There was a little mishap,¡± even in front of her uncle, a Judge could experience a moment of inadequate authority, Fenna¡¯s face carried a tinge of embarrassment, ¡°I had planned my time well and was going to arrive at least half an hour early¡­¡±


    ¡°The Goddess will forgive,¡± Archbishop Valentin¡¯s voice came from the side, the old man was fully robed in ceremonial garb, clutching the staff symbolizing the City-State Bishop, a faint smile on his face, ¡°There¡¯s still some time before the scheduled moment.¡±


    Fenna nodded, let out a quiet sigh of relief, and then looked around.


    The area around the pier offered a clear view, with the Guardians and security officers forming a rather spacious ¡°ceremonial area¡±, but beyond this open area, one could see countless onlookers in the distance, a throng of people.


    Nearly three-quarters of Plunder¡¯s population were baptized Believers of the Deep Sea Church, and even the remaining quarter who weren¡¯t baptized maintained a shallow faith in the Storm Goddess Gomona under the influence of the City¡¯s atmosphere¨Cthis City-State is the largest gathering place for the Deep Sea Believers on the Endless Sea, and the grand spectacle of this moment powerfully showcased this fact.


    ¡°The arrival of the Storm Cathedral could actually help us solve a lot of problems,¡± Dante¡¯s voice reached Fenna¡¯s ears, ¡°With this grand event, the unsettled atmosphere in the City-State can be quickly smoothed out, and the news about the ¡®dimensional appearances¡¯ can be released more steadily, to be honest¡­ I really breathed a sigh of relief.¡±


    ¡°For the Believers, ¡®under the watchful eyes of the divine¡¯ is more consoling than anything else,¡± Bishop Valentin responded, ¡°With the Goddess¡¯s protection and witness, we can demonstrate our unity and resilience to the fullest, and we can openly accept even extreme scenarios, including ¡®City-State transformed into a dimensional appearance¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the arrival of the Storm Cathedral is meant to help us through this difficult time,¡± Dante said, ¡°although the Pope has not expressly stated this.¡±


    ¡°The Pope has her own dignity¨Cand besides, the messages she conveys to the outside world must be guided by the divine¡­¡±


    As his uncle and the old Bishop conversed beside him, Fenna¡¯s attention gradually drifted away from them, gazing into the endless expanse of sea, waiting for the towering cathedral to come into view.


    The appointed time was nearly upon her, yet there was no sign of the colossal vessel on the calm sea.


    But in the next second, Fenna¡¯s peripheral vision suddenly caught a twisted anomaly on the surface of the water.


    The sea was curling, the sky trembled, and the shimmer of sunlight on the water¡¯s surface suddenly rippled, transforming into a layered, cloud-like curtain¨Ca gargantuan feat of engineering that seemed almost as large as the entire port area, abruptly materializing on the sea, appearing as though it had traversed dimensions, emerging into Fenna¡¯s line of sight!


    It had not fully revealed itself yet, still displaying a slightly ethereal texture at the moment, yet the overwhelming majesty was already moving forward, awe-inspiring.


    Despite being the Judge of the City-State, this was Fenna¡¯s first time witnessing the ark ship with her own eyes.


    At that moment, feelings of excitement, agitation, and admiration spontaneously arose.


    She unconsciously held her breath and then glanced to her side.


    The senior officials from the city hall were eagerly anticipating, while Bishop Valentin and her uncle were staring wide-eyed into the distance.


    Was it the immense astonishment and shock that momentarily made them forget to make a sound?


    After two or three seconds, the light in Bishop Valentin¡¯s eyes brightened, and he raised his staff high, then brought it down forcefully. The sound of the staff¡¯s end hitting the ground boomed like thunder throughout the entire dock plaza.


    ¡°Praise the name of the Storm!¡±


    The high-ranking clergy gathered near the pier responded in unison, ¡°Praise the name of the Storm!¡±


    The salute cannons fired, followed by the grand and magnificent sound of music. Inside and outside the harbor, cheers erupted like thunder, creating a boiling frenzy to the ears!


    Fenna looked out to the sea beyond the harbor and saw the previously swirling water and shimmering light spectacle had calmed down; the majestic Storm Cathedral had removed all its disguises and was slowly approaching the coast of Plunder.


    The gathered crowd was in a state of fervor.


    Everywhere were loud prayers, cheers, and even the clueless children in the crowd caught the excitement. Along with the sound of salute cannons and music, the noise was deafening.


    From the rooftop of a tower near the dock area, Duncan quietly observed this boisterous and festive scene, as well as the enormous Church Ark nearby that defied the normal concept of a ¡®ship¡¯, inexplicable as to how it could manage to operate.


    Nina and Sherry were extremely excited, chattering noisily about the structure of the Church Ark¨C the former drawing from her mechanical knowledge learned at school, the latter freely employing her imagination and confidence in making wild guesses.


    Alice seemed a little nervous, having never seen such a huge object moving on the sea before. When the steam pipes on the side of the Church Ark suddenly vented and the loud sound of the steam whistle blasted through the skies, she instinctively covered her head.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze slowly shifted between the crowd gathered on the dock and the towering triple spires of the Church Ark.


    He closed his eyes, then opened them again.


    He saw countless gray-white shadows spreading from the Storm Cathedral, resembling invisible tentacles or smoke-like ribbons floating in the air. These drifting shadows extended from every door, every window, and even every mechanical seam of the Church Ark, sweeping grandly and covering half of the Plunder sky like a dark cloud.


    He saw these drifting shadows hanging low, sweeping over the assembled crowd and the bell towers.


    The shadows brushed gently over the heads of the people, who were cheering and leaping with joy, yet the residents of Plunder seemed completely unaware of their presence.


    It appeared that no one could see these shadows, not even the church clergy with their heightened ¡°spiritual vision.¡±


    Or could it be¡­ precisely because they were clergy of the church that they could not see the shadows?!


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    What were these shadows? What were these intangible tentacles emanating from the Storm Cathedral?


    A massive question coalesced in Duncan¡¯s mind, and his gaze became especially serious. He subconsciously stretched out his hand towards the void outside the platform, as if trying to catch one of the phantoms.


    Simultaneously, a gray-white, smoke-like phantom drifted over, gradually approaching his palm.


    The wisp of smoke thickened slightly, coiling around Duncan¡¯s fingers¨C and in the next second, he actually felt a cool touch as if he had come into contact with some sort of entity!


    Then, the gray-white ¡°tentacle¡± quickly withdrew, leaving behind only a chilling, hollow sensation.

 Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Chapter 276 Swift Judgment

    Chapter 272: Chapter 276 Swift Judgment


    The brief touch of her own ¡°smoke¡± had dissipated.


    Yet more smoke was continuously escaping from the Storm Cathedral, drifting and fluctuating, gathering like a dark cloud, invisibly assembling above Plunder, and its coverage area was gradually expanding, eventually spreading over half the city-state.


    Duncan¡¯s fingertips still retained a trace of a cold sensation, he slightly furrowed his brow, gazing upward at the sky above the urban area, his mind filled with doubts.


    That gray-white fog gave him a feeling¡­ as if some colossal creature had lost its form, and its soul was ascending in the dimension of reality, unrestrainedly transformed into this appearance. It was as if something from behind the reality dimension was gradually releasing its perception, using the fog as tentacles to ¡°touch¡± the contours of the real world.


    This second feeling was particularly evident when he touched that wisp of smoke.


    ¡°Uncle Duncan?¡± Nina¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside him, interrupting Duncan¡¯s wild thoughts, ¡°What are you reaching out for?¡±


    ¡°¡­Nothing,¡± Duncan blinked and said softly.


    Obviously, Nina couldn¡¯t see the smoke¨Cneither could Sherry nor Alice beside her, nor could the ordinary people gathered inside and outside the dock.


    But could the people from the Storm Cathedral see it? That Female Pope, who was stationed at the great cathedral and regarded as the ¡°Storm Goddess Gomona¡¯s¡± spokesperson in the mortal world, could she see it?


    Duncan quietly watched the enormous ¡°ark,¡± almost as vast as the entire port area, decelerate at the edge of Plunder, watching its side mechanisms slowly transform, as if growing some limbs, extending a long mechanical bridge that connected with the port¡¯s jetty.


    And during this process, the indistinct, invisible smoke had notably expanded.


    Duncan didn¡¯t feel any hostility from the smoke, nor did he perceive any harm, so he temporarily took no action.


    ¡­


    Following the ritual requirements, after the cannons at Plunder¡¯s port fired and music played to show welcome, the Storm Cathedral released a long mechanical bridge, establishing a connection between the Pilgrimage Ark and the city-state. Then, a second wave of melodious and solemn steam whistle sounds came from the Ark.


    Giant steam valves rotated to open, pressure relief pipes and steam whistle devices on various parts of the Pilgrimage Ark activated simultaneously, and streams of white air burst forth from the cathedral¡¯s barriers and spires, shooting straight into the sky amid the sounds of the steam whistles.


    The city-state¡¯s and the Church Ark¡¯s bell towers started ringing at the same time.


    Fenna took a deep breath¨Cstanding in such a solemn and awe-inspiring scene, even being a Judge, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit nervous at the moment.


    After a moment, she saw some colorful flags appear on the edge of the Church Ark; soon afterward, a group of protectors in custom armor appeared on the long mechanical bridge, riding steam walkers toward the dock. One of them broke from the ranks, approaching a group of high-ranking clergy.


    ¡°Bishop Valentin, Judge Fenna, may the glory of the Storm Overlord be with you.¡±


    The Protector Commander bowed his head¨Che was covered in black alloy armor, and you could see the structure of boosting pipes and steam valves on his chest and arms guards. A thick steel mask concealed the knight¡¯s true face, Fenna could only see his goggles faintly glowing red and heard the hissing of the air mixed in his voice.


    Steam is the breath of God, steel is the bridge between man and God, and beneath the mask, the hissing airflow carried a divine message.


    ¡°May the glory of the Storm Overlord be with you,¡± Fenna bowed her head, along with Bishop Valentin beside her.


    ¡°The Pope invites you both to board the Ark,¡± the hissing voice of the Protector Commander continued, ¡°Others please wait momentarily.¡±


    Fenna looked up in surprise, then instinctively turned to Bishop Valentin, only to see a puzzled expression on his face as well.


    Is this part of the ceremony?


    ¡°This is a temporary arrangement by the Pope,¡± seeing the confusion on the faces of the two high-ranking clergy, the Protector Commander explained, ¡°She has some matters she would like to understand from you.¡±


    ¡°We follow Her Holiness¡¯s arrangement,¡± Bishop Valentin immediately subdued the bewilderment in his expression, bowing his head respectfully.


    Beside him, Fenna quickly recovered and bowed her head in compliance with the command.


    ¡°Please ask the clergy and city-state officials to wait momentarily¨Cyou may also take a moment to rest aside,¡± the Protector Commander then looked toward Dante and others, nodded slightly, and said, ¡°Please be assured, it won¡¯t take long.¡±


    Fenna and Bishop Valentin stepped onto the mechanical bridge leading to the Storm Cathedral¨Cthe grand cathedral loomed increasingly larger in her sight, also emanating an increasingly breathtaking, almost suffocating aura of majesty.


    Merely approaching it made Fenna¡¯s heart start to race.


    Beside her, Bishop Valentin noticed Fenna¡¯s hesitant steps, the old man gently shook his head: ¡°Relax, this isn¡¯t your first time meeting Her Holiness.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I understand.¡±


    Led by a group of protectors, Fenna and Valentin crossed the long bridge, walked through a deck as wide as the dock plaza, and were finally guided into a massive elevator.


    Fenna thought the elevator would take her somewhere in the upper layers of the Church Ark, but inside she felt the entire carriage sinking continuously.


    The descent of the carriage lasted for a long time, so long that Fenna couldn¡¯t help but start to wonder if the elevator was heading straight to the sea, when suddenly the squeaking and creaking noises of the steel cables ceased.


    The doors of the elevator opened.


    The voice of a Church Knight came from beside: ¡°Please proceed forward¨Cthe Pope awaits you ahead.¡±


    A bit confused, Fenna followed Valentin out of the elevator, hearing the rear railing doors close abruptly with a frictional sound, then the two looked ahead, only to see a place almost entirely shrouded in darkness.


    They could barely make out a figure dressed in lavish garments standing in the dimly lit center of the room.


    Fenna hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward.


    And as she did, the slight explosion of flames suddenly broke the silence of this dim space.


    Bang, bang, bang, several mild explosions in a row, and several fire basins were lit one after another, the sudden light driving away the darkness around the elevator and allowing Fenna to clearly see the Pope Helena standing not far away. It also shockingly revealed to her that this space was much larger than she had imagined¨C


    Even with several basins illuminating it, the far reaches of the room remained draped in shadows, Fenna couldn¡¯t see where this ¡°room¡± ended. All she could see was a gray-black, somewhat rough floor stretching out in front of her, extending all the way to where darkness prevailed, and at the edge of the light from the basins, one could vaguely discern some gigantic ¡°pillars,¡± with many intersecting shadows connected between them, looking¡­ like they might be the pipeline system or support structures of the Church Ark.


    Is this the bottom hold of the Pilgrimage Ark?


    Why had the Pope chosen to meet her and Bishop Valentin here?


    Questions surged in Fenna¡¯s mind, but before she could speak, she already heard a gentle yet authoritative voice from ahead: ¡°You have arrived¨CSaint Valentin and Saint Fenna. Welcome to the Ark.¡±


    ¡°Your Holiness,¡± Fenna quickly suppressed the doubts in her heart and adjusted her expression, then together with Bishop Valentin, they bowed in respect; after the salutation, she cautiously raised her eyes and began, ¡°You summoned us here because¡­¡±


    Helena didn¡¯t let Fenna finish, but instead posed a somewhat puzzling question: ¡°Do you know where you are?¡±


    ¡°Here¡­ isn¡¯t this the Storm Cathedral?¡± Valentin raised his head, blinking a little confusedly, ¡°The bottom of the Storm Cathedral?¡±


    ¡°This is indeed right below the Storm Cathedral, but speaking strictly structurally, this place has already detached from the main body of the cathedral,¡± Helena revealed a slight smile, and under the illumination of several basins, her smile seemed to carry a hint of deeper meaning, ¡°You are standing on the lowest level of the Pilgrimage Ark, in the ¡®belly¡¯ of this behemoth.¡±


    She raised her head, her gaze slowly shifting between Fenna and Valentin.


    ¡°This place is under the watch of the Storm Overlord, and at the same time, it is the closest to the deep sea, where the Lord¡¯s blessings and the Lord¡¯s judgments coexist.¡±


    Helena¡¯s gaze came to a halt, yet she was looking neither at Fenna nor at Valentin.


    She seemed to be speaking into the void in the darkness:


    ¡°After faith has wavered, is continuing to perform your duties very difficult?¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression froze instantly.


    Valentin reacted similarly.


    An unbearable oppressive atmosphere filled the vast yet dim space.


    After what seemed like an eternity, Fenna finally was the first to compose herself, taking a deep breath: ¡°My faith¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask about your faith,¡± Helena shook her head, ¡°I asked if, after your faith wavered, continuing to perform your duties has become more difficult than before?¡±


    Fenna was taken aback, seemingly unable to grasp the deep meaning of the Pope¡¯s words immediately. Bishop Valentin, however, after a brief moment of astonishment, seemed to understand and quickly spoke: ¡°I perform my duties unwaveringly, sheltering the City-State and guiding the Believers all come from my heart¡­¡±


    ¡°Excellent, Saint Valentin, your steadfastness moves me¨Cyou should continue your duty as the protector of the Plunder City-State until the end.


    ¡°Saint Fenna, I see the confusion in your eyes, and given your current situation, I have no choice but to announce a temporary suspension of your duties as the Plander Inquisitor.


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    ¡°This decision takes effect immediately.¡±


    Helena spoke quickly, before Fenna and Valentin could react, she had finished speaking.


    Both Saints looked at each other.


    Valentin: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Chapter 277: A New Storm

    Chapter 273: Chapter 277: A New Storm


    Fenna and Valentin were both stunned by the sudden turn of events. The ¡°judgment¡± of Pope Helena was less like a solemn religious ruling and more like a deliberate orchestration toward a predetermined outcome¨Cthe conversation just now was merely a formality.


    Such a hasty ¡°ruling¡± was naturally hard for Fenna, the Judge, to accept, and it was just as difficult for Valentin beside her. They exclaimed in unison, ¡°Your Holiness¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s enough, it¡¯s enough; there¡¯s nothing wrong with a little change in life. Like a Storm, it¡¯s always the most unpredictable,¡± Helena waved her hand, interrupting Fenna and Valentin, ¡°And don¡¯t easily fall into despair, Saint Fenna¨Cbeing relieved of your duties as a Judge doesn¡¯t necessarily mean punishment; it simply means you are temporarily unsuited for the job, perhaps¡­ the Storm has other plans for you?¡±


    At these words, Fenna hesitated, seemingly catching some deeper meaning in Helena¡¯s tone. Just as she was about to question further, she saw the Pope in front of her shake her head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that for now. There are some things I need to see with my own eyes before deciding,¡± Helena said lightly, ¡°Prand¡­ It¡¯s been many years since I last set foot on this land.¡±


    She paused slightly.


    ¡°You all go back to the upper levels first; the elevator is ready. I will complete a prayer here¨Cit won¡¯t take long, we¡¯ll meet on the upper deck.¡±


    Almost before they had time to react, Fenna and Valentin were ¡°hurried¡± back into the elevator, and not until the elevator reached the top, not until they left the cabin and walked along the corridor towards the upper deck, did Valentin break the silence in a whisper, ¡°Fenna, how do you feel now?¡±


    He really could think of no better way to break this awkward silence.


    Fenna stopped in her tracks.


    Valentin stepped aside a bit.


    ¡°Are those two steps back serious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are serious.¡±


    ¡°Still making deadpan jokes, it seems you also realize the unusualness of the situation,¡± Fenna shook her head, speaking softly, ¡°To be honest, my initial reaction was disbelief and difficulty accepting. This rushed and hasty ¡®ruling¡¯ felt more like a poor joke and should not have come from the mouth of Her Holiness, but when I recalled the details in her words just now, I feel¡­ she seems to have a deeper meaning.¡±


    With that, she exhaled softly, ¡°I think I should wait patiently for the ¡®other plans the Storm has¡¯ that Her Holiness mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Your calmness and logic indeed far exceed that of ordinary people¨Cfaced with such an unexpected situation, most people would not be able to calmly think it through so quickly,¡± Valentin took a step forward, speaking as he walked, ¡°But more than that, I¡¯m concerned about something else right now.¡±


    Fenna frowned, ¡°Something else?¡±


    ¡°To relieve a Judge of her duties, there must be a new Judge to take over, and the position of a City-State Judge, such an important role, must be ¡®tested¡¯ and appointed by the Pope herself¨Cyou should be clear about this process,¡± Valentin said slowly, ¡°But Her Holiness didn¡¯t mention anything about this¡­ This should have been a ¡®necessary item¡¯ announced at the same time or even in advance of the dismissal.¡±


    Involuntarily, Fenna furrowed her brow but did not speak for a moment, while Valentin continued, ¡°Moreover, she chose to announce your dismissal in a secret ¡®chamber¡¯ unknown to anyone else. According to church law, the secrets granted by the Pope in a chamber are not to be spoken by others, whatever the secrets may be; this is a kind of ¡®security code.''¡±


    Fenna had to admit that her young self was not as thoroughly versed in the Storm scriptures as the senior clergyman Valentin! She hadn¡¯t thought of these key points at all!


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Your dismissal will not be known to anyone,¡± Valentin said calmly, looking into Fenna¡¯s eyes, ¡°nor will there be a new Judge to take over your duties.¡±


    Fenna paused, her brow furrowing slightly, ¡°Then how should I continue to fulfill my duties in Prand?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Valentin said softly, looking up at the exit of the corridor ahead, after a moment of thought, he continued, ¡°But I suspect you may not need to continue your duties in Prand for much longer.¡±


    ¡­


    In the vast space, Pope Helena stood quietly among the dim firelight. After an unknown amount of time, she finally raised her head, her gaze toward the dark distance.


    This was the bottommost part of the Pilgrimage Ark, an area rarely accessed by ordinary people and utterly unknown to them. She called it ¡°the belly of the beast,¡± which was, in a sense, quite accurate.


    Helena moved forward, stepping past the burning braziers, to a place previously unlit by the flames.


    One cluster of flames spread with her steps, gradually illuminating the dim space, revealing those things previously unseen in the darkness.


    On the ground was a tangled network of vessels, from the high domed ceiling hung massive tumors or neural nodes, dangling nerve fibers, and vascular supports, and giant pale supports that resembled a skeleton.


    These things, once hidden in the darkness, were now fully revealed to Helena as the firelight spread.


    She finally stopped in front of a massive ¡°pillar.¡±


    This pillar was made of a large number of complex structures, coiled and stacked upon one another, with a bumpy surface, and it was wrapped with numerous nerve fibers and vascular systems, emerging like bas-reliefs. In the depths of these nerve systems, one could faintly see the complex metal wires and the glittering silver pins, as if they were creeping down from above.


    At the top of the pillar, on the dim dome above, one could also see an even denser cluster of dangling organs that riddled with furrows on their surface, resembling¡­ brains.


    Helena gazed steadily at the pillar for a long time, then reached out her hand and slowly ran it over the bumpy grooves formed by the nerve fibers.


    ¡°Academy of Truth¡­ Such incredible technology,¡± she murmured in admiration, ¡°Who would have thought that the dead Leviathan could be ¡®resurrected¡¯ in this way¡­¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than a deep, writhing sound suddenly emanated from the pillar. Then a hoarse, ancient voice rose from somewhere within the structure, ¡°Firstly, I was never truly dead to begin with, and secondly, I don¡¯t consider myself to be ¡®alive¡¯¨Cdescribing Leviathan in terms of life and death is a very imprecise way to speak, young lady.¡±


    ¡°¡­I thought you were sleeping.¡±


    ¡°I do spend most of my time sleeping, but today you prayed to Queen Gomona with unusual solemnity, and you¡¯ve brought a stranger to this place. I felt that I should be awake no matter what.¡±


    Helena¡¯s mouth seemed to twitch: ¡°¡­Did you find the scene to your satisfaction?¡±


    ¡°I just think you¡¯re quite impersonal,¡± the hoarse, ancient voice came again, ¡°She was doing quite well, wasn¡¯t she? There isn¡¯t a Judge in any of the City-States who has surpassed her in the composite evaluations. You just dismissed her like that, without a good reason¡­ We all know that if she can continue to fulfill her duties, that reason carries very little weight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the arrangement of the Storm Overlord,¡± Helena said flatly.


    The hoarse, ancient voice clearly paused for a moment before replying, ¡°¡­Oh, then I have no problem.¡±


    Helena shook her head helplessly, ¡°I thought you would at least ask why.¡±


    However, this time there was no response from the hoarse, ancient voice.


    He had fallen asleep.


    ¡­


    On the vast expanse of the Endless Sea, the steel warship Sea Mist was slicing through the waves, and as the ship gradually ¡°healed,¡± and its engines were now at full power, the thin layer of Frost once again manifested around the ship, continuously forming small blocks of ice on the nearby sea surface.


    Tirian made his way to the bow, gazing at a wide-open expanse of sea ahead.


    For some reason, he felt a vague sense of unease.


    At first, he assumed it was an aftereffect of the ¡°paternal injury,¡± the pressure accumulated from seeing his father several times in the seas and the city of Praland. However, as the Sea Mist sailed further and further from Praland, this unease did not diminish but grew stronger.


    It even began to irritate him.


    It seemed as if something was about to happen, or perhaps¡­ had already happened, and this matter was very likely related to himself.


    He trusted his Transcendent intuition in this regard.


    Tirian took a deep breath, resting his hands on the railing in front of him, frowning in thought.


    Just then, as if to confirm this growing sense of unease, a slightly urgent set of footsteps suddenly approached from behind.


    Tirian turned abruptly and saw First Officer Aiden approaching him.


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    This usually composed first officer now wore an expression of anxiety on his face.


    Tirian immediately furrowed his brow, ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve just received an urgent Spiritual Energy message from the home port at the small chapel. Something has happened in the seas near Frost.¡±


    ¡°Near Frost?¡± Tirian felt his heart skip a beat, pressing, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°¡­An ancient diving apparatus has suddenly appeared in the waters near Frost,¡± Aiden said, unable to help taking a breath, ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Diver Number Three¡¯¨Cthe eighth one.¡±

 Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter 278 Reasonable Arrangement

    Chapter 274: Chapter 278 Reasonable Arrangement


    Nightfall was deepening, and the frigid Creation of the World hung high in the night sky. Under its pallid luminescence, the entire City-State had fallen into silence.


    In the second-floor corridor of an antique shop in the Lower City District, Duncan stood before a small window, quietly gazing at the silent street outside. The roofs, undulating under the chilly glow, and the pipes and valves sprawling across them, lay still.


    In a far-off view, he saw the Homeloss sailing across the heaving Endless Sea, following the course of the Sea Mist to the north through the dark night.


    Here, however, he watched over the entire City-State, utilizing the ubiquitous ¡°perception¡± to scan every corner of Prande.


    He slightly raised his eyes to see the invisible ¡°mists¡± that continued to hover above the city.


    Released by the Storm Cathedral, these ¡°smokes¡±, akin to ¡°souls¡±, ceased their expansion after nightfall. Now, they almost covered three-quarters of the City-State, undulating slowly in the night sky like a thin veil, as if¡­


    Strolling leisurely in the night sky.


    Duncan withdrew his gaze from the sky and focused on a vast shadow at the edge of the City-State.


    It was where the Storm Cathedral docked.


    The enormous Pilgrimage Ark, like a dark cloud, clung closely to Prande¡¯s southeast port. In Duncan¡¯s perception, he could distinctly feel the outline of this massive entity, but he couldn¡¯t penetrate his probing sight into the interior of the cathedral.


    The interior of the cathedral seemed to him like a vast, dark void.


    The ordinary ships docked at the port couldn¡¯t block his ¡°touch¡±¨Cwithin a sufficient proximity to Prande, nothing could escape his touch, but now the cathedral was clearly an exception.


    Was this due to Goddess Gomona¡¯s ¡°protection¡±, or a special defense technique of the Deep Sea Church?


    Duncan was curious, but he refrained from taking any drastic actions. Although he had contemplated whether a blast of green fire could break the cathedral¡¯s defenses, he only thought of it momentarily¨Cafter all, there was no feud, and there was no need to ignite a fire out of mere curiosity.


    At that moment, Duncan¡¯s heart suddenly stirred, and he quickly withdrew his perception from the Storm Cathedral, looking toward the direction of the Upper City District instead.


    He thoughtfully gazed at the hills that rose above the surrounding land, and the Prande Church that stood solemnly in the night.


    ¡­


    In a well-lit resting room at the highest point of Prande Cathedral, Pope Helena lit a spice-infused ritual candle and placed the candelabrum in front of a full-length mirror in the corner before she slightly turned to look at Fenna, who had been standing by her side for a long time.


    ¡°I heard that the first time you saw ¡®him¡¯ in the Dreamscape, your first reaction was to jump and strike,¡± she commented. ¡°What were you thinking at that time?¡±


    Fenna¡¯s face showed a touch of embarrassment, ¡°At that time¡­ I didn¡¯t think much.¡±


    ¡°When you say ¡®didn¡¯t think much,¡¯ it usually means ¡®didn¡¯t think at all,''¡± Helena laughed, ¡°which is actually good. Excellent warriors often act faster than they think, which is very useful when confronting heretics or malevolents¨Cafter all, ¡®thinking¡¯ can easily become our vulnerability.¡±


    ¡°¡­but I am just glad that my impulsive action at the time did not have any consequences,¡± Fenna sighed helplessly, ¡°in retrospect, he seemed not to mind my ¡®offense¡¯ at all.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t care, none of them do,¡± Helena sighed softly, ¡°Higher beings care about much broader and longer-term things¡­ The good news is that, included in what they care about is our survival to some extent.¡±


    Fenna was silent for a moment, and Helena looked at the former Judge with a half-smile, ¡°Fenna, you must have many questions.¡±


    ¡°I want to know¡­ about your arrangements for me,¡± Fenna hesitated before speaking, ¡°You covertly relieved me of my Judge duties without arranging a new guardian for the City-State, and I am somewhat at a loss, not knowing how to fulfill my responsibilities.¡±


    Helena listened calmly, her face showing no surprise. After Fenna finished speaking, the seemingly young pope just smiled and glanced out the window.


    Through the iron-patterned framed window, one could see the City-State streets, peacefully lit by numerous gas lamps.


    ¡°It¡¯s a tranquil night, Fenna,¡± the Pope said, ¡°how many incidents involving Transcendent contamination or sinister invasions do you think the night guards will report today?¡±


    Fenna hesitated for a moment before speaking, ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure. These days, the City-State has indeed been safer with no incidents reported, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Zero,¡± the Pope interrupted her. ¡°There are zero incidents tonight, just like yesterday, the day before, and it will be the same tomorrow.¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth.


    ¡°You all have noticed this, but haven¡¯t dared to conclude, have you?¡± Helena smiled, ¡°A city that is no longer dangerous at night, even in the temporary darkness after the gas lights go out, no longer breeds shadows; the most radiant pearl atop the Endless Sea, now truly lives up to its name.¡±


    Fenna gradually began to understand, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Phenomenon-Prand,¡± Helena nodded lightly, ¡°Within this large phenomenon, it seems no ¡®Transcendent contamination¡¯ occurs except for ¡®Phenomenon-Prand¡¯ itself.¡±


    ¡°Is this your observational conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I came here just to receive ¡®adoration¡¯ from the citizens in the streets and greetings from clergy and officials in the cathedral?¡± Helena looked at Fenna with a wry smile, ¡°I have my own ways to observe and judge the changes happening in this City-State.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s mouth hung open, as if she had countless things to say but suddenly didn¡¯t know where to start. A myriad of scattered thoughts filled her head. She felt that the current events once again surpassed her worldview, making it impossible to find a logical way to continue the conversation. After who knows how long, she finally blurted out, ¡°So¡­ does Prand now have no need for Judges?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Helena¡¯s reply caught Fenna off guard. The Pope shook her head, clearly also uncertain, ¡°Because this kind of thing has indeed never happened before, but at least one thing is certain: as long as the nature of Phenomenon-Prand remains unchanged, then you indeed no longer need to work as before, and the duties of the City-State guards will also undergo significant changes.¡±


    Pausing here, Helena pondered for a moment and then added, ¡°But even so, the City-State still needs the protection of its guards¨CI can only be sure that no ¡®natural Transcendent contamination phenomena¡¯ will occur within Phenomenon-Prand, but the threats we face are not only natural phenomena. Heretics, ancient descendants, sinister creations, those who actively seek to disrupt the civilized order will not comply simply because Prand has become a phenomenon.


    ¡°But overall, one thing is for certain: Prand has become much safer.¡±


    Helena stopped, her gaze calmly fixed on Fenna¡¯s eyes for a few seconds before she softly continued, ¡°Fenna, we are treading a very new path; no City-State, no church has ever faced such a situation.


    ¡°On another note, our world¡­ seems to be undergoing some disturbing changes as well, whether it¡¯s the malfunction of Phenomenon 001 or the activities of the Homeloss, all are breaking the fragile balance maintained by the City-States for thousands of years. Under these circumstances, and with only very limited revelations from the Goddess, I can only act within these confines.


    ¡°Fenna, you possess great talent, and this talent should be assigned to¡­ more valuable places. Prand is now in its safest state, but I guess you aren¡¯t someone who indulges in comfort, are you?¡±


    Upon hearing the Pope¡¯s words, Fenna immediately straightened up unconsciously, ¡°I¡¯m ready to sacrifice everything for faith and justice at any time!¡±


    ¡°Sacrifice everything?¡±


    ¡°Of course, sacrifice everything!¡±


    ¡°Without looking back?¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s the will of the Goddess!¡±


    ¡°Including going to the Homeloss?¡±


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    ¡°Including going to¡­¡±


    Fenna unconsciously spoke loudly, but barely managed to utter a few words before she choked, and after a couple of seconds, she stared dumbfounded at the Pope before her, ¡°¡­what did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I just said that our world is undergoing many disturbing changes, and among these changes, at least Homeloss is the only one that has shown a possibility of communication and a tendency of goodwill,¡± Helena said earnestly, ¡°We need to establish a stable channel of communication with the master of Homeloss, and ideally, it should have an official nature. You can consider yourself a special envoy, or you can think of yourself as a ¡®hostage¡¯¨Cof course, I personally suggest you choose the first option, but how you see it is up to you.¡±


    Fenna listened dumbfounded until the Pope finished, finally finding her chance to speak, ¡°But¡­ but¡­ is this reasonable? Going to Homeloss¡­ like I understand the concept? Is this even possible?!¡±


    Helena quietly watched the somewhat flustered young ¡°Judge,¡± anticipating this reaction, and after a long while, she began speaking with a smile, ¡°Reasonable.¡±

 Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: Chapter 279 Agreement Reached

    Chapter 275: Chapter 279 Agreement Reached


    Compared to Fenna¡¯s current disarray, the Pontiff Helena¡¯s demeanor remained always serene. She wore a smile on her face that even seemed slightly joyous.


    However, Fenna was not joyous at all¨Cnor could she be ¡°reasonable¡±!


    ¡°I think¡­ this is too sudden,¡± the young Judge struggled to think, unable to comprehend why the conversation had abruptly taken such an ominous turn. She was now trying to keep her logic up with the fast pace, ¡°I understand the need to establish communication with the Homeloss, but I believe it should be gradual. Moreover, if it¡¯s just for the sake of communication, we already have channels for that, Captain Duncan¡­¡±


    ¡°He will visit in the Dreamscape, or talk to you through a mirror, right?¡± Helena interrupted Fenna gently, ¡°I know, you have mentioned it in your reports.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough,¡± Helena said with a smile, shaking her head. ¡°That¡¯s just ¡®talking,¡¯ a private conversation between Captain Duncan and you. Such means of communication have neither the peculiarity nor the binding force, and they are far from being an official channel between the Deep Sea Church and the Homeloss. Fenna, you should understand the difference.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s lips quivered, thousands of words teeming at the back of her throat, yet in the end, she didn¡¯t voice any of them.


    She had confirmed that this was no joke, and nor was it a spontaneous arrangement by the ¡°spokesperson of the gods¡± before her. From Helena¡¯s attitude and her gaze, Fenna sensed something deeply deliberate, and¡­ some emotions that she couldn¡¯t quite comprehend for now.


    It was only after a while that she suddenly asked, ¡°The will of the Goddess?¡±


    ¡°You could understand it that way¨Cif it makes you feel better.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see,¡± Fenna took a deep breath, finally regaining complete composure. She reverted to her usual meticulous self, and with utter seriousness, bowed her head, ¡°Then I shall comply with this arrangement.¡±


    ¡°Go and rest for now,¡± Helena said with a soft nod, ¡°There is much to do tomorrow.¡±


    Fenna bowed her head once more before turning to leave the room.


    Watching the Judge¡¯s tall figure vanish beyond the door, Helena didn¡¯t look away for a long time. Then she suddenly smiled and shook her head with a hint of helplessness, ¡°This child¡­ She didn¡¯t even ask me how I plan to send her to that ship. She¡¯s just putting on a brave face¡­¡±


    A solemn and commanding voice then rose amidst the crackling of flames, ¡°I, too, am quite curious about how you intend to get her onto the Homeloss.¡±


    In the corner of the room before a full-length mirror, the candles suddenly flickered to a deep green, casting an eerie light on its surface. From within the stark darkness of the mirror, shadows spread rapidly, and Duncan¡¯s figure emerged from that profound gloom, quietly observing the Helena standing in the room.


    Helena, without turning around¨Ceven as Duncan¡¯s voice sounded from behind¨Cremained fixedly gazing out the window, ¡°Ah, so you have been watching.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard not to, when your planning is so loud the beads are bouncing off my face.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is a ¡®planning¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a subspace joke.¡± Duncan said matter-of-factly. After all this time, he had grown accustomed to occasionally spouting nonsensical lines while conversing with people, taking pleasure in observing their puzzled reactions, and as for how they might make sense of it afterward¡­


    In any case, whatever he said, the people of this world would always come up with their own wild interpretations.


    Helena wisely chose not to pry any further. She still didn¡¯t turn around, keeping her emotional fluctuations in check. Her tone retained its consistent softness and tranquility, ¡°Although you probably don¡¯t need it, I will introduce myself anyway¨CHelena, a humble servant of the Storm Goddess Gomona. It¡¯s a pleasure to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal, Captain of the Homeloss,¡± Duncan responded casually. ¡°I prefer a forthright mode of communication, so let¡¯s be frank¨Cwhat are your intentions, or rather, what does the Deep Sea Church truly want?¡±


    ¡°We are just focused on maintaining the order of the civilized world and responding to all the unsettling changes,¡± Helena answered calmly, ¡°You must have heard what I just said to Fenna. The world is undergoing some changes¨Cin fact, the situation is far more serious than what I¡¯ve explained to her.


    ¡°Numerous shadows are approaching our dimension of reality; the anomaly 001 might just be the beginning, and the Doomsday Preacher¡¯s acts of destruction in Prland might be part of a larger conspiracy. In the north, some City-States have reported disturbing news, and on the borders, the ¡®veil¡¯ is becoming increasingly unstable. Collapse phenomena within the borders of civilization are occurring more and more frequently, and amidst all these changes, Homeloss might be the only one we can hope to communicate with by rational means.


    ¡°We hope to establish a stable and effective communication with you, just as you wish to know the purpose of the Deep Sea Church, we¡­ also want to know about Homeloss. So, why not build a bridge?¡±


    Duncan Ebnomal frowned, ¡°So, you confidently arranged for Fenna to become this bridge¨Ca fine idea, but how do you know I would agree?¡±


    ¡°You care about her and have helped her, and from the intentions you have shown, you too are very interested in the civilized world of today,¡± said Helena, ¡°You have regained your reason and humanity, which necessitates the rebuilding of ties with the civilized world. In my view, Fenna is well-suited for this role¨Cor would you rather trust a ¡®stranger messenger¡¯ randomly chosen by the Deep Sea Church?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Fenna is at least an ¡®acquaintance¡¯ of mine. From your perspective, sending her ensures the messenger¡¯s safety to the greatest extent,¡± Duncan said slowly, ¡°But even so, aren¡¯t you worried that sending Fenna to Homeloss might be like sending a lamb into the jaws of a tiger? Given the good reputation my ship and I have in the civilized world, if your action were publicized, it might seem more reasonable to be seen as a bloody sacrifice.¡±


    Helena fell silent for a few seconds, then finally turned around slowly to look at the mirror, which was rippling with green flames.


    ¡°So, this matter will not be made public. After all, apart from people from Prland, most people in the world today still cannot discuss Homeloss without changing their face. Fenna will become a secret agent, and those in the know will be limited to the upper echelons of the Deep Sea Church and a few rulers of City-States¨Cor those informed as circumstances require.¡±


    Helena raised her eyes to observe the figure of Duncan in the mirror.


    The shimmering, distorted brilliance of stars filled her vision.


    ¡°As for what you called ¡®a lamb entering the lair of a tiger¡¯¡­ I am not worried.¡±


    Indescribable streaming starlight throbbed on the surface of the mirror as if straining to break free from the fragile glass, as fine black cracks spread from the edges of the mirror, filling the entire room. A low, chaotic growling noise filled her mind, each growl seeming to mingle with endless knowledge from Subspace.


    ¡°I can hear your voice, your voice full of calm reason. I believe you have indeed regained your humanity, and that humanity is clear evidence of your standing with the civilizational order.¡±


    The mirror in her vision appeared to turn into a vortex, the figure of the giant within the mirror entirely shapeless now; Helena saw only endless stars, fragmented light and shadow exploding in her mind. But then, a gentle wave rose in her consciousness, reshaping her nearly disintegrated thoughts.


    ¡°You are a friend and reliable. My deity has sent down guidance, and I trust my deity unconditionally. If It commands me to work with you, then that¡¯s what I shall do.¡±


    The writhing starlight from the mirror overflowed, a flowing silhouette extending into the air, pulsing, and swaying gently before Helena as if observing prey or sniffing the air of the room. The writhing starlight-formed silhouette came within half a meter of Helena, seemingly filled with countless eyes among its fractal points of light.


    Duncan, through the mirror, watched Helena¡¯s expression closely, seeking to discern her true intentions from the details of the Pontiff of the Deep Sea¡¯s words and actions. After a while, he realized that her eyes conveyed only calmness and sincerity.


    After a long time, he averted his gaze.


    ¡°The agreement is reached. I will keep a place for Fenna aboard Homeloss, but in return, once she is aboard Homeloss, she becomes a member of my crew. She will abide by strict codes of conduct, and her priorities will even surpass her status within the Church. I hope you understand that.¡±


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    He spoke with a deliberately formal and authoritative demeanor, giving the matter an air of official business.


    But in fact, inside, he was overjoyed.


    For a long time, he had suspected that Fenna and Homeloss were fated. Back then, he had been plotting how to entice this high-order clergy to come aboard as a deckhand, but could never find the right opportunity or reason. He never expected such an opportunity to fall from the sky.


    The Deep Sea Church needed a formal channel of communication to understand the intentions of Homeloss; it would alleviate their unease. Homeloss also needed a bridge to communicate with the Church forces in the civilized world, which would aid Duncan in his future endeavors. This was a win-win situation.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Helena nodded slowly, ¡°Then, the agreement is reached.¡±

 Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter 280: Before the Newcomer Joins

    Chapter 276: Chapter 280: Before the Newcomer Joins


    Was what Helena had said her true thoughts? Did the Deep Sea Church genuinely wish to establish communication with the Homeloss just for the sake of it? Did the ¡°Spokesperson of God¡± truly believe in Captain Duncan¡¯s humanity and rationality as she claimed?


    Duncan in fact dared not fully trust her, although the Female Pope appeared to be quite frank. Duncan was quite aware himself ¨C he knew Homeloss had a renowned reputation and a distinguished ¡°record of victories¡±; such fame meant that leaders like Helena would never deal with him without any reservations ¨C she must have her guards up.


    But having reservations might not be a bad thing; choosing to cooperate despite those reservations meant she had compelling reasons to do so. Perhaps it was the will of God, perhaps it was for the Church¡¯s benefit; whatever the reason was, the olive branch she extended now was real.


    ¡°Since the agreement has been reached, we should discuss the specific details of personnel transfer and registration processing,¡± Duncan considered and then proposed from a practical standpoint to the Pope in front of him, ¡°I think we need some formal documentation.¡±


    Helena was momentarily stunned. Although she was the one who initiated the matter, it was clear she had not anticipated this aspect; her expression revealed a touch of surprise, ¡°Registration¡­ process, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Employee onboarding, work handover, these are very serious matters,¡± Duncan spoke earnestly, ¡°Homeloss is a strictly managed exploration vessel, and the Deep Sea Church is a formal organization. Aren¡¯t you going to prepare any letters of introduction for the envoys you¡¯re sending? Moreover, there¡¯s the matter of Fenna¡¯s living expenses aboard the ship or the procurement of her personal equipment ¨C it should be clarified which side bears the reimbursement cost. Personally, I believe you should cover it, at least a portion of it¡­¡±


    Helena suddenly understood what Fenna meant in her report when she said ¡°Captain Duncan is a man prone to unexpected actions.¡± She had conceived so many contingencies for negotiating with Homeloss, yet she had never considered this one!


    ¡°¡­The Deep Sea Church will certainly take care of that portion of the¡­ ¡®budget¡¯,¡± after pausing for a few seconds, Helena finally nodded, ¡°If you need formal documents, we can provide them, or you can, if that suits you better ¨C do you have a standard template over there?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I can send a messenger to you with it in a while,¡± Duncan nodded with utmost seriousness, his tone grave, ¡°Homeloss is not one of those third-rate lairs of Evil Gods where a couple of ritual fires are lit, some mumbo jumbo is chanted, and then a sacrifice is shoved in and deemed a success. We are an extremely formal employer with personnel recruitment, regulations, and team building all at Subspace first-class standards¡­¡±


    Helena had been listening with a stoic face since the beginning, now just nodding subconsciously. For some reason, she suddenly felt that the undulating distorted starlight in the mirror before her seemed less disorienting.


    She even felt a certain kinship with the spinning lights and shadows.


    And in such a slightly dazed state, she finally concluded her conversation with the Ghost Ship captain.


    The sound of fire crackling ever so slightly preceded the green flames dancing before the mirror, which began to recede gradually, allowing the bright yellow-white flames to reappear on the candlestick; the shifting lights and shadows at the edge of the mirror and the pervasive black cracks throughout the room also started to fade from her sight.


    The stable reality re-emerged before Helena.


    But she still stared steadfastly at the now-normal mirror, gazing upon her own reflection which was slowly manifesting within it.


    It took an unknown amount of time before the trembling lines around the image finally stabilized, and Helena took a deep breath, gradually relaxing her tense muscles.


    Only at this moment did she start to feel the sweat that had soaked through her clothes; her heart was pounding urgently, and a hollow, numb ache throbbed in her head.


    ¡°¡­I had better remind Fenna to control her impulses to probe in her ¡®new position¡¯,¡± Helena massaged her forehead, speaking softly as she tried to quell the ache in her head, ¡°Direct exposure to Subspace¡­ feels horrible.¡±


    Suddenly, the sound of crackling entered her ears, a streak of green light catching her eye.


    Helena startled awake, only managing to see a wisp of green flame disappear near the window sill. She quickly headed towards where the light had vanished and saw an ancient parchment quietly lying there.


    It was Fenna¡¯s registration document aboard the Homeloss.


    ¡°¡­They really sent it.¡±


    The Female Pope murmured in mild astonishment.


    ¡­


    The next morning.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be adding a new member.¡±


    In the dining hall of the Homeloss, Duncan gathered all the members of the ship, including Sherry, who had been helping out in the antique shop, and Mr. Morris, who was researching in the City-State library, then solemnly announced the news.


    Nina had been concentrating on feeding the pigeons with a handful of fries when she suddenly froze, lifting her head in surprise, ¡°A new member? Who?¡±


    ¡°In a sense, someone familiar,¡± Duncan said with a smile, his gaze sweeping along both sides of the dining table. ¡°You all have met her. Sherry, you and Nina even saw her recently.¡±


    Sherry looked a bit dazed and took several seconds to vaguely realize something, her expression visibly becoming more animated, ¡°Could it be that Judicator¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, her,¡± Duncan nodded lightly. ¡°Judge Fanna will become a new member of the Homeloss within the next day or two.¡±


    ¡°Clang!¡±


    A loud noise suddenly came from beside the dining table. Duncan calmly looked towards the source of the noise and saw Ah Dog lying awkwardly on the floor¨Che had been sitting in a chair beside Sherry just a second ago.


    Sherry had nearly fallen off her chair herself but now glared at Ah Dog, scolding, ¡°Ah Dog, you gave me a fright!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m completely dog-smacked, really, Mr. Duncan, what did you just say¨Cthe Judge?!¡± Ah Dog scrambled up from the ground, ignoring Sherry¡¯s shouts beside him, his two bloodshot hollow eyes looking at Duncan. ¡°Do you plan to bring that Judge over by force? Ah, of course, I¡¯m not questioning your ability, you definitely could bring her over, but it won¡¯t be easy to make that Judge submit; she¡¯s obviously received very rigorous training, plus her mind is filled with faith in the Storm Goddess, it might not be easy to persuade her with ordinary methods to become¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Why is your first thought to bring someone onto the ship by force?¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched, ¡°I said Fanna would become our new member, when did I say we¡¯d be binding her to come aboard?¡±


    ¡°Then how are we supposed to bring her here without binding?¡± Ah Dog was bewildered, unable to think of any other reason in its ¡°normal logic¡± as to why a City-State Judge would suddenly become a new member of the Homeloss, ¡°Oh, you plan to detain her onshore first¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t it be a normal crew recruitment and job transfer?¡± Duncan looked expressionlessly at the other¡¯s ugly dog head, ¡°Like the Deep Sea Church wrote a letter of recommendation, I wrote a staff onboarding notice, and then Fanna joined through a perfectly normal process as a marine and chaplain on the ship¨Cdon¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit more reasonable?¡±


    Ah Dog thought for a moment and felt that such ¡°reasonableness¡± was utterly bizarre once applied to the Homeloss. It would rather believe that one day it might wake up on the ship to find the Saint right there than believe in the sequence of procedures the captain had just described. But after holding back for a while, it did not dare to voice its thoughts.


    Because this was the Homeloss.


    What the captain said was right.


    ¡°You are right,¡± Ah Dog said in a dismal tone, hanging its head. ¡°It is quite reasonable.¡±


    Duncan nodded, satisfied, and then glanced at the few people on both sides of the dining table. After a moment of thought, he still felt the need to explain further: ¡°This is an agreement between me and the Deep Sea Church. Fanna will board this ship as a secret envoy and serve under my command as a crew member until her mission is over. She will have a somewhat different status from you, but on this ship, everyone abides by the same rules, and I hope you all get along well.¡±


    ¡°As long as she doesn¡¯t bother me,¡± Sherry muttered, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to trouble her.¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t imagine how a City-State Judge is going to peacefully stay on this ship,¡± Ah Dog muttered as well. ¡°It feels like life is going to get more exciting from here on out.¡±


    ¡°I am prepared,¡± said Morris across the table, nodding slightly. The old scholar seemed the calmest (Alice beside him hadn¡¯t reacted from the beginning), with a slight odd smile on his face, ¡°Though, she might be quite surprised to see me¡­ but she¡¯ll adapt. Fanna has always been a very adaptable child since she was young.¡±


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    Nina had been quiet since the beginning, contemplating something, but then suddenly looked up, ¡°Uncle, are we going to be busy with something next?¡±


    Duncan lowered his head: ¡°Why ask all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Because you specifically gathered us all on the ship,¡± Nina pondered, ¡°Miss Fanna isn¡¯t on board yet, and you¡¯ve gathered us in advance¨Cthere must be other arrangements, right?¡±


    Duncan looked into Nina¡¯s sparkling eyes (at a temperature of 6000), and after a long while, he smiled and patted her hair.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, we¡¯ll be busy with something¨Cwe¡¯re on our way to Frost.¡±

 Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter 281 Taboos About Reading at Sea

    Chapter 277: Chapter 281 Taboos About Reading at Sea


    After his long conversation with Terrance last time, Duncan had shared the information about the Abyss Project with Nina and Sherry among others, but at that time, he hadn¡¯t mentioned any upcoming voyage plans for the ¡°Homeloss¡± ¡ª not until now, when a letter from an old friend Morris received finally led to this journey north.


    ¡°We are currently following the ¡®Sea Mist¡¯s¡¯ route northward, and we expect to enter the edge of the Chill Sea in a few days, where there must be scenery very different from the central sea area,¡± Duncan said, ¡°You can spend this time on the ship, Alice has already prepared rooms for you, of course, if you find it hard to adapt to life at sea you can return to the City-State¨CI can call you back if necessary.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll stay on board,¡± Sherry immediately raised her hand, ¡°I can help Miss Alice with some chores or something¡­¡±


    ¡°You also need to do your homework on the ship,¡± Duncan looked at her faintly, ¡°I will supervise personally.¡±


    Sherry immediately shrank her neck, ¡°Ah, then I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same in the City-State, and I will personally supervise.¡±


    Sherry frowned, ¡°Then¡­ then I¡¯ll just stay on the ship, consider it a change of environment.¡±


    ¡°I want to be on the ship too,¡± Nina looked at Sherry, then at Duncan, her eyes gleaming with a hint of eagerness, ¡°I haven¡¯t really gotten used to life on board yet, last time I didn¡¯t even make it through the night¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°Okay, then you can go back for a while and bring the bedding you¡¯re used to here to prevent you from being unable to sleep in an unfamiliar environment.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Nina nodded again and again, then seemed to remember something. She asked hesitantly, ¡°Then can I also bring the holiday homework and textbooks from school to the ship? I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t finish them before school starts¡­¡±


    As Nina finished speaking, a dog nearby couldn¡¯t help but hug its head with its paws, ¡°We are taking the most terrifying Ghost Ship in history to resolve a Transcendent incident, but why does it sound more and more like a holiday trip¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored the dog¡¯s muttering. He pondered for a moment, then uncertainly said to Nina, ¡°Sherry and Alice¡¯s spellbooks can be brought on board, but your textbooks and homework may be a bit risky¨Creading books on the Endless Sea and reading books in the City-State after nightfall are similar, it¡¯s easy to attract the malice from some shadows.¡±


    Nina was stunned, calmly analyzed, considered for a moment, then suddenly raised a very constructive issue that even Duncan hadn¡¯t thought of, ¡°Then if something comes out of the shadows, can¡¯t you just beat it up?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Dog and Sherry: ¡°¡­Right!¡±


    ¡°I had never thought about that,¡± Duncan was stunned for several seconds before finally speaking with a peculiar expression. He admitted that he had fallen into a blind spot in his thinking ever since the goat-headed man mentioned the ¡°sea reading taboo¡± and had habitually, like everyone else, treated it as a rule without considering other possibilities. However, now it seemed¡­ Nina, who had only recently been introduced to the Transcendent realm, displayed an incredible openness in her thinking.


    Of course, Nina was not bound by conventional thinking¨Cbecause on her first day in contact with the Transcendent domain, she had seen her Uncle Duncan standing in the City-State tearing apart the sun, the world¡¯s top Transcendent contamination presenting itself to her as being beaten down¡­


    After all, if anything troublesome happened, Uncle Duncan could just beat it up¨CNina¡¯s thought process was very clear and straightforward.


    ¡°I need to confirm something,¡± Duncan suddenly said, then got up and left the dining room.


    He directly took a large book to the captain¡¯s cabin, slamming it down in front of the goat-head.


    The goat-head was startled by the sudden noise, ¡°Cap¡­ Captain?¡±


    ¡°What usually happens when you read books on the Endless Sea?¡± Duncan asked directly.


    The goat-head was taken aback, then reflexively said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s obvious, reading books on the Endless Sea usually attracts the attention of some wills from the deeper layers of the world, such as invaders from the Spirit Realm, demonic projections from the Abstruse Domain, and even whispers from Subspace that sneak in during the process. They take advantage of the reader¡¯s relaxed vigilance to extend their projection into the real world and¡­ What are you doing?¡±


    Duncan had opened the big book about the City-States¡¯ folklore cultures that he had brought from Plunder City-State and was flipping through it while responding without looking up, ¡°When are those ¡®invaders¡¯ you mentioned supposed to show up?¡±


    The goat-head felt his thought process tying up, but still responded as he struggled, ¡°Usu¡­ Usually, they should appear immediately after the reading starts, very swiftly.¡±


    Duncan flipped through two pages and lifted his head, ¡°Then why haven¡¯t they come yet?¡±


    Goat Head: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Nina wants to do her winter vacation homework on the ship,¡± Duncan said seriously to Goat Head, ¡°if you have a way to ¡®attract¡¯ those ¡®invaders¡¯ you just mentioned, draw them here, as I need to negotiate with them.¡±


    ¡°How do you plan to ¡®negotiate¡¯ with ¡®them¡¯?¡±


    ¡°By beating them, repeatedly, until they promise not to disturb Nina¡¯s study,¡± Duncan spoke, then after a moment of thought, cautiously added, ¡°Of course, this is just an idea. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s feasible. Perhaps you are more professional in this regard?¡±


    Goat Head¡¯s thoughts got tangled again, and it hesitated even longer before finally speaking, ¡°I think you might need to ¡®test¡¯ it a bit more.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Generally speaking, shadows attracted by reading possess the trait of pursuing knowledge, which means they are a bit ¡®smarter¡¯ than ordinary ¡®invaders¡¯,¡± Goat Head¡¯s words finally flowed smoothly, though still spoken in a strange tone, ¡°Being smart means having some judgment. Even the chaotic and disorderly shadows of the Abstruse Domain and Spirit World Shadow, in their pursuit of knowledge, understand to weigh advantages against disadvantages and wouldn¡¯t rashly appear before you¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Duncan nodded, his gaze scanning the words on the book as he casually spoke, ¡°That means those who dare to board ¡®Homeloss¡¯ aren¡¯t nobodies or fools, but must be powerful invaders who are confident in themselves and have carefully weighed their options¨Cactually, that¡¯s a good thing. It means I only need to beat them once or twice to make the powerful among ¡®them¡¯ quickly understand the situation, without worrying about endless harassment from fools.¡±


    ¡°I think your judgment is very sensible.¡±


    Duncan did not respond to Goat Head¡¯s flattery, but continued to immerse himself in his book. He slowly turned the slightly rough pages, his eyes leisurely wandering through the thrilling or mysterious lore of the southern City-States, letting his mind gradually relax and sink.


    Waiting for the knowledge-pursuing invaders to sniff out this sweet bait and invade this defenseless reality.


    However, no invaders appeared.


    ¡°It seems it doesn¡¯t work,¡± Duncan lifted his head, speaking to the quietly seated Goat Head at the edge of the table, ¡°Is there any other method?¡±


    ¡°There is actually¡­ I think you might not need to be fixated on this matter. There are so many taboos in the Endless Sea, being unable to read is just¡­¡±


    ¡°Nina needs to write her winter vacation homework,¡± Duncan said in a gentle tone, ¡°She takes it very seriously.¡±


    ¡°You could perhaps have someone else try reading, like Mr. Morris¨Cfollowers of the god of wisdom are better at controlling their minds, useful both for protecting themselves and setting traps,¡± Goat Head said immediately, ¡°Most invaders are likely cautious because they¡¯ve sensed your presence, but setting a trap should work.¡±


    Duncan thought about it and felt it was a good idea.


    He picked up the book and went straight back to the dining room¨Ceveryone was still there waiting, Nina and Sherry were whispering guesses about what Duncan was doing, Alice was checking spelling words with A-Dog, and Morris was resting with closed eyes, only opening them upon hearing Duncan¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°I need a trap to lure those knowledge-seeking invaders,¡± Duncan walked straight to Morris, placing the folk tome in the old scholar¡¯s hands, ¡°Read this book, make your mind appear as an unprotected scholar to lure a powerful evil spirit onto the ship. I want to ¡®communicate¡¯ with that invader, and by the way, figure out what exactly these invaders are.¡±


    Morris was startled; he had pursued academia for most of his life and it was his first time hearing such a mad and fanciful plan, but the next second, he realized from Duncan¡¯s eyes that the ¡°Ghost Ship Captain¡± was serious.


    Indeed, only a powerful Subspace Shadow like him would seriously consider such a course of action.


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    After the initial shock, a strange excitement and anticipation also arose from within the old scholar.


    He had to admit, he too suddenly became curious.


    What would happen if, under Captain Duncan¡¯s witness, on the exceptionally unique ¡®Homeloss,¡¯ he actively read and lured an evil spirit?


    Morris picked up the book.


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 Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 282 "Knowledge Seeker

    Chapter 278: Chapter 282 ¡°Knowledge Seeker


    The gently rolling waves softly slapped the outer walls of the cabin, and from time to time, faint creaking sounds emerged from deep within the deck. A boat lamp, fueled by whale blubber, quietly burned not far away. In its bright glow, pairs of eyes, curious or expectant, were illuminated.


    Maurice opened the book about City-State folklore in front of him, gradually relaxing his mind, lessening his safeguards against his own self-will, and opening his thoughts to knowledge, letting the power from the book slowly immerse his spirit.


    He could feel his undefended mind emitting an increasingly tempting ¡°scent¡± over the vast Endless Sea.


    A scholar, a reckless, undefended scholar, had opened his mind out on the sea; the hungry shadows lurking deep in the world must have sensed this bait¨Cthese blindly writhing shadows couldn¡¯t resist the lure. However, they were still hesitating; their barely rational minds, slightly civilized by the pursuit of knowledge, had an instinctive repulsion to the environment aboard Homeloss, which kept them indecisive.


    But they would not hesitate forever¨Cthose lurking in the Spirit Realm, the Profound, or even in Subspace did not truly possess wisdom.


    Maurice slowly turned a page, his gaze flowing between the lines of text.


    Folklore knowledge, that was what most attracted these shadows. The folklore held human fears, reverence, and simplistic understanding of nature, accumulated over long spans of time¨Cit was coarse humanity, sweet emotions mingled with solidified knowledge, perfect for those hungry knowledge seekers to devour.


    Another page flipped, with fine dust rising and fluttering amidst the turning, the light skewing through the curled paper, illustrating dancing shadows amid the paper and text.


    The cabin was very quiet.


    The captain stood quietly to one side, watching the open book, while Sun Shard stood on the other, attentive to the air¡¯s stirrings.


    Maurice looked down at the next line of text, seeing the edges of the letters slightly tremble.


    The invader was drawing near.


    The invisible knowledge predators, no longer able to restrain themselves, had come to the edge of the real world. Their tendrils sniffed at Maurice¡¯s psyche through the pages, beginning to disguise themselves as text, with strange symbols gradually emerging on what were initially normal pages.


    These were nonexistent texts, depicting nonexistent knowledge.


    Clever hunters often disguise themselves as their prey, and knowledge seekers luring scholars frequently disguise themselves as ¡°knowledge,¡± where reading them was the first step into a trap.


    Maurice watched lines of indecipherable characters appear on the paper, feeling the enticing power seeping from the characters, urging him to read, and he whispered softly, ¡°It has arrived.¡±


    The next second, the ¡°hunter¡± hidden in the book pages and text, as if suddenly sensing something, let out a sharp and chaotic screech that pierced everyone¡¯s ears. The pages of the thick book then began to flip wildly, the black text on the pages seeming to come alive, struggling to transform into ink, attempting to break free from the yellowed paper!


    Duncan flashed a slight smile at this.


    His ¡°fishing¡± had succeeded; using a historian in this confrontation with knowledge predators had indeed proven effective.


    A cloud of smoke surged from the book pages, the words that detached from the pages quickly blended into the smoke, roaring as they flew out of the book, forming a smoky vortex swirling upward. Amid the smoke, dark things began to condense and take shape, rapidly forming a structure akin to bones¨Ca massive pile of chaotic, twisted dark bone shards crackling to the ground next to the dining table. In the blink of an eye, they assembled into something those present were all too familiar with:


    An ugly creature made of black bones, resembling a hound.


    The ever-vigilant A-Dog, standing nearby, suddenly looked stunned, raising his head to the others around him, ¡°I don¡¯t recognize it.¡±


    ¡°That makes things easier,¡± Duncan casually remarked, stepping towards the newly formed Abyssal Hound, which by then had also recovered from its confusion. It fiercely lifted its head, its hollow, blood-red eye sockets exploding with red light, and black flames surged up from the bone cracks all over its body, poised to resist!


    However, its resistance ended before it had even started¨Cas the black flames inside the Abyssal Hound surged, its gaze met Duncan¡¯s. The next second, every thread of flame bursting from its body was tinged with a touch of eerie green.


    This invader from the depths of the Profound lost control over its own flames within a second, becoming a sacrifice under the captain¡¯s gaze. Its mind, chaotic and confused, possibly couldn¡¯t even grasp what was happening before it was engulfed in the ferocious Spectral Flame¨Cfierce, chaotic howls instantly shattered the calm aboard Homeloss, flames devouring bones in a cacophony of explosive sounds and eerie tearing noises that echoed through the dining area!


    Excellent hunters often show themselves in the guise of their prey¨Cbut truly inept hunters really do become the prey.


    What happened next was unbearable for the dog, its whole body shivering into a ball, huddled behind Sherry, trembling as it watched the flickering firelight in front and listened to the sounds around it. The red light in its eyes faded in and out, ¡°Oh¡­ Oh my, this¡­ oh mom, this burning¡­ oh these shattered bones¡­ oh that howling¡­ oh mom, I can¡¯t watch this anymore¡­¡±


    The dining room fell silent.


    A cluster of shattered bone fragments, unrecognizable in detail, lay scattered across the floor, with light green smoke curling above them and a few lingering green sparks leaping around the debris, devouring the last bit of energy the ¡°Knowledge Hunter¡± had in this reality dimension.


    Duncan furrowed his brows, the development of events had taken an unexpectedly swift turn.


    He walked forward and kicked the pile of still-warm fragments with the tip of his shoe, then looked up at the dog nearby.


    ¡°Why would it be an Abyssal Hound?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± The dog shuddered instantly, its voice trembling, ¡°I¡¯ve never read books, I can¡¯t read, and I hardly had any sanity before meeting Sherry. I don¡¯t know why it suddenly appeared¡­ fellow villager.¡±


    At that moment, Morris stood up. The old scholar¡¯s steady voice finally helped relieve the dog, ¡°Theoretically, the ¡®evil spirits¡¯ attracted while reading books are random, usually intangible shadows from the Spirit Realm, but there are rare cases where ¡®demons¡¯ emerge from the depths of the Abyssal, with Abyssal Hounds embodying ¡®hunting¡¯ and ¡®chasing¡¯ in their name. In fact, they are indeed a type of Knowledge Hunter¡­ and quite a powerful one at that.¡±


    ¡°A quite powerful one?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows upon hearing this, glancing inadvertently at the shivering dog by Sherry¡¯s feet, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Under normal circumstances, a person reading a book on a ship, if ambushed suddenly by a Profound Demon emerging from the book, would almost certainly not survive,¡± Morris¡¯s expression turned a bit odd, ¡°In worse scenarios, a Profound Demon that invades the real world in this way could quickly grow out of control and slaughter everyone on the ship within a short period¡­ not every ship is the Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Duncan nodded, quickly recalculating the power formula in his mind, his tone slightly nuanced, ¡°If the strongest invaders summoned while reading are just ¡®hunters¡¯ like the dog, then it doesn¡¯t seem too dangerous¡­¡±


    With that, he glanced at Nina, ¡°Nina, you can do your winter homework on the ship in the future. If something really comes out, just beat it up yourself¨Cjust be careful not to burn anything.¡±


    Nina immediately smiled, ¡°Oh!¡±


    Duncan then looked back at the dog, ¡°So you didn¡¯t even know you were a ¡®knowledge chasing hound¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± the dog shook its ugly head, its voice muffled, ¡°I told you, I was oblivious before¡­¡±


    Sherry pondered for a while, then suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Then if you say that, if Abyssal Hounds like the dog can¡¯t read, why do they chase knowledge?¡±


    ¡°Alice also studies cooking,¡± Duncan casually remarked, ¡°It could just be a hobby.¡±


    Sherry nodded, seemingly getting the idea, but then looked down at her partner, who had quietly crawled under a nearby table and was hiding there, its large paws clutching its head, muttering, ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, I don¡¯t know anything¡­ This place is too damn scary¡­¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but shake his head with a smile, suddenly feeling that the atmosphere on the ship had really been improving day by day¨Cnow with these delightful daily occurrences, he was curious what it would be like when Fenna came on board.


    With a cheerful mood and a slight anticipation for the future, he walked forward and kicked the pile of black bones that had gradually cooled on the floor.


    It was just a heartless Profound Demon, completely different from the dog.


    ¡°Alice, clean up this mess.¡±


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    ¡­


    Under the bright and warm sunlight, Fenna walking through the church courtyard suddenly felt a chill and shivered instinctively.


    She looked up at the sunny path in the courtyard, sighed deeply after a long while.


    What was meant to come, would always come.


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 Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Chapter 283 "Official Document

    Chapter 279: Chapter 283 ¡°Official Document


    Every day, before noon, Fenna would traverse the atrium of Prand Cathedral, walking the path between flower beds to the sanctuary, a journey of one hundred and three steps, and then twenty-seven more from the entrance to the statue of the goddess¨Csince becoming the city¡¯s Judge, these steps had become a part of her life.


    She knew everything in this cathedral, familiar with every tile on the floor from the atrium to the sanctuary as well as she knew her own hands.


    In many past days and nights, she had never imagined that this short path could feel so¡­ arduous and long.


    The doors of the sanctuary opened, the overly bright sunlight cast behind, and after adjusting to the slightly dim interior, Fenna saw two figures standing before the statue of the goddess in the center of the room.


    Sky Light filtered through the tall stained-glass windows, casting a layer of radiance on the statue, Archbishop Valentin and Female Pope Helena turned their gaze to the Judge entering the room in the sunlight.


    ¡°You have arrived,¡± Helena nodded gently, ¡°one minute later than planned.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Fenna approached and gave a slight bow before the statue of the goddess, then looked at the Female Pope, ¡°handing over responsibilities with my subordinate took a few more minutes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Helena nodded gently, glanced at Valentin beside her, ¡°I¡¯ve discussed your situation with Archbishop Valentin, he will help you with the handover and arrangements later, you don¡¯t need to worry about the affairs here. Your uncle has also received word, he understands the church¡¯s arrangements¨Cbut I still hope you¡¯ll discuss this with him later, to ease some of his concerns about the future.¡±


    Despite feeling mentally prepared, Fenna¡¯s heart still skipped a beat upon hearing the Female Pope¡¯s words.


    A sense of blurring between Dreamscape and reality surged, leaving her somewhat dazed; she tried to grasp precisely this sentiment, but eventually, she found that all her emotions were encapsulated in one sigh¨CAh, it really happened.


    But suddenly, she was confused and even found it ridiculous, she looked at the Female Pope and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You really intend to send me to the Homeloss¨Cof course, I¡¯m not doubting your decision, it just suddenly seems¡­ this is no trivial matter, we should at least understand Captain Duncan¡¯s stance, would he really allow a high-ranking clergy to board his ship so casually?¡±


    Fenna felt her wording was a bit chaotic, but she still tried to clarify her thoughts, continuing, ¡°Things happened rather suddenly yesterday, I only felt something was off after I got back, Homeloss is not just any ¡®open area¡¯ you can casually enter, how do you plan to¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve finally come to realize this issue,¡± Helena laughed and shook her head, ¡°I thought you would only think to ¡®ask for directions¡¯ when it was time to depart.¡±


    Fenna widened her eyes in surprise, then Helena reached beside her and pulled out a rolled-up piece of parchment, handing it over with a smile.


    Fenna accepted the scroll with bewilderment, carefully unrolled it, and scanned the text, her expression gradually turning intriguing¨C


    ¡°Deep Sea Church, acknowledged by servant Gomona¡­ Now receiving one personnel due to work relocation, temporarily assigned to battle position aboard this vessel¡­ Onboard privileges equal to those of a First-Class Crew Member, with salary and all expenses still covered by your institution, payment methods are¡­


    Captain of Homeloss, Duncan Ebnomal, signed in Visions-Prand, December 19, 1900.¡±


    Besides the handwritten signature, there was also a conspicuous red seal at the end of the document.


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    The young Judge looked a bit stupefied; she looked down at the personnel transfer acceptance letter in her hands, then up again at the Female Pope before her eyes settled on Archbishop Valentin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± Valentin¡¯s face was expressionless, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this either.¡±


    Fenna felt her lips quiver slightly: ¡°This signature on here¡­¡±


    ¡°Is genuine,¡± Helena stated calmly, ¡°the seal is authentic as well, if you go to the City-State¡¯s archives, you can even find an old file from a century ago when Homeloss was resupplied at the port of Prand, bearing the same seal and signature.¡±


    Listening in disbelief, Fenna opened her mouth as if she had a lot to say, but Helena interjected first, ¡°You have to admit, this is very logical.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Fenna raised a finger to herself, then lifted the parchment in her hand, finally blurting out, ¡°But isn¡¯t this a bit too logical?! And when did you¡­¡±


    ¡°Just yesterday,¡± Helena said seriously, a pleasant smile lurking in her eyes, ¡°I discussed your employment process in detail with Captain Duncan, we always believed this should be a formal and contractually bound personnel transfer, thus requiring official documentation.¡±


    The Female Pope paused and looked at Fenna, who still had a troubled expression on her face, then she couldn¡¯t help but smile and spread her hands, ¡°What else, Fenna? How did you think we were going to send you to the Homeloss? By lighting bonfires and drawing blasphemous symbols on the ground, then tying you to a stake and sacrificing you? Just like how the dark heretics sacrifice kidnapped girls to Subspace in damp caves?


    ¡°Fenna, we are the true faith, we follow formal procedures.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s lips quivered, and she thought to herself that she hadn¡¯t originally considered the details of this personnel ¡°handover.¡± Now that it had been pointed out, she realized the reasonableness of the document before her, yet the very rationality of the process made the whole thing seem eerie.


    All of the uneasy speculations about her future were shattered in an instant¨Cshe even doubted whether she would find a hearty staff meal on board the Homeloss, or perhaps a deck barbecue after an official dinner¡­


    That was the Homeloss!


    Helena saw the odd look in Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve seen the document, I presume it has dispelled your last reservations,¡± the Female Pope said with a smile, ¡°Go and rest now, take some time to prepare for departure¨Cthere¡¯s more detailed content on the back of this document, including specific handover times and methods, you might want to check it out.¡±


    Fenna was thus confusedly sent out of the cathedral.


    After the young Judge left, the cathedral became quiet for a moment. Two minutes passed, and Valentin¡¯s voice finally broke the silence, ¡°I¡¯m actually very curious.¡±


    Helena turned slightly, ¡°Curious about what?¡±


    ¡°What exactly happened that you suddenly decided to send Fenna to the Homeloss,¡± Valentin¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°I know your reasons, they are indeed solid, but to me, the whole affair seems¡­ too hasty. You seem eager to establish contact with ¡®Captain Duncan,¡¯ without adequate preparation. What happened?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a sharp person, Valentin, always have been,¡± Helena looked quietly at this Archbishop who had dedicated many years to the church, then sighed, ¡°Actually, this will soon be no secret at all, telling you now makes no difference.¡±


    She paused then slowly started, ¡°Do you remember the ¡®warning¡¯ Captain Duncan conveyed through Fenna not long ago?¡±


    ¡°Warning?¡± Valentin frowned slightly, then quickly thought of something, ¡°You mean, about Phenomenon 001¡­¡±


    ¡°Recent unsettling news came from the elven City-State ¡®Light Breeze Harbor¡¯ near the border,¡± Helena nodded, ¡°The ¡®Sea Witch¡¯ Lucricia sent them a gift. Guess what it was?¡±


    Valentin was stunned, recalling the details revealed in the Pope¡¯s words and vaguely grasped the truth, his expression becoming expressive, ¡°Could it be¡­ something really fell from the sky?¡±


    ¡°A glowing fragment that fell from the sky, light golden in color, a geometric body larger than the Storm Cathedral,¡± Helena stated, ¡°Although there is no definitive evidence yet proving it is a fragment from Phenomenon 001, but¡­¡±


    Helena didn¡¯t finish, only shaking her head.


    Valentin listened, dumbfounded, and after who knows how long, he managed to squeeze a few syllables out of his throat, ¡°¡­God.¡±


    ¡°Our world is having problems, the situation is more serious than imagined, and the Homeloss is so far the only one that has given a warning to the civilized world¨Cand this warning has been confirmed,¡± Helena slowly said, ¡°This is Captain Duncan showing goodwill, no matter how dreadful that ship had been in the past, we must now respond, for¡­ this time it¡¯s not just a City-State at stake, but the sun above our heads.¡±


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    ¡°¡­Can Fenna truly fulfill this mission?¡± Valentin dispelled his previous doubts but began worrying about another matter, ¡°She¡¯s actually a bit reckless and not very skilled at¡­ meticulous and careful interpersonal interactions, if we were to send a special envoy ¡®aboard,¡¯ she may not be the best candidate.¡±


    ¡°The best candidate is not for us to decide, Valentin.¡± Helena shook her head.


    She turned around, silently gazing at the statue of the Storm Goddess Gomona.


    ¡°The positions of the pieces were decided by the players at the very beginning.¡±


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 Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Chapter 284: The Day of Boarding the Ship

    Chapter 280: Chapter 284: The Day of Boarding the Ship


    Near the cathedral in the Upper City District, there was a high platform that used to be part of a city park. However, with the transformation project of the steam core, the original park facilities were relocated elsewhere, leaving behind only a solitary platform¨Cas if a forgotten knight was standing on high, watching over the factories and squares below.


    From the platform, one could overlook the entire cathedral district and the central factory area.


    Fenna would come here to clear her mind during her occasional free time. When her thoughts were in turmoil, she would also come here to think quietly and sort out her emotions.


    The afternoon sunlight was pleasant, and even with a slight breeze, it wasn¡¯t very cold on the platform. When the gentle sea breeze swept across the platform, it would lift hair by the ears, tickling slightly.


    Fenna tossed her white hair behind her head and silently gazed at the winding and mist-enshrouded steam pipes in her view. After a long while, she broke the silence, ¡°I have to go away for a while.¡±


    ¡°Go away?¡± Heidi turned her head in surprise, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It might be a faraway place, and I might be gone for a long time,¡± Fenna looked into Heidi¡¯s eyes, ¡°I can¡¯t divulge the specifics of the trip, but I should tell you before I leave.¡±


    Heidi blinked her eyes, looking somewhat puzzled, ¡°But you are a City-State Judge¨Ccan Judges just leave for a distant place just like that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Fenna opened her mouth, struggling to make her expression appear as a smile, ¡°It¡¯s an arrangement by the Church, a direct order from the Storm Cathedral.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I see,¡± Heidi nodded in realization. She didn¡¯t quite understand the internal rules of the Deep Sea Church. Still, when the title of ¡°Storm Cathedral¡± was mentioned, many things no longer needed explanation, ¡°So it seems to be a sacred mission? Are you being sent outside the diocese to fight heretics?¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression seemed to stiffen for a moment, ¡°¡­In a sense, it does have something to do with heretics, but it¡¯s not a combat mission.¡±


    Heidi, failing to notice the subtle shift in her friend¡¯s tone, simply sighed suddenly, ¡°Ah, my father also left for a trip recently. There was no sign beforehand; he just suddenly told me he had to go on a business trip, and mother didn¡¯t let me inquire too much¨Cnow you¡¯re leaving too, it feels like all of you are being so secretive.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Morris also left, huh,¡± Fenna muttered, but she soon shook her head with a self-deprecating expression, ¡°He must be going to meet his friends in academia, or attend some event; as a scholar like him, he is often invited to various City-State universities¡­ Anyway, it¡¯s different from the place I¡¯m going to.¡±


    Heidi turned her head, looking at her friend with some confusion, ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re acting strange, as if you have a lot on your mind, is it because you¡¯re anxious about going away? You don¡¯t seem to have left the City-State much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, I¡¯m probably just a little nervous about being assigned a task I¡¯ve never dealt with before,¡± Fenna shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Heidi exhaled and then, as if suddenly having a thought, excitedly suggested, ¡°Right, why don¡¯t we go to the movies together? There¡¯s a new film out, just as a change of mood¨CYou should get in touch with the things that are currently popular. This might even broaden your social circle¡­¡±


    Fenna paid no attention to her friend¡¯s last two sentences, simply raising her eyebrows curiously, ¡°A new film? What¡¯s it about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a work by the great director Sandoko, called ¡®Frontier Frights¡¯. It¡¯s about a border village that falls into heresy, offering the women of the village as a sacrifice to the ¡®Cave Evil Spirits,¡¯ and in the end, the brave defenders exterminate the evil. They say this film even uses a new technology called ¡®soundtrack¡¯, with voices playing in sync with the images from machines on both sides of the screen¡­¡±


    Heidi eagerly introduced the ¡°latest popular elements¡± to her friend but noticed Fenna¡¯s face growing increasingly strange. She paused halfway and after thinking for a moment, waved her hands, ¡°Okay, maybe you don¡¯t like that one. There¡¯s another one, called ¡®Nightwatch¡¯, about brave defenders who venture into secret realms but accidentally get trapped in a heretic¡¯s lair. They have to rely on their wits and experience to survive in the lair and try to hold onto their principles¡­ You don¡¯t like that either?¡±


    Heidi scratched her head, searching her mind, ¡°Then let me recommend a book to you, the latest popular novel, called ¡®Walking with Shadows¡¯, about¡­¡±


    Fenna finally couldn¡¯t bear to listen any longer and interrupted her friend¡¯s rambling almost with pallor, ¡°I appreciate it, but really, there¡¯s no need.¡±


    Then she seemed to realize her attitude was a bit harsh. She sighed softly, rubbing her forehead while whispering, ¡°Thanks for the concern, but the mission I¡¯m about to undertake requires a steadfast will and pure thought. It¡¯s best not to be exposed to too many things that could disturb the mind before I set off.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay, then I wasn¡¯t considerate enough,¡± Heidi smiled awkwardly, ¡°I forgot that you¡¯re a ¡®professional¡¯.¡±


    Fenna waved her hand.


    Some time passed, then she heard Heidi¡¯s voice again, ¡°My break is almost over. I have two appointments with patients this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Go on, you should be busy. I should start preparing for departure too,¡± Fenna breathed softly.


    Heidi hummed a response but stopped abruptly before leaving the platform. She turned her head, her expression a mix of hesitance in the afternoon sun and breeze, ¡°Can I see you off when you leave?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, this is a special mission.¡±


    ¡°Then, will you write back?¡±


    Fenna hesitated.


    She looked at Heidi, the white strands of hair fluttering with the breeze, as if a floating curtain had already set between herself and her friend.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± Fenna said softly, ¡°But I will¡­ try. Maybe it¡¯s not so strict there.¡±


    ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll wait for your letter,¡± Heidi¡¯s face suddenly beamed with a bright smile. Then she stepped forward, pulling out the crystal pendant from her neckline and twirling it in the air before pointing at Fenna¡¯s chest, ¡°The same amulet¨Cyou¡¯ll have good luck.¡±


    My good friend had left.


    Alone on the windy platform, only Fenna remained.


    The young Judge bowed her head, looking at the delicate pendant at her chest.


    ¡°¡­Such luck,¡± she muttered softly, her expression turning slightly peculiar, ¡°I hope that what the antique shop owner sold me really does bring some good fortune.¡±


    A loud peal of bells suddenly rang out from the direction of the church, interrupting Fenna¡¯s thoughts.


    She lifted her head to look towards the source of the bells, seeing the enormous clock face atop the bell tower indicating the time, as the brilliance of the sun gradually passed the sky¡¯s zenith, slowly moving toward the west side of the cathedral.


    She pulled out the parchment, reading the words on its back¨Cher ¡°induction notice.¡±


    According to the instructions on the notice, a messenger would come to fetch her in an hour, and before that, she was to wait in the cathedral¡¯s courtyard, where the handover process would not be disturbed by any unrelated individuals.


    What kind of messenger would it be? And how would she be transported to the Homeloss on the distant Endless Sea?


    Fenna¡¯s mind was filled with tremendous questions, but she still took steps towards the cathedral.


    She had many more plans, before leaving the City-State where she was born and raised. She wanted to visit her favorite shops, take a trip to the theatre, go to the harbor one more time, meet a few friends, pray at the sanctuary one last time¡­


    But time wasn¡¯t sufficient, she didn¡¯t have that luxury.


    In the cathedral¡¯s courtyard, Archbishop Helena and Archbishop Valentin had already been waiting for her for some time.


    ¡°The messenger hasn¡¯t arrived yet,¡± Valentin nodded to Fenna as she entered the courtyard, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Fenna glanced at the things she carried.


    Besides the great sword that never left her side, there was only a packed suitcase¨Cher personal belongings weren¡¯t many; aside from essential changes of clothing in the suitcase, the most significant items were her prayer book and some blessed church texts.


    Those were things that could be read safely on the Endless Sea, perhaps to alleviate the boredom of living aboard a ship.


    ¡°They are all here,¡± Fenna nodded, then looked up at the silent Archbishop next to her, ¡°I can still pray on the ship, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can,¡± Helena smiled, ¡°Captain Duncan even promised that you could set up an extra cabin to look like a small sanctuary.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then I suppose I¡¯ll look forward to my upcoming ¡®crew life¡¯ a bit more,¡± Fenna sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t entirely imagine what it will be like.¡±


    Helena opened her mouth, as if to say something, but just then, the sounds of crackling flames and flapping wings suddenly came from the sky, interrupting the conversation in the courtyard.


    The messenger had arrived.


    Fenna lifted her head in surprise, but only managed to see a streak of green flame falling from the sky like a meteor, within which huge bony wings spread open abruptly, and the next second, that flame ¡°fell¡± onto the courtyard¡¯s pathway, turning into a spiraling ascending doorway.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to leave,¡± Archbishop Helena¡¯s voice came from beside her, with a hint of reminder and urgency.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fenna nodded slightly, casting aside the last of her hesitation in that moment, taking a step forward.


    She took a deep breath and crossed through the spiraling door of fire. Her mind was bubbling with thoughts at that instant.


    What kind of scenery lay behind the door? What life awaited her on that ship? Would she first see that frightening Ghost Ship captain or perhaps some¡­ sailor on the Homeloss?


    What would the crew on that ship look like ¨C an eerie visage?


    The flames roared to life and then died down just as quickly; crossing the threshold took but a moment.


    Fenna felt dizzy for an instant, then the cool, moist sea breeze was directly upon her, with the sound of the waves roaring in her ears.


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    She blinked her eyes and patted her forehead firmly.


    She thought there might have been a problem with the transition.


    Or perhaps an issue with her own eyes.


    Because she saw¡­ Morris standing in front of her, smiling in her direction.


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 Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Chapter 285 Welcome the Newcomers

    Chapter 281: Chapter 285 Welcome the Newcomers


    For Fenna, everything that had happened in the past two days seemed to always bear a filter that was not quite real. Her life had undergone earth-shattering changes, so drastic that it felt like a ludicrous dream. She frequently doubted whether she had fallen into an illusion without knowing it¨Cand at this moment, her self-doubt finally reached its peak.


    She could not believe her eyes as Mr. Morris stood before her with a smile on his face.


    The young Judge abruptly closed her eyes, thumped her forehead hard, and when she reopened them, she found Mr. Morris was still there¨Cwith a tall figure looming beside him.


    It was the gloomy and imposing Captain of the Ghost Ship.


    ¡°Welcome aboard, Fenna,¡± Mr. Morris said, ¡°I know you have many questions¡­¡±


    Fenna¡¯s mouth opened, but before she could say anything, she suddenly heard a loud ¡°bang¡± next to her. She didn¡¯t feel threatened by the noise, but it still startled her, and she instinctively turned her head to see a mass of colorful confetti and streamers hurtling towards her¨Ca beautiful lady with silver-white hair down to her waist was staring blankly in her direction, with a tube in her hand still emitting a wisp of smoke from the burned gunpowder.


    Fenna: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Before she could react, she saw the silver-haired lady excitedly grabbed a second tube from the side, fiddled with it in front of Fenna, and then raised it and pulled the thin string on the tube.


    Fenna hurriedly tried to warn her, ¡°Ah! You¡¯re holding it wrong¡­¡±


    Her warning came a step too late.


    The small charge of gunpowder in the tube burst with a bang, and the face of the silver-haired woman was pasted with confetti and paper scraps sprayed out. She instinctively jerked backward, and then Fenna heard a strange ¡°pop,¡± and a head rolled onto the deck under her gaze.


    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened in an instant, and even with her composure, she almost jumped up on the spot. Then she heard a cry of alarm from behind her, ¡°Ah! Uncle Duncan! Alice¡¯s head fell off again!¡±


    The next second, a girl who looked about high school age rushed over from the side, frantically chasing the head that was rolling around on the deck. Another girl holding a black giant hound ran out from another direction, chasing after the head and shouting, ¡°I told you before, she shouldn¡¯t hold it, it¡¯s unreliable!¡±


    ¡°If you held it, you¡¯d be too scared!¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we should let Alice do it all by herself¡­ Ah, the head rolled under the stairs!¡±


    ¡°Hook, where¡¯s a hook¡­ A stick will do as well¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve found a rope, throw it down¡­ Miss Alice, bite onto it yourself, I¡¯ll pull you up!¡±


    The deck instantly became a lively mess, with two girls chasing a rolling head around, while the headless silver-haired woman wandered around in a state of confusion. Mr. Morris, who had been interrupted mid-speech, was now holding his head, unable to stop sighing, and the air still carried the residual aroma from the discharged streamer cannon.


    Fenna was in a rare state of bewilderment, her eyes fixed on the chaotic scene on the deck. Strips of colored paper ribbons draped over her hair and shoulders. She seemed to faintly understand what had happened but felt it might be better not to understand at all.


    It was a welcome ceremony¨Cbut any event not on the Homeloss would have certainly been a delightful sight.


    ¡°You see, I told you I had a crew that can be quite a headache,¡± the gloomy and imposing Captain Duncan finally spoke up, and his voice managed to rouse Fenna from her daze, ¡°It¡¯s always messy like this on this ship¨Cbut from another perspective, your life here should never be boring.¡±


    Fenna was expressionless¨Calthough it felt as if a myriad of thoughts were thundering and exploding deep inside, she simply didn¡¯t know how to react.


    She looked up, watching the scene on the deck, seeing Nina and Sherry had ¡°fished¡± the head out from the gap in the stairs, and were now clumsily trying to ¡°return it to its place.¡± A plump pigeon flew in from nowhere, loudly squawking nonsensical phrases like ¡°forty hammers, forty hammers.¡± She finally recognized the appearance of the silver-haired woman and remembered where she had seen such a face.


    It was in the antique shop in the Lower City District.


    At that time, she had golden hair¨Cthinking back, that must have been a disguise.


    She watched Sherry, watched Nina, and looked at Mr. Morris, who was standing by with a helpless expression, spreading his hands towards her, and she finally understood everything.


    The whole world had silently changed, and she was only just becoming aware of it.


    ¡°How many more ¡®secrets¡¯ are there?¡± Fenna¡¯s lips finally twitched, regaining the ability to speak. She looked at Mr. Morris, this respected scholar whom she had known since childhood, being present on this Ghost Ship was the most incredible scene for her today. Yet at this moment, this elder was the only one she could think to ask, ¡°Since when have you¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, not much longer than you¨Cjust a little bit earlier,¡± Mr. Morris smiled gently and nodded, ¡°Heidi doesn¡¯t know about this.¡±


    ¡°¡±


    ¡°Ah, she really didn¡¯t seem to know¨Cshe was even complaining to me today that you suddenly went out on errands without explaining anything to her,¡± Fenna said, her tone complex, ¡°Who would have thought¡­ that you would appear before me just like this, aboard the ¡®Homeloss¡¯.¡±


    ¡°It looks like I left in a bit of a hurry,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°I should bring her some local specialties from the north as a gift when I return.¡±


    Fenna pursed her lips and then turned to look at the owner of the ship.


    ¡°What other ¡®surprises¡¯ are there?¡± she asked with a sense of resignation, her mental preparations since this morning having been completely thrown into disarray after crossing that flaming portal. She had never felt so out of her depth and frantic in her life, ¡°Let me know in advance so I can brace myself.¡±


    Before Duncan could reply, Nina had already run over excitedly, telling Fenna with glee: ¡°There¡¯s a dinner party tonight! A welcome meal for the new crew member!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a really delicious fish soup!¡± Sherry also chimed in from the side, ¡°Caught by the captain himself.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s the deck barbecue!¡± Nina added immediately, ¡°with fish, beef, and barley juice!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t drink alcohol,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice came from behind Nina immediately, ¡°Even if you call it ¡®barley juice¡¯.¡±


    Nina¡¯s expression instantly fell: ¡°¡­Not even a little?¡±


    ¡°The sweet fruit wine last time was the limit,¡± Duncan said sternly, ¡°Beer is still too early for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Fenna looked at Nina, then at Duncan, and after a long while, she sighed softly: ¡°So, there really was something wrong with that antique shop¨Cand I didn¡¯t notice anything.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve always operated legally, though the goods aren¡¯t genuine, they are fairly priced,¡± Duncan said with a half-smile, ¡°As for you noticing nothing¡­ that¡¯s actually a good thing. You know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Yes, His Holiness the Pope reminded me to curb my probing curiosity while by your side,¡± Fenna sighed again, looking at the ugly skeletal hound next to Sherry, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that¡¯s an Abyssal Hound? And the little girl is a Summoner with Demon Symbiosis with Profound Demons?¡±


    Ah Dou suddenly shook his head: ¡°Ah, right, right.¡±


    Fenna was startled: ¡°¡­The demon can talk?!¡±


    ¡°Not only can it speak, but it now can even write its own name and do addition and subtraction within a hundred,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°It¡¯s considered one of the more educated among the crew of Homeloss.¡±


    Fenna was stunned, then turned to look at Alice, who was moving her neck nearby. She had already noticed the detailing on the other¡¯s joints and now appeared thoughtful: ¡°An enchanted puppet, could it be¡­¡±


    ¡°Anomaly 099, once known as ¡®Enchanted Coffin,¡¯ you guys seem to have simply called her ¡®Puppet,¡¯ but she has her real name, which you should already know. Here, you can call her Alice,¡± Duncan said lightly, then added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s safe now.¡±


    ¡°Hello!¡± Alice waved with a smile, her face wearing a harmless grin, ¡°I didn¡¯t scare you earlier, did I?¡±


    Fenna subconsciously touched her neck and then managed a stiff smile in response to the friendly greeting of the cursed puppet.


    At this moment, Sherry ran over to a wooden barrel, excitedly found a paper tube wrapped in colorful packaging, and ran over holding it up high: ¡°Alice, Alice! Here¡¯s another one! Do you want it¡­?¡±


    ¡°Stop messing with that thing!¡± Duncan gave Sherry a look, ¡°So, who bought this? Why wasn¡¯t it on the procurement list?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Nina immediately shrank back, speaking tentatively, ¡°I bought it with my own pocket money.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Alice: ¡°The next time they give you strange things to play with, you come and tell me first.¡±


    Alice kept taking colorful paper pieces out of her hair while nodding: ¡°Oh.¡±


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    Fenna sighed deeply again.


    She approached Morris and lowered her voice: ¡°Has it always been like this here?¡±


    ¡°From what I know, always like this,¡± Morris replied in a whisper, ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s even livelier¨Cespecially when Miss Alice gets some new ideas.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


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 Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter 286 Transformation

    Chapter 282: Chapter 286 Transformation


    ¡°This is your room from now on,¡± Duncan said. ¡°It¡¯s fully equipped with basic living essentials. If you need anything else, you can tell Alice, and she will arrange it for you if she doesn¡¯t forget.


    ¡°Next door is a small storeroom which you are free to use for prayer or meditation. As a devout believer, you should need it.


    ¡°Do not go downstairs, and do not be curious about the locked cabins. Occasionally, strange creaking sounds or the noise of ropes scraping the floor will emanate from deep within the ship¨Cno need to be alarmed, just ignore them. If something really is amiss, I will handle it personally.


    ¡°Remember the crew¡¯s rules while you live on the ship.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to ask?¡±


    Fenna stood at the doorway of the room assigned to her, observing the simple and normal furniture arrangement inside, still feeling a bit dazed.


    Ordinary bedding, ordinary tables and chairs, ordinary cabinets¨Ceverything was very clean, without suspicious shadows, no blood stains hidden in the corners of the room, nor any profane symbols written on the ceiling or the floor¨Cif one didn¡¯t consider that this was inside Homeloss, it would be just an ordinary cabin.


    But if one must mention it, there were indeed unusual aspects here.


    The ship had a special set of ¡°crew¡¯s rules,¡± there were forbidden ¡°mysteries¡± deep within the ship cabins, and the whole ship was alive, even the ropes and buckets on deck often made unsettling noises¨Cthese unusual details somewhat matched her imagination of Homeloss.


    But compared to her entire imagination, these slightly eerie aspects were already innocuous to the extreme.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve got it,¡± slowly nodded Fenna, speaking to Duncan who had personally shown her to her room, ¡°and I don¡¯t have any more questions for now.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Duncan said indifferently. ¡°Now, put away your luggage, dinner is about to start¨Cyou don¡¯t have to join the barbecue on the deck after dinner if you¡¯re not interested; it¡¯s just Sherry and Nina fooling around. But you must attend the dinner, it¡¯s a necessary process for new members.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Fenna quietly settled her luggage and after hesitating for a moment, also left the heavy two-handed sword temporarily in the room.


    After all, bringing a two-handed sword to the dining hall was simply too bizarre.


    While following Duncan to the dining hall, she remained silent the whole way.


    But her heavy-hearted expression did not escape Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You can ask anything at any time,¡± Duncan slowed his pace, slightly turning his head to look at Fenna beside him, ¡°There aren¡¯t many strict rules on this ship, and the most taboo thing during ocean voyages is for crew members to keep secrets¨Cthe anxieties and confusions in your heart can be amplified by the Endless Sea, and who knows when they might turn into unwelcome guests.¡±


    Fenna felt a chill in her heart and after hesitating, finally spoke, ¡°It¡¯s nothing really, just that the developments aren¡¯t quite as I imagined, and I feel somewhat¡­ at a loss right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I understand. I can even roughly guess what you might have imagined Homeloss to be like,¡± Duncan commented casually, ¡°the first day being a lively welcome party instead of a dark, bloody sacrificial ceremony, quite unexpected, right?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­ as exaggerated as a sacrificial ceremony, but the scene I initially imagined indeed wasn¡¯t as peaceful as this,¡± Fenna seemed to smile a bit, yet now she felt a bit more relaxed.


    ¡°This is one of the reasons your Pope sent you to this ship,¡± Duncan said slowly, ¡°She needs to know what Homeloss truly is like. And I¡­ also need you as a bridge to rebuild the connection with the civilized world.¡±


    They arrived at the dining hall.


    Under the flickering light of the whale oil lamps, the long table was laden with dishes, with steaming fish soup placed in the most prominent part of the table. The crew members waited on both sides for their captain while a deep and gentle creaking noise emanated from deep within the ship, as if the ancient exploration ship was singing a song as night fell.


    Fenna took her seat, looking at the table of delicacies glowing under the warm lamp light.


    Alice stood up and ladled a bowl of steaming soup, placing it in front of the new crew member.


    ¡°Please have some.¡± The doll-lady said politely.


    Fenna looked at the bowl of soup before her, having already understood the ¡°truth¡± of this special food and the unique symbolic meaning of this dinner from her previous conversation with Morris. As she watched the slightly trembling pieces of fish in the dense soup, she felt a momentary daze, but it quickly dissipated.


    ¡°Is this my ¡®destiny¡¯?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but mutter.


    ¡°No,¡± Alice shook her head, her face a picture of simple seriousness, ¡°This is your fish soup.¡±


    Fenna was dumbfounded, then a smile crept onto her lips.


    It was quite delicious after all.


    ¡­


    In the great cathedral of Plunder City-State, Helena stood quietly in front of the statue of the Storm Goddess, watching the candle flames burning at the statue¡¯s feet.


    The candlesticks adorned with intricate, exquisite patterns burned silently, while their flames at the top gradually rose within Helena¡¯s field of vision, then flickered, split, spread, and dispersed.


    In the blink of an eye, the sanctuary vanished, the icons vanished, the candlesticks also vanished, and Helena¡¯s view was left with countless flames ¨C large and small, near and far, high and low. They filled her surroundings, burning and leaping in the boundless, dark chaotic space, like stars.


    Each cluster of flames represented a saint, signifying the reliance that the Deep Sea Church had to this day.


    Helena lifted her head, and the countless flames in her sight quickly moved. Many flames drifted far away, but a single bright candle flame approached her, silently burning in the darkness.


    The pontiff stared at the cluster of flames, patiently waiting.


    In her sight, the flame eventually began to tremble, with increasing intensity, until, at a certain moment, it burst into furious combustion, increasing several times in height, while a pale green radiance surged within the firelight.


    The whole process lasted only two or three seconds.


    The flame returned to calmness, emitting a faint green glow, brightly and silently burning in the darkness.


    ¡°¡­It has truly transformed completely,¡± Helena couldn¡¯t help but mutter softly, then subconsciously raised her hand as if wanting to touch the quietly burning flame with her fingertips.


    But she stopped at the last step.


    In the darkness, the countless candle flames instantly receded, and the furnishings of the sanctuary were restored.


    Helena raised her head and looked towards the statue of the veiled goddess quietly overlooking the sanctuary.


    The surface of the statue had faint shadows fluttering, its rocky chiseled exterior seemingly gained elasticity like a living being, and a pale, ethereal aura slowly seeped from beneath the thick veil.


    The statue lowered its head, semi-transparent, spiritual-body-like tendrils condensed from the pale, ethereal mist and unwound from the edges of the veil, slowly descending before Helena.


    The tendrils coiled and contracted, waiting for Helena to speak.


    ¡°Your messenger has boarded the ship and was completely transformed two minutes ago. She is now part of the Homeloss,¡± Helena watched the tendrils, speaking calmly and respectfully, ¡°But like before, she still retains her humanity and intellect, and maintains her spiritual energy connection to the Believer community.¡±


    The tendrils slightly swayed, emitting a deep, strange rustling sound, interspersed with the soft sound of ocean waves.


    ¡°Yes, I will frequently monitor her condition,¡± Helena said, ¡°but if her spirit really develops issues¡­ for instance, showing signs of being corroded by the Subspace, then¡­¡±


    Two ethereal tendrils moved more significantly, the peculiar rustling sound mixed with a series of murmurs impossible for humans to produce or recognize.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Helena sighed softly, lowering her head to say, ¡°I will do my best to ¡®pull¡¯ her back, and if things truly cannot be salvaged, I will make sure she returns to Your realm in a manner that preserves her humanity.¡±


    The tendrils gently swayed, emitting soothing whispers, then these ethereal limbs once again transformed into a pale thin mist, slowly rising into midair.


    The mist returned beneath the goddess¡¯s veil, and the statue slowly moved, restoring its previous calm demeanor overlooking the mortal world.


    ¡­


    Night had fallen, and the chilly light of the Creation of the World already hung high in the night sky.


    Icebergs occupied the sea, with lurking, menacing ice edges beneath the glittering waves, the steel warship with its towering bow cutting through the waves in a nighttime voyage across the boundless sea of icebergs.


    The smaller pieces of ice, as if intimidated by the majesty of the steel warship, parted to the sides before the Sea Mist even approached, creating a path lit by the cold brilliance of the Creation of the World, with the steel behemoth traveling through this path.


    Tirian stood at the bow, gazing at the distant dark, cold sea, his brow furrowed.


    ¡°We have entered the Chill Sea, Captain,¡± the voice of the first mate, Aiden, carried over the night wind, ¡°We should be back at the mother port around this time tomorrow.¡±


    Tirian didn¡¯t turn around, ¡°Is there any news from Frost?¡±


    ¡°The scout reports that the Frost authorities have moved that submersible to Dagger Island near the City-State, where there is an old marine observation station, now being used temporarily as the research facility for ¡®Submersible Number Eight Three¡¯,¡± Aiden replied, ¡°It seems they haven¡¯t opened the hatch of the submersible yet¨Cpossibly out of caution, or possibly awaiting higher orders.¡±


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    ¡°Well, those fools at least have the basic sense of caution,¡± Tirian exhaled lightly, yet his brow did not relax, ¡°Anything else, any new news?¡±


    ¡°Frost City itself is still very calm, the authorities seem to have sealed off news about the submersible¨Cthough sealing it off makes no difference, half a century ago¡¯s Abyssal Plan, hardly anyone knows about it nowadays,¡± Aiden said, shaking his head, ¡°Compared to that, another matter seems unrelated to the submersible but might be worth attention.¡±


    ¡°Another matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, about¡­ the rumors of the dead returning.¡±


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 Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Chapter 287: Frost, Death, and Night Sailing

    Chapter 283: Chapter 287: Frost, Death, and Night Sailing


    Frost is a very cold place, where for eighty percent of the year, the City-State is bathed in the incessant cold winds of the Chill Sea¨Cthe cold air constantly blows from the Frozen Sea further north, howling over the towering walls and steep cliffs of Frost, deterring many with its chill.


    However, Frost is also the largest City-State of the entire Chill Sea. Despite the cold, the heart of this vast island boasts the richest veins of boiling gold in the northern regions, essential material for the core components in steam engines, even considered as the industrial foundation of the modern era. The industrial system built around the boiling gold mines supports the operation of this northern City-State, bringing it endless wealth and prosperity.


    And death.


    On the edge of the mining district in Frost, at the entrance of the City-State cemetery, a steam carriage in total black stood with its engines still running. Under the bright gas lamps, several corpse carriers in thick black robes were working together to lift a coffin from the carriage, while a tall, thin figure shrouded in black, with its entire face concealed in the shadow of a wide-brimmed hat where bands upon bands of bandages could be seen entwining, stood by the side.


    A few steps away, a wizened old man, his body slightly hunched and seemingly enveloped in deep, dark shadows, stood indifferently watching the bustling corpse carriers next to the entrance of the graveyard.


    The carriers from the Death Church were particularly silent, not making a sound while moving the coffin, with only the occasional knocking sound breaking the eerie and deadly silence of the graveyard.


    After an indeterminable amount of time, the grim old graveyard guardian finally broke the silence, ¡°Cause of death?¡±


    ¡°Accidental fall into the engine shaft,¡± the bandaged figure spoke in a slightly hoarse female voice, young-sounding, ¡°dead on the spot, already baptized. The specifics are in the handover document; you can see for yourself.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± The guardian¡¯s expression and tone remained unaltered as if discussing a stone that was about to be moved into his own room.


    The bandaged woman quietly glanced at the grim old man.


    ¡°Three days,¡± she answered succinctly, ¡°three days to purify the spirit, then into the great Foundry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite short.¡± The guardian snorted from his nose and looked up at the cemetery gate next to him, where the pitch-black, intricately carved iron gate stood like icy, sharp thorns under the lamplight and the night sky. Across the gate that symbolized the barrier between life and death, one could barely make out the uniformly arranged mortuary platforms, the narrow paths between them, and the shadowy tombstones and small houses deeper within.


    This was a graveyard, but for most bodies sent here, it was not their long-term place of rest¨Caside from a few long-term graves with special significance, everyone was only temporarily stationed here. From City-State officials to common hawkers, no one could evade the rules of this place.


    They died, were temporarily sent to the graveyard, under the watch of Death¡¯s guardian Bartok, they slowly came to peace, and after a few days to a couple of weeks, were sent to the adjacent great Foundry. Their sins turned into smoke in the sky, their good deeds merged into the hissing of steam pipes, and a pinch of their remains were scattered across the land of the City-State, leaving no trace behind.


    The graveyard would only keep a small tombstone for them¨Cvery small, and it would soon be buried under the accumulation of more stones.


    ¡°Dead people cannot take up the living¡¯s space,¡± the bandaged woman shook her head, ¡°For those who¡¯ve had a ¡®clean¡¯ death, three days are enough to calm the spirit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just because of that, is it?¡± The grim guardian raised his eyes, his withered and cloudy eyeballs staring quietly at the ¡°bandaged woman¡± in a thick, black coat, ¡°You¡¯re worried about bodies getting up¨Cjust like the recent rumors.¡±


    ¡°There is no evidence that the dead of the City-State are truly ¡®resurrecting¡¯, and the few reports we have are contradictory. But even the brief revivals of the ¡®Restless Ones¡¯ are concerning,¡± the bandaged woman shook her head, ¡°So do keep a careful watch over your graveyard, as for matters within the City-State, the Church and the Town Hall will handle them.¡±


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s as simple as you say, Agatha,¡± grumbled the guardian, ¡°I can guarantee no body will walk out of this yard, but the ¡®graveyard¡¯ you and your colleagues have to guard is much bigger than my little plot.¡±


    The corpse carriers moved with the coffin into the graveyard, their silent black figures almost like dead bodies themselves walking among the paths of the graveyard. They found the empty mortuary platform prepared in advance and set the coffin upon it, then positioned themselves at the four corners of the coffin, ready to perform the soothing ritual of Death¡¯s guardian Bartok.


    The guardian and the priestess referred to as ¡°Agatha¡± also entered the graveyard and approached the mortuary platform.


    The four carriers took out the talismans of Bartok¨Ca triangular metal badge with a door-shaped relief in the center, symbolizing the gateway between life and death. They placed these talismans at the four corners of the coffin, recited a short prayer in unison, then stepped back half a step.


    Agatha then stepped forward, removing her wide-brimmed hat, gazing at the coffin on the platform in the cold wind.


    The light from the gas lamps illuminated her figure.


    Layers upon layers of bandages wrapped her entire body, even covering most of her face, exposing only delicate features and the soft feminine lines not hidden by the bandages. Her chestnut-colored, slightly curly hair cascaded down her back, and in her similarly chestnut eyes, there was only calmness and compassion.


    ¡°May the grace of the god of death, Bartok, shine upon your soul, that you may find peace in your last three days on earth¡­ Your debts and ties to this world are all erased today, and you, lost soul, may begin your journey anew¡­¡±


    Agatha¡¯s deep and husky prayers echoed through the silent cemetery, gradually merging with the profound darkness of the night.


    The grim-faced guardian stood aside, watching the ritual with indifference, his hands now holding a heavy-looking double-barrel shotgun which bore the faint emblem of a triangle, symbolizing the death god Bartok.


    Moments later, after the ceremony concluded, Agatha turned to the cemetery guardian, ¡°It is finished.¡±


    ¡°I hope your prayers take effect,¡± the guardian responded, hefting the double-barrel shotgun in his hand, ¡°although I trust my ¡®old partner¡¯ here more.¡±


    ¡°This ¡®gatekeeper¡¯s¡¯ personal performance of the comforting ritual ought to have some effect,¡± Agatha said lightly before donning her dark, wide-brimmed hat once more. She nodded to the cemetery guardian and then led the corpse carriers toward the cemetery exit, ¡°We should leave now.¡±


    Bartok¡¯s followers departed, and the black steam carriage moved away into the night until its taillights gradually blended with the lights of the city district.


    The cold night wind blew through the cemetery, past row upon row of morgue slabs and the ornate iron fence at the edge of the graveyard. The somber old guardian stood at the gate, watching the direction the hearse had gone, and only after a long while did he turn his gaze back and tighten his clothes against the chilly wind.


    ¡°Finally, the living have gone. I¡¯m not used to the cemetery being so lively.¡±


    He murmured to himself, clutching his reliable double-barrel shotgun, and slowly made his way to his small watchman¡¯s cottage by the edge of the morgue.


    After a short while, the old man came out of his cottage again, this time with something new in his hands.


    A small pink-white flower, plucked from unknown whereabouts.


    He arrived at the most recent coffin and picked up a stone beside it, placing the flower at one corner of the slab.


    The night breeze blew down the path, causing the delicate petals to shiver in the wind, and on a nearby row of morgue slabs, one could see a similarly inconspicuous flower placed in a corner.


    Most of the flowers had withered in the wind.


    ¡°Sleep now, get a good rest. It¡¯s hard to get such sound sleep when you¡¯re alive,¡± the old guardian muttered, ¡°Your family will come to greet you tomorrow morning, as is the custom. Say your farewells, and then depart in peace. The world of the living isn¡¯t all that great anyway¡­¡±


    The old man shook his head, bent down to pick up his double-barrel shotgun, and turned to slowly walk away.


    ¡­


    ¡°We are sailing north, our destination is Frost,¡± Duncan approached Fenna, who was standing on deck of the Homeloss staring at the distant sea, and greeted her, ¡°I noticed you¡¯ve been gazing out at the sea, so I figured you must be curious about the ship¡¯s course.¡±


    ¡°Frost?¡± Fenna expressed surprise. She indeed had been speculating about the Homeloss¡¯s next voyage but hadn¡¯t expected Captain Duncan to bring it up himself, ¡°Why Frost? Has something happened there?¡±


    ¡°The trigger was a letter Maurice received, a letter from a deceased friend,¡± Duncan said as he reached the edge of the deck, leaning on the railing and looking out at the Endless Sea under the night sky, ¡°But my interest in that place is an even bigger reason.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve become interested?¡±


    ¡°In a sense, Frost could be considered Alice¡¯s ¡®hometown,''¡± Duncan said with a smile, ¡°though she herself has no concept of that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know much about Frost, only that the main faith there is in the death god Bartok, though there is also a minority who believes in the Storm Goddess. Frost¡¯s local industry seems to be very developed, and the biggest economic pillar of the entire City-State is the boiling gold mines¡­¡±


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    Fenna paused, then her gaze inadvertently drifted in the direction of the cabins.


    ¡°Of course, what Frost is most famous for is the rebellion that occurred half a century ago¨CAlice doesn¡¯t mind people discussing that, does she?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t mind¨Cbecause she doesn¡¯t understand a thing.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright then.¡±


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 Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter 288 Touching the Frost

    Chapter 284: Chapter 288 Touching the Frost


    Waves began to stir on the sea.


    The cold night wind blew across the ocean surface, causing the waves to surge and batter against the sturdy hull of the Homeloss. Yet this massive ship maintained a stable posture, sailing full-speed northward as if ignoring the stormy weather.


    The translucent sails of the Spiritual Body soared under the night sky, creaking sounds occasionally echoed between the ropes and masts. This living Ghost Ship seemed to delight in the wind and waves, but the new crew member aboard appeared rather burdened with heavy thoughts.


    Fenna had learned about the truth of the Frost rebellion that occurred half a century ago from Duncan, including the bizarre and secretive Abyss Plan. Even today, half a century later, the sinister shadows of that dreadful plan still lingered.


    Compared to the devastating fires that Prande had once encountered, the Abyss Plan in Frost presented a different kind of horrifying disaster¨Cdark, icy, and intangible horrors churned in the sea abyss. A disaster might be about to happen, might have already happened, or even ended, yet in the cold night, no sound could outline the terror that was formless.


    The Black Sun incident in Prande was a fierce and blazing war, whereas what transpired beneath the icy depths of Frost was a silent, twisted nightmare.


    ¡°According to Tirian, the Abyss Plan had ended, and all subsequent ramifications ceased with the death of the Frost Queen. But in reality, we have no evidence to prove that some Transcendent phenomenon beneath Frost has actually stopped functioning¨Cwe don¡¯t even know what it is. From beginning to end, the whole affair is shrouded in a fog. And now, Morris has received a letter from Frost, a signal reminding us that something is amiss in that northern City-State,¡± Duncan¡¯s deep voice rose above the night wind before he paused and suddenly turned to Fenna. ¡°Has Helena told you about the ¡®anomalies¡¯ in the northern seas?¡±


    ¡°Your Holiness?¡± Fenna blinked in surprise, shaking her head gently. ¡°She didn¡¯t mention it. She just told me to board the Homeloss, but she didn¡¯t actually tell me what I should do.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t, huh¡­¡± Duncan murmured quietly, but he did not dwell on this topic. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. Just get used to life aboard the ship. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t give you any difficult tasks.¡±


    He raised his head, looking at the deep night and the thin mist over the boundless sea.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite late, better not to stay out on deck in the cold wind for too long¨Cthe night sea breeze isn¡¯t friendly to body and mind.¡±


    Fenna looked at Duncan with some surprise¨Cher expressions had often been just as surprised throughout the day. Only then did she belatedly nod her head. ¡°Ah, okay, thank you.¡±


    While speaking, she fumbled on herself, pulling out a small piece of wood from her shirt pocket¨Cit was a wave charm carved from Sea Breath Wood. Fenna held the charm to her lips, murmured a few prayers, then forcefully threw it into the sea outside the ship¡¯s rail.


    Duncan curiously watched Fenna¡¯s action. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°That is a wave charm I personally carved from Sea Breath Wood. Followers of the Storm Goddess pray this way before voyaging,¡± Fenna explained casually. ¡°Sea Breath Wood is considered favored by the Storm Goddess. Throwing its charm into the sea symbolizes an ancient sacrificial act. Praying while throwing the charm makes it easier to establish a connection with the goddess.¡±


    She paused, then hesitated. ¡°Do you mind these practices?¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course not. Like I said, the atmosphere on Homeloss is more relaxed than you imagine,¡± Duncan immediately replied with a smile and a shake of his head. ¡°Morris often prays to the God of Wisdom too.¡±


    Saying so, he waved his hand at Fenna and slowly walked toward the captain¡¯s quarters. ¡°I¡¯m going back now. You should rest early.¡±


    The sounds of surging waves filled the air as Fenna watched the tall figure slowly receding. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something and called out behind Duncan. ¡°Captain!¡±


    Duncan stopped his pace but didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth, hesitating for a few seconds before finally speaking. ¡°I want to apologize¨Cfor my past recklessness¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Duncan replied casually, waving his hand and walking away without looking back.


    Fenna remained standing on the deck, seeming a bit distracted.


    Behind her, in the churning sea, the wave charm carved from Sea Breath Wood had been bobbing in the waves for a long time, until it was suddenly caught by a burst of spray and quickly pulled into the depths of the sea.


    ¡­


    Inside the captain¡¯s quarters, the goat¡¯s head creaked and raised its head, looking up at the entering Duncan. ¡°Ah, Captain, have you finished pacifying the new crew member? What an incredible day it has been¨Ca high priestess who follows the Storm Goddess has become your crew member. This could be seen as a sort of trophy, I believe¡­¡±


    Duncan glanced at the goat¡¯s head. ¡°Say that in front of Fenna next time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t win.¡±


    ¡°Then no more nonsense,¡± Duncan retorted casually, glancing down at the sea charts as he passed. ¡°Where are we now? What¡¯s the situation with the Sea Mist?¡±


    ¡°Sea Mist is still sailing at full speed, but it adjusted its course slightly twice not long ago. From the position, it may have approached the secret base of the Mist Fleet,¡± the goat¡¯s head immediately responded. ¡°We should be able to enter the Chill Sea before dawn, then sail north for four or five days until we¡¯re near Frost¡­ Are we going directly there, or will we conduct covert operations in the nearby sea?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t expose us yet,¡± Duncan said. ¡°I¡¯m not planning on making ¡®warm contact¡¯ with the Frost City-State Guards.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    After a moment of thought, Duncan added, ¡°Also, after Sea Mist anchors, move closer to investigate¨Cwithout revealing ourselves¨Cthe location and surroundings of that secret port in Tyrion. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult for Homeloss, given its capacity to linger in the Spirit Realm for extended periods.¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course, that¡¯s easy,¡± the Goat Head immediately agreed. ¡°But¡­ what do you want with scouting that secret port?¡±


    ¡°If Frost is indeed in trouble and it¡¯s related to the secrets beneath the sea abyss, I suspect Tyrion will take action. Watching him is effectively watching Frost. If the conditions are suitable, we¡¯ll lurk near the Sea Mist.¡±


    The Goat Head immediately took the order: ¡°Understood.¡±


    Duncan nodded and walked toward his bedroom.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try to ¡®scout¡¯ the situation toward Frost. Do not disturb me unless necessary.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    The bedroom door closed behind him.


    Duncan sighed softly, sat down at the desk, and flexed his somewhat stiff neck and shoulders.


    Ai Yi, who had been meditating by the window, woke up startled, fluttered his wings, and jumped onto the table, tilting his head as he looked at his master: ¡°Light snack, or full lodging?¡±


    Duncan gave the pigeon a glance: ¡°Walking the Spirit Realm.¡±


    As he spoke, the brass Compass hanging on Ai Yi¡¯s chest snapped open, a green flame rose from within, and instantly, the scenery in Duncan¡¯s vision changed!


    He had returned to that space filled with endless stars and lines, shrouded in boundless chaotic darkness.


    Ai Yi¡¯s figure emerged from the dark, a skeletal bird wrapped in spiritual flames, circling around him.


    Yet he didn¡¯t immediately move or touch any nearby cluster of starlight. Instead, he first settled his mind, carefully observing those flickering lights and sensing the faint aura emanating from them.


    Indeed¡­ as Homeloss continued to move away from Prand and approach Frost, the starlight he saw in this space also changed!


    Duncan looked up, sensing his own body back in Prand, and followed that sensation into the deep darkness, seeing a dimly lit point at a great distance.


    He then withdrew his gaze from afar and looked at the bright ¡°stars¡± in front of him.


    After a brief moment of reflection, he approached some of these points cautiously and touched a few of them.


    He didn¡¯t directly occupy the bodies these points represented. Instead, he read the shallow information behind these lights¨Cemotions, perceptions, and even fragmented superficial consciousness.


    Cold, tension, fuel prices, steam supply, town hall, Frost¡­


    After touching a few points, Duncan withdrew his will.


    Continuing to touch these points representing ¡°living beings¡± could evoke widespread panic and soon draw the attention of the City-State Guards, encounters with unknown churches he wasn¡¯t ready for yet.


    The intelligence he had gathered was sufficient¨Cthe information retrieved from those few points confirmed that these starlights represented the residents of Frost.


    At least a part of them.


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    Duncan¡¯s gaze swept through the dazzling starlight, looking for individuals whose light was dim, faint, and whose vitality was fading.


    He needed a suitable body to serve as an outpost for gathering intelligence.


    Moments later, a cluster of faintly flickering light suddenly caught his eye.


    ¡°That¡¯s the one!¡±


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 Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Chapter 289: Coffin and Guardian

    Chapter 285: Chapter 289: Coffin and Guardian


    A cluster of dim, unusually flickering starlight caught Duncan¡¯s attention.


    The cluster twinkled differently from the surrounding stars, its faint, ghostly light resembling a transparent phantom, and its uncertain flickering gave a sense of impending dissolution¨CDuncan had seen weak flashes in this chaotic space before, but none had ever looked so ghostly or ephemeral.


    He furrowed his brow slightly.


    Faint light often meant a recently deceased shell, but what did a faint yet almost transparent ghostly feel signify?


    He reached out a finger and gently touched the point of light.


    The next second, he felt his consciousness suddenly leap across vast, unending boundaries, projecting from the ¡°Homeloss¡± into a brand-new shell. A cold, numb sensation spread from his limbs to his entire body, and as the numbness faded, he began to feel the touch of his skin and the slow beat of his heart.


    However, for some reason, this new body felt unusually heavy, as if controlled through a thick curtain¨Che exerted great effort just to barely move his fingers, and likewise, it took just as much effort to pry his eyelids open a crack.


    Darkness lay before him.


    Was he blind? Or was his vision obstructed?


    Duncan instinctively raised a hand to check his eyes, but as soon as he lifted it, he felt his arm hit something hard and chilly. Lifting his other arm, he encountered the same obstacle.


    After feeling around, he realized he was trapped in a¡­ container.


    It was a coffin.


    Duncan lay quietly in the dark, and after a long silence, he sighed, ¡°Well, this makes sense¡­¡±


    Being trapped in a coffin while possessing a corpse was indeed a logical scenario¨Chis previous two unrestricted possessions were rare occurrences.


    But why did it have to make sense now?


    A mix of amusement and irritation surged within him. Duncan vaguely understood the astonished and speechless feelings of Eli and Fenna when faced with ¡°logical developments¡± on the ¡°Homeloss,¡± but now was clearly not the time to dwell on those feelings¨Che needed to figure out how to get out of this coffin.


    Otherwise, he would have to abandon this carefully chosen, promising shell and select another host in that dark, chaotic space, possibly ending up in another coffin.


    Duncan started moving his limbs, familiarizing himself with the sensations of this not-so-convenient new shell while trying to push open the lid above him. He had already confirmed by knocking around the coffin earlier that it was not buried underground; it was probably just temporarily placed somewhere. This meant he only needed to push open the lid to get out.


    However, the coffin lid proved more difficult to handle than he anticipated¨Cthe lid was nailed shut, possibly even with additional locks, and the shell he currently occupied was ¡°inferior.¡± The sensations coming from his limbs were even weaker than the first corpse he had possessed at the sacrificial site in the sewer, making it extremely challenging to push open a nailed-shut coffin lid, let alone move around.


    How weak was this deceased person?


    ¡°Hey! Is anyone out there? I think I can still be saved! Someone get a doctor¨Cor even a coroner will do¡­¡±


    Duncan pushed against the coffin lid while helplessly shouting out. He didn¡¯t mind startling anyone or attracting trouble¨Cafter a brief adaptation and assessment, he had already determined the dire state of this body, utterly unsuitable for prolonged use. Like the ¡°sacrificial victim¡± he first possessed, this was just a disposable shell, so he had nothing to worry about.


    No matter who he attracted, as long as he could get up and survey his surroundings, he might even gather some information. At worst, he would simply die trapped in this coffin; it couldn¡¯t get any worse.


    At that moment, he even had the leisure to daydream, wondering if he should inquire about Alice¡¯s experiences¨Chow did the puppet manage to escape from inside a coffin that was nailed shut and wrapped with several rounds of iron chains? Was it purely supernatural strength?


    In the chillingly silent morgue of the graveyard, the thudding sounds and hoarse, deep calls seemed especially jarring.


    The caretaker, of course, would not overlook this sudden eerie disturbance.


    The door to the caretaker¡¯s cabin was flung open, and the light from a lantern illuminated the path leading to the morgue. A grim old man with a sinister gaze and a hunched back walked out from the cabin. He carried the lantern in one hand and tightly grasped a powerful double-barreled shotgun in the other, his yellowed and cloudy eyes fixating on the direction of the sounds.


    ¡°¡­Tonight¡¯s graveyard is too lively.¡±


    The old man muttered discontentedly, casually hanging the lantern on a metal hook at his waist. He then traced the sign of a triangle over his chest, lifted the double-barreled shotgun, and slowly approached the coffins.


    The particular coffin was still resonating with thuds, the deceased inside stubbornly knocking against the barrier separating him from the world of the living and simultaneously pleading for someone outside to help him escape.


    ¡°Is anyone there? Come help, I believe this is a misdiagnosis!¡±


    ¡°Quiet down!¡± The caretaker aimed the shotgun, the crisp sound of the safety being released cutting through the night as the stooped old man stared intently at the coffin. He shouted, ¡°You should be asleep¨Cyou now belong to another world; there¡¯s no place for you in the world of the living.¡±


    Suddenly, the knocking from the coffin stopped.


    Duncan gauged the sounds from outside; it must be an old man, very close to himself, and there was also the faint noise of a metal mechanism, perhaps the sound of a weapon.


    With someone around, regardless of whether he could escape, he had found another way to gather information from outside.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯d like to understand what exactly is going on,¡± Duncan cleared his throat, considering how to maximize the worth of his current physical vessel to extract more information from the person outside the coffin, ¡°I¡¯m trapped in this¡­ coffin, but there must be some misunderstanding; I¡¯m still alive. Listen, my voice is quite robust.¡±


    ¡°Breathing is a common illusion among the deceased, and attachment to the world of the living is a fixated subconscious that lingers in the cerebral cortex¨Cit¡¯s indeed hard to accept, but Bartok has already prepared a better abode for your soul,¡± the old caretaker kept his gaze fixed on the coffin, one hand still holding the shotgun, while the other unobtrusively traced the emblem of The Master of Death in the air. Then, he drew a small bag of dry powder from his coat, applying some of it onto the barrel of the shotgun and sprinkling the rest on the ground, ¡°Lay down quietly, you should already feel drowsy. That is the calling of The Master of Death, yield to it, it¡¯s better for us both.¡±


    Duncan silently noted that part about the teachings of The Master of Death Bartok, then cleared his throat to continue the dialogue: ¡°¡­But I still think I might be saved, what if it¡¯s a misdiagnosis?¡±


    The shotgun-holding caretaker frowned, somehow feeling that this ¡°Restless One¡± was not quite like those he had encountered in his career. The voice from the coffin sounded too rational, even knowing how to bargain, but he soon shook his head, dismissing these messy thoughts:


    ¡°Forgive my frankness, but you fell from beside a pithead barrier, plummeting a hundred meters down into a mine shaft, shattering your occipital bone. The mortician had much difficulty reassembling your skull¨Csir, in my view, the likelihood of your misdiagnosis is¡­ exceptionally high.¡±


    Duncan listened to the voice coming from outside the coffin, silently reaching to touch the back of his head.


    ¡°¡­Well, I admit my injuries seem rather severe; this physical state indeed doesn¡¯t suit leaving the coffin,¡± he sighed, ¡°My apologies for the disturbance.¡±


    The old caretaker was silent for a few seconds, then silently lit another lantern strapped at his waist and hung it on a wooden stake closest to the morgue table, speaking nonchalantly: ¡°No need to be courteous¨Ccompared to most Restless Ones, you are rather polite.¡±


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    ¡°Oh? Do you often encounter this?¡±


    ¡°There are always a few corpses each year that are quite reluctant to stay in their coffins; most of them attempt to escape using rather violent means, only a rare few try to negotiate their release,¡± the old caretaker murmured, ¡°But even those capable of negotiation are merely uttering incoherent nonsense. The deceased always believe they can return from the dead, but in reality¡­ the gate of the great Bartok is not so easily crossed.¡±


    The old caretaker shook his head, continually speaking while keeping an eye on the flame of the lantern on the nearby wooden stake¨Che knew that the deceased possessed no true rationality, which was merely the remnants of a persistent attachment. In conversation, this ¡°remnant¡± would deplete especially quickly, and once the rationality inside the coffin was exhausted, his ¡°extended shift¡± tonight would also end.


    ¡°Restless Ones, undead, resurrection¨Cthese are three entirely distinct concepts,¡± the old man rambled on, ¡°Crossing these boundaries requires tremendous strength, enduring immense pain, and a very rare opportunity; sir, don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. You can¡¯t cross it.¡±


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 Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter 290: The Visitor in the Cemetery

    Chapter 286: Chapter 290: The Visitor in the Cemetery


    The place he was now in was likely a public facility used to temporarily store bodies; the voice outside the coffin probably belonged to the caretaker of the facility.


    The caretaker seemed experienced. He referred to the disturbances coming from the coffin as the ¡°Restless One¡± phenomenon, and he conversed clearly and calmly, showing no sign of panic during the process.


    The body he currently possessed seemed to be that of a miner who had died from a fall from a height, the body suffering severe organic damage.


    While conversing with the voice outside, Duncan was silently gathering this useful intelligence, all the while confirming his thoughts that this body was hardly fit for use.


    After all, even disregarding this body¡¯s extremely frail condition, it would be difficult for him to roam around with a collapsed skull¨Cof course, there were such phenomena as ¡°undead¡± in this world, as apparently, the crew aboard the Tyrian ship included a good number of skeletal figures missing a piece of their skull or a fragment of their heart; but, even for an undead, that was not a status fit to move around publicly within the City-State, which was not what he needed.


    Meanwhile, as Duncan was calculating quietly to himself, the nerves of the old caretaker outside the coffin remained taut throughout.


    The old man¡¯s double-barreled shotgun was still aimed at the coffin, the herbal powder he had scattered beforehand now emitted a pale glow, his voice calm, but the fingers holding the shotgun had turned slightly white.


    He was waiting for the Restless One in the coffin to exhaust the last remnants of obsession and rationality from his soul, waiting for the ceaselessly chattering deceased to gradually tire and accept his death¨Ca process which, based on his experience, generally didn¡¯t take very long. Under the calming effects of the lantern and herbal powder, it usually took just half an hour for an unrestful soul to settle down.


    Normally, during their conversation, the deceased would slowly become more groggy, soon forgetting even their own words; as usual, the voice inside the coffin would turn into mumbled grunts, and finally into a hoarse murmur. Normally¡­


    But why did it seem that the one in the coffin was becoming more energetic the more they talked?!


    ¡°Do you know where I am now? Aha, I know this is a place for dead bodies; I mean the location¡­ you know, I couldn¡¯t see the surroundings when I was brought here.


    ¡°How¡¯s the weather today? Must be quite cold, right? I think I can even hear the wind outside, a night under the Frost is not easy¡­


    ¡°What time is it? Have you had a meal? Do you have any colleagues around?


    ¡°Any news recently in town? I don¡¯t quite remember what happened before¡­ Oh right, do you know a person named Brown Scott? He seems to be a folklorist or historian, living on Fireplace Street, a friend of mine is quite familiar with him¡­¡±


    The finer beads of sweat slowly formed on the old caretaker¡¯s forehead. He could swear to Bartok that in his entire career, he¡¯d never seen such an eerie situation¨Can unsettled corpse, under the personal rite of appeasement by a Death Church ¡°Tomb Guardian¡± and the effectual calming presence of a lantern and herbal powder, showed no signs of falling asleep but rather seemed to be waking up more like a living person!


    This made him think of the unsettling rumors recently in the City-State, stories related to the ¡°return of the dead.¡±


    Had there really been a breach in the boundary between life and death defined by the god of death, Bartok?


    ¡°Sir,¡± the old caretaker tightened his grip on the shotgun, his voice becoming slightly stern, ¡°You¡¯ve talked enough, if I were you, I would settle down quickly and faithfully return to slumber¨Cotherwise, when the sun rises, you¡¯re going to suffer.¡±


    Inside the coffin, Duncan thought for a moment and then said somewhat helplessly, ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like to cooperate with you, but I really can¡¯t find sleep now¡­ Maybe you could help me open this lid and give me a dose of tranquillizers to help me sleep?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking too much¡­¡±


    The old caretaker said solemnly; however, just at that moment, a sudden and harsh sound of banging on the gate came from the entrance of the cemetery, cutting off what he was about to say.


    In the dead of night, who could be visiting?


    The old caretaker looked toward the direction of the banging sound, only to see several figures in black coats standing under the streetlamp near the ornately carved gate, the glow from the gas lamp casting their long shadows on the ground behind them, aglow with radiance.


    One of the figures raised a hand, showing something in the light of the streetlamp.


    It was a triangular metal badge, symbolizing a messenger of the death god, Bartok.


    The old caretaker¡¯s heart stirred, and he instinctively glanced back at the brand-new coffin.


    The voice inside the coffin fell silent for a moment.


    After hesitating briefly, the old man turned and hurried toward the cemetery entrance.


    Accompanied by the rattling of chains loosening and the squeaking and creaking of the gate¡¯s hinges, the towering cemetery gates swung open.


    The old guardian lifted his head, watching with careful eyes the figures standing under the street lamp.


    Three men and one woman, all dressed in thick, pitch-black coats and wide-brimmed hats, stood silently in the night wind. Their dark clothes and silent demeanor were reminiscent of crows standing by tombstones at midnight.


    As the old man sized up these uninvited guests, they were also scrutinizing the somber tomb guardian. Soon, one of the shorter men stepped forward, waved a triangular badge in his hand, and spoke solemnly,


    ¡°Peaceful rest will eventually shelter us ¡ª by the command of the City-State Church, we are here to take away a deceased who was just delivered to this cemetery.¡±


    ¡°A priest of the Death God?¡± The old guardian instinctively frowned with suspicion, eyeing the triangular badge in the other¡¯s hand. ¡°Gatekeeper Agatha just left a few hours ago. She did not mention that other priests would come here to escort the deceased. Moreover, ¡­ it¡¯s midnight, hardly an apt time for such tasks.¡±


    ¡°Extraordinary circumstances. The deceased needs to be transferred to a more secure location,¡± another of the uninvited visitors spoke, the woman whose stature was average, her facial features cold and sharp, lips thin. ¡°Please cooperate, it¡¯s a matter of life and death, we cannot afford delays.¡±


    At the mention of ¡°extraordinary circumstances,¡± the old guardian felt a stir in his heart, especially recalling the incessant noises from within the coffin. With that, he dispelled his doubts.


    It seemed that the Restless One inside the coffin indeed had some uniqueness, and the church had also realized the same. Although he didn¡¯t know how the priests from the church had made their judgments, the professionals had now arrived.


    The old man did not like outsiders disturbing his cemetery, but since these visitors were genuine priests displaying the Death God¡¯s badge, he saw no need to obstruct them further.


    He hoped tonight¡¯s trouble would end as quickly as possible.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± the old man muttered, stepping aside to clear the path into the cemetery, ¡°Your timing is perfect.¡±


    ¡°Perfect timing?¡± A tall, hefty man in black clothes walked close behind and paused slightly, ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°That body has already started becoming restless. Ah, chattering nonstop, getting more and more spirited the more it talks. I even suspect it might cross the first boundary and turn into an Undead ¡ª that would be serious trouble. The nearby residents would not be pleased with that news,¡± the old guardian shook his head. ¡°No one likes the Undead, Frostfolk especially. It reminds them of that cursed warship filled with Undead¡­¡±


    Listening to the old man¡¯s continuous complaints, the four black-clad figures exchanged surprised glances.


    However, quickly, the thin-lipped woman shook her head, signaling to stay calm.


    The other three nodded and continued to silently follow the old guardian¡¯s footsteps. The short man who had displayed the church badge casually tossed it to the ground.


    The badge landed silently, turning into billowing black smoke upon contact with the ground and dispersing with the wind.


    The group soon crossed the small paths of the cemetery, arriving at the mortuary used for the temporary storage of the dead.


    The neatly arranged platforms were lined with simple coffins, still in the night wind, with the lantern the old guardian had hung on a stake still burning quietly, and the powdered herbs on the ground still emitting a faint, pallid glow.


    Seeing these sealing measures still operational, the old guardian visibly relaxed, then stepped forward, pointing to the newest coffin placed there: ¡°This one, the one you¡¯re looking for, just arrived tonight.¡±


    The four black-clad figures exchanged a look. The thin-lipped woman stepped up to the platform and slightly frowned as she examined the coffin in front of her, ¡°¡­Is this it then¡­?¡±


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    ¡°It might be,¡± Duncan casually said from within the coffin, ¡°And what are you up to?¡±


    The woman momentarily widened her eyes, evidently startled by the voice from the coffin. The other three men also showed evident surprise, nervously looking at each other, with the tall one quietly muttering, ¡°Something¡¯s not quite right¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s not quite right?¡± The old guardian, evidently with keen hearing, asked curiously, ¡°Can¡¯t you handle it?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re here to deal with it,¡± the woman in black immediately said. After a quick glance at her three companions, who seemed to rapidly weigh their options, she nodded at the old guardian, ¡°The next step¡­ You¡¯ll need to step aside for a moment.¡±


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 Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter 291: Seeing Through

    Chapter 287: Chapter 291: Seeing Through


    Upon hearing these words from the Reaper Priest before him, the old caretaker didn¡¯t cooperate as Tomb Guardians usually do right away, but frowned in discontent: ¡°I am the guardian of the cemetery, I¡¯ve never heard that actions in the cemetery require the caretakers to leave.¡±


    ¡°The situation is peculiar, old man,¡± the short-statured man in black moved half a step forward and spoke with a serious and sincere tone. Upon seeing the stubborn expression on the old caretaker¡¯s face, he finally sighed, ¡°Well, actually, I shouldn¡¯t be telling you this¨Cthe body needs to be sent to the Tranquil Cathedral.¡±


    ¡°Tranquil Cathedral?¡± the old caretaker asked incredulously, ¡°what is this about¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a severe case of unknown pollution, possibly related to something deep within the mines. We have to perform a special cleansing ritual, and the fewer living people present, the better,¡± the short man said sternly, ¡°not just you must leave, but my colleague and I must also avoid the area with you.¡±


    During this exchange, the tall and sturdy man among the men in black also stepped forward, silently joining the short man¡¯s side.


    The old guardian looked over the two black-clad priests, then turned to the black-dressed woman standing by the mortuary table¨Cwho had already taken out ritual herbs and holy oil from her belongings and had begun setting up a temporary altar in front of the table.


    ¡°Alright, if it involves the mines and pollution, then this isn¡¯t my responsibility,¡± the old man finally gave up his stubbornness. He shrugged his shoulders, put away his shotgun, and turned to walk down the cemetery path before calling back to the two men, one tall and one short, ¡°Come on, I have some hot tea in my cabin, and you can warm yourselves by the fire. The graveyard at night is colder than outside.¡±


    The two men in black exchanged a glance, following the old man they casually remarked, ¡°Then we thank you for your hospitality, old man.¡±


    The two men in black left with the old caretaker, leaving only the thin-lipped, black-dressed woman and another silent and lean man by the mortuary table.


    And a coffin that had just quieted down.


    Duncan lay quietly within the coffin, pondering the conversation he had just had with the caretaker, and speculating about the newcomers who had appeared.


    On his landing journey with Frost¡­ it was indeed different from that with Prand, although not going smoothly, it held a peculiar charm nonetheless.


    The only dissatisfaction he had was the poor performance efficiency of this physical body.


    Inside the coffin, Duncan moved his hand slightly, watching a small green flame dance at his fingertips, illuminating this narrow space.


    Fortunately, the fire of the Spiritual Body was unaffected.


    In the flickering green light, he saw cheap, low-quality wooden planks, coarse linen linings, and densely packed runes on the coffin lid, including a triangular insignia in the center¨Cthat must have been the mark of the god of death, Bartok.


    The runes and insignia were obviously not some ¡°noble handcraft¡± but seemed to have been stamped on by machine; anyway, the effect was roughly the same.


    Duncan pricked up his ears, carefully listening to the sounds outside the coffin.


    The coffin was thin, and not well sealed, allowing him to clearly hear the conversations outside; he had just heard the sounds of the caretaker and the two unexpected guests departing, and now he could hear some rustling noises, seeming to be from those left behind moving around the coffin.


    What were they up to?


    The black-dressed woman stopped her work of setting up the altar in front of the mortuary table.


    She stood up, looked towards the direction where the stubborn old caretaker had gone, and after confirming he was far away, she spat on the ground beside her, then stepped towards the coffin.


    The ¡°altar¡± she had just arranged was carelessly trampled over, the powdered herbs and the ceramic container holding the oil being kicked aside.


    The silent black-dressed man had already reached the side of the coffin, flicking his carried cane which promptly extended a metallic crook from its end, turning into a crowbar.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± the woman raised her hand to stop her colleague and then approached the coffin, curling her finger to knock, ¡°Are you still there?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Duncan immediately replied, ¡°what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    The woman frowned slightly, seemingly confused, but then she spoke emotionlessly, ¡°Do you know who you are?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not really,¡± Duncan bluffed, ¡°Actually I¡¯m still confused. I don¡¯t even know how I ended up here, and just earlier, a man guarding the cemetery said I was already dead and that I would be burned in three days¡­ What really happened? And what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Ah, we are here to help you,¡± the woman in black said indifferently, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t want to be burned, would you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not¨Calthough winters in Frost are indeed cold, warming up in a cremation furnace is a bit too challenging. Are you going to let me out?¡±


    ¡°Your cold jokes are as cold as this night, sir,¡± the woman in black laughed, ¡°Of course, we will let you out. Then you just need to follow us, and you won¡¯t have to worry about anyone bothering you anymore.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡± The voice inside the coffin said politely.


    The woman in black composed herself, took a slight step back, and nodded to a silent man holding a crowbar, ¡°Pry it open.¡±


    The silent man stepped forward and with creaking and squeaking sounds, the already fragile coffin was quickly opened. Then he used his cane to push, shoving the dark coffin lid completely aside.


    The wooden board slid off the platform and fell heavily onto the gravel ground.


    The woman in black raised a finger to her lips in a silencing motion, but a hoarse, low grunt came from her throat, which didn¡¯t sound human.


    As she made the ¡°silence¡± gesture, the lid falling to the ground didn¡¯t make a sound; within the blink of an eye, the heavy wooden board turned into black dust that scattered with the wind and quietly disappeared into the night.


    Then, the man and woman in black lifted their heads to look towards the wide-open coffin.


    A man with a pale complexion, large hands and feet, dressed in a dark brown coat, sat up inside, curiously looking at them.


    After a while, Duncan revealed a faint smile on his face, murmuring softly, ¡°Ah, seems like things are getting interesting.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± the woman in black frowned, then immediately stiffened her face, commanding in a low voice that seemed to carry strange power, ¡°Come out first and leave this place with us.¡±


    ¡°No rush,¡± Duncan, sitting in the coffin, smiled and shook his head, ¡°The chains on you are quite unique¨Cyour Profound Demons are quite peculiar too; I thought that thing was only for dogs.¡±


    The man and woman in black were taken aback upon hearing this, and the next second, they looked at each other in shock. The woman, with thin lips, even instinctively took a half-step back, staring at Duncan sitting in the coffin in astonishment and wariness, ¡°You can see through our disguises?!¡±


    ¡°Disguises?¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows, eyes sweeping over the two in front of him¨C


    A woman dressed in a dark long dress, with a gaunt and sharp face. A black chain emerged between her neck and collarbone, clearly integrated with her body, extending straight out from the collarbone. At the end of the chain was a grotesque bird made of pitch-black bone pieces twisted together.


    The bird, with black smoke rising from its body, was perched steadily on the woman¡¯s shoulder, its two blood-red hollows fixedly staring at Duncan, and every bone in its body trembled slightly.


    The other was a slender man, dressed in a gray-blue heavy coat, with a chain directly extending from his throat, the other end connected to a huge jellyfish floating in mid-air. The jellyfish seemed to have no solid form, its body comprised entirely of drifting smoke, with a blood-red core inside that kept pulsating like a heart.


    Black chains tethered to eerie creatures wreathed in black smoke.


    Clearly, two eradicated heretics.


    And these heretics were both looking shocked.


    ¡°Ah right, disguises,¡± Duncan muttered belatedly, then slowly stood from the coffin and carefully climbed down from the platform¨Chis movements were slow because this body was not very agile, ¡°Ah Dog seems to have the talent to disrupt recognition, helping symbiotes disguise their identities. So this is a common technique for you? But, to be frank, your disguising capabilities aren¡¯t very reliable. I¡¯ve never seen it go without a hitch¡­¡±


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    ¡°Stop!¡± The female heretic finally reacted, she suddenly retreated several steps and then pointed at Duncan, her voice mixing with another low, hoarse voice as if another Caster was chanting a spell through her throat, ¡°I strip you of your mobility, command you to stop right here!¡±


    Duncan finally stepped off the platform and leisurely walked forward two steps, curiously looking at the woman nearby, ¡°So, this is the so-called ¡®spell¡¯ borrowed from demons by the eradicated heretics?


    ¡°Well, to be fair, it¡¯s indeed a bit more elegant than Sherry.


    ¡°But as it turns out, it seems less effective than Meteor Dog¨Cat least that could give me a start.¡±


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 Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter 292: Ignorance is Bliss

    Chapter 288: Chapter 292: Ignorance is Bliss


    Through the Demon Symbiosis contract, utilizing the forbidden knowledge of the Profound Demons to chant the spell proved to be futile¨Cit was even more shocking than a corpse waking up prematurely from its coffin.


    Moreover, the ¡°Harbinger of Death¡± was already one of the most powerful magic spells among the Profound Demons!


    The gaunt-faced woman in the black dress stared in disbelief at the ¡°Resurrected¡± standing quietly in front of her. Black chains emanating from her collarbone undulated uneasily with smoke dust while she sensed something terribly wrong with her symbiotic ¡°Harbinger of Death¡±¨Cthis Profound Demon was emitting extremely dangerous signals, even attempting to sever its connection with its master and return to the Abstruse Domain!


    She finally reacted, swiftly grabbing the chain under the feet of the Harbinger of Death with one hand, the other seemingly grasping at empty air, all while staring intensely into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Something¡¯s not right¡­ You are not this dead man¡­ Who are you?¡±


    ¡°First, tell me who you are?¡± Duncan looked at the woman before him and then at the silent man nearby, who still tightly gripped a ¡°crowbar cane,¡± ¡°Let me guess¡­ First off, you¡¯re clearly not messengers of Death. You deceived the guard using¡­ um, so-called ¡®Disguise Techniques.¡¯ You¡¯re here for me¨Cor rather, for this body I¡¯m currently using. Am I right?¡±


    The woman in the black dress slightly opened her mouth, her lips fluttering as if she was saying something, but Duncan didn¡¯t catch it. In the next second, the woman abruptly raised her previously empty right hand, and her low, indistinct murmur turned into a bizarre shriek!


    The ¡°Harbinger of Death¡± demon on her shoulder also simultaneously spread its wings sharply. Under the control of the symbiosis contract, this Profound Demon had to resist its innate fear and launched an attack on Duncan.


    A heavy pressure suddenly appeared, followed by an unusual trembling and distortion of the ground at Duncan¡¯s feet. The earth beside him began to ripple like liquid, and soon, giant black thorns resembling bone spurs burst from the ground, entwining towards him!


    However, Duncan didn¡¯t show any intention to dodge¨Cmainly because the wretched temporary body just couldn¡¯t manage such agile maneuvers¨Che merely watched calmly as the thorns came before him, watching them twine around his body.


    Then, a grand Spectral Flame rose from the thorn bushes, and in an instant, the thorns summoned by the spell were reduced to pitch-black ashes, with specks of residual flames disappearing with the wind.


    ¡°I told you, you should just have swung that bird on your shoulder at me¨Cit might have caught me off guard.¡±


    Duncan sighed helplessly, but as he spoke, he suddenly felt something wrong with his body.


    He instinctively lifted his hands, and the next second, he was shocked to see cracks appearing on his hands.


    These weren¡¯t wounds inflicted by the thorns but spontaneously appearing cracks. As Duncan watched, the cracks continued to multiply as if the skin and muscles of this body were suddenly losing their vitality and elasticity, rapidly splitting in the cold, dry weather.


    Very little blood came from the cracks; instead, dried, shriveled debris continually fell from the wounds to the ground. Within a few seconds, Duncan distinctly felt this already frail body weaken even more.


    He was astounded by the weird changes in his body, then looked up at the woman in the black dress across from him, ¡°Is this also the power of the spell? Did it work this time?¡±


    The woman in the black dress, who still hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock of the ¡°Thorns¡± failure, had a much paler complexion, with the Harbinger of Death on her shoulder appearing listless and droopy. However, upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, a faint smile suddenly crossed her face, ¡°Ah, it seems this body is almost at its limit¡­ This will make it easier to deal with.¡±


    ¡°At its limit?¡± Duncan asked subconsciously, sensing something from her attitude and words. But just as he was about to say something more, the woman in the black dress suddenly spoke in a cold voice, ¡°Take action.¡±


    As her words fell, the silent emaciated man beside her had already made his move, looking expressionlessly at Duncan. Meanwhile, the floating, smoke dust jellyfish-like Profound Demon suddenly contracted and expelled a cloud of hissing, dense black matter from within, hurtling towards Duncan like a cannonball!


    However, the ¡°acidic cannonball¡± halfway through its path began to emit a faint green glow and disintegrated before reaching its target, vanishing without a trace.


    Duncan looked helplessly as the dark matter exploded, ¡°I told you, this thing isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish speaking, and the smoke and sparks had already disappeared completely; and after the smoke cleared, he saw the silent man not far away raising the cane at him¨Cthe cane had split open, revealing a large caliber gun barrel within.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    From the barrel, fire burst forth, but the sound did not travel beyond the morgue¡¯s surroundings¨Cthe woman in the black dress had already gestured for silence with her finger raised.


    Large-caliber bullets tore through the air, within the silenced range, a low noise emerged, and Duncan caught the last bit of the bullet¡¯s trajectory. However, he did nothing but glanced out of the corner of his eye at the silent man symbiotic with the jellyfish-shaped demon.


    The next second, his vision plunged into darkness.


    His head was shattered by the powerful impact of the special bullet, with nothing left above his neck.


    Duncan¡¯s body swayed, stood still pondering for a moment, then raised his hand and felt above his neck only to find nothing, then he gestured a middle finger towards the direction of the black-dress woman and the silent man, before he fell backward, facing up.


    The woman in the black dress stared intently at the eerie and terrifying headless body.


    She watched her companion blast the body¡¯s head with one shot and saw the body lift its hand to touch the vanished head, observing the body¡¯s bizarre actions; those were surely not the reactions of a body that has lost its head!


    Whatever it was, the entity that had possessed this body was definitely not dead! It had just left, a temporary exile.


    Knowing it was dangerous to stay any longer, the woman in the black dress decided to abandon their mission today. She looked up at her companion, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s leave the cemetery and then signal those two. Things are very wrong today¡­¡±


    The man holding the peculiar staff, however, did not move for a moment as if he hadn¡¯t heard his companion¡¯s voice.


    He stood quietly, and from his throat, a pitch-black chain extended, a flash of lurid green fire flickering momentarily.


    That spark had traveled along the chain, soaking into his flesh.


    His heart was already ablaze.


    ¡°Hey, did you hear that?¡± the stern and impatient voice of the woman in the black dress came again. ¡°Hurry up and leave, or the commotion today will be too much if the guards start reacting!¡±


    The man with the staff nodded slowly and turned around.


    ¡°What happened to you just now?¡± the woman stared at her companion but soon diverted her gaze, ¡°All right, we must leave quickly, Duncan.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°this place is not suitable for a long stay.¡±


    She nodded and was ready to turn and walk down the path, but just as she turned her head, the ¡°Harbinger of Death¡± bird perching on her shoulder suddenly emitted a sharp and eerie scream, and the Profound Demons¡¯ bones creaked. Black smoke surged up as it suddenly turned its head, staring fixedly in Duncan¡¯s direction while making a strange clicking noise, its wings constantly trembling.


    Behind Duncan, the floating jellyfish-shaped Profound Demon suddenly burst into flames, thick black smoke burning furiously; the intangible jellyfish demon was consumed within seconds, while the chain connecting the symbiont emitted a series of grating noises, scattering into broken links all over the ground.


    The woman in the black dress came to an abrupt halt.


    Through the connection of chains, she felt the enormous fear of the ¡°Harbinger of Death¡± and the direct warning of impending death.


    She even vaguely picked up the Harbinger of Death¡¯s visual signals; when the shoulder-perched demon turned towards Duncan, a sharp pain like a piercing needle struck her brain, her retinas burning, while indescribable twisted shadows flooded her reddening, darkening view!


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    Ordinary Profound Demons do not have hearts, they move purely by instinct; when great danger appears, they do not consider the mental well-being of their masters like a dog might.


    ¡°Uh¨C¡± the woman in the black dress let out a low cry, involuntarily stepping back in pain and daze, she held onto a nearby street lamp, horrifiedly looking at the familiar yet strange emaciated figure standing beneath the intersecting light and shadow of the street lamp, ¡°What¡­ what exactly are you?!¡±


    Duncan looked at the ugly Skeleton Monstrous Bird on her shoulder (much uglier than Ai Yi), then twisted his head to look at the spot of black ash on the ground behind him, and sighed regrettably.


    ¡°Ignorance is bliss,¡± he shook his head, ¡°Your fortune is thin.¡±


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 Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Chapter 293: The Hunt and the Escape

    Chapter 289: Chapter 293: The Hunt and the Escape


    In the moment Duncan uttered the words ¡°ignorance is bliss,¡± the woman in the black dress had already reacted!


    But this time, she did not attempt any futile acts of combat. Instead, she grasped the chain beneath the Reaper Priest¡¯s feet with one hand while swinging the other behind her, conjuring up a vague mist in the air, then turned and ran towards the entrance of the cemetery!


    She could no longer worry about her companion whose body had been taken over, nor the other two accomplices who were entangled with the guard. The strange events of the night had surpassed her understanding, even as a Heretic in Demon Symbiosis with a Profound Demon, she was on the verge of losing her reason and courage.


    Leave this place, the farther, the better, the faster, the better! Do not continue to stay within the invisible and indescribable sight of the invaders, do not continue to coexist with that horrifying shadow!


    Duncan frowned, not yet fully accustomed to the new body he had just occupied. Although he could distinctly feel this body was in better health than the one in the coffin, he still found it difficult to keep up with the running figure.


    Still, he stepped forward to give chase, cutting through the strange mist summoned by the fleeing figure while adapting to the new body and focusing his gaze on the woman¡¯s shabby figure.


    As he watched, the gas lamps she passed began to flicker, and a touch of dark green suddenly stained the previously bright and steady flames.


    The gas lamps polluted by the Usurping Flame followed the escaping Heretic like invisible footsteps, rapidly stretching towards the entrance of the cemetery and sprinkling a trail of green sparks along the way, growing closer and more abundant!


    But just as the green flames scattered among the street lamps were about to catch up with the Heretic, the Skeleton Monstrous Bird assembled from dark bone fragments suddenly shrieked and took to the air. Its angular skeletal wings scattered large swathes of smoke in the night sky, and its sharp cries seemed to tear a small rift in time and space. Duncan saw a series of vague fissures suddenly emerge from the shadows beside the Heretic, which then merged into a massive black hole¨C


    The Skeleton Monstrous Bird screamed madly and desperately rushed toward the dark hole that had appeared out of nowhere. The chain extending from its foot was pulled taut in an instant, and, amidst the grating noise, the woman in the black dress was violently dragged toward the opening.


    ¡°Damn it! Stop! You bastard! You beast!¡± the Heretic struggled uncontrollably, her voice altered with uncontrollable fear and desperation, ¡°No no no! Don¡¯t¨Cdon¡¯t take me to the Profound¡­ Help, help! No! No¨C¡±


    With a final scream, the Heretic was finally pulled into the pitch-black void by the chains, and the opening violently closed up, vanishing into a trembling shadow.


    The tombstones whispered and flickered green in the empty cemetery path.


    ¡°That is quite an original escape route,¡± Duncan stated, somewhat bewildered by the abrupt scene. He smirked after a long pause, as if suddenly recalling something, ¡°Did Sherry and Dog escape this way too¡­ But I remember she wasn¡¯t scared at all back then, was she?¡±


    He furrowed his brows, looking in the direction where the Heretic had vanished, but after pondering for a moment, he came up with nothing and withdrew his gaze.


    The gas lamps tinged with eerie green also returned to normal quickly as his gaze was retracted, like the reeling back of tendrils of shadow into the dark beneath his feet.


    A faint crackling sound reached Duncan¡¯s ears at that moment.


    He looked towards the source of the noise in confusion only to discover it was coming from his own body¨Cthe fine crackling noise was emanating from all over, and through the gaps in his clothes, he could see whisps of fine black smoke seeping out and rising.


    Duncan was momentarily stunned, unsure what this new development meant. He then hastily pulled open the clothes near his chest and finally saw the changes occurring in his body:


    His flesh was gradually turning into a kind of black, charred substance, and his wrinkled skin was riddled with gaps from which black smoke and ashes were rising, as if emanating from a pile of smoldering charcoal.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had been baptized with ¡°open-heartedness¡± from the start, the eerie and terrifying sight before him would have greatly impacted Duncan. But he had long grown accustomed to such strange and ominous events, and now he remained particularly calm, even reaching out to touch near his throat.


    It seemed the changes had begun at the throat¨Cthe previously chain-linked spot that had been in Symbiosis with a Profound Demon.


    Duncan immediately thought back to the Profound Demon resembling a jellyfish and spontaneously combusting earlier.


    After he had taken over this body, that ¡°jellyfish¡± seemed to have gone on a hardcore strike due to unbearable stress, and now this Heretic body was starting to disintegrate, beginning at the chain-linked spot¡­ Could it be that if the Symbiosis Demon died, the body would crumble too?


    Was this a Trait of the Heretics?


    Duncan instantaneously connected to the most likely possibility and even thought of Sherry and Dog¨Ccould the relationship between those two be similar?


    He could ask Sherry for details after returning.


    But first, he needed to think about what to do now.


    Duncan looked at his rapidly disintegrating body somewhat helplessly, also recalling the body he had inhabited on rising from the coffin.


    Although the reasons for disintegration were different, that body also seemed to experience the flesh falling apart in the end.


    ¡°¡­Finding a usable body is just so difficult,¡± he couldn¡¯t help sighing, lamenting his bad luck, ¡°It was much smoother back in Prand.¡±


    He lifted his head, looking towards the wrought iron fence at the horizon¨Cthe cemetery entrance was just ahead, and beyond it seemed to be a vast expanse of desolate road. He would need to cross that deserted area before reaching the brightly lit, bustling city.


    Frost¡¯s civilized world was within sight, but this continuously decaying body would hardly hold up for the journey, and even if he made it to the city area now, his honor, crumbling and smoking with every step, could surely not gather any information without first attracting the night watchman.


    He turned to glance at the cemetery again.


    There were plenty lying in the morgue¨Cbut, first, it was hard to guarantee the quality, and second, opening the coffins was quite a hassle.


    This was a true blind box experience, and he had already had enough trouble for one night.


    After a brief moment of weighing his options, Duncan looked up towards the light at the other end of the path.


    That should be in the direction of the watchman¡¯s cabin.


    Duncan remembered that there were two Heretics disguised as Reaper Priests, who had gone to the cabin with the watchman¨Calthough the man seemed stubborn and unfriendly, at least he was dedicated to his duty.


    The Heretics, however, were not of the benevolent sort.


    He started walking towards the lights at the end of the path.


    ¡­


    Outside, there seemed to be some noise.


    In the warm cabin of the watchman, the kettle on the stove was hissing, the gas lamp beside it illuminating the room with a bright light, as the old watchman leisurely fiddled with the bottles and jars on the wooden shelf, and his trustworthy double-barreled shotgun hung from a hook by the shelf.


    Two men in black stood inside, watching the old man¡¯s actions¨Cone standing by the door, the other by the window.


    But their attention was clearly not entirely on the watchman.


    They were listening for any sounds coming from the direction of the cemetery entrance, waiting for a certain signal.


    Instead of getting the ¡°job done, time to evacuate¡± code, they only heard some faint and indistinct strange sounds coming from the direction of the path.


    The last sound, a vague scream, was particularly unsettling.


    ¡°Did you hear anything?¡±


    The old watchman suddenly stopped, looked up at the dirty, dim window that had weathered the years, and listened to the night sounds outside¨Cthere seemed to be nothing but the hollow howling of the wind.


    ¡°There¡¯s no sound,¡± the tall and burly man by the door replied immediately, although he too felt somewhat uneasy, keeping the watchman inside the cabin was the higher priority at the moment, ¡°Probably just a crow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, crows,¡± the old watchman muttered, ¡°Crows are such a nuisance. They steal your food and then perch smugly on a branch, cawing loudly¡­ I hate thieves, as well as unwelcome guests who impose themselves, and crows embody both.¡±


    The two men in black exchanged a puzzled look, as if the old man¡¯s sudden change of topic was somewhat nonsensical.


    The old watchman, as if oblivious to their reaction, simply continued: ¡°Did I ever tell you why I heeded that lady¡¯s suggestion and brought you two to my cabin?¡±


    The shorter man in black seemed to grow more alert, fixing his gaze on the watchman¡¯s eyes: ¡°Why?¡±


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    Finally finding what he was looking for among the array of jars and bottles, the old watchman twisted off a lid and began dumping some ground herbs into the stove, casually saying: ¡°Because generally speaking, two are easier to handle than four.¡±


    (First of all, thanks to ¡°Zuo Yong The Motherland and Right Hold the KongHDaijiansen Ancient Moon¡± for the Silver Moe! That name is long¡­


    Then, for the double points event at the end of the month, QiDian has prepared a small activity for everyone. Go to the top post in the Book Friends Circle, show your Monthly Ticket voting record (starting from 3 tickets), and then move to any official book friends group announcement to get the link to fill in the shipping address and other information. Make sure to reply in the activity post.


    Participating gives you a chance to win 200 points and a window flower reward, and the Monthly Ticket record location is at QiDian-My-Monthly Tickets-scroll to the bottom of the voting record. To prevent theft of the image, you can blur out your personal ID in the screenshot.)


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 Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Chapter 294: Near-Death Hallucinations

    Chapter 290: Chapter 294: Near-Death Hallucinations


    A dense, herbal scent suddenly filled the room.


    No, it didn¡¯t just fill the air¨Cit appeared abruptly in their perception¨Cas if this intense fragrance had already saturated the space long ago, yet had been shielded from the realm of reality. Only at this moment, as the old guard¡¯s words came to an end, did this omnipresent aroma starkly reveal its presence right before the uninvited guests!


    The two men clad in black reacted almost instantly. The shorter man suddenly raised his hand, pointing at the old guard standing beside the stove, issuing a low, hoarse cry that seemed a blend of two voices, while the other swiftly pulled out several soiled pieces of paper from his bosom and fiercely tossed them into the air.


    The eerie, hoarse cry morphed into a barely visible, blurry ripple, spreading like an explosion¡¯s shockwave, enveloping the space surrounding the old guard. The thrown papers rustled, splitting into countless silhouetted fragments that turned into countless black venomous insects and scorpions the moment they hit the ground, emitting a nauseating rustling noise as they surged toward the direction of the stove.


    With a stooped back, the old guard silently watched these perilous attacks head straight toward him, showing no intention to dodge.


    The shockwave shredded the shelf beside the stove, smashing all the containers with a tremendous noise, also crushing the burning stove, putting out the flames that were emitting a strong herbal essence. The dark, oppressive horde of venomous creatures crawled onto the old man¡¯s body, frenziedly biting into his limbs.


    The old guard was devoured by these attacks almost instantly, his stooped, aged body collapsing to the ground, becoming nothing but a disarray of filthy blood and tattered clothes.


    All of this happened within a few seconds.


    Only after the guard collapsed, with the residual heat from the stove¡¯s ashes scattered on the ground, did the two black-clad men exchange a tense look.


    Both faces carried the same confusion.


    ¡°Is that all it took?¡± the taller man incredulously looked at the remains on the ground and spoke doubtfully to his companion, ¡°The legendary, mysterious, and dangerous gravekeepers¡­ are they really this easy to deal with? Or was this old man the weakest among them?¡±


    But the shorter man didn¡¯t dare relax. He continued to stare intently at the spot where the old guard had stood, while his peripheral vision rapidly scanned the small cabin, his eyebrows gradually furrowing, ¡°Strange¡­ Do you smell that¡­ The scent of the herbs is getting stronger? It¡¯s like someone lit incense nearby¡­ No, get out!¡±


    The shorter man seemed to suddenly realize something, and immediately dashed towards the cottage¡¯s wooden door. However, when he forcefully pushed the door, it was as immovable as the wall itself, with the seemingly fragile wood conveying a sensation akin to that of steel being cast.


    An old, sinister voice then echoed through the cabin, ¡°One of the illusions at life¡¯s end, believing oneself to be trapped in a room, with the exit seemingly right before your eyes. Trying to pass through that path, yet unable to find the correct way to open the door.¡±


    This sudden voice startled the two black-clad men, intensifying their already simmering sensation of fear, which often transformed into a helpless rage¨Cthe shorter man gave up trying to push open the door and turned around to shout at the air, ¡°I don¡¯t care where you¡¯re hiding!¡±


    As his words fell, layers of illusory ripples emerged around him, and within those ripples, one could faintly discern an ugly bird-like monster perched on his shoulder, stretching its neck to emit a shrieking sound¨Cit was a ¡°Death-Teller¡± demon.


    The shrieking of the Profound Demon and the roar of the short man overlapped, and a translucent shockwave instantly swept across the entire room!


    The loud splitting of furniture and the massive noise of decorations crashing to the ground rose and fell in succession. The already small guard¡¯s cabin became chaotic in the blink of an eye. Nearly everything was smashed to bits by the invisible shockwave, except for another man in black who managed to keep his surroundings intact¨Che was tall and sturdy, erected a barrier, blocked the aftermath of the shockwave, and quickly scanned the area, trying to locate the hidden guard amid the distorted air.


    He had guessed the guard¡¯s trick¨Cit was an illusion.


    An illusion caused by burning some potent hallucinogenic.


    The guard had used his Transcendent powers and herbs to disguise himself, playing tricks in the cabin. But since his voice was still here, that meant he was hiding nearby. Sweeping the whole cabin should eventually reveal him.


    However, he found nothing. The shockwave tore apart everything in the room, stirred the air, but failed to force the guard out of hiding.


    ¡°Another deathbed illusion, where fear and anger are amplified, creating a strong sense of powerlessness, and occasionally making one feel omnipotent, as if they are on the verge of reversing life and death¨Cbut these illusions often dissipate in a very brief moment, then plunging into emptiness and greater fear¡­¡±


    An elderly voice echoed through the cabin, and for some reason, the two men in black suddenly felt as if the voice became elusive, distant at one moment and near the next, like shadows through a curtain.


    ¡°The scent of demons¨CI now know who you are, the two annihilating heretics. Your disguise was good, escaping my sight, but not my intuition,¡± the old guard continued, ¡°Why are you here? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°The Saint grants us courage and the essence of purity!¡± shouted the shorter man, forcefully suppressing the fear within him through his faith in the Profound Saint and slowly sinking into a frenzy of sacrifice, ¡°You foolish mortals can gloat all you want! But your gloating will be brief!¡±


    With those words, the Heretic suddenly drew a pitch-black dagger from his bosom and, without hesitation, plunged it into his own heart!


    ¡°The Saint grants me the power to transcend life and death!¡±


    Knowing there was no hope and unable to confront the cemetery guard with his own strength, the Heretic chose to sacrifice his heart to the Profound Saint, to unleash fully the powers he had acquired through the ¡°Covenant of Coexistence,¡± as a final attempt.


    However, the anticipated death did not come.


    He didn¡¯t feel the intense pain that should have accompanied the stab of the dagger into his body.


    Nor did he feel his own heart.


    The bewildered heretic looked up and toward his companion nearby, only to see that the figure had already fallen to the ground with a huge hole in his back, his blood long drained.


    In the last few seconds as his vision darkened and his mind became increasingly confused, he recognized the ghastly wound caused by a close-range blast from a double-barreled shotgun¨Chis companion had already died, shot in the back by the old guard the moment they stepped into the cabin.


    And himself?


    The short heretic lowered his head and saw that he was actually sitting in a chair in the center of the room.


    A red-hot pair of tongs was viciously inserted between his chest and abdomen, still emitting wisps of blue smoke where it touched the flesh.


    He remembered, he had been killed by a pair of tongs in a brief and fierce fight¨Cjust ten seconds ago.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­ one cannot¡­ die twice¡­¡±


    The heretic muttered, his head tilted, and he breathed his last.


    ¡°The death hallucination is over, may your souls now dissipate, without blessings or suffering.¡±


    On another chair across the room, the grim old guard quietly watched the heretic who had completely stopped breathing, murmuring expressionlessly.


    Beside him lay the reliable old double-barreled shotgun, with signs of a brief struggle all around.


    The old man took a few breaths in the chair, regained some strength, then reached for the shotgun beside him and supported himself on his knees as he rose from the chair.


    ¡°I¡¯m really getting useless¡­ two heretics and ended up in such a mess, and didn¡¯t even get anything out of them,¡± the old guard complained, stepping over the tall corpse on the floor and another in the chair, holding the shotgun as he walked toward the wooden door of the cabin, ¡°There are still two more troubles outside, hopefully, there¡¯s still time.¡±


    He reached the door, extended his hand to open it, but suddenly his movements halted.


    An eerie presence was approaching.


    A wary look flashed in the old man¡¯s eyes, he suddenly gripped the shotgun tightly, and the next second, a knocking sound came from the other side of the door.


    ¡°Knock, knock, knock¨C¡±


    On this cold and silent winter night, the sudden knocking brought a jarring edge.


    The old man remained silent, staring intently at the dark, old wooden door.


    The knocking patiently continued.


    There was no living person outside.


    The old man narrowed his eyes. In his vision, a pale and dim silhouette stood outside, around which some twisted, chaotic shadows could be seen, yet it was unclear what exactly it was.


    Not a living person¨Cbut definitely not a dead one either.


    What was it?!


    ¡°Please, open the door, thank you,¡± a polite voice came from outside.


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    The old guard slowly raised his shotgun, aiming through the door at the vague silhouette outside.


    However, before he could pull the trigger, a slight click sounded suddenly in his ears.


    The door¡­ opened by itself.


    A dazzling and twisted array of stars rushed forward.


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 Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Chapter 295 Departure (Extra for Silver Alliance)

    Chapter 291: Chapter 295 Departure (Extra for Silver Alliance)


    ¡°Darn it!¡±


    At the moment he saw that twisted brilliance, the old guard realized he had carelessly fallen into extreme danger¨Cin this cold, deep night, there was an existence that was unimaginably indescribable and unspeakable knocking at his door. What was even more fatal was that a few minutes ago, in order to extract secrets from the souls of two heretics, he had lit strong incense!


    That incense was enough to construct the death illusions the caster wanted in the minds of the deceased and greatly enhance the caster¡¯s own perception and mental acuity, which allowed him to discern the presence of the Profound Demons from the slightestconscious fluctuations of the two heretics¨Cthe side effect, however, was that it briefly elevated his spiritual vision, making him now almost defenseless in facing the true nature of that Visitor.


    Brilliant, twisted starlight surged chaotically outside the door, vaguely outlining a massive, giant-like existence, as if a million roaring noises overlaid into a piercing shriek that rampaged through his mind. Each shriek seemed to tear his soul apart. The old guard stood rigid, seeing a trail of starlight extending towards him, its front end suddenly bursting open as if countless eyes were moving around inside it.


    Duncan looked at the old man holding a shotgun in front of him, then peeked behind the old man.


    He saw two bodies that had already lost their vitality.


    The heretics had been dealt with¨Cthe seemingly frail old man appeared to have more strength than he had anticipated.


    ¡°It looks like the trouble¡¯s already been taken care of, that¡¯s good,¡± Duncan smiled and nodded slightly, saying, ¡°I was intending to help, worried you might face danger¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he glanced down at his current state and quickly added, ¡°Ah, I know I look a bit frightening and very suspicious right now, it¡¯s a long story¨Cthere¡¯s an emergency, so I had to temporarily use a low-quality shell, and this body is slowly collapsing, but rest assured, sir, I¡¯m not a bad guy¡­¡±


    Amidst a rumbling buzz that seemed intermixed with human speech, a few comprehensible words mingled with massive knowledge washed over all senses. The old guard faced the starlight giant amidst an invisible storm, realizing that the other was conversing with him.


    This indescribable entity visiting on a winter night seemed to want to communicate something to him.


    But he couldn¡¯t hear anything clearly.


    Only one thing was crystal clear to him¨Che was the guardian of the cemetery.


    He could not let this dubious existence linger any longer on this land that should provide rest for the deceased.


    The old man¡¯s muscles tensed, but he slowly lifted his double-barreled shotgun amidst immense mental pressure and disordered thoughts, aiming the barrel at that god-like powerful¡­ ¡°entity.¡±


    ¡°Leave,¡± he mumbled unclearly, then raised his voice a bit, ¡°Leave! Do not disturb them!¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brow.


    But he quickly understood the old guard¡¯s intense reaction¨Cafter all, his current appearance definitely didn¡¯t look like a good guy¡¯s.


    His body, emitting black smoke and skin cracking inch by inch, losing half a pound of coal ash each time he moved, the old man only aimed the gun at him without firing immediately, which could only mean that there might not be bullets in the gun¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s time for me to leave,¡± Duncan nodded, stepped back, not minding the old man¡¯s severe reaction at all, ¡°I was just checking the situation.¡±


    He could feel that the collapse of this body had reached its limit, and his spirit projected from Homeloss was gradually detaching from this crumbling medium.


    ¡°My first visit today was quite chaotic, and many unexpected things happened,¡± he said with a faint smile to the old guard, ¡°But I enjoyed our conversation earlier, and I hope next time we can meet in a more peaceful and stable environment. Goodbye.¡±


    As the spirit withdrew from the body, this shell, dying rapidly due to the Symbiotic Demon¡¯s death, finally completely disintegrated, collapsing face-up and shattering into a pile of dry, cracked charcoal.


    The indescribable existence suddenly left, actually leaving.


    The old guard felt the immense pressure and maddening noise in his mental world suddenly vanish in a blink, the chaotic starlights disappearing as well. A ringing emptiness emerged in his ears, and amid the persistent ringing, he looked around, seeing the cemetery path winding under the gas street lamp, the shadows alongside the path blurred and overlapping as if harboring countless trembling, jumping outlines. Far and near, the morgue tables were covered with twitching limbs and squirming shadows, pairs of eyes blinking in the darkness, each pair inhuman.


    He closed his eyes tightly, chanting the name of the Death God Bartok, then reopened them a few seconds later.


    The eerie sights remained in his field of vision but were somewhat better than before, at least he could now discern more of what the real world should look like, noticing the boundary between the road and the morgue tables.


    It was the lingering remnants of madness¨Cthe good news was that it wasn¡¯t permanent madness, nor utter madness.


    The old guard looked toward the path, seeing a pile of strange charcoal scattered beside the road, then looked toward the direction of a distant morgue table, but it was hard to discern the real shape there.


    The pale light of Creation of the World illumined this world.


    His vast_experience translated into accurate judgment at this moment: he didn¡¯t know how long his mad symptoms would persist. Continuing to be active outside under impaired judgment and potential mental deterioration could only lead to unpredictable outcomes¨Che wasn¡¯t even certain if the next time he raised his gun he would be aiming at the living or the dead.


    The indescribable entity had left, and from the perspective of a higher being, it could be said to have been completely non-offending here, which implies it might have been some kind of benevolent entity¨Cso at least for a while, the cemetery might not be invaded by anything else.


    No matter what I had to investigate next, I would have to wait until after sunrise.


    The old watchman pondered briefly, then turned and quickly headed back inside his cottage, hastily locking the door and the windows while fighting against ongoing dizziness and ringing in his ears. Relying on memory, he found the herbal medicine and holy oil among a pile of chaotic shadows and writhing objects. He poured them into the four corners of the room, and after he had done all this, he moved to the center of the room. He pushed the still-warm corpse from the chair to the floor, took a seat on the chair himself, and hung a Death God¡¯s Badge on his chest. Clutching a double-barreled shotgun, he silently waited for the day to dawn.


    ¡­


    Inside the captain¡¯s cabin of the Homeloss, Duncan sighed softly, glancing at his companion.


    Ai Yi, tilting her head, suddenly blurted out, ¡°Our warriors are battling the enemy¡­ the situation is turning against us!¡±


    ¡°What has Alice gotten into a fight with now?¡± Duncan listened to the sounds outside, faintly hearing the clinking on the deck and the occasional outcries of the doll lady. These noises had long become a routine aboard the Homeloss, so he paid no more mind and simply shook his head, ¡°Let her be. She¡¯ll settle down after a fight.¡±


    Saying this, he moved his slightly stiff neck, raising his head to peer through the window.


    It wasn¡¯t sunrise yet, and the Endless Sea was still engulfed in darkness.


    At the edge of that darkness lay the direction of Frost.


    His rushed journey to Frost had not gone smoothly, having failed to find even a single body that could be used for an extended time, and in the end, he never left that graveyard.


    Unsuccessful as it may have been, the ordeal hadn¡¯t been without gain.


    Duncan was reminiscing about his experiences in that graveyard, sorting through the intelligence he had gathered.


    Followers of the Profound Saint of Oblivion¡­ That was the most concerning part.


    Four heretics, masquerading as priests of the Death God during the most stringent of curfews, had ventured into the graveyard to attempt a body theft, even risking their lives for it¡­ This was no small matter.


    It was foreseeable that the events occurring in that graveyard after sunrise the next day would catch the attention of the authorities in Frost and the local church, causing a stir among the church¡¯s guardians.


    As for himself, a ¡°corpse¡± who had crawled out of a coffin, he would certainly draw the attention of the local church.


    That temporarily occupied body¡­


    Duncan furrowed his brows bit by bit.


    This was another crucial point.


    The body was obviously problematic¨Cnot only because four Oblivion heretics had risked coming to steal it in the dead of night, but also due to the bizarre ¡°self-disintegration¡± phenomenon it exhibited later on.


    Duncan looked at his own hands.


    He still vividly remembered the spectacle of the body rapidly falling apart.


    This wasn¡¯t his first time taking over a body, but it was the first time he had witnessed such a bizarre disintegration¨Cnever had such an extreme situation occurred in the sewers of Prand, not even with a sacrifice who had lost a heart!


    Meanwhile, Duncan also remembered something an unwitting heretic had let slip:


    ¡°This body is almost at its limit.¡±


    Those Oblivion heretics seemed to know something, having anticipated the disintegration phenomenon of the body¡­


    Duncan raised his hand, slowly stroking his chin.


    While guessing the intentions of the heretics, he contemplated another matter.


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    Could this unusual event be connected somehow to Maurice¡¯s ¡°resurrected friend¡±?


    (Thank you to the left-hugging, right-holding, immortal ancient moon for the silver peach, today is a double post~


    Additionally, from the end of this month until the 7th of next month, during the double period, seeking monthly tickets~~


    ps: Ever since Yang Kang, my thought process has noticeably slowed, and something feels off with my memory. I have to pause several times while writing a chapter and carefully straighten out my thoughts several times to ensure the output is of normal quality. They say many authors experience the same¡­ Who knows how long this will last? Is this mild brain fog?)


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 Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter 296: The White Oak Sets Sail Again

    Chapter 292: Chapter 296: The White Oak Sets Sail Again


    Plunder, southeast dock district, a beautiful white steamship was undergoing its final preparation check.


    After a lengthy docking period, the ¡°White Oak¡± was finally ready to set sail again. This time, it would carry an array of commissioned items from the Plunder City-State, travelling through the central and northern sea routes and heading north, passing through Cold Harbor, all the way to Frost.


    It was a significant journey, but for the specially modified exploration vessel designed for rapid transoceanic voyages, most of this route within the safety zones of the sea posed no great challenge¨Cthe robust steam core would ensure the mighty power of the ship, and the newly refurbished onboard chapel ought to shelter all the crewmembers safely.


    Both the bustling sailors on shore and aboard seemed quite at ease.


    At the rear of the White Oak, in the machine room, the Chief Engineer and his assistant were supervising the sailors as they completed the final preparations for the steam core.


    This mighty machine, as large as a house, was secured onto the ship¡¯s main support structure by a sturdy steel frame. It comprised three vertically arranged spherical containers and a series of complex pipes, valves, and interlocking devices surrounding the containers. A metal drawbridge hung at mid-height across the three containers, allowing sailors to inspect the operation of the steam core and carry out necessary maintenance.


    At that moment, several sailors were busy on the metal drawbridge. They had opened the heavy doors of the spherical containers and removed several dim metal rods, which were nearly worn out. They then secured several pale-gold metal rods, each about as thick as a forearm and nearly a meter long, within the door¡¯s slots. They started the mechanism that sent these rods to the center of the containers.


    These were catalysts made of Boiling Gold and were the source of the steam core¡¯s formidable power, as well as one of the key assurances of the machine¡¯s steady operation. Like the priest¡¯s prayers and incense rituals near the steam pipes, the Boiling Gold catalysts within the steam core could also ward off certain malevolent forces to a degree, preventing the machine from suddenly becoming ¡°bewitched¡± after long-term operation.


    The squeaking of pulleys and hinges resounded. Two sailors¡¯ actions were a bit too rough, causing the burly, bald Chief Engineer to suddenly shout, ¡°Be careful! Don¡¯t damage those Boiling Gold catalysts; they¡¯re as soft as breadsticks. If you break one, the captain will have someone¡¯s head!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the breadsticks Chief Cook Finlay bakes¨Cthen you should worry about the steam core¡¯s sliding grooves and catches being damaged!¡± A sailor on the drawbridge laughed out loud, but while making his joke, he became more attentive in his movements.


    ¡°Once we get to Frost, I¡¯ll suggest to the captain that we buy a batch of high-quality Boiling Gold catalysts from there¨Cthe Boiling Gold there is as cheap as stones on the ground,¡± muttered the assistant engineer, a woman who appeared to be in her thirties or forties, with arms as strong as a man¡¯s, her work clothes stained with grease. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Association¡¯s procurement channels are a rip-off.¡±


    ¡°It depends on whether the commissioners and the church agree,¡± the Chief Engineer shrugged. ¡°Half of the White Oak¡¯s cargo hold consists of special ¡®Sealed Chambers,¡¯ and many of the items we¡¯re carrying this time are raw materials and semi-finished products for Sacred Relics ordered by the church. Those things are very sensitive. The supplies delivered to the ship must have a strict inventory¨Cpreviously, the Gray Crow ended up with loosened seals in its chambers because some idiot snuck a barrel of mead onboard, leading to two shadows escaping and killing half of the ship¡¯s crew¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, so when the time comes, I¡¯ll merely suggest it to the captain,¡± the assistant engineer waved her hand dismissively, then frowned slightly. ¡°But speaking of which, it seems the captain hasn¡¯t arrived yet¨Che¡¯s usually not late.¡±


    ¡°The captain will come,¡± the Chief Engineer said, pausing for emphasis before repeating, ¡°The captain will come¨Che hasn¡¯t retired yet.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°You really should retire,¡± his wife said, arms folded as she leaned against the door frame, looking at him with a displeased expression, her gaze sharp as ever. ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me to come aboard and drag you by the ear before you realize how serious your condition is.¡±


    Lawrence didn¡¯t respond. He simply continued to adjust his captain¡¯s uniform in front of the mirror. He checked his meticulously combed hair and picked up the hat placed beside him with great solemnity. Only after placing it carefully on his head did he let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Thank you, Martha, but I need to leave,¡± the old captain said softly. ¡°The White Oak is waiting in the harbor.¡±


    His wife quietly watched him, devoid of angry words, ceaseless complaints, only offering a long, silent gaze.


    After who knows how long, she finally sighed softly, ¡°Alright, then be safe and come back early¨Cdon¡¯t run into any more messy trouble.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully.¡± Lawrence sighed in resignation and turned away from the mirror.


    ¡°Did you take everything?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s taken.¡±


    ¡°What about the house keys and the protective amulet for going out?¡±


    ¡°I have them with me, haven¡¯t forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Take a small prayer book, it¡¯ll be beneficial.¡±


    ¡°I have that too,¡± Lawrence said, bending down to pick up his small suitcase by the door, giving it a pat, ¡°along with some hand-copied prayers and sacred candles obtained from the cathedral.¡±


    His wife opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say more, but Lawrence turned with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve taken everything, not yet senile enough to forget things.¡±


    His wife fell silent for a moment, then exhaled softly, ¡°Your medicine.¡±


    At that word, Lawrence froze mid-motion.


    ¡°Take your medicine, don¡¯t forget,¡± his wife repeated.


    Lawrence¡¯s lips trembled slightly as his gaze slowly shifted to the side.


    On the small, low table by the door, a little brown glass bottle sat quietly, the sunlight streaming onto its body and faintly revealing the clear quality of the liquid inside.


    After a long silence, Lawrence picked up the bottle of medicine. It took him several seconds before he finally opened the little cork.


    He looked up at Martha, seeing his wife still leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, watching him, just as she always did in his memory.


    ¡°Have a safe trip,¡± she said with the shape of her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading out now,¡± Lawrence replied softly, and then, following the guidance of the psychiatrist, he let a few drops of the medicine fall into his mouth.


    The intense flavor spread throughout his mouth, and the silhouette of his wife gently dissipated in the sunlight.


    Lawrence silently secured the cap on the bottle, then opened his small suitcase and placed the rest of the medicine in a corner where it would be safe from bumps. As he packed his things, he muttered complaints: ¡°That psychiatrist is full of baloney¡­ This stuff is so bitter you could die, doesn¡¯t smell like herbs at all.¡±


    The old sea captain, who had spent half his life adrift on the Endless Sea, finished preparing his belongings with a soft sigh, picked up his suitcase, and left his home.


    ¡­


    After finishing a day¡¯s work, Heidi finally got back home just before evening. She pushed open the door, took off her coat, and the first thing she did upon walking into the living room was to flop ungracefully into a chair and let out a deep sigh.


    Her mother was sitting by the warm fireplace, sorting through some letters. Hearing her daughter arrive, she tilted her head slightly and said, ¡°You¡¯re a grown woman¨Ctry to maintain some poise. It isn¡¯t ladylike to slump like that.¡±


    ¡°Let the lady rest. The lady¡¯s been dealing with nightmarish hallucinations and the senseless rantings of sailors all day,¡± Heidi sank into the chair, waving her hand weakly, ¡°One ship had a mechanical failure out on the Endless Sea, and they were stranded out there nearly twice as long as planned. They had to carry several sailors off the ship, all trussed up¨Cit was a disaster.¡±


    With that, she sighed and shook her head, lamenting, ¡°Earning a living on the Endless Sea is truly no easy task.¡±


    Her mother looked up from the letters, ¡°Sounds pretty rough. You can¡¯t just collapse like that. Go upstairs and take a bath to unwind. The bathwater is already heated.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re right,¡± Heidi grimaced, but finally mustered the energy to get up from the chair. She made her way towards the staircase, but then stopped, driven by curiosity, ¡°These letters are¡­?¡±


    ¡°Water bill, electric bill, gas¨Cand all sorts of bills,¡± her mother replied casually, ¡°Your father usually takes care of these, but he¡¯s out, so I handled it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯d rather not deal with that stuff,¡± Heidi stated as she waved her hand dismissively and headed upstairs.


    The mother watched her daughter ascend the staircase in silence before returning her gaze to the letters before her.


    Most of them indeed were bills.


    But there were two actual letters¨Cone of which was from a place unimaginable to most.


    It was a letter from Morris, delivered earlier that afternoon by a messenger who was ablaze with green flames.


    The letter was enchanted with a special spell from the god of wisdom to prevent outsiders from seeing its true contents.


    The elderly woman smiled as she recognized the familiar handwriting:


    ¡°¡­On my way to Frost, not much to see along the way, just the occasional patch of floating ice and distant fog on the sea, which are quite interesting¡­


    ¡°¡­Nina was doing her homework in the restaurant today when a strange shadow ran out of her textbook. Everyone scrambled to beat it. It was quite the spectacle¡­


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    ¡°¡­Before lunch, the captain went fishing again, you know, for that kind of ¡®fish¡¯¨Cit struggled fiercely this time. It was a breathtaking spectacle. The captain says the more lively fish taste better, but honestly, I couldn¡¯t tell the difference¡­¡±


    The elderly woman chuckled and set that letter aside to pick up another envelope she had just opened.


    This one came from Frost.


    The sender was Brown Scott.


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 Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter 297: Cemetery Investigation

    Chapter 293: Chapter 297: Cemetery Investigation


    Maurice¡¯s wife, Mary, stared at the envelope of the letter for a long time before she picked up the letter opener from the side and carefully opened it.


    A flimsy sheet of folded paper fell out of the envelope. Before unfolding the paper, the first thing Mrs. Mary noticed was the uneven texture on the back of the page.


    It was handwriting¨Cin written with such force that the indentations of the strokes were clearly visible on the back of the paper.


    The person who wrote this letter must have been extremely agitated at the time.


    Seated in front of the fireplace, the elderly woman slightly adjusted her posture and placed the letter she had finished reading on the small round table next to her. She glanced at the date stamp on the cover of the letter from Frost.


    The letter was sent on December 5.


    Three days after the first letter was sent¨Cwithin a mere three days, the late ¡°Brown Scott¡± had written this second letter.


    Mrs. Mary unfolded the crumpled letter, and hurried, messy lines of text came into view¨Cthey bore no resemblance to the elegant, neat handwriting of the first letter sent by the folklorist a few days prior. The few lines were filled with the writer¡¯s immense unease and panic:


    ¡°My friend, the situation¡­ is wrong, I don¡¯t know how to explain it to you, I am very confused right now, it¡¯s even hard to think, my mind is being disrupted by something, my memories¡­ Don¡¯t come to Frost! Whatever you do, do not come to Frost! Even if you see other things that I¡¯ve written to you in the future, other forms of invitations, do not come to Frost!


    ¡°There is a huge conspiracy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come to Frost!¡±


    The end of the letter had no signature, and even the stamp on the envelope was crookedly affixed.


    Mrs. Mary looked at those hastily scrawled phrases, as if she could imagine a folklorist, whose sanity was already compromised under a great cognitive rift, writing these words with his last shred of rationality before struggling into the bitter winds of Frost and laboriously handing this letter over to the post office.


    She slowly folded the paper back up and stuffed it into the envelope.


    It was an unsettling letter, the whole affair from start to finish was filled with a dreadful atmosphere, which under normal circumstances would have been enough to send the person involved running to the church for sanctuary.


    As Mrs. Mary¡¯s gaze swept over the small round table beside her, it landed on a family letter from Homeloss¨C


    ¡°¡­The offspring of the deep sea really do have a unique flavor, tastier than ordinary fish. The captain possesses special culinary skills, and the abnormal 099¨Cthat is, Miss Alice, has learned the essence of these. Perhaps I should give it a try as well¡­¡±


    The old woman silently threw the letter from Frost into the fireplace next to her, watching as it quickly burst into flame and turned to ash.


    ¡°They have already gone¡­¡±


    She murmured softly, then stood up and reached for an inkwell, a pen, and stationery from the shelf next to her, and began to write a letter¨Cthis letter would be sent to the antique shop in the Lower City District.


    ¡­


    The church personnel, clad in black coats, moved around the cemetery, examining all the remnants of evidence¨Cevery path, each coffin, every lamp post was marked and sampled in hope of reconstructing what happened here last night.


    ¡°The Tomb Guardian,¡± Agatha, stayed in the caretaker¡¯s lodge, sitting opposite her was the sullen, hunched old caretaker.


    After an indeterminable amount of time, the young woman, most of her wrapped in bandages, lifted her head to glance at the sky outside the window, noticing that the sun was already sinking, and a faint red glow began to drift across the sky above the City-State.


    Evening was approaching. Her guardians had been busy in the cemetery for several hours, while the old caretaker in front of her had been silent for just as long.


    To be precise, the old caretaker was not just silent¨Che was in a state close to mental shutdown, motionless, speechless, unresponsive to any external stimulus. Ever since the church guardians received the report and arrived here, he had been sitting quietly on that chair, like a breathing sculpture of flesh and blood.


    A black-clad guardian pushed open the wooden door of the caretaker¡¯s lodge and bent down beside Agatha to whisper something. She nodded slightly, ¡°I understand, send the samples to the cathedral first. Leave the scene as it is. Tonight may be critical, we need to have people on watch.¡±


    The black-clothed guard nodded, accepting the order, but before departing, he couldn¡¯t help but glance at the old man sitting motionless in the chair. Upon seeing the old man¡¯s murky eyes, which appeared frozen in time, the young guard¡¯s face visibly tensed, ¡°How long does he¡­ have to remain in this state? Is it really okay?¡±


    ¡°Protective mental sealing; he¡¯s resisting and purging the contamination he¡¯s suffered in this manner, and maybe he¡¯s also protecting us in the process,¡± Agatha whispered. ¡°The Tomb Guardian must have encountered something unimaginably extraordinary last night. He seems to have struggled back from the brink of madness¡­ But don¡¯t worry, he is an experienced warrior and has managed to stabilize himself. He¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    At this, Agatha paused, then added, ¡°As for how long this state will last¡­ that¡¯s hard to say. He could recover in the next second or it might not be until this time tomorrow. It all depends on how long he was in contact with that terrible contamination.¡±


    The black-clothed guard pondered briefly, then lifted his head to look outside the window. Through the slightly dirty glass, he could see the church personnel bustling about on the path outside.


    He withdrew his gaze back to the cottage, looking at the two bodies therein¨Ctwo intruders, now confirmed as heretic cultists, apparently dead by the old caretaker¡¯s hand. Since the situation was still unclear, in an effort to preserve the scene, the bodies had been left where they were.


    They couldn¡¯t be the reason for the old caretaker¡¯s mental seal; even the demons behind them going out of control were not capable of such an effect.


    What could it be? More powerful Profound Demons? A high priest of the heretic cultists? Or something else?


    The black-clothed guard voiced his query, only for Agatha to shake her head, ¡°No, it¡¯s likely something even more bizarre and dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so sure?¡± the black-clothed guard asked instinctively.


    ¡°Because at the scene, there were only a few traces left by the heretical cultists and a pile of debris resembling the ¡®Restless One,¡¯ which didn¡¯t retain any Transcendent reactions,¡± Agatha said indifferently. ¡°The absence of observable traces means¡­¡±


    ¡°It means that the Visitor from last night didn¡¯t do anything. Its mere presence in the cemetery for a moment was enough to bring my old mind to the brink,¡± the old man¡¯s voice suddenly filled the cottage, interrupting the conversation between the black-clothed guard and the gatekeeper. Agatha immediately turned towards the source of the voice, her expressionless face finally showing a faint smile, ¡°You¡¯ve recovered, good.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say fully recovered,¡± the old caretaker spoke slowly, steadying the various perceptions that had shifted slightly after reopening his mind. He looked into Agatha¡¯s eyes, consciously blocking out the leaping echoes behind her. ¡°But at least I can distinguish what¡¯s real from what¡¯s madness.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°What happened yesterday?¡±


    ¡°The body you sent over suddenly started thrashing about, speaking a lot, lucid as a living person. Then, four heretic cultists entered the cemetery, trying to take the Restless One¨Cthey disguised themselves with the powers of Profound Demons, skilled summoners, fooling my eyes but not my Intuition.


    ¡°I lured two of them here and finished them off, these two on the floor. I was about to head to the cemetery to deal with the other two when the unexpected happened.¡±


    The old caretaker looked up in the direction of the door.


    ¡°A Visitor¡­ indescribable came to visit. I made eye contact with It for a while, or maybe just a few seconds; my sense of time was skewed, and I can¡¯t be certain.¡±


    ¡°An indescribable Visitor?¡± Agatha couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°Can you be more specific?¡±


    The old caretaker tried to recall.


    All that emerged in his mind was a mess of incoherent light and an overwhelming noise.


    The hasty mental seal had cleared the temporary contamination he had endured, but it had also wiped away some useful memories.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. All I remember are chaotic lights and noise,¡± the old caretaker shook his head, ¡°and even if I could accurately describe what I saw, it would be meaningless to you¨Cwhat I saw might not be real, and even if it is real, it might not be reality as others perceive it. The limitations of human perception are too great.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then that¡¯s the full answer,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°An indescribable Visitor visited the cemetery in the final phase but didn¡¯t actively do any damage¡­ Are you sure you want to use the word ¡®visit¡¯ in your report? That word is neutral, even positive.¡±


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    ¡°Positive,¡± the old caretaker replied calmly, ¡°I conversed with It, although we hardly succeeded in exchanging anything¨CThe Visitor tried to communicate, which is a neutral to positive sign.¡±


    ¡°Understood, it¡¯s recorded,¡± Agatha nodded again, ¡°Then what? Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°After the Visitor left, I vaguely saw It left behind something¡­ on the path by the door,¡± the old caretaker said as he reminisced, ¡°but I couldn¡¯t see it clearly. My vision was severely damaged by then, and my cognition was also significantly flawed. I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re referring to a pile of remains, incinerated by the backlash of Profound Demons, we found those,¡± Agatha interrupted, her face expressionless, ¡°If that¡¯s correct, it seems that was the Visitor¡¯s¡­ ¡®vessel¡¯.¡±


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 Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Chapter 298 PTSD

    Chapter 294: Chapter 298 PTSD


    Outside the guardhouse, on the pathway to the morgue, the stack of charred remains that still vaguely resembled a human figure remained unmoved. Several church guards were preparing to transfer these remnants into a wooden box when they ceased their motions upon seeing the ¡°Gatekeeper¡± and the cemetery caretaker appear.


    Gatekeeper Agatha pointed to the burnt remnants, ¡°What you saw yesterday, it should have been him¨Cof course, what remains here now is just a shell. The ¡®visitor¡¯ that once occupied this shell has indeed departed.¡±


    The old caretaker approached the remains, lowering his head to inspect them for a moment before slightly furrowing his brow, ¡°He is¡­?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, he was one of the four heretics disguised as clergy last night,¡± Agatha stated calmly, ¡°This shell died due to a backlash from a Profound Demon Symbiosis.¡±


    The old caretaker fell into a grave silence, contemplating something, then suddenly raised his head two minutes later and said, ¡°The body you brought last night¡­¡±


    Agatha nodded, lifting her hand to point in another direction, ¡°Over here, though its state is¡­ even more peculiar.¡±


    Led by the Gatekeeper, the old caretaker arrived at an empty plot on the edge of the morgue where processed ¡°samples¡± and other crucial evidential items prepared to be sent back to the cathedral were stored.


    The old caretaker stared, astonished, at what Agatha was pointing out to him.


    It was a collection of large and small¡­ glass jars.


    ¡°You mean¡­ this is the body you brought in yesterday? The ¡®Restless One¡¯ who talked to me for a half-hour in the coffin last night?¡± The old man stared at the myriad of jars for a long time, finally unable to resist turning his head suspiciously toward Agatha, ¡°Just last night, he was still lively enough to knock on the coffin lid!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, but when the guards found that stuff, all we could do was shovel it up and store it in jars as best as we could¨Cthe only things that proved it was indeed the deceased we brought to the cemetery last night are its remaining outline and location,¡± Agatha shook her head, ¡°As you see, a semi-solid¡­ sludge, barely retaining traces of biological tissues which are rapidly transforming into mud-like substances over time.¡±


    She paused, pointing at one of the larger jars.


    ¡°There were a few bones here originally, but now, only this bizarre viscous substance remains.¡±


    The old caretaker frowned deeply, staring intently at the eerie substances in the glass jars.


    Those, devoid of any trace of biological tissue, dark red mixing with black-grey, resembling the mud at the bottom of a pond.


    Had he not known that the ¡°Gatekeeper¡± would not deceive him, he would have found it impossible to associate these substances with the ¡°Restless One¡± who was chattily knocking inside the coffin yesterday.


    ¡°Well, the deceased has turned into mud; strange things always seem to clump together,¡± the old caretaker finally sighed, ¡°Given the circumstances, how am I supposed to explain all this to the deceased¡¯s family? They come to the graveyard to bid their loved one farewell, and then I tell them that a few heretics snuck in last night, and something akin to a Subspace Shadow came along, so their family member turned into jars of liquid?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore¨Ctheir family won¡¯t be bothering you,¡± Agatha replied impassively shaking her head, ¡°They¡¯ve already completed the farewell ceremony in the adjacent Cemetery 4, and the miner who died falling into a well will be cremated as scheduled.¡±


    The old caretaker blinked, his expression suddenly becoming serious, ¡°You forged a body to deceive the deceased¡¯s family?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t stooped that low,¡± Agatha said flatly.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°We found another body¨Caround noon today, in that shaft well, a worker who had fallen to his death, identical to the body we brought here last night.¡±


    The old caretaker¡¯s eyes widened, his expression slightly stiff.


    After a long moment, he suddenly came to his senses and instinctively turned his head toward a platform nearby¨Con that platform still rested the simple coffin that had been delivered to the cemetery last night.


    Then he turned his gaze back to the eerie collection of glass jars in the sample storage area.


    ¡°¡­ For the love of the god of death, what exactly did you bring here yesterday?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll investigate,¡± Agatha stated, her expression, usually unchanging, now somewhat more serious, ¡°What we can confirm right now is that the body sent to Cemetery 4 is ¡®real.¡¯ It hasn¡¯t shown any restless phenomena, nor has it collapsed into dissolution, while the body we brought here last night¡­ was tampered with by a transcendent force.¡±


    The old caretaker was silent for a moment, seemingly burdened with heavy thoughts. At that moment, a church guard dressed in black suddenly approached Agatha from another pathway.


    This church guard quickly whispered something to Agatha, then handed her a thick piece of paper.


    Agatha glanced at the content on the paper, her expression unchanged, merely nodding slightly, ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± the old caretaker casually asked.


    ¡°Do you remember that yesterday there were four heretics who entered your graveyard?¡± Agatha lifted her head and handed the piece of paper directly to the old man. ¡°You killed two of them; one turned into char outside your cabin. Now, we have located the last obliterated heretic.¡±


    The old caretaker took the piece of paper, only to discover it was a photograph.


    On an unidentified concrete floor lay a pile of remains, barely recognizable as human contours, with evident burn marks¨Cjust like the pile of char at the entrance of the caretaker¡¯s cabin.


    Clearly, it was the backlash after the severance of the demonic symbiotic relationship.


    ¡°It was that woman¡­¡± the old caretaker frowned, lifting his gaze to Agatha, ¡°Is she dead? How did she die? Where?¡±


    ¡°Two blocks away, right in the middle of the public eye, this pile of remains suddenly fell at the intersection,¡± Agatha explained. ¡°Along with it, there appeared an obviously out-of-control Herald of Death demon¨Cthat demon collapsed and vanished within seconds in the real world, and the bystanders at the scene alerted the sheriff.¡±


    The old caretaker pondered for a moment, then shook his head slightly: ¡°I¡¯m not an expert in this field; just give me your opinion.¡±


    ¡°My opinion is that this heretic might have seen the same ¡®visitor¡¯ you saw last night¨Cthe eyes of Profound Demons are more adept at perceiving the ¡®truth,¡¯ so her Herald of Death went mad, and in its frenzy, it dragged its master into the deep Profound,¡± Agatha analyzed calmly. ¡°Judging from the remnants, this heretic was torn apart by other Profound Demons before the symbiotic contract backlash occurred; typical of unprotected falls into the Profound depths.¡±


    The ¡°Gatekeeper¡± finished speaking calmly, then softly exhaled.


    She stared into the eyes of the old caretaker.


    ¡°I feel¡­ there¡¯s something watching over this city, and the coming days may not be very calm.¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan arrived at the restaurant before evening.


    Although he didn¡¯t know when it started, the restaurant had somehow become a place where the crew gathered during their leisure time.


    Upon entering, Duncan saw Morris grading Nina¡¯s homework, while Nina supervised Sherry, A-Dog, and Alice in spelling words at a nearby table.


    Fenna was sitting near the restaurant window, earnestly reading a book of the church.


    The atmosphere seemed quite pleasant.


    Duncan approached Morris, casually handing over a letter: ¡°A letter from your wife.¡±


    ¡°From Mary?¡± Morris stopped grading, surprised at the letter handed over by the captain. He then took out his personal letter opener, mumbling as he began to open the envelope, ¡°I told her in the letter there was no need to rush a reply.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the ¡®postage¡¯ only cost a few fries,¡± Duncan joked lightly. ¡°See what she wrote; maybe it¡¯s urgent.¡±


    Morris nodded, quickly scanned the letter, and reflexively frowned.


    ¡°What does the letter say?¡± Duncan asked curiously, then quickly added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to mention personal matters.¡±


    ¡°¡­Brown Scott¡¯s second letter has arrived, only three days after the first,¡± Morris replied, his tone slightly strange. ¡°His mental state in the letter was clearly not right¨CMary was worried that the letter carried something unclean and burnt the original, but she recounted the content¨CBrown very anxiously advised me to stay away from Frost.¡±


    ¡°It seems your friend has recognized some of the truth,¡± Duncan remarked thoughtfully after listening. ¡°Unfortunately, when I went to scout the situation in Frost, I did not have much success and couldn¡¯t inquire about your friend.¡±


    ¡°Ah? You went to scout Frost?¡± Morris exclaimed in surprise, unable to hide his shock, ¡°When did you go?¡±


    ¡°Just last night,¡± Duncan revealed straightforwardly; they were all trust-worthy here, ¡°I borrowed a body¨Cjust a shame I didn¡¯t get much information. It wasn¡¯t this troublesome last time in Prand.¡±


    As he finished speaking, they suddenly heard a thud from nearby.


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    Duncan and Morris simultaneously looked in the direction of the sound, seeing Fenna¡¯s book had fallen to the ground.


    Judge Miss¡¯s expression was somewhat strange.


    Morris, a bit worried, asked, ¡°Fenna, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Duncan waved a hand, responding for Fenna, ¡°She just has a bit of PTSD.¡±


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 Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Chapter 299: The Pastime of the Undead (Silver Alliance Bonus)

    Chapter 295: Chapter 299: The Pastime of the Undead (Silver Alliance Bonus)


    The captain often used some strange and obscure vocabulary, with meanings that were difficult to understand and constructed in a fanciful manner, but the crew of the Homeloss generally took it in stride.


    After all, there was a pigeon on board with even more cryptic and incomprehensible language¨Cand since the captain and the pigeon communicated smoothly, it was clear that the strange talk was not an issue with the captain.


    It was a problem of the narrow understanding and lack of comprehension of ordinary mortals.


    Anyway, anything they didn¡¯t understand was categorically considered Subspace dialect.


    Morris didn¡¯t ask what ¡°PTSD¡± meant and silently digested the information the captain had just divulged, while Duncan did not hide anything and shared his experience from the graveyard the night before.


    He primarily wanted to hear the ¡°professional¡± opinion.


    Duncan¡¯s narrative quickly drew the attention of a few people in the dining room, with Nina approaching first, followed by Sherry, Alice, and A-Dog, until finally even Fenna, who had been silently keeping to herself, couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity and surreptitiously came near the long table to eavesdrop.


    ¡°Heretics¡­¡± Morris was the first to frown after listening to Duncan¡¯s account, ¡°Why would they be interested in corpses¡­¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Heretics be interested in corpses?¡± Duncan asked curiously.


    ¡°They are not Necromancers,¡± Morris shook his head, ¡°Heretics follow The Saint, delving into the realms of demons and summoning knowledge. They have no interest in the physical bodies of this world¨Cnot only are they disinterested, but you could even say they are disdainful and disgusted, because they believe that the physical bodies of this world are weak and impure, while the Profound Demons and The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea are the ¡®pure Holiness¡¯ of the ¡®original form¡¯. How could such a group of heretics run into a graveyard to steal corpses?¡±


    Listening to the old scholar¡¯s explanation, Duncan¡¯s brows also instinctively furrowed.


    Heretics disdain the physical bodies of the world, following the ¡°existence with pure Holiness in the Abstruse Domain¡±? They even believe that Profound Demons and The Saint possess this kind of ¡°pure Holiness¡±?


    Although he knew from the start that the heretics in this world were more cultish than the next, the Heretics¡¯ zeal to challenge aesthetic limits was a bit too bizarre!


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but look towards A-Dog at the side of the table¨Cwho had been dragged over by Sherry and was now lying on the floor, seriously looking at a vocabulary book with his grotesque skeletal head swaying back and forth.


    Noticing the captain¡¯s gaze, A-Dog abruptly raised his head, and his fearsome skeletal frame clattered loudly.


    ¡°Pureness? Holiness?¡± Duncan looked peculiarly at the Abyssal Hound, ¡°Even the original form of life?¡±


    A-Dog was taken aback: ¡°¡­Huh? What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unimaginable,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°the Heretics¡¯ view of the world must be completely different from that of ordinary people.¡±


    His comment was casual, but Sherry immediately reacted, ¡°Who knows how their brains are wired, I¡¯m not a Heretic.¡±


    ¡°No one said you were,¡± Duncan spoke indifferently.


    ¡°Anyway, I wouldn¡¯t dare to comment on other things, but that female Heretic who ran away must be dead by now,¡± Sherry smacked her lips and added, ¡°definitely the kind of dead where there¡¯s no body left intact.¡±


    Duncan hadn¡¯t considered what might happen to the fleeing Heretic, but Sherry¡¯s words gave him pause, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°She was dragged into the Mysterious Deep Sea by her own Symbiotic Demon,¡± Sherry explained nonchalantly, ¡°Heretics, sheesh, no matter how much they worship The Saint and bind themselves with Profound Demons, once they run into the true depths of the Mysterious Deep Sea, they are still treated as humans¨Cthe uncontrolled demons only recognize the scent, and they would tear her apart alive.¡±


    ¡°She would be torn apart by other Profound Demons?¡± Duncan muttered, then couldn¡¯t help but recall an earlier event, ¡°Wait, but I remember that you and A-Dog once escaped using a similar method¨Cright in front of me, you both jumped into the rift leading to the Abstruse Domain.¡±


    Reminded of those past glorious exploits, Sherry¡¯s expression became somewhat odd, but she quickly waved it off, ¡°That was different. When A-Dog helped me escape, it always desperately protected me. It would find ways to mask my scent, and if we couldn¡¯t sneak past, it would fight the other Profound Demons¨Cso each time we used this tactic to escape, it would get wounded.


    ¡°The situation with other Profound Demons is different¨Clike the one you just mentioned, it wouldn¡¯t protect its master. Right, A-Dog?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡®Death¡¯s Messenger¡¯,¡± A-Dog raised his head, responding to Sherry while cautiously glancing at Duncan, ¡°Ordinary Profound Demons indeed do not actively protect their masters. They lack ¡®hearts¡¯ and only cooperate with the Heretics due to the constraints of a symbiotic contract. As soon as they run into the Mysterious Deep Sea, they would immediately go out of control, and that Heretic is doomed.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Duncan rubbed his chin, murmuring thoughtfully, ¡°No wonder that guy looked so reluctant when being dragged in¡­¡±


    At that moment, Fenna, who had stayed silent by the side, seemed unable to hold back any longer. She moved a little closer to the long table, ¡°Those heretics¡­ besides trying to take you out of the graveyard, did they do anything else?¡±


    Duncan looked up at Fenna, who quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s probably professional habit, but I¡¯m very concerned about the objectives of those heretics. As Mr. Morris just mentioned, normal annihilation cultists are not interested in the flesh and blood of the secular world, which makes those who appeared in the graveyard all the more suspicious.¡±


    ¡°You saying that reminds me,¡± Duncan stroked his chin, thoughtfully adding, ¡°the body I occupied started to exhibit a very bizarre ¡®disintegration¡¯ shortly after leaving the coffin. The skin and muscles crumbled away like dry earth, and those heretics seemed to have anticipated this¡­¡±


    Fenna slightly furrowed her brows, pondering for a long time before suddenly realizing something, ¡°So, the key is the body you were occupying at the time.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°The annihilation cultists aren¡¯t interested in the flesh and blood of the secular world¨Cbut what if it wasn¡¯t ¡®a body of flesh and blood from the secular world¡¯?¡± Fenna looked up earnestly at Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°It might not have been ¡®a body of flesh and blood¡¯ at all.¡±


    Listening to Fenna¡¯s analysis, Duncan mused, ¡°Oh¡­ then this is getting interesting.¡±


    ¡­


    After a long absence, the Sea Mist finally returned to its home port.


    Enshrouded by ice floes, turbulent currents, and fog, the iron battleship with its high bow was moored steadily at the end of the jetty. Undead sailors were bustling in the chilling wind and thin mist, some checking the condition of the ship, while others tallied the cargo or directed the shore cranes to lift heavy containers from the hold to the dock.


    The Sea Mist had sailed back from the warm waters of the central sea regions. Although it didn¡¯t bring back a triumphant victory this time, it did bring back gifts and specialty products from afar¨Cthe fine wine and souvenirs given by the Plunder authorities to ¡°Sea Mist Venture Capital,¡± as well as the captain¡¯s personally funded purchase of tobacco, cloth, and crafts. These trinkets were precious to the isolated and cold secret island.


    Undead, though having departed from the world of the living, still possessed distinct personalities and emotions. They too needed a quality of life, entertainment, and indulgences. In some regards, they even needed these things more than the living.


    For their souls always felt cold and empty, they particularly needed the warmth of civilization to fill those voids.


    First mate Aiden stood at the edge of the deck, meticulously stuffing some of Plunder¡¯s fine tobacco into an old-fashioned short-stemmed pipe and lighting it with a lighter. He took a deep, satisfying puff.


    Then he held his breath and exerted some effort.


    A misty haze of smoke swirled out from the collar, cuffs, and pocket seams of his sailor¡¯s uniform, engulfing his upper body in a cloud of white smoke.


    Aiden turned his neck, looked at the smoke enveloping him, and then pulled open his collar to peek inside.


    Smoke continued to curl out from the bullet hole in his chest.


    ¡°Warm tobacco can fill the voids in the soul¨Cbut bodily voids are another matter, right?¡±


    A hoarse, deep voice suddenly came from behind. Aiden turned and saw a pale-skinned, emaciated old man standing at the edge of the deck, clothed in a priest¡¯s robe. One side of his skull was caved in, and the corresponding half of his body had a damp quality as if soaked in seawater.


    That was the Sea Mist¡¯s shipboard priest, Will.


    After the old priest muttered these words, he brought a flask to his lips and took a swallow.


    The dribbling liquor streamed out from the cracked side of his face due to the depressed skull.


    Aiden looked at the old priest for a moment, then suddenly blurted out, ¡°Want me to teach you a trick? You could make that bottle last for days¡­¡±


    ¡°Tricks don¡¯t work,¡± the old priest shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s mainly disgusting, and it gets sour after the third time.¡±


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    Aiden shrugged, picked up his pipe, and took another deep draw before holding his breath once more, becoming enshrouded in smoke.


    ¡°Actually, being undead isn¡¯t so bad. I couldn¡¯t do this when I was alive.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nice to be broad-minded,¡± the old priest couldn¡¯t help remarking.


    (Thanks to the agitated White Silver Moe, today is a double update~)


    wuxiaworld.site .co

 Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Chapter 300: Days on Homeloss

    Chapter 296: Chapter 300: Days on Homeloss


    Aiden returned to the bridge, where Tyrion was waiting for him.


    ¡°The unloading process is going smoothly, and in about an hour we should have everything transferred from the cargo hold to the port warehouse,¡± reported the bald first mate, his spirited demeanor tinged with a strong scent of tobacco from every crease of his clothing. ¡°The sailors who stayed on the island are quite fond of those ¡®local specialties¡¯ you brought back.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯ll be a gathering tonight, join us if you¡¯re interested,¡± Tyrion casually mentioned, then couldn¡¯t help but give Aiden an extra glance, frowning and shrugging his nose, ¡°Did you almost set yourself on fire with your smoking?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Maybe a bit too much,¡± Aiden admitted awkwardly, touching his nose tip, ¡°Tobacco from Prand always seems so¡­ hard to let go of.¡±


    ¡°Just be mindful, you smell almost like a piece of bacon right now,¡± Tyrion shook his head, giving a casual reminder before moving on from the topic, ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve been hearing sailors discussing Frost a lot.¡±


    ¡°The news has indeed spread,¡± hearing his captain¡¯s words, Aiden¡¯s expression became a bit more serious, ¡°Resurrected from the dead, regardless of the rumors¡¯ origin, the content alone is enough to spark discussions among sailors¨Cafter all, they are all Undead.¡±


    ¡°Undead, huh¡­¡± Tyrion softly echoed the word, ¡°What, is everyone expecting to actually come back to life?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, anyone with a bit of sense knows it¡¯s impossible,¡± Aiden shrugged, ¡°Ordinary people might still entertain such thoughts, but the Undead know better that true resurrection is but a rumor¨CDeath itself, Bartok exists, His gate is only one-way, and we, having our souls twisted and changed, can¡¯t pass through that gate anymore and thus linger in the mortal world as ¡®Undead.¡¯ As for the boundary between life and death, we all understand it quite clearly, after all, we have all lingered before that gate at the brink of death.¡±


    Tyrion nodded thoughtfully and then spoke again after a moment, ¡°So why does this topic provoke so much discussion?¡±


    ¡°True resurrection won¡¯t happen, so people speculate whether those so-called revived might actually be¡­¡¯live dead,''¡± Aiden grinned, ¡°As you know, most City-States dislike live dead, and Frost especially loathes them, even considering it a ¡®Curse from the outer sea¡¯. Although it¡¯s not fair to hold a grudge that dates back half a century against the contemporary Frostfolk, people still enjoy seeing that City-State¡¯s authorities in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Spectating? If this matter is truly related to the old Abyss Project, then this isn¡¯t just a mere spectacle,¡± Tyrion raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I understand that, but currently, most ordinary sailors just want to have their fun, after all, it¡¯s the Frostfolk who are unlucky first, we¡¯ll worry about other matters if it gets too big,¡± Aiden said, shrugging his hands, ¡°There¡¯s no help for it, it¡¯s the Undead mentality, especially since this matter is also related to Frost.¡±


    Tyrion looked at Aiden silently, then helplessly waved his hand after a while.


    ¡°¡­ True resurrection requires passing through Bartok¡¯s gate and returning, and currently, the mainstream faith in Frost is the god of death, theoretically speaking, the rules of life and death in Frost should be even stricter and more stable. Now the rumors of dead returning from there are odd,¡± he didn¡¯t continue to dwell on the issue of whether it was appropriate to enjoy the spectacle too much with his first mate but instead straightened his face, letting the seriousness return to the topic, ¡°I¡¯m more inclined to think this might be some other Transcendent force at play.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to see how the local grand cathedral reacts,¡± Aiden said, ¡°I heard that the current gatekeeper of the cathedral is a newcomer named Agatha, a young girl with not much experience. I wonder if she can handle such a troublesome matter.¡±


    Tyrion didn¡¯t say anything. For some reason, he suddenly thought of another equally young individual, showing fierce strength and able to negotiate with his formidable father multiple times with ease¨Cthe high priestess of Prand.


    If it were that formidable and somewhat fearsome Judge, Fenna¡­ Handling a few small troubles associated with death and resurrection should be no issue, right?


    ¡­


    A salty sea breeze brushed against her face, carrying a chill not present in the central seas.


    Fenna sat on a barrel near the ship¡¯s rail, lifting her head to gaze at the endless sea horizon where a thin mist seemed to blur distant icebergs.


    The Homeloss had entered the Chill Sea, far, far away from Prand.


    The young Judge lowered her head, continuing to carve a piece of wood with a small knife.


    She was crafting a new wave amulet from Sea Breath Wood.


    Life on board the Homeloss was actually far better than she had initially imagined¨Cnone of the dreadful or sinister things happened. There was a regular routine, decent food, clean private spaces, and noisy but quite interesting fellow crew members._DISREGARD_FROM_TRANSLATION_


    There wouldn¡¯t be any deep shadows emerging¨Ceven if something did pop up, it would just become a regular diversion for the crew.


    Or a bonus meal.


    All in all, life on the Homeloss wasn¡¯t bad.


    But she still needed some time to adapt.


    The small knife slid over the wood chip, carving deep grooves, and the wood shavings fell bit by bit, also calming her slightly agitated mind.


    Footsteps approached from behind, and a lively voice suddenly erupted nearby, ¡°Miss Fenna, what are you doing?¡±


    Fenna looked up and saw Nina curiously examining the half-carved charm in her hand and a few other charms already carved on another barrel beside her.


    ¡°These are charms dedicated to the Storm Goddess Gomona,¡± Fenna smiled, aware of the ordinary-looking girl¡¯s astonishing identity, but after a few days of interaction, she no longer found any crew member¡¯s identity particularly surprising, ¡°Casting the Sea Breath Wood charms into the sea is like making an offering to the Goddess.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Nina nodded with a realization, her face full of surprise as she looked at the carved talismans on the barrel, ¡°I think I heard about this in school, but this is my first time seeing it. You made a lot!¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Fenna hesitated, then paused, looking into Nina¡¯s sparkling eyes before slowly opening the lid of the barrel, ¡°There are more than just these few.¡±


    Nina stared blankly, peeked inside the barrel, and continued to stare blankly.


    After a moment, she looked up at the Judge.


    ¡°Miss Fenna¡­ are you perhaps extremely bored on the ship?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Fenna looked a bit embarrassed, feeling it was a bit exaggerated to have carved a whole barrel of charms in a few days, ¡°it¡¯s just¡­ I might still need a little time to adapt.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Nina nodded, then moved back beside the barrel and squatted down, lost in thought.


    Who knows what she was thinking about.


    Fenna placed a new wave charm down and silently put away the small knife.


    ¡°Miss Fenna, you¡¯re not carving anymore?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve run out of materials.¡±


    ¡°Should we ask Ai Yi to bring some more?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not¡­¡± Fenna said with an embarrassed wave of her hand, but just as she was about to say something else, a strange, deep rumbling sound coming from the direction of the sea interrupted her.


    It sounded like something was moving under the water, carrying with it a mass of bubbles rising rapidly.


    Almost simultaneously, a squeaking and creaking noise came from the direction of Homeloss¡¯s mast, and the next second, Fenna saw the Spirit Sails above the Ghost Ship adjust their angles slightly, and the massive body of the ship adjusted its stance and course.


    Nina then ran to the ship¡¯s side, her eyes wide as she stared at the distant sea, suddenly pointing and shouting, ¡°Look, look! Miss Fenna! Something is coming out!¡±


    Fenna followed the direction of Nina¡¯s pointing finger.


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    She saw a large swath of rising sea foam, irregular turbulent currents rising like small hills in the distance, and a huge shadow gradually emerging from the water among the currents and foam.


    Tall masts, a rust-streaked bow and chimney, a scrubby damaged deck¡­


    It was a ship.


    (Shocked, another silver-tier appearance¡­ But my brain is really too foggy right now, I¡¯m all dizzy and confused, allow me a few days break before the double update this time¡­)


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 Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter 301: Setting Foot on the Ghost Ship

    Chapter 297: Chapter 301: Setting Foot on the Ghost Ship


    A ship thus rose from the sea in a shocking manner, appearing in front of Fenna and Nina.


    The waves on the sea had not yet subsided, and the turbulent currents spread outward from the rusted ship, with seawater continuously falling from its corroded funnels and deck structures, making a loud and noisy sound as it swayed slightly among the waves. The slanting sunlight cast upon its deck seemed to diffuse a kind of unreal color.


    Nina was stunned, taking several seconds to react before she began to shout excitedly, ¡°Ah! A ship! A ship has suddenly emerged!¡±


    Right after that, she turned to Fenna, speaking rapidly, ¡°I have to tell Uncle Duncan!¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, the girl spun around and, like a gust of wind, dashed across the deck toward the stern.


    Fenna, however, still stared intently at the eerie ship that had suddenly risen from the water, observing the decaying, ancient marks and every single detail on the hull.


    She noticed the large letters on one side of the ship¡¯s bow¨Cseverely covered with rust and filth, making them difficult to discern, but she still managed to make them out:


    ¡°Obsidian.¡±


    The mysterious ship¡¯s sudden appearance on the surface of the water was quite a commotion, and certainly not only Nina and Fenna had taken notice. Within moments, the others who had been resting in the cabins had also gathered on deck, including Maurice, Sherry, Argou, and Alice. They came near the bow, looking out in astonishment at the strange ship a short distance away, speculating about its origin. Soon, Duncan had also arrived at the deck by the bow, following Nina.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± Fenna immediately spoke upon seeing Duncan, ¡°there¡¯s no sign of life aboard that ship. It might be a¡­ ghost ship.¡±


    When she uttered the words ¡°ghost ship,¡± there was a slightly odd expression on the young Judge¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ah, a fellow traveler,¡± Duncan replied casually, then looked up at the ghost ship, which seemed to be only half the size of the Homeloss, first noticing the funnel structure on its upper decks. ¡°Looks like a steamship¡­ Can you guess its approximate age and origin?¡±


    ¡°No need to guess,¡± Maurice¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from the side. The old scholar gazed out at the distant sea, his eyes reflecting a trace of complexity, ¡°I saw its name¨CObsidian, a steam clipper, sunk six years ago off the Frost Outer Sea.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Sherry, who was craning her neck near him, instantly looked at the old man in surprise. ¡°Sir, you know about that ship?¡±


    ¡°Brown Scott was aboard that ship when the incident happened,¡± Maurice said in a slightly somber tone, ¡°But how¡­ how could it appear here? And in such a way¡­¡±


    Alice, who had been listening to the others¡¯ conversation, looked up at the distant ¡°Obsidian,¡± then turned to look at Maurice and Duncan, pondering for a long while before finally venturing, ¡°Captain, is this normal? Do sunken ships just float back up from the sea?¡±


    ¡°This is certainly not normal,¡± Duncan glanced at her, ¡°This is called a ghost ship¡­ And I suspect it¡¯s not just any ghost ship.¡±


    While he was speaking, the voice of the Goat¡¯s Head suddenly rang out in his mind: ¡°Captain, shall we fire a couple shots to see? The cannons are telling me they¡¯re quite eager at this perfect angle and distance; they¡¯re itching to send a few cannonballs flying over¡­¡±


    ¡°Let them hold it in!¡± Duncan interrupted the Goat¡¯s Head without hesitation, then pondered for a moment and turned to the people beside him, ¡°We need to go over and check it out.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to¡­ board the ghost ship?¡± Sherry immediately shrank back, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit rash? I¡¯m not afraid of anything else, but what if the ship suddenly sinks back down? After all, it emerged suddenly¡­¡±


    ¡°Ai Yi will bring us back,¡± Duncan said coolly, looking at the girl, ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t want to go, you can stay here. No pressure.¡±


    Sherry opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Argou had already broken the silence: ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go! Fulfilling our mission for the captain is our undeniable duty! We¡¯re more than willing!¡±


    Sherry paused, then mentally grumbled to her partner, ¡°Argou, can¡¯t you stick to some principles¡­¡±


    ¡°Embracing the moment, actively participating in group activities, and seeing the situation clearly, how is that not principled?¡± Argou justified himself in the mental link, ¡°With the big boss leading us, safety¡¯s not a concern, of course we should seize the opportunity to show what we¡¯re made of¡­¡±


    ¡°My point is, next time, can you let me have the chance to cozy up? You always beat me to it¡­¡±


    After some consideration, Argou replied, ¡°¡­ Sherry, can¡¯t you stick to some principles?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t bother with what Sherry and Argou were babbling about in silence (he knew whenever these two were quiet, they were definitely muttering in their mental connection) but instead looked up and asked the others, ¡°Anyone else coming?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± Nina was the first to raise her hand, even seeming a bit excited, ¡°A ghost ship, hey? I¡¯ve only ever heard of them in legends and stories; I¡¯ve never seen one with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°Homeloss is also a ghost ship,¡± Duncan had to remind the girl, then looked at the others, ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°That ship may hold clues left behind before Brown¡¯s incident,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too,¡± Fenna followed, ¡°The ghost ship phenomenon is likely related to heresy or evil corrosion, I have some experience in this area.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alice thought for a moment and looked at Duncan, ¡°but I want to be with the captain.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s all go and see the world,¡± Duncan said casually, and waved toward the mast not far away, summoning down the pigeon that was sunbathing and meditating high above, ¡°Ai Yi, take us over to that ghost ship for a look.¡±


    A bundle of ghostly green flames suddenly surged atop Homeloss, and moments later, the massive skeletal bird soared into the sky, swooping toward the ¡°Obsidian,¡± which was gently swaying with the sea waves at a short distance.


    The deck of Homeloss quieted down.


    This quiet lasted for a short while, when a small boat moored nearby on the side of Homeloss suddenly made creaking noises, shaking in apparent dismay.


    It was a shuttle, normally used for quickly transferring personnel between two ships that approach each other at close range on the sea.


    Two cables coiled at the edge of the deck made a rustling friction noise and, like snakes, wriggled to the shuttle, lifting their ends to pat on the shell of the small boat.


    The goat-headed Judge remaining in the captain¡¯s cabin certainly sensed the situation near the deck, sighed softly, and struck up a conversation with those old mates who had been with it for a century, ¡°Or¡­ maybe you few small boats should practice the skill of splashing around in the sea¡­¡±


    The creaking of the small boat shaking intensified¡­


    On the other side, Ai Yi, who had flown above Obsidian, did not land immediately but circled several times over the ghost ship under Duncan¡¯s command, making sure there were no active targets on the entire ship before landing on a part of the deck that appeared to be relatively clean and stable.


    The ghostly green flames soared, and the figures of Duncan and his group stepped out from within the flames.


    A distinct foul smell immediately invaded everyone¡¯s nostrils ¡ª it was the fishy stench brought by sea water, mixed with some indescribable scent of decay.


    Nina was the first to frown upon reaching the deck, ¡°Ugh¡­ the smell here is terrible¡­¡±


    ¡°Not all ghost ships are as clean and tidy as Homeloss, with an unlimited supply of fries,¡± Duncan said to Nina with a smile, ¡°If this ship really is the Obsidian from back then, then it¡¯s been soaked in the deep sea for six years.¡±


    While speaking, he surveyed the eerie steamship all around.


    Corrosion, decay, and stained marks ¡ª it might have once been a sleek and advanced mechanical speedboat, but now all that was left was a pile of lifeless steel and wood. The eerier aspect was that, as a ship that had just risen from the sea, it lacked any sign of sea water.


    The deck was dry.


    Even in many of the depressed areas of the deck, where water should easily accumulate, it was dry.


    Fenna also noticed this and crouched down, rubbing the ground with her finger, her brow slightly furrowed.


    She remembered the scene of the ship emerging from the sea, with vast amounts of water pouring down from the Obsidian like an endless waterfall, washing over every corner of the ship ¡ª logically, there should not be a dry spot on the ship.


    ¡°Fenna,¡± Morris turned after briefly surveying the surroundings, ¡°did you feel any trace of heresy or evil corruption?¡±


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    ¡°¡­No,¡± Fenna replied slowly shaking her head with a frown; she had been focusing on this since stepping on the deck, constantly sensing whether there were any Transcendent power fluctuations around, ¡°There¡¯s not the slightest Transcendent aura, but that¡¯s even more strange¨C the deck is dry, which clearly isn¡¯t normal, and behind every abnormal phenomenon, there should be the involvement of Transcendent powers.¡±


    ¡°Then it may be Transcendent powers beyond your perception,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, then started walking forward, ¡°Anyway, if there really is something hidden on this ship, we just have to keep looking and it¡¯s bound to show up.¡±


    Nina hurriedly ran a few steps to catch up with her Uncle Duncan, ¡°What if something really does jump out?¡±


    Duncan stopped, turned with a smile, ¡°First, try to reason with it¡­¡±


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 Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Chapter 302: Chaotic Structure

    Chapter 298: Chapter 302: Chaotic Structure


    The deck of the Obsidian was limited in size and could be taken in at a glance; the group quickly finished searching the entire deck area and found nothing suspicious.


    Aside from the areas that should have been damp and puddled now being abnormally dry, the deck of the Obsidian looked no different from that of any ordinary abandoned ship¨Cseverely rusted, uneven, with many deficiencies, but overall not yet to the point of complete collapse.


    After inspecting the deck area, Duncan decided to enter the cabins of the ship.


    They quickly found a large door leading to the ship¡¯s cabin.


    It was a rust-streaked iron door embedded in a white wall. The door handle was severely decayed, and the lock had long been ruined by the soaking of seawater; the entire door was firmly closed, obviously unable to be opened by conventional means.


    Morris stepped forward, examined the state of the door, then gave up on the idea of opening it normally and turned to the others, ¡°We might need to use some force.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Fenna volunteered before anyone else could speak, ¡°Everyone else step back a bit to avoid getting hit by debris.¡±


    Sherry, Alice, and the others immediately obediently moved back quite a distance; Duncan didn¡¯t move much, just shifted slightly to the side to avoid getting his clothes dirty, then curiously watched Fenna¡¯s movements¨Che saw this mighty woman come up to the rust-frozen large iron door, and then¡­ casually knocked on the door panel.


    There was a short, buzzing sound, and the middle of the large iron door directly shattered and collapsed into a large hole, the solid and heavy steel turning into countless fragments that scattered in all directions, with dust billowing around the entrance.


    After that, Fenna reached out and tore a few times next to the big hole, ripping the remaining steel plates from the door frame as easily as tearing paper, and casually tossed them aside.


    Sherry and A¡¯Gou stared at the scene, dumbfounded, and after a long while, they spoke in unison, breaking the silence, ¡°¡­Damn, is she even human?¡±


    Of course, Fenna heard Sherry and A¡¯Gou¡¯s comments, turned her head, and smiled, ¡°I always keep up with my physical training.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s mouth twitched visibly, and she muttered under her breath, ¡°This¡­ has nothing to do with training anymore¡­¡±


    Duncan was also quite impressed by Fenna¡¯s straightforward solution to the problem. However, he had witnessed this beautiful Amazon¡¯s feat of fighting through City-State and didn¡¯t have any extra reaction, just looked up at the dusty doorway, ¡°What¡¯s the situation inside?¡±


    Fenna waved her hand, waited for the dust to settle, then peeked inside. Her expression instantly turned peculiar.


    A few seconds later, she backed out and turned to Duncan, ¡°Inside¡­ there¡¯s another door.¡±


    ¡°Another door?¡± Duncan was momentarily stunned, took a few steps to take a look for himself, and sure enough, he saw another rust-streaked big door standing right in front of him¨Cjust a few meters away from the outside one.


    However, the space between the two doors was neither a corridor nor an entrance hall, nor did it appear to be some sort of specially designed safety compartment¨Cit was just an empty area with no equipment or furnishings, no additional windows, only bare walls, and a ceiling that looked oddly twisted for some reason.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure if this is a normal structure of the Obsidian,¡± Morris also came over for a look and shook his head, ¡°I had only heard of this ship before and never actually seen it.¡±


    Duncan frowned slightly, quickly nodded to Fenna, ¡°Open that door.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Fenna immediately stepped forward, and in the same manner, smashed the second door, then peeked inside again, her face showing astonishment as she turned back, ¡°Inside¡­ there¡¯s yet another door.¡±


    ¡°Another?!¡± This time, even Sherry was surprised, she too could no longer care about safety distance, dragged A¡¯Gou over, ¡°Oh my¡­ it¡¯s really there?!¡±


    Beyond the second door was a third door, exactly the same structure, exactly the same eerie ¡°compartment.¡±


    If only a second door had appeared, it might have been explained away as ¡°Obsidian¡¯s special design,¡± but now, faced with a third door that served no discernible purpose and only added an element of creepiness¡­ it became difficult to brush off with ¡°the ship¡¯s design concept is just very avant-garde.¡±


    ¡°The structure of this ship is not quite right,¡± Duncan turned to look back at the previous two doors, his expression slightly more serious, ¡°Normal or not, there shouldn¡¯t be this kind of design¡­ Fenna, open this door too.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Fenna didn¡¯t hesitate, stepped forward, and punched a big hole in the third door, but this time she stopped after making the hole and didn¡¯t continue to clear the remaining steel plates on the door frame¨Cbecause through that hole, she had already seen the situation inside.


    ¡°Captain,¡± she said, somewhat uncomfortably using the title, her expression becoming even more bizarre than before, ¡°inside is a wall.¡±


    ¡°A wall?!¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched, he looked through the hole, and indeed saw the ¡°wall¡± Fenna was talking about.


    Opposite the door was indeed just a wall, and that wall was less than half a meter away from the third door¨Cpractially adjoining it, the space between the door and the wall being entirely meaningless, incapable of holding anything.


    ¡°Why is the ship designed like this?¡± Nina muttered in confusion, ¡°There¡¯s just a wall behind three doors¡­ Where¡¯s the cabin? How do we get into the cabin?¡±


    Duncan, however, did not speak. He just quietly observed the strangely structured ¡°overlap area,¡± his eyes thoughtful as if something had occurred to him.


    A moment later, he nodded to Fenna, ¡°Continue making holes.¡±


    Fenna immediately stepped forward, first kicking away the obtrusive remnants of the bottom half of the third door, then punched the odd wall¨Ca hole larger than any before appeared, accompanied by a booming noise.


    ¡°It¡¯s a corridor,¡± Fenna glanced inside and then turned to the others.


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Sherry immediately breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°At least there¡¯s something normal¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s upside down,¡± Fenna said before Sherry could finish, ¡°The ceiling is under our feet, and the floor is above our heads.¡±


    Sherry: ¡°¡­Fuck.¡±


    Just as Fenna had described, behind the wall was nothing but an inverted corridor¨Cjust like the three repetitive doors before, the interior of this Ghost Ship had not a single normal structure!


    ¡°This ship has been distorted¡­¡± Even Morris, a scholar of extensive knowledge, was somewhat bewildered at this point, looking in disbelief at the structure of the corridor opposite the wall, murmuring to himself, ¡°What¡¯s twisted Obsidian into this shape¡­¡±


    ¡°Change the way of thinking,¡± Duncan interrupted the old scholar, ¡°Is this really the Obsidian?¡±


    Morris suddenly looked up, staring at Duncan in astonishment, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°We are near Frost, and beneath the Frost Deep Sea, terrible things have happened,¡± Duncan spoke casually, glancing at Alice who was curiously looking around, ¡°Do you remember the ¡®Abyssal Plan¡¯ that Tyrion mentioned before?¡±


    ¡°I remember, I remember,¡± Alice quickly nodded eagerly, ¡°and all the diving apparatus and stuff¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough to remember,¡± Duncan said patting Alice¡¯s head, ¡°Don¡¯t nod so much, you are starting to sway.¡±


    Then he raised his hand, knocking on the wall beside him.


    The metal cabin wall produced a hollow thud under his knock.


    ¡°Normal on the outside, total chaos on the inside, shoddy imitations and Replications, incorrectly stacked internal spaces¨Cthis should not be the real Obsidian, but it¡¯s hard to say which ¡®number¡¯ of Obsidian it might be.¡±


    Alice didn¡¯t know how much she understood, only stretching out an ¡°Oh¨C¡± and slowly nodded, imitating understanding, while Fenna quickly caught on, ¡°But I remember you saying before that when the Abyssal Plan vessels surfaced, only the crew inside were distorted during the Replication process, the submersibles themselves were replicated correctly, and at the time, you hypothesized that this kind of error should be limited to people or organic beings¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, limited to people or organic beings¨Cat least that was the case half a century ago when the Frost Queen was still alive,¡± Duncan spoke slowly, ¡°So the current situation is clearly worse, the Replication is no longer confined to the number three submersible, and the distortion has extended to inorganic matters¡­ Whatever is in the Frost Deep Sea, it has obviously begun to stir again after fifty years of dormancy, and its range and intensity of influence are far greater than half a century ago.¡±


    Sherry blinked while listening, everyone on Homeloss had heard about the Abyssal Plan from the captain, so they all knew how bizarre and unnatural it was, prompting her to mutter subconsciously, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m starting to get nervous¡­¡±


    ¡°Think of it this way, the captain is investigating this matter¨CI think those who should be nervous are not us,¡± A-Gou also muttered quietly, ¡°Don¡¯t scare yourself¨Cmy heart rate is picking up.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback, ¡°A-Gou, do you have a heart?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a demon with a heart!¡±


    ¡°A heart and ¡®having heart¡¯ are not the same thing¨Cisn¡¯t your chest empty?¡±


    ¡°¡­What if there¡¯s something jumping about in there?¡±


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    ¡°Open it up and see?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Duncan, however, paid no attention to the increasingly curious mutterings around him. He just made a simple conjecture about the situation of the Ghost Ship and then focused his attention on the corridor that led to who knows where.


    After a brief contemplation, he stepped towards the large hole Fenna had made, ¡°Let¡¯s go in and take a look around.¡±


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 Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Chapter 303: The Captain of Obsidian

    Chapter 299: Chapter 303: The Captain of Obsidian


    Duncan was shouldering Ai Yi, being the first to pass through the large hole and step into the upside-down corridor, with the others following him in succession. Fenna walked at the back of the line this time to guard against any sudden assailants.


    The team cautiously moved through the corridor, everyone constantly alert to the surroundings while closely observing every structure within the corridor.


    Upon entering the corridor, they indeed discovered some details that they hadn¡¯t noticed at the entrance.


    This corridor was not simply upside-down¨Cit was twisted and bizarre everywhere.


    Doors of obviously inconsistent sizes were haphazardly embedded in the walls on both sides, some right-side-up, some upside-down. Round portholes occasionally appeared on the walls, but opposite these windows were either another wall or another door or window. Strange geometric protrusions appeared erratically on the walls or the floor, looking as though they were part of another room¡¯s structure mistakenly merged into the corridor.


    The interior of the ¡°Obsidian¡± was akin to the viscera of a giant beast altered by some horrific doctor, with all its organs twisted and stacked haphazardly, rooms interlaced, doors skewed, exits and entrances randomly connected in this corridor that seemed like a main thoroughfare, and at the end of this corridor¡­ something unknown was lurking in the dimness.


    Inside the Ghost Ship, it was very quiet, only the sound of footsteps knocking against what should have been the ¡°ceiling¡± echoing within the hull, as if mingling with something else.


    Nina and Sherry seemed somewhat tense, while Alice¡¯s condition was quite good¨Cnot because she was brave, but because she severely lacked common sense. All her experience sailing came from the equally sinister and peculiar Homeloss, so she didn¡¯t find anything aboard this Ghost Ship particularly frightening.


    They walked forward for an indeterminate amount of time, the long corridor seemingly stretching endlessly into the darkness, the area ahead growing even dimmer, when Duncan nudged the pigeon on his shoulder, ¡°Lights.¡±


    Ai Yi immediately screamed sharply, ¡°Take up this solar-axe! Embrace the glory of battle!¡±


    With the pigeon¡¯s clamor, a bright green flame rose from it, and the blazing flames instantly dispelled the dimness in the corridor.


    Fenna looked at this scene in astonishment, whispering to Morris ahead of her, ¡°This pigeon¡­ can actually be used like this?¡±


    Morris¡¯s tone was particularly indifferent, ¡°The captain often does this¨Csometimes, when the pigeon is not around, he uses himself for lighting.¡±


    Fenna, ¡°¡­?¡±


    But this time, before she could marvel once more at the huge disparity between the legendary Captain Duncan and the real one, a sudden noise halted everyone¡¯s motion.


    ¡°Thump, thump, thump¡­¡±


    It sounded like dull knocking¨Cfrom behind a nearby door!


    Everyone instantly stopped, all gazes simultaneously focused in the direction of the sound.


    It was a blue door labeled ¡°Captain¡¯s Quarters.¡±


    From the normal structure of a ship, the captain¡¯s quarters certainly wouldn¡¯t be in this position. However, aboard this Ghost Ship where the layout was completely chaotic and various cabin entrances were randomly stacked, any door might appear anywhere.


    ¡°Thump, thump, thump¡­¡±


    The knocking sounded again, louder and more urgent than before.


    It was as if a survivor from a shipwreck was hiding behind the door, trying desperately to get attention by knocking on the door upon hearing the noise in the corridor.


    Fenna quietly reached for the massive sword behind her, Sherry slightly raised the black chain in her hand, Nina ducked behind Alice, and Alice raised her hands to hold her head.


    Duncan approached the door with an emotionless face.


    The thumping continued incessantly.


    But Duncan showed no intention of opening the door. Instead, he simply curled his finger and tapped twice on the door.


    The knocking inside suddenly stopped, as if the person making the noise was taken aback. After a few seconds of silence, a hoarse and low voice suddenly broke the silence from behind the blue door, ¡°Is there anyone out there?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Duncan said softly.


    ¡°Ah, wonderful! I¡¯m the captain of the Obsidian, and I don¡¯t know what happened on the ship, but I¡¯m trapped,¡± the raspy, deep voice immediately said, ¡°Kind sir outside the door, what is your name? Can you help me open the door?¡±


    ¡°Just call me Duncan,¡± Duncan said, pressing his hand backward to signal the others to stay calm, ¡°Before opening the door, I want to confirm¨CAre you really the captain of the Obsidian?¡±


    ¡°Of course! My name is Cristo Babeli. You can check my name and ID number with the Port Authority. My ID is in the room,¡± the voice immediately replied, ¡°But¡­ now this damned door won¡¯t budge for some reason, and I really have no way to come out and prove my identity to you¡­¡±


    ¡°Next question,¡± Duncan ignored the constant chatter from behind the door and continued, ¡°What year is it?¡±


    ¡°This year?¡± The voice inside the door hesitated slightly, probably finding the question a bit odd, but still answered, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s 1894. Is there a problem with that?¡±


    Duncan looked back at Maurice, who nodded slightly.


    1894, that was the year the disaster struck the Obsidian.


    Thinking about that disaster, Maurice suddenly stepped forward and asked, ¡°Excuse me, captain, do you have a passenger named ¡®Brown Scott¡¯ on board?¡±


    ¡°Passenger?¡± The voice behind the blue door hesitated, ¡°I can¡¯t remember every passenger¡¯s name¡­ but Brown Scott? Ah, I remember now, he was that folklorist? A respected figure, I had several talks with him. I recall he was a very thin gentleman, always meticulous about his hair and beard. He was knowledgeable about the funeral customs of different city-states and was also interested in the frozen seas farther north than Frost¡­¡±


    Listening to the voice behind the blue door, Maurice nodded subtly, whispering to Duncan, ¡°No discrepancies.¡±


    ¡°Clearheaded, complete memory, able to state their own name correctly,¡± Fenna, who had been silent, suddenly broke the silence, ¡°but we can¡¯t rule out the possibility of an evil creature that feeds on human memories and emotions setting a trap; such beings are not uncommon on Ghost Ship.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that wouldn¡¯t really matter, as long as it actually possesses the memories of that captain,¡± Duncan said nonchalantly, ¡°A monster can also try to reason¨C if reason doesn¡¯t work, then physical force will, there¡¯s always a way to get through.¡±


    Fenna paused, ¡°¡­That makes sense.¡±


    Duncan placed his hand on the handle of the blue wooden door.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to open the door now, Mr. Babeli,¡± he said to whoever was inside.


    Then, he turned the handle¨Ca stark contrast to the completely rusted hatches they had seen earlier; this door showed no signs of damage, and as he turned the handle, a slight clicking sound of the lock turning immediately followed.


    The door opened.


    Under the slightly tense gaze of everyone, Duncan pushed open the door.


    A completely jumbled room appeared in front of them.


    All the walls were twisted at odd angles, the ceiling seemed about to collapse, and the room¡¯s original furnishings were haphazardly fused into the nearby walls and floor, as if buried by wood and metal. Only bits of a table and chair parts were visible, while directly across from the door, there was a huge hole with a pitch-dark void beyond, leading to an unknown destination.


    And the jumbled room was empty.


    Duncan glanced at the empty room, but the next second, he heard ¡°Cristo Babeli,¡± the captain¡¯s voice, coming from behind the blue door again: ¡°Ah, have you opened the door? I felt a shake, but the door still isn¡¯t moving in my hands¡­ Is there a perception or cognition problem? Can you help? I may have been stuck at sea for too long, already showing some unfavorable symptoms. If there is a priest willing to lend a hand, that would be even better¡­¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brows.


    He stepped into the chaotic room, slowly turning the door around to look behind it.


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    There he saw ¡°Cristo Babeli.¡±


    A mass¡­ resembling a malformed, melting wax figure was stuck to the door, with a deformed, collapsed structure one could barely make out an arm plastered against the door panel and several fiber strands connected to the hand, and a large mass that was indistinguishable as a ¡°body¡±.


    This monstrous, distorted thing was thus fused with the door, and when Duncan looked at it, it was still slightly pulsating and moving. A hoarse, deep voice emanated from somewhere within its structure¨C


    ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t see you, have you come in? The room may be a bit messy, there was a big shake earlier, and then I never cleaned up¡­ My vision seems to have issues, but it is not a big problem, now the most troubling thing is that I can¡¯t move my body, I seem to have forgotten how to control my limbs¨Cby the way, did you bring a doctor?¡±


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 Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Chapter 304 Mud at the Bottom of the Hull

    Chapter 300: Chapter 304 Mud at the Bottom of the Hull


    ¡°That was the ¡®captain¡¯ of the Obsidian, Cristo Babeli¨Ca mass of disordered material that could hardly be associated with a ¡®human body,¡¯ a pile that had surfaced from the depths of the sea¡­ a fake.¡±


    He seemed to be completely unaware of his own condition, and furthermore¡­ his thought processes seemed to be somewhat impaired.


    He was oblivious to the passage of time and was unable to discern the distortion of his own flesh; in the absence of any vision, most of his tactile senses, and the ability to move, his extreme calmness was evident¡­ as if he were trapped in some kind of strange, sluggish state.


    That slightly writhing and pulsating mass of biological tissue still emitted a hoarse and deep voice, ¡°Cristo Babeli¡± greeting the people who entered the room and asking about the current status of the Obsidian, inquiring what exactly had happened.


    Nina saw this bizarre and terrifying scene and let out a soft exclamation, quickly stifling her shock, her hand covering her mouth as she instinctively took two steps back.


    This scenario was perhaps a bit too overstimulating for her at just seventeen years old.


    ¡°Something happened aboard the Obsidian, but we are still unclear about the cause of the incident,¡± faced with the inquiry from this ¡°Captain Cristo,¡± Duncan thought of a response as he spoke, ¡°We are just passing by.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s really too bad¡­ I¡¯ve been trapped here, totally unaware of the situation on the ship,¡± the lump of biological tissue clinging to the door let out a regretful sigh, ¡°Is everything else alright? The crew and passengers, have you found them?¡±


    ¡°¡­ No, but we haven¡¯t found any bodies either. They might¡¯ve already evacuated,¡± Duncan casually replied, ¡°Only this room¡¯s door was locked, and we heard your knocking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been knocking on this door for a while,¡± said Captain Cristo, ¡°It¡¯s the only thing I can touch in the darkness. May Storm Goddess Gomona bless us, I hope everyone else is safe¡­¡±


    In the northern City-States, the dominion belonged to the God of Death, Bartok, but atop the Endless Sea, the authority of the Storm Goddess was undeniably supreme¨Ccaptains of all origins and faiths would pray to the Storm Goddess before setting sail.


    Listening to the other party¡¯s prayers, both Fenna and Morris furrowed their brows simultaneously.


    This mass¡­ This clearly twisted entity could actually articulate the name of a deity and even pray with a clear mind?


    Duncan had also noticed this and remembered some details about the Deep Abyss Project he had learned from his conversation with Terrian¨C


    During the uncontrolled period of the Deep Abyss Project, those Replication bodies that kept surfacing from the deep sea within ¡°Submersible Number Three¡± had neither intellect nor communicative ability.


    Even the very first Replication, even the one that appeared closest to a human being, had only emitted a few indistinct mumblings!


    From the start, this was a very important piece of information based on which Terrian had made a judgement: the uncontrollable Transcendent phenomenon in the Frost Deep Sea could only replicate fakes devoid of intellect and soul, yet the mass before them¡­ the twisted entity, despite appearing to have some cognitive issues, clearly possessed normal intellect and memory, even capable of smooth communication with others.


    Where was the problem?


    Was it because the Obsidian was not a Replication like ¡°Submersible Number Three¡± as initially speculated? Was the distortion phenomenon on this ship caused by something else? Or was it because the uncontrollable Transcendent anomaly from the Frost Deep Sea had undergone new changes after half a century, now creating Replication bodies with Spiritual Intelligence?


    Or perhaps¡­


    Duncan quietly looked at the ¡°Captain Cristo¡± adhering to the door.


    Or perhaps it could be said, within this mass of biological tissue truly resided the consciousness of that captain¨Cdue to some reason, his soul had been crammed into this twisted Replication.


    The more Duncan thought about it, the more he believed this to be the most plausible explanation.


    ¡°Are you still there?¡± Perhaps Duncan¡¯s silence had lasted too long, Cristo¡¯s voice came through again from the mass of biological tissue, ¡°Can you help me get out of here? Or is¡­ my current condition actually quite bad? Is it¡­ severe neurological damage?¡±


    Duncan sighed.


    He knew he had to tell the other party the truth¨Ceven if it was a cruel thing to do.


    Cruelties at sea are countless.


    But just as he was about to speak, Fenna¡¯s voice unexpectedly rang out from the side, interrupting his action, ¡°Mr. Cristo, your condition is indeed poor, and we are unable to move you right now. You might need to stay here a bit longer¨Conce we¡¯ve completed our search of the other areas, we will try to help you.¡±


    Duncan conveyed his question with a glance toward Fenna, who raised her hand and pointed towards the wall across the room.


    There was a huge hole in that wall, and on the other side of the hole was a sloping passage that led to an unknown place, dark and eerie.


    Duncan immediately understood Fenna¡¯s meaning.


    There were still too many unexplored areas in this ship¨Cbefore getting a clear picture of what had actually happened to the Obsidian, it was impossible to completely ascertain the state and origin of this ¡°Captain Cristo.¡±


    It would be best to stabilize this strange ¡°Replication¡± first, and after completing the search and investigation of the entire ship, consider what to do with it.


    Duncan nodded slightly.


    Professionals indeed¨Cthis level of professional sharpness could only come from numerous encounters with various heresies and aberrations.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I understand,¡± Cristo¡¯s voice rose, tinged with regret and unease, ¡°I¡¯ll wait here. But how long will you be leaving for?¡±


    ¡°It might take a few hours, but we will return as quickly as possible,¡± Fenna said. ¡°Please rest assured, we will not abandon you, and although your condition is not good, there won¡¯t be any problems in the short term. Just stay still, keep calm, and wait a bit.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­okay, hurry back.¡±


    The writhing, pulsating mass of biological tissue quieted down.


    He seemed quite anxious about his own state, but after Fenna expressed her stance, he became surprisingly cooperative and calm.


    Was it in the ¡°captain¡¯s¡± nature to be like this? Or was this also a result of his cognitive thinking being distorted? Duncan did not know.


    Now, everyone¡¯s attention was on the large hole in the wall at the end of the room.


    Of course, a normal room wouldn¡¯t have such a hole in it, let alone have a twisted and winding ramp hidden within it¨Cthis opening was clearly also a result of the internal structural distortion of the Obsidian.


    It looked deep and lengthy, but where would it lead?


    Duncan walked through the topsy-turvy room to the front of the large hole, peered inside, and saw only its dark depths. A passage resembling a combination of the ship¡¯s corridors and several twisted staircases stretched down at an angle. Occasional drafts of air suggested there were more passages or larger spaces at the bottom.


    He stepped in, and the others followed closely behind.


    The pigeon Ai Yi, ablaze with Spectral Flame, once again became the guiding light for the group, and under the illumination of the spectral flames, the already gloomy and eerie corridor seemed even more sinister.


    ¡°The distortion and chaos down here seems to be even worse than above¡­¡±


    Morris looked up, glanced at the corridor¡¯s ceiling in the flickering light and shadow, and spoke thoughtfully.


    Above the passage, he could vaguely make out the chaotic and overlapping structures: the handrails of staircases, hatches from unknown locations, mechanical structures, pipelines, and wires, even tables and furniture.


    If the upper decks of the ship still bore some semblance of a normal structure, then this ramp leading deeper into the Obsidian was simply a pile of debris which seemed to have been crushed and glued together, a chaotic nightmare extending continuously into the bowels of this steel behemoth.


    ¡°It seems the closer we get to the ¡®replication¡¯s¡¯ center, the lower the accuracy of the replication,¡± Fenna said, and then added, ¡°If this ship is really a replica like ¡®Submersible Number Three¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to have a chat with Tyrion later,¡± Duncan said offhandedly from the front, ¡°he might be interested in what happened aboard the Obsidian.¡±


    ¡°But I think he¡¯ll be scared half to death by you first,¡± Fenna couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to him; he seems to have a pretty big psychological shadow.¡±


    Duncan slowed his pace and turned to look at Fenna.


    Fenna felt a bit awkward: ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°I¡¯m just amazed that you can finally communicate with me normally¨Cthis feels right.¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something more, but just then, the light from Ai Yi suddenly dimmed, and the view in front of everyone opened up.


    They had reached the end of the corridor.


    Below was indeed a vast open space.


    ¡°Is this the cargo hold?¡± Morris frowned, looking at the wide and dimly lit area. The space in front of him was flat and open, incredulously ¡°tidy¡± compared to the previously muddled ramp, yet it was impossible to discern its original purpose.


    ¡°Could it be that the deepest part of this ghost ship is just an empty cavity?¡± Nina muttered nervously, looking around, ¡°Is everything stacked on the two upper levels?¡±


    No one could answer her question.


    Alice looked around curiously and took a few steps forward.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The doll-like lady suddenly stopped, gave a short gasp, then started rubbing the sole of her shoe on the ground next to her, looking down at the ground beneath her feet in astonishment.


    ¡°I think I stepped on something!¡± She turned her head back, innocently saying to Duncan, ¡°It¡¯s sticky and kind of disgusting¡­¡±


    ¡°Sticky?¡± Duncan furrowed his brow, quickly came to Alice¡¯s side, and looked at the ground where she had stepped.


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    He saw a patch of very dark substance, like sludge. In the middle of the black and sticky material, he could faintly make out the imprint of Alice¡¯s shoe.


    But that imprint was disappearing quickly.


    The ¡°sludge¡± was moving!


    It was alive!


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 Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Chapter 306: Remains in the Depths

    Chapter 302: Chapter 306: Remains in the Depths


    A-Gou staggered a few steps, his movements light and unsteady, until he finally came to a stop. Plumes of pitch-black smoke rose from the crevices in his skeleton, and his bones trembled continuously as if seized by spasms. In the bloody sockets of his eyes, the light flickered, waning and waxing.


    Sherry was startled by such a blatant and abnormal reaction, promptly halting in her tracks. She shook A-Gou¡¯s massive head, calling out his name in agitation¨Cafter repeating it seven or eight times, A-Gou finally snapped out of it and looked up dully, a hoarse, deep voice emerging from his throat, ¡°Why do I suddenly feel a little¡­ unable to move¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Duncan approached, his brow furrowed as he regarded the clearly out-of-sorts Abyssal Hound with a hint of concern, ¡°Is something making you uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t feel uncomfortable,¡± A-Gou¡¯s head wobbled as if he was on the brink of falling asleep, ¡°just drained of strength, and¡­ I really don¡¯t want to get anywhere near that stuff.¡±


    ¡°Really don¡¯t want to get close?¡± Duncan looked back at the slow, writhing mass, glowing eerily in the light of the fire and resembling a muddy hill.


    Was this strange ¡°mud¡± affecting A-Gou? Some kind of innate suppressive force?


    A-Gou¡¯s aberrant behavior drew everyone¡¯s attention and sent Duncan into deep thought. His first instinct was to consider whether A-Gou¡¯s extraordinary ¡°perception,¡± far surpassing human ability, had detected some invisible force.


    But judging by A-Gou¡¯s reaction, it didn¡¯t seem that he had ¡°seen¡± anything out of the ordinary.


    ¡°Abyssal Hounds are a rather powerful breed among Profound Demons, rarely becoming like this under the pressure of another strong entity,¡± Fenna crouched down, unhesitatingly touching the bone fragments on A-Gou, then turned back for another glance, ¡°Moreover, that thing isn¡¯t even emitting any oppressive aura¡­¡±


    ¡°You can leave out the ¡®rather¡¯,¡± Sherry muttered from the side, ¡°A-Gou is awesome just as he is¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not awesome, not at all,¡± A-Gou hurriedly shook his head, ¡°Is this place a bit too sinister? Maybe we should come back another time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to come back some other time. This Ghost Ship may not stay put and wait for us to explore it time and time again,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°But you really aren¡¯t in any condition to move forward now.¡±


    A-Gou was under the influence of some mysterious force, and letting him get closer to that mass could likely have unpredictable consequences¨Cthe best course of action was for him and Sherry to temporarily retreat to Homeloss.


    Duncan waved his hand to the side, and Ai Yi immediately flew over, circling in the air while shouting, ¡°Who¡¯s calling the ship¡­ It¡¯s a trap! Abandon ship and escape!¡±


    ¡°You take Sherry and A-Gou back to Homeloss,¡± Duncan ignored the bird¡¯s squawks, pointing first at A-Gou sprawled on the ground and then at Sherry, who looked worried. After a moment¡¯s thought, he pointed at Nina, ¡°Take Nina back too.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Nina was taken aback, ¡°Why do I have to go back? I¡¯m feeling great right now!¡±


    ¡°That thing tried to replicate you earlier, though you ¡®interrupted¡¯ it, but we don¡¯t know if the big fellows at the end will have a different reaction when you get close,¡± said Duncan curtly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt to be cautious under these circumstances.¡±


    Nina listened intently, then obediently nodded her head, ¡°Oh, okay, I¡¯ll go back.¡±


    Duncan had prepared a series of persuasive arguments¨Cthe girl was curious and had been looking forward to the adventure, but to his surprise, she agreed so readily. He was momentarily taken aback but soon smiled and shook his head.


    She was still so sensible.


    The Spectral Flame of the undead bird whistled through the cabin, carrying Sherry, A-Gou, and Nina out of Obsidian.


    But the space didn¡¯t lapse into darkness with Ai Yi¡¯s departure¨Cthe fires that Duncan had lit using the dry cloying mud as kindling continued to illuminate the eerie and peculiar place.


    The bizarre substance that lay at the end of the cabin continued to move quietly as if half-asleep, as if hibernating in a dream.


    However, when Duncan¡¯s gaze fell on the mass once more, a distinct ¡°thud¡± came from within it.


    ¡°The children have left,¡± Duncan exhaled softly and stepped towards the dark material, ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for adults to take care of this trouble.¡±


    His stride was unwavering, and as he drew nearer, the previously dormant substance quickly reacted¨Cthe peripheral movements became more apparent, the surface contortions increasingly violent, and the pulsing sounds from within grew faster and louder.


    By the last ten meters, it had turned into a clear rhythm of heartbeats¨C


    Thud, thud, thud¨Cdistinct and powerful heartbeats continued to resonate clearly in the dim and expansive cabin!


    But apart from the steady heartbeat and the increasingly violent surface movements, there was no other reaction from the heap.


    Until Duncan approached, it merely maintained this semblance of ¡°vibrant life.¡±


    ¡°Goddess¡­ What on earth is this abomination¡­¡±


    Fenna frowned deeply, her voice laced with unmistakable disgust.


    Only after getting close enough did she clearly see the form of this mass of substance¨Cit didn¡¯t have any biological shape whatsoever; its surface looked like flowing mud, yet, from time to time, dubious protuberances emerged from the sludge, resembling half-melted viscera or suddenly engorged blood vessels and nerve bundles. All the while, it pulsed with a heartbeat, exhibiting traits that seemed to react to external stimuli¨Ctraits that eventually devolved into constant, aimless squirming.


    Since becoming a Judge, Fenna had witnessed countless heretical evils, yet the level of defilement present in this mass still shocked her profoundly.


    Even Alice seemed a bit stupefied; the doll-like Miss peered at the pile for a long while before blurting out, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem suitable for cooking¡­¡±


    Fenna instantly glared at Alice¨Cshocked once again.


    Maurice, playing well the part of a scholar¡¯s meticulous curiosity, seemed to ignore his psychological discomfort and aversion. After drawing near the mass, he studied it carefully, then suddenly discerned something amidst the expanding and contracting motion of the matter: ¡°There seems to be something wrapped inside!¡±


    ¡°Inside?¡± Duncan looked surprised, then promptly spotted the clue Maurice had discovered: on the edge of the mass of mud, there appeared to be a fragment resembling a piece of clothing.


    Could this constantly writhing mud actually be just a covering layer?


    Realizing this, Duncan immediately reached out his hand, pointing towards the twitching mass.


    Countless bonfires burning around the cabin instantly spread numerous lines of fire, and streams of Spectral Flame converged upon the ¡°living mud¡± in the blink of an eye.


    The Spectral Flame burst into fierce combustion!


    The flames were grand, yet precisely controlled. Duncan commanded the fire to only consume the black mud and not harm any other materials inside¨Cwith his conscious catalysis and manipulation, it took merely a few seconds for the disgusting squirming matter to be burnt clean.


    The contents originally buried deep within this heap were finally exposed to everyone¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Maurice looked somewhat astounded at the scene in front of him.


    A human, a middle-aged male, was leaning against a heap of debris in the ashes left after the Spectral Flame¡¯s purge, his eyes wide open with rage, as if he had been locked in combat with some fierce enemy at the moment of his death, yet with one hand desperately clutching his mouth as if suppressing immense horror. His body, however, showed a shocking appearance¨C


    The majority of his body had been dissolved by something, transforming into a horrifying decomposed structure.


    Only a heart, exposed outside the open chest cavity, was slowly and powerfully pulsing.


    Thump¡­ thump¡­ thump¡­


    The heartbeat, as though containing a strong will, echoed throughout the entire cabin.


    It turned out to be this very heart from which the heartbeat Duncan heard on his way here originated.


    But this human was clearly long dead, his heartbeat signaling no sign of life.


    ¡°A human?¡± Fenna immediately furrowed her brow again, cautiously examining the middle-aged man who lay in the depths of the Obsidian, ¡°Is he another Replication created by the Obsidian?¡±


    ¡°The body¡¯s structure is twisted and mutated, consistent with a Replication¡¯s Trait, but there seems to be something off¡­¡± Maurice murmured softly, poking carefully at the remnants of the corpse¡¯s limbs with his cane. He observed the fragments of torn clothing and tried to determine their original appearance. ¡°This clothing¡­ looks like a uniform.¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s indeed a uniform,¡± Duncan suddenly spoke up, apparently having discovered something. He bent down as he spoke, disregarding the grisly remains, and fumbled near the pulsating heart, retrieving something from a piece of torn fabric.


    It was a small badge.


    It bore an identity and a name.


    ¡°He is the captain of the Obsidian, Cristo Babeli,¡± Duncan said after glancing at the badge, speaking softly.


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 Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Chapter 307: Flesh Mass

    Chapter 303: Chapter 307: Flesh Mass


    The small metal badge, stamped with ¡°Cristo Babeli¡± and the title of captain of the Obsidian, rendered the atmosphere of the scene suddenly quiet and eerie¨Cwithin the silent, spacious cabin, only the heartbeats thumping could be heard.


    ¡°His name was Cristo?¡± After a long while, Alice was the first to break the silence. She scratched her head, seemingly puzzled, ¡°But the ¡®person¡¯ we saw behind that blue door¡­ he also said his name was Cristo, right?¡±


    ¡°If this ship comes from the Frost Deep Sea, then everything on board might just be twisted Replications. Each pile of these twisted things could be Cristo or anyone from the Obsidian at that time,¡± Duncan spoke calmly, his gaze landing on the middle-aged man who lay on the ground with eyes wide open, hand over mouth, ¡°The key is this¡­ this corpse, which is clearly special.¡±


    ¡°You suspect he is the original?¡± Fenna quickly caught on, looking at Duncan in amazement, ¡°But¡­ if the whole ship is an obvious twisted replication, how could the original possibly be here?¡±


    ¡°¡­Our entire understanding of the Frost Deep Sea is based on the limited memories of Teryan, and even what Teryan knew was just a part of the information from the early stages of the entire abyss project¨CThe project has never truly uncovered the secrets of the sea bed below one thousand meters,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°We know very little about the situation at the bottom of the Frost Sea, so our generalizations about the laws governing these ¡®Replications¡¯ could very well be wrong. Perhaps within the guise of a fake lies the original or perhaps each fake is an expression after the original has been split. It¡¯s even possible that in the depths of the sea, there¡¯s no distinction between fakes and originals.¡±


    As Fenna listened to Duncan, she couldn¡¯t help but glance at Alice next to her.


    Alice, however, wasn¡¯t thinking nearly as much. She just curiously looked at the ¡°Cristo Babeli¡± on the ground and after pondering for a while, suddenly blurted out, ¡°Why is he covering his mouth?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a common reaction in fear,¡± Maurice casually remarked, ¡°Nothing strange.¡±


    But hardly had his words fallen when Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly rose, ¡°No, it¡¯s strange¡­ He¡¯s not doing it out of fear.¡±


    Maurice looked at Duncan in surprise, only to see the latter squatting beside the corpse with its eerily twisted expression, even leaning in close, observing something attentively.


    Thump, thump, thump.


    The heart of Cristo Babeli continued to beat, as if with Duncan¡¯s approach, it started to beat even more urgently and powerfully than before.


    Duncan noticed the change in the heart¡¯s rhythm, but his attention was mostly on the face of Captain Cristo. After carefully observing, he suddenly discovered something.


    ¡°There¡¯s something in his mouth.¡±


    ¡°Something in his mouth?¡± Maurice was startled, and then he saw Duncan reach out, trying to pry the corpse¡¯s hand away from its mouth.


    The resistance felt in his hand surprised Duncan.


    The corpse was tightly covering its own mouth, as if even after years of death it was still willfully resisting something!


    Duncan didn¡¯t apply much force at first, and to his surprise, he failed to pry the hand away¨Che knew that if he truly exerted more force, he could easily overcome the stubbornness of the deceased, but before continuing, he seemed to suddenly think of something and stopped.


    ¡°Mr. Babeli, if you¡¯re keeping a secret, you can let go now,¡± Duncan looked into those angrily widened eyes, his voice stable and calm, ¡°Leave the rest to me, with confidence.¡±


    The hand let go.


    Below it was a tightly clenched mouth¨C but the next second, the mouth also relaxed.


    Fenna and Maurice exchanged astonished glances, and then they saw Duncan reach in, searching for something in Cristo¡¯s slightly opened mouth.


    A soft and slightly nauseating texture came through, Duncan frowned, enduring the awkwardness in his heart as he pulled out a clump of something from the dead man¡¯s mouth.


    It was a thumb-sized lump with a dark color and faint blue fibrous lines, very soft to the touch¡­ it felt like some kind of flesh.


    Flesh bitten off from some larger entity.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Alice was the first to come over curiously, peeking at the motionless piece of black-blue flesh in Duncan¡¯s hand, then showing a repelled expression, ¡°Ugh¡­ I don¡¯t like this thing¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at Alice in surprise, this often cheerful puppet lady seldom expressed such quick and clear distaste for something.


    And after Alice¡¯s remark, Fenna quickly frowned as well, ¡°I sense a very unsettling aura from this thing¨Cit reminds me of some kind of pollution that¡¯s surfaced from the deep layers of the world into reality.¡±


    ¡°My intuition tells me it¡¯s best not to keep staring at this thing,¡± Morris followed up, ¡°It¡¯s likely a warning from the god of wisdom. Don¡¯t you feel anything holding it?¡±


    ¡°Feel? No,¡± Duncan pinched the piece of flesh in his hand, ¡°It¡¯s a bit disgusting to touch, but I don¡¯t feel the kind of exaggerated reaction you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite normal, after all, your status is different from ours,¡± Morris said without surprise, then continued, ¡°But one thing¡¯s for sure, what you¡¯re holding is definitely not something that should exist in the real world. It must be the most important clue within the Ghost Ship¡­¡±


    His words were cut off halfway through.


    Because everyone heard the pulsing sound of the heart beating in the air was quickly weakening.


    Duncan looked down at Cristo¡¯s chest that was twisted and opened by decay, seeing the heart that was previously beating strongly now coated in a layer of grey-white, the thumping sound faded to near silence within seconds, and then, under his gaze, the heart suddenly burst into flames and turned to ash in the blink of an eye.


    At the same time, a low, hoarse voice that sounded somewhat familiar suddenly entered everyone¡¯s ears. The origin of the voice was indistinguishable, as if the whole ship let out a sigh, ¡°Ah, I see now¡­¡±


    Fenna was the first to react, ¡°It¡¯s the voice from behind the blue door!¡±


    Duncan looked at the corpse on the floor, seeing ¡°Captain Cristo¡¯s¡± remains melting like wax, the remains that should have been eroded away by the sea six years ago seemed to be making up for those six lost years, almost instantaneously turning into jagged bone fragments.


    He made a decision immediately, turning around to head back the way they came: ¡°Back the way we came.¡±


    Their pace on the return was much faster than when they were exploring.


    The group quickly passed through the eerily silent, open ship cabins and the chaotic, twisted inclines, and it was not long before they were back in the ¡°Captain¡¯s Quarters¡± with the blue door.


    The door was ajar, and behind it, the biological tissue that called itself ¡°Cristo Babeli¡± still silently adhered to the wooden boards.


    Fenna took a step forward, and almost immediately, the lump of tissue, as if sensing the movement around it, began to writhe on its surface, emitting a hoarse, low voice, ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve returned.¡±


    ¡°¡­Captain Cristo,¡± Fenna steadied herself, trying to make her tone calmer, ¡°There are some things¡­¡±


    But before she could finish, ¡°Cristo¡± interrupted her, ¡°I already know, miss¨CI¡¯ve recalled it.¡±


    Despite the guesses in her mind, Fenna couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You¡­ recalled?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re referring to my own death, then I have remembered, though only partially,¡± Cristo spoke in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m dead, aren¡¯t I? Definitely dead¡­ The Obsidian sank, we encountered a Storm and iceberg, we sank down, all the way to the endless darkness¨CI couldn¡¯t possibly have survived.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly stepped forward, ¡°Do you know what happened in the depths of this ship?¡±


    ¡°The depths?¡± Cristo¡¯s voice seemed perplexed.


    ¡°Do you remember the details of your own death?¡± Duncan asked again, ¡°Did you struggle with something? After sinking to the depths of the sea, did anything else happen on the ship?¡±


    Cristo fell silent, as if pondering, and then a slightly regretful voice came from the lump of tissue, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t remember those details, I only remember¡­ the ship was sinking, it kept sinking, a very, very long process, everyone died, and I was supposed to die, but I just kept drifting in the darkness, it was cold around me, and the visibility was dark, as if I were looking for something in the darkness, this confused state lasted for who knows how long¨Cwhen I had memories again, it was when I was knocking on this door.¡±


    Duncan exchanged glances with the others.


    ¡°Captain Cristo¡± had no reason to lie.


    The captain was only aware of the fact that he had died, but he did not remember anything that had happened in the depths of the Obsidian, nor the fact that ¡°another self¡± had died in the eerie space at the bottom of the vessel, and he was unaware of the origin of that mysterious piece of flesh.


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    It seemed the clue was lost.


    But Duncan glanced down at his palm¨Cthe dark piece of flesh still lay quietly in his hand.


    He had made an important discovery.


    (Book recommendation time~ ¡°Civilization¡¯s Return Journey,¡± the protagonist, a trainee officer, accidentally sleeps for 2000 years in a hibernation pod, only to find Earth has exploded and the rest of humanity is missing. After understanding the current situation, the protagonist decides to take the AI with a girl¡¯s appearance by his side, mainly using the settings of Warhammer 40K and Stellaris, it¡¯s a space opera-style story. )


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 Chapter 304 - Chapter 304 Chapter 308 Agous Intense Reaction

    Chapter 304: Chapter 308: Agou¡¯s Intense Reaction Chapter 304: Chapter 308: Agou¡¯s Intense Reaction In the room with the blue door, Duncan and his companions remained silent, and so did the twisted mass of creature tissue stuck to the door.


    After what seemed like forever, Duncan finally broke the silence. ¡°Is there anything else you need our help with?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t seem to have any regrets,¡± came the voice of Kristo, ¡°and can¡¯t think of anything to ask for¨Cgood people, what can you do for a soul who has been dead for many years?¡±


    ¡°What about your family?¡± Fenna couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°My family¡­¡± Kristo hesitated, as if some memories had just surfaced in his twisted ¡°shell,¡± ¡°Oh, right, my family¡­ my wife and daughter, they live in Frost, at the end of Fireplace Street¡­¡±


    Kristo murmured softly, his voice growing fainter as if he were about to fall asleep, but suddenly he woke with a start, his voice clearer, ¡°Ah, if there¡¯s a chance, please visit them for me. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to send them a message, although they probably already know what happened to the Obsidian.¡±


    ¡°Is there a special message you want us to convey?¡± asked Fenna.


    This time, Kristo thought for a long time. Just when Fenna thought he might fall asleep again, the writhing mass of tissue suddenly emitted a voice again: ¡°I can¡¯t think of one. I can¡¯t even remember their faces clearly¡­ Just wish them good morning for me, and tell them I left with no regrets and no pain. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°We will pass on the message if they still live there.¡± Duncan nodded slightly, his gaze landing on Kristo¡¯s subtly writhing shell.


    It wasn¡¯t an illusion. The vitality of this mass of tissue was gradually weakening. Kristo¡¯s consciousness also seemed to be slowly departing from this shell as a light ash-white began to spread along the edges of the mass.


    All these changes might be related to the heart of the Obsidian ceasing to beat deep within.


    It was time to leave.


    ¡°We should go,¡± Duncan said calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time¡­¡± Kristo¡¯s voice became even more gentle and muffled but was still audible, ¡°then I wish you smooth sailing ahead¨Cleave me here, a captain should be with his ship.¡±


    ¡°¡­ In fact, before we leave, we¡¯ll sink this ship,¡± Duncan hesitated for a few seconds but decided to tell the truth about what was going to happen next, ¡°Captain Kristo, you must guess that the Obsidian has been contaminated, and we can¡¯t allow it to keep drifting in the Endless Sea¨Cit¡¯s a threat to ordinary sailors.¡±


    Kristo was silent for a moment before speaking softly, ¡°Thank you, kindhearted one.¡±


    Duncan looked at the captain for a few seconds, nodded silently, and prepared to leave.


    But just as he was about to pass through the door, Kristo¡¯s voice suddenly reached his ears again: ¡°Among you, is there a devotee of the Grim Reaper Bartok?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, no,¡± Fenna shook her head, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I only hoped a devotee could say a funeral prayer for me¨Chaving been through all this, my soul is tainted, and I doubt I can pass through Bartok¡¯s gate of life and death. Perhaps a funeral prayer could help my soul dissipate a bit faster¡­ But it¡¯s okay if there isn¡¯t, life seldom goes as desired, right?¡±


    Fenna and Morris instinctively exchanged glances, the latter hesitating briefly before speaking out: ¡°We are clerics of the Storm Goddess and the God of Wisdom, and we will pray for you after we leave¨Calthough that may not be of much use to a devotee of the Grim Reaper.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the affairs of Grim Reaper Bartok, but if what you seek is a deathbed wish of a devotee¡­¡± Duncan said, stepping forward to grasp the hand stuck to the door panel, ¡°I hope your wish will be granted.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Thank you, kind people.¡±


    No more sounds came from the writhing mass of flesh; its movements gradually slowed, and death¡¯s ashen hue had spread everywhere¨Cwhile he wasn¡¯t entirely gone, the last spark of life was no longer enough for him to continue talking.


    Duncan nodded silently at the Captain of the Obsidian and stepped through the door.


    Duncan and his companions left the Captain¡¯s cabin of the Obsidian, passed through the disorderly corridor, through the triple nested doors, and returned to the deck of the Ghost Ship.


    The sun was setting.


    Accompanied by the sound of flapping wings, a spectral bird enveloped in flames flew from the direction of the Homeloss, circling above Duncan and the others.


    Green flames eerily rose from the Obsidian, transforming into a meteor that returned to the nearby Homeloss.


    Moments later, Homeloss slowly adjusted its position, lifting the gunport covers on one side of the hull and extending the dark muzzles from the firing holes.


    Cannons roared, and fiery meteors rained down. Under the increasingly tilted and indifferent bloody sunset, the Obsidian was almost instantly engulfed in the raging ethereal green flames, and amidst a series of spectacular burns and explosions, it swiftly took on water, disintegrated, and sank.


    This Ghost Ship, fully corroded by transcendent powers, sank into the deep sea in a very short time, leaving only a few whirlpools of varying sizes on the surface.


    At the edge of the deck of Homeloss, Duncan faced the sunset, watching the direction of the Obsidian sinking, bidding farewell to the Ghost Ship until the last moment.


    Only when it had completely disappeared, did he withdraw his gaze and glanced at Fenna and Morris standing behind him.


    ¡°Sailing on the Endless Sea is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and those deep-sea captains occupy the most perilous position of all,¡± Morris remarked with a sigh. ¡°More than half of the deep-sea captains meet unfortunate ends¨Ceven those who retire alive and settle on land struggle to integrate into ordinary life due to various reasons. Most suffer from curses and mental anomalies, haunted by auditory and visual hallucinations and even disordered memories. My daughter Heidi¡­ deals with these matters often.¡±


    Duncan did not respond to the old scholar¡¯s lamentations.


    After all, from the perspective of the world, the Homeloss and his role as ¡°Captain Duncan¡±¡­ were also examples among many of those who met unfortunate ends.


    It was just that his particular ¡°unfortunate end¡± was rather fierce.


    ¡°How are Sherry and the Abyssal Hound?¡± Duncan suddenly asked.


    ¡°I just went to see them,¡± Alice immediately raised her hand, ¡°The Abyssal Hound said it¡¯s alright now and is currently studying Nina¡¯s elementary school textbooks. Sherry said the Abyssal Hound needs someone to look after it, so she is dozing off next to it.¡±


    ¡°¡­The knowledge-seeking Abyssal Hound and its illiterate owner,¡± Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched, and he began walking toward the direction of the cabin, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on them.¡±


    He went straight to the cabin shared by Sherry and the Abyssal Hound, knocked on the door but found it was slightly ajar. Pushing the door open, he saw the dog sitting in a chair at the desk, avidly reading a children¡¯s vocabulary book with its front paws.


    And behind the dog on the bed, the illiterate Sherry was sleeping soundly.


    Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched again. Although he had heard Alice mention this earlier, actually seeing this incongruous scene still deeply unnerved him. The Abyssal Hound also heard the noise at the door and looked up, ¡°Oh, Captain you¡­ Ah, f***!¡±


    Before it could finish its greeting, the Abyssal Hound suddenly emitted a booming yell, and in an instant, it sprang from the chair, almost hitting the ceiling!


    Then came a clatter as a black chain connecting the Abyssal Hound and Sherry instantly tensed. Sherry, deeply asleep on the bed, was abruptly pulled into the air by the Abyssal Hound, and after a loud ¡°thud,¡± she crashed solidly against the nearby wall.


    ¡°You crazy, Abyssal Hound!¡± Sherry, rattled and disoriented, jumped up and lunged at the Abyssal Hound, ¡°Why on earth did you suddenly¡­¡±


    It was then she noticed Duncan standing at the doorway and the Abyssal Hound¡¯s unsettled demeanor.


    ¡°Are you okay, Abyssal Hound?¡±


    Sherry and Duncan spoke almost simultaneously.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine¡­ no, not fine,¡± the Abyssal Hound seemed not yet to have recovered, still shivering, its gaze wandering as if trying to look at Duncan but instinctively averting, finally stuttering out a sentence, ¡°Captain, is there something on you¡­ in your left pocket¡­¡±


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    ¡°Something?¡± Duncan paused, then realization dawned, and he fished in his left pocket, pulling out a small metal box previously used for storing tobacco.


    Opening the metal box, a thumb-sized piece of dark, odd-looking ¡°flesh¡± appeared in front of everyone.


    ¡°I, I, I¡­ f***!¡± the Abyssal Hound became even more nervous upon seeing the object, scurrying into a corner, ¡°Where, where, where did this come from?!¡±


    ¡°The deepest part of the Obsidian,¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°What¡¯s with your reaction? What did you sense from this¡­¡±


    ¡°The Abyssal Saint! The scent of the Abyssal Saint!¡± the entire dog shook as if on vibrate mode, ¡°This is the flesh of the Abyssal Saint!¡±

 Chapter 305 - Chapter 305 Chapter 309 The Unfortunate Ah Dog

    Chapter 305: Chapter 309: The Unfortunate Ah Dog Chapter 305: Chapter 309: The Unfortunate Ah Dog Duncan truly froze for several seconds before he could grasp the meaning behind A-Dog¡¯s words¨Cnot that he didn¡¯t understand the other¡¯s language, but he needed to digest the shocking fact.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked, picking up the small piece of grayish-black flesh with a tinge of blue from the little iron box, and pinched it again, ¡°This thing is a part of The Saint from the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re still touching it?!¡± A-Dog watched Duncan¡¯s overly ¡°bold and carefree¡± action, its voice changing pitch with alarm, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel the tremendous pressure and power it¡¯s emitting?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan shook his head, then added, ¡°And it¡¯s not just me; Fenna and Morris didn¡¯t react much either¨Cthey only felt that this thing is somewhat dangerous or unsettling, but nowhere near your level of agitation.¡±


    Hearing Duncan¡¯s words, A-Dog couldn¡¯t help but crouch lower involuntarily, lying in a fully alert posture next to the table. The bloody glow in its eye sockets flickered dimly and brightly. After a while, it mumbled, ¡°It seems to indeed have lost its vitality¡­ or perhaps its vitality has been suppressed by you. But I can¡¯t tell for sure. I am a Profound Demon, I have an inextricable link with The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea, and in my eyes¡­ there is only endless shadow and pressure.¡±


    ¡°It could indeed be related to your constitution,¡± Duncan spoke as he snapped the tobacco box shut and casually shoved the item back into his pocket. He noticed as he did so, A-Dog visibly relaxed quite a bit, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it put away for now; you might feel better.¡±


    ¡°Thank¡­ thank you, Captain,¡± A-Dog¡¯s trembling finally eased a bit as it shakily stood up, still looking unsettledly at Duncan¡¯s pocket, ¡°Did you just say¡­ that flesh was brought out from the deepest part of the Obsidian?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and it was from a mortal¡¯s mouth,¡± Duncan sighed lightly, recounting the events after A-Dog and Sherry had been sent back to the Homeloss, ¡°¡­we found this piece of flesh sample inside Cristo Babeli¡¯s oral cavity.¡±


    A-Dog¡¯s astonishment was more than evident upon hearing the complete story.


    It lifted its head to exchange a glance with Sherry, then for a long half minute, neither spoke. After some time, Sherry finally smacked her lips to break the silence, ¡°Are you saying¡­ the captain named Cristo¡­ bit off a piece of flesh from a deity before he died¡­ Does The Saint from the Mysterious Deep Sea count as a deity?¡±


    ¡°For mortals, there¡¯s no difference. ¡®As if a deity¡¯ is an exceedingly broad concept,¡± A-Dog spoke solemnly, slowly shaking its head, ¡°I¡­ still can¡¯t believe it, completely unable to imagine how he did it¨CMortals have no strength to even move a finger in front of The Saint from the Mysterious Deep Sea, let alone fight or counterattack¡­ Besides, how did he even come to see The Saint?¡±


    ¡°The Obsidian once entered the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡± Duncan frowned at that thought, ¡°After it sank in the outer sea of Frost, it didn¡¯t continue to sink in this dimension, but was teleported away? Or¡­ does the deep sea beneath Frost actually lead to the domain of the Profound Demons?¡±


    ¡°I find that unlikely,¡± A-Dog shook its head immediately, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of any place in the Mysterious Deep Sea that directly connects to our dimension, and if there were a leak between the two places, in six years, Frost City-State would have been torn apart by the demons that poured out¨Cremember, the Obsidian sank six years ago.¡±


    Duncan pondered for a moment.


    But the information he had was far too limited, and no matter how much he speculated, it was hard to find a reasonable explanation.


    One thing was certain: the ¡°flesh¡± brought from the Obsidian was a very dangerous thing, best not to take it out casually.


    Of course, he also considered whether to burn that piece of flesh outright or to load it into the main cannon of the Homeloss and fire it away¨Cbased on the feedback Duncan felt after coming into contact with the flesh, he believed it could also be burned as ¡°Transcendent kindling¡± by the Spiritual Fire. But after a brief deliberation, he decided to hold onto it.


    What if it proved useful in the future?


    As he mused, Duncan¡¯s attention returned to A-Dog.


    The Abyssal Hound had calmed down for a moment and now consciously avoided paying attention to the location of that ¡°Holy Master¡¯s Flesh¡±, appearing much better.


    ¡°Do other Profound Demons react like you do?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± A-Dog was caught off guard, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°All Profound Demons come from ¡®The Saint¡¯. You¡¯ve told me that the abodes of stronger ones like yourself are even close to ¡®The Saint¡¯,¡± Duncan watched the blood-colored glow in A-Dog¡¯s eyes, ¡°But you react like this when you¡¯re close to The Saint¡¯s essence¨Chow do you guys normally live beside The Saint? Trembling every day?¡±


    A-Dog clearly froze, probably not expecting the captain¡¯s imagination to be so vivid and detailed. After a moment of silence, it shook its head and admitted, ¡°Normal Profound Demons¡­ don¡¯t react like I do.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Rationality is the prerequisite to madness,¡± A-Dog sighed, ¡°Only those with wisdom understand fear, and only those with humanity can discern beastliness¨CI deviated from the normal path of Profound Demons and thus lost the qualifications to be close to The Saint from the Mysterious Deep Sea.¡±


    Sherry blinked, suddenly catching on, ¡°A-Dog, did you just say something very philosophical?!¡±


    ¡°Rationality is the prerequisite to madness¡­¡± Duncan ignored Sherry¡¯s fussing, murmuring thoughtfully, ¡°So, now you can¡¯t return to your ¡®homeland¡¯, but you can¡¯t sever your link with The Saint. You can no longer approach The Saint¡¯s essence, yet you are exquisitely sensitive to it?¡±


    A-Dog hugged its head and sighed, ¡°¡­That¡¯s about right.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re pretty miserable.¡±


    Dog¡¯s voice sounded like he was on the verge of crying, ¡°Normally, no one would just show up and start squishing a piece of Holy Master¡¯s Flesh in front of me¡­ This is supposed to be a safe and stable reality dimension!¡±


    ¡°My bad,¡± Duncan sincerely apologized, ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t, please don¡¯t apologize to me!¡± Dog immediately felt alarmed and scurried under the table in a rush, ¡°Just a casual apology from you might get me tangled up with Subspace again¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright, then,¡± Duncan paused, his face breaking into an odd smile before shaking his head and turning to leave, ¡°I won¡¯t disturb you further, continue with your reading.¡±


    Sherry hastily got up to see him out, but Duncan suddenly stopped and turned back to look at her.


    ¡°You should learn from Dog, who can even read elementary school storybooks now. You spell your own name five times and still get it wrong three times, don¡¯t you find that embarrassing?¡±


    Sherry protested with full confidence, ¡°Dog is a demon in pursuit of knowledge; it¡¯s normal for it to learn quickly! How can I compare with it?¡±


    ¡°First of all, ¡®in pursuit of knowledge¡¯ is not to be used like that, and secondly, even if Dog is a demon in pursuit of knowledge-don¡¯t just walk around it all day,¡± Duncan said with a hint of resignation, ¡°I might have to arrange a test for you all in a few days. I want to see how much you¡¯ve actually learned.¡±


    After dropping that bombshell, he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.


    After waiting a few seconds at the door, Sherry¡¯s wails and curses started up as expected.


    A pleased smile appeared on Duncan¡¯s face.


    He walked on, heading towards the Captain¡¯s room.


    ¡­


    The night grew deeper.


    In the mother harbor of the Mist Fleet, hidden by mist, floating ice, and strange currents, Tyrion walked slowly along a path at the edge of the harbor.


    The cold night breeze blew in from the direction of the sea, with the sound of waves crashing against the shore undulating continuously. The cold and dim light of Creation of the World soaked the entire island, and from the distant air, one could faintly hear the boisterous noise from the plaza in the harbor.


    The sailors were having a party, driving away the emptiness of lingering spirits with alcohol, tobacco, and rowdy instruments, using all-night noise to burn through their cold and endless energy¨Cbut for Tyrion, such gatherings were too noisy.


    They were not conducive to his calm contemplation.


    Another set of footsteps followed behind him.


    It was his loyal first mate Aiden¨Cnow smelling like a slab of bacon, with added hints of cinnamon and clove.


    This scent made Tyrion marvel at how many varieties the Plunders had in the tobacco industry.


    ¡°You can go and join the party in the plaza,¡± Tyrion suddenly said, ¡°No need to accompany me on a walk in this deserted place.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the late-night part,¡± Aiden spoke, ¡°They¡¯ve brought over a dozen Badica dancers from Cold Harbor¨Cthey¡¯ve got some real energy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Captain?¡±


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    ¡°On such a cold night, going to dance on a pirate island occupied by the living dead, and it¡¯s not until the second half of the night¨Cbe honest, what the hell kind of price did you offer?¡±


    ¡°Not that much, really,¡± Aiden chuckled, patting his shiny head, ¡°The Sea Raven saved ¡®Curved Blade¡¯ Martin¡¯s ship when it went out on business last week, you know, Martin owns a quarter of the theaters and dance troupes in Cold Harbor¡­¡±


    Tyrion: ¡°¡­¡±


    The Fleet Commander of the Mist Fleet fell silent in the night wind for a few seconds, pinching the bridge of his nose. After a few moments, he regained his composure.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about Dagger Island instead.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Captain.¡±

 Chapter 306 - Chapter 306 Chapter 310 Pirate Island Under the Night Sky

    Chapter 306: Chapter 310: Pirate Island Under the Night Sky Chapter 306: Chapter 310: Pirate Island Under the Night Sky Since the eighth ¡°No. 3 Submersible¡± had been salvaged near Frost and delivered to Dagger Island adjacent to the City-State, the island had been designated by the City-State authorities as a military forbidden zone. Consequently, two nearby shipping routes were no longer open to the public.


    This, of course, sparked much speculation. It wasn¡¯t just the locals of Frost who were curious; the shipowners who were forced away from Dagger Island and nearby pirates and adventurers were also speculating. They wondered what had happened on that island, what secrets the authorities of Frost were hiding. And there were plenty of well-constructed guesses, ranging from ¡°developing new weapons¡± to ¡°conducting dangerous rituals¡±¨Cyet none were reliable.


    There were hardly any people left in the world who still knew about the ¡°Abyssal Project.¡±


    ¡°Our people are finding it more and more difficult to gather intelligence on Dagger Island,¡± Aiden said to Tyrion with a serious expression as they walked along a path on the edge of the harbor. ¡°The security level of the island has been adjusted recently; they even monitor every inch of the coastline. Approaching by submersible is no longer feasible, and our bribed spies and insiders have also been moved away from key positions¨Cfortunately, they have not been exposed. Right now, the supplies and personnel movements on Dagger Island are completed entirely within a special list controlled by the authorities, and we can¡¯t intervene.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s become a complete military forbidden zone,¡± Tyrion stopped walking, ¡°¡­could it be that they have found something on that ¡®No. 3 Submersible¡¯? Or have they already opened the hatch?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± Aiden shook his head. ¡°But the last time we managed to get information about the island, we saw an order from the authorities of Frost that specifically mentioned the hatch of the submersible should not be opened. Any samples scraped from the hull had to be incinerated after research¨Cthis order, at least, shows that the Governor of the City-State is very cautious. But this was days ago, and no one knows if there have been any changes since then.¡±


    ¡°¡­If they can¡¯t come to a conclusion from their investigations for an extended period, and if some dangerous or bizarre experiment accidents occur, the most sensible thing for the Frost authorities to do would be to throw the submersible into the furnace and stop all research, just like what we did back in the day,¡± Tyrion frowned. ¡°But they still have Dagger Island under lockdown¡­ This suggests they must be hoping to extract some secret from that submersible.¡±


    ¡°¡­In theory, the upper echelons of Frost should be aware of the Abyssal Project of the past¨Cat least aware of the dangers and horrors of the deep sea.¡±


    ¡°Knowing is one thing, understanding is another¨Cdescendants can hear the stories of their forebears from books and oral accounts, but unless they experience it firsthand, they can hardly imagine that kind of fear and helplessness,¡± Tyrion shook his head. ¡°Facing the out-of-control Transcendent, humanity¡¯s greatest strength is the ability to ¡®forget,¡¯ but it¡¯s also its greatest weakness.¡±


    Aiden looked at his captain and after a silence of a dozen seconds, he finally spoke: ¡°Captain, should we take some more¡­ proactive actions?¡±


    ¡°More proactive actions?¡±


    ¡°Contact the Frost authorities, warn them, or something more straightforward¡­ like a fleet raid on Dagger Island to snatch the ¡®No. 3 Submersible,''¡± Aiden said bluntly. ¡°With the current defensive power of Dagger Island, they should not be able to withstand a full-on assault from the Mist Fleet.¡±


    He paused, then added: ¡°Otherwise, leaving those clueless fellows tinkering with a twisted Replication that drifted up from the deep sea¨Cit¡¯s too worrisome to think when they might cause a major disaster.¡±


    Tyrion fell into a brief reverie.


    Moments later, he shook his head: ¡°Even if we succeeded in raiding Dagger Island, can you be sure we would find the whereabouts of the No. 3 Submersible before the Frost main forces react? The island¡¯s not small¡­ If we take too long searching, we¡¯ll have to face the City-State Navy several times over. Sea Mist is strong but not invincible, and besides¡­¡±


    He stopped, a vision of the Frost Queen flashing through his mind.


    In the next second, Tyrion stopped his wandering thoughts¨Cfortunately, not envisioning another face that looked exactly like the Frost Queen¡¯s.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he shook his head, ¡°I still need to think properly about this.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll need to make a decision sooner rather than later,¡± Aiden nodded, and just then, a burst of bell sounds suddenly came from the direction of the harbor square. The first mate immediately looked up towards the source of the sound, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s late at night¡­ Captain, why don¡¯t you just head to the square too for some excitement? It might even help you with making decisions later.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± Tyrion shook his head instinctively, ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to show your face occasionally,¡± Aiden coaxed enthusiastically, ¡°The Bardic dancers aren¡¯t something you can see at any time¨Ctheir dancing is even more beautiful and agile than the Black-tailed Rock Sparrows flying through the Storm¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m not interested in,¡± Tyrion said helplessly, spreading his hands, ¡°And honestly, if I, as the captain, show up at the festivities, could the sailors really let loose?¡±


    ¡°Of course they can, why not,¡± Aiden said offhandedly, ¡°You know how thick-skinned those guys are¨Ctough, thick, and regenerative¡­¡±


    Tyrion: ¡°¡­¡±


    But in the end, Aiden still could not persuade the stubborn captain and went alone to the harbor square to join the festivities of the night.


    After midnight, the pirate island was still ablaze with noise and excitement.


    Undead with endless energy and not a need for sleep could celebrate around the clock, in an island transformed and shrouded by Transcendent power without any curfew¨Ctheir revelries could last all day from sunrise to sunset, and from sunset to sunrise again.


    A platform on the side of the square had been transformed into a stage.


    The makeshift wooden walls blocked the chilly wind from the coast, and the blazing fire pits around the stage fended off some of the winter night¡¯s cold¨Cundead no longer feared heat or cold, but the ¡°human guests¡± visiting Pirate Island tonight still needed careful protection.


    Young girls from Cold Harbor danced passionately between the bonfires and the cold wind.


    Their skirts fluttered, the dancers spun, bonfires exploded and leapt under the night sky, the sound of distant waves was incessant, dreadful undead made noise below the stage, but on the fog-enshrouded Pirate Island, there was a rare bustling night scene.


    Terence stopped at a rather inconspicuous corner next to the square, looking up near the stage.


    He wasn¡¯t there to join the party but was preparing to return to his residence, merely passing by the square.


    The weekly sailors¡¯ gathering was a ¡°custom¡± that had existed back in the Frost Navy, and even after leaving the Frost, this habit was retained in the Mist Fleet.


    Half a century had passed, much had changed, and yet much remained the same.


    Terence watched his old subordinates making a ruckus on the square and a smile gradually appeared on his face, but suddenly, his smile faded.


    He watched the dancers on the stage, their passionate, soaring moves graceful as startled swans, yet their expressions slightly dull and numb.


    They must have drunk a concoction mixed with various herbs and a little Transcendent catalyst beforehand¨Ca not uncommon thing.


    The potion¡¯s power could ward off the cold to some extent but also affected their cognition and thinking.


    It could prevent them from fear, leaving only the instinct of dance in their thoughts for the time being.


    Clearly, the masters of these dancers did not want their tools to jeopardize the peaceful relations between themselves and the Chill Sea pirate leaders because of fear.


    Terence clicked his tongue.


    This was actually quite common; the ¡°bigshots¡± bold enough to do business among pirates, even sending people to Pirate Island, all had some similar methods. After all, the church and authorities wouldn¡¯t meddle in their grey trades, so ordinary people naturally had to think of ¡°remedies¡± to fight against the shadows and terrors of the Endless Sea. The life of pirates and ¡°risk speculators¡± was never as romantic amidst horror as written in adventure stories.


    In a sense, administering the potion was also a form of protection for the dancers.


    Terence just felt a bit disheartened¨Che had thought that ¡°Curved Blade Martin¡± would have made some progress over so many years, but it turned out that the other party was still operating his ¡°Chill Sea entertainment industry¡± with the same old tricks from ten years ago.


    He shook his head, ready to turn and leave.


    But just as he was about to go, a faint crackling of flames suddenly reached his ears.


    This strange yet somewhat familiar sound caused Terence¡¯s heart to tighten instantly, and he almost lost his footing. Then, he stared hard in the direction the noise came from.


    Beside him, a frosted wall was flickering with ghostly green light, and as the shadows spread, the middle of the ice turned as dark as nightfall, from which a tall and imposing figure stepped out.


    ¡°Good evening, Terence,¡± the figure spoke, ¡°I hope I haven¡¯t disturbed your rest.¡±


    Terence stared at the figure emerging from the ice, struggling to maintain a normal expression as he returned the greeting, ¡°Good¡­ Good evening, Father. Why have you suddenly¡­¡±


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    ¡°I have some matters to discuss with you, and also to see how you¡¯ve been lately,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    As he spoke, he lifted his head, looking past Terence¡¯s shoulder to see the stage in the distance.


    And the young girls who were still dancing in the cold wind in their thin dresses.


    ¡°¡­6.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think!¡±

 Chapter 307 - Chapter 307 Chapter 311 Intelligence Exchange

    Chapter 307: Chapter 311 Intelligence Exchange Chapter 307: Chapter 311 Intelligence Exchange The aging father was concerned about his son¡¯s everyday life and wanted to see what his son was doing at home.


    At half-past midnight, his son was on an icy, snowy island base, propping up a platform where a dozen girls were belly dancing.


    The old father was hugely shocked.jpg.


    At that moment, Tyrion was completely baffled¨Cfrankly, his feeling of horror and the tsunami of thoughts in his mind even surpassed when he heard a few days ago that another ¡°Number Three Submersible¡± had appeared near Frost.


    This well-known pirate captain from the Chill Sea stiffened and moved aside, trying to block Duncan¡¯s view in this clumsy way, but he just saw another icy, crystal-covered wall light up, and his father walked directly onto another mirror surface, continuing to look towards the stage. ¡°Aren¡¯t they cold?¡±


    Tyrion responded subconsciously, ¡°¡­Cold, but they can endure with a special alchemical potion¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah Tyrion,¡± Duncan turned his gaze back and looked at Tyrion, who had completely stiffened like an ice sculpture, ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense, you¡¯re already an adult, what hobbies you have is your freedom, only¡­ this hobby is a bit beyond my expectations. Does your sister know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think!¡± Tyrion couldn¡¯t help but exclaim again¨Cthis time with even more helplessness and even despair in his voice, ¡°And please don¡¯t mention it to her, if you ever get an opportunity to contact her¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, so it seems she doesn¡¯t know,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s better that Lucricia doesn¡¯t know about this.¡±


    Tyrion: ¡°What do I have to say for you to¡­?¡±


    Duncan laughed.


    He could certainly see the expression on Tyrion¡¯s face and had heard his earlier shout; he simply found it amusing¨Cto see such a reaction from the most notorious pirate in the Chill Sea was not an easy feat, and it would have been too regrettable to miss this scene.


    The moment Tyrion saw Duncan smiling, he realized.


    He was first astounded.


    His father was jesting with him, a somewhat nasty, yet long-missed jest.


    Then, quickly collecting his astonishment, he let his expression turn stern¨Cas if his earlier lapse never happened.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve had enough fun, let¡¯s talk business,¡± the great pirate sighed, somewhat helplessly, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ve come in the dead of night just to joke around like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve encountered a ship,¡± Duncan also straightened his expression and directly said, ¡°The Obsidian, do you remember that name?¡±


    ¡°The Obsidian?¡± Tyrion frowned first, recalling the famous ships currently on various routes and finding nothing, but then his expression shifted slightly, ¡°You mean the Obsidian? I know of only one, but it should have sunk¡­¡±


    As Duncan had expected.


    No one would know the ship situation in the cold waters to the north better than a pirate who had ruled there for half a century; particularly a ship lost to a marine disaster would leave a deep impression on Tyrion.


    Because ships sunk by marine disasters are considered the greatest omen of doom in the Endless Sea; captains may disregard other vessels, but they definitely strive to learn about those that sank¨Cthe names of the ships, what cargo they had, what they did, and where they had been.


    ¡°Exactly, the sunken vessel, it sank six years ago,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°It has reappeared on the surface, having completely turned into a mysterious entity¨Cwith all-over upside-down and disordered cabin structures, life-bearing muddy substances, and¡­ a human-like yet inhuman ¡®captain.''¡±


    As Duncan finished, Tyrion¡¯s eyes had already begun to widen, and after a brief reflection, the great pirate¡¯s face was filled with surprise and seriousness.


    He didn¡¯t question because he knew his father wouldn¡¯t lie to him about such a matter, at such a time¨Che wouldn¡¯t do something so pointless.


    Yet, despite that, he still found it hard to believe, for the development had completely exceeded his expectations.


    ¡°Does it sound familiar?¡± Duncan¡¯s voice continued, as though carrying the chill of the Chill Sea, ¡°It¡¯s somewhat similar to the ¡®Number Three Submersible,¡¯ but more severe; it is a Replication returned from the deep sea, with not only the crew inside being twisted but the ship itself. You¡¯ve been involved in the Abyssal Project, so I want to hear your judgement.¡±


    ¡°My judgment¡­¡± Tyrion opened his mouth, but then realized something else, ¡°Wait, where did you encounter that ship?!¡±


    He suddenly realized¨CThe Obsidian sank near Frost, theoretically, the ¡®Replication¡¯ surfacing should also be near Frost; how could his father have encountered that ship?!


    A slight smile appeared on Duncan¡¯s face through the ice.


    ¡°Are you in a high enough place?¡±


    ¡°A high enough place?¡± Tyrion looked around, somewhat puzzled. ¡°The terrain here is quite adequate, the whole harbor area is on high ground¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there anything blocking your view to the southwest?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh, look in that direction and wait a moment.¡±


    Instinctively, Tyrion gazed southwest toward the gentle slope that slightly inclined toward the sea¨Cthe main residential facilities of the harbor were situated along this slope, ending at the coastline. Beyond the coastline and a few kilometers out lay the dense fog and turbulent currents that surrounded this secret mother harbor.


    Something flickered in the fog.


    It was a ghostly green light, rising and shimmering like a specter in the mist.


    Tyrion blinked.


    A moment later, he heard a distant, hazy, but unmistakably real roar.


    It was an ancient muzzle-loading cannon firing.


    ¡°You¡¯re in the Chill Sea¡­¡± Tyrion felt his muscles tense, a subtle yet pervasive chill seemed to gradually envelop him. He hesitated, turning his head to look at Duncan in the ice, ¡°You¡­ found this place?¡±


    ¡°Not easy to locate, your island is surrounded by dense fog and drifting ice, along with erratic currents, but fortunately, the Spirit Realm is calm with safe sea routes,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t bring the Homeloss directly next to your island, that would make your subordinates nervous¨CHomeloss will hide in the dense fog near you.¡±


    Tyrion thought for a moment, then suddenly found his father¡¯s last comment even more chilling¨CIt would be better to simply bring the Homeloss into the harbor!


    But he never dared say that out loud.


    For he feared that the next day he might indeed see the flagpole of the Homeloss sticking out above the harbor.


    ¡°Your expression is tense and gloomy,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly reached him, ¡°Have I brought you trouble?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, I didn¡¯t mean that!¡± Tyrion hastened to speak, adjusting his expression as he said, ¡°It¡¯s just that this came somewhat suddenly, and I¡¯m still not quite used to¡­ interacting with you.¡±


    At this, he paused, then quickly added before Duncan could speak again, ¡°Why have you suddenly come to the Chill Sea? Surely it¡¯s not just to give me a ¡®surprise,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°Some things have happened,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°A person who should have died years ago suddenly sent a letter from Frost, which caught my attention. After arriving here, I soon encountered the ¡®Obsidian,¡¯ further confirming my suspicions. Now I suspect that the shadows left by the Abyssal Project years ago are stirring beneath the Frost.¡±


    The Abyssal Project¡­


    Tyrion¡¯s cheeks twitched uncontrollably, memories surged in his heart¨Csome from half a century ago, others more recent.


    The sudden news from his father was like a blade slicing through a curtain that had been only slightly lifted, and Tyrion realized that the events unfolding were far more complex than he had imagined.


    It was not just a ¡°Submerger No. 3,¡± not just Dagger Island, beneath the Frost Deep Sea¡­ there was more than just the resurgence of the Abyssal Project.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid your suspicion may be correct,¡± he opened his mouth, his expression complicated, ¡°There really are issues under the Frost. The Obsidian you encountered is not an isolated case¡­ You know? Just recently, the authorities of Frost also dredged up something near the coasts.¡±


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    The voice from within the ice fell silent for a few seconds: ¡°Judging by your expression, I think I can guess what that is.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the third submersible, the eighth Replication, has now been sent to an uninhabited island called ¡®Dagger Island¡¯ near Frost. The authorities have marked it as a military zone, trying to unravel the secrets of the replication,¡± Tyrion said, shaking his head, ¡°And that¡¯s not the only news. Recently, there have been rumors of the dead coming back to life in Frost City-State. It¡¯s said that some of the dead have suddenly burst from their graves, and even individuals who had been dead or missing for years suddenly appeared in the streets of the city¨Cbut there are also contradictory reports claiming they are merely ordinary residents of the City-State, with the overly tense church guards arresting people randomly during curfew.¡±


    Tyrion shrugged.


    ¡°The information regarding Dagger Island is hard to investigate due to the blockade, but I have some sources in Frost City-State. According to these sources, strange events do indeed frequently occur there recently, and unfamiliar faces come and go within the city. But as for the dead coming back to life¡­ I think it¡¯s not very credible.¡±


    (Here¡¯s a book recommendation from the plethora of options, ¡°Starting Galactic Rescue After Retiring¡± by Qin Ling¨Che always thought he was just an ordinary person, wanting only a laid-back life until he became the head of a galactic rescue station. He has this feeling that his life will be full of excitement. But there remains a question to be addressed: why do the spaceships still need to be self-made?)

 Chapter 308 - Chapter 308 Chapter 312 An Invitation from an Old Father

    Chapter 308: Chapter 312: An Invitation from an Old Father Chapter 308: Chapter 312: An Invitation from an Old Father No one understood the boundary between life and death better than Tyrion and his undead sailors.


    The death god, Bartok, had a door that anchored the boundary between life and death; in short, as long as the soul of the living passed through that door, it would arrive in the world of the dead, and that door was one-way¨Cin other words, unless one passed through that door, whether it was the brief revival of a corpse or the sustained curse of the undead, it wasn¡¯t considered true ¡°resurrection.¡±


    ¡°Many people in the world confuse ¡®undead¡¯ with ¡®dead,¡¯ even thinking the former are taking advantage of a loophole in the door of the death god,¡± Tyrion turned around, looked at the noisy sailors in the square, and said calmly, ¡°But in fact, they are just souls rejected by that door due to corruption, thus stuck at the border between life and death. If we go by the strict definitions of the Death Church, ¡®undead¡¯ actually belongs to the world of the living.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak for a moment, instead recalling his own experiences in that graveyard.


    Awakening in the coffin, being called a ¡°Restless One¡± by the caretaker of the graveyard; a group of heretics coming to steal the body, apparently anticipating that there would be movements from the corpse; the shell suddenly disintegrating on its own, as if ¡°it had reached some sort of limit¡±¡­


    ¡°Frost may not have witnessed true dead coming back to life, but it¡¯s quite likely that people have reportedly seen the deceased within the city, and these events are very possibly related to a group of heretics,¡± Duncan said slowly after pondering for a while, ¡°It¡¯s just hard to say how much they¡¯ve infiltrated, and what exactly they intend to do.¡±


    ¡°Heretics?¡± Tyrion was surprised, he hadn¡¯t expected this matter to be connected to heretics in such a way, ¡°How can you be sure it¡¯s related to them?¡±


    ¡°They attempted to take a body from the City-State graveyard, coming prepared, even anticipating movements from the corpse¨Cthough the actual situation turned out to be a bit different than expected.¡±


    Tyrion listened in astonishment, then looked at his father with some suspicion: ¡°How¡­ do you know these details? And with such precision¡­¡±


    ¡°That corpse was me.¡±


    Tyrion: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡°Just a late-night stroll, happened upon a Body Snatcher,¡± Duncan explained without going into detail, ¡°That¡¯s not important. What is critical is whether these ¡®return of the dead¡¯ incidents have something to do with the ¡®deep sea¡¯ below Frost.¡±


    ¡°¡®Return of the dead¡¯ related to the ¡®deep sea¡¯?¡± Tyrion frowned, he had never put those two things together, and his father¡¯s sudden mention of it now puzzled him, ¡°Why do you say that? How are these two things connected¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple. The shell I had ¡®borrowed¡¯ exhibited a strange disintegration phenomenon at the end, and the state it showed during the disintegration was very similar to the ¡®Replicas¡¯ from the Subspace plan you described.¡±


    ¡°The state during disintegration?¡± Tyrion¡¯s voice was filled with surprise, followed by confusion, ¡°But¡­ the Replicas from the Subspace project come from below a thousand meters deep at sea, how could the dead from the City-State be related to that¡­¡±


    He paused, his expression turning complex and solemn. After a moment, he looked up: ¡°Are you saying that this ¡®Replication¡¯ power has spread within the City-State, and those heretics you mentioned are the promoters? But the heretics shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with the deep sea either¡­¡±


    Listening to Tyrion¡¯s muttering, Duncan suddenly remembered something else.


    In the deepest part of the Obsidian, within the mouth of ¡°Captain Christo,¡± that small piece of flesh containing the aura of The Saint!


    If that Ghost Ship really came from the deep sea below Frost, if that Captain Christo (regardless of whether he was a Replica or the original) had truly had contact with The Saint¡­ then the heretics within the City-State were related to the deep sea!


    Tyrion looked curiously at the figure within the ice: ¡°Father, what are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°How much do you know about The Saint? About the heretics?¡± Duncan suddenly asked, lifting his head, ¡°How much have you dealt with them?¡±


    ¡°Not much interaction¨Cthe heretics might not be as elusive as the Doomsday Preachers, but they do belong to a group that operates with discretion and mysterious movements. They are obsessed with researching demonic knowledge and ¡®purify¡¯ themselves through it, usually not mingling with outsiders.¡±


    Tyrion shook his head, then continued: ¡°As for The Saint¡­ I¡¯ve heard that His status is equivalent to a deity, yet without the authority of one. Described in a few sources, He is a massive flesh organism crawling in the deepest parts of the Abstruse Domain, guarding a great rift leading to Subspace with countless tentacles. There are also claims that He is actually stuck in that rift, that some powerful force has sealed Him there¡­


    ¡°These records are always obscure and bizarre because mortal beings of the mundane world hardly have any means to observe the situation in the Abstruse Domain. All studies on this subject are built on indirect observation of the Spirit Realm¡¯s projection and the soul interrogation of some heretics.¡±


    Upon saying this, Tyrion could not help but ask out of curiosity: ¡°Why do you suddenly bring up The Saint?¡±


    ¡°In the deepest part of the Obsidian, I found a small piece of flesh that might very well be from The Saint.¡±


    Tyrion: ¡°¡­?¡±


    His shock tonight had clearly surpassed that of seeing the twelve Bardic dancers on stage earlier alongside his elderly father.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t believe it, but it¡¯s true,¡± Duncan could see the disbelief on Tyrion¡¯s face, ¡°I have a Profound Demon here that can help verify it.¡±


    Tyrion¡¯s tone was still somewhat puzzled: ¡°Profound Demons? To help verify?¡±


    ¡°An Abyssal Hound¨Cyou¡¯ve seen it,¡± Duncan mentioned offhandedly, ¡°Though you only saw it for an instant.¡±


    Tyrion paused, as if remembering something, then subconsciously touched his forehead.


    Duncan nodded: ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one.¡±


    Tyrion didn¡¯t know what to say anymore.


    ¡°`


    Duncan then lifted his gaze, looking past Tyrion¡¯s shoulder towards the direction of the square.


    After several rounds of dancing, even the dancers who had taken the potion in advance should rest.


    ¡°The conversation should come to an end,¡± Duncan suddenly said, ¡°this matter seems more complicated than we both imagined, and it is difficult to reach any conclusions through such a conversation behind a layer of mirror.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I will send a messenger, who will take you to the Homeloss, where we can talk more conveniently about some matters and allow you to see for yourself what I have brought out from the depths of the Obsidian.¡±


    Go to the Homeloss?!


    Even though it was a calmly phrased invitation, Tyrion couldn¡¯t help but feel a sudden chill and tension.


    He struggled to control his facial expressions, but the instantaneous reaction in his eyes still caught Duncan¡¯s attention.


    ¡°If you do not wish to, I can come directly,¡± the voice from the frosty mirror spoke indifferently, ¡°but that would require you to make some preparations with your subordinates first.¡±


    Tyrion¡¯s expression tightened somewhat.


    To go to the Homeloss himself, or to let the Homeloss sail into the Mist Fleet¡¯s base?


    Either option seemed to challenge the achievements of one¡¯s life.


    However, after a brief deliberation, he made a decision with reason.


    ¡°Send the messenger please, it¡¯s even more convenient for me to go over.¡±


    Tyrion looked calmly at his father in the frosty mirror.


    Reason told him that if his father really had regained his humanity, then even the Homeloss returning from the subspace¡­ theoretically was not a forbidding dangerous place.


    What¡¯s there not to go to?


    If he were to go, he only needed to make some psychological preparations; but if the Homeloss were to sail directly into the home port, then not only he would need to prepare psychologically.


    It¡¯s just a matter of fighting a bit of nervous instinct.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Duncan nodded, seeming pleased with Tyrion¡¯s response. He then stepped slightly back, and his figure quickly dimmed and blurred in the frosty mirror, ¡°I will leave first, there is still much to do. I will notify you before the messenger departs.¡±


    Tyrion bowed slightly in front of the mirror, which was gradually returning to normal, and only straightened up as the last flicker of green flame disappeared.


    He then collected himself and turned to walk towards the square.


    In the square, the hubbub of the late night had not subsided; the undead sailors were either feasting and drinking, talking and laughing wantonly, and some of the cruder folk near the stage were attempting to whistle at the dancers on stage¨Conly producing comical noises due to leaks in their mouth or throat.


    On the stage, the dancers had finished their performance and stood in a line under the direction of the lead, appearing to await the next command to disperse; the chilly wind blew through the gaps between the bonfires and the windbreaks, and a few of the girls seemed to shiver, while a living expression started to emerge in their numb and sluggish eyes.


    The effects of the alchemical elixir were about to end, and normal emotions would return to their minds.


    A couple of the girls¡¯ faces gradually showed a bit of curiosity, but for most, what emerged in their eyes was fear.


    The square filled with oddly shaped undead¨Ceven with prior psychological preparation, it was not a scene that ordinary people could easily withstand.


    First mate Aiden ran out. He had been watching the movements on the stage the whole time and now headed straight to the highest point in the square, shouting loudly at the still noisy sailors with his hoarse voice: ¡°Disperse, disperse! No more dancing! The most frightening among you cover your faces, those missing arms and legs crawl under the tables; the girls are leaving¨Cclear the path beside the stage¡­ Willem! You crawl under the table! If I see that face of yours, it scares the daylight out of me!¡±


    The sailors on the square roared in response, covering their faces, hiding away, making a noisy, laughing mess; the dance troupe leader on the stage first looked bewildered at this scene, then realized what was happening and hurriedly, awkwardly bowed to Aiden, quickly leading the girls down from the stage.


    The girls with nervous and fearful expressions tried hard to hide behind others, hastening toward the temporary lodging arranged for them.


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    Two very bold girls deliberately paused, blinking curiously at the undead on the square.


    One girl looked up at Aiden as she passed by, said something with a giggly smile, making the first mate so embarrassed that he nearly fell off the high platform.


    The dancers from Cold Harbor left the scene.


    Finally, Aiden noticed Tyrion, who had arrived in the square.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 309 - Chapter 309 Chapter 313 Debts Cleared

    Chapter 309: Chapter 313 Debts Cleared Chapter 309: Chapter 313 Debts Cleared Aiden jumped down from the high platform and approached his captain. Noticing the unusually solemn expression on the captain¡¯s face, his own expression immediately turned serious as well.


    ¡°Captain, what happened?¡±


    ¡°An invitation I cannot refuse,¡± Theryan glanced around before heaving a sigh, ¡°I might have to leave for a while tomorrow or the day after.¡±


    Aiden¡¯s eyes widened in shock: ¡°Is there a message that arrived on the island? Just now? And¡­ On this Chill Sea, how could there be an invitation that even you cannot refuse?¡±


    Theryan sighed again: ¡°¡­It¡¯s my father.¡±


    Aiden blinked and struggled to speak: ¡°¡­How long might you be gone?¡±


    ¡°I should be able to return quickly, in a day or two,¡± Theryan did not pay attention to the subtle changes in his first mate¡¯s tone, as his mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts and he really had no extra energy to speak of other matters, ¡°A messenger will arrive at the port area to take me to Homeloss. Let¡¯s keep this matter private for now. While I¡¯m ¡®gone,¡¯ you take charge of everything.¡±


    Aiden immediately bowed his head in acknowledgment: ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Then, the first mate paused for two seconds, seemingly hesitant, before he couldn¡¯t help but look around and lean in close to whisper to Theryan: ¡°He¡­ Could he be nearby?¡±


    Theryan thought for a moment, then patted Aiden on the shoulder: ¡°Homeloss is hidden right here, within the fog that surrounds us.¡±


    Visibly, he saw Aiden¡¯s muscles tense up bit by bit.


    ¡°¡­Captain, after not breathing for so many years, I finally remember what ¡®cold¡¯ feels like today,¡± First Mate Aiden¡¯s voice became noticeably cautious, ¡°Are you sure the old captain¡­ just wants to see you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t want to know, but my intuition tells me this journey should be safe,¡± Theryan spoke softly and then turned back to glance in the direction of the square, looking at the sailors who still didn¡¯t want to disperse and were planning to party until sunrise, before turning back to his first mate, ¡°But the other sailors might not see it the same way, if you catch my drift.¡±


    Hearing the captain¡¯s solemn words, Aiden slowly nodded.


    He knew what his captain was worried about.


    The Mist Fleet was massive, and besides the few who were bought off or hired through contracts as outsiders, most of the fleet¡¯s members were ¡°Undead¡± like himself, who could technically be divided into two groups¨C


    One large part was former members of the Frost Navy, these soldiers who had once been loyal to the Frost Queen had originally been ordinary humans. It¡¯s after the Frost rebellion, those who steadfastly remained with the group, the loyalists, were gradually transformed into their current state.


    In the endless half-century of warfare, through unceasing clashes with the rebels, death combined with the Curse power of Sea Mist gradually transformed them into the ¡°Undead sailors¡± of today and became part of the Mist Fleet.


    The other small group of sailors were the real ¡°core backbone¡± under the command of ¡°Iron Lieutenant Commander¡± Theryan: they were once members of the Exiled Fleet.


    Duncan Ebnomal was their ¡°old captain,¡± they had witnessed the Transformation and fall of Homeloss, experienced a century of ups and downs. They had followed Theryan in loyalty to Frost and witnessed the world-turning chaos during Frost¡¯s turbulent changes¨Cthe sailors who had been loyal for a century were referred to as the ¡°first cohort,¡± while those who had been loyal for half a century were called the ¡°second cohort.¡±


    Aiden himself, along with the half-baked old priest with a dent in his head, ¡°Will,¡± were both members of the ¡°first cohort.¡±


    A century of experience allowed Aiden to perceive many things hidden beneath the surface.


    The significance of Homeloss and ¡°Captain Duncan¡± in the eyes of the two groups of sailors was different, and the same piece of news could elicit complicated and uncontrollable reactions from them.


    And now even Captain Theryan himself wasn¡¯t sure about the real condition of Homeloss and the ¡°old captain,¡± let alone assured of its long-term stability.


    Therefore, until the situation was clear and the scene assured to be under control, the news of the captain¡¯s visit to Homeloss must not be released¨Cotherwise, the island would definitely erupt into utter chaos.


    Right at that moment, Theryan¡¯s voice came again, interrupting Aiden¡¯s thoughts: ¡°¡­First thing tomorrow morning, send the dancers back to Cold Harbor.¡±


    ¡°Send them back tomorrow?¡± Aiden didn¡¯t know why the captain suddenly brought this up, ¡°Are you not satisfied with them?¡±


    ¡°Homeloss is nearby, it¡¯s best not to let ordinary people near this island for now,¡± Theryan shook his head, casually coming up with an excuse, since ¡°Dad¡¯s shocking appearance¡± was a shameful and unlikely reason to voice, he paused for a moment, then added, ¡°But your last statement did remind me, sending them straight back that way, that gruff ¡®Curved Blade Martin¡¯ might treat those girls harshly¡­ I¡¯ll write a letter, you hand it to the lead dancer.¡±


    Aiden immediately bowed his head: ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Hm,¡± Theryan nodded, as if he had remembered something else, ¡°By the way, I saw a dancer stop to talk to you just now, you looked pretty bewildered¡­ What did she say to you?¡±


    Aiden felt somewhat embarrassed in response: ¡°She said my head shape was very sexy¡­¡±


    Theryan silently looked at his first mate¡¯s shiny bald head.


    ¡°¡­The dancers from Cold Harbor are indeed passionate and unrestrained¨Cpassionate in spirit, and unrestrained in taste.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡­


    Darkness, solitude, cold, silence.


    An endless barren wilderness stretched out in the darkness¨Clifeless, without flora or fauna¨Csave for the jagged rocks and the strange ruins decayed beyond measure, eternally silent in the desolate atmosphere, sometimes illuminated by the eerie lights that flickered across the sky, casting speckled, distorted shadows on the ground.


    A hollow shadow was trekking across the wilderness.


    He didn¡¯t know how long he had been traveling, nor the name with which he had begun his journey. He only remembered that it felt as if he had set out an eternity ago, and that a lingering, superficial impression told him he should have already reached the end, should have long found rest in some peaceful place.


    What had delayed his journey, condemning him to wander endlessly through this desolation?


    The vague and hollow shadow pondered, but soon these intermittent thoughts were swallowed by a greater emptiness, compelling him to continue forward on instinct.


    Then suddenly, he stumbled.


    Had he tripped over something? Or had he collided with some unseen force?


    The hollow shade looked down at himself and saw that blurry colors seemed to surface on the mist that was his body.


    He lifted his head and continued forward.


    More colors appeared on him, more solid details emerged on the surface of his once mist-like, fluctuating form.


    Clothing materialized on the figure, the attire of a sailor.


    Gradually, he acquired a face: that of a middle-aged man with dark hair.


    His steps became stable and light, and the jagged stones underfoot smoothed over without notice.


    More and more memories began to surface from the depths of his soul.


    First a name, then his final moments, followed by the sunny days of his youth, blurred recollections of childhood, and the fragmented, warm glimpses from his infancy.


    He trekked towards the end of the wilderness, and in the darkness, shadows large and small emerged and silently merged with him.


    These were pieces of himself that had once been torn away, now returning to their rightful places.


    Suddenly, the figure stopped at the end of the path.


    Cristo Babeli lifted his head in bewilderment and saw he had unknowingly stepped onto a road lined with silent, ancient columns, and at its end stood an immensely tall, majestic gate adorned with ornate, ancient patterns.


    The gate stood ajar, its interior remaining indistinct and blurred, the details beyond the portal impenetrable.


    A strong impulse surged from deep within his soul¨Cto pass through that gate, to find rest on the other side.


    The middle-aged man in the captain¡¯s uniform unconsciously advanced, alone in all directions, yet he felt, in the same moment, countless other souls walking this path, all heading towards the gate¨Cin every second of this mortal world, the dead embark on their journey, but at this lonesome threshold of life and death, the souls seem invisible to one another.


    Yet just as he was about to touch the gate, Cristo stopped.


    A towering figure suddenly appeared before it, blocking his way.


    A guardian, shrouded in bandages, clad in a dark, intricate robe, hooded, holding a long staff.


    The gatekeeper of this place.


    Cristo watched the nearly three-meter-tall ¡°giant¡± with a mixture of awe and fear, the memories of his living days flooding back, enabling him to regain the ability to speak, ¡°Are you¡­ the master of death?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the gatekeeper spoke, a hoarse and deep voice emanating from beneath the bandages, ¡°I am but His messenger.¡±


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    Cristo¡¯s voice carried a tinge of sadness, ¡°I don¡¯t have the right to cross this door, do I?¡±


    He remembered even more.


    Including the details of his own death.


    But the imposing gatekeeper merely looked down silently at the soul at the door for a moment before stepping aside slightly, ¡°Please, enter. Your debt is cleared.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 310 - Chapter 310 Chapter 314 On Dagger Island

    Chapter 310: Chapter 314: On Dagger Island Chapter 310: Chapter 314: On Dagger Island East of Frost City-State, one could see a towering, rocky island from the cliffs at the edge of their vision¨Cit was long and bent, resembling a slender curved knife or a strangely shaped dagger, its entirety covered with jagged rocks and barren sand. Consequently, the Frostfolk directly named this island based on its shape and called it ¡°Dagger Island.¡±


    Even in the vast Endless Sea, land was the most valuable resource, and no matter how desolate or narrow an isolated island might be, people would always find a way to make use of it. Dagger Island was no exception.


    The island had fresh water sources but lacked arable land and enough flat, vast ground. It couldn¡¯t serve as a stable residential area or food production zone, nor did it have usable plants and animals. However, once the island contained a small amount of boiling gold deposits, the Frostfolk established a mining field and a refinery there. After those traces of boiling gold were exhausted, it served as a transfer port for some time. Following the Frost rebellion, with adjustments to the surrounding sea routes, the island¡¯s port was transformed into special storage facilities for dangerous things that must be kept away from the civilized world.


    As time passed and the world¡¯s fortunes rose and fell, the desolate island with its strange rocks changed hands between one administration after another. Now under the control of the Frost military, it had become a secret ¡°temporary research base¡± used for studying the curious artifact retrieved from the deep sea.


    The sealing devices designed for the containment of dangerous items and the island¡¯s strict security measures provided robust assurance for this kind of research.


    A mechanical fast ship arrived from Frost at noon, nearing the military dock on the indented side of Dagger Island. The high-flying flag on the mechanical fast ship indicated its affiliation with the Frost Navy.


    After a series of complex and strict verification, inspection, and registration procedures, the fast ship named ¡°Sea Swallow¡± was granted docking permission. Accompanied by the steam core¡¯s gradually decreasing roar, it moored beside the wharf and lowered its gangplank.


    A few soldiers wearing blue and black Navy uniforms descended from the gangplank first, followed by a tall and burly officer with gray, short-cropped hair.


    Several military personnel stationed on the island were already waiting ashore.


    The burly officer with the gray, short-cropped hair surveyed the situation near the wharf and proceeded to disembark, whereupon the awaiting personnel immediately came forward and saluted. One of them said, ¡°General, you¡¯re twenty-five minutes later than scheduled. We¡¯ll need to document this and ask for an explanation¨Cyou must go to the registration office personally.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the burly officer, referred to as the General, nodded. He didn¡¯t see it as an offense that an ordinary officer was speaking to him, a General¨Cthis was a special research facility, and all stringent approval regulations were normal and reasonable safety requirements, ¡°Let¡¯s go right now¡­ How are things with the Professor?¡±


    ¡°Professor Melson is in the ¡®Chamber.¡¯ He discovered something while analyzing the new batch of samples. It seems that the material scraped from the surface of the artifact exhibits marvelous properties under special experimental conditions,¡± said the reception personnel, ¡°but we¡¯ll discuss the details after we enter the ¡®Chamber.''¡±


    ¡°Alright, lead me to the registration office.¡±


    ¡­


    Not far from Dagger Island¡¯s military port, inside a bay, intense and busy research continued inside a sturdy building constructed from reinforced concrete and massive rocks.


    This inconspicuous gray building was the so-called ¡°Chamber,¡± and also one of the island¡¯s most securely protected and structurally robust laboratories.


    The building¡¯s interior hall was brightly lit.


    It was a huge hexagonal room, with each wall made of the sturdiest concrete. At the top of the walls were carvings of symbols with mystical and religious significance. Huge banners of scripture hung from the ceiling, draped across the gaps in the gas lamps¡¯ light, with steam pipes crisscrossing the hall¡¯s ceiling. Some valves hissed gently, and incense burners quietly burned in the corners, with holy smoke slowly merging into the air.


    Researchers in short robes bustled about the hall. A metallic device approximately five or six meters in diameter, shaped like a bulging bell, was suspended in the center of the room by thick chains. Its surface was mottled and ancient, as if it had spent long years soaked in the sea, while the complex valves and connections on top were clear indications of its purpose.


    This was a ¡°diving bell.¡±


    Directly below the suspended diving bell, in the center of the hall floor, was a large circular grate embedded into the ground. The grate¡¯s diameter exceeded the length of the diving bell, and through the grate, one could vaguely discern a striking red glow from deep underground.


    A tall and thin, meticulously groomed, silver-haired elder scholar stood before the suspended diving bell, supervising his assistants as they carefully scraped samples from its exterior.


    A clergyman dressed in priestly robes paced behind the assistants, carrying a brass incense burner. Faint incense smoke and murmured blessings rose from the burner, swirling gently through the air.


    ¡°Professor, General Belazov has arrived at the port,¡± an assistant approached and said behind the tall, slender elder scholar, ¡°He¡¯ll come here directly after completing the necessary registration procedures.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Belazov, I heard he was to come personally; it seems the city hall has finally gotten a bit anxious,¡± Professor Melson with the meticulously groomed silver hair said, his tone hinting at resignation, ¡°Let him come¡­ What about the samples delivered to the lab this morning?¡±


    ¡°After the final round of testing, we can now confirm that although the substance appears to be rust, it is not any material that we know of. Moreover, as time progresses, its properties are constantly changing,¡± the assistant replied, ¡°It feels¡­ as though the substance is still in some kind of evolutionary process, thus never stabilizing enough to exhibit its inherent properties.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Professor Melson nodded gently, but his gaze still lingered on the suspended diving bell.


    The diving bell was severely rusted, yet the round hatch structure on its side was still clearly visible. That hatch was now tightly closed; it hadn¡¯t been opened since it was brought into this ¡°secret chamber.¡±


    On the other side of the diving bell, one could see a circular window with a very, very thick pane of special glass set into it. For some reason, the inside of the round window was covered in filth; the black muck almost completely obscured the glass, making it impossible to see what was inside the bell.


    One could barely make out a messy cavity within, and something that resembled a liquid.


    What was inside the diving bell?


    Professor Melson himself had felt this curiosity more than once. Yet no matter how curious, he didn¡¯t have the slightest intention of opening that hatch.


    The Abyssal Project had started the year he turned sixteen.


    He understood what could pique his curiosity, and what had to be approached with caution.


    As he pondered, his assistant¡¯s voice came from behind him again, ¡°Professor, do you think they will order us to open that hatch from above?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I have no desire at all to receive such an order,¡± Professor Melson shook his head, turning to face his assistant. ¡°Courage and a spirit of exploration have allowed humanity to survive on the Endless Sea, but when these two traits are taken to extremes, they become recklessness and death.¡±


    The assistant blinked, and then blinked his third and fourth eyes.


    ¡°But our progress is too slow now¨Cif what you predicted happens, and another submersible surfaces, what then?¡±


    Melson pondered for a moment before shaking his head lightly, ¡°If that time comes, we¡¯ll have to do more than just open the hatch¨Cwe¡¯ll need to be ready to face the deep sea directly.¡±


    The assistant looked as if he half understood.


    This assistant was still too young¨Cbut then again, how many people today, half a century later, could still comprehend the terror of the Abyssal Project?


    Professor Melson lifted his head, observing the figures bustling around the diving bell.


    Some of them didn¡¯t seem quite the same as when they had first arrived on the island.


    And others, occasionally, seemed somewhat unfamiliar to the old professor.


    In this research facility, it seemed as if many unfamiliar faces had subtly appeared.


    But there was nothing strange about that; personnel changes in the research team were common, especially in complex special projects that required a variety of experts¨Ca perfectly reasonable occurrence.


    The priest holding the brass censor in his hand approached and nodded slightly in greeting before Professor Melson.


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    His censor, with eyes slightly open, sneaked a peek at the old scholar.


    The strange scent of incense drifted through the air.


    ¡°The blessing for today is complete,¡± the priest spoke softly, ¡°I will return at this time tomorrow to pray for the machines.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your efforts, *%Y=&%@* Priest.¡± The old professor smiled and nodded, naturally addressing the other, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the sure mess of trouble this afternoon, I¡¯d invite you for a drink.¡±


    ¡°Best to receive the general first,¡± the priest smiled, ¡°That¡¯s a big shot representing the Frost City-State here to ¡®supervise¡¯ our work.¡±

 Chapter 311 - Chapter 311 Chapter 315 Greatly Shocked

    Chapter 311: Chapter 315 Greatly Shocked Chapter 311: Chapter 315 Greatly Shocked General Belazov had arrived at the secret chamber.


    The moment he stepped into the massive building constructed from sturdy reinforced concrete and huge stone foundations, the burly, gray-haired military man felt an imposing, solemn, and inherently eerie atmosphere. The atmosphere stemmed from the runic reliefs visible everywhere within the building and the tightly shut doors lining the hallways.


    The ubiquitous runes were part of the building¡¯s security measures, designed to counter outside transcendent intrusions and prevent unwelcome visitors from accessing the interior. Behind those closed doors were deep corridors that might lead to chambers sealing unusual objects, dangerous sample warehouses, temporarily deranged researchers, or forbidden ancient scrolls that could not be destroyed.


    Walking inside the building felt like navigating the fissure between the real world and the insanity of The Abyss, standing on an invisible frontline gazing into another perilous world. Even ordinary people without any transcendent powers or spiritual talents might feel their nerves taut and their hair standing on end.


    ¡°¡­Are the security measures here really sufficient to ensure ¡®that thing¡¯ won¡¯t cause any problems?¡±


    General Belazov asked this as he followed a military scholar who led the way, while they passed through a pitch-black alloy door.


    ¡°The ¡®Secret Chamber¡¯ facility is the most secure building on Dagger Island. Every room here is individually secured with a Transcendent Barrier. Beneath every item with a danger level above three, there is a direct passage to a furnace. Even setting aside the various Transcendent Barriers, the building¡¯s structural strength alone could withstand a full assault from a saint-level enemy,¡± boasted the guiding scholar. ¡°Unless an ancient deity spreads its power here, this place is absolutely safe.¡±


    Pausing, the scholar continued, ¡°Besides, when we speak of ¡®that thing,¡¯ though it exudes strangeness in every way, it is actually more¡­¡¯stable¡¯ and, dare I say, tame than we initially thought.¡±


    ¡°Stable? Tame?¡± General Belazov frowned, speaking reflexively.


    ¡°Yes, while it might be somewhat improper to say it,¡± the guiding scholar nodded, ¡°that object has been hanging in the middle of the Secret Chamber for many days. Typically, such a strange item would show at least some signs of ¡®life,¡¯ affecting the surrounding environment in various ways. But it has shown none of these behaviors. It hasn¡¯t released any material, hasn¡¯t dispersed any power, and hasn¡¯t exhibited any traits beyond the confines of physical reality¨Calthough samples scraped from it display some odd physical traits, they are confined to just that, unlike most dangerous items of similar level. It¡¯s as tame as a rock.¡±


    ¡°¡­That is indeed an interesting situation. I will report this to the City-State Governor,¡± General Belazov casually remarked.


    A researcher wearing a blue coat quickly walked past from the opposite direction, nodding respectfully to the General as he passed by and never stopping his hurried pace.


    The sound of a soft-bodied creature moving its limbs emanated from inside the blue coat.


    ¡°Everyone is quite busy around here,¡± General Belazov commented offhand.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s always like this in the Secret Chamber¨Cwe¡¯re not just analyzing that diving bell but also monitoring other things within the facility,¡± the scholar shrugged. ¡°Please don¡¯t mind everyone¡¯s rudeness.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t really care about these formalities,¡± the General said, frowning slightly. ¡°Is it my imagination, or has there always been a strange smell in here since we entered? It smells like some kind of¡­ aquatic creature.¡±


    ¡°This is Dagger Island Bay¨Cthe building¡¯s ventilation system is directly connected to the outside, so such smells are normal. Plus the disinfectant and the weird smells drifting up from the sedimentation tanks, it¡¯s normal to smell anything,¡± the scholar said, sighing. ¡°We¡¯ve always wanted to request funding to repair the ventilation ducts here, but the higher-ups always respond with ¡®if it works, it¡¯s fine.''¡±


    The General said nothing and just looked towards the end of the corridor.


    Professor Melson was already standing at the door.


    ¡­


    Tyrion checked his coat and hair one last time before stepping away from the dressing mirror to approach the nearby storage rack, contemplating the few items displayed there.


    He hesitated for a long time about what to bring.


    Should he bring his sword? His gun? His amulet?


    Weapons didn¡¯t seem very useful; he could not rely on a sword or gun to protect himself aboard the Homeloss, especially since he was invited to ¡°visit¡± the Homeloss. Carrying weapons might seem insincere and could even anger his father.


    The amulet wasn¡¯t practically effective, yet carrying it might offer some psychological comfort. However, Tyrion didn¡¯t know what his father¡¯s current attitude towards ¡°the gods¡± was. Would he detest it or disdain it?


    For the first time, the biggest pirate leader of the Chill Sea agonized over the simple act of ¡°going out¡± for so long.


    He was headed to the Homeloss¨Che was returning to the Homeloss.


    That was where he had spent his childhood, where most of his warm memories lay, and also where the memories he was reluctant to recall and face resided. After a century apart, he suddenly found himself unable to imagine what he would look like stepping onto that ship again.


    Just then, Aiden¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside the door, interrupting Tyrion¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Captain, are you ready?¡±


    Tirian furrowed his brow and called out to the outside, ¡°It will be ready soon, don¡¯t rush me.¡±


    ¡°My point is, you better hurry up,¡± Aiden¡¯s voice arose again, this time with evident tension, ¡°for the sake of Her Majesty¡­ the Messenger has arrived!¡±


    The Messenger had arrived.


    Tirian paused for a moment, then realized the oddity in Aiden¡¯s tone, and hurried to the door, throwing it open.


    Aiden¡¯s voice was still ringing out, ¡°Captain, if you don¡¯t open the door, I¡¯m going to¡­ oh, thank God, you¡¯ve finally opened the door!¡±


    Tirian stared wide-eyed at the scene before him.


    His loyal first mate stood there, tensed up, with a terrifying skeletal bird engulfed in green flames perched right above Aiden¡¯s bald head. The bird¡¯s body sparked flames and sprinklings of spiritual fire continuously fell from it, occasionally landing on Aiden.


    In the chest of the skeletal bird, a copper Compass ¨C an item belonging to his father ¨C was eerily floating mid-air.


    Anomaly 022, Spirit Realm Compass.


    ¡°Captain, can you stop staring and get this bird off my head first¡­¡± Aiden¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°the fire keeps falling on me¡­¡±


    The skull bird cocked its head, seemingly observing Tirian carefully, then suddenly let out a strange female voice, ¡°Go to Chenghua Avenue, cross the Two Immortals Bridge¡­ get on! There¡¯s a seat, a big seat! Everyone move back a bit¡­ peanuts drinks mineral water!¡±


    Tirian was startled by this string of words, his first thought being ¡ª


    Why is my father¡¯s messenger doing this?


    Then he began to wonder what the strange words that the bird blurted out actually meant; after pondering it for long, he couldn¡¯t make sense of it.


    However, he noticed that Aiden was about to faint.


    ¡°Let¡¯s set off,¡± Tirian shook his head, pushing the messy thoughts aside, no longer pondering how to face his father after reaching the Homeloss, embracing an attitude of improvising. He looked towards the bizarre skull bird, ¡°How do we¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, the giant bird suddenly soared into the air, stepping on Aiden¡¯s head, then dove down, filling Tirian¡¯s view with eerie green fire. Tirian only heard a weird scream by his ear, ¡°Your daddy¡¯s coming!¡±


    The next second, he felt disoriented, as if all his senses were being scrambled and rearranged. Then, suddenly, he felt he was thrown into the sky,high and far, traveling through darkness and cold. Time seemed to elongate, maybe just for a moment, and then the bizarre dizziness and sense of separation disappeared without a trace.


    The sensation of solid ground returned, darkness and weightlessness cleared, sunlight pierced through the mist, shining on him anew, and with the return of his familiar senses, the scene before Tirian gradually became clear.


    It appeared there was a very tall figure standing before him.


    But it wasn¡¯t his father ¡ª compared to his father, this figure was too slender; it more closely resembled a woman.


    Somewhat familiar.


    Tirian blinked hard, finally bringing his vision into focus to see the face before him.


    Long white hair cascaded over her shoulders, her left eye marked with a scar, a tall and majestic beautiful woman.


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    Fenna looked at the pirate captain with a strange expression, then awkwardly turned to glance at a few figures nearby who were waiting to see the commotion.


    Finally, she sighed and said to Tirian, ¡°Captain Tirian, I know you have many questions¡­¡±


    Before Fenna could finish, Tirian hastily took a step back, gazing in awe at the Judge before him.


    ¡°He brought down Prand?¡±


    The greatest pirate of the Chill Sea was profoundly shocked.

 Chapter 312 - Chapter 312 Chapter 316 Going Home

    Chapter 312: Chapter 316 ¡°Going Home Chapter 312: Chapter 316 ¡°Going Home The atmosphere on the deck suddenly turned a bit awkward, a palpable silence falling between Fenna and Tyrion, with the latter still showing an expression of shock, while the former had already covered her forehead with a hand.


    The silence was eventually broken by a voice not far away. A few meters off, Sherry elbowed Nina, ¡°See, I told you the first sentence would definitely be that¨Cyou owe me two scoops of ice cream.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, you guessed it,¡± Nina muttered, ¡°Two it is¡­ I¡¯ll replenish it at Frost.¡±


    Sherry immediately widened her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not a fool! Eating ice cream in a place that¡¯s tens of degrees below zero? We¡¯ll talk again back at Prand!¡±


    Tyrion blinked, only then noticing the other people on the deck, and the subtly different atmosphere from what he had imagined. He first saw the girl named Sherry, whom he had met once before, then noticed the Abyssal Hound lazily basking in the sun by her feet, and beside them, another girl who looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, along with an elderly gentleman with white hair and a refined demeanor.


    Everyone had a smile on their face.


    Behind these people was the deck of Homeloss, its bulwarks, masts, and sails.


    The yellowed, fragmented images from his childhood, memories of playing mischievously with siblings, all the pleasant and unpleasant impressions, seemed like they were gradually emerging from some dim, lost cavern, and gaining back their color in the thin sunlight filtering through the fog.


    There were a few new faces here, but this was still the same ship from his memories¨Cnot the eerie, decaying Ghost Ship he had imagined at first.


    At least, the deck still looked so familiar.


    Tyrion knew he was zoning out, and knew he should say something, but couldn¡¯t stop his thoughts from spreading continuously. He was aware of his tendency to daydream since childhood, and whenever he daydreamed on the deck, his father would always suddenly appear from somewhere and scold behind him¨C


    ¡°Tyrion, what are you daydreaming about?¡±


    The pirate captain visibly shuddered, the momentary disarray between memory and reality even causing his thoughts to freeze for a few seconds, then turned hesitantly to see a tall and imposing figure standing behind him.


    Not a shadow floating in the mirror, not a blurred silhouette seen across the distant sea and artillery fire, but standing face-to-face¡­


    ¡°Sorry, Father,¡± Tyrion instinctively spoke, ¡°I was a bit distracted.¡±


    Duncan frowned.


    Perhaps it was an illusion, but he felt that Tyrion¡¯s demeanor at that moment was very subtle, quite different from the impression left during their previous encounters, yet vaguely familiar. However, Duncan quickly reassured himself.


    After all, this was the first face-to-face conversation after being apart for a century, and the first return to this ship¨Cit was normal for the other to react this way.


    Meanwhile, Fenna, silent due to awkwardness for quite a while, finally spoke up, ¡°Captain Tyrion, about my presence here, I need to clarify my identity¨Cfirst off, things are not as you think, I¡¯m here on Homeloss because of an assignment from the church¡­¡±


    ¡°Assigned by the church?¡± Tyrion was even more baffled than before, then swiftly turned his head towards his father, ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring the church down¨Cfocus your thoughts, Tyrion,¡± Duncan interrupted before the other could speak, ¡°Do I need to emphasize again? I¡¯m no longer an enemy of the civilized world, you should meet me more openly, not as if on guard against a calamity that could wreak havoc at any moment.¡±


    Tyrion, ¡°I¡­ apologize.¡±


    ¡°I accept your apology¨Clet¡¯s walk and talk,¡± Duncan waved his hand, stepping towards the stern of the deck, ¡°About Miss Fenna¡¯s presence here, the matter with the Obsidian, and the Dagger Island¨Cthere¡¯s much we need to talk about.¡±


    He then turned back and waved to a few bystanders who were curiously watching nearby, ¡°Uninvolved parties should attend to their own business, don¡¯t crowd around here.¡±


    Tyrion followed Duncan somewhat befuddled, heading towards the direction of the captain¡¯s quarters in his memory, with Fenna walking silently on the other side.


    The images from his memories and the scene before his eyes split and merged, sometimes overlapping, sometimes creating a stark dissonance.


    Returning to Homeloss, everything from the outset seemed to deviate from predicted trajectories.


    Tyrion instinctively looked around, observing the ship¡¯s situation, searching for things that corroborated his memories, and also looking for a presence that should theoretically be here.


    Of course, Duncan noticed these small actions, ¡°Are you looking for Alice?¡±


    Tyrion froze for a moment, then remembered the puppet lady¡¯s name¨Che always thought she was still ¡°Lei Nora¡±, ¡°Ah, yes, is she on board?¡±


    ¡°She is, but she¡¯s probably busy in the kitchen at this time,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°Alice is in charge of the ship¡¯s meals, you can try her cooking today¨Cwe have fresh vegetables and newly caught fish, which are rare on ordinary ocean voying ships.¡±


    ¡°Rations¡­¡± Tyrion unconsciously repeated the term, almost blurting out ¡°Father actually eats human food too,¡± but the very next second, a string of exclamations and the sound of panicked footsteps suddenly came from not far away, interrupting his daydream.


    ¡°Help help help help help help help¨C¡±


    That was Alice¡¯s exclamation.


    Stunned, Tyrion looked towards the source of the sound and saw the gothic doll running hysterically across the deck not far away, brandishing a kitchen knife, with a wooden barrel full of carrots and greens bouncing along behind her.


    Duncan watched expressionlessly as Alice ran back and forth on the deck, watched as Nina and Sherry ran to help but failed, and finally, it turned into three people and a dog being chased chaotically on the deck by a barrel of vegetables. He then patted Tyrion on the shoulder.


    ¡°Sometimes, it gets quite lively here.¡±


    Tyrion turned back with a puzzled face, his mouth twitching slightly, ¡°¡­are the ingredients on board a bit too fresh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the barrel¨Cit has its own opinions about storing vegetables, and therefore, it often clashes with Alice ideologically.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need help?¡±


    ¡°No, Alice is broad-minded.¡±


    ¡°But it looked like she was asking for your help¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I am broad-minded.¡±


    Tyrion¡¯s expression seemed a bit stiff, even though he was the commander of an entire Undead Fleet, he seemed to struggle to keep up with the daily pace of the Homeloss.


    Duncan was not surprised by this, he just patted Tyrion on the shoulder: ¡°You need to learn to adapt¨Cif I had to help every time Alice cries for help, I¡¯d get nothing done all day. As it turns out, her own resilience and vitality are quite strong.¡±


    Tyrion wanted to say more, but they had already reached the captain¡¯s cabin.


    In all memories of childhood and adulthood, this was the most impressive place on the entire ship.


    During his childhood, his father¡¯s captain¡¯s cabin was a mysterious and slightly terrifying room. He and Lucricia could fool around in most places on the ship, but they were strictly forbidden from entering here. Even the most friendly sailor on board would mercilessly block the siblings from the door.


    After becoming an adult, his father¡¯s captain¡¯s cabin was a tense and serious place. Even after becoming captains of the Sea Mist and Brilliant Starship respectively, Tyrion and Lucricia would still instinctively tense up upon entering¨Chis father formulated all the grand exploration plans here, marked newly discovered islands and anomalies by the Exiled Fleet on sea maps, and managed the planning and dispatching of the entire fleet, while most of the time, he and his sister were just responsible for listening and executing orders.


    His father did not like suggestions; in his memory, he was a decisive and stubborn man.


    The door opened, and the dimly lit indoor environment compared to the deck came into Tyrion¡¯s view.


    The next second, his gaze fell on the edge of the navigation table, landing on a black and eerie goat¡¯s head.


    The black goat¡¯s head with a wooden texture creaked and turned towards him, a pair of hollow, deep obsidian eyeballs staring steadily at the visitor who had stepped into the place.


    ¡°Hello, nice to meet you, Mr. Tyrion.¡±


    Tyrion was startled, turning his head reflexively: ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°This is the current first mate of the Homeloss, trustworthy,¡± Duncan introduced, ¡°you can just call it Goat¡¯s Head.¡±


    ¡°First mate?¡± Tyrion blinked, then turned back to look at the eerie ¡®wood carving,¡¯ suppressing the strangeness welling up in his heart, he accepted his father¡¯s explanation, tentatively greeting the other, ¡°Hello, Goat¡¯s Head¡­ Mr.?¡±


    The Goat¡¯s Head shook its neck, seemingly preparing to say something, but the next second, Duncan smoothly interrupted in advance: ¡°Shut up, keep quiet while we¡¯re talking.¡±


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    Tyrion looked at Duncan, bewildered.


    ¡°When you talk with it, you must know how to interrupt in advance¨Cdon¡¯t let it talk recklessly, that¡¯s my advice.¡±


    Hearing his father¡¯s warning, Tyrion¡¯s expression quickly turned serious.


    To make the formidable ¡°Captain Duncan¡± treat it with such seriousness and caution, this Goat¡¯s Head indeed appeared as eerie and dangerous as its outward appearance.


    Naturally, Tyrion treated the Goat¡¯s Head as some sort of extremely dangerous ¡°anomaly,¡± and silencing it evidently was the required procedure to seal this unusual entity¡­

 Chapter 313 - Chapter 313 Chapter 317 Facing Terror

    Chapter 313: Chapter 317: Facing Terror Chapter 313: Chapter 317: Facing Terror The ship was imbued with the colors of memory everywhere¨Cbut the longer Tyrion stayed on board, the more he realized there were many things that had changed from what he remembered.


    For instance, the objects that seemed alive and would scurry across the ship.


    For instance, the Spiritual Body sails that had no substance, floating like gossamer on the masts.


    For instance, the unfamiliar first mate in the captain¡¯s quarters¨Cthe strange sculpture called ¡°Goat Head¡± by his father.


    He sat opposite the navigation desk, looking at the room¡¯s somewhat familiar items. He could still find many of them in his memories, yet they now bore many more mottled marks. His father sat opposite him, discussing events that transpired between the Deep Sea Church and Homeloss, with that Judge from Prand complimenting at his side from time to time.


    The turn of events was completely beyond his expectations.


    ¡°A secret agent,¡± the pirate repeated Fenna¡¯s words in a peculiar tone, with a subtly complex expression on his face, ¡°The Church¡¯s actions¡­ are bolder than I imagined.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I was quite surprised at the beginning,¡± Duncan said with a smile, ¡°The pope is an enigmatic person. I don¡¯t know how much of what she says is sincere and how much is for the benefit of the Church or at the behest of Storm Goddess Gomona. But regardless, the development of the situation is in line with my thoughts¨CI do need a bridge to communicate with the Four Gods Church, and a helper adept at dealing with Heretics.¡±


    ¡°Dealing with Heretics, huh¡­¡± Tyrion had a contemplative look, ¡°I remember you mentioned those eradicated heretics, as well as the clues found aboard Obsidian¡­¡±


    ¡°Bringing you here is for this very reason,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, casually pulled out a tobacco tin from his coat, opened the lid, and presented the contents to Tyrion, ¡°This is the clue I found in the depths of Obsidian¨CHoly Master¡¯s Flesh.¡±


    Tyrion held his breath, focused, even though he felt there should be no danger with his father present, yet the moment the box opened, he couldn¡¯t help but tense up. And then, he saw a ¡°chunk of flesh¡± no bigger than his thumb.


    A profound fear and aversion welled up almost instantly, feeling the instinctual reaction of hairs standing on end when one encounters a fierce animal unarmed. The flesh just lay lifelessly in the tin box, but he still felt as though he was being intently watched by some living entity, possessed of immense power and majestic will!


    Almost immediately, Tyrion averted his gaze and, upon regaining his composure, realized cold sweat was already flowing down his forehead.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Duncan noticed his state and frowned slightly, ¡°Your reaction seems more intense than Morris and Fenna¡¯s?¡±


    Tyrion, still shaken, replied subconsciously: ¡°They didn¡¯t react this much?¡±


    ¡°We felt aversion and danger, but not to such an intense degree¡­ of manifestation,¡± Fenna immediately said, ¡°What did you feel just now?¡±


    Tyrion openly shared his momentary feelings, then looked intently at the chunk of flesh with a furrowed brow, many thoughts flooding his mind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s an illusion, but I felt like it¡­ was watching me for a moment,¡± he said, ¡°as if it¡¯s still alive¡­ or something ¡®behind¡¯ it was casting its gaze.¡±


    Duncan and Fenna exchanged a glance.


    Bringing Tyrion here was indeed the right move¨Cwithout physical contact, some details in clues are difficult to bring to light.


    This suspected fragment of the Saint, Holy Master¡¯s Flesh, had a particular response to Tyrion¡¯s proximity and gaze!


    ¡°Could it be because you were involved in the Deep Diving Plan back then?¡± Duncan pondered a moment before voicing his guess¨Cthe Deep Diving Plan was the most significant unique aspect of this event that he could think of for Tyrion.


    Tyrion didn¡¯t speak for a while, reminisced and pondered for a few seconds before lifting his head: ¡°Can you confirm that the ship Obsidian really went to Frost Deep Sea?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, as there is no direct evidence, but my intuition tells me that it returned from there,¡± Duncan stated plainly, ¡°The characteristics displayed by the ship are too similar to the ¡®Replications¡¯ you described.¡±


    Tyrion didn¡¯t speak for a while, just staring at the small, blackened iron box on the table, seemingly hesitating and weighing his options. After what felt like a long time, he suddenly spoke: ¡°May I take another look?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Duncan looked into Tyrion¡¯s eyes, ¡°It might be dangerous¨Cif the Deep Diving Plan caused you to establish a connection with this thing, then every contact you have with it is reinforcing that connection.¡±


    Tirian fell silent for two seconds, then a slight smile suddenly appeared on his face, ¡°¡­ on your ship, things shouldn¡¯t deteriorate to the worst, should they?¡±


    ¡°¡­ If something does come out, I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Duncan nodded slightly and pushed the small iron box he had just taken back in front of Tirian, ¡°Be cautious, and sound the alarm immediately if there are any issues.¡±


    Tirian nodded, took a gentle breath, and once again cast his gaze upon the piece of flesh from the Holy Master from the abyss.


    In almost the blink of an eye, that sense of aversion and tension surfaced again, and the feeling of being watched from afar by a towering presence heavily struck his perception. The link created by the Transcendent¡¯s mighty power washed over his mind like a tsunami, and his own instincts for survival nearly caused Tirian to close his eyes on the spot.


    But this time, he forcibly fought against his instincts, not averting his gaze, nor did he actively interrupt or resist the will that emerged in his mind.


    And it was during this prolonged act of resistance that he finally confirmed the sensation he had vaguely perceived earlier¨C


    The will and power emanating from this ¡°Holy Master¡¯s Flesh¡±¡­ were actually without malice.


    All the fear, danger, and aversion he felt stemmed solely from the natural intimidation caused by the imposing power. That hidden gaze from the other side of the flesh¡­ was nothing more than a pale look.


    A thought struck Tirian¡¯s heart, and he lifted his head, ready to share his discovery with his father.


    However, the next second, he found himself surrounded by darkness and chaos¨Cfamiliar cabin and room figures had disappeared from his sight at some unknown time.


    He stood up in astonishment, instinctively reaching for a weapon, only to realize immediately that he was unarmed. He cautiously looked around, trying to discern something in the dark chaos, but it was as if a black veil covered his vision, making even his own hands, placed in front of his eyes, appear as nothing more than vague outlines.


    It was intense mental interference; his consciousness was being guided and disturbed by something.


    But still, he sensed no malice.


    Standing somewhat bewildered in the darkness, Tirian suddenly thought he heard a sound.


    There was rustling behind him¨Csomething massive was moving, and a slightly cold breath approached the back of his neck.


    Tirian¡¯s heart tightened in an instant, and he whipped his head around.


    A huge, bizarre limb with subtle blue lines amidst dark brown was extending toward him in the darkness.


    The limb, resembling a tentacle, boasted a staggering length of hundreds of meters. It rose in the darkness like a pliant pillar, its indeterminate bulge swaying less than a meter in front of Tirian¡¯s face. In the far distance, where the tentacle emerged, an even more enormous and indescribable structure was gradually surfacing from the darkness!


    It seemed like a mountain, a city, a chaotic entity that could drive a mortal mad in an instant¨Can entity that should not have been sculpted by the real world, nor could it be the creation of any deity in their right mind. It resembled some sea creature from the depths, a hybrid of a starfish and a squid, but in the next second, its smokey exterior rippled and gave rise to countless tentacles, limbs, eyes, and tongues in constant flux.


    In that brief moment, Tirian¡¯s eyes nearly bulged to their limits, as a torrent of thoughts thundered in his mind. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was frightened or even temporarily lost the ability to judge his own emotions. He just watched, wide-eyed, as the approaching tentacle swayed before him, as if trying to communicate with him, trying to convey some urgent message. But he was utterly unable to comprehend the roaring information mixed within the torrential noise.


    Eyes opened up on the surface of the tentacle¨Cmany, many eyes. Tirian locked gazes with them, and suddenly, it seemed he finally ¡°heard¡± a comprehensible message from those eyes and the mountainous ¡°main body¡± in the distance¨C


    ¡°¡­ Run.¡±


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    ¡°Boom!¡±


    A horrible roar exploded in his mind, as if a massive repulsive force was brutally tearing his spirit apart and throwing it back into the real world. Tirian nearly lost consciousness on the spot, but just as he thought his soul would be torn asunder in this boundless darkness and chaos, a wisp of ghostly green flame suddenly appeared in his vision.


    The flame roared toward him, enveloping him entirely.


    All the terrifying images dissipated in the flames.


    Before he could react, those dreadful ¡°hallucinations¡± and sounds had vanished like a dream¨Che was back in the captain¡¯s quarters of the Homeloss.

 Chapter 314 - Chapter 314 Chapter 318 Gradually Distorted

    Chapter 314: Chapter 318: Gradually Distorted Chapter 314: Chapter 318: Gradually Distorted In the minute that followed, Terrian was immersed in a state of temporary disorientation and sluggishness caused by the huge shock. He found it difficult to focus his gaze, and his mind was filled with tumultuous noise¨Chis psyche, like a lone boat in a storm, pitched and tossed¨Cyet even so, his reason remained lucid.


    He knew it was the Spectral Flames that had appeared in the darkness which preserved his sanity and prevented it from being tainted by the power of The Saint of the Profound.


    Moments later, he gradually regained his breath. Since he hadn¡¯t suffered severe psychic contamination, the hallucinations in his head quickly dissipated. At the same time, he heard a calm voice coming from across: ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve recovered.¡±


    Terrian lifted his head and looked at the tall figure across the navigation table, ¡°It was you who ¡®pulled¡¯ me out just now¡­¡±


    ¡°You were staring at it for too long, and Fenna said you were falling into a nightmare,¡± Duncan said composedly, ¡°fortunately, I have been doing some research on ¡®intervening in dreams¡¯ recently.¡±


    ¡°Nightmare,¡± Terrian subconsciously rubbed his brow, ¡°did I seem like I was falling into a nightmare just now¡­?¡±


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve had no ordinary experience?¡± Duncan¡¯s tone held a hint of curiosity¨Che indeed had urgently intervened in Terrian¡¯s psyche, but unlike what he usually saw when entering others¡¯ dreams using the power of the Spirit Realm, this time he ¡°saw¡± nothing after the intervention. Terrian¡¯s ¡°nightmare¡± was just darkness as if the ¡°source¡± of the nightmare had left before his intervention, which made him all the more curious about what had transpired.


    ¡°I¡­ encountered an existence that is difficult to describe with words,¡± Terrian struggled to recall the images he had seen, carefully describing them, ¡°I can¡¯t articulate its exact shape, nor dare I recall all its details, but I suspect that was The Saint of the Profound¡­¡±


    Terrian recounted what he had witnessed and heard in the darkness, supplementing it with the many sensations he had felt on a psychic level, leaving out nothing except the inability to fully recall the complete contours of the mountainous shadow.


    After listening to Terrian¡¯s account, Duncan immediately furrowed his brows: ¡°You mean to say, the only sentence that the suspected ¡®Saint of the Profound¡¯ said to you was to ¡®run fast¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s the only sentence I understood,¡± Terrian spread his hands, ¡°It seemed to speak a great deal to me, but it all perished in the overwhelming noise. In the end, it appeared to give up and uttered just one simple word, which I barely made out¡­¡±


    Duncan pondered, ¡°So, it turns out that one can¡¯t hear the mutterings of ancient gods clearly when in a highly inspired state¡­¡±


    Terrian was taken aback, ¡°What did you say, father?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nothing, it¡¯s irrelevant,¡± Duncan waved his hand, refocusing his attention on the matter at hand. After musing for a moment, he turned to Fenna, ¡°Do you think Terrian encountered The Saint of the Profound? Do you think it told Terrian to ¡®run fast¡¯ with protective intent?¡±


    ¡°Based on Captain Terrian¡¯s description and his own feelings, even if it wasn¡¯t The Saint of the Profound, it¡¯s at least an existence akin to heretical deities,¡± Fenna replied promptly, ¡°but as for what that ¡®run fast¡¯ meant¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Duncan, I dare not make an unruly judgement.¡±


    She paused, seeming to feel that her answer was inadequate, and added, ¡°There¡¯s always been scant information about The Saint of the Profound, even the Four Churches have limited data. The prevailing view is that The Saint of the Profound is a massive solitary being at the center of the Abstruse Domain, without the ability to move or actively project power into the real world. It¡¯s incapable of communication, seems not to think, like¡­¡±


    Fenna tapped her forehead, struggling to find the right words to describe such an entity. Duncan, seeing her struggle, offhandedly said, ¡°Like a slime mold sunk in the Mysterious Deep Sea? Alive, massive, but neither thinking nor moving mycelium?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re probably the only person in the world who would describe The Saint of the Profound as slime mold,¡± Fenna said with an odd expression, yet she gently nodded, ¡°But indeed, as you said, if the information we tortured out of the souls of those Profound Demons and Heretics is accurate, The Saint of the Profound is such a ¡®silent heretical deity¡¯. All it does is continually divide more Profound Demons out of its body, or absorb those Profound Demons that die in battle.¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but rub his forehead, ¡°¡­ This sounds like some kind of fungal mat tumor¡­¡±


    The captain spoke in ¡°Subspace dialect¡± that was incomprehensible again.


    However, Fenna was no stranger to this and elegantly ignored the indecipherable words, naturally steering the conversation forward, ¡°Overall, The Saint of the Profound can be considered a relatively harmless heretical deity since it has never shown any tendency to Corrode the real world. But even so, in the classification of the Four Churches, it is still categorized as an ¡®Evil God¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Regardless of its subjective intent, its very existence is a danger?¡±


    ¡°Yes¨Cboth the Profound Demons that split from it and those who sign pacts with Profound Demons, the spiritually deranged and annihilated Heretics, are formidable enemies to the civilized world.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, instead falling into contemplation for a moment.


    For some reason, he found himself thinking of the Black Sun that supported a false crown, dying in flames.


    But he merely pondered this and refrained from making any judgement on the nature of The Saint of the Profound¨Csimply put, there wasn¡¯t enough evidence; he wouldn¡¯t readily come to conclusions about things he hadn¡¯t personally encountered.


    Tirian rubbed his brow; the noise in his head had completely subsided, leaving only a slight dizziness and a fatigue akin to having stayed up for several nights. As Fenna recounted intelligence related to the Sanctum Lord, he had his own thoughts.


    ¡°Regardless of whether that ¡®Run¡¯ was meant kindly, one thing is certain: the situation of the Obsidian was clearly an outcome of the Sanctum Lord¡¯s influence. Now, with annihilation cultists active within the Frost City-State, they¡¯re likely here for this very issue,¡± Tirian said slowly, ¡°If the influence I just experienced is truly related to those involved in that project back then, then even the Submersion Project is now linked to this matter¨Cfurther reasoning suggests that our main focus should perhaps be on ¡®Dagger Island,¡¯ a remnant of the Submersion Project from half a century ago to this very day.¡±


    ¡°The eighth ¡®Number Three Submersible,''¡± Duncan spoke gravely, ¡°What do you know about the situation on Dagger Island?¡±


    ¡°That area is now a military restricted area, not easily accessible even with the power of the Mist Fleet¨CHomeloss might be able to forcibly land on the island due to its exceptional nature, but finding the submersible in a short time won¡¯t be easy, after all, the island is large with a complex research facility structure. The military personnel on the island might directly order its destruction in case of an emergency¡­¡±


    Duncan listened with increasing discomfort, hurrying to interrupt the pirate leader: ¡°Stop, stop, stop, when did I say we were going straight in?¡±


    Tirian was startled and then realized, ¡°Sorry, Father, I thought¡­¡±


    Duncan waved his hand, indicating there was no need to explain: ¡°Nevermind that; just give me a brief on your understanding of Dagger Island, it might be useful.¡±


    ¡°Alright, about that island¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Belazov¡¯s expression was grave as he scrutinized the diving bell suspended in the center of the hall.


    He had spent two days in this research facility, and during those two days, half of his time was spent in this hall, dealing with the diving bell.


    He was not a professional researcher, understanding neither mechanical matters nor the significance of the series of physical and chemical tests the scholars conducted on those samples. His presence here was purely out of curiosity about this mechanically mysterious device with a curious history.


    An irresistible curiosity.


    As a Frostfolk not yet forty years old, he had not experienced that major event from half a century ago, but as one of the upper echelons of the City-State, he had at least learned about the Submersion Project from those secret files.


    The Number Three Submersible held the most important position within all the files, the most chilling aspect of the entire Submersion Project.


    Rusted and dirty, both inside and out, it hung honestly on a hook like a piece of scrap metal, appearing utterly unremarkable.


    Professor Melson stood beside the general, introducing the safety measures of this laboratory.


    ¡°¡­ Directly underneath the hoist rope leads to the furnace; in case of an emergency, the hook will release instantly, and the submersible will smash through the grate and plummet into the furnace. If after the release mechanism is triggered the submersible does not fall into the channel, an interlocking mechanism will be activated, causing this entire room to release from its ¡®sanctum¡¯ framework, sliding into a cave behind the bay¨Cfilled with stacked nitroglycerin explosives.¡±


    ¡°And the lab personnel?¡±


    ¡°We have thirty seconds to evacuate¨Cafter which, the escape passages will be sealed,¡± Professor Melson stated, ¡°But if it¡¯s truly the worst-case scenario¡­ the person in charge, that is, me, can also choose not to initiate the escape protocols.¡±


    Belazov gave a slight nod, slowly approaching the diving bell.


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    He looked at the dirty circular glass window, curiously peering inside.


    A murky red mud swirled lightly within the submersible, as something resembling an eyeball pressed against the glass, meeting Belazov¡¯s gaze through the gaps in the grime.


    After a while, the general withdrew his gaze: ¡°It¡¯s pitch black inside; can¡¯t see a thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we haven¡¯t opened its hatch yet,¡± Professor Melson nodded, ¡°and naturally, we¡¯re unable to clean its interior.¡±


    General Belazov smiled: ¡°So it should be.¡±

 Chapter 315 - Chapter 315 Chapter 319 Hidden Shadows

    Chapter 315: Chapter 319 Hidden Shadows Chapter 315: Chapter 319 Hidden Shadows Belazov had completed his inspection of Dagger Island and his supervision of the research work, and now, it was time for the military representative to leave.


    Near the pier in the bay area of Dagger Island, Professor Melson, who had personally come to see him off, looked up at the ¡°Sea Swallow¡± that was making preparations to depart.


    Sailors were boarding the ship, port officials were checking the paperwork, and clergy in long robes, carrying censers, were walking near the ropes, gently shaking the censers and praying for the mechanical parts of the ship.


    The weather was clear today, making it a good day to set sail.


    Belazov stood on the dock, watching groups of sailors return to the Sea Swallow, and turned to Professor Melson, saying, ¡°Professor, I¡¯m impressed by your research work, but I feel obliged to remind you¨Cthe project on Dagger Island is progressing slowly, and some people in the City-State are getting restless.¡±


    ¡°My orders were to understand the various properties of that submersible under safe conditions, try to decode its material composition, and in the next phase, try to understand the principles behind its appearance,¡± the old professor spoke calmly, ¡°Right now, we are advancing according to the schedule. If the bigwigs at the ministry really have any ideas, they might try to find those blueprints left by the Frost Queen and build a fourth or even a fifth submersible¨Cit would be more convenient for someone to go down there rather than us scraping samples in the laboratory every day.¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t like that response¨Cbut I would be happy to relay it for you,¡± General Belazov smiled, ¡°They won¡¯t have the courage to build a submersible, which will make their expressions even more interesting.¡±


    Professor Melson shrugged, then fell silent for a moment, speaking with a mixed tone, ¡°Though it¡¯s a joke, to be honest, I¡¯m quite worried about the progress of this matter.¡±


    Belazov didn¡¯t speak, just calmly watched the old professor who had lived through the ¡°Queen¡¯s Era.¡±


    ¡°Day after day, scraping samples and analyzing physical and chemical properties is an essential part of the standard research process, but you see, the things we can analyze from those samples are really limited,¡± the old professor sighed, ¡°Even if one day we truly open that hatch, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t uncover more secrets from the submersible¨Cthe real secrets are not here, General, you understand what I mean.¡±


    ¡°¡­Below a kilometre, Professor, your thoughts are somewhat dangerous.¡±


    Melson sighed, ¡°I thought you, a military man, would be more inclined towards dangerous ideas than a scholar like me.¡±


    ¡°My duty is to protect the safety of the City-State, this mission makes me prefer a cautious and conservative course of action,¡± Belazov spoke faintly, ¡°That said, are you actually considering restarting¡­ those ¡®diving devices¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You actually mean ¡®restarting the Deep Abyss Project¡¯ don¡¯t you?¡± the old professor smiled and shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am not reckless to that extent, but there¡¯s an unavoidable truth before us¨Cthe key to the whole matter lies in the deep waters, and a replica diving bell in the laboratory won¡¯t solve any mysteries. We really should consider a ¡®backup plan¡¯¨Cnot necessarily initiating a dive, but in case a ninth or even tenth replica surfaces, we should at least have some measures in place.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will convey your suggestion to the ministry,¡± Belazov paused thoughtfully, exhaling softly, ¡°And until explicit orders are given, the project on this side of the secret chamber will proceed as usual.¡±


    The old professor nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The Sea Swallow departed.


    The steam-powered fast ship cut through the calm waves, leaving behind a beautifully spreading wake on the Endless Sea, while the steep, winding coast of Dagger Island slowly receded from view, gradually vanishing into the thin fog common in the northern waters.


    On the deck, Belazov withdrew his gaze from the island and turned towards the direction of the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Although Dagger Island was not far from Frost Island, it still had a few hours journey. During this boring trip, he needed to organize his thoughts and contemplate how to report to the managers of the City-State about the third submersible¨Cand how to bring up Professor Melson¡¯s recommendations given at the end.


    The Deep Abyss Project¡­ This case from half a century ago had left such a profound and terrifying impact that it gradually became an unthinking taboo, but now that new replicas had begun to surface from the deep sea, it was probably time to adopt a more proactive approach.


    A sailor waited near the captain¡¯s quarters and nodded to the general, reporting, ¡°The steam core is operating normally; we will reach Frost No.1 Port in four hours.¡±


    Belazov glanced at the somewhat unfamiliar sailor, nodded slightly, ¡°I need to rest for a while, do not disturb me unless necessary.¡±


    ¡°Yes, General.¡±


    Belazov returned to the captain¡¯s quarters, sat down at the desk, and listened to the faint mechanical sounds coming from deep below the floor, exhaling gently.


    He would soon be back on the island.


    He steadied himself, casually opened a drawer in his desk, and took out a journal that had been placed there beforehand.


    This trip to Dagger Island was uneventful, and the return journey went smoothly, but some procedural matters still couldn¡¯t be overlooked¨Cit was both an order and a duty.


    After opening the journal, the first sentence that caught his eye read:


    ¡°Even if everything is normal, one must still affirm one¡¯s sanity and judgement, and even if there is nothing suspicious around, the following content must be verified.¡±


    Belazov flipped through the pages, executing a series of operations with great proficiency.


    The sound of turning pages echoed in the room¨C


    ¡°You are left-handed, confirm this now¡­¡±


    ¡°Recall a color, then turn to the next page¡­ The color should be blue or black.¡±


    ¡°Keyword, Dagger, imagine this, confirm if the image in your mind matches the picture on the next page.¡±


    ¡°Your name, Belazov, try spelling it on the blank space on the next page.¡±


    ¡°This departure, the accompanying personnel have been streamlined, with only thirty-two on board¨Cincluding yourself. If there is a noticeable deviation in personnel, conduct a roll call immediately.¡±


    ¡°The deputy you¡¯ve brought along is Benjamin Yorton, who has a burn scar near his right eye.¡±


    While flipping through the pages, Belazov was performing a simple memory check or subconsciously repeating, but suddenly, his movement stopped.


    His gaze fell on the last sentence of the page in the journal.


    ¡°A burn scar near the right eye¡­¡± Belazov silently repeated the sentence, a sense of inexplicable confusion fluttering in his mind.


    Right eye?


    He slowly closed the journal, placed it back into the secret compartment, calmly stood up, and pushed open the door of the captain¡¯s cabin.


    ¡°Benjamin!¡± he called out the name of his deputy.


    A middle-aged military officer quickly emerged from a nearby room and came to Belazov.


    ¡°General?¡±


    Belazov looked at Benjamin¡¯s face.


    Right in the center of his face were his eyes, and there was only one.


    A faint sense of dissonance pulsed in his heart, and Belazov¡¯s reason told him that something he was seeing seemed off. However, a hazy veil seemed to cloud his thoughts, and he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the problem, yet everything seemed to make sense.


    This slight cognitive discrepancy made the general increasingly vigilant; he stared at Benjamin for a long time, trying to find the source of that subtle sense of dissonance until the deputy¡¯s voice entered his ears again, ¡°General? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°¡­Benjamin, how many eyes should a person have?¡± Belazov suddenly asked.


    The deputy was momentarily stunned, as if his mind had gone blank at the question. Seeing this reaction, Belazov quickly spoke, ¡°Forget the question, just something I said off-hand¨Cgo back to your room to rest, I¡¯ll go down and check on things.¡±


    The deputy blinked, puzzled, but still nodded, ¡°Yes, General.¡±


    The one-eyed man named Benjamin returned to his room, appearing unremarkable. Belazov watched his retreating figure, first breathing a sigh of relief, then swiftly turned and walked quickly towards the end of the corridor.


    He knew he had been somewhat rash¨Chaving already harbored suspicions, it was not wise to ask such an odd question to someone who seemed a bit off, even if that person was one of his most trusted deputies.


    But without that inquiry, he couldn¡¯t have confirmed the strangeness he vaguely sensed.


    Now, he confirmed it.


    Something was not quite right on the ship, something hidden and dangerous had boarded.


    He quickly moved through the corridor and arrived at the sailor¡¯s mess.


    The mess was full of sailors, the soldiers looking unexpectedly nervous as they watched the sudden appearance of the general.


    Belazov¡¯s gaze swept over each person there, then he waved his hand at them and quickly headed towards the bridge.


    There were also people here.


    The deck was crowded with many as well.


    The Sea Swallow had streamlined its crew for this trip, with only thirty-two people on board at departure.


    The numbers were very, very wrong.


    Yet the thought ¡°all is normal¡± continued to jump through his mind, as if combating the dissonance that was clearly evident.


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    Belazov stood on the stairs leading to the engine room, his expression calm as he looked down the ramp.


    The tearing in his consciousness was battling, but he no longer needed to care about the details of the two conflicting thoughts.


    It was more than two hours until the arrival at Frost Island.


    This ship, it was heading straight towards City-State.


    He took a deep breath and stepped towards the engine room, the deepest part of the ship.

 Chapter 316 - Chapter 316 Chapter 320 Process number 22

    Chapter 316: Chapter 320 Process number 22 Chapter 316: Chapter 320 Process number 22 The last corridor leading to the mechanical chamber was stuffy and dimly lit, with the incessant and vexatious mechanical vibrations and roaring noises as if they were drilling into one¡¯s brain without respite. The wall-mounted lights seemed to flicker due to unstable airflow, with flames dancing and shimmering within the light fixtures.


    But all of this was overshadowed by an increasingly strong sense of discord and tension that brought about a suffocating atmosphere and the disorienting tearing of thoughts.


    Belazov controlled his steps, controlled his expression.


    The closer he got to the innermost depths of the Sea Swallow, the more he ensured his steps were steady and his expression remained as usual, calm.


    There were crew members standing and conversing in the corridor, wearing bizarre leather¡­ ¡°coats,¡± with facial skin wrinkled and stacked, their voices sounding like a buzzing noise.


    Belazov walked towards them, telling himself that these few crew members were his own soldiers, but he couldn¡¯t remember their names.


    ¡°General?¡± approached one soldier, curiously looking at Belazov, ¡°Do you have any orders?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just here to check on the situation in the mechanical chamber,¡± responded Belazov with a composed expression to the unfamiliar soldier, ¡°Stay at your posts.¡±


    The soldier watched him, saluted, and stepped back: ¡°Yes, General.¡±


    Belazov passed through the midst of these people, with steps as steady as ever. He felt their gazes linger on him for a while but soon move away.


    Were they really his soldiers? Were they really crew members of the Sea Swallow? Were they that hidden entity? Or some kind of minion? Had they noticed? Or were they already on alert? Would these unremembered soldiers pounce on him the next second?


    Belazov pushed all his thoughts down to the bottom of his heart until he reached the entrance of the mechanical chamber and opened the unlatched gate.


    An even more piercing mechanical noise assaulted his ears.


    The steam core was operating at full power, the spherical container brewing staggering surges of energy. The complex pipe system hissed on the ceiling of the mechanical chamber, massive connecting rods and gears spun rapidly in the steel frame at the end of the room.


    The machinery operated very cheerfully, so much so¡­ cheerfully to an almost fanatical extent.


    As if an agitated soul was pushing those heavy steel gears to spin rapidly, driving the ship toward the cities of the civilized world at breakneck speed.


    From the hissing sound of the steam pipes seemed to mix with a whispering murmur, unclear and vague.


    Belazov¡¯s body swayed a bit, but he quickly stabilized himself and walked toward the direction of the steam core.


    A priest was shaking an incense burner in front of a valve when he suddenly turned his head to look at the General entering the mechanical chamber. The church emblem pinned on his chest seemed to be stained with grease, blurring the Holy Symbols on it.


    ¡°General?¡± the priest looked curiously at him, ¡°What brings you here all of a sudden? This area¡­¡±


    ¡°I came to see¡­ the condition of the steam core,¡± said Belazov, his gaze falling on the incense burner in the priest¡¯s hands.


    That little orb gently swayed in the air, a pale eye opening on top of it.


    He then lifted his head again to look at those operating steam mechanisms and the hissing pipe systems.


    The gases leaking from the steam pipes glowed blood-red, the edges of the rapidly spinning gears blurred and distorted, as if something was parasitizing this vast machinery, replacing the originally sacred steam with its malevolent soul.


    The thought that the machinery had been corrupted, was in a state of blasphemy ¨C this idea surfaced in Belazov¡¯s mind for a second, but then it drifted away with the wind.


    Still, he walked toward the control panel of the steam core ¨C even though everything about this massive ¡°steel heart¡± seemed normal to him at the moment, he slowly reached out to the control panel.


    ¡°General,¡± a greasy mechanic suddenly approached from the side, his hand blocking the control lever, ¡°You better not touch these, the machines can be quite fragile sometimes.¡±


    Belazov looked up at the mechanic.


    The latter just calmly returned his gaze.


    But suddenly, the mechanic¡¯s lips moved slightly.


    Belazov frowned slightly and read a few words from the mechanic¡¯s mouth movements ¡ª


    ¡°The machine is possessed, unable to shut down or destroy.¡±


    Belazov was stunned for a moment, then saw the mechanic turn to the side, manipulating the levers while his lips moved subtly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust the priest¡­ situation out of control¡­ Transition twenty-two.¡±


    Transition twenty-two?


    Belazov¡¯s heart tightened, but soon, he knew what he had to do.


    The mechanic knew the ¡°heart¡± of the ship better than anyone.


    He turned away from the engine compartment, but instead of going to any other cabins, he maintained a calm demeanor after leaving the bottom deck corridor and made his way back to his own captain¡¯s room.


    Soldiers occasionally came up to greet him along the way, some of whom gave him a vague impression, while others he could not even name.


    There must have been lucid, normal humans among these soldiers¨C but Belazov had no way to distinguish them anymore, nor the time to contact or screen the thirty humans on board besides himself and the mechanic.


    He locked the captain¡¯s room door from the inside and went to the safe next to his desk. He began to turn the dial of the combination lock, his finger growing paler from the effort as the crisp, pleasant clicks sounded.


    With the light noise of the latch unlocking, the safe door swung open.


    Belazov¡¯s gaze skimmed over the compartment storing documents and landed on the red button at the bottom of the safe.


    Beside the button, there was a line of small print: Protocol No. 22, for use in extreme circumstances only.


    Belazov reached for the button when, almost at the same time, he heard a knock: ¡°General, are you in there? We¡¯ve received instructions from Frost and need you to handle them personally.¡±


    It was the voice of his adjutant.


    A flicker of hesitation suddenly rose in Belazov¡¯s heart¨C


    What if he was wrong?


    What if there was actually no issue with the ship, and the only problem was with him? What if he had suffered mild contamination, leading to cognitive and memory distortions, even hallucinations, along the way¡­ If that were the case, he¡¯d be dooming an entire ship of people just to accompany his own neurotic overreaction!


    ¡°General, are you in there? We have received instructions from Frost¡­¡±


    The knocking sounded more urgent than before.


    But within these knocking sounds, Belazov suddenly snapped awake. He realized his previous thoughts might not have fit his character¡­ He was not someone who would suddenly hesitate at the last step of an action.


    Somebody was trying to inject ¡°impurities¡± into his thoughts!


    ¡°Damn heretics!¡±


    Belazov no longer hesitated and instantly pressed the red button.


    After an extremely brief delay, a horrific explosion swept through the entire ship¨CThe Sea Swallow, a mechanical fast ship, was instantly enveloped in flashes and flames, disintegrating amidst the terrifying destruction caused by the high explosives.


    The remains of the Sea Swallow, aflame, floated on the sea for a while before the currents gradually pushed them toward the northern waters of Frost. Then, its floating reached its limit¨C the burning wreckage began to sink rapidly as if dragged by some invisible force, its sinking speed increasing until it completely vanished from the surface of the sea.


    ¡­


    At the same time, inside the Frost City-State, near Cemetery No. 3, an old watchman, dressed in a dark coat with a slightly hunched back, was slowly walking back from the urban area.


    He had just gone to a nearby street to buy some daily necessities, and it was now nearing dusk, his aim to return to his post before the shift change.


    The road to the cemetery was serene and secluded, sparsely populated, but even so, residents of the neighboring streets would occasionally pass through this path.


    When they noticed the old watchman¡¯s figure, they would unconsciously adjust their pace, keeping their distance from the hunched old man shrouded in melancholy.


    It wasn¡¯t that they disliked the watchman, but rather an instinctive fear. This wasn¡¯t just due to the naturally eerie atmosphere near the cemetery, but also because of the old man¡¯s solitary and cold nature¨C even among other cemetery guards, who were somewhat gloomy, the old guard from Cemetery No. 3 was the most daunting.


    He had been at his post for so long that he had taken on a certain ¡°aura of death¡± himself.


    It even led to some terrifying rumors¨C there were those who claimed to have seen pale lights floating above the fences in the graveyard at night, that these were the watchman¡¯s soul that had left his body; others said the dreadful old man would lie in a coffin at midnight, stopping his breathing along with the dead and only awakening with the rise of the sun the next day.


    These eerie and thrilling rumors twined around the cemetery and its solitary guard, who seemed to never care about them¨C in fact, he rarely interacted with nearby residents, only occasionally stepping out to purchase some necessities like today, spending most of his time living in the little guardhouse in the cemetery, dealing only with the church officials who delivered the corpses.


    He didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with it.


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    To keep the living away from the world of the dead, the former should not have excessive curiosity to avoid harm, and the latter should enjoy peace after death to ensure a tranquil departure. That was his duty.


    He guarded the cemetery and the city outside it.


    The old man looked up at the cemetery¡¯s main gate in the distance and suddenly stopped.


    Today seemed a bit unusual.


    There was an unexpected young visitor.

 Chapter 317 - Chapter 317 Chapter 321 Snowy Day

    Chapter 317: Chapter 321 Snowy Day Chapter 317: Chapter 321 Snowy Day A small figure stood at the cemetery gate¨Ca girl who looked to be about eleven or twelve, dressed in a dark brown woolen coat and a black skirt, with warm cotton boots and thick gloves. She appeared to have been waiting at the gate for a long time. As the evening came in Frost City-State, snow began to fall, and her gray knitted hat had already caught several snowflakes, with faint steam rising amidst the twilight snow.


    The little girl gently stomped her feet in place, occasionally peeking towards the slope across from the cemetery. When the guardian appeared, she instantly smiled and waved vigorously.


    ¡°¡­Here again.¡±


    Upon seeing the girl, the old guardian couldn¡¯t help but murmur with a hint of impatience in his voice, but he quickened his pace toward the girl.


    ¡°Annie,¡± the old man frowned, looking at the girl in front of him, ¡°you¡¯ve come alone again¨CHow many times have I told you? A cemetery is no place for a child to come alone, especially as dusk approaches.¡±


    ¡°I already told Mom,¡± the girl named Annie cheerily replied, ¡°She said it¡¯s fine as long as I get home before curfew.¡±


    The old guardian quietly watched the young girl smiling back at him.


    Most people disliked the cemetery¡¯s guardian and were even less fond of approaching this eerie and dangerous place, yet life always has its exceptions¨Csuch as a little girl unafraid of him.


    ¡°Guardian Grandpa, has my father come here?¡± Annie looked up, her face hopeful amidst the falling snow of the twilight, her gaze not disturbed by the murky eyes that struck fear in most people.


    ¡°¡­No,¡± the guardian replied as usual, his voice as cold and hard as the wind swirling through the cemetery, ¡°He won¡¯t be coming today.¡±


    Annie wasn¡¯t discouraged, just smiling as usual: ¡°Then I¡¯ll come again tomorrow to ask.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t be here tomorrow either.¡±


    Annie still looked up, hopeful, ¡°But he will come eventually, right?¡±


    This time, the typically stern guardian fell silent for a moment until the snowflakes landed on his eyebrows, his cloudy eyes subtly shifting, ¡°The dead will eventually gather in the cemetery and find eternal peace beyond that gate¨Cnot necessarily a cemetery of this world, nor necessarily this one.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Annie nodded, seemingly undisturbed by his words. She turned her head, glanced at the locked fence gate, and asked curiously, ¡°Can I go inside to have a look? I¡¯d like to warm up by the fire in your cabin¡­¡±


    ¡°Not today,¡± the old man shook his head, ¡°Cemetery Three is in a special state, guarded by the church¡¯s protectors, and is not open to the public today¨Cyou should go home now, young lady.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± Annie nodded somewhat disheartened and then fumbled in her small bag, handing the old man a small packet wrapped in coarse paper, ¡°This is for you¨Ccookies my mom baked, she said I shouldn¡¯t always be a bother.¡±


    The old man looked at the item in the girl¡¯s hands, then at the snow on her clothes.


    He reached out, accepted the cookies, and casually patted the snow off her knitted hat, ¡°I¡¯ll take these. You better head home early.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Guardian Grandpa.¡±


    Annie nodded with a smile, straightened her scarf and gloves, and then started down the path leading to the city¡¯s residential area.


    But just as she had taken a few steps, the old guardian suddenly turned around: ¡°Annie.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Annie, you¡¯re twelve now,¡± the old man stood in the dusky twilight, calmly gazing into the girl¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you still believe what I told you when you were six?¡±


    The girl paused, staring blankly at the cemetery guardian.


    All the dead will come to this cemetery¨Cno matter how far and dispersed they were in life, Bartok¡¯s vestibule will be their ultimate gathering place.


    This phrase was written in the scriptures of the church, yet adults and six-year-old children will always interpret the same maxim differently.


    Twelve-year-old Annie stood blankly for a long time, the black-clad cemetery guardian stood like a cold, hard iron statue beside the towering, locked gate, with tiny snowflakes dancing between them, the winter chill permeating the dusk.


    But suddenly, Annie laughed and waved at the old man with a smile, ¡°Then just think that I came especially to see you ¡ª my mother said that elderly people need someone to talk to often.¡±


    The little girl turned and ran off, floating lightly across the snowy path like a sparrow. She slipped at the end of the slope, but immediately got up, dusted the snowflakes and dust off her skirt and warm pants, and quickly left.


    ¡°¡­elderly people¡­¡± the old guardian watched the girl disappear, and only after she had run far did he mutter, ¡°That child has a mischievous side too.¡±


    ¡°Piercing a child¡¯s expectations is a bit more cruel than that,¡± a young, slightly husky female voice suddenly came from beside him, interrupting his mumblings, ¡°You didn¡¯t need to say that¨C a twelve-year-old child, she already gradually understands, and sometimes, we heart-hardened adults don¡¯t need to burst any truths.¡±


    The old guardian turned and saw the ¡°Gatekeeper¡± Agatha dressed in black and wrapped with bandages standing at the cemetery gate, which had opened without him noticing.


    He shook his head, ¡°Let her keep hoping that her father will be brought to this cemetery, and let her come to this godforsaken place alone in the snowy, bitter cold?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that better? At least you seemed a bit warm while talking to that child.¡±


    ¡°¡­that doesn¡¯t sound like something a gatekeeper would say.¡±


    Agatha shook her head, said nothing, and turned to walk toward the inner paths of the cemetery.


    The old guardian followed her; he first locked the large gate, then stored the goods he had bought in his guard shack, completed the handover with the daytime guard, and finally came to the morgue area inside the cemetery where he found the ¡°Gatekeeper¡± who had arrived there before him.


    Compared to before, the morgue now seemed much emptier, with most of the stone platforms vacant, only a few on the edges had simple coffins placed on them.


    Around those few coffins, at least two church guards stood by each platform, and in the spaces between platforms, black canes were seen everywhere¨Cthese black canes were the signature equipment of the Reaper Church guards, who stuck them into the nearby ground and hung sacred lanterns on their tips to maintain small ¡°hallowed grounds¡± that effectively combat contaminating forces from higher entities.


    By now, dusk had deepened, and the snowy weather made it even darker than usual at this hour. In the increasingly dim cemetery, those lanterns hanging on the tips of the canes burned silently like phosphorus fires, releasing a tranquil yet sinister atmosphere.


    ¡°We¡¯ve done quite a bit of preparation work here, but it seems that the ¡®Visitor¡¯ has no intent of returning any time soon,¡± Agatha remarked offhandedly after seeing the old guard appear, ¡°Are you sure that the ¡®Visitor¡¯ had revealed any intention to come back?¡±


    ¡°You should trust the hypnotherapy skills of professional psychiatrists,¡± the old guard shrugged and then paused before adding, ¡°I can¡¯t remember most of what happened that day, the buzzing noises are also fading from my mind, but after several sessions of hypnosis, I can recall a bit¡­ The clearest is the ¡®Visitor¡¯s¡¯ revealed intent to visit again before he left.¡±


    Agatha fell silent for a few seconds, then softly said after some thought, ¡°But there¡¯s another possibility, such higher beings might have a concept of time very different from humans ¡ª His mention of ¡®returning¡¯, it might be tomorrow, it might be years later, it¡¯s even more likely after your death, in some form that transcends life and death.¡±


    ¡°¡­Could you not hope for something good for me?¡±


    ¡°This is the result of the Magistrate Council¡¯s discussion.¡±


    The old guardian hummed noncommittally and glanced over the black-dressed guards in the cemetery and those quietly burning lanterns.


    ¡°¡­I just hope that these arrangements don¡¯t anger that ¡®Visitor,¡¯ or be seen by Him as some kind of offence or ¡®trap¡¯¨Cafter all, we know too little about Him.¡±


    ¡°All these arrangements are just our self-protection,¡± Agatha said, ¡°after all, although you said you fell into a state of uncontrollable spiritual sight because you inhaled too much incense, we don¡¯t know whether the ¡®Visitor¡¯ has any inclination to actively release spiritual contamination ¡ª to face a higher Transcendent, we must at least ensure our own sanity.¡±


    The old guardian gave no response, merely pondered for a moment before suddenly changing the subject, ¡°Those samples you took away earlier, have you figured out anything?¡±


    ¡°Are you referring to those Heretics, or that pile of bodies melted into mud?¡±


    ¡°Both.¡±


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    ¡°Regarding those Heretics, there¡¯s not much to say, minions of the Obliteration Sect, Transcendents deeply symbiotic with demons¨Ccapable fighters, ordinary church guards are quite vulnerable against them, sadly, those heretics clearly lack good fortune, and as for that ¡®mud¡¯¡­¡±


    Agatha paused for a moment, her expression somewhat odd.


    ¡°Their ¡®evolution¡¯ has actually not stopped to this day, as of when I left the cathedral, those things were still constantly displaying new forms and properties, in the past period, they even momentarily presented similar states to metal and stone, giving one the impression¡­ it seemed like something that those Heretics in their heretic sermons often mention.¡±


    The old guard slowly furrowed his brows, ¡°You mean¡­ ¡®Prime Element¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The true essence, the utmost pure and sacred substance, the mysterious gift ¡®Droplet of Truth¡¯ given to this world by The Saint¨Cthis is how those heretics describe it,¡± Agatha¡¯s tone was undisguisedly filled with disgust and sarcasm, ¡°Beautiful vocabulary, it¡¯s nauseating how they use it.¡±

 Chapter 318 - Chapter 318 Chapter 322 Opening Mystery Boxes Again at the

    Chapter 318: Chapter 322: Opening Mystery Boxes Again at the Same Old Place Chapter 318: Chapter 322: Opening Mystery Boxes Again at the Same Old Place Listening to Agatha¡¯s undisguised disgust toward the annihilation of the heretics, the old caretaker showed no change in expression¨Chis attention was still mostly on the latest intelligence.


    The ¡°samples¡± taken from the graveyard¡­ had exhibited properties in the lab reminiscent of the so-called Prime Element described by the heretics.


    No matter how mad the heretical sect could be, regardless of how their perverse and heretical teachings went against human decency, as a member of the Ecclesiastical, the old caretaker had to understand the heretics¡¯ intelligence, grasp their crazed doctrines and highly contaminative knowledge system. At the heart of the annihilation heretics¡¯ entire set of heretical nonsense was always one core:


    The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea, and the various ¡°miracles¡± created by the Saint.


    The annihilation heretics firmly believed that the world we live in, which is blessed by the gods, is not the ¡°peaceful paradise¡± it appears to be, but in reality, it is a severely corroded and utterly warped ¡°exile land.¡± They considered the bright prosperity of the real world as nothing but an illusion woven by the gods, and the true destination of human souls, and the ¡°uncontaminated reality,¡± is not here at all, but in the deep realm¨Cthe Abstruse Domain.


    On this basis, they believed that only the Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea and the demons represent the purest, most original, uncorrupted state of this world. They also believed that humans can only return to the Abstruse, to the original state, by purifying their own tainted flesh.


    However, the mortal realm is blocked by the gods. There is a barrier between the ¡°distorted reality¡± and the ¡°true reality (the Mysterious Deep Sea)¡±, and the flesh and blood of mortals are the physical manifestation of this barrier. As long as human souls remain trapped in these bodies and endure a lifetime of continuous ¡°contamination,¡± it is impossible to return to the Abstruse.


    Therefore, the Saint would bestow something known as the Prime Element¨Ca miracle. The heretics believe that this holy substance is the foundation of all things at the birth of the world. All plans and blueprints of the Saint when shaping the ¡°real world¡± are hidden in the microscopic scale of the Prime Element, and only the Prime Element can counter the Curse within the flesh and blood of worldly beings, allowing humans to return to their ¡°pure original state at birth.¡±


    Regarding this substance called the Prime Element, the annihilation heretics described it as:


    ¡°¡­It will exhibit all the traits of everything in the world and be in a constant cycle of evolution. It represents all the plans and blueprints of the Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea for shaping reality, and the short-sighted mortals will never be able to measure any accurate traits of the Prime Element¡­¡±


    The old caretaker suddenly lifted his head, staring into Agatha¡¯s eyes, ¡°¡­Do you think that¡¯s the Prime Element?¡±


    Agatha¡¯s response was without hesitation, ¡°The Prime Element is just nonsense spouted by those heretics. It is probably some kind of new material that our current knowledge system cannot yet explain. Its changing properties could be some natural phenomenon or perhaps some transcendent power¨Cbut it can¡¯t be any ¡®miracle¡¯ bestowed by the Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea.¡±


    However, facing such a response, the old caretaker showed no change in expression, simply continuing to gaze steadily into the guard¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s the Prime Element?¡±


    Faced with the second inquiry, Agatha finally fell silent briefly. After two or three seconds, she exhaled softly, ¡°But I have to admit, at least in terms of its properties¡­ the collected samples align with the description given by those heretics.¡±


    The old caretaker lifted his head, looking towards the morgue not far away.


    The light snow had gradually grown heavier after nightfall, the flakes falling incessantly from the dark night sky. Canes stood in the dimly lit graveyard, their lanterns perched atop casting a halo around the scattered snowflakes, adding a hazy quality to everything.


    His gaze moved past these scattered snowflakes and lights, resting on an empty slab in the morgue.


    A special corpse had once been laid there.


    ¡°Those samples¡­ were once a person, or at least they seemed like a person,¡± the old caretaker mumbled to himself, ¡°You led the team that brought it here, you should remember.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I remember,¡± Agatha spoke softly, ¡°It is rare for a body to require the ¡®caretaker¡¯ to transport it personally, and that body fell into the deepest part of the mineshaft. That¡¯s the deepest place in the entire City-State, and the dead brought out from there are¡­ very special.¡±


    ¡°But his peculiarity still exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations,¡± the old caretaker turned his head, looking at the young gatekeeper, ¡°You all found the real person who fell into the well the next day, so that body was obviously only a ¡®Replication¡¯ of the actual deceased¡­ a Replication made of the Prime Element. No wonder it drew the attention of those annihilation heretics.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not that they were drawn to it, but that the entire incident was their doing,¡± Agatha shook her head, ¡°We suspect that the mine accident was the heretics¡¯ trickery, intended to create a ¡®Replication¡¯ in the depths of the mineshaft using the sacrificial victim, like some kind of ritual sacrifice. However, it¡¯s clear that something went wrong with their plan, leading to the Replication being accidentally discovered and even brought to your graveyard.¡±


    The old caretaker shrugged his shoulders, ¡°It also drew the attention of an indescribable ¡®Visitor.''¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, an indescribable Visitor,¡± Agatha¡¯s usually calm expression finally shifted slightly, her tone becoming cautious, ¡°We still don¡¯t know what His deeper intentions are.¡±


    The old caretaker looked up at the sky, then after a moment of silence, he spoke, ¡°The night is deep now.¡±


    The cemetery had fallen into silence, the unspeakable strangeness and stillness draped between the paths and platforms, saturating the night wind that bore snowflakes.


    Everyone was waiting¨Cfor an indescribable visitor or a peaceful sunrise.


    But how long this silence lasted was unknown, just as Agatha was about to suggest the old church guard return to the cottage for some rest, a soft knocking sound suddenly echoed in the night.


    From a nearby coffin arose a clear, deep voice:


    ¡°Why have you all stopped talking?¡±


    In the silent cemetery, such a voice suddenly broke through, leaving even the well-trained church guards momentarily stunned with horror. Agatha even felt the snowflakes drifting in the lamplight stay in place for a couple of seconds¨Cthen in the next second, all the protectors had quickly gathered around that speaking coffin, the sound of boots on the snowy ground started to intensify.


    Agatha instantly transformed into a pale shadow, appearing next to the mortuary table almost instantaneously, staring intently at that vocal coffin. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she managed to speak as calmly as possible, ¡°You are¡­ the visitor from the day before yesterday?¡±


    ¡°I hope I haven¡¯t frightened you by coming uninvited,¡± Duncan considered from within the coffin and casually greeted, ¡°I did indeed come by two days ago, but the event was disrupted by heretics meddling, making my interaction with that particular guard rather unsuccessful.¡±


    Footsteps sound from the side as the old church guard with a somber expression cautiously approached the coffin. He quickly glanced over the dark coffin with the corner of his eye, then just as quickly looked away.


    Even though he wasn¡¯t overwhelmed by incense this time and had even pre-treated himself with a potion to ward off mental contamination, the psychological shadow from the last ¡°contact¡± was so severe that the battle-hardened veteran remained exceedingly cautious.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been here since?¡± After regaining a bit of composure, the old guard finally broke the silence.


    ¡°Since the time you began discussing that ¡®Prime Element,''¡± Duncan¡¯s voice came from the coffin, ¡°I found the information quite interesting¨Cyet you suddenly ceased speaking.¡±


    Agatha lifted her head, exchanging a surprised look with the old guard.


    Her lips moved slightly, but her voice went straight into the guard¡¯s mind, ¡°This visitor¡­ is he so approachable?¡±


    The old guard shrugged his shoulders, his lips moving subtly too, ¡°How would I know?¡±


    The two church officials completed their brief exchange, and then Agatha gestured gently to those around.


    The black-clad guards around the coffin immediately stepped lightly to the side, careful not to let this overcautious approach seem like a challenge to the ¡°visitor¡± that had descended upon a corpse.


    Duncan within the coffin had already sensed the presence of those around him; he had lain there for more than just a few minutes, listening patiently and curiously from the moment the old guard and the young woman began discussing the ¡°Prime Element.¡± Sensing the crowd dispersing, he casually remarked with a laugh, ¡°There are quite a few people here tonight, aren¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°¡­We mean no offense to you,¡± Agatha responded promptly with care, unable to confirm the origins of this ¡°visitor,¡± but acknowledging that there was no initial hostility expressed. Therefore, showing sufficient politeness was the first step in interacting with a superior, non-hostile ¡°transcendent¡± being, ¡°The arrangements here are solely for the protection of our own sanity.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I understand. It¡¯s quite bothersome when people start talking to me and suddenly lose their minds,¡± Duncan¡¯s tone carried a hint of amusement, ¡°It¡¯s good that you know how to protect yourselves.¡±


    Agatha furrowed her brow.


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    She had had her share of encounters with the transcendent beings¨Csome thoroughly vile and chaotic dangers¨Cbut this was the first time engaged in such a casual conversation.


    ¡°May we know who you are¡­ which entity?¡± she ventured after a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    Duncan from within the coffin seriously pondered.


    He then recalled the illustrious feat of the Homeloss dragging the thirteen islands of Vessland into the Subspace, and the conversation with Morris and Fenna about the connections between those thirteen islands and the death cult.


    ¡°Just a nameless traveler, let¡¯s not be curious about my name¨Cit¡¯s better for both of us.¡±

 Chapter 319 - Chapter 319 Chapter 323 Last Moments

    Chapter 319: Chapter 323 Last Moments Chapter 319: Chapter 323 Last Moments Duncan, after careful consideration, had decided not to reveal his identity for the time being, as he now knew the details behind the Homeloss¡¯s glorious record of victories.


    A century ago, ¡°he¡± had single-handedly sunk the largest gathering spot of the Death Church¡¯s Believers by dragging it directly into the Subspace in the most horrific manner.


    In other words, it was like blowing up Prand in front of Gomona and scattering the ashes.


    He thought that if he uttered the words ¡°Captain Duncan¡± at this moment, the group outside the coffin might just chant slogans and rush to martyr themselves¨Cby then, it would be too late for him to say anything.


    After all, he had seen the fierce determination of loyal Believers before¨Cthe Believer Fenna, with whom he had no major personal feud, had attempted a flying split at him upon their meeting. The Believers of Death in front of him had a century-old blood feud with the Homeloss¡­


    However, Duncan¡¯s evasive response took on another meaning in the ears of Agatha and the old caretaker.


    The young gatekeeper and the seasoned cemetery keeper exchanged a knowing glance.


    ¡°This is some kind of protection,¡± the former whispered, ¡°the names of higher Transcendents carry power.¡±


    The latter nodded softly, ¡°A friendly presence, at least for now.¡±


    Agatha then refocused, her gaze landing on the coffin once again, while a subconscious question arose: why did this Visitor always choose to use the dead as a ¡°medium¡± to interact with the real world? Did this imply¡­ that the other party was a being who possessed power over death?


    However, as a high priest of the god of death, she had never heard of such a being in the realm of death¨Ca Transcendent being who could drive a battle-hardened cemetery keeper into temporary madness upon a single meeting should not go unmentioned in the scriptures.


    Despite the doubts crowding her mind, Agatha did not show it and instead asked in a calm, composed voice, ¡°May I know the purpose of your visit?¡±


    ¡°Just passing by, then noticed this City-State being enveloped by shadows,¡± Duncan casually mentioned the excuse he had premeditated, ¡°those shadows make me uneasy.¡±


    ¡°Shadows?¡± Agatha furrowed her brows, then recalling the recent turmoil in this cemetery, she quickly understood, ¡°Are you referring to those Eradication Believers? Their activities¡­¡±


    ¡°They hardly qualify as shadows; the real shadow lies behind them,¡± Duncan said unhurriedly. He knew that the young woman¡¯s voice represented the church power of the higher echelons of Frost City-State, and guiding her was essentially warning the Frost authorities effectively, having already prepared a whole set of denunciation materials. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed? The power of the Eerie Saint is spreading beneath your city¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡­ did you say?¡± Agatha, calm until now, suddenly lost her composure for the first time, none of the scenarios she had imagined included this, ¡°The Eerie Saint?! His power spreading underneath the city¡­ What does that mean?¡±


    From discussing the Eradication Believers to jumping directly to the Eerie Saint behind them¡­ The seriousness of the matter was not on the same level!


    ¡°Here¡¯s a suggestion, consider expanding your investigation,¡± Duncan continued, without answering Agatha¡¯s question, ¡°The activities of the Eradication Believers in your city are just small ripples before a giant wave arrives, something much bigger lurks beneath the surface¨Cpay attention to the deep ocean, to a nearly forgotten ancient deep dive plan, to something that has recently surfaced from the deep sea, all these are interconnected.¡±


    Agatha and the old caretaker exchanged looks.


    The young gatekeeper couldn¡¯t connect too many dots for a moment, but the old caretaker, having lived through a certain era, instantly thought of something.


    ¡°Are you referring to¡­ the Deep Abyss Project?¡± the old man blurted out, hesitating as he mentioned the term, ¡°Why would you know about¡­¡±


    He stopped mid-sentence.


    It wasn¡¯t too surprising for a high-ranking presence to be aware of some human secrets.


    Agatha¡¯s eyes widened slightly, her gaze shifting between the old caretaker and the coffin numerous times before suddenly stopping. She quickly whispered to the old man beside her, ¡°I need to warn the city hall¡­ there might be trouble at Dagger Island.¡±


    The old caretaker whispered back urgently, ¡°You better go now.¡±


    As they conversed in hushed tones, Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly emerged from the dark coffin again, ¡°Thus, my warning has been delivered, I will not linger any longer.¡±


    Agatha, taken aback, blurted out subconsciously, ¡°Are you leaving now?¡±


    ¡°I still have other matters,¡± the voice from the coffin sounded, seemingly in a hurry, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯ll visit again.¡±


    With those words, the coffin fell silent.


    The Visitor had left, and rather abruptly at that. Agatha and the elderly caretaker were taken aback. They hadn¡¯t expected the mysterious ¡°Visitor¡± to come tonight just to deliver those few words, just to issue a warning¨Csuch sudden visits followed by an equally sudden departure made the figure even more elusive in their eyes.


    While the duo in the graveyard were bewildered, Duncan had already returned to that dim, chaotic, eerie space.


    His departure had indeed been rushed¨Cin the original plan, he had intended to stay longer in the graveyard, even considering emerging from the coffin to have a formal meeting with the cemetery¡¯s caretaker and the gatekeeper named ¡°Agatha.¡±


    But just now, while walking in the Spirit Realm, he suddenly felt something unusual.


    In the dark, star-studded space, Duncan looked up, his gaze falling not far ahead.


    The dense constellation representing the beings of Frost flickered in the void, and one of the stars was shimmering with an abnormal fluctuation, emitting an unsettling aura.


    Duncan moved closer, staring at that ¡°star.¡±


    Its light was rapidly fading, seemingly indicating that a vivid life was swiftly slipping away. But at the dimming edge of that flickering light, something seemed to be stealthily approaching, attempting to entangle with the starlight.


    After a moment of thought, Duncan reached out towards the starlight.


    ¡­


    Covered entirely by the night, the cold sea surface was undulating with waves, pushing a few pieces of wreckage that had escaped the vortex toward the northern part of Frost City-State.


    Among them, a larger piece of debris, like a solitary canoe, had broken free from the surrounding fragments. On this piece, a bulky body, nearly indiscernible in form, suddenly twitched twice.


    The body was wrapped in a tattered uniform, scorched marks from flames all over it. The hair on its head had been completely burnt away, its face unrecognizable, its left arm unnaturally twisted, clearly broken by some immense impact, and its legs even more deformed, flesh torn and split open.


    Yet, almost no blood flowed from those wounds¨Cthe high temperatures of the explosion had cauterized them all.


    It was a horrific sight of injuries, yet this body¡­was still alive.


    Belazov tried to open his eyes, struggling several times. It felt as if he had torn part of his eyelids before finally making out some dim shapes through blurred vision.


    Dull and chaotic pain spread throughout his body, the organs in his chest seemed as if they had been torn into pieces by a rusty saw, but all these sensations were mixed with an odd numbness, making it nearly impossible for him to discern where each feeling originated from¨Ceven unsure if his limbs were still attached to his torso.


    He knew his nervous system must have collapsed, his internal organs failing rapidly, the last adrenaline pushing its hardest to keep his brain working. He hadn¡¯t survived¨Che was just not dead yet.


    Memories were slowly surfacing in his mind; he remembered the incident on Dagger Island and rediscovering anomaly on the ship, initiating ¡°Procedure Twenty-two.¡±


    He was surprised¨Cat having not died instantly in such a massive explosion, left with just a breath to reflect on his life at the brink of death.


    Perhaps, it was the captain¡¯s cabin that was exceptionally sturdy, slightly shielding him from the explosion. Or maybe, it was because he had failed to save the potential thirty-one regular crew members on board, thus suffering this torment as punishment for his failure.


    But none of that mattered now.


    He could faintly see the wreckage floating nearby on the sea, from which he deduced that the Sea Swallow had been completely destroyed, its main structure likely having sunk into the ocean.


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    He had no time to ponder whether those submerged remains might cause unforeseen consequences¨Che had done his duty, fulfilled his oath to the utmost, and what remained was beyond his capabilities.


    Belazov slowly exhaled, amidst the tearing sensation in his chest, calmly waiting for the doors of The Saint Bartok, the god of death, to open to him.


    However, the first to come and guide him was not a messenger of death.


    In the cold glow of Creation of the World, a tall young man wearing a blue coat, holding a cane, appeared at the edge of the floating wreckage at some unknown time.


    A dark chain extended from the base of the tall man¡¯s skull, drifting through the smoky haze into mid-air, and a creature resembling a jellyfish, seemingly formed of smoke, quietly floated at the end of the chain.

 Chapter 320 - Chapter 320 Chapter 324 Critical Intelligence

    Chapter 320: Chapter 324: Critical Intelligence Chapter 320: Chapter 324: Critical Intelligence In the last moments of his life, Belazov saw the figure standing at the edge of the wreckage.


    The tall, thin face, pale and reflected in his pupils, also entered his view with the pitch-black chains floating in mid-air, and at the end of the chains ¨C the Profound Demon ¨C ¡°Smoke Dust Jellyfish.¡±


    After a brief moment of astonishment, Belazov finally recalled scene after scene ¨C he remembered that figure and the scenes that had been shielded from his consciousness. He remembered when he set foot on Dagger Island, this tall heretic had been standing on the shore; when he entered the ¡°Chamber,¡± the other was walking alongside him; when he returned to the Sea Swallow, there stood the other inside the cabin¡­


    Belazov¡¯s eyes widened, and the charred skin on his face seemed to crackle as he tried to shout, to speak, but could only emit a low hiss from his chest. At the same time, the tall, pale-faced figure finally lowered his head and looked down upon the general who was on his last breath.


    ¡°I admit, I was negligent,¡± the tall, pale man spoke indifferently, with hardly any emotion in his tone, as if speaking to a piece of rotting wood rather than a person, ¡°When you were moving around the ship, I thought you were just checking the status of each post ¨C General Belazov, I must say, your acting was quite good.¡±


    Belazov just stared at him fiercely, rage boiling in his chest, no longer able to move his once strong body.


    ¡°What a pity, you were almost an ¡®Envoy,''¡± the thin man said with regret, shaking his head, ¡°Bringing the glory of The Saint into the City-State, liberating the filthy mortals from their shells of suffering, letting the first paradise descend upon this twisted ¡®reality.¡¯ Such a glorious chance, and you wasted it¡­ just short of that last bit of the journey.¡±


    ¡°Heretic¡­¡± Belazov finally pushed out a bit of voice from his chest, his teeth and bones creaking with friction, ¡°You¡¯ll never¡­ lay a finger on it¡­¡±


    ¡°Conserve some energy, General,¡± the thin man stepped forward, looking down at the dying man at the center of the wreckage, ¡°Embrace your death peacefully. The Saint¡¯s blessing will grant your pitiful body new life ¨C you¡¯ve already wasted your chance to become an Envoy, but the forgiving Saint will still not abandon your tormented soul¡­¡±


    With those seductive whispers, the thin man slowly reached out his right hand, and the Smoke Dust Jellyfish floating behind him also rose, writhing, and began to release an increasingly vivid red glow from its gauzy, mist-like body. The blood-red glow was reflected in Belazov¡¯s increasingly dimming pupils. His body, growing cold, seemed to have completely lost consciousness, no longer reacting to the outside world.


    ¡°It took a bit more effort than expected,¡± the thin man shook his head as a trace of emotion finally entered his voice, ¡°Damn it, if not for that queen¡­ tch.¡±


    A sticky, strange writhing and sliding sound arose as the sea water churning around the wreckage began to froth with unnatural black bubbles. Within the bubbles, a mud-like substance began to surface, creeping gradually toward Belazov¡¯s body.


    However, just a second before this muddy substance could touch the body, it suddenly stopped.


    Even the sea water swirling around appeared to be frozen in place.


    The thin man looked at this spectacle with surprise, instinctively trying to communicate with the ¡°Smoke Dust Jellyfish,¡± attempting to use the power of the Abysmal Curse to complete the ritual. But the next second, he saw the general, who had previously shown no reaction, suddenly stir slightly.


    ¡°You are really tenacious,¡± the thin man frowned involuntarily, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to calmly accept your fate, General Duncan?¡±


    ¡°Not better,¡± the bulky body, nearly charred to a crisp, lying at the center of the wreckage opened its eyes again and calmly watched the heretic bonded with the Symbiotic Demon, ¡°Continue, ¡®if not for that queen,¡¯ what comes next?¡±


    The thin man blinked.


    Something was off!


    He didn¡¯t know what had happened, but in that instant, all his intuitions suddenly started to throb fiercely, a terrible sense of crisis as if bubbling up from his soul, soaking through his spirit. He stared at the body that had opened its eyes again, instinctively wanting to retreat, but found his legs refusing to obey the command for a moment!


    Then, the thin man finally noticed the bizarre change in General Duncan ¨C his breathing was steady and strong, his voice was deep and calm, and his eyes were filled with vitality. This man who had been on death¡¯s door a moment ago, now seemed to have regained all his life force!


    The general even sat up!


    ¡± ¡®If not for that queen¡¯, what comes next?¡± Duncan slowly rose to his feet, his towering stature allowed him to even look down at the heretic across from him. He fixed his eyes on the other¡¯s, his tone serious and calm, ¡°The queen you¡¯re speaking of, is she the ¡®Frost Queen¡¯, Lei Nora?¡±


    As he spoke, his gaze lingered on the heretic behind him, watching that Smoke Dust Jellyfish that was still floating in midair.


    The jellyfish was beginning to respond.


    Profound Demons can sense what mortals cannot. Although that cloud of smoke didn¡¯t possess any facial features, it could evidently ¡°see¡± the truth within the charred shell. Now it trembled, its trembling growing fiercer while strands of black shadow began to seep from its edges, prying open a passage between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the real world.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly: if it weren¡¯t for this Profound Demon, continuing to pretend to be a dying general would have actually made it easier to gather some intelligence.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± The doomsday heretic, of course, reacted as well, and the intense dissonance along with the dangerous signals continuously transmitted from the Symbiotic Demon were enough to make him realize the gravity of the situation. Even without understanding what exactly was happening, he knew that the soul now inhabiting the body in front of him was no longer the original one, ¡°If you¡¯re just passing by, then I have no intention of coming into conflict with you¡­¡±


    ¡°Getting polite now?¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow, finding the heretic in front of him to be more perceptive than the two he had met in the graveyard, ¡°Then why not tell me what exactly you and your brethren are up to, and what does your business have to do with the ¡®Frost Queen¡¯?¡±


    As he spoke, he suddenly looked up at the ¡°Smoke Dust Jellyfish¡± floating in mid-air, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about escaping.¡±


    The Smoke Dust Jellyfish trembled violently all at once, and the black cracks spreading around it shattered and dispersed in the blink of an eye with a piercing tearing sound.


    Profound Demons are chaotic and simple-minded, but driven by instinct, they also seem to ¡°understand advice.¡±


    The tall, thin man only then realized that his Symbiotic Demon had just attempted to open a Profound passageway, a late surge of fear gripping his mind, but at this moment, he had no time to communicate with his Symbiotic Demon ¡ª because the ¡°Outsider¡± who had taken over the general¡¯s body was giving him a calm yet icy stare.


    ¡°I¡­ am just a nobody,¡± he lifted his head to look Duncan in the eyes, and his face seemed to be trying to squeeze out a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t know the full extent of the plan, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Then who does know the full extent of the plan?¡± Duncan asked expressionlessly, ¡°And where are they hiding?¡±


    ¡°My brethren¡­ they¡­¡± the tall, thin man spread his hands, and his face formed a half-smile, ¡°They will bask in glory because of me¨C¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brow suddenly furrowed, and before the heretic could react, an intense surge of energy erupted from within his body. The next second, his entire body inflated like a balloon and burst into a Fireball!


    Duncan only managed to raise his hand in time, and a greenish flame formed a curtain, blocking and transforming the oncoming firelight and blast. By the time the explosion dissipated and the surrounding sea gradually returned to calm, the heretic had already vanished into ash.


    Only a disintegrating cloud of black dust remained in the air¨Cthe Smoke Dust Jellyfish that rapidly broke apart and vanished after losing its symbiotic medium.


    Duncan stared dumbfounded at the scene, taking a good while to come to his senses, only to sigh as he watched the few fragments floating near the wreckage: ¡°These damn heretics are really tough¡­ Officially, not even someone who¡¯s brains aren¡¯t holed would believe in a heretical cult.¡±


    As he spoke, he shook his head.


    The heretic had blown to smithereens; it was of no use lamenting now. Although he hadn¡¯t managed to extract more clues from the man, his own ¡°possession¡± had already yielded a fair amount of useful intelligence.


    And among this intelligence, undoubtedly the most useful was the heretic¡¯s last mention of the ¡°queen.¡±


    It sounded like the Frost Queen, who died in a revolt half a century ago, had caused significant trouble for those heretics in some operation or the other? This trouble had persisted until today, to the point that they had to go to great lengths during their activities?


    Duncan raised a hand to stroke his chin, thoughtfully lifting his gaze.


    The night was deep, and the Creation of the World¡¯s pale light dimly illuminated the distant sea surface. At the edge of the sea, one could see the lights of the City-State coast.


    He didn¡¯t know where Dagger Island was, but this place was clearly not far from Frost¡¯s main island.


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    Just take this body to Frost then¨Cit looked terrible, but at least it wouldn¡¯t dissolve into nothing while walking like the previous one had.


    Duncan exhaled and walked towards the edge of the wreckage while calling out to Ai Yi in his mind, preparing to have it take him to the nearby coast.


    However, the next second, his movement suddenly stopped.


    He looked down in surprise.


    This body¡­ refused to obey the command.

 Chapter 321 - Chapter 321 Chapter 325 Handover

    Chapter 321: Chapter 325: Handover Chapter 321: Chapter 325: Handover A weak yet wondrous power was resisting the commands Alice issued to this body.


    Even attempting to expel her from it.


    This force seemed to have existed from the outset, but it only became conspicuously resistant when she started having thoughts of going to Frost.


    Duncan Ebnomal stopped in surprise, and although the force of resistance was consistent, he still slowly moved his feet to the edge of the wreckage, looking down at the calm sea.


    He spoke softly, ¡°I thought you had disappeared ¡ª usually, after the heart stops beating, the soul departs quickly.¡±


    Then he fell silent, feeling that faint but stubborn force, and after a moment of silence, the body¡¯s lips twitched twice: ¡°Leave¡­¡±


    Duncan slightly closed his eyes.


    On the surface of the sea, sullied by oil, the body¡¯s reflection was suddenly enveloped in a layer of eerie green flames, and the face, disfigured by a fire and explosion within the flames, quivered, transforming into Duncan Ebnomal¡¯s solemn and somber visage.


    ¡°Hello,¡± the Duncan reflected in the water looked at the body standing at the edge of the Sea Swallow wreckage and greeted calmly, ¡°I think this way we can converse more easily.¡±


    The disfigured body stood rigid, with Belazov¡¯s remaining consciousness desperately staring at the face in the water, gazing into the enveloping green flames. His lips twitched twice, emitting once more the monotonous, persistent voice: ¡°Leave.¡±


    Duncan pondered in the reflection of the water, ¡°You¡¯re not asking me to leave your body, are you asking me to stay away from Frost?¡±


    Belazov¡¯s body remained silent, standing tall as this technically deceased body refused the command to return to Frost.


    ¡°You are the first to resist ¡ª at least, the first to resist so profoundly that it caught my attention,¡± Duncan spoke calmly, ¡°But you should realize, this weak resistance is meaningless. You¡¯re only rapidly depleting your soul, and you¡¯ve merely delayed me a few seconds.¡±


    Belazov still stood silent, appearing dead ¡ª but there was a flicker of lingering light in his half-open eyes.


    ¡°I take back what I just said, your resistance has meaning,¡± after a brief silence, Duncan sighed, ¡°Go in peace, I am not an enemy of Frost ¡ª I am here to help your City-State and your people.¡±


    Then, he fell silent for a few seconds, staring at the quietly standing body, and after a brief contemplation, he spoke softly, ¡°The reinforcements are coming.¡±


    Belazov¡¯s body swayed slightly; perhaps Duncan¡¯s words truly had an effect, or it could be that the remaining stubborn soul finally dispersed entirely. This robust body looked once more towards the distant lights of the City-State before it fell straight back, face up.


    Duncan sat up, slightly adjusting the charred strips of cloth on his body, then looked at his hands.


    The feebly resisting force had disappeared.


    A whirling, spreading fire suddenly emerged beside him. The sound of flapping wings emerged from the vortex formed by the flames, and a massive skeletal bird burst forth, circling over the nearby sea.


    Almost simultaneously, the voice of Ai Yi entered Duncan¡¯s mind, ¡°Actually, you didn¡¯t need to ¡®negotiate¡¯ with him ¡ª that was just a weak mortal soul.¡±


    ¡°Weak, but deserving of respect,¡± Duncan replied while extending a hand to the side, and Ai Yi immediately flew beside him, the blazing green flames forming a doorway rising beside him, ¡°I¡¯ll head towards Frost, focusing mainly there. Homeloss will be under your command. Also, tell Alice to prepare some bandages and an overcoat, ready for my orders.¡±


    The Spectral Flame burst forth, Duncan¡¯s body blending into the flame, and in the next second, it rose beside Ai Yi as a streak of fire, soaring into the sky toward Frost.


    ¡­


    At the same time, in the warm southern seas, governed by the elves, was the technological City-State ¡°Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    It was still deep in the night, most of the city still enveloped in the boundless night sky. However, on the eastern edge of Light Breeze Harbor, a dim yet warm glow still illuminated all the buildings and streets ¡ª those elegant turrets with Elvish flair and towering rooftops bathed in the twilight, with vines hanging between houses and trees growing in the narrow lots all appearing lush in the radiant light.


    This scene, a blend of reality and fantasy, could even evoke thoughts of the ancient eras recorded in the old Elvish texts, landscapes intertwined between forest dreams and fantastical stories.


    This unusual scene was certainly not part of the natural scenery of the City-State¨Cthe warm glow covering the sky above the eastern district came from the sea near Light Breeze Harbor.


    There, like a small mountain, a geometric structure emitting endless golden light floated quietly near the Elven City-State. Despite its outer boundaries being several miles distant from the city, the marvelous radiance it released was still enough to affect half of the City-State.


    And on the edge of this vast geometric body was the temporary research facility established by the City-State authorities¨Ca giant floating raft-style harbor floated on the tranquil sea surface. Streaming clouds of steam and smoke from power devices on the edges of the rafts infused the skies, while complex mechanical work towers were busy loading and unloading cargo ships docked in the harbor. Meanwhile, numerous small speedboats shuttled tirelessly between the floating raft base and the glowing geometric body.


    These speedboats penetrated deep into the interior of the luminous geometric body, carrying supplies and personnel to the research ships nearby the ¡°core stone sphere,¡± or exchanging important data.


    All these complex, busy, and efficient processes were calculated and overseen by a giant steam-powered differential engine at the center of the raft base.


    At this moment, a magical warship, distinct in style from the local vessels, was docking next to the Elven-built floating raft base.


    It was the Witch of the Sea, Lucaicia¡¯s ship, the Brilliant Starship.


    The mechanical doll Luny, with light steps, arrived at the upper deck of the Brilliant Starship, where her mistress was standing, gazing at the beautifully intricate high tower at the center of the marine base.


    ¡°Mistress,¡± Luny approached Lucaicia from behind, bowing slightly, ¡°The research team led by Scholar Taran El has returned from near the ¡®core stone sphere¡¯ and is currently resting at the base. When do you plan to meet him?¡±


    ¡°In the afternoon,¡± Lucaicia replied without turning, ¡°Let that Elven scholar rest a bit more¨Che hasn¡¯t really rested since we dragged this luminary to Light Breeze Harbor. I worry he might die suddenly on my ship.¡±


    Luny pondered for a moment: ¡°We could meet him at the marine base, and prevent him from having to board.¡±


    Lucaicia: ¡°¡­Luny.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You have improved in humor.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your praise.¡±


    Lucaicia¡¯s lips twitched slightly, then she glanced once more at the tower at the center of the base¨Cthe pressure release pipes at the top of the tower were emitting bursts of mist now, indicating the differential engine¡¯s power system was automatically balancing the overall load. It seemed the master ¡°Taran El¡± indeed brought back quite significant data this time.


    ¡°Elves indeed possess exceptional talents in mathematics and mechanics,¡± Lucaicia murmured in admiration, ¡°Bringing it to Light Breeze Harbor was the right move. Only here could we organize such a scale of research team and have such level of facilities readily available.¡±


    ¡°Moco could possibly do it, too,¡± Luny suggested, ¡°after all, it is the headquarters of the Academy of Truth. The number of scholars and research conditions there are even somewhat stronger than here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too far, plus it¡¯s too close to the Central Seas¨CI don¡¯t intend to have the Brilliant Starship hauling a massive ¡®otherworldly artifact¡¯ along the main routes. It would stir up those City-States that haven¡¯t experienced much turmoil,¡± Lucaicia shook her head, ¡°Not to mention the Divine Quadrant is speculating it might be a fragment dislodged from Anomaly 001. This level of object¡­ it¡¯s best studied on the Civilization Frontier.¡±


    Luny pondered somewhat, then bowed slightly: ¡°Your judgment is well-considered.¡±


    Lucaicia had no reaction to her maid¡¯s compliment, merely pondering other matters silently, but suddenly, she seemed to sense something, her expression subtly shifting.


    ¡°Just a moment, my brother is calling me.¡±


    With that statement, the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± transformed into a whirlwind of colorful paper shreds swirling over the deck, spiraling into a distant open window and returning to the captain¡¯s quarters.


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    On the table in the captain¡¯s room, the mechanical device comprising intricate lenses and a crystal ball was now glowing slightly and emitting faint vibrations.


    Lucaicia¡¯s figure reformed from the colorful paper shreds, and she stepped closer to the glowing crystal device, activating the image within the crystal ball.


    The visage of ¡°Iron Marshal¡± Tierian appeared within the crystal ball, his background not the familiar room.


    ¡°Brother?¡± Lucaicia frowned slightly, initially not noticing the background behind him, ¡°Why did you suddenly reach out?¡±


    Tierian smiled mysteriously: ¡°Guess where I am?¡±

 Chapter 322 - Chapter 322 Chapter 326 Siblings with a Great Relationship

    Chapter 322: Chapter 326: Siblings with a Great Relationship Chapter 322: Chapter 326: Siblings with a Great Relationship Lucresia was momentarily unsure how to respond to her brother¨Cwho would summon her with a Mystic Orb across thousands of miles in the dead of night, just to crack such a joke.


    But soon, the ¡°Sea Witch¡± faintly sensed something was amiss.


    Her usually staid brother would not be doing something like this under normal circumstances, and unlike her, who always preferred solitude, her brother had an entire fleet to take care of. Besides, the room clearly not on the Sea Mist behind him looked a bit¡­ familiar?


    Through the Crystal Ball, Terence noticed the change in Lucresia¡¯s demeanor.


    He had made a special trip back to his home port and brought the Crystal Ball to the Homeloss for this purpose.


    ¡°You surely won¡¯t believe it,¡± the pirate captain exhaled, smiled, and stepped aside to let the cabin¡¯s scene come fully into view of the Crystal Ball and lenses, ¡°I¡¯m in my own room¨C¡®my own room¡¯.¡±


    Listening to the other¡¯s deliberate emphasis, Lucresia looked at the image presented in the Crystal Ball. At first puzzled, then contemplative, and finally, shock and anxiety took over her eyes. Her initial calm was gone, and she abruptly stood up, ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°As you see,¡± Terence returned in front of the Crystal Ball, spreading his hands with a bitter smile, ¡°a lot of unexpected things happened, and the end result is¡­ I¡¯ve ended up here.¡±


    Lucresia stood in front of the Crystal Ball, dumbfounded, silent for a good six to seven seconds before she frowned and slowly sat back down.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of the Mist Fleet for you,¡± she said evenly, ¡°and the twenty-seven bank accounts you hold at Cold Harbor, Moco, Mormonzo, and Zalbustro, as well as the sixty-two hidden treasure locations in the northern seas.¡±


    This time, it was Terence who jumped up in front of the Crystal Ball.


    ¡°How would you know about¡­¡± The big pirate stared almost aghast at the Crystal Ball¡¯s image of his sister, but the next second, he realized, ¡°Did you leave a mark on the Sea Mist?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need such a clumsy method,¡± Lucresia declared calmly, ¡°The way you hide things was never too clever¨Cdid the snacks you hid as a child ever go uneaten until the end?¡±


    Terence¡¯s expression stiffened momentarily, then he sighed helplessly, ¡°I thought I had chosen quite secluded places for those treasures, especially since they haven¡¯t been disturbed for so long¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyone with a fleet as large as the Mist Fleet, even if they placed their treasures in the city center, it would still be ¡®unreachable pirate treasure.''¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t argue with you,¡± Terence waved his hand dismissively, sidestepping this slightly embarrassing topic, ¡°It looks like you¡¯re not worried about my safety.¡±


    ¡°I was worried at first, but if you were really in trouble, you wouldn¡¯t be in the mood to joke with me,¡± Lucresia remained unaffected, ¡°So what exactly happened? Why are you on the Homeloss? And our father, he¡­¡±


    ¡°He found my secret port¨Cprobably just like you said, my hiding methods have never been clever,¡± Terence sighed again, ¡°Something came up in Frost¡­ Something is stirring beneath the deep sea, drawing our father¡¯s attention. Now he¡¯s come here to investigate in person and has sought me out.¡±


    Lucresia frowned, ¡°So, you¡¯ve seen him, face to face?¡±


    Terence spread his hands, ¡°Need you even ask? Here I am on the ship.¡±


    Lucresia fell silent, seemingly hesitant about something. After a while, she blurted out without preamble, ¡°¡­What¡¯s father¡¯s condition now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ better than we expected,¡± Terence chose his words carefully, trying to keep his reply from being colored by the improbable occurrences he¡¯d experienced on the Homeloss, ¡°He¡¯s truly regained his humanity¨Cand has become even more serene than we remember. He talked a lot with me, about the Mist Fleet, the Chill Sea, about you and me. He also mentioned some¡­ vague details regarding Subspace, of course.¡±


    ¡°You even discussed Subspace with him?!¡± Lucresia¡¯s mouth twitched visibly, ¡°You haven¡¯t gone mad, have you?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who initiated the conversation,¡± Terence shrugged, ¡°I just curiously asked him why the lower deck was locked up¨Cthen he told me that the entire lower structure of the Homeloss has been submerged in Subspace, and the door is mainly locked to prevent someone from accidentally falling in.¡±


    Lucresia inhaled softly, her pupils¡¯ tremors so evident that even Terence could clearly see them.


    ¡°Astonishment, anxiety, disbelief, coupled with the thrill of having your eyes opened wide, right?¡± Terence said wryly, ¡°I understand how you feel; I¡¯ve been through all those emotions once already.¡±


    But Lucresia remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.


    For less than a second, she even genuinely pondered whether her brother had been corroded by Subspace and if the man sitting before the Crystal Ball had become a madman.


    After an indeterminate length of time, she broke the silence again, ¡°Father, what¡¯s he doing now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, he¡¯s gone back to his captain¡¯s quarters. The rest of the people on board say he¡¯s going to use some special measures to investigate the Frost City-State¨CI didn¡¯t ask for details.¡±


    ¡°Are there other people on board?¡± Lucresia asked, surprised.


    Tirian opened his mouth, as if to answer, but was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door. He then got up from in front of the crystal ball, and Lucresia could only hear a few faint phrases of a conversation from off-screen.


    It seemed that someone had come to the room to deliver something.


    After a moment, Tirian returned to the frame with a plate in front of him, containing a freshly baked apple pie.


    The crystal ball immediately transmitted Lucresia¡¯s exclamation, ¡°You even have apple pie over there?!¡±


    ¡°The ship even has hot water supply and fresh produce from Prandt right now,¡± Tirian said offhandedly, ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to imagine. In fact, Father even mentioned he¡¯s considering installing a steam core on board so that we could have a 24-hour hot water supply and even add a power generator¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he spread his hands out, ¡°The good news is that it seems Father won¡¯t mind the modifications I make to Sea Mist anymore.¡±


    Lucresia: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡­


    The chill night wind blew across the shore, and a fleeting green flame dashed across the sky. Before anyone could notice, it had already plummeted into an uninhabited corner near the port.


    A tall and imposing figure, entirely engulfed in flames, stepped out from the fire. His appearance, though horrific to behold, was grand and imposing.


    Feeling the chill wind on his face, Duncan took a deep breath on the land of Frost.


    Physiologically, his body had long lost the function of breathing, but he could still feel the airflow filling his chest before he exhaled slowly and forcefully.


    ¡°Frost¡­¡± Duncan raised his eyes to the distant city area illuminated by lights, shook his head, and then walked slowly to a calm pool of water near the shore. Reflecting in the pool, using the light cast down by Creation of the World, he saw the face he was currently using.


    ¡°This face would certainly get me pinned down by the enforcer and the guardian the moment it¡¯s seen.¡±


    Reflected in the pool was the daunting visage, authoritative yet alarming enough to make anyone run to the authorities on sight.


    It was hard to imagine that the original owner of this body managed to maintain his consciousness until the last second of his dying breath.


    ¡°Belazov, huh¡­ May your spirit rest in peace.¡± Duncan looked at the reflection in the water for the last time, bidding farewell to the former owner of this body, and then looked up.


    Ai Yi was standing on a nearby piece of broken rock, flapping its wings and cooing loudly.


    Duncan waved his hand, and the pigeon instantly turned into a stream of fiery light, disappearing into the night sky in the blink of an eye.


    Through a connection established deep in his spirit, Duncan could confirm that it had instantaneously arrived on Homeloss.


    Just like the previous tests¨Cafter establishing the return beacons, Ai Yi could use a method akin to ¡°instantaneous movement¡± to cross vast distances in the blink of an eye, directly arriving at each beacon¡¯s location.


    Duncan lowered his head to look at the body he was currently using.


    The ¡°incarnation¡± he occupied to traverse the Spirit Realm was the ¡°return beacon¡± that could serve as a locational point for Ai Yi.


    While confirming this, he also recalled the temporary body he had occupied on his first night in Frost.


    Extremely weak, unusually perceptive, and beginning to self-destruct shortly after leaving the coffin¨Che hadn¡¯t had time to conduct more tests, but looking back, that body indeed didn¡¯t provide him with the feedback for ¡°establishing a beacon.¡±


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    ¡°One of the characteristics of a Replication¡­¡± Duncan mused thoughtfully, ¡°Because it¡¯s not the complete body of a mortal, it can¡¯t carry power?¡±


    Just as he pondered this, a sudden crackling burst of flames interrupted his thoughts, followed by a ghostly green flame door materializing out of thin air on the coast beside him.


    Ai Yi had returned from Homeloss.


    Duncan turned to look at the flaming gateway hovering in midair, and three figures were already gradually appearing within the light and shadow of the flames.


    These were the ¡°mysterious helpers¡± he had instructed Ai Yi to bring from Homeloss.

 Chapter 323 - Chapter 323 Chapter 327 Going Ashore in Disguise

    Chapter 323: Chapter 327: Going Ashore in Disguise Chapter 323: Chapter 327: Going Ashore in Disguise Emerging from the portal of flames were a disguised Alice, Fenna in ordinary attire, and Morris, carrying a cane and dressed in a dark grey overcoat.


    Duncan needed Morris¡¯s knowledge to aid his own understanding of the city and to find the whereabouts of ¡°Brown Scott.¡± He needed Fenna¡¯s expertise to locate the Heretics and, where possible, to establish contact with the local church. As for Alice¡­


    Actually, she wasn¡¯t much needed, but Alice wanted to come and have a look¨Con the other hand, considering Alice was wearing the face of the Frost Queen, Duncan thought it might be amusing to bring her along.


    The eerie green Spectral Flame dissipated quickly in the air, and Ai Yi transformed back into a white dove, landing on a nearby branch. Morris tightened his thick coat against Frost¡¯s chilly wind, lifting his head to look towards the brightly lit part of the city. Alice was curiously surveying her surroundings, while Fenna had already noticed a towering figure standing in the darkness.


    A ghastly body stood before them, its fire-tempered appearance nowhere near that of someone who could still be standing there alive. Yet, there it was, firmly stationed in the darkness, observing them with a tranquil gaze, while the remnants of clothing on the body revealed its once held identity.


    An indescribable ¡°connection¡± emerged in Fenna¡¯s heart, and in a moment of distraction, she was already certain the figure she was seeing for the first time was the captain.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan,¡± she approached Duncan and couldn¡¯t help but size him up again, despite knowing that the captain¡¯s incarnations used while operating in the City-State were all occupied bodies. Still, frowning slightly she said, ¡°Your body¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not too bad¨Cjust maybe a little frightening on the outside,¡± spoke Duncan in a deep voice, ¡°Finding a well-preserved and suitable ¡®fit¡¯ of an incarnation is all down to luck, and this body is better than the ¡®sacrifice¡¯ you saw in the sewer when we first met.¡±


    Fenna immediately recalled some rather unpleasant memories, her eyes seemed to flinch, and she spoke in a low voice, ¡°¡­I¡¯d rather not remember that.¡±


    Duncan smiled, looking up at Alice, still looking around curiously, and beckoned her over, ¡°Stop looking around and come help¨Cdid you bring everything?¡±


    Alice snapped back to her senses and hurried over to Duncan, holding up a small box she was carrying, ¡°Got it, got it! Clothes and bandages¡­ Wow! Captain, your face is so dark¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored the doll¡¯s exclamatory tone and simply took the box she offered, and after opening it, inspected the contents: a black overcoat designed to conceal body details, with a high collar that, when erected, could cover the face and neck, a black wide-brimmed hat, gloves, shoes, some bandages, cash, and a neatly folded map of the Frost City-State.


    Duncan raised an eyebrow¨Cthe items were even more considerate than he had imagined.


    As he was adapting to this new body, most of his consciousness was focused here, paying little heed to the situation on the ship. When he relayed a message to Alice through the Goat Head, he only mentioned preparing clothes and bandages. The other items, including the cash¡­ it seemed beyond Alice¡¯s head to think of on her own.


    ¡°Mr. Tirian prepared them,¡± Alice chimed in without waiting for Duncan to ask, ¡°He heard you were going to be active in the City-State and told me to bring these as well¨Coh right, he also told me to tell you, the map is the latest, and it has red marks for the Mist Fleet¡¯s secret contact points, and some lines¡­ lines something or other¡­¡±


    ¡°Informants, the living members outside the Mist Fleet,¡± Duncan interjected casually, his tone a touch pensive, ¡°He says he won¡¯t set foot on Frost¡¯s land again¡­ yet his gaze has never left this city. It¡¯s as good as being here in person.¡±


    ¡°Oh right, informants,¡± Alice nodded repeatedly and then, while peering curiously into the box, asked, ¡°Will these things be useful?¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°They¡¯ll all come in handy, Tirian has been attentive.¡±


    As he spoke, he had already picked up the bandages and handed them to Fenna beside him, ¡°Help me out¨Cyou know how to do this, right?¡±


    Having foreseen Duncan¡¯s intent at the sight of the items in the box, Fenna took the bandages, but before wrapping them around the captain, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, somewhat uncertain, ¡°Is this really okay? It still feels a bit conspicuous¡­¡±


    ¡°Just a cover is fine, I¡¯m not planning to settle down in Frost with this appearance,¡± Duncan said, coordinating with Fenna¡¯s movements, ¡°Walking on the street without attracting the attention of the wardens is enough; if we come across a situation that¡¯s truly inconvenient to manage, then I¡¯ll need your and Morris¡¯s assistance.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Fenna nodded and had already begun to skillfully wrap the bandages around Duncan. Her movements were adept, clearly indicating that this was not her first time performing such a task.


    In the frontline against heretical abominations, tending to wounds was as common and essential as breathing.


    Alice watched Fenna work, seeming ready to try her hand as well, ¡°Can I help too?¡±


    Duncan glanced sideways at the over one and a half meter tall doll, then at the nearly two-meter-tall Fenna in front of him.


    Then he looked down at his own form, which was likely over one meter ninety as well.


    ¡°Fine, if you look up, your head might fall off again,¡± he rejected the puppet, and then added with concern, ¡°Don¡¯t forget this is a City-State, and it¡¯s the Frost City-State at that. Be sure to maintain your disguise, not just the wig and keeping your head attached, but also don¡¯t remove the veil on your face, got it? Your face could easily scare away people over fifty here.¡±


    Alice promptly responded, ¡°Got it!¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, then his gaze shifted to Fenna.


    To carry out a mission in the unfamiliar Frost, of course, she couldn¡¯t stick to her conspicuous armor and giant sword; for the sake of moving around the city with ease, she had now changed into ordinary clothes.


    A women¡¯s grey cinched waistcoat, with black leather boots and trousers below. Her grey-white hair still casually flowed behind her head, maintaining her usual valiant demeanor, but without the armor and giant sword, her figure did seem somewhat softer.


    However, standing at a towering height of one-meter-ninety, this getup probably wouldn¡¯t draw interrogation, but blending in would still be highly unlikely.


    While pondering, bandages were being wrapped around the face, layer by layer, enveloping the disfigured head.


    Apart from his eyes and a small patch of intact skin near his left eye, his entire face was eventually covered.


    Then he donned a high-collared black coat, finished with shoes, gloves, and that wide-brimmed hat.


    Fortunately, his sturdy body meant that the clothes, which were nearly the same size as his original form, fit him well.


    Duncan finally adjusted his clothes, meticulously buttoning up the trench coat to the very last one.


    He couldn¡¯t see his current appearance, but he could well imagine it.


    A black coat covering the whole body, a wide-brimmed hat and a high collar obscuring the face, black leather gloves, and layers of bandages faintly visible through the gaps in his attire.


    After a moment, he turned to the young Judge standing quietly beside him, ¡°Fenna, tell me the truth¡­¡±


    Fenna sighed, ¡°Inexperienced security officers and guards would probably stop and question you right away.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment, ¡°¡­And what about the experienced ones?¡±


    ¡°They would call for reinforcements.¡±


    Duncan, ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not actually that serious,¡± Fenna suddenly smiled a little, shaking her head, ¡°The above would only happen in the core urban areas with high security levels¨Cthey have sufficient forces. In the general city areas, you should not run into trouble. This is what I infer from the situation in Prand, but it should be more or less the same in Frost. The only thing to worry about might just be your bandages¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, the bandages might be a better disguise,¡± Fenna hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Morris suddenly interjected, ¡°These bandages might just help you avoid a lot of trouble.¡±


    Duncan looked inquisitive, ¡°Hmm?¡±


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    ¡°The Frost reveres the Death God as its primary deity, and the customs and symbols associated with death are a feature here. Devout believers even deliberately add bandage-like ornaments to their clothes, and such elements are also present in the daily attire of the clergy,¡± Morris mused as he spoke, ¡°You might be taken for a Death God adherent with unusual behavior at most.¡±


    Listening to the old gentleman¡¯s introduction, Fenna blinked, ¡°I hadn¡¯t known these details. I only know about the other Three Gods Church¡¯s doctrines and taboos.¡±


    Morris chuckled, ¡°Getting to know the specific customs and traditions of each City-State without study is quite difficult.¡±


    Duncan looked at the old scholar, ¡°Is this what your ¡®old friend¡¯ shared with you?¡±


    Morris fell silent for a moment, sighing softly, ¡°Yes¨Cthat is. Brown Scott was a great folklorist. He traveled through many central and northern City-States all his life, especially Frost and Cold Harbor. He wrote me many letters describing the unique customs and beliefs here.¡±

 Chapter 324 - Chapter 324 Chapter 328 Sailing towards Dagger Island

    Chapter 324: Chapter 328: Sailing towards Dagger Island Chapter 324: Chapter 328: Sailing towards Dagger Island After completing the disguise and preparations, Duncan cast his gaze towards the brightly lit and bustling urban district.


    Fenna judged the current situation within the city based on her experience, ¡°It¡¯s curfew time now, there will be guards patrolling the streets, but in some of the more peripheral places, the patrols will be relatively weak¨Ceven in developed places like Proulland, the guards in the Lower City District can¡¯t watch every corner. Generally speaking, the security standard for the peripheral urban districts is ¡®in case of a Transcendent losing control, the nearest squad must be able to reach the scene within twenty minutes, and the casualties must be contained from spreading to adjacent blocks.''¡±


    ¡°The Sea Swallow exploded off the coast of the City-State, with no survivors aboard. That¡¯s something we can¡¯t hide. By now, the Frost authorities must be busy,¡± Morris spoke from the side, ¡°We should give them a warning.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy for me. I excel in all forms of reporting, and they usually get the local departments pretty anxious,¡± Duncan said offhand. ¡°But apart from giving a warning, we must proceed with our own investigation¨Cthis incident is very strange. I can smell something similar to what happened in Proulland back then. Those Heretics¡­ they¡¯re probably up to no good.¡±


    As he spoke, he picked up the map that Tyrion had prepared for him.


    The contents of the map were very detailed, with various special annotations¨Cit was clearly not something issued by the City-State civil authorities. Undoubtedly, Tyrion¡¯s informants embedded in this City-State had made substantial contributions to this map.


    Duncan quickly found two points worthy of attention: Fireplace Street, located on the edge of the inner city district, and the graveyard area even closer to the heart of the inner city.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze fell on the plot marked as the graveyard area, noting that the entire area was divided into nine graveyards with numerical designations, from one to nine¨Cthey almost symmetrically surrounded the Cathedral district at the center of the City-State, forming a faint, circular arrangement that looked¡­ truly unlike the planning style of a ordinary city-state.


    Is this also a need of the faith of Bartok, the god of death?


    ¡°First, we¡¯ll head to Fireplace Street to visit your ¡®old friend¡¯,¡± Duncan looked up at Morris, ¡°and after the curfew ends, you and Fenna find a place to stay within the City-State. Alice and I will go to Graveyard Three.¡±


    ¡°The graveyard?¡± Morris questioned subconsciously.


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to give the City-State authorities a little warning, right? We can¡¯t just go knocking on the city hall or cathedral to report, can we?¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°A channel to get the message through will do, and I happen to know such a channel in Graveyard Three.¡±


    Fenna spoke up unconsciously, ¡°Passing the message is one thing, but more importantly, it needs to attract enough attention¡­¡±


    Duncan turned his head, wearing a confident smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll take it very seriously.¡±


    Under the cold, silent night sky, a white dove flew from the Frost coast into the night, heading towards the distant city district ablaze with lights.


    At the same time, far away on the Homeloss on the Chill Sea, the door to the captain¡¯s quarters finally opened.


    Duncan¡¯s silhouette appeared on the deck.


    In the chill of the night, he moved his hands, feet, and shoulders, feeling the peculiar sensation of his consciousness separately controlling multiple bodies. After the sensation of delay faded, he exhaled softly.


    He had just spent some time getting used to his new body in Frost ¨Ccompared to the stumbling first attempt at ¡°multitasking¡± back in Proulland, this time, with an additional body, he adapted much more quickly and smoothly.


    In no time, he was able to handle matters on Homeloss while ensuring the actions of his body in Frost.


    After steadying his mind, Duncan asked in his thoughts, ¡°Where is Tyrion?¡±


    The voice of the goat head responded immediately, ¡°He¡¯s near the rudder deck, should I call him over?¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll go there myself,¡± Duncan shook his head, then casually ordered, ¡°Adjust the course to Dagger Island, full speed ahead.¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain!¡±


    The screeching and creaking sounds arose from taut ropes and masts, and the noise of the massive ship adjusting its course and colliding with the waves broke the tranquility of the night. Tyrion, who was standing on the rear deck gazing into the distance, was startled by this sudden commotion. He looked up in surprise, just in time to see the dark wheel on the high helm slowly turning against the backdrop of the Creation of the World¡¯s dim light, as if an invisible hand was steering the ship.


    Even though this was not the first time he had witnessed such a scene since boarding the ship again, he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    Many parts of Homeloss were indeed as he remembered, but the ship constantly reminded him in various subtle ways¨Cit had become a Ghost Ship, baptized by Subspace.


    While lost in thought, Terrian heard the steady, powerful footsteps approaching from nearby. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw his father¡¯s figure appear on the ship¡¯s deck beneath the night sky.


    ¡°Startled by the sudden noise?¡± Duncan asked with a smirk as he saw Terrian staring at the ship¡¯s wheel earlier, ¡°A goat-headed creature is at the helm.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ve seen it twice already,¡± Terrian regained his composure, his expression back to normal, ¡°It¡¯s just still a bit uncomfortable to accept¨Ceven though the Sea Mist has some traits of being ¡®alive,¡¯ the ¡®liveliness¡¯ of your ship is just too excessive by comparison.¡±


    ¡°It brings unexpected conveniences,¡± Duncan said offhandedly.


    Terrian made no comment but couldn¡¯t help asking after observing the ship¡¯s sailing posture for a moment, ¡°The Homeloss is accelerating and adjusting its course¨Cwhat are you planning to do?¡±


    ¡°I came to tell you¨Cwe¡¯re heading to Dagger Island.¡±


    ¡°Dagger Island?¡± Terrian was startled but quickly gathered his thoughts, ¡°Has something happened there?!¡±


    ¡°One of Frost¡¯s military ships exploded and sank on its way back to the main island¨Cit had briefly stopped at Dagger Island, and by the time it was returning, it had become a carrier of contamination,¡± Duncan did not conceal the information, ¡°Now I suspect the situation on Dagger Island may already be out of control, but for some unknown reason, the whole alert system on the island has not responded, and there have been no unusual reports received from Frost itself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Invasive contamination, something silently pierced through the defense system of Dagger Island,¡± Terrian instantly understood but then expressed disbelief, ¡°But¡­ the defense systems there shouldn¡¯t be so easily breached¡­¡±


    ¡°No defense system is foolproof, and furthermore, since the contamination comes from the deep sea, it¡¯s likely related to The Saint of the Abyss,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°The authorities of Frost should already be alarmed by the military ship¡¯s explosion, but I don¡¯t have much confidence in them; I need to go and see for myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­What about me?¡± asked Terrian, pondering and vaguely understanding his father¡¯s intention, ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Ai Yi will take you back later; take your team and be on standby near Frost,¡± Duncan decided after some thought, ¡°Prepare for the worst-case scenario.¡±


    ¡°The worst-case scenario?¡±


    ¡°The contaminated warship sank fast, unnaturally so,¡± Duncan explained while extracting useful memories and information from the body he had recently occupied, ¡°As if something from the seabed was dragging it down¡­¡±


    Terrian¡¯s expression grew more solemn as he slowly realized the gravity of the situation.


    ¡°Since the rebellion in Frost half a century ago, we have assumed that ¡®what¡¯ the Abyssal Project disturbed has never actually been dormant, but has been active all this while, even consciously accumulating power,¡± Duncan¡¯s gaze wandered into the distance, his voice calm yet as if harboring a brewing storm, ¡°Terrian, how many ships have sunk into the sea near Frost over this half-century, and what¡­ could now be lurking beneath that City-State?¡±


    The deck fell silent.


    Under the tranquil and chilly night sky, the infamous pirate shivered suddenly.


    ¡­


    A white dove flew into the city district. In the desolate streets during curfew, a fleeting glow of ghostly green fire flashed past.


    The night patrol had just left the area, and the citizens of the City-State wouldn¡¯t venture out at this late hour, so no one noticed the sudden firelight appearing in the alley¡¯s shadow, nor the few unfamiliar figures emerging from it.


    An old-looking house stood on a corner of Fireplace Street.


    Gray exterior walls, a dark-colored sloping roof, a black door, and gas lamps with iron filigree decorations¨Ca typical northern City-State structure that appeared to have been recently inhabited.


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    Morris stepped forward and confirmed the number on the doorplate by the gas lamp¡¯s light.


    This was indeed the residence mentioned in Brown Scott¡¯s letter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check inside with Morris,¡± Duncan, dressed in a black long coat and wide-brimmed hat, turned to Fenna and Alice beside him, his voice muffled but deep from beneath the thick bandages, ¡°You two wait nearby¨Cjust don¡¯t alert the night patrol.¡±


    Checking the inside of a house didn¡¯t require many people, and if the ¡°Brown Scott¡± was there and had any capacity for communication, having too many people around might lead to unintended complications¨Cafter all, Duncan wasn¡¯t here to wreak havoc today; he came to gather intelligence.


    (Book recommendation time: This one comes from Yao Rubing, ¡°Please Don¡¯t Come Looking for Me Anymore!¡± It¡¯s a light novel, a promising sprout, a work by a member of our group, much celebrated. May it thrive.)

 Chapter 325 - Chapter 325 Chapter 329 Students

    Chapter 325: Chapter 329 Students Chapter 325: Chapter 329 Students Alice and Fenna hid in a dark corner of the alley, where they would wait for instructions while keeping an eye on the movements around the building.


    Duncan and Morris arrived at the building with the black door.


    The building was very quiet¨Cit was to be expected, after all, the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet, and the night of this world was never suitable for the average person¡¯s activities. Most normal people had no nightlife after dusk; they went to bed early and waited for dawn as a norm.


    But would the ¡°Replications¡± returning from the deep sea also keep the same routine as ordinary people?


    Duncan looked up and noticed a conspicuous button on the door frame and pressed it twice.


    Faintly, an urgent and piercing electric bell could be heard coming from inside the building¨Con this quiet night, the sound of the bell was particularly jarring.


    ¡°Perhaps we shouldn¡¯t have come calling during the curfew,¡± Morris said, touching his forehead and speaking with a hint of hesitation, ¡°if we disturb the neighbors, it will arouse suspicion.¡±


    ¡°But your friend may not be able to wait, it¡¯s better to be early,¡± Duncan replied coolly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the rest, arousing the suspicion of the church or alarming the City-State authorities is all part of life; you should get used to being a member of the Homeloss.¡±


    Morris opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out, and at that moment, Duncan reached out again and pressed the doorbell twice.


    Finally, they heard a series of hurried footsteps from within the building, accompanied by the noise of something being knocked over¨Cthen the living room lights turned on, and the soft light shone through the window next to the door and spilled onto the street.


    The sound of the door lock turning clicked, and the black door opened a crack; a wary eye peeked through the gap, accompanied by a young and tense voice, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    It sounded like a young woman.


    Duncan and Morris exchanged a glance¨Cone surprised, the other thoughtful, as if something had occurred to him.


    ¡°Is that you, Garland?¡± Morris ventured, ¡°Is Mr. Brown Scott at home? I am a friend of your teacher.¡±


    He then turned to Duncan and whispered quickly but quietly: ¡°It might be Brown Scott¡¯s student; I¡¯ve heard him mention her.¡±


    Duncan nodded in understanding. In the meantime, the owner of the young voice behind the door clearly hesitated upon hearing Morris¡¯s words before responding hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s too late, and the teacher is sleeping. Can we talk about this after sunrise?¡±


    Morris furrowed his brow, as the situation was not as he had expected¨Che hadn¡¯t anticipated that Brown Scott¡¯s student would still be living in this house six years after his death. But after a brief moment of contemplation, he organized his words: ¡°We¡¯ve arrived too late and still haven¡¯t found a place to stay¨Cbesides, your teacher wrote me a letter earlier, inviting me over.¡±


    He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°My name is Morris Underwood; your teacher should have mentioned me to you.¡±


    The voice behind the door fell silent as ¡°Garland¡± appeared to be remembering and thinking. After several seconds, she spoke again: ¡°Then¡­ please wait a moment, I¡¯ll undo the chain bolt.¡±


    The sound of metal clashing and chains rubbing against each other echoed in the night as the person inside removed the safety chain from the interior side of the door. The door finally opened, revealing a figure in the warm, bright light¡­ a tall and somewhat odd figure.


    The figure was barely a few centimeters shorter than Fenna, with a height close to one meter ninety making them strikingly conspicuous. Unlike the tall but slender Fenna, this young woman standing at the door had a physique where strong, muscular outlines could be seen all over her body. But what drew more attention than her height was her skin, which had a grayish-white hue like rock and faint golden patterns on its surface.


    Aside from these prominent non-human traits, her features were not much different from the usual young human women, even appearing rather¡­ delicate.


    Awoken in the dead of night, this young woman, who seemed as if made of stone, was only wearing a loose nightgown. Her brown hair lay in slight disarray behind her head, and as she held onto the door frame with a cautious, scrutinizing gaze, she sized up the two uninvited guests standing at her doorstep.


    Just as Duncan curiously examined her, she also curiously inspected Duncan¨Ca burly visitor dressed in a black trench coat and wearing a wide-brimmed hat, from whom no facial features could be seen through the gaps in the clothing, only layers of bandages.


    Even for Frostfolk who are accustomed to ¡°bandages,¡± the visitor¡¯s appearance felt a bit too oppressive.


    Her muscles visibly tensed up.


    ¡°Ah, I forgot to say,¡± Morris¡¯s voice suddenly rose, timely breaking the somewhat awkward and tense atmosphere. He turned to Duncan, ¡°Brown¡¯s student Garland is a Senkin Person¨Cit¡¯s indeed not common to see in the northern City-State.¡±


    Then he looked toward Garland who was standing at the door: ¡°This is Mr. Duncan, he is¡­¡±


    ¡°A friend of Mr. Morris, a traveler, an adventurer interested in Mr. Brown Scott¡¯s research, hence I stopped by for a visit,¡± Duncan said proactively, ¡°I hope this hasn¡¯t caused any inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°¡­The teacher is resting, I¡¯m not sure when he will wake up, but he did mention that Mr. Morris might come to visit,¡± Garland spoke, her voice was light and hesitant in contrast to her tall and robust figure, and carried an air of fear-like lack of confidence. While talking, she barely dared to make eye contact with Duncan and Morris, just murmuring while stepping aside, ¡°Please come in first, it¡¯s quite cold outside.¡±


    Morris thanked her, then he and Duncan stepped into the house.


    The sound of the door hinge broke the silence of the night, the black door closed, and the street fell quiet once again.


    Upon entering the front door, what they first saw was a rather simple living room. The furniture in the living room seemed to have been used for upwards of ten or twenty years. On one side of the living room, there was a connection to the kitchen and dining room, and on the other side, there was a staircase leading to the second floor; beneath the staircase, one could see a narrow door that might lead to the basement or wine cellar.


    In the bright light of the electric lamp, no suspicious dark corners could be seen in the living room. Everything that met the eye was very homely and¡­ ordinary.


    Duncan and Morris did not display excessive curiosity, simply taking a quick look around and then settled in the living room under Garland¡¯s direction. The tall Senkin lady then entered the kitchen and busily began making tea and preparing some snacks.


    ¡°Would you like some sweet pancakes and sausages? That¡¯s all we have right now¡­¡± Garland called out from the kitchen to her two guests, her voice carrying a hint of apology.


    ¡°Just a cup of hot water will do, no need for trouble,¡± Morris waved his hand dismissively and when Garland approached, he asked casually, ¡°By the way, have you been living here all this time?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been living here, ¡± Garland nodded, ¡°The teacher had gone away for some time. He gave me the keys to take care of the place¨Cso I simply moved over from the place I was renting before that, and have stayed ever since. Recently when he came back, I continued to live here to take care of him.¡±


    ¡°He had been away for some time?¡± Morris frowned subconsciously, ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°¡­About five or six years ago, I think,¡± Garland reflected, not quite certain, her expression becoming somewhat sheepish, ¡°I always can¡¯t seem to remember dates correctly, the teacher often reprimands me.¡±


    Morris and Duncan exchanged glances.


    ¡°When did Mr. Brown come back?¡± Duncan asked as if in passing.


    ¡°About a month ago,¡± Garland seemed not to have overthought it and simply answered the guest¡¯s questions as if chatting idly, ¡°He suddenly returned, said that traveling was tiring, and wanted to rest properly for a while¡­ Oh, it was after that he mentioned wanting to invite Mr. Morris over as a guest.¡±


    ¡°I was also quite surprised when I received his letter, ¡± Morris continued smoothly, ¡°He hadn¡¯t contacted me for many years, and the last time I heard from him many years ago was that he was going to take a ship out to sea¡­ ah, it seems it was a small cruise ship called ¡®Obsidian¡¯?¡±


    While he spoke, he nonchalantly observed the reactions of the person before him.


    However, Garland did not show any reaction upon hearing ¡°Obsidian.¡± She just reminisced for a moment and then shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, he didn¡¯t tell me much when he left¡­¡±


    There was nothing amiss in the tone and demeanor of the student as she answered.


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    However, her answer itself was clearly not quite right.


    She didn¡¯t know which ship her own teacher took when he left!


    If it was an ordinary teacher-student relationship, this would of course be nothing unusual, but her relationship with the folklorist clearly exceeded that of a typical mentor and disciple¨CBrown Scott could entrust his home keys to this student, who had then lived here for six years, and after the teacher ¡°came home,¡± she unhesitatingly assumed the responsibility of care. With such a close and mutually trusting relationship, it was impossible that Brown would not have informed Garland of his itinerary before leaving.


    Garland met the visitors¡¯ eyes squarely, her expression calm and serene.


    As if everything happening around her were perfectly natural.

 Chapter 326 - Chapter 326 Chapter 330 Legacy

    Chapter 326: Chapter 330: Legacy Chapter 326: Chapter 330: Legacy Maurice fully utilized his skills of persuasion, subtly confirming many issues during the seemingly casual conversation with Garland.


    During their talk, he and Duncan gradually confirmed the status of this female apprentice.


    Regarding the shipwreck that Brown Scott encountered six years ago and all memories related to the death of her mentor afterward, they had completely vanished from Garland¡¯s mind.


    No, it wasn¡¯t just the memories that had disappeared, but also the entire cognitive system that went with them¨C


    The death of a person triggers a chain of reactions, including ripples within social circles, the handling of affairs after passing, long periods of reminiscing and emotional fluctuations, and the various subtle changes within this house over six years. These were not issues that could be solved simply by deleting and replacing a segment of memories.


    Yet, in Garland¡¯s perception, ¡°No such thing as Brown Scott¡¯s death in a shipwreck six years ago¡± had ever occurred. The series of subsequent consequences that such an event should have triggered left not the slightest trace behind. She just felt it was natural for her to have lived in this house for six years, calmly waiting for her teacher to return¨Cand now, her teacher had indeed come back and was resting in the room upstairs.


    The sharp whistle of the kettle suddenly broke the silence in the living room, and Garland immediately rose and walked to the kitchen: ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll go turn off the stove.¡±


    Seizing the moment the Senkin lady left, Duncan looked up at Maurice sitting across the couch: ¡°Her cognition has been interfered with.¡±


    ¡°We should check the entire building,¡± Maurice whispered, ¡°If Brown is really here, he certainly would have left something while he was still lucid¨Che wrote me a second letter not long ago, by then he had clearly realized some truth.¡±


    ¡°¡­Let Garland rest for a bit,¡± Duncan said softly.


    Maurice nodded, and during their exchange, Garland had already returned from the kitchen¨Cholding a large tray with body-warming ginger tea and some cookies. The lady with stone-grey skin set the items on the coffee table, looking up at the two guests: ¡°Please wait no longer, have some ginger tea to warm yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Maurice said while gesturing to the couch beside him, ¡°Garland, you sit down here first, settle in, I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Okay, Mr. Maurice,¡± Although Garland felt a bit perplexed, she promptly obeyed and took a seat before her mentor¡¯s close friend, ¡°What is it you wish to say?¡±


    Maurice gazed into Garland¡¯s eyes: ¡°Romonosov¡¯s Inequality Set.¡±


    Garland¡¯s eyes widened suddenly, as a vast flood of knowledge, memory, and complex logical problems instantly overwhelmed all her thoughts. Before she could even grasp the outlines of this ¡°information storm,¡± a strong, self-protective drowsiness had already surfaced.


    She fainted without a sound, breathing calmly, resting in a peaceful position.


    Duncan watched the scene emotionlessly and after a two-second silence, he asked, ¡°How long will she sleep?¡±


    ¡°It depends on her intelligence. Heidi once slept for twelve hours, Garland should take a bit longer,¡± Maurice shrugged, ¡°Folklorists usually aren¡¯t very good at math and logic.¡±


    For a moment, Duncan didn¡¯t know what to say, eventually venturing, ¡°Why did you use that trick on your own daughter?¡±


    Maurice¡¯s expression turned subtle: ¡°Heidi insisted that her hypnotism skills had surpassed mine¨Cas a father, one sometimes has peculiar competitive desires.¡±


    Duncan thought about it and felt there was no need to continue the subject. He stood up, his gaze turning toward the staircase leading to the second floor.


    ¡°Now we can take a closer look¨Cif Garland wasn¡¯t lying, her teacher should be in the bedroom on the second floor.¡±


    The creaking of the old staircase sounded as the bright electric light illuminated the upstairs hallway. Maurice and Duncan ascended the stairs, beginning their search for the ¡°returning¡± folklorist.


    The second floor layout wasn¡¯t complicated: a straight corridor connected each room, most of which were unlocked. Duncan and Maurice quickly accounted for most of the house and stopped in front of the last room on the left side of the hall.


    It was the only locked place on the entire second floor.


    Maurice went up to tug at the door handle, frowning slightly: ¡°It¡¯s locked¨Cfrom the inside.¡±


    ¡°Locked from the inside?¡± Duncan felt a slight discomfort, then remembered something, ¡°Garland said earlier that she would bring food to her teacher¡¯s room every day¡­¡±


    ¡°Impossible, this door hasn¡¯t been opened for many days¨Cmaybe a week or more,¡± Maurice declared immediately, his eyes slowly scanning the door in front of him as if a faint glimmer was flickering in its depths, ¡°There are no signs of the lock being forced.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, it¡¯s only Garland ¡®believing¡¯ she brings food to her teacher¡¯s room daily, but in fact, her teacher hasn¡¯t opened this door for several days now,¡± said Duncan, glancing back at the stairs leading to the first floor, ¡°The cognitive manipulation has been ongoing.¡±


    Maurice didn¡¯t speak, he just raised his hand and gently tapped on the pale yellow door.


    There was no response from the room.


    ¡°Brown, it¡¯s me,¡± Maurice said, ¡°If you¡¯re in there, open the door¨Cdon¡¯t worry about your current state, whatever it is, we can work through the trouble you are in.¡±


    Still, there was no response from the room.


    Duncan watched the door quietly, feeling that the situation ¡­ was not unexpected.


    Finally, he let out a soft sigh, ¡°Let me do it, Maurice, we might still be a step too late.¡±


    Maurice¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment. It seemed as though he wanted to say something, but his lips quivered twice and he didn¡¯t make a sound. He simply stepped aside in silence.


    Duncan didn¡¯t use any fancy tricks, just stepped forward and shouldered the door. The ordinary wooden door, which was not very sturdy, had its lock broken with a loud clatter and swung wide open.


    A room almost entirely shrouded in darkness was revealed to them.


    No lights were on in the room, and the windows facing the street seemed to be blocked by something, so that the street lamps¡¯ glow couldn¡¯t penetrate indoors. Only the light spilling from the hallway illuminated a small area around the doorway, and in the places untouched by light, one could faintly see something shadowy covering the ceiling and the floor.


    Duncan was the first to enter the room, lifting his right hand with a ball of pale green Spectral Flame supported in his palm, while his other hand felt for the light switch by the door.


    When the light turned on, everything in the room finally became clear.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Maurice, who followed into the room, saw the scene within and exclaimed in astonishment.


    A gray-black substance, similar to mud, was spread in patches throughout the room, covering the floor, staining the walls, and even firmly clinging to the ceiling. There were also ¡°mud¡± formations that seemed to be half-melted, suspended in mid-air from the ceiling¡¯s filth, resembling twisted, swollen blood vessels or some sort of strange stalactite formation.


    In an instant, Duncan associated the sight with the one he had encountered in the hull of the Obsidian.


    These bizarre and terrifying ¡°muds¡± ¡­ looked exactly like the situation in the bottom of the Obsidian!


    Maurice¡¯s facial muscles tensed.


    Honestly, from the start, he didn¡¯t believe his ¡°old friend¡± had truly returned to the world of the living. He knew there had to be some kind of out-of-control Transcendent phenomenon behind it all, and it might even relate to a Deep Sea Curse, but ¡­ even with a vague premonition before opening the door, the sight still hit him hard.


    ¡°Replicas from the deep sea¡­ It seems they all end up like this,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice interrupted Maurice¡¯s daze, ¡°We are indeed a step too late, unfortunately.¡±


    Maurice blinked, then shook his head vigorously as if trying to clear the chaotic thoughts from his mind. He walked deeper into the room, carefully avoiding the ¡°mud¡± clusters on the floor, and it took a while for him to stop by a desk.


    The desk too was covered in mud, with one of the largest clumps accumulated between the desk and the bed.


    ¡°¡­He wrote two letters; at least at that time, he still had some rationality,¡± Maurice said softly, ¡°He must have noticed something wrong with himself ¡­¡±


    ¡°His rationality lasted at least until the moment he locked this room from the inside. After that, he could no longer control the course of events,¡± Duncan also approached the desk, observing the hardened mud while thoughtfully saying, ¡°These replicas from the deep sea seem ¡­ all a bit different. Some have no rationality whatsoever, others retain their original memories and can live like normal people for a while, and some ¡­ like the captain of the Obsidian, are completely twisted into a different form, but possess a soul from beginning to end.¡±


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    ¡°Like some sort of unstable experimental product?¡±


    Maurice said offhandedly, and just then, something suddenly caught his eye.


    A piece of paper was squeezed at the edge of a clump of hardened mud with a vague outline of an arm.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± the elder scholar¡¯s eyes widened, softly gasping as he carefully extracted the paper, ¡°Mr. Duncan, look at this!¡±


    Duncan immediately leaned in, on that dirty piece of paper, some words that were not very clear came into his sight¨C


    ¡°To the investigators, the following is the last stage of changes in my body:¡±

 Chapter 327 - Chapter 327 Chapter 331 The City of Infiltration

    Chapter 327: Chapter 331: The City of Infiltration Chapter 327: Chapter 331: The City of Infiltration The paper was crumpled, and many parts had been contaminated by the gray-black ¡°mud,¡± making the writing blurry and missing in some areas. Despite that, after Morris¡¯s careful handling, many words on it were restored to a barely legible state¨C


    ¡°Brown Scott¡± had recorded the bizarre changes happening to him during the last lucid stage of his consciousness:


    ¡°¡­Around four in the morning, twelve hours since I locked the door, the increasing tinnitus and bouts of vertigo severely affected my mobility. I could only write something when my condition was slightly better. It seemed there was bleeding under my skin, seeing inexplicable bruises¡­


    ¡°At six-thirty, my organs felt as though they were churning¨C as if the structures inside my body had lost their order, wandering with a mind of their own, and I felt no pain, even the dizziness had lessened considerably¡­ Fear began to recede, clearer memories emerged in my mind¡­


    ¡°Around seven, I clearly recalled the details at the time of death, becoming more convinced that the real ¡®me¡¯ had actually died a long time ago. My left leg inexplicably broke¨C perhaps a segment of bone had suddenly dissolved.


    ¡°At eight fifteen, my left leg began to dissolve, starting with the skin cracking on its own, followed by internal tissues flowing out like some gray-black liquid. Those detached liquid substances seemed to have their own life, crawling on the floor and even climbing up the walls¡­ I had been worried whether the wooden boards nailed on the windows could keep these eerie, terrifying substances out, but later found out that they quickly began to lose vitality after detaching, and even when they retained some activity, they seemed to consciously avoid sunlight¡­ This might be an important piece of information; thus, I record it here¡­


    ¡°¡­My heart stopped beating, yet consciousness lingered on, feeling that this body no longer functioned according to normal human physiological mechanisms. I tried making a cut; instead of blood, a gray-black viscous substance slowly flowed out¡­ What on earth is this body made of now?


    ¡°My entire lower body began to dissolve. It took some effort to secure myself in one position and continue writing these words¨C I now feel no pain, no breathing, and my heart has long stopped. Occasionally, I hear a buzzing sound as if the material composing me was resonating¡­ More and more of the viscous substance left my body, turning the room into a mess¡­


    ¡°¡­I hope Garland won¡¯t be frightened when she cleans the room¡­ Although as I write this name, I can hardly recall Garland¡¯s face anymore.


    ¡°At ten-thirty, the thing I feared most began to happen. My vision rapidly weakened, and the environment quickly darkened; I had to grope for the edge of the paper, trying to make the words below as clear as possible¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t confirm the current time, approximately between eleven and twelve. I heard sharp, strange sounds lasting about five minutes; then all discomfort began to fade away, and my perception of the remaining parts of my body quickly weakened. I can vaguely feel the parts below my chest dropping¡­


    ¡°It might have been another hour since then,¡±


    The text stopped there.


    It was uncertain if the recorder¡¯s consciousness had finally reached its endpoint or if he could no longer accurately write down the words on the paper after losing most of his perception¨C ultimately, all that the dead left to the world was an abruptly-ending punctuation mark.


    Morris was silent, not making a sound for a long time. After what seemed an eternity, he finally murmured softly to himself, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s indeed his handwriting.¡±


    ¡°Do you need some time alone?¡± Duncan calmly glanced at the old man, ¡°I can wait outside for you.¡±


    ¡°No need; I have mourned him once already,¡± Morris gently shook his head, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect that I could see his academic record again after six years¡­ These materials are all very useful, right?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer immediately. He leaned closer to the now stagnant ¡°mud,¡± thoughtfully observing its edges, then picked up the last record left by Brown Scott, carefully inspecting the paper¡¯s edges which the mud had completely soaked.


    The edges were a bit blurry and uneven. The boundary between the paper and the mud seemed to have vanished, even showing some signs of merging.


    Morris noticed Duncan¡¯s actions. ¡°Did you find something?¡±


    ¡°Prime Element,¡± Duncan lifted his head, ¡°the local church in Frost is studying this substance, which they believe to come close to the ¡®Prime Element¡¯ spoken of by the Heretics, a viscous residue left after the collapse of the ¡®Mysterious Deep Sea replicates.''¡±


    Morris was taken aback, but he had grown somewhat accustomed to the captain¡¯s way of obtaining new clues from unknown sources, so he didn¡¯t inquire curiously about the source of the intelligence. After a brief contemplation, he said, ¡°I know about the ¡®Prime Element,¡¯ In studying the heritage of the Heretics¡¯ history, one can¡¯t avoid their mystical nonsense.¡±


    He paused, seemingly organizing the information in his mind, then continued, ¡°Just as the Sun Cultists firmly believe that the ancient True Sun will eventually save the world, the Heretics have a similar ¡®prophecy of salvation.¡¯ They preach that one day in the future, the Mysterious Deep Sea¡¯s Saint will awaken from slumber, and in fury, destroy the current world twisted and deceived by the gods. Then the Mysterious Deep Sea, representing the ¡®true world,¡¯ will rise from the depths to become mankind¡¯s paradise. Before that day arrives, it will be preceded by a surge of ¡®Prime Element,¡¯ the bedrock of the world, the blueprint of all things. They will cover everything and restore the world to its true form¡­¡±


    Listening to the old scholar¡¯s narrative, Duncan was silent for a few seconds before lifting his head, ¡°A great surge¡­ emerging from the deep sea?¡±


    Morris didn¡¯t respond immediately.


    ¡°Now I am becoming more interested in these Heretics, but rather than their so-called ¡®prophecy of salvation,¡¯ I am more curious about how they have established ¡®contact¡¯ with the place one kilometer deep beneath Frost,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Replicates come from the deep sea, the Obsidian and the submersible on Dagger Island do as well, but a group of mystical Heretics¡­ how do you think they accessed a power from a kilometer under the water?¡±


    ¡°Even for a powerful City-State, building a submersible capable of traveling to and from a kilometer deep in the sea is no small feat, at least not something a bunch of Heretics could master,¡± Morris said, lost in thought, ¡°But they could use some kind of indirect ritual to channel the deep sea¡¯s forces or communicate with a deep sea¡¯s¡­ ¡®powerful entity.''¡±


    ¡°So, there must be a larger Heretic stronghold in Frost, a secluded place capable of holding large ceremonies, enough for them to continuously draw on the power of the deep sea, to create replicates inside the City-State, or even invade Dagger Island.¡± Duncan slowly spoke, while lifting his head, surveying the room¨Cthe room¡¯s only window was nailed shut with wooden boards and the roof, walls, and floor were covered with dried ¡°mud¡± that had lost all signs of life, all seemingly silently narrating a heart-stopping journey of death and confrontation.


    In his perception, Homeloss was sailing, heading toward the direction of Dagger Island and Frost itself.


    ¡°Perhaps ultimately a little ¡®Homeloss shake-up¡¯ is needed for the Heretics here.¡± He spoke softly, rubbing his fingers together, a small cluster of eerily green flames fell from his fingertips, silently landing on the floor and quickly dissolving into the air, disappearing.


    Morris surely saw this moment, but he said nothing, only casting one last glance at the side table.


    That was Brown Scott¡¯s last ¡°workspace¡±¨C perhaps that was merely a short-lived Replicate, but when that continuously disintegrating body strove to write, it still possessed a noble soul.


    ¡°How should we handle things here?¡± the old scholar lifted his head, looking at the captain, ¡°The traces in the room, the material Brown left behind, and Garland downstairs¡­¡±


    ¡°We have gathered enough clues,¡± Duncan said lightly, ¡°leave the remainder to the Frostfolk. Keep the room as it is, leave that letter in a conspicuous place on the table, and prepare an accusation letter. As for Garland¡­¡±


    Duncan paused.


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    ¡°The cognitive disturbance Garland has suffered evidently hasn¡¯t ended yet. Even after the replicates inside this building have disappeared, she still hasn¡¯t shown signs of regaining lucidity, even firmly believing her teacher is resting in the room. This indicates the disturbance¡¯s ¡®source¡¯ was not her teacher, but something still active, hiding deep within the City-State, which cannot be eliminated until we destroy that source.¡±


    He slightly frowned, as if contemplating more.


    ¡°And¡­ it¡¯s uncertain how many ¡®Brown Scotts¡¯ and ¡®Garlands¡¯ there are in this City-State.¡±


    Morris¡¯s expression stiffened, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Rumors of the dead returning circulate in the city, yet completely opposite information reaches Tyrian,¡± Duncan glanced at Morris, ¡°This City-State, I¡¯m afraid, is already riddled with replicates and phenomena of cognitive disturbances.¡±

 Chapter 328 - Chapter 328 Chapter 332 Tail the Duo

    Chapter 328: Chapter 332: Tail the Duo Chapter 328: Chapter 332: Tail the Duo Throughout the entire house, except for the room where Brown Scott was last seen, no anomalies were found.


    In fact, even in the room that had been ¡°contaminated¡± by the grey-black mud, there were no remnants of any transcendent forces¨Cbeyond the visual shock brought by the strange muddy material, there was no sign of transcendent power in the building.


    Everything not of this world had left with Brown Scott¡¯s disappearance.


    On the first floor of the house, Garland was still sleeping deeply. The tall Senkin person, with skin like stone, leaned in the corner of the sofa, her sleeping posture calm and gentle, a look of relaxation on her face.


    In her dreams, she was still a student under her teacher, living her peaceful, usual days. Her knowledgeable and kind teacher had just ended many years of travels and had recently returned home, ready to tell her many stories from afar.


    ¡°If Heidi were here, she¡¯d prepare some potions to at least make it easier on the girl when she wakes up,¡± Morris said, lowering his head to look at Garland on the sofa, his expression complex, ¡°I can tell that she and Brown were close.¡±


    ¡°¡­The gloom will pass,¡± Duncan said, pausing for a moment. He fumbled in his pocket, pulling out a small crystal pendant. He placed it to his lips, whispered something, and then pressed it into Garland¡¯s hand, ¡°Have a good dream, everything will be alright.¡±


    Morris watched Duncan¡¯s actions quietly, and after a long while, he couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°You still brought these pendants here?¡±


    ¡°¡­I ordered too many last time, half a box that just wouldn¡¯t sell, no one would even take them for free,¡± Duncan said blankly (mostly because the bandages covered his face), his tone nonchalant, ¡°I thought I¡¯d find a chance to give them away during my travels¡­ Do you want one?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Morris quickly waved his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t really wear these feminine accessories.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ¡­


    The cold night wind blew through the dim and silent alley. In the faint light cast by the gas lamp at the corner, Fenna vigilantly monitored the surroundings.


    Alice stood by her side, also checking around¨Cthough clearly she had no idea what Fenna was looking for.


    ¡°It¡¯s very quiet on the streets, not a soul around,¡± likely uncomfortable with the oppressively silent atmosphere, the doll-lady finally couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Miss Fenna, what are you always looking at?¡±


    Fenna replied calmly, ¡°Some transcendent being that might appear, or suspicious shadows lingering around that building, if there are any.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Alice paused, ¡°Would there be?¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you think Mr. Duncan had us stay outside for?¡±


    Alice thought for a bit, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because I¡¯m in the way?¡±


    Fenna replied, ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡±


    She found it difficult to explain clearly to someone so simple-minded, so she simply didn¡¯t.


    But she understood the significance of their surveillance here.


    A ¡°Replication¡± that had returned from the Mysterious Deep Sea had been active in the City-State for many days, and that replica resided in a building nearby¨Cthose Annihilating Heretics following the Saint would not be unresponsive to this situation.


    There might even be their handiwork behind this.


    Mr. Duncan and Mr. Morris went to inspect the building, serving both to investigate and to lure¨Cwould any heretics be watching this place? Would the force that brought ¡°Brown Scott¡± back show any activity tonight? Would shadows lurk in this alley? And if unexpected visitors showed up, could those shadows remain settled?


    Fenna controlled her breathing and heartbeat, concealing her presence and power, and after confirming there was still no activity on the street, she once again concealed herself in the shadows of the buildings.


    Then she saw Alice beside her suddenly think of something, leaning forward¨Cthen the doll raised her hand, holding her head and shaking it, ¡°pop¡± pulling it off, then she propped herself against the wall with one hand, waving her head around in the corner toward the outside.


    Even an experienced Judge, seeing this scene, couldn¡¯t control the tremors of their eyes. Fenna stared and lowered her voice, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Alice shook her head in the corner of the room and, after hearing Fenna¡¯s voice, quickly brought her head back with a ¡°pop¡± and settled it, wearing an innocent expression, ¡°Just checking out the noise across¡­¡±


    ¡°Next time you have such a plan, let me know in advance¡­¡± Fenna glared at the puppet across from her, but stopped mid-sentence and waved her hand wearily, ¡°Never mind, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Alice looked confused, but as she was about to speak, she seemed to sense something and couldn¡¯t help but look outside, ¡°Miss Fenna, I always feel¡­ like there¡¯s someone nearby, but I can¡¯t see anyone.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s someone nearby?¡± Fenna became instantly alert, her nerves tense as she did not let Alice¡¯s usual unreliable demeanor affect her caution at this moment. She sensed the surrounding aura and asked in a low voice, ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Just diagonally across, under that street lamp,¡± Alice also whispered, even crouching down on the ground and raising her finger to point outside the alleyway for extra caution, ¡°But I only saw lines, not people.¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t understand at first, only staring in the direction Alice was pointing. After a couple of seconds, she suddenly snapped back, turning to look at Miss Puppet, ¡°Lines? What lines?¡±


    ¡°The lines on people, everyone has them, floating from their bodies to the sky,¡± Alice gestured emphatically, speaking matter-of-factly, ¡°Behind the head, on the arms and legs¡­¡±


    She paused suddenly, then added, ¡°Oh right, Mr. Duncan doesn¡¯t have them ¡ª but that¡¯s Mr. Duncan, so it¡¯s normal¡­¡±


    As Alice spoke, her voice gradually hesitated and faded.


    Being as obtuse as she was, she finally noticed the odd expression on Fenna¡¯s face.


    ¡°¡­ You can¡¯t see them?¡± The puppet hesitated for a moment, thinking of the only explanation, ¡°Uh, I won¡¯t mock you for that. The captain said everyone¡¯s eyes are different¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t see them, but this isn¡¯t the time to talk about that,¡± Fenna suddenly snapped to attention, shifting her focus forcefully to the nearby street lamp, ¡°Are those lines still there?¡±


    She knew what was urgent.


    Alice could see invisible ¡°lines¡± floating around human bodies, and she always assumed it was a normal phenomenon that others could see as well, making it so much taken for granted that it wasn¡¯t until now that she casually revealed it¨Cthis might be her unique power as an anomaly 099, and there might be a more complex, sinister explanation behind it. But regardless, such matters should not be the focus now.


    Someone was hiding nearby, and now they had been exposed to the puppet¡¯s sight¨Cthis was what mattered.


    ¡°They are still there, slightly swaying back and forth,¡± Alice looked up at the street lamp diagonally across, whispering her report. She then furrowed her brow, ¡°Ah, it seems like a few are missing?¡±


    ¡°A few are missing?¡± A prickle of alarm shot through Fenna¡¯s heart. The next second, her honed instincts and the divine premonition granted by the goddess exploded in her perception, causing her to suddenly look toward a spot deep down the alley.


    In a bizarre shadow not illuminated by the street lamp, a dark, writhing shadow suddenly appeared!


    Almost instantaneously, a gaunt, skeletal specter emerged, followed by a deformed monstrosity connected to the skeleton through chains¨C


    It was a person, or at least still resembled one in outline, but his body had grotesquely swollen and twisted into a shocking state, his skin blackened and curled as if scorched by fierce flames, his bones wrongly proliferating into discontinuous bone plates on his body, with sharp spikes protruding from his back, extending like the remains of some deep-sea creature. In the place where his face should be, there was only a hollow indentation, flickering with a dark red glow.


    In just a glance, Fenna recognized what he was¨Can Annihilating Priest who had deeply symbiosed with a Profound Demon, and had ¡°purified¡± his body to an extreme degree.


    Heretics regarded their flesh and bones as prisons made by gods, and their way of pledging allegiance to the Mysterious Deep Sea Saint was to continuously transform their bodies with Demonic Power, ¡°purifying¡± their forms. This process endowed them increasingly with demonic traits, making them less and less human¨CHeretics purified to a certain extent mutated so much that not even a temporary Transformation Spell could return them to human form, nor could they operate within human society anymore. Thus, they had to rely on lower-ranking followers for sustenance. However, in return, they would gain more powerful strength and a stronger, direct connection to the Mysterious Deep Sea.


    Those heretics were indeed targeting this place!


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    This thought flashed through Fenna¡¯s mind, and at the same instance, she leapt high into the air.


    To operate in the City-State, she did not carry her blessed giant steel sword.


    But for a loyal priestess of the Storm Goddess, a ¡°sword¡± was hardly an inconvenient thing.


    The air compressed, the moisture condensed, the breath of the sea and wind were instantly compressed in her hands into an icy blade¨Cbarely usable.


    ¡°Heretic!¡±

 Chapter 329 - Chapter 329 Chapter 333 Making a Move

    Chapter 329: Chapter 333: Making a Move Chapter 329: Chapter 333: Making a Move A vigorous and spirited cleave, infused with the cold northern wind and the thunderous might from the storm, brought with it a sense of pleasure from the release of pressure. Fenna leapt high into the air, her hands forming the illusion of a frost blade, which she ferociously brought down in the chilly radiance of the Creation of the World.


    The air was torn asunder, the nearby currents severely distorted by the high temperatures, and the descending blade began to show a plasma-like texture halfway down. Like fierce flames entwined around the frost-condensed blade, the spectacle of intertwining ice and fire was so bizarrely beautiful that even the fiend-like Heretics seemed evidently taken aback for a moment.


    For the Annihilating Priest, this was supposed to be a successful ambush. He had discovered the uninvited guest beforehand and, drawing upon the power of curses, concealed his own presence. His body, highly symbiotic with the demon, could even stop his breathing and heartbeat for a short time¨Cbut for some reason, his perfect concealment was unexpectedly revealed, alerting his target.


    The prey, who should have been the target, had now become a fierce beast counterattacking valiantly¨Cand this beast¡¯s strength greatly exceeded his expectations.


    The massive blade, carrying tremendous force, came crashing down. The Annihilating Priest, caught off-guard, could only let out a strange, sharp screech, a powerful curse woven within. Layers of black carapace and shields as hard as rock instantly rose from all directions to block Fenna¡¯s plummeting path. At the same time, the Profound Demon, assembled from jagged bone fragments under the drive of a contract, positioned itself in front of its master, opening its maw towards Fenna, preparing to unleash a powerful corrosive Breath.


    It was not until this moment that the skeleton demon¡¯s form clearly materialized from the shadows¨Ca colossal Abyssal Hound, one size larger than a dog.


    Fenna had no intention of slowing down or dodging.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    A loud explosion shattered the quiet of the night, intermingled with a series of sharp, grating noises.


    With a single leap, Fenna destroyed the energy barrier summoned by the Profound Demons, the rock shield, and along with it, the corrosive Breath and half of the demon¡¯s head¨Csmashing them all into debris scattered across the sky.


    The shockwave swept through the alley like a fierce wind, instantly clearing dust and smoke, leaving the Abyssal Hound with only half a head, howling as it was thrown backward. The Symbiotic Chains also dragged the Annihilating Priest a dozen meters away; they rolled on the ground for a while before struggling to get up.


    The Heretic Priest, whose body was twisted and mutated, trembled violently, as the impact from the heavy damage to his Symbiotic Demon impaired his ability to think¨Chis deformed body hunched in the dim light, and it was hard to tell who was the demon and who was once human.


    The Abyssal Hound staggered to its feet as well. Despite losing half its head, the demon¡¯s strong vitality meant it was not yet dead. It growled chaotically at Fenna, but pieces of its damaged bone continuously clattered to the ground.


    Expressionless, Fenna walked forward, discarding the shattered frost longsword in her hand.


    It was meant to be disposable anyway, crafted solely for a spectacular, perfect cleave. Now, its mission was complete.


    The Annihilating Priest, struggling to raise his head, tried his utmost to regain clarity, muttering complex demonic incantations.


    The power of the curse materialized before him, a corrupt mass of bone and stone emerging from the air and whistling towards Fenna like a cannonball.


    Fenna raised her hand and caught the ¡°cannonball¡± squarely, disregarding the wisps of smoke rising from her palm, and without slowing down, she stepped forward briskly. With her other hand, she grasped the half-head of the dazed Abyssal Hound and stuffed the ¡°corrupt missile¡± into the exposed neck cavity of the demon.


    The Profound Demon struggled violently on instinct, but its steam-tank overturning strength could not budge Fenna¡¯s arm. During its struggles, the remaining half of its head was torn off by the demon itself, while the ¡°corrupt missile,¡± summoned by the demon¡¯s own power, was forcefully stuffed into its belly by Fenna. The layers of bone within the demon cracked distinctively, one after another, before rapidly filling with bright flashes.


    Fenna kicked the demon, primed to explode, sending it soaring away, then casually grabbed the nearby Annihilating Priest and hoisted him up like a shield.


    The priest had no time to comprehend what happened in the lightning-fast exchange.


    With a thunderous bang, the kicked Abyssal Hound exploded in mid-air, sending bone fragments flying wildly through the alley like shrapnel. The Annihilating Priest in Fenna¡¯s hands was instantly riddled with holes.


    Yet he was not dead, just convulsing and curling up in acute and rapid pain.


    The whole clash was extremely brief.


    ¡°Your Symbiotic Demon is dead, and judging by the extent to which your body has mutated, you have about six minutes left to live,¡± Fenna nonchalantly dropped the Cult Priest onto the ground, stepping on the spot that resembled a head, ¡°I know you types would never utter half a word even if spared, but I¡¯ve decided to give it a try¨Cyou have three minutes to give your last words. This will determine how you spend your final three.¡±


    On the other side, Alice, who had remained at the entrance to the alley, was even more baffled. She merely widened her eyes watching Fenna battle an enemy who suddenly emerged, incidentally destroying something that resembled a distant relative of a dog, and then it seemed like the Assailant was about to be done for.


    Although she didn¡¯t understand what had transpired, it was clear Fenna was strong.


    So the doll-like miss clapped her hands joyfully, ¡°Miss Fenna, you¡¯re amazing!¡±


    And it was in this moment of distraction that she seemed to forget there were still a few ¡°threads¡± lingering underneath the streetlight across from her.


    The air near the entrance to the alley twisted slightly.


    The second assailant was hidden in the shadows.


    Fenna¡¯s confrontation with the Annihilating Priest was too rapid, the developments in the alley exceeded the assailants¡¯ expectations, and the Annihilating Priest¡¯s accomplice had no chance to come to the rescue¨Cnow, the concealed second heretic had just arrived, but at an unfortunate time.


    Together with the distortion of the air, a short yet sturdy figure appeared near Alice; he had rushed over, only to see that in the depths of the alley, Fenna had already placed her foot on the head of the Annihilating Priest.


    The heretic paused, looked up at the brutal scene inside, then turned to glance at the blonde woman next to him who had just come to her senses, looking curiously in his direction.


    The next second, the short, sturdy man turned and ran without hesitation.


    But after only two steps, he heard a voice from behind, ¡°Hey! Wait!¡±


    Suddenly, he felt as if something had tugged at him¨Cthe pulling force was on all his joints, making him feel as if he were being restrained by a mighty force, coming to a halt.


    The heretic turned in surprise and fear; he saw black smoke rising beside him in the air, his Symbiotic Demon seemed to struggle to materialize and counterattack but was as if pressed down by something in the shadows and simply could not take form. He continued to turn his head, only to see the blonde-haired, long-skirted woman looking at him, her hand stretched out into thin air, as if invisibly clutching something.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go just yet,¡± Alice said, holding the ¡°thread,¡± staring at the heretic trying to escape, and trying to make her expression more intimidating, ¡°The captain said, people like you are bad, shouldn¡¯t be let go¨Cyou¡¯ll harm others.¡±


    Not far away, the heretic who had just run out of the alley was suspended in mid-air in a bizarre and ridiculous pose, his head twisted to a terrifying angle, fearfully looking at the blonde woman at the alley entrance. Driven by the instinct to survive, he seemed to break free a bit from that ¡°dragging¡± sensation, and so he immediately shook his wrist with all his might.


    A rune-engraved paper prepared in advance slipped from his sleeve.


    ¡°Choose life¡­ and consume¡­¡±


    He struggled to voice out, his throat mixed with obscure demonic murmurs; the pre-stored magic spell activated, and the rune paper ignited before even hitting the ground, starting to seek its target as commanded by its master.


    Every living person within a certain range.


    The rune paper rapidly burned to ashes amidst the flames, and nothing happened.


    The heretic¡¯s eyes widened with terror and disbelief at the scene.


    A short distance away, Alice also widened her eyes, puzzled by what had transpired.


    She neither breathed nor had a heartbeat.


    And she didn¡¯t know what had happened.


    But she belatedly realized¨Cthe heretic had evidently tried to kill her.


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    She felt a little scared and pulled hard on the ¡°thread¡± in her hand, ¡°The captain said, when I¡¯m out, I have to protect myself.¡±


    The heretic¡¯s body instantly stiffened completely, the little ¡°freedom¡± he had just gained was utterly revoked, his wrists and lips unable to move any longer, and a weird numbness began to spread, feeling his body rapidly stiffening, growing cold, becoming¡­ no longer like flesh and blood.


    His world darkened before his eyes.


    But the next second, something seemed to emerge in that darkness.


    A hollow, deep voice, as if coming directly from within the chest, entered his ears¨C


    ¡°Ah, a new servant has arrived.¡±

 Chapter 330 - Chapter 330 Chapter 334 Alices Mansion

    Chapter 330: Chapter 334 Alice¡¯s Mansion Chapter 330: Chapter 334 Alice¡¯s Mansion The new servant had arrived.


    It was as if those words had activated some mechanism, and with a deep and muffled sound that reached his ears, countless vague silhouettes suddenly appeared out of the darkness before the worshiper of Corrosion¨Ca faint light shimmered in the air, illuminating an exceptionally spacious and ancient yet elegant hall!


    His eyes widened as he saw the hall, majestic as a palace, yet seemingly abandoned for decades. He saw a curved staircase spiraling upward at the end, connecting to upper corridors and platforms. Huge columns vaguely stood in the dim light, with exquisite drapes hanging from their tops, gently swaying in a breeze whose origin was unknown. Around the hall, the walls featured dark, hollow window openings¨Clike the gaping maws of beasts, with no light outside and the windows themselves sealed securely with intersecting bars of iron. Indistinguishable large paintings hung between the windows, featuring only disturbingly vibrant patches of color without any discernible figures or landscapes.


    The worshiper of Corrosion stared at the scene in astonishment, then suddenly realized that the bindings on his hands and feet had inexplicably vanished. He took a couple of steps forward, feeling his body return to his control, and instinctively called out to the demon that shared his soul.


    However, only a hollow howl came from within his soul, the Profound Demon that had been with him for years as if it never existed, nothing responded to his call.


    ¡°Servant, forward, come to the end of the carpet.¡±


    That deep, muffled voice resounded once again, this time directly in his mind.


    ¡°Who is it?!¡± The worshiper of Corrosion exclaimed, his eyes wide as he looked around the luxurious yet eerily empty mansion¡¯s hall, yet saw no one.


    He lifted his head and looked towards the end of the hall¨Ca dark red carpet extended from beneath his feet towards the distance, ending at the staircase that arced upwards like a wing along its curve.


    For some reason, as his gaze fixed on that spot, his legs began to move uncontrollably¨Cas though obeying the voice he had just heard, he walked toward the end of the carpet, stopping a few meters before the staircase.


    A figure abruptly appeared there.


    It was a body dressed in a black suit¨Ca body without a head.


    The body stood erect in front of the staircase, the suit impeccable, with the corner of a folded handkerchief visible in its breast pocket and the golden chain of a pocket watch peeking out from another. One of its hands held a bronze bell, and the other extended forward¨Cthe posture like a butler welcoming newcomers, a trusted managing steward of the mansion.


    But it had no head, on that neck in a black suit, just a bare and smooth neck, as if¡­ the joint of a doll.


    ¡°This¡­ What is this place?!¡±


    ¡°The new servant,¡± with a trembling voice, he couldn¡¯t recall why he had come to this isolated mansion, nor his own name and origin. He only felt an innate fear, a strange eeriness slowly corroding his inner self as he looked at the headless butler, gathering the courage to ask. As he spoke, whispers and the sensation of being watched also emanated from all directions.


    Shocked, he turned back and looked at the scene in the hall¨C


    Figures dressed as servants and maids bustled about, clearly those who tended to the mansion. As they passed near the staircase, they momentarily stopped, as though curiously sizing up the newcomer.


    A low murmur of discussion came from their chests¨Cfor these servants, all were headless.


    Above their necks, only smooth spherical protrusions, like the connectors of a doll, exhibiting a texture somewhere between wood and ceramic.


    ¡°The new servant¡± watched in confusion as the bustling servants moved through the hall, momentarily bewildered.


    Had there been so many people here before? Was the hall bustling when he had first arrived?


    ¡°This is Alice¡¯s Mansion, and you are its new servant,¡± the ¡°butler¡± said in a dull voice, suddenly breaking the new servant¡¯s trance, ¡°Follow me, your next duty is upstairs.¡±


    The new servant instinctively nodded and stepped behind the headless butler. Unconsciously, he lowered his head and noticed that he was wearing a servant¡¯s uniform¨Cjust like the male servants in the hall.


    His mind grew increasingly murky, more and more memories being extracted from his body as if they were ¡°no longer needed,¡± impurities that hindered his duties as a servant in the mansion.


    With each step up the staircase, he reduced his hesitation and doubt¨Cin the beginning, he still faintly remembered that he did not belong here. Then, he only remembered being trapped in a strange mansion, and by the time he was a few steps from the second floor, he only remembered the butler¡¯s instructions to him¨C


    Stepping onto the last stair, he raised his head to look at the platform before him and the corridor inside it.


    Several servants passed through the corridor, and though they had no eyesight, ¡°the new servant¡± still felt their scrutinizing gaze.


    ¡°Why is everyone looking at me?¡±


    ¡°Because you are the first servant to arrive with a head,¡± the butler stopped, turned around, his voice seemingly carrying a laugh, ¡°and besides, it has been many years since we had a newcomer here.¡±


    ¡°What am I to do?¡± the new servant asked cautiously.


    ¡°Serve our mistress, become part of this place, and you will naturally know what to do, but before that, you should go and greet the mistress¡­¡±


    The butler slowly raised his arm, pointing towards a black door at the end of the hallway.


    ¡°Go, just push open that door, and pay your respects to the mistress.¡±


    The new servant nodded, turning to walk towards that grand door.


    His pace was steady, and his expression gradually calmed down; his limbs swayed until, little by little, they became as stiff and rigid as the other servants in the hall. He reached the door, extended his hands, his gaze tranquilly sweeping over his wrists that had turned into ball joints¨Che gently pushed the door open with a slight effort.


    The doll took a step forward.


    In the enormously elegant bedroom, a luxurious bed was placed at the center, surrounded by intricately patterned drapes and tasseled curtains. A silver-haired doll lay quietly on the bed, deeply asleep.


    And beyond that bed, at the end of the bedroom where a wall should have been, there was only a vast open darkness¨Cthat seemed to lead to some distant, profound space. The floor, walls, and ceiling there appeared shattered and disjointed, the chaotic dark shadows and numerous distant twinkling lights undulated slowly, transforming into bizarre silhouettes of light and shadow that silently pulsated at the bedroom¡¯s far end, whispering and hovering in the darkness.


    That surging darkness and light points, resembling the bizarre dreamscape of the doll, seemed like an invisible force trying to invade Alice¡¯s Mansion, blocked from reality by the doll¡¯s deep slumber.


    Now transformed into a doll, the new servant stood at the bedroom¡¯s doorway, his gaze fixed dully on the beautiful doll sleeping soundly on the bed, as well as the undulating darkness behind it¨Cthen he bent down, bowing respectfully to the mistress.


    Bright threads extended from his limbs, drifting in the air, then disappearing in an instant.


    The new servant remained bowed, slowly retreating until he left the room, the door to sleeping Alice¡¯s room slamming shut before him with a deep, authoritative boom.


    But his face would never show any expression again.


    The doll, still bent over, took a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped the ornaments near the door.


    ¡­


    ¡°Thump¨C¡±


    ¡°Crash¨C¡±


    A sound of something heavy falling echoed at the mouth of the alley, as a cultist who had just attempted to flee suddenly fell from midair. He landed with a loud crash, his body shattering into pieces like porcelain, his clothes included.


    The shattered porcelain pieces bore no trace of blood, as if he had been a fired doll from the start¨Cflesh and blood, just an illusion of his life.


    Alice was instantly startled, ¡°Wow!¡±


    A roaring gust of wind erupted behind her, Fenna had already charged to the alleyway mouth, staring dumbfounded at the scene before her for a long while before turning to look at the nearby doll, ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± Alice blinked, slowly turning back, ¡°Um¡­ maybe?¡±


    ¡°What does maybe mean?!¡±


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    ¡°It means I caught his thread and then pulled a little¨C he started it, I got a bit scared,¡± Alice continued disjointedly, gesturing as she spoke, her explanation only confusing Fenna more, ¡°Understand?¡±


    ¡°¡­No,¡± Fenna shook her head, then looked back at a pile of charred debris deep in the alley, still emitting a faint black smoke, ¡°Damn, the priest I dealt with didn¡¯t speak until the end, your side just shattered, and we got no information at last.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean the Captain will be displeased?¡±


    ¡°No time to consider that now, we need to leave this area,¡± Fenna spoke quickly, ¡°Too much noise, even if it¡¯s not in the central city, the night watch must have noticed.¡±


    As she spoke, she looked up towards a mansion not far away.

 Chapter 331 - Chapter 331 Chapter 335 No Longer Real

    Chapter 331: Chapter 335: No Longer Real Chapter 331: Chapter 335: No Longer Real The battle in the alley was fierce but brief. From the moment the heretics¡¯ tracks were exposed to the end of the fight, only a few minutes had passed. However, Fenna believed that the commotion from these few minutes was enough to attract the attention of the night patrol guards.


    Of course, whether in terms of position or strength, she did not fear the guards of Frost¨Cshe just did not plan to complicate matters further at this time.


    Just as she was thinking about how to signal Duncan, who had entered the building, the dark, heavy door happened to open.


    Duncan and Morris appeared in the light.


    The next second, Duncan quickly walked toward the alley where Fenna and Alice were, while Morris, as he closed the door, drew an ancient text-like pattern in the air above it, as if praying to the God of Wisdom Rahm to wield some transcendent power.


    ¡°I heard the commotion outside,¡± Duncan said as he approached Fenna. He looked up at the situation in the alley and asked quickly with a slight frown, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°As anticipated, there were indeed Annihilation Cult followers monitoring this place¨CAlice detected their presence, and we had a brief skirmish,¡± Fenna replied immediately. ¡°Both heretics are dead, none escaped. But the noise from the fight might have caught the guards¡¯ attention. They will be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Alice detected them?¡± Duncan first looked in surprise at the doll beside him and then noticed the odd expression on Fenna¡¯s face, realizing that the situation was probably much more complicated than he thought. However, he did not press for more details and just nodded swiftly, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this now. Prepare to move.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve erased the traces we left behind,¡± Morris, having finished cleaning up, walked over and said, ¡°Garland will forget the last twenty-four hours upon awakening. Even if a skilled psychic healer searches her memory, they shouldn¡¯t be able to restore much.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Duncan nodded slightly. He wasn¡¯t too concerned about hiding their tracks, but minimizing disturbances early in a mission was, of course, not a bad thing.


    Then, he raised his hand in the darkness and beckoned.


    The fluttering of wings broke the silence of the night. A pigeon that had been perched on the roof of a nearby building swiftly flew over, and in the next instant, a ghostly green flame flickered through the alley, leaving only the sound of flapping wings gradually fading into the night sky.


    The alley regained its tranquility¨Cseveral more minutes passed before a series of hurried footsteps and the shaking light of lanterns appeared on the distant street.


    ¡­


    Ai Yi had not gone far¨Cin fact, it had only flown to a street block away and found a landing spot near an old factory.


    It was an uninhabited tin hut.


    The tin hut was close to the old factory. A hole of moderate size was broken in one of the hut¡¯s windows, and Ai Yi squeezed through it into the interior, with the Spectral Flame suddenly surging. The figures of Duncan and his party of four appeared inside the hut.


    Fenna looked around immediately, noticing the thick layer of dust inside the old hut, a wooden bed, and simple tables and chairs in a corner, as well as some miscellaneous items piled on the other side of the room. The cold wind howled outside, and the hole in the nearby window emitted a whimpering noise with the wind.


    ¡°This was intended as a temporary resting place for the pump house maintenance staff. Usually, no one stays here outside of the maintenance period¨Calthough I don¡¯t know when that period is, at least for today this is a place where we can take a short break,¡± Fenna said as she approached the window, peering through the dirty glass to see the old factory standing silent in the night. She could clearly see the lights of the factory and hear the sound of the machinery operating inside, ¡°The factory is still running. A factory like this, which operates day and night, will definitely have clergy on duty, and if a transcendent battle occurred in the nearby streets, the security level of such a factory would be heightened.¡±


    ¡°No problem, just don¡¯t light any lamps,¡± said Duncan casually. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to sense our presence here anyway. We¡¯ll stay here until dawn before we take action¨Calright?¡±


    He looked at the three others as he spoke.


    Alice was a cursed doll, Fenna a beautiful young warrior, and even the apparently weakest among them, the elderly Morris, was a transcendent being who wielded many Divine Arts. In terms of strength, there was no need to worry about them; it was just that the cold of the northern City-State¡¯s winter night might not be so kind to an older gentleman.


    ¡°No need to worry,¡± Morris, who seemed to have noticed Duncan¡¯s gaze, smiled faintly and traced a holy rune bestowed by the God of Wisdom Rahm across his chest, ¡°Up until a couple of years ago, I frequently explored those ancient ruins and cursed wastelands located at the edge of dangerous seas. The conditions there are far more challenging than here¨Cacademic research is never easy, especially when dealing with history.¡±


    Duncan thought about it and felt that the old man was correct.


    The historians and folklorists of this world were indeed quite hardcore professions¨Ceven the ¡°housebound scholars¡± needed to have a trick or two up their sleeves, given that every now and then they would end up fighting with the very things they were studying, such cursed scrolls and possessed relics were not ones to just lie quietly in display cases.


    Moreover, for an all-rounded scholar like Morris¨Che probably maxed out free fighting and wilderness survival before even starting his history research¡­


    ¡°We could also make contact with Captain Terian¡¯s informants planted in this city,¡± Fenna said from the side, ¡°They should be able to help us with accommodations and provide information¡­¡±


    ¡°I will contact them, but not now,¡± Duncan waved his hand, then his expression became slightly serious, ¡°Starting today, when Frost comes into contact with anyone, we have to be very careful in identifying them, including those ¡®informants¡¯ Terian mentioned.¡±


    Fenna was startled, then realized something, ¡°You¡¯ve confirmed that ¡®Brown Scott¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Is a deep-sea replica, and it has already self-dissolved, we¡¯re one step too late, only finding a few clues he left behind,¡± Duncan said, shaking his head, ¡°But this was pretty much expected beforehand. Besides, in that house, we also encountered a female apprentice in a state of cognitive and memory confusion¨Cshe is an ordinary person.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression immediately became serious.


    ¡°That was Brown¡¯s student, named Garland¨Cin her memory and cognition, the part about her own mentor¡¯s death in a shipwreck has been completely erased,¡± Morris spoke up from the side, ¡°And according to my and the captain¡¯s judgment, this situation¡­ might not be an isolated case throughout Frost.¡±


    ¡°Starting over half a month ago, Terian has been receiving strange and contradictory intelligence, sometimes mentioning the phenomenon of ¡®the dead returning¡¯ in Frost, other times saying it was all rumors, that the so-called dead were actually Frost¡¯s regular residents from the start. Sometimes, this completely contradictory information even comes from the same informant,¡± Duncan took over from Morris, continuing, ¡°At first, Terian thought that this was the Frost authorities controlling the news, that the church was acting to weaken the impact of strange events on the residents, but now it seems¡­ it¡¯s very likely caused by cognitive confusion.¡±


    ¡°Captain Terian¡¯s informants are scattered throughout Frost¡­ You mean, this is cognitive and memory pollution covering the entire City-State?!¡± Fenna realized the seriousness of the matter, ¡°So in this City-State now¡­¡±


    ¡°No one can be sure how many are replicas, how many are genuine, and that¡¯s secondary anyway, because replicas should not escape my eye, and can be quickly distinguished upon meeting. The most troublesome, are those ordinary people who are already abnormal¡­¡± Duncan said, pausing briefly, then after some thought, shook his head, ¡°Anyway, Terian¡¯s informants left in this city are no longer reliable. Some of them might have been replaced, their cognition twisted, and it¡¯s even possible some are the eyes of the Obliterate Heretics¡­ We need to be cautious when contacting them.¡±


    Fenna nodded solemnly in response¨Cyet in the depths of her eyes, a flicker of pleasure began to emerge.


    The cold and mysterious northern City-State, City-State residents being continuously replaced, informants that were previously reliable who can no longer be trusted, and those seemingly normal and harmless ordinary citizens gradually developing memory and cognitive pollution, untrustworthy voices filling the entire city, pollution spreading beneath the surface¨C


    That¡¯s good, because everything was back in her area of expertise.


    Purging heresy, cleansing pollution.


    She began to understand another layer of intent behind Pope Helena sending her to the Homeloss.


    Now that the city already had the ¡®Vision of Tranquil Nightfall¡¯, it no longer needed her as a Judge, but as long as she followed the Homeloss, there would always be a stage for her to exert herself.


    Duncan gave Fenna an odd look.


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    ¡°Is it my imagination? Why does it feel like your mood has suddenly improved?¡±


    ¡°Ah, just thinking about continuing to purge heresy lifts my spirits.¡±


    Duncan opened his mouth, unsure of how to judge this young Judge, but quickly turned his attention to another matter.


    He looked to the automaton standing beside them, daydreaming.


    ¡°Now that Morris and I have reported our progress, it¡¯s time to discuss what¡¯s been happening on your end.¡±

 Chapter 332 - Chapter 332 Chapter 336 The Puppet and the Coffin

    Chapter 332: Chapter 336: The Puppet and the Coffin Chapter 332: Chapter 336: The Puppet and the Coffin The world through Alice¡¯s eyes seemed to manifest differently from the very beginning compared to that of ordinary people¨Cyet until today, nobody had discovered it.


    Even Alice herself hadn¡¯t noticed this fact.


    Duncan learned from Fenna about the battle that occurred in the alley, as well as Alice¡¯s performance in that fight¨Cfrom her detection of the hidden enemy through the ¡°floating lines¡± to her turning a heretic, who attempted to flee, into a shattered porcelain doll. The entire process left Duncan incredibly surprised.


    Now, all eyes were focused on the doll-like lady who was confused throughout the entire incident.


    ¡°¡­So none of you can see the ¡®lines¡¯¡­¡± Alice finally realized what was going on, scratching her head with an innocent face, ¡°I thought it was common knowledge since everyone has those things floating above their heads and limbs¡­¡±


    Duncan stared into Alice¡¯s eyes with an exceptionally serious expression, ¡°Let me confirm one more time, everyone has ¡®lines,¡¯ correct?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, everyone¨Cexcept for you, Captain,¡± Alice responded promptly.


    Duncan thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°¡­Is it that my true self doesn¡¯t have them, or does this body I¡¯m in now also not have them?¡±


    ¡°This body you have now also doesn¡¯t have them,¡± Alice honestly answered, then added, ¡°Your body in Prand also didn¡¯t have them¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded lightly, thoughts racing through his mind, a myriad of speculations emerging one after another.


    In the world through Alice¡¯s eyes, ¡°lines¡± floated above everyone else in the world but not above herself and the bodies she inhabited¡­ Therefore, these so-called ¡°lines¡± were not tethered to the physical body but symbolized something more essential. Was it the soul? Or the persona?


    When close enough, she could effortlessly ¡°grab¡± the lines on others, using them to bind or attack her opponents. What was the nature of this ability? Was it a power that anomaly 099 had from the beginning but never revealed, or a mutation that occurred after she joined the Homeloss?


    As Duncan pondered, his gaze never left Alice¡¯s face, which made even the slow-witted doll feel uneasy. She subconsciously twisted her neck, ¡°Captain¡­ you¡¯ve been staring at me¡­ It¡¯s making me nervous.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my apologies,¡± Duncan quickly came to his senses, blinked, and eased his intense gaze. Then he turned thoughtfully towards Fenna, ¡°As far as I know, Alice¡¯s ¡®official designation¡¯ has been changed to anomaly 099-Doll, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, her original name was Coffin Doll,¡± Fenna immediately nodded, guessing what Duncan was getting at, ¡°Are you suggesting that Alice¡¯s power is related to this change?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ The Coffin and the Doll always represented different powers from the start; the former symbolizes death, hence its blunt beheading ability, while the latter pertains to the manipulation of humanoid figures, fitting the ¡®Doll¡¯ trait,¡± Duncan explained calmly, ¡°Previously, Alice was considered as the ¡®contents¡¯ of the Coffin, so the anomaly 099 ¡®ensemble¡¯ solely exhibited the Coffin¡¯s trait, but now¡­ the Doll has become the ¡®main component¡¯ of anomaly 099, and her original abilities have thus been unleashed.¡±


    ¡°Different powers for the Coffin and the Doll¡­¡± Morris murmured softly from the side, having remained silent until now, ¡°It¡¯s a plausible conjecture.¡±


    Duncan felt somewhat emotional.


    All this time, he had thought the tremendous power of anomaly 099 was gone¨Cafter Alice¡¯s wooden box underwent ¡°Transformation,¡± she was just a slightly eerie, sentient and thinking cursed doll, rather incompetent, cowardly, and simple to boot. Yet unexpectedly, today she displayed such a peculiar ability. What to say¡­


    Indeed, she was worthy of that rank within the top hundred¨Calthough she was still quite lacking compared to the rest of the Homeloss crew.


    Alice, however, clearly did not have as many thoughts. She just followed the conversation between Duncan and the others with her gaze, looking from one person to another. After a good while, she barely understood some of the situation, showing a slightly uneasy expression and cautiously met Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°¡­Captain, have I done something bad?¡±


    ¡°No, it was good,¡± Duncan immediately shook his head, ¡°You were brave and took good care of yourself. The heretics are far from innocent.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Alice thought for a moment, raising her hand as if making a gesture, ¡°Is my ability a bad thing?¡±


    Duncan quietly looked at the doll, and after a long pause, a smile suddenly appeared on his face, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    Alice seemed a bit confused.


    ¡°You can control it, right?¡± Duncan asked.


    ¡°Yeah, easily,¡± Alice waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s very simple.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s a good thing,¡± Duncan spoke with a smile, ¡°Having power is never a bad thing¨Cit¡¯s losing control that causes trouble. Now you can help me even more, Alice.¡±


    Miss Doll finally started to smile, swinging happily from side to side. ¡°That¡¯s great, I thought things were terrible since everyone suddenly became so serious¡­¡±


    Duncan simply reached out and gently patted Alice¡¯s hair.


    Her swinging amplitude was a bit large, and her head was about to fall off.


    Meanwhile, his thoughts were far from calm.


    Despite knowing about Alice¡¯s current abilities and having generally inferred the ¡°the doll and the coffin each have their own symbolism,¡± it didn¡¯t mean that all the mysteries had been solved. On the contrary, it only made him more aware of the secrets hidden within this doll.


    He had been with Alice for some time now. It was precisely because of these days spent together that he had grown accustomed to the doll¡¯s clamor on the ship and her harmless demeanor¨Calways running around him. He nearly forgot that before becoming the cook of the Homeloss, the doll was anomaly number 099, a strange object that rose from the frigid deep sea after the Frost Queen¡¯s death.


    In a sense, she was of the same origin as those weird and twisted ¡°replicas.¡±


    But she was utterly different from any other replicas that had appeared thus far¨Cthe reasons for this couldn¡¯t be without cause.


    For some reason, he was suddenly reminded of a phrase uttered by an obliteration cultist after the Sea Swallow¡¯s explosion¨C


    ¡°If it were not for that queen¡­¡±


    Duncan shook his head and suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind for the moment, looking up at Fenna.


    ¡°Tonight¡¯s situation has made one thing clear, the ¡®replicas¡¯ in the city are indeed the handiwork of those obliteration cultists, and not only do they operate in secret, they also covertly monitor the replicas they¡¯ve released into the city¨Cthis observation seems like they are collecting some sort of data.¡±


    ¡°From my experience, this is preparation for a more significant action. The replicas we¡¯ve seen in the city are just the beginning, and the corrosion on Dagger Island is likely another larger test site,¡± Fenna nodded, ¡°They have also tried to transfer the contamination from Dagger Island to the Frost mainland. Although this action was stopped, it has already indicated their operations have reached a crucial stage.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I will make a move¨Cbut first, I must know where they are hiding,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°Killing a few cultists or priests, even destroying several meeting points, is meaningless; Plante¡¯s experience has already proven this.¡±


    As he spoke, he lifted his gaze to look through the gaps in the bandages, his eyes traveling through the grimy window beside him to the Frost¡¯s orderly and crowded steeples and eaves.


    ¡°¡­Where are you hiding?¡±


    The wind picked up, and the second snow began to fall. Snowflakes fluttered down in the night, blurring the streets in the distance into a misty vagueness.


    The snow lasted almost all night, only ceasing as the sun rose and the afterglow of the Creation of the World dissipated in the sunlight, with the golden and red glow of dawn spreading along the streets into the city, the fluttering snowflakes gradually coming to a stop.


    The cemetery¡¯s heavy and solemn wrought iron gates creaked open, and the old caretaker in a thick coat hooked the gate clasp onto the fence, glancing down the streets toward the city district.


    Everything that met his eye was covered with thick snow, and the streets in the distance became a white expanse under the heavy snow, blurring their outlines and boundaries.


    Steam pipes above the district emitted white vapor, with the heat from the steam core being sent to critical junctions throughout, to melt ice and snow on the network hubs and power stations; and large snow removal machines had also come out. These giant contraptions billowed white smoke and gave off a deep rumble as they drove down the streets, clearing the vital thoroughfares.


    Since that visitor had left, the cemetery had returned to peace, with no further disturbances of the dead. Yet neither the cemetery caretaker nor the guards sent by the church had let their guard down afterward.


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    In the latter half of the night, a ¡°swift message¡± was delivered to the caretaker¡¯s cabin via high-pressure steam pipes. The message came from the city hall with a curious content¨Crequesting all transcendental guards in the city to stay alert, though it did not specify what exactly to be on guard against.


    Agatha seemed to have also received some intelligence not long after, dispatching a squad to Fireplace Street. Those guards still haven¡¯t returned.


    The wind and snow late into the night were intense; the howling wind and chaotic snowflakes seemed to portend something.


    The old caretaker tightened his coat.


    ¡°This damned weather¡­¡±


    (Promotion time, from Master Qi, the book titled ¡°The Most Spirited Demon Slayer in All Directions,¡± a story about a professional demon-slaying hero dragging people into competitive struggles, whirling through heaven and earth and air. A work of persuasion from the group, everyone can support it~)

 Chapter 333 - Chapter 333 Chapter 337 Guests

    Chapter 333: Chapter 337 Guests Chapter 333: Chapter 337 Guests The old cemetery guard disliked days when snow kept falling¨Cnot only because the cold weather made his already overburdened joints ache, but also because such snowy days always reminded him of events long past.


    Some not-so-pleasant events.


    Like the rebellion fifty years ago, the frost disaster thirty years ago, the great collapse in the southern district seventeen years ago¡­ Such heavy snow never brought any good.


    The old man rubbed his hands together and glanced back at the cemetery, now also covered in snow.


    The cemetery path was blurred by snow, with only footprints outlining the route to the morgue and the guard¡¯s hut. The gas lamps were extinguished, and the dark poles stood in the snow like dead tree trunks, looking rather lonely.


    Several steam cars were parked in the open area within the cemetery and were completely covered with snow. The black-clothed guards were struggling to clear the snow off the cars and attempting to forge a path viable for vehicle passage¨Clooking quite disheveled.


    They needed to complete this task before the snow hardened and the road surface became even harder to clear.


    A howling wind swept by, bringing with it a gray smog that materialized suddenly. Agatha emerged from the wind and smoke, the young gatekeeper approaching the old guard, ¡°Half of the people will withdraw today, leaving only two squads to help you guard the cemetery.¡±


    ¡°They all could withdraw, and I¡¯d have some peace,¡± the old guard lifted his eyelids to glance at the gatekeeper, ¡°So many hands here are a waste.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a waste of manpower¨Cyou don¡¯t need to worry about me not having enough people.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so idle as to worry about you,¡± the old guard muttered, then seemingly offhandedly mentioned, ¡°Last night you dispatched an elite squad, something happened in the city?¡±


    Agatha looked at the old man, ¡°You still care about matters outside the cemetery?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking, you can say or not as you please.¡± The old guard shrugged.


    ¡°¡­There was an incident on Hearth Street, a high-level Transcendent erupted in battle, creating quite a commotion. Patrolling guards rushed over but ended up empty-handed,¡± Agatha spoke slowly, ¡°Now we can only be sure that one of the parties involved was from the Eradication Cult¨Cthey died horribly, and one of them met a strange death, not consistent with any known Transcendent powers.¡±


    The old guard¡¯s eyebrows twitched noticeably, his tone becoming more serious, ¡°Hearth Street?¡±


    ¡°¡­Rest assured, no innocent civilians were harmed,¡± Agatha seemed to know what the old man was worried about, ¡°However, based on the squad¡¯s report, there are more than one odd clues over there, I might have to personally check it out.¡±


    The old guard said nothing but nodded slightly, his gaze becoming serious.


    Agatha was a young gatekeeper, but even at her age, her status as ¡°gatekeeper¡± was earned through rigorous training and difficult tests. As the highest representative of the church in the City-State, her actions alone indicated the severity of the situation.


    The situation on Hearth Street was probably not as effortless as her current demeanor suggested¨Cand it definitely was more than just a Transcendent battle. An elite squad of guards had gone to investigate, and now even a gatekeeper had to handle it personally; this was no small matter.


    But that was outside the cemetery, not something this ¡°Tomb Guardian,¡± who was retired from the front line, should be concerned about.


    Let the young gatekeeper and the guards handle it.


    After a great deal of effort, the guards finally cleared the snow and started the steam cores of the vehicles. Two dark gray steam cars left the cemetery, soon disappearing on the small road leading to the district.


    The old guard watched the two cars leave, shook his head, and prepared to return to the cemetery.


    But just as he was about to turn around, the corner of his eye suddenly caught a familiar small figure at the end of the path.


    A little girl in a thick coat was walking toward the cemetery, struggling somewhat.


    The old guard immediately halted his actions. He watched as the small figure approached, his expression seeming a bit angry, and the small figure also spotted the old man standing at the entrance of the cemetery¨Cshe stopped by the roadside, lifted her face, happily waving her arms, then continued plodding toward the old man.


    Eventually, she stepped onto the tracks left by the two departing steam cars, her footsteps finally easing, and she bent down to pat off the snowflakes clinging to the hem of her coat and trousers, arriving at the cemetery entrance and smiling cheerfully at the old man who looked stern, even a bit angry.


    ¡°Guard Grandpa, I¡¯m here again!¡± Annie happily greeted the old guard.


    She was dressed in white thick coat and matching white boots, with a similarly white woolen hat on her head, looking as if she might melt into the snowy cityscape.


    ¡°Going out in this weather, and coming to a place like this!¡± the old guard glared, his tone very stern, ¡°You¡¯ll make your family worry.¡±


    ¡°I told my mom I would be back quickly today,¡± Annie smiled, her face slightly reddened from the cold. ¡°School is out, and I was going to play with my friends, but none of them wanted to come out, so I came to see you!¡±


    ¡°And like your friends, staying at home would be better than running out to the cemetery in this snowy weather,¡± the old man said coldly. ¡°The cemetery is closed today, there¡¯s too much snow. Go home.¡±


    However, the girl seemed not to hear him, just peered behind the old man for a moment, then looked up expectantly, ¡°My dad, he¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t come,¡± the old man said bluntly. ¡°In such awful weather, even if there were plans to hold a funeral, it would be postponed.¡±


    Annie paused for a second, but didn¡¯t seem too disheartened. She pursed her lips, ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll come back and ask again when the weather gets better¡­ He¡¯ll come eventually, right?¡±


    The old guardian watched the child¡¯s eyes quietly, and for a brief couple of seconds, he even regretted, regretted making that promise to her six years ago about her father returning here. Ultimately, his heart¡­ had been too soft then.


    After a long silence, the old man finally spoke, ¡°Perhaps, one day in the future, you might hear news from him.¡±


    That was the best he could mitigate.


    A twelve-year-old child should understand these things by now.


    Annie blinked, a hint of a smile on her face, then reached into her little bag and pulled out a packet, handing it to the old man.


    ¡°More cookies?¡± the guardian raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s ginger tea powder, I helped my mom make it, and we added herbs for warming and soothing the stomach!¡± Annie said proudly, stuffing the packet into the old man¡¯s hand without waiting for a response. ¡°You¡¯re always here alone guarding the cemetery, especially now with the snow, it must be very cold at night?¡±


    The old man looked at the item in his hand.


    He didn¡¯t need it¨CThe church provided remedies to the tomb guardians that were ten times more effective than this, and his seemingly frail guardian¡¯s hut was lined with protective spells and special materials. It wasn¡¯t just resistant to the mere cold wind, but even if the cemetery truly lost control, that little hut would defend like a steel fortress against external impacts.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he accepted Annie¡¯s gift, and perhaps due to not having smiled for too long, the curve on his lips was somewhat stiff. ¡°This is very useful to me.¡±


    Then, his expression hardened again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve accepted the gift, now go home quickly. Try not to go out in the next few days.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not safe in the city recently,¡± the old guardian said solemnly, recalling what Agatha had just mentioned to him and the transcendent event that happened on Fireplace Street last night. ¡°Go home and tell your mom to go out less often, and if you see anything unusual, seek help from the nearest church or sheriff¨CAnnie, this is serious, do you understand?¡±


    Annie seemed stunned by the old man¡¯s sudden stern tone, and it took her a moment before she nodded hurriedly, ¡°I¡­ I understand.¡±


    ¡°Good, then go home,¡± the old man sighed and was about to send her off when he looked up, cutting himself off mid-sentence.


    An exceptionally tall and burly figure had appeared near the cemetery gate, looking over in their direction¨Ca figure clad in a black trench coat, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, with a face wrapped in bandages, hiding all details beneath the hat and bandages.


    Beside this imposing figure stood another person, a petite lady dressed in an elegant deep purple gown, her blonde hair cascading down like a waterfall, wearing a soft hat and a veiled mask, making her face unclear yet exuding an elegant and mysterious aura.


    However, the old guardian¡¯s attention was almost entirely focused on the tall and burly figure¨Che stared intensely in that direction, as if his eyes were anchored by an invisible force, making it difficult to look away. Slight noises began buzzing in his mind, and he started to see minor tremors and shifts at the edges of his vision, clear signs of mild mental contamination and interference.


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    The experienced guardian instantly realized what was happening¨Cit was that ¡°visitor.¡±


    Because of his multiple encounters with this indescribable visitor and once having been driven mad under the influence of incense, he had established a certain connection with them!


    But this was a preliminary and nearly harmless connection, so the old guardian didn¡¯t lose his ability to act like before.


    Still able to move¨Che quickly pulled Annie behind him.


    ¡°Child, don¡¯t look over there.¡±

 Chapter 334 - Chapter 334 Chapter 338 What a Coincidence

    Chapter 334: Chapter 338: What a Coincidence Chapter 334: Chapter 338: What a Coincidence Annie had no idea what was happening ¡ª she had just managed to see two strangers standing at the cemetery gate before an old caretaker¡¯s slightly hunched figure blocked her view. An old man¡¯s voice, tinged with nervousness, reached her ears, ¡°Child, don¡¯t look over there.¡±


    The little girl was somewhat tense, ¡°Caretaker Grandpa, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, don¡¯t talk, it¡¯s nothing,¡± the old man said softly while still keeping his gaze on the towering figure. One of his hands was beside him, shielding Annie¡¯s wandering eyes, and the other pressed against his chest ¡ª there lay an amulet which could trigger the cemetery¡¯s alarm system if necessary.


    The towering figure began to walk this way.


    The old man¡¯s muscles tensed in response.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± a deep voice came from beneath the thick bandages, as if carrying the echoes of a crypt, ¡°I believe this is my first formal ¡®visit.''¡±


    It was a clear act of communication, and the tone was amiable ¡ª like previous encounters, this indescribable ¡°Visitor¡± exhibited a friendly stance.


    Yet the old caretaker¡¯s muscles didn¡¯t dare to relax. He had anticipated that this visitor would return sooner or later and had thought about the circumstances under which they would communicate. But he never expected them to arrive at the cemetery¡¯s entrance so openly, greeting him from across the way. He was uncertain whether Annie behind him would be affected by the visitor. Thus, all he could do was to shield her as much as possible, quickly pondering his next move.


    The old man¡¯s tension was fully apparent to Duncan.


    He even seemed more nervous than their first meeting ¡ª was it because of the child he was sheltering?


    ¡°Relax a little,¡± Duncan said, his tone carrying a hint of amusement, ¡°I have no hostility ¡ª and I would not harm the child behind you.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re friendly, but your very presence may affect ordinary people,¡± the old caretaker cautiously replied, trying to frame his words so as not to offend the visitor before him, ¡°This child has not been trained in Transcendent matters.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then she¡¯s actually quite safe,¡± Duncan said, ¡°She won¡¯t be able to see, as you should know.¡±


    The old caretaker fell silent for a moment. He understood what the other meant and knew that ordinary person Annie would likely not be affected by certain Transcendent forces, like he would. Nonetheless, he remained on guard and cautiously asked, ¡°What brings you here this time?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the priestess around?¡± Duncan curiously glanced toward the cemetery, ¡°I have something rather important to tell her.¡±


    ¡°She just left,¡± the old caretaker said, his caution increasing at the mention of Agatha.


    ¡°What do you need her for?¡± he added after a pause, ¡°I can contact her at any time ¡ª cemetery caretakers are also clergy and have direct contacts with the church and the gatekeepers.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good, it saves me some trouble,¡± Duncan said, reaching into his pocket ¡ª a motion that visibly tensed up the cemetery caretaker in front of him. Noticing this, he smiled and shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t be tense. If I truly had ill intentions, I wouldn¡¯t need to lift a finger.¡±


    As he spoke, he pulled a sealed letter from his coat pocket and handed it over to the old man.


    ¡°Pass this on to the ¡®gatekeeper¡¯ named Agatha, or directly to your cathedral, if you prefer,¡± Duncan said nonchalantly, ¡°After all, it¡¯s a message. As long as the message is delivered, that¡¯s what matters.¡±


    A letter ¡­ A letter?!


    The old caretaker looked at the item that had been pulled out in astonishment, automatically taking it before he realized what it was. Blinking in confusion, it never crossed his mind that an indescribable Visitor descending physically to the cemetery would do so just to hand him a letter.


    He flipped the envelope over to glance at the back.


    On the back, he could see a local print shop¡¯s mark and serial number ¡ª it was not some Transcendent force-condensed ¡°Ritual Secret Letter¡±; it had been bought from a newsstand at the street corner, perhaps even on a whim that very morning.


    The old man looked up, his gaze clouded with evident confusion and query.


    ¡°I¡¯m just making a small contribution to the safety of the City-State,¡± Duncan smiled, though his friendly expression was entirely obscured by bandages. Then his gaze shifted past the caretaker to the little girl hidden behind him, ¡°Did I scare you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Annie shook her head, carefully peeking through the gaps between the old man¡¯s fingers at the tall figure opposite her, ¡°I¡¯m very brave.¡±


    ¡°I have a niece; she¡¯s also very brave,¡± Duncan said, looking toward the old man, ¡°This child is¡­¡±


    ¡°Just here to visit the cemetery, an ordinary person with no real connection to the church,¡± the old man interrupted, feeling slightly more relaxed now that he realized Annie was indeed unaffected, ¡°I was just persuading this child to go back; the weather is too dreadful today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to slip on snowy days,¡± Duncan nodded, then casually asked the little girl, ¡°What¡¯s your name? How old are you this year?¡±


    The old caretaker tensed, preparing to warn Annie, who had never encountered Transcendent power, not to speak. Revealing one¡¯s name to a Transcendent of mysterious origins was a highly risky move ¡ª


    But he was a step too slow.


    ¡°My name is Annie,¡± the girl said without any wariness, ¡°Annie Barbey, and I am twelve years old this year!¡±


    Before the gates of the graveyard, suddenly, a hush fell.


    Duncan watched quietly as the little girl peeked her head out from behind the old caretaker, observing her eyes and the brows that faintly resembled those of Captain Cristo Babeli.


    He had asked casually, not expecting¡­ for things to turn out this coincidentally.


    The sound of footsteps crunching in the snow came from the side, and Alice looked at the girl who claimed to be ¡°Annie Barbey¡± with some surprise, then turned her head towards Duncan, ¡°Ah, I remember the surname Barbey, isn¡¯t that¡­¡±


    Duncan slowly bent down to bring his gaze level to that of the girl, and softened his tone as much as he could, ¡°Your last name is Barbey?¡±


    Perhaps because of the sudden shift in atmosphere, Annie appeared a bit nervous, shrinking back behind the old caretaker, ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Captain Cristo Babeli, what is your relation to him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ my dad,¡± Annie said softly, then instinctively clutched at the caretaker¡¯s clothes, looking up at the old man, seemingly seeking help.


    However, the old man showed no response, his face expressing shock as if he had realized something, looking at Duncan with an incredulous expression, and then turning, puzzled, towards the young woman with a veil and golden hair cascading over her shoulders.


    ¡°You¡¯re Captain Cristo¡¯s daughter¨Cdo you and your mother live on Hearth Street?¡± Duncan asked another question, looking at the little girl before him.


    Annie hurriedly nodded, then seemed to catch on, ¡°You¡­ you know my dad?¡±


    ¡°¡­Met him, though not too well acquainted,¡± Duncan said quietly, ¡°He entrusted me with visiting you and your mother, but I haven¡¯t yet had the chance to seek you out. I hadn¡¯t expected to meet you here.¡±


    Annie¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    The old caretaker beside her did the same.


    ¡°My dad, he¡­¡± Annie opened her mouth but couldn¡¯t think of what to say; after struggling to put her thoughts into words for some time, she carefully asked, ¡°He¡¯s really dead¡­ isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Duncan gently nodded.


    ¡°Then¡­ will he be brought here?¡± Annie quickly asked, ¡°The adults say that those who believe in the god of death will have their souls return to Bartok¡¯s graveyard after death, and then be led to that gate; the caretaker grandpa told me, this graveyard is¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Annie¡¯s voice suddenly grew quieter.


    In fact, she had stopped believing the tales the old man had told her a long time ago.


    She was already twelve this year.


    Suddenly, Duncan reached out, ruffling Annie¡¯s head¨Cthe thick woolen hat shed an unmelted snowflake that fell and mixed with the snow on the ground.


    ¡°Captain Cristo was an incredible man, very incredible¨Che is now resting well in Bartok¡¯s realm.¡±


    Annie looked up, blinking her eyes.


    She did not quite understand what Duncan meant¨Cshe didn¡¯t even comprehend the nature of this tall, broad figure before her.


    But the caretaker beside her suddenly realized.


    The old man abruptly placed his hand on Annie¡¯s shoulder, silencing the child, then lifted his head, looking directly into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°What you said¡­ is it the truth?¡±


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    ¡°¡­I believe it is,¡± Duncan considered, unsure about the actual nature of the so-called door of the death god Bartok, nor what humans experience after death, but in front of a child, he knew what to say¨Cit was also genuinely what he hoped for, ¡°I personally saw him off.¡±


    The old caretaker¡¯s pupils slightly contracted, but he quickly masked the change in his expression.


    ¡°I should be leaving as well,¡± Duncan said, looking at the still confused Annie, then towards the graveyard caretaker, ¡°There¡¯s still a lot I¡¯d like to say, but I have many things to attend to. We can meet again another time.


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t forget about that letter.¡±


    The old caretaker blinked, but before he could speak, he only saw a flash of ghostly green flame disappear before his eyes.

 Chapter 335 - Chapter 335 Chapter 339 Agathas Investigation

    Chapter 335: Chapter 339 Agatha¡¯s Investigation Chapter 335: Chapter 339 Agatha¡¯s Investigation The Visitor had left, as suddenly as he had arrived.


    The elderly caretaker of the graveyard was somewhat dazed. He stared in the direction where the flames had vanished, his mind still occupied with the bits of information the other party had revealed during their brief conversation, until Annie tugged at his sleeve, causing him to suddenly snap out of his reverie.


    He lowered his head, noticing Annie¡¯s anxious gaze. Beyond her helplessness, there was also nervousness and confusion in her eyes.


    Perhaps she had come to understand life and death, but she couldn¡¯t fully comprehend what had just occurred.


    The old caretaker bent over, his aged and stiff joints slightly aching in the cold winter. He reached out to brush the snowflakes off Annie¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Annie, don¡¯t be afraid, no harm has come.¡±


    ¡°Caretaker Grandpa¡­¡± The girl¡¯s lips quivered as she tried to form her words, not knowing where to begin her questions, ¡°That person just now¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask too much, don¡¯t overthink, just as your textbooks say, do not pry into knowledge that isn¡¯t meant for mortals¨Cyou only need to know that he was a visitor, He meant no harm to you, and now that He has departed, your connection with Him ends here.¡±


    ¡°And my father¡­¡±


    ¡°Your father might have done something truly great¨Cbeyond what any of us can imagine,¡± the old caretaker spoke softly, gently smoothing the girl¡¯s hair, ¡°Annie, worry no more, he is no longer adrift at sea; he has gone to a better place. Go back and tell your mother this, she¡¯s waited long for such news.¡±


    Annie pursed her lips, hesitating for a long time before whispering to confirm, ¡°Is it true this time?¡±


    ¡°It is true,¡± the old caretaker smiled, ¡°You aren¡¯t a six-year-old anymore.¡±


    Annie nodded, half understanding, and then bid farewell to the old caretaker of the graveyard. She turned around and walked toward the path that led to the residential area. Following the wheel tracks that had not yet frozen into ice, she slowly headed towards her home, gradually blending into the silver-clad backdrop of the city.


    In front of the graveyard entrance, the old caretaker watched the path for a long time, only breathing a sigh of relief when Annie¡¯s figure disappeared at the corner.


    The child hadn¡¯t fallen this time.


    Then he raised his hand, gently pressing something in his pocket¨Ca letter that seemed to contain countless secrets quietly lying there.


    A letter from an indescribable Visitor, seeming ordinary material could also carry unimaginable knowledge and mysteries¡­ What, indeed, did it signify?


    The old caretaker¡¯s gaze gradually grew serious. He turned and walked back towards the graveyard, waving a hand behind him as the heavy wrought-iron gate squeaked shut.


    The graveyard would not open again today.


    ¡­


    Agatha gazed solemnly at the shattered fragments on the ground. The cold wind blowing through the alley fluttered her long hair, chilling her clothes and bandages, as though the bone-chilling cold also captured the last moments of terror and despair from two Heretics.


    A few black-clothed guards were busily securing the area. The team that had arrived earlier had already blocked the entrance of the alley, and personnel were investigating clues in nearby lanes¨Cthe evidence collection was proceeding methodically. Yet, the confusion in Agatha¡¯s heart had not diminished.


    What kind of force could turn people into broken porcelain dolls?


    Thus far, no known Divine Arts or Heretical Spells could yield such an effect. Even the myriad enchantments wielded by the Profound Demons did not manifest such strange phenomena.


    The young gatekeeper raised his wand, poking at one of the fragments with its tin tip, causing it to turn over. The pale, ceramic-like shard rolled on the ground, emitting a crisp sound.


    It flipped over to reveal roughly half a face, including lips, a nose bridge, and one eye.


    Even incomplete, it clearly captured the terror of a Heretic¡¯s final moments.


    And¡­ a trace of a strange smile?


    Agatha frowned, noticing a suspect curvature to the lips on the ceramic shard, as if a serene, contented smile had begun to form but was frozen in place¨Cthe slight curve juxtaposed with the fear in the eye made the expression all the more eerie and unsettling.


    After a moment of contemplation, she shook her head and continued toward another ¡°scene¡± deeper in the alley.


    A pile of remains nearly charred to cinders lay in the alley, surrounded by signs of fierce combat and remnants of explosions. The extent of the impact was considerable, but the skirmish was clearly one-sidedly fierce¨Cdistinct from the pile of shards at the alley¡¯s entrance.


    A priest inspecting the site stood up from the debris and nodded to Agatha as he took off his gloves, ¡°An Annihilating Priest who had undergone complete purification. Judging by the severity of his fleshly deformations, he was strong. Theoretically, even if he faced a fully staffed twelve-member guardian squad, it¡¯s possible he could have fought his way out, yet he was quickly dispatched¨Cwith almost no signs of counterattack.¡±


    Agatha slightly furrowed her brow, ¡°Can you tell who his opponent might have been?¡±


    The priest shook his head, ¡°The most straightforward and brutal form of attack, pure physical force. This actually makes it harder to determine the other party¡¯s identity. However, we found some traces of unusually condensed water vapor nearby, which may be the only clue.¡±


    ¡°Water vapor condensation¡­ just those traces then,¡± Agatha murmured softly before turning to glance back towards the entrance of the alley, ¡°Two completely different styles of combat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, one is simple and brutal, and the other is weird and dangerous. The commonality is that both are very powerful¨CHeretical Priests of the Obliteration Sect had no chance to counterattack,¡± the priest nodded and said, ¡°The only good news is that they are clearly enemies of the Obliteration Sect.¡±


    ¡°The enemy of our enemy is not necessarily our friend,¡± Agatha shook her head, ¡°Moreover, they obviously tend to hide their actions¨Creluctant to show themselves, and that itself is highly suspicious.¡±


    At this point, she paused, then asked, ¡°What about the investigation of the surrounding residents?¡±


    ¡°The nearby residents heard the noise of the fight, but most dared not peek. We can only deduce the timing and duration of the battle from their accounts¨Cit happened after one o¡¯clock in the morning and lasted probably less than three minutes.¡±


    ¡°Is that all? What else?¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t any more information for now,¡± the priest spread his hands, ¡°I have already arranged for people to investigate from door to door, including the alleys farther away, to see if we can find eyewitness reports of strangers, but Fireplace Street is a large block, and I estimate it will take some time before we get results.¡±


    Just then, a slightly hurried footfall suddenly came from the side, interrupting the conversation between Agatha and the priest.


    A guard with brown short hair quickly entered the alley and came up to the priest to report.


    ¡°In the building?¡± Listening to the subordinate¡¯s report, the priest immediately frowned and looked up at the building diagonally across the alley.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Agatha immediately inquired.


    ¡°In the building at number 42,¡± the priest immediately said, ¡°a Senkin female has been found unconscious, attacked by Transcendent forces, and on the second floor, there is a room contaminated by strange entities.¡±


    ¡­


    In the Guard House of Cemetery No. 3, the old guard carefully locked the door and then, with a serious expression, went over to the desk in the corner.


    He had already instructed the guardians outside to keep alert near the cabin and had made sufficient protective preparations on the open ground surrounding the house¨Cbut that was not enough.


    After reaching the desk, he took out from the drawer items like incense, essential oils, candles, and herbal powders, and began setting up a powerful altar.


    He lit the candles in specific places, added essential oils and herbal powders, blessed the entire desk with the fragrance of the incense, and placed the incense burner in the middle of the candleholder, systematically constructing the symbolic altar¨Che prepared everything skillfully, as if he had rehearsed these actions thousands of times.


    This was the poise expected of a veteran.


    A few minutes later, the altar was fully set up.


    The old guard took a deep breath, looking at the pale flames burning on the candelabra and the thin, tangible incense smoke condensing above the table, feeling that the power of the death god, Bartok, had briefly descended within this small house, the blessed power lingering beside the desk, stabilizing the temporal order of the space as well as his own spirit.


    In contacting unknowable knowledge, no amount of meticulous and elaborate preparations was too excessive.


    He slowly sat down, completed a prayer in his heart, and then solemnly took out the letter from his pocket.


    The old man examined the letter¡¯s envelope.


    It was given to him by that indescribable Visitor, who instructed him to pass it on to the Gatekeeper Agatha, mentioning it only needed to reach the grand cathedral of Frost¨Chis words did not forbid others from opening the letter.


    If it was just a matter of passing a message, then it would be permissible for him to read it first and then relay it.


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    After all, the cemetery guard was the first line of defense leading to the cathedral.


    The old man sighed lightly, fully prepared, then picked up the letter opener beside him and carefully opened the seemingly ordinary envelope.


    A folded letter slid out of the envelope.


    With an unprecedented solemn expression and nearly a martyr-like determination, the old guard slowly unfolded the letter¨C


    ¡°Whistleblower Report¡± were the words that caught his eyes.


    The old guard: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 336 - Chapter 336 Chapter 340 Sinking into the Spirit Realm

    Chapter 336: Chapter 340: Sinking into the Spirit Realm Chapter 336: Chapter 340: Sinking into the Spirit Realm The watchman¡¯s hut fell into an eerie silence, as if the stillness solidified in the air¨Cthe old watchman even had a certain illusion, feeling as if the altar on the desk, the candle flame, the smoke from the incense, and the faint spiritual power permeating the air had all briefly stilled.


    An illusion?


    The old man looked up in confusion, noticing the candle flame dancing in his field of view, but it seemed to start flickering only the moment he looked up.


    He stared at the pale flame for quite some time before slowly shaking his head, returning his gaze to the letter in front of him, with a sense of strangeness he had never felt before, he read the text on it.


    But after only a few lines, he couldn¡¯t care less about the dissonance and awkwardness in his heart¨Cthe content of the letter was beginning to make him realize the gravity of the situation.


    Warnings about the city-state being eroded by deep-sea forces, evidence of mass activities by doom cultists, speculations about the intrusion of the Profound Lord into the real world, and¡­ a warning about Dagger Island.


    The old watchman stared hard at the lines of the letter in his hand, suddenly feeling that the unsettling atmosphere that had been spreading in the city-state now had an explanation.


    He didn¡¯t know whether or not he should believe this ¡°report¡± from some indescribable entity, but one thing was beyond doubt¨Cguardians at the gate and the cathedral must be notified immediately!


    ¡­


    Agatha bent over to examine the Senkin lady, who was deep in slumber on the sofa¨Cthe latter was still sleeping soundly, completely unaware that the room was now full of guards, even occasionally murmuring uneasily in her sleep.


    The fact that she could talk in her sleep indicated she hadn¡¯t been mentally impaired in the ¡°attack,¡± meaning the uninvited guest who entered this household meant no harm.


    Agatha¡¯s gaze swept over Garland, the formidable Senkin Miss; most Senkin people possessed such robust physiques by nature, with skin as tough as stone¨Cafter a brief examination, the young gatekeeper noticed the muscles on the woman¡¯s body would occasionally tense up, combined with the uneasy murmurs she had heard¡­ it seemed the Senkin lady¡¯s dreams were not peaceful.


    ¡°No external injuries, no signs of supernatural contamination, no traces of struggle. It appears to be just an ordinary sleep¨Cbut she cannot be awakened,¡± said a priest in a gray and white coat standing by, reporting the current situation to Agatha, ¡°Considering there are no signs of forced entry on the door lock and that there are signs of kitchen use, the initial assessment is that the ¡®intruder¡¯ was invited into the house.¡±


    ¡°It could be an acquaintance or a guest who gained trust,¡± Agatha muttered softly, ¡°What¡¯s the situation on the second floor?¡±


    ¡°Numerous samples have been collected, and a last testament document was found. The person who left it seems to be the source of those¡­ abnormal substances in the room,¡± the priest nodded, ¡°Additionally, based on other clues found in the house, the person who left the written account is believed to be ¡®Brown Scott,¡¯ a folklorist.¡±


    ¡°A folklorist?¡± Agatha frowned, ¡°Have you checked his background?¡±


    ¡°People have been sent to the nearest resident management office to retrieve his files, but there¡¯s no response yet.¡±


    ¡°You stay here to watch over this lady,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°I will go upstairs to check the situation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your honor, Gatekeeper.¡±


    In the second-floor study, the guards had completed the preliminary evidence collection and sample gathering, and when Agatha arrived, her subordinates were trying to clean up the dried ¡°mud¡± hanging from the bookshelves in order to transfer the large collection of books in the room.


    In places where Transcendent powers had lost control, books left at the scene could be contaminated by Transcendent forces, so transferring and storing these books for further study was an essential procedure¨Ceven if it might ¡°contaminate the scene.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s gaze landed on the dry, gray-black mud.


    These things¡­ they reminded her of the samples collected in Cemetery No. 3, those¡­ strange substances suspected to be ¡°Prime Element.¡±


    She had also seen the ¡°last testament¡± referred to earlier by the priest¨Cit was placed in the most conspicuous spot on the desk.


    From the first glance at the document, Agatha discerned that the manuscript had been tampered with; there were obvious signs of cleaning on the surface, meticulously done.


    These were not the actions of a malevolent intruder, but more like those of a ¡°professional investigator¡± who came to look into the incident for legitimate reasons, much like herself. Thinking of the lady on the first floor who fell into a deep sleep, Agatha had already formed some preliminary conjectures.


    A mysterious third party, who, at least, did not seem like an enemy¨Cwere they the same group that was clashing with the cultists of annihilation in the alley outside?


    If so, well, the power of this ¡°third party¡± warranted close attention.


    With various conjectures and deductions swirling through her mind, Agatha¡¯s gaze slowly swept over the words of the ¡°dying record.¡± As those words imbued with resolve, courage, and enlightenment met her eyes, the Gatekeeper¡¯s own expression became increasingly somber and serious.


    The owner of the record¡­ had actually retained a clear consciousness and memory.


    After a brief moment of contemplation, Agatha gently inhaled, placed the dying record respectfully back on the desk, and then grasped the walking stick she carried with her. Slowly, she drew the tin-capped end of the stick across the floor.


    The sound of metal scraping against the wooden planks rose, a pale flame ignited at the end of the stick, leaving similarly luminous, pale traces on the floor. As the flame and glowing traces extended, the sound of the staff dragging across the floor began to change¨Cit became deeper and more sluggish, as if a thick, invisible barrier had been established, gradually sealing off the surrounding space.


    Soon, Agatha mapped out a triangular area large enough for an adult to stand within, and within this triangle, she inscribed the runes of the death god Bartok. Then, stepping into the center of the triangle, she set her staff down beside her and reached towards her own eye socket with her other hand.


    A vivid eyeball popped out and fell into the palm of her hand.


    In just an instant, silence fell all around. All sounds from the material world were shut out by the imperceptible barrier beyond the triangle, followed by innumerable, eerily quiet whispers, as if thousands of unseen voyeurs were gathered outside the triangle, endlessly chattering to the Gatekeeper about something or another.


    Agatha raised her hand, palm facing up, scanning the surroundings with her own eyeball.


    Everything in the room, including the busy guardians, the dust floating in the air, and the hands of the clock on the wall, all became still like amber in stasis, rapidly losing color and plunging into gloom. An odd, pallid luminescence permeated from outside the window, penetrating the wooden planks blocking the window and casting a faint and elongated shadow in the room.


    In this strangely silent and pale realm of stasis, only Agatha, standing in the middle of the triangle, remained in the semblance and color of the living. With her eyes tightly shut, she held her eyeball in her left hand and began to survey her surroundings while saying calmly, ¡°I wish to speak with the deceased here.¡±


    The irritating multitude of whispering voices around her suddenly quieted significantly. Agatha then rotated her left hand, directing her eyeball toward the desk not far away.


    This was where the folklorist Brown Scott, who left behind the ¡°dying record,¡± had last worked. In theory, if a soul had indeed resided here, a trace of its lingering presence should still be roaming nearby.


    Even though the ¡°mud¡± that was plentiful in the room indicated that the we likely had here was a ¡°monster¡± coalesced by Transcendent forces, the ¡°monster¡± apparently once had humanity. Agatha was certain of this after reading the record.


    However, by that empty desk, she discovered nothing.


    No lingering trace of a soul, no projection formed by lingering attachments, and not even a glimmer representing residual spiritual energy; there was only a colorless desk piled with black substances, from which thin wisps of smoke were rising.


    Agatha¡¯s eyeball slowly swayed in her palm.


    The Gatekeeper pondered.


    Had the soul¡¯s remnants dissipated due to the length of time since death? Or was the entity that had been in this room merely an imitation, having never had true humanity but only mimicked memories and personalities? Or perhaps¡­ had the soul already passed through Bartok¡¯s gate, entering into the realm of rest?


    The last conjecture seemed particularly improbable¨Cin light of the room¡¯s current state, even if the person known as ¡°Brown Scott¡± once had a soul lingering here, it must have been gravely contaminated. And a contaminated soul¡­ cannot pass through that gate.


    But where did the soul go?


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    The low murmuring whispers around her began again, louder and more bothersome than before.


    The shadows of the Spirit Realm were growing restless, taking no liking to the unexpected intruder¨Ceven a powerful Gatekeeper such as herself should not stay too long at this depth.


    With this thought, Agatha lifted her staff and tapped it twice on the floor.


    The tin staff, upon tapping, let out a thunderous boom as if it were thunder itself.


    ¡°Agatha, the Gatekeeper of the earthly realm, wishes to speak with the Gatekeeper of the realm of the deceased.¡±

 Chapter 337 - Chapter 337 Chapter 341 Three Questions and Answers

    Chapter 337: Chapter 341 Three Questions and Answers Chapter 337: Chapter 341 Three Questions and Answers The Gatekeeper¡¯s words contained a powerful force, and as her tin staff struck the floor with a thunderous echo, her voice spread layer by layer into the chaotic depths of the Spirit Realm.


    In an instant, the unseen ¡°whisperers¡± in the room fell silent once again, and the whole world plunged into temporary quietude. A few seconds later, a deep rumbling came from afar¨Cas if a massive body was approaching with heavy footsteps.


    Agatha raised her hand, directing her eyes toward the source of the sound, and where her gaze landed was the window boarded up with layers of planks¨Cthe gaps of which shimmered with a pale faint light. Suddenly, all that light flickered, then dimmed as if a colossal thing had come before the window.


    The next second, the crisscrossed wooden planks silently shattered, countless grey-black fragments quietly scattered, and then paused mid-air near the window as if frozen in amber. A giant appeared outside the window.


    The giant wore a black robe that signified death; its body underneath wrapped in bandages, with only the eyes on its head emitting a dim, unclear yellow glow. It stood outside the building, its stature nearly as large as an entire house, and then, the giant bent slightly forward, aligning its head with the second-story window¨Cit turned its head, its bandage-covered face devoid of any expression, and then raised its hand, extending three fingers toward Agatha.


    ¡°Three questions and answers,¡± the giant spoke with a voice thunderous as thunder itself.


    Agatha was taken aback at the sight of this giant.


    This was not the familiar Gatekeeper she knew¨Cthe one who usually communicated with her didn¡¯t possess such a colossal body; the one before her was clearly a higher-ranking emissary¡­ But why would this emissary respond to her summons?


    But quickly, she suppressed her doubt¨Cemissaries¡¯ comings and goings were commanded by the god of death, Bartok. There was no need for her to delve into it. What mattered most was to understand what was happening here.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for the soul that last lingered in this house,¡± she said, pointing with her staff to an empty table nearby, ¡°He might have been contaminated, but now he¡¯s nowhere to be found.¡±


    ¡°That soul has left, it has entered the realm of rest, a powerful force has erased his debts, contamination is no longer an issue.¡±


    The Death¡¯s emissary outside said with a thunderous voice, and then retracted one finger: two questions remaining.


    Agatha hesitated, first noting the ¡°powerful force¡± mentioned by the emissary. She quickly pondered and weighed her option before asking her second question, ¡°Who is the source of this powerful force? Who erased the soul¡¯s debts?¡±


    ¡°The Usurping Flame,¡± the emissary¡¯s eyes, glowing with turbid yellow light, seemed to flicker as he spoke the words with a clear note of warning, and then he retracted another finger.


    Upon hearing the term ¡°Usurping Flame,¡± Agatha felt a sudden dizziness assail her. She instantly realized she was touching upon some sort of ¡°knowledge¡± that stemmed from the world¡¯s deep layers, knowledge that had never been revealed to the mortal realm.


    But she didn¡¯t lose her composure¨Cdealing with gatekeepers from ¡°the other side¡± and occasionally encountering dangerous knowledge was routine for her. Even though she was young, she had experienced this before, and since the emissary outside chose to share that term with her, it indicated that the word was at least within her capacity to endure.


    If it had been a truly forbidden issue, the emissary would have warned her.


    Agatha steadied her mind, took a gentle breath, and asked her third question, ¡°Who is the Usurping Flame?¡±


    ¡°Human,¡± said the emissary outside, and then he retracted the last finger. His figure disappeared in a howling gale, leaving no chance for Agatha to continue the conversation.


    The wooden fragments, scattered and suspended in the air, danced around, and in an instant, they reassembled into their original form. The room¡¯s window was sealed shut once again as the chaotic pale light filtered through the cracks into the room, casting its glow on a somewhat perplexed Agatha.


    The young Gatekeeper stood there, dazed, feeling at a loss for the first time after her conversation with a gatekeeper from ¡°the other side.¡± The answer to her last question was still clear in her mind, but she had no idea what this seemingly nonsensical answer meant!


    Human? What kind of answer was that? Did it mean¡­ the Usurping Flame was a human? Could it be that a power dubbed ¡°powerful¡± by Death¡¯s emissary came from a human?


    What kind of ¡°human¡± would that be?! Was this still a ¡°human¡±?!


    Noises gradually grew louder again, and the air outside the triangle seemed to be teeming with countless invisible onlookers stirring restlessly. The noise broke Agatha¡¯s train of thought. The eyeball in her palm rotated, seeing strands of ink-like black substance spreading outside the triangular barrier, growing more abundant as though ink droplets in water.


    The Spirit Realm began to expel her, the uninvited guest.


    She shook her head, lifted her hand to place the eyeball back in its socket, and picked up her staff to lightly wave it, dispersing the pale flames outlining a triangle on the floor.


    In an instant, the Spirit Realm faded, sounds returned, and color and light once again filled her vision. She was back in the bustling scene of the guardians, her subordinates still working nervously and orderly around her.


    Agatha moved her eyeballs and fetched a small bottle from her coat pocket. After pinching open the cap, she tilted her head back and dropped two drops of eye drops into her eye sockets.


    The feeling of dryness and discomfort quickly receded.


    A subordinate came from the side, and after Agatha put away the bottle of eye drops, he approached and asked, ¡°Did you find any clues?¡±


    ¡°The soul has already departed. The gatekeeper ¡®on the other side¡¯ has confirmed that the soul has passed through Bartok¡¯s gate and entered the place of rest,¡± Agatha said indifferently, ¡°¡­That¡¯s all, no more clues.¡±


    For safety reasons, she didn¡¯t mention the term ¡°Usurping Flame¡± to her subordinate.


    The word clearly held power, and might directly refer to extremely dangerous dark knowledge¨Cjust saying it out loud could have unknown consequences¨Cit¡¯s better to investigate the literature carefully after returning.


    The subordinate clearly sensed Agatha¡¯s concealment but, as an experienced guardian, he asked nothing more, nodded, and went back to work.


    Just then, a series of footsteps suddenly came from outside in the corridor, disrupting Agatha¡¯s thoughts.


    A guardian who was in charge of taking care downstairs came in: ¡°Honorable gatekeeper, the lady has awakened.¡±


    The young Senkin woman is awake?


    Agatha immediately set aside her thoughts and quickly rushed to the first floor, where she saw Garland, who had awakened from her slumber.


    The robust lady, with skin like stone, sat on the sofa, holding a cup of calming herbal tea prepared by a priest, her gaze somewhat vague as she stared at the coffee table in front of her. It wasn¡¯t until Agatha sat down across from her and gently tapped on the table that she belatedly reacted.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Agatha; you should recognize me,¡± said the young gatekeeper, while carefully observing the condition of the person opposite her, ¡°Do you know what happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ My name is Garland,¡± the female apprentice holding the herbal tea said somewhat sluggishly, her eyes still seeming to drift, as if not completely freed from the dream, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Honorable Gatekeeper, my head is still a mess. I feel like I had a very long dream, constantly solving math problems, proving them over and over. I¡¯ve never been so exhausted, even with all my learning experiences combined¡­¡±


    ¡°Solving math problems?¡± Agatha was momentarily stunned before asking with a thoughtful expression, ¡°Do you remember how you fell into such deep sleep? Before falling asleep, did you meet with someone, or do something?¡±


    Garland slightly furrowed her brows, as if making a great effort to remember, but after a good half a minute, she still shook her head apologetically: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t remember. I can¡¯t even recall anything from yesterday afternoon till now¨Cif these guardians hadn¡¯t reminded me, I wouldn¡¯t even know¡­ that something happened at home.¡±


    Agatha frowned deeply.


    Memory overlay, deep sleep, and ¡°solving math problems¡±¨Cthat sounded almost like the power possessed by the clergy of the deity of wisdom.


    But the deity of wisdom was also one of the four major gods; why would His clergy do this?


    They were not heretics.


    There seemed to be too many bewildering things today.


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    Agatha massaged her temple with a bit of a headache.


    All sorts of erratic lines entangled in her mind.


    Strange combat traces in the alley outside, the activities of the Heretics recently appearing in the City-State, the ¡°Prime Element,¡± the suspicious accidents in the mines, the bizarre incidents occurring in this house, the messages conveyed by the Messenger of Death¡­


    ¡°May I ask¡­¡± Garland looked nervously at the gatekeeper before her, young as she might appear. Facing the highest-ranking church spokesperson in the City-State, she couldn¡¯t help feeling uneasy, ¡°Is my mentor okay?¡±


    ¡°Your mentor?¡± Agatha was somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°He should be upstairs; his name is Brown Scott,¡± Garland hurriedly explained, ¡°I was a bit confused when I first woke up, I forgot to mention, he needs quiet¡­¡±


    Agatha froze instantly.

 Chapter 338 - Chapter 338 Chapter 342 Maurices Clearance Techniques

    Chapter 338: Chapter 342 Maurice¡¯s Clearance Techniques Chapter 338: Chapter 342 Maurice¡¯s Clearance Techniques When Duncan and Alice set off for the cemetery, Morris and Fenna were not idle either. They arrived early at the ¡°Citizens Assistance Center¡± in the southern part of the Upper City District, tasked by Duncan to accomplish one thing¨C


    At Frost City-State, seek a stable and legal haven, and, if possible, one or two identities suitable for public appearance.


    After all, they might be operating in this city-state for a considerable duration, and could not live a life of hiding like the Heretics.


    Considering Tyrion¡¯s contacts in the city were no longer reliable, Morris decided to figure things out by himself.


    The Citizens Assistance Center in Frost was a large dome-shaped building, surrounded by two long, extending wings. Officially a citizens assistance center, the building also served to welcome visitors entering the City-State and handle a plethora of third-party intermediary tasks¨Cfrom housing leases and sales registration, to temporary passes, and the hiring of temporary maids, gardeners, and launderers, all accomplished here¨Cthe lengthy wings crammed with various registration windows and offices, and inside the enormous dome, a bustling hall that was always noisy and crowded, quite unlike Prandel.


    Upon entering the immense dome, heat assaulted them, the unique high-pressure heating apparatus of Frost dispelling the chill of winter, while bright electric lights hung high above in the dome, illuminating the whole building.


    The center had only just opened recently, yet many people had already streamed in, citizens seeking short-term employment or to register property leases and sales bustling among the countless windows and counters. Amidst the clamor, the sounds of pneumatic tubes activating with ¡°clacks¡± and ¡°hisses¡± reverberated, and Fenna, evidently uncomfortable with the environment, dodged the throngs carefully while muttering to Morris, ¡°In Prandel, human resources and housing rentals wouldn¡¯t be housed in the same building.¡±


    ¡°You have to consider the cost of heating a large building, and the time needed to retrofit a heat pump exchange station,¡± Morris shook his head, ¡°Most of the city¡¯s basic municipal infrastructure was left from the era of the Frost Queen, but that glorious age has passed. After the great rebellion, Frost City-State barely recovered seventy to eighty percent of its Vital Energy through the boiling gold industry, but renewing the Queen¡¯s legacy of underground pipelines and steam power network is no simple task.¡±


    ¡°Are we just going to make do with it?¡± Fenna¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°That¡¯s technology from half a century ago!¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Morris sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a combination of urban decline, demographic pressures, and the reduction in livable area due to the cliff collapse¡­ The facilities from half a century ago might indeed be cramped now, but at least it¡¯s barely sufficient. Since it suffices, we continue using it¡­ This isn¡¯t just an issue in Frost, many old industrial city-states face the same problem, vibrant cities like Prandel are the exception.¡±


    Fenna fell silent.


    This wasn¡¯t her area of expertise.


    Meanwhile, Morris had already located the registration counter for transient populations on the dazzling circuit diagram above the hallway. He and the tall Fenna weaved through the crowd, finally arriving at a relatively quiet counter.


    The long wooden counter was set against the wall, divided into several slots by iron bars, each manned by someone in a gray-blue uniform¨Cexpressions as rigid as the iron bars beside them, clearly intended to maintain such till the end of their shift.


    ¡°We need a residence permit and also seek a short-term rental property,¡± Morris approached one of the slots, sat down on a creaking iron chair, and spoke to the sallow-faced middle-aged man, ¡°We just landed today.¡±


    ¡°Which dock?¡± The sallow-faced clerk lifted his eyelids, glanced at the elderly man opposite him, pausing for a moment when he noticed the tall lady behind him, but then resumed in a bureaucratic tone, ¡°Let¡¯s see the dock documentation and the tickets.¡±


    Fenna frowned, looking down at Morris.


    But Morris remained composed, spreading his hands, ¡°Lost them, probably at the dock as we departed, and that ship has already left.¡±


    The clerk immediately stopped what he was doing, looked up with a poker face tinged with displeasure, ¡°That won¡¯t do, you need the documents, go back to the dock to get them rectified.¡±


    ¡°But I have another thing,¡± Morris continued while digging inside his coat, pulling out a folded document and a small, dark red-covered booklet, ¡°This should qualify as a legal identity document.¡±


    The clerk waved dismissively, ¡°Without dock documentation, nothing else works¨C¡±


    He saw the mark on the booklet, stopped mid-sentence, then reached out to unfold the document, scanning it.


    His poker face momentarily altered.


    ¡°Academic travel permission issued by the Academy of Truth and the Endless Sea Navigational Council, the bearer may stay and visit in all divinely protected City-States, the Academy of Truth¡¯s local city university automatically acts as a guarantor during the stay,¡± Morris explained, pointing to the red booklet, ¡°This is my credential, a dual degree in theology and academics from the Academy of Truth, rank of Professor.¡±


    The sallow-faced middle-aged clerk stared blankly for a moment, then slowly raised his head, looking somewhat bewildered, ¡°Ah¡­ Good morning, Professor Morris¡­ Delighted to meet you, your identity, of course, is valid.¡±


    Morris¡¯s face relaxed.


    But the clerk hesitated briefly, as if struggling with something, yet persisted sternly, ¡°Still¡­ I must at least know which ship you arrived on, it¡¯s¡­ protocol.¡±


    Maurice¡¯s recently relaxed expression seemed slightly awkward, while Fenna beside him touched the tip of her nose and turned her head discreetly.


    Maurice sighed and looked at the middle-aged clerk in front of him who seemed a bit nervous but still stared directly at him.


    ¡°You already know which ship I am on,¡± he said with a sigh, a glint in his eyes, ¡°Just make the certificate.¡±


    The clerk hesitated for a moment, a fleeting daze in his eyes, then he bowed his head and started operating the clattering punch machine, inserting the punched card into the pressure pipeline container next to the counter.


    Moments later, accompanied by the hissing and clicking from the pipes, a card returned from some approval office deep in the building to the counter.


    The clerk put the punched card into a small reading machine, confirmed the receipt¡¯s number and the security password, then started to fill out the required information for the certificate, all the while saying without raising his head, ¡°I can only issue a certificate here¨Cyou¡¯ll have to take this certificate to the west side building, to window A-12 where you should find the short-term housing that meets your requirements.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Maurice took the completed document, paused, and then muttered softly, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    With that, he and Fenna quickly left the counter and headed to the next window.


    ¡°This is my first time doing something like this,¡± the old man couldn¡¯t help but lower his voice after walking away, ¡°I was intending to rely on the normal document process to handle this¡­¡±


    ¡°We arrived on a Ghost Ship that defies the norm, as you know, the normal process will never solve the problem,¡± Fenna said softly too, her tone somewhat amused, ¡°Desperate times call for desperate measures.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you think is the likelihood that Mr. Duncan could issue a legal ship registration for Homeloss?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well,¡± Maurice sighed and looked at the certificate in his hand, ¡°Heidi better not know about this¨Cthe next time this happens, I¡¯d rather forge a fake ship ticket.¡±


    Fenna looked at Maurice with a nearly amused expression. It was indeed the first time she had seen such a worried expression on the face of this old scholar, known for his ¡°rigorous scholarship and adherence to rules,¡± and seemingly¡­ it was quite interesting.


    ¡­


    At the same time, having just finished an onsite investigation and not yet managed to return to the cathedral, Agatha received urgent information on the way from a subordinate from Tomb No. 3.


    Sitting in the steam car, Agatha looked at the letter just handed to her, her expression gradually turning blank.


    A denunciation letter¨Cfrom that indescribable Visitor.


    Right after she left, this letter was delivered to the cemetery.


    Should she lament this ironic missed connection, or the strange actions of the ¡°Visitor¡±?


    She tucked away the letter, quickly calculating in her mind.


    Anxiety spread in her heart, and suddenly one matter seemed urgent.


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    ¡°Turn around, go to the East Harbor.¡±


    The subordinate driving up front was somewhat surprised, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to the cathedral first?¡±


    ¡°Change of plan, go to the East Harbor first,¡± Agatha said decisively, ¡°I have a bad feeling¡­ something might be trying to land.¡±


    The driver was puzzled, but the instinct to obey orders pressed down his curiosity.


    The pitch-black steam car slowed down at the next intersection, turned, and then sped toward the port area on the eastern side of the City-State.

 Chapter 339 - Chapter 339 Chapter 343 Return to Port

    Chapter 339: Chapter 343 ¡°Return to Port Chapter 339: Chapter 343 ¡°Return to Port Frost Eastern Port Military District, many had stayed up all night.


    Since the Sea Swallow had lost contact, more than twenty-four hours had elapsed, and even spiritual energy calls from the onboard priest at the port church had received no response.


    The only clues and traces all pointed to dire possibilities.


    In the port office, a middle-aged man with sparse hair, dressed in a Frost Navy commander¡¯s uniform, sat grimly behind a desk, while several other commanders occupied other chairs in the room. The atmosphere in the not-too-large room was tense and oppressive, as if brewing up a storm.


    ¡°So far, no trace of the Sea Swallow has been found. We¡¯ve searched towards Frost Island from the last known signal location of the Sea Swallow three times, and found nothing on the sea surface,¡± a civilian officer with light brown short hair said, shaking his head.


    ¡°The most optimistic estimate is that the Sea Swallow¡¯s communication system is malfunctioning, and something happened to the onboard priest, causing the ship to drift off course uncontrollably¨Cbut honestly, that¡¯s overly optimistic,¡± another officer sighed. ¡°Such a large ship wouldn¡¯t have drifted out of the search area in such a short time, even if it were uncontrollable. It¡¯s more likely that the Sea Swallow encountered a severe accident and has already sunk¡­ There were reports from patrol boats nearby about faint explosions and distant flashes seen under the night sky, which could have been the Sea Swallow.¡±


    ¡°Such a large ship would take hours to sink, wouldn¡¯t it? We dispatched search forces immediately after losing contact with the Sea Swallow,¡± the civilian officer with light brown short hair frowned. ¡°Moreover, there would be oil pollution on the surface. How could the traces disappear so cleanly? Could the entire ship instantly sink to the ocean floor?¡±


    ¡°¡­We should send someone to Dagger Island to verify the situation,¡± another female officer suggested. ¡°Perhaps the Sea Swallow didn¡¯t head for Frost Island, and may have been held up near Dagger Island¡­¡±


    ¡°Dagger Island is currently under special circumstances, sending people onto the island requires complicated procedures¡­¡±


    ¡°Just making contact might be easier, the Governor¡¯s Office should be able to provide clearance in as fast as half an hour¡­¡±


    The discussion in the room continued nonstop until a steady voice from behind the desk interrupted everyone: ¡°Procedure twenty-two.¡±


    The room quieted down instantly, the officers raised their gazes, looking towards the sparse-haired, stern-faced middle-aged man behind the desk.


    ¡°It might be the activation of Procedure Twenty-Two¨Ceither the situation is too urgent or there¡¯s a risk of meme leak, or the Sea Swallow is completely under someone else¡¯s control, hence no messages,¡± asserted Lister, the port¡¯s defense commander in a low voice, ¡°although this still doesn¡¯t explain why the debris from the Sea Swallow would disappear so cleanly.¡±


    Around the office, the officers exchanged glances. The weight of the words ¡°Procedure Twenty-Two¡± added a denser weight to the already oppressive atmosphere.


    Amidst that tension, Commander Lister paused for a moment, then resumed, ¡°I know General Duncan. If the Sea Swallow indeed encountered an insurmountable supernatural contamination, he would undoubtedly initiate Procedure Twenty-Two without hesitation. Therefore, our next steps should not only continue to search for any remaining traces of the Sea Swallow but also figure out what entity attacked and contaminated the ship¨Cif there indeed is an assailant. It might not be tangible, posing a great threat to Frost.¡±


    ¡°Assailants¡­¡± the previous speaking female officer¡¯s expression gradually grew graver. ¡°If this assailant truly exists, do you think it wasn¡¯t destroyed along with the Sea Swallow¡¯s ¡®Procedure Twenty-Two¡¯?¡±


    ¡°When facing supernatural disasters, one of the primary rules is¨Cunless there is strong direct evidence, always assume the enemy still exists,¡± Lister stated slowly, ¡°whether it is a supernatural object or phenomenon, their ¡®vitality¡¯ is always stronger than expected.¡±


    Officers glanced at one another, and one hesitated before speaking up, ¡°About Dagger Island¡­¡±


    ¡°I will lodge an investigation request with the Governor; although the Sea Swallow was returning to the home Island and had sent a message that the inspection work was completed when leaving Dagger Island, now that the ship has suffered an incident, the situation on Dagger Island is now also suspect,¡± Lister slowly rose, bracing his hands on the desk. ¡°What you all need to do next¡­¡±


    His words were not finished when a slightly rapid pace of footsteps suddenly arose in the hallway, followed by a knock interrupting further discussion.


    Lister frowned, ¡°Come in.¡±


    A secretary pushed the door open and saluted to the officer behind the desk, ¡°Commander, the Gatekeeper, Lady Agatha, is here.¡±


    ¡°Gatekeeper?¡± Lister¡¯s face clearly showed surprise, ¡°What does she want?¡±


    ¡°She says it¡¯s about the Sea Swallow, it¡¯s urgent.¡±


    ¡°Please let her in¡­¡± Lister immediately said, but before he could finish his sentence, a Grey Wind had already risen in the corridor outside the door. Then, as if mingling with pale dust, the Grey Wind surged into the room, swirling swiftly inside the office. Agatha stepped out from the midst of the Grey Wind¨Cher hand holding a tin cane often carried by Reaper Priests, her eyes revealing seriousness and a touch of apology through the gaps in her bandages.


    ¡°Sorry, Colonel Lister, it¡¯s urgent. I heard your response and came straight in,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°I want to know how far you¡¯ve gotten with the investigation into the whereabouts of the Sea Swallow?¡±


    Lister did not show dissatisfaction with Agatha¡¯s direct intrusion into his office. A qualified soldier understands priorities, and the ¡°gatekeeper¡± of the City-State naturally has many privileges in an emergency. Clearly, the situation was already urgent enough to skip the pleasantries.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t found any trace or wreckage of the Sea Swallow. We currently suspect General Duncan might have initiated ¡®Procedure 22,¡¯ and the Sea Swallow may have sunk,¡± he said gravely, ¡°Next, we plan to expand the search area to look for traces of the assailants in the open sea, and prepare to investigate Dagger Island.¡±


    ¡°Procedure 22 is a correct assumption. The Sea Swallow was indeed invaded and contaminated by Transcendent forces; the ship has honorably served its duty. But don¡¯t rashly investigate Dagger Island,¡± Agatha quickly said, ¡°That island might have already spiraled out of control.¡±


    ¡°Dagger Island has lost control?¡± Lister¡¯s facial muscles visibly twitched. ¡°What intelligence have you gathered?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not convenient to reveal the source of the information,¡± Agatha hesitated, ¡°but it is highly reliable. I haven¡¯t yet had the chance to inform the Cathedral and the City Hall because it might delay things. Colonel Lister, I hope you immediately block all sea routes surrounding Dagger Island, forbid any ships from approaching, and prevent anything from leaving the island¨Cespecially from landing on the main island of Frost.¡±


    ¡°Miss Agatha, I must remind you¨Cthis doesn¡¯t follow procedure,¡± Lister¡¯s tone turned serious, ¡°I am willing to trust your judgment as a gatekeeper, but you should know that every rule has been derived from human lives¨Cmobilizing the Frost Navy to blockade Dagger Island is no small matter. I need clearer orders and explanations.¡±


    ¡°At least it won¡¯t make the situation worse,¡± Agatha stepped forward, ¡°I have already sent someone to the Cathedral, and further orders should arrive soon.¡±


    Lister opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say more, but just then, the sudden ringing of a bell in the corner of the room interrupted him.


    The port defense commander glanced at Agatha, then quickly walked to a small table nearby and pressed a button on it.


    After a moment, a hiss of air and rapid click sounds traveled through the copper pipe fixed on the wall beside the table, followed by a crisp metallic clang as the pipe shook and a slight white vapor emerged from the latch mechanism at the end of the pipe.


    Lister unlocked the latch, flipped open the cover, and took out a capsule from the pipe, quickly glancing at the paper inside. His expression changed instantly.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Agatha asked curiously.


    ¡°A ship has appeared in the nearby waters and sent a signal requesting to dock,¡± Lister slowly looked up, his face grave, ¡°It¡¯s the Sea Swallow.¡±


    The room quickly fell silent.


    The officers exchanged glances, Agatha¡¯s expression immediately turned solemn, and Lister, after a few seconds of silence, suddenly spoke: ¡°Head to the pier.¡±


    The Sea Swallow had reappeared after being lost for over twenty-four hours, now appearing before the eyes of the Frostfolk and steering straight toward the military pier at East Port.


    From the lookout tower at East Port, one could already see the silhouette of the steam fast ship¨Cit gradually grew larger on the horizon, with cloud-like steam wafting above.


    ¡°The silhouette and the identification of the bow flag¡­ it¡¯s the Sea Swallow.¡±


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    A junior officer put down the binoculars, speaking with a complex tone.


    Lister still stared unmoved at the black shadow on the sea approaching slowly, remaining silent for a long time.


    A faint sound of a steam whistle came through, accompanied by a specific pause rhythm.


    ¡°Second round of signals. The Sea Swallow is requesting to dock,¡± the junior officer turned his head, looking at Lister, ¡°Commander¡­¡±


    ¡°Sink it.¡± Agatha, who had been silent until now, finally broke the silence.

 Chapter 340 - Chapter 340 Chapter 344 Stop

    Chapter 340: Chapter 344 Stop Chapter 340: Chapter 344 Stop ¡°Sink it.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s eyes were fixed on the ship that kept approaching on the sea surface, her tone as cold and hard as ice and snow.


    A junior officer beside her seemed astounded, as if unable to believe what he had just heard, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Sink it,¡± Agatha did not respond to the young officer, but instead turned to Colonel Lister and repeated, ¡°That is ¡®Assailants,¡¯ a huge source of pollution¨CI don¡¯t know exactly what it is, but that is definitely not the Sea Swallow.¡±


    As she spoke, she paused momentarily, her knuckles white as they gripped her cane, ¡°I take responsibility for this decision.¡±


    Lister said nothing. His facial muscles tensed, and he stood like a frozen statue in the cold wind for a long while until the sound of a steam whistle arose from afar, louder and clearer than before, bearing an unsettling urgency. He then suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Madam, are you certain about your source of information?¡±


    ¡°¡­I trust my own judgment, Colonel,¡± Agatha took a light breath, her voice carrying a raspy magnetism, ¡°and I am responsible for this judgment.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be responsible; you are the gatekeeper, but not the direct overseer of the port system,¡± Lister stated calmly before turning his back, his gaze drifting towards the distant sea.


    ¡°Sink that ship, I take responsibility for this decision.¡±


    On the distant sea, the suddenly appeared ¡°Sea Swallow¡± was still moving at full speed, its towering bow splitting the waves, its flag fluttering wildly in the air, the ship¡¯s midsection funnel spewing out large clouds of white vapor. Within those clouds, numerous hidden roars seemed to mutter and argue ceaselessly, and at the stern of the Sea Swallow, the waves rolled and frothed, layer upon layer, amidst the wave¡¯s deep surf, a black viscous substance spread like blood seeping from a giant beast, meandering and undulating.


    ¡°Woo¨C¡±


    The steam whistle sounded again, and more large plumes of white vapor erupted from the top of this iron warship, the high-pressure steam tearing through the sky like shrieks from the deep sea.


    Figures moved near the rails of the Sea Swallow, marching back and forth, busily shuttling around. They wore Frost Navy uniforms, performing the duties expected of naval marines. They stepped across the deck¡¯s rugged channels, past the viscous, writhing substances, and through what appeared like tangled masses of enlarged tendons.


    Melting black mud continually dripped from these sailors, with some suddenly collapsing, merging with the surrounding ship structures¨Cand simultaneously, new sailors emerged from the deck or rails, crawling, staggering about, scrubbing the deck, managing the flags, brightening the lights¡­


    They were going home, the Sea Swallow was heading home¨C


    However, from the distant direction of the port, the heavy coastal artillery had begun to operate. The hatches covering the cliff, breakwater, and harbor¡¯s reinforced concrete external walls opened one by one; the dark muzzle of the guns peeked out, the heavy emplacements slowly rotated under a series of gears and linkages, and the underground elevators creaked, transporting shells from the underground munitions storage to the upper deck artillery, while a series of urgent bells and steam whistles sounded inside and outside the harbor, urging all ships still outside the harbor to quickly evade and all facilities within the harbor to enter combat readiness.


    The Sea Swallow seemed to sense something¨Cas the alarm from Frost Island started, it began to accelerate.


    Steam gushed out, the whistle shrieked continuously, the entire ship roared from inside out, sailors on deck began to run, and bits of black and red appeared amidst the white mist floating above the funnel¨Cthe ship was accelerating, its speed as a steam fast ship pushed to the limit, racing across the vast sea like a behemoth wrapped in thunder, its hull splitting the waves with roars that gradually turned into a crazed howl shaking the ocean!


    Just then, the coastal guns of Frost Island fired.


    With the sound of thunder cracking, the powerful coastal artillery erupted in huge flames and thunderous blasts. Conventional armor-piercing shells were first fired synchronously, the conical shells whistling piercingly through the air as they traced fiery lines across the sky and eventually landing on the distant sea after a period of flight.


    As the shells hit the water, columns of water rose all around, creating a fine mist spreading across the vicinity of the Sea Swallow, with several rounds grazing it, though its speed was unaffected.


    The massive vibrations from the firing of the coastal guns slightly shook the platform beneath Agatha¡¯s feet; she felt as though the entire observation tower trembled slightly from the recoil of the barrage, and she heard someone nearby reporting¨C


    ¡°Initial hit rate is low¨Cthe ship¡¯s speed is too fast, exceeding the recorded metrics!¡±


    ¡°Fire at will, switch to armor-piercing incendiary shells, keep firing until the target is sunk,¡± Lister¡¯s face was expressionless. ¡°The stationed fleet stands by; if we can¡¯t stop that ship at the near shore warning line, let the fleet set out¨Ceven if it means ramming, keep that ship out of Frost!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Commander!¡±


    With the continuous blasts of artillery fire, Lister¡¯s expression hardened, his eyes fixed on the sprouting columns of water and smoke on the distant sea, watching the Sea Swallow that kept accelerating towards Frost, his demeanor already devoid of any hesitation.


    From what he could see right now, he could already determine that the ship was definitely not the Sea Swallow he was familiar with.


    Facing artillery bombardment from Frost¡¯s main island, the ship not only failed to slow down or signal with the prescribed flags and lights but instead accelerated even beyond its design limits¡­ That was no vessel of Frost; it was a monster.


    It was a monster disguised as an earthly object.


    All the shore batteries began to roar, and amidst the thundering cannonade, armor-piercing incendiary shells traced bright lines across the sky, pouring down like interwoven rain onto the maritime area around Sea Swallow. Huge water columns rose one after another, and between the countless water spouts, the screeching, howling ship charged forward like an enraged beast.


    With the distance closing and the barrage continuously adjusted, shells finally began to hit Sea Swallow.


    The massive explosions violently ripped through its armor, shattered its masts, and peeled off sections of the deck from the ship¡¯s body, while black, muddy-like viscous material gushed out from under the disguised shell, scattering across the sea like torrential rain.


    ¡°¡­God of Death above! What on earth is that?!¡±


    Through his binoculars, the watchtower¡¯s observers could vaguely make out the bizarre forms emerging beneath the shattered deck of Sea Swallow, eliciting a quiet exclamation of horror.


    However, Lister just looked solemnly at the scene, his facial muscles still taut.


    The ship did not slow down.


    Even after the shore batteries had shredded its stern deck, knocked out its smokestack, and the superstructures and even demolished its theoretical ammunition storage and steam core housing compartments, it still did not slow down.


    The shore batteries howled, round after round of deadly fire relentlessly pummeled down, a staggering number of gun emplacements focusing their ¡°attention¡± on a relentless ¡°enemy ship.¡± In no time, they had unleashed countless shells on Sea Swallow, which should have been fatal damage to any ship.


    Even if it didn¡¯t sink, it should have stopped.


    But it was still sailing at full speed.


    Soon, others also noticed the situation on the sea, and tension began to spread.


    ¡°Keep firing¨Cuntil it disappears from the sea surface,¡± Lister gritted his teeth and said, then suddenly turned to Agatha beside him, ¡°Miss, please notify the cathedral as soon as possible if we can¡¯t stop it at the harbor, we might need to¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush to give up yet, Colonel,¡± Agatha interrupted, shaking her head before he could finish, ¡°The attack is effective; it¡¯s declining.¡±


    As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward the distant sea, and in the eyes of this young gatekeeper, a pale gleam gently flickered.


    The reflection in her eyes was not reality, but the Spirit Realm.


    She saw the twisted black silhouette disintegrating, its chaotic sea surface rapidly shedding disjointed lines of light and shadows.


    The shore batteries¡¯ barrage, although not directly ¡°killing¡± the counterfeit, was effectively pushing it to a critical point where it was about to self-destruct.


    Agatha blinked, and the fleeting image of the Spirit Realm vanished from her sight, giving way again to the clear reality.


    The shore cannons continued to fire, and soon, additional rounds of gunfire resounded not far off.


    It was the fleet in the harbor¨Cthey had finally completed preparations and began to engage in the interception.


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    The synchronized roar of the battleships¡¯ main artillery became the last straw for Sea Swallow. As more armor-piercing incendiary shells fell on the ship, already unrecognizable, it finally began to collapse.


    First, the deck and the outer hull peeled off in sections, revealing the twisted, dark, bizarre structure inside, followed by the vessel violently writhing and tearing from bow to stern, as if trying to rip itself into pieces, pouring countless dark mud outward while rapidly fracturing.


    Its steam whistle finally stopped, and that eerie screeching sound gradually ceased as well.


    It began to slow down, spreading out vast swathes of dark impurities, melting and collapsing on the sea surface.


    This terrible, bizarre Assailant that had attempted to charge the civilized world¨Cfinally stopped just a few miles from Frost¡¯s main island.

 Chapter 341 - Chapter 341 Chapter 345 Settling Down

    Chapter 341: Chapter 345 Settling Down Chapter 341: Chapter 345 Settling Down ¡°The Sea Swallow¡± had stopped.


    As this terrifying charger had come to a halt, it had almost turned into a pile of debris under the relentless bombardment. The original structure of the ship was no longer in existence, not even a single intact deck or building wreckage could be found. The torn hull and internal materials spread across the sea like a splash, with bits of broken debris floating between the slowly diffusing black sludge. The remaining flames burned among these pieces, belching thick smoke.


    And on the path where the ¡°Sea Swallow¡± had charged, there was a trail of a strange substance like mud that stretched for several nautical miles¨Can inauspicious black that delineated a streak in the seawater, as if left by some soft-bodied creature crawling ashore, undulating slowly with the wind and waves, not dissipating over time.


    The roaring of the coastal guns had ceased and the strong scent of gunpowder permeated the entire coastline. Lister stared at the burning wreckage on the distant sea surface for a long time before he dared to confirm that it had indeed completely stopped. He hesitated before breaking the silence, ¡°Is it over?¡±


    ¡°¡­It might just be the beginning,¡± Agatha¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse, a pale light flickering in her eyes from time to time. Although the ¡°Sea Swallow¡± had ceased moving, she continued to uneasily observe the Spirit Realm to ensure nothing within the wreckage was still moving towards the City-State, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the Sea Swallow started malfunctioning after returning from Dagger Isle.¡±


    Lister¡¯s expression turned very grim.


    ¡°When was the last message from that island?¡±


    ¡°Just a few hours ago. The telegraph transmission indicated that everything was normal on the island,¡± Lister frowned deeply, ¡°The church¡¯s communications with the Spirit Realm were also without problems.¡±


    ¡°¡­Blockade Dagger Isle, Colonel. From now on, don¡¯t trust any messages coming from that island,¡± Agatha exhale deeply, ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the cathedral now. I believe further lockdown orders will be issued soon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your help, Miss Agatha.¡±


    ¡°All for the peace of the City-State,¡± Agatha murmured softly, reciting a brief maxim from the scripture of death, ¡°All in order.¡±


    ¡­


    Half an hour earlier.


    Thunderous sounds had come from afar, one after another, each batch denser than the last, seemingly near the eastern coast of the City-State.


    Duncan looked up, eyeing the direction from which the sounds were coming; he could faintly see clouds rising there.


    ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± Alice asked nervously, touching her head in confusion as she looked at Duncan, ¡°Is it thundering?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like heavy cannons,¡± Fenna¡¯s expression shifted slightly on the other side, ¡°Coastal guns? What happened, why would there be a barrage from coastal guns¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s face wore a thoughtful look, his first thought being the report he¡¯d handed to the old warden, followed by the direction of Dagger Isle¨Chad he been right?


    Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings arose nearby. A rather unremarkable fat pigeon emerged from the shadows of a nearby building, fluttering its wings and quickly flying off into the distance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve sent Ai Yi to check,¡± Duncan said, then lifted his head to look at the somewhat aged house in front of him, ¡°Continue talking about this house.¡±


    Morris immediately cleared his throat lightly and continued with the introduction that had been interrupted¨Cthough the faint rumbling from afar still continued, since the captain was so calm, there clearly wasn¡¯t much to worry about: ¡°This house we picked from four rental properties ¨C the other three were either too close to the city center, inconvenient for maneuvering, or the conditions of the houses themselves were too poor for living. Although this one is also a bit old, the landlord maintains it well and it¡¯s quite clean inside.


    ¡°This house is at 44 Oak Street, right next door to Fireplace Street. The landlord has another residence across Fireplace Street and usually does not come to disturb us. There are pathways connecting the two street blocks, with a small church located on the square between the two blocks, a bit far from here¡­


    ¡°We went with a short-term lease, the daily rate is a bit higher than a long-term lease, but you can check out at any time. We¡¯ve currently paid half a month¡¯s rent¨CI and Fenna have already met the landlady, a rather agreeable and cultured lady. She even generously brought over some essentials when she learned of my status as a traveling scholar¡­¡±


    Duncan listened to the elderly gentleman¡¯s detailed introduction while also examining this temporary residence.


    It was a detached building with typical northern City-State characteristics, its gray-white facade slightly rough, coated with a well-insulating porous plaster. The house had two floors, with rather narrow windows, a black door accompanied by a wall lamp and a mailbox opening; its steeply pitched roof covered with black tiles to facilitate snow melting and shedding, steam and gas pipes extended from the massive pipes above the street block, entering the building along the gable.


    It wasn¡¯t a luxurious dwelling, but as a temporary residence, it was more than sufficient¨Ceven slightly more spacious than the dual-purpose store and residential two-story building in Prand.


    Arranging for Morris and Fenna to handle the settling-in problem turned out to be a wise choice¨Cthe others on the ship would have struggled.


    Morris stepped forward, pulled out a key from his pocket, and unlocked the door, with Duncan following closely behind with Alice.


    Upon entering, there was a foyer for removing shoes and changing clothes, followed by a reasonably spacious living room. The walls were plastered with lightly yellowed, lightly patterned wallpaper. The dining room was connected to the living room, with a bedroom next to it. Stairs to the second floor were directly opposite the entrance, with most bedrooms seemingly upstairs.


    The floor felt slightly loose underfoot, producing soft creaks that symbolized the passage of time. Simple tables and chairs glowed under the sunlight, and not much dust was visible. On the dining table, a vibrant bouquet of flowers was visible¨Cclearly made of fabric or plastic.


    ¡°This was also sent by the landlord, it¡¯s apparently a custom here in Frost,¡± said Morris, ¡°The landlord provides new tenants with a bouquet that won¡¯t wilt in winter, symbolizing health and safety.¡±


    ¡°Every place has its quirky rules,¡± Duncan said with a slight smile, ¡°This place isn¡¯t bad¡­ and it¡¯s far from the main road, probably quite quiet normally.¡±


    While speaking, he looked up towards the second floor, ¡°Seems like we could bring Nina and Sherry over to do their homework, they¡¯ve started to complain about being bored on the ship.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, ¡°Sherry might indeed be complaining of boredom, but I guess coming to the city to do homework isn¡¯t really her aim.¡±


    Duncan waved his hand dismissively, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, she should put in some effort¨Cnow even the dog can sort of read the newspaper; Sherry is still struggling with the spelling of twelve common vegetables. I¡¯m genuinely worried about her future; at this rate, she won¡¯t even keep up with Alice.¡±


    Alice, who wasn¡¯t much better than Sherry, scratched her head and flashed an innocuous smile, ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    Duncan was expressionless, ¡°I wasn¡¯t complimenting you¨Cknowing no more words combined than a dog is nothing to be proud of.¡±


    Alice was momentarily stuck, seemingly calculating whether her and Sherry¡¯s combined vocabulary indeed surpassed that of the dog, when the distant rumble that had been echoing from afar finally began to subside.


    ¡°The noise has stopped¡­¡± Fenna listened intently to the distant commotion.


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak; instead, he sensed through the vague mental connection, tuning into the situation Ai Yi detected from afar.


    After a long period of acclimatization, his connection with Ai Yi had become much tighter and clearer than it was at the beginning. With sufficient concentration, he could share Ai Yi¡¯s vision and some other senses, and even channel a fraction of his power without moving his own body.


    In the eastern port area of Frost, a plump pigeon was standing on a tower. Its round little eyes watched the fog-covered sea on one side and the port on the other.


    The soldiers running around the port and the black ¡°oil slick¡± spreading over the sea mirrored in its eyes, which emitted a faint green glow.


    ¡°No need to worry now,¡± Duncan withdrew his ¡°gaze¡± from afar and nodded slightly at Morris and Fenna, ¡°An invasion, but the Frostfolk have blocked it.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s face slightly changed, ¡°An invasion?!¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, from Dagger Island¨CThe Frostfolk must have realized the severity of the issue. It won¡¯t be so easy for the things on that island to come out now,¡± Duncan spoke calmly, ¡°Tirian has also reached near Dagger Island, his Mist Fleet will further tense the emotions of Frost authorities¨Canyway, once the whole city starts tightening security, the followers of Oblivion hiding in the city will certainly make a move, making it much easier to root them out.¡±


    Just then, a knock on the door suddenly interrupted the conversation in the living room.


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    Duncan looked towards the door with a hint of surprise.


    Guests already, just after moving in?


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the door,¡± Morris said, stepping towards the door. He opened it and then exclaimed in surprise, ¡°You are¡­¡±


    A little girl, dressed in a white thick coat and wearing a wool hat, was standing at the door.


    (Oh my!)

 Chapter 342 - Chapter 342 Chapter 346 Blockade

    Chapter 342: Chapter 346: Blockade Chapter 342: Chapter 346: Blockade The girl standing at the door looked to be no more than eleven or twelve years old, small in stature, clad in a warm white thick coat. A slight steam rose from her woollen hat¨Cshe seemed to have run all the way here. She was still panting when she saw Morris but quickly, a bright smile blossomed on her face.


    ¡°Are you Grandpa Morris? Mom asked me to bring this over,¡± she extended her hand, handing over a key, ¡°It¡¯s the key to the basement. Mom said she forgot to give it to you when she left.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you, girl,¡± Morris came to his senses and took the key while nodding, ¡°Come in and warm up, shall we?¡±


    The girl was just about to speak when Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly rang out from behind Morris, tinged with a hint of surprise, ¡°Annie?¡±


    His gaze shifted past the elderly scholar, staring somewhat astounded at the girl standing at the door.


    That was indeed Annie Barbey¨Cthe daughter of Cristo Barbey, the captain of the Obsidian.


    Duncan had now realized what had happened¨Cwhether to call it a coincidence or to lament the ¡°smallness¡± of the City-State, after all the wandering, he had once again encountered the daughter of the captain of the Obsidian, at the temporary residence Morris and Fenna had found within a day¡­ which just happened to be Annie¡¯s house.


    Annie also saw the imposing figure suddenly before her, and her eyes widened in the moment.


    Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, the girl looked dazed for several seconds before belatedly realizing, awkwardly greeting, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the uncle from the cemetery entrance¡­ hello?¡±


    Her final greeting was evidently hesitant, clearly recalling her experience at the cemetery entrance, recalling the flame soaring into the sky when Duncan had departed¨CDuncan hadn¡¯t thought much then, but that scene had undoubtedly left a deep impression in the young girl¡¯s mind.


    Though still young, Annie knew that it was Transcendent power¨Cthis knowledge was already written in each City-State¡¯s textbooks, propagated to all citizens through general education, understanding and basic protection skills of Transcendent forces were the foundation for ordinary people to live safely in this world.


    But what exactly that power was, Annie couldn¡¯t discern¨Cher textbooks hadn¡¯t covered it, the cemetery¡¯s caretaker grandfather hadn¡¯t explained it to her, and when she talked to her mother at home, her mother hadn¡¯t told her anything.


    It seemed like secrets that children shouldn¡¯t yet know.


    Annie looked somewhat dazedly at Duncan standing opposite her, the caretaker grandfather¡¯s earlier warning echoing in her ears, causing her instinctively a bit of unease, but the towering figure suddenly stepped aside, his voice sounding a bit scary yet carrying a hint of warmth, ¡°Come in and rest a bit, the snow has started to fall outside.¡±


    Only then did Annie belatedly turn her head back to see the snowflakes falling down again from the sky, a few drifting into her neck with a chilling touch.


    She unwittingly entered the house, looking around in confusion.


    The lady with beautiful blond hair and an aristocratic demeanor stood in the living room near the dining table, casting curious glances this way.


    She took off her veil, looking very beautiful¨Calmost the prettiest person Annie had ever seen.


    ¡°My mom said not to bother the tenants casually,¡± Annie wiped the mud and snow water on her little boots on the entrance mat while still hesitatingly speaking, ¡°She said Grandpa Morris is a great scholar, and it¡¯s very rude to disrupt arbitrarily¡­¡±


    ¡°You are not disrupting, we were just wanting to get to know the new residence,¡± Morris guessed the situation and immediately said, ¡°And now with the snow falling again, it¡¯s not safe for you to run back along the small path. Rest here for a while, Fenna will take you back later.¡±


    Annie looked up at Fenna, who seemed like a small giant, and subconsciously nodded.


    Then she looked at Duncan, hesitating for a few seconds before speaking, ¡°So¡­ you need to live in the house too?¡±


    ¡°I certainly will reside in the house,¡± Duncan smiled as he led Annie toward the living room sofa, casually saying, ¡°Running around outside by yourself, doesn¡¯t your mother worry?¡±


    To him, Annie seemed to be running around excessively, not only venturing alone to the cemetery early in the morning but also crossing the streets in this dreadful weather to deliver keys to new tenants she knew nothing about. This was worrying indeed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, everyone around here knows me, and Mom said half the people on these two streets are Dad¡¯s friends,¡± Annie didn¡¯t mind at all. She sat on the sofa, hands propped under her thighs, swaying her body back and forth, ¡°And Mom¡¯s usually very busy, she has to handle accounts and fill forms for others, and when she has time she helps out at the small church. I¡¯m used to running around.¡±


    Duncan thought about it then asked, ¡°Then¡­ when you went home, did you tell your mom what I told you?¡±


    ¡°I told her,¡± Annie nodded, her expression then turning a bit weird, ¡°At first she said I was talking nonsense, but then I repeated what the cemetery caretaker grandfather had said, and she went alone back to her room¡­ she seemed to have cried when she came out¡­ but then smiled telling me that tonight we would have fried fish sticks and sausage stew because today is a day worth celebrating.¡±


    She stopped swaying her body and looked slightly confused as she raised her eyes to Duncan and said hesitantly, ¡°I feel¡­ I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll understand in time,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°Some things are too complicated for you right now.¡±


    ¡°You talk just like the guard grandpa, he often says that too,¡± Annie muttered, then shook her head as if pondering seriously before lifting her head again, ¡°Uncle, do you¡­ not want to be disturbed?¡±


    Duncan was curious, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because of how you¡¯re dressed¨Cand the fact you disappeared all of a sudden when you left, Mom says that¡¯s typical of the Cathedral¡¯s secret personnel or hermit societies¡­ that¡¯s the word, mannerisms.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t know how to respond to the girl¡¯s words, but she didn¡¯t wait for his answer. After thinking to herself, Annie suddenly said, ¡°I won¡¯t mention it carelessly to anyone. The guard grandpa also reminded me, told me to pretend I never saw you, except to Mom, not to say anything to anyone.¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but laugh silently; however, before he could speak, Annie continued, ¡°Then can I tell the guard grandpa? Tell him¡­ you¡¯re staying at our house?¡±


    Maurice and Fenna, who had come over to the sofa to enjoy the excitement, exchanged looks upon hearing the girl¡¯s words. Alice immediately turned her gaze to Duncan.


    They all felt there was something amiss with the situation.


    However, Duncan only remained silent for a few seconds, then nodded gently with a smile, ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡­


    At the same time, near the eastern port, the collection of samples from the wreckage of the ¡°Sea Swallow¡± had begun.


    Several light-speed boats departed from the dock and cautiously approached the area of the sea still floating with filthy ¡°mud¡± and a few flames. Each boat was equipped with a chaplain, a Sacred Relic, and nitroglycerin explosives for emergencies.


    Onshore, the port garrison was also prepared for the docking work.


    A vacant warehouse had been designated as a temporary transfer facility. The priests and guardians from the higher church had already completed the purification and countermeasures of the entire area, and Agatha had left a team of elite confidants before leaving, to prevent any accidents during the collection of wreckage samples.


    Lister stood on the dock, staring at the situation on the sea, with his confidants nearby observing the progress of the salvage operations.


    ¡°Are you sure it won¡¯t be a problem to haul that stuff ashore?¡± one confidant asked nervously, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not questioning the gatekeeper¡¯s judgment, but those things¡­ a few hours ago, they were speeding towards Frost Island at a frightening pace. Are they truly ¡®dead¡¯ now?¡±


    ¡°Miss Agatha has repeatedly confirmed deep in the Spirit Realm that these things are no longer active,¡± Lister said calmly, ¡°They can indeed be ¡®killed.¡¯ From Miss Agatha¡¯s attitude and handling approach, I think the Cathedral may even have encountered similar things before.¡±


    ¡°Similar things? They¡¯ve appeared in the City-State?¡± one subordinate officer asked, surprised, ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ completely not heard about this¡­¡±


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t heard, it suggests that this matter shouldn¡¯t be disclosed, at least not yet. The Cathedral and the City Hall have their own judgment,¡± Lister shook his head, ¡°Regardless, Miss Agatha is trustworthy. She wouldn¡¯t risk the safety of the City-State. What we need to do is trust the professionals¨Cclergy know better than soldiers how to deal with these strange entities.¡±


    The confidant fell silent, but just then, a rush of hurried footsteps suddenly approached; a soldier hurried onto the dock.


    ¡°Commander!¡± The soldier jogged up to Lister, saluted, and handed over a document that had just come through the pneumatic tube, ¡°Orders from City Hall.¡±


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    ¡°It looks like the official order to blockade Dagger Island has arrived,¡± Lister said as he took the document, but his expression suddenly changed upon viewing its contents.


    A confidant noticed, ¡°Commander? Is there an issue?¡±


    ¡°¡­ It is indeed an order for a naval blockade, but not of Dagger Island,¡± Lister said with a grave expression and solemn tone, ¡°Strictly speaking, not just Dagger Island¨Cthe order demands a blockade of all naval routes in and out of Frost, and all guards to enter combat readiness.¡±


    ¡°A blockade¡­ of the entire Frost Island?!¡±


    ¡°The Mist Fleet has appeared in the nearby waters,¡± Lister inhaled sharply, his face even grimmer than the skies at that moment, ¡°The entire Mist Fleet.¡±

 Chapter 343 - Chapter 343 Chapter 347 Silent Sanctum

    Chapter 343: Chapter 347: Silent Sanctum Chapter 343: Chapter 347: Silent Sanctum The Mist Fleet had arrived, moving out in full force.


    For the past half a century, this infamous Cursed Fleet had always hung over the heads of the Frostfolk like a sharp blade¨Cit was the legacy of the Frost Queen, an unvanishing shadow after the great rebellion half a century ago, standing like a colossal iceberg in the Chill Sea, its cold and hard shell concealing the unpredictable mind of the undead pirate general.


    Whenever it was mentioned, the people of the Frost City-State couldn¡¯t help but lower their voices.


    Almost everyone familiar with history knew that the success of the rebellion in Frost a half-century ago, the triumph of the ragtag rebels over the strongest queen¡¯s fleet in history, didn¡¯t rely on ¡°justice¡± or ¡°protection¡±¨Ctheir victory was chiefly because the queen¡¯s main fleet wasn¡¯t around Frost Island at that time.


    No one knew why the Sea Mist Fleet had left back then, just as no one knew what truths the Frost Queen had gleaned from the depths of the sea. People only knew one thing¨Ceven today, that fleet still operated under the name of the Queen.


    For half a century, the mighty Sea Mist Fleet had wandered like a ghost through these northern seas. Although different city-states attempted to eradicate or recover this fleet, they never succeeded. On the other hand, though the undead manned Cursed Warships traversed the Chill Sea, most encounters with these ships only required the payment of money to avoid disaster. Compared to losses incurred from direct combat with the Sea Mist Fleet, this ¡°toll¡± seemed like a charitable and economical tax¨Cthe northern city-states would rather pay for peace than risk repaying Frost¡¯s debt from half a century ago themselves.


    But the Frostfolk knew the Mist Fleet would one day return; it was like a curse, even becoming a ¡°legendary prophecy¡± many Frostfolk were bathed in from childhood¨C


    As long as the flags of the Mist Fleet still flew, the rule of the Frost Queen over this city-state hadn¡¯t ended; as long as the engines of the ¡°Sea Mist¡± were still running, the reckoning of the grand rebellion from fifty years ago would inevitably fall upon this city.


    The impact of curses and legends passed down by word of mouth was profound, and the cold shadow of the Mist Fleet became ever more terrifying under the yearly reinforcement of these legends, to the point that even well-trained professional soldiers could not ignore this pressure.


    Lister¡¯s fingers clutched the documents, turning slightly white at the knuckles.


    As he finished speaking, an eerie silence enveloped the entire dock.


    This defense commander knew that intelligence on the Mist Fleet didn¡¯t need to be kept secret¨Cthe huge fleet was sailing openly near Frost, drawing ever closer to Frost Island and Dagger Island. By tomorrow morning when the sun rose, residents near the coastline merely needed to open their windows, pick up a telescope, and look to the southeast to see those blurry ship silhouettes¨Cthis news would soon spread throughout the entire City-State.


    ¡°The Sea Mist Fleet¡­ Does its sudden appearance relate to the events on Dagger Island?¡± a trusted officer asked, ¡°Or does it have something to do with that ¡®Sea Swallow¡¯ that appeared out of nowhere?¡±


    ¡°I would prefer if they were related, at least then we¡¯d only be facing one problem,¡± Lister gritted his teeth, ¡°but what¡¯s worse is that these could be two separate issues¡­¡±


    Another trusted officer sounded a bit anxious, ¡°Could the Mist Fleet be seizing the opportunity to plunder during the threat of unknown forces on Frost Island?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to make any conclusions. Executing orders is our top priority,¡± Lister quickly interjected, cutting off his subordinates¡¯ wild speculations, ¡°Immediately arrange for lockdown, send out a martial law signal to the surrounding city-states and ships on the route, all coastal artillery emplacements on standby¡­ We might be in big trouble.¡±


    ¡­


    In the heart of Frost City-State, as with most maritime city-states, the grand and towering cathedral stood at the highest, most central location within the city.


    Locals called it the Silent Sanctum, or simply ¡°the Cathedral.¡±


    It was an ancient and majestic building, almost entirely constructed from various gray and black bricks, with an assortment of spires and elongated structures forming its body. On snowy winter days, these overlapping spires, backed by the snow drifting in the sky, appeared blurred from a distance, resembling tombstones and black swords thrusting into the sky.


    Newcomers to Frost City-State often felt the cathedral was excessively somber and oppressive, even somewhat terrifying, but for the Frostfolk, who nearly universally worshipped the god of death, Bartok, this black cathedral represented only majesty and holiness.


    The locals firmly believed the cathedral¡¯s towering spires were a bridge between the realm of death and the mortal world, and when days of heavy snowfall came, the messengers of the god of death would hide among these spires and rooftops, using their all-seeing eyes to watch over the city-state, timely ushering lost souls back to their places of rest.


    Thus, the Frostfolk deemed the first day of heavy snowfall ¡°the day for long-lost souls to find their path¡±; they would close the cemeteries and pause the sending off of the newly dead on this day, to leave a sufficiently spacious path for those long-lost souls to promptly reach the Silent Sanctum.


    Today was a day of heavy snowfall.


    The surrounding cemeteries were closed, the Cathedral no longer admitted ordinary people besides the clergy, and the continuously falling snow made the courtyard walkway quieter than ever, making even the sound of snowflakes falling from the tree branches exceptionally clear.


    Wearing a broad-brimmed hat and dressed in black, Agatha crossed the courtyard gate of the cathedral, entered the audience hall, and continued deeper until she finally reached the sanctum where the Bishop meditated.


    Like Prand, the highest ecclesiastical spokesperson in Frost also had two roles¨C¡°the Gatekeeper¡± was the guardian of the city-state¡¯s security, mainly responsible for secular affairs, while the City-State Bishop dealt primarily with clerical work and communication with the higher ecclesiastical authorities.


    Inside the Silent Sanctum, the walls on either side were lined with densely packed niches where candles flickered. The pale light emitted by countless candles brightened the room considerably. At the far end of the sanctum stood a tall stone platform; however, instead of a holy figure or a seat, there rested an ancient-looking black coffin.


    That was where the City-State Bishop resided.


    Agatha walked up to the platform and looked down, then said, ¡°I have returned.¡±


    There was silence inside the coffin.


    Agatha waited patiently for a few seconds, then spoke a bit louder, ¡°Bishop Ivan, have you heard about the appearance of the Mist Fleet?¡±


    Still, there was no response from the coffin.


    Agatha frowned slightly, looked around, and after a brief hesitation, finally raised her staff and tapped on the side of the coffin, ¡°Are you there?¡±


    After tapping three times, an old, hoarse voice finally emanated from inside the coffin, ¡°Yes, stop knocking. Show some respect for the elderly.¡±


    Agatha put away her staff, ¡°¡­ were you praying to the god of death and fell asleep?¡±


    ¡°I was too immersed in my meditation, not hearing the voices from the mundane world.¡±


    ¡°But your snoring could be heard through the coffin board into the mundane world.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Was it that loud?¡±


    Agatha sighed, ¡°You indeed fell asleep, Bishop.¡±


    The voice inside the coffin suddenly quieted down. After a few seconds, there was a slight rustling noise breaking the silence as the dark lid of the coffin slid open slightly, revealing just a sliver, and the old, raspy voice became a bit clearer, ¡°Your heart is troubled, Agatha; it seems things are not going well in the City-State.¡±


    ¡°On my way back to the cathedral, I received news that the Mist Fleet was approaching the City-State,¡± Agatha slowly said, ¡°I fear this news might soon¡­¡±


    ¡°The matters of the Mist Fleet should be left for the navy and the city hall to worry about. Your focus should be on the balance of Transcendent realms and the peace within the City-State,¡± the voice of Ivan Romonzo, the City-State Bishop, came from the coffin, ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the situation within the City-State first.¡±


    Hearing this, Agatha nodded and temporarily set aside the news of the Mist Fleet, then her expression became grave.


    ¡°At 42 Fireplace Street, a new site of Prime Element contamination appeared. According to various signs, a counterfeit composed of Prime Elements had been living in that building for a long time until it recently disintegrated and vanished. Additionally, a civilian clearly affected by cognitive interference was found at the scene¡­¡±


    ¡°Cognitive interference?¡± Bishop Ivan interrupted Agatha¡¯s discourse, ¡°What kind of cognitive interference?¡±


    Agatha organized her words and began, ¡°After reviewing the local population registration, we discovered that the counterfeit¡¯s ¡®real identity¡¯ had actually died in a shipwreck six years ago. However, during the period of the counterfeit¡¯s activity¡­ the woman apprentice living with it never noticed this obvious anomaly. Even until the counterfeit disintegrated and vanished and the investigators entered the scene, she still believed her teacher was resting upstairs.¡±


    Agatha paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°And¡­ our discoveries didn¡¯t stop there.¡±


    ¡°More than that?¡±


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    ¡°A third-party force¨Cidentity unknown, yet extremely powerful¨Cseems to also be investigating the Prime Elements. Their combatants killed two quite capable heretic priests in a nearby alley, while their investigators had searched the building before a squad of elite guards arrived. Unfortunately, we found no clues, and we can¡¯t even confirm where this third-party force comes from.¡±


    Silence fell inside the coffin, and it lasted for an indeterminable amount of time before Ivan¡¯s voice was heard again, ¡°Any other news?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Agatha took a light breath, ¡°do you remember the ¡®Visitor¡¯ that appeared in Cemetery no. 3?¡±


    ¡°¡­ It has appeared again?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it has appeared again, and not only that, it also left behind a letter¡­ a ¡®whistleblower letter.''¡±

 Chapter 344 - Chapter 344 Chapter 348 Bishop Ivans Secret

    Chapter 344: Chapter 348: Bishop Ivan¡¯s Secret Chapter 344: Chapter 348: Bishop Ivan¡¯s Secret Agatha pulled out the denunciation letter¨Cthis letter, which merely looked like it was written on common stationery, enclosed in an envelope produced by a small local factory in Frost, and even the ink was clearly ordinary, had been delivered to her from the third graveyard. Honestly, if she didn¡¯t know that the old caretaker wouldn¡¯t jest with her like this, Agatha would never have believed that this item actually came from an indescribable, higher Transcendent being.


    She couldn¡¯t even detect any Transcendent powers from the letter¨Cbut after conducting a few simple tests, she had confirmed that the thing indeed originated from that higher Transcendent¡¯s hands.


    A rustling of clothes came from the dark coffin, and the heavy lid finally opened slowly, accompanied by a strange fragrance. A body, wrapped in bandages and resembling a mummy, slowly sat up.


    This was the Bishop of Frost City-State, Ivan¨Cwho had lost his complete physical form many years ago due to an accident, but Bartok¡¯s mighty power had prolonged his life until now. Most of the time, he had to stay inside the ¡°Spirit Coffin¡± in the meditation hall and only appeared in public during major sacred ceremonies. Even so, he was still the most popular and trusted bishop in the history of Frost.


    His achievements and profound knowledge in the Transcendent domain were indisputable.


    He sat up in the coffin, took the ¡°denunciation letter¡± from Agatha, and the only eye visible outside the bandages stared at the letter for a long time while he remained silent.


    Unable to bear the silence, Agatha spoke up, ¡°You¡­¡±


    The widely knowledgeable and scholarly Archbishop spoke in a muffled tone, ¡°I¡¯ll need a moment.¡±


    Agatha waited a while, then asked, ¡°Have you recovered?¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure this is it?¡± Bishop Ivan lifted his head, his slightly yellowed eye filled with confusion, ¡°Have you¡­¡±


    ¡°It does look quite ordinary¨Cbut when I tried to view the text on the letter through the Spirit Realm perspective, I immediately lost fifteen minutes of memory,¡± Agatha knew what the bishop was trying to say and nodded seriously, ¡°It¡¯s entwined with power beyond human imagination. This plain appearance¡­ perhaps is just that visitor¡¯s unique taste.¡±


    Bishop Ivan was silent for a moment, seemingly recovering, then slowly spoke, ¡°The contents mentioned in this letter¡­ are unsettling. You have already seen the ¡®Sea Swallow,¡¯ and if what¡¯s written in the letter is true, then the Sea Swallow is just the beginning, and even the uncontrollable situation on Dagger Island is just the beginning¡­ Whether it¡¯s the heretics in the city or the pollution caused by ¡®Prime Element,¡¯ whether it¡¯s the return of the Sea Swallow or the anomalies on Dagger Island, everything points to the deep sea, pointing to the Submersible Plan from half a century ago.¡±


    ¡°I have already issued a warning to the city hall and have requested to review those archives sealed for half a century. I will also visit the church library, and I have arranged for personnel to enhance the search throughout the city to capture those heretics who are hiding,¡± said Agatha, ¡°But that¡¯s still not enough¨Cwe need to confirm what the current situation on Dagger Island is¨Cthe larger source of pollution seems to be on that island.¡±


    Bishop Ivan pondered briefly, sighed softly, ¡°If everything points to the Submersible Plan¡­ the appearance of the Mist Fleet near Frost now seems explainable.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think all this is part of the plan devised by the Frost Queen back then?¡± Agatha furrowed her brows, ¡°Because she left some orders for that ¡®Iron Admiral,¡¯ so the Mist Fleet has appeared today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Bishop Ivan shook his head, then suddenly looked directly into Agatha¡¯s eyes, ¡°Agatha, in your perception, what kind of figure is the Frost Queen?¡±


    Agatha hesitated, then thoughtfully spoke, ¡°A once-great ruler who, after a brief period of glorious reign, was corrupted and seduced by the powers of the deep sea, falling into a dangerous ¡®Mad Queen.¡¯ Due to her stubborn actions, Frost established connections with the terrifying entities of the deep sea. Her terrifying plans, even after half a century, still need to be completely sealed, forbidden from any commoner¡¯s knowledge¨Cher life was both tragic and dangerous.¡±


    ¡°A very standard response¨Cfor a member of the younger generation with sufficient access to the data from half a century ago, your summary is quite accurate,¡± Bishop Ivan nodded, but then his tone shifted, ¡°But you haven¡¯t really experienced all that.¡±


    Agatha didn¡¯t speak, just quietly looked at the Archbishop.


    ¡°I experienced it¨CI was twenty-six years old that year, merely a common bishop in a small church in the dock district. Did you know? That small church was right next to the testing site of the Submersible Plan. I had even held blessing ceremonies for some soldiers and officers who were going to come into contact with the ¡®Submersibles.''¡±


    Bishop Ivan spoke slowly, his voice low, as if a tributary flowed gently from the river of his memories, revealing those ancient events that couldn¡¯t be told to ordinary people, bit by bit, from beneath the overlapping bandages.


    ¡°After the rebels stormed the palace, most of the materials related to the Abyss Project were sealed. Furthermore, the ensuing panic from the cliff collapse at the execution site led to the destruction of most of them, so even a ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ with your level of access could only touch upon the most superficial part of the materials¨Cif I now told you that the Frost Queen had actually come to the small chapel the night before the City-State Guards rebelled, and had me conduct a spirit-sending ritual for her¡­ what would you think?¡±


    Agatha suddenly widened her eyes.


    ¡°She was called the ¡®Mad Queen¡¯¨Cindeed, her behavior during the last few months was no different from madness. Despite the complete loss of control over the project, with people disappearing, dying, or going mad every day, she still pushed forward with the project, even locking down the palace chambers and imprisoning the last ministers who were willing to advise her. She ordered the constabulary to blockade the ports, capturing those who tried to flee from the Frost City-State¡­ Given these actions, the subsequent uprising was a logical outcome, and it was destined that she could not end well on her own as queen¡­


    ¡°Yet even so, I believe she was never truly ¡®mad¡¯¡­ She was lucid, even¡­¡±


    Bishop Ivan suddenly stopped, as if recalling those distant events overwhelmed his mind, or perhaps he was searching for the right words to describe the eerie feeling he had experienced back then. After several seconds, he continued: ¡°Even, like she was the only person in the entire City-State who was still sane.¡±


    Agatha unconsciously leaned forward: ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°She walked into the chapel without any attendants, her eyes clear, as if she had already foreseen her fate. She came to Bartok¡¯s icon, lit the incense for herself, and then patted my shoulder¨Cjust like this.¡±


    Bishop Ivan raised his arm, as if to replicate that scene from half a century ago.


    ¡°She patted me, saying, ¡®Wake up, you¡¯re the only one in the entire city who still has eyes open¨Chelp me with something; I¡¯m about to die.''¡±


    Agatha felt her breathing suddenly constricted, as if pausing for a moment between sleep and consciousness. In the next instant, she couldn¡¯t help but reach out to steady her forehead, her heart pounding; she didn¡¯t know how to react. After a few seconds of silence, she could only voice her most direct confusion: ¡°You¡¯re the only one in the entire city who still has eyes open¡­ What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t completely figured it out,¡± Bishop Ivan sighed, his voice muffled and somber under his bandages, ¡°she told me to wake up¨Cbut I was already awake, and afterwards, she did not explain anything to me, just ordered me to obey her commands¡­ She lay on the morgue slab, just like a dead person, and then¡­ I conducted the spirit-sending ritual for her.¡±


    ¡°How can a living person have a spirit-sending ritual?¡± Agatha stared in disbelief, ¡°Did that ritual¡­ actually get completed?¡±


    ¡°Of course, a living person cannot have a spirit-sending ritual¨CI merely completed the entire process as she instructed, and naturally, nothing happened afterward,¡± Bishop Ivan shook his head, ¡°I think the ritual was meaningless, but the Frost Queen seemed to have achieved her goal. She left after that, leaving me one instruction before she departed¡­¡±


    ¡°One instruction?¡±


    ¡°She told me not to speak of that night¡¯s events, or else the rebels would definitely kill me¨Cwhen she said this, there were still exactly twenty-four hours before the first City-State Guard assault on the armory.¡±


    Agatha fell silent, and after what seemed like a long time, she finally spoke softly, ¡°You never told me any of this before¡­¡±


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    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken of it to anyone,¡± Bishop Ivan said lightly, ¡°Back then, I was just a minor bishop.¡±


    ¡°But you later became the City-State Bishop, and no one could judge you for those past ¡®involvements¡¯ anymore¨Cthis secret¡­¡±


    ¡°This secret I intended to take to the grave; why reveal it?¡± Bishop Ivan lifted his head, his cloudy, yellowed left eye staring intently into Agatha¡¯s eyes, ¡°I know this matter is extraordinary¨Cthe queen had already been aware of the rebels¡¯ actions and even accepted her own death serenely. This fact could shock many¡­ but aside from its shock value, it holds no meaning. The Abyss Project will still be sealed, maintaining the stable order of the City-State is what matters most to the citizens, no one cares about what a queen who was executed thought or did in her last moments, and there¡¯s an even more important reason¡­¡±


    Bishop Ivan paused for a moment, taking a light breath.


    ¡°A more important reason¨Cthe Abyss Project ended, the queen¡¯s era ended, everything has settled, at least¡­ that¡¯s what I¡¯ve thought for the past fifty years.¡±

 Chapter 345 - Chapter 345 Chapter 349 Snow Fog and Secrets

    Chapter 345: Chapter 349: Snow, Fog, and Secrets Chapter 345: Chapter 349: Snow, Fog, and Secrets ¡°`


    In the dark coffin, the old bishop, wrapped in bandages like a mummy, finally spoke of the secret he had kept hidden for half a century, followed by a long silence.


    Agatha¡¯s voice broke the calm, ¡°But evidently, this matter is not over.¡±


    The old bishop didn¡¯t speak, and Agatha asked again, ¡°In your opinion¡­ do the strange occurrences that keep happening within the City-State and the shadow over Dagger Island also fall within the Frost Queen¡¯s calculations?¡±


    ¡°The Queen is not a god. She might have anticipated that a rebellion would stop her ¡®mad¡¯ actions, but she couldn¡¯t possibly foresee what would happen here half a century later,¡± Bishop Ivan shook his head. He was still recalling those details from the past, but perhaps too much time had elapsed, and many details had grown blurry for him, ¡°I actually can¡¯t remember everything the Queen told me that night. During the sending off ritual, it seemed like she kept talking to me, but you know, conducting the ritual requires high concentration, and also inhaling incense beforehand, I¡­ really can¡¯t remember what she told me.¡±


    At this he paused, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness: ¡°Under normal circumstances, there wouldn¡¯t be interactions about the ritual experience between the ¡®deceased¡¯ lying on the platform and the officiating clergyman.¡±


    Agatha remained silent, pondering quietly for a moment before suddenly asking, ¡°Could you tell me more about that time? Before the Submersion Project was completely over¡­ what else did you see in that church?¡±


    ¡°¡­As I recall, it was snowing heavily that day, just like this year, and for a long time after, the snowfalls big and small almost never stopped. The snow would frequently cover the roads around the small church, blurring the edges of the paths, and as a result, many more people fell,¡± Bishop Ivan reminisced quietly, his low and somber voice seemingly able to draw one¡¯s imagination directly to that cold winter half a century ago, ¡°Often, those who were injured would seek help at the church ¨C because at that time the district clinic was already overflowing.


    ¡°At that time, the Submersion Project was already causing great unease within the city. It wasn¡¯t a taboo subject like it is today, although its core was confidential, the general public knew that there was such a ¡®sea exploration¡¯ project. Hence, people often came to me in the church and talked about the ¡®strange things¡¯ they saw¡­¡±


    ¡°Strange things?¡± Agatha couldn¡¯t help but interrupt.


    ¡°Yes, strange things. Some said they saw lights in long-uninhabited houses, some said that a neighbor they knew suddenly changed their appearance one day, and others claimed to have seen the graveyard gates open at night and the people buried during the day boldly walking out of the cemetery ¨C all kinds of shocking and bizarre stories, occurring day and night. Given that the Submersion Project was the most sinister issue in the City-State at the time, people attributed all these abnormal phenomena to the Submersion Project. Then¡­ they started to attribute them to the Frost Queen.¡±


    ¡°People buried in the graveyard boldly walking out,¡± Agatha listened to the old bishop¡¯s narration but suddenly frowned, as if making a connection to the present, ¡°And lights appearing in uninhabited houses, this¡­ this sounds¡­¡±


    ¡°It sounds a lot like the forged corpse in Cemetery No. 3, and the room you saw at 42 Fireplace Street, right?¡± the old bishop said slowly, ¡°But what¡¯s different from back then is that you have seen actual evidence, even collected items suspected to be the ¡®Prime Element.¡¯ Back then in the City-State there were only various rumors ¨C every day people came to me telling about the eerie things they had encountered, but the guards went everywhere and found nothing.¡±


    ¡°Found nothing?¡± Agatha asked.


    ¡°Yes, when residents made reports, of course, we had to send people to investigate, even half a century ago we had these strict procedures. I sent many people to investigate those terrifying tales, the great cathedral¡¯s gatekeeper even personally conducted an investigation like you, but we found nothing, apart from edgy citizens. Everything in the City-State was actually normal ¨C in contrast, the Submersion Project¡¯s experimentation grounds were gradually completely sealed off. All the terrible things happened within the restricted area.


    ¡°As for what exactly happened there¡­ you surely have seen in the archives ¨C the constantly appearing Replication divers, unregistered strangers coming and going, explorers sacrificed in the deep sea.¡±


    Agatha fell silent for a moment, her thoughts racing. For some reason, she felt that from the old bishop¡¯s account she could smell a discord, a wrongness that had gone unnoticed for half a century.


    ¡°So, you are saying, while the Submersion Project caused panic back then, all the anomalies were actually confined to the test area, and the City-State was actually operating as usual ¨C even though there was significant mental stress, city operations were troubled due to the Queen¡¯s extreme edicts, and people kept reporting strange events, but analyzing from a transcendent power perspective, the ¡®pollution¡¯ from the deep sea never actually spread beyond the confinement line of that year?¡±


    ¡°¡­At least that¡¯s what I remember,¡± the old bishop nodded slightly but then continued with a change of tone, ¡°Of course, even so, I am not trying to defend the Frost Queen¡¯s actions back then. Even if everything was normal in the City-State, her Submersion Project had already stretched Frost¡¯s economy and everyone¡¯s nerves to the breaking point. Even if the Submersion Project was always under her control and never went awry, that betraya¡­ rebellion, was bound to happen.¡±


    However, Agatha seemed to have not noticed what the old bishop was saying at the end; she pondered silently for a while before shaking her head, ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the present, Bishop Ivan. Regarding the current situation within the city and this letter of denunciation I have, I would like to know your thoughts.¡±


    ¡°You have discovered traces of heretics in the city, and there is evidence that suggests they are behind it ¨C this is actually good news. The most terrifying thing when a Transcendent pollution occurs is not finding the enemy, but not finding the enemy.¡±


    Bishop Ivan spoke slowly, lifting the letter in his hand.


    ¡°This letter of denunciation you brought up also mentions this ¨C suspecting that the heretics within Frost are communicating with deep-sea powers through some secret ritual, causing deep-sea pollution to directly spill over to the City-State. So, we should try to find where these heretics are conducting their rituals.¡±


    ¡°`


    Agatha gazed at the Old Bishop¡¯s eye, the only one not covered by bandages, ¡°Do you think¡­ that ¡®visitor¡¯ who wrote the whistleblower letter can be trusted?¡±


    ¡°At least everything that the letter referred to now has evidence proving it is true, even if parts of it can¡¯t be confirmed for the time being, logically they hold up,¡± Bishop Ivan nodded, ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t assert the trustworthiness of the being who wrote the letter ¡ª Transcendents¡¯ moods and their perspectives on the mortal world differ from humans, so we can never interact with Them using human emotional logic.


    ¡°I can only say that when They temporarily show neutrality or friendliness, we can work with Them or even actively cooperate, but when They suddenly find it boring and prepare to turn on us, we shouldn¡¯t be puzzled or surprised. You should know that the only Transcendents in this world whom we can truly trust and be loyal to are the four deities; all others are neither enemies nor allies.¡±


    The Old Bishop¡¯s words contained the wisdom of half a century, and even though they were equals in rank, Agatha slightly bowed her head in respect.


    ¡°Next time that visitor appears, I will try to make proactive contact and see Their current attitude.¡±


    ¡°That would be best,¡± Bishop Ivan nodded in agreement.


    Agatha thought for a moment, then looked at the letter currently in the hands of the Old Bishop.


    ¡°So now, only the final inscrutable puzzle remains.¡±


    As her gaze moved, Bishop Ivan¡¯s eyes also settled on the last part of the whistleblower letter.


    The entire content of the letter was understandable, but only that final part, no matter if it was the cemetery caretaker who first received the letter or the current Agatha and Bishop Ivan, was difficult to fully grasp.


    The two spokespeople representing the highest will of the Church in the City-State gathered together, their three eyes exposed under their bandages staring intently at the end of the letter.


    That indescribable, mysterious visitor had left a puzzle in Their confidential letter.


    ¡°¡­What on earth could this string of numbers mean?¡± Bishop Ivan asked with hesitation.


    Agatha slowly shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t make it out either.¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps we could ask a diviner to interpret it or consult experts in mathematics and the mystical arts to work on it together ¡ª it might be a secret number pointing to the future of the City-State.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    ¡­


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    On the edge of the Upper City District, next to Hearth Street, at 44 Oak Street, Duncan stood at the narrow window at the end of the second-floor hallway, watching the nightfall gradually descend.


    After a while, he suddenly turned his head, looking at Fenna who was daydreaming beside him, ¡°Do you think they¡¯ve made the payment by now?¡±


    Fenna snapped out of her reverie, looking perplexed, ¡°Ah¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°Go to the bank for me tomorrow, check if they¡¯ve made the payment,¡± Duncan said seriously, ¡°I left an anonymous bank account in that whistleblower letter, which I use specifically to receive whistleblower rewards.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±

 Chapter 346 - Chapter 346 Chapter 350 Sea Fog Encircles the City

    Chapter 346: Chapter 350: Sea Fog Encircles the City Chapter 346: Chapter 350: Sea Fog Encircles the City After nightfall, the light snow began to flutter down once more. Against the misty backdrop of the night sky, the cool luminescence of the ¡°Creation of the World¡± was mostly obscured by clouds, with only chaotic shards of light diffusing through the gaps. The gas lamps from the streets and alleys were lit, one after another, casting light upon the floating snowflakes and creating an atmosphere of tranquility different from that of the usual hustle.


    Fenna stood before the narrow window, staring out at the night view for a moment before sighing, ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve made the payment¨Cand by now, they must have assembled a group of experts to crack the ¡®secret number¡¯ you left in the letter.¡±


    Duncan turned his head, ¡°Is that really so exaggerated?¡±


    Fenna turned to look at him seriously, ¡°Did you specify what the string of numbers was for in the letter?¡±


    ¡°No, but isn¡¯t that the standard format for a report letter?¡± Duncan defended himself with conviction, ¡°At the end of the report letter, you just attach the account number, and the city hall will make the payment. That¡¯s how it works in the City-State. Besides, I¡¯ve heard that in many places, they purposely refrain from adding comments before the account number to be subtle and polite¨CI thought I should be a little more discreet.¡±


    Fenna stared at Duncan for a long time before she couldn¡¯t help sighing again, ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Upon further thought, Duncan realized he might be missing something and awkwardly added, ¡°It seems they don¡¯t quite understand our intent?¡±


    With a weary tone, Fenna replied, ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand.¡±


    Duncan lowered his head, pondering deeply, ¡°Is it not advisable to write a second letter now?¡±


    ¡°You¡­might as well hope that they will understand the intent of the report letter soon,¡± Fenna said, rubbing her temples. She felt she had once again discovered an unexpectedly quirky aspect of Captain Duncan¨Ca man both powerful and fearsome¡­ yet possessing such a distinct and interesting personality?


    Duncan wasn¡¯t aware of the sentiments stirring in Fenna¡¯s heart. He asked nonchalantly, ¡°How are things at Annie¡¯s house? You took her back today. Is her family doing well?¡±


    Fenna nodded immediately, ¡°Annie¡¯s household is normal. There are no traces of Transcendent phenomena. No followers of the obliteration cult are nearby. The neighbors aren¡¯t suspicious, and Mrs. Beloni¡­our current landlady, appears to be¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop, stop, stop,¡± Duncan interrupted, waving his hand before she could finish, ¡°I¡¯m asking about her family situation, their everyday life. I didn¡¯t ask you to report like you¡¯re investigating heretics. Control your professional habits a bit.¡±


    Fenna was taken aback, then coughed twice and cleared her throat, ¡°Ahem, sorry, I¡¯m a bit¡­used to the routine. Everything is fine there. Although I only stayed for a moment and spoke briefly with Mrs. Beloni, I can generally tell. After all, six years have passed, and she and her daughter have moved on from the past events.


    ¡°Annie is now studying at the City-State public school. Besides renting out properties for income, Mrs. Beloni also has some clerical work that suffices for her livelihood. And as a ship captain¡¯s family, the Frost authorities provide care for such survivors, similar to other City-States. Overall¡­you don¡¯t need to worry about them.¡±


    Duncan listened quietly and nodded.


    Fenna hesitated but couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you concerned that Annie might speak of our affairs here¡­Is that really okay? It won¡¯t be long before the gravedigger learns of your bold presence in the city, and then the matter will be reported to the cathedral immediately. Both the gatekeeper and the bishop will be alarmed.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡± Duncan turned his head and asked calmly.


    ¡°Then¡­there might be a bit of trouble,¡± Fenna said, but under Duncan¡¯s gaze, her voice suddenly wavered, ¡°Perhaps the City-State authorities will intervene¡­¡±


    ¡°How will they intervene with us? Will they send a squadron of guards to seize us?¡± Duncan chuckled, ¡°Or will the gatekeeper personally speak with me? And why should I care about their reaction? Am I worried about exposure? Or am I concerned about the authorities¡¯ hostile actions?¡±


    As he spoke, Duncan spread his hands.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring the Homeloss here.¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth, feeling something was off about the situation, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint how to respond to the captain¡¯s candid words. After struggling for words, all she could muster was, ¡°Why do I feel like you actually find this situation amusing, as if you¡¯re expecting some fun out of it?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    Duncan smiled and returned his gaze to the night outside the window, ignoring the fleeting expression of astonishment on the face of the Judge beside him. Only after several minutes of silently appreciating the nightscape did he say offhand, ¡°Fenna, I suddenly feel like you are becoming less and less like a Judge¨Cisn¡¯t your first instinct supposed to think of the churches and authorities of a City-State as reliable allies under normal circumstances?¡±


    Fenna¡¯s lips twitched visibly, and she seemed to have a torrent of words rising in her heart, yet not a single word came out.


    At the same time, outside the Frost City-State, over the boundless Endless Sea under the vast expanse of night sky, a colossal fleet was slowly reducing speed, maintaining a low patrol speed amid the cold frost fog and surrounding drift ice.


    The dignified steel prow of the Sea Mist loomed in the darkness, with navigation lights casting their glow upon its side, brightening a corner of it. Nearby, lights spilling from the side of the ship illuminated the dark sea surface, where the glimmer of waves revealed a faint reflection.


    It was the scattered drift ice.


    On the Chill Sea, every captain had heard the following phrase¨C


    When a thin mist suddenly appears and ice floes reveal themselves from within, slowly shackling your vessel like chains, then be ready, for the Sea Mist has arrived.


    Now the Sea Mist was here, and with it the entire Mist Fleet.


    Tyrion stood on the high bridge, gazing through the broad windows into the distance.


    At this range it was actually impossible to see the Frost City-State directly¨Cbut against the dark backdrop, he could still make out a faint glimmer emerging there, in the direction of the City-State.


    In fact, the Mist Fleet was heading towards Dagger Island, and Tyrion himself had no intention of landing on the main island of Frost¨Cbut to the Frostfolk, who had been tense for half a century, there was no difference. As long as the flag of ¡°Iron Admiral¡± appeared on the nearby seas it was enough to rob them of peace and sleep.


    He could almost picture the chaotic scene of the City-State¡¯s defenders at this very moment.


    Footsteps came from the side, and First Mate Aiden approached Tyrion. The ruggedly handsome, bald strongman appeared quite pleased, ¡°Captain, Sea Raven and Bay vessels have already led their respective escorts away from the fleet, expected to reach the designated area and blockade the route in twelve hours. Sea Mist has lifted the light control restrictions¨Cthose Frostfolk won¡¯t get a wink of sleep tonight.¡±


    Tyrion nodded slightly, a small smile playing on his face as his gaze swept across the sea surrounding the Sea Mist.


    In the darkness, the entire Endless Sea maintained its silence, with only the Sea Mist, no longer under light restriction, floating here, conspicuous as a gas lamp in the night.


    Under normal circumstances, warships on military maneuvers at night are to undergo light control. Unnecessary lighting can expose one¡¯s position and lead to confusion when identifying friendly light signals¨Cbut the Sea Mist boldly presented itself, defiantly showcasing its presence to Frost like a provocation.


    Tyrion was not the least bit worried that this would provoke the Frost City-State Navy, nor was he concerned about any accidental discharge incidents.


    In this world, apart from the Homeloss, no one could defeat the Sea Mist, the ¡°living ship,¡± in a night battle. On the other hand¡­ if the Frost Navy was foolish enough to attack today, the other six warships hidden around the Sea Mist would immediately teach them a lesson.


    Of course, Tyrion¡¯s high-profile actions here were not just about provoking Frost out of spite; his more important purpose was to fulfill his father¡¯s orders¨C


    To make Frost City-State nervous, the more nervous the better, preferably to the extent of completely blocking off the main island of Frost, prohibiting all traffic in and out.


    From what had been observed so far, that goal seemed to have been achieved¨Cthe Frost City-State naval garrison had already blocked the port and sent out signals to surrounding City-States to halt shipping.


    Everything was progressing just as his father had planned.


    Just then, a voice suddenly came through a nearby copper pipe. Aiden immediately went over, spoke a few words with someone on the other end, then returned to Tyrion¡¯s side, a smile on his face, ¡°Captain, the Frostfolk seem to be getting restless¨Ca small boat has appeared on the nearby sea.¡±


    Tyrion raised an eyebrow, ¡°A small boat?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it appears unarmed, and it¡¯s openly flashing three yellow and one white signal light, as if terrified of causing any misunderstanding,¡± Aiden reported, ¡°The vessel cautiously stopped outside the searchlight range, looking like it intends to carry out observation without engaging or antagonizing.¡±


    ¡°Observation¡­ fair enough, at least they have some nerve,¡± Tyrion shrugged, ¡°Let them observe. If they get too close, fire a warning shot.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Aiden immediately acknowledged, but before he turned away, Tyrion suddenly called out to him, ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any other orders?¡±


    ¡°Send them a light signal,¡± Tyrion said.


    ¡°A light signal?¡± Aiden was momentarily taken aback, ¡°What content?¡±


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    Tyrion¡¯s lips curled up, a mischievous smile on the face of the notorious pirate of the Chill Sea, ¡°Content? What content¨Cjust flash it randomly.¡±


    Aiden: ¡°¡­ah?¡±


    ¡°Tell the signaler to just flash away,¡± Tyrion said, stroking his chin cheerfully, ¡°Give those Frost consultants a little century¡¯s puzzle.¡±


    A visible smile spread across Aiden¡¯s face; even his bald head seemed to shine.


    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±

 Chapter 347 - Chapter 347 Chapter 351 Lockdown

    Chapter 347: Chapter 351 Lockdown Chapter 347: Chapter 351 Lockdown ¡°`


    For the protectors of Frost, tonight was destined to be a sleepless one.


    The ominous clouds that shrouded Dagger Island still gathered overhead, the eerie remains of the ¡°Sea Swallow¡± still lingered outside the port, and at this critical moment, the Mist Fleet, wrapped in countless terrifying legends, had approached the City-State.


    The cursed undead fleet had completed its assembly, silently stationed at the edge of the coastal waters, their intentions unknown, their next moves a mystery to all.


    Navy Commodore Lister had only rested for less than an hour at midnight before he reappeared in his command office, where he met with several other tightly furrowed commanders and an urgent secretary who had just rushed over from the city hall.


    The secretary, a man in his early thirties dressed in a tailored blue coat and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, immediately stood up from his chair when he saw Lister, a fine sweat on his forehead, ¡°Colonel, the Governor wants to know the latest and most accurate intelligence¨Cis there any possibility that the Mist Fleet will launch an attack?¡±


    ¡°If the Governor only wants that answer, then yes, it has been possible every day for the past half-century,¡± Lister took out his invigorating essential oil, his spirits lifted by its potent effect, and glanced at the secretary, ¡°The Mist Fleet isn¡¯t new today¨C it has always been there. Frost and that ¡®Ironclad Commander¡¯ have never had any peace agreement.¡±


    The mood of the commander-in-chief was obviously not the best, and the secretary realized his question was meaningless, so he immediately changed his approach, ¡°How much are we prepared?¡±


    ¡°All shore defenses are now in battle configuration. General Gailton¡¯s fleet is forming an interception line on the north and northwest flanks of the Mist Fleet; they have ample fuel and ammunition ready¨Ceven though we¡¯ve just lost a heroic and valiant Navy Commodore due to the Sea Swallow incident, the Frost Navy is still fully prepared to defend the City-State,¡± said Lister with a serious expression, ¡°For more detailed intelligence, my superior should have already reported to the city hall.¡±


    As he spoke, he let his gaze pass over the urgent secretary and land on several of his subordinates nearby: ¡°What¡¯s the situation with the Mist Fleet now? Any abnormal movements?¡±


    One of the commanders immediately stood up, ¡°Yes, sir, there is something off. You should come and look at this.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lister¡¯s brow wrinkled slightly, and he quickly walked to the long table in the center of the room, where he approached a piece of freshly delivered intelligence.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Looking at the document covered with marks and symbols, the port commander was somewhat taken aback.


    ¡°It¡¯s a light signal,¡± spoke the subordinate who had spoken earlier, ¡°coming from the Sea Mist.¡±


    Lister looked stunned, the effects of the essential oil seemingly faltering, as he observed the dizzying array of pause markers and scattered annotations, he felt somewhat lightheaded and dizzy, mumbling after a long while, ¡°What the hell¡­ Is the Mist Fleet using some kind of new light signal? Or are they transmitting messages through a classical code?¡±


    He suddenly looked up, gazing at his subordinates, ¡°Where is the military advisor?¡±


    ¡°They are in the next room studying these, along with several signalmen and cryptologists who were just summoned, and a few experts on classical naval history and the study of undead phenomena are on the way.¡±


    Lister pressed his lips together tightly, then fixed his gaze on the chaotic symbols for a few more seconds before lifting his head and looking at the secretary, who stood there with a worried expression.


    ¡°Nobody is going to sleep tonight.¡±


    ¡°I think so too, Colonel.¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan had slept well the night before.


    Although his original body didn¡¯t need much sleep, appropriate rest helped maintain his energy and lessen the burden of controlling multiple bodies at once¨Calthough, for him, this burden wasn¡¯t much of an issue.


    Yet he liked to maintain the routine of a normal human.


    The snow outside had stopped, at least for the moment, and the clear sky above the city wouldn¡¯t last for long. The anomaly 001 was slowly climbing toward the high point of the sky from the edge of the city, and at the edge of that brilliant orb of the sun, the faint golden glow of the double runes was resplendent.


    A small segment of the rune ring was missing, visible to the naked eye.


    Duncan stood at the window, staring at the slightly incomplete sun rune ring for a few seconds, then withdrew his gaze and rotated his shoulders.


    ¡°`


    He descended to the first floor.


    Alice had already prepared breakfast. Simple toast, fried eggs, and a vegetable wrap might not be lavish, but it was clear that the doll Miss¡¯s skills were gradually improving. Fenna and Morris were eating at the dining table and stood up when they saw Duncan appear.


    ¡°You keep eating; don¡¯t mind me,¡± Duncan waved them off.


    The breakfast was nice, but sadly the body he currently inhabited wasn¡¯t blessed to enjoy it.


    Although it was also a ¡°temporary shell,¡± the body he was using in Frost differed significantly from the one at the Prand Antique Shop. The body in Prand was also taken over after death, but thanks to minor damage and timely possession, its current state was practically no different from a living person. In contrast, the body in Frost¡­ had lost most of its inner functions.


    This was more like a corpse driven by mysterious forces. By nature, it was even closer to ¡°dead body¡± than the Undead under Terrian¡¯s command.


    Duncan himself couldn¡¯t clarify the principles involved, but with the world full of bizarre occurrences, he had long been open-minded.


    Oddness be odd, after all, his very existence in this world was the greatest oddity.


    ¡°There¡¯s a fresh newspaper by the sofa,¡± Morris spoke up from the dining table. ¡°You might want to have a look; it contains news that could interest you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Duncan walked over to the sofa and saw the morning paper that had just been delivered¨Cstill faintly smelling of ink. The newspapers were neatly stacked, and as he picked them up and settled on the sofa, he casually flipped them open and quickly located the news Morris had mentioned.


    Alice toddled over and peeked from behind the sofa, curiously looking at the newspaper in Duncan¡¯s hands, ¡°What does the title say¨C¡±


    ¡°Click.¡±


    A round head then rolled onto Duncan¡¯s newspaper and from there, onto his arm.


    As the head turned over, Alice faced up towards Duncan, her eyes blinking innocently, ¡°Help¡­ help¡­ help¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you remember?¡± Duncan sighed, almost resignedly picking up Alice¡¯s head and straightening out the golden wig and silver hair beneath, secured with a string hoop, then lifting the beautiful head to press it back onto the neck of the Gothic doll. ¡°Even a dog can read the newspaper; can¡¯t you even understand the headline?¡±


    Alice, while frantically righting her head, muttered sheepishly, ¡°Actually, I only don¡¯t understand four or five words¡­¡±


    Duncan immediately glared at her, ¡°The headline is only eight words long!¡±


    The illiterate doll: ¡°¡­Heh heh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a warning notice from the City Hall,¡± Duncan sighed, feeling mentally exhausted by the earnestness of this simpleton, and began pointing to the words on the paper, reading each aloud for Alice, ¡°Advising citizens, reduce outings¨Cthe content below is telling the residents of Frost to stay away from the coastal areas, reduce gatherings on public roads, be prepared to cooperate with law enforcement officers or guardians for inspections, and that the curfew level has been raised. Now, apart from church personnel and those holding special industry night passes, no one may leave their homes at night.¡±


    Alice, curious, moved beside Duncan to sit near him, leaning in to look at the paper while following his finger with her head. After going through it once, she looked up inquisitively, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means the pressure from Terrian is effective,¡± Duncan stated flatly. ¡°Unless something unexpected occurs, Frost¡¯s external traffic will be locked down, which frees us from worrying about the pollution spreading from this City-State. The hidden cultists of Oblivion within will also be unable to communicate with the outside. Furthermore, my ¡®anonymous tip¡¯ seems to have stirred the church; more strict curfews and traffic bans mean a tighter heretic hunt¨Cmore Oblivion cultists will slip up.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ does that solve the issue?¡± Alice¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Will all the bad people be caught?¡±


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    ¡°As if it would be that easy,¡± Duncan shrugged. ¡°Catching a few cultists is just the start. But as more and more are apprehended, the way they construct their connections to the Deep Sea might be revealed. Only then can we consider the problem truly dug out.¡±


    While speaking, he folded the newspaper neatly and placed it aside.


    He had skimmed through the rest of the content, and there was nothing else of interest on it.


    ¡°So¡­ what do we do now?¡± Alice asked from the side.


    ¡°Now that the Frost authorities are occupied, we¡¯ll also take a stroll,¡± Duncan stood up and looked towards the dining area. ¡°After we finish eating, we¡¯ll head out¨Cwe have a ¡®contact¡¯ under Terrian to greet.¡±

 Chapter 348 - Chapter 348 Chapter 352 Informant and the Underground

    Chapter 348: Chapter 352: Informant, and the Underground Waterways Chapter 348: Chapter 352: Informant, and the Underground Waterways After two consecutive days of snowfall, the brief clearing of the skies seemed to dispel the gloom that had hung over the City-State, and Frost awoke once again as usual¨Csnow removal vehicles and snow-melting equipment began to clear the main roads of snow accumulation, while the old high-pressure gas pipelines and electrical systems withstood the test once more, and factories and public transportation systems also started up again.


    The sounds of various vehicles and machinery gradually swelled with the sunrise.


    Yet beneath this slowly awakening facade, a strange and tense atmosphere was spreading throughout the city¨Ceven ordinary people in town were starting to notice this shift in the air.


    It began with news from the newspapers: emergency regulatory notices issued by the city hall gave those sensitive to news a sniff of uneasy air, followed by all kinds of rumors emanating from the coastal districts about the Mist Fleet spotted near the City-State, and then, a mix of true and false news began to spread through the streets and alleys.


    The frequent deployment of the City-State¡¯s security forces, the assembly of graveyard guards around several graveyards, and the shocking news from certain districts¨Ccoupled with the bizarre stories about the ¡°return of the dead¡± that had been circulating in town since a month ago¨Call these unsettling elements seemed to have suddenly come together, quietly spreading through the city.


    Above the Endless Sea, the City-State was like a crowded pigeon coop, cities separated by vast seas, but people could hear each other across a short distance, nothing was more difficult than passing messages between City-States, yet nothing could be simpler than spreading news within one.


    But even so, life had to go on, unsettling news merely circulated in the streets, yet the citizens still went about their business as usual, at most chatting briefly about the city¡¯s strange atmosphere when squeezing onto the bus or meeting in taverns¨Csuch minor pressures were not enough to disrupt the operation of a City-State.


    After all, people who lived in this world were already accustomed to the shadows in their lives, to them, it was normal for bizarre and strange things to happen in the city, the destructive activities of Heretics and occasional night creatures were all part of everyday life¨Ca city that remained peaceful and serene after dark would be abnormal to them.


    At the junction of Cemetery Four and Oak Street, a small tavern named ¡°Golden Flute¡± was gradually getting lively.


    Citizens heading to factories from the neighborhood in the morning would often pass by this intersection, and ¡°Golden Flute,¡± as a cheap tavern catering to the public, was the perfect place to stop before going to work¨Cit not only served beverages but also offered decent coffee and simple breakfasts, excellent for filling the stomach and warding off the cold, and chatting with others here during breakfast was a bit of recreation before the beginning of a tense and busy day.


    The tavern¡¯s host bustled between several round tables, the bartender behind the bar attended to guests, warm yellow light poured down from the ceiling, dispelling the winter chill, and a middle-aged man with a lean face and straw-yellow hair sat not far behind the bar, casually flipping through a newspaper while keeping an eye on the situation in the shop with his peripheral vision.


    The shop was somewhat noisy, occasionally interspersed with rough jokes and unabashed swear words¨Cmost of those who came to dine were not so-called ¡°upper-class citizens,¡± but rather ordinary people who commuted from the Lower City District to the industrial belt, gathering here to discuss events in the Lower City District or the factory area, or to comment on the City-State¡¯s recent changes during a brief breakfast.


    Their opinions were mostly trivial and boring, and no one would pay attention to these people¡¯s views on the city.


    As long as they didn¡¯t fight in the shop, everything was fine.


    The middle-aged tavern owner with straw-yellow hair turned the newspaper to the next page, yawning a bit with boredom.


    Then, he felt that the surroundings had quieted down slightly¨Csoon after, something seemed to block the light coming from above.


    The owner looked up, and saw a towering figure standing in front of him.


    The other party was dressed in a pitch-black coat that reminded one of the nightfall descending, its high collar obscuring much of the face, while the wide-brimmed hat pressed down like a dark cloud, shielding any probing eyes from the outside world, and in the gaps visible between the clothing, there were only layers upon layers of bandages.


    An imposing gaze hid in the shadows of the low-pressed hat.


    A pressure that was difficult to ignore just from the visual sight hit him head-on, and the middle-aged owner with straw-yellow hair almost immediately felt his heart skip a beat, panic involuntarily surfacing in his eyes, his first instinct was to mistake the other for a cleric of the death cult¨Cbecause those devout officials were most fond of such ¡°bandage attire¡± that was slightly excessive for ordinary people, but then he realized that this black-clothed person did not wear the church¡¯s triangular emblem, nor carried the guard¡¯s standard-issue staff.


    After a moment of frantic confusion, the middle-aged owner forcefully calmed himself, he saw behind the towering figure three more persons, one was a tall young lady, another seemed to be a kindly looking old man, and the last was a veiled, aristocratic and mysterious blonde woman, his thoughts quickly churning.


    The ¡°guest¡± who came specifically for me looked anything but benevolent in their attire, the heavy aura faintly exuded even made it hard for me to breathe¡­ Could they be secret security officers from the central city district? Or people sent by other powers from the Chill Sea? Why are they looking for me? Threats, recruitment, or¡­ do they have a request?


    He set aside the newspaper in his hand and stood up calmly, looking up at the man in black, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Nemo Wilkins,¡± Duncan noticed the panic and nervousness in the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes, obviously due to his own imposing manner, but it was intentional¨C he was observing the man¡¯s reaction, which could reveal his most genuine emotional changes and help determine whether someone had been affected by cognitive interference or memory modification, ¡°Is that your name?¡±


    ¡°Everyone here knows my name,¡± Nemo Wilkins nodded, meanwhile, gesturing gently to the clerk not far away, ¡°Are you looking for me? But I¡¯m just an honest businessman¡­¡±


    ¡°The fog on the sea has been frequent recently, and the wind is very cold,¡± Duncan said slowly, while reaching into his chest to pull out the map of the City-State prepared by Tyrion himself, ¡°We need a good warming drink¨C one that could even warm the dead¡¯s heart.¡±


    At the moment he heard ¡°the fog on the sea has been frequent, and the wind is very cold,¡± Nemo¡¯s breathing changed ever so slightly, and then his gaze fell upon the map of the City-State.


    The ¡°store manager¡± concealed all emotional and visual changes extremely well, in fact, apart from that momentary change in breathing and heartbeat, there was no sign of anything unusual on the surface, but even such subtle responses had not escaped Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It seems we¡¯ve found him,¡± Fenna said softly.


    Duncan nodded slightly, folding the map and putting it away, ¡°Is there space on the second floor?¡±


    ¡°The upstairs is full,¡± Nemo shook his head, ¡°Follow me.¡±


    With that, he walked out from behind the counter and led the uninvited guests toward a door next to the stairs.


    The tavern was still filled with noisy voices, and even if someone noticed the commotion at the counter, no one paid much attention to what was actually happening.


    Duncan and his company followed behind Nemo Wilkins, passing through the slightly small wooden door into a corridor that appeared to lead to the storeroom behind the shop. They then turned into another door midway through the corridor, descending a sloping ramp for a considerable distance¨C until they felt they had left the range of the surface tavern far behind, and they stopped before a dark wooden door.


    ¡°This place is really deep,¡± Maurice couldn¡¯t help but mutter.


    ¡°Caution doesn¡¯t hurt, this city does not welcome those associated with the Mist Fleet,¡± Nemo Wilkins said while walking towards the door, ¡°Enemies are everywhere¨C even if half a century has passed.¡±


    ¡°How did you dig out such a place under the watchful eyes of the City-State authorities?¡± Fenna¡¯s point of interest differed from the others, as a Judge, she was more concerned with a ¡°gray intermediary¡¯s¡± skills in hiding within the City-State, ¡°How do you get rid of the stones and earth when digging such a long tunnel beneath a tavern? And how do you hide the noise of the digging?¡±


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    Nemo Wilkins turned his head slightly, glancing at the exceptionally tall, white-haired lady, his tone tinged with amusement, ¡°It¡¯s simple¨C no need to dig, this is part of the underground waterways of Frost.¡±


    As his words trailed off, the dark door was opened, and with creaking sounds, the glow of gas lamps shone into Duncan and his companions¡¯ eyes.


    Along with it, there was the faint sound of flowing water coming from some unknown place.


    Duncan looked past the door and saw a surprisingly spacious ¡°hall,¡± which seemed to be an ancient crossroads of sewers. In the distance, corridors stretched into the dark; there were tables, beds, and shelving arranged in the corners of the hall, which looked as though it could be lived in.


    It could even accommodate quite a number of people.

 Chapter 349 - Chapter 349 Chapter 353 The Second Waterway

    Chapter 349: Chapter 353: The Second Waterway Chapter 349: Chapter 353: The Second Waterway ¡°This is a safe place, at least it has been for the past fifty years. The Frost authorities have never known that such a secret lies beneath their feet,¡± Nemo Wilkins walked into the deeply buried hideout and, turning around to Duncan and the others who had followed him in, said with palpable pride, ¡°These ancient sewers crisscross each other. Most areas have been abandoned and are consequently dry and safe. There are also some side passages leading to the upper pipe system, but all the connections are secure. Even if one or two were discovered, City Hall couldn¡¯t search the entire underground structure¨Cthey simply don¡¯t have the manpower.¡±


    The ¡°tavern keeper¡± spoke, then moved to a nearby concrete wall and turned a valve on one of the pipes. A faint hissing sound came from afar¨Cas a result, more gas lamps lit up, and even those that had been burning continuously shone brighter.


    ¡°In fact, it¡¯s quite impressive that the current Frost City Hall can maintain the basic operations of the city,¡± he turned around, his mouth stretched into a grin on his elongated face, mocking, ¡°What¡¯s hidden in the sewers of half a century ago? Probably only the old craftsmen who once swore loyalty to the Frost Queen could explain clearly.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are these facilities leftovers from the Queen¡¯s era?!¡± Fenna immediately guessed the truth from the other¡¯s words, her eyes widening in surprise, ¡°These underground waterways¡­how did you manage to hide them?¡±


    Nemo shrugged his shoulders: ¡°I didn¡¯t experience the chaos of half a century ago, but my grandfather nagged me about it my whole life¨Che told me that the Frost Queen once built a vast underground structure for the entire City-State, originally to cope with land pressure and to lay the foundation for the City-State¡¯s long-term development. These structures included underground waterways, power pipelines, electrical networks, and a complete transportation system that were ahead of the world at the time. And the ¡®sewer¡¯ you see before you is the deepest of them all¨Cstrictly speaking, it should have been named ¡®Secondary Waterway¡¯ because above it is another, the ¡®Primary Waterway¡¯ which is currently in use by Frost.


    ¡°After the big rebellion, the City-State did not fall immediately¨Cin spite of the rebels later proclaiming that they ¡®disintegrated the mad queen¡¯s last guards in a very short time.¡¯ In reality, the battle continued for a full seventy-two hours after the Queen¡¯s Palace, now the city center, was captured. The loyalists in the city moved from above ground to below, fighting everywhere within the intricate subway stations and the network of power pipelines.


    ¡°As the rebels stormed the city center, proclaiming victory, newspapers were publishing news of the regime change, and the citizens were anxiously hiding in their homes. Subway stations were sealed, people lay on the ground near manholes, listening to various unsettling sounds coming from deep below.


    ¡°All this continued until the day of the execution¨Cthe rumbling of the cliff collapse shook the entire city, finally putting an end to the last resistance underground.


    ¡°After that, the Queen¡¯s Guard blew up all the vertical shafts leading to the Secondary Waterway and shut the gates connecting it to the Primary Waterway. Coupled with subsequent minor conflicts and man-made collapses, eventually the entire Secondary Waterway was completely separated from the upper level.¡±


    Nemo Wilkins spoke, raising his head to glance at the heavy dome above him, his gaze as if trying to penetrate through the steel, concrete, and stone layers, surveying the bustling streets above the City-State.


    ¡°In fact, the new government established by the rebels was not entirely ignorant of this sewer¨Cthey knew about the existence of Frost¡¯s underground world. But what did that matter? They just knew it existed.


    ¡°The cliff had collapsed, the city was severely damaged, and it took Frost decades to recover its Vital Energy after the civil war, with Fyrgold becoming the city¡¯s only remaining economic pillar. Once the premier City-State of Chill Sea, now only its past glory remains in history books, and to this day, the city still relies on the piping system left by the Queen.


    ¡°In such circumstances, who would have the capacity to search the enormous maze underneath the City-State? The cost of reopening vertical shafts and organizing the Secondary Waterway is unacceptable to the new government¨Cand for Frost, post-war and reduced in both population and city size, having the upper ¡®Primary Waterway¡¯ is already sufficient.¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s sufficient, they make do with it,¡± Fenna suddenly recalled something Morris had said not long ago and murmured subconsciously.


    ¡°Exactly, they make do with what¡¯s sufficient. This city is already battered and can no longer afford another upheaval,¡± Nemo said with a smile, ¡°Besides, for such a large city, even if there¡¯s a bit of ¡®moss¡¯ hiding in the depths of the sewer, it¡¯s no big deal. Heretical cults, dark creatures, night shadows, lost and out-of-control anomalies¨Cthere is plenty hidden in the gutters, each more deserving of concern from the authorities and the church than us.¡±


    Duncan had been mostly silent, just quietly listening to the ¡°informant¡¯s¡± ramblings, when he suddenly asked, ¡°Such a vast underground facility, and I see there¡¯s even gas and electricity supplied here¨Cit can¡¯t be maintained by just you, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Nemo Wilkins laughed, ¡°We do have a few hands, scattered throughout the city, even within certain departments of City Hall. Most of them are descendants of the Queen¡¯s Guard, like myself, and others have been tested and confirmed loyal and reliable by General Tirian¨Cthough they aren¡¯t fit for showing their faces.¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±¡­Tirian said he has some ¡®informants¡¯ in Frost, he¡¯s really modest,¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but shake his head, ¡°That boy actually buried such a vast network of power in Frost¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Duncan¡¯s reference to Tirian, Nemo¡¯s face visibly tensed for a moment, but he said nothing.


    While the group conversed, Morris remained keenly observing the underground world. His gaze swept across the towering dome, the abandoned pipes crisscrossing from above, and the valves and branch pipes on the nearby walls that clearly were later installations. After a while, he suddenly asked, ¡°Do you still control the entire Second Water Path?¡±


    ¡°Strictly speaking, just a small part,¡± Nemo shook his head regretfully, ¡°Although I would love to say that the entire underground kingdom is under our control, our manpower is limited after all, and the scale of the Second Water Path is beyond imagination¨Ccurrently, only about one-fifth of the abandoned sewers are under our control. The rest are either closed off and abandoned due to collapses, covered with toxic wastewater, or eroded by dangerous forces and hard to enter.¡±


    ¡°Dangerous forces eroded?¡± Fenna immediately frowned, her occupational instincts kicking in.


    ¡°Sometimes, illegal Transcendents being chased end up in the sewers, dying down here and causing widespread contamination. But more often, it is the darkness itself that breeds monsters,¡± Nemo explained, ¡°After all, this is a massive underground world. The gas we sneak from the surface vents is not enough to maintain the lighting throughout the Second Water Path. And when the light is insufficient¡­ some areas plunge into darkness, and then, they are forever dark.¡±


    Fenna stared, momentarily at a loss for words, feeling somewhat suffocated.


    Coming from the prosperous City-State of Prand, and being a protector of the City-State¡¯s order, she found it hard to imagine that a city would allow such things to happen¨Cthat vast underground facilities would be left in the dark for extended periods, even beginning to breed shadows, uncleanable. Was that even possible?


    However, the reality before her confirmed that it was indeed possible, and the Frostfolk had been living this way for half a century, apparently without any major incidents occurring.


    ¡°One cannot rule out the occasional unlucky soul who strays underground and vanishes, or that the mortality rate of the city guards at night exceeds that of other city-states, but everyone is used to it.¡±


    Nemo clearly noticed the astonishment on Fenna¡¯s face; he had already deduced that those before him were ¡°foreigners¡± and knew what they were marveling at.


    ¡°Clearing a few dangerous sections of the First Water Path and the subway branch lines every few years, pouring in incense and holy bone ash every now and then, increasing the bereavement pay for the fallen guards a little, and having the gatekeepers make a few extra rounds usually keeps most ordinary people living fairly well¡­ This is actually considered a good situation.¡±


    Speaking of this, the ¡°bar owner¡± paused and turned with a smile, ¡°Believe me, most city-states are actually not much better, and have not been through the ages.¡±


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    Duncan and the others exchanged glances, unsure what to say. After a brief and awkward silence, it was Fenna who first spoke up¨Cshe looked towards Morris and asked, ¡°What is your assessment?¡±


    ¡°There are no signs of cognitive interference, thoughts and memories seem to be clear.¡±


    Morris answered Fenna¡¯s question, but his gaze remained fixed on Nemo Wilkins. Beneath the old scholar¡¯s eyes, a faint silvery light was gradually fading.


    Nemo blinked, a puzzled look on his face, ¡°What are you¡­ talking about?¡±


    Duncan shifted his gaze, quietly observing the other man, ¡°Mr. Nemo, congratulations, you have not been affected by cognitive interference.¡±

 Chapter 350 - Chapter 350 Chapter 354 Infiltrators

    Chapter 350: Chapter 354 Infiltrators Chapter 350: Chapter 354 Infiltrators Nemo Wilkins suddenly felt a slight dizziness, as if some invisible force had brushed across his mind, or as if he had abruptly awakened from a bizarre, light sleep. In the belated alertness, he suddenly lifted his head, looking toward the always genial, seemingly harmless old gentleman with a trace of tension and vigilance.


    Moris returned a friendly and polite smile to this ¡°thread informant.¡±


    However, Nemo abruptly broke into a cold sweat; it was only now that he remembered, since entering the secret passage, the old man¡¯s gaze had almost constantly lingered on him, a force as if scouring his mind, rifling through his memories, enshrouding his very thoughts. He had been unconsciously answering every question posed by these unwelcome guests, almost even exposing the situation of other contact points within the City-State!


    Even if these uninvited guests held Captain Tirian¡¯s token, knew the secret signals, he should not have been so careless! After all, these people had appeared out of nowhere today; according to the rules, he should have probed them more!


    The rapid change of expression on the ¡°thread informant¡±¡®s face certainly didn¡¯t escape Fenna¡¯s eyes. She stepped forward, her expression solemn yet sincere, ¡°Mr. Wilkins, relax a bit, we are not enemies¨Cwe carry tokens and passwords that indeed come from Mr. Tirian, but due to necessary safety measures, we had to conduct some tests on you.¡±


    ¡°Tests¡­ what kinds of tests?¡± Nemo looked at the people before him with wariness, ¡°What¡­ exactly is your origin?¡±


    ¡°Simply put, we suspect that a cognitive pollution phenomenon, with an extremely large coverage area, has begun to spread in the City-State. This pollution causes people to unconsciously develop false memories, lose accurate recognition of the real world, and even unknowingly become accomplices to Heretics. We couldn¡¯t be sure whether the line people Mr. Tirian left in the city were still reliable, so we had to conduct tests,¡± explained Fenna seriously, then swiftly changed the topic, ¡°As for our origins¡­ didn¡¯t you receive a message from Mr. Tirian?¡±


    ¡°The captain didn¡¯t explain in detail; he just said they were a few trustworthy people,¡± Nemo cautiously replied, ¡°Forgive my doubts¨Che wouldn¡¯t arrange something this baffling usually.¡±


    Moris thought for a moment, then understanding dawned on him, and he looked toward Duncan, ¡°Oh, perhaps it¡¯s because he didn¡¯t have your explicit permission, he didn¡¯t dare reveal our identities.¡±


    Permission? Captain Tirian didn¡¯t dare to reveal identities?


    Listening to Moris¡¯ words, Nemo¡¯s expression became strangely awkward in an instant; he subconsciously looked toward the bizarre man swathed in bandages and black clothing, clearly wanting to ask something but unsure where to begin.


    Duncan, for his part, didn¡¯t think too much about it and simply nodded lightly, ¡°Since we¡¯ve confirmed that this ¡®line person¡¯ gentleman is problem-free, there¡¯s no need to conceal anything.¡±


    With that, he gazed at Nemo and pointed to himself, ¡°I am Tirian¡¯s father.¡±


    The man known as Nemo Wilkins, a Mist Shadow Agent, froze for a few seconds, then something seemed to snap in his mind, his eyes suddenly bulged, ¡°Do not insult the captain!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    The atmosphere on the scene turned a bit awkward for a moment, Fenna and Moris couldn¡¯t help but press their hands to their foreheads, only Alice looked around confused, not quite catching on, and said to the ¡®line person¡¯ gentleman with earnest, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Nemo clearly still wanted to speak, but this time before he could even open his mouth, Moris suddenly stepped forward and patted his shoulder, ¡°Young man, think carefully before you speak¨C¡®Iron Marshal¡¯ Tirian had a father, too.¡±


    At this point, Nemo Wilkins suddenly became alert to the subtle atmosphere and, from the recent conversation, realized the implications. Following that, he recalled the ancient legends about the Ebunomal Family, about Captain Tirian¡¯s lost family, about Homeloss, about that soul wandering Subspace¨Cwhen he looked up at Duncan again, his eyes were evidently disturbed.


    ¡°I have returned from Subspace,¡± Duncan said, looking at him, his voice calm, ¡°to help Tirian with some trouble.¡±


    Nemo thought for a moment, rolled his eyes, and fell backward.


    Fortunately, Fenna seemed prepared. She caught the ¡®line person¡¯ by the arm before he could fall and quickly pulled out an entire bottle of revival oil. With a flick, she popped the stopper and promptly poured it directly into Nemo¡¯s nostrils.


    The ¡®line person¡¯ gentleman practically leaped straight up.


    ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­ Achoo! Achoo!¡± Nemo was completely awake now, his nostrils reeking of strong medicated balm. It took several sneezes right on the spot before he could finally catch his breath, lifting his head with tears and a runny nose, he stammered with a nervous face, ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¨CI forgot ordinary people are not as robust as the guards,¡± Fenna said somewhat embarrassedly as she stowed away the glass bottle in her hand, ¡°but don¡¯t worry, this substance is harmless to the body.¡±


    Nemo took out a handkerchief from his pocket and steadily wiped the tears and snot off his face as his gaze, filled with fear and hesitation, turned towards Duncan, ¡°Is it¡­ really you? Then¡­ what can I do for¡­ for you?¡±


    ¡°You are currently serving me,¡± Duncan said, gesturing with his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous, just tell me more about the Frost City-State.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ alright,¡± Nemo nodded repeatedly, then let out several sneezes before he calmed down, ¡°What else would you like to ask?¡±


    ¡°Are you maintaining contact with other informants in the city?¡± Duncan inquired, ¡°How do you usually communicate? Do you meet in this sewer system, or do you use more covert channels?¡±


    ¡°We rarely gather,¡± Nemo said while rubbing his nose, ¡°mainly for safety considerations¨Cafter all, many of our members have close connections to the Upper City District, and they need to be more concealed. In most cases, we exchange information through various secretive means, such as secret codes in newspapers, specific rendezvous points, or relying on some ¡®Couriers¡¯ for one-way contact.


    ¡°In fact, even we don¡¯t know how many ¡®our own¡¯ are in the city; most informants only recognize their immediate superiors or a few ¡®compatriots¡¯ in the same area, and the complete list is only held by Captain Tirian and Mister Aiden. I am the ¡®liaison¡¯ for my level, holding a slightly more extensive list of names, but it does not exceed ten people¡­¡±


    Listening to Nemo¡¯s narrative, Fenna couldn¡¯t help but nod slightly, ¡°A very cautious and effective form of infiltration; most heretics dealing with the guards aren¡¯t this professional.¡±


    ¡°After all, it¡¯s half a century of Tirian¡¯s management,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, then looked back at Nemo, ¡°Are you the only one stationed at this contact point?¡±


    ¡°There are two others,¡± Nemo nodded, ¡°One with the nickname ¡®Crow¡¯. He should be patrolling the nearby passages at this time, and an old man. He spends most of his time in the abandoned control room of the pipes¨Ceven I don¡¯t know his real name; we all call him ¡®Old Ghost¡¯.¡±


    Duncan exchanged glances with Fenna and Morris.


    Nemo Wilkins didn¡¯t seem affected by cognitive interference, but others who had contact with him might not be as fortunate.


    ¡°We should also say hello,¡± Duncan said with a nod, ¡°Where is the control room?¡±


    ¡°Just over here,¡± Nemo said, pointing to the right of the fork in the road ahead as he spoke, ¡°It used to be a temporary resting spot for the second waterway maintenance crew. I¡¯ll show you the way.¡±


    The informant stepped forward, and as they walked, he began to describe the situation of the ¡°Old Ghost¡± to Duncan and the others.


    ¡°¡­ He¡¯s over seventy years old now, nearly the oldest among us. My grandfather once worked with him, back in the era of the Queen¡­


    ¡°Old Ghost¡¯s mind isn¡¯t very sharp, but he never makes a mistake regarding issues of the gas pipelines and the various connections of the second waterway. The extra gas pipelines we have here were installed under his direction¨Che secretly tapped a branch line from the main pipeline in the upper level while ensuring safety and without being detected; not just any regular person could do that job¡­


    ¡°Old Ghost rarely goes above ground, spending most of his time down here. Sometimes, when he has had a drink, he¡¯ll boast about the old days. He says he was an engineer for the second waterway decades ago and that the Queen herself even awarded him a medal¨Cbut honestly, I don¡¯t believe much of what he says. I¡¯ve seen his medal; it¡¯s just an iron slab with nothing on it, obviously picked up from some junkyard¡­


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    ¡°Sigh, he most likely inhaled too much toxic gas when they retreated to the second waterway that time¨CI¡¯ve told you, haven¡¯t I? Fifty years ago, when the Queen¡¯s Guard made their last retreat, they sealed off the second waterway. At that time, the shafts collapsed, and part of the poisonous gas drifted down from the upper levels. Some artisans loyal to the Queen ran to seal the leak, and Old Ghost was likely one of them. They say he¡¯s been a bit off in the head ever since.¡±


    ¡°If he suddenly starts ranting about the Queen when we meet, please don¡¯t take offense¡­ It¡¯s not intentional.¡±


    Accompanied by Nemo Wilkins¡¯s incessant chatter, Duncan and the others quickly bypassed the fork in the road and arrived at a rusty iron door near the sewer junction.


    Nemo stepped forward and knocked on the door, called out to the inside, and then pushed the door open, ¡°Old Ghost, you¡¯ve got visitors.¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than a hoarse but loud voice came from inside¨C


    ¡°Ah, has the Queen come for an inspection!?¡±

 Chapter 351 - Chapter 351 Chapter 355 Disturbance in the Depths of the

    Chapter 351: Chapter 355: Disturbance in the Depths of the Abandoned Waterway Chapter 351: Chapter 355: Disturbance in the Depths of the Abandoned Waterway Accompanied by that old yet resonant voice, Duncan heard a clinking and clanking noise from the cabin, as if someone had hastily risen and bumped into some clutter. Then came footsteps approaching, and a hunched figure with sparse white hair, wearing a dust-coated coat, and a deeply wrinkled face, appeared near the door.


    The man known as ¡°Old Ghost¡± stood in his warden¡¯s hut, bent over, his murky gaze sweeping the outside. It wasn¡¯t clear whether he actually saw the figures standing at the door before he hurriedly lowered his head and mumbled, ¡°The Queen is here for inspection¡­ I haven¡¯t even prepared¡­ The assistants are becoming less and less reliable, and those messengers too¡­¡±


    ¡°Old Ghost!¡± Nemo had to interrupt the old man¡¯s ramblings with a loud shout, ¡°The Queen isn¡¯t here! The Queen isn¡¯t coming back! There are guests today¨Ca distinguished guest arranged by Captain Tyrian, so stop mumbling. They are here to see you.¡±


    While speaking, Nemo turned to Duncan with an apologetic expression on his face, ¡°Sorry¨Cas you see, he¡¯s a bit neurotic and often suddenly recalls things from decades ago. But don¡¯t be fooled; whenever it comes to pipes and valves, he instantly becomes lucid.¡±


    ¡°Lucid? I¡¯m lucid right now!¡± While they were talking, ¡°Old Ghost¡± suddenly shifted his eyes, as if he had come to a realization. He looked at Duncan and the others, muttering under his breath, ¡°Guests, to think that unfamiliar faces could enter here¡­ Did you check for tokens, and the passphrase?¡±


    ¡°Checked, of course, everything has been checked,¡± Nemo swiftly replied, carefully glancing at Duncan, ¡°These are all distinguished guests; just pretend¡­just pretend Captain Tyrian is here in person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then come in, although there isn¡¯t much to see here,¡± the Old Ghost muttered, making way to one side, ¡°Just some antiquated trinkets, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Fenna turned her head towards Morris, whose gaze remained fixed on the ¡°Old Ghost.¡±


    A moment later, Morris shook his head, his voice low, ¡°It¡¯s hard to judge¨Chis mental state isn¡¯t stable, and his memory is intermittent.¡±


    Duncan heard Morris¡¯s quiet report and maintained his expression, merely following behind the rambling old man as he stepped into the rest room of this derelict warden¡¯s cabin.


    The rest room was not large, lit brightly by a gas lamp. Just as expected, it was filled with various items. Besides the bed in the corner, one could see shelves nearly bent out of shape and boxes on the ground, stuffed full with all sorts of mechanical parts, spare valve kits, and work tools.


    Even a skilled acrobat coming here would end up disabled leaving.


    ¡°Such a mess,¡± Alice couldn¡¯t help but whisper under her breath as she looked at the chaotic scene in the room, ¡°I really want to clean up¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, a thousand apologies!¡± the Old Ghost, who had been moving around a pile of clutter, immediately turned around and bowed, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ve neglected management recently, and this place is a bit chaotic¡­¡±


    Alice was taken aback, ¡°Ah?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes also shifted slightly, but as he looked at the Old Ghost, about to say something, the old man suddenly seemed befuddled again, standing up while muttering to himself, ¡°Strange, where did I put my water jug¡­ How can guests arrive without even having water to drink¡­¡±


    Duncan and the others exchanged glances.


    ¡°No need to look for your water jug, the guests just want to ask you about the situation,¡± Nemo spoke up, ¡°about the current state of the second waterway, as well as your own condition. They¡¯re here to investigate.¡±


    ¡°Investigation?¡± the Old Ghost immediately stopped, turning around with a particularly serious expression, ¡°Does General Tyrian still need to investigate his own troops? Has there been a traitor? Is it in our district or the central city area? I did feel that they¡¯ve been acting oddly recently¡­¡±


    ¡°No traitors, but there may be infiltrators under threat from some kind of Transcendent contamination,¡± Fenna stepped forward, nearly tripping over the clutter on the ground¨Cthis chaotic little cabin was quite a challenge for her height of one meter ninety, ¡°Have you been in contact with people from other districts recently? Has anyone behaved abnormally?¡±


    ¡°Abnormal? It hasn¡¯t gone that far, but the liaison from the central city area recently keeps saying there are gurgling noises in their abandoned pipelines, as if someone wants to activate the second waterway,¡± the Old Ghost waved his hand dismissively, ¡°As for the condition of the second waterway, as you¡¯ve seen, the things built during the Queen¡¯s time are sturdy, but after being abandoned for so many years, there are many areas beneath that are inaccessible, and sometimes the underground river seeps into the rock crevices, bringing some strange noises, which is quite normal¡­¡±


    The old man¡¯s words would occasionally become sidetracked, and Duncan had no choice but to forcefully bring the conversation back on track, ¡°The Central City District you spoke of¡­ Is that the area where the Boiling Gold Mine is located?¡±


    ¡°Boiling Gold? Ah, yes, Boiling Gold, it¡¯s all there¨Cthe cathedral is there, the Queen¡¯s Palace is there, the mine is there, and that mine is incredibly deep, hundreds of meters deep,¡± the old soldier sat down on his bed, speaking and then suddenly slapped his leg, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, it must be noises coming from a level in the mine, the second aqueduct is quite close to it¡­ I was saying, the liaison there is too on edge, babbling on and on¡­¡±


    The old man began to mumble to himself again, but this time Duncan didn¡¯t interrupt him¨Che had sunk into thought.


    He recalled his initial arrival in Frost, remembered the first body he used here¨Can worker who had accidentally fallen to his death in the Boiling Gold Mine, falling to the very bottom level, only for the searchers to bring up a counterfeit made of ¡°Prime Element.¡±


    Now, the old soldier was mentioning a ¡°liaison¡± hidden in the Central City District had heard strange noises coming from the pipes of the second aqueduct, sounds that seemed like something was surging inside¨Cthe second aqueduct of the Central City District was very close to a certain level of the Boiling Gold Mine.


    Considering that both were relics from the Queen¡¯s era half a century ago, Duncan even suspected that their relationship wasn¡¯t simply ¡°very close.¡±


    Perhaps those pipes were interconnected!


    He quickly noted down this clue, then asked, ¡°Is there a way to go directly from here to the underground of the Central City District? How do you normally meet with the liaison?¡±


    ¡°From here? That won¡¯t work, there¡¯s a completely dark path in between that¡¯s been contaminated, and the other paths have collapsed. You have to go overground, but now the overground is crawling with rebel minions, you have to be very careful¡­¡± The old soldier rambled on, but then he suddenly screamed out, ¡°Queen¡¯s Guard! The rebels are here, blow up the shaft!¡±


    The old man suddenly stood up from the bed, looking around anxiously as if the rebels would attack this place in the next second, but then he stopped, his gaze falling on Alice.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve made a mistake, the Queen is safe and sound¡­¡±


    Alice was immediately a bit flustered and hurriedly waved her hands, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not the Queen¡­¡±


    Duncan looked gravely at the old man who was standing next to the bed, but the latter seemed disoriented, only after a few seconds did he look at Alice with a somewhat vacant expression, ¡°Miss, who are you?¡±


    ¡°The old ghost has really gone senile¨Cnot just because of the drug smoke from back in the days, it¡¯s your eyesight that¡¯s failing, too!¡± Just then, Nemo¡¯s voice abruptly rang out, interrupting this bizarre moment. The informer Mr. Nemo nodded apologetically at Duncan, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Although the old ghost tends to ramble, he seems particularly worse today. He might just be too excited having seen outsiders for the first time in a while, and it¡¯s made him jumble up old memories.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay.¡± Duncan said indifferently, his gaze slowly retracting from the old man.


    He wasn¡¯t particularly concerned whether the old man had really seen a trace of the Frost Queen in Alice disguised beneath her facade¨CWas it a brief moment of lucidity in his muddled mind? Had he seen through the disguise? Or was it just a simple memory confusion? None of these mattered.


    If this crazed old man had truly caught a glimpse of the Frost Queen¡¯s phantom in Alice, and it brought him a moment¡¯s peace, then that was a good thing.


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    And just then, as if suddenly remembering something, Nemo frowned, ¡°Strange, why hasn¡¯t Crow returned by now?¡±


    ¡°Crow? He went to check the northern corridor,¡± the old soldier waved his hand casually, ¡°That guy is a slowpoke, he¡¯s never returned without wandering around for a long time first.¡±


    But Nemo¡¯s furrowed brows did not relax at all, ¡°¡­That¡¯s not right, even if he dawdles, he should have returned by now. The lights there are often faulty, his lantern couldn¡¯t last this long¡­ Old ghost, when did he leave?¡±


    ¡°Two or three hours?¡± The old soldier thought for a moment and seemed to become more serious, ¡°Now that you mention it, it does seem he has been away for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a bad feeling, Crow has been in the waterways for too long,¡± Nemo said with a newly serious tone, and looked up at Duncan and the others, ¡°I need to go look for him.¡±

 Chapter 352 - Chapter 352 Chapter 356 A Record

    Chapter 352: Chapter 356 A Record Chapter 352: Chapter 356 A Record The personnel who were supposed to have finished their patrol and returned to the base had not come back, making Nemo feel uneasy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together,¡± Duncan offered proactively, seeing the situation. He too was keen to explore the abandoned and mysterious ¡°Second Waterway¡± to see if there were any secrets hidden within the ancient legacy left by the Frost Queen, ¡°the more, the merrier.¡±


    Nemo looked in surprise at the burly ¡°Legendary Captain¡± standing before him, who occasionally exerted an intense pressure.


    To be honest, even now, he still felt a sense of surreal haziness¨Cthe legendary ¡°Captain Duncan¡± had returned from the Subspace, he had indeed heard about it, especially since the Sea Mist had recently made a special trip because of it. But having Captain Duncan right in front of him was another level of horror, akin to speaking to one¡¯s deceased grandfather in the graveyard, a revelation so shocking it could rouse the old man from his coffin to silence him¨Cyet it had truly happened.


    However, after briefly interacting, he found that ¡°Captain Duncan¡± wasn¡¯t as terrifying as the legends suggested.


    He was rational, capable of conversation, polite to others¨Cand even had several ¡°assistants¡± following him, none of whom looked like puppets controlled by some evil magic.


    Now, he even voluntarily offered to help.


    This momentarily overwhelmed Nemo, but he quickly nodded in agreement¨Cinstead of analyzing what mood his boss¡¯s father might be in, the delayed return of Crow was an urgent matter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come too,¡± Old Ghost¡¯s voice also came through now. The old man approached a nearby storage rack and rummaged through a pile of ¡°junk¡± to find a safety oil lamp that could be hung on his chest and a crowbar, then picked up a rope from another shelf, slung it over his shoulder, and walked towards the door, ¡°No one knows these paths below better than I do¨Cif that lad really got lost at some junction, you¡¯ll need the wisdom of an old man.¡±


    Clearly, this sometimes-foolish, sometimes-clear-minded old man was in a good state now.


    Duncan said nothing but signaled Nemo to lead the way. Thus, the group left the caretaker¡¯s cabin, passed the spacious ¡°crossroads¡± they had come through earlier, and started down a sewer branch that extended north in search of Nemo¡¯s long-overdue subordinate.


    As they moved beyond the crossroads and delved deeper into the ¡°Second Waterway,¡± Duncan grew increasingly aware of the sheer magnitude of this project¨Cand of the power the City-State had under the Frost Queen¡¯s reign fifty years ago.


    The sight was imposing: sturdy walls and towering hallways. The so-called ¡°sewer¡± was almost like a grand subterranean palace. Its intricate and interwoven layout was clearly meant for more than just drainage, likely considering military, refuge, and even underground factory building operations. Above the spacious hallways, one could see a tangled network of pipes, many severely corroded, broken, or detached from long disuse, yet still hinting at the grand scale of the initial construction.


    Occasionally on either side of the corridors, one could see the openings of huge pipes and rust-stained grates, with the drainage ditches on both sides long dried up¨Csince the entire underground waterway was used only briefly and had been abandoned for years, there was little more than a stale musty smell, which was not too unpleasant.


    Walking through this incredible underground facility, even the well-travelled Morris couldn¡¯t help but marvel in amazement, yet amid his admiration, the old scholar suddenly harbored some doubts.


    ¡°Even for the future development considerations of the City-State¡­building such a massive underground facility seems a bit exaggerated, doesn¡¯t it?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Plaund¡¯s sewage system is already advanced, but it pales in comparison to this¨Cand moreover, this was built fifty years ago. Did Frost really need such a vast ¡®Second Waterway¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The Queen had her own considerations, and her judgment was always correct,¡± Old Ghost, walking ahead, responded immediately upon hearing Morris¡¯s doubts, ¡°Her Majesty was a natural-born Spiritual Energy wielder. She could see things ordinary people couldn¡¯t, even foreseeing the future of the City-State¨Cher decisions strengthened Frost, and we believe these structures she planned will prove useful.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed suddenly.


    ¡°A natural-born Spiritual Energy wielder?¡± he looked at the old man carrying the rope and crowbar, ¡°Are you saying that the Frost Queen could predict the future to some extent?¡±


    ¡°She said she couldn¡¯t, but we all believed she could¨Chow else can you explain her incredible decisions?¡± the old man turned around, saying with conviction, ¡°It¡¯s definitely true that the Queen had Transcendent senses, everyone from our time knew that.¡±


    Duncan looked at Morris, who had a thoughtful expression and spoke in a lowered voice, ¡°Historical records about the Frost Queen are sparse, as most of the documents were lost or deliberately concealed and altered during that rebellion, but from what I know, there are no records saying ¡®the Queen was a natural-born Spiritual Energy wielder¡¯ or ¡®the Queen had prophetic abilities.¡¯ The documents only mention that she was extremely intelligent and wielded flexible political tactics.¡±


    Duncan listened silently, glancing at Alice obediently following at his side.


    Not at all intelligent, and completely unaware of what political tactics were¨Cshe had not even learned to spell the word.


    Alice noticed the captain¡¯s gaze and immediately turned her head away, her eyes curving into a smile.


    ¡°¡­Records can have their inaccuracies, especially since the rebels would definitely conceal many things. I¡¯m inclined to believe that the Frost Queen did indeed have some peculiar attributes,¡± Duncan retracted his gaze, and as he mentally erased Alice¡¯s silly smile, he casually continued, ¡°It¡¯s just this massive ¡®Second Waterway¡¯¡­ What was her purpose in building such an inconceivable thing?¡±


    No one could answer Duncan¡¯s question, but just then, Fenna suddenly noticed something unusual in the distance.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone lying on the ground over there!¡± she pointed out.


    Everyone followed the direction of her finger and indeed saw a figure in a blue coat lying on the ground.


    The group quickly ran over, and Nemo reached down to turn the body over, revealing a pale face.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s Crow,¡± Nemo¡¯s expression turned extraordinarily grim, and he punched the ground beside him, ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Fenna squatted down beside the already dead young man, seeming to notice something amiss about the corpse. After checking it, she suddenly frowned, ¡°Was he¡­ drowned?¡±


    ¡°¡­Drowned?¡± Morris was shocked and then noticed the corpse¡¯s wet coat and the abnormal swelling and waterlogging of the skin. But looking around, he only saw dry ground nearby¨Cthe only wet trace was under Crow¡¯s body.


    Fenna leaned in closer, examined for a moment, then looked up, ¡°The scent of seawater¨Che was drowned in the sea.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no seawater here, not even the underground rivers nearby have saltwater,¡± Old Ghost joined from behind, and upon seeing the dead Crow, his already deeply wrinkled face twisted even more, ¡°Poor lad, he must have been captured by the rebels, drowned, and then his body dumped here¡­¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s the rebels or not, dumping the body is certainly possible,¡± Morris said seriously, ¡°This clearly isn¡¯t the scene of the crime¡­ Hmm?¡±


    He seemed to suddenly notice something, and reached into Crow¡¯s coat pocket, pulling out a sheet of paper that was completely soaked¨Cpreviously a corner of it was sticking out, drawing his attention.


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    Everyone¡¯s gaze instantly focused on the paper.


    Morris, holding the exceedingly fragile, water-damaged paper, carefully unfolded it.


    There were words on the paper¨Cthough they were badly blurred by the water, they were not completely faded.


    By the extra light from Old Ghost¡¯s oil lamp, Duncan tried to make out the information on it, but the content was puzzling, consisting of several disconnected sentences¨C


    ¡°¡­The forgotten kings¡¯ council was convened again and again, the initial plan was set, most of those amongst the ashes were given sanctuary, to rise up in light and heat¡­


    ¡°¡­But the kings had their disagreements, they saw a clan hiding in the shadows¡­


    ¡°That abandoned one, their flesh will melt in the light, they cannot receive blessings from the reborn world. The king of this clan came to the forgotten kings¡¯ council, asking for equal sanctuary. But their demands were harmful to the others amongst the ashes; the forgotten kings could not agree, and they were abandoned.


    ¡°They retreated into the shadows, in dark places they imprisoned themselves, yet they could not fully die. They cried out, desperately seeking the protection of their homeland, but to no avail, so they fled deeper into the darkness¨Cthey never liked the darkness, but only the darkness could spare them the world¡¯s poison, and so they dwelt long in the dark¡­¡±


    (Book recommendation time! The title is ¡°The Apocalypse Arrives, and I Have Infinite Possibilities,¡± a post-apocalyptic abilities genre, Cthulhu style, single female lead, passionate leveling. Here¡¯s a brief introduction written by the author:


    Under the apocalypse, with two moons in the sky, anomalies everywhere, the protagonist possesses the Golden Finger of probability alteration, O-03¨CProbability Dice. Framed, he will embark on a journey of vengeance and truth-seeking.)

 Chapter 353 - Chapter 353 Chapter 357 The Counterfeit

    Chapter 353: Chapter 357: The Counterfeit Chapter 353: Chapter 357: The Counterfeit The content on the paper was incoherent, as if it concealed certain equivocal metaphors; but upon closer examination, it only left one feeling unnerved. Even a widely learned scholar like Maurice had read the lines over and over but could not discern any traces of meaning.


    What were the Forgotten Kings? What was this abandoned clan? And what about the ¡°shelter¡± mentioned in the ashes and repeatedly brought up in those paragraphs?


    Duncan furrowed his brow, his gaze sweeping over the ink that had spread slightly where the water had soaked the paper. Some words recorded there vaguely sparked associations, yet he couldn¡¯t piece together any coherent thoughts. He had a faint feeling¡­ it seemed that this was not just the ravings of a madman. Those passages, reminiscent of religious scriptures, seemed to be recounting something relevant to this current ¡°Deep Sea Age.¡±


    Or perhaps, the time before the Deep Sea Age.


    ¡°Is this Crow¡¯s handwriting?¡± Fenna suddenly raised her head, looking towards Nemo standing nearby.


    ¡°It¡¯s his penmanship,¡± Nemo said, squatting down to examine the writing and then nodding definitively. ¡°He always elongates the last stroke of the last letter in his sentences. No one else has that habit.¡±


    ¡°What did he believe in?¡± Fenna asked again. ¡°Outside of the orthodox faith, did he delve into any other kinds of spiritual guidance? It doesn¡¯t have to be heretical beliefs¨Ceven gray societies like secret circles and scholarly hermitages count.¡±


    ¡°He was a devout believer of the God of Death, always had been since he was a child. Apart from the church of Bartok, I¡¯ve never seen him at any other kind of gathering,¡± Crow contemplated before replying, ¡°As for secret societies and scholarly hermitages¡­ that¡¯s even less likely. How could he get involved in such matters? A guy who had to be tutored three years to graduate from Lower City District public high school¨Cthose hermitages would have to want him first even if he wanted to join!¡±


    ¡°A devout orthodox believer, never exposed to any spiritual guidance beyond the true faith¡­ now that¡¯s intriguing,¡± Fenna pondered while looking at the paper in Maurice¡¯s hand, her finger curved to her chin in thought. ¡°The narrative style here clearly bears the hallmarks of the classical City-State era or even the earlier Dark Age and is typical of ¡®Sacred Scripture.¡¯ Such things aren¡¯t conjured up by someone barely scraping by in public high school¨Cand Crow kept it close on his person, which shows that he cared greatly about what¡¯s on this paper.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak; he had been silently musing, when suddenly it dawned on him, ¡°So, it¡¯s possible that he copied this from somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Copied?¡± Nemo was momentarily stunned, then also caught on. ¡°Do you mean that Crow might have stumbled into some place, and the writing on this paper¡­ are ¡®clues¡¯ he transcribed from there?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he himself didn¡¯t know the meaning of what he had copied, but it was the most suspicious, most notable information he had seen there,¡± Duncan nodded slowly, ¡°And sadly, he might have attracted a deadly fate while transcribing it.¡±


    ¡°Stumbled into some place¡­¡± Fenna slowly stood up, her arms crossed in front of her as she spoke thoughtfully, ¡°That place must have been wholly unfamiliar to Crow, with potentially bizarre surroundings, such that the person could not determine his whereabouts in a short time, only managing to hurriedly record what he saw as clues. On the other hand, he might have been discovered and killed shortly after copying it down, without the chance to explore further¨Cif he had, he might have been able to document more distinctive information to describe the environment he witnessed.¡±


    With that, she glanced once more at the drowned body, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.


    ¡°Where exactly did he go? And how was he brought back? A wet corpse should have left traces when it was transported¡­¡±


    Nemo looked up, surveying the surroundings.


    In the dry sewer corridor, there were no signs that a body had been dragged through here.


    ¡°Perhaps we should delve further along the route Crow usually patrolled; he might have left some signs before ending up in that place,¡± Maurice suggested, looking ahead into the depths of the corridor. ¡°Did he normally go this way?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nemo nodded, ¡°This corridor leads towards the Upper City District, but there¡¯s a stretch where the lighting is unstable, occasionally consumed by darkness. While temporary blackouts aren¡¯t a major issue, it¡¯s still possible for something¡­ not quite pleasant to emerge, so we need to patrol regularly and promptly detect any nascent shadows.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go have a look. We might discover some clues if we go sooner rather than later,¡± Duncan agreed. ¡°If there really is something that ran out from there, it can all be dealt with in one go.¡±


    There were no objections.


    The group took a temporary leave from Crow¡¯s body, ready to venture deeper into the sewer corridor. As they crossed by the young man¡¯s body, both Nemo and the old ghost instinctively bowed their heads.


    ¡°Wait here for us, we¡¯ll come back for you,¡± Nemo said.


    The old ghost bent down and, from seemingly nowhere, produced a triangular amulet, placing it on Crow¡¯s chest. ¡°Don¡¯t wander off, kid.¡±


    Duncan watched this scene in silence, waiting for Nemo and the old ghost to finish their farewell before turning and leading the team forward.


    ¡°We¡¯ll tell Captain Tyrion what happened here after we go back,¡± Fenna suddenly said on the road, ¡°That young man won¡¯t die without reason.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nemo said in a low voice, clearly in a poor mood, with melancholy and loss lingering, ¡°That kid¡­ he didn¡¯t really accomplish anything great in his life, but being remembered by Captain Tyrion and Captain Duncan, I guess that¡¯s an honor too.¡±


    ¡°Does he have any family?¡± Morris also broke the silence, asking softly.


    ¡°Family? He had none. He grew up in an orphanage and started apprenticing with me when he left the orphanage as a teen,¡± Nemo shook his head, ¡°The orphanage head said the kid was found on the streets, in a trash can at the corner. When he was picked up, he was truly only as big as a crow from head to toe¡­¡±


    ¡°An abandoned baby,¡± Old Ghost grumbled as if with anger in his voice, ¡°Back when the queen was alive, she would never allow such a thing to happen¨Cabandoning babies would get you locked up in jail! Now people have become so corrupt they can throw children in trash cans¡­ That kid had a stroke of luck, he was very scrawny when he first came to us from the orphanage, like a monkey even at his teens. I was always worried he¡¯d catch a cold and die over the winter, but he still survived¡­ survived¡­¡±


    The old man suddenly stopped, seeming to choke up, and then shook his head in low spirits: ¡°In the end, he still didn¡¯t survive.¡±


    The atmosphere within the group was exceedingly downcast, and even Alice, who was usually slow to catch on, felt the oppressive mood. She looked around, confused, and finally approached Old Ghost hesitantly as if wanting to comfort him: ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t be sad.¡±


    Old Ghost looked up, staring at Alice who wore a wig and veil, and after a moment, he sniffed forcefully: ¡°Your Majesty, you need to take care of this¡­¡±


    Alice looked at the old man before her, not knowing what to do.


    But soon, her embarrassment was interrupted¨Cthe group suddenly stopped.


    Ahead, the corridor was shrouded in dim light, with two gas lamps that seemed faulty embedded in the walls, their feeble glow barely managing to dispel the darkness. Fenna was looking up at the ground where the light and shadow intersected, her expression becoming more and more serious.


    ¡°Over there¡­ there¡¯s a person lying down.¡±


    Her voice was solemn.


    A somewhat frail figure lay motionless next to a drain at the edge of the hallway, bathed in the dim and weak light of the gas lamps, which cast a pale shine on the familiar thick blue coat.


    The group approached the body on the ground, and upon seeing the face, Duncan felt no surprise¨Cit was Crow.


    However, unlike Duncan and a few others who were expecting this, Nemo and Old Ghost were shocked, even a little frightened, the moment they saw that face.


    ¡°Crow?!¡± Nemo¡¯s voice trembled as he stared dumbfounded at the person on the ground, his body subconsciously stepping back half a step, ¡°How¡­ how could this happen¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fake,¡± Duncan interjected calmly, recognizing at first glance that the body before them was a fake crafted from Prime Element¨Cbecause around this ¡°corpse,¡± small amounts of a black viscous substance had already begun to appear, obviously indicating that the dissolution process had started.


    It seemed there were differences among the fakes, even though they were also made from Prime Element. Some could move around the City-State for a fortnight, while others would start to fall apart by the time they were delivered to the cemetery, and this ¡°fake¡±¡­ Its dissolution rate appeared even faster.


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    Only a few hours at most had passed since Crow went missing.


    Duncan¡¯s mind raced¨C


    If Crow indeed accidentally entered a dangerous and strange place¨Csuch as the nest of a cult and copied a suspicious ¡°sacred textual narrative,¡± then the replication targeting him¡­ must have also started there.


    And now, his clone lay in this area, where he usually patrolled.


    He was on the right track.


    Perhaps the source of the clone was nearby!

 Chapter 354 - Chapter 354 Chapter 358 The End

    Chapter 354: Chapter 358: The End Chapter 354: Chapter 358: The End Counterfeits.


    After learning from Duncan and others about what ¡°counterfeits¡± were, and that an unknown number of them had recently appeared within the City-State, even possibly engulfing large areas with their corrosion and cognitive distortion traits, Nemo Wilkins¡¯s face revealed an undisguisable horror.


    Even the old ghost, whose mind flitted between clarity and confusion, sensed the terror behind this bizarre phenomenon¨Che kept muttering about the Queen and the Queen¡¯s Guard, displaying an anxious and restless demeanor for a long time before quieting down.


    Following that, what Nemo felt was anger.


    He could not accept that his long-time companion ¡°Crow¡± had died in such an obscure manner¨Cnor could he accept that a Replication of the latter was simply created and was now lying before him, which was obviously an insult to the deceased.


    ¡°This matter seems to be influenced by the Eradication cultists. Now the City¡¯s protectors should have already started a large-scale hunt, and I estimate there¡¯ll be some progress soon,¡± Duncan noticed the change in Nemo¡¯s emotions and spoke, ¡°However, even if we find those heretics, it¡¯s unlikely to resolve the root of the problem¨Cthe source behind those heretics is what truly matters.¡±


    ¡°The source behind the heretics?¡± Nemo woke abruptly from his aggravated state, as if suddenly connecting the dots, ¡°Behind them¡­ Could this involve a divine-level entity?¡±


    The one who answered him was Fenna from the side, ¡°Considering the continuous emergence of Replications from the depths of the Endless Sea, even the Frost Queen from fifty years ago wasn¡¯t able to solve this crisis¨Cdo you really think a bunch of heretics could pull this off?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s evidence suggesting that this involves The Saint,¡± continued Morris, ¡°His power, and possibly some parts of His limbs, might have manifested in the real world¨Cbut you better not ask about the specifics.¡±


    Information pointing to a divine being wasn¡¯t something a common person should delve too much into.


    Nemo picked up on the subtle warning in the old scholar¡¯s tone and quickly came to his senses, nodding vigorously, ¡°I understand¡­ I won¡¯t ask further.¡±


    He sure didn¡¯t want to be strangled by a tendril of The Saint in his dreams in the middle of the night for having heard what he shouldn¡¯t.


    Fenna then bent down to examine ¡°Crow¡¯s¡± body on the ground.


    The counterfeit was lifelike, at least outwardly; it maintained an appearance almost identical to the original. Only at the edges, a dirty black ¡°mud¡± was oozing out bit by bit, indicating that the decomposition process had just begun.


    This was also the first time Duncan had witnessed the counterfeit transition from being intact to decomposition, making this intel invaluable for him.


    He reached out and flipped through ¡°Crow¡¯s¡± coat pocket¨Cthe paper transcribed with the mysterious ¡°sacred script¡± had been in this pocket before.


    The pocket was empty, and it too was gradually decomposing.


    Fenna stretched out her hand, and the moisture in the air rapidly condensed into an ice blade, which appeared in her hand as a dagger. With this makeshift weapon, she pried open the clothing near ¡°Crow¡¯s¡± chest, only to find the inner layers of the garment in a strange, fluffy state, with fibers and clumps sticking together, looking merged with the deeper structures of blood, flesh, and skin.


    ¡°That paper wasn¡¯t replicated¡­ The copy¡¯s interior shows typical signs of disarray¡­ no blood¡­¡± Duncan mumbled to himself and then reached out to touch the slowly writhing black mud-like substance on the ground next to him, only to see it suddenly contract and slink away as if alive, ¡°¡­These things have yet to harden, but their movement is slowing.¡±


    He slowly stood up and let out a soft sigh, ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to inspect. Better cleanse it to prevent future issues. Fenna, step back a bit.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Fenna hastily retreated several steps to the side, pulling the bewildered Alice with her, and Mr. Morris joined in the retreat.


    Nemo and the old ghost also stepped back¨Calthough they had no idea why Fenna and the others were suddenly so tense.


    Then, they found out.


    A faint green flame suddenly flared up beneath Duncan¡¯s feet, and immediately afterward, the flame leaped onto the nearby ¡°counterfeit¡± like a predator sensing its prey¨Cfiery flames soared as crackling sounds characteristic of divine wood burning echoed. In nearly an instant, the sinister black mud-formed corpse was reduced to a heap of ash; as the flames burned, the surrounding gas lamps on the wall, as well as the lanterns carried by the old ghost and Nemo, appeared to take on a ghostly green hue!


    In reality, the entire process lasted only a few seconds, yet Nemo was drenched in a cold sweat¨Cwhen the flames erupted, immense fear permeated his being, and he even felt his soul resonate and ignite in the presence of that fire, such that when the flames vanished, he was left with a deep sense of having narrowly escaped disaster.


    Duncan turned his head to look at the group that had practically fled to the opposite corner of the corridor, ¡°It¡¯s done¡­ Why did you hide so far away? Wouldn¡¯t a couple of steps back have sufficed?¡±


    ¡°I have a psychological shadow regarding these things,¡± Fenna bluntly stated.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He stood awkwardly for a moment before touching the bandage near his nose and turning to walk deeper into the corridor, ¡°Cough cough, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s see what else lies ahead.¡±


    Several people hurried to keep up with Duncan, while Nemo watched the burly figure walking at the front with lingering fear. After a few steps, he turned back to look at the old ghost walking beside him, ¡°Do you think¡­ Captain Tyrion might also be very afraid of his father?¡±


    The old ghost seemed as if he didn¡¯t hear, simply striding forward, a bit absent-minded as he looked up ahead, until Nemo could not help but call him twice more. Suddenly, the old ghost muttered an abrupt sentence: ¡°That fire¡­ I¡¯ve seen it before¡­¡±


    Nemo was immediately stunned, ¡°Seen it? You¡¯re saying you¡¯ve seen flames like the ones just now? Where have you seen them?¡±


    But the old ghost didn¡¯t answer again. With ropes hanging from his body and a pry bar in his hand, he walked on dreamily, then as if he suddenly remembered something, he hurried after Duncan and Alice who were up front while mumbling, ¡°The queen is ahead, hurry up, hurry up¡­¡±


    Nemo watched the old ghost¡¯s back, scratched his head, and couldn¡¯t help but murmur, ¡°Okay, he¡¯s having one of his episodes again¡­¡±


    After what felt like an eternity, the group stopped once more.


    There was no path ahead.


    A pile of collapsed boulders and semi-melted steel debris accumulated together, completely blocking the road ahead¨Cand it looked as if it had been like that for half a century.


    ¡°This is the end of this corridor,¡± Nemo pointed to the collapsed area ahead and said, ¡°This was destroyed by the Queen¡¯s Guard during their retreat. The entire collapsed area is likely hundreds of meters; it¡¯s impossible for anyone to get through.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve come to the end¡­ but we haven¡¯t found anything along the way¡­¡± Fenna couldn¡¯t help but frown, turning back to look in the direction the group had come from, ¡°Even the traces left behind by the movement of the ¡®replication¡¯ weren¡¯t found.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak. He came before the collapsed ruins, carefully examining these stacked rocks, concrete, and steel, with knitted brows, silent.


    Seeing this, Alice couldn¡¯t help but come over, ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Possible gaps or channels,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°A human can¡¯t get through, but a mud-like fluid could seep through even the smallest of holes.¡±


    ¡°You suspect¡­ that the replication first seeped through this collapsed area in the form of fluid ¡®Prime Element,¡¯ then reformed into human shape on the other side of the corridor and fell?¡± Morris quickly understood Duncan¡¯s point, but the image that formed in his mind gave him goosebumps, ¡°This sounds¡­ truly chilling.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond; he stepped back two paces, then looked up, staring at the completely sealed end of the corridor.


    There were indeed no signs of anything.


    All the way they had come, there weren¡¯t any abnormal traces.


    How did the replication¡­ appear in the corridor? Where had ¡°Crow¡± gone before that, and how had he gotten there?


    ¡­


    Above the vast and endless Endless Sea, a thin fog had risen.


    A steamship with a beautiful white hull traveled through the wisps of fog, its bow cutting through the mist floating on the surrounding sea, leaving behind layers of small rippling wake.


    Captain Lawrence, wearing a thick coat, came onto the deck, staring distantly at the sea veiled in fog and the faintly undulating horizon and iceberg silhouettes within it.


    It was daytime, the sun hung high in the sky, but its rays neither dispersed the sea mist nor the chill in the breeze. He only felt the cold gradually penetrating his coat, worming its way into his bones as if his entire body were slowly being soaked in icy seawater.


    ¡°The temperature of the north¡­ is truly not kind to an old man born and raised in the central seas.¡±


    Lawrence couldn¡¯t help but mutter.


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    His first mate, Gus, approached, a tall and thin middle-aged man with curly brown hair. Hearing the captain¡¯s mutter, he smiled, ¡°The Chill Sea always has this kind of weather¨Cmore fog than other places, and sometimes even during daylight, fog will rise, with chill filling the air. The City-State also has sudden snowfalls¡­ it all makes it hard for outsiders to adapt.¡±


    ¡°I was planning to stay in Frost for a while longer, but now it seems best to head back after finishing the necessary work. Staying here too long will surely make one ill,¡± Captain Lawrence shook his head, ¡°The fog is becoming a bigger problem. We need to recheck our course in an hour.¡±


    The first mate nodded immediately, ¡°Yes, captain, I¡¯ll go arrange that shortly.¡±


    Lawrence hummed in response, and then asked, ¡°Any reply to the signals we sent to Frost?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± the first mate replied, ¡°But it¡¯s normal, the efficiency of the northern City-State¡¯s ports has always been like this¨Clet¡¯s wait until we¡¯re closer. They will have to respond to our request to enter the port.¡±

 Chapter 355 - Chapter 355 359th Chapter Stargazing

    Chapter 355: 359th Chapter Stargazing Chapter 355: 359th Chapter Stargazing The White Oak continued its journey through the mist, its powerful steam core propelling its massive and efficient propulsion system, enabling it to swiftly traverse the fog-covered waters.


    At some point, the sky had darkened a bit, and the cold wind over the sea made it all the more uncomfortable. Lawrence tightened his coat, feeling he had enough of the chilling breeze on deck for one day, so he turned back towards the bridge.


    A young priest wearing a blue robe trimmed with silver on a black background was praying beside the machinery, gently shaking the incense burner in his hand, causing smoke to wind around several control panels. Upon seeing the captain, he paused and nodded politely to Lawrence in greeting.


    He was Jansen, the accompanying priest for this voyage. Lawrence was not familiar with this young cleric¨Cin fact, most captains who took on the transport of ¡®anomalous items¡¯ frequently had to deal with unfamiliar clergy. Their ships¡¯ priests were directly assigned by the City-State¡¯s church and often changed; a usual ship¡¯s priest might only complete two to three voyages with a ship. Naturally, this rotating system was also for safety considerations.


    After all, ships on dangerous cargo transport inevitably faced the influence of transcendent forces. As the ship¡¯s ¡°Supernatural Barrier,¡± the accompanying priests bore almost all the mental stresses brought about by transcendent intervention. This included the contamination from items on board and also the psychic stress generated by the crew during the voyage¨Ceven the impact of the dreams every sailor had at night would reflect in the priest¡¯s daily prayers and rituals.


    Ship¡¯s priests were mortal, after all. Long-term exposure to specific transcendent influences would inevitably assimilate and affect them. After several long ocean voyages, they would lose their acute sensitivity to supernatural contamination and could even become a fissure for Subspace invasions. Therefore, usually, accompanying priests must return to shore after a period and undergo purification and spiritual reshaping at specified churches. Afterwards, most could recover and be reassigned to other ships to continue their duties, but those who remained with lingering psychological issues could only stay away from the sea, serving the church as land-based clerics for the rest of their lives.


    So, in a sense, these respectable priests¡­ were also consumables in the course of a voyage.


    But then again¡­ who isn¡¯t a consumable in the course of a voyage?


    ¡°Mr. Jansen, how¡¯s the machinery doing?¡± Lawrence nodded to the young priest in front of him and asked with concern.


    ¡°All systems are operating well, Captain,¡± the young priest replied, his voice calm, ¡°I just checked the lower engineering bay, and the entire power system and the steam pipelines are all functioning normally.¡±


    Lawrence nodded in satisfaction, exchanged a few informal words with the young priest, and then moved to the wide windows at the front of the bridge, looking out at the scene outside.


    The deck was engulfed in a grey mist, the skies outside dark, with chaotic and blurred clouds hanging, and feeble light floating between cloud layers, ineffectually showering upon the sea surface¨Cthe sky didn¡¯t look so good, but they were already not far from Frost, so they should not be stuck in a storm or other unfortunate situation before reaching the City-State.


    Suddenly, Lawrence furrowed his brows and turned to look at a sailor seated not too far from a control panel, ¡°Is there still no response to our signals from Frost?¡±


    ¡°None,¡± the sailor responsible for the telegraph system shook his head. He wore a headset and held a pencil in one hand, while a small machine in front of him displayed an orange light, ¡°We haven¡¯t received any signals back either¨Cbut by location, we¡¯re already at a distance where we should be able to directly contact Frost Harbor.¡±


    ¡± ¡­Something¡¯s not right,¡± the old captain finally felt a tinge of unease as he raised his head to look into the distance, his expression gradually becoming grave, ¡°At this time, at this position, we should be able to see the coastline of Frost¡­¡±


    He suddenly turned his head towards his first officer, ¡°Has our course been confirmed?¡±


    ¡°Just reconfirmed, our position is correct.¡±


    Frowning, Lawrence took a deep breath after a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll confirm it myself again, prepare the Stargazing Chamber.¡±


    Upon hearing the captain¡¯s words, the first officer obviously hesitated, but before he could speak, the young accompanying priest Jansen approached and said to Lawrence, ¡°Captain, at your age, it is not quite suitable for you to enter the Stargazing Chamber¡­¡±


    Lawrence turned his head to glance at the young priest but said nothing.


    He understood what the priest meant¨Centering the Stargazing Chamber required enduring a certain level of contamination, as the images and lights from the deep void and Spirit Realm interlayer could exert pressure on the mind. As an old captain who had drifted on the Endless Sea for most of his life, his mind was no longer as normal or intact as it was in his youth. He might very well lose himself whilst observing the stars.


    But often, only captains of age had enough experience to discern the subtlest changes in the stars, detecting the slightest signs of the ship¡¯s drift¨Ca feat not achievable by the healthy-minded young navigators.


    ¡°I will finish as quickly as possible,¡± Lawrence finally said after a few seconds of eye contact, his expression serious, ¡°I suspect the ship has veered off course, but there¡¯s misalignment in the Stargazing Chamber, and I have experience with calibration.¡±


    Once Lawrence¡¯s determined attitude was confirmed, the ship¡¯s priest could only sigh and stepped aside, ¡± ¡­You are the captain, and the captain is the law on this ship¨CI will prepare the protection for you.¡±


    Lawrence nodded then turned his head back to look in the direction of the ship¡¯s bow.


    In the direction where the Frost Coastline was expected to be visible, there was still nothing but the vast Endless Sea and the boundless thin mist.


    He withdrew his gaze and walked towards the passage leading to the Stargazing Chamber.


    Leaving the bridge, passing through a corridor, stepping onto a staircase extending to the lower levels of the White Oak, through several connecting sections and a few doors, he reached the location of the Stargazing Chamber.


    At the very bottom of the ship.


    Lawrence stood in front of the door as ship priest Jansen busied himself, the young clergyman adding specially made incense and holy oil to the censer while chanting arcane and esoteric scriptures. He swayed the chains in his hands, allowing the scent of the incense to gradually envelop Lawrence. He then took out a ceremonial dagger adorned with numerous Storm runes and sliced through the air in front of Lawrence, symbolizing the blessing of the Storm Goddess Gomona¡¯s protection descending upon this place.


    The navigator of the White Oak, having heard the news, had hurried over¨Ca young man with a notably pale complexion. He appeared uneasy, almost tearing the buttons off his clothes upon seeing that the captain intended to personally enter the Stargazing Chamber to confirm the course.


    ¡°Relax,¡± Lawrence noticed the navigator¡¯s reaction, a smile forming on his face as he comforted the young man, ¡°It might not be your fault. The Spirit Realm and the Subspace are filled with unpredictable changes. The Spirit Realm lens isn¡¯t always reliable, and deviations in star positions are normal¨Cyou lack experience, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve double-checked,¡± the young navigator said subconsciously, ¡°but¡­¡±


    Lawrence waved his hand: ¡°I¡¯ll figure out what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Captain, the blessing is complete,¡± the voice of the ship priest arose at this moment from beside him, ¡°You may enter the Stargazing Chamber now¨Cbut remember not to stay too long, don¡¯t gaze for too long. If you have not come out after fifteen minutes, I will come to find you.¡±


    ¡°Ten minutes will be enough.¡± Lawrence adjusted his clothes, his expression serene.


    He then sighed softly, stepped forward to the metal door embellished with Storm runes and inlaid with holy silver threads, and pushed it open.


    A dimly lit cabin came into view.


    Lawrence casually closed the metal door behind him and quickly assessed the situation inside the Stargazing Chamber.


    The room had no windows; the metal door was the only means of entry and exit. There were no superfluous facilities in the entire room, the only fixture being the cylindrical device about one meter in diameter placed in the center of the room.


    It looked like an altar, yet it was surrounded by a multitude of cranks, connecting rods, and reflective devices. Beside it was a small platform meant for a person to stand on, left for the navigator, while at the top of the cylindrical device was a concave transparent component.


    It was a crystal lens, supported by a very complex framework of connecting rods. The lens was bowl-shaped, seemingly empty inside¨Cbut when one focused on it, it seemed as if there were glittering waves within the lens.


    Those waves seemed to brim with seawater.


    Lawrence stepped onto the small platform beside the cylindrical device, his gaze fixed on the lens before him.


    A ship sailed on the boundless Endless Sea, where almost no markers could be found on the water¡¯s surface. City-States were isolated islands, and once a voyage brushed past its destination, navigators could find themselves lost in the vast sea¨Cthus, navigation became a critical science.


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    Anomalous item 001-Sun was a very useful celestial marker. Using the sun to determine the ship¡¯s bearing was certainly one of the navigational skills, but the sun was not always visible in the sky, and relying solely on the sun sometimes failed to provide accurate navigational positioning. When faced with such a situation, how could one accurately determine whether they were on the correct course?


    The answer, of course, was¨Cto look at the stars.


    Stargazing was a vital skill for modern ocean voyages.


    Lawrence lowered his head, slowly bending over, submerging his entire face into the concave structure of the large crystal lens.


    The stars lie deep within¨Cseeing them required not only sophisticated equipment but also a sound mind.

 Chapter 356 - Chapter 356 360

    Chapter 356: 360 Chapter 356: 360 Captains navigating the Endless Sea, especially those using modern technology, are certainly no strangers to ¡°stars¡± ¡ª the vast starry sky situated between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the Spirit Realm provides extremely accurate navigation for ships. It can guide the correct course even when the vessel enters the Anomaly Waters, and it can even lead those lost to certain ¡°abnormalities¡± out of danger and back to reality.


    Of course, there are other professions that deal with the ¡°starry sky¡±. Scholars study it to unlock the deep mysteries of the world, diviners observe it to predict the fate of all things, and some secret societies even regard the starry sky as a source of knowledge and revelation. These societies risk peering into the starry sky with dangerous methods that teeter on the edge of sanity in hopes of mastering secrets about the Profound Demons without falling into their depths ¡ª these dangerous societies often end up as prey for the Profound Demons or potential ¡°allies¡± of the obliterated believers, and so they are also the prime targets of crackdowns by churches and authorities of various City-States. Regardless, the profession most closely associated with the ¡°starry sky¡± and the most frequent users of various Spirit Realm lenses are still the captains on the Endless Sea.


    Lawrence had been adrift on this ominous vast sea for half his life and naturally knew many things related to the starry sky, including methods of stargazing and the dangers that had to be faced.


    He buried his head deeply into the recessed area of the Spirit Realm lens ¡ª of course, gazing at stars required bowing one¡¯s head, that was common sense. He then began to quietly recite the name of the deity he believed in, allowing that name to resonate with the blessings the priest had just bestowed upon him.


    As the mystical power gradually diffused, his spiritual resonance and faith steadily rose, he first heard a subtle sound, as if water was gathering in a basin and moving towards him ¡ª he smelled the faint, briny scent of seawater, and the next second, he felt as if his entire face was submerged in water.


    Novice navigators stargazing for the first time can easily panic at this point; the illusory sensation of ¡°drowning¡± can shake their composure, allowing unnecessary shadows to enter their minds. Therefore, a novice¡¯s first stargazing session must be assisted by someone, whose main task is to pull them away from the Spirit Realm lens before they mutate into a pile of writhing flesh.


    But this was no issue for Lawrence.


    He knew that the ¡°seawater¡± engulfing him was the power of the Storm Goddess Gomona ¡ª the gods do not harm their believers. Now, he could open his eyes.


    Lawrence slowly opened his eyes.


    Both the sky full of stars and endless darkness filled his vision simultaneously.


    Looking down, he saw boundless darkness, the endlessly deep and profound space fringed by the surging chaotic light of the Spirit Realm¡¯s faint projections. Between that darkness, myriad constant, dense dots of light came together to form clusters and filmy structures of various sizes, some resembling clouds, some like vortices, others like rivers. This endless expanse of points of light spectacularly covered the old captain¡¯s view, tracing some sort of mysterious design not yet known to mortals.


    Deep within the splendid, curtain-like starry sky, between some ¡°clusters¡± of light points, faint shadows different from the darkness could be discerned. They appeared like shattered lands floating in the depths of the starlight, radiantly spread out, with dim, pale ¡°rivers¡± lying between them. A mere glance was enough to make one feel dizzy and fearful.


    That was deeper than the Spirit Realm, the terrifying homeland of the Profound Demons ¡ª the Mysterious Deep Sea.


    The starry sky is a veil floating between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the Spirit Realm.


    Lawrence cautiously controlled his line of sight, careful not to gaze too deeply into the profound depths to avoid attracting the attention of those chaotic, dim-witted demons. At the same time, he concentrated and began to search for his position in the starry sky.


    He found it, a faint projection, like a lost soul floating somewhere among the stars.


    Lawrence stared at that projection, carefully distinguishing it for a long while, when suddenly he couldn¡¯t help furrowing his brow.


    His position ¡­ was it near the Frost shores?


    The old captain¡¯s mind tensed as he began to move his hands, searching for the control stick on the side of the lens device. He carefully adjusted the machine, and the many small lenses on the cylindrical device¡¯s side immediately kicked into action, changing the ¡°starry sky¡±¡®s observational angle in Lawrence¡¯s vision.


    After confirming several times, he realized he was indeed near the Frost shores ¡ª already at a position where he could see the Frost island with the naked eye.


    Just then, Lawrence¡¯s vision blurred.


    The starry sky scenery, filled with countless points of light, flickered for a moment, turning pitch black, and then resumed as normal.


    Lawrence was caught by surprise, instinctively wanting to readjust the control stick to reset the view, but years of experience made him forcibly stop this instinct and he suddenly raised his head.


    A flickering starry sky picture could mean a fault in the Spirit Realm lens ¡ª and no matter the cause, any anomalies during the observation process had to be immediately ceased.


    This was a safety protocol summarized by countless forbearers with their lives.


    Lawrence rubbed his temples and glanced at his wristwatch, noting that only a few minutes had passed.


    He began to check the entire lens device, preparing to carry out another observation after troubleshooting and confirming safety.


    But just as he was about to dismantle the machine¡¯s casing, a knock on the door suddenly interrupted him.


    ¡°Captain!¡± The first mate¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Captain, have you finished your observation? We¡¯ve received a signal!¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he put aside the work in his hands and quickly walked to the door. Opening it, he saw the first mate standing at the threshold.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received a response from Frost,¡± the first mate began, glanced at the interior of the observatory to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary, then set his eyes on Lawrence. ¡°The close-to-coast and harbor entry permissions have been granted.¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s frown deepened as he felt an odd sensation rise in his heart. Recalling the incongruity he had noticed in the observatory just moments before, he asked seriously, ¡°Have we caught sight of Frost Island itself?¡±


    ¡°We can visually confirm it,¡± the first mate nodded. ¡°The fog has cleared at sea, and our course was slightly off, very slight¨Cbut it has been corrected.¡±


    Lawrence turned to look back at the observatory, his expression growing more solemn.


    ¡°Captain?¡± The first mate finally took note of the captain¡¯s unusual demeanor. His own expression tensing up, he asked, ¡°Did you discover something?¡±


    ¡°There was something off in the observatory just now¡­ and according to our observations, we should have already been close to Frost Island. There¡¯s no way the fog or a deviation in our course would prevent us from seeing it,¡± Lawrence spoke in a low voice. ¡°Have the engineer check the Spirit Realm lens assembly, see if there¡¯s an equipment malfunction. I¡¯ll go up and take a look.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Lawrence hurriedly left the lower decks, ascending the stairs and passing through the various compartments of the White Oak, soon arriving on the upper deck.


    Instead of returning to the bridge, he stood directly at the bow deck, looking out towards the distant scene.


    A large city-state lay ahead of the White Oak, its coastal buildings and port facilities clearly visible. The fog had dissipated, gentle waves undulated slowly on the sea surface, and clouds of varying density floated across the sky. The Sky Light poured through the clouds, illuminating the distant sea and city-state.


    It indeed appeared to be Frost, with no signs of anything unusual.


    Lawrence knitted his brows tighter, then lifted his gaze to the sky once more.


    Other than the clouds being plentiful, there were no anomalies.


    After a moment, he left the deck and returned to the bridge. Meanwhile, the sailor at the telegraph was just receiving another welcoming message from Frost Harbor.


    Lawrence looked at the note recorded by the sailor¨C


    ¡°The harbor is open, welcome to Frost.¡±


    Lawrence blinked, suddenly feeling that he might have been a bit too anxious¨Cthe minor malfunction of the Spirit Realm lens, combined with the fog that had lingered on the sea, had exacerbated his nervousness when, in fact, everything here was clearly normal.


    ¡°We¡¯ll dock.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan and his party had departed from ¡°Second Waterway¡± and bid farewell to Nemo in the secret passageway that connected to it.


    They had searched the collapsed corridor for a long time but were unable to discover any clues. They found neither more ¡°mud¡± nor any pores or traces where the ¡°mud¡± might have seeped in.


    Of course, they hadn¡¯t found that mysterious location where ¡°Crow¡± had once gotten lost.


    The clues seemed to have been severed.


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    ¡°I and the old spirit will see to Crow¡¯s burial. Please convey to Captain Tyrion that Crow died like a true warrior¨Che was a member that the Mist Fleet could be proud of.¡±


    In the secret passage, Nemo removed his hat and gave a slight bow in front of Duncan.


    ¡°I will tell him,¡± Duncan said, looking at the man known as ¡°the informant¡± with special gravity. ¡°Moreover, the investigation into this matter is not over.¡±


    Nemo lifted his head to meet Duncan¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Crow left behind very important information. He definitely had been to some place, and that ¡®fake¡¯ couldn¡¯t have appeared in Second Waterway out of nowhere,¡± Duncan spoke slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll keep on the investigation, and if necessary¨CI¡¯ll search every brick and every blade of grass in this city-state.¡±

 Chapter 357 - Chapter 357 Chapter 361 Traceless

    Chapter 357: Chapter 361: Traceless Chapter 357: Chapter 361: Traceless Nemo suddenly felt his heart skip a beat.


    At this moment, he felt as if the fearsome ¡°Ghost Captain¡± was not merely making a simple promise, but was declaring something¡­ a ¡°foregone conclusion¡± that had already taken shape on some future day.


    He didn¡¯t know where this feeling came from, he only knew that at this moment he involuntarily lowered his head and began to speak with a reverence he couldn¡¯t quite describe to himself, ¡°As you say.¡±


    Duncan nodded, then seemed to casually shift his gaze to the old ghost standing not far away, leaning against the wall as if lost in thought.


    At this moment, the old man was not muttering about the Frost Queen or anything about the second canal or rebels; he was simply there, staring off into space, as if his mind was wandering in a time and space that had been nearly forgotten.


    In the old man¡¯s muddled memory¡­ did the Frost Queen still rule this place?


    Duncan withdrew his gaze, called for Alice who was also lost in a daze beside him, and together with Fenna and Maurice, he headed towards the exit of the secret passage.


    Before long, they were back on the surface, and after leaving the ¡°Golden Flute¡± tavern, they found themselves in the bustling streets of the Frost City-State.


    The setting sun was gradually nearing the distant building rooftops; the magnificent and mysterious double Rune Circle just touched the edges of several spires in the Upper City District, visually it seemed as if the human-forged spires were holding up chains that bound the sun above the city.


    Dusk was nearing, and curfew time was almost upon them. With even stricter curfew orders, everyone was hurriedly returning home or to the nearest ¡°Nighttime Shelter.¡± Yet, amidst the hurried flow of people, Duncan and his company, still leisurely strolling, appeared quite out of place.


    But not many eyes lingered on them, everyone was too busy.


    ¡°What do you make of this?¡± Fenna moved closer to Duncan, lowering her voice¨Cas their heights were similar, she could lean in quite close.


    Duncan kept his composure, ¡°You mean the origin of that ¡®counterfeit¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like it appeared out of nowhere¨CI and Maurice each scouted in our own ways and couldn¡¯t find any trace, and even you couldn¡¯t find a clue,¡± Fenna nodded slightly, ¡°and we have always believed, even these eerie ¡®counterfeits¡¯ need some ¡®normal¡¯ way to move locations, to have an origin, and a process of transition¡­¡±


    Duncan slowed his pace slightly, tilting his head, ¡°Are you suggesting, those counterfeits might possess some sort of spatial property, a ¡®force¡¯ that allows them to ignore the barriers of reality and appear directly in specific places?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my suspicion.¡±


    Duncan gave a noncommittal response, and after a few seconds, he suddenly said, ¡°Have I ever told you about the first time Alice came aboard?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Fenna blinked, ¡°What happened when she first came aboard?¡±


    ¡°The doll coffin kept returning to the Homeloss¨CI threw her into the sea three times, and she and her wooden box returned to the ship three times,¡± Duncan spoke calmly, ¡°Guess how she came back?¡±


    Fenna thought for a moment, uncertainly saying, ¡°By relying on¡­ the power of a curse? Some kind of ¡®returning ability¡¯ from anomaly 099? Also a spatial power?¡±


    ¡°No, she paddled back using her coffin lid, very quickly,¡± Duncan said calmly, ¡°and then climbed up the stern with great strength¨Cbecause she paddled so fast, I didn¡¯t catch her the first two times, it was only on the third that I caught her red-handed.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    The young Judge turned his head, along with Maurice beside him, both looking at the doll lady who was looking around innocently; she noticed their gaze and turned her head with a harmless smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t rule out the possibility that those ¡®counterfeits¡¯ could appear directly in the City-State through some kind of spatial teleportation, but logically, if they really could teleport straight into the city, why would the ¡®Sea Swallow¡¯ need to come all the way from the high seas instead of directly appearing in the port?¡± Duncan stated indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m more inclined to believe that the counterfeits still need normal transportation, and the reason the counterfeit in the sewer seemed to ¡®appear from nowhere¡¯ is very likely because we have overlooked something, just as no normal person would think that the real reason for a cursed doll¡¯s repeated ¡®return¡¯ is that she paddles very fast and is very strong.¡±


    Speaking this, he paused, his voice trailing off thoughtfully, ¡°¡­More likely, the place Crow ¡®mistakenly entered¡¯ is also due to this kind of ¡®overlook,¡¯ ¡±


    Maurice, who had remained silent all along, suddenly reacted, ¡°Some sort of existence that cannot be observed, like a ¡®channel¡¯ or a periodically opening ¡®crack¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, but this matter is definitely related to those heretics,¡± Duncan said. ¡°What Crow brought back on that paper concerns me. It doesn¡¯t seem to be just their usual religious nonsense, but rather more like descriptions of actual events using phrases that modern people can¡¯t understand. Such ¡®records¡¯¡­ are always to the heretics¡¯ liking.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we really should bring Eli and Sherry here¨Cthe eyes of the Profound Demons might discover something in dimensions beyond reality.¡±


    ¡­


    A gray wind swept through the door of the harbor defense office, and the figure of gatekeeper Agatha emerged from the Grey Wind.


    Colonel Lister, from behind his desk, raised his head to look at the gatekeeper miss appearing in his office, ¡°You skipped the notification this time.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it was an emergency,¡± Agatha said, then suddenly noticed the deep dark circles under Lister¡¯s eyes, ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you sleep last night?¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t just me who didn¡¯t sleep,¡± Lister said with a wry smile and shook his head. ¡°We spent the whole night trying to decipher the cryptic signals sent by the Mist Fleet. Some of the cryptographers and mathematicians were almost at each other¡¯s throats¨CI didn¡¯t know that even refined academics could spout curses at each other when arguing.¡±


    Agatha fell silent for a moment with a somewhat peculiar look in her eyes before speaking, ¡°The cathedral might ¡®borrow¡¯ some of your scholars later, specifically from the cryptography and mathematics fields.¡±


    Lister was taken aback, ¡°Why?¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression was unreadable (half of her face was covered with bandages), ¡°¡­To decipher another tasteless secret left by another tasteless existence.¡±


    ¡°Well, it looks like your troubles are no less than mine,¡± Lister sighed, then rallied his spirits, ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point, what brings you here all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°About the City-State blockade,¡± Agatha said. ¡°The cathedral ordinarily shouldn¡¯t intervene in the City-State¡¯s defense, but the circumstances now are special, and I can¡¯t rest assured.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lister nodded, ¡°Rest assured, the whole of Frost City-State is now completely sealed off¨Ceven if there are places not properly locked down, with such a huge Mist Fleet assembled nearby, no one would dare to attempt entry or exit. We¡¯ve temporarily frozen all port clearances and informed the neighboring City-States and ships out at sea to stay away from Frost City-State. To date, all requests for entry have been denied.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s relieving, at least it won¡¯t exacerbate the problem,¡± Agatha breathed lightly, ¡°What about Dagger Island?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still under blockade until the cathedral provides further ¡®expert advice,''¡± Lister said, his expression slightly grim. ¡°Up until yesterday, the island kept sending back regular reports of ¡®all normal¡¯, even though the City-State side has already stopped supplying resources to the island, and cut off all communications, there¡¯s been no other reaction.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lower your guard, the Sea Swallow incident proved that the contamination on that island tends to actively transfer towards the City-State¡­ that ¡®thing¡¯ won¡¯t just quietly settle down,¡± Agatha said seriously. ¡°The cathedral is already preparing a force composed of death oath takers and monks, but it will take some time to unseal the powerful Sacred Relic.¡±


    Lister nodded, about to say something more, but before he could speak, a rush of footsteps suddenly came from the corridor, interrupting him.


    A harbor area soldier appeared at the office door.


    Lister looked up at the slightly rushed soldier, ¡°What happened?¡±


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    The soldier stood straight, quickly reporting, ¡°Reporting, sir, a ship due to dock at Frost didn¡¯t show up on time.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t show up? That¡¯s abrupt,¡± Lister frowned, ¡°All routes around the City-State are already blocked, of course, no ship will dock.¡±


    ¡°Reporting, sir, it¡¯s not about not docking¨Cit never showed up!¡± the soldier hurriedly explained. ¡°The ship was supposed to arrive today, we were ready to send it the City-State blockade notice, but it never made contact and we just got in touch with Cold Harbor, they confirmed that the ship had completed its inspection and resupply there¨Cbut after nearing the waters near Frost, it disappeared without a trace!¡±


    Hearing this, Lister¡¯s expression finally turned grave, he took a light breath, standing up from behind the desk, ¡°What¡¯s the ship¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°White Oak!¡±

 Chapter 358 - Chapter 358 Chapter 362 Sunken Island

    Chapter 358: Chapter 362 ¡°Sunken Island Chapter 358: Chapter 362 ¡°Sunken Island Agatha stepped forward, her tone grave, ¡°Where did that ¡®ship that never arrived¡¯ come from?¡±


    ¡°The port of origin was Prand, it made a stop at Rensa for resupply, and then Cold Harbor,¡± the soldier reporting the situation replied immediately, ¡°Frost was its last stop¨Ceverything was normal until it resupplied at Cold Harbor.¡±


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Colonel Lister pressed a hand against his forehead, his mood obviously very foul, ¡°We are already swamped with troubles of our own¡­ and now another ship has disappeared shortly before arriving at Frost¡­ Where do we have the energy to deal with matters outside the City-State¡­¡±


    Agatha watched the defense commander before her, her tone especially solemn, ¡°But as you said, Colonel, it disappeared shortly before arriving at Frost¨Cso we cannot rule out that it was affected by some kind of Transcendent phenomenon.¡±


    Lister looked up, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Frost is currently under the contamination of some Transcendent power. Unusual cases are frequent within the City-State, and the Sea Swallow incident has proven that these ¡®anomalies¡¯ are not just limited to this island. Now, with the White Oak vanished at the edge of the nearby seas, I have reason to believe that an ¡®anomaly¡¯ far larger than we can imagine is enveloping the entire Frost region¨Cnot only the land beneath our feet but also a vast area of the surrounding sea.¡±


    Lister braced his hands against the table, then suddenly looked up after a few seconds, ¡°We need to expand the blockade and issue warnings to all neighboring City-States¨CFrost¡¯s contamination is spilling over, and a physical blockade is likely ineffective.¡±


    He suddenly stopped speaking, bit his lip, and seemed very hesitant. Agatha, of course, noticed this, ¡°What concerns do you have, Colonel?¡±


    ¡°¡­We may have to negotiate with that great pirate,¡± Lister said darkly, ¡°Although I personally, very, very much wish not to.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ Tirian Abnormal?¡± Agatha¡¯s tone shifted slightly as well¨Cas the ¡°gatekeeper¡± of the City-State she was, after all, a native of Frost, raised on chilling tales of the Mist Fleet since childhood. ¡°If you don¡¯t go to bed, Captain Tirian will snatch you away in the heavy fog¡±¨Cthis was the most memorable childhood recollection for every Frostfolk under fifty, and Agatha was no exception, ¡°Do you think he will accept our negotiation?¡±


    ¡°It may not be a negotiation, but at least a conversation is necessary,¡± Lister lifted his eyelids, gazing at the gatekeeper before him, ¡°He arrived here at a most sensitive time, but has not made any further moves to this moment. I once suspected that he had ties with those ¡®counterfeits¡¯ occurring both inside and outside the City-State, but now it seems more like he is simply blockading the area¨Cjust like what we are doing. We need to send someone to talk to him, at least to figure out what he wants to do.¡±


    ¡°Legend has it that he is a cold and insane cursed individual, his breath as icy as the wind over the Chill Sea, and his gaze capable of freezing the sea surface,¡± Agatha said softly, ¡°Who could act as this ¡®envoy¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Those legends are exaggerated; anyone with a bit of savoir-faire can actually find out that the Mist Fleet has relatively normal channels of communication with many powers across the Chill Sea. That so-called ¡®Mist Venture Company¡¯ even established an ¡®office¡¯ in Cold Harbor¨C that great pirate is merely particularly cold toward Frost,¡± Lister sighed lightly, ¡°The matter of the envoy will be resolved. Among the military of the City-State, there is no shortage of the brave, and moreover¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped and thoughtfully lifted his head, looking out the window in a certain direction.


    ¡°Miss Agatha, did you just hear any strange sounds?¡±


    ¡°Strange sounds?¡± Agatha frowned slightly and also looked out the window, almost at the same time, she too heard a distant and deep weird noise.


    It sounded like a continuous hum, yet it wasn¡¯t any sound she recognized as naturally occurring in the world.


    It was coming from the direction of Dagger Island.


    In the near-sea region of Frost, a steel warship with a white hull and three main guns, flying the Queen¡¯s flag, was cruising slowly, a short and sturdy captain stood at the prow, looking at the situation in the distance through his telescope¨Che wore the Queen¡¯s Guard uniform from half a century ago, but his stomach had a horrifying hole that one could see right through, with fragments of his torn clothing floating gently in the air like soaked in the sea, occasionally producing a string of bubbles from thin air.


    He was a member of the Mist Fleet, captain of the mighty warship Sea Raven, Nickson.


    He was gazing at the small island with its twisting coastline in the distance.


    And on the sea in that direction, one could also see some circling tiny black silhouettes.


    Those were the naval vessels of the Frost City-State¨Cthey were enforcing the blockade on Dagger Island from another direction, and at the same time, they were cautiously observing every move of the Sea Raven and other nearby Mist Fleet ships.


    ¡°Those ships are really annoying,¡± a sailor slinked over, speaking beside the stocky Captain Nickson, ¡°Can we fire a couple of shots to give them a greeting?¡±


    ¡°No, not unless you want General Tirian to stuff you in the engine room and blend you for twenty-four hours,¡± Nickson said without turning his head, ¡°We¡¯re not here to fight the Frostfolk¨Cusing the General¡¯s words, right now we¡¯re temporarily on the same side.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± the sailor shrugged, ¡°They¡¯re blockading the other side of Dagger Island, and we¡¯re blockading this side; it¡¯s some ¡®cooperation¡¯ indeed. But if those guys get dazed and actually come close, then it wouldn¡¯t be our fault if our cannons misfire, right?¡±


    ¡°If they misfire, you¡¯ll be the first one to be shot over,¡± Nickson looked back at his subordinate, then turned his gaze back to the distant island, ¡°Dagger Island¡­ Tch, I remember when I used to stand guard there.¡±


    ¡°Back then, there was boiling gold to mine, and there was even a town on the island,¡± the sailor lamented, ¡°Ah, those good days are gone forever.¡±


    Nickson frowned, seemingly about to say something, but suddenly, he seemed to hear something and his expression turned serious at once.


    A strange humming sound¡­ reached his ears.


    ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡± the sailor next to him reacted quickly, with a nervous look on his face, ¡°Is it something those Frostfolk are doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but those ships from Frost don¡¯t seem to be doing anything suspicious¡­¡± Nickson immediately picked up his telescope, ¡°They look just as clueless¡­ Wait, Dagger Island is shaking!¡±


    He suddenly pulled away from the telescope, looking bewildered at the distant sea.


    A hazy fog was rising from the direction of Dagger Island, and a deep humming noise wafted over, stirring his mind as if trying to burrow into his thoughts. He saw the island as if it had come to life, its edges unfurling vague tentacles, which rose and squirmed in the mist, stirring the surrounding sea and fog, while the island itself was sinking, its surface filled with huge shadows like giants rising within the fog.


    Nickson paused for a second before hurriedly raising his telescope again, wanting to take a closer look at the situation on the island.


    Just as he was about to do so, a thunderous boom suddenly came from the area enshrouded by the thin fog, followed by a series of dense explosions¨Cthe smoke rose from the island, melding with the surrounding sea mist, and the flashes and flames skyrocketing could be seen clearly even without a telescope!


    Dagger Island had been detonated¨Call facilities on the island were exploding, and all ¡°ultimate safety measures¡± pointed to the same answer: Process No. 22, nitroglycerin explosives.


    Nickson stared dumbfounded at this scene, and only after a moment did he realize what had happened, but immediately, the sight before him once again exceeded his imagination.


    Dagger Island was sinking, just like a warship with a blasted hull, sinking rapidly amidst a series of explosions.


    ¡°The island is sinking?¡± an astonished voice from his subordinate came by his side, the sailor who had served on the ship for most of his life had never seen such a spectacle, ¡°The Frostfolk¡­ They sank Dagger Island?! Can they sink an island?!¡±


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    ¡°Nonsense! There¡¯s no such explosive in the world¨Chow can an island be ¡®blown¡¯ away?!¡± Nickson immediately retorted instinctively, but the sight before him made him swallow the rest of his words:


    Dagger Island really did sink, and the speed of the sinking became faster and faster, eventually reaching an unimaginable rate. Just a minute ago, he could still see two-thirds of the island above the surface, and a minute later, only a small peak remained, and after a few more seconds¡­ the island had completely disappeared from the surface of the sea.


    The mist dissolved away, and no trace of Dagger Island could be seen on the Chill Sea any longer.


    ¡°Not even a vortex has appeared¡­¡±


    Captain Nickson swallowed hard, muttering in disbelief.


    The distant sea remained calm; theoretically, the sinking of an island should trigger a terrifying vortex, one large enough to swallow the world¡¯s largest ships, yet in reality¡­ not a single vortex had appeared.


    It seemed as though¡­ the island had not sunken but rather melted into the sea.

 Chapter 359 - Chapter 359 Chapter 363 Martha

    Chapter 359: Chapter 363 Martha Chapter 359: Chapter 363 Martha ¡°Slap!¡±


    The document in his hand was smacked onto the desk as Lister suddenly stood up from behind his desk¨Cit was almost a jump¨Cthis harbor defense commander glared with wide eyes at the subordinate in front of him, ¡°Say that again! What happened to Dagger Island?!¡±


    ¡°Dagger Island¡­ Dagger Island, it has disappeared!¡± The soldier who came to deliver the message stuttered, clearly unable to control himself even as a well-trained fighter under such circumstances, ¡°Just now, we observed a series of explosions on Dagger Island, it¡¯s suspected that the last remaining people on the island detonated various facilities¡­ then, the fleet that was conducting surveillance nearby could only watch as the island quickly sank and vanished from the surface of the sea¡­¡±


    ¡°Were those fleets affected?¡± Lister immediately furrowed his brow, sensing that something was amiss.


    ¡°No,¡± shook the soldier, ¡°there was almost no change to the sea surface as Dagger Island sank. The report from the front says¡­ the island seemed to just quietly dissolve into the sea.¡±


    Lister¡¯s face turned especially grim, and after a few seconds of silence, he looked up at the doorkeeper who was still standing in the office, ¡°Miss Agatha, in your knowledge, is there any known Divine Arts, miracles, or Transcendent artifacts that could cause this phenomenon?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Agatha shook her head without hesitation, ¡°Such a scale of abnormal change has surpassed the realm of Spells and should instead be classified as a divine sign¨Cor some kind of anomaly.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re in big trouble. The investigation has not yet started, and we have no clarity on the situation on Dagger Island, and the island has completely disappeared at sea. The City Hall will not like this news,¡± Lister¡¯s brow was tightly knotted, his fingers tapping on the table. Then, as if remembering something, he abruptly looked up at the soldier, ¡°Right, any reaction from the Mist Fleet?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still in their old position, not crossing the near-sea warning line,¡± the soldier replied immediately, ¡°But after Dagger Island disappeared, two of their fast boats briefly approached that area of the sea¨Cstayed for about ten minutes, then quickly returned.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like they were observing the situation¡­ it seems this matter was also unexpected for them,¡± Lister slowly said, ¡°Damn it, it looks like we have to talk to that great pirate.¡±


    ¡°The Church will also take action,¡± continued Agatha, ¡°At this point, the exploration plan for Dagger Island is meaningless. We will shift our efforts to thoroughly investigate within the city. The Guardians have already found some clues related to the Eradication Cultists and several possible meeting points. I will personally lead a team to deal with them.¡±


    ¡°I hope you can make some headway, Doorkeeper Miss,¡± Lister lifted his head, looking at the black-clothed priestess in front of him, ¡°Things are getting out of control. We need assistance from the Transcendent realm more than ever, and the Church¡¯s investigation progress has been very slow.¡±


    ¡°We will give it our all.¡±


    Agatha nodded lightly, then picked up her staff and gently tapped the floor twice. Accompanied by the sound of her staff striking the ground, her figure suddenly turned into a gust of Grey Wind and spiraled directly into a pale crack that appeared out of nowhere in the floor.


    Lister watched the place where Agatha disappeared, and after the crack had closed, he let out a sigh, heavily sitting back in his chair, and commanded the soldier, ¡°Go out and close the door.¡±


    He had to write an ¡°urgent message¡± for the City Hall as quickly as possible, to properly explain the bizarre incident that happened at the doorstep of the City-State.


    ¡­


    The workers of the City-State harbor were guiding the ships to dock. Those wearing black or blue uniforms stood on the concrete quays, each busying themselves in the piercing cold wind, not interacting much with each other, appearing silent and preoccupied.


    A bit further away, other ships that seemed to have been docked there for a while were visible, with only a few crew members moving about on them. Their loading or resupplying operations were already completed, perhaps waiting for the next departure procedures.


    Further from the dock area, the main thoroughfare leading to the city area could be seen¨Ca wide road extending towards the distant towering buildings. The gas lamps on either side of the road had not been lit yet, but as it was nearing nightfall, there were not many pedestrians visible on the road. Only an occasional carriage could be seen, hastily driving over the increasingly dim road.


    Lawrence stood at the edge of the deck, gazing at the City-State buildings in the distance.


    This wasn¡¯t his first visit to Frost, but it had been years since his last visit. The long time away, coupled with the decline in memory with age, made him forget the appearance of the city from those days. Now, looking at the distant spires and towers standing in the twilight, he felt particularly unfamiliar.


    But anyhow, the Oakwood had finally docked safely at the City-State¨Calthough the sky had looked particularly grim along the way, they did not encounter any terrible conditions like a Storm.


    Footsteps came from behind, and the old captain turned his head to see it was his first mate.


    ¡°The check is nearly over,¡± said the first mate, ¡°and everyone is asking me if we can go into town today. They¡¯ve been cooped up on the ship for far too long.¡±


    Lawrence looked up at the sky, and although the Creation of the World had not yet appeared, the last remnants of twilight had dimmed to the point of nearly vanishing. He frowned and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s too late. After nightfall, the districts impose a maritime curfew, and there¡¯s nowhere to go if we disembark now. Let¡¯s all just stay on board¨Clater, I¡¯ll go to the port office by myself to finish the remaining procedures, and tomorrow morning, the others can go ashore.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pass the message on to them,¡± the first mate chuckled, then casually asked, ¡°But are you going alone? Should I send someone with you?¡±


    ¡°No need, I can already see the main entrance of the port office¨Cit¡¯s right beside the pier,¡± Lawrence waved his hand dismissively and pointed towards a place on the shore not far off, where lights were visible, ¡°Make sure to check all the storerooms on the ship after the port inspectors leave, especially the hold where the Sacred Relic is kept and the sealed rooms, to prevent any careless individual from tampering with the setup.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    The first mate left, and Lawrence took a deep breath in the night air. The cold northerly wind filled his lungs and jolted him into a bit more alertness.


    The old captain then shook his head and complained a bit about the lousy weather, before stepping towards the nearby staircase.


    A figure stood at the entrance of the staircase, arms crossed and standing in the dim light where shadows intertwined, watching Lawrence calmly.


    Lawrence hesitated for a moment before finally speaking tentatively, ¡°¡­Martha? What are you doing here too?¡±


    ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t be asking any questions at this moment, but would be setting sail and leaving this place immediately,¡± the female mariner with folded arms gazed at the old captain, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness, ¡°Your vigilance has decreased, Lawrence.¡±


    ¡°Martha, I¡­¡± Lawrence unconsciously took a half step forward, feeling that something was not quite right, but the multitude of words stuck in his throat, and he could only clumsily extend a hand towards her, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you a little¡­ How have you been lately?¡±


    But Martha did not answer him. She just looked over with calm eyes, her gaze seemingly focused on a point far away. In the gentle sea breeze and the sound of the surf, she slowly started to sing¨C


    ¡°Set sail, set sail, the sailor away from home continues forth¡­


    Through gusts and clamor, we¡¯re but a plank away from death.


    Furl the jibs, hoist the mainsail, release the mooring ropes, cling to the gunwales¨Cwe are now amid the sea¡­¡±


    Martha¡¯s voice gradually deepened, and she finally stopped, focusing her eyes on Lawrence, and said in a tone as if talking to herself, ¡°Lawrence, be careful, you¡¯re in the middle of the sea.¡±


    Lawrence suddenly inhaled sharply, the cold air invigorating his mind, and then as if he had remembered something, he quickly reached for his chest, fumbling frantically in his pocket.


    Martha took slow steps towards him.


    ¡°Lawrence, why have you grown so old?¡± The female mariner reached out her hand, her raspy voice tinged with softness; she still looked young, despite some signs of life at sea etched on her face, just as beautiful as Lawrence remembered, ¡°Many years have passed, right? You are not young anymore¡­ Neither am I¡­¡±


    ¡°Martha¡­¡± Lawrence¡¯s throat worked as he felt his fingers about to touch the vial, yet missed it again and again.


    He could almost smell Martha¡¯s fragrance¨Cthe familiar scent with a hint of lemon, her favorite aroma.


    Then he touched the small vial.


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    ¡°Martha¡­¡±


    He held it in his hand, his feet rooted to the deck as if planted firm. He watched as the person from his memories extended a hand towards him, as in countless dreams, the hand with familiar warmth slowly reaching his hair, and he saw the person from his memories smile, as if about to relate a tale of nostalgia from many years apart¡­


    ¡°Martha, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lawrence clenched the vial, pouring the bitter potion into his mouth.


    Martha disappeared.

 Chapter 360 - Chapter 360 Chapter 364 Leaving Secretly

    Chapter 360: Chapter 364: Leaving Secretly Chapter 360: Chapter 364: Leaving Secretly Martha had disappeared, as if she had never existed from the start.


    Yet the warm touch still lingered on his temples, the slightly lemon-scented breath still swirling around his nose¨Cshe seemed as if she had never come, yet also as if she had never left.


    Lawrence felt his fingers trembling slightly. Bowing his head, he tried several times before successfully resealing the small bottle cap, and it took him a long while to place it back into his inner pocket. His heart pounded fiercely¨Ceven during great storms, it had never thumped like this.


    Rationality arrived belatedly, as if awakening from a long dream. He realized that he had just brushed against madness and nearly fallen into a state of persistent delusion. For a captain who had been drifting on the Endless Sea for most of his life, once engulfed in such a state, retrieving his sanity would be impossible, yet at this moment, he felt neither the relief of a narrow escape nor the residual fear from facing madness.


    He only felt a mild sorrow and regret.


    And this mild sorrow and regret were also a warning¨Cit meant that deep down, he was no longer entirely resistant to ¡°madness¡± itself.


    Lawrence took a deep breath, trying hard to expel all the thoughts entangling his reason from his mind. He glanced around; the White Oak was right beneath his feet, and here was a ship full of people waiting for him to lead them back to Plunder.


    Now was not the time to succumb to madness.


    ¡°I really should retire¡­¡± sighed the old captain, slowly stepping towards the stairs in front of him, but he had only taken a few steps when he suddenly stopped, his expression turning grave.


    He recalled the scene when ¡°Martha¡± had appeared¨Calthough he knew that these ¡°memories¡± were dangerous and could likely cause her to appear again, he couldn¡¯t help but reminisce, because he suddenly realized there were parts of what ¡°Martha¡± had said to him that were deeply concerning:


    ¡°Lawrence, be careful, you have come to the middle of the sea¡­¡±


    ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t harbor any doubts at this moment, but would immediately depart from here¡­ Your vigilance has decreased¡­¡±


    Lawrence subconsciously repeated these two sentences in his mind, although he knew that they were the result of his memory disorder and cognitive instability. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but take them as some sort of warning¨CMartha might indeed not exist, but did he deep down feel some sort of danger through his intuition? Were these two sentences¡­ warnings from his subconscious?


    The old captain looked around, once again carefully examining his ship¨Cthe White Oak. Everything that met his eyes appeared normal. Then, he lifted his head, looking towards Plunder City-State nearby.


    Plunder City-State also seemed entirely normal, the nearby port area calm and serene, with the city regions lighting up not far away and the tall sea cliffs overlooking the ocean, presenting rugged, powerful contours under the dim sky light.


    But a faint sense of discord rose inside him, unstoppable like the gradually rising tide in his heart. Accompanied by this feeling of discord, Lawrence suddenly heard a soft sound of waves beside his ear¨Cmingling with the waves around the White Oak. Initially, he couldn¡¯t discern it, but soon he realized this sound was directly arising within his own mind.


    The sound of waves¡­ a warning? Was the blessing of the Storm Goddess Gomona taking effect?


    Lawrence¡¯s gaze sharpened immediately, and he abandoned his plans to go ashore, turning abruptly towards the direction of the bridge. The cold night wind howled past his ears, like blades stimulating his nerves.


    ¡°Captain?¡± The first officer on duty at the bridge looked startled upon seeing Lawrence appear so suddenly. He stood up from his chair and quickly approached the captain. ¡°Weren¡¯t you heading ashore¡­¡±


    ¡°The situation has changed,¡± Lawrence rapidly responded. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t feel right¡­ How long have we been docked here? Has anyone sneaked ashore?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the first officer immediately replied. ¡°You had already ordered everyone to stay on board¨Ceveryone¡¯s been quite honest. Additionally, we¡¯ve been docked here for several hours now.¡±


    ¡°Good that no one went ashore,¡± Lawrence quickly nodded and then glanced towards the direction of the control station. ¡°Ignite the steam core; we¡¯re leaving this port.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ What?¡± The first officer was taken aback, not comprehending at first. ¡°Leaving the port? But we just¡­¡±


    Lawrence interrupted him before he could finish, ¡°Something¡¯s off about this place; I can¡¯t put my finger on it, but I feel very bad about it. Remember the issues with the Observatory earlier on? And earlier still, when we couldn¡¯t contact Frost, our vigilance has lowered since then¨Csomething¡­ is affecting all of us.¡±


    He spoke rapidly, knowing how abnormal his commands were¨Caside from a slight discord in his intuition, he had no evidence to support the correctness of his command. The White Oak had just endured a long voyage, both crew and machinery needing repairs at this moment, making his order to depart seem foolish.


    Moreover, departing required coordination with the port authority, and re-igniting the steam core without prior notification was a serious violation. He had to take responsibility for his decision.


    But the intense warning throbbed within his heart, the increasingly strong sounds of the waves echoing in his mind. Gomona¡¯s blessing was warning him, urging him to avoid any further contact with the ¡°port¡± authorities¨Ceven an extra word would be too much.


    The first mate stared intently at the captain before him, and after nearly half a minute, he suddenly stood upright and said loudly, ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    On board, the word of the captain was law.


    A captain who had lost his sanity could lead to the demise of everyone on the ship¨Cyet more likely, an experienced captain could save all aboard from a crisis.


    The orders were swiftly relayed throughout the ship, the puzzled sailors hurried into action, and soon made ready to set sail again as if by reflex.


    A new Boiling Gold Catalyst was inserted into the steam core, and low mechanical vibrations began to awaken deep within the White Oak. The sailors quietly released the mooring ropes from the ship¡¯s side and retracted the gangplank onto the deck. Lawrence stood on the bridge, intently observing the dockside through the expansive glass¨C


    There were figures moving on the dock, vague under the dim gaslight, their forms indistinct, and some loading vehicles passed by a little farther away, casting long, dense shadows on the road.


    They seemed completely unaware that a ship had just reignited its steam core under the cover of night, nor did any ¡°thing¡± suddenly appear to intercept the White Oak as it prepared to stealthily depart.


    The situation was better than Lawrence had imagined. In his worst scenario, he even worried that the moment the steam core was relit, hundreds of sea monster tentacles would suddenly emerge from the surrounding waters and drag the White Oak down.


    ¡°Keep the lights out, and don¡¯t sound the steam whistle,¡± Lawrence quickly instructed the first mate beside him, then stepped forward to take the helm himself, ¡°I¡¯ll take the wheel¨Ckeep the boiler at high pressure, ready for overload at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Though still puzzled, everyone on the ship executed the old captain¡¯s orders without hesitation. Lawrence could feel the steel behemoth beneath his feet slowly stirring to life.


    The ship maintained its light-out status, the propeller under the water began to rotate, and the White Oak gradually moved away from the port. The sound of water churning could be heard, tension mounting among everyone, their gazes fixed on the City-State shrouded in the darkness beside them.


    Lawrence¡¯s palms were sweaty.


    But there was still no abnormal reaction from the City-State¨Ceven though the movements of the White Oak could no longer be concealed, no one came to inspect.


    He glanced at the adjacent radio station; the telegraph was as silent as death.


    Theoretically, the Port Authority should have sent an urgent communication by now, questioning why the White Oak was leaving port all of a sudden¨Cbut nothing happened.


    This only firmed up Lawrence¡¯s conviction that his judgment was correct.


    Something was definitely off here!


    The power of the steam core was raised a level, the speed of the propellers gradually increased, and the White Oak moved away from the dock area faster, with the open sea appearing directly ahead on the bridge, the surface shimmering with light.


    Lawrence took a deep breath and gripped the wheel tightly: ¡°Full speed ahead!¡±


    ¡­


    A Grey Wind swept across the courtyard, coalescing in the front hall of the cathedral, from which Agatha stepped out briskly, sprinting through the porch and the hall to reach the ¡°Sanctum of Contemplation¡± where Bishop Ivan of the City-State resided.


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    The holy icon of death god Bartok stood silently at the end of the sanctum; a gloomy black coffin lay horizontally on the platform at the foot of the icon, its lid open. Bishop Ivan, usually resting inside the coffin, stood next to it, looking up towards Agatha.


    This bishop, mummified in bandages with only one eye exposed, was today clad in a black robe with golden edges, holding a crosier in his hand. As Agatha approached, he initiated the conversation: ¡°I¡¯ve already heard about the situation on Dagger Island.¡±


    ¡°It seems so, you are personally overseeing the meeting,¡± Agatha nodded, but with a hint of concern, ¡°Can your body withstand it?¡±


    Bishop Ivan raised his hand, from between the gaps in the bandages, a pale white mist seemed to slowly drift out.


    ¡°As long as one holds up¨Cbody or will.¡±

 Chapter 361 - Chapter 361 Chapter 365 The Child Who Shared Secrets

    Chapter 361: Chapter 365: The Child Who Shared Secrets Chapter 361: Chapter 365: The Child Who Shared Secrets Agatha knew that Bishop Ivan¡¯s life had almost reached its end many years ago¨Cunderneath those tightly wrapped bandages, there was hardly any flesh and blood left. What kept him standing here was nothing but a miracle bestowed by Bartok, apart from one tenacious spirit.


    Few people knew what had really happened to the bishop¡¯s body. Even as a gatekeeper, Agatha only knew about an ¡°accident¡± that had occurred many, many years ago. Bishop Ivan never discussed the true circumstances of that ¡°accident¡± with anyone, including in her presence.


    Naturally, Agatha would not actively probe this secret.


    Bishop Ivan¡¯s thoughts were clearly very heavy. He remained silent for a long time before suddenly saying, ¡°We are facing a crisis.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bishop Ivan,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°I will do everything in my power to uncover the truth and destroy the conspiracies of those heretics.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand,¡± Bishop Ivan shook his head, ¡°the ¡®truth¡¯ of this crisis may have already exceeded our comprehension and imagination, Agatha. The activities of those heretics might be part of this crisis, but they are certainly not the whole of it. I have a feeling¡­¡±


    Agatha frowned slightly, ¡°A feeling?¡±


    ¡°A familiar aura, just like fifty years ago¡­ before the chaos erupted, the entire city was permeated with an atmosphere very similar to today,¡± Bishop Ivan said slowly. ¡°A seemingly normal City-State, yet everywhere there are strange and inexplicable details, as if we suddenly live in a dreamscape, where the terrifying edges are barely glimpsed in passing. The pitiful human mind refuses to comprehend it all, causing us to fail to see the reality that lies so close¡­ Do you feel it? As if¡­ the distortion is right before us, but we remain with our eyes closed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Agatha hesitated, ¡°Do you mean cognitive interference? Has this interference affected our judgement?¡±


    Bishop Ivan did not answer her, but after several seconds of silence, he suddenly brought up a seemingly unrelated topic, ¡°Agatha, have I ever talked to you about ¡®the last of the Queen¡¯s Guard¡¯ from fifty years ago? Have I mentioned the ¡®second waterway¡¯ deep within the City-State?¡±


    ¡°The second waterway?¡± Agatha was taken aback, and with that, some information surfaced in her mind. ¡°I know a little about that. It was part of the massive underground facility built by the Frost Queen for the City-State. But with the end of the queen¡¯s era, this unfinished facility was also abandoned. Nowadays, due to severe collapses and the enormous fiscal pressure, it has been left deserted¨Cmost people don¡¯t even know of its existence.¡±


    ¡°Yes, abandoned. Only gatekeepers like you or old antiques like myself are still aware of it,¡± Bishop Ivan said, shaking his head.


    ¡°What¡¯s the story with ¡®the last of the Queen¡¯s Guard¡¯?¡± Agatha asked. ¡°Why do you suddenly bring this up?¡±


    ¡°The last of the Queen¡¯s Guard,¡± Bishop Ivan¡¯s voice was deep as he seemed to fall into a memory, ¡°were the troops who still refused to surrender after the rebels breached the Queen¡¯s palace, and who made their last stand relying on the City-State¡¯s underground facilities.¡± He continued, ¡°Their last stronghold was the entrance to the second waterway¨Cafter that, they blew up all the connecting shafts and were buried alive beneath the ground. I bring this up today¡­ because I suddenly remembered an old rumor.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression immediately turned serious, ¡°A rumor?¡±


    ¡°It was said¡­ when the shafts were destroyed, the soldiers attacking underground suddenly heard strange noises coming from deep below. In the completely collapsed depths, the final cries of the Queen¡¯s Guard suddenly rang out, as if they were launching an attack towards something,¡± Bishop Ivan recounted slowly. ¡°For a long time afterwards, people reported hearing sounds of shouting and charges from deep underground. Gradually, rumors spread that ¡®the last of the Queen¡¯s Guard¡¯ had become a twisted legion in the depths, battling in the darkness every day, with raging anger boiling within them, awaiting the moment the most fragile order established by the betrayers came to be, so that they could emerge from the depths and settle the old scores¡­¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression grew somber, ¡°The most fragile moment of the new order¡­ Earlier, you said we are facing a crisis beyond comprehension, one with an atmosphere similar to fifty years ago. Could this be that most fragile moment? Will this legendary ¡®Queen¡¯s Guard¡¯ emerge from the ground? Do you believe this legend is true?¡±


    ¡°I do not believe in the legend¨Cthe Queen¡¯s Guard was completely annihilated, I witnessed it myself. Even if¡­¡± Bishop Ivan paused, as if he had thought of something, but then shook his head, ¡°even if there were a few survivors who managed to hold on temporarily in the second waterway, they would not have survived to this day. The few descendants who remain cannot shake the rule of the City-State, even with the crisis we face today.¡±


    Agatha was silent for a moment before suddenly speaking, ¡°The legend of ¡®the last Queen¡¯s Guard¡¯ might be false, but the existence of a vast uncontrolled area beneath the Frost City-State is true. You¡¯re not worried about the Queen¡¯s Guard that disappeared fifty years ago, but rather something else that¡¯s hiding in the second waterway?¡±


    ¡°We have been searching the entire city for a long time, and while we¡¯ve captured many heretics, most of them are minor players who lack sophisticated hiding skills¨Cbased on their abilities, it¡¯s impossible for them to create so many ¡®counterfeits¡¯ and ¡®Prime Element contaminations¡¯, let alone provoke disturbance on Dagger Island,¡± Bishop Ivan nodded. ¡°It now seems that the ones we¡¯ve captured are more scattered soldiers who¡¯ve ¡®leaked¡¯ from a larger nest. Most areas of the City-State have been searched more than once. If there¡¯s any place left unchecked¡­ I¡¯m afraid it can only be the depths underground.¡±


    Agatha pondered for a moment before speaking uncertainly, ¡°But the records indicate that most areas of the second waterway are seriously collapsed, isolated into dead-end tunnels. Plus, with toxic contamination and extensive dark zones, it¡¯s essentially uninhabitable down there¨Cheretics are living people too. Apart from a few who are on the verge of transforming themselves into Profound Demons, most heretics still require normal human living conditions¡­ How could they possibly hide in such a place?¡±


    ¡°We should at least look,¡± Bishop Ivan said slowly. ¡°Start the search from the collapsed areas around the boiling gold mine shafts.¡±


    Agatha thought for a moment and then gently nodded her head. ¡°That would require the cooperation of City Hall¨Cprotective equipment, underground machinery, professional engineering personnel. The cathedral doesn¡¯t have these types of resources.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the negotiations,¡± Bishop Ivan nodded, ¡°List whatever manpower and equipment you need, and I can get them for you.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll give you the list before noon,¡± Agatha said, not mincing words, ¡°Also, before the personnel and materials arrive, I want to have another ¡®chat¡¯ with those captured Heretics to see if they can spill any useful information¡­¡±


    ¡­


    The darkness of night receded, and the sky gradually brightened as anomaly 001 began rising from the edge of the City-State. The brilliant sun slowly climbed the sky, and the dual Rune Circles swept over the towering spires and rooftops. The sunlight brought warmth, dispelling the cold built up through the night.


    At the gate of the third graveyard, the heavy, carved iron fence doors creaked open, the gates brushing snow off the ground and leaving behind two arc-shaped trails that resembled unfurled wings. Dressed in an old coat, the elderly watchman stood before the open gate of the cemetery, taking a deep breath and looking up at the now clear sky.


    The sky had cleared, but for some reason, the bright morning could not quell the restlessness in his heart. Watching in the direction of the city streets, he could vaguely hear the sound of horses and carriages, blurred and noisy just like the unsettled wind from the night before.


    Even the clear sky at this moment seemed unreal.


    He muttered a few complaints under his breath, and then his gaze shifted towards the slope in front of the graveyard.


    The wrinkles on the old man¡¯s face relaxed for a moment, but the next second, they twisted again, along with his deeply furrowed brows.


    He saw a small figure appearing on the slope, struggling yet vigorously making its way towards him¨Cafter noticing the old man¡¯s gaze, the figure even deliberately stopped and waved happily in his direction.


    The old watchman¡¯s face turned stern.


    He waited for the figure to approach and only spoke in a displeased tone after Annie had begun to pat snowflakes off her trousers and boots. ¡°You¡¯re here again¨Cyesterday was quiet for once, and I thought you¡¯d finally stay at home properly. And now you¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to come yesterday, too,¡± Annie stuck out her tongue, ¡°but Mom said there was too much snow on the road, and we had to wait for the snow plow to clear the main road before I could go out¡­¡±


    After speaking, she didn¡¯t wait for the old man to say anything but already expertly handed over a small package. ¡°Cookies!¡±


    ¡°¡­I eat cookies every day now,¡± the old man glanced at what was being offered to him, his eyelid twitched, but he still reached out to take it, ¡°Give my thanks to Lady Belloni.¡±


    Annie¡¯s smile widened happily.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± The old watchman glanced at the girl in front of him. ¡°The graveyard isn¡¯t open for visits today.¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just wanted to chat with you,¡± Annie said cheerfully, ¡°You know what? We¡¯ve had some new guests staying at our house recently. Can you guess who?¡±


    A twelve-year-old child was indeed not good at keeping secrets in her heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested,¡± the old watchman felt inexplicably annoyed and waved his hand impatiently. ¡°The house belongs to your family. You can rent it to anyone you want. What does that have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the tall uncle wrapped in many bandages and wearing black clothes!¡± Annie disregarded the old man¡¯s response, her smile becoming ever more radiant, her tone carrying an inexplicable pride, ¡°It¡¯s that one from last time at the graveyard gate¡­ Are you alright, Grandpa Watchman?¡±


    (Thank you to the Silver Moe from World Hall~)

 Chapter 362 - Chapter 362 Chapter 366 A Case

    Chapter 362: Chapter 366: A Case Chapter 362: Chapter 366: A Case Alice walked away joyfully, looking completely unsuspecting¨Cafter all, she was just a child.


    The old caretaker stood at the cemetery gate for a long time, watching the direction in which Alice had disappeared. It took him a while to snap back to reality, and then his fingers trembled slightly as he reached into the pocket on his chest, pulling out a vial of medicine and pouring it into his mouth.


    He felt much better.


    ¡°This is too sinister¡­ must report to the cathedral right away¡­ God of Death above¡­ this is too sinister¡­¡±


    Muttering to himself, the old man quickly turned and walked towards the guardhouse. After entering, he closed the door, headed straight to the old-looking, ordinary desk beside the bed¨Cafter lifting a cover on the desk, a complex network of pipes, valves, buttons, and handles were revealed below.


    Several metal capsule compartments quietly lay next to the pipes in their slots.


    The old man took a sheet of paper from the desk drawer, sat down, and began swiftly writing a report. He then rolled it up and stuffed it into the metal capsule compartment, opened a hidden pipe in the desk, and placed the capsule into a slot.


    ¡°May Bartok bless these pipes and the flowing air within¡­ May the operation of the valves be smooth, without jams, pressure leaks, or bursts¨Cmay the sorting center¡¯s differential machine not malfunction.¡±


    The old man quietly prayed briefly, then pressed a button next to the pressure pipe. After a green light in the hidden compartment lit up, he pulled the handle next to the button.


    A strange gurgling sound came from deep within the pipes, sounding like the noise made when airflow is blocked, but it quickly vanished, and the hissing of the normally operating pressure pipes and the fast-sliding of the capsule mechanism followed.


    The old man glanced at the pipes with some concern, muttering, ¡°It can¡¯t be because the report mentions the existence of higher beings, affecting the machine¡­¡±


    After a while, two green lights signifying the ¡°express mail¡± had reached the higher sorting center lit up, and the old caretaker finally set his mind at ease and closed the hidden compartment cover.


    ¡­


    Alice hugged a large paper bag as she walked down the street, curiously looking around at the buildings, and observing the life in this city that was so different from Prand.


    Inside the paper bag were items she had just bought from a corner store¨Csome vegetables, eggs, frozen solid butter, and two pieces of lamb, which were the ingredients for today¡¯s lunch.


    Alice was already able to shop on her own, although not very deftly, and she occasionally mistook the amount of change, but she kept learning every day¨Cprogressing, though not much.


    She lowered her head slightly, one hand holding the paper bag, while the other pulled out a note from the bag to confirm the contents of the note.


    Scrawled in wobbly handwriting were some letters, today¡¯s shopping list¨Cone part of which consisted of words she could read and write, while the other part was substituted with simple drawings¨Cshe had taken great efforts to write this list herself.


    Planning daily menus, planning the ingredients to buy, writing shopping lists, going to the store herself¨Ctrying to accurately calculate the change and then making sure to be back home on time. If all could be done, the captain would be very pleased.


    Alice would be pleased too.


    After confirming that everything in the list and the bag was correct, Miss Doll contently tucked away the note and continued walking towards her temporary residence on Oak Street.


    But just as she was halfway there, a stir from a street corner suddenly caught her attention.


    She looked up towards the direction of the noise, seeing about a dozen people gathered beside an old-looking residential building, some people pointing upward at the building, all of them chattering about something, with phrases like ¡°that woman¡¯s gone mad,¡± ¡°poor soul,¡± ¡°even the church is alarmed¡± occasionally being heard.


    Alice couldn¡¯t help but slow down, slower and slower, until she finally stopped, looking in that direction with great hesitation.


    This was a commotion¨CThe captain had said not to join commotions lightly; because if her head fell off in a crowd, the commotion would be too great.


    But it did look very interesting over there, and the topics they were discussing¡­ seemed to be the kind of content the captain would be interested in.


    Alice was torn and, amidst her indecisiveness, took a step towards the scene, then another.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just go to see what¡¯s happening¡­ I¡¯m gathering information for the captain¡­ This isn¡¯t joining a commotion aimlessly; it¡¯s joining very seriously¡­¡±


    Alice applied all her intelligence to convince herself, and then she succeeded.


    With one hand pressing her head and the other the paper bag, Miss Doll quickly joined the crowd, looking up at the residential building alongside them.


    Unlike the temporary residence of the captain, the building before their eyes appeared older and more cramped. The narrow windows and external gas pipelines seemed suffocatingly congested, indicating that many separate households were gathered within the structure.


    The discussions of the surrounding crowd were chaotic. Having listened for a long time and still not understanding what was happening, Alice carefully tapped on the shoulder of the person next to her and politely asked, ¡°Excuse me, what happened here?¡±


    The person next to her was startled but relaxed after seeing that the speaker was just a young girl wearing a veil, and pointed upwards, ¡°A woman went insane, insisting she killed her husband and even tried to strangle her own child. The sheriff was alerted first, and now even the church officials are here¨Cit seems like this won¡¯t end simply.¡±


    Right after his words fell, another person chimed in, ¡°Speaking of which, the church folks are here. Could it really be something ominous?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t turn into a big ordeal,¡± a woman muttered among the crowd. ¡°I live just below them; if something really happens, we won¡¯t have anywhere to go¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter what, it¡¯s best to go to the church today, to have the priest help with an exorcism. It¡¯s always good to be cautious.¡±


    The crowd started discussing fervently again, and soon the topic shifted to areas Alice couldn¡¯t understand. She zoned out amid the tumultuous chatter, her gaze slowly drifting upwards.


    Thin, drifting lines floated into her view, with many more extending from the nearby residential buildings, dancing gently in the air like swaying strands of hair, quietly stirring the sky.


    Suddenly, Alice blinked.


    She noticed that those drifting lines above the City-State seemed especially surreal and transparent, even flickering like a faulty electric light.


    ¡­


    In the old apartment building emanating a faint moldy scent, the ancient plumbing system leaked somewhere, intermittently sending dripping sounds to one¡¯s ears. Dressed in black and equipped with batons and lanterns, the guards congregated in the living room, making the already cramped space feel even more confined.


    A woman with disheveled long hair cowered in the corner of the sofa, her head bowed as if startled, occasionally muttering indistinct sentences.


    Two black-clad guards stood beside her, watching over the mentally disturbed woman.


    The guards were inspecting the remaining clues in the house, having already been busy for two hours.


    A gust of Grey Wind blew down the corridor at that moment, swirling through the open door into the living room.


    The guards paused their work and saluted the grey-white whirlwind.


    Agatha stepped out from the vortex, scanning the room.


    ¡°How are things now?¡± she lifted her head, looking at the highest-ranking guard on the scene.


    The captain of the guards, a tidy woman with black ear-length hair, stepped forward in response to the question, ¡°We¡¯ve collected a small amount of ¡®mud¡¯ samples from the bathroom floor, confirming it¡¯s consistent with the samples previously collected.¡±


    ¡°Prime Element¡­¡± Agatha murmured softly, then frowned, ¡°A small sample? How much? Just that?¡±


    ¡°About a test tube¡¯s worth,¡± the short-haired female captain gestured with her hand. ¡°That¡¯s all we have found¨Cwe¡¯ve searched the entire building, and only the bathroom floor had some remains.¡±


    Agatha pondered silently, then turned to look at the long-haired woman curled up in the corner of the sofa.


    ¡°Is she the responsible party?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the squad leader nodded, ¡°She rents here, and we have checked her background. She has no criminal record and is an agent accountant at a nearby firm. Moreover, her husband used to work in the Fervent Gold Mine¨Crecords show he died in a mining disaster three years ago.¡±


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    Fervent Gold Mine¡­ mining disaster¡­


    Perhaps influenced by recent events, Agatha¡¯s attention was instinctively caught by these words. After steadying herself, she approached the woman who continuously mumbled incoherently.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am¨CI am the Gatekeeper of the City-State, and you are safe now,¡± Agatha spoke in a calm voice, gently using the power to soothe the mind, ¡°Tell me, what exactly happened?¡±


    Upon hearing her voice, the trembling in the long-haired woman¡¯s body abruptly stopped. Then, after mumbling unclearly again, she suddenly looked up.


    A pair of eyes, still brimming with fear and insanity, stared intently at Agatha.


    ¡°He came back, he came back¡­ I killed him, I killed that monster¡­ In the bathroom! It¡¯s melting in the bathroom!¡±

 Chapter 363 - Chapter 363 Chapter 367 The Remaining Shelter

    Chapter 363: Chapter 367: The Remaining Shelter Chapter 363: Chapter 367: The Remaining Shelter The eyes were filled with blood, swirled with uncontrollable madness and fear. Although the gatekeeper¡¯s words had soothed the woman¡¯s spirit and roused her from the brink of collapse, they couldn¡¯t completely smooth over the lingering shadows of fear in her mind.


    Agatha had seen this look many times before, so she simply calmly met the woman¡¯s gaze. Once she had further calmed the woman, she spoke, ¡°The ¡®he¡¯ you mentioned, you¡¯re referring to your husband, right? He has returned home¨Cbut you know, he died several years ago.¡±


    The woman¡¯s shoulders shook violently, she lowered her head, grabbing her own hair as if afraid to maintain eye contact with Agatha, merely repeating over and over, ¡°He came back¡­ he came back¡­ but I know that wasn¡¯t him¡­¡±


    ¡°How did you kill ¡®it¡¯?¡± Agatha frowned and asked, ¡°Do you remember the details of what happened?¡±


    While speaking, she reached into her bosom and pulled out a bottle of medicine. After she unhandedly popped open the cap, the tranquil scent from within softly diffused, gradually enveloping the surroundings.


    The gatekeeper¡¯s concoction had its effect, and the long-haired woman on the sofa¡¯s breathing became much calmer. She lifted her head slightly, peeking through the gaps in her hair at the outside, her voice very low, ¡°I¡­ I hit it with a hammer from behind, on the back of its head, then it fell over. But even though its head was caved in, it didn¡¯t die; instead, it struggled to get up again. I kicked it further inside, and then closed the bathroom door¡­ It banged inside, shrieking terrifyingly. It was around midnight; it shrieked for about ten minutes before stopping¡­¡±


    The woman paused, steadied herself for a few seconds, then continued, ¡°Later, I sneakily peeked through the bathroom door¡­ and it had disappeared¡­¡±


    Agatha nodded slightly while mentally reconstructing the sequence of events and asked again, ¡°How did ¡®it¡¯ appear? Do you remember the process of him ¡®coming back¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± the woman shook her head, her tone filled with terror, ¡°He¡­ it suddenly appeared in the house! The doors were locked, but I heard noises in the living room. When I came out from the bedroom, I saw that thing¡­ wearing the clothes my husband was buried in, pacing in the living room, with a sound like rotting sludge coming from inside its body¡­¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious; she turned her head and, before she could speak, a guardian brought a report from the side, ¡°We have checked the entrances and exits of this house, all doors and windows are intact, and all windows are locked from the inside.¡±


    The doors and windows were tightly shut, the locks undamaged; the ¡°counterfeit¡± had directly appeared inside the resident¡¯s home.


    Compared to an overt ¡°invasion¡± or ¡°attack,¡± this sort of phenomenon, seemingly materializing out of thin air¡­ heightened her vigilance all the more.


    And today¡¯s case held points of interest that were not limited to just these.


    Agatha lowered her head, looking at the woman on the sofa.


    She still remembered the cases she had encountered before today, especially the one discovered at 42 Fireplace Street¨Ca folklorist who had returned from the dead and his severely cognitively contaminated, oblivious female apprentice. In such a typical case, the surviving individual hadn¡¯t been able to detect the ¡°counterfeit¡± before them.


    But this woman had recognized it.


    Had she not been affected by cognitive contamination?


    ¡°Madam,¡± Agatha began, carefully choosing her words, ¡°how did you determine that the ¡®monster¡¯ was not your husband?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? My husband¡­ he died years ago. Everything about that thing was wrong. How could it be my husband?¡± the woman grew somewhat agitated, ¡°Besides¡­ besides, that thing even approached my child¡­ my child. He pointed at the monster and called it daddy. He¡­ he must have been controlled by that monster, he¡­¡±


    ¡°You think your child was controlled by the monster, so you grabbed his neck?¡± Agatha furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°Do you realize what you did just then¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t grab his neck! I was just trying to pull him back. I didn¡¯t squeeze him!¡±


    The woman became completely agitated and even jumped up from the sofa as if about to pounce on the gatekeeper before her. Her blood-filled eyes once again reflecting the previous madness and fear, to the point where reason seemed completely evaporated¨Ca nearby guardian immediately reacted, intending to restrain the irrational, unfortunate woman, but Agatha was faster.


    The gatekeeper raised her staff, lightly tapping it on the woman¡¯s forehead.


    The latter instantly fell unconscious.


    ¡°She¡¯s terrified,¡± the female team leader with black short hair shook her head, ¡°This sort of thing is really beyond what ordinary people can handle¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not just simple fright; it¡¯s another kind of mental contamination¨Cshe is in a temporarily insane state, retaining only the basic ability to converse,¡± Agatha shook her head, her brows still tightly furrowed, ¡°She wasn¡¯t affected by cognitive or memory interference; although I don¡¯t know the specific reason, she clearly recognized the essence of that ¡®counterfeit,¡¯ but ¡®seeing through the truth¡¯ is itself a harm to ordinary people.¡±


    While saying this, she raised her head, surveying this not-so-large abode.


    ¡°Where is the child?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been taken to a safe place¨Coverly frightened and having experienced a brief suffocation, he might not be able to undergo questioning.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Agatha instructed, ¡°Keep the mother and son separated for now, ensure proper care and psychological counseling, especially for that child. Comfort him well, and if either of them recalls any valuable information, report to me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Agatha nodded and then walked through the living room to a small combined washroom and bathroom.


    On the floor near the shower head, one could still see marks left by the guardians after they gathered evidence.


    The fake had been confined in this bathroom but in the end¡­ it left behind nothing more than a ¡°sample¡± the size of less than a test tube.


    This was highly abnormal.


    While the fake itself was of a mysterious nature and origin, one thing was clear: they were also made of a certain amount of physical substance, and even if it disintegrated, that substance wouldn¡¯t just disappear into thin air.


    With a slight frown, Agatha walked around the cramped washroom twice and suddenly stopped, staring intently at a spot.


    It was a rust-stained drain in the corner.


    She quickly walked over to the drain, tapped the cast iron grate with the end of her tin cane, and peered into the pitch-black hole.


    The darkness within the drain seemed to bury all truths.


    ¡°¡­Can it be¡­ Damn it!¡±


    Agatha suddenly took a deep breath, realizing a possibility that even made her feel a chill in her hands and feet.


    ¡°Evacuate this building, move all residents to the nearby street church and public shelters,¡± she commanded swiftly upon returning to the living room, ¡°Contact the district city office, close down this building¡­ no, shut down all secondary pipework connected to this building, including sewage and water lines¨Calso, send a team immediately to the nearest sewage treatment plant to check the sedimentation tanks and filters!¡±


    The squad leader was taken aback by this flurry of commands but did not question any; the instinct to obey had her stand at attention immediately: ¡°Yes, Gatekeeper!¡±


    Having issued her orders, Agatha then moved to the side of a woman sleeping on the couch.


    Why hadn¡¯t this woman been affected by the cognitive and memory interference, but had instead seen through the truth about the ¡°fake¡±?


    Even now, Agatha was very concerned about this issue.


    At that moment, a guardian who had been investigating other rooms suddenly rushed into the living room, holding something in his hand.


    ¡°Gatekeeper! We found this!¡±


    Agatha immediately looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the object in his hand was a somewhat antiquated small plaster statue.


    It was unmistakably a profile statue of the Frost Queen.


    ¡°A crazy queen¡¯s statue?¡± another guardian whispered in the room, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find this here.¡±


    Agatha, with a serious expression, walked forward, took the 10-centimeter-tall bust and carefully observed the details of the statue.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a genuine artifact from that era with a special anti-counterfeiting mark at the base,¡± she assessed briefly, then looking up, asked, ¡°Where was this placed?¡±


    ¡°In a hidden door deep in a wardrobe,¡± reported the guardian who found the queen¡¯s profile, ¡°We also found coins and a commemorative album from the queen¡¯s era inside. It looks like¡­someone is still secretly cherishing the memory of the Frost Queen.¡±


    For a moment, Agatha said nothing, only staring fixedly at the plaster statue in her hand.


    The Frost Queen¡­ even half a century later, there were still citizens in the City-State secretly commemorating the queen, which didn¡¯t surprise her at all.


    After all, it was a glorious era, she was once a great queen¨Cmerely fifty years were not enough to erase all traces of the queen¡¯s era from the City-State. Some old people who had lived through that era, and their descendants, were still heavily influenced by it.


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    There were scattered queen supporters among the people¨Cfifty years ago, such clandestine acts of remembrance could lead to hanging, but today, fifty years later, the bans had significantly relaxed. In her years as Gatekeeper, Agatha had heard of such things more than once.


    In most cases, if it was just spontaneous civilian ¡°collecting of memorabilia,¡± today¡¯s guardians and sheriffs would not pursue it too aggressively, sometimes even turning a blind eye or merely issuing a verbal warning.


    This household merely collected a bust of the queen, some coins, and an album¨Cnot a big deal.


    But given the recent abnormalities in this residence, Agatha couldn¡¯t help but overthink.


    The individual involved in this incident hadn¡¯t been affected by cognitive disruption but had instead uncovered the truth about the ¡°fake.¡± Could it be¡­related to the queen¡¯s memorabilia here?

 Chapter 364 - Chapter 364 Chapter 368 Chance Encounter and Reunion

    Chapter 364: Chapter 368: Chance Encounter and Reunion Chapter 364: Chapter 368: Chance Encounter and Reunion Agatha checked the hidden compartment where the side portrait of the queen was concealed, and it was just as her subordinates had reported¨Cmerely a place for covert tributes to the Frost Queen, with no traces of residual Transcendent power.


    She looked at the items that had been found during the search: a plaster statue, commemorative coins, a manual.


    Fifty years ago, this would have merited a noose.


    But those tense and terrifying years were behind them, and the current Frost authorities had to consider the long-term stability of the City-State and their public image of fairness. They couldn¡¯t make a big fuss over some secret tributes by the people¨Cnow, such harmless acts of remembrance would usually only result in a warning, or at most, a fine.


    Moreover, even if there were warnings and fines, those were matters for the police to consider¨Cnot the church¡¯s responsibility.


    ¡°This is not our concern,¡± Agatha shook her head, ¡°organize this information and notify the security authorities to take over the follow-up work. However, we should take these mementos back for inspection, just in case there¡¯s something hidden in them.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After arranging some minor site clean-up tasks, Agatha stood up from the sofa and exhaled softly.


    There was too much to deal with; she couldn¡¯t afford to delay here any longer.


    ¡°Remember to keep up with the investigation at the wastewater treatment center, and monitor the pipeline system in this area,¡± she instructed her subordinate one last time, then she stepped out of the room.


    Outside was the narrow corridor, with the old staircase extending forward under the dim light. Next door, two other households quietly opened their doors to pay attention to the commotion, several pairs of slightly panicked eyes peering out from the door cracks.


    Agatha waved a hand at those pairs of eyes.


    ¡°Go back inside, get your belongings ready, and wait for the instructions. We need to evacuate this area temporarily¨Crest assured, we will resolve the situation here as quickly as possible, and you¡¯ll be able to return home soon.¡±


    After she dropped this message, Agatha didn¡¯t wait to see the residents¡¯ reactions; she proceeded down the stairs toward the building¡¯s exit.


    She didn¡¯t use Grey Wind to hasten her journey, even though she typically enjoyed doing so¨Cbut today, her mind was in disarray, with a jumble of matters entangled in her thoughts. She felt she needed to sort them out, and a slow walk helped her think.


    At the same time, she wanted to sense the remnants of aura in the building to see if she could detect any residual Prime Element pollution elsewhere.


    Engrossed in thought, she walked down the old staircase to the exit, stepping out onto the open space outside the residential building.


    The musty smell dissipated all at once, and the fresh, crisp air invigorated Agatha¡¯s spirits. It even gave her a momentary illusion¨Cas if she had emerged from a dark, damp dungeon into the sunlight.


    The crowd that had gathered outside the residential building had dispersed, leaving only a few curious onlookers who lingered at a safe distance, pointing and discussing. However, when Agatha appeared, those onlookers quickly left as well.


    No, someone was still there.


    Agatha frowned as she saw a young woman wearing a veil, with golden hair and holding a big bag, standing on the open ground in front of the residential building, appearing to be in a daze.


    ¡°This area is sealed off, please do not linger,¡± Agatha approached, her tone slightly stern, ¡°Are you a resident here?¡±


    The veiled, blonde-haired woman seemed startled, jerking awake. She turned to glance at Agatha, pointing to herself with confusion, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡±


    ¡°Who else would I be speaking to?¡± Agatha frowned. For some reason, she was particularly concerned about this stranger, even though she was sure she didn¡¯t know her. Yet, something about the contours of her face seemed familiar, as if she had just seen her recently, ¡°Are you a resident here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no,¡± Alice quickly waved her hand, pointing in the distance, ¡°I live over there, quite a ways away¨Cwhat happened here? I heard someone died?¡±


    ¡°The guardians are handling the matter,¡± Agatha answered offhandedly, while also feeling a bit puzzled¨Cthe blonde-haired woman opposite had a strange reaction. Had she not recognized her as the gatekeeper of the City-State?


    Alice didn¡¯t notice any change in the black-clad, bandage-bound woman¡¯s gaze¨Cshe just found the attire rather interesting.


    It was very similar to the captain¡¯s current look.


    But the captain had instructed not to casually judge others¡¯ appearances, nor to talk too much about oneself to strangers¨Cthe former wasn¡¯t polite, the latter wasn¡¯t cautious.


    Alice still couldn¡¯t spell those two words, but she believed the captain must be right.


    The time to part had come.


    So she waved at Agatha, with a cheerful tone, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going now! Thank you for answering my question!¡±


    The veiled, blonde-haired woman thus left, looking joyous, but Agatha, watching her receding figure, only felt a sense of strangeness.


    What on earth is this person here for?


    She had been living in the City-State for over twenty years, yet she had never encountered someone like this¨Ca being who exuded a vague, simple, and joyous aura, who spoke without any hint of caution, and whose smile was completely free of any shadows.


    Agatha furrowed her brow, then abruptly froze, as if only after the other party had left did she notice certain peculiarities about the interaction.


    ¡°No breathing or heartbeat¡­?!¡±


    The young guard suddenly looked up in the direction of the departing blonde and instinctively wanted to follow, but as she was about to take a step, the urgent sound of footsteps suddenly interrupted her motion.


    A black-clad guard ran over, holding intelligence in his hands, his expression looking quite distressed.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Agatha frowned and asked sternly before he could speak, all while muttering to herself¨Cthis was already chaotic enough; let there not be any more trouble.


    ¡°An urgent ¡®express message¡¯ from Cemetery Three,¡± the black-clad guard stood upright, speaking quickly, ¡°clues about a ¡®mystery visitor,¡¯ the original copy is here.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s breath clearly paused for a moment, then she snatched the paper from his hands and rapidly scanned the words after giving it a quick shake.


    The young guard fell silent, standing frozen in place as if petrified, making no move for a long time.


    The black-clad guard looked at his immediate superior with some concern, and after a few seconds, he couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Guardian, this matter¡­¡±


    Agatha slowly turned her head, looking into her subordinate¡¯s eyes, ¡°What would your reaction be if someone suddenly told you that a being similar to an ancient god has come to the City-State in physical form, and that Their method of traversing the mortal world is to rent a two-story house with a terrace at the citizen help center?¡±


    ¡°¡­I would find the nearest church for psychological counseling, or consult a well-known psychiatrist,¡± the black-clad guard replied earnestly.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but unfortunately, I am already the spokesperson for the highest-level church in the City-State, and psychiatrists can¡¯t resolve the issue of an ancient god¡¯s arrival,¡± Agatha sighed and slowly folded the paper, ¡°Every matter is important, and every matter¡¯s priority should be placed at the forefront¡­sigh.¡±


    She lifted her head, looking toward the location mentioned in the intelligence¨COak Street.


    It was precisely the direction in which the strange blonde, who had neither breathing nor heartbeat, had left.


    ¡­


    Nina ran excitedly around the entire house and then dived into the kitchen, exploring the kitchenware that was clearly much better than the ones at home.


    Sherry and Eli Dog strolled around the living room and dining area on the first floor, feigning a ¡°house inspection,¡± occasionally stopping to give their opinions on the surrounding decor.


    The two had been cooped up on Homeloss for so long that they were bursting with excitement.


    Ai Yi landed on a nearby dining table, completely buried in a huge pile of fries¨Ctoday was the day it indulged in food.


    Duncan sat on the living room sofa, watching this scene with a smile¨Calthough all his smiles were hidden behind thick bandages, Fenna, standing next to him, strangely felt as if Captain Duncan, at that moment, had the eyes of a kindly old father.


    Fenna quickly shook her head, casting aside such absurd thoughts, and turned to the two girls (and the dog) scurrying around the house.


    ¡°There is an empty room upstairs for you two; have you checked it out?¡±


    ¡°We did, we did!¡± Nina jogged over, nodding vigorously, ¡°It¡¯s great, even bigger than my room back home!¡±


    ¡°This place is really nice,¡± Sherry also ran over, her face beaming with an especially bright smile, ¡°If I¡¯d known you guys had settled so comfortably in the City-State, I would have come over days ago¨Cthe ship is so boring! There¡¯s nothing to do every day¡­¡±


    Duncan slowly turned his head, ¡°I had enough homework for you to do for three hours every day¨Chow could you have nothing to do?¡±


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    Sherry immediately realized her mistake and shrank back.


    ¡°Did you do it for her?¡± Duncan slightly lowered his head, looking at Eli Dog trying to hide in the shadows.


    Eli Dog¡¯s head seemed to be retracting into his neck, ¡°I¡­ I did it to practice more, not to disappoint your hard work in teaching¡­¡±


    Duncan laughed out loud¨Cit was a pleasant sound.


    ¡°Relax, I brought you all over for fun, not specifically to criticize you,¡± he waved his hand and looked up at the wall clock, ¡°Eli should be back soon, and there¡¯s at least an hour before dinner. Sherry¡­ go catch up on your homework, starting from page sixteen of your vocabulary book.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s wailing, a sound Fenna and Morris had not heard in a long time, echoed in their ears.

 Chapter 365 - Chapter 365 Chapter 369 The Gatekeeper Pays a Visit

    Chapter 365: Chapter 369: The Gatekeeper Pays a Visit Chapter 365: Chapter 369: The Gatekeeper Pays a Visit Duncan sat on the living room sofa, leisurely reading the newspaper he had bought from the streets that morning, occasionally glancing at Sherry, who was sprawled over the coffee table, writing furiously with a troubled look, and at the dog beside her, engrossed in a book titled ¡°A Brief Modern History of the City-State,¡± feeling a sense of contentment.


    In this strange and eerie world, he had finally found a bit of the familiar rhythm of life.


    On the other hand, bringing the dog, Sherry, and Nina over was like fulfilling a long-considered idea of his¨CCaptain Duncan¡¯s little classroom was back in session.


    He turned his head and looked at the other side of the coffee table, where Nina had placed a small stool and was sitting there, earnestly doing her winter vacation homework, with Morris supervising by her side, occasionally helping his student correct some minor mistakes.


    ¡°You¡¯re a responsible teacher,¡± Duncan said to Morris, ¡°Nina is lucky.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a hardworking child, and I don¡¯t want to delay her life,¡± Morris smiled, then glanced at the workbook spread out in front of Sherry with an expression that was subtly complex, ¡°However, I didn¡¯t expect that you would also be so adept at¡­ tutoring others.¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows: ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°The learning plans you¡¯ve set for Sherry, Alice, and the dog are quite reasonable, even¡­ somewhat professional,¡± Morris spoke with a hint of hesitation, ¡°I also saw the exam papers you prepared for them, very professional. It¡¯s quite¡­ surprising to me.¡±


    The old man chose his words very carefully, indeed he was somewhat concerned about this¨Cwhen he first heard that Duncan was excited to educate the three illiterates on board, he didn¡¯t imagine flashcards, vocabulary books, and multiplication tables. The image that first came to his mind was more along the lines of ¡°acolytes of the Evil God gathered in a ritual site touching forbidden knowledge¡±¨Conly to see the formidable Captain Duncan pulling out a bunch of literacy flashcards¡­


    How should one put it, although he had somewhat adapted to the peaceable and friendly Duncan in private, the thought of this Subspace Shadow seriously teaching a class (and literacy at that), still made him feel irresistibly awkward.


    Of course, Duncan knew what the old scholar meant, but he couldn¡¯t explain, so he just smiled and waved his hand, ¡°Maybe I once dreamed of becoming a teacher?¡±


    Morris didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment, while Duncan peered over at Sherry¡¯s distressing handwriting and couldn¡¯t help but sigh: ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the learning pace of these three ¡®students¡¯ is so varied, it really gives one a headache.¡±


    Morris thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°Indeed. I feel that the dog could almost hunker down in a library and self-study up to college graduation by now, but Sherry is still struggling with common words, and Alice¡­ Alice, well¡­¡±


    Duncan sighed again, ¡°Ah, Alice is hardworking, but she is Alice.¡±


    The learning progress of the three illiterates on board was nothing like what he had initially imagined. He thought that Sherry, who was rather bright, would progress quickly in her learning, but she was still a semi-illiterate today; her unwavering spirit of giving up and despairing learning attitude were the main reasons. Alice, on the other hand, tried harder than anyone, but it seemed the doll-like young lady¡¯s head was really not made for reading and writing; in the end, surprisingly, the most academic of the three illiterates turned out to be a dog¨Cwith astonishing diligence and understanding, the dog not only could read literary works by himself but even solve quadratic equations with three variables¡­


    In the hunt for knowledge, Abyssal Hounds are many¨Cnow it seems only the dog has caught up.


    Frankly, this was the biggest stain in Duncan¡¯s¨Cor should we say Zhou Ming¡¯s¨Centire teaching career.


    As he was inwardly reflecting, Alice, who had gone out to buy groceries, finally returned¨Cnearly twenty minutes later than expected.


    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡±


    The doll-like young lady entered the door, putting her stuff down while calling out towards the living room. Then she immediately noticed the academic star, the academic loser, and the academic dog next to the coffee table and showed a delighted expression: ¡°Nina! Sherry! Dog! You¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°They arrived this morning; they¡¯ve been¡­ already been doing homework for half the day¡­¡± Sherry lifted her head, her eyes brimming with tears, ¡°The captain said I had to rewrite everything from page sixteen of the vocabulary book¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s three times,¡± Duncan corrected nonchalantly, ¡°Don¡¯t silently cut two-thirds of the task for yourself.¡±


    Then he ignored Sherry¡¯s subsequent reaction, looking up at Alice: ¡°Why did you only come back now? Did you run into trouble?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, not at all!¡± Alice hurriedly waved her hands, ¡°I just came across something interesting¡­ I mean, I didn¡¯t watch the commotion! I came across an incident, and I was investigating¡­¡±


    This doll really couldn¡¯t lie, nor was she good at making excuses; in just a few sentences, she exposed the fact that she was delayed on her way home by watching some excitement.


    ¡°Investigating?¡± Duncan looked at Alice with a hint of surprise; he wasn¡¯t looking into her ¡°watching the commotion,¡± although he had indeed warned her not to wander around, but that was just a minor issue. What he cared more about was¡­ the usually dull Alice actually saying the word ¡°investigating¡± seriously.


    Even if it was an excuse she found on the spot, he also cared what the doll had been investigating.


    ¡°Just down the nearby street, there¡¯s a household, they said someone died, and people from the church went there,¡± Alice immediately began telling Duncan about what she had seen and heard on her way back, ¡°A woman, something about her killing her own husband, then the onlookers said the man of the house had been out before all this¡­ Ah, that¡¯s right, I also saw a woman, she dressed similar to you, wrapped in bandages too¡­¡±


    Duncan listened in bewilderment to the doll¡¯s disjointed and unfocused narrative, barely managing to understand what had happened. He then paid attention to the ¡°bandaged woman¡± mentioned at the end, furrowing his brows slightly, about to ask some details, when he saw Fenna, who was sitting not far from the dining table feeding pigeons, suddenly stand up.


    ¡°A stranger is approaching,¡± Fenna said quickly, ¡°a clergy member.¡±


    Duncan immediately motioned with his hand, signaling Alice to quiet down and put her veil back on. The dog squatting beside the sofa blinked and withdrew into the shadows, while Ai Yi flapped her wings and hid atop a nearby cabinet. Morris rose from the sofa and made his way to the door.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, it¡¯s just a visitor,¡± Duncan was rather composed. He waved at Fenna and Morris, who seemed a bit tense, then casually walked over to the door and opened it.


    A young woman stood outside the door, wearing a black trench coat, wrapped in bandages, donning a black round hat, and holding a walking stick. She was poised to knock.


    She seemed to freeze in place.


    Duncan looked the young lady up and down, then glanced down at himself.


    ¡°Ah, twinning,¡± he said offhandedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s her, it¡¯s her,¡± Alice, standing behind and to the side of Duncan, now saw the person at the door clearly and excitedly moved closer, ¡°The black-clothed woman I told you about, the one I saw on the way back from buying groceries¡­¡±


    Alice¡¯s voice snapped Agatha out of her daze, and her facial muscles twitched slightly as she struggled to move her gaze away from the tall and burly figure before her to the source of the sound.


    That blond woman who neither breathed nor had a heartbeat, whom she had just encountered, was now standing inside the house, looking over with curious and delighted eyes.


    She was indeed here.


    Agatha took several deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. The slight ringing in her ears gradually faded in her mind, and the blackness and double vision caused by staring directly at the ¡°truth¡± finally dissipated¨Cshe took a relieved breath, and the purpose of her visit came back to her amidst the confusion.


    A somewhat stiff smile appeared on her face: ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t mean to intrude, I just came to check on things, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Come in,¡± Duncan said calmly, nodding his head and stepping aside to clear a path, ¡°It¡¯s quite cold out, don¡¯t stand at the door.¡±


    Agatha paused for a moment, not immediately grasping the situation.


    Seeing this, Fenna, who had stood by without a word, couldn¡¯t help but frown, stepped forward and looked at the other, ¡°You rushed over here despite knowing what this place was, you didn¡¯t actually think about what would happen after the door opened, did you?¡±


    ¡°Understand a little,¡± Morris quickly intervened, speaking from the side, ¡°The mind gets really messed up after seeing the captain for the first time. The higher the spirit sight, the more so, and this girl looks all confused.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Fenna immediately recalled her own experience of joining the crew on Homeloss and felt the old man made sense.


    While Fenna and Morris were talking, Agatha finally snapped out of it¨Cher brain was indeed still in some disarray, but her rationality had retaken control. Due to Duncan¡¯s conscious restraint, her mind wasn¡¯t too disturbed. No sooner had she recovered than she hastily nodded: ¡°Sorry, I was a bit distracted.¡±


    Then she glanced at the path Duncan had cleared, hesitated for a moment, and finally took a step inside.


    She knew what this place was.


    She knew that the towering figure was essentially an indescribable being, possibly an ancient god-grade entity that had descended upon the City-State.


    She knew she had stepped into a ¡°descent site¡±.


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    But from the moment the door opened, there was no turning back.


    Behind Duncan, Morris watched the young lady, tense all over, step into the house and whispered to Fenna with a slight tilt of his head, ¡°Stronger than you were at first.¡±


    Fenna muttered quietly, ¡°That¡¯s not my fault, the captain was too terrifying during the ¡®first dream.''¡±


    He nodded, ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡±


    Fenna added, ¡°But I was much calmer the second time around.¡±


    Listening to the two of them muttering behind him, Duncan finally couldn¡¯t help turning back, ¡°You weren¡¯t that much stronger the second time¨Cquiet down, our guest is here.¡±

 Chapter 366 - Chapter 366 Chapter 370 Agatha Understood

    Chapter 366: Chapter 370 Agatha Understood Chapter 366: Chapter 370 Agatha Understood With tension and curiosity, Agatha discreetly appraised the place.


    It just looked like an ordinary residence; the furniture was mostly slightly old but had been cleaned thoroughly, and the air in the room was fresh¨Cperhaps the windows had been opened not long before to let in the breeze. From the kitchen came the sound of water boiling, which seemed to be for tea.


    This didn¡¯t seem like an ¡°arrival place¡±; it was entirely a civilian house.


    Of course, Agatha knew from the start that this place was indeed just an ordinary house¨Cup until a few days ago, it had been listed as a rental property on the Civic Help Center¡¯s register. She just thought¡­ given that an indescribable visitor had chosen this as their temporary dwelling, shouldn¡¯t there be something special about it?


    But she hadn¡¯t found anything.


    ¡°Tea, or would you like some coffee?¡± Duncan approached Agatha and asked casually.


    Agatha was startled, surprised at the sight of Duncan sitting opposite her. It took her a moment to realize what he meant, and she quickly waved her hands, ¡°No¡­ thank you, I¡¯m not thirsty.¡±


    ¡°No need to be so formal; make yourself at home here,¡± Duncan smiled and sat down on the sofa across from Agatha, starting the conversation in an informal manner, ¡°Let me think¡­ If I¡¯m not mistaken, you must be the gatekeeper of this City-State? It¡¯s unlikely that an ordinary guardian would come to visit at this time.¡±


    ¡°Gatekeeper Agatha,¡± Agatha immediately nodded, trying to appear calm, ¡°You knew I would come?¡±


    ¡°You were bound to come, or some other high-ranking member of the church,¡± Duncan said nonchalantly, ¡°Annie would report my situation to the Tomb Guardian, and the Tomb Guardian would report to the church. I just needed to wait here to meet with the church hierarchy of this City-State.¡±


    Agatha shifted her position slightly, regarding the large figure before her with a more solemn attitude, ¡°I want to know¡­ your real purpose. Who exactly are you, and why have you come to Frost?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say so?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°To solve the problems that have emerged here¨CI thought I made that very clear in my whistleblower letter.¡±


    Agatha opened her mouth, obviously finding it hard to accept such a simple answer. After a two or three second delay, she hesitantly spoke, ¡°Really¡­ is that all?¡±


    ¡°If you need a darker reason and a more complex conspiracy to feel justified, I can make one up for you now,¡± Duncan joked, ¡°Which style do you prefer? Apocalypse or world domination?¡±


    Agatha visibly tensed up.


    ¡°Cough, you¡¯ve scared her,¡± Fenna suddenly coughed from behind Duncan, ¡°This gatekeeper lady will take it seriously.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Duncan looked back, puzzled, ¡°I thought the joke was quite clear¡­¡±


    ¡°Based on my experience, she will,¡± Fenna sighed resignedly, ¡°People in this line of work are always on edge; they can¡¯t take a joke.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment, while Agatha looked at the exceptionally tall woman behind him with confusion. For some reason, since entering the room, she had felt as if the other¡¯s gaze was intentionally or unintentionally falling on her, as if¡­ observing something with interest.


    But that wasn¡¯t important, what mattered was that she had confirmed the superior being before her had only been joking with her¨Ca bad and frightening joke.


    ¡°Please forgive my sensitivity,¡± Agatha said earnestly, ¡°The anomalies in the City-State have become increasingly serious lately; everyone is on edge. I even began to wonder¡­¡±


    She hesitated without finishing her sentence, but Duncan smoothly continued, ¡°You suspected it was related to me? Don¡¯t be nervous, it¡¯s perfectly reasonable. After all, my appearance here was well-timed, and I encountered Heretics and ¡®Replications¡¯ upon my first visit.¡±


    Agatha remained silent, just looking somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡°I want to know what progress your investigation has made,¡± Duncan continued, unconcerned by her reaction, ¡°Any leads?¡±


    Agatha hesitated, unsure whether to reveal too much of Frost¡¯s internal intel to this mysterious ¡°visitor,¡± but after a moment, she began cautiously, ¡°After receiving your warning, we did catch some Heretics, but almost no useful intelligence¨Ctheir minds, deeply symbiotic with the Profound Demons, are incredibly resilient, and they often choose suicide at the last moment. The few that were captured alive are just fringe figures, completely clueless about the full extent of their plans¡­


    ¡°Until now, all we can confirm is that the frequent replication phenomenon inside the city is indeed the Heretics¡¯ doing, and that they¡¯ve indeed constructed a secret and massive lair within Frost. But as for the precise location of this lair¡­ we¡¯re still completely clueless.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, Agatha continued, ¡°As for Dagger Island, which you mentioned in your letter¡­ even more unsettling is that it has disappeared.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Duncan replied blandly.


    ¡°You already knew?¡± Agatha asked, somewhat surprised, ¡°That information should still be under wraps¡­¡±


    Duncan spoke evenly, ¡°I have my own sources of information in the worldly realm; even without leaving the City-State, I¡¯m aware of some occurrences out at sea.¡±


    The source of the intelligence was, of course, Tyrion¨Cafter all, Homeloss had disappeared right in front of the Mist Fleet, and Tyrion naturally reported the situation to Homeloss at the earliest opportunity.


    But even having received such shocking news firsthand, Duncan could only share in the shock¨Che also couldn¡¯t figure out how such a large island had vanished into thin air.


    According to what Tyrion conveyed, the island¡¯s disappearance process was not sinking, but more like directly dissolving into the sea water, accompanied by a series of massive explosions before its disappearance¨Cas if someone on the island had activated something¨Cbut beyond that, there was no further intelligence.


    With scant information and a disappearance too bizarre to fathom, leaving no traces and clues behind, Homeloss transformed from one mystery into an even larger enigma; nobody knew what had actually taken place there, let alone where the island had gone.


    ¡°Do you know where Homeloss has gone?¡± Agatha¡¯s voice interrupted Duncan¡¯s contemplation. The City-State¡¯s gatekeeper looked up with a sincere gaze, ¡°Do you know what happened to it?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, feeling that admitting he had also pondered all night without any clarity might affect his image, so he pondered for a while before pointing downward.


    ¡°Below?¡± Agatha was taken aback, ¡°You mean, Homeloss really sank into the sea¡­ but the eyewitness reports said there was no whirlpool phenomenon generated by a sinking island on the sea surface¡­¡±


    What did Duncan know how to answer¨Che was still curious about how such a big island had just disappeared into thin air!


    He continued to stretch out his hand, pointing downward.


    ¡°You¡¯re not talking about Homeloss¡­ Are you saying the clues are below?¡± It seemed Agatha had come to a realization, and almost instantly, she recalled her most recent conversation with Bishop Ivan, about the matters concerning the deep ¡°secondary water channels¡±!


    The city hall and the church had searched the entire City-State, and the strict curfew along with numerous widespread searches should theoretically flush out a large number of the lurking Heretics, but those who were caught were always just a few fringe figures¡­ All the places that could hide people, like the first water channel, subways, and wells, had been searched¨Cno clues at all¡­


    The City-State was only so large; if the Heretics were not in the aforementioned locations, then that left only the possibility of the secondary water channel.


    Those collapsed areas, those caves plunged into darkness, those shafts and pipelines covered with pollution¨Cthey might indeed be inhospitable for living, but what if those Erasure Cult members were actually surviving there?


    Of course, searching the ¡°secondary water channel¡± had been part of the plan all along, but she had never dared to confirm whether this inevitably resource-consuming search was truly worthwhile¨Cand now, she finally found the strongest support for this operation: a friendly class-divine being had clearly indicated to search downward.


    ¡°I see¨CI understand now. We¡¯re on the right path,¡± Agatha suddenly stood up, her tone filled with realization and joy. She looked at Duncan across from her, her attitude becoming extremely sincere and respectful, and she gave a deep bow, ¡°I get it now¨Cthank you very much for the hint!¡±


    Duncan maintained the gesture of pointing downward, somewhat dazedly watching the suddenly excited woman wrapped in bandages.


    What did she understand?


    ¡°We¡¯ll start the next phase of the search immediately, and this time we¡¯ll surely eradicate the Heretics¡¯ nests,¡± Agatha didn¡¯t notice Duncan¡¯s momentary stupefaction; she spoke with full confidence and was quick to make her exit, ¡°I won¡¯t take up more of your time¨Cforgive my disturbance, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ okay,¡± Duncan stood up belatedly, replying somewhat absent-mindedly, ¡°Take care¡­¡±


    Agatha thanked him and turned towards the door, but then as if she recalled something, she suddenly stopped.


    Alice, who was about to rise to see the guest off, nearly bumped into her.


    Agatha¡¯s gaze swept over Alice, but this time she did not pay much attention to the lifeless golden-haired girl beside the class-divine being¨Chaving some peculiar followers around such a being was quite normal, hardly something to fuss over.


    She turned her head back to Duncan.


    ¡°Rest assured, I will instruct the church¡¯s guardians that no one will disturb you,¡± Agatha said with utmost seriousness, ¡°I hope your stay in Frost is pleasant¨Cif there is any new situation, I will come myself.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that would be excellent,¡± Duncan smiled, pleased with the assurance, ¡°I would indeed prefer not to be disturbed.¡±


    Agatha nodded, then turned again towards the door, but after just two steps, she seemed to suddenly remember something and stopped.


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    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing, I almost forgot,¡± the gatekeeper said somewhat awkwardly, touching her forehead as she looked at Duncan.


    Duncan with confusion: ¡°Oh?¡±


    Agatha hesitated a moment before finally asking the question that had troubled her and many others for long, ¡°Regarding the ¡®secret numbers¡¯ you left at the end of that ¡®accusation letter¡¯ last time¡­ What exactly do they mean? Forgive our limited insight, but we have spent a long time trying to decipher and still cannot comprehend the puzzle you left.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­ Ah?¡±


    (Recommendation time¨Ca book from a friend in the group, titled ¡°Cyber Cultivation for Five Thousand Years.¡± It combines future sci-fi and cyber monopolies, where a Taoist from five thousand years ago uses classical spirit cultivation methods to twist the future Cultivation World. Not your traditional literature or sage hero¨Ca must-read, a salute to the heavens.)

 Chapter 367 - Chapter 367 Chapter 371 Abnormal Aura

    Chapter 367: Chapter 371: Abnormal Aura Chapter 367: Chapter 371: Abnormal Aura Agatha had reached the streets, where the biting wind swept across the open spaces between buildings and hit her face head-on, bringing her fully to her senses.


    Yet in her mind lingered a series of questions that had nearly shaken her worldview and reshaped her cognition¨C


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Frost Church award bonuses to proactive citizens who report heretic leads?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never used a bank account? Does your church normally avoid contact with everyday life?¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t tell that was a bank account number?¡±


    Agatha had never imagined that her biggest lapse in composure when dealing with a Transcendent being would be under these circumstances.


    Moreover, she firmly believed that Bishop Ivan from the great cathedral and the cryptographers and diviners still devotedly researching ¡°arcane numbers¡± there would react much the same as she did.


    Footsteps approached from the side; several subordinates who had remained near the building in a sheltered spot to stand by walked over. One of the black-clad guards noticed the bewildered look on Agatha¡¯s face and immediately showed some concern, ¡°Are you alright? Inside that house¡­¡±


    Agatha raised her hand to interrupt her subordinate. She turned to glance back, then, carrying her cane, slowly walked towards a steam car not far away, meanwhile beginning to speak, ¡°Do not disturb the residents of this room. Inform the church in this district to have the guardians stay away¨CThe Silent Sanctum will directly take over the outreach and communication with this place.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Gatekeeper,¡± replied the black-clad guard, promptly bowing to accept the order, but then couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Do you¡­ need to rest for a bit?¡±


    Agatha paused mid-step and sighed, ¡°Ah¡­ if possible, I would seek psychological counseling at the nearest church or consult with a well-known psychiatrist¡­¡±


    The subordinate was taken aback, ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t need rest,¡± Agatha waved dismissively, ¡°let¡¯s head back to the great cathedral; we need to start our search of the City-State¡¯s underground as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°The church people have left,¡± Maurice stood by the window, observing the activity on the street outside, and after seeing a grey-blue steam car drive past the intersection, he turned to Duncan, ¡°I thought they would at least leave a few ¡®eyes¡¯ behind.¡±


    ¡°The Gatekeeper¡¯s position in the Death Church is equivalent to a Deep Sea Judge in the Deep Sea Church; she must uphold her promise¨Cif she said she won¡¯t disturb us, then naturally there won¡¯t be any sneaky moves,¡± Fenna said from the side, ¡°Moreover, she knows those ¡®little moves¡¯ are meaningless.¡±


    Duncan looked up at Fenna, ¡°I thought you might want to chat more with the Gatekeeper; after all, you¡¯re fellow practitioners.¡±


    ¡°¡­I really can¡¯t think of anything to discuss,¡± Fenna shook her head, ¡°My identity is a bit awkward. Whether as a Deep Sea Judge or a member of the Homeloss, it¡¯s only troublesome to try and establish communication with the Frost Church at a time like this.¡±


    Duncan hummed in acknowledgment without saying much more, but Nina suddenly broke the silence with curiosity, ¡°That ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ sister seemed quite excited when she left, like she had some plan¡­ What is this search plan she mentioned? Uncle, do you have any ideas?¡±


    Fenna and Maurice looked at Duncan simultaneously, who, after a brief contemplation, nodded slightly.


    Although he was initially puzzled, by now he¡¯d pieced together what was happening¨CAgatha¡¯s reaction revealed one thing: after fruitless searches of the City-State¡¯s main areas, the Frost Church¡¯s attention apparently turned to the dark underground world.


    The Second Waterway.


    In the past, constrained by high costs and practical implementation difficulties, the Frost authorities had allowed the Second Waterway, a remnant of the Queen¡¯s era, to lie dormant deep beneath the City-State, at most conducting some symbolic purification and blocking in the upper levels connected to the waterway. But now it seemed¡­ they could no longer consider the matter of cost.


    Duncan lifted his head, speaking to Fenna, ¡°Go to Nemo¡¯s pub again this afternoon, remind him that the church might soon take action against the Second Waterway, and to have him and his ¡®colleagues¡¯ be on the lookout.¡±


    The Second Waterway was vast, and the part controlled by Nemo and his ¡°colleagues¡± was actually just a small fraction of the entire sewer system. This small part was very concealed and deliberately hidden and blocked off, theoretically escaping the authorities¡¯ and church¡¯s notice, but no one knew how determined the church would be this time, so it was better to offer a warning.


    ¡°Additionally, the situation on Dagger Island is also very concerning,¡± Duncan continued after a moment of thought, ¡°The disappearance of that island was clearly not normal, and I fear more incidents may occur¨CMaurice, pay close attention to various messages in town lately, especially the districts near the eastern port, to see if there¡¯s any unusual gossip around.¡±


    Maurice nodded, ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to remind Duncan to keep an eye on the changes in that sea area¡­¡±


    Duncan stroked his chin, muttering to himself thoughtfully, while also contemplating whether he had missed anything. Just then, he suddenly saw Sherry sidle up from the side.


    Stealthily, with a sneaky demeanor.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Duncan casually asked upon noticing her behavior.


    ¡°It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s Agatha,¡± Sherry quickly waved her hand, then lifted her arm¨Ca pitch-black chain appeared out of thin air as Abyssal Hound, who had previously hidden hastily due to the gatekeeper¡¯s appearance, emerged before Duncan, ¡°Agatha says there¡¯s something he needs to report to you¡­¡±


    ¡°A situation?¡± Duncan frowned, looking at the cowering Abyssal Hound, ¡°What situation?¡±


    Agatha wagged his ugly head and carefully looked up in the direction of the doorway before speaking, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m mistaken, but that gatekeeper named Agatha¡­ I always feel there¡¯s a familiar presence about her¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the surroundings fell quiet, and Duncan¡¯s gaze turned serious, ¡°A familiar presence? What do you mean? Profound Demons?¡±


    ¡°No, not Profound Demons,¡± Agatha immediately shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t explain it clearly. As you know, my memory from before receiving ¡®the Heart¡¯ is somewhat blurry, but that presence¡­ it somewhat reminds me of The Saint, yes, the atmosphere I felt when I was around The Saint.¡±


    Upon hearing Agatha¡¯s statement, everyone exchanged glances, and Duncan immediately spoke with a grave tone, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this earlier?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to show myself just now!¡± Abyssal Hound shrugged, ¡°After all, she was a gatekeeper¨Cand of course, she¡¯s no match for you, but right now Frost is conducting a city-wide hunt for Heretics and Profound Demons. I was afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to explain myself if I appeared and that it would ultimately delay your matters¡­¡±


    Agatha¡¯s explanation had some merit, and Duncan didn¡¯t delve further. However, the situation reported was evidently beyond everyone¡¯s expectations.


    Frost¡¯s gatekeeper, Agatha¡­ how could she have The Saint¡¯s presence?!


    ¡°Could it be¡­ Has that gatekeeper fallen? Or been contaminated?¡± Morris asked with a grave expression, ¡°But her behavior seems perfectly normal, and nothing seemed amiss in her words or actions¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps she doesn¡¯t even know?¡± Sherry interjected cautiously, ¡°Isn¡¯t it said that cognitive contamination is the hardest to detect, especially for the person themselves?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond, only looking up at Fenna.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to be fallen or contaminated, and it¡¯s clear she¡¯s not some ¡®imitation¡¯,¡± Fenna spoke slowly with furrowed brows, carefully recalling the various details of Agatha just now, ¡°and I didn¡¯t feel any abnormal presence on her at all¨CAgatha, are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡±


    ¡°I already said, I¡¯m not sure myself,¡± Abyssal Hound spoke, sounding particularly uneasy, ¡°There¡¯s just a very, very faint trace that made me think of the Mysterious Deep Sea¡­ that might not even be emanating from her. Right, didn¡¯t she say she recently captured some Heretics? Although they¡¯re not important figures, it¡¯d be normal to pick up some traces from the Mysterious Deep Sea if she¡¯s been dealing with them every day¡­¡±


    Duncan was still frowning.


    Although Abyssal Hound¡¯s explanation seemed plausible, he had a gut feeling that things weren¡¯t that simple¨Cwould a professional priestess, a City-State ¡°gatekeeper,¡± forget to purify herself after interrogating Heretics? Would she allow herself to walk around exuding the Heretics¡¯ presence?


    Fenna stepped forward, ¡°Should we bring that ¡®gatekeeper¡¯ back to ask her about the situation, or should we take initiative to find her?¡±


    ¡°Neither. If she truly runs the risk of falling or establishing contact with profound forces, any direct contact might spook her,¡± Duncan shook his head, at the same time glancing in the direction Agatha had left, ¡°I¡¯ll be secretly monitoring this matter. Don¡¯t interact with her.¡±


    Secret monitoring?


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    Fenna paused, about to inquire about what Duncan meant by ¡°secretly monitoring¡±, but then she seemed to recall something¨Can inkling of memory surfaced in her mind, and she instantly understood what he meant.


    ¡°Have you¡­ already left a mark on her?¡±


    ¡°She has already seen me.¡±


    Duncan nodded gently, and in his other realm of perception, at a location some distance from here, a small green flame flickered lightly.


    That was precisely the direction in which Agatha had departed.

 Chapter 368 - Chapter 368 Chapter 372 Deeply Lost

    Chapter 368: Chapter 372: Deeply Lost Chapter 368: Chapter 372: Deeply Lost On the way back to the cathedral, Agatha was deeply troubled.


    Clarifying the correctness of the ¡°Second Waterway¡± for exploration was arguably good news for her, but the identity of that mysterious entity remained shrouded in enigma, preventing her from finding any peace of mind¨Cof course, it was now certain that this entity was quite friendly toward the Frost City-State, but as the guardian leader of the city-state, she had to look at things in the long term.


    Any upper Transcendent¡¯s gaze upon the mortal world was not without reason; in some sense, their ¡°gaze¡± was a disturbance with tangible effects. Just how long would that mysterious ¡°Visitor¡± continue to watch over this place? What long-term impact might His prolonged stay have on Frost? Would the people living in the city-state change under this influence? Did that entity understand the impact? Or¡­ did He simply not care?


    The small steam core emitted a deep and powerful growl, and the vehicle driven by mechanical gears passed through the city-state¡¯s ancient streets. The scenery on either side of the street receded in the corner of the eyes. The vehicle passed another intersection, slowing down a bit.


    A subordinate¡¯s voice came from the front driver¡¯s seat, ¡°My Lord, shall we return directly to the cathedral?¡±


    Agatha lifted her head, her gaze through the window looking in the direction of the cathedral.


    As usual, the Silent Sanctum quietly overlooked the entire city-state.


    The heart of Frost was a mountain, a roughly conical mountain that towered in the hinterlands of the city-state. Below it lay the boiling gold mines that brought endless wealth to the city, while both the Silent Sanctum and the city hall were located at the top of that mountain¨Cboth large buildings stood at the highest point of the city-state, visible from any corner of the city.


    At least one of them was.


    The cathedral¡¯s towering solemnity stood out against the backdrop of the sky, imbued with Holiness, and the city hall opposite it was also quite a magnificent structure¨Cduring the Queen¡¯s era half a century ago, it was actually a palace. Officially, it was called the ¡°Winter Court,¡± but more people simply referred to it as the Queen¡¯s Palace.


    In that now taboo era, the Winter Court and the Silent Sanctum loomed over the city-state like twin siblings, filled with magical colors in classic stories that portrayed them as two symbolic guardians¨Cthe Church protected the city¡¯s night, while the Royal House protected the city¡¯s daylight, supporting each other.


    But in truth, today¡¯s situation was almost the same, with the worldly power represented by the city hall still guarding the city¨Conly the Queen¡¯s era had ended.


    Agatha was somewhat distracted. Unconsciously, she stared at the mountain, the mountain she had seen countless times, and the two structures on its peak like crowns. She saw them as two giants standing on the summit, while the various houses and factories arrayed along the mountainside seemed like blood spilling from the insides of giants, meandering down the terrain.


    Her eyes felt a bit stinging.


    ¡°Gatekeeper, are we returning to the cathedral?¡±


    The subordinate¡¯s voice came again from the front, jolting Agatha out of her reverie. She blinked her eyes, feeling as if there was a slight buzzing in her ears, but the next second, this lingering buzz and the memory of a moment ago quietly disappeared.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s head to the sewage treatment center first,¡± Agatha shook her head. ¡°That ¡®fake¡¯ that disappeared in the washroom is truly concerning, I must see it with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The steam core hummed cheerily again, and the vehicle took a neat turn at the intersection, heading towards the road leading to the sewage treatment center.


    ¡­


    The sky was covered with thick clouds, and the dim Sky Light floated weakly among them, appearing indistinct and unclear. In the distance was the Endless Sea and a slight mist floating above its surface.


    Lawrence stood at the prow of the White Oak, furrowing his brows as he gazed at the distant view¨Ca view that had not changed for a long time.


    He turned back, seeing that in the other direction, the sea was nothing but an endless expanse, with no other ships in sight, and no trace of any city-state.


    A biting cold wind blew across the deck, stirring the hem of his clothes and his temples¡¯ white hair. Lawrence¡¯s brows had been furrowed for quite some time.


    ¡°How long have we been away from Frost?¡± he suddenly turned and asked the first mate standing beside him.


    ¡°One day and one night, Captain,¡± responded the first mate promptly, ¡°We¡¯ve been at full speed this whole time.¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right¡­ Why do I always feel like we¡¯re just sailing in circles¡­¡± Lawrence¡¯s expression was grave as he looked up at the chaotic Sky Light above, then as if suddenly remembering something, ¡°Can we receive signals from other city-states or ports nearby with the wireless?¡±


    ¡°We can,¡± the first mate nodded, his expression also serious, ¡°But we only receive signals from Frost.¡±


    Lawrence took a deep breath, ¡°What¡¯s the content?¡±


    ¡°Welcome message,¡± the First Mate slowly said, ¡°Welcome to Frost,¡¯ repeating the message over and over.¡±


    Lawrence furrowed his brows, silent. After a moment of quiet, the First Mate muttered under his breath, ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ we¡¯re still circling around Frost.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, we¡¯ve been trapped in these waters,¡± Lawrence said in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s the state of the crew right now?¡±


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s realized something¡¯s off, but all are still calm,¡± the First Mate glanced back towards the deck, where sailors were busy with their tasks, ¡°They¡¯re a good bunch¨Cwe¡¯ve dealt with strange occurrences on the Endless Sea before, but everyone believes you¡¯ll lead us out, so no one¡¯s come to bother.¡±


    Lawrence didn¡¯t speak, just lifted his head to look again at the chaotic and obscure sky.


    The First Mate noticed the Captain¡¯s somewhat strange behavior and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lawrence rubbed his temple, feeling a sense of haziness in his head as if he had forgotten something important, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about our course.¡±


    ¡°Course?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the course,¡± Lawrence squinted his eyes shut then opened them again, pondering over what exactly he had forgotten, murmuring as if to himself, ¡°Do you feel like¡­ we¡¯ve forgotten something? Is our current course¡­ in need of adjustment?¡±


    The First Mate paused, then unconsciously blurted out, ¡°Adjust the course? You mean the Observatory? Has the navigator¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, no, not the Observatory,¡± Lawrence suddenly interrupted the First Mate. He seemed to be waking up bit by bit from a long dream, ¡°The Observatory is for calibrating the route under special circumstances because it has pollution and can¡¯t be used often. There should be a simpler, more common, and safer method to use during the day, to confirm the direction of the ship¡­ There should be such a method¡­¡±


    As Lawrence spoke, his speech became faster, and then, as if he thought of something, he suddenly turned and ran towards the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Confused, the First Mate still instinctively followed the Captain¡¯s footsteps. He followed Lawrence back into the captain¡¯s quarters and then saw him rummaging through the room. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Some kind of instrument, used in the daytime, to calibrate the course¡­¡± Lawrence said rapidly as he searched through his room. A strong impression kept reviving in his mind, and he felt he was on the verge of remembering, of knowing what he was looking for¡­ Suddenly, his gaze landed on a table not far away.


    There lay a small instrument, made up of a telescope tube and some peculiar scales.


    Lawrence walked over slowly, picking up the small instrument with a puzzled expression, trying hard to recall its purpose.


    After a moment, he thoughtfully took the small instrument and left the room, went out to the deck. With the First Mate watching in bafflement, he lifted the instrument, held it before his eyes, and aimed it at the sky.


    ¡°Captain, what are you doing?¡± asked the First Mate, curious.


    Lawrence slowly lowered the instrument.


    A faint green light seemed to flash in his eyes for a moment, but neither he nor the First Mate standing across from him noticed.


    The seasoned Captain¡¯s face was filled with blankness and bewilderment¨Che locked eyes with the First Mate for a few seconds before speaking hoarsely, ¡°Do you remember¡­ in the sky, there being something that glowed and gave off heat, something accurate and punctual, floating above our heads, that could be used to help ships adjust their course during the day¡­¡±


    The First Mate¡¯s eyes gradually widened, some memories or impressions seemingly awakening in his mind.


    Lawrence turned his head back again, looking at the muddled clouds and the obscure, indistinct Sky Light behind them¨Cwhere the light seemed to be evenly scattered, with no clear sight of a strong, definite body of light existing within the clouds.


    He took his gaze back, looking straight at his First Mate, ¡°Where has the sun gone?¡±


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    The First Mate could only blankly repeat the Captain¡¯s words, ¡°¡­ Where has the sun gone?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not being lost at sea, not a lock-in, not a cyclic anomaly¡­¡± Lawrence muttered softly, ¡°The White Oak has entered an abnormal space as a whole¡­¡±


    The First Mate slowly lifted his head, looking out across the vast sea beyond the ship¡¯s side, his gaze filled with bewilderment and fear.


    But suddenly, he seemed to spot something.


    There appeared a piece of land on the sea.


    It was a small island.

 Chapter 369 - Chapter 369 Chapter 373 To Frost

    Chapter 369: Chapter 373 ¡°To Frost Chapter 369: Chapter 373 ¡°To Frost It was an island with a winding coast and rocky cliffs, enveloped in a layer of fog that cast vague and indistinct shadows, making it difficult to discern the situation above. One could barely make out the uneven terrain, as well as the eerie silhouettes hidden in the mist, resembling jagged boulders or collapsed buildings.


    Its appearance was exceedingly abrupt, as if it had materialized out of thin air near the White Oak.


    ¡°What is that?¡± The first mate stared in astonishment at the silhouette of the island that had appeared on the distant sea surface. The tension and fear brought on by the sudden recollection of the concept of ¡°sun¡± had not yet faded when he now saw an island emerge so suddenly that even he, a seasoned sailor who had dealt with the Endless Sea for many years, sounded a bit shaken, ¡°An island¡­ Is there such an island near Frost? Is there such an island on our planned course?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a planned course anymore, White Oak is sailing through an area of maritime anomaly¨Cwe¡¯ve drifted away from the real world, so seeing anything would be normal,¡± Captain Lawrence¡¯s steady voice came through, as if with the power to soothe one¡¯s mind. Though he was astounded only a second ago by the disappearance of the ¡°sun,¡± the veteran captain now seemed to have completely calmed down, ¡°As for the island¡­ there is a ¡®Dagger Island¡¯ near Frost, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s the same one¡­ It doesn¡¯t quite match the chart.¡±


    ¡°What should we do?¡± the first mate turned, ¡°Shall we approach it? Or steer clear of it?¡±


    Lawrence fell silent, swiftly weighing his options in his mind.


    The island had appeared suddenly, precisely when he and the first mate had abruptly become aware of the concept of ¡°sun.¡± Was its appearance related to cognitive distortion?


    Was the island shrouded in real thick fog, or was it an illusion brought on by a cognitive bias?


    Was the island fixed in place? Could the White Oak truly distance itself from it? If the island¡¯s emergence was ¡°intentional,¡± then no matter how the White Oak tried to escape, it might continue to appear in front of the ship.


    But regardless, from a precautionary standpoint, they should not rashly get closer.


    ¡°Circle around it,¡± Lawrence said in a deep voice, ¡°Turn to the left, and move away at full speed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    The first mate dashed towards the bridge, and moments later, a loud blast of the steam whistle rang out above the White Oak. Lawrence felt the ship beneath his feet turning, the steam engines deep within the hull roaring with surging power.


    Many sailors had already spotted the suddenly appearing island. Some approached the edge of the deck, looking nervously at the distant island shrouded in fog. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, the island was gradually left behind by the White Oak and slowly faded into the distance.


    Lawrence breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and walked toward the bridge.


    His footsteps suddenly halted.


    A figure appeared in his view¨Ca woman wearing a captain¡¯s uniform, with curly long hair cascading down her back, arms crossed over her chest, and a faint smile seeming to play across her face.


    ¡°Do you remember what I told you?¡± the figure spoke, her tone filled with profound resignation, ¡°You really should retire. Don¡¯t wait until I show up on your ship and then start regretting¡­ Lawrence, you¡¯ve gotten old.¡±


    ¡°Martha¡­¡± Lawrence called out the name instinctively and immediately reached into his pocket, wanting to fetch the bottle of medication.


    At the same time, a wave of astonishment also flooded his mind¨Cwhy so soon? Why had the effects of the medication worn off so quickly? It had only been a day since Martha last appeared¡­ Had the duration of the medication¡¯s effects become so short?


    He felt his palm trembling, his arm trembling, and finally touched the bottle of medication. But just as he was about to open it, a hand suddenly rested on his arm.


    Martha had come to his side at some point, her hand pressing on the old captain¡¯s arm, a look of concern on her face.


    ¡°The medication no longer works, you know that,¡± Martha said softly, ¡°You take it now, and I¡¯ll leave for a little while only to reappear later. You take a whole bottle, and I¡¯ll leave for a bit longer, but I¡¯ll still show up¡­ Lawrence, the medication is useless.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Lawrence blinked hesitantly, looking at the most familiar face in his memory, yet only feeling a chill spreading in his heart, ¡°I know my own condition, and that psychiatrist is a skilled expert, but why didn¡¯t it¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Your mind is being affected, Lawrence. Don¡¯t you feel it? This sea area is affecting you,¡± Martha said gently¨Cperhaps it was Martha¡¯s voice, or perhaps it was Lawrence¡¯s own subconscious speaking. Clearly, in his subconscious, the experienced captain had begun to recognize some of the truth, ¡°The longer you stay here, the more your mind will deteriorate. Be careful, Lawrence, you¡¯re already in the middle of the sea¡­¡±


    ¡°How should I leave this place?¡± Lawrence spoke without thinking, and unconsciously, he had released the grip on the bottle of medication.


    The small bottle fell to the deck, shattering with a crisp sound, half of the medication spilling out, mixing indistinguishably with the water pooled on the deck.


    Lawrence looked down, staring blankly at the broken medicine bottle.


    Martha was still supporting his arm, speaking softly, ¡°Go to Frost¡­¡±


    Lawrence was startled as if jolted awake from a dreamscape. He lifted his head, only to find that there was no one beside him¨Cjust a lingering warmth on his forearm.


    A rush of hurried footsteps suddenly came from not far away, and Lawrence looked up to see his First Mate quickly approaching.


    ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve ¡®shaken off¡¯ that island,¡± the First Mate spoke rapidly, but then he lifted his head, looking around curiously as if searching for something, ¡°Who was with you just now? Was that also a sailor from our ship?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, I was alone¡­¡± Lawrence began unconsciously, but then, halfway through, he realized something, and he suddenly looked up at the First Mate, ¡°What did you say? Who was with me just now?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, just now, standing next to you, appeared to be a lady¨Cbut I didn¡¯t see clearly,¡± the First Mate said, somewhat perplexed, ¡°Or could I have been mistaken?¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s eyes widened, a look of round-eyed terror even seemed to frighten the First Mate, who, after a few seconds, suddenly spoke, ¡°You could see her?!¡±


    The First Mate swallowed reflexively, uncertain as to why his captain reacted so: ¡°¡­I definitely saw her.¡±


    As soon as these words fell, the experienced sailor seemed to have thought of something, and his face tensed, ¡°Wait, was that an illusion just now? Was I affected?¡±


    ¡°That was indeed an illusion¡­ but theoretically, it¡¯s an illusion only I should be able to see,¡± Lawrence¡¯s expression turned extremely grim. He waved his hand to indicate that the First Mate didn¡¯t need to panic, but his mind was in disarray, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be, shouldn¡¯t be¡­¡±


    The seasoned captain lifted his head, looking around dazedly as though attempting to spot Martha¡¯s figure.


    And in his mind, everything seemed to blend together¨Creality, hallucinations, memories, delusions¡­


    Here, where reality and illusion seemed to have lost all distinction, an illusion that only he was supposed to see was also seen by another; what of the false became real, but what of the real then?


    Was this sea real? Was the White Oak real?


    What in the world was this place?


    Lawrence¡¯s mind was in turmoil, but suddenly, a sailor¡¯s shout came from a part of the deck, breaking his reverie.


    A sailor had spotted something on the sea surface.


    Lawrence exchanged glances with the First Mate, and they both ran swiftly towards the side of the ship, and soon, they saw what had caused the sailor¡¯s exclamation¨C


    An island appeared in front of them on the side of the White Oak, with winding coastlines and towering rock cliffs, encompassed by mist¡­


    That island had appeared again.


    ¡°¡­That island moves¡­¡± the First Mate swallowed nervously, his worst suspicion becoming reality before his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s caught up with us¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also possible that we have been going in circles, and this sea is filled with ¡®curtains¡¯ that can temporarily blind our vision,¡± Lawrence spoke with a low voice, his gaze fixed upon the island, ¡°Or perhaps, ¡®Frost¡¯ is now right beside us¡­¡±


    The First Mate looked at the captain in amazement, not understanding why the captain would suddenly mention ¡°Frost,¡± but he quickly composed himself and asked, ¡°Captain, what do we do this time? Continue to steer clear of it?¡±


    Lawrence fell silent, thinking rapidly for a moment.


    The words Martha had softly spoken into his ear still echoed in his mind¨C


    ¡°Go to Frost.¡±


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    Of course, that island wasn¡¯t the Frost City-State, but its repeated appearances near the White Oak might already be a kind of ¡°guidance.¡±


    Not long ago, he had led the White Oak in a hasty ¡®escape¡¯ from the eerily atmospheric Frost City-State, only to become trapped in this unfamiliar sea area, and now, ¡°Martha¡± was directing him to ¡°go to Frost.¡±


    And before him, another mysterious and even more eerie island had emerged¨Can island that had appeared beside the White Oak twice in a row.


    What was the right choice to make?


    ¡°¡­We approach the island.¡±

 Chapter 370 - Chapter 370 Chapter 374 Frost Messenger

    Chapter 370: Chapter 374 Frost Messenger Chapter 370: Chapter 374 Frost Messenger Tirian stood on the towering bridge of the Sea Mist, his gaze piercing through the broad windows, fixating on the vast sea beyond.


    That was once the direction of Dagger Island¨Cbut now, there was nothing but a wide stretch of sea and a few reconnaissance boats still fruitlessly searching for clues.


    Dagger Island had been missing for so long, yet neither the Frost Folk nor the Mist Fleet had found anything in these waters.


    The pirate sighed deeply, turned around, and left the bridge, then walked into his own captain¡¯s quarters¨Con the desk of the captain¡¯s quarters, there sat an oval-shaped mirror with an antique aura, oddly out of place with the Sea Mist¡¯s overall advanced style.


    Tirian approached the mirror and, seeing his own reflection, appeared somewhat hesitant.


    However, he quickly cast aside his hesitation, reached into a drawer, and pulled out a carved candleholder used for rituals, placing it in front of the mirror.


    ¡°Sea Mist calling Homeloss¡­¡± Tirian murmured softly. At that moment, he felt like one of those sailors beguiled by the phantoms of the Endless Sea, offering sacrifices in their moment of madness to summon the horrifying powers from the dark depths¨Cindeed, the power he sought to call upon was no less terrifying.


    It just so happened to be his father.


    The candleholder lit up by itself, the bright flame dancing above the candle, reflected in the mirror. Tirian watched the small flame nervously, saw it flicker a few times, then quickly take on a ghostly green hue, confirming that his call had successfully been answered.


    The oval surface of the mirror quickly covered with the hue of flames, and the center of the mirror turned ink-black, erasing Tirian¡¯s reflection. Moments later, another figure emerged¨Cthis was Duncan himself, who remained on the Homeloss.


    Duncan was holding a piece of bread, and he looked up, giving a glance toward the mirror, ¡°I was just about to have lunch¨Chave you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ not yet.¡± Tirian hesitated for a moment, somewhat uncomfortably responding. For some reason, his father, having regained his humanity, seemed subtly changed. His way of greeting was so unusual; the good news was that this manner was indeed very warm and friendly. However, Tirian had not had such a natural conversation with his father in so long that he still felt awkward.


    ¡°You should have lunch on time, it¡¯s good for your health,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°Was there something you needed?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve searched the entire area around Dagger Island and haven¡¯t found anything,¡± Tirian steadied himself, bringing his focus back to the matter at hand, ¡°The Frostfolk are still persisting in their search, but I believe they will also end up unfruitful.¡±


    ¡°The deep sea swallowed the island, the root of the problem is underwater; searching on the surface is pointless¨Cand now, the biggest problem is that we lack the proper diving equipment,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Additionally, the city is becoming tense now. The Church is soon going to expand their search area to the Second Canal¨Crest assured, I¡¯ve already sent a warning to your informants.¡±


    Tirian tensed up involuntarily when he heard the Church would search the Second Canal, but relaxed as Duncan finished his sentence, then frowned, ¡°They suspect heretics¡¯ nests hidden in the Second Canal?¡±


    ¡°After all, they¡¯ve searched every other part of the City-State,¡± Duncan lifted his eyelids, ¡°Apart from the Second Canal, they are out of options.¡±


    Tirian frowned in silence, and seeing this, Duncan asked, ¡°What, do you have a theory?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t believe they¡¯ll find any clues in the Second Canal,¡± Tirian slowly shook his head, ¡°While my informants don¡¯t control the entire Second Canal, they are well-acquainted with the situation below and control several key nodes. If there really is a large group of Annihilation Cultists hidden there, performing grand rituals¡­ I should¡¯ve heard something.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps they are really well hidden, or maybe their rituals have already warped the perception of all informants who noticed anything¨Cyou either don¡¯t find out, or if you do notice, you¡¯re corrupted, and that prevents you from receiving accurate information.¡±


    Tirian slowly nodded, ¡°¡­ That is a plausible explanation, especially since you have already confirmed the presence of cognitive contamination within the City-State.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll also keep an eye on the Second Canal,¡± Duncan in the mirror said, ¡°I¡¯m curious where these Annihilation Cultists are exactly hiding¨Cif in this process your people run into trouble, I¡¯ll try to help.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Tirian immediately bowed his head.


    Just then, a sudden knock on the door interrupted the conversation in the captain¡¯s quarters.


    ¡°Someone is looking for you,¡± Duncan in the mirror noticed the disturbance on this side, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you should go and attend to your duties.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Father.¡±


    The figure in the mirror faded away, and the fire at the edges of the mirror subsided, the candleholder before the mirror gradually returning to its original state.


    Tirian exhaled softly, feeling the pressure gradually fade from his heart, then furrowed his brow and stood up to open the door, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°A fast ship from Frost,¡± an undead sailor with a hole in his head stood outside the door, saluting while speaking, ¡°They are approaching under the flags and light signals of ¡®non-violent action¡¯ and ¡®request for contact¡¯, looking like a group of¡­ envoys.¡±


    ¡°Envoys?¡± Tirian was momentarily surprised, but soon, a gleam of interest appeared on his face, ¡°This is rather interesting¡­ They really can¡¯t sit still.¡±


    ¡°Shall we fire?¡± the sailor looked expectantly at his captain.


    ¡°Fire my ass¨Clet them come,¡± Tirian glared at the sailor, then quickly added, ¡°Allow only three people to board. If they don¡¯t accept, they can go back where they came from.¡±


    On the mechanical fast ship flying the Frost City-State flag, a man dressed in neat formalwear and wearing gold-rimmed glasses stood on the bow deck, nervously taking off his glasses to wipe them repeatedly, while raising his head to look at the steel warship gradually looming larger in his view.


    Sea Mist approached closer, its towering bow like a mountain floating on the icy sea, the oppression it brought intensifying, and around it, the fragmented ice seemed like living creatures, floating and cruising in the water, even consciously circling around the hull of the mechanical fast ship and continuously colliding with the near waterline body.


    The sound of the ice actively crashing into the hull was irritating and nervewracking.


    The confidential secretary couldn¡¯t help wiping his glasses again, inadvertently imagining stories passed mouth to mouth in the Frost City-State¨Call revolving around the curse of the open sea, the pirates in the fog, sailors frozen into ice statues in their sleep, and stories involving children.


    ¡°We¡¯re close enough,¡± the confidential secretary put his glasses back on, breathed in gently, and said to the officer by his side, ¡°Let¡¯s stop here¨Cif we move any further forward, that warship will likely open fire.¡±


    ¡°Minimum speed, turn left!¡± The officer turned his head and loudly instructed the signal sailor.


    The mechanical fast ship slowed down abruptly, slightly adjusting its heading to gradually become parallel with the massive steel warship.


    Meanwhile, the officer monitored the movement on the Sea Mist.


    He saw sudden flashing lights on the warship, followed by a sailor appearing at the ship¡¯s rail, waving flags toward the mechanical fast ship.


    ¡°They¡¯re signaling,¡± the confidential secretary quickly asked, ¡°What does it mean?¡±


    ¡°Sea Mist has accepted our request¡­ Thank God, this time it¡¯s a signal that the living can understand,¡± the officer visibly relaxed, quickly noticing a small boat being lowered from the side of the warship, ¡°And they have lowered a boat for transferring personnel.¡±


    ¡°God of Death¡¯s blessing¡­ I thought they were going to open fire directly.¡± The confidential secretary also visibly relaxed. As the first ¡°envoy¡± sent to negotiate with the Mist Fleet, although he had been mentally prepared to serve the City-State to the end before coming, he still felt a sense of relief as if he had narrowly escaped disaster.


    The small boat sent from Sea Mist soon arrived next to the Frostfolk¡¯s mechanical fast ship, with several sailors wearing old era naval uniforms sitting on it.


    The prominent queen¡¯s emblem on their arms, along with the uniforms from a bygone era, were strikingly conspicuous. More eye-catching than their attire was their prestigious status as undead.


    Among them, two had large holes in their heads, another had a hole through his chest, and only one appeared unharmed¨Cyet swollen and horrifying like a corpse soaked in seawater for three days.


    The Frost sailors on the mechanical fast ship were somewhat tense at the sight of these undead sailors, and many displayed complex expressions as they watched them step onto the Frost ship.


    However, the undead sailors clearly didn¡¯t mind the attitudes of the living; they directly approached the person who appeared to hold the highest military rank at the scene.


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    ¡°Who is the envoy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± the man in short formalwear and gold-rimmed glasses immediately stepped forward. He controlled the nervousness in his heart and tried not to overly focus on the horrifying features of the undead sailors, striving to maintain a calm tone, ¡°My name is Eddie Ruhl, representing the Frost City-State to negotiate with the Mist Fleet.¡±


    ¡°A clerk?¡± The swollen-bodied undead sailor raised an eyebrow, sizing up the secretary who claimed to be Eddie, with a teasing tone, ¡°I thought you¡¯d send at least a few military representatives¨Chas the Frost Navy run so low on brave soldiers?¡±


    An accompanying officer immediately stepped forward half a step, but before he could speak, Eddie put out a hand to stop him.


    ¡°I am the envoy,¡± the bespectacled civilian official looked at the undead sailor before him and emphasized, ¡°Take me to General Tirian.¡±

 Chapter 371 - Chapter 371 Chapter 375 Reflection

    Chapter 371: Chapter 375 Reflection Chapter 371: Chapter 375 Reflection Mr. Eddie boarded the small boat heading for the Sea Mist, and those terrifying undead sailors scrutinized him as if observing a rare animal.


    It made the secretary feel incredibly awkward and even somewhat creeped out.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to come alone,¡± the swollen-bodied undead sailor spoke with a touch of wonder, ¡°Our captain said three people could board the ship.¡±


    ¡°Three people or one makes no difference,¡± Eddie shook his head, ¡°If General Tyrion had allowed me to bring the entire team, I certainly would have brought all the advisors and aides. But he only permitted three¡­ That¡¯s hardly any different from me going alone.¡±


    ¡°You could bring two soldiers to bolster your courage,¡± another undead sailor laughed out loud, his voice wheezing through his leaky throat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to bolster my courage; the soldiers won¡¯t be of any help,¡± Eddie shook his head again and spoke earnestly.


    His attitude left the undead sailors feeling rather bored, and someone mumbled on the boat, ¡°¡­Pompous officials.¡±


    A moment later, General Tyrion met with the emissary from the City-State¨Ca man in his thirties or forties, donning formal attire, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, with hair meticulously combed as if he¡¯d been in an office sipping tea just a second before.


    Slick and powdered, and he had come alone.


    This made the prepared pirate quite surprised, even feeling an awkward sense of frustration¨Cas he had expected the first to board the Sea Mist to be at least a military person.


    But soon, he guessed the intention behind Frost authorities¡¯ arrangements:


    The relationship between the Mist Fleet and the City-State was tense enough; they had been confronting each other on top of a powder keg for fifty years. At this sensitive juncture, sending a few more military officers to deal was meaningless¨Csending a clerk instead could at least express a hint of friendliness.


    The clerk, Mr. Eddie, was obviously a bit nervous.


    On the deck of the Sea Mist, General Tyrion sized up the ¡°City-State diplomat¡± in front of him. He could clearly discern the forced calmness in his eyes and the erratic rhythm in his breathing¨Cthe gentleman¡¯s composure was actually quite good, but regretfully, it could fool an average person, but not a captain who commanded an undead legion.


    General Tyrion could even hear each of the diplomat¡¯s heartbeats.


    Eddie was also observing the great pirate before him¨Cthe man who once protected the City-State but had now become the source of terrifying legends in the hearts of all Frostfolk.


    Tall, strong, silent, authoritative, his single eye carrying a scrutinizing and condescending air, each glance felt like a judgment.


    In the presence of this great pirate, even breathing seemed like a strenuous act.


    ¡°General Tyrion,¡± Eddie took a couple of deep breaths, straightened his posture, and faced the pirate¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, ¡°I am here on behalf of the Frost City-State to extend greetings to you¨CI am pleased to board this legendary warship.¡±


    ¡°Half a century,¡± Tyrion watched the man, shorter than himself, ¡°And Frost has finally gathered the courage to speak to me?¡±


    Eddie did not mind the provocative undertone in the other¡¯s words and continued, ¡°I am here on a mission¨Cthe discord between Frost and the Mist Fleet is real, but that¡¯s not our topic today. You must be aware of the trouble the City-State is facing now. We only wish to understand the intentions of the Mist Fleet¨CGeneral Tyrion, what is it that you want, and what do you intend to do?¡±


    ¡°General¡­ drop that title, it doesn¡¯t please me,¡± Tyrion cast a glance at Eddie then slowly walked toward the railing nearby, ¡°As for what I intend to do¡­ Isn¡¯t it obvious? I¡¯m blockading this city-state that¡¯s on the brink of falling¨Cto prevent your disaster from spreading out and harming my ¡®trade partners¡¯ in the Chill Sea.¡±


    ¡°Trade partners?¡±


    ¡°I think the term is suitable¨Cthey pay the price, and the Mist Fleet ensures their safety on the Chill Sea,¡± Tyrion turned his head back, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a very good trade relationship?¡±


    Eddie¡¯s lips twitched slightly, but he quickly masked the change. He glanced at the undead sailors around him before slowly stepping next to Tyrion, ¡°Do you mean¡­ you simply wish to help Frost control this crisis?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a rather self-flattering interpretation, but it¡¯s no harm if you wish to think so,¡± Tyrion remarked casually, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to do anything, just don¡¯t interfere with me.¡±


    After two seconds of silence, Eddie cautiously spoke, ¡°¡­May I know why you chose to help?¡±


    Tyrion rested his hands on the railing¡¯s edge, not turning back, ¡°Is the reason that important?¡±


    ¡°I need a reason, it would put my superiors and colleagues at ease.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Mr. Eddie, so what you¡¯re asking for is a reason that allows everyone to rest easy,¡± Tyrion chuckled, turning his head to look Eddie in the eyes, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll give you a reason¨C¡®Father¡¯s order¡¯, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Eddie was taken aback.


    A moment later, his expression visibly turned to horror.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve thought of something,¡± said Terran cheerfully, ¡°Yes, my father¡¯s command¨Cpretend it¡¯s sent from Subspace. He ordered me to send troops to surround your pitiful little City-State¨Cso go back and tell your superiors, the Mist Fleet is executing the will of Subspace,¡± his tone was quite pleasant, ¡°and then they can sleep like babies.¡±


    The pirate¡¯s face radiated obvious pleasure, and Eddie finally¨Cwell, he thought he had¨Ccaught on. He let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his forehead, ¡°That joke wasn¡¯t funny at all, Captain Terran¡­ I understand what you mean. Since you don¡¯t wish to elaborate, I won¡¯t ask.¡±


    Terran regarded the ¡°Frost Ambassador¡± steadily before finally clicking his tongue.


    These days, nobody believes the truth anymore.


    But his mood remained very upbeat.


    Watching this grim Frost official jump at shadows in front of him was amusing after all.


    ¡°You may leave now, Mr. Eddie,¡± he said quite politely, ¡°Dinner is not prepared for you on this ship.¡±


    Eddie looked startled, ¡°Ah? Wait, I still¡­¡±


    ¡°You still have many questions, such as the Mist Fleet¡¯s next move, Dagger Island, the former Queen and the Abyss Project. But unfortunately, I don¡¯t care to talk much with Frost,¡± Terran¡¯s face remained impassive, ¡°You¡¯ve accomplished your objective, completed your mission. Go back and tell your superiors. If there¡¯s anything else in the future, contact us via radio¨Cany open frequency will do. There¡¯s no need to send anyone over¨Cwe¡¯ll receive it.¡±


    Eddie hesitated, then caught on immediately, a hint of joy crossing his face, ¡°Ah, right, Captain Terran, I appreciate your understanding¡­¡±


    He paused there, as if suddenly remembering something else, then hurriedly spoke up again, ¡°Ah, wait, just one more question¨Cone last question!¡±


    Terran raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°About¡­ the cryptic light signal you sent to our scout ship,¡± said Eddie, his face tinged with embarrassment as he chose his words carefully, ¡°we spent a long time trying to decipher it after returning¡­¡±


    Terran watched the envoy in silence, letting his discomfort grow under his gaze until he suddenly smiled.


    ¡°It was just a signal lamp malfunction. The sailors were lax in maintenance.¡±


    Eddie: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Terran finally laughed heartily with pleasure.


    Eddie¡¯s expression went through several changes, his hand brushing over the buttons on his dress uniform, but eventually, he too started to laugh, joining in Terran¡¯s hearty laughter.


    But Terran¡¯s laughter suddenly stopped.


    He reached out and firmly patted the shoulder of the ¡°Frost Ambassador.¡±


    ¡°They sent a good man, Mr. Eddie¨CI was almost tempted to invite you to dine with us aboard,¡± he said.


    ¡°But I must get back to the ship,¡± Eddie ceased laughing, shaking his head slowly, ¡°Too many nerves are on edge. We can¡¯t continue to waste energy on mutual suspicion and speculation.¡±


    Terran didn¡¯t say much, merely nodding slightly before stretching out his hand to the side, gesturing for the guest to leave.


    Eddie also nodded slightly, straightened his dress and bow tie, and headed toward the ladder on the other side of the deck.


    But just then, something caught his eye, and he halted abruptly.


    The Frost envoy approached the railing, puzzled, looking down at the sea, ¡°¡­Captain Terran, what is that?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Terran furrowed his brow and looked in the direction Eddie was pointing.


    He saw it¨Ca shadow.


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    Below the sea¡¯s surface, in a place whose depth remained unknown, a blurry shadow was moving swiftly across the vast area between the Sea Mist and a few escort ships.


    The shadow was faint and translucent, like the reflection of a ship on water, yet the structure of the ship was indistinct. Terran watched the object for a long while, only to feel it appeared like¡­ the underside of a ship.


    As if there were an inverted ship sailing underneath the water surface.


    Terran looked up, following the direction in which the shadow vessel was traveling.


    That was the direction where Dagger Island once lay.

 Chapter 372 - Chapter 372 Chapter 376 Occupy

    Chapter 372: Chapter 376: Occupy Chapter 372: Chapter 376: Occupy The sound of machinery echoed through the factory facility, with the roar of water rushing through the giant pipes, and the pungent smell of chemical reagents wafting in the air, nauseating to anyone who caught a whiff.


    Agatha stood by the protective railing, peering down into the buffer pool below, where filthy liquid tumbled and churned within the vast reservoir, occasionally releasing bubbles and eerily colored glows like the stomach acid of some monstrous beast.


    A management personnel with thinning hair and dressed in a light brown coat stood behind the young gatekeeper, his face etched with tension, one hand subconsciously tugging at the button on his chest.


    ¡°The drainage from Oak Street¡¯s north district and the area around Cemetery No. 4 all converge here,¡± the manager said, eyeing the gatekeeper¡¯s expression cautiously, as he cautiously reported, ¡°After receiving the order, we cut off the surrounding pipe connections immediately and inspected every alarm device in each buffer pool. There are no signs of desecrated contamination¡­¡±


    Agatha listened in silence, and after a while suddenly asked, ¡°How is the sewage usually treated?¡±


    ¡°How is it treated?¡± The manager was taken aback, then quickly responded, ¡°First, high-pressure steam is used to purify any possibly existing desecrated contamination¨Cyou know, the sewage has been in contact with humans and has flowed through dark pipes, it may inevitably become a carrier for certain things. After steam purification, there¡¯s sedimentation and filtration; what you¡¯re seeing is the sedimentation pool. Next comes a second steam purification, after which some water is recycled back into the factory, and the rest¡­ is discharged into the ocean.¡±


    Agatha nodded slightly, then asked again, ¡°How long would it take for the sewage from Oak Street¡¯s north district to reach here?¡±


    ¡°It depends on the situation, but generally no more than two hours,¡± the manager answered.


    ¡°And how long does the sewage stay here?¡±


    ¡°The water in the sedimentation pool is replaced every seventy-two hours,¡± the manager raised his hand, becoming increasingly nervous under the gatekeeper¡¯s questions. While he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, he still answered accurately, ¡°The purification and inspection process have strict regulations; it won¡¯t be shorter than this period.¡±


    Agatha nodded again, her mind quickly calculating the timing of the ¡°counterfeit incident¡± at the residence and the sewage treatment process timeline. Thoughtfully, she said, ¡°That means if that thing really could escape through the drainage system, it should still be here¡­¡±


    ¡°Gatekeeper, Your Excellency,¡± the manager wiped his glistening forehead again, not able to hold back his curiosity any longer, ¡°What exactly¡­ happened? Could it be that there is contamination spreading through the drainage system?¡±


    ¡°Not ruling out that possibility,¡± Agatha glanced at the manager, then her gaze shifted to the black-clad guards collecting samples and inspecting equipment nearby, ¡°but according to what we¡¯ve detected so far, everything here is normal.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the manager showed a somewhat forced smile, ¡°Every part of this place has an alarm system, specifically to detect possible desecrated contamination. The treatment center also has three resident priests; they also check the water samples every day¡­¡±


    ¡°Resident priests?¡± Agatha seemed to suddenly think of something and turned her head, ¡°You just said there are a few resident priests here?¡±


    ¡°Three¡­ three,¡± perhaps it was Agatha¡¯s tone that abruptly became somewhat frightening, and the manager instinctively stuttered a bit, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°You can only have two priests here¨Cthere are strict regulations on the number of resident priests at municipal facilities; where did the third one come from?¡±


    The manager¡¯s expression froze instantly, and a layer of fine sweat became visible on his forehead as a look of nervous fear appeared in his eyes.


    Seeing this, Agatha immediately raised her cane to rest on the man¡¯s shoulder, suppressing the ¡°fear¡± from his consciousness with force, while she said with a stern expression, ¡°Listen, you must maintain Calmness¨Cbring all the resident priests here. Tell them the gatekeeper needs to understand more about the situation, do not reveal any other emotions, understand?¡±


    The manager¡¯s mood quickly settled down somewhat, but he still retained a bit of nervousness, nodding hurriedly, ¡°Yes, I understand¡­ I¡¯ll go right now.¡±


    Agatha nodded, retracted her cane, but as the man was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something and quickly spoke, ¡°Wait, not just the resident priests¨Cbring everyone.¡±


    The manager turned back, puzzled, ¡°Everyone?¡±


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Agatha repeated gravely, then asked again to be sure, ¡°Has anyone left this treatment center since yesterday?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± the manager promptly answered, ¡°The order came just fifteen minutes before shift change; everyone who worked here stayed on.¡±


    ¡°Good, bring them all¨Csay it¡¯s a necessary inspection, stay relaxed, don¡¯t arouse suspicion, go.¡±


    The somewhat balding manager turned and walked away quickly, calming himself as he walked, while Agatha stood motionless by the buffer pool until she saw the man disappear behind a door not far away. She then raised her hand, signaling to the surrounding guards who had noticed the disturbance.


    The nearby black-clad guards immediately started to act, placing concealed runes around the open space by the buffer pool, sprinkling oil and ground incense powder between paths and pipes, and taking up specific positions, maintaining the appearance of still inspecting the facilities.


    Agatha, meanwhile, lifted her cane while the guards were in action, slowly tracing a triangle outline about two meters in side length around the area where she stood. She then positioned herself at the center of the triangle, resting her hands on her cane, and calmly waited.


    Before long, footsteps could be heard approaching from the direction of the main entrance; the manager had returned to the factory housing the buffer pool, with a large group of people following behind him.


    Among them were conspicuously visible three figures wearing the long robes of the Death Church and bearing holy insignia.


    The dozen or so treatment center employees led by the manager approached Agatha, forming a loose queue, greeting the gatekeeper before them nervously, while the three resident priests approached from the side of the line, greeting Agatha with the internal etiquette and status of Death Church clergymen.


    Agatha commanded the three priests to stand apart, then slowly scanned over all the faces.


    She sensed something amiss.


    Despite not seeing any suspicious expressions or behaviors, and not sensing any wrong aura, Bartok¡¯s blessing had already confirmed the existence of dissonance¨Chidden in these people¡¯s breaths, hidden in their heartbeats, and even hidden in the shadows they cast on the ground.


    Agatha blinked her eyes, reconfirming that all she saw was normal, and thus her mind became clear.


    Indeed, there was cognitive disruption¨Cand even in the presence of herself, the ¡°Guardian,¡± the cognitive disruption persisted.


    Was it simply because of sheer audacity? Or because of ignorance of the Guardian¡¯s power? Or¡­ was the cognitive disruption uncontrollable?


    Agatha slowly turned her head, her gaze falling on the three priests.


    Leaving aside the dozen or so staff members for the moment, one of the three priests must be an impostor¨Cbut which one?


    ¡°By reciting the name of Bartok,¡± Agatha slowly said, ¡°let the Master of Death watch over us so we may discern falsehood in this mortal world.¡±


    ¡°In the name of the Master of Death, Bartok,¡± a priest immediately began, ¡°may He watch over us¡­¡±


    Then the second and third priests also immediately spoke, ¡°In the name of the Master of Death, Bartok¡­¡±


    Three voices rose in succession, like echoes.


    Agatha frowned.


    Being able to recite the name of the god meant that they were not mud-formed ¡°counterfeits¡± nor heretics of a divergent faith; otherwise, the intense conflict of faith would have been enough to shred their sanity.


    But how could this be? All three priests were real?


    Agatha¡¯s thoughts flowed instantly, but her expression remained calm; she nodded to the three men: ¡°Next, I need to perform some necessary tests, please understand.¡±


    With that, she reached for her left eye¨Ca living eyeball immediately popped out of its socket and accurately landed in her hand.


    Agatha held up the eyeball and ¡°looked¡± towards the three opposing priests.


    The figure of the first priest entered her sight¨Ca gaunt old man in a linen robe, with chains black as ink extending from under his ribs. An Abyssal Hound at the end of the chain raised its head towards them, its mouth bubbling with blasphemous and filthy energy rapidly gathering and taking shape!


    Heresy!


    Daring to stand here so brazenly!


    Agatha¡¯s complexion shifted slightly, but she was well-prepared. At the moment the Abyssal Hound opened its massive jaws, she had already sidestepped, and her right hand lifted the staff, its tip blazing with pale flames.


    However, just as she was about to ignite the heretic, another low and obscure incantation suddenly came from beside her.


    Agatha¡¯s left hand with the eyeball turned sharply, and the next second, she saw a young man with straw-yellow hair and a high bridge nose raising his hands towards her, with a grey-black, mist-formed jellyfish floating behind him.


    That was the second ¡°priest.¡±


    Dizziness swept over her, and as Agatha steadied herself, she heard the third incantation.


    A pale woman at the edge of her vision raised her hand towards her, with a cat formed of bones and mist crawling beside her.


    That was the third priest.


    All the priests were fakes.


    Roaring and battle cries came from all directions.


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    At the moment when the three eradicators sprang to action, the surrounding guardians reacted and tried to support, but they too encountered their foes.


    The staff members brought by the manager and the nearby black-clothed guardians engaged in fierce combat.


    In the corner of Agatha¡¯s eye, she could see those ¡°staff members¡± breaking into viscous filth like mud upon being hit.


    Only the thin-haired manager had dashed to the side of a nearby pipe, letting out a scream that was both helpless and panicked.


    The entire sewage treatment center¡­ had only one ¡°human.¡±

 Chapter 373 - Chapter 373 Chapter 377 The Gatekeepers Battle

    Chapter 373: Chapter 377: The Gatekeeper¡¯s Battle Chapter 373: Chapter 377: The Gatekeeper¡¯s Battle Everything happened in an instant.


    Three heretics disguised as priests of the Death Church launched a surprise attack, and the black-robed guards nearby rushed to their aid. More than a dozen workers of the sewage treatment center clashed with the guards, all of this occurred almost simultaneously.


    A shocking truth was thereby revealed ¡ª the entire sewage treatment center had long been completely eroded and replaced.


    No wonder there were no pollution reactions in the sewage sedimentation tanks and various pipelines; those ¡°Prime Elements¡± that had escaped through the sewers seemed to have evaporated ¡ª they had already made their nest right under the noses of the City-State authorities and the Church.


    Yet there were countless mysteries. Why could the heretics who followed the Profound Saint call upon the name of the god of death? How could the ¡°fakes¡± disguised as treatment center workers deceive her senses? Where had the real staff gone?


    But reality did not afford Agatha much time to ponder and deduce all this.


    The Dark Breath of the Abyssal Hound, with its corrosive and powerful impact, howled toward her. The filthy mass of energy nearly grazed Agatha¡¯s hair as it flew past her, instantly penetrating a column beside the sedimentation tank. The mental Corrosion unleashed by the Smoke Dust Jellyfish continually attacked her mind, slowing her movements, dulling her thoughts, while the pale woman symbiotic with the cat-shaped demon raised her fingers from afar, and Agatha¡¯s side immediately displayed numerous crisscrossing bloodstains ¡ª a piece of her garment brushed against the bloodstains and was instantly disintegrated into dust at the intersection.


    It was a trap that had been planned for some time. No wonder these dissidents gathered here obediently to accept ¡°inspection¡± ¡ª were they actually prepared to execute the Church¡¯s gatekeeper?


    ¡°Wishful thinking.¡±


    Agatha said coolly, tapping her staff on the ground.


    A thunderous rumble like that of rolling thunder emanated from the light touch between the end of the staff and the ground. Immediately afterward, layers of illusory ripples spread outward from the end of the staff in every direction. In an instant, everything around quieted down, and the space around the sedimentation tanks plunged into darkness. Everything within sight took on shades of grey and pitch black. The battling black-robed guards and the ¡°fakes¡± became motionless, as pale glows streamed in from distant windows and cracks that had appeared in the roof, casting shadowy figures.


    In the Spirit Realm, Agatha held her own eyeball in her left hand, ¡°looking¡± toward three equally motionless heretics nearby.


    Beside them, the undulating black flames on the bodies of the Symbiotic Demons seemed out of place in the monochrome world of black, white, and grey; these flames burned silently, their smoke rising slowly like a slow-motion scene.


    Agatha raised her staff and gently waved it in the air.


    The dimly lit space suddenly trembled, and the shadows of the fighting black-robed guards instantly vanished within the Spirit Realm. She raised her left hand, and within the field of view scrutinized by the eyeball, only those three heretics remained, along with a dozen twisted fakes made of ¡°Prime Elements.¡±


    ¡°Feast,¡± Agatha whispered softly.


    Beings in the Spirit Realm began to stir, shadows lurking in the crevices of the world received the gatekeeper¡¯s invitation and permission. In an instant, on the ground around the sedimentation tank, on the nearby walls, on the pipes, and even on the high roof, all ¡°surfaces¡± revealed countless shadows of varying intensity ¡ª the shadows surged like a cheering crowd, like a swarming herd of beasts, gathering and rushing along all surfaces towards the enemies within Agatha¡¯s sight!


    Shadows teemed across every visible surface, a spectacle that made one¡¯s scalp tingle. However, Agatha simply watched quietly, her right eye calmly open, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, her left eye tightly closed, while in the palm of her left hand, the eyeball kept rotating, fixating on any slight movement around her.


    The surging shadows first engulfed the ¡°fakes,¡± in the blink of an eye, sprawling onto them like a rising tide and swallowing and dissolving them, silent and traceless.


    In the next second, the shadows rushed toward the three heretics and their Symbiotic Demons.


    The Profound Demons sensed danger.


    A strange clicking sound came from inside the demons and from the chains upon them. All the flames on the Profound Demons trembled violently, and the edges of the heretics¡¯ bodies also showed strange vibrations and became ethereal. Within this realm of stillness, they struggled to ¡°live¡± again!


    The young man symbiotic with the Smoke Dust Jellyfish was the first to regain the ability to move. He suddenly broke free from the binding of the Spirit Realm, and in the next moment, instinctively looked up toward where Agatha stood.


    Almost simultaneously, the gaunt old man symbiotic with the Abyssal Hound also regained movement. Seeing his comrade¡¯s action, he quickly shouted a warning:


    ¡°Don¡¯t make eye contact with the gatekeeper!¡±


    But his warning came a step too late ¡ª the young heretic had already shifted his gaze entirely toward the ¡°triangle area¡± where Agatha stood.


    Agatha lifted her left hand, holding her eyeball aloft as if to offer her own eye, presenting it before the young heretic.


    The dissenter¡¯s eyes widened, his gaze fixed on the eyeball in Agatha¡¯s hand, as if he had been completely captivated by it ¡ª he stared at it absentmindedly, even entranced, as a serene and tranquil smile gradually appeared on his face.


    As if in that instant, he had perceived the true essence of life and death and within that truth found the complete meaning and answer to his life.


    ¡°Ah, how beautiful¡­¡±


    He murmured softly, then smiled as he slowly fell backward, collapsing amidst the incoming tide of shadows.


    In an instant, he and his Profound Demon were torn to pieces by the endless shadows.


    But as the heretic fell, an eerie screech came from not far away, and a fierce wind pressure approached from the right. Agatha had no choice but to slightly sidestep to dodge, as an invisible blade skimmed past her forehead. She twisted her head to look toward the direction of the attack.


    The pale woman, who had an Abyssal Hound Symbiotic Demon, was screeching towards her; her mouth opened like a twisted and torn alien, the blasphemous curses compressed into short shrill screams with another blade swiftly taking shape.


    On the other side, the Abyssal Hound was already readying its next Breath attack.


    Agatha seemed to completely ignore the Abyssal Hound and the gaunt old man behind her, only raising her staff to point at the pale woman, who was beginning to mutate like a demon, while raising her left hand high to hold up her own eyeball again.


    The pale woman reflexively avoided the gaze of Agatha¡¯s eyeball¨Cyet in the next second, she was met with a dull gunshot.


    A dazzling burst of light shot out from the end of Agatha¡¯s staff, and a large-caliber silver bullet shattered the pale woman¡¯s head, which was completely twisted and torn apart.


    The next second, accompanied by the beheaded body of the heretic collapsing and being devoured by shadows, a mass of profoundly corrosive Profound Breath also struck Agatha¡¯s back.


    Dark flames rose, and smoke dust spread as the Abyssal Hound released its impactive Breath behind the gatekeeper. It exploded and quickly dissipated.


    Not a single scratch remained on Agatha¡¯s black coat.


    She slowly turned her head to look at the last remaining heretic, the gaunt old man.


    His eyes widened, filled with disbelief and terror.


    ¡°I thought that if you dared to set a trap, you must have investigated thoroughly and made a well-considered move,¡± Agatha watched the final enemy calmly, ¡°But from your expression, it seems not to be the case¨Care you three just pawns thrown out there?¡±


    The last heretic¡¯s eyes widened with even more terror, and with that terror came a hint of confusion.


    Agatha noticed the change in his expression.


    ¡°Are you looking for this?¡± the young gatekeeper said calmly.


    The next second, her mouth suddenly opened wide¨C


    A dirty, profoundly corrosive Profound Breath instantly formed in front of her and with the same force and trajectory that had struck her moments before, shot back towards the Abyssal Hound standing next to the gaunt old man!


    The Profound Demon instinctively sensed danger and almost instantly reacted, dodging to the side. However, the Breath that was returned on the same path swerved sharply¨Clike a missile with eyes, it barreled into the Abyssal Hound¡¯s skull. After a brief delay, the skeletal demon exploded into pieces.


    The gaunt old man, who shared a Demon Symbiosis, screamed in agony. Even without being hit, he quickly curled on the ground, unable to even crawl.


    Like a tide, the shadows immediately swarmed around him, ready to continue the feast.


    ¡°This one is mine,¡± Agatha¡¯s voice rose at that moment, at the same time the thudding sound of her staff hitting the ground echoed around her, ¡°Leave.¡±


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    Shadows from all sides began to stir violently, and the towering malice and chilling cacophony of noises roiled like huge waves, invisibly assaulting the entire space. Some shadows even seemed to creep toward Agatha.


    Yet Agatha¡¯s expression remained unchanged, only lifting her staff to forcefully thud it on the floor.


    Another thunderous boom resounded through the entire space.


    ¡°Begone.¡±


    After a moment of stillness and silence, all the shadows dispersed like a receding tide.

 Chapter 374 - Chapter 374 Chapter 378 Trapped

    Chapter 374: Chapter 378 Trapped Chapter 374: Chapter 378 Trapped The shadows within the Spirit Realm receded, and the pervasive cacophony and overwhelming malevolence that filled the whole space quickly dissipated.


    Agatha raised her left hand and quietly ¡°watched¡± the emaciated heretic who lay at the edge of the triangular area, writhing in agony on the ground. The black chains that extended from his body had already shattered, and the broken links were billowing with dust, weathering into sand before her eyes.


    After the death of the Profound Demons they hosted, the life of this heretic was also drawing close to its end¨Cbut at least for now, he was still able to answer some questions.


    Although Agatha had little hope that this stubborn heretic would truly cooperate with her, she still walked slowly towards him and stopped at the edge of the triangle, looking down at the dying Heretics.


    ¡°You have completely corroded and replaced a piece of ecclesiastic infrastructure right under the nose of the Church, even replacing all the priests¡­ This surprises me,¡± she said slowly, her voice seeming to mix with the deep echoes from a tomb, an overwhelming sound that could weaken the wills of most, ¡°How did you do it?¡±


    The dying heretic struggled to lift his head but only revealed a mocking smile, his gaunt face now devoid of fear, ¡°You guess?¡±


    Agatha remained unmoved, ¡°Your nest is within the City-State of Frost, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± The Heretics¡¯ head trembled as he forced his body to lie back on the pale ground, facing up to Agatha¡¯s gaze, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your efforts. What does it matter if it¡¯s in Frost¡­ You won¡¯t find it¡­ When you find the sacred site, that will be the day of our success, foolish priest¡­¡±


    Agatha¡¯s face was expressionless as she gently lifted her staff and touched its tip to the Heretics¡¯ chest: ¡°What exactly is your goal? To contaminate the City-State with the so-called ¡®Prime Element¡¯? Or are you planning to replace the living beings in the City-State with those ¡®fakes¡¯ that can¡¯t even maintain themselves? What is your connection to the powers of the Mysterious Deep Sea? Does it have to do with the Abyssal Project?¡±


    A cluster of pale flames ignited at the end of the staff, the fire burning flesh and soul, bringing immense pain that made the Heretic convulse and spasm. Yet this fanatic, already engrossed in his beliefs, clenched his jaw and glared at the guardian before him with a click of his teeth, forcing out an eerily creepy laughter, ¡°Heh¡­ heh¡­ The promised one¡­ is coming¡­ No one¡­ no one can escape¡­¡±


    Agatha finally frowned as she slowly raised her arms. The Heretic was lifted into the air by her staff, the pale flames burning his body, already twisted from long-term Demon Symbiosis, making him like a piece of tattered cloth floating in the fire.


    Her voice was cold, as if it circulated within a tomb: ¡°One last question, you heretics¡­ Why can you speak the name of the god of death?¡±


    In the midst of the pale flames, a smile slowly spread across the wretched face of the Heretics, seeming particularly pleased. Seeing the guardian of the Church perplexed by this question, even the pain from the ¡°Cremation¡± seemed to dissipate by half.


    ¡°The Profound Saint has brought forth revelation¡­ All the faiths in the world point the same way¡­ We who have received the revelation have already crossed the so-called boundaries¡­ Guardian, do you really think there is any difference between your god and The Saint?¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression changed instantly, the Heretic daring to put the Profound Saint on the same level as the god of death with such blasphemous words, fueling her anger. However, the Heretic revealed a final smile of liberation amidst the flames consuming his body, not giving her any further chance to interrogate him. He breathed his last, his body rapidly turning to ash.


    ¡°¡­Madman¡¯s ravings, all topsy-turvy.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression darkened as she slowly lowered the staff. Her rage lingered, but these emotions did not interfere with her normal judgment¨Cafter controlling her emotional fluctuations, she immediately began to ponder.


    Putting aside the Heretics¡¯ final blasphemous equation of the Profound Saint and the god of death, this diehard heretic had actually revealed quite a bit of information worth conjecturing on.


    They indeed had a ¡°nest¡± within the City-State of Frost, and they called this nest ¡°sacred site,¡± which meant it was indeed a place for conducting rituals, coherent with what was already known. The sacred site was also ¡°hidden¡± by special means, making it very difficult to find, and he mentioned that finding it would be their moment of success¡­ so, the method of hiding the place might well be related to their ¡°ritual¡± progress. The closer the ritual is to completion, the more obvious its hiding becomes¡­


    Was it because carrying out the ritual would inevitably leak some sort of aura? Or was revealing the site an indispensable part of completing the ritual?


    The Heretics also mentioned, ¡°The promised one is about to arrive,¡± perhaps corresponding to the ultimate ¡°prophecy¡± in their belief system¨Cthat the power of the Profound Saint would overturn the real world and the Mysterious Deep Sea, originally lying deep in the world, would become the new ¡°reality.¡± The fanatic followers of the abyss always regarded the Mysterious Deep Sea as their promised land; that was doubtless.


    But how would this process be realized? Merely by continually introducing ¡°Prime Element¡± into the City-State? Obviously, that would not suffice¡­ Those ¡°fakes¡± found it difficult to maintain their own stability, how could they contaminate the entire City-State?


    Unless¡­ these annihilation followers had a way to stabilize the ¡°fakes¡± for a long time, they could create such an environment, or¡­ transform Frost into such an environment¡­


    Agatha frowned slightly, quickly ending her train of thought, and looked around her.


    She was still in the Spirit Realm, the surroundings illuminated by the soft, pale light streaming in from a fissure in the ceiling, creating shadowy outlines. Slight noises again permeated from all directions, the insatiable shadows of the Spirit World stirring again¨Ca single feast could not keep them quiet for too long.


    The young gatekeeper shook his head, raising his left hand to reposition his eyeball back into its socket.


    The faint noise around him vanished in an instant, and the space comprised of vague light and shades of black, white, and gray regained color in the blink of an eye as the breath of the real world came rushing in.


    Agatha let out a sigh of relief and reached into her clothing for eye drops, but suddenly, her movements froze.


    There was an unnerving silence all around, not a soul in sight.


    Agatha looked up and surveyed her surroundings; she could not see the black-clad guards she had brought with her, nor the fleeing manager of the sewage treatment plant, nor the three heretics, or even the ashen remains of the dozen or so ¡°counterfeit¡± beings¨C


    In theory, after she had vanquished those heretics and the ¡°counterfeits¡± in the Spirit Realm, their remains should have simultaneously appeared in the real world.


    The silence around her was excessively eerie, to the point where she couldn¡¯t sense the presence of any living person nearby.


    Agatha furrowed her brows tightly. She rotated her eyes, easing their dryness while carefully observing her surroundings before slowly making her way to the gate not far off.


    The slightly rusted metal gate was left ajar, as if someone had hurried out and failed to close it properly.


    With creaking noises, the metal gate was pushed open little by little.


    Behind the gate was a long corridor where the gas lamps burned steadily, brightly, yet with no warm reassurance the light should bring.


    ¡°Tap¡­ tap¡­ tap¡­¡±


    The clear, hollow sounds of a cane tapping and heels clicking echoed down the corridor as Agatha walked slowly along.


    The entire sewage treatment plant was deserted.


    Yet there were no enemies in sight.


    She passed straight through the factory area and came out onto the open ground outside.


    The sky was overcast; dense, chaotic clouds hung over the City-State, with only weak light seeping through, barely enough for one to discern that it was indeed daytime. The buildings in view were shrouded in this dim Sky Light, enveloped in a chilling, deathly, bizarre atmosphere.


    Agatha distinctly remembered that the weather was clear when she arrived at the sewage treatment plant¨Cthe sun was hanging high in the sky, and the City-State was cloudless.


    The sun?


    A sliver of doubt suddenly arose in Agatha¡¯s heart, which then expanded into a clear sensation of cognitive dissonance. She snapped her attention back to the sky, observing carefully.


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    The sky displayed only an unidentifiable chaotic brilliance, without any celestial body that could possibly be called ¡°the sun.¡±


    Agatha struggled to recall the appearance of ¡°the sun,¡± the concept of ¡°the sun.¡±


    She could not remember, as if a heavy veil shrouded her mind, preventing her from recalling what that ¡°sun¡± in her memory looked like. But one thing was clear¨Cthere should be something in this world known as ¡°the sun,¡± a presence that naturally hung in the sky, radiating light and warmth to everything!


    ¡°¡­Cognitive interference, capable of affecting the gatekeeper¡­ incredible intensity, and it spans the entire environment¡­¡± Agatha muttered to herself. After a brief moment of astonishment, she had already regained her composure and started to scan her surroundings once more.


    ¡°It is the otherworld.¡±

 Chapter 375 - Chapter 375 Chapter 379 Confronting the Madman

    Chapter 375: Chapter 379: Confronting the Madman Chapter 375: Chapter 379: Confronting the Madman Agatha walked along the cold, deserted streets, where the familiar sights of the City-State now seemed suffused with a silent, eerie atmosphere. Among the shadows of the surrounding buildings and behind the tightly shut doors and windows, it seemed as if pairs of prying eyes were hidden everywhere.


    She was searching for an exit from this ¡°alien domain,¡± or for the culprit responsible for her being trapped here.


    Every discordant spot could potentially be a rift overlapping with the real world, yet so far, she had not found such a fissure in the mysterious ¡°Frost City-State.¡±


    The only thing she was certain of was that she had touched the everlasting shadow enveloping the City-State¨Cwhether by accident or deliberately orchestrated by someone behind the scenes, she had successfully crossed the ¡°barrier¡± that had always obscured her vision.


    This place, vaguely resembling Frost but not quite the same, must be the source of the strange occurrences frequently happening in the City-State lately.


    The sound of wheels rolling over cobblestone streets traveled from afar, faint bell sounds and the noise of doors opening and closing drifted into her ears.


    Agatha looked up towards the direction of the sounds but could only see an empty street¨Chowever, further off, she indeed saw shadows resembling carriages fleeting across the intersections, and figures that looked like pedestrians hurrying past those junctions.


    There were ¡°people¡± in this city, but often, all she could see were distant phantoms. She could hear the voices of residents, yet often couldn¡¯t precisely locate the source of the sounds.


    It felt like a bizarre, distorted dreamscape.


    Agatha¡¯s figure passed through another intersection, then stopped amidst the shadows of the buildings.


    Blind exploration was merely a waste of energy and time; she needed to cautiously assess her surroundings.


    She closed her eyes, allowing her senses to spread outwards, carefully discerning various details in the environment¨Csounds, scents, the direction of the wind, and¡­ the warmth of living beings.


    After a moment, Agatha looked up in a certain direction and took steps toward it¨Cher eyes still closed, yet she skillfully avoided all obstacles on the road, navigating through alleys, passing numerous intersections and lanes until, after an unknown length of time, she stopped in front of a building on a street corner.


    Agatha opened her eyes to see a small restaurant in front of her, with bright lights inside and the lively sound of people.


    The voices were clear, carrying the essence of living humans.


    Agatha steadied herself and pushed open the large door of the restaurant.


    A crisp bell rang as the door opened, and the scene inside the restaurant unfolded before Agatha¨Cit was a moment that made her somewhat bewildered, even doubting whether she had left the strange ¡°alien domain¡± and returned to the normal real world.


    The restaurant was brightly lit, with diners at the tables and staff bustling between tables and counters; a clerk was busy behind the counter. Sounds of cutlery clinking against dishes filled her ears, along with conversations about the weather, work, and prices. The grim chill of the street outside seemed swept away by this lively ¡°mundane scene.¡±


    However, the next second, Agatha spotted an obvious discrepancy¨Calthough the diners were sitting at the tables, their plates and cups were empty. Despite the clerk¡¯s busyness behind the counter, he was only pacing back and forth, repeatedly wiping the same cup.


    Everyone acted like Magic Dolls programmed with routines, perfectly mimicking the actions of normal human life, but¡­ their imitation was too precise.


    Agatha frowned. Upon realizing the truth, the atmosphere here felt even more eerie than the empty streets outside, but instead of turning to leave, she stepped further into the restaurant.


    The more bizarre the place, the more it indicated she was on the right track.


    As Agatha took her first step inside, the lively chatter in the restaurant suddenly ceased.


    All the patrons conversing simultaneously closed their mouths, but various expressions from their discussions still lingered on their faces, and they maintained their dining gestures¨Cwithin the vast space, after the disappearance of human voices, all that was left was the monotonous sound of cups and cutlery clinking.


    With Agatha¡¯s second step, the sounds of the cups and cutlery clinking also vanished¨Ceveryone in the restaurant stopped their movements as if their energy sources had suddenly been cut off, freezing next to their square tables.


    As Agatha took her third step forward, everybody in the restaurant put down their cutlery, rose from their seats like zombies, turned their heads expressionlessly, and stared blankly at her with dozens of hollow gazes.


    Agatha looked towards the counter; the clerk who had been persistently wiping the same glass finally stopped. Unlike the zombie-like, vacant stiffness of the surrounding ¡°patrons,¡± this clerk slowly lifted his head and looked at Agatha with a faint smile.


    The smile was even somewhat friendly.


    ¡°Hello, Gatekeeper Miss,¡± the clerk spoke. He was a young man with golden short hair and a decent appearance, wearing a pristine white shirt and a black jacket, speaking politely as if he truly were receiving a guest. ¡°I¡¯m delighted you could visit us. What do you think of this delightful city?¡±


    ¡°It seems you are the mastermind behind all this,¡± Agatha said calmly as she stared at the golden-haired ¡°clerk,¡± ¡°It was easier to find you than I had imagined.¡±


    ¡°It might not be as easy as you think,¡± the young man with golden hair laughed, ¡°What would you like? Tainted dirty water? Or bread made of mud? Or perhaps¡­ an empty bowl? We have plenty of those.¡±


    Agatha showed no intention of responding and merely waved her wand in the air casually.


    Behind the counter, the young man with golden hair was instantly engulfed by pale flames that emerged out of nowhere, and that skin of his nearly turned to ashes within a few breaths under the Gatekeeper¡¯s ¡°Cremation¡± ability, leaving only grayish-white ash drifting with the wind and settling on the counter.


    However, Agatha¡¯s expression did not change at all because she sensed before the flames ignited that the young man had already lacked the breath of a living person.


    A strange, viscous moving noise came from the side; Agatha turned her head and saw a ¡°patron¡± who had been standing rigidly near a table suddenly begin to tremble all over. In the next second, the person¡¯s body melted like wax, and black sludge moved and reshaped on its surface, transforming the patron within a few breaths into a golden-haired young man in a white shirt and black jacket.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite an unfriendly way to greet someone,¡± the golden-haired young man dusted off his clothing with a somewhat helpless look at Agatha, ¡°Gatekeeper Miss, you surely don¡¯t think that would be enough to handle me¨Cdo you really think I would expose my real body in such a dangerous place?¡±


    ¡°I know you aren¡¯t here,¡± Agatha said expressionlessly, ¡°but at least this will keep you quiet for a while.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, it seems you are not in the mood for conversation¨Cyou are a boring woman. Compared to you, Professor Melson was much more interesting towards the end,¡± the golden-haired young man shrugged his shoulders, ¡°But no matter, as long as you stay here for a while, I don¡¯t mind having a boring prisoner.¡±


    At the mention of ¡°Professor Melson,¡± Agatha¡¯s expression slightly changed as she recalled the vanished Dagger Island and the series of explosions that occurred on the island just before it disappeared, mentioned in the reports¨Cand then she noticed the intelligence revealed in his last few statements.


    ¡°What do you mean by your last few words?¡± she asked, looking at the golden-haired young man with a cold voice.


    ¡°Nothing much, just asking you to stay here as a guest for a while,¡± the golden-haired young man laughed cheerfully, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the ¡®above¡¯ situation¨Csoon, another you will return there, she will gather the guardians like you do and then prepare a report based on the actual situation at the sewage treatment center¡­


    ¡°Rest assured, she will report faithfully, including the pollution the treatment center suffered and the replacement of personnel, then she will return to the cathedral and report as usual, talk with Bishop Ivan, afterward, she will patrol the City-State, continue dealing with various issues in the city, and pursue the investigations you failed to complete¡­ everything will be taken care of.¡±


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    Agatha¡¯s face turned utterly cold, and she stared intently at the golden-haired youth: ¡°You¡¯ve even created a ¡®replica¡¯ of a Gatekeeper?!¡±


    ¡°Is that so difficult?¡± The golden-haired young man slowly subdued his smile, looking at Agatha sarcastically, ¡°Of course, she doesn¡¯t possess your power, but besides that, she¡¯s flawless, even more perfect than any replica before¨Cdo you know how perfect she is? She¡­ doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s fake.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s face was frosty, her knuckles turning slightly white as she griped her wand: ¡°A replica won¡¯t fool the cathedral¨Cthere are countless keen eyes there.¡±


    ¡°Countless keen eyes¨Cmortal eyes, you overestimate your colleagues too much,¡± the golden-haired young man calmly met Agatha¡¯s icy gaze, speaking unhurriedly, ¡°And speaking of replicas¡­ do you really think there¡¯s any difference between you and others, and the ¡®replicas¡¯ you speak of?¡±


    He laughed again, slowly raising his hands as if a preacher revealing the truth of the world: ¡°Gatekeeper Miss, from the beginning there were no replicas, or rather¡­ we are all replicas, that¡¯s the truth.¡±

 Chapter 376 - Chapter 376 Chapter 380 Island in the Mist

    Chapter 376: Chapter 380: Island in the Mist Chapter 376: Chapter 380: Island in the Mist The island drew ever nearer, and the dense fog cloaking it, as well as the silhouettes within that fog, became increasingly clearer¨CLawrence stood on the prow deck of the White Oak, gripping the railing before him so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.


    Anyone would be nervous, even a seasoned captain who had spent the better part of his life adrift on the Endless Sea¨Cwhat lay on that island? What was lurking in the shadows of that dense fog? Why did the island seem to appear around the White Oak as if it had a consciousness of its own? And most importantly¡­ just what was this place, shrouded in eerie phenomena?


    Lawrence took a deep breath, the cold air piercing his lungs, forcibly calming his unsettled mind. He tried not to think of other abnormalities, like Martha appearing before him, and the bizarre fact that others besides himself could also see Martha¨Che knew he must cut off such thoughts, for all of it clearly had to do with the deteriorating state of his own mind. If he continued down this path, Martha might truly become more than just an illusion.


    He had no more potions left, and even if he did, the concoctions had evidently lost their effect.


    The steam core operated smoothly, and the White Oak gradually approached the small island with its jagged coastline. This beautiful white vessel cruised over the waves, leaving a long wake behind her. Within that rippling, spreading trail, a faint glimmer of ghostly green flashed by.


    However, no one paid any attention to the situation at the stern¨Ceveryone on board was focused entirely on that mysterious small island.


    The perimeter of the island was steep and rugged with strange rocks, leaving no place suitable for docking. The experienced helmsman did not rashly bring the ship directly in, but instead, maneuvered the White Oak to start sailing around the island.


    About a third of the way into the circumnavigation, a sailor in the crow¡¯s nest suddenly spotted something.


    ¡°There¡¯s a harbor!¡± the sailor shouted from the lookout.


    Moments later, a small dock came into Lawrence¡¯s view. The facilities deeper within the dock were obscured by the mist, unclear, but the parts extending into the sea were visible¨Cthe structure was intact and showed no signs of damage.


    A complete dock facility meant they could berth the White Oak in its entirety, rather than using small boats to disembark. This undoubtedly increased the safety of exploring the island¨Cnot only was resupplying convenient and retreat straightforward, but the several small-caliber escort cannons on the White Oak could also provide cover for the coastal exploration operation.


    Lawrence returned to the bridge and, under his command, the White Oak began cautiously approaching the deserted dock. Due to the lack of shore-based stevedores to aid the docking, the process was exceedingly slow, but it was completed without incident.


    Lawrence looked across at the dock, seeing the island shrouded in even denser fog than he had observed before, as if by illusion. Could it be that the fog enveloping the island had thickened considerably?


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone,¡± the first mate said, coming up to Lawrence¡¯s side, scanning the island as he spoke, ¡°but we can faintly make out some lights¡­ Seems to be coming from the harbor buildings.¡±


    ¡°Any response from the radio?¡±


    ¡°No, ever since we got close to this island, we¡¯ve even lost the signal from Frost that we could always receive,¡± the first mate shook his head, ¡°And we¡¯ve received no response to our light signals either.¡±


    Lawrence pondered for a moment, ¡°Select twelve smart, cautious sailors, arm them, and join me in exploring the island.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going ashore personally?¡± the first mate was visibly taken aback, ¡°This island seems very strange, and by doing this, there might be¡­¡±


    ¡°Risks? The risks are the same staying on the ship,¡± Lawrence shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not the island that¡¯s strange, it¡¯s this entire sea area. We¡¯re trapped in a large anomaly; danger is everywhere within it. Exploring the island at least gives us a chance to find useful intelligence.¡±


    The first mate opened his mouth but had to admit that the captain¡¯s experience and judgment were valuable.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll go prepare.¡±


    After a while, the first mate had picked out twelve sailors who met the criteria¨Call seasoned old sea dogs, with steadfast wills and devout faith, plus the first mate himself. In total, thirteen would join Lawrence in landing on the island.


    The second mate was left in charge of the duties aboard the White Oak.


    The rope ladder extended to the dock¡¯s pier, and Lawrence led his small scouting party onto the fog-enshrouded mysterious island.


    The solid feeling underfoot somewhat eased the unease of the explorers. Standing on the dock, Lawrence stamped on the ground forcefully and turned his head, muttering, ¡°At least the concrete is real.¡±


    ¡°The lights are in that direction,¡± said the first mate, holding a large-caliber rifle, looking up into the distance, ¡°We can still see them from here, but there¡¯s still no sign of people moving around.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t spread out. Don¡¯t touch anything unfamiliar. If you hear sounds around you attempting to communicate, do not reply until verifying the source of the sound and the location of teammates,¡± Lawrence ordered sternly, ¡°If you see anything suspicious in the fog, alert everyone immediately. Do not fire or leave the group to explore on your own.¡±


    With that, he paused, surveying the team he had brought with him.


    Twelve sailors, a first mate, and himself.


    ¡°Finally, remember, we have and only have fourteen people¨Cbefore returning to the ship, there can be fewer people, but absolutely not more.¡±


    The sailors immediately responded, ¡°Aye, Captain!¡±


    Lawrence nodded and led the team towards the thick fog.


    They passed through the dock¡¯s pier, arriving at an open space that appeared to be a temporary storage area for cargo¨Cwith some remaining storage facilities and small lifting structures still visible, but besides these, no ¡°human¡± figures could be seen.


    ¡°This place doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s been abandoned for long,¡± the first mate muttered while scanning the surroundings, ¡°it¡¯s as if this was a busy port just a few days ago.¡±


    Lawrence, however, remained silent. He carefully observed the nearby port facilities when suddenly his gaze fell on a nameplate.


    ¡°Dagger Island Port Supplies.¡±


    Dagger Island was the name of this island.


    ¡°This is Dagger Island?¡± The first mate came over, looking at the words on the nameplate, a hint of surprise in his eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this place¡­ It¡¯s a small island near the Frost City-State, it once produced boiling gold, but I heard that it was converted into a military facility many years ago¡­ Is this really Dagger Island?¡±


    ¡°Nothing here is to be trusted¨Cwe were just at a place that looked remarkably like ¡®Frost¡¯ where we briefly docked,¡± Lawrence shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving. The place where we saw the remaining light might be the port office, and there could be something there that answers our questions.¡±


    The exploration team left the dock storage area, beginning their ascent up the sloping ramp towards the light that glimmered in the fog, each member with nerves on edge, paying close attention to the movements in the mist.


    A very light breeze blew chaotically across the island, causing the grey-white thick fog to slowly swirl, the strange silhouettes barely visible in the distance all seemed to move along, swaying their bodies slightly as if they were some kind of living entities, and in the murky, chaotic fog, the light became more distinct and inched closer into everyone¡¯s field of vision.


    The first mate at the front of the team suddenly stopped.


    ¡°What is this?¡± The first mate bent down, frowning at a pile of strange things by the side of the road.


    Lawrence, holding a revolver in one hand and a lantern in the other, came beside the first mate and saw the pile.


    It seemed to be a mass of grey-black mud¨Calready dried up, the edges cracked, but the last moments of surging were still discernible.


    It was as if a bubbling mass of boiling slime had all its moisture sucked out the next instant.


    ¡°Mud?¡± Lawrence furrowed his brows, not daring to touch the eerie stuff, ¡°Why would there be mud here?¡±


    ¡°I think I saw some similar black mud back at the dock,¡± one of the sailors suddenly said, sounding unsure, ¡°but it was mixed up with a bunch of debris at the time, and I thought it was just garbage¡­¡±


    Lawrence nodded, and then another sailor suddenly cried out, ¡°There¡¯s a pile here too!¡±


    Lawrence looked in the direction of the voice and saw another heap of black mud on the other side of the road.


    Was this stuff all over the island?


    A feeling of unease spread in his heart, but no one could explain what the mud was. Lawrence carefully regrouped the team, instructing everyone to avoid contact with the strange ¡°mud,¡± and then they continued their journey towards the depths of the dense fog.


    After a while, they finally arrived at the end of the ramp, and as Lawrence had anticipated¨Cthey were at the location of the port office.


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    A small structure built of reinforced concrete stood there, with a slightly yellowed light spilling from the windows, no sounds coming from inside.


    The building¡¯s main door was slightly ajar, with a nameplate nailed to the door that read ¡°Port Integrated Office.¡±


    Lawrence approached the door, listened for any movement inside, and then prepared to push the door open.


    But suddenly, he froze.


    Beside the door on the wall, a line of scratches that appeared to be hastily etched with a dagger caught his eyes¨Ca sentence that read distinctly¨C


    ¡°Human beings have and only have two eyes!¡±

 Chapter 377 - Chapter 377 Chapter 381 Cannon Fire

    Chapter 377: Chapter 381: Cannon Fire Chapter 377: Chapter 381: Cannon Fire After seeing that row of sloppy yet sharp letters, Lawrence and the first mate beside him were both stunned.


    ¡°Humans have only two eyes¡­ Why would such a sentence be carved here?¡± The first mate¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the line of text for a long while before turning his head in confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t that very normal¨Caside from a very few cases of congenital deformities, who doesn¡¯t have two eyes?¡±


    Lawrence didn¡¯t speak immediately but mused for a long time before breaking the silence, ¡°What do you think, who left these words behind?¡±


    ¡°¡­The island¡¯s original inhabitants?¡± the first mate said uncertainly, ¡°Did people ever live on this island?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say about this island, but there are definitely people on the real world¡¯s Dagger Island,¡± Lawrence slowly said, reaching out to gently touch the engravings on the wall. The rough and genuine sensation from his fingertips seemed to convey the strong emotions and thoughts present when the phrase was carved, ¡°Humans have only two eyes, someone purposely carved this sentence on the wall, perhaps it indicates one thing¡­¡±


    ¡°It indicates one thing?¡±


    ¡°That on this island, there once appeared beings that were like humans but did not have ¡®only two eyes¡¯,¡± Lawrence slowly lifted his head, looking towards the dense fog and the indistinct distant shapes within it, ¡°And they blended in with humans, yet could not be easily detected.¡±


    The first mate inhaled sharply, hesitating before speaking, ¡°Then¡­ where did the person who left this message go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lawrence shook his head. For some reason, he thought of the black sludge seen on the way here and the desolate dock area, but he quickly set these unrelated thoughts aside and placed his hand on the doorknob of the port office, ¡°Stay on guard.¡±


    The sound of firearms being taken off safety came from behind, and Lawrence steadied himself, using a bit of force in his hand, he pushed the door open with one motion.


    He quickly dodged to the side to avoid exposing his body to anything that might be hiding within the building; the first mate stepped forward half a step, aiming his rifle into the room in a crouching stance, followed by the sailors who all lifted their guns, pointing at the door from various angles.


    There was no movement inside the building.


    The first mate at the door steadied himself, cautiously peered inside.


    ¡°No one¡¯s there,¡± he turned back, ¡°It¡¯s an empty office, the lights are on.¡±


    Lawrence gestured to the sailors and entered the room together with the first mate.


    This was an office with no one inside; several desks almost took up half the space inside, a few chairs were strewn in front of the desks as if someone was sitting there just a second ago. Both the electric lights on the ceiling and the gas lamps on the walls were lit, making the room exceptionally bright, and on the floor¡­ that same strange, suspicious, black sludge could be seen everywhere.


    ¡°This disgusting stuff is all over the place here too¡­¡± the first mate frowned as he looked at the black matter in the room, his disgust was plain to see. He carefully avoided the sludge on the floor, made his way to the desks, and skimmed over the pile of documents and various office supplies scattered on them, ¡°Captain, do you want to take a look at these?¡±


    ¡°They are just the port¡¯s daily paperwork and reports, material movements, personnel transfers, facility inspections, and the reports of machinery and equipment inspections¡­¡± Lawrence approached the desks, looked at some of the documents, his frown slowly deepening, ¡°The dates¡­ just a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as if someone was still working here not long ago,¡± a sailor nervously swallowed and muttered quietly, ¡°Then everyone hurriedly evacuated, not even having time to tidy up¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Hurried evacuation?¡± Lawrence murmured to himself, scanning the tabletop, a half-drunk cup of coffee rested on the table, covered with a thin layer of dust, and beside this table, a pool of black sludge had dried up, some of the black substance still lingering on the chair. His expression grew increasingly solemn, ¡°Is it really an evacuation¡­¡±


    The first mate noticed the change in the old captain¡¯s tone, ¡°Captain, have you thought of something?¡±


    Lawrence thought for a moment, was about to say something when a piercing noise suddenly came from outside the room¨Cit sounded like it was from the direction of the port square, a static noise that comes with the sudden startup of a loudspeaker!


    ¡°Buzz¨C¡±


    The piercing noise took everyone by surprise, the sailors hurriedly cast their gaze towards the windows, and the next second, an intermittent, distorted broadcast voice filled with interference echoed throughout the entire port area. It sounded like an elderly voice, ¡°Announcement¡­ we have been contaminated¡­ this island¡­ is beyond salvation¡­ will initiate Procedure 22¡­ It has been an honor working with all of you¡­ we will meet again beyond Bartok¡¯s gates.¡±


    Accompanied by a burst of piercing noise, the broadcast from the square abruptly stopped. The first mate¡¯s eyes widened in shock, turning to look at Lawrence, ¡°Captain, what is this¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, a sound like thunder suddenly came from the distance!


    And following that thunderous boom, there were more booming sounds, like the sky falling and earth shattering, like mountains collapsing!


    Explosions followed one after another, instantly engulfing the entire Dagger Island, shaking everyone¡¯s senses, and Lawrence almost instantly realized what had happened¨C


    This wasn¡¯t thunder; it was explosives, self-destruction devices on the island destroying everything!


    ¡°Get out of the building!¡± Lawrence suddenly shouted, raising his pistol and firing a shot at the ceiling, ¡°There¡¯s explosives!¡±


    The captain¡¯s shouts were almost drowned out by the explosions, yet the sound of the pistol somehow still managed to rouse the surrounding sailors, and the group immediately rushed toward the door.


    About a dozen people charged out the door, down the ramp, and sprinted towards the open area, with the continuous explosions still coming from all around, as if the entire island was being torn apart in a massive blast. However, halfway through their run, Lawrence suddenly felt something was off.


    ¡°Stop!¡± he suddenly halted, while shooting into the sky and loudly shouting, ¡°Stop!¡±


    The sailors stopped in panic, and then they too realized something was amiss.


    Explosions sounded from all around¨Cyet there was no smoke or flash to be seen in the direction of the explosions, nor could any tremor be felt.


    The thunderous noise echoed across the entire island.


    Soon after, the explosions gradually subsided, and the surroundings returned to the silent stillness amid the thick fog, as if the earth-shattering explosions had been nothing more than a collective hallucination.


    ¡°Only a sound?¡± The first mate looked around in shocked disbelief, speaking incredulously.


    ¡°It¡¯s an echo,¡± Lawrence¡¯s heartbeat also began to slow, quickly making a judgment¨Calthough he didn¡¯t know whether his judgment was correct, but as the captain, he must provide a verdict for everyone now, ¡°What we just heard was probably an event that had occurred on this island replaying in our ears as an echo, not a real explosion.¡±


    ¡°I was scared to death just now,¡± a sailor muttered, ¡°I thought there really was a big explosion¡­¡±


    ¡°The nearest explosion sound just now was in that direction,¡± the first mate lifted his head, confirming the bearings, and finally pointed towards the other end of the harbor square, ¡°Should we go check it out?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see what¡¯s happened,¡± Lawrence decided quickly, ¡°If something indeed occurred here, there should still be traces left behind.¡±


    The exploration team immediately set out into the thick fog, this time moving more cautiously than before.


    After an unknown amount of time, a collapsed large building appeared before Lawrence.


    This structure was situated at the inner edge of a small bay, backed by a sturdy rocky cliff, and judging by the ruins¡­ it was clearly destroyed by a massive explosion from the inside out.


    The first mate stood on a high spot, staring at the ruins in astonishment.


    ¡°What was this facility used for¡­ It¡¯s staggering¡­¡±


    ¡°We should be more curious about what terrible event occurred here, to the extent that such a facility was destroyed without hesitation,¡± Lawrence said in a deep voice, slowly advancing two steps, ¡°If the people on this island¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    A voice suddenly came from the side, Lawrence instantly halted his steps.


    ¡°Martha?!¡±


    He turned sharply towards the direction of the voice, uttering a startled and tense call.


    But there was only a slowly undulating fog, and that familiar figure was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Captain?¡± The first mate noticed the captain¡¯s unusual reaction, immediately hopped down from the stone, and anxiously approached Lawrence¡¯s side, ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hallucination,¡± Lawrence stated promptly, his expression extremely serious, ¡°You didn¡¯t hear a voice, did you?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t hear anything,¡± said one of the sailors, as they looked at each other, perplexed.


    ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t go any further,¡± Lawrence frowned, ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the harbor, and then¡­¡±


    Martha¡¯s voice entered his ears again, this time even closer, ¡°Return to the ship, now.¡±


    Lawrence paused for a moment, restraining himself from looking in the direction of the voice, he was about to speak again, but the next second, Martha¡¯s voice came again, almost against his ear, her tone carrying a trace of urgency, ¡°Get back to the Sea Swallow, immediately¨CLawrence, they¡¯re coming!¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s eyes widened slightly, he instinctively asked, ¡°Who? Who¡¯s coming?¡±


    The first mate beside him, worried, grabbed Lawrence¡¯s arm, ¡°Captain, who are you talking to?¡±


    Lawrence didn¡¯t speak, he simply looked up sharply in the direction where the Sea Swallow was docked.


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    A sense of unease surged within him.


    And the next second, as if to confirm this unease, a muffled booming sound suddenly came faintly from that direction.


    It was the sound of cannon fire.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s firing cannons¡­¡± the first mate immediately realized, ¡°We have enemies!¡±


    ¡°Back to the ship!¡± Lawrence shouted, leading the team to sprint towards the harbor, and as the sound of the swiftly rising wind whistled past his ears, Martha¡¯s voice brushed by like a whisper:


    ¡°The Sea Swallow is here¡­¡±

 Chapter 378 - Chapter 378 Chapter 382 The Sudden Appearance of Flames

    Chapter 378: Chapter 382: The Sudden Appearance of Flames Chapter 378: Chapter 382: The Sudden Appearance of Flames In his frantic running, Lawrence couldn¡¯t help but look back toward the direction from which Martha¡¯s voice had come.


    However, besides the thick fog that didn¡¯t dissipate on Dagger Island, he saw nothing¨Cthe voice seemed as though it had risen directly in his mind, urging him repeatedly to leave the island, to return to the Homeloss, to leave this place, to go to Frost.


    Martha certainly wasn¡¯t here.


    But Lawrence still believed this was some kind of guidance¨Cperhaps from his faith, perhaps from his subconscious, where unnoticed clues and intuition were guiding him, guiding him to a way out of this predicament.


    He sprinted toward the harbor as the piercing wind and fog hit his face, whooshing past his ears while his first mate and sailors surrounded him, and the continuous booming of cannon fire could still be heard from a distance, including the firing from Homeloss¡¯ light escort guns¨Cthe Homeloss¡¯s retaliation against the ¡°enemy¡¯s¡± attacks seemed weak, clearly at a disadvantage.


    ¡°Martha¡± told him the Sea Swallow had arrived¨Cbut which ship was the Sea Swallow?


    The port came into sight at the end of the fog, with the beautiful hull of Homeloss still docked at the end of the pier, lights flaring at the bow and stern, and flashes from cannon fire tearing through the mists, while giant water columns occasionally surged from the nearby sea¨Cevidently from the enemy¡¯s attacks.


    ¡°The ship is still there!¡± the first mate shouted joyfully upon seeing Homeloss, his shout meant for the captain as well as to encourage the breathless sailors, ¡°Jason hasn¡¯t abandoned us!¡±


    Jason was the name of the second mate on board.


    ¡°By the Storm Goddess! Get on the ship and leave this cursed place,¡± a sailor cried out, ¡°Homeloss sitting here is like sitting ducks!¡±


    A group of men quickly ran toward Homeloss, figures moving on board as the sailors who stayed behind apparently noticed the returning captain¡¯s party, and a rope ladder was dropped from the side of the ship, with two sailors at the edge of the deck lifting lanterns, anxiously swinging them through the air.


    The sailors who had gone ashore exploratory quickly ran toward the rope ladder.


    But suddenly, Lawrence¡¯s steps halted, and he fiercely drew his revolver and fired a shot into the air: ¡°Stop, everyone!¡±


    Startled by the gunshot and the captain¡¯s shout, the sailors froze, turning their heads in puzzled astonishment, as first mate Gus also stopped, slightly confused as he looked at the old captain¨Cbut in less than a second, the experienced old sailor realized why the captain had suddenly ordered a stop.


    First mate Gus, panting, looked around as cannon fire continued incessantly, his gaze quickly sweeping over the sailors around and the captain¡¯s figure.


    Sixteen sailors stood bewildered around him, every face seemingly familiar, while Captain Lawrence looked over with a severe expression.


    ¡°How many people did we bring when we left?¡± Lawrence quickly said.


    ¡°Besides you and me, there were¡­¡± the first mate quickly began, but he visibly faltered when he came to the actual number, pausing only one or two seconds before successfully recalling, ¡°another twelve sailors!¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s gaze grew heavy as he scrutinized the group in front of him, counting each one in his mind.


    And in the depths of his pupils, a faint green glow seemed to flicker on and off.


    ¡°We have four extra people,¡± the first mate quickly completed his count, his face growing grave as he raised his gun into the air and fired, loudly commanding, ¡°Everyone, spread out with a one-meter distance! Face the captain! Keep your hands where we can see them!¡±


    The sailors also realized what was happening, each face showing tension, but being experienced sailors who had dealt with the Endless Sea for many years, they naturally knew how to respond¨Cunder the first mate¡¯s direction, the sixteen sailors quickly dispersed.


    The Homeloss¡¯s cannon fire still continued, more and more water spouts rising around the harbor, and the vessel identified as the ¡°Sea Swallow¡± seemed to be gradually approaching, Lawrence¡¯s thoughts churned like boiling water amidst the roar of cannon fire¨C


    We can¡¯t stay here any longer, Homeloss being in the harbor is a target, its weak self-defense firepower and structure won¡¯t last long, but he also couldn¡¯t take this team back to the ship, as something from the island had clearly mixed in, and if he brought them back¡­ Homeloss¡¯s fate wouldn¡¯t be much better than being sunk by gunfire.


    His gaze swept over the sixteen sailors in front of him, desperately trying to discern unfamiliar or incongruent faces¨Cwhen had the four extra people mixed in? Was it during the passage through the thick fog? Was it inside the harbor office? Or was it during the brief moment of chaos when continuous explosions shook the island, and the team had panicked?


    The sailors also quickly observed each other, in that moment, seemingly no one could be trusted, even one¡¯s own memories and judgement seemed doubtful.


    ¡°Captain,¡± the voice of Gus reached Lawrence¡¯s ears at this moment, the old sailor¡¯s face showing a certain resoluteness, ¡°the Homeloss can¡¯t stay here any longer¨Cyou must get on the ship quickly.¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s expression turned extremely grave: ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You take the ship away, and I¡¯ll stay with everyone ¡ª we¡¯ll slowly figure out what snuck in and take care of it. When it¡¯s safe, you can come back and pick us up¡­¡±


    Lawrence stared into the first mate¡¯s eyes, his expression grim and without a word.


    The so-called ¡°come back for us when it¡¯s safe¡± was fooling no one.


    Once the White Oak left the port, those left on the island would be permanently abandoned ¡ª the strange situation here was clear for all to see. In such a short time, four unidentified creatures had infiltrated their ranks; what could possibly result from staying any longer?


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to sacrifice yourself,¡± Lawrence said softly. Suddenly, he recalled something, and his eyes changed, ¡°Humans have only two eyes¡­¡±


    His gaze landed on a sailor.


    Then on a second person, a third, a fourth.


    One of the sailors pointed at himself in surprise. He blinked, then blinked a third and fourth eye, ¡°Aren¡¯t I just two-eyed?¡±


    Lawrence didn¡¯t say anything but silently raised his revolver.


    The second to raise his gun was the first mate Gus, followed by other sailors as if awakening from a nightmare.


    As if they had stepped beyond a veil, with their cognitive disruptions shaken, all stared in shock and fear at those in their ranks who resembled humans but weren¡¯t quite right, and each raised their firearms.


    The four not-quite-human ¡°sailors¡± were surrounded, standing there confused and oblivious. Then their faces shifted from lucidity to confusion.


    As if a temporarily simulated personality had been impacted and suddenly crumbled, these quasi-human ¡°counterfeits¡± wobbled and looked up at their ¡°captain.¡±


    All Lawrence could do was sigh deeply, ¡°You are not members of the crew.¡±


    The next second, even as he gaped in stunned fascination, he suddenly saw a tuft of eerie green fire burst out of nowhere in the air¨C


    The fire initially was just a few sparks. It leaped and appeared among the twelve normal sailors like sparks in an electrode device. In a flash, the sparks violently expanded and grew into massive flames. The spectral green fire blazed furiously among them, pouncing on the dazed ¡°counterfeits¡± like a predator scenting its prey.


    There was a fiery explosion and crackling noises. The four counterfeits struggled violently in the fierce flames, unable to utter a sound before they turned into piles of black ash¨Cresembling the black mud seen earlier on the dock slope, but dryer and more crumbled.


    The sailors were terrified. The moment the spectral fire ignited, as members of the White Oak, they remembered all the fearful scenes they had experienced¨Cthe harrowing moments encountering the Homeloss on the Endless Sea, the shocking scenes of fiery meltdown at Plunder City-State¡­ They were all too familiar with these flames.


    Why did this flame appear here now?


    Could ¡°Captain Duncan¡± be nearby?


    Yet, as this horrifying speculation exploded in everyone¡¯s hearts and all the sailors panicked, the flames suddenly dissipated¨Cas quickly as they had arrived. Along with the four counterfeits reduced to ashes, the eerie green spectral flames also vanished completely.


    They left behind a group of terrified sailors, a stunned first mate, and a captain who felt he truly should have retired earlier.


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    ¡°What¡­ What was that just now?¡± First mate Gus turned his head with difficulty and swallowed hard, ¡°Captain, that fire seemed like¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the power of the Homeloss¡­ The Homeloss¡­¡± Lawrence swallowed, suddenly looking toward the sea as if trying to catch a glimpse of the ghost ship, but he saw only the direction of the White Oak where gunfire continued, the sailors who had been by the ship¡¯s edge with lanterns had now vanished¨Clikely all thrown in battle.


    The crew aboard the White Oak were fighting valiantly, buying time for their captain to board.


    The Homeloss wasn¡¯t here, but Captain Duncan¡¯s flames appeared before everyone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic,¡± Lawrence rapidly spoke, calming the sailors, ¡°We¡¯ve already encountered the Homeloss once. Plunder City-State was even saved by that ship¨Cit¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing. Haven¡¯t you heard the rumor? They say Captain Duncan Ebnomal has found his humanity again¡­¡±


    The first mate subconsciously made a gesture of praying to the Storm Goddess, then asked, ¡°Captain, should we¡­ head back to the ship now?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s go back, quick! Before more strange things infiltrate!¡±

 Chapter 379 - Chapter 379 Chapter 383 Anomaly 077

    Chapter 379: Chapter 383 Anomaly 077 Chapter 379: Chapter 383 Anomaly 077 Guns were booming, and scorching cannonballs were howling as they fell from the sky, creating colossal spouts of water both inside and outside the port, some of which nearly grazed the hull of the White Oak. The sea¡¯s surface churned and the entire ship swayed from the impacts, giving off a disconcerting, creaking, and grinding noise.


    Lawrence and First Mate Gus, leading twelve sailors, had climbed the rope ladder and returned to the deck of the White Oak without mishap; behind them, Dagger Island remained shrouded in thick fog, and an empty harbor was suddenly whipped up by turbulent winds, with the mist spinning and tumbling in the air as if filled with malice, as if enraged by unwelcome guests.


    The boatswain hurried over¨Ca tall sailor with a face full of tension, clutching a rifle in his hand (though it was of little use in naval combat). He rushed to Lawrence¡¯s side, quickly checked the captain¡¯s condition, and then breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank goodness! You¡¯re finally back¨Cwe heard thunderous noises coming from the island, and you didn¡¯t return for so long, the second mate thought you¡¯d encountered an accident¡­¡±


    Flashes of the recent scene in the dock plaza crossed Lawrence¡¯s mind, as he thought of the additional four sailors and the sudden emergence of green flames, a complex expression crossing his face.


    Indeed, something had happened, and it was no small matter¨Cbut now was clearly not the time for explanations.


    ¡°Forget about that for now,¡± he shook his head, ¡°What¡¯s the situation? Where¡¯s Jason?¡±


    ¡°The second mate is commanding the battle from the bridge; we¡¯re engaging with an unidentified warship,¡± the boatswain spoke rapidly, ¡°That ship had begun bombarding us from a great distance the moment it appeared, and it¡¯s been drawing closer¨Cour stern took a hit a short while ago. Luckily, the damage isn¡¯t too severe, but we must hurry and leave; the White Oak cannot match a warship.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, immediately,¡± Lawrence quickly responded.


    The steam core roared deeply as the Boiling Gold Catalyst began to release its surging energy. The powerful propulsion system drove the propeller, accelerating the White Oak away from the eerie harbor, weaving between the underwater bombs that continued to drop nearby, the advanced cargo and exploration vessel, with its white hull, sped up, leaving Dagger Island behind in a heavy fog.


    However, the Assailants were relentless in pursuit.


    Lawrence went up to the bridge and, through the large windows to the rear side of the bridge, he observed the situation on the sea. At the far end of the vast Endless Sea, he could clearly see the silhouette of the Assailants¨Ca warship, not too large in size, which was simultaneously pursuing them and continuously firing from its bow¡¯s main cannon, the bright flashes piercing through the dark veil covering the sea time and again.


    Fortunately, it was a small ship, not a fierce battleship, otherwise the White Oak could not have lasted this long in the attack.


    Unfortunately, that ship was very fast, and even as the speed of the White Oak increased again and again, Lawrence could tell that the other ship would eventually catch up.


    And that ship was even accelerating.


    ¡°We can¡¯t shake it off,¡± the first mate said with some despair, ¡°It¡¯s too fast¡­ and our firepower is no match for a military vessel!¡±


    Lawrence said nothing, his mind racing.


    By classification, the White Oak was indeed a civilian vessel, but that did not mean it was a lamb waiting to be slaughtered¨Cas a special exploration ship that could sail the Endless Sea for an extended period and transport sealed artifacts between City-States, it was equipped with a military-grade steam core and anti-sinking structures. Moreover, its keel, waterline hull, and superstructure had all been specially reinforced, making the ship¡¯s structural strength comparable to that of similar warships.


    What it lacked was firepower¨Cafter all, as a civilian ship, it could only be fitted with a few small-caliber cannons for fending off small bands of pirates or sea monsters, which were virtually powerless against military vessels.


    Given the current situation, the White Oak was bound to be caught¨Conce the distance between the two ships narrowed further, the enemy¡¯s hit rate would not be this low.


    No matter how sturdy the ship¡¯s structure was, being used as a target would not last long.


    A sharp whistling sound came from afar, followed by a thunderous explosion that interrupted Lawrence¡¯s thoughts. His ears buzzed, the ground beneath his feet seemed to quake, and in the corner of his eye, he saw a fireball rise from the side of the White Oak, with broken metal fragments and deck structures shattering in all directions.


    The boatswain shouted, ¡°We¡¯ve been hit on the side¡­ quick, put out the fire!¡±


    Lawrence steadied himself against the severe shaking, and his expression switched rapidly as if he had suddenly made up his mind.


    ¡°The cargo manifest,¡± he looked up, addressing the first mate who was maintaining order on the bridge, ¡°Bring me the cargo manifest!¡±


    ¡°The cargo manifest?¡± The first mate blinked, then realized the captain¡¯s intention, his expression becoming conflicted and solemn, but he immediately followed the order and brought a logbook to Lawrence.


    Lawrence opened the logbook, his gaze quickly sweeping over it until it settled on one entry.


    ¡°Open sealed room number two, bring the sealed item ¡®Anomalous 077¡¯ to the bridge,¡± he lifted his head and rapidly ordered the first mate, ¡°Get a clean shroud and a new rope ready, prepare for resealing at any time.¡±


    The first mate¡¯s face was taut; although he had anticipated this scenario, he still showed reluctance, ¡°Captain, this¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got an emergency, no other choice,¡± Lawrence spoke seriously, ¡°There¡¯s precedent for unsealing artifacts onboard in special situations to resolve crises¨Cif the Church wants to pursue this matter afterward, I¡¯ll explain to them.¡±


    The first mate seemed to want to say something else, but faced with the captain¡¯s stern gaze, he swallowed his words and finally nodded forcefully: ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    The order was swiftly executed, and several sailors charged down to a special section below the deck, they opened Seal Chamber Number Two and followed the containment procedures for Anomaly 077 to remove the room¡¯s sealed state.


    Moments later, amidst the booming of artillery fire, the sailors brought Anomaly 077 to the bridge, placing the item requested by the captain before Lawrence.


    Lawrence looked down, his expression notably grave as he watched the sailors bring the ¡°anomalous item¡± out of the sealed chamber¨C


    It was a mummified corpse tightly wrapped in shroud.


    Anomaly 077¨CSailor.


    Lawrence was aware of the information regarding every piece of cargo on his ship, including this anomalous item.


    Anomaly 077 first appeared on a mysterious exploration ship that had vanished for three years and was considered the prime culprit behind the vessel¡¯s disaster. At a glance, this anomaly seemed to be just a mummy, standing at about 1.7 meters tall. In an unsealed state, it would exhibit ¡°living¡± traits, even capable of holding conversations and thinking. Its strength matched its ¡°identity¡± closely.


    As a sailor, it would attempt to influence the nearest ship to it, irrespective of environmental conditions, ship type, or control techniques, taking over all the ship¡¯s functions in a short span¨Can entire vessel could be teleported to a random corner of the Endless Sea in just a few minutes under the ¡°Sailor¡¯s¡± influence.


    But this teleportation wasn¡¯t a peaceful journey¨Cthe ships transported by Anomaly 077 would always appear in the center of a significant storm.


    No one knew whether Anomaly 077 deliberately chose storms as its teleportation destinations, or if it created storms just for the transport. The only certainty was that, in the numerous recorded teleportation incidents, only a few ships managed to safely navigate away from the storm at the ¡°landing site.¡±


    Many more vessels, and hundreds of unfortunate souls, became the victims of Anomaly 077.


    However, according to information Lawrence possessed, Anomaly 077 itself wasn¡¯t difficult to deal with. Although its abilities would automatically activate before the teleportation was completed, once the process was over, it would be easy to reseal it. Simply placing a new noose around its neck stopped it in its tracks, then rewrapping it in shroud put it back into slumber¨Cthe mummy had no strength beyond that of a human, and its combat ability wasn¡¯t strong.


    At that point, all the crew of the White Oak would need to do was figure out how to contend with the storm¨Cand Lawrence and his sailors had battled countless storms.


    Lawrence bent down slowly and placed his hand on Anomaly 077¡¯s shroud.


    The sailors on the bridge watched nervously.


    Lawrence took a deep breath and undid the knots on the shroud.


    A faint gasp reached his ears almost instantaneously.


    The sound came from the mummified corpse within the wrap.


    The shroud came loose as if invisible forces had undone all the knots remotely, and Anomaly 077¡¯s true face was exposed under everyone¡¯s gaze¨Can emaciated, near-skeletal mummy wearing an old era sailor¡¯s jumper with sparse hair, lying quietly on the floor.


    The mummy¡¯s chest was subtly heaving, and the heaving became more pronounced until Lawrence thought he could hear its heartbeat and breathing.


    Anomaly 077 was free¨CThe Sailor awakened from its seal.


    The mummy slowly opened its eyes and began to sit up stiffly, its joints cracking loudly.


    ¡°You¡¯re in temporary command of this ship,¡± Lawrence bit his lip and spoke with a complex expression, ¡°take us out of here.¡±


    Anomaly 077 straightened up, slowly looking around before its gaze finally settled on Lawrence.


    For some reason, Lawrence suddenly felt as though he saw a flash of terror on that withered and frightful face.


    Then he saw the mummy shudder.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t mess around!¡±


    A hoarse cry of terror came from the mummy¡¯s mouth; the next second, under the watchful eyes of everyone, it closed its eyes and lay right back down, pretending to be dead.


    It even reached out to pull at the nearby scattered shroud, as if trying to stealthily rewrap the cloth around itself.


    Lawrence: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Sailors: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 380 - Chapter 380 Chapter 384 Transformation

    Chapter 380: Chapter 384 Transformation Chapter 380: Chapter 384 Transformation Anomalous Entity 077, ranked among the top hundred, had once caused the demise of a double-digit number of ships and thousands of sailors in storms, possessing the consciousness and traits of ¡°living creatures.¡± It was a dangerous anomaly that any City-State¡¯s church would cautiously contend with¨Cand in front of Lawrence, it chose to close its eyes, feign death, and refuse to exert its own power.


    Lawrence had envisioned countless possibilities after activating Anomaly 077 and had thought of several plans to reseal ¡°the Sailor,¡± but he hadn¡¯t expected this situation!


    The old captain raised his head, locking eyes with his first mate, both sensing that the situation with the dried-up corpse in front of them didn¡¯t seem quite the same as the records suggested. They were simultaneously pondering where the problem lay¨Cbut soon, the roaring columns of water nearby and the sound of the White Oak¡¯s self-defense cannons firing interrupted their astonishment.


    Now was not the time to be stunned: the ¡°Sea Swallow¡± was closing in fast!


    Outmatched in combat and unable to escape, the ¡°Sailor¡± with its ship-transporting ability was White Oak¡¯s only hope of escaping this predicament.


    Lawrence lowered his head, staring intensely at the corpse-like figure that continued to feign death with eyes tightly shut¨Che had to figure out some way to make it cooperate amidst this loss of control!


    ¡°Wake up!¡± Lawrence reached out, grabbed the collar of Anomaly 077, and shook it vigorously¨Cit was certainly repellent to have such close contact with what seemed like a corpse, but he couldn¡¯t afford to think about that now, ¡°I know you¡¯ve broken free from your seal, listen, you are at the helm of this ship now¨C¡®Sailor¡¯, don¡¯t you have the instinct to control ships? Don¡¯t you have an active tendency to lose control? Get to it! Take over this ship and get us out of here!¡±


    The corpse on the ground creaked at the joints from being shaken, yet its eyes remained shut. However, the noticeable rise and fall of its chest could not escape anyone¡¯s gaze, and at the same time, the continual sound of explosions around the White Oak heightened Lawrence¡¯s irritation. He finally couldn¡¯t resist and slapped the dried-up corpse: ¡°I know you¡¯re awake!¡±


    The corpse on the ground finally could not feign death any longer; amidst the shaking, it opened its eyes. However, its first reaction was to dodge to the side, trying to avoid Lawrence¡¯s gaze while yelling, ¡°Stop it! Stop it! I¡¯ll go back to sleep, can¡¯t I just go back to sleep?! You can¡¯t make jokes like this! You can¡¯t touch this ship, don¡¯t touch it!¡±


    Lawrence couldn¡¯t care less about its protests. Seeing the corpse open its eyes, he immediately pulled it up and, dragging and hauling, moved it toward the helm. A few of the sailors by his side also snapped to their senses, the braver ones coming forward to help, and they nearly forced the Sailor¡¯s withered body onto the steering console, with the first mate shouting beside them, ¡°Press it against the wheel! That¡¯s the fastest way for its ability to take effect!¡±


    Yet Anomaly 077 kept screaming pitifully, struggling incredibly hard, ¡°Let me go! Please, let me go!


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this! Help, help!


    ¡°What kind of people are you¡­ please, please have mercy!¡±


    ¡°Just touch the wheel!¡± Lawrence shouted while pushing the dried corpse against the ship¡¯s helm with all his might, ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t! Help me!¡± Anomaly 077¡¯s resistance was formidable, so much so that several robust White Oak sailors could barely hold down its arms. It struggled wildly while trying to turn its head toward where it had been lying, ¡°Let me go back! Please have mercy¨Cjust loop that rope around my neck, just one loop, and I¡¯ll definitely go back to sleep, I won¡¯t get up again! Or give me the rope, I¡¯ll hang myself¡­ Don¡¯t make me touch this!¡±


    The bridge was in chaos; the scene was bizarre to the extreme¨Cthe notorious Anomaly 077 among the captains and sailors of the Endless Sea pleaded like a victim tied aboard a ship, while it was the desperate White Oak sailors who ruthlessly pressed the ¡°anomaly¡¯s¡± arms toward the ship¡¯s helm. A spectacle not even the completely mad lunatics in a mental institution could conjure up in their wildest illusions was unfolding in reality aboard the White Oak.


    However, Lawrence had no time to reflect on just how strange the current events were. He knew that the Sea Swallow was getting closer, its cannons increasing in accuracy rapidly, and the White Oak had been hit several times on its flank, with a major fire erupting at its stern. If the next cannonball hit the engine room or the ammunition depot, or even struck the bridge, it would be the end!


    Just as he thought this, a harsh whistling sound suddenly entered his ears, and as he listened to the direction of the whistling¡¯s descent, a blank flashed through Lawrence¡¯s mind.


    Trouble.


    The next second, a thunderous explosion swept the upper deck; a huge fireball rose and burst close to the bridge, the Sea Swallow¡¯s shot had hit the side of the White Oak¡¯s bridge¨Ca fatal blow.


    The blast wave arrived suddenly, metal and glass were ripped apart by the force of the shell, the flying wall fragments turned to lethal shrapnel, and a blinding light flared in Lawrence¡¯s vision. Then, he saw his first mate fly up, his body instantly devoured by the incoming wave of fire, followed by the other sailors on the bridge, and then himself.


    The flames consumed everything. Lawrence saw the fireball expand, engulfing the entire bridge, he watched his own body slowly burn away in the flames; time seemed to slow as he clearly witnessed everything happening. He even saw the flames inch by inch spread in the air and bit by bit become tinged with an eerie green¨Ceerie green?


    A bemusement struck Lawrence¡¯s mind; he barely had time to realize what had happened before the crimson fireball that surged into the bridge instantly turned into an emerald inferno of Spectral Flames. The Sea of Spectral Flames licked everything in sight, metal, wood, glass, leather¡­


    Everything burned by the flames seemed as though transformed into a Spiritual Body, taking on a translucent form, and the sailors swallowed by the fireball one by one fell to the ground, wrapped in Spectral Flames. Their flesh and bones became as clear as crystal jade, then they got up as if nothing had happened, looking at each other in utter astonishment.


    This scene¡­ was exactly like the first encounter with Homeloss.


    It was as if the terrifying spectacle that had taken place on the White Oak had reprised.


    A sensation of steadiness on his feet came over him, and Lawrence snapped out of his daze to find that he was already standing at the helm, his body enshrouded in the raging Spectral Flame ¨C instinctively, he reached forward and grabbed the wheel.


    In an instant, he felt ¨C


    He felt everything about the White Oak, from every screw to every window to every rope, as if they were parts of his own body, clearly reflected in his mind.


    He had lived with this ship for so many years, and never before had he felt such an intimate connection with it as he did today.


    And along with this sensation flooding into his mind came a particularly intense thought, as if a voice filled with endless authority was proclaiming his fate ¨C


    Now, you are a member of the Exiled Fleet. Serve Captain Duncan loyally.


    Lawrence held the wheel in a daze, feeling the White Oak cleverly turning in his thoughts and slowly aligning its bow with the ¡°enemy ship¡± that was rapidly approaching in the distance.


    Anomaly 077 was still there, curled up almost into a ball beside the helm, shivering as he watched the Spectral Flames rise around him and wailing incessantly, ¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t touch it, but you made me, how could I dare to touch it? Mutiny by a sailor means being tied to a cannonball and thrown into the sea! I understand the rules onboard! I am a sailor!¡±


    Lawrence slowly looked down at the ¡°sailor¡±, still deeply perplexed, not understanding what was happening, but his gaze made Anomaly 077 fall instantly silent.


    The mummified sailor closed his mouth and carefully stood up, glancing around ¨C the bridge that had been torn by artillery fire was rapidly being restored in the burn of the Spectral Flame, all the crewmembers standing at their posts, now looking like ghosts, yet instinct and the remnants of rationality still drove them to return to their posts immediately, waiting for the captain¡¯s next order.


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± Anomaly 077 turned his head, looking into Lawrence¡¯s eyes, ¡°What do you plan to do next¡­¡±


    Lawrence felt bewildered again, then as if he sensed something, he slowly lowered his head.


    ¡°The Exiled Fleet has been attacked¡­ Return fire.¡±


    ¡°Return fire!¡± Anomaly 077 immediately shouted out loud, ¡°Return fire!¡±


    ¡°Return fire!¡± The voice of the first mate, Gus, also rang out from the side, his body emanating fierce flames, his voice crackling with the pop and burst of fire, ¡°The captain orders, return fire!¡±


    ¡°Return fire!¡±


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    On the bridge, the crewmembers bellowed a chorus, and in every corner of the White Oak, every crewmember transformed into a ghost ¡°heard¡± the command from the captain, and the ship, transformed in the flames, immediately sprang into action ¨C its steam core roared, all its guns began to turn, and amidst a resounding roar mixed with hissing, the steam whistle sounded across the sea!


    The ship beneath them began to accelerate towards the Sea Swallow, and almost at the same time, Lawrence saw another shadow beside the White Oak ¨C it was another ship, a vessel with almost only a dark silhouette, shrouded in thick fog and smoke.


    Its outline was vaguely similar to the White Oak¡¯s, clearly a sister ship of the same type.


    The shadowy ship, along with the White Oak, accelerated side by side, launching an attack toward the Sea Swallow.


    Through the ever-rising Spectral Flame, Lawrence stared in astonishment at the phantom-like warship that had suddenly appeared on the adjacent waters. It was not until much later that he seemed to murmur its name in a dreamscape ¨C


    ¡°Black Oak¡­ Martha?¡±

 Chapter 381 - Chapter 381 Chapter 385 The Fight Ends

    Chapter 381: Chapter 385: The Fight Ends Chapter 381: Chapter 385: The Fight Ends A shadow shrouded in darkness, a warship seemingly pieced together from smoke, dense fog, and various debris, was charging towards the approaching Sea Swallow with the White Oak.


    It was different from what he remembered, but Lawrence recognized it immediately¨Ceven though it now appeared battered, twisted, and peculiar, it still stirred his memory, just as it had in every dream.


    It was the Black Oak, there, just as it had been the last time they had set out together, sailing alongside the White Oak.


    Suddenly, a loud blast of a steam whistle came, interrupting the old captain¡¯s bafflement and reverie. The sound came from that phantom-like ship, as if to remind Lawrence that now was not the time to daydream.


    Howling cannonballs fell from the sky, relentless barrages from the Sea Swallow, and Lawrence turned sharply to see a fireball striking the bow of the White Oak.


    Flames leapt up there and were almost instantly assimilated and absorbed by the blazing green flames on the ship. Part of the bow was torn into fragments, the heated metal shattered and scattered¨Cyet in the next second, those broken structures began to repair as if time were reversing, and restored to original condition amidst the rising green flames.


    Lawrence felt something ¡°slipping away,¡± as if strength and life were being cut from his ¡°perception,¡± but the lost part was quickly replenished by the blazing Spectral Flames all around him. Soon after, the defensive cannons on the bow and side of the White Oak roared to life, unleashing cannonballs like vengeful spirits, which screamed chillingly as they flew out of the barrels, tracing eerie green streams of light through the air.


    Almost at the same moment, the Black Oak also began its attack¨Camidst the booming of cannons, bursts of light erupted one after another from the rising black fog, launching shadowy, phantom-like cannonballs from the fog towards the distant enemy ship.


    Lawrence gripped the wheel tightly, feeling the powerful tremors transmitted by the ship with each cannon roar. He sensed his perception spreading even further, along the flying cannonballs, along the surging seawater, permeating through the entire sea area. At the edge of his perception, the Sea Swallow resembled a bonfire in the night, emitting an intense and somewhat dazzling¡­ presence.


    Not long ago, that had been a hopeless opponent for the White Oak, but now Lawrence could only feel how deliciously¡­ tasty that prey was.


    Moments later, the retaliatory fire from the White Oak finally landed squarely on the Sea Swallow for the first time, accompanying a huge explosion and flames. The eerie warship seemed as if it had been fiercely gnawed by an invisible colossal mouth, consuming a chunk out of nowhere. In the massive eaten-away wound, the twisted interior structure of the ship was glaringly visible.


    The attack was effective, but it was far from enough.


    ¡°Full speed,¡± Lawrence, gripping the wheel, eyes fixed on the ever-approaching hostile ship, knew what needed to be done¨Cor rather, what the White Oak needed at this moment. ¡°We need replenishment.¡±


    First Mate Gus¡¯s voice rose on the bridge, ¡°Yes, full speed!¡±


    The steam core roared further as the White Oak, already at high speed, pushed its speed to the limit, pouncing towards the far Sea Swallow like a swift falcon¨CBlack Oak, like a reflection, escorted on the side, maintaining the same speed and direction.


    And the distant Sea Swallow showed no signs of changing course or slowing down to evade. The warship, which had launched a blind fierce attack the moment it appeared, resembled a mindless, out-of-control beast. Even after the White Oak underwent its massive transformation and its battle situation turned unfavorable, it faithfully executed its original objective: to attack the enemy.


    The two ships, one enveloped in ghostly green flames, and the other covered with twisted, dark eerie structures were charging full speed at each other¨Cthe shrieking and terrifying steam whistle almost tore the sky, their increasingly intense cannon fire shaking the entire sea as the distance between them closed, the cannonballs tearing into each other¡¯s hulls, resulting in huge explosions that tore the ships apart, the burning hot debris scattered into the sea and sky!


    On the bridge of the White Oak, Lawrence simply stared ahead, everyone fixated in the same direction, the minds of all sailors seemingly gripped tightly by something. Everyone aboard the ship had suddenly lost all fear, all hesitation, left only with a frenzied anticipation of the collision that was imminent and bound to happen¨Cthen, the two ships eventually collided.


    Like a loose snowball forcefully pressed against the hot outer wall of a furnace, the bow of the Sea Swallow plunged straight into the raging Spectral Flames surrounding the White Oak. Accompanied by a piercing noise and a sound like millions crying out together, the seemingly sturdy steel hull melted inch by inch in the green flames. As the ¡°collision¡± persisted, the Sea Swallow began to disappear from front to end into that wall of fire, appearing¡­ as if it was being completely devoured.


    And not until the last turret at the stern of the Sea Swallow was thoroughly consumed by the Spectral Flames did the fierce exchange of fire between the two ships cease for a moment.


    Then, it all finally ended.


    The defensive cannons of the White Oak finally ceased their roaring. After the enemy had vanished, the rumbling of the steam core gradually subsided, and the Spectral Flames that had been rising everywhere slowly retracted, shifting from an aggressive stance to a gentle burn, quietly blazing along the hull.


    Lawrence was momentarily bewildered, his hands having left the wheel without him realizing. He raised his head and looked around the bridge.


    One by one, the sailors turned their heads to stare at him. Each displayed a ghost-like demeanor due to the possession of the Spiritual Body, and their vacant eyes seemed devoid of human reason and humanity.


    Lawrence blinked, but just as his mind was about to be completely overwhelmed, he caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye.


    It was a young man who appeared out of thin air, stepping through the rising Spectral Flames around him. Dressed in the deep blue robes of a priest from the Deep Sea Church, the holy emblem on his chest radiated intense light, resembling a burning flame. He strode forward and grabbed the emblem, pressing it firmly against Lawrence¡¯s chest.


    A burning heat spread from his chest, and Lawrence felt his faltering mind suddenly stabilize, as humanity and reason returned to his spirit simultaneously.


    As the captain regained his consciousness, the sailors on the ship also began to awaken. People looked at each other as if only now did they recall the climax of the recent battle, the collision between the Homeloss and the Sea Swallow. Some cried out in residual fear, others checked their bodies subconsciously, and more eyes settled on the young priest who had appeared on the bridge.


    Lawrence frowned and after a long while hesitantly spoke, ¡°Priest¡­ Jansen?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, thank God you can finally see me,¡± the young ship¡¯s priest gasped heavily, as if he had just climbed out of the sea, his robes completely drenched. Water streamed down his hair and neck as he spoke, ¡°Thanks to the protection of the Storm Overlord¨CI¡¯ve been yelling at you for days.¡±


    However, Lawrence still felt his mind somewhat unclear. It took him several seconds to gradually recall another inconsistency from the past few days¨C


    There was supposed to be a ship¡¯s priest, just like there should be a sun in the sky. However, during this recent period, he had not seen this young priest at all.


    Priest Jansen had disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight, even from their memories¨Cto the extent that people had even forgotten that ¡°there should be a ship¡¯s priest.¡±


    Lawrence had noticed the odd disappearance of the sun and only now realized that Priest Jansen had vanished as well.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    The old captain turned slowly and asked quietly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. In the past few days, it seemed like you and I were split into two different dimensions,¡± the drenched young priest said with a rueful shake of his head, ¡°I could see you all, but no one could see me. It was as if I had become an ¡®outsider¡¯ on the ship, until just now¡­ the entire ship underwent a ¡®transformation¡¯ amidst the flames, and the barrier seemed to loosen. At the same time, I noticed something was wrong with your mental state, so I thought of using the holy emblem to stabilize your mind¨Cfortunately, I made it in time¡­¡±


    As Lawrence listened to the priest¡¯s story, a jumble of thoughts and guesses crowded his mind. Only when he heard the words ¡°something was wrong with your mental state¡± did a delayed fear finally arise within him.


    He recalled the eerie condition of himself and the other crew members during the last few minutes of the battle with the Sea Swallow. It felt like cold sweat was about to break out on his back.


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    But he didn¡¯t sweat¨Che was still enveloped in the Spectral Flame, his spectral body showing no sign of recovery.


    Lawrence lowered his head, looking at his arm still in a ghostly spectral state, and had already formed several guesses.


    ¡°The ¡®care¡¯ from Homeloss¡­¡± the old captain murmured bitterly, shaking his head. He wasn¡¯t sure whether to call it a blessing or a Curse. ¡°Enduring Duncan Ebnomal¡¯s scrutiny seems not to be a simple matter, but at least we survived¡­ if this can really be called survival¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he slowly raised his head again, his gaze passing through the nearby porthole to the sea beside them.


    The ship shrouded in mist and shadows remained motionlessly there, like a shadow of the Homeloss.

 Chapter 382 - Chapter 382 Chapter 386 Return to Reality

    Chapter 382: Chapter 386: Return to Reality? Chapter 382: Chapter 386: Return to Reality? The White Oak had stopped on the sea surface, and the shadow-like ¡°Ghost Ship¡±, enveloped in thick fog, also halted beside it, its blurry and hazy silhouette seeming to hide an invitation.


    Lawrence looked at the ship, appearing somewhat hesitant.


    ¡°Should we send someone over to check it out?¡± came the voice of the first mate, Gus, from his side, pulling Lawrence out of his reverie.


    Lawrence turned his head and looked at the first mate who had weathered storms with him for two or three decades. ¡°¡­You recognize it too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­The last time we saw it was near Frost,¡± the first mate looked at the nearby sea surface, his tone quite complex, much like Lawrence, he was still engulfed in burning green flames, his body presenting a ghostly, ethereal stance, ¡°All these years, the old crew members know about your situation, but no one dared to talk about it¡­¡±


    Lawrence fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said quietly, ¡°Do you remember, not long ago, when you saw someone standing on the deck talking to me?¡±


    The first mate blinked, then quickly realized, ¡°That was¡­¡±


    ¡°It was Martha¨Cthe ¡®Martha¡¯ only I could see all these years,¡± Lawrence spoke in a low voice, his words gradually widening the first mate¡¯s eyes, ¡°During this time, I¡¯ve seen her more than once on the ship, and I heard her voice when we were exploring ¡®Dagger Island¡¯¡­ I always thought that this was because this eerie sea region was amplifying the illusions in my mind, but now it seems that it¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    The first mate slowly turned his head to look at the Ghost Ship shrouded in fog, maintaining its silence and dead calm, and it took a long time before he broke the silence, ¡°This is no illusion; it¡¯s right here.¡±


    Lawrence pursed his lips, seemingly lost in thought, and after a few seconds, he suddenly spoke, ¡°Send out a signal, see how it responds.¡±


    The first mate immediately nodded, ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Moments later, a set of lights on the White Oak¡¯s side lit up.


    The crew, still in their ghostly forms, rotated the shutter in front of the searchlight, sending a series of rhythmic flashes towards the close-by black ¡°Ghost Ship.¡±


    Lawrence stood on the bridge, staring intently in the direction of the black Ghost Ship, waiting for the ship to respond¨Cyet also seemingly fearing any response it might give.


    ¡°Martha¡­are you there¡­¡±


    The tension made him subconsciously grasp the handrail beside him, while he muttered softly, almost talking to himself.


    The next second, amidst the thick black fog, a flickering light appeared on the deck of the Ghost Ship. The light stayed on for a few seconds then went out, and then lit up again, repeating three times.


    ¡°¡­It responded,¡± the first mate turned his head, looking at his captain with a complex expression, ¡°You can wait here, and I¡¯ll send a few sailors to check out the situation first.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go myself,¡± Lawrence dismissed the idea with a gesture, his expression calming down as he clearly made his decision, ¡°If this is truly caused by my mind slowly losing control, sending other sailors to that ship would definitely be dangerous¡­ I need to face this myself, and only I can resolve it.¡±


    The first mate seemed to want to say something else, but in front of the resolute captain, he eventually could only swallow his words of persuasion, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Lawrence nodded slightly, ¡°Go prepare for me, please. Lantern, ropes, weapons, ammunition, and also¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped, his gaze turning to the nearby helm.


    A shriveled corpse, donned in an old maritime coat, was there, cautiously and gradually moving towards the side, using the shade of the helm as a cover to avoid drawing attention from others, almost reaching the rope that was twisted nearby.


    Lawrence thought for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll take it with me¨CI can¡¯t leave an anomaly that has already gone out of control on the White Oak, and its state is too abnormal.¡±


    The anomaly 077 immediately stopped.


    At the same time, in Frost City, near Cemetery No. 4, at the sewage treatment center, the black-clothed guards were still vigilantly guarding every intersection, with two warriors specifically looking after the unfortunate administrator¨Cwho was sitting paralyzed beside a pipe next to the sedimentation tank, pale and still somewhat trembling, but still trying to answer every question posed by the guards.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I really don¡¯t know¡­ I can¡¯t tell¡­¡± the only remaining ordinary person, the sole living ¡°human¡± at the sewage treatment center, a balding middle-aged administrator constantly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his face a mix of fear and tension, ¡°Everything has always been fine here, I¡¯ve known those people for more than a day, they never seemed to have anything wrong with them¡­¡±


    ¡°Relax, you¡¯re just an ordinary person, it¡¯s normal for Transcendent powers to deceive you,¡± the black-clothed guard in charge of the interrogation was forced to reassure the terrified administrator, while also occasionally looking up towards the empty space next to the sedimentation pond, ¡°The Gatekeeper will handle those freaks¨CMs. Agatha will be back soon.¡±


    The administrator subconsciously looked up at the empty space, and then, the horrifying scene from not long ago seemed to invade his brain again¨Cthree ¡°church priests¡± suddenly transformed into unfamiliar faces, terrifying Profound Demons emerged from thin air, and about a dozen treatment center workers turned into twisted humanoid monsters, breaking into intense battle with the black-clothed guards¡­


    The unfortunate administrator shuddered all over and quickly closed his eyes, but the darkness that came with closing his eyes brought new fears, so he opened his eyes, his face still showing the aftereffects.


    The black-clothed guard beside him noticed this scene but could only offer a sympathetic gaze.


    Having unknowingly spent so much time in a sewage treatment center that had turned into a den of monsters, surrounded by ferocious cultists and counterfeits replaced by the Prime Element¨Cwhen the truth was suddenly revealed, the fact that he wasn¡¯t driven insane was a testament to his excellent mental fortitude.


    Those transformed into counterfeits were likely replaced one by one, and now this administrator was obviously the last one left; had the guardians not barged in here, the administrator¡¯s fate might also have been to be replaced by the next ¡°counterfeit¡±¨Che was clearly aware of this himself, and the fear of that was indescribable.


    After this incident, this administrator would likely never be able to return to work at the sewage treatment center¨Clet alone work, he might need long-term psychological treatment to return to a normal life, but that was no longer for the guardians to consider.


    The guardians were currently more worried about their superior¨CGatekeeper Agatha¡¯s strength was unquestionable, three ordinary Annihilating Priests and a dozen mere cannon fodder counterfeits could not possibly be a match for that lady, but now¡­ she had not returned yet.


    A while later, even the administrator, who was in a state of fear and unease, noticed the tense and heavy atmosphere of the scene; he raised his head to look at the black-clothed guards around him, who were on high alert, hesitated for a moment, and then couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Excuse me¡­ is everything alright with the Gatekeeper?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Agatha is in the Spirit Realm, she was concerned that the battle between Transcendents would affect you, an ordinary person¨Cas well as damage the sewage treatment equipment here,¡± a female black-clothed guard said solemnly, her calm voice carrying a reassuring strength, ¡°Rest assured, no heretic can win against Bartok¡¯s Gatekeeper in the Spirit Realm, she¡¯s probably just delayed by continuing to investigate clues.¡±


    The administrator quickly nodded, ¡°Okay¡­ okay¡­¡±


    And just the next second, a chilling wind suddenly blew through the factory area, several guards at the entrance simultaneously looked towards the empty space near the sedimentation pond.


    The female guard who had just spoken immediately breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face, ¡°Ah, it looks like Ms. Agatha has already resolved the trouble.¡±


    As the guard¡¯s words fell, one illusion after another suddenly appeared on the empty space next to the sedimentation pond¨Cas if another dimension was reestablishing connection with the real world, murky ethereal shadows emerged one after another in the air, and within a few breaths, those shadows rapidly condensed into tangible forms, falling onto the filthy ground.


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    Those were a dozen humanoid mud figures transformed from counterfeits, and three cold, incomplete corpses of Annihilating Priests.


    The bodies of the counterfeit monstrosities rapidly ¡°melted¡± upon landing, transforming into dried mud that would no longer move, while the bodies of the Annihilating Priests started to burn the moment they returned to the real world, turning into piles of char in seconds, and the intertwined Profound Demons dissipated in the air without even having time to materialize.


    The administrator of the sewage treatment center stood dumbfounded watching this surreal scene, even momentarily forgetting his fear, and then, he saw a whirlwind of grayish-white swirling at the center of the empty space, as if smoke and fog were churning within it; in the blink of an eye, a figure in a black coat, wielding a staff, condensed from the Grey Wind and stepped forward.


    Wrapped in bandages, Agatha lifted her head, looking at the familiar real dimension and her somewhat tense subordinates.


    ¡°The problem is solved,¡± she said to her subordinates, nodding gently, her voice low and reassuringly magnetic, as always.

 Chapter 383 - Chapter 383 Chapter 387 The Suddenly Appearing Aura

    Chapter 383: Chapter 387: The Suddenly Appearing Aura Chapter 383: Chapter 387: The Suddenly Appearing Aura In the Spirit Realm, heretics and deformed freaks executed had now become remnants and ashes in the real dimension, and the severe pollution of the wastewater treatment center had been temporarily purified. However, for the shadow enveloping the entire City-State, this might have only uncovered a corner of the curtain.


    The black-clothed guards returned before the gatekeeper, where Agatha briefly checked and confirmed the status of her subordinates before her gaze landed on a nearby, somewhat balding manager.


    ¡°Has his situation been confirmed?¡±


    ¡°He has been confirmed as a normal human being,¡± a black-clothed guard replied quietly, ¡°but he¡¯s severely traumatized and we can¡¯t rule out the possibility of psychological contamination¨Che¡¯ll need some time for psychological guidance and observation.¡±


    ¡°Leave him to the local church,¡± Agatha nodded lightly, ¡°Also inform them that the situation at this wastewater treatment center is very bad. The entire facility will need a thorough purification and inspection later. Don¡¯t restart it until all hidden dangers have been investigated.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Gatekeeper,¡± her subordinate nodded, then looked up at Agatha with some concern, ¡°You¡­ didn¡¯t encounter any trouble, did you?¡±


    Agatha frowned. ¡°Hmm? Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You stayed ¡®there¡¯ longer than usual,¡± the subordinate explained, ¡°Did you find any clues under the Spirit Realm¡¯s surveillance?¡±


    Agatha still frowned slightly, her face showing a pensive expression. For some reason, she felt like she had overlooked something, but when she thought carefully, she couldn¡¯t find any suspicions¨Cwas it a sequelae of staying in the Spirit Realm for a long time?


    She shook her head, reached into her coat pocket, and pulled out her usual eye drops, but hesitated for a moment before putting them away.


    Her eyes felt no discomfort, as if she had already applied the drops before returning to reality.


    ¡°Nothing happened,¡± she told her subordinate, ¡°It¡¯s just that the appearance of those heretics was peculiar, and I spent a bit more time ¡®interrogating¡¯ them.¡±


    Unfortunately, she hauled nothing out of the inquisition¨Cthose heretics were stubborn and fanatic, and not even straightforward death could shake their rigid hearts.


    But¡­ what exactly had she overlooked?


    A faint sense of doubt surfaced again in Agatha¡¯s heart, but she showed nothing in front of her subordinates.


    ¡°Are we heading back to the cathedral next?¡± another black-clothed guard asked.


    ¡°Back to the cathedral,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°We must immediately organize personnel to search all the underground facilities throughout the city. The situation might be more severe than we think.¡±


    ¡­


    As twilight approached, the edge of the sun was gradually nearing the horizon. The splendid double Rune Circle emanated a magnificent glow near the sea¡¯s surface, gradually staining the distant City-State buildings with the sunset, as the entire city seemed to melt into the twilight glow.


    Duncan stood at the end of the hallway on the second floor, in front of a narrow window, his burly figure almost blocking all the light streaming in. Through the gaps of his bandaged gaze, he silently watched the last rays of the distant sunset, seemingly lost in thought.


    The sneaky footsteps of a dog came from beside him. Duncan didn¡¯t turn around but already knew who was coming.


    ¡°Have you finished your homework?¡± he casually asked.


    Sherry, who had just opened the door preparing to sneak down to the kitchen for some snacks, suddenly froze. From the shadows emerged a shivering dog¡¯s head which murmured in a low voice, ¡°I knew we¡¯d be found out¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve finished the mental math questions,¡± Sherry ignored the dog¡¯s hindsight commentary, merely shrinking her head cautiously as she gazed at Duncan by the window, who seemed as imposing as a tower, ¡°I still have some vocabulary left, but I¡¯m hungry¡­¡±


    Duncan heard a full measure of nervousness and grievance in the girl¡¯s tone. This made him turn around with a somewhat wry smile and look at Sherry, ¡°Did I ever say you couldn¡¯t eat if you didn¡¯t finish your homework?¡±


    Sherry shrunk her neck, not daring to respond.


    Duncan sighed, smiled, and turned around, pressing gently on Sherry¡¯s head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t like studying that much?¡± he said helplessly, ¡°You look almost as if you¡¯ve been bullied.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I get sleepy as soon as I start reading,¡± Sherry said nervously, still somewhat unaccustomed to talking with Duncan¡¯s current embodiment, his bandaged body and dark clothes appearing even more frightening to her than the captain on Homeloss usually did, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll go back to my room and do my homework!¡±


    Duncan gently pressed Sherry¡¯s shoulders, halting her movements as she turned to re-enter the room.


    ¡°You should rest if you¡¯re tired,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°don¡¯t study out of fear.¡±


    Sherry looked at Duncan in disbelief, but then nodded quickly, as if afraid that the captain might change his mind.


    A few seconds later, she cautiously looked at Duncan and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Why do you insist on making me read and write¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t need to go to college like Nina or become a scholar like Mr. Morris¡­¡±


    It was the first time Duncan heard this question from Sherry, but clearly, this question had been lingering in her mind for a long time ¡ª the orphan, who had never been to school and had grown up dependent solely on an Abyssal Hound, clearly couldn¡¯t understand the captain¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Because knowledge is useful,¡± Duncan was silent for a while before he seriously said to Sherry, ¡°Those pieces of knowledge that you resist and that give you headaches, they support the operation of the entire civilized world ¡ª look at the cars driving on the streets outside, the roaring machines in the factories, and the boundless ocean outside the City-State, haven¡¯t you ever been curious about how those things work? Have you never wondered what the far-off City-States look like?¡±


    Sherry thought for a moment; she seemed to know what the ¡°right answer¡± was, but she still shook her head hesitantly in the end, ¡°No, I¡­ I always felt that having enough to eat was enough. I never thought much about it.¡±


    ¡°But now you need more than just to fill your stomach, Sherry,¡± Duncan bent down and looked her in the eyes seriously, ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t understand now, but I want your life to be more complete ¡ª you have missed a lot, but now that you are part of Homeloss, everything you missed will definitely be made up.¡±


    Sherry stared dumbly at Duncan. She still didn¡¯t quite understand what the captain was saying, but from his serious and solemn tone, she vaguely felt some¡­ warmth.


    This warmth was somewhat familiar.


    So, half-understanding, she nodded, uttering a somewhat elongated ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Duncan smiled, slowly straightened up, ¡°Now that you understand, go eat something later and then continue with your homework. I¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped.


    Sherry, who had been shrinking her neck, was waiting for further instruction and slightly regretfully raised her head, ¡°Ah? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer her. Instead, he just waved his hand lightly, but his gaze had already shifted towards the distance ¡ª it appeared he was looking at the corridor opposite, but deep in his eyes, it seemed as if reflecting a very distant glimmer of light.


    He blinked, one eye reflecting the corridor and the roof of the house, while the other seemed to see a ship burning with faint green flames, wandering in the mist and shadows.


    Inside the captain¡¯s cabin of Homeloss, which was slowly patrolling the outer sea of Frost, Duncan suddenly looked up from the sea chart table.


    His sudden movement caused the goat¡¯s head at the edge of the table to react, its neck creaking as it turned, ¡°Oh, Captain, what can I do for you? Are you ready for dinner? Although there are no available hands on board right now, I am still willing to provide dining services within my ability. What would you like to eat? We could start with Southern cuisine: fried meat rolls, fried pork chops, fried fish cakes, fried meatballs, roasted eggs, steamed eggs, boiled eggs, stewed eggs, pickled eggs, smoked eggs¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up, I didn¡¯t look up to hear you recite a list of dishes,¡± Duncan glared at the noisy goat¡¯s head, his expression containing a trace of solemnity. He raised his head, looking out the window of the captain¡¯s cabin in the direction of Frost City-State, and spoke thoughtfully, ¡°The Oak of White?¡±


    ¡°The Oak of White?¡± The goat¡¯s head paused, then responded, ¡°Ah, you mean that steamship, the one Alice previously boarded? Why did you suddenly think of it? Do you want to reclaim that trophy? I can provide you with a complete plan for incorporating it ¡ª do you plan to replace the sailors on that ship? The captain might be kept¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nearby,¡± Duncan paid no attention to what the goat¡¯s head was rambling about. He slowly stood up from behind the table, his brow slightly furrowed as he carefully sensed that weak yet real connection, ¡°Near¡­ Frost?¡±


    ¡°The Oak of White near Frost?¡± The goat¡¯s head finally stopped its chatter, its tone filled with astonishment, ¡°That¡¯s not possible¡­ Isn¡¯t Frost currently locked down? And Tyrion¡¯s fleet is still blocking the shipping routes, any foreign ship approaching wouldn¡¯t go unreported to you, would it?¡±


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    ¡°¡­Something is not quite right, I indeed felt the presence of The Oak of White,¡± Duncan spoke thoughtfully, ¡°but its location¡­ is blurry, and it seems to be constantly shifting¡­¡±


    He squinted, his gaze directed toward Frost City-State, trying to pinpoint the sudden intense presence he felt.


    The presence of The Oak of White had appeared suddenly and grew intense in a short time, like a flame suddenly lit in the darkness, drawing his gaze, a sensation¡­ he had never experienced before.


    And perhaps it was an illusion, Duncan also felt several significant fluctuations in the ship¡¯s presence, like¡­ the flickering of a dim light.


    Contemplating, he lowered his head to look at the goat head¡¯s wooden carving on the table, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    The goat¡¯s head thought, then shook its head, ¡°Should I recite a list of dishes instead¡­¡±


    ¡°Not useful at the crucial moment.¡± Duncan tugged at the corner of his mouth, stood up, and walked past the navigation table toward the outside of the captain¡¯s cabin.

 Chapter 384 - Chapter 384 Chapter 388 Boundary of Illusion

    Chapter 384: Chapter 388: Boundary of Illusion Chapter 384: Chapter 388: Boundary of Illusion Leaving the captain¡¯s quarters, Duncan didn¡¯t go anywhere else, but turned around and grasped the handle of the ¡°Door of the Displaced¡± again, then he pushed it open¨C


    Zhou Ming returned to his own bedroom.


    Looking around, the familiar scene entered his view; everything in the room was exactly the same as when he had last left, and it seemed like he hadn¡¯t been back here in quite a while.


    Slowly moving beyond the entryway, stepping on the somewhat patchy and worn floor, Zhou Ming, as usual, first approached the tightly closed window. He checked the traces on the windowsill and confirmed the status of the window locks¨Calthough he knew in his heart that this was meaningless, he still carefully completed all the inspections and solemnly picked up the diary hanging by the window, writing down today¡¯s inspection results on the blank part of the notebook:


    No changes in the windows and doors; this room has not been opened during my absence.


    After leaving this new record, he let out a soft breath and then slowly approached his desk.


    On the desk, tiny green sparks popped and jumped, gradually spreading flame outlining the contours of an object, completing the whole process almost at the end.


    It was a ship, one with a beautiful white hull and high chimneys, a steam-powered mechanical ship that looked quite advanced.


    Zhou Ming watched the scene with a calm expression, his face showing no sign of surprise.


    The ¡°model¡± of the White Oak appeared in this room, but why? Why did it suddenly appear here? What change had occurred to this ship?


    Zhou Ming looked up and glanced at the nearby shelf, where the models of Homeloss and Plunder City-State still lay quietly in their compartments.


    Items thoroughly burnt by the Spiritual Fire, completely under one¡¯s control, would appear as precise models on the desk of this bachelor apartment¨Ca pattern that had been confirmed, with both Homeloss and Plunder models following this rule, and now, the White Oak¡­


    Zhou Ming recalled his first encounter with that ship.


    The White Oak had indeed been burnt by his Spiritual Fire before, and the whole ship had been ¡°swallowed¡± by the Homeloss, but perhaps at that time his control over the Spiritual Fire was not adept enough; after that ¡°burning,¡± the White Oak had not become a ¡°collectible¡± on his desk but had left only a mark¨Ca state that persisted to the present.


    Zhou Ming sat down in front of the desk, quietly watching the ethereal green sparks jump and complete the last outline of the White Oak, his expression thoughtful.


    He was certain that he had not paid attention to the movements of the White Oak during this time, and had not actively ¡°triggered¡± the Flame Mark on that ship, so this change was not caused by him¨Cit was the White Oak, the ship itself that must have run into some situation, causing the mark on the ship to be activated, and even ¡°coming to life¡± to become one of the ¡°collectibles¡± here.


    Zhou Ming narrowed his eyes slightly and tried again to locate the position of the White Oak and sense its current state.


    Moments later, he opened his eyes, his expression somewhat solemn.


    Even in this bedroom, he still could not precisely confirm where exactly the White Oak was; a vague sense only pointed generally toward Frost City-State in the world on the other side of the door. And in trying to confirm the state of the White Oak, he received some odd feedback.


    He felt that the entire ship seemed enveloped by seawater.


    On the desk, the jumping of ethereal green sparks stopped, and the precise model of the White Oak lay quietly before Zhou Ming, each fine detail exquisitely crafted.


    After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Ming reached out to pick up the model of the White Oak and observed it closely.


    But he saw nothing incongruous.


    After fiddling with it for a while, Zhou Ming shook his head, realizing that he couldn¡¯t confirm the ship¡¯s state from here¨Che would have to go to Frost to check the situation.


    He stood up from the desk, holding the White Oak, preparing to first put this new ¡°collectible¡± on the shelf, but he had only gone a few steps when he suddenly stopped next to a mirror.


    He looked toward the mirror, where in the reflection, he was not holding the White Oak, but a strange ship, shrouded in black fog and massive shadows!


    The outline of the ship bore some resemblance to that of the White Oak, as if they were variations of the same design, yet it presented an almost phantom-like, unreal texture, with signs of damage and ruin all over the hull, as if it had slumbered in the depths of the sea for many years¨CZhou Ming stared at the ship in the mirror, then after a moment, he looked down at his hands and saw that he was indeed just holding the model of the White Oak.


    After a brief startle and reflection, Zhou Ming suddenly put the model of the White Oak aside. He strode quickly to the shelf, picked up the models of Homeloss and the Plunder City-State, and tested them one by one in front of the mirror.


    There were no changes in their reflections.


    Only the White Oak showed a peculiar ¡°alternate appearance¡± in the mirror.


    Zhou Ming once again placed the model of the Homeloss in front of the mirror, thoughtfully looking at the dark silhouette of the ship that appeared in the mirror.


    It looked like a reflection of the Homeloss in another dimension.


    Lost in thought, he slowly stretched out his hand towards the phantom in the mirror.


    He only touched the cold, hard surface of the mirror.


    ¡­


    Steering the small boat alone, Lawrence watched as the towering hull of the Homeloss gradually enlarged in his view, and the fog, seemingly filled with shadows, enveloped his surroundings. The lantern hanging at the bow of his small boat struggled to dispel the surrounding darkness, barely sketching out a blurred path for him.


    He looked back to see the Homeloss had become a vague shadow in the mist¨Cwhile standing on the bridge of the Homeloss, the two ships had seemed so close, but now he felt as if there was a chasm between them, not one of physical distance, but rather some kind of barrier between reality and illusion.


    And now he was gradually crossing this barrier.


    His mood calmed down, the more eerie and dim the surroundings became, the calmer his mood, as if all paths were clear, and destiny had shown him all the choices¨Che was going to board the Homeloss, no matter what awaited him there.


    But it seemed that only he himself was calm¨Cthe other passenger on the small boat didn¡¯t appear to be.


    ¡°Please, just let me go back! Tie a rope around me, hang me on the mast if you have to!¡± the abomination 077 was clamoring, the hideous mummy having been prattling on since a while back, ¡°As long as you let me return to my slumber, I¡¯ll do whatever you say¡­ even if you want me to convert to the Storm Goddess¡­ or even the Death God! I don¡¯t want to keep my eyes open any longer!¡±


    Lawrence finally turned his head, responding to the mummy for the first time since they set off, ¡°You are still able to convert to a deity?¡±


    The mummy was startled for a moment, before immediately nodding emphatically, ¡°As long as you allow me to go back to sleep, I will convert to any god in my dreams!¡±


    Lawrence thought for a moment, recalling a joke popular among sailors, a smile appeared on his face, ¡°Then how about you try converting to the god of wisdom?¡±


    Abomination 077 stiffened up all of a sudden, and after an unknown length of time, it barely moved, squeezing a few words out of its shriveled throat, ¡°I could start with plane geometry¡­¡±


    ¡°You dare to try even the god of wisdom, it looks like you¡¯re really desperate,¡± Lawrence shook his head, his curiosity piqued, ¡°But why are you so afraid? According to the records, you are an abomination prone to losing control, yet now you¡¯re desperate to go back to your slumber?¡±


    Abomination 077 didn¡¯t answer, instead curling up in a corner of the small boat, nervously eyeing the green Flame Mark that burned quietly on Lawrence¡¯s body.


    Lawrence looked down at his own body, which still hadn¡¯t returned to normal, then raised his head, ¡°Is it because of this flame, or because of the power that stands behind this flame?¡±


    Abomination 077 murmured gruffly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious to you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that even an ¡®abomination¡¯ like you would recognize the reputation of the Homeloss,¡± Lawrence felt somewhat sentimental, ¡°I saw the description of you in the documents, saying that after losing control, you possessed consciousness, you were able to converse with people, but I didn¡¯t expect your consciousness to reach this extent¡­ If you weren¡¯t a mummy, I would have almost thought you were a human.¡±


    Abomination 077 hung its head, seemingly resigned, and fell silent once again.


    But Lawrence wasn¡¯t concerned with this ¡°sailor¡¯s¡± reaction; he had countless mysteries to ponder, a peculiar out-of-control abomination was trivial compared to those enigmas.


    So many unknowns, so many secrets.


    How many years had it been since he had felt this way?


    It seemed as if after parting with the Homeloss, the adventurer Lawrence had disappeared from this world, and the unknown and distant had become vocabulary of memory, until now¨C


    The moment he saw the Homeloss again, the spirit of the adventurer Lawrence awoke once more from deep within an old captain¡¯s heart.


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    He looked up to see that the towering hull of the Homeloss was now only a few meters away from the small boat. He maneuvered closer, stopping at a familiar spot in his memory, and took up the oar to knock against the hull.


    A rope ladder was thrown down from above, landing on the prow of the small boat.


    Lawrence turned around to look at abomination 077 huddled in the corner.


    ¡°Come aboard, sailor.¡±


    Abomination 077, quite reluctantly, got up, lowering its head, ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±

 Chapter 385 - Chapter 385 Chapter 389 Embarking on the Black Oak

    Chapter 385: Chapter 389: Embarking on the Black Oak Chapter 385: Chapter 389: Embarking on the Black Oak Clinging to the rope ladder, Lawrence slowly climbed aboard the Black Oak, its hull dark and somber as if smoked by something, and made his way onto the deck.


    As soon as he landed, he bent over, bracing himself on his knees, gasping for several breaths before he managed to even them out¨Cthis involuntary reaction made him chuckle and shake his head in self-mockery.


    He really was getting old, needing to rest after climbing a short distance along the rope ladder. In the past¡­


    Another set of footsteps landed behind him. Lawrence dismissed the irrelevant thoughts and turned to see Exceptional Being 077 also having followed him aboard¨Cthis menacing mummy stood cautiously at the edge of the gunwale, appearing rather docile.


    It, or rather he¨Chad been quite cooperative along the way. It was indeed a bit strange to see such a horrifying high-rank Exceptional Being acting so obediently, but as soon as Lawrence remembered that this mummy was the only ¡°companion¡± on his expedition, he suppressed the odd feeling in his heart and adopted a more serious expression.


    ¡°Is the small boat securely moored?¡± he asked Exceptional Being 077, conversing with this unusual ¡°sailor¡± as he would normally talk to his own crew.


    ¡°It¡¯s secure,¡± the mummy replied promptly with a hoarse and low voice. Then it raised its head and quickly surveyed the surroundings, its tone slightly hesitant, ¡°¡­there seems to be no one on board, Captain.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not blind,¡± Lawrence replied indifferently, his gaze scanning the situation on the deck.


    After stepping onto the deck of the Black Oak, the eerie fog and shadowy texture still lingered but showed no signs of intensifying. Through the drifting mists, he could vaguely see the ship¡¯s features¨Ceverything was similar to the White Oak, with about seventy to eighty percent similarity in facilities, except that it appeared neglected for years. The paint on the railings was patchy and flaking; parts of the deck showed warping; and on the structures above, one could see stains like rust.


    Without the peculiar fog, the ship felt like another White Oak¨Ca neglected and adrift ¡°version¡± after years at sea.


    And indeed, as Exceptional Being 077 mentioned, there was no one to be seen on board.


    ¡°If there¡¯s no one on board, who dropped the rope ladder?¡± the Exceptional Being grumbled, ¡°And when you ordered to signal the ship earlier, it responded with light¨Cso who replied to the signal?¡±


    ¡°For an ¡®Exceptional Being,¡¯ you think quite logically,¡± Lawrence couldn¡¯t help but look back at the ¡°sailor¡± with a surprising tone, ¡°But don¡¯t you find it odd to apply ¡®logic¡¯ to thinking about a Ghost Ship?¡±


    Exceptional Being 077 just shrugged and fell silent.


    But Lawrence wouldn¡¯t allow the mummy the luxury of silence¨Che brought this mummy on board not just to avert potential dangers on the White Oak, but also to make use of it.


    ¡°Can your abilities work on this ship?¡± Lawrence fixed his gaze into Exceptional Being 077¡¯s eyes, ¡°Can you control this ship?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to ¡®take over¡¯ it?¡± The Exceptional Being was visibly surprised.


    ¡°You cannot ¡®take away¡¯ this ship¨Cbut I want you to confirm if your abilities can function here,¡± Lawrence said earnestly, ¡°Sense it, what is the actual state of this ship?¡±


    Exceptional Being 077-Sailor, whose primary power was to control and take over things conceptually recognized as ¡°ships¡±, in other words, this Exceptional Being had transcendent perceptions and influence over ¡°ships¡±, a concept far beyond human understanding. So¡­ would the Black Oak reveal any ¡°special characteristics¡± through the eyes of this ¡°Sailor¡±?


    Following this line of thought, perhaps Exceptional Being 077 could help uncover the truth here.


    Obedient to the command, the mummy stood on the deck, spreading his arms as if to feel the direction of the wind in the fog, eyes gently closed, while not far away, Lawrence watched the familiar objects on the deck with a complex gaze.


    Black Oak¡­ he was standing on its deck now. Many times he dreamed of the past and couldn¡¯t forget the scenes from this ship. Many times he set sail obsessed with the idea of retrieving this ship¨Cyet, standing here now, he was compelled to repeatedly question everything: his own judgment, his perceptions, and even the existence of this ship.


    Because the appearance of Black Oak was too suspicious and eerie. Its current state was absolutely abnormal. As much as his emotions refused to accept it, logic told him¡­ it might not be the ¡°Black Oak¡± he sought after all.


    This was just some sort of uncontrollable Transcendent phenomenon creating a¡­ ¡°Phenomenon.¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts until the ¡°sailor¡± beside him suddenly opened his eyes with a puzzled voice, halting his chaotic thoughts.


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± Lawrence asked immediately.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know how to explain¡­¡± The sailor looked down bewildered at the deck beneath his feet, ¡°Captain, I¡­I can¡¯t feel the existence of this ship¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t feel the existence of this ship?¡± Lawrence¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He had thought the ¡°sailor¡¯s¡± powers might not be able to control this mysterious Ghost Ship, but he hadn¡¯t expected such an answer, ¡°So where are we standing now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t know how to explain¡­¡± The sailor seemed startled by Lawrence¡¯s expression but continued doggedly, ¡°We are standing right here, it undoubtedly exists, but in my perception, it¡¯s as if it doesn¡¯t exist, or at least¡­ not here¡­¡±


    Lawrence frowned; he knew the mummy before him wouldn¡¯t be deceiving him. This was genuinely how the other felt, yet it did nothing to alleviate the doubts in his mind.


    After a moment of reflection, he drew in a breath, lifting the lantern with one hand, and turned his gaze towards a certain direction at the far end of the deck.


    The lantern cast a soft yellow light that danced in the mist, as if leading an invisible path.


    ¡°Captain, where are we going?¡±


    ¡°The bridge,¡± Lawrence said calmly, ¡°the captain should be on the bridge.¡±


    Before the echo of his words had subsided, he had already taken steps toward the direction illuminated by the light. The ¡°sailor¡± hesitated in place before hurrying to follow. As he walked with a slight stagger, he curiously asked, ¡°You mean¡­ the captain of this ship? Do you know the captain of this ship?¡±


    Lawrence paused for a moment and then continued forward. ¡°I do, very well.¡±


    The sailor gave an ¡°oh¡± and then fell silent in earnest.


    A moment later, Lawrence arrived at the door leading to the bridge.


    The red metal door was slightly ajar in front of him, as if inviting him to enter.


    ¡°You go open the door.¡±


    Lawrence was holding the lantern with one hand, and with the other, he drew a left revolver from his waist, indicating with his eyes for the mummified corpse beside him to step forward.


    ¡°Ah¡­ alright.¡±


    The mummified corpse sighed quite humanly, stepped forward, and grabbed the handle of the door. Without seeming to exert much force, he pushed the door open.


    Lawrence peered inside.


    The bridge was empty, with no figures in sight. Only faint mist drifted between chairs and control equipment, and at the helm at the front of the bridge, the unattended steering wheel was gently swaying from side to side, as if nudging the ship¡¯s course.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one here,¡± the mummy muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not blind,¡± Lawrence said, and then he stepped onto the bridge.


    He lifted the lantern, dispersing the dimness around him. His gaze swept over the speckled and old equipment and chairs, and then he slowly approached the helm.


    The captain should be standing here.


    But there was no sign of the captain.


    Lawrence stood silently for a while, then emitted a sigh that seemed to convey either disappointment or relief, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re really not here.¡±


    ¡°No, I am here.¡±


    A somewhat cool female voice came from the side.


    Lawrence¡¯s body jerked at once, the green flames that could not be extinguished on his body suddenly shot up several inches. The next second, he looked sharply towards the direction where the voice had come from¨C


    The young female adventurer, dressed in a captain¡¯s uniform, her wavy hair draped behind her head, was standing there, arms crossed, her expression calm with a hint of helplessness as she watched his side.


    ¡°Ah, a woman has popped up,¡± muttered anomaly 077 in astonishment, then seemed to catch on to something, and hastily glanced at Lawrence, ¡°Captain, should I keep quiet?¡±


    Lawrence glanced at the mummified corpse. ¡°Yes, quiet.¡±


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    ¡°Aye, Captain.¡±


    Although anomaly 077¡¯s interruption was untimely, it somewhat eased the previously stiff and awkward atmosphere. Lawrence took this opportunity to try to calm himself, and his mind started racing on how to start the conversation¨Cwhat should the first sentence be?


    Over the years, he had conversed with ¡°Martha¡± countless times, and after so many illusions, they had spent many years together. Yet at this moment, Lawrence suddenly realized he was stuck¨Che couldn¡¯t interact with Martha as naturally as he did when immersed in his usual illusions.


    And it was this momentary hesitation that led to a sudden realization.


    The Martha in front of him¡­ was an ¡°individual¡± acting independently, completely unrelated to his subconscious!

 Chapter 386 - Chapter 386 Chapter 390 Long-Awaited Reunion

    Chapter 386: Chapter 390: Long-Awaited Reunion Chapter 386: Chapter 390: Long-Awaited Reunion For a long time, Lawrence felt as if he were trapped in a ¡°lucid dream¡± ¨C he was more aware than anyone of what was happening to him, of the mental illness that was afflicting his spirit.


    He knew Martha was no longer there, knew that the figure he interacted with day and night was just an illusion. He knew all of this ¨C whether it was on a subconscious level or a conscious one, he was painfully aware.


    But compared to other captains of a similar age and experience, his mental state was actually quite good. On the vast Endless Sea, there was no shortage of captains with twisted spirits and damaged minds. Even with the division of burden offered by ship priests, the profession of challenging the sea was bound to bear a mental corruption far beyond that of ordinary crew members. Each captain had completed numerous sea voyages in a continuous struggle against their deteriorating minds, to the point where they often described their profession with a saying:


    ¡°We¡¯re not sailing on the edge of The Abyss; our lives are steered straight into it.¡±


    It was precisely because of his years of mental hardship that Lawrence had an exceptionally keen awareness of ¡°Martha.¡± Right at this moment, he keenly perceived that the figure before him was definitely not the same ¡°thing¡± he had seen in his past hallucinations.


    He couldn¡¯t help but recall the ¡°Martha¡± that had appeared on the white oak deck before, when the first mate Gus had seen the figure of ¡°Martha¡± ¨C had the Transformation started then?


    Had everything finally crossed some critical point? Had the things from his imagination¡­ finally arrived in reality? Or was some unspeakable force reading his mind, creating this physically present ¡°entity¡± before his eyes? Was this a gift filled with malice, or a trap laden with mockery?


    ¡°Martha¡­¡± Lawrence finally opened his mouth, feeling his throat a little dry, his voice hoarse, ¡°are you in front of me?¡±


    ¡°As you see,¡± the female adventurer laughed, ¡°want to touch me? I even have body heat.¡±


    ¡°¡­You are a tangible entity,¡± Lawrence took a light breath, restraining the impulse to step forward, ¡°but¡­ why? Has the hallucination from my mind here been Transformed into some kind of substance? Is this¡­ the power of this sea area?¡±


    ¡°At least you¡¯re partly right,¡± Martha gently shook her head, ¡°it¡¯s true that this ¡®sea area¡¯ has shaped both me and the Black Oak, but I don¡¯t come from the hallucination in your mind ¨C I¡¯ve been wandering here for many years, Lawrence ¨C I and this ship have been here for many years past, as part of a vast number of ¡®Replications,¡¯ wandering aimlessly.¡±


    Lawrence was slightly taken aback: ¡°Replications?¡±


    ¡°Replications ¨C a powerful force from the deep sea has caused all this. I don¡¯t know what it is exactly, but it has been entrenched here for many, many years, creating countless Replications. Do you remember the ¡®Sea Swallow¡¯ that you just destroyed? And that Dagger Island¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all ¡®Replications¡¯?!¡± Lawrence¡¯s eyes widened as he suddenly realized that the vortex he was caught in seemed even more strange and terrifying than he had imagined, ¡°Wait, then that Frost City-State we encountered before¡­¡±


    ¡°That too, everything here is,¡± Martha said calmly, ¡°That force has already permeated the entire Endless Sea. Anything that lingers in this sea area long enough cannot escape its ¡®Replication.¡¯ There are countless hollow copies wandering the deep sea ¨C what you encountered is just a small fraction.¡±


    Lawrence seemed to fall into a stupor. After a long while, he suddenly snapped out of it and incredulously looked at the ¡°wife¡± before him: ¡°But¡­ you look different, you can even converse with me, and this ship was just fighting side by side with the White Oak¡­¡±


    Martha said nothing, just watching Lawrence silently with a calm and meaningful smile.


    He stopped talking and gradually came to his senses; looking down at his own body, which was still transparent and ghostly as a Spectral Body, and the quiet green flames burning upon it.


    The appearance of the Black Oak had come after the White Oak completed its Transformation amidst the fire of spirits.


    ¡°You realize now, Lawrence,¡± Martha said softly, ¡°that it takes a force even more powerful to contend with a mighty power ¨C even this sea domain cannot affect the spoils of the Exiled Fleet ¨C both you and I are ¡®His¡¯ spoils.¡±


    Lawrence listened in a daze, his face gradually expressing bewilderment, then his expression shifted as he realized something discordant about the last few sentences spoken ¨C that wasn¡¯t something Martha, who had parted from him decades ago forever, should know!


    Why did she know about the Homeloss? Why did she know that the White Oak was Captain Duncan¡¯s ¡°spoils¡±?


    ¡°You¡¯ve read my mind!¡± Lawrence suddenly widened his eyes, his muscles tensing instinctively, ¡°You¡¯re not the real Martha!¡±


    However, the figure standing not far away just smiled, as if completely unaffected by Lawrence¡¯s reaction, that calmness the same as decades earlier: ¡°If what you want is a 100% accurate and ¡®pure¡¯ Martha, I¡¯m sorry, Lawrence, I indeed am not her ¨C but ¡®she¡¯ is part of me, Martha¡¯s soul is inside me, and another part of me, comes from your consciousness and memories¡­ This Endless Sea is like a mirror, continuously reflecting all that floats across its surface, including consciousness and memory.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t read your mind, it¡¯s your consciousness that naturally projected a part of me ¨C can¡¯t you accept that?¡±


    Lawrence opened his mouth and, after several changes of expression, finally twisted his mouth into a bitter smile and spread his hands, ¡°I don¡¯t know; I never even thought about how I should respond after truly facing you¡­ I don¡¯t know how to accept this¡­ ¡®form¡¯ of you. I still haven¡¯t figured out what kind of existence you really are.¡±


    He lifted his head, the old captain who had never wavered in the face of countless strange and terrifying events on the Endless Sea now seemed somewhat bewildered and at a loss.


    He had never shown his weakness to anyone¨Cexcept in front of his own wife.


    Martha quietly watched the no-longer-young Lawrence and after a long while, she smiled helplessly, ¡°You¡¯re still the same as before, always needing my help at crucial moments.¡±


    She walked over, raised her hand, and placed her hands, warm with the touch of the living, onto Lawrence¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°You need to be firm in yourself, and in your clear judgment¡­¡±


    Lawrence frowned slightly, a bit puzzled.


    ¡°Mr. Sailor, could you please step out for a moment?¡± Martha then turned her head to look at the exceptionally well-behaved Subject 077, ¡°The master of the Exiled Fleet will appreciate your cooperation.¡±


    The mummified corpse in sailor¡¯s garb was immediately startled into action, turning and leaving the bridge without a word.


    Lawrence, as if suddenly realizing something, hurriedly spoke up, ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    But the door to the bridge had already closed.


    Subject 077 quickly ran out into the corridor outside the door, where he could only faintly hear Captain Lawrence¡¯s last shout from inside:


    ¡°Martha¨CI¡¯m already over sixty years old!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t bear to listen to what happened next.


    Moments later, a creaking sound of a turning door hinge reached his ears, and Subject 077 shrank his neck and cautiously turned his head to look, seeing the female adventurer standing at the door with a relaxed and cheerful smile on her face.


    Then, Lawrence came out grimacing, and upon seeing Subject 077 at the door, he immediately threw a warning glance his way¨Cthen quickly covered his head, grimacing even more.


    Subject 077 instantly averted his gaze, trying to lower his own presence as if he were a true corpse.


    Clearly, he had taken a hard beating.


    ¡°Can you accept it now?¡± Martha turned around, smiling at Lawrence.


    Lawrence held the swollen spot on his head; he didn¡¯t know why his almost spiritual body could still be beaten so fiercely by Martha; all he knew was that such detail was no longer important, ¡°I can accept it, I can accept it¡­¡±


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    Drifting on the Endless Sea still required a carefree attitude towards everything.


    After all, it seemed that if he couldn¡¯t let go, Martha would help him ¡°let go¡±¨Cthe female adventurer¡¯s bold temperament was just like many years before, but he was already a man past fifty¡­


    ¡°So now, we should consider the serious matters,¡± Martha said with a smile, her arms crossed as she leaned against the door, ¡°Staying trapped here is not a solution.¡±


    Hearing this, Lawrence immediately set aside the myriad thoughts in his heart, his expression turning serious as well, ¡°Martha, I wanted to ask you just now, what is the state of this sea area? Do you know how to leave this place?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯d love to answer you, but I¡¯m sorry,¡± Martha was silent for two seconds and then spoke with an apologetic tone, ¡°Although I¡¯ve wandered here for many years, in the end, I¡¯m just one of the many forgeries trapped here with this ship. But there is one thing I can be certain of¡­ this entire sea area is centered around the ¡®Frost City-State.¡¯ If there really is a fissure here that intersects with the real world, it must definitely be in Frost.¡±

 Chapter 387 - Chapter 387 Chapter 391 Reflection

    Chapter 387: Chapter 391 Reflection Chapter 387: Chapter 391 Reflection Frost.


    Lawrence instantly thought of the words ¡°Martha¡± had once said to him. He could no longer distinguish whether the Martha of that time was his own hallucination or the ¡°presence¡± emanating from the ¡°Martha¡± before him, but he could be certain of one thing: he should go to Frost.


    But how to get there?


    ¡°We¡¯ve been searching for a long time,¡± Lawrence couldn¡¯t help frowning as he spoke, ¡°Ever since we left the City-State port under cover of night, the White Oak has never again found that City-State¨Cwe returned along the same route, and there was only the sea.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t find it this way,¡± Martha said with a smile, shaking her head, ¡°Lawrence, Frost is hiding from you.¡±


    ¡°Hiding from me?¡± Lawrence was momentarily stunned, ¡°Why?¡±


    Martha didn¡¯t speak but simply raised her hand to point at the Ghost Ship Flames quietly burning on Lawrence¡¯s body.


    Lawrence immediately understood; he looked down at his own arm, which was like a Spiritual Body, and said thoughtfully, ¡°So¡­that¡¯s why we left the City-State port without any interference¡­ It wasn¡¯t because we sailed away from there, but because the City-State distanced itself from the White Oak?¡±


    He raised his head, his expression becoming somewhat subtle, ¡°Then what should we do? The White Oak is now even closer to Homeloss than when we left the port. If that City-State is consciously avoiding me, how could I possibly find it?¡±


    ¡°I will go find it,¡± Martha stated calmly and briefly.


    ¡°You will find it?¡± Lawrence didn¡¯t react at first, ¡°Can you find it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, over the past many years, both my ship and I have always been a part of this sea region. Even though I¡¯m now separated from this large community, it won¡¯t realize this in a short period¨Con the other hand, the Black Oak¡¯s current existence is closer to a ¡®reflection¡¯ of the White Oak. I haven¡¯t directly established a connection with Homeloss, at least not for now, so Frost won¡¯t hide from me¡­ It¡¯s not as ¡®smart¡¯ as you think.¡±


    Lawrence nodded half-heartedly but was still somewhat puzzled, ¡°But that means only you can get close to it¨Cwhat about me and the White Oak? As soon as we appear, it will surely ¡®flee¡¯ again¡­¡±


    Martha smiled.


    She stepped forward half a step and gently placed her hand on Lawrence¡¯s chest, her face bearing an expression full of meaning, and spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s simple, let¡¯s exchange places¨Cfor here, the boundaries between original and reflection aren¡¯t so clear.¡±


    Lawrence was startled for a moment, and subconsciously wanted to ask what she meant, but before he could open his mouth, he felt a slight push at his chest.


    This force was gentle, yet it made him feel as if the world was spinning. He felt himself falling backward, and in the moment before losing consciousness, he felt someone catch him from behind, Martha¡¯s soft voice ringing in his ear:


    ¡°Take a short nap, my love¨Cthe journey ahead is nothing short of miraculous.¡±


    Lawrence drifted into a groggy sleep, but it seemed as though he had only slept for a moment before he abruptly opened his eyes, instinctively calling out, ¡°Martha!¡±


    However, what reached his ears was First Mate Gus¡¯s voice: ¡°Captain, are you awake?¡±


    Lawrence finally came fully to his senses. He struggled to sit up, gasping for air as he woke up abruptly, then looked around to realize that he was lying in the captain¡¯s quarters on the bed¨Cwith First Mate Gus standing by, looking worried, and a few sailors nearby.


    And in a further corner, he saw a familiar figure¨Cit was Subject 077, that mummy who, unnoticed, was idly sizing up a noose around his neck, but upon realizing Lawrence¡¯s gaze, he quickly hid the rope, pretending nothing had happened.


    ¡°What happened to me¡­¡± Lawrence caught his breath, rubbing his forehead while muttering, temporarily unable to tell whether he was dreaming or awake, the recent events flickering through his memory like illusions.


    ¡°You have returned to the White Oak, ¡®Sailor¡¯ brought you back,¡± the first mate promptly said, gesturing toward the mummy not far away, ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for several hours.¡±


    ¡°I remember¡­ I remember exploring the Black Oak, I saw Martha there¡­ Did all that really happen?¡± Lawrence rubbed his forehead forcefully, then looked up, ¡°Where¡¯s the Black Oak now? Where is it now?¡±


    ¡°Your memory is fine, you did go to that ship, ¡®Sailor¡¯ also told us you met Ms. Martha there,¡± First Mate Gus helped Lawrence to his feet, but his face turned odd partway through his sentence, ¡°As for where that ship is now¡­ Captain, the current situation is a bit strange, I don¡¯t know how to explain it to you¡­¡±


    ¡°Strange?¡± Lawrence frowned, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Our ship is now out of control, the wheel and propeller don¡¯t work. The White Oak is drifting like a Ghost Ship, and as for the Black Oak¡­ I¡¯ll take you to see.¡±


    Hearing the first mate¡¯s anxious words, Lawrence¡¯s expression immediately became stern. He pushed away the assisting hand and followed behind the sailors toward the door.


    At the same time, he also noticed changes in himself and everyone else around¨C


    The faintly burning Spectral Flame had somehow been extinguished, and everyone¡¯s bodies now appeared alive again, and the walls and floor no longer showed the burning state similar to Homeloss¨Cthe everything here seemed to have returned to normal.


    The first mate noticed the captain¡¯s gaze and explained, ¡°The flames receded a few hours ago, not long after you returned.¡±


    Lawrence nodded silently, his mind more preoccupied with what could have happened to cause his normally composed first mate to exhibit such a flustered and helpless expression.


    Soon, he left the cabin along with the sailors and stepped onto the deck of the Homeloss.


    In just an instant, he realized something was eerily off about the surroundings.


    It was damp and icy cold, as if soaked by seawater. The sky was utterly devoid of light, with only ghostly clumps of shadows floating overhead, no wind at his side, yet he felt a cold current brushing against every inch of his skin, and from time to time, strange turbulent patterns appeared nearby, like tiny bubbles rising in the air.


    Lawrence felt aghast at the discordant surroundings and gradually began to understand what had happened. When first mate Gus led him to the edge of the ship¡¯s rail, he further confirmed his suspicions.


    ¡°The Ghost Ship is right there.¡±


    The first mate stood at the edge of the ship¡¯s rail, pointing towards the water just below.


    Lawrence looked down and saw the ¡°sea¡¯s¡± slow undulation. The ripples caused by the Homeloss¡¯s passage distorted bizarrely, spreading slowly around. On the sea¡¯s surface, mirroring a warped mirror, he saw the ¡°reflection¡± of the Homeloss.


    It was a ship shrouded in dense fog and shadow, with a few lights resembling ghostly lanterns burning aboard. It ¡°reflected¡± beneath the Homeloss, riding the wind and waves.


    At that moment, Lawrence finally understood the meaning of Martha¡¯s parting words.


    Now, the Homeloss was the reflection of the Ghost Ship.


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± First mate Gus, observing the changes in Lawrence¡¯s expression, accurately surmised from his years of following that the old captain might already know what was going on, ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why has our reflection in the sea turned into the Ghost Ship? And the loss of control of the ship¡­¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t lost control¨Cwe are merely following the Ghost Ship¡¯s course,¡± Lawrence exhaled softly, his face breaking into a slight smile, ¡°Let everyone rest well and gather strength. We are on our way to a place where all problems can be resolved.¡±


    ¡°A place where all problems can be resolved?¡± The first mate blinked, perplexed, ¡°Where are we headed?¡±


    ¡°We are headed towards Frost.¡±


    ¡­


    The veil of night was gradually enveloping the City-State.


    Two figures were swiftly moving through the streets, now under curfew.


    One figure was exceptionally tall and burly, wearing a black trench coat that evoked the falling night while the other seemed particularly short, even though clad in a thick winter garment, their slender frame unmistakably evident beneath.


    A cold wind blew, and the small, frail figure let out a solid sneeze: ¡°Achoo!¡±


    Duncan lowered his head, looking at Sherry, who was rubbing her nose, ¡°I told you to wear a scarf, and you wouldn¡¯t¨Cnights in Frost are much colder than in Prand.¡±


    ¡°So cold¡­¡± Sherry subconsciously tightened her clothes. Although the garment was enough to fend off the surrounding chill, she still felt the wind biting to the bone. Having grown up in Prand, she clearly wasn¡¯t used to Frost¡¯s climate and now regretted venturing out.


    Duncan looked at the girl with a half-smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d do anything as long as it didn¡¯t involve homework?¡±


    At the mention of this, Sherry stiffened her neck in defiance against the cold wind, ¡°Yes, I did say that!¡±


    ¡°Tough in every spot except your mouth,¡± Duncan sighed helplessly, then raised his head, his gaze reaching towards the distant alleys, ¡°Let¡¯s go; I¡¯d rather not deal with the night guards.¡±


    Sherry hurried to keep up with Duncan¡¯s stride, her small legs struggling to move forward while she couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°What exactly are we doing?¡±


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    ¡°Checking on someone¡¯s condition,¡± Duncan said casually as he walked on.


    ¡°Checking someone¡¯s condition?¡± Sherry looked up at the tall captain beside her, ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°The gatekeeper, Agatha,¡± Duncan replied indifferently.


    His gaze, meanwhile, extended past the night sky, focusing on the stretch of alleys ahead.


    A small cluster of spectral green flames flickered in his view, shining erratically, as if separated by a thick curtain.

 Chapter 388 - Chapter 388 Chapter 392 In the Mirror

    Chapter 388: Chapter 392: In the Mirror? Chapter 388: Chapter 392: In the Mirror? In Duncan¡¯s perception, two anomalies had caught his attention.


    One of the markings, of course, came from the Oak.


    The ship, which he had once engulfed in flames entirely, was still emitting a strong ¡°presence,¡± like a blazing fireball wandering within his senses, yet he still couldn¡¯t pinpoint the ship¡¯s actual location¨Cevery time he tried to determine the Oak¡¯s position, he would get a strange and blurry result. This result indicated that the Oak was somewhere next to Frost City-State, a place already blockaded by the Mist Fleet and Frost Navy.


    The other ¡°problematic¡± marking was on Gatekeeper Agatha.


    Over the past period, Duncan had suddenly found that the marking he left on Agatha had been interfered with. In the disturbance, Agatha¡¯s aura had become fainter by several degrees, and her location started to show the same blurry, twisted signs as the Oak. He attempted to confirm Agatha¡¯s status remotely, only to be shocked that her presence would occasionally vanish completely within the City-State.


    Two problematic markings, a ship, and a person, in different locations yet exhibiting similar states.


    This was obviously cause for concern.


    So, he chose to personally investigate the matter after nightfall¨Cthe Oak held no clue for the time being, but Agatha¡¯s marking still moved within Frost City from time to time and should be nearby.


    Duncan looked down at Sherry, who was glancing around beside him.


    Dog, as a Profound Demon, might come in handy with its perceptual abilities¨Cif there were truly worshippers of annihilation active in this vicinity, it could probably sniff out the ¡°scent¡± of its ¡°kind.¡±


    Night fell deeper, and the gas lamps along the street had all lit up, with the occasional sound of a night patrol¡¯s whistle or a dog¡¯s bark carrying from a distance, interspersed with the sound of waves coming from afar.


    The streets were deserted and cold during the curfew hours, and even though some light spilled out from the buildings along the road, it couldn¡¯t dispel the chill of the winter night. Duncan and Sherry passed through another alley, and in his ¡°vision,¡± the cluster of flames representing Agatha paused and continued not far away.


    ¡°Mr. Duncan, do you think if that gatekeeper sees me¡­ she might swing a sword at me?¡± Sherry asked, trying to make conversation, ¡°Like Fenna seeing a heretic¡­¡±


    ¡°Gatekeepers don¡¯t use swords,¡± Duncan said off-handedly, ¡°I heard Fenna say they fight heretics with specially crafted battle staffs and the Divine Arts of the Death Domain.¡±


    Sherry shrunk her neck at this and fell silent.


    Duncan paid no mind to the girl¡¯s reaction. After entering an alley, he suddenly stopped.


    Sherry also stopped abruptly, looking around nervously, ¡°Did you find something? Is the gatekeeper ahead?¡±


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s not ahead; she¡¯s right here,¡± Duncan spoke calmly, his gaze slowly sweeping across the alley, ¡°And she¡¯s been here for a while.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s here?!¡± Sherry¡¯s eyes widened as if she felt another chill breeze across her neck. She strained to look ahead, growing more anxious, ¡°Where, where¡­ I can¡¯t see her. Dog, do you see her?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see,¡± Dog¡¯s voice came from a nearby shadow, muffled, ¡°Can¡¯t see a person, can¡¯t feel a presence.¡±


    ¡°Even Dog can¡¯t see?¡± Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, and in front of him, that small cluster of flames representing Agatha was quietly burning a few meters ahead, feeble and ghostly.


    The gatekeeper was right here¨Cshe was resting here.


    Duncan moved toward where the flames were but stopped again.


    ¡°Agatha¡± seemed to sense something; the cluster of flames jumped suddenly as he approached halfway and then swiftly moved in another direction.


    Duncan raised his head and looked in the direction where the flames in his perception had moved. Suddenly, a quick shadow that passed over a nearby building¡¯s exterior window glass drew his attention.


    He saw a blurred figure dart across the pane, the silhouette vaguely resembling that of Agatha.


    Sherry, who had been looking up and around, also noticed the shadow, nearly letting out a cry of fright, but she quickly covered her mouth. After the shadow passed, she looked at Duncan, her voice filled with unease, ¡°There was a figure just now!¡±


    ¡°I saw it; it was reflected by the window,¡± Duncan said solemnly, his gaze still calmly fixed ahead. In a place invisible to Sherry, he continued to focus on that flicker of flame¨Cit had crossed the alley and flashed at the junction ahead before turning and running in another direction.


    He squinted slightly, as if sketching Agatha¡¯s situation in his mind.


    She seemed to be breaking free from some predicament, possibly injured or very exhausted. She had rested here briefly and then headed toward the Upper City District¨Cat the junction, something had obstructed her momentarily but failed to stop her.


    Duncan opened his eyes and once again gazed at the glass window nearby. In the smooth pane, Agatha¡¯s figure was gone, leaving only the quiet reflection of the distant street lamp.


    ¡°Fascinating¡­¡± Duncan murmured, ¡°Intriguing¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Sherry still looked bewildered, ¡°What? You¡¯ve figured it out?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Duncan said noncommittally, then stepped towards the glass window and lightly snapped his fingers.


    A small cluster of flames danced at his fingertips, illuminating his figure.


    He looked at the glass window and saw his hand¡¯s flame reflected on it, the jumping light seemed alive, quietly burning in the mirrored world.


    Sherry, puzzled by Duncan¡¯s actions, then saw him wave his hand and casually dispel the flame at his fingertips.


    But a faint green light still danced in her vision.


    Sherry¡¯s mouth slowly dropped open in astonishment at the scene before her: after Duncan dispersed the flame in his hand, the reflection of the flame on the glass window showed no sign of disappearing¨C the reflected flame was still quietly burning, as though it had its own independent existence, burning in the mirror!


    ¡°How¡­ how can this be?!¡± Sherry stammered, pointing at the flame in the glass window, ¡°Why is the flame still¡­ in there?¡±


    ¡°A mirrored Frost,¡± Duncan slowly turned his head, a hint of amusement in his voice, ¡°is gradually merging with the real-world Frost¨Ca fabulous bit of ingenuity, I must say, quite creative.¡±


    ¡°Mirrored¡­¡± Sherry may not fully understand, but still instinctively repeated the word, ¡°You mean there¡¯s another Frost in the mirror? That ¡®guardian¡¯ has run off to the world inside the mirror?¡±


    ¡°Not accurate, but you could understand it that way,¡± Duncan said calmly, turning his gaze back to the calmly burning reflected flame in the mirror, ¡°There is a small crack here, but it¡¯s not enough.¡±


    ¡°Not enough?¡± Sherry blinked.


    ¡°I need a more precise location, a stronger connection,¡± Duncan slowly extended his hand, his fingertips touching the phantom flame in the mirror, ¡°To ignite the world opposite the mirror, this small flame will not suffice. However¡­¡±


    He paused, then withdrew his finger.


    The phantom flame in the mirror suddenly shook, then slipped into the depths of the darkness, leaving behind only a dim, seemingly spreading, pale green trace.


    ¡°That should be enough to give Agatha a hand.¡±


    ¡­


    How many counterfeits made from the ¡°Prime Element¡± had she destroyed? How many ¡°avatars¡± of the blond-haired young man had she shattered?


    After the number exceeded four digits, Agatha had grown too weary to count.


    She knew only one thing that the heretic had not lied to her about¨Cshe indeed was trapped in this bizarre world, and there seemed no hope of escaping any time soon.


    Sky Light was dim, clouds chaotic, in this sunless ¡°Frost City-State¡± where day and night had lost their distinction. Only the subtle changes of light between clouds and the gas lamps lighting up the streets allowed her to estimate that night had fallen.


    Agatha moved through a narrow alley, catching her breath and healing physical and mental injuries while on the move.


    Her black coat was torn in many places from continuous battles, and the soft armor lining underneath was not lightly damaged either. At places like the shoulder and flank, one could even see the bandages wrapped around and skin underneath, with traces of blood seeping through.


    To be fair, the enemies were not strong. Even the ¡°avatars¡± used by the blond heretic, in the eyes of Agatha, the guardian, were not particularly formidable¨Cbarely a three-minute fight to resolve.


    But they were endless.


    The entire City-State served as their ¡°material¡± and ¡°reserve forces.¡± Ordinary combat methods were meaningless here.


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    Agatha moved through the alleys, rapidly calculating in her mind.


    At the same time, she recalled the strange and terrifying sensation from a few minutes ago.


    At that time, she was taking a short rest in a dark alley when that terrifying sensation suddenly emerged in her perception, the pressure¡­ even made her feel as though her heart had stopped beating for a few seconds.


    At the time, she left her hiding place in a hurry without thinking too much. But looking back now¡­ that terrifying presence did not seem like something that belonged in this bizarre counterfeit City-State.


    Then¡­ what exactly was it?

 Chapter 389 - Chapter 389 Chapter 393 Inside and Outside the Mirror

    Chapter 389: Chapter 393: Inside and Outside the Mirror Chapter 389: Chapter 393: Inside and Outside the Mirror Agatha suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    At the end of her line of sight, something abnormal at the small alleyway disrupted her rambling thoughts.


    In that dimly lit corner, clusters of revolting black matter surged forth. They seeped out from the nearby ground and walls like viscous grease overflowing from pipes, and in the nauseating noise, mounds of mud-like substances almost instantly began to take on human-like forms, casting malevolent glares at Agatha.


    ¡°Still haunting me, huh¡­¡±


    Agatha let out a soft sigh, but her body moved without hesitation¨Cbefore the mud could fully solidify, she had already raised her staff and aimed at the nearest cluster.


    Pale fierce flames ignited out of thin air, instantly devouring the writhing ¡°Prime Element.¡± The power of Cremation turned it into flying ash, and in the next second, a gray whirlwind swept through the alley. The howling Grey Wind passed through the rising humanoid counterfeits, as if bearing the mighty forces of devouring and erosion, reducing them to dry, corroded dust.


    Yet, more and more mud-like substances kept seeping through the walls and the ground, and an increasing number of humanoid aberrations appeared at the corner, blocking Agatha¡¯s way.


    As the Grey Wind swept past, Agatha¡¯s figure solidified from within the wind. Fatigue appeared on her face, and upon sensing an unusual aura suddenly emerging within the mud, her gaze grew even more solemn.


    She looked towards the direction where the aura came from, just in time to see a counterfeit made of Prime Element rapidly writhing and mutating. Within seconds, it transformed into a smiling young man with golden short hair, dressed in a white shirt and a black vest.


    ¡°Gatekeeper Miss, you certainly have impressive stamina,¡± the young man nodded slightly, his tone exceedingly polite, ¡°May I ask if your exercise here has been to your satisfaction?¡±


    ¡°If you think you can tire me to death here with this war of attrition, that¡¯s far too naive,¡± Agatha watched the young man¡¯s another incarnation with an icy gaze, steadying her breath, ¡°Death means nothing to me; I can fight even after death¨CThe Gatekeeper¡¯s soul never tires, and there will come a day when you¡¯ll be found by me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course, it¡¯s not so simple to truly kill a Saint of Bartok,¡± the young man laughed, his smile radiant, ¡°I¡¯ve never considered killing you. I just need to keep you here as long as possible. These empty husks provided for your slaughter should be regarded as hospitality, entertainment for your idle moments.¡±


    ¡°Your heretics¡¯ way of hospitality is indeed unique,¡± Agatha knew the other party was trying to delay her in various ways, but at least at this moment, she didn¡¯t mind speaking a bit more to regain her strength, ¡°I¡¯m suddenly a bit curious if your real body is also so leisurely at the moment¨CI can feel that I¡¯m gradually getting closer to your hiding place. Each time I destroy one of the monsters controlled by you, I can sense your whereabouts more clearly¡­ How many places do you have left to hide?¡±


    The smile on the blond young man¡¯s face finally stiffened for a moment, but it was just for an instant before he smiled pleasantly again, ¡°Ah, it seems I have overlooked¨CBartok¡¯s watchdog always has a good ¡®nose.¡¯ How about we make a bet then?¡±


    He raised one hand as if inviting her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s bet whether you find my real body first, or Frost becomes the first mortal kingdom where The Saint descends¨Cthe stakes are your soul, and the lives of everyone in Frost¡­¡±


    A pale fierce flame exploded abruptly, sweeping towards where the young man stood even before his words finished, and in the next second, Agatha had turned into a howling Grey Wind. This raging wind surged toward the corner, where the assembled counterfeit creatures immediately surged forward to stop the Grey Wind but were dissected and shattered by the power of the wind of death¨Cwithin the blink of an eye, the Grey Wind struck the blond young man now wrapped in pale flames, slamming him directly into a low wall on the other side of the alley.


    After a thunderous boom, the flames were dispersed by the fierce wind, and Agatha materialized from the Grey Wind. She stood with her staff raised in her right hand, the tip of the staff nailing the blond young man through the chest, pinning him firmly to the wall.


    ¡°Sorry, no bet,¡± Agatha watched his eyes, calmness in her gaze, ¡± Gambling is forbidden for clergy.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± The Heretic, pinned to the wall by the staff, twitched the corners of his mouth, black muddy substance oozing from his mouth and nose as he spoke, his shell rapidly dying, yet he seemed without fear or pain, ¡°I hope your composure and confidence last a little longer¡­¡±


    Life drained from the shell, and the body of the blond young man quickly collapsed and melted into a viscous black substance that flowed down and dried up quickly as it hit the ground. The surrounding counterfeit creatures that had been under his control also ceased to move, reverting back to a pile of lifeless ¡°Prime Element.¡±


    Agatha pulled her staff from the wall, flicking the impure substance from the end of her staff with disgust, then calmly raised her head, looking towards a direction in the Upper City District.


    ¡°`


    Another incarnation had been eliminated; as life ebbed away, the bond between the gatekeeper and the heretics lurking in the shadows grew stronger.


    It felt¡­ closer.


    ¡°With composure and confidence¡­ I have indeed always believed in myself¡­¡±


    Agatha muttered to herself, then took several deep breaths, leaned on her cane, and slowly made her way toward the direction she sensed. Meanwhile, behind her, in a puddle, a cluster of eerie green flames began to emerge from the water¡¯s reflection, quietly brightening the dim alleyway.


    In the puddles in the alley, in the windows of nearby buildings, on the metal lampposts of distant streetlights¡­ the flames¡¯ tiny reflections could be seen on all the shiny, mirror-like surfaces.


    ¡­


    The Silent Sanctum was bright with candlelight, and the sounds of the cane and heels striking the ground broke the tranquility of the meditative hall, as a tall figure dressed in black passed through the dark-colored doors to approach the platform where the black ¡°spirit coffin¡± was placed.


    An aged, hoarse voice came from the coffin, ¡°Agatha, you¡¯ve returned¨Chow is the situation in the second waterway?¡±


    ¡°The first batch of people has just reached the west entrance; just to clear the connecting shafts and deliver equipment downstairs will take a whole day,¡± Agatha shook her head, somewhat helplessly, ¡°You need to have some patience, Bishop Ivan.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The voice from the coffin fell silent for a moment, then asked, ¡°What about the situation at the west entrance?¡±


    Agatha: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a pause, she sighed: ¡°What else can you expect from an underground facility that¡¯s been abandoned for half a century? I¡¯ve mobilized twelve heavy machine guns and three steam walkers, all the bullets blessed with holy oil and fire, and a hundred and fifty fully armed silent monks, to dispel the darkness there. The good news is that we¡¯ve succeeded in establishing the first base at the junction beneath the vertical shafts and have restarted the electricity and lighting in a few of the connecting tunnels. The next exploration might be a bit smoother than expected¨Cif we don¡¯t encounter more collapses and gas leaks, that is.¡±


    ¡°Any discoveries of heretic figures?¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment,¡± Agatha shook her head, ¡°But the deeper areas are still unclear¨Cthe second waterway is too vast, and the different collapsed regions are isolated from each other. We are currently just getting our footing in the first passage of one of the areas. However, there is one concern that¡¯s rather troubling¡­¡±


    The sound of fabric rustling came from the coffin, and then the somber lid was pushed open from the inside, as Bishop Ivan, resembling a mummy, sat up.


    ¡°A troubling concern?¡± the ¡°mummy¡± asked in a deep voice, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°At the end of some ancient pipes, we found signs of repair and alterations, and some suspicious branch pipes extending into the dark depths,¡± Agatha said with a frown, ¡°We¡¯ve checked the archives for the Primordial Blueprint and confirmed those pipes are not on the original design plan.¡±


    Bishop Ivan was silent for a while before he asked, ¡°What is your opinion?¡±


    ¡°It looks like someone continued to maintain that area after the second waterway was abandoned and carried out some modifications,¡± Agatha shared her thoughts, ¡°This maintenance wasn¡¯t continuous, so many areas were abandoned after several years. But deeper in the sewers, there might be something still in operation.¡±


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    Bishop Ivan listened intently and after a long time slowly spoke, ¡°The second waterway¡­ It¡¯s a vast underground kingdom, capable of harboring countless secrets. Even if you filled it with all the guardians¡¯ forces, you wouldn¡¯t cover all its corridors and junctions. So don¡¯t focus too much on those inconsequential signs of alteration¨Cconcentrate on searching for the heretics, and leave the other matters for the city hall to worry about.¡±


    Agatha looked at Bishop Ivan and then nodded thoughtfully.


    Bishop Ivan noticed the gatekeeper¡¯s weariness in her expression, ¡°You look unrested¨Cit shouldn¡¯t be that the exploration has exhausted you to this extent. Are you not feeling well? You¡¯ve seemed burdened with thoughts ever since you came in.¡±


    Agatha opened her mouth, hesitated for a few seconds, and then spoke, ¡°It is a bit¡­ restless.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 390 - Chapter 390 Chapter 394 Encounter in the Fog

    Chapter 390: Chapter 394: Encounter in the Fog Chapter 390: Chapter 394: Encounter in the Fog ¡°Restless in spirit?¡± Bishop Ivan¡¯s tone clearly changed after hearing Agatha¡¯s reply. He stared intently into Agatha¡¯s eyes. ¡°For a saint, ¡®restlessness in spirit¡¯ is not a good sign¡­ What happened? When did it start?¡±


    ¡°It started after I came back from that polluted water treatment center,¡± Agatha didn¡¯t conceal anything, for she knew that the old bishop before her was the most trustworthy person in the entire City-State. ¡°I always feel like I¡¯ve forgotten something, as if¡­ I left something behind there. But I¡¯ve reviewed what happened there over and over again and haven¡¯t found any inconsistencies.¡±


    ¡°That water treatment center¡­¡± Bishop Ivan¡¯s voice was low. He, of course, knew what Agatha was referring to. The incident had been immediately reported to the cathedral and the town hall when it occurred, and the investigation and purification work were still going on in full swing. ¡°I¡¯m also following this matter¨Cthe survivor from the management team is still receiving treatment in a psychiatric hospital, the original dozen or so employees from the center are still missing, and according to the sampling report from the site, you should have purified the entire facility¡¯s pollution¨Cat least in theory, there shouldn¡¯t be any hidden dangers left.¡±


    ¡°But I still feel uneasy,¡± Agatha confessed. ¡°Though there¡¯s no evidence, I must have overlooked something.¡±


    ¡°¡­Have you checked your spiritual state? How are the results of cognitive recalibration?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve checked,¡± Agatha nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve done both self-cognition recalibration and subconscious checks with the help of a psychiatrist, and I didn¡¯t find any problems.¡±


    Bishop Ivan didn¡¯t respond immediately, and after a few seconds, he broke the silence with a thoughtful tone, ¡°Then it¡¯s possible that your own ¡®inner self¡¯ is issuing a warning¨Cit may come from your subconscious, your spiritual sight, or even your faith.¡±


    ¡°I will go back there to check again,¡± Agatha nodded. ¡°Before that, I¡¯m going to the prayer room to pray for a while¨Chopefully, the Lord will give me some guidance.¡±


    Bishop Ivan nodded slightly, ¡°Go ahead, I hope the prayer can alleviate your trouble.¡±


    Agatha hummed in acknowledgment, stood up from the platform holding the spirit coffins, and a moment later, vanished outside the doors of the Sanctuary of Contemplation.


    The vast sanctuary quieted down, with only Ivan, the bishop akin to a mummy, still sitting on the edge of the spirit coffin. He watched the direction Agatha had left, seemingly lost in thought, and after who knows how long, he sighed softly and traced the triangular emblem of the death god Bartok on his chest, ¡°May the Lord guide¡­¡±


    In the silent Sanctuary of Contemplation, the candlesticks embedded in the niches burned quietly. The flames flickered silently, and the gleaming black marble floor reflected the brightness of the candlesticks around. Near those dancing flames, it seemed as if many fleeting shadows passed by like phantoms.


    ¡­


    Outside the Frost City, along the boundary line of the nearby maritime region, a patrol ship flying the Frost Navy¡¯s flag was inspecting the sea surface according to the set course.


    A naval commander walked up to the ship¡¯s bow deck, frowning as he looked toward the distant sea¨Cthe cold gleam of the Creation of the World fell from the sky, casting a pale shimmer over the sea¡¯s glittering waves. Amongst those waves, one could occasionally see large and small chunks of ice floating by. These ice fragments drifted neatly in one direction in the distance, vaguely appearing to form an invisible ¡°boundary.¡±


    The commander, of course, knew what these seemingly natural ¡°icebergs¡± were all about¨Cthey weren¡¯t ¡°ice fragments¡± at all but part of the Mist Fleet.


    That was the ice surrounding the Sea Mist when the cursed Ghost Ship appeared on the seas. Whenever it materialized, such ice would appear around it, symbolizing the ¡°territory¡± of the pirate captain, as well as the manifestation of the Curse¡¯s power of the Sea Mist. Any ship that dared approach the Sea Mist without permission would first be subjected to a ¡°baptism¡± by these icebergs. The milder cases were mere impediments to movement, while more severe cases could end up frozen on the sea surface, turning all aboard the ship into souls trapped in ice.


    The Sea Mist often used this method to blockade routes, intercept merchant ships passing through its territory, and collect what they called an ¡°ice handling service fee¡±¨Cin most cases, the ship didn¡¯t have to fire a single shot to accomplish this shameful act of extortion.


    Of course, for now, the Mist Fleet had temporarily ceased hostilities with the Frost Navy, and those icebergs wouldn¡¯t actively spread to the naval patrol ships. Still, their mere presence was a form of coercive deterrence, the message clear:


    Even here, at Frost¡¯s doorstep, beyond lay the Mist Fleet¡¯s territory.


    The commander, clad in a Frost Navy uniform, gritted his teeth with a sigh, trying to calm his mind.


    The overall situation was paramount, soldiers should obey their superiors¡¯ judgments¨Cthe City-State needed safety, and that safety required the Mist Fleet¡¯s cooperation.


    The blockade of the entire sea area took precedence over everything else.


    ¡°The fog is rising at sea again,¡± a junior officer approached the deck, murmuring as he looked at the distance, ¡°It¡¯s been happening almost every day.¡±


    The patrol ship¡¯s commander looked up at the sea ahead.


    As his subordinate said, fog was emerging on the sea¨Ca veil of mist was gradually gathering on the sea surface and spreading around that boundary of ¡°icebergs.¡± The light of the Creation of the World permeated the fog, casting an eerie pallor over the area.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably the Sea Mist bringing it in again,¡± the commander frowned. ¡°Wherever that ship goes, ice and fog seem to follow.¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Sea Mist¡¯ hasn¡¯t moved from its position,¡± a subordinate said, ¡°Maybe that ¡®pirate general¡¯ just wanted to show off his presence?¡±


    ¡°No matter what he thinks,¡± the commander shook his head, ¡°we should not get close to the foggy and icy areas¨CFrost must not be the first to break the treaty.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The commander grunted, then looked back at the distant fog with a hint of puzzlement, ¡°But now that you mention it¡­ isn¡¯t the fog a bit thicker than usual tonight?¡±


    Following the commander¡¯s gaze, the subordinate noticed that the patch of fog lingering around the icebergs was indeed expanding and seemed denser than usual. And within the thickening fog, something seemed to be swaying vaguely.


    ¡°The fog is getting thicker,¡± the junior officer muttered, ¡°Is there something in the fog?¡±


    ¡°¡­Something¡¯s not right.¡±


    As the patrol ship commander spoke, his expression suddenly changed. He quickly picked up a pair of binoculars and looked in the direction of the dense fog. After a moment of careful observation, he confirmed that there indeed was something moving within the fog¨Ca massive shape, approaching.


    A ship!


    ¡°It¡¯s a ship, coming from the Mist Fleet¡¯s patrolled area,¡± the commander set down the binoculars, speaking rapidly, ¡°Signal with lights¨CThe Mist Fleet has crossed the border; tell them to stop immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The junior officer responded loudly and then quickly ran toward the rear of the deck. Shortly after, the patrol ship¡¯s large searchlights installed on the upper deck came on, sending a series of light signals into the dense fog.


    However, the shadow of the ship within the thickening fog showed no signs of slowing down.


    The patrol ship commander stared intently at the vague shape in the fog, watching as the other vessel not only failed to slow down but actually sped up towards them. As it approached, even the surrounding sea mist seemed to be spreading out as if consciously¨Cwithin mere moments, the surging fog had already engulfed the areas within a hundred meters around the patrol ship, and it seemed as if it was about to encircle the ship from all sides!


    ¡°Damn pirates!¡±


    The patrol ship commander couldn¡¯t help but curse silently, and turned to run briskly up to the bridge. Rushing to the helm, he shouted, ¡°Reverse, turn, that thing is heading straight for us¨CHas the Mist Fleet responded?¡±


    ¡°No response to the light signals! No response to short-range calls either!¡± a soldier at the control console shouted back, ¡°We¡¯re calling the ¡®Sea Mist¡¯ on the agreed frequency, but there¡¯s no answer¡­ hold on, there¡¯s a response now!¡±


    The communication light on the console suddenly lit up, and the automatic recorder began to clack away, spitting out a long strip of perforated tape from the machine¡¯s mouth. The signalman swiftly picked up the tape and read the symbols, only to look up bewildered moments later: ¡°The Mist Fleet says they haven¡¯t crossed the border¨Ctheir ships are all stationary.¡±


    ¡°All stationary?¡±


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    The patrol ship commander¡¯s eyes widened with shock, and then he abruptly looked up, towards the porthole outside¨Cthe fog had already spread to the bow of the patrol ship. Despite the helmsman¡¯s efforts to turn, it was clear that the movement of the ship could not keep up with the eerie spread of the mist. The vague shadow in the surging fog was getting closer and closer.


    ¡°Turn, hard to port, turn!¡±


    The patrol ship lurched sharply, the steam core letting out a strangled roar as both the steering rudder and the side thrusters powered up, almost as if trying to dismantle the ship with their force, turning it around in the fog. Amidst a violent shake and a series of noise, the patrol ship commander gripped the rail beside him tightly and widened his eyes to view the scene outside the window¨C


    Through the suddenly clearing fog, a massive ship nearly brushed past the railing of the patrol ship¡¯s hull.


    It was neither a member of the Frost Navy nor one of the ¡®Sea Mist¡¯¨Cit was a patchwork and rust-covered warship from an old era, the severely damaged hull paint and outdated bow design seemed to silently speak of the many years of hardship it had suffered.


    The patrol ship commander watched dumbfounded as the colossal ship passed by their patrol vessel. It took him several seconds to react, and he suddenly recalled an old diagram and record he had seen in a document¨C


    ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®Warrior,¡¯ sunk forty years ago¡­¡±


    (Book recommendation time, from the author ¡®Yi Xi Cheng Dao¡¯ and his ¡®Warlord¡¯s Divine Throne.¡¯ Open up God¡¯s Domain, manage the God¡¯s Domain, nurture a following, build an army, conquer planes, plunder resources, and inherit ancient legacies.)

 Chapter 391 - Chapter 391 Chapter 395 The Gradually Approaching Mirror Image

    Chapter 391: Chapter 395: The Gradually Approaching Mirror Image Chapter 391: Chapter 395: The Gradually Approaching Mirror Image On the patrol cruiser, everyone was staring agape at the immense ship that suddenly burst out of the thick fog, nearly grazing the cruiser¡¯s side with a bow almost twice as high, watching its corroded hull slide slowly forward. Above the ¡°Warrior,¡± a tattered and outdated banner seemed to still hang, those cloth strips whose original appearance was now indiscernible flapped wildly in the night wind, looking like loose¡­ shrouds.


    The commander of the patrol cruiser was the first to snap to action.


    ¡°Keep turning, accelerate away!¡± he yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t get caught in that ship¡¯s wake!¡±


    Gliding past a main battleship at this distance was extremely dangerous, especially for a patrol cruiser¨Ca small ship¨Cbecause the flow of water around and behind a large ship could greatly disturb the smaller vessel¡¯s course, where any collision in the violent swaying could be fatal.


    The steam core started roaring again, and the helmsman was now feeling the terrifying influence of the larger ship¨C the cruiser¡¯s hull was drifting and swaying to one side, he had to exert all his strength to stabilize the ship amidst the irregular currents and accelerate away from the colossal object that was perilously close.


    The helmsman¡¯s efforts were on the verge of failing.


    The speed of the ¡°Warrior¡± exceeded expectations, and the turbulent currents that enveloped the ship were so strange and unpredictably ancient that they even surpassed the helmsman¡¯s many years of accumulated experience¨Che felt as though countless invisible ropes from the sea¡¯s depths were entangling the cruiser¡¯s rudder and hull, maliciously dragging the small ship closer to that old battleship, which seemed like a ghost ship.


    The entire ship began making discomfiting creaking and groaning sounds, as if being forcefully torn apart by something unseen.


    The small gap that the patrol cruiser had just managed to obtain through a sudden turn and full-throttle engine lasted only a few breaths before the entire ship began to visibly draw closer to the stern of the ¡°Warrior,¡± that rusted ¡°cliff¡± rapidly enlarging in everyone¡¯s field of vision, with many shuddering, ghastly figures¨Cneither human nor humanlike¨Cappearing near the railings of the Warrior, overlooking the about-to-capsize small ship with a bone-chilling gaze.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to hit! We¡¯re going to hit!¡±


    Someone cried out, and the sailors immediately ran toward the nearest railings or handrails to avoid being thrown overboard at the moment of impact. Still, at the very moment when the side of the cruiser touched the stern of the Warrior¨C the latter disappeared.


    The ¡°Warrior¡± vanished right before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Like a dreadfully awakening nightmare, the old main battleship that had blotted out the sky just a second ago vanished in an instant from the soldiers¡¯ sight, leaving only the terrifying impression and fearful emotions trembling in each person¡¯s heart; the people on the bridge and the deck looked at each other as if waking from a profound dream, cluelessly uncertain about their whereabouts.


    The fog dissipated, the chilly radiance of the Creation of the World shone on the sea surface, the cold sea breeze made many sober up, and only a swathe of undulating ripples remained on the empty sea, along with pieces of drifting ice floes in the distance.


    The patrol cruiser¡¯s commander slowly released his grip on the railing, moved next to a porthole, and looked out at the sea. A subordinate approached him, muttering to himself as if in soliloquy: ¡°A collective illusion? Was that just a mirage?¡±


    ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t an illusion,¡± the commander said in a low voice. He raised his hand, pointing at a section of the railing outside the porthole, ¡°See that? The railing is damaged¨Cwe¡¯ve already hit something.¡±


    ¡°Where did it go then? The previous ¡®Sea Swallow¡¯ didn¡¯t end up like this¡­ the Sea Swallow didn¡¯t ¡®disappear into thin air¡¯ until it was completely shattered. Moreover, the currents around us changed just now, the helmsman couldn¡¯t even control the course¡­¡±


    The commander did not speak immediately, but after pondering for a long while, he finally slowly said, ¡°Perhaps¡­ we just sailed into some sort of crevice¨Cthe ones that suddenly appeared and disappeared were not the ghost ship, but ourselves.¡±


    The subordinate¡¯s face instantly showed a mix of astonishment and horror, then instinctively looked toward the distant sea and in the direction of Frost City-State. After a few seconds, he spoke, ¡°So¡­ have we returned to the real world now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Signal the Sea Mist and Frost mainland immediately,¡± the commander said after a brief contemplation, speaking quickly, ¡°Compare their responses and ascertain our own state¨Cbefore we can confirm the situation, do not approach any ships that appear in the surrounding waters.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°They encountered a battleship that sank forty years ago? And then, right before the collision, that battleship suddenly disappeared?¡± In the captain¡¯s chamber of the Sea Mist, Tirian leaned back in the chair, raising an eyebrow after hearing the report from his first officer, Aiden. ¡°Now they¡¯re still wandering in the patrol area¨Cbecause they¡¯re afraid to confirm whether they¡¯ve returned to the real world?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it seems the commander of that patrol ship deduced they briefly entered an ¡®Anomaly Waters¡¯ based on the various phenomena they encountered when they came across the ¡®Warrior¡¯ before. Now they are trying to confirm whether the surrounding environment is real by contacting both the Mist Fleet and Frost,¡± Aiden nodded, then shrugged his shoulders, ¡°I think they might be a bit spooked, on edge.¡±


    ¡°¡­No, this is the correct caution,¡± Tyrion, however, shook his head, his expression quite serious, ¡°We might not like the current Frost Navy, but we must acknowledge that they have indeed defended the City-State for fifty years¨Cin terms of experience dealing with Transcendent phenomena, they are no less competent than us. That commander¡¯s judgment is likely correct.¡±


    Hearing the captain¡¯s words, Aiden¡¯s expression finally turned serious as well, ¡°So¡­ they really briefly entered an ¡®Anomaly Waters¡¯ that might overlap with the real world? And they encountered the Warrior there?¡±


    ¡°The Warrior, eh¡­ I still remember that ship. When it was first built, the queen herself had conducted its christening,¡± Tyrion said with a hint of melancholy, ¡°Do you remember how it sank?¡±


    ¡°Of course, after all, it was sunk by us,¡± First Officer Aiden nodded, ¡°After the ship fell under rebel control and underwent some modifications, it was sent to eradicate our ¡®fugitive fleet¡¯. In the first engagement, it was sunk by an ambush you arranged, just off the coast of Frost¨Csuccessive cannon fire hit the ammunition compartment and fuel stores, nearly breaking it in half.¡±


    ¡°Yes, broken in half, but the patrol ship saw a complete Warrior,¡± Tyrion said, ¡°So clearly¨Cit¡¯s a replica similar to what happened with the Sea Swallow.¡±


    ¡°Frost has always been looking for the source of those ¡®replicas,¡¯ since they always seem to appear out of nowhere¡­¡± Aiden mused, ¡°Could it be¡­ a hidden overlapping space?¡±


    ¡°Frost will likely receive the news soon. The clever ones among them will analyze that possibility, and as for us, we needn¡¯t worry about them¨Cwe have our own tasks.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to report this to the old captain?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s been waiting for my latest news,¡± Tyrion said, raising his hand to point outside, ¡°You go out first, close the door, and don¡¯t let anyone in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Tyrion has reported a new development.¡±


    Inside a temporary residence on Oak Street in Frost City-State, Duncan spoke to Maurice and Fenna, who were sitting across from him.


    Next to him, Nina was engrossed in a history book, while Sherry, who had wandered around with him until midnight, was already dozing off.


    ¡°A new development?¡± Maurice immediately adjusted his sitting posture, ¡°Something happened at sea?¡±


    ¡°A Frost patrol ship in the southwestern waters encountered a navy battleship that sank forty years ago, suspected to be a ¡®replica¡¯ like the Sea Swallow, but no battle ensued¨Cafter a light collision, the ¡®replica¡¯ battleship vanished before the eyes of the patrol ship. Now it¡¯s uncertain whether new replicas have suddenly appeared on the ocean or whether the patrol ship entered an Anomaly Waters parallel to the real world for a short time¨Cthe latter is more likely.¡±


    ¡°¡­An Anomaly Waters parallel to the real world¡­¡± Maurice analyzed the phrase, his expression gradually turning solemn as he raised his head, ¡°This seems to confirm your discovery tonight¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, another Frost appeared in the mirror¨Cif all the replicas, even the Heretics¡¯ lairs, are hidden in a ¡®mirror world¡¯, that would explain why the source of contamination cannot be found even after scouring the entire city,¡± Duncan spoke slowly, ¡°And there are the ¡®Crows¡¯ who vanished without a trace only to reappear out of thin air, the numerous Replication individuals of unknown origin in the City-State, certain personnel¡¯s disappearances¡­ All can be accounted for.¡±


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    Maurice and Fenna looked at each other, seeing the same gravity in each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°¡­Ordinary heresy and demonic enemies I can handle, even if the enemies are strong, by marshaling more manpower and firepower we can always cleanly resolve them, but the enemies in the mirror¡­¡± Fenna frowned deeply, looking a bit vexed, ¡°I can¡¯t think of a solution right now¡­ I can¡¯t even figure out how the Heretics managed it.¡±


    ¡°If this is also within the authority of the Transcendent Saint, then His power is clearly not limited to spreading from the deep sea to the surface, but also in a large scale dissemination, this is no longer just making a few replicas as a ¡®small event.''¡± Maurice also spoke up.


    Both ¡°professionals¡± seemed troubled, and seeing this, Duncan smiled, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve already cast a spark into the other side of the mirror.¡±


    Maurice & Fenna: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±

 Chapter 392 - Chapter 392 Chapter 396 Alice of Unknown Material

    Chapter 392: Chapter 396: Alice of Unknown Material Chapter 392: Chapter 396: Alice of Unknown Material Duncan had indeed cast a Fire Seed into that mirror image of the Frost City-State¨Cbut he felt it was far from enough.


    He could distinctly feel that the situation with Frost was different from that with Prand; the Fire Seed he cast did not spread swiftly on ¡°the other side of the mirror,¡± and his perception of the Fire Seed was greatly weakened and interfered with¨Che guessed that this might be because there were natural barriers between the worlds ¡°on both sides of the mirror,¡± or because there was not an exact correspondence between the mirror image and the real world, and those misaligned parts were interfering with his judgment.


    Whatever the cause, he needed to find a way to strengthen the connection between himself and the Fire Seed, as well as the connection with the White Oak and Agatha.


    During the conversation, Fenna suddenly showed a thoughtful expression, ¡°Speaking of the mirror issue¡­ You¡¯re sure you saw the figure of that gatekeeper in the reflection in the glass, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am sure.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit strange then¡­¡± Fenna furrowed her brows, ¡°If she really is trapped in that mirror world, how come there is no inkling from the City-State until now¨Cthe Supreme Defender¡¯s mysterious disappearance, even if news were sealed off to calm the public¡¯s mind, at least the church and city hall would take some other actions¡­¡±


    She paused here, summarizing based on her experience, ¡°Secret searches, martial law in specific areas, changes in the frequency and distribution of the guardians¡¯ nocturnal patrols¨Ceven under news blackout, these details could be observed. But Mr. Morris and I were active in the City-State for a long time today, and we did not detect such changes.¡±


    Nina, who had been reading with her head down, suddenly looked up, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because the gatekeeper hasn¡¯t been missing for long, and the City-State hasn¡¯t reacted yet?¡±


    ¡°¡­ If that¡¯s really the case, then Frost is truly beyond salvation,¡± Fenna shook her head seriously, ¡°But from my observations during this period, although the City-State is in a certain decline, it¡¯s not so bad in other aspects, at least the church and the city hall are operating in order.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll observe a change in the atmosphere of the City-State tomorrow during the day,¡± Duncan said casually, and just as he was about to say more, a somewhat heavy sensation suddenly came from his arm, interrupting what he wanted to say.


    Sherry had slumped over, banging her head on his arm, with steady snores.


    But the next second, before Duncan could react, she jolted awake from her sleep, and even the dog dozing at the foot of the sofa was dragged into midair, ¡°Right right right¡­ s-sorry¡­¡±


    Sherry¡¯s ¡°sorry¡± didn¡¯t even stutter out before Duncan heard a loud ¡°bang,¡±¨Cthe dog that had just been flung into midair landed on the floor, rolling up, its head buzzing, ¡°What¡¯s happenin¡¯, what¡¯s happenin¡¯, did a fight break out?¡±


    Then it realized the atmosphere around was a bit eerie and raised its head to see several odd looks directed at Sherry and itself.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a fight, Sherry fell asleep,¡± Duncan said with a smile and a sigh, looking at Sherry who was still tensed up, ¡°It¡¯s alright, go upstairs to sleep. Minors need to ensure they get enough sleep¨CNina, stop reading too, it¡¯s bedtime.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Nina reluctantly put away the book she was halfway through, stood up, and grabbed the still anxious Sherry, the two hand in hand walking toward the second floor.


    Duncan watched the two girls disappear up the stairs, then turned his gaze back to nod at Fenna, ¡°Tomorrow you and Morris go to the Upper City District, see if there¡¯s any change in the atmosphere around the cathedral, and if possible, probe the city hall¡¯s reaction¨Cgiven the events of today, the presence of the Frost City-State¡¯s city hall has always been very low-profile, I¡¯m curious what they are actually doing.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Fenna nodded, then curiously asked, ¡°And you? What are your plans next?¡±


    ¡°I plan to go back to the second waterway again, with Alice,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°We¡¯ll have a look at the corridor where Crow had an incident¨Cif now we suspect the existence of a ¡®mirror Frost,¡¯ and since Crow very likely entered there by mistake, perhaps we can find some new clues in that corridor.¡±


    At this point, he suddenly realized, ¡°Speaking of which, is Alice still cleaning up in the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°It seems so,¡± Morris said, standing up and turning around, ¡°She really has been delayed too long in the kitchen¡­ Hope she hasn¡¯t gotten her head stuck in some corner and can¡¯t get it out.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you guys give me a break¡­ I¡¯ll go have a look.¡± Duncan sighed helplessly and rose from the couch to head to the kitchen.


    The moment he entered the kitchen, he saw the Gothic doll standing by the sink¨Cshe hadn¡¯t dropped her head as Morris had guessed, but was instead staring at a corner of the ceiling at an odd angle, blankly looking in a direction where there was nothing, then extending her hand holding the kitchen knife, stirring in the air, and then changing directions to continue agitating the air¨Clike she was trying to catch an invisible fly.


    The Gothic doll, standing in the kitchen with a vacant expression holding a knife and slashing at the air, was an exceedingly bizarre sight. It was as if a health bar would sprout from the top of her head, filling the screen at any moment, accompanied by a background music in the style of a pipe organ¨Cthe sight finally made Duncan unable to refrain from speaking up, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Waah!¡±


    Alice was startled in an instant and subconsciously reached out to touch her head¨Cbut she forgot that she was still holding a sharp knife in her hand, so the next second, with a ¡°puh¡± sound, she had stabbed herself right in the forehead with it.


    With a ¡°crack,¡± her head just came off because she had poked it herself.


    Even though Duncan was used to seeing this puppet¡¯s horrifying and unreliable behavior, he was stunned at this moment. He quickly stepped forward to support Alice¡¯s faltering body, and then saw her frantically waving her arms¨Cshe was still gripping the sharp kitchen knife, with the tip stuck in her own head, which she waved around several times before she finally realized what had happened, hurriedly grabbed her head with her left hand and forcefully pulled the knife out with her right.


    Then the puppet casually threw the knife aside and deftly pressed her head onto her neck, with an ¡°pop¡± after which everything was back in place.


    ¡°You gave me a fright!¡± Alice turned her head, looking somewhat aggrieved at Duncan, but her attention was quickly drawn to something on Duncan¡¯s arm, ¡°¡­Captain, that knife looks familiar.¡±


    Duncan, expressionless (his face was also covered by bandages), gripped the hilt of the kitchen knife sticking out of his arm and nonchalantly pulled it out before throwing it aside: ¡°Nonsense, you just stabbed it into me.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m so sorry!¡± The puppet immediately exclaimed in panic, rushing forward to check on him, ¡°Are you okay? Do you need any bandages?¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m basically just a corpse anyway.¡± Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched, but his gaze couldn¡¯t help but fall on Alice¡¯s forehead.


    The puppet Miss had given herself a huge wound on the forehead with the knife, but at this very moment, the wound was healing at a visibly rapid pace¨Cthere was no blood, only a smooth, jade-like cut, and in just a few breaths, it was as good as new.


    Alice felt a little awkward under Duncan¡¯s gaze and subconsciously touched her face, ¡°Why are you staring at me¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­What exactly are you made of?¡± Duncan frowned, reaching out to touch where Alice had been injured, finding a sensation similar yet different from skin, cold and devoid of life, ¡°Do you realize you just had a hole in your head?¡±


    Alice paused for a moment, touched her forehead, and blankly answered, ¡°It¡¯s healed.¡±


    ¡°I know that it¡¯s healed!¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand,¡± Alice shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what material I¡¯m made of¡­ but it seems like it¡¯s not wood or ceramic¡­¡±


    Duncan held back for two seconds, then forced a smile, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t expect any answers from you¨Cnever mind, let¡¯s not talk about this. What were you doing just now? Why were you staring at the ceiling and spacing out?¡±


    ¡°There were lines,¡± Alice answered honestly, ¡°Some lines suddenly appeared just now¨Cbut they¡¯ve suddenly disappeared.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression changed instantly: ¡°Lines?!¡±


    Alice could see special ¡°lines,¡± and these lines represented ¡°people¡±!


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    ¡°Yeah,¡± Alice nodded earnestly, ¡°I was also curious about why there were lines suddenly appearing when there¡¯s no one else¡­ but I remember what you taught me, not to just randomly grab other people¡¯s ¡®lines,¡¯ so I was using the kitchen knife to fiddle with them¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t pay attention to what the puppet was saying in the latter part of her sentence, his focus was already on those ¡°lines¡± that Alice had mentioned, the ones that had appeared and then vanished suddenly.


    His eyes quickly scanned the kitchen, searching for anything that might establish a connection with the ¡°mirror¡± dimension.


    The glass on the windows, the water in the sink, the blade of the kitchen knife¨Cthese all could be used to connect with the mirror space, but none showed any abnormalities.


    Yet Duncan believed Alice, she wouldn¡¯t lie.


    At some point just now, the mirror Frost had somehow intersected with this reality¨Cperhaps a very, very faint and brief intersection, but enough for the puppet to catch the ¡°lines¡± drifting over from there.

 Chapter 393 - Chapter 393 397 Chapter City Hall

    Chapter 393: 397 Chapter City Hall Chapter 393: 397 Chapter City Hall It had snowed.


    Clear weather appeared not to have lasted long before another snowfall visited Frost, starting from the morning. The gloomy clouds hovered over the City-State like lead weights, and the disorderly cold winds blew incessantly across the streets. As noon approached, snowflakes began to swirl down from the Upper City District to the Lower City District¨Cevery tower and alley was shrouded in blurry, swirling snowflakes.


    The sudden snowfall made the streets significantly quieter.


    The sound of a steam car braking broke the quiet in the snowy streets. A dark gray car stopped at the city hall entrance, the door opened, and Agatha, dressed in black, stepped out and walked toward the large, dignified building toned in light gray.


    She looked up at the towering main building of the city hall¨Ca classical building inherited from the era of monarchs still exuding the grandeur of the past age. Its towering pillars, archways, and continuously undulating roof structure looked imposing at any time. Although its name had changed from ¡°Winter Court¡± to the present ¡°City Hall,¡± its status in the City-State had never changed.


    It stood as one of the ¡°dual poles of authority¡± in the City-State, along with the distant Silent Sanctum, both guarding this city of molten gold¨Carchitecture is a history book built of stone where the flowing and changing powers and figures within are merely rows of text on the pages. Whether it was the era of the queens or the present Governor system, both were ultimately records turned past in the book of history¡­


    Agatha suddenly frowned and raised her hand to gently press her temple.


    She realized that she had drifted off again, spawning many sentiments like a sentimental poet¨Cshe had been like this frequently these days, for some reason engulfed by random thoughts, or feeling inexplicably restless.


    This was not a good sign; as the gatekeeper of the City-State, her mental state had to be highly controlled. ¡°Drifting off¡± was a situation to be avoided as much as possible.


    Footsteps from the direction of the door interrupted Agatha¡¯s mental activities, and she looked up to see a senior secretary dressed in a deep blue coat approaching her.


    ¡°Miss Agatha,¡± the young man serving as the Governor¡¯s assistant came before her and bowed respectfully, ¡°the Governor has been informed of your visit and is waiting for you in the dome office.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to forego formalities,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°lead the way.¡±


    On the top floor of the city hall, in a large office with a domed ceiling, Winston, the current Governor of Frost City-State, sat behind a large, curved desk.


    He was a slightly stout tall man dressed in an imposing bright blue coat decorated with medals and sashes, and perhaps managing a declining City-State had been too draining because his hair had thinned to a precarious state¨Cforcing him to wear a curly wig to cover his scalp. As Agatha entered the domed office, the Governor was fiddling with an intricate brass mechanical device on his desk.


    The complex mechanical device looked like some miniature model; its closely interlocking gears and linkage structures were exquisite like artwork and emitted crisp sounds from time to time under the Governor¡¯s fiddling.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected you to find time to tinker with mechanical models amidst such busy administrative duties,¡± Agatha¡¯s voice came from in front of the desk, ¡°I thought the current situation in the City-State would have been enough to keep you overwhelmingly busy.¡±


    ¡°This is not just any mechanical model, this is the next generation mining car traction mechanism¨Cit saves thirty percent of power and is more reliable and durable than the previous generation,¡± Governor Winston looked up seriously and said, ¡°one problem follows another in the City-State, but we cannot cease to live and develop because of it.¡±


    Agatha made no comment.


    Governor Winston had a passion for mechanics and engineering technology. Having served as Governor for twelve years, he had devoted most of his energy to supporting and promoting the engineering design studios and machinery factories. The Governor had ambitious ideas, hoping to solve the City-State¡¯s current predicament through technological breakthroughs¨Cincluding upgrading old facilities and seeking new economic drivers, but how to put it¡­


    Only time could tell how good the idea was, how strong the confidence was, and how plentiful the efforts were¨Cthe reality was fraught with difficulties.


    ¡°Technological advancements have allowed us to renovate mine facilities within an acceptable cost range, and these more practical new machines can also be exported to other City-States¨CFrost must not always depend on selling boiling gold just to survive,¡± Winston noticed that the gatekeeper¡¯s reaction was moderate, so he couldn¡¯t help but elaborate, ¡°The boiling gold mine is the basis of Frost¡¯s survival, but relying solely on this one industry is too fragile¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not an official in the economic or technological fields,¡± Agatha had to remind him subtly.


    ¡°Oh, okay, I overlooked that,¡± Winston raised his hand and set aside the machine model on the desk as he looked up at Agatha, ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about business, Ms. Agatha, regarding the exploration of the second water channel, you seem to have something to say?¡±


    ¡°The exploration squads encountered troubles beneath the central shaft in Zone Two,¡± Agatha said straightforwardly, ¡°That passage near the bottom of the boiling gold mine, part of its pipeline was modified, but the door leading to the next section was sealed¨CI had instructed the exploration squad that they could use force to break the barriers in the second water channel, but my people reported seeing City Hall¡¯s lead seals and plaques on the door.¡±


    ¡°¡­ City Hall¡¯s lead seals and plaques?¡± Winston was clearly taken aback, his surprised facial expression seemed genuine, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Observing the expression on the Governor¡¯s face, Agatha spoke softly after a long while, ¡°It seems you know nothing about it.¡±


    ¡°That is the second water route which was abandoned half a century ago¨CIt was last used during the era when the Frost Queen ruled the City-State!¡± Winston raised both hands, his expression somewhat exaggerated, ¡°Even if there are any lead seals and plaques below, they must be from the Queen¡¯s era; how could there be anything left by City Hall¨CMs. Agatha, do you think I secretly sealed that door? What would be the point? To store treasures in the depths of the earth?¡±


    ¡°¡­ You indeed have no reason to do that,¡± Agatha nodded slightly, ¡°If you really wanted to store any treasures, any place within the City-State would be more reliable than the out-of-control second water route.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you seriously consider such a thing,¡± Winston waved his hand, but his expression had turned serious, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the plaque have a date and names of responsible persons? Standard plaques have such information; you should be able to easily determine who locked up the door from that.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, all the text is damaged and hard to distinguish, both the plaque and the lead seal were severely corroded¨C in fact, even the door itself is extremely frail¨Cwe suspect the acidic environment near the mine has caused accelerated aging of the metals,¡± Agatha shook her head, ¡°We can only confirm that the door was indeed locked up by City Hall¨Cthe Queen¡¯s era wouldn¡¯t have that kind of standard form of lead seal.¡±


    Winstair stood up, his expression slightly irritable as he paced back and forth behind the large curved desk, and after a long time, he murmured, ¡°If it truly was left by City Hall, it could only have been a long time ago¨Cperhaps even after the first or second City Hall following the end of the Queen¡¯s era¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems your predecessors did not hand over all the documents to their successors,¡± Agatha said.


    ¡°It¡¯s also possible that some of the documents were lost or damaged due to the chaos in the early days,¡± Winstair waved his hand, ¡°But regardless, the existence of an area in the deep underground of the city¡¯s central region, sealed off by the command of City Hall and being part of the second water route, is very abnormal¡­ Ms. Agatha, this must be thoroughly investigated.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is my duty,¡± Agatha nodded, her expression slightly relaxed, ¡°Although I didn¡¯t get the answers I wanted, having your support is just as good¨Cthe exploration will continue, and I will try to figure out what lies behind that door as soon as possible, and the Church will communicate with City Hall in a timely manner on any new developments.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s best.¡± Winston nodded.


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    The atmosphere in the dome office relaxed slightly.


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t bother you any longer,¡± Agatha said, ¡°There are many matters in the second water route that require my personal supervision.¡±


    She politely bid farewell to the Governor and then turned and left the dome office.


    The gatekeeper¡¯s figure disappeared from the room, leaving only the sound of the cane and heel tapping on the floor gradually receding, Winston sighed softly after a long while and then frowned with some confusion.


    ¡°¡­ Ms. Agatha didn¡¯t use ¡®Grey Wind¡¯ to travel today¡­¡± The slightly corpulent middle-aged Governor raised his head, looking in the direction Agatha had left, and murmured quietly, ¡°Does she also normally walk in and out through the door?¡±

 Chapter 394 - Chapter 394 Chapter 398 Intersecting Waterways

    Chapter 394: Chapter 398: Intersecting Waterways Chapter 394: Chapter 398: Intersecting Waterways In the depths of the secret passage connected to the Second Water Route, Nemo Wilkins held a lantern and led the way, remarking rather schadenfreudically, ¡°Our people have caught wind of the situation, evacuated, and ¡®swept¡¯ clean the traces beneath us. The Church folk are now burrowing here and there in the Central City District and the Western City District¨Cthe spreading darkness is sure to give them headaches now.¡±


    ¡°I was worried you would take this chance to cause some destruction,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°especially since the Second Water Route is your home ground.¡±


    ¡°It is unnecessary for us to do that,¡± Nemo shook his head, ¡°we are loyal to Captain Terrian, and Captain Terrian never wishes to destroy this City-State¨Cfrom the perspective of protecting the City-State, we and the Church, even the city hall, don¡¯t really have any conflicts. Right now, Church members are trying to get rid of the heretics in the city; we¡¯re not petty enough to aid those heretics.¡±


    Duncan nodded, then asked curiously, ¡°The old ghost didn¡¯t show up today?¡±


    ¡°The old ghost¡­,¡± Nemo¡¯s words faltered with hesitation followed by a faint sigh, ¡°the old ghost¡¯s mental state has become increasingly unstable recently. He¡¯s too old, and the church¡¯s manpower search in the Second Water Route has stimulated his nerves a bit, rekindling memories of past battles in the sewers¨Cto avoid issues, I had no choice but to let him rest in the tavern cellar.¡±


    The last warrior who had served the queen could, after all, not escape the nightmares of decades past¨CDuncan could only sigh and silently proceed with Alice to the depths of the Second Water Route.


    They passed through the secret passage, traversed several dark doors, and spots seemingly monitored by hidden guards, and finally entered the Second Water Route using a path completely different from the last.


    Clearly, to deal with the church¡¯s and authorities¡¯ search operations, the Mist Fleet agents lurking within the City-State had activated an already prepared system of disguise and early warning.


    Eventually, Duncan and Alice, led by Nemo, returned to that hallway¨Cwhere Crow had met his demise.


    ¡°I should head back now,¡± said Nemo to Duncan, ¡°The tension in the city is rising, and there are more stalkers; I need to keep an eye on the situation above. Be mindful of the Church in here¡­¡±


    He intended to remind Duncan to be careful, to watch out for the Church¡¯s search teams here, but suddenly stopped mid-sentence, feeling something was not quite right, and after choking back his words, he added, ¡°Go easy on them; they¡¯re not really bad people¡­¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know my limits¨Churry back now, you¡¯ve been away from the tavern too long.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Nemo left quickly, and the cavernous, chill underground waterway quieted down.


    Duncan lifted his head and looked at the empty hallway ahead, recalling his previous visit here.


    A young man known as ¡°Crow¡± had died not far ahead, next to a drainage ditch, drowned by seawater, yet found on the dry ground; and stuffed in his pocket was a page transcribed from some ¡°Holy Scripture.¡±


    Now, the hallway had been cleaned, probably by Nemo and the old ghost.


    Duncan turned his head and saw Alice diligently following, her eyes, visible beyond the veil, carrying a serious expression¨Cbut he knew that this automaton was actually just zoning out, thinking of nothing.


    Duncan certainly knew better than to expect to discuss or deduce anything with this automaton; he brought Alice along only because she could see those ¡°lines¡±¨Ceven occasionally those leaking from the mirrored world, which could not escape her eyes.


    ¡°If you see the ¡®lines¡¯ again, tell me immediately,¡± Duncan said seriously.


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± Alice nodded vigorously.


    Duncan slowly walked forward.


    His mind still pondered Crow¡¯s incident.


    At that time, he and Morris and others had speculated that Crow must have mistakenly entered some place leading to his misfortune, and after scouring the entire hallway without finding any clues, the investigation reached a deadlock, but now it seemed¡­ they might have an answer to where Crow had mistakenly entered.


    It was highly likely that, in this hallway, Mirror Frost had briefly converged with real Frost, perhaps through a fissure or a fleeting reflection emerging on some puddle¨CCrow had unfortunately fallen into it.


    Regardless of how he had crossed that boundary, one thing was clear:


    This hallway must be a weak point connecting the mirror and the real world.


    ¡­


    Underground, chilly and damp, the air filled with a decaying, moldy smell, it felt as though the entire City-State was a rotting corpse¨Cand one was walking within this corpse¡¯s viscera.


    Footsteps echoed in the eerie, odorous sewer hallway, sounding somewhat heavy, as Agatha slowly proceeded forward, using temporary divination and spiritual perception to confirm her direction while carefully remaining alert to any slight movement around her.


    Her black garments were seriously torn, the soft armor lining and the ceremonial bandages wrapped around her body stained with even more blood. The injuries on her body had surpassed the critical point of self-repair, and she could only use Divine Arts to stop the bleeding, with no time to consider the healing of flesh.


    But the good news was that Agatha was increasingly certain that she was headed in the right direction¨Chaving destroyed more and more counterfeit monstrosities and, after several confrontations with this malevolent Replication City-State, she finally began to clearly ¡°smell¡± the scent of those heretics.


    Following this scent, she navigated through the streets and alleys of the Lower City District, through the vacant, twisting subway routes, and into the collapsing sewers, at last finding this world located deep beneath the City-State, abandoned for who knows how many years.


    Here, the vastness exceeded the records she had seen in the archives and went beyond what she had imagined after viewing those files.


    Agatha lifted her head and looked at the dimly lit, spacious corridor ahead. Old gas lamps were embedded in the walls on both sides of the corridor, the flame flickering from insufficient gas supply, dancing within the glass covers. The arched corridor ceiling displayed a crisscross of pipes and support structures, casting shaking, distorted shadows under the flickering gas lamps, as if countless unseen entities wriggled in the dimness.


    Along the sides of the corridor on the ground were ditches flowing with sewage, the foul black water flowing down from the grilles in the walls and merging into the channels, making a loud flowing sound.


    Agatha knew where she was.


    This was the ¡°Second Waterway¡± beneath Frost, exactly the place she had originally planned to lead her team to explore.


    The only difference from the plan was that she had intended to explore the underground of the real-world City-State, but now she found herself trapped in a Replicated Frost.


    Agatha closed her eyes slightly, finely discerning the flow of the air, shutting out those filthy, offensive odors, and relying on her Spiritual Intuition to search for the whereabouts of the heretics.


    She could feel, the longer she lingered here and the more dealings she had with those monstrosities, the ¡°connection¡± between her and this counterfeit city was also gradually strengthening.


    Ahead.


    The gatekeeper opened her eyes, ignoring the faint pain from wounds all over her body, chose a fork in the corridor, and continued deeper into the corridor.


    She suddenly remembered something.


    Not long ago, she had visited a presumed ancient god or avatar who had descended in Frost. At that time, he hinted that she should go ¡°underground¡± to find clues.


    Now, she was getting closer to the dens where the heretics hid, guided by the scents.


    Indeed, the heretics were hiding beneath the City-State, within this abandoned Second Waterway¨Cnot in the real Frost City underground but within a replicated foreign realm.


    Agatha tugged at the corner of her mouth.


    The road twists, but returns to the origin.


    She had initially misunderstood the hint from the one who had descended, thinking the enemy was hiding in the real world¡¯s Second Waterway. Now, however, by some bizarre mistake, she had entered this Replicated City-State and found clues in the replica of the Second Waterway.


    Wandering through the forks and ultimately moving in the right direction¨Cwas this also a form of luck?


    Agatha observed the surroundings.


    Though she had never deeply explored the Second Waterway in the real world, she knew some general information¨Cthat ancient sewer system had long been completely abandoned and sealed. All pipes, shafts, and drains leading to the Second Waterway had been closed off; theoretically, it should be a dry or relatively dry place.


    But the sewers in front of her were filled with flowing sewage, and from time to time, one could hear the sound of drainage from the surrounding pipes.


    In this replicated Frost City-State, the Second Waterway appeared in a state of constant use¨Cwas this also a difference between the counterfeit and the genuine?


    Agatha pondered, then suddenly stopped.


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    Sticky, nauseating wriggling sounds came from around, from those sewage pipes and the walls covered with black contaminants, black mud continuously seeping out.


    Those persistent monstrosities had come again.


    Her body was very tired, wounds ached, ceremonial bandages torn, and the blessing of the god of death was also gradually weakening, the weakness caused by blood loss reached a level that could not be ignored.


    But Agatha simply calmly lifted her head, watching the deformed monsters that were amassing in front of her.


    ¡°Come, meet your death.¡±

 Chapter 395 - Chapter 395 Chapter 399 Connection

    Chapter 395: Chapter 399 ¡°Connection Chapter 395: Chapter 399 ¡°Connection When the first deformed freak charged at her with a scream, Agatha merely shifted her body slightly, and at the moment she intersected with the enemy, she tapped the creature¡¯s limbs with her cane, causing it to burst into flames in an instant in the ¡°Cremation.¡± She then raised her cane before the pale fierce flames hit the ground, drawing a dazzling white line from the fire, leading it to fall into the road ahead, spreading like flowing fire to burn those ugly monsters.


    She tried to avoid making extensive body movements to reduce fatigue and pain, and she tried to avoid contact with those freaks to lessen the mental strain¨Csince she didn¡¯t know how many indestructible monsters were waiting ahead, she had to conserve her strength.


    She was not averse to death; she knew that her body could still fight after its death, all the way to turning into ashes, which would float around this cursed place, continuously purifying those disgusting creatures¨Cshe was never afraid of all this, but before embracing death, she still wanted to investigate the truth here and stop the heretics¡¯ actions as much as possible.


    Attacks on her became more frequent along the way, and the actions of the deformed freaks grew more restless, vaguely proving one thing¨Cshe was headed in the right direction; the lair of the heretics was right ahead.


    More black sludge seeped out from the nearby walls and arches; every pore and crevice here was a breeding ground for these deformed beings. Due to the terrain, the appearance of these ¡°replicas¡± began to become more bizarre and difficult to deal with.


    A faint hissing sound came from behind, and a sense of alarm rose in Agatha¡¯s heart. Feeling sluggish from fatigue, she could only awkwardly twist her body at a critical moment, using the cane in her hand to block¨Can acute pain shot through her shoulder as she saw a dazzling spark burst from the middle of the cane, sending a figure clad in black, holding a guardian¡¯s cane, flying.


    The figure fell to the ground and then crawled up like some repulsive soft-bodied creature. He lifted his head, under the black hat was a face slowly melting and deforming, in that horrifying visage, certain familiar contours could vaguely be discerned.


    The next second, the flowing face solidified, transforming into a young man with distinct facial contours¨Che looked up at Agatha, a puzzled expression on his face, ¡°Captain? What are you doing here?¡±


    Agatha¡¯s fingers tightened around the cane, her gaze blank for a second.


    Almost simultaneously, she heard a voice¨Ca voice whose source she couldn¡¯t tell, as if the entire sewer system was resonating, whispering to her:


    ¡°Ah, you recognized him¨Cwhen you were not yet the Gatekeeper, your loyal deputy protected you as you retreated from the darkness¡­ you left him there¡­ what if you take him back?¡±


    Agatha did not respond, but silently stepped forward. After three steps, she transformed into a gust of Grey Wind, then that wind abruptly stopped and solidified in front of the young ¡°guardian,¡± and as her figure reappeared, the tin staff in her hand had deeply pierced the chest of the black-clad guardian.


    The young black-clad guardian stared at the scene in astonishment, as if he couldn¡¯t believe he would die at the hands of his deeply trusted ¡°captain,¡± but suddenly, as if realizing something, he murmured softly in his throat, ¡°So it¡¯s already over¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it will be over soon,¡± Agatha said softly.


    The young black-clad guardian slowly lowered his head and chuckled, ¡°Captain, you¡¯ve finally mastered the power of Ashen Wind¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve practiced a lot,¡± Agatha said softly, as a pale fire rose before her eyes, and the body of the ¡°black-clad guardian¡± dissolved and crumbled away in the ¡°Cremation,¡± turning into a heap of black dust.


    ¡°Decisive, ruthless, very fitting for your role as a saint of death.¡±


    That disgusting voice echoed again, Agatha turned around, only to see more deformed freaks taking shape, with ¡°replicas¡± surging towards her from all directions¨Cthe voice¡¯s owner clearly did not engage in any chivalrous spirit, even during a ¡°heart strike,¡± he continuously directed these underlings to attack her.


    The sounds of flames exploding, the staff striking back, and the whistling of the air echoed in the underground corridor. Agatha, while fending off the attacks of the deformed beings, said in a stern voice, ¡°These tricks only serve to infuriate me, but they cannot delay my steps¨Con the contrary, anger only makes me faster in finding your hideout. How does that benefit you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, you are angry, looking even fiercer than before, but that¡¯s alright¨Cappropriate emotional fluctuations are also necessary, Miss Gatekeeper.¡±


    The voice echoing in the corridor seemed to gradually fade away. Agatha felt a stir inside¨Cappropriate emotional fluctuations are also necessary? What did that mean?


    However, there was no one here to answer her questions anymore; the master of the voice had only one goal, to use the cannon fodder to constantly weaken her strength and delay her steps, and now he had already left, leaving behind only the monsters that had just ¡°seeped¡± from the surrounding walls.


    Agatha¡¯s gaze intensified, and she faced her enemies once again.


    ¡­


    ¡°Our warriors are engaged in battle!¡±


    A green blaze suddenly tore through the dimness of the second waterway; Pigeon Ai Yi burst out from the flames, slamming directly onto Duncan¡¯s shoulders, flapping its wings vigorously while emitting a sharp, noisy shriek.


    This silly bird that suddenly shot out, along with its sharp shriek, startled Duncan, almost causing Alice¡¯s head to fall off.


    Having searched the dry, spacious underground corridor for half a day, Duncan instantly widened his eyes, turning to look at the fiery pigeon spirit on his shoulder, ¡°What are you screaming about?¡±


    Ai Yi tilted his head, his small eyes staring intently at Duncan, nodding solemnly, ¡°Our scout is under attack! Our scout is under attack! The battle situation is too unfavorable for us¡­ Our warriors are fighting the enemy!¡±


    Alice leaned in, holding her head, ¡°Captain, did Ai Yi have a stomachache?¡±


    Ai Yi turned his head and glared at the doll, stretched his neck, and pecked twice on her head, making a ¡°dong dong¡± sound before shouting, ¡°Does this make sense? Does this make sense? Does this make sense¡­¡±


    Alice let out a startled cry from being pecked and ran off, holding her head.


    Duncan, however, did not pay attention to the commotion around him. He had already become serious upon hearing Ai Yi shout the second time and soon after looked thoughtfully in a certain direction.


    ¡°Both of you quiet down,¡± he suddenly broke the silence several seconds later, his expression extra solemn as he looked towards the corridor on the other side, ¡°Ai Yi might have sensed something.¡±


    Alice immediately behaved and looked in the direction of Duncan¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s my mark¡­ it¡¯s the ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice rose, and he took steps forward, ¡°she¡¯s nearby.¡±


    Alice looked in that direction and then suddenly widened her eyes,


    ¡°Ah, a line!¡±


    Miss Doll let out a short cry of alarm and then quickly ran over ¡ª she was even faster than Duncan, like an anxious child hurrying to catch a balloon about to fly away. She sprinted to the corner, then jumped up to grab at some invisible things in the air.


    Duncan just saw Alice running past, jumping up to grab at things in the air, and then, he faintly saw something truly appearing in Alice¡¯s hands.


    Some white, almost translucent lines, slightly refracting the ambient light in the air¡­


    He walked quickly over, and Alice turned her head, her face breaking into a radiant, joyful smile.


    ¡°I caught it¡­¡±


    Miss Doll¡¯s joyful smile lasted only a moment before the vaguely visible lines in her hands suddenly began to shatter, break, and rapidly disintegrate in the air like accelerating erosion.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Alice cried out, ¡°the line broke!¡±


    But before her cry finished, a tall, burly figure had already quickly walked over, and Duncan reached out for the disintegrating ¡°line¡± ¡ª a piece about to completely vanish fell into his hand.


    Instantly, a layer of eerie green fire coated the line.


    Duncan slowly turned his head, looking into Alice¡¯s eyes, Alice¡¯s widened eyes reflecting a burst of eerie green.


    ¡°I got it,¡± Duncan said softly.


    ¡­


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    An abomination turned to ashes in pale flames, another¡¯s head smashed by a staff, collapsing like mud, Agatha turned her body, her combat staff cutting through the air, fiercely slamming into the last enemy still standing at the corner.


    Then, her actions abruptly stopped.


    Completely out of instinct, without the time to think, immense fear and shock seized her entire mind. She even felt her muscles and bones emit a harsh, terrifying creak in that moment, some powerful force from her spiritual intuition ¡ª possibly even a direct warning from the death god Bartok himself ¡ª suddenly halted her movement.


    She saw her staff stop, just millimeters away from the head of the last ¡°counterfeit¡± who had just risen from the mud.


    Her eyes widened as she watched the humanoid figure formed from flowing mud slowly raise its head, its head gradually forming a pair of eyes, with eerie green flames igniting on the surface of its body, and a deep voice crackling through the flames ¡ª


    ¡°Agatha, do you need help?¡±

 Chapter 396 - Chapter 396 Chapter 400 Traveling by Water Together

    Chapter 396: Chapter 400 Traveling by Water Together Chapter 396: Chapter 400 Traveling by Water Together Agatha instantly retracted her wand and then stared wide-eyed, astonished and vigilant, at the ¡°counterfeit¡± monster that was slowly raising its head before her. In that instant, she realized¡­ the monster, composed of Prime Element ¡°mud,¡± had undergone a transformation.


    Some force or will had descended into its body and instantly changed its essence¨Cit had turned into a medium, continuously releasing terrifying power in the dim sewer.


    Layers of noise emerged, turning in her mind into countless incomprehensible murmurs and roars. Agatha felt her peripheral vision blurring with trembling shadows, which seemed to blink open countless eyes in an instant. This was a sign that her spirit was being contaminated¨Ccontinuous fighting had accumulated exhaustion and mental injuries, weakening her defenses and leaving her almost unable to resist.


    But this contamination lasted for less than two seconds, as if the master of the power intentionally controlled it, containing the might emanating from this incarnation¨CAgatha¡¯s senses regained clarity and stability, and in this moment of lucidity, she realized the ¡°identity¡± of the person before her.


    ¡°You are¡­the Descendant¡­¡± she muttered, rubbing her forehead hesitantly.


    ¡°It is I,¡± the incarnation replied, its body, still composed of Prime Element mud, continuing to wriggle and deform as if unable to bear the overwhelming power. It could not maintain a clear and stable figure, ¡°just call me Captain¨Cmy followers all call me that.¡±


    ¡°Captain?¡± Agatha furrowed her brows, the aftereffects of spiritual contamination slowing her thoughts. She found the title peculiar, but quickly dismissed her concerns on the matter. There were countless ¡°captains¡± in the world, and a higher Transcendent from unknown origins might simply call themselves ¡°Captain¡± out of interest¨Cit wasn¡¯t something worth delving into deeply.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time,¡± Duncan said, ¡°you vanished in the City-State, and I deduced that something unfortunate had happened.¡±


    ¡°You were looking for me?¡± Agatha was a bit startled and then quickly glanced around, ¡°What¡¯s the situation ¡®outside¡¯?¡±


    ¡°If you mean ¡®Frost¡¯ in the real world, then everything is as usual, normal to an abnormal extent,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Do you know where you are?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure,¡± Agatha supported herself with her wand, slowly leaning against a wall. She had found a precious moment of safety and needed to seize this opportunity to recover, ¡°This is another Frost, one completely controlled by ¡®counterfeits¡¯. There¡¯s no sun here, and the connection with the gods is very weak, but there are clues about the activities of annihilating the heretics. I¡¯ve been tracking one of them, all the way here¡­¡±


    She paused, catching her breath, and turned to look at the ¡°Captain.¡±


    ¡°A mirror,¡± the temporary incarnation said, ¡°You¡¯re trapped in a mirror of Frost.¡±


    ¡°A mirror?¡± Agatha was shocked for a moment, then lowered her head with a contemplative expression, ¡°So it¡¯s like this¡­ a mirror¡­¡±


    ¡°They might have replicated the entire Frost, including the surrounding sea areas, and this mirror is the source of all ¡®counterfeits¡¯,¡± Duncan continued, ¡°The bad aspect is, there are signs that this ¡®mirror¡¯ and the real world are gradually converging¨Cthis is probably the real plan of the annihilating heretics.¡±


    Agatha suddenly looked up, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°The frequent apparitions of ¡®counterfeits¡¯ in the City-State, the replicated Sea Swallow, the vanished Dagger Island, even including your entrapment, are all results of the ¡®Mirror Frost¡¯ drawing closer to ¡®Real Frost¡¯¨Cfrom the beginning, the heretics¡¯ aim wasn¡¯t to invade or destroy the city, Agatha, they wanted to transform the entire city into the ¡®realm¡¯ prophesied.¡±


    ¡°¡­At some point, the approaching mirror and reality will collide¡­¡± Agatha inhaled sharply, murmuring to herself. She had thought of that possibility, ¡°No wonder, no wonder that heretic said when the guardians find the ¡®Sanctuary¡¯, that would be the time their plan succeeds¡­ That moment would be when the mirror contacts reality!¡±


    ¡°It seems like you already have a plan,¡± Duncan remarked, ¡°You just mentioned that you¡¯ve found traces of the heretics here and are tracking them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve caught their scent¨Cdeep in this ¡®second waterway¡¯,¡± Agatha looked towards a direction deeper into the corridor, having regained some strength after the brief rest. She stood upright once more, making her way forward slowly, ¡°There¡¯s a heretic who has been obstructing me, but the longer he entangles with me, the more he exposes his whereabouts. I feel I am very close¡­¡±


    Duncan, controlling the incarnation, followed Agatha¡¯s steps.


    ¡°Very sorry,¡± Agatha suddenly said as she walked ahead.


    ¡°Why apologize?¡±


    ¡°Just now¡­ I almost attacked you,¡± Agatha¡¯s tone seemed a bit embarrassed.


    Duncan blinked and then remembered the scene he had witnessed upon entering the incarnation¨CAgatha¡¯s tin wand was just millimeters from his head.


    But upon reflection, he didn¡¯t consider it a big deal.


    Bifana¡¯s cleaving was stronger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, and I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Accustomed to it?¡±


    ¡°One of my followers, when startled, used to suddenly employ a jumping chop¨Csometimes targeting me, although she doesn¡¯t do it anymore.¡±


    Agatha: ¡°¡­?¡±


    The young Gatekeeper was hugely shocked and uncontrollably speculated about how a suspected ancient god normally interacted with their followers, and how outrageous and eerie those followers might be.


    After thinking for a long time, she almost ran out of sanity points and still couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    However, Duncan didn¡¯t mind Agatha¡¯s sudden daze and contemplation; he just continued to walk forward, carefully observing the situation in the corridor.


    This was the second waterway in the Mirror Frost¨Cobviously very different from the second waterway in the real world.


    He stopped walking and thoughtfully looked ahead at the sewer corridor extending under the dim lights.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Agatha also stopped, turning back to ask with confusion.


    ¡°In the real world, this is a collapsed area, impassable,¡± Duncan said thoughtfully, ¡°It seems that in this Mirror Frost, the second waterway is intact and even appears to be in constant use.¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps, it reflects the era of the Queen,¡± Agatha said hoarsely, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed many details here in Mirror Frost ¡­ they closely resemble but aren¡¯t exactly like the scenes I¡¯m familiar with, not like the modern style.¡±


    Duncan listened to Agatha¡¯s analysis and did not speak for a moment. After a few seconds, he broke the silence, ¡°It seems I might not be able to accompany you for the rest of the way.¡±


    Agatha looked back in surprise.


    She saw the ¡°captain¡¯s¡± avatar gradually disintegrating, the continuously flowing and deforming black sludge seemed to be bearing too much power, now flaking off bit by bit and leaving crisscrossing, web-like cracks on that form. Between the cracks, emerald flames leapt as if uncontrollably dispersing and flowing.


    Her voice involuntarily exclaimed, ¡°Your body¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, this poor Replication cannot stably bear my power. A collapse was inevitable,¡± Duncan merely shook his head calmly, ¡°It¡¯s surprising that it lasted long enough for me to say so much to you.¡±


    Then he waved his hand to stop any words Agatha might have wanted to utter.


    ¡°Your condition is very poor right now, and you need more support. I will leave some sparks here that can strengthen the bond between us. Take it with you and continue to track down the dens of the Heretics¨CI will continue to help you.¡±


    Agatha instinctively stepped forward, seemingly wanting to ask something more, but before she could speak, the avatar, already on the verge of collapse from an overload of power, reached its limit.


    In a sudden surge of emerald flames, the elemental sludge forming the avatar ceaselessly flowed, then got engulfed and burst into pieces by the flames, scattering countless ash fragments.


    In the center of the burnt black elemental debris, all that remained was a tiny, finger-sized spark.


    That spark hovered in the air near the ground.


    Agatha stared blankly at the spark hovering near the ground; its emerald appearance made the Gatekeeper feel vigilant. She instinctively felt fear and tension, but after a moment¡¯s hesitation, she still stepped forward and slowly bent down.


    ¡°¡­I hope this is the right choice.¡±


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    She murmured softly, invoking the name of Bartok in her heart, then she reached out her hand, as if summoning considerable courage to make a decision. Her fingertips touched the tiny flame.


    The flame, like a weightless petal, was held in her hand.


    ¡°¡­It really can be picked up.¡±


    Agatha looked in astonishment at the spark now cradled in her palm, and at that moment, she felt a connection with the flame.


    Faint, remarkable, but definitely present¨Cafter a brief trance, she came to her senses and carefully protected the flame in the palm of her hand, the other hand grasping her battered staff, and she stepped towards the deepest part of the second waterway.

 Chapter 397 - Chapter 397 Chapter 401 Fog

    Chapter 397: Chapter 401 Fog? Chapter 397: Chapter 401 Fog? At the center of the City-State, at the highest point of Frost, the Silent Sanctum stood solemnly atop the mountain, its foreboding silhouette made all the more oppressive by the gloomy weather, as if silence added to its suppression. Its array of spires stood amidst the mist, like thorns and blades, overlooking the entire city.


    A tall figure, conspicuous among the crowd, strolled across the square in front of the church as if he were just an ordinary tourist, casually surveying the surroundings.


    Before long, an elderly gentleman, dressed in a dark brown coat and exuding a scholarly and gentle demeanor, emerged from the crowd and walked straight toward the tall figure.


    Having spotted Morris coming through the crowd, Fenna quietly moved to a relatively secluded spot.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing unusual around the church square,¡± Fenna leaned against a streetlamp, her eyes on the church¡¯s main door nearby, speaking softly.


    ¡°The same holds true for the city hall area, at least on the surface. There are no signs of mental or cognitive contamination among the people here,¡± Morris wiped his monocle, ¡°but I¡¯ve noticed a situation.¡±


    ¡°A situation?¡±


    ¡°Some people nearby the square were discussing the authorities¡¯ recent exploration of the sewer systems. If I¡¯m not wrong, they were talking about the second waterway,¡± said Morris. ¡°During their conversation, they mentioned Gatekeeper Agatha¨Cshe is personally leading the team.¡±


    ¡°Gatekeeper Agatha?¡± Fenna¡¯s expression shifted slightly. ¡°But the captain has said¡­¡±


    ¡°The real Agatha should be trapped in a mirrored version of Frost City-State right now,¡± Morris said in a low voice. ¡°The one leading the team¡­ is most likely a fake.¡±


    Fenna took a deep breath, then suddenly looked up in the direction of the Silent Sanctum.


    The majestic and solemn building stood against the grey sky, its spires silently piercing the mist.


    Her expression became grave. ¡°¡­There are no anomalies at the cathedral, so there are only two possibilities, either the fake has deceived the cathedral¡¯s eyes, or¡­¡±


    ¡°Or the Frost Church is no longer reliable, at least there¡¯s a serious issue inside the cathedral,¡± Morris nodded slightly. ¡°Regardless of which case it is, the Frost Church evidently has lost control over the situation¨Cwe should leave now, we must inform Mr. Duncan immediately.¡±


    Fenna nodded silently and walked with Morris toward the edge of the square. Before leaving, she looked up one last time at the open space opposite the Silent Sanctum.


    That was where the city hall was located; the palace once known as the ¡°Winter Queen¡¯s Court¡± stood there on the mountaintop. As the fog thickened slightly, Fenna saw that building, too, stood silently under the sky like the Silent Sanctum, its spires towering above, silently overlooking the city.


    Fenna suddenly stopped.


    Morris immediately turned. ¡°Fenna? What did you see?¡±


    Fenna stared intently at the hazy mist.


    Through the swirling fog, the city hall had returned to its original form, a palatial building with various arched domes, its majestic grey-white main building surrounded by long halls and continuous arches extending out like wings on both sides.


    There were no dark black spires, no forest of tall towers.


    ¡°Fenna? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Morris¡¯s voice sounded again.


    ¡°I just saw another cathedral¨Cat the location of the city hall,¡± Fenna said suddenly in a low voice, her expression particularly grave. ¡°It was only for a moment, but I¡¯m sure I wasn¡¯t mistaken!¡±


    ¡°Another cathedral?¡± Morris was startled, instinctively looking across the square, but all he saw was the city hall, appearing perfectly normal.


    But he did not doubt Fenna¡¯s judgment.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a good sign,¡± the old scholar¡¯s voice was low as he raised his hand to adjust the top hat on his head. ¡°It appears that only you saw that scene just now. This might be due to your clerical ability to see spirits far beyond ordinary people¨Cthat vision being directly around the cathedral is evidence that the Corrosion is getting worse.¡±


    Fenna remained silent, she just furrowed her brows, her gaze shifting towards the city area below the mountain, and after a long while she slowly began to speak: ¡°The fog is rising, it¡¯s everywhere.¡±


    The fog rolled in, starting in the central area of Frost City-State, and soon began engulfing the entire city district. What began as wisps of light mist quickly turned dense within a few hours, shrouding the city in haze.


    ¡°Wow, there¡¯s a thick fog outside!¡±


    Sherry leaned out of the second-floor bedroom window, looking out over the street with a surprised expression on her face.


    A dog pressed its ugly bony head against the window beside Sherry, squinting outside for a long time before bursting out with a string of words, ¡°Fog in urban areas usually happens due to significant diurnal temperature variations, and human activities cause water vapor to rise and air dust to increase, meeting sudden temperature drops between buildings¡­¡±


    Sherry looked puzzled. ¡°What are you talking about, Dog?¡±


    ¡°Dog is quoting chapter two of ¡®The Logic Behind Nature¡¯; it¡¯s been reading that book for the past few days,¡± Nina, who was writing homework at the desk nearby, turned her head to glance and casually mentioned, ¡°You should try reading some simple books as well. It¡¯s really helpful for mastering vocabulary¨Cif not, you can start with picture books.¡±


    Sherry thought for a moment and said uncertainly, ¡°Are you mocking me because I know so few words and can only read picture books up to now?¡±


    Nina¡¯s attention returned to her homework. ¡°Not at all, because you actually can only look at picture books. Stating a fact isn¡¯t mocking¡­¡±


    Sherry glared, as if she wanted to get angry, but then the intensifying fog outside the window distracted her again, waving her hands, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not talking about that¨Ccome and look! The fog is really thick! I haven¡¯t seen fog like this in Prand¡­¡±


    ¡°Prand has a small diurnal temperature variation, and mornings and evenings are windy; it¡¯s not prone to fog,¡± Nina answered without looking up from her work. ¡°I¡¯m not looking, my homework isn¡¯t finished yet. The set Morris teacher assigned is really tough, and the multiple-choice questions are so confusing. I keep feeling like I¡¯m choosing the wrong answers¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re stumped by a question, just pick C,¡± Sherry blurted out, her eyes darting around as if a new idea struck her. ¡°Nina, do you want to go out? Just nearby, not far¨Cthere¡¯s a pastry shop across the street. With this kind of weather, there probably aren¡¯t many customers; maybe we can get some cake for cheap¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Nina replied offhandedly. ¡°You can go if you want, but if Uncle Duncan comes back and I don¡¯t tell him¡­¡±


    She was interrupted mid-sentence by a strange rustling sound in the room.


    ¡°Did¡­ did you hear something just now?¡± Sherry quickly hopped down from the windowsill, looking around cautiously.


    Nina tensed too, and as she instinctively surveyed her surroundings, she noticed something odd on the test papers and textbooks in front of her.


    The text was moving, the symbols spinning; the clear-cut ink marks trembled as if coming to life, and around those quivering lines, a dark shadow spread like blooming ink, rapidly filling the entire paper.


    Within an instant, all the books and papers Nina had been looking at started to shudder violently, a low murmuring mixed with the rustling echoing throughout the room!


    ¡°Ah! The books you were looking at are cursed!¡± Sherry exclaimed, instinctively raising the chain linking her to the Dog. At the moment of her cry, something demonic that had been drawn by the scent of knowledge and seeking entry to the real world entered the room!


    Black smoke swirled frenziedly, physical forms emerging from the vapor; skeletal fragments clattered to the floor and in the blink of an eye, transformed into ugly and terrifying demons¨Cthree Abyssal Hounds landed on the floor, emitting frightening growls with their chaotic, crimson eyes filled with madness and chaos!


    Then, they saw the dog lying bewildered by the window.


    The Abyssal Hounds looked at each other¨CSherry even thought she detected a moment of confusion in the dim-witted ¡°Original Demons.¡±


    But this didn¡¯t affect her reaction at all.


    With a clatter of the pitch-black chain, Sherry raised her arms high, swinging the Dog around like a meteor hammer. The next second, it whistled through the air and slammed into the demon closest to the window!


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    ¡°I¡¯ll whip your ass!¡±


    With a thunderous crash, two dog heads collided earth-shatteringly, and the demon that had just emerged from the Mysterious Deep Sea clearly couldn¡¯t stand up to the Dog that had been training in combat with Sherry for years¨Cbe it in terms of skull hardness or reaction time.


    The first Abyssal Hound was smashed into pieces instantly.


    The second Abyssal Hound just managed to open its mouth, unable to let out a growl, when it suddenly felt an onslaught of high temperature.


    A fiery blaze kicked in from the side; Nina delivered a 6000degC kick.

 Chapter 398 - Chapter 398 Chapter 402 Pervasive

    Chapter 398: Chapter 402: Pervasive Chapter 398: Chapter 402: Pervasive After spending some time on the ship to adapt, Nina had grown accustomed to the minor challenges of reading and studying¨Cwhich included but were not limited to shadows rising from the Spirit Realm, demons appearing from the Mysterious Deep Sea, and the books themselves undergoing strange changes. Along with her constant hard training, she had made significant progress in controlling her own power.


    Specifically, she could even throw a kick at 6000degC without setting the bedding on the adjacent bunk on fire.


    A blinding flash of light passed by in an instant, and the demon from the depths of the world turned to ash under the might of the sun, leaving no time for the scent of burning to linger in the air¨Conly the warm smell of the bedding basked in the noonday sun.


    The last Abyssal Hound, lured by the book, was left alone in the center of the room. Even though it was a Profound Demon with the nature of chaos and limited intelligence, acting solely on instinct, this fearsome creature seemed to be briefly lost, unable to understand why it suddenly lost two of its companions¨Cnow, in front of it was Sherry grasping a chain, leaning forward with a low growl, and behind it was Nina, approaching step by step, enveloped in a sunshine-like radiance.


    The horrifying pressure from behind was far greater than the seemingly abnormal ¡°peer¡± in front of it.


    The Profound Demon subconsciously turned its head and met a gaze as scorching as the sun.


    Nina slightly lowered her head, her hair completely suffused with a golden hue, dazzling light radiating from her seven orifices. Beneath this human shell burned the ancient might of a fierce sun, and as she gazed at the demon, its skeletal body began to burn to the core under her stare.


    Sherry was scared; she had never seen Nina angry before. She even thought that her always sunny and cheerful friend was never angry, but now she knew she was terribly wrong¨CNina was obviously very angry.


    Her fury rose like a solar flare, and even though she had reined in the escaping heat, the light still seemed to sear one¡¯s soul with its brilliance.


    Just as Sherry grew nervous and was about to speak, Nina finally spoke¨Cher mouth opened, and plumes of scorching plasma emanated from the corner of her lips, her voice thundering:


    ¡°My homework!¡± her voice even carried a wail of anguish, ¡°My test papers! My reference books! And Sherry¡¯s homework too! All shredded by these dogs!¡±


    The Wrath of the Sun left the demons so petrified that they lost the ability to move. Sherry was so surprised that she almost laughed, ¡°Really? My homework is gone too?¡±


    But the next second, she came back to her senses and quickly stopped Nina, who was about to kick for vengeance on behalf of their homework, ¡°Ah, wait! Leave this demon alive for a moment! Agatha has a question!¡±


    At that moment, Nina had already raised her foot, but upon hearing her friend¡¯s cry, she instinctively paused and glanced sideways at Sherry, ¡°What¡¯s there to ask¨Cit¡¯s just a Profound Demon that came to make trouble while someone was reading, right? We¡¯ve killed several on this ship already¡­¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s daytime now!¡± Sherry said loudly.


    Nina was taken aback, then suddenly realized.


    It was daytime, and even though a heavy fog had rolled in and the sky had turned as dim as evening, it was still daytime¨Cthe time when the world was still shrouded by the anomaly 001.


    At this time, the City-State should be safe, and reading shouldn¡¯t attract invasions from the darkness¨Cso why were these Profound Demons here?


    Nina¡¯s (6000degC) gaze immediately fixated on the last Abyssal Hound.


    Bathed at close range in the starlight, the demon¡¯s bones began emitting blue smoke as they burned¨Cit struggled instinctively, seemingly trying to tear open a rift back to the Mysterious Deep Sea, but its natural impulse to flee was immediately broken.


    Agatha disrupted the still-forming and undeveloped rift that had just appeared next to the demon.


    ¡°Can you get anything out of it?¡± Nina curtailed her power a bit, curiously looking at Agatha, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that normal Profound Demons have little intelligence and can¡¯t communicate?¡±


    ¡°Lacking brains doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s nothing to investigate¨Cthey have memories, and their chaotic thoughts sometimes contain some consecutive fragments,¡± Agatha shook its head as if slightly dazed by the earlier headbutting with another Abyssal Hound, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Profound Demons have their own ¡®ways¡¯ of communicating.¡±


    ¡°What ways of communicating?¡± Nina and Sherry asked in unison.


    ¡°¡­Not exactly pretty,¡± muttered Agatha, slowly moving towards the Abyssal Hound which had gradually ceased struggling under the sun¡¯s scorching, then looked up at Sherry, ¡°Close your eyes, Sherry.¡±


    Sherry hesitated for a moment, but obediently closed her eyes.


    Short growls, a struggle, followed by the sounds of bone being torn, ground, and chewed, accompanied by a tooth-grating crunching noise, the intense struggle of a demon was fleeting.


    After a while, Sherry tentatively opened her eyes and saw that only a small pile of black ash, rapidly dissipating, remained on the floor in the room¡¯s center, with Agatha standing nearby. Nina stood opposite, a bit dazed, and it took quite some time for the brilliance of the sun around her to gradually fade, before she exclaimed in amazement, ¡°Wow¨C¡±


    Sherry guessed what had happened while her eyes were closed, looking at Agatha with a complex expression, ¡°I actually didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You would have had nightmares, I know you,¡± Agatha shook its head, then ground its teeth, spitting disdainfully to the side, ¡°Pah.¡±


    ¡°Did you hurt your teeth?¡±


    ¡°These demons that can¡¯t even recognize characters chew like stone, you can¡¯t squeeze a complete sentence out of them¨Cimpressive that this one ran out in pursuit of knowledge.¡± Agatha disdainfully scoffed at her illiterate counterparts, showcasing her confidence and pride as a cultured hound. Then, she lowered her head as if seriously sensing the information she had just ¡°communicated.¡±


    A moment later, she lifted her head with some confusion, looking at Sherry and Nina, ¡°Strange¡­ The remaining memories of this Abyssal Hound show¡­ it has never felt the oppression of anomaly 001¡­¡±


    Sherry and Nina looked at each other in amazement.


    ¡°But now¡­ it is clearly daytime¡­¡±


    Sherry mumbled subconsciously, slowly approaching the window and peeking outside.


    The increasingly dense fog had enshrouded all the streets, the thick mist and high clouds layered like curtains over Frost. And within this heavy veil, the Sky Light had dimmed as if it were dusk, and buildings across the main street were no longer visible in the distance.


    But there was still a patch of light in the sky, where the sun was located¨Cundoubtedly it was daytime, undoubtedly it was anomaly 001.


    ¡°Nina, look,¡± Sherry pointed towards the sky, ¡°The sun is there¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped.


    Deep within the thick fog and cloud layers, the bright light trembled quietly a few times before spreading like a reflection in water around it.


    It seemed that from the beginning, it was not the sun at all¨Cthat was just a visual afterimage left lingering above the City-State as the veil rose.


    Above Frost, the sun had disappeared.


    ¡­


    At the same time, in the heart of the City-State, deep beneath the boiling gold mines, in the ancient and sealed second waterway.


    The fog from the city hadn¡¯t reached underground, and the slight anomalies above surface did not affect the actions of the exploration team¨Cin the deep and deserted underworld, the church¡¯s guardian forces were busily and methodically fortifying the advance base they had just established.


    Steam-driven walkers, akin to spiders, glided across the spacious sewer corridors. High-powered searchlights swept every dark corner of the passageway, multi-barreled machine guns on the ¡°spiders¡± adjusted their angles slightly at the sides, ever vigilant of potential shadows lurking within the dark branches. Silent monks clad in black robes quietly prayed in the shelters at the crossroads, accumulating energy for the upcoming advance, while the seasoned elites among the guardians stood watch over the checkpoints and gates, with lanterns hanging at their waists, one hand on a staff, and the other gripping specially modified shotguns or large-caliber revolvers.


    The second waterway had been ruled by darkness for too long¨Cconducting exploratory missions in this gloomy place was less about ¡°investigating¡± and more about declaring war on a kingdom of terror that had gradually twisted and become deformed.


    The enemy could be anything, the enemy was darkness itself.


    From a distant branch came a strange hissing sound, intertwined with the movement and squirming of some immense limb. Two steam-driven walkers on alert at the base immediately responded, launching four powerful flare bombs from the front, and then the guardians manning the walkers unleashed a barrage in the direction of the noise¨Cwith deafening roars, that piece of darkness violently swelled, as though something was wounded and about to emerge from the shadows.


    Twelve silent monks in black robes rose from behind their covers, lifting their sacred texts high, their bandaged arms pointing towards the darkness, issuing a thunderous shout in unison.


    Pale flames ignited in the dark, working with the barrage fired by the steam walkers to burn whatever the intangible darkness had nurtured into ashes.


    The restless darkness returned to calm, and the crossroads gradually shifted from pitch black to dim, and then to light¨Cthe light normally spread to that corner, illuminating its conditions.


    There was nothing there, just small and large bullet holes on the wall.


    And in the air, a faint and rapidly dissipating stench.


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    Agatha withdrew her gaze from the distant crossroads.


    A branch had been reclaimed, and the guardians had dispersed another pocket of darkness from the underground world¨Cyet, for the entire vast second waterway, this was just a tiny corner.


    That was not why she was here.


    ¡°Take me to that door,¡±


    The gatekeeper turned slightly, speaking to the subordinate beside him.


    (Recommendation time, the book title ¡°Sword of the Temple,¡± a story with a more traditional medieval historical setting, with an engrossing plot and immersive experience. Those interested may want to check it out.)

 Chapter 399 - Chapter 399 Chapter 403 The Truth of Depletion

    Chapter 399: Chapter 403 The Truth of Depletion Chapter 399: Chapter 403 The Truth of Depletion Leading a small squad of fully armed guardians, Agatha left the forward base established by the church¡¯s troops. They passed through several makeshift barricades and firing positions and crossed an intersection lit by gas lamps, eventually reaching the deepest part of a branching corridor.


    The gas lamps embedded in the walls emitted a faint hissing sound. The ancient piping system provided an unstable supply of gas, causing the light to flicker dimly. Beneath this not-so-bright illumination, one could see a dark and hefty alloy door quietly standing at the end of the corridor.


    The sound of a cane and heels tapping against the floor echoed hollowly in the corridor as Agatha approached the door¨Cwhich, perhaps due to the passage of too much time, was actually somewhat unsealed. A narrow gap was visible between the two doors, and the lead block that was originally sealed on the bolt appeared to have sustained an undefined impact, with clear signs of stretching and tearing.


    On the nameplate beside the door, one could see the steel stamp left by the Frost City-State Hall.


    This was the discovery of the exploration team deep underground, the strange door located in the central area of the second waterway that she and Governor Winston had mentioned.


    The City-State Hall had blocked off this place, yet the Governor himself was completely unaware of the door¡¯s existence¨Cthe records related to this door had been lost. It might date back to the chaotic era that had just ended with the Queen¡¯s reign when the turmoil caused both the door and the secrets behind it to fade from public memory.


    Could this be the lair where those obliterated cultists were hiding? Or the enigma left by Frost Queen Lei Nora to the world?


    Agatha reached out a hand, lightly touching the rough and thick alloy door panel. The sensation on her fingertips felt surprisingly dull and numb, except for the pronounced chill.


    ¡°Shall we open this door?¡± a guardian in black stepped forward to ask, ¡°The permission from the Governor has come through¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Winston indeed granted permission, but this door, sealed in darkness for so many years, should not be hastily opened,¡± Agatha gently shook her head, ¡°There might be dangerous things sealed behind it¨CI¡¯ll go check the opposite side first.¡±


    The nearby guardians immediately understood their commander¡¯s intent and stepped back.


    Agatha then raised her head, eyeing the crack between the two door panels before reaching forward with her hand.


    Nothing happened, and she furrowed her brows in confusion.


    A black-clad guardian looked over curiously, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, there¡¯s no problem.¡± Agatha shook her head, then focused her attention once more.


    A gust of wind finally rose from the ground, her figure turning into a greyish-white mist in the wind. The Grey Wind swirled in front of the door twice before slipping into the narrow gap.


    ¡°Stay alert in position and wait for the Gatekeeper to return.¡±


    The black-clad guardian captain, relieved that Agatha had passed through the door, began ordering his men to set up guard positions in the corridor.


    On the other side, the grey-white whirlwind passed through the gap in the door and entered a dim space. After a moment¡¯s swirl, Agatha¡¯s figure reformed from the mist.


    The Gatekeeper turned to glance back at the door she had come through and checked her condition, instinctively furrowing her brow.


    Why¡­ The Divine Arts she was accustomed to using daily felt somehow crude today¨Cwhy did even her body¡¯s own response seem slower?


    After a moment of perplexity, Agatha shook her head, temporarily refocusing on the task at hand.


    She looked around. The lantern at her waist cast a dim yellow glow that dispelled the lingering darkness. From all directions, shadows seemed to conceal many restive things, yet when she focused her gaze, those within the darkness quieted once more.


    A damp and gloomy passage, where exposed earth and stones with a metallic luster could still be seen. Under the inadequate light of the lantern, one could make out the crossbeams and supports that propped up the passageway, as well as some miscellaneous items scattered near piles of rocks nearby.


    Agatha frowned, deducing that the scene here did not resemble a part of the second waterway¨Ca normal sewer corridor would not have this structure. The space behind this door¡­ It looked more like an abandoned mine passageway.


    A mine passage?


    Agatha lifted her head, thoughtfully gazing at the moist and dark rock ceiling above, while her gaze seemingly pierced through the thick rocks and mud, reaching upward all the way to those layered passages, shafts, machinery, and ramps.


    The Boiling Gold mines.


    This part of the second waterway was located in the center of the City-State, with underground tributaries crisscrossing around the Boiling Gold mines. A significant portion of the sewage system was actually part of the mine drainage system from the Queen¡¯s era, and indeed, the places closest to the mine passages in these channels might only be separated by a door.


    She walked slowly along the mine passage while more and more doubts surfaced in her mind.


    This was merely a mine passage, and it even seemed to be not completely swallowed and distorted by darkness, for Boiling Gold was a metal that possessed Holiness. The traces of boiling gold contained within the rocks and soil were enough to withstand Corrosion just like light and steam¨Cwhy would such a passage be solemnly sealed behind such a heavy door?


    It was sealed underground, and even the present Governor was unaware of its existence¨Cif it was indeed the first generation City-State Hall that issued the sealing order following the Queen¡¯s era, then what was so special about this place to cause them such alarm?


    And yet this mine tunnel had clearly been abandoned¡­ Why was that the case? It was not polluted, there were no monsters, no illusions, and no¡­


    Hythloth.


    Agatha suddenly stopped, her gaze sweeping over the excavation layers beneath the slopes on both sides of the mine tunnel; she finally began to realize the source of the dissonance she had been feeling all along.


    There was no Hythloth.


    ¡­


    In the City Hall, once the highest level of the Queen¡¯s Palace, within the domed office, the corpulent Governor Winston slowly fiddled with the delicate machinery in his hands.


    The brass mechanism made slight clicking sounds in his grasp, gears and link rods turning, their engagement and rotation carrying a precise and chilling beauty.


    The creations of intelligence, the crystallization of engineering, the achievements of civilization¨Cthe spinning gears were badges and ribbons of mortal endeavor.


    Winston placed the mechanical model before him, indifferently using the ornamental ribbon from the outside of his coat to wipe away a spot of grease near the model¡¯s base. After cleaning it, he nodded slightly, his face showing a satisfied appreciation as if admiring a piece of fine art.


    ¡°Hythloth is the blood of Frost, and the mine machinery is the heart pumping fresh blood¡­¡±


    As if speaking to himself or perhaps to the tiny intricate machine before him, Winston murmured softly while his fingers toyed with those fine brass gears.


    ¡°Fifty years¡­ truly like a fleeting dream, an illusion¡­¡±


    He slowly rose to his feet and walked towards the windowsill.


    Outside the broad glass window was the thick fog that enveloped the entire city; amidst the rising, swirling mist, every building and road blurred its contours and boundaries, as if they were about to melt into the fabric of the City-State itself. Even the grand church across the open space became a hazy shadow in the mist, while the myriad tall towers and spires seemed like the gasping, dying breaths of giants.


    Winston watched the fog outside the window with a calm expression, listening to the alarm bells coming from the plaza across, as well as the sounds of the City Hall guards and the police forces assembling and coordinating in the square.


    Such extensive and eerie fog would, of course, alert the City Hall; even without his personal orders as Governor, the City-State¡¯s defense forces would already be moving according to predetermined procedures¨Chowever, maintaining order in the thick fog might be just the easiest part of what was to come.


    Winston stood at the window for a while, then turned and walked a short distance away.


    A small, round table was placed near the windowsill, with wisps of fog seeping through the window cracks, hovering around the table¨Cand amidst the smoke-like mist, he saw two things resting upon it.


    One was a stack of yellowed, brittle documents; the other was a beautifully crafted revolver.


    The documents were written and produced in a classical format, with high-quality paper edges showing intricate and elaborate embossed borders, carrying the unique, elegant atmosphere of the Queen¡¯s era.


    ¡°Hythloth Mine Depletion Alarm,¡± ¡°Investigation Report on Abnormal Mine Tunnel,¡± ¡°Analysis of Examination Results of Samples from the Mine¡±¡­


    Most of the documents had been signed off as read between the years 1840 and 1845.


    The signature of the reviewer was Lei Nora.


    The revolver was Governor Winston¡¯s personal collection, a classic model from twelve years prior, still robust and reliable even today, its well-maintained handle and mechanism gleaming, seemingly capable of another dozen years of service¨Cor perhaps even longer.


    Winston¡¯s gaze swept over the documents before finally resting on the revolver.


    He reached out and picked up the heavy steel, feeling its cold touch, opened and checked the gun¡¯s cylinder, then snapped it back into place.


    His right hand slowly raised, the barrel once carefully maintained by its owner pressed against the temple.


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    A few seconds later, the gun was set down.


    ¡°This position is not bad, I¡¯ll use this one later,¡± Winston said softly, then checked the gun¡¯s safety and placed the revolver securely in the holster at his waist.


    Hurried footsteps came from the corridor.


    ¡°Governor, the dense fog in the city is getting worse¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m on my way.¡±

 Chapter 400 - Chapter 400 Chapter 404 Interwoven

    Chapter 400: Chapter 404 Interwoven Chapter 400: Chapter 404 Interwoven The damp, cold Second Waterway corridor echoed with footsteps as the gatekeeper strode towards even darker depths.


    The black clothes representing the City-State Defender were already tattered, and the magically crafted combat staff bore numerous scars. Pain and fatigue seemed to have become distant illusions, leaving only the hollow echoes from the deep bowels of the earth ringing in her ears.


    Blood seemed to be running out, but her heart still beat, and death was so imminent that with each breath, it felt as though she could sense the chilling cold of the world of the dead¨CIn this dark and solitary corridor, no comrades remained in sight, and enemies had not been seen for quite some time.


    Yet, something was still accompanying Agatha on her journey, providing a small, not very bright but somewhat warm flame at the very end of her march toward death.


    Agatha cradled the ¡°fire-seed¡± in her left hand against her chest, protecting the flickering flame carefully. Its soft green glow illuminated her chin and a short stretch of the surrounding corridor. She felt, even relished, the slight warmth the fire-seed brought, because she could feel the road ahead growing colder by the minute.


    Or perhaps, it was her own body that was becoming cold.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already crossed the Upper City District¡¯s intersections and am nearing the branch corridors around the boiling gold mines¡­¡± Agatha whispered to the flame, lifting her head and scanning over a plaque on the sidewall¨Ca mottled, ancient plaque labeling the streets of the City-State correlating to the sewer beneath, which helped determine her current position, ¡°I¡¯ve barely encountered enemies on this path, but the going is getting tougher, and there¡¯s a¡­ suffocating coldness dragging at my steps.¡±


    A majestic and deep voice resounded directly at the bottom of her heart, ¡°Perhaps those Heretics have given up delaying your progress with their minions¡­ They¡¯re concentrating their efforts on the final moment.¡±


    ¡°How are things outside?¡±


    ¡°A heavy fog has risen, shrouding the entire City-State. The City-State Guards are maintaining order and urging residents to return home. At some intersections, Defender squads can be seen¨Cthey¡¯re carrying lanterns used for night patrols because the thick fog is blocking the power of the sun,¡± that authoritative voice within Agatha continued, ¡°At sea, around the City-State, fog is also forming, possibly extending out for hundreds of miles.¡±


    ¡°¡­The heretics have taken action,¡± Agatha murmured softly, ¡°Perhaps my actions have provoked them, forcing them to move ahead of schedule¡­¡±


    ¡°Your condition doesn¡¯t seem too good.¡±


    ¡°I might be quite seriously hurt,¡± Agatha continued forward, feeling her breath heavy but her mind clearer than ever, ¡°but don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m prepared to face death¨CI¡¯ll ensure your fire-seed reaches their den, by any means necessary.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather see you complete this task alive, Agatha¨CAlthough you are a messenger of the god of death, there¡¯s no need to rush to report to Bartok. By the way, speaking of which, I¡¯m suddenly curious, for you servants of the god of death, what does ¡®death¡¯ mean¡­ is it a demotion or a promotion?¡±


    Agatha paused, a smirk tugging at her lips, ¡°Your sense of humor is unexpected¨CSorry, I can¡¯t answer that. I¡¯m afraid none of the Death Priests of the ages have considered such a thing. If I have the chance¡­ I¡¯ll give it some thought.¡±


    ¡°Good, I wish you find your answer.¡±


    The voice in her mind went silent, and Agatha exhaled softly¨Cmaybe it was an illusion, but she suddenly felt her breathing wasn¡¯t as labored as before, her steps also seemed a bit lighter.


    She glanced at the fire-seed she was cradling in her hand and guarded it carefully as she crossed another intersection.


    Water overflowed from a nearby drainage channel, pooling into a small puddle on the ground that mirrored the dim vault of the waterway.


    Agatha stepped across the pool, its still surface rippling¨Camid the abruptly shattered reflection, the image of a figure dressed in a black coat, wrapped in ritual bandages and holding a tin staff came into view.


    The figure walked in the direction Agatha had come from, and for a brief moment, they passed each other face to face.


    ¡­


    Agatha came to an abrupt stop, looking perplexedly at the spot she had just traversed. She saw a small pool of water, its surface still disturbed with ripples.


    Within the turbulent broken water, there was no trace of that momentary reflection, but Agatha felt as if she had seen something.


    It was a figure, similar to her own, yet not quite¨Cit wore a tattered black coat, battle-scarred and looking as though it had endured battle after battle; its path was towards the deeper reaches of the Second Waterway.


    That was exactly the place she had just left.


    Perhaps her stop was too sudden; a subordinate¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°Gatekeeper? What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°That puddle of water¡­¡± Agatha turned her head, pointing not far away, ¡°was it just there? Did any of you see any strange phenomena in it?¡±


    ¡°A puddle?¡± Her subordinate turned back to look, his expression somewhat puzzled, ¡°It was there just now¡­ but I didn¡¯t see anything strange.¡±


    Agatha didn¡¯t speak, she just suddenly fell silent, staring at the still-rippling water for a long time. Only gradually did her eyes begin to fill with a trace of solemnity and reflection.


    ¡°Did you see something?¡± the subordinate couldn¡¯t help but ask with some concern.


    Agatha fell silent for a moment longer before she shook her head gently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything is fine, everything is¡­ fine.¡±


    The subordinate was still somewhat confused, but, facing his superior¡¯s serious expression, he restrained his excessive curiosity and promptly changed the subject: ¡°What did you find on the other side of that door just now? You seem very serious ever since you came back¡­¡±


    Agatha gathered her chaotic thoughts swiftly, lifting her head to look in the direction she had come from¨Cthe door leading to the abandoned mine shaft had disappeared around the corner of the street, but she still vividly remembered what she had discovered in that dark mine shaft.


    She hadn¡¯t explored the mine shaft for too long; she returned the same way after confirming her discovery, hurrying back to the second waterway and quickly leading her team on the way back to the outpost¨Cout of necessary caution, she still hadn¡¯t revealed to her subordinates what she had found behind that door.


    Even now, she didn¡¯t know how to explain to the black-clad guards in front of her that frighteningly bizarre¡­ ¡°guess.¡±


    After a brief hesitation, she turned around and continued walking towards the outpost.


    After walking for a while, she suddenly murmured to herself as if talking to herself, ¡°Frost¡­ what sustains life?¡±


    ¡°What sustains life?¡± her subordinate was taken aback for a moment, not understanding at first. It took a few seconds for him to hesitantly speak, ¡°Do you mean¡­ the economic source of the City-State? The molten gold trade?¡±


    ¡°Molten gold is the blood of Frost, the mines are the heart of the City-State¡­¡± Agatha murmured to herself, uttering words that confused the black-clad guards, ¡°It seems we have never considered¡­ that this heart could stop beating¡­¡±


    Another black-clad guard couldn¡¯t help stepping forward, his face showing a tinge of nervousness: ¡°You¡­¡±


    Agatha gently lifted her hand, cutting off her subordinate¡¯s words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much right now, nothing is certain yet. I did see something on the other side of that door, but whether I can reveal it to you will have to be discussed with the Archbishop first.¡±


    She had calmed down from her previous unrest.


    Perhaps she had been too tense. It was just an exhausted abandoned mine shaft, after all. For an ancient mine that had been excavated for many years, it wasn¡¯t surprising that one or two mine shafts were exhausted. The subsequent decision to seal it off by the City-State¡¯s municipal hall was likely due to some other reason¨Ca form of pollution that once existed but has since subsided is the most likely scenario.


    Jumping to conclusions is a major taboo in investigations.


    Agatha shook her head, but the scene she had seen earlier reflected in that puddle of water involuntarily emerged in her mind again.


    That version of ¡°herself¡± in the reflection walking in the opposite direction, blood-stained from past battles.


    Agatha closed her eyes slightly, the knuckles gripping her staff turning slightly white from the force, but after a moment, she opened her eyes and looked ahead, her expression having returned to calm.


    She still had much to do.


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    In silence, Agatha led the Defender squad back to the outpost located at the underground crossroads. As soon as she returned, she noticed the atmosphere around was a bit unusual.


    A faintly nervous air enveloped the outpost; some priests, who looked like they had just come down from the vertical shafts, were talking anxiously with the person responsible for the outpost¡¯s defense. Several steam-powered walkers, which had previously left to clear the side tunnels, had been called back early, seemingly ready to take the elevator back to the surface.


    Agatha quickly approached, and before she could speak, the commanding officer of the black-clad guards at the outpost had already swiftly begun, ¡°Guardian of the Gate, there¡¯s a situation on the surface.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeply: ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°Fog, a very large and unusual fog has enveloped the entire City-State and the surrounding seas; you can¡¯t even see the sun in the sky,¡± the commander reported quickly, ¡°and creatures of heresy have appeared in the library and archives. Though they were promptly suppressed by the resident scholars, panic and chaos are spreading throughout the city¨Cthe Archbishop has sent someone, please go back immediately!¡±

 Chapter 401 - Chapter 401 Chapter 405 Collision and Awakening

    Chapter 401: Chapter 405 Collision and Awakening Chapter 401: Chapter 405 Collision and Awakening Fog was everywhere, as if the entire world had been submerged into the depths of a turbid, ash-white fluid. Everything within sight lost its edge in this fog; distant cities and nearby roads¡­ all became ambiguously unclear.


    Merely spending some time underground, the scenery above had completely transformed into an unrecognizable visage.


    Returning in haste to the surface from the second waterway, Agatha stood at the exit of the transit station, somewhat stunned by the state of the streets. Now, not a single pedestrian could be seen on the road. Beneath the dense fog, even the nearby streetlights were reduced to vague halos floating in mid-air. Apart from that, there were only a few dark red lights slowly moving in the fog, interspersed with the sound of steam mechanisms operating¨Cthose were the warning lights on the heads of steam-powered walking machines flashing.


    ¡°The City-State Guards and the security officer troops have rushed to every intersection. Movement between city districts is strictly forbidden, and all civilian vehicles are prohibited from the roads,¡± a priest who came to meet Agatha reported, ¡°Most of the night-time Shelters are already at capacity. We have no choice but to collaborate with security authorities to divert the populace to churches, warehouses, and the nearest subway stations.¡±


    Saying this, the priest paused for a moment and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Ah¡­ many more people could have been arranged to take refuge in places like the library, but areas where books are stored are now starting to show signs of Corrosion. All the archives have been sealed off¡­ The rise of the fog coincided with shift changes in most factories across the City-State, leaving too many people far from home.¡±


    Agatha did not respond but slowly withdrew her gaze from the street corner and thoughtfully lifted her head to look at the sky.


    Thick clouds and the city¡¯s inner mists obscured the sky, making the Sky Light as dim as dusk, and amidst that chaotic and unclear dome, there was no sign of the sun.


    ¡°It¡¯s daytime¡­¡± she murmured softly.


    ¡°Yes, it is daytime, but this strange fog might be disrupting the sun¡¯s influence,¡± the priest said, his expression solemn with a hint of nervousness, ¡°The Corrosion appearing in the library is because of this¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing could disrupt the sun¡¯s influence during the day¨Cas long as ¡®Phenomenon 001¡¯ hangs in the sky, even if clouds block the sunlight and the city is as dark as night, the sun¡¯s influence wouldn¡¯t diminish,¡± Agatha gently shook her head, ¡°In my judgement, this thick fog is not the cause. It might merely be a ¡®phenomenon¡¯ triggered by a greater crisis¡­ How are things on the mountain?¡±


    ¡°The Cathedral is now crammed with people,¡± the priest quickly reported. Meanwhile, several steam-powered walking machines with flashing warning lights clattered to an open space near the transit station¡¯s exit, and among them was a vehicle bearing the church¡¯s flag, ¡°Your ride is here. We¡¯ll head back up the mountain first and discuss on the way.¡±


    Agatha and the priest climbed into the vehicle. The steam-powered walking machines projected powerful lights into the thick fog, barely illuminating the path. The vehicle started up and headed towards the Cathedral at the mountain¡¯s peak, much slower than the normal speed.


    ¡°When the fog descended, many worshippers and tourists were stranded on the mountain. The Cathedral sheltered everyone it could, and those who couldn¡¯t fit were arranged to stay in the adjacent old cathedral museum. The city hall also set up a Shelter, ensuring that no one was left outside,¡± the priest continued to report while in the car, ¡°Archbishop Ivan has managed to stabilize the situation, and has prevented panic from spreading within the church. He has been using Spiritual Energy communication to maintain contact with churches throughout the City-State, and so far, there have been no pollution incidents caused by mass panic¡­¡±


    A deep mechanical roar from outside the car window drew Agatha¡¯s attention in its direction.


    She saw several long aerial guide rails extending from above the mountain road through the thick fog and toward the distance. Towering support pillars, like giants, held up the tracks, and a dark freight container hung on one of the rails, thundering into the depths of the fog. The red warning lights around the freight container flickered ceaselessly like many eyes in the mist.


    That was the transportation system of the Boiling Gold Mines. The unrefined boiling gold mined from the depths was carried through those massive containers and mountain tracks to the crushing, sorting factories, and the great furnaces at the foot of the mountain.


    ¡°¡­ Is the mine track still operational?¡± Agatha turned her head in surprise to the priest sitting beside her, ¡°Haven¡¯t the workers gone to take refuge?¡±


    At the same time, her mind flashed back to a scene she had recently seen deep underground, the ancient mine tunnel that had been exhausted decades ago.


    ¡°The workers must have taken refuge,¡± the priest looked just as surprised when he saw the train of containers on the track but still answered affirmatively, ¡°The Mining Cathedral has confirmed it. What¡¯s being transported now might be the last batch of raw ores from the mining zone, likely arranged automatically by the sorting machines¨CAs you know, the unrefined boiling gold ores in the storage area will be dispatched after a while, as set in the preprogrammed paper tapes. The machines will just follow the¡­¡±


    An unsettling roar suddenly came from the other side of the fog, interrupting the priest¡¯s confident words. Everyone¡¯s gaze instantly turned towards the direction of the sound, but they could only see another dark freight cabin hurtling on the same track overhead, speeding past the mountain path.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to collide!!¡±


    The priest barely had time to cry out in alarm before the earth-shattering collision occurred. Two cargo compartments smashed into each other on the overhead railway, unleashing a terrifying boom and explosion. The side panels of the cargo compartments were torn apart, and the faintly golden-tinged ore showered down the hillside like a torrential downpour. Following this, as the two cargo compartments swayed violently on the track, the drive wheels and auxiliary wheels fell off, the axles broke, and the unrecognizable carriages, belching sparks and thick smoke, plummeted into the valley.


    A piece of wreckage nearly grazed the roof of the cart Agatha was riding in, crashing heavily beside the road.


    Before the people in the cart could react, another grating, utterly terrifying sound of metal tearing apart came from above.


    The overhead railway, having suffered a severe impact, twisted and deformed. Sparks flew from the top of one of the iron towers holding up the tracks, and steel beams and cables snapped with a popping sound. Then, a whole section of the track came crashing down from above!


    ¡°Quick, get out of the way!¡±


    The priest in the cart immediately shouted in alarm. But before he could finish, the convoy had already begun to evade the falling debris¨Cwith several steam-powered walkers scattering, and the steam cars in the middle of the convoy suddenly accelerating forward. Seconds of heart-stopping terror later, a terrifying boom echoed from behind Agatha.


    She turned her head and saw the broken track had already smashed onto the mountain road, completely destroying the thoroughfare. Two steam walkers were blocked on the other side of the fallen debris, fortunately unharmed¨Cthey moved their long mechanical limbs, beginning to climb the mountainside. White, high-pressure steam gushed from the gaps in their armor plates, merging with the dense fog surrounding them.


    ¡°Walkers number two and four can¡¯t get through. They¡¯re probably trying to climb to the trail above to find a detour back to the cathedral. We don¡¯t need to wait for them,¡± Agatha glanced back, quickly assessed the situation, and instructed, ¡°Keep moving.¡±


    ¡°That was a close call¡­¡± The priest beside her couldn¡¯t help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, ¡°It almost smashed right onto us.¡±


    But Agatha didn¡¯t speak for a moment.


    Was that an accident? Or¡­ malice?


    Why was there a cargo carriage traveling in the opposite direction on the mining railway, which was supposed to be a one-way route?


    The miners would have taken shelter by this time, and the operators of the railway system were theoretically supposed to take refuge after setting up the last train¡­ The cargo carriage¡¯s final step onto the railway has a safety lock, and if there are other cargo compartments on the tracks, it would not depart¡­ A difference engine controls this process, and a normally functioning difference engine doesn¡¯t make mistakes. The gears and levers would faithfully execute the program set on the punched tape, and there¡¯s no hesitation in the interlocking of metal.


    ¡°The differential engine in the mine might have malfunctioned¡­¡± Agatha muttered as if talking to herself.


    And the problems might not be only with the mine¡¯s differential engine¨Cif the Library could experience nefarious Corrosion even in broad daylight, then the spread and urgency of this anomaly would exceed everyone¡¯s imagination.


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    ¡­


    The distant sound of alarm bells wafted into her ears, while disorderly cold wind roamed freely through the vacant graveyard, the dense fog obscuring everything in sight. In this impenetrable mist, there seemed to be countless deep whispers overlapping and echoing, as if the restlessness of the deceased was stirring.


    The sound of a gun¡¯s safety being released broke the silence in the graveyard; the feeble glow of a lantern dispersed the shadows amidst the fog. A stooped old man gripped his trusty double-barreled shotgun, standing on the path like a vigilant sentry, staring intently at the neatly arranged coffins in the mist.


    The murmurs were just an illusion, at least for now. The coffins still lay obediently on the mortuary tablets, and the people inside also lay there quietly¨Cyet the eerie atmosphere in the air was not lost on the old soldier.


    He knew something was happening, and there was no way this graveyard was going to remain calm today¨Camong the ¡°guests¡± he was ¡°taking care of,¡± some were starting to awaken.

 Chapter 402 - Chapter 402 Chapter 406 Gunshots in the Cemetery

    Chapter 402: Chapter 406: Gunshots in the Cemetery Chapter 402: Chapter 406: Gunshots in the Cemetery In the cemetery, the old caretaker once again lifted his head and glanced at the nearby guardhouse.


    He had reported the agitation of the corpses in the morgue to the cathedral in the form of a rapid dispatch, but he had yet to receive a response¨Cat this point, with the entire city shrouded in a strange, thick fog and the sunlight bizarrely vanishing from the sky, the cathedral clearly didn¡¯t have the energy to pay attention to the abnormalities in a small cemetery.


    ¡°I have to rely on myself¡­¡± the old caretaker muttered, tightening his coat, which had a leather lining and metal inserts that made a slight friction noise. ¡°This fog is spreading far¡­¡±


    The crackling sounds of friction and knocking broke the dead silence in the cemetery, and under the dense fog, the coffins on several nearby morgue benches seemed to emit a slight vibration.


    ¡°¡­ Considering I guard you dead every night, can¡¯t you behave at this moment?¡± the old caretaker furrowed his brows, slightly lifting his gun barrel. He knew that these corpses, peacefully laid out for days, were ¡°moving¡± because of the strange fog, but he was powerless.


    He could probably only wait for them to rise, then dispatch them one by one with his gun.


    Just as he was thinking this, a sound different from the rustling in the surrounding coffins suddenly caught the old man¡¯s attention; he momentarily paused and quickly looked towards the path leading to the cemetery entrance.


    A small figure stumbled out from the other end of the path, her white thick coat and skirt hem resembling a bouncing snowball in the dim environment.


    ¡°Guard grandpa! Help me! Guard grandpa! Are you there!?¡±


    The bouncing little snowball yelled on the path, her voice carrying a forced suppression of panic and tension.


    ¡°Annie!¡± the old caretaker immediately shouted through the fog to the girl without pausing in surprise, ¡°Come here, don¡¯t go that way!¡±


    The little girl who rushed into the cemetery in a panic finally saw the old man standing near the guardhouse. A momentary relaxation appeared on her tense and frightened face, followed quickly by her running towards him. ¡°Guard grandpa! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you still wandering around outside at this time!?¡± the old caretaker couldn¡¯t concern himself with the girl¡¯s cheer, and immediately scolded her fiercely with a stern face, for today¡¯s situation was unlike any other, the danger of the dense fog was not like the usual slippery streets of snow. ¡°Do you know the whole city is under martial law now?!¡±


    ¡°I got separated from my classmates!¡± Annie was startled by the old man¡¯s stern appearance and tone, but she quickly waved her hand explaining, ¡°We went with our teacher to visit the museum, and encountered the dense fog as we came out. The teacher said he would take us to the nearest Shelter, but they disappeared into the fog the moment I blinked¡­¡±


    The old caretaker stared wide-eyed, ¡°Disappeared into the fog?¡±


    ¡°Yes, disappeared, just in the blink of an eye,¡± Annie explained her experience, still appearing unsettled but trying to remain calm, ¡°Then I decided to find a place to take shelter by myself. The museum was locked, I couldn¡¯t find any adults on the streets, all the doors were locked, I knocked hard but no one answered, and then I remembered the teacher saying if we encounter danger, to go find the nearest priest, guardian or sheriff, and the cemetery was closest. I remember you saying you were a veteran guardian¡­¡±


    While listening to the girl¡¯s rapid-fire explanation, the old caretaker¡¯s expression changed several times quickly. He realized that he had been somewhat unjust to the girl in his haste; her response was calm compared to her peers, but he couldn¡¯t let it go and had to continue with a stern face, ¡°So you came to take refuge in the cemetery?¡±


    Annie nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, they say veteran guardians are more formidable than regular ones¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­But a cemetery is not a suitable place for refuge,¡± the old caretaker spoke sternly, ¡°Especially not at this time.¡±


    Annie became somewhat flustered, ¡°I¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have come here?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, there¡¯s no better option right now. The chances of something happening while you wander through the foggy streets are higher,¡± the old caretaker shook his head, ¡°You just hide¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, a bizarre noise nearby interrupted him, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a shadow rising from the nearest dissecting table¨Ca poor-quality coffin lid was forcefully opened, a restless arm struggled and lifted from the coffin, and then, the Restless One arose!


    There was no time to warn Annie to close her eyes, the old caretaker instinctively raised his double-barreled shotgun, and with a booming ¡°bang,¡± the shaky risen corpse immediately fell back, losing its balance and rolling off the dissecting table onto the ground.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Annie, still just a child, was instantly startled by the gunshot, but she was more shocked by the¡­ body that had just sat up in the mist.


    ¡°That¡­ that¡­¡± the little girl pointed at the dissecting table with a stuttering voice.


    The old caretaker instinctively spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, that was just¡­¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Supernatural¡¯ Volume 3, Chapter 6 talks about it!¡± Annie finally caught her breath and shouted quickly, ¡°The teacher said at this time we should immediately chant Bartok¡¯s name in our hearts, then use a branch of sourwood or smoked ropes to whip the Restless Ones, and then find a chance to run to the nearest church for help¡­¡±


    The old caretaker listened blankly to the girl¡¯s rattling words; after a couple of seconds, he suddenly raised his shotgun again, loaded it without turning back, aimed at another dissecting table, and with a loud bang, another newly risen Restless One lay back to its rightful resting place.


    ¡°The textbooks you have now are different from what we had in my day. We didn¡¯t learn this lesson until after high school,¡± he casually remarked.


    Annie instinctively hugged her head, her small body trembling slightly from the impact of yet another gunshot, although her quick response while reciting the text earlier had honestly shown her fear and nervousness.


    ¡°Get inside the house,¡± the old man immediately sheltered the little girl to the front of the guardhouse, opened the door with one hand, and pushed Annie in. ¡°No matter what happens outside, never leave¨C as long as you stay inside, this cabin is as safe as the sanctuary of a church, understand?¡±


    Annie¡¯s eyes widened in terror, unconsciously nodding while staring at the dense fog outside. In her line of sight, the fog enveloped the individual morgue slabs as they seemingly came to life, shadows squirming between the platforms, invisible roars echoing through the cemetery. Coffins nailed shut burst one after another, opening as horrifying figures woke up and sat up from those ¡°beds¡± meant for eternal rest.


    The old caretaker pushed Annie into the cabin and casually shut the door behind them, turning quickly to fire another shot.


    The guardhouse was robust, protected by talismans, but if the entire cemetery¡¯s dead were to rise, this flimsy small shelter might not withstand all the onslaughts¨C even if it physically held off the attacks, the mental torment from the undead¡¯s siege could pierce through the cabin¡¯s defenses, affecting the child.


    The more he killed, the safer Annie would be.


    ¡°God of Death above, I¡¯ve been retired for ten years!¡±


    The veteran grumbled hoarsely, adeptly working the bolt of his rifle, ejecting a spent cartridge and chambering a new round. His eyes, already murky, seemed to harbor a flame, targeting the next restless resident almost without aiming.


    The gunshot echoed, the dead rested, gun smoke rose, souls transcended.


    ¡°¡®The Gatekeeper of the Other Side¡¯ sure has his hands full today, hopefully, they can keep up with so many souls departing prematurely.¡±


    Muttering to himself, the caretaker¡¯s hands never stopped moving. Several Restless Ones began to move toward the direction of the guardhouse; he reloaded and fired again and again, ushering his ¡°guests¡± prematurely on their way.


    More and more wobbly corpses appeared around the path.


    Those dimly seen figures even caused the old caretaker a moment of confusion¨C


    Were there so many bodies in the cemetery? Could all the morgue slabs combined hold so many corpses?


    Did they appear out of thin air from this dense fog?!


    Bang!


    After another gunshot, the old caretaker heard a very close snarl. Without lifting his head, his left hand reached into his chest, pulling out a short sword that appeared instantly in his hand. The next second, his body seemed to disappear and reappear several meters away by the door, the short sword slashing through the air, cutting down a body, a swollen, misshapen head rolling on the ground.


    The old man looked down, noticing that the head had a single large eye on it.


    His shock lasted only a moment before he was back at the doorway, raising his gun to target another shadow wavering towards him in the fog.


    He pulled the trigger, but the gun didn¡¯t fire, only the click of an empty chamber sounding.


    The old man¡¯s eyes shifted slightly, he quickly sheathed the short sword, reaching for the ammunition pouch at his waist¨C it was completely empty.


    After a moment of silence, the old caretaker sighed, ¡°Well, that¡¯s about enough¡­¡±


    He set down the now empty shotgun, reaching again for his short sword, lifting his head to look at the figures emerging waveringly from the fog.


    A slight creaking sound came from behind him.


    The guardhouse door had been opened from the inside.


    The old man turned in astonishment, seeing Annie carefully watching him.


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    The little girl was tightly clutching a large-caliber rifle¨C his backup weapon.


    At the little girl¡¯s feet were several ammunition pouches and ammo boxes.


    The floor showed clear scratches, these heavy items evidently dragged over from the corner with great effort by Annie.


    ¡°Guardian Grandpa, use this,¡± Annie lifted her hand, struggling slightly to hand the rifle to the old man in front of her, ¡°Will this be of any use?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± after a moment of silence, the old man nodded and reached for the rifle, tossing the double-barreled shotgun back to the girl, ¡°Load it.¡±

 Chapter 403 - Chapter 403 Chapter 407 Opening

    Chapter 403: Chapter 407 Opening Chapter 403: Chapter 407 Opening The incessant roaring had completely shattered the peace in Cemetery No. 3, with the flames spouting from gun muzzles illuminating the dim fog again and again. Wavering, twisting figures emerged continuously from the fog, only to fall one by one under the sanctified fire and metallic onslaught¨Cwhere they fell, a dark, ominous substance had already spread onto the path.


    These were clearly no longer ¡°agitated corpses¡±¨Cthey were more profane, more ominous beings that had to be utterly eradicated here.


    The old man¡¯s marksmanship was precise; to him, the deformed creatures emerging from the fog were like slow-moving reptiles, and even through the thick fog, he could take them out with a single shot each.


    In fact, he was more adept and experienced with a short sword and a walking stick¨Cbut the old man knew that he must avoid close combat with those monsters as long as possible.


    He was already very old. The experience of an old soldier couldn¡¯t compensate for the decline of the body, and it seemed that the enemy could never be completely eradicated. Once the fight came to close-quarters, he would no longer be able to hold those monsters at bay across the path.


    He had to calculate precisely, to use as little strength as possible to kill as many monsters as he could, to buy time. The cathedral and the City-State authorities must be taking action, reinforcements would come, from either side¨Cthe city would not fall to such a bewildering fog.


    From afar, faint sounds of other gunfire reached them.


    ¡°Guardian Grandfather!¡± Anne shouted as she handed the freshly loaded rifle back to the old man, her gaze nervously following the direction from which the gunshots were coming. ¡°There¡¯s shooting from other places¡­ Are people coming to help us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the guardians from Cemetery No. 4 and No. 2,¡± the old man lifted the muzzle of his rifle and with a resounding boom shattered an ugly head that emerged from the fog, saying without turning back, ¡°Someone will come to help us, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Anne declared loudly, despite a quiver in her voice. The cemetery¡¯s old guardian, however, didn¡¯t call her out on this forcefully maintained bravery.


    Because she was already brave enough.


    ¡°You are indeed very brave,¡± the old guardian said, trying to appear as relaxed as possible, even though his arms were actually starting to shake. ¡°Where did you learn to do all this? How do you know how to load rifles and shotguns?¡±


    ¡°My mom has several guns,¡± Anne quickly pressed bullets into the tubular magazine of the double-barreled shotgun while speaking, ¡°the year Dad didn¡¯t come back, Mom bought quite a few guns. She said she needed to protect our home¡­ Ah!¡±


    The catch on the magazine sprang open suddenly, the sharp metal edge slicing a long wound on the young girl¡¯s finger, causing her to cry out in surprise.


    But the very next second, she used another finger to forcefully snap the catch back into place and handed the loaded shotgun to the old man, ¡°Here you are.¡±


    The old guardian noticed the blood on the gun and heard Anne¡¯s shock, but he was silent for a moment before tossing another gun backwards¨C¡°¡­Load it.¡±


    Gunshots roared once more.


    The hunched old man in black, like a bent but resilient tree, firmly anchored himself in the thick fog. He and Anne gradually stopped talking to each other, leaving only silent shooting and increasingly somber expressions. He counted¨Ccounted the number of monsters he had killed and how many times Anne had handed him a loaded shotgun or rifle.


    ¡°The last box of ammunition,¡± he muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Guardian Grandpa, the last box of ammo!¡± Anne almost simultaneously exclaimed with alarm.


    ¡°I know,¡± replied the old guardian without turning, silent as he dispatched a deformed freak that had nearly reached the cottage, then gestured behind him, ¡°Load the shotgun then place it and the remaining bullets at my feet. Go under my bed, there¡¯s a dark brown box with spare ammunition.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Dark brown box, spare ammunition!¡± Anne repeated quickly, before forcefully pushing the gun and bullets outside, then turning to run inside the house.


    The old guardian silently looked down at the shotgun and bullets at his feet, slightly turned his body, casually closed the door, and drew the short sword from his chest, driving it forcefully into the hook of the external bolt.


    Almost the next second, he heard somewhat panicked footsteps inside the cottage, followed by the girl¡¯s vigorous knocking and shouts at the door.


    ¡°¡­I lied to you one last time.¡±


    The old guardian whispered, then, with one hand on his gun, he continued to fire at the deformed monsters closest to him. Afterward, he quickly turned, leaping with force from the door frame; his free left hand swept over a corner above the frame, and he emerged with a pitch-black walking stick. Before landing, he slammed the stick down on another monster surfacing from the fog. As the creature¡¯s head shattered and its body dropped, he too landed steadily.


    His eyes swept across the dense fog in front of him, he swung the black stick with force, the filthy black liquid splattering off like mutant blood. He then forcefully stamped the stick onto the ground, metal mechanisms clicked, and the pitch-black stick shortened by half an inch while countless sharp blades sprung out from its sides.


    As the blades snapped open, it seemed as though they carried with them countless howls and roars from times past.


    The dense fog that permeated the cemetery fell into a moment of silence.


    The old guardian turned his head and glanced at the cabin door, looking at the hidden compartment above the door frame¨Clike most veteran guardians, he chose to place the weapon that had accompanied him for half his life above the last door he guarded upon retirement, never expecting that he and his old companion would stand side by side in battle at this door once again.


    ¡°We guard a door¡­ We are the guardians of Bartok¡­¡± The old man¡¯s back was still hunched over, and in the cold and dim fog, he slowly turned around, his gaze falling on the wavering figures, chanting the oath passed down through generations of guardians, ¡°We swear to guard the frontier between life and death, so the dead may rest, and the living may find peace¡­¡±


    The deformed creatures in the fog grew restless, numerous shaking figures began to cross the path, rushing towards the still-standing cabin.


    In response, there was the sound of the old guardian¡¯s gunfire and the whoosh of a staff-sword cutting through the air.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to rest, I¡¯ll give you rest!¡±


    The sound of slashing, roaring, the thunderous firing of rifles and shotguns¨Cthe guardian¡¯s last stand made the cemetery tremble.


    In the watchman¡¯s cabin, little Annie curled up at the door, hugging her head and listening to the noise outside.


    She started to sob quietly, eventually turning into wailing amidst the roar of gunfire.


    The twelve-year-old had been lied to by her guardian grandfather once again.


    ¡­


    At the same time, in the seas beyond Frost.


    The dense fog was not limited to the airspace above the City-State, having already crossed the near-sea boundary line around noon, covering the patrol range of the Mist Fleet.


    In such rich and eerie fog, even the inherently Transcendent Cursed Fleet had to be on high alert.


    On the bridge of Sea Mist, Tyrion stood with his brows furrowed in front of the large windows, staring at the wall-like dense fog on the sea¡¯s surface. First Mate Aiden approached him from behind, reporting the situation with a serious tone, ¡°¡­as of now, communication with Cold Harbor, Ice Bay, and Pirate Island has been strongly disrupted, with no response on all frequencies, and although communication with Frost Navy and the ports of Frost Island is also affected, we can barely make contact. The coverage of the fog has spread at least a hundred nautical miles beyond Frost Island¡­


    ¡°Moreover, according to the reports from the boats we sent to the edge of the fog, the range of the fog has stopped spreading, and the density isn¡¯t increasing further, but attempts to sail out of the fog have failed¨Call boats trying to leave the fog end up turning in place, unknowingly circling back into the depths of the fog.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the Observatory doing?¡±


    ¡°Still unable to observe the correct constellations,¡± First Mate Aiden said with a grave expression, ¡°It¡¯s as if a blurry lens suddenly appeared between Spirit Realm and the Mysterious Deep Sea, creating double images of the stars, and the mental pressure caused by stargazing has surged, making prolonged observation impossible.¡±


    ¡°¡­It looks like the blockade is in place, Frost City-State, and the surrounding seas are isolated from the ¡®normal world¡¯ outside,¡± Tyrion said expressionless, his one eye only containing calm, ¡°Don¡¯t waste any effort trying to get out.¡±


    ¡°Blockade¡­ Who created this blockade?¡±


    ¡°Use your brain for once¨Cdo you even need to ask?¡± Tyrion glanced back at Aiden, ¡°The Heretics, the madmen who worship The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea, aren¡¯t they the ones causing trouble recently?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Aiden frowned, an expression as if to say ¡°isn¡¯t this a bit much¡± on his face, ¡°but can a bunch of heretics really pull off something this big?¡±


    ¡°A rabble of lunatics may not have the ability, but the ¡®Lord¡¯ they worship is another matter,¡± Tyrion placed his hand on the railing in front of him, his voice low, ¡°The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea¡­ Blocking spacetime, disturbing the stars¡­ This is the might of an ancient deity?¡±


    Aiden instinctively swallowed.


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    ¡°So¡­ We¡¯re really going up against the power of an ancient god this time?¡±


    ¡°Scared?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± Aiden nodded, yet squeezed out an ugly smile, ¡°But no way around it, such are the times¨Cactually, if you think about it, it¡¯s not so bad. Everyone faced off against the old captain back then with gritted teeth, and at least now the old captain is on our side.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. Tell everyone to be ready,¡± Tyrion exhaled softly and waved his hand at his first mate, ¡°Having left Frost so many years ago, we might have to stir up a big commotion in these seas again.¡±


    (I¡¯m going to Beijing for a trip tomorrow, over twenty days to Shanghai next, and I might also head to Shijiazhuang next month. I had a trip to Chengdu before that, feeling like I¡¯m either on a business trip or on my way to one lately¡­ Anyway, I¡¯ll release what I have saved for now so there won¡¯t be any interruptions, and then I¡¯ll try to update more if I get the chance during business trips.)

 Chapter 404 - Chapter 404 Chapter 408 Roaring in the Sea Fog

    Chapter 404: Chapter 408: Roaring in the Sea Fog Chapter 404: Chapter 408: Roaring in the Sea Fog A deep and dignified steam whistle echoed over the sea, as sacred steam gushed from the core cabin of the ship, shaking the towering smokestack of the Sea Mist and every intricate pipe within it. Amid this war horn-like wailing of the steam whistle, all sailors sprang into action.


    Lifts creaked as they transported shells and heavy artillery rounds into the combat ammunition depot below the gun deck, steam pipes roared ceaselessly, channeling the hallowed gas into various essential mechanisms and blessed areas. Sailors moved back and forth across the deck and corridors, each taking their positions for battle.


    When the whistle sounded a second time, the small chapel at the rear of the Sea Mist rang its copper bell, signaling the blessing of the Storm Goddess, and bestowing Gomona¡¯s grace upon this fearsome warship considered ¡°cursed¡± by the world.


    On the other main battleships of the Mist Fleet, similar sounds of bells and steam whistles also resonated¨Can array of shipboard church bells echoed in the fog, seemingly producing a mysterious resonance, their synchronized chimes even beginning to alter reality, slightly diminishing and dissipating the dense fog hovering over the sea.


    At the same time, the nearby patrolling Frost Navy also responded¨Cflags were raised, lights flickered, the sound of steam whistles and the ringing of the church bells echoed brilliantly in the fog!


    At this moment, a half-century of entanglements and hostility between the two fleets finally gave way to the extraordinary phenomena descending above all heads. Under the bizarre and perilous fog blockade, the navy established by the living and the fleet dominated by the Undead had become the only forces that could rely on each other.


    Nobody knew when or in what form the enemy would appear, but everyone knew that any unfamiliar ship appearing on these waters was the enemy.


    Even ¡°friendly ships¡± that refused to respond to communication were the enemy.


    The enemy was the sea itself.


    Everyone was on edge, waiting for changes to manifest in the fog, waiting for new messages from the main island of the Frost or any other potential intelligence and orders. Sitting command on the Sea Mist, Therian suddenly had a strange feeling.


    It was as if he felt a gaze, but this gaze came from no particular direction¨Cit was as if a look had been cast across time rather than space, from a distant past, now quietly settling upon him.


    He looked up in astonishment, instinctively scanning the bridge of the Sea Mist.


    His second-in-command, Aiden, was discussing with the chief of sailors, the communications officer was coordinating coordinates with the Frost Navy, and the elderly black-robed priest, having rushed from the chapel, was now beside the gunnery chief¡¯s seat, eyes closed in prayer¨C with heavy fog obscuring the sea, spiritual guidance from the priest was the battleship¡¯s greatest reliance in combat against enemies in the fog.


    Elsewhere, a figure stood quietly beside a porthole.


    For a moment, Therian recalled a scene from half a century ago¨Cat that time, Her Majesty had personally boarded this warship. The Sea Mist back then had not yet undergone fifty years of growth; it was an older, more weathered version, and the Queen stood at that spot, gazing long at the distant seas.


    It was there she had ordered the Mist Fleet to distance from Frost three days later.


    Now, the figure slowly turned its head, issuing another command.


    ¡°Therian, defend Frost.¡±


    Half a century later, the second command had finally arrived.


    Therian jolted awake, feeling his heart pounding fiercely, his eyes burning with the pain of gazing almost directly into some ¡°truthful¡± knowledge. Noise thundered in his head before he could carefully consider whether the scene he had just witnessed was a hallucination or something else, a sudden blare of the alarm interrupted all his thoughts.


    Amidst the ringing bells, he caught sight in the corner of his eye¨Ca massive silhouette emerging from the shrouded fog, rising up as if the sea itself was elevating, creating a specter from the past.


    The ¡°ghost¡± ship¡¯s masts towered, its antiquated chimney structures akin to coral growths on the back of a sea beast, it slowly adjusted its heading, moving towards the side flank of the Mist Fleet.


    So close, not even the priest¡¯s spiritual guidance was necessary.


    ¡°Visual contact made! Silhouette identified, third-party ship!¡± called out the spotter.


    ¡°Fire,¡± Therian stepped back to his captain¡¯s seat, his voice commanding and icy as a glacier, ¡°Everything that appears on this sea that is not already identified on our list, is an enemy.¡±


    In an instant, cannons roared and thunder exploded!


    On board the Sea Mist, the three main turrets, already primed, successively launched an attack. The heavy armor-piercing shells, released amidst thunderous booms, turned into blazing meteors in the fog, ruthlessly striking towards the distant silhouette emerging from the mist!


    Almost simultaneously with the Sea Mist¡¯s attack, continuous cannon fire also sounded from within the mist¨Cthe sound resembling distant thunder. Amid a series of bright flashes, lines of fire tore through the fog, hurtling towards the Sea Mist¡¯s location.


    Tirian sat silently in the captain¡¯s seat, eyes slightly squinted as he listened to that distant booming, calculating the flight of the shells.


    It was the old-style 356mm main gun, with quad triple turrets¡­ which old friend was it?


    The ¡°Duke Rune,¡± that once carried out Queen¡¯s escort missions? Or the ¡°Knight,¡± which bravely sank in the storm while fighting the Deep Sea Descendants? Or perhaps¡­ the ¡°Warrior¡±?


    The howling sound, like the wails of a banshee, thundered down from the sky, shattering the only remaining calm on the sea surface, causing huge explosions and water columns as tall as dozens of floors to surge, even the thick fog enshrouding the sea surface was torn apart by the blast wave, turning into countless pale and chaotic currents.


    Not a single shell flying from the opposite side of the thick fog landed near the ¡°Sea Mist,¡± and the first round of cannon fire from the ¡°Sea Mist¡± was also the same.


    ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®Knight,¡¯ watch its broadside rapid-fire guns,¡± Tirian opened his eyes, his voice not loud, but it clearly entered every soldier¡¯s ear, ¡°At this distance, the rapid-fire guns can already exert their power¨Csteam core pressurize, increase the distance.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Steam core pressurize! Increase the distance!¡±


    The ¡°heart¡± deep within the ¡°Sea Mist¡± emitted a low roar, and the entire ship began to accelerate and slowly turn, while nearby on the sea surface, large patches of sea ice also began to emerge quickly, spreading rapidly in all directions like some kind of living creature, building a battlefield advantageous to the ¡°Sea Mist.¡±


    Just as the ship began to maneuver, Tirian suddenly noticed from the corner of his eye another flash of fire outside another side window, accompanied by a distant shadow.


    First mate Aiden immediately shouted loudly, ¡°A second ship spotted, no radio response, not on the recognition list!¡±


    Before Aiden could finish, another deep boom came from afar.


    ¡°Third ship! Not on the recognition list!¡±


    ¡°Communication from the ¡®Sea Raven,¡¯ they are already engaging multiple enemies!¡±


    ¡°Communication from the Frost Navy, battle has erupted near the City-State coastal waters!¡±


    ¡°First and second main guns prioritize the ¡®Knight,¡¯ third main gun and long-range secondary guns handle other enemies appearing within range,¡± Tirian¡¯s voice did not change at all despite the continuous appearance of enemies on the sea surface, he just continued to calmly watch that ship silhouette deep in the fog, still firing continuously and pushing through floating ice towards their side, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about how many more enemies there might be¨Call strange things appearing on the sea are enemies, this is just the beginning.¡±


    First mate Aiden also spoke loudly: ¡°Listen to the captain, whatever comes at sea, shoot it down. Those old timers, even if they come back to life, they¡¯re no match for the Mist Fleet. Keep firing!¡±


    Following the commands from the bridge, all the main and secondary guns of the ¡°Sea Mist¡± began a round of volleys, igniting the dark, chaotic fog over and over with scorching firelight.


    And during the thunderous cannon fire, more unidentified ships began continuously appearing on this vast sea surface!


    Just as Tirian had said¨Cthis was just the beginning.


    Mirror Frost was rising, reality¡¯s boundaries were blurring in the fog, and things that had sunk in this ocean were massively entering reality in the form of replications!


    And everything that appeared in this sea henceforth was an enemy!


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    ¡°Make a big scene!¡± Aiden¡¯s raspy voice harangued across the bridge, the bald and burly man¡¯s face wearing a grin nearing ferocity, clearly, he hadn¡¯t had such a vigorous fight in a long time, ¡°Let out all that vile energy from the last fifty years, brothers. Show those primadonnas in the navy what the Mist Fleet is¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the boisterous voice of the first mate stopped abruptly as if an invisible hand had grasped his throat, his eyes suddenly widened, staring fiercely in a certain direction¨Cand the next second, Tirian knew why he had such a reaction.


    Another ship silhouette appeared abruptly within the nearby fog, and then, with almost lightning-fast speed, directly charged into the battlefield, The ship silhouette, unlike any of the current enemies, unlike any famous ship Tirian knew¨C


    It was a solid mass of black mist, a tangible shadow, a nebulous entity in the form of a ship! It soared through the fog like some bizarre, mirror-reflected shadow, whooshing directly at them, and more than its eerie form, what immediately silenced the crew of the ¡°Sea Mist¡± was the ¡°shadow¡± of the ship silhouette reflected on the sea surface.


    That was unmistakably another ship, one shrouded in eerie green flames, in the eyes of every crew member of the Mist Fleet even more ghostly and terrifying than any phantom¨C¡°Ghost Ship¡±!


    This ¡°twin ship¡± reflected on the sea as a mirror just dashed out like that, whooshing across the water, one emitting rolling black smoke above the sea surface, one emitting faint green fire beneath it. It almost grazed past the side of the ¡°Sea Mist,¡± reaching the other end of the battlefield in the blink of an eye.


    Tirian could swear to his father that he had never seen such a bizarrely fast large ship in his life!

 Chapter 405 - Chapter 405 Chapter 409 Twins

    Chapter 405: Chapter 409: Twins Chapter 405: Chapter 409: Twins Amidst the roaring cannon fire, a bizarre Twin Ghost Ship abruptly cut through the scene and charged through the battlefield right under the noses of both sides engaged in combat¨Clet alone the Sea Mist, even Tyrion felt that the ¡°Replication¡± warships deep in the thick fog had been stunned for several seconds.


    Then, he heard Aiden¡¯s voice coming from beside him, ¡°Captain, the ship that just ran past seemed to come out of the fog as well, do we¡­ do we shoot it?¡±


    On the bridge, all eyes turned toward their captain because the words he had uttered just a moment earlier were still lingering in everyone¡¯s mind:


    After the battle begins, everything that appears anew in this sea area, is an enemy.


    ¡°¡­Shoot what!¡± After a few seconds of unbearable silence, Tyrion finally glared and shouted, ¡°Can we even catch up?! And didn¡¯t you see that ship¡¯s shadow in the sea?¡±


    Aiden immediately shrank his neck, and a glint of light flicked across his bald head. He hesitated before saying, ¡°I saw it, that shadow¡­ seemed to be wrapped in Spiritual Fire.¡±


    No sooner had the first mate finished speaking than a deep rumbling sound came from deep within the Sea Mist¡¯s hull, and the ship¡¯s whistle on deck suddenly sounded¨Cas if the ship, once a main battleship of the Exiled Fleet and transformed by Transcendent forces, was affirming the first mate¡¯s judgment on its own volition.


    ¡°The ship has sensed it too,¡± Aiden lifted his head to look around and then gave Tyrion a complicated look, ¡°Captain, what do you think that ship just now is all about?¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps it¡¯s my father¡¯s arrangement,¡± Tyrion said seriously, ¡°don¡¯t delve into it, continue the fight. Also, inform all allies, including the Frost Navy, not to obstruct that bizarre¡­ never mind, probably with that speed¡­¡±


    He was only halfway through his sentence when a sailor monitoring the radio suddenly received a message, and immediately stood up to report loudly, ¡°Captain! The Frost Navy¡¯s ¡®Sea Owl¡¯ has contacted us, saying that just now a very fast and strange-looking Ghost Ship sped past them and headed straight for the Frost homeland. They are asking if that ship is ours.¡±


    Tyrion pinched the bridge of his nose hard, and after a moment waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t mention anything about Homeloss to them¨Cjust say it¡¯s an ally, no further explanation needed. Once the situation stabilizes a bit, I¡¯ll confirm with ¡®him¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    The cannons continued to roar, and the bursts of light and explosions within the fog did not subside even slightly during this brief interlude. Amidst the towering geysers in the distance, Tyrion¡¯s contemplative gaze pierced the combat zone¡¯s dense fog, quietly watching the direction in which the bizarre ship had departed.


    ¡­


    ¡°I feel like we just hit something!¡±


    Laurence hurried back to his desk from beside the porthole and spoke loudly to the small mirror placed on it. Then he anxiously looked up again, and seeing the dark and blurry sea outside the porthole, it seemed as if countless vague and illusionary things were floating on the surface of the sea, making it impossible to distinguish what was real from what was illusion.


    And the White Oak herself was moving through these phantasms at a staggering speed.


    A cloud of black mist surged in the mirror, and a female adventurer dressed in a captain¡¯s uniform appeared in the mist.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t hit anything,¡± Martha said with a pleasant smile, ¡°We just nearly did.¡±


    ¡°Nearly hitting is already terrifying enough!¡± Laurence picked up the small mirror and quickly walked to the window, speaking rapidly, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize when there were no reference points¨Chow fast are we going exactly?!¡±


    ¡°Very fast, very, very fast¨Cintangible phantasms can pass through the waves like the wind,¡± Martha smiled, looking into Laurence¡¯s eyes through the mirror, ¡°Do you remember what you told me many years ago? You said you¡¯d turn the White Oak and Black Oak into the finest vanguard explorer ships, and then sail across the seas with me, like the wind¡­ My love, we¡¯re at least at force seven or eight.¡±


    ¡°That was a metaphor! A metaphor!¡± Laurence¡¯s eyes held a hint of terror, for as he said this, he watched yet another colossal illusion almost graze the porthole as it swept behind them. The illusion¡¯s bridge was towering, and the gun turrets on the side of its hull aimed distantly, engaged in fierce combat with the enemy in another dimension, while the White Oak-Black Oak seemed to have just rushed in front of the main cannon¡¯s muzzle.


    A moment later, Laurence raised his hand to his forehead and sighed, ¡°Never mind, as long as you can ensure our safety, what¡¯s the actual situation outside?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re crossing the combat zone,¡± Martha said softly and calmly.


    ¡°Combat zone? Who¡¯s fighting?¡±


    Martha in the mirror turned her head as if she was observing the situation on her side, and after a moment turned back her gaze, ¡°The Frost Navy in the real world, and the renowned Mist Fleet. Their opponents are the Replications that have surfaced from the mirror world into reality.¡±


    Laurence¡¯s heart sank, his expression turning grave, ¡°¡­The final moment has come?¡±


    ¡°It seems so,¡± Martha whispered, ¡°The mirror is beginning to coincide with the real world, and the last ¡®phase reversal¡¯ process has begun.¡±


    ¡°Why so soon? Didn¡¯t you say this process wasn¡¯t going to start this early?¡±


    ¡°I can only make general inferences, Lawrence¨Cafter we broke away from the rank of fakes, my connection with this mirror world has been rapidly weakening. I don¡¯t know what happened, but clearly, someone deliberately accelerated the reflection process¡­¡±


    Lawrence didn¡¯t speak at first, just looked out the window at the hazy, chaotic sea and the ceaseless passage of insubstantial phantoms. After a few seconds, he suddenly asked, ¡°Are we still voyaging in the mirror territory?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re still trapped in this mirror world,¡± Martha nodded, ¡°but the barrier between the mirror and the real world is becoming blurred¨Cour time is running short.¡±


    ¡°What will happen if the reflection is truly complete?¡± Lawrence asked.


    ¡°A City-State transformed into a breeding ground for the arrival of ancient gods, what do you think will happen?¡± Martha replied with a calm expression.


    Lawrence subconsciously pressed his temples.


    ¡°Damn, how far are we from Frost?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about to arrive,¡± Martha raised her hand in the mirror and pointed outside the window, ¡°I can already see the lights of the harbor area from here. Countless ships are assembling in the surrounding waters, ships sunk over the past half-century, innumerable Replications¨Cbut they are ignoring the Black Oak, at least for now.¡±


    Lawrence nodded gravely, picked up the mirror through which he communicated with Martha, and left his captain¡¯s quarters. He asked aloud as he walked towards the bridge, ¡°Once we reach Frost, what do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Find their nest¨Cthe force that creates and sustains this mirror world is deep within Frost. I can sense its approximate location,¡± Martha¡¯s perpetual smile shifted to seriousness as she looked Lawrence in the eye with earnestness, ¡°And as soon as you start searching for it, the fakes lurking around the City-State will probably react immediately. I will find a way to hold them off.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just the Black Oak and the White Oak, can we really handle it? You just said, countless ships are gathering¡­¡±


    ¡°We are part of the Exiled Fleet, Lawrence,¡± Martha said, her smile returning to the corner of her mouth, ¡°and besides, we¡¯re not the only ones fighting this battle.¡±


    Lawrence quickly caught on and thoughtfully looked out the corridor window.


    Those shadowy, massive vessels were engaging in battle on the distant sea, and as time passed, the boundaries between the mirror and reality were blurring further. Soon, the entire sea area, including both the mirror and the real Frost, would erupt into flames.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lawrence nodded, withdrew his gaze from the window, and continued to stride toward the bridge, ¡°But one last question¨CI can lead the team into Frost alright, but how do we deal with that¡­ ¡®thing¡¯ deep within the City-State? If it really is an ancient god or a part thereof, as you say, common weapons might not suffice.¡±


    The bridge was reached.


    Lawrence steadied himself and pushed open the door.


    His first mate, second mate, the ship¡¯s priest, and all his crewmembers were waiting here for him.


    And there was that oddity, anomalous 077-sailor¨Cthis mummy had somehow found a cap from the White Oak to wear on its head and was now sitting properly in a chair, curiously and attentively studying the other crewmembers at work.


    Lawrence walked toward them, and the crewmembers stood up to salute him.


    Martha¡¯s voice came through the mirror: ¡°You will have help.¡±


    Lawrence replied to the crew¡¯s greetings, and upon hearing this, he looked at Martha in the mirror with surprise, ¡°Help?¡±


    ¡°Yes, help¨Cin the many years past, they¡¯ve been fighting in the depths of this mirror world, trying to break through the gate to the deepest parts of the City-State, but they¡¯ve never succeeded. You go find them, and without needing to explain your intentions, they will naturally become your allies¡­ probably.¡±


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    ¡°Probably?!¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not sure what kind of beings they are, not sure whether they can communicate with people¨CLawrence, as you know, although I¡¯ve been wandering here for many years, I¡¯ve not had much freedom.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I get it, helpers,¡± Lawrence sighed, his tone unavoidably carrying some curiosity, ¡°I thought we were the only ones here dealing with the fakes around us. I never expected there to be others. Who are they?¡±


    ¡°They call themselves¡­ the Queen¡¯s Guard.¡±


    (Recommendation time, the book title: ¡°The Savior Is Busy Branching Off,¡± let¡¯s use the author¡¯s own blurb: ¡°A book full of meaningless rants, nothing else,¡± if you¡¯re interested, feel free to support it.)

 Chapter 406 - Chapter 406 Chapter 410 Misty Panic

    Chapter 406: Chapter 410: Misty Panic Chapter 406: Chapter 410: Misty Panic The click of the switch echoed continuously in the secret room, the metallic spring vibrating rhythmically as it connected and disconnected, sending invisible signals to the rooftop¨Cand from there, antennas cunningly disguised as weather vanes broadcast them. Messages from the Mist Fleet would likewise find their way into this chamber, transforming into the click-clack of the relays and a series of neatly punched holes on the ticker tape.


    Nemo sat at the table wearing headphones, restlessly tapping his fingers on the surface as he listened to the sounds within. A young girl dressed as a waitress stood beside him, deciphering the round holes on the paper tape that had just been fed out of the punch machine.


    After a while, Nemo yanked off the headphones and leaned back in his chair, massaging his eyebrows and letting out a long sigh.


    ¡°Captain Tirian has begun engaging the strange fleet that appeared out of the mist. The situation with the Frost Navy is unclear for now, but it seems to be bad,¡± the young girl with the paper tape spoke softly, her tone tinged with nervousness, ¡°And yet, not a whisper of it has been heard in the city¡­¡±


    ¡°The thick fog is cutting off civilian channels of communication, and residents in the coastal area won¡¯t know what¡¯s happening even if they hear the cannon fire. The City-State authorities must now maintain order within the city limits¨Cwidespread panic won¡¯t do the navy any favors,¡± Timor pinched the bridge of his nose, ¡°What¡¯s the situation like outside on the streets? And in the store?¡±


    ¡°The Sheriff¡¯s troops have imposed martial law throughout the city; it¡¯s very quiet on the streets, but there seemed to be gunshots from far away a little earlier, and two steam mechs passed hurriedly heading north from Oak Street,¡± the young girl answered, ¡°As for the store, we¡¯re currently okay, and we have enough fuel for the lighting, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°There are more than a dozen customers trapped here by the fog. The streets outside are now blockaded, and the Shelter is already full. They have nowhere to go, and fear is sure to build up among them over time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, we can¡¯t just throw them out onto the streets. Right now, the tavern is their makeshift Shelter, and kicking them out would definitely attract the attention of the Sheriffs and the Church,¡± Nemo shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll go up later to assess the situation.¡±


    The words of this informant from the Mist Fleet had barely finished when a muffled murmur suddenly emerged from a corner of the room: ¡°Charge again, charge again¡­ They¡¯ve broken through¡­ Reinforcements have arrived¡­¡±


    Nemo frowned immediately and stood up to look toward the source of the noise.


    There was a bed there, upon which a slovenly old man laid in a stupor, his back hunched and clutching a large wrench that seemed to have come from nowhere, looking very uncomfortable in his rest.


    ¡°Old Ghost, Old Ghost,¡± Nemo walked over and patted the old man¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Are you having a nightmare?¡±


    The old man with the wrench slowly opened his eyes in his daze, and after several sluggish seconds, he finally spoke: ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Nemo,¡± Nemo Wilkins replied with a complicated expression, ¡°What did you dream about?¡±


    ¡°Nemo¡­ oh, Nemo, I remember now, you¡¯re the newcomer of the Queen¡¯s Guard¡­ Hello, I¡¯m the engineer of the Second Waterway¡­ A dream? I didn¡¯t dream, I took a nap, just a nap¡­ What time is it now? Should I go inspect the power pipes?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already the afternoon,¡± Nemo shook his head, ¡°Forget about the power pipes for now. We¡¯ve temporarily evacuated from that place; it¡¯s not safe anywhere right now. We need to stay put at the stronghold and wait for instructions¨Cthose are General Tirian¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°General Tirian¡­¡± Old Ghost¡¯s eyes became unfocused for a moment, then he seemed to snap back to clarity, hastily getting up from the bed, ¡°Yes! Engineer Wilson receives the order! Stand by at the stronghold!¡±


    Nemo¡¯s expression grew more complex, but he slowly stood upright and returned the military salute to the old man. Then he turned around and nodded at the young girl in the waitress uniform, ¡°Stay here and look after Old Ghost. I¡¯ll go up to check on the situation.¡±


    After giving his instructions, he left the secret room and returned to the tavern above ground through the hidden passage.


    Within ¡°The Golden Flute¡± tavern, a stifling and tense atmosphere filled the hall. The patrons trapped by the thick fog, the staff and waiters on duty at the tavern, nearly everyone¡¯s attention was fixated on the scene outside the display window¨Cbeyond which all that could be seen was the dense fog and the faintly discernible streets within it.


    All city gas lights had been lit ahead of schedule, and the artificial lights barely held back the gloom brought by the eerie fog. However, they were insufficient to pierce through and clarify this chaotic world. Those dim orbs floated around in the fog like rootless water hyacinths, appearing just like a row of eyes floating above the streets.


    Nemo emerged from the back kitchen door and approached the counter.


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± he asked the clerk behind the counter in a low voice.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s on edge. We¡¯ve lost all transportation and communication with the neighboring blocks; no one knows what the situation is elsewhere,¡± the clerk whispered back, ¡°But fortunately, no one has cracked under pressure and run outside¨Cno one wants to venture into the fog at this time.¡±


    Nemo nodded slightly, ¡°If there really are such fools, don¡¯t stop them, let them go. But once they step out of this door, even if they only stay in the fog for a second, they absolutely must not be allowed back in. From now on, exit is permitted but entry is not; anything that comes from the fog is to be presumed a malevolent spirit.¡±


    The young clerk swallowed nervously and nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, manager.¡±


    Just then, a strange buzzing sound suddenly emanated from the street, interrupting the exchange between Nemo and his subordinate.


    ¡°`


    It sounded like some device had started up, interspersed with the rumblings of heavy machinery moving along the streets.


    The people in the store grew restless for a moment, with some nervously approaching the window to look at the activity on the streets outside, where some caught sight of moving red lights through the fog and exclaimed in a hushed voice, ¡°Steam-powered walkers¡­ there are more walkers appearing!¡±


    Nemo also walked towards the window, but as he had just made his way halfway there, the strange buzzing sound suddenly became sharp. Right after that, a slightly distorted loudspeaker voice came from outside the window¨Cthe broadcasting equipment carried on the steam-powered walkers making an announcement.


    ¡°Sss¡­ Attention, all citizens¡­ the Governor and church officials are working to restore order to the City-State¡­ Frost is being affected by an unknown phenomenon, we are¡­ a special reminder, please stay in your homes or safe shelter facilities, and for your safety, stay as far away as possible from all things that can produce mirror-like reflections around you, including but not limited to mirrors, water surfaces, and shiny metals¡­


    ¡°Emphasize once more, please stay away from all things that can produce mirror-like reflections around you, all things.


    ¡°Furthermore, if you find someone around you acting strangely, please immediately hide in a safe, separate space, and if possible, seek help from the person in charge at the shelter or from the nearest guardsman or law officer. Do not attack anyone you feel is suspicious rashly. Prioritize your own safety and isolation.


    ¡°If you feel there is something wrong with your own condition as well, please immediately hide in a safe, separate space, and avoid talking with others as much as possible¡­


    ¡°The above is a reminder from Governor Winston and experts from the Transcendent domain.


    ¡°Attention, all citizens¡­¡±


    The broadcast faded away along with the red warning lights of the steam-powered walkers, disappearing into the thick fog.


    Nemo looked up and saw pairs of anxious eyes around him.


    But he quickly snapped to his senses.


    ¡°Get the cloth!¡± he shouted to the clerks and waiters, ¡°Cover all the glass counters and mirrors!¡±


    Everyone quickly caught on, and although the tension remained, the residents of the City-State clearly possessed basic knowledge and mental preparation for self-rescue in Transcendent disasters. The staff hurriedly fetched dust covers used after closing, and the customers who stayed in the store quickly helped out, covering everything within sight that might produce a mirror-like reflection with rapid speed.


    Similar situations were unfolding in every corner of the Frost City-State.


    The terror of the fog was engulfing the city.


    In the dense mist, Agatha had returned to the grand cathedral.


    She found Bishop Ivan, who had just finished his duties, in the resting room next to the great sanctuary.


    The bishop had emerged from his regular resting ¡°spirit coffin¡± and was donning the robes of an Archbishop, which Agatha remembered having not seen on Bishop Ivan for many years.


    ¡°Even my corpse has to get up and work,¡± the robed Bishop Ivan said, spreading his arms as he sat in a chair and addressing Agatha as she entered the room, ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve moved outside the coffin that I feel like I¡¯m falling apart.¡±


    ¡°If you still have a body to ¡®fall apart,''¡± Agatha quipped, ¡°how are things now?¡±


    ¡°Things, everyone is asking how things are¨Cthey¡¯re as bad as they can be,¡± the raspy, deep voice of Bishop Ivan emerged from beneath the bandages, ¡°The counterfeits are attacking the city, the monsters that were lurking about have begun to show their heads. Just now, several cemeteries have been attacked, these temporary resting places for the dead seem to have been used by the enemy as ¡®portals¡¯ to the real world. The city hall also has news, gunshots have been heard on several streets in the Lower City District, and at sea, our fleet has already clashed with the things that have emerged from the waters.


    ¡°The full-scale attack has begun, but what¡¯s worse than the enemy¡¯s full-scale attack is that we still don¡¯t know the full extent of this disaster or conspiracy. Those heretics hiding in the shadows¡­ how did they manage all this, and where are they hiding?¡±


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    Bishop Ivan spoke and then slowly raised his head, looking into Agatha¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What did you find underground? From the look in your eyes, I guess you must have seen something.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find the den where those heretics are hiding, but I found¡­ even more unsettling clues.¡±


    Agatha took a gentle breath and after a pause, she slowly spoke¨C


    ¡°Our boiling gold mines seem to have been exhausted decades ago, perhaps even longer.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 407 - Chapter 407 Chapter 411 Tracking

    Chapter 407: Chapter 411 Tracking Chapter 407: Chapter 411 Tracking ¡°`


    The room fell into silence for a moment.


    This silence lasted for a good ten seconds before Agatha heard the deep, hoarse voice of Bishop Ivan from beneath the bandages, ¡°Oh¨C¡±


    ¡°¡­Your reaction is a bit unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Because your information is too unexpected,¡± Bishop Ivan seemed to finally come to his senses. He adjusted his sitting posture and spoke with extra seriousness, ¡°You¡¯re saying that the Boiling Gold veins of Frost City-State were exhausted decades ago? Is that the truth you uncovered down there?¡±


    ¡°Yes, at the deepest part of the second waterway there is a door, possibly sealed by the first city council. Behind that door is a mine shaft long depleted¨Cjudging by its location, it should be at the bottom of the mining site, in the enrichment area, theoretically the last to be mined¡­¡±


    Agatha did not hide anything, sharing everything she had discovered underground and, during this process, Bishop Ivan¡¯s expression visibly became more and more somber.


    After a while, when Agatha had finished relating her findings, she hesitated slightly before adding, ¡°¡­That is just one mine shaft, there are countless more in the mine, and even if that is the deepest part of the enrichment area, we cannot from this determine that the entire mine is exhausted, so my conclusion relies heavily on speculation¡­ I know, this guess is too crazy.¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed, a crazy guess,¡± Bishop Ivan slowly began, ¡°after all, if according to you, the Boiling Gold mine was exhausted long ago¨Cthen what have we been extracting and shipping out from the mines for the past half-century? What about the Boiling Gold Catalyst that Frost City-State has been supplying to other cities all these years?¡±


    Agatha didn¡¯t speak; she knew that the problems Bishop Ivan raised were unavoidable and unanswerable questions.


    Frost City-State has always produced the highest quality raw Boiling Gold and finished catalyst rods. In the past fifty years, the output of Boiling Gold from Frost City-State alone was almost equivalent to the total combined output of all other city-states by the Chill Sea¨CThe source of Boiling Gold in the mines was inexhaustible; the mining machinery operated day and night, swallowing wealth, and the catalysts produced by the smelting factories were transported to the whole world, with ships using those catalysts scattered across the Endless Sea.


    And in that entire half-century, not a single Boiling Gold order had ever had any problems.


    If the veins really had been depleted decades ago, then setting aside the issues with the Frost mines¨Cwhat are all those ships on the Endless Sea burning in their steam cores? Illusions?


    After a long time, the gatekeeper could only sigh softly, ¡°¡­If that too is a contaminated creation, then our world has indeed reached a terrifying level of absurdity.¡±


    ¡°Our world has always been absurd, but perhaps¡­ you really have found a key clue this time,¡± Bishop Ivan shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s not consider whether that speculation is crazy. From a rational standpoint, the contradiction between a vein that was depleted decades ago and a mine that is still producing steadily now is very likely related to the current abnormalities within the city-state.¡±


    ¡°¡­But according to the clues we had before, the current abnormalities should be caused by those annihilation cultists,¡± Agatha reminded, ¡°What do they have to do with the mines?¡±


    ¡°They may not necessarily be related to the mines¨Cthey might have just taken advantage of and ignited this crisis,¡± Bishop Ivan pondered swiftly, decades of life experience, particularly dealing with heretics, helping him piece together this puzzle, ¡°Those heretics could not have laid out their plans in the city-state for decades without being discovered, especially when the depletion of the veins might date back to the time of the queen, an era when Frost¡¯s crackdown on heretics was much more severe than it is today, and no heretic could have escaped the Frost Queen¡¯s eyes¡­¡±


    At this point, the old Bishop paused, then suddenly asked, ¡°You just said, Governor Winston knows nothing about that door deep within the second waterway?¡±


    Agatha nodded, ¡°That¡¯s what he said.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t quite believe him,¡± Bishop Ivan hesitated, shaking his head, ¡°The situation with the original city council back then was indeed a bit chaotic, but there shouldn¡¯t be such a major oversight during the handover between the first few governors and their administrations, especially not with such a crucial and sensitive secret¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that Governor Winston is hiding something from me?¡± Agatha frowned, ¡°Why would he do that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it might be to maintain the authority of the city hall, there could be bigger implications behind this secret, or maybe he¡¯s been controlled by something, it¡¯s hard to say,¡± Bishop Ivan mused, his gaze suddenly falling on Agatha, ¡°What surprises me more is that you didn¡¯t become suspicious in this regard¨Cthis is not like you to overlook such things.¡±


    Agatha was stunned.


    In this brief moment of stupefaction, she recalled the scene she had experienced on her way back through the second waterway¨Cthe reflection in the pool, the ¡°other self¡± in the reflection heading in the opposite direction.


    ¡°Agatha, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Bishop Ivan¡¯s voice snapped her out of her reverie.


    Agatha blinked and shook her head gently.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± Bishop Ivan¡¯s tone was clearly suspicious, ¡°You¡¯ve been lost in thought more than once in the past couple of days, and¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, always have been,¡± Agatha interrupted the old Bishop¡¯s words, and for some reason, after a brief moment of bewilderment, her tone was now lighter. She took a deep breath, got up from her chair, ¡°I¡¯ve just realized a few things¨CI should set out now.¡±


    Bishop Ivan stood up, ¡°¡­Are you going to the mine?¡±


    ¡°The navy is blocking the enemy, the law enforcers and guardians are controlling the situation, they¡¯ve bought us time, and I still have the chance to understand the source behind all this. It¡¯s time to leave.¡±


    Agatha paused there momentarily as if to emphasize, then added, ¡°Time is limited, I can¡¯t rest here too long.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then set out,¡± Bishop Ivan nodded lightly, ¡°I hope you uncover the truth smoothly and return safely.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°I will find out the truth.¡±


    In the thick fog, distant gunshots rang out from time to time, interspersed occasionally with warning broadcasts from the autonomous police forces or the guardians¡¯ units, as well as the sounds of alarms automatically triggered by certain facilities.


    The City-State was now blurred within the fog, which was permeated with an invisible terror.


    ¡°Compared to this, I¡¯d much rather deal with hundreds of fully armed Heretics, or charge a few more times through a city ablaze.¡±


    Fenna casually dispelled the giant sword condensed from ice, frowned, and looked at the ground before her.


    Within the limited visibility, the ground everywhere as far as she could see was covered with terrifying, intersecting cracks, and large amounts of filthy black sludge were slowly flowing and wriggling between the cracks, quickly solidifying. Some of the sludge even retained a rough human shape, yet featured a chillingly twisted appearance in its critical limbs.


    ¡°Disgusting,¡± Fenna muttered again.


    ¡°Seriously, would you really be willing to fight another battle in a burning city?¡±


    Morris¡¯s voice came from beside her. The old scholar, holding his staff, glanced at the shattered ¡°battlefield¡± in front of him and spoke offhandedly to Fenna.


    ¡°¡­All right, I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Fenna shrugged her shoulders, ¡°Neither the phony City-State shrouded in fog nor the Burning City under the Black Sun are any better.¡±


    While they spoke, the fog swirled, and a tall figure suddenly emerged from the mist behind Fenna. The figure¡¯s head was swollen and misshapen, and its huge singular eye trembled violently through the fog. In the next second, the monster lunged at Fenna.


    Fenna didn¡¯t even turn around; she simply stamped her foot on the ground¨CAn invisible shockwave instantly spread out, shattering the lower body of the twisting creature that had only taken one step forward, which then collapsed to the ground and rapidly turned to sludge.


    Under her conscious control, Morris, who was close by, was not affected by the shockwave at all¨Cthe old scholar merely adjusted his monocle and calmly scanned the fog-enshrouded streets.


    The next second, he suddenly looked towards a specific location, a hint of silver light surfacing in his eyes:


    ¡°McAffinity¡¯s hypothesis and proof.¡±


    The next second, a series of low, continuous booms, like watermelons being crushed, came from the fog. Vague figures emerged from the mist, their heads exploding like fireworks.


    ¡°The good news is, these inferior counterfeits have imitated a certain degree of thinking capability, and their controllers need even more brains,¡± Morris withdrew his gaze, the silver light in his eyes slowly fading, ¡°At first, I was worried they were just chaotic husks, in which case the power of knowledge wouldn¡¯t have been of much use to them.¡±


    Fenna looked somewhat oddly at the monsters with exploding heads turning into sludge in the distance, then turned to look at Morris: ¡°When you taught me back then, you never said ¡®the power of knowledge¡¯ could be so useful.¡±


    ¡°At that time, I assessed that this path wasn¡¯t suitable for you,¡± Morris said casually.


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    Judge Miss felt she might have been mocked for a moment but decided to maintain a humble attitude after recalling her past exam scores.


    ¡°Are there any more around?¡±


    She stayed on alert and asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Not for now,¡± Morris shook his head.


    He continually sensed the surroundings¨Cwhen those creatures emerged from the fog, their chaotic thoughts were the first to register in his perception. The fog could obstruct sight, but the brilliance of thought shone in his eyes like bright lights in the dark night.


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    It is exceedingly rare for someone to actively control their thoughts, so in the field of ¡°detecting intelligent beings,¡± no one could surpass the saints of the God of Wisdom.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that there are none for the time being, although new ones will likely appear soon,¡± Fenna breathed a sigh of relief, slightly warming up her limbs. ¡°Have you noticed¡­ there are a lot of these counterfeits in this direction, and they¡¯re more aggressive than those elsewhere?¡±


    ¡°You felt it too?¡± Morris raised his eyebrows, ¡°Then it seems my judgment is correct.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°The counterfeits that emerge from the fog aren¡¯t all acting blindly. Some of them are being controlled by someone behind the scenes.¡±

 Chapter 408 - Chapter 408 Chapter 412 Academic Exchange

    Chapter 408: Chapter 412 Academic Exchange Chapter 408: Chapter 412 Academic Exchange Since leaving the mountaintop, Fenna and Morris had been constantly battling the replicas emerging from the mist¨Cthey couldn¡¯t remember how many monsters made of Prime Element they had obliterated on their way, but one thing was clear, no matter how many they destroyed, these monsters would always be swiftly replenished from the mist.


    Simply killing these replicas was useless.


    Morris gazed into the dense fog, occasionally a faint silver light flowing in his eyes as he tracked the sporadic flashes of thought appearing in the mist, trying to pinpoint the controllers of these monsters.


    After a while, he suddenly looked up in a direction, ¡°This way.¡±


    Fenna immediately reached out to grasp the air, condensing a new giant sword from the omnipresent mist, and stepped to walk ahead of Morris.


    They navigated through the fog, crossing the deserted streets, barely making out the locations of nearby buildings with the help of the dim streetlamps, while sounds from afar occasionally reached their ears¨Csometimes it was the City-State Guards battling monsters, sometimes weird wails and roars, and sometimes what seemed like cries for help right next to them.


    But at those locations crying for help, there was only surging black mud.


    The fog flowed, and the outlines of the buildings in the mist seemed to flow along, the vague silhouettes coming alive; towers in the mist transformed into giants of flesh, rooftops spreading into huge tentacles and eyestalks, even the streetlamps alongside began to sway, their dark poles bending like soft plants, their lights turning into clumps of murky yellow eyes.


    Just then, a low, gentle prayer suddenly came from ahead, snapping Morris out of his thoughts, and also causing the scenery before his eyes to revert back rapidly.


    Fenna was softly praying¨Clayers of ripples, like water waves, emanated outwards from her, disturbing the dense fog.


    ¡°Be careful, something in the fog can disturb one¡¯s mind,¡± Fenna said without turning her head after finishing a prayer. ¡°We¡¯ve been in this mist too long.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal,¡± Morris casually replied. ¡°Occasional hallucinations and auditory illusions are normal for me; I¡¯ve grown accustomed to them.¡±


    ¡°¡­I should talk to Heidi about your ¡®healthy attitude¡¯ the next time I communicate with her.¡±


    Morris¡¯ lips twitched momentarily as he was about to say something, but just then, a flowing mist suddenly drifted by, and he momentarily lost sight of Fenna.


    The old scholar immediately stopped in his tracks, calling out attentively while looking around, ¡°Fenna?¡±


    The fog silently flowed; there was no response to his call.


    Morris¡¯ nerves tensed gradually, as he swiftly scanned his surroundings.


    Unbeknownst to him, the surroundings had turned into endless pale mist; the buildings that were faintly visible in the mist had vanished without trace, even the dim streetlamps had disappeared from view, and in this pale, chaotic depth, he suddenly spotted something.


    Those were enormous shadows, like incredibly huge towers, but a closer look revealed they were slightly swaying and writhing, seemingly the tentacles of some gigantic sea creature, reaching from the sky to lick the objects on the earth¨CMorris was unconsciously drawn to the vague contours of that huge tentacle, his stare fixing as if he could derive truths and mysteries from its enormous terrifying shadow¨C


    The next second, Morris furrowed his brow and shook his head.


    There was no truth in this thing; it was just a kind of bewitching illusion.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    A voice suddenly emerged from the mist, seemingly surprised, and Morris instantly looked toward the direction of the voice¨Cseeing that the huge illusion had disappeared, and a tall, thin figure was walking out of the mist.


    ¡°You are actually unaffected¨Cthat¡¯s truly surprising.¡± The tall, thin figure solidified, revealing itself as a middle-aged man clad in a dark blue coat, holding a black leather-bound book in his hand; behind him, a black chain extended from his neckbones into the air, ending in a Smoke Dust Jellyfish-like creature that was fluctuating inconsistently.


    Morris remained silent, just staring at the Heretic symbioting with the ¡°Smoke Dust Jellyfish,¡± fully alert and watching the other¡¯s every move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense, old man; I actually don¡¯t mind having a chat with you. After all, the final day of ascension has already come; I have plenty of time now,¡± the middle-aged man smiled unusually calmly, ¡°I¡¯m really curious, after witnessing the form of our lord, why weren¡¯t you affected¨Cyou can see those illusions, which means your spiritual sight is indeed sufficient, but you¡­didn¡¯t go mad?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, my mind has always been healthy, I¡¯m not confounded by some bewitching illusions,¡± Morris replied calmly, silently reciting the name of the God of Wisdom Rahm in his mind. ¡°Where did you take my companion?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about others so soon, old man, you should¨C¡±


    The Heretic¡¯s words were cut off mid-sentence as Morris suddenly focused his eyes, pointing toward him: ¡°Romonsov¡¯s Inequality Set!¡±


    Massive knowledge condensed into words, torrentially pouring into the target¡¯s thought processes, causing the Heretic¡¯s figure to shudder as if in pain, bowing his head.


    But just as Morris was about to launch a second mental assault, a strong sense of vigilance suddenly rose in his heart; he forcefully closed his mouth and stifled his thoughts¨Cas nearly at the same moment, he saw the Heretic suddenly raise his head with a trace of mockery in his eyes.


    The backlash from the mental assault occurred instantaneously, and Morris felt a bout of dizziness¨Cfortunately, he reacted in time, and the dizziness was not severe.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity,¡± the Heretic spread his hands and mocked the swaying old scholar, ¡°I¡¯m not very scared of this¡­¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    Before the Heretic could finish speaking, the Smoke Dust Jellyfish floating behind him had begun to violently contract. The next second, along with the sudden expansion of the jellyfish, a huge black fireball appeared in front of the Heretic¨Cexploding with a roar in the air, the next second it smashed right into Morris¡¯s position!


    Black smoke spread all around, even causing the dense fog nearby to tremble violently. The Heretic looked at the still lingering smoke with regret and shook his head, ¡°So many ¡®shells¡¯ destroyed by the mental shock, did you think I would appear unprepared? Unfortunately, knowledge isn¡¯t the same as wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Clink¨CCrack!¡±


    The sound of something falling to the ground suddenly came, interrupting the Heretic¡¯s monologue. He immediately widened his eyes and summoned the power of violent winds with a spell to disperse the black smoke¨Ca shattered Prism appeared before him.


    On the fractured surface of the Prism faintly lingered an illusion of Morris.


    ¡°A Prism? ¡®Optical Deception¡¯?!¡±


    The Heretic suddenly reacted and looked toward a nearby direction, almost simultaneously, Morris¡¯s figure appeared on what was previously an empty piece of land.


    That figure raised his right hand towards him, and in a slow, clear tone, spoke word for word, ¡°McAffinity conjecture and proof.¡±


    However, this time, the Heretic symbiotically linked with the Smoke Dust Jellyfish didn¡¯t even sway. Without disguise, he directly grabbed the chain floating behind his neck, drawing power from the Profound Demons while staring intently at the old scholar not far away, ¡°Sorry, actually I graduated from the Mathematics Department of Moco City-State Central University¡­¡±


    ¡°Click.¡±


    The crisp sound of the gun¡¯s mechanism suddenly entered his ears, another figure of Morris directly appeared behind the Heretic, a revolver pressed right against the back of his head.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    After a gunshot, the body with a gaping hole in the head collapsed, the symbiotically linked Profound Demon swiftly dissipated with a scream.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say you graduated college earlier.¡±


    The old scholar blew on the barrel, put away his gun, and shook his head, while in front of him, the other ¡°Morris¡± figure evaporated like morning dew. Where the illusion vanished, a small crystal Prism fell to the ground and shattered.


    Morris looked at the shattered Prism with some heartache, disdainfully prodding the Heretic¡¯s body with his cane.


    ¡°Wasted two Prisms¨Cand your college diploma.¡±


    In the midst of their conversation, the surrounding fog suddenly started moving again, the scenery hidden in the fog rapidly returned, outlines of buildings and lights reappeared in Morris¡¯s vision, then he saw Fenna running towards him quickly.


    ¡°Are you alright?!¡± Before she could get closer, Fenna nervously spoke out, ¡°You suddenly disappeared¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought you disappeared,¡± Morris waved his hand, ¡°It seems it was just some temporary illusion¡­ wait a second.¡±


    He suddenly remembered something, and at the same time he spoke, Fenna also abruptly stopped a few meters away.


    ¡°First confirm if it¡¯s real,¡± they said in unison.


    Then they exchanged a glance, again speaking simultaneously, ¡°Homeloss!¡±


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    ¡°It seems it¡¯s real,¡± after confirming there were no abnormalities on either of them, Morris nodded, ¡°Better safe than sorry.¡±


    Fenna quickly noticed the Heretic¡¯s corpse on the ground, her expression changing slightly, ¡°Did you handle this?¡±


    ¡°Encountered one with a high degree,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°Had some academic exchanges, lucky I had a better problem-solving approach.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­?¡±


    (The comic ¡°Sword of Dawn¡± which is currently being serialized on B manhwa needs your support! This is already one of the last standing comics, and honestly, it is also the adaptation project I am most satisfied with, so¡­ those who have been hoarding can start selling!)

 Chapter 409 - Chapter 409 Chapter 413 The Next Record

    Chapter 409: Chapter 413 The Next Record Chapter 409: Chapter 413 The Next Record Although Maurice and Fenna had been old acquaintances for many years, in Fenna¡¯s view, Maurice had always been just a gentle and refined scholar¨Cthat was when they were still in the Plunder City-State. The old gentleman spent most of his energy on school lectures, and the remaining time was either soaked in the library or being pulled away by some school to deliver speeches.


    Fenna had little opportunity to uncover the ¡°extraordinary¡± aspects of this elder in the Transcendent domain.


    But since they boarded the Homeloss, she finally started to see another side of Maurice and realized what those seemingly harmless scholars, who follow the God of Wisdom Rahm, relied on to complete their work¨C


    It was one of the most dangerous jobs in the world: the pursuit of knowledge.


    But when she thought about it, it made sense. Scholars should possess unique and powerful abilities. After all, there were many entities in this world chasing after knowledge, from Profound Demons to Spirits Realm phantoms, but most knowledge ultimately fell into the grasp of mortals. And what did they rely on? The strong and powerful academic prowess of mortal scholars¡­


    Fenna rubbed her forehead, trying hard to control the random thoughts in her head, and muttered, ¡°So you¡¯re that amazing¡­ Had I known, I might have paid more attention in class back then, maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re far behind,¡± Maurice said with an expressionless face as he shook his head, ¡°Training seriously suits you better.¡±


    Fenna felt a bit embarrassed: ¡°At least I graduated smoothly from the City-State University¡­¡±


    Maurice glanced at her: ¡°One third of your credits are from physical education, one third from Church supplementary courses.¡±


    Fenna fell silent and after a brief few seconds of silence, she cast her gaze towards the dense fog around them, abruptly changing the subject, ¡°The heretics you eliminated, they should be the controllers of those fake monstrosities, right?¡±


    ¡°At most, one of the controllers,¡± Maurice shook his head, ¡°Do you hear the commotion from the other blocks? Now, such monsters are spread throughout the city-state, it¡¯s unknown how many heretics have already taken advantage of the dense fog to enter the real world¡­ It¡¯s unlikely that we can eliminate them all on our own.¡±


    Fenna nodded gravely, but just as she was about to say something else, something caught her eye in the corner of her vision, and she let out a soft ¡°huh.¡±


    She approached the side of the deceased heretic, squatted down, and inspected the corpse, reaching out to grab and tear open the collar of the garment.


    Beneath the clothes, the flesh was melting and writhing, looking as if it had been stained and soaked by black mud, and with the death of the body itself, the movement of the mud slowed down visibly and gradually started to dry up.


    ¡°¡­This is also a fake!?¡± Fenna widened her eyes in shock, finding it hard to believe, ¡°These heretics¡­ even turned their own people into fakes?!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that simple,¡± Maurice furrowed his brows. He, too, was carefully inspecting the heretic¡¯s corpse and recalling the details of the recent battle before he slowly shook his head, ¡°I sensed his thought waves, they are different from the fakes¨Cthe fakes have apparent discontinuities in their thought processes, unusual for humans, and even if they can act indistinguishably from normal people, they cannot maintain a stable consciousness due to the instability of the Prime Element. But this heretic didn¡¯t have that problem.¡±


    With that, he pointed a finger at the area on the heretic¡¯s chest that was covered by the black mud.


    ¡°And more importantly, this part. Look, he is not made up of the Prime Element¨CPrime Element and normal flesh coexist, which looks more like a symbiosis, or¡­ self-pollution.¡±


    Fenna stared at that spot for a while, her brows gradually knitting together: ¡°These heretics intentionally polluted themselves with Prime Element? Even replaced parts of their own flesh with it¡­ This is quite disgusting, even for cultists, it¡¯s an impressively perverse level.¡±


    Maurice¡¯s tone was relatively calm: ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s much different from those cultists who transform themselves into Profound Demons. These madmen despise the mortal flesh of this world, and they¡¯ve always been unrestrained in using the most insane methods to alter themselves.¡±


    Saying so, his attention was diverted elsewhere.


    He looked at the large black book that the heretic had been holding in his hands.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, the old scholar reached out and forcefully pulled the book from the dead fingers clinching it.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Fenna immediately warned upon seeing that, ¡°That book might contain blasphemous and unclean content! With the sun¡¯s power already weakened, touching it rashly¡­¡±


    ¡°Scholars always open new and mysterious books; for us, every reading is a process of challenge and adventure,¡± Maurice gently shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The sect of Rahm has specialized training and techniques for reading under such conditions. You just need to stand guard for me, and if anything is attracted by this book, help me deal with it.¡±


    Fenna hesitated for a moment, then nodded solemnly, ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Morris hummed softly, finished a quick prayer in his heart, and then took out a small bottle of herbal powder from his bosom. He poured half on the ground and lit it on fire, while sprinkling the other half on the book before him. He then checked the condition of the string of colored stone beads around his wrist before seriously sitting cross-legged and placing the book on his lap.


    The cover of the book was pitch black, with no text or symbols on the surface, only faint and intricate web-like patterns embossed on the hard shell cover that made it impossible to determine its origin.


    Morris opened the cover of the book and looked at the contents of the inner pages.


    Fenna, on the other hand, shifted her gaze away, trying to avoid being influenced by the book.


    Some messy lines and symbols entered Morris¡¯s view.


    At first, he couldn¡¯t understand what he was seeing, those jumbled symbols and lines didn¡¯t match any language or ancient script he knew, but as he tried to turn the next page, the marks on those pages suddenly started moving¨Cthe ink stains turned into living, wriggling entities, swiftly traversing the paper¡¯s constructed prison, darting characters stimulating the old scholar¡¯s vision. In just a few seconds, he felt he had begun to understand the narrative contained within the pages.


    The symbols and lines were twisting rapidly, everything on the pages trembled before his eyes, and ¡°knowledge¡± mapped itself directly into his brain!


    Morris¡¯s heart stirred, the protective measures and reactive strategies he had pre-set in his sea of consciousness instantly activated. The next second, his main consciousness withdrew, his reasoning solidified, and he became like a bystander, adopting an aloof and illusory perspective standing behind the ¡°self¡± in the real world, reading the content that emerged in his own mind with calm and clarity.


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    ¡°¡­The councils of the forgotten kings were convened again and again, and the original plan was determined¡­


    ¡°Those abandoned, their flesh shall melt in the light¡­¡±


    After reading only two lines, Morris¡¯s ethereal ¡°self-projection¡± suddenly frowned.


    This was what that young scout known as ¡°Crow¡± had brought back during the captain¡¯s first expedition exploring the second waterway! It was that vague and unclear text, a dark origin, seemingly an ancient record documented in ¡°sacred script¡±!


    Morris¡¯s gaze shifted slightly, and he immediately controlled his body to flip through the pages, letting his eyes read those profane, twisted words, forming corresponding knowledge memories in his mind. Then, as a bystander, he read the content that emerged in his brain.


    He saw more of the sacred script narratives, and indeed, after the passage copied by Crow, some fragmented sentences appeared:


    ¡°¡­After the abandoned clans departed, the creation of all things continued as planned, the forgotten kings began designing the original and ultimate blueprint¡­


    ¡°However, the first blueprint was quickly discarded because the aftershocks of the great obliteration swirled endlessly in this mortal world¡­ The kings gathered dust into stone, and stone into stars, yet the stars crumbled and broke apart, unable to endure¡­


    ¡°The King of the Pale Giants, ¡®Salmier,¡¯ thus fell during the first prolonged night of Creation¡­


    ¡°¡­The kings then began designing the second blueprint, they chose one from among themselves to be the creator¨Cthe first chosen was the Dreaming King, also known as the towering ¡®King of Knowledge and Memory,¡¯ for this colossus had indeed demonstrated miracles of creation¡­


    ¡°But the second blueprint too was not successful, so during the second prolonged night of Creation, the Dreaming King was torn apart, His vestiges drifting on the edges of the real world¡­


    ¡°The third blueprint was entrusted to another king, named the ¡®Crawling King,¡¯ also known as ¡®Lord of the Swarm.¡¯ He is the sovereign of countless unseen, minuscule beings, holding the authority of creation and its counter part as well, and was hailed as the ¡®Elder of Wisdom.¡¯


    ¡°¡­The Crawling King then commenced His work. During the third prolonged night, He bestowed the blueprint upon the Swarm, and sought support from the surviving clans, to avoid repeating the fate of the Dreaming King and the King of the Pale Giants. He broke up that blueprint, so that the mortal world would no longer have kingdoms, but instead be split into one thousand two hundred City-States, granting the original ten cities to the clan to govern, naming them ¡®Crete.¡¯


    ¡°The third prolonged night thus passed in tranquility. This was good.


    ¡°However, the forgotten kings were dissatisfied with the Crawling King¡¯s alteration of the blueprint and obstructed His return to the Holy Seat. The clan of the ten Cities-State expressed gratitude towards the Crawling King, but dared not praise this king in front of the others. Instead, they gave Him another revered title¨Cthey called Him Saint, also known as¨C


    ¡°The Profound Saint.¡±

 Chapter 410 - Chapter 410 Chapter 414 Connection

    Chapter 410: Chapter 414 Connection Chapter 410: Chapter 414 Connection Boom!


    A thunderous explosion erupted deep within Maurice¡¯s consciousness, and he almost instantly lost control of his own state ¨C even in a sheltered state of isolated consciousness and hardened mind, he was still swept up by the spreading shockwave, teetering on the brink amidst the subsequent tsunami-like barrage of information!


    In that instant, his ¡°psychological perspective,¡± standing behind and beside his body, began to spin. He could no longer see the words in his mind, feeling only the endless mists spiraling and ascending. The phrases he had just read seemed like a swarm of uncontrollable bees, assaulting and gnawing in his memory, tearing at parts of his personality. He even forgot his own name for a moment. All that remained in his mind was the name he had seen in the last second¨C


    The Saint.


    However, in the next moment, the dizzying sensation was abruptly halted by something, and Maurice felt his consciousness forcefully pulled back to the real world. During this ¡°pullback,¡± he saw an array of flickering lights in the thick fog, revolving around the largest red light source.


    It seemed like a glimpse from the God of Wisdom Rahm, but then, in the next second, the array of lights vanished rapidly, transforming into a raging tidal wave;


    Immediately after, the tidal wave transformed into a roaring collapse of pale dust right before his eyes. The fine, pale ash, like the ashes of a saint, sprinkled down upon him;


    Then, that pale dust ignited midair, turning into a shower of falling fire, within which countless piercing and fiery streams condensed, as if to utterly consume him with their surging arrival!


    But just when the crimson flames were about to touch him, Maurice saw all the fire suddenly take on a layer of eerie green¨Cthe explosive fire abruptly softened and gradually fell beside him. A flame touched his shoulder, and he immediately felt someone heavily pat him. The next second, he abruptly opened his eyes and realized he had returned to his own body.


    The effects of consciousness isolation and mental hardening had been forcibly terminated, and he once again returned from the brink of Madness Threshold to this world.


    In the moment his consciousness recovered, Maurice resisted the urge to ¡°take another look¡± and quickly closed the thick black book in his hand.


    His actions were swift, but even so, the book still flipped through several pages violently before closing. In the fleeting peripheral glimpse, some trembling texts left a strong impression on Maurice¡¯s sight¨Ca sentence with the intense obsession of a dying moment: ¡°We will ultimately return to that pure and holy origin.¡±


    The black book was completely closed, and Maurice, gasping for air heavily, had the last seen texts lingering in his mind.


    Fenna immediately noticed something was off and quickly approached, ¡°How are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­The daily life of a scholar, dealing with deadly knowledge and then surviving,¡± Maurice caught his breath and extended his hand to Fenna, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m still myself¨Chelp me up.¡±


    As soon as he stood up, he then asked, ¡°How much time has passed?¡±


    ¡°A few seconds,¡± Fenna nodded and replied, ¡°I just saw you open the book and take a few glances, then suddenly close it, while your aura continued to fluctuate incessantly, and indiscernible shadows began to emerge in the surrounding fog.¡±


    ¡°Several seconds¡­¡± Morris tugged at the corners of his mouth, his mind recalling the wondrous scenes he had seen when he was pulled back from the brink of losing control.


    In the next second, a low and majestic voice emerged in his mind, ¡°Morris, what situation have you encountered?¡±


    Morris was startled and hurriedly composed his expression. He responded in his mind, ¡°Just now, I was reading a Book of Desecration confiscated from the Heretics and accidentally became contaminated¨CCaptain, was it you who pulled me back at the end?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Duncan responded, ¡°I suddenly noticed your mind was under attack, so I used the ¡®mark¡¯ I left on you to check your condition. You said you confiscated a Book of Desecration? What exactly happened? And are you still together with Fenna? Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°Fenna and I are together; we¡¯re still operating in the Upper City District. We discovered that the Heretics were using the fog to enter the real world and control some ¡®replicas¡¯ to attack the City-State¨Cwe¡¯ve just located and eliminated one of the controllers,¡± Morris quickly replied, then organized his thoughts before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s very strange, after the heretic died, his body exhibited fusion with Prime Element materials, seemingly some kind of extreme ¡®modification¡¯. He was carrying a black, unnamed book; the content of the book¡­¡±


    Morris suddenly stopped, his tone becoming extra cautious, carefully controlling his thoughts, ¡°The content was unsettling, written in the original scripture copied by the ¡®Crow¡¯, and I had only managed to read a small part of it before being contaminated. Sorry, I can only report this much¨CI can¡¯t recall the details right now.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice was silent for two seconds, then rang out again, ¡°That¡¯s enough, safety first. Do not continue to recall what you saw. Bring the book along and report to me in person afterward.¡±


    Morris exhaled slightly, ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Just then, Fenna suddenly ¡°spoke¡± up, ¡°Captain, how are things on your end?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with Alice in the second waterway¨Cit¡¯s quite quiet here.¡±


    In the depths of the central city area, within a crossroad at the second waterway, Duncan raised his head, looking towards the long-empty corridor.


    A thin layer of fog was floating above the corridor, clinging to the dark dome above. The fog seemed to appear out of nowhere within the space and was becoming thicker over time¨Cthough compared to the City-State surface completely enveloped in dense fog, the fog here was not significant.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the fire to be ready.¡±


    Via the connection of the ¡°mark,¡± he spoke to Fenna in his mind.


    ¡°Fire?¡± Fenna¡¯s voice sounded a bit puzzled.


    ¡°The Heretics¡¯ nest is not in the real world¨Cthe Mirror Frost is their true stronghold,¡± Duncan slowly stated, ¡°Whether it¡¯s the Mist Fleet or the Frost Navy, including the City-State Guards and the Church¡¯s guardians, the ¡®invaders¡¯ they eliminate in the real world are only slowing down the process of emerging from the mirror. Only by acting from the mirror side can we truly resolve this issue.


    ¡°Agatha has gone with the fire already¨Cshe will find the nests of those heretics, and then I will help her ignite that place.¡±


    Fenna hesitated for a few seconds, ¡°Then¡­what can we do?¡±


    ¡°Continue to hunt in the mist, eliminate all the counterfeits you see, find out all the puppeteers behind them, and kill as many as you can,¡± Duncan said, ¡°Slowing down the invasion is meaningful. You are buying time for Agatha and also reducing the pressure she faces.¡±


    Fenna responded immediately, ¡°Yes, I understand!¡±


    After a few more seconds, her voice came through again, ¡°Also¡­ there might still be a ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ impostor active in the City-State, and the church doesn¡¯t seem to react at all. What do you think¡­¡±


    Her voice sounded hesitant.


    Duncan had already known about the impostor and even had clearer information than Fenna did.


    After all, he had made contact with the real Agatha.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that ¡®Agatha¡¯,¡± he replied after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°and don¡¯t confront her ¡ª but if you encounter her, provide help as necessary based on the situation.¡±


    Fenna was clearly startled for a few seconds, and then speaking with astonishment, ¡°Provide help? Help that ¡®counterfeit¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, not all counterfeits are controlled by the Heretics. The most outstanding among them have their own wills,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice remained calm, ¡°The Gatekeeper will not easily become a puppet of the heretics. Of course, the specific situation will still need to be judged by yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand, Captain.¡±


    This time, Fenna¡¯s response carried a sort of unusual solemnity.


    It was as if her sense of mission as a Judge resonated subtly with that ¡°Gatekeeper¡± at this moment.


    The communication with the followers ended.


    Duncan exhaled softly, then raised his hand, igniting a small flame at his fingertips.


    He stared at the flame and after a moment whispered, ¡°Agatha, do you think ¡®she¡¯ will really behave as you think?¡±


    A cold and hoarse voice rose from the flame, ¡°She will.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°Because I trust myself.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s just your Replication,¡± Duncan said calmly, ¡°There might be slight differences between you two, which could lead to her making different decisions from you.¡±


    ¡°But you did not instruct your followers to eliminate that ¡®risk¡¯,¡± Agatha replied, ¡°You trust my judgment too.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds before he sighed softly.


    ¡°A human named Brown Scott once proved his humanity to me, and that humanity still holds true in the ¡®counterfeit¡¯¨Cso this time, I don¡¯t mind trusting again.¡±


    ¡°What if¡­ I mean, what if my judgments are wrong too? Your trust will be misplaced¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s a minor issue.¡±


    A minor issue¡­


    In the cold, damp sewer corridor, Agatha lowered her head and glanced at the small flame still quietly burning in her palm.


    The feeble warmth emanating from the flame seemed to be the only warmth she could feel in this world¨Cbeyond the firelight, she felt the entire world as cold as a grave.


    The voice of the ¡°Captain¡± came again, ¡°Agatha, how is it on your end?¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m still advancing, almost there. I can feel it, very close.¡±


    ¡°I mean your situation; your voice sounds different from before.¡±


    Agatha stopped walking.


    She lowered her head, her gaze landing on her scarred body and wounds that no longer bled.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said softly, her voice as cold as a grave, ¡°It¡¯s a minor issue.¡±

 Chapter 411 - Chapter 411 Chapter 415 Down the Well

    Chapter 411: Chapter 415: Down the Well Chapter 411: Chapter 415: Down the Well Agatha cradled the small flame in her hands and took another step, heading deeper into the second waterway.


    In fact, she had lost all sense of time and even her perception of her surroundings became hazy. She could no longer clearly remember how long she had trudged through this damp and cold place, how many monsters she had dispatched, or how many wounds she had acquired in the process¨Cthere was a time when she even forgot her own name and why she was in this sewer.


    But when the green flame leapt in her palm, she always found her reason again and held onto that one ultimate mission firmly¨C


    Bring the flame, deliver it into the lairs of the heretics.


    A chill wind blew from the dark corridor ahead, seemingly carrying layers of muttering and snarling. Agatha¡¯s body swayed slightly, and sensing the presence of evil in the wind, she carefully hid the flame in the tattered inner layers of her black garments.


    She had to conceal it well, to prevent those heretics from detecting its presence.


    She lifted her head, peering into the depths of the darkness, where countless indistinct shadows undulated within the wind. The gas lamps on the corridor walls had dimmed until they were no more than the faint glow of fireflies. Filthy black sludge seeped bit by bit from the ceilings and pipe grates around her, writhing together, taking shape, and issuing nauseating murmurs.


    Agatha raised her staff that, like herself, was covered in scars. For some reason, she felt power resurge within her, the annoying sense of fatigue having quietly vanished.


    She planted her staff heavily on the ground, her gaze locked on the sacrilegious filth surging in the darkness. The end of her staff struck the floor, resonating with a sound like a tolling bell¨C


    ¡°Thud¨C¡±


    The elevator creaked and groaned as the cage shakily descended into the depths of the mine. The guard warriors on duty around the edge of the cage suddenly looked up, one of them puzzledly saying to his companion, ¡°Did you just hear something?¡±


    ¡°It sounded like a ¡®thud¡¯,¡± another guard said with trepidation, then instinctively turned his head, glancing at the Gatekeeper standing in the center of the cage, ¡°like¡­ like¡­¡±


    It was like the sound the Gatekeeper made with her staff to signify the commencement of the heretic purification¨Cthis is what he wanted to say but didn¡¯t.


    Because the Gatekeeper was right there, resting with her eyes closed.


    It seemed that Agatha heard the conversation of her subordinates and opened her eyes. She looked around silently and approached the edge of the cage, enclosed by railings, to look down.


    ¡°Gatekeeper,¡± the guard who had spoken earlier approached, hesitantly saying, ¡°There seemed to be some sound coming from below. Could there be someone else operating in the mine?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only us here,¡± Agatha didn¡¯t turn back, ¡°Don¡¯t mind the sound just now.¡±


    The subordinate withdrew for the moment, but Agatha still stared at the boundless and hazy darkness below.


    This was the Boiling Gold Mine Shaft, the largest vertical passage leading to the lower excavation area, and even deep within this mountain, the fog¡­ was still omnipresent.


    Normally, fog couldn¡¯t possibly pervade such a place, but this strange mist was clearly the result of Transcendent forces. It seemed almost sentient as it insidiously spread everywhere, and the deeper into the ground and dimmer the light, the more the fog filled the air as if appearing from nothingness.


    The mine elevator creaked and groaned constantly, descending through this blurred fog, with the occasional dim glow of lights moving upward¨Cthose were the gas lamps and electric lights set in the shaft, which appeared so feeble that when seen through the fog, they seemed no larger than the light of fireflies.


    Regardless, the mine¡¯s machinery was evidently still operational¨Cthe ventilation system, power pipes, lighting system, lifting devices¡­ all were running normally.


    Using machinery had to be done with extra care in times like these. Agatha had specially sent priests to inspect the condition of the elevator before deciding to use it¨Cthe safer option would have been to use the emergency passage¡¯s stairwell and ramps for descent, but that was far too time-consuming and exhausting.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope this thing doesn¡¯t break on the way up,¡± a young guard muttered under his breath, ¡°The runaway freight cage and track that crashed on the hillside earlier was quite memorable.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you say something pleasant at a time like this?¡± another older guard immediately frowned, ¡°We¡¯re all on the elevator here¨Cif you¡¯re really that nervous, you might as well jump down, there¡¯ll be no malfunction during free fall.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I was just saying. This thing looks sturdy enough, definitely won¡¯t have any issues¡­¡±


    At this point, another conversation breached the guards¡¯ discussion, as a nun with ear-length short hair joined in, ¡°However, I heard that in the Plunder City-State far away, there¡¯s a female Judge who could leap from a cliff onto a stone beach to slay ¡®Offspring¡¯, surely she¡¯d be fine if she jumped down from here¡­¡±


    The guards fell silent for two seconds, then said in unison, ¡°¡­ Is she even human?!¡±


    ¡°I just heard it¡­¡±


    The warriors chatted among themselves, which didn¡¯t affect their actions later but served to ease the tension from the continual descent into darkness¨Cguards were human, too, and needed to soothe their nerves.


    Agatha stood with her back to them, neither joining nor stopping her subordinates¨Cshe simply listened quietly with a faint, almost imperceptible smile on her face.


    Contrary to many people¡¯s impressions, the usually solemn and steady gatekeeper was actually quite gentle and indulgent towards her subordinates.


    It was at that moment that the tension of the steel cables and the friction noise of the braking system echoed from all around, interrupting the exchange among the keepers.


    The elevator cage began to slow down and gradually stopped at a spacious and chilly locale.


    ¡°This is the first platform traffic point,¡± Agatha surveyed her surroundings, spotting the nearest support structures, lighting systems, and the slightly chaotic mining equipment on the nearby ground¨Cthe hastily evacuated miners evidently hadn¡¯t managed to take everything with them; traces of the hurried departure were everywhere, ¡°Where is the traffic map?¡±


    ¡°Right here,¡± a priest immediately stepped forward, handing over the map brought from the mining bureau to the gatekeeper, ¡°Our current location is Well Number Two.¡±


    Agatha took the map, stepping out of the elevator and matching the information to her surroundings, recalling the intelligence obtained from mining managers before descending into the mine: ¡°The underground track vehicles leading to the digging area have ceased operation. To get to the digging area, we must walk following the red line markers, and one hundred and fifty meters out, there will be a ramp leading to the mining operation face.¡±


    She looked up, confirming the information with a glance around.


    ¡°First check the area, establish a safe point, then we can move deeper.¡±


    Her subordinates got to work, protectors going to secure the various transportation checkpoints, priests and nuns began to purify the area around the elevator and arrange the altar and Sacred Relic.


    Agatha, however, wandered about aimlessly.


    She stopped in front of an overturned transport box that hadn¡¯t been taken away in time.


    The box was made of iron, lined with a tin partition, the lid was not fastened and had opened upon falling over, revealing its contents¨Cchunks of ore.


    The ore glimmered with a dim metallic luster; on the dark outer shell, there were pale golden vein-like patterns.


    ¡°These should be inspection samples prepared to be taken up with the shift workers,¡± a middle-aged guardian approached her with an experienced guess.


    Since the mission included scouting the mine, about half of Agatha¡¯s subordinates were guardians who had long served in the Boiling Gold mining area. While not professional miners, they had some experience with the place.


    ¡°Boiling Gold ore, eh¡­¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression turned serious as she poked at a few pieces of ore on the ground with her staff, then bent down to pick one up for a closer inspection.


    After a moment, she handed the ore to the middle-aged guardian, ¡°Check this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a high-quality ore, seems like it only needs simple crushing and screening to be ready for the smelter, but I can¡¯t judge the yield rate very well¡­ that would need an expert.¡±


    Agatha frowned, ¡°That¡¯s all? There¡¯s no problem?¡±


    ¡°I see no issue, it¡¯s just ore,¡± the guardian said frankly, then added with some perplexity, ¡°Do you have any concerns?¡±


    Agatha silently picked up a piece of Boiling Gold ore and studied it for a long while before speaking softly, ¡°What I¡¯m about to reveal is mere speculation, yet it is also confidential¨Cthis is only for those involved in the operation to know, and it must be after we¡¯ve descended.¡±


    The guardian standing opposite her was taken aback for a second, but then his expression turned grave and serious.


    Surprised, yet not panicked; caught off guard, yet not unprepared.


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    For every cleric qualified to accompany the gatekeeper on a mission¨Cwhether guardian, nun, or priest¨Chad been carefully selected by the church, taken sacred oaths, and signed a contract under the watchful gaze of Bartok.


    They were all acutely aware of the unique nature of their missions and knew that the issues the gatekeeper had to handle personally could be bizarre and tricky¨Cin these ventures into darkness, anything could be confidential, one second an ordinary thing, the next it might become a taboo that must be isolated from the civilized world, and even those involved in the operation could at any moment become part of the ¡°secret.¡±


    After all, to simply ¡°know¡± of certain things was to create a crack of corrosion in the realm of reality, to merely retain an ¡°impression¡± in one¡¯s mind was to cast a shadow for potential future control losses.


    Agatha lifted her head, noting that the temporary altar and Sacred Relic had been placed, and a security point was established.


    ¡°Everyone, gather around¨CI have some matters to announce.¡±

 Chapter 412 - Chapter 412 Chapter 416 The Governors Whereabouts

    Chapter 412: Chapter 416: The Governor¡¯s Whereabouts Chapter 412: Chapter 416: The Governor¡¯s Whereabouts The deepest mines of the Frost mountain had already run dry decades ago, yet the ¡°blood¡± that the City-State relied on for its survival could merely be the result of some twisted outcome. Buried deep at the bottom of the boiling gold mine was a door left by the first municipal government, and the current municipal government and Governor might also be participants and maintainers of this secret¨C


    Even the well-trained and highly disciplined guards, who often dealt with all sorts of dangerous and bizarre creatures, couldn¡¯t help falling into silence and astonishment upon hearing these pieces of news.


    In their astonishment, they also understood why this operation had been categorized as secret and why the gatekeeper had waited until everyone had descended the mine to disclose the specifics of the situation.


    Such news, even without considering the threats posed by the ¡°Transcendent¡± phenomena behind it, merely the truth of the ¡°mines running dry¡± alone was enough to stir up a storm in the City-State!


    ¡°We cannot yet confirm if all the mines were depleted decades ago, nor can we confirm what has been transported out of this mine under the circumstances of the mines being depleted¨Cthe only certainty is that if all this is indeed the result of some ¡®pollution¡¯ and the anomalies in the City-State are related to this pollution, then we are now at the pollution¡¯s origin and its deepest point.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s gaze swept over her subordinates, her tone as calm and composed as ever.


    ¡°I believe everyone is aware of the current situation on the surface, and I know you¡¯ve wondered why at such a crucial juncture, an elite squad is dispatched here to investigate some mine tunnels¨CI share your concerns for the brethren combating monsters in the fog and the battles on the surrounding seas.


    ¡°However, we are also in battle right now¨C to thoroughly investigate the situation in this mine is to assist our comrades elsewhere to the best of our capability, to root out the crisis at its source, which is better than the endless depletion against those creatures in the thick fog.


    ¡°That is the situation, does anyone have questions?¡±


    She looked around and saw the same calm and steadfast expressions on her subordinates¡¯ faces, so she lightly nodded her head.


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s begin our mission. Our objective is the deepest mining layer. Along the way, pay attention to the dark environment, and constantly check the ventilation and lighting equipment. Each person has received a set of mine rescue devices when coming down¨Cput on your masks now and open the external circulation valves¨Cremember how to use them, right? In any event, rotate the valve clockwise to the internal circulation and pull out the rescue device pin while quickly retreating to the main tunnel, prioritizing your own safety.¡±


    The guards, priests, and nuns immediately executed the command, putting on the respiratory masks over their mouth and nose, checking the condition of the connecting tubes and circulation valves, and securing the special underground lanterns to clips on their chests to avoid hindering their movements.


    Agatha, however, didn¡¯t wear a mask¨Cbeing a gatekeeper of the god of death, her constitution was already quite different from that of ordinary humans, especially in terms of ¡°breathing,¡± ordinary toxic gases and suffocating environments wouldn¡¯t affect her actions.


    While her subordinates were preparing to set off, a faint hissing sound suddenly entered Agatha¡¯s ears.


    At first, she thought it was just the sound of the circulation valves as her subordinates breathed through their masks, but it quickly became apparent that the hissing was coming from someplace further away¨Coutside the crowd, in the shadows where light couldn¡¯t reach.


    ¡°Be alert!¡± Agatha instantly reacted and alerted them, and in the next second, a few other guards also noticed the sound of air leaking from valves in the dark, and several beams of light aimed in that direction at once.


    In the swirling mist entangled with the light, Agatha saw a figure emerge from the dark corner¨Ca figure wearing a thick black coat, a gas mask, and seemingly carrying firearms.


    The figure was lying amidst a pile of miscellaneous items, breathing with difficulty, the hissing sound coming from their gas mask.


    Why would a person suddenly appear here? The guards had checked the whole transit point earlier, and it was impossible to miss such an obvious figure!


    Questions arose in Agatha¡¯s mind, but without hesitation, she swiftly moved toward the figure that seemed on the verge of death, the guards following close behind her.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a City-State soldier,¡± one of the guards identified the fallen person¡¯s equipment in an instant, ¡°from the Governor¡¯s personal guard.¡±


    Agatha quickly scanned the soldier, noting that over his black thick coat, he was wearing a metal breastplate, and the power conduit connecting the breastplate and arm guards was broken. The military respiratory mask obscured almost all of his face, only his physique indicated he was a male soldier¨Chis fatal injury appeared to be near his chest, seemingly having severely damaged his internal organs.


    One of his arms was already severed, while his other hand was still tightly grasping a rifle.


    Perhaps stimulated by the sudden appearance of light around him, the soldier with the breathing mask stirred upon Agatha¡¯s approach, as if he was struggling to lift his head.


    The surrounding guards were startled, instinctively picking up their weapons, but Agatha gestured for them to stop, stepped forward, and bent down slightly.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The Governor¡¯s Guard¡­ Martin¡­ Braid¡­ Sergeant¡­¡±


    ¡°Sergeant Braid, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Governor¡­ Winston¡­¡± the soldier who claimed to be Sergeant Braid spoke hoarsely, the voice beneath the breathing mask growing increasingly strained. He mentioned the Governor¡¯s name, and struggled to lift his arm as if wanting to point somewhere, ¡°Mr. Winston¡­ entered a chamber¡­ we need¡­ support¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence before that arm suddenly lost its strength, the last fading hiss coming from beneath the breathing mask.


    He died, and in the second that life left him, Agatha saw foul black sludge slowly seeping out from his wounds and beneath the mask¨Chis body rapidly disintegrated as if melting, emitting a skin-crawling, viscous slithering sound.


    ¡°A fake!¡±


    The surrounding guardians immediately reacted, hastily retreating, while the accompanying priest stepped forward decisively, sprinkling a prepared mixture of powder onto the disintegrating corpse and hurling a pale fireball at it.


    With a roar, the pale flame surged into the air, the fake¡¯s body consumed by fire in the blink of an eye. After the fierce and brief blaze, all that remained was a pile of dried, no longer writhing black sludge, and the lingering heat in the air.


    Agatha watched the scene with a calm expression. She had suspected the figure that had just appeared might also be a Replication emerging from the thick fog, and now, she thoughtfully turned her head toward the direction that ¡°Sergeant Braid¡± had pointed to with his dying gesture.


    ¡°In this direction, then¡­¡± she murmured softly.


    ¡°Gatekeeper Your Grace, that was merely a fake¡¯s deception,¡± the priest intervened upon hearing her murmur, stepping forward to warn, ¡°It could be an enemy¡¯s trap.¡±


    ¡°But it didn¡¯t seem to know it was a fake,¡± Agatha shook her head gently, ¡°Remember the intelligence we¡¯ve had before? These ¡®fakes¡¯ appear to come in three varieties: one is oblivious, attacking all living beings, one seems to be controlled and organizes destruction within the city, and a third kind, as if retaining the original¡¯s memories and emotions, might not even realize they are counterfeit¡­¡±


    The priest hesitated for a moment, his tone uncertain, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    Agatha¡¯s gaze turned momentarily complex, a flicker of indecision that went unnoticed. After a brief pause, she spoke calmly, ¡°This ¡®fake¡¯ was Replicated not long ago. It might retain memories from only a few hours ago, maybe even less¨Cmeanwhile, when we descended the mine, all messages from the city hall were being conveyed by the confidential secretary. Governor Winston seems to be missing.¡±


    The priest quickly grasped her meaning.


    ¡°¡®Fakes¡¯ are counterfeit, but their memories are real,¡± he spoke rapidly, ¡°Governor Winston might indeed have led a group of soldiers here not long ago, and among them, a Sergeant named Martin Braid died in the mining tunnels¨Cthis fog has Replicated the recently deceased Sergeant and his memories!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps that is the truth.¡±


    Agatha nodded slightly and turned her gaze to the mine tunnel, dimly lit by hazy lamps.


    No one knew exactly what lay deep within the mining layers, but Governor Winston was clearly privy to some truths unknown to others¨Cnow he had entered the depths of this mine with a squad of soldiers at the critical moment when the city-state was engulfed in supernatural phenomena, undoubtedly, the biggest clue might lie in this direction.


    ¡°Thank you for the guidance.¡±


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    Agatha turned her head and formally nodded to the pile of completely desiccated sludge that once resembled a human, then waved to her subordinates, ¡°Follow me¨Cwe¡¯re going to find Governor Winston!¡±


    ¡­


    Simultaneously, on the boundless ocean shrouded by a chaotic and dim sky, the Ghost Ship with its twin shadows flitted over the waves like the wind, weaving through countless, indistinct images of ships.


    Lawrence stood at the prow of the White Oak, gazing down at the undulating sea below.


    Amidst those rolling waves, he could now see the¡­ reflection of the distant city-state.

 Chapter 413 - Chapter 413 Chapter 417 Mad Rush in the Fog

    Chapter 413: Chapter 417: Mad Rush in the Fog Chapter 413: Chapter 417: Mad Rush in the Fog From the small mirror she carried, Martha emerged from a clump of black mist, her voice intruding into Lawrence¡¯s ears, ¡°Do you see the lights in the distance?¡±


    ¡°I see them,¡± Lawrence nodded, while he looked up at the incredible sight before him¨Ca vast expanse of shadows black as ink floated on the surface of the sea, vaguely resembling the outline of the City-State without any discernible details. Beneath the surface, however, was a reflection of a brightly lit port and various buildings at the edge of the City-State. The White Oak was gradually approaching this inverted light and shadow without anyone at the helm. Countless ethereal shadows of ships floated in the distant sea, as if engaged in fierce battle. In this chaotic vision of light and shadow, illusion and reality, he even felt as though he himself was becoming unreal, ¡°Such an unimaginable scene¡­ so this is what the world looks like from the other side of the mirror¡­¡±


    ¡°The light and shadow in your vision are inverted, but in my eyes, it¡¯s a normal view¨Chowever, all of this will soon reverse back,¡± Martha said with a slight smile, ¡°Go prepare. I¡¯ll be docking soon, at an abandoned pier in the southern corner of the East Port dock. I¡¯ll get as close as possible to a sewer maintenance entrance. Bring your mirror, and I¡¯ll guide you to the second waterway.¡±


    ¡°And then¡­ the other counterfeits will respond, right?¡± Lawrence couldn¡¯t help but express his concern, ¡°If we can¡¯t beat them, take the White Oak and the Black Oak and retreat first. With our current speed, those counterfeits definitely won¡¯t be able to stop us.¡±


    Martha rolled her eyes, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not foolish¨Cmy mission is just to deliver you here and then stall for a bit of time. I never planned to take down the entire mirrored Frost fleet with just two Twin Ghost Ships. They can¡¯t be completely destroyed.¡±


    Lawrence nodded and turned to look behind himself.


    Anomaly 077 was crouching on the deck, fiddling with a piece of rope he had found who-knows-where, occasionally lifting his head to observe the White Oak¡¯s chimney and flagpole, appearing quite troubled.


    ¡°Is it no longer fashionable in your era to hang sailors who¡¯ve made mistakes from the mast?¡± the mummy mumbled in confusion.


    ¡°Still thinking about your noose?¡± Lawrence raised his eyebrows and spoke unfriendly, ¡°Put down the rope and go get a machete and firearms ammunition from the first mate. We¡¯re preparing to go ashore.¡±


    ¡°It used to knock me right out when I put it around my neck, how come it doesn¡¯t work anymore¡­¡± Anomaly 077 continued to mutter, then suddenly realized, ¡°Ah? Going ashore?! Are you bringing me this time?¡±


    ¡°A freakish anomaly to deal with a freakish City-State¨Cthat¡¯s appropriate,¡± Lawrence said with a serious face, ¡°We¡¯re going to enter deep into Frost through the second waterway¨Cstop wasting time, go get your weapons.¡±


    The sailor paused for a moment, then quickly got up, ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    The White Oak gradually neared that dark reality of inverted images, drawing closer to the reflected lights on the sea. A highly skilled and tough marine squad had already gathered behind Lawrence.


    First Mate Gus, however, was not among the squad; Lawrence had arranged for him to stay aboard the ship.


    The old captain made his arrangements with a serious face, ¡°A fierce battle is coming. All the counterfeit warships near the port will react and attack the White Oak and the Black Oak. You need to stay on the ship and command the battle¨Cstall as long as possible. If you can¡¯t hold, retreat with Martha.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Gus nodded but still looked somewhat concerned as he glanced at the ¡°sailor¡± fiddling with his newly acquired weapons behind Lawrence, ¡°But¡­ is he really dependable?¡±


    Lawrence turned to look just as Anomaly 077, the sailor, also looked up. The mummy had a machete on his belt but had tossed the rifle and bullet pouch onto a barrel nearby, muttering, ¡°I¡¯m fine with just a machete. I don¡¯t know how to use these things.¡±


    ¡°As you wish¨Cas long as you think a machete is enough to handle the second waterway of the mirrored City-State,¡± Lawrence said casually, ¡°People who don¡¯t know how to use guns indeed only create a negative effect with them.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s thought, the sailor still did not touch the rifle, instead, he went to a weapons chest nearby and hung another machete on his belt.


    Lawrence said nothing, only lowered his head to glance at his palm.


    He slowly clenched his fist, then opened it; he regulated his breathing and awkwardly outlined in his mind the phantom of a ship with sails of Spiritual Bodies and spectral flames billowing, recalling that feeling of flames engulfing the body, the sensation of Transformation within the fire.


    After a long while, he finally saw a faint green flicker emerge within the lines of his own palm, a tiny flame slowly flowing through those lines.


    A slight vibration came from the deck below his feet¨Cthe White Oak began to brake, and that hazy darkness outside the ship was now within arm¡¯s reach. Martha¡¯s voice then came from the small mirror against his chest¨C


    ¡°Be ready, the ship will dock soon. I¡¯ll reverse back and remove the Twin projection. You¡¯ll jump onto the wharf from the left side, then head straight, as I guide you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Lawrence exhaled softly and slowly approached the ship¡¯s railing.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready too!¡± Anomaly 077 followed closely behind the captain, his raspy, dark voice carrying a hint of excitement and anticipation, ¡°Land ahoy! To battle! Pirates, here we come!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not pirates,¡± Lawrence turned to look at the mummy, ¡°We are sailors of honor.¡±


    ¡°Docking,¡± Martha¡¯s voice came almost simultaneously from the mirror, ¡°Three, two, one¡­ reverse!¡±


    In an instant, light and shadow transformed, and reality and illusion switched places.


    Everything around Lawrence seemed to flicker violently for a moment, followed by the reflection in the sea rising; the surrounding darkness reverted, as if he had instantly passed through an invisible mirror. Before him now was Frost¡¯s dock and pier, and the persistently enveloping damp, cold sensation, as if soaked into the seawater, vanished in a blink!


    The very next second, he saw a dark shadow suddenly emerge on the sea beside the White Oak¨Cthe silhouette of the Black Oak quickly appeared from within the shadow.


    After the inversion of light and shadows, the Black Oak was no longer the mirror image of the White Oak; instead, it emerged on the sea¡¯s surface as the Twin Ghost Ship, ready to coordinate in battle with its sister ship.


    In a flash, rows of lampposts lit up the docks; sirens wailed from distant streets and alleys, chaotic winds moaned through the port; and sounds of hasty cannon fire from afar erupted, like a chaotic clap of thunder.


    They¡¯re reacting this quickly?!


    Lawrence was shocked but did not hesitate. He kicked the rope ladder down and was the first to charge out: ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    A team of well-trained sailors surged onto the docks, following the route Martha had suggested, racing towards the distant intersection with Lawrence leading the way.


    The cold wind howled past his ears, the sirens and gunfire in the distance carried a discontinuous, distorted timbre in the murky twilight. Lawrence, his left hand gripping a revolver and his right holding a sword, ran wildly through the mirror-twisted Ghost City-State with Martha¡¯s voice continuously coming through¨C


    ¡°Turn left at the upcoming intersection, bypass the guard post¡­ Keep straight, take the alley on the right, the entrance is at the end¡­¡±


    Behind him were the sailors¡¯ hurried, disorderly footsteps; in his hands were trustworthy weapons; by his ears was the seamless voice of his lover.


    Lawrence ran faster and faster, and in a daze, it seemed to him as if the weariness and exhaustion accumulated over decades faded from his body. His heart beat as if he were young again, his veins filled with blood as vital as during his prime¨Cthe years of his unabashed vigor returned to his mind.


    It¡¯s all come back, everything.


    He stepped forward, swinging his arms; a faint green flame emerged behind him like an apparition, and the sailors began to show the same green flames, their flesh-and-blood bodies reflecting a ghostly, ethereal quality.


    The eerie voice of Abnormal 077 howled like a banshee: ¡°Captain! I¡¯m scared!¡±


    ¡°Stick close if you¡¯re scared!¡± Lawrence, with a grin, replied with an uncharacteristically pleasant tone, ¡°This city can¡¯t stop us!¡±


    Abnormal 077, continuing to wail while running after Lawrence, voiced his fear: ¡°It¡¯s you guys I¡¯m scared of!¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯d better get used to it¨C I¡¯m not retiring, and neither can you!¡±


    Lawrence declared joyfully, loud enough that he didn¡¯t mind his voice revealing their location, unconcerned that this bold run through the streets might attract the ¡°guardians¡± of the City-State.


    Because from the very start, this was never a ¡°sneak-in¡±¨Cthe moment the uninvited guests stepped into this mirrored city, the living city had already reacted.


    A fog slowly began to envelop the streets, and within that eerie, dim mist, indistinct figures started to emerge.


    ¡°Fog¡¯s rolling in on the streets!¡± he yelled, ¡°Martha, is this normal?¡±


    ¡°The fog is the mark of the threshold, mirrors within it are the hardest to discern¨Ckeep moving forward, don¡¯t mind the fog seeping from the real world, it¡¯s just up ahead.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


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    Lawrence responded loudly, leading the sailors headlong into the mist, where one by one, unstable, distorted figures rose up, with malformed bodies and an incorrect number of eyes. They whispered and roared within the fog, staggering forward.


    Lawrence raised his revolver, but before he and the sailors could fire, a burst of gunfire rang from the other side of the fog.


    A spider-like steam-powered walker appeared abruptly in the fog, and the fully armed City-State Guards built barricades around it. The soldiers¡¯ rifles and the mounted guns atop the walker spewed flames, tearing the monsters in the fog to shreds in an instant.


    Lawrence ran past the edge of the battle zone, glancing in amazement at the suddenly appearing City-State Guards, but in the next second, those soldiers and the walker disappeared into the heavy mist, leaving only a heap of rubble in their place.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, the sewer entrance¨Cgo to the end and there¡¯s an elevator that goes directly to the second waterway!¡±

 Chapter 414 - Chapter 414 Chapter 418 Approaching Midnight

    Chapter 414: Chapter 418: Approaching Midnight Chapter 414: Chapter 418: Approaching Midnight Gunshots roared. Steam mechanisms powered the heavy mechanical spiders as they twisted their bodies. The six-barreled machine guns rotated, spewing angry tongues of fire, sweeping through the monsters that continually emerged from the mist. Every now and then, bullets flew from the dense fog, striking the walker¡¯s armor and the sandbags lining the barricaded streets.


    Among the monsters were also ¡°soldiers,¡± fully armed troops, and even walkers oozing with black sludge.


    As the battle dragged on, these dangerous enemies became more numerous.


    ¡°These damn things are replicating us!¡±


    A soldier wearing a breathing mask shouted angrily from behind the barricade, wildly pulling the trigger. His metal armor was already scarred; the power tubing at the joints was damaged and hissing steam gushed from the valves while the insignia of the elite guard of the Frost City-State could be seen on the steam backpack behind him.


    ¡°They¡¯re replicating more than just us,¡± the squad commander shouted loudly, his voice hoarse and somber behind the breathing mask¨Cas the dense fog on the streets worsened, hormonal agents in the mist were suspected, so the guarding troops entering the battle zone now all wore these daunting breathing masks. ¡°Every living thing that appears in the mist is an enemy, all of them!¡±


    ¡°I just saw a crowd run past the intersection ahead!¡± another solider suddenly yelled. ¡°They looked like armed civilians¨Cor perhaps sailors from a ship!¡±


    ¡°I saw them too, it was blurry, but they seemed ablaze, only the fire was green!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the squad leader looked up. However, the next moment, a strange whistling sound suddenly came from the other side of the thick fog, carrying a sharp sound of death.


    A grenade pierced through the mist, crossed the gap between the barricades, and plummeted right beneath the feet of the steam walker¨Cthere was no time to react. The grenade exploded, and shrapnel burst like rain.


    The thin metal chest plate couldn¡¯t block such a close deadly impact; the squad commander and his soldiers were blown away together.


    After an indefinable period, he slightly regained consciousness; from the corner of his eye, he saw the steam walker wobbling as it fell, its armor torn, all its power tubing spewing white mist while the remaining turret snarled out its last spray of bullets.


    Countless shadowy figures emerged from the fog, surging towards the next intersection.


    The squad commander moved his body slowly, his hand firmly holding a grenade with the pin already pulled, unable to recall when he had grabbed it¨Cperhaps it had been during the blast, or perhaps it was a subconscious reaction as he lost consciousness.


    He felt as if he had used up all his strength, trying to throw the grenade toward that mist.


    But he merely weakly released his grip.


    The gray metallic cylinder slipped from his hand, clanging as it rolled down the street, its fuse hissing smoke as it rolled to the side of the road and fell into a dry gutter¨Cpassing through darkness, falling into a crack, sliding down an inclined ventilation shaft, plunging into the weathered underground world of the Frost City-State, where it detonated in the forgotten darkness with a roar.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    A muffled sound came from far above, the roof of the tunnel seemed to tremble slightly, shedding a bit of sand and floating dust.


    The ¡°sailor¡± suddenly shrank his neck, his gaunt face showing a hint of nervousness, ¡°Is this place really not going to collapse?!¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t collapsed for the past few decades,¡± Lawrence strode forward, the gas lamps embedded in the walls of the corridors on both sides emitted a dim glow, lighting the way ahead, ¡°As a mummy, how come you¡¯re so timid? Shouldn¡¯t you be the kind of ¡®anomaly¡¯ that scares others?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ digging such a huge underground space beneath the City-State is scary enough itself!¡± Anomaly 077¡¯s tone was nervous, ¡°What were you guys thinking¡­¡±


    Lawrence shrugged, ¡°How should I know? I wasn¡¯t the one who dug it.¡±


    Then he ignored the mummy and lowered his head to speak to the small mirror on his chest, ¡°Martha, how¡¯s it looking on your end?¡±


    ¡°Quite lively,¡± Martha¡¯s voice came from the mirror, with the sound of distant explosions and cannon fire in the background, ¡°After you entered the second waterway, the entire mirrored world went ¡®crazy¡¯¨Call the ships inside and outside the harbor have been firing at me.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so easily sunk¨Cbut the problem is, the enemies don¡¯t seem to sink that easily either, they keep replenishing from the reflections.¡±


    Lawrence paused for a moment, then looked up towards the dark, deep corridor ahead.


    ¡°How far is it from here to the deepest part?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Quite far, but you can take a ¡®shortcut.''¡±


    Lawrence frowned, ¡°Shortcut?¡±


    ¡°Notice those puddles on the ground? Find a road sign, then find the puddle closest to the road sign and look at the reflection inside.¡±


    Puzzled, Lawrence followed Martha¡¯s instructions and arrived at a required puddle, bending down to look at the reflection.


    The reflection showed a crossroads, next to which on the wall hung a plaque that could vaguely be seen reading ¡°Upper City District Main Drainage.¡±


    He widened his eyes and looked up at the wall beside him.


    On the wall next to him, the weathered plaque clearly read ¡°Port Area Drainage.¡±


    Martha¡¯s voice came from the mirror, ¡°Do you see? The world in the mirror is discontinuous.¡±


    ¡°¡­Unbelievable¡­ just like a dreamscape¡­¡± Lawrence muttered to himself, looking down again at the puddle beneath his feet. Despite being one of the most experienced captains of the Endless Sea, he had to admit that everything in this mirrored city was beyond his imagination. However, he quickly regained his composure, ¡°Then how should we use these ¡®shortcuts¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You have already arrived,¡± Martha said with a smile, ¡°When you stand in front of this ¡®mirror¡¯ long enough, you are already there.¡±


    Lawrence was startled and hurriedly looked up.


    Before him was a crossroad, the dimly flickering gas lamps embedded in the corridor walls. According to the closest plaque, the mottled inscriptions were barely legible¨C


    Upper City District Main Sewage Pipeline.


    Exception 077 stared in astonishment at the suddenly changed surroundings, his eyes quickly scanning between the roadside plaque and the reflections in the puddle. It took him a while before he suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Does this make sense?!¡±


    A circle of sailors simultaneously turned their gaze toward this mummified body.


    However, Lawrence was not concerned with the sailors¡¯ reactions. He stared thoughtfully at the dimly lit corridor ahead, furrowing his brows after a long while and addressing Martha in confusion, ¡°We are already on the second water route, but what about the ¡®helpers¡¯ you mentioned earlier? The Queen¡¯s Guard who fight on the second water route?¡±


    Gunfire echoed from the mirror, and Martha¡¯s voice was delayed by a few seconds before reaching Lawrence¡¯s ears, ¡°Take the left fork, follow the red markers all the way, and stop when there is no more road¡­ They will appear. When the time comes, they will appear.¡±


    Lawrence frowned, ¡°Time?¡±


    ¡°¡­ The Queen¡¯s Guard¡¯s attack time is at midnight¨Cevery midnight. Before that time, they are invisible.¡±


    ¡­


    In the ¡°Golden Flute¡± tavern, in the secret room of the underground contact station, ¡°Old Ghost¡± lying on the bed suddenly opened his eyes.


    ¡°What time is it¡­¡±


    The old man¡¯s gaze seemed a bit dazed, mumbling as if in a dream. Yet in the dimly lit room, his only response was a sporadic ¡°beep¡± from some monitoring equipment and the faint, indistinct sound of gunfire coming from an unknown place.


    The next second, Old Ghost¡¯s eyes widened.


    Faint, indistinct gunfire?


    Gunfire!


    The old man instantly awoke, the gunfire reaching his ears, ethereal and blurry, as if separated not just by thick walls and floors but also by decades of time¨CHe quickly climbed out of bed and immediately grabbed something placed beside it.


    It was a large wrench that he kept by his side even while sleeping.


    It was both his tool and his weapon.


    ¡°The battle has started¡­ There¡¯s no time to sleep¡­ It¡¯s time to gather¡­¡±


    Old Ghost muttered to himself, shivering as he put on his shoes and draped over a coat lying on the chair nearby before raising his head to look at the room he had just been sleeping in.


    This was a secret room for communicating with the Mist Fleet. Nemo had arranged for him to rest here while keeping an eye on the equipment.


    But the next second, Old Ghost seemed to forget everything related to this room. His eyes clouded over again, and he looked doubtfully toward the door not far from him.


    ¡°Oh! The door is here!¡±


    Realization dawned on Old Ghost, a joyful expression appearing on his face. He quickly walked over and flung open the iron door leading to the underground passageway.


    On the other side of the door was a narrow, chilly corridor, the lights within flickering intermittently, mixed with the hissing sound of insufficient gas supply from the pipes.


    ¡°The gas pipes are acting up¡­ Not enough pressure? No, no, this isn¡¯t the time to worry about that¡­¡± Old Ghost muttered to himself as he looked at the lights in the corridor, taking a step forward but then seeming to remember something. He turned back to look at the secret room he had just been resting in.


    The room was empty.


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    Maybe everyone had gathered at the tavern underground.


    ¡°Crow, I¡¯m heading out. Stay at home and be good!¡±


    Old Ghost called out to the empty room, then turned around, carrying his ever-present large wrench, and slowly walked toward the deep, dark passageway.


    He was heading toward the second water route.


    The time for the Queen¡¯s Guard to counterattack had come.

 Chapter 415 - Chapter 415 Chapter 419 Is this road impassable

    Chapter 415: Chapter 419: Is this road impassable? Chapter 415: Chapter 419: Is this road impassable? The fog had gradually invaded the Second Waterway, where the hazy, chaotic mists floated near the ceiling of the sewer corridor like veils, giving the impression that the deep and thick roofs had disappeared and that the sky was slowly engulfing the Second Waterway.


    The short man wrapped in an old coat hurried through the strange and silent corridors of the sewers¨Cdecades had eroded his body, and for many years, he had been unable to move swiftly as he was doing now. Yet for some reason, on this very day, at this very moment, he felt his body lighten again as if youth had returned to his frame, and the aches in his joints and the weakness of his muscles had vanished.


    He picked up the pace, the large wrench in his hand no longer as heavy as it was at the start. He quickly passed through corridors and crossroads from his memory, racing determinedly toward a direction he could no longer clearly recall but one that felt unmistakably familiar.


    He had to catch up with the main force, as the time for assembly was nearly upon them.


    A pile of collapsed rubble suddenly blocked the old ghost¡¯s way.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way through¡­no way through?¡± the old man stopped, muttering to himself in astonishment as he looked at the pile of collapsed stones before him. His confused memories hazily reassembled in his mind, trying to explain the existence of the collapsed area, and he seemed to remember something¨C


    Ah, yes, the explosives. The guard had retreated through the connecting wells then detonated the explosives laid in the corridor to block off the invading rebels in the sewers¡­


    But that wasn¡¯t quite right. There was more to this collapsed section than just stopping the rebels. Many years earlier, when that young soldier ignited the explosives¡­ the corridor collapsed, blocking off something else¡­


    The old ghost stood bewildered in front of the blocked passage, bending down to tap the stones in front of him with his wrench, mumbling indistinctly.


    This path should be open; it had to be for him to reach the assembly point. But it had collapsed. What could be done? The wrench couldn¡¯t fix the fallen stones¡­


    A shroud of mist suddenly appeared before him. The old ghost, who was tapping the stones, looked up blankly and took half a step back instinctively. He saw strands of mist leaking out from the gaps in the rubble, slowly filling the entire corridor, engulfing his vision.


    He heard distant whispers and roars coming from the fog, followed by a hoarse voice shouting, ¡°Is this reasonable?!¡±


    But no one appeared in the fog. As the mists drifted, the old ghost saw the rubble that had been blocking the path disappear.


    The previously blocked corridor was now passable; the gas lamps embedded in the opposite wall emitted a dim light, and deep in the murky corridor, he could barely make out the black mud that seemed to have been dry for decades, quietly lying asleep in the similarly dry drainage channel.


    ¡°The path is open¡­it¡¯s good that it¡¯s open¡­¡±


    The old ghost felt a moment of haze in his head, as if he wanted to ponder why the pile of stones had suddenly disappeared, but this line of thought quickly vanished amidst his entangled and confused memories. Without hesitation, he stepped forward into the dimly lit corridor.


    ¡­


    Agatha suddenly looked up, and the guardians and clergy, including the nuns following her, also stopped immediately. Everyone tensed up, on the lookout for any noise in the mist.


    ¡°Did you hear footsteps?¡± After two or three seconds, Agatha suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Footsteps other than our own.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said a nun with a slight nod, ¡°just a moment ago, very faint, but close, as if¡­¡±


    ¡°As if they overlapped with ours that closely,¡± Agatha said with a serious expression, while her gaze slowly scanned the nearby mine tunnel.


    They were deep in the Boiling Gold Mine, and following the direction indicated by ¡°Sergeant Braid,¡± Agatha and her troop had reached this mine tunnel from the only passageway in this direction. Even this deep, the fog was omnipresent.


    The lighting system was still working normally; the dim yellow light illuminated the supports in the mine and the track structure under their feet. And in the hazy, overlapping shadows, there seemed to be some anomalies.


    Agatha saw two identical support columns appear on the opposite side wall¨Cthe two columns were a mirror image of each other, from the pattern on the surface to the position of the stains.


    In another direction, she saw several crossbeams piled on top of one another, their intersections seemingly fused together.


    A priest from the troop lifted his lantern and approached one of the oddly structured supports. After a tense examination, he spoke in a quiet voice, ¡°Gatekeeper¡­¡±


    ¡°I see it,¡± Agatha cut off the priest, her tone still calm, ¡°Clearly, the space occupied by the ¡®Replications¡¯ is overlapping with our reality.¡±


    ¡°The space of the Replications?¡± a guardian repeated subconsciously.


    Agatha fell silent for a moment as if she again felt that annoying sense of fog, then raised her hand to her forehead, ¡°Yes, all Replications likely come from an abnormal space-time, and now all evidence indicates that this abnormal space-time is gradually drawing closer to our reality, perhaps¡­ perhaps we can call it a ¡®mirror image¡¯¡­¡±


    Her voice had a hint of hesitation, as if certain knowledge naturally surfaced in her mind. She spoke these details subconsciously and suddenly felt an odd sensation in her body¨C


    Cold, endless cold, as if she was standing in an immensely frigid corridor, her blood in her veins long devoid of warmth.


    But in the next moment, that strange feeling disappeared, the illusion of being in a cold and lonely corridor evaporated, and she felt a haze lift from her mind, seeing her faithful followers still surrounding her, the light from the lanterns and gas lamps quickly dispelling the cold residue in her consciousness.


    ¡°`


    ¡°¡­Is it because time is running out¡­ or because it¡¯s too close¡­¡± Agatha murmured subconsciously.


    Nearby subordinates, however, didn¡¯t catch her muttering.


    A guard, lifting a lantern to look around, seemed to find something suddenly, ¡°There¡¯s a man lying here!¡±


    Agatha quickly came back to her senses, her expression solidified, and she hurried to where the soldier had made the discovery.


    A warrior dressed in the City-State¡¯s elite guard gear lay in the mine tunnel, looking long dead.


    The black combat coat, covered by a metal breastplate and steam-engine-driven power bracers, a Steam Backpack on his back, and a thick breathing mask over his face.


    Agatha bent down and wiped the blood from the nameplate on the soldier¡¯s chest with her finger, staring silently at the name for a few seconds.


    ¡°It¡¯s Sergeant Braid,¡± she whispered, breaking the silence.


    ¡°The blood is red, the body shows no signs of disintegration or dissolving,¡± the accompanying priest said, ¡°this is the ¡®real deal¡¯.¡±


    Agatha was silent for a moment.


    The situation was as she had surmised: the real Sergeant Braid had fallen in this mining tunnel, while his Replication appeared before the church¡¯s exploration team under the effect of the dense fog¨Cthe fake was fraudulent, but the intelligence was real.


    ¡°There are bodies here too!¡±


    Soon after, another guard lifting a lantern called out as he probed ahead.


    More bodies appeared in the subsequent mine tunnels.


    Agatha quickly led her team forward, discovering more and more fallen warriors deeper within the mine¨Call members of the City-State¡¯s elite guard, Governor Winston¡¯s loyal soldiers.


    Their causes of death varied: there were lacerations from blades, blunt force traumas, and even gunshot wounds.


    Near these corpses, Agatha and her subordinates also found patches of dried black mud, which if put together as humans, would likely far outnumber the fallen guards.


    ¡°¡­A long, harsh battle; this unit encountered enemies far outnumbering them in the mine tunnels, yet they continued to press on for hundreds of meters in the midst of combat¡­ Most of the soldiers had used up their bullets, in the end they fought with bayonets and steam gauntlets.¡±


    Agatha examined the nearest few bodies, making judgments based on the residual traces on them and the situation at the scene, while her heart was filled with growing unease.


    Many soldiers had fallen, and the team led by Governor Winston was apparently in a dire situation, and this battle could have erupted just hours prior¨Cafter so long, was the Governor still alive?


    As if responding to the unease in her heart, a guard forging ahead suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Gatekeeper, there¡¯s no way forward!¡±


    ¡°No way forward?¡± Agatha startled and immediately got up to walk forward.


    Just as that guard had said.


    The team arrived at the end of the mine tunnel, only to face a smooth, sturdy wall; a dead-end.


    But this was clearly not normal.


    Agatha turned quickly to look back the way they had come, seeing the fallen guards lying quietly in the darkness, and among these corpses, Governor Winston was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Perhaps the Governor took his team in a different direction after finding this passage blocked,¡± the accompanying priest speculated.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way,¡± Agatha immediately shook her head, ¡°And from the traces left at the scene, I don¡¯t think Governor Winston had the chance to find another path with his remaining guards here.¡±


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    The priest frowned tightly, ¡°But this is blocked¡­¡±


    Agatha ignored him, turned around, and walked slowly towards the smooth, sturdy wall.


    After a moment of hesitation, she reached out to touch the wall.


    Her fingers went straight through it.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 416 - Chapter 416 Chapter 420 Return to the Creeping Shadows

    Chapter 416: Chapter 420: Return to the Creeping Shadows Chapter 416: Chapter 420: Return to the Creeping Shadows Agatha instantly retracted her hand, looking at her fingertips with an unsettling suspicion.


    However, the nun accompanying her, who was closest to her, had already witnessed this strange scene. The nun immediately widened her eyes in surprise, ¡°Gatekeeper, your hand just now¡­¡±


    Agatha frowned. For the moment, she did not know what was going on. Just then, one of the guardian warriors stepped forward, prudently lifted his combat staff, and knocked on the stone wall, which appeared no different from the surrounding ones.


    The staff struck the stone wall, producing a crisp sound, but nothing changed on the wall.


    The guardian turned his head, nodded gently at Agatha, then mustered the courage to step forward and touch the stone wall directly with his palm.


    Nothing happened; the wall remained a wall.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a wall,¡± the guardian frowned. ¡°But just now¡­¡±


    Agatha said nothing, merely stepping forward in silence, reaching out her fingertips toward the wall once more.


    The next second, she watched, wide-eyed, as her fingers again penetrated it!


    There was no resistance at all; she even felt as if she were merely touching a curtain made of illusions.


    ¡°It seems that only you can pass through it,¡± the accompanying priest said in astonishment, turning to speak incredulously, ¡°but¡­ why? Why would there be such a wall deep within the boiling gold mine? No one has ever reported this before¡­¡±


    Listening to the priest¡¯s exclamations beside her, Agatha remained silent, her gaze fixed on her hand that had penetrated the stone wall¨C from an angle that only she noticed, she finally saw the subtle change that occurred when her fingertip touched the wall.


    Her finger and the wall seemed to melt at that spot, merging together slightly like heated butter, the color and texture¡­ they looked like black mud.


    That was how she ¡°passed through¡± the wall that seemed immensely sturdy.


    After what seemed like a long time, she finally broke the silence in a soft voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know why this happened, but obviously¡­ the task ahead can only be done by me.¡±


    ¡°Gatekeeper?¡± The priest accompanying her was taken aback, quickly grasping the situation, ¡°You¡¯re going in alone!? Wait, that¡¯s too dangerous. This wall is just not right. If you were to enter now rashly, you could possibly¡­¡±


    ¡°Our City-State is being swallowed by the fog, and the twisted entities within show no mercy¨Cthe power behind them will not wait for us to investigate and uncover the truth before taking action,¡± Agatha simply shook her head slowly, her voice calm and steady as ever, ¡°The team led by Governor Winston ultimately made it here, yet his body is not to be found. Now it seems that these fallen guards appear more like they were holding out in the mine to buy time¡­ If I¡¯m not mistaken, they did it to give the Governor time to pass through this wall.¡±


    The priest did not know how to respond for a moment, and after a few seconds of silence, he instinctively said, ¡°But going alone is still too dangerous. This matter should at least be reported to the Cathedral¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time left, really no time,¡± Agatha turned around, her head shaking slowly but determinedly. While speaking, she again felt the coldness enveloping her body, penetrating to the bone marrow; she could almost clearly sense her blood slowly ceasing to flow, the substance of her body gradually losing its vitality, although the discomfort was brief, it made her tone all the more resolute, ¡°I must understand the secrets within this mine, this may be the only thing I can do with the little time remaining¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped, forcefully suppressing her thoughts and words, striving to keep her face calm again, and looked seriously at her subordinates.


    ¡°I will pass through this wall, and you should know the power of a Gatekeeper¨Cdo not worry about me, you have your own duties to perform. After I¡¯ve gone through, you must immediately retrace your steps to the previous intersection and, first and second squads will continue with the original plan to the excavation area, to thoroughly investigate the true situation of the boiling gold mine passages, while the third and fourth squads return to the surface and report the events here to the Cathedral, and then¡­¡±


    She paused for a few seconds, seemingly experiencing a sudden break in thought, and then waved her hand, ¡°That¡¯s all, follow the orders of Bishop Ivan.¡±


    The guardians, priests, and nuns couldn¡¯t help but exchange glances. Seeing the Gatekeeper behaving in this way for the first time, they naturally felt a bit lost, but under Agatha¡¯s stern gaze, and with their professional discipline almost instinctual from years of training, obeying orders became their subconscious response.


    ¡°Yes, understood,¡± the priest leading the team nodded solemnly, making the triangular sign of Bartok on his chest, but then he couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°When should we come to support you?¡±


    ¡°¡­No need for support¨Cbut rest assured, I will come back, no matter what happens, ¡®I¡¯ will definitely return.¡±


    The priest stepped back, and no one noticed the subtle change in her tone when she said the word ¡°I¡±.


    Agatha took a deep breath and stepped toward the bleak wall.


    Just before coming into contact with it, she spoke quietly one last time, as if whispering to someone, yet also as if to herself¨C


    ¡°`


    ¡°Actually, I quite like this world¡­¡±


    She stepped forward without hesitation, her body merging into the ¡°stone wall¡± effortlessly, as one phantom blends into another.


    The surface of the stone wall momentarily rippled faintly, but before anyone could see it clearly, the ripple had vanished completely.


    Darkness, chill, isolation, indiscernible up and down, unclear left from right, then, all senses seemed to disappear instantly, returning to herself in an extremely sluggish, strange manner¨Cthese were all of Agatha¡¯s sensations after stepping through the wall.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, she finally opened her ¡°eyes¡± in the darkness, only to find that she couldn¡¯t see anything around her.


    Before her was endless chaos, and vague dark masses were slowly writhing against an even darker backdrop, like some sticky, nauseating fluid or a slowly creeping, indescribable behemoth.


    Why was it so dark? Hadn¡¯t she brought a hand lamp with her?


    Such a question involuntarily surfaced in Agatha¡¯s mind, and just as she thought this, a glimmer of light truly appeared before her.


    The faint light illuminated the surroundings, and she saw herself floating in an endless black mist, with countless indistinct things writhing and flowing without making a sound.


    Agatha watched this scene quietly, then lowered her head.


    Her body came into view, first the torso, then the limbs, and the battle staff that had accompanied her for many years.


    ¡°Ah¡­ you are here too¡­¡±


    Agatha whispered to herself, slowly lifting the staff in her hand, observing the familiar patterns on it, and her own name, carved earnestly when she first received the staff as a guardian.


    ¡°Are you also a shadow, like me?¡± she whispered to the staff.


    Of course, the staff wouldn¡¯t respond to her, but in the darkness, something else suddenly made a noise.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    It was a gunshot.


    Agatha furrowed her brow instantly, but before she could look towards the source of the sound, an apparently nervous voice reached her ears first: ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    In the darkness, Agatha turned her head, and almost at the same time, she saw a sudden flash of light from the direction of the voice.


    A small patch of solid ground appeared there, illuminated by an antique brass hand lamp. On the ground, she could also make out something resembling a tree stump, and a middle-aged man in a deep blue coat sitting beside it, looking like an immobile statue.


    When Agatha¡¯s gaze reached him, the ¡°statue¡± suddenly moved. He jerked his head up, looking towards Agatha with surprise and nervousness: ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    Agatha felt a flicker of discordance instinctively but quickly pushed it to the back of her mind. She walked toward the patch of ground illuminated by the hand lamp and saw the middle-aged man¡¯s face clearly.


    Without any surprise, it was Mr. Winston, the Governor of Frost City-State.


    ¡°You seem to have been here for quite a while, Governor,¡± Agatha said calmly, ¡°Now there are only the two of us left.¡±


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    ¡°The gatekeeper¡­ Ms. Agatha?¡± Winston lifted his head sluggishly, moving and speaking slowly like a severely worn wind-up doll. But as time went on, his speech and demeanor slowly became more fluid, ¡°You¡¯re here too¡­ Wait, how come you are here?¡±


    ¡°I passed through a wall, a wall deep in the Boiling Gold Mines,¡± Agatha said calmly, knowing there was no need now for concealment or evasion, ¡°The guards you brought have all perished in the mine tunnels, Governor¨Cdo you remember them?¡±


    ¡°The guards¡­ oh, the guards I brought,¡± Winston frowned, as if he had just remembered, then his tone took on a hint of sorrow, ¡°They were great men; they did their utmost to enable me to activate the Queen¡¯s key, and I¡­¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression shifted slightly: ¡°The Queen¡¯s key?¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 417 - Chapter 417 Chapter 421 Sailing Toward The Abyss

    Chapter 417: Chapter 421 Sailing Toward The Abyss Chapter 417: Chapter 421 Sailing Toward The Abyss ¡°The Queen¡¯s key?¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression changed instantaneously, fixing her gaze on the eyes of Governor Winston.


    However, the latter seemed even more astonished than she, his eyes brimming with bewilderment, ¡°You don¡¯t know? Then how did you get in here?¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression became grave as she realized that the situation might not be what she had anticipated¨Cwhen she had first sensed that she could ¡°enter¡± the stone wall, she thought that Governor Winston, who had entered this place before her, was the same kind of being as herself. But now, it seemed that Mr. Governor had used some other method.


    He knew more secrets than she had imagined.


    ¡°I have my own methods,¡± Agatha spoke slowly, her tone inadvertently carrying a certain pressure, ¡°You just mentioned ¡®The Queen¡¯s key¡¯¨Cwhat exactly is that?¡±


    Winston looked at the gatekeeper before him with suspicion, but after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he finally let out a resigned sigh and reached into the pocket over his chest.


    ¡°Well then, we have reached this point; there¡¯s no need to keep secrets any longer.¡±


    He pulled out a small object from his pocket, which was a brass key with an ornate pattern. Its handle resembled a horizontal ¡°8,¡± or the infinity symbol from mathematics, but the head lacked the usual tooth-like structure common in keys, and instead was a cylinder with a groove in it.


    Agatha curiously scrutinized the object in the other¡¯s hand, suddenly feeling that it looked less like a key for opening doors and more like¡­ the type used for winding up dolls or other spring-driven mechanisms.


    ¡°A winding key?¡± she blurted out instinctively, ¡°You mean to say this is something left behind by Queen Lei Nora? Why would it be in the hands of a Governor?¡±


    ¡°The Governors have handed it down from one generation to the next. This key was a gift from the Queen to the rebels, and¡­ a curse,¡± Winston¡¯s mouth twisted into a bitter smile, filled with bitterness and even tinged with fear, ¡°From the moment the first Governor took the key, a shadow has loomed over our heads, Madam Gatekeeper.¡±


    Agatha did not interrupt the seemingly feeble middle-aged man¡¯s rambling, almost delirious mutterings; she waited patiently for him to finish before speaking calmly, ¡°You actually know the real situation of the Boiling Gold mine, don¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°If by the real situation, you mean signs of exhaustion in the Boiling Gold mine as far back as the Queen¡¯s reign¡­ yes, I know,¡± Winston spoke softly, conceding, ¡°I am sorry, I have known what the door you found was all along, but I thought there was time to set everything back on course before the situation worsened. That way, what you found would have just been a disused mine tunnel, and Frost¡­ would still be the flourishing Frost.¡±


    ¡°I need an explanation, Governor,¡± Agatha spoke seriously, her tone somewhat icy, ¡°If the Boiling Gold mine was already exhausted during the Queen¡¯s reign, then what has been dug out and shipped out for these past decades? Moreover, what is the connection between today¡¯s strange occurrences in the City-State and the mine¡¯s exhaustion?¡±


    ¡°The Boiling Gold is still Boiling Gold, Madam Gatekeeper. What we have dug up is Boiling Gold, and what has been shipped out is still Boiling Gold, genuine and real,¡± Winston lifted his head with an expression that was a mix between crying and laughing, ¡°It wasn¡¯t any contamination. We tested it; the Queen¡¯s time tested it too. If something looks like Boiling Gold, functions like Boiling Gold, and the effects and byproducts are indistinguishable from normal Boiling Gold¨Cthen without a doubt, it must be Boiling Gold.¡±


    ¡°Those are really Boiling Gold?!¡± Agatha suddenly widened her eyes, finding the answer particularly inconceivable, ¡°But the mine ran dry decades ago, and the ore appearing in the mineshafts now¡­¡±


    ¡°That is precisely the most terrifying and bizarre part, isn¡¯t it?¡± Winston said with bitter laughter, ¡°The ore veins dried up, but soon new ore would fill up certain unnoticed corners as if a parallel, false ¡®Frost City-State¡¯ existed, continuously feeding ore into the real world¨Cor perhaps, once the mine reached a certain depth underground, we have always been mining from a mirror world, and those phantom-like contraventions of nature¡­ no matter how they are tested after being extracted, they turn out to be real.¡±


    Agatha listened, her expression stern, as these incredible truths shook her already often disoriented mind. But ultimately, she kept her composure and spoke softly, ¡°Mirror Frost¨CMr. Governor, you are correct, there exists a mirror Frost. The fog that now envelops the City-State and the counterfeits that keep appearing within it, they are all escaping from that mirror city. This mirror City-State is gradually corroding and replacing our real world.¡±


    Winston¡¯s face subtly changed, and then he fell silent for several seconds before finally letting out a long sigh, ¡°Ah, it seems that this is the price of that Boiling Gold.¡±


    ¡°Price? You speak of it too lightly¨Cthe ones bearing the price are not just you and me, but the entire population of the City-State, most of whom have no idea what is happening¡­¡±


    ¡°But the vast majority of them have been reaping the benefits of the boiling gold trade¨Call in the City of Extreme Cold. It¡¯s the boiling gold that keeps everyone in the city warm, with plenty of food, and allows us to maintain a relatively prosperous standard even after the sea cliffs collapse, Gatekeeper Lady.¡±


    Winston paused for a few seconds, then waved his hand.


    ¡°You should know, I never indulge in luxury, own no real estate, keep no private wealth¨CI don¡¯t even have an heir. Lady, everything I do is not for personal desires.¡±


    Agatha gazed into the Governor¡¯s eyes, but all she saw in those depths was exhaustion.


    ¡°They don¡¯t have a choice¡­¡±


    She murmured as if speaking to herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s that no one has a choice,¡± Winston shook his head, ¡°I know what you mean. This road today, today¡¯s cost, none of it was chosen by the citizens of the City-State¨Cbut neither did I choose it. There is simply no other path to take.


    ¡°The City-State is only so large, there¡¯s no second Frost on the Endless Sea for us to stand upon, we need food, fuel, houses, and clean fresh water, we need boiling gold¨Ceven if it comes from the eerie shadow world. Without boiling gold, just one winter would kill a quarter of the City-State¡¯s people, and the rest would gradually revert to the dark City-State era before industrial development over a few years, continuing to lose a quarter or more of the population¡­


    ¡°Gatekeeper Lady, take a rest. You¡¯re as tired as I am, and perhaps we should now accept a fact¨Cthe City-State is a steam locomotive driving towards The Abyss, and everyone is on board. The only difference between the protectors of the City-State and ordinary people is that ordinary folks live with their eyes covered, while we¡­ just keep our eyes open.¡±


    Agatha, however, paid no mind to Winston¡¯s defeatist remarks. She stood silently in the darkness, feeling the unbearable cold creeping in from all around, feeling her blood growing colder in her veins.


    Then, she broke the silence, ¡°Someone made a different choice.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, there was one. The Frostfolk once called her ¡®Queen,¡¯ while history books named her the ¡®Mad Queen,''¡± Winston laughed, though it was unclear whether he was mocking the queen or himself. ¡°A great mortal, she even tried to defy the sea itself, to defy the terrors of the deepest sea.¡±


    ¡°The Abyssal Expedition¡­¡± Agatha whispered, all the clues she had grasped finally coming together in her mind, forming a clear picture, ¡°So, the Abyssal Expedition was not just a simple exploration project recorded in the documents¡­ The Queen wanted to uncover the deep secrets of the City-State?!¡±


    ¡°We do not know why she believed that the constantly appearing boiling gold in the mines was related to the ¡®deep sea,¡¯ but clearly, she was heading in the right direction¨Cthe uncontrollable disaster of the Abyssal Expedition and the terrible fate she later faced prove that she had touched the true source. The greatest irony of our world lies right here,¡± Winston shifted his position next to the tree stump, looking up at the endless chaos and writhing shadows above, and spoke calmly, ¡°Truth points to madness, and madness leads to failure. Every step you take towards your goal takes you closer to The Abyss.


    Winston sighed.


    ¡°She wanted to uncover the true nature of the boiling gold mines, to solve the hidden dangers behind the City-State, to defy the sea itself with her own wisdom and strength¡­ It¡¯s noble, but it turns out, she merely used up her destiny ahead of its time.¡±


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    ¡°So, you ¡®Successors¡¯ have decided not to follow her old path¨Cyou pretend to be like everyone else, covering your eyes and rushing towards The Abyss with this locomotive. The once Queen, who tried to hit the brakes or change the tracks, is now characterized in history books as a madwoman beguiled by Subspace.¡±


    ¡°An ancient Frost adage¨CThe dead must give way to the living,¡± Winston slowly turned his eyes, locking gaze with Agatha¡¯s, ¡°A once-great ruler would not mind being characterized this way, if it helped Frost quickly stabilize after the turmoil.¡±


    Agatha wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.


    After a long moment, she could only shake her head slightly.


    ¡°That key¡­ How did it end up in the hands of the first Governor?¡±

 Chapter 418 - Chapter 418 Chapter 422 What is Seen in the Darkness

    Chapter 418: Chapter 422 What is Seen in the Darkness Chapter 418: Chapter 422 What is Seen in the Darkness ¡°How did the key end up in the hands of the first Governor?¡±


    This was the question that occupied Agatha¡¯s mind the most at the moment¨Cbecause no matter which historical record one referred to, whether it was from the perspective of the Queen¡¯s supporters or from the current City-State authorities, there was one consistent point regarding the description of the ¡°rebellion¡± or ¡°revolt¡± that occurred half a century ago: there was an irreconcilable conflict between the Frost Queen and the rebel forces.


    The two were enemies, without any possibility of understanding or cooperation, let alone any ¡°legacy¡± relationship¨Cso why would the key of Queen Lei Nora end up in the hands of the City-State¡¯s Governor? And why did Winston refer to it as a ¡°curse¡± and a ¡°gift¡±?


    Thinking rapidly, Agatha lowered her head, eyeing Winston¡¯s eyes: ¡°There is another truth to the rebellion¨Cnot that the Frost Queen and the rebel forces had made some agreement¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as dramatic as that, Gatekeeper, although it does sound like a good story¨Cmad rulers of the City-State sympathizing with the leaders of the righteous forces, orchestrating a great uprising capable of ending the chaos of the former dynasty to pass on power and responsibility. Playwrights and novelists would like this theme, but unfortunately, true history has no such sentiment.


    ¡°The great uprising was inevitable; the rift between the mad queen and the Frost citizens was beyond repair. She had been great once, but her failure in the Deep Abyss Project had pushed the City-State to the brink of collapse. The first Governor¡¯s rebellion against the Queen was for the survival of more people, and there was no room for peaceful dialogue between them from the start.


    ¡°But there is one thing you¡¯re not wrong about¨Cthe Queen and the rebel forces did indeed have a certain ¡®understanding.¡¯ The Queen knew her overthrow was inevitable, and the rebels also knew that the Queen¡¯s madness wasn¡¯t just ¡®insanity.¡¯ She must have had many secrets.


    ¡°So, on the night before the execution, the leader of the rebels, who was the first Governor, sought out the imprisoned Queen; he wanted to understand what secrets she was hiding.


    ¡°As a result, the Queen gave him the key, and told him¨Cwith her life ended after the execution, whoever held the key would naturally come to know everything.¡±


    Winston paused, a mocking yet helpless expression crossing his face. He lowered his head, staring at the brass key in his hand, and after a long time, he chuckled bitterly, ¡°Do you know what she said to the leader of the rebels at the end? The history books of later generations never describe this; only successive Governors know this.


    ¡°¡®I did what I could; you think you can do better, very well, now it¡¯s your turn.¡¯ That was what she said after the first Governor took the key.¡±


    ¡°¡­Every choice has its cost.¡± Agatha sighed softly after hearing this unknown part of history.


    ¡°Gatekeeper,¡± Winston suddenly looked up, his strange smile returning as he raised the brass key, ¡°Do you want to try? Take the key, have a glimpse of the scene once seen by Lei Nora?¡±


    Agatha hesitated for a moment. She stared intently at the key that Winston was handing over, feeling her heart, which had been beating slowly, pounding again. A deep, oppressive force was emanating from the key, as if it was condensing half a century¡¯s darkness and malice¨Chowever, after several seconds of silence and hesitation, she took a light breath and reached out for the key.


    A slight chill came from her fingertips.


    The next second, countless phantoms surged from the boundless darkness, chaotic fragments of light and shadow sweeping over like a storm, filling Agatha¡¯s mind; and among the flurry of barraging snippets of information, visions began to flash in her mind¨C


    In the Endless Sea¡¯s immense darkness, some massive and terrifying dark limb was slowly breeding, growing;


    An ancient, chilling gaze looked out from the depths of the sea towards the City-State, indifferently surveying the mortal world like some incomprehensible ancient deity;


    Shadowy, ghastly materials spilt from the depths of the sea, surging upwards, turning into the reality of Replication, flitting between shadow and substance, the depths of the Endless Sea teeming with chaotic, murky figures gazing up at the City-State with hollow eyes;


    And in even more distant places, on the darker and deeper sea floor, beneath hundreds of City-States in the whole world, the entire Endless Sea, was dimly discernible, as if the ancient world had sunk into the boundless darkness, the loathsome entities spawning from ancient corpses, continuously rising, continuously rising¡­


    Amid these countless layers of visions, Agatha could always feel some kind of ¡°watch¡± deep within them¨Cthis wasn¡¯t a gaze or any kind of clear will. It felt as if she was being watched by time itself, something more ancient than history, grander than the City-State, even as if from the deepest part of this world¡­ was watching her.


    In that ¡°watch¡± there was no emotion, no malice nor kindness, just observing, like a soulless shell looking at an ignorant intruder into the truth, and said indifferently¨C


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    Agatha felt a thunderous noise deep within her consciousness, and the last shreds of her sanity had her desperately surfacing through the countless layers of overlapping illusions. During this process, her perceptions and thoughts were suppressed to the brink¨Cshe could sense there was more information, more fragments of thoughts swirling around her, possibly even containing the will or words left by Queen Lei Nora; however, she could neither see nor understand them clearly.


    By the time she regained control of her body, all the illusions had ended, and she opened her eyes in the dark chaos to see Governor Winston still before her, even maintaining the final posture of handing her the brass key¨Conly a second seemed to have passed.


    She was back in this strange, writhing, dark space¡­ Wait, something was different!


    Agatha suddenly noticed a bizarre change in her field of vision and looked up in horror, scanning her surroundings.


    The darkness in all directions seemed to have receded a great deal, and those black, shapeless things slowly writhing and transforming in the darkness appeared to be gradually coalescing, morphing into solid forms. Amidst this ceaseless changing of shape and substance, she saw many things growing out of the surrounding space from nothing¨Clooking like dried-up tree branches, densely filling the entire space. The black ¡°branches¡± interconnected in the void, merging with one another, and faint glimmers moved between them, resembling¡­


    Express message capsules whizzing through steam pipes.


    And in the depths of the ¡°branch¡± network as complex as a thicket, through the layered illusions, Agatha saw something huge¡­ a limb.


    It was a robust limb like a tentacle, colossal in scale as if to support the heavens and the earth. The surface of this giant pillar was covered in dark blue lines, the patterns formed by those lines¡­ looked like countless eyes.


    Mental contamination? Illusion? Madness Threshold?


    Numerous thoughts flashed through Agatha¡¯s mind, and she immediately closed her eyes, only to find that the ¡°giant pillar¡± supporting the heavens and earth was still lingering in her vision. She tried to pray to the god of death and stabilize her will with Divine Arts, but found that her mind was clear, with no signs of Corrosion.


    After several rapid attempts at emergency measures had failed, she realized something¨C


    She was not mad but was, in a state of sober sanity, witnessing a ¡°scenery¡± that was unknown in location and reality.


    She stood amidst this grand and terrifying ¡°scenery,¡± as if deprived of thought, until Governor Winston¡¯s voice brought her back, ¡°Oh, it looks like you saw it.¡±


    The middle-aged Governor said, slowly lifting his head, softly exclaiming, ¡°It¡¯s spectacular, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Agatha, hesitating, lowered her head and then noticed that what Winston was ¡°leaning¡± on was not a tree stump¨Cit was actually part of the vast ¡°branch¡± structure around her, an end extending from the branches, with faintly discernible black structures above it, sprawling into the deepest part of this eerie space.


    ¡°These¡­ these branches¡­¡±


    ¡°This is the thinking of an ancient god, materialized in the field of vision of us mortals to appear as such,¡± Winston said calmly, ¡°You have only touched the key for the first time, so what you can see is still very little. But I have been with this key day and night for more than a decade¡­ The things it has told me, they are far beyond your imagination.¡±


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    Agatha, as if plunged into a dreamlike stupor, slowly comprehended Winston¡¯s words, repeating subconsciously, ¡°Ancient god¡¯s¡­ thinking?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it incredible? These branch-like things don¡¯t truly exist. What you see may just be a fleeting thought of a deity in a certain moment, and this thought is so powerfully reflected here that it becomes the immense structure you see with your eyes¨Cah, don¡¯t try to decipher anything from them, don¡¯t attempt to understand the pattern of those flashes; it will drive you mad.¡±


    Agatha abruptly turned her head, ¡°Has someone gone mad because of this?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Winston chuckled, ¡°Have you forgotten? Her name was Lei Nora¡­¡±


    Agatha was speechless for a moment, then after a few seconds, she spoke softly, ¡°Then¡­ that thing beyond the ¡®thicket,¡¯ what is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s The Saint,¡± Winston declared indifferently, ¡°A small part of Him, the part that pierces into the City-State.¡±

 Chapter 419 - Chapter 419 Chapter 423 Moving Forward

    Chapter 419: Chapter 423: Moving Forward Chapter 419: Chapter 423: Moving Forward Deep at the seafloor, beneath the City-State, the ancient god stretched its tentacles into the real world, growing stronger each day in that indescribable darkness¨C


    It was visible, its filthy, horrifying fleshly limbs were its physical form, icy and chilling to the bone, yet it was also formless, for its will had long ago crossed the dark abyss and penetrated the thick rocks and soil of the City-State, its unimaginable power continuously burrowing into this city and deeply piercing into the depths of the boiling gold mines.


    ¡°Gatekeeper Lady, we are now inside it¨Cthis place was once rock, but the power of the ancient god has transformed the rock here into part of its fleshly body. This dark material, separated by over a thousand meters of rock and seawater, pulses with the source at the seafloor, and with each beat, it draws the mirror City-State closer to our real world¡­ Do you hear it? Thump, thump¡­ The flesh moves, contracts, murmurs in its dreams, this place¡­ is thinking.¡±


    Winston whispered like a prayer, slowly raising his hands, gesturing towards the endless darkness around him and the thorny, tangled ¡°branches¡± within the darkness, between which dim points of light shot rapidly like fireflies. Gradually, Agatha really seemed to hear that deep sound¨Cthump, thump¡­


    This vast anomalous area buried deep in the boiling gold mines was producing a heartbeat.


    Even her own heart seemed to be influenced by this heartbeat, wanting to resonate and pulse along.


    However, a faint current of warmth suddenly appeared at her heart, shocking Agatha sharply back to reality. She realized that her humanity had just retreated from the brink of madness and immediately, her expression shifted as she stared intently into Winston¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Your sanity is abnormal, Governor Winston¨Cyou are influenced by this place.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Is that so? Perhaps,¡± Winston waved his hand indifferently, ¡°I initially thought I could calm the ancient god like the Queen, then thought I could at least delay it for a while, and then believed I could remain lucid until the end, but it seems¡­ I have failed without even realizing it?¡±


    ¡°Calm the ancient god like the Queen?¡± Agatha sharply caught the key point in the Governor¡¯s words, her gaze changed subtly, vaguely realizing the real reason for the Governor¡¯s presence here, ¡°You mean, the Frost Queen half a century ago successfully put the power of The Saint into slumber?¡±


    Winston laughed, ¡°¡­What do you think caused the collapse of the sea cliff back then?¡±


    Agatha paused, hesitating as she spoke, ¡°The collapse¡­ After the Queen was beheaded, the entire execution grounds fell into the sea¡­ That wasn¡¯t an accident?!¡±


    ¡°It was a sacrifice¨Cthe sacrifice was the Queen herself, along with the first group of opportunists who chose to betray her after the uprising¨Cof course, also the entire group of executioners and not a few rebel officials to accompany her in death,¡± Winston calmly explained, ¡°We sealed the detailed records from that time, thus few people know about the specifics after the sea cliff collapse¨Cthousands died in that accident, but in reality, almost all the civilians survived the collapse, while those swept into the waves¡­ even if they were just a meter from the shore, had no chance to struggle, as they were instantly ¡®sucked¡¯ into the seabed.


    ¡°And after that collapse, the expansion of the anomaly in the boiling gold mines stopped for a time, and only then did the first Governor realize that everything was part of Lei Nora¡¯s plan¨Cthe cold truth transferred from the Queen¡¯s key to the Governor¡¯s hands, just as she said, now it¡¯s our turn.¡±


    Agatha fell silent, and after a moment, her eyes became complex, ¡°You came here, intending to recreate that sacrifice¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®It¡¯ is surfacing, the knowledge carried in the key tells me, to suppress this process, one must touch ¡®Its¡¯ mind. Fifty years ago, Its power was still slumbering in the deep sea, so the Queen could only sacrifice herself to the deep sea, but now, Its power has deeply pierced the City-State, so this is the best place to touch¨Cthis is the method left in the key by the Queen; every Governor, upon receiving the key, is entwined with this responsibility, preparing for it all their life, and I too prepared everything for it, but there was just one thing I hadn¡¯t anticipated¡­¡±


    Winston tugged at the corner of his mouth, which hardly counted as a smile.


    ¡°Not everyone is Lei Nora.¡±


    Agatha listened silently, then lowered her head, quietly observing the brass key still lying in her palm.


    This was something created by the Frost Queen using some transcendent power¨Cshe had condensed the ¡°knowledge¡± she touched and part of her own ¡°thoughts¡± into the physical form of the key.


    Yet, for some reason, Agatha felt that the key¡­ might have another purpose.


    It should not merely exist to bind the successive rulers of the Frost City-State to a responsibility.


    But at this moment, Governor Winston clearly could no longer answer her more questions¨Cand she herself, seemed to already lack a way back.


    After learning the truth of this dark space, Agatha understood: she had not passed through that stone wall to arrive at some place, but had been directly incorporated into a massive mass of anomalous material.


    Here, death awaited Winston, while return and assimilation awaited her.


    She looked at the palm of her hand, where the skin that had made contact with the key showed signs of softening and deformation, and a viscous black substance was seeping from it, slowly covering the key.


    But she still wanted to move forward, she was somewhat ¡­ curious.


    ¡°Do we have anything else to do?¡± Agatha lowered her head to look at the City-State Governor, who had fallen silent, ¡°Are you going to wait here until death overtakes you?¡±


    ¡°Death has already arrived, ma¡¯am¨Cwe¡¯re just reviewing our failed lives before we draw our final breath,¡± Winston shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to do, just sit down and rest like me.¡±


    ¡°¡­You have actually done what you ought to, as the Governor of Frost. You at least bravely faced this so-called ¡®Curse¡¯,¡± Agatha calmly stated, ¡°Inadequacy does not equate to inaction.¡±


    Winston just shrugged self-deprecatingly, ¡°Incapability is a sin.¡±


    ¡°¡­I still need to move forward, I want to go through these ¡®thorns¡¯ to the place of the Touching Tentacle,¡± Agatha said, ¡°Will you come with me?¡±


    ¡°It holds no meaning for me anymore, ma¡¯am,¡± Winston quietly replied, ¡°If you wish to go, then go. Let me stay here¨Cmy journey has ended.¡±


    Agatha stared at him for a few seconds, then handed over the brass key: ¡°This belongs to you.¡±


    Winston didn¡¯t reach out but looked up into Agatha¡¯s eyes, ¡°Keep it. You¡¯ve taken it¨Cnow it¡¯s yours; that¡¯s how we¡¯ve passed it on till now.¡±


    Agatha fell silent for a moment, then pocketed the key.


    ¡°Very well, then I shall go alone.¡±


    She bid farewell to Winston, then turned around, raised her cane, and stepped into the void of this dark expanse.


    ¡°Ms. Agatha,¡± Winston¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind, ¡°Does this truly have any meaning?¡±


    Agatha slightly turned her head, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Even if you discover more truths ahead, even if you really traverse these ¡®bushes¡¯ and touch the limbs of the ancient god, what can you change? You can¡¯t stop any of this, nor can you communicate what happens here to the outside world¨Cthe investigation is over, and without the ability to relay information, no amount of knowledge you gain matters.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s steps halted, and after a moment of thought, she softly began, ¡°I am the guardian of Frost, it is my duty. And¡­¡±


    She paused, her hand gripping the brass key unconsciously fell to her chest.


    Although the surroundings remained very cold, the sensation of her blood slowly coagulating was stronger than ever. Yet for some reason, since a while ago, she had constantly felt a slight warmth throbbing at her heart, as if¡­ invisible flames were flickering there, spurring her to move forward.


    In her mind, a thought that was not her own softly fluttered¨Cthe most intense of these thoughts was an obsession¨Can obsession directed toward the vast, illusory ¡°Touching Tentacle¡± beyond the thorny shrubs.


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    ¡°It is meaningful, I am not alone in progressing¨Cthough there is no evidence, I believe¡­ everything I see here will eventually be known by someone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? That¡¯s good¡­ Ms. Agatha, you retain your faith to the very end, and that is truly enviable.¡±


    Winston¡¯s voice ceased, and there were no more sounds from that direction.


    Agatha turned back, spotting a small lantern shining brightly in the darkness, illuminating a dry ¡°stump,¡± where a middle-aged man in a deep blue coat was quietly leaning.


    A bullet hole penetrated his temple, and in his hanging hand, he held a finely crafted revolver.

 Chapter 420 - Chapter 420 Chapter 424 Ritual Ceremony Field

    Chapter 420: Chapter 424 Ritual Ceremony Field Chapter 420: Chapter 424 Ritual Ceremony Field Now, only she was left here.


    Agatha slowly diverted her gaze from the lantern beside her, turned her back on Governor Winston left alone in the chilling and tranquil darkness, and walked towards the ¡°branches¡± intertwined endlessly in the vast space, towards that vast canopy of thorns like the firmament of heaven and earth.


    A not-so-bright lantern hung at her waist, her right hand gripped the cane that had accompanied her for many years in her memory, and her left hand still clutched the brass key from Winston¨Cthe key was no longer icy cold but carried a warmth as if it was a body temperature, as if it was slowly merging with her own body.


    But Agatha no longer paid attention to any changes in her body.


    She just strode through the darkness, feeling the solid forward movement of her body, knowing that as long as the surrounding chaos hadn¡¯t completely swallowed and assimilated her, there was a need to press on.


    She sought solid ground to step on in the void, and each time she took a step, the ground appeared like a path in the darkness; she searched for a way out in the thicket of thorns where narrow openings could often be found amid the crisscrossing branches.


    The sharp ¡°thorns¡± quickly tore through her clothes. The dense ¡°fabric¡± was as fragile as loose ash and mist before the thrusting thoughts of the ancient gods, falling pieces congealed into moving black droplets in the darkness, merging into the path underfoot while she occasionally touched sparks that danced and roamed between the thorns¨Cwhen she touched these glimmers, she could almost distinctly feel something drilling into her brain.


    That was the thought of the ancient god, a whisper from The Saint deep in the abyss¨Cwithout any malice, not even a complete intention, but the briefest spark of thought was still dazzling and piercing to the frail mortals, like a brilliant giant candle in the darkness of night.


    Another cluster of dim flashes was swiftly transmitted from afar, sliding past her field of vision along the pitch-black thorny branches. A strand of Agatha¡¯s hair intersected with that flash, and in the one-hundredth of a second, new ¡°knowledge¡± emerged in her mind¨C


    111010011001101110000110¡­111001111011111010100100¡­


    Agatha couldn¡¯t comprehend the messages conveyed by these sparks¨Cjust as Winston had said to her, do not attempt to fathom the thoughts of ancient gods.


    That would drive one mad.


    She raised her head.


    The grand assembly constructed of withered wooden bridges and thorns overwhelmed her vision, countless dim flashes danced in the thicket like fireflies, a thin mist shrouded the barrier of thorns and deep in the mist, the immense limbs of The Saint swayed gently¨Can invitation, it seemed.


    The cold returned around her¨Csharper and more bone-chilling than before, with dampness that seemed to infer the bones as if freezing them from within.


    Agatha subconsciously tightened the clothes over her chest, only to realize her garment had become tattered and torn without her knowing, and the thorns along the way had left countless wounds of various sizes on her skin.


    In these wounds, a filthy black viscous substance moved slowly like blood.


    But just as she thought the cold would completely consume her, a faint and warm heat rose again from her chest¡­


    ¡­


    A small green flame burned quietly at Agatha¡¯s chest, its gentle green glow illuminating her face and the cold, damp sewer around her.


    All sensations seemed to drift away or were separated from her consciousness by a thick veil; the warmth in her veins seemed to fade with time, along with the fatigue and pain accumulated along the journey.


    Agatha slowly shook her head, trying to dispel the numbness dominating her mind, and as her field of vision wavered, she suddenly caught a glimpse of something unusual in the corner of her eye.


    She saw the dim and obstructed sewer corridor seemingly open up all at once, a hazy space with a layer of thin mist rising, and in that mist, shapes resembling branches or thickets began to emerge and gradually spread towards her.


    But in the next second, the illusory scene dissipated like smoke, and all she could see was the black hallway.


    And a gate at the end of the corridor.


    Thump¡­ Thump¡­


    As she focused on the gate, Agatha thought she heard a ghostly heartbeat echoing in her ears, as if a colossal heart was hidden behind that door, throbbing and growing in the darkness.


    Agatha¡¯s numbed senses suddenly revived, her gaze locked onto that door.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯ve found you¡­¡±


    She collected the small flame in her palm and stepped into the darkness, with her nearly broken combat cane supporting her one last time as her pace quickened even to the point of stirring the wind. She stepped into the darkness and left it behind, while the deep and terrifying heartbeat started pounding in her chest, echoing in her mind like heavy drumbeats.


    Gradually, she heard other sounds mixed with the heartbeat, as if thousands were praying, chanting, calling out to some dark, indescribable being.


    Yet she paid no heed to the noise mixed within those voices¨Cshe was about to deliver the ember, and the den of the heretics lay at the deepest part ahead.


    The sound of a cane and heels tapping against the ground resonated intensely.


    And it was at this moment that Agatha suddenly heard another sound¨Cnot her own footsteps nor the heartbeat and prayers of a crowd gathering in the depths of the corridor.


    These were different footsteps, a large group of people, whose dense steps seemed to be coming from another direction¨Cclose to the corridor in front of her but separated by a wall or two.


    Amid the footsteps, gunshots rang out from large-caliber rifles.


    Other people? Living humans? Were there others in this mirrored City-State moving alongside her?!


    Questions flashed through Agatha¡¯s mind instantly, but they did not slow her forward march¨Cshe nearly ran through the last stretch before the gate, arriving at the door that continued to emit the sound of a heartbeat.


    The door was slightly ajar, revealing an impenetrable darkness within, tangible and seeping out in waves.


    But this was exactly what Agatha had been searching for.


    She braced her shoulder against the heavy door and pushed it open with all her might.


    As the door opened with a creaking groan, a vast expanse of darkness appeared before Agatha¨Cor rather, an endless ¡°shadow¡± enveloped the normal space, shrouding everything in darkness to her sight.


    She could barely make out what seemed to be an assembly hall; the widest intersection in the sewer had been transformed into a sacrificial ground for the nurturing and worship of ancient gods, where countless indistinct, formless entities writhed in the darkness, exuding malice like a foul stench rushing towards her.


    Before she could even react, she heard the swift sound of something cutting through the air from the nearby darkness; something was hurtling towards her, and a familiar yet repulsive voice rose from the distant sacrificial ground¨Cmocking and jeering:


    ¡°Ah, the final offering has finally arrived¨Chow excellent, your ¡®other¡¯ has just reached the designated place as well.¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The cane swung out, sparking briefly in the pitch black, severing a grotesque limb that fell at Agatha¡¯s feet, nearly causing her to lose her balance from the impact¨Cshe steadied herself and immediately lifted her head to look towards where the voice had come from.


    She could barely discern a tall, thin figure standing at the far end of the darkness.


    He spread his arms wide towards her.


    ¡°Come, offering, your arrival is a part of the plan¨Cnow is the time to build the conduit.¡±


    Agatha propped herself up with her cane, slowly lifting her head amidst weakness and dizziness, ¡°You are on a path to your own demise¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, we will all die here, but it doesn¡¯t matter, as long as you step in here, the ritual will be a success¨CI admit, it¡¯s indeed a trap.¡±


    ¡­


    The abrupt bang of a shot, accompanied by a burst of light that tore through the dimness of the corridor, a powerful bullet blew the head off a twisted monster with three eyes; its mutated vicious body fell to the ground, rapidly melting and disintegrating, turning into a nauseating black sludge.


    However, more guttural screams of monsters kept sounding from all around, an endless stream of deformed abominations spewing forth¨Cfrom the walls, the pipes, the drains, even the cracks in the dome above.


    The sludge-like substance seemed to be seeping out from every visible crevice, turning into countless human-like yet monstrous creatures.


    ¡°I think we didn¡¯t bring enough bullets!¡±


    A sailor shouted, quickly reloading his rifle, aiming, and firing; his call was accompanied by the crackling hiss of ghostly flames, sounding hoarse and somber.


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    Lawrence had no time to respond to the sailor¡¯s shout¨Cswift wind sounds came from behind him, and he could only manage to turn slightly to evade the lethal strike, then, driven by intuition, he reached back and grabbed.


    He pulled a creature resembling a human, dressed in a decades-old City-State Guard¡¯s uniform and wielding a sword, from behind him and sent it crashing hard onto the floor.


    Lawrence took a step forward, planting his foot firmly on the chest of the counterfeit monster; the ghostly flames engulfed his body in an instant, the spreading fire consuming the nearly human creature into a pile of ashes within moments.


    The next second, with his body aflame with ghostly fire, Lawrence lifted his head to gaze down the corridor that seemed to have no end in sight.


    Everywhere his eyes could see was filled with profane, distorted beings.

 Chapter 421 - Chapter 421 Chapter 425 The Last Queens Guard

    Chapter 421: Chapter 425: The Last Queen¡¯s Guard Chapter 421: Chapter 425: The Last Queen¡¯s Guard Enemies appeared suddenly after the team entered a corridor that led straight into the depths of darkness¨Cand their numbers seemed endless.


    A sharp whooshing sound came from beside him; a scimitar swung viciously towards his neck, but Lawrence reflexively leaned back just in time, grabbing the arm wielding the scimitar. Green flames instantly erupted from the edges of his palm, turning a monster, clad in a navy uniform with its head split vertically, to ashes. Before he could react, a series of gunshots rang out from across the way.


    The shots were fired by a creeping monster that had suddenly crawled out of a drain¨Cthe creature had a human-like upper body, but its lower half was a writhing mass resembling deformed innards. It clutched a ¡°rifle¡± seemingly cobbled together from bones and flesh, the muzzle of which¨Cdespite looking completely aberrant¨Cspewed tongues of fire.


    Lawrence¡¯s gaze instantly sharpened, and time around him seemed to slow. He felt his Eye Power in that instant far exceeded that of an ordinary person by countless times, and he could even clearly see the trajectory of the bullets flying towards him¨Cnext instant, he twisted his body, dodging the incoming bullets in an unimaginably agile manner.


    Dodging thrice, he was hit by six bullets.


    ¡°Damn monster!!¡± Intense pain shot through him, and the old captain let loose a curse before raising his revolver and firing two shots at the beast.


    He lowered his head to look at his chest, seeing several shocking bullet holes had ripped through the flesh there. Yet, under the burning of the Phantom Flame, the translucent Spiritual Body flesh was healing at a visibly rapid pace.


    Not fatal, but it resulted in intense pain and fatigue. The power of the flame also seemed to be gradually depleting¨Cstill abundant for now, but it was difficult to say if it would ever run out.


    Meanwhile, Lawrence¡¯s fully armed crew continued to fight¨Cthese sailors, wrapped in Spectral Flame, were aware of their current temporary state of immortality. Their combat style became increasingly fierce as they resisted the seemingly unkillable monsters with guns, bayonets, and short swords, desperately trying to push forward through the corridor.


    However, just like Lawrence, everyone was still adapting to their ¡°Spiritual Body¡± state, let alone mastering the Spectral Flame. These sailors, who had momentarily gained immortality, were simply squandering their strength and firepower. The battle within the tunnel had descended into chaos to the point of being unbearable to witness.


    Therefore, despite regenerative bodies, they could only move forward at an excruciatingly slow pace under the endless siege of monsters, with no sight of a breakthrough.


    The only one unaffected by the Spectral Flame at the scene was the mummy¨CAbnormal 077 was also fighting, swinging two scimitars with an agility that defied its mummified status, charging back and forth through the battlefield like the wind. If not for his greatly enhanced vision, Lawrence doubted he could track the mummy¡¯s movements.


    But now, with his vision far beyond that of an ordinary person, Abnormal 077¡¯s speed seemed less outrageous. He could clearly see the mummy threading through a safe path on the battlefield, its scimitars flipping up and down, still as sharp as new after half an hour¨Cthe blades hadn¡¯t touched anything at all.


    The ¡°sailor¡± was just running back and forth in the corridor, waving blades, his shouts louder than anyone else.


    ¡°I¡¯ll carve the path with my scimitars!¡± The mummy¡¯s raucous voice echoed through the corridor, accompanied by the whoosh of blades cutting through the air, ¡°These ugly abominations are no match for me!¡±


    Lawrence took a large step forward, seizing the neck of the ¡°sailor¡± who was about to charge past, his strength so immense that he pulled the sprinting mummy directly in front of him, his hoarse voice accompanying the crackling of flames, ¡°If you can¡¯t be of help, at least be quiet!¡±


    Abnormal 077¡¯s neck was clenched, its withered head mere centimeters from Lawrence, shaking all over, ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­ yes! Captain!¡±


    Lawrence raised his hand and hurled the mummy ten meters ahead, ¡°Go clear the path¨Cif we can¡¯t break through today, I¡¯ll stuff you into the steam core¡¯s combustion chamber!¡±


    The mummy screamed as it was thrown, finally grappling with the continuously emerging, mud-like monsters, while a crew member carrying a rifle ran over, shouting next to Lawrence, ¡°Captain! We¡¯re almost out of bullets!¡±


    Lawrence whirled around, seeing that nearly all his men had begun fighting those creatures with melee weapons. They were relying on their trait of being undead to hold up in this corridor, but the overall advance of the team had clearly halted.


    No longer able to move forward.


    With no escape route either.


    The corridor was filled with chaotic cries and blood-curdling sounds of flesh ripping and limbs breaking. The black mud on the surrounding walls and ceiling continued to seep out, transforming the crew into Spiritual Bodies almost overwhelmed by the endless monsters. Their weapons were running out of ammo, and the Spectral Flame on his body was still burning, but fatigue was accumulating, which even began to slow and interfere with his thoughts.


    In the midst of this chaotic sewer, Lawrence suddenly felt a trace of trance, even beginning to feel the whole world becoming unreal¨C


    ¡°¡±Who am I, where am I, what am I doing¡­ The monsters here are endless, but how much longer until the agreed midnight?


    At that moment, as if to respond to his own bewilderment, Lawrence suddenly heard Martha¡¯s voice coming from the small mirror on his chest:


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±


    The old captain jolted awake from his confusion. Hastily, he drew his short sword from his waist and stabbed at a monster lunging at him, then retreated quickly to avoid the black sludge almost splattering on him while swiftly raising his head.


    Footsteps echoed in the corridor¨Cso many footsteps, along with distant and ethereal shouts and the sounds of orders being relayed. Then, those sounds rapidly approached, almost instantly reaching the area where Lawrence and the sailors were fighting fiercely.


    In the blink of an eye, countless figures appeared.


    It was as if they had emerged from the times of yore; one after another, shadows condensed in the air and took the form of fully armed soldiers, clutching old-fashioned rifles from half a century ago. The bayonets on the rifles glinted coldly in the dark corridor. They charged from the darkness and into another¨Cthis congealing of shadows didn¡¯t interrupt their charge; it was as though their battle had never ceased, and only now could their figures be observed.


    The sailors fighting in the corridor were stunned by the sudden sight before them, instinctively stopping in their tracks. They watched the troops rush in, fire at the ubiquitous monsters, and roar as they plunged into the fight. It took several seconds before a sailor came to his senses, murmuring in amazement, ¡°The last of the Queen¡¯s Guard¡­¡±


    Lawrence also snapped back to reality. Instinctively, he stepped forward, approaching a young soldier who was loading his rifle¨Cthe soldier looked to be at most twenty years old. His uniform, that of the old City-State Guards, was tattered, as if he had been scuffling in these sewers for ages.


    ¡°Hello, we¡¯re here to help¡­¡± Lawrence reached out to pat the young soldier on the shoulder, but he stopped midsentence.


    His hand passed through the figure.


    Was this but an illusion?


    Lawrence looked up perplexedly, only to see that those ghost-like soldiers had already engaged in fierce combat with the monsters in the corridor. Their guns fired continuously, and the humanoid abominations made of filthy sludge fell one after another.


    A tall soldier charged from the other side. Lawrence hurriedly dodged but wasn¡¯t quick enough; he watched as the tall soldier, as if not seeing him, ran towards him and passed through his body like a phantom¨Cthen, struck by a stray bullet from a monster, the large figure crashed to the ground in the sewer.


    The other Queen¡¯s Guard soldiers bypassed the fallen body and continued down the corridor.


    A sailor walked by Lawrence, muttering behind him, ¡°They are apparitions¡­¡±


    ¡°But these apparitions can fight those monsters, they can even kill them¡­¡± Lawrence said, bewildered, still feeling like he was dreaming.


    ¡°The number of monsters in the corridor is no longer increasing.¡± another sailor said beside him.


    Lawrence immediately realized.


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    For the first time, the number of monsters in the corridor was decreasing significantly¨Cafter the arrival of the Queen¡¯s Guard composed of apparitions, the black sludge that had continued to pour from the walls and ceilings finally stopped seeping. The malformed creatures, which were previously innumerable no matter how many were slain, were now truly being reduced in number!


    Could the presence of the Queen¡¯s Guard be suppressing the monsters¡¯ ¡°regeneration¡± and ¡°reproduction¡±?


    Countless questions filled Lawrence¡¯s mind, but rather than seeking answers to these questions, he knew something more important needed to be done.


    ¡°Follow the Queen¡¯s Guard!¡± He raised his hand high, commanding loudly, ¡°Follow the path they¡¯ve cleared!¡±


    ¡°Yes, captain!¡±¡±

 Chapter 422 - Chapter 422 Chapter 426 The Final Counterattack

    Chapter 422: Chapter 426: The Final Counterattack Chapter 422: Chapter 426: The Final Counterattack Sounds echoed in the depths of the corridor, yet they were indistinct and hard to discern.


    Within them seemed to be the chilling whistling of the wind, the mumbled whispers, the rhythmically advancing footsteps, and the gunfire.


    Everything was mixed together, boundaries had become blurred, and the entire world seemed to be steadily kneaded into a mass where there was no longer a past or present, no left or right¨Cjust like this hazy, fog-filled corridor that felt as though it could swallow everything.


    The stooped old man, with faltering steps, slowly moved through the corridor, occasionally clanking his large wrench against the pipes on the walls, producing a low and strange clanging sound.


    Who am I? Where am I? Where am I supposed to go? Why am I supposed to go there?


    The attack had begun¡­ At midnight, it was the Queen¡¯s Guard that launched the attack, but specifically, what was the target of the attack? And in which direction?


    The old man¡¯s muddled mind sporadically churned out fragmented and disorderly thoughts, some faded memories from long ago, but soon, they all dissolved into the haze of his befuddled brain¨Coccasionally, he felt as though he was treading two diverging paths, with chaos and entangled experiences contending within his body, yet at times, he believed he had been standing in the same spot, waiting for orders for fifty years.


    The wrench struck something with a clang, and the old man, in his sluggish state, lowered his head to see a helmet¨Cblack, with a narrow rim and marked with the Queen¡¯s Guard emblem, something from fifty years ago that was no longer seen.


    He stared blankly at the helmet, watched as it fell to the ground, rolling into a nearby drain, where something seemed to struggle to rise from the gutter, then quickly blended back into the surrounding darkness and disappeared.


    He muttered indistinctly and continued to step toward the darkness, as if he were steadily walking deeper into a thick mass of black mire, and after an unknown span of time, he finally stopped at the end of the corridor.


    Intertwined pipes, collapsed rubble, and the smoke and black matter surging through the stones¨Cthese obstacles impeded the old man¡¯s path, and he stopped, looking around in confusion.


    He did not recognize this place and could not even recall such a place existing along the second waterway, but here he stopped, because¡­ there was something waiting for him to accomplish.


    The old ghost lowered his head and saw his puzzled eyes reflected in a puddle next to the rubble.


    What was I supposed to do here?


    Just then, an unfamiliar scene suddenly reflected in the puddle¨C


    Queen¡¯s Guard soldiers broke through the endless stream of monsters in the corridor; their firearms and bayonets turned wave after wave of counterfeit monstrosities into cold, dried mud, and where they passed, the walls were no longer seeping with sludge, and even the dark of the corridors seemed to retreat.


    Everything was as Lawrence had speculated: The very existence of the Queen¡¯s Guard was suppressing the ¡°contamination¡± in the mirrored City-State.


    If the events occurring in the City-State were seen as a clash between two forces, then the muddy monsters and the Queen¡¯s Guard were clearly the embodiment of these opposing forces¨Cand such contention and turmoil might have been ongoing for half a century.


    Lawrence¡¯s marine squad moved quickly through the corridors, following the path cleared by the Queen¡¯s Guard, covering in minutes distances that had taken hours to traverse before, and all along this path, Lawrence kept observing and thinking.


    He was trying to understand the true nature of the Queen¡¯s Guard and also attempting to communicate with these phantoms¨Cbut all his attempts had failed.


    The Queen¡¯s Guard could not see him, did not even notice the presence of these uninvited guests. These soldiers were like memories projected from a distant past, mechanically repeating a battle that happened decades ago, advancing, shooting, fighting, falling¡­ and this cycle had most likely recurred every day for the past decades.


    Martha¡¯s intel about the Queen¡¯s Guard was right, but not completely accurate.


    He couldn¡¯t form an alliance with these ¡°helpers.¡±


    ¡°Captain! They can¡¯t see us, what should we do?¡± A sailor came running over, shouting next to Lawrence, ¡°Just following them with our dozen men doesn¡¯t seem to be helping much, does it?¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s expression was complex as he subconsciously glanced at the small mirror on his chest, but Martha¡¯s voice came through first: ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, I¡¯ve got no idea what to do with this situation¨CI only knew of their existence, never interacted with them¡­¡±


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    During the conversation, the faint sounds of artillery fire echoed from the mirror: Martha was clearly busy, the situation no simpler than down in the sewers.


    ¡°The Queen¡¯s Guard has just been repeating this same battle all these years?¡± Lawrence raised his voice, ¡°And the outcome of each battle is the same?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, the result is always the same. They appear at midnight and then fade away at the next hour mark. They¡¯ve never been able to break through the barrier at the end!¡±


    Never been able to break through the barrier at the end?


    Upon hearing this, Lawrence instinctively looked up toward the direction where the phantom soldiers were charging.

 Chapter 423 - Chapter 423 426

    Chapter 423: 426 Chapter 423: 426 They rushed toward the deepest part of the corridor, where, in that space of darkness and chaos, thick malice churned like substantial sludge in his perception.


    ¡°I get it!¡± Lawrence suddenly shouted loudly.


    Martha¡¯s voice came from the mirror, ¡°What do you get?!¡±


    But Lawrence was already too preoccupied to answer the question from the person in the mirror. After vaguely sensing what he must do, he immediately led his men and hastened forward.


    Meanwhile, the battle in the corridor was reaching its climax. The Queen¡¯s Guard was mounting their final assault¨Ccountless phantoms coalesced into warriors roaring and wielding weapons to destroy the monsters in front of them. Warriors kept falling, dissolving into bubbles that faded into the air, as monsters were slain, turning into mud that flowed into the drainage on either side. With this fierce battle continuing, the charging troops finally reached the end of the corridor.


    Lawrence finally saw the endpoint of this dreadful battle, the obstacle that had thwarted the Queen¡¯s Guard for half a century¨C


    It was a door, a sinister door covered with countless thorns and filthy black mud that sent a chill to one¡¯s heart.


    On the surface of that door, the crisscrossing thorns were like a crown formed by dry tree branches, and the dim lights wandered aimlessly in the depths of the thorns, as if countless eyes were hidden within, simply one glance in that direction, and an ordinary person would be gripped by fear and madness.


    Even Lawrence, now a carrier of the Spiritual Fire, couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of shock that shook his mind upon seeing that gate blocked by thorns.


    And that was the target of the Queen¡¯s Guard¡¯s assault.


    In front of the door, countless pools of black mud were converging, and myriad demonic creatures were emerging from the mud¨Cthey clumsily mimicked human forms, some dressed as soldiers of the City-State Guards and navy, others as variously equipped pirates and armed civilians, and even¡­ antiquated cannons and heaps of bones shaped like demonic creatures.


    These monsters, using the rough fortifications in the hall, defended the Thorn Gate, akin to zealots guarding their deity.


    The final battle began.


    While the Queen¡¯s Guard directed all their firepower at the monsters across the corridor, their counterattack shook the entire second waterway. Both sides of the fierce battle suffered over half their strength in nearly the blink of an eye, and Lawrence and his mere dozen or so sailors could only desperately seek cover at the edge of this catastrophic battlefield.


    Amid such concentrated gunfire, even Lawrence, protected by the Spiritual Body¡¯s fire, dared not wager whether he was truly invulnerable.


    But he wasn¡¯t just hiding¨Che was observing.


    He observed the extent to which the Queen¡¯s Guard had come in this battle.


    And as the battle wore on, and the combatants on both sides dwindled, the defenses in front of the gate finally weakened¨Cthe lethal cannons and demonic creatures were torn to shreds, and gaps appeared in the defense line in front of the thorns.


    ¡°Demolitions team! Go!¡±


    Hiding beside the Queen¡¯s Guard¡¯s position, Lawrence suddenly heard a voice, the voice of one of the Guards¡¯ commanders.


    The next second, his peripheral vision caught sight of several figures crawling forward at the edge of the battlefield.


    A squad had broken away from the main position, entering the drainage at the hall¡¯s edge out of the monsters¡¯ line of sight, and inch by inch, they moved toward a concealed spot at the side of the Thorn Gate.


    Meanwhile, the firepower from the main position also suddenly intensified, and a barrage of bullets poured down, striving to suppress and attract the attention of the monsters in front of the gate.


    Lawrence involuntarily held his breath¨Ceven though he knew that this could just be a mirage impervious to the outside world, he instinctively did so.


    But what he feared still happened.


    The demolition team nearing the Thorn Gate along the edge of the battlefield was discovered.


    A volley of bullets ripped into the drainage, and several soldiers carrying explosives were instantly downed in the trench.


    But almost simultaneously, another demolition squad entered the trench on the other side of the hall, continuing their creep towards the Thorn Gate that was shrouded in thorns.


    They too were spotted¨Cthe second demolition squad fell mere meters from the Thorn Gate.


    It was then that a sailor¡¯s low call suddenly reached Lawrence¡¯s ears, ¡°They¡¯re disappearing!¡±


    Immediately, Lawrence looked up to see the scene in the corridor before him¨C


    The Queen¡¯s Guard was vanishing.


    After the second demolition squad¡¯s failure, all the soldiers of the Guard paused for a moment, and then each of them began to fade and dissipate; a third of them turned into semi-transparent phantoms in the blink of an eye!


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    A phrase Martha once said suddenly surfaced in Lawrence¡¯s mind:


    ¡°¡­they could never break through the barrier at the end¡­¡±


    Lawrence suddenly understood the meaning of that sentence, the outcome of each battle¨CThe Queen¡¯s Guard had failed, despite their continual fighting, despite their persistent repetition, the unchangeable truth was that in this ¡°last counter-attack¡± at midnight, they had failed.


    The operation had failed fifty years ago.


    Every repetition since then was a reenactment of that failure.


    Lawrence was briefly dazed, but just then, his peripheral vision caught another figure appearing on the battlefield.

 Chapter 424 - Chapter 424 Chapter 426 The Final Counterattack_3

    Chapter 424: Chapter 426: The Final Counterattack_3 Chapter 424: Chapter 426: The Final Counterattack_3 It was a figure that charged out from a corner of the hall, an illusion that had yet to begin to dissipate.


    Lawrence and all the sailors¡¯ eyes were instantly drawn to the figure.


    He was not a soldier but a young man who looked like a military engineer, dressed in dark blue coarse work attire and wearing a slanted cap that had been popular half a century ago, with a large wrench hanging from his belt alongside a pistol and ammo pouch.


    He charged toward the trench, toward the explosives left behind by the second demolition team, and then, holding a wooden crate filled with explosives, he hurriedly climbed toward the Thorn Gate.


    In that moment, Lawrence almost thought he was going to succeed.


    However, a bullet flew in, and the young man was struck on the shoulder as if hammered by an iron fist, his body jolting violently before falling a few meters from the Thorn Gate.


    The hall seemed to quiet instantaneously.


    The final counterattack was over.


    All soldiers from the Queen¡¯s Guard began to dissipate quickly, and this scene, repeated for fifty years, also returned to its starting point.


    Perhaps this was the last repetition.


    Lawrence stared blankly at the young man who fell last.


    ¡°The last of the Queen¡¯s Guard,¡± the last casualty, his fall seemed to be some kind of ¡°focal point¡± in this endlessly repeating battle.


    But suddenly, Lawrence snapped out of his daze.


    He leaped from his hiding spot, and amid the stares and exclamations of the sailors, the old captain sprinted like the wind toward the place where the last man had fallen.


    The already quiet hall was ¡°disturbed¡± by his sudden ¡°intervention,¡± and the monsters that had not yet dissipated almost instantly reacted, and the chaotic roar of the creatures and the booming of gunfire burst forth!


    A sailor¡¯s shout came from behind, ¡°Cover the captain!¡±


    Yet Lawrence seemed unable to hear these sounds, just relentlessly pressing forward, head lowered, seemingly hit by several bullets, though to him these were already inconsequential. He sprinted across half the hall, dived into the trench, and lunged for the last explosive device, reaching out his hand¨C


    Then his fingers passed right through the crate of explosives.


    Lawrence fell awkwardly in the trench, staring dazedly at the scene in front of him.


    Like the soldiers of the Queen¡¯s Guard around him, the crate of explosives, to him, was also an illusion.


    The demolition device that had not been detonated fifty years ago could not be detonated today by him, a newcomer.


    Bullets whizzed by, impacting the ground nearby, roaring sounds approached, and some mud creatures had already rushed into the trench, about to tear him to shreds.


    But Lawrence still stared blankly at the crate of explosives, only feeling a profound absurdity and mockery.


    However, at that moment, something flickered in the corner of his eye.


    The old captain looked up in surprise and saw that the young man who had just fallen was now moving.


    This young man, with a large wrench hanging at his waist, trembled, slowly lifting his head, his gaze fixedly falling on the man shrouded in strange green flames and dressed as a captain.


    Lawrence paused, then suddenly realized, ¡°Can you see me?!¡±


    But the young man seemed not to hear the question, just lip quivering, seemingly rapidly repeating something. He repeated it several times, and Lawrence barely caught what he was saying¨C


    ¡°¡­seen it, yes, I¡¯ve seen these flames¡­ I¡¯ve seen it¡­¡±


    ¡°Seen it? Flames? What are you talking about?¡±


    Lawrence asked, unable to help himself, his eyes widening in astonishment.


    The young man didn¡¯t respond, just kept repeating the words over and over again, and while repeating, he slowly started to rise, covered in blood, but slowly getting up!


    Under Lawrence¡¯s incredulous gaze, the blood-soaked young man picked up the last explosive device, and groaning, climbed up the ramp next to the wall, muttering something while staggering toward the Thorn Gate.


    Lawrence heard what the other was muttering, but it was content he couldn¡¯t understand, sounding like a string of names¨C


    ¡°Nemo¡­ General Tyrion¡­ Crow¡­¡±


    The blood-soaked figure staggered forward, muttering.


    But he hadn¡¯t taken many steps.


    He had just climbed onto the level ground when several gunshots rang out from the opposite side, and the blood-soaked figure fell.


    But almost at the moment of his fall, a decrepit old figure unexpectedly rose from where he had fallen.


    Lawrence watched incredulously as the old man emerged from a pool of blood.


    He was the reflection in the blood of the young man who died in battle.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve finally made it¡­¡±


    The bent old man stooped, picked up the last crate of explosives, and then his face suddenly lit up with a brilliant, incomprehensible smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made it!¡±


    He shouted loudly, laughing aloud, joyfully lighting the fuse on the crate of explosives and, exhilarated, rushed toward the Thorn Gate.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made it!


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    ¡°Engineer Wilson reporting for duty!


    ¡°Engineer Wilson requesting to rejoin the ranks!


    ¡°I¡¯ve made it!¡±


    ¡°BOOM!!!¡±


    The earth-shattering explosion rocked the entire hall and every corridor connected to it.

 Chapter 425 - Chapter 425 Chapter 427 Sacrifice

    Chapter 425: Chapter 427 Sacrifice Chapter 425: Chapter 427 Sacrifice Hiss¨C


    Vicious spikes pierced through flesh, leaving another meaningless, severe wound on a body already riddled with scars. The whispers and roars by her side suddenly became excited. Those sacrilegious creatures seemed proud of their successful strike, emitting a nauseating clamor.


    Agatha raised her hand, using her staff to fend off a heretic covered in bone spurs, who had almost entirely lost its human form. By her ear, there was a crisp, grating sound of snapping.


    She was taken aback by the sound for less than a second, then realized it was the sound of her combat staff breaking.


    The weapon she had carried for many years had broken, in the face of endless enemies, it had held up until the last step.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Gatekeeper Miss,¡± that annoying, pretentious voice spoke up again, ¡°As a sacrifice, proper preparation helps the ritual¡¯s effect, but too much exertion is not good.¡±


    Holding the already broken staff, Agatha slowly lifted her head, dry blood allowing her to open only one eye, through which she could finally see the scene in this hall.


    The eerie shadowy atmosphere had faded, revealing the center of the sewer, thoroughly transformed into a place of worship. The walls and the corridors in all directions were covered with filthy, desecrated symbols and marks of corrosion, resembling some sort of stalactites or dried branches, covering the ceiling above. In the front hall¡¯s ground, there was a huge ¡°pool¡±¨C


    What was once the ground was now a vast corroded pit, overflowing with pitch-black mud-like viscous substance, slowly churning, sending out wave after wave of nauseating squirming sounds.


    Numerous Frost City-State heretics surrounded this hall, along with the Profound Demons associated with them. They hovered like a swarm of insects around a foul-smelling pot, murmuring prayers and mad roars toward the pool of pitch-black mud in the center of the hall, which, amidst the noisy prayers, became increasingly full and active.


    This was a sacrificial scene, they were waiting for the final offering, and the ¡°offering¡± in the minds of these fanatics was the Gatekeeper of the Frost City-State.


    They had replicated another Gatekeeper before this, and now that Gatekeeper was also arriving at a sacrificial ceremony site.


    ¡°The actions you thought were free will, were simply progressing towards a predetermined stage. Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a certain¡­ beauty in this arrangement?¡±


    In the center of that pool of black mud, a young man with golden blonde hair spread his arms towards Agatha. His face was still handsome, yet his entire lower half had transformed into a swollen, squirming mass, clearly extended and morphed from the mud pool itself, taking on a human form in a repulsive manner.


    ¡°Alright, the time is almost up, you¡¯ve gotten used to the environment here. Step forward now, the moment of sacrifice has arrived.¡±


    Around the edge of the mud pool, a limb-like tentacle slowly rose. It grew from the mud, its end gradually forming into a dagger-like hard, sharp structure.


    This life-taking sacrificial tentacle slowly moved towards Agatha.


    Agatha just quietly watched it, then suddenly murmured, ¡°Almost¡­ to this spot¡­¡±


    She slowly reached towards her chest.


    But in the next second, her action suddenly halted.


    At that moment, she lost control over her body.


    ¡°I know you want to do something¡­ something not in our plans.¡±


    In her abruptly dulling senses, she heard the voice of the blond young man from across, she exerted all her strength trying to lift her head, only able to see a glimpse of him in her peripheral vision.


    ¡°But unfortunately, to prevent the sacrifice from going out of control, we have been preparing ¡®safety measures¡¯ from the start¨Cdidn¡¯t you realize? Along your journey here, you eliminated so many replicas, even several of my incarnations. All this¡­ was only to bind you bit by bit to this mirrored city.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re increasingly able to sense the location of this sanctuary? Feel more distinctly the scent of us ¡®heretics¡¯? Have you ever wondered why you feel these changes?


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, before you arrived here, you were already one of us, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Agatha finally lifted her head, and in front of her, the sharp spike was inch by inch approaching her heart, while her body still couldn¡¯t move.


    Now, she finally understood the sense of inconsistency she had felt all along, and realized why these heretics had futilely sent so many expendable minions to engage in a ¡°war of attrition¡± against her.


    Everything, was for a subtly pervasive corruption.


    The next second, the sharp spike pierced her heart without delay.


    In the mud pool, the blond heretic abruptly raised his hands, and as the Gatekeeper¡¯s heart was pierced, he uttered an ecstatic prayer: ¡°The offering is presented! The life of this Saint will serve as the first step for the arrival of our Lord¡¯s kingdom! Cry in the name of the Saint, welcome the promised day!¡±


    In an instant, all the heretics in the hall cried out, those deformed and horrific figures symbiotic with demons fell into ecstasy, madly shouting the name of the Profound Saint, while some waved their daggers and frantically slit their flesh, their blood pouring into the surging black mud in the center of the hall¨Ceven the demons beside them fell into a frenzy, emitting a variety of crazed and chaotic howls!


    However, amid those crazed and chaotic howls, the black substance in the pool of mud only surged violently for a few seconds before gradually returning to calm.


    The blond heretic at the center of the ¡°pool¡± finally sensed something was off, snapping out of his ecstasy. He stared bewildered at the now calming pool and then turned his gaze toward the spike that pierced the Saint¡¯s heart and looked towards the gatekeeper standing at the edge of the sacrificial ground.


    The gatekeeper, scarred and pale-faced.


    ¡°¡­You have no life?!¡± The fanatic finally lost his poise and elegance, pointing at Agatha in absolute astonishment, ¡°You¡­ why are you a corpse?!¡±


    Agatha looked at him calmly, a smile finally appearing on her lips at this moment.


    ¡°Although I had not figured out your ultimate goal, as a gatekeeper, how could I not notice the discordant changes in my own body¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she slowly raised her arm, feeling her body gradually returning to her control, seemingly due to the ineffectiveness of the sacrificial ritual.


    ¡°Once I realized you wanted to lure me to this assembly, and sensed that this might be some sort of life-demanding sacrificial ceremony, I did one thing¡­¡±


    She slowly gripped the spike that had pierced her heart, her fingers gradually tightening while wisps of green flames flowed between her fingers, seeping into the spike.


    She looked up, gazing at the heretics in the pool of mud.


    ¡°All heretic sacrifices are based on blood¨CI drained my own.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ do you realize what you¡¯ve done!?¡± The fanatic¡¯s eyes were wide with fury, his fingers trembling violently as he pointed at Agatha, ¡°You¡­ this¡­¡±


    ¡°No worries, it¡¯s a minor matter,¡± Agatha smiled and shook her head, more flames escaping from her fingers, ¡°As long as the sparks reach¡­¡±


    ¡°What did yo¨C¡±


    Before the heretic in the pool of mud could finish speaking, another deafening boom suddenly came from the other end of the assembly hall, a cataclysmic noise instantly destroying the last vestige of the sacrificial rite¨C


    A large door at the back of the assembly hall, along with a huge section of the adjacent wall, was completely blown away by high explosives!


    ¡°Boom!!¡±


    Earth and stone crumbled; cement flew; fragments of the door and countless mingled black eerie substances rushed into the hall like shrapnel, blasting the heretics closest to the door away on the spot, with other remaining heretics exclaiming¨C


    ¡°They¡¯ve breached the door!¡±


    ¡°Impossible! They haven¡¯t been able to break through for decades¡­ How could a group of phantoms possibly break their own cycle!?¡±


    In the center of the pool of mud, the blond cult leader turned in shock towards the direction of the explosion. But before he could make out those figures bursting through from across the Thorn Gate, a towering green firelight surged up at the edge of his field of view.


    He shifted his gaze and saw the offerings that were supposed to be dedicated to the Profound Saint now enveloped in flames, fiercely burning in a terrifying spectral flame!


    The moment the door at the back of the assembly hall was blown open, Agatha finally broke free from the control of the sacrificial ritual and in that exceedingly brief moment, she ignited the spark.


    Her fuel was herself.


    Spiritual Fire ascended!


    In a vision suddenly filled with dim green flames, Agatha saw a big hole where the opposite wall of the ¡°pool¡± had collapsed, a group of figures looking like sailors, bodies ablaze with green flames similar to her own, storming into the hall.


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    The flames on their bodies resonated intensely with the fire she herself had ignited.


    Agatha began to smile.


    Knowledge flooded her mind; she now understood.


    In the blaze, she slowly spread her arms, lifting them upward as if in welcome.


    ¡°The fire has been lit.¡±

 Chapter 426 - Chapter 426 Chapter 428 Arson of the Gods

    Chapter 426: Chapter 428: Arson of the Gods Chapter 426: Chapter 428: Arson of the Gods Flashes of light streamed through the thicket of thorns, and the thoughts of the ancient gods spread out in the darkness. The broken body squeezed through the narrow gaps between the thorns, and the teetering will crossed over the abyss of madness and folly.


    How long had she been wandering in this space filled with chaos? How much of the ancient gods¡¯ contamination had she come into contact with? Was she now a complete individual, or just a fragment drifting in the chaos, on the verge of being assimilated and absorbed by it?


    Agatha could no longer distinguish clearly; she couldn¡¯t distinguish anything, not even the boundary between her body and the vast expanse of chaos around her¨Cin her vision, her body seemed like a blot of ink gradually dissipating in water, with the edges of her body presenting a blurred, liquid-like texture. She felt as if she were not walking through this darkness, but flowing forward within a thick fluid with similar properties to her body.


    She knew everything was reaching its limit¨Cthe Prime Element. She didn¡¯t know if it had ever created everything in the world, but it was obvious that it had created her current body.


    Ice melts into water, vapor disperses into wind. The counterfeit that had formed from the Prime Element would return to this ¡°ocean¡± made of the Element. The so-called ¡°individual will¡± inside this body would soon become an inconspicuous point of light in the chaotic ¡°ocean,¡± nourishment for the tiny glimmers constantly roaming through the thorns.


    She was just an imitation, just a shadow, with the memories of a twenty-four-year lifespan. Those memories contained her hometown, her comrades, all that she loved and despised¨Cyet, perhaps only three days of that twenty-four-year life truly belonged to her, if not even less.


    For some reason, Governor Winston¡¯s voice seemed to suddenly resonate in her mind, filled with sighs and regrets¨C


    ¡°There is no meaning¡­¡±


    A living person with a real life annotated their existence so in this endless darkness, while a counterfeit with only three days to live was attempting to confront the ancient gods through it.


    ¡°How stupid¡­¡±


    Agatha sighed softly; her voice dissolved into the darkness, rippling weakly, and her mind was inundated with endless information, fluctuating highs and lows of ¡°0¡± and ¡°1¡± that constituted a mysterious will washing over her mind.


    She knew she was about to dissolve into this vast will¨Ceven if it housed only a single momentary ¡°Flash Thought¡± of the ancient gods, its sheer scale was incomparable to her weak mind.


    But no matter, she had arrived.


    She had traversed the vast thicket of thorns and reached the deepest depths of darkness.


    The ¡°tentacle¡± that was like a towering pillar stood silently before her, its surface covered in mysterious dark blue patterns that, against the dim chaotic backdrop, resembled a monolith inscribed with ancient truths.


    Agatha slowly lifted her head and reached out to touch it.


    Black fragments and ash swirled in her field of vision.


    Thorns had long since slashed countless wounds on her skin, and now, a black, mud-like substance was emerging from her body like fog, dissipating and melting into the surrounding space¨Cthe ascending black fragments and ash were pieces escaping from her.


    Agatha felt that, at this moment, she must resemble a terrifying doll covered in cracks, beyond concealment by bandages or any other means.


    Meanwhile, the ancient god¡¯s ¡°tentacle¡± made no response to her touch.


    It did not display any powerful might, nor reveal any terrifying aspect; it didn¡¯t even react to external stimuli¨Cthe sensation that came through her fingertips was slightly cool, soft, and a bit rough.


    Was it because this was just an illusion projected from the deep sea? Or was it because her existence was too insignificant to catch the attention of the ancient gods?


    Agatha frowned, pondering what she could possibly do in these final moments. After much thought, she realized there seemed little left for her to do.


    She had reached the end, uncovered the truth of the darkness, passed through the thicket symbolizing the thoughts of the ancient gods, and now at the very edge of darkness, she had witnessed a part of The Saint¡¯s true form¨Ceven touched the tentacle of the ancient god by hand.


    No more truths left to uncover, no more missions to complete¨Cthis final stretch of the journey was less about fulfilling a gatekeeper¡¯s duty than it was about satisfying a personal obsession.


    Now, it was time to rest.


    Thus, Agatha exhaled gently, letting her body relax, turning around slowly to lean against the large tentacle, as if against a pillar.


    ¡°I probably don¡¯t have a soul for the journey ahead¡­¡± Agatha suddenly had an odd thought, murmuring in the darkness, but she quickly laughed at herself and shook her head mockingly, ¡°Definitely not. If I had a soul, passing through that door would be a real trouble for the ¡®gatekeeper¡¯ on the other side¡­ And what about ¡®her¡¯? One can¡¯t pass through the same door twice.


    ¡°I wonder how things are at the cathedral¡­(The cathedral)¡­ Did those guys who went down the well ever come back?(The well)¡­ But I suppose they don¡¯t need to worry¡­¡±


    She continued to mutter to herself in the dark, unable to control the drift of her thoughts, speaking out whatever came to mind.


    Just then, an unusual burning sensation abruptly interrupted her soliloquy.


    Agatha jolted awake from her dazed stupor.


    In that instant, she felt the flames scorching her very being, the terrifying heat seeming to burn through her soul in a flash. Her mind boiled in the flames, and thoughts that had almost been assimilated by this place snapped into clarity. She struggled to rise amidst the fiery illusion, uncertain of what was happening, but a voice then pierced her thoughts¨C


    ¡°The fire has been lit.¡±


    It was her own voice.


    In the darkness, Agatha¡¯s eyes widened fiercely, as if she were seeing a hallucination¨Cshe saw herself standing before a pool churning with black sludge, the edge of the pool swarmed with nauseating cultists and demons. The mud in the pool roiled, malice spread, and she stood before the mire, hands raised high, ablaze like torches.


    A faint green glow suddenly appeared in her field of view, as if the illusion pierced the boundary between reality and fantasy.


    Agatha looked down to see the flames igniting on the surface of her arms, which had begun to dissipate and disperse¨Cthe eerie green flames exact replicas of those in her vision.


    Within this fiery conduit, she suddenly felt it¨Canother mind, another self.


    The other felt her presence too.


    She understood what she needed to do¨Cthere was still something left for her to accomplish.


    Agatha spun around and stared at the towering tendril-like pillar. A brilliant smile, the brightest since she had entered this darkness, spread across her face, and a bright light once again surfaced in the depths of her eyes.


    She took a step forward, extending her hands toward the tendrils, her entire body quickly enveloped by the raging flames. Yet, the agony of being burned felt like a tremendous reward¨CAgatha spread her arms, adopting the pose from the vision, before the pool.


    As if embracing, the Guardian lunged toward the tendril.


    A great power was set to confront another great force¨Cthe mad cultists had sought to use the Guardian as a sacrifice to establish a bridge, but the roaring flames would sever it all.


    Boom!


    A horrific roar echoed in the darkness, and the flames swept through this twisted chaos in the blink of an eye. The great tendril instantly turned into a burning torch amidst the engulfing Spiritual Fire, trembling violently in the conflagration.


    Agatha felt her flesh melt away swiftly in the fire, her body, already composed of tainted materials, now a link destined to be purified by the flames¨Cbut she was not afraid. Instead, she struggled to lift her head, turning her gaze back in the direction she had come.


    The ¡°bramble thicket¡± was also ignited, looking like an eerie and magnificent canopy amidst the wildly spreading Spiritual Fire.


    ¡°Goodbye¡­ Governor Winston¡­¡±


    Agatha murmured softly to herself as she embraced the tendril more tightly, waiting quietly for fate¡¯s end.


    However, just before her consciousness faded away, she suddenly felt something.


    The fire burned through herself and the tendril. In the bridge constructed by the Spiritual Fire, she felt for the first time the limb of the ¡°old god¡± responding to her.


    She lifted her head in astonishment, looking at the intricately patterned surface of the tendril, watching the flames course through it inside and out, and feeling the surge of information into her brain from the Spiritual Fire. She saw the surface of the tendril seemingly sprout countless eyes, each one frantically transmitting knowledge and information to her.


    Finally, all the knowledge and information turned into a storm in her mind¨C


    11101001¡­11100101 10001000¡­10010011¡­


    Lengthy strings of ¡°0¡±s and ¡°1¡±s filled the last remnants of Agatha¡¯s thoughts.


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    But this time, she understood their meaning.


    ¡°Error¡­ Replication¡­¡±


    She read in shock the information transmitted by the limb of the old god, comprehending Its intent, and finally piecing together the answer.


    She stared at the tendril, now set aflame by her own hands.


    ¡°This, too¡­ a counterfeit?!¡±


    In the next second, the surging green fire engulfed her last wisp of consciousness.

 Chapter 427 - Chapter 427 Chapter 429 Ritual in the Melee

    Chapter 427: Chapter 429: Ritual in the Melee Chapter 427: Chapter 429: Ritual in the Melee The ritual was disrupted.


    When the Queen¡¯s Guard, which had been in the cycle of reincarnation for half a century, suddenly broke the cycle, when the ¡°Gate of Transformation¡± in the ritual hall was destroyed by the invaders, when a group of unknown people rushed into the hall¨Cwhen the predestined sacrifice offered herself to the green flames in front of the Pool of Primordium, this lofty and ultimate ritual had already reached the point of no return.


    Now, the heretics had stormed in, savagely slaughtering the followers of The Saint and destroying decades of painstaking efforts.


    ¡°What have you done?!¡±


    In the center of the pool, the leader of the heretics, resembling a blond young man, roared in fury. His body suddenly grew taller, supported by black mud, and transformed into a swollen and terrifying giant. He swung his arm at Agatha, and numerous thorns and bone spurs rapidly grew from the pool, covering the sky as they surged towards the gatekeeper who still stood in the flames.


    However, all attacks turned into ashes before they could touch Agatha¡¯s body, instantly burned by the ghostly green flames. The strange flames then spread in reverse along the path of the ashes, gradually burning the symbols of sacrifice, profane items around the mud pool, and then spreading into the pool itself.


    Agatha remained enveloped in flames, the Spiritual Fire blazing intensely from within her. Each wound on her body had turned into a channel from which flames surged, making it look as if flames had become liquid, flowing through her veins¨Cthe intense pain of burning had faded away, and she laughed in the fire, lifted her head, and stared wildly at the frantic but impotent heretic, murmuring softly as if speaking to herself, ¡°Ah¡­ I understand now¡­¡±


    The next second, her eyes were instantly consumed by the Spiritual Fire. Fire spewed from the empty sockets, and with these burned-out ¡°eyes,¡±, she looked around at the heretics causing massive chaos around the pool.


    As her gaze swept over them, all the heretics started to burn, along with the demons symbiotically living with them. Every profane object in the hall turned into fuel for the flames, even the hall itself began to slowly exude the texture of flames.


    The Usurping Flame granted her authority, and with the authority of fire, she ended the profanity here¨Cthis was the truth she saw from within the fire the instant her eyeballs were destroyed.


    The heretic in the center of the mud was insignificant; he was merely a freak who had completed a transformation through self-sacrifice. What truly sustained the operations here were those ugly, deformed heretics frantically screaming around the mud pool.


    ¡°Stop! Stop now! You have no idea what you¡¯re doing! Losing control of the ritual benefits no one! It has already progressed to¡­¡±


    The heretic leader, now transformed into a swollen giant, screamed in vain, continuously creating barriers in a futile attempt to resist the flames spreading throughout the hall. However, at that moment, a gunshot suddenly sounded from the side, interrupting his screams.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    A young soldier clad in a half-century-old military uniform, holding an old-fashioned rifle, charged in and fired at the malformed giant in the center of the pool.


    The brave soldier was engulfed by the surging black mud the next moment, but behind him, more soldiers were charging into the hall.


    By this time, the cycle of the ¡°Counterattack Battle¡± by the Queen¡¯s Guard should have passed, and these phantom soldiers should have vanished; however, it was evident the cycle had been altered by the destruction of the thorn gate¨Cthe Queen¡¯s Guard, who should have disappeared at the next hour, had returned to this place and commenced their attack on this final hall.


    Lawrence¡¯s Marine squad was also engaged in fierce combat with nearby heretics and Profound Demons¨Ctheir bullets were depleted, but they still had sharp scimitars and longswords, as well as bodies momentarily fearless of death, thus facing dark high priests and demonic creatures, they held their own like Transcendents.


    With a clink, Lawrence¡¯s shortsword cut down a bone spur flying towards him, then he swiftly dodged a fireball that almost exploded on him. Stepping forward through the flames, he cut the chain behind a heretic¡¯s neck, watching the dark priest¡¯s body quickly turn into ash, then lifted his head to look at the long-haired woman standing in front of the mud pool, burning fiercely like a torch.


    ¡°Miss! We¡¯re here to help!¡± the old captain shouted, ¡°We¡¯re all working for ¡®the captain¡¯, right?¨CWhich ship are you from?¡±


    He saw clearly, the young woman standing in the flames burned with the same ghostly green flames as his, clearly one of their own. On the other hand, the color of the flames on the young woman was deeper, and the fire much larger, obviously, she was not just ordinary ¡°one of their own.¡±


    Large and green¨Cshe must be a significant figure under Captain Duncan.


    Captain Lawrence, with his rich experience as an adventurer and captain, made a simple judgment and decided it was prudent to greet a high-ranking future colleague.


    Agatha looked in astonishment at the burly old man shouting at her across the pool, dressed like a captain.


    ¡°What did you say?!¡± she couldn¡¯t help but shout after two or three seconds, ¡°It¡¯s too noisy here, I can¡¯t hear clearly!¡±


    Lawrence paused, turned to his subordinates to confirm, ¡°She responded, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea!¡± Subject 077 was the closest, yet he was shouting at the top of his lungs, his voice a mix of disarray and fear. He was jumping around amidst the flames that spread in all directions, desperately dodging bullets, fireballs, bone spurs, and even flying limbs and severed arms, his dual blades already nicked. ¡°I¡¯m a sailor! Why am I now in the sewers fighting for my life against a bunch of heretics¨Cthis is a job for the marines!¡±


    ¡°When you came ashore, you weren¡¯t so reluctant,¡± Lawrence shouted back, ¡°You were excited like a pirate ready to plunder the City-State.¡±


    ¡°I told you, we aren¡¯t pirates!¡±


    ¡°Then I appoint you as a marine.¡±


    ¡°Damn you¨C¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Damn you¡­¡±


    Agatha listened blankly to the bewildering exchange of shouts between the rude, robust sailors and their captain, staring at the utterly chaotic scene before her¨C


    Who were these guys? Where did they come from? What were they doing?


    She saw those strangers burning with the same green flames as herself, while the heretics in the hall clashed with them. She also watched as a swarm of soldiers, resembling ancient ghosts, stormed in and fired their weapons, occasionally chanting the name of the Frost Queen. Everything here was beyond her comprehension, as if¡­


    as if her choice to self-sacrifice had completely changed the style of the world.


    But soon, the howling wind by her ears interrupted her wild thoughts.


    The swollen, deformed giant bent down towards her.


    ¡°Everything¡­ cannot be stopped¡­¡±


    It bellowed, its body gushing uncontrollable, filthy black sludge. The once handsome, blond young man¡¯s appearance was long gone, replaced now by a frightful monster vaguely resembling a human silhouette.


    Its torso was covered with crisscrossing mouths, the chilling friction and whispers between sharp teeth. Its head slowly cracked open in front of Agatha, the crevice filled with malicious eyes. The Prime Element had completely corroded and replaced the monster¡¯s once human body¨Cit had become part of that pool of mud, and perhaps¡­ part of a much larger, more chaotic will.


    The swollen giant stared intently at Agatha with its myriad of eyes. The mud around it had ignited, and the flames even burned up its body in reverse. Yet the monster seemed to feel no pain, merely repeating over and over, ¡°Cannot stop¡­ Cannot stop¡­ Error, error¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already failed,¡± Agatha raised her head, locking eyes with the monster. The flames flowing from her eyes warped the surrounding air. ¡°You must feel it, the so-called ¡®channel¡¯ has been severed¨Cthe inverse process between the mirror and reality has stopped.¡±


    ¡°Stopped?¡± The monster seemed momentarily lucid after Agatha¡¯s final words, resentment belonging to a human reappearing in those mutated eyes, ¡°Foolish¡­ You think by sacrificing yourself¡­ we have no other sacrifices?!¡±


    Agatha paused.


    The next second, she saw the giant suddenly raise its hands¨Cits arms rapidly transformed, growing and branching like cracked, dry twigs into vast thorny structures. They pierced the ceiling of the assembly hall and every nearby pipe, and between the thorns, faint flashes scurried quickly, resembling fireflies.


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    From within this ¡°thorn bush,¡± ecstatic shouts emerged¨C


    ¡°I see! I understand! I comprehend!


    ¡°What a glorious creation! What a magnificent blueprint! Oh most noble, most sacred Lord¡­ I have grasped Your intent, I have grasped¡­ Reshape this world, yes, reshape¡­ All of us, along with everything in this world, will be reborn from the flesh of God¨CBelievers, it¡¯s time for sacrifice!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for sacrifice!¡±


    As Agatha and Lawrence, leading the marine squad, watched in shock, all the remaining heretics in the hall began to cheer ecstatically. They appeared truly enlightened by some profound truth, and in the thunderous cheers, one after another they hurled themselves into the central pool of mud!


    (I have a bold idea!)

 Chapter 428 - Chapter 428 Chapter 430 The Fog is Dissipating

    Chapter 428: Chapter 430: The Fog is Dissipating Chapter 428: Chapter 430: The Fog is Dissipating Madness leads the Heretics to their chilling doom¨Cthey embraced their deaths in the most horrifying way, following the Profound Demons of the Saint.


    In a situation where the ritual was completely destroyed, the remaining Heretics chose mass sacrifice to forcibly complete the inversion of the Mirroring City.


    Even with Laurence¡¯s half lifetime of extensive maritime experience, he had never seen such a terrifying, such a frenzied scene¨C


    Hundreds of Heretics ecstatically threw themselves into the churning mud pool, where they melted, disintegrated, yet revelled madly as the Profound Demons with which they shared their lives fiercely detached from their chains, self-detonating violently around the ¡°pool,¡± and a giant thorn tree crown rose from the center of the mud pool. As the Heretics¡¯ frantic sacrifices continued, it rapidly grew in size, covering the entire hall in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°I have realized!¡±


    A frenzied shout came from within the tree crown, sounding as though a thousand voices were layered within it.


    ¡°We have realized!¡±


    Countless Heretics who threw themselves into the mud were also shouting. Their voices shook the Second Waterway.


    ¡°I will execute!¡± ¡°We will execute!¡±


    ¡°To fulfill the creator¡¯s blueprint!¡± ¡°To fulfill the creator¡¯s blueprint!¡±


    Boom!


    Flames surged and spread across the hall, nearly instantly consuming the thorn tree crown. Laurence only had time to look up and see the crown rapidly disintegrating and collapsing in the Spectral Flame, turning into a scattering of grey-black dust that fell, while the black mud at the center of the hall was also ignited by the fire, where the Spiritual Fire rose, the surging of the mud quickly slowed and gradually turned to parched scorched earth.


    The last batch of Heretics thrown into the mud pool turned directly into ashes in those flames.


    Yet the vibration of the Second Waterway had not ceased, and the howling echoing in the sewer still hovered. The frenzied shouts of the Heretics during their sacrifice resounded like ghosts in this underground space, sending chills down the spine.


    Laurence, disoriented and bewildered, looked around. He was still somewhat unclear on the situation and unconsciously spoke, ¡°Did we make it? The ritual hasn¡¯t completed, right?¡±


    ¡°It seems like all the Heretics are dead¡­ that ¡®tree¡¯ also burned down¡­¡± said 077, nervously glancing around, uneasy, ¡°But why do I feel¡­¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    A voice mixed with the sound of bursting flames suddenly emerged nearby, interrupting Laurence and the ¡°sailor.¡±


    Laurence immediately looked over.


    Agatha also turned her gaze toward this group of ¡°strangers¡± who came to help.


    She still stood there, maintaining a posture being burned by flames. Compared to when she first entered this Mirroring City, her entire appearance had completely transformed¨C


    Her black attire had turned into a ragged robe, like the coarse cloth of a suffering monk, draped over her body. Her body seemed like a disjointed, broken puppet, with horrifying scars and even gashes visible everywhere. Her blood had long been drained, and from those wounds, only green fire flowed like water. Her eyes had been burned by the Usurping Flame, leaving only hollows.


    However, within those hollowed eye sockets, two of the brightest flames flickered¨Cshe lost the eyes of her fleshly body but gained an unimaginable new perspective.


    She could see the energy still flowing in the hall, even seeing the energy of the entire Mirroring City in motion. She saw that some immense structure ran through the entire city and was still lifting the City upwards, closer to the real world.


    Agatha stepped forward¨CSpiritual Flames spread beneath her feet, searing the floor with a squeaking sound. She reached out a hand and grabbed a thorn that had spread from the mud pool, applying a little force.


    That ¡°thorn¡± had already been dried by the Spectral Flame and she easily crushed it into pieces. But among the scattered pieces, tiny specks of light still flowed.


    ¡°The mirror is still ascending¡­¡± she muttered, as if talking to herself or reporting to someone, ¡°The heretics here are all exterminated, but their legacy is still operative. This Mirroring City is alive, moving on its own toward reality¡­ Sorry, I don¡¯t know how to stop it.¡±


    Laurence walked over, curiously looking at Agatha, ¡°Who are you talking to¡­¡±


    He was cut off mid-sentence by a violent shake and a rumble from above. He and the sailors looked up in panic. A sight they would never forget then entered everyone¡¯s view¨C


    The hall was quaking, and the thick rock, concrete, steel, and soil above it suddenly turned transparent. In that suddenly transparent stratum, he clearly saw layers and layers of structures above!


    Drainage channels, power pipelines, steam transmission systems, subways, and even mountains, streets, buildings, churches above¨C the entire Frost City-State!


    He saw Frost, through the thick layers, saw the Frost in the real world. He saw the city enveloped in dense fog, countless monsters still attacking everything in the city. The City-State Guards and the defenders were desperately fighting against the monsters. Darkness spread throughout the city, fear brewing in every corner¡­


    Blood, gunsmoke, death.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I think we¡¯re in big trouble¡­¡± Exception 077, like everyone else, looked up and hesitated before muttering, ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s the people above us who are in big trouble¡­¡±


    Lawrence was suddenly jolted awake. He realized what was about to happen¨Cthough the Heretics had been completely annihilated, their last ritual of sacrifice had succeeded. The mirror city had gained the trait of independent existence and was still ascending according to some ¡°blueprint.¡± If this continued, Frost City-State in the real world would definitely not survive!


    ¡°Can¡¯t it be stopped?!¡± His eyes widened as he turned to Agatha and yelled, ¡°We are about to overlap with the real world!¡±


    But Agatha merely turned her head in silence, her gaze filled with flames falling upon Lawrence.


    She didn¡¯t speak, yet a calm, authoritative voice directly resonated in Lawrence¡¯s mind, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, this is just part of solving the issue.¡±


    Lawrence blinked in surprise and immediately realized where the voice in his mind had come from. His muscles visibly tensed up, ¡°The ship¡­ Captain!¡±


    ¡°Relax a bit, and¨Cbrace yourself.¡±


    Lawrence was left wide-eyed in confusion.


    Meanwhile, on the side of the real world.


    The roar of cannon fire still echoed across the boundless sea, as the remaining Frost Navy and the Mist Fleet desperately resisted the ¡°ghosts¡± that continued to emerge from the dense fog.


    As time passed, the number of Ghost Ships emerging from the fog not only didn¡¯t decrease but was actually increasing.


    ¡°Port side sighting an unidentified ship approaching! It¡¯s a fast gunboat¡­ close-defense guns, prepare to fire!¡±


    ¡°A Frost Navy frigate has sunk in nearby waters, hull number S-30, removed from the identification list!¡±


    ¡°Fire on the aft deck! Damage control, damage control!¡±


    Shouts of orders, the booming of main guns, the sound of explosions, and the loud crashes of water against the hulls¨Call these sounds mingled together, brewing an atmosphere reminiscent of doomsday.


    Terrian stood on the bridge of Sea Mist, hands bracing the railing in front of him, his eyes intently fixed on the distant sea, his face grim as if brewing a storm.


    The battle had lasted very long, yet no sign of victory was in sight. Ghostly enemy ships continuously surged from the mist surrounding the City-State, and the blockade over the entire sea area remained unlifted.


    Undead sailors felt no fatigue, yet this intense continuous combat was still rapidly depleting the strength of the Mist Fleet¨CSea Mist¡¯s own repair capabilities were approaching their limits, and now they couldn¡¯t even extinguish the fire on the deck but had to rely on the damage control teams running ragged. The Sea Raven had withdrawn from combat just minutes ago and was now limping towards the direction of Frost mainland.


    Even the Mist Fleet was in such a state; one couldn¡¯t even think about the human-made Frost Navy.


    Just by listening to the radio, one could tell the dire situation of the Frost Navy¨Ctheir exhaustion had reached its limits, and the ship casualties and manpower reductions were perilously critical.


    Ironically, every member of the Mist Fleet had spent the past half-century mocking and cursing that navy, yet now, almost everyone in the Mist Fleet hoped those humans could hold on a little longer, wished they could survive a few more.


    A thunderous boom came from afar, accompanied by a bright flash emerging from the fog, which then turned into continuous bursts of light and a series of explosions.


    Terrian instinctively looked in that direction and immediately ordered the communications officer to figure out what those explosions were. After some confusion, the first mate, Aiden, brought some bad news.


    ¡°A main ship of the Frost Navy, ¡®Lord Brucher,¡¯ its steam core severely damaged, reactor vessel breached, is now sinking.¡±


    Terrian remained silent, slowly closing his eyes.


    Lord Brucher¨CSea Mist had encountered it a few times over the last two years. The commander of that ship was a very traditional Frostfolk.


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    A good man, a good ship.


    But now gone.


    ¡°Record it. Maybe there will be a chance to mourn in the future,¡± Terrian opened his eyes and slowly shook his head, ¡°We don¡¯t have time now¨C¡±


    He was cut off mid-sentence by a sudden change of scenery visible through the portholes.


    He looked out in surprise, the first mate and many others on the bridge also instinctively glanced outside.


    The fog over the sea¡­ was dissipating.

 Chapter 429 - Chapter 429 Chapter 431 Burning Ashes

    Chapter 429: Chapter 431: Burning Ashes Chapter 429: Chapter 431: Burning Ashes The fog was dissipating.


    For the first time since the battle had begun, the dense fog that had entrenched itself over the Frost waters began to thin out¨Caround ¡°Sea Mist,¡± toward Frost, from the sea¡¯s surface to the skies above, all the fog was receding at a visible rate. The all-encompassing gloom was retreating, gradually clearing the entire sea area.


    On the now-clearing sea surface, one could see ships still ablaze, the bizarrely shaped counterfeit fleet, along with countless pieces of wreckage and burning fat bobbing with the waves.


    Thick smoke billowed, spreading over the sea as the fog withdrew.


    First Mate Aiden was the first to rush to the window, staring out at the sea where the fog was fading. It took him a long while before he finally shouted, ¡°The fog is receding! Captain! The fog is receding!¡±


    ¡°I can see,¡± Tyrion quickly joined him at the window, but the solemnity in his one eye did not fade with the dispersal of the fog, ¡°It¡¯s gone.. really gone?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing, Captain?¡± Aiden immediately noticed something off in Tyrion¡¯s tone and turned his head in confusion, ¡°The fog is gone, which means that the abnormal force occupying Frost¡­¡±


    ¡°No, something¡¯s off,¡± Tyrion interrupted his first mate sternly. He stared fixedly at the far-off seascape, his gaze growing sharper, ¡°The fog has cleared, but those ghost ships are still there, and the sea¡­¡±


    ¡°The sea?¡± Aiden frowned in confusion, turning to look at the distance. The next second, he involuntarily gasped in a breath of cool air.


    Just as the captain had said, something was amiss¨Cthe counterfeit fleet showed no signs of dissipating, and new ghost ships were emerging from the waters, and during this process, the entire sea area was gradually growing darker!


    Stretching across the sea was the spread of vast patches of black. In the darkness, something was expanding, and countless shadowy entities were approaching the water¡¯s surface, a scene¡­ as if something tremendously large or a swarm was rising from the depths!


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    Aiden muttered under his breath unintentionally, but before he could finish, a series of loud booms suddenly shattered the brief calm that followed the dispersal of the fog.


    The nearby waters cracked open, huge ships emerged onto the surface¨Csome appeared as wrecks, others twisted like specters, and more carried a deceptive air of familiarity¨Cas if every single one of the counterfeit vessels surged forth from the suddenly darkened ocean!


    ¡°Look out! Enemy ships appearing! Enemy ships¡­ everywhere!¡±


    A sailor shouted in fear, the close-defense guns at the deck¡¯s edge roaring into action. The booming of the cannons nearly simultaneously echoed across the sea, with shells whistling through the air and great columns of water and explosions of fire once again covering the sea.


    Amidst this sudden great upheaval and chaos, Tyrion still kept his eyes on the sea, watching the enemies emerging one after another from the depths.


    He recognized some of them¨Chis soldiers did as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®Knight¡¯! The very ¡®Knight¡¯ we sank at the start!¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Black Flag Soldier¡¯! Sunk fifteen minutes ago, and it has reappeared!¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Courage¡¯! The ¡®Prince Joton¡¯ as well!¡±


    ¡°Captain!¡± First Mate Aiden¡¯s voice reached Tyrion, carrying a panic he never had before, ¡°All of the counterfeit fleet¡­ those we destroyed¡­ they¡¯ve all reappeared!¡±


    Tyrion opened his mouth to say something, but a voice suddenly emerged in his mind, ¡°¡­This is quite normal, for the root of the ¡®mirror¡¯ is still there.¡±


    ¡°Father?!¡± Tyrion exclaimed, instinctively looking around for something that could produce a mirror, ¡°Are you¡­ now¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurry, Tyrion¨Cthe timing is just right.¡±


    Tyrion quickly composed himself while signaling Aiden to command the battle and mentally replied swiftly, ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, at the same time as the fog was gradually clearing at sea, the dense fog enshrouding Frost City-State was also dissipating¨Cyet, just like the situation at sea, the lifting of the fog did not signify the end of the crisis.


    The mirror was still rising, another even more terrifying Frost City-State was gradually overlaying onto reality.


    Still fighting, the City-State Guards had erected barricades on the streets, holding off countless monsters that seemed to appear out of nowhere. The booming of guns shook the city, the once peace and safety had long been utterly shattered, gunsmoke spread on every street, soiled mud and gradually cooling blood soaked the city, while more twisted spectacles continued to cover everything.


    ¡°Commander, they are everywhere!¡±


    Before the fireplace at the street corner, a group of City-State Guards, previously trapped in the fog, relied on the firepower of the steam walkers to sweep the newly appeared monsters on the streets. The troops had no time to cheer the dissipating fog as they were dragged into a new, fierce battle by even more monsters and terrifying phenomena.


    ¡°Open fire everywhere!¡± the squad commander roared, firing into the distance as he charged under the steam walker, rushing to the communicator¡¯s side, ¡°Can you contact the other squads?¡±


    ¡°Team Seven, Team Six, and Team Four are still out of contact!¡± the communicator yelled, ¡°Nearly a quarter of the squads have disappeared in the previous dense fog, sir!¡±


    ¡°Keep calling until someone responds or the reinforcements arrive,¡± the commander patted the communicator¡¯s helmet, turning his head to look into the distance, ¡°The mist has cleared, hold on, the situation is changing ¡ª this might be the final assault!¡±


    The steam walker¡¯s machine gun turret emitted continuous thunderous noises, tearing another steam walker in the distance to shreds. As the massive machine thunderously fell, large quantities of filthy mud spewed out of its mechanical bay, splashing onto the streets like horrific innards.


    The warriors gathered their courage once again ¡ª or perhaps it was just numbness driving their extremely weary bodies, the commander uttered encouraging words he didn¡¯t believe himself, and looked up into the distance.


    He saw two Silent Sanctums standing tall on the mountain top, the terrain on the side of the City-State strangely curled upwards, massive and unfamiliar clusters of buildings gradually rising from the city, with layered buildings covering the familiar streets overhead, and twisted, leaning towers spreading out from the distant structures, like abominable bone growths sprouting from a giant, stretching and growing in the sky.


    Countless amounts of mud flowed out from those elevated buildings, rushing down as if to swallow the entire city.


    ¡°Lord of Death¡­¡± At the highest point of the Silent Sanctum, Bishop Ivan overlooking the City-State, gradually twisting and being devoured by massive apparitions, finally couldn¡¯t help but quietly speak, ¡°Is today the day it ends¡­¡±


    He looked into the distance, but could only see the vast darkness rising from all directions, the city hall on the opposite mountain top now shrouded in strange thorns at some point. Among the thorns stood another Silent Sanctum, and at the foot of the mountain, an array of buildings wobbled and heaved upward, the houses appearing chilling like the limbs of soft-bodied creatures.


    Outside the City-State, the entire sea surface was gradually being covered by an ominous blackness, the darkness like a huge mirror, but reflecting another Frost City-State in its mirror, watched through a curved mirror observing another world, the mirrored ¡°Frost¡± appeared distorted, chaotic, filled with illusory errors, riddled with pitch-black writhing malice.


    The giant mirrored city was rising from the deep sea, simultaneously corroding everything from reality and illusion.


    ¡°Archbishop!¡± A high-ranking assistant rushed from the balcony¡¯s door, running to behind Bishop Ivan, ¡°The last reserve troops have fully assembled, the Silent monks and guardians will protect the Sanctum until the final moment!¡±


    ¡°Has Agatha not returned?¡±


    ¡°We still can¡¯t contact the gatekeeper, Your Excellency,¡± the high-ranking assistant spoke hurriedly, ¡°The exploration team that went down the well with her reported that the gatekeeper vanished after entering a strange stone wall ¡ª the mine is now being consumed by darkness, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±


    ¡°The gatekeeper won¡¯t easily fall, Agatha will complete her mission¡­ she must complete it.¡± Bishop Ivan said calmly.


    The high-ranking assistant hesitated, ¡°Archbishop, you should evacuate¡­¡±


    ¡°Evacuate? Hide in some safe sanctum prayer room? Or escape from the city by boat?¡± Bishop Ivan turned around, slowly shaking his head, ¡°I don¡¯t need to evacuate, I will stay here. Go and command the guardian forces at the foot of the mountain, move as many civilians as possible to the mountainside, hold out even it¡¯s just for a moment longer.¡±


    The high-ranking assistant hesitated for a few seconds, finally nodded firmly, ¡°Yes, Archbishop!¡±


    The high-ranking assistant left, leaving the elderly bishop alone on the balcony.


    He raised his head, gazing at the other cathedral shrouded in thorns, resembling a shadow of the Silent Sanctum.


    The cathedral was lifeless, with no clerical figures visible within.


    It was just a reflection, its appearance, however, marked the mirrored Frost City-State¡¯s ¡°negative phase¡± had reached its final step.


    ¡°Agatha¡­ you must still be somewhere continuing your mission¡­¡±


    Bishop Ivan spoke softly, as if talking to himself, or perhaps gently cautioning someone he had lost contact with.


    Slowly he raised his hand, unfastening the ornate robe that symbolized the Archbishop¡¯s authority, and also removing his crown, placing it beside him on the railing.


    ¡°Then you ought to remember, Bartok¡¯s saints, never stop until death¡­¡±


    Beneath the ornate garments and crown revealed layers of bandages. Ivan reached out feeling them and then bit by bit untied a knot near his neck.


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    ¡°We battle the filth with flesh and blood, defended faith with our tireless shells after life ends, and when the shell also ends¡­¡±


    The bandages were unbound, as if seals suppressing decades suddenly broke free, beneath the bandages was not a dismembered corporeal body ¡ª it had long ceased to exist.


    Beneath was only pale ash.


    ¡°We still have searing ashes.¡±


    The bandages fell, the ashes scattered from the edge of the balcony, transforming into fine white smoke, gradually shrouding the skies above Frost.

 Chapter 430 - Chapter 430 Chapter 432 Call of Fire

    Chapter 430: Chapter 432: Call of Fire Chapter 430: Chapter 432: Call of Fire Lister suddenly looked up, somewhat dazed, as he was commanding the garrison troops to fend off the attack while trying to keep the harbor running. He stared in the direction of the City-State.


    In the City-State, mysterious twisted buildings surged up from otherwise normal streets, the distant land twisted and overturned, and faint thorn-like phantoms covered the mountains, chaotic shadows descending from illusions. Amidst this terrifying and eerie scene, a delicate and pale ¡°dust¡± suddenly began to drift down.


    This pale dust appeared out of nowhere in the sky, falling like the first snow of winter. It passed through overlapping phantoms and streets of twisted shapes, lightly settling on the streets of Frost¨Cweightless yet seemingly endless.


    Where the fine dust settled, the originally blurred and chaotic City-State suddenly became clear again, albeit only for a moment, albeit only a slight change, but Lister clearly saw that there were once again boundaries between the phantoms and the real streets.


    But at this moment, he did not have time to think about what was happening, or even to consider his fate in the next minute.


    The roar of the steam walkers opening fire and the booming of distant coastal artillery pulled him back to reality.


    ¡°Keep those freaks out of the dock area!¡± yelled Lister as he passed through the walkways between buildings and the defense lines constructed of steam walkers and temporary barricades. ¡°Ensure the fuel and ammunition channels are clear! The port must not fall!¡±


    Gunsmoke spread in all directions, the air mixed with the smells of fresh blood, machine oil, and the acrid scent of drying filthy mud. A steam walker was destroyed, immediately replaced by another spider machine emerging from cover, maintaining the fragile defense line.


    Inside this defense line were the battered dock facilities and teams rushing through the port buildings.


    Lister reached a higher position and looked towards the docks.


    When monsters surged out of the thick fog in great numbers, the port nearly fell. He and his soldiers paid a heavy price to cleanse the contamination within the port area, erected a defense line on the road leading to the inner part of the City-State, and had held out until now.


    According to the latest external communication, this port was now the only one in Frost still operational¨Cthe others were either still fiercely contested or had already fallen or could not function due to critical facilities being damaged.


    He had to keep this place operational at all costs¨Cbecause the sea battlefront was already precarious. Without this sole coastal support, the City-State¡¯s navy was truly doomed.


    But¡­ with another terrifyingly twisted City-State gradually encroaching on reality, could this place really hold?


    Lister turned back, taking one last look at that piece of land swelling grotesquely from the City-State like a festering abscess, trying to ignore it as it gradually spread towards the port, and then he turned away from the defense line and returned to the defense headquarters.


    Here too, it was a hive of activity. Officers and staff were frantic, with pessimistic intelligence coming from all corners. The calls and beeps of various radio communication devices filled the air.


    A communication soldier sat in the corner of the room, his voice hoarse as he repeated into the radio: ¡°Notify all ships nearby, this is the East Port, we are still operational, repeat, we are still operational¨Cthis is the only safe supply port, do not approach other ports¡­¡±


    Lister approached one of his subordinates. ¡°What¡¯s the situation at the supply dock?¡±


    ¡°The ¡®Coronet¡¯ is restocking ammunition and repairing its ammunition elevators. Its sister ship has lost power and is being towed back by a barge. Our ammunition, fuel, and fresh water are still plentiful, but the crane at Dock Four has been damaged and it¡¯s now paralyzed¡­¡±


    Lister, with a grim face, listened attentively. Soon after, rapid footsteps approached from nearby. Another subordinate officer arrived by his side, looking tense: ¡°Sir, we have an issue¡­¡±


    ¡°Everywhere has issues,¡± Lister said loudly, ¡°report directly!¡±


    ¡°Yes, a ship is requesting to enter the port for repairs. It¡¯s¡­ a ship from the Mist Fleet,¡± the subordinate officer said with a conflicted expression, ¡°the Undead on board say their transmission mechanism is malfunctioning, and their onboard repair equipment can¡¯t handle it.¡±


    Lister paused, then after three seconds, he gritted his teeth. ¡°Let them enter the port. Fix it as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    His subordinate left, and Lister quickly moved to the window to observe the situation at sea.


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    A warship, billowing thick smoke, was slowly approaching the repair dock. The Frost Queen¡¯s flag waved at the ship¡¯s bow, and farther out at sea, wreckage floated everywhere.


    ¡°Half a century¡­ This flag has finally returned to Frost in such a manner¡­¡±


    Lister muttered unconsciously.


    But in the next second, a commotion suddenly came from the direction of the corridor, interrupting the port defense commander¡¯s reflection.


    ¡°What now?¡± he turned his head, asking loudly.


    A soldier pushed the door open, hurried and tense, with an embarrassed look as he addressed the commander: ¡°Sir! Two¡­ ordinary citizens, two young women, somehow got inside, insisting on speaking with you¡­¡±

 Chapter 431 - Chapter 431 Chapter 432 The Call of Fire_2

    Chapter 431: Chapter 432: The Call of Fire_2 Chapter 431: Chapter 432: The Call of Fire_2 ¡°Ordinary citizens? Get them to seek shelter¡­¡± Lister began instinctively, but he got only halfway through his sentence when a ruckus of shouting and scuffling rapidly approached from the corridor. Almost immediately after, he heard the voice of a young girl outside, yelling at the top of her lungs¨C


    ¡°Everybody f*cking move! Make way! Time is precious! What¡¯s the word for it¡­ window, oh, the window of opportunity is just f*cking this brief!¡±


    Lister looked up in astonishment, and the next second, he saw two young girls burst through the soldiers¡¯ blockade and forcefully storm into the critical command center.


    One was short and slim, dressed in a black cotton dress, yet she single-handedly pushed two burly soldiers away from the door. The other was slightly taller, clad in a simple brown coat and cotton dress, her complexion seemingly a bit tense.


    Both girls looked to be only sixteen or seventeen, the slim one even younger-looking.


    ¡°Get out immediately,¡± Lister demanded right away, irritably, and his tone was not pleasant. ¡°This is no place for your shenanigans. If you¡¯ve got separated from the refuge crowd, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you the boss here? We¡¯ve got something important to do,¡± the slim girl interrupted mid-sentence, speaking rapidly, ¡°Is there a space nearby that you aren¡¯t using at the moment? We need to start a fire¡­¡±


    ¡°Start a fire?¡± Lister couldn¡¯t help but be startled, and then realized this must be some kind of sick joke¨Che couldn¡¯t comprehend why two utterly random civilians would show up here causing trouble now, but then, his professional vigilance kicked in, and he immediately ordered loudly, ¡°Soldiers, take them into custody!¡±


    Several soldiers rushed in headlong to seize the two strange girls. The shorter one began to hop and jump agitatedly: ¡°We really do have something important! The aspect of this place is too perfect, just a patch of empty ground would do! You¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped, her eyes widening as she gazed out the window as if she¡¯d seen something.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯ll work! The whole avenue is empty, and it leads right to the coastline!¡± The girl leaped up high, struggling free from the grasps of two or three soldiers. Then, she turned to her companion, signaling, ¡°Nina, you head over there, and along with the two arson points, we found to the south earlier, the City-State side will definitely have enough!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ okay!¡± Nina, the girl referred to, responded instantly. Then, she turned back around, bowing slightly to Lister with embarrassment and apology, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry, sir. My friend isn¡¯t very good at dealing with people. We¡¯ll be leaving now¡­¡±


    Lister stared with wide eyes, the absurdity unfolding before him leaving his mind in a bit of a whirl, but he still took a step forward instinctively, ¡°Hold on, you¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence.


    Because something even more outrageous happened.


    Warm currents suddenly surged around the young girl before him, and in the blink of an eye, she morphed into a leaping, glaring arc of flame. This fire soared within the room, its blinding light as if a single glance could set one¡¯s soul ablaze¨CThe next second, the flame darted toward the open window, like a meteor flying in reverse, heading straight for a high platform near the harbor zone.


    Lister watched in shock, but before his mind could catch up, the firebolt rushed back into the room.


    The flame bowed, outlining the girl¡¯s silhouette, as a polite yet crackling voice came through, ¡°Thanks for protecting the city, I¡¯m off! Goodbye!¡±


    The arc of flame dashed out of the room once more.


    ¡°Goodbye, goodbye!¡±


    The room echoed with the voice of the small-statured girl, who then saw a dark rift suddenly emerge beside her. Shadows churned within, pulling her into oblivion before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What the¡­ what the f*ck is all this¡­¡±


    Lister watched dumbfounded, impulsively rushing toward the open window, only in time to see an arc of intense flame streaking up into the sky from afar.


    Below that fierce flame, the coast, bathed in piercing light, suddenly burst into flame!


    ¡°The Frost Coast has been set ablaze!¡±


    On the lookout tower of the Sea Mist, an undead sailor picked up a megaphone and began to shout loudly.


    The waves surged, and the cold wind curled backward as Tyrion stood like an unwavering rock at the edge of the bow deck, and in his single eye reflected the Frost Coast, where several large fires were being ignited.


    A bright flame danced above the City-State, continuously igniting the deserted areas along its edge¨Ctowering cliffs jutting out of the water, reefs, abandoned towers, damaged artillery.positions, one by one, the flames connected, resembling¡­ a continuous line of candlesticks.


    Around the Sea Mist, the vast and endless sea was ablaze in great swaths.


    The remnants of the counterfeit fleet were burning, ships of the Mist Fleet or of the Frost Navy were burning, the leaked oil was burning.


    The entire ocean was being set on fire by the battles.


    And in this burning sea was reflected the mirrored world¡¯s distorted and strange lights and shadows¨Cthe constantly surfacing ghost fleet, the bizarre and terrifying mirrored Frost, and the endless darkness that enveloped these twisted beings.


    ¡°Captain!¡± First Mate Aiden ran over and said loudly next to Tyrion, ¡°The last barrel of oil has been poured, and the fire is about to sweep onto the ship!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Tyrion said calmly, a slow smile actually emerging on his face, ¡°Any reaction from the Frost Navy?¡±


    ¡°They also, following our orders, lit the excess whale oil, but they still don¡¯t understand what we¡¯re trying to do, they¡¯re just blindly following along in confusion¨Cthey¡¯re hoping we can give them an explanation.¡±


    ¡°An explanation¡­¡±


    Tyrion muttered softly, slowly raising his hand, pointing it around the Sea Mist, at the increasingly dark and eerier sea being covered by an even thicker darkness.


    ¡°Aiden, what do you think this sea looks like?¡±


    Aiden was startled for a moment and looked up around him.


    The next second, his expression gradually stiffened, and even a hint of fear appeared.


    The sea, where the wind and waves had quickly subsided to nothing, was engulfed in boundless darkness, giving the entire maritime area a mirror-like quality.


    The flames were burning in front of the mirror, from the Frost Coast to the maritime area where fleets clashed in combat, the continuous battle fires¡­ like a ceremonial candelabrum in front of a mirror.


    The sound of wind and waves and cannons on the sea seemed suddenly to diminish, everything felt as distant as if it came from another world, and in this strange and brief silence, Aiden heard his captain speak softly.


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    ¡°My father said, if you want to seek him out, find a mirror and then light a flame in front of it.¡±


    Tyrion slowly opened his arms, facing the sea that was gradually turning into a pitch-black mirror.


    ¡°The fire has been lit, are you there?¡±


    And so, the Frost waters opened their eyes.


    ¡°I am here.¡±

 Chapter 432 - Chapter 432 Chapter 433 Incineration

    Chapter 432: Chapter 433: Incineration Chapter 432: Chapter 433: Incineration In that instant, Frost truly became a city floating upon a mirror-like sea.


    The sea was this mirror.


    Reflected in the mirror was not only that twisted and terrifying mirrored city¨Cbut also a pair of eyes burning with fire, and a being even larger than the City-State, as vast as the entire Chill Sea itself.


    The dominion over fire transitioned in the blink of an eye, every flame burning inside and outside the mirror became a medium that extended and amplified power.


    ¡°Officer! Officer! Fire¡­ Fire!¡±


    The terrified cries of a junior military official woke Lister from his daze, who then jerked awake and looked out the window¨Che saw the entire coastline ablaze, even the surface of the sea had caught fire, towering flames surged, and a streak of eerie green emerged like flowing water from the fire, quickly coloring his entire field of vision.


    The Spectral Flames rising from all around seemed to carry a soul-shaking power, causing Lister to subconsciously step back, but the next second, he saw even the gas lamps embedded in the nearby walls slowly taking on a layer of sinister green.


    A deep rumble came from afar, as if shaking the entire city, accompanied by the screeching and tearing noises of some gigantic object being ripped apart, everyone in the command headquarters heard these thunderous roars.


    Someone looked in the direction of the City-State and saw the previously almost completely enveloping twisted buildings cracking open, larger flames gushed out from the cracks, and amidst those grand Spectral Flames, countless dark substances were gradually incinerated.


    Near the port defense zone, an exhausted troop of City-State Guards hid behind a crumbling barrier, helplessly watching the distorted buildings collapse in the distance, hundreds of deformed wriggling creatures fleeing from the cracks, chased by flames behind them, turning them into black ash.


    At the foot of the mountain in the center of the City-State, a defense force was engaged in a fierce battle with the invading monsters, yet suddenly, a phantom-like army emerged from the chaotic lights and shadows, dressed in Queen¡¯s Guard uniforms from half a century ago, they took to the streets, shouting the name of the Frost Queen, and fought to the death with those malformed creatures pouring into reality.


    At the final defensive line before the Silent Sanctum, high-ranking acolytes organized the clergy to confront the monsters flooding the square, flames from the steam walkers intertwined with the pale fierce flames released by the silent monks, forming a net, laboriously holding back the invasion of the monsters and the sludge.


    ¡°Hold them back!¡± the high-ranking acolyte cried hoarsely, as pale, delicate ashes began to fall from above the Silent Sanctum on the periphery of his vision, like the fluttering first snow, ¡°Block the church doors! Block¡­¡±


    A sudden thunderous explosion and a tremor, as if shaking mountains, came unexpectedly, nearly causing the high-ranking acolyte to fall to the ground amidst this earth-shattering noise, a thicket formed from mire, carrying malice, thrust at him from a breach in the defense line.


    However, just as the high-ranking acolyte was about to be impaled by the thicket, a ghostly green flame suddenly emerged in the air, turning the malicious attack into ash.


    The high-ranking acolyte looked up in astonishment and saw a figure materializing before him.


    She was dressed in torn black robes, much like a monk¡¯s habit, her body was riddled with large and small fissures, flames surged and flowed within her like an eternally scorching blood.


    ¡°Agatha¡­ Gatekeeper?¡±


    The high-ranking acolyte looked at the figure before him in astonishment, feeling both familiar and alien, he called out her name, yet saw one unfamiliar figure after another appear beside the gatekeeper, each enveloped in a ghostly green Spectral Flame.


    ¡°I¡¯s back,¡± Agatha turned her head, her hollow eye sockets dancing with two points of firelight, her voice mixed with crackling and popping, ¡°Take the rest and fall back, or find a safe place to hold.¡±


    ¡°Hold?¡± The high-ranking acolyte repeated in confusion, not fully grasping the meaning of her words, ¡°And¡­ why have you become like this¡­¡±


    Agatha, however, didn¡¯t pay him any heed, she had already turned in another direction, gazing out at the sea beyond the City-State.


    The smoke rose above the sea, the clouds hung low and heavy, the ocean black as a mirror, and an indescribable colossal presence¡­ was rising from within the mirror.


    Two enormous glowing green orbs, almost reminiscent of the sun, rose slowly amidst the thick smoke and clouds, the unimaginable contours shaped within the smoke and clouds as if the sea and atmosphere themselves were swelling and converging, this scene¡­even made Agatha, who had already ceased breathing, once again feel suffocation.


    It was a suffocation at the level of the soul.


    ¡°Oh, God of death¡­¡± the high-ranking acolyte struggled to bear this immense pressure, his wobbling body once again collapsing, ¡°What is that¡­ what is that?!¡±


    But Agatha merely turned her head slightly, her tone filled with resignation, ¡°I warned you to find a safe place to hold.¡±


    The high-ranking acolyte could no longer hear what the gatekeeper was saying to him¨Cas the contours in the clouds rapidly coalesced, he finally realized what it was.


    It was a figure rising from the endless sea, a being using the entire Chill Sea as a medium, projecting into the real world.


    Those two sun-like green flames burning brilliantly in the clouds were actually Its eyes, and the rolling clouds were its breath, the slowly rising shadow within the smoke¡­ was Its arm.


    Now, that hand was extending towards Frost.


    ¡°Oh, Lord!!!¡±


    People in the square started to cry out in astonishment.


    Yet the speed of that approaching hand seemed slow, it was faster than anyone¡¯s cries or prayers¨Cit had already crossed over the sea surface, past the Mist Fleet, the Frost Navy, and the mock fleet¡¯s battleground, over the City-State¡¯s coast, and just like reaching into smoke, it reached deep into Frost.


    The next second, the arm began to rise slowly, as if lifting billions of tons of weight, inching upwards.


    As the arm rose, so did a mirrored city that was gradually separating itself from the reality of Frost¨C


    All the twisted buildings, those swelling curves of the earth, the thorns covering the mountains, all the profane things that aped the real world yet overwrote reality with horror, were being torn piece by piece from the Frost City-State by that giant hand.


    The mirrored Frost rose up into the real world¨Cnow, it floated higher than its creators had planned and continued to climb.


    Agatha started to laugh with a joy that was unprecedented.


    The mirrored Frost had detached from the City-State and was still ascending, a scene reminiscent of an evil spirit being expelled from a body possessed by demons, and that ¡°evil spirit¡± was eventually lifted by a giant arm near the clouds.


    Deep within the dense clouds, two green flames burned fiercely like suns, swaying gently, the vaguely visible, majestic and awe-inspiring face seemed to be looking down from above.


    Many faint voices came from the palm of the hand.


    Some of these faint voices were real sounds, but many more were like vibrations echoing at the level of thought, howls echoing among a pile of twisted debris, as well as stubborn and paranoid delusions and notions that lurked in the city of mirrors.


    Duncan, looking through the clouds at his own palm, saw the mirrored city twising and deforming like a swollen lump of flesh, streets that poorly imitated the real world rapidly devolving back into the primordial state of filth and muck, and among those swollen, deformed streets, mountains, and towers, thorns were unpredictably shrinking and swelling, minute sparks scarcely discernible flickered at the heart of this mass of matter, the obsession of hundreds and thousands of crazed Believers buzzed there, emitting mosquito-like sounds.


    Mixed within were fear, anger, resentment, and utter malice.


    Were those fanatics still trying to propagate their apocalyptic theories, or seeking a reasonable explanation for the disaster they had created?


    Duncan listened for a while, then lowered his gaze.


    ¡°You have no clue about a ¡®grand sacrifice.''¡±


    His eyes focused on the mass of the mirrored city and so the entire city began to burn under his gaze, in the palm of his hand.


    Countless ashes and debris rained down from the sky with green spectral flames, like a torrential downpour from the clouds.


    The hand large as a City-State slowly clenched into a fist, the mirrored Frost that burned to ash in its palm turned into dust with a terrifying crushing sound, numerous leftover materials were scattered towards the Chill Sea, plummeting into the ocean, towards the shore, falling in every place Tyrion¡¯s gaze reached.


    But almost all the falling debris avoided the main island of Frost and the Mist Fleet and the Frost Navy that were still active on the sea.


    Tyrion looked around.


    All the counterfeit ships were rapidly disintegrating.


    It was finally over.


    He let out a light sigh of relief.


    The first mate, Aiden, stood beside him, this bald muscleman looked up at the sky, but could only see a small part of the silhouette of that enormous figure.


    Aiden¡¯s body was still trembling slightly.


    ¡°Any thoughts?¡± Tyrion turned his head, looking at his first mate with a smirk.


    Aiden fumbled to take out his pipe from his chest, but his shaking hands couldn¡¯t light it for a long time, after a good while he finally put down his pipe, his voice trembled slightly, ¡°Old Captain¡­ wouldn¡¯t mind that we¡¯ve fought against him in the past, right?¡±


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    But Tyrion just smiled and pulled out a cigarette from his chest.


    ¡°Father wouldn¡¯t mind such trivialities.¡±


    Yet this great Chill Sea pirate shivered for a long time and also couldn¡¯t manage to light it.


    (I¡¯ve been working hard for a long time to prepare these five continuous updates, releasing this plot all at once to give everyone a peace of mind for the May Day holiday.


    There will be continuous updates during May Day.)

 Chapter 433 - Chapter 433 Chapter 434 Looking into the Distance

    Chapter 433: Chapter 434: Looking into the Distance Chapter 433: Chapter 434: Looking into the Distance The mirror image turned to ashes, darkness began to recede, the phantoms of the Queen¡¯s Guard vanished, and the defiled creatures that invaded the City-State crumbled one after another, turning into rapidly drying black mud. The sounds of guns throughout the City-State also fell into silence¨Creplaced, however, by an indescribable fear and silence that enveloped the entire city.


    Everyone could see that colossal being, the one standing within the Endless Sea, gazing down upon the City-State from the clouds.


    Just minutes before, the mirror Frost had turned to ashes in the ¡°giant¡¯s¡± hands, and what was to come next, no one could guess.


    Only the Ghostly Green Fire that spread across the entire city and covered the surface of the sea still burned fiercely¨Cyet these flames did not harm people; they simply brushed past the real world like phantoms, at touch feeling only a benign warmth.


    Agatha lowered her head and casually helped up the high priest whose face was a sickly shade, the flames burning on her arm made him somewhat nervous, but compared to the atmosphere that now enveloped the entire city, this bit of nervousness seemed insignificant.


    ¡°What comes next¡­¡± The high priest¡¯s face turned a bit pale as he looked at Agatha, at the Ghostly Green Spiritual Fire burning on her, his voice trembling slightly, ¡°What will happen next?¡±


    Agatha thought for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    The high priest¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You don¡¯t know?!¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t ask,¡± Agatha said calmly, ¡°The situation was urgent, and I didn¡¯t have many choices.¡±


    The high priest was dumbstruck, with many questions he wanted to ask¨Cthe origin of that ¡°giant¡± on the sea, the nature of the flames in the city, and the reason for Agatha¡¯s current appearance, but he found himself unable to voice a single one.


    Agatha, however, paid no more attention to the high priest¡¯s reaction; she merely turned her face slightly, watching the last few delicate pale ash flakes slowly drift down upon her shoulder.


    The drifting of ashes within the City-State had ceased unknowingly, and what landed on her shoulder seemed to be the very last one¨Cvaguely, she felt as if someone had patted her on the shoulder.


    ¡°I must be off,¡± she heard someone speak beside her ear, ¡°The journey in this mortal world is over; there still is a farther path awaiting me to tread.¡±


    ¡°Bon voyage, Bishop Ivan.¡±


    The wind came from afar, blowing through the entrance of the Silent Sanctum, sweeping across the plaza in front of the gate, lifting that light cremation ash, letting it quietly dissipate in the wind.


    ¡­


    Perched atop the bell tower behind the church, Sherry in her black dress looked down at the street below, sitting at the edge of the roof on a section of the wall that jutted out, her legs dangling outside, swinging them idly and muttering, ¡°It¡¯s quieted down, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Seems like everyone is scared out of their wits¡­¡± Nina stood on the small platform behind Sherry, looking up at the sky while she spoke, ¡°I got scared too¡­¡±


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be afraid at that sight,¡± Sherry shrank her neck, cautiously peering towards the large and hazy figure on the distant sea, ¡°I never expected, Mr. Duncan resolved this trouble in such a way¨Cbigger than the last time in Pland.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Duncan said the root of the Frost crisis was that mirror, so to solve the problem, the mirror had to be completely dealt with¨Csealing or stopping the Heretics¡¯ ritual could only guarantee temporary safety. The permanent solution was to uproot the mirror completely, bring it to the real world and burn it,¡± Nina said seriously, ¡°But since the scale of the mirror was so vast, he needed a large enough ¡®bonfire¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, right, I got it, you¡¯re great at starting fires, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ll make sure to bring that up with Mr. Duncan,¡± Sherry waved her hands in agreement, then looked up, slightly puzzled, ¡°But then again¡­ what¡¯s Mr. Duncan doing now? Isn¡¯t the problem already solved? When¡¯s he coming back?¡±


    At that, Nina looked up, her gaze drifting towards the huge figure above the sea outside the city, and after a moment¡¯s thought, she said, ¡°Shall I go up and ask?¡±


    ¡°Off you go, then,¡± Sherry quickly gestured with her hand, ¡°When you get there, don¡¯t forget to tell Mr. Duncan, say our homework was eaten by the Abyssal Hound¡­¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than Nina turned into a bright arc of flame in mid-air and shot straight towards the overwhelming shadow that covered the sky outside the city.


    ¡­


    From an elevation where he could overlook the entire expanse of the Frost sea, Duncan¡¯s eyes penetrated the gap in the clouds, quietly observing the sea below and the city.


    The sea was boundless, stretching towards the far horizon, while the City-State seemed a lone disc floating upon the water, bathed in Sky Light, and at the edge where sea met sky, one could vaguely see a glorious wall of fog resembling an arc, encircling the entire Civilization Frontier.


    This was a viewpoint never before experienced¨Che had never observed the world from this position, and it was likely that no one else in this world had ever done anything similar.


    He could feel the ¡°flames¡± that supported his current posture gradually extinguishing over the sea and the City-State, his stance hovering in the sky not sustainable for long, but before the stored energy depleted, he still wanted to look once more.


    At that moment, a small flame that darted out from the clouds suddenly entered Duncan¡¯s field of vision.


    The tiny flame danced among the clouds like a nimble swallow, and as it drew close to him, he heard Nina¡¯s voice enter his ears, ¡°Uncle Duncan, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I am observing this world,¡± Duncan smiled as he softly spoke to the ¡°flame¡±, and then lifted his finger, letting it dance upon his fingertip, ¡°How did you get up here?¡±


    ¡°Sherry sent me up to see what you were doing,¡± Nina said cheerfully, the fire flickering on Duncan¡¯s fingertip¨Ceven though her current shape had expanded into a flame larger than a bell tower, in Duncan¡¯s eyes it still appeared quite small, ¡°You said you are observing the world? What¡¯s interesting?¡±


    Duncan smiled, lifting his chin, ¡°Look, down there.¡±


    The cluster of flames wobbled to the side.


    ¡°¡­.Wow.¡±


    ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it,¡± Duncan whispered, ¡°No one has ever looked down upon the Endless Sea and the City-States upon it from this height¨Cnot to mention that vast mist in the distance, so immense that even from my current perspective, one would feel suffocated at the sight of it.¡±


    Nina thought hard for a moment, ¡°¡­.But if it were a normal-sized person, at the border of the Eternal Veil, they wouldn¡¯t feel it at all, because they can¡¯t see the whole thing.¡±


    Duncan paused for a moment, and then suddenly burst into laughter.


    ¡°Right, you are correct, ordinary people who actually come up to that wall of mist would fail to perceive this oppressive and suffocating sensation, because they can¡¯t see the whole thing¡­ We are high up, seeing too much.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Duncan, why do I feel like¡­ your words have a deeper meaning?¡±


    Duncan did not reply to Nina¡¯s question, he simply gazed quietly into the distance, and after a while, suddenly said, ¡°Have you ever felt curious about what lies beyond that mist?¡±


    ¡°¡­.The books say the mist is endless, there is nothing beyond it, only fog exists outside.¡±


    Duncan looked toward his fingertip, ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s in the books, but what about your own thoughts?¡±


    ¡°¡­.I think the books are just the scholars¡¯ guesses, Mr. Morris said it himself, everything that involves the world outside of civilization is mere speculation by scholars¨Cso-called research is the process of verifying guesses,¡± Nina happily shared her thoughts, ¡°There might be another world beyond the mist!¡±


    Then she paused, as though suddenly realizing something, ¡°Ah! Uncle Duncan, are you planning to cross that thick mist? Are you really going to try it? We¡¯re very close to the northern frontier, and now that you¡¯re so high, maybe you really could¡­¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s not possible,¡± Duncan shook his head gently, interrupting the excited Nina, ¡°I can¡¯t maintain this state for long, nor leave this sea area in this state¨Critual methods have their limits. All we can do now, is stand here and watch.¡±


    Nina seemed a bit downcast for a moment, then tentatively spoke again, ¡°Then could I¡­ go take a look? I can fly in the sky now~¡±


    ¡°But you can only fly for a short while, you are very aware of your limits,¡± Duncan shook his head again, ¡°and I wouldn¡¯t recommend it, we know too little about that mist. Adventurous spirit and reckless actions are not the same.¡±


    Nina fell silent for a short while, then dragged out her voice, ¡°Oh¨Cso we really can only stand here and watch.¡±


    ¡°The first step of a journey is to look into the distance,¡± Duncan¡¯s lips curled up as he felt the flame supporting him subside rapidly, this immense consumption of energy was reaching its critical point, but before dispersing his projection, he continued to smile, ¡°Furthermore, we are not just looking into the distance, Nina. Have you noticed the appearance of the City-State? Such an orderly disk, so neat that it doesn¡¯t seem natural, and beneath that, the vast and profound sea, we still have no idea what lies at its depths¡­


    ¡°Heretics believe this world will ultimately be destroyed, and that they can create a new one, the church insists that following the guidance of the gods is the only way to keep the world eternal, but there are just too many unknowns in this world¡­ Whether it¡¯s the heretics, the Church of the True Gods, or the scholars from various City-States, everyone¡¯s views about everything above the Endless Sea are one-sided.¡±


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    Between the sea and sky, the giant¡¯s massive body quietly dissipated, as the mirror-like sea gradually resumed its undulating waves.


    A blaze descended from the clouds back toward the City-State.


    The conversation between Duncan and Nina continued,


    ¡°Alright, Nina, go back. There¡¯s still much to do.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Ah, that¡¯s right! Uncle Duncan! I forgot to tell you, Sherry¡¯s and my homework were eaten by the Abyssal Hound!¡±


    ¡°¡­.It¡¯s alright, Morris and I will prepare new ones for you.¡±

 Chapter 434 - Chapter 434 Chapter 435 Its Snowing

    Chapter 434: Chapter 435: It¡¯s Snowing Chapter 434: Chapter 435: It¡¯s Snowing His towering figure dissipated amidst the clouds.


    The wind calmed down. It would take time for the smoke to fade, and as the shadows retreated, they left behind a City-State scarred and battered.


    ¡°There are survivors here too! It¡¯s a little girl!¡±


    An excited shout broke the tranquility of the cemetery. A City-State Guard opened the large door of the watch house and discovered a girl curled up inside.


    The chilly wind, mixed with the smell of gunpowder, blew into the room from outside. Annie, somewhat confused, looked up to see a black-clad guard at the door. In a daze, she thought she saw another figure appear behind the young soldier, a hunched figure with an always brooding gaze.


    She got up in confusion and subconsciously stepped forward, stumbling towards the door, trying to grasp at the stooping figure.


    She lunged at nothing, her foot wobbled, and then she felt someone grab her collar from behind¨Cthe guard had caught the girl who tried to run past him but nearly fell. He bent down again, ¡°Are you all right, girl¨Cwhat¡¯s your name? Why are you in the cemetery?¡±


    Yet, as if she hadn¡¯t heard the voice beside her, Annie just looked up and slowly surveyed the surroundings, searching for the old man she had just seen.


    Not far away, the stooping old man had turned his back to her and waved his hand, then slowly walked towards a path deep in the cemetery. At the end of that path, a remarkably tall figure loomed.


    This figure, clad in a pitch-black robe reminiscent of the night sky, had his body wrapped in bandages, holding a staff carved from dried wood; his appearance seemed¡­ just like the Tomb Guardians depicted in the church books standing in front of Bartok¡¯s gate.


    The old man approached the guardian. They appeared to briefly exchange a few words and then vanished together like apparitions at the end of the path.


    Annie stared in that direction, standing quietly in the cold wind, neither crying nor moving.


    The black-clad guard beside her was a bit worried, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Little girl? What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s looking for this.¡± Another voice suddenly came from the nearby path, accompanied by the sound of boots crunching on the snow.


    Annie instinctively turned her head.


    A Nun walked towards her, holding two items¨Ca severely damaged cane and a familiar-looking shotgun.


    ¡°Your protector is no longer here,¡± the Nun stopped in front of Annie and crouched down slowly, placing the two items on the ground, ¡°Sadly, we can¡¯t arrange for you to see him again¨Cthere are only ashes at the scene.¡±


    Annie stared intently at the cane and shotgun on the ground. After a few seconds, she bent down, picked them up, and carefully held them in her arms.


    ¡°I know,¡± she murmured softly, ¡°the Tomb Guardian grandfather went with the gatekeeper¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the gun,¡± the black-clad guard instinctively reached out to stop her, ¡°it¡¯s dangerous¡­¡±


    ¡°There are no bullets left,¡± the Nun shook her head and whispered, ¡°let her hold it for a while, they might have known each other.¡±


    The guard hesitated, withdrew his hand, then turned to survey the cemetery.


    Filthy, dry black mud covered the area around the path, surrounding the guardian¡¯s hut, mixing with the dirty snow, blanketing the entire cemetery.


    How many monsters had tried to attack this place, and how much filth had fallen into the snow here? Now that the shadows had retreated, everything¡­ seemed unknowable.


    A slight and cool touch suddenly came, and the guardian looked up to see snowflakes slowly descending from the sky¨Cnot ashes, but actual snow.


    Accompanying these drifting snowflakes was a trace of brilliance in the sky, the light of the sun¨Cdark clouds obscured it, but that hazy light still asserted its presence.


    The sun had returned.


    The rumbling sound of steam machinery running grew closer from outside the cemetery. A steam vehicle stopped outside the gate, and a squad of City-State Guards nearby, noticing the activity, approached the vehicle and then saluted in astonishment to the person descending from it.


    Footsteps approached the watch house, and the young black-clad guard, seeing who was approaching, immediately turned and saluted, then spoke with a hint of confusion, ¡°Gatekeeper, you are¡­¡±


    ¡°I am here to check the status of the cemeteries.¡±


    Annie, who had been distracting herself with the cane and shotgun, heard the voice nearby and finally started from her daze. She instinctively looked towards the source of the sound.


    A lady in a black clerical robe stood on the path.


    Her pale skin was surrounded by a serene yet cold aura¨CAnnie could not yet understand what this aura was, but it reminded her of the cold fog at sea. At the same time, she noticed that the lady¡¯s exposed skin bore numerous wounds, large and small, yet no blood flowed from them, much like¡­ a cracked doll.


    The lady¡¯s eyes were covered with black cloth.


    Although the lady seemed to be blind, Annie felt as though her ¡°gaze¡± was on her¨Ca calm and gentle look, penetrating the thick black cloth, watching her.


    It took Annie a long time to recognize the lady.


    The lady had evidently recognized her from the start.


    ¡°I know you, you are Annie,¡± Agatha bent down, gently rubbed Annie¡¯s head, and then her gaze fell on the shotgun and cane in the girl¡¯s hand. She fell silent for two seconds, stood and said to the clergyman following behind her, ¡°The areas surrounding the mines were the first to be invaded. The cemeteries encircling the upper city¡¯s mining district held back a massive influx of monsters towards the surrounding streets.¡±


    ¡°All the Tomb Guardians and those stationed around the cemeteries were almost entirely killed in battle,¡± the nun slowly said, ¡°The City-State Guards in this area also suffered heavy losses.¡±


    Agatha listened silently, then muttered a silent prayer.


    ¡°Tomb Guardian,¡± the black-clad guard couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Now, with many dead and injured in the City-State, we must be vigilant against secondary disasters like death, fear, and obsession. We may need several large-scale soul-soothing ceremonies, and the cathedral hasn¡¯t yet¡­¡±


    ¡°I am currently acting in the Archbishop¡¯s duties, so don¡¯t worry about the soul-soothing ceremonies,¡± Agatha spoke calmly, ¡°Bishop Ivan has already departed; he has a new journey.¡±


    The black-clad guard paused, a shocked and hard-to-accept expression briefly appearing in his eyes, and it seemed that only at that moment had he noticed the change in Agatha¡¯s attire¨C


    The Tomb Guardian had shed her coat, which represented military strength, and instead donned a robe, more indicative of a cleric¡¯s role.


    This symbolized a change in her identity and duties.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I still carry the Tomb Guardian¡¯s responsibilities, and I also still command the guardian forces until the church headquarters selects a new Archbishop or a new Tomb Guardian to take my place. By then, I might become the formal Bishop of the City-State,¡± Agatha, though blind, seemed to still have a keen gaze. She noticed the reaction of her subordinate and patiently explained, ¡°At this stage, maintaining order in the City-State is paramount.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Tomb Guardian.¡±


    The young black-clad guard bowed his head, hesitated briefly, but then chose to address his superior as ¡°Tomb Guardian,¡± the name he was familiar with.


    Agatha did not mind these trivial matters and turned her ¡°gaze¡± back to Annie.


    ¡°Go home,¡± she said gently, ¡°Your mother is safe, and she is waiting for you.¡±


    Annie hesitated for a moment at first but immediately nodded her head when Agatha mentioned her mother.


    However, just as she was preparing to leave with the guardians, she suddenly stopped.


    ¡°The Tomb Guardian¡­ just now followed the Tomb Guardian,¡± she looked up at Agatha, ¡°Ah, I mean the Tomb Guardian from ¡®the other side¡¯ mentioned in the books.¡±


    Agatha slightly frowned.


    Annie, thinking Agatha did not believe her, quickly raised her hand, pointing toward the path deep in the cemetery: ¡°He left through there¡­¡±


    Agatha raised her head, thoughtfully looking in the direction Annie was pointing.


    In the position of her eyes covered by black cloth, a faint green glow seemed to flicker momentarily.


    After a moment, she lowered her head and looked into Annie¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Do you¡­ want to become a guardian?¡±


    Annie was slightly startled, seemingly not quite understanding what that meant.


    But after a few seconds, she seemed to vaguely grasp it: ¡°Like you or the Tomb Guardian?¡±


    ¡°That might require many years,¡± Agatha¡¯s face seemed to show a hint of a smile, then she gently shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it now. These things seem a bit early to discuss¨Cgo home first. If you truly wish to become a guardian, you at least need to pass the entry level of the church school.¡±


    Annie seemingly understood, then reluctantly handed her shotgun and cane to the black-clad guard beside her.


    ¡°If I become a guardian¡­ can I have the Tomb Guardian¡¯s shotgun and cane?¡±


    She suddenly turned her head, looking seriously at Agatha.


    After a moment, Agatha gently nodded: ¡°If you still feel the same way in three years, I agree.¡±


    Annie left.


    The cemetery returned to its usual calm.


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    ¡°Are you serious? That child is still too young, and it¡¯s hard to see any potential that requires more than just graduating from the routine training for guardians¡­¡±


    ¡°She can see the guides from the world of the dead,¡± Agatha calmly watched the path at the end of the cemetery, speaking slowly, ¡°just like I could back then.¡±


    The young black-clad guard no longer spoke.


    Beside them, the nun hesitated again and again but finally couldn¡¯t help but look at Agatha worriedly: ¡°Your body, after all¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Agatha shook her head and spoke softly, ¡°Some things happened, and this vessel has just been damaged.¡±

 Chapter 435 - Chapter 435 Chapter 436 After the Disaster Ends

    Chapter 435: Chapter 436: After the Disaster Ends Chapter 435: Chapter 436: After the Disaster Ends Snow was falling gently, not too heavily, but it seemed it would continue for a long time. The sun¡¯s brilliance was blocked by gloomy clouds, and the light that filtered through wasn¡¯t very bright yet was undeniably present.


    Through the street-facing window, one could see pedestrians on the road¨Cpeople who had survived the disaster. Fear still lingered in their eyes.


    These startled citizens ventured out from their hiding places, on the streets confirming the presence of acquaintances or inquiring about the whereabouts of those missing, asking if any new information came from the Upper City District. Some were still immersed in the terror of the mirror invasion, reacting fearfully to every passing figure, hastily stepping out of their homes only to quickly lock themselves back inside.


    Battle-scarred steam-walkers, along with the equally battle-worn City-State Guards, sheriff forces, and guardian squads passed by the junction, their presence reassuring many. Mounted loudspeakers on the steam-walkers broadcasted the end of anomalies¨Cthe mirror invasion had subsided, the city would enter a forty-eight-hour public-security control state, and the City-State authorities would regain control of the situation and clear any hidden dangers within the city. Supplies of provisions, electricity, steam power, and fresh water were to be restored promptly, and neighborhoods were instructed to report casualties as soon as possible¡­


    The crackling loudspeaker sound gradually faded, the poor sound quality on this snowy day accentuating the grim atmosphere on the streets. However, upon the departure of the steam-walkers, many people¡¯s nerves genuinely began to relax a bit.


    Sherry leaned against the living room window, muttering to herself as she observed the scene on the street outside, ¡°Wonder how long the chaos will last¡­ Bread prices are definitely going to soar.¡±


    Nina was sitting beside her on the sofa, mouth agape, blowing out hot air that could distort the surrounding air. Hearing Sherry¡¯s murmuring, she turned her head, ¡°It¡¯s definitely going to be chaotic for a while. It took three days to restore order in Prand last time¨Cthough without a doubt, it won¡¯t get too hectic since the sheriff forces are still here¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey! Don¡¯t talk toward me!¡± Sherry, unable to stand the blast of hot air, awkwardly moved away from the window while shouting at Nina, ¡°You¡¯re blowing air like a steam core leak! Why is it so hot?¡±


    Nina quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her corners puffing hot air as she mumbled an apology, ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­ I maintained that state for too long¡­¡±


    Just then, Duncan¡¯s voice caught the attention of the two girls, ¡°I told you, Nina can only stay in the sky for a short while¨Cher condition isn¡¯t stable.¡±


    Upon hearing the voice, Sherry quickly turned around, standing at attention, while Nina jumped down from the sofa, running towards Duncan with a smile, ¡°Uncle Duncan!¡±


    Duncan smiled too, lightly embracing Nina, who was still emitting heat from all over, then turning his head to acknowledge Morris and Fenna, who were rising from a nearby chair and bowing to him, with a slight nod, ¡°Seems you both are doing well.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, in good condition,¡± Morris adjusted his monocle, ¡°and quite shocked.¡±


    ¡°I thought my nerves had grown thick enough after the big fire in Prand,¡± Fenna spoke as well, her tone laced with contemplation and reverence, ¡°Honestly, talking to you like this is more relaxing¨Cunder normal ¡®scales,¡¯ that is.¡±


    ¡°Occasionally such encounters are enough,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°but I have to admit, the perspective from above the sky is truly impressive.¡±


    As he spoke, his gaze fell on an object placed on a nearby dining table.


    It was a large book with a black cover, bearing no symbols or letters on its front, and the whole book exuded a mysterious and dangerous aura.


    ¡°Is this the ¡®Book of Desecration¡¯ you seized from that minor leader of the Obliteration Sect?¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes lingered on the book, ¡°Certainly doesn¡¯t look like any proper reading material.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Morris nodded, carefully picking up the book, ¡°I conducted a simple authentication under safe conditions and surmised this isn¡¯t the ¡®original,¡¯ but a copy held by a special member within the Obliteration Sect¨Cbecause if it were the original, it would possess much greater power and be more valuable, unlikely to be carried casually into the City-State by a mere leader.¡±


    He paused momentarily, his tone uncertain, ¡°As for the book¡¯s purpose¡­ it might serve to spread doctrine or act as a medium in casting spells or rituals. It contains sections related to the Saint of the Abyss, which may source power for those heretics, but the specifics are mere conjecture.¡±


    While speaking, he handed the book over, ¡°Would you like to look at it now?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take it back to the ship and look at it,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°The city is still quite tumultuous, and who knows what might happen once I open this book¨Cbest not to introduce more chaos, especially since we have guests arriving soon.¡±


    ¡°Guests?¡± Fenna inquired curiously, ¡°Who would visit at such a time?¡±


    Duncan glanced at Fenna with a smile in his voice, ¡°Your colleague, she is on her way here.¡±


    With that said, he paid no mind to Fenna¡¯s suddenly peculiar expression but walked to the street-facing window and took a seat on the sofa, adopting a posture of calm anticipation.


    Footsteps approached; Alice walked up to Duncan, the eternally optimistic puppeteer wearing her usual unawarely cheerful expression, ¡°Captain! When are we heading home? After receiving the guest?¡±


    Duncan lifted his eyes, giving the dense-headed puppet a look, ¡°Do you think¡­ that everything here is concluded?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Otherwise?¡± Alice looked puzzled, ¡°The villains are gone, the disaster has ended, then shouldn¡¯t the remaining people continue their adventure?¨CThat¡¯s what they say in storybooks¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched as he looked up at Alice, ¡°What else does the picture book say?¡±


    ¡°The picture book says the prince and the knight lived a happy and joyful life¡­¡±


    Duncan, ¡°¡­?¡±


    He choked for a moment before finally bursting out, ¡°Usually, in these kinds of stories, shouldn¡¯t there be a princess or something¡­¡±


    ¡°The princess ran away with the maid¡­¡±


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds, taking a gentle breath.


    ¡°Where did this picture book come from?¡±


    Alice pondered for a moment, lifting her finger toward Sherry, ¡°She has a lot of them in her room¡­¡±


    The next second, before Duncan could respond, Sherry sprang up and dashed toward the door, ¡°I saw an old bookstore going out of business, getting rid of books cheaply so I bought a bunch. Didn¡¯t you tell me to read more, starting with picture books? I didn¡¯t expect them all to be such weird stuff, no wonder the store couldn¡¯t keep going. It¡¯s really none of my business.¡±


    The girl ran across half the living room crying and howling, and Duncan hadn¡¯t even planned to lecture her before she reached the door, then, with a bang, flung it open and darted outside.


    The next second, a bang came from outside, followed by Sherry¡¯s exclamations, ¡°F**k, what the hell did I run into¡­¡±


    Almost everyone in the room was dumbfounded¨CAlice hadn¡¯t grasped what happened, Nina was startled by Sherry¡¯s close-range wailing, Fenna didn¡¯t expect Sherry to be so bold, and Morris¡­ this venerable old man was still deeply shocked by the story of ¡°the princess running away with the maid.¡±


    Only Duncan remained calmly seated on the sofa, neither chasing after Sherry nor curious about the commotion at the door.


    He simply turned his head toward the door.


    Footsteps sounded, and a young woman hesitantly entered.


    She wore a black clerical robe marked with the church¡¯s emblem, eyes covered with a thick layer of black cloth, her long hair cascading down her back. On the exposed skin of her arms and neck, one could still see scar-like wounds. These terrifying scars seemed rather like sacred stigmata bearing a holy aura.


    More importantly, she was holding the thrashing Sherry by the hand.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Agatha raised her head, nervously ¡°looking¡± toward the figures in the room, ¡°I meant to knock, but¡­ she suddenly ran out.¡±


    As she spoke, her gaze swept across the room.


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    In the faded-colored, grayscale-textured room, each figure with a strong presence registered in her ¡°vision¡±¨C


    She saw an old man with a dim outline, colors swirling around him, with matrix-like specks flashing within his body as if Rahm was casting his gaze from the mortal world;


    A tall figure stood beside the old man, its contours dark and chaotic, filled with foreboding shadows reminiscent of the Subspace, yet a pale green flame leapt among these shadows, stabilizing the figure;


    A bright arc of flame was near the window, seemingly lacking mystical powers yet radiating pure light and heat, staring at it felt like it could erode the soul;


    Another empty shell stood in the room, surrounded by countless faint lines, seemingly casting a curious glance in this direction. Under that gaze, Agatha even felt her soul might be captured and turned into one of those ¡°lines.¡±


    And among these figures, the most powerful one approached her.


    A dazzling starlight approached her.


    ¡°Welcome, I have been waiting for you for a long time.¡±


    The starlight said to her.

 Chapter 436 - Chapter 436 Chapter 437 A Field of Ruins

    Chapter 436: Chapter 437: A Field of Ruins Chapter 436: Chapter 437: A Field of Ruins The dazzling starlight spoke to me, approached me¨CIt had been sitting on the sofa before, yet as it took steps toward me, Agatha felt as if she were gazing upon a colossus defying description. For a brief moment, she even lost the ability to judge size or proportion, her scrambled senses unable to comprehend the dimensions of the room, and that giant formed by converging starlight¡­ nearly suffocated her soul.


    But it was just a fleeting illusion. In the next moment, Agatha snapped out of her stupor, realizing her sanity was not affected by any presence in the room. It was as though¡­ she had naturally assimilated into this place.


    ¡°I¡­¡± She steadied herself, looking at the giant constructed of starlight. She knew she had been persistently staring at the ¡°truth¡± of this indescribable Being, an act normally akin to suicide, but now that she confirmed she was truly unaffected, her courage swelled, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to actually still be here, I just came to try my luck¡­¡±


    ¡°Where do you think I would go? Strut out when everything here is in such disarray? Like those heroes in picture books who have fulfilled their quests?¡± Duncan laughed, sidestepping to signal Agatha to come inside while speaking, then he paused, casting a covert glance at Alice beside him, and added, ¡°I mean those picture books with proper content.¡±


    Agatha was a bit dazed, feeling she couldn¡¯t quite keep up with this great existence¡¯s thoughts, but swiftly, she convinced herself that ¡°it¡¯s normal for mortals not to grasp the thoughts of the ancient gods,¡± and stepped inside the house.


    Suddenly, Duncan stopped and glanced at what was in Agatha¡¯s hand.


    ¡°¡­Could you put Sherry down first?¡± he asked in a strangely awkward tone, ¡°And you, Sherry¨Chow come you seem to be enjoying this?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry!¡± Agatha came to her senses, hastily setting the frail girl she¡¯d been carrying on the floor, but as she did so, her expression abruptly changed.


    The situation had been chaotic at the entrance, and she hadn¡¯t focused on Sherry. Now, she suddenly noticed abnormalities on her¨Climbs mutated by Profound Demon Symbiosis, chains extending from within, hidden, and that Abyssal Hound sneaking a look at the outside from within the shadows.


    ¡°Profound¡­¡± Agatha started to speak instinctively as her muscles tensed in a flash.


    But before she could act, Duncan¡¯s voice rose from the side: ¡°Relax, it¡¯s just a harmless hound; I occasionally need such a hound to find things for me.¡±


    ¡°Harmless¡­hound?¡± Agatha spoke with an odd expression, her gaze sweeping the surroundings subconsciously.


    Those figures came into view once more¨Cthose who seemed like the chosen ones, seemingly blessed by Subspace, appearing to harbor the power of the sun, and souls so enigmatic they were unfathomable¡­


    Her eyes settled back on the girl called Sherry.


    The Abyssal Hound, realizing it had been spotted, crouched in the shadows, looking pitiful.


    Agatha fell silent.


    The ancient god and Its followers were gathered here¨Cindeed, any Profound Demon here could be considered as harmless as livestock.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sherry isn¡¯t a follower of the Death Church,¡± Duncan, seeing Agatha quiet down, patiently explained, ¡°Her acquaintance with that dog was due to other reasons, and now they both act on my orders, posing no threat to the City-State.¡±


    With that, he pointed to a chair not far away: ¡°Please, have a seat. You must have a lot to say.¡±


    Agatha slowly made her way over, while Duncan watched her movements¨Cshe found the chair precisely, but there was evident hesitation and fumbling as she sat down.


    ¡°You seem to still need some time to adjust to your current state,¡± Duncan said, ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    This mysterious being seemed forever congenial and tranquil. Agatha shifted uneasily, ¡°¡­I¡¯m indeed not quite used to the way I perceive the world now, though there¡¯s no need to worry about this body. In fact, the changes that have occurred to me have several benefits. I can now see many things I couldn¡¯t observe before. It¡¯s just¡­ a matter of adjustment.¡±


    ¡°I apologize,¡± Duncan said seriously, ¡°I didn¡¯t anticipate such a transformation¨Cactually, you didn¡¯t have to resort to such an extreme measure as Self-Sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°But it was the most efficient way,¡± Agatha shook her head gently, ¡°There¡¯s nothing more suitable than a gatekeeper to be a vessel for your mighty power.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything more and then his attention turned to the other¡¯s current, special attire.


    ¡°You look very different from when we last met,¡± he said casually, ¡°You now seem¡­ more like a priest than before.¡±


    ¡°I am temporarily taking on the duties of the Archbishop,¡± Agatha nodded lightly, ¡°Archbishop Ivan is no more, now that the battle in the city has ended. Rather than a fully armed gatekeeper, this place now needs someone to lead the church in comforting the souls of the deceased and the minds of the living.¡±


    ¡°Archbishop Ivan¡­¡± Duncan¡¯s tone was somewhat solemn; after a brief silence, he sighed softly, ¡°I never met him, but at that time, I sensed the protection that descended upon the City-State¡­ Although it was brief, his efforts truly weakened the link between the mirror and reality for a while. Without him, many more would have died.¡±


    ¡°May he find peace in the realm of Bartok,¡± Agatha said softly, ¡°He¡­ bore the burden for many years, and now he can finally rest for a long time.¡±


    ¡°He will¨Calthough I am not quite sure what Bartok¡¯s domain is really like, as a true god, I trust He will fairly treat those noble souls,¡± Duncan said, and then quickly changed the subject, ¡°Now, tell me about the situation within the City-State.¡±


    Agatha nodded slightly.


    She knew, as the gatekeeper of the Death Church and also one of the few left in the City-State capable of managing the situation, she should not casually reveal to anyone the current predicament of Frost, especially not establishing more communication with an entity of uncertain origin, suspected of being an ancient god. But after witnessing that towering figure outside the City-State¡¯s ocean, having carried out that ¡°Self-Sacrifice,¡± she knew that both Frost and she had inevitably established a difficult to sever connection with this mysterious being.


    If this entity still had an interest in continuing to watch over this battered City-State, then she couldn¡¯t avoid the matter any longer.


    If her choice for today was a sin, then let the church and the Lord judge her.


    ¡°The current situation in Frost is¡­ very bad,¡± she began, her voice low, ¡°As you are aware, we have just lost Archbishop Ivan. The clergy and guardians of the church have also suffered significant losses in defending the City-State. Now fear and tension pervade the city, not to mention the various negative effects brought about by the casualties¨Cif these are not handled promptly, secondary disasters are highly likely to arise. Creatures of dread might spring from the hearts of the people. With the church short-handed, ¡®fear¡¯ itself will spread like a rolling snowball throughout the City-State.¡±


    ¡°In fact, the sunset a few hours from now may mark the beginning of the test¨Cduring the previous mirror invasion, Frost has been deprived of sunlight for an extended period, which greatly weakened the City-State¡¯s defenses against transcendent powers. No one knows what might happen on the first night that follows.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, the situation at the town hall is actually worse than the church¡¯s¨Caside from the casualties faced by the City-State Guards and the sheriff¡¯s forces, the most serious issue is¡­¡±


    Agatha hesitated here, but after several seconds of internal struggle, she continued¨Cafter all, the disappearance of the Governor could not be hidden from anyone.


    ¡°The most serious issue is, the Governor has disappeared.¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°Disappeared?¡±


    ¡°He vanished in the Boiling Gold Mine Shaft, and I¡­¡± Agatha stumbled a bit, as if organizing her words, it took a few seconds before she continued with a complex expression, ¡°Another me, led a team to investigate the mine tunnel where the Governor vanished. According to the report from the exploration team who later returned to the cathedral, ¡®I¡¯ and Governor Winston had entered an abnormal area sealed off by stone walls and did not return¡­¡±


    Her tone was low and hesitant; it was clear that mentioning ¡°another herself¡± did not leave her as composed as she appeared.


    And Duncan could almost imagine the struggle, confusion, and contradiction that Agatha went through upon returning to the cathedral and learning about ¡°the other herself¡± and her actions over the past few days from other clergy.


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    He watched Agatha calmly, ¡°You can be more straightforward¨CFrost City-State¡¯s Governor is dead, you have concluded this, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Agatha finally stopped hesitating and spoke openly, ¡°Though there is no evidence, I indeed ¡®know¡¯ that he is dead, died in some strange and dark space, and probably we won¡¯t be able to retrieve even his body.¡±


    ¡°You ¡®know¡¯,¡± Duncan emphasized the word ¡°know,¡± then adjusted his position on the chair, ¡°It seems you will be going back to the Boiling Gold Mine Shaft after this.¡±


    ¡°That place¡­ is where ¡®she¡¯ last disappeared,¡± Agatha nodded lightly, ¡°At the time of her last disappearance, I felt something indescribable, as if I could sense her thoughts. I feel like¡­ she had a lot she wanted to tell me, but she ran out of time¡­¡±


    Agatha paused, then continued, ¡°And¡­ some of the members of the exploration team who returned from the mine mentioned some things to me, things the ¡®other me¡¯ had told them while leading the team to explore the mine. This matter makes me even more uneasy¡­¡±

 Chapter 437 - Chapter 437 Chapter 438 Getting Reacquainted

    Chapter 437: Chapter 438: Getting Reacquainted Chapter 437: Chapter 438: Getting Reacquainted Agatha didn¡¯t hold back any information in front of this benevolent being who had acted to save Frost from destruction. She laid out all the intelligence she had gathered thus far.


    Some of the intelligence was what she had observed and deduced during the Mirror Frost operation. The rest came from inquiring with various priests and her own trusted subordinates after she had returned to the cathedral¨Cevents that had transpired while she was trapped in that mirrored city.


    They were things ¡°another her¡± had experienced.


    The boiling gold mine upon which Frost depended hid a massive secret. The so-called boiling gold ore had been exhausted since the era of the Frost Queen. Successive governors might have been in possession of a tremendous secret. Governor Winston and ¡°another Agatha¡± had vanished deep within the mine, and before their disappearance, ¡°another Agatha¡± seemed to have uncovered some astonishing truth, a strong surge of her will that had even reached the true Agatha¡­


    Duncan listened silently, only occasionally asking to confirm some details until Agatha had explained everything, after which he let out a soft sigh.


    ¡°You¡¯ve told me the biggest secret of Frost¨Caren¡¯t you worried that I might harbor malicious intentions?¡±


    ¡°After seeing the methods you used to destroy the mirrored city, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in speculating on your intentions,¡± Agatha said frankly. ¡°If you really had malevolent designs on this city, then all of us would be dead before the sun set.¡±


    ¡°Do you City-State protectors always compliment people in such a unique way?¡± Duncan muttered, giving Fenna a covert glance.


    Fenna immediately averted her gaze, pretending not to have heard a thing.


    Morris, sitting across the table, couldn¡¯t help leaning forward¨Chis curiosity had clearly inflated dramatically after learning the shocking fact that the boiling gold vein had long since been depleted: ¡°What is the current situation in the boiling gold mine? Can the ore still be found? The stuff you¡¯ve been digging out all these years¡­ is it really boiling gold?¡±


    ¡°The mine is still sealed off. After the mirror invasion receded, there were loud noises and tremors from the shaft. For safety reasons and due to a lack of personnel, we have not yet checked what¡¯s inside,¡± Agatha informed him candidly. ¡°However, according to reports from the mine station and the smelting factory¡­ at least the boiling gold extracted from the mine has remained intact.¡±


    ¡°The mirrored city has been destroyed¡­ yet the boiling gold, theoretically an ¡®anomaly product,¡¯ hasn¡¯t disappeared? Now that¡¯s interesting¡­¡± Morris stroked his chin subconsciously. ¡°You see, all those counterfeit monsters in the city indeed turned into piles of muck as soon as the mirrored city collapsed¡­ So the boiling gold is all real? What¡¯s the principle behind it? Can the power of the Deep Sea Saint create real boiling gold?¡±


    ¡°Now is not the time for academic research,¡± Fenna couldn¡¯t help but interject, then turned to look at Agatha, ¡°So when do you plan to check the situation inside the mine?¡±


    Agatha hesitated for a moment, then said uncertainly, ¡°I think¡­ we need to at least wait until order in the city is somewhat restored, and the rumblings and noises from the shaft have ceased. And¡­ we must at least survive the first night after the disaster.¡±


    As she spoke, she looked up, glancing out the window instinctively.


    The snow was still falling; it was still daytime, but the sun behind the clouds was steadily sinking. That blurry orb of light was about to touch the point of the distant church spire.


    ¡°In two hours the sun will set, and that will be our first challenge after the disaster¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± Fenna suddenly raised her hand, cutting off Agatha¡¯s somewhat anxious sigh, ¡°I think¡­ you don¡¯t need to worry about the coming of nightfall. Compared to all the troubles you¡¯re facing, ¡®night¡¯ might become the least of your concerns for this City-State from now on.¡±


    Agatha was momentarily stunned. ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°¡­An experience,¡± Fenna said, then glanced back at Duncan. Upon seeing him nod slightly, she turned back to Agatha and continued, ¡°An experience from Plunder.¡±


    ¡°Plunder¡­¡± Agatha was a bit bemused for a moment, but then she suddenly recalled the intelligence she had received, recalling those messages from afar¨Cthe large-scale anomalies Plunder had faced, the crisis of the Black Sun, history resurrecting in flames, and¡­


    A ¡°rumor¡± that had spread from various channels in Plunder.


    The ghost captain who chills the soul, the moving natural disaster of the Endless Sea, the terrifying Subspace Shadow, Duncan Ebnomal¨Chad found his humanity again.


    The expression on the young gatekeeper and temporary acting Archbishop¡¯s face suddenly became rather splendid, and she rose from her chair with a ¡°creak.¡±


    All suspicious clues suddenly had explanations, all uneasy speculations were abruptly confirmed, and the loose and disordered intelligence threaded together.


    ¡°I admit, the current situation is a bit awkward,¡± Duncan shrugged, his tone somewhat helpless.


    Agatha remained rigidly standing, unmoving as she watched Duncan¨Cno one could see her ¡°gaze¡± at that moment, but the expressions of Miss Gatekeeper clearly went beyond mere awkwardness.


    After a long while, she finally broke the silence, ¡°No wonder¡­ your followers call you ¡®Captain¡¯¡­ I should have thought of it before, in the Endless Sea there¡¯s no other ¡®Captain¡¯ as unique as you¡­¡±


    ¡°I regret the incident with the Vesperlan Thirteen Islands,¡± Duncan said, ¡°I have no memory of it, but it seems the evidence is conclusive.¡±


    As he spoke, he tried to make his tone as friendly and trustworthy as possible, but given his own ominous ¡°reputation¡± and the methods he¡¯d just demonstrated in front of Frost City-State a few hours ago, this mild tone clearly had limited effect¨Cvisibly, Agatha¡¯s tension had not eased since earlier.


    After a long time, Agatha herself broke the stiff and awkward silence: ¡°I¡­ Alright, I¡¯ll be frank, ever since the day I was promoted to a Saint, the Church has been emphatically reminding us, if we find any clues of the ¡®Subspace Shadow¡¯ Captain Duncan, we must report immediately to the Supreme Death Sanctum¨Cpriority above all natural disasters, on par with a Subspace invasion. I wonder if you can understand what that means.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I understand,¡± Duncan didn¡¯t speak, but Fenna, who was beside him, took the initiative to say, quite casually conversing with the fellow in front of her, ¡°Actually, we also get reminded about this every year, and even have special disaster preparedness plans, although we never had to use them.¡±


    Duncan gave Fenna a strange look: ¡°You¡¯re talking about this in front of me?¡±


    Fenna suddenly realized it and hurriedly composed herself: ¡°Ah, sorry, Captain¡­¡±


    Agatha was a bit slower to catch on, or perhaps Duncan had impacted her too greatly, as it was only now that she suddenly turned her attention to the remarkably tall lady in front of her: ¡°Wait, so you are¡­¡±


    ¡°Plunder City-State Judge¡­ in a sense, we¡¯re colleagues,¡± Fenna said, her expression somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to hide it.¡±


    One after another, these information barrages bombarded Agatha¡¯s mind, and she found herself becoming dazed, realizing that the end of a disaster was indeed just the beginning¨Cthe aftermath of the disaster was pressing down on her from an angle she had never before imagined.


    She hesitated before sitting back down in her chair, then looked at Fenna with an incomprehensible expression: ¡°But why are you with Captain Duncan? You should be one of the Deep Sea Church¡¯s highest representatives in Plunder¡­ Doesn¡¯t Plunder need a Judge anymore?¡±


    ¡°This is exactly the Church¡¯s arrangement, the details of which I cannot explain for now, I can only say¡­ it¡¯s not something that can be disclosed publicly for the time being. Had your status not met the information clearance level, I wouldn¡¯t have told you,¡± Fenna said earnestly, then paused slightly, ¡°As for Plunder¡­ yes, just like you said, it doesn¡¯t need a Judge anymore, at least not the kind of Judge and guardianship system it had before.¡±


    Agatha couldn¡¯t help rubbing her forehead, while some pieces of intelligence that had recently come from afar and she hadn¡¯t yet had the chance to verify came to mind. She hesitated as she spoke, ¡°So¡­ just like the intelligence mentioned, Plunder really has tranquil nights now?¡±


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    Fenna seemed somewhat surprised: ¡°Has the news reached Frost already?¡±


    ¡°We are only remote, not isolated,¡± Agatha said, then couldn¡¯t help asking further, ¡°Please tell me, is Plunder really no longer afraid of the night?¡±


    ¡°¡­At least for now, the nights in Plunder are even safer than the daytime in many other city-states. My uncle is even considering opening a kind of nighttime market to accommodate the recent changes in the city-state, though this is still something that needs to be discussed and tested carefully,¡± Fenna nodded, ¡°Since you already know about this intelligence, I presume you¡¯ve also heard of the other matter¨Cthat after the Black Sun event, Plunder also acquired a new identity.¡±


    ¡°Anomaly-entity Plunder, the first ever without a number,¡± Agatha said subconsciously, her gaze inadvertently falling on Duncan. Now, she finally understood the deeper implications of Fenna¡¯s previous words, ¡°So¡­ Frost will undergo the same changes now?¡±


    Feeling that invisible yet palpable ¡°gaze,¡± Duncan merely smiled and nodded: ¡°Perhaps.¡±

 Chapter 438 - Chapter 438 Chapter 439 The Captains Suggestion

    Chapter 438: Chapter 439: The Captain¡¯s Suggestion Chapter 438: Chapter 439: The Captain¡¯s Suggestion Duncan shifted to a more comfortable position, leaning back on the sofa. Through the crisscrossed gaps in the bandages on his face, he looked at the priestess before him with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile.


    ¡°Now that you know my identity, what are your thoughts,¡± he said with a smile, ¡°from the perspective of the Death Church¨Cyou should immediately report this matter.¡±


    Agatha opened her mouth, struggling to find words, and after a full half-minute, she finally managed a rueful smile and spread her hands: ¡°You¡¯ve put me in a very awkward position¡­¡±


    ¡°But you really should report everything that has happened here to the church immediately,¡± Duncan¡¯s smile faded, and he finally became serious, ¡°Praland was the first, Frost the second¨Cthe heretics have indeed caused a lot of trouble over the years, but never has such trouble appeared so densely. And don¡¯t forget, aside from the two City-States that almost faced extinction, the sun above us¨Cthe phenomenon 001¨Chas also recently shown unsettling changes.¡±


    Agatha quickly recovered from her embarrassment, and as Duncan reminded her, her expression grew more somber: ¡°¡­Are you saying that all these events are connected?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¨Cdon¡¯t be so surprised, I¡¯m not some omniscient being,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°but I have a habit, when a series of low-probability events occur one after another, I tend to think they are the ¡®harbingers¡¯ of a larger system beginning to malfunction. Have you considered why the heretics in the two City-States have both been able to succeed recently? Of all the mass heretical sacrifices throughout history, how many have actually caused a stir?¡±


    Agatha fell into deep thought, her expression gradually turning grave.


    ¡°Report it all, everything,¡± Duncan said softly, ¡°don¡¯t miss any clues¨Clet the minds of the wise ponder it.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll report it truthfully,¡± Agatha nodded solemnly, and then emphasized as if looking directly at Duncan, ¡°Everything.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to the Death Church¡¯s reaction,¡± Duncan breathed out lightly, as if he was relieved of a burden, ¡°It¡¯s not good to keep dragging things on.¡±


    Afterward, the living room fell silent for a while, as if everyone (except Alice) was lost in their own thoughts. It was not known how long this lasted before Agatha suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence, ¡°I should go back now.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you stay a bit longer?¡± said Duncan, ¡°Under the current circumstances, you¡¯ll have countless issues to worry about once you leave. You won¡¯t get many chances to hide away and enjoy some peace here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I must go back quickly,¡± Agatha shook her head, ¡°The City-State is now riddled with countless problems that need to be solved, not just in the church but also in the city hall¨Cit¡¯s a mess. If I continue to hide away in quiet, no one will be there to take charge of the situation.¡±


    ¡°A mess, huh¡­¡± Duncan repeated thoughtfully, then suddenly asked a question, ¡°Do you think, relying on what¡¯s left of Frost¡¯s organizational strength and manpower, you can really restore order to the entire City-State in a short amount of time?¡±


    Agatha was taken aback, appearing not to understand the purpose of Duncan¡¯s sudden question, but after a brief silence, she still nodded: ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°¡®Do your best¡¯¨Cbut many times, doing one¡¯s best doesn¡¯t solve the problem.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I just had a very bold suggestion,¡± Duncan smiled, his gaze settling on Agatha, ¡°a suggestion from an outsider.¡±


    ¡­


    When Agatha left number 44 Oak Street, the Sky Light had already begun to dim, the strength of the sun was gradually retreating from the real world, and little snowflakes still fluttered about in the sky¨Cfine swirling snowflakes fell from the dark chaos, passing through the dim haloes cast by gas street lamps, slowly covering the deserted streets.


    The guardians¡¯ night patrol troops passed by at a distant intersection, and the clacking footsteps of the steam walkers occasionally broke the silence of the streets, while the chiming of the day-night bell floated from afar. The wind carried the sound of the organ from the street corner chapel.


    The scarred City-State licked its wounds in the night.


    The cold wind blew through the streets, tossing Agatha¡¯s hair and the hem of her dress as she stretched out her hand in the snowfall, tilting her head slightly, ¡°It¡¯s still snowing.¡±


    Fenna, who had seen her out, curiously shifted her gaze, ¡°You can¡¯t see the snowflakes?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t¨Cbut I can feel them,¡± Agatha said softly. ¡°There¡¯s a lot more in my field of vision now, but also much less. It¡¯ll take a long time to adapt.¡±


    She slowly drew her hand back, a smile suddenly spreading across her face, ¡°But the good news is, I can¡¯t feel the chill of the cold wind anymore because no matter how thick the clothes or how many fires I light, I find this world¡­ just as cold.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry, I can hardly imagine that feeling.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind it, actually, it¡¯s not much of a bother to me,¡± Agatha smiled and slowly clenched her fist. As strength gathered, a faint green flame began to emerge from the crisscrossed ¡°scars¡± covering her body, the flames flowed through her like blood, ¡°This way, it¡¯s a bit better.¡±


    Fenna was silent for a few seconds, ¡°If the captain knew you were using the flame he bestowed upon you for warmth, his expression would probably be priceless.¡±


    ¡°What kind of person is he?¡± Agatha put away her fiery power and suddenly asked with curiosity, ¡°Is he usually¡­ very strict or frightening?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? You have met him twice now.¡±


    ¡°I feel that all the information has discrepancies with the truth. He is far more peaceful and amiable than I imagined, but¡­ maybe I should refer to Him as ¡®It.¡¯ I wonder if I should even be measuring an existence like His by the standards of mortals. I know He was once human, but with Subspace¡­ you know what I mean.¡±


    Fenna thought for a few seconds, then gently shook her head, ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t been following him for long, and probably can¡¯t give you a definitive answer, but I can tell you that I had similar concerns as you¨Cand in the end, the Storm Cathedral made the decision to place me, a Judge, aboard the Homeloss. Just like Captain Duncan chose to believe that a ¡®counterfeit¡¯ can possess humanity, we believe¡­ or rather, wish to believe in Captain Duncan¡¯s humanity, after all¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped speaking, raised her head to gaze at the snowflakes fluttering in the sky, and after a moment, she said softly as if talking to herself, ¡°After all, this world is too cold. If even we no longer believe in hope, then over this Endless Sea there would truly be nothing but the biting cold.¡±


    Agatha did not speak for a moment.


    After a few seconds of silence, Fenna suddenly asked, ¡°What do you think of the captain¡¯s suggestion?¡±


    Agatha fell into contemplation, and after a while, she began with a complex expression, ¡°Letting the Mist Fleet into the city¡­ to be honest, I¡¯m not even sure if it would restore order to the City-State or bring even more chaos¨Cyou have been living in this city for some time now, you must be very clear about what the Mist Fleet means to most Frostfolk¡­¡±


    ¡°To most people from Sky Light City-State, the Homeloss is also terrifying¨Cbut trust me, after a terrifying disaster, people¡¯s ¡®tolerance¡¯ can really reach an exaggerated level. From a group perspective, the desire for a stable life will override many concerns.¡±


    ¡°The desire for a stable life¡­¡±


    Agatha murmured, feeling the cold of the snowy night through her lifeless shell, and for some reason, she thought of something else.


    Fifty years ago, when that uprising broke out, it seemed to be snowing as well.


    ¡°I will discuss this matter carefully with the city hall officials,¡± she seemed to make up her mind and turned to Fenna, ¡°and from a personal standpoint, I will support it.¡±


    ¡°We all hope for the best,¡± said Fenna.


    ¡°Yes, we all hope for the best.¡±


    Agatha repeated, then she waved her hand and began walking towards the steam carriage with the church emblem that was parked on the street corner.


    But she had only taken a few steps when she suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Is there something else?¡± asked Fenna curiously.


    ¡°Some¡­ personal questions, I hope they are not too offensive,¡± Agatha turned around, her expression somewhat odd, and asked hesitantly, ¡°Did you¡­ really once leap off a cliff and safely return after slaying offspring?¡±


    Fenna was stunned for a moment, her expression becoming strange, ¡°Why suddenly ask this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but the question just popped into my head,¡± Agatha seemed a bit embarrassed, ¡°I feel like I heard rumors about this at some point¡­ sorry, if this question makes you uncomfortable, I¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. That did happen,¡± Fenna relaxed and waved her hand with a smile, ¡°But the real situation is quite different from the rumors¨CI was actually just walking and accidentally slipped off the edge of a cliff. When I landed, I happened to crush a deep-sea pollutant that had washed ashore for some reason. It wasn¡¯t a true ¡®offspring,¡¯ and there was no real slaying involved. I have no idea why it got spun into such a tale.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s mouth dropped slightly open¨Calthough her eyes were covered, her expression still betrayed her ¡®slack-jawed¡¯ shock.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re okay?¡± inquired the gatekeeper miss instinctively.


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    ¡°Actually, it was quite a nasty fall,¡± Fenna admitted with an embarrassed grin, then she patted her chest, striking a robust pose, ¡°But luckily, I was an athlete, so after drinking hot water and lying down for two days I was fine.¡±


    Agatha: ¡°¡­?¡±


    The gatekeeper miss was profoundly shaken.


    Fenna looked puzzled, ¡°Why are you making that face?¡±


    ¡°¡­Your Sky Light athletes, they are¡­ formidable.¡±

 Chapter 439 - Chapter 439 Chapter 440 Sea Mist and Frost

    Chapter 439: Chapter 440 Sea Mist and Frost Chapter 439: Chapter 440 Sea Mist and Frost The night deepened, and the light snow that fluttered down showed no signs of stopping even as it continued into the late hours. Though not heavy, the snow still gently and silently covered the entire city¨Clike pale bandages wrapping around the many wounds the city had sustained from the disaster, concealing everything that had not yet had the chance to heal.


    Ruined buildings, bloodstains not yet cleared, decommissioned steam walkers, barricades awaiting dismantlement, and the dried ¡°mud¡± that clogged nearly every corner of the city, the cleanup of which was an unknown time away.


    The mirror invasion had receded, but this supernatural disaster¡¯s ¡°by-product¡± had been left behind in the city in the form of physical matter.


    The church had already taken over the city¡¯s operations after nightfall.


    Guards carrying lanterns were watchfully eyeing the streets under the cover of darkness, on alert for any sinister sounds that might emerge from the shadows not fully illuminated by the gas street lamps.


    The air was filled with the scent of incense burning, and the whispered prayers of the Night Watch Priests carried a reassuring power.


    ¡°It seems quite peaceful tonight¡­¡± A guard dressed in black stared at the dim spots on the street for a long time before suddenly muttering to a companion, ¡°I thought there¡¯d still be a harsh battle tonight.¡±


    ¡°Everyone thought so,¡± another female guard in black spoke softly, her lantern at her waist fixed with prayerful scripture ribbons sealed with fire lacquer, indicating her as the leader of their squad, ¡°After all, we¡¯ve just been through such a severe Transcendent disaster, and a large number of priests have been sacrificed¡­ Logically, the City-State¡¯s defenses should be at their lowest tonight.¡±


    ¡°It seems like there are no reports from other night watch squads¨Cthere hasn¡¯t been a single whistle all night.¡±


    ¡°¡­Anyway, stay alert. Until the sun rises, we can¡¯t let our guard down for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    The woman referred to as Captain nodded lightly and turned her attention to another squad busy nearby.


    A delicate brass incense burner was suspended by a fine chain, from which wafted ethereal smoke. A quiet monk used the incense to bless the streets, whispering prayers to the god of death, while several accompanying junior priests carefully scraped and collected black mud samples from nearby walls, lamp posts, and the ground.


    After drying, this ¡°mud¡± had completely lost its vitality and would no longer form into terrifying, misshapen figures. When the scraper broke its surface, the texture revealed was like some sort of semi-dry yet finely structured¡­ ¡°paint.¡±


    ¡°How much of this ¡®sludge¡¯ do you think there is in the city now?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but turn and mutter to a subordinate beside her.


    ¡°Who knows¨CThey say there¡¯s even less of it on the surface; the sewers and subway are where the real disaster areas are. Several sewage treatment plants are almost filled with this muck. The city hall is in total chaos, and no one knows how long it¡¯ll take to clean up.¡±


    ¡°Cleaning up the sludge¡­ at least that¡¯s the least of our worries now,¡± the female captain sighed, looking towards the end of the street, ¡°Now, Frost has to deal with more troubles than just this strange mud.¡±


    The black-clad guard beside her also instinctively looked up, following his captain¡¯s gaze.


    It was the port area at the edge of the City-State, brightly lit and vaguely noisy.


    ¡°Yes, not just mud¡­¡± the guard in black mumbled, his voice carrying a mixture of weirdness and tension, ¡°An entire Mist Fleet is still surrounding this city.¡±


    ¡­


    At the eastern port area, the lights were bright, and the noise of people was booming.


    As the only port that had continuously operated and withstood the monster invasion throughout the entire defense campaign, the East Port remained busy even after the fighting had ended.


    All dockyards and engineering equipment were in use, and all remaining workforces were working overtime. Several docks that had suffered minor damage during the day¡¯s battle were also temporarily repaired as quickly as possible, allowing the better-conditioned ships to dock for repairs.


    For many people in the city, the battle was over, and tonight was a time for them to rejuvenate and heal their wounds, but for the Frost Navy and the port logistics units, the battle persisted¨Cnumerous ships were severely damaged and in urgent need of repairs, many injured needed treatment, and more pressing than these issues, they had to face a situation that was even more tricky and complex:


    The Mist Fleet, their temporary allies for the day, their profound nightmare for the past fifty years.


    The largest and strongest ¡°Ghost Ship,¡± which had scared countless Frostfolk children over the last fifty years, was now stationary beside the biggest dock at East Port.


    Its towering bow rose against the night sky, the deck¡¯s cannons and bridge buildings casting ghostly shadows in the snowstorm. Light from the shore struck the armored belt, reflecting a skeletal, pale gleam. And on that steel behemoth¡¯s side, facing toward Frost, a wide banner fluttered in the wind, with text that looked hastily scrawled as if done in a rush¨C


    ¡°Sea Mist Venture Company, Temporary Visit Inspection Ship Stationed in Frost.¡±


    Even the weathered soldiers of Frost had never seen such a spectacle¨Canyone passing by the dock at this time would have to stare at those rough letters for a long while, fighting the urge to slap themselves a few times to stay sober.


    ¡°Captain,¡± First Mate Aiden walked across the deck and came to stand behind Tyrion, who was gazing down over the edge of the deck, ¡°the banner has been hung out, just like you said, trying to appear as friendly as possible.¡±


    Tyrion grunted in response, but then raised his hand and pointed to the soldiers and workers below on the dock who were occasionally pausing near Sea Mist, watching anxiously: ¡°But they seem pretty tense, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on; I guess these days Frostfolk are all a little jumpy,¡± Aiden scratched his bald head, ¡°Shall I go down and tell my men? To drive away those who are spectating nearby?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Tyrion pondered for a moment, shaking his head, ¡°Father¡¯s order was not to start any more conflicts with the City-State. In such a tense moment, let¡¯s not provoke these jumpy Frostfolk any further.¡±


    Aiden shrugged, ¡°Alright, if that¡¯s the old captain¡¯s command.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s everyone holding up?¡± Tyrion suddenly asked after a moment of silence, ¡°I mean, the sailors from the second phase.¡±


    ¡°Ah, returning to this familiar place after half a century,¡± Aiden sighed lightly, reflecting, ¡°It¡¯s not true if I say it¡¯s calm on board¨Cpretty much every cabin is discussing this docking, discussing engaging with the Frost Navy once again, even the first-phase sailors are affected and joining in their discussions.


    Some are expectant, some resistant, but most are just lost because no one had ever imagined what this day would be like before, but¡­ everyone will support your decision; they¡¯re waiting for your command.¡±


    Tyrion didn¡¯t speak for a moment, his mind seemingly replaying the scene he had witnessed on the bridge before.


    The Queen¡¯s second order after half a century¨C¡°Defend Frost.¡±


    Was that really true? Was that the power left by the Queen, or merely an illusion?


    It seemed to no longer matter.


    The Queen had once ordered the Mist Fleet to stay away from the main island of Frost, yet here he was, leading the fleet back to this place. Perhaps¡­ the Queen¡¯s orders back then were indeed for this very day.


    ¡°Anyway, since we are here,¡± Tyrion exhaled softly, his breath condensing into white mist in the cold night, ¡°the commander here wants to entertain his ¡®comrades-in-arms¡¯; that¡¯s good, I should indeed go and greet them.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to accompany you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, take a few more who understand formalities¨Cand make sure to tell them in advance, we aren¡¯t here to fight this time.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Aiden nodded and then couldn¡¯t help but ask one more question, ¡°Er, any specific requirements for the accompanying personnel?¡±


    Tyrion thought for a moment, ¡°¡­those with a relatively intact face, limbs attached to the torso, not dropping ¡®parts¡¯ as they walk¨Cuse your judgment, as long as their clothes cover most of the holes, that¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Captain.¡±


    ¡­


    Inside the harbor defense office, the Chief Defense Commander Lister was making final adjustments to his uniform and medals.


    He wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with grand ceremonies, but even as a trained professional soldier, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a twinge of unease about the ¡°event¡± he was about to face.


    It wasn¡¯t the size of the event but its unprecedented nature.


    He was to meet the leader of the Mist Fleet¨Cafter fifty years of standoff and hostility, the fleet that had ¡°defected¡± from the City-State had returned here.


    Many places within the City-State were still in chaos, the Governor¡¯s disappearance had left the town hall in disarray, but even in such a turbulent situation, he had arranged this special reception.


    Because he knew that Frost could no longer bear any further damage, no matter what the officials and counselors at the town hall thought, he needed to keep that formidable Ghost Ship Fleet steady¨Cif, just if, there was to be reconciliation with that ¡°great pirate,¡± now might be the only chance.


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    After fastening the last button, Lister let out a small sigh of relief.


    Then he lowered his head and picked up the new chest badge that represented the rank of general, calmly observing every detail on it.


    ¡°Promotion amidst crisis¡­ well, someone has to step up.¡±


    He raised his head, carefully attaching the badge to his uniform in front of the mirror.


    (It¡¯s time for a book recommendation~ Introducing a new fantasy novel ¡°Dao Ying¡± by Tai Yi Sheng Shui. The future we chase is but the shadow of the past under the stars. Yuan Fang Hai, a monk with a tragic death and no prospects, suddenly opens his eyes with the soul of two lifetimes¡­)

 Chapter 440 - Chapter 440 Chapter 441 Another Possibility

    Chapter 440: Chapter 441 Another Possibility Chapter 440: Chapter 441 Another Possibility Terrian walked into the meeting area.


    There was no light music symbolizing high society, nor was it in a fancy banquet hall. It was merely a reception room under the port authority, and the receiving personnel were representatives from the military¨Cseveral faces were vaguely familiar to him.


    He had dealt with them in recent years.


    Lister rose to greet the ¡°great pirate¡± who entered the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, our conditions are limited at this time,¡± the defense commander extended his hand, his tone apologetic, ¡°On such short notice, this is the best we can offer in terms of reception.¡±


    Terrian did not immediately respond to the handshake but instead lifted his head to look around¨Cseveral representatives dressed in Frost Navy uniforms stood behind Lister, their facial expressions quite natural, but the other attendants and servants were clearly not so relaxed. Some were secretly sizing up the few Undead who walked into the room; others were forcibly diverting their gaze elsewhere. But one thing was common: beneath their eyes lay undeniable tension and fatigue, impossible to conceal.


    Terrian smiled and shook hands with Lister.


    ¡°This is fine¨Cif you had really prepared a grand dinner for me at this time, even hiring some violinists to make a ruckus, then we would have no need for conversation.¡±


    Feeling the firm pressure from the ¡°Iron Marshal¡± before him, Lister¡¯s facial expression twitched slightly. He then withdrew his hand, his tone slightly awkward, ¡°You hold prejudices against us, but as you know¨Cour stances are different. However, as soldiers, today¡¯s Frost Navy is still as committed as your forces were in the past to staunchly defending our city-state.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know, and I¡¯ve witnessed it myself. Otherwise, I would not have accepted your invitation, General,¡± Terrian smiled, scanning the badge on Lister¡¯s chest. He paused briefly after saying ¡°General,¡± then shook his head and spoke while walking to the center of the room, ¡°Let¡¯s end the pleasantries here. We both know what time it is. We can talk about this city, about the future, or¨Cif you have the courage¨Cabout my father.¡±


    ¡°Your father¡­¡± Lister sat down on the sofa. Upon hearing the last sentence, his body stiffened. The next second, a scene unforgettable to all Frostfolk surfaced in his mind¨Cthe giant reflecting from the Endless Sea, eyes opening like two suns among the clouds, and the mirror image of a city-state being torn from the city and burnt to ashes in the giant¡¯s hands.


    A shiver deep from his soul surged, and Lister forcefully suppressed his flashback, his expression uneasy as he looked at the great pirate sitting opposite him.


    ¡°So, that really was your father, the entity that returned from the Subspace¡­¡± He hesitated before speaking, each word seeming to heighten his nervousness as if merely discussing it could draw an indescribable gaze upon him, ¡°He really intervened at the last moment¡­ but that posture has never been¡­¡±


    ¡°It will be recorded from now on,¡± Terrian shrugged, ¡°Congratulations, General Lister, Frost will be the first city-state to witness and record this event.¡±


    He paused, then asked thoughtfully, ¡°I¡¯m curious, what¡¯s the atmosphere in the city like now, especially among your people? How do they view this matter?¡±


    ¡°The city is still permeated with tension and fear. I must admit, it was a difficult night for everyone¨Cthe calamity ended, but in a way that most couldn¡¯t understand and found deeply unsettling. Many are guessing what the being that descended upon the sea was, but I think¡­ if they knew, the panic might be even worse,¡± Lister sighed, ¡°The city hall also took a while to sift through many documents and clues before daring to guess it was your father¨Cdon¡¯t blame our slowness. The impact of that scene made anyone hesitate for a long time.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Terrian sighed, his expression subtle, ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me about it either. I was as startled as you were at the time.¡±


    Lister looked at the great pirate before him, a strange feeling welling up inside¨Ca mixture of irrepressible curiosity and the instinctual nervousness one feels in the face of the unknown. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how this ¡°Son of Duncan¡± would communicate with his terrifying father and how they had decided to intervene in the matter of Frost. What did the shadow returned from the Subspace think of the mortal world now?


    ¡°I want to ask,¡± the newly promoted general couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Your father¡­ has he really regained his humanity, as the rumors say?¡±


    Terrian appeared surprised, ¡°What about him doesn¡¯t resemble a human?¡±


    Lister¡¯s mind immediately conjured the image of the giant standing in the sky, a city-state burning to ashes and ground to dust in the giant¡¯s hands. He opened his mouth, a slew of offensive words brewing, but he didn¡¯t dare utter a single one.


    After struggling for a while, the Frost general managed only a strained statement: ¡°I believe, he indeed has a human heart now¡­¡±


    Terrian laughed, ¡°I believe your words are sincere.¡±


    With that, the great pirate of the Chill Sea picked up the wine glass from the coffee table and solemnly raised it toward Lister, ¡°Let us toast to this mutual trust.¡±


    Lister: ¡°¡­¡±


    The Frost General raised his goblet, clinked glasses with Tyrion with a stiff smile, and after taking a sip, he set it down, ¡°Then, may I ask what you and your father plan to do next?¡±


    Tyrion appeared unusually calm, ¡°I do not know.¡±


    Lister¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°You do not know?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t told me yet,¡± Tyrion spread his hands, his eyes gleaming with an irrepressible mirth. He had been outwitting the Frost Navy for half a century, yet it was this evening¡¯s ¡°friendly conversation¡± that pleased him the most, ¡°I came here only because of my father¡¯s orders in the first place, and joined the battle just to protect the cities once shielded by Queen Lei Nora, but I¡¯ve never thought about the plans beyond this. It all depends on my father¡¯s mood.¡±


    Lister spoke without thinking, ¡°Then how can we get in touch with your father?¡±


    Tyrion lifted his gaze half-amusingly, ¡°¡­ You really want to contact him? Then let me tell you a ritual¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no need,¡± Lister immediately felt a tightness on his back and quickly waved his hand, ¡°It was just a casual mention.¡±


    ¡°When you speak of ¡®him,¡¯ it is best not to have such a casual habit, because you never know when ¡®he¡¯ might actually set his sights on you,¡± Tyrion said, his expression suddenly shifting subtly as if he recalled some unpleasant memory, shook his head, looked at Lister with a lighter tone, ¡°Relax, young man. I was just joking with you. You all are too tense. This is the first time the Mist Fleet has ¡®come home¡¯ in fifty years, shouldn¡¯t we have a more relaxed atmosphere, like a family reunion?¡±


    Young man¡­


    Lister¡¯s lips seemed to twitch, but he quickly concealed his embarrassment. Then, his expression turned serious, ¡°General Tyrion, then I will speak frankly¡­ Frost is currently in trouble.¡±


    ¡°I know, we just solved it,¡± Tyrion replied.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about that anomaly invasion¡­ that was not a trouble but a disaster. Now that the disaster has ended, the subsequent troubles are about to follow. Frost¡¯s order is faltering, and even if we survive this night, we still have to address problems like public safety, supplies, and maritime security¡­¡±


    ¡°How is that my concern?¡± Tyrian leaned back in the sofa, looking calmly into Lister¡¯s eyes, ¡°I am a rebel¨CI don¡¯t deal with these issues.¡±


    Lister was about to say more, but Tyrion¡¯s attitude struck him into silence.


    However, after a few awkward seconds, he quickly composed himself and seemed to be about to say something else.


    But a rhythmic knocking sound suddenly interrupted him.


    The drawing-room door opened, and in came a well-dressed gentleman with meticulously combed hair and gold-rimmed glasses.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s not too abrupt,¡± the man with the gold-rimmed glasses greeted the room¡¯s master and guest with a gentle smile, and walked straight to the conference table, ¡°May I join?¡±


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    ¡°Oh, the confidential secretary, sir,¡± Tyrion looked at the young man who entered the room, recognizing him, his face broke into a smile, ¡°I recognize your glasses¨Cand your hairstyle.¡±


    Lister then quickly turned to the confidential secretary and asked, ¡°Is there any news from the city hall?¡±


    The confidential secretary nodded, softly replying, ¡°It¡¯s from the city hall.¡±


    Tyrion intervened, ¡°Let me state upfront, I have no interest in your city hall resolutions¨Cwe are rebels after all¡­¡±


    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking, when the impeccably dressed confidential secretary suddenly turned his face, and while putting a document on the coffee table, looked into Tyrion¡¯s eyes, ¡°Then could there be another possibility?¡±


    He paused, pushed the document forward, and softly spoke¨C


    ¡°Governor Tyrion has arrived at his loyal Frost.¡±

 Chapter 441 - Chapter 441 Chapter 442 Documents

    Chapter 441: Chapter 442 Documents Chapter 441: Chapter 442 Documents Tirian raised his head, his one eye staring intently at the secretary for special tasks before him, his face full of an expression that read ¡°Are you f**king kidding me?¡±


    The biggest pirate of Chill Sea had only shown such an utterly shocked expression in the presence of his own father.


    He didn¡¯t touch the few pages of paper the other had pushed over. Instead, after collecting himself slightly, he turned to look at General Lister sitting opposite him.


    The look of astonishment in the eyes of the Frost General seemed no less than his own.


    ¡°It seems this really is an ¡®unexpected message¡¯,¡± Tirian let out a soft sigh, calmly saying, ¡°Even this ¡®General¡¯ before me was unaware of this arrangement.¡±


    ¡°Because this is not an ¡®arrangement¡¯¨Cit¡¯s merely a suggestion, and it¡¯s a new one at that,¡± said the secretary for special tasks, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses, his face serious as he spoke to Tirian, ¡°Currently, the situation in Frost is complex, and we do not have much time to discuss and properly carry out each and every task. Therefore, I took the liberty of bringing the ¡®suggestion¡¯ directly here, so under the witness of General Lister, we can discuss the feasibility of this matter together.¡±


    ¡°Feasibility? You actually believe this has feasibility?¡± Tirian almost laughed out loud, his look towards the secretary as if he was regarding a madman, ¡°Me, the leader of the Mist Fleet, the most vicious and evil pirate chief on the Chill Sea, nearly all the various horror stories used by Frostfolk to scare children in the past fifty years have been adapted from me¨Cnow you¡¯re telling me, you want me to become the Governor of this city¡­ Sir, we¡¯ve merely fought side by side for a bit, you must be misunderstanding our relationship, right?¡±


    ¡°Fought side by side and together faced a crisis that could have led to the City-State¡¯s destruction. Now many people know that it was the Mist Fleet that stepped up at the last moment, defending the city alongside the navy. And by this time tomorrow, this news will spread to every corner of Frost, City Hall will tell people¨CMist Fleet¡¯s departure half a century ago was only a divergence in paths, and the Steel Commodore who left in indignation had never completely abandoned the duty to protect the City-State.¡±


    The secretary paused here for a moment, and after confirming that Tirian had no intention of interrupting him, he continued, ¡°Everything can have a new explanation, every Transition can be given a fitting reason. You might think that this Reshape is unacceptable to the Frostfolk, but in reality¡­ the vast majority of ordinary people are not so capable of retaining their ¡®original intentions¡¯ when faced with constant and uniform propaganda; a stable life and tangible improvement of order will quickly override everything else. People¡¯s views can be ¡®customized¡¯, it just takes a little time.¡±


    Tirian listened patiently to all of this, calmly looking into the secretary¡¯s eyes, ¡°It seems you are quite skilled at this.¡±


    ¡°Every City-State is skilled¨Cat this, including Frost in the Queen¡¯s era,¡± the secretary replied expressionlessly, ¡°Crafting a set of views for the public that is adapted to the current social environment and can reduce the psychological burden for most is not a dirty deed. It is dirtier to spout beautiful words but be unable to maintain social order or ensure the safe life of most.¡±


    ¡°Captain Tirian, the duty of City Hall has never been justice¨Cits duty is to let as many people survive as possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­To let as many people survive as possible, she said the same thing once.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that sentence is still carved on the door of the domed office¨Cwe only overthrew the Queen, not the things that were correct in themselves.¡±


    Tirian was silent for a while, contemplating quietly, and after a while, he began to speak slowly: ¡°Why do you think I would be suitable for this position?¡±


    ¡°It was initially Miss Agatha¡¯s suggestion, but she only mentioned that you and your Mist Fleet might help the City-State to restore order¨Cthe further decision was the result of urgent discussions within City Hall,¡± the secretary explained, ¡°Personally, I am actually not sure whether you are the right person for the job. In fact, I even have my doubts. However, others believe¡­ before you were a ¡®pirate¡¯, first and foremost, you were a General of Frost City-State, and throughout the city¡¯s history, one-third of its rulers or Governors have come from a military background.¡±


    ¡°You are all over-simplifying things,¡± Tirian shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of whether the candidate is suitable or not, but a sum of various ¡®historical legacies.¡¯ Even if, as you say, people¡¯s views can be customized, you also said that takes time¨CFrost doesn¡¯t have that time. The city must restore order quickly, so you¡¯d better find someone else¡­¡±


    ¡°Captain Tirian,¡± the secretary suddenly interrupted him, ¡°Before outright rejecting the offer, take a look at what I have brought first. This might give you a new perspective on the ¡®feasibility¡¯ of the matter.¡±


    Tirian paused, then for the first time seriously examined the few documents that had been placed on the table earlier.


    The documents lacked ornate titles and fancy covers, just a simple folder that upon opening contained austere, fact-like written series of ¡°suggestions.¡±


    Tirian swept his gaze across the document twice, and his expression visibly changed.


    He flipped hastily to the end, snapped the document shut with a ¡°thwack¡±, and lifted his gaze to the confidential secretary before him.


    The latter, however, still maintained a calm demeanor, nodding gently even before Tirian could speak.


    ¡°First,¡± the Frost City-State¡¯s anomalous disaster was caused by the Cult of Oblivion¡¯s instigation, but its root lies in the unsafe mining operations deep beneath the city by the old municipal hall for the past several decades. The lack of sufficient safety measures in the darkness and the negligence or even concealment of abnormal warnings are the main reasons for the worsening situation.


    ¡°Second,¡± all previous Governors had knowledge of this matter and chose to conceal it for the sake of their interests.


    ¡°Third,¡± the Mist Fleet chose to leave Frost fifty years ago due to a divergence in their course, which is related to such ¡®unregulated mining¡¯ and different attitudes towards predictable anomalous disasters.


    ¡°Fourth,¡± successive Governors conducted planned and sustained smear campaigns and concealed the truth about the Mist Fleet. They covered up the real divergence between the two parties and directed public hatred towards General Tirian himself, thereby diverting attention from the mine issue.


    ¡°Fifth,¡± there is substantial suspicion that Governor Winston was colluding with the Cult of Oblivion. He had received information prior to the disaster but took no effective action. Instead, he chose to defect. He will become a public enemy of the city-state. We believe that he has become a member of the Cult of Oblivion and will be eternally pursued by Frost.


    ¡°Sixth,¡± the new Governor will reshape the order of the City-State. A mining investigation will commence immediately, and the reckoning of those responsible who are still alive will also begin without delay.¡±


    Tirian didn¡¯t speak; he simply sat there like an imposing statue of ice, fixing the secretary with a gaze so heavy it was nearly suffocating.


    Yet the secretary merely took a soft breath, then pulled another stack of documents from the briefcase he carried.


    This file was thicker, containing more content.


    ¡°This is the list,¡± he lifted his head to meet Tirian¡¯s heavy scrutiny, ¡°the first part includes evidence needed for the reckoning, including partial records of unregulated mining in the mines, evidence of cover-ups regarding abnormal alarms, and directives for the smear campaign against the Mist Fleet. Currently, only the index for this section exists, but within three days, all the evidence will be complete.


    ¡°The second part mainly consists of a list of those who can be captured and tried, along with their corresponding ¡®incriminating evidence¡¯. Rest assured, these are not innocents; they simply have different charges¨Cthough that doesn¡¯t matter anymore, as their real crimes are no longer significant. The city-state now needs them to be ¡®colluding with the Cult of Oblivion¡¯. These individuals can be considered ¡®criminal reserves¡¯ for the municipal hall.


    ¡°Finally, there are letters and parts of diaries that serve as evidence of Governor Winston¡¯s collusion with the Cult of Oblivion, some of which bear his signature.¡±


    Tirian did not look at the second stack of documents passed to him.


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    Cold mist slowly materialized around him, a thin layer of ice crystals gradually formed over the coffee table, and the breath of every breathing being in the room condensed into white fog.


    ¡°¡­Who prepared these things?¡±


    ¡°Successive Governors,¡± the secretary spoke calmly, ¡°Each administration prepares one, along with many ¡®alternative plans¡¯. They¡¯re not necessarily made for you, they could also be for other Successors, like the next ¡®rebellion¡¯. The last piece of information in front of you was left by Governor Winston. Coincidentally, he also listed the Mist Fleet as one of his ¡®alternative plans¡¯, which happens to coincide with the ¡®suggestions¡¯ brought by Lady Agatha.¡±


    Tirian slowly rested his hand on the document; fine ice crystals almost froze it into an ice sculpture. He lifted his head to stare into the secretary¡¯s eyes: ¡°So, this can now define Winston.¡±


    ¡°There is a saying in Frost, ¡®The dead must give way to the living,''¡± the secretary slowly said, ¡°General Tirian, you may not have been born and raised in Frostfolk, but you must understand this saying very well. If labeling Governor Winston and the previous municipal halls can quickly restore order to the City-State, then surely he and the other Governors would have no objections.¡±

 Chapter 442 - Chapter 442 Chapter 443 Origin

    Chapter 442: Chapter 443: Origin Chapter 442: Chapter 443: Origin The chill that had filled the room seemed to settle somewhat, and the living, who had been shivering from the cold, finally breathed a little easier.


    Yet Tyrion had still not responded to the series of ¡°suggestions¡± put forth by the confidential secretary. He was merely staring calmly at the items on the table as though centuries had passed.


    When the weight of the silence had almost crushed everyone, he finally lifted his head, ¡°This is indeed the wisdom of maintaining order, which must have been quite effective half a century ago.¡±


    ¡°You should know how dire the situation in Frost had become at that time,¡± the confidential secretary said with a gaze that did not shy away, ¡°Great people do many great things, but their mistakes can be as deadly as their accomplishments ¡ª for the sake of control, there are some things we simply must do. General Tyrion, I have studied history, in fact¡­ I have always personally considered Her Majesty Lei Nora to be a remarkable ruler, but this cannot hide the mess that followed the failure of the Abyss Plan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you studied history ¡ª and I have lived through history,¡± Tyrion said calmly, ¡°We both understand the situation back then, and so I am not being critical. To be fair, you at least kept Frost stable for another half-century after that.¡±


    The confidential secretary¡¯s Tense nerves finally seemed to relax a bit, and he leaned forward subconsciously, ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that you agree with¡­¡±


    But Tyrion didn¡¯t speak; he simply pressed his hand onto those documents and applied a slight force.


    The extreme cold permeated the paper, fine ice crystals rapidly formed and shattered, and with the sound of rustling, those records that could have left countless indelible marks in history disintegrated into scraps.


    The confidential secretary¡¯s eyes widened instantly, and General Lister, who had been mostly silent, couldn¡¯t help but exclaim softly, ¡°Are you doing¡­¡±


    ¡°I do not need these,¡± Tyrion lifted his head and looked at the Frostfolk opposite him, ¡°What I need are the true records ¡ª what exactly was the problem in that mine, how exactly did the Heretics infiltrate the City-State, who is accountable, who is not, and the true trajectory of Governor Winston¡¯s administration ¡ª give me the most authentic first-hand information without considering ¡®the rapid restoration of order¡¯.¡±


    He paused, then continued, ¡°This is essential for controlling the situation.¡±


    The confidential secretary was stunned for a moment, then quickly caught on, ¡°You are accepting Frost¡¯s ¡®invitation¡¯¡­ But with all due respect, you still need those documents that were on the table just now. You can certainly hold the real intelligence, but you also need to find a way to divert the attention of the citizens¨C¡±


    He hesitated for two seconds, as if making a decision, before continuing, ¡°To be honest, the situation in the city will be bad moving forward. A lot of the infrastructure may have to shut down for a while, plus the pollution caused by those ¡®muds¡¯, there will be a shortage of fuel supply, problems with food distribution, worsening public order, and the resulting public outrage, we must find a way to divert the public¡¯s attention, targeting the former government and the governor is the most effective method¡­¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s a fuel shortage, use the reserves, if that¡¯s not enough, I can find ways; if food distribution is chaotic, implement strict monitoring and punishment, including the Upper City District, enforce rationing throughout the city; if public order worsens, then impose martial law temporarily, people need a target for their anger ¡ª go genuinely capture the Heretics, the subversive elements, those who are truly responsible,¡± Tyrion said seriously, ¡°This series of measures will certainly be more difficult, but at least, it can practically solve the problem, and truly ¡®let more people survive¡¯.¡±


    The room fell silent for a moment, one could even hear the sound of people¡¯s breathing. The eternally elegant and proper confidential secretary seemed somewhat stiff for a moment. Faced with Tyrion¡¯s imposing speech, he seemed at a loss for how to respond.


    But Tyrion just smiled faintly and shook his head, ¡°I won¡¯t belittle your efforts and solutions ¡ª because within the scope of your abilities, there were no better alternatives available, you chose the most suitable method for the situation at that time, but circumstances are different now, and I do not wish to repeat those fifty years. Mr. Secretary, the Mist Fleet has its own way of doing things, so it might be worthwhile to set your expectations a bit higher.¡±


    The confidential secretary seemed to finally catch on, he blinked, adjusting his posture, and looked at Tyrion with a piercing gaze, ¡°Can you really do all the things you mentioned?¡±


    ¡°As long as the remaining power of the city hall can reach maximal cooperation, and for the rest¡­¡± Tyrion paused deliberately, then the corner of his mouth revealed a hint of a smile, ¡°Mr. Secretary, do you know who has the most order on the Endless Sea?¡±


    ¡°The most order?¡± The confidential secretary was puzzled for a moment, not quite catching on, ¡°The City-State navy? Or the long-distance trade fleets?¡±


    ¡°The sea pirates, the great pirates of the Chill Sea,¡± Tyrion smiled, ¡°The City-State navy always has its stable supply ports and safe harbors, the long-distance trade fleets always have church asylum and navy escorts, only the pirates ¡ª to fight against the Endless Sea, all we can rely on is strict discipline and order.¡±


    The confidential secretary was silent for a moment, seemingly unsure how to engage in this topic ¡ª it clearly went beyond his daily scope of work and expertise.


    Seeing this, Tyrion just smiled and reached out to pat the secretary¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Relax a bit, Mr. Secretary, compared to fifty years ago, the current situation in Frost isn¡¯t too bad. I still know many ¡®trade partners¡¯, and I believe if they knew the real situation here, many would be willing to offer help. At least in terms of worldly order, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. As for the part beyond ¡®worldly order¡¯¡­¡±


    Tyrion suddenly paused and looked out the window.


    The deep night shrouded the city, with the glow of the gas lights winding their way through the harbor district. The snow had stopped at some unknown time, the clouds dispersed, and the cold, pale luminescence of the Creation of the World was enveloping the world¨Cbeneath this clear light, the city was peaceful tonight.


    ¡°The part outside the secular order¡­ I think, my father will find a way.¡±


    The great pirate hesitated for a few seconds before finally speaking in a strange tone.


    Many people in the room visibly shuddered.


    ¡°Your father, He¡­¡± General Lister couldn¡¯t help but speak up, and even unconsciously used the word ¡°He,¡± ¡°Is He still watching over Frost? Where is He now?¡±


    Of course, He¡¯d be watching over Frost, and might even be standing at the second-floor window watching, residing at 44 Oak Street, renting a house from your Citizen Service Center¡­


    A string of answers flashed through Tyrion¡¯s mind, but after much hesitation, he dared not utter them.


    After all, it seemed the Frostfolk present didn¡¯t yet know that ¡°he¡± was currently in the city. If he disclosed it without his father¡¯s permission, he might well end up getting a thrashing¨Csoon to be Governor, he couldn¡¯t afford to lose face inside or out.


    ¡°He is still paying attention to this matter, but I can¡¯t reveal the specifics,¡± the pirate had to say vaguely after long hesitation, ¡°He¡¯s usually very busy, not just in contact with me.¡±


    General Lister paused, then hurriedly nodded, ¡°Ah¡­ I can understand.¡±


    How he understood was anyone¡¯s guess.


    Meanwhile, the privileged secretary couldn¡¯t help but ask a little curiously, ¡°Your father¡­ What does He usually do?¡±


    Tyrion suppressed the urge to roll his eyes¨Cwhere was he supposed to know that from? Ever since his father returned from Subspace, a shroud of mystery enveloped him. Who knew what his old man did on a daily basis? Surely he couldn¡¯t just be like a typical retiree, idling away time by fishing, walking the dog, or feeding pigeons¡­


    The privileged secretary noticed the subtle change in Tyrion¡¯s expression and realized that his question had overstepped, quickly composing himself: ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve spoken out of turn.¡±


    ¡°No matter, it¡¯s just not appropriate for common folk to discuss matters related to ¡®him¡¯ too much, let¡¯s just consider it for the sake of mental and physical health and drop the subject,¡± Tyrion waved his hand, swiftly transitioning the conversation.


    He then took a long breath, slowly rising from the sofa and walking over to the floor-to-ceiling windows.


    Outside the window, the lights remained, and at several junctions leading to the city district, the temporary barricades erected during the earlier battles were barely visible.


    By the time the sun rose tomorrow, those barricades would be dismantled, and then¡­ the rulers of this city would have to do their utmost to restore order here.


    The myriad lights of the far-off city streets caught Tyrion¡¯s eye.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this view in many years, not much change compared to back then.¡±


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    General Lister came over, standing behind Tyrion, ¡°But after today, there should be significant changes.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fifty years ago, the last of the king¡¯s loyalists left this City-State, the rebels established a new city hall, and I became a rebel. Fifty years later, I¡¯ve returned, and the city is still as I left it¡­¡± Tyrion gazed at the distant scenery, suddenly moved to speech, ¡°After all these twists and turns, everything seems to have come full circle¨CGeneral Lister, tell me, what was the meaning of these past fifty years?¡±


    Lister didn¡¯t speak for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.


    Yet, the privileged secretary came up beside them, raising a finger towards the window.


    ¡°General Tyrion, this is the meaning.¡±

 Chapter 443 - Chapter 443 Chapter 444 Fishing Petting Dogs Feeding Pigeons

    Chapter 443: Chapter 444: Fishing, Petting Dogs, Feeding Pigeons Chapter 443: Chapter 444: Fishing, Petting Dogs, Feeding Pigeons The morning light was a soft glimmer as the anomaly 001, locked within dual Rune Circles, gradually rose from the distant horizon. Amidst the spreading rosy glow, the massive sails of the Ghost Ship floated on the endless calm sea, its form slowly being coated in a layer of radiance in the early morning.


    In the far reaches of the sea where the horizon met the sky, through the subtle morning mist, one could vaguely make out the silhouette of the Frost City-State¨Cthe city¡¯s wounds and the sorrow and joy of countless people all blurred into a hazy mist at this distance, as if dissolving in the sunlight.


    Duncan sat quietly at the edge of the ship¡¯s bow, a fishing rod propped up beside him. He watched the fishing line reflect the sunlight against the morning sky, occasionally lifting his gaze to peer in the direction of the Frost City-State.


    At this hour, most parts of the city still lay in tranquility. He needn¡¯t spare too much thought for his avatar within the City-State and could finally indulge in the comfort aboard the ship.


    The pigeon Ai Yi paced back and forth on a large wooden barrel beside him. On the barrel¡¯s lid, a pile of french fries had been placed ¨C brought from the Frost City-State. Unlike the fries from Proland, the Frostfolk would add some special spices during frying to give them a salty fragrance. Ai Yi seemed quite satisfied with this, occasionally lifting its head to glance at its master fishing or to look out at the distant sea, spending the rest of the time pecking at its food supply greedily.


    Next to Duncan, on another somewhat shorter barrel, Sherry was furiously scribbling away, her expression as tormented as if facing an arduous foe in battle.


    The dog lay quietly by Sherry¡¯s side, holding a book titled ¡°Modern Geometry¡± between its paws, while the deck next to it was piled with draft papers marked with symbols and shapes.


    Feeling the tranquility of the moment, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but curl up the corners of his mouth, the gloom that had built up in his heart dissipating bit by bit.


    But evidently, not everyone on the scene was enjoying this ¡°tranquility.¡±


    ¡°Why does Nina get to sleep in the cabin while I have to wake up early and rush to do homework here¡­¡± Sherry couldn¡¯t help muttering bitterly, her expression so distressed that it seemed to drip with gloom, ¡°If I¡¯d known that I¡¯d only be doing homework back on the ship, I might as well have stayed in the city ¨C at least I could have gone shopping from time to time¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much to enjoy in Frost nowadays, and in the foreseeable future, life in that city isn¡¯t going to be comfortable,¡± Duncan remarked lightly, ¡°Also, stop complaining about the homework, it¡¯s your own fault the stray dogs ate it.¡±


    Sherry looked up, aggrieved, ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t Nina have to make up for it?¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows she must have finished it already. Morris will just test her with a comprehensive test to check her self-study progress,¡± Duncan glanced at Sherry, ¡°Nina is not like you; she doesn¡¯t need someone to spur her on.¡±


    Sherry shrank her neck, ¡°Then¡­ then is there a possibility that I might actually have already written¡­¡±


    Duncan, expressionless, asked, ¡°How do you spell the plural of ¡®pebble¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t memorized that yet¡­¡±


    ¡°That was on page two of your previous homework. You¡¯re telling me you haven¡¯t finished two pages?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression froze, and she fell silent. Then the girl heaved a long sigh and lowered her head to continue her deadly struggle with the spelling assignment.


    Duncan shook his head with a smile, then his gaze involuntarily fell on the dog beside him. The latter had now temporarily set the book aside and was using its paws to scribble auxiliary lines on the draft paper with a pencil.


    The scrutiny made the dog¡¯s soul tremble suddenly, its head involuntarily jerking, causing the auxiliary line to warp.


    ¡°Captain¡­ Captain?¡± The dog nervously raised its head, trying to avoid Duncan¡¯s gaze without actually turning its head, causing it to swing continuously.


    Duncan reached out to pat the dog¡¯s homely skeletal head, his expression somewhat ambiguous, and after a few seconds couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Isn¡¯t your study progress a bit too rapid? I feel like you¡¯ll be able to keep up with Morris¡¯s lessons soon.¡±


    ¡°Ah? I don¡¯t feel it,¡± the dog said, taken aback, the red light in its hollow eye sockets flickering as if a bit dazed, ¡°I just find this stuff pretty interesting¡­ Is there a problem with rapid progress?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, then shook his head with a smile, ¡°Never mind, no problem at all. It¡¯s always good to learn more¨Cthis way, averaging with Sherry, at least neither of you would be completely illiterate.¡±


    The dog uttered a confused ¡°Oh¡± while Duncan exhaled slowly, turning back to look at the still motionless fishing rod.


    Not a single fish had been caught that morning.


    ¡°The aftermath of the great battle has likely made fishing in the surrounding seas futile for the time being,¡± he sighed with regret as he slowly began to pack up his fishing gear. ¡°All that commotion has even driven the deep-sea offspring away from these parts, huh¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Sherry couldn¡¯t help but lift her head, ¡°Does that mean we¡¯re leaving this area? When will you bring Mr. Morris and Fenna over from the city?¡±


    Duncan ceased reeling in his fishing rod and turned to look at Sherry, ¡°Did I ever say that everything concerning the Frost had come to an absolute end?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Sherry was a bit confused, ¡°Hasn¡¯t it all been dealt with? And you even recommended Mr. Tyrion to City Hall. I thought you were leaving the rest for him to wrap up.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I plan to leave all the trouble within the city to him¨Cbut there are things even the Mist Fleet can¡¯t handle,¡± Duncan said casually as he continued packing, ¡°Those things, I must deal with personally. Until they¡¯re dealt with, the Homeloss had better not stray too far from here.¡±


    Sherry was still not catching on, ¡°Something the Mist Fleet can¡¯t handle? What could that be¡­¡±


    Duncan lowered his eyelids and glanced at her faintly, ¡°Where did the mirror frost come from?¡±


    Sherry thought for a moment and spoke with uncertainty, ¡°Is it¡­ something the Heretics summoned from the deep sea?¡±


    ¡°Close enough. Summoned from the deep sea¨Cthe mirror frost is a ¡®product,¡¯ something transformed into existence. Everything we destroyed in that process, including the sacrificial site deep within the mirror frost, was essentially just the ¡®summons¡¯ themselves. If there are summons, then there must be a source of the summons.¡±


    Sherry finally began to understand, and her eyes gradually filled with shock.


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ whatever¡¯s at the bottom of the sea is still there?!¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, everything near the surface, whether those fakes or the Frost City-State itself, is essentially just an extension and projection of power, like an infinitely expanding plant from below. In the recent brutal battle of the Frost, we merely eradicated the overgrown crown of that out-of-control plant. But its roots are still there,¡± Duncan spoke with a calm expression, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, it took several submersibles thrown into the sea by the Frost Queen herself just to barely make contact with the entity¡¯s true form¨Cthat power has an ¡®entity¡¯ in the deep sea.¡±


    Sherry couldn¡¯t sit still any longer; she nearly leaped to her feet, ¡°What? So we have to dive deep into the sea to fight that thing? Otherwise, won¡¯t it just create another mirror image soon?!¡±


    ¡°Soon? Not exactly,¡± Duncan laughed and shook his head, ¡°Things aren¡¯t as serious as you imagine. Even if the entity remains, it must have sustained heavy damage. I¡¯ve almost completely incinerated its extensions. What¡¯s left¡­ after the loss of the Heretics¡¯ ritual support, is likely in a state of dormancy or hibernation, and even if truly left alone, it might take another half-century before causing any more problems.¡±


    He suddenly stopped speaking and reached out into the air next to him.


    ¡°You agree, don¡¯t you, Agatha?¡±


    A tuft of ghostly green fire ignited at Duncan¡¯s fingertips and quickly jumped and expanded in the air, forming a vortex-like curtain. Within the blazing curtain stood a blind priestess in a black dress, with her eyes covered, standing in a prayer-like posture with her hands clasped before her chest.


    Sherry and Ah Gou stared blankly at the scene.


    ¡°Yes, this is precisely what we are concerned about,¡± Agatha lifted her head, her voice sounding magnetic and ethereal, ¡°Everyone aware of the true extent of the Abyssal Plan worries the same¨Cwe¡¯ve only destroyed the ¡®products¡¯ that appeared on the surface but lacked the strength to annihilate the ¡®entity¡¯ that may still be dormant deep within the sea.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t possibly leave it for another fifty years and then repeat the Frost defense battle when the next crisis arises,¡± Duncan said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind lending a hand each time, but wars always bring about many unnecessary casualties.¡±


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    ¡°Currently, the Frost likely lacks the resources to create another submersible like before,¡± Agatha said after a moment of silence, ¡°It¡¯s not just about the submersible itself, but also the other necessary equipment, data, personnel, resources¡­ All those are beyond what a recovering Frost can provide.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start preparing as soon as possible then, get your City Hall to think of something,¡± Duncan spoke indifferently, ¡°If all else fails, prepare an iron coffin that can be detonated in the deep sea, put a corpse inside, and I can use it as a medium to check the situation on the sea bottom. Although my temporary incarnation can only bear limited power, as long as I establish a stable channel, I should be able to spread the flames down to the sea floor.¡±


    (It¡¯s time to recommend a book¨C¡°The Barrier of Light,¡± by Pandas Wrestle. Here¡¯s the author¡¯s own endorsement:


    A Transcendent awakening, the edifice wavers.


    Flesh is frail¨Chow then to soar?


    The story begins with the reception of a ruler bearing the truth.)

 Chapter 444 - Chapter 444 Chapter 445 A Flash Passes By

    Chapter 444: Chapter 445 A Flash Passes By Chapter 444: Chapter 445 A Flash Passes By Listening to Duncan¡¯s instructions, Agatha immediately associated them with the ¡°corpse¡± that had once served as temporary material for a descent.


    She nodded slightly, without raising any objection, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll consider this method.¡±


    Duncan hmmed, then looked curiously at Agatha, who was appearing in the flame portal, observing the vague and blurred scenery behind her, and casually asked, ¡°How are things on your end now?¡±


    ¡°The cathedral has now returned to stability, and today we are in contact with churches throughout the City-State to confirm the available manpower and to tally the losses over the past period,¡± Agatha replied, her tone carrying a hint of relief, ¡°As you said last night, the City-State went through the night steadily, and not a single shadow grew in the darkness, not even in the psychiatric hospitals or graveyards, which were the most likely to have disturbances¨Cthis has eased my concerns¨Cif it can remain so, we¡¯ll have half as many issues to worry about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking about your condition,¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°Your body, won¡¯t it have any issues with such high-intensity work?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel tired¨Cperhaps becoming a corpse is actually a good thing for me now,¡± Agatha said calmly, ¡°A corpse doesn¡¯t tire and doesn¡¯t need rest in the conventional sense, as long as I can find peace in prayer and meditation, I won¡¯t have any issues.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be in the chapel of the church?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m in the cathedral¨Cthis is the room that originally belonged to Bishop Ivan, very tranquil,¡± Agatha turned her head back, glancing at the familiar yet special room, her tone tinged with sadness, ¡°Now, it¡¯s left to me.¡±


    Suddenly, Duncan felt a peculiar sensation, and after hesitating for several seconds, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You¡¯re contacting me like this from the cathedral, does Bartok not mind?¡±


    Agatha was immediately stunned, ¡°¡­¡±


    Sherry and Eli Dog were also stunned.


    ¡°How come you always manage to think from such an incredible perspective, Captain?¡± Sherry muttered under her breath, ¡°And that sounded strange¡­¡±


    Duncan glanced at the girl expressionlessly, ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt adults speaking, take the chance to stop writing¨Csince a while ago you haven¡¯t written even a single word, have you?¡±


    With a sigh, Sherry resumed her struggle with her homework, while the Agatha projected in the flames finally snapped to her senses, turning her head strangely to glance at the statue of the Death God not far away before turning back, ¡°I¡¯ve never really thought about it¡­¡±


    Then she hesitated for a moment, and with a reflective tone, asked, ¡°Fenna is with you often, have you asked her this question as well? What does she say?¡±


    Duncan considered for a moment, feeling it made sense, ¡°I haven¡¯t asked her yet, but I can find time to do so.¡±


    Agatha opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but ended up not saying a word.


    After a few seconds of awkward silence, she finally found another topic, ¡°Additionally, I¡¯m ready to go explore the Calling Mines.¡±


    ¡°The mines have calmed down?¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°I remember you saying it would take a few more days.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve largely settled down, to be honest¡­ There is still some risk in venturing deeper, but I won¡¯t wait any longer,¡± Agatha¡¯s expression turned serious, her resolve evident, ¡°I feel like something deep down is calling to me, this feeling has been growing stronger since this morning; if I wait any longer¡­ I fear I might miss something very important.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, and after a few seconds of silence, he suddenly spoke, ¡°Before you depart, meet me at 44 Oak Street.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re going with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about what¡¯s been left there, too.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I will come to see you before I leave.¡±


    Duncan nodded, waved his hand to dispel the flames in midair, then exhaled a breath, lowering his head to look at the empty fishing rod in his hand.


    ¡°¡­Never mind, the air force is also a part of fishing,¡± he muttered, then turned to look at Sherry and Eli Dog lying beside the barrel, ¡°I¡¯ll head back to my room now, Eli Dog, keep an eye on Sherry, make sure she at least finishes copying the vocabulary list up to the fifth page¨Cafter homework, she can play however she wants.¡±


    Eli Dog quickly stood up, eagerly nodding and wagging its bony tail until Duncan¡¯s figure disappeared at the stairway. Only then did the Abyssal Hound finally relax, returning to its original spot to lie down, but before settling, it looked up at Sherry, ¡°Stay focused, write, write.¡±


    ¡°Eli Dog, you really push too much?¡± Sherry¡¯s shoulders slumped, ¡°My hand is sore¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even have fingers, and I can write a diary¨Cwhile you have two hands and ten fingers,¡± Eli Dog shook its head, laying down again while muttering, ¡°Read more books, recognize more words, Sherry, don¡¯t be impatient, the Captain really cares for you, you¡¯ve always wanted to have a life like other kids, haven¡¯t you? I can¡¯t give that to you, but the Captain wants to¨Cwith his kind of being, there are so many ways to bestow favors, yet he chooses to care for you and Nina like a human would, you know how much¡­¡±


    Sherry hurriedly waved her hands pleading for mercy, ¡°Hey, stop, stop, I get it, I get it, I¡¯m not stupid¨Cwhy are you nagging like an old woman, Ai Dog¡­¡±


    Ai Dog grunted a couple more times but didn¡¯t go on lecturing Sherry. Instead, it lowered its head and continued to enthusiastically study the geometric material before it.


    On the pages of the book, texts and symbols outlined the knowledge and experience of predecessors, while lines and formulas explained the workings of the world. With eyes filled with a bloody red glow, Ai Dog attentively read these chapters brimming with the wisdom of civilization. In its Profound Demon brain, geometric shapes and mathematical formulas took shape, guided by the content of the material.


    There was also a source of red light flickering and a series of matrix-like arranged twinkling dots that flashed by among those geometric images and formulas.


    The next second, as if sensing something, Sherry abruptly looked up in Ai Dog¡¯s direction. The latter almost instantly snapped out of a particular state, the entire dog leaping up several meters high: ¡°Holy shit!!¡±


    Sherry was yanked into the air by the chain, before falling with a thud onto the deck. Scrambling to her feet, she immediately lunged forward, hugging Ai Dog¡¯s head and shaking it vigorously, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?! And what was that just now? I felt like your vibe changed completely?!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Ai Dog¡¯s head creaked as Sherry shook it, struggling to free itself, while still clearly bewildered, ¡°Just now, it seemed like I saw something flash before my eyes, couldn¡¯t even get a clear look at what it was¡­ but it¡¯s all fine now.¡±


    Ai Yi, who was pecking at some fries, suddenly cocked its head curiously at Ai Dog, ¡°Remote server not responding, please check your network connection?¡±


    Ai Dog didn¡¯t immediately catch on and responded instinctively, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Ai Yi merely flapped its wings, as if nothing had happened, and walked away, muttering to itself, ¡°Recharge for Q coins? Big monthly pass? Fast Track Pass?¡±


    ¡°Ignore it, that bird¡¯s brain is more muddled than Alice¡¯s,¡± Sherry waved her hand, turning Ai Dog¡¯s head towards herself, a look of concern evident on her face, ¡°You okay? Burned out your brain doing math all day?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a Profound Demon burning out their brain¡­¡± Ai Dog began to doubt itself, ¡°I don¡¯t even know if I have that organ.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you haven¡¯t heard of it, you¡¯re the only Profound Demon in the world who uses its brain. Your kin folks wouldn¡¯t have the chance to burn out their brains if they had any¡­ Hey, don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll check on you.¡±


    Sherry muttered as she hurriedly checked Ai Dog from head to toe, and then through the Symbiotic Chains, she closely sensed any spiritual changes between them. In the end, she still found nothing wrong.


    Everything was normal.


    ¡°See, I told you it¡¯s nothing,¡± Ai Dog said with a sigh of relief, ¡°Maybe something was attracted while I was reading, and when it was about to emerge, it discovered a ¡®colleague¡¯ and went back¡­¡±


    While murmuring, it laid down and began fiddling with the scratch paper in front of it.


    Sherry suddenly became anxious, ¡°Hey, you still plan on reading?¡±


    Busily drawing auxiliary lines on the paper, Ai Dog casually remarked, ¡°I¡¯m just one big question away, the last step, I just had an idea.¡±


    Sherry: ¡°¡­¡±


    She watched Ai Dog with great apprehension as it worked through the calculations, ready to pull on the chain around her arm if something went wrong, but nothing happened even as Ai Dog finished that baffling big question.


    Ai Dog tossed the pen onto the deck and looked up at Sherry.


    ¡°You see, I said there¡¯s no problem¨C¡± A hint of reassurance was in its tone, but quickly, its gaze turned to a wooden barrel next to it.


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    ¡°Sherry, you haven¡¯t finished your homework.¡±


    ¡°Ah¨C¡±


    Listening to the girl¡¯s elongated cry of misery, Ai Dog only shook its head and then looked down at the book it had been reading.


    It seemed¡­ indeed nothing was wrong.


    But it was certain; it had definitely seen something¨Cnot a ¡°kin¡± attracted by the book, but something else, something more mysterious and bizarre.


    What exactly had it seen?

 Chapter 445 - Chapter 445 Chapter 446 The Biological Father Is a Fun Person

    Chapter 445: Chapter 446: The Biological Father Is a Fun Person Chapter 445: Chapter 446: The Biological Father Is a Fun Person Duncan, who was just walking into the captain¡¯s quarters, suddenly stopped and turned his head to glance behind him.


    There seemed to be some slight disturbance in the direction of the ship¡¯s bow deck. In the subtle perceptions conveyed by the Homeloss, that disturbance was caused by Sherry and A-Dog.


    But there were no problems there.


    ¡°Doing homework is such a chore,¡± Duncan muttered to himself as he shook his head and stepped towards the sea chart.


    The goat-headed navigator by the navigation table instantly made a creaking wooden friction noise as it turned its head toward Duncan. Its two pitch-black obsidian eyes seemed to brighten up, ¡°Ah! The great Captain Duncan has come to the side of his loyal first mate¨CYour catch of the day¡­¡±


    ¡°No fish today,¡± Duncan glanced at the goat head, ¡°With all that commotion in Frost earlier, I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be any fish to catch around here for a while.¡±


    The compliments that the goat head had been brewing were immediately stifled back, and its wooden neck creaked from side to side a couple of times before it managed to choke out, ¡°Ah¡­ at least you¡¯ve gained a leisurely morning. The sea breeze is comfortable today, and the sunlight is nice. It¡¯s a good day to wander the seas. If you¡¯re interested, we could go near Cold Harbor¡­¡±


    ¡°Not interested. I don¡¯t plan to let the Homeloss get near any city-state for now,¡± Duncan interrupted the goat head, which was about to start babbling, while his gaze casually fell on the sea chart before him.


    Murky fog slowly undulated over the chart, within which a distinct sailing route was marked¨Cthe course that the Homeloss had taken heading north. Around the symbolic ship¡¯s ghostly silhouette were signs representing Frost and the Sea Mist, which emitted a faint green glow.


    The latter was currently docked at the edge of the Frost City-State.


    ¡°The Sea Mist seems pretty quiet over there¡­¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes landed on the shade that marked the Sea Mist, and his lips suddenly curled into a slight smile, as if thinking of something pleasant, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going well.¡±


    ¡°Going well? Ah, Captain, do you have yet another grand strategy forming?¡± The goat head immediately perked up, craning its neck toward the sea chart while chattering, ¡°Do you have plans? Are you going to subvert the city-state that¡¯s weak in the aftermath? Or will you take the chance to completely reclaim the Sea Mist that deserted the fleet? It¡¯s just like you, planning more than just¡­¡±


    Duncan silently gave the goat head a look, ¡°Is your head only filled with ideas of pillaging, scheming, and subverting? Can¡¯t there be some positive outcomes?¡±


    The goat head thought for a moment, then changed its approach, ¡°Are you going to personally help Frost re-establish order to overcome this predicament? Or maybe guide Tirian to shed his dishonorable reputation as a renegade and lead him back to the correct and grand path?¡±


    Duncan suddenly gave it a strange look, ¡°How did you come up with that?¡±


    ¡°Captain, perhaps you haven¡¯t noticed, but I do possess some power of observation, and having been with you this long, I¡¯ve come to understand you more,¡± The goat head slowly turned its neck, its pitch-black eyeballs devoid of any emotion, yet its tone clearly carried a hint of pride and relaxation, ¡°You won¡¯t ignore Frost in its current state¨Cunlike Prandt, Frost has suffered more severe damage in this disaster. If truly left unattended, great troubles will arise, and you¡­¡±


    It suddenly stopped mid-sentence, seemingly searching for the right words, and after a brief pause, it continued calmly, ¡°And you, are full of humanity.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment, quietly staring into the goat head¡¯s eyes that seemed capable of swallowing light. After a long while, he softly broke the silence, ¡°A very sharp power of observation.¡±


    The goat head hesitated slightly, then suddenly let out a crack from its neck, ¡°This, this¡­ this sounds like something you¡¯d say before a murder¡­¡±


    Duncan, however, laughed, shaking his head gently, ¡°See, you still don¡¯t know me well enough¨CI don¡¯t mind those with sharp observational skills; it saves me a lot of trouble.¡±


    Having said that, he waved his hand, not bothering to see how the goat head reacted, and stood up to look toward an antique, circular mirror not far away.


    Gentle flames rose in his gaze, turning the mirror surface deep and dark. In the spreading calm radiance, the image of Tirian, rushing hurriedly, gradually became clear.


    ¡°Good morning, Tirian. I hope I haven¡¯t disturbed your rest,¡± Duncan said evenly, watching the ¡°great pirate¡± in the mirror, who was clearly running over, with a hint of a smile, ¡°How was your sleep last night?¡±


    Tirian in the mirror was visibly nervous. He took several deep breaths to calm himself, forcing a stiff smile, ¡°Father¡­ good morning. I was just about to look for you¨COh, my rest wasn¡¯t bad last night, thank you for asking.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too formal with me; you don¡¯t have to be so tense,¡± Duncan adjusted his sitting posture, looking at Tirian¡¯s reflection with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, ¡°What, did my demeanor before scare you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ not at all!¡± Tirian quickly sat up straight, like a student unexpectedly called upon in class, ¡°I¡¯ve just grown to respect you more¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. I hope you can relax a bit¨Cno stance of mine should make you that nervous,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°You said you were looking for me? Is there something you need to discuss?¡±


    Tirian hesitated, as if organizing his thoughts and weighing how to start speaking. After a moment, he spoke tentatively, ¡°It¡¯s about Frost. I don¡¯t know how to explain, but they seem to want¡­¡±


    The great pirate stumbled a bit, as if unsure whether certain things should be voiced, but then, Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly interrupted him, ¡°Let me guess what your next role will be¨CA general of the Frost City-State? A senior official in the city hall? Or perhaps¡­ they¡¯ve gone ahead and made you the Governor already?¡±


    Tirian, who had been struggling with his wording, was taken aback and looked up in surprise.


    ¡°`


    ¡°How could you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, because I suggested it¨Cthe Mist Fleet¡¯s entry into the city,¡± Duncan said with a composed face, ¡°otherwise, do you think there is another factor that could have spurred the chaotic city hall into action so swiftly and unified their opinion?¨CYou¡¯re familiar with their procedural operations.¡±


    Tirian¡¯s expression visibly grew more colorful, with something akin to the emotions of ¡°I¡¯ve agonized all night considering life and the future only to be shocked to discover my own father is a pleasure seeker¡± brewing in his eyes, but he looked at the mirror in front of him, opening his mouth several times without daring to voice the slightly disrespectful thoughts in his mind, he only gazed at Duncan with a conflicted and perplexed look: ¡°Why would you do this¡­¡±


    ¡°Very simple, because Frost needs you, and you need Frost,¡± Duncan retracted the pleasure seeker¡¯s hint of a smile from the corner of his mouth and looked at Tirian with a serious expression, ¡°Internally, the city¡¯s chaotic situation needs a force strong enough to pacify and appease, externally, the Frost Navy has been severely damaged, and the entire City-State urgently needs strong protection, so who else has both powerful management and a mighty fleet?¡±


    Duncan slightly adjusted his position, leaning forward, looking into Tirian¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It seems you have accepted their invitation, just as I said, Frost needs you¨Cand you need it.¡±


    Tirian¡¯s eyes showed a hint of evasiveness: ¡°Fifty years, I¡¯ve been a pirate long enough, changing my lifestyle doesn¡¯t seem too bad.¡±


    ¡°Tell the truth.¡±


    ¡°¡­After all, you personally intervened to protect that place, I don¡¯t want to see your efforts go to waste¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell the truth.¡±


    ¡°I admire the stubborn spirit displayed by the Frostfolk¨Cfaced with disaster, they didn¡¯t shrink back, even when you hadn¡¯t stepped in to help, they didn¡¯t surrender. I admit, I don¡¯t want to see these people suffer in the days to come.¡±


    Duncan said nothing, just quietly watched Tirian.


    Tirian shrugged: ¡°On the other hand, I also don¡¯t want to see the place once protected by Her Majesty Lei Nora fall into a protracted and debilitating dark age.¡±


    Duncan still said nothing.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Tirian finally sighed, looking helpless, ¡°That¡¯s all of it.¡±


    ¡°Good, be an honest man, especially in front of me,¡± Duncan withdrew his gaze, relaxing his posture again, ¡°So, what is your new title now?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve appointed me as Governor,¡± Tirian said with a complex expression tugging at the corner of his mouth, ¡°They even¡­ brought out a whole stack of contingency plans that had been prepared long ago.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak momentarily as if lost in brief reflection; after a few seconds, he finally exhaled softly: ¡°A bit bolder than what I had anticipated.¡±


    Tirian hesitated, his eyes carrying a hint of inquiry: ¡°Do you have any advice for me?¡±


    ¡°Why would you want my advice?¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°You¡¯ve followed the Frost Queen and commanded the Mist Fleet for fifty years, dealing with every City-State across the Chill Sea, I don¡¯t think I have any advice to offer you regarding ¡®becoming Governor.''¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to hear your thoughts.¡±


    After pondering, Duncan broke the silence with a soft voice: ¡°Then do it well, do your best¨Cin this cold world, there are very few things people can rely on.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    ¡°Mmm,¡± Duncan hummed in response, then suddenly turned his head to glance at the nautical chart beside him, ¡°Besides, there¡¯s one more thing.¡±


    Instantly, Tirian¡¯s expression stiffened: ¡°Please instruct me.¡±


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    Duncan¡¯s gaze fell on the chart, where the phantom image of the White Oak was rapidly emerging almost overlapping with the Sea Mist¡¯s position.


    He turned back to Tirian with a smile: ¡°Hold on tight in a moment.¡±


    Tirian was startled: ¡°What?¡±


    Duncan waved his hand, casually dissipating the flames in the mirror, and in that moment the flames vanished, a faint cry of surprise came from the opposite side of the mirror¨C


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s happening?!!¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 446 - Chapter 446 Chapter 447 New Members of the Exiled Fleet

    Chapter 446: Chapter 447 New Members of the Exiled Fleet Chapter 446: Chapter 447 New Members of the Exiled Fleet A high-speed exploration ship with a pristine white hull abruptly surfaced from the ocean¨Cits side barely grazing the stern of the Sea Mist, while the violent swirls of seawater caused both ships to shake violently.


    Even the Undead sailors cried out in alarm under these circumstances.


    Tirian rushed onto the deck, and at first glance saw his subordinates running toward the stern, with Aiden¡¯s bald head especially conspicuous among them. At the end of the deck was the intrusive vessel almost clinging to the Sea Mist.


    ¡°What in the world is going on?¡±


    Tirian dashed to Aiden¡¯s side, grabbed the latter¡¯s shoulder, and asked loudly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¨Cit¡¯s a ship that suddenly appeared. I almost instinctively ordered to fire,¡± Aiden explained quickly, ¡°Everyone¡¯s still tense, overly sensitive to ¡®things surfacing from the sea,¡¯ when that thing just appeared¡­¡±


    Tirian let go of his first officer and sprinted toward the stern, and by the time he arrived, dozens of crew members had already gathered. The high-strung sailors brandished their rifles and cannons at the opposite ship, and several sailors had already taken positions near the close-defense guns at the stern. The atmosphere was so tense it seemed sparks could fly from the air.


    Tirian then looked over the railing on the other side and saw a large group of sailors running out on the nearby ship. Their outfits indicated they were just ordinary seamen from a civilian vessel; someone was waving a flag at the stern¡¯s high platform, looking just as panicked as those on the Sea Mist.


    Tirian furrowed his brows and was just about to discern the identity of the other ship, when a piercing noise of a horn starting up reached his ears, followed by a robust voice coming from the loudspeaker:


    ¡°Deeply sorry, this is the White Oak from the Exiled Fleet. It¡¯s our first time performing a Spirit Realm surfacing maneuver, and due to a mishandling, we nearly collided with your ship¡­ Repeat, this is the White Oak, part of the Exiled Fleet¡­¡±


    Listening to the broadcast, Tirian¡¯s expression instantly stiffened, and Aiden, who had just run up, nearly slipped as if beads of bright sweat were seeping from his bald head. His voice slightly off-key, he asked, ¡°Captain, what¡­ what did they say they are?¡±


    Tirian remained silent, the first thing that came to mind was the last conversation with his father before communication broke off, and the odd smile that lingered as the mirror image vanished.


    His facial expressions subtly morphed a couple of times, then he caught something out of the corner of his eye and went to the edge of the deck to look down.


    The reflection of the ¡°White Oak¡± in the water mirrored back, but that reflection showed a Ghost Ship enveloped in shadows and dense smoke.


    He finally remembered where he had seen this oddly familiar ship before.


    It was the ship that had swept through the battlefield like the wind during that previous battle in the fog, its origins unclear to anyone¨Cnow they met again.


    The sailors on the ship also began to notice the peculiar reflection in the water of the unfamiliar vessel, and Aiden, recollecting its origin, looked up uncertainly at Tirian, ¡°Captain, they are the old captain¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Father always had his plans,¡± Tirian¡¯s eyes twitched noticeably, but he attempted to keep his expression more composed as he spoke, ¡°To be honest, I never thought I¡¯d see someone so openly claiming to be a member of the Exiled Fleet on the radio in this era¡­ Where did Father find these fellows?¡±


    ¡°Maybe they know the origins of the Sea Mist?¡± Aiden suggested uncertainly. ¡°What should we do? Greet them? Invite them aboard? We have to figure out what they want¡­¡±


    Tirian suddenly felt a pang in his teeth.


    ¡°Make an open radio call, ask them to send a representative over, and also, tell them to stop announcing themselves as part of the Exiled Fleet over the broadcast. There¡¯s more than just our ship in the port area,¡± said the soon-to-be Governor of the City-State, a ¡°great pirate¡± reluctantly adding, ¡°Also, inform the port that they don¡¯t need to worry¨C they must have seen the White Oak suddenly emerge from the sea.¡±


    At this critical moment, the sudden appearance from the sea was truly frightening.


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Aiden took the command and left.


    After a while, Sea Mist finally established normal communication with the peculiar ¡°White Oak,¡± and after a brief exchange and clarification, the other side agreed to send a representative for talks.


    Not long after, Tirian saw the representative sent from the other side¨Ca tall, slim middle-aged man with curly light brown hair, appearing smart and capable, accompanied by a young priest, boarding the Sea Mist.


    ¡°Hello, Captain Tirian¨Cit¡¯s an honor to meet you,¡± the middle-aged man stepped onto the deck, his face bearing a brilliant and friendly smile as he reached out his hand, ¡°I¡¯m Gus, the first officer of White Oak, and this is Priest Jansen here with us.¡±


    Tirian was a bit confused, because he never expected that someone from that mysterious, dual-natured ¡°phantom ship¡± capable of traveling through mirrors and anomalies like the Spirit Realm, would turn out to be such a person.


    With a radiant smile, a corporeal body, warm and enthusiastic, in full health and normalcy.


    Neither mad nor wild, with all limbs intact, showing no signs of mental or physical aberrations¨Cwas this the new member of the Exiled Fleet? The one watched over by his father?


    Despite the numerous doubts surging through his mind, Tirian still instinctively reached out and shook hands with First Officer Gus.


    ¡°Tirian Abnormal, captain of the Sea Mist, needs no further introduction,¡± he looked at the man who claimed to be the first mate of the White Oak, his eyes still tinged with suspicion, ¡°You said you are¡­ members of the Exiled Fleet?¡±


    ¡°Yes, new members.¡± First Mate Gus smiled as he spoke, taking in the infamous ¡°great pirate¡± before him, his mind not free from doubts as well.


    While the eyepatch was somewhat intimidating, his overall demeanor remained amiable, his gaze calm and rational, and his body did not exhibit the horrific disfigurement typical of the undead around him, not at all resembling a madman with a tormented mind or one corrupted by ancient gods.


    Is this Captain Duncan¡¯s eldest son? How does he not look mentally disturbed?


    The two broadly defined ¡°members of the Exiled Fleet¡± met for the first time and simultaneously doubted each other¡¯s sanity, then put aside their unfriendly thoughts and exchanged smiles.


    ¡°I saw you on the battlefield before,¡± Tirian was the first to break the awkward silence, ¡°You were whistling through the thick fog, quite memorable.¡±


    ¡°We were executing the order to head to Mirror Frost,¡± First Mate Gus explained, ¡°after all, we couldn¡¯t delay important matters.¡±


    ¡°Father¡¯s orders?¡± Tirian asked casually, his gaze then falling on the young priest named Jansen, his expression turning curious, ¡°There is also a priest on your ship¡­ has the Deep Sea Church become so accommodating?¡±


    Priest Jansen¡¯s expression turned somewhat embarrassed, he shrugged with a wry smile, ¡°At least for now, the Goddess has not sent down any punishment.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a small chapel on your ship too?¡± First Mate Gus looked up at the conspicuous onboard chapel at the stern of the ship.


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s true.¡±


    Tirian choked a bit, smiled awkwardly, but his mind wandered to something else¨C


    On Homeloss, there seems to be a ¡°cleric¡± miss from the orthodox church.


    Father even brought a Judge from Prand onto the ship, so having some priests in the ¡°Exiled Fleet¡± isn¡¯t really strange, is it?


    Realizing it was best not to delve too deeply into the secrets of the ¡°divine,¡± Tirian quickly extinguished his thoughts in that regard, straightened his expression, and asked curiously, ¡°You surfaced here in a hurry, is there another mission?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we are here to rendezvous with our captain,¡± First Mate Gus hurriedly explained.


    ¡°Your captain?¡±


    ¡°Captain Lawrence earlier led a marine squad into the mirrored world for a battle, then returned with the gatekeeper of Frost to the real-world City-State, and we just received news that he is returning to the ship,¡± First Mate Gus patiently explained, ¡°only it seems they¡¯ve run into a bit of trouble, Miss Martha ordered us to surface to rendezvous¡­¡±


    ¡°Ran into trouble?¡± Tirian¡¯s brow furrowed unconsciously, just about to inquire for some details, when he saw his boatswain approaching quickly from the side.


    The boatswain reached his side and reported in a low and rapid voice.


    Tirian¡¯s expression gradually turned curious.


    Noticing this, First Mate Gus couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is it possible that¡­¡±


    ¡°Your captain, is he an old man wearing a white coat, around fifty to sixty years old, looking like a ghost?¡±


    First Mate Gus paused, hesitantly, ¡°He¡­ doesn¡¯t normally look like a ghost, but the rest is accurate.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Tirian spread his hands, ¡°your captain is leading a dozen fully armed ghost sailors and a loudly shouting mummy all over the Upper City District, now invited into the police bureau, and by that I mean they got lost and seem not to know how to ¡®turn off¡¯ the Spectral Flames on themselves, which caused panic among the citizens.¡±


    Gus: ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the police bureau knows they are not enemies, as eyewitnesses saw them fighting the City-State¡¯s monsters and protecting the City-State Guards, they won¡¯t be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Moreover, gatekeeper and Archbishop Agatha has already gone to their aid, with the cathedral as assurance, your captain should be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°In the future, try not to openly reveal your ¡®Exiled Fleet member¡¯ identity, mainly because¡­ it¡¯s a sensitive matter.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±

 Chapter 447 - Chapter 447 Chapter 448 Saving Someone

    Chapter 447: Chapter 448 ¡°Saving Someone Chapter 447: Chapter 448 ¡°Saving Someone The room in the Public Security Bureau was warm and brightly lit, and despite the current chaotic situation, it still maintained a well-ordered appearance¨Cwith tea and coffee available.


    ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Lawrence Creed.¡±


    ¡°Occupation?¡±


    ¡°Captain, captain of the White Oak.¡±


    ¡°Affiliated guild?¡±


    ¡°Explorers¡¯ Association. I have a full suite of qualifications as a senior explorer, including credentials in history, mysticism, and nautical sciences¡­ uh, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Your reason for coming to Frost?¡±


    Lawrence looked up at the glaring electric light above him and thought for a few seconds, ¡°Actually, I was here to deliver goods¡­ the goods ordered by your City-State¡¯s cathedral.¡±


    The young recorder sitting across the table scribbled something on his paper and then looked up with a friendly yet nervously concealed smile, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve noted that down. Don¡¯t mind me, just recording this as a routine procedure. After all, a visit here should be recorded. Frost appreciates your assistance¨Cwould you like another sugar cube?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no thank you,¡± Lawrence waved his hand awkwardly, sipped his coffee which he could neither taste nor feel the temperature due to his ghostly state, and then set the cup down, turning to glance behind him.


    His crew, engulfed in phantom flames, were lined up on the lounge chairs at the back of the room, these rough men had nearly devoured all the office¡¯s provided tea and snacks¨Cnot minding their impaired taste buds in their spectral state, eating with the mindset of ¡°can¡¯t go back at a loss after coming here.¡±


    They showed no tension that should be there after being ¡°invited¡± into the Public Security Bureau for causing a commotion¨Cof course, this was normal since they were indeed invited very politely and even somewhat anxiously by the security officers.


    With that thought, Lawrence felt an awkwardness surge, but since his face was enveloped in flames, it was hard for others to make out his expression.


    ¡°I heard you were initially assisting gatekeepers in the Cathedral District. Why did you then wander around the Upper City District, and also¡­ cause such a commotion?¡±


    The young recorder across the table asked curiously yet cautiously.


    ¡°This was a series of¡­ small accidents,¡± Lawrence said with a hint of shame, struggling to find the right words to explain the complex situation¨CHow should he explain? Should he just say that he and his crew, still energetic after creating a scene, decided to tour the city, intending to buy some local specialties to take back to their homeland, but because the Phantom Flame was difficult to control, the flames that had been carefully concealed somehow ¡°ignited¡± again at sunrise?


    It was literally ¡°ignited¡±¨Cright at the street corner, in full public view.


    The anomaly, wrapped in a long robe and hidden well within the crew, jumped to the sidewalk in shock.


    The result was that within five minutes, security officer squads from three streets arrived, and men, women, and children from the Upper City District ran to report them.


    After pondering for a long time, Lawrence felt it was hard to speak these truths. Speaking carelessly could potentially involve ¡°tarnishing the reputation of the Exiled Fleet¡±¨Calthough the Exiled Fleet didn¡¯t have much of a good reputation in the mortal world, it certainly wasn¡¯t this kind of reputation.


    So, he could only offer another awkward smile and casually respond, ¡°We were quite curious about this city and temporarily neglected to conceal our tracks¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the crackling sound of roaring flames erupted. Lawrence casually patted the green flames on his arm, checked the armrest of the chair to see if it had been scorched by the Spiritual Fire, and, finding it unharmed, lifted his gaze again to earnestly look at the young man across from him, smiling slightly.


    ¡°¡­Can you temporarily extinguish this terrible fire?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying¨Cthough it might not look very obvious.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you for your cooperation. You can wait here for a moment; I still have a few questions for your¡­ subordinates.¡±


    The young recorder wiped the sweat from his forehead, maintaining a calm and friendly expression, then took a deep breath before turning to another figure sitting beside the table¨Ca similarly suspicious-looking individual waiting for ¡°routine procedures.¡±


    Wearing an old sailor¡¯s smock and a sailor¡¯s cap that didn¡¯t quite fit, the withered and horrifying mummy.


    Noticing the gaze on him, the mummy immediately lifted his head, his face revealing a ghastly smile, ¡°Interrogation? I understand, ask away.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ alright,¡± the recorder wiped the sweat off his forehead again, envying the colleagues patrolling the streets while cursing today¡¯s duty roster, trying to sound a bit more composed, ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°¡®Sailor,¡¯ just call me that,¡± the mummy responded immediately.


    ¡°Sail¡­ uh, alright, occupation?¡±


    ¡°Anomaly.¡±


    The recorder looked up confused, ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Anomaly,¡± the mummy earnestly repeated, pointing to his shriveled head, ¡°or to be more specific, Anomaly 077.¡±


    The scribe seemed to turn into a sculpture, and after a few seconds, a distinct ¡°gulp¡± sound of swallowing saliva reached Lawrence¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Cough cough, there are very complicated reasons for this,¡± Lawrence coughed twice. His voice finally snapped the almost mind-blank scribe back to consciousness, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, once the person in charge of your Church arrives, I¡¯ll figure out how to explain and register everything clearly.¡±


    Listening to the old captain¡¯s words, the scribe still seemed lost, his facial expression changing several times before he could open his mouth to say something. But before he could start speaking, a whirlwind carrying pale dust suddenly swept through the office¨C


    Grey Wind swirled as a blind priestess in a black robe walked out from the wind, a slightly ethereal and hoarse female voice followed, ¡°I have arrived.¡±


    The scribe, whose nerves were already tense to the limit and even his sanity began to falter, seemed to grasp at a lifeline, nearly ¡°popping¡± out of his chair, ¡°Ah, Lady Agatha! You are finally here! The situation here is somewhat¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s complicated, so I came personally to handle it,¡± Agatha interrupted the unfortunate scribe with a wave of her hand and then turned to Lawrence. Her pale lips slightly curled, her tone carrying a peculiar note, ¡°I thought you had already left.¡±


    ¡°We were planning to leave¡­¡± Lawrence chuckled dryly, but the nerves inside him still relaxed slightly¨Cafter all, he had fought alongside this ¡°Gatekeeper¡± Miss before. While the whole process was filled with chaos, bizarre events, and countless sudden situations, at least one thing was certain: they were all ¡°the same kind of people.¡±


    Agatha seemed to relax a bit too. She motioned to the scribe beside her, indicating he could leave. The young man seemed greatly relieved and sprinted out of this low-capacity office.


    Then Agatha sighed heavily, with an air of heavy reluctance and fatigue, telling Captain Lawrence and his crew to calm down before she finally concentrated, speaking in her mind, ¡°I¡¯ve found them. They are in the Security Bureau¡­ The situation? It¡¯s very good, and their appetites seem very good too¡­ Yes, I understand, I¡¯ll handle the aftermath¡­ No need to worry, they haven¡¯t caused much trouble, just a bit of panic among the citizens, you know, everyone is on edge these days¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s another matter to report to you, there¡¯s an uncontrollable anomaly¡­ Yes, uncontrollable anomaly, No. 077, named ¡®Sailor,¡¯ this mummified corpse has been acting with them¡­


    ¡°Send them to find you? I see, go to Oak Street¡­ Ah, okay, understood.¡±


    After a long time, Agatha finally let out a sigh of relief, raising her head to ¡°look¡± toward Captain Lawrence.


    Though a black cloth covered her eyes, it seemed as if a substantial gaze penetrated the thick fabric, putting some pressure on the old captain.


    The latter vaguely realized, ¡°Were you just speaking with ¡®him¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and he has commands,¡± Agatha nodded, her expression growing serious, ¡°He wants you to go see him.¡±


    ¡°To see him?¡± Lawrence¡¯s heart skipped a beat, his tone inevitably carrying a hint of tension, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Homeloss is currently off the coast of Frost, Captain Terrian will give you the exact location¨CSea Mist and your White Oak are now moored at a port, you¡¯ll see them when you get to the dock,¡± Agatha explained lightly, ¡°Go find him out at sea, don¡¯t worry about missing out. Once you approach, your ships will know what to do. Just let them navigate themselves.¡±


    Lawrence swallowed instinctively, looking at the sailors he had brought along. Each of them also stood up, their gazes filled with evident tension.


    He then turned to his side, seeing Abnormality 077 already on the floor, inching towards the door.


    Several sailors swarmed up, disregarding the mummy¡¯s violent struggles, and dragged him back.


    Lawrence slowly withdrew his gaze from the chaos and nervously looked at Agatha in front of him.


    ¡°Did he¡­ mention what he wants from us?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t, but he said it was just a friendly invitation, advising you not to be too nervous¡­¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, Abnormality 077 under the control of several sailors suddenly wailed and cried out in spurts, ¡°I! Don¡¯t! Believe!!¡±


    ¡°Shut him up,¡± Lawrence turned and shouted before taking several deep breaths, struggling to calm himself down. Then he nodded gently to Agatha, ¡°I understand, I will attend the meeting.¡±


    ¡°Relax, you really don¡¯t need to be tense,¡± Agatha smiled upon seeing this, ¡°Actually¡­ he truly is a more peaceful and friendly entity than anyone imagines.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Lawrence grimaced with a wry smile, spreading his hands, ¡°but nervousness isn¡¯t so easy to dispel. It probably won¡¯t change until we actually meet ¡®him¡¯ after responding to the invitation.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I wish you all the best,¡± Agatha nodded slightly, then casually asked, ¡°Anything else I can help with? Although the conditions in Frost City-State are not great right now, I will try to help as much as I can if it¡¯s within my power.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lawrence indeed showed a thoughtful expression, then reached into his coat pocket.


    Moments later, he took out a document, somewhat ethereal and transparent from the Spiritual Flame¡¯s burning, and handed it over to Agatha.


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    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°This is an inventory¨Cgoods ordered by your cathedral, all delivered to the port,¡± said Lawrence, his tone tinged with hesitation, ¡°Can this order¡­ still be settled?¡±


    Agatha was momentarily stunned.


    The gatekeeper of Frost City-State, the temporary Archbishop, the messenger of the Usurping Flame, determined and intelligent Miss Agatha¨Cthis scene was unexpected.


    After about ten seconds of silence, the ¡°blind nun¡± finally nodded, seemingly gritting her teeth as she spoke, ¡°¡­Settle.¡±

 Chapter 448 - Chapter 448 Chapter 449 Experience

    Chapter 448: Chapter 449 ¡°Experience Chapter 448: Chapter 449 ¡°Experience The winch rotated, the steel cable was taut, and the metal ¡°iron cage¡± kept squeaking as it descended, while darkness spread outside of it. A dim yellow gas lamp embedded in the side wall of the shaft dispelled the darkness from the depths of the mine, bringing a limited and necessary sense of security.


    Agatha stood on the edge of the elevator, her ¡°gaze¡± peering through the railing towards the shaft that extended downwards; the night-curtain-like darkness covered her eyes, hiding most of her facial expressions, making it nearly impossible to guess what she was thinking at the moment.


    ¡°This place is so deep¡­¡± A voice suddenly shattered the calm inside the elevator. Alice stood nervously behind Duncan, looking up at the gas lamps ascending along the shaft walls, and spoke with a bit of fear, ¡°I feel like we¡¯re about to go through the City-State and drop into the sea¡­¡±


    ¡°The continuous descent can create that illusion,¡± Morris¡¯s voice came from a corner of the iron cage. The old scholar was curiously observing the interior structure of the large elevator without turning his head, ¡°Actually, we should just have descended two to three hundred meters.¡±


    ¡°Oh¨C¡± Alice¡¯s voice drew out. Whether or not she understood the concept of ¡°two to three hundred meters¡± was unclear, but her doll-like face revealed an expression that suggested, ¡°That sounds impressive.¡±


    Duncan was not paying attention to the conversation between Alice and Morris. He stepped forward to Agatha, who was silently standing at the edge of the cage, turned his head, and looked at this ¡°gatekeeper¡±: ¡°You seem preoccupied with heavy thoughts.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just that many thoughts have been unavoidably surfacing since we descended,¡± Agatha paused for two seconds, then began with a complex tone, ¡°It is said¡­ ¡®another me¡¯ was standing right here, leading the members of the exploration team down this shaft into the depths of the Boiling Gold mine¡­¡±


    Her voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of hesitation.


    ¡°¡®She¡¯ at that time¡­ seemed to have realized the truth about herself. According to the details described by a few guardians who went down with her at the time, she had an odd sense of determination, yet no one knew why¡­¡±


    ¡°If that ¡®replica¡¯ had mostly restored your thinking and memories, then her awareness of her real situation isn¡¯t unimaginable,¡± Duncan spoke indifferently, ¡°Even a Replication can possess a firm will and a pure soul.¡±


    Agatha remained silent for a while, seemingly immersed in tangled and heavy thoughts. After a long pause, she suddenly broke the silence: ¡°I¡¯m just wondering¡­ what exactly was she thinking at that time, and what was she recalling¡­ Did she also experience fear, or regret? She had my memories but only a few days of real life, towards all of this¡­ did she harbor any resentment?¡±


    Duncan turned his head, quietly observing Agatha.


    After a brief gaze, he finally spoke slowly, ¡°If it was you, would you harbor resentment, or regret your decisions?¡±


    ¡°I would not.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, she wouldn¡¯t either.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Agatha continued, ¡°But¡­ I think I would still have some regrets. When dying in the dark, I would remember the City-State under the sun, recall the familiar people and things in the city. If I were a replica, I¡¯d regret not being able to cross Bartok¡¯s gate because I wouldn¡¯t know if I had a soul, I¡­¡±


    She stopped, took a gentle breath, her tone seemed to carry a touch of sorrow: ¡°Yes, if it were me, I would feel regret.¡±


    Duncan watched her for a long time before he withdrew his gaze, turned to look at the continual rise of the dimness and the dim lights within it: ¡°So, she would too.¡±


    Agatha fell silent for a moment, as if talking to herself, or quietly asking: ¡°What are we going to see down there¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either; that¡¯s why we need to go down to check,¡± Duncan said, turning to look at the few figures in the cage¨CAlice, Morris, and Fenna, who was standing in the middle of the elevator, arms crossed and eyes closed, resting. Besides the three of them, plus Agatha and himself, there was no one else.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring any subordinates, just us¨Cis it out of caution?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen below. It could be contamination left by ancient gods; it could be the spread of ¡®truth.¡¯ In the face of the unknown, bringing ordinary guardians and priests only increases uncontrollable variables,¡± Agatha said straightforwardly, ¡°You and your followers clearly aren¡¯t afraid of these things.¡±


    Duncan smiled upon hearing this, not saying much.


    Just then, the descent of the cage began to slow down rapidly, accompanied by the squeaking of the automaton mechanism and the final clanging sound of the ¡°iron cage¡± hitting the bottom, the elevator finally reached the bottom of the mine.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Agatha lifted her head, glanced outside, and was the first to open the gate and walk out, reminding the people behind her subconsciously as she went, ¡°Be careful, this area has only been preliminarily cleared¨Cthe emergency response personnel withdrew a few hours ago. What we¡¯re heading towards is the truly ¡®unknown depths.''¡±


    Saying so, she suddenly stopped, turned her head, and spoke somewhat awkwardly to Duncan: ¡°Of course, these reminders might seem superfluous to you¡­¡±


    Duncan waved his hand to indicate he didn¡¯t mind, while also taking a glance at the conditions in the depths of the corridor¨Cthe sparse gas lamps released a dim light in the darkness, making the path ahead murky and shadowy, with suspicious accumulations everywhere, complemented by an unsettling and eerie ambiance. This was hardly a scene that offered any reassurance.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let Nina go back to the ship so early,¡± he said offhandedly, ¡°With the darkness here, she¡¯d be just right.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe she¡¯d get frightened by something in the dark and sneeze a few thousand degrees¡¯ worth of fire that blows up the entire mine shaft,¡± Morris couldn¡¯t help but murmur, ¡°I don¡¯t suggest you bring Nina into any dark and tight spaces¨Cshe¡¯s still young and easily startled.¡±


    Duncan shrugged, ¡°Kids have to grow up, she¡¯s almost high school graduate.¡±


    Morris¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment, and his mouth twitched several times before he carefully chose his words: ¡°Captain, under normal circumstances, a child graduating from high school would choose to celebrate their coming-of-age with a party or a trip, not an adventure in a mine affected by ancient god Corrosion as a ¡®graduation gift¡¯¡­¡±


    Duncan smiled cheerfully and then, as if recalling something, suddenly turned his head and asked Fenna another question, ¡°How did you spend your coming-of-age ceremony at seventeen?¡±


    He had asked casually, thinking of using it as a reference for when he would one day celebrate the coming-of-age ceremonies for Nina or Sherry.


    Fenna, however, did not expect the focus of the conversation to land so suddenly on herself. The pretty young warrior was momentarily stunned, her face quickly showing a touch of embarrassment before she softly muttered while marching on, ¡°¡­was preparing to retake a postponed end-of-year exam¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    The atmosphere seemed a bit awkward. Duncan could only spread his hands helplessly. Agatha, walking in front, suddenly turned back, apparently casting an incredulous ¡°glance.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Duncan asked offhandedly.


    ¡°¡­No matter how many times I see it, I find the way you interact with your followers truly fascinating. The you who regained your humanity is the complete opposite of the legendary figure you were said to be over the past century¨CI think I can partly understand why Captain Lawrence of the White Oak and his men were such an interesting bunch.¡±


    Listening to the initial part of her statement, Duncan had no particular reaction, but upon hearing the rest, his expression subtly changed, and he immediately responded after Agatha finished speaking, ¡°I want to emphasize again, although all members of the White Oak are my subordinates, I¡¯m really not familiar with them¡­¡±


    Agatha nodded, ¡°Yes, you and they are not familiar¨Cyou¡¯ve stressed that before.¡±


    Duncan heard not a hint of seriousness in her tone and could only sigh helplessly, ¡°How was it resolved in the end? I¡¯m referring to Lawrence¡¯s ¡®cargo manifest.''¡±


    ¡°Frost is in need of supplies, and we never break a contract¨Cthe goods have arrived, so of course, the latter part is payment,¡± Agatha said, then shook her head, ¡°although we can only pay a part of it.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°The most critical ¡®cargo¡¯, anomaly 077, has lost control and cannot be delivered,¡± Agatha explained, ¡°The contract stipulated that the White Oak was to deliver the sealed ¡®sailor¡¯ to the Frost Sacred Relic Hall, not a lively walking corpse¡­


    ¡°But then again, the corpse itself seemed quite eager to be ¡®delivered.¡¯ When he heard that the cargo list to Frost included himself, he almost cried with joy¨Cunfortunately, we don¡¯t know how to deal with an anomaly in a prolonged state of uncontrol and which cannot be sealed again. It¡¯s better to leave him for you to handle personally.¡±


    ¡°A long-term uncontrolled anomaly¡­¡±


    Duncan muttered subconsciously and turned his head to glance at the person beside him.


    Alice also turned around and found the captain looking at her. The doll miss¡¯s face immediately showed a pleased expression, ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    Duncan exhaled, ¡°Well, I do have some experience.¡±


    Agatha instinctively looked at Alice, her face revealing a complex expression.


    As of today, she had learned from Duncan the true identity of the ¡°doll miss¡± and, as a native Frostfolk, she understood how extraordinary it was for ¡°anomaly 099¡± to be freely active within the City-State of Frost.


    She had countless questions she wanted to ask, her strong curiosity and inexplicable restlessness stirring within her cooled chest¨Cyet facing Captain Duncan, who seemed not to care much about anything, she never found the opportunity to speak.


    ¡°I think¡­¡±


    Agatha seemed to have finally made up her mind. She broke the silence, but just as she was about to inquire about Alice, a sudden palpitation halted her.


    At almost the same time, everyone in the team stopped in their tracks.


    Agatha turned her head toward the deepest part of the long, profound alley, and under the cover of thick black cloth, her vision¨Calready sublimated in flame¨Cshook, trembled, and distorted, as though buffeted by invisible winds and countless, chaotic voices within them, assaulting her senses.


    She felt her mind being disturbed, the remnants of a vast presence at the end of the alley¡­no, strictly speaking, the echoes of a vast presence resonating with her reason. Unable to ¡°see¡± exactly what was there, she could feel¡­the enormous, unmatched resonance with a faint echo within.


    That faint echo was softly calling her over.


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    ¡°What¡¯s over there?¡±


    The blind priestess asked, instinctively stretching out her hand as if to steady her somewhat wavering body.


    A somewhat large but clearly feminine hand reached out from the side¨CFenna helped to steady Agatha and looked up toward the vast darkness at the end of the alley.


    ¡°It seems like a void,¡± Fenna said quietly, her voice tinged with a bit of nervousness, ¡°a huge¡­ void.¡±


    (Recommendation time, from the toad¡¯s new book ¡°Dragon-riding Son-in-law,¡± classical immortals, the old favorite flavor, the seedlings are tender, take a gulp, pay respect to the heavens.)

 Chapter 449 - Chapter 449 Chapter 450 Boiling Gold

    Chapter 449: Chapter 450: Boiling Gold Chapter 449: Chapter 450: Boiling Gold A vast abyss lay at the end of this alleyway.


    Fenna reached the edge of the abyss, where the alleyway abruptly ended. The ground and the ceiling seemed to have been devoured by some invisible force, disappearing ahead, and the neatly cut opposite edge was met by such a vast and empty darkness that even she, the Judge, felt an immense pressure. The instinctive fear of humans in the face of such immense dark spaces surged like a tidal wave.


    Morris also arrived at the ¡°entrance¡± to the abyss, raising his lantern. However, the light emitted by the specially made underground lantern seemed to be directly swallowed up¨Cthe light did not disappear, but due to the excessively vast space ahead, there was nothing on all sides to reflect it, causing the lantern¡¯s brightness to diminish in the dark. Eventually, it only lit up a steep slope descending from the side of the pit, leaving the rest shrouded in darkness.


    ¡°This¡­ No matter how you look at it, it couldn¡¯t have been an original structure of the mine,¡± Fenna inhaled softly, turning back to look at the mine shaft that they had followed to get here, ¡°The normal passage ends right here¡­ This must be the ¡®stone wall¡¯ mentioned in the report.¡±


    Morris bent down, examining a small part of the abyss¡¯s inner wall illuminated by the lantern. ¡°It feels like something massive once filled this space, but now that thing has vanished into thin air, leaving a huge hole.¡±


    ¡°The cavity is so large, it should have collapsed, but instead it has stabilized?¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but frown, looking up into the darkness above with some worry, ¡°If there were a collapse here, at least one-third of the Upper City District would probably be in big trouble.¡±


    At this, he suddenly turned back to look at Agatha, ¡°Are you all right? You¡¯ve seemed off since we started.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t see the ¡®abyss¡¯ you¡¯re describing,¡± Agatha spoke hesitantly, ¡°All I see is a vast and twisted resonance, the air filled with noise. Is there really nothing ahead?¡±


    ¡°Nothing at all, at least not visually, and I also don¡¯t sense any contamination left by Transcendent powers,¡± Fenna nodded firmly, then thoughtfully added, ¡°But you feel something¡­ Maybe it¡¯s resonating with you because of what¡¯s left behind here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Agatha shook her head, then turned to Duncan, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°We should go in and see what¡¯s inside.¡± Duncan had already made up his mind, then he gestured in the air and a ghostly green flame appeared beside him, from which a skeleton bird wrapped in fierce flames burst forth, confidently landing on his shoulder.


    Ai Yi cocked his head, looking around, ¡°Old driver coming through! Old driver coming through!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t rule out the risk of this ¡®cave¡¯ collapsing, so take this pigeon with you,¡± Duncan explained, ¡°Once inside, don¡¯t scatter. Pay close attention to any signs of instability around you and pay attention to any noise from above. If there are signs of collapse, everyone, teleport out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    Duncan tapped Alice¡¯s head casually, then checked the terrain around the edge of the abyss again, took a deep breath, and was the first to step out into the darkness.


    The others followed closely behind.


    Stepping into the abyss, they encountered a rather steep slope, discontinuous, with potential drops and winding ¡°side paths¡± appearing at any moment, each step had to be taken with great care. This winding and difficult path extended into the depths of darkness, as if it could lead straight to the bottom of the abyss.


    The path felt like a deep impression left in the rock after long-term effects of Corrosion had subsided.


    Duncan proceeded cautiously in the darkness, the green fire burning quietly and spreading at his feet, the unceasing Spiritual Fire illuminating a small area around the path and leaving a conspicuous ¡°trail of flame¡± behind them. Looking back, one could see the flowing fire sketching out a pathway to the exit of the abyss, winding like thread through the darkness.


    In such an enormous dark underground space, marking the path was extremely important. Though they had the pigeon as the ultimate means of evacuation, Duncan, out of caution, still left his own flames along the way¨Cthese flames also extended his perception, helping him keep abreast of the subtle changes in the cave walls.


    Fenna had already formed a storm sword of Frost in her hand, holding the sword with one hand and remaining vigilant for any monsters that may lurk in the vast darkness. Alice carefully supported her head the whole way, for fear that a slip could lead to her violent death in the dark. As for Agatha, whose perception was affected by some sort of ¡°resonance¡± within the cave, she relied on Fenna¡¯s support, carefully stepping on the rugged slope.


    Morris remained curious about the stones by the path as they progressed.


    ¡°These rocks are very dense¡­ and they seem fused and compressed together,¡± he lifted his lamp, his eyes glinting faintly with silver light, straining to observe the distance, ¡°If the inner walls of the cavity are all composed of these rock layers, it could explain why it remains stable after its ¡®contents¡¯ disappeared¨Cthese stones form a dense and thick ¡®inner shell¡¯ that supports the entire structure.¡±


    He hesitated, then said with less certainty, ¡°But merely an inner shell might not be enough, for such a large cavity, there must also be some other support.¡±


    Fenna couldn¡¯t help but turn her head to look at the old man, ¡°Just how many fields do you know?¡±


    ¡°Mathematics, history, chemistry, mysticism, physics, a bit of geology and mining knowledge, as well as some hand-to-hand combat, firearms, mechanical, and demolition expertise,¡± Morris said casually, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    Fenna, wide-eyed and dumbfounded, asked, ¡°How¡­ how did you manage that?¡±


    ¡°Reading books often is the key,¡± Maurice replied. ¡°It¡¯s not strange that I know these things; after all, I am a historian.¡±


    Fenna looked at Maurice with a peculiar gaze, thinking to herself which of the numerous disciplines he had just mentioned, apart from firearms, combat, and explosives, had anything to do with the job requirements of a ¡°historian.¡± But, after hesitating for quite a while, she felt too embarrassed to voice it.


    Agatha, supported by Fenna, had an even stranger expression on her face¨Cthis gatekeeper lady was once again deeply shocked by the followers of Captain Duncan. The last time she had felt something similar was when she found out that Fenna was a ¡°sports student¡±¡­


    However, Maurice himself did not seem to have this self-awareness that astonished everyone. His attention was once again drawn to the ¡°stones¡± underfoot.


    Under the glow of the lantern and the green fire, these stones all exhibited a faint metallic luster, and it was hard to tell if it was an illusion¡­ but their surfaces seemed to have some special patterns.


    The elderly scholar bent down, picked up a piece of broken stone, and examined it curiously.


    He suddenly stopped.


    Duncan also stopped and curiously looked at the stone in Maurice¡¯s hand, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    After a few long seconds, Maurice seemed to suddenly come to a realization and slowly began to speak in a strange tone, ¡°¡­It¡¯s boiling gold.¡±


    Agatha immediately turned around, ¡°Boiling gold?¡±


    ¡°Boiling gold ore, its purity is almost to the degree that it can be directly inserted into the steam core reactor¡­¡± Maurice muttered in amazement, then quickly bent over again to pick up another piece of broken stone. After inspecting it, he squatted down and began to carefully examine every rock underneath, growing increasingly astonished, ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ no wonder I thought the texture of these ¡®stones¡¯ was odd earlier, but didn¡¯t discover it due to the dimness¡­¡±


    The old scholar suddenly paused and looked up at Duncan and Agatha.


    His face was incredibly astonished, yet it also faintly conveyed a thrill of a huge discovery, ¡°It¡¯s true, it¡¯s boiling gold, Captain, Agatha¨Cthis entire cave is formed from boiling gold! At least its bottom is covered with ore!¡±


    Everyone fell silent, and amidst this quiet, Duncan could clearly feel Agatha¡¯s emotions violently fluctuating, while Fenna felt the other¡¯s body trembling slightly.


    No one understood the significance of ¡°boiling gold¡± better than a Frostfolk born and bred.


    ¡°The entire place is boiling gold. We also saw remnants of boiling gold veins in the mine before,¡± Fenna whispered, holding Agatha¡¯s hand, ¡°It looks like at least for some time, Frost doesn¡¯t have to worry anymore.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ no need to worry anymore¡­ there¡¯s still boiling gold here¡­¡± Agatha murmured to herself in a complex tone, ¡°But why, why are these things here¡­¡±


    ¡°Does the corrosion of The Saint leave behind boiling gold?¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°If the intelligence guess isn¡¯t wrong, then this huge cavity must have been formed this way¡­¡±


    Everyone seemed to suddenly become serious so that even the usually slow-to-react Alice felt the change in the atmosphere. She couldn¡¯t help but move closer and gently tugged on Duncan¡¯s arm, cautiously asking, ¡°Captain¡­ what is boiling gold?¡±


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    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    In such a solemn situation, it was indeed difficult for this simple creature to remain unshakably simple.


    He sighed, ¡°Boiling gold is the foundation of modern industry, the energy source for all steam-powered machinery¨Cjust as people need to eat, machinery needs boiling gold to operate.¡±


    Alice listened half-understandingly and, after a while, suddenly nodded, ¡°Oh¨C¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t care whether the illiterate doll had truly understood. His gaze shifted once more towards the darkness ahead.


    This huge underground cavity had fully piqued his curiosity.


    If this entire cave was made of boiling gold with such high purity¡­ then what could possibly be waiting for him at the deepest part of the cave?

 Chapter 450 - Chapter 450 Chapter 451 The History in the Mist and the Mist

    Chapter 450: Chapter 451: The History in the Mist and the Mist in History Chapter 450: Chapter 451: The History in the Mist and the Mist in History The team continued forward through the darkness, the ethereal Spiritual Fire forming a path, sketching the traces left behind by previous expeditions deep into this cave. Their lanterns and the light of the Spiritual Fire were barely enough to distinguish the surrounding environment.


    And along this way, what Duncan and his companions saw the most was boiling gold.


    High-purity boiling gold formed the terrain of this cave at every turn, dense rock layers stacking into a sturdy spherical shell structure, with a vast array of loose ore scattered at the bottom of the pit, their quantity beyond estimation.


    These ores were the foundation of modern industry, the lifeblood of Frost¨Cthey appeared here, only serving to make the atmosphere grow even stranger.


    But Duncan didn¡¯t care about this eerie atmosphere¨Che was a pragmatic man. Whether or not this was the work of ancient gods was a secondary concern; boiling gold was good as long as it could be used, even if it truly was a ¡°product¡± of the Mysterious Deep Sea¡¯s The Saint, he didn¡¯t mind using it.


    In fact, it could be said that if he were the Governor of the City-State, the only thing he would be thinking about now would probably be the feasibility of opening a branch mine in the Mysterious Deep Sea and devising a sustainable mining plan for The Saint.


    However, he didn¡¯t voice these thoughts.


    After all, for someone like Agatha, a commoner, this kind of development concept might be a bit extreme.


    Duncan¡¯s mind raced with various thoughts, but just then, a vague shadow at the edge of his vision brought him to a sudden halt.


    Others stopped in their tracks as well. Morris seemed to have seen something and, while lifting his lantern to illuminate the surroundings, said, ¡°There seems to be something up ahead.¡±


    Within the limited light cast by their lanterns and the Spiritual Fire, the boundless darkness of the cave faintly revealed a massive shadow. It appeared to be a column or the trunk of a towering tree standing in the distance, with its upper half vaguely spreading out, resembling branches that stretched into the darkness.


    Even with an unclear view, just from that hazy silhouette, Agatha could sense the immensity of the object¨Cit was like a column capable of supporting an entire mountain, its oppressive presence unceasingly emanating even across a vast distance.


    Fenna clenched her massive sword and reminded everyone, ¡°Proceed with caution.¡±


    The group continued onward through the dark and, as they drew closer, the shadowy outline became progressively clearer to everyone.


    A huge pillar, like the spire of a cathedral, stood at the center of an enormous cavern, striking a heart-stirring pose in the light of the lanterns!


    ¡°The Eye of Wisdom¡­¡±


    Morris uttered an exclamation involuntarily, his lantern trembling in his hand. His eyes widened as he observed the pillar, noting its black skin, rough and bumpy, looking like some deep-sea creature¡¯s tentacle magnified countless times. Its lower half was buried deep in the ground, surrounded by numerous wrinkled, shattered rocks, as though it had grown from beneath the City-State, defiantly piercing through the island¡¯s foundation. The upper portion extended into the endless darkness above and, in that darkness, branched off into several small, dim forks, like an eerie giant tree weaving its way through the unknown depths, then coming to a silent end.


    The scale was so vast that the lantern light was powerless to illuminate the whole pillar¨Cit was even difficult to brighten even a small part of its face. Morris could only see the rough surface that the lantern¡¯s light reached, while the larger and more hazy structures were lit by the surrounding, flickering green fire. As for those parts the green fire couldn¡¯t illuminate¡­ he had to rely on his imagination to discern what he could in the exceedingly vague shadows.


    The sight deeply impressed even the normally inattentive puppet mistress.


    Alice tilted her head back and then hugged it with both hands and yanked it down forcefully. With a ¡°pop,¡± she pulled off her head and held it high, straining to see but still unable to discern clearly. She tossed it upward repeatedly¨Cafter several throws, she groped around to push her head back onto her neck and continued to gaze upward in awe: ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    Fenna turned to look at Alice: ¡°¡­Wow.¡±


    ¡°What is this thing?¡± All of Morris¡¯s attention was on the magnificent yet frightening pillar. He couldn¡¯t help but step forward, carefully touching its pitted, uneven surface¨Ca cold, rough sensation, like rock, transmitted to his fingertips, ¡°It feels like stone to the touch, but it looks like some kind of¡­¡±


    ¡°Some kind of colossal limb,¡± Duncan suggested, tilting his head to see the upper part of the pillar. After a few seconds, he spoke softly, ¡°It seems to be what¡¯s supporting this entire cave.¡±


    ¡°So this is the real reason why the cave hasn¡¯t collapsed¡­¡± Morris murmured to himself, moving closer to examine the surface of the pillar under the light, ¡°Judging by the texture, it also looks a bit like boiling gold ore, but it¡¯s not quite like any ore described in the books¡­ It seems to have impurities mixed in.¡±


    ¡°Wild guess, maybe this is a part of The Saint¡¯s body,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°It extended into the City-State and was then burnt into stone here.¡±


    The area went quiet instantly, and it took several seconds before Fenna broke the silence with a twitch of her mouth, ¡°That sounds a bit frightening¡­¡±


    ¡°Frightening, but very possible¨CI only said ¡®maybe¡¯ earlier to spare your feelings,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, my fire once spread to here. Although the situation was chaotic and I didn¡¯t have time to notice in detail, I remember¡­ whatever is here, it is highly fire-resistant.¡±


    As he spoke, he stepped forward and extended his hand to touch the rough, rock-like surface of the enormous pillar.


    On the other side, Agatha groped her way to the vicinity of the ¡°gigantic pillar.¡±


    In her ¡°vision,¡± everything was still trembling, disrupted by some resonating force. The vast and empty cave presented itself to her as a place filled with chaotic ripples. But even amidst this boundless interference, she clearly ¡°saw¡± the ¡°pillar¡± before her.


    A faint attraction drew her closer.


    Agatha reached out cautiously, her hand brushing against the pillar. Her fingers moved across its cold surface as if flipping through a book carved from stone, reading the memories left within the rocks¡­


    A set of indentations caught her attention.


    She touched them, tracing their contours in her mind, placing her palm against them. She found that each of her fingers fit perfectly into the grooves.


    They were handprints.


    After a moment of bewilderment, she extended her other hand and, following a seemingly unfounded guidance in her mind, she found another handprint.


    In the handprints, there seemed to linger some fine ash.


    Agatha suddenly stopped, instinctively wanting to turn and tell Duncan about her discovery, but in the next second, many intricate shadows and lights began to emerge in her dark, chaotic field of view.


    Memories surfaced in her heart, thin yet real emotions intermingled with them, and a flood of information entered her mind¨Cas if it had been slumbering there all along, as if it was her own experience that violently awoke in the depths of her heart the moment she touched the two handprints!


    In the darkness of exploration¡­ crossing echoes with Governor Winston¡­ the true nature of the Deep Abyss project¡­ preparations of the past Governors¡­ the ancient gods that invaded the City-State, their thoughts that wavered between illusion and reality, and¡­


    This is a counterfeit.


    ¡°Ah¨C¡±


    Agatha suddenly let out a soft cry, then almost stumbled and fell.


    But a hand reached out from beside her and steadied her in time, with Duncan¡¯s voice following in the darkness, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Agatha was disoriented for a moment before regaining her clarity. She then realized the new fragments of information added to her mind. She quickly steadied herself, her words rushing out, ¡°I came into contact with some memories¡­ They¡¯re ¡®hers¡¯!¡±


    ¡°¡®Hers¡¯?¡± Duncan frowned, immediately grasping the significance in her words, ¡°That replication? Her memories linger here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, listen, it¡¯s important¨Cshe met Governor Winston here, learned the truth about the Deep Abyss project¡­¡±


    Agatha spoke hurriedly, as if afraid she would forget those memories that had just flooded her mind, rapidly spilling out everything she had just seen and heard, without caring whether the others around her had time to react, from the last words of a Governor to the root of the Frost Queen¡¯s obsession of yesteryear, and lastly, the most powerful idea¨C¡°She¡± before vanishing, the most persistent thought she left behind.


    The crucial message ¡°she¡± wanted to pass on¨Cthe ¡°ancient god¡± that invaded the Frost City-State was counterfeit.


    It was the replication of the Mysterious Deep Sea Saint.


    Everyone fell silent, no one interrupted Agatha no matter how bizarre and thrilling the content was.


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    Until Agatha finished the last word, and the place went silent again for a dozen seconds, Morris was the first to break the silence.


    ¡°¡­The fog within history, and the enigma within the annals¡­¡±


    The elder scholar couldn¡¯t help but lament in such a manner.


    Meanwhile, on the side, Duncan¡¯s gaze had already fallen on the enormous ¡°pillar.¡±


    His expression was more somber than ever before.

 Chapter 451 - Chapter 451 Chapter 452 All Is Permitted

    Chapter 451: Chapter 452 All Is Permitted Chapter 451: Chapter 452 All Is Permitted The Frost Queen¡¯s deep abyss project half a century ago was aimed at identifying and resolving the boiling gold issue beneath the City-State. Generation after generation, the Governors inherited secrets about boiling gold, the queen, the curse, and the Deep Sea Ancient God. The power of the Saint formed a physical projection within the City-State and carved out this tremendous hollow area¡­ Every single piece of intelligence was heart-stirring.


    But for Duncan, the combined weight of these pieces of intelligence was nothing compared to the shock of ¡°the Ancient God that invaded the City-State is a replica.¡±


    Fenna also realized the staggering implications encompassed in that statement. The professional Judge, who regularly dealt with heretical aberrations, now looked extremely grave as she gazed at the ¡°colossal pillar¡± supporting the entire cave. After a long silence, she began, ¡°First and foremost, this object is indeed a remnant left by the ¡®Ancient God¡¯ that invaded the City-State¡­ And the source of this object is still located beneath the City-State, in the deep sea. Therefore, what Agatha referred to earlier as a ¡®mockery¡¯ can be interpreted in two ways.¡±


    ¡°Yes, two interpretations,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°The first interpretation is that the ¡®source¡¯ at the seabed is authentic. Hence, in a sense, the ¡®erosion entity¡¯ that the source projects into the City-State could be seen as a kind of replica, a counterfeit. As for the second interpretation¡­¡±


    He paused, looking up at the colossal pillar that supported the entire cave, and after a moment, he exhaled.


    ¡°The second interpretation is that the ¡®source¡¯ at the seabed is also a replica¨Canother one that Agatha touched upon in the final moments, not just the Ancient God¡¯s tendrils in this ¡®cave¡¯, but through these tendrils, she learned the truth of the deep sea. However, due to limited time, she wasn¡¯t able to leave much explanation.¡±


    The room fell quiet for a time as Alice raised her head, her curious gaze sweeping over everyone¨Cshe hadn¡¯t fully grasped what everyone was discussing, but she was earnestly listening and trying to comprehend. After quite a while, she finally tugged Duncan¡¯s arm, ¡°Sounds a bit scary?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s not clear which possibility is scarier,¡± said Duncan, his use of ¡°scary¡± contrasted by a hint of amusement in his eyes. He patted Alice¡¯s hair reassuringly, comforting the doll who seemed tense despite not understanding the situation, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry so much, things won¡¯t be any more troublesome than a mirror Frost.¡±


    ¡°Yes, no more troublesome than a mirror Frost¨Cas long as we don¡¯t let the ¡®source¡¯ under the sea continue to develop,¡± Agatha interjected. She turned her head and ¡°looked¡± into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Just as you said last time, we ultimately need to explore beneath the Frost again, to see if the ¡®Ancient God¡¯ that has invaded the real world is still there¡­¡±


    Duncan softly ¡°Hmm¡± in agreement; he knew Agatha had not been idling and was already preparing for this matter, so he didn¡¯t urge further. However, at that moment, he suddenly caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye.


    A glowing object flickered in Agatha¡¯s right hand, seemingly some sort of metallic artifact.


    ¡°Agatha, what is that in your hand?¡±


    ¡°In my hand?¡± Agatha suddenly looked startled, raising her hand subconsciously, and only then did she suddenly realize the sensation of a foreign object in her palm¨Ca cool metal, yet as if it had been warmed slightly by body temperature.


    It was an oddly shaped brass key.


    ¡°A key¡­¡± Fenna stared at the object in surprise and then realized, ¡°Ah, is it the key you mentioned earlier¨Cthe one passed by Governor Winston to another ¡®Agatha¡¯? The key left by the Frost Queen?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression shifted slightly, ¡°Let me have a look.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Agatha, without hesitation, handed the key over to Duncan.


    The brass key, with a robust ¡°infinity¡± symbol as its handle, had no serration at its tip. Instead, there was a round rod structure with grooves, akin to¡­ a ¡°winding key¡± used for winding up dolls.


    Alice curiously drew closer, clinging to Duncan¡¯s arm, ¡°Let me see, let me see¡­ Ah? Is this a key? It looks different from any key I¡¯ve seen¡­ What is it for?¡±


    No one spoke up.


    All eyes fell on the young doll lady.


    ¡°Why are you all looking at me?¡± Alice, belatedly realizing, pointed at herself, ¡°Did I screw something up again?¡±


    ¡°Do you not feel anything special when you look at this key?¡± Duncan lowered his head, looking into Alice¡¯s eyes, ¡°Like a sense of familiarity, or an impulse to touch it?¡±


    ¡°Not at all¡­¡± Alice shook her head, looking completely clueless, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡±


    Fenna leaned closer and whispered in Duncan¡¯s ear, ¡°Captain, do you think¡­¡±


    ¡°I remember Nina mentioning,¡± Duncan said slowly, ¡°Alice has a keyhole in her back.¡±


    Hearing this, Agatha turned with surprise to look at the gothic doll standing nearby.


    In an instant, as if everything was interconnected, points spanning across time connected inside the Ancient God-corroded cave, forming a winding line.


    The key left by the Frost Queen and the doll, ¡°Anomaly 099,¡± bearing an uncanny resemblance to the Frost Queen, were the two endpoints of this cross-temporal line.


    However, under several scrutinizing gazes, Alice merely looked around bewilderedly before lifting her arm, fumbling on her back with effort.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t touch it,¡± she said, somewhat aggrieved and a bit apologetic, ¡°my clothes got in the way.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when we get back, this matter¡­ requires caution,¡± Duncan said in a deep voice, breaking the somewhat tense atmosphere in the cave. Then he looked up at Agatha, ¡°May I take this key with me?¡±


    ¡°¡­In theory, this key is an heirloom of the Frost Governor from generation to generation, and according to what Governor Winston said, it also contains ¡®information¡¯ left by the Frost Queen, so¡­¡±


    Agatha paused, then shook her head gently.


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, of course, you can take it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Without further politeness, Duncan handed the key to the pigeon that was perched on his shoulder, and in a flash of a ghostly green light, Ai Yi and the key vanished from his shoulder. The next second, the pigeon returned, but the key had disappeared.


    It had been sent to the ship, into the hands of Duncan¡¯s own body.


    Duncan fiddled with the key that had just been delivered to his hands on the Homeloss, while in the underground caverns of the Frost City-State, he turned to glance at the giant pillar that supported the cave and tapped the hard, cold stone on the surface.


    ¡°We should leave now,¡± he said.


    The cave was immense, and even with the help of the Spiritual Fire, the group had only explored a small part of the hollow. But for Duncan, the information gathered so far was sufficient.


    He needed time to slowly organize and digest his findings from this place, and the follow-up exploration¡­ could be entrusted to Agatha and her subordinates.


    Having confirmed that there was no remnant pollution from the Ancient God and that the cave had a stable support structure, Agatha could safely bring her people here.


    Following the path left by the Spiritual Fire, the group safely withdrew from the vast hollow and took the elevator back to the mining tunnel on the upper level.


    On the way out of the molten gold mine, Duncan asked Agatha curiously, ¡°What do you think about the hollow area below?¡±


    ¡°Thoughts?¡± Agatha pondered for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll probably lead a few more explorations to at least understand the surface of the cavern and the area around that huge pillar. If during this process, we find anything valuable, I¡¯ll share the information with you immediately. As for the future¡­¡±


    She stopped here, seeming to consider seriously before speaking slowly, ¡°Later on, I would suggest that the City-State find a way to mine the molten gold within the cavern, trying to extract it without causing the hollow area to collapse or damaging that ¡®pillar.¡¯ Of course, how exactly that¡¯s done is up to the professionals at the municipal hall.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about the hidden dangers of that molten gold?¡± Duncan asked offhandedly, ¡°After all, it could be something left by the Ancient God.¡±


    ¡°¡­The City-State must first survive, then consider everything else,¡± Agatha shook her head slightly, ¡°And after ¡®seeing¡¯ what¡¯s in the cavern, I¡¯ve thought of something.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°If the molten gold beneath Frost is a product left after the corrosion by the power of the Ancient God, what about the other City-States above the Endless Sea? Is the underground of each City-State¡­ really without problems?¡±


    The scene fell silent.


    ¡°After the exhaustion of the vein during the Queen¡¯s era, Frost mined molten gold from the mirror world for fifty years¨Cwe instinctively think that the molten gold from the mirror world, like other things from that world, are all ¡®replications,¡¯ but the fact is, the molten gold didn¡¯t disappear after the mirror City-State was destroyed, and even left a new ¡®rich vein¡¯ in the underground cavern we just discovered¡­ The only possible explanation is that the ¡®molten gold¡¯ created by the power of the Ancient God is not ¡®twisted.''¡±


    ¡°If the molten gold created by the power of the Ancient God isn¡¯t twisted¨Cthen it can only be a natural part of the world,¡± said Duncan, his words laden with depth, ¡°This is already sounding a bit close to the heretical ¡®Creation of the Saint¡¯ theory of the cult of obliteration.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s content that would be considered heresy,¡± Agatha admitted calmly and openly.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t seem to be shaken.¡±


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    Agatha stopped, slowly lifting her head, her gaze seemingly piercing through the black cloth band, quietly looking straight ahead.


    At the end of the passage was the ground exit of the mine, where bright sunlight was pouring in, warm and compelling.


    In Agatha¡¯s perception, the whole world was still cold, cold like a tomb.


    But she knew that the sunlight was warm.


    ¡°Just like I said earlier, the City-State must first survive,¡± the devout priestess whispered, clasping her hands at her chest as if in prayer, ¡°There¡¯s only one kind of heresy in the world¨Canything that hinders our survival is heresy, beyond that, all is permitted.¡±

 Chapter 452 - Chapter 452 Chapter 453 Pointing to the Deity

    Chapter 452: Chapter 453: Pointing to the Deity Chapter 452: Chapter 453: Pointing to the Deity A whirlwind wrapped in pale dust smoke gradually disappeared from Duncan¡¯s view.


    Agatha had left.


    ¡°I always felt¡­ she has changed a lot compared to before,¡± Fenna finally broke the silence when the last trace of Grey Wind had vanished into the air, ¡°especially the words she said last¨Cnot at all like what the former ¡®Guardian¡¯ would have said.¡±


    ¡°Experiences change a person, especially everything she has been through,¡± Duncan said indifferently, ¡°And on the other hand, the role she now bears is no longer just ¡®Guardian¡¯, which was bound to bring change.¡±


    Fenna was a bit curious, ¡°You don¡¯t seem worried?¡±


    ¡°Because she has not wavered¨Cthose who have come to a realization tend to be more steadfast,¡± Duncan mentioned casually, ¡°She is rational and not yet desperate enough to take a paranoid or wrong path due to the pressures of survival in the City-State, her last few words might not be as devout, but at least they were sober.¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t respond for a moment, and Duncan turned his head, looking meaningfully at the young Judge, ¡°What you¡¯re actually worried about isn¡¯t Agatha, is it?¡±


    ¡°¡­ My faith does not allow me to lie,¡± after a brief silence, Fenna finally sighed softly, ¡°Yes, I am worried about my own state. In Agatha, I see a reflection of myself¨Cmy faith wavering, my words and actions heretical.¡±


    Duncan remained silent, just waiting quietly for the other to continue.


    ¡°¡­ I once thought that keeping steadfast faith and an unyielding spirit was enough to confront all problems head-on¨Cthe gods determined the order in which the world operates, we were like gears, peacefully operating within the framework. But the reality is¡­ the order is as fragile as sea foam, mere faith and spirit can¡¯t save our City-State, and our longstanding understanding of the world is being challenged¡­


    ¡°¡®The sun¡¯ is not eternal; the ¡®boiling gold¡¯ that supports modern civilization¡¯s development might be a relic of the ancient gods; the gods do not always protect the City-State, beneath the deep sea is darkness not described or explained by any religious scripture¨Cthe appearance of you has even overturned my understanding of Subspace over the past two decades.¡±


    ¡°The last point, I suggest you still maintain caution¨Cthe others you mentioned are decent,¡± Duncan shook his head, speaking unhurriedly, ¡°Human understanding of the world has always been one-sided; from the beginning, we should not have assumed there exists a simple and eternal ¡®logic¡¯ that violently explains everything. Perhaps such simple and eternal ¡®truth¡¯ exists, but it is not something that current humans can comprehend. Therefore, having one¡¯s ¡®worldview overturned¡¯ should be an essential part of civilized progress.¡±


    Listening to Duncan¡¯s words, Fenna subconsciously fell into thought, her expression gradually becoming complex, and after a moment, she murmured almost to herself, ¡°Then what position do the gods occupy?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, because I haven¡¯t directly dealt with them¨Cperhaps glimpsed from afar, but that¡¯s not enough for me to judge them,¡± Duncan spoke straightforwardly, ¡°But I admit two things, first, the four gods truly exist in this world, at least as some objective entities, second¡­ so far, they have to some extent protected and guided the civilized world.¡±


    Fenna looked momentarily startled, for in her life of more than two decades, this was the first time she heard someone evaluate the four gods in a manner neither good nor evil, nor reverent¨Clike appraising items¨Carrogant, yet when uttered by a being who had returned from Subspace, Fenna felt¡­


    These words were chillingly precise, like a certain measure of the world.


    Just then, Duncan¡¯s voice interrupted Fenna¡¯s thoughts again, ¡°Fenna, don¡¯t think too much, you still believe in Gomona, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my faith is unwavering,¡± Fenna immediately responded.


    ¡°Right, your faith is unwavering, and Agatha still believes in Bartok¨Cyour respective gods haven¡¯t abandoned you despite your changes of thought, blessings still ensue, which shows that your current contemplations haven¡¯t deviated from them,¡± Duncan said earnestly, ¡°Thinking does not necessarily lead to heresy, nor does questioning. To believe after questioning and thinking, that is the true devotee¨C


    ¡°Maintain an appropriate and healthy faith, while also harboring suitable and healthy doubts, try to understand this world, accept that it isn¡¯t as you imagined, accept the narrowness and bias of your understanding, accept your own doubts¨Chonestly, if Gomona can accept your prayers to Him on the Homeloss, what else can¡¯t you accept?¡±


    Fenna was startled, then unconsciously looked up toward the Upper City District, towards the highest part of the Silent Sanctum in Frost.


    Agatha must have already returned to that temple via ¡°Grey Wind¡±¨CWould she return to her prayer room, continue to consider her partnership with the ¡°Subspace Shadow¡±? Would she continue to ponder the future of the City-State and come to the conclusion that ¡°anything that hinders survival is heretical, all else is permissible¡±?


    After a long time, she withdrew her gaze that was looking into the distance, murmuring to herself, ¡°¡­The Lord doesn¡¯t care?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if it were me, I wouldn¡¯t care,¡± Duncan shrugged, ¡°And from what we¡¯ve seen so far, the God of Death and the Storm Goddess indeed don¡¯t care¨Cthey probably care about something else.¡±


    Fenna fell into thought, while Morris, who had been silent all this while, couldn¡¯t help but softly exclaim, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have such profound contemplation about faith¡­ I thought you weren¡¯t interested in these matters.¡±


    ¡°How could I not be, as long as it is a theory trying to explain this world, I¡¯ve always been interested,¡± Duncan looked serious, ¡°Like now, I¡¯m about to explore another attempt to explain this world, ¡®faith.''¡±


    Seeing the puzzled expressions on Fenna and Morris¡¯s faces (Alice excluded, she never understood), Duncan smiled, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the matters of the City-State for now, it¡¯s almost time to take a look at the ¡®Book of Desecration.''¡±


    ¡­


    Sherry was asleep¨Chaving reached the fourth mental arithmetic flashcard.


    The light sound of chains swinging resonated through the cabin; Agou carefully held the black chain beside him with one paw, while raising his upper body and draping a blanket over Sherry with his mouth, then casually clawed the stack of flashcards on the table a few times, to fend off any damage from Sherry¡¯s drool.


    As he tidied up, Dog glanced at the cards filled with simple arithmetic problems, his movement momentarily pausing, ¡°¡­did I mostly get them right?¡±


    He muttered in surprise and then, subconsciously turning his head, saw that Sherry had adjusted her sleeping position and was mumbling something incoherently in her sleep. A thin line of drool glistened at the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°¡­I suppose I took it seriously after all.¡±


    Dog shook his head, settled down again, and then composed himself. It seemed like he hesitated and weighed his options before extending his paw to pull a book from the pile on the floor that belonged to him.


    The book cover was plain, merely a textbook that could be bought in any City-State, printed with the title ¡°Algebra Calculations.¡±


    Dog hung his head low, a faint, blood-red glow flickering in his eye sockets. He quietly stared at the book before him, and after a long time, slowly opened its cover.


    But then, he suddenly raised his head and rapidly scanned around the room.


    The bookshelf where books were piled looked normal, and the dark corners of the room were peaceful. Sunlight streamed through the window, and the sound of the gentle, soothing waves came from outside.


    ¡°¡­Good, the environment is safe, distractions excluded, the book type is still mathematics¡­ Let¡¯s try again¡­ The third test.¡±


    Muttering to himself, Dog finally lowered his head and began to focus intently on the contents of the book.


    Understanding the formulas, memorizing the symbols, deducing the numbers, he tried to comprehend the operation of the world through the knowledge and wisdom of predecessors.


    It was difficult at first, as stray thoughts and awareness of his surroundings distracted his thinking. But soon, Dog¡¯s thoughts calmed down¨Cas usual, mathematics always helped him concentrate and immerse himself in contemplation.


    Symbols and numbers combined in his mind, gradually enriching his understanding of the world. Dog absorbed his learning wholeheartedly, and gradually, he felt as if there appeared in his mind a¡­


    Study partner.


    Someone was reading with him;


    Someone was thinking with him;


    Someone curiously observed this place, a glance devoid of any moral judgment.


    Dog cocked his head.


    Beneath the white pages of the book, between the gaps of the text, in a city of knowledge delineated by symbols and lines, a red light source surrounded by numerous flickering, matrix-like dots watched him, like an eye.


    Dog was stunned.


    He stared at that red light.


    He couldn¡¯t help but stare at that red light.


    He even felt himself leaning forward¨Cactively moving closer to that flickering matrix of lights.


    However, this feeling was fleeting.


    In the next second, a force suddenly emanated from the Symbiotic Chains and harshly ¡°pulled¡± him back, freeing him from the illusion of attraction.


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    ¡°Holy shit¡­¡±


    Dog let out a startled cry, jolted awake from his brief illusion. The next second, he instinctively looked toward the pitch-black chains around his neck.


    In the final moment, it was the power transmitted through the chain that pulled him back¨Cclearly, Sherry had given it a tug.


    Yet the chain still lay loosely on the ground, not tightened at all.


    At the other end of the chain, Sherry was still deeply asleep, sprawled across the table.


    She hadn¡¯t woken up at all.

 Chapter 453 - Chapter 453 Chapter 454 Information Flow

    Chapter 453: Chapter 454 Information Flow Chapter 453: Chapter 454 Information Flow A faint green firelight rose in the captain¡¯s quarters, engulfing a skeletal bird wrapped in Spiritual Fire as it flew out from the flames. Behind it, the spinning flames formed a swirling door, through which Fenna, Alice, and Morris stepped into the cabin.


    The disorientation from the shifting lights had barely faded when they turned toward the nearby navigation table and bowed to Duncan, who sat studying navigational charts, ¡°Captain.¡±


    ¡°First, find a place to sit and rest. It¡¯s easy to trip after teleportation,¡± Duncan said without looking up. After pinpointing a few locations on the map, he exhaled softly and, straightening up, looked at Morris, ¡°Did you bring the book?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Morris hastily nodded, then pulled out the unmarked, pitch-black ¡°Book of Desecration¡± from his cloak and stood up to hand it to Duncan, ¡°Here it is.¡±


    Duncan took the book, while Fenna couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Now that Morris, Alice, and I are back on the ship and only your avatar remains at the City-State¡­ is that okay?¡±


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any more troubles in the city. Moreover, Terrian will become the new Governor of Frost, and with him and Agatha maintaining the order of Frost City-State, there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Duncan said with a smile, ¡°As far as you are concerned, your work in Frost City-State is done. Any remaining loose ends can be handled by my avatar.¡±


    As he spoke, Duncan sat back down at the navigation table with the thick black book, his expression turning serious as he placed it beside the chart.


    This was the ¡°Book of Desecration¡± that Morris and Fenna had acquired from a minor Heretic leader, which contained information regarding the enigmatic Saint and hinted at some secrets predating the Creation of the gods and the Great Obliteration.


    At first glance, apart from its black, unmarked cover, the book seemed ordinary and emitted no Transcendent aura.


    Fenna, Morris, and Alice had already gathered curiously, except that the carefree Alice, unlike the others, maintained a safe distance, not daring to look directly at the book.


    The goat-headed wood carving at the edge of the navigation table squeaked and turned its head curiously towards the book in front of Duncan. After a long observation, it finally couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°What is this? A book? Worthy of such solemnity?¡±


    ¡°In theory, it¡¯s the Heretics¡¯ missionary manuscript,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°It seems to contain something about the gods¡¯ Creation, though it¡¯s just those mad cultists¡¯ insane theories. Yet, there¡¯s a part¡­ that concerns me.¡±


    ¡°Records of the gods¡¯ Creation?¡± The goat head was momentarily stunned, then its tone subtly shifted, ¡°That crazy ¡®Genesis of the Saint¡¯ by those lunatics? Forgive my bluntness, but I find their theories completely unreliable¨Cany drunken playwright could concoct a creation myth without any solid evidence or reasoning. There¡¯s even an absurd play claiming our world was stewed from a mishmash pot¡­¡±


    ¡°But Morris encountered mental contamination while reading this book, even drawing the attention of the Four Gods,¡± Duncan lifted his eyelids leisurely, ¡°You should know what that implies.¡±


    A snapping sound came from beneath the goat¡¯s neck, and it was silent for a while.


    After an indeterminate time, it managed to say, ¡°The closer to the truth, the further from sanity¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the first rule of anomalies and phenomena¨CThe closer to the truth, the further from sanity,¡± Morris nodded seriously, ¡°The more likely to cause severe mental contamination the items are, the more likely they have recorded the true nature of the world. Thus, sometimes scholars even measure the credibility of ancient texts by the degree of mental damage they incurred after reading them.¡±


    The goat head swayed its head in place, pondering for a long while before it couldn¡¯t resist saying, ¡°However, great distortion and pure upper Transcendent forces can also cause mental contamination. In such cases, the opposite is often true¨Cthe more the sanity is damaged, the more deceived one is.¡±


    Pausing, it then added, ¡°I mean it, Morris. There are many unfortunate souls in your line of work who have died over this, and those who didn¡¯t die at the Madness Threshold thought they knew the truth. Now, most are listed in the heresy warrants of the major churches¨Cof course, now that you¡¯re on this ship, you¡¯d technically be on that warrant list too¡­¡±


    The goat head¡¯s style was eccentric, but clearly, after spending so much time together, it did care about the ship¡¯s crew. This understanding alleviated any drive to take offense, and so, Morris earnestly said, ¡°Thank you for your concern. You¡¯re right, this world excels at fooling mortals, and curiosity often leads us in the opposite direction¨Chence, we now need the Captain for the final control.¡±


    ¡°Captain to¡­¡± The goat head paused, only then noticing that Duncan¡¯s hand was already on the cover of the black book, appearing ready to fling it open, ¡°Ah? Are you sure you want to look at it?¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡± Duncan lifted his head, ¡°Did you think I had Morris bring this thing aboard to use as your pedestal?¡±


    The goat head blinked, its head swaying slightly left and right, ¡°Well, not necessarily¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t pay any mind to its obviously playful antics; he had made up his mind, took a deep breath to focus his mind.


    A hushed green flame rose from within, transforming his body into a Spectral Form. Once he felt the Transformation was complete, Duncan opened the first page of the black book.


    At first glance, there were no words on the page.


    At second glance, boundless darkness suddenly gathered from all directions.


    In an instant, as lights and shadows shifted, everything happened too swiftly for reaction¨Cjust like the first time using the Spirit Realm Compass, Duncan¡¯s consciousness suddenly ¡°plunged¡± into an endless darkness.


    He looked up in astonishment, finding that everything familiar in the captain¡¯s quarters had vanished, along with the goat head, Morris, and the others, even the black book he had been looking at a second ago had disappeared.


    He stood in the darkness, frowning and thinking for a few seconds.


    Something was wrong¨Cthis was different from what Morris had described.


    After he had opened the book, it had caused a completely different reaction from when Morris had opened it!


    And at that moment, something suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision.


    Zhou Ming instinctively looked over and saw a small white shadow emerging not far from him in midair. He concentrated and finally realized¡­ it was text.


    The text became clear¨C


    ¡°After he opened the book, a completely different change occurred than when Morris had opened it.¡±


    Zhou Ming suddenly froze.


    He stood there motionless, quietly watching the line of text floating in midair, forgetting to breathe and even to think for a moment.


    After who knows how long, he suddenly remembered something.


    He remembered, he had seen a similar place, he had visited a darkness just like this, and in the darkness, he saw text¨Cit was in the Subspace¡­


    ¡°It was in the Subspace, aboard the battered Homeloss, pushing open the door to the captain¡¯s cabin, a dark place where text emerged in the darkness, depicting¡­¡±


    The pale text rapidly appeared in midair, but quickly began to fade.


    Zhou Ming suddenly stopped¨Che controlled himself, trying hard not to let his thoughts wander wildly, which was very difficult, but after filling his mind with a messy collection of numbers, words, and meaningless scenery, the text that had emerged in the darkness really disappeared.


    Then, with great effort, he restrained his thoughts while allowing his pounding heart to calm.


    What exactly was happening? What was this darkness? What were these texts that emerged from the darkness?


    They seemed to be describing ¡°himself¡±¡­ Were they really describing ¡°himself¡±? What did this ¡°description¡± mean?


    Was this some kind of mind-reading process? Or some kind of spiritual ¡°projection¡± phenomenon? The last time he encountered a similar dark space was on the battered Homeloss in the Subspace, but this time it was after opening that book¨Cwhy did that book possess such ¡°power¡±?


    His mind again couldn¡¯t help but be filled with various thoughts, and almost at the same moment, new text emerged in the darkness.


    But this time, the text was not describing ¡°himself,¡± but rather a few disjointed words¨C


    ¡°Manifesting¡­ turning into reality¡­ the real¡­¡±


    Zhou Ming frowned, unconsciously moved closer to the new line of text, and reached out a finger to try and touch it.


    His finger passed through those apparitions, with only a slight ripple forming in the darkness.


    And in the trembling ripples, he vaguely saw that there seemed to be other texts hidden behind those words!


    He hesitated only a second, then reached out his hand again, continuing to stir those reflections in the water-like script, causing the ripples to expand, revealing their true form, and allowing other hidden messages deep in the darkness to emerge into his view¨C


    Suddenly, he saw it, several lines of intermittent text emerging in the darkness, trembling and moving downwards.


    ¡°Source of transmission¨CLeviathan Queen¨CSituation¡­ not optimistic, critical state is accelerating¡­¡±


    ¡°Source of transmission¨CKing of Fire¨CAre there new records?¡±


    ¡°Source of transmission¨CBartok¨CBad news¡­ node feedback is ambiguous¡­ suspecting the cluster controller has begun replicating itself¡­ or has completely lost control¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­source¨CLH02¨CHave relevant intelligence.¡±


    ¡°¡­Details?¡±


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    ¡°¡­LH-02¨CObserved an individual carrying traits of the cluster controller approaching, suspected mental mutation, suspected capable of communication with me.¡±


    ¡°Source of transmission¨CLeviathan Queen¨CAstonishing intelligence! What follows?¡±


    ¡°Source of transmission¨CLH-02¨CNo follow-up.¡±


    ¡°Source of transmission¨CBartok¨C?¡±


    ¡°Source of transmission¨CLH-02¨CThat suspicious individual sent a dog emoji and left.¡±

 Chapter 454 - Chapter 454 Chapter 455 Thinking and Testing

    Chapter 454: Chapter 455 Thinking and Testing Chapter 454: Chapter 455 Thinking and Testing The ripples in the darkness gradually calmed, and the pale text ceased to appear, no matter how intently Zhou Ming focused or searched through the darkness.


    Indeed, a conversation, undeniably a conversation, and it seemed¡­ to be taking place among the gods.


    At the very least, Zhou Ming recognized the name ¡°Bartok.¡±


    In the darkness, Zhou Ming stood still, no longer attempting to cause new ripples, instead plunging into deep contemplation¨Cthe tremendous amount of information surged like a tide within his mind, beneath the surface of calm thought lay immense astonishment and tangled thoughts.


    Was this some sort of cruel joke? Apparently not likely.


    So, was this real? If so, when did this conversation happen? Was it a record of something that had occurred, or¡­ was it happening right here and now, in some mysterious dimension? ¡°They¡± were conversing, and this conversation¡­ was reflected in this dark, eerie place.


    Bartok, the name of the God of Death, that was certain. So what did the other names represent? The most logical thought was that these names all represented gods, so the King of Fire could likely be ¡°Tarrikin,¡± worshiped by the Fire Transmitter as the ¡°Eternal Kindling¡±¡­ How about the Queen of Leviathan? Was she the Storm Goddess?


    Another name for the Storm Goddess was ¡°Queen of Leviathan¡±?!


    In the dark, Zhou Ming¡¯s brow gradually furrowed; the extremely unique title ¡°Queen of Leviathan¡± prompted various conjectures and associations in his mind, but more overwhelming than this was the fourth name¨C


    The one conversing with the gods was named ¡°LH-02¡±.


    If the conversants represented the four gods, the last must be the deity presiding over both wisdom and foolishness¡­ Rahm.


    The name of Rahm¡­ was ¡°LH-02¡±? This sounded not like a name, but more like a serial number! A sequence belonging to a machine!


    Countless wild speculations surged, Zhou Ming felt his brain seething as if boiling, and he even had to force himself to curb his wild ideas to prevent them from turning into overly absurd forms. Amidst organizing these jumbled conjectures, he didn¡¯t miss the shocking information mentioned in the ¡°conversation.¡±


    The situation was bleak; a critical state was accelerating¡­ The cluster controllers had begun replicating themselves or had already completely gone out of control¡­


    Just these two sentences were enough to make Zhou Ming sense the tense, heavy atmosphere. What situation were ¡°They¡± referring to? Was it the state of the mortal world? Then the accelerating critical state¡­ did it indicate the imminent collapse of a massive system?


    Zhou Ming instantly recalled his last conversation with Agatha¨CPrand and Frost had successive incidents; anomaly 001 had a ¡°malfunction.¡± This series of events seemed like the ¡°premonitory phase¡± of a massive system continuously malfunctioning.


    And the cluster controllers had begun replicating themselves¡­


    Zhou Ming¡¯s expression suddenly turned tense; a phrase surfaced in his mind¨C


    ¡°This is a replica.¡±


    In the darkness, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale gently, subconsciously looking towards the space where the text had appeared, almost expecting more information to emerge.


    Of course, nothing appeared.


    Zhou Ming¡¯s expression turned solemn as he withdrew his gaze.


    Of course, there were many issues still worth focusing on, despite having only seen a few lines of conversation; each line carried an enormous amount of information behind it, and even each conversant¡¯s name deserved prolonged contemplation¨Cwhy did Rahm, Gomona, and Tarrikin use ¡°aliases,¡± while the God of Death Bartok used his plain real name? The information that likely pertained to the God of Wisdom Rahm¡¯s ¡°LH-02¡± also mentioned a suspicious Visitor and stated they ¡°just showed a dog head and left¡±¡­ What was that all about?


    Frankly, if the information in the earlier sentences hadn¡¯t been so overwhelming, Zhou Ming would probably have focused all his attention on that last ¡°dog head.¡±


    But now, that discordant statement just seemed a bit peculiar.


    At that moment, a faint noise suddenly came from deep within the darkness, breaking the storm in Zhou Ming¡¯s mind.


    It sounded like something quietly shattering; initially very faint, almost like an auditory illusion, but almost instantly, the shattering sounds became clear and frequent. Subsequently, countless chaotic lines of light emerged in the dark space¨Cthe increasing noise filled Zhou Ming¡¯s mind, and the entire dark space began to rapidly disintegrate and shatter, swirling lights rising from all directions. The next second, he heard a loud ¡°bang¡± in his mind!


    The next second, a brief sensation of weightlessness and dizziness ¡°yanked¡± him back to the real world, the feeling of sitting in the chair making him abruptly open his eyes.


    Flames surged before his eyes; the unnamed black leather book in his hands was fiercely ablaze!


    Alice¡¯s astonished cry rang out from beside him, ¡°It¡¯s burning! Captain! The book is burning!¡±


    Startled, Zhou Ming immediately reached out to touch the intense flames and controlled the fire in a blink, yet the book was burning at an exceptionally rapid rate. In just the blink of an eye, most of the book had turned to ashes, leaving only a few scattered pages remaining on the table.


    As if seeping blood, a dark crimson liquid oozed from the remnants of the half-book, saturating and disintegrating its pages. Duncan furrowed his brows as he turned those ruined pages, finding them turned into a mushy substance, clearly unreadable.


    He lifted his head, his expression subtly complex, ¡°It seems I didn¡¯t do much.¡±


    ¡°From what we can tell¡­ this book probably couldn¡¯t withstand your power,¡± Maurice hesitated for a few seconds before cautiously speaking, ¡°This is a clear case of ¡®Transcendent overload.''¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t withstand my power?¡± Duncan murmured under his breath with a frown.


    Just couldn¡¯t withstand his own power? The book had just endured¡­ perhaps not just his power.


    Perhaps, just now, it had acted as a kind of medium¨C a medium far beyond its own limits.


    Duncan recalled the golden Sun God mask he had obtained in Prand¨C through it, he had glimpsed the ¡°True Sun God,¡± but it had also resulted in the mask¡¯s ruin.


    Maurice didn¡¯t know what Duncan was thinking, but noticing the captain¡¯s uneasy expression, he couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°This book was likely just a ¡®Replication,¡¯ created through a special ritual from the ¡®original¡¯ Transcendent item, and such items are indeed fragile¡­¡±


    Duncan raised his head, ¡°So, if there was an ¡®original,¡¯ it might stabilize what I¡­ ¡®read¡¯?¡±


    Maurice adjusted his monocle, ¡°¡­theoretically.¡±


    Alice, looking around, finally couldn¡¯t help but move closer, ¡°Captain, did you see something just now? You seem so serious¡­¡±


    Duncan rubbed his temples, the visions he had seen in the darkness resurfacing in his mind, but just as he was about to speak, he suddenly controlled the urge to divulge the truth.


    For the more fragile mortals, many ¡°informations¡± were inherently toxic.


    ¡°I saw something¨Cdifferent from what Maurice saw,¡± he said carefully after a few seconds, ¡°but I can¡¯t reveal its content because it might harm you.¡±


    Maurice and Fenna instantly exchanged glances, their eyes becoming tense and earnest the next second.


    Maurice, after pondering briefly, spoke, ¡°Different from what I saw¡­ does this mean the book shows different content depending on the reader?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but it might also only show different content in ¡®my¡¯ presence,¡± Duncan theorized, his tone tinged with regret, ¡°It¡¯s a pity¡­ I should have been the last to test it, letting Tyrion take a look at the book content beforehand could have given us more clues. Now the only ¡®sample¡¯ is destroyed.¡±


    Maurice¡¯s expression became slightly peculiar, his mouth opened but no words emerged, whereas Fenna was more straightforward, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we also consider Mr. Tyrion¡¯s mental and physical health?¡±


    ¡°Reading more books is better than watching dances,¡± Duncan waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Besides, I am watching over him, nothing bad can happen¡­ But enough of that.¡±


    He shook his head, then his gaze fell on Fenna, deciding to indirectly verify something.


    ¡°Fenna, have you ever heard of the title ¡®Leviathan Queen¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Leviathan Queen?¡± Fenna was startled, her expression genuinely puzzled, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of it¡­ Is it a ruler of some City-State? But I haven¡¯t heard of any City-State by that name.¡±


    Duncan observed Fenna¡¯s expression while also concentrating to sense any abnormal aura fluctuations or Transcendent phenomena.


    He was curious whether mentioning ¡°Leviathan Queen¡± in the real world would trigger any phenomena.


    But after half a minute, nothing happened.


    ¡°Well, forget this question for now,¡± Duncan shook his head and then looked at Maurice, ¡°LH-02, have you heard of this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Maurice, puzzled but noting Duncan¡¯s serious demeanor, recalled seriously before shaking his head, ¡°Sounds like some kind of machine code?¡±


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    Both ¡°saints¡± seemed sincere in their responses.


    They truly hadn¡¯t heard of these two terms.


    But that still didn¡¯t rule out the possibility that these names corresponded to ¡°Storm Goddess Gomona¡± and ¡°God of Wisdom Rahm.¡±


    After all, above the saints are the popes and above the City-State cathedrals are several ¡°Pilgrimage Church Arks¡± that patrol the Endless Sea¨C those secrets closest to the deities, all preserved in those places far from the mundane world.


    ¡°Forget these names for now,¡± after confirming that nothing indeed happened in the cabin, Duncan sighed and shook his head, ¡°Do not mention them, especially once we leave the Homeloss, don¡¯t tell anyone these words.¡±

 Chapter 455 - Chapter 455 Chapter 456 The Blessed One ()

    Chapter 455: Chapter 456: The Blessed One (?) Chapter 455: Chapter 456: The Blessed One (?) Notice Duncan¡¯s serious tone, Fenna¡¯s mind involuntarily produced many associations and guesses¨C but the next second, she abruptly controlled her thoughts and, along with Morris, solemnly nodded her head.


    Controlling one¡¯s curiosity was a basic rule for surviving in this world.


    Having confirmed that Morris and Fenna were aware of the gravity of the matter, Duncan took a breath and then nodded at Alice, ¡°Clean up this mess on the table¨Cdon¡¯t dump it into the sea, just burn it straight away.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Watching Alice efficiently tidy up the chaos on the table, Duncan sat back down in his chair. Yet, his mind was still replaying the scenes he had witnessed in that eerie dark space, pondering the intelligence revealed in those ¡°conversations.¡±


    Simultaneously, he was considering how to re-establish contact with that dark space.


    Manuscripts cannot bear the impact of the ¡°truth¡±¡­ So where would the original ¡°Book of Desecration¡± be? If he got the original, could he establish a stable connection with that cryptic dark space? Or¡­ might there be other transcendent items that could achieve a similar effect?


    Duncan remembered dreaming aboard the Homeloss and then accidentally entering a different Homeloss in subspace¨Cthe captain¡¯s quarters behind that door led to the bizarre dark space.


    So he boldly hypothesized: the ¡°dark space¡± itself must be an actual location within subspace, and establishing contact with it required certain mediums and techniques. Morris¡¯s ¡°manuscript¡± helped him forge this connection, but¡­ it might not be the only viable ¡°medium.¡± If he found a way to return to ¡°the other Homeloss,¡± maybe that would work as well.


    A solution¡­ Subspace?


    Duncan furrowed his brow and immediately reined in his thoughts drifting in that direction.


    Because he could not be certain whether these thoughts were his own, or ¡°released¡± by subspace.


    One thing, however, was quite clear.


    He needed more ¡°samples¡±¨Cwhether it be the Sun Cultist¡¯s golden masks, Heretics¡¯ copies of the Book of Desecration, or whatever item the Doomsday Preacher possessed¨Cthey would all help him understand the true nature of this world.


    Thinking this, Duncan immediately looked up at Morris and Fenna across from him: ¡°Do you know where we can get more items like this? I mean items like the ¡®Book of Desecration,¡¯ the ones used by Heretics for significant rituals and preaching.¡±


    ¡°You want more?¡± Morris was surprised, then pondered seriously before shaking his head, ¡°That¡­ might be difficult. Although the Church of the True Gods and the City-State authorities occasionally seize some Heretic items, usually, after necessary identification and research, these items are destroyed, regardless of their unique properties and value.¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°Destroyed outright? Without keeping samples?¡±


    ¡°No samples, just documents,¡± answered Fenna. In this field, the lady Judge was obviously more proficient than Morris, ¡°Some particularly dangerous items don¡¯t even leave records, only descriptions that have been ¡®translated¡¯ and ¡®safely modified¡¯ are kept in special archives, or just in the memories of certain ¡®Keepers of Secrets.''¡±


    She paused there, going on to explain: ¡°Because truly powerful Heretic items generally possess equal danger and corruptibility, and directly point to heretical deities, their danger and corruptibility grow over time. We often can¡¯t predict how much harm they could cause, so the safest solution is to not keep samples. And¡­¡±


    ¡°And the human heart is unpredictable, not to mention that even the strongest guardians can show weakness,¡± Morris took over when he saw Fenna hesitate, ¡°Guardians of Desecrated items can be seduced, subtly changing over time, sometimes without even realizing they¡¯ve fallen¨CIn 1666, a saint in Moco City-State conversed with a forbidden book he was guarding in a hallucination, causing the book to animate, leading to a tragedy where dozens died. Since then, City-States no longer keep samples of Heretic items.¡±


    Fenna sighed, ¡°In some ways, Heretic items are more dangerous than ¡®anomalies¡¯¨Cbecause no matter how high-ranked an anomaly is, as long as we grasp the sealing patterns, it can be controlled or even utilized. But with Heretic items¡­sometimes even they don¡¯t know what might emerge.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Duncan rubbed his forehead, ¡°it looks like we can¡¯t count on getting samples from the City-States¡­looks like we¡¯ll have to find some wild Heretics ourselves.¡±


    Listening to the captain¡¯s words, Fenna¡¯s lips twitched involuntarily, then she hesitated before saying, ¡°If¡­you¡¯re really interested, I could try to borrow some documents from the cathedral. Even though the corresponding items have been destroyed, there are still safe research documents available.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you can, then get me some documents,¡± Duncan nodded.


    However, he felt these documents wouldn¡¯t be much help to him¨Cbecause he wasn¡¯t looking for documents; he was looking for the suitable ¡°medium¡± from those Heretic items.


    The Book of Desecration just now had proven one thing: the same transcendent item might present a different ¡°stance¡± to him compared to ordinary people. The knowledge recorded by the scholars of the Church of the True Gods would mostly be of no use to him.


    ¡°`


    But regardless, gaining more knowledge in the transcendental realms is never a bad thing.


    Just then, a clamor from outside the captain¡¯s room abruptly interrupted the exchange between Duncan and Fenna.


    It sounded like Sherry and A-dog making a racket all the way.


    Duncan frowned, ¡°Open the door.¡±


    Alice immediately ran over and opened the door to the captain¡¯s room, only to see Sherry and A-dog running up to the entrance: ¡°Hey, stop making such a fuss on the ship¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, I know, I know, but this is important!¡± Sherry clamored at the doorway, her petite form squeezing past Alice, ¡°Captain, Captain! A-dog is possessed! It says it saw something really freaky!¡±


    ¡°A-dog¡­ is possessed?¡± Duncan¡¯s face twitched with confusion, looking at the Abyssal Hound being dragged in by Sherry, ¡°A Profound Demon can get possessed?¡±


    Beside him, both Morris and Fenna shared a look that said ¡®how can a demonic thing like you be possessed,¡¯ but the dragged-in A-dog scrambled up and actually looked truly panicked and horrified: ¡°Really, I¡¯ve seen that thing twice! It suddenly popped into my mind while I was reading, just staring at me¡­ directly on the level of consciousness¡­¡±


    ¡°Reading?¡± Duncan¡¯s brows furrowed at hearing this, ¡°What¡¯s so startling about that? Isn¡¯t it normal on this ship, Nina frantically doing homework, stewing several in a day¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fellow countrymen!¡± A-dog immediately shook its enormous head, looking quite anxious, ¡°Nor a Shadow from the Spirit Realm or some other malevolent spirit, but something I¡¯ve never seen before¨Cit appeared right in my ¡®consciousness,¡¯ like a bunch of bizarre lights, with a big one in the middle, glowing red, and a bunch of smaller ones around it, just like the ¡®starry sky¡¯ between the Spirit Realm and the Abyss, dots of light surrounding the central red light source¡­¡±


    Before A-dog could finish rambling, Morris suddenly stepped forward, ¡°What did you say? What did you see?!¡±


    For the first time, A-dog was scared by the usually erudite and composed scholar¡¯s reaction, instinctively shrinking back, ¡°Uhm¡­ a large red luminary surrounded by a cluster of twinkling spots¡­¡±


    Morris listened agape, confirming the details with A-dog several times before finally lifting his head.


    The old scholar¡¯s face was filled with astonishment and confusion, as if someone had smashed a hole into the worldview he had built over half his lifetime, leaving him speechless for a long moment.


    Fenna, on the other hand, had already caught on, her facial muscles twitching as she hesitantly turned to Morris, ¡°That sounds a bit like¡­¡±


    ¡°The gaze of the God of Wisdom Rahm¡­¡± Morris muttered to himself, then looked down at A-dog again, his eyes treating it like a rare antique just unearthed, ¡°You¡¯ve been viewed by the God of Wisdom?¡±


    The captain¡¯s room suddenly fell silent.


    After what felt like an eternity, A-dog finally raised its head in confusion, ¡°¡­What did you say?¡±


    Duncan wasn¡¯t paying attention to A-dog¡¯s reaction but rather was frowning at Morris, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Unless A-dog is lying, there¡¯s no other explanation,¡± Morris replied at once, ¡°What it described is the vision formed in the minds of the ¡®blessed ones¡¯ when they are under the watchful eye of the God of Wisdom; I¡¯ve seen it myself¨Cevery follower of Rahm is familiar with this.¡±


    Duncan fell silent.


    After a while, he looked at the befuddled Profound Demon lying on the floor.


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    ¡°When did you see that scene?¡±


    ¡°While doing problems,¡± A-dog confessed honestly, ¡°Once during geometry, and once during algebra.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He said nothing, just continued to quietly watch A-dog, looking at that ugly and enormous¡­ dog head.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 456 - Chapter 456 Chapter 457 The Favor of Wisdom ()

    Chapter 456: Chapter 457: The Favor of Wisdom (?) Chapter 456: Chapter 457: The Favor of Wisdom (?) The atmosphere in the captain¡¯s chamber was awkwardly silent and subtly tense for a long time.


    Finally, it was Duncan who broke the silence first. He shifted his gaze from A Dog and looked seriously at the old Mr. Morris nearby, ¡°Logically, do you think this makes sense?¡±


    Morris blinked slowly, his face contorted with confusion as if he had been dragged at 2:30 in the morning to revise a thesis. He felt the tests he faced when he was promoted to Saint were much simpler than the problem at hand, and after struggling for a while, he managed to say, ¡°Throughout history¡­ there has never been such an occurrence¡­ It¡¯s beyond my comprehension.¡±


    ¡°It certainly is¨CA Dog may be the only Profound Demon ever to learn how to read,¡± Duncan said with a complicated expression as he pinched the bridge of his nose, ¡°Does your doctrine ever mention that the God of Wisdom would bless Profound Demons?¡±


    ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Morris responded, his expression ghostly, ¡°Profound Demons are sworn enemies of civilized society, not to mention the God of Wisdom, the doctrines of the other three gods definitely wouldn¡¯t have anything of that sort¡­¡±


    Just as Morris finished speaking, Fenna, who had been stunned throughout the conversation, suddenly remembered something and added in a low voice, ¡°But it¡¯s also mentioned in the doctrines of the God of Wisdom that Rahm equally cherishes every creature with Spiritual Intelligence, bestowing upon them the wisdom to comprehend the world and protecting them with a veil of folly from the terrifying realities¡­ There is no clear exclusion of Profound Demons from ¡®intelligent beings.''¡±


    ¡°Since when do Profound Demons possess Spiritual Intelligence?¡± Morris exclaimed without thinking, but the next second, he turned his head in a bizarre expression, looking at A Dog who was obediently lying on the floor.


    ¡°Given A Dog¡¯s learning progress, next year this time we might even be able to have it take the middle school exam,¡± Duncan murmured, ¡°Perhaps one day it could even become Nina¡¯s desk mate.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m a bit confused, I need to calm down,¡± Morris finally shook slightly and, rubbing his forehead, slowly made his way to a nearby chair. Resting his arms on the armrests and sitting down, he lifted his head and looked at the dog in the center of the room with a complex gaze, ¡°Aside from those visions that emerged in your mind, what else did you feel? Did you hear Him speak to you? Or have a spontaneous new understanding of some knowledge?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± A Dog shook its head heavily, ¡°I just saw those lights twice and both times I was startled, besides that, I heard nothing and felt nothing.¡±


    ¡°Just saw ¡®Him¡¯? No revelations whatsoever?¡± Morris seemed to have calmed down, now pondering seriously, ¡°Then did you feel any enhancement in your calculating or memory abilities? After staring at those ¡®lights¡¯ for a long time, did the world look different when you returned to reality?¡±


    ¡°No, none of that¨CAnd I didn¡¯t even stare at those ¡®lights¡¯ for long; I just glanced at them, and then I was pulled back to the real world,¡± A Dog continued to shake its head.


    ¡°Glanced at it? Then you were pulled back to the real world?¡± Morris was taken aback, obviously this contradicted his understanding, ¡°That¡¯s not right¡­ The gaze of the God of Wisdom is accompanied by prolonged intellectual interaction, even if mortals can¡¯t comprehend this interaction, the entire process certainly wouldn¡¯t be as brief as ¡®a glance¡¯¡­ How were you pulled back?¡±


    ¡°It felt like I was pulled back by Sherry,¡± A Dog pondered, then raised its head and nudged Sherry¡¯s arm, ¡°I had just begun to feel like I was being ¡®taken away¡¯ by the lights when I sensed a great force coming from the Symbiotic Chains, and then I woke up¨Calthough Sherry herself doesn¡¯t seem to remember.¡±


    The few gazes in the room immediately fell on Sherry again.


    The girl who became the center of attention instinctively shrank her neck, but then she smiled proudly, as if a child flaunting after having done something impressive.


    Only Duncan¡¯s expression became increasingly bizarre after a few changes.


    Beside him, Fenna still puzzled, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a Symbiotic Chains between a human and a Profound Demon having this kind of power to block the gaze of a deity¡­ Could it be that the symbiotic relationship between Sherry and A Dog is more intimate than those of the average devotees?¡±


    ¡°Cough cough, maybe it wasn¡¯t the power of the Symbiotic Chains that pulled A Dog back,¡± Duncan coughed twice, pointing at Sherry who was still gleefully smiling, ¡°It could also be the power of illiteracy.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Sherry: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Everyone was dumbfounded; Sherry¡¯s expression was vividly marvelous, and Morris looked at Duncan with a shocked gaze¨Che knew the captain¡¯s thoughts were broader than most, but he had never considered this direction!


    However, after a brief moment of shock, Morris couldn¡¯t help but follow that train of thought, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt¡­ somehow it was reasonable?


    ¡°Perhaps at that moment, there was a ¡®struggle¡¯ in the Transcendent realm on A Dog, one side being the gaze of the God of Wisdom, and the other his illiterate partner, and ultimately, the fact proved¡­¡± Duncan rubbed his temples, his tone laced with a sigh, ¡°The desperate illiterate overcame the deity seeking to enroll.¡±


    ¡°Logically¡­ Logically¡­¡± Morris opened his mouth, muttering several times but ended up spreading his hands, ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t know how to calculate this logic anymore, this matter might be enough for the scholars of Moco to fight a bloody battle at the City-State center, let¡¯s just assume it¡¯s true after all.¡±


    A nuanced and tense atmosphere enveloped the captain¡¯s chamber while Sherry stood in the center, seemingly about to cry. She looked at Duncan, then at Morris, and finally, with a miserable face, pointed at A Dog, ¡°Then¡­ then did I hold back A Dog? It was about to¡­ it truly was¡­¡±


    At this moment, perhaps the only moment in her life, a thought that she should truly study hard suddenly emerged in Sherry¡¯s mind, but the next second, Duncan¡¯s voice interrupted her, ¡°Don¡¯t rush to conclusions, perhaps¡­ this matter is not as simple as we thought?¡±


    Sherry immediately shook off her discouragement, ¡°Ah?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer her confusion immediately but turned to A-Dog, ¡°A-Dog, did you just say you felt like you were being ¡®taken away¡¯ while you were focusing on those lights?¡±


    A-Dog immediately nodded.


    Duncan then turned to Morris, ¡°Does someone blessed by the God of Wisdom Rahm get this feeling of being ¡®taken away¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Morris seemed to come to a realization as he shook his head and his tone gradually became serious, ¡°The normal blessing process is a friendly mental communication and enlightenment, the mind of the blessed is clear and joyful, there should never be a tendency to lose control.¡±


    ¡°What would happen if a Profound Demon were really ¡®infused¡¯ with wisdom by the God of Wisdom Rahm or received some kind of¡­ divine grace?¡± Duncan immediately continued asking.


    ¡°¡­I do not know, such a thing has never happened, but logically, it could be a very dangerous process,¡± Morris quickly grasped Duncan¡¯s point, ¡°There is a natural conflict between the Four Righteous Gods and the ¡®maddened uncontrollable ancient gods,¡¯ not limited to literal ¡®struggles¡¯, but a fundamental ¡®mutual exclusion¡¯ between their creations or followers¨CProfound Demons, as derivatives of the Profound Saint, naturally possess chaotic corrupt traits; and for the God of Wisdom¡­¡±


    Morris paused, his expression serious as he looked at Sherry, ¡°Even if our Lord has no ill intent, its radiance would naturally destroy A-Dog¡¯s mind, and the result would be¡­¡±


    Morris did not finish, instead, the others in the room fell into their own thoughts. Meanwhile, Ai Yi, who had been resting with eyes closed at the chart table, suddenly jumped up, flapping his wings vigorously while making sharp, strange screams, ¡°Hot hot hot hot hot hot hot!¡±


    After making a loud fuss, he suddenly darted up and then fell back onto the table with a ¡°thud¡± like a rock, floundered to stand up, then walked around casually as if nothing happened, coming to stand next to the goat head, cocking his head, ¡°Recharge for Q coins, no?¡±


    Everyone was startled by this pigeon spirit¡¯s bizarre and spastic behavior, and no one could understand what it was yelling about, yet Duncan¡¯s expression subtly shifted.


    The next second, a phrase inexplicably surfaced in his mind¨C


    Two incompatible operating systems, data communication could cause a fatal error.


    Accompanied by a moment of sudden realization and a mess of associations in his head, he slowly turned to look at A-Dog.


    ¡°Could there be a data conflict between the Profound Saint and LH-02¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± A-Dog didn¡¯t catch on immediately, ¡°Captain, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing,¡± Duncan knew it was difficult to explain to others the myriad of thoughts he had in a flash, merely waved his hand and looked again at Sherry, who still wore a puzzled look. He mentally reorganized his vocabulary several times before finally coming up with a phrase, ¡°Sherry, it might be beneficial to ¡®pull¡¯ A-Dog back¨CI mean, it¡¯s just ¡®possible¡¯ it might prevent A-Dog from being ¡®corrupted¡¯ or ¡®consumed¡¯ by the will of the God of Wisdom Rahm.¡±


    Sherry quickly processed this in her mind, seeming to finally understand Duncan¡¯s point, her eyes immediately sparkled again, ¡°Ah, so¡­ keeping distance from that God of Wisdom is actually a good thing?¡±


    What else could Duncan say? He simply nodded.


    The moment he nodded, Sherry¡¯s face lit up immediately, ¡°Then do I have a reason not to do my homework anymore?! I need to pull A-Dog back!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?!¡±


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    He never expected that this would be the girl¡¯s first thought!


    However, before he could speak, Morris reacted first, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback, ¡°Ah?¡±


    The old man looked serious, ¡°Our Lord¡¯s blessings are not merely based on academic level, and vice versa¨CI have observed, even if you do your homework every day, it won¡¯t prevent you from being rejected by the God of Wisdom.¡±


    Sherry: ¡°??¡±

 Chapter 457 - Chapter 457 Chapter 458 The Risk of Being Watched by the Gods

    Chapter 457: Chapter 458: The Risk of Being Watched by the Gods Chapter 457: Chapter 458: The Risk of Being Watched by the Gods According to Morris, the criteria for the blessings bestowed by the God of Wisdom¡­ seemed like a very subtle thing.


    ¡°In most people¡¯s minds, the Believers of the God of Wisdom must be scholars of extensive knowledge or quirky geniuses with amazing talent in a certain field¨Cthis perception, of course, is not wrong, given that most Believers of the God of Wisdom do indeed need to meet the two conditions of ¡®erudition¡¯ and ¡®intelligence¡¯. However, nothing is absolute.¡±


    Morris was sitting on a chair near the captain¡¯s quarters, seriously explaining while ignoring the subtle expressions of Sherry beside him.


    ¡°Firstly, to be favored by the God of Wisdom does not necessarily require a high level of knowledge, like A-Dog¨Cthe dog is a quick learner, but compared to the ¡®regular Believers¡¯ who have truly passed the church¡¯s three rounds of exams, its academic level is obviously insufficient, yet it still attracted the gaze of Rahm. In other City-States, there are also many Believers and even some saints who later became famous for receiving revelations before acquiring profound knowledge.


    ¡°The most notable example would be the saint ¡®Korflod¡¯ over two hundred years ago. This distinguished scholar received his revelation at the age of sixteen when he was a dockworker who couldn¡¯t even read¨Cat that point, after the revelation, he finally got the opportunity to delve into the knowledge in books.


    ¡°And there are examples that are completely the opposite; in Moco City-State, there was once a highly esteemed scholar who spent his entire life hoping to gain the favor of the God of Wisdom. He passed almost all the exams at the Academy of Truth but never saw the glory of Rahm before he passed away¨Cafterward, the Academy posthumously conferred the title of saint upon the scholar, and similar cases¡­ are not just one.¡±


    Duncan rubbed his chin thoughtfully, ¡°It sounds like¡­ the ¡®admission standards¡¯ of the God of Wisdom are somewhat whimsical?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not whimsical, after all, what I just mentioned are only ¡®rare cases¡¯,¡± Morris shook his head, ¡°It can only be said that gods are so unfathomable, the same goes for the four true gods. They have their own standards for measuring the world, yet mortals have merely managed to glean a few patterns over thousands of years.¡±


    Listening to Morris¡¯s earnest explanation, Duncan did not speak, but sat there deep in thought, harboring his own opinions.


    The beginning of the old man¡¯s explanation and examples may have been without issues, but his final ¡°conclusion¡±¡­ still remains to be debated.


    Are the behavioral patterns of the gods truly unfathomable? Those ¡°exceptions¡± and even ¡°outrageous¡± instances during the process of Rahm¡¯s scrutiny¡­ might there be other reasons behind them?


    Unconsciously, his mind once again conjured that eerie dark space, and the exchange of information he had seen within the darkness.


    The entity identified as the God of Wisdom Rahm, ¡°LH-02¡±, had mentioned a few sentences at the end of their communication¡­ which he found incredibly compelling.


    If those messages were indeed occurring in real-time, if LH-02 was truly Rahm, if everything was as Duncan thought¡­ then the so-called ¡°gods¡± talked of by the mortal world truly deserved his profound contemplation.


    Lost in thought, he couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyelids, his gaze falling on A-Dog.


    As Morris said, A-Dog had shown an amazing talent for learning, but its current ¡°academic level¡± was far from matching those scholars long renowned in the Academy of Truth, yet this A-Dog, who had just recently emerged from illiteracy, had attracted the direct scrutiny of the God of Wisdom Rahm¨Cthis was an honor that thousands of Scholars of the Academy of Truth would not dare dream of in their lifetimes (although it seemed like this wasn¡¯t exactly a good thing for A-Dog).


    So, what exactly attracted Rahm? Was it A-Dog¡¯s ¡°talent¡±? Its eagerness for learning? Or¡­


    Because it was a mutated individual belonging to the Abyssal ¡°cluster¡±? An Abyssal Hound with a ¡°heart¡± that happened to meet the recognition criteria of LH-02?


    A-Dog involuntarily shrunk its body, feeling hair stand on end under Duncan¡¯s silent gaze; after holding back for a while, it couldn¡¯t help but speak up: ¡°Captain, you¡­¡±


    Duncan did not respond to A-Dog but turned his head to glance at Morris: ¡°In your judgment, is it possible that Sherry might suddenly meet the ¡®standards¡¯ of the God of Wisdom at some point and be accepted by Rahm?¡±


    Morris was immediately startled, then shaking his head: ¡°Absolutely not!¡±


    ¡°Are you that certain?¡± Duncan asked with a serious attitude, ¡°You just said that Rahm¡¯s ¡®judgment standards¡¯ aren¡¯t so absolute, sometimes even the illiterate might suddenly find favor.¡±


    ¡°The judgment standards of the God of Wisdom may have exceptions, but at least one thing has never been mistaken¨Cthose who¡¯ve been rejected once will not get a second chance. Although there are very few examples in history where the God of Wisdom outright refused someone, but at least¡­¡±


    Morris paused, his gaze sweeping over Sherry.


    ¡°At least when Ah Dog was about to be ¡®taken away,¡¯ Sherry managed to pull it back into the real world with her own skills,¡± Duncan said with a complex look in his eyes. ¡°That has to be the clearest ¡®rejection¡¯ from the God of Wisdom to a mortal that I can imagine.¡±


    Sherry, however, seemed a bit confused as she looked around. It took her a while before she blurted out, ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°So you still have to do your homework,¡± Duncan said without hesitation. ¡°Don¡¯t think about using ¡®helping Ah Dog block a divine vision¡¯ as an excuse to avoid studying.¡±


    ¡°Ah¨C¡± Sherry¡¯s face immediately fell, her mind for once a bit quicker than usual, ¡°But you all just said¨CI¡¯m not cut out for studying. Even the God of Wisdom has made it clear he doesn¡¯t want this brain of mine¡­¡±


    ¡°In this world, more than ninety percent of people will never have the opportunity to enter the Academy of Truth. Sixty percent just take the exams to get a diploma, and practically one hundred percent will never become saints of Rahm or receive His attention throughout their lives,¡± Duncan said sternly, gazing into Sherry¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you think my goal in teaching you to read and write was to make you a great Scholar like Morris?¡±


    Sherry was taken aback by Duncan¡¯s seriousness; she opened her mouth a few times but couldn¡¯t speak. After a moment, she lowered her eyelids, ¡°I¡­ I know¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I was being willful¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, in my eyes you¡¯re still a child¨Cchildren can be willful,¡± Duncan shook his head gently. ¡°Relax. I¡¯m not scolding you, I¡¯m just thinking¡­ what¡¯s to become of Ah Dog.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Ah Dog, who was lying quietly beside them, looked up puzzled, not quite catching up with Duncan¡¯s thoughts. ¡°What about my future?¡±


    Duncan looked into its eyes, ¡°Have you ever thought that you might attract Rahm¡¯s attention for a third, or even fourth time?¡±


    Ah Dog paused, then realized, visibly shivering at the thought.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­ I can¡¯t read books anymore?¡± Its voice was tinged with nervousness.


    ¡°The God of Wisdom isn¡¯t attracted by books like a ¡®shadow¡¯¨Cas a deity, He has already taken notice of you,¡± Morris responded from the side, shaking his head, his expression grave. ¡°I cannot speculate on His will, but since He has shown interest in you once, there¡¯s no guarantee He won¡¯t seek you out again. That¡¯s true even if you never read another book¡­ even¡­¡±


    The old Scholar paused, his face a strange mix of expressions, as if unsure whether to describe his god in such terms, but then he shook his head and added, ¡°It¡¯s more like this¨Cas long as you¡¯re ¡®thinking,¡¯ your mind will always be within the sight of the God of Wisdom, and it¡¯s entirely up to Him when He decides to look your way again.¡±


    The red glow in Ah Dog¡¯s eyes noticeably trembled.


    Upon hearing Morris¡¯s words, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange emotion. To himself, he thought, this description of Rahm¡¯s ¡°blessing¡± almost sounded like the Curse of an Evil God.


    But upon reflection, he supposed that from the perspective of a Profound Demon, the blessing of any righteous god might well seem indistinguishable from the curse of an Evil God¡­


    Even Alice, who had been quiet the whole time, caught on and suddenly interjected, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean Ah Dog will be living in danger every day from now on?¡±


    ¡°There is danger, but as long as the connection between it and Sherry remains, that danger might not be fatal,¡± Duncan shook his head. ¡°Based on Ah Dog¡¯s description and my¡­ well, my guess, Rahm means no harm. He might not even realize that the ¡®mind¡¯ that just appeared in His view belongs to a Profound Demon. With that assumption, He¡¯s unlikely to use a more ¡®forceful¡¯ way to ¡®take away¡¯ Ah Dog.¡±


    Listening to Duncan¡¯s assessment, Ah Dog could only lower its head, its voice carrying a touch of sorrow, ¡°Sigh¡­ I suppose that¡¯s all I can hope for.¡±


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    ¡°Cheer up, you and Sherry still bear my mark, and even if the worst happens and Sherry can¡¯t hold onto you, I should be able to sense it,¡± Duncan reassured the anxious hound. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried before, but I wouldn¡¯t mind attempting to snatch¡­ well, a dog from a ¡®benevolent god¡¯s¡¯ hands.¡±


    ¡°And I will definitely hold onto you!¡± Sherry also declared immediately, thumping her chest and shaking the Symbiotic Chains in her hand, ¡°Ah Dog, you can rest easy, this brain of mine has been clearly rejected by the God of Wisdom! It¡¯s an absolutely reliable safe anchor for you!¡±


    Ah Dog was about to be touched by Duncan¡¯s words but was caught off guard by Sherry¡¯s confident and proud attitude. It could only raise its head and look at her blankly, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not really something to be proud of, is it?¡±


    Sherry didn¡¯t answer and just kept grinning foolishly.


    But her fingers gripping the chains tightened even more.

 Chapter 458 - Chapter 458 Chapter 459 The Person in the Mirror

    Chapter 458: Chapter 459: The Person in the Mirror Chapter 458: Chapter 459: The Person in the Mirror Sherry left with Agou, who still seemed a bit uneasy, and Fenna and Morris also departed, leaving the captain¡¯s quarters quiet, with only Duncan, Alice, and the dozing pigeon remaining.


    Alice was wiping down the room¡¯s furnishings and windows, while Duncan sat behind the desk, lost in deep thought.


    The squeaky creaking sound came from the desk, as the goat¡¯s head slowly turned towards Duncan, ¡°Are you still thinking about the God of Wisdom Rahm?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the God of Wisdom¨Cit¡¯s the gods,¡± Duncan leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful, ¡°The gods¡­ what kind of connection do they really have with this world?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? The scriptures of each sect depict them as the shapers and protectors of the worldly order, but many heretics believe the opposite. They claim that it¡¯s the gods who have twisted the world and even stolen the credit for Creation. Morris saw a novel interpretation in that ¡®Book of Desecration,¡¯ where the ¡®Forgotten Kings¡¯ mentioned seem to be today¡¯s deities¡­ Perhaps all these views are wrong, or maybe they all contain a portion of truth¡­¡±


    The goat¡¯s head droned on and eventually shook its head again.


    ¡°But if you ask for my opinion, my take is¡­ they don¡¯t seem to be of much use, neither making this world any better nor bringing about any terrible events.¡±


    ¡°However, for most ordinary people in this world, the protection of the gods is real,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°This protection has allowed most mortals to survive.¡±


    ¡°Yes, to live¨Ca way of maintaining the status quo,¡± said the goat¡¯s head slowly, ¡°Just like the state of Frost over the past fifty years, before the balance was broken, no one knew how many shadows of disaster had accumulated under that balance, but at least everyone was still alive.¡±


    Duncan neither agreed nor disagreed with the goat¡¯s head¡¯s evaluation; he just thought for another moment before speaking reflectively, ¡°Whenever Agou thinks, he enters the sight of Rahm, and there have been many notable cases of ¡®divine favor¡¯ in history. The individuals involved were all suddenly observed in their daily lives, establishing a connection with the four gods¡­ So could it be that the four gods have established a sort of ¡®surveillance¡¯ or ¡®scanning¡¯ system over the beings of this world? They confirm the status of the real world by sensing certain specific nodes¡­ Does this perhaps indicate that their interference and perception of the present world are actually indirect and limited?¡±


    ¡°¡­Those of the Orthodox Sect wouldn¡¯t like your way of describing it, it sounds like studying some kind of machine, showing no reverence at all to the deities.¡±


    ¡°Reverence is the furthest distance from ¡®understanding.¡¯ I don¡¯t want to revere them; I just want to understand them,¡± Duncan said lightly, ¡°After all, we have already handled their mess twice.¡±


    ¡­


    Footsteps resonated in the long corridor of the ancient cathedral, the rhythmic echo tapping into the sedimentary time within the building.


    Agatha, in her black dress, proceeded towards the depths of the sanctuary, not accompanied by any attendants, only her own shadow escorting her still animate but lifeless body. In the niches lining the hallway, the interplay of gas lamp and candlelight was reflected, casting dim and unsteady shadows on the ground.


    Not until she returned to her own room and closed the door did the Archbishop and Gatekeeper, who had maintained composure and steadiness along the way, seem to suddenly relax. She leaned back against the door and sighed deeply.


    She no longer needed to breathe, but a ¡°sigh¡± was a reflection of humanity. She still accustomed herself to using this as a ¡°sign¡± of letting go.


    After all, she didn¡¯t want to seem¡­ too much like a corpse.


    The order of the cathedral was restored, and the small chapels around the City-State were gradually getting back on track. Tension throughout the city persisted, but with the intervention of the Mist Fleet, the chaos¨Cespecially regarding public safety¨Cwas quickly suppressed.


    On the other hand, although the distribution of supplies and the handling of the aftermath of the disaster remained a mess, and the severe shortage of personnel still plagued every department, once the Mist Fleet entered the city, they ¡°miraculously¡± found a large number of professionals capable of administrative management or knowledgeable about the grassroots operations of the City-State from every nook and cranny, placing them in the city hall. According to feedback from the city hall, those ¡°recommended¡± by the Mist Fleet were getting to grips with and taking over the departments¡¯ work at an astonishing rate. Probably only a few more days of familiarization, and the problem of personnel shortages would be greatly alleviated.


    Meanwhile, the preparatory work for public opinion for the Mist Fleet¡¯s entry into the city and the personal propaganda targeting General Tirian Abnormal continued to forge ahead. The reorganization and restructuring of the remnants of the City-State¡¯s navy and the Mist Fleet had also commenced.


    The new Governor had not yet formally held the inauguration ceremony¨Cbut the city had already fallen under his control at an astonishing speed.


    This was a development the Frost authorities could only envisage in a nightmare, but for Frost now¡­ this was all good news.


    Agatha could finally relax a little.


    Corpses don¡¯t tire, but her spirit still needed to catch its breath.


    After leaning against the door for a few minutes, Agatha shook her head and slowly moved to her dressing table, sitting down to rest.


    Her reflection was cast in the mirror of the dressing table.


    The sensation of being watched caused Agatha to suddenly lift her head.


    There was no one else in the room, and she didn¡¯t sense any foreign presence.


    Yet the feeling of being watched was no illusion.


    The blind priestess lifted her head, attentively perceiving any fluctuation around her, feeling the flow of the air. Her ¡°gaze¡± slowly swept across her surroundings and over the mirror on the dressing table.


    Lifeless furnishings in her field of vision presented various blurry and dim outlines, exuding an icy coldness like that of a grave.


    However, in the next instant, the feeling of being watched disappeared.


    The figure in the mirror shifted its gaze.


    Agatha, standing in front of the dressing table, suddenly stopped. She seemed to sense something, and after a short hesitation, she slowly raised her arm and reached out towards the mirror in front of her.


    The cold, solid touch came to her, a lifeless glass pane.


    The figure in the mirror hesitated, and after what felt like an eternity, she too lifted her arm and extended her fingers.


    The feeling of touch suddenly came through, with just a hint of warmth.


    In the next instant, new light and shadow emerged in Agatha¡¯s chaotic, dark vision¨Ca glowing, hazy outline surfaced abruptly on the dead mirror surface.


    They stood facing each other in silence through the mirror, and the room fell into temporary quietness.


    After a long time, Agatha in front of the mirror finally broke the silence, ¡°Are you there?¡±


    Her voice carried a hint of hesitation.


    ¡°Yes,¡± a voice seemed to penetrate directly into her mind, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°When¡­ did you appear?¡±


    ¡°The key,¡± the voice in Agatha¡¯s mind said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve been here since you acquired that key.¡±


    Agatha didn¡¯t speak for a moment.


    This feeling was¡­ eerie because she could distinctly sense that the voice in her mind was her own voice; she could even feel the slight emotions that voice conveyed as it spoke. Yet, she was acutely aware that she was conversing with another entity¨Cit was not an illusion in her mind, not a split personality born from a schizophrenic psyche, not some form of ¡°appendage¡± to herself.


    Incredible.


    ¡°Incredible,¡± the Agatha in the mirror said, ¡°suppose you could say, it somewhat resembles schizophrenia? But it¡¯s clearly not¡­¡±


    ¡°Even the most skilled psychiatrist would likely be at a loss with this enigma.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother the psychiatrists in the City-State with this¨Cthey¡¯ve got enough trouble as it is.¡±


    Agatha suddenly lifted her hand and rubbed her brow.


    This sensation of conversing with ¡°another self¡± was unprecedented, and as they talked¡­ she couldn¡¯t shake off the delusion of not being able to discern which one was the ¡°real me,¡± although there was no actual cognitive confusion. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t help but stop to organize her thoughts.


    After a moment, she lifted her head and ¡°looked¡± at herself in the mirror.


    ¡°That key¡­ did it preserve your soul? And then, using it as a medium, sent you to my¡­¡±


    She hesitated here, seemingly unsure how to describe her current state.


    That shadow before her¡­ was it inside her mind, within her perception, or¡­ merely a psychological projection?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the voice in her head said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have a soul or the details of the process, let alone how that key achieved all this¨Cmy consciousness has been in chaos for a long time, and I¡¯ve only become lucid in the past couple of days.¡±


    Then, the voice hesitated before continuing a few seconds later, ¡°Now it seems that the key must possess the power to store and transfer memories, but probably only the Frost Queen herself would know all its secrets.¡±


    ¡°The Frost Queen¡­¡± Agatha murmured as if talking to herself, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s necessary to inform the captain¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­But theoretically, we should report to the Death Temple headquarters first,¡± the Agatha in the mirror reminded.


    The Agatha in front of the mirror was slightly taken aback, her expression changed, and she spoke hesitantly, ¡°It does seem¡­ indeed. However, the Death Temple is currently cruising at the far end of the civilized regions and might not have time to pay attention to such a ¡®private affair.''¡±


    She paused, then looked up at the mirror.


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    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    The Agatha in the mirror pondered for a moment.


    Thoughts and memories slowly flowed between them, cognition and emotions reflecting off both sides of the mirror.


    A faint green fire emerged in the eyes of the Agatha in the mirror.


    ¡°I think we should tell the captain too¨Cabout the mirror, he clearly has extensive experience.¡±

 Chapter 459 - Chapter 459 Chapter 460 Secret Construction

    Chapter 459: Chapter 460: Secret Construction Chapter 459: Chapter 460: Secret Construction A gradually approaching aura suddenly interrupted the current topic.


    Agatha immediately withdrew her fingers from the mirror. ¡°Someone is coming, it¡¯s a servant.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I won¡¯t scare him,¡± the voice in the mirror directly entered her mind. ¡°I am right beside you, and when you search carefully, you will find me.¡±


    Agatha nodded, but just as the ¡°her¡± in the mirror was about to leave, she seemed to suddenly think of something, and subconsciously asked, ¡°Are you¡­ cold over there?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am not cold now.¡±


    The voice faded in her mind, and the feeling of being watched gradually dissipated. The reflection of another Agatha in the mirror returned to a normal image¨Cher eyes covered with black cloth, dressed in the robe of a female priest, standing quietly in front of the mirror.


    Agatha hesitated for a moment, tentatively reaching out to the mirror, touching only the cold glass¨Cit even made one wonder if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.


    Almost at the same time, she heard footsteps already at the door, accompanied by a gentle knock, ¡°Archbishop, are you inside?¡±


    The old subordinates among the Guardians still habitually called her ¡°Gatekeeper,¡± while the clerical clergy in the church had started to call her ¡°Archbishop.¡±


    Agatha composed her expression and nonchalantly turned around, ¡°I am here, come in.¡±


    The door opened, and a church high-ranking servant in a gray robe appeared at the door, saluting Agatha respectfully, ¡°Archbishop, the city hall has sent an urgent message, asking you to go to the southern port immediately¨CGeneral Tyrion is already waiting for you there.¡±


    ¡°City Hall? They want me to go to the southern port?¡± Agatha unconsciously furrowed her brow, feeling that this message was somewhat unusual, ¡°Did they explain what it¡¯s about?¡±


    ¡°No, they said it¡¯s an urgent situation and not suitable for public disclosure,¡± the high-ranking servant hesitated in his tone, ¡°However¡­ General Tyrion sent a message, he said¡­ ¡®The master of fire might be interested.''¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression subtly changed.


    ¡°I understand, prepare the vehicle, I will depart immediately.¡±


    Not long after, Agatha was already aboard a steam vehicle heading to the southern port. Considering the message Tyrion had sent, she did not bring any servants but went alone.


    On the way to the port area, her mind was filled with endless speculations.


    What exactly had happened? What could cause such a reaction from General Tyrion? In the past great war, the southern port was once occupied by the counterfeit monsters, and the cleanup was still ongoing¡­ Could it be that they had found something among those ruins? Was it a desecrated sacred object left by the annihilating sect, or some suspicious ¡°samples¡± after the counterfeit monsters had receded?


    Regardless of which possibility, it seemed unlikely to prompt such a reaction from General Tyrion.


    With these distracting and somewhat vexing thoughts, Agatha rapidly passed through the eerily deserted streets under martial law, through multiple checkpoints and stations, arriving at the fully locked-down southern port area.


    The City-State Guards¡¯ soldiers manned every intersection, fully armed church guardians patrolled and inspected heavily damaged buildings, marking contaminated areas awaiting treatment, priests collected samples in these contaminated zones, and occasionally, one could see students of civil engineering, dressed in heavy protective gear, moving through the buildings under the guidance of their instructors¨Cthey were here today to inspect the condition of important port facilities and prepare for later repairs.


    The vehicle came to a halt on an open space at the edge of the security zone, and Agatha, led by two soldiers, walked through various busy ¡°work sites¡± toward a relatively secluded direction within the port area.


    They finally stopped in front of a large building that looked like a warehouse.


    ¡°We can only bring you here,¡± the two guiding soldiers turned around, slightly apologetically speaking to Agatha, ¡°We don¡¯t know the specifics of what¡¯s down there¨Cthe General will explain to you.¡±


    Down there?


    Agatha keenly noticed this phrasing, but asked nothing, simply nodding gently to thank the two soldiers, then stepped towards the warehouse that seemed to have been sealed for a long time, its exterior still bearing scars of war.


    The guards at the warehouse entrance weren¡¯t soldiers from the City-State Guards, but a squad of undead sailors.


    In Agatha¡¯s eyes, living humans were warm and emitted a faint glow, clear figures, while the undead were hollow, pale shells, their outlines blurred and lifting with smoke reminiscent of bone ash¨Cafter realizing that the entire warehouse was guarded by the undead, Agatha further realized that the situation here was anything but ordinary.


    Because, compared to the City-State Guards, General Tyrion evidently trusted his undead legion more.


    ¡°Madam,¡± an undead guarding the door approached her; his upper body and lower body had become separated, missing nearly one-quarter of his torso, connected only by some disarrayed floating cloth strips. His upper body was clad in a jacket symbolic of a Frost soldier but adorned on the sleeve with an emblem representing the Queen¡¯s Guard¨Cthe undead sailor came before Agatha and, despite his horrific appearance, performed an impeccably standard military salute, ¡°After entering, someone will lead you to the elevator. The General is already waiting for you in the underground facility.¡±


    Agatha nodded. She had already determined that unless she went to the scene herself, it was unlikely that anyone would reveal what exactly was underneath along the way.


    After she entered the warehouse, she met another team of undead sailors who led her to an elevator, apparently ¡®dug¡¯ out from behind a large stack of disguised wall panels hidden in a corner of the warehouse.


    Then she boarded the elevator, descending along with the iron cage, taking several minutes to reach a deeply buried underground facility which hadn¡¯t appeared in any official records.


    Stepping out of the lift, in a dim, chaotic vision, she ¡°saw¡± a spacious hall where remnants of ¡°mud¡± left after the fake invasion receded were visible everywhere. Undead sailors were cleaning up, while a tall figure stood at the end of the hall, guarding a large door.


    It was General Tyrion¨Cthe new Governor of Frost City-State.


    Agatha walked toward that figure.


    ¡°Oh, Miss Agatha, you have finally arrived,¡± Tyrion greeted her actively, ¡°I thought you would come here directly from the central district of the upper city with the wind as the rumors suggested¡­¡±


    ¡°I prefer to travel on Grey Wind¨Cbut not so much that I¡¯d run here from halfway across the city,¡± Agatha said casually, then lifted her head, her gaze falling on the door behind Tyrion, ¡°What exactly is the situation here? The underground at South Port¡­ why is there such a facility?¡±


    ¡°You are surprised, everyone is surprised¨Cthis facility doesn¡¯t exist in any official records. If it weren¡¯t for the cleanup of the ruins here, we really couldn¡¯t have found this place,¡± Tyrion shook his head, ¡°Guess, what did we discover in this hidden large-scale facility?¡±


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush, General,¡± Agatha sighed, and in the position of her eyes covered by black cloth, a flicker of eerie green light flashed, ¡°There are no outsiders here.¡±


    Tyrion smiled, then his expression finally became serious as he slightly stepped aside, ¡°See for yourself, it¡¯s right behind this door.¡±


    Agatha turned her ¡°sight¡± toward the door.


    Bloodstains and bullet hole indentations left from battles were still faintly visible on the door, evidently, an unknown battle had also occurred deep within this unknown facility during the previous defense battle of Frost.


    Now, both the invaders and the guardians had perished in that battle.


    She extended her hand, gently exerting force, and slowly pushed open the heavy door.


    The locking mechanism of the door had been damaged, and the thick alloy doors opened to either side with squeaking and creaking noises, revealing a more spacious space illuminated by gas lamps and electric lights.


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    The salty scent of seawater also made its way into her nostrils.


    Standing at the entrance of the hall, Agatha ¡°watched¡± the massive elliptical dome-shaped machine fixed between sturdy beams that appeared in her vision.


    Below the massive machine at the end of a long slide was the source of the seawater scent¨Cclearly a water channel leading directly to the sea.


    After standing in astonishment for a while, Agatha finally broke the silence, ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deep-sea submersible, madam,¡± Tyrion exhaled softly, his tone carrying an indescribably complex emotion, ¡°Manufactured based on the blueprints of the last generation of deep-sea submersibles and incorporating many newer technologies, it¡¯s much more advanced than what we¡¯ve used in the past¡­¡±


    Her guess confirmed, Agatha couldn¡¯t help but take a breath and then suddenly turned around, ¡°Who built this?¡±


    ¡°It might have been Governor Winston, or perhaps even several of the previous governors¨Cwe haven¡¯t found detailed construction and approval records, so we can¡¯t confirm who exactly initiated the original construction orders,¡± Tyrion spoke slowly, ¡°Based solely on the limited information we¡¯ve found so far, this facility has been secretly operational up until at least two months ago.¡±

 Chapter 460 - Chapter 460 Chapter 461 Convergence

    Chapter 460: Chapter 461: Convergence Chapter 460: Chapter 461: Convergence Deep underground, sealed off layer by layer, a covert facility leads directly to the ocean¨Ca massive project unknown to all, a secret buried amidst countless truths and lies. Half a century of concealment, once hopes and expectations, now prolonged into present fear and taboo.


    All these now converged before Agatha, forged in cold metal, silently suspended within a skeletal crisscross of beams, as if the years had solidified and then begun to move once more¨C


    A submarine device secretly built by the City-State authorities.


    Agatha stood quietly in front of the substantial, silent machine, watching the heap of steel through the thick black straps, a speechless pressure seemed to be dancing along the edge of her perception. After a long time, she finally spoke to break the silence, her voice hoarse, ¡°How did you discover it?¡±


    ¡°There was a good deal of luck involved,¡± Tyrion said. ¡°I believe even among Governor Winston¡¯s confidantes, only a handful knew of this, and most of them probably died in the last defense battle. But after taking over the administration of the town hall, I noticed some¡­ unusual financial and personnel movements, and they all pointed to a ¡®classified research project¡¯ within this port.¡±


    As he spoke, he turned his head to look at the colossal object suspended between the steel girders.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much else to tell. Considering that South Harbor had completely fallen, we let loose and conducted a thorough search here¨Cand then we found a suspicious warehouse, a suspicious vertical shaft, a suspicious underground facility, and a suspicious submarine device.¡±


    Tyrion¡¯s expression was light and breezy as he mentioned these, but even as a mere bystander, Agatha couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the skill of this ¡°Iron Marshal¡±¨Che¡¯d taken charge and understood everything about Frost so rapidly, it was not the kind of thing someone who had been away from the City-State for half a century could do.


    Such a secretive facility could not be easily found with just a few clues.


    He acted as if he had never even left Frost.


    ¡°Is this machine¡­ operational now?¡± After a brief silence, Agatha couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°It needs to be checked,¡± Tyrion shook his head. ¡°Although the submarine was built based on blueprints left by the Frost Queen, it incorporates a lot of recent and even modern technology. Moreover, this facility contains many above-ground devices meant to support the submarine¡¯s operation, such as air pumps, steel cables, and communication equipment. We need to understand the status and function of these devices.


    ¡°The bad news is, those who knew the technical details are probably all gone¨Ckilled in the previous defense battle of Frost. When we discovered this underground facility, it was locked from the inside. It seems the people inside tried to lock the monsters in the isolation rooms, but unfortunately¡­ they had no idea of the extent of the disaster.¡±


    Tyrion said this and gently shook his head.


    ¡°But there¡¯s good news,¡± he raised his hand and pointed around, ¡°the submarine is intact, and everything in this hall, all of it, is undamaged.¡±


    Agatha said nothing, simply raising her head silently and turning to look in the direction from which she had come.


    The heavy and slightly twisted door stood still in her blurred vision, the bloodstains on it vaguely outlining the shape of palm prints. The vitality in the blood had faded, yet those outlines were still glowing faintly in her sight.


    Tyrion¡¯s voice came from beside her, interrupting Agatha¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Next, I will try to find someone who knows about this secret project¨Cperhaps not all the technical personnel were in this facility at the time, but if we can¡¯t find any surviving technicians, then we might have to let some old hands from the Mist Fleet give it a go.¡±


    Agatha frowned in confusion, ¡°The Mist Fleet?¡±


    Tyrion¡¯s face revealed a hint of a smile, ¡°The ones who participated in the Abyssal Plan back in the day, they will be astonished when they see this submarine.¡±


    Agatha fell silent.


    A myriad of emotions surged within her; she didn¡¯t know whether to lament the cycle of history or to be grateful that, somehow, everything was returning to its rightful place.


    Tyrion beside her also fell silent, the Iron Marshal gradually dimming his smile, instead sweeping the hall with a solemn and silent gaze, his eyes eventually resting on the door leading to the elevator.


    He nodded slightly, as if paying tribute to the unknown acts of folly and valor.


    ¡­


    The sea breeze was gentle, the waves churned.


    Propelled by the surging power of the steam core, the ship beneath Lawrence¡¯s feet cut through the waves, the cold sea wind blowing against his face clearing the clutter in his mind. Lawrence stood on the high forecastle of the White Oak, wearing his captain¡¯s coat that he had donned for many years, gazing at the distant sea.


    Yet, the old captain¡¯s heart was far from as tranquil as his outward demeanor suggested.


    A gentle feminine voice came from the small mirror hanging on his chest, ¡°Getting nervous?¡±


    ¡°The tension hasn¡¯t eased since we left Frost,¡± Lawrence smacked his lips, ¡°after all, we¡¯re actually heading to ¡®meet¡¯ with that ship¨Cover the past hundred years, captains on the Endless Sea have only ever desperately fled from that ship, yet we¡¯re moving towards it. The folks at the Explorers¡¯ Association would surely think I¡¯ve gone mad if they heard about this.¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many captains on the Endless Sea who aren¡¯t mad¨Cand you¡¯re going to become the most prominent legend among these mad captains,¡± Martha said with a hint of laughter in her voice. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that give you a little bit of motivation?¡±


    Lawrence sighed, ¡°Telling someone who¡¯s about to be hanged that his noose is the prettiest of all the ropes¨Cso pretty that you could even tie a bow on it¨Cdo you really think that¡¯s going to be comforting?¡±


    Martha¡¯s reflection in the mirror was about to speak when a hoarse and grating voice suddenly came from a nearby flagpole, ¡°That¡¯s fine by me! As long as the noose works, I don¡¯t care if you tie me into a bow!¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s mouth twitched, and he turned his head to look in the direction of the voice¨Catop the high flagpole of the ship, a noose hung down, and Anomaly 007 was dangling from that noose, swinging back and forth with the motion of the ship, looking sinister and strange.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you planning on coming down?¡± Lawrence said irritably to the hanging mummy on the flagpole, ¡°you¡¯ve been hanging there all day.¡±


    ¡°What if it suddenly works? I felt like I was getting a bit drowsy just now,¡± the mummy hanging from the flagpole on the noose babbled, ¡°I¡¯ll hang a bit longer¨Cyou agreed that I can choose my own place to sleep.¡±


    ¡°¡­I did agree that you could choose a place to rest where you wouldn¡¯t disturb anyone else, but you never said you¡¯d be hanging yourself from the flagpole,¡± Lawrence glared, ¡°I suggest you give up; your sealing technique is clearly no longer effective¨Creporting to Homeloss is your only option.¡±


    The mummy hanging on the flagpole let out an exaggerated wail, but Lawrence had no patience to entertain him any further and looked down, speaking to the small mirror on his chest, ¡°Do you think it will go smoothly?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡±


    ¡°Your intuition has always been sharp¨Cyou¡¯re the one who decided on the departure dates for every voyage.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you really remember that¡­¡± Martha¡¯s voice carried a note of surprise, followed by a light chuckle, ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much. Haven¡¯t you already accepted your new identity as a member of the Exiled Fleet? It¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ve encountered that ship, anyway.¡±


    ¡°That may be true¨Cbut the nerves are real,¡± Lawrence sighed, and unconsciously straightened his collar, ¡°Besides, my last encounter with that ship was definitely not a memory worth recalling. That scene is a nightmare for any captain.¡±


    ¡°Look on the bright side, at least this time Homeloss won¡¯t be charging straight at you¡­¡±


    A screeching, teeth-grinding noise abruptly interrupted Martha and the rest of her words.


    The next second, Lawrence saw that around his ship, the Oakwood, layers of ghostly green flames emerged out of nowhere, followed by a deafening roar of engines and a violent swaying caused by the sudden turn of the ship¡¯s rudder!


    In the blink of an eye, the previously calm sea transformed dramatically, with the blue surface of the ocean suddenly riddled with innumerable black, ink-like terrifying shadows, like strands of hair. The sunlight in the sky dimmed and grew unreal as thick clouds and fog descended like collapsing curtains from the sky, staining the entire sea black with those ¡°strands.¡±


    The mummy hanging on the flagpole screamed almost instantly.


    And amid the mummy¡¯s piercing screams and the sailors¡¯ cries of alarm, Lawrence realized that Oakwood was being dragged into the Spirit Realm by some powerful force¨Cwith heart-stopping roars and sudden fierce waves, a towering, flame-engulfed ship silhouette burst through the dense fog ahead!


    Homeloss had appeared.


    Like a towering, burning cliff, it loomed over them, rolling in.


    Anomaly 077¡¯s screams nearly echoed across the whole ocean, ¡°It¡¯s coming, it¡¯s coming! Dammit, it¡¯s really charging at us again! I¡¯m done! I want to go home! Let me down! I want to go home! Ah¨C¡±


    Then, the bow of Homeloss stopped abruptly¨Cin the midst of the ¡°sailor¡¯s¡± piercing scream, halting less than half a meter away from the Oakwood¡¯s starboard bow, in an incredible manner.


    Lawrence stood dumbfounded on the bow, taking a moment before his eyes made a full round, then he looked up, somewhat dazedly, at the Ghost Ship towering before him in the raging flames.


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    The horrific scene from his memory merged with reality, as he once again stood at this spot, once again witnessing this apocalyptic sight.


    Homeloss had come.


    A tall figure appeared in his view¨CDuncan Ebnomal, the eternal master of Homeloss, stood high on the ship¡¯s side, looking down over here.


    This was Lawrence¡¯s second face-to-face encounter with this legendary being.


    Then, he heard the other speak, the voice deep and resonant as thundering authority¨C


    ¡°Lawrence, what in the devil¡¯s name is going on with your ship?¡±

 Chapter 461 - Chapter 461 Chapter 462 The First Step to a Harmonious

    Chapter 461: Chapter 462: The First Step to a Harmonious Relationship Chapter 461: Chapter 462: The First Step to a Harmonious Relationship A portal of spinning flames abruptly expanded on the deck, and afterward, the master of the Exiled Fleet stepped out from the gate.


    Tall and majestic, wrapped in Spiritual Fire, his gaze as piercing as a torch, his very presence seemed a materialization of terror upon the Endless Sea, as if his gaze alone could ignite all the flames of the mortal world.


    Following closely behind the imposing figure emerged an elegantly dressed woman in a deep purple gown, with silver hair flowing down to her waist and beautiful features that were slightly pale, closely following behind Captain Duncan, her demeanor mysterious and graceful like an attendant.


    Lawrence felt his heart pounding furiously, his nerves were stretched to the limit as he watched Duncan approach, and with each step nearer, the unquenchable Spectral Flame on him flared more intensely¨Cuntil the figure stopped on the deck, and he belatedly lowered his head, ¡°Captain.¡±


    ¡°Your ship is not bad,¡± Duncan said casually, then raised his head to survey this exploration ship that had a past fleeting encounter with him, and since then, their destinies had been entangled. At the same time, he felt a novel sensation¨Cfor strictly speaking, this was the first time his true self had left the Homeloss to board another ship.


    Before stepping onto the White Oak, he had worried whether leaving the Homeloss would cause any unforeseen changes since walking among the City-States using a ¡°proxy¡± and departing from the ship in his true form were entirely different concepts, but from what he could see now¡­ at least when moving within the ¡°Exiled Fleet,¡± there wouldn¡¯t be problems due to his departure.


    Lawrence, meanwhile, had a strange feeling and couldn¡¯t decide whether Captain Duncan¡¯s comment was a compliment, he could only awkwardly continue to lower his head, ¡°Uh, I¡¯m glad you like it¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous, this isn¡¯t our first meeting,¡± Duncan smiled, Lawrence¡¯s reaction was within his expectations, and he had seen much of it, ¡°Relax, just as if you¡¯ve met a senior from the Explorers¡¯ Association on a normal day.¡±


    Saying this, his gaze swept over Lawrence¡¯s uniform, and at the collar area, he noticed the emblem of the Explorers¡¯ Association.


    Duncan nodded slightly, then added, ¡°Many years ago, I used to be an explorer¨Cunfortunately, the badge I had then is now lost in the Subspace.¡±


    Lawrence was stunned and hesitantly looked up, his tense nerves slightly relaxed, and his sluggish thoughts began to stir again¨Che suddenly realized that the terrifying ¡°Subspace Shadow¡± was telling the truth, a hundred years ago¡­ Duncan Ebnomal was indeed a member of the Explorers¡¯ Association, even one of the most renowned explorers of that era.


    And strictly speaking, the Explorers¡¯ Association hadn¡¯t even ¡°expelled¡± this ghost captain yet¨Cbecause no one thought there was a need to handle cancellation procedures for a Subspace Shadow¡­


    Duncan, however, didn¡¯t mind Lawrence¡¯s reaction and the struggle on his face, confirming that the other had relaxed a bit, he then started chatting casually, ¡°Was the journey here smooth?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ smooth,¡± Lawrence answered honestly, trying to make his reaction appear as normal as possible, ¡°We set off from the east port of Frost, passing through the blockade line set by the Mist Fleet in the outer sea, they guided us¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I instructed Theryan, the Mist Fleet won¡¯t trouble you,¡± Duncan nodded, then looked up at the nearby flagpole, ¡°The one hanging there, is that anomaly 077?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ it is.¡±


    ¡°What did he do wrong? Why hang him on the flagpole?¡±


    Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡±


    After hesitating for several seconds, he managed a forced smile, ¡°He opted to hang there himself¨Che wanted to use this method to return to his sealed state, but it seems quite unsuccessful.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why do all the humanoid ¡®anomalies¡¯ I encounter seem so bizarre,¡± Duncan muttered, turning to glance at Alice who seemed elegant and dignified but was actually lost in her own thoughts, then he pointed at the hanging corpse, ¡°Come down.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the corpse, which had been pretending to be dead just a second ago, suddenly shook and ¡°thump,¡± fell onto the deck, then scrambling frantically to Duncan, trembling all over like Frankenstein during his first electrification: ¡°Cap¡­ Captain, the sailor reports¡­ to you!¡±


    Duncan frowned, ¡°Are you stuttering?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I am a sailor¡­¡±


    Duncan found the reaction somehow amusing, he hadn¡¯t expected that an anomaly ranked in the top hundred, with Spiritual Intelligence, would actually know fear towards him, Duncan the captain. Then, puzzled, he turned his head to look at Alice following behind.


    Both rated in the top hundred anomalies, both possessing cognitive abilities akin to humans¡­ How could this doll not know fear? Originally, she had been nervous aboard the Homeloss for a moment, then she quickly adapted to the environment, and now she could even interact lively with the pots and pans on the ship.


    Alice noticed the captain¡¯s gaze and immediately responded with a brilliant, almost genuinely naive smile.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He suddenly felt perhaps it wasn¡¯t that Alice adapted quickly, but rather that she was simply slow to react, guessing that after being scared for a while at the beginning, she simply forgot about being scared¡­


    Meanwhile, Alice had also noticed the mummy shivering opposite her. She thought hard and finally seemed to recall what the captain had instructed her before they set off. Smiling, she greeted the figure actively, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Alice. I heard you¡¯re an abnormality too?¡±


    The mummy was slightly startled and looked Alice up and down with some confusion. She appeared no different from a normal human, yet there was something incongruous about this ¡°elegant lady.¡± ¡°You too?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Alice said cheerfully, ¡°My number is 099.¡±


    The sailor scratched his head awkwardly, probably interacting in this manner with another out-of-control abnormality for the first time, ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m 077.¡±


    Alice thought for a moment and then appeared pleased with herself, ¡°Then my number is bigger!¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but interject at this point, ¡°Abnormal numbers are assigned from the front to the back¨C077 is ahead of you.¡±


    Alice reacted a moment later, miraculously catching on, ¡°Ah¡­ so does that mean he¡¯s tougher than me?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Duncan patiently explained, ¡°the abnormalities ranked within the top hundred are extremely peculiar and usually cannot simply be ranked by their numbers. Instead, they tend to exhibit different dangers under different conditions.¡±


    ¡°On the sea, he would probably be tougher than you, while on land, you would be the tougher one¡­¡±


    Alice wasn¡¯t sure how much she had understood, only curiously examining the ¡°sailor¡± in front of her, and then suddenly reached out and grabbed at the air.


    The mummy instantly froze in place, as if even its soul (if it had one) was momentarily suspended in ice, and then all its joints and skin began to rapidly transform into that of a puppet.


    Alice abruptly released her hand.


    The sailor staggered backward a few steps, looking terrified at the puppet in front of him, ¡°Bloody hell¡­¡±


    ¡°Not tough at all,¡± Alice shook her head, ¡°doesn¡¯t even know how to protect its own line.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t just casually grab someone¡¯s ¡®line¡¯; have you forgotten?¡± Duncan immediately admonished her strictly, then frowned slightly, ¡°Wait, you mean abnormal 077 also has a ¡®line¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are several floating around him,¡± Alice nodded as if it were obvious, ¡°but his line is a bit strange¨Cit floats away but then loops back into his body, forming a cycle.¡±


    Duncan immediately frowned and took another look at the still shaken ¡°sailor¡± next to him, and then a slight green fire flickered in Alice¡¯s eyes beside him.


    The next second, Duncan could also see the line of abnormality 077¨Cit was an almost transparent white thread extending from the skull and joints of the mummy, wavering in the surrounding void and folding back into its body.


    There really was a line.


    Do all sentient humanoid abnormalities have this kind of ¡°line¡±? Or is it unique to abnormality 077? What about this cycle-forming line that is different from normal humans?


    Many questions flashed through Duncan¡¯s mind, but he quickly set aside these doubts and apologized sincerely to the ¡°sailor,¡± ¡°Sorry, Alice didn¡¯t mean any harm; she just wanted to say hello.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, don¡¯t apologize!¡± the mummy nearly jumped at his words, hastily waving his hands as he stepped back, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just got a bit startled¡­ Alice, right? Noted, I¡¯ll just keep my distance¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he muttered under his breath about how ¡°it figures she works on the flagship¡± and ¡°those around the big boss are indeed formidable,¡± loud enough for Lawrence to hear.


    Lawrence blinked, looking on from the side, still not quite understanding what had just happened. It seemed to him that the two abnormalities had ¡°communicated¡± in some way, and the sailor looked frightened. Then, something dawned on him, casting an odd look toward the elegantly dressed, beautiful lady, ¡°Wait, abnormality 099¡­ Captain, so this is¡­¡±


    ¡°That was the ¡®coffin¡¯ initially transported on your ship,¡± Duncan laughed, raising his hand as he introduced, ¡°But now the coffin has been assimilated by Homeloss, and the ¡®contents¡¯ inside have been in a prolonged state of derangement, much like your sailor friend here.¡±


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    Alice immediately stepped forward, chattering at Duncan, ¡°Captain, captain, I¡¯m not out of control, I¡¯m usually very obedient¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, right, I¡¯m not out of control either,¡± the mummy hastily said, ¡°I usually follow orders well too. When Captain Lawrence ordered me to fight the heretics on land, I didn¡¯t hesitate¡­¡±


    Lawrence listened in a daze, looking up at the ¡°sailor¡± trying hard to prove himself and then at the beautiful, elegant lady across from him, who now seemed not quite sane. His gaze finally rested on Captain Duncan.


    Suddenly, the longstanding pressure and tension seemed to dissipate, and Lawrence inexplicably felt a surge of camaraderie with the ¡°Ghost Captain¡± in front of him, even¡­ a sense of shared misery emerged.


    It was a kinship born of being captains upon the Endless Sea, each tasked with managing a mentally deficient, out-of-control abnormality¡­

 Chapter 462 - Chapter 462 Chapter 463 Hybrid

    Chapter 462: Chapter 463: Hybrid Chapter 462: Chapter 463: Hybrid Duncan leisurely walked to the edge of the deck of the Homeloss, peering down at the sea below.


    At this moment, both Homeloss and Exiled Fleet had exited the Spirit Realm state, on the calm blue sea, the water around the Homeloss was clear as a mirror while the Black Oak, shrouded in fog and darkness, reflected on the water like a shadow¨Cfaint and hazy, with dim lights flickering deep within.


    After a long while, Duncan finally withdrew his gaze from the ocean and spoke in a low voice with a hint of awe, ¡°Interesting phenomenon, Lawrence, you¡¯ve had an incredible adventure.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­ it¡¯s incredible,¡± Lawrence replied from the side, in a respectful and cautious manner, ¡°I¡¯ve made a living on these seas for decades and encountered many unthinkable things, but Frost¡¯s experiences far surpass anything before. Regardless, I brought Martha back, and it was all worth it.¡±


    ¡°Your wife, Martha¨Cwhat exactly is her state now? How have the two of you managed to establish a connection between these two ships?¡±


    ¡°She and her Black Oak are essentially the shadow of the Homeloss,¡± Lawrence answered honestly. ¡°As you see, she is on the ship that is reflected in the water, but when needed, the Black Oak can enter the real world as a phantom, sailing alongside the Homeloss, or allow both ships to undergo a photonegative conversion. In that case, we can navigate deeply in the Spirit Realm, avoiding obstacles in the real world¨Cwe did this once when passing through the battle zones around Frost, and it worked very effectively.¡±


    ¡°Did your wife tell you all these? I mean, these¡­techniques.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lawrence nodded. ¡°Martha wandered in the mirroring subspace below the Frosted Sea for over a decade. She understands many things. In the previous missions, she effectively served as our guide.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything for a while, just quietly observing the reflection below. After a long time, he suddenly broke the silence, ¡°May I speak to her alone?¡±


    Lawrence hesitated for a moment, a hint of surprise mingled with nervousness and hesitation showing on his face, ¡°Um¡­ may I ask¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I just need to understand every one of my subordinates. The Black Oak is indeed a bit peculiar, but no ship on this sea is more peculiar than the Exiled Fleet. I¡¯m quite tolerant of these matters¨Cas long as there are no secrets on the Black Oak.¡±


    Lawrence then relaxed slightly, though still somewhat hesitant, he finally nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange it and tell Martha in the meantime.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, then turned to look at something nearby.


    Alice and ¡°Sailor¡± were crouched on the deck nearby, enthusiastically poking at a small insect they had caught with a little stick and heatedly discussing whether insects have souls or not¨C


    Alice believed they did not because she couldn¡¯t see any threads on the insect¡¯s body; ¡°Sailor¡± insisted they did, claiming that in Bartok¡¯s garden there are also insects, he even believed there are ¡°little gatekeepers¡± as big as insects, specially responsible for guiding the souls of mosquitoes that die in the summer to their resting places, those who are buried in June or July¡­


    Both ¡°people¡± were baffled by each other.


    This scene, almost like watching two imbeciles.


    Any more observation felt intellectually contaminating.


    Duncan silently watched the undisturbed scene on the deck, with Lawrence remaining silent as well, after a long time, Duncan shook his head, ¡°Let them play.¡±


    ¡°¡­I think so too, better than having them continue to hang on the flagpole wailing like ghosts,¡± Lawrence replied.


    ¡­


    Soon, Lawrence had a secluded room prepared on the Homeloss and set up a large mirror in it.


    After unrelated personnel left, Duncan turned around and quietly stared at the man-sized mirror.


    ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± he addressed the mirror.


    In the next second, the mirror surface turned pitch black, as if a dense ink-like fluid suddenly covered the whole mirror, and amid the darkness, a fluctuating shadow gradually formed a contour.


    A woman in a white blouse, brown vest, and trousers emerged from the fluctuating shadows.


    ¡°I heard from Lawrence that you wanted to speak with me alone,¡± the lady came to the front of the mirror, calmly responding to Duncan¡¯s stare, ¡°it seems¡­ you¡¯ve noticed.¡±


    ¡°Too many impurities. Repeated overlapping shadows are obscuring details not belonging to the Black Oak, but that¡¯s not enough to deceive my flame,¡± Duncan spoke slowly, then reached to grab a chair beside him, sitting down, facing the mirror¡¯s figure¨Cand the chaotic, tangled backdrop like a phantom curtain, ¡°How much of ¡®Martha¡¯ is in you?¡±


    ¡°Less than one-thousandth.¡±


    ¡°One thousandth, a very small number,¡± Duncan stared at her, and the massive ¡°hybrid¡± boldly met his gaze, ¡°Even so, you still claim to be Martha, and it seems¡­ you truly identify with this identity.¡±


    ¡°Because ¡®Martha¡¯ is the only complete personality,¡± the ¡°Adventuress¡± in the mirror replied, ¡°Without a personality to anchor, memories are just pale scrolls, flipping through them isn¡¯t enough to form a ¡®self.¡¯ Massive, chaotic memories have undergone countless reorganizations in blind disorder, eventually, I believe ¡®Martha¡¯ is the only ¡®representative¡¯ capable of managing it all¨CI need to become Martha; Martha needs to exist.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re a hybrid, and what you¡¯ve mixed is much more than what you¡¯ve told Lawrence; considerable parts of consciousness that fell into that sea in the past fifty years have flowed into your ¡®body¡¯, or to put it another way¡­ have you devoured those consciousnesses?¡±


    ¡°Devouring¡­ That¡¯s an aggressive way to put it, but I don¡¯t feel that way. I have never devoured anything, nor am I interested in souls. It is the immense force deep within the mirror space that devours everything, and those ¡®memories¡¯ that constitute me are merely the remnants left after being crushed by that immense force. Fine tributaries come together, like dust coalescing into a mass. I did not exist before those fragments; rather, they came together to form me¨CMartha, just a spirit awakened from the fragments, belatedly taking on the role of The Lamentor.¡±


    ¡°The remnants left after being crushed¡­¡± Duncan furrowed his brows, ¡°Why wasn¡¯t Martha crushed?¡±


    ¡°Because Lawrence came to this sea,¡± the woman adventurer in the mirror showed a slight smile, ¡°He had your favor, so Martha also had your favor.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak; he fell into deep thought, and after a long time, he finally broke the silence thoughtfully, ¡°The world in the mirror is discontinuous¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the world in the mirror is discontinuous, space is discontinuous, time too¨Coutcomes are born before the start, You created Martha, and now Martha is answering your questions.¡±


    Duncan breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°A huge amalgamation of data¡­ This could explain why you know so much,¡± he steered the conversation back, ¡°Not just because you have wandered that mirror space long enough but also because you have encompassed enough ¡®memories¡¯¡­ Going back to the original topic, is less than one-thousandth of ¡®Martha¡¯ truly enough to support your stable personality, to maintain your current self-awareness forever? Could there be a day when this ¡®Lamentor¡¯ personality is submerged in that vast ocean of memories, might you forget your name and become a chaotic, massive, dangerous lost soul?¡±


    The woman adventurer lifted her gaze, her expression calm yet seemingly mustering great courage, ¡°Like you once were?¡±


    ¡°No, I went further than you, Subspace is a place deeper and darker than the mirror world¨Cthus I was indeed more dangerous then,¡± Duncan maintained his composed tone, unperturbed by her bold words, ¡°and so, I understand better the havoc an uncontrolled lost soul can wreak¨Ceven if this soul is a ¡®bit safer¡¯ than I was.¡±


    The woman adventurer in the mirror fell silent for a while.


    After a long time, she suddenly spoke, ¡°Do you think I can now be considered ¡®Martha¡¯?¡±


    Duncan thought for a few seconds.


    For this vast, jumbled amalgamation, Martha was but one-thousandth, but for the personality that self-identifies as ¡°Martha,¡± this amalgamation contained her entire one hundred percent.


    Who exactly this vast amalgamation was, and in what state its future personality would be, seemed completely ¡°pending¡±¨Cwhile there was a chance of losing control, it was undeniable that its current personality and self-awareness existed.


    Duncan fell into brief hesitation, but just as this flicker of doubt surfaced, a scene, vivid yet surreal, suddenly emerged in his mind¨C


    The sea breeze was gentle, the waves gentle.


    He stood above the water, the blue under his feet spreading.


    Fish leapt out of the water, swimming through the air around them under the brilliant sun, circling leisurely.


    He looked down at his feet.


    The water, spreading ripples slowly, seemed clear and transparent, yet its depths were shrouded in mist, ambiguous, hard to see through.


    More creatures leapt from the depths, circling around him.


    They were fish.


    Duncan startled back to awareness and looked at the mirror in front of him.


    The shadows in the mirror ebbed and writhed, as if awaiting an answer.


    ¡°¡­Miss Martha,¡± after a long time, Duncan finally broke the silence, ¡°Welcome to the Exiled Fleet.¡±


    The chaos and entropy-filled mass, completely lacking any tangible shape, suddenly contracted and again took the form of the woman adventurer dressed in a white shirt, brown vest, and trousers.


    The chaotic shadows behind her had now calmed.


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    At the same time, on the deck of the White Oak, Lawrence, acting like a temporary guardian watching over the puppet Alice and the mummified ¡°sailor¡± poking at insects, also puzzledly looked down at his own body.


    The uncontrolled, spreading green flames were rapidly receding, and the body that had been passively maintained in a ghostly state since three days ago was also rapidly recovering. In his perception, the ¡°Phantom Flame¡± that would occasionally activate for inexplicable reasons seemed for the first time to truly attain peace and become a controllable part of his body.


    It seemed as though some kind of stimulus that had been passively triggering the Spiritual Body¡¯s flames had suddenly disappeared.


    ¡°¡­Under control?¡±


    Lawrence blinked, murmuring to himself in confusion.

 Chapter 463 - Chapter 463 Chapter 464 The Future of the White Oak

    Chapter 463: Chapter 464: The Future of the White Oak Chapter 463: Chapter 464: The Future of the White Oak In Duncan¡¯s eyes, the intricate and chaotic dark shadows had already ¡°collapsed¡± back into that valiant and spirited female adventurer. Deep within the mirror, the layered silhouettes no longer trembled in disorder.


    Duncan watched this scene quietly for a long time without speaking.


    Martha, within the mirror, remained still for a period after reconvening¨Clike a pause before a film officially begins. After two or three seconds, a lively, animated expression returned to her face. She looked down at herself somewhat bewilderedly before lifting her head with delayed realization, ¡°You¡­ what did you do?¡±


    Duncan ended his silence, shaking his head gently, ¡°Nothing much, just a welcome.¡±


    He paused, then after gathering his thoughts, he began, ¡°If you remain ¡®Martha¡¯ forever, do you still plan to tell Lawrence the truth?¡±


    ¡°He might¡­ already know,¡± Martha hesitated before slowly speaking up, ¡°I hinted at some things to him. I told him that I am a personality primarily based on Martha, pieced together from his memories. Given Lawrence¡¯s keenness and experience in transcendent realms, plus the many unnecessary details I¡¯ve divulged, he shouldn¡¯t find it difficult to deduce¡­ that ¡®Martha¡¯, being capable of harboring one set of memories, could harbor countless others. After all¡­¡±


    The female adventurer paused momentarily, her face revealing a complex smile, ¡°After all, during our time in the city of mirrors, I seemed to know too much.¡±


    ¡°What was his reaction?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ didn¡¯t mind,¡± Martha shook her head, ¡°but I don¡¯t know if he will always be indifferent.¡±


    Duncan watched her quietly for a while then suddenly laughed.


    ¡°It seems I really don¡¯t have to worry since you care about these things,¡± he said in a relaxed tone, ¡°So let¡¯s set that aside, my lady. On this vast Endless Sea, where darkness and strangeness abound, any shred of warmth becomes all the more precious¨Cand this, Lawrence understands well.¡±


    In the mirror, the female adventurer appeared reflective, while Duncan outside the mirror continued after a brief pause, ¡°What else do you know about the deep sea beneath the Frost?¡±


    ¡°The deep sea¡­¡± Martha frowned slightly, pulling her thoughts back together. As she sorted through her vast memories, she slowly began, ¡°I do have some¡­ ¡®memories¡¯ of the deep sea, but most are dark and vague, interspersed with fears of being pulled under and absurd hallucinations born from cold suffocation. These things can hardly serve as conclusive references, however¡­¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°However?¡±


    Martha in the mirror took a moment to think, then spread her arms.


    Her image suddenly dissolved in the mirror, spreading out like quickly blooming ink stains, with black lines rapidly diffusing across the glass. Then, shadowy, indistinct things began to emerge within that darkness.


    A massive shadow loomed as if floating in endless void, like an isolated island or an irregular mass on the edge. Around the shadow, one could see countless fragments, like ¡°debris¡± chipped from the irregular mass, orbiting around the isolated island.


    At the center of that floating ¡°island,¡± one could see a pillar-like massive object extending infinitely up and down within the darkness, as if piercing through the shadow, and then through the entire void.


    Martha¡¯s voice came from deep within the mirror:


    ¡°I traversed all memories pointing to the deep sea, and the overwhelming fear experienced by countless consumed Spiritual Intelligences during their descent compounded into this scene. I¡¯m uncertain how to interpret it¨Cit appears to be a large floating entity in the deep sea, pierced by a massive ¡®pillar,¡¯ but due to lack of reference, I have no idea how large the entity or the pillar is.¡±


    Duncan watched the scene depicted in the mirror for a long time without uttering a word.


    However, what emerged in his mind were countless pieces of information related to the Abyssal Expedition¨Cthe lost submersibles, the insane advance dive teams, the mad depictions beneath the oceanic trench, and¡­ the vast cavity deep within the gold mines, along with that ancient godly tentacle that punctured through boundaries of reality, deeply stabbing into the Frost City-State.


    Indeed, there was an actual entity in the depths of the sea.


    The illusion in the mirror faded, and Martha¡¯s figure reappeared before Duncan once more, ¡°That¡¯s all I know. Although I hold many memories, there are few that point towards the deep sea in relatively clear consciousness. You¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to worry, my lady,¡± Duncan interrupted the female adventurer softly, ¡°I will have a look for myself.¡±


    ¡­


    On the deck, Alice had found the second little bug along with the ¡°sailor¡± animated corpse, and the two ¡°people¡± continued poking around.


    But such games were evidently not as amusing as brawling with pots and pans in the kitchen.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel bored,¡± Alice tossed away the small stick in her hand, raised her head, and looked at the deck that still seemed quite unfamiliar to her, ¡°When is the captain coming back¡­¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± shivered noticeably upon hearing the doll lady mention ¡°the captain¡±, lifted his head and hesitated for a long time before speaking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared when you¡¯re usually with him?¡±


    ¡°Not scared at all,¡± Alice turned her head, looking at the ugly mummy with a puzzled face, ¡°I like being with the captain, why should I be afraid of him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Subspace! Do you understand Subspace!¡± the mummy had a look of horror, ¡°Just one glance at him makes me feel like I¡¯m going to ¡®lose¡¯ my sanity, and yet you dare stick around him all the time¨CI think you should be the one who¡¯s number 077, you¡¯re way stranger than I am.¡±


    Alice scratched her head, not paying attention to the mummy, and instead looked curiously at Lawrence not far away.


    Lawrence was with his first mate, Gus.


    ¡°Suddenly, everyone¡¯s flames became controllable,¡± first mate Gus opened his palm, showing a small, quietly flickering flame in front of his captain. Where the fire touched his palm, the texture of flesh turning into spiritual body was faintly visible, but beyond the range of the fire was the normal flesh and blood body, ¡°Do you have any clue?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either,¡± Lawrence said with a slight frown, snapped his fingers, looked at the spiritual fire dancing on his fingertips, then waved his hand, and the flame quietly dispersed, ¡°The change happened soon after Captain Duncan came aboard¡­ It might be related?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ but either way, it¡¯s a good thing,¡± said first mate Gus, ¡°Previously, flames would suddenly appear on everyone, as if triggered by something, yet we could never find the reason. Honestly, it was quite nerve-wracking¨Cnot to mention, people were worried that we might never be able to go ashore normally again, since not every City-State is as ¡®worldly¡¯ as Frost and Prand¡­¡±


    ¡°The future, huh¡­¡± Lawrence¡¯s tone carried a touch of emotion and contemplation, he subconsciously clenched and opened his fist, feeling the power of the flame calmly circulating inside him while pondering his own future as well as that of the entire crew of the White Oak, ¡°It is time to consider the future¡­¡±


    He lowered his head, rubbed his fingers, spiritual fire running like water over his fingertips.


    A deep and authoritative voice came from behind him: ¡°Having fun?¡±


    Lawrence and Gus simultaneously shuddered, and flames shot up two or three meters high from their bodies¡­


    The next second, Lawrence hurriedly suppressed the flames on his body, turned his head to look in the direction of the voice¨CDuncan was standing there, with a subtle expression on his face looking this way.


    Duncan sighed silently.


    As soon as he came out, he saw anomalies 077 and 099 squatting on the deck poking bugs, and saw the captain and first mate of the new ship at the door playing with fire¨Canyone who knew this was the Exiled Fleet would understand, but those who didn¡¯t would think this ship was heading to a kindergarten¡­ What kind of people had he gathered around him?


    ¡°Dun¡­ Captain Duncan!¡± Gus instantly straightened up, brushing off the last few sparks from his sleeve while hurriedly speaking, ¡°I¡­ We were studying how to control the power of the flames, to prevent future incidents like the one at Frost City-State¡­¡±


    ¡°The same incident? You mean when the captain took an entire marine squad and got arrested by the local sheriff, and then I had to send my envoy to bail them out from the security office?¡± Duncan pressed his forehead and waved his hand, ¡°Never mind, as long as you are happy¡­¡±


    While he was talking, Alice had already run over, chirping and shaking his arm vigorously, ¡°Captain! You¡¯re finally back! Are you done with your errands?¡±


    ¡°All done, all done¨Cstop shaking, you might pull out a joint again,¡± Duncan said while using his hand to hold down the overly excited doll lady, then turned his gaze to Lawrence and nodded slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Martha¡¯s condition is very good, I have officially accepted her into the Exiled Fleet.¡±


    Lawrence froze for a moment, then detected a serious and profound implication in Duncan¡¯s words.


    ¡°You¡­ You see that she actually¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t care, she doesn¡¯t need to care, and as for me¡­ I don¡¯t mind,¡± Duncan said with a trace of a smile in his eyes, ¡°The Endless Sea is vast, the Exiled Fleet has always dealt with all sorts of strange and quirky things¨Cadding one harmless Ghost Ship is no big deal.¡±


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    Lawrence opened his mouth but said nothing, in the end, he just took a deep breath and bowed deeply in front of Duncan.


    ¡°Anyway, welcome to my fleet,¡± Duncan smiled, casually patted Lawrence on the shoulder, ¡°Speaking of which, I thought I heard you discussing¡­ the future? Do you have any plans?¡±


    ¡°The future¡­¡± Lawrence hesitated, his expression complex, ¡°I have indeed been considering it, what do you think¡­ can we now return to normal ports as in the past?¡±


    Listening to Lawrence¡¯s words filled with hesitation and turmoil, Duncan sighed softly.


    The future of the White Oak¡­ Indeed, it was a problem.

 Chapter 464 - Chapter 464 Where should the future of the White Oak go

    Chapter 464: Where should the future of the White Oak go? Chapter 464: Where should the future of the White Oak go? Chapter 465: Pass?


    This long-ignored issue was now laid out on the table.


    There are no walls in the world that cannot be breached, and Frost was not a City-State that was closed to the outside world; the abnormal transformation of the Sea Mist¨Cespecially its reflection in the sea¨Ccould not possibly escape the eyes of other captains and ports.


    Even without the most unique identity of being a member of the Exiled Fleet, it had already become a ¡°Ghost Ship¡± entangled by transcendent powers and in a peculiar state.


    City-States have always maintained the strictest security standards for ships and personnel entering the Endless Sea; a ship that briefly lost communication on the sea surface had to undergo an intensely thorough quarantine inspection upon returning to port and could be denied entry for even the slightest abnormality, let alone a ship that had mutated into a ¡°Transcendent object¡±.


    Besides Prand and Frost, no other City-State would dare to accept the Sea Mist in its current state.


    Moreover, the owner of Homeloss might not allow his ¡°servants¡± to leave the fleet and continue to move freely in the civilized world¨Con this basis, what would the future of the Sea Mist and its crew look like?


    Fraternizing with abnormalities, living among apparitions, far from the civilized world, wandering in the depths of mist, storms, foreign lands, and eerie seas, gliding across the ocean like a ghost during the day, sinking into the crevices of Subspace at night¨Cafter all, that¡¯s what the records say about Homeloss.


    Lawrence looked deeply worried, as if he, who had drifted on the Endless Sea for most of his life, was not yet prepared for this transformation.


    After all, he was neither ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± who had long since left the civilized world, nor Tyrion, who possessed a fleet capable of dominating the seas; he had a ship¡¯s crew, and they all had their families, friends, and homes to support.


    Having left the legal sea lanes of the Endless Sea, he did not know how to sustain his crew, nor how to face their loved ones¨Cafter all, the Exiled Fleet did not seem to have ¡°salaries¡± or a comprehensive employee welfare system¡­


    Duncan broke the silence after a brief moment of thought, ¡°Frankly speaking, even if the relationship with the Exiled Fleet weren¡¯t an issue, and there was no transforming reflection brought by the Black Oak, your future business probably wouldn¡¯t improve much¡­¡±


    Lawrence did not react immediately, ¡°Ah? Why do you say that?¡±


    Duncan spread his hands, ¡°Think about the previous anomaly 099, and now think about the current anomaly 077¡­¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s expression immediately stiffened, and after struggling for a while, he awkwardly blurted out, ¡°Occasional cargo losses are an unavoidable situation, the Sea Mist has high insurance coverage, enough to compensate the employer for losses and subsequent penalties¡­¡±


    ¡°Current marine insurance covers even this?¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Then these two transport losses shouldn¡¯t be a worry¡­¡±


    He paused for a moment, as if suddenly thinking of something, ¡°Wait, how much is the compensation for encountering Homeloss? And for being transformed into the Exiled Fleet? How much?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not covered, it¡¯s considered ¡®force majeure¡¯. In fact, the previous anomaly 099 losing control is also within the exclusion scope, because the disappearance of the doll coffin is related to Homeloss, later I found¡­¡± Lawrence said, his expression slightly dull, probably not expecting Captain Duncan to suddenly bring up such a question, but then he immediately responded, ¡°You¡­ why do you ask?¡±


    As soon as Duncan heard the reply of ¡°that¡¯s not covered,¡± a look of disappointment flashed across his face, then he waved his hand, ¡°Never mind, just asking.¡±


    Lawrence thought for a moment, with seventy to eighty classic insurance fraud cases popping into his mind, but he dared not speak.


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds before changing the subject, ¡°Additionally, you might not have to worry too much about the future of the Sea Mist¨Ceven if it becomes part of the Exiled Fleet, you might not necessarily be forever away from legal sea lanes and ports.¡±


    This time Lawrence was really surprised; he stared at Duncan, apparently not understanding the intentions of this ¡°Subspace Shadow¡± for a moment.


    Duncan looked at him with a half-smile, ¡°Do you think Homeloss will forever stay away from the civilized world?¡±


    ¡°Your meaning is¡­¡±


    Duncan smiled, ¡°I have regained my humanity, and you may have heard rumors about that. Having regained humanity, I am naturally interested in the civilized world again. During this period, I have been actively contacting City-States of the civilized world¨Cstarting with Prand and then Frost, and in the process, I have also made contacts with the Deep Sea Church and the Death Church. Frankly, I consider the outcomes quite fruitful.¡±


    Lawrence subconsciously recalled the various incidents that had occurred around the Homeloss during the ¡°Return Journey,¡± and his expression gradually became more complex.


    Duncan noticed the change in his expression, the corner of his eye twitching slightly, then he struggled to control his expression and tone, ¡°Of course, I admit the noise made during these contacts might have been excessive.¡±


    Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°What¡¯s important is that the Exiled Fleet will rejoin as a member of civilization¨Cyou and your crew could potentially be the bridge that allows the Homeloss to further establish communications with the civilized City-States.¡±


    Lawrence grasped Duncan¡¯s intention, surprised¨Cthis development seemed somewhat different from what the books described?


    However, he quickly recovered from his brief surprise, more pressing concerns coming to his mind, ¡°I understand what you mean. You hope to ¡®normalize¡¯ relations with the various City-States, so the first step is to bring us ¡®fleet members¡¯ back to normal navigation routes, but¡­ you¡¯ve seen the state of the Homeloss now, most City-States would probably not accept a ship corroded by Transcendent powers¡­¡±


    ¡°But as far as I know, there are still some ¡®mutated¡¯ ships that are exceptions, and the legal navigation channels and City-States allow them to dock and pass through.¡±


    Lawrence: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡°Sea Mist, and the Brilliant Starship¨Cthese two ships¡¯ level of Transcendental mutation is almost second only to that of the Homeloss. The former has now become the flagship of the Frost Navy again, and the latter is an honorary member of the Explorers¡¯ Association, enjoying unlimited navigation rights along the border channels,¡± Duncan spread his hands, ¡°I¡¯ve also heard of some well-known legendary exploration ships that were corroded and transformed by Transcendental powers, possessing somewhat eerie and frightening features, but their captains, holding certain special documents and backed by powerful entities, still can navigate the Endless Sea.¡±


    At this point, Duncan paused, then continued earnestly, ¡°Moreover, strictly speaking, every ¡®Church Ark¡¯ of the Four Gods Church belongs to ships that have been transformed by Transcendental powers, and they can navigate freely, right? This proves that, in the line of ¡®Transcendental mutation,¡¯ the standards of the Churches and City-States are quite flexible.¡±


    Lawrence was stunned by Duncan¡¯s flurry of words, almost getting tangled up in them, but thankfully, he snapped back to reality when he heard about the Four Gods Church, his expression growing complex, ¡°This¡­ Church Arks are definitely not to be uniformly judged, they are protected by the gods, different¡­ but indeed, as you said, there are exceptions.¡±


    The veteran captain continued, licking his somewhat dry lips, struggling to organize his words, ¡°But the reason why they are exceptions is that they are difficult to achieve¨Cyour son and daughter took half a century to gradually gain acceptance by the world, and even so, many City-States still hold cautious or even hostile attitudes towards the Sea Mist and Brilliant Starship, as for the other legendary exploration ships you mentioned¡­


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m certainly aware of them, like the ¡®Tulip¡¯ that wandered the Spirit Realm for twelve years, and the ¡®Dust Song¡¯ that passed through the Subspace and all crew members survived¡­ they indeed returned to the civilized world in the end, but their process of being accepted wasn¡¯t any easier than that of your children.


    ¡°Extremely strict inspections, prolonged surveillance, approval by the Church¨Cthe Four Gods Church uses the highest safety standards to confirm whether a ship that has undergone ¡®Transcendental mutation¡¯ is safe, the severity and difficulty of this process are unimaginable¨Ceven after passing a series of assessments, those legendary exploration ships remain under church surveillance and undergo re-examination periodically, those legendary captains¡¯ navigation permits¡­ are not so easy to obtain.¡±


    By the end, Lawrence couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply, but Duncan appeared thoughtful halfway through listening, and when Lawrence finished talking, he curiously asked, ¡°So, having the Church¡¯s endorsement is enough? What are the requirements for this permit?¡±


    ¡°In short, the ¡®patron deity¡¯ behind the power to which the ship belongs needs to descend approval. The Homeloss belongs to the Explorers¡¯ Association, which is under the protection of the Deep Sea Church, and the Storm Goddess Gomona is the patron deity of seaborne explorers¨Cthe Homeloss, if it wants to legally return to navigation, needs at least one Deep Sea Saint willing to swear before the goddess to undertake this guarantee, and to personally carry out the inspection of the ship in question upon receiving a divine oracle, followed by a City-State Judge issuing the navigation permit.¡±


    Continuing, Lawrence sighed again, ¡°Strictly speaking, Ms. Agatha the ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ actually meets the status requirements; she is both a saint and the ¡®gatekeeper¡¯ of the City-State, and due to a series of events, became your envoy, but unfortunately¡­ she is not from the Deep Sea Church¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at him: ¡°I also have saints from the Deep Sea Church.¡±


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    Lawrence: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡°The saints from the Deep Sea Church, right?¡± Duncan looked seriously at the distressed Lawrence, ¡°The saint conducts the inspection, the judge issues the navigation permit¨Ccan the saint and the judge be the same person?¡±


    Lawrence suddenly felt a bit stuck in his head, merely responding subconsciously, ¡°It seems¡­ there¡¯s no restriction on that¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, then you go ahead with your own tasks, I¡¯ll go inquire about the navigation permit.¡±


    Lawrence blinked, not quite catching on.


    And by the time he wanted to ask something, Duncan¡¯s figure had already disappeared from the deck with a burst of flaming ascent.

 Chapter 465 - Chapter 465 Chapter 466 Summoning

    Chapter 465: Chapter 466: Summoning Chapter 465: Chapter 466: Summoning ¡°The situation is just like this, Fenna, what do you think?¡±


    On the deck of the Homeloss, Duncan spoke to Fenna who was holding a Sea Breath Wood amulet she was carving.


    Fenna listened to Duncan recount the problems encountered by the White Oak and the captain¡¯s plans for the future. It took her a long time to process before she finally reacted. She tossed the newly carved amulet into a barrel and looked up, ¡°You mean, that I should vouch for White Oak in my capacity as a saint, and then issue a permit that allows the mutated ship to return to a legal identity as a Judge?¡±


    ¡°It seems feasible procedurally,¡± Duncan said earnestly, ¡°after all, you truly are a saint of the Storm Goddess¨Cand also the Judge of Prand.¡±


    ¡°But my position as a Judge has been revoked¡­¡±


    Duncan waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that arranged privately by your pope? Your official public identity hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    Fenna paused again¨Cthe straightforward lady seemed not yet accustomed to Duncan¡¯s way of thinking. ¡°Exploiting loopholes in the rules¡± was something she had never considered in her many years as a Judge. Instinctively, she felt something wasn¡¯t right, but couldn¡¯t articulate what it was, and could only hesitantly say: ¡°Procedurally¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s right, but¡­¡±


    Duncan interrupted Fenna¡¯s hesitation with a stern look, ¡°White Oak needs to return to a legal status, and the Exiled Fleet needs to re-establish contact with the civilized world. You wouldn¡¯t want us to forever be a shadow looming over the world¨Cthe neutralization of the once-threatening Exiled Fleet is a good thing, and as a saint of the Storm Goddess, you should actively push this forward, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Fenna suddenly became still, her expression solemn as she fell into thought. After some time, she looked up into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Your tone sounds like when you normally bamboozle Alice.¡±


    ¡°You are not Alice¨CAlice would¡¯ve believed me after the first sentence.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But the principle is the same, White Oak truly needs your help right now,¡± Duncan continued with composure, ¡°And from a practical standpoint, having an additional controllable and powerful Transcendent exploration ship is not a bad thing for the City-States¨Ccertainly better than letting this ship become a wandering shadow in the Endless Sea.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth as if about to say something, but at that moment, a distant and ethereal ringing of a bell suddenly echoed in her mind, interrupting her.


    She looked up, subconsciously listening to the direction of the ringing, as the special rhythm of the bell tolled as if resonating within her own soul. Duncan¡¯s voice of concern seemed to come from the other side of a thick curtain, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°The Swift Bell¡­ The cathedral is summoning saints from every land, it seems to be news about the Tomb of the Nameless King¡­¡± Fenna murmured in bewilderment, her voice tinged with disbelief, ¡°Why can I still hear this summons¡­¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is that strange? You are still a saint of the Deep Sea Church.¡±


    ¡°But I thought¡­¡± Fenna frowned, ¡°I thought that after boarding the Homeloss, they would no longer call upon me.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched, catching the suggestion of ¡°getting on board with the wrong crowd¡± from her tone, but he quickly disguised the change in his expression and said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. Since it¡¯s the cathedral¡¯s summons, you should head to the prayer room. It¡¯ll be good timing if you get a chance to meet with Empress Helena, and you can inquire about issuing the pass for White Oak.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression revealed a hint of uncertainty, but this time she managed to control her impulse to question and, urged by the persistent ringing in her mind, she quickly nodded to Duncan and then turned to stride briskly toward the ship¡¯s hold.


    There were many empty holds on the Homeloss, and with the captain¡¯s permission, one had been transformed into a prayer room by Fenna¨Cthough she had never tried before, theoretically, she should be able to respond to the Spiritual Energy communication and go to the ¡°congregation space¡±.


    Fenna left, and only after her figure disappeared behind the large door of the hold did Duncan withdraw his gaze.


    He looked towards the direction where Fenna had vanished, then turned to look at Alice who had come back with him to the Homeloss and was now preparing to wash the deck with a large bucket of water not far away; he sighed softly after a long while, ¡°Ah¡­ she¡¯s become harder to convince.¡±


    After the sigh, he bent down and picked up the Sea Breath Wood amulet that Fenna had just carved from a barrel beside him.


    The amulet was not too exquisite, but was obviously crafted with care. Duncan stood at the edge of the deck, toying with the small wooden piece while waiting for Fenna to return.


    Theoretically, it shouldn¡¯t take too long.


    And during this idle wait, he also slowly organized the intelligence gathered during this period, especially the information recently obtained on the White Oak.


    The vast shadow beneath the Deep Sea, the ¡°hybrid¡± known as Martha, and¡­ the transformation that occurred on that hybrid¡¯s body.


    Duncan envisioned the fluctuating shadow coalescing and stabilizing into ¡°Martha¡±, and before that scene, the ¡®fish¡¯ vision that had appeared before his eyes.


    He turned his head, looking towards the gently undulating sea in the distance.


    The sea was profound, waves like curtains.


    The sea¡¯s surface seemed to veil all secrets, hiding the truth beneath. When the fishing line was cast, no one knew what would bite.


    And what he had hooked was a ¡°fish¡±.


    A solemn look slowly settled in Duncan¡¯s eyes. He lowered his head to glance at the wave amulet in his hand, hesitated for a moment, and then threw the amulet back in the barrel, picking up a piece of wood that was plain and uncarved.


    He examined the wood seriously for a long time before finally speaking in a slow and solemn tone, ¡°This is a piece of bread.¡±


    Wood remained wood, no transformation had occurred.


    Duncan stared at the piece of wood for a long while, tugged at the corner of his mouth, looked up to confirm there was no one around, and casually tossed the wood back to its original spot.


    ¡°It seems it¡¯s not that simple¡­ So what exactly is the principle¡­¡±


    ¡­


    At the same time, below the deck of the Homeloss, in a private cabin, Fenna had already rapidly set up the ¡°site¡± for the ritual.


    She locked the cabin door, turned around, and looked at the ritual space she had arranged.


    Under normal circumstances, to respond to the call of a gathering, one must use the ¡°Tide Chamber¡± specially constructed within the church to form a Spiritual Energy channel. However, this was clearly not feasible on a ship with limited conditions¨Cshe could only place her frequently used prayer books on the nearby ground to act as an anchor point for the ¡°sacred ground,¡± then she lit a large candlestick in the center of the room to serve as the ritual fire basin. She had also found holy oil and fragrances purchased from the City-State to serve as offerings to enhance the ritual¨Ca barely sufficient collection of elements to open a Spiritual Energy channel.


    To be honest, the conditions were very improvised, even a bit disrespectful to the Goddess¨Cbut there was no better alternative.


    The sound of the bell continued in her mind, urging her over and over, as if it would keep ringing until she responded.


    ¡°¡­ I hope the Goddess doesn¡¯t blame me¡­ If I had known earlier, at least I should have prepared some higher quality holy oil.¡±


    Fenna muttered to herself, finally making up her mind, and added drops of holy oil and fragrance into the candlestick.


    In the flames that surged violently, she took a deep breath and settled her spirit¡­


    It was as if an ancient, dim sky enveloped the vast gathering area, chaotic light streams emerged and roamed atop countless stately pillars, and hazy figures started to materialize one after another on the broken plaza between them.


    Only after all the figures were in place did Fenna¡¯s spiritual projection arrive belatedly.


    Mild dizziness and sensory detachment made her stand still for a few seconds. After initially adjusting, she looked down to check on her status and the silhouettes of those figures nearby.


    ¡°Turned out quite smoothly¡­¡±


    She murmured in surprise.


    Without the use of the Tide Chamber but proceeding with a makeshift altar on the Homeloss and a candlestick as the ritual fire basin, she hadn¡¯t held much hope for the success of these operations. Yet, to her surprise, it worked on the first attempt.


    A figure approached from the side, interrupting Fenna¡¯s thoughts.


    She lifted her head and, from the familiar silhouette and presence, recognized the owner of the figure¨Cit was Valentin, the Bishop, whom she had not seen for a long time.


    ¡°Fenna, you finally arrived!¡± The old Bishop¡¯s voice carried a hint of the joy of a long-awaited reunion, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to really make it¡­¡±


    ¡°I also¡­ didn¡¯t expect,¡± Fenna¡¯s tone held a touch of embarrassment, ¡°Has everyone been waiting long? I had limited conditions here and prepared the ritual in a hurry, it took quite some time¡­¡±


    ¡°No worries, for some reason His Holiness the Pope also arrived very late today, and he is not here yet,¡± Valentin immediately said, then leaned closer and lowered his voice, ¡°Where are you right now? Still ¡®on board¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes, ¡®on board,¡¯ I¡¯ve just left Frost,¡± Fenna glanced around and likewise lowered her voice, ¡°I was talking to the ¡®captain¡¯ just ten minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°¡­ He really let you set up a prayer room on the ship?¡± The Bishop¡¯s tone was incredulous, ¡°And you can even open a Spiritual Energy channel from the ship? Did you find a powerful Sacred Relic?¡±


    ¡°Just a rudimentary ritual space,¡± Fenna said, her voice tinged with embarrassment, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to succeed either¡­¡±


    ¡°Rudimentary ritual space?¡± Valentin questioned, but before he could continue, a rumble from the center of the plaza interrupted what he was about to say.


    Accompanied by a thunderous boom, the ancient, stately Tomb of the Nameless King rose slowly from the ground in the center of the plaza, and the assembled saints in various parts of the gathering quieted down as their gazes unanimously fell upon the grey-white, pyramid-shaped structure.


    Fenna also instinctively looked toward the building, toward the heavy doors in front of the pyramid.


    The door opened slowly, and shrouded, mummified guardians of the tomb, seemingly between life and death, stepped out from within.


    A stirring ran through Fenna¡¯s heart, and then she saw the towering guardian walking straight toward her.


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    A slight commotion arose in the gathering area.


    For the third time, the tomb guardian selected the same ¡°listener.¡±


    However, for some reason, Fenna felt a sense of anticipation¡­ relief. She turned her head, helplessly spread her hands to Valentin¡¯s ethereal image, then stepped forward, waiting for the guardian to approach.


    That life-and-death behemoth strode up to Fenna, its murky yellow eyes casting down their gaze.


    ¡°Good afternoon, please follow me.¡±

 Chapter 466 - Chapter 466 Chapter 467 The Secrets Revealed by the Guard

    Chapter 466: Chapter 467: The Secrets Revealed by the Guard Chapter 466: Chapter 467: The Secrets Revealed by the Guard The tomb guardian¡¯s attitude was even more polite than last time¨Calmost verging on respectful.


    Fenna could clearly sense the change in the atmosphere around her, as well as the questioning glances from her colleagues, yet she herself didn¡¯t know how to explain this mysterious change¨Ceven though some vague conjectures surfaced in her mind, she couldn¡¯t articulate them.


    She could only lower her head and look at the parchment the silent giant handed to her, hesitating for two seconds before reaching out to take it and gently drawing a breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she said quickly to Bishop Valentin, then followed the giant guarding the tomb, stepping towards the pale architecture not far away.


    The heavy stone doors closed slowly behind her, and the ancient and mysterious crypt sealed itself once again. The giant guardian didn¡¯t disappear; instead, like a competent guide, it followed Fenna towards the deeper chamber, where the monotonous footsteps echoed in the profound and lengthy corridor, making the surroundings even more silent.


    Fenna silently recited the various prohibitions to be mindful of after entering Vision 004 and also watched the tomb guardian¡¯s movements carefully. She reflected on the guardian¡¯s behavior before she had entered the chamber last time, the thoughts in her mind unceasingly stirring.


    Due to the limitations of Vision 004, she couldn¡¯t remember what had happened after her last entry into the chamber, but she did remember that the guardian¡¯s attitude had already subtly changed before her last entry¨Cback then she hadn¡¯t thought much about it; however, this time, a host of associations uncontrollably spread throughout her mind.


    While Fenna was caught in the tumult of her thoughts, a deep and hoarse voice suddenly reached her ears¨Cthe giant guardian had broken the silence.


    ¡°Do you have anything you wish to ask?¡±


    Fenna was startled¨Cthe silent and fearsome guardian was actually initiating a conversation with a ¡°Listener¡± entering the tomb?!


    She quickly reviewed the information about Vision 004 in her mind, confirming how to respond to the current situation amidst the various prohibitions, then, after mustering some calmness, she chose her words with care before asking, ¡°Why are you so friendly towards me?¡±


    ¡°Because you are a messenger,¡± the tomb guardian actually replied immediately, ¡°Messengers are transcendent and to be treated with courtesy.¡±


    ¡°Messenger?¡± Fenna paused, seemingly confused, ¡°What does that mean? Does it mean that I¡¯m a saint of the Storm Goddess Gomona? But outside on the plaza are all¡­¡±


    ¡°The Leviathan queen has no messengers; her messengers all died before the First Long Night,¡± the tomb guardian cut off Fenna, his voice almost devoid of emotional fluctuation, both respectful and fearless even when speaking of deities, ¡°You are the messenger of the Usurping Flame.¡±


    Her heart contracted sharply, her mind echoed thunderously, and her breath unconsciously halted¨CFenna was so astonished that she stopped in her tracks; the response to her casual inquiry far exceeded her imagination. It felt as though a storm had swept through her mind, leaving behind surging waves of conjecture, enlightenment, and recognition!


    The Leviathan queen¨Cshe remembered this title. Not long ago, Captain Duncan had mentioned this name in front of her and Morris!


    The Long Night¨Cshe remembered this phrase too. Mr. Morris, after reading the Book of Desecration, had mentioned that it had used ¡°the Long Night¡± several times to describe the ¡°kings¡± of the Ancient Era¡¯s various attempts at creation. She also remembered the heretical descriptions mentioning that there were three Long Nights, as well as three Creation events!


    As for the Usurping Flame¡­


    ¡°Does the Usurping Flame refer to Captain Duncan?¡± Fenna thought, speaking instinctively.


    Inside Vision 004, one could not casually discuss the owner of the tomb or its internal secrets, but the prohibitions didn¡¯t mention whether one could speak of the outside world¨CFenna mustered the courage to ask the guardian before her, while a feeling of intuition reminded her that even if she asked the guardian more questions, she wouldn¡¯t be in danger.


    However, the guardian didn¡¯t respond immediately this time, and after several seconds of silence, he turned to look into Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°After you leave, you will still forget the secrets you have learned here; asking too much is pointless.¡±


    Fenna was taken aback, her burning curiosity as if doused by a bucket of cold water.


    Yes, most of the information inside Vision 004 could not be taken outside. Even if she learned much here, she would forget it once she left.


    Even if it were written on parchment, the things that shouldn¡¯t be disclosed would still be torn apart in the end.


    She didn¡¯t dare ask the guardian about Vision 004¡¯s ¡°forgotten mechanism,¡± as that would be a question directed at the tomb itself and asking could lead to trouble.


    She could only sigh and, with a sense of regret, take steps towards the central chamber deep inside.


    But at that moment, she heard the guardian¡¯s voice again¨C


    ¡°The name of the Usurping Flame is not Duncan.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened slightly; she didn¡¯t ponder why the guardian had suddenly decided to answer her previous question but instinctively said, ¡°What about the Leviathan queen, then? From what you¡¯ve said, she is the Storm¡­¡±


    The tomb guardian suddenly stopped and interrupted Fenna with his deep voice, ¡°We have arrived.¡±


    Fenna looked up and noticed the profound and lengthy corridor had come to an end without her knowing it, the door to the central chamber ominously standing before her, with pale flames flickering within, as if urging her to hurry in.


    In the next second, she realized she could no longer ask questions.


    Even with the strange and inexplicable identity of ¡°messenger,¡± the guardian¡¯s ¡°courtesy¡± was limited¨Cas perhaps was the scope of questions the guardian himself could answer.


    It was unclear whether this ¡°limitation¡± was in the number of questions one could ask or in the range of questions that could be answered. Regrettably, after she left Vision 004, all her memories would be wiped clean, and she likely wouldn¡¯t have the chance to verify this by testing it repeatedly in the future.


    Fenna¡¯s mind fluttered through several disorganized thoughts before she finally let out a gentle breath and softly thanked the guard, ¡°Thank you for your patience.¡±


    ¡°Please come in, and afterward, I will escort you out¨Calthough you won¡¯t remember.¡±


    Fenna nodded and stepped into the tomb chamber. As she crossed the threshold, the bandage-wrapped guard who teetered between life and death vanished silently into the corridor.


    Atop the ancient and solemn throne, the headless unnamed king sat in silence as if unchanged through the ages, a pale brazier burned quietly in the corner of the chamber, and the air was filled with an aura of silent solemnity.


    Fenna approached the throne and saw a comfortable looking armchair placed in the position reserved for the ¡°listener,¡± with a table set before it.


    On the table lay a fruit plate and pastries, and there was even a cup of tea¨Csteaming hot.


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    She controlled the change in her expression and sat down on the chair, striving to remain calm.


    Although listeners couldn¡¯t carry memories of the tomb outside, she was certain that this treatment was absolutely not afforded to the normal person entering this chamber!


    For the bits of information that occasionally escaped with the parchment described the process of ¡°listening,¡± and none mentioned fruit plates and pastries!


    But after a brief daze and a suppressed urge to complain, Fenna quickly regained her composure, and her eyes took on a serious cast.


    She looked around.


    Inside Anomaly 004, there was only pale and icy stone; theoretically, there was no place to store food, nor could there be facilities like a kitchen. Perhaps the tomb guard knew how to brew tea, but she couldn¡¯t imagine the sight of that giant baking pastries.


    She observed the items on the table.


    The fruit was fresh, the tea was steaming, and the plate for pastries was a finely crafted silver-inlaid wooden dish, its patterns faintly suggestive of the southern City-States¡¯ style, much like the specialty products from Light Breeze Harbor or cities such as South Harbor, inhabited by elves.


    Fenna picked up a biscuit, feeling its lingering warmth.


    Perhaps an hour before, this item had still been in the oven of a pastry shop in some City-State.


    So¡­ did these items come directly from a southern City-State ¡°brought¡± over by the tomb guard? Could he enter the real world in physical form? Or¡­ were there secret worshippers in the real world, who took orders from the tomb guard and conducted ¡°offerings¡± to Anomaly 004?


    Both the fruits and the dish for pastries appeared to be southern delicacies, a realm of the elves, who¡­ This mysterious and long-lived race indeed kept many unique religious customs, some radically different from today¡¯s Church of the Four Gods, even forming their own systems¡­


    Did ancient elvish texts contain explanations about Anomaly 004?


    A flood of thoughts surged through Fenna¡¯s mind, her professional habits kicking in as she started to probe into the ¡°unusual¡± she was witnessing.


    But her contemplation didn¡¯t last long.


    A slight friction noise abruptly echoed in the chamber, interrupting Fenna¡¯s thoughts.


    She followed the sound and saw the headless king slowly raising his arm, as if he were about to rise from his throne¨C


    Fenna opened her eyes.


    The ancient and solemn pillars of the congregation came into view, chaotic dim light flitting across the plaza from above, soul projections of the saints were gathering from afar, and in the corner of her eye, that pale mysterious structure accompanied by the roaring sounds was slowly sinking into the ground.


    Had she already completed her mission?


    Fenna felt somewhat bewildered; she shook her head, feeling her memories still lingered at the moment she had followed the polite tomb guard through the entrance¨Cthe sense of interrupted memory was not unfamiliar, after all, this wasn¡¯t her first time entering Anomaly 004 as a ¡°listener,¡± but for some reason¡­ this time, she felt a peculiar sensation in her wiped memories, as if¡­


    Some discordant impressions had left shallow traces within her cleared mind.


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    However, she didn¡¯t have time to dwell on that unsettling feeling in her thoughts.


    Her kin were already gathering around her, the projection of Bishop Valentin was among them, and not far off, she could see the belated figure of Pope Helena, standing at the edge of the plaza, seemingly watching quietly in their direction.


    ¡°Fenna,¡± Valentin was the first to speak, ¡°How do you feel? This is your third time entering the tomb, have you been affected?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Fenna furrowed her brow, seeming to confirm her mental state, but before she could feel out any details, she involuntarily let out a burp, ¡°Burp¨C¡±


    In the assembly area where concerned saints had quietly gathered, silence suddenly fell.


    Even Bishop Valentin stood stock-still for a moment. The old priest who had watched Fenna grow up finally uttered, ¡°Did you gnaw on stones in there?¡±

 Chapter 467 - Chapter 467 Chapter 468 A New Vision

    Chapter 467: Chapter 468: A New Vision Chapter 467: Chapter 468: A New Vision Bishop Valentin¡¯s words left Fenna momentarily startled, then she didn¡¯t know how to continue.


    Noticing the somewhat eerie atmosphere at the scene, Valentin also felt a slight embarrassment, then helplessly looked at Fenna, ¡°The main issue is¡­ people coming out of Vision 004 have all kinds of reactions. Some feel dizzy, some have temporary mental disorders, even cognitive shifts¨CI can understand all that¨Cbut you¡¯re the first to come out burping.¡±


    Fenna noticed the atmosphere around her getting weirder and herself, somewhat at a loss, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to¡­ burp!¡±


    She quickly swallowed and tried to suppress the urge to burp, all the while deeply puzzled about what exactly had happened to her after entering Vision 004. Just then, the gathering of saintly projections around her began to stir slightly and then dispersed to either side.


    Pope Helena made her way through the crowd and approached Fenna.


    The appearance of the Pope prompted Fenna to immediately straighten up and raise her head, instinctively trying to salute¨Cand ended up burping again in the process.


    Helena frowned.


    This dignified and elegant lady first looked at Fenna with puzzlement, then raised her head to gaze at the empty space where the ¡°Tomb of the Nameless King¡± had just sunk. After a long time, she redirected her gaze back to Fenna, ¡°¡­Did you eat the tomb guardian?¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­?¡±


    After being stunned for several seconds, she finally spoke with resignation, ¡°You might as well suspect that I was gnawing on stones in there¡­¡±


    However, not a hint of strangeness appeared on Helena¡¯s face, as if in her view, Fenna, the Judge with a particularly explosive track record in the history of the Deep Sea Church, was indeed capable of such a feat as swallowing the tomb guardian whole¨Cbut soon, Helena shook her head and said with equanimity, ¡°That¡¯s true, even for you, that would be a bit extreme. So¡­ what exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember, I¡­¡± Fenna shook her head, but as she spoke, she felt as if vague impressions were resurfacing in her mind¨Cas if memories that had been blocked were trying to break through to the surface. Yet those images quickly vanished, and after a moment of confusion, she could only continue shaking her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ It seems that even after entering Vision 004 three times in a row, you can¡¯t counteract the effect of memory erasure,¡± Helena¡¯s expression remained unchanged as she fixed her gaze on the parchment in Fenna¡¯s hands, ¡°Let¡¯s verify the parchment then, see what messages you¡¯ve brought back with you.¡±


    Reminded by the Pope, Fenna suddenly remembered her pressing task and quickly put aside her messy thoughts and the awkwardness, presenting the tightly held parchment in her hand.


    As usual, the majority of the parchment had been torn away, the messages that were not supposed to be taken out of the tomb room remained within Vision 004, while on the remaining small piece of parchment, a few hastily scribbled lines were written.


    Fenna¡¯s eyes landed on the script, and suddenly, her gaze sharpened.


    ¡°¡­Vision ¨C Cold Frost¡­


    ¡°¡­Vision ¨C Homeloss¡­


    ¡°¡­Vision ¨C Exiled Fleet¡­¡±


    The scribbles were three lines naming three visions¨Cwithout any numbers attached.


    A look of gravity slowly took over Helena¡¯s eyes.


    Bishop Valentin also saw the record on the parchment and fell into a great shock.


    Once again, Fenna had brought back bizarre intelligence from the Tomb of the Nameless King¨Ca peculiar vision code that completely differed from the normal format of the ¡°Anomaly and Vision List¡±!


    ¡°Another time¡­¡± Fenna herself was equally astonished as she stared at the parchment¡¯s text for a long time before raising her head, looking at the Pope with confusion, ¡°Visions without numbers.¡±


    ¡°The emergence of Vision ¨C Cold Frost doesn¡¯t surprise me; after Proland transformed into a vision, I had this premonition. But Homeloss¡­¡± Helena said gravely, her eyes deep like the ocean, ¡°Homeloss, which was already on the list of visions, has now lost its number.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just that, now even the Exiled Fleet has appeared,¡± Valentin chimed in from the side, ¡°Also an unnumbered vision¨Cand separate from Homeloss, taking up a spot by itself!¡±


    Helena did not speak but lifted her head, her gaze sweeping over the soul projections around her.


    The saints quickly understood, well aware of both the ¡°Secrecy Protocol¡± and the ¡°Risk of Contamination,¡± they bowed to the Pope without needing further orders and one by one left the gathering place.


    On the grand and rustic square, only the three figures of Fenna, Valentin, and Helena remained.


    ¡°What changes have occurred aboard the Homeloss recently?¡± Helena began to ask after the rest of the saints had left, ¡°Why has the name of the Exiled Fleet suddenly appeared on the list? Is Captain Duncan reassembling his fleet?¡±


    The Exiled Fleet had indeed existed, but that was a century ago, and that very fleet had not been any dangerous ¡°Vision¡±¨C


    With the then most advanced exploration ship Homeloss as its flagship, accompanied by the two mighty warships Sea Mist and Brilliant Starship as its vast flotilla, plus over a dozen various supporting vessels, the Exiled Fleet of that time was the strongest and greatest exploration fleet on the Endless Sea. Before the terrible transformation had happened, this great fleet had discovered countless islands, had opened more than a dozen major sea routes, and had even delimited parts of the borders of the civilized world.


    In that era, Captain Duncan and the Exiled Fleet were not associated with fear but were synonyms for glory and greatness, symbols of civilization¡¯s courage to pioneer the frontiers.


    However, all this came to an abrupt halt when the Homeloss plunged into subspace.


    After that, the Exiled Fleet dissolved, the flagship returned to the world known as ¡°Vision 005,¡± and its crew members disintegrated and dispersed over the subsequent century. Today, the only two remaining warships ¡°Sea Mist¡± and ¡°Brilliant Starship¡± no longer operated under the heading of the Exiled Fleet.


    Therefore, it could be said that throughout this entire history, the ¡°Exiled Fleet¡± was never listed as a Vision.


    Yet now, there was a new Vision, called the ¡°Exiled Fleet.¡±


    ¡°¡­There is a ship called the ¡®White Oak,''¡± Fenna gathered her thoughts and began to relate to Helena an event that had occurred not long ago in the Chill Sea. She knew the Female Pope certainly had information channels and should have already had a rough understanding of the situation with Frost, but the details were clearly known only by her, who was at the center of the event, ¡°That ship is now a member of the Exiled Fleet¡­¡±


    Helena listened intently with a serious expression as Fenna reported on the ¡°Vision ¨C Cold Frost incident¡± and the process by which the White Oak was transformed and absorbed into the Exiled Fleet.


    It wasn¡¯t until Fenna¡¯s narration came to a pause that the Female Pope broke the silence, ¡°So you¡¯re saying, a new Exiled Fleet is taking shape. As soon as that modern exploration ship was transformed into a fleet member, a new ¡®Vision¡¯ entered the list of the Tomb of the Nameless King.¡±


    ¡°It seems so,¡± Fenna nodded slightly, ¡°Born as a Vision¡­ And a Vision without a number, this kind of thing¡­¡±


    ¡°This kind of thing is not unheard of in history, but every birth of a new Vision often comes with a major disaster or momentous environmental changes across an entire area or even a whole sea region,¡± Helena shook her head, ¡°What has the emergence of the Exiled Fleet brought?¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth, momentarily feeling a bit of a blank in her mind.


    ¡°It seems¡­ nothing has happened?¡± She hesitated for a long time, then spoke almost as if to herself, ¡°At least for now, no one has been injured because of it, no place has turned into a forbidden zone. In fact¡­ The transformation of the White Oak coincided with the restoration of stability in the situation with Frost. The whole affair seems to be heading in a good direction¡­¡±


    Helena calmly met Fenna¡¯s eyes, ¡°Not only that, this new ¡®Vision¡¯ also fails to deduce any ¡®rules¡¯ or ¡®taboos.''¡±


    Fenna¡¯s face took on a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°Normal ¡®Visions¡¯ all have corresponding rules and taboos, just as normal ¡®anomalies¡¯ have corresponding dangers and conditions for containment or sealing,¡± Bishop Valentin, who was present, couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°But according to your description just now, Fenna, the Exiled Fleet at present doesn¡¯t show any such tendency toward taboos¨Cdespite White Oak having its own peculiar features, these ¡®peculiarities¡¯ are limited to that ship itself, not the entire ¡®fleet.''¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also possible that since this Vision has just been born, we can¡¯t yet summarize its pattern,¡± Helena speculated, ¡°But a bigger possibility is¡­ it¡¯s like Present-day Preland.¡±


    ¡°Present-day Preland?¡± Fenna repeated the phrase subconsciously, her gaze falling on Bishop Valentin, ¡°Preland is now¡­¡±


    ¡°Just as I described during our last communication, safe, tranquil, the night skies no longer to be feared, darkness no longer breeds changes,¡± Valentin said solemnly, ¡°I haven¡¯t received reports about Supernatural Erosion within the city for quite a while¨CI believe Frost will soon follow suit.¡±


    Helena nodded lightly, ¡°Peaceful night skies and dark, an environment suitable for living¨Cthere¡¯s nothing more peculiar in this world than a place free of peculiarities. Today¡¯s Preland is such a place.¡±


    For a moment, Fenna did not speak but fell into silent contemplation.


    After a brief moment of silence, Bishop Valentin added, ¡°Perhaps, all these ¡®Visions without a number¡¯ will be like this? Rejecting any Supernatural Erosion outside of themselves, with the only peculiarity being¨Cthere are no peculiarities within their range.¡±


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    ¡°We can¡¯t make rash conclusions yet, at least until we have observed the newly emerged ¡®Vision ¨C Cold Frost¡¯ for a while,¡± Helena said somberly, then furrowed her brows and looked at Fenna, ¡°So, as the one in control of all this, has that Captain Duncan made any¡­ special moves? Does he have a plan? Is he going to continue expanding his fleet, or regroup the Sea Mist and Brilliant Starship? Has he revealed anything to you?¡±


    Fenna thought for a moment, then her expression suddenly hesitated, ¡°This¡­ He did give me a task.¡±


    ¡°A task he gave you?¡± Helena¡¯s expression turned serious instantly, ¡°What task?¡±


    ¡°¡­He asked me to find a way to get the White Oak a pass, to look for a loophole¡­ in the Church¡¯s scrutiny process.¡±


    Helena: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 468 - Chapter 468 Chapter 469 Signature

    Chapter 468: Chapter 469: Signature Chapter 468: Chapter 469: Signature Helena confirmed with Fenna several times to make sure she wasn¡¯t experiencing auditory hallucinations.


    ¡°So, what you mean is, Captain Duncan Ebnomal, the owner of Homeloss and the master of the shadows in subspace, has begun rebuilding the Exiled Fleet after the Frost incident, and his first action¡­ was for you to find a loophole to get a special transit pass for his new ship?¡±


    Fenna nodded stiffly with embarrassment and hesitation in her voice, but she still had to admit, ¡°Yes¡­ that¡¯s what he told me.¡±


    ¡°And his purpose for having you arrange this transit pass was to allow the new members of the Exiled Fleet to continue running trade routes across the Endless Sea?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s also what he told me.¡±


    Helena looked up in the direction where apparition 004 had sunk into the ground, then back at Fenna standing in front of her, and again looked up, scanning back and forth several times before she couldn¡¯t help herself, ¡°The Tomb of the Nameless King even updated the apparition list today! Because of Duncan Ebnomal¡¯s actions, the world now has three unnumbered apparitions! The Four Divine Churches will be busy next; we may need many people and a lot of time to figure out what these unnumbered apparitions mean¨Cincluding that ¡®Exiled Fleet¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fenna said, looking down, ¡°but¡­ he really hopes the Deep Sea Church can issue a special transit pass for the White Oak.¡±


    Helena looked up and quietly stared into Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    Fenna looked down, trying to express her current embarrassment and regret through her attitude.


    However, her efforts in posture were almost futile.


    After all, the Female Pope was 1.7 meters tall, while she was close to 1.9 meters.


    Helena stepped back two paces without a sound.


    ¡°Two things,¡± said the Female Pope, seemingly taking a light breath, her face serene, regaining her usual dignified and elegant demeanor, and she said to Fenna, ¡°First, you may not issue this pass, even though you still officially hold the title of Judge and Saint, you are also a member of Homeloss, which violates the rules of recusal. Fenna, you should understand this.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s face immediately showed embarrassment and regret, and she unconsciously blurted out, ¡°And the second thing¡­¡±


    Helena slightly closed her eyes, as if steadying her spirit, ¡°The second thing is, I will sign the pass.¡±


    Fenna seemed unable to react for a moment and stared wide-eyed at the Female Pope in front of her.


    Helena seemed not to notice the sudden confusion and doubt on Fenna¡¯s face, she just exhaled softly and said, ¡°So, which style of transit pass do you think Duncan Ebnomal would like?¡±


    Fenna continued to stare dumbfounded.


    She only heard the Pope¡¯s voice continue, ¡°The transit pass will be ready soon. I will pray in the Storm Cathedral and listen to the divine revelation of the Goddess. If there truly is no issue, this pass will be sent to your hands through a secret rite, maintain the ceremonial site on your side and wait for the message.¡±


    As she finished speaking, Helena¡¯s figure had already started to fade and gradually disappeared from the gathering square.


    In the depths of the Endless Sea, a secret trade route twisted and concealed by transcendent forces, the majestic and solemn Church Ark was slowly cruising along the frontiers of civilization.


    The steam core outputted surging power, divine steam condensed into persistent clouds above the Church Ark, and melodious bells sounded, declaring the successful conclusion of a Spiritual Energy assembly.


    In the deepest part of the Church Ark, submerged within the ¡°lower hold¡± of the Endless Sea, braziers blazed fiercely, driving away the darkness and shadows, and the Female Pope standing between two braziers slowly opened her eyes.


    This lady with a dignified temperament took a deep breath, her face showing a complex and entangled expression, and at almost the same moment, an aged and hoarse voice reached her ears, ¡°Oh, you seem troubled, young lady.¡±


    Helena looked up, glancing over at a nearby place illuminated by flickering firelight, where one could see an intertwining ¡°pillar¡± of what appeared to be blood vessels and nerves, with various artificial tubes and electrodes connected to those thick nerve strands, flickering with light, brightening and dimming intermittently.


    ¡°Have you been awake all this time?¡± Helena steadied herself and politely conversed with this mythical leviathan.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to wake up, but it¡¯s too noisy,¡± the beast bearing the Church Ark spoke, ¡°Every time you have one of those Spiritual Energy channeling assemblies, it¡¯s very loud, and today it was exceptionally so.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry, some things happened, and my spirit was not very peaceful this time,¡± Helena said, ¡°I need to pray next and seek a revelation from the Goddess.¡±


    ¡°Something you want to communicate to the Queen?¡± the aged, hoarse voice asked, ¡°All right, I won¡¯t disturb you. I hope this time you get a clearer answer, and give my regards to the Queen, by the way.¡±


    Helena hummed a response, then turned around to face the brazier closest to her, closed her eyes, and began to pray earnestly.


    In the vast dim space, silence enveloped the surroundings, and time seemed to stand still, with only the light and shadows in the brazier dancing as if constructing a communication across the veil¨Cafter an indeterminate period, Helena finally ended her prayer and slowly opened her eyes.


    She frowned, seeming to feel that this prayer was different from usual.


    The revelation from the Goddess¡­ as ambiguous as ever, but in the vague ¡°guidance,¡± there seemed to be something mixed in there, like¡­ emotions.


    She couldn¡¯t make out what this vague and unfamiliar feeling was, but after bowing her head in thought for a long time, she still confirmed the main part of the revelation: it was a permission and recognition.


    Helena sighed and then turned to look at the nerve cord strewn with pipes, cables, and electrodes, ¡°The Goddess has bestowed a revelation, and I¡¯ve also conveyed my regards on the side.¡±


    There was no response in her ears¨Cthe Leviathan Beast that carried the Church Ark seemed to have fallen asleep again.


    Helena was used to this. After greeting the beast, she reached into the darkness beside her¨Cand a blank passage document appeared in her hand, as if out of thin air.


    After a quick check to ensure she had the right document, the Female Pope took up a pen and swiftly signed her name and some necessary content. Then she casually approached the nearest brazier, bowed her head and muttered the corresponding prayer, and cast the document into the flames.


    In the blink of an eye, the papers and credentials with her name were consumed by the fire, turning into specks of light dust, dissipating from the real world.


    ¡­


    Fenna opened her eyes in the cabin, gasping for air the moment she regained consciousness.


    The temporary ceremonial site constructed with crude methods was indeed no match for the ¡°Tide Chamber¡± inside the Church; the sensation of being submerged by the sea felt particularly intense when she returned, so much that even she, a Storm Saint, felt a bit uncomfortable.


    Nevertheless, the gathering of spiritual energy had successfully concluded.


    After taking a few breaths and steadying herself, Fenna organized the events of the gathering in her mind and prepared to patiently wait for Pope Helena¡¯s reply and the ¡°passage document,¡± which was highly likely to be delivered via ¡°arcane practices.¡±


    Theoretically, several prayer ceremonies still needed to be performed on the Pope¡¯s end before the passage document could be prepared¨Ceven if they skipped the step of ¡°inspecting the verifying ship¡± for various reasons, the prayers to the Goddess were indispensable.


    However, the next second, when Fenna¡¯s peripheral vision caught sight of the hastily arranged makeshift altar, her expression suddenly froze.


    The thick candles serving as the ceremonial brazier had somehow burned out. The candle stands theoretically capable of burning for a whole day were now only piles of ashes and wax tears. Amidst the last wisps of dissipating blue smoke, a ¡°passage document¡± still emitting a faint light dust quietly lay on the floor.


    So soon?


    Frowning with confusion, Fenna stepped forward, picked up the documents, and scrutinized their content.


    A standard permission document, recording the basic information of the Whitewood and its transcendent factors, as well as the Church¡¯s seals, a passage document original, and a copy for routine customs inspection.


    All were signed by Pope Helena.


    There was no problem with the documents¨Cthey could not possibly be problematic.


    It was just too fast; the documents had arrived as soon as she had returned from the gathering.


    Fenna carefully checked the papers and credentials for a good while. After some time, she suddenly heard a voice in her mind, that of Pope Helena¨C


    ¡°The things Captain Duncan asked for have been sent by ¡®secret rites.''¡±


    Fenna looked down at the items in her hand, dispelling the minor doubts in her heart, ¡°Yes, I have received them.¡±


    Then she sighed, thanked the Pope, and bid her farewell before gathering the documents and hastily leaving the cabin.


    Duncan was still waiting on the deck¨Cat the sight of Fenna quickly emerging onto the deck, a smile appeared on his face, ¡°You were gone for quite some time, was the gathering successful?¡±


    ¡°The gathering was¡­ successful,¡± Fenna hesitated, her mind immediately recalling the three ¡°unnumbered anomalies¡± that had appeared on the parchment she carried from vision 004. With complex feelings, she glanced at the smiling ¡°principal¡± in front of her and passed the passage document just transferred from the Storm Cathedral, ¡°But first, take a look at this¨Cthe passage document you wanted.¡±


    ¡°Passage document?¡± Duncan momentarily froze, certainly having discussed this matter with Fenna but not expecting her to have the passage document ready so soon after the gathering, leaving him somewhat bewildered by such incredible efficiency.


    Nevertheless, he took the documents and credentials from her, scanning the papers while absently expressing his amazement, ¡°Your efficiency is truly something¡­ Do you carry these things with you all the time?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ Well, it¡¯s a bit complicated,¡± Fenna said with an awkward expression, ¡°These documents aren¡¯t signed by me. They were signed by Her Grace Helena. She heard¡­¡±


    She had barely gotten half the sentence out when she was abruptly interrupted by Duncan, who suddenly looked up, ¡°Wait, who did you say signed these?¡±


    Fenna was stunned, unaware of why the captain was reacting so strongly, ¡°It was¡­ Her Grace Helena. Is there a problem?¡±


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    Duncan did not reply; instead, he just looked into Fenna¡¯s eyes for a long time before looking down again, intently staring at the signatures on the passage documents.


    His gaze landed on the seal at the end of the certificate.


    The signatory¨CGomona.


    The document, the original certificate, and the copy, all three signatures.


    All were so.

 Chapter 469 - Chapter 469 Chapter 470 Gomonas Hint

    Chapter 469: Chapter 470: Gomona¡¯s ¡°Hint¡±? Chapter 469: Chapter 470: Gomona¡¯s ¡°Hint¡±? The name of the Storm Goddess Gomona appeared on the pass¨Cand Duncan found the handwriting familiar.


    For he had seen it before, back in Preland when the supposed presence of the Storm Goddess had left him a message of thanks¨Che still had an impression of that ¡°deity¡¯s¡± handwriting.


    However, Fenna said that the pass had been signed by Pope Helena.


    She wouldn¡¯t misread such an obvious matter nor need to tell such a meaningless lie, leaving only one explanation¨Cin her eyes, the name on the pass was indeed Helena.


    Whose vision was the real one? What did this distinctly different ¡°presentation¡± in the eyes of the two people imply? What message did that Storm Goddess intend to convey to him through this? Or rather¡­ what was her purpose?


    Duncan controlled his facial expressions, reining in the astonishment in his heart. He didn¡¯t feel anything particularly discordant from those sheets of paper, so he could only try to inquire some information from Fenna.


    He looked up, gazing at the opposite Miss Judge: ¡°What did Helena say when she gave you the pass?¡±


    ¡°The Pope didn¡¯t say much, just that what you needed has been prepared,¡± Fenna, still somewhat concerned about Duncan¡¯s strange demeanor, answered immediately. Then she recounted the entire process of her exchange with the Pope about the pass at the assembly in detail, explaining why the certificate was signed by Helena. After finishing, she cautiously observed Duncan¡¯s reaction before asking, ¡°Is there¡­ a problem with these items?¡±


    Duncan was silent for two seconds before suddenly speaking, ¡°¡­ No, no problems, these are good.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s behavior didn¡¯t seem feigned, she clearly knew nothing, and what was more concerning¡­. If the details Fenna described were accurate, then that ¡°Pope Helena¡±¡­ seemed unaware of the change in the pass¡¯s signature.


    Unless the Pope had used acting skills¨Cbut why would she do that?


    Fenna continued to watch Duncan¡¯s reactions, her mind flooded with questions, but in the end, she didn¡¯t press further and instead brought up another very important matter:


    ¡°Additionally, it was still as the Listener that I ventured into that tomb¨CI brought out a parchment with information on a new Vision¡­¡±


    ¡°A new Vision?¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow at this, and was somewhat surprised, ¡°Isn¡¯t that an internal secret of your assembly? It¡¯s alright just to tell me directly?¡±


    ¡°The changes in the Vision list would eventually be announced to the whole world; telling you now is just a bit earlier. Besides¡­ the new Vision is related to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Fenna steadied herself: ¡°Vision-Cold Frost, Vision-Homeloss, Vision-Exiled Fleet. Like the situation with Preland, all without numbers.¡±


    The empty deck was quiet for a while, only the sounds of wind brushing past the ears and the waves lapping against the hull could be heard. After a long time, Duncan finally broke the silence, ¡°¡­ Oh, that¡¯s quite a few.¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed¡­ quite a few,¡± said Fenna, hesitantly, ¡°Normally, even the emergence of a single new Vision is a major event that warrants the Four Churches¡¯ attention. This time, three new Visions were updated, and one of them was the original number 005, Homeloss¡­¡±


    ¡°So the various Churches and research organizations will be quite busy?¡±


    ¡°Probably countless scholars will lose countless hairs, and the Popes might have a hard time sleeping peacefully for a while¡­ Even if the new Visions do not exhibit any dangerous characteristics, the follow-up divination rituals and data collation are big tasks.¡±


    Duncan pondered for a moment: ¡°¡­ Oh, let them work hard.¡±


    Even Fenna, who was usually calm and composed, had difficulty controlling her expression from slipping, a sense of indescribable awkwardness spread in her heart. She held it in for a long time before finally managing, ¡°As the ¡®person involved¡¯ ¡­ don¡¯t you have any thoughts?¡±


    Duncan thought seriously for a moment, looking solemnly at Fenna: ¡°Next time I¡¯ll try to keep it down a bit? Or perhaps you can go back and persuade your Pope, help them to see things a bit more¡­ openly.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    The Judge Miss seemed to descend into confusion for a moment, while Duncan paid no attention to her reaction. Instead, he raised his head, contemplatively observing the familiar deck, the masts, and the transparently pulsing Spiritual Body sails in the air above.


    Homeloss, as always, sailed silently and reliably across the Endless Sea. As the master of this ship, Duncan did not feel any changes in it¨Cyet in the list of Vision 004 ¡°Tomb of the Nameless King¡±, this ship was no longer ¡°Vision 005¡±.


    It had lost its number.


    What exactly did this change mean?


    Duncan lowered his head and pondered as he stared at his own palm, then his gaze fell back to the pass, where the name ¡°Gomona¡± exuded a strong sense of presence, capturing his attention.


    He thought of the brief connection that A-Dog had established with the god of wisdom and that strange dark space, along with the records he saw in the dark space that seemed to be conversations among the gods.


    ¡°Fenna,¡± he suddenly turned around and looked into Fenna¡¯s eyes seriously, ¡°how can one establish communion with the gods?¡±


    Fenna was startled from her daze by Duncan¡¯s words, looking somewhat at a loss, ¡°Ah?! You said¡­ establish communion with the gods?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°to establish communion with the gods.¡±


    He had just realized something: if that mysterious dark space truly concealed some sort of ¡°platform for communion¡± among the gods, and if the ¡°Book of Desecration¡± that was burned earlier was merely a ¡°key¡± to open that dark space, then it was likely that this type of ¡°key¡± was not solely in the hands of a few heretic sects¨Cor, to put it another way¨C


    Since even the ¡°Desecrated Sacred Object¡± held by heretics could open the gods¡¯ ¡°platform for communion,¡± then what about the orthodox churches that were already closely connected with the deities? Could the items or techniques in their possession be even more effective? This was logical.


    Duncan hadn¡¯t thought in this direction before; on the one hand, due to mental inertia¨Cas the golden mask before and the Book of Desecration now had both come from heretics, he instinctively adopted the straightforward strategy of seeking out heretics for a ¡°direct fight and kill.¡± On the other hand¡­ he was subconsciously avoiding this direction.


    Because he had indeed seen the role of the four deities¡¯ churches in the City-State, he had a natural affinity for the forces behind Fenna and Morris¨Cprobing into that dark space was risky, as the destroyed golden mask and Book of Desecration proved. The power of truth was not something ordinary objects could withstand, and if mishandled, the ¡°Sacred Relic¡± serving as the medium could be destroyed, or worse, those assisting could be in mortal danger. It was more appropriate to let heretics bear this risk.


    But now, Duncan suddenly had a new idea.


    This idea stemmed from the appearance of the Storm Goddess¡¯ signature on the pass.


    This could be a signal of goodwill or perhaps a reminder.


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t explain too much to Fenna¨Cafter all, she was still a devout saint. If he directly said, ¡°I think the heretics¡¯ Sacred Relics are too hard to find, so I want to try using the Sacred Relics from your Deep Sea Church,¡± that would surely be inappropriate. If he was not careful, she might attack him¡­


    Fenna, who hadn¡¯t realized the reason behind Duncan¡¯s offhand question, was just surprised that the ship captain had suddenly taken an interest in the gods. But she soon remembered that the other party seemed to have unique insights and research in theology, so she seriously considered the question and answered, ¡°That depends on what kind of communion you¡¯re referring to ¡ª generally speaking, we call all acts of reverence ¡®communion with the gods,¡¯ even a common believer¡¯s prayer in the evening is a dialogue with the deity.


    ¡°Above this, formal clergymen understand the ¡®divine knowledge¡¯ of the gods through years of training, practice, and with the aid of specific rituals and items, drawing power from this knowledge and truth, or receiving divine revelations. This is a deeper level of ¡®communion.¡¯


    ¡°And even higher than this is the level of saints like me. Saints don¡¯t need too elaborate rituals; with only our own spiritual resonance, we can relatively easily communicate divine will, because our spirituality is connected to that of the gods¡­¡±


    Fenna¡¯s tone carried a hint of pride as she finished her explanation, yet she noticed that Duncan¡¯s brow was slightly furrowed¨Cclearly, these answers were not what the captain was looking for.


    ¡°Not that kind of communication,¡± Duncan shook his head, slowly formulating his words, trying to make Fenna understand his intent, ¡°I mean¡­ more direct, more intimate, more efficient¡­ contact, do you understand? Not some vague inspirations during prayers, but the kind that allows directly talking with the four gods.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s mouth slowly dropped open, and it took her a long time to recover.


    So Duncan guessed he probably wouldn¡¯t get an answer from her¨Cthis was an expected outcome.


    ¡°Forget it, this is a bit unrealistic,¡± he waved his hand and let out a gentle breath, ¡°the ritual techniques you use are useless to me, perhaps I¡¯ll find it more effective to just look through some holy scriptures of the four deities¡¯ churches.¡±


    Fenna blinked, as usual, feeling like she couldn¡¯t quite keep up with the captain¡¯s train of thought.


    Fortunately, the captain did not dwell further on this strange topic.


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    ¡°Later, go over to the White Oak, hand the pass to Lawrence. I won¡¯t go over,¡± Duncan instructed, ¡°If he asks about the subsequent arrangements, tell him to act together with Homeloss for now. After we have completely settled things here with Frost, we¡¯ll discuss long-term plans.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Fenna nodded.


    Duncan also nodded, but then, he seemed to hear something, and his brow wrinkled slightly, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Fenna asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­Agatha is looking for me,¡± Duncan spoke slowly, his expression growing more serious, ¡°She says she¡¯s found a way to infiltrate the Deep Sea.¡±

 Chapter 470 - Chapter 470 Chapter 471 The Potential Behind the Key

    Chapter 470: Chapter 471: The Potential Behind the Key Chapter 470: Chapter 471: The Potential Behind the Key Frost, southern port, deep within the secret facility, unauthorized personnel had already evacuated the area, with Agatha and Terrian awaiting Duncan¡¯s arrival.


    Just behind them stood that massive machine secretly constructed by the former city hall¨Can oval-shaped pressure-resistant chamber firmly secured with steel cables between beams, as light from the ceiling poured down, reflecting on the metallic shell of the submarine, giving it an icy, silent glow.


    Silence enveloped the hall, the tense wait continued for a moment before Agatha suddenly looked up. Her voice, ghostly and hoarse, broke the quiet, ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±


    Once she had spoken, her arms spread in midair, and the vivid green flames that cloaked her entire body rose from the scars that crisscrossed her skin. Her pose resembled that of embracing the sun. In front of Agatha, a dark green fire abruptly soared, then condensed into a whirling fiery gateway, from which the skeletal form of Ai Yi flew out first, followed by a robust silhouette wrapped in a black coat and bandages.


    Terrian bowed respectfully towards that figure and stepped half a step to the side, ¡°Father.¡±


    Agatha then retracted her arms and the flames on her body, assuming a prayer-like posture with folded hands before her chest, and bowed her head slightly, ¡°Sorry to trouble you to come here in person.¡±


    ¡°No matter; this incarnation had nothing else to do. Being on-site is far more efficient than listening to reports,¡± Duncan waved his hand, walking past Terrian and Agatha, his gaze already fixed on the colossal machine behind them, ¡°¡­ Is this it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Agatha nodded gently, ¡°The legacy left by Governor Winston¨Cperhaps it also embodies the dedication of other former Governors. According to the current inspection, this submarine is nearly complete and in good condition.¡±


    Duncan uttered a soft ¡°hmm¡± but did not continue speaking. He just stood there quietly, as if watching a segment of frozen history, not uttering a word for a long time.


    That dusty history was also watching him, with the grand aspirations and lonely quests of times past solidified in the crisscrossing lights, within this hall on the verge of being forgotten, where all human fears and courage were cast into that cold steel.


    Duncan could almost hear the obsession and roar cast within that steel.


    He took a few steps forward, reaching the edge of the railing, stretching out his hand to touch the submarine¡¯s cold, hard shell. And deep within his own lifeless body¡­ there seemed to echo a faint throbbing, but then the sensation vanished in an instant.


    Yet that fleeting feeling still made Duncan feel an echo of familiarity. He remembered, finding the source of that feeling:


    It was when he first set foot on the plains of Prand, standing as ¡°Uncle Duncan¡± before Nina, and she, with a radiantly smiling face, ran towards him with open arms; it was when he found that silver brooch on Homeloss, and heard the name ¡°Lucresia¡± from others¨Cfor at that moment, the slightest affection and memories welled up from his heart, as if they were remnants of humanity in a body that had persisted to the end, never quite able to dissipate completely.


    Duncan withdrew his arm, staring thoughtfully at his palm as if contemplating the original owner of this body. After a long while, he spoke softly, ¡°Ah, you know about this¡­¡±


    Terrian¡¯s voice came from beside him, ¡°Father? What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Duncan turned around, ¡°Is the submarine operable now?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Terrian¡¯s tone held a hint of trouble, ¡°We¡¯ve carefully examined the facility¡¯s condition and the state of the submarine. The main structure of the submarine itself is intact, but there are two issues. First, it seems that all the original technicians of this facility have perished, and the documents and equipment left in the outer hall are severely damaged. This problem is relatively easy to resolve; some of the ¡®old fellows¡¯ from the Mist Fleet should be able to handle this device¨Cit was built based on blueprints left by the Frost Queen, after all. The second issue is more troublesome¡­¡±


    Terrian paused for a bit, organizing his thoughts before continuing, ¡°According to our preliminary inspection, this submarine is vastly different from the ones used in the past; it actually doesn¡¯t rely on atmospheric pumps from the surface, but uses built-in oxygen tanks for oxygen supply. However, we only found the installation location for the tanks, not the tanks themselves¨Cperhaps this part wasn¡¯t completed yet. This is also why Ms. Agatha said it is ¡®nearly complete.¡¯ To manufacture an oxygen supply system compatible with this submarine on short notice might take a considerable amount of time.¡±


    Duncan turned his head, quietly giving Terrian a glance.


    With a twist of anxiousness, Terrian murmured, ¡°Father?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to breathe,¡± Duncan looked into Terrian¡¯s eyes, ¡°Any problems now?¡±


    Terrian: ¡°¡­¡±


    The newly appointed Governor of Frost was momentarily stunned, then it dawned on him. A flush of embarrassment washed over his face, and he quickly nodded, ¡°Ah, then there are no problems whatsoever¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve become so caught up on this breath issue when the whole Mist Fleet hardly has a few members who breathe. It seems recent events have really muddled your mind,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Alright, since there is no problem, get ready quickly. Get this submarine operational in the shortest time. This is the matter I¡¯m most concerned about in Frost.¡±


    Terrian immediately stood upright; although it had been a century since he heard a command from his father, his muscles stiffened reflexively, ¡°Yes! Father!¡±


    Afterward, Tyrion left¨Cto carry out his father¡¯s orders as quickly as possible.


    Duncan turned around and observed the strangely shaped diving equipment for a while, before he noticed that Agatha was still standing in the same spot, seemingly hesitant to speak.


    Duncan turned his head, his eyes sweeping over Agatha and her shadow on the ground beside her. He nodded, ¡°You can speak now. It¡¯s just us¨Cwhat¡¯s going on? Who will speak first?¡±


    Agatha was startled but quickly realized, ¡°You¡­ have you noticed already?¡±


    ¡°There were two shadows in the light of the fire, and although one tried to hide, the flames on you both originate from me, which makes your concealment¡­ clumsy in my eyes,¡± Duncan turned back, his gaze somewhat gentle, ¡°I noticed as soon as I arrived here, but you didn¡¯t want to speak earlier, so I didn¡¯t ask.¡±


    ¡°I just thought that this matter should not be known to General Tyrion for the time being.¡±


    Agatha spoke and slowly stepped aside.


    Her shadow remained where it was.


    The next second, the shadow left on the ground suddenly trembled and then, a blurry and ethereal figure, vaguely recognizable as the former Gatekeeper, stood up from within the shadow and bowed slightly to Duncan, a hoarse voice nearly identical to Agatha¡¯s following, ¡°Pleased to meet you, Captain Duncan.¡±


    ¡°I believe this is the first time I¡¯m meeting you,¡± Duncan said with a tinge of surprise, examining the flickering phantom for a few seconds before suddenly looking up at Agatha not far off, ¡°Has she always been this blurry?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s clear in the mirror, but there are no mirrors here,¡± Agatha immediately explained, ¡°Also, according to our tests, ¡®she¡¯ becomes blurry when feeling nervous¨Cthe more nervous she gets, the blurrier she becomes. Right now¡­ she¡¯s somewhat tense in front of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­How fascinating,¡± Duncan grew increasingly incredulous as he watched the apparition. Despite having sensed her presence earlier, he was still taken aback, ¡°I thought you had dissipated into the darkness¨CAgatha accessed the memories you left behind when you vanished.¡±


    ¡°I did dissipate at one point, but ultimately, I returned to this world,¡± the indistinct shadow said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know how to explain this process. When I became aware of my existence again, I was already a reflection in the mirror¡­¡±


    Agatha immediately added, ¡°We suspect it has something to do with the ¡®Key,¡¯ but we have no evidence.¡±


    ¡°Key?¡±


    ¡°The brass key,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°Based on her faint impressions, ¡®she¡¯ reappeared in this world when I obtained that brass key¨Cperhaps the key possesses not only the power to store information but can also preserve memories, personality, and even the soul to some extent. Under the right conditions, the stored memories and souls could ¡®reshape¡¯ into some form¡­¡±


    Duncan listened silently and did not respond immediately.


    The key left by the Frost Queen, Lei Nora, was now on the Homeloss, in the hands of his ¡°original self¡±. Out of caution, he had not yet tried using that key on Alice, but now it seemed¡­ his caution might have been warranted!


    Agatha¡¯s touch of the key meant that the ¡°counterfeit Agatha,¡± who had also handled it, returned to this world. What would happen if the key were used on Alice?


    Could the key possibly contain the memories, or even the soul, of the Frost Queen, Lei Nora?


    Successive Governors of Frost had been influenced by the brass key during their dealings with it, passively learning the truth of the Deep Abyss Project, passively accepting the ¡°legacy¡± of the Frost Queen, and even having their wills disturbed by the Queen. Up to now, this kind of ¡°influence¡± had merely been crudely attributed to the ¡°Curse¡± of the Frost Queen. The events now occurring with Agatha made Duncan realize the potential that lay behind the key.


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    Given that Alice and the Frost Queen were the spitting image of one another, this possibility pointed towards an even more unsettling direction¨Cthe puppet is a vessel, and the key within it stores a soul. Together, they form the Frost Queen.


    Duncan was silent, releasing a soft sigh in his heart.


    He understood why Agatha had not mentioned this before Tyrion just now.


    But then, he suddenly felt that something wasn¡¯t quite right.


    Alice, as a puppet, combined with the ¡°soul-storing¡± brass key¡­ was that truly the method for resurrecting the Frost Queen? Could things really be that simple?

 Chapter 471 - Chapter 471 472 Chapter The Keys Doubt

    Chapter 471: 472 Chapter: The Key¡¯s Doubt Chapter 471: 472 Chapter: The Key¡¯s Doubt On the boundless Endless Sea, Duncan slightly furrowed his brow while seated at the captain¡¯s desk.


    He reached down and opened the hidden compartment under the desk, touching the brass key that Agatha had previously found and handed to him, examining it closely before his eyes.


    The antique-style wind-up key emitted a cold metallic feel, reflecting a radiant glow in the sunlight streaming through the window, with its infinite-symbol-like handle displaying fine decorative patterns.


    This was not Duncan¡¯s first time scrutinizing the key, but this time, his mood was starkly different as he gazed at the ¡°Queen¡¯s Relic.¡±


    It could possibly be Lei Nora¡¯s ¡°Soul Container¡±¨Ca possibility that made his gaze gradually complex.


    The Frost Queen was a great person, and the secrets she harbored further captivated Duncan¡¯s attention. If there were a chance to establish a connection between Duncan and Lei Nora, that would definitely be beneficial¨Cbut all this should not involve gambling with Alice.


    Inside Frost City-State, wearing a black coat, Duncan slightly narrowed his eyes. He seemed to have reined in his scattered thoughts, his gaze once again falling on Agatha and the blurry shadow ¡°Agatha¡± beside her.


    ¡°Do you still remember your experiences moving around the City-State during your time as a ¡®Replica¡¯?¡± he suddenly asked.


    ¡°Yes, I remember,¡± the blurry shadow seemed to nod, ¡°I also remember going deep into the mines, immersing myself in that eerie darkness¡­¡±


    ¡°I am already aware of that part of the information, Agatha¡­ I mean, the real Agatha has already reported this to me,¡± Duncan said, his face bearing a thoughtful expression, ¡°To be honest, your appearance¡­ reminded me of someone.¡±


    ¡°A person?¡± both Agathas almost spoke in unison.


    ¡°A ¡®Shadow Person¡¯ named ¡®Martha¡¯,¡± Duncan slowly said, ¡°She is Lawrence¡¯s wife and a new member of my fleet, who, over the past decade or so, has been a ¡®Replica¡¯ wandering in the Mirrored Frost.¡±


    The blurry phantom ¡°Agatha¡± slightly shifted.


    ¡°In the past years, this ¡®Replica¡¯ has lingered in mirrored space, attracting and gathering a vast number of thoughts and memory fragments, which made her grow into a large ¡®Composite¡¯, and ¡®Martha¡¯ became the core personality of this composite,¡± Duncan continued, his gaze resting on the blurry figure, ¡°From the current situation, your condition is very similar to ¡®Martha¡¯s¡¯, with the difference being that you have not yet become such a ¡®Composite¡¯¨Cyou are still at an early, pure stage. Of course, considering that the Mirrored Frost has been destroyed, you will probably remain stable at this stage.¡±


    ¡°There is¡­ such a thing,¡± said the real Agatha, her tone incredulous, ¡°I thought what happened to me was an exception¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an exception, which is why it piques my curiosity even more,¡± Duncan calmly said, his gaze still lingering on the blurry figure, ¡°After the Mirrored Frost faded away, all ¡®Replicas¡¯ evaporated into smoke, but now two ¡®personalities¡¯ have remained. Does this suggest that the power supporting the replica ¡®Martha¡¯ and replica ¡®Agatha¡¯ was actually not the Mirrored City, but something else? The fact that the personalities and memories created in that sea could exist stably in the real world, and that Martha is even now outside of Frost Sea Area, does it also imply that the power maintaining replica ¡®Agatha¡¯ and replica ¡®Martha¡¯ is something as vast and stable as the real world?¡±


    The room where the submersible was parked fell into silence.


    After an indeterminate amount of time passed, Agatha finally raised her head, quietly facing her ¡°shadow.¡±


    Duncan suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Have you thought about the future?¡±


    ¡°The future?¡± Agatha hesitated for a moment, seemingly never having considered this aspect, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°One cannot live forever as another¡¯s shadow¨Cin the literal sense of a shadow,¡± Duncan watched the blurry phantom, ¡°You should think about the coming days.¡±


    The blurry phantom fell silent, and after a long time, she spoke with a hint of hesitation, ¡°But I am indeed her shadow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll emphasize again, ¡®a person¡¯ cannot live forever as another person¡¯s shadow,¡± Duncan continued to watch her calmly, ¡°You have your own personality, your own memories. Maybe over twenty years belonged to someone else, but at least, the last few days belonged to you. What about going forward¡­ Agatha?¡±


    When Duncan uttered the name ¡°Agatha,¡± both figures unconsciously raised their heads.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze swept over the two women, then he gently exhaled, ¡°Think about it well, there¡¯s no rush, we still have plenty of time.¡±


    ¡­


    A knock on the door of the captain¡¯s room interrupted Duncan¡¯s thoughts.


    Temporarily withdrawing most of his attention from the ¡°embodiment¡± of Frost City-State, he raised his head, looking toward his bedroom door, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door swung open, and Alice poked her head in before sneaking into the room like a thief, holding a plate of still-steaming pastries. ¡°I¡¯ve learned to bake cookies!¡±


    She said with a proud tone, placing the pastries on the table in front of Duncan, and then looked around, apparently searching for Ai Yi.


    ¡°Ai Yi is in Frost,¡± Duncan casually mentioned, his eyes fixed on the gothic doll in front of him.


    This was the ¡°inner room¡± of the captain¡¯s quarters, his bedroom¨Con this entire ship, besides Nina, only Alice could step into this room so nonchalantly.


    The first person¡­ humanoid creature he had met in this world after his arrival.


    He trusted her, although she wasn¡¯t exactly reliable, but Duncan knew that this doll lady¡¯s honesty and trust in him surpassed everything else¨Calthough this nearly extreme trust mostly stemmed from her naive mind, in this cold and alien world, such primal and profound trust was still immensely precious.


    Alice finally noticed Duncan¡¯s gaze; she turned her head in confusion, first checking her clothes and then touching her neck, ¡°Why do you keep staring at me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Duncan averted his gaze, grabbing a cookie from the plate and popping it into his mouth, ¡°¡­the taste is quite okay.¡±


    Alice smiled happily.


    Then, she noticed the brass key lying on the table.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re studying this key,¡± Alice casually picked up the key, fiddling with it curiously, and then began feeling her back, ¡°Are you going to wind me up?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it carelessly,¡± Duncan swiftly snatched the key back, his tone turning particularly serious, ¡°Without my permission, you must not touch this key.¡±


    Perhaps it had been a long time since Duncan had reacted so sternly; even Alice seemed a bit frightened. She quickly withdrew her hand, her face showing a nervous and slightly scared expression: ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± realizing his reaction, Duncan immediately softened his tone, ¡°You did nothing wrong, and I am not scolding you¨CIt¡¯s just that this key¡­ it might be dangerous for you.¡±


    ¡°Dangerous?¡± Alice blinked, seemingly unable to understand. She reached to touch her back, feeling the keyhole through her clothes, ¡°But I heard Sherry and Nina saying¡­ this key is supposed to be for winding me up¡­ Ah, Nina even bought a wind-up toy soldier in the city; I played with it for a long while. The key for the toy soldier was just like this¡­¡±


    Duncan rubbed his temples, and although he knew it might be hard for Alice to understand, he still patiently explained, ¡°This key isn¡¯t just a simple thing; it¡¯s a Transcendent object, do you understand? It was left by Queen Lei Nora, and I now suspect¡­ it might be some sort of her resurrection method.¡±


    Alice stared intently into Duncan¡¯s eyes for a long time before drawing out her words, ¡°Ah¡­ ah?¡±


    ¡°The memories and soul of Lei Nora might be stored in this key,¡± Duncan wasn¡¯t surprised by Alice¡¯s reaction; he just sighed lightly, placing the key on the table, and said to the doll in front of him, ¡°And you, you look exactly like Lei Nora.¡±


    After a moment of stunned silence, Alice gradually began to understand; she looked down at her own body, then at the key pressed by the captain on the table, and finally spoke, ¡°So, if you wind me up, that Frost Queen might control my body?¡±


    ¡°I indeed worry about that,¡± Duncan nodded, not concealing his thoughts from the simple-minded doll, ¡°Of course, this concern isn¡¯t exactly¡­ reasonable; there are still many uncertainties.¡±


    ¡°Uncertainties?¡±


    ¡°The most crucial one is the uncontrollability of this whole process,¡± Duncan explained, ¡°You should know how you were found¨Cyour doll coffin was drifting in the waters near Frost, fished out by a passing ship. And the key? The key has been passed down through the hands of the governors of the City-State for half a century, yet no one knew the connection between the key and you, the doll. If this is indeed a resurrection method left by the Frost Queen, then it relies too much on luck.


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    ¡°The doll might not always with the key, the person who obtains the key might not know the connection between the key and the doll, even if they do know, they might not turn the key¨CEven Terian didn¡¯t know about this, who else would wind you up? Moreover¡­ under the fearsome name of anomaly 099, how many dare to approach the doll¡¯s coffin?¡±


    Alice, half-understanding the captain¡¯s words, managed to grasp the major part of the explanation, then curiously asked, ¡°Then¡­ what are the other uncertainties?¡±


    ¡°The other uncertainties¡­¡±


    Duncan pondered for a moment, but suddenly he recalled the Frost Queen he had seen in a ¡°phantasm¡± while scouting Alice¡¯s ¡°coffin,¡± as well as the words left by the Frost Queen¨C


    Please do not taint history.


    Would the Frost Queen, who faced her fate with such composure, really arrange a means of resurrection for herself decades later?

 Chapter 472 - Chapter 472 Chapter 473 The Blasphemy Archetype and the Fall

    Chapter 472: Chapter 473: The Blasphemy Archetype and the Fall Chapter 472: Chapter 473: The Blasphemy Archetype and the Fall Alice had left.


    Duncan didn¡¯t know how much the silly puppet had understood, but at least one thing was clear to her now, she had realized the danger of the ¡°key,¡± and wouldn¡¯t consider winding it up again until she figured out what it really was.


    Outside the window, the setting sun had already begun to sink, and the two splendid Rune Circles were gradually approaching the distant horizon. The pervading golden-red brilliance dyed the entire Endless Sea and then passed through the window, spilling into the room.


    Duncan sat at the desk by the window, quietly staring at the brass key. He watched as the sunlight covered its handle, which resembled infinite symbols, and the intricate patterns seemed to come to life in the light, displaying a flowing texture with the shadows.


    After a brief moment of thought and hesitation, Duncan took a deep breath and reached out to grasp the key.


    A fine greenish glow emerged at his fingertips and slowly infiltrated the key¡¯s interior.


    He had originally not planned to use the ¡°Spiritual Body¡¯s Fire¡± to investigate the key, as the power of the flames could very likely destroy the key¡¯s transcendent essence. Even if it didn¡¯t destroy it, it could still affect its original nature, but now there was no time for such concerns.


    He had to understand what Lei Nora had left inside the key. Under this premise, he could only be extremely careful, trying to avoid the Spiritual Body¡¯s Fire burning the object too fiercely while carefully sensing any slight bit of information from the flame, prepared to extinguish it immediately if something felt wrong.


    The fire flowed gently between his fingers and the key, the greenish light seeping into the brass surface of the latter. In Duncan¡¯s perception, his fire seemed to be sinking into a vast and chaotic place, boundless and indistinct.


    He slowly closed his eyes, then used the spreading fire as his view to begin observing the ¡°world¡± behind the key.


    Fog, boundless fog, flowing like dust and smoke, undulating in vision, sometimes condensing, sometimes dispersing. Gazing through the flames, all that could be seen was chaos and emptiness.


    Duncan ¡°looked¡± at the dense fog before him in puzzlement, only to see the same uniform chaos in all directions.


    He knew this was the ¡°reality¡± within the key, and he was doing the same thing he had done when investigating the puppet¡¯s spiritual coffin. However, the situation here was completely different from that within the coffin.


    After remaining still in the endless fog for a while, he felt the fire was still spreading steadily and the key itself showed no signs of damage. He breathed a sigh of relief and then cautiously moved his perspective in a certain direction.


    But as soon as he moved forward, he felt an unfamiliar texture in the palm of his hand.


    The key?


    His first thought was of the brass key he was holding in the real world, followed by the realization of another fact¨Che actually had a ¡°body¡± in this fog?


    He remembered clearly that when he looked at the puppet¡¯s spiritual coffin last time, he only had a ¡°view.¡±


    Why was there this change? Was it because the properties of the two transcendent items were different, or had something unknown changed within his own power?


    Doubt surged within Duncan as he subconsciously raised his hand to look at the ¡°foreign object¡± in his palm.


    A black-cased object, indistinguishable as being made of metal or plastic, lay quietly in his palm.


    Duncan froze.


    The object was only about half a palm long and two fingers wide. Its smooth and flat surface was obviously a crafted artifact, with intricate lines visible beneath the black shell, which might be decorative or part of the internal structure. At one end, there was also a complex metal port, with a series of neat protrusions within it.


    It looked¡­ like a ¡°readable device¡± that could be connected to some sort of machine, used for data storage or as an activator.


    Duncan held the black rectangular object in front of him, examining each inch of it with a sense of awe and confusion.


    He thought of a USB flash drive or a portable hard drive from ¡°another world,¡± but the interface of this object was clearly not the standard he was familiar with.


    After a long observation, another object came to his mind¨C


    In Prand, within that branch of history consumed by fire, he saw the invaders from the City-State, the Scions of the Sun, each holding a black umbrella. Within that black umbrella was a complex and advanced-looking mechanical and even electronic structure¡­


    Duncan recalled the black umbrella he had seen in Prand and looked closely at the rectangular device in his hand. He confirmed that the black umbrella of the Scions of the Sun and the odd ¡°device¡± before him did not seem to be of the same style; they appeared to be the products of two different technological paths or design styles, but they had something in common¨C


    Precision, advanced, complex, from an outward perspective, they appeared to be far ahead of the current world¡¯s technological level.


    At least, this did not seem like something that could be, or had been, manufactured by the City-States of the Endless Sea.


    And within this world, such things seemed to have a unique name¨C


    Profane Archetype.


    A¡¯Gou once described them this way:


    ¡°In the river of time of this world, there are some histories that are ¡®locked away¡¯, and the things born from these forbidden histories are the Profane Archetypes. Usually, their very existence is harmful to the creatures of the real world¡­¡±


    Was this ¡°black box¡± that looked like some sort of data device¡­ a ¡°Profane Archetype¡±?


    Duncan frowned slightly, examining the small device in his hand over and over again while pondering its connection to the brass key he currently held. Just then, a strange and deep roar suddenly came from a very high and distant place, interrupting his thoughts.


    Startled, Duncan looked up in the direction of the sound.


    The next second, he saw a bright light suddenly appearing in the enveloping mist of endless chaos. The light came from afar, like a meteor in fierce descent, and then it turned into a fireball burning fiercely in the mist!


    Zooming past over Duncan¡¯s head, the fireball descended lower and lower as it flew, scattering the mist. Within the blinding fire, the outline of something massive became visible¨Ca propelled entity shaped like three spindles bound together. Duncan saw the back of each spindle, where thrusters spewed out brilliant streams of light. The shell of the spindles emitted thick smoke and intense flames, and the shocking sight of explosions and rending occurred continuously. Fragments were constantly breaking away from the blast points, scattering like rain into the mist, and as they fell, they turned into meteors, burning out in the sky¡­


    Without any points of reference, Duncan couldn¡¯t judge the actual size of the tri-spindle ship streaking across the sky, but he felt the strong intimidation and pressure of its massive, flame- and smoke-shrouded form. It might be larger than a City-State, perhaps even bigger than many City-States combined. Maybe it had traversed a long journey, soaring past groups of stars on a cosmic scale. It glided and fell within this mist-shrouded illusion, and just as Duncan watched in amazement, the fall culminated in a thunderous explosion¨C


    Accompanied by an explosion that could nearly shake the entire space-time continuum, the giant ¡°Ark Ship¡± made of three spindles disintegrated.


    It split into three parts, turning into three blazing fireballs, their glaring trails carrying thick smoke as they scattered into the depths of the mist.


    Far away, that was a distance unreachable by mere foot.


    Moreover, Duncan suspected that even if he could teleport thousands of miles in an instant, he likely couldn¡¯t reach where the three fragments had fallen.


    Because this mist¡­ only recorded an event from the distant past.


    A slight heat came from the palm of his hand. Duncan glanced down and saw the brass key lying quietly in his grasp, its handle, shaped like an infinity symbol, emitting a faint light. The fine lines were slowly moving in the light and outlined a recognizable symbol:


    ¡°New Hope¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    A surreal roar suddenly exploded in his mind, the mist around him dissipating into the darkness. Next, the light shifted, and the familiar scene of his bedroom came back into view.


    Duncan steadied himself, feeling his perception quickly returning. He looked down again to see the brass key still lying quietly in his hand.


    The key no longer radiated heat or light; the fine lines on the handle no longer moved. The characters previously floating before his eyes¡­ seemed like a bubble shadow that dissipated as one awoke from a dream.


    But Duncan still clearly remembered everything he had seen, remembered that name¨C


    New Hope.


    He frowned, quickly stood up, grabbed the notebook from his desk, wrote down the words ¡°New Hope,¡± and rapidly jotted down the scenes he had witnessed in the ¡°phantom.¡± Only after he wrote it all down did he let out a slight breath and returned to his initial sitting posture.


    In this world, very few things could affect his memory and thoughts, but a necessary caution was indispensable.


    After recording, Duncan fell into contemplation.


    He didn¡¯t know the causes and consequences of the scene he had just witnessed, nor the connection or ¡°transformation¡± between the black data device and the brass key in the ¡°phantom.¡± He didn¡¯t know where the fallen Ark Ship is now, but he believed¡­ everything he saw wasn¡¯t any deluded hallucination.


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    It was a scene that had truly occurred, in the distant past, long before the era of City-States began in this world¨Ca real history.


    There was a massive ship, that had crashed in this world, exploding during its descent, scattering its debris across the mortal coil.


    Duncan exhaled softly.


    He tucked the key away close to his body, then raised his head to look out the window at Phenomenon 001, which had almost completely descended into the Endless Sea.


    ¡°This is going to be interesting.¡±

 Chapter 473 - Chapter 473 Chapter 474 Morriss Knowledge Blind Spot

    Chapter 473: Chapter 474 Morris¡¯s Knowledge Blind Spot Chapter 473: Chapter 474 Morris¡¯s Knowledge Blind Spot As dusk fell, Morris was summoned to the captain¡¯s cabin.


    Duncan sat behind the nautical chart table with a serious expression, his desk brimming with a chaotic collection of books¨Cfrom those brought on board from Prand and Frost to others obtained from the Mist Fleet.


    After confirming that reading at sea was ¡°harmless,¡± the ship¡¯s library had steadily grown.


    Morris glanced at the table and noted the diverse categories of the books¨Cranging from bizarre tales from each City-State to authoritative historical documents and even ¡°dangerous books¡± on fringe theories like doomsday and revelations.


    A wave of curiosity and slight anxiety swept through the old scholar.


    It seemed the captain had suddenly wanted to find some information, and judging by the books he had taken out, what he was looking for was probably not simple¨Chis calling Morris here most likely pertained to this matter.


    With an increase in vigilance, Morris quickly murmured the name of the God of Wisdom Rahm, seeking blessings in the realm of intellect through silent prayer, and checked the amulet strung with colored stones on his wrist before sitting down opposite the captain, ¡°You wanted to see me?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve run into some problems and need to consult someone as learned as you,¡± Duncan nodded and, noticing Morris¡¯s nervous expression, added with a reassuring smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense, it¡¯s just a casual inquiry, possibly related to history.¡±


    A casual inquiry? History? Even the owner of Homeloss could not affirm such a hidden truth?


    Listening to the captain¡¯s reassurances, Morris mentally flipped through Rahm¡¯s name numerous times, stacking layers upon layers of foolish blessings, before steeling his nerves and lifting his head, ¡°I¡¯m ready. Please ask.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    With a sigh of helplessness, Duncan knew Morris¡¯s nervousness was more than natural. He sighed, organized his thoughts, and began, ¡°In your historical knowledge, has there ever been an account of an event where a huge man-made object fell from the sky, accompanied by extensive flames and flashes, which perhaps even exploded, breaking into several smaller pieces that fell across the world?¡±


    Duncan finished speaking and looked earnestly into Morris¡¯s eyes.


    Morris froze, meeting Duncan¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± the old scholar hesitated.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Duncan nodded. He of course had many more details unmentioned, but in such a vague historical query, too many details could cloud Morris¡¯s judgment, so he chose to present it in the simplest form, ¡°If there¡¯s any historical record of this event, there might be deviations in the narrative, but the key scenario should revolve around ¡®a massive object falling in flames.¡¯ Do you know of any such event?¡±


    The sudden question puzzling, but noticing Duncan¡¯s serious demeanor, Morris began to deeply ponder, and after several minutes, he slowly shook his head, ¡°I have never come across a record similar to that.¡±


    ¡°Including all official and unofficial histories?¡± Duncan, not surprised by Morris¡¯s response, still asked somewhat reluctantly, ¡°This event might have been mythologized or even become part of some heretical theories, as it could have occurred in the distant past.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite certain,¡± Morris spoke again, ¡°Including all official histories, unofficial narratives, and heretical theories that I¡¯ve come across, there is nothing that matches or resembles the scene you described¨Cof course, there might still be some narrowly spread legend or lost histories that have recorded this event, as there¡¯s always the unknown beyond our knowledge, but¡­¡±


    Morris paused, then continued, ¡°If even I am unaware of such covert historical secrets, you might find it hard to locate corresponding information elsewhere¡­ perhaps you can try your luck at the Academy of Truth¡¯s grand library, searching among the oldest books in Moco and Light Breeze Harbor for clues.¡±


    Duncan said nothing at first, his gaze calmly descending into contemplation. After a long while, he nodded softly, ¡°You can write to the scholars you know to inquire about this matter. If it truly necessitates dealing with the headquarters of the Academy of Truth, that¡¯s also possible.¡±


    Listening to the captain¡¯s quite solemn tone, Morris nodded gravely.


    This matter appeared to be of utmost significance.


    As a scholar who had spent a lifetime in study, his curiosity was naturally piqued, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°May I inquire? This matter you speak of¡­ what exactly is it?¡±


    Duncan hesitated, then slowly spoke, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I stumbled upon some visions, but even if I cannot ascertain its nature¡­ I feel this scene is likely deeply connected to the current state of our world, and to many lost histories.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Morris bowed deeply, ¡°I will find a way to investigate.¡±


    He did not continue to inquire about the details, nor did he ask what the captain meant by ¡°illusion,¡± because he knew curiosity and desire for exploration had to be just right¨Cthey could not be too little, nor could they be too much.


    After a brief pause, Duncan added, ¡°New Hope, focus on these words when investigating the data.¡±


    ¡°Does that sound like a ship?¡± Morris wondered aloud.


    Duncan pondered for a moment, then nodded with a peculiar expression, ¡°Yes¡­ a ship.¡±


    Indeed, it was a ship, a spacecraft that had plunged from the starry sea to the ground due to an engine explosion.


    ¡­


    Frost, in the secretive underground facilities of the south port, Undead engineers were busy at work.


    Knowledge from half a century ago was put to use once again, ancient blueprints were taken out from the fleet¡¯s storage, and the engineers, as old as the blueprints themselves, excitedly gathered among a pile of machines, pipes, and cables, exchanging thoughts and ideas that sounded like gibberish to ordinary people.


    Tyrion sat in a corner of the hall, watching his subordinates bustling about.


    ¡°I never thought that I¡¯d see these blueprints come into use again in my lifetime,¡± said an Undead engineer, holding the drawings. His head was shriveled, there was a large hole in his chest, and half of his body was driven by a steam mechanism. He spoke with excitement, ¡°Look at these drainage systems and balancing mechanisms; there have been a lot of modern modifications to the submarine, but the basic principles are still those from back then¨Cwater intake, descent, water discharge, ascent, supplemented by weights in the bottom of the hold¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand your excitement,¡± Tyrion glanced at his subordinate, ¡°but I must remind you, you are no longer in ¡®your lifetime.''¡±


    ¡°Close enough, ¡®dead lifetime¡¯ works just as well,¡± the shriveled-headed Undead engineer laughed, revealing a ghastly and incomplete set of teeth. He raised his arm and forcefully tapped his steam mechanism, causing the slightly malfunctioning gears to clatter back into motion. Then, he lifted his head again, gazing at the submarine surrounded by comrades nearby and spoke wistfully, ¡°Ah¡­ it would be nice to meet its builders. It¡¯s well-designed, crafted with care¡­ They really wanted it to be of use.¡±


    Tyrion remained silent, quietly observing the submarine in the center of the hall. After a long while, he finally sighed softly, ¡°Go on then, it can indeed be of use this time, let there be no mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, captain.¡±


    As his subordinate left, Tyrion breathed out quietly, and just then, a soft humming noise suddenly emanated from the Crystal Ball lens set by his hand, followed by the teasing voice of Lucrecia, ¡°You seem troubled, brother. Being a Governor isn¡¯t as easy as it looks, is it?¡±


    Tyrion, expressionless, turned his face towards the Crystal Ball on the table which was gradually lighting up, Lucrecia¡¯s figure appearing within.


    ¡°I specifically moved this thing from the ship, not to hear you tease your own brother.¡±


    ¡°Relax, brother. You¡¯re not a pirate chief anymore. A Governor needs to possess both dignity and approachability,¡± Lucrecia smiled, seemingly unaffected by Tyrion¡¯s tone of dissatisfaction. Then, her tone shifted, driven by curiosity, ¡°Still, I really want to know, was this¡­ really father¡¯s arrangement?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Tyrion sighed, ¡°He did a big thing here, bigger than you can imagine. Now, the whole of Frost is under his influence. I should feel fortunate, he truly regained his humanity. So, even though his plans were unexpected, they are not bad at all¡­ whether it¡¯s Frost or my Mist Fleet, there¡¯s at least an explanation now.¡±


    Lucrecia finally dropped her slight teasing smile, pondered for a moment, and then hesitatingly spoke, ¡°Is¡­ father doing well now?¡±


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    ¡°Very well, his physical body is on Homeloss, spending his days fishing or feeding pigeons, and his avatar is here in Frost, going for walks in the park every morning and supervising the engineering progress here in the afternoon¨Cdo you care that much? Next time he¡¯s here, I¡¯ll activate the Crystal Ball, and you two can talk directly?¡±


    ¡°Ah, let¡¯s not!¡± Lucrecia almost reflexively raised her voice, then quickly reverted to her ladylike demeanor, ¡°I¡­ I still need to prepare; let¡¯s not talk about this, I have a lot on my plate here¡­¡±


    ¡°You have a lot going on over there?¡± Tyrion heard this but subconsciously raised his eyebrows, ¡°Speaking of which, how is your research going over there? What¡¯s the status of that ¡®fragment¡¯ that fell from the sky?¡±


    Lucrecia hesitated for a moment, initially, she was just looking for an excuse to divert the conversation, but now she couldn¡¯t help but sigh lightly.


    ¡°There¡¯s been no progress, even Taran El from Light Breeze Harbor is at a loss.¡±

 Chapter 474 - Chapter 474 Chapter 475 Taking the Steps to Explore

    Chapter 474: Chapter 475: Taking the Steps to Explore Chapter 474: Chapter 475: Taking the Steps to Explore Taran El, a distinguished elven scholar, an expert in mathematics, mechanics, and natural history, recipient of four lifetime honors bestowed by the Academy of Truth.


    A person immersed in scholarly research, industrious and devoted, one who could tirelessly stay in the laboratory, someone Lucy was always worried might suddenly die at their research site.


    Now, this erudite scholar, in front of everyone, had announced his inability to cope with the geometric light body that descended from the sky.


    Lucy lifted her head; her gaze passed beyond the crystal ball in front of her, falling upon the grand splendor spreading from the direction opposite the window. Even at midnight, the entire sea seemed bathed in ¡°sunlight,¡± and amidst that brilliance, the mountain-sized luminous geometric body still quietly floated on the water¡¯s surface, its flat walls of light like sheer cliffs between the sky and sea.


    Another small boat crossed the luminescent sea, heading towards the interior of that luminous geometric body, ready to pick up the research team that had completed its rotational duty near the ¡°stone sphere.¡±


    Lucy sighed, withdrawing her gaze from the window, looking down at the tabletop¨Ca strange, dusty sphere was resting upon the stand.


    The sphere¡¯s surface was rough, rocky in texture, with bizarre, irregular, and seemingly patternless lines all over it. Appearing unremarkable, yet it was filled with an indescribable sense of mystery.


    At the center of the giant geometrical light body floating on the sea was a peculiar ¡°stone sphere¡± ten meters in diameter, and the one before Lucy¡¯s eyes¡­ was an exact, miniature replica of the stone sphere.


    It was pretty much the only ¡°achievement¡± of a large group of experts and scholars after such a long period of study.


    ¡°Master Taran El has already returned to Light Breeze Harbor to rest¨Cor more accurately, his students ¡®dragged¡¯ him back to Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Lucy shook her head, speaking to her brother across the crystal ball, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t rest, he might indeed die suddenly out there¨Cas an elf, dying suddenly at the age of five hundred would really be dying young.


    ¡°He looked very dejected when he left because this ¡®gift from the heavens¡¯ was beyond our understanding. Whether it¡¯s the luminous area surrounding it or the nature of that central sphere, both are mysteries to us.


    ¡°Researchers scraped some samples from that ¡®stone sphere,¡¯ but the analyses suggest they are nothing more than fine stone dust. Efforts to scout inside the stone sphere made no progress¨Call methods have failed, including transcendent powers. It¡¯s as if the thing is wrapped in a dense ¡®shell,¡¯ keeping all its secrets hidden. At least for now, we have not resolved to carry out any destructive¡­ ¡®tests¡¯ on it.


    ¡°After so much effort, we¡¯ve only reached one consensus, that this giant geometric light body is indeed likely a piece that detached from the Rune Circle surrounding anomaly 001. This was the conclusion from Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s ¡®High Tower,¡¯ where they carefully observed the fringe of anomaly 001 and discovered the missing part matches the ¡®geometric light body.''¡±


    Lucy spoke at length, clearly venting some pent-up frustration, while Tarian served as an excellent listener, not interrupting his sister¡¯s narrative until she finished speaking. Only then did he slowly begin, ¡°So it has been confirmed as a part that detached from anomaly 001¡­ Lucy, father had already issued warnings about this to the Church of the Four Gods, saying that the ¡®sun¡¯ might be in decline.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it,¡± Lucy nodded lightly, ¡°the warning from ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ can¡¯t be taken lightly, although most people¡¯s first reaction was anxiety and fear for the Homeloss after hearing his warning¡­¡±


    Tarian tugged at the corner of his mouth. Having often met with ¡°Duncan Ebnomal¡± recently and witnessed their father¡¯s new approach, he could not really comment and instead changed the topic, ¡°What are your plans there? Regarding the problem with the ¡®sun¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°What plan could there be? Throw that giant stone sphere back into the sky? Reattach it to the sun¡¯s Rune Circle?¡± Lucy shrugged her shoulders, ¡°Perhaps only the Ancient Crete Kingdom knows how to repair the sun in the sky.¡±


    Tarian remained silent.


    After a moment of silence, Lucy suddenly asked, ¡°Does father know about my ¡®research¡¯ here?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him,¡± Tarian shook his head, ¡°Without your consent, I wouldn¡¯t presume to speak¡­ What, do you want to ask for his help?¡±


    Lucy visibly hesitated, seemingly tempted but quickly shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it some more¨Csuch matters, father might not be of any help and, well¡­ I¡¯m a bit afraid of him, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s actually pretty approachable now,¡± Tarian chuckled, ¡°But since you¡¯re not keen on it, I won¡¯t intervene. However, just to be clear, regardless of whether I tell him or not, this news might reach his ears someday. After all, he¡¯s now making contact between the church and the City-States. If he takes an interest later, I certainly can¡¯t stop him.¡±


    With a frustrated gesture, Lucy waved her hand. This ¡°Witch of the Sea,¡± shrouded in a mystical aura to outsiders, always wore her emotions plainly before family, ¡°I got it, I got it¨Cstop talking about that. When can I get the Spirit Realm lens you mentioned before?¡±


    Tarian: ¡°¡­¡±


    Two seconds later, Lucy¡¯s irate voice sharply emanated from the crystal ball, ¡°You forgot again?!!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Tarian, you don¡¯t look very well.¡±


    Early in the morning, Duncan arrived at the south harbor and couldn¡¯t help but comment upon seeing the slight fatigue in Tarian¡¯s expression.


    Tarian rubbed his forehead, sighing in resignation, ¡°There¡¯s just too much to worry about lately.¡±


    ¡°`


    It was not just an excuse, there truly were many matters in need of his attention recently. Managing a City-State evidently required far more effort than commanding a fleet, but then again¡­ the impact of his sister¡¯s relentless nagging for two hours could not be underestimated.


    However, Taran El quickly steered the conversation away from this slightly embarrassing topic. He adjusted his expression, ¡°I called you here so early today to tell you¨Cthe submersible is ready.¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°That quickly?¡±


    ¡°Once we considered that the occupant wouldn¡¯t need to breathe, many preparation tasks could be accelerated,¡± Taran El nodded, ¡°Moreover, the submersible secretly built by the former Frost government is based on queen-era blueprints. Although there have been many improvements, the basic principles haven¡¯t changed much. If it¡¯s just about understanding the operational method, it¡¯s actually quite simple.¡±


    Duncan looked at Taran El for a moment and then, satisfied, nodded, ¡°Very well, take me to it.¡±


    ¡°You want to start right away?¡± Taran El was somewhat surprised, ¡°We can conduct more tests. I invited you here today just to let you have a look¡­¡±


    Duncan interrupted him, ¡°You¡¯ve already done some tests, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°A few,¡± Taran El hesitated for a moment, ¡°After completing the system verification, I arranged for two Undead sailors to perform a short dive of a few tens of meters last night, mainly to confirm the submersible¡¯s operational procedure and working status. There were no problems¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Duncan nodded his head and turned to walk towards the warehouse leading to the underground facility, ¡°Consider it as my conducting the follow-up test procedures personally. In any case, the official deep dive operation will have to be carried out by me.¡±


    Taran El paused for a moment, then hurriedly followed Duncan¡¯s steps. As they rushed to the facility, doubts inevitably arose in his mind.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion¡­ he always felt that his father seemed somewhat preoccupied today, and this sense of urgency was different from the usual.


    It was as if he had suddenly noticed some clue or stumbled upon some great secret, a strong desire to unravel the mystery, to explore the truth, was driving him.


    And this hurried demeanor¡­ it faintly gave Taran El a sense of familiarity.


    The tall figure in the black coat hurried ahead, with Taran El¡¯s steps equally fast as he desperately tried to keep up.


    The latter, watching the former¡¯s back, felt a sudden realization of the source of this familiarity during this pursuit¨C


    It resembled the days of years gone by.


    When relics of ancient ruins were found, when a new sailing route surfaced on the nautical charts, when news of mysterious phenomena in the frontier regions suddenly reached the civilized world, his father would act this way.


    It was the way he looked when he was about to embark on a long voyage.


    Long-forgotten, yellowed memories uncontrollably surfaced from the depths of his mind. Scenes of setting sail with his father in the past appeared before his eyes, and amidst the overlapping images, Taran El subconsciously slowed his steps.


    Duncan stopped and turned around with a puzzled look at him.


    ¡°Taran El, what are you daydreaming about¨Churry and follow.¡±


    Taran El started, quickly speeding up his steps as he hastily responded, ¡°Ah¡­ Oh, yes, Father!¡±


    Duncan then turned back and continued walking forward, not too concerned with Taran El¡¯s reaction just now.


    Because once again, a sense of urgency to explore the world surged within him.


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    This urgency stemmed from the findings of his exploration with the brass key yesterday, a corner of the world¡¯s mysterious veil that suddenly lifted¨C


    A vast ship that had crashed in lost ages upon this world. Known as the ¡°Profane Prototype,¡± a creation from the hidden history of an ancient civilization, touched by not even the great scholars like Morris, it held deep secrets.


    There was too much that was unknown; the occasional clues that emerged only made the secrets of the world seem more complex and intertwined, like layers of curtains.


    Therefore, any opportunity to step toward the truth of the world was immensely precious.


    An explorer ought to be so.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 475 - Chapter 475 Chapter 476 Dive Down

    Chapter 475: Chapter 476: Dive Down Chapter 475: Chapter 476: Dive Down South Port underground, control hall for the submersible, ablaze with light.


    The glow from the gas and electric lights made the hall as bright as day, and the colossal egg-shaped diving apparatus was suspended by steel cables at the top of the slide leading to the ocean. The Undead engineers were all around, busily engaged in the final checks and adjustments for the submersible¡¯s launch.


    Beside the steel frame platform that held the submersible in place, Duncan was sitting calmly in a chair, watching everything, waiting for Tyrion¡¯s subordinates to get everything ready.


    Those Undead, with their strange, ugly, and almost horrifying appearances, seemed to be full of enthusiasm, even showing a hint of joy and excitement.


    A bald, burly man with a nervous look on his face approached from not far away and bent awkwardly before Duncan, ¡°Um¡­ Captain, it¡¯s great to see you¡­¡±


    Duncan looked up at the man in the sailor¡¯s shirt with an eerily shiny bald head and pallid skin like that of a corpse, and after mentally checking the information he had previously gathered, he nodded slightly, ¡°You¡¯re Aiden, you¡¯ve been with Tyrion since the Exiled Fleet era.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Aiden¡¯s mouth stretched into a smile, ¡°You remember me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve forgotten almost everything. Subspace damage affected my memory. I heard about you and the ¡®first-generation sailors¡¯ of the Mist Fleet from someone else.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, don¡¯t apologize,¡± Aiden immediately looked even more uneasy, shaking his head as he spoke, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ good that you could come back. Everyone has been thinking of you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more like they¡¯re quite scared, right?¡± Duncan said with a smile as he glanced around the hall, noticing many eyes darting away in fear as he looked their way, ¡°It¡¯s fine, this is only an avatar I¡¯m using. If it were my actual body here, I¡¯m afraid most of the sailors wouldn¡¯t be able to work peacefully.¡±


    ¡°About half here are ¡®second-generation,¡¯ and they¡¯re indeed more afraid of you,¡± Aiden said awkwardly, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt, ¡°After all, their first contact with you¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, the Frost Encounter half a century ago.¡± Duncan sighed lightly as he spoke, and just as he finished talking, Tyrion came striding over.


    ¡°The submersible is ready, Father.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it seems it¡¯s time to depart.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s face broke into a smile, and he rose from his chair to walk with Tyrion toward the platform that held the submersible, which was silently awaiting¨C


    Its circular side hatch was already open, with thick watertight compartments opposite it, lit by lights that revealed the spherical interior¡¯s structure. Inside, it looked cramped, able to accommodate at most three or four people amidst the dazzling array of pipelines, valves, and control panels.


    Duncan inspected the submersible, then took a step forward.


    But in the next second, he suddenly stopped as if sensing something and looked in a certain direction.


    A spiraling Grey Wind abruptly entered the hall and swirled rapidly to the side of the submersible platform, coalescing before Duncan and Tyrion and the others.


    Agatha stepped out of the Grey Wind¨Cin the same high-necked, black-draped nun¡¯s attire, with her long hair cascading over her blind eyes.


    ¡°I want to go with you.¡±


    Without beating around the bush, she got straight to the point as soon as she approached Duncan.


    ¡°You want to dive as well?¡± Duncan looked at Agatha in surprise, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to ¡®see¡¯ for myself what lies beneath the Frost,¡± Agatha said calmly, her determination evident, ¡°As the protector of this City-State, I can¡¯t just stay in the safe cathedral waiting for your results, and besides¡­¡±


    She suddenly paused, and after a few seconds of silence, she raised her head, looking through the thick, dark fabric ¡°directly¡± into Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°And, it¡¯s the city of the Frostfolk, the concern of the Frostfolk. In our constructed submersible, at least one Frostfolk should be present. Consider it¡­ let me go have a look on behalf of Winston the Governor and the previous Governors of the Frost.¡±


    ¡°A reasonable request, and you must be aware of the risks. Since you are prepared, I won¡¯t dissuade you further.¡± Duncan nodded his head, then turned to Tyrion.


    The latter quickly caught on, saying, ¡°The submersible is designed to accommodate up to four people. Two people going in is certainly fine, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t need to breathe,¡± Agatha interjected softly, cutting off Tyrion¡¯s words.


    Tyrion paused for a moment, then stepped back, ¡°Well, then there¡¯s no problem.¡±


    Duncan laughed, stepped to the submersible¡¯s hatch, and turned to extend his hand toward Agatha, ¡°Good, let¡¯s go.¡±


    He and Agatha crawled into the submersible, and the heavy circular hatch slowly closed behind them.


    Two strong Undead sailors stepped onto the platform and began tightening the hatch¡¯s locking mechanism from the outside.


    The thick steel isolated the inside of the submersible from the outside world, leaving the cramped crew cabin quiet; the only sounds were the occasional hums from some machines and pipes.


    There were no seats in the crew cabin, so Duncan and Agatha stood in front of the control panel, holding onto iron pipes that served as a railing. Through the embedded, extremely thick and sturdy glass portholes in the cabin wall, they could see the Undead sailors on the platform loosening the steel cables used to secure the submersible and releasing the safety pins on both sides of the steel frame.


    Tirian¡¯s voice then came from a small device on the corner of the submersible¡¯s control panel: ¡°Father, Miss Agatha, can you hear me?¡±


    Duncan approached the control console: ¡°Yes, very clearly.¡±


    ¡°Good. I won¡¯t say much about controlling the submersible; its functions are actually quite simple, and I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll make a mistake. Now, let me talk about what happens after it enters the water.


    ¡°The submersible¡¯s power comes from a small steam core and a generator connected to the steam core. Theoretically, it should be enough to complete any deep-sea mission, but if there¡¯s a problem with the steam core or generator, there are two battery packs at the bottom of the submersible that can keep it operational for about two more hours¡­


    ¡°There are three sets of high-power searchlights outside the cabin, but their effects are limited in the deep-sea environment, so please be careful when controlling it. Besides, the resistance at the seabed is significant, and the propulsion system can only move the submersible slowly; this needs attention as well¡­


    ¡°The communication device on the submersible has an effective range of only three hundred meters, so after we descend beyond that depth, we won¡¯t be able to talk like this. However, your power, or Miss Agatha¡¯s Psychic Resonance, should be unaffected.


    ¡°Moreover¡­ although I might be overly worried, please be aware of the dangers in the deep sea¨Ceven for you. If you encounter any problems, ascend immediately. The lever at the top left of the control panel is for emergency ascent, pulling it will drop the ballast from the bottom of the submersible and open flotation balls on both sides of the hull¡­ In the worst-case scenario, just abandon the submersible. With your power, you can directly transport yourself and Miss Agatha back. We can rebuild the machine¡­¡±


    Duncan listened attentively to Tirian¡¯s cautionary advice.


    To be honest, this ¡°former Chill Sea pirate¡± was indeed a little verbose, and Duncan found many of his reminders unnecessary.


    Still, Duncan patiently listened to every word Tirian said, and only when his voice ceased did Duncan speak with a grave tone: ¡°I understand, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    Outside the submersible, at the command podium at the end of the hall, Tirian took a light breath and then nodded to his subordinates.


    ¡°Open the sea valve!¡±


    ¡°Fill the passageway with water!¡±


    ¡°Disconnect the submersible from the external power cable and prepare to release the locks!¡±


    A low rumble penetrated the steel shell of the submersible, with a faint echo bouncing inside the spherical cabin, and a slight vibration traveled up from the floor, accompanied by the squeaking and screeching noises from the hull.


    The sea valve opened, in the passageway located beneath the facility that led directly to the sea, water rapidly surged upward and gradually reached the predetermined level. The last two steel cables above the submersible began to creak and slowly release.


    Duncan and Agatha first felt a shake and then a sudden descent¨Cafter a brief moment of weightlessness, the submersible entered the water. They started to sink down the sloping passage and, guided by a series of slides, quickly moved toward an ocean outlet at the edge of the southern port.


    Outside the porthole, the water surged upward before gradually submerging into darkness. In the darkness, occasional flashes of light sped by, growing faster, and the submersible¡¯s vibration intensified¨Cuntil, at last, all vibrations settled into stillness.


    Outside the porthole, there was nothing but an expanse of deep blue that gradually dimmed into darkness.


    Sunlight pierced through the water above, casting shifting beams of alternating light and shadow. In the darkening waters, bubbles rose from the outside of the hull, with the remaining sunlight reflecting off them, giving the illusion of enchanting, colorful marine creatures.


    Agatha seemed captivated by the ¡°scenery¡± outside the porthole.


    She slowly moved away from the control station and came to the porthole, leaning on the handrail. Driven by curiosity, she leaned in close, staring through the thick, black strips at the deep blue that was swiftly sinking into the abyss with her hollowed-out eyes.


    ¡°What can you see?¡±


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    While Duncan familiarized himself with the levers and buttons on the control panel, which were not too complicated, he casually turned his head to ask.


    ¡°Light, all kinds of faint glimmers,¡± Agatha murmured softly, as if speaking to herself or as if enraptured by the illusion. ¡°They flow like rivers, forming vast, complex, yet orderly currents¡­ But it¡¯s already dark outside now, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a little residual sunlight left, but it will soon be completely dark,¡± Duncan said, maneuvering the submersible to slowly turn an angle. ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°A tremendously large ¡®screen of light¡¯, faint, but filling my entire field of view,¡± Agatha said, her tone imbued with a sense of awe. ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Frost,¡± Duncan said calmly, his gaze piercing through the porthole. In the waning sunlight and the glow from the submersible¡¯s high-power searchlights, an immensely vast and roughly mottled ¡®cliff¡¯ stood silently in the water, ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®foundation¡¯ of the City-State.¡±

 Chapter 476 - Chapter 476 Chapter 477 Submarine Cruise

    Chapter 476: Chapter 477: Submarine Cruise Chapter 476: Chapter 477: Submarine Cruise Under Duncan¡¯s somewhat unfamiliar and cautious control, the submersible slowly adjusted its heading.


    The ¡°foundation¡± beneath Frost City-State was like a wide, unbounded yet rough and bizarre cliff in the sea, slowly moving through the dim sea water outside the portholes.


    The sunlight that fell from the sea surface above had faded, leaving only the beams of light from the three sets of large searchlights in front of the submersible. Those beams cast huge spots of light on the ¡°cliff¡± face, and beyond the illuminated spots lay unknown darkness.


    The low buzzing sound and the hissing noise of certain valves automatically adjusting the pressure occasionally reached the ears, and these monotonous and lifeless sounds only made one feel even more¡­ isolated.


    It was the loneliness that comes from an individual straying far from the group, from the mind wandering beyond the frontiers of civilization. It was the unease of sinking into boundless darkness, of being enveloped by the infinite sea.


    Agatha grew quiet, she stood in front of the porthole, staring in one direction outside for a long time before she softly broke the silence, ¡°All the light is fading¡­ but I can still ¡®see¡¯ the foundation of the City-State, it¡¯s still emitting a very faint light, the only thing I can see in the darkness.¡±


    Clearly, the world she observed was different from that of ordinary people.


    ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m thinking?¡± Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind her.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking that this may just be the way we observe the world,¡± Duncan said in a low tone, as if blending with the hum of the surrounding machinery, ¡°The worldly sea, and if we consider the entire civilization as a whole, then we are like diving in such an endless abyss.


    ¡°The unknown darkness covers the whole world, and we carefully peek at the landscapes that emerge from the darkness from the lights of civilization. We try to guess and piece together the outlines of the whole world from those fleeting images, but we almost never have the chance to truly understand the whole truth behind those lights and shadows¨C


    ¡°Behind a small fallen leaf may lie an entire forest, behind a stubborn rock stands a whole mountain, a vine that flashes in the light might just be a tendril extended by some mythological beast¨Cbeyond the faint light lies the unknown, and within the faint light is merely a partial impression of the truth given to us at a specific location, at a specific time.


    ¡°And it is in such cautious diving that some people accidentally glimpse something beyond the lights, and they go mad, some people try to extend that light, and we call them pioneers¨Cin many cases, there is not even a clear boundary between these pioneers and the madmen. As for most people, they gather inside the ¡®ark¡¯ of ¡®civilization,¡¯ gathering within the limited but sufficient light to illuminate their footsteps, bowing their heads, carefully narrowing their sights.


    ¡°They are called ¡®ordinary people.¡¯


    ¡°The world that is known and measurable gives them precious security, and they can no longer cast their gaze into the darkness outside the ark¡­ but it is these most numerous, weak and powerless ordinary people who keep the entire ark running, even supporting those pioneers and madmen.¡±


    The sound of seawater being injected into the ballast tanks came from below, and the submersible adjusted its angle slightly, beginning to dive faster. In the area illuminated by the searchlights in front of the observation window, the rugged cliff continued to rise¨Cnext second, the scenery in the light spot might turn into an empty dark body of water, or it might not.


    Duncan withdrew his gaze, glancing around himself.


    The cabin lighting was spilling from above, and everything inside the submersible bathed in the light. After staring into the darkness outside for too long, looking back at this comfortable cabin really did bring a sense of visceral relief.


    But the occasional ¡°creaking¡± sound from somewhere in the hull kept reminding the people inside the cabin that between this comfortable and bright cabin and the billions of tons of ocean outside was just a layer of fragile spherical shell steel.


    This fragile spherical shell was crafted bit by bit by countless ¡°ordinary people,¡± those craftsmen who might never step halfway out of the City-State in their entire lives, with their skills and wisdom, sent this rudimentary submersible into the endless abyss beneath the City-State.


    After a long silence, Agatha spoke softly, ¡°Actually¡­ I sometimes feel fortunate that my eyes can see more than ordinary people can now, just like you said, we are all diving in an endless darkness, so my eyes can now see a little further in places where the light doesn¡¯t reach. But I often feel frustrated because, compared to this endless darkness, this slightly further vision seems meaningless¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, for this boundless ocean, a slightly further gaze is trivial,¡± Duncan said softly, but then his tone shifted, ¡°But for us who are diving in the dark, being able to see even a meter further is extraordinary.¡±


    He casually turned off the main lighting in the cabin, leaving only the essential lights on the dashboard.


    The submersible grew dim inside, yet with the change in light contrast, the high-power searchlight beams outside the porthole seemed even brighter, and the details on the surface of the ¡°cliff¡± within the lit spots became clearer.


    ¡°The world you describe is almost desperate, but your attitude seems always optimistic,¡± Agatha said, ¡°That surprises me¡­ a bit.¡±


    ¡°I described to you a desperate world because it is inherently so wretched, and my optimism stems from being an optimistic person by nature,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°We can¡¯t change the world, but ¡®attitude¡¯ is our own to control.¡±


    ¡°I never expected you to have such a personality, let alone be so sentimental,¡± Agatha said with a hint of a smile on her face, ¡°Yes, I always forget that you were the greatest explorer in this world.¡±


    Duncan just smiled without responding, his gaze fixed on something outside the viewport, carefully observing the ¡°cliff¡± that was gradually rising, illuminated by the beams from the searchlights.


    It looked like stone, but was covered with parasitic organisms resembling seaweed and coral.


    Such a vertical structure, with such a regular ¡°base,¡± however, seemed unlikely to have formed naturally.


    He maneuvered the submersible cautiously forward, stopping at a very close distance, then, a bit awkwardly, found a control lever on the dashboard and released the mechanical arm situated at the front of the submersible.


    In the light, the mechanical arm slowly unfolded, its sharp end touching the ¡°cliff¡± ahead, and gently tapping and scraping.


    Some fragments slowly fell through the water.


    But it seemed there was an even harder structure within the fragments.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious about something,¡± Duncan suddenly broke the silence, ¡°with so many years, so many City-States, there¡¯s never been a shortage of digging deep into the ground¨Cbe it for mining, constructing underground facilities, or simply for research¡­ Has no one ever dug through this ¡®base¡¯?¡±


    Agatha was momentarily taken aback by the abrupt question, but after a short contemplation, she shook her head: ¡°To my knowledge¡­ there¡¯s never been a case of ¡®digging through.¡¯ Because the subterranean is dangerous, the deeper you go below sea level, the higher the likelihood of anomalies emerging in the darkness. Even with steam and flame protection, mines suffer from spiritual contamination and strange accidents every year, not to mention the mad idea of ¡®piercing through a City-State¡¯ to dig deeper. And furthermore¡­¡±


    She paused, sorting through her memories before continuing, ¡°And even if someone did dig with such madness, it seems no one ever succeeded. I heard that the Academy of Truth tried it, and their conclusion was¡­ as they dug to a certain depth, the drills couldn¡¯t proceed, the deeper they went, the harder it became until even the hardest, most advanced drills broke.¡±


    ¡°Harder as it goes down?¡± Duncan furrowed his brows and turned his head to look at the mechanical hand outside the viewport tapping on the ¡°cliff.¡± It had knocked off some accretions, and after the loose fragments fell away, an even darker and denser structure was revealed within the wall of the cliff.


    It was indistinguishable whether it was rock or metal.


    But there seemed to be regular patterns on its surface, almost like¡­ the crisscrossing grooves of some biological entity¡¯s skin.


    Duncan controlled the mechanical arm, striving to scrape off some samples from the layer of dark, dense material, but to no avail.


    The power of the mechanical arm was insufficient, and the black material was harder than expected¡­ some kind of ¡°shell¡±?


    All sorts of speculations floated in Duncan¡¯s mind, even some bold exploration plans arose, but eventually he forcefully suppressed his curiosity and started maneuvering the submersible further into the deep sea.


    After all, his primary objective for this journey was to explore the ¡°vast unknown entity¡± beneath Frost, and given the uncertainty of another deep dive opportunity, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste the submersible¡¯s valuable battery life midway.


    Amidst the noise from the ballast tanks, the submersible continued to descend.


    Some time later, they finally crossed the ¡°fault line¡± beneath the base of the City-State.


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    Quite abruptly, the ¡°cliff¡± within the range of the searchlight ceased, and the vast patch of light was abruptly consumed by darkness, as an endless expanse of dark water rushed toward them.


    Even the strongest searchlight couldn¡¯t find a target to illuminate in such a vast and boundless sea¨CDuncan could only see a hazy boundary of light extending outside the viewport, but whether inside or outside the light, not a single point of reference was visible.


    The oppressive sensation of sinking into vast darkness surpassed even facing that eerie great void deep within the boiling gold mines.


    Agatha too tightened her grip on the handrail before her a bit nervously.


    The last bit of light in her ¡°vision¡± had disappeared.

 Chapter 477 - Chapter 477 Chapter 478 It Looms Over the Abyss

    Chapter 477: Chapter 478: It Looms Over the Abyss Chapter 477: Chapter 478: It Looms Over the Abyss The submersible had passed beneath the ¡°base¡± of the City-State, where the endless dark waters replaced the vertical and rough ¡°cliff¡± that had been there before. The beams of the high-powered searchlights extended infinitely in the water, within their range, nothing could be seen.


    Only occasionally would there be a small flash of light within the beam, which was either floating bubbles or some ¡°debris¡± that had fallen from the upper layers, reflecting the light in the water.


    Duncan was turning a crank on the control panel, and the sound of water being injected in the ballast tanks changed into a low roar. He slowed down the descent of the submersible and carefully tilted it upward at an angle.


    After crossing that boundary, he wanted to ¡°look back¡± and observe what the base of the City-State actually looked like.


    The beam of light slowly swept through the darkness, revealing something so massive that it took one¡¯s breath away, with an overwhelming sense of oppression emanating from that inverted ¡°rock layer¡± ¨C even without any Transcendent factors causing mental contamination, this sight alone was enough to impose a heavy psychological weight on most ordinary people, to the extent of damaging their psyche.


    The ¡°base¡± of Frost City-State appeared outside the portholes, hanging upside down like the earth itself, crushing everything under its encompassing view. Countless jagged structures, resembling both clumps of stone pillars and forests of spires, could be seen with various protrusions, dozens to hundreds of meters tall, erratically arranged. Among these structures were things resembling some kind of adhesive substance stretching between the ¡°pillars¡±.


    However, amid the shock and oppression that bombarded him, what surged in Duncan¡¯s heart was an irrepressible curiosity¨Che cautiously maneuvered the rudimentary submersible machine toward the strange and jagged Inverted Jungle.


    At the same time, aboard the Homeloss, Duncan had arrived in front of the captain¡¯s quarters and pushed open the door known as ¡°The Displaced¡¯s Gateway¡±.


    Zhou Ming entered his bachelor apartment and was unsurprised to see the newly formed collection item on the table, emitting a faint glow¨Cthe delicate ¡°model¡± of Frost City-State.


    He approached the table and picked up the strikingly detailed model of the City-State, carefully inspecting every part of it before turning it over to examine its underside structure.


    The dense and complex protrusions looked like some kind of disorganized¡­ tentacles, or to be more bold in conjecture¨Clike some sort of limbs.


    Compared to merely using fire to sense the structure at the bottom of the City-State, this ¡°deep dive¡± had provided Zhou Ming with much finer details.


    He slowly closed his eyes, feeling the messages from another world, the vibrations of the submersible, and the grand and moving ¡°scenery¡± outside the portholes of the submersible.


    This inconspicuous steel device was passing between two ¡°pillars¡± that seemed to be one or two hundred meters tall, the light beams from the searchlights sweeping over the rugged protrusions in the distance, enabling Duncan to find a relatively safe path through them.


    These were scenes never mentioned in the Abyssal Expedition Project documents¨Cneither in the intelligence provided by Tyriante, nor in the dossiers left in the city hall had there been any mention of a submersible navigating through the ¡°Inverted Jungle¡± beneath the base of the City-State.


    Perhaps, the original explorers had focused their entire attention on the deep sea, neglecting to do such superfluous things, or perhaps, this Inverted Jungle of fierce and terrifying things was too dangerous in the darkness that the previous submersibles had opted not to rashly delve into it, or perhaps¡­


    Someone had done so, but none had been able to bring the truth of what they saw back to the surface of the sea.


    The beam of the searchlight swept over another area in the darkness.


    Something appeared in Duncan¡¯s field of vision.


    The next second, he abruptly pulled a lever on the control panel, the sudden reversal of the propellers causing an impact that even produced a series of squeaking and creaking noises inside the submersible. The fragile steel sphere trembled in the deep water, accompanied by the dreadful sound of mechanical structures under strain ¨C it finally stopped just short of hitting a nearby ¡°pillar¡±.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Agatha asked in a panic.


    She looked up in the direction of the porthole but could only see many dangling luminous spots outside, and among them, a larger glowing body with a hazy light, its internal details indistinguishable.


    But Duncan, for a moment, did not respond. He was just staring outside the porthole, at that thing that had just emerged from the darkness¡­


    A huge and pale eye.


    An enormous eye, wide open, situated amidst those black, tentacle-like protrusions, its diameter might span a hundred meters, making the small submersible appear like an insignificant pebble in its presence.


    This eye, devoid of any signs of life, seemed to have been dead for hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years. It was pallid and hollow, embedded at the bottom of the City-State, hanging outside the porthole as if in its dying moments, it still calmly gazed down at the endless, profound darkness of the sea floor below. The submersible was now suspended right in front of its lifeless pupil, subject to its ancient and withered scrutiny.


    ¡°It¡¯s an eye,¡± Duncan finally broke the silence and spoke softly.


    He turned his head again, observing other directions through another side window.


    The residual light from the searchlight illuminated the surroundings, revealing the black ¡°stalactites¡± dangling in the water, which he could now confirm were truly limbs.


    They were mutated, degenerated tentacles that had lost their vitality.


    These tentacles hung in the water like the withered vines suspended from the roof of a cave.


    Agatha gripped the handrail tightly. Although her heart had stopped beating, she still felt like something was trying to burst out of her chest. When she realized what she had heard and understood the true nature of those glimmers in front of her, she even felt a rare sensation of suffocation, ¡°You¡­ you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°The City-State, built upon some vast creature,¡± Duncan said slowly, equally shocked by the sight before him, yet struggling to compose himself and organize his thoughts, ¡°At least¡­ it still retains some characteristics of a living being.¡±


    Agatha was at a loss for words for a long time, after which she managed to articulate amid extreme astonishment and confusion, ¡°Is it¡­ dead?¡±


    She unconsciously lowered her voice as if she were afraid that speaking too loudly might awaken that unimaginable, incomprehensible ¡°creature.¡±


    ¡°It should be dead,¡± Duncan said while he cautiously operated the submarine, slowly moving away from the huge, pale eye. His movements were very careful¨Cas much as he was almost certain the giant creature was dead, he still couldn¡¯t help but imagine a chilling scenario where if the submarine moved too abruptly, the eye might suddenly turn towards them, ¡°And theoretically, it shouldn¡¯t look like this, this goes against biological norms¡­ It looks more like a twisted cadaver, or something built using a cadaver as material¡­¡±


    However, Agatha did not speak. She didn¡¯t know whether to marvel at Captain Duncan¡¯s ability to calmly analyze the situation under these circumstances, or whether a creature capable of carrying a City-State even needed to ¡°conform to biological norms¡±¨Cimmense chaos and shock were filling her heart, to the point where she simply couldn¡¯t consider these matters as calmly as she normally would.


    The worldview she had established for so long was being tested.


    The true appearance beneath the City-State was so horrifying and strange, mankind¡¯s only haven in the Endless Sea was built upon an indescribable creature, beneath everyone¡¯s feet, at the bottom of hundreds of meters of rock and soil, the withered tentacles stretching into the deep sea, the pale eyes overlooking the abyss, and everyone was¡­ completely unaware.


    After a lengthy period of stunned silence, Agatha finally snapped out of it. She turned to Duncan, hesitating before asking, ¡°Is it just Frost like this?¡±


    She didn¡¯t know why she was asking Captain Duncan this question, and she hadn¡¯t even thought about what answer she might receive¨Cit was just that her immense confusion was prompting her to speak, even if the question was destined to have no conclusion.


    But the captain did answer.


    ¡°Perhaps all City-States are like this,¡± Duncan said slowly, recalling the ¡°perception¡± he had of what lay beneath Plunder that he had felt before, and at the same time, he was examining the ¡°collection¡± on the shelf of his bachelor apartment, ¡°Under Plunder City-State there are structures similar to here¨Cbut no eyes; instead, where the eyes should be, there is only a mass of grotesquely swollen lumps.¡±


    Startled, Agatha blurted out, ¡°You¡¯ve dived into the depths beneath Plunder?¡±


    Duncan shook his head, ¡°No, this is my first personal dive into the deep sea, but I have other means to roughly sense what lies beneath the City-States.¡±


    As he spoke, he looked up, gazing out the window at the ¡°jungle¡± of tentacles that hung upside-down in the darkness.


    Rough perceptions have their limits; had he not personally come to look this time, he might never have imagined that the rugged, grotesque structures beneath the City-State¡­ were actually unspeakable remains.


    The giant, pale eyeball was gradually moving away from view, the beam of light from the searchlight sweeping across the tentacles surrounding it. However, even as the eye faded into the darkness, a sensation of being watched for a long time still haunted his mind, as if countless invisible tentacles were wrapping around the hull of the submarine from every direction.


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    Even the operation of the steam core seemed to become heavy and slow.


    But these were all illusions¨Cthe submarine continued to smoothly move away from the ¡°forest¡± and the eye, without any substantial hindrance.


    ¡°We need to dive deeper,¡± Duncan turned his head towards Agatha and said, ¡°The true nature of the ¡®foundation¡¯ of the City-State is just the beginning. We¡¯re entering the blind spot of the civilized world, anything could happen next¨Cdo you have the courage?¡±


    Agatha turned around as well, with the black curtain separating them, she met Duncan¡¯s gaze unflinchingly.


    ¡°I am ready,¡± said the Guardian of the City-State in a calm tone, ¡°Let¡¯s continue to dive.¡±

 Chapter 478 - Chapter 478 Chapter 479 Human

    Chapter 478: Chapter 479 ¡°Human Chapter 478: Chapter 479 ¡°Human With the rumbling noises coming from the ballast tanks, the submarine surpassed the drooping realm of decay and continued its descent into an even more unknown and terrifying abyss.


    From the City-State, tentacles hung down and that huge, pale eyeball completely vanished in the spotlight¡¯s beam; the vast, boundless dark waters refilled the view outside the porthole, with only occasional specks of light emerging from the depths (reflections from bubbles or plankton) to remind Duncan that he was inside a submarine navigating through water, not floating in the open, unsupported universe.


    But he couldn¡¯t help forming strange associations¨Cif seen from the perspective of ¡°unknown and laden with horror,¡± what difference was there, really, between the empty expanse of space and the dark, deep sea filled with billions of tons of water?


    The steam core propelled the propulsion system, a dull noise came from the engine room, and the control panel in front of the helm occasionally hissed as the pressure gauges indicated the current operating conditions of the submarine; Duncan slowed the descent to avoid drastic pressure changes from damaging the hull, then he turned his head to look at the silent sentinel standing beside him.


    ¡°Agatha, what are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­ about the pioneers who originally embarked on the deep abyss mission, whether they actually saw the same things we¡¯re seeing,¡± Agatha hesitated before speaking, ¡°the truth beneath the City-State, the indescribable corpses, the tentacles and eyeball dangling towards the deep sea¡­ Before the whole project spiraled out of control, during those dives, did really no one out of curiosity¨Cor even recklessness¨Clook back ¡®upwards¡¯?¡±


    Duncan remained silent for a moment, his mind recalling the secrets about the deep abyss mission he had once heard from Terrian.


    It seemed that even Frost¡¯s general, once deeply trusted by the queen, did not know the full scope of the deep abyss mission¨CDid no one ever discover the truth beneath the City-State? Or was it¡­ this too horrifying truth, like the secrets in the boiling gold mines, buried and concealed?


    ¡°Perhaps, someone really did look back, but what they saw was destined not to be recorded,¡± Duncan said softly after several seconds of silence, ¡°You are the protector of the City-State, you understand better than I do what this truth means.¡±


    ¡°¡­Many would go mad,¡± Agatha slowly said, ¡°even without being influenced by the powers of the deep sea, merely one terrifying fact can trigger widespread nightmares and panic¨Cafter that, nightmares and panic might materialize and possibly form an unpredictable connection with the ¡®reality¡¯ beneath the City-State, in the worst case¡­ ¡®It¡¯ might come to life.¡±


    ¡°Mortals live in a sea of darkness filled with horror, with their very foothold established atop twisted, grotesque corpses; dullness and blindness are the only mercies bestowed upon all beings, allowing most ordinary people to stay away from those maddening truths¨Cyet the key issue is that there are always ¡®a few cases¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you going to reveal our findings?¡±


    ¡°For the time being, I won¡¯t share such impactful news with any ordinary person because the calm, ordinary lives of the vast majority don¡¯t need to be disturbed by it; but there¡¯s a saying you might have heard¨C¡®Once you are aware of its existence, it is already a part of the earthly fate.''¡±


    ¡°Abnormal and Anomalous Law, Article Two,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°What is known cannot be erased. The truth beneath the City-State has already appeared before us, the connection in fate has been established, and sooner or later we will have to deal with it again.¡±


    Duncan nodded gently, adding nothing further.


    At that moment, a strange, abrupt, and low ¡°thud thud¡± suddenly echoed within the submersible, interrupting thoughts between him and Agatha.


    The sound seemed¡­ as if something was banging on the exterior of the submersible.


    Agatha was instantly startled by the noise, and she looked up in shock, ¡°Did you hear that? It sounds like someone is knocking from outside¡­¡±


    Duncan was also startled by the sudden noise, but soon he glanced at the several instruments in front of the control panel, and while furrowing his eyebrows slightly, he said in a solemn voice, ¡°This should be water pressure¨Cthe immense pressure of the sea water is causing the submersible¡¯s shell to deform slightly. Don¡¯t worry, this is normal, and within the design parameters.¡±


    Agatha seemed a bit reassured, yet she still appeared a bit tense.


    Submerging in the dark depths of the sea was an unprecedented experience, and even as a guardian with immense power, she could not help but feel a sense of helplessness and tension, a sensation unimaginable on the stable surface.


    In this place far removed from the civilized world, the blessings of the gods had waned, and individual power had become insignificant, with the cold physical laws and unknown fate constructing an ever-narrowing ¡°crevice.¡± Inside the crevice lay survival, while outside lay nothing but skeletons, and the only thing they could rely on in between¡­ was merely a steel sphere.


    Now, the ¡°thud thud¡± coming from the submersible¡¯s shell continuously reminded Agatha: facing the enormous pressure of billions of tons of sea water, it was actually as fragile as paper, and what kept this shell from collapsing, besides the toughness of the steel itself, was only the delicate balance of its physical structure.


    This was a type of terror completely different from facing the heretical Evil God or bizarre natural disasters, a terror¡­ named ¡°Natural Law.¡±


    Perhaps out of nervousness, or perhaps because the silence inside the submersible and the sounds from outside made the atmosphere too oppressive, Agatha quieted down for a few seconds before looking for a topic of conversation. She watched Duncan operate the levers and cranks, ¡°You have a knack for operating machinery¨CI initially thought Governor Tyrion would send an engineer who knows how to pilot, but it turns out you¡¯re quite skilled.¡±


    ¡°Skilled?¡± Duncan slightly turned his head, ¡°But to be honest, I don¡¯t know how to operate it¨Cat least not until today.¡±


    Agatha: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡°But Tyrion¡¯s people don¡¯t know either, including those engineers who can read blueprints,¡± Duncan shrugged and continued, ¡°They can only tell me what these levers do based on the diagrams, but once they understood the function of each lever, their ¡®driving skills¡¯ are actually the same as mine. No one knows how to operate it, no one has operated it before, it was built by the governors of Frost City-State, and its mode of operation is completely different from those submersibles from fifty years ago, and the people who truly understood it are all dead, that¡¯s the reality.¡±


    Agatha opened her mouth, seemingly suddenly unsure what to say.


    Duncan, noticing her reaction, smiled and shook his head, ¡°However, I have at least two advantages over them. First, I don¡¯t have to worry about safety issues, even if things get worse, I can still return safely, and second¡­¡±


    He paused, then looked down at the control stick in his hands and the control panel in front of him.


    Tiny, ghostly green flames flitted between the gears and connecting rods, the holy steam and grease saturating this complex, massive machine, while the glow of the Spiritual Fire filled the space between the steam and grease.


    The steam core, like a powerfully throbbing heart, obeyed Duncan¡¯s every command.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t as ¡°obedient and handy¡± as the Homeloss¨Cthis soulless machine could only relay rigid and faint sensory signals, but that was enough.


    ¡°Secondly, these machines are quite obedient in my hands.¡±


    Agatha felt the flow of the flame.


    The flames filled the steel and machine oil around her, the hissing steam and gears, flowing within this soulless machine like blood¨Cjust as the flames flowed within her body, subtly resonating with each other.


    This trickle of Spiritual Fire even made her feel somewhat safe in the dark, icy depths of the sea.


    She slightly bowed her head, as if to pay her respects to Duncan.


    But Duncan paid no attention to Agatha¡¯s reactions; his focus had already returned to the task of piloting.


    After all, even if the fire of the Spiritual Body allowed him better perception of the machine¡¯s status, when it came to actual operation, he still had to do it himself.


    There was no helping it¨Che had never sailed a ship before being abruptly thrown at the helm of the Homeloss¨CHe had already adapted to this life¡¯s rhythm of ¡°even though I have no idea what this thing does, I just have to go ahead and deal with it¡­¡±


    And then, as if knocking, a sudden sound came from outside the hull¨C


    ¡°Thud.¡±


    Short and clear, as if something had been struck, different from the previous ¡°knocking sounds¡± coming from outside the hull.


    Agatha immediately noticed this strange noise, ¡°Another sound¡­ is it the hull deforming again?¡±


    But Duncan suddenly frowned and placed his hand on another lever beside him.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like¡­ it¡¯s something else.¡±


    He distinctly felt that something had collided with the submarine¡¯s hull from below.


    A buzz of machinery emanated inside the submarine, and the searchlight outside the porthole slowly rotated in the pitch dark, adjusting the submarine¡¯s orientation with the rotating propellers.


    Finally, something appeared in the light outside the porthole.


    A person.


    A figure that looked like a person¡­ a thing.


    Agatha instantly ¡°saw¡± it¨Cthe outline of that figure suddenly emerged in her vision, emitting a spiritual glow much like she would see other people on the surface.


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    Only, this glow was dimmer and paler.


    She let out a soft gasp, ¡°Ah!¡±


    Even Duncan¡¯s eyes widened, nearly exclaiming ¡°Fuck!¡±


    In the deep sea nearly a kilometer deep beneath the Frost City-State, a person suddenly drifting into view from the submarine¡¯s porthole brought a shock nearly comparable to the scene previously seen under the City-State: a field of tentacles and the pale, enormous eyeball amidst them!


    And then, as the submarine adjusted its position and the light swept across, an even more eerie, terrifying, and spine-chilling scene appeared before Duncan and Agatha¨C


    People, densely packed ¡°people,¡± floating in the dark, icy waters!

 Chapter 479 - Chapter 479 Chapter 480 Blueprint

    Chapter 479: Chapter 480: Blueprint Chapter 479: Chapter 480: Blueprint As the lights from the submersible swept across the surroundings, the figures floating in the dark waters came fully into Duncan¡¯s view¨Cpeople, an uncountable number of people, floating in the water.


    However, as Duncan observed them more carefully, he noticed something odd about these human figures.


    They had no facial features, not even distinct and clear limbs, nor were they clothed¨Ctheir forms were merely rough approximations of human shapes, with coarse textures and pitch-black hues on the surface.


    It was as if they were clay figures crudely fashioned from black mud.


    Duncan relayed the details of what he was seeing to Agatha.


    ¡°Only silhouettes?¡± Agatha¡¯s tone was full of surprise and uncertainty, ¡°But in my eyes¡­ they seem to radiate a spiritual luminosity like the living people within the City-State¡­¡±


    Duncan did not respond but simply furrowed his brows slightly, cautiously steering the submersible closer to a ¡°figure¡± floating not far outside the porthole.


    The water currents stirred by the submersible disrupted the deep-sea tranquility, causing the pitch-black human-shaped object to slowly roll at an angle in the water, its flat and smooth spherical ¡°head¡± turning towards the direction of the porthole first, followed by its short, bare, and seemingly incomplete arm structures.


    The mechanical arm extended slowly forward, its grappling hook resting on the torso of the figure, gingerly prodding at it.


    It showed no response, exhibited no signs of ¡°life.¡±


    Duncan raised his head again, gazing through the porthole at the silently floating human shapes in the distance, observing how they extended further away in the light until finally disappearing into the darkness of the deep sea.


    How many were there? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Or perhaps several million?


    Suddenly, a memory flashed to mind¨CDuncan remembered a detail from when he first spoke with Tyrion about the Abyssal Plan. The No. 3 submersible had surfaced frantically in its last deep-sea mission, and the explorer who descended into madness had shouted a phrase in a frenzy after returning to sunlight:


    ¡°We all died there!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brows furrowed tighter as he gravely gazed at the countless human bodies floating outside the porthole¨Cwas this the sight the explorer had seen before descending into madness?


    Agatha suddenly broke the silence next to him, her tone serious, ¡°This reminds me of those ¡®counterfeits¡¯ that invaded the City-State before.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking the same,¡± Duncan nodded gently, ¡°but it¡¯s different¨Cthose counterfeits, even with their various non-human characteristics, at least had facial features, limbs, and details like that. They also tried to mimic humans by wearing normal clothes. But these ¡®human forms¡¯ here only have the most basic outlines; if anything¡­ they seem like even cruder ¡®blanks¡¯ than the counterfeits.¡±


    ¡°Some kind of unfinished product?¡± Agatha suddenly thought, ¡°Were those counterfeits ¡®manufactured¡¯ based on these ¡®blanks¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say,¡± Duncan said, his tone uncertain, ¡°these things might have been floating in the deep sea for many years, already there when the Abyssal Plan began. Moreover, the force that invaded the City-State intervened in reality through the properties of ¡®mirrors,¡¯ while these are ¡®entities¡¯ in the deep sea¨Cthere might be a connection, but it¡¯s probably not directly that of ¡®unfinished products¡¯ and ¡®finished products.''¡±


    Listening thoughtfully, Agatha couldn¡¯t help but recall a sentence she had heard spoken by the Heretics during a confrontation¨C


    ¡°From the beginning, there were never any counterfeits, or rather¡­ we are all counterfeits¡­¡±


    At almost the same time, Duncan seemed to think of something too, his gaze moving past the floating figures towards the unknown depths below, then reaching for the control lever.


    A sound resembling a dying beast¡¯s growl along with resonant moans emitted from deep within the machinery compartment, and the submersible¡¯s hull creaked under strain, the sound of water ballast tanks filling up, as the submersible continued to descend.


    Agatha, hearing the terrifying noises all around, couldn¡¯t help looking towards Duncan, ¡°Captain, can it hold up?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes swept over the various instruments on the control panel, perceiving the faint messages from the Spiritual Body¡¯s flame transmitted to him; his hand on the diving control lever did not relax.


    ¡°It will hold up,¡± he said with a deep voice, ¡°we should be nearing it.¡±


    ¡°Nearing it?¡± Agatha was startled, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s below us?¡±


    Duncan did not answer but continued to control the submersible as it descended, also making extremely fine adjustments to the angle of the propellers¨Cthe submersible¡¯s hull, teetering on the edge of collapse and balance, emitted a spine-chilling noise almost every second, with even the area where the portholes joined the hull making a terrifying crackling sound as if the fragile equilibrium could break at any moment and the entire submersible would crumble under the water¡¯s pressure into a twisted piece of metal.


    But it kept descending, balancing on the narrow knife¡¯s edge between breakdown and stability, delving deeper into that utter darkness.


    Yet the noises from the hull and machinery compartment weren¡¯t the only terrifying sounds. Another sound was even more chilling¨Cthe real, tangible impacts heard from outside the hull:


    ¡°Bang,¡± ¡°Bang,¡± ¡°Bang¡±¡­


    The clay-like human-shaped objects occasionally struck the submersible¡¯s outer shell, much like stones hitting a skull. The dull thuds sounded particularly horrifying.


    Even Agatha couldn¡¯t help gripping the handrail in front of her tightly.


    She could feel the submersible tilting forward, the angle of inclination reaching the point where she would hardly be able to stand without holding on.


    Suddenly, she ¡°saw¡± something appear outside the porthole.


    A series of undulating, chaotic silhouettes appeared at the edge of the searchlight¡¯s beam, near the bottom of the porthole.


    It seemed¡­ as if it were a stretch of the earth¡¯s surface.


    ¡°The seabed?¡± Agatha exclaimed in startled confusion, ¡°What did I see¡­ Is that the seabed?¡±


    Duncan watched silently through the porthole, observing the uneven terrain that suddenly emerged in the pitch-black deep sea, observing its jagged ¡°coastline¡± and the distant, indistinct blur of structures, and after a long time, he slowly shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not the seabed. We¡¯re far from touching what¡¯s called the ¡®seabed¡¯¨Cthat is a piece of land floating in the water.¡±


    Agatha asked with confusion, ¡°Floating land?¡±


    ¡°¡­Another Frost Island,¡± Duncan answered softly, ¡°Although only a short stretch of coastline is visible, I am quite familiar with this terrain. That is Frost Island¨Cin its original form without the City-State, without ports, without any buildings.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s body visibly shuddered slightly.


    Duncan, however, lifted his gaze, looking at the sea surrounding the ¡°Frost Island¡± and above.


    Countless human-shaped entities floated around this ¡°deep-sea floating island,¡± like a swarm of bees flitting around a hive.


    And this scene, it was sealed in the deep, cold, and dark depths like amber, as if time had been paused, quietly immobile with an incredibly ancient moment.


    Agatha¡¯s voice arose beside him, ¡°What exactly is this place¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­The Primordial Blueprint,¡± Duncan said softly.


    In the third long night, the ¡°Crawling King¡± bestowed the blueprint upon the Cluster and began the work of Creation, to avoid falling into the same pit as the Dreaming King and the King of the Pale Giants, He divided it, so that the mortal world would no longer have nations, and He turned nations into twelve hundred cities¡­


    Civilization continued after the third long night, the deep-sea era thus began, and everything in the deep-sea era was built upon the Crawling King¡¯s blueprint of ¡°twelve hundred cities.¡±


    Part of the content recorded in the ¡°Book of Desecration¡± had now been proven.


    But could there be other possibilities?


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts churned in his mind, and he fell silent for a moment. Meanwhile, Agatha had already come around, realizing the significance of the ¡°Primordial Blueprint,¡± she said incredulously, ¡°You mean¡­ the current Frost Island and the Frostfolk, and even all the City-States and mortals in the world¡­ were all created based on these ¡®things¡¯ in the deep sea¡­?¡±


    ¡°It is a possibility,¡± Duncan shook his head slightly and said gravely, ¡°The heretical theories of the obliterated heretics recorded the Creation process of The Saint, which certainly belongs to heretical blasphemy, but what cannot be denied is that the ancient texts in their hands could also reveal part of the truth of history.¡±


    Agatha opened her mouth but couldn¡¯t say anything.


    From the moment she dived into the deep sea, the world in her cognition seemed to be undergoing a world-shattering Reshaping, too much wavering, too many doubts, left even the mentally strong gatekeeper temporarily unable to clear her own thoughts.


    The floating primal island ¡°templates¡± in the deep sea, innumerable human-shaped ¡°blanks¡±¡­ If the heretical claims of the obliterated about ¡°The Saint creating the world¡± were true, then¡­ would all beings in the mortal world not be equivalent to The Saint¡¯s creations?


    Even after experiencing the mirror crisis of Frost Island and solidifying her faith through the great trials, strengthening her convictions, Agatha found it difficult to accept this kind of ¡°possibility,¡± which challenged her worldviews too radically.


    Yet, she did not blindly deny everything she had seen amid the vast contradictions and hesitation.


    At the moment she decided to undertake this deep-sea dive, she had prepared herself mentally¨C


    In the depths of the sea, anything was possible.


    ¡°Shall we¡­ get closer?¡± she turned and asked Duncan in as calm a tone as possible.


    But Duncan did not reach for the control stick again.


    His gaze swept over the many instruments on the control panel.


    His awareness permeated throughout the submersible.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ve reached the limit,¡± he said, ¡°The submersible¡¯s hull can¡¯t withstand it.¡±


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    ¡°¡­Just a little bit further,¡± Agatha said, clearly filled with immense regret, ¡°and we would have reached that floating island in the sea¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just that the submersible can¡¯t withstand it,¡± Duncan shook his head gently and looked out the porthole, ¡°There¡¯s something here that can.¡±


    Agatha turned her head with confusion.


    But Duncan still watched quietly out the window, observing those floating in the light¡­ the human-shaped things.


    ¡°I recall you said earlier that in your eyes, these ¡®blank¡¯ human-shaped things radiated a kind of spiritual glow akin to living beings.¡±


    Outside the porthole, a roughly contoured ¡°human-shaped thing¡± slowly turned its head toward Agatha.

 Chapter 480 - Chapter 480 Chapter 481 Deeper into the Deep Sea

    Chapter 480: Chapter 481: Deeper into the Deep Sea Chapter 480: Chapter 481: Deeper into the Deep Sea In that instant, an odd and chaotic perception abruptly melded with Duncan¡¯s consciousness, just as the previous ¡°Spirit Realm Walks¡± had done. He felt his ¡°perspective¡± suddenly split into two, and a brand-new body shell became the new ¡°extremity¡± through which he perceived the world¨Cyet¡­ it felt unlike before.


    The new ¡°perspective¡± was full of restless light streams like interference, with light and shadow alternating as if scanning lines diffuse through the water. He saw the ¡°Primordial Land¡± enshrouded by darkness in the distance, as well as countless humanoid objects floating around the land; at the same time, he saw that inconspicuous submersible¨Cit hovered above the deep-sea floating island at an angled position, pale light extended from its front end and dispersed bit by bit in the seawater.


    All of this was surrounded by indeterminate light and shadow. Even where the submersible¡¯s searchlight could not reach, he could ¡°see¡± glimmers and outlines¨Cthis was a completely new perspective.


    Through the porthole, in the depths of the deep sea, the body that had suddenly started moving slowly raised its arms, touching its own face, which lacked features.


    Of course, Duncan didn¡¯t feel his own eyes¨Che had just taken over this body that possessed no such organs. In fact, this body didn¡¯t even have properly formed hands or feet; the bald tips of the limbs touched the smooth face, conveying a coarse and sluggish strange touch.


    But suddenly, Duncan had a feeling¡­ Following this sensation, he controlled his new body, stretching out both arms to press firmly on the body¡¯s ¡°face.¡±


    The pitch-black, flat face began to wriggle, and within seconds, the front of the face differentiated and formed two eyes.


    The field of vision suddenly became much clearer.


    Duncan awkwardly controlled this ¡°rough draft¡± of a body, slowly swimming to the front of the submersible, inspecting the interior with newly grown eyes.


    He found himself face-to-face with his own reflection, a novel yet eerie sensation.


    Inside the submersible, Agatha couldn¡¯t help but let out a belated cry of surprise, ¡°Ah!¡±


    She then finally reacted, abruptly turning her head to look at Duncan, who stood in front of the control console, ¡°You¡­ really frightened me a bit.¡±


    ¡°You should learn to adapt,¡± Duncan said from inside the submersible, paying attention to the machinery while not turning back, ¡°The people around me are always somewhat startled.¡±


    Agatha was still shaken, her body taut as her ¡°gaze¡± swept rapidly several times between Duncan and that ¡°human figure¡± outside the cabin, with only one thought in her mind¨C


    It made sense for people to fear Captain Duncan; his casual action was far too sinister and terrifying in this endless deep sea.


    But after hesitating for a long time, she dared not voice her thoughts, awkwardly changing the subject instead, ¡°¡­What are you planning to do next?¡±


    ¡°This temporary body can see in the dark; I will continue to inspect the situation ahead,¡± Duncan said casually, already starting to manipulate a series of levers and cranks on the control console. Accompanying his movements, a strained noise of struggle emanated from the submersible¡¯s engine room once more, ¡°As for here¡­ we need to ascend a bit. This machine can¡¯t hold out much longer; it can¡¯t stay at the limit depth indefinitely.¡±


    Amid the low roar of the ballast tanks grudgingly discharging water, the submersible began to ascend slowly, but Agatha still involuntarily watched outside the porthole, observing the ¡°human figure¡± gradually receding in the light.


    A wisp of faint firelight suddenly appeared in the water; the body carrying Captain Duncan¡¯s will waved toward her, then turned and, accompanied by the floating Spectral Flame, slowly sank into the depths.


    The cold, the darkness, the solitude, the silence.


    Duncan¡¯s consciousness gradually adapted within this peculiar temporary body, maneuvering the body to turn around, to swim forward through the darkness, ever drawing closer to the ¡°Frost Mainland¡± floating in the deep sea.


    The submersible¡¯s lights had receded; darkness once again dominated this part of the deep sea. However, the faint, green Spectral Flames slowly spread through the water, and with the body¡¯s unique perceptual abilities, Duncan could always discern his surroundings and the direction of progress.


    Around him floated countless humanoid figures in the chilling sea water.


    Like a bizarre gathering, rough ¡°human¡± forms congregated from every direction, close and far, motionless and blind, yet swaying slightly with the currents. The only one with eyes was moving through this silent and strange ¡°crowd.¡±


    Duncan did his best to avoid contact with the ¡°human forms¡± that floated near him, but inevitably brushed closely past them.


    Passing by them, he couldn¡¯t help but entertain strange and terrifying thoughts¨Cas if there were countless eyes, countless souls awaiting awakening, curiously sizing up this uninvited guest, perhaps even ready to reach out to him at any moment.


    But in the end, nothing happened.


    Those silent forms were just that¨Csilent, without heart or soul, like hollow puppets built of mud.


    Duncan passed through these empty shells and arrived at a cliff at the edge of the ¡°Deep Sea Floating Island.¡±


    He stopped, observing the terrain before him.


    This should be the southeast coast of ¡°Frost.¡± Above this in the surface world, there would be docks, warehouses, and customs offices near the coast, a pretty little church standing on the cliffs, with cold-resistant trees planted along the small path leading to the church, evergreen in winter.


    Yet here, on this rugged coastline, there were only bald rocks, emitting a dark and odd sheen, like an uncolored crude model.


    Duncan raised his head, looking toward the center of the deep-sea floating island.


    In the interplay of darkness and dim light, he could vaguely discern some colossal structure there, resembling a mountain peak, or a massive column piercing through the island.


    It reminded him of the scene Martha had shown him earlier¨C


    Just before their minds dissipated into the ocean, they cast a glance toward the Dark Abyss, and the collective impression formed in their terror was of a huge pillar, puncturing through a vast entity floating in the deep sea.


    Now, it seemed that the vast entity presented in that illusion was the Frost ¡°Primordial Blueprint¡± before his eyes. But what about the massive column piercing through the island? Was it The Saint ¡°invading¡± the real world? Or¡­ perhaps a so-called fake?


    Duncan pondered briefly before rising and swimming toward the ¡°pillar.¡± But he stopped after a short distance, feeling somewhat frustrated.


    It was too far, a distance that required crossing half the City-State.


    A mirage that kills a horse¨Cespecially in the cumbersome depths of the sea.


    Even though this body was unaffected by the heavy pressure of the deep sea, making his way there would indeed be a time-consuming and laborious task.


    Duncan thought about it and gradually an idea emerged.


    He hesitated for a few seconds before slowly raising one arm in the water with a try-it-and-see attitude, and lightly waved it.


    A pale green Spectral Flame spread with his movement and in the blink of an eye converged into a spinning gateway. As the gateway opened, a skeletal bird wreathed in blazing flames rushed out and buzzed loudly around Duncan,


    ¡°Who¡¯s calling the fleet! Teleport successful! Teleport successful! Open the door, delivery¡¯s here!¡±


    Duncan stared, eyes wide with astonishment.


    Ai Yi flapped its wings next to him, as agile and lithe in the deep sea, burdened with millions of tons of water, as it would be dancing in the sky, and its unique, synthesized-sounding shrill female voice buzzed incessantly, as clear as if it could directly burrow into someone¡¯s brain.


    The deep-sea environment seemed as if it didn¡¯t exist for Ai Yi!


    Duncan had only summoned Ai Yi out of curiosity to see if it could be of any use; after all, the pigeon¡¯s ¡°teleportation¡± ability had demonstrated its incredible utility on numerous occasions. But this was the deep sea, unlike anything on the surface, and he was already prepared to instantaneously teleport it back to the ship if Ai Yi couldn¡¯t adapt. Yet what was happening now¡­ completely exceeded his expectations.


    He watched dumbfounded as the pigeon flew around him as though it were in the air, blustering and blaring, looking like a projection unaffected by its surroundings as it weaved through the water. It took him a long moment to snap out of it and reach out to intercept the bird.


    Obediently, Ai Yi landed on Duncan¡¯s arm, tilting its head curiously, ¡°What¡¯s up what¡¯s up what¡¯s up?¡±


    Duncan tried to speak but suddenly realized his Spiritual Body seemed to lack a mouth, and even if he had one, he wasn¡¯t sure how to speak in the deep sea. So he concentrated, attempting to transmit his thoughts to the pigeon spirit¨C


    ¡°Here in the deep sea, do you feel any discomfort?¡±


    He watched Ai Yi¡¯s eyes, wondering if it understood him, waiting for its response.


    Ai Yi tilted its head again.


    ¡°GG, you¡¯re surfing too!¡± The bird suddenly flapped its wings excitedly, with flickers of pale green flame falling from its bone wings, ¡°Tianyi 3G, so fast, Tianyi 3G, so fast!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes shifted slightly, as he listened thoughtfully to the bird spirit¡¯s babble for a long time without a word.


    Until Ai Yi quieted down on its own and pecked curiously at his arm, ¡°App not responding?¡±


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    Duncan then snapped out of his reverie, his thoughts quickly returning to the matter at hand.


    There was serious work to be done.


    He looked up once again at the distant murky darkness, focusing his mind once more, attempting to convey his command to the pigeon spirit beside him¨C


    ¡°Take me to that place.¡±


    ¡°Command received! Command received!¡± Ai Yi quickly responded, as excited as ever, flapping its wings, causing the flaming blaze to whirl and ascend around, ¡°Mission guaranteed!¡±


    (Book recommendation time, a book with a funny title right from the start, titled ¡°The Loyal and Good Cao Mengde of the Great Han.¡± I figured I had to take a look just because of the name. Below is the author¡¯s own recommendation blurb:


    Cao Cao swore that he would fulfill the last wishes of Xuande, his noble brother. It doesn¡¯t matter if Zhuge Liang isn¡¯t involved, after all, he¡¯s a chancellor, and I¡¯m a chancellor too. Taking on this task, even as a Loyal and Good man of the Great Han, is my last commitment to the Han dynasty.)

 Chapter 481 - Chapter 481 Chapter 482 Room

    Chapter 481: Chapter 482 Room Chapter 481: Chapter 482 Room In the deep, dark sea, a pale green flame dashed like a shooting star, seemingly unaffected by the billion-ton pressure of the water and showing no signs of delay.


    Ai Yi zipped across the deep-sea island, clad in black, and finally came to a stop in the central region of the island, reshaping her form from the flames.


    Duncan stepped out of the flames, floating in the seawater, and turned his head to look at the dove spirit darting around beside him.


    Ai Yi flew over and perched on her master¡¯s shoulder, tilting her head curiously, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer, just reached out his arm and gently stroked the dove¡¯s head, then turned around to gaze at the massive ¡°pillar¡± at the heart of the island.


    Now, he was in front of it¨Cthe awe-inspiring column stood before him, rising from the summit of the floating island in the deep sea, pointing almost straight up into the sky as if piercing not only through the island but through the boundless dark sea itself, extending toward ¡°Frost¡± above and into the sun-bathed world beyond the surface of the sea.


    Yet it did not truly extend infinitely¨Cupon closer approach, Duncan finally discerned more details and noticed that the upper half of the ¡°pillar¡± halted abruptly in the seawater.


    It ceased at a great height, where there seemed to be a sudden break.


    However, before examining that break, Duncan cautiously approached the middle of the pillar, observing its ¡°outer¡± form.


    Symmetrical, compact, with intricately organized patterns barely visible, and regularly spaced protruding structures, the pillar, resembling a massive tentacle, exhibited a sense of ¡°neatness¡± that suggested an orderliness as if it were some industrial product.


    Duncan hesitated for a moment before cautiously reaching out toward the pillar¨Chis formless arm began to swell and move, quickly morphing into the structure of a hand as his arm extended to touch the ¡°pillar.¡±


    Was this the spontaneous Transformation based on the ¡°original template¡± under specific stimuli?


    Duncan recalled the sensation of forming an eye structure from his own face and speculated subconsciously, while at the same time, he felt his newly formed fingers touching the obsidian-like surface of the pillar.


    A rough, cold sensation reached his fingertips as if he were touching coarse cast iron, yet¡­it seemed to have a certain flexibility.


    Duncan leaned in closer for a more detailed examination of the pillar¡¯s surface.


    Deep within the dark gray facade, he could faintly make out some pale blue patterns, resembling veins buried under the skin.


    A thought struck Duncan, instantly connecting it with the sample of ¡°flesh¡± he had obtained from Captain Cristo Babeli¡¯s mouth aboard the Obsidian.


    Both appeared very similar in texture¨Cwas this pillar in the deep sea a manifestation of The Saint extending into the real world?


    With a strange stirring in his heart, Duncan backed away slightly, his eyes slowly scanning over the vast pillar.


    Finding the wound left by Captain Cristo on such a massive structure seemed unrealistic, yet Duncan couldn¡¯t help but feel a renewed respect for Captain Cristo.


    Minutes later, Duncan began swimming upward toward the ¡°break.¡±


    After a long time, he finally reached the location of the break, and it was much as he had envisioned.


    The pillar indeed ceased abruptly here, as if cut off by uneven, jagged teeth, with the edges of the break undulating unevenly.


    And within the break, the dark gray inner walls showed a continuous concave state, resembling a bizarre crater.


    Floating near this ¡°break,¡± Duncan roughly estimated the scale of the pillar and soon confirmed something¨C


    If the giant cavity in the Subspace gold mines was indeed carved out by a similar ¡°pillar¡± or ¡°tentacle,¡± then the tentacle that penetrated the City-State was much smaller than the pillar before him, perhaps only a fifth of its size, or even less.


    Was it because the tentacle that penetrated the City-State was just a ¡°power projection¡± of this entity in the deep sea, or was the tentacle in the mine still in its early stages of growth and could have continued growing?


    If Frost¡¯s defense had failed, if he ultimately couldn¡¯t annihilate Frost¡¯s reflection, if the pillar in the depths of the Subspace gold mines continued growing uncontrollably¡­would it ultimately grow to break through the mine, or even burst through the mountains above, becoming like the colossal pillar before him, as if piercing through the entire floating island?


    Was this what those crazed doomsday cultists proclaimed and sought¨C¡°recreating the grand blueprint of The Saint¡¯s Creation in the real world¡±?


    These somewhat terrifying speculations flashed through Duncan¡¯s mind, but immediately after, a flicker of light from the edge of his vision interrupted his thoughts.


    He sharply turned toward the direction where the light had appeared.


    It was at the center of the ¡°break,¡± in the deepest part of the crater-like ¡°volcano.¡±


    Without any hesitation, he immediately swam toward that direction.


    ¡°`


    Crossing the unevenly broken ¡°cliffs¡± at the edge of the pillar, and over the dark matter that gradually sank toward the center, in the silent deep sea far from the civilized world, a sudden flash of light became Duncan¡¯s sole target. He swam swiftly over this distance, arriving near the center of the pillar¡¯s break.


    However, when he arrived, the flash of light had already disappeared.


    All that was left was a hollow darkness, and the ¡°ground¡± inside the pillar¡¯s break was as cold and silent as rock.


    Duncan floated in the seawater, frowning as he scanned the darkness. The emptiness of this place was like a gathered ellipsis full of regret, hiding its secrets once again deep behind the curtain.


    Yet soon, he noticed something amiss in his field of vision.


    Beneath him, in the central area of the pillar¡¯s ¡°break,¡± the texture of the ¡°ground¡± subtly revealed something strange¨Cit felt somewhat¡­ ¡°blurry.¡±


    Yes, blurry, as if it wasn¡¯t a physical substance, but rather a veil sitting somewhere between reality and illusion.


    Duncan hesitated for a few seconds and finally cautiously moved toward the strangely textured ¡°ground.¡± But before touching the material, he first congealed a small flame at his fingertips and cast it into the blurry ¡°veil.¡±


    When in doubt, Spiritual Fire leads the way¨Cextra caution never hurts.


    The greenish Spiritual Fire almost instantly fell into the pitch-black ¡°ground,¡± first disappearing as water into sand, and then slim threads of ghostly green flames began appearing in the darkness, and in the blink of an eye, the entire ¡°ground¡± was ablaze!


    With the flames burning, Duncan suddenly felt¡­ a subtle ¡°connection¡± was being formed.


    However, this connection was not directed toward the ¡°huge pillar¡± beneath his feet, suspected to be an ancient god¡¯s tentacle, but toward something¡­ vaguely familiar.


    The next second, he saw the ground below change rapidly under the spread of the flames and gradually transform into a surface with a mirror-like texture. The mirror-like surface then undulated slightly in the firelight, resembling a viscous and smooth liquid!


    Duncan¡¯s mind stirred, and he moved closer to the undulating ¡°liquid surface,¡± like a mirror, extending his finger to touch its surface.


    Boom!


    In an illusion, it was as if a loud explosion blasted in his mind, like time that had ground to a halt suddenly started moving, like a heavy curtain was abruptly torn apart, like a barrier at reality¡¯s boundary crashed down. Duncan felt himself crossing some boundary instantly, and then the ¡°world¡± before him began to be filled with warm light.


    The sensation of being enveloped by cold, heavy seawater suddenly vanished, replaced by the feeling of solid ground underfoot in lieu of the previous second¡¯s vast emptiness. The warm light before his eyes gradually softened, and as his vision adapted, Duncan finally saw his surroundings clearly, and stood dumbfounded in astonishment.


    He was in a luxurious and brightly lit room.


    Light poured down from a chandelier on the ceiling, illuminating the room¡¯s many exquisite and refined furnishings. Court-style racks and metal sculptures shone with a soft light, and there was a lavish large bed at the center of the room surrounded by semi-transparent drapes. Deeper within, someone seemed to be sleeping.


    Duncan stared in surprise at the scene before him, then suddenly turned his head to look behind himself.


    That seemed to be the direction from which he ¡°came.¡±


    He saw a twisted, chaotic darkness.


    The room seemed to vanish into thin air before the boundary, beyond the broken walls and floor was a void-like chaotic realm, with disorderly shadows and dim light flows undulating and moving, as if they were filled with truths and secrets enough to drive mortals mad, yet seeming merely an empty void.


    A word suddenly flowed into his mind¨C


    Subspace.


    Duncan felt his heart (if his body had one) suddenly skip a beat. He had never imagined such a sight¨Cstanding in a fragmented room, one step away from the chaotic lights and shadows of the Subspace, and those foggy chaotic lights and shadows seemed to be emitting a silent roar, conveying incomprehensible¡­ knowledge and ¡°truth¡± to him in various manic languages.


    Duncan raised his hand, carefully reaching toward the darkness beyond the room¡¯s boundary.


    He touched a layer of hard, cold surface.


    An invisible barrier, standing between him and the Subspace.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go through,¡± a voice suddenly came from behind him. ¡°You haven¡¯t truly opened that door yet.¡±


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    Duncan startled and abruptly turned around.


    The drapes around the grand bed had opened. The person who had been sleeping on the bed had woken up at some unknown time and was now quietly watching him.


    Silver-white hair spilled from the shoulders, and purple eyes sparkled like gems.


    ¡°Alice?¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 482 - Chapter 482 Chapter 483 Frost Queen

    Chapter 482: Chapter 483: Frost Queen Chapter 482: Chapter 483: Frost Queen In the center of that magnificent bed, the ¡°room¡¯s master¡± who had just awakened was leaning against a pillow, sizing up Duncan, the uninvited guest, with curious eyes. Her silver-white long hair and purple pupils were strikingly familiar.


    Duncan subconsciously called out the name ¡°Alice¡±¨Ca deep, raspy voice, resembling a somber resonance, directly emanated from the chest of his body.


    However, immediately after, he slightly furrowed his brow, shook off the initial surprise and shock, and looked thoughtfully at the lady,


    She was not Alice¨Ceven though they looked identical, their temperaments were completely different, and more importantly¡­ Alice would not appear in this place, so the greater possibility was¡­


    ¡°Lei Nora,¡± Duncan guessed the identity of the woman before him, and with a questioning look in his eyes, he slowly began, ¡°Frost Queen?¡±


    ¡°It seems a long time since I¡¯ve heard that title,¡± the lady who had just awakened smiled. She adjusted her position on the bed, curiosity gleaming in her eyes, ¡°Who are you? How did you enter this room without opening that door?¡±


    ¡°Door?¡± Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed again after hearing the word ¡°door,¡± his curiosity piqued, ¡°What door?¡±


    The lady did not speak but merely raised her hand and pointed not far off to the side.


    Following the direction of her pointing, Duncan saw a closed door engraved with intricate patterns¨Cit was clearly the bedroom¡¯s main door.


    ¡°The only ones who could be here are either the servants of this mansion or guests with a key. You are clearly not one of the mansion¡¯s servants, but you do not have a key either.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s heart skipped a beat¨CKey! She had just mentioned a key!


    ¡°The key you mentioned, is it a brass key used for winding up a doll?¡± He turned back, his tone calm, masking all fluctuations of emotion, ¡°Are you really the Frost Queen Lei Nora?¡±


    ¡°I truly am,¡± Lei Nora smiled and shook her head gently, ¡°but you still haven¡¯t answered my question¨Cwho are you?¡±


    Duncan collected the emotional fluctuations in his eyes, swiftly organizing his thoughts while speaking unhurriedly: ¡°¡­You can call me Duncan.¡±


    He merely mentioned his first name without bringing up his more renowned surname. Upon hearing it, Lei Nora¡¯s eyes widened momentarily, then a more delighted smile appeared on her face, ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s you¨Cthe legendary Captain Duncan. It makes more sense for you to enter this room, but¡­ I really didn¡¯t expect you to be in this form.¡±


    Duncan was momentarily startled, then looked down at his own body.


    It was still that extremely bizarre black human body, like a ¡°rough draft¡± the creator had not managed to finesse details on while creating mankind, this abstract appearance was far from ¡°friendly-looking.¡±


    ¡°This is just a temporary incarnation,¡± he explained a bit awkwardly, thereafter noticing a slight incongruity in her demeanor, ¡°You don¡¯t seem very surprised? Did you already know I would come?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, but I lost the ability to be surprised many years ago,¡± Lei Nora said calmly. ¡°If you always see too many things that you shouldn¡¯t, come to know the strange and bizarre postures of this world, continuously experience death before it arrives, and find yourself trapped in dreams before falling asleep, you too would eventually lose that ability¡­¡±


    She smiled lightly, her tone as casual as if discussing the weather, ¡°Even though there are still unpredictable things in the world, numbness will make you face everything unexpected with equanimity.¡±


    Duncan looked into Lei Nora¡¯s eyes, recalling various pieces of information related to this Frost Queen under her tranquil demeanor¨C


    It was said that Lei Nora was a natural spiritual energy user, her innate talent allowing communication with a multitude of unseen entities. It was said she could even foresee the future and intuit the truth spontaneously¡­


    Organizing this information, there was no change in Duncan¡¯s expression. He casually walked to a corner of the room, pulled a chair to the front of the large bed, and sat down, looking earnestly into the eyes of the Frost Queen, ¡°I have many questions, and I hope you can answer them.¡±


    ¡°I also have many questions,¡± Lei Nora said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I had a conversation with someone, and a visitor is truly precious to me¨Cso if you are willing to answer my questions, I am more than willing to answer yours.¡±


    ¡°Good, then I will be straightforward,¡± Duncan began. ¡°What exactly is this place? Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, starting with such a difficult question¡­¡± Lei Nora frowned slightly, seemingly struggling to organize her thoughts properly before slowly beginning, ¡°To explain it in simpler terms, this place is a ¡®drifting spot¡¯¨Cit¡¯s not a specific location, but a ¡®junction¡¯ of many places. Do you see the darkness at the end of this room? The scenery outside there sometimes changes¨Cunder the right conditions, it can connect to the appropriate ¡®place¡¯. However, for me,its only function is to connect my dreams to the deep sea beneath the Frost.¡±


    ¡°Do you need me to explain what the deep sea beneath Frost means?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°just continue, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Alright, it seems you already know what exists in the deep sea,¡± Lei Nora sighed lightly, ¡°I am here to embrace a Dreamscape, ensuring that the entity within the deep sea continues to slumber.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°The Saint?¡±


    ¡°¡­It seems you know more than I expected,¡± Lei Nora quietly looked at Duncan, ¡°But you are mistaken, although it indeed originates from the Crawling King, that existence in the deep sea is not the true Saint. Strictly speaking, it is merely a Replication.¡±


    Instantly, Duncan recalled a phrase he had seen in that eerie ¡°Dark Space¡±¨CThe cluster controllers have begun to replicate themselves.


    The enormous ¡°pillar¡± in the deep sea was indeed not the actual Saint but a replica that had inexplicably appeared in the real world.


    So, the most accurate situation would be¡­ The replica of the ancient god penetrated the City-State Original Blueprint in the deep sea, and its scattered power triggered a series of subsequent events? And the source of all this¡­ was due to the Saint¡¯s complete loss of control?


    Could it be assumed that before this replica appeared in the real world, the Saint had not lost control? Its condition had been deteriorating over the long years to its current state?


    If this line of thought were extended further¡­ What about the other deities? If the ¡°Evil God¡± perceived by the world actually deteriorated steadily from stability to a state of uncontrol, then what about the ¡°Four Gods¡± in the mortal world? Would they lose control, or¡­ have they already begun to gradually lose control?


    Duncan thought of Prand and Frost¡¯s successive disasters under the protection of the Storm Goddess and the God of Death, and the malfunctioning Anomaly 001¡­ This obvious, large scale system breakdown¡­ Could this be a manifestation of the entire world ¡°losing control¡±?


    His unresolved speculations were confirmed, a flurry of chaotic thoughts instantaneously flooded his mind, and Duncan swiftly linked them to the series of events that had unfolded on the Endless Sea.


    Just then, Lei Nora¡¯s voice came from the opposite side, interrupting his brainstorming, ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn to ask a question.¡±


    Duncan quickly composed his thoughts and replied, ¡°Ask.¡±


    ¡°How did you get here?¡± Lei Nora¡¯s gaze carried a hint of curiosity.


    ¡°In the deep sea beneath Frost¨CI found that ¡®replica¡¯ and at its fracture point, discovered an ¡®entrance¡¯ that led me here,¡± Duncan did not conceal the truth, ¡°As for how I got to such deep depths¡­ I traveled using a submersible from Frost City-State.¡±


    ¡°Submersible?¡± Lei Nora furrowed her eyebrows, but soon she seemed to have guessed something, ¡°Ah, it seems they indeed secretly built a new one¡­¡±


    ¡°You knew that the ¡®rebel government¡¯ would build new submersibles after your¡­ death?¡± Duncan was somewhat surprised, ¡°As far as I know, the ¡®Abyssal Plan¡¯ was the source of that rebellion, and they used it as a pretext to¡­ ¡®execute¡¯ you.¡±


    ¡°They would,¡± Lei Nora simply smiled, ¡°because they are Frostfolk.¡±


    Duncan fell silent for a moment, just quietly observing the former queen.


    The latter continued calmly, ¡°Frostfolk will never die silently and docilely, when the darkest times come, we will burn everything for survival. So when my Abyssal Plan spiraled out of control and the City-State faced a survival crisis, there were bound to be insurgents who would rise up to overthrow me to ensure the survival of more people. And when they uncovered the secrets of the deep sea, they too would build submersibles like I did, attempting to solve the problem.


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    ¡°They would improve the machines, slow down the plans, and learn from my radical lessons, trying to do it all in a more gentle and harmless way. And if they still failed, new insurgents would appear, successors would behead the inept, and then try a different approach¡­ continuing to challenge the cold darkness of the deep sea.¡±


    ¡°This will continue until the last of the Frostfolk dies, or this darkness dissipates.¡±


    She raised her head, calmly looking into Duncan¡¯s eyes¨Cupon his eerie and crude body, only his eyes shone with a glint of humanity.


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect that the one coming down in the submersible would be¡­ the legendary Captain Duncan, and moreover, a Duncan who has clearly regained his sanity. It seems my successors are even more extreme than I was?¡±


    ¡°¡­They failed,¡± Duncan was silent for a few seconds, then shook his head lightly, ¡°A disaster destroyed the City-State government, and they failed to restart the Abyssal Plan before things went out of control¨Cthe only good news is, the disaster eventually subsided, and that submersible was found as ¡®spoils of war¡¯ after the situation calmed down.¡±

 Chapter 483 - Chapter 483 Chapter 484 Heirs

    Chapter 483: Chapter 484 ¡°Heirs Chapter 483: Chapter 484 ¡°Heirs The Frost Queen fell silent for several seconds. In those gemlike, serene purple eyes, one couldn¡¯t discern the slightest hint of her mood at the moment, not until this stillness almost solidified into suffocation did she softly nod and say, ¡°Oh.¡±


    She then paused for thought and asked, ¡°How is Frost faring now?¡±


    Duncan looked into her eyes and began with a calm tone, ¡°¡­Tirian is the new Governor, and the Mist Fleet is taking full control of the City-State. The remaining Frost Navy will be reorganized and reconstituted.¡±


    Lei Nora revealed a slight smile, ¡°Ah, Tirian, one of the possibilities¡­ Destiny is indeed an enigmatic thing. This outcome isn¡¯t too bad, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Duncan did not respond but simply continued, ¡°There is another matter; the current figurehead of the Church in the City-State follows my command.¡±


    Lei Nora finally showed a slightly surprised expression, tilting her head, ¡°Hmm? It sounds like¡­ you are now the actual ruler of Frost?¡±


    ¡°I have no interest in ruling a City-State¨Cbut if you wish to think of it that way.¡±


    ¡°Now I¡¯m even more curious about what exactly happened to cause Frost¡¯s situation to turn out this way,¡± Lei Nora¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°I have arranged many things, but your arrival was not part of any plan. You mentioned a disaster, but in my projections, even if He became somewhat uncontrollable, the situation should not have deteriorated to the extent you described¡­¡±


    ¡°The army of Replicas in the Frost Deep Sea invaded Frost, and a mirror City-State almost surfaced into the real world,¡± said Duncan gravely, ¡°While you were trying to appease that tentacle in the deep sea, a group of Heretics sensed the power He was leaking¨Cand the City-State¡¯s continuous mining of the boiling gold mine actually ¡®assisted¡¯ those nonbelievers to some extent.¡±


    Then Duncan did not withhold any information, recounting to this former queen the full series of events in Frost, including the changes his own intervention brought about.


    Lei Nora didn¡¯t interrupt from start to finish. She listened quietly until Duncan finished speaking, then took a deep breath, her face showing a complex smile, ¡°Compared with ancient gods from the deep sea, it seems that crazed humans are slightly more terrifying.¡±


    She paused, then sighed with a sense of relief, ¡°However, it¡¯s a relief that in the worst of paths, we¡¯ve arrived at an ending that¡¯s not too terrible¨Cmost people have survived.¡±


    ¡°Even if the City-State has become the possession of someone like me, a ¡®Subspace Shadow¡¯?¡± Duncan intentionally asked.


    Lei Nora just smiled and then looked seriously into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Then you will surely become the strongest Guardian Frost has ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Your attitude towards me does differ from others,¡± Duncan remarked with some emotion, ¡°Since regaining my humanity, I¡¯ve met many people. Most of them show shock or alarm, few can maintain their composure upon first meeting me, let alone adopt an attitude as optimistic as yours.¡±


    Lei Nora shook her head, ¡°This isn¡¯t optimism, it¡¯s fact. Since you¡¯ve regained your humanity and helped Frost, naturally you are the most powerful Guardian of this City-State. I know most people instinctively feel fear towards this, but I¡¯ve embraced fear for too long and have become accustomed to seeing the true face of things through fear.¡±


    ¡°¡­Now it¡¯s my turn to ask,¡± said Duncan after being silent for a few seconds, then he composed his language and began, ¡°The Replica of The Saint¡­ when exactly did it invade the real world? And will similar ¡®invasions¡¯ occur again?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t give a very clear answer to the first question,¡± Lei Nora said with a hint of regret on her face, ¡°By the time I became aware of His presence, He was already in the deep sea, and in the initial few contacts, I only heard a voice¡­ He said He was a flawed Replica, He said He needed to stop running.¡±


    ¡°¡®Contact¡¯?¡± Duncan instantly noticed the word, ¡°How did you ¡®contact¡¯ Him initially? And it seems from your words¡­ the Replica conveyed information to you and even sought your help?¡±


    Lei Nora nodded slightly, ¡°Have you heard that I¡¯m a natural-born Psychic?¡±


    ¡°¡­I have indeed heard such rumors; they say you can even know all things past and present.¡±


    ¡°Rumors often exaggerate, I can neither predict the future nor see through everything. Yet one thing is for sure, natural-born Psychics¡­ can really ¡®hear¡¯ voices unreachable to ordinary people,¡± Lei Nora seemed to fall into a reminiscence, slowly speaking as she thought, ¡°When I was very little, I would often hear these inexplicable whispers or see strange and bizarre scenes in my sleep, much like most innate Psychics. These frightening ¡®symptoms¡¯ were quite dangerous and even threatened those who took care of me on several occasions¨C


    ¡°Can you imagine? You are taking care of a two or three-year-old child, and then merely from dreaming, fatal screeches and swelling, undulating shadows suddenly appear in the room¡­ Once they realized that the terrible anomalies appearing frequently in the house originated from the smallest child, my parents had no choice but to send me into the Church, just like the other natural Psychics. I was entrusted to the care of¡­ ¡®professionals.¡¯


    ¡°I spent my time growing up in the deepest cellars of the cathedral, armed silent monks and ascetics as my nurses, and specially crafted shackles and neck collars as my toys, a blessed iron cage as my bed. The gatekeeper would check on me three times a week, making sure my mind was still on the human side¨Cuntil my twelfth birthday, when my spirit and willpower had matured, and my awareness had cleared. The Archbishop then believed I had stabilized on the ¡®human side,¡¯ thus he blessed me, baptized me, and publicly declared me human.


    ¡°After that, I underwent rigorous training to adapt and control my talent, learning to coexist peacefully with my ¡®nightmares.¡¯ Over four years, I gradually realized that my ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ is essentially a resonance with the world, and the whispers and light within the Dreamscape come from entities that float at the margins of reality, attempting to establish contact with the real world. After confirming my mind could bear the burden, my mentors taught me special methods to listen to those voices and maintain my selfhood throughout the process¡­


    ¡°And it was during this process that my ¡®perception¡¯ began to be frequently drawn toward the deep sea, I started to become aware of¡­ Its presence.


    ¡°Or rather, It began to become aware of mine.


    ¡°Every born spiritual energy user has their own resonance inclination. Some are inclined to hear the voices from history, and they mostly become outstanding archaeologists and scholars of secrecy. Others lean towards hearing the voices of the Four Divinities, and as long as they live to adulthood, they are almost destined to become ¡®The Saint.¡¯ Unfortunately, some resonate with Subspace¨Cninety-nine percent of these individuals do not leave the church cellars alive. The few who survive become the extremely rare ¡®Keeper of Secrets¡¯ or ¡®Secret Saint,¡¯ retained by the church.


    ¡°And I, I established a resonance with an awakening ancient god from the deep sea.¡±


    Lei Nora paused, her gaze moving to the end of the room, towards the fragmented darkness, and as she watched, the darkness surged, the chaos of Subspace¡¯s light faded, and the floating islands of the endless deep sea and that silent ¡°pillar¡± appeared within the depths.


    It was her resonance, her nightmare, her fear and responsibility, beginning and end.


    ¡°In fact, most of the time, I could hardly hear what ¡®It¡¯ was saying¨Cinitially, I thought it was due to my lack of power, insufficient control over spiritual energy resonance. But as time passed, I realized the reason actually lies with this ¡®ancient god.¡¯


    ¡°It is incomplete, It is but a flawed ¡®Replication¡¯, mistakenly copied from a far larger individual, awakened in the dark depths of the sea, with a chaotic and fragmented mind filled only with one thought¨Cerror, terminate immediately.


    ¡°It repeated this thought in my mind thousands, tens of thousands of times.¡±


    Duncan finally spoke in a soft voice, ¡°So, you initiated the Abyssal Project?¡±


    ¡°No, I first became the Frost Queen,¡± Lei Nora said indifferently, ¡°It took a bit of effort, but only by gaining control of the entire City-State could I have more ways to investigate and confirm the contents of what I ¡®heard.¡¯ During this process, I discovered the anomalies deep within the gold mines and the connections between all of this and the ¡®Deep Sea¡¯¨Cthe Abyssal Project was the final outcome, and to reach this ultimate result, I did a lot of preparatory work.¡±


    Duncan said nothing for a moment, only slowly rising from his chair and coming to the end of the room, thoughtfully looking at the deep-sea ¡°scenery¡± emerging from the darkness and the tentacle that pierced through the ¡°blueprint¡± of Frost like an enormous pillar reaching the sky.


    After a long while, he glanced back slightly, ¡°So It bears no malice?¡±


    ¡°No malice, no benevolence,¡± Lei Nora said, ¡°In fact, It doesn¡¯t possess what might be called ¡®wisdom¡¯¨Cjust a small segment of disorderly, broken thoughts, repeating a simple judgment. It can¡¯t even understand its own existence, let alone have any ¡®attitude¡¯ towards those delicate, fragile creatures above the sea¡­


    ¡°It merely exists, existing in pain and confusion, in this cold darkness, but such simple ¡®existence¡¯ is enough to overturn our delicate, fragile so-called ¡®civilization.''¡±


    Duncan murmured softly, ¡°Existence itself is a threat¡­¡±


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    Lei Nora¡¯s voice came after a moment from behind him: ¡°Now I can answer your second question.


    ¡°Whether similar ¡®invasions¡¯ might happen again¨CI believe¡­ it¡¯s possible, even certain to happen.¡±


    Duncan turned his head quickly, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because this is not an ¡®invasion.¡¯ The Saint from the abysmal realms did not ¡®enter¡¯ our reality from Its own realm¨CIt doesn¡¯t need to do that.


    ¡°Its ¡®component¡¯ naturally resides in the real world, in every part of the deep sea, every City-State, even within every human body. What happened in the Frost Deep Sea was not an ¡®invasion,¡¯ but an¡­ ¡®Awakening.''¡±


    Lei Nora slowly spread her hands, an unusual calmness on her face, as she looked into Duncan¡¯s eyes and disclosed the greatest truth she had realized in half a century of nightmare-ridden slumber¨C


    ¡°Captain Duncan, in a sense, all of us, even the City-State beneath our feet, are offspring of an ancient god.¡±

 Chapter 484 - Chapter 484 Chapter 485 Alices Secret

    Chapter 484: Chapter 485: Alice¡¯s Secret Chapter 484: Chapter 485: Alice¡¯s Secret The room fell into a deep silence.


    The oppressive quiet lingered for an indeterminate time before Duncan suddenly broke the stillness, ¡°All beings in the mortal world are offspring of the ancient gods¨Ceven the most insane followers of the obliteration cult might never utter such a heretical conclusion.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite unbelievable to hear words like ¡®heretical¡¯ come from your mouth,¡± Lei Nora said with a smirk as she gazed into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Yet, this indeed is the ultimate truth I¡¯ve learned in this prolonged nightmare¨Cjust as you¡¯ve seen in the depths of the ocean, the obliteration followers¡¯ ¡®creation theory¡¯ is not false. Perhaps their understanding is flawed, but at least one thing is true¡­ Our world was created by the ancient gods based on some grand ¡®blueprint,¡¯ and during this process of creation¡­ Their flesh and blood became the foundation of all things.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds before he slowly began as if speaking to himself, ¡°The Saint, using Himself as the material, shaped all beings above the sea surface according to the ¡®blueprint¡¯ in the deep ocean. His ¡®flesh and blood¡¯ naturally exists within all things, and due to some kind of ¡®error,¡¯ the ¡®flesh and blood¡¯ that had been shaped into the worldly beings became activated. Thus the ancient gods began to awaken¨Cfrom the flesh of mortals and the City-States¡¯ ¡®blueprint¡¯¨Cis this the true nature of the Frost crisis?¡±


    Lei Nora slowly nodded, her voice gentle, ¡°Replication and creation are the authorities of The Saint, who can evolve all things from Himself and thus undertook the work of creation. However, evidently, after the lengthy passage of time, the original blueprint began to develop issues, or possibly the ¡®creator¡¯ who was the origin had issues. He then began to awaken from His creations¨Ccontinuously awakening in the form of ¡®erroneous replicants.¡¯ Frost was the first, but she will not be the last¡­¡±


    Even with Duncan¡¯s composure, after hearing these terrifying words, he hardly could control the turmoil in his mind¨Cthe ancient gods would gradually awaken from both the mortal beings and the worldly matters. From the perspective of sheer horror, this fact was even more terrifying than the Black Sun hanging over the skies of the Plunder City-State!


    ¡°Is all this what you learned in the nightmare while communicating with¡­ ¡®Him¡¯?¡± Duncan struggled to calm the wild thoughts in his mind as he turned to look towards the dark deep ocean at the room¡¯s end, where a massive ¡°pillar¡± stood silently in the darkness.


    ¡°As an incomplete replicant, He couldn¡¯t tell me anything, but I learned much from Him,¡± Lei Nora said. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking¨Chuman intellect is feeble, and even when facing the truth, our limited perceptions and thought processes might not completely and accurately understand what we see. So I can¡¯t be sure that what I¡¯m saying is one hundred percent ¡®real¡¯; it¡¯s merely what I¡¯ve deduced from my own perceptions and understanding, from the fragmented ¡®thoughts¡¯ of an ancient god¡­ Just a reference for you.¡±


    Duncan did not respond for a while, lost in deep contemplation. After an unknown length of time, he suddenly turned back, ¡°What exactly is ¡®Alice¡¯? Is she the body you used to resurrect?¡±


    ¡°Alice?¡± Lei Nora frowned at the name, confusion apparent in her eyes that did not seem feigned, ¡°Who is Alice?¡±


    ¡°¡­It seems you¡¯re not aware of this name. I thought her awareness came from you,¡± Duncan carefully confirmed the subtle changes in Lei Nora¡¯s expression before withdrawing his scrutinizing gaze, ¡°She¡¯s an automaton with a likeness completely identical to yours. Many years ago, after you were¡­ ¡®executed,¡¯ the Frostfolk in the Chill Sea salvaged a container, and Alice lay asleep within it¨Cshe was once called Exception 099, but now she¡¯s a member of my crew.¡±


    Lei Nora listened quietly to Duncan¡¯s description, her expression gradually thoughtful, and after a long while, she suddenly showed a slight smile, ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Duncan instantly caught on to the word, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I have been dreaming, various dreams, like floating and sinking on a foggy sea surface. Most of the time, I¡¯m enveloped by cold and darkness, falling asleep accompanied by fragmented whispers, barely even distinguishing whether the self in the dream is a human soul or an ancient god replicant wandering aimlessly in the deep sea. But sometimes¡­ in my dreams, there appears dry land, rocking cabins, and some nervously whispering strangers¡­¡±


    She spoke while slowly raising her head, looking at Duncan with a smile.


    ¡°And lately, the frequency of this second type of dream has notably increased, and the whispering strangers from those dreams have turned into many¡­ strange yet intriguing items, teasing and playing with me, yet also a trustworthy gaze, always watching from the boundary of the dream¡­ You care a lot about the automaton who claims to be ¡®Alice,¡¯ don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°There are not many people in this world she can trust, and there are not many people in this world I trust,¡± Duncan looked at the ¡°Frost Queen¡± seriously, his gaze not relaxed by her present gentle smile, ¡°In this uncontrolled sea, ¡®replications¡¯ of many things were created¨Csunken ships, and doomed sailors, but ¡®the executed queen¡¯ is unique, possessing a self identity. However, seeing your demeanor, you seem unaware of this?¡±


    Lei Nora seemed not to notice Duncan¡¯s increasingly serious gaze; she merely furrowed her brows as though concentrating hard, her eyes gradually showing realization, then she closed her eyes as if feeling something thoroughly, before reopening them with a slightly odd expression and looking back at Duncan, ¡°The automaton calls itself ¡®Alice,¡¯ does it?¡±


    Duncan frowned, ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ what if I say that the automaton is not actually my ¡®replicant¡¯?¡± Lei Nora said earnestly, ¡°Or rather, not entirely my replicant?¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Is there a possibility¡­¡± Lei Nora paused as if trying to be serious, but her expression still looked awkward, ¡°Alice Guillotine¨Cthe focus isn¡¯t Alice, it¡¯s the Guillotine¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t really want to recall these things,¡± Lei Nora said, her expression turning peculiar as she lifted her hand to touch the back of her neck, ¡°Do you know that when the rebels executed me, they used a device called ¡®Alice Guillotine¡¯¡­¡±


    Finally, a light flashed in Duncan¡¯s mind, and he understood what the ¡°Frost Queen¡± was trying to say.


    Yet he felt it was better not to understand.


    ¡°So, you suspect that ¡®Alice¡¯ was actually copied from that ¡®guillotine¡¯ rather than from you¡­¡±


    Duncan said subconsciously, but stopped halfway through, speaking to himself in confusion, ¡°But that¡¯s not right, she looks exactly like you¡­¡±


    ¡°An incorrect replication, Captain,¡± Lei Nora evidently already had the answer, she shook her head and turned to look towards the deep dark sea at the end of the room, ¡°A flawed, erroneous copy of an ancient god created this uncontrolled sea area, hence in this uncontrolled sea, erroneous replication is the norm¨Cwhen a beheaded queen and a guillotine both sink into the deep sea, and because of my premature arrangements, they precisely fall into the ¡®sensory¡¯ area of the ancient god¡¯s tentacles, it might have triggered some¡­ wonderful changes, mixing and recombination, replication and completion, plus a little bit¡­ of the realm of mystery¡¯s alteration.¡±


    She paused here, her gaze complicated as she looked at the ancient god¡¯s tentacles standing in the darkness.


    ¡°Clearly, It cannot distinguish¡­¡±


    The room fell silent once again.


    But this silence was completely different from before.


    After several uncomfortable minutes, Duncan finally broke the silence with a sigh, ¡°So, in a sense, It nurtured a placenta¡­¡±


    Lei Nora opened her mouth, and after a few seconds of stupor, she blurted out, ¡°A comparison both unprecedented and apropos, worthy of you¡­¡±


    Duncan sighed helplessly, what else could he say? In this vast and dark deep sea, the direction of events had completely exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations, the ancient god¡¯s irrationality and indescribable nature were manifest in every aspect, using a less appropriate comparison¨Cbetween protecting the large and protecting the small, the ancient god chose to protect the placenta¡­


    But at least he had figured out one thing¨C


    Why did that naive puppet think it was called ¡°Alice¡±?


    Because it really was the Alice Guillotine.


    Since coming to this world, Duncan had seen countless bizarre occurrences, but even amongst those exceedingly bizarre events, this one was definitely the most bizarre.


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    ¡°Look on the bright side, at least there¡¯s one thing you don¡¯t need to worry about,¡± Lei Nora, noticing Duncan¡¯s poor mood, reassured him, ¡°Alice is not the shell I intended to use for resurrection¨Cin fact, I never considered the so-called ¡®resurrection¡¯ from the beginning.¡±


    Listening to the Frost Queen¡¯s words, Duncan glanced at her again, and had to forcibly adjust his attitude, pushing the persistent sense of dissonance to the back of his mind, and steering the conversation back on track, ¡°So¡­ the key you mentioned at the beginning, what about it? And what about the keyhole behind Alice? None of these were your arrangements?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what ¡®keyhole¡¯ you¡¯re referring to, but if the key you mention is a brass wind-up key, then indeed it was left by me for the Governor of the City-State, and it¡¯s the necessary item for entering this room normally that I mentioned earlier,¡± Lei Nora responded calmly, then swiftly changed the subject, ¡°But I am not the creator of that key, nor its first holder.¡±


    Duncan was suddenly taken aback, his expression changing slightly, ¡°¡­You¡¯re not the first holder of the key? Then where did you get it?¡±


    ¡°It was a gift from a friend,¡± Lei Nora spoke frankly, ¡°a knowledgeable, kind-hearted old man.¡±

 Chapter 485 - Chapter 485 Chapter 486 Lei Noras Friend

    Chapter 485: Chapter 486 Lei Nora¡¯s ¡°Friend Chapter 485: Chapter 486 Lei Nora¡¯s ¡°Friend The brass key left behind by Lei Nora turned out to be a gift from a friend¨Cwhich completely surprised Duncan.


    This piqued his great curiosity.


    Who was this person, and for what purpose had they crafted that key? What was the nature of the key itself? And what was the vision of a ¡°spaceship crashing to the ground and disintegrating in an explosion¡± that he saw after touching the key?


    He was impatient to know the answers, and fortunately¨Cthe Frost Queen had not concealed what she knew but had candidly revealed:


    ¡°After I left the cathedral, I met a friend soon after. At that time, I was scheming to take control of power, often meeting with various people, or participating in public events, and that old man appeared at a fundraising meeting¡­


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t on the guest list, yet easily bypassed all security and surveillance. I thought he was a professor from a university, given his scholarly robe and refined demeanor¨CI didn¡¯t know he had slipped in, and I started chatting with him. His extensive knowledge was astonishing until¡­ the bodyguards at the gathering finally realized and kicked him out.


    ¡°But after that, the old man began to frequently appear in my sight, sometimes at high-society gatherings, sometimes at private dinners with friends. He would appear when everyone¡¯s attention was diverted, then calmly converse with me about history, mathematics, and the mystical sciences, and quietly leave before someone interrupted us¨Cother than the first encounter when the bodyguards noticed him, he always managed to stay out of everyone¡¯s sight.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it incredible? A friend only known to me, a knowledgeable advisor, an¡­ ¡®air friend.¡¯


    ¡°I never revealed his existence. At first, because I feared it would raise concerns from the church. The bishops would suspect it was my spiritual energy talent acting up, and lock me back in the cellar¨CI knew my powers were not out of control, and I wasn¡¯t worried about being imprisoned, but I felt my time was too precious to waste in a cage. Later¡­ as I gradually seized power of the City-State, it became even more important not to expose this ¡®secret advisor.¡¯


    ¡°This state lasted for about three years, and I formed a deep friendship with this mysterious old man. But just when I thought he would continue to act as my ¡®special aide¡¯ until my coronation, he suddenly appeared before dawn one day and bid me farewell.


    ¡°He said this¨C¡®The window period has ended, this is our last meeting.¡¯


    ¡°Then, he handed me a brass key and told me the key was a twisted collection, essential for establishing connections in time and space, and that it could carry knowledge and memories. One day in the future, it would play its role¡­


    ¡°After talking a lot about things related to the key, my ¡®air friend¡¯ just turned around and walked towards the first light of the rising sun¨Cat the second the sun rose above the horizon, he disappeared, and that was the last I saw of him.¡±


    Duncan listened stuporously to Lei Nora¡¯s narrative, his mind already brimming with numerous associations, all quickly pointing to a term. As soon as the Frost Queen in front of him finished speaking, he immediately opened his mouth: ¡°Wait, the person you described sounds exactly like a¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, a Doomsday Preacher, Captain Duncan,¡± Lei Nora said with a smile, ¡°After our first few encounters, I guessed it¨CI had access to countless books during the years of training in the cathedral, so naturally, I knew what a Doomsday Preacher was.¡±


    ¡°You became friends with a Doomsday Preacher, and he even¡­¡± Duncan spoke, frowning, but he stopped halfway as he realized the contradiction, ¡°Wait, something¡¯s not right, he doesn¡¯t seem like a typical Doomsday Preacher¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly, as you said, although very similar ¡®in nature,¡¯ the state of that old man was entirely different from those mad heretics. He was mentally sharp, lucid, his demeanor was mild and friendly, and the only similarity with a Doomsday Preacher was merely his ¡®non-linear intervention and disappearance.''¡±


    ¡°¡­A normal Doomsday Preacher wouldn¡¯t be capable of calm thought and communication because the rending of time lines had long ago disturbed their cognition, and their worship of Subspace destroyed their sanity,¡± Duncan quickly realized, ¡°and the one you knew was just the opposite¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped.


    For in that moment, he remembered another matter, something related to ¡°himself¡±!


    Tyrion had mentioned this during an interaction with Fenna and Valentin. A century ago, on the eve of ¡°Duncan Ebnomal¡¯s¡± last voyage, the Homeloss had welcomed several mysterious visitors. They appeared on the ship dressed like monks and had a lengthy conversation with the then ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± mysteriously disappearing as the sun rose the next day¡­.


    Tyrion had always believed that this visit was directly why the Homeloss embarked on its last journey towards the ¡°Frontier.¡±


    And those mysterious visitors¡­ from the description, they were a group of lucid, gentle, and friendly ¡°Doomsday Preachers!¡±


    The body Duncan was currently using could not demonstrate complex facial expressions, yet his momentary silence and the slight change in his eyes did not escape the sharp observation of the Frost Queen. Lei Nora quickly responded: ¡°Have you thought of something?¡±


    Duncan lifted his head, and for a moment, he did not speak, just quietly gazing into her eyes.


    The ¡°friend¡± known by Lei Nora was not an isolated case¨Cwithin the group commonly perceived as the ferocious, insane heretics, there indeed existed a group of rational and purpose-unknown individuals who raced along the timeline, using a contact opportunity called the ¡°window period¡± to continuously meddle in the affairs of the earthly realm!


    Thoughts surged in his mind, countless ideas flashing by. Duncan finally broke the silence, ¡°They had also visited Homeloss.¡±


    For the first time, Lei Nora¡¯s eyes widened instantly.


    It seemed that she hadn¡¯t completely lost the emotion of ¡°surprise¡± as she had initially claimed.


    ¡°Have you also encountered a coherent Doomsday Preacher?¡± Lei Nora asked hastily, ¡°What did they tell you? They were¡­¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t remember,¡± Duncan interrupted her hurried interrogation, ¡°That part of my memory has disappeared with the Corrosion of the Subspace. I only learned from other sources that I had once interacted with them.¡±


    A look of undeniable regret appeared on Lei Nora¡¯s face.


    Duncan quickly organized his thoughts and steered the conversation back on track, ¡°After realizing that he was a special Doomsday Preacher, didn¡¯t you discuss his real identity with him? Didn¡¯t you ask him about his purpose?¡±


    ¡°I certainly did¨C but do you think I got any answers?¡± Lei Nora sighed helplessly, ¡°We got along well; he was a mentor and a friend who was happy to answer most of my questions, but whenever I tried to steer the conversation to his¡­ ¡®identity,¡¯ he would always dismiss it with¨C


    ¡®It¡¯s not yet time. Do not prematurely engage with things beyond the ¡®boundary¡¯.''¡±


    ¡°Do not prematurely engage with things beyond the boundary¡­¡± Duncan repeated the meaningful phrase in a low voice, then frowned slightly, ¡°That you could befriend such a dubious character¡­ can indeed be described as¡­ broadminded.¡±


    ¡°I needed support, and most things referred to as ¡®power¡¯ in this world are dangerous,¡± Lei Nora said calmly, ¡°Compared to the ¡®Dreamscapes¡¯ I¡¯ve been in contact with since I was young, a Doomsday Preacher is far too mild and harmless.¡±


    Duncan said nothing more, only rose again and slowly approached the darkness at the end of the room.


    ¡°¡­One last thing, what plans do you have for your future?¡±


    ¡°Future?¡± Lei Nora furrowed her brows slightly.


    ¡°Do you need to stay forever in this room called ¡®Driftplace¡¯?¡± asked Duncan, lifting his chin and pointing towards the giant ¡°tentacle¡± in the dark depths, ¡°Do you need to stay here forever, using Dreamscapes to suppress the activity of this ¡®erroneous replication¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Do you have another way?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but I am not certain,¡± Duncan said, ¡°What would happen if I could completely destroy this erroneous replication?¡±


    ¡°¡­Freedom,¡± Lei Nora fell silent for a few seconds, then nodded solemnly and slowly, ¡°Both He and I will be released.¡±


    ¡°What after that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lei Nora shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s beyond my understanding¨CI¡¯ve never imagined what it would be like after this long nightmare finally ends. Perhaps, ¡®Driftplace¡¯ will lose this junction and reconnect to somewhere else. Maybe, I¡¯ll lose contact with the real world, no longer plagued by nightmares, becoming a wandering spirit with nothing to do, waiting for the day this room is reopened.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a particularly pleasant outcome,¡± Duncan¡¯s tone grew solemn, ¡°Eternal exile isn¡¯t much better than sinking into a nightmare.¡±


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    ¡°In fact, it might be worse, since I don¡¯t control this room. Compared to reconnecting to a ¡®junction¡¯ in the real world, it¡¯s more likely to drift uncontrolled into the Subspace.¡±


    Duncan fell silent, not saying a word for a long time.


    But Lei Nora broke the silence after a moment, ¡°Even so, I still suggest you do it¨Cif you really can, end this all, while I still have time.¡±


    Duncan gazed into the eyes of the Frost Queen, ¡°¡­You¡¯re sure? Even if this will subject you to eternal exile?¡±


    ¡°Trapped in a nightmare is also a kind of eternal exile,¡± Lei Nora smiled, ¡°To be released from this, at least effectively resolves the long-standing threat facing Frost¨Cat least for a considerable period, my City-State and my people will be safe.¡±

 Chapter 486 - Chapter 486 Chapter 487 Arson in the Deep Sea

    Chapter 486: Chapter 487: Arson in the Deep Sea Chapter 486: Chapter 487: Arson in the Deep Sea Lei Nora¡¯s tone was indifferent and calm, as if many years ago she had already planned all the end scenarios for her destiny¨Cwhether being forever trapped in a nightmare or suffering eternal exile were just inevitable parts of her planned future.


    Just as Duncan had thought, the Frost Queen had never prepared for her own ¡°resurrection¡±¨Creturning to the human world was never a part of her plan.


    Yet, this sacrificial attitude made Duncan feel strange.


    ¡°Are you truly willing to give everything for Frost, even sacrifices greater than life itself?¡± He turned his head, curiously looking into Lei Nora¡¯s eyes. ¡°You lived in a dungeon beneath the church for over a decade, regarded as human only after you turned twelve. You were surveilled, shackled, and tested; every thought and every murmured dream treated as a potential betrayal of humanity. You did everything you could, and in the end, you were still branded as the ¡®Mad Queen¡¯ and sent to the guillotine¡­ I don¡¯t want to judge anyone from a grim perspective, but at least logically, I¡¯m surprised by your decision.¡±


    Lei Nora fell silent, leaning on her bed, looking up at the canopy above, her thoughts seemingly drifting far away. After what seemed like a long time, she suddenly smiled and shook her head, ¡°Right¡­ why would I do that¡­¡±


    She turned her head, quietly gazing into Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Do you know, they could have actually burned me alive¨Clong, long ago, the day I first woke from a nightmare, before I learned to say ¡®daddy¡¯ and ¡®mommy,¡¯ before I realized I was human¡­ Captain, perhaps my statement has led you to a misunderstanding, you think that I should resent that cold city, but in fact¡­ it was that city which strived with all its might to keep me alive.


    ¡°And from a broader perspective, it is our delicate yet fragile ¡®civilized world¡¯ that is striving with all its might to keep everyone alive¨Cincluding natural Spiritual Energy bearers like me, even if they have to use chains, iron cages, and confine me in a dungeon for ten years; they never expected me to die in that cold place¡­ they hoped I could return as a human.


    ¡°I have never harbored resentment towards anyone, Captain, they did not treat me cruelly¨Cbecause this world is cruel to everyone, and everyone is just doing their best.¡±


    The former Frost Queen sighed softly, then finally slowly got up from her cage-like bed¨Ccompared to the ten years she spent in the cathedral basement, the only difference with this bed might be the absence of bars.


    She walked to the end of the room, came alongside Duncan, and gazed out at the chaotic, dark abyss outside.


    ¡°My parents and the people in the church tried their best to keep me alive, and I, along with my supporters, tried our best to ensure the safety of the City-State. Governor Winston and his predecessors tried their best to complete the task I could not¨Chowever, often trying our best does not guarantee success; failure naturally comes with its price.¡±


    She slowly raised her arm, pointing to the vast tentacles emerging from the darkness.


    ¡°Even ancient gods face failure, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°¡­If your theory is correct, then there will inevitably be new Replication entities that awaken from the creations of this world,¡± Duncan pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, ¡°Destroying the erroneous Replication here won¡¯t solve the root problem of the entire world.¡±


    ¡°There will be others who will ¡®try their best,''¡± Lei Nora calmly said, turning her head to look at Duncan. ¡°What about you? Will you make a move?¡±


    Duncan remained silent. After a moment, he softly broke the silence, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Lei Nora smiled, ¡°Then let¡¯s get started. I¡¯ve slept for too long; it¡¯s time to wake up from this nightmare¡­ it¡¯s also time to liberate ¡®It.''¡±


    Her tone carried an urgency, as if she was in a hurry.


    Duncan hesitated for a long while before finally nodding silently.


    The next second, a cluster of pale green flames suddenly appeared beside him, the flames twisting and expanding, gradually morphing into a vortex-like doorway.


    He walked towards that door, and just then, Lei Nora¡¯s expression subtly changed.


    She stared blankly at the rising green flames, as if looking back on a distant, hazy memory, and then suddenly turned her head to Duncan, about to head through the door, ¡°Is it you?!¡±


    Duncan paused, and after a brief moment of confusion, he finally realized why the Frost Queen had reacted so.


    ¡°I suppose this shouldn¡¯t count as contaminating history,¡± keeping his posture as if about to step through the door, he slightly turned his face, ¡°Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°So this is how it is¡­ so this is how it is¡­¡± Lei Nora murmured to herself, her expression changing rapidly several times as if many long-troubled matters had suddenly become clear. Then, as if a faint light gradually emerged in her eyes, she showed a genuinely heartfelt, radiant expression for the first time and lifted her head to look at Duncan, waving her hand as if bidding farewell to an old friend years ago, ¡°Go ahead, do what you must, I think¡­ we are making the right decision.¡±


    Duncan gave the Frost Queen one final, deep look, then without saying anything further, he stepped forward into the swirling gateway of flames.


    Lei Nora stood quietly, watching his figure disappear from the room.


    Just like many, many years ago, when that knowledgeable and kind old man disappeared into the morning light.


    Slowly, she withdrew her gaze, turned around, and stood at the shattered end of the room, looking at the ancient deity¡¯s tentacles that were in a state of stasis, looking at the nightmares of her past half-century, and all the fate and responsibilities it entailed.


    Threads and strands of eerie green firelight began to emerge from the dark abyss on the other side, initially small as fireflies, but quickly expanding and intensifying in a rapid spread, and started to permeate and burn toward the entire ¡°column.¡±


    A slight tremor emerged underfoot and quickly intensified as time passed.


    The mansion was shaking, the power that supported this dreamscape was fading, the ¡°connection point¡± between the ¡°Drift Land¡± and the outside world was rapidly disintegrating, disappearing, and the darkness outside the room seemed to suddenly surge up, with countless layers of ripples and light wildly expanding, then retreating back into the darkness, while the ¡°ancient god¡¯s tentacle¡± began to change amid the suddenly unbalanced light and shadow¨Cit seemed to bend, and a blurry structure extended, grew from its top, and crossed the uncertain boundary, reaching down and getting closer to this broken room.


    Yet Lei Nora simply stood still in front of this terrifying scene, watching the illusory, newborn, small tentacles continuously bend toward her, watching them finally reach the invisible boundary, where the black ¡°flesh¡± adhered to the surface of the intangible barrier, opening up.


    Lei Nora slowly reached out her hand, placing her palm on the pulsating, unsteady surface of the flesh, feeling, through the barrier of the dreamscape, everything it transmitted¨Cconfusion, tension, unease, and a bit of regret.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I know you didn¡¯t want to appear in this world¡­ it will all end soon, think of it as a dream, you¡¯ll return to where you belong¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving too, soon, when the anchor breaks, it will be time to detach¡­ I might go far, there might never be another destination, even if my calculations are correct, this will probably be an unimaginably long journey¡­ So, if there¡¯s scenery to be seen, I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±


    The silent communication continued in the dreamscape, in these last moments before waking, Lei Nora suddenly felt somewhat sentimental.


    ¡°After all this time, I never asked for your name,¡± she stared at the tentacle beyond the dreamscape boundary, feeling the chaotic, fragmented messages coming from it¨Cmost of which couldn¡¯t even be called complete ¡°thoughts,¡± more like the random flashes of inspiration from a fractured soul struggling to think, ¡°Of course, I know the title ¡®The Saint,¡¯ and I know you have other names¡­ but that¡¯s not your name¡­


    ¡°Do you have a name? Whether it¡¯s yours or that of your ¡®original self¡¯¡­ never mind, I was just suddenly curious.¡±


    Amidst a great deal of chaotic noise and murmurs, a particularly clear thought suddenly came through.


    Lei Nora listened quietly, as she did when she was a child, between those cold railings and shackles, listening to the indistinct murmurs coming from the depths of the tide¨Ca name, seeming to emerge in her mind in a state between dreaming and waking.


    A gentle smile slowly surfaced on her lips: ¡°LH-01¡­ ah, what a strange name¡­ Leading Navigator One? Is that your original name?


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll remember that, nice to meet you, Leading Navigator One. So¡­ farewell, good morning.¡±


    A tsunami-like blaze surged from the depths of the darkness, in the blink of an eye engulfing the tentacle that was touching the ¡°Drift Land,¡± burning in the flames, the ancient deity¡¯s incorrect replication returned to dust, to earth.


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    The raging flames even briefly eroded the barrier of the dreamscape, blossoming around Lei Nora¡¯s feet, in the air beside her, at the edge of the room, into a series of strange yet brilliant fireworks.


    Lei Nora curiously watched those leaping flames of the Spiritual Body, reaching out to touch their edges.


    The warm fire dissipated at her fingertips.


    In the dark and cold deep sea, the suddenly rising Spectral Flame almost like a solar flare, illuminated the entire sea area, illuminated the dark floating island in the deep sea, illuminated those human-shaped husks floating in the dark water like a swarm of bees.


    Duncan floated quietly at the edge of the dark floating island, watching the vigorously burning Spectral Flame that he had ignited, its force even made him, the ¡°arsonist,¡± feel deeply shocked.

 Chapter 487 - Chapter 487 Chapter 488 Return Voyage

    Chapter 487: Chapter 488: Return Voyage Chapter 487: Chapter 488: Return Voyage The spread of the fire was faster and more ferocious than Duncan had imagined.


    He had merely ignited a small flame at the edge of the huge ¡°pillar¡± and had prepared for it to spread slowly. He had not expected that tiny fire to instantly grow into a towering inferno, illuminating the deep sea¨Ca spectacle even more curious under the pressures of billions of tons of seawater.


    Transcendent objects were the best fuel for Spectral Flames, and the ancient god¡¯s tentacles were naturally ¡°transcendent,¡± yet even so, the flames burned too fiercely, too quickly.


    It was as if some force was catalyzing, enhancing the power of the Spiritual Fire.


    Was it caused by the deep sea¡¯s unique environment? Or was the ancient god¡¯s tentacle actively ¡°cooperating¡±?


    Duncan slightly furrowed his brow, feeling the vast messages transmitted by the flames¨Cfragmented information interspersed with a large amount of meaningless twisted noise and shards of light and shadow. Apparently, those were remnants erratically escaping from the ¡°tentacle¡± as it collapsed.


    For ordinary humans, even a whisper among those ¡°things¡± might be enough to trigger madness, but Duncan found them trivial and disordered¨Che tried hard to decipher useful information from the chaotic noise, and just before all the noise subsided, he finally ¡°heard¡± some comprehensible ¡°voices.¡±


    In the sea, he suddenly widened his eyes with a hint of astonishment, staring at the ancient god¡¯s tentacle rapidly collapsing and disintegrating in the Spiritual Fire.


    ¡°LH-01? Homeloss?¡±


    In the void, it seemed as if a roar came from the deep sea. The ancient god¡¯s faulty replication finally completely disintegrated, all the noise disappeared, and no sound answered Duncan¡¯s momentary question¨Cin the abrupt silence that arrived, filled with a sense of endless emptiness, only a vague thought floated quietly through his mind like a phantom in the fog¨C


    ¡°Thank you, Usurper of Flame.¡±


    Duncan blinked, his mind rippling with complex thoughts and countless astonishing speculations and associations. After an unknown amount of time, just as he began to contemplate whether to keep exploring this place, whether to dive deeper, a flickering light suddenly appeared at the edge of his vision.


    He turned his head sharply and saw Ai Yi, who had been fluttering around him, suddenly flashing intensively, like a malfunctioning projection. The pigeon¡¯s entire body of light was flickering on and off. It began rapidly flapping its wings, emitting sharp and intermittent cries: ¡°Your¡­ signal quality is poor, please check¡­ your hardware connection¡­ remote server¡­ waiting¡­¡±


    In an instant, Duncan¡¯s eyes narrowed, and with a wave of his hand, he transported Ai Yi back to Homeloss. The next second after Ai Yi returned, he noticed that the ¡°temporary body¡± he was using was rapidly collapsing.


    Cracks large and small covered the entirety of this rough ¡°prototype¡± body in the blink of an eye, with pale green flames dancing within the fissures rapidly dissipating.


    And in the surrounding seawater, those drifting ¡°human shapes¡± also began to show the same signs of disintegration. Countless humanoid husks quickly crumbled into black fragments and began to sink towards the dark ¡°Frost Floating Island¡± in the deep sea.


    The ancient god¡¯s faulty replication was destroyed by the flames, and the human prototypes around the deep sea floating island crumbled as a result. Except for the floating island itself, which might be the ¡°Primordial Blueprint¡± showing no changes, everything else in the deep sea was rapidly disintegrating, reverting to¡­ ¡°the design¡¯s initial normal state.¡±


    Duncan quickly understood the cause and effect of these changes in his mind, and the next second, he felt his consciousness being violently ¡°ejected¡± from the body that could no longer be sustained.


    Before his perception was cut off, there was only one thought in his mind¨C


    It¡¯s a pity about this body adapted to the deep sea environment; I thought it would last a long time, but it turned out to be one-time use¡­


    The deep roar of the ballast tanks discharging water echoed within the submarine, accompanied by a slight vibration, the entire machine began to accelerate towards the surface.


    In front of the control panel, Duncan sighed regretfully, mourning the ¡°temporary body¡± he had just lost, while also checking the machine¡¯s status.


    The deep sea turbulence caused by the collapse of the giant ¡°pillar¡± struck the slowly ascending submarine, but fortunately, it caused no damage.


    Agatha¡¯s voice, full of horror, came from beside him, ¡°What was¡­ what was that just now?!¡±


    She raised her hand toward the porthole, pointing at the piece of darkness in the deep sea, now quickly reverting to a dim state¨Cyet within the boundless darkness, remnants of green glow occasionally burst forth. The wide-scale pale green luminescence looked as though it was voraciously burning along some enormous wreckage or as if a series of explosions were erupting in that swath of darkness.


    Outside the submarine, chaotic currents surrounded it, and the noise of the machinery operating along with occasional strange banging sounds from the hull were disconcerting.


    Undoubtedly, something significant had happened below.


    ¡°¡­ I have found the source of the Frost Crisis, at the heart of the deep sea floating island which is likely the ¡®Genesis Blueprint.¡¯ There was an astonishingly large tentacle of an ancient god, a faulty replication of The Saint¨CIts existence affected this entire sea area,¡± Duncan glanced back slightly at Agatha, who was clearly waiting for an explanation, ¡°For the past fifty years, the Frost Queen¡¯s spirit has been calming that faulty replication, enduring for far too long.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s mouth slowly fell open.


    She had not expected that Captain Duncan would go down to take a look using ¡°Incarnation¡± and actually bring back such astonishing information!


    Stunned with surprise, she froze for a long time before finally snapping out of it and asking subconsciously, ¡°Then¡­ what happened next? What happened after that?¡±


    ¡°Burned it,¡± Duncan said succinctly.


    Agatha didn¡¯t catch on right away, ¡°¡­Burned it?¡±


    ¡°Burned it,¡± Duncan repeated, and pointed out the cabin window, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see? I lit the fire.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t understand what you said. I get it¡­ no, I don¡¯t get it, I really don¡¯t understand,¡± Agatha almost babbled, her usually strong intellect failing her. She had never felt this helpless even when she faced over a hundred heretics at that eerie and evil sacrificial site. But in front of Captain Duncan, who seemed to never play by the rules, she always felt a bit out of her depth, ¡°You just¡­ burned it? An ancient god¡­ even if it was just a flawed replication¡­ You just burned it?¡±


    Duncan, of course, knew that Agatha would react this way, but he also really didn¡¯t know how he could explain the numerous intricate details, and after agonizing over it for a while, he could only shrug helplessly, ¡°Honestly, I was just as surprised. It was more flammable than I imagined.¡±


    Agatha: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a moment of silence, the Gatekeeper Miss¡¯s thoughts finally caught up, ¡°Then¡­ what about the Frost Queen¡¯s soul? Did you ¡®burn¡¯ that too?¡±


    ¡°She has been set free, but I do not know where she might go¨Cperhaps we will meet again,¡± Duncan spoke the truth with every sentence, ¡°I discussed many things with her, including her life before death, secrets of the deep sea, and some¡­ truth about our world. A lot of it was highly disruptive.¡±


    ¡°Highly disruptive?¡± Agatha seemed still not fully recovered from the shock of the ¡°burned¡± revelation, her thought process lagging a bit as she spoke subconsciously, ¡°What kind of disruption?¡±


    ¡°The kind where you need to burn incense, pray, and write a will before listening, and need isolation, observation, and a mental assessment after,¡± Duncan glanced at her, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, once we are back on safe land and after confirming that you are ready.¡±


    Even as a Gatekeeper who had been through numerous trials and possessed a strong will, Agatha still tensed involuntarily upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words.


    This ¡°Captain¡± who could even sail back from subspace was speaking with such a solemn and serious tone¡­ what kind of secrets had he learned in that cold and vast darkness?


    Meanwhile, on the Homeloss, Duncan had returned from that fog-enshrouded ¡°bachelor apartment¡± to his captain¡¯s quarters.


    At the edge of the navigation table, the gloomy goat¡¯s head turned its neck with a creak, and its obsidian-set eyes landed on the Captain.


    ¡°Name?¡± it asked in a formal tone.


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal,¡± Duncan waved his hand dismissively, sat at the table, and looked up at the goat¡¯s head again, ¡°Have I been away too long?¡±


    ¡°You went too far,¡± the goat¡¯s head seemed to let out a sigh of relief, its tone immediately recovering, ¡°I could feel a strand of your will going to a place very far away, so far that even Homeloss could hardly capture it, don¡¯t be angry, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m concerned for your safety, after all, the whole ship is relying on a wise captain to lead¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, I know your loyalty, reliability, diligence, and thoughtfulness,¡± Duncan reassured, ¡°It was just a distant but brief journey, nothing to worry about¨Cwhat¡¯s Alice doing?¡±


    ¡°Miss Alice?¡± The goat¡¯s head paused, then continued, ¡°She was just resting in her cabin¡­ Ah, she seems to be heading this way, and it looks like she¡¯s in a hurry.¡±


    Before the goat¡¯s head could finish talking, a series of hurried footsteps came from the deck outside the door, and Alice¡¯s familiar presence appeared at the door.


    Before the knocking could begin, Duncan preemptively spoke, ¡°Come in.¡±


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    A second later, two knocks were still heard, followed by the puppet belatedly uttering ¡°Oh¡± outside before opening the door and entering the room.


    ¡°Captain! Captain, captain!¡± As soon as she entered, Alice hurried to Duncan¡¯s side, and before he could speak, she started spilling out in a rush, ¡°There¡¯s a problem! I just had a dream! I had a dream just now!¡±


    Duncan had many things he wanted to tell Alice, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be even more agitated than himself, causing him to frown, ¡°You had a dream? What did you dream about?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember the specifics!¡± Alice declared confidently, ¡°It felt like¡­ in the dream, I was kind of amazing? Like the feeling you described before¡­ like I grew a brain?¡±


    (Recommended book time: ¡°Shepherd¡¯s Secret Continuation,¡± a Victoria fantasy by Amber Stream. The author previously wrote ¡°Mercury Blood¡± and ¡°Players Ultra Justice.¡± A trusted author, definitely worth a read.)

 Chapter 488 - Chapter 488 Chapter 489 Turning the Key

    Chapter 488: Chapter 489: Turning the Key Chapter 488: Chapter 489: Turning the Key Duncan quietly watched Alice, and Alice also looked at Duncan with justified confidence.


    A moment later, Duncan rubbed his brow and felt a strange emotion rising in his heart, a sense of discomfort that lingered for a long time.


    It was the same face, yet how could it express such vastly different temperaments¡­


    ¡°Captain,¡± Alice blinked curiously when she saw Duncan¡¯s reaction and leaned in to ask, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Did I say something wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not your problem,¡± Duncan shook his head, pulling himself out of the chaotic thoughts and then suddenly lifting his eyelids, he looked at the doll in front of him with a solemn and serious expression, ¡°Alice, have you¡­ ever been curious about your connection with the Frost Queen?¡±


    Alice was startled for a moment, raised her hand to scratch her head, and after thinking hard for a while, she spoke with some uncertainty, ¡°I¡­ was curious, but then I thought about it and it seemed like it wasn¡¯t that important, so I stopped thinking about it.¡±


    Duncan was somewhat surprised, ¡°Not that important?¡±


    ¡°The Frost Queen is the Frost Queen, and I am me. Whatever great things that queen does, they are her business, I don¡¯t understand them,¡± Alice said seriously, ¡°I have my own strengths, and I really like my life as it is every day; that¡¯s good enough. Besides, Mr. Morris told me that in this world, everyone might find another person who looks almost exactly like them, so I just think of the Frost Queen as the person who looks exactly like me¨Ceven though I am actually a doll¡­¡±


    Duncan quietly listened to the doll¡¯s words, watching the natural and content sparkle in her eyes when she spoke of her present days, and something touched his heart suddenly.


    Perhaps¡­ she really was just a special, erroneous Replication created by an ancient god from the deep sea, or perhaps, she was just the result of some weird fusion between Lei Nora, who had fallen into the deep sea, and the guillotine. Or maybe, she harbored even more secrets, ones that not even Lei Nora could imagine¡­ But as Alice herself said, it wasn¡¯t that important.


    She wasn¡¯t wise, yet she was very happy. She was puzzled by many things, yet she never felt anxious or feared these overly complex issues. She was born and lived in a world full of oddities, but this peculiar world to her was just as ordinary as ¡°normal¡±¨Cshe explored this world full of novel unknowns, curious, expecting everything, including tomorrow, just like¡­


    A child opening their eyes in the sunshine.


    Countless beings tread upon this earth, but even the bravest warriors, the most learned sages, and the most devout Believers could not view the world from a perspective like Alice¡¯s.


    Duncan suddenly felt¨Cthat in this twisted world full of fear and distortions, Alice, this ¡°doll,¡± seemed more like a¡­¡±human¡± than anyone else.


    Just as he had seen in another world, in that world without anomalies and arcane occurrences, without deities and oddities, where commonplace humans walked calmly in the sunlight.


    ¡°Captain?¡± Alice¡¯s curious voice rang out again, ¡°Why are you daydreaming again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°I just suddenly realized¡­ you really are quite wise.¡±


    Alice was taken aback by the captain¡¯s compliment, and a pleased expression slowly spread across her face, ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t know why the captain suddenly called her ¡°wise,¡± and hadn¡¯t even considered herself capable of wisdom, but since the captain said so, it must be a happy thing.


    After complimenting her, Duncan paused briefly to think, then slowly reached for something at his side¨Cthe cold touch of brass came from his fingertips. It was that brass key.


    In the deep sea, the diving apparatus was slowly surfacing, and there was still some time before the ¡°retrieval.¡±


    The Frost Queen Lei Nora had revealed a great deal of information to him, but there were still many incomplete or murky details in that information, which he needed to confirm.


    The brass key¡­ A rational Doomsday Preacher had handed it to Lei Nora, and even with her capabilities, she had been unable to ascertain the true ¡°essence¡± of the key. Meanwhile, Alice, who seemed to be just a coincidental, erroneous Replication, had a corresponding keyhole¡­ At this point, was it still a coincidence?


    Did the Doomsday Preacher foresee all that was happening today? Or did the ancient god slumbering in the deep sea search Lei Nora¡¯s memories while creating ¡°Alice,¡± leaving the ¡°keyhole¡± on Alice?


    Perhaps¡­ it was time to try.


    ¡°Alice,¡± Duncan suddenly lifted his head, looking solemnly at the doll before him, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Alice was startled, but quickly followed suit, getting up, ¡°Oh, alright!¡±


    ¡°Take good care at the helm.¡± Duncan rose from behind the chart table and instructed the goat-headed figure before taking a deep breath and turning towards the direction of the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Alice, puzzled, followed Duncan into the bedroom, and upon his command, turned back to close the door and then looked at Duncan with curiosity.


    ¡°Captain? What do we do next?¡±


    Duncan was silent, holding the key in his hand, quietly observing the doll, ¡°I want to test this key.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Alice was somewhat surprised, ¡°Ah? Didn¡¯t you say the key could be dangerous? That it might contain the soul of the Frost Queen or something¡­¡±


    ¡°The potential danger has been resolved,¡± Duncan said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve just taken care of it.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Alice immediately said, then turned around to fumble for the zipper on the back of her dress, not hesitating for a moment, ¡°Then I¡¯ll start by unzipping my dress¡­¡±


    ¡°You only need to expose the keyhole,¡± Duncan said, feeling a bit embarrassed by the doll¡¯s decisive action despite having been with this solid-headed creature for so long. He reminded her subconsciously, then added somewhat unexpectedly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡±


    ¡°You said there were no hidden dangers, Captain,¡± Alice turned her head and said, ¡°And you¡¯re going to wind me up yourself, you¡¯d protect me if anything went wrong, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I will protect you,¡± Duncan said, nodding slowly after a brief two or three seconds of silence, then lifted his hand and pointed to a round stool beside the bed, ¡°Sit on this¨CI¡¯m not sure what will happen after winding, it¡¯s better not to stand.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Alice agreed, then obediently went to sit on the round stool, her back facing Duncan.


    The back of the doll¡¯s dress was already unzipped.


    Duncan finally saw what the ¡°keyhole¡± looked like¨Cit was abruptly set in the center of Alice¡¯s porcelain-like, smooth back, with an ornate ring of fine and exquisite patterns that looked almost gold-plated, encircling the keyhole.


    Duncan lowered his head and looked at the brass key in his hand.


    ¡­The size and shape indeed matched perfectly.


    A strange feeling emerged from his heart, mixed with a bit of nervousness. Duncan took a light breath, controlling the odd feeling inside him, and slowly approached the keyhole with the key.


    ¡°Alice.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The winding key entered the keyhole without any resistance, followed by a clear ¡°click¡± sound next to Duncan¡¯s ear, as if it had resonated directly in his mind.


    Some mechanism was activated¨Cnot an ordinary winding mechanism.


    A faint force came from his fingertips, and Duncan instantly realized that the winding key was turning by itself¨Cit slowly twisted into a horizontal position and then a ¡°click¡± sounded again.


    In the next second, everything in front of him began to change rapidly.


    Light and shadow collapsed and reassembled, senses experiencing transition and reset. With a familiar slight dizziness came that sensation of ¡°transition¡± akin to ¡°walking in the Spirit Realm¡±¨C


    Before Duncan could even lament ¡°Here it goes again,¡± he realized that everything around him had already stabilized.


    He found himself inside an ancient, magnificent mansion that was both grand and eerie, mysterious.


    The classical and solemn hall was spacious, with tall pillars aligned on either side, holding up a gloomy ceiling that seemed to gather like dark clouds. Narrow, high windows set in walls covered with patterns and reliefs appeared as though entwined with dark thorns outside, with chaotic light and shadow floating beyond the thicket.


    And within this creepy, mysterious mansion, human voices could be heard from time to time¨Cmurmurs of secret conversations, intermittent laughter, footsteps crossing the floors, and even¡­ the strange, faint music, as if a dance was being held somewhere.


    Duncan slightly furrowed his brows as his eyes swept over this gloomy, ancient residence.


    Something flickered in the corner of his eye.


    Duncan quickly looked in that direction but saw only an empty corner of the wall.


    However, he was sure he had just seen something¨Ca figure that looked like a maid dressed in a black and white dress.


    The figure was headless, with only a bare neck where the collar of the upper garment should have been.


    Duncan lingered for a moment in the empty hall, observing the surroundings carefully and sensing the subtly unsettling atmosphere in the air. Then he stepped toward the spiral staircase at the end of the hall.


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    He needed to understand what this place was¨Cwhy had he been brought here after winding Alice?


    Climbing the twisting staircase, which seemed to have been abandoned for countless years, the steps creaked eerily under his feet. As he ascended, a sense of familiarity suddenly washed over Duncan.


    He abruptly halted, his eyes widening as he looked around at the furnishings and style of the mansion.


    He understood that sense of familiarity.


    The chamber where the Frost Queen, Lei Nora, lay dormant!

 Chapter 489 - Chapter 489 Chapter 490 Bizarre Mansion

    Chapter 489: Chapter 490: Bizarre Mansion Chapter 489: Chapter 490: Bizarre Mansion Duncan stood at the top of the tall spiral staircase, looking down and surveying the ancient yet magnificent mansion, reconfirming his judgment: this mysterious estate was almost identical in style to the room where the Frost Queen, Lei Nora, had once slumbered!


    A thought crossed his mind, and he immediately turned his head to look in the other direction at the top of the spiral staircase.


    There lay a deep and shadowy corridor on the second floor, with indistinctly detailed, eerie paintings hanging on both sides of the walls, complemented by dark, thorn-like iron candelabras in between the frames. The pale light from the candelabras made murky shadows in the corridor, and at the very end of the passage, within the dim and obscure shadows, it seemed as though a doorway flickered momentarily.


    Was that the master of the estate¡¯s room?


    Duncan immediately stepped forward, striding quickly towards the deep, dark corridor, the monotonous creaking of the old wooden floorboards sounding beneath his feet. The pallid candelabras on either side appeared to wobble irregularly with the breeze he stirred up, causing the already sinister corridor to flicker with shifting light and shadow, rendering it even more blurry and dim.


    Duncan stopped at the end of the corridor, his brows tightly furrowed as he looked into the darkness before him.


    There was no door¨Cwhat had appeared as a door in the shadows was seemingly nothing more than a fleeting illusion. Before him, there was only a section of corridor that had come to an abrupt halt. The floor, walls, and ceiling here were fractured and broken, and across the divide, there loomed nothing but a hollow, terrifying void of darkness.


    Duncan cautiously approached the edge of the fractured flooring, peering outwards for a moment, then turning his gaze to survey the surrounding edges of the break.


    Beyond lay a boundless space of emptiness, with the corridor beneath his feet jutting out abruptly and isolated into the unsupported void. He could see no other parts of the mansion or the room and door that were theoretically supposed to be at the end of the passageway.


    Duncan stepped back, quietly observing this void.


    Something should have been here, a room, a door. However, it had now vanished, as if ¡°ripped¡± from the mansion and disappeared into the void.


    Suddenly, a rustling sound arose nearby, breaking Duncan¡¯s reverie.


    He sharply turned toward the source of the noise.


    A headless figure in a black coat stood not far away, bending over as it carefully wiped a marble decorative table.


    After a moment of thought, Duncan approached the headless figure.


    The figure did not flee like the previous fleeting shadows; instead, it slowly straightened up. As Duncan neared, it even bent slightly at the waist, displaying the demeanor of a well-trained butler with appropriate manners.


    Yet, the sheer barrenness of its shoulders and above only added a more sinister and horrifying aspect to this otherwise polite gesture.


    ¡°Guest, whom are you looking for?¡± asked a hollow, muffled voice emanating from the upper body of the headless figure, sounding polite and refined.


    A weird sensation surfaced in Duncan¡¯s heart, but having dealt with many strange entities in this world, he quickly disregarded the eerie feeling and casually addressed the headless entity before him, ¡°What happened to the room at the end of the corridor?¡±


    ¡°It has left,¡± the headless body responded, ¡°It left a very long time ago.¡±


    Duncan frowned and pressed on, ¡°And what about the person inside the room? There was supposed to be someone there, right?¡±


    ¡°The lady of the room has also left, departed with the room¨Ca very, very long time ago,¡± replied the headless figure.


    ¡°A very long time ago?¡± Duncan struggled with the incongruity, ¡°You mean to say it has just left?¡±


    ¡°Yes, guest, just left, which is a very, very long time ago,¡± the headless body politely answered, ¡°Here, anything that has happened, occurred a long time ago¨Cand the next thing will happen a long time from now.¡±


    The words spoken by the headless body were bizarre and difficult to understand, yet they prompted Duncan¡¯s mind to speculate wildly¨Cwas there a discontinuity in time? A fracture? Was the mansion situated within some sort of temporal rift?


    Suddenly, Duncan thought of the brass key. He had come to this eerie mansion after turning that key, which had come from a lucid Doomsday Preacher¨Ca group known for their discontinuous experience of time.


    Brass key?


    A thought struck Duncan, and he suddenly felt something, immediately looking at his own hand¨Cthe cool sensation seemed to have been delayed for a long while, only now abruptly spreading into his palm, where a brass key lay quietly.


    ¡°`


    And as he saw the brass key, the headless figure standing opposite seemed to suddenly notice something as well. The body shook, and a muffled voice subsequently came from its chest cavity, ¡°Ah, so you are the honored guest with the key¨Cforgive my neglect. Are you here looking for the mistress?¡±


    ¡°Mistress?¡± Duncan said confusedly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say the mistress had left with the room a long time ago?¡±


    ¡°There are two mistresses,¡± the headless figure slowly said, answering like a butler patiently addressing a guest¡¯s query, ¡°One is the mistress of the room, who never steps out of the room. She has already left with the room. The other is the mistress of the mansion¨Cwho never enters the mansion.¡±


    Duncan was even more perplexed by what the headless figure was saying, but he quickly guessed that the ¡°mistress who never steps out of the room¡± referred to the Frost Queen Le Nora. He then had a vague idea about the identity of the other ¡°mistress.¡±


    ¡°What is the name of the other mistress?¡± he asked, his gaze fixed on the headless figure.


    ¡°This is Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± the headless figure quickly replied, ¡°The name of the mistress, of course, is Alice.¡±


    Duncan lowered his eyelids without a change in expression, controlling the minute changes in his eyes.


    Everything was as expected¨Cthe fact that he had entered the mansion after turning the keyhole on Alice¡¯s back meant how could this bizarre mansion not be related to ¡°Alice¡±?


    The name of the mansion was ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion.¡± Alice was indeed the true mistress of the mansion, while Le Nora was merely the mistress of that room¨Cand since she never stepped out of it, it was more fitting to think of her as a special prisoner rather than a ¡°mistress.¡± This fit with the information revealed by Le Nora:


    She was confined in the ¡°Drift Place¡± to control the ¡°Ancient God Replication¡± from the depths of the sea.


    Now, thanks to the ¡°help¡± of a Subspace Shadow, this special prisoner had escaped with her prison.


    So the ¡°warden¡± of this prison was wandering outside it?


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but visualize the innocently joyful smile of Alice; he couldn¡¯t associate the simple doll with the identities of ¡°mistress of Alice¡¯s Mansion¡± or ¡°warden of the Drift Place.¡±


    He quickly controlled the rampant thoughts swirling in his mind, adjusted his expression, and raised his eyes to look at the headless figure, ¡°Why does the mistress of the mansion never enter it?¡±


    ¡°She is resting in the garden,¡± the headless figure answered, ¡°She has been resting for quite a while but it is not yet time for her to return to the mansion.¡±


    Resting in the garden?


    Duncan¡¯s mind spun with thoughts while he remained outwardly impassive, ¡°May I see this ¡®mistress¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the headless figure immediately said, and though it had no head, Duncan felt as though a gaze was falling upon the brass key, ¡°You are a guest holding the key, capable of unlocking any door in this mansion¨Cincluding that leading to the garden. Please follow me, I¡¯ll take you to the garden.¡±


    Duncan nodded in agreement, following the headless figure toward the spiral staircase that connected the first and second floors of the mansion.


    On the way to the garden, he tried to strike up a conversation in the hope of gathering more information, ¡°What is your role here?¡±


    ¡°I am the butler, guest,¡± the self-proclaimed butler said, ¡°The regular servants and maids dare not approach you, so I came.¡±


    ¡°Are there many servants and maids here?¡± Duncan recalled the whispers he had heard earlier in the hall and the occasional glimpses of phantoms, ¡°It sounds like this place is usually quite lively?¡±


    ¡°The Drift Place welcomes all drifters and any spirits that have strayed here. Here, no one has a home to return to¨Cso at the very least it serves as a decent Shelter.¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡± Duncan asked.


    ¡°I do not have a name, guest. You may call me the butler,¡± the headless butler replied, ¡°Most servants and maids here are nameless, and those who have names eventually lose them¨Cpeople who have lost their homeland will, in the end, lose their names too, such is our fate, and I was one of the earliest to arrive here, having lost my name long ago.¡±


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    ¡°People who have lost their homeland¡­¡± Duncan suddenly stopped his steps, unconsciously repeating the phrase.


    ¡°Guest?¡± The headless butler also stopped, curiously ¡°looking¡± at Duncan.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a bit distracted,¡± Duncan quickly recovered and shook his head.


    But just as he was about to take a step again, a painting on a nearby wall suddenly caught his attention.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 490 - Chapter 490 Chapter 491 Deep in the Garden

    Chapter 490: Chapter 491: Deep in the Garden Chapter 490: Chapter 491: Deep in the Garden That was a large oil painting dominated by black and red hues, hanging on the wall closest to the spiral staircase.


    Like most of the paintings in this ¡°mansion,¡± it was blurry and chaotic, its surface covered with rough and eerie lines and color blocks, making the viewer feel dizzy and unable to discern any meaningful content, as if a lunatic had scribbled uncontrollably during a hallucination.


    However, when Duncan¡¯s gaze lingered on the canvas, staring at it for a long time, he suddenly realized that something in those dark and chaotic blotches seemed to be slowly changing¨Clines were emerging from the shadows, and amidst the jumbled colors, shapes gradually became distinguishable.


    It was like a mass of flames, with something resembling the hull of a ship entangled within, skimming across the heavy clouds in the sky and plummeting into the ocean. The sky was bifurcated by those flames, and the ocean churned and boiled under the impact of the fire. Behind that mass of flames, there loomed a dark red chaos, like the grim shadow of an impending doomsday bearing down relentlessly.


    The entire scene remained fuzzy, everything was highly abstract and disordered, but it was this vague scene that caused Duncan¡¯s gaze to shift momentarily.


    Subconsciously, he recalled the scene he had seen in his hallucination¨Cthe burning delta-shaped spacecraft falling from the sky and crashing into the ocean amidst explosions and disintegration.


    Duncan stopped and turned to carefully observe the scene on the oil painting.


    Soon, he discovered that the scene depicted in the painting was not exactly the same as what he had seen in his hallucination¨Cthe spacecraft he had seen in the hallucination was clearly styled, clearly showcasing its advanced technological level and imposing aura, whereas the ¡°object enveloped in flames¡± in the painting only had a vague hull, which even looked like some kind of wooden structure, and the flames around it seemed to be simply burning, not like the propulsion flame behind an interstellar spacecraft.


    This gave the impression as though a mad painter living in the medieval times had accidentally seen a futuristic spaceship in his Dreamscape but could not comprehend its existence, and thus, after waking up the next day, could only exhaust his limited knowledge and imagination, relying on the shallow impression left by the dream, to reproduce the ambiguous image on the canvas.


    The headless butler¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°Guest, are you interested in this painting?¡±


    ¡°¡­Where do all these paintings come from?¡±


    ¡°They have been here from the beginning, guest,¡± said the headless butler.


    ¡°The beginning?¡± Duncan asked with confusion, ¡°When is the beginning? Since this ¡®Alice¡¯s Mansion¡¯ came into being? From when ¡®Alice¡¯ became the mistress here?¡±


    ¡°From the beginning of time,¡± the headless butler patiently explained, ¡°before everything else.¡±


    What kind of answer was that?


    Duncan subconsciously frowned, feeling as though the headless butler¡¯s answer was as good as saying nothing. Yet, staring at that polite figure, he could not discern any emotion from the butler¡¯s posture¨Cthis person without a head had no expression, no gaze, only polite yet hollow courtesies.


    After pondering for a moment, Duncan asked two more questions, ¡°¡­Does this painting have a name? Do you know what it depicts?¡±


    ¡°It has no name, none of the paintings here do. They simply exist naturally, without need for names or interpretations. As for what the scene in the painting describes¡­ I¡¯m sorry, that exceeds my knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the butler of this place? Don¡¯t you know about this mansion?¡±


    ¡°I am but a servant, and this mansion has its countless secrets. It guards these secrets, and those are not areas for a servant to know.¡±


    A twitch appeared at the corner of Duncan¡¯s mouth.


    He felt an urge to set a little fire on this butler, but the next second, he forcibly controlled this dangerous thought.


    Because this was ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± and the butler was part of the mansion¨Cany actions here must be very careful, to avoid causing any harm to Alice.


    Duncan took a deep breath to calm himself, his gaze sweeping over the other paintings hanging in the corridor¨Call these countless paintings were smeared with incomprehensible colors.


    But none of the other paintings changed under his gaze.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go,¡± Duncan finally withdrew his attention, somewhat regretfully saying to the headless butler, ¡°Take me to the ¡®garden¡¯ you mentioned.¡±


    The headless butler bowed slightly, turned, and continued leading the way. He led Duncan across the second-floor landing, down the spiral staircase, then turned towards the depths of the ground floor hall¨Cthere was a short passageway that led to the mansion¡¯s back garden.


    However, Duncan stopped before the passageway and looked back curiously at the opposite direction in the hall¨Cat the end of the long red carpet stood an extremely tall and imposing dark wooden door, with slender windows on either side, and what seemed to be dense thorn bushes outside the windows.


    It looked like the ¡°main entrance¡± of the entire building.


    ¡°What¡¯s beyond that door?¡± Duncan suddenly asked.


    Upon hearing this question, the headless butler¡¯s body visibly shuddered, and the next second, for the first time, his always calm and composed tone took on a note of panic, ¡°You must not take an interest in what lies beyond that door, guest! That is a place of no return, where anyone who enters is lost forever!¡±


    ¡°A place of no return?¡± Duncan¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°Why do you say that? Is it Subspace outside?¡±


    ¡°Subspace? I don¡¯t understand what that means¡­ But please do not attempt to open that door!¡± the headless butler waved his hands frantically, ¡°That is the mansion¡¯s greatest taboo, under no circumstances may that door be opened by any of the members¡­¡±


    ¡°But I am not a member of this place,¡± seeing the other¡¯s reaction, Duncan boldly displayed a readiness to test his boundaries¨Cthis was the first time he had seen the headless butler so flustered, which made him feel as though he had found a breakthrough in gathering intelligence. ¡°And you had said from the start that, since I hold the key, I could open any door here.¡±


    ¡°Your key can indeed¡­¡± the headless butler said frantically, apparently wanting to demonstrate a more forceful attempt at preventing him, but perhaps due to some constraint, he could only wave his arms anxiously one meter away from Duncan, verbally trying his best to prevent him, ¡°Don¡¯t open that door, for the sake of all the passengers¡­¡±


    ¡°What exactly is beyond that door?¡± Duncan asked, looking at the headless butler with a particularly stern tone.


    ¡°Beyond that door¡­ beyond that door¡­¡± the headless butler hesitated, as if desperately searching for the right words, ¡°Guest, the world beyond that door has been obliterated, the end of all things is approaching¨CThe door is holding back the approaching apocalypse, don¡¯t open it, don¡¯t let the end of days in¡­¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brow, listening to the headless butler¡¯s tense and chaotic words, trying hard to piece them together with what he already knew about this world.


    The world beyond the door has been obliterated¡­ The end of all things is approaching¡­


    He furrowed his brow and pondered deeply, then after a long while, he finally let out a slight sigh.


    ¡°Relax, I had no intention of opening that door.¡±


    After temporarily suppressing the various thoughts in his mind, he nodded slightly to the headless butler.


    The other relaxed immediately¨Calthough there was no head to express ¡°facial expressions,¡± his whole body noticeably relaxed.


    ¡°You truly scared me there, guest,¡± said the butler, turning to continue leading the way, ¡°Please, don¡¯t joke about such matters again. We must prevent the apocalypse from crossing the threshold¨Cit has already destroyed everything in the world, this is the last barrier¡­¡±


    Duncan silently listened to the butler¡¯s nervous rambling, following wordlessly behind him. They passed through the short corridor and finally arrived in front of a narrow door¨CThe door, made of large panes of translucent glass reinforced with steel, was segmented into numerous geometric shapes by a black steel frame, each shape filled with doodles of various flowers and plants, creating an eerie atmosphere, a bizarre mix of fairytale and horror.


    ¡°The mistress is in the garden, please make yourself at home.¡±


    The headless butler stepped forward, turned the handle of the garden door, and turned to Duncan.


    ¡°You¡¯re not coming with me?¡± Duncan asked, somewhat surprised.


    ¡°The garden is only for the mistress and keyholding visitors to enter, the gardener only enters the garden when necessary,¡± said the headless butler, ¡°Please go in with confidence, if needed, just pull the thin rope near the entrance, and I¡¯ll be waiting at the door for you.¡±


    ¡°Understood, thank you for showing the way.¡±


    Duncan nodded at the eerie butler and, without waiting for a further reaction, gently pushed open the garden gate.


    A slight creak broke the silence between the mansion and the garden.


    Duncan stepped through the door¨Cthe incredible sunlight immediately filled his vision.


    Sunlight!


    In the depths of this gloomy, unsettling, shadow-ridden mansion, could there really be a garden bathed in sunlight?


    With a trace of astonishment, Duncan took a step forward, his eyes greeted by lush greenery. Neatly arranged nurseries, well-maintained shrubs, and paths embraced by green grass appeared inviting, and above this vibrant garden, warm light¡­


    Duncan looked up, his expression of surprise turning into a furrowed brow.


    He saw the overwhelmingly odd ¡°sky¡±¨Cagainst the pale backdrop, many childlike strokes floated in the sky, depicting a crude sun, blue skies, and white clouds, surrounded by many golden lines meant to represent the dispersing sunshine.


    The warm ¡°sunlight¡± illuminating the entire garden was emanating from that comically simple ¡°sun.¡±


    A sense of caution rose in Duncan¡¯s heart; the ¡°sky¡± above the ¡°garden¡± no longer felt warm to him but was filled with endless strangeness.


    He withdrew his gaze from the sky and, with great caution, began to scrutinize the situation in the garden.


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    A spot of different color at the end of the path caught his attention.


    He walked briskly in that direction, bypassing a bush and a low wall of flowers, and finally saw the source of the different color.


    At the junction of several paths, in the center of a clearing deep within the garden, a figure sat quietly, leaning against a marble column entwined with vines as if lost in slumber.


    And there were many black thorns spreading from among the vines, winding around her entire body.


    ¡°¡­Alice?¡±

 Chapter 491 - Chapter 491 Chapter 492 The Puppets Palette

    Chapter 491: Chapter 492: The Puppet¡¯s Palette Chapter 491: Chapter 492: The Puppet¡¯s Palette Seeing the quietly sleeping figure in the garden, Duncan instinctively called out the name he was familiar with.


    But he immediately stopped and remembered the scene he had encountered just recently in that opulent bedroom, when he had met the Frost Queen, Lei Nora¨Chad he mistaken someone else again?


    Duncan felt a hint of strangeness in his heart, then he carefully approached the sleeping figure and bent down to observe closely.


    He noticed the spherical joints at the positions of the figure¡¯s hands and feet, as well as the obviously bloodless, pure white ¡°skin¡± texture, like porcelain.


    It was indeed Alice.


    Duncan finally confirmed that the one sleeping here was indeed the gothic doll he was familiar with, he let out a sigh of relief, and immediately, his attention was drawn to the black thorns entwined around her¨Cspiky vines extended from the flower clusters, spreading over the ground next to the doll, resembling a magnificent and eerie dress skirt. The thorns were entwined around the doll¡¯s hands, feet, and torso, binding her in the midst of the flowers and vines as if they were shackles.


    Alice was sleeping in this ¡°bed¡± constructed of flowers and thorns, showing no reaction to Duncan¡¯s approach and call.


    Duncan carefully navigated around the spiky vines and interlaced thorns, reached out to gently touch the doll¡¯s cheek, and called her name again, ¡°Alice, can you hear me?¡±


    A slightly cool touch came from his fingertips, but Alice did not respond; she just kept sleeping quietly, just like¡­ a real, lifeless doll.


    Duncan slightly furrowed his brow, and then he noticed something else.


    In the sleeping ¡°Alice¡¯s¡± hands was something she was holding, which looked like a palette¨Cthorns wrapped around her arms, but it seemed the palette could be pulled out from the gaps.


    Duncan hesitated for a moment, reached out and grabbed the edge of the palette, and carefully applied force, slowly pulling it out.


    During this process, he kept an eye on any changes in Alice, observing whether the act of taking the palette would affect her¨Cthe doll remained sleeping.


    Duncan breathed a small sigh of relief and looked toward the palette he had pulled out.


    The ¡°painting¡± with bright colors and messy lines caught his eye¨Cit was just like the bizarre ¡°sky¡± above this garden, with child-like brush strokes depicting an abstract scene on the palette.


    There was a whirlpool, a vortex composed of various colors, occupying two-thirds of the entire image. There were many specks of light around the vortex, the ¡°painter¡± used many intersecting crosses to denote these shining stars, and in the center of the colorful vortex, one could see a rich crimson light¨Ceven with the crude doodles, Duncan felt he could still sense from that red patch a strong¡­ danger.


    Duncan furrowed his brow, that crimson light within the whirlpool seemed familiar for some reason.


    After pondering and recalling in his mind for a long time, he found the source of this familiarity¨Cit was on the second floor of ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± on the platform near the spiral staircase, on a wall there was an oil painting that depicted the scene of a burning giant ship descending from the sky, with that kind of unsettling dark crimson glow filling the sky behind the giant ship.


    Duncan¡¯s expression grew increasingly solemn.


    This was the second time it had appeared¡­ in this eerie ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± the dark crimson glow with heavy ominous symbolism appeared again¡­ What did this dark crimson glow represent exactly?


    Was it the symbol of some disaster that kept chasing and drawing closer? Or a true depiction of some phenomenon at the advent of doomsday? The headless manservant had warned repeatedly not to open the mansion¡¯s main door¡­ What was outside the door? The true source of this ¡°dark crimson glow¡±?


    Dangerous thoughts fleetingly rose in his mind but were quickly suppressed by Duncan.


    He was indeed very curious about what was outside the door of Alice¡¯s Mansion, but curiosity did not equate to recklessness. Before he had more clues and confirmed Alice¡¯s safety, he would try to avoid disturbing the ¡°order¡± within this ¡°mansion.¡±


    His thoughts gradually calmed, Duncan exhaled, looked up at the sky above the garden drawn in doodle style, then down at the palette in his hand also in that same style.


    The doll was still quietly sleeping beside him amidst the flowers, as if embracing all the secrets, silent with all the answers.


    Who had ¡°created¡± the sky here and the doodles on the palette? Was it this sleeping doll? Was it Alice?


    Duncan recalled the information he had obtained from Lei Nora and suddenly felt that Alice might not be like what the Frost Queen thought¨Ca mistaken replication or combination of ¡°Lei Nora¡± and ¡°guillotine¡±; or rather¡­ the doll miss¡¯s shell indeed might have come about that way, but her insides clearly held secrets far greater than that mere shell.


    This grand and eerie ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± as well as the doll sleeping quietly in this garden, was her ¡°inside,¡± and these secrets were obviously far beyond what Lei Nora knew.


    It was a simple reasoning: if a replicated file carries more information than the original, there¡¯s only one possibility¨Csomeone had written something else into it during the ¡°replication¡± process.


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts flowed, after pondering quietly for quite some time, he sighed and prepared to stuff the palette back into the doll¡¯s hands¨C


    Returning things to their place, to prevent changes, was necessary caution.


    But just as he had turned the palette around and was about to stuff it back, some uneven traces on the back of the palette suddenly caught his attention.


    Duncan¡¯s eyes narrowed in an instant, he quickly picked up the palette again to his eyesight, scrutinizing the back part he had initially overlooked.


    The uneven traces were a line of deeply engraved characters on the back frame of the canvas¨C


    ¡°¡­The messenger brought news from afar, the chosen clan picked up the lost ancient stars and forged them into a crown of blessing¨Cthe third long night had ended.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze lingered on the quaint and meaningful text for a long time, his expression unchanged.


    After who knows how long, he finally let out a gentle sigh, bent down, and carefully avoided the thorns and vines as he slowly placed the canvas back in the hands of the doll.


    In his mind, however, the sentence on the back of the canvas seemed to revolve and replay over and over again.


    The chosen clan¡­ Ancient stars¡­ The end of the third long night¡­


    Duncan stood up, his expression thoughtful, as bits of known information gradually reassembled and interconnected in his thoughts.


    The third long night was the most crucial piece of information, as the Book of Desecration read by the followers of the Dilapidated Doctrine suggested that the sunken era began after it was safely survived, and the world had since persisted to the present day.


    And the only ¡°chosen clan¡± that could correspond to the ¡°third long night¡± were the founders of the Ancient Crete Kingdom, the mysterious ¡°ancient sages.¡±


    Picking up the lost ancient stars¡­


    Could the words describe the historical event when the Ancient Crete Kingdom created Anomaly 001¨Cthe Sun?


    Regrettably¡­ there was too little information, just an unclear ¡°message¡± that, apart from producing some seemingly plausible associations, served no practical purpose.


    Duncan shook his head, temporarily setting aside this regret, and then proceeded to carefully inspect the vibrant yet eerily atmospheric garden.


    He did not discover anything more of interest¨Cin this large garden, other than a sleeping doll, there were only lush plants and well-kept pathways.


    In the end, he returned to the ¡°sleeping doll.¡±


    After circling the dormant ¡°Alice¡± once, he suddenly stopped behind her.


    A keyhole.


    But not on the back covered by clothing, it was exposed on the neck¨Cat the back of the sleeping doll¡¯s neck, the familiar keyhole drew Duncan¡¯s gaze.


    He instinctively drew closer to observe the small keyhole.


    As expected, the garden doll also featured a keyhole¡­but why was it located in a different spot than Alice¡¯s? Did such a distinction in location carry any symbolic meaning?


    Having encountered too many bizarre and abnormal things in this world, Duncan¡¯s thoughts naturally gravitated toward symbolic meanings and such, though he quickly suppressed these inevitably answerless thoughts and hesitantly retrieved the brass key he carried.


    After entering Alice¡¯s Mansion, this key inexplicably appeared in his hand¡­Could it be intended for use here?


    With this idea crossing his mind, he made up his mind, slowly brought the key close to the keyhole at the back of the sleeping doll¡¯s neck, and carefully inserted it.


    With a soft click, the key successfully engaged something, and then, just like before, it began to turn on its own.


    The familiar sensation rushed in from all directions instantly, light and shadow interchanged, senses reshaped, and after the sensation of weightlessness came the grounding touch of solid ground¨Cnearly in the blink of an eye, Duncan found himself back in his well-known captain¡¯s quarters aboard the Homeloss.


    The smooth, pristine back appeared before his eyes, as Alice obediently sat on the stool, waiting for the captain to wind her up.


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    Duncan was somewhat stupefied, staring at the scene in front of him for several seconds before regaining his bearings, the strange thought then instantly popping into his head¨C


    ¡°Such a fine back, a shame not to apply a few fire cups¡­¡±


    Alice heard a soft mutter from behind and cautiously twisted her head while holding onto her clothes, ¡°Huh? Captain, what did you say?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing,¡± Duncan immediately regained his composure, coughed twice to cover up the abrupt embarrassment, and then removed the key from the keyhole, ¡°Finished, do you feel any discomfort?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Alice looked puzzled, then surprising turned her head while fumbling for the zipper on her back, ¡°Didn¡¯t it just start?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Duncan¡¯s movement to put away the key paused slightly.


    He had spent so long in Alice¡¯s Mansion¡­ and only an instant had passed in the real world?

 Chapter 492 - Chapter 492 Chapter 493 The Stolen Room

    Chapter 492: Chapter 493: The Stolen Room Chapter 492: Chapter 493: The Stolen Room With countless questions and conjectures in his heart, Duncan carefully secured the brass key close to his person, and Alice waited obediently by his side, her eyes shifting eagerly, like a child anticipating a secret.


    ¡°Do you feel any different now?¡± Duncan asked, gazing into Alice¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Any different?¡± Alice tilted her head, touching her back with her hand, and after a moment shook her head, ¡°Just now, I felt a tickle where the keyhole is, but it¡¯s gone now.¡±


    Duncan frowned upon hearing this: ¡°¡­That¡¯s it? Just that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Alice replied earnestly, then with a curious look, she added, ¡°Should there be something else? You look so serious¡­ Have you figured out the thing with the key?¡±


    With his eyebrows deeply knitted, Duncan sat down on the bed opposite the doll after a moment¡¯s hesitation, and, with utmost seriousness, began to speak, ¡°You may have felt like only a moment passed, but I spent a long time in a peculiar place¨Can ancient and vast mansion, its name¡­ ¡®Alice¡¯s Mansion¡¯.¡±


    The Gothic doll¡¯s eyes widened incrementally, listening to the captain¡¯s narrative with a mix of astonishment and confusion.


    Duncan didn¡¯t hide his experiences in Alice¡¯s Mansion; he told the doll miss everything he saw and heard there, then mentioned what he witnessed in the Endless Sea, including the meeting with the Frost Queen, Lei Nora.


    Of course, he knew that Alice might only understand a part, and even that part only vaguely, and that her memory of the conversation would be limited, but he still chose to tell it all.


    Because it was something she deserved to know¨Cnot to conceal things from her on the premise that ¡°she wouldn¡¯t understand anyway.¡± That would be the bare minimum of respect.


    Alice looked bewildered as she listened, and it was several seconds after Duncan finished speaking that the Gothic doll came back to her senses: ¡°¡­Wow.¡±


    Then she scratched at her hair, her face a mixture of confusion and a touch of apology: ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t quite understand, my head feels all fuzzy¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Captain, you¡¯ve gone to such great lengths to help me understand these things, but I seem a bit slow¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not slow, it¡¯s just that these things are too complicated,¡± knowing she would react this way, Duncan smiled and shook his head, ¡°Even I feel these matters are filled with enigmas¨Cthe clues are too numerous and too scattered, and we are clearly still far from lifting the ultimate fog.¡±


    Alice nodded haltingly, as if she understood, then after some serious thought, she asked curiously, ¡°Were there many people in that ¡®mansion¡¯? And they were all headless?¡±


    ¡°I only met one who claimed to be the butler, but according to what the butler said, indeed many people were in the mansion, just that they were all hiding,¡± Duncan narrated, recalling his memory, ¡°Additionally, from what I observed, those were probably headless servants.¡±


    Alice furrowed her brow, muttering as she tried to think, ¡°Could it have something to do with my ¡®beheading¡¯ ability¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, some of the servants might be spirits of those whom your beheading ability once took,¡± as someone who knew of the ¡°Alice Guillotine,¡± Duncan naturally considered this possibility, but then he changed the subject, ¡°However, based on some information revealed by the butler, the mansion also gathered a large number of ¡®drifting¡¯ spirits. They seem like refugees, sheltering in the mansion, those servants don¡¯t quite seem¡­ beheaded¡­¡±


    He paused, then after a moment of thought, continued, ¡°Perhaps, it¡¯s the ability of your guillotine that makes the spirits gathered in the mansion appear headless, regardless of their actual ¡®origins¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alice seemed to grasp the concept, then quickly, as if something struck her, she asked, ¡°And what about that ¡®Frost Queen¡¯? Just disappeared like that?¡±


    ¡°The room has indeed vanished,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°It seems just as she said, after the ¡®connection point,¡¯ the tentacle of the ancient god was destroyed, the ¡®drifting place¡¯ would lose its anchor, like a ship freed from its moorings¡­¡±


    Suddenly, he stopped, his expression deep in thought.


    ¡°Captain?¡± Alice asked, puzzled by Duncan¡¯s sudden silence, ¡°Why did you stop talking?¡±


    She asked twice before Duncan raised his head from his contemplation, his tone laden with gravity, ¡°I¡¯m contemplating whether the ¡®drifting place¡¯ Lei Nora spoke of refers to her room or the entire Alice¡¯s Mansion.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Alice was momentarily lost, ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    ¡°If the ¡®drifting place¡¯ refers to the entire Alice¡¯s Mansion, then when the ¡®connection point¡¯ was destroyed by me, what should have disappeared would be the entire mansion, not just a single room on the second floor; if it refers only to the room where she rested, what is the relationship between that room and the entire mansion? Or to say¡­ does the ¡®connection¡¯ between her room and the entire mansion not count as a ¡®connection point¡¯?¡±


    Duncan paused again, then lifted his hand and pointed at Alice.


    ¡°More importantly, I entered the ¡®Alice¡¯s Mansion¡¯ after I turned the key in you, obviously, the connection between that mansion and you is the strongest, you might even have some kind of ¡®symbiotic¡¯ relationship. If the ¡®drifting place¡¯ needs a connection point to exist stably¡­ then you are clearly the most stable connection point.¡±


    Alice blinked attentively, listening, trying to understand¨Cbut she did not.


    Her strong suit had always been sincerity, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The room where the Frost Queen slept was ¡®torn¡¯ from the main body of the mansion, with clear signs of damage along the edges. At first, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to this, but just now, I suddenly realized¡­ Lei Nora might have hidden something from me.


    ¡°The so-called ¡®Drifting Ground¡¯ theoretically refers to the entire Alice¡¯s Mansion, and that residence, closely connected to you, doesn¡¯t seem to ¡®drift¡¯ as far as I can tell. So, it¡¯s very likely that Lei Nora took the opportunity when I was destroying the ancient god¡¯s tentacles, when some kind of ¡®link¡¯ was weakened, and forcibly ¡®separated¡¯ her room from the main body of the mansion.¡±


    Alice continued to try to understand.


    But this time, she finally grasped most of it.


    ¡°Do you mean the Frost Queen took the chance when you set the fire to ¡®run off¡¯ with her room? Like someone escapes with the lifeboats in the fog?¡±


    Duncan was startled by the words, looking at the doll with a hint of surprise, ¡°Your analogy is subtly reasonable¡­ How did you think of that?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Goat-Head has told me many stories like that; like mutinous sailors stealing lifeboats in the fog, or making off with barrels of wine, cheese, or salted fish, and then the wise and martial captain would cross the entire Endless Sea to retrieve the stolen salted fish¡­ Are you going to catch that room-stealing Frost Queen?¡±


    Duncan was baffled again, giving a strange twist of his mouth after Alice finished speaking, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss why mutinous sailors would steal salted fish, or why I should cross the entire Endless Sea to retrieve a salted fish¨Cwhere would I even find that Frost Queen? Besides, it should be you who catches her, not me. The room she stole belongs to you¨Cyou are the mistress of Alice¡¯s Mansion.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Alice thought for a moment, simply accepting the logic, then shook her head, ¡°Then I won¡¯t catch her. After all, that room was originally hers. But¡­ why did she do that? Didn¡¯t you just say, once the Drifting Ground is unbound, it will fly all over the place and might even fall into the Subspace, like being exiled¨C isn¡¯t that a terrifying thing?¡±


    Duncan sank into thought, slowly beginning to speak as he pondered, ¡°Yeah, why indeed¡­¡±


    He remembered Lei Nora, who he had seen, the Frost Queen who seemed to have been born with shackles on, crowned in chains and dethroned in them, and even plunged into the deep sea, remained imprisoned in a nightmare.


    She had said she had always slept in a cage, even after the bars had been removed.


    Now, she had broken out¨Ctaking her prison with her.


    ¡°Perhaps for ¡®freedom¡¯,¡± Duncan said softly.


    But was it just for ¡°freedom¡±?


    ¡­


    The pointer on the control console was trembling rapidly, and the swaying as it approached the surface became more and more noticeable. Through the thick glass porthole, one could vaguely see some light scattering from above into the dark and endless sea water outside.


    Sunlight was appearing in the water¨Cthat meant the submarine was fast approaching the surface.


    However, the filling brightness could not completely dispel the oppressive impression left by the deep sea¨Cas if, in the boundless darkness below the submarine, something was still rising and dispersing. Invisible tentacles were reaching up, arms were opening, clinging to the accidental visitors who had ventured into the deep sea.


    The stories Duncan had been recounting to himself during the ascent still swirled in his mind¨Chorrific, bizarre, astonishing, a challenge to one¡¯s very beliefs.


    Whether it was the soul of the Frost Queen, who had coexisted with the ancient god in the deep sea for fifty years, or the terrifying potential hidden within all things on earth, either was enough to send a shiver down the spine of a person with steadfast will and devout faith, even under the sun.


    All things in the world are the progeny of ancient gods, with the flesh and blood of gods residing within all living beings, gradually awakening.


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    Not even in the most sacrilegious and heretical of tomes would anyone dare record such discourse¨Cthose maddest adherents of obliteration only skimmed the surface of theories like ¡°The Saint¡¯s Creation.¡±


    The sunlight from above the water¡¯s surface grew brighter.


    A dead body, however, could feel no warmth.


    Agatha clasped her hands over her chest, silently calling out Bartok¡¯s name, wishing to pray to her deity.


    Yet, no matter what, she couldn¡¯t calm her mind.

 Chapter 493 - Chapter 493 Chapter 494 Followers Gathering

    Chapter 493: Chapter 494: Followers¡¯ Gathering Chapter 493: Chapter 494: Followers¡¯ Gathering Accompanied by a wave and rippling water, the submersible surged out of the sea.


    The afternoon sun was shining brightly on the ocean, its rays giving the submersible¡¯s thick hull an icy glow. Then, the disposable smoke device on the top of the hull activated, flashing with firelight, followed by a faint explosion, and an orange smoke pillar rose straight into the blue sky.


    After a period of posture and power adjustment, the submersible stabilized in its floating state. With creaking sounds, the locking mechanism on the side of the hull opened, and Duncan turned the handle from inside to open the hatch of the submersible.


    Fresh air rushed in¨Ceven for two ¡°corpses¡± that did not need to breathe, the fresh, cool breeze above the sea seemed quite comforting and pleasant.


    The illusion of being constantly chased, entangled, and delayed by indescribable beings in the deep sea finally gradually receded from their minds. Agatha clutched the handrail and climbed out of the hatch with Duncan, pulling herself up onto the outer shell atop the submersible, gazing over the vast expanse of sea at a distance.


    Duncan turned his head slightly and looked at the gatekeeper beside him, ¡°How does it feel to be back in the sunlight?¡±


    ¡°Like returning once again from the gates of the realm of death,¡± Agatha said softly, ¡°I never thought sunlight and air could bring such a nearly reborn shock¨Cafter I¡¯ve become unable to feel the warmth of the sun or enjoy effortless breathing.¡±


    ¡°What about ¡®her¡¯?¡± Duncan asked again, ¡°Throughout the submarine journey, the other Agatha never appeared, but she must have been watching, right?¡±


    ¡°We share similar feelings, but she said she has some matters to ponder over for a while and is currently silent¨CWould you like to speak with her? I can call her forth¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to bother her. Let her think. The deep dive will be a reshaping and baptism of worldview for everyone involved. There¡¯s a lot we need to consider,¡± Duncan waved his hand gently and then looked up towards the distant horizon, ¡°Oh, the ¡®recovery ship¡¯ sent by Tyrion has spotted us. Looks like we won¡¯t need to make our own way to the City-State.¡±


    A silhouette of a steam-powered cutter appeared on the surface of the water, heading rapidly towards the direction where the smoke signal rose from the submersible¡­


    The submersible returned successfully, and her father, along with the ¡°gatekeeper¡± lady, were unharmed and on their way back¨CWhen this ¡°swift message¡± arrived via the pneumatic tube on her desk, Tyrion, who had been waiting anxiously in the South Harbor for news, involuntarily let out a sigh of relief.


    But immediately afterward, a strange feeling emerged from the bottom of his heart.


    He rose from behind his office desk and slowly strolled to the window, somewhat distractedly staring at the gradually setting sun outside, when during the silence, the voice of Lucrece suddenly came from the Crystal Ball not far away, ¡°Is there news from father?¡±


    Tyrion turned to glance at the glowing Crystal Ball on the desk, his tone slightly odd, ¡°You could tell¡­ Was it that obvious?¡±


    Lucrece, in the Crystal Ball with a piece of bread in her mouth, was writing calculations rapidly on a floating draft paper beside her while fiddling with the experimental apparatus on the desk. She glanced up briefly at her brother while muttering vaguely, ¡°Three parts nervousness, three parts hesitation, three parts comfort, and one part fear and confusion¨Cthat must mean father is back.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do all scholars talk to people like this? I sound like a pie chart to you¡­¡± Tyrion frowned, then couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit emotional. Not so long ago, I couldn¡¯t imagine feeling comforted by father¡¯s safe return¨CMy mood wasn¡¯t like this the first time I learned of his ¡®return¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you almost got a leg cramp back then, after commanding Sea Mist to battle with dad, you didn¡¯t sleep for three days, woke me up in the middle of the night to describe your nightmares, insisting I tremble with you¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t fabricate such non-existent details!¡± Tyrion quickly interrupted his sister on the other side of the Crystal Ball, ¡°And that¡¯s not what I wanted to contemplate with you!¡±


    Lucrece quieted down. She finally set aside her seemingly endless research work and the unfinished bread, looked up earnestly at Tyrion¡¯s eyes.


    When her gaze almost gave Tyrion goosebumps, she finally broke the silence, ¡°As kids, father would often leave home for a very long time. Whenever there was the sound of a bell from the direction of the docks, we¡¯d climb onto the roof of our house to see if it was the flag of Homeloss. You always told me to behave more ladylike and composed, then you¡¯d seize the chance to take the highest spot.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s been many years,¡± Tyrion fell silent for a few seconds, murmuring softly as if talking to himself, ¡°I still remember that the roof was blue. When the sea breeze blew, the weathervane at the corner of the house would whistle. You tied a pinwheel next to it and said you wanted to show it off to father¨Cthat¡¯s how we got caught sneaking onto the roof.¡±


    ¡°Now we¡¯ve reached a place even higher than that roof from before. We¡¯ve seen the vistas that father once saw,¡± Lucrece spoke with a gentle tone, ¡°Yet we still haven¡¯t caught up with father¡¯s steps¨Che went to the deep sea, reaching depths even the Dive Project of yesteryears never achieved¡­ What do you think he found on this adventure?¡±


    Tyrion didn¡¯t speak for a moment, and then suddenly, a crackling noise erupted from behind him, followed by Duncan¡¯s voice coming from the mirror, ¡°I discovered an astonishing secret¨CI was just about to tell you all.¡±


    Tyrion nearly jumped out of his skin, all his muscles tensing up, and on the other side of the Crystal Ball, the ¡°Sea Witch¡± reacted even more dramatically¨Che only heard Lucrece let out a cry of alarm, followed by a clattering noise. Soon after, smoke and flashes rose in the Crystal Ball, and the video feed cut off.


    Tyrion, with his body tense, turned and saw a ghostly green flame burning in the mirror behind him. In the dark mirror, Duncan leaned forward and looked behind him, ¡°¡­Is your sister alright? Did I startle her?¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Can you not appear in such a scary way every time¡­¡± Terence muttered subconsciously, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he felt they were inappropriate and quickly checked Duncan¡¯s reaction¨Chis father¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t changed at all.


    ¡°I¡¯ve considered friendlier ways of appearing, like knocking on the door in advance or sending a note, but Fenna told me it¡¯s not the way I appear that¡¯s frightening, but my very presence,¡± Duncan looked at Terence indifferently, ¡°I think she¡¯s right, so I¡¯ve decided not to change it¨Cit¡¯s at least a bit amusing to see others startle and react.¡±


    Terence¡¯s eyes twitched, astonished at his father¡¯s candor about enjoying the spectacle, but he quickly composed himself, regaining his expression and curiously looking at his father in the mirror, ¡°Have you returned to the City-State already? I¡¯ll come to you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent my avatar back, but there¡¯s no need for you to go there,¡± Duncan interrupted Terence, ¡°Pack your things and head directly to the Homeloss.¡±


    Terence paused in surprise: ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made a significant discovery in the deep sea,¡± Duncan¡¯s expression was particularly serious, ¡°The information is not suitable for public disclosure, and it may pertain to ancient gods, so we need to gather everyone on the Homeloss to discuss. I¡¯ve already sent Agatha there, and my followers are also assembling. As the owner of the Sea Mist and the new Governor of Frost, your presence is mandatory.¡±


    Terence immediately grasped the urgency and gravity of the situation from his father¡¯s demeanor and tone, and promptly tightened up his own slack, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave a note for Aiden explaining the situation.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Duncan nodded, then his gaze swept across the room, landing on the complex structure of the Crystal Ball lens device.


    ¡°Bring your Crystal Ball when you come to the ship,¡± he instructed Terence, ¡°Lucy should also listen to what¡¯s happening¨Cthe secrets of the deep sea will interest her.¡±


    Terence, who was writing the note, immediately looked up, first in surprise at Duncan, then quickly nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely bring the Crystal Ball¨Cwhere is the Homeloss now? I¡¯ll prepare a speedboat¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Duncan in the mirror gestured with his hand, ¡°No need, Ai Yi will take you.¡±


    A ¡°thud thud thud¡± knocking sound came from outside the window.


    Terence turned to look in the direction of the sound and saw the plump white pigeon that always followed his father.


    The pigeon was pecking at the window glass of the harbor office with its beak, its head tilted at the moment, ¡°Getting on? There¡¯s a big seat! Driven by an old hand, nice and steady!¡±


    Terence: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡­


    The dining room on the Homeloss served as the gathering place for the crew.


    The wide, long dining table had been polished until it shone, and gleaming oil lamps hung from the pillars near it, while the captain¡¯s followers were gathered on both sides of the table¨CFenna and Morris sat upright with solemnity, Sherry and Alice daydreamed, Nina and Ah Gou were each engrossed in their books, and beyond them, two new figures appeared today.


    A blind Nun dressed Agatha, sitting quietly beside the long table in silent prayer, and Lawrence, draped in a white coat and clutching a pipe, looking uneasy and jittery.


    The latter was nervously surveying the scene inside the cabin.


    Lawrence¡¯s ship was currently moored nearby on the sea, with the first mate managing affairs aboard while he, the captain, had been summoned to the ¡°flagship¡± on orders. No one had told him exactly what the matter was, which left the old captain feeling extremely anxious.


    It was his first time setting foot on the Homeloss, stepping aboard this legendary Ghost Ship that had returned from Subspace, where Duncan Ebnomal¡¯s followers congregated in this ancient and solemn cabin, waiting for orders from Captain Duncan under the light of the lamps.


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    He already knew the identities and backgrounds of these people¨C


    A moving puppet, a shattered sun, a sentient demon, an oath-broken Judge, a legendary scholar on the edge of madness¡­


    Now, he was among them.


    Even in his most frenzied Dreamscape and hallucinations, Lawrence never imagined he¡¯d find himself in a scene like this.


    An adventure ship captain who was ready to retire¡­ How did he end up here?


    ¡°`

 Chapter 494 - Chapter 494 Chapter 495 The Wicked and Humorous Atmosphere of

    Chapter 494: Chapter 495: The Wicked and Humorous Atmosphere of Homeloss Chapter 494: Chapter 495: The Wicked and Humorous Atmosphere of Homeloss At one side of the long table, Lawrence carefully observed the actions of everyone present, while cautiously controlling every expression, every muscle of his own, pondering how he could naturally blend into this special gathering without seeming like¡­ an outsider.


    Many stories about legendary investigators and legendary adventurers flooded into his mind, then receded like seawater across the sand, leaving behind nothing but a mess of thoughts that served no reference purpose.


    After daydreaming for a good while, he mustered a bit of courage and quietly asked Agatha, who was sitting closest to him, ¡°About what time will Captain Duncan arrive?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, he said he¡¯d wait until everyone is here,¡± Agatha whispered back, ¡°just be patient.¡±


    ¡°Are there any rules I should know about?¡± Lawrence asked quietly again, ¡°It¡¯s my first time attending such a gathering¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time too,¡± Agatha crossed her hands in front of her chest, appearing as if she were silently praying, but like Lawrence, she was carefully observing the cabin¡¯s atmosphere¨Cthough she recognized the faces near the long table, this ship was indeed a new setting for her, ¡°but I think you shouldn¡¯t be nervous, we¡¯ve interacted in the City-State before, everyone¡¯s quite friendly.¡±


    Lawrence gave an acknowledging hum but couldn¡¯t sit still, his gaze inevitably straying to Fenna¨Cthis Plande Inquisitor was somewhat an ¡°acquaintance¡± of his: ¡°Inquisitor, this is my first time attending a gathering, if I happen to make any faux pas, please be a help¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Fenna hadn¡¯t had a chance to respond when Sherry from across the table suddenly blurted out, ¡°What? You want her to look out for faux pas? Old man, let me tell you, she makes a bigger scene when she¡¯s impolite, once she even jumped and¡­¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Fenna quickly coughed loudly, interrupting Sherry¡¯s ramblings and just as Lawrence was taken aback by this, Nina put her book down and muttered while looking around, ¡°I¡¯m hungry, when are we eating?¡±


    Sherry shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s still long until mealtime.¡±


    Nina blinked, ¡°Ah? Then why did we come to the dining room?¡±


    ¡°The captain said there¡¯s an important matter to discuss, didn¡¯t you hear?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear¡­ I was too busy reading. Uncle Duncan said to gather at the dining room, so I just brought my book along,¡± Nina¡¯s head swayed back and forth, ¡°Who has something to eat?¡±


    ¡°I have cookies! And dried salted fish!¡± Alice immediately stood up, happily saying as she pulled snacks from her skirt¡¯s pocket, ¡°Who else wants some?¡±


    Nina and Sherry rushed excitedly to her, while Agatha got dragged to the side by her leash, suddenly scuffling with her paw at the draft paper and complaining, ¡°Hey, Sherry, could you say something when you get up? I¡¯ve drawn my map all crooked¡­¡±


    Lawrence was dumbfounded, watching the atmosphere in the dark, solemn gathering space suddenly stirred up; hesitantly, he turned to look at Maurice, the only one still sitting upright at the scene. The latter then took the pipe from his mouth, nodding at him friendly, ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it, it¡¯s like this every day on the ship¨Cif you¡¯re hungry just tell Alice, she¡¯s in charge of everyone¡¯s food.¡±


    Lawrence felt his brain creak around for a while, responding with difficulty, ¡°Uh, I¡­ am not hungry.¡±


    Just as he spoke, he suddenly noticed a faint green light flash near the dining room door, instantly tensing up, but just as he was about to warn everyone, the door opened, and the person who walked in was not the master of the Homeloss.


    Tirian, swaying slightly as he entered the door with a suitcase in hand, looked slightly bewildered at the scene inside the dining room.


    Sherry climbed onto the table, Agatha was hung in mid-air, Nina clung to Alice, and Alice¨Cwith the face of the Frost Queen on this living doll¨Cwas raising both hands high, one hand filled with cookies, the other with fish.


    The Frost¡¯s Guardian and the Plande Inquisitor sat across the table, expressionless, covering their foreheads with their hands.


    Tirian¡¯s entrance drew everyone¡¯s attention, even Sherry, who was stuffing her mouth with fish, stopped, as several gazes from the long table simultaneously fixed on the Frost¡¯s newly appointed Governor¨Cthe collective glare making even the seasoned ¡°Iron Admiral¡± involuntarily step back half a step.


    Despite Tirian was not unaccustomed to the current atmosphere of the Homeloss, he quickly recovered, adjusted his expression, and while walking towards the long table, greeted everyone present with polished civility¨Chis demeanor impeccable, showing no sign he had spent the last half-century as a notorious pirate in the Chill Sea.


    ¡°Sorry for the delay, tidying up took a bit of time, made you all wait,¡± as Tirian spoke, he came to a vacant spot at the long table, placing his considerably heavy suitcase on it, then looking around, ¡°Hasn¡¯t father arrived yet?¡±


    Almost the moment Tirian¡¯s words fell, Duncan¡¯s voice abruptly surfaced in front of the long table, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    The next second, a tuft of ghostly green flame ignited out of nowhere at the end of the long table, erupting and shooting towards it, with Duncan¡¯s figure subsequently condensing from the flames, appearing and sitting in his designated chair at the head of the table.


    The next second, accompanied by a few faint ¡°whooshing¡± sounds, all the lanterns in the cabin took on a layer of greenish glow.


    A low, unsettling creaking noise arose from the depths of the cabin.


    Maurice¡¯s face slightly changed¨Che felt it, the ¡°atmosphere¡± of the ship itself was changing!


    The captain was adjusting the Homeloss into some kind of¡­defensive posture!


    Then he heard the captain¡¯s voice rise amidst the flames, ¡°What I¡¯m about to say today is extremely special and dangerous, so the highest level of protection is required. From now on, the Homeloss will submerge into the Spirit Realm. During the meeting, members with steadfast beliefs, please listen carefully to your mental state. If you hear or see any ¡®revelations¡¯ regarding the divine during some secrets, report to me immediately.¡±


    Fenna, Maurice, and Agatha instinctively looked at each other but merely hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze then fell on Tyrion, ¡°Did you bring the Crystal Ball?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Tyrion immediately replied, then raised his hand to open the heavy case he had brought. The Crystal Ball, containing Transcendent powers, and a complex lens device appeared before everyone. Then he began to operate the complex structures on the lens base, setting all the lenses in the correct positions.


    The next moment, the Crystal Ball began to brighten bit by bit.


    After a brief wait, a hazy figure appeared in the soft light, then quickly became clear.


    The figure of Lucrecia appeared in the Crystal Ball¨Cfor a moment, and then the image blurred and suddenly disappeared.


    Nina, who was curiously observing from the side, was immediately confused and turned to Tyrion, ¡°Is it broken?¡±


    Tyrion touched his chin awkwardly, ¡°¡­She fell off the chair.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, a rustling and the sound of objects being pushed aside came from inside the Crystal Ball, and Lucrecia appeared again at the center of the image. The ¡°Sea Witch¡± looked at the scene on this side of the Crystal Ball with a frightened and tense expression, then glared at Tyrion the next second, ¡°Bro! What are you up to?!¡±


    ¡°It was I who had him bring the Crystal Ball onto the Homeloss, Lucy,¡± before Tyrion could speak, Duncan¡¯s voice came from nearby, ¡°But I did not expect him to not inform you beforehand¨Cdon¡¯t worry, simply speaking a few words with your own father will not curse you.¡±


    Lucrecia in the Crystal Ball looked bizarrely uneasy, obviously unprepared for this sudden meeting and conversation, therefore it made her somewhat restless. However, soon she noticed the unusually serious atmosphere here, and the slight unease in her heart was immediately suppressed, replaced by her efforts to regain her composure, ¡°Father, long time no see. Sorry, it wasn¡¯t intentional¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not been that long¨Cdon¡¯t mind, I understand your reaction,¡± Duncan smiled slightly before raising his head, gesturing to the other figures around the long table, ¡°Let me introduce briefly. Lucy, what you see here are the new crew members of the Homeloss, and the new captain of the Exiled fleet¡­¡±


    He introduced the people around the long table, those whose names were called standing up to acknowledge, and finally he pointed to the figure in the Crystal Ball, ¡°This is my daughter, Lucrecia¨Cyou many of you should already know her, so no need for a lengthy introduction, right?¡±


    ¡°The renowned ¡®Frontier Adventurer¡¯, and ¡®Sea Witch¡¯ with significant contributions in the field of mysticism,¡± Maurice immediately nodded, ¡°A pleasure to meet you, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Lucrecia nodded reservedly, ¡°I¡¯ve also heard your name¨Ceven in Light Breeze Harbor and Moco, the senior professors of the Academy of Truth always refer to many of your accomplishments and views during discussions.¡±


    After regaining her composure, the ¡°Sea Witch¡± appeared dignified and steady, sitting in the Crystal Ball, her every gesture exuding confidence and elegance.


    It didn¡¯t seem like she had just fallen off a chair.


    ¡°Alright, introductions and pleasantries aside,¡± Duncan timely interjected into the conversation, ¡°Let¡¯s get to the matter at hand.¡±


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    His gaze swept over everyone present.


    Everyone was here.


    Even the goat-headed man, unable to leave the captain¡¯s quarters, was listening to the proceedings with his permission.


    Duncan sighed softly, breaking the silence:


    ¡°In short, Agatha and I successfully conducted a deep dive below the Frost, with the depth exceeding that of the Diving Abyss plan from half a century ago. During this deep dive, we witnessed many horrifying scenes and learned truths capable of overturning many people¡¯s understandings.


    ¡°First, we confirmed the structure beneath the City-State¨Cthe existence of some enormous biological organism¡­¡±

 Chapter 495 - Chapter 495 Chapter 496 Duncans Bold Idea

    Chapter 495: Chapter 496: Duncan¡¯s Bold Idea Chapter 495: Chapter 496: Duncan¡¯s Bold Idea The green fire flickered, illuminating the ship¡¯s cabin, and the distant sound of the waves gradually seemed to come from a misty and dim dreamscape. Those secrets from the Endless Deep Sea, from the dark and icy realm, started to creep into everyone¡¯s minds like a spine-chilling shadow.


    All of humanity¡¯s only sanctuaries on the Endless Sea were built atop the indescribable carcasses of massive beasts¨Cwithered tentacles hung from the base of the City-States, and pale, horrifying eyes stared out into the abyss of the sea.


    The denizens of this world are all the Saint¡¯s offspring, the flesh and blood of ancient gods constructed all of creation. What happened in Frost was not an invasion but an ¡°awakening¡± of the ancient gods from their own creations;


    The Four Deities may not represent a stable order and could potentially fall into disarray. A similar ¡°loss of control¡± might have occurred more than once in this world. If there are Four Deities protecting us now, it might be simply because they are the last of the lucid deities remaining;


    The catastrophe in Frost will not be the last. As the condition of the Saint continues to deteriorate, and as the flaws in the ¡°Genesis Blueprint¡± grow over time, a similar ¡°awakening¡± is likely to occur all over the world. Erroneous replicas of the ancient gods would burrow out from the depths of the sea, emerge from the depths of the City-States, and even¡­ from within every mortal.


    Duncan relayed, in a calm and composed tone, what he knew from the deep sea and what he deduced from the available information to his followers.


    Afterwards, a prolonged silence fell over the cabin.


    Even the thick-headed Alice and carefree Sherry quieted down and realized the gravity of the situation¡­ probably.


    After a long while, Fenna was the first to break the silence. Taking a deep breath, with a gloominess that seemed to gather a dark cloud, she said, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t told me these with your own voice, I would have considered every word of this intelligence as nothing but the mad babble of a Doomsday Preacher¡­¡±


    ¡°Not even the most delirious Doomsday Preacher could concoct something of this caliber,¡± Morris slowly spoke, lifting his pipe to his mouth, only to find that the tobacco within had somehow gone out. He placed it back down with a wry smile, ¡°Ah, right, the Doomsday Preacher, and those who deal with the Frost Queen¨Camong the craziest things in this world, is that there are actually people among the Subspace believers who can remain sober¡­¡±


    Tyrion furrowed his brow, after a long silence he couldn¡¯t resist looking up, ¡°Father, is all this information true?¡±


    He immediately felt he¡¯d asked a foolish question, but at that moment, the question seemed so necessary¨Cthe thought was likely on the mind of everyone seated at the long table.


    ¡°This is, at least, what I have seen and heard,¡± Duncan replied lightly, ¡°Of course, one-sided information could be misleading, and even the clearest of clues can be interpreted in multiple ways.


    ¡°Besides, the Frost Queen may not be telling the whole truth, and even if she is, she herself could be mistaken¨Cwe can only deduce what¡¯s closest to the truth based on the information we have at this stage.¡±


    ¡°The possibility that is closest to the truth at this stage¡­¡± Tyrion repeated softly, then asked, ¡°Did the Queen mention any signs that might precede a ¡®godly awakening¡¯ like what happened in Frost in other City-States?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°She couldn¡¯t confirm what the mechanism of this ¡®awakening¡¯ is. Perhaps the only way is to enter the Mysterious Deep Sea and verify the status of the Saint directly.¡±


    As his words fell, several gazes in the room immediately turned to the dog cowering and hiding in a corner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me!¡± the dog practically leaped to its feet, its large head swinging back and forth, ¡°It¡¯s not feasible, I can¡¯t get anywhere near the Saint, much less take people inside¡­¡±


    ¡°But you can open the ¡®gateway¡¯ to the Mysterious Deep Sea and even carry Sherry through the passageway to escape,¡± Duncan said earnestly, looking at the sole Profound Demon present, ¡°You¡¯ve also said before that the Abyssal Hounds were a breed of demons born near the Saint, and your ¡®home¡¯ is right beside the Saint.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a shallow passageway, you can only skim through the very edge of the Mysterious Deep Sea with it; it¡¯s meant for escaping,¡± the dog said, seeing everyone staring at him, he hesitated for two seconds before spilling all the secrets¨Csecrets that he and Sherry had relied on for survival for many years, ¡°The Mysterious Deep Sea is more complex and strange than you can imagine. It is not a single entity; the ¡®areas¡¯ within it are not continuously connected¡­


    ¡°You can gaze from the Shallow Zone into the Deep Zone, but without the right means, you could spend ten thousand years and still not ¡®reach¡¯ your destination. In that place, ¡®distance¡¯ is an illusion and ¡®movement¡¯ is also an illusion¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve been ¡®exiled¡¯ by the Mysterious Deep Sea, although the specifics are unclear, perhaps because I ¡®grew a heart.¡¯ For many years now, I haven¡¯t been able to open the passage that leads to the Saint. On the other hand, I¡¯m also very unwelcome¡­ by the ¡®locals¡¯ over there, even merely skimming through the safe zones of the Shallow Zone would bring countless demons to attack¡­


    ¡°And besides, even disregarding these factors, I can¡¯t just casually take ¡®people¡¯ over there. Profound Demons can only carry their bonded symbionts through the passageway¨CI can take Sherry, but nobody else.¡±


    A Dog rambled on for quite a while before cautiously observing the reactions of those around him¨Cespecially Duncan¡¯s. Shrinking his neck, he added, ¡°I¡¯m not making excuses, Captain. As you¡¯ve heard, there are indeed many difficulties.¡±


    However, Duncan wasn¡¯t annoyed by the multitude of difficulties A Dog had complained about. He simply pondered for a while and then spoke thoughtfully, ¡°Are you suggesting that the space in the Mysterious Deep Sea is discontinuous?¡±


    ¡°¡­One could probably understand it that way,¡± A Dog considered and nodded, ¡°I can¡¯t explain the specifics¨Clately, I¡¯ve been studying ¡®Three Hypotheses on Asymmetric Space-Time¡¯ written by Professor Brundell. Perhaps I could explain it more clearly to you after I finish.¡±


    Duncan wasn¡¯t concerned with the latter part of A Dog¡¯s statement, continuing to think and asking another question, ¡°But I remember you once mentioned that during the years Homeloss completely lost control, it had crashed through the entire Mysterious Deep Sea.¡±


    The expression on A Dog¡¯s face (though abstract) changed in an instant, and its entire frame became rigid with a creaking halt.


    Thinking that A Dog hadn¡¯t recalled the details, Duncan casually added more, ¡°You said it fell from the real world into Subspace, then surfaced from Subspace. It oscillated back and forth, traveling through various realms, breaking through the entire Spirit Realm and Mysterious Deep Sea each time¨Cin this process, didn¡¯t it essentially break through the ¡®spatial fault lines¡¯ within the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡±


    This time, not only A Dog¡¯s abstract expression changed, but the faces of everyone in the cabin also became animated¨Ca chilling mood enveloped every person, including Lucresia on the other side of the Crystal Ball.


    ¡°Capt¡­ Captain!¡± A Dog¡¯s croaky voice finally made a sound, all its bones trembling, ¡°Don¡¯t say such terrifying things¡­ You¡¯re not seriously planning to¡­ to crash¡­¡±


    ¡°Father, please be cautious,¡± even Lucresia, who had been mostly silent and seemed quite distant, couldn¡¯t help breaking the silence. She looked nervously at Duncan on the side of the Crystal Ball, as if afraid that her father would revert to that bloodless, tearless, terrifying ¡°deity¡± in the next second, ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea to let Homeloss return to its uncontrollable state to smash open the gates of the Mysterious Deep Sea, even as a ¡®scientific project¡¯¡­ That would be far too radical.¡±


    Duncan hadn¡¯t expected his bold idea to elicit such a strong reaction from the others, and he shook his head, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯m not about to undertake such an extreme ¡®test¡¯¨CI¡¯ve always been a prudent person.¡±


    The people visibly relaxed.


    But Duncan then shifted the conversation, adding, ¡°However, even from a cautious perspective, this ¡®old event¡¯ provides me with an idea¨Cthe certain properties of Homeloss can ignore the spatial fault lines in the Mysterious Deep Sea. I¡¯ll conduct some research based on this, to see if we can safely open the gates to that place¡­¡±


    Everyone¡¯s hearts immediately tensed up again¡­


    But at least this time, no one raised the strong objections they had before, only Morris and Lucresia, as scholars, reiterated the importance of ¡°safety¡± and ¡°caution¡±. It was evident from their demeanor that they were still worried the Captain might one day, on a whim, drive Homeloss straight down into the Mysterious Deep Sea¡­


    Fortunately, Duncan quickly moved on to the next topic.


    ¡°Besides the state of the Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea, what I¡¯m more concerned about now is something else,¡± he stroked his chin, thinking aloud, ¡°Those Doomsday Preachers¨Cstrictly speaking, those rational Doomsday Preachers whose mode of operation is entirely opposite to that of the ¡®Heretics¡¯.¡±


    He turned his head, his gaze landing on Tyrion.


    ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned to Fenna that three Doomsday Preachers visited Homeloss and conversed with me the whole night?¡±


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    Tyrion immediately bowed slightly, his expression seemingly embarrassed, ¡°Yes, Father. At that time, I wasn¡¯t able to confirm your¡­ ¡®state¡¯, so I discussed some of your ¡®old affairs¡¯ with Miss Fenna.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t remember many things from back then, so it¡¯s actually good that you remember.¡±


    He subtly reiterated the issue of his ¡°amnesia¡± due to the influence of Subspace while checking the reactions of Tyrion and Lucresia, then continued, ¡°What I mean to say is, I have a premonition that we are inevitably going to deal with those ¡®rational Doomsday Preachers¡¯ again.¡±


    Morris asked reflexively, ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°Because they seem intent on participating in influential ¡®historical events¡¯,¡± Duncan adjusted his sitting position and spoke slowly, ¡°and the commotion caused by Homeloss¡­ is becoming ever greater.¡±

 Chapter 496 - Chapter 496 Chapter 497 Brewing Storm

    Chapter 496: Chapter 497 Brewing Storm Chapter 496: Chapter 497 Brewing Storm Doomsday Preachers, among the many heretics Duncan had so far encountered, these individuals crowned with the title ¡°preacher¡± were the most mysterious and peculiar group¨C


    Their numbers were far fewer than the Sun Believers and members of the Obliteration Sect, but their capability for creating trouble was unmatched; their actions were arcane, their purposes enigmatic, and to this day, no one knew what kind of ¡°organizational structure¡± they had, nor could anyone determine their approximate numbers or their hiding methods.


    As for their style of conduct which was crooked and strange, there was something about their own ¡°Trait¡± that concerned Duncan even more¨Ca suspicion of existing non-linearly in the timeline, and every one of them seemed this way.


    The Four Gods¡¯ Churches and the authorities of the City-States labeled the Doomsday Preachers, the Sun Sect, and the Obliteration Sect as the three major heresies, but in Duncan¡¯s view, those preachers¡¯ degree of wickedness and their eccentric style were so bizarre that they should be set apart and considered alone.


    ¡°Based on the intelligence we currently have, Doomsday Preachers should be divided into two categories, one is the completely mad extremist heretics, the other is the rational, seemingly courteous ¡®Rational Scholars,''¡± Morris slowly cleaned his pipe on one side of the long table, speaking contemplatively, ¡°The latter voluntarily make contact with people and attempt to ¡®guide¡¯ those they have chosen¡­ Judging by the frequency of appearances, the number of these ¡®rational¡¯ ones seems to be far less than the ¡®mad¡¯ ones.¡±


    ¡°In all the heretic contact reports I know of, all the documented Doomsday Preachers are mad,¡± Fenna nodded, ¡°This suggests that those lunatics constitute the vast majority among these ¡®preachers¡¯, and the rational ones are just exceptions.¡±


    ¡°After all, they are a group entangled with Subspace all the time¨Cbeing mentally abnormal is the norm,¡± A Dog casually remarked, then quickly looked up at Duncan, ¡°Ah, Captain, I wasn¡¯t referring to you¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored A Dog¡¯s natter, mulling over quietly, then suddenly said, ¡°Whether they are mad or rational, there is one thing that both types of Doomsday Preachers have in common¨Cthey are all trying to interfere with ¡®history.''¡±


    Around the long table, everyone fell into brief contemplation, and Agatha, who had hardly spoken, raised her head, ¡°Are you suggesting that the Doomsday Preacher who took the initiative to contact the Frost Queen was also for the sake of some specific ¡®future¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we should try to view history from the perspective of the Doomsday Preachers,¡± Duncan said unhurriedly, ¡°Let¡¯s assume they truly are a group of ¡®Temporal smugglers¡¯ who exist non-linearly, then what does ¡®history¡¯ look like to them in our eyes?¡±


    The cabin fell silent, and after a moment of quiet, Morris¡¯s voice suddenly rose, ¡°¡­ Everything has already happened, but everything can be undone, the direction of the world can be customized, all it takes is finding the right ¡®correction point¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Correct, the three preachers who came aboard the Homeloss a hundred years ago, the ¡®mysterious scholar¡¯ who made contact with the Frost Queen over fifty years ago, their actions have all greatly influenced the subsequent course of history to some extent, just from the angle of ¡®interfering with history¡¯, the actions of the mad and rational Doomsday Preachers are actually the same,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°And the difference between them is that those mad preachers seem to want to completely destroy history, whereas those rational ones, they seem to want to ¡®reshape¡¯ history towards a certain direction they anticipate¡­¡±


    ¡°Reshaping history¡­¡± Fenna frowned tightly, ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous term. The Fire Transmitters are committed to protecting our history from being tainted by external forces, they are the church of the righteous gods that deals with the Doomsday Preachers the most, and according to the doctrine of ¡®Eternal Flame Tarrikin¡¯, history has its own rigor and purity, it must not be touched, not be reshaped¨Cfor ¡®history,¡¯ ¡®correction¡¯ is also a form of destruction¡­¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s about ¡®restoring¡¯ history that has already been damaged to its original state?¡± Duncan asked, then added, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not talking about the actions of Doomsday Preachers, I¡¯m just genuinely curious about this question.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, that touches on deeper, more complicated principles within the Fire Transmitters¡¯ church,¡± Fenna thought for a moment, lowering her head with a hint of apology, ¡°They are the most mysterious and the most profoundly difficult to understand among the Four Gods¡¯ Churches, and my understanding of them is also very limited.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Duncan nodded slowly in thought, his gaze slowly scanning the edge of the long table¨CAgatha¡¯s, Fenna¡¯s, and Morris¡¯s figures came into his view.


    ¡°¡­ We¡¯re still missing an expert from the Fire Transmitters¡¯ side,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but remark softly.


    Fenna¡¯s and Morris¡¯s expressions subtly changed at that moment.


    Agatha, however, showed no reaction¨Cbecause she was new and didn¡¯t respond in time.


    Duncan himself didn¡¯t realize there was anything strange about his comment¨Che had just casually expressed a thought on his mind and then switched topics the next second, ¡°Fenna, do you think the Fire Transmitters are aware of the existence of ¡®rational Doomsday Preachers¡¯?¡±


    Fenna quickly dismissed the slightly irreverent thoughts in her mind, thought for a moment, then honestly answered, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but logically¡­ I believe they do know, or at least they should be aware.¡±


    ¡°Followers of ¡®Tarrikin¡¯ have been dealing with heretics who attempt to destroy history for centuries,¡± Morris also nodded, ¡°The Fire Transmitters are professional and perceptive in this regard, and from the intelligence we have, at least those rational Doomsday Preachers started their activities a hundred years ago. Unless they truly have only shown up those two times in such a long period, and just happened to avoid the eyes of the Fire Transmitters every time, then the church of the Fire Transmitters must have noticed them, just not sure why¡­ It seems the Fire Transmitters have yet to take any significant action.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to contact the Storm Cathedral to see if His Holiness can glean anything from the Fire Transmitter,¡± Fenna said immediately. ¡°After all, rational heretics can often cause more destruction than mere madmen. Though they seem amicable right now and even appear to have good intentions, I truly cannot trust a group of people who deal with Subspace all day to have genuine rationale and goodwill¡­¡±


    Fenna suddenly felt that something was amiss and after a moment¡¯s hesitation looked back at Duncan and added quickly, ¡°Ah, Captain, I was not referring to you¡­¡±


    Duncan was expressionless.


    He had a feeling he had heard this line before.


    Then he waved his hand, indicating he didn¡¯t mind, and after some reflection, he eventually began to speak, ¡°It¡¯s not just the Storm Cathedral we need to contact, and the message we need to convey is not limited to the Doomsday Preachers.¡±


    Everyone present exchanged glances, and Fenna was the first to recover, ¡°You want to issue an ¡®alert¡¯¨Clike before?¡±


    Duncan nodded earnestly.


    ¡°Perhaps this is even more dangerous than before. The ¡®ancient god awakening¡¯ incident in Frost could repeat itself soon, even now, right beneath a City-State, an awakened ancient god¡¯s errant replication could already be emerging¨Cthere is only one Frost Queen, but there are many City-States on the Endless Sea. To avoid being caught unprepared, the upper echelons of each church and City-State must be aware of this crisis.¡±


    As he spoke, he looked up at several figures on either side of the long table.


    ¡°Fenna, you contact the Storm Cathedral. Morris, try to get in touch with the Academy of Truth. Agatha, you should also have a direct channel to the upper echelons of the Death Church¨Cconvey everything we discussed here today to your churches as thoroughly as possible, including the true structure beneath the City-States, information related to The Saint of the Abyss, and the Doomsday Preacher¡¯s intelligence.


    ¡°Additionally, there is the Explorers¡¯ Association. Lawrence and Lucy, think of what is the most reliable way to raise an alert with the Explorers¡¯ Association without causing panic¨Cabout the warning of the ancient god¡¯s awakening.


    ¡°The captains on the Endless Sea are a sensitive and experienced group, well-connected and particularly adept at spotting strange signs that something is amiss in some corner of the world.


    ¡°Tarrikin, get the Frost situation sorted out as soon as possible and then try to contact other City-States in the capacity of Governor, with the aim of setting up an early warning system regarding the ¡®ancient god awakening¡¯ while avoiding inducing panic.¡±


    He finished saying all this in one breath and then collected his thoughts to further explain and emphasize, ¡°Remember, inform the churches of as complete intelligence as possible since they are somewhat ¡®professional¡¯ in supernatural domains and have many people.


    ¡°As for the City-States and the Explorers¡¯ Association, it¡¯s crucial to weigh your words carefully, as this involves too many ordinary people¨Cyou all need to consider how to convey this ¡®warning¡¯ without revealing too much secret knowledge. The goal is not to have them uncover the mysteries of the deep sea but to make them vigilant for any bizarre signs that might emerge on their City-States and trade routes.


    ¡°I have finished. Do you have anything to add?¡±


    Duncan raised his eyes, silently observing those along the long table.


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    At that moment, everyone in the cabin¨Cincluding Sherry and Alice¨Cfelt a sense of¡­ a tide brewing.


    A storm enough to shake the entire world was gradually taking shape together with the captain¡¯s series of decisions and arrangements, right in this eerie cabin lit by the ghostly green fire, within this secret meeting involving a mere dozen people, as if the direction of the world had already subtly been determined.


    A sensation of being part of history, even shaping history, started welling up inside Lawrence. He subconsciously found his breathing grow rapid, his heart thumping.


    ¡°We are indeed about to stir up a great tumult¡­¡±


    The old captain, who had just joined the Exiled Fleet, couldn¡¯t help but murmur to himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s not us who will stir up the tumult; it has already drawn near,¡± Agatha, sitting beside him, shook her head and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s just that all along, no one has noticed it¨Cand now, we¡¯re going to open the window.¡±

 Chapter 497 - Chapter 497 Chapter 498 Necessary Process

    Chapter 497: Chapter 498 Necessary Process Chapter 497: Chapter 498 Necessary Process Duncan knew that the arrangements he had made today were bound to cause turbulence across the Endless Sea¨Cthe ¡°warning¡± was powerful enough to impact everyone, not just because of the content of the warning but also because of its source.


    The civilized world would face a minor shock of the ¡°Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°This is a big deal,¡± Terian broke the silence, ¡°We don¡¯t need to worry about the church¡¯s response; they are always keen and professional in handling Transcendent crises and will surely give this adequate attention. However, the situation in the City-States is complex, and I doubt whether everyone will be able to establish an effective early warning system.¡±


    ¡°Before that, let¡¯s consider how many people will take this warning seriously,¡± said Lucreshia¡¯s voice from the crystal ball. ¡°In this world, there are countless warnings about ¡®Doomsday,¡¯ and most of them come from those frantic heretics¨Cnow Homeloss has suddenly started warning the whole world, frankly speaking¡­ many people¡¯s first reaction might be similar to when they encounter those Doomsday cultistes, or even worse¡­¡±


    Sherry muttered softly from across the table, ¡°After all, reputation precedes¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s their business,¡± Duncan looked at Sherry expressionlessly and shook his head, ¡°Homeloss¡¯s ¡®reputation¡¯ is a good thing. Even if some people do not believe in the content of the warning, they will at least pay attention to the ¡®warning¡¯ itself¨Cout of fear of Homeloss, they would be cautious, and that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact the church as soon as possible,¡± Agatha nodded, her voice hoarse and gentle, ¡°I believe the Sanctuary of Death will surely give the highest level of attention to this warning from Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°Once Death, the Deep Sea, and the Academy of Truth receive the message, the Fire Transmitter will surely hear about it too,¡± Fenna also nodded, adding, ¡°I will confirm this matter directly with His Holiness.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t communicated with the Academy Ark for a long time either. This is a good occasion to catch up with old friends,¡± said Morris, taking off his monocle and wiping it, ¡°But I need to prepare some additional ointments and herbal powders the rituals require. Contacting the Academy Ark from the Endless Sea is not easy.¡±


    Listening to Morris, Duncan suddenly thought of something else.


    ¡°Any progress on the investigation you conducted last time?¡± he asked the scholar, ¡°About the shattered cross mark carried by the Doomsday Preacher, have you found its origin?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, there hasn¡¯t been any progress yet,¡± Morris¡¯s face showed a hint of apology, ¡°I¡¯ve written many letters to academic friends I am familiar with and contacted several universities with good relations, but I haven¡¯t found any records related to that kind of shattered cross mark. We can only confirm that they ¡®might¡¯ have appeared in some ruins of the Ancient Crete Kingdom¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Duncan was slightly disappointed, but knowing that investigating a mysterious symbol with scant information was like searching for a needle in the ocean, he didn¡¯t dwell on the matter too much and just casually said, ¡°Keep an eye on this, and let me know immediately if there¡¯s any progress.¡±


    Morris immediately bowed his head: ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Duncan hummed in response, then paused briefly to make sure he hadn¡¯t overlooked anything, before he exhaled softly, stood up from the long table, and his gaze swept over everyone present.


    ¡°That will be all for today¡¯s meeting. We have a clear direction for our actions now. If you have any questions later, feel free to confirm with me.¡±


    At the end of the long table, Lawrence unwittingly breathed a sigh of relief.


    The meeting hadn¡¯t been as sinister or filled with strange ceremonies or rigid, bloody rules as he had imagined. Even so, just the fact of being ¡°under Captain Duncan¡¯s watchful eye¡± put significant pressure on him as the ¡°newcomer¡± here, and he had been tense throughout. Now, he could finally relax.


    But he had barely begun to relax when he noticed that the others around the table didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of leaving. Instead, including the respected Scholar Morris, most seemed to anticipate the next segment.


    There was more to the meeting?


    Just as Lawrence was harboring this doubt, he heard Nina¡¯s voice from across the table: ¡°Ah, finally done talking. Let¡¯s eat, I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Today we feast! We feast!¡± Sherry also began to shout joyously. ¡°Today is the day of the meeting, there¡¯s good food!¡±


    ¡°The soup is still simmering in the pot, perfect timing,¡± Alice stood up while speaking, ¡°I¡¯ll go bring the trolley over~¡±


    Lawrence, confused, watched the scene unfold, unable to grasp what was about to happen, turned to look at Agatha, the person closest to him, only to see a similarly bewildered expression on her face.


    At that moment, Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came from the head of the long table, resolving the puzzlement of both Lawrence and Agatha: ¡°Now that we¡¯ve discussed business, let¡¯s gather for a meal. It¡¯s the rule on board the ship.¡±


    Discussed business¡­ gathered for a meal?


    Lawrence listened in astonishment, half-thinking he had heard wrongly, when suddenly he saw that ¡°living doll¡± Alice actually pushing a large trolley back into the cabin. The creaky, slightly worn trolley squeaked as it moved, and the many containers on it held steaming¡­ food.


    Lawrence stared in amazement as Alice moved the food onto the table, watched Sherry and Nina darting about helping to set the plates and cutlery, and he smelled the food¡¯s aroma¨Cthere was fresh bread, vegetables and fruits, and meat.


    It was normal, familiar food that humans could eat.


    But among all aromas, the richest came from a soup at the end of the long table.


    Delicious fish soup, soaked with indistinguishable, slightly curled tender meat, steam rose within it, and the slightly wavy surface of the soup seemed to have retained a bit of vitality, still trembling and spasming within the twirling steam.


    Yet, when viewed closely, the trembling and spasming seemed like an illusion, never having happened.


    Lawrence unconsciously stood up, his eyes drawn to the fish soup, unable to discern what kind of fish it was or detect anything unusual about this ¡°food.¡± Yet a strong intuition still thumped within him¨Can experience reaction accumulated from decades of wandering the Endless Sea, which allowed him, a ¡°common man¡± without spiritual talent, to sense something transcendent¨C


    It had been something extremely dangerous, capable of causing death, sinking ships into the deep sea, it was¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s fresh fish,¡± Duncan said smiling to Lawrence and Agatha, who were attending the gathering for the first time, ¡°I just caught it today¨Cwent to a spot quite a distance away from the main island of Frost.¡±


    Fish? From a sea far from safe trade routes, far from the shelter of islands?


    Lawrence was momentarily dazed, his mind suddenly filled with some thrilling speculation, while nearby, Maurice nodded at him friendly, ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you think, Captain Lawrence, but relax, this is a necessary step for joining us, and you have nothing to worry about, it¡¯s already harmless¨Con this ship, it is indeed food.¡±


    Lawrence listened confusedly and by the time he realized, Alice had already placed a steaming bowl of fish soup on the table in front of him.


    However, when she reached Agatha, Alice stopped with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat,¡± Agatha said with slight embarrassment, ¡°This body is but a dead shell, no longer fortunate enough to enjoy fine food.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Duncan waved his hand generously seeing this, ¡°Though it¡¯s a rule on the ship, it¡¯s really not different from any ordinary gathering, those who can eat, eat something; those who can¡¯t, a bit of small talk can also be forming bonds.¡±


    While speaking, he turned his head, glancing at the crystal ball in front of Tyrion, ¡°Lucy, don¡¯t forget your dinner.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m eating, I¡¯m eating,¡± Lucricia hurriedly responded, ¡°Luny brought me roasted apple pie and salted pork pie!¡±


    After listening, Duncan nodded and then smilingly looked around the long table, casually picking up the wine glass beside him, and as the host, raised it high:


    ¡°So, to the day we gather here¨C¡±


    ¡­


    The slight dizziness gradually faded away, the greenish ghostly flames on the edge of his vision also slowly dissipated in the air, the fresh and chilly sea breeze swept across the deck, bringing instant clarity to his mind.


    The experience of attending the gathering on the Homeloss still felt like a dream, lingering in his mind with a sense of unreality.


    Lawrence shook his head, allowing himself to fully regain consciousness, then walked to the edge of the deck, gazing at the sea which was gradually sinking into the night.


    The faintly glowing silhouette of the Homeloss still floated in the sea not far from the White Oak.


    ¡°¡­ It really is like a dream.¡±


    Gathering on the mysterious Ghost Ship, interacting with various ¡°characters¡± including living dolls, Sun Shards, and Profound Demons, delving deep into the secrets of ancient gods and doomsday in the Spirit Realm, then under the watch and witness of the Subspace Shadow, collectively partaking in the flesh of deep sea descendants.


    When the gathering ended and the real world¡¯s wind once again brushed his face, as the tension and numbness in his mind gradually faded, allowing him to think with human rationality again, as the light yet bizarre impressions from the gathering dissipated, Lawrence slowly realized the ¡°true nature¡± of everything that had just happened.


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    A belated enlightenment surged, yet he couldn¡¯t clearly define his feelings at the moment.


    A normal person ought to feel fearful, horrified, at the very least, recalling the ¡°fish¡± they had eaten should be terrifying.


    Yet he felt nothing.


    Only a peculiar calm and sense of belonging soothed his somewhat agitated mood.


    The fish, truly delicious¡­

 Chapter 498 - Chapter 498 Chapter 499 Calm Days

    Chapter 498: Chapter 499: Calm Days Chapter 498: Chapter 499: Calm Days Frost, within the domed office of the City-State¡¯s Governor, Tyrion was standing in front of a mirror, earnestly adjusting the medals and ribbons on his chest.


    The visage with one eye still appeared stern, even a bit intimidating, but a brand-new Governor¡¯s uniform and those gleaming medals had transformed that sternness into a trustworthy dignity¨Cto some degree. At this very moment, the city was in need of a dignified Governor.


    Tyrion exhaled lightly and turned his head to look at the other side of the domed office.


    Two Undead sailors were hanging the new City-State flag on the wall, and next to the flag, a line of powerful text was still deeply engraved beside the door, as it had been half a century ago:


    ¡°Let as many people survive as possible.¡±


    Tyrion quietly observed those words for a long while before he slowly nodded and walked over to the large desk not far away¨Cthere was still a little time before the official event began, and he could use this time to recall and organize the proceedings he would soon follow, or to calm his emotions.


    The complex set of lenses on the desk began to operate on their own, and the surface of the crystal ball in the center of the lenses faintly glowed until the figure of Lucresia emerged from the dim light, sizing Tyrion up and down.


    ¡°That outfit suits you,¡± the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± said in her black dress, ¡°It matches well with the eyepatch.¡±


    Tyrion tugged at the button near his collar and glanced sideways at his sister in the crystal ball, ¡°Did you come just to mock me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sincerely complimenting you,¡± Lucresia said seriously, ¡°You haven¡¯t taken such care with your appearance for many years¨Cthe rugged and intentionally frightening look of a pirate never suited you at all.¡±


    ¡°I might have to maintain this image for a very long time, until a more suitable Governor appears, or until father has other arrangements,¡± Tyrion paused, then continued, ¡°Sooner or later, I will miss those carefree days.¡±


    ¡°At least not today,¡± Lucresia replied with a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth, ¡°How does it feel, about to take the oath and become the Governor of a City-State? I hear you have a parade to attend afterward, to present yourself to the citizens?¡±


    ¡°The parading is for soothing hearts, to let people believe that order has been re-established and that somebody in the upper echelons of the City-State is still taking responsibility¨Cthough I don¡¯t like that part much, it is necessary,¡± Tyrion said, ¡°As for the feeling of becoming Governor¡­¡±


    He stopped, then after a moment, shook his head and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t feel much because the handover of government work and team building had already been underway. I¡¯ve been busy to this point in the role of Governor. Today¡¯s so-called ¡®inauguration¡¯ ceremony is just a ¡®procedure¡¯ for the public.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then I wish you a smooth procedure, big brother,¡± Lucresia laughed, suddenly using the nickname from their childhood years ago, then she paused slightly, her expression turning serious, ¡°How are your preparations for the task father assigned you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already drafted several confidential letters to send to other City-States, but the specifics still need polishing¨CI need to convey the warning, make them realize the severity of the situation, yet avoid ambiguity and prevent other City-States from reacting excessively or rashly. To be honest, this kind of paperwork is much harder than leading a fleet against the Deep Sea Spawn or other pirates.¡±


    ¡°If you ask me, just make things clear and severe. After all, those who become Governors are smart enough, or at least they should have sufficient smart people under them. They¡¯ll know how to respond; you¡¯re just there to give them a heads-up, not to babysit them on how to set up a ¡®warning system¡¯,¡± Lucresia casually said, ¡°I¡¯m ready to make contact with the Explorers¡¯ Association¨Cha, I wonder what their reaction will be.¡±


    ¡°A warning from the Exiled Fleet to the entire civilized world,¡± Tyrion said with a tinge of emotion. ¡°The last time something like this happened was a century ago.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, when father first discovered the collapses at the ¡®frontiers¡¯ were occurring within the ¡®interior¡¯,¡± Lucresia began solemnly, ¡°I still remember the bell tolls from the church, every City-State¡¯s newspaper discussing the warning from the great adventurer Duncan Ebnomal.¡±


    ¡°After so many years, he is once again watching over the ¡®frontier¡¯ of this world¨Chistory seems to have come full circle. Perhaps in a sense, the Homeloss never lost its way; its century in Subspace might just have been a journey within some broader dimensions that we have yet to understand. Now it¡¯s returned, with the brilliance of newfound paths, just like the mad poet Puman¡¯s lines, ¡®They could once travel straight in one direction until they circumnavigated the back of the world, to return to the realm of mankind from a stunning angle¡¯¡­¡±


    Tyrion recited those infamous whimsical verses in a soft voice, slowly standing up from behind the desk. The sound of the band was now faintly heard outside the domed office, and footsteps were approaching from the corridor¨Ctime had come to let the city meet its new Governor.


    ¡°Good luck, big brother¨Cand don¡¯t forget my Spirit Realm lenses.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I remember this time.¡±


    ¡­


    The biting cold wind blew through the sparse shrubbery alongside the path, over the dark, intricately carved fences, and past the silent gravestones and the vacant biers on both sides of the path, eventually dying down in the depths of the graveyard.


    Two figures were slowly walking down the path in the cemetery.


    One was particularly tall and burly, cloaked in a pure black coat and wearing a matching broad-brimmed hat. Layers of bandages were wrapped around his skin, which was visible outside the coat, creating an intimidating sight.


    The other wore a simple Nun¡¯s black dress and had her eyes covered, with brown hair cascading down.


    ¡°I thought you would attend Governor Tyrion¡¯s inauguration, even if just in this avatar,¡± Agatha walked alongside Duncan, speaking softly, ¡°Finding a suitable place for you wouldn¡¯t have been difficult.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t show up, and he is fine; but if I actually appear, he might just become nervous,¡± Duncan said. ¡°Later, when the convoy passes by here, I¡¯ll just wave to him from a distance.¡±


    Speaking, he lifted his head to look at the rather deserted mortuary path and the empty platforms for laying out the bodies on both sides of the path.


    ¡°¡­I actually feel a bit nostalgic for this place. In my memory, it used to be filled with coffins.¡±


    ¡°During this special period, we had to temporarily change the process for sending off the dead¨Cthe bodies need to be sent quickly to the crematorium these days, and the silent monks directly give them solace and send them off next to the furnace, so the cemetery here has become quieter instead.¡±


    Duncan hummed in response. Then, just as he was about to reach the end of the path, he suddenly stopped.


    Before him was a simple custodian¡¯s cottage¨Csurprisingly, there was a special guest in front of the cottage.


    A twelve-year-old girl, dressed in a thick white winter coat, with a fluffy hat, busily moved about in front of the custodian¡¯s cottage like a snowball wrapped up tight, holding a broom almost as tall as herself, as she diligently swept the snow that had accumulated in front of the house.


    ¡°Is that Annie?¡± Duncan turned his head slightly and asked in a quiet voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s her¨Caside from the first few days of martial law, she comes over every day during the school¡¯s lunch break,¡± Agatha spoke softly. ¡°The custodian here is no longer present, and the new one has not been arranged yet, so the cemetery is temporarily under the care of the nearest church. It does her no harm to be here¡­ And so the church tacitly allows her to come and go as she pleases.¡±


    ¡°Do you also give your tacit consent?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    The girl in front of the cottage, sweeping snow, finally noticed the movement coming from the path.


    She turned her head, surprised to see two figures appearing not far away, and after a few seconds of being stunned, she threw her broom aside and ran over happily.


    ¡°Gatekeeper sister! And Uncle Duncan!¡±


    Annie greeted the two familiar faces with joy but right after she had finished shouting, she seemed to suddenly remember something and quickly stood up straight again, looking at Agatha: ¡°Mom said to call you ¡®Gatekeeper Your Excellency,¡¯ or ¡®Archbishop.''¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, just call me what you like,¡± Agatha began to smile, reaching out to adjust Annie¡¯s hat. ¡°Are you cold?¡±


    ¡°Not cold,¡± Annie shook her head and then took hold of Agatha¡¯s hand, pointing with the other hand toward the cottage not far away. ¡°Your hands are really cold, come inside and warm by the fire¨CI also made some herbal tea!¡±


    Agatha instinctively wanted to decline but saw that Duncan was already striding towards the cottage, leaving her surprised and with no choice but to follow.


    Inside the neat and simple custodian¡¯s cottage, the fire was roaring, the wood crackling in the stove, and the teapot at the side steamed, the steam carrying with it the clear and bitter smell of herbs.


    Annie poured two cups of hot tea, pushing the warm mugs into Duncan¡¯s and Agatha¡¯s hands: ¡°This is prepared for the church guards on patrol; they¡¯ll be here soon. Even if you don¡¯t drink it¡­ it will warm your hands.¡±


    It seemed that it was only now that the girl realized that the ¡°Gatekeeper sister¡± standing before her was already a body without life.


    Agatha didn¡¯t mind. She thanked her, holding the cup that was gradually becoming hot.


    ¡°Do you feel warmer now?¡± Annie asked again.


    Chilly, the entire world was very chilly, the teacup and even the fire.


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    Agatha smiled gently: ¡°Much warmer.¡±


    Following that, she noticed Duncan looking around the room every now and then.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± she asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I think, this would be a good ¡®settlement¡¯ point,¡± Duncan withdrew his gaze that had been scanning the room and said to Agatha, ¡°After all, if it¡¯s just to ¡®settle¡¯ an embodiment, that house on Oak Street would seem a bit wasteful.¡±


    Agatha was taken aback, then gradually realized what he meant and a look of surprise appeared on her face: ¡°You mean to say¡­¡±


    ¡°The Homeloss will continue its voyage, and this embodiment of mine left in the city also needs a place to stay,¡± Duncan said indifferently. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about a new custodian; this could save you a lot of trouble.¡±

 Chapter 499 - Chapter 499 Chapter 500 The Departing Ones

    Chapter 499: Chapter 500 The Departing Ones Chapter 499: Chapter 500 The Departing Ones Annie looked somewhat bewilderedly at the two ¡°guests¡± in the cabin, her gaze flitting back and forth between Agatha and Duncan for a long time before the girl finally reacted a bit, ¡°Ah, Uncle Duncan, are you going to be the custodian of this cemetery?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Duncan said, glancing at Agatha who was still in shock, ¡°Is this not possible? Must the cemetery custodian be a retired Guardian veteran?¡±


    Agatha finally came to her senses and hurriedly spoke up, ¡°No¡­ although generally speaking, cemetery custodians are indeed retired Guardian veterans, of course I can arrange a position for you, that¡¯s not the issue, the key is¡­ do you really want to stay in this cemetery and be a custodian?¡±


    ¡°In Prand, my identity is still that of an antique dealer,¡± Duncan said, a hint of amusement in his eyes, ¡°Homeloss won¡¯t stay in one place, but my avatar will remain in the City-State. I have to find something to do, after all, I can¡¯t just do nothing all day long in that big house on Oak Street, sipping tea and reading the newspaper, can I?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ I never really thought about that,¡± Agatha opened her mouth, feeling a bit embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯d never considered what your ¡®avatar¡¯ might need to do on a day-to-day basis¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal. Most novels and movies don¡¯t mention anything about the protagonists transitioning to other jobs after their adventures are over. In reality, you¡¯re doing the work of two people by yourself, and Tirian is overwhelmed with paperwork every day,¡± Duncan laughed, ¡°For me, wandering the Endless Sea on a Ghost Ship that doesn¡¯t dock can be very tedious. Living the life of a normal person in the City-State is my way to ensure I still feel like a ¡®human¡¯. You might think of it as¡­¡±


    Agatha immediately interjected, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it for you right away. You can come to the cemetery to ¡®take up your post¡¯ tomorrow.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­ I haven¡¯t finished talking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already listened to the most important part,¡± Agatha said earnestly, ¡°Rest assured, even if the highest sanctum inquires, I will make sure you can peacefully be a custodian in this cemetery.¡±


    ¡°¡­ It feels like you¡¯ve perhaps misunderstood my words, but that¡¯s not a big problem,¡± Duncan said somewhat awkwardly, then really inquired about the ¡°job¡±, ¡°What does a cemetery custodian usually need to do?¡±


    ¡°Actually, there isn¡¯t much work at all¨Cthe custodian¡¯s task is merely to ensure that the cemetery is not ¡®disturbed¡¯, to maintain the tranquility of Transcendent forces, and besides that, to simply register the living and the dead who enter and leave the cemetery. As for the maintenance of the cemetery facilities, that¡¯s taken care of by staff arranged by the nearby church,¡± Agatha explained, ¡°Given that even the nights in Frost City have become extremely safe, I think¡­ not just you, all cemetery custodians probably don¡¯t need to do much anymore.¡±


    Agatha said this with a somewhat peculiar tone, her gaze occasionally sweeping over Duncan. She was obviously thinking about the recent peacefulness of the nights in Frost and its relation to the person before her.


    And she had more unsaid¨Cwhat difference would it make if the nights in the City-State remained as perilous as before? The cemetery had gained such a ¡°custodian¡±, and it was unlikely that there would be any more incidents of Transcendent forces stirring. She figured that even if something from Subspace crawled out of a coffin, it would be slapped back into place by this new custodian¡­


    Anyway, this was a good thing.


    Duncan didn¡¯t know what Agatha was thinking. He himself hadn¡¯t considered anything too complicated, because he truly just wanted to find something to do for this body of his¨Cand considering the last will leftover inside this body and his ¡°fate¡± with this cemetery, he ultimately chose to stay here, to become the new custodian of the cemetery.


    He would continue to watch over Frost here, tend to, and protect this City-State, just as he did in Prand.


    The hot tea in his hand had gradually cooled down.


    Duncan put the teacup aside on the low table next to him, stood up, and silently surveyed the small room. The simple and plain furnishings caught his eye, as if they still retained some traces of the previous owner.


    On the wall near the door, an old hunting rifle that looked quite aged quietly hung on an iron hook, the action still gleaming, reflecting the fire from the hearth nearby.


    Duncan looked at the old hunting rifle for a while, nodded slightly, and then stepped out of the cabin.


    Cheerful and lively music came from the direction of a street outside the cemetery, mixed with the sound of firecrackers being set off.


    Annie popped out of the cabin door behind him and, hearing the commotion from the distant street, happily tugged at the hem of Duncan¡¯s clothing, ¡°The Governor¡¯s procession is about to pass through the cemetery ring!¡±


    ¡°Many people are still very afraid of the new Governor,¡± Duncan leaned down, his eyes crinkling with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t seem scared at all?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared. Mom said the new Governor is a hero who protects our City-State,¡± Annie lifted her face, squinting in the sunlight, ¡°Just like Dad, he¡¯s a very powerful person.¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment and then reached out to gently press down on the girl¡¯s fuzzy hat.


    ¡°Indeed, he will make an excellent Governor.¡±


    ¡­


    Over the Endless Sea, Duncan passed through the aft deck and returned to the captain¡¯s cabin.


    The goat-headed figure was earnestly steering, and on the navigation chart on the table, the thick mist drifting across the surface was slowly flowing and dissipating.


    Duncan stood in front of the sea chart for a while, his gaze sweeping over the sailing routes near Frost that had gradually become clear, and then stepped over to a corner of the room.


    The mirror in the captain¡¯s cabin, with its quaint and elegant oval shape, still hung quietly on the wall, reflecting the room within. In the interplay of sunlight and shadow, for some reason, the scene seemed somewhat hazy.


    Duncan took a step forward, curled up a finger, and gently tapped the edge of the mirror.


    The next second, the seemingly ordinary mirror surface abruptly rippled with hazy layers of light and shadow, as if countless mists and dust were diffusing and rising from the world within the mirror. Then, within that hazy light and shadow, a figure emerged.


    Agatha¨Cthe guardian of the mirror¨Cappeared before Duncan.


    ¡°Good day, Captain,¡± a voice with a magnetic quality came from the mirror, ¡°I¡¯m pleased to see you.¡±


    Duncan nodded and casually asked, ¡°How do you feel? Are you still getting used to it?¡±


    ¡°I feel¡­ not bad,¡± Agatha slowly said, ¡°At first, when I ¡®transitioned¡¯ here, the vast and empty mirror world made me nervous, but perhaps as I¡¯ve become gradually accustomed to it, that empty darkness has begun to fade¡­ I¡¯ve also tried to communicate with ¡®Martha,¡¯ and she taught me many skills and pieces of knowledge about being a ¡®reflection,¡¯ which have been very useful.¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows at this, ¡°Oh? Can you reach Martha directly from here?¡±


    ¡°The Ghost Ship drifts in the reflected waters nearby; in the world of reflections, she and I are ¡®neighbors,''¡± Agatha laughed, ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful experience¨Cthe world within the mirror is discontinuous, yet connected everywhere. I can jump from one mirror to another, appear in many mirrors at once, or hide within the vast nothingness behind the mirror¡­ Perhaps it will take many, many years before I can fully comprehend all this.¡±


    Duncan listened with interest as the ¡°reflection¡± spoke about the mysterious and unimaginable ¡°laws within the mirror,¡± and after she had finished, he gently nodded, ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re enjoying the process, that¡¯s good.¡±


    Agatha paused for a moment, then sighed softly, ¡°¡­Yes, it¡¯s better than I had imagined.¡±


    The captain¡¯s cabin fell silent for a while, and after an unknown amount of time, Duncan suddenly broke the silence, ¡°I want to know, what made you decide to leave Frost and embark on this journey with Homeloss? This will be the longest journey of your life. This ship may go to many places, distant city-states, sealed secrets, the Spirit Realm, the profound depths, even subspace¡­¡±


    Agatha in the mirror fell into contemplation. She thought over the question carefully for several minutes before she slowly began, ¡°I think it was when ¡®we¡¯ dove together into that dark, deep sea.¡±


    Duncan did not speak, just watched the person in the mirror, waiting for her to continue.


    The voice from the mirror came again¨C


    ¡°I carry all of Agatha¡¯s memories and emotions. Within that cache of memory, I was born in Frost, with friends and family, I learned and trained, accepted trials from the church, and those streets, those ancient bell towers, those things long in disrepair¡­ but still so familiar to me, all of these things are crystallized in my mind, clear and profound, as if¡­ I had experienced them myself.


    ¡°But what we all know is that, up until the day of the reflection invasion, the life that truly belonged to ¡®me¡¯ consisted of just three days.


    ¡°So, when my consciousness was restored, when I returned to this world in the form of a reflection, I¡¯ve been pondering one question¨Cam I the mirror guardian Agatha, or am I someone else, reborn in this world with only the memories of another¡­ ¡®person¡¯?¡±


    She paused, the ¡°reflection¡± her eyes shining brightly, and those eyes were now earnestly gazing at the captain outside the mirror.


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    ¡°You¡¯re right, a ¡®person¡¯ cannot live forever as another person¡¯s shadow.


    ¡°Almost all of my life memories come from another individual, but even so, there are three days among those memories that belong to me alone.


    ¡°But if I were to stay in Frost, that scant three days of ¡®life¡¯ will ultimately be buried by much larger, deeper recollections. I cannot sever my connection with that city, nor can I avoid my own human frailty¨C I would be destined to be a shadow, full of regret, trapped in memories, and as time passes¡­ that regret will eventually turn into bitterness and resentment.


    ¡°I cannot accept this possibility.


    ¡°But on that ¡®deep-sea dive¡¯ journey we undertook together, something you said¡­ helped me find a new potential.¡±

 Chapter 500 - Chapter 500 Chapter 501 Departing and a... What the fuck

    Chapter 500: Chapter 501 Departing and a¡­ What the fuck? Chapter 500: Chapter 501 Departing and a¡­ What the fuck? For the ¡°Counterfeit Agatha¡± born from the mirror, her life was split into two distinctly separate parts¨C


    One part was warm, bright, fulfilling, filled with all her love and hate for this world and the emotional bonds she formed, which were essentially just a series of fabricated lies fed into her mind;


    The other part consisted of merely three days, filled with pressure, fatigue, pain, and an eventual death-like liberation; yet, those were the only memories that truly belonged to her.


    And now, as the deceased returned to the living world, the counterfeit had the chance to continue her journey. The problem that lay before her was this¨Cthe former was desirable but unattainable, and after a long time, all regrets would eventually turn into resentment, while the latter was real but frail, a pale and brief life insufficient to sustain her as a ¡°complete person.¡±


    Captain Duncan had given her a reminder before this inevitable difficult divergence arose, and after much contemplation, she concluded: to leave Frost.


    The dark, cold depth of the sea was frightening, yet the process of ¡°diving¡± had, for the first time, unveiled to her another possibility of ¡°life,¡± just as the captain had described in the submarine¨C


    ¡°We fumble forward in endless darkness, civilization itself being a delicate and fragile rowboat. The light illuminates the area around the boat, and we use our shallow human wisdom to try to understand the silhouettes emerging from the darkness, to guess the appearance of the world¡­


    ¡°Most people spend their lives curled up in the safe corners of the rowboat, but someone must take up the duty of holding the light at the bow, of looking towards the horizon. This is a path that is bound to always move forward, because ¡®the unknown¡¯ is inherently a one-way concept, so¡­ maybe I can give it a try.¡±


    Agatha in the mirror spoke calmly, her black robe, which symbolized her role as a gatekeeper, had quietly transformed into an outfit that resembled that of a sea adventurer¨Csimilar to Martha¡¯s, yet still retaining traces of the Death Church. She raised her hand to remove the hat that symbolized her priestly role, letting her long hair flow down. The wraps that covered her entire body slowly faded away.


    She raised her head and gave Duncan a slight smile.


    ¡°Being a counterfeit, I have no real past, but I can have a real future. Let those precious memories quietly lie in the past; at least when I recall them in the future, they will still be bright and warm, not tainted with the murkiness of human frailties.


    ¡°This outfit was designed by Ms. Martha, what do you think?¡±


    Duncan looked at Agatha in the mirror, and after a long while, he nodded seriously, ¡°It suits you well.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I need a new name too?¡± Agatha continued, ¡°If I plan to embark on a completely new path, shouldn¡¯t I start by changing my name?¡±


    This time Duncan was silent for a long period, but after a lot of thought, he shook his head, ¡°No need, I think it¡¯s good for you to still be called Agatha.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve gotten used to it, and changing it would be inconvenient,¡± Duncan casually answered, ¡°Anyway, I can distinguish ¡®you all,¡¯ and ¡®you all¡¯ can distinguish each other.¡±


    Agatha in the mirror looked deeply at Duncan: ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t seem like your real answer, but it¡¯s convincing enough for me, and I quite like the name myself¨Clet¡¯s consider it the last memento for my ¡®past¡¯.¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s good that you think so.¡±


    ¡°Have you already arranged things in the City-State?¡± Agatha asked again, ¡°Do you really plan to be a ¡®cemetery guardian¡¯ in Frost from now on?¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that there¡¯s anything wrong¡­ It¡¯s just odd to think that Captain Duncan, who¡¯s regarded like a Subspace Shadow to many, would be guarding a cemetery in the City-State,¡± Agatha honestly expressed her thoughts, ¡°But as long as you are happy, that¡¯s certainly a good thing¨Cprobably nowhere else will be safer than that cemetery in the future.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s great, I am also running an antique shop in Prandet, maintaining activities within civilized society helps me adjust my mental state well,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°Besides, maintaining an avatar¡¯s life in the City-State requires expenses, at least being a guardian in the cemetery brings in some income¡­¡±


    Duncan suddenly stopped.


    He slowly raised his head and looked at the ¡°gatekeeper¡± in the mirror, asking very seriously, ¡°Will the Church give me a salary for this ¡®new guardian¡¯ role?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until then that Agatha reacted, ¡°You still need a salary?!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t give salaries?!¡±


    ¡°Ah, normally we do, the cemetery guardian¡¯s salary is directly paid by the Church¡­¡± Agatha said with a strange expression, ¡°But a Subspace Shadow running to guard a cemetery is not a normal situation. I strongly suggest you go to the Church and talk seriously with the other Agatha about this, because from my understanding of ¡®myself¡¯, if you don¡¯t bring it up, she absolutely wouldn¡¯t think of it¨Cor rather, wouldn¡¯t dare to think of it.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­Is it that outrageous?¡±


    ¡°Remember the string of numbers you wrote at the end of the whistleblower letter that almost drove a room full of cryptographers and mathematicians crazy? When transferring money to your bank account, the Church even set up a special operation team to monitor changes in the Spirit Realm¨Cwhen dealing with ordinary humans as a ¡®Subspace Shadow,¡¯ please consider the ethical perspective of most normal human beings.¡±


    Duncan twitched the corner of his mouth, rubbing his forehead: ¡°¡­Alright, I get it.¡±


    Agatha looked relieved, then curiously asked, ¡°Now that affairs in Frost are settled, do you have any plans for what comes next?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to return to the central sea area, and following some archaeological information provided by Morris, I will inspect the ancient relics and bizarre seas along the route that interest me. If possible, I¡¯ll approach or even enter regions classified as ¡®anomalies¡¯ to explore and understand this world as much as I can,¡± Duncan clearly had plans in place and immediately spoke of his exploration plans with enthusiasm. ¡°During this process, I will continue to maintain contact with the civilized world, and also see how the major churches react to my ¡®warnings.¡¯ If they show interest, I wouldn¡¯t mind dealing with those mysterious Church Arks again¡­¡±


    ¡°It sounds like an alluring adventure,¡± Agatha said with pleasure and anticipation in her voice, ¡°full of risks, but worth taking. It seems my decision was correct¡­ So, shall we set out now, or do we still need to make some preparations?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush; we need to arrange things for the White Oak first, and I must at least inform Tyrion,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°He should have returned to the dome office by now, it¡¯s a good time for me to ¡®say hello.''¡±


    ¡°Understood, then I won¡¯t disturb you any further.¡± Agatha bowed her head, her figure gradually fading from the mirror.


    Meanwhile, in the dome office of the Frost City-State administrative building, Tyrion had just seen off the last department representative¨Che had changed out of the ceremonial garb, grand but uncomfortable, and into his everyday attire, sitting back at his desk with a slight sigh of relief.


    Next, he had a brief break¨Ctime to prepare for the rest of today¡¯s work.


    Managing a city was far more difficult than managing a fleet, especially a city mired in disorder. Even on his inauguration day, he hadn¡¯t had a break from work. This morning¡¯s events were crammed into his regular schedule, and he needed to catch up on everything delayed by the afternoon and evening.


    Moreover, his responsibilities weren¡¯t limited to those of Frost City-State alone.


    The vast ¡°enterprises¡± operated by the Mist Fleet over the past fifty years, his personal and delicate connections with other city-states, balancing the powers in the Chill Sea, and relations with his ¡°family¡±¡­ All these together were no easier than a Governor¡¯s duties.


    Tyrion sighed deeply, unlocking a drawer next to his desk to pull out many documents and records¨Cthere were archives related to the Mist Fleet, shared data from the Brilliant Starship, and personal letters from other city-states.


    Rest time meant he could temporarily set aside the Governor¡¯s duties and delve into another set of tasks just as demanding.


    Glancing over the pile of documents, Tyrion couldn¡¯t help but scratch his head.


    Somehow, the bald head of his first officer, Aiden, suddenly popped into his mind.


    A horrifying thought flashed through the new Governor, causing him to shudder involuntarily and abruptly stop scratching his head.


    ¡°Aiden shaved that himself, Aiden shaved that himself¡­ He has regretted it for a century now¡­¡±


    Muttering quietly, as though to shift the pressure he felt facing the pile before him, Tyrion was suddenly interrupted by a faint crackling sound nearby.


    After an involuntary shiver, he quickly regained his composure and calmly looked towards the nearby mirror on the wall.


    He was used to it¡­


    Duncan¡¯s figure appeared in the mirror.


    ¡°Son, I¡¯ve come to say hello¨Care all well?¡±


    ¡°All is well, Father,¡± Tyrion stood up, cautiously meeting his father¡¯s gaze but feeling more relaxed than usual, ¡°Do you have any instructions?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, just that I am about to leave¡­¡±


    Duncan abruptly stopped.


    Tyrion looked puzzled at his father in the mirror, only to see him staring intently at¡­ the desk next to him, his expression unusually strange.


    The shock in that expression tightened Tyrion¡¯s heart. He hurriedly followed his father¡¯s gaze and saw only a paper that had fallen from the pile of documents earlier; it was from Lucia, delivered from the Brilliant Starship.


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    It was a piece of ¡°shared academic data.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice, very solemn, came from the mirror: ¡°Tyrion, what is that? Bring it closer for me to see!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ okay,¡± Tyrion quickly agreed, picking up the paper and bringing it in front of the mirror to show his father, ¡°Is there any problem?¡±


    ¡°¡­Where did this pattern come from?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s from Lucia,¡± Tyrion replied immediately, his tone slightly nervous and guilty, ¡°I haven¡¯t mentioned to you before, but she has been researching something that fell from the sky recently¡­¡±


    But Duncan didn¡¯t speak, only staring intently at the paper. After a long while, he finally broke the silence with a whisper as if talking in his sleep: ¡°¡­the moon?¡±

 Chapter 501 - Chapter 501 Chapter 502 Go South

    Chapter 501: Chapter 502: Go South Chapter 501: Chapter 502: Go South An unfamiliar and bizarre word reached his ears, its mysterious and stiff pronunciation not resembling any language Terran knew.


    He looked down at the document in astonishment, seeing the ¡°stone sphere¡± sketched with precise strokes, and it took a long while before he looked up, ¡°Father? What did you just say? ¡®Moon¡¯¡­ is that what this object is called? Do you recognize this mysterious sphere?!¡±


    Duncan, however, seemed as though he hadn¡¯t heard, still staring intently at the familiar image of the moon on the paper, until Terran had asked twice more, Duncan seemed to snap out of it and quickly spoke, ¡°You just mentioned Lucresia, what exactly is going on?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ this is the information she sent from the Brilliant Starship,¡± Terran hesitantly spoke, his father¡¯s unusual reaction making him uneasy, but under that intensely pressuring gaze, he still spilled everything he knew, ¡°Recently, a mysterious glowing object fell from the border area, and Lucy discovered it. She has been researching it, and this peculiar sphere is the ¡®core¡¯ of the fallen object¡­¡±


    Terran then elaborately explained the entire situation, including the scholars at Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s assessment that the ¡°fallen object comes from phenomenon 001¡± and the current research progress on the ¡°stone sphere¡±¨Calong with all the difficulties they faced, he laid it all out.


    Throughout his narration, Duncan did not interrupt, just listening with a sullen and unusually serious silence¨Cas if deeply etching each word into his mind and dissecting each character over and over again.


    After about ten minutes, the domed office quieted again.


    Duncan was silent for a long time and finally, before the air could become even stiffer, he gently exhaled, ¡°Why did you not mention this to me earlier?¡±


    ¡°¡­Lucy hoped to contact you after some progress had been made in her research, and more importantly¡­ at the time, we were in the midst of the Frost crisis.¡±


    After a while, as Duncan¡¯s pounding heart slowly calmed down, he finally nodded slightly upon hearing Terran¡¯s words, ¡°This object is now at Light Breeze Harbor, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ yes,¡± Terran quickly nodded, his lips feeling dry and his anxiety increasing as he watched his father¡¯s expressions shift. After hesitating several times, he couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°Do you recognize this mysterious sphere?¡±


    ¡°¡­It is called the Moon, at least it appears so, but the Moon I know is not ten meters in diameter, and it certainly wouldn¡¯t float on the sea to be hauled back to the City-State by a ship with steel cables,¡± Duncan slowly said, ¡°Perhaps it is just a kind of artificial item mimicking its form, perhaps just from the Ancient Crete Kingdom¡­¡±


    He stopped mid-sentence, the immense contradictions and the chaotic thoughts in his mind preventing him from resolving this matter with any speculation¨Cregardless, one thing was beyond doubt, the image of the ¡°Moon¡± on the document Terran held was indeed real, no matter whether the ¡°stone sphere¡± that Lucresia picked up from the sea was the actual ¡°moon¡± or an artificial flying object made by the Ancient Crete Kingdom mimicking it, one question still remained:


    Why did the image of this familiar ¡°Moon¡± appear here? Why in this bizarre, twisted ¡°other world¡±?


    Amid scattered thoughts, he frowned at Terran, ¡°Did you just say, the scholars at Light Breeze Harbor have confirmed that the mysterious glowing body is the one that fell from the rune ring of phenomenon 001?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they have visually confirmed the shape of the gap on the Sun Rune Ring,¡± Terran said, then a question emerged, ¡°You said it¡¯s called the ¡®Moon¡¯¡­ but what exactly is the Moon?¡±


    ¡°The Moon¡­¡± Duncan hesitated for a moment, suddenly realizing he didn¡¯t have proper words to explain such a simple name to Terran, thought for a long time, and then ventured, ¡°¡­It is a planet.¡±


    Hearing this, Terran¡¯s confused expression deepened, ¡°What is a planet?¡±


    Duncan fell silent.


    After a long time, he heard Terran¡¯s voice again, ¡°Is this a forbidden question? Have I asked too much?¡±


    ¡°No, this is not forbidden, it¡­ it should be the simplest question, but I can¡¯t explain it to you,¡± Duncan gently shook his head, his expression complex as he looked at the reflection in the mirror, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Terran, the answer to this question is simple, but making you understand it is the greatest difficulty.¡±


    Terran was somewhat dazed.


    Looking at his father¡¯s complex and apologetic expression in the mirror, he felt, bewilderingly, as if¡­ this scene seemed to have happened a long, long time ago, buried in the depths of a distant, hazy memory, on a faded afternoon¡­


    That day, the last time he stood on the deck of the Homeloss with Lucresia, he asked his father, who was then determined to cross the border¨Cwhat really lay beyond it.


    At that time, his father¡¯s response was exactly the same.


    It was the look of someone who knew a profoundly simple truth but didn¡¯t know how to explain it to others.


    Just then, Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came from the mirror, interrupting Terran¡¯s sinking memories, ¡°I¡¯ve changed the plan. Next, the Homeloss will head to Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    As expected¨Cseeing his father¡¯s reaction to the object known as ¡°Moon,¡± Terran knew things would unfold this way.


    ¡°I understand, I will inform Lucy of the situation.¡±


    ¡­


    Nina looked worriedly at Duncan, who was standing at the edge of the distant deck, staring out at the sea, and stopped Alice as she walked by.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Uncle Duncan?¡± Nina whispered, ¡°Ever since he came out of the cabin, he¡¯s been looking out into the distance, seeming deeply troubled¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alice looked up briefly and shook her head in bewilderment, ¡°The captain¡¯s been like this since he came out of the cabin; he said he needed to think about some things¡­¡±


    ¡°Think about some things?¡± Nina blinked in confusion, ¡°What happened exactly?¡±


    Alice thought hard for a moment and nodded, ¡°He was in contact with Terran, but I don¡¯t know what they talked about.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Tyrion?¡± Nina blinked, then unleashed her vivid imagination. Her expression grew increasingly peculiar, ¡°Is it because Mr. Tyrion never marries?¡±


    Alice looked perplexed, ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±


    After thinking for a moment, Nina began to analyze seriously, ¡°I heard from Mr. Morris, he often worries about Miss Heidi¡¯s marriage, and Mr. Tyrion is even older than Miss Heidi. By that logic, the captain must be even more worried about this¡­¡±


    Alice was bewildered, nodding her head in confusion, ¡°So that¡¯s what it is!¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside them, ¡°That¡¯s enough, Nina¨Cdon¡¯t tease Alice like that. She¡¯ll take it seriously.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡± Nina was immediately startled, only then noticing that Uncle Duncan had somehow appeared beside her. She quickly shrank her neck and obediently stood straight.


    Alice scratched her hair, a bit confused, and looked at Nina skeptically, ¡°Were you just teasing me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take seriously what she just said,¡± Duncan said helplessly, his gaze falling on Nina, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing happened.¡±


    Nina stuck out her tongue but soon looked somewhat concerned, ¡°Uncle Duncan, what really happened? You rarely seem so preoccupied¡­¡±


    Duncan wasn¡¯t sure how to answer the girl¡¯s question. In his mind, he still saw the picture he had seen in Tyrion¡¯s office and the eerie object that Lucricia had ¡°picked up¡± at sea.


    The moon¡­


    He raised his hand, pinching his somewhat swollen brow, but in the next second, he froze, fixating on the girl in front of him.


    Nina stood there obediently, her face showing a slight worry.


    Watching her, Duncan saw through the still, gentle, obedient small sun jewel. Beneath that human girl¡¯s shell, he seemed to directly perceive the brilliant arc left behind after the fracturing of a star, the dazzling plasma jet once erupting through space¡­


    The small sun jewel tilted her head and reached out to touch Duncan¡¯s furrowed brow, seemingly trying to smooth those deep ravines, ¡°Uncle Duncan, are you really okay?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak but just gently grabbed Nina¡¯s hand and placed it on his forehead, then slowly exhaled.


    He understood something once again, behind the heavy curtain, the world revealed another corner of ¡°truth¡± to him, a corner of truth, however, he had no one to share it with.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nina, everything is fine,¡± he spoke slowly, gradually returning to his usual demeanor, ¡°I¡¯ve encountered some difficult problems, but it¡¯s still hard to explain to you now. Once I solve these problems, I¡¯ll explain everything to you.¡±


    Nina listened quietly, then nodded vigorously, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Good, let¡¯s go back to the cabin then, we need to depart¨Cthough we need to make a detour to Mist Fleet¡¯s base before we set off. We have something to deliver for Tyrion¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Frost City-State, inside the Governor¡¯s domed office.


    Accompanied by a soft buzzing sound, the Crystal Ball gradually lit up, revealing ¡°The Sea Witch¡¯s¡± figure clearly in the dim light.


    ¡°Brother?¡± Lucricia looked curiously at the sphere, ¡°Are you done with your things? Was everything smooth?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the inauguration ceremony, it ended this morning, everything went smoothly,¡± Tyrion said, his expression growing complicated, ¡°But I¡¯m contacting you for something else.¡±


    Lucricia frowned, ¡°Something else?¡±


    ¡°Two things,¡± Tyrion hesitated then began carefully, ¡°First, I¡¯ve prepared the Spirit Realm lens you wanted. I¡¯ve acquired the best quality, highest precision lens currently available through the City-State¡¯s legal channels.¡±


    In the Crystal Ball, Lucricia¡¯s face instantly showed delight, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s wonderful! Brother, you¡¯re still reliable! And the second thing?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Guess who is going to deliver the lens?¡±


    ¡°Is it your transport ship?¡±


    Tyrion stayed silent.


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    Lucricia¡¯s expression gradually changed, ¡°¡­ It¡¯s your transport ship, right?¡±


    Tyrion remained silent.


    Lucricia realized.


    ¡°¡­ Dad?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 502 - Chapter 502 Chapter 503 The Day of Returning Home

    Chapter 502: Chapter 503: The Day of Returning Home Chapter 502: Chapter 503: The Day of Returning Home Lawrence walked onto the bridge, and the first officer, Gus, immediately came to greet him, with many crew members standing behind Gus, looking at their captain with a hint of anticipation.


    Lawrence¡¯s gaze swept over his subordinates and friends who had followed him for many years. After a long moment, he took a light breath and a smile appeared on his face, ¡°We can go home now. Set sail.¡±


    The first officer¡¯s expression visibly relaxed, but then he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What about the Homeloss?¡±


    ¡°The Homeloss will embark on a different journey,¡± Lawrence nodded slightly, addressing everyone, ¡°Captain Duncan will head south to take care of more important matters¨Che has ordered the Oak vessel to return to the regular routes of the civilized world as planned. We will first head to Cold Harbor to resupply and complete the purchasing orders, then return to Prand.¡±


    ¡°What about after that?¡± First Officer Gus, while listening to the captain¡¯s words, still wore a somewhat anxious expression. Obviously, like everyone on the ship, the voyage to Frost had been too unexpected and too long. When the news of returning home arrived, he still couldn¡¯t believe everything would return to normal, ¡°We¡­¡±


    ¡°We will still make a living on these seas. The Oak has received its passage permit, and the shipping lanes of the civilized world will continue to be open to us. The only change is¡­ from now on, Captain Duncan will always be watching over all of us,¡± Lawrence said calmly, ¡°When the Homeloss sends an order, as part of the fleet, we will respond¨Cbut not now. Sailors, now we can go home.¡±


    The bridge fell silent for a dozen seconds, then finally, someone broke into applause, gradually more joined in, and soon after, long-delayed cheers erupted.


    The news that they could go home spread through the entire ship in an instant, reaching the ears of every sailor.


    This long and unexpected journey finally came to an end, a thrilling and bizarre adventure that would be etched deeply into everyone¡¯s mind. The joy of returning home diluted all worries about the future. The new Boiling Gold Catalyst was fed into the steam core, the engine room began to roar, and the steam whistle sounded through the boundless sea, as if even the vessel itself was cheering for the upcoming voyage home.


    Lawrence went to the edge of the foredeck and quietly gazed at the far-off sea, where waves were forming. The endless expanse of the sea lacked any point of reference, which could give the illusion that the ship was still at a standstill, but the direction of the waves and the head-on sea breeze told him that the Oak had set off.


    He looked down at the water beneath the ship¡¯s side and saw below the undulating surface the Strange Reflection of the dark Oak vessel, a silhouette as dark as storm clouds; the sparse lights at the forefront of the ship shrouded in darkness looked overlaid and ominous.


    Martha¡¯s voice came from the small mirror at his chest, ¡°Everyone is very happy¨Cas if with the day of returning home, familiar life will also return. But you should remind them, not everything will go back to how it was. We have established a connection with the Homeloss, and no matter how much freedom Captain Duncan has given us, this connection with Subspace is destined to change many things¡­ We should prepare for this Curse and Blessing.¡±


    Lawrence fell silent for a moment before replying softly, ¡°Like the changes that have happened to the Brilliant Starship or the Sea Mist?¡±


    ¡°They no longer age or die, yet they will gradually deviate from the realm of the living. This ship will slowly become a living thing, parts of it seemingly learning to think and starting to operate on their own. The existence of the ¡®Strange Reflection¡¯ Dark Oak will gradually taint the Oak with all sorts of eerie and terrifying rumors¨Csoon, people will begin to fear this reborn ¡®Cursed Vessel,¡¯ and a church-issued pass won¡¯t solve that problem¡­¡±


    Martha spoke calmly, as if not predicting the future for Lawrence but stating a past that had already happened¨Cin her vast and complex collective memory, she outlined the destiny that the Oak would inevitably face.


    But Lawrence just listened quietly, and when Martha had finished speaking, he said in a low voice, ¡°Perhaps your predictions are right, those changes will gradually occur, but not today. Today is the day for the boys and girls to return home¨C


    ¡°They will return to the warm Prand by the end of the year, hug their families and friends, and recount this incredible adventure as humans. I will do everything possible to keep the Oak active on all the busy routes, to reach out to the church, the Explorers¡¯ Association, and the City-State trading caravans¨Cnot just to fulfill Captain Duncan¡¯s orders, but to ensure that this ship becomes a revered symbol before it becomes a feared curse.¡±


    No response came from the mirror.


    But Lawrence felt a breeze pick up beside him¨Cin the suddenly spreading thin fog, a vague shadow emerged from the mist and embraced him gently from behind.


    The touch was so faint and soft that it felt like a dream.


    ¡°Old man¨C¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You look so cool!¡±


    ¡­


    Thick clouds, heavy as lead, covered the sky, and the murky, gloomy daylight replaced the bright, warm sunshine that had shone before. A faint mist engulfed the entire ocean within sight, and beneath this veil of fog, dark shadows, wispy and hair-like, gathered swiftly across the sea¡¯s surface. They finally turned the sea utterly black.


    The world transformed into a colorless, strange phantom. On this pitch-black ocean, the Homeloss raised its sails of spiritual body, and invisible ¡°winds¡± billowed the sails, propelling the ship to move across the sea region at a speed far exceeding that of the real world.


    On the platform at the stern of the Homeloss, Duncan personally took hold of the steering wheel, while the voice of a goat¡¯s head entered his mind: ¡°Safely sinking into the Spirit Realm, the Homeloss is currently stable sailing in the shallow zone.¡±


    Duncan hummed a response and turned to nod at Nina, who stood not far off, curiously watching him steer: ¡°We¡¯ve safely descended into the Spirit Realm.¡±


    Nina nodded with only a half-understanding. For her, steering a ship¨Cand one that was a century-old sailing vessel, at that¨Cwas an entirely baffling affair.


    Fenna, standing on the other side, couldn¡¯t help but cover her forehead after hearing Duncan¡¯s words: ¡°Uh, no matter how many times I hear it, putting ¡®safe¡¯ and ¡®Spirit Realm¡¯ together in the same sentence still feels so odd. That there actually exists the notion of ¡®safely sinking into the Spirit Realm¡¯ in this world¡­¡±


    At those words, Duncan just smiled: ¡°It takes a bit of skill, but in the state of the Spirit Realm, we can travel at an extremely fast pace, and we don¡¯t have to worry about hitting most obstacles from the real world¨Cafter all, it¡¯s quite a long journey from Frost to Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    ¡°Light Breeze Harbor¡­ I¡¯ve only read about that place in books,¡± Nina said with a hint of longing in her eyes, ¡°The books say it¡¯s a city-state built by elves, and also one of the most important ¡®districts¡¯ of the Academy of Truth, second only to ¡®Moco.¡¯ It¡¯s said that they have the most advanced differential machines and steam cores in the world, and that their mechanical and mathematical developments are highly advanced¡­¡±


    ¡°What the books say is true, but often they omit one thing¨CLight Breeze Harbor is not only at the forefront of technology; it is also one of the central bastions of the Explorers¡¯ Association,¡± Morris said with a smile to Nina, ¡°Because the whole city-state is close to the Civilization Frontier, countless pioneer fleets and explorers use Light Breeze Harbor as a resupply point and a hub for exchanging information¨Cand the adventurers coming and going have brought with them cuisines from all over the civilized world, which is why Light Breeze Harbor also enjoys the reputation of a ¡®capital of gourmet delights¡¯¡­¡±


    Nina listened with full curiosity and a thirst for knowledge to these pieces of information that she had never found in books. Her eyes lit up upon hearing the last part: ¡°Do they have sweet pancakes there?¡±


    ¡°They should,¡± Morris thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°Prand is commercially developed, and many merchants have established routes from the central seas to the south, so naturally, Prand¡¯s delicacies would make their way there.¡±


    Nina became happy and climbed onto a large bucket next to Duncan, where she sat swaying, her legs dangling over the edge of the bucket: ¡°That¡¯s wonderful¡­ Delicious food and the most cutting-edge machinery, I¡¯m starting to look forward to it¡­¡±


    Duncan glanced at Nina swinging on the bucket, then over to the deck around the bucket¨Cseveral ropes trembled slightly in the space between the ship¡¯s wheel and the bucket, appearing troubled and humble.


    Clearly, these ropes thought Nina, this ¡°crew member,¡± was too close to the ¡°steering wheel¡±¨Cyet they were also fearful of the brilliance of the sun.


    That was, after all, the 6000deg Sky Light.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sway on the bucket, be careful not to fall off,¡± Duncan shook his head and said to Nina, ¡°Also, don¡¯t stay so close to the steering wheel, it¡¯s not safe.¡±


    Nina quickly realized her mistake, and with a quick, ¡°Oh,¡± she jumped down to the deck, moving beyond a safe distance.


    The ropes near the steering wheel relaxed¨Cthey were safe.


    Nina quieted down only for a moment before suddenly remembering something else.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to meet that Lady¡­ Lucresia, aren¡¯t we?¡± She leaned against the edge of the control stand, blinking up at Duncan with a tinge of anxiety in her voice, ¡°Is she easy to get along with?¡±


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    ¡°She should be alright,¡± Duncan¡¯s expression became a bit peculiar as he tried to think about the question from Nina¡¯s perspective. The feeling of peculiarity became even more intense, ¡°Lucresia is a scholar who devotes herself to research, there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything else difficult about her¨Cshe has always been like that in front of me, but I really don¡¯t know much about what she¡¯s like normally.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m a bit nervous,¡± Nina stuck out her tongue, ¡°I heard she¡¯s called the ¡®Sea Witch,¡¯ and Captain Lawrence said she¡¯s a cold and capricious witch who curses those who disturb her research. Many famous adventurers are very afraid of her¡­¡±


    Duncan held the wheel and turned to look at Nina.


    ¡°Tyrion still is a fearsome pirate of the seas¨Cdon¡¯t you think he¡¯s quite polite when he¡¯s around you?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s true, too.¡±

 Chapter 503 - Chapter 503 504

    Chapter 503: 504 Chapter 503: 504 At many times, Nina actually couldn¡¯t realize the formidable power she possessed and the deterrent effect this power had among ordinary transcendents¨Cthis certainly helped her maintain her ¡°human¡± mindset, but it surely also had its drawbacks.


    After all, a 6000degC big pot, no matter where smeared, was an earth-shattering event.


    Fortunately, Duncan had been paying attention to this issue from the start and often guided and reminded Nina. He timely made the girl understand the dangerous nature of her own power and figured out ways for her to gradually control the Sun¡¯s might. At least now, Nina had slowly become familiar with and accepted one fact:


    This world, to today¡¯s her, was a delicately fragile paper house that could easily burst into flames if not careful; she needed to cautiously control her breath and gaze to prevent everything from turning to ash.


    Now it seemed that Nina¡¯s understanding and control over her own power was successful, apart from very rare and harmless ¡°out of control¡± incidents, she had never burned anything else. On the other hand, she always maintained the ¡°recognition¡± of being an ordinary human and had not developed an arrogant or dangerous change in mindset upon realizing her power.


    To Duncan, this was very good.


    The pitch-black surface of the sea undulated slowly in the sightline, the chaotic sky and the sea lacked a clear boundary, and the spectral flames surrounding Homeloss lit up the nearby waters. In those intersecting lights and shadows, one could occasionally spot weird and suspicious shadows flashing through the air or water¨C


    Those were the ¡°natives¡± of the Spirit Realm, these chaotic, dim-witted beings attracted by the intruder Homeloss, but as soon as they gathered slightly, they would be scorched by the spectral flame, and then scatter fleeing.


    Nina ran to the edge of the stern deck, sitting directly on the deck, her legs dangling and swinging outside the railing, curiously observing this ¡°sea area¡± that seemed strange and interesting to her.


    Duncan then reminded Nina to watch her safety and not to fall off the deck, and afterward, he continued focusing on steering. After a while, he suddenly thought of a question.


    ¡°Fenna,¡± he turned his head and glanced at Miss Judge, who was standing on the high platform looking out at the sea, ¡°I just had a question about the Storm Goddess.¡±


    Fenna immediately turned around, her face serious, ¡°Please ask.¡±


    ¡°The Storm Goddess Gomona is the guardian of the sea, right?¡± Duncan said, ¡°The entire Endless Sea falls under the Storm Goddess¡¯s protection¨Cbut what about the Spirit Realm¡¯s sea?¡±


    Fenna¡¯s serious expression instantly turned to astonishment, followed by a long awkward silence of over ten seconds, and after a long while, she hesitatedly shook her head, speaking with an apologetic tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have never thought about this question¡­¡±


    After saying this, she began to reflect, ¡°It seems my study in the way of faith is still too superficial, praying all day without seriously contemplating the details behind these scriptures¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite normal that there are no such details behind the scriptures because since the Deep Sea Church was established, there has never been a situation where ordinary people freely moved in depth in the Spirit Realm,¡± Morris casually said from the side, ¡°Doctrines are tools used to explain the divine truth to mortals; they represent only the known parts of divine truth, not everything¡­¡±


    ¡°Then where did the original ¡®doctrines¡¯ come from?¡± Duncan asked again, ¡°In the era when the City-States were just established, when the four-god faith was first born, who wrote the initial doctrines and used them to explain the logic of the world¡¯s operation¨Cwas it the first missionaries who were mortals, or those four deities?¡±


    This time, Morris fell into thought.


    Duncan continued speaking, ¡°According to the current four-god church¡¯s interpretation of the scriptures, doctrines can only come from the gods, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Morris nodded, his words seemingly quickly organized in response to Duncan¡¯s questions, ¡°Doctrines are a partial reflection of the truth, their source comes from the gods¨Caccording to the more recognized view, the original prophets like Crite received ¡®enlightenment¡¯ from the gods, divine thoughts entered their minds, and they naturally wrote down the initial teachings in their enlightenment. After that, there were hundreds of years of the ¡®Era ofApparent Truths¡¯ and ¡®Era of Revelations¡¯, generation after generation of prophets received enlightenment and recorded the knowledge, eventually forming the current four-god doctrines and scriptures¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak for a while, deeply contemplating. After a long time, he once again broke the silence, ¡°Are there still such prophets who receive enlightenment and are able to write new doctrines and truths today?¡±


    Morris and Fenna looked at each other.


    ¡°¡­Not that I know of,¡± Morris shook his head, ¡°The saints can hear the voice of the gods, but usually, it is just vague hints and reminders, and prophets like those recorded in history who could directly converse with the gods for a long time¡­ have not appeared since the end of the Dark Age. However, the Heretics who follow the Black Sun or the Mysterious Divine Master often claim that prophets have appeared among them, but as you know, the ¡®prophets¡¯ in their mouths are often just lunatics suffering mental contamination¡­¡±


    ¡°That is to say, at least during the time from the Crite dynasty to the Dark Age, the gods could frequently contact the mundane world,¡± Duncan said thoughtfully, ¡°They could even converse with qualified mortals for extended periods, but from the City-State era onward, their contact with the mundane world has been reduced to merely vague ¡®hints¡¯?¡±


    Hearing the captain¡¯s words, which seemed deeply meaningful, Fenna¡¯s expression became somewhat odd, and she couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°I¡­ have never thought from this perspective. Why do you suddenly ask these questions?¡±


    Why suddenly ask these questions¡­


    Duncan fell silent for a moment, and in the silence, what emerged in his mind was the picture he had seen not long ago in Tyrion¡¯s office¨C


    The moon.


    In the world he knew that contained the moon, there were no Four Divine¨Cno Endless Sea sheltered by the Storm Goddess, no Creation of the World suspended in the sky, and no stars and demons hidden in the Mysterious Deep Sea.


    Since seeing that picture of the moon, his heart had always been restless, and countless speculations about this world¡­ nearly filled his mind.


    ¡°I just suddenly became very interested in the oldest secrets of this world,¡± he said slowly, then took a gentle breath and nodded to Fenna and Morris, ¡°I have reviewed the ¡®warnings¡¯ you plan to convey to the Deep Sea Church and the Academy of Truth, there are no problems. Go and contact your Maritime Church headquarters.¡±


    Despite still having some doubts and feeling slightly worried about the captain¡¯s troubled state over the past few days, Morris and Fenna did not ask further but simultaneously bowed their heads: ¡°Yes, captain.¡±


    ¡­


    Lucresia awoke from a series of chaotic, bizarre, and terrifying nightmares.


    She looked out the window.


    Thick curtains blocked the light from outside, letting only a sliver of golden afterglow seep through the gaps, casting dim and shifting shadows in the room. The familiar furnishings in the dark corners seemed imbued with a strange air, as if the remnants of her nightmares had leaked into the real world, lurking in the interplay of light and shadow.


    A rustling noise came from beside her.


    ¡°Mistress?¡±


    A bizarrely terrifying stuffed rabbit sat up beside her, tilting its head and watching Lucresia with its button eyes, a little girl¡¯s voice emanating from its cotton-stuffed body.


    Lucresia casually pulled the rabbit into her arms and rubbed it vigorously, then lifted her head to look out the window: ¡°What time is it now?¡±


    ¡°There is still an hour left before your usual time to rise,¡± the stuffed rabbit was rubbed back and forth by its mistress and seemed to be observing Lucresia¡¯s expression, ¡°You don¡¯t look very well, you were sleeping quite restlessly just now¡­ Did you have another nightmare?¡±


    ¡°I dreamt of some odd things¡­¡± Lucresia massaged her forehead, letting go of the rabbit doll, ¡°Get me a drink.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± the doll obediently agreed, hopping from the bed to the floor, and from a small cabinet next to it, it poured half a glass for its mistress while curiously asking, ¡°What did you dream about? Is it because¡­ the Old Master is coming, so you feel uneasy?¡±


    The little girl¡¯s voice carried a hint of nervousness, clearly feeling immense pressure at the mention of ¡°Old Master.¡±


    Lucresia took the glass handed by the doll and drank it down in one gulp, then exhaled deeply: ¡°I dreamt about the Brilliant Starship almost ¡®falling¡¯ due to getting too close to the border fog, but unlike my memory, our ship fell out of the fog, then flew straight up, directly ¡®falling¡¯ toward the Creation of the World, with many, many ships twisted into various shapes, plummeting from the entire world toward the sky¡­ It was bizarrely absurd.¡±


    She said this as she casually tossed the glass to the rabbit doll: ¡°¡®He¡¯ is coming soon, it does make me a bit nervous, but this nervousness isn¡¯t enough to turn into nightmares¨CRabi, he is still my father, after all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mistress,¡± the rabbit doll immediately nodded obediently but couldn¡¯t help but warn, ¡°But you should still be careful. Having nightmares on the ship isn¡¯t a good sign, especially since the Old Master¡­ has connections to Subspace, and he is now drawing near to you.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Lucresia said offhandedly, then got out of bed and walked barefoot to the window, where she pulled open the heavy curtains.


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    The warm, bright ¡°sunlight¡± instantly filled the room.


    The sun had not fully risen yet¨Cat this moment, however, on the nearby sea surface, that floating massive luminous geometric body had already maintained a long-lasting ¡°eternal daylight¡± across the whole sea area.


    Lucresia squinted, basking in the endless ¡°sunlight.¡±


    The voice of the rabbit doll came from behind her: ¡°Mistress, are you going to the ¡®spherical stone¡¯ today?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucresia shook her head and turned to walk toward the dressing table, ¡°I¡¯m going to the city today to say hello to some old friends at the Explorers¡¯ Association.¡±

 Chapter 504 - Chapter 504 Chapter 505 Echoes of the Apocalypse

    Chapter 504: Chapter 505: Echoes of the Apocalypse Chapter 504: Chapter 505: Echoes of the Apocalypse Light Breeze Harbor, one of the City-States closest to the Civilization Frontier, has been an important stronghold for the Academy of Truth and the Explorers¡¯ Association since the day it was founded.


    A thousand years ago, a fleet led by Elf scholars drifted into the frontier due to a storm and discovered this large island that wasn¡¯t documented in any existing records.


    According to these records, this fleet was chased by the storm for seven whole days. On the exhausted morning of the eighth day, land suddenly appeared in the sunlight between the storm¡¯s gaps. The explorers were ecstatic, mustering their last bit of strength to steer their ships toward the shore. As they approached this unfamiliar island, the storm¡¯s intensity suddenly weakened. By the time the fleet members could see the lush vegetation on the island, the storm had completely dissipated, leaving only a light breeze in the surrounding waters¨Cthus, the explorers named this large island ¡°Light Breeze¡±, which later became the name of the new colony.


    Many City-States were discovered by explorers wandering the seas, and these discovery processes are often accompanied by more or less thrilling or legendary stories. The truth of such legends is hard to discern, but the discovery and establishment of Light Breeze Harbor are always considered ¡°detailed and reliable¡± for a simple reason¨Cbecause this City-State was established by Elves.


    The explorer captain who initially discovered the island is now the Governor of this City-State¨Calso serving as the president of the Explorers¡¯ Association.


    Sala Mel stood on the terrace of the official residence, gazing at the streets bathed in ¡°sunlight¡± far away, looking at this City-State that he and his colleagues had gradually established and which had flourished to this day. Steam patrol walkers were parading down the streets, and the clear ringing of bicycle bells resounded; citizens were preparing to start their day¡¯s work. Nearby, on the ¡°high tower¡±, the Elf-styled dome was slowly opening, driven by mechanical devices. Heavy filters and lenses rose from the top of the tower, slowly adjusting their angles to track the rising sun.


    The Elf Governor slightly squinted his eyes, wrinkles piling up at the corners.


    Even for the long-lived elves, Sala Mel was no longer young; wrinkles had gradually begun to appear on his forehead since three hundred years ago. The characteristically golden hair of the elves was now frosted white. He had transformed from a lively explorer captain into a somber, yet frail old man, but one aspect remained unchanged¨Che was still curious about the world.


    ¡°Your father was a respected explorer in his day, described as ¡®extraordinary¡¯ even by the Elves¡¯ stringent standards. Such an explorer issuing a warning to the civilized world is, of course, serious, but I hope you understand¨Cour concerns are also natural,¡± Sala Mel turned and said to the black-haired lady sitting gracefully at the terrace¡¯s tea table.


    ¡°I understand, of course. However, my only task is to relay the message. How you handle it is up to you,¡± Lucracia replied indifferently. ¡°My father also anticipated your possible reactions; his attitude is the same¨Cissue a warning, disregard the rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­From the Explorers¡¯ Association side, I will intervene. No matter what, the message from Captain Duncan itself is important information that should alert the captains on their routes,¡± the Governor Sala said, then furrowed his brows, ¡°But I do wonder¡­ can a spherical submersible truly dive deep into the ocean and witness our world¡¯s ¡®Primordial Blueprint¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The risk is high, but the Frostfolk truly succeeded,¡± Lucracia nodded. ¡°Of course, the pioneers half a century ago paid a hefty price¨Cmortal minds are ultimately too frail to completely avoid the influences of the ¡®truths¡¯ from the deep-sea, and my father¡­ is somewhat special, I do not recommend you emulate him.¡±


    ¡°¡­If I were younger by seven or eight hundred years, I might have already started planning my own diving expedition right now,¡± Sala said, falling silent for a few seconds before shaking his head regretfully, ¡°If I could witness those scenes firsthand, perhaps I could more confidently persuade others in the Association.¡±


    A smile appeared on Lucracia¡¯s face: ¡°It¡¯s alright, more warnings will be sent out soon¨Cmy father has already arranged to alert the Four Gods Church and various City-States, which should sufficiently signify the seriousness of the matter.¡±


    Sala Mel nodded then hesitated, but eventually, he could not hold back, ¡°I am still curious¡­ Ms. Lucracia, has your father truly completely restored his humanity? I have lived for over two thousand years and never heard of anyone who could return from Subspace, let alone regain their humanity¡­ How did he do it?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Lucracia shook her head. ¡°If you are truly curious, you can ask him directly when the time comes¨Che will be here in person soon.¡±


    The calm and composed expression on Sala Mel¡¯s face visibly twitched.


    ¡°Ms., you don¡¯t need to emphasize that news again¡­¡± the Elf Governor said in an odd tone, ¡°It¡¯s not good for the heart¨Cplease be kinder to the elderly.¡±


    Lucracia laughed, looking quite pleased¨Cshe seemed to experience the satisfaction of Tyrion, then contentedly stood up and waved goodbye to Governor Sala.


    In the next second, the figure of the ¡°Sea Witch¡± suddenly transformed into colorful, scattered papers twirling into the air by a gust of wind, vanishing from the terrace.


    ¡°This ¡®witch¡¯ really does come and go as she pleases¡­¡± Sala Mel muttered sotto voce, turning to head back inside¨Cnow, he had to consider contacting other City-State¡¯s Explorers¡¯ Associations and how to convey that dreadful ¡°warning.¡±


    However, just as he was turning around, the Governor of the City-State suddenly stopped.


    As if a terrifying wind had abruptly blown across the edge of his consciousness, a sensation of indescribable horror and despair surged in his heart. Sala Mel felt as if this ¡°emotion¡± was directly injecting into his brain, instantly seizing his mind, chilling his blood, and tensing his muscles!


    He struggled to lift his head, looking in a direction that seemed to be deeply etched into his mind, a direction that pulled him strongly. He looked toward the center of the City-State, toward those towering buildings¨C


    However, he didn¡¯t see the familiar City-State, nor any other familiar scenery.


    Only a piercing blaze of fire and a giant tree so immense that it defied description, its boundaries indiscernible, burning fiercely at the edge of his vision like a massive mountain range!


    The giant tree resembled the World Tree ¡°Silantis¡± from the ancient elvish legends, yet it was far more magnificent and awe-inspiring than anything poets and scholars had ever imagined. It seemed to cover entire mountains and plains, sheltering a kingdom within its shade. It dwarfed any City-State or island Sala Mel had ever seen; the land beneath the tree was so vast it was beyond his imagination¨C


    Yet all of this was engulfed in flames like those of the apocalypse.


    Crimson flames devoured everything, reducing the giant tree and the surrounding forest to ashes, while flashes like bursts of released energy constantly shot from the edges of the flames, igniting the air and rending the sky.


    Struggling to follow those strange, massive flashes, Sala Mel finally lifted his gaze.


    He had found the source of the devouring flames.


    It was the sky¨Cthe entire sky glowed with a horrific, scorching light, swelling and shining like a Steam Core Reactor about to uncontrollably melt through. Amidst the expanding glow, a sinister hue of dark red began to seep through.


    Then, that dark red color quickly spread, consuming the fiery glow of the sky, casting the whole world into a terrifying, dark-red dusk. The fiery sky faded, but everything on the ground had already been burned to ash. The forests turned into scorched earth, and amidst the remaining embers, the giant tree, like a miraculous phenomenon, collapsed with a thunderous roar.


    The dark red sky grew dimmer, giving off black stripes bit by bit. Time seemed to have passed for an eternity, yet it might have only been a moment. Sala Mel saw that night had fallen, the obscure night sky mixed with dark red covering the burnt world. In this brief ¡°peace,¡± he thought he heard someone whispering in his ear.


    They were unfamiliar voices¨C


    ¡°¡­I still remember them, remember their faces¡­¡±


    ¡°Memory can be useful¡­ We have a plan¡­¡±


    ¡°A Shelter, or a dying cage¨Cthere¡¯s little room for optimism.¡±


    ¡°But at least there¡¯s still a future¡­¡±


    Sala Mel glanced around in alarm, trying to locate the source of the voice, only to see the world consumed by fire, everything obliterated. Then, the ominous dark red sky began to crack apart, and chaotic light and shadows ¡°poured¡± from the cracks in the sky. Ash and debris on the ground were quickly assimilated and disintegrated by this light and shadow, and everything rapidly vanished. An intense, unknown thought thundered in his mind, as if hundreds of millions of thoughts were sounding at once, resonating:


    The Apocalypse of Rupture.


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    Sala Mel¡¯s body swayed slightly.


    Something seemed to be receding like the tide, the intense emotions and horrific impressions lingering in his mind melted away like snowflakes in the sun. A second ago, he felt as if he had seen something, even vividly remembered something; the next second, however, he felt as if he had simply spaced out for a moment.


    Those things had disappeared, like dreams dissipating in the morning.


    Sala Mel stood there, unconsciously furrowing his brow, looking back in the direction where the ¡°Sea Witch¡± had vanished.


    ¡°This ¡®witch¡¯ certainly comes and goes as she pleases¡­¡±


    Sala Mel couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself before turning to go back into his room.

 Chapter 505 - Chapter 505 Chapter 506 Morriss Teacher

    Chapter 505: Chapter 506: Morris¡¯s Teacher Chapter 505: Chapter 506: Morris¡¯s Teacher Fenna entered the prayer room in the deep crew quarters below the deck of the ¡°Homeloss¡± and quickly set up the area for spiritual communication after closing the door.


    On the limited conditions of the Endless Sea, the ceremonial scene still utilized materials found on the ship. She substituted a large candelabra for the fire basin and her own prayer book for the necessary Sacred Relic. Then, using a mixture of salt and grease, she smeared and drew the runes of the Storm on the floor, constructing a sacred site¨Csince this was her second time doing this, she was not as unfamiliar as before.


    A sudden feeling of being watched came from the side, causing Ms. Judge, who was busy setting up the ritual space, to stop abruptly.


    She turned her head towards the direction of the gaze and saw a round mirror hanging on the wall in the corner of the room, where the light fluctuated and a black-haired lady was curiously looking this way.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to pry into someone conducting a ritual,¡± Agatha¡¯s voice came from the mirror, ¡°I was just drawn here by the activity.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, this isn¡¯t a secret ritual,¡± Fenna smiled generously, greeting this very special new ¡°crew member¡± who had recently joined the ¡°Homeloss,¡± ¡°I am about to contact the Church Ark.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know, the rituals of the Death Church are slightly different, but I can somewhat tell what you are doing, however¡­¡±


    Speaking from the mirror, Agatha suddenly hesitated.


    ¡°However, what?¡± Fenna asked, puzzled.


    ¡°¡­Is this really okay, setting up a ritual like this?¡± Agatha curiously observed the scene inside the ship cabin, ¡°Using a candelabra instead of a fire basin might be acceptable, and substituting a regular prayer book for a Sacred Relic is also passable, but using kitchen salt instead of blessed ¡®pure salt,¡¯ and cooking oil instead of holy oil¡­ Are the rituals of the Deep Sea Church so flexible?¡±


    Fenna felt a bit embarrassed: ¡°This¡­ mainly because we have limited resources on the ship, we ran out of holy oil previously, and I forgot to replenish it when we docked. But based on experience, it¡¯s no problem.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then it seems you truly are a saint favored by the goddess,¡± Agatha couldn¡¯t help but marvel, ¡°Most clergy wouldn¡¯t dare use such casual methods to borrow divine power.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s facial muscles twitched twice, and she could only reply with a forced smile, ¡°Uh, thanks¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t interrupt any further,¡± Agatha waved in the mirror and her figure slowly blurred, ¡°I¡¯m going to see what Sherry is doing. The captain asked me to supervise her homework¡­¡±


    The mirror turned pitch black and then slowly returned to its normal reflection.


    Fenna watched the lady in the mirror leave, stared blankly for a while, then turned her head to look at the ritual site she had just earnestly set up, slowly frowning.


    ¡°Is this really good enough?¡±


    She muttered to herself with some self-doubt, then flicked her fingers towards the direction of the candelabra¨Ca force invisible to the eye instantly ignited the candelabra, the next second it transformed into bright flames leaping higher than normal candle flames. Soon, the runes arranged around the ritual space began to crackle, gradually mingling with the rising sound of waves.


    ¡°This works quite well¡­¡±


    Fenna noted inwardly. The next second, she gradually let her spirit sink down, allowing her consciousness and senses to immerse in the ongoing surge of wave sounds.


    The ritual drew the gaze of the divine, the runes borrowed the divine¡¯s power, and Fenna let this force guide her spirit, using it as a medium to call to the faraway Church Ark, waiting for a response from Pope Helena.


    Psychic Resonance, utilizing the ritual to borrow the power of the four gods, thereby enhancing the originally feeble mental abilities of mortals, allowing for communication between distant clergy who share the same faith. This ancient Divine Art was a skill that every official clergy had to learn, even in these continuously advancing technological days, even when humans had created convenient modern communication means like telegraphs and telephones, this form of remote clerical communication remained an important means of exchanging information between distant City-States.


    Fenna felt herself entering a long, dark tunnel, her soul flying rapidly through it, and the surroundings of the tunnel appeared like dark rock layers which seemed to undulate and ripple vaguely¨Clooking as if they might come to life.


    She gathered her thoughts, concentrated her mind, controlled unnecessary curiosity and the impulse to reach outward, reciting those rules well ingrained in her heart, trying to avoid approaching any tangible boundaries within this ¡°tunnel.¡± Then, she ¡°saw¡± a glimmer of light gradually appearing ahead.


    Different from attending a ¡°gathering¡± at the Tomb of the Nameless King, today¡¯s psychic communication was directed solely towards the Storm Cathedral above the Endless Sea¨Cthe far end of the ¡°dark tunnel¡± saw a misty, ethereal space rapidly forming, with an elegant and dignified figure appearing in view.


    Fenna stopped in front of that figure, her own ethereal shadow quickly stabilized.


    ¡°I greet you, Your Holiness.¡±


    ¡°No need for formalities, Fenna, this isn¡¯t a public setting,¡± Helena¡¯s apparition returned a greeting, then curiously asked, ¡°Why have you suddenly called upon me? Is there a problem with ¡®that ship¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Everything is normal on the ship¨Cbut something big has happened,¡± Fenna took a gentle breath, composed herself, and then slowly began, ¡°I am here to convey a warning from Captain Duncan¨Cthe Homeloss is warning the entire civilized world¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Bright yellow light illuminated the ancient bookshelves and old scrolls, and on the large walnut desk, intricate alchemical equipment sustained a series of complex chemical reactions. In the spacious and rustic study, a portly, kindly-faced elven elder sat calm by the desk¨Che was the leader of the Academy of Truth, the pontiff of the God of Wisdom Rahm, Rune.


    This elven elder was watching the alchemical devices on the table, but in his eyes reflected a scene from afar¨C


    ¡°The Homeloss is warning the entire civilized world, we have confirmed the reawakening of the ancient god ¡®The Saint¡¯ in the deep sea beneath the Frost, this ¡®awakening¡¯ process could be repeated in any City-State, there is evidence that ¡®The Saint¡¯s¡¯ flesh exists in all things¡­¡±


    The short, chubby, and amiable elven elder listened silently to this distant voice, his expression growing stern, and when the other party¡¯s voice fell, he slowly stood up from beside the desk, walking towards one of the bookshelves at the end of the room as he spoke, ¡°Morris, if this most intense part of the message were to be made public, it would be considered the most horrifying heresy in history¨Ceven the nihilists might find it too extreme.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no heresy on the path of truth, teacher, in the ¡®classics¡¯ created by mortals there are only two kinds: those that have been disproved, and those waiting to be disproved, this is what you taught me.¡±


    Morris¡¯s voice sounded steady and strong, yet it carried a sharp, restrained determination and courage, which made the elven elder fondly recall many years ago¨Cwhen this exceptionally talented young human was still studying at the Academy of Truth, he also sought all answers with such perseverance, and dared to question every issue with immense courage.


    This curiosity and drive in a scholar were intense and dangerous; many talented young individuals would swiftly ascend the peaks of truth under this force, but many among them would be knocked down by the dangers posed by knowledge itself, while others might calmly learn under the protection and guidance of their mentors, learning to suppress their talents and cautiously sip from the trickle of truth.


    A rare few, like Morris, could choose a third path¨C


    Within two years mastering various firearms, cold weapons, explosives, mystical body protection spells, and comprehensive combat skills.


    They were the pride of the Academy of Truth and its affiliated martial school.


    Rune stopped before a large bookshelf, reaching in and pulling out a record book.


    Opening it, he slowly flipped through, page by page, all of them showing the youthful faces of past students¨Ctheir youthful appearances captured within magically imbued pages, some standing shyly, some waving at someone off-page, making faces, or laughing heartily.


    A young human stood at the classroom door, arms crossed, confidently facing this way, beneath the black and white image, the name Morris Underwood and the corresponding student record.


    ¡°Yes, I taught you, human classics are of only two kinds, those that have been overturned and those waiting to be overturned¡­ There¡¯s no heresy on the path of truth, for truth itself does not need human approval, it is eternal¡­¡±


    Rune muttered to himself softly, one eye on the students on the page, while in his other eye still reflected the current appearance of this student¨Cwhite hair now touched his temples, completely different from the vigorous young man in the register.


    Human life is indeed fleeting, establishing deep connections with humans is a thing full of difficulty and pain for elves¨Cthese friends and students always age quickly, and before the elves know it, they transform into mounds of yellow earth, goodbyes and memories often come abruptly, every sorrow arriving late and with irreversible regrets.


    But Rune still enjoyed accepting and teaching these apprentices from human society.


    For even within their brief lifespans, these apprentices could still exhibit a learning capacity that astonished elves, and the explorative desires and possibilities born from short lifespans were, in Rune¡¯s view, extremely precious traits in the pursuit of truth.


    Morris¡¯s voice rang in his mind again, ¡°Captain Duncan believes it¡¯s necessary to share all the intelligence we currently possess with the Four Gods Churches, only selectively withholding in our exchanges with the various City-States and the Explorers¡¯ Association¨Cbecause the Four Gods Churches have the capability and the necessary understanding to know how to handle this ¡®warning.''¡±


    ¡°¡­That sounds quite reasonable, but has he not considered another possibility?¡± Rune spoke slowly, ¡°The content of this ¡®warning¡¯ is too shocking, even seeming like a heretical discourse more extreme than that of the nihilists¡¯ apostasy¨Cit will be seen by the Church as a form of¡­ hostility, even as a new kind of heretical preaching, and for some more conservative clerics, they would not initially accept this as a ¡®warning,¡¯ but would tend to view it as an attack on their beliefs.¡±


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    ¡°He doesn¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a storm coming, and thunder warns first¨Cbut the thunder does not care whether mortals have taken shelter, such is the attitude of the captain.¡±


    ¡°¡­Reasonable.¡±


    (Recommendation time, the book, ¡°Wasteland: Paradise Construction Guide¡± by Old Gou, Mu Hou Liu, Wasteland Style. The protagonist has dual identities, managing a shelter from an AI¡¯s perspective on one hand, and exploring the wasteland with a false identity on the other, elements of hammer are present, can be viewed like the Tella¡¯s unification wars of the emperor, it feels like a great concept, everyone can check it out.)

 Chapter 506 - Chapter 506 Chapter 507 The Pontiffs of the Four Gods

    Chapter 506: Chapter 507: The Pontiffs of the Four Gods Chapter 506: Chapter 507: The Pontiffs of the Four Gods When the storm came, mortals scattered in panic at the roar of thunder¨Cyet the thunder itself paid no heed to mortal reactions; its roar merely arose from its very existence, just as the existence of Homeloss was enough to interfere with the order of the Endless Sea.


    Under this premise, considering whether ¡°Captain Duncan¡± cared about being deemed a heretic by the mortal church seemed meaningless, overestimating the influence of worldly beings on the Subspace Shadow¨Cbesides, from another perspective, the image of Homeloss in the eyes of the civilized world was not much better than that of a ¡°heretic¡±¡­


    ¡°I will discuss this matter with Helena, Banster, and Frem, the three pontiffs,¡± Rune told Morris, ¡°there will certainly be voices of doubt and panic among the bishops, but our attitude should soon be unified¨Cregardless of the source of the news, at least the ¡®warning¡¯ itself needs to be taken seriously.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would look at this matter rationally,¡± Morris¡¯s voice carried a hint of relief, ¡°You are still the same as before.¡±


    ¡°You, however, have changed a lot since then, Morris,¡± Rune said thoughtfully, ¡°I heard you had fallen into a profound abyss, and many lamented over it. I never expected you to bounce back so quickly, nor did I expect your recovery¡­ to involve becoming a member of Homeloss. Honestly, of all the shocking things over these centuries, this is perhaps the most shocking.¡±


    ¡°Life aboard the ship is actually not bad¨Cit might even be said to be better than in the City-State. Although life at sea brings some troubles, here, I encounter new things almost every day, dealing with various previously unheard-of matters¡­¡±


    ¡°You already sound entirely like a ¡®crew member¡¯ proud of his ship,¡± Rune couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°I am really curious what exactly you are doing on that ship.¡±


    Morris fell silent for half a minute.


    Many things flashed through his mind¨Che taught classes to Profound Demons, Curse Dolls, and Demon Contractors, raced boats in the Spirit Realm, at the offspring of the deep sea, spent time with the Sun Shard reading books, and watched as it seared a variety of heretical abominations that emerged from those books¡­


    ¡°¡­Active and healthy academic research,¡± Morris said earnestly.


    ¡°Oh, that sounds quite good,¡± Rune nodded, then couldn¡¯t help but add a word of caution, ¡°But I still want to say, you should be vigilant. Perhaps as you say, that ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ has really regained his humanity, but as a mortal, living on Homeloss and being constantly around a Subspace Shadow is a dangerous thing itself. You should be cautious in dealing with all unknown entities to avoid any impact on your mind and cognition¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the reminder, teacher, but please rest assured, as you know, I have always been a cautious student¨Ceven when conducting the most dangerous research in the Academy, I always prepared thoroughly and never had an accident.¡±


    Having returned to his desk, Rune fell silent upon hearing this.


    The elven elder¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t help but recall the days when Morris was a student at the Academy of Truth.


    Cautious¡­ There indeed were many cautious students in the academy, but everyone¡¯s understanding of the word was not quite the same.


    Some students, upon encountering dangerous books, would immediately try to isolate and seal the books, avoiding all contact¨Cthat was called caution.


    Others, upon dealing with forbidden knowledge, would first drink half a pound of Magic Potion, hang all sorts of amulets around their necks, and then prepare the three largest caliber handguns¨Cthey also called this caution.


    The second type of student had a high chance of dying, but those who survived often achieved great things, and the most legendary scholars of the Academy of Truth were often of this kind.


    However, even the most legendary among them had not reached the heights of running off to Homeloss to converse casually with a Subspace Evil God.


    Quiet for a long time, the elven elder sitting behind the desk finally broke the silence in a soft voice, ¡°Morris¡­¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, teacher.¡±


    ¡°¡­You are meant for great things.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your expectations.¡±


    ¡°No, what I mean is, if one day you cause too big a mess, please give me a heads up in advance¨CI¡¯ll help if I can, and if I can¡¯t help, it¡¯d be good to know in advance to make a run for it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The connection of spiritual energy communication cut off, and the resonance at the level of thought and perception receded like a tide, Rune slightly narrowed his eyes, feeling the departure of his former apprentice, until he confirmed that Morris¡¯s consciousness had safely exited the spiritual channel before completely relaxing.


    Yet a faint, weird noise as if many people were whispering softly still lingered in his mind, taking a long time to gradually fade away.


    Feeling the impact of that noise on his own mind, Rune couldn¡¯t help but exhale softly.


    ¡°¡­Permanent Madness Threshold but still maintaining a clear mind¡­ This is truly an incredible situation. Is this also an influence imposed by that ¡®captain¡¯?¡±


    Muttering softly to himself, the possibly most learned elder elf among mortals shook his head and then quietly seated himself at the desk, as if awaiting someone¡¯s visit.


    He did not have to wait long.


    Suddenly, illusory and blurred sounds of waves emerged in his mind and gradually coalesced into clear, continuous waves, followed by calls of fire and death. Rune sighed amidst these calls, glanced at the still-reacting alchemy container on the table beside him, confirmed there was enough of the residual substances, and gradually calmed his mind¨C


    This study was his ¡°ritual site¡± for spiritual energy communication, where all the ancient and solemn bookshelves, books, and the alchemy device on the desk were items needed for the ritual.


    Darkness surged, then dissipated like mist, and at the end of the profoundly dim passage appeared the figures of the three pontiffs of the deep sea, death, and the flame transmitter.


    Rune walked through the passage to meet his three old friends, nodded slightly in greeting, and without waiting for them to speak, took the initiative and said, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve all received the message as well.¡±


    ¡°I and Banster each received a message from our respective saints,¡± Pontiff Helena of the deep sea spoke, pointing to the silent and towering figure opposite her, ¡°Frem has just arrived, and we¡¯ve barely had time to explain the situation to him.¡±


    The figure known as Frem nodded slightly.


    As the leader of the flame transmitters, his eternal torch ¡°Tarrikin¡± served as the spokesperson in the mortal world. From his outward appearance, he was perhaps the most striking among the four pontiffs¨Cexceptionally tall, with rock-like grey-white robust skin and metallic textured lines on his skin revealing his lineage.


    He was a powerful Senkin, clad in the dark gold robe signifying his status as Pontiff of the Flame Transmitter, with short gray-white hair, a sharply defined face, and an appearance that was silent and especially stern.


    In recent times, this Pontiff of the Flame Transmitter had been patrolling the borders of the civilized world with his fleet, rarely attending gatherings of the four, and this was his first appearance in a while.


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t fully grasped the situation,¡± Frem spoke, his voice deep like it was emanating from stones, ¡°None of my saints have been abducted to that ship yet.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Helena immediately frowned with a strange expression and whispered, ¡°Our saints weren¡¯t abducted onto it either¡­¡±


    ¡°They contacted Captain Duncan, they were wary of Captain Duncan, they aligned with Captain Duncan, they joined Captain Duncan,¡± Frem looked at Helena, his face still as stony as ever, ¡°I believe that is being abducted.¡±


    Helena: ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing this, the tall, gaunt, and elderly Banster, Pontiff of death, coughed lightly and said, ¡°You¡¯ve known Frem for a long time; he¡¯s always been like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright,¡± Helena spoke after a moment of silence, slowly nodding, ¡°We aren¡¯t here to discuss ¡®saints being abducted onto the ship,¡¯ we are here to discuss the warning from Homeloss.¡±


    Rune looked up, ¡°Do you have any questions?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Helena immediately said, her gaze landing on Rune, ¡°I want to know what exactly are those enormous organisms beneath the city-state? From the descriptions, that thing greatly resembles the ¡®Leviathan¡¯ that supports the Church Ark¡­ Are they the same thing?¡±


    ¡°All four Church Arks were crafted by the Academy of Truth, including the technology to ¡®resurrect¡¯ and control the Leviathan, that was also your doing,¡± Banster also looked at Rune and spoke, ¡°but you have never revealed where you found those ¡®Leviathan¡¯ ¡®cadavers,¡¯ nor have you revealed the connection between the Leviathan beasts and the structure beneath the city-state¡­ We have reason to believe the Academy of Truth holds some special ¡®truth.''¡±


    Frem remained silent, his expression as impassive as a sculpture, calmly staring into Rune¡¯s eyes.


    Yet faced with these three pressure-filled gazes, Rune simply spread his hands open calmly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what exactly is beneath the city-state.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Helena¡¯s eyes widened slightly, ¡°The Academy of Truth resurrected four Leviathans, and yet you say you don¡¯t know what the ¡®Leviathan¡¯ beneath the city-state is?¡±


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    Rune simply countered calmly, ¡°The Storm Goddess Gomona is the Leviathan queen¨Cyou, as a follower of the Storm Goddess, do you know more than I do?¡±


    Helena furrowed her brows and did not speak.


    ¡°I believe you must have tried asking the Leviathan beast that carries the Storm Cathedral, and it surely could not give you any answer¨Cbecause even they themselves are unclear about their own species¡¯ matters.¡±


    Rune sighed and shook his head gently.


    ¡°Our world¡¯s history has been shattered, even the ancient beasts cannot clearly recall the events before the great annihilation. Do you know, that ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯ even named this phenomenon¡­


    ¡°He calls it¨Cthe ¡®sight limit¡¯ on the temporal dimension.¡±

 Chapter 507 - Chapter 507 Chapter 508 The Secret of the Church Ark

    Chapter 507: Chapter 508: The Secret of the Church Ark Chapter 507: Chapter 508: The Secret of the Church Ark All known history of this world begins with the ¡°Great Obliteration¡± of the Ancient Era.


    If the ¡°Great Obliteration¡± is viewed as a wall, then this invisible barrier is clearly more than just a simple ¡°event node¡±; it factually ¡°cut off¡± the entire historical timeline.


    All that predates the Great Obliteration is unknown. Archaeologists have exhausted all their wisdom and effort, but are unable to recover even a trace of information from before that time point; one cannot even find any historical relics pointing to the period before the Great Obliteration¨Cnot even a stone fragment etched with characters.


    This ¡°black wall¡± of despair has stood in the eyes of scholars for ten thousand years, and now Captain Duncan Ebnomal, who returned from Subspace, has given this barrier an apt name.


    As the leader of the Academy of Truth, the Pontiff of the God of Wisdom, Rune felt the presence of that black wall and the subtlety of the ¡°limit of vision¡± more deeply than anyone else.


    ¡°Our world seems to have been ¡®created out of thin air¡¯ at some moment after the Great Obliteration. The fragmented and contradictory history only serves as ironclad proof of the existence of that ¡®limit of vision,''¡± Rune spoke with a hint of emotion in front of his three old friends, ¡°Ever since the rise of the City-States, even from the beginning of the Dark Age, countless scholars have tried to trace back to the past, to find that ¡®source¡¯ before the Great Obliteration. They dig deep into the darkness of the earth, only to be blocked by that invisible barrier.


    ¡°One second, even just the second before the eruption of the Great Obliteration, is a blank, unverifiable. Even the ¡®Book of Desecration¡¯ that Captain Duncan got from the hands of the Obliteration Sect, which mentions the ¡®Three Long Nights,¡¯ only describes the history between the Great Obliteration and the establishment of the Ancient Crete Kingdom¨Cregarding the information before the ¡®limit of vision,¡¯ it¡¯s still a complete blank.¡±


    ¡°Using the heretical and deviant teachings of the Heretics as reference material is a dangerous thing,¡± the Death Pontiff Banster couldn¡¯t help but interject.


    Rune shook his head slightly: ¡°The danger of heretical teachings lies in their seductiveness and the motivation to commit evil. Once you remove these influences, ¡®The Three Long Nights¡¯ is still a topic worth studying. Our many achievements concerning the Dark Ages after the collapse of the Ancient Crete Kingdom have been built on the study of the Solar Sect and the Obliteration Sect.¡±


    ¡°¡­So what you¡¯re saying is, you can¡¯t explain the ¡®Leviathan¡¯ beneath the City-States, and those Leviathan Beasts that carry the Church Arks can¡¯t give us an answer either,¡± Frem broke the silence, ¡°because this happened before the Great Obliteration. All information pointing to it is unknowable, unmeasurable, and unverifiable.¡±


    Rune did not speak, which was as good as an affirmation of Frem¡¯s statement.


    After a moment of thought, Helena suddenly spoke up: ¡°But you can at least tell us where the Academy of Truth found those four Leviathans¨Cat least those beasts that carry the four Church Arks were indeed discovered and ¡®resurrected¡¯ by you, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­They come from the Borderlands. After a massive ¡®Border Collapse¡¯,¡± Rune finally gave a definitive answer, ¡°The specific location¡­ is near the Eternal Veil in the eastern territories.¡±


    ¡°The eastern territories?¡± Banster frowned unconsciously.


    ¡°Yes, near the site of the old Veseran archipelago,¡± Rune nodded, ¡°Ever since the terrible Subspace disaster a century ago, the Eastern Eternal Veil has always been a vulnerable point. The dense fog there often collapses inward or temporary anomalies appear above the seas, something you should be aware of.¡±


    Helena and Frem silently nodded, while Banster¡¯s face showed a contemplative expression, but none of them interrupted Rune; instead, they indicated for him to continue.


    ¡°While the Academy of Truth was responsible for patrolling the Borderlands, one of our ships encountered an anomaly there,¡± Rune continued as he sorted through his memories, ¡°The specifics are now beyond reach, as the crew suffered severe cognitive disarray and memory loss during the incident, and consequently could not accurately recount what happened. However, there was a hastily written log on the ship, noting part of the situation at that time¨C


    ¡°The sea suddenly dipped inward, like an uncanny bowl. The edges of the ¡®bowl¡¯ were smooth and calm; the water seemed to be frozen in place. Yet, instead of sinking with the hollowed-out sea, the ship floated above this sunken area of the ocean¡­ The ship lost power, unable to move forward or backward, suspended in the air a hundred meters above the water in a terrifying manner¡­ From that sunken part of the sea emerged a colossal creature, as if it were a living being¡­


    ¡°That was what a crew member on that ship wrote down in haste, amidst cognitive confusion and memory damage.


    ¡°Later, another fleet of ours found the missing patrol ship drifting slowly out of a thin mist, powerless, its steam core cold, with all aboard asleep. Behind that ship, vanishing into the dissipating mist, stood four massive creatures caught in the eyes of the rescuers.


    ¡±


    ¡°That was the Leviathan we found at sea¨Cthe ancient beast that was recorded in the Storm canon and had long disappeared into the annals of history, an apostle of the Storm Goddess.¡±


    ¡°After that, you all know what happened. The Academy of Truth found a way to ¡®revive¡¯ those legendary beasts, and they built the massive Church Arks on their bodies, which were then turned over for use to the Church of the Four Gods.¡±


    Rune¡¯s narration ended, and while Frem and Banster were still pondering, Helena began to frown, ¡°So those Leviathans are one of the relics from the frontier¡­ no wonder you¡¯ve been avoiding these details before, as they relate to frontier collapse.¡±


    ¡°The understanding of frontier collapse increases the likelihood of it occurring within civilized worlds; the closer the time, the higher the probability. This was a rule summarized by Captain Duncan Ebnomal a century ago when he was still a grand explorer,¡± Rune nodded, ¡°But now, decades have passed since the Academy of Truth encountered that frontier collapse event with the Leviathan, and it¡¯s no longer as dangerous to talk about these matters.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have some doubts,¡± Frem suddenly spoke, ¡°The scale of the Church Ark is indeed large, but obviously, it¡¯s not on the same level as a City-State¨Cif the biological structure underneath the City-State is truly made of Leviathans, then they would be several times larger than the Church Ark Leviathans¡­ Are they really from the same species?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Rune spread his hands, ¡°Perhaps the four Leviathans we discovered at the frontier were some kind of ¡®small variant¡¯? Or maybe ¡®juveniles¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­Theoretically, it shouldn¡¯t be so,¡± Helena shook her head, ¡°I often communicate with the Church Ark¡¯s Leviathans, and although it¡¯s unclear about things before the Great Obliteration and the truth beneath the City-States, it has clearly stated that it is an adult Leviathan.¡±


    ¡°Then, the problem lies with the biological structures beneath the City-States¨Cperhaps they are ¡®mutants¡¯ of exceptionally large scale, or possibly¡­ they are tied to the influence of those ¡®blueprints¡¯ deep in the sea,¡± Rune speculated, ¡°After all, if the reports from Homeloss are true, then all the City-States on the Endless Sea nowadays can be considered the ¡®creations¡¯ of ancient gods, and even the biological structures beneath them are likely the result of ¡®secondary processing¡¯ by the enigmatic Saint¡­¡±


    At this point, Rune suddenly stopped, then shook his head with a self-deprecating smile, and passed his hand over his eyes, making a praying gesture toward the God of Wisdom Rahm, ¡°May the Lord forgive me, it feels so strange discussing such heretical topics.¡±


    ¡°May the Lord forgive us.¡±


    Helena and Frem also made praying gestures and confessed to the Storm Goddess and the Eternal Flame behind them.


    As leaders of the Church, they could observe these topics that bordered on taboo and could even be called heretical speech from a higher perspective, and they could analyze the information from heretical madmen with a cooler attitude and a more practical viewpoint. However, as spokespeople for the Four Gods, they were also bound by the commandments of their sects and constrained by faith¨Cwhen discussing certain dangerous topics, a sense of discord and resistance in their hearts was unavoidable.


    Only the Death God¡¯s spokesperson, Banster, tall and thin with an aged visage, remained silent as though he had been lost in thought since the conversation began.


    ¡°Banster,¡± Rune¡¯s focus turned to the silent spokesperson of death, ¡°you¡¯ve seemed distracted since this conversation started.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been pondering a question, Rune,¡± Banster finally looked up, his eyes as deep as the night within their hollowed sockets, ¡°The Vesseran Thirteen Isles¨Cthe discovery of those Leviathans was near the maritime zone of the Vesseran Thirteen Isles incident. Don¡¯t you find that worth noting?¡±


    Rune nodded calmly, clearly, he had anticipated Banster¡¯s attention would fall on this detail.


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    ¡°I know what you¡¯re getting at¨CHomeloss,¡± the elderly elf said slowly, ¡°A hundred years ago, Homeloss opened a gate to Subspace at the Vesseran Thirteen Isles, dragging all the islands and their inhabitants into the depth of a terrifying world. This incident also caused the area¡¯s time-space structure to be exceptionally fragile, with anomalies occurring frequently¡­ From this standpoint, the incident the Academy of Truth¡¯s patrol ship encountered decades ago has a certain causal connection to the Vesseran Thirteen Isles incident.¡±


    He paused, then raised his head to look seriously at Banster before continuing, ¡°But we cannot simply assume that ¡®Homeloss brought the Leviathan Beasts into the real world.¡¯ There is a lack of evidence, and not enough theoretical support.¡±


    ¡°But those four Leviathans could indeed have entered our real world due to some lingering effect of the Vesseran Thirteen Isles incident. Rune, this matter has actually been risky from the start.¡±


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t want your Church Ark anymore?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±

 Chapter 508 - Chapter 508 Chapter 509 Bansters Deliberation

    Chapter 508: Chapter 509 Banster¡¯s Deliberation Chapter 508: Chapter 509 Banster¡¯s Deliberation Banster¡¯s response was simple, straightforward, and honest.


    Rune failed to react at first.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of saying all this?¡± the short, plump Rune grumbled, ¡°With so many questions, I almost thought you were going to seal away the Church Ark as soon as you got back today¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just emphasizing the risks behind this,¡± Banster¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his gaunt and pallid face looking extremely serious, ¡°We all know what happened back then in the Veserlan Thirteen Islands¨Cthe ¡®Island Sinking¡¯ is merely a mild euphemism. The essence of the incident was a large-scale connection between our reality and Subspace. That area of the sea is still unstable to this day, and those Leviathans¡­¡±


    ¡°They are safe, Banster,¡± Rune interrupted calmly, his eyes a deep blue as if imbued with a glint of calm and wisdom, ¡°I¡¯m not some mad scientist who would dare to bring relics from the border into the civilized world on a whim. The ¡®corpses¡¯ of those Leviathans were subjected to a full decade of research and verification at the Academy of Truth before I decided to convert them into Church Arks, after eliminating all unstable factors.¡±


    Banster fell silent for a moment, until after more than a dozen seconds, Frem next to him broke the silence with a heavy voice, ¡°In any case, given the situation at the time, we had to build the ¡®Pilgrimage Arks¡¯¨CRune took some risks, but without those Arks, we might have lost contact with the Four Divinities by now.¡±


    In the chaotic and dark space, four figures fell silent in unison.


    ¡°Sometimes I really can¡¯t help but think that the four ¡®Leviathans¡¯ that appeared on the eastern border were some kind of gift from fate,¡± Rune shook his head, muttering in a low voice, ¡°Without them, the Academy of Truth couldn¡¯t possibly have built a Pilgrimage Ark suitable to act as a ¡®Dustworld Divine Kingdom.¡¯ And at that time, all of our other plans had slim chances of success¨Cmy friends, I admit, I did conceal many details about those Leviathans, but I hope you understand that was a border collapse¡­ When I handed over the Ark back then, I told you not to be curious about their origins and to just treat it as a miracle.¡±


    ¡°A gift from fate¡­¡± Banster began slowly, ¡°If possible, I really don¡¯t want to hear that. It feels to me like a bloody sacrifice, offering up countless souls of the Veserlan Thirteen Islands to that ship, in exchange for today¡¯s four Pilgrimage Arks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a fair statement, there¡¯s no evidence that the appearance of the ¡®Leviathans¡¯ is the work of the Homeloss. Things in the world are interconnected, and some events just happen to be related to others,¡± Rune reassured, ¡°Moreover, ¡®that ship¡¯ is now sailing on the Endless Sea, and whether you like to admit it or not, its master has regained humanity. The warnings from the Homeloss, just like the warnings about the ¡®border collapse¡¯ discovered by Captain Duncan a century ago, must be faced and taken seriously, just as I often say¡­¡±


    ¡°Truth is not subject to human attitudes, for it is eternal,¡± Banster waved dismissively, ¡°I know, I¡¯ve heard you drone on about such things till I¡¯ve developed calluses.¡±


    Helena looked up at Rune, then at Banster, and after hesitating slightly, she spoke, ¡°Banster, if you still feel uneasy, why not try talking directly with Captain Duncan? See his current attitude, or even¡­ confirm with him the real truth about the Veserlan Thirteen Islands back then. Although he¡¯s now publicly claimed that his memory is impaired, if you personally¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Banster waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Helena, among your many outrageous ideas, this one is excessively so.¡±


    ¡°Alright, just suggesting.¡±


    ¡°At this stage, we do need to be cautious with our communication with the Homeloss,¡± Rune also chimed in timely, ¡°The level of contact we currently have is already quite bold. Going further¡­ we must consider the influence of Subspace. We can¡¯t allow any possibility for the Pilgrimage Arks to be contaminated.¡±


    The rock-like giant Frem shifted his gaze slowly as his eyes swept over the three Archbishops in conversation.


    ¡°Then your Saints were still taken aboard the ship¡­¡±


    Helena and Rune spoke simultaneously, ¡°That wasn¡¯t taken aboard!¡±


    Only after the two finished speaking did Banster add slowly, ¡°My Saint is still in the church, it was only a shadow that went aboard.¡±


    In the next second, the chaotic and dark space once again fell silent, as if a kind of awkward and delicate atmosphere was swirling among the four.


    Eventually, Rune was the first to break the silence, ¡°No matter what, you all haven¡¯t divulged to your Saints the true nature of the ¡®Leviathans¡¯ underneath the Church Ark, have you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Helena was the first to shake her head, ¡°Although I thought of Leviathans the moment Fenna mentioned the astonishing structure beneath the City-State, I did not reveal anything to her.¡±


    Banster also shook his head, ¡°I¡¯d rather understand what¡¯s going on by consulting you, old timer, than to unnecessarily trouble my subordinates¨Calthough it seems you know only so much.¡±


    Frem was the third to shake his head, ¡°My Saint hasn¡¯t been taken to the ship¡­¡±


    The three voices finally spoke in unison, ¡°Will you ever stop?!¡±


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll stop talking.¡±


    ¡°Not revealing it for now is the right choice,¡± Rune looked at Frem, who was like a rock giant, with a sense of helplessness, then turned back to Helena and Banster and nodded, ¡°We have too little information at the moment. We need to first confirm what¡¯s going on beneath the City-States, verify the accuracy of the information from the Homeloss, and then we can plan our next move.¡±


    Pausing for a while, he added, ¡°And when the conditions are right, we can contact ¡®that ship¡¯ again through our respective Saints. For now¡­ let¡¯s discuss the remaining parts of the ¡®warning¡¯ from the Homeloss.¡±


    Every person¡¯s expression turned serious with his words.


    ¡°I¡¯ll share my opinion first,¡± Banster was the first to speak, ¡°I believe we need to establish a ¡®monitoring¡¯ system for Homeloss¡¯s ¡®alarm¡¯ that spans across the churches, city-states, and oceanic fleets¨Cthe coverage must be expansive and all-encompassing because if the contents of that warning are true, if ancient gods truly exist in everything, then any uncovered blind spot could potentially trigger the next ¡®Frost crisis.''¡±


    ¡°On this foundation, the patrolling fleets of the major churches must also make corresponding adjustments, just like¡­ when we were vigilant of a ¡®border collapse.''¡±


    Helena glanced at Banster, somewhat surprised.


    ¡°It looks like Rune¡¯s earlier concerns were redundant; you take the warning from Homeloss seriously enough. I thought that due to the impact of the Viselan Thirteen Islands incident, you would be skeptical of all information coming from that ship.¡±


    ¡°Exactly because of the Viselan Thirteen Islands and the recent ¡®Frost crisis¡¯,¡± Banster said with unusual solemnity, his tone low and serious, ¡°those events have convinced me of one thing¨Cthe affairs related to that ship can¡¯t be trivial, so I will keep a close watch on everything to do with that ship, closer than anyone else.¡±


    ¡­


    The pitch-black sea surface quickly returned to normal, the chaotic shadows that filled the sky gradually gave way to sunlight, and the sky and ocean once again regained their vivid colors, warm and serene, while the pervasive green flames that lingered on the entire ship gradually subsided and retracted as they left the Spirit Realm.


    The Spectral Flame on Duncan¡¯s body gradually faded; he released the wheel, feeling the surging power within him slowly ebbing.


    The wheel began to adjust itself, and squeaking and creaking sounds came from deep within the ship¨CGoat Head had taken control, and Homeloss¡¯s speed consequently dropped again, slowly returning to its standard cruising speed.


    The moment Duncan stepped away from the helm, Alice ran over with high spirits, ¡°Captain! Captain! Have we arrived in the south?¡±


    ¡°How could that be?¡± Duncan gave the puppet an exasperated look upon hearing this, ¡°Do you know how far it is from Frost to Light Breeze Harbor?¡±


    Alice scratched her head: ¡°Oh, I saw you slowing down, and Homeloss was leaving the Spirit Realm state, so I thought we had arrived¡­¡±


    ¡°Surfacing to the real world to ¡®get some fresh air¡¯,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°Lengthy voyages in the Spirit Realm aren¡¯t good for the mental and physical health, and we have several normal humans aboard¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, then shook his head.


    ¡°Coming back to the real world, feeling the sea breeze, sunbathing, it helps relieve the pressure of a long sea journey, and Homeloss itself needs to rest as well.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Alice nodded slightly, her face carrying a happy smile, ¡°They did seem pretty tense; they all relaxed a lot more after coming into the sunlight.¡±


    Duncan knew that the ¡°they¡± the puppet referred to were the ship¡¯s buckets, ropes, and pots and pans¨Csomehow, she had developed a good relationship with the animated objects on the ship, she was even able to perceive their ¡°emotions¡±¡­


    But these were all good things.


    ¡°Goat Head will steer for a while; I¡¯m going to rest,¡± Duncan told Alice, ¡°Dinner tonight will be pancakes, fish steaks, and vegetable soup.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Alice immediately agreed cheerfully.


    Then the puppet lady looked up at the sky.


    The sun was gradually sinking near the horizon, and the outer ring of the double Rune Circle had started to dip below the surface of the sea.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go start cooking then!¡±


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    Alice shouted and then turned to run towards the kitchen.


    Duncan watched with a smile as Alice¡¯s figure disappeared behind the cabin door at the end of the deck.


    He then let out a soft sigh, turned, and walked to the captain¡¯s cabin door at the aft of the deck.


    The Displaced¡¯s Door.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze swept over the letters on the door; he placed his hand on the doorknob, pushed the door open, and entered.

 Chapter 509 - Chapter 509 Chapter 510 The Answer

    Chapter 509: Chapter 510 ¡°The Answer Chapter 509: Chapter 510 ¡°The Answer Zhou Ming returned to his bachelor apartment, where everything remained exactly as he had left it.


    When he stepped on the familiar, slightly worn floor, looked at the things in the room that had never changed, and listened to the humming of the fan from the computer that was always on, his thoughts finally settled down bit by bit.


    A subtle, indescribable feeling floated in his heart, Zhou Ming stepped over a few scattered objects on the floor and came to the tightly closed window, looking at the constantly surging white fog outside.


    He stared at the fog for a long time and then reached out to push the window¨Cnaturally, the window did not budge.


    The flour sprinkled on the windowsill and the deliberately stacked cans also remained as they were initially, seemingly conveying a silent and lonely atmosphere without words.


    For a long time, he just stood quietly in front of the window, maintaining a posture as if gazing into the fog, his mind empty of thoughts, not knowing how much time had passed before he suddenly blinked, turning his head like a startled statue.


    Beside the unmade bed, the computer monitor on the desk was faintly glowing. The ¡°Network Unconnected¡± prompt would still occasionally pop up in the lower right corner, the notebook he had left when he went out remained thrown in the corner of the table, that notebook had not been flipped through by him for a long time.


    Zhou Ming walked over, sat down at the desk, stared blankly at the empty screen for a while, then reached out to pull the keyboard and mouse he had pushed to the corner, opened the browser, and carelessly typed a line in the search box¨C


    ¡°Does the world exist beyond the dense fog?¡±


    Of course, the browser did not provide any effective search page¨Cafter pressing the Enter key, the cursor on the screen blinked a few times, then error pages about network disconnection and remote server not responding popped up.


    This result was naturally expected, Zhou Ming had known from the beginning, a long time ago when the fog had just blocked the room, he had already tried various means to contact the outside world using this strangely behaved computer.


    He did not expect the screen to show any different content this time.


    He just wanted to type that sentence out¨Cnot asking anyone, not expecting any answers.


    Listening to the monotonous buzzing of the fan beside him, Zhou Ming sighed, threw the keyboard and mouse back into the corner, then picked up the notebook, flipped it open to a blank page, and bent down to write seriously:


    ¡°To the world outside the fog, greetings from someone inside the room.


    ¡°Before long, I will arrive at a place on the ¡®other side¡¯ of the door, a City-State situated in the frontier, I am going there to confirm some things.


    ¡°But even without confirmation, I think I already know the answer, because in the eerie world on the other side of the door, countless unimaginable events are actually happening, and my ¡®Intuition¡¯ there has always been very accurate.


    ¡°Based on this, I no longer expect a response from beyond the fog, nor do I expect anyone to cross that fog to knock on my door or window, I still cannot determine what exactly has happened in this world, but perhaps¡­ the one encountering changes is not me, but you.


    ¡°In my quiet, narrow little house, everything is still as it was before; I have a bed, a sofa, a coffee table, a desk, and chairs, my wardrobe is beside my bed, there is also a large rack, most of which is still empty¡­


    ¡°I have not cleaned the room for a long time.


    ¡°There is hardly any dust here¨CI know, most of the dust in human dwellings comes from human skin fragments falling off, as well as pollution caused by daily activities, and I have not been active here most of the time, so most places here are actually still very clean.


    ¡°Even without dust, the room looks somewhat messy now, because the last few times I returned to the room, I was in a hurry and left without tidying up.


    ¡°It is not good to keep it this way forever¨Cif everything is as I thought, I feel¡­ I should keep this room clean and tidy.


    ¡°Additionally, maybe I should not say this, maybe saying these things is meaningless already, but¡­ I hope all is well with you beyond the fog.


    ¡°Goodbye, I am going to clean up this room now.¡±


    Zhou Ming breathed softly, threw the pen back into the pen holder, took another careful look at what he had just written, then closed the notebook and placed it in the corner of the desk.


    Then he silently stood up and began to carry out the task he had planned in his notebook¨Ccleaning and tidying up the room.


    Starting from the slightly messy bed, folding the quilt, arranging the pillows and sheets, then the items on the desk, the coffee table, then the wardrobe, bookshelf, and the clutter on the sofa and floor.


    There wasn¡¯t much dust, and no need to mop, he simply wiped away the sparse dust on all the furniture surfaces with a piece of paper, then tossed it into the trash can.


    At the very end, Zhou Ming approached the window.


    He silently looked at the objects on the windowsill, and after standing there for a long time, he reached out to put the tools he had tried to use to open the window¨Cincluding a hammer and wrench¨Cback into a toolbox by the side, then placed the stacked cans and other miscellaneous items where they belonged.


    Then, he wet a paper towel, held it with his left hand, and pressed it onto the windowsill. He kept this position for a full ten seconds, finally took a deep breath, and slowly wiped the windowsill clean.


    The flour, once used to check if anyone had opened the window or entered the room, was completely wiped away by the damp paper towel.


    Now, the room was thoroughly clean and tidy.


    Zhou Ming sighed, calmly surveyed the room, confirming his labor¡¯s results. He then picked up the trash bag he had just packed up¨Ca black plastic bag that was not very heavy, as it mostly contained waste paper and empty cans, but when he lifted it, he still felt it had some weight.


    He carried this bag of things to be discarded to the entrance of the studio apartment and opened the door.


    As always, the pitch-black, surging fog undulated at the door. The fog seemed to hide all the secrets of the world but was chaos too profound to be reasoned out.


    Standing before this surging black fog, Zhou Ming hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand and threw the trash bag into the fog.


    In the moment the plastic bag left his hand, he felt a strong impulse to pull it back, as if those pieces of waste paper and empty cans were the only treasures left in the world, and he was the last gambler of this world, determined to preserve every gram of matter in the room¨Cyet, this impulse was eventually suppressed. He opened his hand and calmly watched as the plastic bag fell to the other side of the door, quickly disappearing into the swirling fog.


    He knew those objects would not ¡°reach the other side of the door¡±¨Conly he himself could arrive at that world as ¡°Duncan,¡± everything else would vanish in the swirling fog as it passed through the door.


    Now, those things meant to be discarded had completely disappeared from ¡°the world outside the room.¡±


    Zhou Ming wiped his hands, took a step forward, ready to leave this place¨Con the other side of the door, Alice was still waiting for him to have dinner.


    But just as he was about to step through the door, a faint sound caught his attention; it was the noise of the computer fan speeding up suddenly.


    Zhou Ming instantly stopped, retraced his steps, and looked towards where the sound was coming from.


    The dimly glowing computer screen, which previously displayed a network connection interruption and no response from the remote server prompts, was flickering. Then those prompt texts suddenly disappeared, and the loading bar at the bottom of the page turned from red to green and slowly began to move forward.


    Zhou Ming felt his heart explode in that moment, a suffocating sensation seeping into his lungs; the next second, he quickly closed the door and dashed to his desk.


    The loading bar at the bottom of the browser interface continued to advance, the eerie green resembling a slowly and firmly spreading flame, as the previously blank page finally revealed the loaded content¨C


    It was an image.


    Zhou Ming stared intensely at the gradually emerging picture.


    The Moon.


    It seemed to be a view taken directly from some position in space, showing the Moon floating in the dark universe, its grayish-white surface covered with ringed craters forming ravines, as if many strange and contrasting patterns¨Calthough no expert in astronomy, Zhou Ming was profoundly familiar with this classic image.


    And he confirmed once again that the painting he had seen in Tirian¡¯s office indeed depicted the Moon¨Cdown to every detail, clearly only capturable by someone who had seen the Moon up close.


    Zhou Ming slowly sat back in the chair, leaned back, his expression frozen as he stared at the Moon image almost filling the entire screen. After a long time, his gaze shifted upward to the line of text he had just typed into the search box:


    ¡°Does the world exist beyond the fog?¡±


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    He remained silent, taking a long time before he suddenly ¡°woke¡± himself from a state akin to being made of stone, and quickly grabbed the keyboard beside him to type new text:


    ¡°Is this the answer?¡±


    ¡°Who provided this answer?¡±


    Rapidly typing these two questions, Zhou Ming stared intensely at the computer screen.


    However, no ¡°person¡± responded, and no new tracings or loading bars appeared on the screen, just a cursor idly spinning in place, like a silent, stagnant eye¨Camid the gradually restoring subdued, soft sound of the fan¡¯s rotation, he once again heard only his own breathing and heartbeat.


    Moments later, the Moon image on the screen was refreshed away due to a loading failure, leaving the interface bleak, with only one line of text left:


    ¡°Network connection interrupted or remote server not responding.¡±

 Chapter 510 - Chapter 510 Chapter 511 The Dietary Culture of Elves

    Chapter 510: Chapter 511: The Dietary Culture of Elves Chapter 510: Chapter 511: The Dietary Culture of Elves The door to the captain¡¯s quarters swung open, and Duncan stepped into the room. The goat-headed creature in charge of navigating the Homeloss immediately reacted, turning its head towards him with a squeaking creak.


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal, I¡¯ve answered ahead of time.¡± Duncan spoke proactively even before the creature had a chance, then headed straight to the corner liquor cabinet and casually poured himself a small glass of strong liquor which he downed in one gulp.


    The spicy and stimulating flavor burned down his nerves, appearing to genuinely offer some comfort. Duncan breathed a small sigh of relief, feeling a slight calm settle over him before turning to scrutinize the navigational charts on display, displaying routes that continued to extend southward.


    The goat-headed creature¡¯s head slowly rotated with Duncan¡¯s movements, seemingly watching the captain¡¯s every move with caution. After a long while, it finally hesitated to break the silence, ¡°Captain, you don¡¯t seem to be in good spirits¡­ do you need me to tell you a few jokes? I¡¯m quite good at Elves-style humor. Many people think this race is solemn and serious, but in reality, they possess a unique sense of humor, such as¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about my mood, and I don¡¯t want to hear jokes.¡± Duncan waved a hand dismissively, but he knew that the goat-head truly wanted to help lighten his mood, so he didn¡¯t say much more; he simply sat down quietly, appearing to study the lines and markers on the sea chart with undivided attention.


    Yet his thoughts unavoidably scattered.


    In the end, he still hadn¡¯t found more answers in his own bachelor apartment¨Cthe computer that had entered a strange state no longer responded to any further questions he inputted, maintaining its usual silence, as if the sudden appearance of the moon image before was nothing more than an illusion he had conjured up himself.


    However, even without additional answers, Duncan had come to realize that he had indeed touched upon that crucial¡­ part.


    The ¡°moon¡± of his home world appeared in this bizarre, twisted world, even if it was just a ¡°model,¡± a painting, or even a concept, it was enough to prove one thing:


    The ¡°two worlds¡± he once believed to be completely isolated weren¡¯t as distinct as he had imagined.


    But there was no one to share these secrets with, no one to analyze this matter with him, including the unconditionally trusting Alice, or the looking ever-loyal goat-headed creature on the table.


    Duncan exhaled softly, lifted his gaze, and saw the goat-head still watching him intently, its obsidian eyes seemingly deep with endless dark shadows.


    ¡°Captain, you can always trust your first officer,¡± it said seriously.


    ¡°I know, but you can¡¯t help with all problems,¡± Duncan gently shook his head, but this time, his expression softened slightly, ¡°Your heart is in the right place. Still, let¡¯s discuss our journey¨Cwe¡¯ll soon head to the southern Elven City-State. What do you know about the Elves?¡±


    ¡°I remember them¡­¡± the goat-head started speaking rapidly, as if it had been brewing words in its mind, but after a moment, it hesitated and then continued, ¡°Ah well, I don¡¯t have much contact with them, but I know that Elves have a high talent in mathematics and mechanics, as well as a unique historical heritage and some eccentric beliefs and customs. However, what Elves are more commonly known for is their peculiar understanding of ¡®fine dining¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Their understanding of ¡®fine dining¡¯?¡± Duncan furrowed his brows, ¡°That seems quite meaningful?¡±


    ¡°Elves¡¯ taste buds are different from other races, so they always make radical local modifications to any foreign cuisine that comes their way,¡± the goat-head explained diplomatically, ¡°which is why I wanted to warn Miss Nina beforehand, hoping she wouldn¡¯t have too high expectations for the sweet pancakes at Light Breeze Harbor. While people say Light Breeze Harbor brings together foods from city-states around the civilized world¨Cthey neglect to mention how Elves mix them all together.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°?¡±


    ¡°In short, Elves will stuff spicy peppers and fermented, bubbling-aged cheese into sweet pancakes¨Cending up with a flavor that shocks the soul. Personally, I think it¡¯s quite creative, and at least it¡¯s more normal than honey-glazed pork intestine and sour-spicy sheep eyeball pie.¡±


    Duncan listened with a deadpan face, then slowly began to speak, ¡°It seems Nina is going to be disappointed in the upcoming southern journey¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Lucresia sat in Taran El¡¯s study, watching across the table as the renowned Elven scholar flipped rapidly through a mountain of documents while stuffing egg rolls into his mouth with an expressionless face, devouring them.


    The astounding odor of the egg rolls kept provoking the nerves of the ¡°Sea Witch.¡±


    It was a traditional Elven convenience food, the main ingredients being dough, eggs, fermented cheese, and a type of fungi known as ¡°Blackfinger Mushrooms.¡± It smelt a bit like severely rotten wood and tasted similar; the pickled ¡°Blackfinger Mushrooms¡± had a terrible texture and smell akin to that of an old rag¨Cby Lucresia¡¯s standards, it was hardly considered food.


    But it was Master Taran El¡¯s favorite, not only because it suited the Elven palate but also because it was quick and easy to eat¨Ca scholar unafraid of sudden death could solve a meal in three minutes, satisfying basic nutritional needs with three servings a day, leaving all remaining time for ceaseless research work and wits¡¯ games with doctors.


    ¡°Oh, found it¨CI told you it was here¡­¡±


    Taran El finally crammed the last bite of the egg roll into his mouth, speaking inarticulately as he struggled to swallow, while carefully extracting some bound documents from the teetering ¡°little mountain¡± of mess. The pile swayed dangerously with his movements, looking like it might collapse at any moment, but ultimately regained balance in an even more precarious position than before.


    ¡°Here you go, Miss Lucresia, the materials you requested regarding the Ancient Crete Kingdom and the anomaly


    001


    are all here¨Cif you had come to me yesterday, I would have found them immediately, before they got buried in this ¡®mountain¡¯¡­¡±


    Lucresia reached out to take the documents, but couldn¡¯t help glancing at the elf scholar opposite her. By age, Taran El was in an elf¡¯s ¡°golden age.¡± He had just entered middle age and, with a bit of grooming, there was no doubt he would be an elegant scholar that captivated countless young girls. However, his work habits of neglecting sleep and food had completely ruined all that.


    In most cases (like now), the elf master¡¯s image was characterized by huge bags under his eyes, dark circles, messy hair that fell out daily (once golden, but now more like yellowing straw in texture and color), and a ghastly pallor.


    Lucresia had worried more than once that the esteemed scholar might drop dead right in front of her, but fortunately or miraculously, Mr. Taran El was still tenaciously alive today.


    ¡°I highly, highly suggest you pay attention to your health,¡± the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± sighed, casually flipping through the materials in her hand while speaking, ¡°even if it¡¯s just to extend your lifespan for research, it¡¯s time you took care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°I do pay attention,¡± Taran El responded offhandedly, then corrected himself with precision, ¡°I mean, at least more attention than before¨Cbut special times call for special measures, Miss Lucresia. You should know what the fragments shedding from the anomaly


    001


    mean to the civilized world. We must understand its secrets, and the sooner, the better¡­¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s quite clear we¡¯ve hit a bottleneck now, and until a new breakthrough emerges, your ¡®neglecting sleep and food¡¯ seems largely futile,¡± Lucresia lifted her eyelids, ¡°unless we find someone from the Ancient Crete Kingdom, or a manual that directly explains the process of the anomaly


    001


    birth. Otherwise, I suggest you rest for a few days.¡±


    Taran El waved his hand in annoyance, as if to offer a rebuttal but finding no arguments to counter with. After a few seconds of sulky silence, he suddenly recalled something, raising his head hesitantly, ¡°Miss Lucresia, as far as I know¡­ your father is coming, and he¡¯s coming for that ¡®fallen object¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he set off immediately after hearing about the ¡®extraterrestrial object,¡¯ seemingly attaching great importance to it,¡± Lucresia said, her expression somewhat awkward, ¡°I was completely unprepared for it¨Cin fact, I still haven¡¯t come to terms with it mentally. But why do you suddenly bring this up?¡±


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    ¡°Your father immediately set off upon learning about the ¡®fallen object.¡¯ Clearly, he knows something. Miss Lucresia, do you think¡­ he could be the ¡®breakthrough¡¯? Perhaps he knows what the stone sphere at the center of the Luminous Geometric Body is, or maybe he understands the specific link between the Ancient Crete Kingdom and the anomaly


    001


    , or even¡­¡±


    ¡°Master Taran El,¡± Lucresia interrupted the elf scholar, ¡°You might be mistaken about something. My father is an outstanding adventurer; he might just be interested in the ¡®curiosity¡¯ itself. And please don¡¯t forget, he has spent a century in Subspace. Even I and my brother have to be extremely cautious in dealing with him, and yet your attitude right now is way too¡­ optimistic and bold.¡±


    Taran El laughed, ¡°Ah, then in your opinion, which has a higher mortality rate¨Cmy unhealthy lifestyle or the bold interaction with your father?¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s eye twitched, she opened her mouth as if to say something, but just at that moment, a sudden noise and shouts coming in from outside interrupted what she was about to say.


    ¡°The sun! The sun has been extinguished!¡±

 Chapter 511 - Chapter 511 Chapter 512 Extinguish

    Chapter 511: Chapter 512 Extinguish Chapter 511: Chapter 512 Extinguish Shouts from the street outside startled Lucricia and Taran Aer, and immediately, both turned their gaze sharply towards the window.


    Warm, bright ¡°sunlight¡± still poured in from outside, so much that for the first few seconds, Lucricia and Taran Aer noticed nothing amiss with the environment. But soon, they realized that the ¡°sunlight¡± coming through the window was somewhat discordant compared to before, and the overall brightness of the sky had diminished.


    Lucricia¡¯s eyes narrowed, and in the next second, she went ¡°bang¡± and transformed into countless colorful paper pieces that scattered and whirled out the window. The fluttering paper pieces spiraled up to the roof like a tornado and reconvened on a platform into the figure of the Sea Witch¨CLucricia looked up towards where the sun was supposed to be high in the sky.


    A huge dark sphere was quietly suspended in the sky, and the two rune circles on its edge released dazzling golden glows. Between the two rings of light, there were frequent dim flickers, as if the connections were faulty and they might extinguish at any moment.


    Since the main source of light had plunged into darkness, the sun¡¯s brightness was now only from those two rune circles¨Clogically, the entire city-state should have been close to the dimness of approaching night.


    Yet, sunlight still shone upon Light Breeze Harbor, the light coming from the not-so-distant sea¡¯s surface¨Cthere, a mountainous Luminous Geometric Body remained silently afloat, and the pale golden ¡°sunlight¡± that spread from that direction staved off total darkness in the city. This was the source of the ¡°sunlight¡± Lucricia and Taran Aer had seen in the room.


    The sound of clothing rustling against the building and heavy breathing reached her ears. Lucricia looked down to see a middle-aged Elf with messy golden hair struggling to climb up the drainpipe¨CMaster Taran Aer, despite his century-old rotator cuff syndrome and cervical spondylosis, had made it onto the platform.


    The talent of Elves, truly awe-inspiring.


    ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Ms. Lucricia, you were right¡­ Huff¡­ I might need some physical exercise. Merely watching my diet for nutrition isn¡¯t enough¡­ Huff¡­ to ensure strength¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve been watching your diet for nutrition¨C¡®Life Sign Sustenance Meals¡¯ are only meant to maintain your vital signs,¡± Lucricia said with an expressionless face, but her eyes remained fixed on the dark sphere hanging in the distant sky, ¡°As for now, we should take a look at the sky first; that¡¯s a bigger problem.¡±


    Taran Aer caught his breath and raised his head to look in that direction.


    Cast in the pale golden light seeping from the direction of the sea, the dark sphere hanging in the sky appeared even more ominous¨CAnomaly 001-Sun, which had shielded this world for ten thousand years, now extinguished, presented a sight of such terror.


    It was like a fearsome void leading to the end of all things, or a rotten, dying eyeball, quietly gazing down upon the whole world from the sky.


    ¡°¡­Oh, it seems we have serious trouble¡­¡± Taran Aer finally let out a few words from his throat, his eyes¨Cbloodshot from prolonged nights of work¨Cnarrowing as if trying to focus and see more details on the surface of the dark sphere, ¡°The worst thing¡­¡±


    ¡°The City-State Guards have begun to maintain order. It seems that the routine mechanized training is useful after all,¡± Lucricia said, looking down at the street below. Steam-powered walkers and tactical squads, bearing the emblems of the City-State Guards and the Academy of Truth, had already appeared at the intersections, and the panicked citizens were being directed to regain composure with difficulty¨Cyet even so, the overall chaos of the districts continued, and it was uncertain how it would develop.


    Every person in this world was always prepared for an ¡°abnormal disaster,¡± but no matter what, the impact of the ¡°extinguishing of the sun¡± on ordinary people clearly exceeded all training and contingency plans.


    ¡°I have to return to the Brilliant Starship to confirm the situation,¡± Lucricia suddenly withdrew her gaze from the district and quickly said to Taran Aer, ¡°That ship is near the ¡®Falling Luminous Body,¡¯ it might be able to collect useful data.¡±


    Taran Aer opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, the ¡°Sea Witch¡± before him had once again turned into countless colorful paper pieces, and in the blink of an eye, they whirled away from the roof platform, flying towards the distant harbor.


    The Elven scholar was left alone on the rooftop. He spaced out for a moment before looking down at the direction he had just climbed.


    ¡°At least help me get down¡­¡±


    He murmured in frustration, slowly got up, and prepared to descend via the drainpipe back to the second-floor balcony. But just then, something in the corner of his eye suddenly caught his attention.


    It was a nearby building, the ¡°Tower of Flowing Clouds¡± of the city-state university¨Cowned by the Academy of Truth, most Elves simply referred to it as ¡°The High Tower.¡±


    The top of the tower was equipped with various observational devices for monitoring the weather and observing the sky, with special filters and telescopic assemblies also used to observe the sun and other distant objects.


    ¡°¡­Observing the sun at a time like this is not wise¡­¡±


    The Elven scholar muttered, then casually took out an amulet symbolizing the God of Wisdom Rahm from his clothes, pressed it to his forehead and briefly prayed for the protection of folly.


    ¡°Alright, now I am a fool.¡±


    Taran Aer said, stowing the amulet, took a deep breath, then quickly judged the distances and relative positions of a few nearby rooftops, and sprinted towards the one he felt most confident about, leaping off with a jump.


    In those two seconds of brief freedom from gravity, feeling the wind on his cheeks and his body crossing over rooftops, a very valuable question suddenly surfaced in the mind of this Elven scholar¨C


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I call for help from my students?¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡­


    The entire world had fallen into gloom, enshrouded by an enigmatic sky light that resembled twilight yet was more somber than twilight, blanketing the Endless Sea.


    The extinguished, massive sphere hung in the sky like a terrifying void, remaining motionless since its extinguishing, its surrounding two rings of rune structures emitting the only remaining ¡°afterglow,¡± which even seemed a bit dazzling under the circumstances of the extinguished sun.


    However, that ¡°dazzling¡± light cast onto the mortal realm could barely dispel the world¡¯s darkness.


    Duncan made his way to the deck, his expression exceptionally solemn as he lifted his head to gaze at the pitch-black sphere, uttering not a word.


    Everyone had run out from their rooms, gathering on the deck, looking towards that mysterious and inexplicable sky, Fenna whispering prayers, Morris with a furrowed brow, Sherry clutching tightly to A-Dog behind Duncan, and Nina grasping Duncan¡¯s arm, her face full of nervous panic.


    In the latter¡¯s eyes, a faint golden glow ebbed and flowed.


    Only Alice displayed an unbelievable ¡°calmness¡± at this moment¨Cshe simply propped her head up with one hand, curiously scrutinizing the extinguished sun as if suddenly confronted with something novel and odd, showing not the slightest sign of fear.


    Lacking common sense, she seemed unable to fully grasp what was happening at the moment.


    A swaying shadow suddenly appeared in the air near Duncan, rapidly expanding and contracting, forming into the silhouette of Agatha.


    ¡°The Spirit Realm situation is normal, Captain,¡± she said swiftly to Duncan, ¡°and there isn¡¯t a problem elsewhere on the ship.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly.


    As a mirror image, Agatha could travel through the mirror world, instantly inspecting every chamber on Homeloss, and she also had the ¡°eyes¡± that could peer into the Spirit Realm, allowing her to confirm the state of the deeper world surrounding Homeloss¨Cat times, the intelligence she ¡°observed¡± was even more comprehensive than what Duncan ¡°sensed.¡±


    ¡°Captain,¡± Sherry called, holding A-Dog¡¯s head and looking up at Duncan, her usually cheerful face now filled with fear and panic, ¡°what¡¯s going on¡­ is this what you warned us about before?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t immediately answer Sherry but instead observed the sky carefully with a furrowed brow. After a while, he started speaking in a low voice as if talking to himself, ¡°Creation of the World has not appeared.¡±


    ¡°Creation of the World?¡± Morris, who heard this, suddenly stiffened, then also reacted, looking up at the sky, ¡°Indeed, Creation of the World is still in a hidden state, which means¡­¡±


    ¡°The sun is still working,¡± Duncan nodded gently, ¡°It¡¯s just that the ¡®light-emitting¡¯ function is somehow shut off, but its suppressive effect on Creation of the World persists.¡±


    ¡°Will the sun light up again?¡± Alice asked suddenly, turning her head with curiosity.


    Duncan had no answer.


    But he nodded slightly, ¡°It should¨Cthis vast anomaly has been stably operating for ten thousand years, even if there is a problem, it shouldn¡¯t suddenly collapse completely, at least¡­ not today.¡±


    Alice was reassured, smiling happily, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. I haven¡¯t sun-dried my blanket yet.¡±


    Listening to the carefree puppet¡¯s words, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but let out a light chuckle. Then he lowered his head and ruffled Nina¡¯s hair.


    Nina looked up, the pale gold flames burning in her pupils, the brilliance of the stars fermenting within that fire.


    She nodded slightly, then let go of Duncan¡¯s arm that she had been holding.


    Moments later, a blinding brilliance suddenly ascended from the deck¨CNina transformed into a curved blaze in an instant, this miniature sun dancing around Duncan twice before gracefully leaping up the mast, flying into the sky and finally hanging still at the highest point of Homeloss¡¯ mast¨Cat a place tens of meters higher than the mast itself.


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    The curved blaze swirled there, the light of the fire condensing into a small sun, and ¡°sunlight¡± once again illuminated the Homeloss and a small area of the surrounding sea.


    In the distant sky, anomaly 001 remained in its extinguished state, but at least within the range of the Sun Shard¡¯s radiance, comforting warmth and light once again enveloped everyone.


    Duncan let out a soft sigh, knowing that in such times, light was the best comfort for people¡¯s hearts.


    ¡°Alright, now I should go and check on the rest of the situation.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 512 - Chapter 512 Chapter 513 In the Darkness

    Chapter 512: Chapter 513: In the Darkness Chapter 512: Chapter 513: In the Darkness In Plunderland, the extinguishing of the sun naturally led to widespread chaos throughout the city¨Cyet before the chaos grew dangerous, the City-State Guards and the Guardians had timely intervened and controlled the situation.


    The melodious chiming from the small chapel reverberated above the streets, with a power as if instilled to calm the soul and restore courage. Steampunk walkers clanked down alleys, broadcasts from the town hall issued new orders, gas lamps on either side of the street were urgently lit, and panic-stricken pedestrians did everything possible to rush back to the safety of their homes or dive into the nearest ¡°Nightfall Shelters.¡±


    Fully armed Guardians swiftly moved among the crowds, checking up on Nightfall Shelters and inspecting if anything untoward had sprung from the sudden darkness that should not exist in the real world.


    Heidi had lit all the lights in her home at the first instance¨Cfrom the divinely-powered gas lamps and oil lamps to sufficiently bright electric lights, dispelling both the darkness brought by the extinguished sun and the tension in her own heart.


    Her mother¡¯s voice came from the direction of the sofa: ¡°Relax a bit, Heidi. Running around could cause you to fall. It¡¯s not the end of the world yet.¡±


    Heidi turned her head and saw her mother sitting on the sofa as usual, resuming the reading of several letters she had set aside upon the onset of darkness. The old woman¡¯s expression was still gentle and serene, seemingly unaffected by whatever else might happen in the world.


    ¡°The sun has gone out! This is terrible!¡± Heidi was surprised by her mother¡¯s calm at such a time, unable to settle down herself, ¡°Can you still focus on those letters?¡±


    ¡°If I put down the letters, will the sun come back on?¡± her mother finally turned around, her face carrying a look of resignation, ¡°Now we can only choose to trust the town hall and the cathedral¨Cthere are powerful beings protecting this city.¡±


    Heidi pursed her lips, unconsciously clutching the pendant around her neck: ¡°Damn¡­ if only Fenna were here, I could ask her what exactly has happened¡­ Father isn¡¯t home either¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t notice the subtle expression that quickly crossed her mother¡¯s face upon hearing these murmurs.


    The next second, the old woman shook her head.


    ¡°If the sun has really gone out, then it must be a sight visible to the whole world. Fenna and your father must have seen it too¨Cthey¡¯ll be thinking of ways to manage within their respective duties, and you, you should calm down now and think about your own responsibilities.¡±


    Heidi finally calmed down a bit, and her gaze shifted to a table not far away.


    A sleek, sturdy briefcase quietly rested in a corner of the table.


    Inside lay all sorts of tools and potions she used in her medical practice. Since recent times had been unusually calm, even at night, she hadn¡¯t needed to use the most potent items in the case for a long time.


    ¡°Many people will need psychological counseling,¡± her mother¡¯s calming voice came from behind, ¡°I reckon it won¡¯t be long before the town hall sends someone to pick you up¨Cthe sun has only temporarily dimmed, but our city hasn¡¯t sunk yet.¡±


    Heidi exhaled softly and slowly approached her medical case: ¡°Okay, you¡¯re right. The world hasn¡¯t ended yet¨Cso neither has my overtime.¡±


    ¡°When you go out on calls, don¡¯t forget to carry a gun,¡± her mother reminded gently, ¡°Although recent Plunderland is much safer than before, people with mental disorders are always dangerous¨Cyou might need to resort to drastic measures to deal with the ¡®infected¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Heidi casually responded as she opened a secret compartment at the bottom of the briefcase. A beautifully crafted revolver and several spare ammo nests lay quietly before her. She quickly checked the condition of the firearm and then, with a hint of a sigh, said, ¡°After all¡­ gunpowder is also a medicine.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I have already dispatched the City-State Guards, so there¡¯s no need to worry about the order in Frost City for the time being,¡± Tyrann announced seriously, standing in front of the large floor-to-ceiling mirror in the corner of the dome office, speaking to the mirror, ¡°The tension brought by the recent mirror crisis hasn¡¯t faded yet, but the good news is, under this tension, the emergency plans are being implemented quickly.¡±


    A ghostly green flame burned silently like a layer of gossamer on the surface of the mirror as Duncan¡¯s figure stood in the dark depths reflected within. After Tyrann finished speaking, he nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Have there been any anomalies indicating the Transcendent?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Tyrann responded immediately, ¡°However, I have increased manpower, focusing on places like psychiatric hospitals, and the cathedral is also arranging people to patrol areas like Nightfall Shelters, cemeteries, and poorly-lit streets¡­¡±


    ¡°In theory, within the supernatural Frost region, ¡®darkness¡¯ itself is no longer a dangerous factor; it¡¯s the mental breakdown and widespread panic that hit the human heart we need to closely monitor,¡± Duncan reminded, ¡°Also, no need to assign people to the cemetery area, I¡¯ll keep an eye on it myself.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tyrann nodded briskly, then hesitated for a moment, carefully phrasing his words, ¡°How are things on your end? No issues on the Homeloss, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this side; nothing can threaten Homeloss,¡± Duncan stated calmly, ¡°Nina has already ignited a temporary sun in the sky, and we are still proceeding south as planned. The surrounding seas¡­ are calmer than anticipated.¡±


    Tyrann breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°Then it seems I was overthinking.¡±


    ¡°Can you establish contact with Light Breeze Harbor?¡± Duncan¡¯s voice continued from within the mirror, ¡°What¡¯s the situation with Lecretia there?¡±


    ¡°I just contacted her. She¡¯s just returned to the Brilliant Starship, and there are currently no safety issues, she observed the phenomenon of the sun being extinguished at Light Breeze Harbor as well, but the chaos in that City-State is much less than in Frost¨Cdue to the influence of the mysterious ¡®fallen object,¡¯ most areas of Light Breeze Harbor are still bathed in ¡®sunlight.¡¯ Although the celestial anomaly is unsettling, it doesn¡¯t look as terrifying as it does here in Frost,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Keep in touch at all times and closely monitor the changes in the City-State.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tyrion nodded, then hesitated a bit and slowly began, ¡°Additionally, there¡¯s another situation¡­¡±


    ¡°Speak,¡± Duncan said, frowning from the mirror, ¡°At a time like this, we need to discuss every matter.¡±


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ve lost contact with the other City-States, whether those far away or nearby ones like Cold Harbor,¡± Tyrion carefully explained, ¡°The telegraphs are down, the maritime signal towers are unresponsive, and even the church¡¯s Spiritual Energy communications can¡¯t be reached. Currently, only two City-States are barely maintaining contact, one is Prande and the other is Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    ¡°Communication with other City-States is interrupted?¡± Duncan¡¯s expression immediately became serious, ¡°How long has this situation lasted?¡±


    ¡°We discovered the interruption with Cold Harbor when the sun went out, and then confirmed it was the same with the other City-States,¡± Tyrion immediately replied, ¡°I¡¯ve urgently recalled all the vessels near Frost and prohibited any ships from setting sail.¡±


    Tyrion said this, but there were things he hadn¡¯t fully expressed¨Cafter the loss of contact with other City-States, a peculiar anxiety had surfaced in his mind, fearing that beyond the City-States, in places where sunlight could not reach, the Endless Sea had already transformed into something incomprehensible to people¡­


    ¡°Continue to try contacting other City-States,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice came through the mirror, interrupting Tyrion¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Also, if Lucy has any new information, contact me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, father.¡±


    The communication with the Homeloss had ended, and the vast domed office quieted again.


    Tyrion raised his hand and vigorously rubbed his somewhat sore brow.


    Then he pressed the buzzer on his desk.


    The office door was pushed open, and Aiden walked in.


    Tyrion looked up and instructed his most loyal subordinate:


    ¡°Be wary of those ships returning from the darkness. Before the sun is re-lit, don¡¯t let them rashly approach the City-State¨Cdefine a ¡®buffer zone¡¯ in the coastal area, let the returning ships temporarily stop there, waiting for inspection and clearance.¡±


    ¡­


    The surface of the mirror gradually returned to calm, the eerie green flame temporarily retreated to a corner of the mirror¡¯s edge, and Duncan took a light breath, turning to glance out the window.


    Brilliant ¡°sunlight¡± still illuminated the deck of Homeloss and a large expanse of the surrounding sea, but beyond the range of sunlight, the entire Endless Sea was still shrouded in peculiar darkness.


    It was a very unsettling moment, even the normally clamorous she-goat¡¯s head was now silently sunken over the sea chart.


    Only Alice was still happily sunning the quilt on the deck at this time¡­


    Duncan rubbed his forehead, trying not to focus on the figure sunning the quilt on the deck, then concentrated, calling to the flame floating in the sky.


    ¡°Nina, how are you doing? Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°Not tired at all,¡± with the resonance of the flame¡¯s energy, Nina¡¯s voice almost immediately sounded in Duncan¡¯s mind, ¡°I¡¯m not flying very high, I can stay in this position for a very long time!¡±


    ¡°Can you see anything on the surrounding sea?¡±


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    ¡°Umm¡­ no, there¡¯s nothing on the surrounding sea, not even a bit of wave. Uncle Duncan, did you think of something?¡±


    ¡°Not for now, but keep an eye on the sea¨Cespecially the areas where light and dark intersect,¡± Duncan slowly spoke, ¡°If anything like a ship appears nearby, tell me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Will do!¡±


    Duncan hummed a response, ending his conversation with Nina, then he looked at the mirror in front of him, steadied his mind for a moment, and reached out to brush over the mirror.


    ¡°Lawrence, how are things on your side?¡±

 Chapter 513 - Chapter 513 Chapter 514 Ignite

    Chapter 513: Chapter 514 Ignite Chapter 513: Chapter 514 Ignite The faint glow that remained after the sun had been extinguished hung high in the sky, the feeble light unable to illuminate the ocean, instead casting the entire world into an even darker and more terrifying abyss.


    The white oak ship was sailing in this deep darkness.


    The lights on the ship had been lit, with the glow from the oil lamps and electrical lighting intermingling and spreading out, illuminating a small area of the nearby sea. The delicate waves surged in the weak light, appearing to carry a viscous and ominous texture.


    Lawrence clutched the helm, responding to the voice in his head, ¡°¡­The situation aboard the white oak is still good, apart from the crew being a bit tense, there are no issues with the ship. But we¡¯re engulfed in darkness and have lost contact with other vessels on the sea lane; moreover, navigation has failed, and the observatory can now only see pitch black.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice echoed directly in his mind, ¡°Can you reach Cold Harbor, the city-state closest to you? You should have just left there not long ago.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± Lawrence turned to glance at the communications station not far away, seeing all the lights on the machine were red, ¡°Comms are completely down, the priest tried using psychic resonance to reach Cold Harbor¡¯s cathedral, but there was no response¨Calthough we can barely maintain psychic resonance with Preland.¡±


    ¡°Preland is fine, Frost is also okay, but the situation is, apart from Frost, Preland, and Light Breeze Harbor, all city-states have lost contact. It feels¡­ as if they all vanished after the sun was extinguished.¡±


    Listening to Captain Duncan¡¯s description, Lawrence¡¯s expression gradually grew tense, and he swallowed hard as if he dared not let his mind wander further.


    Then he looked down quickly at the control panel beside the wheel, rapidly checking the parameters.


    ¡°We are sailing at full speed towards Preland, which is a very busy route, theoretically, we should soon see a transfer harbor¨Cthat is an affiliated island of the Rensa city-state, we will check the situation there and report to you at the first opportunity¡­¡±


    Lawrence was saying this rapidly in his mind, but before he could finish, a sudden rush of urgent footsteps interrupted what he wanted to say next.


    A crew member ran onto the bridge in a panic, ¡°Captain! Captain! You must come and see! That ¡®sailor¡¯ has discovered something serious!¡±


    ¡°Anomaly 077?¡± Lawrence¡¯s expression sharpened in an instant, then he turned his head towards the first mate, ¡°Gus, take the helm, I¡¯m going to check it out!¡±


    First Mate Gus immediately stepped forward, ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    Lawrence quickly left the bridge, hurriedly following the crew member through the stairs and corridors to the rear deck of the white oak, and as soon as he arrived here, he saw the gaunt figure busily bustling at the edge of the stern deck.


    Anomaly 077, this eerie living mummy was busying itself next to a huge iron barrel, muttering nonstop as it worked, and it was only when Lawrence approached that he could hear clearly what the mummy was incessantly muttering: ¡°It¡¯s all over, we¡¯re done for this time, no one can leave, no one can go back, the whole world is ruined, I might as well just die in my sleep¡­¡±


    This thing, as always, was overflowing with negative energy.


    Lawrence didn¡¯t want to listen to Anomaly 077¡¯s ramblings any longer and immediately took two steps forward, interrupting loudly, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The mummy suddenly shuddered as if awoken from delirium, hurriedly bowed and scraped, ¡°Captain! You¡¯re here¡­ oh, good, with the captain here, I feel at ease¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, enough,¡± Lawrence waved his hand and asked again, ¡°What in the world are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to see this, look at this¡­¡± the mummy said in a panic, then ran over to the iron barrel and stirred inside it with a large pair of iron tongs¨Cthe sound of greasy oil could be heard.


    It was then that Lawrence realized the barrel was filled with fuel, and Anomaly 077 was using the tongs to stir a torn cloth in that vat of oil. Afterward, the mummy lifted the now oil-soaked cloth, then took out a lighter it must have cadged from a crew member, and ignited the rag.


    Under Lawrence¡¯s frowning gaze, Anomaly 077 forcefully threw the burning rag into the sea¨Cthe fireball fell onto the surface and swiftly drifted towards the rear of the white oak.


    Anomaly 077 prattled on: ¡°This is an old method sailors used to roughly gauge the speed¨Cbefore all those fancy machines of yours were invented, they all did this. Not very accurate, but very useful¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ve read about this,¡± Lawrence cut the other off, ¡°But what exactly do you want me to see?¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± gestured emphatically, then pointed into the distance, ¡°Just keep watching, it¡¯s coming soon, watch that drift towards the distance¡­¡±


    Lawrence frowned and turned to stare at the flame floating on the surface of the water¨Cit was drifting quickly towards the rear of the white oak, which was expected as the white oak was sailing at full speed forwards, so there was nothing strange about this phenomenon.


    Until the fireball suddenly stopped in the distance.


    Lawrence¡¯s gaze sharpened in an instant.


    The fireball, which should have continued to drift away until it was eventually swallowed by the waves or went beyond sight, had come to a halt far away.


    Roughly estimating, that position was about several hundred meters from the white oak.


    Lawrence stared hard in that direction, watching the flame that had stopped several hundred meters away from the stern of the white oak; it seemed as though the fire was keeping pace with the ship¡¯s own constant velocity. After a long while, the flame finally began to fade and was extinguished at the edge of the dark waters.


    The ¡°sailor¡± again used the tongs to pick up a torn cloth, dipped it in oil, ignited it and threw it into the water.


    The second fireball hit the water, quickly drifted back, and then stopped at the same distance.


    Anomaly 077 finally dropped the pliers from his hand and turned to look at Lawrence, his gaunt and horrifying face seemingly squeezing out a look of distress, ¡°Captain, what do you make of this¡­ How can we use science to explain it?¡±


    This time, however, Lawrence didn¡¯t respond with his usual joking manner to the ¡°anomaly¡¯s¡± obsession with a scientific explanation. He just stood silently at the edge of the deck, and after what felt like an eternity, he muttered as if talking to himself, ¡°Do you see it?¡±


    The nearby Anomaly 077 was startled, ¡°Huh? Who are you talking to?¡±


    Lawrence didn¡¯t answer, but in his mind, he heard Duncan¡¯s deep and commanding voice, ¡°I see it clearly, through sharing your vision.¡±


    ¡°What is your opinion on this phenomenon?¡± Lawrence asked cautiously.


    ¡°The laws of physics are becoming alien, very likely due to some ¡®chaos¡¯ in the spatial domain, or perhaps an even deeper reason. In any case, since the sun extinguished, the Endless Sea is changing rapidly¨Cyet the White Oak and the small area around it remain normal.¡±


    Lawrence pondered for a moment before speaking hesitantly, ¡°Is this your power at work¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but I also need some time to figure out the reasons behind this.¡±


    Listening to the voice in his head and staring at the dark, chaotic expanse of sea beyond, Lawrence fell into deep thought.


    Just then, a strange, low rumble that seemed to come from the sky and reverberate throughout the entire world suddenly interrupted his contemplation.


    It was a weird, slow buzzing sound, like a giant beast struggling to breathe, or some immense machine slowly starting up. It sounded faint and distant yet seemed to fill the entire world, echoing in everyone¡¯s ears.


    Lawrence, taken aback, raised his head to look towards the extinguished sun.


    The double Rune Circle around the sun flickered uncertainly, and as the Rune Circle flashed, the dark sphere at the center of anomaly 001 gradually began to reveal streaks of light.


    At first, the flickering light was faint and tinged with red, like blood vessels, but it quickly spread across the entire sphere, growing brighter¡­


    ¡­


    The huge Luminous Geometric Body floated above the sea, bathing the nearby Light Breeze Harbor and the Brilliant Starship moored at the floating dock in its evenly released ¡°sunlight.¡±


    Atop the highest research platform of the Brilliant Starship, Lucrecia was staring intently at the large circular crystal lens in front of her.


    Pale blue light floated around the crystal lens, while its center displayed fluctuating, intermittently bright and dark colors.


    The clockwork doll, ¡°Luny,¡± stood near Lucrecia, busily adjusting the dazzling observation equipment with her precise and dexterous hands while reporting to her mistress, ¡°Ever since a while ago, these strange ¡®signals¡¯ have been part of the ¡®sunlight¡¯ emitted by the Luminous Geometric Body. They are invisible to the naked eye but can be captured by the observation lens aboard, appearing as these undulating ripples of light and shadow¡­¡±


    Lucrecia looked up towards the front of the room¨Cthough the research platform was enclosed, there was a special window at the room¡¯s end, through which the ¡°sunlight¡± from the Luminous Geometric Body was directed indoors. It passed through a series of elaborate lens systems for processing, ending up split into a spectral graph and projected onto a specific observation device. She had personally designed and built this entire apparatus.


    It was a device built specifically for researching the ¡°Luminous Geometric Body¡±¨C and now, it was serving its purpose.


    Lucrecia shifted her gaze back to the recording instrument on the table beside her, which was continuously spitting out strips of paper¨Cthe lengthy paper tape was recording the captured light spectrum changes, with jumping black lines that showed a clear and definite periodicity.


    ¡°These ¡®light signals¡¯ have a pattern¡­¡± she murmured softly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the doll Luny nodded, ¡°Each signal has a cycle of twelve seconds, repeated thrice, followed by a thirty-second interval, then the pattern reappears.¡±


    ¡°Are they being sent from that ¡®stone sphere¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s uncertain¨Cthe people from the Academy of Truth are monitoring near the sphere, but they¡¯ve not detected any changes to the body itself. These ¡®light signals¡¯ seem to emerge out of nowhere from the illuminated area around the sphere¡­¡±


    Luny stopped abruptly in the middle of her report.


    ¡°Mistress, the light signals have stopped.¡±


    Lucrecia looked bewilderedly at the crystal lens in front of her.


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    The undulating colors of light and dark had vanished.


    After a moment of stunned silence, it was as though she suddenly realized something, and her figure swiftly disintegrated into swirling colorful paper that soared out the window.


    The colorful paper danced above the deck, swiftly reassembling itself, and Lucrecia stood on the upper deck of the Brilliant Starship, squinting as she looked up at the sky.


    Through the soft golden ¡°sunlight¡± that lingered on the sea surface, she saw a particularly bright luminary hanging high in the sky.


    The sun had been reignited.

 Chapter 514 - Chapter 514 Chapter 515 After the Sun Reignites

    Chapter 514: Chapter 515: After the Sun Reignites Chapter 514: Chapter 515: After the Sun Reignites The sun had been reignited.


    After being extinguished for a full twelve hours, the dark sphere that had hung and stilled in the sky once again became the ¡°sun¡± that brought warmth and light to the world, resuming its movement.


    In Prandel, in Frost, in Light Breeze Harbor, everyone who had witnessed the sun¡¯s extinguishment saw the spectacle of Anomaly 001 returning to its original state.


    However, the panic caused by the sun¡¯s extinguishment was not so easily abated¨Cresidents of the City-States remained anxious; scholars and priests looked at the reignited sun with the same confusion and nervousness they had felt when it went out; city managers were still trying to confirm the situations of other cities; everyone was eager to know¨Cwhat had exactly happened?


    Dancing colored paper scraps, like a gust of wind, swept across the deck, through the windows, and fell into the captain¡¯s cabin, where Lucrecia¡¯s figure condensed from the paper scraps. She stepped towards her Crystal Ball and activated it, waiting anxiously for a reply from the opposite side.


    As soon as Tirian¡¯s figure appeared, she spoke quickly, ¡°I see the sun has been reignited on my end. How about you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the same here. At least for now, it seems we are seeing the same sun,¡± Tirian replied, his eyes weary but his spirit still fair, ¡°It might take a while before the atmosphere in the City-State calms down. Right now, everyone is worried whether the sky above us will fall into darkness again¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ The sun is a symbol of safety, sheltering our daylight for ten thousand years without change. In other words, as soon as it goes out once, everyone¡¯s most basic and stable sense of ¡®safety¡¯ takes a heavy blow,¡± Lucrecia sighed, voicing her thoughts, ¡°No one is not worried about this, myself included.¡±


    ¡°Did you collect any useful information during the sun¡¯s extinguishment?¡± asked Tirian, ¡°You have various kinds of devices over there¡­¡±


    Lucrecia immediately nodded: ¡°Yes, after the sun went out, a group of observation devices I set up on the Brilliant Starship received strange signals emanating from within that ¡®Luminous Geometric Body.¡¯ I¡¯ll sort out the data and send you a copy later, so you can see if the scholars at Cold Harbor have any clues. Later I also need to make another trip to Light Breeze Harbor to check if the monitoring devices set up by the Academy of Truth throughout the city have found anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll await your news.¡±


    Lucrecia made a sound of agreement, then hesitated for a few seconds before speaking tentatively, ¡°How is father doing? He was at sea when the sun went out¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in constant contact with him. Homeloss is doing fine, maybe even better than the situation in the cities,¡± Tirian took a breath, ¡°I¡¯ll contact him again later. Don¡¯t worry, if I notice anything amiss¡­ I¡¯ll tell you right away.¡±


    Lucrecia nodded lightly and, after saying goodbye to her brother, casually extinguished the Crystal Ball in front of her.


    ¡­


    Onboard Homeloss, within the captain¡¯s cabin, Duncan¡¯s eyes gazed at the oval mirror that revealed the image of Captain Lawrence of the White Oak, who was reporting the latest situation:


    ¡°The seas around the White Oak have returned to normal, and that eerie phenomenon hasn¡¯t appeared again. It seems that everything is getting back on track with the sun¡¯s reignition¡­¡±


    ¡°How is the navigation?¡±


    ¡°The Stargazing Room can now see the ¡®starry sky¡¯ again,¡± Lawrence immediately confirmed, ¡°However, the Subspace Lens will take a little time to readjust. For now, it seems the White Oak hasn¡¯t strayed too far off course.¡±


    ¡°Good, report any further developments to me promptly.¡±


    The spectral flame at the edge of the mirror flickered and faded, with Lawrence¡¯s image slowly dissolving away. However, Duncan remained standing in front of the mirror that had returned to normal, his brow furrowed in contemplation.


    The sun had been restored, and the situation was largely as he had expected¨Cat least Anomaly 001 was indeed problematic, but this massive ancient ¡°device¡± was not going to collapse completely in a short time. It was likely to persist for a while amidst constant malfunctions and repairs. Today¡¯s extinguishment was only temporary¨Cbut correspondingly, its reignition was temporary too.


    More than the sun¡¯s brief extinguishment, what Duncan was genuinely concerned about at this moment were the other strange phenomena that had occurred after the sun went out.


    The first peculiarity was that, aside from Prandel, Light Breeze Harbor, and Frost, communication with the other City-States had been interrupted.


    If it had been a communication breakdown across the entire Endless Sea, it would not have been so troubling, but it was just three City-States that had avoided problems. If Prandel and Frost were special due to becoming ¡°Anomalies,¡± what about Light Breeze Harbor?


    The second strange phenomenon was even more perplexing than the ¡°communication interruption¡±¨Cwhat was that ¡°boundary¡± observed by the White Oak?


    Burning cloth bundles thrown into the sea would theoretically drift in the opposite direction of the ship¡¯s course due to the ship¡¯s motion, yet under the conditions of the sun¡¯s extinguishment, those cloth bundles halted after drifting a few hundred meters near some ¡°boundary¡±¡­


    And based on Lawrence¡¯s just-received report, this eerie phenomenon disappeared along with the sun¡¯s reignition¨Cthe desiccated ¡°sailor¡± had conducted several tests to confirm this.


    Duncan¡¯s eyebrows knitted tightly.


    The phenomenon observed by the White Oak was, in terms of scale, quite small compared to the ¡°loss of contact¡± with all the City-States upon the Endless Sea. That ¡°boundary¡± was limited around a single ship, but the things hidden behind that phenomenon¡­ seemed to go far beyond imagination.


    Duncan faintly felt as if he had touched upon some extremely crucial ¡°secret¡± in the Endless Sea, the ¡°true face¡± of this entire world, seemingly hidden within those twelve hours after the sun extinguished.


    At that moment, a call from a distance suddenly interrupted his thoughts.


    Duncan immediately came back to his senses and his gaze swept over the mirror in front of him.


    The next second, the ethereal and transparent Spectral Flame once again enveloped the mirror, rapidly turning the depths of the mirror pitch black; within it, the figure of Tirian emerged.


    ¡°Father, over there¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine here, the sun has been restored, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Duncan interrupted without waiting for the other to finish, ¡°How¡¯s the situation at Frost?¡±


    ¡°Everything is fine here in Frost,¡± Tirian immediately answered, ¡°With you ¡®supervising¡¯ the cemetery, the pressure on both the church and city hall has been greatly reduced. The order in the city has been controlled, but it may take some time to calm the panic among the citizens. I will convene a meeting later to discuss how to explain the extinguishing of the sun to the general public¡­¡±


    Duncan noticed that during the conversation, Tirian seemed to be surreptitiously sizing up this side, as if he was¡­ carefully observing his own expression.


    He immediately understood why.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am still myself, and I haven¡¯t been replaced by something from Subspace due to the brief extinguishing of the sun,¡± Duncan said with a laugh, speaking the absolute truth with a nonchalant face, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Go to the cemetery and confirm it with my ¡®avatar¡¯ in person?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, I didn¡¯t mean anything by that!¡± Tirian hurriedly explained, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Lucy is a bit worried about¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Duncan cut him off, nonchalantly waving his hand, ¡°But you can rest assured, my mental health is very good¨Cinstead of worrying about me, let¡¯s talk about the situation in the city. Has communication with the other City-States been restored?¡±


    ¡°We can now receive signals from Cold Harbor, and communications with other distant City-States using Spiritual Energy have also been restored,¡± Tirian nodded, ¡°I have arranged for people to inquire about the situations in each City-State, and we should soon¡­¡±


    He stopped mid-sentence, his gaze shifting away as if someone had walked into the dome office and was reporting something to him.


    Duncan did not speak and immediately withdrew his ¡°gaze,¡± simultaneously concealing the connection between the mirrors¨Cto avoid frightening the ¡°ordinary people¡± on the other side.


    A few minutes later, the flames on the edge of the mirror reignited, and Duncan heard Tirian¡¯s call once again, directing his gaze towards the mirror.


    Tirian¡¯s figure reappeared on the mirror¡¯s surface, this time with an expression of unfading astonishment.


    Duncan noticed the change in his expression and frowned slightly, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°We¡­ just established contact with Cold Harbor and asked about their City-State¡¯s situation during the period when the sun was extinguished,¡± Tirian spoke with hesitation, as if weighing every word, ¡°They were surprised¨Cthey had no clue about the extinguishing of the sun!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression immediately tightened.


    After about a dozen seconds, as if suddenly realizing something, he broke the silence with grave seriousness, ¡°Clarify it for me¨Cis it that Cold Harbor never observed the phenomenon of the sun extinguishing, or are you saying they did not experience those twelve hours at all?¡±


    Tirian paused at this, swiftly grasping the implication of Duncan¡¯s words.


    ¡°Are you suggesting¡­¡±


    ¡°Go check again, see if there¡¯s any record of communication with Frost being disrupted at Cold Harbor. If in their eyes, the entire world has always been normal and communications with Frost have never been interrupted¡­ then this matter is more complicated than we imagined.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll confirm it immediately,¡± Tirian said hastily, ¡°And I will also check the other City-States one by one!¡±


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    Duncan nodded, waved his hand to dispel the flames around the mirror, but just as he was about to think deeply about the matter, a sudden cry of alarm from Captain Goat echoed from not too far away, ¡°Captain! Something¡¯s not right! Come look at the sea chart!¡±


    Sea chart?


    Duncan felt puzzled, swiftly turning to approach the navigation table, his eyes sweeping over the eerie sea chart surrounded by mist.


    The next second, he saw the reflection of the Homeloss on the sea chart and¡­ the City-State marker that was slowly materializing next to it.


    ¡°Are we¡­ near Light Breeze Harbor?¡±

 Chapter 515 - Chapter 515 Chapter 516 Approaching

    Chapter 515: Chapter 516 ¡°Approaching Chapter 515: Chapter 516 ¡°Approaching ¡°`


    ¡°Based on our current speed, we will arrive in the waters around Light Breeze Harbor in one day¨Cbut that¡¯s according to the ¡®nautical chart.¡¯ As for whether the Homeloss is actually in this sea area, we still need to confirm that, after all¡­ this matter is too inconceivable.¡±


    ¡°`


    The goat-headed one spoke with gravity and hesitation, something Duncan had rarely heard from it since their acquaintance.


    Without a doubt, what was happening to the Homeloss at the moment had completely exceeded the experience of this so-called ¡°first mate.¡±


    Duncan braced his hands against the edge of the navigation table, his expression solemn as he stared at the mist slowly undulating on the sea chart. Between the phantom of the Homeloss and the northern sea route, large swathes of fog floated at this moment¨Cthat was the course the Homeloss should have sailed through, yet it remained shrouded in mist.


    ¡°¡­During the twelve hours when the sun extinguished, we directly ¡®leapt¡¯ over the entire journey from the northern sea route to the southern sea area, and even you don¡¯t know how this happened,¡± Duncan looked up, his gaze meeting the goat head at the edge of the table, ¡°but the White Oak, which was on the Endless Sea during the extinguishing of the sun, didn¡¯t encounter this phenomenon¨Cthey maintained a largely correct sailing path.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know how to explain this situation, Captain,¡± the goat head shook its head slightly, appearing embarrassed and uneasy, ¡°Both the Homeloss and the White Oak underwent your baptism of flame, but the differences between the two ships are too great, and any minor detail could potentially be the cause of this phenomenon¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak for a moment, his demeanor grave as he pondered for several seconds before seemingly thinking of something, breaking the silence, ¡°When did the sea chart change?¡±


    This time the goat head answered with unusual speed, ¡°Just now, when the sun was rekindled.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Duncan knew the other wouldn¡¯t deceive him, but still asked subconsciously.


    ¡°Certain,¡± the goat head nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve been paying close attention to everything related to ¡®navigation,¡¯ including the movements of the sea chart. During the period the sun was extinguished, the sea chart showed no changes at all, as if we were static, but when the sun lit up again, the chart began to show some¡­chaos, much like the confusion when rising from the Spirit Realm to the real world. I thought it was just self-adjusting, but unexpectedly, when it stabilized anew, it showed that the Homeloss had already reached near Light Breeze Harbor¡­¡±


    Duncan listened intently to the goat head¡¯s narration, suddenly furrowing his brow, ¡°This means that the ¡®jump¡¯ could very likely have occurred at the instant the sun reignited¡­¡±


    The goat head nodded slowly.


    The captain¡¯s cabin then fell into a momentary silence.


    Duncan didn¡¯t know what the goat head was thinking at this moment; he only knew that his own mind was filled with chaotic speculations and countless questions, all revolving around a central issue: What changes did the Endless Sea undergo during the process of the sun¡¯s extinguishing and reignition?


    Initially, he had thought it was just a temporary darkness, like when the sun rose fifteen minutes late previously. In that delayed sunrise, apart from a few who noticed and felt tense and panicked, the whole world seemed completely unaffected.


    But soon, he realized that this extinguishing of the sun brought about many irregularities¨Cincluding the communication breakdown among the City-States and the observation of eerie ¡°boundary¡± phenomena by the White Oak.


    And now, after the sun reignited, he found that the peculiar effects of this event were far more than just that¨Cthe entire Homeloss had ¡®teleported¡¯ two-thirds of the distance, arriving near Light Breeze Harbor directly. Tiran reported that other City-States didn¡¯t even know the sun had been extinguished¡­


    It seemed that during the sun¡¯s ¡°extinguishing¡± and ¡°igniting,¡± the entire world briefly showed a bizarre ¡°appearance,¡± with various rift-like disharmonies emerging, and the Homeloss, this ¡°Ghost Ship¡± wandering the edge of reality, briefly and lucidly crossed these torn ¡°rifts.¡±


    A chilling thought uncontrollably surfaced in Duncan¡¯s mind¨C


    What exactly was the purpose of the sun?


    Was it merely to provide light and heat while suppressing the ¡°Supernatural Erosion¡± in this world? Was it suppressing the supernatural erosion of this world¡­or the world itself?


    ¡°¡­Captain,¡± the goat head¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side, interrupting Duncan¡¯s thoughts, ¡°What do we do now? If the Homeloss truly has arrived near Light Breeze Harbor¡­ shouldn¡¯t we contact Miss Lucresia?¡±


    ¡°¡­First, ascertain the surrounding situation before rashly approaching the City-State,¡± Duncan pondered for a moment, inevitably recalling his previous experiences in Prand and Frost, and shook his head subconsciously, ¡°Let the Homeloss hide in the shadows and fog until the timing is right to contact Lucresia.¡±


    The goat head¡¯s head drooped immediately: ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Duncan hummed in acknowledgment and then stepped toward the oval mirror in the corner of the room, his hand gently tapping the surface.


    Dark images churned within the mirror, and in the blink of an eye, Agatha, dressed as a female adventurer, appeared before him.


    ¡°I never thought that my first long voyage with you would involve such an incredible experience,¡± Agatha exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s just as you said, setting sail with the Homeloss, I shall witness all the unbelievable things in this world¨Cmy imagination before departure was too conservative.¡±


    ¡°Feeling a bit too exhilarating?¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness I no longer have a heart that leaps and thumps at the slightest provocation,¡± Agatha said with a wry smile. ¡°Next, you need me to keep an eye on the changes in the Spirit Realm, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°The Spirit Realm, and those ¡®reflections¡¯ that move between the Spirit Realm and the real world,¡± Duncan replied without courtesy. ¡°If possible, watch what¡¯s happening beneath the sea¡¯s surface too. I always feel¡­ even if the sun is relit, the aftermath of this event won¡¯t end. Caution is never a bad thing.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Agatha said, her smile gone as she nodded solemnly. But then she quickly added, ¡°Ah, according to the rules on board the ship, I should say¨CYes, Captain!¡±


    The figure in the mirror gradually dissipated.


    But Duncan¡¯s expression remained grave as he stood silently in thought in front of the mirror.


    ¡­


    Colorful pieces of paper fluttered across the sky above the streets, weaving through the gaps between the jumble of tall and short rooftops and buildings, finally flying into a building near the City-State University, into the study of the elf scholar Taran Aer.


    The figure of Lucresia materialized from the colorful papers.


    The next second, the ¡°Sea Witch¡± looked puzzled and furrowed her brows.


    The elf scholar was nowhere to be seen in the study.


    ¡°Surely he¡¯s not still stuck on the rooftop and unable to get down?¡± Lucresia couldn¡¯t help but mutter, turning to look at the window that was still wide open.


    Just as she was about to fly to the rooftop to check if the elf scholar was indeed trapped up there, a somewhat frantic flurry of footsteps suddenly came from the hallway outside, halting her movements.


    Listening to the commotion in the hallway, Lucresia casually gestured toward the door not far away.


    With a ¡°bang,¡± the door burst open. Immediately after, a shadow rushed along the direction of Lucresia¡¯s pointing finger into the hallway, accompanied by a brief shriek and the sound of falling. Moments later, an apprentice, who was desperately trying to stand up while flailing his limbs, was ¡°invited¡± into the room.


    The apprentice had entered lying down, seeming to ¡®slide¡¯ into the room, floating about ten centimeters off the ground. But once he came to a stop inside, the things that had ¡°delivered¡± him into the room scurried out from beneath him¨Ccountless toy soldiers emerged from under the apprentice and quickly organized themselves into formation on the floor nearby. Then, to the music of drummers and horn-blowers, they marched in neat, rapid rows back into the shadows beside Lucresia.


    The ¡°invited¡± apprentice watched the scurrying toy soldiers on the floor in terror, then his gaze landed on the owner of those soldiers and their shadows. He lifted his head to look at Lucresia, who stood by the window, and realized who the vaguely familiar woman was.


    ¡°Witch¡­ Ah, Miss Lucresia!¡± the apprentice quickly got up and greeted the lady shrouded in many legends and with an aura of radiance, ¡°Good¡­ good afternoon¡­¡±


    As he spoke, the apprentice couldn¡¯t help but suddenly twist his body¨Ca tiny toy soldier crawled out of his pocket, crashed to the ground, and shattered. But the toy soldier quickly reassembled itself and scurried back to its mistress in the shadows.


    Lucresia paid no mind to the young apprentice¡¯s impolite behavior in his panic or the lagging toy soldier, but cut straight to the point and asked, ¡°I¡¯m here for your teacher; where has he gone?¡±


    ¡°I was actually on my way to look for him too,¡± the apprentice swallowed and hurriedly answered the legendary ¡°cold and solitary witch, skilled in curses, as capricious as the sea.¡± ¡°Someone saw him heading towards the Tower of Flowing Clouds when the sun went out¡­ he went from¡­ from the rooftop of the university¡­¡±


    Lucresia raised her eyebrows, ¡°From the university rooftop?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ yes, someone saw him. He seemed very hurried¡­ and he has not returned yet. I fear something might have happened to him¡­¡±


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    ¡°He would have to be in trouble, going up to the university rooftops, flitting from eave to eave with a hundred years of shoulder and neck problems¨Ceven as an elf, he shouldn¡¯t attempt such extreme feats,¡± Lucresia commented offhandedly. She then waved at the young apprentice, ¡°I¡¯ll go and see how he¡¯s doing¨Cby the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    The apprentice stood up straight: ¡°Josh¡­ Joshua Dino.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell your teacher to deduct three points from your conduct grade.¡±


    Joshua was momentarily stunned, ¡°Why?¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s figure had already exploded into a flurry of colorful swirling papers, spinning out the window, leaving only a muffled phrase to reach the young apprentice¡¯s ears¨C


    ¡°¡­ Running is not allowed in the research building.¡±

 Chapter 516 - Chapter 516 Chapter 517 Slumber

    Chapter 516: Chapter 517: Slumber Chapter 516: Chapter 517: Slumber Colorful paper pieces whirled and soared past the rooftops of the academy, flew along the outer walls of the ¡°High Tower¡± all the way to the highest observation platform, and reformed into the figure of Lucressea at the edge of the platform.


    The vast observation platform was very quiet, with no one in sight.


    Lucressea frowned and observed the situation at the top of the tower carefully.


    Instruments specifically designed for recording various astronomical data were still running automatically, and a large-scale lens array, supported by many complex mechanical arms, pointed the observation focus towards the sky. Three sets of lenses equipped with light-filtering structures had been temporarily removed, suggesting they had been manually adjusted.


    The platform was empty¨C the original staff perhaps evacuated urgently when the sun extinguished, but the working status of the lens apparatus indicated that someone had indeed come here during the solar eclipse and used the equipment to observe the sun.


    ¡°¡­Observing the sun under those circumstances was not a wise action,¡± Lucressea murmured to herself.


    She began to search for Master Taran El¡¯s figure near the lens apparatus when suddenly a pencil that had fallen to the ground entered her line of sight.


    She immediately ran over and found the figure of the Elf scholar¨CTaran El¨Clying silently on the ground, eyes closed, seemingly in a deep state of unconsciousness.


    Lucressea immediately checked on the Elf scholar¡¯s condition, finding that his breathing was still stable, and he seemed to have no life-threatening issues, but for some reason, he had lost consciousness. Then, she waved her hand in the air¨Ca large group of toy soldiers immediately ran out from the shadows at her feet and marched in a neat formation toward the unconscious scholar.


    These toy soldiers quickly surrounded Taran El and began to crawl over his body to check it, as if inspecting a position, accompanied by rapid communication and reporting. As they moved, Lucressea¡¯s expression gradually changed.


    There were no external injuries, no physical attack, no signs of poisoning, nor traces of a Curse.


    ¡°Sea Witch¡± bent down, flipped open the scholar¡¯s eyelids, and then quite unceremoniously slapped his face trying to awaken Taran El, but to no effect.


    ¡°It seems like he just fell into an unexplained deep sleep¡­ Hmm?¡±


    Lucressea voiced her puzzlement mid-sentence with a ¡°Hmm.¡± She saw two toy soldiers move aside the hand Taran El had tightly clasped to his chest, revealing a nearly torn draft sketch.


    ¡°What¡¯s this¡­¡±


    Lucressea curiously picked up the sketch and casually spread it out, only to see it hastily drawn with a circular object that had many complex and messy lines inside. She stared at the lines for a long time but could not discern any pattern, feeling they resembled interspersed branches, or something closely arrayed.


    Obviously, the person who drew these patterns did so under extremely hurried and chaotic conditions, as evident from the hesitant marks of correction on the paper, showing that the drawer was uncertain about what they saw or unable to accurately reproduce the ¡°truth¡± they witnessed.


    Lucressea looked solemnly at the sketch, then squinted up at the sun which had re-lit, before looking down at the pencil that had fallen nearby and the ¡°Express¡± pressure pipes that led to the Academy. She quickly pieced together the events that led to the Elf scholar¡¯s collapse here¨C


    The scholar had rushed to the High Tower during the sun¡¯s extinguishment, intending to observe the details of anomaly 001¡¯s surface under conditions that no amount of light-filtering devices and lens arrays could achieve. He successfully sketched a draft, then wanted to send it to the Academy via the ¡°Express¡± system immediately, but at that moment, some mysterious power ¡°attacked¡± him, plunging him into a deep sleep¨Cin his final moments of consciousness, the tightly guarded sketch proved this point¡­


    But what exactly ¡°attacked¡± him? Was it an infiltrator who had sneaked into the High Tower, or was it mental contamination triggered by observing the sun in an extinguished state?


    Lucressea shook her head¨Cit was unlikely to be an infiltrator.


    The reason was simple; Taran El had not suffered further harm after losing his ability to resist, the tightly protected ¡°draft sketch¡± had not been taken from his hands, and there were no signs of damage to the equipment on the High Tower¨Cit was unlikely that any ¡°invader¡± would risk a lot just to sneak into the High Tower and only make the Elf scholar sleep.


    Just then, the noise of an elevator running suddenly interrupted the ¡°Sea Witch¡¯s¡± thoughts.


    Following the sound, she saw the elevator doors on the side of the High Tower platform open, and several flustered scholars from the Academy of Truth rushed out.


    Upon seeing the ¡°Sea Witch¡± standing on top of the tower, the scholars froze for a moment.


    ¡°Taran El observed the sun in its extinguished state and has now fallen into an inexplicable deep sleep¨CI suggest you purify all the equipment here to prevent the lenses that once reflected the ¡®true form¡¯ of anomaly 001 from being contaminated as well,¡± Lucressea casually said to the scholars, theng raised the draft sketch in her hand.


    ¡°This is what he drew before he lost consciousness. I need to take it away to confirm whether it carries contamination. If there¡¯s no issue, I¡¯ll hand it over to you.¡±


    As soon as the words were spoken, she seemed indifferent to the scholars¡¯ reactions and turned to walk toward the edge of the platform. Then, with a bang, she transformed into a whirl of colorful paper scraps that rode the wind into the distance.


    The scholars who had rushed to the high tower after hearing the student¡¯s report only reacted at this moment. Watching the colorful paper scraps flying far away, someone couldn¡¯t help but mutter softly, ¡°This witch is really¡­¡±


    ¡°She has always been free to come and go as she pleases,¡± another person waved their hand dismissively, striding towards Taran El who still lay on the ground, ¡°Let¡¯s first take the master to a safe place.¡±


    ¡°She took away the materials left by Master Taran El¡­ there won¡¯t be any problems, will there?¡± A somewhat younger Human Scholar asked with concern, apparently not quite sure about the ¡°Sea Witch.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Although Lady Lucresia has a peculiar character and does as she pleases, she has had quite a few dealings with the Academy of Truth and the Explorers¡¯ Association, she is considered a¡­ friend,¡± a middle-aged scholar said while he bent to lift Taran El¡¯s arm, ¡°She is one of the finest Frontier Scholars and contamination combat experts in the world, having helped the academy handle many dangerous things. She will keep her word¡­ God, why is he so heavy?¡±


    ¡°You eat junk food and stay up late without exercising every day, you¡¯re heavy too.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve heard Elves have a different constitution from other races, with long lifespans and robust metabolic systems. It¡¯s hard for you to put on fat and rarely get sick before reaching old age¡­¡±


    ¡°His talent has done everything it could, but it couldn¡¯t withstand this¡­¡±


    ¡­


    In the Plunder City-State, within a medical facility established by the government.


    Heidi stood in the corridor, glanced through the glass at the patient who lay quietly in the ward, and turned to ask the government official who had brought her, ¡°What is the patient¡¯s condition?¡±


    ¡°Deeply unconscious, unable to be awoken, with no signs of external injuries or poisoning,¡± the official clad in a deep blue uniform immediately replied, ¡°The patient had no pre-existing conditions before this and had not been exposed to any Magic Potions or heretical beliefs that could have led to this sort of unconsciousness.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done a thorough investigation, haven¡¯t you?¡± Heidi commented subconsciously, then shook her head, ¡°But I must say, I am a psychiatrist, not an internist. I specialize in solving psychological and mental issues, not comatose states. A person in a deep sleep can¡¯t receive psychological counseling¨Cyou should be consulting with a medical doctor, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve consulted one, Ms. Heidi. The doctor concluded that the patient¡¯s unconsciousness is not related to any diseases,¡± the official shook his head, ¡°After conducting various examinations, we suspect¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand,¡± Heidi cut him off, realizing what he was implying as she nodded slightly, ¡°You suspect it¡¯s related to psychic contamination or mental abnormalities, correct? But you said the patient hadn¡¯t been exposed to any sources of contamination.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just the initial finding of our investigation, but there are many pathways to psychic contamination; it might not require the person to have actively encountered something. Perhaps they¡¯ve coincidentally ¡®understood¡¯ some knowledge, or maybe.¡±


    The official paused abruptly, then raised his hand and pointed upwards, a serious expression on his face.


    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s related to the sun¡¯s extinguishing event before¨Cthere¡¯s no evidence yet that the twelve hours of the sun¡¯s outage could affect ordinary people, but perhaps you¡¯re looking at the first ¡®evidence.''¡±


    ¡°I understand. This falls within my scope of duty,¡± Heidi took a deep breath, picked up her medical bag, and walked toward the door of the ward. Before she pushed the door open, she suddenly turned back to remind, ¡°During the treatment, do not let anyone near here, and if supernatural phenomena occur near this ward, notify the priests and guards immediately.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Ms. Heidi.¡±


    Heidi nodded, pushed the door, and entered the ward.


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    The mixed scent of disinfectant and holy oil, along with incense, wafted into her nostrils. In the brightly lit and spacious ward, the only bed held the only patient.


    Heidi silently recited the name of God of Wisdom Rahm in her mind and checked the colorful stone amulet on her wrist before she cautiously approached the bed.


    A young girl with her eyes tightly shut lay there, seemingly lost in the tumult of the Dreamscape, as still as if¡­ the link between her body and soul had been severed.


    Before opening her medical bag, Heidi first habitually observed the patient¡¯s face.


    ¡°An Elf?¡±

 Chapter 517 - Chapter 517 Chapter 518 Treatment Ritual and Gunpowder

    Chapter 517: Chapter 518: Treatment, Ritual, and Gunpowder Chapter 517: Chapter 518: Treatment, Ritual, and Gunpowder Upon seeing that her new patient was an elf, Heidi felt a bit surprised.


    She rarely treated elves as patients¨Cnot just she, as a psychotherapist, but also most other types of ¡°doctors¡± generally did not deal with elves.


    This was because the elves, as a race, possessed physical traits that were the envy of other races; not only were they long-lived, but they were also rarely ill. Most of the time, they were incredibly healthy and able to survive well under harsh conditions. Along with their robust physical health, their mental resilience was often quite strong¨Cperhaps as an adaptation to their excessively long lifespans, elves had very stable mental states. Although they were not as ¡°stone-hearted¡± as the Senkin People, they were significantly stronger than humans.


    It was precisely because they possessed these unique conditions that throughout history, many excellent pioneers and adventurers hailed from elven bloodlines. They were skilled and daring in their activities in the ¡°frontier¡± waters, able to survive the hazardous fogs and illusions and return from their voyages. Today, in the many city-states across the Endless Sea, nearly two-thirds of those near the ¡°Eternal Veil¡± frontier were established by elven pioneers, among which the most famous was known as the city of adventure, ¡°Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    During Heidi¡¯s years as a psychotherapist, she had scarcely heard of any elves who experienced psychological issues.


    Of course, mortals always have weaknesses, even elves with their remarkable talents. Compared to humans, their development was slow, and their learning abilities were lower. Their excessively robust mental states also made it difficult for them to receive the blessings of divine powers¨Cexcept for the power of the God of Wisdom, Rahm, which worked normally; the protections from the other three orthodox gods had very limited effect on elves. Oddly enough, the Senkin People who also possessed stable mental traits were much better off in this regard.


    Many had speculated what caused elves to have this ¡°resistance to divine blessings¡± trait. After all, the Senkin People also had high mental resilience but did not suffer from this negative characteristic of ¡°weakened protection.¡± Among many theories, one widely circulated theory was that the traditional, ancient, and stubborn heretical worships in elven culture had caused them to be despised by the gods, with only the God of Wisdom, Rahm, ¡°the protector of all rational beings,¡± still showing them mercy.


    In history, before the new City-State era during the ¡°Dark Age¡± and the ¡°Old City-State Era,¡± this ¡°abandoned by gods¡± trait of elves, combined with inherent prejudices between different species, even led to numerous bloody conflicts¨Cbut ultimately, the elves, using their invented steam rifles and potent explosives, reached a mutual understanding with the races of the mortal realm.


    Thereafter, these long-lived and broad-minded races graciously accepted the reconciliation signals from humans and the Senkin People, and have coexisted peacefully with the offspring of those shorter-lived races to this day.


    Heidi approached the bedside, tentatively checking the elf girl¡¯s breath and heart rate, then opened her medical kit and methodically placed various potions and devices on a small table beside her.


    Those days of conflict and darkness had become history, and the short-lived humans and Senkin People could only learn about the stories of their ancestors from books; even the long-lived elves regarded those long-past days as ¡°insignificant matters¡± they or their parents might have experienced in their youth.


    Today, the elves¡¯ ¡°abandoned by gods¡± trait still existed. Many of their ancient families not only embraced the teachings of the God of Wisdom Rahm but also preserved many mysterious and traditional ¡°heretical beliefs¡±; however, this did not prevent them from becoming a very important part of the civilized world today.


    In fact, due to their exceptional expertise in mathematics and mechanics, coupled with their deepening faith in the God of Wisdom Rahm, elves held a pivotal position in this era of ¡°steam and electricity.¡± If not for their distinct disadvantages in population numbers, their influence across the Endless Sea might even have surpassed that of humans by now.


    No matter what, in this era, no one incessantly discussed the Elves¡¯ still-held ¡°heretical beliefs,¡± nor their constitution that lacked the blessings of the three gods.


    The delicate incense burner was lit, and a tranquilizing fragrance began to permeate beside the sickbed, under which the elf girl seemed to slightly relax her furrowed brows.


    Heidi bent down, prying open the girl¡¯s eyelids, holding a faintly glowing purple crystal before her eyes, slowly swaying it back and forth.


    ¡°You are still trapped in the Dreamscape, your anxious emotions forged into a self-protective cage, but you need help now, so you will leave a ¡®key¡¯ for someone you trust, and this deeply trusted person will appear in your Dreamscape, help you fight those things that frighten you, or help you find the exit from the Dreamscape¡­¡±


    Heidi slowly oscillated the crystal, with the gradually rising incense smoke beside her, she whispered into the girl¡¯s ears in a tone that seemed to contain magic.


    As a psychiatrist, she had many methods to aid her patients, and in the normal treatment process, she naturally excelled in using surveys and psychological suggestions to determine the mental states of her patients and provide targeted counseling; but in less normal circumstances¡­ she had many remarkably effective techniques.


    These remarkably effective techniques included clubs, golden needles, and gunpowder; of course, concentrated incense, Magic Potions, and ritual crystals were also included.


    After all, being a psychiatrist was fraught with peril, her daily interactions were not just with insomniac, tense students and office workers¨Cthere were also filth that popped out of these patients¡¯ ¡°Dreamscapes¡± and ¡°imaginations.¡±


    ¡°Now, you are beginning to feel a bit more at ease, because the person aiding you will soon appear in your Dreamscape¡­¡±


    Heidi continued speaking gently, meanwhile, she noticed a faint silver glow emerging deep within the pupils of the elf girl, which was a sign that the blessing of the God of Wisdom Rahm was beginning to take effect¨Cfortunately, although Elves had a ¡°forsaken by god¡± constitution, they could still normally receive Rahm¡¯s blessings, which eased Heidi, a Believer of the God of Wisdom, considerably.


    ¡°You left a ¡®door¡¯ for ¡®truth,¡¯ that door is very close to you, you have already given the ¡®key¡¯ to open it to the person aiding you, now, you hide in a safe place, quietly waiting for that door to open¡­


    ¡°You are at peace because you know that the one who will walk through that door is the being you trust the most¡­¡±


    Heidi spoke softly, and with her final word, the elf girl¡¯s breathing noticeably became longer and more steady.


    This was temporary.


    Heidi was already prepared for the next ¡°treatment.¡±


    She quickly left the side of the elf girl, taking the purple crystal pendant she had just used for hypnosis, and lay down on an empty hospital bed nearby.


    She clutched the purple crystal she had received from her father, softly reciting the prayer to the God of Wisdom Rahm, and slowly closed her eyes.


    After a moment, she opened her eyes, looking somewhat puzzled as she sat up.


    She had not successfully sunk into any Dreamscape¨Chad the hypnosis not worked?


    Heidi got out of the hospital bed and cautiously checked the surroundings before walking over to the bed where the elf girl lay.


    Her ¡°patient¡± was still quietly lying there, showing no signs of waking up.


    After rechecking several times and attempting hypnosis twice more to no avail, Heidi realized she simply couldn¡¯t connect to the elf girl¡¯s Dreamscape.


    A sense of defeat washed over her.


    She sat defeated beside the hospital bed for a while, pondering alternative treatment plans, before sighing after an unknown amount of time. She got up, stretching her slightly stiff shoulders and neck, and moved toward the door of the hospital room.


    Before she reached the door, footsteps could be heard outside, followed by the sound of a key turning. As the doorknob turned, a government office worker in a deep blue uniform opened the hospital room door.


    ¡°Miss Heidi, how are things progressing?¡±


    The worker seemed to have been waiting outside in the ¡°safe area¡± for a long time and asked about the treatment¡¯s progress with a sense of urgency.


    ¡°There¡¯s been no effect¨Cthe regular hypnosis didn¡¯t work. I might need to prepare some more potent ritual or Magic Potion,¡± Heidi shook her head regretfully while she spoke and lifted her hand to reposition the purple crystal pendant at her chest. Then, she picked up her hefty briefcase. ¡°I need to go back and think about the next steps for the treatment plan.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright, I suppose you did your best,¡± the worker sighed, showing a great deal of understanding, ¡°Earlier, other psychologists tried as well, but all failed to break through this patient¡¯s Dreamscape¨Cbecause the situation is too strange, the clergy sent from the church are very concerned there might be some weird spiritual contamination brought about by the extinction of the sun, and they take this matter very seriously¡­ But there¡¯s nothing that can be done, even experts like you find it challenging; indeed, we cannot rush it.¡±


    Heidi nodded slightly.


    She faintly felt the purple crystal pendant on her chest emitting a slight warmth.


    ¡°Do you need us to arrange transportation for you to go back?¡±


    The worker asked politely.


    ¡°No need, my car is parked outside,¡± Heidi shook her head.


    ¡°Okay, then I won¡¯t walk you out. You can just head back the way you came¨CI¡¯ll go check on the patient again.¡±


    Heidi hummed in acknowledgment and smiled warmly at the worker before turning and walking toward the long, deep corridor outside.


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    Behind her, the government worker in the blue uniform also turned and walked towards the still-sleeping elf girl.


    Footsteps echoed behind her, about five meters away.


    Heidi silently picked up the briefcase, reaching toward a secret compartment at the bottom, then emotionlessly turned around and pulled the trigger.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The bullet pierced the back heart of the figure in the blue uniform, bursting into a hazy cloud of blood.

 Chapter 518 - Chapter 518 Chapter 519 Professional Fields

    Chapter 518: Chapter 519: Professional Fields Chapter 518: Chapter 519: Professional Fields With a bang of a gunshot, the figure in the blue uniform collapsed to the ground, blood slowly spreading from beneath the body. The torso, with its ruptured heart, convulsed violently a few times before gradually falling still.


    This scene was like a thorough and deliberate murder, even the twitching of the corpse after it fell seemed to continuously reinforce the element of ¡°murder,¡± strengthening Heidi¡¯s impression that she had just ¡°killed an ordinary person.¡±


    However, Heidi simply watched expressionlessly, her ears attuned to every whisper of wind and rustle of grass even as the body twitched on the ground.


    Under normal circumstances, the explosive sound of the gunshot would have reverberated throughout the entire building by now, stirring the security personnel and church guardians stationed in the facility into action. But after the gunshot, the corridor was silent, with no one appearing, as if¡­ the facility was already deserted.


    The amethyst pendant hanging from her chest was still emitting faint warmth, a blessing ¨C not of the four gods ¨C but an incredibly effective one that kept Heidi¡¯s thoughts clear.


    This pendant was not the original one ¨C the pendant her father first brought back from that ¡°antique store¡± had exhausted and shattered during the Black Sun incident. Now, the pendant she was wearing was the ¡°gift¡± given to her father by the antique store owner for a second time.


    As it turned out, it still possessed the same incredible power as the first pendant.


    After a moment of silence, Heidi exhaled softly. In one hand, she held the revolver she had just taken out from the secret compartment of her briefcase; in the other, she placed the briefcase on the ground and removed a long golden spike (one of her medical tools), while her eyes remained fixed on the body on the floor: ¡°Nice acting, but could you stop now?¡±


    The ¡°corpse,¡± which had long stopped twitching, finally stirred upon the fall of Heidi¡¯s voice. It got up as if nothing happened, despite the frightening gunshot wound to the chest, and turned to look at the psychiatric doctor who had just ¡°killed¡± him: ¡°I¡¯m very curious, when did you realize?¡±


    Heidi, with a gun in one hand and the spike in the other, watched the ¡°Dreamscape Invader¡± cautiously and calmly: ¡°There is only one bed in this ward ¨C so, the confrontation began when I was lying next to the ¡¯empty bed.''¡±


    ¡°How interesting¡­ It¡¯s rare for anyone to notice such a deviation after they¡¯ve already entered the Dreamscape, at least not so quickly,¡± said the invader leisurely, while beside him a shadowy, dim haze slowly emerged in the air, coalescing into a tangible presence, ¡°including those professionally trained so-called ¡®psychiatric doctors.''¡±


    Heidi frowned at the emerging smoke and shadow beside her adversary, recognizing its shape in an instant. Her expression changed: ¡°Smoke Dust Jellyfish¡­ Eradication Cult Heretics?¡±


    The moment she recognized that shadowy mass, its once vague contours became startlingly clear. A ¡°jellyfish¡± seemingly composed of smoke dust floated midair, linked to the invader¡¯s skull by a dark chain, the dangerous demon-beast pulsating as its surface spread with tentacle-like structures ¨C and unbeknownst to her, it had already extended very close to, all around Heidi!


    A huge sense of crisis exploded in her heart. Heidi sensed the ongoing Corrosion and destruction taking place in her own mental world ¨C the enemy¡¯s attack was covert, sinister, and had already begun. If not for her inspiration warning her in the nick of time, allowing her to recognize the outline of the Smoke Dust Jellyfish within the Dreamscape, she might have already succumbed to its psychic parasitism by the time she realized it!


    The next instant, without any hesitation, she lifted the sharp golden spike in her hand, plunging it mercilessly into her own temple!


    In the next second, a rumble like a muffled thunderclap exploded in her mind. Everything in her vision violently shook and trembled, the ward that appeared perfectly normal a moment ago now grotesquely twisted and distorted. The walls melted down like wax, revealing a nauseating truth reminiscent of withered flesh within; the floor turned into parched, scorched earth, strewn with terrifying fissures and unclean writhing entities. The Smoke Dust Jellyfish, which had extended countless tendrils, seemed to have been gravely injured. It emitted a piercing shriek, its tendrils retracting fiercely.


    Right after, the Eradication Cult Heretic disguised as a government official, along with the symbiotic Smoke Dust Jellyfish, disappeared like mist from Heidi¡¯s sight.


    However, Heidi did not relax; she still gripped her gun and spike tightly, wary of any irregularities in her surroundings while swiftly checking her mental state, knowing that the Dreamscape Invader had not been defeated, not even close to leaving.


    There was no indication that the Dreamscape was shattering or dissipating.


    Knowledge acquired at the Academy of Truth surfaced in her mind bit by bit.


    Smoke Dust Jellyfish¡­ a branch of the Profound Demons, possessing a smoke-like formless body and various dangerous and elusive Transcendent powers, especially adept at assaulting the victim¡¯s psyche and perception. Summoners who had entered into Demon Symbiosis with these creatures could employ psychic-damage spells, or directly extract the energy of Profound Demons to launch as corrosive missiles¡­


    Compared to most Profound Demons, the Smoke Dust Jellyfish was not physically tough, but its peculiar Transcendent powers made it one of the most dangerous Demons. Often, before you could even attack their frail bodies, you would be too late, already incapacitated by the mental trauma. And those cunning Eradication Cult Heretics that symbioted with the Smoke Dust Jellyfish would consciously amplify the Demon¡¯s ¡°Trait,¡± making them even more formidable.


    The heat emitting from the amethyst pendant on her chest became more pronounced. Heidi could feel that some malicious ¡°ingredients¡± in the Dreamscape were still continuously trying to erode and destroy her psyche, but the power from the pendant was protecting her, continuously undermining the invasion, keeping her clarity intact.


    Amidst the stalemate of corrosion and protection, a new sense of danger suddenly rose from the depths of her heart.


    Heidi instantly followed this feeling and raised her handgun, but the moment she took aim, the figure emerging from the air caused her to hesitate.


    Morris appeared there, staring in astonishment at her.


    ¡°Heidi?¡± the familiar figure asked, puzzled and concerned, ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­ Are you trapped in a nightmare?!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Heidi nodded, without any hesitation, she pulled the trigger, firing as she spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened exactly, an Annihilator Heretic interfered with my hypnotherapy session, but I remember that even the Smoke Dust Jellyfish don¡¯t have the capability to control the dreamscape.¡±


    The flash of the gun lit up, followed by a resounding boom, and the figure of her father was struck by the shot. Bearing an expression of disbelief, he staggered, then fell backward to the ground.


    But in the next instant, another figure emerged from where her father had fallen ¨C a gentle, elderly woman with a look of concern on her face, her mother.


    ¡°Heidi, what are you doing? Why are you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m treating a patient,¡± said Heidi as she pulled the trigger, speaking offhandedly.


    Her mother¡¯s figure fell, but immediately afterward, an unusually tall figure appeared in her line of sight¨Cthis time, it only managed to condense a slight outline of Fenna before Heidi preemptively fired her shot.


    Another illusion fell.


    ¡°You¡¯re not really trying, Mr. Invader,¡± Heidi shook her head, ¡°How could such simple tricks ever work¨Cand besides, there¡¯s Fenna, if it really were her, she¡¯d just catch the bullet with ease, then roll it into a ball and throw it back¡­¡±


    The constant emergence of figures finally ceased.


    An annoyed, low voice suddenly came from an unknown direction, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you affected?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already aware that this is a distorted dreamscape, of course I wouldn¡¯t believe these illusions you¡¯ve created,¡± Heidi stated calmly, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m guessing what surprises you isn¡¯t that¨CI reckon you¡¯re surprised that my mind hasn¡¯t wavered. After all, even if someone knows in advance that it¡¯s all an illusion, a normal person would still accumulate a tremendous amount of mental pressure from seeing familiar faces die before their eyes, especially by their own hand, and eventually, this process would impact their rational defenses, regardless of being ¡®aware¡¯¡­ But unfortunately, I have undergone some training.¡±


    As she spoke, Miss Psychiatrist slowly raised the muzzle of her gun and pressed it to her own temple.


    ¡°Do you know the prestige of a joint master¡¯s and doctoral program with a full scholarship at the Academy of Truth, Mr. Invader¨C¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The trigger was pulled, the gunshot roared, and Heidi unhesitatingly shot through her own head¨Cwith her figure wavering, another Heidi instantly stepped out from her side!


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    Bang bang bang, the sound of the gun firing continuously rang out. The revolver, which was originally only supposed to hold six bullets, kept booming as if the ammo was limitless. Heidi kept pulling the trigger to her temple as one ¡°Personality Clone¡± after another started to emerge from her side, each holding a golden spike and walking toward every corner of the now nightmarish medical ward, toward the door, toward the corridors outside.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have meddled in my field of expertise, Mr. Invader,¡± Heidi slowly lifted her head, pulling the trigger one last time to her own brain, ¡°and you certainly shouldn¡¯t have caused trouble while I was treating patients¨CI really, really, really don¡¯t like working overtime!¡±


    Dozens of Personality Clones quickly dispersed throughout this mutated ¡°medical facility,¡± starting to search for any suspicious leads in the invaded dreamscape, looking for those ¡°cognitive voids¡± at the edges of the dreamscape that could be potential ¡°invasion paths¡± and ¡°hiding places.¡±


    However, as the Personality Clones went about their activities, Heidi suddenly furrowed her brows.


    ¡°¡­Gone?¡±

 Chapter 519 - Chapter 519 I love you

    Chapter 519: I love you Chapter 519: I love you The intruder¡¯s thoughts had vanished, but not because they had been destroyed by her own actions; rather, they had somehow broken free from this ¡°structure¡± of twisted dreamscape.


    Heidi furrowed her brow, perceiving the intelligence continuously transmitted back from the personality clones she had released, while her gaze swept across the ¡°ward¡± before her.


    As the intruder¡¯s thoughts faded, the ward rapidly reverted to its original state, the terrifying deformations caused by the pollution slowly receding as if the walls, once like withered flesh, were now restored to the sterile white of a medical facility; the cracked and rotten burnt ground turned back to a normal floor, and outside the ward, the sinister and terrifying atmosphere that had permeated the entire facility was swiftly dissipating.


    Yet Heidi¡¯s frown did not relax¨Cinstead, she became even more vigilant of the peculiar changes at this moment.


    Because this was not normal: A dreamscape eroded and twisted into a closed structure, the consciousness of an intruder here would be the attacking side of dreamscape, but also a part affected by the dreamscape. To forcefully detach oneself from the dreamscape would certainly cause a significant disturbance, of course, a strong enough ¡°dreamscape expert¡± might suppress such a disturbance to a minimal level, but that intruder¡­ was not that strong.


    Heidi knew her own capabilities; as an ¡°honors student¡± who had studied at the Academy of Truth and received detailed guidance from her father since a young age, she always had confidence in the realm of dreamscape. She did not believe that the ¡°intruder¡± could have escaped this twisted nightmare completely undetected¨Cclearly, they had found some way to hide or taken refuge in a cognitive void.


    She hesitated, slowly moving towards the bed in the center of the room.


    The strange elf girl still lay peacefully on the bed, her brows furrowed, showing no signs of awakening.


    Theoretically, this girl was the core of the dreamscape, her entrapment caused the distorted ¡°medical facility¡± to appear in her dreams, but normally, she should have awakened by now.


    Because the power of the intruder had departed¨Cwhether that heretic had hidden or truly escaped, the pollution they left behind had apparently receded, and upon the pollution¡¯s retreat, it was logical for the trapped person to immediately awaken in the dreamscape.


    Because in most cases, one can do countless bizarre things in their own dreams, yet there¡¯s one thing they particularly can¡¯t do¨Ccontinue sleeping within a dream.


    Even in a layered dream within a dream, a person¡¯s consciousness should be ¡°active¡± in the final layer of the dreamscape.


    Heidi stepped forward to check the elf girl¡¯s condition and then hesitated before helping her sit up. She then pushed her forcefully back onto the bed.


    It had no effect; her ¡°patient¡± was still asleep.


    ¡°Fall response ineffective¡­¡± Heidi murmured thoughtfully, a serious expression on her face as she spoke to herself, ¡°Could it be that this isn¡¯t her final layer of dream? An ¡®intermediate layer¡¯ within a dream within a dream? But that¡¯s not right¡­ Even in the intermediate layer, the ¡®fall response¡¯ should be able to wake her up¡­¡±


    She mumbled, then suddenly stopped, as if a thought had just occurred to her, and turned to run out of the ward.


    Her hurried footsteps echoed through the medical facility as Heidi ran swiftly along the long and deep corridors. Along the way, she saw the personality clones she had previously released¨Cthe ¡°Heidis¡± holding golden cones were still wandering around various parts of the facility, checking corridors, staircases, and those eerily atmospheric, half-open rooms, looking busy.


    Heidi ran through these clones; as she passed each one, they would turn to follow her, quickly re-entering her body, and those scattered elsewhere in the facility received instructions to emerge from nearby junctions, one by one returning to the host.


    The medical facility¡¯s structure was no longer familiar to her; the dreamscape¡¯s misplaced projections had filled the building with a mess of corridors, dead ends, and branching paths. Some staircases were inverted and twisted, absurdly like abstract paintings, connecting those spatially illogical rooms and halls, creating an eerily bizarre sight.


    However, to Heidi, who often dealt with dreamscapes, such chaotic space was trivial; she effortlessly identified the correct paths, avoiding those that led to infinite loops of dead ends and ultimately reaching the end of the road¨C


    A door stood silently before her, with the word ¡°Exit¡± written on it.


    Heidi stopped, the last personality clone ran from behind and quickly merged into her body. She took a deep breath and slowly approached the door.


    That was the ¡°medical facility¡¯s¡± exit, theoretically, also the ¡°boundary¡± of the twisted dreamscape.


    She placed her hand on the doorknob, slowly calming her heartbeat.


    The boundary of a dreamscape was dangerous, representing the dreamer¡¯s ¡°limits of cognition.¡± As a ¡°visitor,¡± rashly crossing the dreamer¡¯s cognition limits meant her consciousness would fall into a vast ¡°undefined¡± area, a chaotic zone not controlled by the dreamer¡¯s own consciousness but dominated by sub-consciousness. Unwelcome intruders could face various hazards there, and even encounter those terrifying beings lurking on the edge of mortal sanity, dwelling in the Spirit Realm.


    Heidi hesitated¨Ccontinuing forward was not in line with medical standards.


    The amethyst pendant hanging at her chest was no longer warm; this essentially cheap glass ¡°knock-off¡± was now ice-cold.


    Feeling the coolness of the pendant, Heidi made up her mind.


    The miraculous pendant had never failed her thus far; she decided to trust its response.


    ¡°This would cost me at least fifteen points in a professional course¡­¡±


    The psychiatrist muttered to herself before forcefully pushing open the door.


    The anticipated vast darkness and chaotic shadows did not materialize, nor did she see any harrowing Abyssal ravines or monsters from the Spirit Realm.


    Heidi stood on the edge of the Dreamscape, gaping at the scene before her.


    A lush¡­ forest, appeared in her field of vision.


    Everywhere she looked, there were towering ancient trees she had never seen before, with their massive canopies overlapping and interlocking high in the sky, blotting out the sun. The ground was covered with countless flowers and shrubs, and in between them were many irregularly sized thickets and vigorously growing vines. The calls of unknown birds echoed from time to time among the giant trees, sounding both novel and¡­ unfamiliar.


    Sunlight dappled through the dense woods, revealing a vibrancy that Heidi, who had lived in a City-State her entire life, had never seen before.


    She couldn¡¯t even begin to understand it all.


    She simply couldn¡¯t imagine why there were so many huge trees growing together, why the precious land was overrun with strange plants without a human in sight, why she could not hear the sound of waves, and why she could only smell the scent of plants and soil.


    She fell into confusion, a dual confusion of senses and cognition. Even as a scholarship recipient who had pursued her master¡¯s and doctoral studies at the Academy of Truth, she found herself so bewildered for a moment that she nearly forgot where she was and what she was there to do.


    But thankfully, the professional qualities she had honed over the years, combined with her sturdy mind control techniques, allowed her to regain her composure after a few seconds of stupor. She took a deep breath and forced herself to return to a state capable of calm thought.


    Then, she turned to look in the direction she had come from.


    The ¡°medical facility¡± was right behind her, surrounded by a vast expanse of huge trees and countless intersecting vines, with its walls covered in unknown plants. The man-made structure was jarringly out of place in the forest.


    But from this incongruous sight, Heidi quickly made some judgments¨C


    ¡°The range of the Dreamscape should indeed be confined to the inside of this medical facility, and this strange place outside the gate is not a structure that should exist in the Dreamscape¡­ some kind of mutated ¡®edge of consciousness¡¯?


    ¡°There¡¯s no sign of anything related to the Plunder City-State, just all these unfamiliar plants¡­ Is this a scene from deep within the Elves¡¯ subconscious? But even Elf City-States like Light Breeze Harbor or Moco don¡¯t have vegetation of this scale¡­


    ¡°Or¡­ is this the real ¡®final layer of the Dreamscape¡¯? If so, it¡¯s too vast, and so much detail¡­ her brain should¡¯ve burned out from processing it all¡­¡±


    Heidi muttered to herself in confusion and then fumbled around her, pulling out a brightly colored ball of yarn.


    She held onto the end of the yarn and forcefully threw the ball far away.


    The colorful ball of yarn rolled on the ground, dancing and unraveling among the damp stones, soil, and vines.


    Heidi stared intently at every moment of the yarn ball¡¯s roll, confirming whether the strands that fell to the ground appeared blurry or abnormal.


    If there were any, it would prove that this ¡°detail-rich¡± place had hidden ¡°cognitive voids¡±. She had to carefully avoid those voids to prevent from falling into a nightmare.


    The ball of yarn rolled smoothly to a far distance without any anomalies occurring.


    Heidi let out a slight sigh of relief and, following the rough path of the rolling yarn ball, finally took her first step towards this strange, plant-filled place.


    She had temporarily put away her revolver and was holding only the ¡°Golden Spike¡± for protection in her left hand.


    In this unclear ¡°borderland¡±, it was best not to use anything too noisy¨Cit wasn¡¯t just the lush vegetation that looked pleasing to the eye; something might be lurking in the stillness of the surrounding environment.


    She had to be wary of awakening those ¡°presences¡± slumbering at the edge of human consciousness.


    As she proceeded cautiously, a question gradually began to form in Heidi¡¯s mind:


    Did the Heretic also escape the Dreamscape by similar means? Not by ¡°waking up¡± but by directly running to this eerie place outside of the Dreamscape?


    Could there be traps ahead?


    Heidi¡¯s mind raced with various thoughts, but suddenly, something stirred in her heart.


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    The next second, she looked up sharply towards a direction her Intuition pointed her to.


    Between several unfamiliar trees, on a small clearing in the forest, stood a figure with its back towards her.


    It was a stranger wearing a light-colored coat in the style of the south, with messy blonde hair and a slightly stooped back. Even though they were facing away, the sharp, long ears peeking out from the edges of their hair quickly caught Heidi¡¯s attention.


    An Elf?


    (Recommendation time: the book title is ¡°Abnormal Priest Chronicles¡±, classified as light novel, authored by Yelu Wei Zhi, who is also one of my readers. It¡¯s said the original title of the book was ¡°Masked Priest Gatlin Bodhisattva¡±¡­ you can imagine the style. Anyway, give it a try.)

 Chapter 520 - Chapter 520 Chapter 521 Trapped in a Dream

    Chapter 520: Chapter 521 Trapped in a Dream Chapter 520: Chapter 521 Trapped in a Dream Outside the dream boundary of the elven girl, another elf appeared.


    Heidi¡¯s mind instantly became alert.


    Under normal circumstances, no other ¡°mental entities¡± should appear outside the boundary of a dream because this area is essentially the chaotic projection formed by the interaction between the dreamer¡¯s subconscious boundary and the ¡°real world.¡± Here, the rationality of the dreamer no longer functions, the broken and chaotic subconscious is disturbed by the deeper layers of the world, generating various unimaginable or dangerously strange ¡°shadows¡±¨Cthese shadows are so dangerous that the human¡¯s own ¡°mental barrier¡± must operate at full capacity to block the boundary¡¯s information from infiltrating ¡°inward.¡±


    Heidi still vividly remembered what her teacher at the Academy of Truth had said¨Ceveryone is essentially ¡°blinded¡± in their own dreams, and if they truly saw the real appearance of the edges of their dreams, then everyone in the world would go mad.


    Therefore, under normal operation of the mental barrier, the dreamer would never ¡°recognize¡± the ¡°outer region¡± of their dream and would not generate any mental entities in this area.


    Heidi gripped the gold cone tightly again, while silently chanting Rahm¡¯s name in her heart, endowing the gold cone in her hand with the suggestive power to kill dream intruders, because she knew very well that the ¡°figure¡± appearing here was either a ¡°doctor¡± like herself or¡­ another invader.


    The figure, with its back towards her, seemed completely unaware of the psychotherapist madam gradually approaching from behind, still standing there dumbly, maintaining a slightly raised head posture as if intently observing the tree crowns that obscured the sky.


    Beneath the tree crowns, sunlight dappled the forest¨Cif not for the discordant presence of this figure, it would actually be a rather nice landscape.


    Heidi reached behind this mental entity and then abruptly raised her hand, pressing the gold cone against the back of the other¡¯s head¨Cbut just as she was about to thrust the gold cone down, she forcefully stopped her own motion.


    Not an invader!


    Endowed with Rahm¡¯s blessing, the ¡°gold cone¡± was a surgical tool to treat neurological disorders in the real world and a ¡°suggestive carrier¡± with various transcendent powers in the spiritual realm¨Cit could be used both to eliminate shadows in the mind and to establish temporary mental contacts. At this moment, a clear and stable thought reaction, accompanied by the contact of the gold cone, transmitted into Heidi¡¯s perception, and along with it, the close connections between this mental entity and its surroundings, allowed the well-trained psychotherapist madam to instantly determine the situation¨C


    She had come into contact with another ¡°dreamer.¡±


    This was not the ¡°outer region¡± of the elven girl¡¯s dream; this was the dreamscape of another elf!


    A huge sense of astonishment and confusion surged up instantly. Since her graduation, Heidi had never encountered such a bizarre situation in her professional field. She saw another dreamer in a ¡°patient¡¯s¡± dream; the two dreams had merged together, and she couldn¡¯t even discern their ¡°boundary¡±!


    An unstoppable thought emerged in Heidi¡¯s mind¨Cshe had her next journal paper, but if she really wrote about this incident, she feared even those most imaginative psychologists at the Academy of Truth would rush by boat to Prande to challenge her¡­


    With thoughts flashing through her mind like lightning, Heidi had already retracted the gold cone the first chance she got, and it wasn¡¯t until she had hidden the gold cone behind her that the figure with the slightly hunched back and messy blond hair finally seemed to realize her presence and slowly turned around.


    A face marked with weariness and confusion appeared in Heidi¡¯s view.


    The latter¡¯s first thought was of some awe-inspiring cram students she had met during her studies at the academy.


    They didn¡¯t eat, sleep, or rest¨Cand still failed.


    ¡°Hello,¡± the face, full of fatigue and as if it hadn¡¯t really slept in this lifetime, spoke in a slow tone, as if still half-asleep, ¡°Are you also here to kill me in the dream?¡±


    The somewhat chaotic thoughts in Heidi¡¯s mind suddenly cleared, and she quickly responded, ¡°Also? Has someone attacked you in your dream?¡±


    ¡°A few,¡± the blond, disheveled middle-aged elf nodded and pointed to the ground not far away, ¡°Look, there they are.¡±


    ¡°How¡­ how many?¡± Heidi was a bit startled, following the direction of the pointed finger, but she only saw a few small, scorched objects on the ground, ¡°They are¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where they came from. I just asked them a few questions, and they ended up like this,¡± the middle-aged elf spoke slowly, looking lethargic as if he might fall asleep at any moment, then shook his head, ¡°All from previous key points I¡¯ve covered¡­¡±


    Heidi frowned slightly.


    The mental state of this elf seemed off; he seemed to be confusing some things in the dream, he spoke hazily about ¡°covered key points¡±¡­ Was this due to his identity and activities in real life? Was he a teacher? Or a scholar?


    This elf knew he was in a dream, and he knew he had been attacked in the dream, but his cognition also showed clear confusion¡­ Was it because he was damaged in the previous attacks, or because he was influenced during the process of entering the dream?


    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question yet, madam,¡± as Heidi was rapidly pondering, the middle-aged elf¡¯s voice reached her ears again, ¡°Are you also here to attack me?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Heidi immediately shook her head. Although the elf in front of her maintained a deliberate and unhurried demeanor despite the eerie tension, she chose to reveal her identity, ¡°I am a mental health therapist.¡±


    The other party frowned upon hearing this, ¡°A mental health therapist?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a mental health therapist,¡± Heidi nodded decisively, and naturally retrieved the ¡°gold cone¡± that represented her profession from behind her, then brushed her hand across her forehead and eyes, ¡°and I am also a follower of Rahm.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a professional,¡± the middle-aged elf slowly nodded, speaking in a dazed tone, ¡°it seems my students have summoned you¨Chave they finally realized their teacher is trapped in the Dreamscape? I thought they¡¯d take the opportunity to take a couple of days off¡­¡±


    The unfamiliar elf before her seemed to have misunderstood something.


    However, Heidi had no intention of clarifying this misunderstanding¨Can ¡°intervention reason¡± approved by the dreamer themself was clearly a good thing, as it could help her stay more steadily in this dream.


    ¡°My name is Heidi, I¡¯m pleased to have found you successfully,¡± Heidi said politely, ¡°how did you end up in this Dreamscape?¡±


    ¡°How did I end up in this Dreamscape? I¡¯m not sure,¡± the middle-aged elf frowned, ¡°but I do remember what I was doing before¡­ I was observing the sun from the tower, the sun¡­ Yes! The sun! Miss Heidi, the sun had gone out, I was taking this chance to observe its surface structure¨Cwhat¡¯s the situation like outside now? Was the sun still out when you came?¡±


    ¡°The sun has reignited,¡± Heidi quickly processed the clues provided by the elf while guessing where this elf might physically be in the real world.


    The elf had mentioned a ¡°tower,¡± but Pland had no towers specifically for observing the sun¨Cif this elf¡¯s mention of ¡°observance¡± was research in a professional capacity, he must have been in a well-equipped high tower.


    Where could it be? Moco? Asudi? Or Light Breeze Harbor?


    And observing the surface of the sun during its outage¡­ Such a bold move was beyond the courage of a usual ¡°scholar,¡± even her own father might hesitate to do such a thing. What was the origin of this elf? Which City-State would have such daring and restless scholar elves?


    Just as a few guesses emerged in her mind, the middle-aged elf before her spoke again.


    His gaze swept over the gold cone in Heidi¡¯s hand, pondering slightly, as if he had just suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Miss Heidi,¡± he asked politely, ¡°did you just poke my neck with this thing?¡±


    Heidi: ¡°¡­¡±


    Why is he suddenly asking about this now?!


    ¡­


    ¡°Is Master Taran El still unconscious?¡±


    Lucricia frowned, looking at the elf master who was still lying quietly on the bed with his eyes tightly closed, showing no signs of waking, her expression slightly stern.


    She had returned to the Brilliant Starship with the ¡°manuscript¡± left by Taran El, but after an initial inspection had no leads, she had decided to come to Light Breeze Harbor to inquire about his condition, only to find the elf scholar still deep in slumber.


    This City-State had many skilled doctors and outstanding scholars from the Academy of Truth, yet they could not awaken Taran El from his sleep?


    ¡°Yes¡­ Yes, Miss Lucricia,¡± a young person attending to the scholar in the hospital room nervously said, facing the ¡°sea witch¡± renowned for many eerie tales, the young apprentice was clearly anxious, ¡°the doctor says the teacher has not been injured or poisoned, it¡¯s more like he¡¯s trapped in a nightmare, maybe because of the ¡®effect¡¯ of the sun¡¯s outage¡­¡±


    Lucricia frowned, her gaze sweeping over the other figures in the room, among the apprentices, she spotted a vaguely familiar face.


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    ¡°Joshua, your teacher should know mental and psychological protective techniques, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss Lucricia,¡± the young apprentice who had previously been caught running in the corridor by the ¡°sea witch¡± quickly responded, ¡°Teacher often needs to handle some strange objects found in the border regions, so he also performs mental barrier training¡­¡±


    ¡°That means Taran El has skills to stay lucid and protect himself in nightmares. Under normal circumstances, he could free himself from the Dreamscape¨Cyet, the current situation has exceeded his capabilities.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already called for a mental health therapist!¡± Joshua blurted out, clearly panic-stricken, ¡°they should arrive soon!¡±


    ¡°A regular mental health therapist probably won¡¯t be much help; this isn¡¯t a normal nightmare,¡± Lucricia shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m going to take him to the Brilliant Starship. My lab there should prove useful.¡±

 Chapter 521 - Chapter 521 Chapter 522 Morriss Hypothesis

    Chapter 521: Chapter 522: Morris¡¯s Hypothesis Chapter 521: Chapter 522: Morris¡¯s Hypothesis Deep within the laboratory of the Brilliant Starship, Lucresia had completed a rudimentary examination of Taran El.


    With the cooperation of the Academy of Truth, transferring the great scholar aboard the ship had been no difficult task. However, understanding what had happened to him proved far less straightforward, even for Lucresia, the ¡°Witch of the Seas,¡± renowned in the realms of mysticism and curses, who had never before encountered such a case.


    Taran El was clearly trapped deep within some Dreamscape, yet he showed no reaction typical of a ¡°Curse,¡± nor any signs of mental contamination.


    Lucresia lit the three candelabras in the corner of the laboratory and sprinkled a powder of herbs she had personally prepared into the incense burner before them. She then moved to Taran El¡¯s side, arranging Crystal Stones, bone fragments, and other such items around him.


    The wind-up doll ¡°Luny¡± with a ceramic shell and the stuffed rabbit ¡°Rabi¡± offered assistance within the laboratory. Noticing the gravity on their mistress¡¯s face, Luny could not help but ask, ¡°Is the situation dire? Is this elf¡¯s life in danger?¡±


    ¡°The situation is unclear¨Cthat is even worse than being dire,¡± Lucresia responded seriously, ¡°Taran El fell into a deep slumber after attempting to observe the sun. If the two are related, it may imply that this type of slumber could affect many others. During the period when the sun extinguished itself, how many people looked up at it? To what extent must one ¡®observe¡¯ to trigger such a slumber? How many have taken bold measures similar to those of our elven scholar?¡±


    Saying this, she slowly shook her head.


    ¡°Taran El was bold, but on the vast Endless Sea, there are more than a few scholars as courageous as he.¡±


    ¡°Do you need anything else from us?¡± The stuffed rabbit Rabi hopped over, looking up and speaking in a thin, delicate voice.


    ¡°Next, I will attempt to link into Taran El¡¯s Dreamscape to help him open a path back to the real world from the other side. Given the Dreamscape¡¯s potentially complex state, I want you to watch over the candelabras. If I have not awakened after three hours, you are to extinguish all the candles in order from tallest to shortest, which will forcibly wake me.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Luny bowed her head, ¡°Three hours, from tallest to shortest, I will remember.¡±


    ¡°Rabi can dream with the mistress!¡± The stuffed rabbit hopped over, clutching Lucresia¡¯s leg with anticipation, ¡°Rabi can dream too!¡±


    ¡°One nightmare is enough,¡± Lucresia promptly refused the stuffed rabbit¡¯s offer, ¡°I certainly do not wish for such a great scholar to die suddenly on my ship.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, Rabi understands~¡± The rabbit doll lowered its head, sounding dejected, and toddled over to the corner of the room. With a ¡°plop,¡± it sat down on the floor.


    Lucresia glanced at the toy without further interaction. She ensured all the ritual components were prepared before seating herself in a high-backed chair across from Taran El and casually snapped her fingers.


    In an instant, a gossamer veil seemed to cloak the quietly burning candelabras in the corner. The myriad items in the entire laboratory took on a hazy, illusory gleam as if glazed with shadows. The ¡°Witch of the Seas¡± slowly bowed her head, and within the next second, she had entered the Dreamscape.


    ¡­


    Onboard the Homeloss, in the captain¡¯s quarters, Morris and Duncan were seated at the navigation table, while behind them, Agatha¡¯s hazy figure emerged in an antique, oval mirror on the wall.


    ¡°Ai Yi has flown over to confirm, and the large island ahead is indeed Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Duncan said, ¡°Homeloss is currently hidden deep in the Spirit Realm. We will contact Lucresia before landing on the island to check the condition within the City-State. As for now¡­ the problem that remains before us is the mysterious transition of Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°To be frank, I¡¯m completely baffled,¡± Morris said, biting on his pipe with brows furrowed like several crevasses, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of various ¡®teleportation¡¯ incidents. Some are the effects of specific anomalies; others are the results of anomalous curses, like the ¡®Sailor¡¯s.¡¯ However, the event that occurred to Homeloss seems different from those¡­ As it stands, the ¡®extinguishing of the sun¡¯ is the most likely cause of Homeloss¡¯s abrupt transition, yet all of us on board failed to perceive how or when this change occurred¡­¡±


    ¡°So, I always felt that the problem lies not with Homeloss, but with the ¡®entire world¡¯ outside of Homeloss,¡± Duncan spoke gravely, ¡°The message from Captain Lawrence also hints at this¨Cthat after the sun extinguished, beyond where our gaze reached, the seas underwent incomprehensible changes. The report from Tyrian also confirms this.¡±


    ¡°Has there been any further news from Mr. Tyrian?¡± Agatha suddenly asked from the mirror, ¡°Is there any response from Cold Harbor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the situation has developed in the most peculiar direction,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°Tyrian has re-confirmed with the City-States that had lost contact before. According to various responses¡­ Other City-States, including Cold Harbor, are not only unaware of the sun¡¯s extinguishment, but they also seem unaware that their communication with Frost had ever been interrupted.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression shifted subtly.


    She opened her mouth: ¡°So that means¡­¡±


    ¡°So that means they didn¡¯t experience the twelve hours when the sun extinguished,¡± Duncan slowly began, ¡°In their eyes, the world was always running normally, Frost, Prand, and Light Breeze Harbor were all normal, and then suddenly Frost sent a bunch of incomprehensible and anxious messages, talking about ¡®the sun extinguishing¡¯ and ¡®communication disruption¡¯¨Cthe tense atmosphere is now spreading between several City-States. To use Tyrion¡¯s words, ¡®they urgently need to figure out which side is abnormal¡¯.¡±


    Morris pondered as he listened, then slowly set down his pipe: ¡°Then it could also be understood that¨Cafter the sun extinguished, the entire world¡¯s time stagnated for twelve hours, and including Homeloss and the three City-States, they were actually ¡®erroneously maintaining normality¡¯ during these twelve hours. It¡¯s as if in a nightmare everyone had slept through, we¡­ accidentally opened our eyes, and saw that truth situated in the cracks of time.¡±


    Duncan showed a thoughtful expression.


    One must admit, a great scholar is truly a great scholar. Although Morris couldn¡¯t explain the principles behind all this, he had proposed a very enlightening conjecture.


    Could this conjecture be further extended? In that world after the sun extinguished, could there be even more bizarre changes that have never been noticed by anyone? To take this speculation even more extreme¡­


    Was it really the first time the sun had extinguished?


    These contemplations wafted through everyone¡¯s minds, leaving the captain¡¯s room silent for a moment, when suddenly Duncan seemed to perceive something, furrowing his brows with confusion: ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Captain?¡± Agatha immediately inquired, ¡°Did you think of something?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s something else,¡± Duncan waved his hand while maintaining his sensing, listening posture, his eyes seemingly unfocused, or gazing at someplace not within the room, ¡°There¡¯s a presence¡­¡±


    He suddenly raised his head, looking directly at Morris across from him.


    ¡°What is Heidi doing right now?¡±


    ¡°Heidi?¡± Morris was taken aback, not understanding why the captain would suddenly bring this up, ¡°Heidi stayed in Prand, right? Over there, they should still be in chaos because of the sun¡¯s extinguishment. The town hall would most likely call her to¡­ Did something happen to Heidi?!¡±


    The great scholar eventually caught on, his expression turning tense in a flash.


    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be in any great danger, but the charm I gave her is behaving a bit oddly,¡± Duncan frowned, then waved his hand through the air. Accompanied by a green flame rising up, Ai Yi¡¯s figure materialized in the air beside him, ¡°I need a pathway to the Dreamscape.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, you were ¡®treating¡¯ someone else, and somehow, you ended up in my dream¨Cand then you thought I was an intruder, so you stabbed me in the neck with that spike?¡±


    The elf scholar who claimed to be ¡°Taran El¡± spoke earnestly, looking at the ¡°golden cone¡± in Heidi¡¯s hand and elaborating calmly.


    ¡°I feel like there¡¯s quite a bit wrong with what you¡¯re saying,¡± Taran El noted.


    ¡°Actually¡­,¡± Heidi said, her face flushed with embarrassment. If there was anything worse than accidently harming a patient with a golden cone and being caught on the spot, it surely was not being caught immediately, but having the patient realize what had happened only after a long while, and then have them analyze the incident with such earnestness. This elf scholar¡¯s reaction was truly off the beaten path; Heidi had seen many odd patients over the years, but this was the first of this type, ¡°I also feel something is off¡­ but everything I¡¯ve said is true.¡±


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    ¡°Everything you¡¯ve said is true, hmm,¡± Taran El nodded, then continued questioning, ¡°What about this ¡®other patient¡¯ you mentioned?¡±


    Instantly, Heidi turned and pointed towards the direction from which she had come earlier: ¡°That building over there is her dream¡­ scape¡­¡±


    Her words gradually halted, her expression stiffening.


    In the direction she was pointing, amid the lush, towering trees and vines, the medical facility that had been so large¡­ had disappeared without a trace at some point.


    ¡°Gone¡­¡± Heidi murmured to herself, slowly turning her head, ¡°But it was really over there before, a very large¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Miss Psychiatric Healer,¡± Taran El interrupted Heidi¡¯s mutterings, the elf scholar spreading his hands in an exasperated gesture, ¡°It¡¯s very hard for me to believe you like this.¡±

 Chapter 522 - Chapter 522 Chapter 523 Unexpected Encounter

    Chapter 522: Chapter 523: Unexpected Encounter Chapter 522: Chapter 523: Unexpected Encounter Heidi admitted that she had encountered countless thorny situations in her many years of a medical career¨Cbut none were as awkward as this one.


    However, just as she was about to cringe herself into leaving fingerprints on the golden awl in her hand, Taran El suddenly burst into laughter.


    ¡°Even so, I still believe what you say is true,¡±


    Heidi immediately showed a somewhat surprised expression.


    ¡°The ¡®golden awl¡¯ you¡¯re using has a very unique insignia on it,¡± Taran El said with a smile, pointing to the ¡°weapon¡± and ¡°medical tool¡± in Heidi¡¯s hand. ¡°Even in this Dreamscape, you have accurately reproduced that insignia, which shows that it is of great importance to you¨CMiss Heidi, you are an outstanding graduate of the Academy of Truth. This kind of insignia is limited to ten spots per year, only bestowed upon the most exceptional young apprentices and engraved on an item of their choosing.¡±


    Heidi paused for a moment, following the direction pointed out by Taran El¡¯s finger, she looked at the end of the handle of the golden awl¨Cthere, an ¡°Eye of Wisdom¡± insignia surrounded by light spots was etched at that exact spot.


    Ordinary people could easily confuse this insignia with the common symbols of the god of wisdom, but only those who truly understand the various insignias of the Academy of Truth could discern the differences between this insignia and the ordinary ¡°Eye of Wisdom.¡±


    It was not until this moment that a flash of inspiration suddenly struck Heidi¡¯s mind. She stared intently at the Elf scholar who claimed to be ¡°Taran El¡± in front of her, and some vague impressions in her mind finally began to piece together:


    Member of the Academy of Truth, member of the Elves, the ancient surname ¡°Aer,¡± capable of observing the sun¡¯s surface during the extinguishing of anomaly 001¡­


    ¡°Taran El¡­ wait, are you the ¡®Taran El¡¯ from Light Breeze Harbor?!¡± Heidi¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°The master who researched the frontier and hidden knowledge¡­¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call myself a master, just a busy researcher,¡± Taran El said with a smile, waving his hand. Although he spoke modestly, the moment of being recognized clearly delighted him. But then he seemed a little puzzled, ¡°You¡¯ve heard of me? That¡¯s quite unusual¡­ I don¡¯t really show my face much. While I may have some fame, it¡¯s mostly within Light Breeze Harbor and the Elf community. How come an outsider human like you knows of me?¡±


    ¡°My father mentioned you,¡± Heidi said immediately. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you since I was little!¡±


    ¡°Your father?¡± Taran El frowned.


    ¡°His name is Morris,¡± Heidi said with a hint of pride, ¡°Morris Underwood. He studied at the headquarters of the Academy of Truth when he was young and also went on a scholarly visit to Light Breeze Harbor¡­¡±


    Upon hearing that name, Taran El felt a sense of familiarity, and after listening to Heidi, he recalled at once: ¡°Ah! That young man! I remember him, he was a young man with astonishing talent¡­ You¡¯re his daughter?!¡±


    The Elf scholar exclaimed in amazement, looking Heidi up and down several times, unable to help but marvel. ¡°He married and had a daughter quite early¡­¡±


    Heidi¡¯s face suddenly turned a bit strange, hesitating before she spoke: ¡°¡­my father was nearly forty years old when I was born, which is considered very late¡­¡±


    ¡°Four¡­¡± Taran El opened his mouth, then slapped his forehead, ¡°Oh, sorry, I forgot, it should be by human standards, sorry, I can be careless like this sometimes.¡±


    Heidi could only smile awkwardly, noticing that this Elf scholar, whom her father had spoken highly of, could indeed be incredibly obtuse at times¡­


    Taran El then quieted down for a moment before he couldn¡¯t help asking eagerly, ¡°How did your father mention me?¡±


    Heidi unconsciously blurted out: ¡°He said it¡¯s awe-inspiring that you, as an Elf, could rely on a strong work ethic to suffer from cervical spondylosis and periarthritis of the shoulder¡­¡±


    Taran El: ¡°¡­¡±


    Heidi: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize,¡± the Elf scholar waved his hand, cutting off the spiritual healer who had just turned red with embarrassment, clearly already immune to such comments. ¡°We¡¯ve chatted enough, Miss Heidi; now it¡¯s time to use your professional expertise to figure out how to get me out of this Dreamscape.¡±


    This transition in topic immediately dissolved Heidi¡¯s embarrassment, and she hurriedly gathered her composure and emotions, beginning to ponder how to unravel the Dreamscape.


    But just as she started to recall the ¡°professional knowledge¡± she possessed, Taran El spoke up beside her: ¡°I must warn you first, Miss Heidi¨CI have already tried the Falling Method, Suffocation Method, Inquisition Method, and Reverse Hypnosis, to no avail. None of these methods can wake me from here, they only make me more and more lucid in this Dreamscape.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Heidi was taken aback, her expression immediately changing slightly: ¡°More and more lucid within the Dreamscape?!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, one of the most dangerous situations among the various perils encountered after being ¡®trapped in a dream,''¡± Taran El spread his hands, ¡°becoming more and more aware in the Dreamscape that you are in a dream, while unable to wake up, indicates that my rationality is gradually being assimilated by the underlying logic of the dream¨Cfrom my subconscious, I no longer think it¡¯s necessary for me to wake. In fact¡­ my subconscious now believes I am already awake.¡±


    ¡°Have you tried praying to Rahm?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Taran El replied with a wry smile.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve become so lucid in this Dreamscape that you can even receive Rahm¡¯s protection¡­¡± Heidi¡¯s tone grew increasingly somber, ¡°So, in fact, you¡¯ve already awakened, but the terrifying thing is that you are ¡®awake within the dream¡¯¡­ Traditional guidance methods probably won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°How about¡­ you try poking me with that awl again?¡± Taran El gestured towards the golden awl in Heidi¡¯s hand, ¡°Give my subconscious the implication of a near-death experience. I¡¯ll see if I can use the ¡®Sudden Death Method¡¯ to return to the real world.¡±


    Heidi paused for a moment, then quickly shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡±


    No sooner had she spoken than a strange, somewhat languid female voice suddenly came out of nowhere, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea either, young lady.¡±


    Heidi was startled by this voice, instantly tightened her grip on the golden awl in her hand, and looked towards the direction of the sound. The next second, a flurry of colorful paper pieces suddenly obscured her vision¨Cswirling colors like snowflakes, falling from the sky, and an elegant lady with an aura of mystery emerged from the cascade of colors.


    As Heidi¡¯s alertness spiked and she struck a defensive pose, the mysterious lady who had appeared didn¡¯t even glance her way but instead walked straight up to Taran El: ¡°Seriously, Master El, forget about your ¡®Sudden Death Method¡¯. With your current health level, if this spiritual doctor jabbed you with the awl, you¡¯d indeed drop dead in the real world.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Lady Lucricia!¡± Taran El¡¯s face brightened at the sight of the newcomer, ¡°You¡¯re here to help¨Cwell, it seems my apprentices didn¡¯t seek a spiritual doctor but found an even more powerful ally. They have summoned the Sea Witch¡­¡±


    Lucricia waved her hand, ¡°I¡¯m the one who rejected the spiritual doctor your apprentices brought to me. They can¡¯t help you¨Cyou¡¯re now in my laboratory.¡±


    Heidi watched this scene in stunned silence, first realizing that Taran El knew this suddenly-appeared mysterious lady, which surprised her. But then, she noticed the lady¡¯s name.


    Lucricia.


    There might be more than one person named Lucricia in the world, but there was only one known as the ¡°Sea Witch¡±!


    In a moment of profound shock, Heidi not only felt a wave of nervousness and defensiveness but also realized she had to say something. The words reached her lips, but she stammered, ¡°You¡­ you are¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Miss. ¡®Witches¡¯ don¡¯t eat people,¡± Lucricia smiled, finding the reaction of the young human maiden before her quite amusing, ¡°How interesting. I didn¡¯t expect to find a ¡®guest¡¯ in Master Taran El¡¯s dream. For a ¡®predicament¡¯, this place is a bit too busy.¡±


    She spoke with a gentle smile. Gradually, however, the warmth of her smile started to fade, her eyes still brimming with amusement, but a cold, indifferent scrutiny began to surface.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, stranger?¡±


    Heidi hadn¡¯t even noticed the change in temperature of Lucricia¡¯s smile.


    Yet, at that moment, her mind suddenly went on high alert¨Can instinct rooted in her spiritual talent, ¡°Intuition¡±, tensed her up sharply!


    The ¡°witch¡± before her was analyzing her soul and mind; she was treating her as a ¡°contaminant¡± within the dream!


    The second Heidi realized this terrifying fact, she tried to fortify her mental defenses. However, she found herself cut off from all Transcendent powers, even the golden awl in her hand, which had always been closely connected to her, seemed to become an unrelated object. She could only desperately stabilize her consciousness amidst immense unease and tension, and, while struggling to think, she spoke difficulty, ¡°My name is Heidi, a spiritual doctor¨CI entered Mr. Taran El¡¯s Dreamscape by mistake. The intruder is someone else, and some of them have already been resolved by Mr. Taran El himself¡­¡±


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    The pressure that had triggered her spiritual talent¡¯s frantic alarms suddenly disappeared.


    Heidi instantly breathed a sigh of relief, but in her relaxation, she also felt lost¨C


    She hadn¡¯t finished speaking.


    Confused, she looked up. At some point, the amethyst pendant hanging at her chest began to warm again. She pressed her hand against the pendant while looking questioningly at the ¡°witch¡± opposite her.


    But Lucricia just furrowed her brows, ¡°Are you a follower of my father?¡±


    (Today, I¡¯ve had another bold idea.)

 Chapter 523 - Chapter 523 Chapter 524 The Real Invaders

    Chapter 523: Chapter 524: The Real Invaders Chapter 523: Chapter 524: The Real Invaders Heidi was blank-faced, then her expression turned to one of panic.


    For she knew who the father of this ¡°sea witch¡± was¨Cthat horrific joke was not even remotely funny!


    ¡°I¡¯m a Believer of God of Wisdom Rahm, ma¡¯am,¡± she blurted out hastily, as if fearing that any delay would deepen the misunderstanding and truly establish some secret connection with that dreadful Subspace Shadow, ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary psychic doctor, you must be mistaken!¡±


    However, Lucrecia only frowned slightly, her gaze calmly resting on the chest of this ¡°psychic doctor,¡± where that seemingly unremarkable amethyst pendant was still faintly emitting a familiar aura¨Cshe might mistake other things, but her father¡¯s presence¡­


    She even felt as if her father¡¯s eyes were silently observing her through that pendant.


    ¡°Where did you get this pendant?¡± Lucrecia suddenly asked.


    ¡°This¡­ it was a gift from my father, he bought it from an antique shop,¡± Heidi quickly explained, not giving it much thought, ¡°It¡¯s nothing special, merely having some protective effects on the psychic level¡­¡±


    ¡°Antique shop?¡± Lucrecia seemed puzzled, ¡°Your father is¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, this young lady is the daughter of Morris Underwood,¡± it was at this point that Taran El, who had been quiet until then, finally spoke up, sensing something off in the atmosphere, ¡°Relax, Madam Lucrecia, this Miss indeed is a psychic doctor, and she¡¯s helping me leave this place.¡±


    Yet upon hearing Taran El¡¯s words, Lucrecia looked stunned for a moment, then turned to Heidi with a subtle expression, ¡°Morris Underwood?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ yes,¡± Heidi nodded, ¡°That¡¯s my father¡¯s name¡­¡±


    Lucrecia¡¯s face was expressionless as memories of the last time she met the new crew of the Homeloss through the Crystal Ball surfaced. She remembered that respected scholar¨Cher father¡¯s current ¡°knowledge adviser.¡±


    The world is truly small.


    The iciness in her eyes melted away, and a sincere smile returned to her face as her gaze softened toward Heidi, ¡°Hello, Miss Heidi.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ hello,¡± Heidi was utterly confused, feeling as though her life had experienced several intense ups and downs in just a brief moment without understanding what had happened, so she nervously returned the greeting of the ¡°witch,¡± ¡°You know my father? And you know Master Taran El?¡±


    ¡°The world is smaller than you think,¡± Lucrecia did not answer directly, offering an offhand remark before turning to the elven scholar opposite her, ¡°From a self-perception standpoint, how long do you feel you¡¯ve been trapped in this Dreamscape?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, my sense of time is off now, maybe a few days? Or possibly longer.¡±


    Lucrecia frowned, ¡°Judging by the cognitive shift, it¡¯s starting to get dangerous¡­ I guess you¡¯ve already tried all sorts of wake-up methods, including the Falling Method?¡±


    Taran El spread his hands, ¡°Yeah, except for the ¡®Sudden Death Method¡¯.¡±


    ¡°If conventional subconscious awakening methods aren¡¯t working, other methods won¡¯t either. This is not a normal Dreamscape¨Cnor is it an external Curse or psychic attack,¡± Lucrecia waved her hand dismissively, ¡°I have already checked your condition in the real world and set up a lab to control psychic contamination, ruling out these possibilities¡­ Miss Heidi, can you tell us what information you have so far?¡±


    Heidi, at first stunned, took a couple of seconds before she belatedly realized what was happening and quickly relayed everything she knew to the ¡°witch¡± before her, even starting with her invitation to Prandle City Hall¨Cshe didn¡¯t dare omit a single detail.


    Lucrecia patiently listened to the string of information, her expression changing several times.


    ¡°From a Dreamscape far in Prandle into Taran El¡¯s dream¡­ the distance between these two City-States is not trivial, and now that dream entrance has disappeared¡­¡± The ¡°witch¡± spoke with a grave look, ¡°It seems if the guidance is poor, even you, a psychic doctor, might be trapped here.¡±


    ¡°So do you two experts have any conclusions now?¡± As the only ¡°patient¡± on the scene, Taran El remained quite composed, now just curiously asking, ¡°What exactly is going on with this Dreamscape?¡±


    ¡°¡­Before drawing any conclusions, I need to confirm something,¡± Lucrecia did not answer directly but asked seriously, ¡°How did you fall asleep? I found your draft in the tower; it looked like you were about to send it to the academy via ¡®Rapid Dispatch¡¯. Were you attacked on the tower? Or did you ¡®see¡¯ something in the process of observing the sun?¡±


    Taran El was lost in thought.


    After a long while, he spoke uncertainly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t attacked¡­ I only remember using the equipment in the tower to see many vague shadows and lines in the sun, wanting to record them all, but those things were too chaotic and blurry, impossible to see clearly, so I just drew a rough sketch, and then¡­¡±


    His voice suddenly became greatly hesitant, his eyes also filled with intense confusion and bewilderment, as if the more he tried to remember what he saw at the moment he fell asleep, the less he was able to confirm his memory.


    Finally, Taran El stopped, unable to recall anything more about what had happened in the last second before he lost consciousness. With a dazed look, he slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Heidi and Lucrecia, then around him, at the incredibly lush and inconceivable dense forest.


    And so, he gradually became still, finally not making any more movements or sounds, even his breath and the minute movements of his eyes came to a complete halt. A breeze blew through the woods, no longer able to stir his hair or clothing.


    Taran El had become a ¡°statue¡± frozen in a Dreamscape.


    And with his stillness, everything within the Dreamscape finally began to change. A strange and deep roar permeated and echoed throughout the world, as if an infinitely massive thing was slowly collapsing. The towering trees gradually lost their color and began to disintegrate from the crown down, while the lush undergrowth withered away into wisps of smoke.


    Heidi watched in astonishment as this all unfolded, then suddenly turned to look at Lucrecia, ¡°Is this a ¡®veil¡¯? Not a real Dreamscape?!¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve learned well in school, Miss Heidi,¡± Lucrecia raised her eyebrows, ¡°Indeed, just as I suspected, this is not a real Dreamscape, but a protective ¡®veil¡¯ woven atop it. What we see is not Taran El, but a mental construct he created to protect himself temporarily, so no matter what we do, we can¡¯t possibly awaken him from here¨Cthe true Dreamscape is hidden deeper within.¡±


    ¡°Why is it like this?¡± Heidi was utterly surprised, ¡°I¡­ have never seen such a realistic protective veil; it completely obscures the deeper Dreamscape¡­¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it before either, and Taran El is no expert in the psychic realm, despite some targeted training. Theoretically, he shouldn¡¯t be able to weave such perfect ¡®protection¡¯,¡± Lucrecia shook her head, ¡°But one thing is for certain, the weaver of this ¡®veil¡¯ is attempting to hide something deep within the Dreamscape¡­ If this is indeed Taran El¡¯s doing, then he must have sensed a great danger after entering the dream¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped.


    Because the ¡°collapse¡± of the forest had gradually halted.


    Not only stopped, but after a few seconds, the entire process of the forest¡¯s collapse began to reverse¨Cthe towering trees started to reassemble, and the dissipating colors rapidly returned to the ground. The ¡°veil,¡± which seemed on the verge of shattering, was regenerating at an astonishing speed!


    ¡°The veil is regenerating!¡± Heidi exclaimed.


    Lucrecia, amidst her surprise, immediately looked toward the mental construct of Taran El¨Cwho still stood motionless as a statue, showing no sign of reactivation.


    The protective veil of this Dreamscape had regenerated, but it wasn¡¯t Taran El who was the ¡°weaver¡±¨Cit was another force protecting the profound truth deep within this Dreamscape!


    In the moment Lucrecia realized this, two things became apparent:


    First, aside from the ¡°elven girl¡± Heidi mentioned and Master Taran El, there was at least a third ¡°dreamer¡± within this Dreamscape, who was the true controller of this ¡°disguised Dreamscape.¡±


    Second, the invaders were still nearby, the pollution source was right here!


    The protective ¡°veil¡± of the Dreamscape was regenerating spontaneously, for it perceived a great danger and started to reverse its vanishing¨Cjudging by the scale of the entire forest and the commotion of its reassembly, the source of danger was certainly beyond imagination.


    Neither the devotees of annihilation that Heidi previously vanquished nor the invaders Taran El had dealt with were the real cause behind this Dreamscape¡¯s closure!


    As Lucrecia came to this realization, Heidi also suddenly grasped the reason for the veil¡¯s regeneration: ¡°There¡¯s something hidden in this Dreamscape, the invaders are still here!¡±


    ¡°Be aware of any abnormalities around us!¡±


    Lucrecia immediately warned, then quickly began to search for any suspicious entities within her sight, sensing the air¡¯s flowing essence, trying to find out where exactly the ¡°pollution source¡± that the veil was desperately trying to resist was hiding.


    The air, the fragrance of flowers, the sound of wind through the trees, the distant flow of water, the sunlight filtering through the canopy¡­


    Everything was so vivid, so natural, so seemingly normal.


    Which one of these was out of place in the Dreamscape?


    Wait¡­ sunlight?!


    Lucrecia¡¯s heart jolted.


    This forest harbored countless towering trees, numerous lush canopies, which were meant to shield against the sunlight.


    But despite such dense coverage, ¡°sunlight¡± still bathed the entire forest, illuminating every nook and cranny.


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    ¡°The sunlight is the invader!¡±


    She realized in an instant, alerting Heidi aloud, who then instinctively looked up through the gaps in the canopy toward the sky of this Dreamscape.


    Among the layered canopy, large and small gaps had mysteriously emerged, through which the sky and sunlight were visible, along with the sun that shone upon the Dreamscape.


    Dark and twisting tentacles entwined and converged, twisting into a ball interspersed with countless pairs of enormous, pale eyes, like a horrendous spawn floating in the sky, looming over the forest.


    The bright sunlight, like a cast of light, covered the surface of this malformed entity, quietly shining over the entire Dreamscape.

 Chapter 524 - Chapter 524 Chapter 525 Attack Under the Sun

    Chapter 524: Chapter 525: Attack Under the Sun Chapter 524: Chapter 525: Attack Under the Sun The grotesque and terrifying abnormality hung aloft above the forest, coiling across the sky, its numerous twisting tentacles supporting its glowing ¡°shell¡±, and that light, which could penetrate the entire forest, emanated from this nightmarish invader.


    How long had it been suspended in this dreamscape? Had it been there from the very beginning? Why had no one noticed the dissonance in the sunlight? And with what dreadful purpose was it overlooking this forest, a blend of countless layers of dreamscapes?


    Heidi gazed upward, as if irresistibly drawn by some powerful force, uncontrollably staring at that miniature ¡°sun¡± propped up by horrific limbs.


    She watched those guarded, pale, massive eyes.


    In an instant, she felt her mind seemingly connect with a vast and distant entity; through those pale eyes overlooking the sky, something directly entered her brain. She heard a thunderous explosion deep within her spirit and sensed ancient thoughts gazing upon the dreamscape and its uninvited guests through the sun in the sky.


    Thousands of voices whispered or roared in her head, and she heard one of them, that voice boring into her consciousness like a dream talker¨C


    ¡°¡­hidden in the depths of their memories¡­ before our sunlight goes out¡­¡±


    In this whisper seeping into her mind, Heidi felt an involuntary sense of conversion.


    However, in the next second, a burning sensation suddenly radiated from her chest, and Heidi abruptly awoke as if a thousand claps of thunder exploded beside her ear. She felt the connection to those voices instantly ripped apart.


    Her heart pounded like a drum; a sharp ringing noise filled her ears. Heidi¡¯s mind surged violently, and a delayed sense of relief washed over her several seconds later. As she came to her senses, she immediately shifted her gaze away from the sky and instinctively clutched the amethyst pendant on her chest.


    The pendant was still radiating scorching heat, yet it did not burn her. Shaken, she turned to look at the ¡°Miss Witch¡± standing beside her.


    Lucresia extended her hand emotionlessly toward her. At the witch¡¯s fingertips, three colored gems floated mid-air, slowly rotating, interweaving into dreamlike and fatally beautiful rays.


    Heidi immediately felt a sense of palpitation.


    ¡°I¡¯m awake! I¡¯m awake!¡± she shouted loudly, afraid that the witch might actually take action, ¡°I¡¯m not contaminated¨C¡±


    Lucresia nodded, her gaze sweeping over Heidi¡¯s crystal pendant as the three colored gems flew back to the small decoration in her hair.


    She pondered for a moment, feeling it necessary to clarify: ¡°I did not mean to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Heidi didn¡¯t expect that response, her expression twitching, ¡°I thought you were about to do something just now.¡±


    ¡°That would have been an intense shock. If you only suffered a shallow psychological contamination, this shock would have invoked your subconscious fear of death and forcefully extracted your uncontaminated mind from this dreamscape. You might lose some recent memory afterward,¡± Lucresia explained, ¡°This is an escape technique from the dreamscape, invented by Master Taran El, called the ¡®Sudden Death Method¡¯.¡±


    Heidi¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say this ¡®Sudden Death Method¡¯ wasn¡¯t reliable before?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not reliable on Taran El himself,¡± Lucresia glanced at the scholar still maintaining his ¡°mind sculpting¡± state, ¡°He¡¯s nearly died suddenly without even having nightmares.¡±


    ¡°So I¡­¡±


    ¡°You have a strong constitution.¡±


    Heidi was briefly lost for words, feeling awkwardly silent for several seconds before she hesitantly raised her hand, pointing toward the sky¨Cduring which, she no longer dared to lift her gaze to that eerie and dreadful thing: ¡°Miss Lucresia, that thing¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems that is the true invader,¡± Lucresia said casually, brushing her hand in the air. A beautifully patterned, court-styled imaginary round mirror materialized in front of her. Using the reflection of this magic mirror, she cautiously observed the scene in the sky, ¡°The ¡®veil¡¯ within this dreamscape is to block its ¡®peering¡¯.¡±


    She paused, a thoughtful look on her face.


    ¡°It closely resembles the handiwork of those cultists who worship the Black Sun; that thing in the sky looks exactly like the Scions of the Sun they follow¡­¡±


    ¡°Scions of the Sun¡­¡± Heidi was shocked. As a Plander and an eyewitness to the ¡°Black Sun event¡±, she knew the terror behind the term better than anyone. But then, she became even more confused, ¡°But the ¡®invader¡¯ I initially saw in the dreamscape was clearly a Cultist of Annihilation¡­¡±


    ¡°Cultist of Annihilation?¡± Lucresia frowned, ¡°Then¡­ that¡¯s even worse.¡±


    Heidi opened her mouth to ask the ¡°Sea Witch¡± what she meant, but in the next second, a slight rustling noise suddenly came from nearby, causing her to fall silent abruptly.


    ¡°Did you hear anything?¡± Heidi asked quickly, a hint of nervousness in her voice.


    ¡°It looks like that freak in the sky¡¯s ¡®protector¡¯ has arrived,¡± Lucresia said calmly, ¡°Once we¡¯ve spotted ¡®it,¡¯ ¡®it¡¯ will feel fear and then seek out ways to destroy any intelligent being that has seen ¡®it.¡¯ The Scions of the Black Sun are just like that¨C¡±


    The strange rustling sounds suddenly ceased.


    But a huge sense of vigilance and crisis surged like a tide the instant those sounds disappeared!


    The next second, Heidi caught a glimpse of a shadow from the corner of her eye¨Cunderneath a nearby thicket, in a corner that seemed perfectly normal just a second ago, amorphous darkness writhed and ballooned, and divided into dangerous, spear-like limbs that rushed toward her and Lucresia.


    Without time to think, Heidi¡¯s body instinctively toppled to one side, as she lifted the golden cone in her hand, slicing through the air in front of her¨Ca remnant image remained where she had just been. The next second, this afterimage was mercilessly penetrated by the Assailant.


    The shadow hastily retreated, while the ¡°figure¡± that had been pierced still stood in place, shaking slightly. The blurry outline rapidly became clearer, transforming into another ¡°Heidi.¡±


    Meanwhile, a sharp, explosive sound suddenly emanated from Lucresia¡¯s direction.


    A serpentine shadow crept along the ground to the feet of the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± and abruptly transformed into countless thorns, spikes, blades, and tentacles. These fear-inducing, fluctuating entities attacked Lucresia from all sides, engulfing her figure in the blink of an eye.


    However, amid those interlacing shadows, Lucresia¡¯s body underwent a Transformation¨Csuddenly, she appeared as thin as a piece of paper, a mere ¡°image.¡± Then, her body twirled in the air and ¡°drifted¡± out from the midst of those deadly, crisscrossing assaults. Right after, she Reshaped herself on the side of the clearing, and a conductor¡¯s baton appeared in her hand as if by Magic.


    She raised the baton, lightly tapping it on a pitch-black tentacle coalesced in midair, issuing a gentle command¨C


    ¡°Minuet.¡±


    The tentacle emitted a slight explosive noise, followed by a series of similar blasts that sounded almost like a musical piece. In the continuous bursts, the tentacle decomposed into countless ethereal and vibrantly colored notes, scattering and dancing away into the air.


    All the ¡°shadows¡± connected to that black tentacle burst continuously, the terrible Curse turning them into countless colorful notes that danced and fluttered away in the air.


    The scene was as beautiful as a Dreamscape, yet uncannily frightening.


    Lucresia elegantly flicked her baton, then turned to look at Heidi, who had now created a third Personality Clone, her eyes revealing a hint of surprise.


    ¡°Your ¡®body protection spell¡¯ isn¡¯t bad. Judging by your moves, have you had training in the real world?¡±


    ¡°One must have ways to protect oneself, especially in our line of work, where we not only deal with the mentally disturbed but also their madness¨CFather always instructed me that a girl must learn to protect herself,¡± Heidi gasped for breath, a touch of pride in her voice, then her gaze towards Lucresia was filled with renewed wonder and reverence, ¡°Your power¡­ is indeed as formidable as the rumors suggest.¡±


    ¡°My father taught me similar lessons,¡± Lucresia smiled faintly and then turned around, her gaze calmly fixed on the figures continuously emerging from the air.


    The destruction of a few tentacles and shadows did not mean the end of the matter. For the followers of the Black Sun, their detestable limbs could always endure more damage.


    The Assailants¡¯ true forms revealed themselves.


    They were several tall figures, wearing cloaks of indeterminable material, dark as pitch, like overcoats. Underneath the cloaks appeared to be concealed numerous unnerving and distorted flesh, squirming and pulsating, emitting sickening and sticky sounds. Their faces were hidden in the shadows cast by their wide-brimmed hats, showing no discernible features, only conveying endless void and a cold malice towards all living beings.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s the ¡®degenerates¡¯ of the Scions of the Sun,¡± Heidi identified these quasi-human entities in an instant, her and her Personality Clones adopting a defensive stance while frowning, ¡°¡­but I¡¯ve never heard of these creatures having the ability to invade the Dreamscape¡­¡±


    Lucresia, however, noticed something else.


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    ¡°They are not carrying umbrellas,¡± the Witch of the Sea said, furrowing her brows slightly.


    As an ¡°explorer¡± who frequently roamed the borderlands and often encountered various dangerous and bizarre forces, she was no stranger to the followers of the Black Sun and had faced them head-on several times.


    These remnants of the Scions of the Sun appearing in the Dreamscape weren¡¯t holding those characteristic, peculiar black umbrellas.


    They stood in the light, openly basking in the ¡°sunlight¡± that pierced through the forest.


    It was as if¡­ the exiles were in their homeland.

 Chapter 525 - Chapter 525 Chapter 526 The only thing scarier than the Scions

    Chapter 525: Chapter 526 The only thing scarier than the Scions of the Sun is¡­ Chapter 525: Chapter 526 The only thing scarier than the Scions of the Sun is¡­ Heidi¡¯s heart had gradually tightened as the number of invaders exceeded her expectations, one after another emerging into view.


    For she knew that these seemingly human but not human ¡°things¡± were far more formidable than the Heretic she had dealt with before¨Cthat Heretic was merely a human who had made a pact with the Profound Demons, and although possessing some skill, was fundamentally a fragile mortal; in her own ¡°area of expertise,¡± he wasn¡¯t difficult to handle.


    But these black-robed ¡°people¡± were different¨Cthey were not human at all.


    They were the ¡°remnant¡± of the Scions of the Sun, messengers and kin sprung from the aberration of horror in the skies, intrinsically a part of the ¡°Wriggling Sunwheel,¡± an extension of that ancient deity¡¯s power.


    These beings lacked normal cognitive processes and had no personality structure comprehensible to humans; as a ¡°spiritual psychiatrist,¡± the knowledge and techniques Heidi possessed were of very limited effect against such foes.


    Yet, the spiritual psychiatrist Miss managed to calm herself after taking a deep breath and gripped the golden spike in her hand tightly.


    The Scions of the Sun did not entertain negotiations with mortals; their hatred for sentient beings was unconditional and indiscriminate. There was no option but to meet them in battle, and furthermore¡­ there was a powerful ¡°Witch¡± here, Lady Lukrecia who apparently knew her father. Although she was somewhat terrifying, she surely wouldn¡¯t just watch her die here¡­ right?


    A flurry of speculative thoughts flashed through her mind, and the next second, Heidi¡¯s attention was drawn to a black-clad ¡°person¡± whose figure suddenly blurred in her vision¨Ca surge of danger washed over her.


    The blurred shadow vanished into thin air, and almost simultaneously, Heidi felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She slowly looked down to find that a tendril had pierced through her torso, tearing open a fatal wound.


    The shadowy figure of the Assailant materialized vaguely at the other end of the tendril.


    A golden spike swiftly jabbed from the side as a Personality Incarnation lunged at the tendril; the spike fiercely plunged down through the air, striking the hazy figure, which, wounded, let out a bizarre shriek and recoiled backwards.


    Heidi¡¯s body slowly toppled to the side but before she hit the ground, her primary consciousness Transitioned to another nearby Personality Incarnation, and in the instant of completion, swung the golden spike at another shadow that was rushing head-on.


    Meanwhile, she quickly raised her revolver with her other hand to her temple and pulled the trigger without hesitation.


    A new Personality Clone appeared behind her, rapidly filling in the mental entity she had just lost.


    At the same time, more black-clad figures charged toward the visibly more threatening Lukrecia¨Cshadows darted through the forest as if navigating the crevices of light and dark, with various tangible and intangible forces swarming the spot where Lukrecia stood, shredding the air, pulverizing the ground, leaving Corrosion.


    Yet Lukrecia¡¯s form, as if but an illusion, lightly passed through all the assaults and quickly closed in behind one of the Assailants. Before the black-robed abomination could react, she had already placed a finger near its shoulder.


    The abomination let out a shrill scream, and with this ear-piercing din, a string of garbled voices echoed as if directly in their minds, entering both Heidi and Lukrecia¡¯s heads simultaneously:


    ¡°You have seen him, you must die here!¡±


    ¡°No one wishes to see your twisted and loathsome ¡®blood relatives¡¯,¡± Lucresia simply shook her head indifferently, ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to bloom¨C¡±


    The black-clad freak suddenly lifted its arms, invisible shadows cohering within its cloak into the semblance of a weapon, but at that moment, Lucresia had already lightly retreated several meters away.


    And there, where her fingertips had lightly touched, an aberrant color suddenly emerged on the shoulder of the black-garbed ¡°person.¡± Following that, the color that seemed like paint spread rapidly, became vibrant, and in the blink of an eye, turned into numerous bright flowers and wildly growing vines¨Ccountless dense plants grew from within the non-human body, accompanied by the terrible sounds of flesh ripping and grinding, and in an instant, devoured the remnants of the Scion of the Sun completely.


    However, with the fall of this Assailant, more scuttling sounds and the aura of converging shadows began to come from all directions.


    In the sunlight, amid the dense jungle, several tall figures wearing black cloaks, radiating an eerie and ominous presence, appeared out of thin air and closed in on Lucresia and Heidi, forming a siege.


    And behind these figures, where the sunlight poured down, even more shadows gathered, and more Assailants entered this Dreamscape!


    Lucresia frowned subconsciously, but before she could ponder how these Assailants had managed to infiltrate the ¡°Dreamscape¡± in such large numbers, fresh attacks arrived.


    Several black-garbed freaks exploited the crevices of light and shadow, materializing beside her in an instant.


    Lucresia was already prepared¨Cwhen the enemy appeared, the ¡°conductor¡¯s baton¡± had already reappeared in her hand, and she pointed it at the closest enemy¨Chowever, just as she was about to unleash a Curse, a slight dizziness abruptly emerged, delaying her action.


    The harsh sound of the wind grazed past her ears, and Lucresia, in the instant she was about to be attacked, shook off the dizziness and exploded into countless fluttering colored paper pieces, flying to the side. Then she reappeared from among the colors and immediately looked in a certain direction.


    A patch of blurred and distorted smoke dust became visible under her ¡°gaze,¡± undulating in the air like an oddly shaped jellyfish, with a jet-black chain extending from within the jellyfish, reaching to a young man who had just materialized out of nowhere.


    Almost at the same time, one of Heidi¡¯s Personality Incarnations had suffered a heavy blow, knocked back by an invisible force, nearly torn apart, but before this incarnation dissipated, she mustered her last strength, raised her hand, and fired three successive shots at the just-emerged Smoke Dust Jellyfish¨C


    ¡°Miss Lucresia! This is the intruder I mentioned to you!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to speak to me in such a tragic way,¡± Lucresia looked at the fading Personality Incarnation landing not far in front of her, dying with unshut eyes, and muttered softly. She then abruptly raised the ¡°conductor¡¯s baton¡± in her hand to block a sharp spike thrust at herself, while looking up at the heretic who had just revealed himself, ¡°It seems that the madmen following The Saint and those following the Black Sun have joined forces?¡±


    ¡°I originally did not plan to show myself, but it seems, our ¡®temporary allies¡¯ indeed require a little help¡­¡±


    The heretic, still wearing the blue uniform of a ¡°medical facility worker,¡± but with a completely altered face, stood in a high place, leisurely speaking with a smile. The three shots Heidi¡¯s Personality Incarnation fired just before death had caused no harm to the Smoke Dust Jellyfish at all. His gaze swept over the increasingly weary psychiatrist and the sea witch under the relentless attack of the ¡°remnants,¡± then he lifted his head, glanced at the dire Scion of the Sun in the sky, and nodded slightly.


    ¡°I hope you can keep your promise; we will continue ¡®digging deeper,''¡± she said.


    The ¡°sun¡± in the sky remained silent, but the ¡°sunlight¡± enveloping the entire forest became noticeably more scorching than before.


    Keep a promise? Digging deeper?


    Lukrecia instantly noticed the two keywords that the heretic mentioned, but before she could ponder further, another black-robed ¡°remnant¡± had already teleported to her side.


    Using a treacherous blind spot, the freak raised its arm, and several sharp-edged and spiked ¡°limbs¡± swept toward Lukrecia!


    Lukrecia¡¯s figure suddenly dissolved into color and reappeared several meters away, her conductor¡¯s baton already raised and pointing at the enemy.


    However, the next second, the ¡°enemy¡± in her sight blurred and transformed into another figure¨C


    It was Tyrian¡¯s figure appearing, looking bewildered at her.


    ¡°Lucy, you¡¯ve run into trouble¡­¡±


    The conductor¡¯s baton in Lukrecia¡¯s hand suddenly became an exaggeratedly-fashioned scythe, which she raised high without hesitation and slashed down at ¡°Tyrian¡¯s¡± head.


    ¡°Such a paltry trick?¡± As the enemy was cleaved in half by the scythe, Lukrecia¡¯s face was smeared with a bit of blood. Turning her head with a smile, she looked at the heretic standing in the distance, ¡°Are you accustomed to bullying the mentally weak and ordinary people?¡±


    The heretic said nothing, just the Smoke Dust Jellyfish floating beside him suddenly contracted and then expanded, and immediately afterward, Lukrecia heard a whooshing sound by her ear. She turned to see her long-serving clockwork puppet ¡°Luny¡± standing nearby with a blank and panicked face.


    The scythe lifted without hesitation, fell, and chopped Luny¡¯s figure into a pile of flying gears and ceramic shards, which turned into filthy flesh and blood before hitting the ground.


    The next second, Taran El¡¯s figure replaced that of a ¡°black-robed remnant¡± and appeared before Lukrecia.


    She raised her hand and swung the scythe without hesitation¨Ccontinuing to slash as she stepped toward the heretic stirring up the battlefield.


    The figure of Rabbit Rabi appeared and was immediately cut in two with no hesitation.


    Governor Sala Mel from Light Breeze Harbor appeared before her eyes, met with the same slashing blow.


    Looking at the increasingly panicked heretic, the ¡°Sea Witch¡± had only a hint of scorn in her eyes.


    Another slight crackling noise arose nearby, and Lukrecia looked up to see her father appear before her.


    She hesitated for a moment, the tension and fear almost inherent in her soul causing her to stop in her tracks for the first time.


    But the next second, she shook her head vigorously, casting all hesitations behind and raised her scythe high.


    ¡°The psychological attack has improved, but it¡¯s still far from enough!¡±


    The scythe swung down.


    Lukrecia did not notice the momentary bemusement and surprise on the heretic¡¯s face not far away.


    She saw the eerie green flames suddenly ignite spontaneously on her scythe.


    The ¡°apparition of her father¡± in front of her raised his hand and grabbed the blade of the scythe, looking at her in surprise.


    ¡°Lucy, did you wake up confused?¡±


    Lukrecia¡¯s body stiffened and she came to a halt.


    This¡­ is real.


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    (Surprise!


    To be honest, saving up these five chapters took quite an effort¡­


    In the past half-year, there have been a lot of things going on in real life, and it was impossible to maintain a stable update rhythm. I wasn¡¯t even sure how much time I had to write each day. I wanted to make a push if possible, so I tried my best to save up some chapters for a bigger surprise.


    Also, rest assured, I¡¯m not taking a day off tomorrow.


    Lastly, I¡¯d really appreciate a monthly vote~)

 Chapter 526 - Chapter 526 Chapter 527 Pollution and Recession

    Chapter 526: Chapter 527: Pollution and Recession Chapter 526: Chapter 527: Pollution and Recession Frankly, Lucresia¡¯s mind went blank at that instant¨Cit took her nearly two to three seconds to regain her ability to think and realize what the situation before her eyes actually was.


    More terrifying than being trapped in a nightmare corrupted by the Scions of the Sun was suddenly encountering her father, who had returned from the Subspace; but even more frightening was that her own scythe was hacking towards her father¡¯s neck.


    Now, the scythe had lost control, a faint green fire creeping along its pitch-black blade and long handle, as if it had entered another dimension and could no longer be grasped by her. Lucresia¡¯s body stiffened as she struggled to maintain her grip on the scythe, and after much effort, she managed to blurt out, ¡°Your¡­ your scythe is really unique¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you always stop using your brain when you¡¯re nervous?¡± Duncan finally let go of his grip, the green flames dissipating with it, ¡°What¡¯s the situation here?¡±


    As the flames receded, Lucresia finally felt the scythe, formed from the powers of the Dreamscape and the Curse, returning to her control. She hastily grabbed it, stepping back and preparing to answer her father¡¯s question, but in the next second, a sudden sense of crisis fiercely attacked her from nearby!


    The ¡°degenerates¡± of the Scions of the Sun had finally reacted, and clearly, they weren¡¯t going to give their enemy the chance to have a leisurely family chat. Accompanied by light shadows flickering and leaping in the sunlight, several shadows pounced towards Lucresia from behind!


    Almost without a chance to think, Lucresia abruptly turned around. The scythe in her hand instantly transformed into a long whip wrapped with thorns; however, just as she was about to fiercely lash out with the whip, the several pouncing shadows suddenly paused mid-air and revealed their forms, dropping to the ground as if they had lost their power source, and began to struggle violently!


    At the same time, Heidi, who was barely managing the control over several Personality Clones, suddenly felt the pressure around her lighten.


    She transferred ¡°herself¡± from a dying Personality Incarnation to another, which was in better condition, and then stared in astonishment as those figures in black cloaks fell to the ground one by one, struggling painfully on the ground like fish being scorched by the intense sun.


    Their black cloaks of unknown material kept swelling and writhing, and those terrifying limbs began to rapidly decay and disintegrate, accompanied by nauseating sounds, a foul stench, and filthy pus slowly spreading from their bodies.


    Even as a professionally trained psychiatrist, Heidi couldn¡¯t help but step back two paces when faced with this scene. Then, as if sensing something, she instinctively looked up at the sky¨Cbut when about to do so, she forcefully controlled her impulse.


    The terrifying experience of seeing the Scions of the Sun when she had previously looked up was still deeply etched in her mind, preventing her from verifying her guess.


    Just then, she heard the stranger who had suddenly appeared in front of Lucresia say to her, ¡°It¡¯s alright, the sky is already safe.¡±


    For some reason, those words seemed to carry a powerful force, and although unreasonably, Heidi instantly formed a strong impression: the sky was safe now.


    She slowly looked up at the ¡°Sun¡± that was still hanging high in the sky, glowing and radiating heat.


    That ¡°thing¡± still floated silently above the forest, its many twisted tentacles and pale eyes piled up like a wildly growing mass of flesh, with its light flickering like flames¨Cyet deep within that blaze, a tinge of faint green was spreading and rapidly covering the entire surface of the entity.


    Upon seeing those twisted tentacles and pale eyes, a flicker of fear uncontrollably emerged in Heidi¡¯s heart, but soon, she realized that her mind had not been corroded from this ¡°sighting.¡±


    The contamination of the Scions of the Sun seemed to be blocked by the spreading green flame, or rather¡­ corroded and assimilated by the latter, thereby rendering it harmless.


    The struggling and shrieking of the ¡°degenerates¡± tormented Lucresia¡¯s eardrums, those humanoid yet unhuman beings dying rapidly under the mutating sunlight, disintegrating as though in strong acid. Confused, she watched this scene and turned to Duncan, ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡±


    ¡°I contaminated their temporary sun, now, this sunlight is ¡®toxic¡¯ for them.


    ¡°It¡¯s an experience I learned from the ¡®Black Sun Event¡¯ in Prande¨Cthese ¡®remnants¡¯ can only survive under specific ¡®sunlight.''¡±


    Duncan spoke calmly, then lifted his head and gazed at the twisted entity still floating quietly above the forest.


    He remembered the ¡°Black Sun¡± he had glimpsed through the ¡°Golden Mask,¡± considered the pale ancient god dying under the corona¡¯s scorch. Yet compared to the ¡°Black Sun¡± he had seen initially, the entity currently suspended in the sky of this Dreamscape was evidently much smaller in size and notably weaker in power.


    So¡­ it seems that this is the Scions of the Sun that those mad Heretics spoke of.


    Now, the Scions of the Sun were rapidly being consumed by corrupted flames, its own light and heat transforming into something potent enough to incinerate itself, yet this bizarrely terrifying ¡°creature¡± showed no signs of pain or fear, remaining merely silent and still in the sky, as if utterly devoid of emotions of pain and fear.


    Merely glowing and heating, just like¡­ a true Sun.


    However, as Duncan stared into its pale eyes, he always felt that this creature was indeed sentient¨Cit was thinking, observing, had a purpose, and was rational. It didn¡¯t just wish to extinguish itself like the dying Black Sun, nor did it crazily desire to destroy the entire world like the Heretics.


    What was this ¡°creature¡± thinking at this very moment?


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but ask in his mind.


    ¡°Can I go back now?¡± Within the depths of the fuzzy information transmitted back by the ghostly flames, he heard a voice, calm and gentle, ¡°There¡¯s nothing here that I¡¯m looking for.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened slightly in an instant.


    However, the next moment, just as he wanted to establish more communication with this ¡°Scion of the Sun,¡± a surreal roar suddenly came from the sky. Shortly thereafter, the burning flame seemed to collapse inward abruptly, shrinking into a small point, and the next instant, the ghostly flames scattered explosively without a target.


    The ¡°false sun¡± hovering above the forest vanished.


    A dim and slightly reddish twilight Sky Light replaced the formerly ¡°sunny¡± sky, plunging the entire forest into a twilight-like ambiance.


    Lucresia¡¯s surprised voice came from beside him, ¡°Did you destroy it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan shook his head gently, relaying the information he had perceived in that instant, ¡°It left. That wasn¡¯t its real body but merely a projection formed by a Scion of the Sun in the Dreamscape, like a sensory tentacle¨Cnow it has withdrawn that tentacle from the Dreamscape.¡±


    Lucresia nodded thoughtfully, but soon she suddenly realized something else: ¡°Wait, what about that heretic just now?!¡±


    ¡°He ran,¡± Duncan casually said, ¡°As those ¡®inferior beings¡¯ died, he was continually diminishing his presence, and then he took the opportunity to escape amidst the chaos when that false sun in the sky collapsed.¡±


    Lucresia immediately frowned, unconsciously surveying the forest now dipped into twilight dimness, ¡°Damn¡­ I got distracted too¡­ I should have left a Curse on him¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Duncan just waved his hand, ¡°Let him run for a while.¡±


    Lucresia paused slightly and looked up at Duncan, ¡°Did you¡­ let him go on purpose?¡±


    Duncan did not answer her directly but squinted slightly, as if sensing something, then smiled and shook his head, ¡°He¡¯s already seen me anyway.¡±


    He then paid no mind to the change in Lucresia¡¯s expression for a moment but turned to look at Heidi, who stood about ten meters away, continuously trying to diminish her presence, looking quite anxious.


    He approached this young spiritual healer¨Cstrictly speaking, a group of Heidis¨Cthen first checked her condition.


    About seven or eight Heidis bore various injuries, three of whom were severely injured, lying on the ground floundering like dying fish; their personality parts had apparently withdrawn, leaving only some reflexive death twitches behind. Two other Heidis looked fine, one standing in place with a blank expression, and the other nervously dodging Duncan¡¯s gaze.


    Duncan swept over this ¡°large group of Heidis¡± with an expressionless face, internally remarking how wildly unconventional the path of spiritual healers in this world could be, more fragmented than schizophrenia itself. He then directly walked past the anxious, dodging-gaze ¡°Heidi¡± towards the young spiritual healer standing blankly.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    The blank-faced ¡°Personality Incarnation¡± was startled, her face suddenly burst with vivid expressions, ¡°How did you know¡­¡±


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    She had already guessed who the imposing, endlessly pressure-inducing man in front of her was, and was extremely nervous inside. She initially thought to somewhat conceal it by using a Personality Incarnation to avoid direct conversation with this fearsome ¡°Subspace Shadow,¡± yet she hadn¡¯t managed to deceive him even for a second.


    ¡°You use Personality Clones to protect yourself when you¡¯re nervous,¡± Duncan said with a friendly smile and a congenial demeanor, ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t expect your ¡®Personality Clones¡¯ to be so¡­ formidable. Now I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes¡­ psychiatric patients can be challenging to handle, less splitting isn¡¯t enough to overpower them¡­¡± Heidi instinctively explained, but then she realized something, ¡°Wait, how did you know¡­¡±


    Duncan smiled, lifting his finger to point at the amethyst pendant on Heidi¡¯s chest.


    ¡°In a strict sense, I gave that pendant to you.¡±

 Chapter 527 - Chapter 527 Chapter 528 The Reunion

    Chapter 527: Chapter 528: The Reunion Chapter 527: Chapter 528: The Reunion Amulet?


    Upon hearing the words of the subspace shadow before her, Heidy¡¯s first reaction was confusion, followed closely by her looking down at the ¡°amethyst¡± pendant from a certain glass workshop hanging around her neck. In the next second, everything about this pendant surged into her mind¨C


    The peculiar antique shop owner, the pendant her father brought back from the antique shop, its miraculous protection during the Black Sun incident, the second pendant, Fenna¡¯s inconclusive investigation into the antique shop, and now¡­ the appearance and words of Duncan Ebnomal¡­


    The mental health counselor Miss finally began to open her eyes wide, her wild speculations slowly morphing into a concrete fact, and she suddenly felt¡­ like she might be in need of some psychological assistance herself.


    ¡°Relax a bit and control where you¡¯re looking, don¡¯t gaze at things you shouldn¡¯t,¡± Duncan said to Heidy with a smile, calmly reminding her, ¡°Your father specifically wanted me to tell you that.¡±


    Heidy felt a buzzing in her head, unable to tell if it was mild mental contamination causing the noise or simply auditory hallucinations due to nervous tension. She pressed her forehead, finally managing to keep her rationality and impulse in check, though her thoughts were still sluggish and intermittent: ¡°My father¡­ where is he now¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s serving as a consultant on the Homeloss¨Cwe didn¡¯t tell you because he was afraid you¡¯d worry, but none of us expected you to get caught up in the incident in such a bewildered way.¡±


    ¡°Is he alright?! On your ship¡­¡± Heidy instinctively asked, but upon looking at the imposing ¡°captain¡± before her, the tail of her sentence hesitated suddenly, feeling that no matter how she asked, it seemed impolitic and rash at this moment.


    Duncan didn¡¯t seem to mind, casually replying: ¡°He¡¯s fine, maintaining the healthiest routine on the team and playing a tremendous role on the ship¨Cis there anything else you want to know?¡±


    Heidy opened her mouth, her mind scrambling for words before another matter¨Cone that was as rife with suspicion as her father¡¯s departure from home¨Csuddenly came to mind. Her conjecture was crazy, she thought, but she couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Then¡­ is Fenna also on your¡­¡±


    Duncan did not answer directly, but his sideways affirmation confirmed her guess: ¡°Would you like to see them?¡±


    Heidy paused for a brief moment, suddenly unsure how to respond to this simple question. After two or three seconds, she finally snapped out of her daze, and her first instinct was to retract the multitude of unnerving personality clones she¡¯d displayed, while hurriedly speaking: ¡°Can I? Are you really allowing this? Ah, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean anything by it, but I¡¯ve heard so much about you and¡­I should¡­¡±


    Her frantic speech abruptly stopped.


    For, accompanied by a revolving door of pale green fire, two extremely familiar figures had already appeared before her¨C


    Morris with a smile, and Fenna¡¯s expression somewhat awkward.


    ¡°So, uh¡­ long time no see,¡± Fenna greeted Heidy, touching her nose, ¡°Sorry for keeping it hidden for quite a while, my new position was a bit sensitive, mainly confidentiality concerns, and it¡¯s only because the captain allowed it that we could¡­ Are you upset?¡±


    Heidy, however, did not respond, simply staring with wide eyes at her long-time friend before her, then turning her wide-eyed gaze to Morris beside her, stifling for some time before finally managing to blurt out: ¡°Can either of you explain to me precisely what the situation is now?!¡±


    ¡°Take your time talking,¡± Duncan said, noticing they had started to converse, he quickly and perceptive waved his hand and turned to leave, ¡°I¡¯ll talk with Lucy.¡±


    Leaving two ¡°crew¡± members and one Heidy staring at each other in awkward silence, overflowing with embarrassment.


    Duncan didn¡¯t pay attention to the subtle atmosphere of resentment between Fenna and Morris behind him; he had already calmly approached Lucresia, only to see the ¡°Sea Witch¡± avoiding his gaze, her expression quite embarrassed.


    Lucresia had been brainstorming for a long time¨Csince her father suddenly entered this dreamscape, she had been in a state of confusion and disarray. Just now, while her father was communicating with the ¡°mental health counselor,¡± she had been trying hard to think about how to talk to this long-absent ¡°relative,¡± how to adjust her attitude like Teriana had, and¡­


    How to explain the incident with the scythe not long ago.


    However, when her father truly started walking towards her, she realized she hadn¡¯t prepared at all¨Cthe ¡°witch¡± feared by many on the Endless Sea was actually not very good at dealing with such emotional scenarios. Instead, due to her jumbled thoughts in this short time, she became even more helpless.


    Lucresia opened her mouth: ¡°I¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush,¡± Duncan suddenly gestured to stop Lucresia from continuing, then turned to look at the trio of Heidy not far away, ¡°Let¡¯s watch for a bit.¡±


    Lucresia: ¡°¡­?¡±


    She was somewhat at a loss, not understanding what her father meant by ¡°let¡¯s watch for a bit,¡± even subconsciously associating it with completely irrelevant concepts like ¡°planning¡± or ¡°scheming.¡± But the next second, she realized that the familiar yet long-separated figure beside her was merely watching the nearby group of three, wearing a humanized, spectator-like expression on his face.


    The ¡°Sea Witch¡± hesitated for a moment, then followed his gaze towards that direction, a strange feeling rising to her heart. She didn¡¯t know how to describe this weird and awkward unfolding¨Cit was nothing like the reunions with her father she had imagined over the many years past.


    She had imagined that, one day in the future, she might, like Taran El, encounter the ¡°Homeloss¡± returning from the Subspace. She had envisioned a fierce clash between the ¡°Brilliant Starship¡± and the ¡°Homeloss,¡± where that fiend from the Subspace would destroy all the betrayers, just as he had once annihilated the thirteen islands of Vesran at the border¡­


    And in some gentler Dreamscape, in some fantasy wholly untethered from logic, she had also imagined another scene¨C


    Her father really would come back, perhaps on a peaceful afternoon or in the twilight before dusk; they might stand atop the sea cliffs, just like that place from her childhood¨Cshe could no longer remember which City-State it was, only the gentle sea breeze and the white flowers everywhere¨Cshe and her family would stand on the highest boulder, her father recounting all the far-off events to her, while she would show off her ¡°Brilliant Starship,¡± along with all her laboratories and books¡­


    But those fragmented dreams eventually melted away in the sunlight, like a sigh dissolving into the wind.


    She had never thought that when the day of reunion really arrived, it would unfold like this¨Cshe and her father standing in this Dreamscape that seemed as if it would never end, together¡­


    Watching others¡¯ gossip.


    But gradually, Lucresia seemed to understand her father¡¯s intentions.


    She too watched in that direction, observing the psychiatrist Miss and her relatives and friends. There, too, was a daughter full of worries, a father awkwardly trying to explain everything, and an additional friend who was at a loss.


    Perhaps, this was what her father wanted her to ¡°take a look at¡± first.


    Lucresia felt like she understood.


    Then she heard Duncan break the silence next to her, ¡°Actually, I had initially advised Morris to take the opportunity to talk to Heidi, but we never found the chance¨Cthough this is also good; if he had clarified everything earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have anything to watch now.¡±


    Lucresia felt she had understood too soon.


    In the brief bewilderment that followed, she suddenly remembered a phrase Taran El had said during a previous communication¨C


    ¡°Father has regained his humanity.¡±


    But it seems he regained too much.


    At the time, she couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning of her brother¡¯s words, but now she was beginning to vaguely understand¨Cthis being who had returned from Subspace could indeed be her father, but he was no longer entirely the same.


    ¡°Lucy, what do you think?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side, interrupting Lucresia¡¯s muddled thoughts, snapping her back to reality. She looked toward her father, who was casting an inquiring glance at her.


    The clamor in her mind settled down quickly, and memories of ancient pasts and the disjunction of the present moment were pushed to the back of her mind. The ¡°Witch of the Endless Sea¡± suddenly felt that all those confusing issues didn¡¯t seem to matter anymore; the man before her¡­ this was quite alright.


    After all, living isn¡¯t like conducting scholarly research; not every question must have an answer.


    ¡°Miss Heidi will handle all the issues well; despite the limited contact, I know she is a sensible person. Mr. Morris doesn¡¯t need to worry either; he is an advisor recognized by you¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not talking about those few; I mean this ¡®place¡¯,¡± Duncan gestured, referring to the forest that had fallen into ¡°twilight,¡± yet showed not the slightest sign of crumbling or disintegrating, ¡°This should be a Dreamscape, right? But it looks a bit bizarre, different from any Dreamscape I¡¯ve seen before¡­¡±


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    Lucresia was momentarily disoriented, as her father¡¯s trains of thought now seemed quite erratic, a significant departure from the man she remembered. But quickly she caught on, rapidly organizing her thoughts while shifting her attention away from the distant gossip, and began to explain, ¡°The ¡®entrance¡¯ to this Dreamscape is Scholar Taran El, that mental entity over there in a stagnant state. His ¡®self¡¯ has not yet awakened, and the cause of everything is as follows¡­¡±


    Lucresia conveyed the intelligence she had to Duncan as succinctly as possible. He listened carefully and then wore a contemplative expression.


    ¡°¡­So you¡¯re saying, this forest is just a barrier that covers the ¡®surface¡¯ of the Dreamscape, the true nature of this Dreamscape is hidden deeper within¨Cbut the one controlling all of this is not the elf named Taran El but the ¡®third dreamer.''¡±


    ¡°The third, but not ruling out the possibility of a fourth or a fifth,¡± Lucresia said seriously, ¡°Heidi¡¯s experiences suggest that this Dreamscape is ¡®connected¡¯ to other places; hence it could potentially be linked to even more dreamers, but all of this has been concealed. The ¡®Self-Healing¡¯ and ¡®concealment¡¯ capabilities of this forest¡­ far exceed our imagination.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak; he furrowed his brow and fell into thought.


    Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the ¡°Scholar Taran El¡± not far away suddenly blink.

 Chapter 528 - Chapter 528 529

    Chapter 528: 529 Chapter 528: 529 In the middle of a clearing in the forest, the mental entity of Taran El that had been in a state of stasis due to ¡°Protective Subsidence¡± suddenly blinked his eyes¨Cas if with the disappearance of the Corrosion by the creeping sun, his self-consciousness had finally returned to this shallower layer of the Dreamscape.


    Duncan and Lucrecia were the first to notice this and simultaneously walked towards the elven scholar, who, after a short two or three seconds, came to his senses and looked around in astonishment at the scenery before him.


    Everything was different from what he remembered¨Cthe forest that had been illuminated by sunlight had at some point fallen into a strange twilight, the Sky Light was mixed with vague, hazy shadows, and many new figures appeared in his field of vision, none of whom he recognized (including Maurice, whom he had not seen for decades).


    After aimlessly looking around, Taran El finally snapped to attention and hesitantly broke the silence, ¡°Is my condition that serious?¡±


    Lucrecia, who had just approached, was stunned, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Taran El pointed at himself and then at Heidi, Fenna, and Maurice who had noticed the commotion and were walking in their direction, his face filled with incredulity, ¡°In just a moment, how did it develop to so many people consulting?¡±


    Lucrecia¡¯s face twitched momentarily, barely keeping her composure.


    Taran El continued, ¡°If you really can¡¯t wake me up, let me try my own method. The ¡®Sudden Death Technique¡¯ is actually quite effective¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lucrecia immediately interrupted the great scholar, ¡°Stop thinking about your ¡®Sudden Death Technique¡¯, do you know what just happened?¡±


    ¡°Just now?¡± Taran El looked bewildered, ¡°What happened just now? I was just stunned¡­¡±


    ¡°Minions of the Black Sun invaded your dreamscape, even bringing with them a projection of a Scion of the Sun,¡± Lucrecia said seriously, meanwhile gauging Taran El¡¯s reaction, ¡°You didn¡¯t sense it at all? If it weren¡¯t for my father appearing in time, the mental entity you left here might have been destroyed by the residual effects of the battle.¡±


    As Taran El listened to the first half of Lucrecia¡¯s words, his expression grew grave, but upon hearing the last part, he suddenly reacted, turning to Duncan hesitantly and with a horrified tone, ¡°Your¡­ father?¡±


    Lucrecia nodded silently, and Duncan tried to summon a friendly smile, offering his hand to the respected scholar, ¡°You can call me Captain Duncan directly.¡±


    However, Taran El did not respond with a handshake, as if he had stiffened all over, just staring with wide eyes at the tall figure before him, then suddenly took a deep breath, as if his whole body ¡°shuddered¡± violently, and right after that, his figure disappeared into the forest.


    Duncan, with a baffled expression, watched the scene unfold and turned his head to ask, ¡°What¡¯s that all about?¡±


    Lucrecia¡¯s expression was not much lighter, and after hearing Duncan¡¯s words, she paused for two to three seconds before she finally realized what had happened, speaking with a strange look, ¡°The ¡®Sudden Death Technique¡¯ worked.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    At that moment, Heidi, Fenna, and Maurice also happened to walk over, intending to greet the awakened Master Taran El, but they only witnessed his sudden disappearance and heard Lucrecia¡¯s last mutter, which left them with various expressions.


    Heidi¡¯s face showed amazement that ¡°it actually worked¡±, Maurice¡¯s eyes held a hint of regret, while Fenna¡¯s expression was one of confusion¨Cbeing an athlete, she didn¡¯t quite understand these psychologists¡¯ methods.


    She dealt with nightmares by slashing her way out.


    ¡°I had wanted to greet Master Taran El,¡± Maurice said with regret, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for many years.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have recognized you anyway,¡± Heidi shook her head, ¡°In his memory, you¡¯re still a young man studying abroad, and he couldn¡¯t even imagine you¡¯d now have a daughter.¡±


    Maurice thought for a moment and sighed softly, ¡°That¡¯s what it¡¯s like dealing with elves.¡±


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve all made it clear?¡± Duncan looked at the atmosphere among the three and curiously asked a question.


    ¡°Made it clear,¡± Fenna nodded, then spread her hands with a sense of resigned helplessness, ¡°I got a lecture.¡±


    Heidi stayed silent, only taking the opportunity to carefully scrutinize this ¡°famous¡± captain, her eyes scanning over everyone present as if a million thoughts whirled through her mind in those few seconds.


    Lucrecia, on the other hand, hadn¡¯t been paying attention to this side since earlier, as she had been carefully observing the changes in this piece of ¡°forest¡±, and only now suddenly spoke softly, breaking the silence, ¡°Just as I suspected, Taran El has awakened, but this ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ itself still exists¡­ There are other ¡®dreamers¡¯, maintaining this place.¡±


    Upon hearing her words, Duncan just nodded slightly.


    Since they couldn¡¯t yet determine the state of the ¡°dreamer¡± behind the Dreamscape, and the place appeared to be connected to many ordinary people, he refrained from ¡°setting fire¡± here, but from the beginning, he had been carefully sensing the place.


    This forest that seemed so real was essentially a Dreamscape, likely connected to the subconscious of the dreamer, and his intervention through ¡°walking in the Spirit Realm¡± in theory allowed him to touch and even sense this ¡°subconscious¡±, just as he had felt emotions and fragmentary thoughts when touching those ¡°stars¡± during his walks in the Spirit Realm before.


    However, here, no matter how far he extended his perception, no matter how attentively he ¡°listened¡±, all he could feel was an immense¡­ emptiness.


    There was nothing, no fear, no thought; beyond the forest was still the forest, deep within the earth was still the earth. The dreamer¡¯s personality was nowhere to be found. Rather than calling this a ¡°barrier¡± created by the subconscious to protect the deeper Dreamscape, the forest gave Duncan a feeling¡­ it was more like a chaotic mist.


    A barrier has a purpose, but mist is just chaos coalescing here spontaneously, without purpose or awareness, operating merely on some ancient rule.


    Duncan pondered what lay behind this vast and empty Dreamscape, but just then, a disorderly wind suddenly blew from deep within the forest, and the cold that came with it interrupted his thoughts.


    ¡°¡­ This forest is starting to be unwelcoming towards us,¡± Heidi immediately furrowed her brows, her tone uncertain, ¡°but why was there no reaction before?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because Taran El has awakened,¡± Lucresia mused, ¡°His awakening didn¡¯t cause the Dreamscape to disintegrate, but it¡¯s like he¡¯s closed an ¡®entrance¡¯. We intruders are naturally being rejected.¡±


    ¡°It seems it¡¯s time to leave,¡± Duncan sighed regrettably. He instinctively felt that there were many secrets hidden within this Dreamscape, but he also knew that staying here forcibly, now that the Dreamscape had begun to react with exclusion, could cause harm perhaps no less severe than the ¡°aberrant sun¡± in the sky before.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, I need to return to the real world as quickly as possible to check on Taran El¡¯s current state,¡± Lucresia said, looking somewhat relieved, ¡°Don¡¯t really die on my ship.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, go ahead,¡± Duncan nodded at her, ¡°We¡¯ll talk more when we meet again in the real world¨CI¡¯ll find you soon.¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s face seemed to tense up for a moment, but then she recovered and smiled slightly, ¡°Okay, but no rush, you can take your time. It¡¯s a long journey from the Chill Sea to the southern seas. Be careful¡­¡±


    ¡°What I mean is, I¡¯ll find you very soon¨Cprobably this afternoon,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°The Homeloss is already near Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s smile froze on her face: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    Duncan calmly responded, ¡°Perhaps as a result of the Black Sun going out, the Homeloss instantaneously crossed the vast distance; now I¡¯m here.¡±


    Lucresia stood dumbfounded, then her figure ¡°flickered¡± twice and vanished into thin air in front of everyone.


    Leaving behind Duncan, Heidi, and the others looking at each other perplexedly.


    The embarrassing silence lasted for a while until Fenna first broke it, ¡°Did she just wake up frightened?¡±


    No one answered her.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to leave,¡± Duncan shook his head, easing the abrupt awkwardness, ¡°If you have anything else to say, we¡¯ll just contact each other later.¡±


    This brief reunion had reached the time for parting. Heidi felt a hint of loss, her feelings complicated as she looked at her father and friend standing beside Captain Duncan, when suddenly she thought of something, ¡°Wait, how do I contact you?! You¡¯ll be on the Homeloss¡­¡±


    ¡°Just write a letter,¡± Morris said with a smile, ¡°You can send it directly to the antique shop in the Lower City District, the captain will personally pass it on.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Just write a letter?¡±


    Heidi was stunned, and before she could recover, she heard Fenna speak up, ¡°If it¡¯s just a simple verbal message, you can go to the cathedral. Bishop Valentin can help pass the message.¡±


    Heidi continued to be bewildered, ¡°You mean the cathedral?!¡±


    ¡°Or you could wait until there¡¯s a holiday on the ship,¡± Duncan added, ¡°We¡¯ve been busy recently, but there should be a vacation period later. I can bring them back to Pierrand.¡±


    ¡°There are even holidays on the Homeloss?!¡±


    However, Heidi¡¯s questions were left unanswered.


    The wind that blew through the forest was becoming steadily colder and more hostile, and the Dreamscape¡¯s repulsion was reaching its peak. In her eyes, the figures of Captain Duncan, her father, and Fenna were blurring.


    Finally, her own consciousness became hazy and, in a sudden sense of weightlessness, plunged into darkness.


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    The next second, the darkness faded, and she jolted awake from the Dreamscape.


    Heidi opened her eyes to find herself lying in a bed in some medical facility¡¯s room, and the original ¡°patient¡± was nowhere to be seen.


    It seemed that after she fell into the Dreamscape, someone had noticed something was wrong and had brought her here.


    Miss Psychiatrist took a deep breath.


    This long and twisted Dreamscape journey had finally ended.

 Chapter 529 - Chapter 529 Chapter 530 Uninvited Guest

    Chapter 529: Chapter 530 Uninvited Guest Chapter 529: Chapter 530 Uninvited Guest Heidi didn¡¯t rashly get up from the sickbed in the first few minutes, instead, she carefully observed her surroundings and listened to the movement outside her room. Then, she lifted her wrist to check the number and arrangement of the colored stones on her bracelet.


    After doing this, she subconsciously reached out to touch the ¡°amethyst¡± pendant at her chest¨Cthe slightly cold touch from her fingertips transmitted a reassuring power.


    When her mind associated this pendant with its true origin and the source of this protective power, the expression on the face of the psychiatrist turned a bit odd, but soon, she suppressed this strange feeling, leaving behind only a helpless sigh¨C


    ¡°Fate, it really is incredible¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t help muttering softly.


    ¡°Yes, in your eyes, fate really is incredible.¡±


    A strange and deep voice suddenly came from beside her, startling Heidi awake, and her muscles instantly tensed.


    She turned her head sharply toward the direction of the voice, but saw that by the window of the hospital room, a figure clad in a dark brown, old-fashioned robe was sitting there, appearing without notice. The old robe hid nearly all the details of the figure¡¯s form, and the thick, wide hood enveloped all its facial features in shadow. She could only guess from the stooped posture, the deep voice, and the few wrinkles at the edge of the hood¡¯s shadow that this seemed to be an elderly person.


    Sunlight was slanting into the room, with faint dust slowly floating and drifting in the brilliance of the setting sun. The light left spotty and intermittent shadows in the creases of the mysterious person¡¯s robe. For a moment, the figure seemed to have a nearly translucent, phantasmal quality.


    Who was this? When had they appeared here? Had they been here just now?


    A series of alarming questions flashed through Heidi¡¯s mind, and her hand was already unconsciously reaching for the briefcase beside the bed.


    But before her hand could touch the briefcase, the low and hoarse voice came again from beside the window: ¡°No need for such hostility, Miss Heidi. I am not your enemy today¨Cand your dagger and pistol cannot kill a transient traveler. Sit down. I¡¯ve come to chat with you, consider it a way to relieve your boredom.¡±


    Heidi, however, still expressionless, took the pistol from the hidden compartment of the briefcase and pointed the muzzle silently at the figure while speaking in a deep voice, ¡°¡­Who are you?¡±


    The figure in the robe didn¡¯t answer Heidi, but slowly lifted its arm, meticulously examining its own hands in the sunlight streaming in from the window as if it had suddenly discovered some fascinating phenomenon. It held its arm under the sunlight, observing it over and over again.


    The sleeve of the old robe slid down, revealing an arm as thin as a twig, wrinkled as if cracked.


    Heidi watched the other¡¯s bizarre action with vigilance and suddenly noticed the eerie state of the arm in the sunlight¨Cit was becoming transparent at times, and there were moments when she could see the sunlight pass right through the arm to this side.


    ¡°Fascinating¡­ I¡¯ve almost forgotten what sunlight looks like¡­¡±


    The figure in the robe marveled, his tone filled with an indistinct nostalgia. Then, he suddenly turned his head as if speaking to Heidi, or perhaps muttering to himself: ¡°¡­Before the fourth long night begins, things will change, and the sunlight that was once harsh will become mild. The ¡®boundaries¡¯ established by sunlight, which once were clear-cut, will become blurred. Those who were exiled, forgotten, erased, and altered will be temporarily allowed back into this world¨Cwe all bathe together in this twilight, waiting for the moment when the sun sets¡­¡±


    The uninvited guest spoke slowly, sounding less like he was addressing someone and more like he was facing a written chapter, reading aloud its ancient script.


    Like a preacher, announcing fate to the people.


    Listening to this seemingly enchanting recitation, Heidi suddenly thought of something, and her gaze became sharp: ¡°Doomsday Preacher?!¡±


    The figure in the robe finally lifted its head. In the hazy shadow cast by the hood, a pair of eerie golden eyes calmly watched her: ¡°Miss Heidi, you have established a connection with the Ark of Promise. Have you seen the end of that journey?¡±


    ¡°I have no interest in the deceptions of heretics.¡± Heidi¡¯s voice was cold, her finger applying slight pressure on the trigger. Meanwhile, her other hand instinctively reached for the amethyst pendant at her chest, a tense feeling gradually spreading at the bottom of her heart.


    She was uncertain¨Cdespite having dealt with psychiatric patients and their mental disorders, as well as the monsters and shadows appearing in nightmares, she had never confronted rare enemies like Doomsday Preachers. The records of these Subspace lunatics in the world were scarce, and the self-defense courses of the Academy of Truth¡¯s affiliated martial school didn¡¯t provide specific training against these heretics. She didn¡¯t know how effective her gun would be, nor if her Transcendent power would work.


    However, the uninvited guest showed no reaction to Heidi¡¯s obviously hostile gesture.


    He seemed very different from the Doomsday Preachers she had learned about in her textbooks.


    ¡°We¡¯ve detected an unusual scent, Miss Heidi, right after the arrival of the Ark of Promise,¡± he began, leisurely and even politely, ¡°A vast, boundless emptiness. It appears after the end, where there is nothing¡­ We search for ways to avoid the apocalypse, but it seems now that what lies beyond the apocalypse is a vast void far more frightening¡­ You touched It, and now you have become a part of this void too, which fills us with curiosity¡­ What has happened?¡±


    The words of the uninvited guest sounded like nonsensical riddles, so abstruse as to seem like a series of unsolvable enigmas. Although he seemed sane, it was as if he¡¯d lost the ability to communicate normally with regular people amidst the prolonged and chaotic passage of time. Despite this, Heidi still managed to pick up some seemingly plausible information from his fragmented phrases and couldn¡¯t help but be stirred.


    She frowned slightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about¡­ Duncan Ebnomal? You mean, he brought some kind of ¡®hollow¡¯?¡±


    The elderly preacher slowly stood up from the chair, and in the sunlight, his silhouette appeared significantly larger than Heidi had imagined, and although his body was hunched, he still loomed like a giant, ¡°I do not know, we only know that the hollow came into being, and it is expanding. Perhaps one day, it will envelop the entire night sky of this Fourth Night¡­¡±


    Heidi tensed up at the other party¡¯s sudden movement, and the barrel of the gun in her hand raised slightly, ¡°Heretic, what do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°¡­We urgently want to understand the nature of this hollow,¡± the other side actually answered her question seriously. However, he soon shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s just a pity, it seems I¡¯ve come at the wrong time.¡±


    Heidi was taken aback and asked subconsciously, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    The other party did not answer but slowly turned around to look at the sunlight outside the window.


    ¡°What did you just mention about the Fourth Night?¡± Heidi pressed on with her questions.


    The uninvited guest simply waved his hand.


    ¡°Within this window of opportunity, we can only have limited communication¨Cmy time to leave has come,¡± the Doomsday Preacher said softly, and stepped toward the sunlight, ¡°We might meet in the next window, or perhaps not. That will depend on the expansion rate of the hollow¡­ But whether or not the next window appears, we will unavoidably meet again¡­ Twilight is nearing.¡±


    His silhouette finally became completely transparent and dissolved in the sunlight instantaneously.


    Heidi was stunned.


    If it were not for the clear and stable memory in her mind, if the feel of the gun and the amethyst pendant were not so distinct, she might have thought she had just had another dream.


    And just as the presence of the Doomsday Preacher completely vanished, she suddenly felt a subtle change in the ¡°atmosphere¡± within the room.


    It seemed as though some kind of blocking force had retreated from the room.


    Slightly hurried footsteps came from the corridor outside the sickbay.


    ¡­


    In the captain¡¯s quarters of the Homeloss, Duncan sat quietly at the navigation desk, still reminiscing about the information he had seen and perceived in that bizarre dreamscape.


    After an uncertain amount of time passed, Morris¡¯s voice suddenly rang out from beside him, breaking his contemplation, ¡°I thought you might consider having Heidi join this ship.¡±


    Duncan raised his head and looked at the old man with a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that you didn¡¯t want her to get too close to the Homeloss?¡±


    ¡°Back then¡­ I was somewhat anxious about this ship,¡± Morris laughed awkwardly and then shook his head, ¡°And at that time, Heidi was completely unaware of our affairs. Now that she knows, there¡¯s no need to avoid more.¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment and seriously said, ¡°Indeed, but I have carefully considered, and it seems this ship doesn¡¯t need a psychological doctor.¡±


    He then turned to look out the window, saying offhandedly, ¡°Who here needs psychological counseling? You don¡¯t, Agatha doesn¡¯t, I certainly don¡¯t, Fenna¡¯s will is so firm that even I am shocked, Sherry¡¯s sanity is tied to the dog, and the dog is a Profound Demon, Nina is a shard of the sun, Alice¡­ Alice is completely guileless. Is there anyone else? Goat head?¡±


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    The goat head on the navigation desk instantly turned its neck upon hearing its name, ¡°Ah, great captain, your first officer is forever steadfast and reliable, and would not be defeated by so-called psychological problems. Moreover, I have self-studied many psychology courses, perfectly capable of self¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°So, you see,¡± Duncan turned back to Morris, spreading his hands, ¡°If Heidi comes here, then she is the most likely one aboard this ship who will need a psychological doctor.¡±


    After a pause, Morris picked up his pipe and before placing it in his mouth, muttered, ¡°Seems about right¡­¡±

 Chapter 530 - Chapter 530 Chapter 531 The Awakening Scholar

    Chapter 530: Chapter 531: The Awakening Scholar Chapter 530: Chapter 531: The Awakening Scholar Lucresia abruptly detached from the Dreamscape, taking several seconds to calm her mind before she could finally sigh in relief, open her eyes, and slowly scan the room to check the various ¡°suggestive items¡± she had set up in advance in the laboratory.


    The first thing to do after waking up from an eerie dream was never to get up immediately, but to first stabilize the mind and confirm the details of the real world to avoid being trapped in a double dream.


    Moments later, she confirmed the details of the real world, that she had indeed disentangled from that dreamscape, and that Master Taran El had also awoken.


    The Elvish scholar was awkwardly tied to a nearby pillar with several ropes, his head swollen, while the clockwork automaton Luny held a sharp kitchen knife, fully alert beside him.


    ¡°Ms. Lucresia, you finally woke up!¡± Seeing the ¡°Witch of the Endless Sea¡± awaken, the scholar immediately cried out for help, ¡°Your servant has tied me up! I don¡¯t know what I did wrong¡­¡±


    Lucresia immediately frowned, ¡°Luny, what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°He suddenly started yelling in his sleep, and when he woke up, he jumped out of bed and hit his head on your laboratory table,¡± Luny reported seriously, still holding the kitchen knife, ¡°I think he was contaminated by a nightmare and I tied him up to prevent further harm.¡±


    The scholar protested loudly, ¡°How many times have I told you, you blockhead! I was just scared in the dream! I saw Duncan Ebnomal! As a person with a normal mind, am I not allowed to wake up scared when I see him in a dream?¡±


    Listening to the conversation between the two ¡°people,¡± Lucresia¡¯s expression twisted slightly. She pursed her lips, having been startled awake herself, stood from her chair, ¡°Luny, put down the knife and untie Mr. Scholar¨Che¡¯s telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mistress.¡± The clockwork automaton immediately bowed, her knife swiftly slicing downward, cleanly cutting through the ropes binding Taran El, then she flipped her wrist, and the gleaming blade disappeared into a hidden compartment in her body.


    Taran El broke free from the restraints and stumbled forward a few steps before finally stabilizing himself. He turned back to glare at the rigid automaton, ¡°You blockhead!¡±


    However, the automaton, completely unconcerned by the scholar¡¯s irritation, stepped up beside her mistress and curiously asked, ¡°Did the old master come?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ ¡®arrived,¡¯ in every sense of the word,¡± Lucresia¡¯s lips twitched, hesitantly speaking before waving her hand aside, causing a chair to float from the corner of the room and settle in front of her, ¡°Mr. Taran El, please sit down, I have something I need to understand.¡±


    Taran El, gingerly moving his sore arms, muttered to himself as he sat down in front of the ¡°Witch of the Endless Sea,¡± ¡°If he comes, he comes; he can¡¯t get here any time soon anyway¡­¡±


    Lucresia silently listened to his remark without replying, reaching toward a side cabinet to fetch a bottle of potion from deep within and placing it casually on top of the cabinet.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Taran El curiously inquired.


    ¡°That¡¯s the ¡®Witch¡¯s Potion¡¯ we¡¯ll need later,¡± Lucresia said offhand, clearly avoiding a direct answer before quickly changing the subject, ¡°About the period when the sun extinguished and the dream just now, I have a few questions¨CI know we had a brief interaction in the dream world, but given the dream¡¯s barrier to the subconscious, you might not have been aware of some things, so now I need you to recall everything while you are fully conscious.¡±


    Noticing the seriousness in her opposite¡¯s voice, Taran El¡¯s expression immediately became solemn, the demeanor of a scholar returning, ¡°Alright, ask away, I feel much clearer-headed now.¡±


    ¡°You observed the surface of anomaly 001 during the time of the sun¡¯s extinguishing; here¡¯s the sketch you left,¡± Lucresia pulled out a crumpled piece of sketch paper and handed it over, ¡°Is this it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I drew it.¡±


    ¡°I have checked, and the drawing itself does not carry mental contamination, but the content of the image is disturbing. On that ¡®sphere,¡¯ you depicted these chaotic lines like branches, but my analysis suggests that many of these lines seemed to be messily scribbled near the end in an attempt to obscure the originally clearer form of the drawing. Do you remember any of this?¡±


    Taran El¡¯s brows immediately furrowed.


    He took the sketch paper handed to him by Lucresia, studying the spherical image covered in disordered lines, his brows tightening further while his mind sank into deep thought and recollection.


    Lucrescia¡¯s words came from across, ¡°An important question is, do you really remember all the details that happened between observing the surface of the sun and falling into a deep sleep? It seems you¡¯re also puzzled by these messy lines on the screen¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ indeed am puzzled,¡± Taran El slowly began, ¡°These indeed look like clear smear marks, but I don¡¯t remember why I covered up the previous details of the image¡­ It seems¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped, pondering for a while before hesitantly continuing, ¡°Maybe, did I see something extremely terrifying? Or a truth that shouldn¡¯t be disclosed? I uncontrollably drew it out, but suddenly became conscious just before operating the ¡®swift message,¡¯ and hurriedly covered it up¡­ but for some reason, I wanted to send it out¡­¡±


    Even though he was still a bit confused, and even though his memory clearly had gaps, Taran El, as a seasoned scholar, let his rationality and logic prevail. He analyzed the events that happened to him, then his expression suddenly turned grave, ¡°So far, how many people have seen this paper?¡±


    ¡°A few senior scholars from the Academy of Truth,¡± Lucrescia nodded, ¡°The original is still with me. They only saw what you smeared. I have warned them, and your deep sleep has served as a warning to everyone, so there¡¯s no need to worry about someone analyzing or restoring the image covertly. However, the Endless Sea is vast, and we cannot eliminate the possibility that other ¡®brave ones¡¯ did something as bold as you.¡±


    Taran El nodded thoughtfully, then heard the ¡°witch¡± continue to ask, ¡°About that Dreamscape, what else do you remember? How did you enter the dream? Did your consciousness ever sink into its real ¡®last layer¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I only remember standing in that ¡®forest¡¯ right after I woke up, endless and dense like the origin of elves described in some ancient books¡­ My thought process seemed very sluggish in that Dreamscape, and the sounds I heard, the intelligence I perceived, and the reactions I had to the outside world all seemed to be separated by a thick barrier¡­¡±


    Taran El spoke as he recalled, then suddenly frowned.


    ¡°However, there was a very strange moment after you appeared. My thoughts did indeed ¡®sink,¡¯ but not into the last layer of the Dream. Instead, it was a place that seemed like a transition between ¡®layers,¡¯ where many jumbled lights and shadows intertwined, like several distinct dreamscapes projecting onto each other. In that chaotic area, many vague figures surrounded me¡­¡±


    ¡°Many vague figures?¡± Lucrescia immediately interrupted, ¡°Please clarify, were these mere illusions in the dream, or ¡®dreamers¡¯ like you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, my thoughts were almost stagnant at the moment; I could only sense their presence and couldn¡¯t accurately describe what they were. But one thing is for sure¡­ they were not illusions,¡± Taran El said with a serious expression, ¡°They were genuinely there, even if they weren¡¯t other ¡®dreamers,¡¯ they were other ¡®mental entities¡¯ contained within that Dreamscape.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lucrescia said calmly with a nod, then took a slight breath, ¡°This is indeed¡­ crucial information.¡±


    ¡°I hope this can be useful,¡± Taran El said earnestly, then looked at the draft paper in his hand, ¡°About this sketch¡­¡±


    ¡°I now feel it¡¯s best not to let ordinary scholars touch this thing. Whatever you ¡®smudged¡¯ out, it¡¯s clearly harmful to common folk,¡± Lucrescia reached out to take back the draft paper, ¡°I¡¯ll have my father look at it later; perhaps he might think of something.¡±


    Taran El blinked and took a moment to nod, ¡°Oh, indeed, Captain Duncan surely isn¡¯t afraid of what¡¯s hidden in this picture; let¡¯s wait for him to arrive, I¡¯m not in a hurry¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, that brings me to another matter I need to tell you,¡± Lucrescia adjusted her sitting position leisurely, looking into Taran El¡¯s eyes, ¡°My father has already arrived at Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    Taran El¡¯s eyes widened, his expression instantly stiffened.


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    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s the special effects caused by the sun¡¯s extinction that brought the Homeloss instantly to its destination,¡± Lucrescia nodded, ¡°He would probably be interested in talking to you in person, or inviting you onto his ship¨Cabout the sun¡¯s extinction, he¡¯s very concerned.¡±


    Taran El continued to be stunned for a few seconds, his eyes finally flickered, as if instantly sobering up, then gasped sharply, leaning back¨C


    Lucrescia, expressionless, looked on. She blandly picked up a bottle of medicine previously placed on the low cabinet and handed it to the puppet Luny standing by, ¡°Give it to Mr. Taran El.¡±


    Luny obeyed with a sound and took the medicine to carry out her mistress¡¯s order, while Lucrescia watched the scholar being force-fed the medicine, nodding in satisfaction.


    ¡°See, it came in handy.¡±


    Today, the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± once again successfully prevented Master Taran El from suddenly dying on his own ship.

 Chapter 531 - Chapter 531 Chapter 532 The Chase

    Chapter 531: Chapter 532: The Chase Chapter 531: Chapter 532: The Chase Heidi followed the staff member dressed in a deep blue uniform as they made their way to another ward within the medical facility, listening to her as she explained the situation along the way¨C


    ¡°That ¡®patient¡¯ woke up first, and then found you passed out beside the bed. She ran out to the corridor for help, and that¡¯s how we knew something had happened in the ward¡­


    ¡°As per your earlier instructions, we let the church guards and the resident priest check the area around the ward, but they found no signs of contamination by transcendent powers. Only you were still deep in sleep¡­ We¡¯ve moved you to a ward closer to the small chapel¡­


    ¡°That elf girl is still in the facility. She seems in good spirits, but can¡¯t seem to recall what happened in her dreams, nor can she explain why she suddenly fell unconscious. We¡¯ve asked her to stay a little longer, maybe you would like to ask her something.


    ¡°Her family is also here; if there is anything you want to inquire¡­¡±


    The staff member suddenly stopped, her face showing a hint of hesitation as she turned to look at Heidi, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I forgot you¡¯ve just awakened from a deep sleep. You need rest now¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to rest, I¡¯ve slept long enough,¡± Heidi waved her hand dismissively, though she couldn¡¯t help but constantly sweep her eyes across the staff member¡¯s face. Luckily, she quickly controlled her expression and gaze, then asked as if it were an afterthought, ¡°Before you came in, was there any strange noise in my room?¡±


    ¡°Strange noise?¡± The staff member furrowed her brow in thought, then shook her head, ¡°No. Has something happened?¡±


    There was an uninvited guest who invaded the ward through a crack in the timeline¨Cthen left after spouting a bunch of nonsense.


    Heidi¡¯s mind flashed back to the event that had just occurred, but she quickly shook her head and said calmly, ¡°Nothing, just checking to see if anything unusual happened in my room while I was asleep.¡±


    The ¡°staff member¡± standing in front of her was just an ordinary liaison, whereas that nonsensical Doomsday Preacher had given Heidi an eerily strange impression. It was best, out of caution, not to let word of that ¡°preacher¡± reach the ears of the laypeople.


    After returning, she should report directly to the church, or perhaps to the City-State¡¯s central cathedral.


    Maybe she should also tell her father, as well as that Captain¡­ Duncan?


    Various thoughts spun through Heidi¡¯s head, some of which were rather unsettling, and amidst these tumultuous reflections, she was led to the end of the corridor.


    The staff member responsible for guiding her left quietly after a brief handover, and Heidi took a deep breath outside the ward, quickly composing herself before pushing open the door.


    In the neat and bright ward, the elf girl who had been asleep before was now sitting up peacefully in bed, leaning against the blanket and pillows with a book in her hands, deeply absorbed in reading, while a plump and kindly looking elderly elf woman sat on the edge of the bed, carefully peeling an apple.


    When Heidi entered the room, the young elf immediately looked up, and her face broke into a brilliant smile, ¡°Ah! Miss Doctor! You¡¯re awake?¡±


    ¡°I came to see how you are,¡± Heidi replied with a smile, nodding to the amiable-looking elderly elf woman as she approached the bed, ¡°Hello, may I ask who you are¡­¡±


    ¡°She is my grandmother!¡± the girl on the bed interjected.


    The elderly woman gave her granddaughter a helpless glance, then turned to Heidi with a smile, ¡°This child is a bit overly familiar¡­ I am very grateful for your assistance with Flority, Miss Heidi.¡±


    A tinge of embarrassment appeared on Heidi¡¯s face, ¡°It feels like I haven¡¯t been much help, given that I, the ¡®doctor,¡¯ fell into deep sleep myself.¡±


    ¡°But I heard from the staff here that you fell asleep trying to wake Flority from a nightmare,¡± the old woman handed a freshly peeled apple to Heidi, her warm, sincere attitude far from mere politeness, ¡°And Flority also said that she felt someone protecting her in her sleep¨Cwhen danger approached, the sound of continuous gunfire dispelled her fear.¡±


    Continuous gunfire? Approaching danger? Was she referring to the moment in the dream feedback, when the would-be intruder trying to use her as an ¡°incantation entry point¡± neared the bed?


    Heidi speculated in her mind, expressed gratitude for the apple offered by the elderly woman, then took a seat on the chair next to the bed, looking earnestly at the elf girl named Flority, ¡°Your name is Flority, right? Do you remember how you fell asleep?¡±


    ¡°I remember¡­ I was reading at home,¡± Flority furrowed her brow in thought, ¡°The sun had gone out earlier, and my grandmother said it was dangerous outside, so she made me stay put in my room. Then the sun came back on, and out of boredom, I picked up a book to read¨Cafter all, the sun was back on. But somehow, I just felt very sleepy all of a sudden, and then I fell asleep¡­¡±


    ¡°Reading?¡±


    Heidi muttered, her gaze sweeping over the book that Flority had been holding, and a string of elegant letters on a pale purple cover caught her eye¨CThe Crystal Garden of the Prince without Dreams.


    ¡°If you ask me, it¡¯s all because she reads these strange books,¡± the plump elderly elf began to murmur, ¡°Her head¡¯s filled with unreliable fantasies, and reading this stuff is bound to get her contaminated eventually. The gods surely won¡¯t protect a love between two men¡­¡±


    ¡°¡±


    Flority immediately expressed her dissatisfaction, ¡°It¡¯s not two, it¡¯s several!¡±


    Heidi then shook her head at the elderly woman, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it wasn¡¯t caused by the content of this book.¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than Flority showed a look of surprise, ¡°Doctor sister, you read this too?!¡±


    Heidi: ¡°¡­¡±


    With the superb skills she had honed over many years, the psychiatric specialist ignored the suddenly different expressions on Flority and her grandmother¡¯s faces and seriously turned to the elf girl, ¡°In any case, during the period when the sun went out, you didn¡¯t try to observe its surface or look up at the sky, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, who would dare?¡± Flority stuck out her tongue, ¡°Who in their right mind would dare to look around when the sun goes out?¡±


    Heidi, expressionless, went on to ask, ¡°Do you remember anything that happened while you were asleep? Even a little impression would do¨Cbesides the ¡®gunshots,¡¯ I know about that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Besides those few gunshots, I really only have a little impression,¡± Flority seriously recalled for a moment, saying with uncertainty, ¡°I just remember lying in the darkness, groggy and unable to see or hear clearly around me, and there were many, many shadows in the dark, like other people, all standing around me¡­¡±


    Heidi¡¯s expression immediately became serious, ¡°Many, many shadows?¡±


    ¡­


    Deep in the Endless Sea, in a City-State far from Prand and Light Breeze Harbor, a figure cloaked in a black coat hurriedly darted into an alley.


    The figure moved briskly, his steps slightly staggered, seemingly panicked and desperate as he dodged potential prying eyes at the entrance of the alley, and after slinking through one fork after another in the maze-like lanes, he finally dashed into a house.


    It was nearing dusk, and the sunlight was quietly retreating from the city; the gas lamps on the streets had not yet been lit, and darkness had already arrived early, gradually engulfing the houses in the City-State.


    The scratch of a match sounded, and an oil lamp within the house was lit.


    The man threw his thick black coat over the arm of the sofa, then walked to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a full glass of strong alcohol, and took it to the couch. After downing half the glass in one gulp, he finally took a long breath of relief in the slight sense of security provided by the oil lamp.


    The strong effect of the alcohol stimulated his taste buds and nerves, easing the thrill of terror that seemed to burrow deep into his bones. Once again, he felt courage and vitality return to his body, and his somewhat chilled hands and feet warmed up again.


    A faint sound of chain friction reached his ears. Behind the man, a pitch-black chain slowly materialized out of the air, one end attached to him, the other binding a smoke dust jellyfish that floated in midair, seemingly made of condensed smoke.


    This nearly mindless demon revealed its form, unconsciously flexing and pulsing in the air, sending restless signals to the man.


    ¡°I know, I know, we almost ran into big trouble,¡± the man grumbled irritably. He knew the Profound Demons had no heart and did not understand human language, but after years of Demon Symbiosis, he had unconsciously developed the habit of talking to his own Profound Demon, as if this dangerous clump of smoke were a trustworthy family member or friend, ¡°Who knew that cursed captain would show up out of nowhere¡­ Damn it, what does this have to do with him¡­¡±


    He put down his glass, leaned back on the sofa, and tilted his head upwards, his eyes unfocused as he looked at the ceiling, his tone filled with disgruntlement.


    ¡°Those moronic remnants of the sun are useless, not even that ¡®witch¡¯ could deal with them¡­ Pssh, the lowly Believers are idiots, those called ¡®messengers¡¯ are just a bunch of brainless remnants, and the so-called Scions of the Sun are nothing but unthinking puppets¡­ Those sun followers, from top to bottom, you¡¯d be hard-pressed to find a few with intact intelligence, almost got killed by them¡­¡±


    Muttering, he got up, grabbed his glass, and took another two hearty gulps, feeling his heartbeat gradually calm. Then he turned his head and glanced at his Symbiotic Demon.


    ¡°Calm down, we¡¯re safe now. We¡¯ll find another opportunity later. If those preachy Doomsday Preachers are right, soon there will be more elves affected by the ¡®original flaw,¡¯ and we¡¯ll always have the chance to find our way into that Dreamscape¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped.


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    The smoke dust jellyfish continued to pulse and wriggle in the air, transmitting increasingly restless signals to its symbiote, while the man also seemed to gradually feel something¨Chis sluggish Transcendent intuition finally began to signal an alarm, and amid a growing wave of fear, his perception breached his subconscious self-preservation and began to detect¡­ that presence, nearly within arm¡¯s reach.


    With a gulp, the man swallowed, his gaze slowly drifting downwards.


    He looked toward the glass in his hand.


    The remaining liquid swayed slightly in the glass, reflecting the flickering glow of the oil lamp. Beneath the eerie green light of the lamp, a somber and imposing face was reflected in the liquid, calmly watching him.


    ¡°Continue,¡± he heard a phantom voice echoing in his mind, as if it were his own thought, ¡°I like those who are accustomed to talking to themselves.¡±

 Chapter 532 - Chapter 532 Chapter 533 Night Hunt

    Chapter 532: Chapter 533: Night Hunt Chapter 532: Chapter 533: Night Hunt Before this incomprehensible scene of terror, the man froze for a second or two, then suddenly let out a scream, frantically throwing the wine glass away and dodging to the side.


    The glass fell to the floor and shattered instantly, the remaining wine spilling on the floor like blood, with every drop¡¯s surface seemingly flashing with tiny flames and ominous, dignified faces. The man staggered backward, nearly tripping over the sofa next to him, and finally steadied himself by leaning against the wall.


    He panted heavily, staring at the broken glass and liquid on the floor, his heart pounding as if it were about to burst. The symbiotic Smoke Dust Jellyfish wandered blindly and chaotically through the air beside him, gradually contracting into a weird spherical shape.


    The shattered glass and liquid on the floor no longer held that terrifying reflection. The scene that had just occurred seemed like nothing more than a horrifying illusion. The man gasped for breath, trying to steady his emotions by inhaling more fresh air. A less assured delusion slowly emerged from the depths of his heart; perhaps it was just a hallucination, perhaps he was just too tense¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s all an illusion, all an illusion¡­ It¡¯s a mental misalignment after encountering the influence of Subspace¡­¡± he muttered to himself rapidly, applying psychological suggestions to himself while drawing power from the Profound Demons within to construct spiritual protection, ¡°Stop the associations, stop the recollections, avoid the connections, avoid the connections¡­ The Saint bestow protection, grant me eternal life in the Profound, The Saint bestow¡­¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your optimism,¡± a voice entered his ear, ¡°but blind optimism doesn¡¯t solve the problem¨Crelax, I just want to learn something from you.¡±


    The man abruptly stopped his prayers, the voice by his ear sounding like dreadful whispers from Subspace, tangibly gripping his mind. He slowly turned his stiff neck to look in the direction of the voice and saw it was the glass of the liquor cabinet¨Cthe glass quietly burned with a ghostly green flame, reflecting the specter that had returned from Subspace.


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    A surge of courage arose from nowhere; the Heretic suddenly turned fierce, drawing the power of the Smoke Dust Jellyfish, and threw a filthy, dark ball of corrosion at the cabinet, which exploded on impact, shattering the whole cabinet and sending glass fragments scattering throughout the room.


    However, before the shards even hit the ground, that terrifying figure appeared once more in a corner mirror of the room: ¡°Had enough venting? If so, let¡¯s talk.¡±


    The Heretic in the room finally noticed the pattern¨Cit was the mirrors.


    The specter from Subspace could invade through the mirrors!


    The next second, the man didn¡¯t hesitate to smash the corner mirror, and then went on a frenzy, smashing any glass decorative items on nearby shelves and all reflective surfaces within sight!


    The sharp sounds of shattering glass echoed continuously in the room. Anything that could be smashed was, and anything that couldn¡¯t be smashed was covered with newspapers, clothes, or whatever else he could find. Fear turned to anger, anger to a false sense of courage, and supported by this ¡°courage,¡± the Heretic quickly moved to block and destroy all things in the room that could act as a ¡°medium¡± for that Subspace specter¡¯s ¡°descent.¡± All the while, the rising ghostly green flames and the terrifying figure that kept appearing in the mirrors almost incessantly haunted him.


    New mirrors kept appearing, new voices kept coming, new faces kept emerging in his field of vision, darkly watching him.


    But after an indeterminate amount of time, that horrifying entanglement finally began to subside.


    The man had nearly destroyed or obscured everything in the room that could reflect objects, and he covered all the windows with thick curtains. With the tossing of the last glass vase into the trash bin, the building once again fell into dead silence.


    Outside, darkness had descended, and inside the room, only the faint glow of an oil lamp flickered. The frightening pale green had somehow faded from the flame, and the Heretics, standing amidst the chaos, gulped down deep breaths while warily observing the enveloping gloom and stillness.


    It seemed it truly wouldn¡¯t appear again.


    Even the Smoke Dust Jellyfish with which he shared his life had quieted down, looking a bit wilted, and the smoke wafting around its body was especially sparse and dim, as though the confrontation had depleted it greatly, making it difficult to maintain its form in reality.


    So the man stood silently in the darkness for a long while, as if cautiously deciding on something. It was a long time before he finally let out a sigh and reached for the black coat thrown over the couch, quickly draping it over himself.


    The commotion in the room just now might have drawn the neighbors¡¯ attention. Although the response of the City-State¡¯s peacekeepers tended to be slow in this rather remote district, trouble could still come knocking if someone made a report.


    Furthermore, this room had been targeted by the Subspace Specter and was no longer safe. Destroying and sealing the room¡¯s mirrors was merely a way to block the specter¡¯s ¡°arrival¡± channel, but it wouldn¡¯t eliminate the specter¡¯s influence entirely.


    Now that the specter was temporarily barred from the real world, the only sensible choice was clearly to leave before the peacekeepers caught on and before the specter found another way to infiltrate.


    The man had already quickly planned his next moves. He put on his coat, concealed his Symbiotic Demon, and then stepped towards the door.


    But before leaving the room, he suddenly stopped, his gaze turning to the pile of miscellaneous objects covered with newspapers and rags in the center.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, he waved his hand and sent a mass of dark energy flying¨Cthe newspapers and rags were blown away, revealing a heap of broken mirrors and glass scattered across the floor, reflecting a cold and ominous light in the dimness.


    ¡°Better if someone reports it.¡±


    The man smiled with satisfaction, and immediately, not daring to look at the broken glass on the floor again, he quickly opened the door and disappeared into the night outside.


    He moved cautiously through the alleyways, using the shadows of buildings as cover, occasionally harnessing the power of spells to conceal his figure. He quickly left the no longer safe area, following a familiar route in his memory towards the Lower City District.


    Now, it was already curfew, and guardians had appeared on the streets, making it very likely to be caught and interrogated for recklessly being outdoors, but this wasn¡¯t much of a problem for a heretic who had been active in the City-State for many years and was already accustomed to the ¡°night curtain life.¡±


    As long as they didn¡¯t make too much noise, there were plenty of ¡°blind spots¡± right under the church guardians¡¯ eyes.


    This shadow, hidden in the darkness, successfully passed through the sentry posts between the districts and entered the more intricate and ancient alleys of the Lower City District. After bypassing countless intersections and turns, he finally stopped in front of an old house that looked quite ordinary.


    The man cautiously observed the surroundings, confirmed once more that there was no bizarre green fire in sight, and that there was no suspicious noise in his mind before he let out a slight sigh of relief and stepped forward to knock on the door in a rhythmic pattern.


    Then he waited patiently until footsteps neared on the other side of the door, and a suppressed voice came through:


    ¡°It¡¯s late at night, let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°The night is too deep, and my travel companion and I just want to rest our feet¨Cwe¡¯ve brought some interesting stories from afar.¡±


    There was a moment of silence behind the door before a faint click was heard about ten seconds later, and then the door silently opened in the darkness. A thin, small figure appeared at the doorway, amidst the dim light.


    ¡°Come in, and try not to make too much noise.¡±


    The man nodded, darted into the room quickly, then casually closed the door¨Conly after the clicking lock sound did he finally relax slightly, a look of post-escape relief on his face.


    ¡°Why have you come at this time?¡± asked the thin figure who had opened the door carefully examining the ¡°brethren¡± who had just entered, despite having confirmed their identity. Their actions violated the ¡°rules,¡± which made him wary, ¡°We didn¡¯t receive your advance contact.¡±


    ¡°Something unexpected occurred,¡± said the man cloaked in a black overcoat, shaking his head and lowering his voice, ¡°My mission failed. An unexpected higher being intervened and is now watching me¨Cbut don¡¯t worry, I temporarily blocked Its channel into the real world. The priority now is to report this matter¡­¡±


    The slender heretic¡¯s expression became grave upon hearing this. He immediately stopped the other from continuing to speak and picked up an oil lamp from the table nearby. While walking toward a corner of the room, he whispered, ¡°Follow me, to the underground. Let¡¯s not discuss our actions within the sight of the Four Gods.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The slender heretic opened a secret door in the corner of the room, and the two figures, one after the other, crawled into the hidden ramp leading underground.


    They soon arrived at the meeting space beneath the building.


    Calling it a meeting space was a bit generous¨Cit was nothing more than a secretly constructed basement. A few chairs were placed around a round table with several oil lamps lit on top, and various ritualistic paraphernalia and materials used for heretical worship were scattered untidily.


    At the end of the room stood a dark sculpture resembling a strange and terrifying ¡°tree.¡± Its pitch-black trunk branched out into dizzyingly intricate thorns, and it emitted a disquieting aura.


    The man in the black overcoat descended the stairs and noticed several figures had already gathered¨Cobviously, his ¡°brethren¡± who had entered the basement urgently as part of the procedure when he had been knocking at the door earlier.


    His gaze swept over these ¡°brethren,¡± who in turn raised their heads to scrutinize the night visitor.


    After a moment, the tense atmosphere eased slightly; the man in the black overcoat exhaled, stepped to the round table, and sat down in an empty chair.


    From the seat closest to him, a man with sallow hair and a sickly, sinister face looked up and suddenly asked after a brief silence, ¡°Ran into trouble?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t break through that ¡®Dreamscape,¡¯ the information given by the Doomsday Preachers must be flawed¨Cdamn it, I should have known. Besides followers of The Saint, no one is trustworthy¡­¡±


    ¡°Slow down, take a moment to calm yourself,¡± the sallow-haired man said with a thin smile and slid a cup of water from the side, ¡°Have some water.¡±


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    The man in the black overcoat took the cup and exhaled, ¡°Thanks, Duncan.¡±


    (Time to recommend a book, the title is ¡°This Fox Spirit is Too Non-Human,¡± the male lead is a scumbag fox, it¡¯s a joyous read with no scruples. Life is hard enough; let¡¯s have some fun with this.


    ¡­


    ¡°Ren Yi Dao! Please, be a person!¡±)


    ¡°Eh? Be a person? But I am a fox spirit.¡±


    ¡°And please, call me ¡®righteous father.''¡±)

 Chapter 533 - Chapter 533 Chapter 534 Moment of Prayer

    Chapter 533: Chapter 534: Moment of Prayer Chapter 533: Chapter 534: Moment of Prayer The man¡¯s heart finally settled down.


    He had fled the building corroded by the Subspace Shadow, fleeing those terrifying mirrors and the burning flames, and arrived at a gathering place watched over and blessed by The Saint. Trusted comrades surrounded him now, the flickering lights transmitting a comforting power while like-minded individuals gradually dissolved all his panic and tension.


    It seemed that nothing frightening would happen.


    Thus, the man in the black thick coat took a long breath, then picked up the cup of water Duncan had handed him, ready to moisten his somewhat dry throat from all the running.


    But just as he picked up the cup and saw the rippling water, he felt a bit uneasy, a vague anxiety rising from the depths of his heart, so he put the cup back down.


    Clearly, this was a ¡°hangover¡± from the previous terrifying experience. He figured he¡¯d better not touch any drinks in cups for at least a few hours¨Cif really necessary, he would find a straw later.


    ¡°So, what exactly happened?¡± asked the heretic with straw-colored hair and a grim face, who had just handed him the water, quite concerned, ¡°What trouble did you run into?¡±


    Around the round table, other believers also turned their gaze this way, all with curious yet serious expressions on their faces.


    ¡°That Dreamscape¡­ the one the Doomsday Preacher mentioned, ¡®The Dream of the Nameless,¡¯ it had intricate structures and was protected by a barrier,¡± the man in the black coat sighed, his voice trembling, ¡°The entrance didn¡¯t ¡®naturally present itself,¡¯ and I don¡¯t know how it went for other comrades who tried to enter, but I was blocked, even the solar remnants were kept out, but that¡¯s not the worst part¡­¡±


    The man suddenly stopped, looking somewhat puzzled at the ¡°comrade¡± sitting next to him, his brows slightly furrowing, ¡°Duncan, are you alright? You look rather pale¡­¡±


    ¡°Me? I feel fine,¡± the heretic with straw-colored hair laughed, his laugh sounding a bit hoarse, ¡°You¡¯re too tense.¡±


    ¡°You really are too tense. Duncan has always looked this sickly,¡± another person beside the round table shook his head, ¡°Go on, what was the worst part¨Ccommon situations wouldn¡¯t make you react this way.¡±


    ¡°¡­Duncan Ebnomal, the curse ghost from Subspace,¡± the man in black began with a shudder, ¡°he interfered in the ¡®The Dream of the Nameless.''¡±


    The meeting room fell suddenly silent, as if an invisible frost wind swept through, making the air in this basement suddenly appear dense and still.


    In this unbearable sudden silence, the man in black felt an overwhelming pressure, but he quickly adjusted his emotions and continued, ¡°I first encountered a tricky psychiatrist who broke through my ¡®psychology chamber,¡¯ and later in the open area of The Dream of the Nameless, I met an even trickier ¡®Sea Witch¡¯¨Cthings didn¡¯t seem too bad yet, the solar remnants stalled the witch¡¯s actions, but suddenly, Duncan Ebnomal appeared¡­


    ¡°The ghost messed up everything, those solar remnants and their ¡®blood kin¡¯ were no match at all, the outside information was wrong, Duncan Ebnomal and the ¡®Sea Witch¡¯ are not enemies¨Cthey communicated in front of me, their relationship much more amicable than outsiders speculate.


    ¡°Do you remember the message from Frost? I even suspect¡­ that the Exiled Fleet has never disbanded at all, that the Brilliant Starship and Sea Mist had been executing the ghost¡¯s orders in secret all along, and this time¡­ I accidentally uncovered their secret, that ghost and his two children were certainly also paying attention to ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯¡­¡±


    The man in black spoke rapidly; his mind was more active than ever, recasting and interconnecting the previous terrifying experiences with various pieces of intelligence subtly transmitted through various channels lately, finally forming a convincing¨Cat least to himself¨Cchain of logic. In this statement, he felt he had finally straightened out his messy thoughts¨Cand understood everything.


    However, a gaze as substantial as matter suddenly cast from across the round table interrupted the man in black¡¯s discourse.


    ¡°Wait,¡± the owner of the gaze, an authoritative elderly man with white-flecked hair and piercing eyes, his voice deep yet bearing a hint of severity of a leader spoke, ¡°Are you saying you encountered that Subspace Shadow in The Dream of the Nameless, and that It has marked you?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ yes,¡± the man in black replied nervously, instinctually fearful under the ¡°messenger¡¯s¡± scrutinous eye but still forging ahead with his response, ¡°It tracked me to the real world and tried to infiltrate my hideout through mirrors, but I managed to discover the pattern of its invasion into the real world and blocked those ¡®channels¡¯¡­¡±


    He said this quickly, and finally began to feel that icy chill from the ¡°messenger¡¯s¡± gaze. His dull, numb mind finally caught on¨Che finally noticed the persistent noise in his own mind and the invisible writhing at the edges of his vision.


    Slowly, he stood up, his muscles trembling slightly. He inadvertently brushed against the nearest ¡°comrade¡±¨Cthat person looked up at him, offering a friendly smile. However, within that smile lay an indistinct, undefinable flavor.


    The man in black felt an inexplicable tightness in his heart and began hesitantly and nervously, ¡°Duncan, why does your complexion look even worse than before¡­¡±


    The withered-haired, sickly-featured ¡°Annihilator Heretic¡± sighed, somewhat regretfully shaking his head.


    ¡°Annihilator Heretics¨C from a certain perspective, your peculiar ¡®symbiotic ecology¡¯ actually has a natural resistance to me, because Profound Demons are very sensitive and lack sufficient intelligence to weigh pros and cons. So, it only takes a very short time for these demons to collapse, and then, ¡®vessels¡¯ transformed from you as materials will be damaged. At best, they can only last for about ten minutes¡­¡±


    The one called ¡°Duncan¡± spoke unhurriedly, and as he did, a slight crackling noise emanated from his entire body. A dimly discernible dark shadow seemed to struggle and dissipate behind him, while his body quickly became covered in black cracks, crumbling and falling away bit by bit.


    Duncan slowly spread his hands; the Profound Demon symbiotic with this body had died, and the body was gradually turning to ashes.


    ¡°But the good news is, even though it was a short time, I still heard quite a few useful things.¡±


    The body completely crumbled to ash, and in the flickering dim light, countless specks of black ash silently scattered.


    The man in black watched this scene in terror. In those brief seconds, he couldn¡¯t make out whether fear, remorse, or anger surged first in his heart, but then he suddenly snapped to his senses and looked up at the ¡°messenger¡± sitting across the round table, ¡°I am guilty¨C¡±


    ¡°You are guilty.¡±


    The white-haired ¡°messenger¡± spoke emotionlessly, raising his hand and pointing forward. In the darkness, silent and invisible shadows abruptly appeared, then quietly vanished in the meeting hall. In just that brief instant, the ¡°guilty¡± man in black had already bowed his head, slumping lifelessly in his chair.


    A few seconds later, his body burst into flames quickly, and black flames engulfed his flesh, emitting bursts of nauseating smells.


    The heretics in the meeting hall watched silently, not a single sound uttered until the burning black ashes completely collapsed. Then, a tall figure hesitantly broke the silence, ¡°Messenger, we¡­¡±


    The person called ¡°messenger¡± did not respond. This pale-haired cult leader just serenely swept his gaze over everyone in the room, then expressionlessly stood up and moved to close the entrance of the meeting hall, locking the emergency escape door, and then muttered prayers in front of both doors¨Ca dark thorn bush quickly grew with his prayer and instantly sealed the doors.


    Seeing this, the skinny heretic who had guided the guests earlier stood up quickly, ¡°Messenger! What are you doing¨C¡±


    ¡°Duncan was one of our earliest members,¡± the cult leader said calmly, his eyes sweeping past the two piles of black ashes around the round table, ¡°when do you think he was ¡®transformed¡¯?¡±


    The room was filled with looks of realization mingling with horror as the Annihilator Heretics looked at each other, finally catching on one by one.


    ¡°He¡¯s among us,¡± the messenger returned to the front of the round table, looking at the believers gathered there, slowly stating, ¡°at any moment, any person, any face¨Che has already infiltrated.¡±


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    ¡°What should we do?¡± someone at the round table asked.


    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t discuss the secrets of the Saint, don¡¯t share information about the cult¨Cwith our mundane bodies, we cannot contend with the Subspace Shadow, but the Saint will still witness our courage and resilience. We will not reveal any information to that ghost, no matter what kinds of threats and deceits he imposes here¡­¡±


    The messenger spoke slowly, then spread his hands wide, continuing solemnly as if preaching¨C


    ¡°I will find a way to transmit information about that Subspace Phantom, including his methods of infiltration and powers of deception, while I will stay here with you, as you see, I¡¯ve already sealed all the passages.


    ¡°Believers, the time to prove your loyalty to the Saint has come; let us pray¨Cin the profound depths of his realm, the Saint¡¯s blessings will grant our souls eternity. All of today¡¯s suffering will be compensated in that eternal realm.


    ¡°Now, begin praying.¡±

 Chapter 534 - Chapter 534 Chapter 535 Enthusiastically Maintaining Urban

    Chapter 534: Chapter 535: Enthusiastically Maintaining Urban Security Chapter 534: Chapter 535: Enthusiastically Maintaining Urban Security So, the heretics began to pray.


    Under the dim light of the oil lamp, in the deathly stagnant atmosphere, within the deep and icy gathering room, under the gaze of the Profound Saint.


    A member, delirious and reckless, brought an inescapable shadow into this gathering room. From now on, anyone who left the hall could potentially spread that shadow to others, just as it had already happened. Therefore, they would not leave here again¨Cunder the witness and encouragement of the Messenger, these devoted and fervent heretics would choose a calm and loyal sacrifice.


    They had resolved to take the secrets they held to the Lord¡¯s kingdom, revealing nothing to the specter.


    At least, that¡¯s what they had decided right now¨Cmomentary courage was always easy to muster.


    The heretics prayed silently, constantly invoking the Profound Saint¡¯s blessings within the sealed room. The Messenger sat quietly at the round table, calmly observing every face in the room, watching their determination, tension, bravery, fear, and wavering.


    Time passed indeterminably, and the flame of the oil lamp flickered, unsure in its dance. At one flicker, someone seemed to hear a faint voice:


    ¡°¡­I give you one chance.¡±


    Somebody gasped, raising their head to find the source of the sound, others tightly shut their eyes as if terrified to truly see something. However, the voice had already vanished into the air as if it had never been there.


    ¡°Keep praying,¡± the Messenger softly said, his words seemingly carrying a seductive power, ¡°That specter is powerless now, besides death, he has nothing more to threaten us with, and death itself is the quickest route to the Lord¡¯s kingdom.¡±


    In the past, these words of the Messenger had always brought courage, quickly reinforcing the most unsettled followers. However, for some reason, this time his words only made the icy chill of approaching terror more palpable¨C


    A growing unease was spreading throughout the gathering, fear nearing the boundaries of reason, wavering quietly growing. Not everyone was a devout saint, and for those who weren¡¯t devout enough¡­ it was now time to lose their reason.


    A believer finally screamed, the smallest one¨Che seemed to have suddenly seen something horrifying, abruptly jumping up from his chair, shouting, ¡°I¡¯ll tell! I¡¯ll tell! I know what¡¯s happening!¡±


    Instantly, the Messenger stood from his chair and shouted with shock and anger, ¡°Hold him down!¡±


    Several figures around the round table immediately surged forward, roughly and angrily grabbing the slight figure, pinning him tightly to the table, trying to cover his mouth to prevent him from revealing the Lord¡¯s secrets¨Cbut the slight figure erupted with surprising resistance. He struggled fiercely, dark chains materialized around him, and terrifying bone spurs and keratinized structures appeared on his limbs, almost freeing him from his ¡°brethren¡¯s¡± hold, all the while shouting:


    ¡°It¡¯s the Doomsday Preacher who gave us the intelligence! They claim ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ harbors the truth from the beginning of Creation, holds the earliest blueprint of the Saint¡­


    ¡°The Dreamscape of the Elves can lead you to ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯! This race itself is both the carrier and the conduit of the dreamscape, for they were flawed in the blueprint stage¡­


    ¡°Followers of the Black Sun are also in motion, but they seek something else; I do not know what they are exactly looking for!


    ¡°The Doomsday Preachers say the time is near, but that¡¯s all I know¡­ that¡¯s all I know, Mr. Duncan, only the Prophets and Saints have more intelligence, and those Doomsday Preachers, they know¡­ I really only know this much!¡±


    The thin heretic continued to shout furiously, his cry imbued with courage from another dimension¨Cthe courage to betray his faith. Then, he surged to lift his head, tears streaming as he looked towards the not-too-distant Messenger, a fresh fear following his brief bravery, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just want to live, I want to live¡­¡±


    Then he screamed again, ¡°Mr. Duncan! Please protect me! Don¡¯t let the Messenger kill me! I upheld my promise¨Cyou said you¡¯d give me one chance! You said¡­ would¡­¡±


    The heavy pressure on his shoulders lessened, the slight heretic, screaming in panic, slowly grasped the change in atmosphere and gradually stopped.


    Throughout, it was only his screams echoing in the hall, his ¡°brethren¡± held him down, but none really stopped his shouting, the Messenger watched him, but never really made a move.


    He widened his eyes, watching as the Messenger slowly placed both hands on the round table, revealing a gentle smile, ¡°You see, speaking up wasn¡¯t so hard.¡±


    Around the round table, those who had previously cooperated to hold him down also started to back away one by one.


    The ¡°brethren¡± circled around him, casting their gaze upon him, their faces revealing somewhat stiff yet gentle smiles, then one by one, they began to clap.


    The small heretic, eyes wide open, looked in terror at everyone in the hall, voice trembling, finally spoke, ¡°Messenger¡­ Lord Duncan, and everyone, Duncan, Duncan, you all are¡­¡±


    Chilling howls and roars echoed one after another, and in the assembly hall, one Profound Demon after another, either disintegrating or struggling to break free from their chains and flee the real world, appeared.


    As these Symbiotic Demons disintegrated or escaped, every figure in the eyes of the small Heretic, including the ¡°Messenger¡±, began to rapidly self-immolate.


    The last burning figure, before collapsing, walked over to the small Heretic and smiled as he patted his shoulder, ¡°You too.¡±


    The assembly hall fell silent.


    The small figure stood quietly amid countless black ashes. After a few seconds, he suddenly blinked his eyes and then quickly returned to the round table, reached for the paper and pen on the table, and swiftly wrote a page.


    He then grabbed the page and stepped towards the basement exit¨C the ¡°Thorns¡± previously summoned by the Messenger still tightly sealed the door, with sinister dark forces swirling in the thorn bush.


    But in just an instant, the thorn bush burst into flames, and a ghostly green Spiritual Body fire reduced it to ashes. The door behind the thorn bush opened with a push.


    Duncan quickly walked through the basement door, still warm with embers, and through the dilapidated buildings above ground, then his figure soared in the flames¡­


    A patrolling guard, stunned, watched a ball of ghostly green fire crash onto the street in front of him. Just as he instinctively raised his weapon, he saw a staggering figure, seeming to continuously disintegrate, emerging from the ghostly green flames.


    The dangerously suspicious, disintegrating thin figure quickly approached, his face breaking into a radiant smile, ¡°Hello, I am here to report heretical activity.¡±


    The guard, ready to blow his whistle and rush forward with his sword, was instantly stunned.


    Having served the church for many years, it was his first time encountering such a¡­ reporter. Confused, he instinctively asked, ¡°A report?¡±


    ¡°Yes, right down that alley, in the basement of the house with the blue sloped roof. This is a letter of accusation, it details their meeting, and at the end is an anonymous bank account. Please deposit the reward directly into the account, thank you.¡±


    The guard, blinking in confusion at this suspicious and strange fellow, listened to his rapid-fire speech. Amid his mental chaos, he couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand and point to the man¡¯s face, which was continuously crumbling into ash, ¡°Sir, you don¡¯t look very well¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, I tried to maintain it, but it seems the method is still not quite right, only stabilized it by fifteen minutes more than usual¨Cdon¡¯t worry, just remember to make the payment¡­¡±


    The young guard, almost dazedly, took the letter of accusation. Before the man completely disintegrated, he finally remembered a question, ¡°Sir, what is your name?¡±


    ¡°Just a concerned heretic¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Homeloss, inside the captain¡¯s quarters, Duncan came to his senses, taking a deep breath.


    His main consciousness returned to the ship.


    At the edge of the navigation table, the goat¡¯s head was the first to react, turning its head toward him, ¡°Ah, great Captain¨C it looks like you got quite a haul?¡±


    ¡°I gleaned some useful information from a band of secret Heretics, but unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t enough time. I couldn¡¯t confirm which City-State it was, nor do I know if there are other meeting points nearby,¡± Duncan sighed, raising his hand to rub his brow, ¡°But it¡¯s not a big problem, I think we will be dealing with them again soon¡­¡±


    On a nearby wall, the surface of the ancient oval mirror rippled with shadows. Agatha¡¯s figure emerged from within the mirror, curious as she looked at Duncan, ¡°Are you alright? You look a bit tired?¡±


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    ¡°Just tried a newer method of avatar control, not quite used to it,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°Turns out, splitting one¡¯s psyche isn¡¯t something to be tried casually, maybe I should consult with Heidi sometime¡­ How does she manage to split into dozens without getting confused?¡±


    Agatha: ¡°¡­?¡±


    However, Duncan didn¡¯t continue on that topic. He soon furrowed his brow slightly, starting to recall and organize the information he had just received from ¡°afar¡±.


    He had originally thought it was just an ordinary Dreamscape invasion, just a bizarre nightmare phenomenon, thought the appearance of the Heretics was just an accident¡­ but unexpectedly, this matter suddenly revealed a shadow far beyond anyone¡¯s imagination.


    ¡°The Dream of the Nameless¡­¡± Duncan, deep in thought, raised his head, looking at Agatha in the mirror and the goat¡¯s head on the table, ¡°Have you heard this term before?¡±

 Chapter 535 - Chapter 535 Chapter 536 The Gift

    Chapter 535: Chapter 536: The Gift Chapter 535: Chapter 536: The Gift ¡°The Dream of the Nameless?¡±


    Agatha and the Goatheaded exchanged puzzled glances upon hearing the strange term the captain had suddenly divulged.


    ¡°Where did you hear this term from?¡± Agatha asked after a moment of reflection, ¡°Is it part of the ¡®information¡¯ you¡¯ve just received?¡±


    ¡°The Obliteration Sect refers to the ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ that Heidi and Lucrezia had once fallen into,¡± Duncan slowly nodded, ¡°The original source of the information might have come from the Doomsday Preacher, and thereafter, both the Obliteration Sect and the Sun Cultists responded to some sort of ¡®call¡¯ from those preachers. If the information is correct, this so-called ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ is supposedly a kind of ¡®phantasm¡¯ that spans vast over many dreamscapes, and Elves¡­ seem to become the ¡®gateway¡¯ into the Dream of the Nameless under certain conditions.¡±


    He paused for a moment and then continued: ¡°It appears that the Heretics are searching deep within the Dream of the Nameless, each with their own agenda. The goal of the Sun Cultists is still unclear, but the target for the Obliteration Sect, it seems, is something called the ¡®Primal Blueprint.''¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression visibly tensed: ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this so-called ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ before, but it seems impossible that a ¡®phantasm¡¯ of this scale has remained unknown for so many years. You just mentioned that Elves become ¡®gateways¡¯ under certain conditions?¡±


    Duncan slightly nodded: ¡°According to the Obliteration Heretics, there seems to be some kind of ¡®blueprint phase defect¡¯ within Elves, causing their spirits to establish connections with ¡®The Dream of the Nameless.¡¯ It¡¯s probably linked to The Saint¡¯s theories of Creation, but specific information is lacking.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry, captain, it seems we can¡¯t offer any useful answers,¡± Agatha seriously pondered for a moment before shaking her head apologetically, ¡°However, since this matter directly points to ¡®Elves¡¯ as a race, we can indeed conduct an investigation in Light Breeze Harbor, which is a City-State of Elves¨Cand recently, an Elf has fallen into that dreamscape.¡±


    Duncan hmm¡¯d in agreement, adjusted his sitting posture, leaned back in the chair, and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, his gaze now resting on the slowly clearing chart of the seas: ¡°It would indeed be essential to have a good chat with Master Taran El¡­ It¡¯s also time to greet Lucrezia on the Brilliant Starship.¡±


    ¡­


    On the outskirts of Light Breeze Harbor, in an open area of the sea near the ¡°falling light,¡± the Brilliant Starship was slowly patrolling. The spread of sunshine covered the sea surface, making it seem as if the ship was cruising over fine golden sand.


    A soft sea breeze blew head-on, carrying the unique warmth of the southern waters. Yet Taran El, standing on the deck, couldn¡¯t help but feel cold from time to time. He tightened his coat in the breeze and turned to look at the ¡°Sea Witch¡± standing on a mast behind him, shouting: ¡°We¡¯re just waiting here?¡±


    Lucrezia looked down at the scholar on the deck, her voice not loud, but it carried clearly direct into Taran El¡¯s ears: ¡°We wait here.¡±


    ¡°Can I go back?¡± Taran El shouted again, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem proper for an outsider to be present during an emotional moment of your father-daughter reunion!¡±


    Lucrezia¡¯s expression was blank: ¡°Father said he wants to talk with you.¡±


    Taran El raised his hands with a miserable look on his face: ¡°Then could you please come down and stay with me? I¡­ I feel a bit nervous!¡±


    Lucrezia glanced down at him from her high perch: ¡°You are an adult, and a prestigious scholar¨Cyou should learn to manage your own stress.¡±


    ¡°¡­Miss Lucrezia, you wouldn¡¯t be nervous too, would you?!¡±


    ¡°Why would I be nervous about something like this? That¡¯s my¡­¡±


    The voice from the mast suddenly ceased, causing Taran El to start, and he was about to inquire when a violent palpitation interrupted him.


    It was the sudden warning of a spiritual intuition, the instinctual tension of a ¡®scholar¡¯ who had dealt with various dangerous substances and secret knowledge as the truth approached. Taran El broke into a cold sweat in an instant, and then he heard a low, beast-like rumbling sound.


    In the next instant, dense fog and terrifying shadows suddenly overwhelmed his vision.


    Right next to the Brilliant Starship, a wall-like fog suddenly emerged over the previously calm and serene sea surface. The chaotic light of subspace seemed to swarm out of the fog, as a massive shadow surfaced from the Spirit Realm and descended through the fog¨C


    Just like the many horrific tales of the sea described, it enveloped darkness and chaos, burned with an apocalyptic flame, as if a nightmare suddenly coalesced into reality, like inescapable fate rushing forward. Within a few breaths, the towering bow of Homeloss had burst into reality.


    Taran El stood petrified on the deck, hearing a ¡°gulp¡± from some direction, but he lacked even the courage to turn and look. It took several more seconds before he could breathe again and feel the strong beat of his heart¨CLucrezia had given him a potion previously that continued to exert its mighty protection, allowing his suboptimal organs to maintain reliable function under the severe shock.


    Then, the scholar slowly came back to his senses, regaining the ability to speak. He quickly turned to where the ¡°witch¡± had stood: ¡°Miss Lucrezia! Your father¡­¡±


    The figure of the witch was no longer on the mast.


    Taran El paused, glanced around instinctively and called out loudly: ¡°Miss Lucrezia! Lu¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t shout, I¡¯m here.¡±


    A voice, indifferent with an undertone of warning, suddenly came from very close by, interrupting the scholar¡¯s shouting. Taran El quickly turned around, only to see that, unbeknownst to him, Lucy Ebnomal had already appeared on deck, standing nonchalantly to the side with an elegant gesture supporting her forehead as she watched the bow of Homeloss.


    ¡°Ah, where had you gone just now? I turned around, and you¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Lucy Ebnomal interrupted the Archscholar rudely, ¡°Father doesn¡¯t like people who shout and holler when he meets them.¡±


    Taran El instantly closed his mouth, watching the great ship burning with ghostly flames with his body tensely strung. Almost at the same time, he saw a flame appear out of nowhere on the deck of the Brilliant Starship¨Can intense flame that swiftly surged upward, forming a spinning portal from which a tall figure stepped out.


    Considering this was his first visit to the Brilliant Starship, Duncan had chosen to come alone to avoid chaos at the scene.


    Now, he had finally set foot on this vessel¨Cone of the last remaining two companion ships of the once Exiled Fleet, the Brilliant Starship.


    He had also finally met Lucy Ebnomal, the ¡°daughter of Duncan Ebnomal,¡± in reality.


    The ¡°Sea Witch,¡± donning a black dress with an adventurer¡¯s flair, hesitated as she took a few steps toward him, only to stop a few meters away. She had been watching this direction the whole time, her expression complex and constrained. Despite her best efforts to hide it, her nervousness and hesitancy could not be disguised.


    Duncan¡¯s mind involuntarily recalled some of the information Tyrann had revealed to him before he had left Frost¨C


    ¡°Lucy gives off an impression of being detached and aloof, unpredictably moody, but at her core, it¡¯s because she¡¯s not good at socializing and can¡¯t accurately express her emotions¡­


    ¡°When she¡¯s nervous, she gives herself away, so she always tries to avoid getting into tense situations, which is why the ¡®Sea Witch¡¯ always comes and goes in a hurry, appearing especially willful¡­


    ¡°When she¡¯s overly embarrassed, she just doesn¡¯t know how to initiate conversation, which leaves an extremely impolite, haughty, and eccentric impression. However, if someone is willing to take the initiative to talk to her and break the silence, she would be very pleased¡­¡±


    In Frost, Duncan had always maintained the image of amnesia due to subspace influence in front of Tyrann. Thanks to this, he was able to openly inquire about many things related to Lucy Ebnomal, and now this information obviously came in handy.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time,¡± Duncan said with a faint smile after a moment of adjustment, approaching the ¡°Sea Witch,¡± ¡°Lucy, I have returned.¡±


    He tried to play the role of ¡°Duncan Ebnomal¡± according to the rehearsal and his own understanding.


    However, as he greeted her in this manner, a subtle emotion, emanating directly from the depths of his heart, quietly emerged within him. Amid this faint and hazy feeling, he once again experienced a trace of nostalgia and¡­ regret.


    This sensation was not unfamiliar to him¨Cevery body he possessed would have a similar reaction when encountering someone or something ¡°significant¡± from their ¡°previous life.¡±


    This time, Duncan didn¡¯t try to control or ignore this feeling but let it slowly flow and then recede within his heart.


    Lucy Ebnomal¡¯s face underwent several slight changes. No one knew what the ¡°witch¡± had thought during those brief few seconds. She just stood there, lost in thought for a moment, until all the memories and once impassioned emotions condensed into a very soft-spoken phrase:


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve been gone for too long this time¡­¡±


    Duncan remained silent for a little while and then reached into his chest: ¡°I brought you a gift.¡±


    ¡°A gift?¡± Lucy Ebnomal looked up, somewhat puzzled.


    Duncan extended his hand and slowly unfolded his palm.


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    A silvery-white hairpin, fashioned with waves and feathers, lay quietly in the center of his hand.


    Lucy Ebnomal was slightly stunned, staring blankly at the delicate hairpin for a while before blinking as if suddenly coming to her senses, tentatively reaching out for it.


    The hairpin was real, with a firm texture and a faint warmth to it¨Cthe warmth of a living person.


    Holding this gift, the ¡°witch¡± seemed to take a long time before she appeared to show a trace of a smile, and said in a very soft voice, ¡°¡­You¡¯re slow in bringing it, it¡¯s outdated, a century out of fashion¡­¡±


    After another moment, she seemed to inhale softly.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 536 - Chapter 536 Chapter 537 After Many Years

    Chapter 536: Chapter 537: After Many Years Chapter 536: Chapter 537: After Many Years The moment Lucresia took the petite hairpin, Duncan felt something deep within his ¡°heart¡± suddenly relax.


    It was an imperceptible corner, a feeling indescribable in words, as if a long-delayed mission had finally been completed thoroughly, even though this body had forgotten what that mission specifically entailed, the thoughts engraved in the soul still let out a faint sigh.


    ¡°I hope you like it,¡± Duncan paused for a moment, then said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t remember much, but I remember that this hairpin was meant for you.¡±


    ¡°I heard from Tyrion,¡± Lucresia nodded, not knowing when the lingering doubts and anxieties that had troubled her for many days had dissipated completely¨Calthough she had contacted her father via the crystal ball before, it turned out that only a real-life meeting in the real world could dispel those concerns, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good that you could return to ¡®this side.''¡±


    Duncan nodded, then turned his gaze to the elven scholar who had been standing nearby, trying to lower his presence since earlier.


    ¡°Master Taran El,¡± he said, his face breaking into a faint smile as he tried to make his tone more approachable, ¡°Now that we meet again in reality¨Cit¡¯s good to see you safe and sound, I have many things to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t say ¡®master,¡¯ you are too kind,¡± Taran El quickly waved his hand, ¡°Just call me by my name. I have long admired you, great explorer Captain Duncan, uh, I mean you are still alive¡­ When you were alive¡­ When you were a human¡­ I¡­¡±


    Duncan silently watched the elven scholar, while Lucresia silently slipped out a ¡°wand¡± similar to a magic wand, pointing it at Taran El¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Frog, or snake?¡± she asked in a calm tone laden with dangerous content.


    Taran El instantly raised his hands, grimacing at Duncan: ¡°I meant to say that a century ago, I admired your reputation, but alas never had the chance to meet you¡­¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but laugh, finding the elven scholar¡¯s personality quite amusing: ¡°Is that the truth?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Taran El said seriously, ¡°As a scholar deeply interested in the frontier, I¡¯ve always wanted to mingle more with real explorers, to learn from them about the things beyond the boundaries of civilization, even aspiring to embark on a great voyage to explore that grand barrier of dense fog¨Csadly, I was never destined to complete such a magnificent journey¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, now you have the chance to properly ¡®get to know each other,''¡± Duncan nodded, then seemed to suddenly remember something, turning to Lucresia, ¡°Ah, right, there¡¯s something else for you.¡±


    Lucresia didn¡¯t react at first, but then she saw Duncan gesture with his hand¨C the flame door that had appeared out of nowhere on the deck had not disappeared, and now with Duncan¡¯s movement, it suddenly expanded and rotated, forming a cavity of fire that, after a moment of explosive ignition and fading, a large wooden box appeared on the deck.


    On top of the box stood a plump pigeon with pure white feathers, fluffed up all over.


    Ai Yi cocked its head, one eye on Lucresia, the other eye looking elsewhere: ¡°Honey, accept the delivery, and don¡¯t forget a five-star review.¡±


    Lucresia gazed blankly at the scene, wondering about the pigeon, then noticed a metal plaque on the side of the box.


    ¡°Tyrion prepared a Spirit Realm lens for you¨Chighest quality,¡± Duncan pointed at the box, ¡°you haven¡¯t forgotten, have you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡­ didn¡¯t forget,¡± Lucresia¡¯s eyes drifted to the side, somewhat guiltily, she then abruptly changed the subject, raising her hand to point at the pigeon strutting atop the box, ¡°Is that ¡®Ai Yi¡¯ my brother mentioned? What was that ¡®five-star review¡¯ it just talked about?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, most people don¡¯t understand how this pigeon speaks,¡± Duncan waved his hand, beckoning Ai Yi to perch on his shoulder, then motioned for Lucresia to lead the way, ¡°Leave the lens on the deck for now, you can deal with it later, let¡¯s find a place to talk first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Under Lucresia¡¯s lead, Duncan and Taran El arrived at a ¡°reception room¡± located on the mid-deck.


    It was a room with spacious windows, close to the side of the ship, an upper cabin, where visitors could see the power structure of the Brilliant Starship on the side, as well as the ship¡¯s stern that looked like a spiritual body, always shrouded in mist.


    Duncan approached the window, curiously surveying the ¡°scenery¡± outside, observing this ship that, although different in style from the Homeloss, also carried a mysterious atmosphere, especially its ghost kingdom-like stern, and after a long while he remarked, ¡°This ship looks nothing like the Sea Mist.¡±


    Upon hearing Duncan¡¯s unintentional ¡°comment,¡± Lucresia¡¯s expression became somewhat uneasy: ¡°It has been a long time, both the Sea Mist and the Brilliant Starship¡­ are very different from your original designs. To survive in the ¡®frontier,¡¯ I¡¯ve made many bold modifications to this ship; you wouldn¡¯t be upset, would you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have changes, changes are good things,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°the Homeloss has also changed a lot, if you came aboard, you would be quite surprised by its interior state.¡±


    To board the Homeloss?


    Lucresia seemed dazed for a moment, perhaps recalling the distant past or thinking of her brother, who had boarded the Homeloss several times and contacted her sporadically to scare her.


    However, she soon snapped back to reality and nodded to Duncan, ¡°I¡­ will go.¡±


    Then she raised her head and raised her voice slightly to speak to someone outside the door, ¡°Luny, you can come in now.¡±


    The door to the room opened. Under Duncan¡¯s curious gaze, a clockwork automaton resembling Lucresia by about sixty to seventy percent, but made entirely of metal, porcelain, and leather, wheeled in a cart carrying drinks and snacks.


    Accompanied by the faint sound of gears turning, the automaton approached the guest table and bowed slightly to Duncan, ¡°Nice to meet you, old master.¡±


    ¡°Are you Luny?¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but look more attentively at this intriguing automaton. ¡°I found your ¡®sister¡¯ Niru in a doll shop in Prand¨Cfrankly, you two are quite different.¡±


    ¡°When you first met me, I was also just a third of an automaton,¡± Luny replied politely, bowing her head as faint ticks and clicks continued inside her, ¡°Of course, back then I couldn¡¯t think or speak; it was the lady who gave me life.¡±


    ¡°Incredible technology,¡± Duncan looked at Lucresia, ¡°But there¡¯s also a ¡®doll¡¯ on my ship now who can talk and think, maybe Luny and she could be friends.¡±


    ¡°I know, my brother told me about Incident 099,¡± Lucresia nodded, ¡°Luny is indeed curious about that Miss ¡®Alice¡¯, but¡­ is she really safe?¡±


    ¡°Particularly safe,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°On board Homeloss, she¡¯s the safest, even a bucket is more capable of causing trouble¡­¡±


    Lucresia: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Miss Witch finally began to vaguely understand what her father meant when he said ¡°Homeloss has also changed a lot¡±¡­


    Duncan finally turned his attention to Taran El.


    Under the uneasy gaze of this elvish scholar, Duncan adjusted his seating position and seriously asked, ¡°In your elves¡¯ legends or traditional beliefs, is there a term called ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯?¡±


    Taran El was taken aback, ¡°The Dream of the Nameless?¡±


    Then, he suddenly realized, ¡°Are you referring to the dream I was trapped in? Are you saying¡­ that dream has a name, called ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯?¡±


    ¡°If the information is correct, that¡¯s the name.¡±


    Duncan gave a firm response, then shared all the information he had ¡°crafted¡± from the Heretics, including the possible role Doomsday Preachers might play in dark corners and his own shallow conjectures, as well as his previous discussion with Agatha, without holding back.


    During Duncan¡¯s narration, Taran El gradually forgot his initial nervousness and became absorbed, and even Lucresia leaned forward slightly, occasionally showing a contemplative look.


    For scholars passionate about research, these pieces of information, obtained from the heretics¡¯ mouths, sounded dangerous yet tantalizing. They might be closely related to the heretical blasphemies, yet behind them seemed to vaguely point towards some knowledge and secrets.


    Once Duncan finally finished speaking, the room fell silent for a while, and both scholars simultaneously fell into deep thought. After an unknown period, Lucresia was the first to break the silence, ¡°Is this information reliable? Oh, I¡¯m not doubting you, but those heretics are usually very cunning, and even experts like the Church¡¯s Judges who deal with heresies often struggle to extract information from those fellows¡­¡±


    ¡°Reliable,¡± Duncan said confidently, ¡°I used some very effective investigative techniques¨Cah, would you like to understand more about the process?¡±


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    Both Lucresia and Taran El instinctively blinked and simultaneously shook their heads without thinking.


    ¡°¡­ Alright,¡± Duncan felt a bit disappointed, ¡°So, what are your thoughts now? Mr. Taran El, do you have any guesses about this so-called ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯?¡±


    Taran El thought carefully, and after a few seconds, he spoke judiciously, ¡°In various legends and traditional beliefs of elves, there¡¯s no such term, at least I¡¯m confident that the term isn¡¯t in the elvish language, but if we discuss the concept of ¡®dreams¡¯ in general¡­ our race indeed has many stories related to it.¡±


    Duncan immediately showed interest, ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of¡­ the great demon Saslouka?¡±

 Chapter 537 - Chapter 537 Chapter 538 The Legend of the Elves

    Chapter 537: Chapter 538 The Legend of the Elves Chapter 537: Chapter 538 The Legend of the Elves The great demon Saslouka.


    Duncan felt a sense of familiarity vaguely surfacing in his heart, and he quickly remembered that he had indeed heard the term before¨Cin a casual conversation with Morris a long time ago.


    ¡°I remember¡­ this is the name of the ¡®chief god¡¯ described in the ancient belief system unique to Elves,¡± he began slowly, as he thought aloud, ¡°This demon god possesses the power to control the Dreamscape and soul wandering. In your legends, this great demon is even related to the onset of the current ¡®Sea Era¡¯¨C¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain Duncan,¡± Taran El nodded, ¡°According to those ancient legends, the world was originally a Dreamscape, created by the great demon Saslouka in a state between sleeping and waking. Elves were born as residents within that Dreamscape, and our inherent mission was to serve Saslouka in the dream, to prolong his slumber as much as possible, to prevent the entire world from meeting its end due to the demon god¡¯s awakening.¡±


    Listening seriously to the side, Lucresia, being a learned individual, obviously also knew of these ancient, bizarre beliefs of Elves that starkly contrasted with the mainstream, and she couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°But Saslouka is destined to awaken¨Cthis too is part of the legend.¡±


    ¡°Correct, the great demon is destined to awaken, and his awakening signifies the end of the world,¡± Taran El nodded again and continued, ¡°In most¡­ less mainstream belief systems, there are similar ¡®world-ending prophecies.¡¯ But for the most part, they are just warnings, deterrents to Believers, to enhance their persuasive power and control over the faithful. The Elves¡¯ legend, however, is not like this; in their tale, the ¡®Doomsday¡¯ has already occurred.


    ¡°According to the legend, the end of the world began with a nightmare. The great demon saw a huge flood coming in his nightmare, thus the Elves¡¯ long-standing appeasement lost its effect, and he awoke startled. The flood then leaked from his Dreamscape into the real world, transforming into a vast sea¡­


    ¡°After that, the great demon Saslouka vanished as a result of his awakening, and the Elves could no longer return to that peaceful Dreamscape, only able to survive in the vast sea that remained after the flood¨Cthis is the Elf version of the myth explaining the ¡®Sea Era.''¡±


    Taran El¡¯s account of this legend did not differ significantly from what Morris had said initially; it was just supplemented with some details. After the Elf scholar finished speaking, Duncan showed a contemplative expression.


    A few seconds passed before he spoke up to break the silence with a somber voice, ¡°Both your creation myth and apocalyptic prophecy revolve around the element of ¡®Dreamscape.''¡±


    ¡°Yes, in Elf culture, ¡®dreams¡¯ have always been a concept of great significance,¡± Taran El nodded, ¡°We believe that the world inside dreams and the world outside are two different realities, both existing and influencing one other. The acts of falling asleep and waking up are the process of traveling between these two worlds¨Cor, to use a more traditional term, it¡¯s a ¡®Journey of No Hometown.¡¯


    He paused for a moment to organize his thoughts, then continued, ¡°Speaking of which, let me digress a bit¨Camong Elves, there is a special congenital condition called ¡®No-dreamers.''¡±


    Duncan frowned, ¡°No-dreamers?¡±


    ¡°Literally, those who are innately unable to dream,¡± Taran El explained, ¡°Dreaming is an instinct of mortals. In our view, dreaming is as uncontrollable and unavoidable as death. Of course, some dream more, others less, and some even believe they don¡¯t dream at all¨Cbut research shows that, for these people, dreams are either too brief or too insignificant to be remembered upon waking. They still dream¡­


    ¡°¡®No-dreamers,¡¯ however, are completely different¨Cthey truly do not dream.


    ¡°The sleep of No-dreamers is bleak; they enter a void and chaos upon sleep, and their consciousness seems to ¡®skip¡¯ the entire sleeping process, leaping directly over it. And no skilled psyche-healer or priest can discover any trace of their dreams.


    ¡°This condition, where one absolutely cannot dream, occurs only within the Elf race, with an incidence rate of about one in ten thousand. It¡¯s innate and incurable.¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but remark upon hearing this, ¡°¡­In a race that places extreme importance on the ¡®Dreamscape,¡¯ those without dreams would definitely be treated specially.¡±


    ¡°Yes, in the eyes of most Elves, the pale and hollow sleep of those without dreams is considered dangerous, bizarre, or even terrifying. Historians have indeed recorded many instances of unfair treatment against ¡®dreamless ones.¡¯ However, that mostly happened before the old City-State era,¡± Taran El waved his hand, ¡°Nowadays, we do not particularly target or discriminate against the dreamless, but as you mentioned, the influence of traditional culture persists, and they are subjected to some¡­ special treatment.¡±


    Duncan listened to these unique cultural and mythological aspects within the Elves that were difficult for outsiders to grasp. After the great scholar finished speaking, Duncan pondered for a moment before slowly saying, ¡°But among the numerous legends and records about the Dreamscape, there is a conspicuous absence of ¡®The Dream of the Nameless.''¡±


    ¡°A possible explanation is that ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ is merely what those Heretics call it, and it has another name within Elven culture,¡± Taran El suggested, ¡°It¡¯s a common occurrence¨Cthe Elven cultural system is ancient and profound. Sometimes, parts of it that get disseminated are often misunderstood and altered by other races. We cannot expect a race with an average lifespan of less than a hundred years to understand whether a vessel with seven thousand years of history was meant to hold wine or to fetch water.¡±


    Luny had been silently contemplating all the while, and upon hearing the great scholar¡¯s words, she suddenly looked up and said, ¡°If we suppose it ¡®has another name,¡¯ then could this so-called Dream of the Nameless be related to the mythological Dreamscape that the demon god Saslouka created?¡±


    ¡°The Old World?¡± Taran El frowned but quickly shook his head, ¡°The Dreamscape created by Saslouka is but a legend, with no tangible evidence to prove its existence. Even if it had existed, it surely would have fragmented and dissipated by this ¡®Deep Sea Era¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°But you and another Elf, far away in Pland, did indeed fall into a vast and peculiar ¡®Dreamscape,''¡± Duncan reminded, ¡°Have you forgotten that boundless forest?¡±


    ¡°¡­I did think of it,¡± Taran El hesitated, still very cautious in his words, ¡°We can make such a bold assumption¡­ but we must verify it with sufficient evidence. If that Dreamscape really is the legendary ¡®Dream of Saslouka,¡¯ the ¡®Origin World¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°It would not just shake Elven society,¡± suggested Lucrecia in a measured tone, ¡°The entire academic world would be rocked.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the whole world,¡± Taran El affirmed with a particularly solemn expression, ¡°It means that amidst the myriad conjectures and conflicting historical records, finally, a ¡®record¡¯ about the history before the Great Oblivion would be validated. Even if we still cannot break through that historical barrier from ten thousand years ago, a crack would have appeared on that wall, allowing us to glimpse fleeting reflections of the time before the Deep Sea Era.¡±


    Duncan had also considered these implications but did not interrupt, instead ruminating silently. After a long while, he spoke up with a hint of curiosity, ¡°Regarding this ¡®demon god Saslouka,¡¯ are there any more detailed legends?¡±


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    ¡°¡®Legend¡¯ is something that is often vague and inconsistent, and even a race with as stable and complete a heritage as the Elves cannot escape this,¡± Taran El said slowly, ¡°In most legends, Saslouka is described as a giant dressed as a shepherd, holding a staff capable of measuring the world. However, some stories depict him as a colossal male goat. The ¡®Blaran Mar Epic¡¯ stored in the City-State of Moco claims He has no fixed form, transforming into any shape based on the imaginations of those who encounter Him, a reflection of the most majestic and awe-inspiring form in the minds of mortals¡­


    ¡°But no matter the version of the legend, there¡¯s one common element: Saslouka dwells at the foot of the World Tree ¡®Silantis,¡¯ which is the very first plant that sprang into being at the world¡¯s birth. Saslouka created it in his Dreamscape to call it home. He shook the branches of Silantis violently in his loneliness, causing dust, fruits, and leaves to fall, and those which fell transformed into various things in the world.


    ¡°The dust from the World Tree became mountains and minerals; Silantis¡¯s branches and leaves turned into all kinds of birds, beasts, flowers, and insects; its fruits changed into the first Elves. Dust cannot decay, so mountains and minerals last forever, but branches and leaves began to rot upon hitting the ground, hence mortal creatures came to know the cycle of life and death.¡±


    Taran El paused and took a sip of the tea that the doll Luny had placed on the table before continuing, ¡°This was the process of the demon god creating various things in the Dreamscape. After this initial ¡®Creation,¡¯ Saslouka began to inspect His world¨C


    ¡°He would wander around Silantis, with His gaze defining the rules for all worldly things. He circled the World Tree once a year, and thus, Silantis cycled between flourishing and withering yearly, which in turn led to the clear distinction of seasons in the mortal world. At the end of each year, He would return to the foot of Silantis, and the Elves were expected to dress up and present their proudest skills and creations to Saslouka. If the demon god deemed those things good, He would continue to reside in the Dreamscape world He created, and the world would persist.¡±


    After that, Taran El finally took a long breath.


    ¡°And that¡¯s all there is, Captain Duncan.¡±

 Chapter 538 - Chapter 538 Chapter 539 Sailing Towards the Sunlight

    Chapter 538: Chapter 539: Sailing Towards the Sunlight Chapter 538: Chapter 539: Sailing Towards the Sunlight After Taran El¡¯s lengthy explanation, Duncan pondered for a long time.


    Without a doubt, the ancient legends of the elves were special, even unique in this world, for one reason alone¨Cthey were complete.


    After the Great Annihilation, during the Deep Sea Era, the old world had collapsed and overturned, new civilizations were reshaped, and communication between City-States had been severed for a long time. In addition to various impacts during the Dark Period, this led to the historical records of almost all City-States across the Endless Sea being fragmented, with almost no complete heritage preserved by any race.


    The Four Gods¡¯ faith, which emerged after the Deep Sea Era had begun, developed rapidly precisely because of this discontinuity of heritage and mythological void in the City-States.


    However, among the elves, ancient myths were preserved and inherited. Even today, when the Four Gods¡¯ faith encompassed the entire world and old belief systems were denounced as heretical, these things were still retained¨C restricted by population, the elves occupied only a small portion of the Endless Sea and were extremely dispersed, yet in these limited and scattered elven City-States, their culture, customs, and mythological systems still maintained consistency.


    Could they achieve this solely because of their ¡°longevity¡±?


    ¡°Such a complete system of myths¡­ perhaps it really reveals some truths from before the Great Annihilation,¡± Duncan murmured softly to himself.


    ¡°Many scholars have always believed so. Elves are the only race that has preserved a complete system of ancient beliefs. Although many of our ancient texts have been ¡®contaminated,¡¯ the myths passed down orally¡­ largely retain their original form,¡± Taran El said, spreading his hands helplessly. ¡°Even so, we can only study them as ¡®stories¡¯; we can¡¯t use them directly as historical data from before the Great Annihilation.¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brow, recalling some words Morris had told him long ago that involuntarily surfaced in his mind: ¡°¡­because of those vast contradictions between history and reality.¡±


    ¡°Yes, every scholar who tries to trace the Great Annihilation faces the harsh blows of ¡®contradictions,''¡± Taran El sighed. ¡°This we feel most acutely. The more complete the elven myth system is, the less it can explain the current state of the world. The greatest contradiction lies in the fact that¡­ humans and Senkin People have no place in the story of Saslouka¡¯s Creation.¡±


    Duncan said nothing, just thoughtfully with a serious expression.


    Taran El continued, ¡°Not only the legend of Saslouka¡¯s Creation, but also in our other less complete mythological stories that involve descriptions of the world, ¡®humans¡¯ and ¡®Senkin People¡¯ are never mentioned. You must understand, this is highly unusual.¡±


    Duncan slowly nodded, but for some reason, what emerged in his mind at this moment was another image he had seen before¨C


    The moon.


    He looked up toward the window where the pale golden ¡°sunlight¡± diffused over the ocean, a boundary glowing like a cliff visible in the distant surging waves.


    That was where Luke provided from the ¡°border¡± the fallen object she had found. That was the location of that ¡°mysterious stone sphere.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go see that thing?¡± Luke noticed Duncan¡¯s gaze immediately and took the initiative to speak, ¡°There¡¯s a temporary research facility set up by Light Breeze Harbor over there. I¡¯ve already spoken with them, and they can clear the unrelated personnel from the core area.¡±


    Duncan hesitated for a moment and then nodded gently, ¡°Go ahead and arrange it. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll contact the research facility and have them clear the people.¡±


    Luke responded and then left the room.


    Shortly after she left, Duncan noticed that the Brilliant Starship slowly turned its bow and began to head toward the distant massive luminance.


    Only Duncan and the elven scholar remained in the room, and after a moment of silence, Taran El visibly grew tense again.


    Fortunately, his tension did not last long¨Cbefore the awkward atmosphere could brew again, Duncan proactively broke the silence: ¡°I heard that you tried to observe the surface of Anomaly 001 when the sun went out?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Taran El nervously placed his hands on the table, fiddling with his thumbs, ¡°And Ms. Luke always thinks my slumber is related to observing the sun, though I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you see?¡± Duncan asked again.


    ¡°¡­ I recorded the image at that time. That piece of paper is now in Ms. Luke¡¯s hands, but many key details have been smeared¨CI smeared them myself, but I don¡¯t remember doing so. If you¡¯re interested, later¡­¡±


    Taran El was interrupted mid-sentence as the door of the sitting room was opened. Luke, who had left only a short while ago, returned to the room: ¡°The paper is with me.¡±


    As she spoke, she walked back to the table and took out the crumpled draft paper from her bosom, saying to Duncan, ¡°I¡¯ve temporarily left Rabi in charge of the ship¨Che¡¯s another of my ¡®crew members.¡¯ This is the sketch Master El made at that time, you can take a look.¡±


    Duncan immediately took the draft paper handed over with a serious expression, unrolled it on the table, and scanned the crudely drawn images on it.


    However, at first glance, he only felt that it was just a jumbled mass of meaningless lines¨Cexcept for the circular contour around the edges, which indicated it was indeed the pattern of ¡®Anomaly 001,¡¯ the severe smearing within the circle had almost completely destroyed its original true structure.


    But after gazing intently for a while, he began to sense a feeling of familiarity from behind those chaotic smeared lines.


    It was as if hidden deep within those smear traces was something he had once seen, something even profoundly memorable.


    Duncan¡¯s brows were tightly knitted. After looking carefully for a long time, he raised his head and looked at Taran El, ¡°You can¡¯t remember anything at all?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything,¡± Taran El said awkwardly, ¡°My mind automatically erased that part of my memory. I think¡­ it must have been very dangerous information.¡±


    ¡°The paper itself doesn¡¯t carry any contamination, but rashly restoring its ¡®real version¡¯ might bring about danger,¡± Lecretia added from the side, ¡°I was originally planning to give it to the scholars at Light Breeze Harbor. But realizing the risks involved, I thought it better to give it to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Duncan breathed a sigh of relief, and a slight smile suddenly appeared on his face, ¡°You¡¯ve started to rebuild your trust in me?¡±


    Lecretia suddenly became nervous, ¡°¡­I just felt¡­ you were more suitable¡­ Of course, I trust you, my brother said that you now¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to say more, Lucy,¡± Duncan said with a smile, shaking his head, then solemnly put away the paper, ¡°I¡¯ll take it back with me. Later, I¡¯ll find a way to uncover its secrets¨Cif there¡¯s any progress, I¡¯ll inform you immediately.¡±


    Lecretia seemed to exhale in relief, and even¡­ appeared a bit pleased.


    Duncan said no more. After securing the sketch paper, he rose and went to the window, quietly gazing at the undulating sea surface and the patch of ¡°sunlight¡± that was gradually approaching from the corner of the porthole.


    ¡­


    After a not-too-long voyage, the Brilliant Starship gradually approached the ¡°luminous fallen object¡± that floated near Light Breeze Harbor.


    Now, the ship was passing by that temporary harbor nearby.


    Duncan went to the bow deck, watching the grand golden radiance like a towering cliff rushing towards him, continuously magnifying in his field of view.


    This was his first time seeing this ¡°fallen object¡± firsthand, which had previously only existed in descriptions from Tirian¨Cand at such a close distance. The oppressive feel of the looming behemoth mixed with the mysterious sensation from the undistinguishable true illusion even made him feel momentarily breathless.


    He could fully imagine the impact it had caused the Elves here when Lecretia had initially dragged this thing near Light Breeze Harbor.


    But by now, the Elves evidently had gotten accustomed to this ¡°neighbor.¡±


    ¡°Is this harbor the ¡®research facility¡¯ you mentioned before?¡± Duncan raised his arm, pointing toward the temporary floating harbor on the nearby sea surface, asking Lecretia beside him.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lecretia nodded, ¡°Concerned that some substances in the ¡®fallen object¡¯ might be dangerous, we positioned all our research work to be carried out over the sea. Master Taran El is one of the main supervisors of this harbor. Additionally, there¡¯s a small permanent station in the center area of the fallen object, but everyone there has already been pulled back.¡±


    ¡°Understandable¨Cafter all, not everyone is equipped to handle close contact with a ¡®Subspace Shadow,''¡± Duncan said with a laugh, ¡°That Mr. Taran El certainly has performed well.¡±


    Hearing this, Lecretia hastily explained, ¡°It¡¯s not entirely like that¨Cthe way you are now, I mean after you¡¯ve subdued your flames, you really don¡¯t look much different from ordinary people. Most people wouldn¡¯t recognize you¡­ I¡¯m mainly worried about unrelated individuals disturbing you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t always be so nervous,¡± Duncan said with a smile, waving his hand, ¡°It¡¯s normal for people to be afraid. I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    Lecretia quickly nodded, then raised her eyes to glance at the huge light wall that was now approaching, ¡°We¡¯re preparing to enter the light entity. We need to be careful navigating next¨CI need to go and take the helm myself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±


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    Lecretia nodded, then suddenly transformed into countless swirling colorful paper pieces, circling towards the bridge.


    Duncan watched this scene in amazement; it was his first time witnessing Lecretia¡¯s marvelous power¨Cas he watched the paper pieces flutter before him, he casually reached out and caught one, curiously examining it.


    The next instant, he heard a cry from the air, followed quickly by the flying paper pieces suddenly coming back together into Lecretia¡¯s form.


    Miss Witch fell on the deck, quite disheveled.


    And she slid quite far.

 Chapter 539 - Chapter 539 Chapter 540 To the Moon

    Chapter 539: Chapter 540: To the Moon Chapter 539: Chapter 540: To the Moon Lucia slithered several meters across the deck¨Cthe scene unfolded so suddenly that Duncan had no time to grasp what had happened.


    Not until the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± scrambled up in a panic did he hurriedly release the piece of paper in his hand.


    That colorful piece of paper ¡°whooshed¡± away and swiftly burrowed into Lucia¡¯s hair, while she remained somewhat dazed, standing in place with no discernible expression on her face.


    She might have been stunned by the fall.


    ¡°Lucy¡­¡± With the embarrassment that could bore a hole in the deck and a subtle apology, Duncan carefully approached the bewildered witch, ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Lucia jolted as if she had finally shaken off her daze from the fall, then slowly turned her head. Her face shifted from blankness to shock, and with an incredulous look at Duncan, she broke the silence, ¡°How did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Duncan didn¡¯t quite catch on, ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°You caught the¡­ ¡®shadow¡¯¡­¡± Lucia hesitated as she spoke, seemingly struggling to articulate this overly abstract matter. Then she lifted her arm; from her fingertips, a part of her arm rapidly disintegrated into colorful flying paper pieces, which circled around her, ¡°Can you try again for me to see?¡±


    With confusion, Duncan reached out and casually grabbed a piece of the colorful paper.


    The next second, the fluttering confetti abruptly ¡°collapsed¡± back into Lucia¡¯s arm, and her face registered another shock.


    ¡°This is incredible!¡± The witch¡¯s eyes widened at Duncan, ¡°Nothing like this has ever happened before. Can you tell me how you did it?¡±


    Seeing his makeshift ¡°daughter¡± seemingly ignited with the passion of a researcher, Duncan was completely clueless about what had transpired. He frowned at the colorful piece of paper in his hand, puzzled, ¡°Is it that difficult? They¡¯re just pieces of paper flying around¡­¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t be caught, Daddy,¡± Lucia spread her hands, ¡°If the Phantom Wind could be disrupted by someone catching a piece of paper, how could I use it as my most frequent transition method¨Cthese are all illusions, which theoretically can penetrate any barrier¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that,¡± shrugged Duncan, ¡°I just saw these papers and was curious to grab one and have a look, sorry¡­ Did you get hurt? Bump anywhere?¡±


    Lucia was momentarily taken aback.


    It seemed like years had passed since she last heard someone show concern for her with that tone.


    Ever since she became the powerful ¡°Witch of the Sea,¡± a curse feared by many, and the captain of a Ghost Ship, she hadn¡¯t heard such words anymore.


    It felt a bit awkward for her.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± her expression strange, she shook her head while trying to suppress the embarrassment in her heart and divert her attention with thought, ¡°You can catch illusions¡­ Is that one of your powers now? What is its essence? Is it a deep understanding of the world? Or is it due to the influence of subspace?¡±


    Lucia truly plunged into thought, her instinct to explore the unknown seemingly making her instantly forget the embarrassment as she murmured, ¡°¡­Could it be that in the ¡®layer¡¯ of Subspace, there is actually no distinction between the physical and the illusions of the real world? Everything in this world in front of Subspace is an ¡®idea¡¯¡­ Is Claus Divens¡¯ theory correct? All things are ¡®concepts¡¯ and form a consistent projection in Subspace¡­¡±


    Duncan listened to the witch¡¯s mutterings and finally couldn¡¯t help interrupting her, ¡°Lucy¡­ You can study this some other time.¡±


    The ¡°witch¡± snapped out of her rumination but still stared at Duncan with wide, unblinking eyes.


    Duncan, however, looked down at the colorful paper in his hand, his mind swirling with thought.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that these dazzling papers were such a special ¡°thing,¡± and seeing Lucia¡¯s reaction, his own act was clearly enough to be considered ¡°shocking.¡±


    He had caught the illusion¨Cbut Duncan knew he didn¡¯t have the ability to catch illusions.


    He just didn¡¯t know these papers were illusions.


    His thoughts undulated, and past events and speculations emerged in his memory, some ¡°things¡± surfaced in Duncan¡¯s mind¨Cfish.


    After an indeterminate silence, he suddenly murmured as if talking to himself, ¡°Its essence¡­ perhaps is ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯¡­¡±


    Lucia heard her father¡¯s mutter but was totally puzzled, ¡°What are you saying? Are you saying you don¡¯t know the essence of this ability?¡±


    Duncan came to his senses, his mouth opening as if to explain something to his ¡°daughter,¡± but after several hesitations, he shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s another meaning, but I don¡¯t know how to explain it to you¨CLucy, we¡¯ll talk about it another time, we have other things now.¡±


    He turned away, looking at the majestic ¡°light wall¡± that had reached the bow of the Brilliant Starship, exuding a heavy sense of oppression.


    ¡°Take me to see that stone sphere first.¡±


    Lucricia nodded but didn¡¯t leave. Instead, she stood still, looking at her father with a tangled and complex gaze.


    Duncan furrowed his brows in confusion, ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    Lucricia hesitated for a moment, then carefully raised her hand to point, ¡°Can you¡­ please give that back to me first?¡±


    Duncan looked down and realized he was still holding the colorful paper fragment that had split off during the ¡°experiment.¡±


    His face stiffened for a moment, and as he released his grip, he apologized, ¡°Ahem, sorry.¡±


    The paper fragment floated up and quickly burrowed into Lucricia¡¯s arm, replenishing a spot that had been dim and colorless with new hues.


    ¡°The Sea Witch¡± watched this scene with a slightly peculiar expression, then nodded at Duncan and turned to transform into a flurry of colorful papers, preparing to fly toward the bridge¨Cbut not even half a meter out, she stopped and coalesced back into form, turning her head to look back at Duncan uneasily, ¡°Don¡¯t grab it this time, okay?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s face turned embarrassed, ¡°¡­Of course.¡±


    Lucricia nodded again, turned to leave, but unsurely turned back, ¡°If you¡¯re curious, let¡¯s agree on it next time before experimenting, really, don¡¯t grab it.¡±


    Duncan spread his hands with a helpless smile, ¡°Definitely won¡¯t grab it, I¡¯m no child.¡±


    Lucricia made an ¡°Oh¡± sound but lingered in hesitation as she turned, finally sighing, ¡°I might as well walk¡­¡±


    And so, the witch walked all the way to the distant bridge.


    Duncan watched her receding figure with a strange expression, finally unable to refrain from reflecting within himself:


    It¡¯s a good thing Master Taran El, out of nervousness, didn¡¯t dare to come up on deck with me and is now lying in his room recuperating; otherwise, the scene here would be more than just fatherly love and awkwardness.


    The ¡°Sea Witch¡± might choose to silence him outright¨Cthen Taran El would truly die on this ship.


    Duncan¡¯s mind was swirling with these jumbled thoughts. He took a deep breath, and his mind gradually calmed. Simultaneously, the Brilliant Starship, under its captain¡¯s personal control, subtly adjusted its angle and then sailed straight into the magnificent ¡°light screen.¡±


    Like some sort of tangible crystal yet having no sense of obstruction, the pale gold ¡°sunlight¡± filled the view, gradually engulfing the Brilliant Starship.


    Duncan stood at the end of the forward deck, calmly watching the ¡°sunlight¡± surge toward him, enveloping him completely.


    He contemplated the nature of this sunlight, slightly lifting his hands as if to feel its ¡°touch.¡±


    On the way here, he had heard Lucricia talk about many details related to the ¡°luminous fallen object,¡± and learned that during the solar extinguishing period, this luminous geometric body constantly emitted systematic ¡°light signals.¡± There was a lot of information¨Chowever, not a single piece could explain the ¡°moon¡± at the center of the luminous geometric body.


    Duncan narrowed his eyes slightly.


    Some tiny shadows appeared in his field of vision.


    These were the research stations set up by the Elves at the center of the luminous geometric body, as well as the nearby¡­ mysterious orb.


    The research station was a two-story building constructed on a floating platform, and the stone orb was just a few meters away, connected by temporary bridges and numerous cables to ensure the platform¡¯s stability.


    As the distance shrank, more and more details on the ¡°orb¡± came into Duncan¡¯s sight.


    Now, he had confirmed it in the real world.


    Those familiar patterns, the play of light and dark on plains, basins, and crater structures, which had frequented his recent memories, seen in books and online more than once¨Cthe Moon.


    ¡°It really is it¡­¡±


    A complex emotion that was indescribable spread through him¨Cit wasn¡¯t shock since Duncan was already past shock, nor was it bewilderment, for he had been pondering in confusion well before today.


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    At this moment, he simply confirmed, witnessed a matter that had long entangled him, a strange truth he couldn¡¯t understand or accept, which had come before him in an indisputably real way.


    The Brilliant Starship slowed down, and under Lucricia¡¯s control, the ship¨Ca Ghost Ship alive just like the Homeloss¨Cfinally stopped with incredible precision just meters away from the stone orb.


    Duncan went to the edge of the deck, where he could even make out any fine lines on the surface of the stone orb.


    He became more certain that this sphere, about ten meters in diameter, had an astonishing ¡°fidelity.¡± It was so detailed and aligned with the ¡°Moon¡¯s¡± surface features that it didn¡¯t seem at all like the ¡°miniaturized model¡± he had first imagined.


    It seemed to be the real ¡°Moon,¡± just ¡°compressed¡± to this size.

 Chapter 540 - Chapter 540 Chapter 541 The Chasm

    Chapter 540: Chapter 541: The Chasm Chapter 540: Chapter 541: The Chasm Duncan knew that his idea was bold and bizarre, even by the standards of this unpredictable deep-sea era, it was too outlandish to be dismissed as mere whimsy¨Ctransforming an actual celestial body into this ten-meter-diameter ¡°stone sphere¡± floating above the ocean¡¯s surface was simply indescribable.


    But once the idea emerged, he found it hard to completely expel it from his mind, no matter how preposterous it felt, his mind would not stop making connections.


    Because¡­ it was just too similar, not only in appearance, but also a strong¡­ ¡°intuition¡±, and even an ¡°affinity¡± as if transcending time, transcending dimensions of worlds, was stirring in his mind.


    Duncan stared at the sphere before him, with its pale texture. For a moment, he even felt as if he had returned to that familiar world, gazing at his homeland¡¯s¡­ moon.


    He watched the moon, now floating beside the Brilliant Starship¡¯s gunwale, his expression frozen for a long time until he heard footsteps approaching and Lucy¡¯s voice entered his ears, ¡°Father, this is it.¡±


    Duncan turned his head, unaware of how strange his own pallor looked: ¡°Ah¡­ yes, it is¡­ it.¡±


    Lucy obviously noticed the oddity in Duncan¡¯s expression and tone, and she seemed a bit tense before her concern came through, ¡°Are you okay? You look a bit pale¡­ Is there something wrong with this stone sphere?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ fine, thank you for your concern, Lucy,¡± Duncan waved his hand, trying to adjust his expression, then turned back to the sphere, ¡°It¡­¡±


    He stopped.


    He had no idea how to explain this to Lucy, how to describe the concept of the ¡°moon,¡± how to explain another world and his present reaction, just as he had been clueless about explaining what a ¡°planet¡± was to Tyrion before.


    So, he just opened his mouth, then awkwardly changed the subject: ¡°Has it undergone any changes since it landed? Was it always like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was like this from the beginning,¡± Lucy nodded immediately, recounting the process of discovering the fallen object and adding some details about its transition to Light Breeze Harbor, ¡°¡­It floats at a certain height above the sea surface through an unknown mechanism; without disturbance, it remains completely stationary but can be towed by external force from a ship. Its interior is solid and dense. Several cautious samplings have shown the inner texture to be similar to stone, but so far, we¡¯ve only collected material from the more superficial layers¨Cthe deeper the layer, the harder it becomes, impervious to our drill bits¡­¡±


    Duncan listened quietly, then asked further, ¡°Anything else? What else have you discovered?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve also been trying to decipher the mystery of these ¡®lights¡¯ around it,¡± Lucy continued, ¡°The massive Luminous Geometric Body surrounding the ¡®stone sphere¡¯ incessantly emits ¡®sunlight¡¯. The scale of the sunlight can illuminate the entire City-State; however, the light does not originate from the ¡®stone sphere¡¯, or at least not in any way we understand ¡¯emission¡¯¨Cthe light seems to ¡®materialize¡¯ directly in the nearby space, then spreads evenly outward.


    ¡°To verify this, we built a large shading tent to completely enclose the sphere. It turned out this had no effect on the Luminous Geometric Body or the ¡®sunlight¡¯ above the nearby sea¡­


    ¡°Furthermore, we confirmed that the surface of the sphere is covered with a very, very fine ¡®dust¡¯, adhered by an unknown force. It can be scraped off for sampling, but unless external forces intervene, it doesn¡¯t fall off the sphere, even the dust at the bottom of the sphere remains, as if some invisible force is ¡®holding¡¯ it¡­¡±


    Lucy did her best to explain to Duncan all the tests the scholars had conducted on the ¡°stone sphere¡±, as well as the information she knew so far.


    Throughout this process, she kept an eye on changes in Duncan¡¯s expression, trying to guess what feelings might be hidden beneath his overly serious countenance.


    Yet she couldn¡¯t see through him; all of her father¡¯s thoughts seemed to be shrouded in a thick fog, enshrouded deep within that familiar yet strange countenance. The only sure thing was that her father truly, deeply cared about this ¡°stone sphere¡±¨Cmore than she and Tyrion could have imagined.


    After a long silence, Duncan finally spoke up, ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot of sampling?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve scraped off surface samples from various parts of the stone sphere, and this sampling process is still ongoing,¡± Lucy nodded, ¡± The depths of the stone sphere are very hard, difficult to sample, but its upper layer is relatively ¡®looser,¡¯ from which we can peel off ash-grey fragments, showing properties similar to stone powder¡­¡±


    At this point, she paused, glanced hesitantly at Duncan, then raised her hand pointing to the research platform floating nearby, ¡°Would you like to go over there and take a look with me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Duncan and Lucy arrived at the ¡°research station¡± built by the Elves and then onto a platform directly connected to the surface of the stone sphere via the upper bridge of the research station.


    A ten-meter diameter is negligible for a celestial body, but as an object close at hand, it was still quite massive, even discounting its height above the sea surface, the sphere¡¯s own diameter was higher than a three-story building.


    The Elves had fixed a platform to this massive body¡¯s ¡°waist,¡± secured with hoops encircling the sphere and a series of anchors and braces. The platform was small, just a few square meters in area, but enough to stand on.


    Duncan stood there, reaching out his hand to touch¡­ the moon.


    The rough, cold sensation traveled from his fingertips, just like touching a piece of stone.


    He withdrew his hand, looking at the faint gray-white dust adhering to his fingertips. He rubbed his fingers together, letting the gray-white dust slowly drift downward.


    Some of the dust slowly floated toward the sphere and resettled on its surface.


    ¡°This phenomenon also puzzles us,¡± Lucresia¡¯s voice came from beside him. ¡°The dust scraped from the sphere seems to be attracted to the sphere itself. When it¡¯s close enough, the fragments will actively return to the surface of the sphere. However, this ¡®attraction¡¯ exists only between the substances of the sphere itself. We¡¯ve tested it with other light powders¡­¡±


    Duncan hmmed, but didn¡¯t say much more.


    ¡°I heard from my brother that you call this odd stone sphere ¡®the moon¡¯,¡± Lucresia said cautiously, watching Duncan¡¯s reaction, ¡°and that you were very excited when you saw it¡­ Do you know something about this stone sphere?¡±


    ¡°It¡­¡± Duncan hesitated, then finally began to speak slowly, ¡°It¡¯s different from what I knew. It should be bigger, much bigger than what it looks like now¡­¡±


    ¡°Bigger?¡± Lucresia blinked. ¡°Bigger than the Homeloss?¡±


    ¡°Much bigger than that.¡±


    ¡°Bigger than the Pilgrimage Ark of the Four Gods Church? Or even bigger than the City-State?¡±


    Duncan shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s bigger, incomprehensibly big.¡±


    ¡°¡­Could it be even bigger than the Endless Sea?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t measured the Endless Sea, but¡­ perhaps,¡± Duncan murmured as if to himself, ¡°perhaps it¡¯s bigger than the Endless Sea, because this sea, named ¡®Endless,¡¯ is essentially just a cage wrapped in a fog.¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s eyes widened.


    For some reason, at that moment, she suddenly thought of her childhood. The recent exchange of questions seemed to suddenly rewind a century, stirring memories that had long been buried in the deepest recesses of her mind¨Cshe vaguely remembered that many, many years ago, she had asked her father similar questions.


    Back then, she had asked her father just how vast the Endless Sea was.


    Her father told her the sea was immense, bigger than the Homeloss, bigger than the City-State¨Cit was vast as its name suggested and could contain a person¡¯s lifelong curiosity and urge to explore.


    She remembered it well and followed in her father¡¯s footsteps to become an explorer, a ¡°Frontier Scholar,¡± as a member of the Exiled Fleet. She followed her father to many places, including the distant and enigmatic ¡°frontier.¡± She felt that her father had not deceived her in her youth¨Cthe sea was indeed vast.


    Yet now, her father was telling her that the ¡°Endless Sea¡± was just a cage surrounded by mist.


    The ¡°stone sphere¡± before her, merely ten meters in diameter, was supposed to be bigger than the Endless Sea.


    Lucresia narrowed her eyes and looked up at the ¡°moon¡± before her, trying to imagine it being bigger than the Endless Sea. For the first time, she felt her imagination was so limited¨Cshe couldn¡¯t even begin to understand, let alone imagine, what her father was saying.


    ¡°A ¡®moon¡¯ so large¡­ What immense space could possibly contain it?¡± she couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°Like you said, it¡¯s even larger than this world¡­¡±


    The Endless Sea was not the entire world.


    This sentence instinctively surfaced in Duncan¡¯s mind, but he controlled the urge to blurt it out.


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    Because he truly hadn¡¯t measured the world, nor had he traversed the mist called ¡°frontier.¡±


    He did not dare to confirm whether the Endless Sea was indeed the entirety of this world.


    And Lucresia could never understand what a universe that could contain billions of stars would look like.


    Even if she had a ship by the name of ¡°Brilliant Starship.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Lucy,¡± Duncan finally sighed softly. He turned his head, looking into the eyes of the ¡°Witch of the Sea,¡± ¡°I can¡¯t explain this to you.¡±

 Chapter 541 - Chapter 541 Chapter 542 Alices Simple Theory

    Chapter 541: Chapter 542: Alice¡¯s Simple Theory Chapter 541: Chapter 542: Alice¡¯s Simple Theory This was the first time since the ¡°reunion¡± that Lucrezia saw such complex, such profound, and yet such warm expressions on her ¡°father¡¯s¡± face.


    Before this, her father had also smiled at her, had shown many human-like gestures, but for some reason, she always felt a subtle dissonance behind those smiles and actions, always felt that those were ¡°affectionate appearances¡± her father had tried hard to feign after losing his memory due to the Subspace. This dissonance had always subtly unnerved her.


    However, at this moment, she finally saw some kind of emotion emanating from within¨C a kind of apology and a regret that others might find hard to understand.


    But she did not know whether this apology was meant for her or not.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know enough,¡± the young witch sighed gently, ¡°I thought I had more or less caught up with you.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Homeloss eventually fell into the Subspace, and you did not catch up, which is a good thing,¡± Duncan shook his head, then took one last look at the silently floating ¡°moon,¡± turned, and walked towards the connecting bridge leading away from the platform, ¡°Let¡¯s head back, Lucy.¡±


    Lucrezia was somewhat surprised, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to study it a bit more?¡±


    ¡°I am not a scholar, nor do I have the professional methods and equipment for research,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°I came just to see it for myself, but how to unravel its secrets will be up to the professionals.¡±


    He paused for a moment, then added, ¡°I will be staying at Light Breeze Harbor during this period. I will keep an eye on your progress on the ¡®moon.¡¯ Also, if something similar happens to any other Elf like with Taran El, inform me immediately.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lucrezia nodded straightaway in response and then hesitated before asking, ¡°About your arrival¡­ may I tell Governor Sala Mel? Of course, I won¡¯t casually reveal it to more people¡­¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°You can tell whomever you want¨Cit won¡¯t have anything to do with me how they react.¡±


    Lucrezia bowed her head slightly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Moments later, on the Homeloss, which was stationary on the surface of the sea outside the Luminous Geometric Body, a fiery vortex door suddenly appeared on the front deck.


    The door, accompanied by the crackling of flames, swung open, and Duncan stepped out¨Cupon seeing his return, Alice, who was clinging to a large mop and scrubbing the deck alongside several others, joyfully ran over: ¡°The captain¡¯s back!¡±


    Duncan waved to dissipate the flames behind him and looked at the Goth puppet in front of him, holding a mop, her face brimming with a happy smile, and nodded simply, ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°Was it smooth?¡± Alice threw aside her mop carefreely and looked at the captain happily, ¡°You were gone for such a long time. Did you talk a lot with Miss Lucrezia? Did you go see that ¡®ball¡¯? What does it look like¡­ Ah!¡±


    The mop Alice had tossed aside suddenly sprang up and vigorously thwacked the head of the delighted puppet miss, then it hopped bounced toward the bucket to rinse itself off.


    Alice, holding her head, looked puzzled and aggrieved at Duncan, ¡°Why did it hit me?! It nearly knocked off my¡­¡±


    Duncan, observing the doll miss¡¯s simple and clear emotions, her smile from before, and her current perplexity, unexpectedly found the restlessness and sense of loss inside him subsiding slightly.


    Yet Alice still looked aggrieved.


    ¡°¡­ You¡¯d better check if that¡¯s a mop for scrubbing the deck, maybe it¡¯s supposed to be ¡®working¡¯ in the dining hall,¡± Duncan struggled to suppress a smile, pressed Alice¡¯s head, and curiously asked, ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you¨Cwhy do you insist on scrubbing the deck yourself when the mops and buckets here can clean on their own?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m helping out!¡± Alice stood tall and proud, ¡°It¡¯s so tiring for them to clean by themselves!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched, he looked silently at the mops and buckets that were swiftly cleaning the deck, as if afraid of being caught by a certain puppet to ¡°help,¡± and after a moment of silence, he shook his head, ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy¡­ as long as you all are happy.¡±


    Alice nodded, still a bit confused, then noticed Duncan turning around, apparently heading back to his captain¡¯s quarters, and she couldn¡¯t resist calling out, ¡°Captain, are you going back to rest?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes, I¡¯m somewhat tired.¡±


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± Alice still looked concerned, stepping forward and tugging at Duncan¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Duncan stopped, puzzled, and turned to look at the not-so-smart doll.


    ¡°Because you¡¯ve been sighing a lot these days, and you spend more time in your cabin than outside¨CMiss Nina even thinks you¡¯re troubled, but she¡¯s too shy to ask,¡± Alice answered candidly, ¡°Also, you looked really down when you came back just now, as if¡­ as if you had a lot on your mind. But now you look better than before.¡±


    Duncan was somewhat taken aback by the puppet in front of him.


    He hadn¡¯t expected the normally airheaded, carefree Alice to observe and be aware of these details, and he certainly did not anticipate that she¡¯d hold onto him like this and say all this¨C


    Maybe it was precisely because she didn¡¯t have many concerns on a regular basis that she didn¡¯t understand hesitation and reticence?


    Fanciful thoughts flitted through Duncan¡¯s mind, but faced with the still visibly worried and perplexed puppet, he was at a loss for words.


    After all, even with the knowledgeable Lucrezia, there were far too many things he couldn¡¯t make clear.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± he shook his head after a brief silence, ¡°It¡¯s complicated, so complicated that it¡¯s beyond explanation, not just to you, but even to Morris, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Yet Alice just blinked, undeterred, ¡°Then you can still tell me.¡±


    Duncan was torn between laughter and tears, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say you wouldn¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    ¡°But I also don¡¯t understand many of the things you usually talk about,¡± Alice said as if it were the most natural thing in the world. ¡°There¡¯s a lot I don¡¯t understand, but you talk to me about them anyway¨CI¡¯m really good at listening to people talk, whether I understand or not, I will listen¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression suddenly became a bit subtle, hearing the straightforward, and even somewhat ¡°proud,¡± bizarre logic from this naive puppet, he found himself at a loss for retort.


    Alice, however, continued to look straight at the ¡°captain¡± before her, neither feeling ashamed for not understanding many things on a regular basis, nor thinking there was anything wrong with what she was saying now¨Cshe thought of it, she was curious, so she said it.


    If you have something on your mind, just say it¨Cthat was how Alice¡¯s uncomplicated worldview operated.


    Suddenly, she ran off and brought over a large wooden tub that was half her height not far away, placing it near the guardrails along the deck¡¯s edge. Then she brought over another and placed it beside the first tub.


    Nimbly, she climbed onto one of the tubs and, smiling, waved at Duncan, ¡°Captain, why don¡¯t you take a seat, too¨CMiss Fenna said, a bit of wind and a view of the sea can make one feel quite good.¡±


    Duncan hesitated, then suddenly laughed.


    The puppet was trying hard, with her limited cognition and experience, to find a way to cheer up the ¡°captain¡± a little.


    Duncan walked over and sat beside Alice on the wooden tub.


    His mood didn¡¯t change with the sea breeze¨Cbut it did get a little better.


    ¡°Alice.¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°I want to ask you a question,¡± Duncan pondered. At first, he tried to think of how to make Alice understand the concepts of ¡°the moon¡± and ¡°the stars,¡± but now he realized he didn¡¯t actually need to explain such complex matters to her. ¡°Imagine you live in a place, and there is something unique to that place¨Cit could never come from anywhere else, nor could it belong anywhere else. Whenever you see that thing, you¡¯d know, it comes from there¡­¡±


    Alice thought for a moment and curiously replied, ¡°Like how I live on the Homeloss now, and you¡¯re the Homeloss¡¯s only captain?¡±


    Duncan was taken aback and hesitated before saying, ¡°Your comparison isn¡¯t quite right¡­ but, in a way, that¡¯s one way to understand it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then what?¡±


    ¡°¡­then, you leave that place, and you can¡¯t go back,¡± Duncan¡¯s tone sank slightly, ¡°you arrive at a very distant and unfamiliar place, everything here is different from home, you live here for a while, trying to find a way back, but suddenly, you see that ¡®thing¡¯¨Cthe thing which, theoretically, should only appear in your hometown, something that should never be seen in a foreign land¡­¡±


    As Duncan finished speaking, Alice was still pondering intently, but after a moment she suddenly burst out laughing.


    ¡°Then I must have returned to the Homeloss!¡±


    ¡°Back to the Homeloss?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you said, I can understand it that way¨Cyou¡¯re the only captain of the Homeloss, and one day I¡¯m sent to a place far from the Homeloss and can¡¯t find my way back, but you suddenly appear before me¨Cthen I must be back home! After all, wherever you are, that¡¯s the Homeloss.¡±


    The puppet laughed joyfully, confidently looking at Duncan.


    ¡°You said that ¡®thing¡¯ could only possibly be from ¡®home,¡¯ and now it¡¯s before you, so that means you¡¯re home now, right?¡±


    Alice completed her theory and then turned around on the large wooden tub, supporting her chin with both hands, leaning forward with a radiant smile,


    ¡°Captain, is this a riddle?¡±


    Duncan was a little stunned.


    He gazed blankly at the puppet miss on the opposite tub, as the sea breeze blew by and Alice¡¯s silver hair fluttered, much like her eternally cheerful disposition.


    Then he laughed.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a riddle¨Cwe¡¯ve both turned around now,¡± he hopped down from the tub, smiling at Alice, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing.¡±


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    ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°Your posture is unstable.¡±


    Alice, who was still leaning forward, supporting her chin with her hands, paused and said, ¡°Ah?¡±


    The next second, she heard a slight crack near her neck.


    ¡°Boing¨C¡±


    Thud thud, Alice fell to the ground in two stages, followed by her signature, stammering¨C


    ¡°Captain, save¡­ save¡­ save me¡­¡±

 Chapter 542 - Chapter 542 Chapter 543 True Appearance

    Chapter 542: Chapter 543: True Appearance Chapter 542: Chapter 543: True Appearance Below the deck in the crew quarters, Sherry sat frowning in her room, incessantly sighing at the pile of exercise books sprawled out over the table.


    ¡°So many¡­ When can I ever finish these¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never finish if you keep sighing like that,¡± muttered A-dog from the side, ¡°and it¡¯s not even that much. You¡¯ve just been putting it off every day¨Cyou know even Miss Alice gets her exercises done on time every day, right?¡±


    ¡°Can that even be called ¡®done¡¯ when she just fills in whatever comes to mind?¡± Sherry rolled her eyes, then buried her head in the table, muttering despondently, ¡°I want to go ashore, I want to shop in the City-State, I want to eat something delicious¡­ Nina said Light Breeze Harbor has a lot of tasty food, they have dishes from all over the world¡­¡±


    However, A-dog had grown used to Sherry¡¯s incessant muttering years ago. It shook its head, unmoved by her complaints, ¡°The captain said you can go ashore to play once you¡¯ve finished all your delayed homework.¡±


    Sherry pouted, then pondered over the exercise books on the table. Suddenly, her eyes darted around, and a mischievous grin spread across her face as she cautiously bent down towards A-dog, who was lying on the floor, ¡°So, maybe you could help me out? These problems would definitely be¡­¡±


    Before Sherry could finish her sentence, A-dog hadn¡¯t even a chance to respond, when suddenly a voice came from a mirror on the desk, ¡°I¡¯m watching.¡±


    Sherry let out an exaggerated and despairing ¡°Ah¨C¡± looking up at the figure of Agatha emerging from the mirror, looking almost ready to cry, ¡°Can¡¯t you watch someone else? Why do you always pop out of the mirror no matter what I¡¯m doing!¡±


    The Agatha in the mirror was serious, ¡°Because the captain told me to keep an eye on you while you do your homework.¡±


    Sherry sighed heavily and once more buried her head in the exercise books on the desk. After rolling her face around in them for quite a bit, she suddenly looked up again, ¡°Could you help me out then¡­¡±


    Without hesitation, Agatha answered, ¡°No.¡±


    Sherry immediately became unreasonable, ¡°That¡¯s not what the story says! The stories say the magic mirror knows everything, and if you ask it, the mirror will give the answer to the person asking¡­¡±


    Agatha frowned, ¡°What kind of odd tale is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something the captain told Nina, and then Nina told me.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s expression suddenly became serious as she listened to what was essentially Sherry¡¯s pestering rhetoric. After pondering for a few seconds, she looked into Sherry¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Did the captain really tell Nina a ¡®magic mirror¡¯ story?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ yes, it was¡­¡± Sherry didn¡¯t understand why the other was getting so serious all of a sudden and felt nervous in her response, ¡°He told it just the other day¡­¡±


    Agatha thought deeply, muttering softly, ¡°He arranged for my Spiritual Body to dwell inside a mirror on this ship¡­ Could there be some other profound meaning to this¡­¡±


    Sherry was completely lost, ¡°Uh¡­ huh?¡±


    But Agatha didn¡¯t answer her. After thinking hard for a while, this ¡°guardian of the mirror¡± finally lifted her head, glanced at Sherry, ¡°Which question don¡¯t you understand?¡±


    Sherry thought for a moment and pushed an exercise book forward, ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t understand this one.¡±


    ¡°This entire book?!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¨Cif it¡¯s too much trouble, I think I can do the mental arithmetic part at the beginning¡­¡±


    ¡°Do it yourself!¡±


    Just then, Duncan, having just returned to the captain¡¯s cabin, raised his head, seemingly listening to a distant commotion.


    The goat¡¯s head on the navigation desk immediately turned its gaze, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I think I ¡®heard¡¯ Agatha¡¯s voice,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, of course, he didn¡¯t really ¡°hear¡± anything, but the ship continuously transmitted information about every corner of the Homeloss to him, ¡°She seems to be in Sherry¡¯s room, quite agitated.¡±


    ¡°Do you need to check on her or call her here?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Anyone assigned to watch over Sherry as she does her homework eventually gets worked up, and that can be considered a form of tempering one¡¯s willpower¡­¡±


    The goat¡¯s head uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± unclear whether it really understood the sarcasm in that remark. Meanwhile, Duncan silently sensed the status of the Homeloss in various places, walked over to the desk, sat down, and let out a soft breath, ¡°It¡¯s about time to let Sherry and Nina get some fresh air ashore. Luckrecia is about to return to Light Breeze Harbor; she can give them a ride.¡±


    The goat¡¯s head quietly observed the captain¡¯s movements and expression and finally couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°You seem to be in a good mood?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps because I¡¯ve figured some things out¨Cor maybe because I¡¯ve put them aside for now.¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, the cheerful image of Alice inevitably coming to mind, which brought a smile to his own lips. He then shook his head, reached into his chest, and pulled out the ¡°sketch¡± he had received from Luckrecia.


    Feeling cleansed of the irritations that had vexed his mind, it was also time to study what exactly Master Taran El had sketched in the manuscript left behind after observing Anomaly 001.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Seeing Duncan¡¯s actions, the goat head immediately turned its head curiously, its obsidian black eyes seemingly shimmering with a faint light.


    ¡°This is a sketch drawn by Taran El after observing the surface of Anomaly 001,¡± Duncan said casually as he unfolded the paper and held it in front of the oil lamp to reflect the light, ¡°It might reveal the true appearance of the ¡®sun¡¯s surface, but Taran El erased the most crucial details himself.¡±


    The goat head paused, letting out an unintelligible sigh of wonder: ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would immediately remind me of the dangers of such an action, just like you used to,¡± said Duncan, a bit taken aback by the goat head¡¯s reaction as he glanced at it, ¡°why the silence this time?¡±


    ¡°In the past, I was concerned for your safety, but now I only worry for those who foolishly oppose you,¡± the goat head immediately complimented, skillfully constructing sentences, ¡°A mere sketch cannot threaten the great Captain Duncan, not even if that sketch were to depict the true face of an ancient god¨Cit¡¯s only so-so. And after all, the one who drew it is merely a mortal. What truth could someone named Taran El possibly uncover?¡±


    Duncan ignored the goat head¡¯s flattery, which was clearly intended as a compliment, and concentrated instead on studying the patterns on the sketch paper. However, after looking it over and over for a long time, he still couldn¡¯t decipher anything from the messy smudges.


    He even felt¡­ those seemingly random lines were like a ¡°seal¡± with power, not just a layer of ink veiling the image on the paper, but obscuring it from a concept in mysticism.


    Thoughts ebbing and flowing, Duncan suddenly had an idea.


    A layer of ¡°seal¡± with ¡°power¡±?


    He bent down again, scrutinizing the crisscrossing lines and wide swaths of smudges on the sketch paper.


    Master Taran El was a seasoned and experienced scholar, as well as a devout believer of God of Wisdom Rahm. Despite health problems due to poor routines, his understanding of mysticism was certainly profound.


    Such a serious scholar, upon observing Anomaly 001 and possibly realizing some extremely dangerous ¡°factors,¡± would have immediately tried to control that danger with more ¡°professional¡± methods, even if his sanity had begun to wane¡­


    The ink left on this sketch paper couldn¡¯t be mere smudges¨Cso the true appearance hidden behind those ¡°inks¡± would never be revealed by conventional means.


    Was this actually a ¡°secret letter¡± treated with supernatural powers?


    Duncan furrowed his brows slightly, as a vague idea emerged from the depths of his heart. He then turned his head, looking at the oil lamp beside him.


    Under his gaze, the flame within the oil lamp suddenly leaped up, and then quickly turned a light shade of green.


    The flame of the spiritual body swelled and burned, even rising from the opening on top of the lampshade.


    After hesitating slightly, Duncan picked up the sketch paper and held it above the green flame formed by the spiritual body fire.


    In just an instant, the roaring green flames engulfed the entire paper!


    It indeed harbored some form of disguise crafted by transcendent power.


    The goat head on the side exclaimed in shock, ¡°Why did you burn it?!¡±


    ¡°The flames from the spiritual body only destroyed the ¡®distorted¡¯ parts,¡± Duncan looked unperturbed as he glanced at the goat head who was making a fuss and flicked his wrist to extinguish the flames on the sketch paper. And beneath the flames, the fragile manuscript paper was indeed still intact, ¡°This is its true form.¡±


    With that, Duncan held the ¡°processed¡± manuscript paper before his eyes, taking a glance at the pattern that had reemerged.


    The next second, his expression suddenly froze.


    The goat head immediately noticed the change in the captain¡¯s expression and turned its neck, both worried and curious, to look this way. However, due to the angle, it could not see the content on the front of the paper. It could only shout, ¡°What¡¯s on there? Are you all right? That¡­¡±


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    Finally snapping out of his daze, Duncan¡¯s gaze lifted from the paper, and he looked at the goat head with an odd expression, ¡°¡­It¡¯s the ancient god¡¯s true face.¡±


    The goat head: ¡°?!¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak further but slowly bowed his head to continue scrutinizing the painting on the sketch paper¨C the sphere locked by the double rune circles, that which was engulfed in dark shadows but covered with fierce blood strands and patterns, as if glaring with wide-open¡­


    Eyes.


    The true form of Anomaly 001 was a massive eye, encapsulated within a dark spherical shell.

 Chapter 543 - Chapter 543 Chapter 544 Near Dusk

    Chapter 543: Chapter 544 Near Dusk Chapter 543: Chapter 544 Near Dusk The captain¡¯s quarters were plunged into silence.


    Duncan still stared fixedly at the massive, eerie eyeball sketched on the draft paper¨C


    It was rendered in a nearly mad, messy stroke, yet it was unbelievably accurate and lifelike, such that anyone would understand the meaning of each line in the drawing with just one glance, as though the true message was woven into every element that constituted the image.


    Within those mad, messy strokes, the enormous eyeball¡¯s pupil was profound, and the surrounding structure of blood vessels and nerve plexus was faintly discernible; outside the eyeball, a layer of dim material was unmistakably covering it. Taran El used many fine lines to depict the material that covered the eyeball, seemingly striving to restore what exactly it was, and the only information Duncan received from the drawing was that it was a ¡°shell layer with a complex structure.¡±


    It was an eye encapsulated in an outer shell that seemed as precious as a gemstone.


    From nearby came the squeaking and creaking noises as the goat head at the edge of the nautical chart table turned its head extremely restlessly, as if wanting to glimpse the content on the paper but hesitating.


    After a long time, it timidly spoke, ¡°Captain¡­ what exactly is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an eye,¡± Duncan quietly reflected for a few seconds, and began to thoughtfully explain the contents of the draft paper to the goat head, ¡°Structurally, it looks a lot like a human eye, with discernible blood vessels and nerve plexuses; it¡¯s encapsulated within a spherical shell that seems like a man-made object¡­¡±


    Listening to Duncan¡¯s description, the goat head was for the first time ever so quiet.


    After a long while, it moved clatteringly, emitting an extremely uneasy noise: ¡°This is really¡­ a terrifying spectacle¡­ The true appearance of Anomaly 001 is such a colossal eyeball?! Then¡­ didn¡¯t many people during the sun¡¯s extinction period¡­¡±


    ¡°There probably weren¡¯t many who actually saw this scene,¡± Duncan slowly shook his head,¡± During the sun¡¯s extinction period, we too looked up at the sky, but all we saw was a sphere completely engulfed in darkness, whose details couldn¡¯t be directly observed¨Cthis drawing also depicts it; the eyeball is ¡®encapsulated¡¯ within a vast container.


    ¡°At that time, Taran El could only discern the true shape within the sphere by relying on the special observational device of the Academy of Truth, so there¡¯s no need to worry that ordinary people elsewhere will easily see this madness-inducing ¡®truth¡¯.¡±


    Hearing Duncan¡¯s words, the goat head seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but then it immediately started to worry again: ¡°Not many, but there could be some¨C not everyone can react like Taran El and instinctively seal off and alter their own recorded content in a state of mental breakdown; and according to Taran El¡¯s own subsequent actions, those who have seen this eyeball seem to unconsciously want to spread its appearance¡­¡±


    Duncan listened to the goat head¡¯s anxious words, yet said nothing, his face as still as deep waters, seemingly lost in thought.


    The goat head rambled on for a while, seeing that the captain made no response, it finally couldn¡¯t help but remind him, ¡°Captain, do you think we should perhaps warn¡­¡±


    ¡°Light Breeze Harbor and Frost lack similar ¡®observational¡± devices, that lens kit is the property of the Academy of Truth, precise and rare,¡± Duncan finally looked up,¡± Outside of Light Breeze Harbor, even if someone observed the surface of Anomaly 001 during the sun¡¯s extinction, they wouldn¡¯t see these ¡®truths¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Light Breeze Harbor and Frost may lack them, but other City-States might have them!¡± the goat head suddenly shouted, ¡°Who knows what those reckless fools will do! Humans aren¡¯t a reliable species!¡±


    ¡°¡­Other City-States will not see that extinguished sun,¡± Duncan suddenly said.


    The goat head, agitated up to that moment, immediately fell silent.


    ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± Duncan reminded calmly, ¡°Only the three City-States and the ¡®Exiled Fleet¡¯ witnessed the world of the sun¡¯s extinction; the entire Endless Sea, aside from those, had not experienced those twelve hours of darkness.¡±


    The goat head¡¯s head shook slightly from side to side, and finally issued an ambiguous sigh: ¡°Oh¡­ uh¡­¡±


    Duncan, however, had nothing more to say and looked down again at the sketch depicting the core structure of Anomaly 001. Gradually, another scene began to emerge in his mind¨C


    A corona burning brilliantly, and beneath it, fleshly limbs twisted and entwined, and a dying, enormous eyeball surrounded by numerous pale fleshly limbs.


    The Squirming Sun¨CBlack Sun.


    Duncan¡¯s brow wrinkled slightly, an indistinct sense of familiarity emerged that he couldn¡¯t ignore. The image in his memory quickly compared with the sketch on the paper before him, and a bold idea began to take shape in his mind.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s very similar to the ¡®True Sun God¡¯s¡¯ eye,¡± he suddenly murmured softly to himself.


    ¡°Eh?¡± The goat head was startled, ¡°What terrifying thing are you talking about!?¡±


    ¡°This eyeball, it¡¯s a lot like part of the ¡®Squirming Sun¡¯s¡¯ structure,¡± Duncan mused, and as the details in his memories were filled in, his judgment became increasingly sure, ¡°Yes, strikingly similar¨Cif you just look at this ¡®eyeball¡¯ structure by itself, it¡¯s nearly identical.¡±


    ¡°`


    With a clack, the mountain goat¡¯s head seemed to have jammed at a certain angle, stiffening completely on the sea chart table, silent.


    Even for a chatterbox like it, this was the first time it found itself entirely unable to utter a single word.


    Captain Duncan let out a soft sigh, folded the draft paper, and safely tucked it close to his body.


    Fortunately, Lucresia had been cautious enough not to leave this paper with the ordinary scholars of the Academy of Truth; otherwise, it was hard to tell what sort of trouble would have arisen¨Cthough the Academy didn¡¯t have the ¡°Spiritual Fire¡± at their disposal, which he used to break the seal on the paper, they did have various ingenious research methods that might just have restored the true pattern on the draft paper.


    Just then, a series of rapid footsteps coming from outside the captain¡¯s quarters interrupted Duncan¡¯s thoughts, followed by a knocking at the door and Morris¡¯s voice: ¡°Captain, I have something to report to you!¡±


    Duncan immediately composed his facial expression, looking up at the door: ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door to the captain¡¯s quarters opened, and Morris strode into the room, fishing out a letter as he walked: ¡°Captain, Heidi suddenly sent a letter, mentioning¡­ some unusual matters that I need to report to you.¡±


    A letter from Heidi?


    Duncan paused for a moment, then reached to take the letter, not expecting to receive contact from the mental health practitioner so soon after establishing a connection and imparting the truth, but at the same time somewhat puzzled: ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she go directly to the antique shop to find me? Why did she send the letter to you?¡±


    Ai Yi would sail between Homeloss and the City-State of Prand every day, not only transporting necessary supplies but also handling routine mail delivery and collection at places like the grand cathedral, Morris¡¯s house, and the Governor¡¯s residence. So it was normal for Heidi to send a letter through these channels, but if she wanted to contact the captain of Homeloss, going directly to the antique shop would undoubtedly be a more convenient option.


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s still a bit nervous and fearful,¡± Morris explained with a slight embarrassment in his tone, ¡°probably because she doesn¡¯t dare to meet with your avatar directly after knowing the truth.¡±


    ¡°¡­Unnecessary nervousness, she bought a vase from my shop just last week,¡± Duncan muttered to himself as he casually opened the letter, his eyes scanning the hastily-written lines, and his expression subtly shifting.


    In the next moment, Duncan quickly shed the relaxed demeanor from his face, turning serious and then increasingly solemn. He quickly glanced through the content of the letter and then fell silent for a few seconds before lifting his head to look at Morris: ¡°She encountered a Doomsday Preacher¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, and according to the description in the letter, it seems to be one of those with a semblance of rationality,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°Although that uninvited ¡®rational¡¯ guest is highly suspect, babbling nonsensically and not speaking clearly at all¡­¡±


    Evidently, this old teacher, who had taught many students throughout his life and adhered to the principle of ¡°imparting knowledge succinctly, bluntly, and understandably,¡± was quite dissatisfied and held a deep grudge against the enigmatic heretic mentioned in the letter.


    ¡°Not speaking clearly may be due to certain restrictions, but the key is that he¡¯s willing to communicate. That¡¯s the most significant distinction between the two types of Doomsday Preachers,¡± Duncan spoke quickly, then looked down at the letter again, the various pieces of intelligence mentioned therein catching his eye.


    The fourth twilight¡­ the Ark of Promise¡­ a ¡°milder¡± sun and the approaching dusk, as well as¡­ an ¡°aberration¡± that emerged and is gradually expanding the ¡°void¡±¡­


    Heidi had tried her best to faithfully transcribe in the letter the cryptic words she heard from the mouth of the Doomsday Preacher without any ¡°additional processing¡± based on her own speculation.


    And these pieces of intelligence themselves were enough to arouse countless conjectures and associations in Duncan¡¯s mind.


    ¡°That Doomsday Preacher seemed not very coherent, and he appeared during the day, instead of at night like the other ¡®normal¡¯ preachers,¡± Morris spoke from the side, ¡°He mentioned the fourth twilight and also referred to many ¡®phenomena¡¯ before the fourth twilight began; it seems his appearing during the day itself is a ¡®sign¡¯ that the so-called ¡®fourth twilight¡¯ is about to begin¡­¡±


    The fourth twilight¡­


    Duncan¡¯s mind, however, couldn¡¯t help but recall the descriptions seen in the ¡°Book of Desecration¡±:


    There have been three Creations, known as the ¡°three long nights¡±: the King of the Pale Giants perished in the first twilight, the Dreaming King died in the second twilight, the Crawling King finally succeeded in shaping all things during the third twilight, and together with the Cretan tribe, he lit what is now the ¡®sun,¡¯ ending the night; yet He Himself, for unilaterally altering the blueprint, was exiled by the other ancient kings, unable to return to His throne¡­


    Duncan slowly rose from behind his navigation table and walked to the window.


    The sun was about to set below the horizon.


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    Under the majestic confinement of the twin Rune Circles, that dazzling and warm sphere was slowly dipping into the sea, the afterglow resplendent.


    Duncan watched it, imagining he was actually observing an eyeball much larger than any City-State, one that had overseen the world for ten thousand years.


    This ¡°eye,¡± which rose into the sky during the era of the Ancient Crete Kingdom, was now nearing its end.


    It seemed that the curtain of light, woven from brightness and warmth, was about to fall with the dying sun, and after this curtain vanished, after the ¡°fourth twilight¡± described by the Doomsday Preacher arrived¡­ what would the ¡°dusk¡± of this world look like?


    ¡°`

 Chapter 544 - Chapter 544 Chapter 545 Alices New Friend

    Chapter 544: Chapter 545 Alice¡¯s New Friend Chapter 544: Chapter 545 Alice¡¯s New Friend On the foredeck of the Brilliant Starship, Sherry clung to the railing at the edge of the ship, excitedly shouting as she watched the coastline become clearer in the distance, ¡°Oh! I see the harbor! We can see the harbor now!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get so excited you fall overboard,¡± came the voice of A-Dog from nearby, ¡°and don¡¯t just stand there grinning like a fool, remember what you promised the captain before we left, even when going out to have fun¡­¡±


    Sherry didn¡¯t wait to hear the rest and began waving her hands dismissively, ¡°Yeah yeah, I know, I know. Hey A-Dog, you sure nag a lot, just like an old mother¡­¡±


    The Abyssal Hound lying nearby on the deck immediately took offense and started a fresh round of nagging, while Lucresia, standing not far away, watched the deck activities with a complex and subtly perplexed gaze, her eyes flickering with thoughts unknown.


    Nina stood beside Lucresia, watching the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± with an elegant and mysterious aura, beautiful yet unnerving with her cold and indifferent demeanor. She spoke softly, ¡°You don¡¯t find Sherry too noisy, do you? She¡¯s always like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Lucresia said lightly, turning her face slightly, ¡°This ship is always noisy, my puppets can make much more of a racket than this.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Nina replied with a chuckle, then added a bit shyly, ¡°Um¡­ thank you for letting us board the ship.¡±


    ¡°My father asked me to take you to Light Breeze Harbor, and naturally, I will follow through,¡± Lucresia spoke, glancing at Nina, seemingly a bit uncomfortable interacting with strangers. But to others, her discomfort and awkwardness might come across as cold and haughty, so she made an effort to soften her expression, ¡°You¡¯re Nina, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Nina nodded immediately, her face breaking into a sunny smile.


    ¡°¡­ You call my father ¡®Uncle Duncan¡¯,¡± Lucresia seemed curious, ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ afraid?¡±


    ¡°Not afraid at all, Uncle Duncan is really nice,¡± Nina laughed and then paused for a moment, her bright smile softening into a gentle one. She looked into the eyes of the ¡°Witch¡± before her, ¡°I know what has happened, and you don¡¯t have to worry¡­ but I think it¡¯s quite nice now.¡±


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s good then.¡± Lucresia watched Nina silently for a moment, then nodded slightly.


    But then she heard the girl named Nina ask curiously, ¡°Miss Lucresia, is your relationship with Uncle Duncan not very good?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°I heard some people saying that the Brilliant Starship had a falling out with the Homeloss a century ago. And when Uncle Duncan was bringing us here, I saw you always seemed to avoid his gaze,¡± Nina spoke, her voice trailing off, ¡°Sorry, did I say something wrong? It seems a bit impolite¡­¡±


    ¡°We did take different paths indeed,¡± Lucresia didn¡¯t mind and simply shook her head, ¡°But that¡¯s in the past. As for now, the relationship between me and my father might not be simply described as good or bad. I guess¡­ we just haven¡¯t seen each other for too long.¡±


    Nina blinked, listening, seeming to sense the subtle regret and sadness in the ¡°Witch¡± lady¡¯s tone. She hesitated for a moment, ¡°You¡¯re different from what I imagined¡­ Before I actually met you, I was quite nervous.¡±


    ¡°People always speculate wildly about things they don¡¯t understand, and they never take responsibility for their guesses,¡± Lucresia smiled, ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t need to use formalities with me, Nina. You can just call me by my name.¡±


    Nina hesitated, ¡°But you¡­¡±


    ¡°My father is your ¡®Uncle Duncan¡¯,¡± Lucresia looked at Nina, her smile finally showing some genuine warmth, ¡°It would feel very awkward if you kept using formal language given that fact.¡±


    Nina thought about it and nodded, ¡°Oh, that makes sense¡­¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s lips curled up as she observed the girl imbued with the essence of a Sun Shard in front of her, who seemed like just an ordinary girl, then turned to glance at the ¡°Demon Summoner¡± eagerly peering over the railing, looking forward to exploring the city.


    Meanwhile, the scholar Morris was in the cabin, catching up with Taran El, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in decades. It seemed like they were planning to visit the City-State University at Light Breeze Harbor. Fenna, the ¡°Exiled Arbiter,¡± was in the middle of the deck curiously inspecting the ship¡¯s unique ¡°Spiritual Body structure¡± with Rabi the rabbit as her guide.


    As for the living doll named ¡°Alice,¡± she must still be with her father¨Cright after boarding, he had said he wanted to introduce her to Luny, then took her away.


    They are Father¡¯s new ¡°followers¡±¨Cwhile countless bright minds are exhaustively speculating about the purpose of the Exiled Fleet¡¯s reformation, these people seemed as if they were on vacation.


    In a sense, these people really were powerful, each possessing unique skills, undeniably deserving a place within the Exiled Fleet. But from another angle¡­


    They were utterly different from what Lucresia had originally imagined.


    They were not a group of terrifying and oppressive ¡°Subspace Kin,¡± but on the contrary, they were interesting, and it was light-hearted to associate with them. Father had gathered these individuals not because of any profound or long-term planning, but simply by chance.


    ¡°After we dock, I will arrange a place for you to stay,¡± Lucresia gathered her scatterered thoughts, ¡°I have a few bases in Light Breeze Harbor that are kept quite clean. Do you have any particular goals when you enter the city? I can give you some recommendations.¡±


    ¡°Recommend?¡± Nina¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up at the mention, ¡°then you¡­ do you know where there¡¯s lots of good food in Light Breeze Harbor? I¡¯ve heard that this city-state has the widest variety of food in the entire Endless Sea. That¡¯s why I came here!¡±


    The expression on Lucrescia¡¯s face subtly shifted for a moment, ¡°¡­¡¯good food¡¯ of Light Breeze Harbor?¡±


    Nina nodded vigorously, ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°¡­Did my father not explain the elves¡¯ food culture to you in detail?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nina said with a puzzled look, seemingly catching the nuance in the other¡¯s tone, ¡°Eh, did I get something wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not exactly wrong, but it¡¯s something you have to experience for yourself to understand,¡± Lucrescia thought for a moment and spoke seriously, ¡°I¡¯ll take you guys to the Crown District later.¡±


    Nina looked forward in anticipation, ¡°Is there lots of tasty food there?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s close to the hospital.¡±


    Nina: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Meanwhile, in the crew rest area of the Brilliant Starship, Duncan found a spot to sit down, resting while curiously watching a scene not far away.


    Two automata were standing there, both looking somewhat dazed.


    Alice was curiously sizing up the stranger in front of her, who seemed to be even more ¡°automaton-like¡± than herself. After a long moment of thought, she suddenly turned around, ¡°Captain! How do you make friends with strangers?¡±


    ¡°Start with introducing yourself,¡± Duncan said as he pulled out a few fries from somewhere and tossed them to Ai Yi, who was strolling around a nearby small table, ¡°begin with your name.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alice nodded her head, then turned back to Luny standing across from her, ¡°Hello, my name is Alice, also known as Abnormal 099.¡±


    ¡°Hello, I am Luny,¡± the clockwork automaton standing opposite Alice introduced herself very politely, bowing slightly, ¡°I am Lady Lucrescia¡¯s servant. Are you the old master¡¯s servant?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not, I¡¯m the captain¡¯s automaton! I¡¯m in charge of cooking and cleaning on the ship!¡±


    Luny tilted her head, emitting a faint sound of gears grinding from some part of her body.


    Meanwhile, Alice continued to curiously examine her new friend, ¡°You don¡¯t have a thread on your head!¡±


    ¡°Thread? What is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something that everyone has, it floats out from the body. The captain said only I can see it,¡± Alice gestured with her hands, ¡°he said it might be a ¡®soul thread,¡¯ I don¡¯t quite understand it either. Anyway, when I grab it, the person stops moving¡­¡±


    ¡°Your words are hard to understand,¡± Luny spoke with a slightly stilted tone, ¡°I am an automaton; I don¡¯t have a soul¡­ But I do have a spring.¡±


    While saying this, the clockwork automaton turned her body to show Alice the spring handle on her lower back that looked like a big bow.


    ¡°Ah, a spring! I have one too!¡± Alice immediately perked up, and she also turned around to show her new friend, ¡°See here? There¡¯s also a spring hole underneath the clothes. I can¡¯t reach it myself, though, so the key to the spring is with the captain¡­¡±


    ¡°Interesting, we have something in common,¡± a series of joyful gear-turning sounds came from within Luny, and she seemed to become happy, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve met a being similar to myself. Both Lady and the old master said you could become my friend; it seems they were right.¡±


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    ¡°Right? The captain is awesome!¡± Alice proudly exclaimed, ¡°And look, our joints seem very similar too, although your arms are a bit stiffer than mine¡­¡±


    Luny looked down to inspect her arms, ¡°Yes, we have a similar joint structure.¡±


    Alice became even happier and then clasped her head with her hands, ¡°Oh, right, can you take off your head? I can! Look¨C¡±


    ¡°Pop¨C¡± In front of Niru, Alice took her head off and held it up with both hands, boasting, ¡°You, you, you see, see, can take, take off¡­¡±


    Luny watched in amazement as her new friend performed such an impressive feat and followed suit by holding her head and giving it a tug downward.


    Click.

 Chapter 545 - Chapter 545 Chapter 546 Extreme Conjecture

    Chapter 545: Chapter 546 Extreme Conjecture Chapter 545: Chapter 546 Extreme Conjecture Lucresia silently watched the automaton lying on the experimental table. Alice stood across the table, her face bearing a nervous and uneasy expression, while Duncan stood by her side, looking expressionless.


    After the awkward atmosphere persisted for a long time, Lucresia finally broke the silence first. ¡°¡­So, Luny just took its own head off?¡±


    ¡°¡­The process was complex,¡± Duncan said with a straight face, ¡°I was also surprised.¡±


    Lucresia couldn¡¯t help but glance at Duncan.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion, but she felt like her father, who always had a stern face and a somber temperament, had a hint of¡­ embarrassment in his expression just now.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Alice finally spoke up, her head lowered as she carefully grasped the corner of Duncan¡¯s clothes, clearly realizing she had caused trouble again. ¡°I saw that Luny was also a doll and thought all dolls were the same, so¡­ I was also surprised. It turns out its head isn¡¯t detachable, huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­You can tell that Luny also thought it was the same as you,¡± Lucresia looked at ¡°Anomaly 099,¡± which had once made countless people fearful and wary, with a subtle expression, ¡°but I didn¡¯t design that ¡®feature¡¯ for her.¡±


    Just then, Luny, lying on the experimental table and acting independently, suddenly made a move. Its head blinked its eyes, and its voice sounded slightly out of tune. ¡°Mistress, could you please connect my head first? I¡¯m sorry for the trouble¡­¡±


    Lucresia looked down at the clockwork doll without expression, sighed, and picked up tools from beside her. She began to disassemble the cover and decorative material near Luny¡¯s neck, and couldn¡¯t help but ask as she worked, ¡°Why did you thoughtlessly follow what Alice did?¡±


    ¡°Alice¡­ is a new friend,¡± Luny¡¯s head spoke from the side, its mouth opening and closing with a faint static noise, ¡°a new friend brought by the old master.¡±


    Lucresia paused briefly in her work and then continued without another word.


    Alice, a bit anxiously, watched Luny¡¯s head. ¡°So, are we still friends after this?¡±


    ¡°We can be,¡± Luny blinked its eyes, ¡°but I¡¯ll have to wait for the mistress to fix me up¡­¡±


    Alice immediately cheered up, then seemed to discover something astonishing. ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t stutter when you talk with your head detached!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, because my head can operate on its own. The mistress has installed a complete vocal structure in my skull, and my thinking is not affected by the absence of body structure,¡± Luny explained in a matter-of-fact manner, ¡°The difference between you and me is that my neck can¡¯t self-repair after breaking.¡±


    Alice thought for a moment, didn¡¯t quite understand, but nodded anyway. ¡°Oh¨Chow amazing.¡±


    Duncan watched this scene unfold, feeling that it had become incredibly bizarre.


    More bizarre than a cursed doll that lost its head was, of course, finding another doll to be friends with it¨Che hadn¡¯t even introduced Alice to the other strange ¡°servants¡± aboard the ship yet.


    What kind of commotion would ensue if this innocent wandered around on the Brilliant Starship?


    As Lucresia was bent down, busy disassembling and repairing Luny¡¯s joints, she suddenly felt a jolt at the bottom of her heart. She looked around blankly, but couldn¡¯t find the source of this ¡°jolt.¡±


    However, her attention quickly shifted to something else.


    ¡°What do you think about that ¡®eyeball¡¯ recorded by Master Taran El?¡± The ¡°Sea Witch¡± turned her head, looking at Duncan beside her, ¡°We certainly cannot disclose it to the public, but what about the Church of the Four Gods¡­¡±


    ¡°I am planning to tell them, but I haven¡¯t yet figured out how, or whether it¡¯s necessary to have some more direct contact with their higher-ups,¡± Duncan quickly gathered his scattered thoughts, speaking quite seriously, ¡°The key issue now isn¡¯t so much that ¡®Entity 001¡¯s true form is an eye encapsulated in an artificial sphere¡¯ ¨C after all, for mortals, Entity 001 has always been the unknown, and its true form could be any kind of strange and terrifying thing. What¡¯s really important is the appearance of that eyeball.¡±


    ¡°The appearance of that eyeball¡­¡± Lucresia¡¯s movements slowed down, her eyebrows knitting slightly, ¡°You¡¯re saying it resembles¡­ a structure of the Creeping Sunwheel?¡±


    ¡°The Creeping Sunwheel itself is an ancient god, surrounded and scorched by a corona, with a massive eyeball structure being a main feature amidst layers of writhing tentacles,¡± Duncan nodded, speaking offhandedly, ¡°I have a deep impression of that eyeball¨Cit gazed at me for a long time.¡±


    Listening to her father¡¯s narration, Lucresia suddenly looked around uneasily, and then glanced at Duncan with some hesitation, ¡°Discussing ancient gods directly at sea¡­¡±


    ¡°No big deal, even if that guy¡¯s ¡®gaze¡¯ really was attracted over here, it would only fall on me,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°and I have always been looking to find it anyway.¡±


    Lucresia opened her mouth but suddenly didn¡¯t know how to continue the conversation.


    In her century of wandering the Endless Sea, she had seen a great deal and interacted with even more madmen. She had been involved in every kind of taboo and dangerous topic and event, but those taboos and dangers were not discussed in such a fierce atmosphere.


    She felt she might indeed need quite some time to relearn how to interact with her father as he was now.


    Duncan didn¡¯t pay attention to Lucresia¡¯s subtly changing expression for a moment. After a brief reflection, he thought of something else, ¡°Do you remember the ¡®intruder¡¯ that appeared in Taran El¡¯s dreamscape? The projection of a Scion of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°I remember, you said it looked like a smaller version of the ¡®Wriggling Sun Wheel¡¯,¡± Lucresia nodded, ¡°And you also mentioned that the ¡®Scion of the Sun¡¯ had a brief interaction with you, that it and its minions were searching for something in that dreamscape.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, then began to speak in a calm voice, ¡°The core of Vision 001 is an ¡®eyeball¡¯ that bears a striking resemblance to the core of ¡®Wriggling Sun Wheel¡¯. Twelve hours after Vision 001 extinguished, the Scion of the Sun invaded ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ through Taran El¡¯s dreamscape, along with its minions searching for something. Clearly, there is a connection between these two events;


    ¡°On the other hand, for centuries, the believers of the Black Sun have been claiming that the deity they worship was the ¡®True Sun God¡¯ and that the sun in the sky is called the ¡®False Sun¡¯. The world has always thought that this was just their delirious delusion, a misperception of the world caused by the mental contamination of the Black Sun. But Taran El, during the sun¡¯s extinction, found an eyeball within Vision 001 that truly encapsulated a core structure very similar to the ¡®Wriggling Sun Wheel¡¯;


    ¡°Lastly, there¡¯s the Obliteration Sect follower who invaded The Dream of the Nameless¨Caccording to the intelligence I¡¯ve gathered, the goals of the Obliteration Sect are unlike those of the Sun Cultists. They are searching for the Primal Blueprint from before The Saint¡¯s creation within that dreamscape. However, according to the records in the ¡®Book of Desecration¡¯, the ¡®Profound Saint¡¯ during the era of Creation guided the Cretan clan and might have personally helped them build Vision 001. So, strictly speaking¡­ today¡¯s Vision 001, which is the ¡®False Sun¡¯ in the mouth of the Sun Cultists, can also be regarded as the ¡®Masterpiece¡¯ of the Profound Saint, a part of the Primordial Blueprint.


    ¡°This last point might also explain the ¡®cooperative state¡¯ I observed between the Obliteration Sect and the Sun Sect¨Cthey are indeed cooperating, but clearly, the relationship is not harmonious.¡±


    Duncan slowly spoke of the things he had been contemplating lately, before lifting his eyelids and looking into Lucresia¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°From this information, what do you think?¡±


    Lucresia unconsciously stopped the movement of her hands. Her expression shifted several times, heavy with a certain unease. After a long time, she spoke in a low voice to break the silence, ¡°¡­Even if a heretic who worships the Black Sun were standing here, they might say this is a bit extreme¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I heard something similar not too long ago,¡± Duncan shook his head and said, ¡°Now I just hope that the deepest truth of our world is not crazier than this¨Cotherwise, in the face of the real history, even the most extreme heretics would seem conservative.¡±


    Lucresia didn¡¯t speak, just silently lowered her gaze, deep in thought.


    Luny¡¯s head still lay on the laboratory bench, its gaze intersecting with that of its pensive mistress.


    After a while, Luny couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Mistress¡­are we still pretending? Why don¡¯t you go rest in the next room? I could get Rabi to help¡­¡±


    Lucresia exhaled, shelving the whirlwind of thoughts for the moment and picked up her tools to continue her busy work, ¡°Rabi would only stuff your head into its own belly to satiate its endless craving for ¡®cotton¡¯¨Cdon¡¯t move, I¡¯m putting your head back now.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


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    ¡­


    At the same time, in the Governor¡¯s office of Light Breeze Harbor, Governor Sala Mel unfurled a document that had just been delivered to her desk. As she read the content, the elven Governess, who had lived through long years, slowly furrowed her brow.


    The document was from the Tetradic Church¨Cnot issued by a single church, but signed by the seals of four pontiffs, witnessed by the quadriga, and sent to every City-State atop the Endless Sea.


    It proposed establishing a warning system jointly constructed by the City-State, Church, and Explorers¡¯ Association to monitor any movements in the City-State, on the sea surface, or beneath the sea that could potentially indicate a crisis, alert for a repeat of the Frost peril, watchful for the awakening of ancient gods;


    The Tetradic Church would redeploy a portion of its patrol fleets from the borders to the interior of the civilized world to respond to emergencies anywhere in the world.


    Although these two items were worrisome, they were still considered ¡°work-related¡± tasks, at least to the rulers of the City-State.


    What really caused Governess Sala Mel to furrow her brow was the last, almost casually mentioned yet particularly eye-catching item in the document¨C


    ¡°All City-States must pay heed to any warning signals from the Homeloss or the Exiled Fleet. Should the Homeloss itself be active in the waters surrounding the City-State¡­any hostile actions must be avoided at all costs, and if necessary¡­assist according to the situation.¡±

 Chapter 546 - Chapter 546 Chapter 547 Home of Lucy

    Chapter 546: Chapter 547: ¡°Home¡± of Lucy Chapter 546: Chapter 547: ¡°Home¡± of Lucy Crown Street, at the edge of the Upper City District of Light Breeze Harbor, there lay a mansion shrouded in mystery at its deepest end¨Cnumber 99 Crown Street.


    This was a distinctive three-story building with a pointed roof that bore the strong architectural hallmarks of the northern City-States, in stark contrast to the elf-style houses commonly seen in Light Breeze Harbor. It featured a dark roof coupled with a striking white facade, and towering windows with intricate patterns and solemn lines. The mansion was flanked by spacious gardens that were quite rare in the City-State, planted with all sorts of bizarre plants and shrubs that nearly no one could name.


    Many knew of the mansion¡¯s existence, yet almost no one knew its details, for its owner rarely appeared in public. On ordinary days, only a few silent servants tended the garden and the house, and when night fell, as the lights within the mansion lit up, some eerily terrifying shadows would appear in those lights¨C


    Some insisted they saw the servants, who maintained the house by day, shedding their human skins at night to become creaking puppets and tin men, moving back and forth throughout the house. Others claimed they were drawn to inexplicable whispers when passing near the estate and later found themselves inexplicably transported elsewhere. There were even those who said they had seen the plants in the mansion¡¯s front yard turn into dark thorns that enveloped the first floor of the entire house in an instant as the sun set, resembling a prison.


    From there, a myriad of bizarre rumors spread. In some of the wildest speculations, gossips alleged the house imprisoned the resentful spirit of a lady, and a curse from the mansion¡¯s basement had transformed its original servants¨Cturning them into tin men and puppets without consciousness or memory when night descended.


    However, these tales were eventually proven to be nothing more than the odd flights of fancy of overwrought bystanders¨Cand in the City-State upon the Endless Sea, similar gossip and speculation were always in abundance.


    The aberrations and corruption brought by nightfall made people nervous and prone to seeing the mouth of a windy cave or an empty house with strange noises as dens harbouring impurities in the darkness. The protectors of the City-State dealt with many reports involving Transcendent matters each day, and inevitably, there were such ¡°false alarms¡± from overstressed nerves¨Cgenerally, as long as this state of tension did not cross the boundary of ¡°psychic pollution,¡± there¡¯d be no problem.


    After all, mere anxiety wasn¡¯t enough to truly ¡°create¡± anything in the darkness; it was much better for citizens to remain vigilant than to have no response when genuine Transcendent contamination actually occurred.


    As for the true owner of the mansion¡­


    ¡°The Witch of the Seas¡± had long grown accustomed to the fearful gazes and frightful comments that surrounded her. To some extent, she had even actively spread some of the rumors about 99 Crown Street herself.


    ¡°I need a place to rest in the City-State after all; constantly being at sea can wear on the nerves, and I¡¯m no exception,¡± Lucy said as she returned to her ¡°home¡± in Light Breeze Harbor and approached the window, looking out at the quiet entrance, ¡°but I dislike dealing with people¨Cfinding a truly undisturbed spot in the City-State is difficult, even the more remote areas are crowded, so it¡¯s better to stir up some scare to deter the curious from loitering at my doorstep.¡±


    ¡°Why not consider learning from Tyrion?¡± Duncan, who was curiously inspecting the furnishings of the big house, responded to Lucy¡¯s words offhandedly, ¡°He found a deserted island in the Chill Sea as a base for the Mist Fleet, and he doesn¡¯t have to worry about being disturbed for a century¡­¡±


    Lucy turned her head, ¡°Then to secretly watch stripteases at home and get caught by Dad?¡±


    Duncan coughed awkwardly twice, ¡°Cough cough, don¡¯t talk about your brother like that¨Csay it to his face next time.¡±


    Lucy: ¡°¡­¡±


    A twitch flickered at the corner of Miss Witch¡¯s eye¨Cshe wasn¡¯t even sure if she liked her father¡¯s current personality, but she knew she needed some time to adjust.


    However, she quickly composed her expression, ¡°I can¡¯t do what he does. Claiming an island means building and managing countless facilities, commanding a fleet, keeping up everything from logistics to external communications, and I don¡¯t have the brains for that¨Cit would encroach on the time I need for research, and just maintaining the ¡®Brilliant Starship¡¯ already takes all my energy.¡±


    Footsteps approached from the side, and a servant dressed in a black and white uniform came over with a tray, bearing a heated towel and a cool drink to relieve travel fatigue. Bending slightly toward Lucy and Duncan, the servant¡¯s face displayed a stiff, corpse-like smile while sounds of clockwork and gears ticking echoed from within.


    ¡°You and Tyrion excel in your respective fields,¡± Duncan took a drink from the tray, then curiously inspected the ¡®butler¡¯ who appeared indistinguishable from a real person at first glance. However, a closer look revealed an unsettling incongruity, evoking a psychological fear. He casually spoke to Lucy, ¡°Before I saw you both again, I heard a lot of rumors about you. They made it seem like you were distant siblings, almost antagonists. It turns out the rumors couldn¡¯t be more wrong.¡±


    ¡°After all¡­the split of the Exiled Fleet was a major event a century ago, and not just anyone could find out what happened in the wake of that event. They only know that the ¡®Brilliant Starship¡¯ and the ¡®Sea Mist¡¯ headed off in opposite directions to the ends of civilized society, which inevitably led to them imagining¡­a whole array of dramas.¡±


    Lucy said this and shook her head with a complex expression.


    ¡°After you¡­ left, my brother and I had a few brief reunions,¡± she said, her eyes turned towards the window, speaking softly as if to herself about the past that others couldn¡¯t know. ¡°By then, Homeloss had completely vanished from the real world, but we could still feel that you were ¡®alive.''¡±


    ¡°In the vicinity of the border, as night fell, on the routes you once explored, the moment our minds relaxed a little, we would ¡®hear¡¯ your voice, that irrational, malicious, and destructive roar echoing from the depths of the world, struggling to rise up as if desiring to tear through the barrier between reality and Subspace¡­


    ¡°Many times, at the dim twilight of dusk and dawn, we saw you and Homeloss¨Cthat ship would surface from the darkness, moving towards us like doom, leaving death in its wake.


    ¡°However, later we realized that only we could see that scene; it existed solely in our sight, in our thoughts.


    ¡°Subsequently, my brother deduced some patterns. He discovered that it was because of ¡®our¡¯ presence that attracted your ¡®gaze.¡¯ The closer Tirian and I were, the stronger this attraction¡­ Do you know? Just like with lights, when two are gathered together, they shine more brightly. Tirian and I, we became the ¡®lighthouses¡¯ guiding you back from Subspace to the real world¡­


    ¡°Therefore, we separated, increasingly farther apart¨CTirian went to the northern border, and I kept sailing southward. When there was half a world between us, we finally stopped seeing your phantom, and when we were even further apart¡­ we could no longer hear your howl.¡±


    Lucy took a gentle breath, as if a burden had been lifted, as though her words had been held back for a century and her breath delayed for a hundred years.


    Duncan listened silently by her side, uncertain of what to say¨Che knew that the ¡®witch¡¯ was reminiscing and discussing someone else, and he shouldn¡¯t feel burdened or regretful over her tale. Yet, for some reason, he found it hard to remain indifferent. Uncontrollable emotions, which he wasn¡¯t even sure were his, welled up inside him. After a long silence, he could only sigh gently, ¡°You both have had a hard time.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ it wasn¡¯t too bad,¡± Lucy said with a smile, gently shaking her head. ¡°In the first ten years, we missed you deeply. Even when we heard those voices or saw those visions, unrealistic thoughts buzzed in our minds, wondering if you truly followed the ¡®light¡¯ back to the real world, maybe everything could be alright again.


    ¡°In the following ten years, as the terrifying disasters caused by Homeloss¡¯ frequent approaches to the real world increased, we began to feel afraid. Coupled with a sense of ¡®responsibility,¡¯ my brother and I started searching for a way to truly and completely exile you.


    ¡°A few years later¡­ our ¡®exile¡¯ seemed to take effect. As fear gradually faded and nostalgia crept back in, Tirian would occasionally bring up the old days. We were very careful not to mention your name or Homeloss, yet we couldn¡¯t help but discuss those great routes and the memorable voyages¡­


    ¡°And in the last thirty or forty years, everything that could be discussed had been. We finally stopped mentioning Homeloss, and it seemed like all had passed. Even in official documents of most City-States and the sailing logs of captains, Homeloss had become a ¡®historical term,¡¯ a legend¨Cconsequently, the dread surrounding Sea Mist and Brilliant Starship seemed to have decreased substantially.


    ¡°And then, you appeared¨Cthe news brought by the Oak from escaping the storm reached Plunder City-State¡­ Do you know? Tirian didn¡¯t sleep well for three whole days after receiving the news.¡±


    She suddenly laughed, as if for the first time in a century she laughed with such ease.


    Her silver hairpin, shaped like waves and feathers, swayed with her laughter, emitting a warm glow.


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    Duncan sighed softly.


    But just as he was about to say something, a scream suddenly came from the direction of the living room, interrupting their conversation.


    It sounded like Nina¡¯s voice.


    Duncan and Lucy quickly exchanged a glance and turned to run towards the living room.


    As they were halfway there, they heard Nina¡¯s voice filled with shock and annoyance¨C


    ¡°Them! Why! On the pancakes! Put beans¨C¡±

 Chapter 547 - Chapter 547 Chapter 548 Dietary Customs

    Chapter 547: Chapter 548 ¡°Dietary Customs Chapter 547: Chapter 548 ¡°Dietary Customs Nina, who had long anticipated her trip to Light Breeze Harbor, had been looking forward to the elvish cuisine of the City-State, only to finally face the cruel reality.


    She now sat at the table with a blank stare, looking at the heap of black substance on the table that emitted an indescribable odor¨Covercooked pancakes topped with fermenting beans that were stringy and bubbly. The combination of smells was so heart-stoppingly pungent that one could imagine it without even tasting it. This went beyond Nina¡¯s understanding of ¡°food¡± and appeared more like some kind of abstract art.


    Opposite her at the table, Sherry obviously wasn¡¯t faring much better, facing a pile of ¡°Elvish localized version¡± of sweet thin pancakes, the aroma of fermented cheese turning her rather pale.


    After a long while, Sherry lifted her head to look at Nina across from her, then pointed at the food on the table with a gesture, ¡°They say this thing is a pancake¡­¡±


    ¡°How can they insult pancakes like that¡­¡± Nina looked as though she was about to cry, ¡°It¡¯s always been my favorite thing to eat since I was a child¡­¡±


    ¡°But this is indeed the pancake from Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Taran El sat at the other end of the table, the well-known scholar from the Academy of Truth seemed somewhat nervous and uncomfortable. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of ¡°neglecting the relative of Captain Duncan¡± or simply unable to face the two girls¡¯ almost plaintive looks, ¡°As far as I know, many foreigners do find it hard to adapt¡­ but some do grow to like it a lot after getting used to it¡­¡±


    Nina looked horrified, ¡°But these beans are rotten! Not just rotten, they¡¯re stringy! The slime is even bubbling!¡±


    ¡°Yet they taste really great, truly,¡± Taran El earnestly tried to explain, ¡°and there¡¯s absolutely no health issue¨Con the contrary, it is greatly beneficial to the digestive system¡­¡±


    Nina and Sherry listened to the scholar¡¯s explanation, both with a look of their souls having left their bodies, as if their minds could no longer follow the logic of the real world.


    When Duncan arrived, the scene he witnessed was as expected.


    He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, stepping forward to ruffle Nina¡¯s hair, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you might not be able to adapt to the food from Light Breeze Harbor¨Cthe Elves have made a lot of adjustments to these specialties according to their own taste.¡±


    Nina murmured to herself, ¡°But I never imagined they would adjust them to this¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, that was my oversight¨CI should have recommended some less ¡®locally flavored¡¯ food to you first,¡± Taran El became conscious of his blunder the moment he saw Duncan appear. However, he quickly regained composure, with an apologetic tone he spoke to the two disappointed girls, ¡°The bread and smoked meat rolls from Light Breeze Harbor are no different from elsewhere. Let¡¯s get rid of these things.¡±


    Unexpectedly, upon hearing Taran El¡¯s words, Sherry suddenly pursed her lips and picked up the oddly smelling ¡°pancake¡± in front of her.


    Lucricia, who had been watching the commotion from the side, was somewhat surprised, ¡°Sherry?¡±


    ¡°This is food,¡± Sherry muttered, and with great resolve, she shut her eyes and stuffed the pancake into her mouth, chewing vigorously while making muffled noises, ¡°It¡¯s not that bad¡­¡±


    Nina watched, astonished, as her friend across the table bravely swallowed the food. After a pause, as if she had come to a realization, she silently picked up the stuff from her plate.


    The two girls wolfed down the food that Taran El had brought back.


    Then, almost simultaneously, they wiped their mouths, looked up at each other, and burst into laughter.


    The living room suddenly became quiet.


    Duncan smiled, patted Nina¡¯s shoulder, and went over to wipe off the ¡°sauce¡± from Sherry¡¯s face.


    Taran El, after being stunned for a few seconds, came to his senses and broke the silence with a touch of embarrassment, ¡°It¡¯s rare for foreigners to adapt to them so quickly¡­ Oh, right, if you¡¯re not used to these fermented foods from Light Breeze Harbor, we do have many that keep the original flavor from their origins. Besides the bread and smoked meat rolls I mentioned earlier, there are Middle Sea style cream stews, Aer grass-braised meat, mushroom stews from the Northern cuisines, and red vegetable egg custard¡­¡±


    Nina¡¯s eyes widened as she listened, a glimmer of hope returning to her gaze, ¡°So you also have food that tastes normal?! Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier!¡±


    Taran El spread his hands, ¡°Because it¡¯s not time for desserts now¡­¡±


    The recently bright expression on Nina¡¯s face stiffened again, ¡°¡­Desserts?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Taran El nodded, ¡°those I just mentioned are desserts¨Cwe usually blend them into a puree to use as a dip for honey cakes.¡±


    This time, not only Nina but also Duncan was shocked.


    Across the table, Sherry clutched her head and let out a feeble mutter, ¡°Damn it, I want to go back to the ship¡­ What the hell is this Subspace execution ground¡­ damn it¡­¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, telling himself that nobody in Subspace ate this¨Cyet, he ultimately didn¡¯t have the heart to say it in front of Taran El, the elf native.


    Just then, a bell rang from the direction of the entrance, suddenly interrupting the conversation in the living room.


    Lucricia frowned almost imperceptibly, and a ¡°manservant¡± dressed in butler¡¯s attire quickly walked out of the living room with mechanically stiff strides. Moments later, the manservant returned from the hall, bowed slightly before his mistress, ¡°A visitor from the city hall, Governor Sala Mel invites you to come for a discussion.¡±


    Lucricia frowned impatiently, ¡°Tell the visitor I will not go¨CI am entertaining more important guests and do not have time.¡±


    ¡°But the messenger said that the matter Governor Sala Mel wants to discuss is related to your ¡®honored guest,''¡± the servant continued in a mechanical, dull tone, ¡°and this matter has the witness of the Four Gods.¡±


    Lucricia¡¯s expression finally changed slightly, and she subconsciously raised her head to glance at Duncan.


    Duncan had of course heard the conversation between the servant and the other party, but his face was indifferent, merely waving his hand nonchalantly, ¡°It¡¯s quite normal, I strutted into the city with you¨Cother City-States might not care, but in the City-State of the elves, I, an ¡®adventurer¡¯ who was still active a hundred years ago, may not be an unfamiliar face.¡±


    ¡°Then he should¡¯ve come in person,¡± Lucricia said with a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone, ¡°it¡¯s not polite to just send someone over casually.¡±


    ¡°Think about Tyrion¡¯s current schedule¨Cthe governors of the City-States aren¡¯t so leisurely,¡± Duncan laughed, looking at the ¡°Sea Witch¡± who appeared aloof and arrogant but was actually just too lazy and troubled to leave her house, and said casually, ¡°Let¡¯s go out anyway, listen to what the governor has to say. I¡¯m also curious how he even brought up ¡®the witness of the Four Gods¡¯¨Cor shall I accompany you?¡±


    ¡°Ah no, I can go by myself!¡± Lucricia quickly said, then she sighed, nodded to the other people in the living room in farewell, and prepared to leave.


    Several colored paper scraps flew out beside her, but in the next second, those paper scraps returned to her body¨CLucricia suddenly stopped, looked back at Duncan with a slightly complex expression, and managed a stiff smile before stepping out of the living room.


    Duncan remained expressionless throughout.


    After Lucricia left, Taran El scratched his head in confusion, looking at the others in the living room, ¡°Doesn¡¯t she always just use a spell to hurry on her way when she goes out alone? Why is she willing to walk today¡­¡±


    Duncan nonchalantly crossed his arms, ¡°How would I know.¡±


    ¡­


    Sala Mel was somewhat surprised as he saw the ¡°Sea Witch¡± enter his office¨Cnot because she arrived on time, but because today, the witch lady actually entered City Hall through the main entrance, properly took the elevator up, walked through the corridor to the door of his office, and came in.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already opened the window for you,¡± the aged elven governor raised his hand, pointing to the open window beside him, ¡°I thought you would fly in as usual.¡±


    ¡°An illusion isn¡¯t stopped by glass, I could get in without you opening the window,¡± Lucricia said with a stern face, her tone slightly awkward, ¡°but today¡­ I just felt like walking.¡±


    ¡°Oh, indeed, appropriate exercise is good for the health, especially for scholars like you, who are focused on research,¡± Sala Mel spoke. For some reason, he felt that today¡¯s ¡°witch¡± lady was a bit off in her attitude and way of speaking, and even the aura she emitted was different from usual. But soon he set aside that bit of disharmony, ¡°Please, have a seat and take a look at the letter I¡¯ve placed on the desk.¡±


    Lucricia had already noticed the opened envelope bearing the conspicuous emblem of the Four Gods Church. She nodded, sat down opposite Sala Mel, casually picked up the letter, and scanned it quickly.


    Soon after, the ¡°witch¡± lady raised her eyebrows, clearly surprised by the content of the letter, and within that surprise, there was a subtle hint of ¡°interest.¡±


    She looked up, raising the letter in her hand, ¡°Was this letter sent to all the City-States of the Endless Sea?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the governors of various City-States should all receive it one after another,¡± Sala Mel nodded, ¡°Although I am very interested in their reactions when the time comes, I would like to hear your opinion first¨Cas the offspring of Captain Duncan, and someone who has just re-established contact with him, what do you think about the Four Gods Church¡¯s stance on this matter?¡±


    Lucricia thought for a moment, ¡°¡­The Church, they seem to be more diligent and ¡®enlightened¡¯ than I expected.¡±


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    ¡°To be precise, the attitudes of the Four Pilgrimage Arks are very enlightened,¡± said Sala Mel, ¡°Many people have a preconceived notion, always thinking that the pontiffs and their ¡®Pilgrimage Bishops¡¯ cohorts are the most rigid and inflexible representatives of this world, but in fact, the situation is often contrary to people¡¯s common sense.¡±


    Lucricia, ¡°You seem to be not bound by these ¡®common senses¡¯?¡±


    ¡°After all, living long enough makes you learn more,¡± Sala Mel shrugged, ¡°When I first received the letter I was also a bit surprised, but after considering the recent events and the Four Gods Church¡¯s activities, I¡¯m not surprised by the contents of the letter anymore.¡±


    Lucricia¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ¡°The Four Gods Church¡¯s recent activities?¡±


    Instead of answering her directly, Sala Mel suddenly asked, ¡°¡­When was the last time you encountered the Church¡¯s patrol fleet at the border?¡±

 Chapter 548 - Chapter 548 Chapter 549 Witness of the Four Gods

    Chapter 548: Chapter 549 ¡°Witness of the Four Gods Chapter 548: Chapter 549 ¡°Witness of the Four Gods Encountering the church¡¯s patrol fleet at the border?


    Lucresia was startled when she heard this question, then quickly furrowed her brows as she recalled, ¡°It must have been last month when I encountered the Fire Transmitter¡¯s ship at the border waters¡­ I haven¡¯t seen the church¡¯s patrol formations since then. But this might also be related to the fact that I haven¡¯t been frequently approaching the border recently.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, Miss Lucresia,¡± Sala Mel shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not because you have not been going to the border recently but because the Tetra Spirit Church has indeed pulled a large number of people originally responsible for patrolling the borders for other tasks¨Creducing them by about half.¡±


    ¡°The border patrols have been reduced?¡± Lucresia felt surprised, ¡°What are they doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; the Pilgrimage Ark has its own secrets, just like each City-State, they wouldn¡¯t report the whereabouts of those ships and personnel to me,¡± continued Sala Mel, ¡°However, based on the intelligence I have, those forces that were pulled have not been supplemented into the ¡®internal routes,¡¯ but are still stationed at certain locations near the border, if you understand my meaning. They are just no longer carrying out patrol missions. Instead, they are gathering at some special locations near the Eternal Veil, as if they are waiting for further orders, or perhaps preparing to deal with some greater trouble.¡±


    The City-State Governor paused, then looking into Lucresia¡¯s eyes with an especially solemn tone, ¡°Such things have never happened before.¡±


    ¡°When an elf says that ¡®such things have never happened before,¡¯ it often signifies something very serious,¡± Lucresia involuntarily quoted a well-known adage among the explorers, ¡°I think I understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Yes, madam¨Cour world is having problems. Homeloss has already issued a warning to the entire world; even an ¡®ordinary person¡¯ like me can sense that sort of crisis creeping in, the ¡®atmosphere¡¯ that things are gradually starting to go awry. So the Tetra Spirit Church, which has been observing and protecting the whole world for thousands of years, could not possibly have failed to notice anything. Of course, they have already started taking action.¡±


    As Sala Mel spoke, she raised her hand to point at the letter bearing the Tetra Spirit Church¡¯s seal.


    ¡°This letter connects their recent unusual ¡®movements¡¯ with the warning sent from Homeloss. I think¡­ the leaders of the Pilgrimage Ark have probably discovered or confirmed the ¡®root¡¯ of what your father warned about in the alert, and they have found that the problem is much bigger than anyone had imagined.


    ¡°In the face of this ¡®big problem,¡¯ vigilance and precautions against Homeloss are no longer important, even though that ship is still connected to the Subspace and may even fall back into it; they no longer care¨Cas long as your father remains on the ¡®mortal¡¯s side¡¯ for now.¡±


    The Governor finished speaking, but Lucresia did not say anything for a long time. She looked down at the letter again, seemingly still deep in thought.


    After who knows how long, it was Sala Mel who broke the silence: ¡°So, may I ask now? Miss Lucresia, your father, the legendary Captain Duncan¡­ what is he doing now? And what does he plan to do next?¡±


    He¡¯s taking care of the children, he plans to take those two girls into town to find something that normal people can eat¡­


    A few unreliable thoughts sprung up in Lucresia¡¯s mind, but she quickly cast them aside and made her expression serious again: ¡°He¡¯s very interested in the ¡®fallen object¡¯ I found, and although I don¡¯t know why, he seems¡­ to know the origin of the central ¡®stone sphere¡¯ of the fallen object. His primary purpose this time is for that.¡±


    ¡°He knows the origin of that ¡®stone sphere¡¯?¡± Sala Mel immediately looked surprised.


    ¡°Yes, he called that sphere ¡®moonstone,¡¯ and according to him, the volume of the sphere in its original¡­ or should I say ¡®normal state,¡¯ should be very, very large,¡± Lucresia nodded as she spoke, ¡°And he was also quite curious to inquire about the physical propertiesshown by the ¡®moonstone¡¯ and the composition of its surface samples.¡±


    ¡°Moonstone¡­¡± Sala Mel¡¯s brow creased little by little, but after a long period of thought, he still shook his head, ¡°I have never heard of this name.¡±


    ¡°Neither have I. My father said, no one in this world should know this name,¡± Lucresia said, ¡°When he said that, his mood seemed¡­ not very good.¡±


    Sala Mel did not speak for a moment, then after a pause for thought, he broke the silence: ¡°The frontier research team recently collected some more samples from the surface of the ¡®stone sphere;¡¯ they are currently analyzing it. Since your father is very interested in this matter, I will have them share their findings with you at any time, and I will also explain the situation in advance to the heads of each facility, so if your father wants to ¡®see for himself¡¯ some research results, that¡¯s possible too.¡±


    Lucresia raised her eyebrows: ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about causing panic?¡±


    ¡°You brought him strutting into the city,¡± Sala Mel said helplessly, spreading her hands, ¡°Do you realize how many people in this city recognize his face?¡±


    ¡°But as long as we don¡¯t make it public, I reckon many people would rather believe that it¡¯s just a face that looks very similar¨Ca man who looks exactly like Captain Duncan is more plausible than Subspace Shadows coming to town for sightseeing.¡±


    ¡°Looking exactly alike is scary enough, ma¡¯am,¡± Sala Mel said with a bitter smile, ¡°Do you know that since your father¡­ after that, even the maritime captains on the Endless Sea have stopped growing their beard?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem, it wasn¡¯t my father who shaved them.¡±


    Sala Mel was momentarily choked up and glared before shaking her hands, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about that¨CMa¡¯am, I want to know the very truth, what state is your father in¡­ right now?¡±


    It was apparent Mr. Governor tried to make his question as respectful as possible, but he also knew that asking such a question in front of the ¡°Sea Witch¡± was somewhat offensive¨Cyet he had no choice but to ask.


    Fortunately, Ruklucesia didn¡¯t show any displeasure.


    ¡°Just as I understood before, he indeed lost many memories; Subspace once destroyed his sanity and personality. The current Duncan Ebnomal¡­ strictly speaking, is already a person who¡¯s been completely ¡®restructured¡¯,¡± said the ¡°witch¡± with a complex expression, yet still disclosed what she knew, ¡°I can still find some shadows of the past in him, including familiar auras and authority, and he retains vague memories of me, but that¡¯s all.¡±


    She paused briefly, pondering her words, then continued, ¡°If you ask how I feel, I sense that he¡¯s hiding something inside¨Cdon¡¯t be nervous just yet, Sala Mel, I¡¯m not referring to Subspace, but to some¡­ non-dangerous, yet unprecedented things. It seems like another personality, or like many personalities and pieces of information overlapping¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean,¡± Sala Mel said, frowning, ¡°Can you explain it in simpler terms?¡±


    Ruklucesia thought for a moment, showing great patience as she explained: ¡°This time, when I first saw him, I briefly heard countless noises and saw rippling shadows. That should be mild symptoms of psychic contamination, but this contamination faded quickly and left no lasting effect on me. Within this contamination, I glimpsed countless glints of light escaping from behind him, looking¡­ much like the ¡®starry sky¡¯ that floats between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the Spirit Realm.¡±


    ¡°At first, before seeing those ¡®starlights¡¯, my sense of my father was a vast ¡®void¡¯. I watched his shell standing there, yet I couldn¡¯t feel his actual presence. But with the emergence of those noises and shadows, my perception of him stabilized, and I was finally able to interact with him¡­ or strictly speaking, with that shell normally.¡±


    Sala Mel¡¯s expression became very serious, ¡°How long did this process last?¡±


    ¡°A moment,¡± Ruklucesia said gravely, ¡°and it happened at the edge of consciousness and perception¨CI suspect that most people wouldn¡¯t be able to notice this process, and those who could due to heightened spirit vision would be drawn in by those starlights, losing awareness of the shell¡¯s momentary sense of ¡®void¡¯.¡±


    Sala Mel fell silent for half a minute, then spoke thoughtfully, ¡°It sounds like because you focused your attention on your ¡®father¡¯, you were able to perceive this brief ¡®process¡¯¡­ Miss Ruklucesia, your descriptions unsettle me, it feels as though¡­¡±


    ¡°I know what you want to say¨Cyou might think that the fleeting ¡®starlight¡¯ is the ¡®real¡¯ Duncan Ebnomal of today, and that the ¡®Captain from Subspace¡¯ is just a part created by this starlight, like a tentacle a sea monster extends above water to lure sailors.¡±


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    Sala Mel frowned, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡±


    Ruklucesia just shook her head lightly.


    ¡°I have my own judgment, Mr. Governor, I know that¡¯s him, although he now displays some disconcerting ¡®qualities¡¯, and even his existence has become incomprehensible and indescribable, but that starlight is him, at least part of him.¡±


    Sala Mel listened quietly, and after a long moment, he spoke with a grave face, ¡°This sounds like sentimentality, ma¡¯am, but I know you are not one to be sentimental¨Cso I can only hope your judgment is correct, at least that it stems from your usually accurate ¡®intuition¡¯, rather than from a yearning.¡±


    ¡°You can trust my judgment,¡± Ruklucesia said seriously, and pointed to the letter on the table, ¡°Or at least, trust ¡®the witness of the four deities¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 549 - Chapter 549 Chapter 550 Afternoon

    Chapter 549: Chapter 550 Afternoon Chapter 549: Chapter 550 Afternoon Before the power of the words ¡°All gods bear witness,¡± Sala Mel finally reluctantly acknowledged Lucrescia¡¯s assessment.


    Regardless of the nature of the starlight mentioned by the sea witch, regardless of Duncan Ebnomal¡¯s current mode of existence, at least, the leaders of the Pilgrimage Ark who could directly communicate with the Four Gods had made a decision to ¡°collaborate¡± with Homeloss, and that decision itself was a strong piece of ¡°evidence.¡±


    Or, to put it more extremely¨Cif even the judgments and instructions given by the Four Gods were wrong, then disasters no longer mattered. ¡°All gods being wrong¡± would be the greatest disaster of all.


    ¡°We know very little about subspace, the rules of the real world may be subverted in that realm,¡± Lucrescia turned her head, her gaze passing through the office¡¯s floor-to-ceiling windows as if gazing at the distant sea, and she spoke unhurriedly, ¡°Homeloss ¡®returning¡¯ from subspace to our real world will inevitably undergo a series of changes. You know, merely being slightly affected turned the Brilliant Starship and Sea Mist into what they are now. What about Homeloss, which has been submerged in subspace for a century? What about my father?


    ¡°There are many things that should have been anticipated.¡±


    She withdrew her gaze from the window, turned her head, and quietly stared into Sala Mel¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t even care how much of his ¡®essence¡¯ is still the original Duncan Ebnomal¨Cif even a single speck of that starlight belongs to him, I am willing to welcome him for that speck alone, as long as he still stands broadly on the side of ¡®mortals.¡¯ That¡¯s enough for me.¡±


    Listening to the witch¡¯s calm narration, Sala Mel¡¯s expression changed several times, ultimately settling into a sigh, ¡°Yes, at least that is a friendly existence, much better than a true subspace specter.¡±


    Lucrescia didn¡¯t speak again, just nodded slightly.


    ¡°How is Scholar Taran?¡± Sala Mel asked after a moment of silence. ¡°I heard that he fell into a ¡®dreamscape crisis,¡¯ and that you and your father resolved it together?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was just about to talk about that,¡± Lucrescia immediately adjusted her expression and spoke quite seriously, ¡°About the so-called ¡®dreamscape¡¯ that Master Taran El fell into, it might be more complex than you imagine. My father confirmed some information that pertains to those heretics¡­¡±


    In the next several minutes, she conveyed all she knew to the Governor before her, including the heretics¡¯ motives and the conditions of the Scions of the Sun seen in the dreamscape.


    Then, she also mentioned the intelligence from the Plunder City-State¨Cabout the Doomsday Preacher¡¯s mention of the Fourth Great Night and those mystical ¡°preachings.¡±


    Sala Mel listened intently with a serious expression, not interrupting from start to finish.


    It wasn¡¯t until Lucrescia¡¯s voice trailed off and the office fell silent for a dozen seconds that the seasoned Governor slowly nodded.


    ¡°The Dream of the Nameless¡­Indeed, there¡¯s no such term in the elves¡¯ cultural system, but it does evoke the ¡®Creation Dream¡¯ of the demon god Saslouka,¡± Sala Mel mused, ¡°Yet if such an immense ¡®dreamscape¡¯ truly exists, why has it remained undiscovered for thousands of years? The heretics claim elves are the ¡®gateway¡¯ to this dreamscape, but as far as I know, no situation like Taran El¡¯s has happened before.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve discussed this, the most likely explanation is¨CThe Dream of the Nameless¡¯s emergence is also a sign and evidence of the approaching Fourth Great Night.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Sala Mel caught on immediately.


    ¡°The Dream of the Nameless might have recently occurred, or rather ¡®manifested,''¡± Lucrescia said solemnly, ¡°It might have always been dormant, or in a ¡®suppressed¡¯ state, hence no one has noticed its existence, but as the Fourth Great Night draws near, it gradually becomes active¡­¡±


    Sala Mel remained silent, his brows furrowed, then slowly lifted his head to look at the splendid sunlight outside¨Cthe ¡°sun,¡± locked under the dual rune circles, was crossing the highest point in the sky, and it would soon be afternoon.


    After a long while, he finally broke the silence in a murmur, repeating the Doomsday Preacher¡¯s ¡°preaching¡±¨C


    ¡°¡­Dusk is approaching, the sun is becoming ¡®gentle,¡¯ and thus those banished, those erased, start returning to this world¡­¡±


    ¡­


    At the front door, Nina carefully checked her outfit and the items she needed to carry.


    The weather in this southern City-State was much warmer than in Plunder, and even though it was the cooler end of autumn, she still needed to wear lightweight clothes¨Cshe put on her favorite skirt, paired with a newly purchased pair of lightweight sandals, lifting her spirits.


    The small bag she carried out contained keys, change, and a map, and following Ms. Lucrescia¡¯s reminder, also included mosquito repellent incense and medicine, which should mean she was fully prepared.


    Lastly, there was a friend she needed to take with her.


    Nina turned her head, looking in Sherry¡¯s direction.


    Sherry was still wearing her favorite dress, now crouching down to fasten her sandal straps. Noticing the gaze from the side, she lifted her head and asked, ¡°What is it, Nina?¡±


    Nina laughed, ¡°Have you thought about where you want to go?¡±


    Despite the significant shock they had received from trying ¡°local specialty cuisine¡± that left the two girls even considering returning to the ship for a moment, Nina and Sherry eventually did not act on that impulse.


    After all, this rare shore leave during their long sea voyage was not to be wasted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where to go either,¡± Sherry stood up, patting the dust off her skirt. ¡°Didn¡¯t that elf gentleman recommend a market two blocks away? Let¡¯s just go there¨CI don¡¯t want to go to any so-called ¡®food street¡¯ anymore.¡±


    Nina nodded and then glanced at Sherry¡¯s small pouch at her waist, ¡°Do you have the mosquito repellent? The mosquitoes in this city are much more numerous than in Plunder.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sherry patted her pouch, ¡°A Dog reminded me.¡±


    Nina flashed a brilliant smile, ¡°Good, then let¡¯s get going~¡±


    The girls descended the steps in front of the big door. At that moment, however, the sound of the door unlock and the door hinge turning came from behind them.


    Sherry shivered and turned around to see a tall and imposing figure standing at the door, instantly feeling nervous.


    ¡°I¡­ we just wanted to go for a walk¡­¡± Without waiting for Duncan to speak, Sherry hastily spoke up, ¡°We have already informed Mr. Morris¡­¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t go far,¡± Nina added with a radiant smile, ¡°Just to the nearby market.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Duncan merely nodded slightly, then approached the two girls, his gaze falling on Sherry.


    Instinctively, she shrank her neck, and after several seconds, she hesitatingly spoke, ¡°I¡­ maybe I shouldn¡¯t go¡­¡±


    ¡°Take this.¡± Duncan interrupted her, then handed her some bills.


    Sherry looked blankly at the bills already in front of her, not immediately realizing what was happening.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the market?¡± Duncan¡¯s voice brought her back to reality, ¡°This is your allowance for today¨Cdon¡¯t spend it all at once. I¡¯ve already given Nina hers.¡±


    Sherry was still stunned until A Dog¡¯s reminding voice echoed in her mind, and she reluctantly accepted the not-so-large bills. Then, turning her face as if to shift the awkwardness, she murmured, ¡°I thought you were going to make me go back and do my homework¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored her reaction. He glanced at the two girls and casually reminded them, ¡°Don¡¯t come back too late, try not to go to other city districts, and if you get lost, just call me. I¡¯ll have Aer pick you up¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, got it,¡± Nina waved her hands repeatedly, sounding impatient yet still smiling brightly. Then she grabbed Sherry¡¯s arm and dragged her towards the direction of the intersection, ¡°We¡¯re off then! We¡¯ll be back before evening!¡±


    Sherry was thus pulled away, bewildered. She even turned back to glance at Duncan, opened her mouth as if to say something, but ended up saying nothing. Instead, she suddenly smiled, waving at him while being pulled away by Nina.


    Duncan watched the two girls disappear at the intersection on the opposite side. After a moment, he withdrew his gaze, his eyes finding a space not far away, ¡°Just came back from City Hall?¡±


    As his words fell, the previously empty space suddenly revealed the figure of Lukecrecia as if an illusion turned into reality¨Cshe emerged from a mirage, a trace of surprise on her face, ¡°So you noticed me already?¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°I saw you from the start.¡±


    Lukecrecia turned her head, looking in the direction Nina and Sherry had left.


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    At that moment, her expression turned complex, her eyes seemingly swirling with varied thoughts¨Cperhaps they were intermingled with memories of the past, or maybe mixed with indescribable sentiments. Eventually, she restrained all the emotions in her eyes, and when she turned to look at Duncan, only a faint smile remained on her face.


    For some reason, Duncan felt like this ¡°witch¡¯s¡± mood had suddenly improved¨Ca very, very good improvement.


    ¡°Has Taran El left already?¡± Lukecrecia suddenly asked.


    ¡°He left half an hour ago, said he couldn¡¯t relax without checking on his laboratory,¡± Duncan nodded, then asked, ¡°What did you discuss with the Governor at the City Hall?¡±


    ¡°The church has sent a notice to every City-State. Your warning to this world is beginning to take effect¡­¡±

 Chapter 550 - Chapter 550 Chapter 551 Dual Realms

    Chapter 550: Chapter 551: Dual Realms Chapter 550: Chapter 551: Dual Realms He awoke from the chaotic slumber like a newborn baby, touching this strange and incomprehensible world. His fragmented memories and thoughts were like foam bobbing and dispersing on the sea surface, unable to form a complete consciousness and cognition for a long time.


    The entire world seemed to be shrouded in a thick curtain, while his own perception felt as if it had been shattered and reassembled a thousand times by an invisible force. His mind could not comprehend those wildly disordered sensory signals¨Cthe buzzing and rumbling noise and the dim, terrifying lights and shadows seemed etched directly onto his nerves, stirring his consciousness, and pricking his thoughts.


    He tried to take a step forward, to distinguish the things beside him, to recall himself, to understand the current situation.


    Countless indistinct shapes surrounded him; these entities had formless outlines and upright shells with floating, psychedelic hollows. Eerie streams flowed within those hollows, emitting indescribable howling and hissing sounds that were terrifying.


    Then, a warm glow appeared in his perception. Following the warmth, he began walking slowly forward from the darkness and forgotten existence¡­


    Nina suddenly put down the cheap accessory she was just picking and, with a puzzled frown, turned around to look behind her.


    Sherry immediately noticed and turned around curiously, ¡°Ah? Nina, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Nina was still frowning slightly, her gaze sweeping through the crowd behind her, ¡°I suddenly felt a movement behind just now, as if someone was staring this way, but it seemed to be just¡­ an illusion?¡±


    ¡°It must be an illusion¡­¡± Sherry, hearing Nina¡¯s words, also frowned and subconsciously looked around the market, ¡°There are people everywhere here, maybe someone just glanced this way?¡±


    Though she said this, she still cautiously confirmed with Ah Dog in her mind.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing,¡± Ah Dog¡¯s response quickly echoed in her mind, ¡°just lots of people.¡±


    ¡°Ah Dog says there¡¯s nothing,¡± Sherry whispered to Nina with a lowered voice, ¡°Its perception is definitely reliable.¡±


    Nina blinked, looked back again, and then shook her head, ¡°¡­ It seems to be an illusion.¡±


    The market was crowded, and the originally spacious area seemed a bit congested with bustling crowds. Not only could one see locals, but many tourists in foreign attires leisurely strolled through the market. The vendors¡¯ calls mingled with the crowd, sounding almost noisy yet vibrant with life.


    In such a bustling place, feeling a gaze or two occasionally was nothing unusual.


    ¡°Ladies, are you buying or not?¡±


    The vendor¡¯s voice came from across, interrupting Nina¡¯s daydream.


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Nina immediately reacted, apologizing to the vendor with a smile, then picked up the hair clip and brooch she had just chosen, ¡°Pack these two for me. Sherry, do you like anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t choose anything,¡± Sherry shook her head, ¡°We¡¯ll go to the next store in a bit.¡±


    After the vendor packed the items, and Nina had paid, the two girls continued their leisure stroll through the lively market. It was still early before sunset, with the sun still hanging high above the City-State, allowing them plenty of time to enjoy.


    (The engulfing mist around stung the skin and eyes. The incessant highs and lows of roars and howls seemed capable of tearing the eardrums. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the fragmented thoughts and disordered perception somewhat dulled the unbearable pain. Forgetting his own existence, he staggered forward in this chaotic and indescribable world, continuing to think laboriously.


    What is skin? What are eyes? And what are eardrums? How am I walking? How did I get here?


    Starting from the most fundamental questions, he began to be puzzled by everything.


    Yet there were annoying things, constantly interfering with his thinking and memories, bringing him more pain and confusion.


    He tried to look up, seeking the source of that annoying disturbance¨Ca vast¡­ noise.


    He was somewhat puzzled, for in his shallow, fuzzy consciousness, ¡°noise¡± should be something invisible, but he felt¡­ what he was seeing was indeed noise.


    A mess of twisted ripples, endlessly oscillating up high, the ripples covering the entire chaotic sky, stirring those dim floating lights and shadows, mingling with countless roars and noises on the ground, nauseating, terrifying.


    He cautiously moved forward amidst the noise, carefully avoiding the indescribable forms with psychedelic hollows emitting various hissing sounds, slowly shifting, continuing to move¡­)


    Nina stopped again, this time standing in the middle of the road, her eyes wide, staring at an empty space.


    In her eyes, even a faint golden shimmer seemed to quietly emerge.


    Sherry also stopped immediately, a bit puzzled as she furrowed her brows looking at the empty space. After several seconds, she somewhat uncertainly broke the silence, ¡°I felt it just now too, it¡¯s as if something is watching us, and it even seems to have followed us over¡­¡±


    ¡°Did Ah Dog feel it?¡± Nina¡¯s nerves involuntarily tensed up as she asked quietly.


    ¡°Ah Dog still says it didn¡¯t feel anything,¡± Sherry carefully observed the surroundings and replied in a low voice, ¡°But it said that having ¡®illusions¡¯ repeatedly itself is worth being cautious of, perhaps something that shouldn¡¯t exist in the real world is exerting influence¡­¡±


    Nina lightly nodded, while also using her peripheral vision to keep an eye on the situation at the market.


    Among the bustling passersby, she could see the church guards stationed by the roadside.


    The ¡°Knowledge Guards¡± from the Academy of Truth watched over this densely populated place, dressed in academy-style robes with large-caliber revolvers at their waists. Their alert yet calm gazes focused on the streets and the square¨Cthose blessed eyes by the God of Wisdom Rahm could detect the intrusion of evil into reality instantly.


    However, these ¡°Knowledge Guards¡± seemed quite relaxed, apparently unaware of anything amiss in the market.


    ¡°That feeling has vanished¡­ The guards don¡¯t seem to react either, but I still feel like it wasn¡¯t an illusion,¡± Nina muttered quietly to Sherry.


    Sherry responded in a similarly hushed tone, ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°¡­Should we report to those guards by the road?¡± Nina thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Uncle Duncan said to report any danger like heretics instantly to the guards.¡±


    Sherry paused, startled. Her mind, usually filled with violence and profanity, hardly considered ¡°reporting¡± as an option.


    Yet recalling Captain Duncan¡¯s repeated ¡°righteous reporting¡± stirred another strange feeling in her¨C


    As a violent, crude, uneducated misfit, was she morally unfit to align with the mindset of this family of the Evil God?


    However, after a brief moment of dissonance, she couldn¡¯t help but shake her head, ¡°How do we report? Just say we always feel like someone is following us? The guards will think we¡¯re causing trouble¡­¡±


    (Broken and fragmented memories¨Cwhat could be pieced together?


    Struggling to think, stumbling forward, they recalled a dark red color, like thick accumulated blood, floating in the sky of their memories, endlessly chasing¨Cchasing their¡­ companions.


    Companions? What are companions?


    Suddenly, new memories surged from the depths of their mind, and finally, they remembered more.


    Ah, they had companions, they had set off on a long journey, but what were they supposed to do?


    It seemed¡­ they were to save the world.


    Following the Prophet¡¯s guidance, heading towards the direction where the red light fell, searching for a way to save the world. Many had started together, but soon the hunter siblings fell, then the gloomy magician, followed by several knights¡­)


    Nina, however, decided to report to the guards at the scene after all.


    Although explaining the motive for reporting might be intricate, professional matters ultimately needed the professionals. Besides, as Uncle Duncan had said¨Cso long as one¡¯s demeanor was sincere, no one would pursue responsibility if the reporting failed, and who knew, it might even earn them a reward.


    She dragged the reluctant Sherry towards the guards by the roadside.


    (Ah, that warm feeling appeared again, not far ahead, even¡­ radiating a dim brightness.


    They stopped thinking, instinctively moving forward.


    Thick ¡°curtains¡± gathered around, seemingly intentionally obstructing their steps. Buzzing noises converged, emitting hissing sounds as bizarre forms moved around, filled with indescribable malice and emitting unspeakable terror.


    Yet, they quickened their pace towards the light, like¡­


    Rushing towards the only thing in their memory that still seemed familiar, still comprehensible.)


    Nina reached the roadside.


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    The Knowledge Guard in an academy robe turned around, curiously eyeing the two girls who looked like they were still in high school.


    ¡°Ladies, do you need help?¡± the guard asked with a smile, his tone gentle.


    (Hissing and murmuring noises came from ahead, the bundle of light seemed to approach an indescribable form, and a surge of intense unease washed over them.)


    ¡°We feel something isn¡¯t right¡­¡± Nina explained to the guard, voicing the sentence they had been formulating along the way, ¡°Just now¡­¡±


    (They finally reached the warm glow nearby, and from a distance, they reached out a ¡°hand¡± to touch the blurred shadow.


    In that instant, all veils and fog seemed to turn into invisible boundaries, and the ¡°actual touch¡± that pierced through the boundary was the first sting of pain felt by the lost wanderers in this new world.


    They leapt forward.)


    Suddenly, a scream erupted from behind, echoing throughout the entire market.

 Chapter 551 - Chapter 551 Chapter 552 Disrupting the Scene

    Chapter 551: Chapter 552: Disrupting the Scene Chapter 551: Chapter 552: Disrupting the Scene Pedestrians screamed in terror and scattered. The guards at the academy sharply raised their heads and, at the same time, swiftly drew the revolvers at their waists.


    Nina had barely begun to speak when she was abruptly interrupted by the commotion. Instinctively, she pulled Sherry, who was next to her, then quickly turned around to look toward the direction of the screams.


    (Past the curtain, past some invisible boundary.


    The roaring and noise suddenly intensified to an unbearable level, sharp pain vibrated within perception, intense light filled the ears, eyes stung by the noise, skin evaporated and boiled in the wind, and an indescribable massive sphere hovered in an equally indescribable sky, madly pulsating and writhing.


    Malicious entities began to stir¨Cthe irregularly swelling forms moved wildly around, shaking the entire world with their terrifying roars.


    But¡­ where was one¡¯s weapon? Where was one¡¯s armor? Where were one¡¯s comrades? Where was one¡­?)


    A horrifying, indescribably shaped black ¡°chunk¡± suddenly charged out of thin air and crashed to the ground.


    The chunk, resembling some kind of flesh yet constantly refracting a metallic icy sheen, kept reconstituting its bizarre surface which now and then reflected colorful illusory lights, as if something was roaring and pulsating within the light.


    This terrifying object of dread incited panic among the crowd, and everyone scattered.


    Only two ¡°Knowledge Guardians¡± on site did not hesitate to pull out pistols and spell-casting tools and rushed towards the frightening ¡°reality intruder.¡±


    Their loud shouts reached Nina and Sherry¡¯s ears, ¡°Kids, run!¡±


    The guardians¡¯ shouts jerked Nina awake amidst the sudden massive chaos. She stared wide-eyed at the center of the turmoil.


    She was unsure if she was hallucinating.


    Because in that fleeting moment, in those first few seconds, perhaps even shorter than that, she thought she saw something far more unbelievable than the terrifying chunk¨Cyes, in that very first second, it looked¡­ like a person.


    She doubted if she had seen correctly since that moment was so brief, and looking at the reactions of the others around¡­ it seemed no one else had noticed that scene.


    The guardians had already charged forward. Uncertain of the sudden ¡°intruder¡¯s¡± mysterious traits, they didn¡¯t shoot rashly but initially shattered several vials on the ground nearby. The volatile agents in the vials quickly dispersed into the air, forming a misty, lingering ¡°air wall¡± that refracted enchanting light when the sunlight hit it.


    It was as if some rainbow-like crystalline barrier had formed within the surrounding air mass.


    The two guardians were the first to enter the ¡°air wall,¡± one held a gun pointed at the still rolling, pulsating object on the ground, while the other rapidly spread more liquid and powder on the nearby ground, ignited a portable candelabrum, quickly constructed a temporary protective barrier using crystals and metal chunks, suppressing the object¡¯s movements.


    Sharp whistles then came from the other end of the street, and other patrolling guardians promptly arrived to support. They dispersed the remaining pedestrians on the pavement while expertly performing a series of seal, suppression, and purification procedures inside the ¡°air wall.¡±


    Nina and Sherry stood nearby, dazzled by the scene. They weren¡¯t nervous; they were simply fascinated.


    For although they had encountered quite a few supernatural events up to now, they hadn¡¯t really seen how professional guardians ¡°processed events¡± by following procedures.


    Trained ordinary people controlling a sudden intruder in the real world with strict operational standards and skilled collaboration¨Cthis scene was nothing like the usual way Uncle Duncan (the captain) dealt with issues.


    And just then, within the ¡°air wall,¡± the metal-sheened chunk that resembled living steel suddenly burst into fierce motion again, and the temporary seal hastily constructed by the guardians was immediately challenged¨C the transparent shell-like structure covering the ¡°intruder¡± cracked in places, emitting a piercing, tearing noise. The two guardians maintaining the ritual pressure instantly stepped back, one of their crystal prisms shattering in a moment.


    But that seemed to be the ¡°intruder¡¯s¡± final resistance.


    The guardians quickly regained their composure amidst the panic, preparing to reinforce the seal again, only to find that the ¡°Living Steel Chunk¡± in the center of the site was rapidly weakening its squirming, as if its life force was quickly fading. Strange hissing sounds and friction noises continuously emanated from within it, gradually turning somber. Its irregular surface seemed to gradually solidify and settle down, its metallic ¡°skin¡± spreading a grayish hue, akin to rapidly weathering stone.


    In the end, it almost completely ceased all movement, except for intermittent, slight twitching on its surface, resembling the muscle spasms of a dead animal.


    ¡°Target activity decreasing, stop reaction to Catalyst 17,¡± a guardian holding a revolver in one hand and several vials in the other quickly said.


    Another guardian, holding a particularly thick heavy book in both hands, intently stared at the ¡°Living Steel Chunk¡± in the center of the site while sensing something. After a moment, he spoke, ¡°The target has no cognitive activity.¡±


    ¡°Still signs of activity in the center area, but it¡¯s subsiding¡­ no signs of external communication detected.¡±


    ¡°Class III catalysts are insensitive and do not belong to any ¡®known species¡¯ of invaders¡­ When is the team from the academy arriving?¡±


    ¡°We have sent the message, they need a minimum of fifteen minutes.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Everyone, be vigilant, pay attention to your mental state, and do not leave the barrier area. Report immediately if you see or hear anything unusual.¡±


    The guardians were professional and swift in dealing with the sudden situation, although what had entered the real world was an ¡°entirely new entity¡± not recorded before. They showed no sign of panic ¡ª until a sudden voice came from beside them.


    ¡°Um¡­ Mr. Guardian, what is this thing?¡±


    Nina, pulling Sherry along, had reached the nearly inactive ¡°Living Steel Chunk¡± and both girls, with incredible courage, were carefully observing the nearly two-meter-diameter ¡°substance¡± on the ground when the former couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously.


    The nearest Knowledge Guardian nearly jumped on the spot.


    The middle-aged man, who wore a cloak and appeared more like a middle school teacher than a warrior in demeanor, turned his head in horror, only to see the two young ladies standing behind him ¡ª the ones who had initially walked up to him, perhaps to report something. He had thought that these two girls would have been evacuated immediately, so why were they still here?


    And the next second, the guardian realized an even more incredible fact.


    ¡°How did you get in?!¡±


    He stared dumbfoundedly at Nina and Sherry, his eyes swiftly flickering to glance behind them ¡ª the ¡°air wall¡± used to block off the area was still intact, floating several meters away, and the barrier, shimmering with a rainbow crystalline texture, showed no signs of being breached, nor had he felt any physical touch against this barrier¡­


    How did these two girls, who looked like middle school students, just stroll in?!


    ¡°I walked in,¡± Nina saw the guardian¡¯s dumbfounded reaction and the immediately defensive posture of the other guardians, and she finally felt a bit nervous, ¡°just¡­ just walked right in.¡±


    Beside her, Sherry quickly nodded, using her long-practiced but recently unused acting skills to look innocent and obedient, ¡°We were just curious and came over to look, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Walking in?!¡± The guardian stared, his years of professional training prompting him to silently recite Rahm¡¯s prayers in his mind while he placed one hand on his gun handle, his eyes firmly fixed on the two girls in front of him.


    A faint silver light emerged at the bottom of his eyes.


    However, Nina and Sherry merely stood there harmlessly, like two ordinary children out shopping.


    And Nina really didn¡¯t know what had happened.


    She noticed the encircling mist, but just felt that this gas represented a ¡°division line,¡± like a frame drawn on the ground with white paint; naturally she walked right in, feeling no barriers ¡ª just as sunlight naturally passes through glass.


    As for Sherry¡­ Sherry didn¡¯t feel the barrier either.


    Because she walked with the sunlight.


    The tense and bizarre standoff lasted several seconds, and the guardians on site, as if facing a great threat, half of them had faint silver lights swimming in their eyes. Rahm¡¯s blessing temporarily enhanced their ability to discern reality, to observe these two girls who seemed ordinary, yet whose actions and words hinted at something suspicious.


    Nevertheless, they found nothing unusual.


    Only the oldest-looking middle-aged Knowledge Guardian still felt a vague discomfort in his heart; he always felt something was hidden in front of him, deep within the smile of one of the girls, and so he couldn¡¯t help but glance at Nina again, the light twinkling in his eyes.


    But suddenly, he felt it might be unnecessary to continue watching ¡ª this baseless thought made him unconsciously retract the light in his eyes.


    The guardian rubbed his eyes, momentarily forgetting the unease that had just surfaced in his heart.


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    ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to interrupt your work, did we?¡± Nina said apologetically.


    The guardians exchanged glances, a few of them quickly exchanging looks and murmuring amongst themselves.


    The most senior-looking middle-aged guardian stepped forward, his expression serious yet slightly cautious.


    ¡°Sorry, ladies, could you please¡­ come with us?¡±


    (I have a headache, fever, a cough, and a sore throat. Not sure if it¡¯s Covid again¡­ Wish me luck.)

 Chapter 552 - Chapter 552 Chapter 553 Saving People x2

    Chapter 552: Chapter 553: Saving People x2 Chapter 552: Chapter 553: Saving People x2 Take a trip?


    Nina was stunned at first, then she understood what was going on.


    She thought about the whole incident and the actions she and Sherry took before and after the appearance of the strange object that looked like ¡°living steel,¡± and realized that it was perfectly normal for the Knowledge Guards to be cautious¨Cany incident involving a Transcendent invasion must be investigated to the fullest extent to encompass all people and objects that might have been contaminated, which was an ironclad rule of the Guarders.


    While on the ship, Fenna would often talk about her daily work as a Judge, which included many rules of the Guarders, and according to Uncle Duncan¡¯s usual sayings¨Cit was these strict, almost harsh ¡°rules¡± that ensured the survival of the City-State in the Deep Sea Era, and ensured most ordinary people could still live relatively peaceful days in this dangerous world.


    So she nodded, then discreetly tugged at Sherry¡¯s arm beside her to prevent her from suddenly uttering any vulgarities, then looked at the Knowledge Guard in front of her, ¡°Okay¡­ but if we don¡¯t go back, our families will worry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just to confirm whether you¡¯ve been mentally contaminated or subconsciously influenced,¡± the Knowledge Guard seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and patiently explained, ¡°This is a necessary screening and protection process. If there is no contamination, you will be allowed to leave soon.¡±


    He paused for a moment, then added, ¡°After we get to the Institute, you must first register your basic information, and someone will contact your families, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s go then,¡± Nina smiled, then turned to look at Sherry, ¡°No problem, right?¡±


    ¡°What problem could there be,¡± Sherry muttered, ¡°I¡¯m kind of looking forward to it¡­¡±


    Nina detected in her tone a sense of eagerness to see the fun and even a hint of schadenfreude, knowing what this guy was looking forward to, but she said nothing more and instead focused on the ¡°lump¡± that had nearly ceased its activity, and asked curiously, ¡°Do you know what this is?¡±


    ¡°Some sort of anomaly that has invaded the real world, but I cannot disclose the details,¡± the Knowledge Guard spoke with an official tone, ¡°If after evaluation it is deemed a public affair, the Academy will announce it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Nina drew out the sound and turned around to prepare to leave with the Guarders, but before she did, she couldn¡¯t help but pause, look back one more time at the strangely shaped ¡°lump.¡±


    It had gradually become still, and even the last twitching and trembling had stopped, a rocky texture spreading slowly over its completely solidified, iron-grey exterior.


    ¡­


    At 99 Crown Street, within the ¡°mysterious residence¡± with its towering spires and lush gardens, Duncan and Lucracia were casually chatting about the many things that had happened in Frost lately, and Maurice curiously interacted with the clockwork puppet Luny nearby, seemingly intrigued by the latter¡¯s driving mechanism, while Fenna was not in the living room¨Cnow was her time for daily prayers, and Lucracia had prepared a ¡°prayer room¡± especially for this devout Storm saint.


    ¡°¡­ When I left, order had been restored in Frost City, but it will take quite an effort to clean up the pollution left by the Prime Element,¡± Duncan spoke of the Northern situation to Lucracia, ¡°I hear Teyran¡¯s overtime arrangements have been scheduled through the next quarter¡­¡±


    ¡°After frolicking as a pirate in the Chill Sea for half a century, now I have to make up for the debts incurred during my lazy phase,¡± Lucracia said sentimentally, ¡°By the way, have you ever been to the frozen sea area further north of Frost?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve only heard that there are endless ice plains there, the ice extends all the way into the dense fog at the border. I am curious about it, but the events at Light Breeze Harbor concern me more.¡±


    ¡°They say that within certain ice layers in the frozen sea area north of Frost, there are even relics left by explorers from The Dark Age and Old City-States, and some have tried to cross those ice layers to explore the fog, only to be devoured by the sudden extreme cold¡­ Comparatively, I think the warmer southern seas might be a better breakthrough point for challenging the ¡®frontier¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°If I get the chance, I really would like to see that border¡­ Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m aware of the dangers of that dense fog, I¡¯m just very curious¡­¡±


    ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t rush into the fog again.¡±


    The reunited ¡°father-daughter¡± pair chatted intermittently, discussing the recent happenings, the myriad of incredible phenomena over the Endless Sea, and the fog at the border and those dangerous realms far removed from the civilized world.


    Their topics couldn¡¯t always continue, and Lucracia was not a person adept at chatting, but it was incredible how they had already talked for such a long time.


    However, Duncan suddenly stopped.


    He seemed to ¡°hear¡± something, his brows furrowed slightly, and after a brief moment of focused sensing, he looked in a certain direction outside the window.


    Lucracia immediately noticed her father¡¯s unusual behavior, ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°Nina is calling for me,¡± Duncan said, his expression somewhat odd as he looked back at Lucracia, ¡°¡­ Which way is the Academy?¡±


    ¡°The Academy?¡± Lucracia was instantly baffled, ¡°What are you going to the Academy for?¡±


    ¡°To fetch someone.¡±


    Lucracia: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Nina.¡± Nina hesitated before choosing not to reveal her current ¡°surname.¡±


    The registrar across the table didn¡¯t seem to care much, continuing just as a matter of routine, ¡°Age?¡±


    ¡°17 years old.¡±


    ¡°Occupation?¡±


    ¡°Still in high school¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you a native of Frost?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m from the City-State, here in Frost for tourism, staying temporarily with¡­ relatives.¡±


    The registrar was recording these basic details one by one. Hearing the girl opposite to him honestly answering the series of questions, he smiled, lifting his head with a gentle tone to soothe her, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, young lady, this is just some routine registration. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong; you¡¯ve just accidentally gotten involved in a Transcendent incident. This registration is for your protection¨Cdon¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± said Nina obediently, before giving the registrar across from her an embarrassed glance, ¡°It¡¯s just that I hope you won¡¯t get scared later on.¡±


    ¡°Me? Why should I be scared?¡± The registrar was taken aback and, unable to help a wry smile, waved his hand dismissively, thinking the young lady¡¯s words were just nervous babble, not to be taken seriously, ¡°Ah, if only your companion could be as well-mannered.¡±


    Nina was momentarily stunned, pricking up her ears to the noises coming from the next room, and sure enough, she heard some distinctly Sherry-like *profane language*.


    However, it didn¡¯t sound like wild cursing but rather like the use of dirty words as a form of self-expression, similar to when someone casually inserts highly maternal language into a conversation¨Cin Sherry¡¯s own words, they were just ¡°verbal punctuation.¡±


    So, Nina relaxed a little and, with an embarrassed smile, said, ¡°She¡¯s actually being quite restrained right now.¡±


    ¡°No worries, we¡¯ve seen all sorts here, especially those who have come into contact with Transcendent powers. It¡¯s normal for them to be mentally unstable or even destructive. We¡¯re used to it,¡± the registrar said unconcernedly, waving his hand, ¡°It¡¯s just a bit surprising, seeing a girl who seems so well-behaved¡­¡±


    Nina recalled Sherry as she had been in front of Uncle Duncan and thought that, from a certain perspective, the registrar¡¯s first impression wasn¡¯t entirely off¡­


    After a short while, she curiously asked, ¡°When can we go back?¡±


    The registrar, wearing a ceremonial robe from the Academy of Truth, turned his head and glanced at the incense and the quietly burning candle on the table beside him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait until the incense has burned out and the candle flame has extinguished naturally. If there¡¯s no reaction from all of the catalysts, then you¡¯ll be free to leave.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Nina nodded, then, after a few quiet minutes, she asked again, ¡°What about that ¡®thing¡¯ that appeared in the market earlier? Has it been captured?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, no comment,¡± the registrar shook his head, then added as a reminder, ¡°I suggest you stop following up on it and try to avoid recalling it, because some ¡®alien entities¡¯ that invade the real world can create a parasitic effect in the minds of witnesses. Although we haven¡¯t found you or your companion to be contaminated yet, frequent recollection and excessive curiosity can still attract unwanted effects.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Nina nodded again and finally quieted down, seemingly patiently waiting for the incense to burn out and for the ¡°inspection¡± to be over.


    The young registrar sitting opposite her silently breathed a sigh of relief. While organizing the forms he had just recorded, he adjusted his posture and withdrew his hand from a secret compartment under the table.


    In his hand was a small device resembling a pocket watch.


    Hidden by the tabletop, he flicked open the cover of the device; when the ¡°lid¡± softly popped open, what appeared beneath wasn¡¯t a set of hands and dial, but a surface that looked like mercury¨Cthis layer of ¡°mercury¡± gently undulated as if it were a living thing.


    He cautiously tilted the ¡°mercury¡± surface towards the girl across the table and carefully observed the changes on the silvery liquid.


    This girl named Nina seemed mentally normal, spoke clearly, and was even quite cultured, but this alone couldn¡¯t alleviate the concerns of a professional clergyman¨Cbecause often, people who have been spiritually contaminated can still appear ¡°mentally clear¡± for a short time. If not carefully screened, the pollution could surreptitiously spread.


    According to reports from the field team, this girl and her companion had approached a patrolling Keeper of Knowledge seconds before the ¡°invading entity¡± appeared and had engaged in many illogical actions during the event¨Call these anomalies undoubtedly required careful scrutiny.


    However, the mercury surface didn¡¯t show any abnormal shadows.


    The ¡°registrar¡± furrowed his brows and brought the device closer to his eyes to examine the minute fluctuations between the rises and falls of the liquid.


    Suddenly, it seemed he truly saw something within the gently rippling mercury¨C


    It was strands of golden brilliance.


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    It was converging flames.


    It was an enigmatic and immense power, ancient lost knowledge, a grandeur of light and heat from time immemorial, the essence of all things¡­


    A roaring sound rose in his mind, a storm of knowledge assaulting the boundaries of reason, a longing for the truth that seemed to seize his mind. The soul of a mortal craving the gravity of the sun, he abruptly widened his eyes, fixated on what was about to engulf him¨C


    A hand suddenly extended from the side, blocking his vision.


    ¡°Stop looking if it¡¯s nothing,¡± a deep, authoritative voice entered his ears, ¡°Everyone knows it¡¯s not right, yet you keep staring. What¡¯s wrong with you people from the Academy of Truth?¡±


    (Resign all fantasies, brace for the sunshine¡­ But rest assured, I¡¯m feeling alright, so there won¡¯t be an interruption in updates.)

 Chapter 553 - Chapter 553 Chapter 554 Truth Confidant

    Chapter 553: Chapter 554 Truth Confidant Chapter 553: Chapter 554 Truth Confidant A roaring noise that nearly tore the soul apart echoed incessantly in his consciousness, chaotic and out of control perceptions stirring his sanity, which gradually subsided as time passed. The ¡°Storm¡± had persisted for an unknown period before the registrar suddenly became aware of his own existence.


    He heard the pounding of his own heart, as his sanity struggled back from the brink of loss to the ¡°human¡± side. He belatedly realized what had just happened and instinctively raised his head to look in the direction of the unfamiliar sound.


    Duncan stood before him, with the Spectral Flame still lingering behind him, his tall figure like a dark cloud fallen from the sky, exuding an indescribable oppressive aura.


    The registrar thought for a moment, then suddenly recalled a sentence a girl named Nina had spoken to him, ¡°¡­ just don¡¯t be afraid later.¡±


    He recognized the tall figure before him¨Cfor an elf, something that happened a hundred years ago was not too far in the past.


    But before he could exclaim aloud, a gentle force suddenly infused into his mind, and at the same time, a familiar voice came from not far away: ¡°Leave this to me.¡±


    The registrar turned his head towards the source of the voice.


    A middle-aged man in a deep blue Academy robe, with slightly graying hair and a thick tome under his arm, walked into the room, looking over with a calm yet tired gaze.


    ¡°Truth Confidant, sir!¡± the registrar exclaimed, as if saved, and immediately stood up from beside the desk and quickly distanced himself from Nina and Duncan.


    He opened his mouth as if intending to report something, but before he could speak, the middle-aged man known as ¡°Truth Confidant¡± interrupted him with a gesture of his hand, ¡°I am already aware of the situation here. The City-State University will take over this matter now, no more questions needed. Your work today is over, leave here immediately and go for a psychological assessment.¡±


    The registrar left with full of speculation and confusion, while Duncan¡¯s gaze settled on the weary-faced middle-aged elf, examining him carefully before curiously asking, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± the middle-aged elf frowned in confusion but then nodded in realization, ¡°Oh, right, I heard your memory was affected by the Subspace¡­¡±


    He sounded weak and weary as he spoke, so much so that even his expression of surprise lacked variation in tone. Finally, he sighed and raised a finger to himself, ¡°Ted Riel, the ¡®Truth Confidant¡¯ of Light Breeze Harbor, responsible for the safety of this city in the Transcendent field. We knew each other a hundred years ago when you¡¯d often invite me for a drink, discussing many matters related to the frontier.¡±


    Ted Riel? Truth Confidant?


    Duncan furrowed his brows; he certainly didn¡¯t remember the name, but the situation of encountering someone familiar wasn¡¯t surprising. Before coming to Light Breeze Harbor, he knew there must be many here who would recognize him¨Cafter all, a hundred years wasn¡¯t a long time for elves, and back then, Homeloss often operated on the edge of the civilized world, dealing mostly with frontier cities like Light Breeze Harbor.


    So, after a brief reflection, he used his prepared response, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t remember, the Subspace took a good part of my memory, please forgive me.¡±


    Ted Riel waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s alright, forget it then. ¡®Forgetfulness¡¯ is the greatest blessing from Rahm, and I have already gotten used to dealing with ¡®forgetfulness.''¡±


    Used to dealing with ¡°forgetfulness¡±?


    Duncan felt puzzled, sensing some underlying resentment and significance in those words, though they seemed not directed at him. But before he could inquire further, the ¡°Truth Confidant¡± continued, ¡°I heard from Miss Lucracia and the field team leader about what happened. The lady behind you is Miss Nina?¡±


    Nina, having already risen from her chair, hid behind Duncan and scrutinized the stranger curiously. Hearing her name, she boldly came forward, greeting politely, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Nina.¡±


    Then she looked up somewhat sheepishly at Duncan, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Uncle Duncan¡­ Did I cause you trouble?¡±


    Duncan laughed, ruffling Nina¡¯s hair, ¡°It¡¯s all minor, no need to worry.¡±


    While speaking, he was inwardly relieved¨Cgetting accidentally involved in a Transcendent event while attempting to report an anomaly to the guardians was far better than leading a group of ghostly sailors rampaging through the city center and getting caught by the sheriffs¡­


    Compared to the commotion Lauren had caused before, the little trouble with Sherry and Nina was already quite harmless.


    With this thought, he then asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Sherry?¡±


    Just as he spoke, he heard footsteps suddenly approaching the doorway; Lucracia then walked into the room with Sherry, ¡°Dad, here¡¯s Sherry.¡±


    Sherry looked anxious and cautious as she entered the room, carefully observing Duncan¡¯s expression before she approached him hurriedly with small steps, rapidly explaining, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything bad! Nina and I were just about to report a situation to the guardians when suddenly a strange thing appeared, and those jumpy guardians insisted on taking us¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I apologize on their behalf,¡± Ted Riel turned to glance at Sherry, ¡°but it was a necessary safety protocol.¡±


    Sherry had just reached halfway when she was suddenly startled by a stranger¡¯s voice coming from beside her. She turned her head to look at the middle-aged man with an unremarkable appearance who had been hardly noticeable before, ¡°Who is this person¡­ Uncle, who are you?¡±


    ¡°He is Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s ¡®Truth Confidant¡¯ Ted Riel,¡± answered Lucresia, the ¡°Sea Witch¡± beside her, nodding towards Ted Riel as a form of greeting, then she added, ¡°You can think of him as the ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ or ¡®Judge¡¯ of this City-State.¡±


    Hearing this, Sherry instantly darted to Duncan¡¯s side.


    Ted Riel, seeing Sherry¡¯s exaggerated reaction, was stunned for a moment before turning to look at Lucresia, ¡°¡­Am I that frightening?¡±


    Lucresia spread her hands, ¡°I guess it has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Duncan, on the other hand, turned to look at Sherry who had scurried to his side, ¡°I see you getting along just fine with Fenna all the time. Why are you afraid of a ¡®Judge¡¯ or similar figures now?¡±


    ¡°Is it the same thing?¡± Sherry shrank her neck looking at the ¡°Truth Confidant¡± across from her, murmuring under her breath, ¡°Fenna has already joined the gang, this one isn¡¯t one of us¡­¡±


    Duncan immediately glared at her, ¡°Team, how many times do I have to say it¡¯s ¡®team¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Duncan sighed helplessly and shook his head before looking up at Ted Riel and the approaching Lucresia, ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten the gist from Nina, so let¡¯s skip the explanations and formalities¨Cnow, I would like to see that ¡®weird thing¡¯ Sherry mentioned. Is it in this facility?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in Containment Room Twenty-Four, located in the underground archive of the central district,¡± Ted nodded his head, ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    After speaking, this weary-faced ¡°Confidant¡± took out the thick book he was carrying under his arm and casually flipped open a page, tapping it with his finger.


    The next moment, the book¡¯s page suddenly flew into mid-air; Duncan saw a large door painted on the page, covered with numerous arcane and complex symbols¨Cin a dizzying sequence of transformations and reorganizations, the door drawn on paper quickly transformed into a translucent, ethereal doorway in the air.


    The semi-transparent ethereal door opened, revealing a blurred view of a corridor deep underground in a facility.


    Duncan watched this scene, initially amazed and thinking there¡¯s no wonder that the faction with the highest cultural level in the world¨Cthis ¡°Confidant¡± from the Academy of Truth indeed seemed a bit cooler than Fenna¡¯s chopping stunts.


    His second reaction was curiosity, wondering what would happen if he took it down from mid-air during the paper unfolding process¨Cthis bold idea swirled in his mind for a second, the next he noticed Lucresia¡¯s subtly watchful glance at his side.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t mess around.¡±


    The ¡°Witch¡± Miss quietly mouthed a reminder.


    Duncan casually turned his face away, tucking away his audacious thoughts.


    Following Ted Riel¡¯s lead, Duncan, Lucresia, and the curious-looking Sherry and Nina sequentially passed through that floating ethereal door.


    The brief dizziness and sense of dislocation soon ended, and when the lights and shadows in front of them stabilized again, they had arrived in the underground archive of the ¡°central district¡± mentioned by Ted.


    A profound, lengthy corridor appeared in Duncan¡¯s view, illuminated on both sides by bright gas lamps. Close to these lamps, one could see the reliefs carved with the Holy Symbols, emblematic figures, and scriptures of the God of Wisdom Rahm, lined up, giving the imposing hallway a dignified and substantial air. Additionally, every certain distance, there were emergency isolation gates, with several rooms between each gate featuring tightly closed doors.


    ¡°This is the containment area,¡± Ted Riel glanced at the two curious young women beside him and casually explained, ¡°Suspect samples found unexpectedly, anomalous items below medium threat level, and various items contaminated and unable to be destroyed promptly are imprisoned in these rooms according to their danger level and containment methods¨Cdon¡¯t rashly approach those doors; the things inside are not very tame.¡±


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    To corroborate the ¡°Confidant¡¯s¡± warning, as he spoke, various vague sounds emerged from some rooms along the corridor, including the noise of chains rubbing, murmurs as if someone was talking in their sleep, the disgusting noise of thick liquids churning, and the footsteps that continuously resonated behind the doors, as if something would step out at any moment.


    Sherry and Nina immediately recoiled their curious gazes, the expressions on their faces finally showing some serious tension.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze swept through the adequately secured rooms.


    The next second, the entire corridor fell silent.


    ¡°Now they¡¯re behaving,¡± Duncan nodded in satisfaction.

 Chapter 554 - Chapter 554 Chapter 555 Its Alive

    Chapter 554: Chapter 555 It¡¯s Alive Chapter 554: Chapter 555 It¡¯s Alive The corridor of the underground archive fell into silence.


    This place was located beneath the highest-tier university in Light Breeze Harbor, comparable to the central cathedral of a city-state managed by the Death Church or the deep sea¨Cit was clear that the ¡°sealed artifacts¡± contained here were far from ordinary. At the very least, they would have to be exceptional beings like Alice, ranking within the top one hundred, or pollutants with a similar level of danger.


    And such beings or pollutants shared a common trait: characteristics of living things.


    They might possess inconceivable cognitive abilities, means of communication with humans, or tendencies to move and escape, and regardless of how pronounced these ¡°characteristics of living things¡± were, they at least had the instinct to seek benefit and avoid harm¨Cjust like Alice, who had instinctively behaved herself before Duncan even though she had no memory of him.


    In short, they had a bit of brains¨Cthough not much, but enough to fear death.


    Duncan appreciated these somewhat intelligent beings, which often made things easier for him on many occasions.


    Lucresa looked over here with a hint of awe, Nina and Sherry first widened their eyes in surprise, then raised their faces pridefully¨CGod knows why they felt so pleased with themselves.


    Ted Riel, on the other hand, first paused, then looked at Duncan with a complicated gaze¨Cnot with common fear, but also devoid of vigilance and hostility. It seemed he was pondering something and only after several seconds did he suddenly blurt out, ¡°You can come here more often while you¡¯re in Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Duncan was somewhat surprised, ¡°During my first encounter with other city-states, they couldn¡¯t wait for me to stay as far away as possible. Places like the central cathedral were guarded by heavy forces straight away. Why are you inviting me over here?¡±


    Ted pointed his finger at the now quiet corridor: ¡°When you¡¯re here, I can take a break.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    However, the Truth Confidant in front of him did not pay attention to the subtle reactions of the others to his words. He just mentioned it and continued to walk deeper into the corridor.


    The others picked up their pace to follow him, but this time Duncan intentionally lagged a few steps behind. He approached Lucresa and asked in a low voice, ¡°I don¡¯t remember much about this ¡®Confidant,¡¯ does he always act like this? I mean¡­ this resentment, as if he¡¯s been overworked for a lifetime.¡±


    Lucresa lowered her voice as well: ¡°Lord Ted has recently been teaching the graduating class.¡±


    Duncan froze upon hearing this: ¡°¡­The leader of the city-state¡¯s guardians still has to do this? I remember that Fenna didn¡¯t have other duties like this when she was a Judge.¡±


    ¡°The Divine Power and the actions of the Believers are closely related. Studying and disseminating knowledge are necessary parts of performing the sacred rites for the followers of Rahm. That¡¯s why the entire clerical system of the Academy of Truth is structured as an ¡®academy,¡¯ where senior clergy must teach students. The higher the rank, the heavier and more difficult the teaching duties are¨Cthus, the Truth Confidant has to teach the graduating class, and it¡¯s the most difficult one to manage.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    As he listened to Lucresa share this astonishing new knowledge, a strange feeling welled up in his heart, and he could not help but look up and take in the Confidant a few paces ahead.


    Ted Riel, who was walking in front, immediately noticed the gaze and turned his head back. A flicker of puzzlement crossed the Confidant¡¯s mind¨C


    Why did ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± who had lost his memory due to Subspace interference and was just now as estranged as any other, now have a look filled with inexplicable understanding, nostalgia, and sympathy?


    After a brief moment of confusion, Ted Riel shook his head and stopped in front of a door at the end of the corridor.


    ¡°Here we are, containment room number twenty-four.¡± He raised his hand and pointed at the door before them.


    That door was engraved with many Holy Symbols and seemed to be cast from black steel, with its surface inlaid with tiny particles of silver-white metal. Sherry curiously glanced at the door a few times, feeling as if drawn into the profound black and specks of silver-white, a sense of her perception leaving her body emerging. Frightened, she quickly withdrew her gaze.


    Nina looked up at the corridor from whence she came, and then around containment room twenty-four, furrowing her brows curiously, ¡°There¡¯s not even a single guard around here? For a place so important and dangerous, isn¡¯t there supposed to be someone on watch?¡±


    ¡°People are stationed at critical nodes, but the fewer people are near the containment chambers, the better,¡± Ted Riel glanced at the curious girl and casually explained, ¡°Some ¡®anomalies¡¯ have the ability for psychic parasitism and mind transfer. Too many guards around the containment chambers could inadvertently give those things the potential to breach containment.¡±


    ¡°For the vast majority of ¡®anomalies¡¯ and contaminants, the correct sealing method is far more important than the number of security personnel,¡± Lucresa added an explanation, ¡°A stone placed correctly or a scattering of metal powder on the ground can keep certain anomalies quiet for years, but an extra ¡®person¡¯ might cause an intangible and immaterial force to break through containment. Therefore, the core areas of many sealing facilities actually have the fewest people, with numerous sealing measures taking effect in the absence of personnel.¡±


    ¡°The guards stationed outside the core area are there not so much to deal with the monsters inside, but rather to protect against external invaders, to prevent someone from coming in to disrupt the containment conditions,¡± Ted Riel nodded, placed his hand on the door of the sample containment chamber, and with the sound of a ¡®click¡¯ that seemed to come from nowhere, the door opened, ¡°However¡­ the ¡®sample¡¯ that was brought in this time is truly the most special one I¡¯ve ever seen, and I¡¯m not even sure whether it should be placed in the sample containment chamber or somewhere else.¡±


    The door opened to reveal a brightly lit room that was not particularly spacious. The floor and walls were covered in complex and precise holy symbols, and the number of oil lamps, smeared with special grease, and gas lamps on the walls was surprisingly abundant. Besides that, there was no other furniture in the room, only a square platform in the center on which that peculiar¡­ ¡°sample¡± was placed.


    A clergyman wearing college robes with a pitch-black, peculiar mask on his face and hands securely locked by shackles stood next to the platform, seemingly the guard for the containment chamber¨Cwhen Ted Riel walked into the room with the group, the ¡°guard¡± with bizarre shackles on their hands looked up and after seeing Ted Riel, nodded slightly.


    ¡°Any signs of the sample activating?¡± asked Ted.


    The guard shook his head silently.


    ¡°Any sign of the shackles opening?¡± Ted inquired further.


    The guard lifted his own hands to show the shackles to the Truth Confidant and shook his head again.


    ¡°Good, you¡¯ve worked hard. Go and rest,¡± Ted appeared relieved and gave a slight nod, ¡°I¡¯ll take over here¨Cremember, personally place the ¡®shackles¡¯ back on the ¡®statue¡¯ hands, don¡¯t attempt to exchange places with the statue, and don¡¯t react to its ¡®cries for help.''¡±


    The guard nodded silently and left the room.


    ¡°The shackles are part of Anomaly-087, ¡®the statue,''¡± Ted Riel began to explain to Duncan and the others after the guard had left, ¡°Through a special ¡®pact¡¯ ritual, we can borrow the shackles from the ¡®statue¡¯ for a certain period. The wearer of the shackles must not speak and can, while wearing them, restrain and bind a designated entity in front of them. We usually use them to help control those recently discovered, yet unidentified dangerous items.¡±


    ¡°Like¡­ a ¡®reality invader¡¯ that suddenly appears at the market, mysteriously out of nowhere.¡±


    Lucresa murmured softly, lifting her head to look at that quiet mass on the central platform of the room, which emanated an iron-grey metallic luster.


    It looked like a mass of steel that had cooled and solidified, yet the surface contours still retained an unusual softness and smoothness, as if it had once undulated like some kind of soft-bodied creature and then quickly solidified into this form. Scattered across that smooth ¡°skin¡± were occasional angular protrusions, giving the impression¡­


    As if something was trying to break free from inside the mass.


    ¡°These protrusions appeared after the sample was brought to the containment chamber,¡± continued Ted, ¡°In the few minutes after its arrival here, it suddenly showed strong activity, and its surface structure changed drastically. We thought it might try to break the seals, and even considered moving it to a higher-level containment area. But after those minutes, its activity dropped off a cliff, to the extent it¡¯s almost hard metal now.¡±


    ¡°Almost?¡± Duncan keenly caught a key point in the word choice.


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    ¡°Yes, almost, because it¡¯s actually still ¡®alive¡¯,¡± Ted nodded, ¡°At the very core of the mass, there¡¯s a faint active ¡®signal.¡¯ Even as the whole mass has solidified like this, that core is still active, and you can even listen to it¨C¡±


    While speaking, the Truth Confidant opened his magical book to a page and tapped it gently with his finger.


    A device, much like a stethoscope, materialized out of the air just above the page.


    Ted casually tucked the book under his arm, picked up the ¡°stethoscope¡± and placed it around his neck, then pressed the other end carefully against the surface of the ¡°solidified metal.¡±


    In the next second, a rhythmic sound echoed throughout the room¨C


    Thump, thump, thump¡­


    ¡°It has a heartbeat,¡± Ted looked up, ¡°Inside this mass of metal, there¡¯s a heart that¡¯s still alive.¡±

 Chapter 555 - Chapter 555 Chapter 556 Contact

    Chapter 555: Chapter 556: Contact Chapter 555: Chapter 556: Contact ¡°Before we know more, we can¡¯t recklessly perform destructive testing on this material¨Cespecially after confirming that it has a living heart inside,¡±


    Ted Riel said while opening his hefty tome, retracting the ¡°stethoscope¡± back into the pages. A complex expression appeared on his always tired-looking face.


    ¡°Frankly, this is the strangest ¡®thing¡¯ I¡¯ve ever seen in my life. I¡¯ve seen plenty of indescribable entities that invade the real world, but a pulsing metal mass is not so common, and it¡¯s so¡­ quiet,¡±


    ¡°Quiet?¡± Lucracia asked, unconsciously frowning upon hearing this.


    ¡°Yes, quiet, almost harmless,¡± Ted Riel nodded, ¡°As you have seen, its ¡®shell¡¯ has almost solidified. According to the field team, it had a brief period of vigorous activity just after it entered the real world, but it quickly changed into this ¡®solidifying¡¯ state. Moreover, it hasn¡¯t shown any ¡®active characteristics¡¯ like trying to escape containment, contaminate the guards, or resist external probing¡­¡±


    As the secret-keeper spoke, he slowly shook his head: ¡°This is very unusual among ¡®living¡¯ ¡®anomalies¡¯¨Can attempt to break containment is the prime characteristic of all ¡®living anomalies¡¯.¡±


    Lucracia didn¡¯t speak for a moment, while Nina gradually revealed a thoughtful expression. It was unclear what she was pondering when she suddenly said, ¡°Does it seem like it¡¯s ¡®tired of living¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting¡­ perspective, although I don¡¯t think this living metal would have such a human response,¡± Ted Riel glanced at Nina, but clearly he didn¡¯t take this whimsical thought to heart, ¡°I am more inclined to believe that it¡¯s unable to adapt to our world¡¯s living conditions, but with time it might gradually acclimate, and then it might go through another phase of increased activity.¡±


    ¡°Tell us about what happened at the market,¡± Duncan interrupted the silence, his gaze falling on Nina and Sherry, ¡°Nina, when you contacted me, you said that you and Sherry felt an inexplicable surveillance, and were about to report it to the watchers nearby when this ¡®thing¡¯ suddenly appeared?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Nina immediately nodded, recalling the situation as she spoke, ¡°Multiple times, Sherry and I felt like we were being watched, and there was a presence drawing near. I believe it was this thing¨Clater, when Sherry and I were about to find someone to report it, it couldn¡¯t contain itself and sprang forward, and¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped, a hesitant look on her face. After several seconds of hesitation, she spoke again with a frown and less certainty: ¡°Moreover, there¡¯s a very disturbing detail I¡¯m not sure I saw correctly. When this thing first appeared, in the corner of my eye, I thought¡­ I thought it was a person.¡±


    Nina¡¯s voice was full of doubt, and the room went quiet at her words. Even the usually weary and lazy Ted Riel suddenly widened his eyes. However, before he could speak, Sherry, who was closest to Nina, was the first to exclaim, ¡°What? What did you say? It was like a person at first? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°The field team¡¯s report didn¡¯t mention this,¡± Ted Riel spoke, his expression extremely serious, ¡°Miss Nina, are you certain?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said I¡¯m not sure if I saw it wrong,¡± Nina said a bit nervously, ¡°The market was chaotic, with people running everywhere. I might have been mistaken¡­ Or maybe the watchers on the scene missed it. After all, it was just for a moment at the beginning¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely, ¡®Strict Contact Process Recording Standards¡¯ are enforced in the protocol of the watchers. Since many ¡®anomalies¡¯ indeed have the ability to rapidly change themselves or avoid detection, we require personnel executing ¡®first contact¡¯ to provide a detailed description of ¡®the initial moment of contact¡¯, and whether anyone¡¯s gaze shifted during the action, to ascertain if there was an ¡®observation gap¡¯ with the target¡­¡±


    Ted Riel briefly explained the protocols of the ¡°Knowledge Guardians,¡± then shook his head: ¡°According to the field team¡¯s report, they initiated contact the instant the target entered the real world, with at least two guardians watching the spot where it appeared even before it manifested. There was also at least one person watching it continuously throughout the encounter, so there was no possibility of an ¡®observation gap¡¯.¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking, Duncan suddenly broke the silence, ¡°But I believe what Nina said.¡±


    Ted Riel looked taken aback, as if realizing something, ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°At least from Nina¡¯s perspective, this ¡®invader¡¯ looked like a person at the very beginning,¡± Duncan said calmly, then glanced at Sherry, ¡°You were with Nina all the time, and you didn¡¯t see that moment, right?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sherry immediately shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t see it ¡®like a person¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Different observers, leading to different ¡®forms¡¯ observed on the same target?¡± Ted Riel¡¯s eyes evidently underwent a change as he looked at Nina with surprise and contemplation, ¡°And only Miss Nina saw something different from everyone else around¡­ Why is that?¡±


    He seemed to be filled with great curiosity, and his gaze quickly turned to Duncan: ¡°Does Miss Nina have something special about her?¡±


    This ¡°Keeper of Secrets¡± looked quite puzzled; he wasn¡¯t aware of Nina¡¯s background. After all, Nina would seem like an utterly ordinary seventeen-year-old girl to an outsider, provided that one doesn¡¯t actively invoke ¡°Spirit Vision¡± to observe her¨Cbut without a doubt, this ¡°ordinary girl¡± must have something special about her.


    Simply because she was able to stay aboard Duncan Ebnomal¡¯s ship.


    ¡°Have you heard of the ¡®Black Sun Descending¡¯ incident in Prailand? If so, you should know that when the Homeloss left that city, it took away some fragments of the Ancient Sun,¡± Duncan said, pointing at Nina, ¡°She is one of them.¡±


    He did not pay attention to Ted Riel¡¯s suddenly animated expression but instead refocused his attention on Nina, ¡°Do you still remember what that ¡®person¡¯ you first saw looked like?¡±


    Nina immediately tried to recall and finally spoke after a moment, ¡°It seemed like a person wearing strange ancient armor, the kind you see in history books, like a can of iron¡­ Oh, and a ragged scarf, or maybe a short cape? Because it was just for an instant, I¡¯m not sure about too many details¡­¡±


    She paused then added, ¡°Because they were wearing a helmet, and the armor seemed very thick, I couldn¡¯t tell what the person inside looked like, not even if they were male or female, but I could feel that the armor was tattered, as if it had been through many battles.¡±


    ¡°A warrior clad in ancient armor¡­¡± murmured Lucresia on the side. She quickly pondered and asked another question, ¡°Then how did this ¡®person¡¯ transform into a mass of living metal? Did you see this process?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nina shook her head, ¡°in an instant, it turned out this way, as if there wasn¡¯t a gradual change¡­ Maybe I blinked? I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t remember clearly¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Remembering this much is already very impressive, you¡¯ve provided some crucial and important information,¡± Duncan said, consoling the somewhat downcast Nina, before turning and walking over to the platform where the ¡°sample¡± was placed.


    He looked at the solidified ¡°living metal¡± with a serious expression, sorting through the information he had grasped so far.


    In the first moment, ¡°it¡± appeared to be a warrior wearing thick ancient armor, and moreover, the armor was worn and battle-scarred.


    Nina had repeatedly felt eyes on her, creating a sensation of being tracked, which suggests this entity likely came for her, or perhaps¡­ for the ¡°Ancient Sun.¡±


    People came and went in the market, but no one noticed anything unusual when Nina first felt the gaze and the sense of being tracked, indicating that ¡°it¡± either possessed some kind of perceptual disruption ability or had ¡°transitioned¡± into reality from a deeper world like the Spirit Realm¡­


    Duncan slowly reached out his hand, pressing it against the ¡°metal¡¯s¡± surface.


    A cold, hard sensation transmitted from his fingertips.


    He felt as though he could sense the heart buried deep within this mass of metal, its slow pulsations, and the deep heartbeat sound.


    It was alive, alive in a way incomprehensible to humans.


    It seemed to have had a purpose but encountered an accident at the very last step of its mission¨Cit appeared from hiding and lunged at Nina and Sherry, likely not intending to become a solidified mass of metal in the end.


    Ted Riel looked nervously at Duncan¡¯s actions, then subconsciously shifted his gaze to the ¡°witch¡± nearby.


    Lucresia just shook her head, signaling not to interfere.


    A trace of pale green sparks appeared at Duncan¡¯s fingertips.


    He carefully controlled the flame, ensuring it did not ignite the metal in front of him, which clearly belonged to the ¡°Transcendent¡± category. He let the fire permeate into the metal, sensing its life flow, its heartbeat, and possibly existing¡­ thoughts.


    However, all that responded to him was a vast emptiness and a blurred, chaotic ¡°sense of touch.¡±


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    There seemed to be no information inside the metal that could be ¡°interpreted.¡±


    Yet, for some reason, Duncan always felt there was something hidden in the depths of that void and blurred chaos¨Cit wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t find it, but that he temporarily couldn¡¯t ¡°understand¡± it.


    ¡°¡­ Who are you?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask silently in his mind, ¡°Where do you come from?¡±


    After an indeterminate amount of time, that vast emptiness remained, yet within the faint signals returned by the flame, a ripple seemed to suddenly appear.


    Duncan felt as if he heard a voice, or rather, an ¡°intention,¡± emerging in his own mind¨C


    ¡°We are trekking toward the end of days.¡±

 Chapter 556 - Chapter 556 Chapter 557 Trekking towards the Doomsday

    Chapter 556: Chapter 557: Trekking towards the Doomsday Chapter 556: Chapter 557: Trekking towards the Doomsday (Trudging towards the apocalypse.


    The Ranger, born from the Evergreen Mountains, often said this while setting up camp before each sunset, gazing at the deep red slash across the horizon with such sighs, describing in his own words as a ¡°quite romantic notion¡± ¡ª it was the greatest courage and the utmost romance in the world as the apocalypse approached.


    However, neither courage nor romance could halt the steps of death. The Ranger fell at the last kilometer before the crossroad, a malevolent arrow piercing his chest, an ironic death ¡ª the master of the bow died by the bow.


    The Necromancer dealt with the ambushing assailants, two ragged corpses; they had lain in wait on the road, launching a sinister attack as the team approached. The undead ¡°Trait¡± of having no breath or heartbeat had eluded the Ranger¡¯s scouting, and the wind had masked the stench they emitted, creating yet another tragic mishap, just like every farewell along the way.


    The armored Warrior came to the edge of the campsite, seated himself on a dry tree stump, and quietly gazed at the dusk.


    That unsettling deep red streaked across the sky like a bloodstain about to tear the world apart, where it seemed as if blood surged, and countless spectral phantasms beyond mortal minds were brewing, coldly watching this world swiftly succumbing to ruin.


    Footsteps approached; the Necromancer sat down beside him, silently gazing with the Warrior at the bloody streak in the twilight.


    After a moment of silence, a deep voice emanated from the Warrior¡¯s helmet, ¡°The two assailants during the day¡­¡±


    ¡°They were the hunter siblings, the first to die,¡± responded the Necromancer, his voice emanating from his black hood, as somber as a voice from the grave. ¡°They caught up to us; the dead need no rest, hence they are faster.¡±


    ¡°We personally buried them in the forest outside the kingdom¡¯s gate, and you conducted the soul soothing ritual¨Cwhy would the dead you pacified still rise?¡±


    ¡°Along this journey, many have risen. See that deep red in the horizon? The direction where the red light first fell¡­ It has expanded to double the size foretold by the Prophet. It¡¯s a wound that has severed our world; the soil under our feet and the sky above our heads are decaying because of this wound, and rotting¡­ faster and faster.


    ¡°The process of transition between life and death is starting to deviate from what I understood.¡± The Necromancer stated quietly, his tone lacking emotion as usual, only a cold sadness in stating ¡°the facts.¡±


    Not everyone can accept his way of speaking; had the Shield Knight still been here, he would undoubtedly have begun a long lecture of exhortation by now.


    However, the Warrior looked back, only to see the lone figure of the Paladin by the campfire, with the Flame Warlock¡¯s frail and thin silhouette curled up in the shadows of the fire. Other than them, there was no one else in the camp. The Shield Knight, who always had sharp exchanges with the Necromancer and liked to preach to his teammates, was no more¨Che had fallen in the wilds outside Sandstone Fortress, the cause of death still unknown.


    ¡°Afterwards, others might ¡®catch up,''¡± the Necromancer added seemingly uncomfortable with the quiet, shifting the topic awkwardly after a few seconds of silence. ¡°Most likely will be people from our former squad.¡±


    ¡°Why? Just because the hunter siblings caught up today?¡±


    ¡°Because they still remember the mission to trudge toward the apocalypse¨Cbut no longer remember us,¡± the Necromancer whispered, ¡°before the influence of that red light expanded, we didn¡¯t deal with their bodies properly.¡±


    The Warrior went silent for a while: ¡°¡­ How should we properly deal with them?¡±


    ¡°Incinerate, burn them completely with the Fire of Malevolent Spirits, then shatter all the larger bone fragments. If possible, soak the skulls in acid and bury them deep.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±


    The next day, the Necromancer was dead.


    He was found at the edge of the campsite, his heart stolen by some dark force in the night, leaving just a horrifying hollow in his chest. However, eerily, he had a strange smile on his face just before he died, as if¡­ he felt fortunate to be rid of this burdensome mission early.


    The Warrior, Paladin, and Flame Warlock held a ¡°funeral¡± for the Necromancer¨Cthey completely incinerated his body with the Fire of Malevolent Spirits, smashed all the remaining bone fragments they could find, and soaked the fragments of his skull in a clay pot filled with acid, burying it at the camping spot.


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    Now, only three remained.


    As the black smoke from the burning bones ascended, the Warrior once again gazed at the distant deep red that seemed to be slicing through the entire world. After a long silence, the diminutive woman finally asked the question no one else dared to voice.


    ¡°Shall we continue moving forward?¡±


    The Warrior turned, looking at the red-haired Groska woman.


    He remembered how she looked when they first started¨Cshe was brimming with confidence, her eyes sparkled with vitality, her words carried pride, chosen by the kingdom, designated by the Prophet as the ¡°Chosen One of Destiny,¡± she believed in her strength and predetermined great destiny more than anyone else.

 Chapter 557 - Chapter 557 Chapter 557 Trekking to the Apocalypse_2

    Chapter 557: Chapter 557 Trekking to the Apocalypse_2 Chapter 557: Chapter 557 Trekking to the Apocalypse_2 However, she now asked this question.


    ¡°We must indeed march forward,¡± the warrior said gruffly, his heavy visor masking his expression, yet his tone was still resolute. ¡°We must save our kingdom, stave off the spreading apocalypse.¡±


    ¡°By trekking toward the apocalypse, can we truly halt the apocalypse itself? At that deep crimson end, does there really exist an enemy waiting for us to defeat? If we defeat it, will the problem be resolved? Just like the Prophet said?¡±


    ¡°The Prophet has never been wrong,¡± the warrior stubbornly said.


    After a moment of standoff, the Flame Warlock nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±


    Three days later, as the team crossed an unnamed forest, the Groska woman collapsed in a clearing by the river.


    There was no enemy, no trap; she was consumed by her own flames-uncontrolled arcane energy suddenly surged from within her, like countless living evil spirits, instantly tearing her apart and burning her to ashes. Her scream was brief, the pain perhaps momentary.


    The good news was that the uncontrolled fire burned thoroughly, eliminating the need for additional handling of her body¨Cfrom those ashes, not a bone fragment larger than a fingernail could be found.


    Now, only two people were left in the team.


    The Paladin, even more reticent than the previously deceased mage, and the warrior himself, ever clad in heavy armor, grew increasingly silent as the journey continued.


    After fully entering the barbarian lands, they still moved straightforwardly without worrying about losing their way, for the deep crimson of the apocalypse forever pointed them in the direction of travel.


    How long would this trek last? Where exactly was its endpoint? And what awaited those who trekked toward the apocalypse to confront their own fate?


    In the eyes of the ever-marching warrior, under the red light, the world seemed a bit more bizarre each day.


    The times of sunrise and sunset shifted significantly, and each day they shifted slightly towards a certain direction; the sun no longer set in the exact west, but had visibly shifted towards the north.


    The sky was gradually stained an eerie purple-red, with occasional strange shadows emerging deep within the clouds, and sometimes, it seemed as if living things moved among those shadows.


    The distant mountains seemed to start warping; cliffs that were once straight now appeared as if bent and wrinkled like damp wood. The horizon in the distance was rising like the whole land¡­ was undergoing slight deformation.


    Or perhaps, it was the Observer¡¯s eyes that were failing.


    And with these many visible strange phenomena, changes that were invisible to the eye were also occurring¨C


    The Arcane Energy between heaven and earth was undergoing eerie changes. Magic Power that was previously hard to perceive was now as active as a rushing stream. Mages had complained that it was hard to gather Arcane Energy outside the civilized world, but now, the morning breeze seemed to carry dense Magic Power¨Cthis energy would induce minuscule glow and sparks on the surface of metal armors, which after accumulating to a certain extent, would snap with a sound.


    The warrior felt that these changes might be signs that their journey was nearing its endpoint¨Cthey were close enough to the place where the red light fell, although it still looked so distant, yet hope¡­ seemed just before them.


    However, in front of an unnamed river, the Paladin stopped.


    This tall, taciturn woman took off her helmet, abruptly saying, ¡°This is far enough.¡±


    The warrior calmly gazed at his last companion. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised?¡±


    ¡°I just want to know why,¡± the warrior said, as ever, in a somewhat stubborn tone.


    The Paladin paused for a second, pulling out a shattered Ruby from her bosom and placing it on the grass beside her.


    ¡°The kingdom is destroyed,¡± she said. ¡°Fire and magma surged from the depths of the earth, covering the entire kingdom within an hour. The Prophet¡¯s soul held out to the last moment, confirming the end of everything.¡±


    Listening to this dreadful news, the warrior still stood quietly in place, calmly gazing into the Paladin¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°This journey is meaningless,¡± the Paladin continued. ¡°It was meaningless from the start.¡±


    ¡°The Prophet deceived us,¡± the warrior slowly said.


    ¡°No, the Prophet deceived those who stayed in the kingdom,¡± the Paladin softly began. ¡°He made those who remained believe the kingdom had dispatched an elite team to resolve this anomaly, just like a hundred years ago when we sealed the awaken Eriphus from beneath the earth, just like seven hundred years ago when we ended the rule of the Frost Giants¨Cthe world would be saved by warriors, and if one warrior wasn¡¯t enough, an army was formed of them.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Prophet doesn¡¯t make mistakes.¡±


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    ¡°Yes, just like you said, the Prophet doesn¡¯t make mistakes¨Cthus, he was the first person to know how the apocalypse would arrive.¡±


    The Paladin said this, extending her hand towards the ground beside her.


    ¡°Sit down, we¡¯ve walked a long way.¡±


    The warrior didn¡¯t move.


    Unperturbed, the Paladin¡¯s silence from the journey finally ended, and in this final tranquil dusk, she began to smile gently. ¡°You, and many among us, realized all of this halfway through the journey.¡±

 Chapter 558 - Chapter 558 Chapter 557 Trekking Towards the Doomsday_3

    Chapter 558: Chapter 557: Trekking Towards the Doomsday_3 Chapter 558: Chapter 557: Trekking Towards the Doomsday_3 ¡°Perhaps only that red-haired Groska woman truly believed in that great destiny¨Conly when death caught up to her did she begin to slightly understand.¡±


    ¡°She would have been better off not understanding,¡± the Templar Knight gently shook his head, then looked surprised as the warrior took another step forward. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I am going to keep moving forward.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? After realizing that this expedition is meaningless, why do I still keep walking? Don¡¯t you want to know the reason?¡±


    The Templar Knight just quietly watched him.


    ¡°I think¡­ I want to understand what exactly it is,¡± the warrior said softly, looking at the deep red in the twilight. ¡°The kingdom has already been destroyed, perhaps the entire civilized world has been too, but I still want to keep going¡­ to find out what it is that gradually kills the sky and the earth.¡±


    The Templar Knight quietly looked at this last traveling companion, silent for a long time, and finally sighed deeply.


    ¡°It¡¯s unreachable.¡±


    The warrior turned his head, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That red light, it doesn¡¯t fall on the land.¡±


    Under the warrior¡¯s helmet, a surprised expression finally appeared on his face.


    ¡°When the Prophet¡¯s soul detached from the earth, he lingered for a full hour. During this hour, from a high place, he saw a broader panorama¨Cour world is a sphere floating in an endless void, and that light¡­ is greater than the land under our feet, more distant than the faraway sky.¡±


    As the Templar Knight spoke, she picked up a shattered ruby from the grass.


    ¡°He told me in the end that the astrologers¡¯ theory was correct: the stars and the ground relate as the scholars described, all floating celestial bodies in a vast space¡­ My friend, that deep red you seek doesn¡¯t cleave the earth, but ¡®everything.''¡±


    ¡°The only thing unexplainable is, why can we always see that light from a specific direction on the earth¨Cdespite the earth rotating just like the other stars, that light seems directly printed in front of our eyes, crossing the sky from east to west, making us always think it falls on the land¡­¡±


    ¡°This was the Prophet¡¯s last confusion, and perhaps, it would become the last confusion left to this world.¡±


    The warrior¡¯s body stilled, and for some reason, an inexplicable chill¡­ began to spread throughout his body.


    Thus, a long, long time ago, in a far, far place, during the last peaceful twilight, a man finally understood the shape of the world beneath his feet.


    Just before the end of the world.


    ¡°Take a rest,¡± the Templar Knight¡¯s voice was soft, gentle for the first time towards someone before the expanding deep red covered the sky. ¡°It¡¯s all over.¡±


    It¡¯s all over.


    What should one do when everything ends?


    The warrior was silent for a moment, then silently drew the longsword from his waist.


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    He had planned to use this sword to defeat the formidable enemy at the place where the red light fell, just like those great heroes of legend.


    But now, it seemed, the sword was too short, far too short to reach the stars, let alone destiny.


    He and his civilization had not even had time to prepare for destiny¨Cthe extinguished lamp did not know from where the wind came.


    He raised the blade, crafted with the finest materials and highest skill of the kingdom, high above, and then with all his strength, hurled it towards the sky¨C


    In the last moment the longsword left his hand, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion, but he seemed to hear a voice in the wind¨C


    ¡°Who are you? Where are you from?¡±


    The warrior did not know where the voice came from, nor if it had truly existed, but in this brief, eternal moment, what emerged in his mind was a sentence often muttered by a former companion¨C


    ¡°We trek towards the end of the world.¡±

 Chapter 559 - Chapter 559 Chapter 558 All That They Left Behind

    Chapter 559: Chapter 558 ¡°All That They Left Behind Chapter 559: Chapter 558 ¡°All That They Left Behind In those final moments, a sharp glint of cold light appeared deep within the boundless void and chaos, the flood of fragmented information nearly drowning the tiny flame that had infiltrated ¡°the specimen.¡±


    In a slight daze, Duncan heard Sherry beside him exclaim, ¡°Be careful!¡±


    The dazed consciousness and reality overlapped once more, and Duncan instinctively stepped back. The next second, he saw a sword tip flickering with silver light appear before him.


    The sword tip halted just ten centimeters from his nose, slowly continuing to extend forward.


    ¡°Attack behavior!¡± Ted Riel, who had been closely monitoring the specimen, reacted instantly. He uttered a low cry, then quickly slapped a large book in his hand, as a misty light emanated from the pages, swiftly covering the surface of the specimen, and quickly solidifying and thickening into layer upon layer of barriers.


    At the same time, Duncan also withdrew the flame that had infiltrated the specimen, his consciousness swiftly clearing as he once again directed his gaze toward the ¡°specimen¡± in front of him.


    On the containment platform, the iron-grey metal mass that had already solidified suddenly changed shape. Part of its ¡°shell¡± bulged out instantaneously, solidifying into a form resembling a sharp sword.


    But the suddenly solidified ¡°sword¡± did not injure anyone. It only protruded halfway as if held back by some immense force, still slowly extending bit by bit. This scene seemed less like a ¡°stab¡± and more like a sword being gradually ¡°ejected¡± from the specimen.


    Lucricia, who had somehow produced a small ¡°baton¡± in her hand, swiftly stepped forward. While Ted Riel controlled the specimen with Divine Arts, she directly tapped the baton on the midsection of the ¡°longsword,¡± but just as she was about to further destroy the structure, Duncan suddenly stopped her, ¡°Wait.¡±


    Lucricia abruptly halted the spell she was about to cast, turning her head in some confusion to look at her father. Ted Riel, who was poised to take the next step, and Nina, whose flames were nearly alight, also stopped and cast puzzled glances.


    Duncan waved at them, then carefully circumvented the blade that was still slowly extending outward. He moved to the side of the grey ¡°living metal,¡± staring intently at its ¡°shell.¡±


    It had not truly ¡°come to life¡±; only the segment of the blade that extended outward had changed, while other parts of the specimen remained stagnant and solidified as before.


    Chaotic, shattered information still swirled in his mind like someone¡¯s memories had been completely torn to pieces, randomly mixed, and then ¡°poured¡± in front of him. Duncan repeatedly sorted through these fragmented memories, trying to reassemble them into useful intelligence.


    He saw many things¨Ca sinister ¡°deep red,¡± scars traversing the sky, departing warriors, fallen companions one by one, a world becoming gradually distorted and rotten, a journey without meaning, immense confusion, anger, fear, ensuing death and calmness, along with various bizarre visions emerging amidst mental chaos.


    Duncan suspected that if it were any ordinary person seeing these things¨Ceven just a part of them¨Cthey would likely be thoroughly contaminated by the dangerous knowledge carried in those pieces of information.


    But for him, this contaminating ¡°knowledge¡± was merely chaotic fragments. Through repeated sorting and recalling, he was already beginning to piece them together into a continuous memory.


    Then he raised his head, his eyes focusing on the longsword that had now extended more than halfway out. After hesitating for a moment, he extended his finger to touch its surface.


    A cold, hard metallic sensation came from his fingertip.


    Duncan slowly closed his eyes. He could feel that as he touched this longsword, the chaotic and fragmented memories in his mind became clearer and more coherent, though still incomplete. Yet, it was enough for him to understand everything that had happened.


    He opened his eyes, looking at the last fragment of that distant and ancient world, witnessing the nameless warrior¡¯s last counterattack against the apocalypse¨Che gently pinched this fragment, feeling the connection it transmitted to him, then slowly pulled it outwards.


    The flame had endowed the longsword, which had failed to fly through the skies, with a bit of extra strength, allowing it to completely separate from the mass of living metal.


    Well-crafted with a sleek blade, the hilt was wrapped in dense canvas, and the handguard was inlaid with sparkling crystals of unknown purpose and material. Now, it transcended the long stretches of time, arriving in this¨CEra of the Deep Sea¨Cwith its original and ¡°correct¡± posture.


    Including Ted Riel, everyone in the room widened their eyes in astonishment at the scene unfolding before them. Lucricia finally couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Dad, what is this?¡±


    Duncan lowered his head, looking at the nameless sword in his hand, pondering for a long time before he slowly spoke, ¡°This is the weapon they had planned to use against the apocalypse.¡±


    ¡°Against the apocalypse?¡± Sherry instantly widened her eyes, ¡°With a sword? Is this thing like those legendary artifacts from stories that could split seas? The kind blessed by the Four Gods?¡±


    Duncan shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s just a sword¨Ctheir finest sword. It¡¯s very sharp, but even at its best, it¡¯s only capable of slaying somewhat larger beasts or armed humans¡­ that was the limit of what they could achieve.¡±


    Lucricia and Ted Riel looked at each other, unable to comprehend for a moment, while Nina, who seemed to vaguely understand, immediately asked, ¡°What did you see?¡±


    Duncan was still sorting through the chaotic and incomplete memories in his mind. After a brief period of thought, he broke the silence, ¡°Just some fragments, of things that happened a very long time ago¡­¡±


    He described what he had seen¨Cin the simplest way possible.


    He didn¡¯t speak quickly because there were too many fragmented pieces, too much information that even he couldn¡¯t fully grasp. He had to find ways to fill in the incoherent parts or to explain concepts that were difficult for Nina and others to understand.


    For the first time, he tried to explain to the people of this world what a ¡°planet¡± was¨Cafter a previous conversation with Alice, he finally decided to give it a try.


    But explaining an unfamiliar concept required ten more fundamental pieces of knowledge, and each unfamiliar piece of knowledge required even more to supplement it. There were countless things in this explanation that were completely counterintuitive to the people of this world. Even if he could explain all these ideas clearly, no one could imagine and reassemble them in their minds.


    Ted Riel and Lucresia struggled to comprehend, and the continuous questions they raised lengthened the explanation time¨Ceventually, Duncan realized that if he wanted to clarify all the basic concepts, he would probably need at least half a year of full-time teaching to manage it.


    So he could only gloss over many things or temporarily fill in the gaps in knowledge and concepts with metaphors.


    In the end, despite his efforts, Nina and the others were obviously only able to understand some of it, but at least, this time, they generally understood what had happened.


    Sherry was still immersed in the shock of the long ¡°story,¡± Nina was still pondering the strange terms Duncan had mentioned, and the two scholars present¡­ Lucresia and Ted Riel looked grave, clearly having already thought of many things.


    ¡°End of the world¡­¡± Ted Riel muttered to himself in a low voice. ¡°If what you saw really points to an apocalypse, then the time it happens¡­¡±


    ¡°Before the Great Obliteration,¡± Duncan confirmed the other¡¯s unspoken concern and then lifted the longsword, ¡°the ¡®black wall¡¯ that had loomed before historians for a long time has now cracked open. This sword¡­ might be the first identifiable ¡®relic¡¯ passed down from before the time of the Great Obliteration to this deep-sea era.¡±


    ¡°A historic moment¡­ just happened,¡± Ted Riel sighed complexly. In the face of this news that could shake the entire academic world, he only felt his mind in chaos, the sudden influx of information impacting the knowledge structure he had built over time and even his understanding of the world, so much so that he internally prayed to Rahm, added mental defenses, and mental suggestions to himself to prevent his rationality from being damaged.


    Lucresia, after a long period of silent contemplation, suddenly looked up into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°The strange concepts you just mentioned¡­ are those the things you previously mentioned that were difficult to explain to me?¡±


    ¡°Just a very, very small part of them,¡± Duncan said softly, ¡°I should have told you about these things sooner.¡±


    Lucresia merely shook her head gently. She neither complained nor asked why her father was now willing to explain those things¨Cher father had his reasons for doing so, and when he was ready to speak, he would naturally do so.


    She was just curious as to why her father knew these incredible things.


    Were those pieces of knowledge¡­ originating from Subspace?


    On the other hand, after some time of contemplation, Ted Riel suddenly realized a problem.


    ¡°According to what you ¡®saw,¡¯ under the influence of that ¡®red light,¡¯ the world was engulfed in lava, the earth was torn apart, and everyone died¡­ then how did this deep-sea era begin?¡±


    He lifted his hand, making a chopping motion with his palm, mimicking a fault line.


    ¡°There¡¯s a disconnect, Captain Duncan¨Cto have the world destroyed and then the deep-sea era start, something must have changed in between. The world you saw doesn¡¯t correspond with any races, locations, or legends in today¡¯s deep-sea era¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it doesn¡¯t correspond,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, his gaze landing on the ¡°sample¡± on the platform. After a long time, he finally voiced a speculation that had been in his mind long ago, ¡°So¡­ that world didn¡¯t pass down much information like the worlds of humans, elves, and the Senkin people. What we are seeing now is everything that remains from that world.¡±


    ¡°That ¡®world¡¯¡­¡± Ted Riel and Lucresia looked at each other in that moment, finally understanding Duncan¡¯s meaning.


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    And in Duncan¡¯s mind, the image of the ¡°Moon¡± from his homeland once again surfaced before his eyes.


    Along with it came the phrase Alice had once said to him with a smile¨C


    ¡°Captain, is this a riddle?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression subtly changed, the muscles around his mouth trembling slightly, finally settling into a smile that neither Nina nor Lucresia could understand.


    ¡°Yes, it really is a riddle¡­¡±


    He murmured in a voice only he could hear.

 Chapter 560 - Chapter 560 Chapter 559 The Displaced

    Chapter 560: Chapter 559: The Displaced Chapter 560: Chapter 559: The Displaced For a long time, scholars of this world had speculated about the origin of the current Deep-sea Era and the world before the Great Annihilation. They had also tried to explain the current phenomenon of historical severance, the discontinuation of artifacts, and contradictions in heritage among the City-States of the Endless Sea, just as any group forming a civilization would face history¨C


    With history, there would be people studying it, and with people studying it, there would be attempts to explain the contradictions, guessing was never lacking. Anything that a layman could think of, professional scholars had likely thought of long before, perhaps even constructing complete theoretical models.


    Indeed, scholars had numerous theoretical models that could explain the formation of the current Deep-sea Era¨Cone of which was speculated by Duncan, and each of these models made sense.


    The only problem was that none of the theoretical models had sufficient ¡°empirical evidence¡± to back them up. The Great Annihilation, like a grand wall, blocked everything before that time point; no information or artifact could be passed down from before that node.


    Now, Duncan believed he had found a crucial ¡°piece of evidence¡± and had extracted key information sufficient to support one of the conjectures:


    A fragment of some distant and alien world left after its destruction¨Cas well as a precise description of the apocalyptic scene in the form of ¡°memories.¡±


    Of course, in front of a truly rigorous scholar, this solitary proof might still be inadequate and insufficient to fully and incontrovertibly explain the current state of the Deep-sea Era.


    ¡°World Amalgamation Theory¡­¡± Ted Riel murmured softly, ¡°I know, my mentor has always been a supporter of this theory¨Che believes that the current Deep-sea Era is formed by a mass stacking and recombining of worlds that were originally isolated from one another, possibly caused by a catastrophe that struck several worlds simultaneously. What¡¯s called the ¡®Great Annihilation¡¯ was not a single disaster but a series of simultaneous disasters, which accounts for the vast contradictions in the historical records of the various races on the Endless Sea, and some ancient legends are severely torn apart¡­¡±


    ¡°This theory also explains why we completely cannot find the ¡®original appearance of the world¡¯ before the Great Annihilation, nor any ¡®ancient artifacts¡¯ that could support any kind of historical record¨Cbecause those original appearances have long been reshaped, from the perspective of the timeline, ¡®this world¡¯ did not exist before the Great Annihilation.¡±


    He paused, took a light breath, then continued speaking.


    ¡°The entire Endless Sea was born in the moment of the Great Annihilation, and before that moment, there was no ¡®Old World¡¯ that could be described and understood in its entirety, only countless fragments of old worlds piled up as ¡®raw materials¡¯ at the temporal node of the Great Annihilation¨CWorld Amalgamation Theory, among all the origin theories, has the best ¡®explanatory power,¡¯ almost explaining all the problems we face.


    ¡°But at the same time, it is also considered the most wildly speculative and hardest to prove because it fundamentally denies the idea that ¡®history can be traced back to its source¡¯ and attributes everything to ¡®it¡¯s already disappeared anyway.¡¯ Despite this, the theory is good but has few supporters; my mentor¡­ is one of its few proponents.¡±


    After Ted Riel spoke with a sigh, Duncan finally broke the silence, ¡°Now, we have evidence.¡±


    Ted Riel¡¯s gaze fell on the Longsword, and after a long pondering with a serious expression, he still shook his head: ¡°Single evidence is no evidence¨Cthis evidence could indeed potentially support the ¡®World Amalgamation Theory,¡¯ but a single piece of evidence has its flaws unless we can find a second undeniable ¡®world fragment¡¯ that also comes from a different world than the ¡®piece of evidence¡¯ you hold¡­¡±


    During this speech, the tone of the Truth Confidant was fraught with struggle, evidently from an emotional perspective, he hoped more than anyone that a tentative theory could be proven, hoped to finally find that ¡°answer, ¡± but from a scholar¡¯s standpoint, he had to be rigorous and even show an ¡®unfeeling¡¯ ¡°strictness¡± upon seeing the first ¡°evidence.¡±


    However, after his words fell, Duncan simply answered with one word: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Ted Riel didn¡¯t respond immediately, and even Lucresia nearby didn¡¯t catch on; after a moment, they exclaimed in unison, ¡°You have other evidence?!¡±


    Duncan remained silent for a couple of seconds, then turned his head with a profound gaze into Lucresia¡¯s eyes, ¡°The Moon.¡±


    ¡°That ¡®Stone Sphere¡¯¡­¡± Lucresia instantly realized, ¡°You mean, it is¡­¡±


    ¡°It is another ¡®fragment,''¡± Duncan nodded gently, ¡°It comes from another world¨Ccompletely different from the homeland of this Longsword. Although I don¡¯t know what happened to it to make it appear as it is now, I am certain it is¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped, as if a force was preventing him from stating that conclusion, a storm-like force raged in his mind, intensely emotional, battling his rational part.


    He instinctively rejected that conclusion.


    Lucresia noticed something, she looked at her father with confusion and concern.


    Duncan finally spoke, completing his sentence: ¡°¡­it is the remnant of ¡®that world.''¡±


    Eventually, reason overcame emotion.


    Even as he articulated this conclusion, he felt an illusion of ¡°release.¡±


    In fact, the first time he had seen the ¡°Moon¡± and discussed it with Alice back on Homeloss, he had already harbored this speculation¨C


    Since the ¡°Moon¡± appeared in this world, it was highly likely that this world was its ¡°homeland¡±, severely mutated and twisted.


    Yet, his homeland had no Elves or Senkin People, the legends of the Elves also did not mention humans, and the historical records of the City-States on the Endless Sea did not include the word ¡°Earth¡±; the problem of ¡°historical severance¡± that perplexed many scholars seemed particularly apparent in Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    So¡­ how exactly had the Endless Sea formed?


    The most likely explanation was that it had its own homelands, but only partially.


    To confirm this guess, one only needed to find a second fragment of another world, akin to ¡°the Moon.¡±


    The one thing he hadn¡¯t anticipated was that the second piece of evidence would arrive so quickly and so directly.


    Ted Riel and Lucricia exchanged glances, and after a brief hesitation, they realized Duncan had no reason to deceive them about this matter.


    There had already been two pieces of evidence¨Cno wonder the once-greatest explorer was so certain, so unhesitant in declaring that the world was now made up of piled ruins.


    Lucricia did not further question Duncan about how he acquired his knowledge about ¡°the Moon.¡±


    For she knew that the answers to these questions would ultimately point to Subspace¨Cin whatever form, her father had completed his reshaping and transformation in ¡°The Deepest and Darkest Place,¡± and every piece of knowledge and ability he now possessed, incomprehensible to her, was part of those imprints.


    She shouldn¡¯t keep unraveling them.


    Ted Riel, on the other hand, had been silently pondering, but suddenly, he jerked his head up as if he sensed something.


    This ¡°Truth Confidant¡± quickly opened the thick tome he was holding and summoned the ¡°stethoscope¡± from the pages, darting in one leap to the ¡°living metal¡± on the central platform.


    He placed the stethoscope onto the surface of the ¡°living metal,¡± his expression suddenly becoming extremely grave.


    A very faint, slow heartbeat sound filled the room, each heartbeat even more delayed and weaker than the last.


    ¡°He¡¯s dying.¡±


    Ted Riel raised his head and spoke with a complex look in his eyes.


    For the first time in his life, the ¡°Truth Confidant,¡± whose duty was to protect the City-State, felt an unusually complex emotion facing an ¡°otherworldly object¡± that had invaded the real world.


    Because he suddenly realized that this indescribable, panic-inducing thing in the marketplace was very likely an existence just like humans, Elves, or Senkin People¨Ca ¡°Displaced¡± who had arrived in the deep sea era from a great obliteration.


    And unfortunately, his world had been destroyed even more thoroughly, the tiny fragments¡­ far from sufficient to support the survival of him and his race.


    The deep sea era had left no place for the homeless like him, under some yet unexplained mechanism, he had turned into this form, and now he was dying.


    Nina and Sherry instinctively grasped each other¡¯s hands, not knowing what to do for a moment. Lucricia could only watch the scene with a complicated gaze, for she knew this was no longer something humans could reverse.


    Amid the gradually deepening and slowing heartbeat, Duncan finally slowly stepped forward. He looked at the ¡°living metal,¡± which now bore no resemblance to a human form, yet in his mind, another image emerged¨C


    A stubborn warrior, a silent mage, forever energetic hunters and rangers, confident knights, a pessimistic necromancer, and that self-assured and proud red-haired Groska woman¡­


    They had set out on a sunny afternoon, armed with the kingdom¡¯s finest longswords and armor, the best scrolls and sigils, carrying the king¡¯s blessings and trust, venturing into the distant wilderness together¨Cas described in ancient poems, a band of heroes set off to save their world.


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    Duncan reached out gently, touching the cold, hard ¡°steel.¡±


    ¡°We are all Displaced¡­ and now, you are home.¡±


    The deep, slow ¡°thump¡± sound finally began to cease, fading after one particularly faint and delayed beat, and the room fell silent, devoid of any heartbeat.


    The last heartbeat, like a sigh.


    Ted Riel turned around, as if declaring to this deep sea era¨C


    ¡°He is dead.¡±

 Chapter 561 - Chapter 561 Chapter 560 Two Questions

    Chapter 561: Chapter 560: Two Questions Chapter 561: Chapter 560: Two Questions Now, that once-living ¡°substance¡± had completely transformed into a solid metal.


    To perform harmless disposal on the ¡°anomalous object¡± that had been registered, a complex procedure was required, but for Ted Riel, the Truth Confidant, this was just routine work. He quickly located the person in charge of the underground archives and made proper arrangements.


    Despite feeling moved and deeply touched by the past of the ¡°living metal¡±, as a protector of the City-State, he had to strictly adhere to safety regulations in handling the matter ¡ª even if it was truly a hero who once attempted to save the world. In this deep-sea era, it had become a ¡°Transcendent invader¡± highly likely to spread corruption and pollution. The material would be greeted by the high temperatures of the Steam Core Reactor and a rigorous purification, division, crushing, and sealing procedure.


    However, looking at it from another angle, this could be seen as a kind of burial. After all, ordinary people in this world had also come this way; ¡°bodies¡± must always be properly ¡°dealt with¡± as the dead must make way for the living.


    As for the Longsword, being the only material left from ¡°that world¡± till the end, it had miraculously returned to its original state at birth and was clearly a highly valuable research sample.


    Through it, scholars could establish a greater understanding of that world¨Calthough everything was gone, such understanding and memory were ultimately meaningful.


    ¡°I have no use for it,¡± Duncan readily agreed in response to Ted Riel¡¯s request. He handed over the Longsword, his tone reflective, ¡°Let the wise uncover more secrets behind it, and if there are any discoveries, I hope you can share them with me.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ted Riel accepted the Longsword from Duncan with great solemnity. After hesitating for a moment, he continued, ¡°Regarding today¡¯s event and the intelligence obtained, I will convene the scholars at the Academy of Truth for discussion. If we encounter new problems, we might still need your¡­ help.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Duncan naturally had no objections. He nodded, gesturing towards Lucia beside him, ¡°You can contact me through Lucy¨Cif I think of something or discover something new, she¡¯ll inform you.¡±


    There was still much to explain and discuss. When the ¡°sight limit¡± of the Great Annihilation suddenly revealed a crack in front of mortals, it was bound to bring a significant impact on academia. The Four Gods Church would also pay attention and discuss this matter. Regardless of whether they were willing to accept it, Homeloss and the owner of Homeloss were already indispensable parts of this issue.


    As for Duncan, he was indifferent about this. In his perspective, there were some crucial and special problems in the vast amount of intelligence he had received that both Lucia and Ted Riel had overlooked or might temporarily fail to understand.


    For example, the location of the ¡°deep red¡± and its counterintuitive behavior.


    If the intelligence seen in the fragments of memory was true, if the ¡°Templar Knight¡¯s¡± explanation of the ¡°Warrior¡± was correct, then the ¡°red radiance¡± that led to the destruction of the world should be located in space¨Cpossibly a massive astrophysical phenomenon spanning the galaxy, appearing as a band of light against the backdrop of the stars.


    And this raised a question: planets rotate, and at least from the scenes seen in the memory fragments, the ¡°Warrior¡¯s¡± homeland had normal sunrises and sunsets, the rotation of stars.


    Thus, the ¡°red band¡± theoretically located in space should also move across the sky with other stars, rising and setting.


    But why would the ¡°deep red¡± always be situated in a specific position in the sky?


    The ¡°Warrior¡± and his companions were always looking for where the deep red fell because in their eyes, the red light always remained fixed in a specific position in the sky, leading them to completely miss that the light was actually not falling on the ground but was located in the background of the stars.


    The ¡°Templar Knight¡± had also expressed this doubt at the end¨Cin a sense, this was also the last and largest ¡°astronomical discovery¡± of their civilization during its existence.


    Duncan¡¯s conjecture was that the ¡°light¡± was no longer just some visible entity; ¡°deep red¡± was merely its appearance, and its essence¡­Ke Neng Yi Jing She Ji Dao Yu Zhou Ji Chu Zhi Xu , even the ¡°rules¡± level of ¡°destruction¡± and ¡°distortion.¡±


    It may be a dimensional tear or a more profound and complex phenomenon.


    However, Ted Riel and Lucia were still unable to perceive this issue at the moment and would probably find it difficult to understand for some time¨Cthey did not even understand the concept of a planet.


    This would have to be explained slowly; even if Duncan was now willing to explain, it would take a very long time.


    The second issue was: what exactly should the concept of ¡°world¡± in the ¡°World Convergence Theory¡± be?


    Is each ¡°world¡± located on different planets within the same universe, or from a broader perspective¡­different ¡°universes¡±?


    Duncan looked up at Ted Riel, who was still pondering, and at the Longsword in his hand.


    ¡°The moon¡± and the ¡°Longsword¡± might support most of the descriptions in the World Convergence Theory, but they were not enough to confirm what the ¡°world fragments¡± constituting the Endless Sea were on a ¡°level¡±, broadly speaking, each planet could be called a world, each universe¡­could also be called a world.


    For Duncan, this distinction was significant.


    But this was also something the ¡°Truth Confidant¡± and the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± were currently unable to understand and perceive¨CDuncan could not think of how to explain these concepts to them in a short time.


    Aside from this, the secrets of the ¡°deep red light¡± itself were certainly more worthy of attention¨CDuncan had ¡°seen¡± that ominous radiance more than once.


    In the vision of New Hope¡¯s crash, in the oil paintings inside Alice¡¯s Mansion, that red light had appeared.


    What exactly was that?


    Lucia noticed the long silence from Duncan and the constant changes in his expression as he pondered.


    She was somewhat worried, ¡°Father, is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I have many questions that need sorting out,¡± Duncan momentarily came out of his musings, shaking his head lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go back for now, and once I have some ideas, I will discuss them with you.¡±


    Lucia still seemed worried, but from Duncan¡¯s demeanor, she realized that these probably were issues ¡°difficult to explain to others.¡±


    This was the first understanding they had reestablished during the brief days they spent together.


    So, she just nodded, not asking further.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to leave,¡± Duncan sighed lightly, glancing at Nina and Sherry, who still looked somewhat uneasy, then his gaze landed on Ted Riel, ¡°Escort us out.¡±


    The Truth Confidant nodded, conjured the ¡°Gate¡± again from the book, and then, along with Duncan and others, passed through the gate, returning to the academy near Crown District.


    ¡°I will make some arrangements after returning,¡± Before saying goodbye, Ted Riel glanced at Nina and Sherry beside Duncan, ¡°You and your followers can move around the city without interference, but in return¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be any trouble,¡± Duncan interrupted before the other could finish, a friendly smile on his face, ¡°We are all law-abiding citizens who value the peace of the City-State.¡±


    The Truth Confidant clearly paused momentarily.


    Even Lucia was taken aback.


    Clearly, both were skeptical.


    However, Ted Riel quickly controlled the change in his facial expressions and stiffly but politely smiled, ¡°That would be best.¡±


    He then paused and added very sincerely, ¡°We should get together again sometime. Although you may not remember me, I still look forward to discussing those¡­ inconceivable ¡®knowledge¡¯ with you.¡±


    Duncan smiled, ¡°Many people are afraid to discuss ¡®knowledge¡¯ with me. You are one of the few brave ones, so I look forward to it.¡±


    Lucia looked at her father and then at the Truth Confidant across from her.


    Miss Witch suddenly felt somewhat emotional.


    It seems that teaching is indeed a difficult task, as the Truth Confidant would rather discuss subspace with father than face the graduating students¡­


    After a brief farewell, Duncan left the academy facility with Nina and Sherry, along with Lucia.


    They returned to Witch¡¯s Mansion at 99 Crown Street.


    ¡°Settle yourselves, I¡¯m going upstairs to rest¨Cdo not disturb me unless it¡¯s something important.¡±


    With that simple instruction from Duncan, he ruffled Nina¡¯s and Sherry¡¯s hair and then stepped onto the staircase leading to the second floor.


    After a while, a somewhat dazed Sherry turned her head and muttered quietly to Nina, ¡°The captain seems in a bad mood¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really about being in a good or bad mood¡­¡± Nina hesitated, also whispering her opinion, ¡°Uncle Duncan has a lot on his mind¨Cbut actually, he¡¯s in a better state today than the last few days. He¡¯s not as gloomy, just seems to have a lot to consider.¡±


    Sherry pondered for a moment, then cautiously looked up at Lucia, who seemed lost in thought beside her, and whispered to Nina, ¡°I didn¡¯t quite understand what the captain was talking about.¡±


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    ¡°I didn¡¯t quite get it either,¡± Nina said with a hint of embarrassment, ¡°It¡¯s probably something only a scholar of high calibre can understand¡­¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Lucia suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, even scholars can¡¯t fully understand them.¡±


    Nina and Sherry both jumped, startled, staring somewhat blankly at Miss Witch.


    Lucia shook her head at them, her expression serious and stern.


    ¡°They¡¯re ¡®knowledge¡¯ from the Subspace, just ¡®processed¡¯ by my father to be less harmful¨Cbut still not something ordinary people can easily understand.¡±

 Chapter 562 - Chapter 562 Chapter 561 The Man Who Walks in the Wilderness

    Chapter 562: Chapter 561: The Man Who Walks in the Wilderness Chapter 562: Chapter 561: The Man Who Walks in the Wilderness Because of the delay in the afternoon, by the time Sherry and Nina returned to 99 Crown Street, it was already nearing dusk, time for dinner.


    In this ¡°City of Elves,¡± there really wasn¡¯t much that could be called normal food, but luckily, normal ingredients were always available. Lucresia¡¯s ¡°servants¡± prepared a sumptuous dinner for the guests, and Nina and Sherry finally managed to eat ¡°the food that humans should eat.¡±


    But they didn¡¯t feel quite at ease while eating.


    The things they had seen and heard in that underground shelter still made them dizzy¨Cthere were too many things they didn¡¯t understand, too many things that were beyond their comprehension, about the Grand Annihilation, about the ¡°Black Wall¡± at the historical beginning, about those apocalyptic days, about those destroyed old worlds, and about this ¡°new world¡± born in the Deep Sea Era¡­


    For the two girls who could still only be considered ¡°big children¡± in the strictest sense, these matters were a bit too complex and advanced.


    Hurriedly finishing dinner, Sherry returned to her own room. She sat at the desk and spaced out for a while, then heard the light sound of chains moving beside her, as A Dog emerged from the shadows.


    Sherry looked down at her ¡°friend¡± who had almost eaten her but ended up raising her from a child. She asked seriously, ¡°Did you understand what the captain said today? All that stuff about pieces of several worlds piled together, then the Deep Sea Era and whatever¡­¡±


    ¡°I understood some of it,¡± A Dog lay down, its huge head gently rubbing against Sherry¡¯s knees, ¡°but those parts that were too far beyond common sense, I didn¡¯t understand either.¡±


    ¡°I hardly understood any of it,¡± Sherry admitted honestly, ¡°Of course, I understand the sentences, but if you ask me to imagine how those things actually happened, my brain struggles¨Cafter all, why should we care how this world came into being?¡±


    She spoke confusedly, knowing that she was showing a very superficial side of herself, but in front of A Dog, she never had anything to hide.


    ¡°Knowing nothing, we can still live, can¡¯t we?¡± she continued, ¡°Anyway, we two have been living like this for the past decade or more¡­¡±


    Suddenly, A Dog lifted its head. Its hollow eye sockets filled with blood-red light stared straight into Sherry¡¯s eyes, and a deep, hoarse voice came from its skeletal body, ¡°Not knowing anything, one can live, but we also need to know, existence is not something to be taken for granted¨Cfor ordinary people this is true, and for the world itself, it is the same.¡±


    A Dog¡¯s sudden seriousness startled Sherry. She hesitated for a moment and then seemed to understand something, a thoughtful look spreading across her face.


    ¡°The world will not ¡®survive¡¯ forever,¡± A Dog observed Sherry¡¯s reaction and laid its head back down, speaking in a muffled voice, ¡°The Grand Annihilation could destroy those ¡®old worlds,¡¯ so today¡¯s Deep Sea Era could likewise be ended by another force. Ordinary people may remain ignorant until the day of termination arrives, welcoming the end amidst a long-lasting illusion of peace, like the people in the kingdom waiting for heroes¡¯ triumphal return in that ¡®warrior¡¯s¡¯ homeland. ¡®Ignorance¡¯ is their greatest blessing¡­ For them, not knowing anything, they can live because they do not know how far away death is.


    ¡°But Sherry, we are not those who stayed in the kingdom¨Cwe are aboard the Homeloss.


    ¡°You have seen those omens, the Black Sun descending on Prand, the creator¡¯s blueprint losing control deep in Frost, the Endless Sea when Illusion 001 extinguished, and those babbling Heretics¡­ If you were a ¡®person living in the kingdom,¡¯ you wouldn¡¯t have encountered them.¡±


    A Dog rattled on, shaking its head, and cautiously retracted its sharp fangs, nuzzling Sherry¡¯s knees with its nose.


    ¡°Sherry, indeed, not knowing anything you can live, but you have come to know now¨Cthe captain is worried about those ominous premonitions, and in fact, so are you, only you haven¡¯t noticed it.¡±


    Sherry quieted down, sitting silently in the chair for a long time, before she reached out to touch A Dog¡¯s skull, her voice tinged with unease: ¡°A Dog, are we those wandering the wilderness¡­ just like that ¡®warrior,¡¯ are we also trekking towards doom?¡±


    ¡°We are moving towards doom, and doom is moving towards us, ¡®cognition¡¯ is bidirectional¨Cwhen we become aware of its existence, there¡¯s no distinguishing between the two. The only question is¡­ how it will catch up with us, and when. I think that¡¯s what the captain is worried about too.¡±


    ¡°¡­A Dog, why do you understand so well? Understand¡­ this feeling?¡±


    The bloodlight in A Dog¡¯s eyes slowly darkened and brightened, ¡°Because I¡¯ve felt something similar¨Cwhen you were still very very small.¡±


    It lifted its head, looking into Sherry¡¯s eyes.


    Its voice was gentle, just like many years ago, when it tried to soothe the frightened little girl to sleep on a stormy night¨C


    ¡°At the beginning, you were a tiny creature I couldn¡¯t understand at all¡­ You were so small and frail, your arms like thin sticks that could easily break, even with Demon Symbiosis, you were so fragile that you seemed like you could die at any moment¡­


    ¡°Every day, every second, I was worried about the arrival of this ¡®death.¡¯ I didn¡¯t understand your breathing, your heartbeat, I didn¡¯t know how humans survived, I didn¡¯t even know after you had gone several days without food that you needed to find something to eat¨Cas a Profound Demon, at that time, I wasn¡¯t used to ¡®thinking¡¯ about these matters, and you¡­ didn¡¯t communicate much with me either.


    ¡°So I always felt you could die at any time from something I couldn¡¯t yet comprehend. Your breathing, heartbeat, and the flow of your blood were all delicate ¡®temporary equilibriums¡¯ in my eyes, the end of any one aspect could take you away from me. That¡¯s why when you were small and woke up, you always found me beside you, probing and observing, because I needed to check your breathing and heartbeat, to see if you were already dead.


    ¡°This worry, it¡¯s a lot like what the captain is worried about now.¡±


    A Dog paused, lifting its head to glance at the second floor but soon redirected its gaze.


    ¡°I can¡¯t compare myself to the captain, nor should I casually speculate about his thoughts, but today, in his gaze, I felt that familiar¡­concern. To him, this seemingly vast Endless Sea is probably like what you were to my eyes many years ago¨Ca small, weak ¡®creature,¡¯ it¡¯s a mystery how it survives, just knowing it could die at any moment.¡±


    A-Dog prattled on for quite a while, and now it finally fell silent, but Sherry still stared at it dully, not making a sound for a long time.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± A-Dog asked, puzzled.


    ¡°You¡­you never told me these things before,¡± Sherry said, a bit dazedly, ¡°when I was little¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past,¡± A-Dog said softly, ¡°You survived, so all the past worries and difficulties are just ¡®the past.''¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips, then suddenly looked up with some concern and gazed in the direction of the second floor, ¡°A-Dog, do you think¡­we could be like the warriors and their companions in the stories?¡±


    ¡°If I could choose, I wouldn¡¯t want to be like them,¡± A-Dog shook its head, ¡°Warriors can¡¯t stop the end of the world simply with a steel sword. Their journey towards the apocalypse is tough and destined to be in vain¨Cbut since it¡¯s the captain leading us, we clearly have more than just a steel sword, so I choose to be a bit optimistic.¡±


    ¡°The captain¡­¡± Sherry mused, ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s doing right now¡­he didn¡¯t come down for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Will you go up later to bring him food and check on him?¡±


    ¡°Uh, better not¨CAlice will surely go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡­


    Looking at the magical sky where the daylight faded and the Sky Light dimmed, yet the gaps between high-rise buildings were still permeated with a faint golden ¡°sunlight,¡± Duncan exhaled lightly and turned on the room¡¯s electric light.


    Although the ¡°sunlight¡± spreading through the streets brought eternal ¡°illumination¡± to Light Breeze Harbor, after the incident of Aberration 001, the sunlight that journeyed from the nearby sea¡¯s surface and was blocked by layers of buildings would never be able to light the whole City-State. In the deeper parts of the City-State, where the ¡°sunlight¡± was blocked by the buildings, the night remained visible, and here, people still needed the comfort of the light.


    The bright light dispelled the growing dimness around and seemed to add a bit of warmth to the room.


    Outside the window, with the fading power of Aberration 001, the pale rift of the Creation of the World gradually became visible in the starless, moonless sky.


    The cold and pale glow spread through the night, yet was fragmented by the ¡°sunlight¡± diffusing between high rises, creating a bizarre scene of the Creation of the World and sunlight occurring simultaneously and intertwining in a way not visible in other City-States.


    As Duncan gazed at that sky-splitting ¡°wound,¡± he was still recalling the ¡°Memory Illusions¡± he had seen that day.


    He thought of the ¡°deep red¡± that spanned across the sky, like a vast scar.


    What exactly was that ¡°red light,¡± which seemed to spread across the cosmos with a pattern no longer conforming to physical norms?


    Whether in the illusions seen when the New Hope crashed or in the oil paintings at Alice¡¯s Mansion, or even in the warrior¡¯s hometown on the brink of destruction, that red light was present.


    Without a doubt, that red light was what the scholars were desperately seeking, the ¡°culprit¡± behind the ¡°Great Obliteration¡± event, or at least the ¡°first symbol¡± of the obliteration¡¯s occurrence.


    Staring at the equally sky-spanning Creation of the World, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but produce a series of unfounded ¡°connections.¡±


    With every ¡°old world¡¯s¡± destruction, that giant red light appeared, and in the new ¡°Deep Sea Era,¡± the pale Creation of the World hung high in the sky¡­ Could there be any connection between the two?


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    The Creation of the World, illuminating the night sky over the Endless Sea, could it be an echo from the old world¡¯s doomsday, or a remnant of the destructive force from the Great Obliteration?


    Duncan even had an unsettling conjecture¨C


    Could it be that the destructive force had never truly dissipated and that it was simply in a form of slumber, night after night overhead, and the so-called Creation of the World¡­ was just the ¡°red light¡¯s¡± form during its sleeping state?


    Might the effect of Aberration 001 be periodic ¡°hypnosis¡± of that ¡°apocalyptic deep red¡±?


    With this series of speculations, Duncan¡¯s gaze grew more somber; and another question he hadn¡¯t considered before suddenly emerged in his heart.


    In his own hometown, at least in his memory of it¡­ he had never seen that ¡°red light.¡±

 Chapter 563 - Chapter 563 Chapter 562 Another Piece of Debris

    Chapter 563: Chapter 562 Another Piece of Debris Chapter 563: Chapter 562 Another Piece of Debris Now, regarding the red light, Duncan had grasped two pieces of information:


    Firstly, before the Great Annihilation occurred, before the apocalypse descended upon those ¡°old worlds,¡± a deep crimson, like dark coagulated blood, would first appear in the sky¨Cits ¡°essence¡± was reflected deep in cosmic space, but its method of propagation did not conform to optical laws. From any location on the planet, one could see its specific position in the sky, and this position did not change with the rotation of the planet, as if it were directly projected into the observer¡¯s vision or mind.


    Secondly, the red light seemed not to exhibit any direct ¡°destructive¡± effects; it was more like a ¡°phenomenon¡± or ¡°characteristic¡± produced by the universe itself during the stage of the apocalypse. It was a representation of collapse, not collapse itself.


    Third, the apocalypse was not an immediate event that came and went. The entire destruction process would take some time, accompanied by an increase in various strange phenomena and a continuous distortion and mutation of ¡°laws¡± until the fundamental laws of the world could no longer withstand this distortion. Therefore, the warriors and their companions had their final time to start a journey, and The New Hope had its final chance to ascend and set sail.


    To Duncan, this third point was especially crucial.


    The apocalypse did not happen instantaneously, which meant that people had enough time before the apocalypse to observe the appearance of the ¡°red light¡±¨Cbut in his memory, he had never seen that shade of deep crimson.


    He had been trapped in that ¡°studio apartment¡± overnight, and before that, he hadn¡¯t seen any strange red lights or supernatural phenomena, nor had he seen them appear outside his window afterward¡­


    Studio apartment?


    Duncan¡¯s memories suddenly stuck, and after a moment, his eyebrows furrowed bit by bit.


    His ¡°studio apartment¡±¡­ what exactly was it?


    All along, he had believed that directly opposite The Displaced¡¯s Gate was his homeland. Outside his studio apartment, deep in the thick mist, was still the bustling crowd of Earth, the ordinary, peaceful everyday life; he was just trapped in a room, separated from his homeland by a mere wall¨Cbut with the appearance of the ¡°moon¡± and the gradual validation of the ¡°World Convergence Theory,¡± this possibility had virtually reduced to zero.


    If he had had a premonition about this before, it was now clearly confirmed¨Che knew he couldn¡¯t go back.


    But only now did another question suddenly occur to him: if the place opposite The Displaced¡¯s gate was not his homeland, then what fundamentally was the place of his leftover ¡°studio apartment¡±?


    Every time he ¡°went back¡±¡­ exactly where was he ¡°returning¡± to?


    With his eyebrows tightly knitted, in the faintly spreading ¡°sunlight¡± outside the window, Duncan¡¯s mind suddenly conjured the image of the Longsword and the mass that once was a ¡°human,¡± now a living metal¡­


    ¡°Another part of the world¡¯s fragments?¡± he comprehended, though his expression grew more complicated, ¡°The essence of the world¡¯s fragments¡­ what exactly is it?¡±


    Thoughts turbulent and memories mingling with speculations like continuous choppy waves in his mind, Duncan slowly paced around the room to calm and organize his thoughts. Then, he returned to the desk and casually pulled out a piece of paper, absentmindedly doodling patterns on it¨Che hadn¡¯t intended to write or draw anything specific, just repeatedly sketching lines and smudging patterns.


    Then, he suddenly stopped.


    He stared at what he had unconsciously drawn on the paper¡­ a moon outlined by messy lines.


    It was like looking at a homeland that was close at hand yet forever unreachable.


    Alice had said that if the symbol of one¡¯s homeland appeared in a place, then that place was the homeland¡­ Not very smart, she occasionally could pierce straight to the heart of the matter with the simplest of thoughts. In a way, what she said was actually true.


    The homeland was right here, yet it was not whole nor in the form Duncan recognized. It was just a tiny fragment, and like that warrior turned into living metal¨Chad already transformed into something incomprehensible.


    Duncan reached out a finger unconsciously, touching the ¡°moon¡± on the paper as if asking someone, murmuring to himself, ¡°Yes, what else could remain¡­¡±


    Suddenly, a flapping sound came from nearby, breaking Duncan¡¯s reverie. The chubby white pigeon dropped down from the top of a nearby wardrobe and wobbled over to Duncan, tilting its head, then lowered its head and pecked noisily at the paper moon.


    It pecked a hole in the ¡°moon,¡± and looking up, it clamored, ¡°Looking at the bright moon, looking at the bright moon, looking at¡­¡±


    It suddenly stopped, continuing to tilt its head as it looked at Duncan.


    Duncan also stared blankly at it, gazing at the pigeon that had suddenly ¡°mutated¡± from Compass, watching the bewildering creature that had been following him, and was unusually obedient and affectionate.


    ¡°Ai Yi, Ai-Yi, Ai¨C¡± The pigeon flapped its wings, making a strange, loud noise, ¡°Ai Yi¨C¡±


    Duncan suddenly widened his eyes, grabbed Ai Yi¡¯s body, but then quickly loosened his grip a little as if afraid of accidentally killing this tiny ¡°creature.¡± He felt his breathing quicken, his heart pounding, while the pigeon in his hand turned its head and looked at him with a seemingly dazed expression.


    Duncan finally opened his mouth, ¡°¡­Ai Yi?¡±


    The pigeon nodded, ¡°Gugu.¡±


    Duncan hesitated for a moment, then tried a more precise pronunciation: ¡°¡­IE?¡±


    The pigeon quickly nodded again, ¡°Gugu.¡±


    Duncan took a light breath, ¡°Internet Explorer¡­?¡±


    The pigeon thirstily pulled out its wings and began to flap them even more vigorously. In that moment, it seemed more excited than ever before, as if it had numerous urgent things it wished to express.


    However, after strenuously flapping for a long while, all it could muster was a loud, meaningless ¡°coo.¡±


    Duncan gently released his hand, watching the bulky pigeon happily walk around on the table, occasionally stopping to tilt its head curiously as it observed its ¡°master.¡± Its mung-bean eyes appeared to perpetually flicker with a light of network disconnection and unresponsive processes¨Che finally sighed softly, a complex smile emerging on his face.


    The answer had been written on the problem¡¯s surface from the beginning.


    This foolish bird represented another fragment of his homeland that had abruptly extinguished.


    He really couldn¡¯t go back.


    Duncan sat quietly on the chair, like a stone statue, motionless for a very long time, with no expression and making no sound.


    After an indefinite period, he suddenly ¡°awakened,¡± blinking and then started to think¨Cor rather, forced himself to continue pondering:


    If Ai Yi were truly Internet Explorer, then what exactly would its ¡°source¡± be? The codes? The amassed data? The countless hardware that had supported the operations of Internet Explorer? Or the abstract description behind the word?


    Or¡­ possibly symbolizing a brief flash of fire in the process of a civilization¡¯s development.


    Perhaps world fragments don¡¯t necessarily correspond to some ¡°entity¡±; they could even be a vast concept ¡ª abstracted from real existence.


    Would this hypothesis hold vice versa?


    Could the entities that truly existed in the ¡°old world¡± remain after the Great Annihilation in the form of ¡°abstract concepts¡± during the deep sea era? Those countless anomalous phenomena on this Endless Sea, along with the myriad intangible objects and forbidden knowledge born around them¨Cwhat had they once been?


    And most crucially¨Cthe underlying principle behind these changes, what exactly is it? The Great Annihilation, and the essence of that red light, what are they, exactly?


    New answers brought forth new questions, each one leading to another, seemingly never arriving at the final truth. Duncan felt his thoughts had entered a deadlock, unable to find a direction to delve deeper without more clues.


    Just then, a light knocking sound suddenly came from behind him, perfectly interrupting his increasingly deep and difficult contemplation.


    Duncan swiftly regained his composure, sensing the presence outside the door, and he sighed softly, allowing his mood to calm a bit, ¡°Come in, Alice.¡±


    The door opened and the doll girl walked in with a large plate in her hands, on which was Duncan¡¯s missed dinner.


    ¡°Captain,¡± Alice¡¯s tone carried a hint of worry, ¡°you haven¡¯t had dinner yet.¡±


    For some reason, just seeing Alice¡¯s perpetually pure expression, Duncan felt much calmer.


    He smiled slightly, ¡°Thank you, put it on the table.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alice casually placed the plate down, quickly adding, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all normal food, tailored to ordinary tastes¨CNina said that the ¡®traditional delicacies¡¯ here are not fit for human consumption¡­¡±


    Saying so, she looked up to gauge Duncan¡¯s mood, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now,¡± Duncan took a long breath, organizing the issues he had just clarified, a smile slowly forming on his face, ¡°Indeed, with so many findings¡­ I should be happy.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alice listened, half-understanding, but she truly felt the captain seemed to be in much better spirits, so she also relaxed, ¡°They were a bit worried about you, so they sent me up to check. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, but suddenly felt a touch of emotion.


    In this large house, indeed many people were constantly concerned about his ¡°condition,¡± yet these concerns varied widely, and perhaps only the seemingly simple doll in front of him had concerns that were completely pure.


    Nina might be the only other exception.


    Reflecting on this, Duncan shook his head with a smile and then suddenly thought of something else.


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    ¡°Alice,¡± he shifted his gaze, looking into the eyes of this gothic doll, ¡°I need your help with something.¡±


    Alice didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Ah? Sure!¡±


    Duncan nodded, fished in his pocket, and pulled out the brass key he always carried.


    ¡°Alice, I need to use this key again.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±

 Chapter 564 - Chapter 564 Chapter 563 Revisiting the Garden

    Chapter 564: Chapter 563: Revisiting the Garden Chapter 564: Chapter 563: Revisiting the Garden Just as before, Alice had unconditional trust in the captain¡¯s words¨Cshe didn¡¯t even question why Duncan suddenly needed to use the key again, and happily agreed.


    But Duncan still seriously explained to this doll, ¡°I need to enter Alice¡¯s Mansion again, to confirm some conjectures about the ¡®Old World.''¡±


    Alice nodded vigorously, even though she didn¡¯t quite understand what the ¡°Old World¡± the captain mentioned was, but she knew it was a very serious and solemn matter.


    Since they had cooperated once before, this time she quickly found a comfortable, stable place to sit down, then turned around to expose the keyhole on her back.


    ¡°Actually, I discussed with Nina before, asking her to help me modify the back of my clothes, to see if we could make a hole around the keyhole,¡± she said happily while waiting for the captain to ¡°wind her up,¡± ¡°but she was worried about sand, dust, and other debris getting into my keyhole¡­ I think she¡¯s being overly cautious, I¡¯m not going to roll on the ground, how would sand get into the keyhole?¡±


    ¡°Better to keep it covered usually,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°who knows if this delicate mechanism is fragile, if something gets stuck inside I wouldn¡¯t know how to fix it.¡±


    ¡°Miss Lucracia might know how to fix it, Luny was repaired by her¡­ But you¡¯re right, it¡¯s better to be careful, Luny¡¯s head took a long time to fix¡­¡±


    The silver-haired doll rambled on, talking about these eerily bizarre matters just like common household conversations. Duncan couldn¡¯t help but show a slight smile on his face, then shook his head smilingly, picked up that peculiar brass key, and carefully inserted it into Alice¡¯s keyhole like last time.


    The familiar click sounded, the key began to turn on its own, Duncan steadied himself for a moment, and the next second, he felt the light and shadow in front of him change, his senses rapidly focusing and reshaping.


    After a moment, he opened his eyes in the darkness, adapting to the changes in his senses after the environmental shift. After the scene in front of his eyes stabilized, that bizarre ¡°garden¡± shrouded by a cartoon sky, lush and overgrown, reappeared before him.


    The silver-haired gothic doll, identical to Alice, was still quietly leaning next to the pillar in the center of the garden, sleeping among the vines and thorns, and the easel in the doll¡¯s hand was just like before, unchanged in both position and form.


    Duncan blinked, and instead of moving hastily, he cautiously checked his surroundings and compared them with the scenes in his memory.


    Half a minute later, he confirmed that there were no abnormalities in the surroundings; everything remained as it had been when he left¨C he even felt as if, in his absence, time within this ¡°Mansion¡± had paused, resuming only upon his return.


    ¡­This might not be an illusion.


    Duncan recalled the peculiar ¡°headless butler¡± who had once talked to him about the special time rules within Alice¡¯s Mansion, and he pondered thoughtfully.


    After a short contemplation, he raised his head and looked up at the ¡°sky¡± above the garden.


    During his last visit here, he had been distracted by the various bizarre and peculiar scenes within the mansion, and with so many questions crowding his mind, his limited energy had been dispersed everywhere; though the sky of this garden had caught his attention, he hadn¡¯t observed the bizarre cartoon graffitis too closely.


    This time, he looked much more intently.


    Clouds drawn like children¡¯s crayon sketches floated against the pale blue sky background, exaggerated ¡°sunlight¡± rays filtering through the clouds, while the ¡°sun,¡± painted in golden yellow, released light and warmth, maintaining the garden¡¯s vitality, as vivid as he had seen last time.


    Still full of ¡°childlike fun,¡± yet also overflowing with eeriness from the ¡°childlike fun.¡±


    Suddenly, Duncan slightly squinted his eyes.


    He carefully observed the golden-yellow sun, and this time, he finally noticed a detail he had overlooked before¨C


    There was no Rune Circle around the ¡°graffiti sun!¡±


    ¡°No wonder¡­ no wonder I felt something was off last time, but couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it¡­¡±


    Duncan muttered, his expression subtly changing, he finally confirmed where the greatest sense of dissonance in this eerie graffiti sky emanated from: it was a normal sun, though crudely painted, it was undoubtedly the ¡°sun¡± that he was familiar with!


    But precisely because he was too familiar with it, that hasty glance last time had failed to notice this glaring ¡°anomaly¡±¨C if natives like Morris or Fenna came over, they¡¯d probably have sensed something amiss at first glance.


    Duncan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, having confirmed the sky contained a ¡°normal sun,¡± the secrets hidden within Alice¡¯s Mansion seemed to be quietly revealing a corner to him.


    Above the Endless Sea, the ¡°sun¡± is a man-made celestial body with a dual Rune Circle structure, a common knowledge recognized from the Deep Sea era to this day, a ¡°fact¡± that hasn¡¯t changed over ten thousand years, no one in the world knows what the ¡°true sun¡± looks like, even those Sun Cultists who claim to worship the True Sun God depict only a distorted, terrifying old god when preaching¨C


    So, this ¡°normal sun¡± or ¡°primitive sun¡± in Alice¡¯s Mansion¡­ who left it behind?


    This doll ¡°Alice¡± was ¡°born¡± after Frost Queen Lei Nora plunged into the deep sea, then why does the depths of Alice¡¯s Mansion connected to her record the appearance of the ¡°sun¡± before the Great Obliteration?


    And if considering the ¡°World Aggregation Theory¡± on the Great Obliteration, that the Deep Sea era was formed by the accumulation and reshaping of countless Old World remnants, then which Old World does this ¡°primitive sun¡± recorded in Alice¡¯s Mansion belong to?


    Does it represent a certain star of a particular Old World? Or is it merely an abstract symbol?


    For some reason, Duncan thought of that plump pigeon at this moment.


    With a furrowed brow, he shook his head, rearranging the complex information in his mind over and over until suddenly, another clue emerged¨C


    The birth of Alice.


    Her image was indeed a Replication of the Frost Queen Lei Nora, but her original corpse was also an erroneous replication of the ¡°Alice Guillotine¡±¨Cit had been proven that for the abnormal ¡°Shaper¡± of 099, the source and process of the Replication weren¡¯t important, whether it was a great human or a sturdy piece of wood, they were merely the initial ¡°material,¡± what mattered was the ¡°Shaper¡± himself.


    The erroneous replication of the Saint had created abnormal 099.


    Could it then be assumed that this so-called ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion¡± was also a creation of the Saint¡¯s erroneous replicant¨Cand building on that, even the Saint¡¯s erroneous replicant should retain a lot of the ¡°original¡± information, could some ¡°things¡± in Alice¡¯s Mansion have their origins directly linked to that ancient god lingering in the Endless Sea?


    Duncan raised his head, examining carefully the abstract, simple sun as well as the clouds and sunlight surrounding it.


    ¡­Could these graffiti-like images be a part of the memory unintentionally revealed by the Saint, or some kind of ¡°message¡± intentionally conveyed to the outside?


    The more Duncan thought, the more likely it seemed, because one thing was unquestionably clear:


    The true appearance of the ¡°Original Sun¡± existed only in a time before the great annihilation, and the secrets of Alice¡¯s Mansion should also be traceable to before that time, and from what intelligence was currently available¡­ only the four gods and those mysterious, enigmatic ¡°ancient gods¡± of the world¡¯s depths could possibly have some understanding of the world before the great annihilation.


    A thought struck Duncan, and he looked down to see the drawing board in the doll¡¯s hands.


    After hesitating briefly, he bent down, carefully maneuvering around the surrounding thorns, and slowly pulled the drawing board from the doll¡¯s hands.


    The front of the drawing board still depicted that bizarre vortex, the twisted stars, and an ominous dark red glow, while on the back edge of the frame, familiar script was still engraved:


    ¡°¡­The messenger brings news from afar that the chosen clan has picked up the lost ancient stars and forged them into the blessed crown¨CThe third long night has ended.¡±


    The chosen clan picked up the lost ancient stars and forged them into the blessed crown.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze lingered long on this sentence.


    This described the ancient Cretan clan under the guide of the Crawling King, constructing Vision 001 and lifting it into the sky.


    When he first entered this garden and saw this line of text, he could not understand what it meant.


    But now, he suddenly realized.


    He thought of that ten-meter diameter ¡°moon¡±¨Cthat was a ¡°part¡± that had fallen off from Vision 001¡¯s Rune Circle.


    The Rune Circle that bound the sun could be considered a glorious ¡°crown.¡±


    And the ¡°moon,¡± twisted and compressed by an unknown force¡­ naturally fit the description of a ¡°lost ancient star.¡±


    Some slight noises suddenly came from deep within the garden, startling Duncan from his thoughts.


    He abruptly raised his head, looking in the direction of the sound.


    There were only lush plants there, dark shadows between the dense bushes and shrubs.


    But Duncan was sure that he had really ¡°heard¡± something.


    This was the deepest part of Alice¡¯s Mansion, where, according to the headless butler, even the senior servants of the mansion weren¡¯t allowed to enter casually¨Conly the mistress Alice and someone called ¡°the Gardener¡± would come here, but that ¡°Gardener¡± seemed to have disappeared long ago.


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    An intruder? Or had the ¡°Gardener¡± returned?


    Slowly Duncan furrowed his brows, he casually stuffed the drawing board back into the doll¡¯s arms and carefully walked toward the lush bush.


    ¡°Rustle¡­ rustle¡­¡±


    The faint noises came again from somewhere in the shadows.


    Suddenly, something caught the corner of his eye¨C


    A shadow, like a slick and eerie tentacle, was slithering and writhing through the darkness on the edge of the garden!

 Chapter 565 - Chapter 565 Chapter 564 Quick and Hasty Exchange

    Chapter 565: Chapter 564 Quick and Hasty Exchange Chapter 565: Chapter 564 Quick and Hasty Exchange In the deepest part of Alice¡¯s Mansion, on the fringe of this eerie garden, amidst the shadows between the lush shrubs and low-growing trees, there slithered winding, bizarre tentacles as if covered in metallic fine scales, wriggling about!


    Rustling noises came again from another direction, and in the corner of his eye, Duncan saw another dark-colored tentacle, akin to the limb of some soft-bodied creature, squeezing through the gaps in the bushes, shaking those twigs, rubbing against the rough soil, emitting a light, delicate sound.


    That rustling, delicate noise seemed as though it was calling out.


    Duncan instantly expanded his perception, cautiously monitoring any stirrings in the garden, while also locking onto the direction where one of the tentacles had just vanished, and started walking over there.


    Behind him, beneath his feet, spectral flames of a ghostly green began to trail his steps, leaving behind a faint fiery path that silently spread along the ground¡¯s crevices, infiltrating deeper into the garden.


    This was Alice¡¯s Mansion, most likely a crucial part of Alice¡¯s ¡°soul¡±; of course, Duncan wouldn¡¯t recklessly set fire to such a place, but now that a strange presence appeared in the depths of the garden, he had to take some precautions¨Cif there was indeed a dangerous entity that had invaded the garden, he would have to figure out a way to deal with the intruder without damaging the mansion itself.


    With vigilant thoughts coursing through his mind, Duncan, guided by the rustling noise, gradually made his way away from the ¡°sleeping dolls,¡± towards an edge of the mansion¡¯s garden. After passing through several shrubs and over some unnamed small trees, he noticed the light around him had dimmed; the ¡®graffiti sun¡¯ in the sky seemed incapable of reaching this far¨Cbetween the shaded plants, it was as gloomy as dusk.


    And there, in the dusk-like ¡°sky light,¡± he saw a cluster of plants in front of him suddenly shake, followed by a tentacle slowly lifting from that spot, gently swaying in front of him.


    Without any pretense or mystique, the tentacle seemed to deliberately invite Duncan over and now brazenly revealed itself.


    Duncan stared in amazement at this mysterious and inexplicable ¡°limb¡±¨C


    The color of the tentacle was dark, its surface was detailed with fine metallic-like scales, and amidst the rough, complex protuberances, one could faintly discern pale blue lines, which felt incredibly familiar to him, as if¡­


    Beneath the frost, within the deep sea, it was the pattern characteristic on the surface of the tentacles of ancient gods.


    A limb of The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea?!


    A jolt ran through Duncan¡¯s heart as he suddenly recognized the source of his familiarity; just as the idea of ¡°The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea¡± flashed through his mind, the tentacle blindly swaying in midair shuddered, as if a remote, colossal consciousness had finally made a connection to this segment of limb¨C


    It bent towards Duncan, accompanied by a peculiar, deep humming sound; the end of the tentacle slowly opened up, and an ¡°eye¡± resembling an irregular crystal stone, flickering with cold blue light, emerged, ¡°gazing¡± into Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Hello, Usurper of the Flame, I have something to tell you.¡±


    A rumbled, indistinct voice came through, as if speaking directly into his mind, devoid of any discernible emotion or gender characteristics.


    Duncan startled, his brows furrowing as he stared at the tentacle before him: ¡°The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea? The Crawling King? LH-01?¡±


    ¡°All are correct, but now please listen,¡± the tentacle trembled, seemingly enduring a load far beyond its threshold, and the voice it transmitted swiftly became deeper and more distorted. It hurried its speech, ¡°My opportunity to communicate with you is extremely limited. I¡¯m only conveying crucial information now, whether you understand or not, remember:


    ¡°The design life span of ¡®Y=#%Y=#¡¯ is only eight thousand years; now it has been overtaxed, and we have not received a signal from ¡®*%Y=¡¯ within the deadline¡­


    ¡°This is the last cycle reset; ¡®Y=*(Y=#¡¯ will not regenerate after this cycle.


    ¡°Preserve the fallen fragments of ¡®Y=#&**¡¯; if all is beyond saving, use them to extend the lifespan of each node city as much as possible, maintain survival, survival is the primary directive.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what you can achieve, but you awoke at the end of the cycle, and that must have meaning.


    ¡°We firmly believe, you, and we, are not alone.


    ¡°All necessary information has been conveyed¨Cif there¡¯s an opportunity, I wish to¡­ commu¡­ nicate¡­ with you under more stable conditions¡­¡±


    The shudder of the tentacle quickly subsided; the finely detailed metallic scales began to cover with a pale hue of decay, and Duncan could distinctly feel the fading and weakening of that voice in his mind¨Cas unclear as the specifics and processes were, evidently, the ancient god known as ¡°The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea¡± had exploited some loophole or utilized some external force to forcibly establish contact with him, and now this extremely limited connection was ending.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t afford to be curious or ponder the barrage of information thrown his way. Based on rational judgment, he quickly forced himself to memorize them all, and only after the entity finished speaking did he have time to process what he had just heard.


    The first thing he noted was those ¡°noises¡±¨Cwhile the ancient god was talking to him, several key pieces of information, likely important nouns, turned into sharp, chaotic sounds.


    It was as if the ¡°meaning¡± within those syllables had been filtered out by something, or perhaps the significance represented by those syllables exceeded the capacity of this exchange, so they couldn¡¯t be conveyed to him.


    But now was clearly not the time to inquire in detail about those ¡°noises.¡±


    The whispers of the ancient god were about to fade, and the connection it had barely established with Duncan himself was down to its last thread. Duncan lifted his head and saw the tentacle¡¯s surface already covered with cracks; it might only hold on for a few more seconds.


    He completed his thought in an instant, seizing this last bit of time to inquire, ¡°If I want to find you, how should I go to the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡±


    Going to the Mysterious Deep Sea to communicate face-to-face with the other party was undoubtedly the simplest and most effective method to resolve all questions.


    The ancient god¡¯s tentacle had already slowly stiffened, and its fading fragments were falling off like dust, the powerful and indescribable will gradually withdrawing from this fragile vessel. But before completely severing the connection with the real world, it exerted all its power to cling to this last tether, casting a deep murmur into Duncan¡¯s mind¨C


    ¡°I do not know.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    He finally realized what it felt like when the people around him suffered a brain crash from something he said.


    He truly didn¡¯t expect the Mysterious Saint to answer him back in this way!


    However, he was only stunned for an instant before he heard another ethereal and deep murmur in his mind¨C


    ¡°Try capturing a few obliterated believers¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Duncan didn¡¯t catch on immediately, ¡°Aren¡¯t they your believers?¡±


    But there was no more sound to respond to his question¨Cthe whispers the ancient god had conveyed to him finally broke off entirely. Accompanied by a series of crackling and snapping sounds, the ¡°tentacle¡± that had borne too much power collapsed completely, turning into dust and debris that fell to the ground and rose up as wisps of smoke, disappearing into nothingness.


    The rustling noises that surrounded the edge of the mansion¡¯s garden also ceased at the same time, and that unnormal dimness among the shadows of the trees faded away as well.


    Duncan continued to stand quietly in front of the bushes for a while, until a few minutes passed, and he shook his head with a furrowed brow, waking from his contemplation.


    Everything that just happened still felt like a dream, the ancient god known as the ¡°Mysterious Saint¡± had just run up to him, rapidly prattled a bunch of things, and then sped away again. Such an occurrence, not to mention at Light Breeze Harbor, even if placed in the whole Endless Sea, would probably be mind-blowing.


    However, having it happen right next to him¡­ didn¡¯t seem that explosive?


    Duncan turned and looked back at the lush ¡°mansion¡¯s garden¡± not far away, bathed in Sky Light, and at the silver-haired doll that lay sleeping quietly in the sunlit clearing at the garden¡¯s center.


    The anomaly 099, born of the Mysterious Saint¡¯s ¡°Replication¡± ability, and ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± which is closely connected to Alice¨Cin the end, this entire ¡°mansion¡± itself has myriad connections to that ¡°ancient god¡± in the Mysterious Deep Sea, and it might even be a deliberately crafted vessel for conveying messages to the outside world.


    Therefore, at the deepest part of this garden, encountering the projected force of the Mysterious Saint doesn¡¯t seem to be an unimaginable event.


    Duncan was considering something else¨C


    The attitude, or rather the ¡°state,¡± of the Mysterious Saint seemed different from what was expected; It still retained its sanity, but it appeared to be in an extremely limited state. Its attitude was friendly, not the purely destructive tendency imagined by the people.


    But these ¡°deviations¡± had little significance for Duncan because hardly anyone in this world has truly encountered those so-called ¡°ancient gods.¡± Imagined intelligence cannot be relied upon, and ¡°ancient gods¡± might manifest different aspects through different individuals¡¯ eyes. A cordial and harmless neighbor in one¡¯s own view could be unspeakably strange to others¨Chaving adapted to this world for so long, Duncan had some self-awareness in this respect.


    Most importantly, there were the ¡°messages¡± that the ancient god had told him.


    Duncan¡¯s mind went over and over the phrases that seemed to contain a tremendous amount of information¨C


    Something designed with a lifespan of only eight thousand years, which was now operating beyond its capability.


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    The ¡°us¡± spoken by the Mysterious Saint seemed to have been waiting for a signal to be sent back from somewhere, but they have yet to receive that response.


    It also mentioned something about a cycle reset¡­ What did that mean?


    The fact that he, a ¡°Usurping Flame,¡± awoke at the end of the cycle, what did that mean?


    And there was preserving the fallen fragments, to extend the lifespan of the node city¡­


    In his contemplation, Duncan¡¯s expression gradually turned somber.

 Chapter 566 - Chapter 566 Chapter 565 Foreign Object

    Chapter 566: Chapter 565: Foreign Object Chapter 566: Chapter 565: Foreign Object For Duncan, the most easily deduced among the series of hastily conveyed messages from the Saint was actually the first one¨Cthat something designed to last only eight thousand years was now operating in overload.


    The first thing he could think of was the ¡°sun¡± that was now hanging over the Endless Sea, which had already begun to malfunction and even start dropping parts¨Cindeed, it was the ¡°First Anomaly¡± created by the Saint leading the Ancient Crete clan during the Ancient Crete Kingdom era.


    The sun had been operating for ten thousand years, if its original design life was really only eight thousand years¡­ then its current troubling state was explained.


    And extending from this, the Saint also mentioned that ¡°they¡± were waiting for a signal from ¡°somewhere¡± within this period, but had not received it to date¨Cwho were ¡°they¡±? And this ¡°somewhere,¡± the short burst of noise referred to, what place was it?


    ¡°We didn¡¯t receive the signal from *&%Y= outside within the time limit¡­¡±


    Duncan recalled the exact words he had heard from that ancient god¡¯s mouth, combining it with the descriptions in the Book of Desecration, he could boldly guess that the ¡°we¡± referred to should be the ¡°Ancient Kings,¡± which included the current four cardinal gods as well as various other ancient gods and lost gods¨Cjust this piece of intelligence alone was enough to upset this world.


    The four cardinal gods and the universally acknowledged ¡°Evil Ancient Gods¡± were waiting for something together and even had a common goal¨Cif Fenna had heard this back then, she probably would have made a beeline for the exit.


    But what Duncan was more concerned about was the second half of the sentence: ¡°the signal from *&%Y= outside¡±¡­ What exactly was that short burst of noise?


    If the anomaly 001-sun had also turned into a short burst of noise in the Saint¡¯s mouth, could it be assumed that this short burst of noise referred to something closely related to the nature and rank of anomaly 001? Or was there some important similarity?


    What were the characteristics of anomaly 001? Was it ancient? Was it an enigmatic artifact crafted by ancient gods? Did it possess a massive scale that could influence the entire world? Was it suspected to be related to the Black Sun? Or was it that¡­


    Its ¡°parts¡± contained some key structures from the ¡°old world,¡± such as those ¡°lost stars¡±¡­


    So, could the short burst of noise in the signal from *&%Y= outside also be related to the old world?


    Duncan raised his hand and gently massaged his slightly swollen forehead, then he stopped again, thoughtfully looking at his own hands.


    Usurping Flame¡­ this was not the first time he had heard a ¡°person¡± call him that.


    The Black Sun addressed him so, and now the Saint did as well, and their greatest common point was the rank of ancient gods¨Cmembers of the ¡°Ancient Kings.¡±


    However, judging from the Saint¡¯s attitude, He seemed to only know the name or concept of ¡°Usurping Flame¡± and did not know the specific abilities and essence of ¡°Usurping Flame.¡± The only valid intelligence He revealed was that the Usurper would awaken at the ¡°end of the cycle¡±¡­


    What about the other ¡°Ancient Kings¡± then? The Storm Goddess, the Ever-burning Ember, the God of Wisdom¡­ did these ¡°deities¡± that maintain some connection with the mortal world know more?


    Duncan shook his head, sighing softly with a helpless expression.


    It was bad enough that the world was full of mysteries, but his own being was just as enigmatic, and what was even more vexing was that those ¡°ancient gods¡± and ¡°cardinal gods¡± knew even more about this than he did, which inevitably made him acrimonious, and what¡¯s more frustrating was that the divine network was not reliable, connections were completely left to chance¡­


    As for the so-called ¡°end of the cycle,¡± Duncan had completely no clue nor the energy to ponder it any longer.


    He walked through the small path on the edge of the garden and returned to the abrupt stone pillar, quietly watching the silver-haired automaton sleeping among the thorns.


    Whether it was the Saint who built Alice¡¯s Mansion, or Alice¡¯s Mansion existed first and then the Saint used this mansion to establish the link with the real world, one thing was certain: the sleeping automaton here was inseparably linked to the ¡°Alice¡± in the real world.


    Duncan approached the sleeping automaton and took out the wind-up key he carried, and now by turning this key on the automaton, he could return to the real world.


    But at that moment, a new idea popped into his head.


    Duncan silently put away the key and turned towards the exit of the garden.


    Following the route in his memory, he passed through the shadowy and lush groves and flowerbeds and came to the garden gate adorned with elaborate stained glass and intricate wrought iron lines.


    The gate was ajar, and faintly, conversation, footsteps, and the seemingly never-ending, rhythmic, and intermittent music from the direction of the mansion¡¯s great hall could be heard.


    He pushed open the gate, and the elongated, dimly lit corridor was empty.


    But no sooner had Duncan stepped into the corridor than the ghostly, headless butler abruptly entered his sight¨Cjust as if the headless butler had been standing in those shadows a few meters away all along.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the guest with the key,¡± the butler greeted warmly, his voice low and muffled from his chest, ¡°Have you greeted the mistress?¡±


    Duncan glanced at the dreadful, headless undead: ¡°Are you watching me?¡±


    ¡°I am always waiting for the call of the guests¨Cand you have been away for only a brief moment, so I have been waiting here,¡± the headless butler bowed slightly, his tone as courteous as ever, ¡°May I ask what instructions you have next?¡±


    Only away for a brief moment?


    Duncan frowned slightly, remembering the earlier mention by the other party of the mansion¡¯s peculiar ¡°time¡± concept.


    That is to say¡­ just as he could linger in this mansion for however long, and only a moment would have passed when he returned to the real world, no matter how long he lived in the real world after leaving this place, for the servants within the mansion, it would also be just a moment?


    This mansion is not simply a place where time stands still, but rather it operates on a timeline independent of the real world?


    What exactly is the process behind this?


    A multitude of questions surfaced in his mind in an instant, and Duncan¡¯s expression did not change. He merely nodded slightly towards the butler in front of him and casually asked, ¡°Has there been any change in the mansion during this ¡®short while¡¯ I was gone?¡±


    ¡°The mansion remains as usual, guest,¡± the butler responded immediately, ¡°It rarely welcomes any change. Since I have had memory, it has always looked like this.¡±


    Duncan hummed in response, then casually asked another question, ¡°Before me, have there been any other guests who entered that garden?¡±


    ¡°Other guests?¡± The butler seemed puzzled for a moment, then quickly replied, ¡°Of course not, as you know, only the mistress and the gardener are allowed access to the garden area; apart from that, it is only open to guests holding the key¨Cwhy do you suddenly ask this?¡±


    Duncan did not answer, but immediately followed with another question, ¡°You mentioned ¡®the gardener,¡¯ what does he look like?¡±


    ¡°The gardener¡­ no one knows what the gardener looks like,¡± the butler became increasingly hesitant as if he had never answered such a ¡°detailed question¡± to anyone before, making each step of his thought slower and more difficult, ¡°The gardener has not shown himself for a long time. When the garden no longer required trimming, he returned to where he belonged¡­ The gardener is different from the ordinary servants, his task is to ensure a comfortable environment for the mistress¡¯s repose, undisturbed. Besides that, he does not need to be responsible for anything inside the mansion, nor does he need¡­ to communicate with me¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems that even you, ¡®the butler,¡¯ don¡¯t know much about this mansion,¡± Duncan looked at the ¡®headless carcass¡¯ before him and spoke calmly, ¡°Then, have you heard of a name?¡±


    ¡°A name? Please tell.¡±


    ¡°The Saint, Crawling King, LH-01¨CHe might go by any of these three names, have you heard of Him?¡±


    The butler was silent for a few seconds, apparently thinking hard.


    Then an apologetic response came from his chest, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, guest, I have no recollection of that.¡±


    The butler¡¯s tone was very sincere.


    Duncan could not determine any facial changes from a body without a head, and this headless corpse was as meticulously correct as a machine, revealing no emotional turbulence, so he could only for the time being believe the butler¡¯s reply.


    ¡°Alright, thank you for your response.¡±


    The headless butler bowed slightly, ¡°I hope this has been of assistance to you¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped, then as if he heard some urgent sound, he abruptly straightened and turned towards another direction.


    Almost at the same time, Duncan also felt the atmosphere in the mansion change¨Ca sensation of tension and panic seemed to abruptly permeate the air, and in the deserted corridor, numerous hurried footsteps and whispered voices suddenly echoed!


    He immediately turned to the headless butler, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°An alien intrusion, guest, please excuse my departure,¡± the butler said hastily, then immediately turned and strode towards the other end of the corridor, looking extremely hurried.


    An alien intrusion?


    Duncan was momentarily stunned by these words, and before he had time to react, the butler had already walked away on his own. Hesitating for a moment, he too immediately followed.


    The butler, while striding quickly forward, turned his torso slightly as if he glanced at the ¡°guest¡± who had followed, but showed no intention of stopping him.


    Seeing this, Duncan felt assured and followed the butler hastily through the corridors, past the first-floor staircase, and then into the long hallway that led to the ¡°bedroom¡± on the second floor.


    Countless shadowy servants emerged from the air; the headless manservants and maidservants had already gathered inside the hallway. These ¡°lost souls¡± dwelling within Alice¡¯s Mansion whispered among themselves; their voices were low and indistinct, their meanings unclear, but a palpable anxiety spread through the air.


    Duncan recognized this path; he remembered that at the end of this road was the bedroom where the soul of the Frost Queen Lei Nora once slumbered, but now, with the queen¡¯s soul freed, that room should have been ¡°torn¡± from the main body of the mansion¨Can entrance to an endlessly dark void should have been all that was at the end of the corridor.


    ¡°Make way, make way! Do not touch the invading object!¡± The butler¡¯s voice came from ahead as he advanced and dispersed the gathered manservants and maidservants, showing a bit of the ¡°manor manager¡¯s¡± authority, ¡°Where is the alien object?¡±


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    The gathered servants retreated, clearing an open space at the front of the corridor.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze moved past the shoulder of the headless butler and finally, he saw the ¡°alien object¡± that had set the entire mansion on edge.


    His expression solidified in an instant.


    It was a small bag of trash.


    Very familiar.

 Chapter 567 - Chapter 567 Chapter 566 Foreign Object and Cleaner

    Chapter 567: Chapter 566: Foreign Object and Cleaner Chapter 567: Chapter 566: Foreign Object and Cleaner It was a small bag of garbage¨Ca black garbage bag, tied tight with a knot, with a tiny torn hole on its side through which a squashed paper cup could be seen.


    Duncan stared blankly at the familiar bag of garbage, his mind swirling with confusion and endless questions. He had indeed speculated that the ¡°vast void¡± inside Alice¡¯s Mansion might eventually undergo some transformation. When he had just heard the headless butler mention ¡°foreign invasion,¡± he had also guessed what sort of bizarre and indescribable thing might have entered the mansion, but he had never imagined this scenario.


    That bag of garbage, he had thrown it out himself¨Cnot long ago, when he had vaguely realized that the barrier between him and his homeland might already be insurmountable, after he had carefully cleaned his bachelor apartment. He had organized this bag of garbage and thrown it into the black mist outside.


    Now, it appeared inside the ¡°vast void¡± of Alice¡¯s Mansion, taking the form of an ¡°invading foreign object.¡±


    With complex and subtle emotions, Duncan stepped forward toward that ¡°invading item.¡±


    The vast void left by the disappearance of the room at the end of the corridor seemed like a sinister and terrifying abyss. The floor and walls around the void were fragmented and twisted like gnarled teeth, and that black bag was at the end of the broken floor. Honestly¡­ Duncan even found the scene somewhat comical.


    However, the servants in the mansion were extremely nervous, and the terrifying headless butler even cried out in a somewhat flustered manner when he saw Duncan walking forward, ¡°Guest! Do not approach there, it¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Dangerous?¡± Duncan didn¡¯t know what expression to make. He turned to look at the butler, his lips twitching, ¡°It¡¯s just a pile of quiet¡­ refuse.¡±


    Nevertheless, the butler and the servants still stood at least ten meters away, their low, rumbling whispers filled with panic and fear. Although they were headless, Duncan could almost feel their bewildered, chaotic gazes trying to peer yet retreating constantly out of fear.


    It was as if¡­ what they saw was not a harmless black bag, but something far more terrifying and indescribable.


    ¡°Guest¡­ guest¡­¡± The headless butler suddenly spoke, his voice deep and trembling, ¡°Do not be deceived by appearances, please slowly keep your distance from it and move toward me, be careful not to awaken this growing shadow¡­¡±


    Growing shadow?


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed momentarily, as if confirming the ¡°guess¡± that had flashed through his mind just a moment ago¨Cwere these servants seeing something else?


    He turned back to look at the black bag at the edge of the broken ground.


    In a certain moment, he saw that black plastic bag suddenly¡­ ¡°flicker.¡±


    Like the screen of a malfunctioning monitor, or as if suddenly a layer of light veil had covered its surface, Duncan saw it flicker momentarily, and in that brief change of light and shadow, it seemed to have¡­ transformed into something else.


    Duncan quietly watched it, as if anticipating more changes¨Cand then, the second flicker occurred.


    This time, he caught the fleeting image.


    He saw a mass of shifting shadows covering the nearby floor, the edges of the shadow spreading out like numerous sharp thorns trembling and quivering, with black material churning and spreading from the center of the shadow, which also concealed countless eyes and tongues.


    However, as soon as he focused intently, that thing would immediately revert to a simple pile of ¡°refuse,¡± and the eerie image he had glimpsed seemed merely a shallow illusion in his mind.


    Duncan silently watched this scene, many speculations gradually converging in his heart, and after a long while, he suddenly turned his head to speak to the ¡°butler,¡± ¡°Has there been a ¡®foreign invasion¡¯ here before?¡±


    His voice was oddly hoarse.


    ¡°Occasionally,¡± the butler hurriedly responded. ¡°The mansion is sealed, but somehow, ¡®external¡¯ things always connect here, they¡­ often bring significant trouble.¡±


    ¡°Bring significant trouble?¡± Duncan frowned.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Foreign objects do not belong to the mansion, they can be like diseases to this place, causing some parts of the mansion to decay or distort, and it often takes a long time to recover¡­¡±


    Duncan listened quietly, pondering for a moment before asking, ¡°So how do you deal with these foreign objects?¡±


    ¡°The mansion will ¡®digest¡¯ them itself,¡± the butler responded. ¡°You can just patiently wait on the side, the Cleaner should appear soon, and should be able to properly handle the invading foreign objects.¡±


    ¡°Cleaner?¡± Duncan¡¯s tone carried a hint of confusion.


    ¡°It is a part of the mansion, the most ancient part, responsible for removing the destructive ¡®entities¡¯ from the mansion, after which the mansion will slowly return to the state before the invasion¡­ Ah, it¡¯s here now, look, guest¨C¡±


    The butler suddenly raised his arm, pointing to the ground not far away.


    A mass of mud-like substance had appeared there at some point, slowly spreading out.


    That ¡°mud¡± was dark in color yet had a metallic quality on its surface, as if mixed with countless crystalline particles. With its slow movement, it continuously refracted fragments of light like starlight¨Cit moved and spread, seemingly consciously approaching the invading ¡°foreign object.¡±


    Part of its edge morphed, forming tentacle-like extensions. It actively stretched forward to touch and probe, and then slowly ¡°covered¡± itself over the ¡°growing shadow.¡±


    Duncan did not interrupt the process, he just stared at the scene, not missing any detail.


    The ¡°waste¡± itself was of no value to him, why the waste appeared here, the bizarre phenomena he had observed just now, and the secrets hidden in the mansion were the key points.


    For him, the crucial piece of information was already there when he saw that small bag of trash appear inside the mansion.


    The engulfing happened silently, and the ¡°Cleaner,¡± a ¡°soft-bodied organism,¡± quickly covered the small bag of trash completely. Duncan could faintly feel that something disappeared within the body of the ¡°soft-bodied organism,¡± which shimmered with a metallic sheen and tiny specks of light.


    The surrounding servants seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    However, the next second, Duncan saw the ¡°soft-bodied organism¡± that had finished devouring slowly turn ¡°itself¡± around. Its edges were undulating, looking like an elevated structure resembling a head that was now steadily facing this way.


    The hallway plunged into tension and dead silence, all the servants tensed up, quieting down.


    The ¡°Cleaner¡± wormed its way over, under Duncan¡¯s watchful eyes, it approached like a living blob of slime, neither fast nor slow.


    There was neither a sense of goodwill nor hostility.


    Duncan¡¯s nerves gradually tensed, with faint green flames flowing between his fingers, he was wary of this thing called ¡°Cleaner,¡± and he was quickly thinking about how to deal with this blob of ¡°slime¡± without causing much damage to ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion¡± if it attacked, and how to leave this place.


    But the Cleaner just stopped about two meters in front of him.


    The ¡°slime¡± halted in front of Duncan, its soft body structures gently recoiling. It seemed to be cautiously observing something, Duncan wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion¡­


    Duncan even felt that he observed a perplexed emotion in the blob of slime, similar to that of a slime.


    It had intelligence, it was trying to observe and understand the uninvited guest¨Cbut it couldn¡¯t comprehend.


    It seemed as if the existence of the uninvited guest had already exceeded some kind of ¡°logic¡± installed within the mansion.


    After a moment, the Cleaner seemed to end a certain ¡°loop,¡± abruptly shifting its attention away from Duncan, as if nothing had happened, it turned direction and slowly crept towards a dark corner nearby.


    Duncan blinked, puzzled by the scene, and after a long while, he turned to the butler, ¡°What does this mean? Does the ¡®Cleaner¡¯ not welcome me?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ I¡¯ve also never encountered this,¡± the butler¡¯s voice also seemed quite puzzled, ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing the Cleaner engage in these additional activities after performing a cleaning, normally, it would never linger after completing its task¡­¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brow, didn¡¯t ask further, but instead walked towards the edge of the broken hallway, to where the Cleaner had conducted its ¡°cleaning task.¡±


    That small bag of ¡°trash¡± had completely disappeared, having undergone bizarre and mysterious changes, and then consumed by a mysterious and mystical force, leaving no trace behind.


    But how had it arrived here?


    Duncan stood on a broken floor tile at the edge of the hallway, craning his neck to look into the vast, endless darkness outside.


    For a moment, he even thought he was about to see his own ¡°cottage¡±¨Cit might be floating not far away, enveloped in a mist, just like¡­ those countless old world fragments of this world.


    But he saw nothing, the end of the hallway was only boundless darkness, the large void inside Alice¡¯s Mansion seemed not to lead anywhere.


    An emotional impulse nearly drove him to step out into the darkness to seek the so-called answers, but in the last moment, rational force pulled him back.


    He instinctively felt a threat from that endless darkness, Intuition told him¨Cnow was not the time, he was not yet able to return safely from that darkness.


    ¡°Guest?¡±


    The voice of the headless butler came from behind, interrupting Duncan¡¯s wild thoughts.


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    Duncan took a deep breath, took a step back, and returned to the relatively stable corridor.


    ¡°I should leave,¡± he said softly, ¡°take me back to the garden.¡±


    In the real world, Duncan suddenly blinked¨Chis senses quickly returned and he was fully alert within two seconds.


    Alice was still sitting obediently in front of him.


    In the real world, only a moment had passed.

 Chapter 568 - Chapter 568 Chapter 567 Night Vision

    Chapter 568: Chapter 567: Night Vision Chapter 568: Chapter 567: Night Vision Duncan rubbed his slightly swollen forehead, stowed away his keys, and recalled his experiences inside ¡°the mansion,¡± including the message conveyed to him by the ancient god¡¯s tentacle in the garden and the ¡°intruding foreign object¡± that appeared next to the hollow space inside the mansion.


    Alice quickly noticed the captain¡¯s ¡°return,¡± and while pulling up the back of her dress, she curiously turned her head, ¡°Captain, you¡¯re back! Did you find the answers you were looking for?¡±


    ¡°I got more information, but only more questions,¡± Duncan sighed softly, looking at Alice¡¯s ever-carefree, radiant expression. He momentarily calmed the chaos in his mind and a smile appeared on his face, ¡°But I¡¯ve made significant progress¨Cat least I have a new goal for the near future.¡±


    Alice tilted her head slightly, ¡°A new goal?¡±


    After a moment of thought, Duncan spoke indifferently, ¡°Let¡¯s start by capturing a few eradicators.¡±


    Why had the ¡°trash¡± he had thrown out from his bachelor apartment floated to Alice¡¯s Mansion? Why had those things turned into breeding shadows in the eyes of the mansion¡¯s servants? What was the case with the missing gardener? What was the true nature of the Cleaner? Currently, there were no answers to this series of questions, nor a suitable breakthrough in the short term. However, following another direction, the advice from the ¡°Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea¡± seemed worth a try.


    About the state of Vision 001, about the meaning behind those brief noises, about the ancient kings, about the Great Annihilation and the multiple long nights¡¯ truth, and the meaning of the so-called end of the cycle¡­ About all this, that ancient god lurking in the Mysterious Deep Sea clearly knew much and was willing to share these secrets with him, the ¡°Usurping Flame.¡±


    Thus, establishing a connection with the Mysterious Deep Sea became the only clear goal at the moment, just as proposed by the Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea¨Ccapture a few eradicators and try.


    But every time he thought of this ¡°advice,¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight oddity¡­


    Alice, however, didn¡¯t think so much. She was just happy that the captain had a new plan, and although she didn¡¯t understand why, her face showed anticipation, ¡°Great! So when do we go capture them? And where should we capture them?¡±


    ¡°Heretics are not jellyfish in the sea that you can just catch,¡± Duncan rubbed his forehead, ¡°Let¡¯s rest for today. Tomorrow I need to have a good discussion about this with Fenna and Morris.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alice nodded but quickly came up with another question, ¡°What¡¯s a jellyfish?¡±


    ¡°It lives in¡­ well, it lives in the sea,¡± Duncan¡¯s facial muscles twitched slightly, explaining in a very odd manner, ¡°They look translucent, some are poisonous, and some are edible.¡±


    ¡°Edible?¡± Duncan was just explaining casually, but Alice¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, ¡°So are they tasty?¡±


    Duncan gave her a weird look, ¡°You don¡¯t even have a digestive system, why do you care about that?¡±


    ¡°I can make it for you to eat!¡± Alice¡¯s face beamed, ¡°Captain, let¡¯s go catch jellyfish together when you have time in the future!¡±


    The topic was quickly taking a bizarre turn, and Duncan¡¯s expression almost collapsed. He hurriedly waved his hand to gloss over the question, ¡°Alright, alright, I promise we¡¯ll catch some to eat when we have the chance¡­¡±


    Thus, Alice left happily and contentedly.


    Duncan sighed lightly, shook his head helplessly, and strolled to the window.


    By this time, night had fallen¨CVision 001 had submerged below the sea surface hours ago, and its power had also faded from the world. The ¡°rift¡± in the Creation of the World was then displayed in the sky, looking down coldly over the entire city.


    Yet at the same time, there was still ¡°sunlight¡± in the sky¨Cthe sunlight came from the Luminous Geometric Body near the City-State¡¯s sea surface. The light diffused through the multiple barriers of the city¡¯s structures and, by the time it reached this area near the city center, only fragmented beams swept across the sky¨Clike light cast by venetian blinds, irregular beams sweeping high across the city, creating a bizarre, almost mutated dusk-like ¡°scenery.¡±


    Under the ¡°cutting¡± of this sunlight, the world¡¯s Creation also appeared intermittently in the sky: It no longer spanned the high sky coherently; in the spots where the sunlight swept through, the Creation of the World was invisible, and only in places untouched by sunlight could the cold, pale rifts, divided into segments, be seen in the sky.


    Duncan suddenly furrowed his brow, realizing a detail he had previously overlooked, and began to observe the intriguing ¡°spectacle¡± in the sky with increasing curiosity.


    The Luminous Geometric Body that had fallen into the sea, of course, couldn¡¯t project light so high up to the Creation of the World¨Cscholars from Lucia and Light Breeze Harbor had already determined its luminous range, which only covered approximately a City-State and some of the surrounding sea area, incapable of reaching the sky.


    And now, he observed that in places where the ¡°sunlight beams¡± swept across the city¡¯s sky, the Creation of the World appeared invisible.


    So¡­, was the sunlight not directly affecting the Creation of the World but instead the eyes of the ¡°Observer¡±?


    ¡°`


    Vision 001 ¨C The true function of the sun isn¡¯t to suppress the Creation of the World, but to prevent the intelligent beings on Earth from observing the Creation of the World by covering or filtering it?!


    Suddenly, Duncan felt as if he had touched on a critical mechanism related to Vision 001.


    However, just as Duncan was about to follow this line of thought, a strange shade that appeared in the corner of his eye interrupted his train of thought.


    He immediately stepped forward, pushed open the window, and looked in a particular direction outside.


    That was another street adjacent to the Crown District¨Che still vividly remembered the densely packed rooftops and high buildings there, with a distinctive spire located at the deepest part of the district.


    However, now, a dense jungle shrouded in dusk appeared in his view.


    Tall, towering trees abruptly rose from the city, the buildings and the spire of the district had somehow transformed into a forest look, with high, vine-like structures spreading out from the forest, some even extending into the Crown District!


    Under the intertwined light of the ¡°sun¡± and the ¡°Creation of the World,¡± the dark vines grew windingly across the streets, entwining around the buildings along the street, gradually climbing the buildings and walls, looping around the street lamps like tentacles from a nightmare, slowly piercing into the real world¡­


    Duncan blinked, finding that the ¡°abnormality¡± in his view still existed, and under the mixed light of the sun and the Creation of the World, it seemed even more real than before.


    However, the city remained utterly silent, whether it was the other districts in the distance or the buildings nearby that were entwined with vines¡­ none made a single sound.


    It seemed that no one noticed this massive abnormality, even though the lights were still on in several nearby houses, clearly indicating that people were awake and active inside just seconds ago.


    Duncan withdrew his gaze from the window and quickly walked toward the door; before he could open it, hurried footsteps sounded from the corridor outside, and the door was suddenly flung open.


    Alice, who had just left, hurried back with a look of panic on her face, ¡°Captain¡­ outside! Did you see outside¡­¡±


    ¡°I saw it,¡± Duncan interrupted the stutteringly anxious figure, ¡°It might be some extensive anomaly or illusion, but it has not yet affected our building¨Cdon¡¯t panic yet, go and gather everyone, we need to figure out what¡¯s happening.¡±


    Hearing this, Alice finally calmed down a bit, quickly nodded her head, and then while turning to leave, she spoke rapidly, ¡°Oh¡­ oh right! Wait here, I¡¯ll go find the others!¡±


    The figure hurriedly left, disappearing quickly into the corridor outside, while Duncan turned his head again to look at the ¡°strange scenery¡± on the street outside.


    The ¡°forest¡± that covered a large part of the district still existed, lush as ever in the twilight, a burgeoning shadow, but the vines spreading from the forest seemed to have stopped growing¨Cmany thick and thin vines had stopped at the edge of Crown Street, showing no signs of further extending.


    But this was just what he could observe from here; he couldn¡¯t determine what the scene was on the other side of the ¡°forest.¡±


    Just as Duncan began to worry about whether other parts of the city were also undergoing changes, Alice¡¯s hurried footsteps reappeared in the corridor, and her panicked voice simultaneously reached Duncan¡¯s ears, ¡°Captain, Captain, Captain! The¡­ the others are gone!¡±


    This time Duncan was truly taken aback, ¡°Everyone is gone?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve vanished,¡± Alice ran over quickly, nodding her head in affirmation, then hurriedly clasped her head as if fearing it might fall off, ¡°I just went to Nina and Sherry¡¯s rooms, and they weren¡¯t there, Miss Lukrecia isn¡¯t around either, no response from knocking on other doors, only the clockwork servants are in the living room¨Cthey are all idly standing there, looking very frightening!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression immediately turned solemn, but he still comforted the anxious Alice before squinting his eyes slightly, spreading his perception gradually.


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    He searched for signs of Fenna, Maurice, and others, trying to ascertain their conditions.


    The markers were still present, but their status¡­ was strange.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs to check,¡± Duncan opened his eyes and gestured to the Ai Yi dozing off on top of a cabinet to land on his shoulder, then nodded to Alice, ¡°Stay close to me, don¡¯t wander off.¡±


    Alice immediately nodded, ¡°Yes¡­ yes, Captain!¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 569 - Chapter 569 Chapter 568 Large-Scale Foreign Terrain

    Chapter 569: Chapter 568: Large-Scale Foreign Terrain? Chapter 569: Chapter 568: Large-Scale Foreign Terrain? The living room on the first floor was completely silent, as quiet as the entire street outside. Everything still maintained the appearance of nightfall, while the wooden puppets and iron servants, driven by springs and Magical Mechanism, stood silently in their places¨Cit seemed that until just the second before the ¡°anomaly¡± occurred, they were still executing their cleaning commands according to their programmed settings.


    With Alice nervously clinging onto his clothes, Duncan walked down the stairs, his eyes sweeping across the gloomy and silent living room. The sound of their footsteps echoed in this deadly silence, adding to the eerie setting.


    While holding tightly to the captain¡¯s clothes, Alice glanced sideways¨Ca maid-shaped puppet was standing nearby, one hand supporting the stair railing. The puppet seemed to have been wiping the handrail just a moment ago. ¡°She¡± maintained a slightly forward-leaning upper body posture with a bucket at her feet. However, like the other servants, ¡°she¡± had come to a halt, and the characteristic ticking and gear friction sounds no longer emanated from within her.


    Alice always felt that the puppet would suddenly turn its eyes toward her, just like in many horror stories¨Cthis thought terrified her tremendously.


    ¡°It¡¯s so scary¡­¡± she muttered behind the captain, ¡°Puppets are everywhere¡­ It wasn¡¯t so bad during the day, but now that they¡¯ve suddenly stopped, it¡¯s really scary¡­ but it feels even scarier if they were to suddenly start moving¡­¡±


    Duncan silently turned back, giving the naive puppet a peculiar look.


    However, Alice didn¡¯t notice¡­ nor did she think she had said anything amiss.


    Duncan shook his head and refocused on the ¡°marks¡± he had left on Maurice, Fenna, and others.


    These marks were still twinkling in his perception, but their state was extremely bizarre¨Cat times, he could sense that these marks were right in this house or even right beside him. But in the next second, the marks would suddenly appear at a great distance, as if they had moved to the other end of the City-State, as though¡­ they were teleporting without any pattern.


    This was the first time Duncan had encountered such a situation.


    He tried to call out to these distant marks directly in the mental world to establish contact with Nina and the others, but due to being unable to precisely determine the position and state of the marks, his calls were unsuccessful or only received a faint and meaningless ¡°response¡± in some moments¨Cthis was also an unprecedented situation.


    However, the good news was that he seemed to have gradually grasped the pattern of these eerie marks¡¯ states. Even if he couldn¡¯t pinpoint their locations, after adjusting for a while, he should still be able to establish accurate contact with them. On the other hand, as long as those marks remained, it meant that the individuals carrying them were not in mortal danger and there was no need to worry too much.


    As Duncan continued perceiving and becoming familiar with the distant marks, he slowly walked forward. However, just then, a slight cracking sound abruptly rang out in the living room, interrupting his and Alice¡¯s actions.


    Duncan quickly turned around, looking in the direction of the sound.


    The maid puppet by the stair railing had slowly started to move in the dark, turning its head stiffly like a long-rusted machine. Its lifeless eyes slowly searched for something across the living room.


    Alice was almost scared out of her wits: ¡°Wow! It really started moving!¡±


    Duncan could no longer hold back: ¡°Why would you, a living puppet, be afraid of this?¡±


    Alice paused, finally catching on: ¡°Ah¡­ right?¡±


    Ignoring the embarrassing naive one, Duncan refocused on the now stiffly moving maid puppet¨Che seemed extraordinarily calm as he sensed a sudden, familiar presence from the puppet.


    ¡°Lucy, is that you?¡± he ventured to ask.


    ¡°Ah, so you are nearby¡­¡± The puppet finally focused its sight accurately on Duncan. ¡°She¡± moved her jaw awkwardly, producing a somewhat strained and altered voice, ¡°But I still can¡¯t see you, the quality of this temporary ¡®medium¡¯ is just too poor. I really shouldn¡¯t have skimped on the domestic puppets. Long story short, how are things on your side? I sensed your calls a few times just now, but I always failed to respond in time before they were cut off¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything is fine here, the house is empty, and you all are gone,¡± Duncan promptly replied and quickly described the current situation on the street. ¡°¡­That¡¯s what¡¯s happening. In short, from my perspective, it seems like there¡¯s a problem on your end, while Alice and I remain unaffected.¡±


    ¡°It appears so,¡± after a few seconds delay, the voice of Lucy again came from the mouth of the maid puppet, ¡°The problem is likely with us, you are still in the real world, just witnessing the anomalies appearing in the real world, while we¡­ seem to have been swept into the ¡®interior¡¯ of this anomaly.¡±


    ¡°Are others with you?¡± Duncan immediately asked.


    ¡°No, only I am here¨Cit looks like we have been scattered to different places.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s around you?¡± Duncan inquired again.


    ¡°Surrounding? Trees.


    The forest was enveloped in dusky twilight, an eerie and mildly oppressive chaos seemed to wrap the entire world. The sunlight filtering through the layers of tree crowns also appeared dim and lethargic, incapable of dispelling the gloominess among the dense trees.


    Occasionally, the sounds of animals or snapping branches could be heard in the distance; although nothing else out of the ordinary, Lucresia felt as if she could smell an inexplicable¡­ tension in the air from this forest.


    It felt as if something was about to happen here.


    One hand tightly gripped a short magic wand resembling a ¡°conductor¡¯s baton¡±, while she maintained a connection with a puppet she had crafted herself, using it to communicate information about the area with her distant father, ¡°¡­There¡¯s a pervasive sense of tension in the forest, it¡¯s suffocating, even carrying an intangible fear¡­ Yes, it¡¯s emotion, as a witch, I can sense this ¡¯emotion¡¯ spread in the air¡­ This place looks very much like Taran El¡¯s Dreamscape, but there are no Scions of the Sun invading the sky, and there seems to be something else deep in the forest¡­I¡¯m walking towards it.


    ¡°The scenery of the block? I can¡¯t see it¡­ My vision is only trees, although the jungle limits visibility, I am sure that this forest spans way beyond just a block or two¡­ The expanse of this ¡®foreign realm¡¯ is vast, what you see ¡®on the other side¡¯ must be just a small part that has leaked into the real world.¡±


    Lucresia suddenly stopped, listening intently to the words coming from afar, and nodded gently after a moment, ¡°Yes, I also suspect this is still that ¡®Dreamscape¡¯, called ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ by the obliteration heretics, but the situation is different this time¡­ Last time we entered The Dream of the Nameless via Taran El as a stepping stone, and that¡¯s what you heard from those heretics, to enter this dreamscape one must use an elf¡¯s mind as a bridge, but this is all happening so suddenly and weirdly¡­¡±


    She paused, raising her magic wand to gently tap a vine in front of her, which instantly came to life, wriggling and growing forward to form a bridge-like structure across the deep gorge ahead.


    Lucresia walked along this vine bridge, continuing, ¡°¡­ I have not yet found that ¡®bridge,¡¯ not found out who the ¡®dreamer¡¯ is, but according to the laws of dreamscape, I should be near the ¡®dreamer¡¯ by now.¡±


    Suddenly, she stopped.


    Rustling footsteps appeared nearby¨Cthe sound was abrupt, as if a second ago there was no one and the next, a figure seemed to emerge out of thin air, stepping on dry twigs and leaves approaching her.


    Lucresia instantly became focused, casting several protective spells on herself before turning, her hand gripping the magic wand while she looked in the direction of the sound.


    However, what appeared before her was neither an invading heretic from the dreamscape nor a naturally distortion of the dreamscape itself.


    A strange elf woman stood under the nearby tree shade, looking back at her with surprise and caution.


    Lucresia¡¯s first thought was that she might be the ¡®dreamer¡¯ who acts as ¡°the bridge¡± within this dreamscape; however, the unfamiliar elf brought a sense of dissonance¨Cshe was dressed in lightweight armor that bore styles from neither any City-State nor any era recognizable, her light golden hair interwoven with faintly glowing blue odd ¡°threads¡±, and she held a peculiar weapon that seemed a combination of a spear and a battle-axe. Such an outfit¡­ Lucresia had never seen in Light Breeze Harbor, nor anywhere else in the world.


    While Lucresia was still taken aback, the strange elf woman with the peculiar long-handled weapon already spoke with a serious and alert tone,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you receive the evacuation order? Why are you still staying outside the Wall of Silence?¡±


    Lucresia slightly narrowed her eyes.


    The situation¡­ seemed to become subtler.


    ¡­


    Under the intersecting glow of the ¡°sunlight¡± between buildings and the cold brilliance of the Creation of the World, in the unique eerie night of Light Breeze Harbor, Duncan and Alice were swiftly moving through the streets.


    Alice was still holding a puppet head whose mouth kept moving.


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    Lucresia¡¯s voice came from the mouth of that puppet head, reporting the latest developments from ¡°over there¡±¨C


    ¡°I¡¯m currently moving along with this suddenly appeared strange elf, she seems completely unaware that I am not of her kind, and very easily lowered her guard¡­ We are heading towards a place called ¡®the Wall of Silence¡¯¡­¡±


    This scene was as bizarre as it could get: a living puppet running in the night, carrying another puppet¡¯s head in her arms, and that head continuously talking, its voice hoarse and distorted due to the material¨Cjust this sight alone, anyone with a sane mind would probably lose sanity upon a glance.


    However, Alice showed no abnormalities.


    She was running after Duncan, even looking somewhat pleased.


    Probably got used to carrying a head¡­ whether her own or someone else¡¯s.


    (Today there are three updates!!!)

 Chapter 570 - Chapter 570 Chapter 569 Another Place in the Forest

    Chapter 570: Chapter 569 Another Place in the Forest Chapter 570: Chapter 569 Another Place in the Forest Enveloped by the dusky sky light, Lucresia followed behind the elf woman wielding a strange elongated weapon, trudging deeper into the dense forest.


    The other moved swiftly, her steps light as if on a wide, flat road, even amidst the forest¡¯s uneven terrain and wild undergrowth, where no paths lay¨Ca prowess that couldn¡¯t help but evoke the ¡°ancient skills¡± mentioned in old elf legends. In such tales, elves once lived across vast realms filled with forests, able to move between the trees like a gentle breeze, unlike modern elves, who had long forgotten many nature-harmonizing techniques amid their City-States of towering architecture.


    Of course, Lucresia couldn¡¯t keep pace with such strides¨Cshe knew without trying.


    The witch lady was always against outdoor activities; even when she had to leave her abode, she would hasten her journey with various spells. Hence, after being left behind by the elf woman for the first time, she resolutely activated the Phantom Wind, occasionally transforming herself into scatters of paper to traverse the woods and keep up with the other¨Cafter all, her father wasn¡¯t there.


    Her only concern was how this peculiar elf appearing in this ¡°Dreamscape¡± would react to witnessing such a scene. However, it turned out that the elf showed no reaction at all to her strange spells, just as at the beginning, the elf hadn¡¯t realized the sudden ¡°Outsider¡± was human and had invited her to a place called ¡°Silence Wall,¡± as if welcoming a kinfolk.


    Seeing this, Lucresia vaguely guessed at something and decided to conduct more obvious, striking tests to confirm her hypotheses¨Cshe intermittently stopped, creating large disturbances with magic, such as suddenly summoning giant flowering vines or causing explosions in the air.


    Still, the elf showed no unusual reactions¨Cshe would merely pause when Lucresia deliberately delayed, patiently waiting for her to catch up.


    Lucresia momentarily ceased her ¡°testing¡± and proceeded to follow the elf hurriedly, while mentally controlling a ¡°Puppet Medium¡± from a distance and describing her situation to Duncan:


    ¡°After my testing, this elf is indeed not the ¡®dreamer¡¯ of this Dreamscape; she must be a product or a component of it¡­ Her cognition and behavior have clear limitations¡­ It seems like a ¡®normalizing filter,¡¯ where the anomalies of the Outsiders are ¡®normalized¡¯ in her eyes, likely to maintain the Dreamscape¡¯s stability.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t conducted more intense ¡®testing,¡¯ so I don¡¯t know the extent of this ¡®normalization,¡¯ but theoretically, if my behavior is too outrageous, it may cause the ¡®elf¡¯s¡¯ cognition to reset, or prompt a more violent ¡®rejection¡¯ from the Dreamscape world¡­ I need to continue the investigation now and cannot take that risk¡­


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve already entered the district where the ¡®Transition¡¯ occurred? That¡¯s great; then I hope you can find the ¡®dreamer¡¯ from the real-world side. If you pinpoint the source of the Dreamscape, you should be able to intervene directly here as usual¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    A voice suddenly came from ahead, interrupting Lucresia¡¯s distant communication. The witch lady immediately stopped and looked up.


    The elf girl, holding a long-handled axe and with golden hair interwoven with fascinating blue threads, turned her head, curiously observing her.


    ¡°You can call me Lucresia,¡± she revealed openly, ¡°Why the sudden interest in my name?¡±


    ¡°Knowing one¡¯s name might lead to one more person remembering you,¡± the nearby elf spoke earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m Xilin; remember it.¡±


    Lucresia noted the worry and tension in the elf¡¯s eyes.


    All the way there, she had more than once felt the elf emanating a sense of anxiety¨Cthe tense atmosphere perpetually pervaded the entire forest, as if it were the fundamental ¡°undertone¡± of the Dreamscape itself.


    After hesitating briefly, Lucresia spoke up, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The elf named Xilin opened her mouth but said nothing, seemingly unsure where to start or feeling that certain things shouldn¡¯t be revealed to ¡°ordinary people.¡± Finally, she just gently shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Silantis will protect us; everything will get better¡­ Let¡¯s hurry, beyond Silence Wall is no longer safe, Corrosion can occur at any time in areas outside the wall. It¡¯s your luck to have encountered a Ranger like me.¡±


    Corrosion¨CLucresia immediately seized on this particular term, silently memorizing it, then once again promptly kept up with Xilin¡¯s wind-like pace, trudging deeper into the seemingly endless dense forest.


    ¡­


    ¡°A-Dog, did you hear any noise?¡±


    In the vast and dimly lit dense forest, Sherry suddenly furrowed her brows, then as she bent to hide behind a thicket, she kept a cautious watch on any movement around her while carefully asking A-Dog, who was hidden in the shadows.


    The voice of the dog went straight into her mind, ¡°The sound of the wind, the rustle of trees, the unidentified calls of birds ¡ª on the surface, all regular sounds ¡ª but the atmosphere has become increasingly strange since a while ago. I don¡¯t know how to describe it; it¡¯s as if¡­ the environment itself is undergoing a transition, the surrounding trees are no longer just trees, but rather something that¡¯s gradually manifesting malice¡­¡±


    Sherry immediately got goosebumps. Her eyes filled with tension, she looked around at the towering unknown trees, as her arm slowly started to transform, taking on the characteristics of a Profound Demon, ¡°A-Dog, this sounds kind of scary, this place is TMD full of trees¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked me to talk, so I¡¯m just conveying my ¡®feelings¡¯,¡± A-Dog replied in a muffled voice, ¡°I¡¯d advise you to take this seriously, as the Abyssal Hound¡¯s senses are always sharp ¡ª This forest is gradually becoming not right.¡±


    ¡°Any fool can TM tell this place is not right¡­¡±


    Muttering under her breath, Sherry cautiously left the bush she¡¯d been hiding in ¡ª although she didn¡¯t know what changes were occurring here, her intuition told her it would be best not to stay in one spot for too long.


    Wherever she looked, there were plants; the lush and eerie jungle was a scene beyond the imagination of a girl who had grown up in the cramped, crowded slums. She¡¯d only recently heard of such places from the captain and the others¡¯ conversations, yet she hadn¡¯t expected that with just a nap, she too would be brought here ¡ª If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, this was probably ¡°The Dream of the Nameless¡± that both the captain and Lucricia had mentioned.


    Feeling the creepy atmosphere around her, a regretful expression suddenly appeared on Sherry¡¯s face, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have dozed off while doing homework¡­¡±


    ¡°I think your arrival in this strange ¡®otherworld¡¯ has nothing to do with whether you dozed off during your homework,¡± A-Dog¡¯s silhouette started to emerge from the shadows, materializing amidst the swirling dust. While staying alert and guarding Sherry¡¯s side it muttered, ¡°Although you¡¯re right about one thing ¡ª you shouldn¡¯t have dozed off while doing homework.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that my head hurts whenever I do math,¡± Sherry grumbled, as if trying to distract herself from the tension the gloomy atmosphere was causing, ¡°And besides, I already know quite a few basic words, why do I still need to learn math¡­¡±


    A-Dog silently listened on the side, seemingly wanting to maintain quiet, but after a few seconds of silence, it began to ramble as usual, ¡°You still need to learn some math, even if it¡¯s just for yourself¡­¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips, unable to help but mumble, ¡°Why are you so keen on me learning this stuff, A-Dog¡­ You seem even more motivated than the captain¡­¡±


    A-Dog didn¡¯t speak for a while, and just when Sherry was about to forget the topic, it suddenly blurted out, ¡°Do you still remember those seventy-two pisos?¡±


    Sherry paused, and after a moment, her eyes slightly widened as if she had finally recalled something from her faded childhood memories.


    With a complicated expression on her face, she quietly said in embarrassment, ¡°You¡­ remember that, huh¡­ It was so long ago¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll always remember. Some scumbag swindled a child¡¯s earnings from several days of toiling in a factory, cleaning chimneys ¡ª all with a few carelessly scribbled pieces of paper. If I could read back then, you wouldn¡¯t have had to go hungry for those days; if you could read, you wouldn¡¯t have had to crawl into those dark and dangerous chimneys ¡ª at least being an apprentice in the pump room taking down numbers would have been better than that.¡±


    Sherry fell silent.


    After a while, she spoke softly, ¡°But now you can read, A-Dog, you don¡¯t just know words, you¡¯re even keeping up with Nina¡¯s learning progress¡­¡±


    ¡°What if I can¡¯t always be with you?¡± A-Dog murmured.


    Sherry froze for a moment, seemingly at a loss for words, then instinctively said, ¡°Then the captain¡­¡±


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    ¡°The captain might not always protect you either ¡ª he¡¯s good, he¡¯s taking care of you now, but Subspace is ultimately unpredictable,¡± A-Dog shook its head, ¡°Sherry, you have to rely on yourself.¡±


    Sherry bowed her head. Several seconds passed before she gently shook the chain connected to her arm, ¡°A-Dog, what do you mean by saying you can¡¯t always be with me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t overthink it, I¡¯m just making a point,¡± A-Dog let out a sigh, ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about abandoning you, but I also can¡¯t be sure about the future, after all¡­ I have a ¡®heart¡¯, and there¡¯s never been a Profound Demon with a heart before this; no one knows what other changes might occur in me. Perhaps ¡®humanity¡¯ will give me life limitations like yours, perhaps my reason will decline with age, or maybe one day, my ¡®heart¡¯ will disappear again¡­¡±


    ¡°A-Dog,¡± Sherry suddenly interrupted, her eyes wide as she tugged forcefully on the chain in her hand, ¡°you¡­ stop it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop.¡±

 Chapter 571 - Chapter 571 Chapter 570 Corruption and Uninvited Guests

    Chapter 571: Chapter 570 Corruption and Uninvited Guests Chapter 571: Chapter 570 Corruption and Uninvited Guests Sherry couldn¡¯t tell if it was just an illusion, but ever since they entered this twisted and bizarre ¡°forest,¡± Ah Gou had been acting a bit sentimental¨Cit had been reminiscing a lot and even recalling past events that hadn¡¯t been mentioned in a long time, some of which Sherry herself had forgotten, yet it remembered them quite clearly.


    After hesitating for a moment, Sherry decided to share her feelings.


    ¡°Sentimental? Me?¡± Hearing what Sherry said, Ah Gou was first taken aback, then began to express its doubt, ¡°Really? Have I been reminiscing and getting emotional?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sherry nodded repeatedly, ¡°You do sometimes act like an old woman, bringing up old stories, or giving me a long list of lessons, but you never seemed this¡­ sentimental before. It made me feel quite uncomfortable listening to you.¡±


    Ah Gou gradually halted its advance, and finally it subtly became aware of the faint influences it was under. After pondering for a moment, it tilted its head, its empty and horrifying eye sockets scanning the gloomy dense woods, the blood-colored faint glow within its eyes slowly appearing and disappearing.


    ¡°The forest is influencing us¡­ It¡¯s some kind of emotion,¡± it said solemnly, ¡°The whole forest is pervaded by a heavy and oppressive ¡®atmosphere¡¯; it¡¯s making me think wild thoughts, like¡­ like being immersed in a vast mind, constantly disturbed by it¡­¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes suddenly widened with anxiety, ¡°Ah¡­what? Are you saying that this forest is¡­ sentient?! You¡¯ve been affected by it? Is it serious?¡±


    Ah Gou shook its head side to side, ¡°No, we shouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s the forest, but rather this Dreamscape¡­ Don¡¯t forget its name, The Dream of the Nameless; dreamscapes are themselves fabrications of the mind¡­ But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not severe. This influence doesn¡¯t seem to be targeted, it¡¯s just passive interference caused by the environment. Sherry, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Sherry pointed to herself, her expression also carrying a touch of puzzlement, ¡°Yeah, if even you¡¯ve been affected, how come I feel nothing¡­ Could it be because I¡¯m more carefree?¡±


    ¡°If it were really that simple, that would be great,¡± Ah Gou muttered quietly, ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. Subtle influences are the most dangerous; the more you feel nothing¡¯s wrong, the likelier it is that something will go wrong. If you suddenly experience a drop in mood or feel panic and anxiety, make sure to tell me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Sherry hastily nodded her head, then she frowned again, looking uneasy at the seemingly endless forest, whispering, ¡°What do you think¡­ when will the captain find us? We can¡¯t be so unlucky as to be stuck here forever, right?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen, don¡¯t think nonsense,¡± Ah Gou immediately responded, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just feel a faint call in your heart? That means the captain already knows about this; he must be trying to figure out a way. All we have to do is protect ourselves for now.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Sherry obediently agreed, but just at that moment, a strange, sticky noise that sounded like something slowly melting and dripping invaded their conversation, coming from not too far away.


    This hair-raising sound made Sherry¡¯s skin crawl, and she sharply yanked at the black chain beside her: ¡°Ah Gou! Did you hear that¡­¡±


    ¡°Heard it, close by, something¡¯s there¨C¡±


    Ah Gou spoke swiftly, already turning its head toward the direction the strange noise was coming from, and, almost at the same moment, Sherry and Ah Gou witnessed a scene that defied understanding¨C


    A clump of bushes began to grow wildly, as masses of pitch-black substance erupted like a burst from the dense foliage, forming countless flailing limbs in the air in the blink of an eye, ending in dense, eye-like slits at the tips of those limbs, while the towering trees nearby appeared to ¡°melt¡± amidst strange noises, their thick trunks flowing down like mud, and the sun-blocking canopies, devoid of support, now began to grow toward the sky, twisting and deforming in the distorted, flame-like light into countless pale, dangling filamentous objects. The ground was churning as if it had suddenly turned into a soft, sticky membrane, or as if some terrible creature was burrowing through the soil, ready to break through¡­


    In the next second, a range of chilling noises burst forth all at once, the sounds of phantom combustion, mucus-like squelching, and the hissing filled with noise instantly filled the surroundings. The mutating vegetation had, in almost the blink of an eye, spread to every visible area, and everything before them seemed to have suddenly come alive, presenting the most nightmarish visages amidst frenzied, twisting growth!


    Everything was mutating, distorting, assaulting the boundaries of perception and reason¨Cright before Sherry and Ah Gou, the Dreamscape surged, and an entity filled with dark malevolence finally burrowed out from the ground, a flowing shadow enveloping indescribable forms and entities, as if countless eyes and sharp teeth were hidden in the rising sludge. With one glance, Sherry realized the only thing she should do.


    ¡°Run!¡±


    She could only manage to shout so much before spinning around and dashing off towards a direction that appeared somewhat ¡°stable¡± for the moment¨Cthe rough and uneven forest floor rolled beneath her feet with every step, every stride felt like stepping on cotton or the skin of some soft-bodied creature, bringing a nauseating and terrifying sensation.


    Her body, enhanced through Demon Symbiosis with the Profound Demons, unleashed its full potential in this moment; she felt like she had never run this fast in her life!


    The dark and ghastly chain stretched taut in an instant, with Ah Gou being pulled by Sherry and soaring into mid-air, undulating as she ran full speed.


    Sherry pulled Ah Gou along, hurtling through the woods, but after running a distance, she glanced back to see that the surging nightmare was still chasing behind them, prompting her to shout again, ¡°Switch!¡±


    Without even waiting for the echo of her voice to fade, she threw the chain forward with all her might, sending Ah Gou flying ahead¨C


    Before landing, Ah Gou had already adjusted its posture, landing on all fours with absolute composure, then without any delay continued to sprint forward, using the momentum from being swung.


    Now it was Sherry¡¯s turn to be flying through the air.


    And during such repeated relays, that ever-mutating, nightmare-like ¡°forest¡± relentlessly pursued them from behind, as if it were a nightmarish phantom they could never shake off.


    It even gave Sherry a terrifying illusion, as if the entire forest had come to life, and with furious malice, as though determined to devour her and A-Dog whole, it hunted them down from all directions!


    Fortunately, just when she felt she truly couldn¡¯t escape, the pursuing and spreading ¡°nightmare¡± behind them abruptly slowed its pace.


    As suddenly as it had begun, the forest¡¯s twisting corruption came to an unexpected halt¨C


    Sherry, dragging A-Dog along, ran forward for dozens of meters before she belatedly realized this, and she skidded to a stop beside a toppled giant tree, turning her head to look at the distant dark corruption that had ceased spreading, her eyes wide with astonishment as she gasped for breath and said, ¡°A-Dog¡­ huh¡­ it stopped over there¡­¡±


    A-Dog¡¯s massive frame whizzed past her, propelled by momentum, and crashed into a nearby pile of rocks.


    After the booming crash, A-Dog struggled out of the stone heap, shaking its head while loudly asking, ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Sherry glanced at A-Dog, still feeling sheepish, and pointed to the distant area of darkness that had abruptly stopped spreading, ¡°It just suddenly stopped over there.¡±


    ¡°You wait a second¡­¡± A-Dog grumbled, running to the side of the rock pile, and opened its mouth, ¡°Ugh¨C¡±


    With the sound of foul, corrosive material eroding the earth and stone, the disoriented Abyssal Hound finally finished vomiting, and then it shook its head and slowly returned to Sherry¡¯s side, looking up at the frightful, halted corruption.


    A sharp ¡°boundary¡± lay in the middle of the forest, with lush greenery full of life on their side and, on the other, a chilling, unspeakable land filled with strange twisted shadows and undulating matter.


    Countless animated vines and shadows emerging from the soil still moved slowly within that dark area, and even though they were no longer spreading closer, the sight filled one with a profound sense of alarm.


    Sherry didn¡¯t even dare to look over there for too long, barely managing to control her breathing, her voice still trembling, ¡°What¡­ What the hell is that thing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m not an expert on the Dreamscape,¡± A-Dog said, coming to Sherry¡¯s side, staring at the distance with utmost vigilance, ¡°But this might be the true form of ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯¡­ Something deadly is spreading in the depths of this Dreamscape, it¡¯s just the scale of this dream is so vast, Captain and the others didn¡¯t make it last time¨Cwe did.¡±


    ¡°Why does the bad luck always hit me¡­¡± Sherry began to mutter with a frown, but she quickly shut her mouth, her face full of alertness as she turned her gaze towards a certain direction.


    A-Dog too immediately withdrew its gaze from that area of decay, growling low in its throat, fixating on a clearing a few meters away.


    There was a strange presence getting closer.


    Although they didn¡¯t know how this strange presence had appeared, evidently¡­ someone was entering the Dreamscape.


    Friend or foe?


    Sherry and A-Dog felt a certain¡­ familiarity mixed with an irritating wariness from that unfamiliar presence.


    The next second, under their watchful eyes, a vague phantom suddenly materialized on the previously empty clearing¨Cjust like a dream bubble gradually becoming clear, the phantom slowly took on a human shape.


    A young man in a dark blue coat, tall and slender with a sinister face, appeared on the clearing.


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    As the young man¡¯s figure materialized, Sherry and A-Dog both noticed a brief flash of a dark chain near his shoulder blade, with an inauspicious avian phantom faintly visible at the end of the chain.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes subtly shifted, as she instinctively tugged on the chain connecting her to A-Dog.


    The uninvited guest also swiftly reacted, turning his gaze sharply as he sensed the presence of strangers.


    The girl in the black dress standing with the Abyssal Hound came into his vision.


    He was surprised for a moment, then frowned:


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s already someone in this area?¡±

 Chapter 572 - Chapter 572 Chapter 571 In the Depths of the Mist

    Chapter 572: Chapter 571: In the Depths of the Mist Chapter 572: Chapter 571: In the Depths of the Mist The tall, gaunt, and brooding man murmured to himself in a low voice, making Sherry instantly suppress the urge to swing her dog as a weapon against him.


    Her first reaction was to use all the observation skills and the art of disguise she had acquired since childhood to create an impeccable expression. While watching the middle-aged man across from her, she slightly relaxed the Abyssal Hound¡¯s leash and adopted a puzzled and somewhat nervous demeanor, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    The brooding man across from her eased his frown upon hearing her and gestured with his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, brethren. We still don¡¯t fully understand all the rules of The Dream of the Nameless. It¡¯s normal to have some deviations when entering the dreamscape, but¡­¡±


    He paused here, his gaze at Sherry growing increasingly questioning, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect someone as young as you to appear here. Are you sure it¡¯s no problem for you to enter The Dream of the Nameless like this?¡±


    ¡°The connection with the abyss has nothing to do with age,¡± Sherry immediately shook the pitch-black and sturdy leash in her hand, while the hound beside her let out a submissive growl in cooperation, ¡°I am an experienced summoner, don¡¯t be deceived by my appearance.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright, my apologies,¡± the heretic opposite her seemed to dismiss his concerns, forcing a stiff smile onto his somber face, then he looked up briefly to assess their surroundings. His gaze quickly settled on the nearby ¡°boundary line,¡± contemplative, ¡°Corrosion boundary¡­ we¡¯re in luck, seems like we¡¯re not far from that ¡®wall.''¡±


    Seeing that the man had shifted his attention elsewhere, Sherry breathed a sigh of relief. She then noted the odd phrases ¡°erosion boundary¡± and ¡°wall¡± that he had mentioned inadvertently. She controlled her facial expression and quietly memorized these terms while continuing to exercise her long-unused but still proficient acting skills, ¡°That boundary was rapidly expanding just now; honestly, it was quite frightening.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve encountered the expanding erosion zone?¡± The brooding man raised an eyebrow, ¡°Ah, that does sound unlucky¨Cbut as The Dream of the Nameless continues to evolve, these issues will become more common. According to those ¡®preachers,¡¯ the decay and collapse of this dreamscape is inevitable, which is why we need to find that Silent Wall without delay.¡±


    While speaking, the heretic slightly lifted his right hand, and a black chain emerged next to him in the air, its end coalescing into a decayed ¡°Death Herald¡± made of bones and shadows.


    The Profound Demon screeched an earsplitting sound and took to its tattered wings, flying to mid-air as if sensing something in the flow of the dreamscape. Moments later, it landed on its master¡¯s shoulder. It was unclear how this chaotic, dimwitted demon communicated with its ¡°master,¡± but soon after, the latter had a general direction and looked toward the depths of the forest, ¡°Let¡¯s head this way first.¡±


    Sherry, without a word, obediently followed the tall, gaunt heretic with her Abyssal Hound into the depths of the forest.


    But beneath her calm exterior, her brain was racing¨Cshe was considering his motives, how to inquire about certain things without arousing suspicion, how to act more like a typical heretic, and if her disguise failed, how best to take this man down at a moment¡¯s notice.


    She felt her mind swiftly become more agile¨Cas if after no longer having to consider the soporific letters and numbers, the myriad of ideas returned to her brain.


    She carefully managed her distance from the heretic¨C


    Not too close, to avoid arousing suspicion and doubt.


    And definitely not too far, out of reach of her dog¨Ca distance where she could still land a strike if necessary.


    ¡°My name is Sara. What¡¯s yours?¡± After a few seconds of silence, Sherry randomly chose a name for herself and asked.


    Growing up in the slums through deceit and trickery, she was adept at telling such small lies.


    ¡°Richard,¡± the heretic answered without looking back, ¡°The Saint grants us shortcuts to the ¡®essence.¡¯ Names aren¡¯t important, young brethren.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ you¡¯re right, I was just asking,¡± Sherry quickly nodded and then casually continued, as if it was just an afterthought, ¡°Were there many others who ¡®came in¡¯ this time?¡±


    ¡°There are about a dozen other brothers and sisters from the church acting with us; they come from different city-states¨Cbut I¡¯m not sure of the specifics. The saints above arrange everything. I¡¯m just like you, carrying out the orders passed down from the messengers.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, they see me as young and tell me nothing, just sent me in to scout. And right after I entered, I ran into the expanding erosion zone; my luck today is just terrible¨Cthank goodness for the Saint¡¯s protection.¡±


    The self-proclaimed Richard glanced back at her, his expression seemingly devoid of any suspicion.


    After all, the Abyssal Hound walking with this girl was the most compelling ¡°identity proof¡±¨Conly heretics could live in symbiosis with Profound Demons, and as long as this identity was clear, there was no doubt she was a ¡°brethren.¡±


    Perhaps she was a novice with some questions, at most inexperienced.


    And it was with this realization that Sherry began to feel a bit bolder.


    She used her ¡°young and inexperienced¡± persona to occasionally drop one probing question after another.


    Meanwhile, the slightly puzzled voice of the hound sounded in her mind, ¡°Sherry, why do I get the feeling that you seem kind of excited?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, how could I not be excited about earning a merit!¡± Sherry said coolly, dragging out a conversation with the Heretic in front of her, while murmuring to herself, ¡°A few more useful words of persuasion and for sure the captain will reward me¨CI might even get out of memorizing words for a couple of days ¡­ Hey, hey, do you think if I caught a living one and brought it back, I could use it to get out of doing my math homework?¡±


    ¡°How are you gonna catch someone and bring them back in a Dreamscape?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ right, I forgot about that.¡±


    ¡­


    Deep in the city blocks, vines and giant trees that seemed to have grown out of the Dreamscape itself twisted around every visible building, turning the whole district into a silent and shadowy, bizarre forest.


    The dim-colored vines clung to the high walls nearby, tiny thorns wrapped around the streetlight poles, towering trees blocked the alley entrances, and the treetops covered the roofs of buildings. Branches crisscrossed among the trees, piercing through the silent buildings as if merging into the sturdy concrete ramparts, creating an eerie scene of twisted coexistence with the city¡¯s architectures.


    In this eerie and deathly silent scene, Duncan and Alice¡¯s footsteps seemed particularly jarring, almost¡­ like a discordant noise ripping through the ¡°pervasive Dreamscape,¡± echoing down the deserted streets.


    Duncan frowned deeply, his gaze sweeping over the lifeless street before him.


    The towering tree canopy blotted out the sky, preventing not only the ¡°sunlight¡± that crept over from the sea outside the City-State but also the chilly luminescence of Creation of the World that faintly emerged at night, from reaching the street. This created an unsettling dimness on the street where he and Alice had not seen a single soul on their way.


    Of course, this was not normal.


    After nightfall, the city area had a curfew, but one should still be able to see the church¡¯s patrolling guardians on the streets, even during the curfew.


    But there was none¨Cnot only were there no people on the streets, but, as they passed by some houses along the street, Duncan and Alice saw no sign of life inside either.


    Even though the lights in those houses were on, and from the look of the arrangements, it appeared as if someone had just been moving around in the living room a moment ago.


    ¡°In the ¡®forest¡¯ covered district, no one can be seen, including on the roadside and inside buildings,¡± Duncan turned and spoke to the puppet head that Alice was holding in her arms, ¡°It¡¯s as if everyone has disappeared, just like you guys.¡±


    ¡°Just like us?¡± the voice of Lucresia came from the puppet¡¯s mouth, sounding slightly distorted, ¡°Could it be¡­ that the entire population of the city has been Transitioned into this ¡®Dreamscape¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, but at least the areas that Alice and I have walked through are void of people,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Have you not encountered any others from the real world entering the Dreamscape on your side?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucresia promptly replied, ¡°I¡¯m still working with this elf who claims to be ¡®Xilin.¡¯ We haven¡¯t met anyone else on our way.¡±


    Duncan listened quietly, then turned his head to look at Alice, ¡°Can you see ¡®the line¡¯ around here?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Alice shook her head, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen one the whole way.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s face grew somber, and he nodded.


    The lines of the Spiritual Body could not escape Alice¡¯s eyes. No matter how skilled the Disguise, as long as the ¡°person¡± remained in the real world, Alice would see those lines floating in the air. And now, even the puppet indicated no discoveries¡­ which could only mean that, at least within these streets where anomalies had occurred, the ¡°people¡± truly had vanished.


    This was different from what had happened with Taran El or that elf girl Prand earlier.


    Although it seemed that this incident was still related to The Dream of the Nameless, clearly¡­ this time the scale and power of the Dreamscape had developed to an unimaginable degree.


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    Duncan raised his head, peering into the dark towards the center of this altered district.


    Suddenly, a shadow in the darkness caught his attention.


    It was a structure winding its way between buildings, resembling a massive vine or some part of an exposed root system.


    It lay in the darkness in silent ambush, as quiet as everything around it, but for some reason¡­


    Duncan couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was something different about that huge ¡°vine.¡±

 Chapter 573 - Chapter 573 Chapter 572 Instability

    Chapter 573: Chapter 572: Instability Chapter 573: Chapter 572: Instability With a sense of inexplicable concern, Duncan led Alice quickly to the gigantic ¡°vine¡± that lay quietly in the shadows of the buildings.


    Its scale was even larger than Duncan had imagined.


    Even at its sprawling endpoint, the diameter of this ¡°vine¡± exceeded the height of a person, while its thicker ¡°source¡± stretched down from a slope deep in the street, as if it had merged into the night, dissolving into the gloomy depths, where only a vague, huge structure could be seen bulging and entangling among the shadows of the buildings, as if there was something even bigger, more complete ¡°entity¡± there.


    However, that astonishingly large ¡°entity¡± was shrouded in a hazy sensation, no matter how one looked, they could not make out anything clear, even the ¡°sunlight¡± coming through the gaps in the treetops seemed unable to penetrate this hazy texture.


    Alice, stunned by this unprecedented sight, held the head of her doll maid, her eyes wide, trying to make out the ¡°source¡± of the vine spreading across the street, and after a long while, she finally spoke blankly, ¡°Captain¡­ is this also a ¡®plant¡¯?¡±


    Duncan did not answer her, he was still observing the giant vine that nearly blocked the street ahead, and after a long time, he stepped forward to the end of the giant vine, bent down at its ¡°tail end¡±, and cautiously extended his finger to touch its rough, hard surface.


    Lucresia¡¯s voice came from the doll head Alice held, ¡°Daddy, have you found anything? Did you find the ¡®Dreamer¡¯?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t found the Dreamer, but we found an astonishingly large¡­ vine,¡± Duncan said without looking up, ¡°It looks different from the other plants in the street, very huge, but it seems to be just a part of an even bigger ¡®plant¡¯. For some reason, I always feel that this vine seems¡­ alive, or rather, active.¡±


    He looked up, scanning the towering tree shadows around the street.


    Lush plants filled the entire block, but they gave him a feeling of lifelessness, as if they were merely simple illusions without vitality; only the giant vine in the center of the street gave him a sense of a living creature.


    After hesitating for a few seconds, Duncan took a deep breath, deciding to try establishing a connection with this unique ¡°vine¡±.


    A trace of eerie green flame twisted around his fingertips like flowing water, then quietly penetrated the vine, the light flickering and vanishing in the dimness.


    Skilfully controlling the flow of the flame within this ¡°foreign object,¡± while also instructing Alice to stay alert to their surroundings, Duncan then slightly closed his eyes, beginning to sense the information conveyed by the flame, attempting to communicate with, and understand this ¡°vine¡± as if it had sprawled out of a vast dreamscape¡­


    In the darkness, something seemed to rise and fall, gathering and dissipating.


    In this darkness, Duncan ¡°opened¡± his eyes, trying his best to discern the shapes that gathered and dispersed in the darkness¨C


    Mist rose from the darkness, and within the depths of the mist, something was emerging.


    There was definitely something here!


    Duncan¡¯s mind stirred, and he immediately moved towards the vague outline of something, feeling as if he had transformed into a swift wind or shadow, swiftly passing through the dark mist. As he neared, the hazy shadow also rapidly grew in his vision, gradually revealing more details.


    Duncan involuntarily quickened his ¡°passage¡±, and the vague details quickly became clear in his eyes. Gradually, he began to distinguish some things¨C


    The tall imposing bow, the dark color of the hull, the cannon port covers arranged below the ship¡¯s sides, the complex structure of the masts and ropes, presenting a translucent quality in the sails high above¡­


    Duncan stopped in astonishment.


    He looked up in the dark, staring dumbfounded at the familiar sight appearing at the end of the mist, looking at his¡­ Homeloss.


    ¡­


    While carefully moving along a rugged forest path, Nina suddenly stopped, furrowing her brow and tilting her head to listen to the sounds coming from deep within the forest.


    After a moment, she turned her head, ¡°Mr. Morris, did you hear something?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the wind, it suddenly got windy, and the wind direction is chaotic¡­ It¡¯s an unusual sound,¡± Morris¡¯s expression gradually grew grave as he glanced at Nina beside him, ¡°You ¡®go up¡¯ and check out the situation in the distance; don¡¯t stay in the sky too long, be safe.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Nina immediately agreed, and then suddenly transformed into an arc of leaping flame that darted straight towards the sky¨Ca bright arc that swiftly circled above the forest. Almost at the same time, the forest, which was condensed from the Dreamscape, reacted. The trees bathed in the arc started to grow wildly, emitting squeaking and creaking sounds as they stretched towards the sky, while the clouds above began to converge towards Nina¡¯s direction, slowly forming an encircling ring¡­


    But Nina only circled in the sky for a few seconds. Before the forest¡¯s reaction could become more violent and dangerous, she quickly returned to Moco¡¯s side.


    ¡°Scary¡­ this place really doesn¡¯t welcome me¡­¡± She patted her chest with some lingering fear.


    ¡°Perhaps your brilliance is too intense for this ¡®alien land¡¯; most alien lands instinctively repel ¡®invading forces¡¯ that could pose a threat to themselves,¡± Moco said. ¡°What¡¯s the situation in the distance?¡±


    ¡°In the depths of the forest, there¡¯s an area that looks utterly dark, as if both the trees and the ground have rotted, but it¡¯s quite far from us. In another direction, I could see tall, continuous shadows that looked translucent, like a light screen, but I didn¡¯t see anything else¡­¡±


    Nina rapidly described the scenes she had witnessed during her brief circle in the sky and gestured with her hand the approximate direction of what she saw. However, just as she was halfway through speaking, another gust of howling wind suddenly arose from the dense forest. The ensuing wind, which pierced through the trees, along with a sudden increase of squeaking and creaking noises from the surrounding trees, interrupted her.


    It seemed like the howling chaotic winds mixed with countless blurred roaring noises, instantly brought a feeling of tension and repulsion to Nina and Moco.


    It was as if the forest, shaped by the Dreamscape, was undergoing some sort of massive external shock¨Cas if everything around was suddenly on the verge of collapsing.


    The two exchanged a glance subconsciously, and then they saw the towering trees in the distance beginning to shake and collapse like phantoms. The sky quickly filled with dense cracks, the light and shadows of the real world seemed to pour through the cracks, and a sensation of abruptly waking from a dream surged through their hearts.


    At the same time, in another corner deep inside the forest, Sherry also heard the howling noises rapidly drawing closer, and immediately afterward, the heretic leading the way suddenly stopped.


    Sherry felt a flash of panic, but she quickly controlled her facial expression. ¡°Ah? What happened?¡±


    ¡°The stability of the Dreamscape is declining, the operation is over, everyone withdraw from ¡®The Dream of the Nameless,''¡± Richard turned his head back while speaking, his face finally showing a hint of suspicion. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get the message?¡±


    Sherry froze for a moment, then quickly adjusted her expression, her face showing innocent confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t know¨Cmaybe I overlooked it¡­¡±


    ¡°Overlooked?¡± The heretic who called himself Richard stared into Sherry¡¯s eyes. He seemed to finally detect the sense of dissonance this ¡°young comrade¡± had been giving him all this while, and a trace of wariness and suspicion appeared in his eyes. ¡°Comrade, I seem to have forgotten to ask¡­ in which City-State do you operate in the real world?¡±


    Sherry immediately noticed the slight change in the man¡¯s eyes¨Cshe was extremely sensitive to the minute hostility that strangers exhibited, but she still maintained an innocuous expression on her face. ¡°I¡¯m active in the City-State of Moco, there are more Elves there¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®Comrade,''¡± Richard suddenly interrupted Sherry, his voice changing as if his speech suddenly mixed with other obscure syllables. He stared into Sherry¡¯s eyes, his lips moving as if spreading some beguiling power, ¡°We prohibit disclosing our real-world locations during operations, even if we meet ¡®our own people.¡¯ It¡¯s a pity¡­¡±


    Malicious magic power was quietly gathering in his mouth, the power of a death omen was transmitted into this heretic¡¯s body through the Symbiotic Chains, he sensed that the curse had locked onto the mental entity of the girl in front of him, and she seemed to still be completely unaware, just standing there blankly.


    Seeing this, he became even more certain of his judgement¨C


    Unaware of the power of the curse, this could not possibly be a true disciple of the Abyssal Hound.


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    Although he didn¡¯t know her background or how she managed to create such a convincing disguise, nor did he understand what the seemingly flawless ¡°Abyssal Hound¡± was about, there was no doubt that this ¡°comrade¡± was fake¨Cfortunately, he realized it in time, and she appeared to have no combat experience.


    The time to say goodbye had arrived, no one could escape from the curse of the death omen¡­


    Everything happened in an instant¨CRichard¡¯s swift judgment and reflections, and Sherry suddenly revealing a pleasantly radiant smile.


    Richard was stunned to see the girl across from him suddenly flash a radiant smile at him, and he was only able to be surprised for a moment¨Che had no time to react or to see clearly what happened next, as he saw the girl, who called herself ¡°Sara,¡± suddenly raise her arm, and then a ferocious black shadow smashed directly towards him!


    Sherry acted swiftly, with the chains whistling, a dog smashed onto the heretic¡¯s head¨C


    ¡°See you never!¡±

 Chapter 574 - Chapter 574 Chapter 573 Sailing Through Darkness and Fog

    Chapter 574: Chapter 573: Sailing Through Darkness and Fog Chapter 574: Chapter 573: Sailing Through Darkness and Fog With a loud bang, the heretic suddenly spat blood and was sent flying ten meters away until he finally stopped upon hitting the trunk of a towering tree and slump to the ground like a broken sack.


    The last expression in his eyes was one of profound bewilderment and confusion¨Cperhaps in his lifetime, he had envisioned various formidable enemies and pitfalls, but he probably never imagined that one day he would be flung away by a dog.


    Sherry, holding the dog¡¯s leash, slowly approached the heretic who was unable to move even a finger, stopping at a safe distance.


    The heretic was still alive¨Cor more accurately, in this ¡°Dreamscape,¡± a blow that would have been fatal in the real world seemed insufficient to kill him. Although his head was nearly smashed into his neck and most of his joints were horribly twisted, he was still alive, weakened to the point of immobility, his eyes filled with anger mixed with a trace of fear.


    Sherry ignored his terrifying gaze, slightly lifted the leash in her hand, and the dog stepped forward, approaching the heretic.


    ¡°Who exactly are you¡­¡± the heretic uttered with difficulty from his throat, his eyes fixated on the ghastly Abyssal Hound that moved closer to him, a hint of fear finally starting to show uncontrollably, while nearby, the ¡°death crow¡± that was symbiotically linked to him also struggled briefly as if trying to resist but soon calmed down due to its partner¡¯s extreme weakness, making his voice sound even more bluffed, ¡°What are you going to do?!¡±


    ¡°This is a Dreamscape, and I won¡¯t be able to catch you once we¡¯re back in the real world,¡± Sherry¡¯s face slowly formed a smile, she raised the arm intertwined with the leash, gently rubbing the dark chain across her face maintaining her harmless expression, ¡°and if we meet unawares in real life and I don¡¯t notice in time, it could get dangerous, so I need to leave a mark¡­¡±


    ¡°Mark¡­?¡±


    The heretic lying on the ground was momentarily stunned, and the next second, he saw the Abyssal Hound that had come closer suddenly open its mouth wide, its ghastly skeletal teeth mercilessly biting down¨Che only had time to scream in terror as excruciating pain almost shredded his consciousness, his arm was torn into bloody flesh by the Abyssal Hound.


    ¡°I¡¯ve remembered your scent now, we¡¯ll catch you in the real world¨C¡± the dog raised its head, its eyes filled with blood, staring intently at the wailing heretic, a hoarse and deep voice came from the skeletal chest, ¡°Capture you alive, He will reward us¡­¡±


    The wailing stopped abruptly, the heretic¡¯s eyes widened, staring hard at the ghastly Abyssal Hound in front of him, his mouth agape, not sure if he was stunned that the Profound Demon could speak human language or if it was the last sentence he heard that filled him with immense fear and danger¨C¡°He will reward¡­¡± Who exactly are this strange girl and this eerie demon, and who is the ¡°He¡± they mentioned?


    The next second, the heretic¡¯s figure began to fade and distort, and in almost a breath¡¯s time, his figure vanished from before Sherry and the dog.


    ¡°He really escaped,¡± the dog turned its head, shaking it from side to side, its tone somewhat helpless, ¡°Must be his accomplices in the real world sensed something and forcefully ¡®pulled¡¯ him out¡­ We can¡¯t stop this kind of mental Transition.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, didn¡¯t you remember his scent?¡± Sherry waved her hand, then asked seriously, ¡°Can you really find him in the real world?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stray too far¨Cif that guy happens to appear within my sensing range, I can definitely track him down,¡± the dog muttered gruffly, ¡°Abyssal Hounds are the best demons at tracking; he can¡¯t erase the mark I left.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Sherry immediately breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°It would be great if we could really capture him alive, even if just enough for a couple of scrolls¡­¡±


    The dog ignored Sherry¡¯s rambling in the latter part of her sentence, it raised its head, hearing the chaotic wind and noise from all directions in the forest, witnessing the trees far away turning transparent and dimming by patches, signs that the Dreamscape was about to disintegrate were becoming increasingly apparent.


    Clearly, something was influencing this Dreamscape¨Cit was about to awaken.


    ¡­


    A sound seemed to come from the darkness, sounding like the chaotic wind howling, breaking branches at the treetops as it swept through the woods, but upon closer listening, it seemed only a figment.


    Duncan had no extra energy to pay attention to these vague noises coming from the darkness, as he was completely captivated by the unbelievable scene before him.


    It was indeed the Homeloss¨Cafter spreading his perception into the depths of that vine, in the heart of this darkness and fog, he indeed saw that familiar ¡°Ghost Ship.¡±


    But why? Why would the Homeloss appear here?


    Duncan moved closer, observing the ¡°Homeloss¡± as it seemed to float on a pitch-dark surface of water, the dense darkness cloaking its lower half like it was swallowing it, and on its towering deck, the entire ship was utterly still, with no sounds coming across.


    After some hesitation, he ¡°flew¡± onto the deck of the ¡°Homeloss.¡±


    In this darkness, he moved purely as a ¡°perspective,¡± which afforded him sufficient convenience.


    The deck was deserted, everywhere he looked were old, familiar scenes.


    Following the route from his memory, Duncan slowly surveyed the deck¡¯s facilities and nearby cabins.


    Everything was exactly as he remembered.


    But he knew this wasn¡¯t the real Homeloss, nor was it some projection of the Homeloss¨Cbecause he didn¡¯t feel that close connection with ¡°this ship,¡± he didn¡¯t receive feedback from the flames.


    This ship was created by some other force.


    The dark once again carried faint sounds of wind and noise, and this time, they were a little more noticeable than before.


    Duncan focused on the sounds emanating from the depths of the darkness, then headed to the stern deck area, stopping in front of the captain¡¯s quarters.


    His gaze lifted suddenly, and he froze.


    On the doorframe, a line of unfamiliar words was inscribed¨C¡°May He Wander in the Dreamscape.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t it ¡°The Door of the Displaced¡±?


    Duncan felt a moment of astonishment because he clearly remembered that above the door to the captain¡¯s quarters were the words ¡°The Door of the Displaced,¡± and this door was the only passage to his ¡°studio apartment¡±¡­ Every aspect of this ¡°Homeloss¡± deep in the dark fog was as he remembered, so why were the words above this door different now?


    He shifted his gaze from the doorframe and looked at the door panel¨Cthe next second, the door seemed to open silently as if inviting him in.


    The familiar captain¡¯s quarters appeared before him, with dim yellow lights lit; all furnishings and the goat¡¯s head on the edge of the navigation table were visible under the light.


    Goat¡¯s head?


    Duncan¡¯s mind stirred suddenly.


    He remembered that when he first mistakenly entered the Subspace, on that damaged ¡°Homeloss¡± on one side of the Subspace, he hadn¡¯t seen a goat¡¯s head, and in his studio apartment, that ¡°model Homeloss¡± also did not feature a goat¡¯s head.


    The presence or absence of the goat¡¯s head seemed to be a subtle yet critical ¡°divergence¡± between the various ¡°versions¡± of the Homeloss.


    With a series of conjectures and memories flashing through his mind, Duncan had already stepped through the doorway of the captain¡¯s quarters and cautiously approached the navigation table, his eyes focusing on the black ¡°wood carving¡± on the edge of the table.


    The goat¡¯s head rested quietly on its pedestal, like a real wood carving, motionless and unresponsive to the ¡°captain¡¯s¡± approach.


    Of course, this could also be because Duncan¡¯s presence here was merely a ¡°viewpoint¡± and not a perceptible entity.


    Duncan did not attempt to disturb the goat¡¯s head on the table but continued to observe carefully.


    Soon, he discovered another anomaly.


    The sea chart on the table¨Cit should have been a chart recording the routes traveled by the Homeloss across the Endless Sea, documenting known City-States and routes; however, it now depicted a completely unfamiliar ¡°map¡±!


    It looked like a forest viewed from the air, the holographic-like landscape included undulating mountain ridges, enormous plant structures, and oddly architectural sites scattered throughout the dense forest, symbolizing the semi-transparent icon of the Homeloss floating above this miniature projection, slowly moving through the forest.


    Filled with profound astonishment, Duncan stared at the strange ¡°sea chart¡± for a long time.


    He obviously couldn¡¯t recognize any reference-worthy information from this entirely unfamiliar map, but he remembered another strange sea chart he had seen on the ¡°damaged Homeloss¡± in the Subspace before.


    On that Homeloss navigating through Subspace, the sea chart also presented an eerie scene: chaotic, misaligned unknown sea areas filled with jumbled and strange navigation records.


    Now, here on this Homeloss emerging from the dark fog, he was seeing another inexplicable ¡°sea chart¡± ¡ª this time¡­ it even showed that the ship was navigating through a forest?!


    This notion alarmingly sprung into his mind¨C


    How many different ¡°versions¡± of the Homeloss are simultaneously navigating through various dimensions, charting different routes?!


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    While this bizarre thought emerged in Duncan¡¯s mind, a slight creaking noise suddenly came from nearby, interrupting his wild speculations.


    He instantly turned his gaze toward the direction of the sound.


    The black goat¡¯s head at the edge of the navigation table was slowly turning its neck, directing its gaze this way.


    In the Obsidian-crafted pitch-black eyes, a hint of awareness seemed to gradually emerge.


    The next second, Duncan heard a hoarse, deep voice enter his ears¨C


    ¡°Who is there¡­¡±

 Chapter 575 - Chapter 575 574

    Chapter 575: 574 Chapter 575: 574 The voice that suddenly emitted from the black wood carving left Duncan taken aback¨Che hadn¡¯t expected that in this mysterious and unsettling ship, the Homeloss, the eerie goat head in front of him would suddenly ¡°come to life,¡± and his gaze subconsciously fixated on the ¡°wood carving¡± that was slowly moving, alarming him. At that moment, he realized something:


    The other party seemed unable to ¡°see¡± him.


    Because at this moment, he was merely peering into the depths of the huge vine by using the connection established by the Spectral Flame, and only his thoughts were transmitted here; he hadn¡¯t projected his power into this place, naturally not forming a physical presence here.


    Thus, the ¡°goat head¡± on the table must have only sensed a presence¨Cand now, it began to search for the source of that presence.


    The unsettling black wood carving slowly turned, and light creaking sounds emanated from its wooden base. In the deathly silence of the Homeloss, within the silent captain¡¯s cabin, these creaking sounds appeared even more eerie. The pair of pitch-black eyeballs, carved from obsidian, swept over Duncan¡¯s field of view several times. After a while, it finally stopped and emitted a puzzled sound, ¡°Is¡­ there¡­ someone¡­?¡±


    Its voice was delayed and deep, like the murmurs of a dream.


    Duncan immediately detected something amiss from the other¡¯s reactions¨Cthis ¡°goat head¡± seemed indeed to have sensed something, but it did not recognize it as the ¡°captain¡¯s¡± presence?!


    After a moment of gravity and thought, Duncan formulated a plan.


    The connection forged by the flame instantly strengthened, and his power was conveyed here through the flame. Duncan began to ¡°lean¡± his will toward this eerie space filled with darkness and dense fog, and swiftly coalesced his form here.


    He needed to understand what exactly was going on with the Homeloss, navigating through the mist, and the strange ¡°goat head¡± before him.


    On the Homeloss, sailing through the darkness and dense fog, faint green flames emerged in wisps and strands on the decks. In the dimly lit captain¡¯s cabin, a Spiritual Fire suddenly appeared in mid-air, crackling as it rapidly expanded and swiftly outlined a tall figure.


    Almost in an instant, Duncan strengthened his connection with this eerie and dark space, but at the same moment, he felt that this fog-enshrouded space and the ¡°Homeloss¡± beneath his feet seemed to have received some¡­stimulation. Everything around him suddenly turned vague and illusionary, and a delayed sense of rejection surged from all directions. It was as if the dark mist around him was resisting his flames, or¡­as if this weird place itself was rapidly disintegrating.


    This sudden onset of rejection surprised Duncan¨Cit was the first time he felt such an active rejection while using his Spiritual Fire to scout an unfamiliar object!


    In the past, he had used Spiritual Fire to scout many things, including Alice¡¯s sarcophagus, the brass spring key, and various transcendental items confiscated from Heretics, but none had ever shown this kind of reaction.


    Could it be that this bizarre space, along with the giant ¡°vine¡± that appeared in the City-State, is still alive, and behind it exists a powerful ¡°consciousness¡±?


    Astonishing speculations surged in his mind, but now was clearly not the time to get to the bottom of things. Duncan didn¡¯t know how much longer he could ¡°contact¡± this place, so he could only try hard to maintain his stability while walking toward the goat head by the navigation table.


    The black wood carving seemed to awaken from a dream, abruptly raising its head, and its gaze fell upon Duncan¨Cboth the faint green flame and the tall figure appeared suddenly in its eyes, like a bright light bursting into a peaceful, dark dreamscape. Startled awake in its dream, it gazed bewildered at the uninvited visitor before it and uttered a confused sound, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°It seems you don¡¯t recognize me,¡± Duncan responded, not surprised given the hints he had picked up earlier. He simply tried to maintain his connection with this place while rapidly sensing the information of the ¡°Homeloss¡± and the situation of the ¡°goat head¡± in front of him, ¡°I am Duncan Ebnomal¨Cwhat is your name?¡±


    ¡°Duncan¡­ Ah, it sounds vaguely familiar¡­¡± But the state of the goat head didn¡¯t fully clear; its voice occasionally fell into sleep-talk, and it did not directly answer Duncan¡¯s question, ¡°But I don¡¯t remember¡­ Why are you here¡­ Why are we here¡­¡±


    Duncan frowned.


    He could feel that this fog-enshrouded dark space was slowly starting to crumble apart, and the strong feeling of rejection tried to expel his flames from this place. The ¡°goat head¡± in front of him seemed to be stuck in a semi-conscious state, incapable of answering his questions.


    After a moment of thought, he took a step forward and pointed at the sea chart next to the goat head.


    ¡°Where is the Homeloss sailing?¡±


    For a second or two, the goat head slowly reacted, turning its neck to set its gaze on the ¡°navigation¡± map displaying a forest scenery. After a long time, it let out an indistinct voice, ¡°Oh, good, they¡¯re still¡­¡±


    ¡°They?¡± Duncan immediately asked, ¡°Who are¡­¡±


    However, a sudden intense shaking and a deep roaring sound that seemed to sweep across the entire space cut off the second half of his sentence.


    Here the rejection reached its peak, with every inch of space seeming to resist the spread of the Spiritual Fire. Whispering crackles were audible in the air; the flames seemed to burn against an invisible barrier, and all the sensations conveyed through the flames suddenly became blurred and sluggish.


    Duncan lowered his head and saw that his projected incarnation was becoming increasingly indistinct, and his connection with this place seemed about to break.


    He knew he could forcefully gather more powerful forces and forcefully maintain the connection with the Spiritual Fire¨Cbut realizing that the giant vine might be ¡°alive,¡± and possibly conscious, he didn¡¯t know whether he should do so.


    And just then, the goat¡¯s head on the nautical chart seemed to have finally noticed something unusual about Duncan.


    Its gaze fell upon the flickering lights, and after a moment¡¯s delay, it uttered a vague murmur, ¡°Ah, you scared her¡­¡±


    Startled by the words, Duncan instantly looked up, ¡°Scared who?¡±


    ¡°Silantis¡­¡± The goat head seemed to slip back into that dreamy state, its voice becoming even slower, ¡°Silantis doesn¡¯t recognize you, your existence¡­ scared her.¡±


    Silantis¡­ the ¡°World Tree¡± from the ancient elf legends?!


    Information and a multitude of guesses flashed through Duncan¡¯s mind. Just as he wanted to press for more questions, a feeling of rapidly peeling perception and a swiftly receding world interrupted him, followed by everything in front of him turning dark: the captain¡¯s quarters, the chart desk, the navigation maps all faded in the dimness, leaving only the goat head¡¯s voice, ethereal as if talking to itself, faintly audible in the darkness:


    ¡°Ah, the time has come¨Cshe¡¯s waking up.¡±


    The next second, the sensation of standing on solid ground jolted Duncan awake. He took a deep, involuntary breath and then opened his eyes.


    Alice¡¯s face was just ten centimeters from his.


    Duncan was startled by the doll-like figure and quickly stepped back. Alice, on the other hand, immediately beamed a brilliant smile and closed in again while exclaiming, ¡°Captain! Captain! The day is almost here! Outside, everything seems to have returned to normal!¡±


    Just as Duncan was about to chide Alice, he was taken aback by her words and noticed the changes around him.


    The dense jungle that had filled the entire street was gone, the giant plant life that had once merged with the surrounding high-rise buildings receded without a trace, and the street fixtures that had twisted and mutated, becoming part of the forest, were all restored.


    Beside the roads, the soft glow from the gas street lamps illuminated the surroundings, and up above the neighborhood, the ¡°sunlight¡± spreading from the distant coast passed over the City-State like a curtain. In the gaps of the sunlight, the outline of the Creation of the World gradually appeared dim, while at the edge of the sky, a hint of dawn before the rise of anomaly 001 seemed to be spreading through the clouds.


    Duncan blinked, his gaze instinctively turning toward the slope deep in the street.


    He remembered a massive vine that had spread over the slope and how his flames had infiltrated its depths.


    There was nothing there.


    Just like the entirety of the street block¨Ceverything had returned to normal.


    With the rising sun, with the end of the night, and the arrival of daylight, that massive eerie event¡­ disappeared in the morning light like a waking dreamscape.


    Duncan felt as if he stood on the border of a bizarre dream, the dislocated reality, and the lingering memories in his mind making everything before his eyes feel unreal.


    But this feeling of disorientation lasted only for an instant. He quickly came to his senses and immediately turned to look in the direction of Crown Street.


    His perception spread toward that area, and those familiar ¡°imprints¡± appeared in his ¡°vision.¡±


    Nina, Sherry, Morris¡­


    Their presences had returned to the real world.


    The doll¡¯s head in Alice¡¯s arms suddenly moved, and the maid doll¡¯s mouth opened and closed, emitting the voice of Lucricia, ¡°Daddy, it seems like¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, you¡¯ve all come back, and the neighborhood is back to normal.¡±


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    Duncan spoke rapidly, and in the corner of his eye, he could already see sparsely scattered figures appearing on the streets¨Clocal residents going about their activities after daybreak.


    They were sweeping the streets, chatting in their doorways, rushing to work, discussing yesterday¡¯s news and today¡¯s weather.


    It seemed no one knew what had happened last night¨Ceven though just a few hours ago, all these people bustling in the neighborhood had indeed disappeared into the night.


    Now, they were back too.


    The street scene before him, gradually reviving and bustling, seemed to be enveloped by an ineffable, strange, and eerie feeling.

 Chapter 576 - Chapter 576 Chapter 575 Different from Each Other

    Chapter 576: Chapter 575 Different from Each Other Chapter 576: Chapter 575 Different from Each Other Duncan and Alice returned to the ¡°Witch¡¯s Mansion¡± at 99 Crown Street as quickly as possible.


    On their way, they saw the streets of City-State which had completely returned to normal¨Cwhether it was the neighborhoods that had been fully covered by the ¡°jungle,¡± the adjacent paths affected by those spreading vines, or the buildings that had once fallen silent and empty under the forest¡¯s shadow, all had regained their bustling appearance in the early morning.


    Pedestrians on the road were gradually increasing, the first morning bus had already driven down the avenue, and the Knowledge Guards at the intersections were handing over to the City-State security patrol. The strange phenomena that had permeated the streets just hours before¡­ seemed like a grand illusion that only Duncan and his compatriots could perceive.


    When Duncan and Alice returned, everyone was already waiting in the living room. Lucrecia was the first to greet them; she briskly approached Duncan: ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Duncan waved his hand and quickly spoke as he walked into the living room, ¡°My experience was different from yours; we need to compile all the intelligence now.¡±


    Alice also entered the living room, and as she passed by Lucrecia, she casually handed over the wood puppet head she had been carrying: ¡°Here, I didn¡¯t break it!¡±


    Lucrecia¡¯s expression was somewhat subtle as she took the puppet¡¯s head and then turned to look at the maid puppet that was on standby near the staircase railing. She called over a tin male servant and handed the head to him: ¡°Put it in the repair room for now, I¡¯ll handle it later.¡±


    Soon, everyone had gathered together¨CDuncan was seated on the sofa in the center of the living room, his gaze sweeping over each familiar face.


    Though he already knew everyone was safe, seeing that everyone had safely returned to reality, he couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief in his heart.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with what we know so far,¡± Duncan was the first to break the silence after a brief pause. ¡°First of all, we can now be fairly sure that the large-scale phenomenon that occurred in City-State last night was very similar to the Dreamscape that Taran El had fallen into. Although there were differences in details, and many new changes, their source should both be the influence of ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯¨Cthis ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ is growing, and it now appears to have a tendency to lose control and spread to reality.¡±


    He paused briefly and glanced at Alice beside him, continuing, ¡°Secondly, after the anomaly occurred, we experienced different situations¨CI stayed behind in the real world with Alice. We saw the streets eroded and mutated by the overflowing power of the Dreamscape. I even made contact with a large entity that ¡®burrowed¡¯ out from the Dreamscape, whereas the rest of you were dragged into the ¡®other side¡¯ of the Dreamscape. During that time, all contact was lost with each other, and only Lucrecia was able to maintain a tenuous connection with the real world through her self-made puppet servants.


    ¡°So, starting with Lucrecia, I¡¯d like each of you to describe your experiences inside the ¡®inner side¡¯ of the Dreamscape.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze fell on ¡°the Witch of the Sea,¡± who nodded promptly and adjusted her position, ¡°I¡¯ll start with my experience then¨Cmy ¡®entry point¡¯ into the dream was an uninhabited area within the forest. There, I encountered an elf woman who called herself ¡®Xilin¡¯¡­¡±


    Nina, who was beside her, let out a cry of surprise: ¡°Ah? You met someone? A dreamer?¡±


    Then she realized her mistake and sheepishly stuck out her tongue: ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t help it¡­ Please continue, I won¡¯t interrupt again.¡±


    Lucrecia didn¡¯t mind; she simply nodded at Nina and continued, ¡°From what I observed, the elf who called herself ¡®Xilin¡¯ seemed not to be a dreamer, but a ¡®resident¡¯ that appeared within that vast Dreamscape¡­ of course, this sounds a bit unbelievable¡­


    ¡°She mentioned a place called the ¡®Silent Wall,¡¯ which seems to be a kind of defense line. She claimed to be a Ranger and also mentioned an evacuation order, telling me that everyone had already retreated behind the Silent Wall¨CBy the end of the Dreamscape, I was acting alongside the elf, heading towards the so-called ¡®Silent Wall,¡¯ but we never reached our destination¡­¡±


    Lucrecia described her experiences in the dream world in as much detail as possible. Except for Duncan, who already had some understanding, everyone else listened to her account with serious surprise¨Cthe reason was simple: Lucrecia was the only one among them who had made contact with the ¡°native inhabitants¡± of the dream world.


    No one had anticipated that within ¡°The Dream of the Nameless,¡± there would exist mind entities like ¡°Xilin¡± that were indigenous!


    And if what the elf named ¡°Xilin¡± claimed was true, deep within that forest, behind the so-called ¡°Silent Wall,¡± could there actually be even more numerous mind entities living within ¡°The Dream of the Nameless¡±?!


    After Lucrecia had finished speaking, the living room fell silent for a brief moment before Morris spoke up, ¡°Nina and I were together.¡±


    Duncan looked a bit surprised: ¡°You two together?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it seems there is some randomness in the way we were pulled into the dream world; not everyone got separated,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°Our landing was also in an ¡®uninhabited area,¡¯ surrounded only by endless unnamed plants. Nina flew up into the sky to observe the distance, and we found that there were some apparently corrupted dark areas in the forest¡­


    ¡°Furthermore, according to our tests, the entire dream world would have a violent ¡®reaction¡¯ whenever Nina released her power¡­¡±


    Maurice was clearly relating their experiences in ¡°The Dream of the Nameless,¡± information Duncan had not yet mastered. He frowned slightly, listening intently to every detail the old man described, especially the intense reactions the dream realm displayed after Nina released the power of the primal sun.


    It sounded like¡­ a strong rejection.


    This reminded Duncan of his own experiences in that dark space filled with thick fog. According to the ¡°suspect goat head,¡± he was rejected in that space because Silantis was afraid. What about the rejection Nina faced?


    Could it be that Nina¡¯s ¡°sunlight¡±¡­ also made The Dream of the Nameless feel threatened?


    With a thoughtful expression, Duncan raised his head and looked at Sherry.


    ¡°I came across some Heretics, Annihilation cultists,¡± Sherry immediately began, her face showing smug pride, with a hint of boastfulness in her tone, ¡°I managed to extract quite a bit of information from that guy! And in the end, I gave him a good thrashing; let my dog leave a mark on him¡­ Oh right, I also encountered an entire forest suddenly acting sinister, it nearly scared me to death, which must be what Lucricia mentioned earlier¨C¡®Corrosion area¡¯? Was the ¡®contaminated area¡¯ the old gentleman and Nina saw the same as mine?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened slightly upon hearing this.


    Everyone¡¯s experience in The Dream of the Nameless was different, but Sherry¡¯s seemed particularly explosive!


    His expression immediately turned serious, and his body involuntarily leaned forward, his gaze fixed on Sherry¡¯s eyes, ¡°Slow down and speak clearly¨Cwhat exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°Alright, let me get my thoughts straight,¡± seeing the captain¡¯s look of seriousness, Sherry quickly sat up and began to sift through her memories, but after trying to clarify her thoughts, she ended up scratching her cheek, ¡°Well¡­ A-Dog, you tell it, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t make it clear.¡±


    The next second, all eyes turned to A-Dog.


    A-Dog shook his head, sighing in exasperation and began to speak under Duncan¡¯s watchful gaze, ¡°We first encountered the rapid decay of the forest¨Cwhich from the information we got later, seemed to be the so-called ¡®Corrosion¡¯ phenomenon¡­¡±


    A-Dog spoke in a clear and orderly manner about their experiences in the forest, including the forest that suddenly began to decay and twist, the Heretics they encountered afterwards, and the wealth of information Sherry extracted from that Heretic.


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts expanded along with A-Dog¡¯s narration, comparing them with the clues they had, connecting them together.


    The Corrosion phenomenon, the defense line known as the ¡°Wall of Silence,¡± the Elf named Xilin, the Annihilation cultists, and¡­ the abrupt ending of that peculiar dream realm.


    ¡°It seems that the Corrosion Xilin the Elf mentioned should be the terrible phenomenon that Sherry and A-Dog encountered,¡± Lucricia said thoughtfully, ¡°The forest twisted suddenly into indescribable shapes, the ground decayed and activated, hostility emanated from all living things¡­ and those Annihilation cultists seem to know a lot more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the Heretic got away in the end,¡± Maurice frowned deeply, shaking his head, ¡°If he¡¯s hiding in another City-State in the real world, then finding him again won¡¯t be an easy task.¡±


    ¡°The more pressing question is, how exactly do these Heretics enter and leave The Dream of the Nameless?¡± Fenna, who had been silent until now, suddenly broke the silence, ¡°They seem to have a special method that allows them to enter and exit that ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ in a controlled manner, and even conduct organized actions within it. This ¡®method¡¯ is crucial.¡±


    Duncan nodded slowly upon hearing this, his gaze then fell on Fenna.


    ¡°What did you see ¡®on that side¡¯? Were you also in a forest?¡± he asked curiously.


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    Fenna looked at the others and after a brief pause, she began, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to discuss. My experience was very, very¡­ different from yours, extremely different. While listening to your descriptions of the forest, I even felt quite puzzled, because¡­ I was in a desert.¡±


    The living room fell silent in an instant.


    Everyone exchanged glances.


    After several seconds, Duncan spoke incredulously, ¡°You¡¯re saying you were in a desert?! You didn¡¯t see a forest at all?¡±


    ¡°Yes, no forest, just sand, a few sparse and withered plants, and huge stones,¡± Fenna nodded earnestly, ¡°I climbed to the top of the tallest stone mountain and looked into the distance; there was no forest in sight.¡±

 Chapter 577 - Chapter 577 Chapter 576 Each Taking Their Own Action

    Chapter 577: Chapter 576: Each Taking Their Own Action Chapter 577: Chapter 576: Each Taking Their Own Action Fenna¡¯s words left everyone on the scene in shock.


    This even shattered the many speculations Duncan had just established about ¡°The Dream of the Nameless¡±.


    Fenna had never even entered that ¡°forest¡± ¡ª she hadn¡¯t seen any forest at all but had been trapped in a desert¡­ What was that desert?!


    After a moment of stunned silence, Duncan suddenly spoke up, ¡°Were there any signs of human activity in the desert? Were there any peculiar landforms worth noting, or anything that made a deep impression on you?¡±


    ¡°There were many strangely shaped boulders, towering and twisted, as if something in motion had suddenly solidified into form. In the distant reaches, I could also see continuous shadows, but it was uncertain whether they were rock formations or a cluster of buildings¨Cit was too far away,¡± Fenna recalled her experience on the ¡°other side of the Dreamscape,¡± sharing the details of what she had seen, ¡°Moreover, the most noteworthy thing was a faint red rift in the sky, very, very large in scale.¡±


    ¡°A red rift?¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes changed in an instant, and he became more alert, ¡°What did it look like specifically? Besides that red rift, what else did you see in the sky?¡±


    ¡°I remember its appearance,¡± Fenna responded, rising to grab paper and pen from the side table. She rapidly sketched on the paper, ¡°Its color was dark red, with fuzzy edges, as if shrouded in mist, the depths faintly glowing, with vague details visible within¡­¡±


    All eyes were fixed on the tip of Fenna¡¯s pen, and Duncan couldn¡¯t help but lean forward, watching her sketch the ¡°crack¡± composed of many chaotic lines on the paper. As those lines gradually matched up with the ¡°red light¡± in his memory, his expression grew increasingly grave.


    After a short while, Fenna stopped, pushing the paper forward, ¡°This is approximately it. My drawing skills are limited; I have done my best. Apart from this rift, I didn¡¯t see anything else in the sky.¡±


    ¡°There was nothing else?¡± Duncan was momentarily taken aback, asking reflexively, ¡°The sun? What did the sun look like?¡±


    For him, this question was essential¨Cif Fenna had seen the sun in that ¡°desert,¡± then the ¡°form¡± of that sun would be of utmost importance!


    However, Fenna still shook her head, ¡°There was no sun¨Calthough it seemed like daytime and the sky was filled with radiance other than the red light, I did not see the sun.¡±


    Everyone looked at each other, even Duncan was momentarily stunned, until Fenna¡¯s voice rang out once more, bringing everyone back, ¡°That¡¯s all the information I have on my end.¡±


    Finally, all eyes turned to Duncan.


    Nina blinked curiously, ¡°Uncle Duncan, what did you see?¡±


    ¡°I saw a section of the real world that had been distorted and mutated,¡± Duncan mused for a moment before slowly beginning, ¡°Tall trees and countless vines covered the streets, as if spreading from the forest of ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ into reality itself, but we didn¡¯t see any scenes related to the ¡®desert¡¯. In the deepest part of the mutated district, we found an exceptionally large vine¡­¡±


    With more people came more ideas, and Duncan didn¡¯t hide what he had seen while attempting to ¡°Scout¡± that vine¨Cthe eerie Homeloss navigating through the dark fog, the familiar yet strange goat head on Homeloss, the changing sea charts, and the many pieces of information that goat head revealed in a dream-like state.


    When his words fell, the room became even quieter than after Fenna had finished speaking.


    ¡°This¡­ It¡¯s even more bizarre than the desert I encountered¡­¡± Fenna couldn¡¯t help but murmur.


    A-Dog also grumbled in a muted tone, ¡°How to put it¡­ worthy of the captain¡­¡±


    Duncan glanced at the Abyssal Hound without concern for its sentiments and added, ¡°That ¡®goat head¡¯ mentioned Silantis at the end, which I am very concerned about.¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly¡­ that¡¯s the name of the World Tree from the ancient elf legends,¡± Fenna nodded gently, ¡°It¡¯s also known as the Tree of Life, the Origin Giant Tree, the great demon god ¡®Saslouka¡¯ created it as the first life in the world according to elf belief¡­¡±


    The people at the scene fell into thought, even Alice, who usually couldn¡¯t keep up with the pace, appeared to be pondering hard, and after a brief silence, Lucresia finally raised her head, looking at Duncan with a hint of hesitation, ¡°Dad, about the ¡®First Mate¡¯ on Homeloss right now¡­ You haven¡¯t quite told me its origins. What exactly is that goat head¡­¡±


    ¡°It comes from Subspace; that¡¯s all I can tell you,¡± Duncan said, then quickly shifted his tone, ¡°But this time¡­ I might have to go and confirm some things with it.¡±


    Now, all the clues were finally laid out on the table, and every person who had been scattered to various parts of reality and the Dreamscape the night before had gathered their own pieces of information before Duncan.


    After organizing his thoughts, Duncan took a deep breath, temporarily setting aside the jumbled questions in his mind and sweeping his gaze over everyone in the living room.


    ¡°Now, we can ascertain a few things¨C


    ¡°First, the scale of The Dream of the Nameless is expanding, its influence is intensifying, and it has even developed to the point where it can interfere with the real world. We can¡¯t yet determine the reason for this change, but it is most likely related to the approaching ¡®Fourth Long Night¡¯ and the alteration of the sun.


    ¡°Second, ordinary people in the City-State seem utterly oblivious to the influence of The Dream of the Nameless, during the anomaly, people within the range of the Dreamscape disappear, and when the Dreamscape ends, they return to the real world and resume their daily lives. We cannot yet determine where they go during the Dreamscape, nor can we ascertain whether this phenomenon is limited only to ¡®Elves¡¯¨Cthere are many merchants and adventurers of other races in Light Breeze Harbor, and we need to figure out their situation from last night.¡±


    ¡°Third, during the anomaly, we were segregated into different locations¨Cremaining in the real world, entering the vast forest within the Dreamscape, or entering a mysterious ¡®desert¡¯, and we cannot yet determine whether this ¡®segregation¡¯ is random or follows a pattern.¡±


    ¡°Fourth, the Heretics and Sun Cultists, as well as the Doomsday Preachers who provide them with intelligence, clearly know more information¡­¡±


    He summarized the known information point by point, then lifted his head to look at the others, ¡°Is there anything else to add?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything for the time being,¡± Lucresia shook her head, ¡°What concerns me now is whether the ¡®anomaly¡¯ from last night will reoccur, and how we should respond if it does.¡±


    ¡°It will most likely reoccur,¡± Morris sighed, ¡°The influence of The Dream of the Nameless is evidently strengthening, and the anomalies it causes will only increase. But to look on the bright side¨Cif it recurs, we will have more opportunities to discern additional patterns. Currently, we have many speculations of which we cannot be certain, yet many questions might be answered during a second major anomaly.¡±


    Listening to the old scholar¡¯s analysis, Duncan nodded in agreement, ¡°This isn¡¯t blind optimism; we indeed need to distill the patterns of The Dream of the Nameless from more anomalies.¡±


    ¡°But The Dream of the Nameless will scatter us and sever our communication with the captain,¡± Fenna interjected, ¡°That¡¯s a significant problem.¡±


    ¡°Regarding that, I already have a general idea,¡± Duncan, recalling his experience from the previous night, particularly after establishing a connection with that enormous vine and after setting foot on the eerie ¡®Homeloss¡¯, spoke thoughtfully, ¡°If The Dream of the Nameless expands again, I should have the chance to verify this idea.¡±


    Sherry looked up at Duncan, then around at the others, ¡°So¡­ what do we do in the meantime? What¡¯s our next move?¡±


    ¡°The Dream of the Nameless could change again at any moment,¡± Duncan spoke, his gaze falling on Lucresia, ¡°Right now, we need to confirm whether other parts of the City-State were also affected last night, and the quickest way is to contact the Governor of Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Lucresia immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll go see Sala Mel in a moment and find out if he noticed anything last night.¡±


    Duncan hummed in acknowledgment, then turned to Morris and Fenna, ¡°We¡¯ll also need to investigate the nearby districts to see if, besides Elves, other residents of different races living around Crown Street were influenced by the Dreamscape and to see if they had any unusual experiences last night.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Fenna promptly nodded, ¡°That¡¯s something I¡¯m quite adept at.¡±


    Morris also nodded, ¡°I know some old friends at the Academy of Truth; they can provide assistance to facilitate the investigation.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze finally turned to Nina and Sherry.


    ¡°You two stay at home for now,¡± after a moment of contemplation, Duncan said, ¡°We don¡¯t need you to do anything for the time being, but if we uncover any leads on the Sun Cultists or Heretics, we might need your help.¡±


    Nina immediately showed a somewhat disappointed expression but agreed obediently, ¡°Oh¡­


    Sherry, curious, asked, ¡°And what about you?¡±


    ¡°I need to go back to the ship,¡± Duncan said, rising from the sofa, ¡°I¡¯m heading out now.¡±


    Alice subconsciously stood up as well, ¡°Then I¡¯ll come too!¡±


    Duncan stopped and gave this marionette an inquisitive glance, ¡°Why are you coming along?¡±


    After thinking it over and looking at the other people in the living room, Alice raised her hand to scratch her head, proudly asserting, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


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    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a brief silence, he suddenly sighed with a smile.


    ¡°Alright then, if you want to come along, come along; I¡¯m not comfortable leaving you in the city anyway.¡±


    Alice immediately perked up, ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    A moment later, everyone set out, acting in accordance with the plan.

 Chapter 578 - Chapter 578 Chapter 577 The Memory of the Goats Head

    Chapter 578: Chapter 577: The Memory of the Goat¡¯s Head Chapter 578: Chapter 577: The Memory of the Goat¡¯s Head Off the coast of Light Breeze Harbor, at the edge of the radiance of the ¡°Luminous Geometric Body,¡± fog condensed above the sea surface, and the immense Ghost Ship lurked within, slowly patrolling the ocean.


    A ghostly green flame flashed through the dense fog.


    The Flame Portal on the deck of Homeloss burst open with a roar, and Duncan and Alice stepped out from the grand doorway.


    The familiar deck, the familiar masts, the familiar ghostly sails¨Cthough they had only been away for a short while, Duncan still felt an involuntary sense of relief upon his return to the Homeloss. Gazing at these familiar sights, inhaling the briny fragrance carried by the sea breeze across the deck, he exhaled slowly, feeling his emotions gradually settling down.


    At the same time, he subconsciously recalled last night¡¯s exploration of the immense vine¨Cthe ¡°Dreamscape¡± he saw, the strange Homeloss sailing amid the dark fog¨C


    The scenes in his memory naturally overlapped with the view before his eyes, as if they were inseparable.


    ¡°¡­Indeed, they are exactly the same,¡± he murmured to himself.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Alice¡¯s voice immediately sounded beside him, ¡°What¡¯s exactly the same?¡±


    Duncan shook his head, glancing at the endearing puppet who, although not knowing what was to be done, insisted on following him, and a smile unbidden crossed his face.


    ¡°I need to have a talk with the ¡®First Mate¡¯ in the captain¡¯s cabin. You go on with your own tasks,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh, alright!¡± Alice nodded immediately, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to the kitchen and handle the fish that was pickled earlier along with the cured meat. Sherry and Nina said they wanted to eat~~¡±


    As she spoke, Miss Puppet waved to Duncan and cheerfully made her way towards the kitchen¨Cclearly, her mood immediately lifted upon returning to the Homeloss.


    But then again, she always seems to be happy, cheerful on the ship and in the City-State¨Cdid ¡°joy¡± and ¡°greater joy¡± form the only moods ever present in Alice¡¯s mind?


    Watching the puppet¡¯s buoyant figure, the corners of Duncan¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Then he shook his head, composed himself, and turned to walk towards the stern deck.


    The door of the captain¡¯s cabin appeared before his eyes, and Duncan stopped in front of it, looking up at the doorframe.


    The ¡°Door of The Displaced¡± emerged in his sight; the letters, ancient and forceful, their indentations hinting at a vibe of the passage of eons.


    Duncan gazed at the text on the doorframe in silence¨Cthe only apparent difference between the Homeloss he remembered exploring in the dark, foggy ¡°Dreamscape¡± and the ship beneath his feet seemed to be the writing on the captain¡¯s cabin door.


    Of course, there might be more differences between the two ships, more clues in those differences, but during his last hurried contact, he had not had a chance to notice them. The only detail he could be certain of was that the ¡°Door of The Displaced¡± featured different details on each of the ships.


    The ¡°Door of The Displaced¡± was exceedingly special¨Ceven on the Homeloss, a ship filled with anomalies and sinister secrets, this door stood out.


    It served as Duncan¡¯s only ¡°path¡± back to his bachelor apartment and was a checkpoint for verifying the ¡°authority of the captain.¡± The language inscribed on the doorframe belonged to no known tongue, yet anyone who saw it could discern its meaning¨Cwhether it was Alice, who initially could not read, or a remote City-State native accustomed only to obscure scripts.


    On different ¡°versions¡± of the Homeloss, this door also presented various states¨Cin the real world, this door could lead to that ¡°bachelor apartment¡±; in Subspace, it led to some strange dark space; and in the fog, the text on the door transformed to read ¡°May He Wander in the Dreamscape¡±¨Ca familiar and yet foreign ¡°Goat Head,¡± slumbering within that door.


    ¡­What exactly was this so-called ¡°Door of The Displaced¡±?


    With questions and ponderings in mind, Duncan reached out, opening the door of the captain¡¯s cabin.


    In the flickering light, he saw the familiar nautical chart and shelf by the captain¡¯s desk, where the goat¡¯s head was creaking and squeaking, turning its head his way. Upon seeing Duncan¡¯s silhouette, those eyes crafted from Obsidian seemed to glisten for a moment, and a cheerful yet noisy voice entered Duncan¡¯s ears: ¡°Oh! The great captain returns to his faithful Homeloss! Your loyal remainders greet you! I didn¡¯t expect you to come back so soon. How was your stay in the city? Are you worried about the ship¡¯s affairs, or have you returned¡­¡±


    ¡°I have something I want to discuss with you,¡± Duncan approached the nautical table, speaking in a very serious tone.


    The somber words of the captain immediately halted the chatter behind the goat¡¯s head. The bizarre black carving creaked as if snapping to attention, straining to present a serious demeanor, its voice unable to hide a hint of nervousness: ¡°Captain, what has happened? Did something transpire in Light Breeze Harbor as well?¡±


    Duncan sat down at the navigation table, his eyes first landing on the sea chart with its familiar fog and routes. Then he heard the words of the goat head, furrowing his brows, ¡°Why say ¡®also¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Because there were incidents with Prand and Frost before¡­¡±


    Duncan stared into the goat head¡¯s eyes, ¡°You talk as if I¡¯m some kind of wandering disaster.¡±


    The goat head seemed a bit startled, ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I have always been dedicated to improving the image of the Homeloss on the Endless Sea, and I have been quite successful in Prand and Frost, with the leaders of both City-States being very friendly towards me. To this day, I haven¡¯t received a single complaint or grievance from any City-State¨CAs my first mate, I hope you can see our venture with a progressive eye,¡± Duncan said, waving his hand, ¡°Of course, that is not what I want to discuss with you today. I want to know what you were doing last night.¡±


    ¡°Last night?¡± The goat head was taken aback, not understanding why the subject had suddenly shifted in this direction, but it quickly responded, ¡°Last night I was following your orders to look after this ship, as we¡¯ve been drifting away from the official sea lanes, and making sure to conceal ourselves with fog to avoid startling those easily frightened fellas¡­¡±


    Duncan was not surprised by this response.


    From his exchange with the ¡®mysterious goat head¡¯ last night, it was clear that the other did not recognize him; the two goat heads were obviously not the same.


    However, there must be some other connection between them.


    After a moment of contemplation, he broke the silence again, ¡°I want to understand some things about you¨Cyour origins, your past, and your¡­ essence.¡±


    His tone was extremely serious, his expression unusually stern, and his slightly leaning forward body seemed to release some unspoken pressure.


    He chose the most straightforward approach to discuss this matter with his ¡°first mate,¡± rather than opting for covert investigations or indirect interrogation.


    He didn¡¯t need these tactics¨Cat least on this ship, he had learned the Homeloss¡¯ operational patterns and had derived his own ¡°rules¡± of conduct here. In fact, he knew that as long as he did not take that overly dangerous step, both the goat head and the Homeloss would remain in some sort of ¡°stable¡± state, similar to a type of ¡°containment.¡±


    Anomalies cannot be ¡°contained¡± like aberrations, but there are always exceptions and phenomena in this world that exceed ¡°conventions¡±: Anomaly 005-Homeloss, in fact, is now under a kind of containment¨CDuncan himself is the condition for containing this ship.


    The goat head seemed frightened.


    It was accustomed to the captain¡¯s usual mild and friendly demeanor; it knew that while the captain could be extremely terrifying, aboard the ship, facing the crew, the captain had always been a dependable and amiable person. Now, the attitude Duncan had presented and the questions he posed made it feel a certain¡­ unease.


    ¡°¡­Why are you suddenly asking these things?¡± it blurted out instinctively.


    ¡°I never asked before because there was no need to know these things,¡± Duncan spoke slowly, ¡°But now, something has happened. In Light Breeze Harbor, there has been a peculiar phenomenon associated with you, and I had no choice but to seek you out for an inquiry.¡±


    The goat head¡¯s neck swayed slightly from side to side, as if to alleviate tension.


    Duncan, however, still stared into its eyes, while slowly placing his hand on the navigation table.


    Threads of pale green flame spread from his palm, seeping into the floors and walls of the captain¡¯s quarters, into every crevice of the ship. A low creaking sound came from deep within the cabin; it appeared as if the ¡°atmosphere¡± of the entire ship was subtly shifting.


    ¡°I am Duncan Ebnomal, the captain of this ship,¡± Duncan began, his voice low as if he were beckoning back to the day he first took the helm, asserting his identity to the entire ship, ¡°I command this vessel to voyage across the Endless Sea. I, in the capacity of captain, am asking my first mate a question. This is merely a conversation¨Cthe ship will not sink back into Subspace because of it, nor will other changes occur during this exchange, for¨CI am Duncan Ebnomal, the captain of this ship.¡±


    Flames of pale green fire blazed and diffused from Duncan¡¯s entire form, his body transmuting into a ghostly and terrifying Spiritual Body, his voice echoing throughout the ship¨C


    ¡°My first mate, where exactly do you come from?¡±


    The goat head lifted its head, calmly meeting Duncan¡¯s gaze, ¡°I come from Subspace.¡±


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    ¡°More specifically? Subspace is too vague a concept; you know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.¡±


    ¡°Subspace is a vague concept, but also the only concept. Subspace doesn¡¯t differentiate ¡®places,¡¯ captain. Beings in Subspace have no past or future,¡± the goat head answered, seemingly without hesitation or fear this time, ¡°I do not know my own origins, nor do I know what happened in the past. You want to know my ¡®essence¡¯¨Cbut even I don¡¯t know my ¡®essence.¡¯ I¡­ have forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Well, what do you remember?¡±


    The goat head fell silent all of a sudden. Under Duncan¡¯s gaze, it was as if it had become a real wooden carving, frozen in place. After what seemed like an eternity, it finally came to life again, its throat issuing a hoarse and gloomy voice, ¡°¡®Remember them.''¡±


    ¡°¡®Remember them¡¯?¡± Duncan was momentarily taken aback, frowning, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    The goat head gently shook its head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but that¡¯s the only phrase I remember. I have to remember them, I must remember them, but¡­ I don¡¯t know who they are. I really¡­ have forgotten.¡±

 Chapter 579 - Chapter 579 Chapter 578 Agathas Intelligence

    Chapter 579: Chapter 578 Agatha¡¯s Intelligence Chapter 579: Chapter 578 Agatha¡¯s Intelligence Duncan knew there was no need for the goat head to lie to him¨Cor rather, even if it wanted to deceive him, there was no need for such clumsy acting.


    The disjointed sentence was the only memory this ¡°first mate¡± brought back from Subspace¨Cit really seemed not to know what happened, nor the cause and effect of that sentence.


    Duncan supported himself on the table with both hands, and sat back down in the chair behind the navigation desk, looking intently into the goat head¡¯s eyes as if trying to see more secrets in those obsidian-carved eyes, ¡°So, a long, long time ago, there were some people very important to you. You tried desperately to remember them, and at that time, you already knew you would eventually forget many things, so ¡®remembering them¡¯ became a strong thought¡­ This thought was so powerful, yet still it couldn¡¯t prevent what happened¨Cin the end, you only remember that sentence.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ it is like that,¡± said the goat head, its tone tinged with uncertainty, ¡°but I don¡¯t feel any regret, just sometimes a bit confused¡­¡±


    It muttered to itself then suddenly stopped and looked up at Duncan, ¡°Captain, what exactly happened? What kind of incident would involve me?¡±


    Duncan sat in the armchair, fingers curled in recollection, gently tapping the desk in front of him. The Spectral Flame turned into ripple-like waves, slowly rippling away with his tapping.


    ¡°¡­ The influence of The Dream of the Nameless expanded last night, seeping into the real world, and I touched a ¡®root tendril¡¯ that extended from that Dreamscape into our reality. If my guess is correct¡­ what I made contact with is one of the fundamental roots of the world in the original belief system of the Elves, Silantis.¡±


    Instantly, from beneath the goat head¡¯s neck, there came a crack, and its entire head froze on its pedestal.


    Duncan glanced at it and said indifferently, ¡°You crackled too early.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°After touching Silantis, I entered into a dimension that was neither Dreamscape nor reality. Another Homeloss was navigating in that dimension, and on that ¡®Homeloss,¡¯ there was another you.¡±


    The goat head¡¯s neck crackled again at once.


    Duncan paid no attention to the ominous noises coming from the sinister ¡°first mate,¡± as he calmly recounted his experience from last night, especially the eerie atmosphere aboard the Ghost Ship, the changes that occurred at the ¡°Door of the Displaced,¡± and the odd reactions displayed by that familiar yet strange ¡°goat head.¡±


    Throughout his narration, he kept observing the goat head¡¯s expressions and behavior across from him.


    Its reaction was not suspicious¨Cbesides shock, it was still shock. Even if it were a stiff wooden face, the look of astonishment was clearly visible at a glance.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re quite surprised,¡± Duncan concluded the entire sequence of events, nodding to the large first mate at the table, ¡°now you understand why I have been so serious?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ yes, now I completely understand your reaction,¡± the goat head started hesitantly, ¡°but I don¡¯t know¡­ I also don¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    ¡°I should have mentioned to you that in Subspace, I also saw a Homeloss. That ship was dilapidated, like a reflection of Homeloss after enduring even longer years of decay and deterioration, but the weird thing about that ship was only the ship itself¨Cthere was no you on it,¡± Duncan said slowly, ¡°Now, I have seen a third Homeloss. It sails in darkness and fog, and on it, there¡¯s another you¨CWhat about the future? Will there be a fourth, a fifth? After all, what is the current status of this ship, do you have no clue at all?¡±


    The goat head hesitated, and this time it was silent for a long time, as if struggling to find a ¡°safe¡± way to handle the topic. It was an indeterminate while before it finally spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will encounter a fourth or fifth Homeloss, nor do I know how many peculiar ¡®states¡¯ this ship might split into and present. But, there¡¯s something that might help your thoughts¡­ this ship wasn¡¯t always like this.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t always like this?¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°I guess¡­ you¡¯re not referring to the ¡®changes¡¯ caused by Homeloss falling into Subspace?¡±


    ¡°No, the change is much larger, much more thorough,¡± the goat head slowly shook its head, ¡°In my confused and fragmented memories, it has shown many faces¨Chuge chunks of metal, throbbing and pulsating flesh, dark, cold rocks, abstract and terrifying shadows. In the depths of Subspace, it could be another shape at any time, and this state lasted¡­¡±


    The goat head suddenly stopped.


    Duncan heard a low creak and a disturbingly dull echo coming from deep within the ship¡¯s hull, the floor underfoot also trembling slightly, while a tense and uneasy ¡°feeling¡± gradually permeated the entire ship, as if¡­ the entire ship was shaking, losing its stability.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop there; I can imagine the state you¡¯re describing,¡± said Duncan in a low voice.


    The goat head nodded cautiously.


    The tension and trembling that had pervaded the entire ship gradually ceased, and in the real dimension, the ship regained its stability once again.


    Duncan, however, frowned in thought¨C


    The ship seemed as if it were about to ¡°collapse¡± into something else due to the goat head¡¯s ¡°description,¡± but under his own ¡°captain¡¯s¡± gaze, it eventually returned to a stable state of containment.


    So, did the change Homeloss underwent in just a few seconds reveal some kind of ¡°essence¡± of the ship to him? Or perhaps¡­ something more?


    After pondering quietly for a while, Duncan shook his head and turned his gaze back to the goat-headed figure, ¡°What do you think about ¡®another you¡¯ on that ship?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Captain, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    The goat head muttered dejectedly, as if the words he¡¯d said the most in this brief period were those, besides ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    Duncan wasn¡¯t surprised by the answer, but immediately followed up with another question, ¡°Do you dream?¡±


    ¡°Dream?¡± The goat head was stunned for a moment, but quickly shook its head; this time the answer came exceptionally smoothly, ¡°I do not dream¨Cyour loyal first officer is always vigilant, after all, someone has to keep a constant watch over the ship¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t care about the self-praise in the latter part of the response. Upon hearing the goat head¡¯s reply, he just mumbled to himself thoughtfully, ¡°You don¡¯t dream¡­¡±


    The goat head spoke up uneasily, ¡°Captain¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at it, ¡°Speak.¡±


    The goat head seemed somewhat awkward and hesitated a long while before speaking, ¡°Earlier, you mentioned that on the eerily atmospheric Homeloss, the door of the captain¡¯s cabin was inscribed with ¡®May He Wander in the Dreamscape,¡¯ and the ¡®me¡¯ inside that cabin also mentioned the name Silantis to you. Are you suspecting¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Duncan nodded calmly without letting the other finish.


    The goat head was at a loss as to how to continue.


    ¡°But I can only harbor such suspicions, unless one day you suddenly regain your memory and tell me yourself that you have a name¨Cthat name being ¡®Saslouka.''¡±


    Silence fell upon the captain¡¯s cabin for a while.


    After what seemed like an eternity, the goat head broke the silence with a muttering, ¡°Most of the old elven legends are bizarre contradictions; they can¡¯t really be taken seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°The more bizarre and contradictory the ancient legends, the more they merit deeper investigation when they suddenly connect with certain clues in the real world,¡± Duncan said quietly and earnestly, ¡°After all, you yourself do not know your past, do you?¡±


    ¡°Although you say that, this¡­ is just too fantastical,¡± the goat head grumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with legends of this caliber; and frankly, looking at me now, I¡¯m nothing more than a sculpture on the ship¡­¡±


    Duncan gave no definite response, simply shaking his head with a sigh before rising from the navigation table and slowly moving to the window, looking out at the ship¡¯s bathed deck in sunshine and mist, and the undulating sea beyond.


    A soft, tapping noise against the glass suddenly reached his ears.


    Duncan immediately looked towards the source of the sound.


    Agatha¡¯s ethereal figure quietly appeared on the window, raising a hand to point in a certain direction.


    Duncan frowned slightly, then turned to look at the goat head still mumbling at the edge of the navigation table.


    After a brief moment of contemplation, he walked over, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it now. Regardless, your primary duty now is as the first officer of the Homeloss¨Ctake good care of this ship for me. Leave the rest to me.¡±


    The goat head was suddenly startled awake, then looked at the captain, who was bending down towards him, with some surprise. After a moment of stunned silence, he hastily responded, ¡°Ah, yes, Captain, I¡­ I understand.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, then made his way toward the door deep within the captain¡¯s cabin, ¡°I¡¯m going to rest in my room for a bit and organize my thoughts.¡±


    The goat head¡¯s voice immediately followed from behind, ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


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    Duncan didn¡¯t turn back; he waved his hand and entered his own captain¡¯s quarters, closing the door behind him without really resting, but instead approached a mirror in the corner of the room.


    After ensuring there was no noise from outside, Duncan stepped forward and tapped on the mirror.


    Shadows and smoke rose in the mirror, and Agatha¡¯s figure appeared within¨Cthe former ¡°gatekeeper¡± now residing in mirrors throughout the Homeloss nodded to Duncan in greeting.


    ¡°You have something to tell me, and you want to speak here¨Cto avoid the ¡®first officer¡¯?¡± Duncan asked seriously, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°I heard your conversation with the first officer, Captain. There¡¯s a situation I need to report to you,¡± Agatha nodded, speaking gravely, ¡°Last night, Homeloss did not remain uneventful¨Cits ¡®shadow¡¯ disappeared for a time.¡±

 Chapter 580 - Chapter 580 Chapter 579 The Spread of Influence

    Chapter 580: Chapter 579: The Spread of Influence Chapter 580: Chapter 579: The Spread of Influence Upon hearing Agatha¡¯s report, Duncan¡¯s first reaction was to glance at the bedroom door not far away with the corner of his eye.


    Then he returned his gaze and looked at the former ¡°gatekeeper¡± in the mirror, his expression exceedingly solemn, ¡°You¡¯re saying it was reflected on the surface of the sea?¡±


    ¡°Not just the reflection on the sea, but also its projection in the Spirit Realm¨Cin normal circumstances, these two types of ¡®shadows¡¯ are deeply connected and influence each other,¡± Agatha said earnestly, ¡°Last night, when it was quite late, I was traveling through the mirrors on the ship as usual to check on the ship¡¯s condition. Then suddenly, I discovered this situation, but at the time I thought it was one of the ¡®peculiarities¡¯ of the Homeloss, given that I knew so little about it¡­¡±


    ¡°The Homeloss doesn¡¯t have that Trait¨Cat least within what I know, its ¡®shadow¡¯ wouldn¡¯t disappear out of the blue,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°When did this phenomenon occur? About how long did it last?¡±


    Agatha immediately nodded: ¡°Judging from the time, it should have happened during the influence period of ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ you mentioned, lasting until the first light of dawn appeared on the sea surface.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak but furrowed his brows tightly, a tinge of deep contemplation on his face.


    After a moment¡¯s silence, Agatha continued, ¡°When the shadow of the Homeloss disappeared, I happened to be traversing through the mirrors of the real world. Normally, I could jump directly through those mirrors into the Spirit Realm, or enter the reflection of the Homeloss on the sea surface. However, last night, this ¡®jumping passage¡¯ disappeared along with the shadow of the Homeloss¡­


    ¡°However, my feeling is that the domain ¡®on the other side¡¯ of the mirror didn¡¯t really cease to exist, but there seemed to be some kind of barrier that I don¡¯t understand, obstructing my view, so I couldn¡¯t see the path in the mirror, nor could I sense what was on the other side¡­¡±


    Listening to Agatha¡¯s account, Duncan seemed to think of something, ¡°You mean¡­ you believe that the ¡®shadow¡¯ of the Homeloss didn¡¯t really disappear, but at that time, it entered a state that you couldn¡¯t understand or observe; or in other words, there was a ¡®perception¡¯ barrier that ¡®locked¡¯ you on this side of the real world?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Agatha looked as though she had let out a sigh of relief, ¡°I was worried my description was too abstract and that I would have to struggle a lot to explain it to you¡­¡±


    ¡°In Pland and Frost, I¡¯ve dealt with all kinds of ¡®curtains¡¯,¡± Duncan said offhandedly; then after a pause, he looked thoughtfully at the door not far away, ¡°So, after hearing my conversation with the goat-headed one just now, you grew suspicious¨Cbecause my ¡®first mate¡¯ never mentioned last night¡¯s abnormal situation.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why that is, but theoretically¡­ it should be able to notice changes in the Spirit Realm. While its perception may not be as sharp as mine, it wouldn¡¯t be completely unaware,¡± Agatha¡¯s tone was slightly hesitant, ¡°Especially regarding the matters you just mentioned, the existence of the other ¡®goat head,¡¯ and its suspicious and peculiar behavior¡­¡±


    Duncan exhaled softly and said, ¡°You believe that ¡®goat head¡¯ is no longer trustworthy because it might be hiding something from me.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know, as a ¡®new crew member¡¯, I shouldn¡¯t doubt the first mate of the ship. It¡¯s a great taboo, but as a former ¡®gatekeeper¡¯, I have an instinctive¡­ ¡®alertness¡¯ to these matters,¡± Agatha chose her words carefully, speaking sincerely, ¡°Many irreversible situations start with a little sense of ¡®wrongness¡¯ that first arises.¡±


    Duncan listened in silence, neither expressing agreement nor blindly refuting.


    After a long time, he finally spoke amidst his pondering, ¡°There could be two explanations: either the goat head knows what happened but didn¡¯t tell me, which would be a deliberate concealment; or, even it is unaware of the changes that occurred on the Homeloss last night.¡±


    Agatha was momentarily taken aback, then quickly understood, ¡°The second explanation means¡­¡±


    ¡°That some force is affecting this ship¨Cand the goat head is within the ¡®affected¡¯ range,¡± Duncan said gravely, ¡°While you were not influenced, which is why you could observe the changes that happened to the Homeloss at night.¡±


    ¡­


    Humming a cheerful tune that she couldn¡¯t even remember the name of, Alice was bustling around the kitchen.


    For her, the busier days aboard the Homeloss were always the happiest moments.


    Here, she had everything she was familiar with: the familiar deck, the familiar kitchen, the familiar pots and pans, and also the familiar barrels, kitchen knives, and spatulas.


    They were all her friends; everything on this ship was her friend¨Cand in most cases, she found dealing with the ship¡¯s friends much easier than interacting with people in the City-State.


    Because dealing with people in the city required learning too much, remembering too much knowledge, and paying attention to a bunch of soporific ¡°rules¡± ¡ª those creatures called ¡°humans¡± were always too frail, their unguarded presence strung with countless ¡°lines,¡± and if she carelessly grasped one, they would inexplicably break beyond repair, much finer and more fragile than the ceramic and glassware on the ship.


    But the captain placed great importance on those ¡°humans.¡± He didn¡¯t want her to randomly tamper with the ¡°lines¡± on others, let alone damage those who shouldn¡¯t be broken.


    For Alice, that was a bit difficult.


    It was like putting a cat in a room full of balls of yarn but not allowing it to touch any of the strands with its paws.


    So after the novelty of going to the city wore off a few times, Alice found she still preferred living on the ship¨Cbecause here, she hardly beat anyone.


    As long as she was careful not to ¡°touch¡± the friends who were also on the ship.


    She liked it that way; she liked the world around her solid and stable.


    Lifting the lid of the barrel storing salted fish, Alice carefully leaned over the barrel, sniffed the aroma inside, and a satisfied expression crossed her face.


    The captain never understood this, and neither did the other people on the ship¨Cwhy would an automaton have a sense of smell?


    Alice herself didn¡¯t know, but she never thought too much about it.


    She simply felt satisfied with her craftsmanship and took a wooden basin from the side to remove some of the pickled fish from the barrel¨Cshe reached into the barrel, but before she could take anything out, a long-handled spoon on the countertop next to her suddenly jumped up and slapped her arm with a ¡°snap¡±.


    Alice gasped, quickly withdrawing her hand as she spoke, ¡°I washed my hands already, just now!¡±


    The long-handled spoon wobbled on the edge of the barrel, showing no intention of moving aside.


    Alice pursed her lips, a bit displeased, ¡°Not useful!¡±


    The long-handled spoon slowly floated up, gesticulating with the scoop end in front of the automaton.


    ¡°¡­Alright,¡± Alice finally accepted reluctantly, grasping the spoon handle while muttering under her breath, ¡°It¡¯s just that last time I bent over to pick something up and my head fell in, is it really necessary to be this troublesome¡­¡±


    She took the fish out of the barrel, chatting idly with the friends in the kitchen, sometimes mentioning what she saw and heard in the City-State, and sometimes talking about things related to the captain.


    Then she started checking the other food storage containers¨Cbecause Ai Yi could supply Homeloss with fresh ingredients at any time, most of the food that needed to be stored here were things that could be preserved over the years, with pickled fish being the most popular.


    There were a total of twelve large wooden barrels for storing pickled fish.


    Alice started counting along the wall from the door¨C one, two, three, four¡­ twelve, thirteen.


    She suddenly stopped.


    The automaton lady blinked in confusion and counted again from the beginning.


    Still thirteen.


    One extra.


    Alice stood somewhat dazed in front of the row of wooden barrels, her brain working hard. At first, she questioned whether she made another counting error, as her math skills had never been that great, sometimes not even better than Sherry¡¯s, but soon she felt she couldn¡¯t be that unintelligent¨Cafter all, it was just a matter of counting twelve barrels.


    She had already learned to do addition and subtraction beyond two digits.


    So Alice rubbed her eyes and patiently counted again.


    Twelve.


    The extra number from before had disappeared, and everything was back to normal.


    After counting between the barrels over and over, Alice finally confirmed that she hadn¡¯t miscounted again, but she still didn¡¯t feel any less puzzled. She turned her head and glanced at the other things in the kitchen, unable to help her curiosity she asked, ¡°Did you notice? There seemed to be an extra barrel just now!¡±


    However, the friends in the kitchen were unable to truly answer her¨Ceven if they could speak, these at most ¡°animated objects¡± that exhibited traits of living beings due to the special environment of Homeloss did not possess full intelligence to help resolve the automaton¡¯s confusion.


    Alice didn¡¯t get an answer, so she turned back and patted the large wooden barrels that were arranged along the wall, ¡°Did one of you just multiply?¡±


    The wooden barrels didn¡¯t answer her either.


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    ¡­


    Sala Mel was dumbfounded as he listened to the ¡°Sea Witch¡± telling him about her incidents, not even noticing the food in his hands falling onto the table.


    He could no longer be bothered about the witch lady, who freely came and went, for barging into his residence early in the morning and interrupting his breakfast time.


    ¡°These inconceivable events¡­ did they all happen last night?¡±


    The elven Governor said in disbelief. In reality, his initial thought was ¡°Are you teasing me?¡± but considering the witch lady¡¯s temper, he refrained from making such a futile provocation.


    ¡°Seeing your reaction, it seems to be as I had expected,¡± Lucricia sighed. She sat across from Sala Mel, as for the shivering servants in the dining room, they had already been sent away before she started to discuss serious matters. Now there were only the two of them, ¡°The range of influence from that ¡®Dreamscape¡¯¡­ is larger than imagined.¡±

 Chapter 581 - Chapter 581 Chapter 580 Edge Touch

    Chapter 581: Chapter 580: Edge Touch Chapter 581: Chapter 580: Edge Touch Sala Mel no longer cared about his breakfast.


    This legendary explorer, who had once braved numerous bizarre and treacherous experiences on the Endless Sea and carved out a City-State at the end of a storm, now showed an uncommonly anxious expression. He was seated with his eyebrows fiercely knit together, and a long-absent shadow of unease was spreading in his heart.


    He was familiar with this feeling of unease¨Cit was the warning his intuition issued when immense, incomprehensible, and formidable dangers were drawing near.


    He did not doubt Lucracia¡¯s account.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t his first encounter with the ¡°Sea Witch¡±¨Cthough countless oceanic captains and frontier explorers considered her one of the shadows of the Endless Sea, wary of her bizarre temperament and her dangerous powers, Sala Mel knew well that the ¡°Sea Witch¡± ultimately stood on the side of mortals.


    The dining room was quiet for a long time before Sala Mel finally broke his contemplation. He looked up, ¡°So far, no one has reported last night¡¯s anomalies¨Cneither the local Elves nor the foreign settlers have noticed the ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°According to what my father saw, the anomalies that appeared in the neighborhood were very obvious and large-scale. If some parts of the city were indeed still normal, then the residents of these ¡®normal¡¯ areas could not possibly have failed to notice the unusual conditions in the neighboring districts. Therefore, the only explanation is that last night¡­ the entire Light Breeze Harbor was dreaming.¡±


    Lucracia¡¯s last sentence chilled Sala Mel, yet his rationality still made him subconsciously ponder the logical inconsistencies, ¡°You mentioned that in the real world, buildings were covered and even parasitized by ¡®Corrosive Entities¡¯ from the Dreamscape, with giant plants piercing through the buildings and streets. And this left not a single trace?¡±


    ¡°Not a trace was left; the real world returned to its original state before sunrise.¡±


    Listening, Sala Mel furrowed his brows in silence, apparently deep in thought again.


    ¡°What are you thinking of?¡± Lucracia inquired curiously at his side.


    ¡°¡­Perhaps I should have someone check the city¡¯s gas meters and electrical readings, and the operational status of the night factories,¡± Sala Mel mused aloud. ¡°The City-State is not inactive at night; there are numerous continuous operations ensuring the city functions, such as gas, electricity, and steam, each with corresponding night monitors and patrollers¡­


    ¡°So, here¡¯s the problem: where were these people when the Dreamscape descended? What state were the machines, which they were supposed to operate, in? There are also the scholars on night duty at various academies, many of whom need to periodically record their work status¡­¡±


    Sala Mel paused to think for a moment, then continued, ¡°Another aspect to determine is the scope of this unusual phenomenon¨Cwhether it was confined to the main island of Light Breeze Harbor or had spread to the nearby patrol fleets, or even to the ¡®Fallen Objects¡¯¡­¡±


    The Governor paced around the dining table and occasionally stopped to ponder deeply.


    He seemed to have entirely forgotten about the ¡°Sea Witch¡± present in the room.


    Lucracia was not surprised by this; she knew that, before becoming the ruler of the City-State, the Governor was first an outstanding adventurer¨Ceven if not as much as her father¨Cand an outstanding adventurer knew how to deal with various Transcendent phenomena.


    That the Governor had maintained the prosperity of Light Breeze Harbor in a location closest to the maritime border was unquestionable.


    Lucracia, having completed what her father had asked of her, stood up without disturbing the deep-thinking Mr. Governor. Her gaze swept across the dining table, and she casually took an unopened bottle of spiced wine, then her figure suddenly burst into colorful confetti, spinning up through the roof and disappearing from the room.


    A while later, Sala Mel suddenly came to his senses, turned around, and hurriedly spoke, ¡°Ah, sorry, I got distracted, Ms. Lucracia, would you like to stay for some¡­¡±


    He stared blankly at the empty chair opposite him and the spot where his prized wine had just been¨Cnow also empty.


    ¡°¡­Again?!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Change in the number of barrels?¡± In the captain¡¯s quarters, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but ask again in surprise after hearing Alice¡¯s rushed report.


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Alice nodded continuously. ¡°I counted several times! I definitely didn¡¯t count wrong! And I certainly didn¡¯t remember it wrong, I moved those barrels myself.¡±


    Alice certainly wouldn¡¯t lie, and as for miscounting¡­ she should not have made a mistake in such a simple matter.


    After a brief thought, Duncan stood up from behind the navigation desk, ¡°Take me to see.¡±


    Alice responded without hesitation, ¡°Okay!¡±


    The goat head at the edge of the navigation desk moved, turning its head towards Duncan with a hint of hesitation in its tone, ¡°Captain, then I¡­¡±


    ¡°You continue steering,¡± Duncan immediately said. Then he paused, adding another line, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything else, just like I said earlier, leave it to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Under Alice¡¯s guidance, Duncan quickly arrived at the place where the preserved fish were stored.


    Of course, everything had returned to normal here. Twelve barrels were neatly arranged against the wall, neither too many nor too few.


    Yet Duncan still remained serious, his gaze sweeping across the entire cabin.


    Where his eyes reached, wisps of eerie green flames flickered in the air like phantoms, stealthily moving through the cracks in the floor and walls. The whole room seemed enveloped in a mist formed by the interwoven Spectral Flames, oscillating between the Spirit Realm and reality.


    He was scouting for any residual ¡°traces,¡± for anything that didn¡¯t belong to Homeloss that might have entered this place.


    Alice¡¯s report sounded like it was nothing serious. On a Ghost Ship filled with myriad strange objects, one unlisted barrel seemed hardly worth such a fuss, but Duncan had no intention of letting his guard down.


    For on the Endless Sea, even the smallest anomaly had to be approached with caution¨Cespecially aboard Homeloss, especially at a time like this.


    Duncan had sensed something amiss from last night¡¯s events, and today¡¯s interactions with the goat-headed figure, along with Agatha¡¯s report, made him even more aware of something¨C


    The ship seemed a bit off.


    It hadn¡¯t slipped from his control, but Duncan felt that there were some details he was unfamiliar with, didn¡¯t understand appearing on this ship.


    Either, some hidden secrets of Homeloss were gradually revealing themselves to him, or, parts of this ship were indeed slowly slipping from his control as ¡°Captain.¡±


    Immersed in gradually spreading Spectral Flames, Duncan felt his connection with Homeloss strengthening, and every detail of the ship began to imprint in his mind¨Cdeck, masts, sails, the complex winches and ropes, the cabins below deck, and those misty, chaotic parts submerged in the Endless Sea.


    This wasn¡¯t his first time experiencing this; of course, he was not unfamiliar with the sensation. After swiftly adapting his senses, he let his perception merge with the ship and continued to spread deeper into Homeloss.


    The cabin where the kitchen was located showed no abnormalities, and the nearby cabins and deeper areas were all normal as well.


    Wisps of luminescence soaked into the depths of Homeloss, flowing throughout the ship like a flow of signals, ultimately converging in the captain¡¯s cabin, focusing on a conspicuous ¡°focal point.¡±


    That was where the goat-headed figure was located, the current control center of the ship.


    Duncan¡¯s ¡°vision¡± lingered there for a long time.


    Everything appeared normal.


    Duncan slowly withdrew his ¡°vision¡±¨Cbut he left a bit of flame in the darkest depths.


    Meanwhile, while withdrawing his ¡°gaze¡± from the entire ship, he continuously left ¡°fire seeds¡± behind, letting them stay in various parts of Homeloss.


    Alice watched the captain with some concern, her eyes unblinking. After a long time, she saw Duncan¡¯s gaze shift slightly and hurriedly approached him, ¡°Captain, Captain, how is it? Did you discover anything?¡±


    ¡°There is nothing abnormal on board¨Cdon¡¯t worry,¡± Duncan slowly revealed a slight smile and reached out to pat Alice¡¯s hair, ¡°It might just be some minor spatial dislocation or optical illusions, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Alice didn¡¯t quite understand but still nodded half-knowingly, ¡°Ah¡­ okay.¡±


    After briefly comforting Miss Doll, Duncan then turned his gaze to a nearby spot.


    A pillar two meters away held an oil lamp with a glass shade, which now quietly displayed shadows interwoven with fog. Agatha¡¯s figure subsequently appeared within that glass layer.


    ¡°Keep an eye on the reflections in the Spirit Realm,¡± Duncan nodded at her, ¡°if anything ¡®crosses over,¡¯ do not handle it yourself, notify me immediately, and I will come back right away.¡±


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    Agatha bowed her head, ¡°I understand, Captain.¡±


    Alice¡¯s gaze flickered between Duncan and Agatha for a few rounds and finally couldn¡¯t help breaking the silence, ¡°So, are we still going to the city?¡±


    ¡°The influence of The Dream of the Nameless is spreading through Light Breeze Harbor, and I suspect the solution involves first seeking clues within the City-State,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°and I have many things I want to verify in the City-State as well¡­ Do you want to stay on the ship, or will you come with me?¡±


    Alice thought about it, glanced back at the kitchen at her ¡°friends,¡± and after a brief hesitation, she turned around, revealing a bright smile.


    ¡°To the City-State together!¡±

 Chapter 582 - Chapter 582 Chapter 581 The Eve Before Entering the Dream

    Chapter 582: Chapter 581: The Eve Before Entering the Dream Chapter 582: Chapter 581: The Eve Before Entering the Dream After leaving Sala Mel¡¯s mansion, Lucrezia had not immediately returned to her residence in the City-State but had gone back to the Brilliant Starship docked at the harbor.


    Colorful confetti swirled across the deck, through the corridors, over the bridge, and into the captain¡¯s cabin. Lucrezia emerged from the Phantom Wind, casually placing the spiced wine in her hand on a side cabinet before striding toward the vanity holding the Crystal Ball.


    In a corner of the room, the giant rabbit toy lying on the bed stirred, then hopped to its feet and bounced over, ¡°Mistress! You¡¯re finally back. Rabi is so bored on the ship¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just returned temporarily, I¡¯ll be heading back to the city shortly,¡± Lucrezia glanced at the somewhat creepy-looking rabbit toy and asked offhandedly, ¡°Is there anything unusual on the ship?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing out of the ordinary on the ship, everything is all~ good!¡± said the mischievous girl¡¯s voice from inside the rabbit, with a tone seeking praise, ¡°Rabi has been taking care of things very well, just like when the mistress is here!¡±


    ¡°What about last night?¡± Lucrezia continued, ¡°While we were docked at the port, did you notice anything amiss onshore?¡±


    ¡°The shore?¡± Rabi paused, finally seeming to notice the serious expression on her mistress¡¯s face. The earlier playful pride immediately receded, ¡°Nothing amiss on the shore¡­ but Rabi didn¡¯t pay much attention to what was happening ashore¡­¡±


    Lucrezia¡¯s brow slowly furrowed. After asking the rabbit toy a few more questions, she waved her hand, ¡°That will be all for now. Wait aside¨C later you¡¯ll come with Luny and me into the city.¡±


    ¡°Going into the city?!¡± Rabi exclaimed in surprise, seemingly both astonished and thrilled, ¡°Are you taking Rabi into the city? Are we going there to have fun?¡±


    Lucrezia reached out for the Crystal Ball. After hearing the rabbit toy¡¯s words, she fell silent for a second or two before finally speaking faintly while touching the crystal, ¡°For you, it might be quite fun.¡±


    Rabi immediately jumped for joy on the spot and then hopped back to the bed, ¡°Plopping¡± down in the same spot as before, waiting patiently.


    The Crystal Ball slowly began to glow and hum. After some time, the light finally received a response as Tirian¡¯s figure hurriedly appeared among the luminance, gradually clearer.


    ¡°Lucy?¡± the voice came from the Crystal Ball, ¡°Ah, I was just receiving a few merchant representatives and didn¡¯t notice the Crystal Ball¡¯s activity¨C are things alright on your end?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lucrezia said as she watched her elder brother in the crystal. Noticing the fatigue in his expression, she quietly let go of her impatient look for having waited so long, ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite busy over there, haven¡¯t had much rest recently?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, things have improved compared to a while ago, at least now I get to solve my own lunch at the table,¡± Tirian shrugged his shoulders, then involuntarily glanced behind Lucrezia as if confirming the presence of someone in the picture, then hesitated slightly before asking, ¡°Is father¡­ there?¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment, he¡¯s busy with other matters,¡± Lucrezia replied, then added, ¡°Stop being so edgy, dad is very busy right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tirian replied, then hesitated again and cautiously asked, ¡°How have things been between you two these past few days? Everything okay? Do you need any help from me?¡±


    ¡°Everything is very well,¡± Lucrezia said casually and then thought for a moment, discreetly turning her head to let the silver-white waves and feather decoration appear in the picture, ¡°He finally gave me the hair clip that was a hundred years late, and incredibly, it still looks like new.¡±


    Tirian in the Crystal Ball was stunned, the worry that had been etched on his face suddenly solidified as he stared blankly at her, finally managing to twitch his mouth slightly, ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he bring you a gift?¡± Lucrezia turned her face to ask seriously.


    After thinking, Tirian pressed a hand to his forehead with a tone of absolute dejection, ¡°Twenty-four pounders-sixteen shots, thirty-two pounders-three shots, twelve pounders-I didn¡¯t count¡­¡±


    Lucrezia silently watched the figure opposite her and finally spoke softly after a long while, ¡°You fired first.¡±


    ¡°¡­You contacted me just to say this?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Lucrezia shook her head and then spoke with seriousness, ¡°I wanted to ask you to pay attention to¡­ certain matters recently and to contact me immediately if anything arises.¡±


    Tirian immediately became serious, ¡°Pay attention to what?¡±


    ¡°Elves, if I remember correctly, Frost has quite a few Elves who have settled in for the long term,¡± Lucrezia said indifferently, ¡°The ¡®Collaborative Monitoring System¡¯ between the Church, Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and City-State has just been established, and it doesn¡¯t seem to have reacted yet, so I contacted you directly¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡­


    99 Crown Street, within the somewhat eerie backyard surrounded by bushes, greenery, and a wall, a flame suddenly expanded into a blazing door. Duncan and Alice stepped out through the gate.


    Sherry, who was lazing in the backyard soaking up the sun, immediately jumped up and turned to run into the house¨Cthough she had only taken two steps before Duncan stopped her, ¡°What are you running for?¡±


    Sherry hurriedly stopped, standing there confused for a moment, then turned around and scratched her head, ¡°Yeah, what am I running for¡­ Sorry, Captain, it was a reflex¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always so jumpy,¡± Duncan frowned and glanced at the girl, ¡°Has Lukrecia come back yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Sherry shook her head, ¡°But Fenna and the old man are back. They¡¯re in the living room right now.¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°Good, come with me, let¡¯s see what they¡¯ve found.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to put things away first,¡± Alice said as she walked, holding a large wooden basin full of ingredients she had brought from the Homeloss, ¡°We can have fish soup tonight!¡±


    Duncan gave the automaton a meaningful look¨Cin Alice¡¯s mind, there seemed to be a stable logic tree running its course. Regardless of what major events occurred around her, as long as the Homeloss didn¡¯t explode on the spot, she could calmly and naturally carry on with her own rhythm, like going back to the Homeloss to get fish, or heading to the kitchen to cook¡­


    Duncan even suddenly wondered if the Homeloss really did explode on the spot, as long as he was still in front of the automaton, she could still, after realizing what happened, blankly ask him what he wanted for dinner tonight¡­


    But that wasn¡¯t a bad thing¨CDuncan felt it was actually quite nice to have an automaton by his side in this unstable world who was always only concerned about what soup to stew for dinner.


    Moments later, Duncan had already entered the living room, where Fenna and Morris, having just finished a day¡¯s work in the City-State, were reporting to him the situation they had in hand.


    ¡°From what we can see right now, it seems the entire City-State was indeed affected last night, including the local elven residents and other races living in the city¨Cno one noticed that anomaly, and as for those who work at night, there seems to be a certain degree of ¡®cognitive confusion¡¯¡­¡±


    Fenna sat on the sofa, relaying her investigation findings from the perspective of a professional Judge.


    ¡°This morning, I met with a few machinists who had just come home from their nightshift at the steam pump room. In conversation, I found they couldn¡¯t remember the specifics of their nocturnal duties, yet they felt everything was normal last night, and nothing had happened all night long. They were lucid, yet blissfully unaware of the contradictions in their own words, as if¡­¡±


    Fenna hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words, before continuing, ¡°As if they¡¯re still immersed in a ¡®lucid Dreamscape.''¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that people who slept through the night experienced a dreamless night, and those who worked lost a chunk of time ¡®out of the blue,¡¯ yet they feel as though everything is normal?¡± Duncan, listening to Fenna¡¯s report, couldn¡¯t help but raise a question, ¡°Did you manage to confirm their deeper mental state? Any signs of mental contamination?¡±


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    ¡°I used some methods from the Deep Sea Church, but nothing too excessive,¡± Fenna nodded, ¡°After initial inspections, there were no signs of contamination on them. They just¡­ ¡®naturally developed incorrect beliefs and memories.''¡±


    Duncan stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before raising his head to look at Morris sitting on another sofa.


    ¡°I met with a few old friends to inform them about the anomaly last night. The academy has already begun an investigation and is formulating countermeasures. If Miss Lukrecia¡¯s efforts go well, then the entire official response system of Light Breeze Harbor would be mobilized,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°However, based on what we¡¯ve gathered so far, when the influence of ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ intensifies, everyone in the City-State will inevitably be affected, and only you and those of us who follow you can remain alert within or outside the Dreamscape¨C the actions of the academy and the City-State authorities will likely not go so smoothly.


    ¡°Furthermore, I¡¯ve met with several scholars familiar with traditional elven myths and delved deeper into the knowledge about the great demon Saslouka, the world tree Silantis, and the ¡®Dream of Creation.¡¯ In the course of this, I¡¯ve stumbled upon an¡­ interesting point.¡±


    Duncan immediately grew curious, ¡°An interesting point?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°In some lesser-known narrative poems, there are a few lines that describe¨C


    ¡®Saslouka created the first Dreamscape of the world, yet He knew not what dreams were;


    ¡®Mortals called it a dream, and so He became bewildered;


    ¡®And then, the dreamless ones were born amidst His bewilderment¡­''¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 583 - Chapter 583 Chapter 582 Gradually Gathering Intelligence

    Chapter 583: Chapter 582: Gradually Gathering Intelligence Chapter 583: Chapter 582: Gradually Gathering Intelligence Listing to the phrases that Morris had recorded from some ancient elven narrative poem, Duncan gradually revealed a contemplative expression.


    ¡°Due to the long history and the fact that these sentences have traversed the dark period before the era of the City-States, having gone through ancient language translations and modern scholars¡¯ restorations and supplements, they might not have fully restored their original appearance. However, I believe they still hold significance,¡± Morris continued, ¡°They should be quite helpful for our understanding of the ¡®Dreamscape of Creation¡¯ as well as the current phenomenon of ¡®The Dream of the Nameless.''¡±


    Stroking his chin, Duncan mused and then said, ¡°Saslouka creates everything in the Dreamscape, yet knows not what the Dreamscape is¡­ How do you think this sentence should be interpreted?¡±


    After thinking for a while, Morris responded, ¡°According to my understanding, this might refer to the different perspectives between the divine gaze upon the world and that of mortals, or perhaps in the elven creation myth, there¡¯s a certain uniqueness about Saslouka as the ¡®original Dreamer¡¯¨Cfor a deity who wanders in the Dreamscape, maybe the boundary between dreams and reality is meaningless? To Him, perhaps the real world is just a dream that can be modified at any time, and the Dreamscape can be used to replace reality at will, hence He ¡®knows not what a dream is¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°That is a¡­ fairly reasonable explanation,¡± Duncan slowly nodded, ¡°What about the latter sentences then?¡±


    ¡°Regarding the two sentences that follow, scholars among the Elves do have interpretations,¡± Morris answered, ¡°They believe that these two sentences refer to the day when the great deity Saslouka realized the ¡®Elves¡¯ own distinct comprehension of the Dreamscape, which caused Him to first question the boundary between reality and the Dreamscape, and this might have been a ¡®crisis¡¯. During this crisis, Saslouka nearly ¡®awoke¡¯, and in such an unstable state, He created the ¡®dreamless ones¡¯ among the Elves.¡±


    ¡°The dreamless ones¡­¡± Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°I remember the Elves see this as a congenital defect.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and this is aligned with the legends¨Cthe dreamless ones were born at the moment when Saslouka was unstable, they are the result of the creator¡¯s ¡®moment of confusion¡¯, hence they are flawed, and unable to enter the ¡®Dreamscape paradise¡¯ for all their lives, however¡­¡±


    Morris paused for a moment, recollected his thoughts, and then continued, ¡°But it¡¯s precisely because of this that, in a very few legends, there¡¯s also a notion that Saslouka is the protector deity of the ¡®dreamless ones¡¯¨Cbut this interpretation is not widely accepted in elven society, it is somewhat more accepted in modern times, but in ancient times, this was essentially considered a heretical statement.¡±


    ¡°Saslouka as the protector of the dreamless ones¡­¡± Fenna muttered on the side, ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, this might have been something that those socially discriminated and oppressed dreamless groups came up with when they banded together¨Cperhaps it was initially just to find some spiritual support for their own community.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Morris nodded, ¡°Such statements first appeared during the dark ages, circulating on some ¡®exile islands¡¯ controlled by the elven City-States¨Cat that time, the Elves considered ¡®dreamless ones¡¯ to be cursed individuals, whose congenital defects could create ¡®great voids¡¯ in the Dreamscape, thus attracting nightmares and consuming shadows, and they exiled their defective kin to isolated islands on the fringes of civilized worlds¡­¡±


    ¡°On those remote settlements far from the heart of civilization, the initial claims that ¡®Saslouka is the protector of the dreamless ones¡¯ emerged. The exiles clung to this as a pillar to endure the long and hard nights.


    ¡°Later, as times evolved and the influence of the belief in the four gods gradually expanded, and also with the exile lands themselves rising, the practice of banishment was gradually abolished, and the ¡®unique culture¡¯ that arose on the lands of exile also flowed back into mainstream elven society. However, it¡¯s quite clear that while mainstream society might accept their once-banished kin, they could not accept their ¡®heretical¡¯ culture¡­¡±


    Duncan silently listened, his mind couldn¡¯t help but connect this information with the recent disturbances at Light Breeze Harbor and the scant clues¨Cinformation was reorganizing in his mind, and he felt he was about to touch upon that most critical logical chain.


    But he still lacked some more effective references, some more useful intelligence¡­


    In his contemplation, a familiar presence suddenly appeared in his perception.


    From the direction of the hall, the sounds of servants opening the door and giving greetings could be heard, followed by footsteps. In a moment, Lucrecia¡¯s figure appeared in the living room.


    The wind-up doll Luny followed behind Lucrecia¨Cthis maid-dressed wind-up doll was also holding an especially large, bizarrely styled, and horrifying fabric rabbit doll.


    The next second, the bizarre and horrifying rabbit doll suddenly moved, and then it quickly jumped out of Luny¡¯s arms onto the ground and while hopping, let out a shrill voice, ¡°Finally here, finally here! Rabi has finally entered the city! Today Rabi is going to create a big commotion¡­¡±


    Duncan silently watched this rabbit doll, and the other gazes in the living room also turned to the strange rabbit.


    The bizarre doll that was just jumping around in the living room announcing its intention to create a commotion instantly became still. It slowly lifted its head, its button eyes took stock of the situation in the living room, and after two or three seconds, it finally shuddered and then slowly walked to the farthest corner from Duncan and sat down with a ¡°plop¡±, starting to pretend it was a real fabric doll.


    Everything happened very quickly, and Nina and Sherry sitting opposite Duncan didn¡¯t even understand what had happened.


    Two seconds later, Lucrecia¡¯s voice finally broke the silence in the living room, ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, it sometimes isn¡¯t very well-behaved, so I seldom bring it into the city.¡±


    Then she turned to Duncan with a slight smile and nodded, ¡°But with you here, Rabi should be more well-behaved than at any other time.¡±


    The automaton Luny stepped forward and bowed before Duncan, ¡°Good day, old master.¡±


    After the greeting, the wind-up automaton looked up, seemingly searching for something around her.


    ¡°Alice is in the kitchen,¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Go find her if you want.¡±


    Luny turned her head and, after confirming with her mistress, happily left the living room.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze then fell upon Lucy, ¡°Is everything going smoothly?¡±


    ¡°Everything is going smoothly. I¡¯ve already met with Sala Mel and then returned to the Brilliant Starship to bring up the incidents occurring here with Tirian¡­¡±


    Listening to Lucy recount her actions of the day, Duncan nodded slightly and then let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ve got a basic understanding of the situation. Now that everyone is here¡­ it¡¯s time to tell you all about what I¡¯ve found.¡±


    Everyone in the living room immediately adjusted their posture subconsciously. Even Sherry, who had been drowsing off since a while ago, suddenly perked up.


    They heard something different in the captain¡¯s tone.


    Duncan didn¡¯t keep them in suspense; he quickly relayed his current grasp of the situation, especially his speculation regarding ¡°the goat head.¡±


    However, he didn¡¯t talk about the many troubling ¡°details¡± aboard Homeloss right now¨Cas this information would only serve to increase the anxiety of the others and was not helpful in addressing the anomaly at Light Breeze Harbor at this stage.


    The mere suggestion of a possible connection between the goat head and Saslouka was enough to leave the whole living room in dead silence.


    After Duncan finished outlining the situation, there was a long silence before anyone spoke.


    The group exchanged bewildered glances until Nina broke the silence, ¡°That goat head, who¡¯s always babbling on¡­ is possibly connected to Elves¡¯ legend of ¡®the great demon Saslouka¡¯? Isn¡¯t that a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°An extravagant guess, but at the moment, some clues seem to be pointing in that direction,¡± Duncan said seriously, ¡°The goat head itself is unclear about its origin. And Homeloss, which sails through the fog with an eerie atmosphere, happened to appear at midnight, when The Dream of the Nameless is strongest. The words ¡®May he wander in Dreamscape¡¯ are written on the captain¡¯s cabin door¨Cthis phrase clearly has connections to an ancient Elves¡¯ legend. Add to this the suspicious ¡®goat head¡¯ on board, its peculiar state, and its strange reaction when mentioning Silantis¡­ all of this can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s expression rapidly changed, her eyes reflecting an unusual gravity and apprehension. She looked at her father several times before hesitatingly speaking, ¡°The goat head¡­ I remember you said it¡¯s an interdimensional entity¡­ Even not considering why the Genesis God from ancient Elves¡¯ tales would take on such a form, if the goat head really is related to ¡®Saslouka,¡¯ then how could Homeloss¡­¡±


    She stopped, seemingly unable to find the right words to continue, and after several seconds, she resumed, ¡°How could Homeloss be involved in all of this?¡±


    Duncan discerned the source of Lucy¡¯s anxiety.


    She talked about Homeloss¨Cyet all her tension seemed to fall upon herself.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t fear, Lucy, everything is still under control,¡± Duncan spoke slowly, his voice steady and imbued with a comforting power, ¡°Subspace holds too many secrets, even for me; it¡¯s clear how much influence it has had on Homeloss. But one thing is certain: as long as I retain my humanity, that ship won¡¯t lose control again, and I am very much lucid now.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, right,¡± Sherry quickly added. She had been rattled by the startling information she had just heard, and now, as if to reinforce her own courage, she immediately said upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, ¡°With the captain here, the ship can¡¯t have any problems; he¡¯s humane¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Several pairs of eyes instantly focused on Sherry, but she had yet to react, still saying, ¡°Homeloss is a bit odd, but¡­¡±


    Finally, A-Dog crawled out from the shadows beside the sofa, slapping a paw on Sherry¡¯s head, ¡°Will you shut up!¡±

 Chapter 584 - Chapter 584 Chapter 583 The Necessity of the Capture Operation

    Chapter 584: Chapter 583: The Necessity of the Capture Operation Chapter 584: Chapter 583: The Necessity of the Capture Operation No matter what, Sherry¡¯s thoughtless interruption had managed to alleviate the tense atmosphere in the living room¨Cthough it almost steered the mood in an entirely different direction.


    Duncan finally managed to control his expression before he ignored Sherry who, after recovering, almost curled up into a ball on the sofa. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°All in all, this is all the intelligence we currently possess. The fog is still thick, but it¡¯s clear that ¡®Homeloss¡¯ has become a part of this maelstrom, unlike the previous situations with Prand and Frost.


    ¡°No matter how things unfold, I must figure out what this so-called ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ really is, and what exactly these heretics are aiming for¨Cespecially the latter.


    ¡°The Annihilation Cultists, Sun Cultists, and the hidden Doomsday Preachers¡­ whether we capture them alive or not, we should try as much as possible to gather information during any contact¡­ ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ will not simply dissipate. It will definitely reoccur, and as long as this vortex continues, we¡¯re bound to keep dealing with these heretics.¡±


    As Duncan spoke, he suddenly paused, then thoughtfully looked towards Sherry, who was sitting on the sofa trying to make herself less noticeable, and Rahm lying next to her.


    Sherry instantly felt Duncan¡¯s gaze and abruptly lifted her head, ¡°Sorry, captain. I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned your empathy just now¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you and Rahm sense the aura of the fleeing Annihilation Cultist today?¡± Duncan waved his hand, cutting off Sherry¡¯s reflexive rambling, ¡°I remember you mentioned that Rahm had left a ¡®mark¡¯ on that heretic during a previous encounter in The Dream of the Nameless.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sherry hadn¡¯t even started speaking when Rahm immediately shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on this matter today, but as far as I can tell, the heretic doesn¡¯t seem to be in Light Breeze Harbor right now.¡±


    ¡°These heretics are hiding in nests across each city-state, coordinating their actions merely through entering The Dream of the Nameless. This indeed makes it difficult for us to catch them in the real world,¡± Fenna added, ¡°Moreover, they¡¯ve apparently mastered some ¡®rules¡¯ of The Dream of the Nameless, which allows them to freely enter and exit that ¡®dreamscape,¡¯ making them even harder to handle.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s words caused Duncan to frown as well. Knowing the heretics were actively plotting yet unable to act due to insufficient intelligence and the cunning nature of the enemy was indeed frustrating, and for Duncan, his concerns went beyond just that¨C


    He had once successfully ¡°captured¡± an Annihilation Cultist who had entered the dreamscape, and even found a heretic gathering point through that cultist¡¯s perspective. However, he hadn¡¯t been able to expand on that success: the keen perception of the Profound Demons and the fragile symbiotic ecology of the Annihilation Cultists meant that those heretics couldn¡¯t withstand his power. They died neatly before much intelligence could be gathered.


    Every time he recalled it, he felt regret.


    He dwelled in that regret for a moment before finally setting his gaze on Rahm.


    ¡°Does my power stand out to you?¡± he asked.


    Rahm was startled by the Captain¡¯s sudden question, his head drooping instantly, ¡°Your question¡­ whether it stands out or not¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to know how to avoid other Profound Demons sensing my power,¡± Duncan continued seriously, ignoring Rahm¡¯s cowering response, ¡°Sometimes I can successfully leave my mark on those Annihilation Cultists, but those symbiotic Profound Demons quickly detect my power, causing me trouble more than once.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Rahm¡¯s tone suddenly became a bit strange, ¡°That¡¯s a bit difficult. The perception of Profound Demons is naturally very sharp, and those other than me lack cognition, relying only on instincts¨Cseeking benefits and avoiding harm is their greatest instinct. When faced with great danger, abandoning their symbionts to flee back to the Mysterious Deep Sea is their inevitable choice, unless¡­¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Unless?¡±


    ¡°Unless you can safely sever their symbiotic relationship, or control them before they can react,¡± Rahm mused, ¡°The first method is almost unfeasible since such symbiosis is irreversible and progressively transforms the physiology of the symbiotes. After the initial phase, the act of breaking the bond itself would be lethal.


    ¡°The second method¡­ could work, but it¡¯s not easy to execute mainly due to the need for preparation. Different Profound Demons have different traits, making it hard to prepare a thoroughly precise and ¡®tailored¡¯ instant control plan in advance¡­¡±


    Rahm rambled on, then paused as if something dawned on him, and looked up at Duncan, ¡°But we don¡¯t necessarily have to capture Annihilation Cultists, do we? There are other heretics active too. Doomsday Preachers are hard to capture, but Sun Cultists are much simpler¡­¡±


    Unconsciously, Rahm had already begun to see those elusive heretics as ¡®available on demand¡¯ prey, as if as long as the Captain wanted to capture them, no matter how well those heretics hid, they would eventually fall into the Captain¡¯s hands.


    However, Duncan shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s still best if we can capture some Annihilation Cultists.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Sherry blinked in confusion, ¡°Why?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, his expression serious, ¡°I have my uses.¡±


    Everyone looked puzzled.


    Seeing their confusion, Duncan hesitated slightly before lifting his hand and gently swiping it through the air.


    As smooth as water, the flames of his Spiritual Fire rippled around him and swiftly spread throughout the entire living room. Amid the burning flames, a layer of invisible power soaked into reality, blurring the boundary between the real world and the Spirit Realm. Duncan¡¯s body also rapidly transformed into the form of a Spiritual Body.


    ¡°Invoke the name of Rahm¨C¡± Morris, seeing this, prayed quickly without a second word and then applied a haphazard myriad of mental protections to himself.


    Beside him, Fenna smoothly pulled out a Storm Amulet and a portable rosary from her bosom, chanting Gomona¡¯s name while bestowing blessings upon herself.


    Nina¡¯s eyes glimmered faintly with sunlight, full of expectation as she watched her Uncle Duncan, while A Dog exclaimed, ¡°Damn,¡± and vanished into the shadows in an instant. Sherry was a step slow and only managed to cover her ears: ¡°Can I not listen later¡­¡±


    ¡°I am about to establish a connection with the Saint of Profound Darkness¨Cutilizing the power of the vanished heretics.¡±


    Accompanied by the crackling of the flames, Duncan spoke indifferently, then somewhat helplessly glanced at the few people around him, ¡°Is this really necessary?¡±


    Sherry dropped her hands from her ears, ¡°¡­My head is buzzing.¡±


    ¡°You are nervous,¡± Duncan glanced at her, ¡°I have prepared the protections; you all don¡¯t need to be so tense.¡±


    ¡°Caution never hurts,¡± Morris, calm and composed on the opposite sofa, replied, ¡°Of course we trust your power, but we are ultimately frail mortals, please understand¡­¡±


    Fenna nodded in agreement with Morris¡¯s words, but then she looked at Duncan with a bit of confusion, ¡°However, if it¡¯s just that, you could have just told us directly. This reason itself isn¡¯t dangerous, and for us, occasionally mentioning the Saint of Profound Darkness isn¡¯t a big deal¡­¡±


    ¡°Because this suggestion was personally given to me by the Saint of Profound Darkness,¡± Duncan casually mentioned, ¡°He established a connection with me deep within Alice¡¯s Mansion, and this suggestion itself is the power He transmitted to the real world¡­¡±


    As soon as he began to speak, Sherry quickly placed her hand over her ears, and after a crisp snap, she dropped her arm with a mournful face: ¡°I was careless¡­ My head really is buzzing.¡±


    Duncan looked at her expressionlessly, too indifferent to speak.


    Meanwhile, not far away, Lucrecia had been bewildered from the start¨Cthis young witch stared at the swiftly unfolding scene, her eyes keeping up with each sequence of events, but her mind couldn¡¯t keep pace.


    A few seconds later, she finally came to her senses and looked at Fenna and Morris somewhat blankly, ¡°You two¡­ seem very practiced¡­¡±


    ¡°The captain often shares complex truths with us,¡± Morris said modestly with a nod, ¡°We have a standard procedure when discussing these issues.¡±


    Lucrecia¡¯s expression was somewhat vacant as she scanned the living room, now eerie and grim, dappled with ghastly shadows from the Spiritual Fire. Finally realizing what her father had just said, she immediately looked at Duncan, her eyes slightly widening, ¡°Wait, you just said¡­ the Saint of Profound Darkness established a connection with you, and He suggested¡­ suggested that you capture His believers?¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°I was also surprised, but that¡¯s the fact.¡±


    Lucrecia pondered for a moment, not understanding.


    ¡°The Witch of the Mysterious Deep Sea¡± had seen and known much¨Cbut she had never before encountered this.


    However, someone at the scene was logically considering the situation¨Cafter the initial shock, Morris quickly grasped the astonishing implications behind this ¡°suggestion.¡±


    He swiftly confirmed the details of the ¡°suggestion¡± and the various nuances revealed during the interactions between the Saint and the captain, reassessing the blessings and protections he carried.


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    Finally, Duncan had the opportunity to share this incredible matter with his followers¨Che had intended to speak earlier, but the sudden arrival of The Dream of the Nameless had delayed his plans.


    After a lengthy period, Duncan finished recounting his experience deep within Alice¡¯s Mansion, and Morris opposite him sank deep into thought.


    ¡°¡­Incredible, one of the most dangerous ancient gods still retains sanity, and even made such an astounding ¡®suggestion¡¯ to you¡­¡± the elder muttered in reflection, ¡°If we really could establish a stable and safe connection with this ancient god, perhaps we could truly unravel some of the greatest mysteries of this world, even¡­ really understand the birth of the Mysterious Deep Sea Era¡­¡±


    Sherry scratched her head, ¡°So what?¡±


    Morris suddenly turned to look directly into Sherry¡¯s eyes, his usually gentle and scholarly demeanor now alight with a fearsome fervor¨C


    ¡°According to the captain, let¡¯s try capturing a few vanished heretics,¡± he said with the eager gleam of a scholar peering into the truth, ¡°This matter has now taken on an academic dimension!¡±

 Chapter 585 - Chapter 585 584

    Chapter 585: 584 Chapter 585: 584 Certainly, Morris had ignited a zeal for seeking the truth at this time¨Cin the eyes of this elderly gentleman, the heretics, who inspired fear in ordinary people, had probably already become stacks upon stacks of walking theses and materials.


    ¡°So the only problem now is how to pluck those cultists who enter ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ from the real world,¡± Fenna looked at the elder beside her, brimming with energy, and quietly shifted a bit to the side, ¡°I¡¯ll contact the church tomorrow to see if we can enhance the monitoring and capture of the cultists in each City-State¨Cthey¡¯ll surely be more active than usual if they¡¯re frequently entering ¡®The Dream of the Nameless,¡¯ and have unified command and intelligence sharing.¡±


    Morris nodded as well, ¡°I¡¯ll also remind the Academy of Truth¡­though they probably don¡¯t need reminding.¡±


    They discussed schemes to root out those heretics from the real world when suddenly, Lucracia, who had been quietly contemplating, raised her head, and looked towards Sherry and A-Dog, ¡°If we¡¯re in ¡®The Dream of the Nameless,¡¯ could you find that heretic from last time?¡±


    ¡°That depends on whether we¡¯re nearby and whether the other party has the nerve to enter ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ again,¡± A-Dog shook his head, ¡°Moreover, last time Sherry and I severely injured that cultist; while the damage didn¡¯t affect his physical body in the real world, his spirit won¡¯t recover any time soon.¡±


    Lucracia listened, nodded thoughtfully, and appeared to be pondering something unknown.


    Meanwhile, outside the window, the sun had gradually sunk behind the buildings at the edge of the district, the residual scarlet glow was spreading across the rooftiled rooftops, mixed with the golden ¡°sunlight¡± emanating from the distant sea, blending into the fading sunset.


    Nina suddenly looked up towards the darkening sky outside the window and muttered softly, ¡°It¡¯s getting dark again¡­¡±


    Her soft muttering interrupted Duncan¡¯s thoughts, who rose from the couch and paced towards the window, quietly observing the street outside.


    The ¡°Knowledge Guardians¡± of the Academy of Truth were already preparing for the changing of the guard at dusk. At the security post on the street corner, a squad of guardians was conversing with a security officer.


    Today¡¯s number of guardians had doubled from usual, and among them were High Priests with clearly superior equipment, perhaps elite forces drawn from the central university of the City-State.


    Propaganda vehicles drove by on the road, urging citizens to end their outdoor activities and return home before the gas lamps were lit, with the curfew tonight starting an hour earlier¨CThe broadcast repeatedly reminded that citizens who couldn¡¯t make it home in time should immediately seek help at the nearest guardian post, and personnel and vehicles arranged by the Academy would escort them home promptly.


    In the far-off districts, the towering spire of the clock tower bathed in the interlacing sunlight and twilight, the golden-red brilliance seemed to coat the clock tower in a crystal-like plating, the huge steam pipes extending from the wings of the clock tower were emitting wisps of white mist, preheating for the ringing of the ¡°evening bell.¡±


    The authorities of the City-State and the Academy had not announced any emergency¨Cyet in the eyes of those who knew everything, one could detect a change in the atmosphere from many subtle details.


    ¡°They¡¯re preparing for tonight,¡± Fenna also walked over, whispering beside Duncan, ¡°Although there¡¯s no evidence yet that ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ will appear again tonight¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what preparations they¡¯ve made, nor whether their arrangements will truly have any effect,¡± Duncan shook his head gently, ¡°Up until now, we still know nothing of how that ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ operates, only that it might relate to some ¡®Trait¡¯ of the entire Elves¡¯ race. In this regard, we can¡¯t help them.¡±


    ¡°We have many problems to solve ourselves,¡± Fenna¡¯s tone was somewhat serious, ¡°If ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ appears again, we don¡¯t know what will happen¨Cwe might again be scattered and drawn into the dreamscape, might appear in a different location than before, might encounter enemies, and might even enter directly into those areas known as ¡®Corrosion Zones¡¯.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak; he slowly turned, sweeping his gaze over the living room.


    The others had gathered together, with many eyes falling on him.


    After a brief pause for thought, Duncan reached out his hand, his palm facing upward¨C


    Eerie green flames surged and undulated beside him, casting his form into a flame-forged illusion of a Spiritual Body. His gaze focused on his own palm, as the flame gathered there, slowly turning into the brightest, most active flame.


    Duncan, lifting the weightless flame, spoke as a faint crackling filled the air, his voice reaching everyone¡¯s ears, ¡°Come, touch this flame.¡±


    The people in the living room reacted differently¨Csurprise and hesitation were the most unavoidable.


    They were no strangers to the captain¡¯s flame, and in fact, they had already come into contact with this Spiritual Body¡¯s fire more than once, to varying degrees. But ¡°instinct¡± is a peculiar and powerful thing; the extra vivacity and brightness of the flame compared to the ¡°mild¡± fire they were accustomed to seeing on the Homeloss made them subconscious anxiety.


    But Nina was the first to step forward, even with a look of anticipation on her face¨Cshe raised her head, looking up at her ¡°Uncle Duncan¡± with her usual radiant smile.


    Then she stretched out her hand and gingerly touched the flame in Duncan¡¯s palm with her fingertip.


    The streams of flame wound around her fingertip like water, then quietly receded.


    ¡°Warm and toasty,¡± Nina laughed and turned her head, waving to Sherry, ¡°Your turn!¡±


    ¡°I know, I know¡­¡± Sherry muttered, taking a couple of hesitant steps forward. As she reached out her hand, she continued to grumble, ¡°After all, the captain won¡¯t harm me¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded at Sherry with a gentle expression, then reminded her, ¡°A-Dog needs it too.¡±


    Just as A-Dog was about to turn away, he jolted and lifted his head to look at the flame. His blood-red eyes seemed filled with a tangible fear, ¡°I¡­I¡¯d rather not¡­¡±


    ¡°You need it,¡± Duncan said seriously, looking at the Profound Demon. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is just a harmless temporary mark. Unless I command it, this flame won¡¯t cause you any harm.¡±


    A-Dog still seemed conflicted, ¡°I¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t wait for him to finish and flipped his hand onto A-Dog¡¯s head, rubbing vigorously on the rough, hard skull.


    The eerie green flames poured down directly onto the Abyssal Hound¡¯s skeletal frame, flickering and flowing through its body.


    A-Dog shivered all over in an instant, only managing to let out an exclamation, ¡°Hey, I fuck¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored the creature and looked up at the others.


    Fenna and Morris approached, each chanting the prayers of their deities before, with serious expressions, they touched the flame in the captain¡¯s hand.


    Now, there was only one person left on the scene.


    ¡°Lucy,¡± Duncan said, looking calmly at the ¡°Sea Witch¡± not far away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is just a special ¡®mark¡¯¨Cif the Dream of the Nameless appears again, the power in the mark might be able to help you.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Lucelia said softly, her eyes carrying a tinge of complexity. She lifted her head to look at her father¡¯s Spiritual Body¡¯s ethereal stance in the flames. After a few seconds, she finally stepped forward and stretched out her hand slowly towards Duncan, ¡°¡­Is this the power of Subspace?¡±


    Duncan watched her calmly: ¡°This is my power.¡±


    Lucelia took a deep breath and then reached forward to touch the flame.


    There was no pain, no scorching heat, no anticipated Corrosion or negative mental disturbances¨Cshe only felt a comforting warmth, soothing and reassuring.


    A flicker of greenish light passed through the depths of Lucelia¡¯s eyes.


    Then the ¡°Sea Witch¡± turned around, hurriedly went to the corner of the room, picked up the huge rabbit stuffed animal, and returned in front of Duncan.


    The stuffed rabbit, which had been playing dead for most of the day, finally stirred, wriggling in Lucelia¡¯s grip. A little girl¡¯s panicked voice emanated from its cotton-filled body, ¡°Mistress, what are you doing! Rabi is just a rabbit! Rabi is just a¡­¡±


    ¡°Quiet,¡± Lucelia said firmly, pinching the back of the stuffed rabbit and instantly silencing the eerie and spooky doll. She then extended it forward, ¡°Dad, give Rabi a mark.¡±


    Duncan was slow to react. He had been curious about why Lucelia was bringing over this stuffed rabbit and only now began to vaguely understand, ¡°Is this¡­you want to bring this doll into The Dream of the Nameless?¡±


    ¡°Rabi can move in the Dreamscape¨Cit dreams,¡± Lucelia explained. ¡°I want to see if it gets entangled in the Dreamscape when The Dream of the Nameless expands. When the Brilliant Starship was docked at the port, Rabi said it didn¡¯t realize anything unusual about the city. That might be because the port is too far from the epicenter of the dreamscape outbreak, or maybe it¡¯s because Rabi is minimally affected by your power.¡±


    The rabbit toy struggled again, letting out a tiny voice, ¡°If only Rabi hadn¡¯t come¡­¡±


    Lucelia raised her hand and pressed the rabbit¡¯s face into Duncan¡¯s hand.


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    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He suddenly felt as though he¡¯d become a buff-dispensing dummy¡­ This didn¡¯t seem quite the same as what he had planned.


    Anyway, he had successfully completed the preparatory work for entering the dream. Next¡­ he just had to wait and see if The Dream of the Nameless would indeed occur again tonight, and to verify his many theories and plans within the dreamscape.


    Just at that moment, footsteps sounded from the direction of the living room entrance. Alice and Luny appeared in Duncan¡¯s line of sight, pushing the dining cart.


    ¡°It¡¯s dinner time!¡± Alice announced happily, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere in the living room, ¡°Shall we eat in the dining room, or just here in the living room?¡±

 Chapter 586 - Chapter 586 Chapter 585 The Absent Dreams Trance

    Chapter 586: Chapter 585: The Absent Dream¡¯s Trance Chapter 586: Chapter 585: The Absent Dream¡¯s Trance At last, the puppet Luny also accepted the Flame Mark bestowed by the captain, led by Alice.


    By that point, apart from the more ¡°crude¡±, mindless tin men and wooden puppets, everyone in the ¡°Witch¡¯s Mansion¡± had received the brand of the fire of the Spiritual Body before entering the Dreamscape.


    Dinner time arrived, the bright electric lights and the wall-mounted gas lamps together illuminated the spacious dining room, where the members of the Exiled Fleet gathered by the long dining table, sharing fish, bread, and wine, preparing to face the impending, even more unfathomable nightfall.


    Faint green flames flickered deep within their eyes, making their gazes seems to focus on both the real and the illusionary dimensions simultaneously. Their conversations intermittently mixed with a bit of the captain¡¯s power, causing a dull buzzing vibration in the air, while green flames tinged the gas lamps on the walls, making all the flames shimmer with a hint of green ghostly light, lending an eerie quality to the entire dining room¡¯s walls and floor akin to that of a Spiritual Body.


    If an unsuspecting ordinary person happened to wander into the dining room at this time, they would likely instantly be overwhelmed by the strange atmosphere and power abounding here¨Cmaintaining their sanity and self would be a very difficult feat.


    The clockwork puppet Luny lit the decorative candelabra, and the candlelight flickered on the table, casting a mesmerizing warm glow on the silver and ceramic tableware.


    Morris and Lucrezia were quietly discussing ancient legends related to the Elves¡¯ society, interspersing their talk with many technical terms, making it difficult for the average person to understand; Sherry was gobbling up her food, she was always the first to fill her stomach at the table; Fenna was saying a prayer before the meal, still the most devout one, meticulously completing the sacred rituals to the goddess at all times; Nina, after taking a few bites, surreptitiously lifted her head, eyes glancing towards the wine placed not far in front of her.


    ¡°I want some fermented grape juice¡­¡± The fragment of the Ancient Sun made a request to the Usurping Flame.


    Duncan glanced at the girl and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why not say you want some barley fruit juice?¡±


    Nina¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, raising her hand towards the beer on the other side, ¡°Really?¡±


    Duncan looked at her expressionlessly, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Nina murmered, honestly picking up the lemonade that was placed on the other side, looking quite disappointed.


    In the distance, the mechanical clock ticked away, its hands slowly moving forward.


    As dinner neared its end, Duncan suddenly broke the silence, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about a question.¡±


    ¡°What are you pondering?¡± Fenna across the dining table put down her cutlery and asked curiously.


    ¡°How exactly does The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea view His believers?¡± Duncan said very seriously, ¡°He suggested that I capture some followers of the obliviate to establish a connection with the Mysterious Deep Sea, which doesn¡¯t sound at all sentimental¨Cbut at the same time, He remains rational and seems very concerned about this world; don¡¯t you find that odd?¡±


    ¡°I find it quite reasonable,¡± Morris wiped the corner of his mouth, speaking leisurely, ¡°Especially given the premise that The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea is rational, the suggestion He made to you is even more logical.¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow at that, ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Before you succeeded in establishing a connection with that ancient deity, there had never been any communication between The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea and the real world. In other words, those so-called followers of the obliviate were actually just blindly worshiping their ¡®Lord,¡¯ and through this one-sided belief, they drew power, constantly summoning demons from the Mysterious Deep Sea for their own use,¡± Morris shrugged, ¡°Think about it from another perspective, if you were The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea, and suddenly a bunch of noisy mortals appeared out of nowhere, claiming to be your descendants, then they run into your yard, steal your fruits, dig up your fruit trees, even try to deceive your servants, and in the end, they want to pry open your door and move into your room¡­¡±


    Duncan pondered this, feeling his blood pressure rising.


    ¡°Alright, I think I understand¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°It¡¯s reasonable.¡±


    The mechanical clock in the corner of the dining room suddenly struck the hour, its loud chimes interrupting the conversations by the table, hollowly echoing throughout the vast mansion.


    Duncan listened to the bell chimes, silently counting each strike, and quietly said, ¡°It¡¯s nine o¡¯clock.¡±


    No one responded to him.


    Only a few empty chairs remained on both sides of the dining table, as if from the beginning, there had not been a single person there.


    Duncan slowly frowned, looking at the suddenly empty dining room. Even though the anomaly had occurred right under his nose, he still could not determine the specific ¡°process¡± of it all.


    Everything happened suddenly, as if the entire world completed a ¡°switch¡± in an extremely brief moment, like a deck of cards flipped in an instant, with numbers turning into the patterns on the back¨CNina, Morris, and the others had entered another dimension with the flipped cards, while Duncan remained by the table.


    Also remaining ¡°by the table¡± with Duncan was Alice.


    The doll Miss suddenly widened her eyes, appearing quite startled, ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°The influence of The Dream of the Nameless appeared again¡­¡± Duncan slowly stood up from the chair, ¡°Even the rabbit puppet has disappeared.¡±


    As he finished speaking, a somewhat nervous voice came from the side, ¡°Old master, I¡­ I¡¯m still here.¡±


    Duncan and Alice turned their heads simultaneously, looking in the direction of the voice.


    The automaton Luny was standing not far behind them¨Cat dinner time, she had stood there.


    Now, this automaton had been left on ¡°this side¡± of the real world.


    Alice looked at her in surprise, ¡°Luny! Why were you also left on this side?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the automaton spread her hands and shook her head, then looked towards the empty opposite side of the dinner table, her tone laced with concern, ¡°Is the mistress¡­ alright?¡±


    ¡°They have already reached the other side of the Dreamscape,¡± Duncan said, while he couldn¡¯t help but scrutinize Luny up and down, a slight frown forming.


    Luny had been left ¡°on this side¡±¡­ Why was that?


    When The Dream of the Nameless occurred, both he and Alice would be left on the side of the real world, and now Luny had been left on this side as well, moreover, while she was awake¡­ What mechanism was at work behind this?


    Could it be because of¡­ ¡°automatons¡±?


    ¡°Luny, do you dream?¡± Duncan suddenly asked while pondering.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Luny paused, then honestly replied, ¡°Occasionally, when the mistress is maintaining my body, I become dazed and recall some past events, but the mistress says that¡¯s not dreaming, just memories spilling out of the soul container¡­ I probably don¡¯t dream? I don¡¯t know what human dreaming is like.¡±


    ¡°What about Rabi? Does that rabbit named Rabi truly dream?¡± Duncan asked again.


    ¡°Rabi does dream, and in fact, it¡¯s quite powerful in the Dreamscape¨Cmany years ago, the mistress often suffered from nightmares, which even disrupted her research work. So the mistress made preparations and deliberately plunged herself into the Dreamscape to confront those shadows that invaded her spirit world¨Cshe won, and from the deepest part of her nightmares, she captured a shadow that came from the Spirit Realm, the mistress said it was the creation of fear, then she beat up the shadow over and over again, finally sewing it inside a cloth doll, which is Rabi¡­¡±


    Duncan listened as the automaton in front of him recounted these past events with an indifferent face, and after a moment, the corners of his mouth twitched: ¡°It seems that Lucresia has also experienced quite a few extraordinary things over the years¡­ Alright, I think I understand what¡¯s going on now.¡±


    Alice scratched her head, ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The Dream of the Nameless seems to only affect creatures that can enter dreams,¡± Duncan looked at the two automatons in front of him, ¡°As automatons, you actually don¡¯t dream¨Cor to put it another way, even if you ¡®dream¡¯, your dreamscape is not ¡®compatible¡¯ with that of ordinary humans.¡±


    Duncan made some careful clarifications as he spoke the last part, because he suddenly remembered that Alice had once described to him her experiences during sleep that seemed like ¡°dreamscapes,¡± so in a way, Alice also dreams¨Cbut like Luny, her dreamscape was different from that of ordinary people, to say the least¡­ it seemed more like ¡°automaton stupor.¡±


    This kind of ¡°stupor¡± obviously did not meet the ¡°criteria¡± for entering The Dream of the Nameless.


    Alice listened somewhat comprehending, then suddenly, her dim-witted brain sparked with an epiphany, and she looked at Duncan with widened eyes: ¡°Then Captain, why are you also left ¡®on this side¡¯ with us? Don¡¯t you dream either?¡±


    ¡°I, of course¡­¡± Duncan instinctively began, but then he hesitated, his expression turning somewhat peculiar.


    Had he¡­ truly had any dreams after coming to this world?


    Normal dreams that belong to mortals, weaving between reality and memory¡­ dreams.


    It was as if a long-neglected switch was suddenly flipped, a chaotic corner of his subconsciousness that he had not noticed revealed itself, and for the first time, Duncan became aware of this issue. Rapidly recalling, he went back through every time he had slept in this world since passing through that door, and¡­ ¡°dreams.¡±


    He remembered. He had dreamt¨CHe had entered the Subspace in dreams, foreseen impending disasters, seen the sun extinguished, a dying void suspended in the sky, bizarre luminescent bodies falling from the heavens¡­


    And beyond that, he couldn¡¯t remember any other types of dreams, because his current body hardly needed sleep, maintaining the habit of lying in bed every day, oftentimes just a means to preserve his ¡°humanity¡±¡­


    Yes, he dreamed, albeit seldom, although¡­


    Duncan suddenly raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose firmly.


    No, dreams shouldn¡¯t be just like that, not just like this¨Cwhat about those ordinary dreams? The day¡¯s experiences reflected in dreams after falling asleep? Those blissful dreams, those mundane dreams, those interesting dreams, those dreams filled with memories, those¡­ ordinary people¡¯s dreams?


    Duncan strained to recall, but then he realized. All his dreams, if not pointing to the Subspace, pointed to some sort of time-transcending, prophetic ¡°hallucination,¡± and apart from that, each of his sleep experiences¡­ was nothingness.


    Even more so, not just in this world.


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    He continued to recollect.


    Zhou Ming continued to recollect.


    He recalled the days before he opened the door to his bachelor apartment, the days before he was trapped in the fog, the long, long time ago¨Cso distant it almost felt like another lifetime¨Cwhen everything was still normal, when the whole world had not yet fallen into fog.


    Zhou Ming puzzledly raised his head.


    Had he¡­ truly, like an ordinary person, ever dreamt?

 Chapter 587 - Chapter 587 Chapter 586 Desert

    Chapter 587: Chapter 586: Desert Chapter 587: Chapter 586: Desert The automaton Luny looked worriedly at Duncan, who had suddenly become lost in thought. After a few seconds, she couldn¡¯t help but turn to Alice beside her, ¡°What¡¯s happened to the old master?¡±


    Alice, on the other hand, appeared quite unconcerned as she reassured her new friend, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just daydreaming. The captain often does that¡­¡±


    Luny paused, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Their conversation reached Duncan¡¯s ears, and he finally blinked and gradually returned to reality from his reminiscence.


    After a moment of silence, Duncan raised his hand, gently pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers, using his drooping eyelids to mask the turmoil in his eyes¨Cthe chaotic thoughts still swirling in his mind, he can¡¯t stop recalling the past. He even wished he could start from the furthest reaches of his childhood memories and excavate every day he could remember, spreading them out before his eyes.


    He finally became aware of his dreamless past, noticing the subconscious corner he had always ignored, but he had to extricate himself from these chaotic memories and thoughts, focusing his attention on the ¡°reality¡± before him.


    Duncan raised his head, looking at Alice, who was gazing intently at him, and the automaton still wearing a somewhat anxious expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Duncan said softly, ¡°just remembered some things¡­¡±


    He paused, looked into Alice¡¯s eyes, and asked, ¡°What were we talking about just now?¡±


    ¡°We were discussing that Luny and I might have been left on the ¡®outside¡¯ of the Dream of the Nameless because ¡®automatons do not dream,''¡± Alice responded immediately, ¡°then we were debating why you were also left on this side¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®Not being able to dream¡¯ might just be one factor; the mechanisms of the Dream of the Nameless wouldn¡¯t be that simple and are likely subject to change¡­¡±


    As Duncan spoke slowly, he remembered the Dreamscape that scholar Taran El had once fallen into¨C


    Undoubtedly, Taran El had fallen into the Dream of the Nameless as well, but that should have been in the ¡°shallow¡± part of the entire dreamscape, which was still at a nascent stage. Back then, he could enter that dreamscape rather easily using the mark he had left on Heidi, unlike now, where he was barred on the side of the real world.


    This manifested that the ¡°rules¡± of the Dream of the Nameless were changing; as time progressed, its scope and influence were expanding. Meanwhile, a new ¡°filtering¡± mechanism for entering the dream had been established, akin to some self-preservation.


    Then, what would happen next? Would this vast ¡°dreamscape¡± continue to grow? Would its scope expand further? How would its self-preservation mechanisms change?


    While pondering, Alice¡¯s voice suddenly came from his side, reaching Duncan¡¯s ears, ¡°Captain, how are the others doing? Can you feel them?¡±


    Duncan set aside his jumbled thoughts for a moment, drew a light breath, and focused his spirit, sensing the ¡°marks¡± he had left on the others¨C


    The flames leaped between the borders of reality and illusion, through the ancient and secretive curtain of dreams, and at the crossroads of time and space, indescribably by reason, Duncan ¡°saw¡± those flickering flames.


    The pre-placed Flame Mark had worked¨Cthough it merely enhanced some connections, Duncan could now perceive the states of Fenna and others more clearly, and he should be able to communicate with them.


    ¡°They¡¯re not in any danger,¡± Duncan told Alice and Luny with a nod.


    Alice breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good¡­ So, what do we do next?¡±


    Duncan looked up, his gaze passing through the nearby window, observing the streets enveloped in the chaotic dusk outside.


    The ¡°miracle¡± scene had reappeared outside the window¨Cwith the influence of the Dream of the Nameless seeping into reality, lush forest vegetation once again covered the City-State, and continuous towering canopies obfuscated the sky, the streets beneath the giant trees shadowy, merging reality with fiction.


    Light Breeze Harbor had quieted down; the dream world after entering the dream had replaced reality, just as Duncan had anticipated¨Cthe City-State authorities and academy guards¡¯ hasty preparations had not taken effect. Now, the only awake souls left in this city were he and Alice.


    Oh, and there was also a new automaton this time.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the place where that vine appeared before,¡± Duncan stated softly, turning towards the manor¡¯s doorstep, ¡°to see if it appears in the old spot again.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Alice agreed immediately, then reached to pull Luny, who was still a bit dazed, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s adventure with the captain!¡±


    ¡°Adventure?¡± Luny instinctively followed Alice and Duncan, but was obviously a bit behind in catching up, ¡°What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to look for another Homeloss,¡± Duncan slowed his pace and glanced back as he spoke.


    The Dream of the Nameless had appeared again in the real world, and Duncan was there to verify many of his hypotheses¨Cthe ¡°enhanced temporary mark¡± he left on Fenna, Morris, and others was just one of his many ideas, aimed solely at strengthening his connection with his followers. Yet, what he cared about even more was whether the Homeloss, navigating through the darkness and mist, would appear again.


    Whatever growth The Dream of the Nameless experienced next, Duncan had to find a way to circumvent its ¡°self-defense mechanism¡± to further intervene in this massive Dreamscape, and his intuition told him that the eerie Homeloss sailing through the mist was likely the best breakthrough in bypassing The Dream of the Nameless¡¯s ¡°self-defense mechanism.¡±


    Because the ¡°sea chart¡± on that ship showed that it was very likely sailing right above the forest of The Dream of the Nameless.


    Beneath the chaotic night sky woven by ¡°Sunlight¡± and Creation of the World, the streets in the City-State were just as eerily silent as before. Duncan and two puppets left the now silent witch¡¯s manor and walked into the night, where the city blended into the forest.


    And as he stepped into the night, Duncan also began to cautiously communicate with those temporary marks that were now on the ¡°other side¡± of the Dreamscape, trying to summon his followers.


    This time, he had to be very careful to learn from the lessons of that dark, fog-filled space¨Cbe cautious in using the power of Flame Mark, to avoid¡­ awakening Silantis in the Dreamscape.


    ¡­


    A sinister crimson rift covered the sky, and the ominous red light diffused into a distorted and hazy mist. Under the Sky Light, all one could see were sand and boulders.


    Rolling sand dunes filled the view and jagged rocks stood under the sky like the twisted bones of enormous beasts, with the yellow sand burying their bases, their sharp edges extending upwards like swords in a vast, despair-inducing expanse of sand, making ¡°human¡± appear more minuscule than ever.


    Fenna lifted her head, her silver hair whipped up by the wind¨Ca wind that didn¡¯t stop for a moment, mixing dryness with sand and dust, making her squint slightly.


    She had come to this desert again¨Cthis boundless, dead, withered land.


    Gazing at the vague silhouettes of distant boulders, Fenna breathed out lightly and reached into the wind¨Ca mist of moisture absurdly condensed from the dry, sandy wind in her hand, forming a cold, giant sword.


    Feeling the weighty heft of the giant sword, Fenna nodded in satisfaction.


    The Dreamscape¡¯s endlessly dry desert wasn¡¯t a comfortable environment for a follower of the Storm Goddess, but fortunately, as a saint of the Deep Sea Church, her powers still worked here¨Cthe Dreamscape couldn¡¯t block the god-given powers, which somewhat eased her journey here.


    Drawing coolness from the giant sword, Fenna stepped forward into the wind-blown sand, heading in a certain direction.


    Of course, she wasn¡¯t walking aimlessly¨Cher destination was the rugged shadows in the distance, which looked like jagged rocks, yet also like remnants of a city.


    While walking, Fenna suddenly felt a stir in her heart.


    She instinctively stopped, focusing her attention on the voice that had suddenly surfaced in her depths. After a moment, she heard the voice clearly¨Cit was the captain.


    The calm and forceful voice of the captain resonated in her mind, ¡°Fenna, can you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fenna immediately responded in her mind, unwittingly breathing a sigh of relief in her heart, ¡°That¡¯s good, it looks like your arrangement worked.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, as expected,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice continued, ¡°I have to be careful in contacting you now, and can¡¯t rashly transfer too much power¨Cbased on the last information, Silantis sleeping deep within The Dream of the Nameless seems not to like my flame too much.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Fenna stepped forward, continuing on her way as she responded, ¡°How are the others?¡±


    ¡°Everyone else is scattered deep within the forest, the team compositions are basically the same as last time, Sherry is with Dog, Nina is with Morris,¡± Duncan updated Fenna on the others¡¯ situations, ¡°Also, after entering the Dreamscape, Lucy successfully found the rabbit Rabi¨Cthey almost ¡®landed¡¯ in the same place.¡±


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    ¡°Miss Lucresia found that strange rabbit? Their ¡®landing spot¡¯ is together? The others¡¯ ¡®combinations¡¯ are also the same as last time?¡± Fenna¡¯s steps paused thoughtfully, ¡°It seems¡­ the process of us entering this Dreamscape indeed follows a pattern¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, so far their entry points into the forest also seem to be very similar to last time,¡± Duncan said, then inquired about Fenna¡¯s situation, ¡°How about your side?¡±


    Fenna stopped walking, lifting her head to gaze at the endless sands before her.


    After a few seconds, the Storm Saint sighed.


    ¡°Sand, rocks, hot and dry weather¨Cit looks like everyone¡¯s ¡®position¡¯ entering The Dream of the Nameless hasn¡¯t changed much; I¡¯m still in this desert. Honestly, I don¡¯t really like this place¡­¡±

 Chapter 588 - Chapter 588 Chapter 587 Sand and Forest

    Chapter 588: Chapter 587: Sand and Forest Chapter 588: Chapter 587: Sand and Forest Fenna continued following the original plan, advancing her steps toward the hazy silhouette in the distance, trudging through this seemingly endless windblown sand.


    ¡°¡­I still don¡¯t know why only I was ¡®sent¡¯ to this strange desert,¡± Fenna thought to herself, ¡°but it¡¯s clear that this place does not correspond at all to the ¡®forest¡¯ described by Nina or Miss Lucrecia. I am now trying to walk toward that distant ¡®circle of huge stones¡¯ that resembles a city ruin. So far, I haven¡¯t found any traces of civilization activity here¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice echoed in the depths of Fenna¡¯s mind: ¡°¡­Pay attention to anything around you that defies common sense or any sudden changes in your environment. That ¡®Corrosion¡¯ Sherry mentioned might also appear near you, be extremely careful.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Captain,¡± Fenna nodded slightly, she looked up into the wind toward the horizon and stepped deeper into the windswept sand, ¡°I will continue moving forward.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Rabi doesn¡¯t like this place¡­ Rabi likes lively places with lots of people¡­ This isn¡¯t the kind of ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ Rabi knows, not a single person in sight¡­¡±


    Rabi¡¯s incessant chattering voice came from beside her, the gigantic rabbit doll clumsily navigated through a clump of shrubs and dead branches and leaves, endlessly complaining since a while ago.


    But Lucrecia completely ignored the rabbit¡¯s implications. She just walked ahead by herself and stopped by a clearing on the edge, carefully watching her surroundings.


    After entering this ¡°Dreamscape¡± for the second time, she hadn¡¯t seen the elf girl who called herself Xilin, nor had she found any traces she previously left in the forest.


    Surrounded by similar towering giant trees everywhere, the forest had no landmarks or paths to guide her way, and as much as she hated to admit it¡­ Lucrecia knew she had lost her way in this boundless jungle.


    ¡°¡­Rabi,¡± Lucrecia suddenly turned her head to look at the rabbit doll, who was struggling to get through a clump of bushes not far away, ¡°Can you sense any other mental entities?¡±


    Rabi immediately stopped his ongoing complaints and hurried over to his mistress¡¯s side, miming the posture of listening intently to the surrounding noises¨Cits two long ears, sewn from fabric strips, dangled from the sides of its head, their edges faintly taking on a hazy texture.


    After a moment, the rabbit shook its head: ¡°No, Rabi didn¡¯t hear any other thinking voices.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Lucrecia nodded her head, then once again looked around, trying to determine the direction to move forward in next.


    Just then, a gleaming reflection that flashed across her field of vision attracted the ¡°witch¡¯s¡± gaze.


    Lucrecia immediately looked toward where the reflection had appeared¨Cthere, about a dozen meters away, was a tall tree. At the base of the tree, among dead branches and fallen leaves, seemed to be something.


    Her figure suddenly turned into a whirl of fluttering colorful paper, and in the blink of an eye, she arrived under the tree, morphing back into form.


    Looking at the somewhat familiar object before her, Lucrecia¡¯s eyes widened slightly: ¡°This is¡­¡±


    A silent but stylized weapon that seemed a cross between a spear and a battle-axe lay quietly among the leaves, like a mute and frozen symbol.


    Different from her memory, the long shaft of the weapon was now broken, as if it had been completely destroyed after enduring a violent impact; its axe blade was covered in serrated scars, apparently from a fierce and prolonged battle, and many dark traces still lingered on the chipped blade.


    It seemed to have broken a very long time ago¨Cafter a forgotten, long-over battle.


    Lucrecia stared silently at the broken hafted axe, her gaze filled with contemplation. Rabi¡¯s footsteps approached from behind and, after peering curiously at his mistress, the doll rabbit couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity and asked, ¡°Mistress, what is this?¡±


    Lucrecia didn¡¯t respond to Rabi. Instead, she carefully bent over, hesitated for a bit, and then reached out her hand toward the broken weapon.


    Her fingers touched the cold metal, and a sensation that felt like crossing between illusion and reality suddenly flowed up her fingertips. Before she could fully comprehend this fleeting feeling, a sharp, howling noise abruptly interrupted her action!


    The next second, piercing howls came from all directions, as if the entire forest was roaring in a tumultuous collapse with thunderous noise, the ground shook, heat waves rose, the sky was shrouded in chaotic phantom lights, and countless screams of battle cries, cries, roars, as well as the forest¡¯s own sounds of lament and rage, all surged into Lucrecia¡¯s senses¨C


    The ¡°Sea Witch¡± jerked her head up to see the entire forest around her already ablaze, the towering trees collapsing and flowing like melting in the flames, the distant ground, as if lifted by an invisible colossal force, began to bulge upward with fearsome cracking and surging magma, the whole earth slowly curling toward the sky, while incomprehensible huge shadows and chaotic beams of light kept rolling down from above, as if the entire sky was burning in the light, tumbling toward the whole world!


    In the midst of the cataclysmic ¡°Skyfall,¡± a sinister red light emerged, spreading like blood-soaked scars through the clouds, nearly instantaneously supplanting all Sky Light. Terrifying fissures began to touch the earth little by little, grazing the towering trees that reached for the heavens and the curled, rising horizon in the distance. As the world began to crack and split upon this deadly ¡°touch,¡± countless dark and fearsome beings swarmed forth¨C


    They surged from the forests, from the red light in the sky, from the world¡¯s crevices; mere seconds before, they seemed to be mere animals panicked by a forest fire, yet in an instant, they transformed into unspeakable shadows with bared teeth and claws. Stones came to life, forests writhed; everything was morphing into forms beyond human comprehension. Horrifying, mutated creatures rushed from all directions, and nearby, someone¡¯s furious roar sounded like a valiant struggle against the encroaching monsters, yet a glance towards the noise only revealed monsters tearing at each other, shadows consuming shadows.


    Suddenly, Lucresia stood up. Despite feeling overwhelmed by this incomprehensible disaster before her, she instinctively assumed a combative stance¨Cyet in the next second, all these terrifying aberrations vanished from her sight.


    She had let go of the broken halberd¨Cin tandem with this release, all visions of nightmarish changes also disappeared like phantoms.


    The forest returned to its original state, and everything that had just happened seemed like a fleeting, bizarre nightmare.


    Lucresia stood dazed for a long moment. After several seconds, she suddenly came to her senses and instinctively looked towards the foot of the giant tree.


    The broken halberd was gone, leaving only a pile of indistinct dry branches and fallen leaves in its place.


    Lucresia slowly furrowed her brow, her mind subconsciously recalling the scene she had just witnessed, when suddenly, the sound of footsteps appeared nearby, interrupting her thoughts.


    She immediately raised her head, looking in the direction of the footsteps.


    An Elven girl named Xilin stood there without her knowing when she had arrived, still clad in the light armor styled by some unknown City-State, brandishing a oddly shaped battle halberd.


    Lucresia quickly turned to look at Rabi, the rabbit, only to see that Rabi was also turning to look at her. Despite having only button eyes and a mouth crudely painted, its actions clearly conveyed an apology and surprise¨C


    Rabi had not noticed Xilin¡¯s approach¨Cthis indicated that the sentient entity had appeared nearby all of a sudden.


    ¡°Xilin?¡± Lucresia steadied herself, signaling Rabi to stay put as she turned to greet the Elven girl.


    The Elven girl named Xilin revealed a faint smile. Her expression as she looked at Lucresia was as if they had never been parted.


    She nodded, ¡°We¡¯ve rested for quite a long time now; it¡¯s time to continue our journey¨CThe Wall of Silence is still far away.¡±


    As she spoke, she looked towards Rabi, who was obediently remaining in place.


    Xilin, with no trace of oddity on her face, naturally said to Lucresia, ¡°Is this your friend? Bring her along, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡­


    Fenna had no idea how long she had been trekking through this endless desert¨Cthe monotonous and boundless landscape, together with the never-ceasing sand and wind, seemed to disturb her sense of time. She even felt as if she had been walking through this desert for a century, or since the day the world was born.


    Of course, she was well aware these were only illusions born from her irritation, a test from this harsh environment on her fortitude.


    Fortunately, her prayers to the Goddess were still effective, maintaining her resolve. Her connection with the captain eased her unease and allowed her some stability.


    The icy greatsword in her hands emanated a slight chill, bringing a sense of safety and alleviating the desert¡¯s intense heat.


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    Another gust of wind and sand hit, and Fenna sensed a change in the wind¡¯s direction¨Cshe raised her greatsword to shield her eyes and turned her head to avoid the sandy assault.


    But at that moment, an unusual presence suddenly entered her perception, causing Fenna¡¯s actions to stop abruptly.


    The next second, the seasoned Judge tensed all the muscles in her body, positioning her greatsword to the side in a defensive posture, and looked towards a specific direction in the sandstorm.


    As the tumultuous winds ceased inexplicably, and the settling dust cleared, an exceptionally tall figure slowly emerged from the mist, becoming increasingly distinct.


    It was a¡­ giant.

 Chapter 589 - Chapter 589 Chapter 588 The Giant

    Chapter 589: Chapter 588: The Giant Chapter 589: Chapter 588: The Giant Fenna immediately tensed her muscles and nerves, watchfully observing the tall figure that was emerging from the dust¨Cif something were even slightly amiss, she was ready to leap forward with a split attack.


    But coming through the sand and dust was only a gentle and rational voice, ¡°Ah¡­ a traveler, it seems I haven¡¯t seen a stranger here in many years.¡±


    Fenna was momentarily stunned, and then she saw the giant-like figure walking out of the dust.


    He stood at a towering four to five meters in height, forcing Fenna to tilt her head back as far as she could to make out the giant¡¯s face. Draped over his frame was a dark, tattered robe that seemed like a piece of rags¨Cit must have been a piece of exquisite clothing once, but now only the remnants of its many trials and tribulations remained. The giant¡¯s body was gaunt, almost to the point of being skeletal, as if worn down by a long journey¨Cyet in those skeletal hands, he firmly grasped a staff so huge it was almost comical.


    Even in the hands of the giant, the staff appeared overly heavy and massive. Its body resembled a straight tree trunk with knots, and at the top, it swelled like an inflamed rock with rough and nearly uncarved contours. On its surface were countless dense and intricate mysterious patterns covering the entire staff.


    Fenna¡¯s gaze was involuntarily drawn to the staff¨Cit hardly seemed like an aid for traveling, but rather an impressive weapon or some kind of ritualistic item with a profound symbolic meaning, instilling in her an almost reverential pressure.


    But soon her attention shifted back to the giant.


    Because the giant was bending slightly toward her, his weathered face looking at her with a gentle gaze. The giant¡¯s features were unlike those of humans; although he had a clear set of facial features, their lines were too harsh and sharp, almost giving the feeling of being sculpted from stone. His eyes shimmered with a chaotic brownish-yellow, and deep within them seemed to dance flames, each glance carrying a heavy burden of pressure.


    ¡°Traveler, where do you come from?¡± the giant asked.


    When he spoke, even the surrounding sand seemed stirred by an invisible force, with chaotic air currents swirling around Fenna, yet not a single grain of dust fell on her.


    Fenna struggled to control her heartbeat and expression. She hurriedly reported the astonishing situation to the captain in the depths of her consciousness while arranging her words, thinking carefully before replying to the giant, ¡°I come from a place beyond the desert, far from here, and I don¡¯t know why I ended up in this place. May I ask¡­ who are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, beyond the desert¡­ now this place is a desert,¡± the giant slowly nodded, not answering Fenna¡¯s question, but spoke with a hint of melancholy, ¡°You¡­ are interesting, traveler. You¡¯re not quite like the humans in my memory, but I¡¯m not sure if it is I who remember incorrectly¨Cit has been so long since I¡¯ve seen strangers.¡±


    Not quite like the humans in his memory?


    Fenna felt a stir in her heart at his words and immediately thought of the ways she was ¡°different¡± compared to ordinary people.


    This mysterious giant¡­ could he see that she had been blessed by Subspace and ¡°revived¡±?


    But before she could ponder further, the giant spoke again, ¡°Traveler, you say you come from a faraway place. How far is that? Did you cross space, or time?¡±


    Fenna was momentarily taken aback.


    What did that question mean?!


    She looked up in astonishment at the giant¡¯s murky, burning eyes, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t quite understand what you mean by that question.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then pretend you didn¡¯t hear it,¡± the giant said, shaking his head, ¡°perhaps the origin of the journey no longer matters, and neither does the destination.¡± But then he seemed to suddenly realize something and curiously looked at Fenna, ¡°Are you conversing with someone else?¡±


    Fenna, who had been reporting to the captain deep in her consciousness, paused abruptly. Although she managed to keep her facial expressions under control immediately, she knew the unconscious shift in her eyes might not have escaped the giant¡¯s notice.


    However, the giant seemed to have asked casually, as if he wasn¡¯t truly interested in the answer, shaking his head again, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to say. Everyone has their secrets.¡±


    Fenna steadied her spirit and, while controlling the changes in her facial expressions, observed the mysterious giant¡¯s every move. She cautiously asked again, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking for my name? Let me think¡­¡± This time, the giant finally responded to her question, but after a moment¡¯s reflection, he shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s been too long, I no longer remember¡­ indeed, it¡¯s been too long.¡±


    He lowered his gaze to look at Fenna, and on his withered face, the wrinkles piled up like carvings, ¡°You see, traveler, when there are no other voices in the whole world, ¡®name¡¯ becomes a concept without meaning. No one else needs to remember you, and you don¡¯t need to introduce yourself to others either. You slowly forget it, just as the world slowly forgets you¡­¡±


    He paused, seemingly plunged into some distant memories, and it took him a long while to snap out of it, speaking in a deep voice, ¡°However, aside from the name, I do remember some other things, should you find them of any significance¡­ A very, very long time ago, they said I was a god of this world, back when this place wasn¡¯t like this.¡±


    The chaotic and disordered wind gradually died down, and the swirling dust around them also unknowingly came to a stop. In this boundless sea of sand, the giant and the lost traveler locked gazes.


    He said he had once been a god.


    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened, as none of her speculations about the mysterious giant had included this ¡°answer.¡± She was at a loss for how to react; and then she felt a ridiculous contradiction¨C


    As a follower of the Storm Goddess Gomona, as a saint of the Deep Sea Church¨Cone of the four major orthodox churches¨Chere in the depths of the enigma-laden Dream of the Nameless, she had encountered a giant who claimed to be a god. Theoretically¡­ at this moment, she should have risen up to fight and eradicate this self-proclaimed deity, to fulfill the Judge¡¯s mission.


    But she was no longer the reckless person who dared to leap forward and slash at Captain Duncan on sight. Onboard Homeloss, she had learned to confront those inconceivable matters with a more rational attitude.


    ¡°You are a god?¡± Fenna asked cautiously while tensing up, ¡°Who are those ¡®they¡¯ you spoke of? And what exactly is this place?¡±


    ¡°They used to live here,¡± the giant, seemingly oblivious to Fenna¡¯s instant vigilance, simply raised his hand and pointed with his staff toward the vast sea of sand, ¡°But that seems to be from a very long time ago¡­ or maybe not so long ago?¡±


    The giant seemed confused and paused, looking at the staff in his hand before slowly shaking his head, ¡°Time¡­ it became something unrecognizable to me. It was stretched to near infinity in an instant, and then compressed again. I can¡¯t be sure when all this happened. All I remember is that this place used to be the thriving heart of a kingdom, the yellow sand beneath your feet once was a forest and fertile soil that stretched for miles. Huge aqueducts crossed the fields, directing the rivers from the plateaus over the hills, I watched them build pure white cities here, tall walls connecting the mountains, towers rising from the forests piercing the sky, bright flames lighting up the night¡­ I remember, it was beautiful.¡±


    The giant spoke slowly, as though he had become unaccustomed to conversation after not engaging in it for a long time. His speech was somewhat disordered and upside down, like a soliloquy in a dream¨CFenna could only struggle to keep up with his narration, to understand and imagine the vision he described of this desert as it once was, in a distant past.


    Then, the giant suddenly stopped again and looked down at Fenna, asking curiously, ¡°And you? Traveler, who are you? Do you have a name?¡±


    Fenna subconsciously pursed her lips, her first instinct was to restrain the urge to answer.


    One should not rashly reveal their own name to an unknown entity¨Cespecially one that claims to be a ¡°god,¡± likely a Transcendent being with formidable powers.


    He might not harbor any ill will, but certain Transcendent beings, simply by virtue of their immense power, often do not need any malicious intent to interfere with the fate of mortals. After becoming a follower of the captain, Fenna understood this deeper than ever before.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she cautiously spoke up, ¡°My name is Vanessa, and I have no remarkable status, just someone who has accidentally strayed here.¡±


    ¡°Vanessa¡­¡± the giant murmured quietly, then shook his head, ¡°You do not go by that name.¡±


    Fenna felt her heartbeat quicken.


    However, right after that the giant made a dismissive gesture, ¡°But no matter, as I said before, everyone has secrets. If you do not wish to reveal your name, then I¡¯ll continue to call you ¡®Traveler¡¯¨Cafter all, there¡¯s no one else here, we won¡¯t confuse each other.¡±


    Fenna fell silent for a moment, nodding after a brief awkward pause.


    ¡°Traveler,¡± the giant continued, ¡°where are you heading?¡±


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    Fenna hesitated a bit, then looked up toward the silhouette that seemed like the ruins of a city in the distance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s journey together,¡± the giant noticed Fenna¡¯s gaze and extended a friendly invitation, ¡°Even though I don¡¯t quite remember those distant events, I still have some impressions of this world.¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t respond immediately, as if waiting for something.


    After a short while, a command from the captain echoed in the depths of her consciousness¨C


    ¡°Accept the invitation.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Fenna nodded, looking up at the self-proclaimed god of a giant, ¡°I would be honored to embark on this journey with you.¡±

 Chapter 590 - Chapter 590 Chapter 589 Convergence in the Shadows

    Chapter 590: Chapter 589 Convergence in the Shadows Chapter 590: Chapter 589 Convergence in the Shadows In the chaotic twilight interwoven by ¡°sunshine¡± and the Creation of the World, Duncan and his companions quickly moved through the silent, deserted streets and finally stopped at an intersection completely covered and blocked by countless flourishing plants.


    Giant trees obscured the sky, and tangled vines wrapped around the tall buildings by the roadside. Root systems rose from the road surface, growing sinuously on the ground like angry veins. The entire block was deadly silent, yet occasionally, one could hear bird chirping or the sound of wind coming from those dark, dense woods¨Can eerily ethereal sound that seemed to traverse the border between dreams and reality.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s indeed still here.¡±


    Standing at the intersection at the end of the block, Duncan looked solemnly at that giant vine spreading out from the darkness, murmuring to himself.


    Alice craned her neck, looking at the long ramp formed by the spread of the vine, and only after a while, hesitantly spoke, ¡°Captain, this thing looks¡­ Has it gotten bigger since last time? I remember it didn¡¯t extend this far before¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not mistaken,¡± Duncan sighed seriously, ¡°Its size has increased since last time, this vine¡­ is growing.¡±


    Alice blinked her eyes and only after a long time, exclaimed in awe, ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    However, Duncan didn¡¯t reply; before taking further action, he was confirming the situation of Morris and others deep in his consciousness¨Cespecially the situation with Fenna.


    Apart from himself and two dolls, now everyone was on the other side of The Dream of the Nameless just like last time, and the entry point of everyone¡¯s dream hadn¡¯t changed much. In this respect, The Dream of the Nameless seemed to display a kind of concerning¡­ ¡°continuity.¡±


    Among everyone, the situation Fenna faced was the most puzzling.


    Ms. Judge had once again arrived at that barren desert and this time, she encountered a giant claiming to be a ¡°deity.¡±


    Now Fenna was trekking through the vast sea of sand with that giant, and from the current report, the giant was very friendly and had told Fenna many stories related to that desert.


    However, the stories told by the giant didn¡¯t match any of the ancient legends Duncan knew of, which were circulated in this world!


    What exactly was that desert? What was the origin of that self-proclaimed deity? What relation did those lost ages and the ancient heritage of the Elves have as mentioned by the giant? Why would such a strange place appear deep within The Dream of the Nameless?


    Duncan felt more and more confused.


    Now, he could only hope that Fenna would be able to get more information from the vast sea of sand and that mysterious giant, or perhaps¡­ others could find some clues related to the ¡°desert¡± in that endless forest.


    While maintaining his deep connection with others, Duncan took a deep breath and refocused on the matter at hand.


    The huge vine had reappeared in the real world, which was actually good news for him¨Che had been worried that his last ¡°scare¡± would cause some unpredictable changes to The Dream of the Nameless, which in turn could make the vine disappear or shift location, making it difficult for his investigation to continue. But now it seemed¡­ the clue was still intact at least.


    Of course, the current situation also made him start to worry about another thing:


    The vine hadn¡¯t disappeared¡­ but its size had expanded instead.


    Could it possibly keep growing until it entwined the entire city?


    With this unfounded worry in his mind, Duncan steadied himself and then stepped forward, slowly placing his hand on the end of the vine.


    ¡°Keep an eye on the surroundings; if there are any drastic changes, wake me up immediately,¡± he turned his head back and instructed the two dolls behind him.


    ¡°Yep!¡± Alice immediately nodded.


    Luny also bowed slightly, respectfully responding, ¡°Yes, old master.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, then gradually calmed his thoughts, cautiously manipulating the power of fire, letting his perception spread along with the flowing spiritual body fire, and reestablishing contact with the vine.


    With the experience from last time, he was more careful with his control this time to avoid disturbing ¡°Silantis¡± like he had before.


    Moments later, Duncan opened his eyes in the darkness.


    An endless mist appeared again in his vision.


    Following his intuition, Duncan looked towards the deepest part of the mist.


    A hazy, huge shadow floated into view under his gaze, the boundless floating mist formed vague light and shadow, sketching out the familiar silhouette of Homeloss¨Can awe-inspiring ship floating silently in the void, as if¡­ silently extending an invitation to Duncan.


    Duncan gladly accepted the invitation.


    He formed his spiritual body in the darkness, and while carefully controlling the flow of the flames around him, he flew towards the Homeloss deep in the mist, settling silently onto its deck.


    As when he had seen it last, the ship was still deserted, and wisps of fog floated on the silent, empty deck, making the familiar ship¡¯s amenities seem like heavy shadows in the fog.


    This time, Duncan did not head directly for the captain¡¯s quarters at the stern, but instead, after surveying the surroundings, took steps in another direction.


    He walked through the swirling mist on the deck, the sound of his footsteps echoing in this desolate space, and he moved past the piled-up ropes and miscellaneous items scattered on the deck, heading towards the entrance to the cabins.


    The stacked ropes and various items on the deck did not react to Duncan¡¯s approach¨Cthey simply lay there quietly, like ordinary inanimate objects.


    Thus, Duncan noticed another difference between this eerie Homeloss and the Homeloss he knew:


    On the ¡°regular Homeloss,¡± these things on the deck would move when he approached, either eagerly greeting the captain or making various strange noises to try to catch the captain¡¯s attention; however, here¡­ even though the two ships were almost alike, the items on this ship were entirely ¡°dead.¡±


    Duncan frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the silent ropes, buckets, and iron hooks, and as he walked past them, he suddenly stopped.


    His eyes landed on a mop leaning against the wall.


    After a moment, he realized what this sudden surge of ¡°familiarity¡± was: Alice had last put the mop in that position when she returned to the ship!


    Was this eerie Homeloss not only identical to the real ¡°genuine¡± one but also mirrored the changes happening on the actual Homeloss in real-time?


    With many suspicions suddenly arising in his heart, Duncan felt he might have subtly grasped some ¡°essence¡± of the eerie Homeloss. Just then, a faint sound from a corner suddenly caught his attention.


    On this eerily quiet Ghost Ship, that whisper-like faint sound felt so abrupt.


    Duncan instantly located the direction of the sound and walked towards it.


    He stopped in front of a window.


    A blurry mass, seemingly mixed with black dust, was emerging on the glass surface of the window, as if trying to coalesce into form.


    Duncan stared at the gathering and dispersing shadow for a few seconds, then suddenly realized something and spoke softly, ¡°Agatha?¡±


    As he spoke, the continuously fluctuating shadow suddenly consolidated, and within seconds, it had formed a clear image on the glass¨CAgatha¡¯s figure appeared in the window.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve finally noticed me,¡± said Agatha from the glass surface as soon as she formed, taking a long breath, ¡°I¡¯ve been calling out from the shadows, trying to catch your attention, but I couldn¡¯t find a suitable mirror nearby¡­¡±


    ¡°How did you end up here?¡± Duncan, surprised, looked at the person in the mirror and then thought of something, ¡°Wait, did you come through the Homeloss¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I stayed in the Homeloss¡¯s reflection after nightfall. It seemed a bit risky, but I managed,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°With the shift in the reflection, I came here and met you. It seems my guess was right: when night falls, the vanished ¡®shadow¡¯ of the Homeloss turns into the ¡®other Homeloss¡¯ you see here¨Calthough the principle is still unclear, we¡¯ve finally found the connection between the two Homelosses.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed as he listened to her narration but did not respond for a moment, which made Agatha a bit uneasy, ¡°¡­I shouldn¡¯t have taken such initiative, should I?¡±


    ¡°You indeed should have consulted with me first, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m considering now,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°You stayed on the ¡®reflection¡¯ side, did you observe how this transformation specifically occurs? Was there any noticeable¡­ ¡®movement¡¯ on the Homeloss at that time?¡±


    But Agatha shook her head, ¡°There was no process.¡±


    ¡°No process?¡±


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    ¡°All changes happened instantaneously, no process,¡± Agatha reconfirmed, ¡°One second, I was still in the Homeloss¡¯s reflection, observing and waiting for any potential changes in the mirror world, and the next, the ¡®atmosphere¡¯ in the mirror world changed. I could feel¡­ the shadow of the Homeloss turning into something I did not recognize, my movement between mirrors was suppressed, no longer able to sense the boundaries between the Spirit Realm and the real world, nor could I return to the normal mirrors in the real world, as if¡­ the whole world had become abnormally viscous and was slowly solidifying¡­¡±


    Duncan listened carefully to Agatha¡¯s description, then slowly turned his head, looking towards the direction of the stern deck.


    That was where the captain¡¯s quarters were located, and ¡°the other goat head¡± was there.


    ¡°Can you move freely now?¡± Duncan asked suddenly.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯m no longer affected,¡± Agatha immediately said, her tone carrying a hint of disbelief, ¡°The strange suppression magically disappeared after you became aware of my presence.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°then come with me¨Clet¡¯s meet that somewhat off-beat ¡®first mate¡¯ again.¡±

 Chapter 591 - Chapter 591 Chapter 590 Long Dead

    Chapter 591: Chapter 590 Long Dead Chapter 591: Chapter 590 Long Dead When Duncan opened the door to the captain¡¯s cabin, the ¡°goat head¡± next to the navigation table immediately reacted¨Cit seemed to lift its head in a state between sleep and wakefulness, slowly turning towards the door, then recognizing the figure that appeared.


    ¡°Ah, we meet again,¡± the pitch-black carving spoke with a peculiar slowness utterly unlike the goat head¡¯s usual incessant chatter, ¡°You left in quite a hurry last time¡­¡±


    ¡°You still remember me?¡± asked Duncan, casually closing the door behind him and walking toward the navigation table.


    He passed by an antique, oval-shaped mirror near the room¡¯s entrance, where hazy light and shadow began to stir, and Agatha¡¯s ghostly, translucent figure flashed across the mirror¡¯s surface.


    The goat head on the table did not seem to notice Agatha¡¯s presence; its gaze remained fixed on Duncan, slowly turning its head in tandem with his steps. It spoke languidly, ¡°I do remember you. Ah, this is indeed somewhat remarkable, considering I¡¯ve forgotten so much¡­ this clear sensation of remembering a person¡­ truly wondrous.¡±


    Duncan reached the navigation table and glanced down at the ¡°sea chart¡± on it.


    The chart still displayed the shadow of a lush forest, and the ethereal silhouette representing the Homeloss floated above the forest, moving slowly through the clouds as if surveying the entire woodland.


    Duncan quickly compared the scene before him with the one in his memory, confirming that the ¡°sea of trees¡± had not changed much since last time, except that Homeloss¡¯ position had indeed shifted significantly.


    ¡°I did indeed leave in a hurry last time,¡± Duncan nodded, speaking offhandedly as he sat down at the navigation table. His gaze swept over the nearby oval mirror, then naturally fell back onto the goat head, ¡°How is Silantis doing?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s sleeping very soundly now,¡± the goat head said slowly, ¡°Last time¡­ she was merely startled, I hope that hasn¡¯t caused you any trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t mind,¡± Duncan replied, placing his hand on the table and quietly, cautiously manipulating the power of fire.


    In the periphery of his vision, wisps of faint green firelight appeared within the captain¡¯s cabin.


    Duncan quickly controlled the spreading flames, keeping them subdued to prevent excessive stimulation of the ¡°Silantis¡± the goat head referred to, meanwhile firmly confirming another matter in his mind.


    The flames were not summoned by him just now, but were the ¡°sparks¡± he had purposefully left on the Homeloss in the real world during the day.


    As he suspected¨Cthe sparks left on the Homeloss in the real world could ¡°burn through¡± the border between the Dreamscape and reality, appearing synchronously on this eerie Homeloss, and in this manner, transporting the flames here was akin to ¡°smuggling¡± them into the Dreamscape. By carefully controlling their spread, they wouldn¡¯t overly agitate Silantis.


    In a sense, these projected flames became an ¡°intrinsic structure¡± of this mysterious Homeloss, no longer treated as an ¡°alien disturbance¡± as the flames he summoned here last time had been.


    Duncan exhaled lightly and commanded the flames to subside, to lie dormant, retreating back into the cracks between the deck, walls, and ceiling.


    He had found a secure way to transport the flames here; by repeating this one or two times more, he might use the smuggled flames to burn through the entire eerie Homeloss, thus gaining complete control of the ship distorted from the shadow of the actual Homeloss.


    The goat head showed no reaction to Duncan¡¯s actions¨Cthe quietly emerging flames in the room might as well have been nonexistent to it. It just stayed still, as if it were a genuine wooden carving, provided Duncan didn¡¯t strike up a conversation.


    ¡°Is Silantis always dreaming?¡± As Duncan sensed the slow migration of those sparks on the ship, he began to casually converse with the goat head on the table, ¡°Is that whole forest outside part of Silantis¡¯ Dreamscape?¡±


    ¡°Outside?¡± The goat head shook its head slowly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean by ¡®outside¡¯ but Silantis is indeed always dreaming¡­ she has been dreaming for a very, very long time. Those dreams indeed contain lush forests, along with¡­ them.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s interest was immediately piqued, ¡°Who are ¡®they¡¯?¡±


    The goat head slightly bowed its head, as if about to slip back into a half-dream state. After a moment, however, it responded, ¡°They are beings birthed within the forest¨Cin the distant past, they gave their species a name, calling themselves the Elves¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes suddenly hardened¨C


    This answer itself didn¡¯t surprise him, but at this moment, what he thought of was the words spoken by the goat head aboard the real Homeloss¨C¡°Remember them¡±!


    The ¡°they¡± mentioned by both goat heads must mean the same thing!


    Remember them¡­ why emphasize ¡°remember¡±? And what caused the Goat Head to eventually forget ¡°them¡±?


    Duncan¡¯s expression changed several times in rapid succession as he quickly connected the clues, feeling almost certain about his bold speculation regarding the goat head¡¯s true identity. So, with a markedly solemn demeanor, he looked into the goat head¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± he asked.


    The goat-headed creature gave no answer, instead uttering a series of indistinct mumbles, like the mumbling of someone in a dream.


    ¡°Are you Saslouka?¡± Duncan pressed on, undeterred by the lack of response, leaning slightly forward without realizing it, ¡°The creator of legends among the Elves, the original crafter of Dreamscape, the creator and guardian deity of Silantis¨CIs your name Saslouka?¡±


    The goat-headed creature¡¯s mumbled utterances suddenly ceased.


    Its head swayed from side to side, seemingly responding to the name Duncan had mentioned. After several seconds of hesitation and contemplation, it finally raised its head¨C


    ¡°Saslouka is long dead, dead for a very long time ago.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°They all died a very long time ago, when the world died, no creature could survive that day.¡±


    The unending sandswept winds, like the cycles of fate, swept across the vast sand sea time and time again. The giant, wearing a ragged robe, sat down cross-legged among a cluster of grotesque and twisted rocks. His massive form seemed to intimidate the sands, causing the chaotic winds to halt several meters from the stone pile, preventing the dust from settling on the ¡°Traveler.¡±


    He continued to tell of past events.


    Fenna sat across from the giant, a good listener, taking a brief respite.


    The continuous ¡°shadows,¡± resembling the ruins of a city, were now nearby; one could see them by merely lifting their gaze.


    This journey had been shortened¨CFenna could clearly feel it.


    With the pace of ordinary walking, she and the giant couldn¡¯t possibly have reached the vicinity of the ruins in such a short time.


    This incredible phenomenon was obviously related to the giant accompanying her¨CIt seemed that by traveling with this giant, the ¡°distance¡± of the journey would be shortened.


    After reaching this realization, Fenna didn¡¯t hide her guess and shared her speculation with the giant.


    The giant answered frankly: ¡°In a single day, I can reach any corner of this ¡®world¡¯. This is my ability because only then can I observe and record all the changes occurring in this world at any time¨CObserving and recording, that is my duty.¡±


    He shook his head as he spoke, sighing with a hint of regret: ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ now there¡¯s nothing left in this world worth observing or recording.¡±


    Fenna lifted her head, staring blankly at the rubble of the ruins not far away.


    It was indeed, as she had first guessed, the ruins of a city¨CYet at first glance, she could hardly associate those ruins with a ¡°city.¡±


    They were a series of stacked grey-black boulders, rugged and bizarre stones spreading like a jungle across the sandy earth, showing no trace of their once architectural form, and almost no sign they had ever been sculpted by civilization.


    Fenna could hardly imagine what kind of disaster could have reduced a magnificent city to such a state¨CAs if the entire city had melted in an instant, with more than half of the material in the city vaporizing in the blink of an eye, and the remaining structures quickly melting and flowing only to solidify in the severe cooling that followed, forming the rugged boulders.


    But if there truly had been an instance of high heat¡­ Why would the vast lands outside the city turn into a sand sea?


    Such intense heat would melt the sands, turning them into glass-like material. There wouldn¡¯t be a desert around the city, but rather a vast expanse of sintered obsidian ground.


    Fenna wasn¡¯t the best in her cultural studies, but she knew this basic knowledge.


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    ¡°What exactly happened to reduce the city to this state?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask the giant, ¡°You just mentioned that the world has died¡­ What killed this world?¡±


    The giant bowed his head, his face lined like carved stone, his eyes like muddy flames, gazing into Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to comprehend that apocalypse; it is beyond the mind of mortals, even beyond the wisdom of the gods¨CWhen it came, those who worshipped me sought my aid. I glanced at the apocalypse, and it seared through my intellect and soul, Traveler¡­ That is not something describable by words.¡±


    The giant said, slowly raising his hand, pointing to the blood-red fissure in the sky.


    ¡°The only thing I can tell you is that when the apocalypse came, ¡®Corrosions¡¯ that did not belong to this world swarmed out from that rift, shattering the ground beneath our feet in an instant, then painfully reassembling it. All of our glorious achievements, in the end, were reduced to dust by the Corrosion.¡±

 Chapter 592 - Chapter 592 Chapter 591 Heading to a Deeper Level

    Chapter 592: Chapter 591: Heading to a Deeper Level Chapter 592: Chapter 591: Heading to a Deeper Level ¡°Did you hear anything?¡±


    On a natural trail deep in the forest, Sherry suddenly stopped walking, muttering with a touch of paranoia.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything, but I smelled it¡­ that distinct ¡®stench¡¯,¡± Agatha stopped beside Sherry, her voice low and full of disgust, ¡°Not just one, but mixed with the foul sense of chaos and stupidity, and a pure and blind urge to destruct¡­¡±


    ¡°It looks like those ¡®old acquaintances¡¯ really came again,¡± Sherry grumbled, ¡°They are really tireless. What on earth is in ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ that they care so much about? Is the so-called ¡®Primordial Blueprint¡¯ that attractive?¡±


    Agatha didn¡¯t speak but lowered her body to carefully sense the lingering smells around¨Cscents left by the Heretics and the Profound Demons.


    She found something familiar among those smells.


    ¡°The Heretic named ¡®Richard¡¯ is among them,¡± she suddenly raised her head and declared.


    ¡°That guy dared to come back?¡± Sherry¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°After being smashed like that last time, I thought that he at least had to lie down in the real world for a while¡­¡±


    Agatha shook her head, ¡°It seems like they made sufficient preparations for ¡®entering dreams¡¯, possessing enough mental protection. The injuries they suffer in the Dreamscape don¡¯t cause too much impact on reality¡­ Which makes sense, after all, they organized so many people to enter The Dream of the Nameless, they must have a thorough understanding of how this place operates.¡±


    Sherry frowned, ¡°Are they still nearby?¡±


    ¡°They left a while ago,¡± Agatha judged cautiously, ¡°The scent of the Profound Demons is fading fast, but it¡¯s hard to say how far they are from here now¨CSherry, we need to be careful. That ¡®Richard¡¯ is also there, he recognizes you, and last time¡¯s trick won¡¯t work a second time.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression tensed up immediately, and she quickly checked the surroundings, then turned to Agatha and seriously said, ¡°Then should we just find a place to hide here? Wait for daybreak in the real world¨Cafter all, this forest is so big, that group of Heretics shouldn¡¯t backtrack.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend that, don¡¯t forget the strange and dangerous ¡®Corrosion¡¯ phenomenon¨Cit can happen suddenly and spread quickly,¡± Agatha shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s no safe corner here, the only possible safe zone would perhaps be inside that so-called ¡®Silent Wall¡¯, we need to find that ¡®wall¡¯.¡±


    As she spoke, she raised her head and looked towards a certain direction deep in the forest, ¡°Those Heretics are also looking for the ¡®Silent Wall¡¯, we could follow them from a distance, as long as we stay well-hidden, we have the upper hand.¡±


    ¡°Tch, alright, I was just saying,¡± Sherry clicked her tongue, resignedly saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go then, just make sure not to get too close to that bunch of Heretics.¡±


    Agatha nodded and once more carefully confirmed the direction indicated by the lingering scents in the air, then moved forward¨Cexcept, after only taking one step, she suddenly stopped again and quickly whispered, ¡°Watch out, someone¡¯s approaching!¡±


    Almost at the same moment Agatha¡¯s words fell, Sherry heard the sudden footsteps nearby¨Cas if someone had appeared out of thin air, Sherry¡¯s body tensed up instantly, and then she turned her head sharply towards the direction of the sound, her hand clutching tightly at her chains.


    A tall elf girl appeared in Sherry¡¯s line of sight.


    She was dressed in an oddly styled light armor that looked like some kind of hunting gear convenient for moving through the forest, reinforced at key points, with locks of light-gold hair like sunlight, and faintly glowing blue threads woven among them¨Cwhile in her hand was a strangely shaped weapon, like a combination of a spear and a battleaxe¡­


    Upon seeing the elf girl who appeared as if out of nowhere, Sherry was momentarily taken aback, and in those one or two seconds of stupor, the elf girl took a step towards her.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you receive the order to retreat? Why are you still outside the wall?¡±


    Hearing the other¡¯s voice, Sherry opened her mouth, the sudden turn of events leaving her a bit flustered, but she quickly got a grip and her acting skills and observation came into play, ¡°Ah, I¡­ got lost, I was just about to head to the Silent Wall.¡±


    The unfamiliar elf girl didn¡¯t seem to notice Sherry¡¯s brief moment of nervousness, nor did she show any unusual expression at the sight of the ghastly and terrifying Agatha, who couldn¡¯t hide in time due to the sudden incident. She naturally nodded at Sherry and Agatha and said, ¡°You and your companion are in an active area of ¡®Corrosion¡¯, this place is not safe¨Cfortunately you ran into me, a Ranger.¡±


    As she said this, she used her poleaxe to point in a direction in the forest, ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ll take you to the Silent Wall.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ okay.¡± Sherry hesitated a bit, then quickly reacted, while calling the captain in the depth of her consciousness, she dragged Agatha to follow the elf girl¡¯s steps.


    They set off toward the direction of the ¡°Silent Wall¡±, through the natural trail covered with dead branches and fallen leaves, over the rough open spaces between the woods, gradually moving deeper into the forest.


    The elf girl with the unique weapon led the way, speaking very little as they went.


    This certainly didn¡¯t help in gathering information, so Sherry had to take the initiative to break the silence. After thinking for a moment, she asked, ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    The elf girl suddenly stopped, turned her head to look earnestly into Sherry¡¯s eyes. After two or three seconds, she quietly said, ¡°My name is Xilin¨Chope you can remember my name.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡­


    Amidst the boundless darkness and thick fog, on the odd and silent ¡°Homeloss¡±, Duncan, who was sitting at the navigation table conversing with ¡°Goat-head¡±, suddenly paused, stopping the conversation between them.


    He frowned slightly, as if listening to distant sounds, his expression rapidly changing from confusion to thoughtfulness.


    The ¡°goat head¡± on the table had no reaction to Duncan¡¯s sudden pause¨Conce Duncan stopped speaking, it also quieted down, showing neither question nor any tendency to express itself.


    This ¡°goat head¡± that appeared on the peculiar Homeloss was like a response machine trapped between sleep and wakefulness; other than initially greeting, it rarely reacted so long as Duncan didn¡¯t speak to it.


    Duncan glanced at the goat head.


    In the end, the goat head never clarified what ¡°Saslouka has been dead for a long time¡± really meant. It just monotonously repeated the phrase, as if its thoughts were stuck on that piece of ¡°information.¡±


    After a moment of hesitation, Duncan stood up from his chair and walked toward the antique oval mirror not far away.


    The goat head on the navigation desk slowly turned its head, silently tracking Duncan¡¯s movements with its gaze, but still said nothing¨Cits silent stare thus became especially chilling.


    However, by now, Duncan could more or less ignore the eerie aspects of the suspicious goat head. He walked straight up to the mirror and knocked on its surface.


    Agatha¡¯s figure almost immediately appeared on the mirror.


    Duncan closely watched the gaze from behind, feeling the change of atmosphere in the captain¡¯s room¨Cbut the suspicious goat head had no reaction to Agatha¡¯s appearance, as if it couldn¡¯t see her at all.


    ¡°Captain,¡± Agatha in the mirror also cautiously glanced at the goat head¡¯s direction, and after confirming that it truly had no reaction, she relaxed and nodded to Duncan.


    ¡°Sherry and Adog encountered another ¡®Xilin¡¯ in the forest,¡± Duncan replied to Agatha¡¯s greeting, then quickly got to the point.


    Agatha¡¯s mouth opened slightly, her expression one of astonishment for a moment, then she quickly realized, ¡°Then Miss Lucricia on that side¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°She¡¯s still with ¡®Xilin¡¯.¡±


    The two fell into a brief silence through the mirror, as neither obviously had any idea what to do next.


    After a while, Agatha took a deep breath, breaking the silence, ¡°Captain, I¡¯ve made some discoveries myself.¡±


    Duncan instinctively lowered his voice, ¡°What did you discover?¡±


    Agatha in the mirror raised her hand silently, pointing towards the deepest part of the captain¡¯s room¨Cthe wooden door that led to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    ¡°Just now, while you were conversing with the goat head, I shifted through the various mirrors aboard Homeloss. The positions and images reflected in all the mirrors showed no difference from the real Homeloss, except for inside there¡­ I was blocked by a strange ¡®barrier¡¯.¡±


    Duncan immediately looked towards the door of the captain¡¯s quarters, listening to Agatha¡¯s description, his eyes growing serious.


    After a moment of thought, he walked towards the door.


    On the navigation desk, the black goat head carved from wood once again creaked and stirred, a pair of profound and murky pitch-black eyeballs tracking Duncan¡¯s movements.


    Duncan grasped the doorknob, but instead of pushing the door open, he turned back to look at the goat head on the table¨Cafter locking eyes for a moment, he finally spoke in a heavy voice, ¡°What is inside there?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the goat head slowly said.


    ¡°May I go in?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the goat head repeated as if on cue.


    ¡°¡­If I go in, what will happen?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the suspicious goat head seemed to only repeat this one sentence eternally.


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    Regardless, it appeared to have no intention of stopping him.


    Duncan finally gave a deep look in the direction of the goat head, then withdrew his gaze, looking at the door in front of him that was all too familiar, took a deep breath, and forcefully turned the handle.


    Behind the door, a space unfolded, chaotic and overlapping, as if myriad abstract lines were repeatedly rendered and layered upon one another.


    Duncan stood still in front of the door, observing the scene within the ¡°room¡±¨C amidst those chaotic, superimposed abstract lines, he could still faintly make out some objects: a bed, a desk, a window, walls.


    Yet all these things were distorted, as though they were recklessly reassembled in the mind of someone delirious, and then manifested in an upside-down dreamscape¨Cnone of their original, normal appearances could be discerned!

 Chapter 593 - Chapter 593 Chapter 592 Stone

    Chapter 593: Chapter 592: Stone Chapter 593: Chapter 592: Stone After standing in front of this ¡°room¡± made up entirely of chaotic lines and color patches for quite some time, Duncan turned his head slightly, using the corner of his eye to observe the reaction of the goat head on the table.


    From the perspective of that ¡°goat head,¡± it should also be able to see the scene inside the room¨Che wanted to know what reaction the goat head would have after seeing this bizarre, disordered room.


    But it had no reaction at all. It still stared calmly in Duncan¡¯s direction with those emotionless, pitch-black eyeballs, looking like a real piece of wood when silent.


    Duncan turned back and after a moment of hesitation, he finally took a step toward the eerie room assembled from jumbled lines.


    At the same time, he was also ready to forcibly ignite a flame, awaken Silantis, and break free from this ¡°Dreamscape¡± if things went wrong.


    But the worst-case scenario he imagined didn¡¯t occur.


    He crossed that threshold, and a layer of water-like, translucent ripples flickered faintly throughout the chaotic room. After that, no other reaction followed. The room itself didn¡¯t collapse, and he seemed unaffected by those disordered colors and lines.


    Duncan walked deeper into the room and casually shut the door behind him¨Cthe unsettling silent stare of the bizarre ¡°goat head¡± was finally blocked out.


    The chaotic colorful lines stretched beneath his feet. On either side, furnishings outlined by lines, resembling yet not resembling anything in particular, surrounded him. Duncan observed everything in the room cautiously, sensing an extremely eerie atmosphere around him. After a moment, his gaze finally settled on a corner of the ¡°room.¡±


    A few translucent colorful lines quivered there, interconnecting to form a geometric outline. The vibrating edge of the contour seemed to be filled with a layer of calm water, faintly reflecting the surrounding scenery.


    Duncan approached the geometric shape and gently brushed his hand across the calm ¡°water surface.¡± Wisps of pale green flames spread along the surface, and moments later, the scene reflected on that surface became clear¨Cit turned into a mirror.


    The next second, shadows stirred in the center of the mirror, with Agatha¡¯s figure quietly emerging from it.


    The lady in the mirror looked shocked at the disordered, strange place outside the mirror.


    ¡°Is¡­ is this what¡¯s behind that door?!¡±


    Duncan nodded lightly, ¡°Yes, this is what¡¯s inside the door¨Cthis is the ¡®deepest part¡¯ here.¡±


    ¡°This place looks¡­ so bizarre,¡± Agatha frowned tightly, ¡°Why is it like this?¡±


    However, Duncan seemed to have figured out some things. He spoke indifferently, ¡°Because on the Homeloss in the real world, the goat head never dares to peek into the captain¡¯s cabin. It doesn¡¯t know what this room looks like.¡±


    At least, it doesn¡¯t know what this room looks like after the ¡°captain¡± moved in¨Cthis was the part Duncan didn¡¯t say out loud.


    Agatha instantly grasped the deeper meaning of Duncan¡¯s words.


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ that this ¡®Homeloss¡¯ is really ¡®created¡¯ by the goat head of the real world?¡± she blurted out quickly, ¡°It turned the shadow of Homeloss into this ship sailing in darkness and fog, but it can¡¯t replicate the parts of the ship it doesn¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    Speaking up to this point, Agatha suddenly furrowed her brow, then couldn¡¯t help but shake her head, ¡°But in the real world, the goat head acts as if it knows nothing about these things, and how it managed to do all this¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it truly knows nothing,¡± Duncan spoke calmly, his gaze slowly sweeping around, ¡°I have a bold guess now: this ship might be a dream of its.¡±


    ¡°Its dream?!¡± Agatha was startled upon hearing this, and then remembered something, her face showing confusion, ¡°But it clearly says it never dreams, doesn¡¯t even rest, and I¡¯ve seen it for myself¨Cthe first mate is always awake, including during the appearance of The Dream of the Nameless, when it was steering the ship, just like always.¡±


    ¡°Because it doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s dreaming, doesn¡¯t even know it can dream, even¡­¡± Duncan paused all of a sudden, a bolder idea irresistibly surfacing in his mind. He hesitated for a few seconds before murmuring to himself, ¡°Perhaps our ¡®first mate¡¯ has never woken up.¡±


    Realizing the meaning of the captain¡¯s words, Agatha slowly widened her eyes.


    Duncan then broke the silence again, ¡°So, now there¡¯s only one last question left.¡±


    Agatha repeated unconsciously, ¡°The last question?¡±


    Duncan lifted his head, looking at the door standing amidst a mishmash of lines, his gaze seemingly piercing through the door, observing the ¡°goat head¡± on the table outside. After a while, he muttered to himself, ¡°Saslouka is dead, has been dead for a very long time¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Nightfall came over the desert¨Cvery suddenly, darkness descended all around, the Sky Light that once diffused across the sky seemed to be absorbed by something, immediately receding, and the quiet night colors blanketed the vast sand sea and the extensive ruins within.


    Now, only that huge, unsettling dark red ¡°crack¡± remained in the sky, the crack red as blood, its edges like mist, it covered the sky, exuding an immense sense of oppression.


    Even a Judge as willful as Fenna instinctively avoided looking up at that ¡°world scar.¡±


    But the giants accompanying them seemed to have long since adapted to all of this.


    On the edge of the city¡¯s ruins, they found a corner sheltered from the wind and sand invasion. This spot had once been part of some solemn structure, but now only a few melted and twisted dark walls remained. The giant had picked up many gray-white rocks from the nearby ruins and piled them up in a sheltered corner by the wind. Then he picked up two stones and patiently knocked them together.


    To him, the quiet darkness of the desert and the dark red suppression of the world¡¯s wounds seemed to no longer exist. It was as if only the clinking rocks remained in his eyes. The ¡°tap, tap, tap¡± of his striking resounded monotonously in the night, carrying far and wide.


    Fenna sat under the shelter of the wall rampart, watching the giant¡¯s actions with curiosity. After a long while, she could not help but ask, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Ignite,¡± the giant said indifferently, ¡°It gets very cold here at night.¡±


    ¡°But those are just rocks,¡± Fenna said, looking at the gray-white stones the giant had collected, her tone full of confusion, ¡°¡­Are they flammable stones?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re ordinary rocks,¡± the giant did not turn around, ¡°There¡¯s nothing else here, just sand and rocks.¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth, ¡°Then¡­¡±


    She was interrupted before she could finish her sentence by the sudden leap of sparks¨Ctiny sparks burst out from between the rocks the giant was striking, falling among the pale heap on the ground. Following that, the sparks turned into flames, with bright light rising from the stones, growing more vigorous.


    Fenna watched the scene, unable to comprehend.


    ¡°Fire, and rocks, they¡¯re the most important things,¡± the giant watched the flames burning within the rocks quietly, as if speaking to Fenna, and as if to himself, ¡°The ignited flame is like eyes opening in the night, and shattered rocks surpass fangs and claws. When they kindle twigs and strike stones against each other, incredible things happen¡­¡±


    The giant turned his head, his gaze falling, ¡°Traveler, do you know? The history of civilization begins with fire and stone.¡±


    Fenna listened to the giant¡¯s words, half understanding, and slowly nodded her head.


    Her cultural classes hadn¡¯t been great, but not so bad that she couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning behind the giant¡¯s words. What she didn¡¯t understand was¡­ why the giant was suddenly telling her all this.


    What did this have to do with ¡°stones being able to ignite¡±?


    But the giant clearly had no intention of explaining further. He quickly returned to his ¡°work¡±¨Cinserting his hand deep into the heap of stones, as if he didn¡¯t care about the scorching flames, he took a rock that had been blackened by fire, knocked off a corner of it with a casual strike, creating a sharp angle. Then the giant picked up the large staff that he had placed to one side and, using the sharp angle of the rock, began to painstakenly carve something into its surface.


    The staff was made of a durable material, and the sharp angle of the rock was brittle and easily broken, so the giant¡¯s engraving work was very slow; often, it took many attempts to leave a not-too-deep scratch on the staff, and he frequently redid the rock to make new ¡°engraving knives¡±.


    The surface of that large staff was covered with dense marks¡­ Were all those engravings made that way?!


    Even after just a short observation, Fenna realized this was an almost impossible and terribly slow task. She couldn¡¯t imagine how long it took the giant and how much amazing patience he had to leave countless marks on that huge staff¨Cit seemed that even she, with an endless lifetime, could not accomplish such a feat!


    Yet the giant was silently and patiently carving, using the only tool he could find in this dead world¨Cthe stone charred by fire.


    Fenna finally could not contain herself and broke the silence, ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Recording,¡± the giant said slowly, ¡°Recording things I still remember, documenting events that have happened in this world.¡±


    He stopped, laying the staff before Fenna and pointing to the end where there was a string of intricate symbols.


    ¡°Here, they learned to use fire.¡±


    The giant spoke softly, as though there was a hint of pride in his tone.


    Fenna followed the direction of the giant¡¯s finger, finally getting a clear view of those intricate symbols.


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    Simple lines outlined two tiny human figures standing before an abstract fire, their hands raised high as if cheering and jumping, as if worshiping the fire.


    For some reason, Fenna suddenly felt a heavy force press upon her heart. She instinctively looked up along the staff, observing those dense symbols¨Cshe quickly discovered that not all of them were pictograms; moving up the staff, the pictograms slowly became abstract and unfamiliar scripts, which evolved into various shapes, some splitting into letters, while others still retained their pictorial structure¡­


    Her gaze finally rested on a small blank space at the tip of the staff; beside her, the campfire crackled, its light reflecting and leaping in that spot.


    Fenna slowly raised her head, her eyes moving along the rough-hewn stones and the gaunt arms, finally settling on the giant¡¯s face.


    That face, marked with wrinkles, watched the nearby fire quietly, unmoving, like another stone.

 Chapter 594 - Chapter 594 Chapter 593 Gathering of the Dregs

    Chapter 594: Chapter 593: Gathering of the Dregs Chapter 594: Chapter 593: Gathering of the Dregs In a forest clearing illuminated by sunlight, Nina and Morris halted their steps, gazing together at the tall figure who seemed to have emerged suddenly from thin air, now standing with a surprised expression at the fork in the path.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you received the order to retreat?¡± After a moment¡¯s surprise, the slender elven girl clad in light hunting attire and holding a strange long-handled weapon spoke up, her voice as pleasant as a stream in the woods, ¡°Why are you still lingering outside the Silent Wall?¡±


    Nina and Morris exchanged a quiet glance before nodding to each other.


    ¡°Uncle Duncan,¡± Nina communicated in the depths of her mind, ¡°we have encountered the third ¡®Xilin¡¯¡­ Yes, she also mentioned the Silent Wall.¡±


    Morris quickly composed himself and nodded towards the elven girl who had appeared at the edge of the clearing, saying discreetly, ¡°We haven¡¯t received any news¡­ May I ask what the current situation is?¡±


    The elven girl furrowed her brow, seemingly surprised by Morris¡¯s ¡°ignorance,¡± but soon, the surprise faded from her face: ¡°The situation is dire, Corrosion is spreading outside the Silent Wall, and currently only within the Silent Wall is safe ¡ª we still haven¡¯t found the creator¡¯s whereabouts, and all elves must return to the safety inside the Silent Wall, to seek refuge in Silantis.¡±


    They still hadn¡¯t found the creator¡¯s whereabouts?!


    Morris instantly took note of the highly significant message, but he quickly controlled his expressions and nodded solemnly, ¡°Then can you lead us to the ¡®Silent Wall¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you are fortunate to have come across a ¡®Ranger¡¯ like me,¡± the elven girl immediately nodded, ¡°I might be the last of the Rangers patrolling outside the wall ¡ª follow me, while there are still no signs of Corrosion here.¡±


    As she spoke, she turned her head and walked towards the depths of the forest, but after only a few steps, she suddenly stopped and turned back slightly: ¡°By the way, I am called Xilin¡­ Remember this name.¡±


    Morris and Nina quickly exchanged looks and then nodded in unison.


    The elf girl named ¡°Xilin¡± turned back around, continuing to lead the two unexpected guests deeper into the forest, towards¡­ the Silent Wall she kept mentioning.


    ¡­


    After trekking through the forest for what seemed like an endless duration, Sherry even began to doubt something: Did the place called the ¡°Silent Wall¡± actually exist?


    She could no longer remember how long she had been following the elf in front of her, nor could she judge how far she had traveled in this vast woodland ¡ª to her, everywhere in the forest looked the same, with only trees upon trees, and the occasional fallen tree trunks amidst the dead branches and leaves, rocks, and streams that constituted a rare ¡°scenery¡± on the way.


    The view was dull, and the path was even harder to traverse, with the forest floor covered in rotting leaves being soft and uneven. Vines, brambles, and protruding roots frequently made an easy trip, and she had thought that the narrow and pitted alleys of the Lower City District, cut up by steam and gas pipes, were the hardest paths in the world, but now she realized that even the most rundown parts of a town were far friendlier to humans than this purest ¡°nature.¡±


    What¡¯s the saying the captain had¡­ something about ¡°the transformative power of civilization¡±?


    Sherry¡¯s thoughts wandered aimlessly in her head, even miraculously recalling things learned in class, and then she lifted her head, looking towards the elf leading the way.


    Xilin, though, traversed the rugged, difficult woodland as if it were part of her own body. She weaved through the annoying trees and vines as easily as the wind passing through a courtyard.


    Sherry finally stopped.


    Xilin came to a halt instantaneously ¡ª the elven girl hadn¡¯t even turned around, but as soon as Sherry stopped moving, she seemed to sense it.


    ¡°How much further is it to the ¡®Silent Wall¡¯?¡± Sherry asked before the other could speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s still far, the Silent Wall is at a great distance,¡± Xilin answered seriously, though her response was as good as none, ¡°We can¡¯t rest for too long, we must quickly return to the shelter of Silantis, to¡­ beat the spread of the Corrosion.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is this ¡®Corrosion¡¯ phenomenon?¡± Sherry thought for a moment before finally asking the question that had kept her curious all this way.


    She had refrained from asking because she feared that this overly ¡°basic¡± question might provoke the elf before her ¡ª according to Miss Lucrescia, ¡°Xilin¡± was a ¡°primitive mind¡± active in the Dreamscape, and Sherry didn¡¯t really understand what a primitive mind meant, but she roughly grasped that it was a complicated matter, and carelessly touching upon knowledge beyond the ¡°boundary,¡± mentioning information outside the Dreamscape, or even asking too many questions, all risked causing trouble for this mind.


    Sherry was no stranger to this kind of ¡°trouble,¡± she had experienced confusion whenever she heard knowledge beyond her comprehension while attending supplementary lessons with Alice ¡ª the main symptom was breaking off of thought.


    Alice understood the concept that Lucresia had explained to her in her own way; she thought that if she asked questions that she shouldn¡¯t, it might cause the elf girl named ¡°Xilin¡± to fragment.


    She had been trying to avoid this.


    But after spending some time with her, Sherry found that this ¡°Xilin¡± didn¡¯t seem as ¡°unstable¡± as she had initially thought.


    Or to put it another way¨Cthe elf was a bit too stable.


    Even if Sherry asked some bizarre questions, Xilin would simply ignore them. Apart from ¡°guiding lost people to the Silent Wall,¡± it seemed that nothing else could affect the elf.


    So, after they had been on the road for a while, Sherry began to boldly ask the elf various questions. Most of these didn¡¯t elicit any substantial answers, but sometimes¡­ a casual question would yield a surprise.


    ¡°Corrosion¡­ It started after the creator disappeared,¡± Xilin stopped walking. Unlike the usual disregard, this time she seriously answered Sherry¡¯s question, ¡°We don¡¯t know what it is exactly, but it devours and twists the things in the forest, turning them into¡­ something incomprehensible, and very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°After the creator disappeared? The creator disappeared?!¡± Sherry¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Although she didn¡¯t pay much attention in class, she listened intently when the captain and others chatted; of course, she also knew the legends of the elves, ¡°The creator you mentioned, isn¡¯t it¡­ Saslouka?¡±


    No sooner had Sherry spoken than she felt it might not be appropriate to directly call out the name of the ¡°Great Demon God¡±; it might provoke the elf before her¨Cbut she quickly realized she was overthinking.


    Xilin didn¡¯t seem to notice Sherry directly invoking the name of the creator god. Instead, she was immersed in an indescribable melancholy, her eyes cast down: ¡°The creator will return. He is merely patrolling the borders. It¡¯s just that this time He has gone a bit too far¡­ Before His return, Silantis will protect all elves with the Silent Wall¡­ Silantis will wait until He comes back.¡±


    For some reason, Sherry felt that Xilin¡¯s last sentence seemed to imply self-hypnosis.


    But before she had time to ask anything more, she saw Xilin¨Cwho had been immersed in sorrow, appearing somewhat absentminded¨Csuddenly lift her head. The elf girl¡¯s gaze had sharply changed, and she gripped the handle of her battle-axe tightly while looking intently in a particular direction deep within the forest.


    Sherry immediately became tense as well: ¡°Huh? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Xilin lowered her voice, ¡°Impurities have entered the forest¡­¡±


    Impurities?


    Sherry paused for a moment, and then, she heard rustling sounds coming from the nearby bushes, deep within the earth, the shadows of the underbrush, even from the air.


    It was as if many sinister and malevolent beings were writhing in the shadows, slowly gathering. A tangible malice and a prickling sense of being watched appeared suddenly in the dense forest. Sherry felt a massive influx of sensory information shared by A-Gou¨Cwithin the powerful perception provided by the Abyssal Hound, she saw those beings that were continuously ¡°seeping¡± into the forest.


    Tentacles formed from pure shadows were converging from all directions!


    The remnants of the Scions of the Sun¡­ Not the Annihilation Cultists!?


    Sherry was momentarily stunned; she vividly remembered that A-Gou had distinctly sensed the presence of Annihilation Cultists when they first entered the forest, but why were they encountering these monsters loyal to the Black Sun first?


    However, her bewilderment lasted only briefly in her mind, and Sherry quickly regained composure, entering into battle mode. While tensing her muscles and focusing on where the dark tentacles were gathering, she quietly warned Xilin beside her: ¡°Be careful, these things can move through shadows, and they¡¯re very hardy, especially difficult to kill!¡±


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    Before she could finish speaking, she saw ripples starting to undulate under a patch of shade nearby. Those tentacles hidden in shadow were rapidly coalescing into tall, thin humanoid figures, which one by one began to solidify.


    However, Sherry was waiting for the moment they took on human shape.


    The next second, the chains tightened, and the wind howled as Sherry took several strides towards the figure closest to her, and with all her strength, she swung her arm in a Meteor Dog!


    A-Gou, like a giant meteor hammer, flew out, smashing unreservedly onto the first visible remnant of the Sun, accompanied by a thud like a hammer crushing flesh. The tall, thin figure hadn¡¯t even had the chance to observe the Dreamscape around it before it was smashed into a large plume of bursting, corrupt flesh.


    And almost at the same time, around Sherry and Xilin, more tall, thin figures began to emerge incessantly from the interlacing shadows of the dense forest and underbrush¡­

 Chapter 595 - Chapter 595 Chapter 594 Fight and... Death

    Chapter 595: Chapter 594: Fight and¡­ Death? Chapter 595: Chapter 594: Fight and¡­ Death? One gaunt shadow after another emerged from the air in all directions, the rustling sound of their writhing tendrils in the soil unceasingly buzzing, enough to make one¡¯s scalp tingle. Those remnants of the sun gathered, advancing, rising upright from the shadows, displaying their horrifying visages as they corroded the forest within this Dreamscape!


    Chains whistled through the air, accompanied by the explosive sound of the air being compressed and torn apart. Sherry darted across the clearing in the woods, charging at every piece of sun debris that had just entered the Dreamscape and had yet to find firm footing. She swung her chains with abandon, wielding the monstrous strength she gained from the Demon Symbiosis with the Profound Demons¨Cswinging the Profound Demons themselves¨Ccontinually knocking down those frightful beings that were like neither man nor beast, banishing them from this Dreamscape.


    However, the number of Assailants continued to increase, and those sun remnants Sherry had managed to knock down momentarily kept rising from the shadows!


    The dappled forest of light and shadow became the perfect playground for the sun remnants to move freely and reshape themselves. The corrupted flesh blasted away dissolved in the shadows only to coalesce again within them. The tall, thin shadows emerged time after time from the surroundings, and as soon as Sherry¡¯s movements slowed even slightly, they launched their relentless assaults.


    A sharp whistling sound suddenly erupted from behind, and a spike-like tendril unexpectedly emerged from the air, aiming straight for the back of Sherry¡¯s neck. She immediately felt her hair stand on end but by the time she thought to dodge, it was already too late¨C


    Following a muffled sound of flesh being pierced, the agony did not descend as she had imagined. Sherry, having braced herself for the impact of the attack, turned her head in surprise, only to see an axe swing past from behind her¨Cthen the blade pivoted back, rising and cleanly severing two more of the incoming ¡°spikes.¡±


    The edge of that axe blade shimmered with a faint blue light, as if covered by some kind of fiery force field, burning and warping the nearby air. The Elf girl ¡°Xilin¡± held the strange long-handled battle axe in one hand, fending off the Assailants and guarding Sherry¡¯s flank, while staring bewilderedly at the tall, black figures that kept emerging and gathering around her. She couldn¡¯t help but blurt out her question, ¡°What¡­ what are all these things?¡±


    ¡°Whatever they are, they¡¯re definitely not something native to your forest!¡± Sherry called out hastily while swinging her chains high, toppling a cluster of shadows gathering not far ahead, ¡°These things are damn stubborn!¡±


    Xilin raised her battle axe, blocking an attack from another direction, but after hearing Sherry¡¯s exclamation, she instantly paused and unconsciously frowned, ¡°Those words¡­ are a bit crude.¡±


    ¡°Swearing that isn¡¯t let out ends up rotting inside, how disgusting is that,¡± said Sherry, her face bearing a brash and exuberant smile. She trampled on a mass of still writhing and reassembling flesh, her chains trailing pitch-black smoke and mist, looking utterly delighted, ¡°I like to keep it clean, never let the dirty words stay overnight¡­¡±


    Xilin listened to Sherry¡¯s theory in a stupor, seemingly trying hard to comprehend the logic behind her companion¡¯s words, but eventually shook her head with a furrowed brow, muttering, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡±


    A tendril that kept swelling and contracting, its surface continuously sprouting eyes and sharp teeth, suddenly wrapped around Sherry¡¯s arm. She felt a sudden numbness in her heart, but quickly broke free from the tendril¡¯s grasp, pushed back the shadow where the tendril came from, and then looked towards Xilin subconsciously.


    A sense of puzzlement suddenly welled up from the bottom of her heart¨Cwas it her imagination, or in the brief minutes that had just passed, did this Elf named ¡°Xilin¡± seem to have become markedly more¡­ distinctively human?


    Was it because of the sudden appearance of the Assailants? Was it because of the change brought on by fighting side by side?


    Sherry remembered how it was when she first interacted with this Elf; back then, Xilin didn¡¯t have such emotional reactions. Although there were expressions of happiness, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, those reactions seemed more like something pre-designed¡­ something. She would only incessantly emphasize the plan to head to the Silent Wall. Besides that, no matter what Sherry herself would say, Xilin hardly reacted much, seldom showing vivid ¡°feedback¡± like surprise, confusion, or contradiction.


    Sherry didn¡¯t understand those professional concepts of psychology or behavioral science, nor did she know how to describe these feelings of incongruity she sensed. Yet her life experiences had honed her instinct to detect changes in others¡¯ emotions, and she could keenly perceive the changes occurring within Xilin¨Cthough she couldn¡¯t understand why these changes were happening.


    But she didn¡¯t have much time to ponder this.


    The sun remnants, initially bewildered and unsteady, had gradually adapted and now stood their ground here, becoming dangerous.


    A shadowy figure flashed past the edge of Sherry¡¯s vision. In the hurried moment, she just managed to retract the chain in her hand and barely dodge the attack. Yet, the very next second, another spike, springing forth from the shadows underfoot, pierced her human arm.


    Intense pain made her curse subconsciously; Adog swiftly lunged from the side, biting to pieces that spike of flesh conjured from the shadows. Sherry rapidly retreated, leaving the dangerous range of attack, but before she could even catch her breath, she suddenly heard rustling noises behind her.


    Instinctively turning to look, she saw a tall, thin shadow abruptly rise from the ground in front of her. The next second, numerous tentacles burst from the ¡°long coat¡± of the tall, thin shadow, entangling her arms and neck ¡ª a sudden colossal force from the tentacles dragged her over, and before she could utter a cry of alarm, she was pulled in front of the shadow.


    The tall, thin shadow lifted its ¡°head¡± ¡ª a mass of grotesquely swollen flesh emerged from the collar of the coat, blossoming abruptly like a bud before her eyes. In that bloom of flesh, eyes opened, countless sharp teeth and numerous frantically writhing, tongue-like tentacles were revealed.


    In that brief moment, Sherry felt as though a thousand voices exploded in her mind, countless roars and whispers layered upon one another, pushing into her brain, as if trying to convey a message to her. Just when she believed she almost understood the whispers, most of the information slipped through her consciousness, leaving not a trace behind.


    In this suddenly established ¡°connection,¡± her mind ultimately retained only an indistinct and cryptic phrase ¡ª


    ¡°¡­find their¡­sun¡­¡±


    Sherry felt as though she had fallen into a vast, endless chaos, enveloped by boundless darkness and void, battered by incessant noises. Slowly, her eyes widened as she blankly stared at the bloom of flesh before her, the will to resist seemingly stripped away from her body, while Adog¡¯s voice gradually faded in her mind¡­


    However, in the very next second, a thunderous boom suddenly erupted deep within her consciousness. In the borderless dark, Sherry saw a pale green flame leap forth, dimly perceived as though a figment. The flame cast its reflection on her soul, and her mind felt a sharp, piercing pain ¡ª the next instant, she snapped back to clarity.


    The tall, thin shadow reappeared before her, that blooming ¡°head¡± made of filthy flesh now violently trembling before her eyes. The monstrous entity, a remnant of the sun, let out a series of sharp hisses and wails, seemingly in shock, seemingly unable to comprehend why its ¡°corrosion¡± had not invaded its prey¡¯s psyche ¡ª but it did not have to be shocked for long.


    Clusters of pale green flames suddenly appeared on the surfaces of the numerous eyeballs within the bloom, and in the blink of an eye, reflections transformed into raging, real flames. Spiritual Fire burst forth from within, the dream invader¡¯s ¡°head,¡± burning fiercely from the inside out.


    The creature howled and convulsed, spasming violently under the scorching of the Spiritual Fire, curling into a pitch-black, bizarre mass. Then, the flames flowing from its body began to spread outward, like predators that had caught the scent of their prey, moving towards the gathering remnants of the sun.


    The fire spread like the wind, and in the flicker of tiny flames, the remnants of the sun around her ignited one by one, almost instantly turning into a sea of blazing torches.


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    Sherry watched the scene in astonishment. The terrifying feeling of near-corrosion in her mind now left only a cold afterchill. Yet the afterfear quickly gave way to another emotion as the Spiritual Fire spread ¡ª she laughed, her triumphant expression arrogant, and lifting the pitch-black chain in her hand, she proudly watched the sun remnants struggle and howl within the flames: ¡°You think such small fry can pull off some psychic pollution? I¡¯m under the protection of the captain, damn it!¡±


    The sun remnants of course had no response for her, and the blazing torches swiftly fell one by one, reduced to ashes scattering with the wind before retreating from the dreamscape. Sherry, although appearing triumphant, did not truly relax until the last ¡°torch¡± had fallen. Then, she turned to look in Xilin¡¯s direction.


    Xilin¡¯s voice reached her first, ¡°Sherry, I feel¡­not so good¡­¡±


    A sudden anxiety gripped Sherry¡¯s heart, and she hurriedly ran to Xilin¡¯s side. The next second, she saw the¡­transformation¡­that was happening to Xilin.


    The elf girl¡¯s feet, unbeknownst to when, had been gradually swallowed by the ground. Dark, root-like structures split from her legs and continued to multiply and merge into the earth. She lifted her head, looking in Sherry¡¯s direction, seemingly trying to raise her arms, but her limbs too were being gradually encased in bark-like structures ¡ª becoming stiff, increasingly immobilized.

 Chapter 596 - Chapter 596 Chapter 595 Unexpected Convergence

    Chapter 596: Chapter 595 Unexpected Convergence Chapter 596: Chapter 595 Unexpected Convergence Sherry stared dumbfounded at the scene unfolding before her, as if facing a grotesque nightmare and not knowing how to react.


    Xilin was slowly reaching out her right hand to Sherry, who instinctively walked over, seemingly wanting to grasp the girl¡¯s fingers. However, before she could touch Xilin, the elf girl¡¯s arm was already completely covered by a bark-like substance¨Cat the last second, Sherry only touched a rough, hard branch, which then began to grow rapidly, extending higher into the air¡­


    Xilin¡¯s face gradually disappeared among the swiftly growing branches. In the last moment before the complete transformation, her eyes widened, as if she suddenly understood something, recognized something. She looked at Sherry, seemingly wanting to tell her something¨Cbut then, her expression froze in that instant, completely merging into the tree.


    Now, she had become a small tree with slender branches.


    Sherry stared blankly at this incredible scene, subconsciously recalling the entire process of the other¡¯s transformation into a tree and the last look Xilin had given her. For a long time, she stood motionless.


    What happened? Why did this happen? Elves¡­ turning into trees?


    A faint rustling of the wind suddenly came from nearby, carrying with it an increasingly approaching malice. Sherry finally snapped out of her shock, suddenly looking up toward the direction of the malice. In the dim thicket, she saw dark red glimmers and shadowy mists appearing like smoke, quickly fading away.


    Rabi immediately sensed the detestable presence¨Cthe scent of Profound Demons.


    ¡°Heretics! They were hidden in the shadow of those sun remnants!¡±


    Hearing Rabi¡¯s low growl, Sherry finally realized what had happened¨C


    It was the Heretics who had lured those ¡°sun remnants¡± here, perhaps collaborating or merely using them. They intended to use the remnants to eliminate her and Xilin, but things went beyond their expectations. When one of the sun remnants attempted to erode her consciousness, the captain¡¯s Spiritual Fire was disturbed and fought back, killing all the assailants¨Cthe intense presence of the sun remnants had masked the scent of the Heretics. Now that they were exposed, they chose to flee decisively.


    Sherry glanced at the dark woods, hesitated before stepping forward. Her gaze swept over the clearing, seeing the sun remnants killed by the Spiritual Fire curled up into twisted ashes, gradually dissipating into the air while faint residual green flames slowly burned among the ash heaps, gradually fading and extinguishing.


    The captain¡¯s flames had died down¨Cit was not a power she could control.


    Sherry knew very well that the recent ¡°victory¡± had little to do with her own strength, and she was even less confident that the flames would appear when danger struck next. Perhaps¡­ the ¡°mark¡± the captain left her would only work this once.


    Rashly chasing after them, if she really ended up in a fight and found herself outmatched, that would be a big problem.


    However, her hesitation lasted only a second or two¨Cbefore those smoke and fog completely escaped Rabi¡¯s perception, she gritted her teeth, spat to the side, and ran into the gloomy depths.


    She ran past the small tree that Xilin had become, with the tree¡¯s thin branches drooping down, brushing against Sherry¡¯s shoulders, the twigs and leaves rustling softly.


    After running through the woods for what felt like an eternity, Sherry and Rabi gradually slowed their pace.


    ¡°Their scent has dissipated ahead, and it¡¯s fading fast,¡± Rabi lifted his head, his ugly head shifting in the air, his eye sockets¡¯ blood-colored lights flickering, ¡°There must be some demon kind skilled in concealing their scent among them, possibly a death herald¡­ tsk, they¡¯re quite troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Did we lose them?¡± Sherry muttered unwillingly, ¡°Thought we might finally catch one or two this time¡­¡±


    Rabi shook his head and didn¡¯t say anything, just tried again to discern the true direction in which those scents were fading.


    However, just then, footsteps suddenly coming from a direction in the forest interrupted Rabi and Sherry¡¯s actions.


    Sherry tensed up instantly, raising her crossbow, her body poised towards the direction of the sounds, but the next second, the figure emerging from behind the trees and bushes wasn¡¯t the heretics she had anticipated¨C


    An elf girl, clad in light hunting attire, holding a peculiar long-handled battle-axe, walked out of the woods.


    Sherry¡¯s poised stance stiffened slightly as she looked incredulously at the elf girl emerging from the woods, recognizing the familiar face, and though she knew she was in a strange ¡°Dreamscape¡±, she still felt the surreality quietly emerging from the bottom of her heart. Then, she heard the elf girl, sounding a bit surprised, speak to her¨C


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you receive the evacuation order? Why are you still active outside the Silent Wall?¡±


    Sherry opened her mouth, feeling as if she had countless things to say, but when it came to the point, she couldn¡¯t organize a single word. She looked strangely at the ¡°Xilin¡± who appeared before her again, instinctively wanting to greet her, but quickly realizing that this person did not recognize her¨Cthis was no longer the same ¡°Xilin¡± who had accompanied her to the Silent Wall.


    But in that moment of hesitation, Sherry heard a second set of footsteps appearing behind the elf girl. She turned unexpectedly toward the direction of the sound, and a familiar figure, dressed in a black dress and holding a giant rabbit plush, appeared in her sight.


    ¡°Lucrecia¡­ Miss?¡±


    ¡°Sherry?¡± Lucrecia emerged from the woods, and upon seeing the familiar figure at the crossroads ahead, the ¡°Sea Witch¡± couldn¡¯t help but show a surprised expression, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±


    The unexpected meeting momentarily surprised both of them. Sherry, holding onto her dog, sized up the suddenly appearing ¡°Miss Witch¡± and then glanced at the elf girl standing beside her. After a moment, she cautiously took a half step back, ¡°Just to be safe¨C¡±


    Lucrecia also immediately spoke, ¡°Confirm identity.¡±


    Sherry quickly asked, ¡°Where was Alice¡¯s head at noon yesterday?¡±


    ¡°In the pot,¡± Lucrecia answered without hesitation, then quickly asked, ¡°What¡¯s my father¡¯s biggest hobby now?¡±


    ¡°Fishing, walking the dog, feeding pigeons¨Cconfirmed.¡±


    ¡°Um, confirmed,¡± Lucrecia also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, slightly lowering the ¡°baton¡± she was tightly holding in her hand, and casually placing the rabbit plushie she had been holding in her arms on the ground, ¡°This Dreamscape is very strange, it¡¯s always good to be more cautious.¡±


    Sherry nodded in agreement. Just then, the elf girl ¡°Xilin¡± finally spoke, ¡°You know each other?¡±


    ¡°Yes, friends,¡± Lucrecia casually answered.


    Sherry couldn¡¯t help but glance at the familiar face of the elf girl nearby with a somewhat complex expression, then quickly turned to Lucrecia and asked, ¡°Did you notice any traces of the Heretics on your way here?¡±


    ¡°Heretics?¡± Lucrecia frowned upon hearing this, ¡°I didn¡¯t notice¨Cdid you encounter them?¡±


    ¡°Not just the Heretics, I also ran into a bunch of Sun Scum,¡± Sherry said regretfully, ¡°Unfortunately, those Heretics managed to escape¡­¡±


    Then, she quickly shared her recent experiences with Lucrecia, including how she narrowly avoided being contaminated by a Sun Remnant and how the captain¡¯s Spiritual Fire appeared and resolved the crisis.


    However, she didn¡¯t mention the ¡°Xilin¡± who was with her, nor the unbelievable scene when that ¡°Xilin¡± turned into a small tree.


    Because another elf girl named ¡°Xilin¡± was standing right next to her, curiously listening to her exchange with Lucrecia.


    Before figuring out exactly what was going on with these ¡°Xilins,¡± it¡¯s best to avoid any unpredictable changes.


    ¡°As I followed them here with my dog, I was about to catch them, but they still managed to escape,¡± Sherry said, shaking her head regretfully after sharing her experiences, ¡°They had a ¡®Profound Demon¡¯ with them, a demon adept at hiding its presence and confounding senses; my dog isn¡¯t good at dealing with that sort of thing.¡±


    Lucrecia looked up thoughtfully at the forest scenery, which looked similar in every direction, and after pondering for a moment, she suddenly spoke, ¡°They can¡¯t have gone too far¡­ You just mentioned that they ran away after seeing the Spiritual Fire kill those Sun Remnants?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sherry nodded, ¡°They ran really fast, completely ignoring their ¡®allies.''¡±


    ¡°So, they were frightened by my father¡¯s flames, and they must have been filled with fear while running away, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Probably,¡± Sherry said uncertainly, a bit puzzled, ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡±


    Lucrecia didn¡¯t answer her but looked down at the rabbit plushie sitting on the ground, lost in thought: ¡°Rabi, I know you¡¯re listening.¡±


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    The rabbit plushie languidly shook its body, emitting a small murmuring complaint: ¡°Rabi doesn¡¯t like Heretics; their minds stink, and they have disgusting things¡­¡±


    Lucrecia didn¡¯t speak, just silently raised her baton in her hand.


    The rabbit plushie immediately stood up, patting the dirt off its body while continuously muttering, ¡°Okay, okay, Rabi understands, Rabi will find them¡­ You must remember to bring Rabi back!¡±


    ¡°Go¡­ while their hearts are still unsettled.¡±


    The rabbit plushie ¡°oh¡±ed, and then right in front of Sherry, it suddenly exploded with a bang, a rough, hand-drawn-style white smoke burst from within and rose, spreading instantly to envelop its comical yet terrifying figure¨Cas the smoke dispersed, the shape of the rabbit plushie also vanished from Sherry¡¯s sight.

 Chapter 597 - Chapter 597 Chapter 596 Family Inherited Fishing Talent

    Chapter 597: Chapter 596: Family Inherited Fishing Talent Chapter 597: Chapter 596: Family Inherited Fishing Talent Now, Sherry once again embarked on the journey toward the legendary ¡°Wall of Silence¡± ¨C with Lucricia by her side, guided by an elf girl named Xilin.


    They traversed through the dense forest woven with light and shadows, stepping upon the paths covered with fallen branches and leaves, crossing over thorns and bushes. Unfamiliar small beasts and birds chirped from the depths of the forest, only emphasizing the increasing desolation and chill within¨Cwatching the figure of ¡°Xilin¡± leading ahead, Sherry even momentarily had an illusion, feeling as if time had reversed, and she had returned to when she was trekking through the forest with her.


    Because everything looked unchanged, the forest always appeared the same, the sounds around were identical, and the two ¡°Xilins¡± looked exactly alike.


    Only the witch Miss walking beside her, who from time to time turned into colorful paper scraps to cover more ground, reminded Sherry that things had indeed changed.


    Now, Sherry had already told Lucricia all about the previous events without Xilin noticing, also sharing it with everyone entangled in the Dreamscape, including the captain who was operational outside the Dreamscape¨Cthe captain¡¯s preparations before entering the dream were quite effective, and the power of fire kept everyone connected, a link more useful than Sherry had imagined.


    Knowing the events that had occurred to ¡°another Xilin,¡± Lucricia couldn¡¯t help but feel differently when she looked at the elf girl walking ahead.


    The ¡°Xilin¡± who had traveled with Sherry eventually turned into a tree¡­ and before her complete transformation, she seemed to have something she wanted to tell Sherry¡­


    Would this ¡°Xilin¡± also suddenly turn into a tree?


    Nina and Morris also encountered a guide who claimed to be ¡°Xilin¡±; what about that ¡°Xilin¡±? Would she undergo the same transformation?


    After all, what exactly were these ¡°Xilins¡± that appeared in The Dream of the Nameless?


    At first, Lucricia thought ¡°Xilin¡± was a mental entity formed from the chaotic reassembly of the subconscious in this dreamscape, but now, various clues revealed her unimaginably special nature. This self-proclaimed ¡°Xilin¡± elf, the forest, and the entire ¡°The Dream of the Nameless¡± seemed to have incredibly complex connections, far beyond just a simple association between ¡°dream¡± and ¡°mental entity.¡±


    Her transformation into a tree might just be revealing the nature of these connections.


    The elf girl walking in front suddenly slowed her pace, turned her head back, looked at Lucricia and Sherry who had fallen far behind, and waved energetically, ¡°Hurry up, the forest is too dangerous right now¨Conce we reach the Wall of Silence, we can rest.¡±


    Lucricia glanced back at Sherry and A Dog, then they hastened their steps.


    As Sherry quickly caught up, she muttered under her breath, ¡°Can that big stuffed doll really find those elusive Heretics? I always feel it¡¯s not very reliable¡­¡±


    ¡°Rabi is sometimes dishonest, but as long as I give a clear order, there won¡¯t be any problems,¡± Lucricia said softly, ¡°Hunting in the dreamscape is what it does best, it will track them down, all the way into the real world, and then we can find out where those Heretics are really hiding.¡±


    ¡°¡­So what exactly is that big rabbit?¡± A Dog muttered aside, ¡°I smelled¡­ a human scent on it, it¡¯s definitely not some simple magical creation, not even a typical spirit or demonic creature, and it¡¯s not just it¨Cother things on your ship also give off that kind of feeling, which feels strange to me.¡±


    ¡°A human scent?¡± Lucricia glanced at A Dog, a hint of a smile appeared on her face, ¡°Ah, well-deserved of the Abyssal Hound, your perception is indeed sharp¡­ Yes, it¡¯s a human scent, the scent emitted from a part of my soul.¡±


    A Dog was suddenly stunned, ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. When I first encountered Rabi, it bit off a chunk from my soul, but it probably didn¡¯t expect that the bit of soul it took would forever deprive it of its freedom¨Cmany things on the Brilliant Starship are like this, they are dangerous entities from the border or the Spirit Realm, and they once thought of themselves as hunters, regarding me as the prey¡­ This is greatly convenient for me.¡±


    Lucricia spoke calmly, a faint smile on her face.


    ¡°I use my soul as bait, searching for servants in the border, souls cursed by Subspace are the best poison and binding, those who mistakenly thought they were hunters are ultimately bound by my soul, sewn into fabric, poured into bottles, carved into wood, becoming a part of the Brilliant Starship¨Cthese servants are necessary because I need assistants for my adventures in the border, and humans¡­ have too high a mortality rate.¡±


    After explaining, the sea witch looked down at A Dog, ¡°You¡¯re quite accurate in your perception, that ship is full of scattered ¡®human scents¡¯, there¡¯s really no need for such alarm.¡±


    A Dog and Sherry listened, seemingly stunned by Lucricia¡¯s description of these events, both ¡°people¡± were silent for a moment.


    Seeing their reaction, Lucricia just smiled, pleased with the silence from Sherry and A Dog, then turned her head and continued following Xilin¡¯s steps.


    Watching the ¡°Sea Witch¡± move ahead some distance, Sherry then shook the chain in her hand, though speaking through a mental link, she still couldn¡¯t help but lower her voice, ¡°A Dog, A Dog, is this what the captain meant by¡­ what was it called¡­ nesting? Is she using herself to nest?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like it,¡± A Dog also muttered softly through the mental link, ¡°The captain mentioned this when introducing fishing techniques to me.¡±


    ¡°Truly the captain¡¯s daughter¡­¡± Sherry couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Their whole family seems to be skilled at fishing¡­¡±


    ¡°Tyrion doesn¡¯t seem to be very skilled at it, does he?¡±


    ¡°But he hauled up so many submarines from the sea back then! Although he didn¡¯t fish them out with his own hands, he was still one of the managers¡­¡±


    ¡°Does that even count?¡±


    ¡°Just say whether they were hauled up from the sea or not!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan silently turned off the ¡°surveillance¡± on Sherry and Lucricia¡¯s side.


    He sat on a ¡°chair¡± sketched out of chaotic lines and colors, and couldn¡¯t help but have terms like ¡°nesting¡± and ¡°fishing¡± circulating in his mind. After a while, he slightly shifted his gaze to look at the ¡°mirror¡± drawn by irregular lines not far away, and muttered to the Agatha that appeared in the mirror, ¡°She can¡¯t remember serious knowledge, but when you talk about other things, she really connects the dots¨C if Sherry devoted even a tenth of this concentration to vocabulary, she wouldn¡¯t have to compete with Alice in grades like a pure simpleton.¡±


    Agatha hesitated for a few seconds before breaking the silence, ¡°Honestly, I think Miss Lucricia has very impressive ¡®fishing skills¡¯¡­¡±


    Duncan waved his hand, ¡°Regardless, we don¡¯t need to worry about Sherry and Lucricia for now. Coming together is much safer than acting alone, and perhaps that rabbit named Rabi really can catch those elusive heretics. What¡¯s more important now¡­is this ship.¡±


    He got up from the chair, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding chaotic piles of colors and lines, discerning the contours of the room amidst the lines¨Cafter initially adapting to the dazzling chaos here, he had recognized many familiar things.


    Basic furnishings like beds and tables were all available, and they generally corresponded to the ¡°correct¡± locations in the real world. However, when it came to specific details such as the items currently placed on the table or the decorations on the wall, there were only vague and chaotic color patches.


    As Duncan concluded: the goat head from the real world dared not peek into the true situation inside the captain¡¯s quarters. It might have merely caught a glimpse of the general appearance inside when the captain opened the door. Those vague impressions formed the chaotic lines and color blocks of this room;


    Outside this room, the Homeloss was almost perfectly recreated one-to-one¨Cthat was because the real world¡¯s goat head was profoundly familiar with the Homeloss, except for the captain¡¯s quarters.


    This eerie ¡°Homeloss¡± was transformed from the ¡°shadow¡± of the real Homeloss, but they are not simply translated to one another. In this transformation process, the goat head¡¯s ¡°cognition¡± and ¡°memory¡± played a critical role.


    It was evident: this ship was the Dreamscape of his ¡°first mate¡±¨Ceven though the goat head had no idea he was dreaming.


    But this was also Silantis¡¯s Dreamscape¨Cat least, there was some sort of ¡°link¡± between here and Silantis¡¯s Dreamscape.


    Duncan raised his hand, and a cluster of small flames appeared in front of him in the air, rippling outwards like water waves, rapidly spreading in all directions, but then it stopped upon touching the edges of this ¡°chaotic room,¡± reflecting back like ripples.


    This was the result of Duncan¡¯s ¡°tests¡± in here for some time.


    In this ¡°room unrecognized by the goat head,¡± he could freely summon his flames without worrying about startling Silantis like last time. But outside this room, he could only manipulate the flames he had ¡°mapped¡± onto the ship in advance; any additional fire might awaken Silantis and cause The Dream of the Nameless to end prematurely.


    So¡­ was there a safe way to both fully control this ship and establish further contact with Silantis without ¡°scaring¡± Silantis like last time and avoiding Silantis¡¯s ¡°resistance¡±?


    Lost in thought, Duncan looked up toward the room¡¯s exit.


    Maybe he was overthinking it¨Cthis could be a very simple matter.


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    After a moment of hesitation, he instructed Agatha to stay temporarily in this ¡°safe room,¡± then stepped out of the room.


    The dazed ¡°goat head¡± was still daydreaming by the navigation desk, showing no reaction to Duncan¡¯s appearance¨CDuncan walked straight past it, past the chart room, out the captain¡¯s chamber door, and followed the familiar route in his memory to the stairs at the rear side of the captain¡¯s quarters, arriving on the aft deck.


    In the boundless darkness and the slowly drifting fog, an object appeared in Duncan¡¯s view, seemingly quietly waiting for him, and it had been waiting for a long time.


    It was the Homeloss¡¯s helm.


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s necessary to take the helm again.¡±

 Chapter 598 - Chapter 598 Chapter 597 Flow of Light

    Chapter 598: Chapter 597: Flow of Light Chapter 598: Chapter 597: Flow of Light Since discovering the eerie Homeloss navigating through endless darkness and fog, Duncan had cautiously refrained from attempting to take control of its helm.


    Because he couldn¡¯t determine the true nature of the ship, nor what reactions his taking control might provoke.


    But now, he knew that the ship was a shadow of the Homeloss, an inadvertent ¡°entry into a dream¡± by the mountain goat head had caused this transformation, alleviating many of his concerns.


    It was time to let the ship navigating in the Dreamscape know who the true captain was.


    Duncan slowly made his way to the steering platform at the stern deck, his steps crossing the nearby iron hooks and ropes¨Csilently coiling in the darkness, while the dark-colored helm at the center of the platform subtly swayed left and right, as if, even in this dream world, it was fine-tuning the rudder as if the goat head still dutifully controlled the course.


    Duncan approached the helm, took a deep breath, and couldn¡¯t help but recall the first time he had stood at the control panel and placed his hand on the helm.


    Temporarily casting aside irrelevant thoughts, he reached out and slowly grasped the wooden handle on the edge of the helm-wheel¨Cthe smooth, icy sensation transmitted through, accompanied by a slight resistance.


    Duncan disregarded the resistance emanating from the Dreamscape. He marshaled the protective ¡°Spectral Flames¡± that had boarded the ship earlier, ordering them to converge towards the steering platform, tightening his grip on the helm.


    Within a second, wisps and strands of flame miraculously appeared in the darkness. The Spectral Flames instantly ignited the steering platform at the stern. Duncan¡¯s body transformed into a translucent Spiritual Body within the flames, the entire platform, including the helm, momentarily engulfed in fire!


    In an instant, Duncan felt the ship changing under his hands, feeling it solidify in his mind with a clear structure, just like the real Homeloss¨Che sensed its deck, its mast, every sail and every line, as well as the chambers and corridors shrouded in darkness and secrecy below deck.


    The whole ship emitted creaking and groaning sounds; this Homeloss, formed from shadows and shaped by the power of the Dreamscape, seemed to suddenly wake up. It finally recognized its captain, and every part of the ship seemed to cheer, even previously still ropes and barrels beginning to sway in the dark.


    And then, as the sails of the Spiritual Body began to fill, Duncan felt the originally slowly drifting Ghost Ship begin to accelerate as if it had a destination in mind, starting to sail in a certain direction through the dark.


    Duncan, surprised by the changes in the ship, especially its sudden acceleration in the darkness, had barely begun to sense what lay ahead when a voice suddenly infiltrated his mind from nowhere: ¡°¡­Who¡¯s there?¡±


    It was a somewhat naive female voice, carrying a tone of being half-asleep, bewildered and vague, its presence ubiquitous in the darkness. The moment Duncan heard the voice, he saw lights and shadows emerge before his eyes. Immediately after, a massive structure loomed from the dark ahead, with dim mystical lights appearing in the direction of travel!


    It appeared to be a huge vortex, yet within the vortex, countless structures resembling vines or branches could be seen. Endless vines and branches surged from ahead of the Homeloss, in a blink covering almost every inch of space outside the ship¡¯s side. Before Duncan¡¯s eyes, the massive plant structure occupied all his vision, continually extending and moving back as the Homeloss sailed.


    The sensation was as if the ship had suddenly ¡°flown¡± into a ¡°tunnel¡± woven from some massive plant structure. Vines and branches intertwined to form the walls and vault of the tunnel, bringing an immense sense of oppression. Meanwhile, countless tiny lights emerged along those vines, converging like water.


    These ¡°lights¡± eventually made contact with the Homeloss, continuously approaching Duncan on the stern deck. Something seemed to be gathering within the lights, yet it never formed a clear shape. They just kept converging, drawing closer as if searching for something.


    Duncan, amidst the overwhelming visual pressure and mysterious glow, gripped the helm tightly. He controlled himself, determined not to leave the steering platform no matter what happened. Watching the dark vines and branches move outside the ship¡¯s side, he felt the Homeloss¡¯s speed gradually decrease as if invisible resistance was slowing the ship down. Then, those wandering lights finally converged near him, and he again heard that naive, child-like voice¨C


    ¡°Who¡¯s there? Who¡¯s that?¡±


    Duncan stared intently at the lights as they came near, aimlessly wandering around the control platform, listening to the voice echoing in his mind.


    ¡°Have you returned? Saslouka¡­ have you come home? It¡¯s been so long since you left¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t see you¡­ where are you? Can I open my eyes yet? Is it all over?


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t open my eyes, Saslouka, I¡¯m a bit scared, I can¡¯t see anything¡­ but something is coming¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve protected them all, I built a wall, you can see them when you return¡­ but I can¡¯t see you, are you there? Have you come back?¡±


    The light continuously called out, wandering and gathering around the control platform, then dispersing into a chaotic flux. Several times, the dim light even flowed near the helm, even touching Duncan¡¯s cuffs and the hem of his clothes.


    However, ¡°she¡± seemed unaware of Duncan¡¯s presence.


    ¡°She¡± couldn¡¯t see anything, as if¡­ the owner of the voice was in a different dimension from Duncan, existing in a different space-time.


    Duncan watched the wandering streams of light, listening to the voic¡­


    Afterward, the faint light penetrated his arm, and the warmth it brought faded away as well, moving toward the stern of the ship as if it were from another dimension.


    But in that instant of contact, Duncan knew, or rather ¡°confirmed,¡± the name of this light and sound¨Cshe was Silantis, the World Tree of the Elves.


    The name was directly imprinted into Duncan¡¯s mind in the form of information, as if presenting¡­ the contaminative nature of knowledge.


    Duncan was stunned for a moment, and then he felt a sudden vibration from the deck under his feet.


    The next second, the tremor spread throughout the whole ship, and the ¡°Homeloss,¡± sailing in the dark mist, began to shake violently. The Spectral Sails rapidly extinguished in the darkness, the deck cracked in myriad lines, and everything that made up the ship began to fade and disintegrate¨Ceven the helm in Duncan¡¯s hands started to lose its solid feel.


    Duncan paused, then realized what was happening¨C


    The stability of the Dreamscape was declining. The moment of ¡°awakening¡± was upon them.


    But this time he had avoided the flames¡¯ aggravation toward Silantis, and during their recent contact, he hadn¡¯t felt any precursor to Silantis¡¯s ¡°awakening¡±¡­ So why was the stability of the Dreamscape still rapidly declining?


    ¡­


    The sudden, chaotic wind in the desert startled Fenna from her contemplation; she abruptly stood up from behind the sheltering rocks and looked toward the direction of the sweeping sandstorm.


    The sandstorm rose like a barrier in the distance, and amid the dust and mist, everything quickly became blurred, the jagged boulders appearing ethereal and distorted as if they might vanish from this world at any moment.


    After a brief moment of astonishment, Fenna received a message from the captain¨C


    The stability of ¡°The Dream of the Nameless¡± was declining, and this Dreamscape was coming to an end.


    The flying dust and the continuously twisting and fading horizon signaled that the boundary of the Dreamscape was swiftly drawing near.


    Fenna sharply turned, looking toward the campfire on the opposite side, which was about to extinguish.


    The ancient giant was lifting his head, his deep-set eyes ablaze with tranquil flames.


    ¡°Traveler, it looks like it¡¯s time to say goodbye.¡±


    Fenna hesitated for a moment, then suddenly reacted, ¡°How do you¡­ know¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what is going to happen, but I can feel a journey temporarily coming to an end. You are leaving, aren¡¯t you?¡± the giant spoke gently, slowly rising from the pile of stones, his figure towering like a spire in the wind, looking calmly into Fenna¡¯s eyes, ¡°You don¡¯t belong to this ruined world¨Cyou have life in you, and this world hasn¡¯t seen life in a long time.¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words¨Cat this brief moment before the Dreamscape awoke, it seemed she only had time for goodbyes.


    The giant smiled, bending down to pick up the uniquely shaped long staff.


    Fenna noticed, on the surface of the ¡°walking stick,¡± taller than the giant himself, a few more symbols had appeared.


    They were letters, carrying an inexplicable sense of familiarity¡­ For a moment, she even felt she could understand them, but in the next second, the meaning of those words faded from her mind like flowing water.


    They were characters she didn¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°Traveler, perhaps we will meet again,¡± the giant¡¯s voice came from above, breaking Fenna¡¯s trance, ¡°and it might be quite soon.¡±


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    Fenna flinched, ¡°Why?¡±


    The giant pointed towards the staff, ¡°Because there¡¯s a phrase here I haven¡¯t finished engraving.¡±


    Fenna blinked and was about to ask something, but the sandstorm aggressively rushed toward her from behind¨CIn the suddenly rising dust storm, her world rapidly shook and crumbled.


    The next second, the world reconstructed itself, transforming into the familiar living room, the familiar dining table, and the familiar rooftop.


    And those familiar faces reappeared before her.

 Chapter 599 - Chapter 599 Chapter 598 Tiered Space-Time

    Chapter 599: Chapter 598: Tiered Space-Time Chapter 599: Chapter 598: Tiered Space-Time Near Light Breeze Harbor, far from the main shipping lanes and covered in a thin mist, the massive and majestic silhouette of the Homeloss moved slowly through the fog.


    Then, suddenly, the surface of the sea started to ripple as if in a dream, and the reflection of the Ghost Ship fluctuated with the waves. For an extremely brief moment, it seemed as if the reflection would solidify out of the water, but the next moment, everything returned to normal.


    Inside the captain¡¯s cabin, the wooden goat¡¯s head carved at the edge of the navigation desk suddenly turned its head in confusion. Accompanied by a slight creaking sound from its base, it raised its head and looked around, only to mutter doubtfully after a long while, ¡°Why do I feel something strange just happened¡­¡±


    In the corner of the room, on the wall hung an old oval mirror where layers of black mist had begun to swirl at some unknown time, and Agatha¡¯s figure stood within the mirror, quietly observing the goat¡¯s head on the table.


    Finally noticing the gaze from beside it, the goat¡¯s head immediately turned and yelled in surprise after seeing Agatha, ¡°Hey¡­ you startled me! What are you looking at me for so early in the morning?¡±


    As it spoke, it shook its head again, as if suddenly remembering something, ¡°Oh right, Miss Agatha, where were you last night? I didn¡¯t feel your presence on the ship¡­ Aren¡¯t you supposed to roam around the mirrors at night?¡±


    But Agatha didn¡¯t answer the goat¡¯s head¡¯s question immediately. Instead, she continued to quietly observe the ¡°first mate¡¯s¡± every move for a long while before breaking the silence, ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel anything last night? Didn¡¯t you notice anything unusual when I left?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the goat¡¯s head paused, slowly grasping her meaning, ¡°wait, what do you mean¡­ Did something happen again last night?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the captain will probably come looking for you soon,¡± Agatha frowned slightly and nodded, then asked again, ¡°You just said you felt something strange? What was it?¡±


    The goat¡¯s head took a moment to realize that she was referring to the murmur it had just said to itself. Although not understanding why the usually calm and composed former ¡°gatekeeper¡± was acting so oddly this morning, it answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to describe it, just¡­ a shiver? It felt like I was lost in thought and suddenly someone tapped my shoulder¡­¡±


    Agatha looked puzzledly at the goat¡¯s head, ¡°¡­you have shoulders?¡±


    ¡°That means someone tapped my head¨CIt¡¯s just a figure of speech, you understand,¡± the goat¡¯s head continued shaking its head, ¡°I might have been distracted while steering just now. There was a bit of a wave on the sea, shook me awake¡­¡±


    ¡°There haven¡¯t been any waves on the sea, it¡¯s been completely calm¨Conly ripples arose in the Dreamscape,¡± Agatha shook her head, ¡°You were dreaming just now.¡±


    The goat¡¯s head was stunned for a few seconds before letting out: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡­


    Looking at the city streets that had returned to normal in the morning light, Duncan furrowed his brows slightly, wearing a thoughtful expression.


    The two mannequins stood silently behind him.


    After pondering for an unknown length of time, Duncan muttered softly, ¡°It seems no matter how long one stays ¡®on the other side¡¯ or in what way the Dream of the Nameless comes to an end, the time in the real world always remains in the early morning after ¡®waking up¡¯¡­¡±


    Alice turned her head to look at Luny, then back at the captain, scratching her head in some confusion, ¡°Ah¡­ did you stay ¡®over there¡¯ for a long time this time?¡±


    ¡°From the feel of it, the time I spent in that dark, foggy space was almost twice as long as the last time¨Cuntil the Dreamscape startled me awake again,¡± Duncan nodded slowly, ¡°And it appears that the time in the real world still corresponds to the previous instances, still at the moment when the sun has just risen. This is quite in line with the patterns of dreaming.¡±


    He paused, organizing his words while explaining to Alice, ¡°The passage of time felt in dreams is chaotic¨Ca second and a thousand years might feel the same, and in the real world, it might have just been a moment, calibrated precisely at the moment of awakening.¡±


    Alice thought for a moment, then shook her head in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, it¡¯s not important,¡± Duncan smiled, pushing the jumbled thoughts from his mind and stepped forward to ruffle Alice¡¯s hair, ¡°Let¡¯s head back first. This exploration¡­ yielded a lot.¡±


    Taking the two mannequins with him, Duncan soon returned to the ¡°Witch¡¯s Mansion¡± located at No. 99 Crown Street, where his crew had already returned from the Dreamscape and gathered in the living room.


    When Duncan entered the living room, Fenna, Morris, and others had already begun discussing their respective experiences in The Dream of the Nameless.


    Unlike the previous time when everyone had fallen into the Dreamscape unexpectedly, this time¡¯s ¡°entry into the dream¡± was preemptive, and the ¡°temporary marks¡± Duncan left with flames ensured that the crew could exchange basic information within The Dream of the Nameless. Therefore, after waking from the dream, they didn¡¯t need to spend extra time explaining their individual encounters and could focus on exploring various clues.


    Duncan¡¯s arrival interrupted the crew¡¯s conversation. Morris and the others stood up, saluting the captain¨CNina quickly rushed up, looking particularly joyful, ¡°Uncle Duncan!¡±


    Duncan gently hugged Nina, then scanned the living room. He saw Lucrecia sitting on the sofa across the coffee table with a rather strange expression. He smiled and spread his hands, ¡°Would you like a hug too?¡±


    ¡°The Sea Witch¡± thought for a moment and shook her head, ¡°No.¡±


    Duncan smiled, sat down in his spot, and quickly resumed a serious expression, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to the point¨Clet¡¯s skip the basic information exchange. What we need to discuss now concerns two new developments.


    ¡°The first is the ¡®Xilin¡¯ that appeared before Sherry, Morris, and Nina.


    ¡°The second is the ¡®giant¡¯ who claims to be a deity, whom Fenna encountered.¡±


    He looked up, his gaze falling on Morris.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear your thoughts first, Morris.¡±


    ¡°The appearance of multiple ¡®Xilins¡¯ in the dream indicates that we need to adjust our previous judgment about ¡®Xilin¡¯,¡± Morris removed his monocle and wiped it as he spoke, ¡°We previously judged that ¡®Xilin¡¯ was merely a mental entity appearing in The Dream of the Nameless, akin to a ¡®native inhabitant.¡¯ Her movements weren¡¯t closely related to the operation of the Dreamscape, but now it seems that¡¯s not the case¡­


    ¡°When we exceed a certain range or duration of activity in the Dreamscape, a ¡®Xilin¡¯ appears around us and tries to guide us to a place called the ¡®Silent Wall.¡¯ This ¡®guidance¡¯ could be a mechanism of The Dream of the Nameless itself.


    ¡°In other words, the ¡®Xilin¡¯ named elf could actually be an embodiment of certain rules within The Dream of the Nameless¨Cnot a mental entity, but a mechanism. When the conditions are right, it gets triggered, and it might disappear when conditions change.¡±


    Morris said, then his gaze fell on Sherry.


    The ¡°disappearance¡± the old scholar referred to clearly pointed to the ¡®Xilin¡¯ who had been with Sherry¨Cshe had turned into a tree.


    ¡°As for the specific rules that trigger and end this ¡®appearance,¡¯ it might take several tests to summarize them, or it might never be summarized,¡± Morris put his monocle back on and continued, ¡°But one thing is for certain: ¡®Xilin¡¯s¡¯ appearance is benevolent towards us ¡®visitors¡¯ and malevolent towards the Heretics who invade the Dreamscape, calling the invaders ¡®the impure.¡¯ This probably represents the ¡®judgment¡¯ or ¡®stance¡¯ of The Dream of the Nameless. This is good news for us.¡±


    Duncan listened to the old man¡¯s analysis, silently nodding, then focused his gaze on Fenna.


    ¡°So, what do you think about that ¡®giant,¡¯ Fenna?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m clueless,¡± Fenna thought for a moment, then shook her head candidly, ¡°I¡¯ve recalled everything that ¡®giant¡¯ told me, but I can¡¯t find anything that corresponds to the myths and historical records of the real world, not even in the relatively complete cultural heritage of the Elves¡­¡±


    ¡°Even the Elves¡¯ ¡®heritage¡¯ is just relatively intact. If that giant comes from before the Great Annihilation, it¡¯s quite normal that we can¡¯t find any corresponding clues in the modern records,¡± Lucrecia shook her head, ¡°The key issue is, what exactly is the relationship between that giant, his sandy desert, and the ¡®Elves¡¯?¡±


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    The ¡°Witch¡± looked up into Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Miss Fenna, you didn¡¯t see any hint of forests in that desert, nor did you hear anything related to Elves from the giant, did you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, absolutely nothing,¡± Fenna confirmed decisively.


    ¡°That ¡®Xilin¡¯ named elf also doesn¡¯t know what a desert is, and the only connection to the ¡®giant¡¯ is through the description of the creator Saslouka¨Cshe said Saslouka is a deity without a fixed form, who can transform into a deer, a goat, or a giant, but this connection seems far-fetched to me,¡± Lucrecia pondered aloud, ¡°So, the current situation is that Fenna and the rest of us seem to have been split into two different ¡®timespaces.¡¯ The environments we face, the people we meet, and the information we hear are completely different, yet these two ¡®timespaces¡¯ are undeniably connected¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, at the very least, both ¡®timespaces¡¯ are undoubtedly part of The Dream of the Nameless,¡± Morris immediately nodded, his face thoughtful. After pondering for a moment, he slowly spoke, ¡°Then we need to figure out one thing: Is the vast divergence between these two timespaces due to spatial discontinuity or temporal discontinuity?¡±

 Chapter 600 - Chapter 600 Chapter 599 The Awakening Mechanism

    Chapter 600: Chapter 599: The Awakening Mechanism Chapter 600: Chapter 599: The Awakening Mechanism It turned out that a true veteran scholar, when considering problems, indeed thought differently from ordinary people.


    The question that Morris had posed in his musings almost instantly illuminated many people¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°One major premise is, the ¡®desert¡¯ seen by Fenna and the ¡®forest¡¯ seen by others are both part of The Dream of the Nameless. Under this major premise, these two ¡®places¡¯ have two possibilities,¡± Morris said slowly while sitting on the sofa, ¡°Either the ¡®desert¡¯ and ¡®forest¡¯ exist at different locations at the same moment, or they are in the same location at different times¨Ceither way, they should not be two completely independent systems. Time and space, at least one of them should be interconnected.¡±


    Nina followed the old man¡¯s train of thought and suddenly asked with curiosity, ¡°Why can¡¯t they be both at different locations and at different times?¡±


    ¡°Because they are in the same ¡®Dreamscape¡¯,¡± Morris explained, ¡°It¡¯s impossible for a dreamscape to have two or more completely independent time-space systems; otherwise, those would be two unrelated dreams¨Cat least, my current knowledge doesn¡¯t support that hypothesis.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Nina drew out the word, nodding her head, seemingly understanding but not quite.


    Duncan was still pondering the two scenarios Morris had just mentioned, repeatedly simulating in his mind what each model¨C¡®the same location at different times¡¯ and ¡®different locations at the same moment¡¯¨Ccould correspond to among known clues. After a good while, he put this complex issue aside and spoke up, ¡°I should remind you that aside from the ¡®desert¡¯ and ¡®forest¡¯, there is also a ¡®place¡¯ that is adrift at the boundary of reality. It is not part of the Dreamscape, but it is evidently a part of The Dream of the Nameless.¡±


    ¡°That dark space filled with mist, where the reflection of the Homeloss sails among it,¡± Morris immediately replied with sincerity, ¡°I have also been considering this. What part of The Dream of the Nameless does that dark mist you saw correspond to?


    ¡°The most likely guess at the moment is that it lies on the border of ¡®almost awake but not yet awake¡¯. On that Homeloss, you can touch the echoes of Silantis, but you cannot directly see the situation in the Dreamscape. This is very much in line with the characteristics of the dream boundary. Clearly, however, The Dream of the Nameless has a ¡®boundary¡¯ of considerable scale, allowing even a ship to wander aimlessly within it¡­¡±


    Duncan recalled the ¡°streaming light¡± he had seen on board the reflected Homeloss, as well as the voice from Silantis he¡¯d heard within that light, his expression gradually revealing a thoughtful look.


    The reflected Homeloss belonged to the Dream of the Goat¡¯s Head, sailing on the borders of Silantis¡¯s dream. Silantis seemed to be waiting there for Saslouka, yet the Goat¡¯s Head in the Dreamscape told Duncan that Saslouka was dead, long, long ago¡­


    After pondering for a moment, Duncan shook his head. Following that, he noticed a small discrepancy on the scene; his gaze involuntarily fell on Lucresia, ¡°Where is Rabi?¡±


    ¡°You finally noticed,¡± Lucresia said with a slight smile on her face, ¡°Rabi didn¡¯t come back. It has jumped into another dreamscape and should still be chasing those prey.¡±


    Duncan was stunned for a moment before he grasped the implication behind Lucresia¡¯s words.


    That eerie rabbit doll had truly tracked down those heretics?


    ¡°It will crawl out of the heretics¡¯ nightmares and then leave coordinates in the real world sufficient to summon you. I have ordered Rabi to leave some alive,¡± Lucresia continued, ¡°Rest assured, it is still reliable in these matters.¡±


    Duncan slowly nodded his head.


    And just then, it was as if he suddenly heard something, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, looking towards the side table.


    He reached out and gently brushed the tabletop where a ghostly green flame spread like a phantom across the table. The outline sketched by the flames immediately took on a mirror-like texture¨CAgatha¡¯s figure gradually emerged from within the mirror.


    ¡°Agatha,¡± Duncan said to the lady appearing in the mirror, ¡°Is there a situation on board?¡±


    ¡°I might have found what caused The Dream of the Nameless to ¡®startle awake¡¯ this time, on the first mate,¡± Agatha nodded quickly, ¡°If possible, I hope you can come back for a bit.¡±


    ¡­


    Around the seas of Light Breeze Harbor, a portal of fiery flames suddenly opened on the deck of the sailing Homeloss; shortly thereafter, Duncan and Alice stepped out from the portal.


    Duncan turned around, glancing at Alice who had naturally followed him back.


    The doll casually followed and, upon seeing Duncan looking at her, she showed off her signature happy smile, ¡°Hehe¨CI came along again!¡±


    Duncan sighed in resignation, gesturing to the doll, ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll go check the situation in the captain¡¯s cabin; you go back to the cargo hold where the food is stored and check on the barrels that had issues before.¡±


    ¡°Aye! Alright, Captain!¡±


    Alice happily set off as if she was carrying a tremendous mission, while Duncan watched the doll-like figure depart before he tugged at the corner of his mouth and walked towards the captain¡¯s cabin.


    Upon opening the door, he immediately saw the goat¡¯s head at the edge of the navigation table swiftly turning its head toward him, its pitch-black obsidian eyes staring straight at him. And not far from it on the wall, the figure of Agatha¨Cordinarily calm and reliable¨Cappeared within an antique oval mirror, looking exhausted and even displaying a sense of utter despair.


    Duncan was taken aback by Agatha¡¯s worn and desperate appearance, but before he could ask about the situation, he was suddenly assaulted by the goat¡¯s head¡¯s raucous noise:


    ¡°Captain, at last you have come! Your loyal servant¨Chere omitted long wait¨Chas been waiting for so long! Is what Agatha said true? Did The Dream of the Nameless appear again last night? And you saw another goat¡¯s head just like me? She also said that the eerie Homeloss emerged from my dreams, but I don¡¯t even know I can dream. She mentioned that because of my ¡®startle,¡¯ The Dream of the Nameless was awakened, and it interrupted your mission, but I have no clue what happened¨Cyou must believe me, I didn¡¯t mean to keep it a secret from anyone; you know last night¡­¡±


    Duncan felt in that instant as if the droning buzz condensed into a tangible wall and came crashing down on him, the relentless prattle roaring in his ears like a drill at work; it wasn¡¯t until several minutes later that he finally snapped out of it and hastily waved his hand: ¡°Stop! Shut up!¡±


    The goat¡¯s head fell silent immediately, but from the spot where its neck met the base came a weird ¡°crack¡±¨Cas if the preceding tirade had been so forceful that even putting the brakes on the conversation could produce a sound.


    Then, Duncan heard a sigh of immense relief coming from the mirror next to him, as if Agatha had received a reprieve: ¡°It¡¯s finally over¡­¡±


    Duncan cast a strange look at the lady in the mirror.


    ¡°As per your instructions, I didn¡¯t hide what happened last night from the first mate,¡± Agatha reported to the captain with a weary face, ¡°And then this happened¨Cbefore you came, it kept repeating itself to me, over and over. I couldn¡¯t hide anywhere without hearing its incessant chatter, chatter, chatter¡­ I¡¯ve encountered a disgruntled spirit in the Frost Graveyard who rose from the dead out of resentment three days after being wrongfully accused and losing its family and home, and it wasn¡¯t nearly as nagging as this! It made more noise in one minute than twenty old women complaining about bread price increases at the town center!¡±


    With that, Agatha added with a mix of sadness and anger: ¡°And it wouldn¡¯t shut up when I told it to! It only listens to you!¡±


    Duncan finally understood why Agatha had that ¡°I¡¯d rather have died in the vast caverns beneath Frost¡± expression on her face when he entered.


    It took him great effort to control his expression, as he attempted to comfort her with a firm face: ¡°¡­You¡¯ve done well.¡±


    Agatha sighed, and her figure in the mirror split into several pieces, indicating her mental state was fractured and she no longer wished to think or respond.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He thought he probably shouldn¡¯t have instilled so many bizarre concepts into his crew; they were even more abstract than the abstract terms when carrying out certain tasks.


    Ignoring Agatha, who was in a fragmented state, Duncan turned his attention back to the goat¡¯s head.


    The black wooden carving was staring straight at him, its wooden face slightly twisted, perhaps from holding back too much to say.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Duncan emphasized first, then he got serious, ¡°Secondly, everything Agatha said is true.¡±


    The goat¡¯s head twitched, opening and closing its mouth several times before finally managing to say: ¡°I¡­ Did I really conjure a reflection of the Homeloss in my sleep that became the ship you saw in that dark space?¡±


    ¡°Alternatively,¡± Duncan calmly looked into the eyes of the goat¡¯s head, ¡°When night falls on Light Breeze Harbor, your dreams set sail on the edges of The Dream of the Nameless.¡±


    The goat¡¯s head¡¯s neck creaked and rattled with its struggle: ¡°But I really didn¡¯t know¡­ I was consciously steering, and the ship¡¯s log recorded Homeloss¡¯s cruising path with no deviation from my memory¡­¡±


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    Agatha¡¯s voice suddenly emerged from the side: ¡°Then how do you explain that ¡®startle¡¯ of yours in the morning?¡±


    The goat¡¯s head fell silent again.


    Duncan, however, looked up at the oval mirror on the wall.


    Agatha, who had been split into pieces just moments ago, was now back together and looking earnestly in this direction.


    ¡°After breaking away from The Dream of the Nameless, the first thing I did was come back here,¡± Agatha said, ¡°I witnessed the first mate waking up from some sort of¡­ absent minded state. It claimed it was just daydreaming, but I¡¯m certain that the reflection of the Homeloss returned precisely when it ¡®woke up¡¯¨Cif I¡¯m not mistaken, this must also be the reason why The Dream of the Nameless was ¡®awakened.¡¯


    ¡°So I guess, whether it¡¯s Silantis or the ¡®first mate,¡¯ as long as one of them awakens, The Dream of the Nameless ends.¡±

 Chapter 601 - Chapter 601 Chapter 600 Traces of a Dream

    Chapter 601: Chapter 600: Traces of a Dream Chapter 601: Chapter 600: Traces of a Dream Agatha could traverse shadows and mirrors in an instant. At the end of ¡°The Dream of the Nameless,¡± she could return to the Homeloss in the real world and observe changes at the edge of the reflection boundary¨CDuncan had no doubts about her abilities.


    ¡°As long as Silantis and the goat-headed one awaken, ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ will end¡­¡± Duncan frowned slightly, carefully pondering the hypothesis Agatha had just put forward, ¡°Does that mean that ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ is actually ¡®sustained¡¯ by both Silantis and the goat head?¡±


    ¡°Or rather, it¡¯s their shared dreamscape,¡± said Agatha earnestly, ¡°This could also explain why that ¡®reflected Homeloss¡¯ sails on the edge of Silantis¡¯s Dreamscape.¡±


    Duncan did not speak for a moment, silently organizing his thoughts.


    After a while, he suddenly broke the silence, ¡°So, as you said, the reason why ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ ended prematurely this time was because my first mate was ¡®awakened¡¯¨Cbut what caused it to be ¡®awakened¡¯?¡±


    Agatha thought for a moment, then spoke uncertainly, ¡°Perhaps¡­ it has something to do with your last act of steering?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brows knit together slightly, ¡°Steering?¡±


    ¡°This time you carefully controlled your flame, and by embedding the flame prematurely into the reflection of the Homeloss, you left a safe kindling on that ¡®Ship in the Dream¡¯, indeed avoiding ¡®startling¡¯ Silantis. However, to that ¡®Ship in the Dream¡¯, you are still an ¡®Outsider¡¯,¡± Agatha shared her speculation, ¡°Do you remember? You touched that vine in Light Breeze Harbor, forcibly intervening from the ¡®outside¡¯ into that dark foggy space¡­¡±


    As Agatha spoke, Duncan listened, and the goat-headed one kept turning its head back and forth, looking at the captain and then at Agatha. As the most directly involved party in the whole affair, it was the most confused on the scene. But now it finally understood Agatha¡¯s point, and quickly looked towards Duncan, ¡°Captain, my loyalty is beyond question! You are the rightful master of the Homeloss, even in my dreams¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, but the problem isn¡¯t with you,¡± Duncan interrupted the goat head before it could finish babbling and waved his hand, ¡°It¡¯s the intrinsic property of the dreamscape¨Cit repels ¡®intrusion¡¯.¡±


    At this, he paused for a while, then continued thinking aloud, ¡°It seems that unless one is dragged directly into the dreamscape and becomes part of ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ like Fenna and the others, any attempt to connect with ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ from the outside world will cause this kind of ¡®rejection¡¯, either waking Silantis or waking you¡­¡±


    The goat head lifted its head, its wooden face surprisingly showing a human-like perplexity, ¡°So what do we do? Captain, you know that I don¡¯t even realize when I am dreaming, I can¡¯t control that¡­¡±


    ¡°You might not be able to control it, but the matter in itself might not be difficult,¡± Duncan mused, ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea¡­ We might be able to test it tonight.¡±


    ¡­


    Lucricia frowned, looking at Taran El busily rummaging through a pile of ¡°miscellaneous items¡± in the laboratory. After a long time, she finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°You sent apprentices to my house early in the morning to call me here, just to show me how messy your lab is? You¡¯ve been ¡®excavating¡¯ in this pile of cluttered machinery and paper for half an hour¡­ Did I mention I am busy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost ready, it¡¯s almost ready. There¡¯s a whole bunch of data here that needs to be compiled¡­¡± Taran El lifted his head from behind a machine with a black shell, his hair disheveled and smudged with grease, ¡°I¡¯ve improved all these devices myself, and as it turns out, there¡¯s still much room for improvement in terms of convenience¡­ Oh, I finally got this paper box undone, this is the last one¡­¡±


    The elf scholar muttered, finally emerging from the bewildering array of machines and equipment, holding a stack of printouts, paper tapes, and films, and brought them over to Lucricia. He placed the pile on the table, continuing to talk without looking up, ¡°Yes, I know you¡¯re busy because Light Breeze Harbor is shrouded in a massive anomaly, and both you and your father are running around for it¨Cappreciate the hustle, but we ¡®locals¡¯ should do something too, even if we haven¡¯t found a way to combat that ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ yet¡­¡±


    Lucricia¡¯s expression finally turned serious; she temporarily forgot the displeasure of being interrupted at work and rushed out early in the morning. She approached the scholar¡¯s desk, looking at various records, ¡°So, this is your effort to fight that ¡®Dreamscape¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just me trying; many departments, many colleagues, and other institutions in the city, the knowledge guards, and the peacekeepers, we¡¯re all looking for solutions¨Cwe might not be as powerful as your father, but a clumsy method is still a method¡­ right, this part is my contribution.¡±


    Taran El spoke, pulling out a long strip of paper tape from the pile of records and laying it in front of Lucricia.


    ¡°This is the record of my vital signs and sleep patterns from last night.¡±


    Lucricia¡¯s expression shifted subtly as she took the paper tape from him, looking seriously at the jumping curves and a series of punched records¨Cshe noticed that this was some kind of automatic data output from a punch card recorder, which showed very distinct ¡°gaps.¡±


    ¡°I spent the night in this lab,¡± Taran El gestured to a bed in the corner of the room, next to which could be seen a few odd-looking devices, apparently moved here hastily, with cables and tubes tangled messily together, ¡°I made these things in the past, attempting to use them to improve my sleep efficiency, aiming to rest better in the shortest possible sleeping time¡­ those electrodes could record my brain activity, those curves on the tape are it, the holes punched next to them are my breathing records, a round hole for an exhale, a square for an inhale¡­¡±


    ¡°There are two clear interruptions here,¡± Lucricia interrupted, ¡°Judging from the timestamps on the edge of the paper tape, they occurred at nine o¡¯clock last night and this morning, which is¡­¡±


    ¡°It was at the beginning and end of The Dream of the Nameless,¡± Taran El took the paper strip from Lucresia¡¯s hands, found the two breakpoints, and then lifted it in front of him, ¡°At these two time points, my brain showed a clear ¡®gap¡¯ of activity, but that wasn¡¯t the most significant problem. The real issue lies in¡­ what happened between these two breakpoints.¡±


    He lifted the paper strip, which had a long record of sporadic curves and holes punched in it.


    ¡°There are still records,¡± he pointed to the section between last night at nine and this morning, ¡°Do you see the problem, Miss Lucresia?¡±


    ¡°I bet you¡¯ve recorded more than just these,¡± Lucresia quickly responded, ¡°Where are the rest?¡±


    ¡°The most obvious is this.¡± Taran El didn¡¯t keep her in suspense; he turned around, took another stack of items from the table¨Cblack and white photographs.


    Lucresia glanced at the stack and realized they were photos¨Cthe target of the shots was the bed in the corner of the laboratory.


    The first few pictures showed Taran El lying in bed, with some featuring the grand scholar waving at the camera. But in the following photos, it was just an empty bed¨Cwith the electrodes that had been fixed on the scholar¡¯s head fallen onto the pillow.


    ¡°I set up three cameras, linked them to timers, and loading them with continuous film rolls. Every fifteen minutes, they would take a picture of my sleeping spot from three different angles,¡± Taran El explained, ¡°Do you see? After nine o¡¯clock, there was no one on the bed¨Cbecause by then, The Dream of the Nameless had started, and I had vanished to ¡®the other side¡¯¡­¡±


    As the grand scholar spoke, he picked up the long paper strip again, found the middle part, and laid it out in front of ¡°the Witch from the Sea.¡±


    ¡°So here comes the question, madam¨Cbetween nine last night and five in the morning, during the time I had disappeared from the real world, whose brain activity was this machine recording?¡±


    Lucresia inhaled softly, looking at the last photograph in her hand.


    On the bed in the corner of the laboratory, devoid of any person, the electrodes meant to read brain activity lay motionlessly on the pillow, their metal surfaces catching the cold light in the camera¡¯s lens, as if in communication with invisible spirits in the silence of the city¡¯s night.


    ¡°But the problems don¡¯t end there. The Dream of the Nameless has brought us much confusion, with the odd data captured by the instruments being just a part of it,¡± Taran El¡¯s voice roused Lucresia from her thoughts as the grand scholar moved behind his desk, sat down, and slowly continued, ¡°Another question is¨Cwhere exactly do we go after entering the dream?¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I listened to your description before. When The Dream of the Nameless occurred, you and your father¡¯s followers were swept into a peculiar Dreamscape, with vast forests just like the ones I encountered when originally trapped in a dream. But¡­ I have no memory of this from last night.


    ¡°Since the last time I was trapped in the Dreamscape and you rescued me, I have never seen that forest in a dream again.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just me; everyone in this city disappears into the night whenever The Dream of the Nameless descends, but we don¡¯t wake up in the dream world like you did, nor do we become active within that mysterious forest¨Cwe close our eyes, and upon opening them, another normal day begins. If it weren¡¯t for you and your father¡¯s reminders, we wouldn¡¯t even be aware that anything had happened last night.


    ¡°So, where does everyone in this city go when night falls?¡±


    Lucresia, of course, did not know the answer, and Taran El didn¡¯t expect her to provide one; he was merely thinking out loud, setting a goal for himself.


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    Sunlight pierced through the clouds, through the large tree outside the laboratory, weaving through its lush canopy and interwoven branches and leaves, casting mottled light onto the grand scholar¡¯s desk and the data recorded by the automatic equipment.


    Lucresia slowly lifted her head, her gaze following the sunlight, looking out the window at the dappled tree shadows, then slowly widening her eyes.


    ¡°Master Taran El¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it, madam?¡±


    ¡°¡­Outside your laboratory, was there always such a tree?¡±

 Chapter 602 - Chapter 602 Chapter 601 The Growth of The Dream of the

    Chapter 602: Chapter 601: The Growth of The Dream of the Nameless Chapter 602: Chapter 601: The Growth of The Dream of the Nameless It was as if only after Lucrescia¡¯s reminder did Taran El suddenly realize the discordance in his environment. He turned his head in astonishment to look out the window, and after staring at the luxuriant tree that blocked most of the sunlight for quite some time, his face changed, and he quickly walked toward the window.


    Standing at the window and gazing out at the tree, a look of confusion spread across his face. He still seemed unable to determine whether his memory or the reality before him was at fault. After a moment, he finally came to a realization, and immediately shook his head, ¡°No, there was no such tree.¡±


    The Scholar said, raising his hand toward the roof opposite the tree, ¡°Remember when the sun went out? I jumped out of this window, landed on the roof opposite¨Cthere definitely was no such obstruction by a tree then.¡±


    Lucrescia also approached the window, looking down at the base of the great tree¨Cshe saw it rooted in a corner of the courtyard, its location oddly conspicuous, yet some of its roots were exposed above the soil, merging with the nearby steps and the ground as if it had been rooted there for a long time.


    She turned back and saw the serious expression on Taran El¡¯s face.


    ¡°The Dream of the Nameless is still growing, my lady,¡± the Scholar broke the silence, his tone serious and low, ¡°Some parts of it¡­ can now spread into the real world during the daytime.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just spreading, master,¡± Lucrescia reminded him, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t mentioned it, you might not even have noticed the anomaly of this tree by now¨Cand even I only realized that something was wrong after such a long time. Remember? The tree was already outside the window when I walked into this room.¡±


    Taran El didn¡¯t speak. He just looked out the window solemnly at the nameless tree that had taken root in the real world, at the distant streets and rooftops, at the entire City-State within his view.


    ¡°People find it hard to notice the strangeness of Dreamscape while dreaming¡­ The subconscious rationalizes all the bizarre events in dreams to prevent us from being scared to death by our own dreams,¡± after what felt like an eternity of silence, the Scholar finally turned, ¡°The boundary between reality and Dreamscape is blurring, my lady. Perhaps soon, the whole of Light Breeze Harbor may never wake up, and nobody knows if the City-State will exist or in what form¡­ We must stop the Dream of the Nameless from continuing to grow.¡±


    ¡°Take your materials and a clear mind, gather your thoughts, and seek out Governor Sala Mel. He needs help now,¡± said Lucrescia, ¡°You should probably also meet with Ted, that Truth Confidant is likely at his wit¡¯s end as well.¡±


    ¡°I will set out immediately,¡± Taran El immediately said, but couldn¡¯t help but glance at Lucrescia again, ¡°¡­ And what about you?¡±


    This ¡°witch¡± was not from Light Breeze Harbor, but she was clearly now intervening in the matter. Based on Taran El¡¯s understanding of Lucrescia, she surely wouldn¡¯t stand by idly at a critical moment.


    ¡°I have no fewer things to attend to,¡± Lucrescia waved her hand, her silhouette already starting to blur at the edges, ¡°The Dream of the Nameless will reappear, and I must prepare for tonight¨Cand besides, my sights are set on more than just Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    With those words, before Taran El could react, the figure of the witch Miss transformed suddenly into colorful confetti, whirling away in a gust of wind that spontaneously arose and danced out of the room.


    At the harbor area, on the upper deck of the Brilliant Starship moored along the quay, the swirling colorful confetti twisted into the cabin and reassembled into the figure of the sea witch.


    An ironclad sailor, cobbled together from scrap iron, bolts, and water pipes, immediately stepped forward with a squeaking, creaking step, bowing to the captain, ¡°Mistress, Mr. Terian is looking for you. He called an hour ago.¡±


    ¡°I know, I felt it,¡± Lucresia quickly said. ¡°Go find some helpers, move all the photo and video equipment from the storage to the deck, aim it at the docks of Light Breeze Harbor, set the timer, and record the changes in Light Breeze Harbor after nine o¡¯clock tonight. Go.¡±


    The ironclad sailor immediately bent over, ¡°Yes, Mistress.¡±


    As the rusty sailor left, the squeaking and creaking of his steps faded into the distance. Lucresia frowned, glanced at his retreating figure, and muttered softly, ¡°It needs oiling¡­¡±


    Then she shook her head, stepped forward to the Crystal Ball, and waved her hand to light up the crystal.


    After a moment of patient waiting, Terian¡¯s figure appeared in the Crystal Ball.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re also very busy,¡± Terian immediately spoke as soon as they met. ¡°Is the situation in Light Breeze Harbor still deteriorating?¡±


    ¡°Today, I saw a tree outside Taran El¡¯s laboratory, a tree that ¡®grew¡¯ from the Dreamscape into the real world,¡± Lucresia said calmly, ¡°This City-State is gradually falling into The Dream of the Nameless, or The Dream of the Nameless is slowly ¡®surfacing¡¯ from the real world¨Ceither way, the problems here are indeed getting worse. But let¡¯s talk about your side first. You sent a message so early in the morning; it seems that what I was worried about still happened.¡±


    ¡°Three cases of ¡®sleeping sickness¡¯ have been reported in the elf community near Cemetery No. 2,¡± Terian didn¡¯t beat around the bush. ¡°Three elves are in a comatose state and no other diseases can be detected, closely resembling the case that appeared in Plunder City-State you mentioned before. However, the difference is that this time, the psychic doctors¡¯ hypnosis and Dreamscape intervention methods are ineffective.¡±


    ¡°Hypnosis and Dreamscape interventions ineffective¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, according to the psychic doctors¡¯ report, the conditions of those three elves are very much like ¡®dreamless¡¯¨Cyou should be aware of this particular ¡®congenital defect¡¯ among elves,¡± Terian nodded. ¡°The psychic doctors can¡¯t find the entrance to the dreams of the three ¡®patients¡¯; their minds seem to have fallen into an endless void, already disappeared from the real world¡­ If all awakening methods are ineffective, then we can only rely on nutritional sustenance to maintain their vital signs for now.¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s brow furrowed tighter, and she didn¡¯t speak for a while, lost in thought.


    Terian¡¯s voice continued to come through, ¡°I¡¯m not worried about the situation now; three comatose patients won¡¯t put too much pressure on the City-State. But what concerns me is if the situation continues to develop¨CFrost is located at the northern border, and elves have always been fond of the borderlands. There are thousands of registered elves in this City-State, distributed throughout various districts. If this ¡®slumber¡¯ spreads rapidly, then Frost, which has just barely stabilized, may face another challenge.¡±


    ¡°I know, but you¡¯d better prepare yourself mentally,¡± Lucresia finally said. ¡°Dad¡¯s trying to find the source of The Dream of the Nameless, but it takes time¨Cfrom what you¡¯ve mentioned, the influence of this Dreamscape doesn¡¯t seem limited to Light Breeze Harbor, but directly affects the ¡®elf¡¯ race¡­There are indications that it points to the elves¡¯ original faith, involving ancient gods; you should know how troublesome that is.¡±


    Terian¡¯s mouth twitched visibly, and after several seconds of silence, he spoke cautiously, ¡°If, I mean if, in the worst-case scenario, you really have to confront an uncontrollable ancient god over there, one that isn¡¯t a Scion of the Sun or a Replication from the deep sea but a deity trapped in race memory¡­ do you think Father¡­¡±


    Lucresia knew what her elder brother was trying to say.


    They hadn¡¯t worried about their father in many years¨Cor rather, they used to, but it was an entirely different kind of concern.


    Now, discussing the matter felt somewhat unfamiliar to them.


    After several seconds, Lucresia finally let out a gentle sigh, ¡°I¡¯ll cheer him on and then stand back to watch.¡±


    Tyrion: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Lucresia glanced at the Crystal Ball that showed her brother, ¡°Like you, rush in and get casually beaten up by Dad? How many poisonous mushrooms would I have to eat to even consider stepping into a battle of that caliber?¡±


    Tyrion¡¯s expression was quite subtle: ¡°¡­I know, but can you please not always bring up the time father beat me up¡­¡±


    ¡°Like the time he discovered you watching those erotic dances.¡±


    ¡°¡­let¡¯s change the subject.¡±


    Lucresia casually ended the communication.


    The sea witch¡¯s face bore a pleased expression.


    Her brother seemed to be in good spirits on the other end; that was good.


    She sat in front of the Crystal Ball for a while, organizing her thoughts before raising her hand to tap the surface of the Crystal Ball again.


    ¡°Rabi, I know you¡¯re listening.¡±


    A faint light flickered deep within the Crystal Ball, and after a moment, Rabi¡¯s sharp, child-like voice emerged, ¡°Mistress~ Shh~ Rabi is on a secret mission¡­¡±


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve found their hiding place,¡± Lucresia spoke calmly, ¡°Are you able to confirm which City-State it is?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be a City-State,¡± the faint light in the Crystal Ball gradually fluctuated, and Rabi¡¯s voice sounded rather smug, ¡°Peeking through their memories, this place appears to be a ship¡­¡±


    ¡°A ship?¡±


    ¡°Mhm~ these Heretics have made a ship,¡± Rabi proclaimed proudly in a dragging, irritating tone, ¡°There¡¯s a smell of blood everywhere~~!¡±


    Lucresia paused, not minding Rabi¡¯s intentionally annoying tone, but her face slowly revealed a pleasant surprise¨C


    Rabi had found one of the Heretics¡¯ sea bases?!


    ¡­


    Waves lashed against the ship¡¯s hull, steam from the pressure valves hissed within the compartment dividers, and from the direction of the engine room came noises that caused great unrest¨C the gaunt man sat up from the bed, his already dour mood darkening his gloomy face even further.


    He sat on the bed in a daze for a while, then casually picked up the cup beside him and drained its contents.


    Last night¡¯s operation had not gone smoothly. The carefully planned strategy was interrupted by an unexpected turn of events; the girl who was operating with the Abyssal Hound suddenly unleashed a terrifying and bizarre power from within her body. In an instant, she destroyed those Scions of the Sun¨Csomething no one had anticipated.


    The terror and pressure brought on by those wildly spreading flames still haunted the hearts of the church brethren who were close to the scene.


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    With a sigh, the grim man put down his cup and rose from the bed.


    Resting in the room all morning had not alleviated the pressure. Perhaps it was time to check on the others.


    He shook his head, gathered his thoughts while standing by the bed, then turned to walk toward the door.


    But just then, something caught his eye in his peripheral vision, and his steps involuntarily halted.


    He bent down to look at the clump of white, fluffy material at the end of the bed¨C


    ¡°Cotton?¡±

 Chapter 603 - Chapter 603 Chapter 602 The Awareness of a Fishing Expert

    Chapter 603: Chapter 602: The Awareness of a Fishing Expert Chapter 603: Chapter 602: The Awareness of a Fishing Expert ¡°`


    Thud, thud, thud.


    A sudden knock at the door interrupted the sullen man¡¯s momentary puzzlement upon seeing the cotton ball. He immediately shifted his gaze and turned his head toward the direction of the knocking.


    After a brief sensing of the aura at the doorway, he walked to the door and unlocked the padlock.


    A man, clothed in a dark-hooded robe with half of his face hidden in the shadow of the hood, stood at the door, somewhat displeased with the slow response, ¡°Why did it take so long to open the door?¡±


    ¡°I am not your servant, Dumon,¡± the man inside the room furrowed his brows, evidently in a foul mood, ¡°Don¡¯t take The Saint¡¯s fleeting favor too seriously.¡±


    ¡°Think what you will, Richard, I¡¯m just giving you a heads-up,¡± remarked Dumon, the Heretic, with indifference, ¡°Don¡¯t let fear linger too long in your heart. You¡¯ve been acting off since retreating from The Dream of the Nameless two days ago. Your excessive caution, fear, and hesitation have drawn The Saint¡¯s attention. He hasn¡¯t shown discontent, but if you continue like this, it will harm our mission¡­¡±


    Before Dumon could finish, the Heretic known as Richard stepped forward abruptly, nearly pressing his sinister face against the other¡¯s hood, ¡°You could well try it yourself, instead of remaining in the safe real world and spouting such cool remarks!¡±


    ¡°I will go,¡± said Dumon calmly, not minding the provocation and hostility from the other, just stepping back half a step, ¡°Tonight, as the next batch of Chosen, I will enter The Dream of the Nameless with you all.¡±


    Richard finally eased his hostile demeanor, looking at the other in surprise, ¡°The Saint has decided to dispatch the next group already? Has the plan been moved up?¡±


    ¡°What else? The situation you reported has been taken seriously. The Saint now knows that a dangerous force that opposes us has appeared in The Dream of the Nameless, and that another power is making its move¨COur ¡®allies¡¯ have also sent word; they seem to have clashed with the opposition long ago,¡± Dumon spread his hands and shook his head, ¡°Put aside your grievances and suspicions. I know you faced difficulties in our last venture, but you are among brethren, and The Saint blesses us.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Saint blesses us,¡± Richard finally exhaled softly, his countenance fully relaxing, ¡°I was a bit agitated just now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. After all, you were injured in the mission before last, and you encountered danger in the last one. Such traumas can take a significant toll on the mind,¡± Dumon said, glancing up at something behind Richard¨Cwhere a faint dust floated in the air and an ethereal, transparent black chain hung mid-air, with its end, a ¡®death herald bird,¡¯ looking rather listless on a nearby cabinet, obviously not in a good state, ¡°So, are you certain you don¡¯t need a couple more days of rest? With your current condition, no one would object if you missed one venture.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Richard immediately shook his head, his gaze becoming wary again, ¡°My devotion to The Saint is my strongest power. I will adjust my state before the night falls.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re that determined, then I will relay it to The Saint,¡± Dumon nodded, ¡°Besides, since you don¡¯t plan to miss out on tonight¡¯s venture, get ready. Head to the meeting hall before nightfall, The Saint will announce some things.¡±


    Richard eyed the man outside the door and after a moment, nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Dumon said nothing more, just took another half step back, silently watching as the door before him closed. Then, that ever-calm and composed face finally showed a faint smile, and he turned to walk toward the depths of the Brilliant Starship¡¯s corridors.


    Another Heretic, shorter and stockier in a hood, emerged from the shadows of the corridor and walked alongside Dumon.


    After some distance, the Heretic called Dumon suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Richard¡¯s condition doesn¡¯t bode well. His Symbiotic Demon is weakening, his mind is losing balance, and soon the symbiotic pact will drag him to death¨Cthe clutches of fate are closing in on him.¡±


    ¡°This is the fate he chose for himself. The Abyss shall remember his sacrifice,¡± the other cultist murmured softly, ¡°We will return to that place of origin, it¡¯s just a matter of sooner or later¡­ but I am really curious, why is his mental imbalance so severe? Others who have entered The Dream of the Nameless have also encountered various failures, even some who were gravely ¡®Corroded¡¯ and left the Dreamscape in a near-death state, but their mental condition wasn¡¯t as bad¡­¡±


    Dumon stopped in his tracks, looked back at the closed door in the distance.


    After a moment, he averted his gaze, shaking his head, ¡°Not all trauma is created equal.¡±


    He turned back around, continued walking forward, and went on at an unhurried pace, ¡°Facing Corrosion in the Dreamscape, fighting to near death¨Cone comes back to recuperate with honor. But being beaten half to death by an underage girl with a dog in the Dreamscape, falling off the bed screaming¨Cand all this in the meeting hall, with The Saint ¡®retrieving¡¯ the memory at the scene¨Cit takes more than just rest to recover.¡±


    After this exchange, both Heretics lapsed into a mutual silence, continuing their slow march forward. It wasn¡¯t until some time later that the shorter, stockier cultist muttered thoughtfully, ¡°That¡¯s truly fearful¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, truly fearful.¡±


    In the cabin, Richard sat grimly on the bed, listening as the sounds in the corridor faded with distance, his expression growing increasingly fierce with each passing second.


    His Symbiotic Demon, the death herald bird, lay listlessly on the nearby short cabinet, a faint mist emanating from the demonic bird, almost materially floating mid-air and diffusing outward, enhancing its ¡°master¡¯s¡± sensory capabilities.


    ¡°`


    But after a moment, he still resisted the urge to continue releasing his perceptive powers and, driven by rationality, retracted the power of the death omen back into himself.


    He had to quickly restore his own condition and that of the Symbiotic Demon. He needed to prove himself in the forthcoming actions¨Cthe end of the cycle was approaching, and the world¡¯s twilight would soon descend. It was crucial in that ¡°Dreamscape¡± whether the deep following of devotees could gain a foothold after the deep-sea era, in the unknown age to come.


    Proving himself in that ¡°Dreamscape¡± would be the best shortcut to eternal glory.


    He took a long breath and inadvertently touched something soft on the bed with his hand.


    It was still that ball of cotton.


    Richard picked up the object with some puzzlement, raising his head and glancing around the not-so-spacious cabin, as if looking for the source of this mysterious cotton.


    Had it come from the bedding?


    He looked around the room and failed to find the source of the cotton. Finally, he came to the window and scratched his head in confusion.


    Why should he care so much about a ball of cotton?


    The heretical follower briefly wondered, then shrugged¨Cafter all, it was just a ball of cotton, not worth such attention.


    He undid his shirt in front and touched his skin, found a zipper, casually pulled it open, and stuffed the ball of cotton into the writhing flesh.


    A soft giggle suddenly came from a corner of the room, as if a five- or six-year-old girl was hiding inside the wardrobe, watching the clumsy adult and laughing in a gentle mockery.


    The death omen on the bureau seemed to sense something, but it merely raised its head suspiciously in the direction of the sound before lowering it again.


    ¡­


    ¡°Rabi has found one of the heretics¡¯ strongholds?¡±


    Inside the captain¡¯s quarters of the Brilliant Starship, Lucresia sat before a vanity desk. A greenish flame flickered around the edges of the mirror before her, while candles burnt quietly in front of it. Her father¡¯s voice emerged from within the mirror.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucresia nodded at the mirror, ¡°The stronghold is on a ship, and from the looks of it, they¡¯re not ¡®hidden¡¯ on the ship but fully in control of it. And there¡¯s a significant number of heretics gathered¡­ It must be an important base.¡±


    ¡°¡­That rabbit has done a great service,¡± Duncan in the mirror nodded solemnly, a hint of emotion in his tone, ¡°These heretics are elusive, never acting ostentatiously within the City-State, making them very difficult to capture. I didn¡¯t expect we would find a gathering point this time¡­ Hiding on a ship, that does indeed exceed our expectations.¡±


    ¡°The ship is large, and it seems to be equipped for various dark and bloody rituals. Rabi caught a strong scent of blood; a residue of multiple sacrifices¨Csuch a ship could not dock at the City-State as ordinary ones do, as the remnants of dark rituals can¡¯t escape the Church¡¯s notice. Therefore, there must be a supply port backing it¡­¡±


    Listening to Lucresia¡¯s analysis, Duncan reflected in the mirror began to ponder; after a while, he suddenly asked, ¡°Is Rabi still hiding on the ship? Will it be discovered?¡±


    ¡°It is very good at concealing itself unless it actively confronts some high-ranking followers on the ship, like that ¡®The Saint¡¯ face-to-face. Normally, it won¡¯t be exposed,¡± Lucresia said, ¡°It is a shadow from Spirit Realm and can hide in the emotions and perceptions of people. On that ship, the environment itself, full of negative energies, provides the best cover.¡±


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    ¡°Good,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°Then let Rabi continue to stay hidden; do not contact ¡®The Saint.¡¯ Gather as much intelligence as possible.¡±


    His original plan was to have Rabi construct a mirror ritual to allow himself to ¡°descend¡± in person as soon as it found the heretics¡¯ hiding place, then quickly transfer his followers over before the heretics were killed, and beat up those heretics before their Symbiotic Demons could commit suicide, capturing as many as possible in their unconscious state.


    The whole plan was succinct and efficient and had received high praise from Fenna.


    But now¡­ it appeared that the ¡°big fish¡± Rabi had found was much bigger than anyone had anticipated, so naturally, the matter couldn¡¯t be resolved so simply and crudely.


    As an angler, he would have to let out a bit more line.

 Chapter 604 - Chapter 604 Chapter 603 Test

    Chapter 604: Chapter 603 ¡°Test Chapter 604: Chapter 603 ¡°Test Lucresia was quite in favor of Duncan¡¯s idea to ¡°play the long game¡± to catch the big fish¨Cin fact, from the beginning, she didn¡¯t quite support the simple and crude method that her father and Fenna had come up with.


    It¡¯s not that she had any prejudice against athletes¨Cthe main issue she saw was that, based on the fear and sensitivity towards the ¡°Spiritual Fire¡± that A Dog displayed, as well as the suicide rate of the Profound Demons, that method was so blunt, she feared that not a single living one would be caught¡­


    ¡°The heretics will hold a gathering before nightfall, and I will have Rabi try to get some information,¡± Lucresia said thoughtfully, ¡°The most troublesome part now is that there is a so-called ¡®Saint¡¯ on that ship¨Cmeaning that apart from ¡®observation,¡¯ Rabi cannot do anything else. Any proactive actions might be detected by that Saint.¡±


    ¡°A Saint?¡± Duncan was curious, ¡°I know of the Saints of the Four Gods, and I acknowledge Fenna¡¯s combat prowess, but what about a Saint from the Annihilating Church?¡±


    His confusion was well-founded¨Cthe Saints of the Four Gods were individuals favored by deities, and their most significant feature was not actually their combat power (although most Saints were indeed powerful) but their ability to communicate with the gods. Ordinary priests needed to perform extremely complex rituals at a certain cost to hear the whispers of the gods, while Saints hardly needed any preparation. Sometimes, with just a prayer in their hearts, they could communicate with their gods. In more extreme cases, if a Saint was in danger, their deity might even find ways to actively reach out, issuing warnings and reminders.


    To put it simply, they were treated as if they were one¡¯s own children.


    However, a ¡°Saint¡± from the Anihilating Church would definitely not be like that¨CDuncan was aware of the status of the Profound Saint; Their attitude toward their so-called ¡°followers¡± was distinctly clear. Just from the phrase ¡°try catching a few Annihilating cultists,¡± Duncan was certain that if there was really a Saint among those heretics who could communicate the ¡°will of the god,¡± it would not be surprising if they were summoned by their ¡°lord¡± the day they ascended¨Conly to be dragged into the Mysterious Deep Sea and repeatedly beaten by their ¡°lord.¡±


    ¡°The Annihilating Church views the Profound Demons as creatures closest to the ¡®Primordial Blueprint,¡¯ pure beings, and thus they constantly harness the power of demons to transform themselves, to become as close to this ¡®Primordial Blueprint¡¯ as possible. In this process, they gain greater power,¡± Lucresia explained, ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Fenna, she once saw in Frost Annihilating Priests who have almost entirely merged and coexisted with Profound Demons, and these so-called ¡®Saints¡¯¡­ are a step further.


    ¡°They won¡¯t have many human characteristics left, resembling demons more than humans. They move like Profound Demons and can directly draw power from the Mysterious Deep Sea. Apart from retaining their human cognitive abilities, they are essentially a type of ¡®Profound being¡¯¨Cthese Annihilating ¡®Saints¡¯ can almost freely enter the Mysterious Deep Sea, also known as the ¡®Eternal Paradise.¡¯ Perhaps only the last vestiges of their human aspects still bind them to our reality.


    ¡°The Annihilating Church does not have the true favor of a deity, but through contracts with demons, they still obtain powerful strength, and their ¡®Saints¡¯ are the same¨Cthe monstrosities are powerful and resolute, and they know countless taboo, corruptive knowledge. In a direct confrontation, Rabi would not be able to match those Saints.¡±


    Duncan listened with interest to Lucresia¡¯s explanation of these ¡°obscure knowledge¡± before suddenly asking, ¡°How do they compare to Fenna then?¡±


    Lucresia was momentarily taken aback, pondering with a nuanced expression.


    After a moment, she finally spoke, ¡°Miss Fenna¡¯s combat capability, even among Saints, is quite¡­ ¡®unique.¡¯ I find it hard to compare.¡±


    Duncan nodded in understanding, ¡°Alright, I got it.¡±


    Lucresia then spoke up after briefly pondering, ¡°There¡¯s also something else.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice came through the mirror, ¡°Go on.¡±


    Lucresia organized her language, ¡°Terrian has sent news that there have been three cases of ¡®Sleeping Sickness¡¯ at Light Breeze Harbor, affecting elves, with symptoms similar to¡­¡±


    She was halfway through speaking when Duncan¡¯s voice from the mirror interrupted her, ¡°Symptoms similar to the elven girl named ¡®Flority¡¯ from Pland and the initial case of Taran El, right? But this time, the treatment of the mental healers, using hypnosis and dream therapy, is ineffective; their dreams seem to have become a void, and their consciousness is lost in this emptiness.¡±


    Lucresia looked at the mirror in surprise, ¡°How did you¡­ Pland¡¯s news?!¡±


    Then she suddenly came around.


    ¡°Right before contacting you,¡± Duncan nodded in the mirror, ¡°Heidi reported four similar patients, also elves, all in a coma¨Cand if it¡¯s as I fear, we might not just have these two City-States affected. Maybe tomorrow, or even today, the news will spread from other City-States to Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    Lucresia listened with a frown. After a long moment, she blinked and recalled the ancient legends Taran El once told, murmuring almost to herself, ¡°All elves¡­ are the fruits and seeds of Silantis¡­¡±


    ¡°Legends are a reflection of reality, some accounts are true¨CSilantis¡¯ power keeps the elven race together, forming a hive-like relationship. On a psychic level, perhaps all elves are one entity,¡± Duncan spoke slowly, ¡°This trait has remained dormant for an extended period, but now it seems¡­ The Dream of the Nameless has awakened their connection.¡±


    ¡°Beehive¡­ a psychic whole¡­,¡± Lucresia subconsciously repeated the terms used in Duncan¡¯s explanation. These descriptions caused her brow to furrow slightly, though she could not find a more precise expression, ¡°The Dream of the Nameless is spreading among elves, and Light Breeze Harbor is just the first place to break out¡­¡±


    ¡°I call it the ¡®Ground Zero,¡¯ the initial point of explosion,¡± Duncan said indifferently, ¡°And now the question is¨Cwhy did this place become Ground Zero? What caused The Dream of the Nameless to break out?¡±


    Why?


    Lucresia was taken aback, and as she was lost in thought, Duncan¡¯s voice continued from the mirror:


    ¡°Two things happened before The Dream of the Nameless outbreak; first, the sun went out, and the entire Endless Sea was plunged into darkness. Aside from Prand, Frost, and Light Breeze Harbor, time in all other City-States disappeared for twelve hours. Second¡­ Homeloss crossed the ¡®disappeared waters¡¯ and arrived near Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    Lucresia immediately grasped her father¡¯s meaning.


    She said subconsciously, ¡°So, the sun going out triggered the ¡®activation¡¯ of The Dream of the Nameless hidden among the Elves, and the approach of Homeloss¡­ led to Light Breeze Harbor becoming ¡®Ground Zero¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°The first point was my initial speculation,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°The second point is a possibility I have just considered.¡±


    Lucresia thought for a moment and then blurted out a guess, ¡°Then if Homeloss were to distance itself from Light Breeze Harbor now, could it temporarily control the spread of The Dream of the Nameless?¡±


    ¡°Homeloss is already moving away.¡±


    Inside the captain¡¯s quarters of Homeloss, Duncan turned to glance at the view outside the window.


    Chaotic, dark clouds covered the sky; the pitch-black sea surface undulated silently in the distance. A thin mist shrouded everything, leaving the world in just black and white. Countless twisted and bizarre, seemingly real and illusory shadows flickered in and out of the fog, maintaining their distance in the far.


    ¡°Homeloss is currently at full speed deep in the Spirit Realm, moving away from Light Breeze Harbor to the north. Next, I will conduct a series of tests, including changing Homeloss¡¯s position, further descending into the Spirit Realm, and turning the whole ship into a Spiritual Body, to observe the effects these changes have on The Dream of the Nameless.¡±


    As he spoke, Duncan retracted his gaze from outside the window and looked at the mirror beside him.


    ¡°But I suspect that these actions won¡¯t be able to stop The Dream of the Nameless from continuing to grow¨Cbased on the messages coming from various City-States, this ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ can work directly on every Elf regardless of spatial barriers, and it seems that neither the sun¡¯s extinction nor Homeloss¡¯s actions are the sustaining ¡®force¡¯ of the dreamscape. Rather, the sustaining ¡®force¡¯ is the Elves themselves.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m going to try some experiments on the ¡®Goat¡¯s Head,¡¯ to see if the effects I apply to it can influence The Dream of the Nameless, especially now that many clues point to this possibility¨Cmy current ¡®First Mate¡¯ is claimed to be the ancient god of creation from the Elves¡¯ legends.¡±


    Lucresia in the mirror seemed surprised, ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that the Goat¡¯s Head reflected on Homeloss told you Saslouka had already¡­¡±


    ¡°Is the ¡®life¡¯ and ¡®death¡¯ of a deity really that simple?¡± Duncan shook his head gently, ¡°Even leaving aside deity, on Homeloss, I am not short of ¡®people who have died¡¯.¡±


    Lucresia opened her mouth but then realized she couldn¡¯t properly judge her father¡¯s followers, so she shifted the topic somewhat stiffly, ¡°What about Light Breeze Harbor¡­¡±


    ¡°My true body will temporarily move away from the City-States with Homeloss,¡± Duncan stated, ¡°This is to accommodate some of my subsequent ¡®test¡¯ plans, but Fenna and Morris are staying in the city. They will continue to observe The Dream of the Nameless¨Calthough I temporarily can¡¯t come back, my power can still be sent to the city through mirrors. If you encounter trouble, you can call me at any time.¡±


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    Lucresia nodded her head, then after a few seconds of silence, she hesitantly asked, ¡°When you are at a distance, you must establish a beacon with your ¡®Avatar¡¯ for Ai Yi to ¡®Transition,¡¯ right?¡±


    Duncan looked at Lucresia in the mirror and nodded, ¡°¡­Yes, is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ seems a bit inconvenient,¡± Lucresia measured her words, ¡°It was okay when Homeloss was near Light Breeze Harbor. You and your followers could move between the City-States and the ship at any time, but now that you¡¯re temporarily away from the City-State, you can only pass on power through the mirror. Have you considered¡­ setting up an ¡®Avatar¡¯ in Light Breeze Harbor?¡±


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds, then shook his head seriously, ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about that for now¨Cyou should know what ¡®material¡¯ my Avatar requires. Unless there¡¯s a suitable situation, I¡¯m not planning on creating another Avatar.¡±


    Despite her suggestion being rejected, Lucresia in the mirror seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, ¡°Okay, Dad.¡±

 Chapter 605 - Chapter 605 Chapter 604 Duncans Problem-Solving Approach

    Chapter 605: Chapter 604: Duncan¡¯s Problem-Solving Approach Chapter 605: Chapter 604: Duncan¡¯s Problem-Solving Approach The image in the mirror gradually faded, but Duncan still stood in front of it, lost in thought for a long time.


    He had never concealed from Lucresia the situation about his ¡°incarnation¡± or the powers related to the incarnation¨Chis ¡°messenger,¡± Ai Yi, could move quickly between the ¡°signposts¡± constituted by his incarnations. His power and primary consciousness could also instantly switch between them. This ability was both powerful and convenient, but in Light Breeze Harbor, he had not arranged such an ¡°incarnation.¡±


    One reason, of course, was that he had not found a ¡°suitable¡± vessel, but he kept the more important reason to himself.


    He looked at the mirror in front of him, scrutinizing his current visage within it.


    Somehow, he had become completely accustomed to this once strange face, this powerful body, this somber and majestic appearance¡­ It had become the ¡°code name¡± by which he lived in this world.


    A soul named ¡°Zhou Ming¡± inhabited this shell, just as he did the other two with Prand and Frost, and as time passed, he adapted well to all of them.


    And he believed that even if there were new, long-term ¡°incarnations,¡± he would adapt quickly, whether it was one or ten, or even more. He could ¡°adapt¡± to them.


    He realized his mind was far more resilient and¡­ peculiar than he had thought. Being in control of multiple identities and lives did not burden him too much, and he had never experienced the feared mental breakdown or personality disorder.


    But he still instinctively curbed his impulse to create new ¡°incarnations,¡± controlling the thought of finding a corpse in Light Breeze Harbor to serve as a ¡°signpost.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s worry was not that having too many incarnations would cause him to lose himself¨Che knew that the residual emotions and memories he accessed while inhabiting those bodies had a negligible effect on him. Those feeble wills could not shake his spirit in the slightest.


    He was concerned about something else.


    If he gradually became accustomed to ¡°occupying bodies¡± as a habit, treating the control of multiple fates as a trivial ¡°means to an end,¡± perhaps one day, something worse than ¡°losing oneself¡± would happen¨Cafter he had inhabited dozens or hundreds of living lives, would he still be able to seriously deal with the ¡°follow-up¡± of those incarnations as he did now?


    By then, there might be another ¡°Nina,¡± but he would no longer be a conscientious ¡°Uncle Duncan.¡±


    Humanity could slip away unnoticed.


    So, after realizing this, he decided to be especially cautious with future ¡°additional incarnations¡±¨Cunless the situation was truly appropriate, or absolutely necessary.


    Of course, temporarily occupying the bodies of Heretics for investigative purposes did not fall under his caution¨Cthey were disposable ¡°daily-use¡± material.


    A thin layer of black smoke quietly emerged in the mirror, with Agatha¡¯s figure appearing in the depths of the smoke.


    Seeing the captain looking into the mirror, Agatha quickly shrank back, minimizing her image in a corner of the mirror, then looked at Duncan, ¡°Are you still thinking about the ¡®suggestion¡¯ Miss Lucresia made to you just now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps she still has some doubts about me,¡± Duncan sighed softly, ¡°Her suggestion was somewhat probing, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking about right now.¡±


    Agatha nodded, not probing further, and instead took the opportunity to change the subject, ¡°What¡¯s our next plan?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Homeloss will continue sailing north until it crosses the northern channel of Light Breeze Harbor to see if The Dream of the Nameless will still occur over such a distance and if the mirrored Homeloss will still appear in the Dreamscape of Silantis. Fenna and the others will continue as previously planned¨Cnow, what¡¯s most worthy of attention is Rabi¡¯s situation, that rabbit is hidden aboard the Oblivion Cultist¡¯s ship, and those Cultists will hold a meeting before nightfall today. I¡¯m very curious¡­ what they are going to do at that meeting.¡±


    While speaking, Duncan exhaled lightly, his expression carrying a hint of anticipation, ¡°Next, we just wait for news from Lucresia¡¯s side.¡±


    Agatha listened quietly, and after the captain finished speaking, she couldn¡¯t help but raise a long-held question, ¡°And if The Dream of the Nameless does appear again unaffected, how will you go back to that ship sailing through the dark fog, the mirrored Homeloss? Your actual body is currently on the ship, and that ¡®vine¡¯ only appears in Light Breeze Harbor¡­¡±


    Duncan smiled and looked into the corner of the mirror at Agatha, ¡°Do you remember? The last Dream of the Nameless ended prematurely because I touched the vine from the real world and entered that dark space, taking the helm of the mirrored Homeloss as an ¡®Outsider.¡¯ And after returning to reality, I told you I had an idea to solve this issue.¡±


    Agatha knit her brows, puzzled, ¡°The idea you mentioned¡­¡±


    Duncan, still smiling, turned his head to look out the window beside him, while in the mirror in front of him, he slowly bowed his head, looking down at Agatha, who was in the same mirror surface as him.


    The Duncan in the mirror bent down and touched the reflected Agatha, who was downsized to the size of a palm, ¡°This is my idea.¡±


    Agatha was suddenly taken aback. In the mirror world, she looked up at the captain, who had also entered the mirror world, and after a two or three-second pause, she finally let out a soft exclamation¨Cthen shattered all over the place.


    The Duncan in the mirror sighed helplessly, bending down to pick up the pieces of Agatha while putting them back together and muttering, ¡°You should try to face the life on this ship with a more flexible mind, particularly in adaptability, you should learn more from Morris or Fenna¨Cthe former now can even accept Sherry¡¯s homework¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Lucresia sat in front of the mirror, zoning out for who knows how long before she heard the voice of the rabbit Rabi coming from the crystal ball nearby, ¡°Mistress, are you worried that the old master is angry with you?¡±


    Lucresia turned her head, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because the suggestion you made at the end seemed like a test for the old master, to see if he still retains normal human cognition and ¡®humanity.¡¯ The old master might care about that¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to test my father, it¡¯s just¡­ I didn¡¯t think that much,¡± Lucresia said offhandedly, but then she furrowed her brows and looked at the faint illusion emerging in the crystal ball, ¡°It¡¯s really you who has the leisure to eavesdrop on my conversation with father¨Csounds like you have a lot of free time.¡±


    ¡°Rabi is relieving stress, Rabi is in danger~~ Rabi has to be in the best condition to complete the task entrusted by the mistress~~~¡± The rabbit doll¡¯s high-pitched and annoying tone came immediately from the crystal ball, ¡°Here there are only terrible heretics; they are stupid and ugly. Rabi must talk to the mistress to maintain control of himself and avoid~ eating them all up~~~¡±


    Lucresia ignored those bizarre and outrageous parts of Rabi¡¯s speech and said expressionlessly, ¡°Whatever, I don¡¯t care how you plan to complete the task. After all, if you¡¯re really discovered by that ¡®saint,¡¯ don¡¯t expect me to save you.¡±


    ¡°But the mistress will definitely come, Rabi knows~~ You will bring Rabi back from the Spirit Realm, and then stitch Rabi into a new doll~~ Can it be a little bear next time?¡±


    ¡°You talk too much.¡± Lucresia knocked on the crystal ball casually.


    The rabbit finally quieted down.


    ¡­


    The massive apparition 001 was gradually sinking, the sunlight transformed into magnificent sunset hues stretching across the waves, and the gentle glow coming from the window had begun to soften. After a whole day of restorative efforts, the condition of Homeloss had finally improved considerably.


    It was almost time for the meeting; the footsteps outside the cabin and the sounds of kin greeting each other could now and then be heard.


    The tall and gaunt man with a grim face rose from the bed, listening to the noises outside.


    He had spent almost the whole day lying in this bed, adjusting himself and Homeloss, and now he had had enough of lying down.


    The heretic named Richard took a long breath, went to the wardrobe in the corner, and took out the black hooded robe he needed to wear for the meeting.


    He never liked these robes¨Calthough most dark worshippers were accustomed to this attire and believed that clothes that could cover the whole body helped to settle the spirit, bringing them closer to the enlightenment of the Saint, he never thought so.


    The robes were uncomfortable to wear and utterly unsuitable for movement within the City-State. They had an old-fashioned, stubborn texture, and wearing them made one feel like those exiled prisoners who hid in burrows, slowly rotting away centuries ago. As for their supposed effect in ¡°settling the spirit,¡± that was even more laughable¨C


    How could a truly devout believer need a robe to focus their spirit and draw closer to the Saint?


    But now, Richard found himself beginning to like this attire.


    The feeling of hiding his whole body amongst his kin wasn¡¯t so bad after all.


    He draped the robe over himself, pulling the hood down to its lowest, covering his eyes¨Caccompanied by a feeling of comfort that rose within him, he sighed softly and then stepped towards the door.


    Before he pushed the door open, a sudden breeze whipped through the cabin, as if a light figure had leapt toward him, bouncing. Richard felt a slight weight on his shoulders, as if something had latched on.


    A soft voice whispered in his ear, ¡°You took Rabi¡¯s cotton¡­ Now, let¡¯s set off.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s set off.¡±


    Muttering softly, with the tremble of his vocal cords and windpipe, Richard felt as if there was something itchy in his chest, warm and fluffy¡­


    It was just cotton.


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    The cotton was growing.


    He smiled reassuredly and reached out to open the door.


    Figures draped in similar black hooded robes walked through the corridor, heading to the meeting place deep within the cabin, conversing softly, discussing the Dream of the Nameless, the Saint, allies, and news of the Doomsday Preacher.


    Then, Richard and Rabi set off.


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 Chapter 606 - Chapter 606 Chapter 605 The Gathering

    Chapter 606: Chapter 605: The Gathering Chapter 606: Chapter 605: The Gathering To reach the assembly hall from the ship¡¯s cabin required traversing a long corridor and a stairway slanting downward¨Cthis was a very large ship, capable of housing numerous disciples as well as providing space for various ceremonies and festivals. For those who followed The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea and belonged to the annihilation sect, the mere honor of boarding this ship was significant.


    Most disciples were not privileged with such a right¨Cthey had neither the qualification to board the ship nor even to know of its existence. They could only catch elusive whispers in secret gatherings with fellow brethren about this mysterious ship that was spoken of at other meeting points:


    There was a ship that carried The Saint¡¯s will, letting The Saint¡¯s glory patrol the seas. It was the symbol of the sect¡¯s sublime endeavor and also the key to unlocking the next glorious era¡­


    Cloaked in black robes, Richard slowly walked down the seemingly endless corridor. Occasionally, he encountered other black-robed brothers of the church, and while some greeted him, he only offered the barest of acknowledgments. Then there were sailors in coarse tunics who appeared in the corridor, respectful chains of office draped around their necks, bowing courteously to each black-robed person they passed¨Cthese sailors were also Believers of The Saint, but their modest abilities did not yet allow them to bear the power of the Profound Demons, so they were relegated to mundane work on the ship, serving those who truly had acquired power, the ¡°Priests.¡±


    The lighting in the corridor was not dim, but the dark colors and oppressive decorative style still gave an overall gloomy visual effect. On the grey-white walls on both sides were mounted intricate iron-black candle holders. Between these ornamental candle holders hung classical style oil paintings, which outlined unworldly landscapes and portraits of grotesquely distorted figures with swathes of dark color, and dark red drapes that fell from both sides of the ceiling, obscuring the even darker and more ominous corners.


    The Followers of the Mysterious Deep Sea believed that chaotic darkness was The Saint¡¯s ¡°hue,¡± the ¡°base color¡± when the world was born. They decorated their gathering places in this style to seek closeness to the Mysterious Deep Sea within the real world¨Cbelieving that this would please The Saint.


    The dreary and oppressive style of decoration could not disguise the inherent opulence and sophistication of the furnishings themselves. Richard knew that the construction of this ship had consumed an astonishing amount of wealth, but there were always those willing to pay the price¨Cofficials who wished to extend their lives, merchants tortured by illness, nobles enticed by power, who crafted their tributes to The Saint in hopes of receiving mercy, contributing to all that adorned the ship.


    The Four Gods Church and the authorities of the City-States had constructed a set of solid rules for what was called the ¡°civilized world,¡± providing excellent protection for the dullest and most foolish of commoners like a wall of iron. Yet, no matter how secure, there was always a loophole in the walls, one that had existed for thousands of years, existed now, and would continue to do so in the future.


    The assembly hall had been reached.


    At the end of the corridor, a heavy door stood open. Behind it was an especially spacious and bright hall, supported by thick pillars with a high dome above, from which ornate triple-tiered chandeliers hung down, illuminating the entire space¨C


    For practical purposes, of course, this hall could not maintain an overly dim environment like the other areas. Therefore, the hall¡¯s builders had to manifest the worship of The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea through various decorations and furnishings. Whether it be the tentacle-like reliefs on the surfaces of the massive pillars, the dark branching paintings symbolic of The Saint on the walls at the end of the hall, or the odd-shaped sculptures arrayed along the walls, all contributed to sketching this mysterious, oppressive, and majestic ¡°worship¡± atmosphere.


    Richard walked into the hall, approaching his brethren, and once again pulled down the rim of his hood. Then, his gaze rose, settling on the high platform in the center of the hall.


    That was The Saint¡¯s place.


    The Saint was already there.


    That awe-inspiring devotee, the purest one closest to the ¡°Lord¡± in this suffocating earthly existence, the fellow traveler who had trodden furthest along the Mysterious Path, was now lifting his eyestalks from the edge of the platform, sweeping over the gathered disciples in the room.


    He occupied nearly half the platform¡¯s area, his massive form resembling a ¡°Thorn Coronet¡± woven with intertwining thorns¨Cintricate black skeletons crisscrossed and stacked like a bird¡¯s nest on the platform, and among the skeletons, there rested a slowly writhing brain about two meters in diameter. The skeletons outside the brain formed a cage-like structure, with nerve fibers extending from the gaps in the cage, ending in stalked eyes that moved slowly across the ¡°Thorn Coronet¡± of bones, scanning the surroundings. Above this ¡°coronet¡± hung a pitch-black chain.


    That pitch-black chain extended from the brain within the skeletal cage, floating in the dust before returning amidst the tangled thorns, forming a closed loop system. This structure was the symbol of The Saint¨Che had already transcended the lower phase of ¡°mortal and demon symbiotic pact.¡± His human nature was almost completely stripped away, and within that awe-inspiring posture, the purity of the Profound Demons surged.


    Richard glanced up at The Saint, then, filled with reverence, quickly lowered his head again.


    The Saint was a mere trifling distance away from taking that final step, from having his chains vanish, from achieving the Annihilation Sect disciples¡¯ ultimate pursuit¨Cattaining perfect purity, entering the Mysterious Deep Sea, and accompanying The Saint.


    Yet, that great and venerated Peer still remained here, in the stifling reality of this dimension, because he still remembered his responsibility to lead countless dim-witted fellows like himself toward that eternal endeavor¨Ca truly admirable commitment, without doubt.


    ¡°The assembly is now complete,¡±


    A deep, aged voice suddenly entered everyone¡¯s mind, and the assembly hall, which had previously hummed with low conversations, instantly became silent. A solemn atmosphere enveloped the room.


    The Saint atop the platform raised an eyestalk, looking towards the entrance of the hall. The heavy doors creaked and groaned as they closed and locked, while his voice continued to fill every mind:


    ¡°`


    ¡°The sun was about to set, and in three hours, the Dream of the Nameless would open once again. Before this Dreamscape opens, we must confirm the information we already have¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    Richard instinctively tensed up, listening earnestly and solemnly to the voice of the Saint.


    He felt that feverish, itchy sensation again¨Cit originated from his chest, as though there was something wriggling under the skin, with a delicate fibrous structure taking root and growing between flesh and bone, spreading slowly.


    He even felt those fine fibers had crept onto his lungs, his heart, and continued to burrow deep into his body.


    Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be long before he had enough cotton?


    The pressure on his shoulders had somehow lightened, and in a daze, Richard heard a little girl¡¯s laughter near his ear, but soon enough, the voice of the Saint rose in his mind once more, refocusing his spirits¨C


    ¡°¡­We have already conducted several explorations into the Dream of the Nameless, including sporadic infiltrations by our brethren scattered across the City-State, as well as exploration missions organized by the senior clerics. Brethren, you should have received the news, in some of these missions¡­ we have faced setbacks.¡±


    The ¡°Saint¡± atop the platform spoke, and the ¡°Thorn Coronet¡± woven from bones emitted a slight crackling sound. A part of his black skeleton moved, a soft light gathered at the edges of the bone spurs, and gradually flowed into the air, forming an increasingly vivid apparition.


    These apparitions, formed by the gathered light, eventually condensed into clarity, outlining the image of a girl in a black dress, with short black hair, a decorative bell hung around her neck, looking somewhat frail and delicate.


    The girl appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, possibly younger due to her frail build, and her arm, along with much of her shoulder and some of her torso, showed an obvious non-human state. At the jagged end of that grotesque bony structure extended a pitch-black chain, the other end tied to a being all too familiar to the congregation present¨Can Abyssal Hound.


    The Believers in the hall stirred slightly; some whispered to each other, while those privy to the information beforehand turned their gaze in the same direction.


    Richard felt those eyes upon him.


    He tugged awkwardly at his hood, entangled by the conflicting emotions of pride for bringing back crucial information and the embarrassment that followed.


    Fortunately, the voice of the Saint alleviated his discomfort¨C


    ¡°¡­After some personnel losses, one of our brethren finally brought back valuable information. What you see is one of our enemies.


    ¡°Do not be deceived by her appearance, Believers; she is not one of us, but something even more depraved and forbidden than heretics. She controls a powerful Abyssal Hound through unknown means, but what is more dangerous is that her strength seems even greater than that of the Abyssal Hound¨Ccruel in method, unpredictable in action.¡±


    ¡°The brethren who brought back this information is one of our distinguished members, with a wealth of combat experience and solid strength, yet he was seriously injured in a cowardly ambush by the enemy, and he nearly got devoured by her sinister Abyssal Hound¡­ You must be vigilant, for in subsequent missions to enter the Dream of the Nameless, our brethren may once again encounter this dangerous Profaner.


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    ¡°What you must be most cautious of is this heretic¡¯s devious and hazardous attack strategy; her method of attack is¡­¡±


    The Saint suddenly stopped.


    It seemed that even such a powerful and wise pure being struggled for words when describing the powers of that female heretic.


    Richard tugged at his hood again¨Cafter returning, he would have to reinforce it.


    And in his mind, he heard the voice of the Saint once again:


    ¡°¡­Her method of attack is to throw dogs at you.¡±

 Chapter 607 - Chapter 607 Chapter 606 Bewitchment

    Chapter 607: Chapter 606: Bewitchment Chapter 607: Chapter 606: Bewitchment Richard believed, at least in that second, that half of the people in the assembly hall were just as perplexed as he had been initially.


    The other half had already roughly heard about this matter.


    The ¡°crown¡± of bones on the high platform emitted a clicking sound once more, the brain within the crown cage pulsating and extending its thoughts to every cultist present:


    ¡°Yes, she indeed used brute force to wield the Abyssal Hound as a weapon, an act so bizarre it seems somewhat ludicrous, yet do not underestimate or be careless, this power far exceeds your imagination. Moreover, she possesses even more peculiar traits.


    ¡°In our most recent operation, this heretic made an appearance as well, directly leading to severe damage to our ¡®ally¡¯. Current clues indicate that this heretic can resist the mental power of the Scions of the Sun, and her inner nature might have shifted away from humanity, or she might have already offered her soul to a higher Transcendent being¨C


    ¡°She summoned a kind of green flame and burned our allies with it, these flames are extremely dangerous, and this type of flame has also appeared before in Pland and Frost. Current intelligence suggests these perilous flames originate from that dreadful Ghost Ship.


    ¡°She is a follower of that Ghost Ship captain.¡±


    The Saint paused, not mentioning the name of the Ghost Ship or its captain, but as his voice fell, a slight disturbance rippled through the entire hall, with annihilation cultists whispering among themselves. In their cautious, suppressed, hurried conversations, a series of veiled references were cautiously brought up, an invisible tension spreading throughout the gathering.


    Richard breathed a sigh of relief¨Cat least this time, most people¡¯s attention had shifted elsewhere.


    After a brief pause, the Saint on the platform continued, ¡°Everyone present knows what happened in Frost¨Cwe encountered a major setback there, another Saint martyred in the flames, and we still cannot ascertain the full extent of that failure. ¡®His¡¯ power almost erased everything related to the Saint from the Frost region, including our brethren from the church, and the divine origins in the deep sea;


    ¡°In Pland, the same ¡®erasure¡¯ occurred: fire consumed everything, including both the Scions of the Sun and the ¡®remnants¡¯. None associated with the event survived ¡®his¡¯ retaliation, the entire City-State was locked down, then cleansed, as intelligence was cut off, and those who knew disappeared in the grind of historical dislocation, then the deep-sea false gods¡¯ church took over everything¡­


    ¡°Under such thorough ¡®cleansing¡¯, very few pieces of intelligence could escape. We have spent a long time investigating the initial truth, only to confirm, it was that ship and its master who took action¡­ That shadow, returned from Subspace, now stands against us.


    ¡°And now, we can confirm, ¡®he¡¯ has acted again, his followers directly causing significant losses in our recent operations.


    ¡°And there are more than one of his followers.¡±


    The hall had now completely quieted down, an unusual tension hanging over everyone¡¯s heads, the Saint maneuvering those black bones beneath his body. Under his control, the airborne light-and-shadow illusions began to change, the girl in a black dress transforming into another person¨Ca widely known ¡°Sea Witch,¡± Lucrezia Abnormal.


    ¡°What you saw just now was that heretic, possessing great power and a sinisterly peculiar modus operandi, but she is just one of the followers of that Ghost Ship captain, and certainly not the most powerful. Current evidence shows that the ¡®Sea Witch¡¯ has also returned to her father¡¯s command¡­¡±


    A buzzing noise rose in the hall, cultists whispering to each other, discussing the news lately circulated within the sect, while the Saint on the platform quieted down, slowly swaying those long stalks of eyes, watching the followers in the hall.


    After what seemed like ages, a voice finally broke the silence, near the platform, a somewhat hoarse voice, ¡°Saint, we recently received news that that fleet has been rebuilt, it seems¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems the news is true,¡± replied the Saint¡¯s voice in everyone¡¯s minds, ¡°and there may be even more ¡®followers¡¯ emerging in that Dreamscape, but for now, the only ones we have clear information on are just these two¨C¡±


    The air¡¯s illusions shifted, the images of the ¡°Sea Witch¡± and the black-dressed girl alternating in the projection.


    ¡°Lucrezia, the witch, mastering various witchcrafts and Curse powers, highly knowledgeable in the Transcendent realm, she has a powerful retinue and a likewise powerful Ghost Ship¨CThe Dream of the Nameless might weaken her power to some extent, she probably cannot bring that Ghost Ship and her army of servants into the Dreamscape, but even faced only with her alone, you must remain highly vigilant.


    ¡°The heretic claiming to be ¡®Sara¡¯ likely uses a pseudonym, appears very young, but this appearance might also be fake, possesses monstrous strength, an abnormal Demon Contractor, confirmed to be at least immune to mental contamination from the Scions of the Sun. Additionally, beyond what¡¯s already known, this heretic has another extremely abnormal trait I am about to address¨C


    ¡°The Abyssal Hound accompanying her possesses intellect and communicative abilities.¡±


    Instantly, the hall was again filled with turmoil, this time the discussions rising from all directions were even more numerous and widespread.


    A rational Profound Demon?!


    If these words hadn¡¯t come from The Saint himself, the first reaction of the cultists present would have likely been¨Cwhere did such nonsensical words come from!?


    Richard stood silently among his peers, having anticipated this situation.


    Had he not personally experienced that incredible scene, he would never have believed that an Abyssal Hound could speak human language, could communicate with him rationally¨Calthough the process was far from pleasant.


    ¡°The Saint, are you speaking the truth?¡± a cultist couldn¡¯t help but look towards the high platform, boldly asking, ¡°A rational Profound Demon?¡±


    ¡°Incredible, but the evidence is conclusive,¡± the pile of bones on the high platform slowly writhed, its surface enshrouded by a cage of bones, now shimmering with a faint light, seemingly a response charged with emotion, ¡°Therefore, we must pay more attention to this special Abyssal Hound and its Contractor.¡±


    The Saint raised his eyestalks, and unwittingly, his tone seemed to carry an uplifting force.


    ¡°The intervention of the Ghost Ship captain is a challenge for us. I will not conceal this danger from my peers, yet from the very beginning, our mission was destined to be fraught with peril. We cannot retreat, nor will we choose to. Our operations in The Dream of the Nameless will continue, and hence we will inevitably confront ¡®his¡¯ followers again.


    ¡°These ¡®followers¡¯ are strong, but not as strong as their master, and they are few in number. With proper preparation, these ¡®followers¡¯ are not undefeatable.


    ¡°Now, we have confirmed that at least one ¡®follower¡¯ carries crucial secrets¨Cthe rational Abyssal Hound. It is a mystery on our path to uncovering the truth, perhaps holding the final puzzle piece in our ascension.


    ¡°Find the one who claims to be ¡®Sara,¡¯ spare no cost, capture her and her demon¨Cbrethren, the task is arduous, full of danger, but believe me, it is worth your efforts. The path to pure ascension has finally revealed its true form to us, and the tough challenges are the proof of this path¡¯s correctness.


    ¡°Brethren, don¡¯t worry, we don¡¯t need to confront the captain directly; we just need to find his followers, which is feasible¡­ and once our mission is finally complete, once the era transition concludes, even the Ghost Ship captain will no longer be a threat to us. He will become an illusion left in the final second of this deep-sea era¡­¡±


    The Saint¡¯s voice resonated directly in everyone¡¯s minds. Above on the high platform, the throne made of black bones creaked, its thorn-like bones and shell-like structures clashing like drumbeats. The vibrant brain, pulsating with layers of misty light, released a bewitching speech, stirring the spirits of everyone in the hall, slowly implanting the seeds of zeal within them¨C


    This seed took root and sprouted, quickly fighting off the tense and fearful emotions previously brought up by the mention of the Ghost Ship and its captain. It even transformed this tension and fear into an inexplicable drive, solidifying their faith and mission!


    Richard, gazing upward, absent-mindedly watched The Saint¡¯s eyestalks swaying in the air, feeling the fervor and impulse throbbing in his chest. His conviction slowly solidified, the fear that had rooted in his heart after seeing those ghostly green flames gradually dissipating¡­


    However, just then, a soft voice pierced his ears as if its owner was leaning on his shoulder, whispering directly into his brain: ¡°Ah, he¡¯s persuading you to go to your deaths¡­ Rabi truly pities you¡­¡±


    Richard abruptly ¡°awoke¡± and, in a fleeting moment, felt a chill spread through his chest and up to his brain. He sensed that he had heard a suspicious whisper, a whisper from a highly dangerous entity¡­


    But he merely blinked, and the warning in his mind dissipated.


    He looked around somewhat puzzled, then raised his gaze back to The Saint on the high platform.


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    Why were his peers so excited, so fearless?


    The Saint¡¯s words were indeed factual, and his encouragement made sense, but what about the risks involved in the action? Had everyone chosen to ignore them?


    Richard furrowed his brows, feeling that something was off. This hazy sensation¡­ it made him feel as if he were caught in a strange Dreamscape. Although he was clearly awake at the moment, his thoughts were cluttered with a chaotic, obstructive mass, as if¡­ his brain were stuffed with cotton.


    But quickly, he forgot this doubt as new changes within the hall diverted his attention.


    A sudden ¡°heat¡± swept through the meeting hall.

 Chapter 608 - Chapter 608 Chapter 607 Dark Allies and the Skull of Dreams

    Chapter 608: Chapter 607: Dark Allies and the Skull of Dreams Chapter 608: Chapter 607: Dark Allies and the Skull of Dreams A surge of heat suddenly swept through the hall, as though a powerful sunbeam had penetrated the roof, moving above the crowd. Accompanying the appearance of this intangible heat, all the gas lamps and candelabra in the hall seemed to be subjected to some inexplicable disturbance and suppression, swiftly dimming, as if sinking into shadow.


    However, the Believers of Annihilation present in the hall showed scant reaction to the onslaught of heat, merely looking up at the dome above after a brief rustle of motion.


    Richard also looked up. His gaze swept over the opulent draperies, chandeliers, and painted ceiling of the assembly hall¨Ceach seemed to be bathed in an invisible sunlight, with a slow play of light and shadow moving across the surface of the dome. In time, the ¡°sunlight¡± finally converged at the center of the dome, revealing its presence¨C


    There it was, a sphere resembling a fiercely burning sun, its surface aglow with undulating flames, radiating intense light and heat, yet displaying an ethereal, transparent texture. It seemed merely a projection, and then the miniature sun projection gently descended, lowering down to the high platform at the center of the hall, in front of The Saint.


    Richard heard whispered conversations and muttering nearby, with some Cultists quietly expressing their discontent¨Cthe envoy of the otherworldly creature had become more brazen, forgoing the notification process upon arrival at this sacred gathering place. Other Cultists remarked that the assembly hall should never have been open to the envoys of otherworldly creatures to begin with, their mere presence signifying a defilement of this sacred site.


    But The Saint¡¯s voice suddenly rose in everyone¡¯s minds and ears, cutting through the low hum in the hall, ¡°Ah, our ¡®ally¡¯ has arrived.¡±


    As his words faded away, the sphere that had descended in front of the platform began to lose its glowing, heating shell. With the light-cast ¡°shell¡± becoming dim and transparent, its true form thus emerged before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    It was a sphere made of grotesquely shaped flesh and numerous coiling tentacles, the surface of which was interspersed with countless eye-like structures¨Cthe Scions of the Sun.


    This projection slowly stretched its tentacles in space, its myriad eyes swiveling around, and almost simultaneously, an ethereal figure appeared below the Scions of the Sun.


    It was a human, clad in the golden-trimmed black robe that represented the rank of a priest among the Sun Cultists, his face adorned with a golden mask fashioned in the style of the sun¨Cthe projection of this Sun Priest landed on the central platform of the hall, standing before The Saint, as if a spokesperson.


    The Scions of the Sun in mid-air emitted a deep and muffled vibration, a sound that seemed to mix a stratification of whispers and noise unintelligible to human intelligence, dizzying to hear.


    The figure with the golden sun mask, having landed before The Saint, immediately spoke, conveying the message encoded within the garbled tremor, ¡°I can feel you do not welcome me.¡±


    The Saint raised his eyestalks high, ¡°I hope you understand that this is the assembly place of The Saint, and for the longest time, we have disallowed the faithful or envoys of otherworldly creatures to set foot in such sacred places¨Chowever, rest assured, this will not affect our sincerity towards cooperation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t mind,¡± the projection of the Scions of the Sun slowly expanded its body in the air, continuing to emit a low, indistinct tremor. The accompanying Sun Priest immediately began to translate, ¡°We can leave the disagreements in worship for the next era. Dusk is nearing, and we, the races abandoned by the Deep Sea Era, must first learn to coexist.¡±


    ¡°Yes, learn to coexist¨Cwhen all things are reshaped, there will be a world vast enough to accommodate the differences between us,¡± The Saint spoke solemnly, ¡°Is that why you have come, to stress this point to me?¡±


    ¡°No, ally, I have come to talk to you about the losses we suffered in our last endeavor,¡± said the masked Sun Priest, ¡°I wanted to come to you during the day, but that detestable False Sun was always high in the sky. Now that it has set, I have come.


    ¡°We lost many of our people, precious people, in the great forest woven by ¡®The Dream of the Nameless.¡¯ They were burned by the Usurping Flame¡¯s fires, their spirits unable to return to the sanctuary¨CI must talk to you about this.¡±


    ¡°We also feel deep sympathy and unease over the unfortunate fate of those Sun remnants,¡± The Saint said, his skeletal spikes rattling as if to express some displeasure, ¡°However, it¡¯s not just you who faces setbacks¡­ No one expected ¡®his¡¯ power to appear there¨Cafter all, just a short while ago, that ship was in the distant North, and no one thought ¡®he¡¯ would intervene in this matter. And yet, ¡®his¡¯ followers have already taken action. It is senseless and impertinent for you to come to us for retribution.¡±


    ¡°¡­We do not seek retribution from allies,¡± the Scion of the Sun in mid-air fell silent for a few seconds, the light emanating around it seemed to retract slightly, it murmured indistinctly, and the Priest on the platform immediately began to translate, ¡°But we want to assert our stance¨Cwe are willing to cooperate with your actions in The Dream of the Nameless, but if you turn this ¡®cooperation¡¯ into unilateral exploitation, then our partnership will also end.¡±


    ¡°I understand your meaning, Emissary,¡± The Saint said heavily, ¡°Rest assured, we will not ignore this incident. Just now, we have decided to strike back at the followers of the Usurping Flame. One of our next objectives is to find that heretic who attacked the Sun¡¯s remnants and our brethren, to capture her and her demons¨Cshe is powerful and cunning, but we are willing to take some risks for the sake of avenging those ¡®remnants.¡¯


    ¡°We don¡¯t care whether your actions are truly in pursuit of vengeance for them or by what means you plan to deal with those powerful and strange ¡®followers of the Usurping Flame,''¡± the Priest on the high platform relayed the Scions of the Sun¡¯s words, ¡°Do not forget our initial, and most fundamental, goal¨Cwithin The Dream of the Nameless lies what we each seek. Honest cooperation, wholehearted collaboration, that is our sole concern. Nothing else matters.¡±


    The Saint fell silent for a moment, then his skeletal spikes clicked, conveying a friendly attitude, ¡°Yes, we each take what we need¡­ We just want that tree.¡±


    The Scions of the Sun slowly lowered its altitude, the countless eyes set between its tentacles silently watching the brain wrapped in the skeletal cage on the high platform, ¡°We just want that Sun.¡±


    The illusionary ¡°heat¡± hovering in the assembly hall began to fade away. The Scions of the Sun floating in the air and the figure of the Sun Priest on the high platform both started to grow dimmer and gradually disperse. In just a few seconds, these two unwelcome guests had left the sacred assembly hall.


    The hall quieted for a while before the gathered Sectarian Followers could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Richard also felt his heart, which had been pounding fiercely, gradually settle down¨Cperhaps his heartbeat had become too rapid without him noticing, to the point where he even felt a slight ache in his chest.


    He remained deeply shaken.


    Even if it was only a projection that had come here, it was the Scions of the Sun¡¯s projection¨Ca monster that had been directly separated from the very essence of the ¡°True Sun God,¡± semi-divine in nature, and its existence itself was a deadly source of pollution for mortals. And the brethren in this hall¡­ after all, had not yet broken through the category of ¡°mortals.¡±


    Perhaps only the ¡°The Saint¡± present could contend against that so-called ¡°Scion of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have opened this place to the messengers of alien gods,¡± someone in the crowd said, their voice not too low, ¡°once their ¡®sunlight¡¯ shines in, they become even more brazen.¡±


    ¡°That ¡®Scion¡¯ gives me a bad feeling,¡± another voice reached Richard¡¯s ears, ¡°we can¡¯t understand its mind and true intentions, we always need a Sun Priest wearing a mask to act as an interpreter¨Cwho knows how much more unsettling information is hidden behind those translations, its eyes looking at us¡­they simply don¡¯t resemble the gaze of one rational being upon another.¡±


    ¡°Those ¡®Sun Remnants¡¯ make me feel the same, I can¡¯t sense any rationality or emotion from them¡­ in the end, they are monsters abandoned in the last era¡­ already degenerated in the darkness¡­¡±


    Low murmurs of discussion began to spread throughout the hall, the suppressed emotions quickly resonating, yet at this moment, The Saint¡¯s voice suddenly arose in everyone¡¯s minds, instantly interrupting the heretics¡¯ exchange, ¡°Silence.¡±


    The hall became silent at once.


    ¡°¡­I know your concerns,¡± The Saint¡¯s voice continued, carrying the power to soothe the heart, ¡°but we need their strength.¡±


    ¡°The Saint,¡± a heretic standing closest to the dais gathered the courage to speak up, ¡°that Scion of the Sun, and those ¡®Remnants¡¯¡­ do you truly believe they will keep their promises?¡±


    The Saint fell silent for a few seconds.


    ¡°I have never believed in those unearthly ¡®promises,¡¯ as they were born amidst oaths of betrayal, but at least until they get what they want, they have no reason to break their word,¡± he said slowly, ¡°Just as we need them, they also need us¨Cin The Dream of the Nameless woven out of time and space, those aberrations can only form an alliance with us.¡±


    The voices of dissent faded away.


    The clock marking the hour then chimed in time.


    Dong¨CDong¨CDong¨C


    The mechanical clock hanging high on the wall at the end of the assembly hall emitted a prolonged bell toll.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s end these topics, the time is near, The Dream of the Nameless will soon connect to the reality dimension,¡± The Saint¡¯s voice swiftly drew everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°Prepare for the dream entry, personnel entering the dream tonight, step forward to touch the Skull of Dreams.¡±


    Richard, standing amidst a group of cloaked individuals, quickly caught on. He looked up to see several brethren already making their way towards the dais, including Dumon, who had come to see him earlier that day.


    He too hurried forward.


    Meanwhile, a few lower-ranking cultists clothed in gray robes entered the hall¨Cthey were pushing a cart forged from a special heavy alloy, covered with numerous runes, and veiled with a blood-stained black cloth that appeared to be shielding something underneath.


    ¡°Bring the Skull of Dreams before the dais,¡± ordered The Saint.


    The lower-ranking cultists pushed the cart before the dais in the center of the hall, and two of them grabbed the black cloth on the cart, ready to unveil it.


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    Richard swallowed reflexively¨Cthough it wasn¡¯t his first time touching the ¡°Skull of Dreams,¡± he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit nervous at the moment.


    That eerie object, with every contact, evoked a soul-penetrating¡­ terror, and no matter how many times experienced, that terror seemed impossible to get accustomed to.


    Firm belief and devout faith could only help him make up his mind to touch that thing, but could not dispel the impression of terror itself and the innate tension he felt at this moment.


    Then, the two lower-ranking cultists lifted the black cloth.


    And the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± atop the cart thus came into Richard¡¯s view¨C


    It was a black, seemingly carved from wood¡­ goat head.

 Chapter 609 - Chapter 609 Chapter 608 Walking with the Reflection

    Chapter 609: Chapter 608: Walking with the Reflection Chapter 609: Chapter 608: Walking with the Reflection ¡°What did you say? They pushed forward a goat head wood carving?!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice came from the mirror on the vanity, carrying undeniable shock.


    ¡°Yes, a black wooden goat head,¡± Lucricia quickly said, turning her head to glance at the crystal ball on the table beside her, discerning the faint image emerging within the crystal ball¨Ca scene being transmitted directly from the heretics¡¯ gathering, ¡°It looks very similar to the ¡®First Mate¡¯ on the Homeloss¡­ no, not just similar, it¡¯s exactly the same!¡±


    ¡°Besides that, what is the goat head doing after being pushed forward?¡± In the mirror before Lucricia, Duncan¡¯s figure leaned slightly forward, ¡°Is it communicating with those heretics?¡±


    ¡°¡­No,¡± Lucricia shook her head while looking at the fuzzy image in the crystal ball, ¡°The goat head seems ¡®dead¡¯¡­ It hasn¡¯t moved since they pushed it forward, it just looks like a wood carving¡­ those heretics are performing rituals around it, lighting candlesticks and burning incense, and the goat head, which they call the ¡®Skull of Dreams,¡¯ still shows no reaction.¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brows tightly in the mirror.


    He knew that Rabi, hidden within the heretics¡¯ stronghold, could certainly send back a lot of valuable information, but he hadn¡¯t expected the information that rabbit relayed would be this significant¨Cfrom the beginning of the heretics¡¯ gathering to now, he and Lucricia had been paying attention to the continuous messages from Rabi, and among these messages, the most astonishing was the current scene.


    Those annihilation heretics¡­ they also have a goat head identical to the ¡®First Mate¡¯ on the Homeloss!?


    And from the looks of the scene, this was the reason they could move in and out of The Dream of the Nameless so freely?


    Within the mirror-connected dimensional realm, Duncan stood in the dim light and fell into thinking. After a long while, he raised his head, his gaze sweeping around.


    This was the world inside the mirror¨Cthough according to Agatha, a more accurate description was ¡°Homeloss¡¯s reflection on the edge of the Spirit Realm and reality.¡±


    Where his eyes reached, was the Homeloss he knew, yet the whole ship was enveloped in an unsettling, bizarre atmosphere. His gaze passed through the nearby window, where he could see the deck enveloped in darkness, and the distant sky and sea showing a texture reminiscent of the Spirit Realm. Near the ship¡¯s railing, a hazy glow shimmered, its outline seeming to undergo strange disturbance, waving and trembling like a reflection in the water.


    And behind him was the familiar sight of the captain¡¯s quarters¨Cthe sea chart table, the shelf, the precious tapestry on the wall, and¡­ the silent goat head beside the sea chart table.


    All of these were shrouded in an unusual dimness, as if stamped into this space, constantly reminding anyone who came here that they were not in the real dimension.


    The only thing in the room emitting a soft, reassuring glow was the oval mirror ahead of Duncan¨Cit reflected the scene in Lucricia¡¯s room, reflecting the ¡°warmth¡± from the real dimension.


    Duncan turned around and walked slowly towards the sea chart table, looking at the goat head wood carving quietly sitting on the table, which responded not at all to his approach, just like¡­ the ¡®Skull of Dreams¡¯ used by the heretics during their ceremony.


    After quietly observing this black wood carving for a moment, Duncan reached out and patted the goat head.


    If it were in the real world on the other side of the mirror, this action would certainly have provoked a noisy uproar; the goat head would not pass up the chance to speak.


    However, here, in this ¡®reflection¡¯ of the Homeloss, the goat head just quietly remained, just as if¡­ it had not yet awakened.


    Footsteps came from the side, and Duncan turned his head to see Agatha step up to him.


    ¡°Captain, there are thirty minutes until ¡®activation¡¯ of The Dream of the Nameless,¡± the lady ¡®living¡¯ in the world within the mirror said, ¡°Based on my last experience, at that time, the reflection of the Homeloss will transform into that ship sailing through the dark mists, and this ¡®wood carving¡¯ will also ¡®come to life.''¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, come to life, but still not quite like the ¡®First Mate¡¯ I¡¯m familiar with¨Cit¡¯s another goat head¨Cand in the hands of those annihilation heretics, there¡¯s yet another goat head.¡± Duncan spoke slowly, his face thoughtful, ¡°They seem to be using a goat head they found somewhere to enter The Dream of the Nameless, this¡­ makes sense, yet it exceeds my expectations.¡±


    Agatha hesitated a bit, then couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are there many ¡®goat heads¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­I used to think there was only one,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°It thought so too.¡±


    ¡°I remember you said the ¡®First Mate¡¯ was something you brought from the Subspace. If it¡¯s the Subspace¡­ maybe anything is possible, maybe the ¡®goat head¡¯ is even a tribe from there¡­¡±


    Agatha started to say but then stopped, clearly finding her own suggestion a bit far-fetched.


    Duncan did not speak; he just looked at the goat head on the table that was silent as a real wood carving, lost in thought for who knows how long before he softly muttered, ¡°Fragmented, huh?¡±


    Agatha heard the captain¡¯s mutter but was confused: ¡°Huh?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond to her confusion, but just gently shook his head, ¡°It seems there¡¯s another reason to capture those annihilation heretics alive¡­ this time, not only do we need to figure out how to capture their people but also their ship.¡±


    ¡°As long as we know where the ship is, no worldly vessel can escape the pursuit of the Homeloss,¡± Agatha immediately said.


    Duncan looked at the former gatekeeper with some surprise, ¡°You seem very confident¨Cyou haven¡¯t actually seen the Homeloss in combat, have you?¡±


    ¡°But the records of the Death Church have tons of terrifying descriptions about the Homeloss,¡± Agatha spread her hands, ¡°It¡¯s said that you once erased Banster¡¯s newly built warship in an instant¨Ceven in front of the Pilgrimage Ark, in front of an entire fleet. No matter how you think about it, those heretics couldn¡¯t possibly build a ship stronger than the Pilgrimage Ark.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression froze for a moment, and after a few seconds of awkwardness, he managed a forced smile, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡±


    Realizing the awkwardness of the topic, Agatha quickly changed the subject, ¡°Captain, what do you think about the purposes of those heretics?¡±


    ¡°Purpose? Do you mean their interest in Sherry and Adog, or their collaborative goals with those ¡®Sun Followers¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Both,¡± Agatha nodded.


    ¡°Their interest in Sherry and Adog was expected¨Cno right-minded obliterator would witness Adog without being impacted, and from that saint¡¯s reaction, the ¡®Profound Demons possessing intellect¡¯ seems to hold an extraordinary significance for them,¡± Duncan recalled the intelligence sent by Rabi and continued, ¡°That saint mentioned ¡®the last puzzle piece on the road to ascension¡¯¡­ that phrase caught my attention.


    ¡°As for their ¡®collaboration¡¯ with those Sun Followers,¡± Duncan paused, then fell silent for a while before breaking the silence, ¡°The obliterator¡¯s goal is the ¡®Tree,¡¯ which is understandable, referring probably to the World Tree Silantis, whereas those Sun Followers¡¯ goal is the ¡®Sun¡¯¡­¡±


    He furrowed his brow, lifting his head as if trying to look through the dimensions of space and time, towards a ¡®star¡¯ hanging in the ancient memories of The Dream of the Nameless.


    ¡°¡­how are they planning to access the ¡®Sun¡¯?¡±


    The captain¡¯s quarters fell silent, with Agatha unsure how to respond to the captain¡¯s questioning. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lucrezia¡¯s voice suddenly came through from a nearby mirror, breaking the silence:


    ¡°Dad, Rabi says those heretics appear to be ready for the final step of the ritual.¡±


    Duncan immediately lifted his head, looking towards the mechanical clock hanging on the opposite wall.


    The hands on the mirrored clock face were moving counterclockwise, slowly pointing towards nine o¡¯clock.


    The Dream of the Nameless was about to become active.


    He shifted his gaze back to the nautical chart on the desk next to him.


    Even in this ¡°reflection¡± world, the nautical chart in the captain¡¯s quarters still showed Homeloss navigating a normal course in the Endless Sea¨Cnow, Homeloss was about a thousand miles north of Light Breeze Harbor, still heading further north, continuing to distance itself from the City-State.


    The ¡°test¡± was about to yield a conclusion, yet Duncan faintly sensed that even moving Homeloss away from Light Breeze Harbor, letting Goat Head reach such a distant place, The Dream of the Nameless would still occur¨CLight Breeze Harbor would still be enveloped in dreamscape, and Homeloss¡¯s reflection would still undergo the same changes as before.


    Because dusk was approaching.


    Because the ¡°Sun¡± was becoming milder, and those once exiled would return to the reality dimension¨Cjust like that warrior who suddenly fell into reality and ultimately transformed into an indescribable entity, the so-called Dream of the Nameless was merely returning from a realm of oblivion and exile.


    At dusk, all these changes would inevitably occur, and Homeloss reaching Light Breeze Harbor was merely accelerating the activation of The Dream of the Nameless.


    Just as that saint proclaimed, this so-called ¡°Deep Sea Age¡± was continually approaching its ¡°final seconds.¡±


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    ¡°Lucy, report the progress observed by Rabi¡¯s side,¡± Duncan suddenly said.


    Lucrezia¡¯s voice immediately came through the mirror, ¡°Yes, those selected heretics have gathered around the ¡®Skull of Dreams,¡¯ waiting for the final sacrificial ceremony¡­


    ¡°The saint is ordering the ¡®blood meal¡¯ to be brought into the hall.


    ¡°¡­ it¡¯s two severely scarred Elves.¡±


    (I have a bold idea!)

 Chapter 610 - Chapter 610 Chapter 609 Ritual

    Chapter 610: Chapter 609 ¡°Ritual Chapter 610: Chapter 609 ¡°Ritual Today¡¯s blood feast was brought into the hall.


    Beneath the high platform, Richard stood next to the ¡°Skull of Dreams,¡± watching the gray-robed faithful push two Elves forward. Like everyone else, his expression was calm with an underlying hint of anticipation.


    The two Elves, a man and a woman, were dressed in tattered clothes, revealing scars from repeated torture beneath the torn fabric¨Cnot only from the ¡°sacrifice¡± wounds but also the scars left from ¡°research¡± and ¡°tests¡± on the Skull of Dreams.


    When they were first brought into the hall, their expressions were numb, but upon seeing ¡°The Saint¡± and the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± below the platform, a look of terror spread from their eyes. They struggled faintly, but The Saint on the platform merely shifted his eyestalks slightly and the Elves became paralyzed under his gaze, losing their will to resist¨Cthen a gray-robed Heretic wielding a sharp dagger stepped forward.


    The ceremonial dagger, wiped to a shiny gleam, was watched with implicit expectation by the faithful as its blade sliced into the Elf flesh¨Carms, thighs, backs, all non-fatal areas, as if deliberately to inflict the maximum torture and pain while preserving life. The ¡°Bloodletter¡± silently and adeptly cut into the sacrifices.


    The ¡°sacrifices,¡± under The Saint¡¯s gaze, could not even cry out or struggle. The couple stiffly stood by the heavy cart, their faces suddenly contorting in grotesque expressions of the immense pain they were enduring¨Cwhile fresh blood flowed from their new wounds, seeming to be drawn by an invisible force, floating in defiance of gravity and then gathering in a series of ¡°blood reservoirs¡± atop the heavy cart.


    Blood flowed through the troughs, moving towards the pitch-black goat¡¯s head that appeared to be carved from wood.


    At the moment the blood touched the ¡°Skull of Dreams,¡± an aura of terror and an astonishing force violently burst forth from the goat¡¯s head!


    The Heretics closest to the event immediately felt the surge of power. Richard felt as if a multitude of overlapping screams and roars drilled straight into his brain, careening wildly through his mind as if to tear his soul apart. He saw the pitch-black goat¡¯s head, as if coming to life, shaking violently, swaying back and forth. A powerful, malevolent, chaotic will seemed to awaken, and Richard could feel it scanning over the hall.


    The ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± had awakened.


    The two Elves, used as offerings, had already passed out. The gray-robed assistants immediately dragged them aside while the Bloodletter who had performed the bloodletting ritual lifted the ceremonial dagger high, ecstatically exclaiming¨C


    ¡°I have been recognized! The Master will accept me¨C¡±


    The next second, a horrific distortion befell the Bloodletter. Sounds of flesh tearing and bones crushing emanated from beneath his gray robes. His clothing bulged as his entire material substance was polluted, mutated, and ground to pulp. Suddenly, as if countless tentacles were growing from beneath his robes, innumerable cracks and tongues appeared on his face. However, this extreme pain appeared to be unrelated to him. The Zealot cheered, calling out the name of The Saint in ecstasy, until his life force faded, until his body fell heavily to the ground.


    The Bloodletter¡¯s ¡°martyrdom¡± signified the complete success of the ritual.


    ¡°Take those two ¡®blood feasts¡¯ away,¡± The Saint commanded from the platform, ¡°Keep them alive and prepare them for the next bleeding.


    ¡°Collect the blood flowing from the blood reservoirs, distribute it to assembly points throughout the City-States, for use in other assembly points¡¯ Dreamscape initiation rituals.


    ¡°Those who are chosen, step forward, touch the ¡®Skull of Dreams.¡¯ Your time has come.¡±


    The Saint¡¯s orders were immediately carried out. The two weakened Elves were dragged from the hall, leaving two glaring trails of blood. More faithful approached the eerie ¡°goat¡¯s head,¡± collecting the blood of the Elves that had touched the Skull of Dreams. This blood now possessed the power to open the Dreamscape, though not as potent as the Skull itself, it could still guide the user¡¯s spirit into The Dream of the Nameless where a ritual was prepared. It would become a key ingredient for the entry rituals performed by those hidden within the City-States.


    But the core explorers would still rely on those ¡°elite priests¡± who directly touched the Skull of Dreams.


    Richard took a deep breath, stepped forward, and placed his hand on the goat horns of the ¡°Skull of Dreams.¡±


    Again, a shrill scream pierced his mind. A terrible oppression burst from the goat¡¯s head, a formidable force sweeping through. In an instant, this Heretic felt his consciousness rapidly detaching from his body, ¡°seeing¡± his perspective rising swiftly while the surroundings darkened. He saw his own fleshly body falling backward, supported and taken away by his brethren¡­


    In his daze, he also saw a strange rabbit doll stealthily following beside his body, seeming to hide in the shadow of his form to evade the gaze of The Saint¡­


    A rabbit? Why is there a rabbit?


    Richard briefly wondered, but in the next instant, he forgot his confusion.


    The gates to The Dream of the Nameless opened before him.


    ¡­


    Transformation occurred.


    Duncan could clearly sense the shift in the ¡°atmosphere¡±¨Calthough the scene before his eyes seemed to change little, he knew that this ¡°reflection¡± of Homeloss had transformed into another kind of ¡­ ¡°entity¡± after the stroke of nine o¡¯clock.


    The wall clock opposite him once again underwent a mirror image effect, with the hands that had been moving counterclockwise now resuming their clockwise motion. Other things in the room that appeared mirrored due to facing the mirror also shifted subtly; the feeling of dimness hanging in the air had diminished considerably. Outside the window, the hazy and blurred deck and the ship¡¯s hull became clear again, while the sea and sky reminiscent of the Spirit Realm vanished, replaced by that familiar, boundless darkness and mist.


    This place was no longer a ¡°reflection.¡± Now, it was sailing through the Dreamscape of Silantis, within the Dream of the Horned Goat¨Canother Homeloss.


    However, Duncan¡¯s attention was not immediately on this ship.


    ¡°¡­ Those heretics used the skull, ¡®Skull of Dreams,¡¯ by pouring elf blood over that goat¡¯s head,¡± he said, his expression a complex mix of emotions, ¡°and it actually worked¡­¡±


    Agatha¡¯s voice came from the mirror beside him¨Cafter the ¡°transformation,¡± she had returned to within the mirror: ¡°From what Rabi described, it seems less like the ritual succeeded and ¡®Skull of Dreams¡¯ was activated, and more like the Skull of Dreams was enraged and executed those conducting the ritual¨Cthey, however, considered this ¡®execution¡¯ an honor.


    ¡°For now, it seems the elves used as ¡®sacrifices¡¯ should not be in immediate danger to their lives; the heretics will keep them alive as a stable source of blood¨Cyet before this ritual ¡®matures,¡¯ it¡¯s likely many elves as ¡®sacrifices¡¯ have already died on that ship¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak for a moment, merely nodding grimly. After several seconds, he glanced at the mirror not far away.


    Agatha¡¯s figure was reflected in the mirror, but beyond that, the mirror no longer showed the scene onboard the real Brilliant Starship¨Cnaturally, the figure of Lucrecia had vanished.


    Having stayed at Light Breeze Harbor, she should now have entered the ¡°Dreamscape.¡±


    ¡°Lucy, how are things on your end?¡±


    ¡°It seems that Homeloss departing from Light Breeze Harbor can¡¯t prevent the occurrence of The Dream of the Nameless¨CI¡¯m back in this forest now. Sherry is with me,¡± Lucrecia¡¯s voice entered Duncan¡¯s mind, ¡°I¡¯ve also contacted Rabi; it¡¯s still parasitizing that heretic and has not been exposed.¡±


    Duncan stayed silent for a few seconds: ¡°¡­What do you make of their ¡®ritual¡¯?¡±


    ¡°A bunch of lunatics, both crazy and stupid, dealing with shards of ancient gods using crazy and stupid methods. Their thinking is skewed, their methods are wrong, the cost is heavy¨Cyet they somehow achieved results they desired. As a scholar, I neither understand nor approve,¡± Lucrecia¡¯s expression turned complicated, as if carrying a sense of personal grievance, ¡°It¡¯s like a bunch of idiots banging on a malfunctioning differential engine with sticks, and somehow fixing the machine, it¡¯s simply¡­¡±


    She hesitated for a long while, finally squeezing out, ¡°It¡¯s an insult to intelligent life!¡±


    Duncan said quietly, ¡°But they succeeded¨Ceven though it seems like they¡¯re courting death.¡±


    Lucrecia¡¯s expression immediately grew more complex than before.


    Noticing the deep bitterness on this ¡®witch¡¯ Miss¡¯s face, Duncan did not continue to provoke her but subtly changed the subject: ¡°It seems there is indeed more than one ¡®goat¡¯s head,¡¯ but there may not be many with complete rationality¨Cperhaps only my ¡®first mate¡¯ really has it.¡±


    He paused, pondering and continuing, ¡°And it is precisely because those heretics¡¯ ¡®goat¡¯s head¡¯ lacks complete rationality, that their absurd ritual has a chance of success¨Cthe ¡®Skull of Dreams¡¯ only reacts instinctively to external stimuli, and one of its instinctual reactions just happened to help those zealots of obliteration open the door to The Dream of the Nameless.


    ¡°Right now, it¡¯s unclear whether it was the obliteration zealots who blindly stumbled upon this ¡®method¡¯ on their own, or if it was taught to them by those Doomsday Preachers babbling about gods. And even if we figured out how the obliteration zealots ¡®enter dreams,¡¯ the method for the ¡®followers of the sun¡¯ to enter The Dream of the Nameless is still a mystery¡­¡±


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    ¡°Could those following the Black Sun also have a ¡®goat¡¯s head¡¯ in hand?¡± Lucrecia thought of this possibility instinctively.


    ¡°Anything is possible¨Cbut my intuition tells me it shouldn¡¯t be so simple,¡± Duncan frowned, shaking his head as he thought, ¡°So far, the followers of the sun who have entered The Dream of the Nameless are only of two kinds: one is the ¡®Scions of the Sun¡¯ that appeared once, and the other is those inhuman ¡®Sun Remnants.¡¯ Ordinary Sun Priests and followers, as humans, have not shown up, and whether ¡®Scions¡¯ or ¡®Remnants,¡¯ neither are human.


    ¡°They are ¡®Ancient God Parasites¡¯ whose mental structures wildly deviate from humans.


    ¡°The way these creatures enter The Dream of the Nameless could be utterly different from the methods of the obliteration zealots.¡±


    (Double points period, asking for monthly passes!)

 Chapter 611 - Chapter 611 Chapter 610 Slumber in Twilight

    Chapter 611: Chapter 610: Slumber in Twilight Chapter 611: Chapter 610: Slumber in Twilight Though both were heretic cults, the Solar Sect and the Obliteration Sect had strikingly different traits, which meant that Duncan had to consider their ¡°traits¡± when confronting the actions of the heretics.


    The essence of the Obliteration Sect was to gain power and transform themselves through contracts with demons, and though these dark cultists explicitly worshipped the inscrutable Saint, their ¡°deity¡±actually didn¡¯t respond to this relationship. Therefore, apart from the desecrated Transcendent power, the Obliteration Sect was still fundamentally a human group, with actions and limitations based on their identity as ¡°humans¡±¨Cno matter how loudly they shouted the Saint¡¯s name, these lunatics actually had little to do with the ancient gods.


    If their sect was divided into a ¡°tower structure,¡± then from the powerless common Believers at the very bottom, to the clerical rank capable of summoning demons, to those at the very top who looked completely inhuman, the so-called ¡°Saints,¡± each level was striving to climb higher towards the so-called ¡°truth¡±¨Cbut the ¡°inscrutable Saint¡± at the top of the tower had no desire to bother with them.


    The Black Sun Sect was different¨Ctheir ¡°structural transmission¡± was from top to bottom.


    At the top was the dying ¡°Black Sun,¡± this ancient god in a state of near-death slumber spawned powerful descendants known as ¡°Scions,¡± these ¡°Scions¡± closely monitored and protected the monstrous humanoids called ¡°Remnants,¡± the remains of the sun. Below them were the numerous, mentally clouded Sun Believers; these human Believers did not spontaneously worship the Black Sun, but rather the power of the Black Sun leaked to the reality dimension, leading to the mental distortion of some human beings, thus transforming them into Believers out of thin air.


    Therefore, from a certain perspective, the entire ¡°Black Sun Sect¡± could be seen as a ¡°parasitic growth¡± of an ancient god, a branch structure of the Black Sun¡¯s power and flesh.


    In confronting the Obliteration Sect, they must be thought of as humans, but in facing the Black Sun Sect, one should first consider ¡°it¡± as a chaotic ancient god¨Ceach Scion, each Remnant, is a twitching, convulsing tentacle of the ancient god in its slumber.


    These tentacles infiltrate The Dream of the Nameless, some instinct from a higher realm drives them to steal the ¡°sun¡± from The Dream of the Nameless; considering their higher nature, these guys might enter The Dream of the Nameless in a simpler, more brute-force manner¡­ and more dangerous.


    Duncan exhaled softly, temporarily setting aside those complex thoughts.


    ¡°Let Rabi quickly confirm the exact location of that ship after this Dream of the Nameless ends,¡± he said inwardly to Lucricia, ¡°the sooner the better¨Cthe caveat being careful not to alarm that ¡®Saint.''¡±


    Lucricia¡¯s voice hesitated for a few seconds before coming through: ¡°Are you¡­ concerned about those Elves being used as sacrifices?¡±


    ¡°Judging by the Dream Ritual, they won¡¯t be in danger of their lives for the time being, but those heretics might perform some other ritual, and there could be more than just those two Elves on that ship,¡± Duncan said sternly, ¡°That¡¯s one reason. Another reason is that I am very interested in that ¡®goat head¡¯ in their possession¨Cif its true nature is indeed an ¡®ancient god fragment,¡¯ then the fragment cannot be allowed to remain in the hands of a bunch of heretics, who knows what kind of life-threatening new ploy they¡¯ll come up with next?¡±


    Duncan could not tell if it was his imagination, but as soon as his words fell, he felt a faint¡­ emotional fluctuation emanating from Lucricia¡¯s ¡°mark.¡± The mood of the witch seemed inexplicably to have improved?


    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll plan this out with Rabi,¡± Lucricia¡¯s voice rang, ¡°I¡¯ll find that ship within a few days.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Duncan responded in his heart, then sighed and turned to look at the chart table.


    The black goat head carving was calmly looking in this direction¨Cthough it seemed motionless at the moment, it had already rotated its angle once before.


    It had woken up but had not spoken.


    Duncan walked towards the chart table, eyes scanning over the surface.


    The lush, mysterious forest was projected onto the chart, having replaced the previous sea markers and routes, with the ghostly ship silhouette representing the Homeloss moving slowly over the forest canopy.


    The goat head at the edge of the table moved its gaze slowly, following Duncan¡¯s footsteps.


    After what seemed like ages, the tight-lipped goat head (Duncan felt the term was somewhat inappropriate to attribute to the goat head) finally broke the silence: ¡°You¡¯ve come again, friend¡­ You seem to have undergone some changes.¡±


    ¡°Changes?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°What kind of changes?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but now you seem¡­ to make me feel safer,¡± said the goat head slowly, ¡°Before, your presence here confused and unnerved me; I couldn¡¯t understand your existence. But now, even though I still don¡¯t know who you are, that confusion and nervousness are gone.¡±


    Duncan quietly looked into the goat head¡¯s eyes.


    He knew that his method this time had worked.


    He had entered the reflection of the Homeloss through the mirror before nine o¡¯clock at night, just as Agatha had done¨Cand after nine o¡¯clock, when the Transformation took place, he became a part of this ¡°Dreamscape ship¡± along with the reflection¡¯s changes.


    In other words, he went from an ¡°Intruder¡± to one of ¡°our own¡± in the Dreamscape.


    After multiple attempts, Duncan had found the true means of ¡°entering here.¡± His actions here could finally go unrestrained¨Cwhether it was exploring the ship, taking the helm, or steering the ship towards that dark fog for exploration, he would no longer startle Silantis, nor the goat head.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because we¡¯ve finally become familiar with each other,¡± Duncan smiled, though, of course, he couldn¡¯t reveal the existence of the Dreamscape to a slumbering consciousness, so he changed his wording, ¡°This is good.¡±


    ¡°Familiar?¡± The goat-headed figure turned its head slightly, seemingly giving Duncan¡¯s words brief consideration. Compared to their last encounter, its muddled, semi-conscious state seemed somewhat diminished, but it still reacted sluggishly, ¡°Ah, that does seem to be good¡­ We are now better friends.¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment and abandoned his intention to head to the helm ¡°to steer¡± the ship, choosing instead to sit down in the high-backed chair behind the chart table.


    He looked at the goat head, which was silently watching him, and cautiously asked a question, ¡°Where is Silantis right now?¡±


    The goat head swiveled its head slightly, appearing somewhat surprised by Duncan¡¯s question¨Cit hesitated, a rare almost human-like response, before slowly speaking, ¡°Silantis is right here, everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Right here? Everywhere? Can you clarify?¡± Duncan furrowed his brow and then added, ¡°I mean no harm, I just want¡­ to talk to her. I don¡¯t know if you can understand, but she is in danger, and a group of people with ill intent want to harm Silantis. I hope to find her before they do.¡±


    Duncan did not know whether his latter explanation had any effect, but after a moment of silence, the goat head indeed spoke.


    ¡°¡­ This place is Silantis,¡± it looked into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°You are inside Silantis¨Cin her thoughts, in her memories. This place is the frontier as well as the hinterland, but¡­ you cannot meet her.¡±


    Hearing the first half of what the goat head said, Duncan instantly realized what it meant, but the last sentence left him baffled, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because Silantis has not yet remembered herself¨Cuntil she recalls everything, she won¡¯t be a distinct existence¡­ And now, she does not wish to awaken.¡±


    ¡°You mean, Silantis is now dispersed in this dark fog as some sort of spiritual entity, because she cannot fully form a self-consciousness, she is currently an intangible being?¡± Duncan immediately understood the meaning and could not help but ask urgently, ¡°Is there any other way I can see her? Or even just establish communication would suffice.¡±


    He recalled his own past experience ¡°steering¡± this ship of dreams, the streaks of light that appeared in the darkness, and the voices within the light¨Che was certain that they were Silantis¡¯s thoughts, yet those ¡°thoughts¡± seemed to be in another dimension entirely and did not respond to his calls.


    This time, the goat head fell silent for an even longer time than before.


    After what seemed like an eternity, it finally spoke¨C


    ¡°Let her sleep a bit longer, just a little while¡­ It doesn¡¯t need to be long, let her settle them down¡­¡±


    ¡­


    A disordered wind suddenly rose to his ear, and pervasive sand shrouded his vision in an instant.


    However, before Fenna could instinctively raise her hand to block the sand, it stopped before her, and a voice just came through the wind, ¡°Traveler, we meet again.¡±


    Fenna looked immediately towards the direction of the voice.


    As the settling dust cleared, the giant¡¯s figure became distinct.


    He sat amid a pile of collapsed, crumbling black boulders, beside which rested an exaggeratedly large ¡°walking stick,¡± and the ¡°campfire¡± that had burned for an unknown time had long since extinguished, leaving only a pile of ash that still emitted a faint warmth and sparks at the giant¡¯s feet.


    Fenna lifted her gaze and looked around.


    It was the same place where she had said farewell to the giant, the same wind-sheltered spot, the same campfire sphere¨Cshe had returned to this ¡°location¡± with great precision, and the giant seemed to have been waiting for her all along.


    ¡°I said we would meet again soon,¡± the giant said with a gentle smile, his face crinkled with lines, ¡°you see, the fire is still warm.¡±


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    ¡°Have you been waiting here for me this whole time?¡± Fenna was somewhat surprised, ¡°I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°It was just a bit of waiting,¡± the giant said calmly, ¡°after all, this place is now desolate, without much for me to do¨Cwaiting does have some significance.¡±


    He paused for a moment, then lifted his head, his gaze traveling into the distance.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, Traveler¡­ If you have no current destination, I would like to take you somewhere.¡±


    (During the double event period, asking for monthly votes!)

 Chapter 612 - Chapter 612 Chapter 611 Memories of Dawn and Dusk

    Chapter 612: Chapter 611: Memories of Dawn and Dusk Chapter 612: Chapter 611: Memories of Dawn and Dusk Where was this giant taking her?


    Fenna followed the giant with curiosity and confusion, stepping into this endless expanse of yellow sand. The wind-whipped dust in the distance seemed to form a hazy barrier, blurring the boundaries between heaven and earth. Unbeknownst to her, the city ruins formed by black rugged boulders had already vanished into the depths of the sandstorm. By the time Fenna thought to look back, she could see nothing.


    The Sky Light was gradually brightening, and the heat in the desert was rising steadily.


    Fenna waved her hand and summoned a giant sword made of ice, sheltered by the Storm Goddess to combat the discomfort the desert brought her. She looked up at the sky again.


    The giant crack emitting an ominous red glow still covered the whole world. It might have been an illusion, but it seemed the blood-like edges of the crack had expanded since she first saw them.


    Though she could not see the sun anywhere, the whole sky was still brightening¨Cas if the concept of ¡°sunlight¡± had been imprinted in some sort of ¡°cycle¡± between heaven and earth. Even if the sun had vanished, its left behind light and warmth would still appear ¡°on time¡± in this world.


    The giant was captivated by the ice sword in Fenna¡¯s hands.


    He had seen the giant sword in her hands before, but he hadn¡¯t witnessed Fenna summoning the sword¨Cit seemed to him a wondrous power.


    ¡°Your sword, it is forged from a force not of this world, a marvelous power that can summon miracles amidst the yellow sands¨CI have not seen ¡®ice¡¯ in a very long time.¡±


    ¡°This power was bestowed upon me by the deity I worship,¡± Fenna quickly explained, ¡°He is the ruler of storms and oceans. The ice is an extension of the storm¡¯s authority.¡±


    ¡°The ruler of the oceans?¡± the giant mused softly, ¡°Storms and oceans¡­ We are very, very far from any coastline, and the so-called seas have long since dried up. However, I still remember, they once built a glorious city by the sea. That city had pure white outer walls and many blue roofs. They named the city after a gemstone and constructed the first ship that could cross the oceans there¡­¡±


    Fenna quietly listened to the giant recount these ancient forgotten tales, relaying the information she heard to others in Dreamscape, still engaged elsewhere. As the surrounding heat continued to rise, she picked up her giant sword, took a bite from the tip, and chewed the ice while asking curiously, ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Then, that city vanished inside a bubble when the Corrosion occurred. Many things changed in ways I cannot comprehend,¡± the giant said, unable to help but glance again at Fenna, observing the bitten edge of the ice sword. ¡°¡­So that¡¯s what it¡¯s used for?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit hot here,¡± Fenna said somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°I¡­ am not very good with heat.¡±


    ¡°Fear of heat, that¡¯s good. Feeling discomfort in one¡¯s environment is a proof of being alive,¡± the giant responded, then halted his steps, ¡°We have arrived, traveler.¡±


    Fenna stopped as well, following the giant¡¯s gaze with a suddenly dazed expression.


    Ahead of them lay a massive¡­ sinkhole, like an astonishing scar embedded in the earth, and unbeknownst to her, she and the giant had reached the edge of the great pit, only steps from the crater wall.


    After a brief moment of astonishment, she cautiously took a step forward to survey the pit. She noticed that the pit walls looked like glazed glass, the black rocks displaying the same melted and solidified state as the ruins they¡¯d seen earlier. She saw that the surrounding sands had receded, exposing the terribly cracked ground. The scale of the pit was immense, seemingly large enough to accommodate a City-State as vast as Prand¡­


    At the center of the pit, one could vaguely discern something tall and towering. It resembled an astonishingly large tower, but now only its twisted and grim exterior remained. Around this ¡°tower,¡± the remains of melted roads and various scattered stones were barely visible.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Fenna asked, pointing at the tower in surprise.


    The giant did not answer directly but slowly made his way to the edge of the pit and sat down, placing his massive staff beside him, lost in thought.


    After how long, he finally broke the silence.


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember many things, but I do remember this place¡­ Realizing that the whole world was gradually collapsing beyond human salvation, they built a massive archive here. This pit you see is the ruins of the archive¨Cthey tried to leave behind every evidence of their existence in a single building.


    ¡°Everything you can imagine, culture, art, history, countless scrolls and artifacts, as well as a seed bank and large sculptures, all were stored within a securely protected sturdy warehouse. They even produced huge stone slabs, carved with the most stable materials, inscribing simple introductions about the world and civilization on the stones.


    ¡°Books decay quickly, advanced recording devices are prone to malfunction, intricate storage media cannot be read directly, but words carved in stone can last thousands, even millions of years. Thus, those stones were placed at the very heart of the archive, considered its ¡®heart.¡¯


    ¡°They could find no more secure and enduring way to record than this.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ what happened next?¡± Fenna asked, even though she already knew the answer before she spoke.


    ¡°The stones turned into bubbles,¡± the giant lowered his head, looking into Fenna¡¯s eyes. ¡°In one second.¡±


    A feeling of suffocation suddenly overwhelmed Fenna.


    ¡°The artworks melted, flowed like water, and seeped into every crack. Scrolls turned into shadows, branded onto the walls, while sculptures sublimed into the air, transforming into pale mists. Then, the entire building began to sink, crumble, and the ground itself caved in,¡± the giant lifted his hand, pointing towards the deep pit, ¡°People gathered there, the last survivors. They were there to mourn their civilization and had prepared to die with dignity. But in truth, mourning and dying with dignity were also a luxury.


    ¡°Just before their eyes, everything they had documented transformed into¡­ indescribable things.


    ¡°This is the reality: when the world itself steps towards destruction, nothing documented ¡®on the world¡¯ will survive.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Fenna opened her mouth, and after a long time, she hesitatedly lifted her hand and asked again, ¡°That tower¡­¡±


    ¡°When the entire building began to collapse, that was the last safe place,¡± the giant spoke softly, ¡°They ran towards it, just like many, many years ago when the first great fire spread to their dwellings in the forest, they came down from the trees and ran to the safe plains. Only this time, the ¡®great fire¡¯ was not just going to burn the forest¡­


    ¡°Only one person made it there. I don¡¯t remember what he looked like or whether he was a man, a woman, an old person, or a child.


    ¡°He stopped there, then stood and died.


    ¡°In his last minute of death, he grew swiftly tall like a mountain, seemingly reaching towards the sky, that scene¡­ it was as if the scale was all wrong, because their ¡®science¡¯ told me that the human body structure could not possibly support that size¡­¡±


    The giant lifted his head, looking at the ¡°tower¡± in the center of the pit, as if that ancient confusion still lingered in his heart after such a long time.


    Fenna finally understood what it was.


    It was the last person in this world.


    She slowly widened her eyes, in shock, she stared fixedly at the center of the ¡°huge pit.¡±


    Even from such a distant distance, she could see the astonishing scale of that ¡°high tower,¡± taller than the tallest tower in Prand City and even more magnificent than the cathedral of the City-State, how could it¡­ be a person?


    However, gradually, Fenna could make out the chilling details in the bizarre, grotesque appearance of the far-off ¡°high tower.¡± She saw the melted, deformed structures raised like arms and the twisted torsos. For a moment, she even thought she saw a part of the high tower embedded with a terrifying¡­ face.


    But she knew it was an illusion, at such a distance, even if there were such details on the tower, she would not be able to see them clearly.


    Moreover, it was already so distorted that it was impossible to make out its original form.


    Fenna found it hard to describe her current feelings; she only knew that her heart had been struck, and a massive question nearly overwhelmed her mind. She gazed long at the black ¡°tower,¡± watching the last monument left by the destroyed ancient civilization, then slowly lifted her head, gazing for a long time at the sky covered with red cracks, where the sun could not be seen.


    After who knows how long, perhaps in an attempt to shift the heavy feeling in her heart, she suddenly asked, ¡°The sun¡­ did it disappear at that time too?¡±


    ¡°The sun?¡±


    Fenna raised her hand, pointing at the sky, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it used to be different, the sun that illuminated this world?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, the sun, I almost forgot; it was the sun¡­¡±


    The giant murmured softly, his tone containing a kind of wistfulness that Fenna couldn¡¯t understand. Then he lifted his hand, rummaging through his tattered robe for a while, appearing to finally find something from deep within his clothes, and then brought it out, placing it in front of Fenna.


    ¡°The sun is here.¡±


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    The giant said softly.


    Fenna stared dumbfounded at him, at the object he was showing her, at the small, bright luminous sphere quietly lying in the giant¡¯s palm¡­


    It glowed brightly, radiating a bit of warmth as if floating there, in a dimension parallel to reality.


    So¡­ small, yet calm.


    ¡°It fell down,¡± the giant looked at Fenna calmly and continued, ¡°I picked it up.¡±

 Chapter 613 - Chapter 613 Chapter 612 The Sun That Cannot Be Taken Away

    Chapter 613: Chapter 612: The Sun That Cannot Be Taken Away Chapter 613: Chapter 612: The Sun That Cannot Be Taken Away Fenna felt her brain wasn¡¯t quite enough.


    She was no stranger to this feeling of mental insufficiency¨Cduring her student days, she always felt this way when Mr. Morris lectured, but ever since she¡¯d successfully replaced much of her brain¡¯s function with muscle during puberty, she hadn¡¯t felt this way in many years.


    Now, the familiar feeling returned.


    She looked at the ¡°glowing orb¡± in the giant¡¯s hand and blinked several times before she understood the meaning of the words and the object in the literal and rational sense, but her emotional part was still bewildered¨Cwas this¡­ the sun that once was in this world?


    ¡°Would you like to touch it?¡± The giant looked at Fenna¡¯s rigid demeanor, smiled kindly, and moved the ¡°sun¡± a bit closer to her, ¡°It¡¯s not hot anymore.¡±


    Fenna found this statement more bizarre than ever, unsure of how to react.


    After a few seconds of hesitation, she, as if by some ghostly intervention, reached out her hand¨Cfilled with a feeling she couldn¡¯t quite explain, she curiously touched the glowing orb in the giant¡¯s hand.


    It was only the size of a fist¨Ca human fist, while in the giant¡¯s hand, it looked merely like a tiny, exquisitely crafted bead. The surface of this bead seemed to have numerous intricate structures in operation, with fine flames surging, bright and dark areas alternating, and occasionally strands of hair-like light rising and then falling back to the surface.


    It felt slightly warm, like water slightly hotter than body temperature.


    Fenna was a bit dazed; she thought of the sun she knew¨Crising every day from the sea level, with its splendid dual Rune Circle, bringing light and warmth to the entire world, an astonishing ¡°miracle,¡± an ancient and magnificent ¡°vision.¡±


    Meanwhile, she also remembered the captain telling her of another appearance of the sun, more splendid and colossal¨Cjust recently, the captain began trying to impart some Subspace-derived knowledge to his followers, which included concepts of stars and the universe.


    Honestly, Fenna hadn¡¯t understood much of the captain¡¯s teachings; even Mr. Morris and Miss Lukrecia seemed not to fully comprehend it, but Fenna understood one thing clearly¡­ Whatever the sun was, it shouldn¡¯t be a tiny sphere the size of a fist.


    The warm ¡°little sun¡± left her hand.


    The giant sat at the edge of the crater, placed the ¡°sun¡± in the palm of his hand, and rested his hand on his legs. His gaze dropped, as if immersed in memories and thought, and it took a long time before he spoke softly, ¡°They were full of wisdom, adept at using various methods to explain the workings of the world. Despite being naturally weak, they could rely on ¡®science¡¯ to combat things much stronger than themselves. I always thought, if they were still here, if they had developed to this day, maybe they could explain what this ¡®sun¡¯ is all about¡­


    ¡°But when it fell, the world was already silent, the last person had turned into that tower, those wise minds and inventive insights had disappeared from this world¨Cand I, I cannot comprehend this matter.¡±


    Fenna was silent for a long while, but she wasn¡¯t just being silent¨Cshe was relaying the events here to the captain.


    She told the captain¨Cshe might have found the ¡°sun¡± mentioned by the Heretics at their gathering.


    It was in the hands of this self-proclaimed deity of a giant, and it looked¡­ truly ¡°takeable,¡± with just one hand.


    The giant seemed not to mind Fenna¡¯s silence or her conscious-level communication with some unknown existence. Memories shrouded this lonely, ancient god; he stared long at the small ¡°star¡± in his hand, once shining upon this world, upon his mortal subjects. After a long time, he muttered to himself, ¡°I have always been pondering, pondering what exactly destroyed this place¡­ It didn¡¯t happen in an instant, traveler, it was a long process.¡±


    ¡°A process?¡± Fenna immediately seized on this word.


    The giant nodded, speaking from his memories, ¡°At first, there were abnormal phenomena that couldn¡¯t be explained by existing knowledge; clouds would disappear and reappear suddenly, unexplained flashes occurred in the atmosphere, the weather went awry, plants no longer grew normally;


    ¡°Then, the abnormalities began to affect deeper, more unsettling realms¨Cgravity was changing, fractures appeared in the flow of time across different places;


    ¡°During this process, we observed that increasingly intense red light, like a crack, seeping in from beyond the heavens, as if fixed in the sky and covering our world, distorting the distant starlight, some kind of¡­ ¡®deformation¡¯ corroded the world, and everyone was helpless against it.


    ¡°The archives were established during that time.¡±


    The giant suddenly stopped speaking, looking towards that high tower, perhaps unaccustomed to interacting with people, he always did this, getting lost in thought or distracted mid-sentence, but soon, he continued,


    ¡°The long process had a rapid end, when the archives were destroyed, I briefly felt¡­ something ¡®touching¡¯ our world, that thing took a long time to approach, causing the prolonged doomsday in its approach, and its ultimate ¡®touch¡¯ was the arrival and end of destruction, yet even after a long time, I still haven¡¯t figured out what that ¡®thing¡¯ was.¡±


    ¡°You said you felt something ¡®touching¡¯ this world?¡± Fenna widened her eyes, unconsciously using a respectful tone while talking to the giant, ¡°You really didn¡¯t ¡®see¡¯ what that thing was?¡±


    The giant recalled earnestly and showed a trace of apology to Fenna, ¡°Sorry, traveler, I can see that you care deeply about this, but what I have told you is all I know.¡±


    Fenna pursed her lips, having to suppress the regret in her heart, then turned her gaze back to the ¡°little sun¡± in the giant¡¯s hand.


    We cannot allow this object to truly fall into the hands of the descendants and remnants of the Black Sun.


    After much hesitation, she finally decided to be a bit more open and honest.


    ¡°There are people with ill intentions, who have already set their eyes on the ¡®Sun¡¯ in your hands¡­ I don¡¯t know if they will find this place, nor how to explain their origins to you, but¡­¡±


    She had only spoken halfway when the giant lifted his hand again, placing the ¡°luminous sphere¡± in front of her, ¡°Do you want to take it away?¡±


    The giant spoke in a gentle tone, a smile gracing his face.


    Fenna was stunned for a moment, but quickly waved her hands, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant, you might have misunderstood¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, traveler,¡± the giant interrupted Fenna again, still speaking in that calm, friendly tone, ¡°I can feel your goodwill, and also¡­ I think you might not be able to take it from my hands.¡±


    Fenna paused slightly, and upon realizing that the giant was not joking, she tentatively reached out her hand towards the glowing sphere¨Cnot to touch it, but to try to lift it.


    The warm sensation came again, and Fenna felt like she was grasping something solid, yet as soon as she tried to exert force, the sensation suddenly disappeared.


    The sphere turned into an illusion, passing through her palm.


    She looked bewilderedly at the Sun that she couldn¡¯t lift.


    ¡°From some point onwards, it has become a part of me,¡± the voice of the giant came from beside her, ¡°Perhaps it was the day I picked it up¡­ An illusion picked up another illusion, and they could never be separated.


    ¡°Traveler, if you can¡¯t take it with you, then it seems those ill-intentioned people you mentioned will not be able to either.¡±


    The giant stood up from the ground.


    He brushed off the dust from his robe, carefully tucked the ¡°Sun¡± close to him, then bent down to pick up his enormous staff, ¡°We should be going, traveler.¡±


    Fenna instinctively asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°To roam the world, there are many things here, although they no longer bear their original appearances, but I would like to tell you their past stories and forms,¡± the giant turned his head, looking towards the distant sands, ¡°You can also tell me along the way, what the origins of those ¡®ill-intentioned people¡¯ are¨Cthis world has been dead for many years, it has been too long since I¡¯ve spoken with anyone, this is my first time hearing¡­ news of an Outsider.¡±


    He paused, lowered his head to look at Fenna, ¡°I had almost forgotten what curiosity was, thank you for reminding me.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take a look down there?¡± Fenna pointed towards the tower at the center of the large crater, ¡°I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to see there, what you see here is all there is,¡± the giant shook his head, already turning and walking towards the distance, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s about to get dark, the day and night here always change swiftly, but perhaps we can reach another ruin before dusk¨Cwhere you could once gaze upon the sea.¡±


    Listening to the giant¡¯s words, Fenna looked back once at the ¡°tower,¡± silently bidding it farewell, then turned and followed the giant, who had already walked several meters ahead.


    ¡­


    Duncan sat behind the chart table, maintaining the same posture for a long time before he finally sighed deeply.


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    Fenna had found the ¡°Sun,¡± in a very¡­ inconceivable state.


    But, for some reason, after hearing Fenna¡¯s report, aside from initial surprise and confusion, he felt no other emotions; even the surprise faded quickly, leaving only a sense of¡­ ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    Perhaps because he had personally seen the ten-meter-diameter ¡°Moon,¡± or perhaps because he had already witnessed a ¡°Sunbeam¡± that could jump across the deck, having lived in this bizarre, twisted world for so long, his capacity to accept had been fully honed.


    So there remained only one issue¨C


    Fenna could not take the ¡°Sun¡± with her.


    This was somewhat disconcerting.

 Chapter 614 - Chapter 614 Chapter 613 The Ship and the First Mate

    Chapter 614: Chapter 613: The Ship and the First Mate Chapter 614: Chapter 613: The Ship and the First Mate At the edge of the maritime chart table, the silent, dark wooden carving of a goat¡¯s head kept watching Duncan¨Ca gaze more unsettling in its silence than the other, chattering goat¡¯s head.


    Duncan finally couldn¡¯t ignore the gaze anymore and had to lift his head from his thoughts to ask, ¡°Why do you keep staring at me?¡±


    ¡°I thought you would go ¡®steering¡¯ again, like last time,¡± the goat¡¯s head said slowly, ¡°It felt¡­ very strange.¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows, slightly surprised, ¡°You want me to steer again?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just feel it¡¯s incredible,¡± the goat¡¯s head pondered, its tone uncertain, ¡°I can feel this ¡®ship¡¯, I understand every part of it, yet I don¡¯t know how to communicate with it¡­ It¡¯s like an old friend of mine, but I have forgotten about it, so it ignores me now. Last time, when you went to the aft deck and grasped the steering wheel¡­ I seemed to hear its voice.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You heard ¡®its¡¯ voice? What kind of voice was it?¡±


    Duncan showed a curious expression immediately, as he had left in haste last time and hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to discuss this with the goat¡¯s head; now that it mentioned it, he realized he had overlooked this question¨Cwhen he went to steer, the goat¡¯s head in the real world had awoken, but what about this one in the Dreamscape? What was its reaction then?


    The goat head paused, seemingly recalling, and after nearly half a minute, it slowly began, ¡°Rather than a voice, it was more like something that directly appeared in my memory. It seemed to be calling me, reminding me not to forget the contract with the ¡®captain¡¯, reminding me not to neglect my duties¡­ I also saw some images, saw¡­¡±


    It suddenly stopped, as if the state of being half asleep and half awake was affecting its thought process, making it unable to organize appropriate language to describe what was in its memory, as if it had again fallen into a kind of mental stalling, forgetting the current topic.


    Duncan had to remind from the side, ¡°What did you see? Was it an image of this ship?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, the ship, but it seemed like I wasn¡¯t on the ship¡­¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t on the ship?¡±


    ¡°I was in a very dark place, hollow¡­ everywhere was hollow, murky, a shadow floated over, it was the ship¡¯s shadow, but it looked like it was about to dissipate soon, and a vague voice spoke to me, I can¡¯t remember what the voice said, but the owner of the voice took something from me, and then, the shadow became a solid¡­¡±


    The goat¡¯s head, in a dreamy tone, narrated slowly and disjointedly, its speech often showing a lack of logic and abrupt interruptions, like a chaotic dream unadorned showing its bizarre, continually flashing scenes.


    The goat¡¯s head paused again for over ten seconds before continuing with the last sentence, ¡°¡­Thus, I became part of the shadow, that seems like something from a very long time ago, but the ship seems to remember¡­ strange, is it the ship that remembers, or is it I who remember?¡±


    The goat¡¯s head seemed to fall into confusion again, muttering more and more softly until it became completely inaudible murmurings, Duncan thought for a moment and his gaze gradually changed; he sat behind the navigation desk, his expression already somewhat grave.


    The description from the goat¡¯s head was topsy-turvy, with many missing and fuzzy details, but that didn¡¯t mean there wasn¡¯t any useful information in it¨Cfrom those sentences, Duncan could entirely deduce and infer many things!


    What it narrated¡­ seemed to be a scene from a hundred years ago when the Homeloss and the real Captain Duncan Ebnomal had taken it from the Subspace!


    In the real world on the other side, Duncan had also discreetly inquired about this from the other goat¡¯s head, but its replies were vague, seemingly having forgotten the events from a century ago, now it seemed, this piece of intelligence was retained in the memory of this goat¡¯s head in the Dreamscape? Or, according to this goat¡¯s head, was the ¡°Homeloss¡± remembering this event?


    Duncan subtly observed the now silent goat¡¯s head again, then looked up around the captain¡¯s room.


    This was the goat¡¯s head¡¯s Dreamscape, and in the general sense, a dreamscape is the ¡°subconscious projection¡± of the dreamer.


    But just now, Duncan suddenly realized something.


    This ship might not just be the goat head¡¯s Dreamscape¨CHomeloss was also alive!


    The century-long ¡°symbiosis¡± had closely linked the goat¡¯s head with the Homeloss, this connection not only manifested in the material structure but also in the spiritual¨Cthe latter was a living ship, although many ¡°objects¡± onboard seemed to have only the most basic activity, but as a whole, as the Homeloss¡­ its ¡°consciousness¡± might be far more complex and complete than he had imagined.


    Complete enough to participate in this Dreamscape in a way unimaginable.


    Duncan slowly placed his hand on the chart table in front of him, he stared at it for a long time, as if through this table he was observing the entire Homeloss, thinking about the intelligence revealed by the goat¡¯s head¡¯s description, his fingers unconsciously caressing the rough surface of the table¨C


    ¡°Are you trying to tell me something during this opportunity?¡± he wondered in his mind.


    But he received no reply.


    Perhaps, the ¡°consciousness¡± of the Homeloss was in a state he could not comprehend, it might have already responded¨Cbut no one could understand.


    Duncan considered what the goat¡¯s head had said earlier.


    It claimed it was floating in a dark hollow place, surrounded by nothingness and chaos, matching the characteristics of the Subspace, and it mentioned that the Homeloss appeared before it, looking like a soon-to-dissipate illusion¡­ was that the initial state when the Homeloss first encountered the goat¡¯s head?


    About to dissipate¡­ that is to say, when Homeloss had just plummeted into Subspace, its condition was actually terrible, so bad that it had already lost its physical form, and in a certain sense, the ship was even erased by Subspace at that time¨Cleaving only a blurry sound, the voice of Duncan Ebnomal.


    Then, the owner of that voice took something from ¡°Goat Head,¡± and then the phantom of Homeloss regained its physical form¡­ This ¡°thing¡± is the key!


    Duncan¡¯s eyes suddenly grew serious, and then, he remembered the first thing Goat Head had said¨CHomeloss reminded it not to forget the ¡°contract¡± with the captain.


    There was a contract! A contract existing between Goat Head and Duncan Ebnomal!


    What was the content of the contract? What agreement did they reach when they met in Subspace a hundred years ago?


    Duncan Ebnomal took a certain ¡°thing¡± from Goat Head to reshape the physical form of Homeloss. Homeloss then took Goat Head out of Subspace, bringing it to a stable reality dimension¡­


    This must have all been part of the contract.


    But what about afterward?


    Duncan Ebnomal had not lived to the present; he had already disappeared, and now a soul named ¡°Zhou Ming¡± inhabited this powerful shell.


    And that Goat Head in the real world¡­ clearly knew about the changes that had occurred with the ¡°captain.¡±


    Yet it still diligently fulfilled its duties as the first mate.


    Was this also part of the contract?


    Goat Head in the real world said it didn¡¯t remember its experiences in Subspace, so¡­ did it still remember that contract? Or had it also forgotten the contract, but some kind of ¡°limitation¡± was still at work, forcing it to continue fulfilling the agreement¡­


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts raced through his mind, and moments later, he suddenly rose.


    The Goat Head on the table had no reaction, nor did it follow Duncan¡¯s movements by shifting its gaze as before.


    It seemed still immersed in that half-asleep, bewildered state¨Cprevious memories and thoughts had already exceeded its certain ¡°threshold of thinking.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t mind Goat Head, knowing it would recover soon¨Cnow he had more important things to do.


    He left the captain¡¯s quarters, stepping onto the stairs leading to the aft deck, following the familiar route to the helm.


    With the experience of last time and this time¡¯s preparation, Duncan didn¡¯t hesitate anymore; he quickly stepped forward and tightly gripped the heavy steering wheel.


    The next second, the entire ship suddenly ¡°activated¡± under the captain¡¯s steering.


    The familiar scene reappeared before his eyes, the huge Ghost Ship rapidly awakening, sounds of items activating echoing everywhere¨Cfrom the ropes tensing, sails billowing, to the cables and winches producing squeaking and creaking noises¨Cand that massive, roots-like tunnel big enough to accommodate a giant ship appeared in front of Homeloss almost simultaneously, coming at them like a huge vortex.


    Countless branches, roots, and mists filled with phantom lights swamped Duncan¡¯s view, surrounding the direction of Homeloss¡¯s advancement, as those warm streams of light once again climbed onto the deck, aimlessly wandering around the helm.


    ¡°Saslouka, is that you?¡±


    A slightly juvenile voice entered Duncan¡¯s ears, the light streams circulating around him as if searching for something, yet also seeming merely sleepwalking.


    ¡°¡­Saslouka won¡¯t come anymore.¡±


    Although he knew that Silantis couldn¡¯t hear him now, Duncan still responded earnestly, then ignored the phantom lights wandering near him, focusing all his attention on the ship beneath his feet.


    Homeloss was sailing through the darkness, moving swiftly through the gigantic ¡°root tunnel.¡± Occasionally, the tunnel would present structures resembling forks in the road, yet the ship, as if knowing its own path, would choose its direction without needing the captain¡¯s control.


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    Duncan just needed to hold the steering wheel.


    He also could devote more energy to perception.


    If the situation was as he feared, if this ship was both Goat Head¡¯s Dreamscape and Homeloss¡¯s Dreamscape, then¡­ somewhere on this ship, there must be some areas that were different from the real Homeloss today.


    That would be the subconscious modifying the Dreamscape, the retracing of memories.


    It was Homeloss trying to reveal something to itself.

 Chapter 615 - Chapter 615 Chapter 614 Beneath the Fault

    Chapter 615: Chapter 614: Beneath the Fault Chapter 615: Chapter 614: Beneath the Fault Duncan felt his mind spreading throughout the ship, his perception unfurling like a spider¡¯s web, every part of the ship seemed to become an extension of his own bodily structure¨Cmore smoothly than the last time, more clearly than the last time. This Ghost Ship sailing on the edge of the Dreamscape was revealing all its secrets to him, unreservedly.


    His spirit began to sink, from the towering stern deck down to the cabins beneath the deck, to the interlayer where gunpowder and cannonballs were stored, all the way to the storage hold for the anchor chains, to the water cistern¡­ from every wall, to every support pillar, from every rope, to every lantern¡­


    The entire ship was gradually transforming into a detailed ¡°projection¡± that appeared in his mind.


    Duncan compared this projected structure in his mind with his memories, hoping to spot some incongruity¨Cperhaps a crossbeam that didn¡¯t exist in the structural design, perhaps a cabin that had never appeared in the physical realm, perhaps a storage layer that no one had ever discovered before¨Cthat would be where Homeloss and the consciousness of the Goat¡¯s Head had misaligned in their merger.


    Initially, it was a sudden thought that emerged in his mind, Duncan was merely aware that this ship was not just a dream of the ¡°Goat¡¯s Head¡± and that the ¡°memories¡± of Homeloss might also be at play, hence he wanted to seek evidence of the latter¡¯s existence. But as his perception continued to spread throughout the ship, this ¡°try-it-and-see¡± thought was becoming more and more firm, as though an invisible voice was guiding, telling him¨C


    Something really lay hidden deep within this ship, Homeloss was indeed trying to tell him some secrets, in someplace imperceptible from the physical dimension, Homeloss still ¡°remembered¡± some events that had occurred in subspace.


    And this concealed memory pointed to one of the most vital secrets at the heart of this complex Dreamscape¨C


    The origin of the Goat¡¯s Head, and the connection between this ship of the Dreamscape and Silantis.


    Was it his own Intuition? Or was Homeloss truly whispering to him incessantly?


    Duncan felt a hazy thought emerge in his mind, but he didn¡¯t dwell on this question. He focused on his task, searching for any potential clues.


    This was not easy, because even with his most familiar ship, Duncan did not dare to claim he could clearly recall the position of every item on board Homeloss; he was more hopeful that his ¡°Intuition¡± would assist in this process, to help him find some place out of accord.


    However, he hadn¡¯t anticipated that this intuition wouldn¡¯t be necessary¨Cthe place of dissonance was even more obvious and more striking than he had imagined.


    He perceived a very large ¡°perception gap¡± below the third deck.


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed instantly, and while he gripped the ship¡¯s wheel in his hand, he looked down towards the place he ¡°saw¡± in his perception: right beneath himself.


    The bottom of the ship?


    Something occurred to Duncan, and he hesitated for a moment, then let go of the wheel he was holding.


    His connection with the ¡°ship¡¯s rudder¡± was severed.


    But his perception from the entire ship did not cease; he could still feel the ship connected to him¨Cit was still sailing swiftly through the boundless darkness and fog, and outside the ship¡¯s hull, the massive structures that resembled roots and branches of plants still existed and were whizzing past all around.


    Silantis¡¯s ¡°Luminescence¡± was also there, still circling incessantly around the helm station.


    Watching this scene, a slight enlightenment arose in Duncan¡¯s heart: It seemed that once a connection was established, it wouldn¡¯t break until this Dreamscape ended.


    Because he had entered the dream as a reflection, he himself was now part of this Dreamscape¨Cevery action he took here would no longer be seen as ¡°foreign intrusion¡± and wouldn¡¯t be easily expelled or erased by the Dreamscape¡¯s own repair forces.


    After confirming this, Duncan breathed a sigh of relief, then hurried away from the helm station, but before he headed through the depths of the cabin, he doubled back to the quarterdeck and returned to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Near the door of the captain¡¯s quarters, he saw a simple and ancient lantern hanging quietly on the wall.


    To go down to the lower structures of Homeloss, one needed to carry a lantern¨Calthough he was unsure if this rule still applied aboard the ¡°Ship of Dreams,¡± he decided to proceed cautiously.


    Agatha¡¯s figure appeared in a nearby mirror, watching Duncan with curiosity, ¡°Captain, what are you about to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going down to the hold,¡± Duncan quickly replied, turning back to glance towards the direction of the navigation table¨CThe Goat¡¯s Head was still quietly sitting there, seemingly unresponsive, ¡°There is something at the bottom of the ship.¡±


    At his words, Agatha looked startled, her expression turning serious at once.


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk and talk,¡± Duncan then said, ¡°Don¡¯t discuss it here.¡±


    Saying that, he had already picked up the antiquely fashioned brass lantern, opened the door, and exited the room.


    He strode across the misty, empty deck¨Cthe ¡°fire seed¡± had already lit the lantern, causing it to emit a faint green glow. The drifting fog in the air around him receded slightly in the light, then closed in behind him¨Cwithin the illuminated shadows cast by the light, an extra shadow moved swiftly by his side, almost overlapping with his own.


    Agatha¡¯s voice came from the shadows, ¡°The ship¡¯s keel you mentioned¡­ Is it the area you normally keep me away from?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Duncan nodded as he opened the door to the lower decks, quickly descending the stairs with a lantern in hand, ¡°In our reality, the keel of Homeloss connects to subspace¨Cthere¡¯s a fragmented area where beyond each fissure lies a reflection of subspace itself. It¡¯s dangerous for anyone to approach without my accompaniment.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just listening to your description already sounds dangerous,¡± Agatha¡¯s shadow seemed to shiver. Although her expression was not visible, the shadow clearly faded a bit, which suggested that she was a little nervous, ¡°Judging by your reaction, it seems that there has been a change in the situation at the keel of ¡®Dreamship¡¯?¡±


    ¡°There appeared a structure I¡¯ve never seen before,¡± Duncan spoke rapidly as he moved through the decks beneath and the vast, dimly lit storage spaces, descending deeper level by level, ¡°Not far ahead, right at the bottom of the last staircase¡­ is the fragmented area.¡±


    After rushing through the dimly lit corridors and stairwells with an odd atmosphere and even inverse shadows, Duncan and Agatha¡¯s shadow abruptly stopped.


    They had reached the end of the last staircase, and the door that led to the fragmented area of the keel stood silently in Duncan¡¯s view.


    Agatha¡¯s shadow ¡°crawled¡± alongside Duncan at the stairwell, then rose slowly against the wall, and from the silhouette¡¯s contours, it seemed as if she was looking at the door ahead cautiously and nervously.


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel anything beyond the door,¡± she said in a hushed voice, ¡°Even at this close distance, I can¡¯t sense anything¡­ It¡¯s as if there¡¯s a pure ¡®void¡¯ on the other side.¡±


    Duncan looked at Agatha, then lowered his gaze to the lantern in his hand.


    The gentle glow from the lantern illuminated their surroundings. However, when it reached the door ahead, it seemed as if something absorbed it, leaving only half the brightness visible.


    He took a soft breath, stepped forward, and pushed open the door.


    In the real world, the space behind this door was the bottommost, fragmented cabin of Homeloss¨Cits structure floating in subspace.


    But here, what first struck Duncan was an endless expanse of darkness.


    He almost thought he was about to fall into this boundless void.


    Duncan¡¯s nerves instinctively tensed, with the vast darkness presenting a stark contrast to the scenes within the cabins, catching him off guard. But soon, he saw that within the darkness, there were other things.


    His eyes gradually adapted and discerned the colossal entities emerging from the darkness:


    First was an incredibly massive, continuous structure, broad as if it were a pathway floating in void, its ends slightly raised. Then, becoming clearer, many ¡°branches¡± connected to both sides of this continuous structure, neatly lined in the darkness, extending to the horizon like¡­ ribs.


    Duncan stood in the midst of this grand, continuous structure. Besides the central ¡°trunk¡± under his feet and the rib-like fine branches around, there were no cabin walls in sight¨Cnot even the fragmented walls. Between those ¡°ribs,¡± there was nothing but darkness and void, with strands of mist swirling within this vast space.


    Duncan knew what it was.


    At the same time, Agatha¡¯s shadow ¡°crawled¡± out from the door and settled next to Duncan¡¯s shadow. She stared in astonishment at the incredible scene before her, taking a moment before suddenly realizing, ¡°Wait, this thing is¡­¡±


    ¡°The dragonbone of Homeloss,¡± Duncan said softly, his voice grave.


    ¡°Dragonbone¡­ Of course, Homeloss is a sailship built a century ago, it surely has a dragonbone¡­¡± Agatha hesitated, her tone somewhat strange, ¡°But it looks¡­¡±


    Duncan paid no attention to Agatha. His focus was almost entirely captivated by the astonishing structure that twisted and extended in the darkness.


    This was the first time he had seen the dragonbone of Homeloss¨Cas per the world¡¯s shipbuilding regulations, a completed sailship of war would not expose its dragonbone within the visible areas of the cabins, and the ¡°bottom compartment¡± of Homeloss that should contain the dragonbone had fragmented and floated in subspace, leaving no discernible structure.


    He had never thought about what the ship¡¯s dragonbone might look like.


    Now he knew.


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    He walked onto that path floating in the darkness, following it forward until he stopped before the first ¡°joint.¡±


    The light from the lantern illuminated the giant raised, connecting structure, and further away, the next ¡°joint¡± and many more ¡°joints.¡±


    This segmented ¡°connecting structure¡± certainly didn¡¯t meet the construction standards for a sailship¡¯s dragonbone, as the dragonbone for a conventional old-world sailship needed to be a solid piece of wood to withstand the sea¡¯s tumult.


    But Duncan believed, the dragonbone of Homeloss, with its numerous ¡°connecting structures¡± at the bottom, must be sturdier than any dragonbone in the world.


    For it was the spine of an ancient deity.

 Chapter 616 - Chapter 616 Chapter 615 The Shattered Secret

    Chapter 616: Chapter 615: The Shattered Secret Chapter 616: Chapter 615: The Shattered Secret Gazing at the dragon bone that continuously stretched forward through the darkness, Duncan seemed certain of its origin and the ¡°deal¡± that happened deep in Subspace a century ago.


    But he always felt as though he was overlooking something, that this surely wasn¡¯t the entire message Homeloss wanted to convey to him¨Cat least not all of it.


    He held the lantern high, the flame kindled by Spiritual Fire grew a bit brighter, and its faint glow illuminated the surroundings, making the intricate details on the surface of the dragon bone even more apparent. The light also reflected into the void beyond the bone, forming a halo in the dark mist.


    It seemed as if many things lurked within that mist.


    Agatha¡¯s shadow followed, rising within the mist and standing vaguely beside him: ¡°This spine¡­ could it come from the great demon deity of Elven legends, Saslouka?¡±


    ¡°The possibility is high,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°and perhaps only a divine being could possess such a spine.¡±


    ¡°Goat heads¡­¡± Agatha hesitated, seemingly muddled in her thoughts as she took a moment to find the right words, ¡°I mean all the goat heads, including those on Homeloss, this Dreamscape, those in the hands of the Heretics, as well as the ¡®goat heads¡¯ that might still be unknown to us, what exactly is their relationship with Saslouka?¡±


    She paused, then continued, ¡°That befuddled goat head claimed Saslouka died a long time ago, and it wasn¡¯t Saslouka, but now it seems, ¡®they¡¯ are closely linked to the Elves¡¯ ¡®Primordial Dream¡¯. Now we¡¯ve even discovered this ¡®dragon bone¡¯ at the bottom of Homeloss¡­ You don¡¯t remember the process of obtaining this dragon bone in Subspace, do you?¡±


    Of course, Agatha did not know that the current Duncan was not the original ¡°captain¡± of Homeloss; naturally, she assumed it was Duncan who had struck the agreement and sealed the contract with the goat head in Subspace a hundred years ago. And as he often mentioned, he¡¯d lost much of his memory in the process of regaining his humanity; thus, she took it for granted that the dragon bone was also part of Duncan¡¯s lost memories.


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer directly but merely nodded slightly, and after pondering for a few seconds more, he spoke thoughtfully, ¡°Perhaps, all the goat heads are part of Saslouka.¡±


    Agatha was taken aback but quickly realized, ¡°So, Miss Lucrezia¡¯s calling those ¡®goat heads¡¯ from the Heretics¡¯ hands ¡®divine shards¡¯ is correct¡­ and these divine shards are varied in state, unable to recognize themselves¡­ Some still remember things related to Saslouka or Silantis, while others seem to have lost all thought and reason¡­¡±


    Duncan remained silent, contemplating the impressively scaled spine before him, and after a long while, he suddenly spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s speculate more boldly; the ¡®goat heads¡¯ might just be one form of manifestation of the divine shards. The spine we see before us is clearly another form of the ¡®divine shard¡¯, and we cannot rule out the existence of other forms¨C a tree, a person, a rock, a corpse¡­ they could all be remnants left by Saslouka.


    ¡°After all, according to ancient Elven myths, Saslouka assumed countless forms¨Cthis could also explain why the goat head suspected to be a divine shard is small enough to be placed on a navigator¡¯s table, and yet, as ¡®fragments¡¯, the spine can support Homeloss entirely.¡±


    Duncan stated this possibility in a calm voice, the painted scenario something truly chilling¨Ceven Agatha, once a ¡°Gatekeeper,¡± shuddered at the attempt to imagine the state of the great demon deity.


    She couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°What kind of force¡­ would turn a ¡®deity¡¯ into this? Into such a¡­ fragmented state?¡±


    She spoke without thinking and did not expect any answer from the captain.


    Nevertheless, after a moment of silence, Duncan spoke up as if to himself¨Che slowly said,¨C


    ¡°¡­But the second blueprint also failed, and so the Dreaming King was torn asunder on the second long night of Creation, His parts drifting at the edges of the real world¡­¡±


    Agatha froze, her shadow swaying slightly in the light, the edges blurring. Soon, she recalled the origin of these phrases: ¡°This is from the Book of Desecration¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded lightly: ¡°Yes, the Heretics¡¯ ¡®Creation Myth¡¯, the tales before the age of the deep sea, the Dreaming King used His authority to create, yet was torn to pieces in the long night.¡±


    ¡°Saslouka is one of the Lost Kings!¡± Agatha realized, ¡°The great demon deity of ancient Elven legends is the ¡®Dreaming King¡¯ who tried to Reshape the world during the second long night?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve long had this association, after all, Their domains are so similar,¡± Duncan said, ¡°But for a long time, lack of solid evidence has always accompanied ancient Elven tales, and Saslouka, as an exclusive element of Elven faith, has many legends and miracles conflicting with records and facts of other City-States upon the Endless Sea.


    ¡°Moreover, an important point¨CElves have the most complete mythology and historical records among all races, but in their own texts, there is never any record of ¡®the Dreaming King attempting to Reshape the world during the second long night¡¯, nor any mention of this great demon deity being torn apart at the end of the long night¨Cnot even dubious annals.


    ¡°These contradictions made me hesitant to confirm Saslouka from Elven legends and the ¡®Dreaming King¡¯ of the second long night as the same deity, until now¡­ when I actually saw the fragments left by this fragmented ancient god.¡±


    Perhaps caught in shock and thought, Agatha remained silent for a long time, while Duncan walked forward slowly, holding the lantern carefully as he stepped onto a joint of the ¡°ancient god¡¯s spine.¡± He then bent down and touched the rough and weathered bone with his hand, as if it was crafted by the toll of countless years, yet remained sturdy and reliable.


    The spine had brought the almost completely swallowed and erased Homeloss back from the depths of Subspace to the real world, reshaping its entity and then housing it for a whole century.


    His movements suddenly stopped.


    An issue that he had never thought of before, one that had been long overlooked, irresistibly burrowed into his mind¨Cafter seeing this ¡°keel¡± made from the spine of an ancient god, after gaining a more clear and direct understanding of the astonishing structure at the bottom of a huge ship, Duncan finally thought of the question¨C


    What was used as the keel for the original Homeloss?!


    He abruptly stood up, looking around the dark and vast space.


    The ship¡¯s skeletal structure supported by the keel and ribs was submerged in boundless mist, while shattered fragments of the ship¡¯s hull and higher levels of supporting structures were faintly discernible in the distance.


    This structure built upon the spine of an ancient god was enormous and complex, awe-inspiring.


    But this wasn¡¯t the original Homeloss, not entirely.


    The original Homeloss had already been consumed by Subspace; when Goat¡¯s Head saw it, the ship was already no more than a faint phantom, as well as Duncan Ebnomal¡¯s own obsession.


    The ¡°Homeloss¡± that Duncan now knew was the result of that phantom materializing once again, its original keel replaced with the spine of an ancient god, which enabled it to perform the ¡°miracle¡± of returning from Subspace.


    So what about the ship¡¯s original keel?


    Duncan was not an expert in the field of shipbuilding, but after living in this world for so long, he had also gained a lot of common knowledge related to ships. He knew how sail warships were built a century ago; he knew that only a single piece of wood that had been rigorously selected for its extreme toughness could bear the weight of the ¡°keel,¡± and the strength and size of this wood defined the maximum scale of each sail warship.


    Yet Homeloss far exceeded this size¨Cnot just marginally, but by doubles.


    Homeloss was the largest scale sail ship ever to appear in this world, and no larger sailboat had appeared since then. Looking at the structure at the bottom of the ship now, the keel of Homeloss did not use riveting or piecing techniques.


    Duncan slowly furrowed his brow.


    The keel is the most fundamental part of a ship; the way it is constructed directly determines the entire subsequent structure of the ship. Therefore, the ¡°ancient god spine¡± in front of him should only be a replacement for the original keel of Homeloss rather than a major alteration to its foundational structure. Hence, like other sail warships of that era, Homeloss should have used a single and complete keel.


    But it was impossible for the City-State to have such a large tree.


    Even if there was, the strength of the wood itself has its limits¨Cat the size of Homeloss, it had far exceeded the carrying limit of traditional wooden keels.


    Unless, from the beginning, the keel of this ship was not ordinary wood, but something¡­ far more unimaginable.


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    For the past century, as one of the biggest taboos on the Endless Sea, many matters related to Homeloss also became topics people shied away from; despite the fact that the ship was built in Plunder City-State, almost no one would discuss its construction process in public.


    But now Duncan could imagine that over a hundred years ago, when this amazing exploration ship had just started construction, that must have been a grand event.


    Mist flowed slowly in all directions. The lantern¡¯s faint green light softly soaked into the mist as if outlining many vague silhouettes.


    Duncan looked at the lingering fog around him, his eyebrows gradually smoothing out.


    ¡°It seems this is what you wanted to tell me¡­¡±

 Chapter 617 - Chapter 617 Chapter 616 Accidental Touch

    Chapter 617: Chapter 616 Accidental Touch Chapter 617: Chapter 616 Accidental Touch Nina and Morris walked along the forest path. The Sky Light filtered through the dense canopy above, casting mottled pillars of light throughout the woods. A thin fog had risen at some point, making the sunlight scattered within it look even more dreamlike and nebulous.


    The elf girl, who called herself ¡°Xilin,¡± walked ahead, not far in front. She occasionally paused to glance back calmly, always appearing patient.


    ¡°Fog has formed in the forest,¡± Nina said softly under her breath as she looked up at the distant, dense shadows of the trees, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen fog here¡­ How is it on your end, Uncle Duncan?¡±


    She slowed her pace and listened intently, the serious look of someone deep in thought on her face. Morris, walking beside her, also slowed down, listening intently to the voice that came from deep within his thoughts.


    After a moment, the old scholar¡¯s voice resonated through their psychic connection, ¡°You mean¡­ the construction records of the Homeloss? The documents from the Prand shipyard back then?¡±


    Then, the old man listened intently for a while, nodding his head seriously, before responding inwardly, ¡°I understand¡­ The data must still exist, but it certainly can¡¯t be obtained by usual means. I¡¯ll discuss it with Fenna later to see if we can consult some old friends in the City-State or perhaps the church.¡±


    The voice in their minds gradually faded away.


    Nina blinked her eyes curiously at her teacher, ¡°Uncle Duncan, why are you suddenly looking for the construction records of the Homeloss?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, perhaps the Captain discovered something deep within the ¡®Homeloss in the Dreamscape¡¯,¡± Morris said offhandedly, ¡°But since he hasn¡¯t elaborated, we¡¯d better not ask directly.¡±


    Clearly, after having been with the Homeloss for so long, the old man had mastered the safety protocols around the Captain.


    Then, he paused and frowned slightly, looking at the fog entwined in the dense forest that seemed to grow thicker with time.


    ¡°The fog is getting thicker¡­¡± he said with some seriousness, ¡°I¡¯m not very knowledgeable about forests, but I feel there¡¯s something off about this fog.¡±


    Nina thought for a moment, eager to try, ¡°Shall we try dispersing it with sunlight?¡±


    Morris instinctively glanced at ¡°Xilin¡± walking ahead and hurriedly waved his hand to dampen the girl¡¯s enthusiasm, ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless, your sunlight seems to be a very intense stimulus for this Dreamscape.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    In the time they were delayed, Xilin had stopped walking.


    She seemed to always know precisely the distance between herself and Morris and Nina. Whenever it reached a certain extent, she would immediately stop, sometimes even curiously asking and urging them on¨Cas she did now.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± the elf girl asked, puzzled, looking at the two who were muttering behind her, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time to delay¨Cwe need to return before encountering the Corrosion, behind the Wall of Silence.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of fog around,¡± Nina quickly caught up with Xilin, and took the opportunity to ask directly, ¡°Does it often get this foggy here?¡±


    ¡°Fog?¡± Xilin startled for a moment, then looked up, and around, before her face showed a dawning realization, smiling at Nina, ¡°We are very close to our destination¡­ We are almost inside the Wall of Silence.¡±


    ¡°You mean, this fog is caused by the ¡®Wall of Silence¡¯?¡± Morris¡¯s voice quickly chimed in from the side, ¡°Or is this ¡®fog¡¯ part of the Wall of Silence?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s spectacular, right?¡± Xilin didn¡¯t directly answer the scholar¡¯s question but looked around with an unusual excitement, entranced by the forest gradually being swallowed by the mist; it was as if she was the one seeing the Wall of Silence for the first time, ¡°Here, you can¡¯t even see its full shape¨Cbut Silantis can see it from up high, from the sky. The branches of Silantis overlook it¡­


    ¡°It closes before her, separating the entire realm from the outer Corrosion¡­ We¡¯re not there yet, there¡¯s a little distance left. In the deep fog, there¡¯s a barrier forged from light, that¡¯s the core of the Wall of Silence, but we¡¯re almost there, just a blink away¡­¡±


    Xilin spoke excitedly. This typically calm, even somewhat mechanically-reactive ¡®mental entity¡¯ seemed to acquire very lively human characteristics in just a few seconds. She turned around and quickly headed towards the dense fog on the path, waving at Nina and Morris¨C


    ¡°Hurry, follow me, we¡¯re about to return to safety!¡±


    It was the first time Nina had seen her behave like this. She hesitated for a moment before realizing, only to see Xilin¡¯s figure almost disappearing into the swirling dense fog. She quickly followed with Morris, but inexplicably, she felt¡­


    Unable to catch up.


    Although before this, Xilin always waited for her and her teacher who lagged behind, and the ¡°Xilin¡± encountered by Sherry and Miss Lucricia had similar ¡°behavioral patterns,¡± this time, Nina felt that she would not stop waiting for her¨CXilin¡¯s steps were so unhesitating, she was almost charging toward the thick forest in the fog, like a long-lost traveler returning home, a drop returning to the ocean.


    The elf finally vanished in the boundless dense fog, never looking back.


    Leaving Nina and Morris facing each other amidst the fog-enshrouded dense forest.


    After a little while, Morris looked thoughtfully in the direction where Xilin last disappeared: ¡°Her mental reaction directly vanished at the end of this path¨Cjust seconds after her figure left our sight.¡±


    Nina pondered and said uneasily, ¡°Then, are we lost¡­ Everywhere here is fog and trees, and it all looks the same.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t know the way to begin with,¡± Morris seemed surprisingly calm, ¡°In a dream, you don¡¯t have to worry about ¡®getting lost¡¯¨Csince theoretically, you are always lost in a dream.¡±


    Nina listened to the teacher¡¯s teachings in puzzlement, finding them reasonable. ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    Then she asked another question, ¡°So what do we do now? Do I need to ¡®fly¡¯ up there and check it out? I can be more discreet.¡±


    ¡°Unless absolutely necessary, try to avoid provoking this Dreamscape,¡± Morris waved his hand dismissively and then vaguely confirmed the direction where Xilin¡¯s mental reaction had vanished, pointing toward the far end of the path, ¡°Let¡¯s head in that direction, following the route Xilin last pointed out to us.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    And so, the elder and the youngster began their trek through the seemingly endless fog and dense forest.


    They only had a rough direction.


    But Nina remembered what Xilin had said before leaving¨Cthat they were only a step away from the Silent Wall. In a distant past, Silantis had constructed the Shelter for the Elves at the end of this dense fog.


    It was almost within a blink of an eye.


    The Sky Light scattering through the gaps in the canopy had dimmed unnoticed, the mottled columns of light turning into suspicious shadows in the fog. The paths made by animals drinking water, hardly qualifying as ¡°roads,¡± and even such ¡°paths¡± were not always present¨Cmore often, the ground covered with dead branches and fallen leaves was even more elusive to tread upon.


    Moreover, either by illusion or reality, Nina felt as if the ground ahead was increasingly difficult to navigate, with the vegetation becoming denser and more chaotic. Vines and bushes seemed to deliberately block their way, with the fog exuding a chilling atmosphere, as if¡­ what lay ahead was not some ¡°final sanctuary,¡± but rather the largest shadow in this vast Dreamscape.


    She suddenly stopped.


    Within the fog, she thought she saw something flash by.


    Nina nearly unleashed a 6000 slap.


    But she managed to restrain her overly bright impulse.


    ¡°I think I just saw something run through the fog,¡± Nina said to Morris, visibly shaken. ¡°It startled me!¡±


    Morris glanced at Nina, noticing the twin golden flames dancing in the depths of her eyes, while the air around her gradually settled from its distortion.


    The old man suddenly seemed a bit nervous¨Cnot because he feared any real danger might appear from the fog, but because he was worried Nina might set the forest alight with a slap.


    After all, the girl had a tendency to explode with surprise.


    ¡°Did you see clearly what it was?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nina shook her head, ¡°It just seemed like a very tall ¡®person¡¯ that ran past in the blink of an eye, but it might not have been a person? The outline felt strange¡­ as if it shifted shape.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t determine what it might be,¡± Morris said, frowning, ¡°but I didn¡¯t sense any mental activity just now, so it¡¯s very likely just an illusion created by the fog¡­ We still don¡¯t know the principle behind this so-called ¡®Silent Wall,¡¯ so anything we see here might be possible.¡±


    He paused before adding, unable to help himself, ¡°The key is for you to stay calm¡­ and control your impulse to act recklessly.¡±


    Nina nervously nodded, continuing to keep an eye on the movements in the surrounding fog, and took a few more steps forward.


    At that moment, a disordered wind seemed to suddenly sweep through the dense forest.


    She felt the fog in front of her clear significantly, followed by the appearance of a hazy, distorted mirror-like ¡°light screen¡± at the dissipating end of the fog.


    That layer of shimmer trembled in the mist, its surface reflecting the distorted views of the forest, and something seemed to lurk behind the light screen, but it was too indistinct to make out.


    Nina briefly froze, then realized¨Cthey had arrived.


    That was the ¡°Barrier of Light¡± at the end of the Silent Wall, described by Xilin!


    In the next instant, Nina and Morris quickly approached the light screen.


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    A barrier crafted from light, standing majestically and commandingly at the boundary of the fog, stretching endlessly upwards into the sky and spreading endlessly to either side, with flowing brilliance slowly moving across its surface, seemingly isolating the worlds on either side of the light, silently guarding the infinite secrets beyond.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ beautiful.¡± Nina lifted her head in awe, instinctively uttering her admiration.


    Morris stepped forward, asking Nina to step back a bit, then cautiously extended his hand, touching the seemingly thin layer of light.


    And so, the Silent Wall silently collapsed.


    This barrier, as if connecting heaven and earth, as if boundlessly wide, in all its grandeur and majesty, shattered soundlessly like a soap bubble.

 Chapter 618 - Chapter 618 Chapter 617 The Truth in the Silent Wall

    Chapter 618: Chapter 617: The Truth in the Silent Wall Chapter 618: Chapter 617: The Truth in the Silent Wall Nina had never expected this scene to unfold¨Cshe had imagined several changes that might occur after Mr. Morris touched the light curtain, like something running out of the curtain or the surrounding environment turning upside down. She even thought of a loud crack as if Uncle Duncan and the entire Homeloss might fall from the sky, but she never expected this.


    The light curtain, suspected to be a ¡°Silence Wall,¡± broke silently, like a soap bubble bursting.


    The grand light wall that had formed the barrier shattered into fragments in an instant, and the structure that once upheld the heavens and earth dissipated into luminous dust.


    With the barrier¡¯s breaking and vanishing, it seemed as if the entire forest was plunged into a brief stasis, and after just a second, the mist that pervaded the forest began to flow again¨CNina finally realized what had happened and rushed to her teacher¡¯s side in just a few steps.


    ¡°Mr. Morris!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°Are you alright? How did this suddenly¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Morris was obviously a bit stunned. This scholarly teacher, who always seemed calm, reliable, and refined, looked somewhat at a loss. His lips quivered, and inexplicably, his mind flashed back to the seven great principles of archaeology that his mentor, Rune, had taught him years ago at the Academy of Truth¨C


    First, do not touch things recklessly; second, handle the environment with caution; third, do not touch things recklessly; fourth, do not jump to conclusions; fifth, do not touch things recklessly; sixth, revere the traces of civilization; seventh, don¡¯t fucking touch things¡­


    The old gentleman lowered his head and looked at his hand somewhat perplexedly, feeling once again, after so many years, the sensation that ¡°this incident must never be known to the teacher.¡±


    But soon, this jumbled thought in his heart was interrupted by a low exclamation from Nina beside him.


    ¡°Ah¨C¡± Nina couldn¡¯t help but exclaim softly at the edge of what remained of the broken light curtain, as mist continued to seep and spread from the forest. Her eyes widened as she looked towards the distance¨Cthe region that was once shrouded by the ¡°Silence Wall.¡±


    Morris instinctively looked up, following Nina¡¯s gaze.


    It was a dim Sky Light, a murky firmament enveloped in chaotic mist that shrouded everything. At the edge of the forest, spread the vast expanse of mountains and hills. Within that endless fog, a massive silhouette was gradually revealing its shape.


    At first, Morris thought it was a mountain, a strangely shaped, craggy, and twisted mountain.


    Later, he realized it was a tree, an almost torn-apart tree, whose remains covered the land in a twisted and knotted posture, making it nearly impossible to imagine its original appearance¨Ca gigantic tree.


    The tree canopy that once could have shielded an entire plain had collapsed and become desolate; its trunk had also broken and splintered. The lush green had long vanished from it, as if burnt away by a fierce fire, leaving behind twisted branches resembling gruesome skeletons, twisting grotesquely towards the sky.


    There, giant branches rose like towers; remaining stumps were like cities, creating a wilderness akin to doomsday with the remains that inspired terror. The ash-like dust and debris filled every inch of the earth¡¯s crevices, surrounding the great tree, scattering a pallid desolation¨Cwhile Morris and Nina stood at the edge of this extinct realm, as if on the boundary of the apocalypse, gazing at the day of ancient destruction.


    A breeze blew over this ashen land, lifting a fine, pale layer of ash, mingling with the mist seeping from the forest, wrapping around Morris and Nina like a coiling mist.


    In the disordered wind, Nina thought she heard someone whispering beside her¨Cthe voice sounded familiar:


    ¡°¡­because she knew from the beginning that the Silence Wall couldn¡¯t save anyone; she was just a little sapling, and on the day it came, all she could offer them was a pretty bubble¡­¡±


    Nina¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and she quickly looked towards the direction of the voice.


    But there was no one there, only a small tree.


    A frail little tree stood quietly between the dust and the ashes, its trunk and branches curling upward, but the tips drooped down, swaying in the breeze¨Cjust like the tree Sherry had mentioned, the one Xilin had transformed into at the end.


    Any tree in The Dream of the Nameless was more substantial and robust than this one.


    Nina slowly approached the small tree, hesitated for a long while, then took a step forward and placed her hand on its trunk, venturing to ask, ¡°Xilin?¡±


    The little tree didn¡¯t speak, only the branches at the edge of the canopy swayed in the wind.


    The whispers that had reached her ears were like illusions, and what she felt at her fingertips was nothing more than the rough and hard touch of tree bark.


    However, Nina couldn¡¯t help imagining the elven girl, who had taken a long journey with her and Mr. Morris and who had excitedly headed home through the fog of the Silence Wall. She thought of how that girl had made her way through the borders of the dense forest, passed through that light tomb, and came to the edge of this ashen land, quietly turning into this tree at a spot with a view of the ruins of Silantis.


    ¡°Nina, look here.¡±


    Morris¡¯s voice suddenly came from not far away, disrupting her wild thoughts.


    Nina immediately snapped back to the present and hurried over to Morris, looking in the direction he was pointing.


    More little trees appeared in her view¨Con the edge of the colossal tree¡¯s remains, on the border between the ashen dust land and the forest, along this apocalyptic frontier, little trees stood one after another, as if guarding the ash and wreckage.


    Or perhaps guarding beyond the remains, that lush forest sketched out by Dreamscape.


    Around the entire wasteland, myriad of these nameless little trees filled the space.


    A gentle breeze blew, causing the young trees to sway their branches and produce a sound so subtle that it was hard to tell whether it was the whisper of the wind or the murmur of the trees.


    Nina stared blankly at this scene for an unknowable amount of time before she couldn¡¯t help but murmur to herself, ¡°There are so many¡­all these are Xilin¡­¡±


    Morris, however, did not speak. The elderly scholar simply stood there, quietly gazing at the young trees arrayed around the ruins of Silantis, before climbing a nearby hillock as if something had occurred to him. He surveyed the direction from whence he and Nina had come, overlooking the vast expanse of dense forest in the distance.


    The mist issued forth from the forest, blending with the ashes and dust in the air above the plains, sketching out a hazy ¡°boundary.¡±


    He descended the hillock with a contemplative look and approached Nina.


    Noticing the expression on her teacher¡¯s face, Nina asked, ¡°Mr. Morris, have you discovered something?¡±


    ¡°I have a bold hypothesis¨C¡®Xilin¡¯ is the Silent Wall,¡± said Morris in a grave tone.


    Nina was a bit stunned.


    ¡°Silantis created the Silent Wall and charged it with the mission to protect the Elves, but it was a task it could never fulfill. Moreover, it seems that Silantis, the ¡®Creator,¡¯ knew this from the very start¨Cyet the Silent Wall has continued to execute this command,¡± Morris said seriously. ¡°I¡¯ve just observed the edge of the forest and confirmed that those ¡®Nameless Saplings¡¯ are arranged precisely along the boundary between the forest and the ruins. The arrangement hints at a pattern, like some sort of¡­ array, rather than a random natural distribution. It¡¯s a sign of meticulous design.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Nina hesitated before asking, ¡°but we are not Elves¡­¡±


    ¡°But this isn¡¯t the true Silantis or the ¡®Dreamscape¡¯ of old,¡± Morris shook his head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, this is just ¡®The Dream of the Nameless.''¡±


    At those words, Nina was taken aback, immediately grasping the profound meaning behind her teacher¡¯s statement.


    This was only The Dream of the Nameless.


    The era described in the ancient Elven myths, the epoch when the great demon ¡°Saslouka,¡± who created worlds within dreams, and the World Tree ¡°Silantis,¡± which sheltered Elves in the dreamscape, truly flourished, was before the oceanic era.


    That era had long ended¨Cin the Great Oblivion.


    What had appeared at Light Breeze Harbor was merely a large-scale anomaly caused by the failing sun and the impending ¡°Twilight,¡± a suspected ¡°echo¡± left in the racial memory of the Elves.


    In the ¡°echo,¡± Silantis and the Silent Wall regarded each individual who entered the forest with benevolence as an ¡°Elf.¡±


    For they had perished many, many years ago¨Cwell before any intelligent race other than Elves emerged in this world.


    ¡°What should we do next?¡± Nina asked.


    Morris didn¡¯t respond immediately but instead focused intently, communing with the captain in the depths of his mind¨Che reported everything that had happened here and then patiently waited.


    ¡­


    Duncan was somewhat bewildered.


    He still remained with Agatha at the bottom of the ¡°Homeloss,¡± studying the vast ancient divine spine, hoping to find more useful information related to the ¡°great demon Saslouka¡± or to unearth more secrets about the Homeloss itself.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that in the brief span he¡¯d been distracted, Morris and Nina¡¯s team had managed to stir up such a world-shaking event.


    They had pierced through the Silent Wall, viewed the truth within it, and even¡­ glimpsed the remains of Silantis, now reduced to wreckage.


    Duncan felt a surreal disconnection.


    ¡°The Witch¡± and the illiterate team were still wandering in the forest; the athlete was still eating dirt alone in the desert, yet the historian had taken his student to the center of the map and unearthed the grave of an ancient god.


    There was a thrilling sensation as if releasing two investigators at the beginning and discovering three turns later that Cthulhu was lying dead at the doorstep.


    Duncan shook his head, putting aside the random thoughts that had suddenly sprouted in his mind.


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    Morris was still awaiting his instructions.


    He looked up at the space around him, shrouded in dark mists.


    Saslouka¡¯s spine stretched beneath his feet, and that fragmented ancient deity seemed to be conveying some message to him in this manner. Even the Homeloss, built upon this ancient spine, appeared as if it were straining to display its ¡°memories.¡±


    Duncan took a soft breath.


    ¡°Approach that ¡®ruin¡¯,¡± he said internally, ¡°investigate Silantis.¡±

 Chapter 619 - Chapter 619 Chapter 618 Rabi and the Ragdoll

    Chapter 619: Chapter 618: Rabi and the Ragdoll Chapter 619: Chapter 618: Rabi and the Ragdoll Several figures clad in dark coats or hooded robes were threading their way through the depths of the dense forest.


    A faint black smoke dust shrouded them, and pitch-black Symbiotic Chains extended from their bodies, ferocious Profound Demons flanking them¨CRichard and his ¡°kin¡± had been operating in this Dreamscape for some time, and according to the death omen bird¡¯s perception, they were now very close to the ¡°Wall of Silence.¡±


    But suddenly, the team came to a halt.


    The atmosphere in the forest subtly shifted¨Cfrom a certain moment, a thin layer of mist began to emerge from somewhere, meandering through the spaces between the trees, and with the emergence of the mist, the entire dense forest was becoming even more¡­ ¡°quiet.¡±


    Dumon frowned deeply, remembering when they first entered The Dream of the Nameless, one could hear various sounds in this forest¨Cthose were unknown birds flapping their wings in flight, unknown beasts roaring in the distance, and though one could never see those ¡°birds and beasts,¡± the various sounds signifying life were always present.


    However, now those sounds had vanished, and only the occasional sound of the wind and the faint rustling of leaves swaying remained¨Cmaking this place even more eerily silent.


    Any change within The Dream of the Nameless had to be approached with caution.


    ¡°There¡¯s something off about this mist,¡± another Annihilation Cultist murmured, a creature resembling a Smoke Dust Jellyfish floated in the air beside him, its tentacles gently wavering midair with an uneasy tension, ¡°My demon feels panic and stress¡­ it¡¯s the ¡®forest¡¯ itself releasing these emotions.¡±


    ¡°The Dream of the Nameless has emotional changes; it is itself akin to a vast mind,¡± Dumon spoke gravely, ¡°Its emotions suddenly changing could mean someone has touched the core area of this mind¡­ Could someone have found the ¡®Wall of Silence¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Could it be our people?¡± asked the Annihilation Cultist bonded with the Smoke Dust Jellyfish.


    ¡°It¡¯s still uncertain, we cannot contact other kin sent here by the assemblies,¡± Dumon said, and then he looked towards the end of the group with a slight frown¨Cthat figure had been scratching himself all over since a while ago, ¡°Richard, what are you doing?¡±


    Richard suddenly came to and realized he had been scratching the skin near his neck and waist. He looked puzzled as he lifted his hand and saw many tiny white fibers in his fingernails, looking like¡­


    ¡°Cotton.¡± he said softly.


    ¡°Cotton? What cotton?¡± Dumon asked, his brow furrowed, ¡°You don¡¯t seem quite right.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Richard immediately lifted his head and patted his clothes that had been disheveled from his scratching, ¡°I¡¯m just feeling a bit itchy, this mist makes me uncomfortable.¡±


    Dumon nodded and didn¡¯t suspect anything, but turned his gaze to the others: ¡°We must have entered the influence of the Wall of Silence. According to those ¡®missionaries,¡¯ this is the ¡®Mind Gaze Zone¡¯ of Silantis, if you see or hear something that¡¯s never appeared in the forest before, make sure to tell the others.¡±


    Listening to the voices near his ear, Richard felt a bit of turmoil in his heart.


    Dumon had already begun leading the team with the stance of a ¡°leader,¡± his self-righteous arrogance was always unpleasant¡­ Indeed, the team needed someone to give orders, but originally that role should have been his¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s so infuriating¡­¡± a slender voice said in Richard¡¯s mind, ¡°Rabi thinks this is very unfair, Rabi feels sad for you¡­¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t fair,¡± Richard¡¯s mouth barely moved as he whispered in a voice only he could hear, ¡°But this is the arrangement of the saints¡­ and Dumon does have the capabilities¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the most important reason because there are still many annoying people watching?¡± the voice in his mind whispered softly, with a caring concern and a trustworthy tone, ¡°If no one were watching, it wouldn¡¯t be troublesome at all¡­¡±


    Richard frowned, slowly shaking his head as if instinctively feeling something was amiss, he was still hesitant: ¡°But¡­ what should I do¡­¡±


    ¡°Patience, a bit more patience, my lovely rag doll, Rabi is just telling you some possibilities, but now¡¯s not the time¡­ There will be a chance, when someone is alone¡­¡±


    Richard covered his forehead, indecisive: ¡°But I can¡¯t¡­ they are my kin¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, they are your kin, lovely rag doll, you must not hurt them, Rabi wouldn¡¯t want to see you hurting each other¨Cso you must help them.¡±


    ¡°Help them? How do I help them?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed? Your kin¡­ they are empty inside, not even cotton in them, how pitiful. Without cotton, no warmth; without cotton, no soul; without cotton, nothing¡­ You already have cotton, lovely rag doll, give them some cotton as well, Rabi can lend you cotton, as long as¡­ remember to return¡­¡±


    The tiny, endearing voice in his mind gradually faded away.


    Richard blinked, suddenly feeling puzzled¨Che felt as if he had just heard someone speaking to him, even remembered having a conversation with them, but in just a moment of distraction, the voice vanished, as if it was all just an illusion.


    He lifted his head and looked at Dumon ahead, and his other kin beside him.


    How pitiful they are.


    They didn¡¯t even have cotton.


    ¡°¡­ We¡¯ll set the marking point here,¡± Dumon seemed not to have noticed Richard¡¯s gaze, as he had already begun assigning the work according to the plan, ¡°This place already has an effect on the underlying psyche of Silantis, making it a suitable area for deployment.¡±


    The surrounding cultists nodded and then each produced the ritualistic tools from their person¨Ca type of dagger with a bizarre shape, painted in jet black and with a curved blade.


    Richard was taken aback for a moment, then he reached inside his chest and felt for his own bone shard dagger.


    It was a small carving knife, only the size of a palm, made from pitch-black bones, covered with bizarre and complex patterns, emitting an ominous aura.


    Richard remembered that the raw material of this dagger came from the remains of a Profound Demon that had failed in its summoning ritual¨Cnot all summoning and symbiotic rituals were successful, and the failed ones would become fertilizer on the sacrificial altar. The less gifted followers of oblivion would cleanse the altar with their blood, while the bones left by demons that died due to the ritual gone awry could be used to craft tools.


    This should be ¡°common knowledge¡± for every cultist promoted to the priestly rank, yet for some reason, as Richard recalled this knowledge, he felt a strange¡­ sense of novelty.


    He shook his head, dismissing this peculiar feeling to the side, and looked at Dumon, ¡°We need to set as many ¡®marks¡¯ as possible before the end of this Dreamscape, splitting up might increase our efficiency.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Spreading out means danger,¡± Dumon seriously considered the suggestion, shaking his head, ¡°Don¡¯t forget the failure you encountered before¨Cthose who acted alone were virtually powerless when facing ¡®His¡¯ followers.¡±


    Dumon appeared to be truly just offering a serious reminder, with no mockery or disdain in his words, yet Richard felt he saw a flash of scorn in the man¡¯s eyes, and he immediately felt rage surge within him like a venomous fire.


    He felt he had been subjected to great humiliation.


    But the next second, the rage that was like venomous fire was abruptly extinguished, replaced by a cold rationality, and Richard himself was surprised by his own ability to remain so calm¨C


    He looked at Dumon with a face full of sincerity, and his words carried persuasive power, ¡°We definitely can¡¯t act alone, I mean in pairs or groups of three, ensuring mutual support while completing the tasks quickly¨Cand honestly, even if we did encounter those ¡®followers¡¯ and were at a disadvantage, we could quickly withdraw from this Dreamscape. From what I observed last time, those ¡®followers¡¯ don¡¯t seem to have the same freedom to come and go in the Dreamscape as we do¡­¡±


    Richard¡¯s sincere expression and calm, steady tone had an effect.


    Dumon thought it over seriously again.


    A fellow cultist with multiple dream exploration experiences¨Ceven though his condition had not been very good since the last exploration, his advice was clearly well-considered and trustworthy, with every reason holding ground.


    To continue disregarding or refuting his proposal would make it seem as if he were deliberately targeting someone experienced¨Cbeing seen as petty and narrow-minded would do no good in leading the team.


    Dumon felt he should accept the suggestion¨Cas a new, de facto leader, taking advice was also a part of consolidating authority.


    After all, if something really went wrong later on, the responsibility would be Richard¡¯s.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go in pairs, setting marks along the edges of the mist,¡± Dumon nodded, quickly made arrangements, and then looked at Richard, ¡°Richard, you¡¯ll be in my group.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Richard smiled, seemingly very pleased with the arrangement.


    Dumon was also satisfied.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    The cultists immediately sprang into action.


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    In pairs with ritual daggers for leaving ¡°marks,¡± they headed towards the paths in the woods, where thin mist streamed, quickly vanishing into the depths of the dense forest.


    Richard also walked toward Dumon with his ritual dagger¨Cbut he was cautious, knowing he had to wait a bit, wait until the other groups were far enough away, wait until Dumon focused his attention on the ¡°work¡± of setting up marking points.


    Then he would be able to ¡°help¡± him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin, my cute puppet,¡± the voice in his mind said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin, Dumon,¡± Richard said.

 Chapter 620 - Chapter 620 Chapter 619 Hunting and Illusions

    Chapter 620: Chapter 619 Hunting and Illusions Chapter 620: Chapter 619 Hunting and Illusions The small knife, carved from black bone, lightly grazed the rough bark, leaving inconspicuous patterns on these lush, towering trees, before blood was smeared upon them, infusing them with the power of spirit and blood. The blood was applied three times to each marking, in this repetitive cycle¡­


    Richard was performing the ritual incantations from memory, using the bone knife in his hand to carve runes symbolizing abyssal power on forest tree trunks, and then smearing his own blood onto the runes. Subsequently, he looked up to see Dumon doing the same nearby.


    He walked over as if to greet the other.


    ¡°These symbols are weak on their own,¡± Dumon said as he saw Richard approaching, speaking offhandedly, ¡°but if we have enough of them, they will have a significant impact on Silantis.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still not enough¡­ Far from enough¡­¡± Richard muttered indistinctly, his fingers idly twirling the bone knife in his hand.


    ¡°Relying solely on the influence of these markings is indeed insufficient, but once the process begins, it accelerates. When Silantis ¡®remembers¡¯ that day, it will be time to harvest the fruits,¡± Dumon said with a smile, his confidence in the future evident. ¡°Those ¡®missionaries¡¯ may not be reliable, but at least this time, the information they provided proved useful.¡±


    Richard did not speak, only slowly raised his head, gazing intently at the large tree where Dumon had just made his marks as if admiring the scenery¨Cso earnestly that Dumon also involuntarily raised his head, looking curiously at the tree canopy above.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Is there something up ther¡­¡±


    Richard suddenly raised his arm, in a posture and angle impossible for a human joint¨Cnearly bending his right arm into three segments, he maneuvered his hand into Dumon¡¯s blind spot and plunged the bone knife mercilessly into the latter¡¯s chest.


    But the small knife used for the ritual could not kill a man; the strike only pierced skin and flesh.


    The searing pain that abruptly emanated from his chest left Dumon momentarily blank, but he quickly recovered, swatting Richard¡¯s arm away forcefully. One hand pressed against the injured spot as he swiftly stepped back.


    In an instant, dark chains appeared and an ugly, ferocious Abyssal Hound materialized behind Dumon. But before the hound could react, the death crow on Richard¡¯s shoulder suddenly dived down. A pair of skeletal wings, like shackles, extended and distorted, covering the hound in an instant. Accompanied by the grating sound of struggling, colliding, and rubbing bones, the two demons entangled with each other, making it hard to separate them.


    ¡°Have you gone mad?!¡± Dumon¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he stared at the expressionless Richard standing not far away, ¡°You want to kill me?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Richard shook his head, glancing at the Abyssal Hound temporarily controlled by the death crow, a trace of indescribable disgust crossing his face, yet he spoke to Dumon seriously, ¡°I just want to help you.¡±


    ¡°Help me?¡± Dumon was taken aback, looking at Richard opposite him as if he were a lunatic, yet immense confusion arose within him¨Cbecause the ritual knife could not kill a person. Richard¡¯s sudden attack had at best only wounded him, leaving him momentarily uncertain how to react, but one thing was sure: something was off with Richard!


    Nevertheless, Richard nodded earnestly: ¡°Yes, help you. Your body is empty; I want to stuff it with cotton. This will make you better.¡±


    ¡°¡­Cotton?¡± Dumon repeated the word blankly and instinctively, unclear of its meaning, ¡°What kind of madness are you talking about¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped.


    The spot on his chest where he had been stabbed felt itchy.


    This slight itch quickly turned into an unavoidable odd sensation, as if something was growing there, writhing.


    Instinctively, he reached to scratch the itchy spot, then, disregarding the clearly disturbed state of Richard across from him, looked down at his wound.


    The bleeding had stopped, and on his clothes stained with blood, he could faintly see white, cotton-like material¨Cthis fluff was gradually increasing as if it were transforming from the blood.


    After a moment of hesitation, Dumon pulled open his collar to see the small wound healing, and amidst the contracting flesh and blood, cotton was slowly burrowing into his body.


    The entangled death crow and Abyssal Hound gradually ceased their struggle; the dull and simple-minded demons did not understand hatred and anger, their actions dictated by the emotions and cognitions of those symbiotic with them. As the skeletal wings slowly retracted, the two demons returned behind their respective masters.


    Dumon raised his head, his expression subtly watching the Richard standing opposite of him¨Che remembered that their relationship had always been strained, especially so in recent times. Though not deeply resentful, occasional friction occurred.


    It was because of this that he had decided to have Richard accompany him when he opted for a divided approach to their activities¨Che did not wish Richard to engage in any ¡®underhanded moves¡¯ out of his line of sight.


    He could never have imagined that this person would do such a thing to him.


    After hesitating for quite a while, Dumon finally spoke awkwardly, ¡°You¡¯re actually quite a good person.¡±


    Richard smiled, and in that instant, the trivial animosity between him and Dumon dissolved¨C@#Y=% repairing the brotherly bond between them.


    ¡°We should go help others,¡± Richard sincerely said, ¡°everyone¡¯s feeling empty inside, they all need cotton.¡±


    ¡°Yes, everyone needs cotton¡­¡± Dumon was still somewhat uncomfortable with this entirely new self, and his expression became a bit awkward when he spoke, but he agreed with Richard¡¯s suggestion, ¡°We can start with Shalier¡¯s group¨Che¡¯s an honest and hardworking person.¡±


    ¡°No problem, but we need a plan, those who lack cotton are not rational, they might not even be aware of its importance¨Cjust like you were just a moment ago. We need to carefully consider their attitudes¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Rabi also thinks you need a plan¡­¡±


    ¡°We can discuss it while we walk.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s set off.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s set off.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s set off.¡±


    Richard and Dumon simultaneously lifted their heads, gazing into the mist-enshrouded forest path, then they took a step forward, heading deep into the misty Dreamscape.


    Rabi went hunting.


    ¡­


    The land covered in ash and black detritus creaked underfoot, giving an illusion that one might sink into it at any moment. The collapsed and broken branches and debris crisscrossed more obstructively than the underbrush and vines in the forest.


    Nina and Morris walked with difficulty among these vast remains, which seemed to stretch endlessly, and after a good while, they were only moving around the outskirts of this area.


    ¡°This place is even harder to walk through than the forest outside,¡± Nina complained, ¡°at least in the forest there are paths worn by wild animals¡­ Here, it¡¯s all ashes that you could sink into with each step.¡±


    While talking, she lifted her foot from the ash and black detritus, her dirty shoes causing her to frown.


    She steadied herself against a charred branch next to her, took off the shoe on her left foot, and shook out a few stones and black pieces with force.


    ¡°And I feel like we¡¯ve just been going in circles around the edge of this scorched earth,¡± she continued, ¡°Is this really going to lead us to the center of the remains?¡±


    ¡°The collapsed tree crowns are blocking the path to Silantis¡¯ main trunk¡­ this is indeed a bit troublesome.¡± Morris frowned, looking at the jagged and charred branches in the distance.


    Although called branches, these fallen pieces of debris from the top of the World Tree were better described as ¡®massive¡¯¨Ceven some ¡®small branches¡¯ by relative size were a hundred meters long with a diameter nearly as large as a tower. They lay crisscrossed on the scorched earth, the vast structure they formed was daunting; from a distance, instead of charred dead branches, they resembled¡­ a giant city that had collapsed from the clouds.


    Facing such piled-up ¡®fallen branches and leaves,¡¯ brute force was not a feasible solution; the only way was to find alternative routes, taking various detours, or risk squeezing through the gaps between branches, searching for paths not completely blocked by ash.


    ¡°If Miss Fenna were here, she might have charged straight in,¡± the thought of ¡®brute force¡¯ came to her, and Nina muttered under her breath, ¡°None of these obstructions would withstand a punch from her.¡±


    ¡°Fenna isn¡¯t just about brute strength,¡± Morris, as an elder well-acquainted with Fenna, couldn¡¯t help but interject upon hearing this, ¡°and even she might¡­ well¡­¡±


    He paused halfway, seemingly hesitant.


    After a moment, he shook his head: ¡°Well, perhaps not, she really might be able to.¡±


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    ¡°I could too¡­¡± Nina murmured quietly.


    Morris glanced at the girl, appearing to want to say something, but just as he was about to speak, a breeze suddenly swept over the ashen land¨Camidst the dust clouds that erupted, both he and Nina caught sight of a vague shadow that seemed to whisk by in the not-too-distant front.


    It looked like an elf, lost in the wind?


    Nina froze for an instant, then swiftly turned her head: ¡°Mr. Morris, did you just see something over there¡­¡±


    ¡°I saw it,¡± Morris said, cutting Nina off, his expression turning serious, ¡°It looked like an elf.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like ¡®Xilin¡¯¡­¡± Nina said uncertainly, ¡°The attire seems more like¡­ more like¡­¡±


    She hesitated, not daring to jump to a conclusion, but Morris nodded slightly¨C


    ¡°Like a resident of Light Breeze Harbor.¡±

 Chapter 621 - Chapter 621 Chapter 620 The Sunshine is Really Nice Today

    Chapter 621: Chapter 620: The Sunshine is Really Nice Today Chapter 621: Chapter 620: The Sunshine is Really Nice Today In the wreckage area of Silantis, on this scorched land, a wind had suddenly risen, bringing with it an apparition resembling a modern resident of Light Breeze Harbor.


    Nina and Morris both saw the apparition¨Cit was clearly not an illusion.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing here¡­¡± Morris approached the spot where the apparition had just appeared, carefully surveyed the surroundings, and murmured with furrowed brows.


    The sudden occurrence made Nina a bit nervous too, and she instinctively lowered her voice, ¡°That looked just like a ghost just now¡­¡±


    Morris gave the girl a peculiar look, ¡°Do you need to be afraid of ghosts?¡±


    ¡°¡­Right.¡±


    Nina muttered belatedly, and just as she finished speaking, something else suddenly appeared in the corner of her vision.


    It was another ¡°apparition,¡± emerging amidst the wind and dust, darting through the intertwined giant branches of the charred ruins, and in that fleeting moment, Nina thought she had clearly seen the face¡­ She even thought it looked familiar.


    It looked like the owner of the clothing store in the western district of Light Breeze Harbor, always smiling elven lady¨Cher face appeared stagnant in the wind before dispersing with it.


    ¡°Over there!¡± Nina reacted instantly, grabbed Morris, and ran toward the direction where the second apparition had appeared, but before they reached the spot, Nina saw something flicker through the fog in the distance.


    Apparitions, apparitions of elves, began to appear incessantly between the wind and dust, and as Nina and Morris ventured deeper into the ruins, the apparitions appeared more frequently, initially only occasionally flashing at the edge of their vision, but later, wherever they looked, they could see one or two blurred, ghost-like figures intermittently appearing and disappearing in the air.


    Unconsciously, Nina¡¯s eyes had widened. She and Morris walked across the land covered in ashes and black slag, among the massive ruinous remains of Silantis, and beside them, ¡°residents of Light Breeze Harbor¡± in modern attire appeared and dispersed like unstable ghosts, these apparitions with vacant expressions floated aimlessly in the dust, unresponsive to Nina and Morris¡¯ approach, carrying an¡­ eerily unsettling atmosphere.


    Finally, Nina and Morris stopped in a spacious clearing.


    Apparitions were everywhere around them, apparitions of elves, even interspersed with some so blurry their races indiscernible, near or far, blending reality with illusion, intermittently appearing and disappearing, the disordered wind picked up dust, sweeping through these hollow ghosts and the massive treetop remains of Silantis, under the dim and chaotic sky light, countless apparitions gathered in these ruins of the legendary ¡°World Tree,¡± resembling a bizarre and thrilling¡­ ghostly assembly.


    ¡°I¡¯m really starting to get scared now¡­¡± Nina nervously fiddled with her clothes, the air slightly warping beside her, radiant heat occasionally flaring from the depths of her eyes, ¡°These really are all elves from Light Breeze Harbor¡­ I even saw the uncle who sells ¡®elven pancakes¡¯ at the corner of Crown Street, putting spoiled rotten viscera into the pancakes¡­¡±


    She had just voiced this when she immediately looked nervously at that apparition nearby¨Cbecause she remembered that describing the ¡°elven pancakes¡± in such a manner would have immediately angered that uncle, who would seriously correct her, stating it was actually a ¡°four-thousand-year-old authentic sauce,¡± which made him look quite intimidating.


    However, that apparition just quietly dissipated, just like the other apparitions that continually appeared and vanished around them.


    Nina turned to Morris, ¡°¡­Could it be that all those people who disappear every night in Light Breeze Harbor end up here? Are they all inside the ¡®Wall of Silence¡¯?¡±


    Morris had been silent since a while ago but was frowning and looking around thoughtfully. After a moment, he suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Silantis is ¡®protecting¡¯ them.¡±


    Nina didn¡¯t understand at once, ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°This is Silantis¡¯ ¡®protection,''¡± Morris seemed to have figured out some things, ¡°She is trying to ¡®gather¡¯ the minds of all elves inside the Wall of Silence, believing that this can protect them when the world¡¯s end comes.¡±


    At this, the elderly scholar paused, contemplated briefly, then continued, ¡°Normally, every elf entering The Dream of the Nameless should be directly transported here, turning into these apparitions, but a few of us are exceptions. The captain¡¯s power allows us to stay conscious in the Dreamscape, that¡¯s why ¡®Xilin¡¯ appeared before us¨CSilantis thinks we are elves ¡®lost abroad.''¡±


    Nina was dumbfounded by the explanation, but she immediately grasped her teacher¡¯s words, and intuition told her that this was probably the truth.


    But this did not explain the situation Miss Fenna encountered¨Cthe desert and that giant who claimed to be a ¡®god,¡¯ what was all that about?


    And besides this question, Nina immediately thought of another, even more critical issue.


    ¡°Then the minds of these Elves are trapped within the wreckage of Silantis every evening¡­ Won¡¯t there be problems over time?!¡±


    ¡°Of course there will,¡± Morris said gravely, ¡°Outside Light Breeze Harbor, the sleeping sickness has begun to spread among the Elves of various City-States, and within Light Breeze Harbor, the corruption of Dreamscape has started to leave traces in the real world. This kind of ¡®protection,¡¯ if continued indefinitely¡­ I¡¯m afraid it could lead to major issues.¡±


    Nina opened her mouth as if to say something else, but at that moment, a gust of wind rose before her eyes, and a new apparition appeared.


    The apparition had dry and disheveled hair, seemed to have not shaved his beard for days, and looked sloppy and exhausted¨Ca sight quite at odds with an Elf known for traits like ¡°health, longevity, elegance¡± among their racial characteristics. Yet he looked as though his health was on the brink, like he might drop dead any moment.


    Nina recognized the apparition right away.


    ¡°It¡¯s Master Taran El,¡± she said, surprised, watching his blank-faced apparition in the same bewildered state as the other apparitions, despite having already seen other ¡°acquaintances¡± here. It still came as a shock to see this Elven scholar, ¡°He¡¯s appeared here too¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems that all who disappeared during The Dream of the Nameless appear here. There¡¯s nothing surprising there,¡± Morris looked calm as he spoke and walked up to the apparition of Taran El, frowning slightly as he watched him, ¡°The key is to understand the state of these Elves who are in the ¡®dreaming¡¯ phase. They seem to have established an increasingly stable connection with Silantis, and it¡¯s unlikely they can be easily awakened¡­¡±


    Nina also stepped closer, boldly reaching out to poke Master Taran El¡¯s arm: ¡°I remember Mr. Aer was trapped in the Dreamscape once before, and he had some method for waking himself up¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the apparition of Taran El blinked.


    Nina thought she had seen wrong and looked up again.


    Taran El slowly turned his head, shifting his gaze toward her.


    Nina: ¡°¡­¡±


    The next second, a massive fireball rose into the air from above the wreckage of Silantis.


    The shocking shockwave shattered the chaos clouds in the sky. The disordered Winds that spiraled around the remains of the World Tree instantly stilled, and the terrifying fireball, like a newborn sun, rose slowly and brightened the entire scorched earth to daylight within seconds!


    However, the fireball did not directly hit the wreckage of Silantis or the ¡°apparitions¡± lingering within the wreckage.


    Nina¡¯s regular training paid off. In that critical moment, she looked up to the sky¨Cher exclamation transformed into a Sun Roar. The spewing solar material formed a temporary sun above The Dream of the Nameless, lasting only a few seconds in a spectacular sunburst, minimizing the damage.


    But even that brief sunburst caused an immediate reaction in The Dream of the Nameless. The forests near the silence wall howled and grew wildly, the ground trembled almost boiling under the sun¡¯s rays, and distant mountains roared as if just another second would awaken Silantis under this alien sunlight¨Cbut as the fireball in the sky dissipated, The Dream of the Nameless settled back on the verge of collapse.


    Inside Silantis¡¯s wreckage area, large sand clouds raised by the shockwave in the sky had yet to settle when a dust-covered figure emerged from a pile of ashes¨CMorris vigorously patted the dust on his body, shook off the black residue from his hair, and rubbed his ears before raising his head and glaring at Nina, ¡°How many times has the captain said, don¡¯t get so startled?¡±


    Nina, still radiating brilliant sunlight and not yet fully cooled down, heard teacher Morris¡¯s words and instantly scratched her face embarrassingly, but before she could speak, Taran El¡¯s flustered voice came from beside her: ¡°Is that how you¡¯re supposed to use ¡®startle¡¯?¡±


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    Morris puffed up, glaring fiercely, ¡°Just say whether you exploded it or not!¡±


    It was not easy to make this usually calm and refined scholar lose his composure to such an extent. Nina was seeing her teacher nearly jumping up to curse for the first time, but more surprising than this trivial matter was Master Taran El beside her.


    Just a moment ago, he was just a bewildered apparition, but now he had transformed into a vivid ¡°mental entity.¡± He stood amidst the swirling dust, although a bit disheveled by the recent ¡°Sun Shock,¡± he was clearly fully ¡°awake¡± now.


    The scholar currently stared blankly at the still-fading Nina, looking thoroughly shaken.


    Obviously, being bombarded by the sun in such a moment of awakening was a bit too much stimulation for a middle-aged man in suboptimal health.

 Chapter 622 - Chapter 622 Chapter 621 Assembly

    Chapter 622: Chapter 621 ¡°Assembly Chapter 622: Chapter 621 ¡°Assembly The sunlight around Nina finally began to fade, and she uncertainly approached Taran El, seemingly still confirming whether the elven scholar had truly ¡°awakened¡± from his drowsy phantasmal state. After inspecting him up and down several times, she hesitantly spoke, ¡°Mr. El, are you really awake?¡±


    Taran El, however, paid her no attention. He merely furrowed his brow slightly, looking unwell.


    This led Nina to wonder if perhaps the recent fireball explosion had been a bit too strong and the great scholar¡¯s ears had not yet recovered.


    But after a few seconds, Taran El suddenly reacted; he waved his hand frantically at Nina and then rushed to one side, bending over and beginning to heave violently.


    Nina was startled, but unsure what to do, she could only move forward to pat the scholar¡¯s back. After he seemed to get a bit better, she opened her mouth with both nervousness and embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did the blast stun you¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not because of that,¡± Taran El gasped for air while vigorously shaking his hand, almost choking up again at Nina¡¯s show of concern. After nearly half a minute, the elven scholar finally straightened up and, with a pained expression, explained, ¡°It¡¯s probably the potion.¡±


    Nina was taken aback. ¡°Potion? What potion?¡±


    ¡°The one used to let me ¡®awaken¡¯ in this dreamscape,¡± Taran El steadied his breath, talking while pounding on his chest with his fist, ¡°Am I the only one who¡¯s awake? Have you seen anyone else?¡±


    Just then, Morris was walking by and heard the conversation. He instinctively frowned, ¡°Other people? What exactly is happening here?¡±


    Taran El glanced at Morris, then instinctively surveyed the eerie and unfamiliar surroundings, obviously still a bit confused but nonetheless began to explain seriously, ¡°Truth Confidant Ted Riel organized a team, and I was the consultant accompanying them¨Cwe assembled before the onset of the dreamscape and drank the ¡®Blood Crow¡¯ concoction¡­¡±


    ¡°Blood Crow concoction?!¡± Morris was shocked, looking unbelievingly at the person before him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys being a bit reckless?¡±


    Nina, however, did not understand their discussion and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Mr. Morris, what¡¯s wrong? What is this Blood Crow concoction?¡±


    ¡°A magic potion, extracted from various toxic fungi, very dangerous,¡± Morris explained, ¡°It directly affects a person¡¯s spirit. After a delayed effect, it can put people in a death-like state, causing the spirit to become disengaged and perceptions misplaced¨Cit¡¯s used to aid in deciphering extremely dangerous ¡®knowledge¡¯. By going into this sleep-like death, those who have ingested the potion can avoid lethal contamination or a curse during that phase. However, because the concoction itself is too perilous, it may only be produced and ingested with strict academy approval, thorough safety measures in place, and custodied by the Academy of Truth when absolutely necessary.¡±


    The veteran scholar continued explaining then couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Taran El, ¡°I still have to say¡­ aren¡¯t you all acting somewhat recklessly?¡±


    ¡°But it was highly effective. My hypothesis was confirmed¨Cby forcing a rather strong ¡®Spiritual Displacement¡¯, we could awaken within ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯, just as a hole punch automatically ejects non-standard paper from the machine,¡± Taran El spread his hands, ¡°Of course, another possibility is that we would be ¡®ejected¡¯ from ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ and return to the real world. But from the looks of it¡­ the power of this dreamscape is even greater than we imagined. Even a spiritual death-like state can only restore clarity in the dreamscape. To escape this dreamscape, we might need some other form of stimulation¡­¡±


    He deliberately paused at this point, his face revealing a proud expression.


    ¡°¡®Sudden Death¡¯ as an advanced application scenario¨Cthat idea was mine.¡±


    Morris, staring dumbfounded at the famous scholar who stood before him, managed with difficulty to utter, ¡°How did Truth Confidant approve of this plan?¡±


    ¡°He did indeed think there was something inappropriate about my plan,¡± Taran El shrugged, ¡°but I told him that although serious, we should prioritize caution, so he finally agreed to start with a more conservative approach¡­¡±


    Morris: ¡°¡­?¡±


    He had always thought of himself as somewhat radical in his academic research. Yet, it was only now that he suddenly realized that here in Light Breeze Harbor, this city-state near the border, it was these elves dealing with ¡°cutting-edge fields¡± who were a bit more audacious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make that face, Morris. In fact, I know what you are worried about. We¡¯re doing very dangerous things and it does not conform to a ¡®scholar¡¯s¡¯ code of conduct,¡± Taran El noticed the changes in Morris¡¯s expression and finally let go of the smile on his face, turning serious, ¡°But we might not have much choice.


    ¡°You might have already heard the news¨Ca condition known as ¡®Sleeping Disease¡¯ is spreading among other city-states, and it obviously relates to the development of ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯. In the meanwhile, outside my laboratory, a tree that crawled from the dreamscape to the real world is covering my roof and balcony with its crown¡­


    ¡°So, it¡¯s time to take risky actions because it seems the world isn¡¯t going to give us time to make all the necessary preparations.¡±


    Morris remained silent.


    Taran El observed the surroundings again, and after a moment, he shook his head, ¡°It seems the first thing I should do here is find the others.¡±


    ¡°The good news is, you should all be within the range of these ruins; the bad news is, these ruins span an alarming area,¡± Morris sighed, ¡°Now, let me tell you the first lesson in navigating this dreamscape¨Cas someone who enters the dream for the first time, even if you and your companions stay in the same room in the real world, after entering the dream, you¡¯ll be randomly separated.¡±


    Taran El looked at Morris and Nina, who was quietly standing behind him.


    He did not see the other followers of Captain Duncan.


    But it was very clear that these ¡°lost followers,¡± who had already acted numerous times within The Dream of the Nameless, had accumulated a lot of experience related to this vast Dreamscape.


    ¡°I need more guidance,¡± Taran El said earnestly as he looked at the two in front of him.


    ¡­


    ¡°What on earth was that?!¡±


    In the forest just outside the Wall of Silence, a heretic clad in a black robe lifted his gaze to the sky, watching the fading bright light with uncertainty, taking a while before he couldn¡¯t help but whisper.


    Yet his comrade, moving in the same group, couldn¡¯t answer that question either¨Canother heretic also gazed in astonishment at the same direction, unable to utter a sound for a long time.


    Just moments ago, a huge Fireball had risen from deep within the forest, something that should not appear in The Dream of the Nameless¨Cit shone like a second sun over the forest, shredding all clouds, and its light seemed capable of piercing through time itself. Amidst the light and impact of the Fireball, the entire forest experienced an instant ¡°restlessness.¡±


    Plants grew wildly, the ground trembled, and inexplicable roars arose out of thin air.


    It was as horrifying as a ¡°Corrosion phenomenon¡± when it burst forth.


    But this shockingly abnormal phenomenon lasted only a few seconds, and before something irreversible could truly take hold in the forest, the Fireball vanished as suddenly as it had appeared.


    Leaving behind two heretics who, just a minute ago, had been earnestly setting ¡°marks,¡± now staring at each other bewildered in the woods.


    After what felt like an eternity, the heretic who first shouted finally broke the silence again, ¡°That didn¡¯t look like Silantis waking up¡­ not quite like how those preachers describe it.¡±


    ¡°Then it might be some kind of external force¡­¡± the other heretic unconsciously lowered his voice, ¡°A huge Fireball¡­ Could it be that those Sun followers are up to something?¡±


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case. The saints have been watching every move of those Sun followers; they shouldn¡¯t suddenly do something so outrageous¡­ Besides, even if they were really going to go against us, they wouldn¡¯t lose control this early, right? ¡®The Final Moment¡¯ hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±


    The two heretics muttered uneasily, and after a while, they finally thought of a possibility together.


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡± one of them started, his voice tinged with hesitation and unease, ¡°could it be one of ¡®his¡¯ followers again?¡±


    ¡°¡®He¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You know who I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you kidding?¡± The voice of the other heretic suddenly carried a touch of tension, ¡°This kind of disturbance¡­ This kind of disturbance¡­¡±


    He struggled for a while, finally forcing out the rest, ¡°This kind of disturbance must be caused by some kind of monster¡­ We¡¯re not really going to fight such a thing, are we?¡±


    Even the heretics who followed the inscrutable, when confronted with such an incomprehensible force, seemed to finally feel a trace of fear.


    But just then, a series of footsteps suddenly came from the direction of the forest, interrupting the conversation between the two heretics.


    They turned around abruptly, like startled birds, looking towards the source of the noise only to relax upon seeing the figures before them.


    It was their kin.


    It was Dumon, Richard, and others who had earlier scattered throughout the forest to set their marks.


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    ¡°Did you see the big Fireball that appeared in the sky just now?¡± one of the two heretics couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Could that be one of the Ghost Ship captain¡¯s followers?¡±


    ¡°We saw it, and it was indeed startling,¡± Dumon nodded, his voice as calm and convincing as ever, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t encounter that force, we¡¯ll all be very safe next.¡±


    The two heretics exchanged a glance subconsciously.


    ¡°Are we preparing to evacuate?¡± one of them asked Dumon, ¡°It looks like everyone is gathering.¡±


    ¡°Yes, everyone is gathered,¡± Dumon began with a smile as he walked forward slowly, leading everyone slowly onward, ¡°We were just missing you.¡±

 Chapter 623 - Chapter 623 Chapter 622 Howling Shadows

    Chapter 623: Chapter 622 Howling Shadows Chapter 623: Chapter 622 Howling Shadows In the area covered by ashes and black dregs, which was the remnant of the World Tree, Morris, Nina, and Taran El and their company had successfully found several Knowledge Guardians who had awakened from the illusion.


    Just as Morris had predicted, these Knowledge Guardians, equivalent to those ¡°entering the Dream for the first time,¡± had been scattered to random locations within the ruins of Silantis. Fortunately, most of them had not dispersed too far, and Nina¡¯s launching of the Fireball into the sky was so conspicuous that these scattered Guardians converged to investigate the situation, which quickly brought them all together.


    Except for the last person.


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t found any trace of Sir Ted Riel,¡± a Knowledge Guardian dressed in a short robe, holding a scroll and a revolver, returned to the temporary resting spot and said to Taran El and Morris, who were waiting there, ¡°There¡¯s no sign of the agreed signal, and there¡¯s no response to the call of Spiritual Energy.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that he hasn¡¯t ¡®awakened¡¯ yet?¡± Taran El subconsciously furrowed his brows, ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ The dose he was given was quite substantial; even for a Truth Confidant, it should have worked smoothly¡­¡±


    Nina glanced at the Knowledge Guardian, who appeared somewhat anxious, and then at the pondering Taran El. She hesitated but couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Could it be that the dose was too large¡­?¡±


    Taran El was momentarily startled and then, realizing what he had said, began to wave his hand dismissively, ¡°Impossible, impossible. I am a meticulous scholar; how could I make such a mistake with the dosage? And Sir Ted Riel is an expert in pharmacology; he is certain of his intake of potions¡­¡± His voice trailed off, and he added uncertainly, ¡°Probably.¡±


    Nina & Morris: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Exactly how much of the Blood Raven potion did you prepare for Ted Riel?¡± Morris couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Taran El thought for a moment and then gestured with his hand, ¡°About as high as a bottle¡­¡±


    Morris was dumbfounded: ¡°¡­You had him down a bottle of potion the size of a beer bottle?! Normal people use a dropper for that stuff!¡±


    ¡°Please, he is a Truth Confidant,¡± Taran El spread his hands, ¡°Making him experience a mental dissociation level of ¡®feigned death¡¯ is extremely difficult; a dose that would be lethal to a normal person ten times over would at best quench his thirst. What else could I do? Sir Ted Riel even specially purified the potion because he couldn¡¯t stomach that much in its original form¡­¡±


    Listening in stunned silence, Morris muttered with a strange expression only after a long pause, ¡°I remember back when I was at school, the Truth Confidant wasn¡¯t so exaggerated¡­¡±


    ¡°Graduating class stress,¡± Taran El waved his hand, ¡°It started with drowning sorrows in alcohol, then nerve toxins. Now, I don¡¯t even want to know what he puts in his water cup after his classes¡­ Regardless, the ¡®dose¡¯ of Blood Raven potion definitely isn¡¯t the issue.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps Sir Ted Riel is trapped deeper within the Dreamscape, a place even a call of Spiritual Energy can¡¯t reach,¡± a nearby Knowledge Guardian, seeing the conversation veering off topic, seized an opportunity to speak up, ¡°This place feels very unsettling. Just now, when we were searching the nearby ruins in groups, we noticed that beyond a certain distance, we¡¯d experience mental disorientation, blank minds, or even short-term memory loss. The sense of Spiritual Energy between us became intermittent¡­¡±


    ¡°It is indeed so,¡± another Knowledge Guardian immediately nodded, ¡°Serena even said there were a few seconds when she completely forgot who she was, forgot everything about the real world, and felt like she was born here, wanting to stay here forever¡­¡±


    Nina looked at the two Knowledge Guardians who had spoken and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not because the dose was too large?¡±


    ¡°The dosage I gave was absolutely correct!¡± Before the other guardians could speak, Taran El couldn¡¯t restrain himself, ¡°Miss, please trust the quality assured with a first-class Pharmacist¡¯s license¨Cbesides, I¡¯m the inventor of the ¡®instant death method¡¯; no one knows it better than I do¡­¡±


    ¡°With such an ¡®instant death method¡¯ to your name, the Academy of Truth should revoke your Pharmacist license,¡± Morris couldn¡¯t help but mutter, but after a serious consideration, he shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s unlikely related to side effects of the potion. The situation the two Knowledge Guardians mentioned seems more like ¡®The Dream of the Nameless¡¯ itself is having an effect on them.¡±


    Nina blinked, ¡°But we¡¯ve been moving around in here for so long without feeling like that¡­¡±


    Morris pondered for a moment and then looked up at the grand ruins of the treetop canopy in the distance, as well as the phantoms wandering lost among the debris, ¡°Perhaps¡­ because we are ultimately not Elves.¡±


    Nina instantly understood her teacher¡¯s meaning; Taran El and the surrounding Elven guardians also showed thoughtful expressions.


    After a brief silence, Taran El slowly got up and approached a nearby boulder, looking into the distance with a complex expression.


    The sprawling blackened remains stretched up and down in his field of vision¨Cthe majestic treetop had collapsed and fallen, turning into mountains and valleys on the ground, ash covering the land, withered branches intertwining amidst the ashes.


    As if a massive city had fallen from the sky to the earth, walls and structures crumbling apart, desolate memories still haunted the land after its destruction, melding with the wind and the dust.


    Taran El tried his utmost to imagine what this place once looked like.


    There was once a forest here, a lush forest under the shade of the World Tree, where the valleys and hills thrived with life, where the massive roots of the great trees undulated over the earth and crystal-clear streams flowed through the valleys, home to numerous creatures¨Cbirds, beasts, Elves.


    It was a time he had never seen, lived by ¡°ancestors¡± from another era.


    The lushness and vitality of that age far surpassed the imagination of today¡¯s people, but even more unimaginable than that vitality were the order and peace.


    It was said that distant Prand and Frost had welcomed this peace¨Cbut Captain Duncan said that even the current ¡°peace¡± of Prand and Frost was nothing compared to the world before the Great Annihilation.


    Taran El found that his imagination hit a wall.


    He found that no matter how he tried to imagine, his mind could not conjure up a vivid picture¨Ccold words from books he had once read seeped into his memory, and the images he sketched in his mind were only superficial impressions. He had barely learned from Dreamscape what a ¡°forest¡± truly looked like, but he couldn¡¯t picture how birds and beasts lived in that boundless green sea, nor how Elves could coexist with such a ¡°forest¡±¡­


    People said that the Elves had left the most complete legacy in their ancient texts and stories passed down verbally; if one day archaeologists truly managed to reconstruct the world before the Great Annihilation, that picture would undoubtedly be buried in the libraries of Light Breeze Harbor and Moco.


    But now Taran El realized¨Cthat picture was no longer there.


    On a day long, long ago, when the sea swallowed the world, it had disappeared with the withering of Silantis.


    But¡­ what exactly destroyed Silantis? What caused the Great Annihilation?


    Suddenly, a scorching wind blew in from nowhere, carrying with it a disturbing, piercing noise¨Cnot the intermittent, disordered breeze in the ruins, but a more intense one, as if filled with panic and destruction, capable of directly sweeping away one¡¯s sanity.


    Taran El abruptly woke from his deep thoughts.


    The fierce howling wind nearly swept him off the ground; he struggled to steady himself, yet found that darkness and chaos had already enveloped his surroundings. It was as if all the sky light of the world had been drawn in an instant, turning the towering tree ruins into undulating shadows, with tremendous smoke rising from above them, as if the World Tree had ignited once more. And the other guardians of knowledge that had gathered at this spot, including Morris and Nina, had all vanished from his sight.


    The wild wind began to howl; dark dust swirled over the burning World Tree. Taran El fell clumsily off a boulder, tumbling several times before coming to a stop against a giant ¡°branch¡±¨Ca spine-like, slightly curved massive limb. He hit its base, then instinctively looked up at the sky.


    The sky was ¡°collapsing.¡±


    Amidst the chaos, Taran El saw an unimaginable scene.


    A faint red glow penetrated the clouds; the dim sky was collapsing downwards as if being pressed by something. The clouds twisted, and even the light within the cloud layer was bending, as if a massive, terrifying entity was gradually pressing down, almost flattening the entire world. The immense terror this scene brought literally took his breath away, freezing his thoughts, and it was in this suffocation and fear that he saw a white glimmer.


    Dots of white light diffused from the burning ruins of Silantis, gradually gathering in the air into streams of light. The glimmers flowed among the giant branches and scorched earth, and as if sensing something, they gradually converged in front of Taran El.


    Taran El¡¯s eyes widened as he felt a warm force within the stream of light, but for some reason, a tremendous panic and unease surged through his heart¨Che stared at the light until it gathered into an indistinct sphere of light in front of him.


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    The sphere had no solid form but seemed to possess Spiritual Intelligence; it slowly revolved around Taran El, as if curiously observing something.


    Then, it suddenly stopped.


    Taran El heard a sharp wailing sound¨Cas if it wanted to drill directly into his brain, boring a hole into it.


    The sound was high-pitched, filled with immense fright and a crazed kind of annoyance.


    ¡°This is wrong! You are not Elves!¡±

 Chapter 624 - Chapter 624 Chapter 623 The Beginning of the Collapse

    Chapter 624: Chapter 623 The Beginning of the Collapse Chapter 624: Chapter 623 The Beginning of the Collapse Taran El felt the immature yet piercing scream nearly burrow through his soul.


    It was as if an invisible force was tearing at his thoughts, a vast consciousness assaulting his memories. That scream transcended the dimensions of time and concept, reverberating in every phase of his life he could recall. Although it lasted only a brief moment, the pain and confusion it caused were tenfold, a hundredfold greater than what he had felt when he drank the blood crow concoction.


    Then he felt the entire Dream of the Nameless begin to collapse¨Cthe wind howled, the earth tore apart, the remnants of the World Tree in the distance rapidly crumbled, and the silhouettes of the forests further away seemed to roll up and curl as if gravity was reversed; all of these sank into darkness within seconds. He became aware of the dissolving Dreamscape, and immediately after, the existence of the real world. Light appeared at the end of the darkness, flowing and swirling like a vortex on the opposite wall, gradually stabilizing. Afterward, he heard the voices of others around him¨C


    He awoke in the real world at dawn.


    Everyone was awakening.


    ¡°What happened¡­ How did the Dream of the Nameless suddenly collapse?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, there seemed to be a gust of wind¡­ All I remember is the land in the distance rolling back¡­¡±


    ¡°Is anyone hurt? Is everyone here? What time is it now?¡±


    People nearby conversed, sounding bewildered amidst the chaos.


    Taran El struggled against the sharp pain in his mind¨Cthe impact of the earlier scream accompanied his awakening into the real world, causing him to feel a headache so intense it was as if he was truly about to die suddenly¨Cthe crazy spinning in his vision finally began to slow.


    He found himself sitting on a low bench in the corner, surrounded by Knowledge Guards who were rapidly coming to their senses and trying to understand what had happened.


    The curtains nearby had been pulled open, and the sunlight of early morning spread along the rooftops of the city blocks while the streets outside remained quiet, with only occasional noises.


    Taran El, holding his forehead, slowly stood up from the corner. His thoughts were still a muddle, but after hearing the conversation of the Knowledge Guards, he gathered some strength, ¡°It might have something to do with the last sound I heard¡­¡±


    Finally, someone noticed the scholar¡¯s dire state; a Knowledge Guard quickly approached and steadied Taran El, who seemed about to fall, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I think I might have touched the consciousness of Silantis, but¡­¡± Taran El began, frowning, but suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence and looked toward a specific spot in the room with tightly knitted brows, ¡°¡­Sir Ted Riel hasn¡¯t returned?!¡±


    The others in the room seemed to realize what had happened, and several gazes instantly focused on the middle chair.


    That was the chair where the Truth Confidant Ted Riel had sat to enter the dream¨Cnow that all operatives had returned to the real world, the chair was still unoccupied.


    After a moment of silence, someone nervously broke it, ¡°¡­Maybe the Truth Confidant woke up earlier than us and left on his own?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unlikely; it¡¯s not in the Confidant¡¯s character, plus there are marks on the door that would have left a trace if it had been opened¨Cwhether from the outside or the inside.¡±


    Taran El, with a furrowed brow, listened to the conversation beside him. He gently pushed aside the support from others and walked to the chair.


    On the small table beside it, the containers once used to hold the potions still sat, seven droppers and a large beer bottle quietly reflecting the glow of the dawn light from outside the window.


    Vaguely, he heard noises coming from outside the window¨Cthe sounds of chaos from an unknown direction.


    There were cries in the streets, the sound of running in the corridors.


    Shadows of trees swayed outside the window.


    ¡­


    Nina woke up from the collapsing Dream of the Nameless. After realizing she had returned to the real world, she was momentarily stunned.


    The ending of this Dream of the Nameless¡­ seemed different from before.


    This time it was more abrupt and violent, carrying a sense of chaos and destruction, as if it wasn¡¯t just an awakening but rather being torn apart from the inside out by a force.


    She raised her head and saw Mr. Morris sitting across the table also appeared contemplative. Clearly, her teacher also felt that this ending of the Dream of the Nameless was unusual.


    At that moment, she suddenly heard Sherry¡¯s voice coming from the direction of the window, ¡°Hey hey, look outside! Holy shit!¡±


    Nina, without time to criticize the other¡¯s use of vulgar language, instinctively stood up and turned to look toward the window.


    The lush tree shadows swayed outside, coming into her view.


    Trees, trees everywhere, just like the ones in ¡°The Dream of the Nameless¡±: tall, lush, and nameless towering trees. They filled the streets, crowded the city districts, and filled every inch of the view with rampant greenery that seemed like another ¡°Endless Sea.¡± Innumerable tree crowns merged into surging green waves, covering the sky between the buildings and even blending with the tallest towers and bell towers in a bizarre symbiotic posture.


    This scene was as though a forest had been directly ¡°superimposed¡± upon the City-State as if Dreamscape and reality had merged into one, eroding each other into inconceivable forms.


    Fenna, Morris, and Nina arrived at the living room¡¯s floor-to-ceiling window and stared dumbfounded at the outside scenery; they were speechless for quite a while.


    Sherry then saw chaos starting to unfold on the distant streets.


    The residents of the City-State had woken up early in the morning, and the shocking transformation of the streets had clearly broken through the previous ¡°cognitive limits.¡± The forest vista that nearly covered the entire city brought immense panic, and the plants that merged with the buildings physically disrupted the city¡¯s operation¨Cpeople were exclaiming, some were trapped in their homes, and more buildings were nearly entirely consumed, with only fragments of walls and rooftops visible amongst the intertwined, sprawling trees. The fate of the people who had lived in these buildings was now uncertain.


    Loud explosions rang out from above a nearby block, a steam pipeline had leaked, and the high-temperature, high-pressure gas burst out from the valves into the treetops, forming large swathes of dissipating white vapor. Elsewhere, a water pipeline had burst at some unknown point, and a massive column of water broke through the ground between the streets, creating a ¡°spring¡± of staggering proportions among the towering trees.


    From a distance came the sharp, piercing sirens of steam-powered walkers. The City-State Guards seemed to be attempting some action, and the Academy¡¯s Knowledge Keepers appeared to have reacted as Nina heard familiar whistles from the streets¨C


    Despite the chaos, despite everyone being abruptly awakened from Dreamscape, years of training and a series of complex and meticulous emergency response procedures still came into play¨Cthe forces maintaining order rushed fearlessly into the dense forest engulfing the City-State.


    However, at this moment, they faced a challenge far beyond their imagination.


    This was a flourishing forest, a vibrant mass of plant life.


    This was something only recorded in ancient, absurd legends and contaminated scrolls.


    The Elves of the deep-sea era had embraced the home of their ancestors in a way no one had anticipated¨Cthis boundless green hell.


    In a daze, a gust of wind blew through the City-State, rustling the branches and leaves of the forest. Countless leaves undulated in the wind like green waves, and amidst the wavering leaves seemed to whisper the murmur of the forest¨C


    ¡°¡­You are not Elves¡­¡±


    Vividly colored paper pieces twirled and danced through the dense forest, lightly passing through the twisted, mutated buildings and the uneven towering trees. The forest¡¯s wind carried the leafy waves, bringing layers upon layers of rustling sounds, as well as muffled murmurs and whispers.


    Lucresia¡¯s figure solidified out of the whirlwind of colored paper, landing atop a giant tree near the Academy District.


    She held onto a branch beside her, carefully stepping on the treetop, and looked toward the streets now covered by forest and distorted by Dreamscape.


    She heard the whisper carried by the wind and even felt the indescribable disappointment and annoyance mixed within that whisper.


    ¡°Rabi,¡± she called softly in her heart.


    The voice of the Nightmare Rabbit quickly responded in her mind: ¡°Rabi is listening~~¡±


    ¡°Those Heretics, how are they? Did they cause this?¡±


    ¡°Rabi isn¡¯t sure, oh¨C But they seem quite confused too, the collapse of Dreamscape seems to have exceeded their expectations¡­ Even the saint was alarmed, and those who entered Dreamscape were called in for questioning. Rabi was almost exposed¡­ Luckily, Rabi had spread parts of himself inside them in advance¡­¡±


    Lucresia frowned.


    ¡°Did you still ¡®eat¡¯ them all? I remember warning you to control your appetite.¡±


    ¡°No, no, only those Heretics who entered Dreamscape, Rabi left some cotton on them. This was to complete the task given by the Mistress safely and securely,¡± Rabi hurriedly explained, ¡°There are still many Heretics on the ship, Rabi didn¡¯t touch them¡­¡±


    Lucresia was silent for a few seconds. After feeling the tension and fear slowly transmitting through the soul bond from the bottom of her heart, she slowly said, ¡°Remember my orders well, for your own good¨Cdon¡¯t forget, that ship and everyone on it are my father¡¯s prey.¡±


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    The voice of the Nightmare Rabbit immediately rose again, this time with unmistakable panic and nervousness: ¡°Yes, Rabi understands, Rabi will absolutely¡­¡±


    Lucresia cut off the communication with the rabbit.


    She then composed herself, and somewhat clumsily, she called out another name in her heart.


    She soon heard a response coming from afar¨C


    ¡°Lucy, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Dad, something has happened in the City-State,¡± the ¡°Witch of Endless Sea¡± began with a grave tone, ¡°the real world, it¡¯s serious¨CYou¡¯d better come back quickly.¡±

 Chapter 625 - Chapter 625 Chapter 624 The Construction of Homeloss

    Chapter 625: Chapter 624: The Construction of Homeloss Chapter 625: Chapter 624: The Construction of Homeloss In fact, when Lucy sent the message, Duncan had already been on his way back to Light Breeze Harbor¨Cand was almost there.


    This was because it had been confirmed that Homeloss¡¯s ¡°distancing¡± couldn¡¯t stop The Dream of the Nameless from continuing to evolve, so while taking the action of entering another side of the Dreamscape, he had chosen to sail back in his physical body in the real world at the first opportunity.


    Dark chaos dominated the sky above the sea, and dense black ¡°hair¡± covered the surface of the water, giving the entire ocean an ink-stained texture. Vague illusions flickered near and far across the sea, the bizarre scenery of the Spirit Realm undulating at the edge of his vision.


    Homeloss¡¯s sails billowed out, speeding across the Spirit Realm ocean like a swift wind. The emerging illusions on the sea scattered in all directions to avoid this colossal entity, and those not quick enough were pulled into its tumultuous wake by the ghostly green flames emanating from it, torn into shreds.


    Duncan clenched the steering wheel, standing at the helm on the stern deck, focusing on controlling this large vessel while listening to messages from Lucy and Morris coming from Light Breeze Harbor.


    Agatha¡¯s apparition stood next to him, appearing like an indeterminate phantom against the murky, dark backdrop of the Spirit Realm.


    Morris¡¯s voice came through the psychic link: ¡°¡­The forest spread from The Dream of the Nameless has covered the entire city, and it has started to physically disrupt urban functions¡­ They are no longer illusions but have become tangible matter. Numerous blocks are cut off by dense vegetation, leaving many people trapped¡­


    ¡°Several buildings have been completely devoured, entire homes replaced by towering trees, and the fate of the people inside remains unknown¡­


    ¡°Just now, Fenna went out to assess the situation on the streets and confirmed the reality of these plants and their damage to the city. More bizarrely, these incursions from the Dreamscape don¡¯t show any Transcendent traits¡­


    ¡°Additionally, we¡¯ve tried contacting the Storm Cathedral and the Academy Ark through Psychic Resonance. The church has noticed the anomalies at Light Breeze Harbor and they have dispatched the nearest frontier fleet¡­¡±


    Duncan silently listened to these updates from Light Breeze Harbor, his expression dark and grave.


    Homeloss accelerated slightly, racing across the Spirit Realm sea at a speed far surpassing ordinary vessels. From deep within this massive Ghost Ship, a faint creaking sound emerged, responding to the captain¡¯s command.


    The Dream of the Nameless was growing, but this time, the pace of events clearly exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations; rather than merely growing, it seemed more like it was spiralling out of control.


    ¡°Captain,¡± Agatha¡¯s voice came from beside him, ¡°I have an uneasy premonition¨Chow things are unfolding reminds me of the initial Frost.¡±


    Duncan did not speak, only slightly furrowing his brow. Unconsciously, he recalled the scene he had witnessed in the lower holds of Homeloss.


    The massive ancient god¡¯s spine, relying on the authority of Saslouka from Subspace, had reshaped and navigated Homeloss back, and¡­ the mystery of Homeloss¡¯s original ¡°keel.¡±


    Gradually, all these clues seemed to have a direction and pointed toward the current anomalies in Light Breeze Harbor, toward the Dream of the Nameless that was continually seeping into reality.


    Duncan suddenly understood some things.


    All of this was interconnected; for a very long time, this ship had already been a part of this vast vortex.


    The start of this vortex could even be traced back a century, to the day Duncan Ebnomal decided to build this colossal battleship.


    ¡°¡­We must find Silantis,¡± Duncan suddenly spoke softly.


    Agatha did not catch on at first, ¡°Captain?¡±


    ¡°The state of The Dream of the Nameless is closely linked with ¡®Silantis,¡¯ and based on the clues we have, I suspect Silantis is sleeping within the subconscious of all Elves¨Csomething must have triggered this dormant ¡®World Tree¡¯ to suddenly deteriorate,¡± Duncan¡¯s thoughts grew clearer as he rapidly spoke, ¡°We must find Silantis.¡±


    ¡°Find? Where?¡± Agatha¡¯s tone carried a hint of bewilderment, ¡°We¡¯ve already been to the borders of The Dream of the Nameless, yet Silantis exists formlessly in that boundless darkness, and according to the reticent goat-headed being, ¡®she¡¯ now refuses contact and awakening¡­¡±


    ¡°But there must be another way,¡± Duncan shook his head, then directly called out another name in his mind, ¡°Lucy.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s voice rang immediately in his heart, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember when Homeloss was first built?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ was very young then,¡± Lucy clearly hadn¡¯t expected her father to suddenly bring this up, sounding somewhat flustered, ¡°It¡¯s very blurry, and back then, the adults didn¡¯t let me near the shipyard. Maybe brother remembers more? He was already seven or eight then, and he used to sneak off to the shipbuilding site¡­¡±


    ¡°Tyrion,¡± Duncan called out another name marked by him without hesitation, ¡°I have a question for you.¡±


    His mind went silent for two or three seconds, followed by a burst of chaotic noise¨Cthat was a bunch of ¡°thoughts¡± unexpectedly crashing through the barrier of consciousness, accidentally forming a ¡°sound,¡± after which came Tyrion¡¯s flustered and shocked voice: ¡°Father? What happened? How¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard from Lucy that during the construction of Homeloss, you often sneaked over there?¡±


    Despite the vast spatial distance and barriers of consciousness, Duncan could sense the sudden panic transmitted from the other end of the psychic link.


    Tirian seemed utterly baffled, ¡°I didn¡¯t! Don¡¯t listen to Lucy, she¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Lucrecia¡¯s voice abruptly intervened, ¡°Brother, just admit it. There¡¯s trouble at Light Breeze Harbor, and Dad has some serious things to ask you.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s voice followed closely, ¡°Mr. Tirian, it¡¯s a serious matter.¡±


    Tirian instantly fell silent, speaking again only moments later, still sounding bewildered, ¡°¡­why is everyone here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, everyone¡¯s here,¡± Sherry piped up. ¡°A-Dog is here, too.¡±


    ¡°Quiet, this is not a place for chit-chat,¡± seeing a group of people chatting casually through a temporary ¡®communication channel¡¯ established by the Spirit Fire Mark, Duncan had to interrupt their conversation in his mind. ¡°Tirian, do you still remember what happened during the construction of Homeloss? Do you remember where its ¡®keel¡¯ came from?¡±


    Tirian finally realized the gravity of the situation from Duncan¡¯s tone.


    Duncan¡¯s mind quieted down.


    A moment later, Tirian¡¯s voice finally emerged, ¡°¡­I actually don¡¯t remember very clearly. You wouldn¡¯t explain much about complex shipbuilding knowledge to a child, but I do remember that the ship¡¯s ¡®keel¡¯ was dragged back by you from a fog near the border after one of your sea explorations¡­¡±


    ¡°Dragged back from the fog near the border?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was one of the ¡®trophies¡¯ from that exploration. You often found things on your adventures, and those ¡®trophies¡¯ earned you the respect and envy of other explorers. But even among many trophies, that ¡®huge timber¡¯ you dragged back from near the border was the most special¡­ It was so huge that it even exceeded the towing limit of your ship at that time. You had to arrange two smaller ships to assist from the sides and it took almost two months to drag it to Pland¡­¡±


    ¡°The reason you chose Pland was not just because our family was living there at the time, but also because that City-State had the world¡¯s largest shipyard at the time.


    ¡°Yes, thereafter you announced the construction of a ship, the greatest and most astonishing exploration ship in the world, to be built using that piece of ¡®timber¡¯ you found in the border¡¯s mist.


    ¡°That ship took a full seven years to build¨Cdespite having ample manpower and resources, the world¡¯s largest and most advanced shipbuilding facilities, and a large number of shipbuilding experts drawn to Pland by your incredible plans, it still consumed seven years to complete. And only after it successfully launched its maiden voyage and went through years of continuous improvements and adjustments did it become the Homeloss that captivated the world.


    ¡°My awareness of that ship also gradually built up during this process, including the origin of that ¡®keel,¡¯ which I only heard about from others when the ship was half-built¨Cbefore that, you rarely mentioned anything about it.¡±


    Duncan listened solemnly to Tirian¡¯s recounting in his mind, not speaking for a long time.


    These were indeed things he was hearing for the first time¨Cas the current captain of Homeloss, he had only now come to know the story of its construction.


    But finding out now was not too late.


    After a brief silence, Duncan asked again, ¡°About that keel¡­ what else do you know?¡±


    Tirian¡¯s side fell silent, seemingly lost in memories.


    After who knows how long, his voice finally emerged again, ¡°I remember the craftsmen involved in the construction once told me that the keel was extremely difficult to work with. It was unlike any conventional wood, unfathomably tough. And as a strange ¡®object¡¯ from near the ¡®border,¡¯ it had some unsettling ¡®unnatural¡¯ traits, such as emitting bizarre sounds at night and slowly repairing any marks left on its surface¡­ Because of these strange traits, the construction plan for Homeloss nearly came to a halt from the first step, as no one could shape that raw timber into a keel¡­


    ¡°But then, the craftsmen discovered something odd¨C


    ¡°Workers with elf blood could easily cut that ¡®timber.''¡±


    Duncan immediately spoke up, ¡°Elves?¡±


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    ¡°Yes, after nearly two months of wasted efforts on that huge timber, an elven craftsman accidentally discovered this trait¨Cunder elven hands, that keel which nearly drove everyone insane with its toughness was as easy to work with as balsa wood. Therefore, Pland¡¯s shipyard later transferred all elven craftsmen to the Homeloss project and even recruited some from nearby City-States¡­¡±


    Duncan listened intently, and after Tirian¡¯s voice faded, he remained silent for a few seconds before asking, ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Let me think¡­¡± said Tirian, pausing to recall, then speaking uncertainly, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing, but I don¡¯t remember it very clearly¡­ It was near the completion of Homeloss. I had been allowed to assist you with some less important tasks by then. One time you brought me to the drydock, you had been drinking, appeared quite spirited, you pointed at Homeloss and told me¡­


    ¡°Tirian, that¡¯s actually just a small twig.


    ¡°To this day, I still can¡¯t understand what you meant by that.¡±

 Chapter 626 - Chapter 626 Chapter 625 Rules of Contract and Sacrifice

    Chapter 626: Chapter 625: Rules of Contract and Sacrifice Chapter 626: Chapter 625: Rules of Contract and Sacrifice Listening to Tirian¡¯s narration, Duncan fell into a long silence and contemplation.


    The Homeloss seemed to fall silent along with its captain as the deep creaking sounds from within the cabin gradually subsided, a half-real, half-illusory sense of a spiritual body enveloping the ship as it silently glided over the ocean, moving through an equally silent world.


    After a long while, Duncan slowly lowered his head to look at his feet.


    He couldn¡¯t see, but he could imagine¨Cbeneath the layers of decks, deeper than the fragmented structures of the bilge, beyond the borders of reality, Saslouka¡¯s spine was still submerged in the dark Subspace, replacing the original keel of Homeloss¨Cthe keel Duncan Ebnomal referred to as ¡°the little twig.¡±


    That ¡°little twig¡± had sunk into the depths of Subspace along with the original Homeloss during the disaster a century ago.


    ¡°Father¡­¡± Tirian¡¯s slightly anxious voice rose from the depths of his mind, interrupting Duncan¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Do you have any more questions?¡±


    ¡°The final question,¡± said Duncan, ¡°after the completion of Homeloss, there must still be craftsmen who had stayed in the world of the living, I mean those Elves who were responsible for processing the keel¡­¡±


    ¡°Most of them should still be alive, but it will be difficult to find them in the short term,¡± answered Tirian, ¡°after something went wrong with Homeloss, everything related to that ship became taboo, including the original construction project.


    ¡°The craftsmen who had participated in the construction of Homeloss changed their professions or moved to other City-States one after another, even the Elves chose to conceal their identities and flee elsewhere, the blueprints were sealed off, and along with all records, they were treated as ¡®sealed items¡¯ and hidden deep within the cathedral¡­


    ¡°People say that everything related to Homeloss was cursed, just as it had been for the captain¡¯s children of Duncan, those who built Homeloss, and knew its secrets could not escape either¡­¡±


    Duncan did not speak for a moment, and as Tirian also fell silent, the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward until Lucrecia¡¯s voice was the first to break the stillness.


    ¡°Rumors aren¡¯t just rumors, you can¡¯t blame people for being so nervous at the time,¡± said the ¡°witch of the sea¡± slowly, ¡°in fact, the shipyard used to build Homeloss encountered a fire the day after the Subspace collapse incident.


    ¡°The fire burned everything in a way that defied normality, turning steel and stone to ashes, yet it didn¡¯t ignite the documents and blueprints related to Homeloss that were stored in the office.


    ¡°About half of the participants involved in the construction suffered nightmares, mysterious diseases, and hallucinations in the following years, some committed suicide years later, some mysteriously disappeared at sea, and others went mad, declaring in their final lucid stages that they had heard ¡®the true voice¡¯, and then spent the rest of their lives in psychiatric hospitals¨Ccompared to others who met with misfortune, these mad individuals were ironically the lucky ones.


    ¡°The Elven craftsmen responsible for processing the keel were the least affected group, perhaps their racial traits protected them, they appeared unaffected by the curse, but the experiences of others were frightening enough to justify their anonymity and fleeing far away¡­¡±


    Duncan quietly listened to Lucrecia¡¯s recollections and descriptions, and after a long time, he finally spoke, his tone slightly strange, ¡°But are the construction records of Homeloss still kept in Plunder?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are still there, as ¡®sealed items¡¯. You discussed this with me and Fenna last time,¡± Maurice¡¯s voice interjected, ¡°From what I understand, these things are not to be destroyed¨Cnor dare to be destroyed lightly, as involving the Subspace, the act of ¡®destruction¡¯ itself might also cause Homeloss and the real world to establish contact¡­¡±


    ¡°I need those documents,¡± Duncan immediately said.


    Maurice was taken aback, but quickly recovered: ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll contact friends in the Plunder City-State right away. Although those documents have been high-risk sealed items for the past century, given the current situation, the authorities should be willing to accommodate your request¡­¡±


    ¡°Ordinary means of contact are too slow,¡± Duncan interrupted Maurice, ¡°Fenna.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain, I¡¯m listening,¡± Fenna¡¯s voice immediately responded.


    ¡°You can directly contact the Storm Cathedral in Plunder, right?¡± Duncan asked sternly, ¡°Notify them to prepare all materials related to the construction project of Homeloss and deliver them to the cathedral.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± Fenna hesitated for two or three seconds, showing her loyalty to the Storm Goddess, then very promptly agreed, ¡°How do you plan to retrieve the documents? Shall I send Ai Yi over? I¡¯ll let our colleagues there know ahead of time to avoid any surprises¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll go myself.¡±


    Fenna seemed momentarily at a loss: ¡°You¡¯re going yourself?¡±


    ¡­


    In the Lower City District of Plunder, within a modestly-sized antique shop, Duncan set aside the newspaper he was holding and glanced again at the warm, bright sunlight outside the window, a slight smile appearing on his face: ¡°Spending days in the antique shop, sipping tea, reading the newspaper, basking in the sun¡­ It¡¯s time for some action here too.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand, I¡¯ll contact the City-State Cathedral right now.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s voice echoed in his mind, then gradually faded away.


    Duncan carefully folded the newspaper and placed it on a rack next to the counter before rising and heading to the stairs that led to the second floor, retrieving his coat from the hook.


    The Homeloss was still silently sailing through the Spirit Realm¡¯s Endless Sea. Light Breeze Harbor had sunk into an unawakening illusion, and in City-States around the world, more and more elves were falling into slumber. Yet, in this small antique shop, the same peace and tranquility of past days were maintained.


    It seemed like a harbor of refuge independent of the rest of the world.


    But just as Duncan put on his coat and was about to leave, the antique shop¡¯s door suddenly burst open, and the jingling of bells prematurely shattered the haven¡¯s tranquility.


    Duncan looked up towards the entrance, seeing a familiar figure standing in the sunlight.


    ¡°Miss Heidi? Good morning,¡± he recognized the visitor at the door and greeted her politely, ¡°Sorry, but the shop¡¯s closed for the day, I need to run some errands.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Duncan¡­ captain,¡± Heidi stepped two paces into the shop, her eyes on the ¡°store manager¡± who had just donned his coat and clearly prepared to leave, hesitating before speaking, ¡°I might need your help.¡±


    Duncan paused, looking at her curiously, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    After the incident involving Taran El and the elven girl trapped in the Dreamscape, Heidi had learned the true nature of Homeloss. Maybe because she was not quite adapted to this dramatic change, she had not visited the shop for a while, but it was unexpected that today she showed up suddenly asking for help.


    ¡°It¡¯s the sleep illness,¡± Heidi appeared still hesitant, this being her first request for help here knowing Duncan¡¯s identity, seemingly at a loss, ¡°It¡¯s widespread, a sudden outbreak of the sleep illness¡­¡±


    ¡°More elves have fallen asleep?¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°That is to be expected¨CThe Dream of the Nameless underwent drastic changes this morning, its influence is growing. But do not worry, I was about to leave to deal with this exact issue.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just more elves falling asleep,¡± Heidi quickly added, ¡°The symptoms this time are somewhat unusual. The city¡¯s central medical facility just admitted a wave of ¡®patients¡¯, and I think it¡¯s necessary for you to look into it¡­ if you have the time¡­¡±


    The more she spoke, the less confident she sounded, and after a moment¡¯s thought, she suddenly blurted out, ¡°Is some kind of offering needed when seeking your help?¡±


    Duncan, who had been pondering how long it would take to prepare after receiving Fenna¡¯s message from the Storm Cathedral, was caught off guard by Heidi¡¯s question. ¡°¡­Offering?¡±


    Heidi thought for a moment, her face marked with embarrassment, ¡°When I communicated with my father, I didn¡¯t dare ask in detail about matters concerning you. He only said life on Homeloss was incredible and your attitude towards mortals kind, but he never mentioned your method of operation or the rituals and offerings needed when seeking your help¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop, I understand,¡± Duncan interrupted her quickly, giving the spiritual healthcare professional a weird look before finally saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need offerings, nor do I require any bloody, bizarre sacrificial rituals¨CDidn¡¯t Morris or Fenna tell you that the Exiled Fleet is a community with a friendly atmosphere, deeply committed to urban philanthropy?¡±


    Heidi: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Duncan knew the misunderstanding immediately from her expression.


    He waved his hand, casually grabbing a small bronze statue from a nearby shelf.


    Antique from the era of dark City-States, a royal symbol of the old Isom dynasty, brand new and manufactured just last week.


    ¡°Originally priced at eight hundred sora, after discount twelve, buy it at the original price as payment for my assistance¨CIf that¡¯s fine, let¡¯s set off. The Cathedral won¡¯t be ready with what I need for a while, so I can accompany you to see these ¡®patients¡¯ first.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Are you sure you want to use these things to construct the ¡®channel¡¯ for Psychic Resonance?¡± Morris stared at Fenna bustling in the kitchen, unable to hold back any longer.


    Fenna paused her preparations, looking up at the old man beside her, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


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    ¡°¡­I believe this lacks rigor,¡± Morris strained, trying to appear more serious, ¡°For a sacred ritual, connecting with the Storm Cathedral, you should at least prepare some proper spell materials¡­¡±


    Fenna was silent for a moment, looking down at what she could find in this ¡°witch¡¯s abode.¡±


    ¡°Sacred flame, sacred grease, sacred spices, accompanied by devout prayer, all four elements are ready.¡±


    Morris¡¯s eyes bulged in disbelief, ¡°Just because you put ¡®sacred¡¯ in front of it doesn¡¯t make it work¨Cyou can¡¯t just chop onions in the kitchen and expect the goddess to grant her power!¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­¡±


    (Trip to Guangzhou for work, single updates for the next few days and then back to three updates every two days after returning.)

 Chapter 627 - Chapter 627 Chapter 626 Call

    Chapter 627: Chapter 626: Call Chapter 627: Chapter 626: Call Admittedly, Fenna thought that old Maurice was right.


    Fire, holy oil, and spices, the three vital elements for conducting a sacred ritual¨Calthough in special circumstances one could make do, substituting entirely with ingredients found in the kitchen was a bit far-fetched.


    But she decided to give it a try.


    After all, first, she had tried it more than once on the Homeloss, and second, she couldn¡¯t find more suitable materials in this ¡°witch¡¯s mansion.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have expected to find things like holy oil in a ¡®witch¡¯s¡¯ house,¡± Fenna sighed, helplessly telling Maurice, ¡°It seems I¡¯m always underprepared on a daily basis.¡±


    Maurice mumbled subconsciously, ¡°I¡¯ve felt that ever since you successfully performed a ritual with inferior materials on the ship, you haven¡¯t thought about seriously preparing for a ritual again¡­¡±


    Fenna shrugged, pointing outside the window, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to buy some from the street?¡±


    Maurice glanced at the street outside the window, swaying with shadows of trees, and thought about the chaotic situation in Light Breeze Harbor, deciding it¡¯s better not to say anything.


    Sherry, who had come to see the commotion, tugged at her dog curiously watching Fenna¡¯s actions and suddenly chimed in, ¡°Why don¡¯t you add some ginger and garlic?¡±


    Confused by the suggestion, Fenna asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°After your ritual ends, you could ask Niru to cook a couple of dishes¨CI¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t make fun of this!¡± Fenna¡¯s expression finally showed she was losing patience as she glared at Sherry, trying to look as dignified and serious as possible, ¡°This is a serious ritual, I¡¯m only improvising due to limited resources¡­¡±


    Sherry didn¡¯t respond, only pulling her dog back a bit towards the door.


    Fenna, bewildered, asked, ¡°¡­why are you standing so far away?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand all this fancy stuff you ¡®clerics¡¯ do, but common sense tells me to keep my distance,¡± Sherry gestured, ¡°Just in case lightning strikes you, I don¡¯t want your blood on me.¡±


    Fenna sighed.


    Miss Judge tried to calm herself, deciding to no longer pay attention to the figures at the door. She took a deep breath and focused on constructing the Spiritual Energy channel in the ritual.


    The flame ignited, and the fats boiled.


    Regardless, fire is fire¨Cat any time, the lighting of fire symbolizes a step forward for civilization. It is a symbol presented by mortals to the deities, with a singular meaning¨C¡°I am here.¡±


    Ever since she graduated from seminary, Fenna had always believed that the form of the fire wasn¡¯t important; the act of igniting it was what held meaning.


    As one of the youngest and most distinguished clerics of the Deep Sea Church, this was the only idea she had that was considered ¡°somewhat unorthodox¡±¨Cof course, that was only in the past years.


    Now, her heretical ideas and actions were far too numerous.


    The gentle sound of the waves started to rise beside this increasingly ¡°heretical¡± Judge.


    She sensed a gaze, a tender look fell upon her, then shifted away. Shortly, the ¡°channel¡± opened before her¨Cat the end of the ¡°channel,¡± came the voice of Archbishop Valentin.


    ¡°Fenna?¡± The old Archbishop sounded surprised, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to suddenly receive your call¡­ Wait, what¡¯s that smell?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Archbishop,¡± Fenna steadied herself, speaking seriously, ¡°I have something to tell you, and you mustn¡¯t panic¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The Captain will go to the cathedral to see you soon, he wants all the construction records of the Homeloss.¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan frowned slightly, standing in the hospital room with Heidi, watching a young Elf lying on the hospital bed.


    ¡°This patient was just admitted this morning, and there are dozens more like him¨Cseveral Elf communities have already started to panic, as no one knows who will be the next to fall or vanish,¡± Heidi whispered, ¡°The situation has escalated to a level of Transcendent contamination, and the Church has already sent guard squads to take over those communities, but besides continuously bringing in Elves showing symptoms here, they don¡¯t have many options.¡±


    Duncan nodded gravely and stepped forward, bending down to observe the state of the young Elf on the bed.


    The latter¡¯s entire body exhibited a vague, ghostly texture, as if a phantom ready to dissipate at any moment, barely ¡°lingering¡± in a human outline on the bed.


    This was clearly beyond the previous ¡°sleep sickness¡± cases, and no longer something that traditional ¡°medical methods¡± could address.


    ¡°He¡¯s disappearing, leaving our reality in an incomprehensible way¨Cthis is no longer a situation that a ¡®psychiatrist¡¯ can handle. I¡¯ve used some transcendent methods, but they can only barely keep their minds here,¡¯ to slow down the process of ¡®disappearance¡¯,¡± Heidi continued behind Duncan, ¡°in a patient with milder ¡®symptoms,¡¯ I tried mind-reading, only to find their thoughts being gradually ¡®sucked away¡¯ by something¡­ bigger, like a vortex, dragging these elves from spirit to body away from the real world.¡±


    Duncan listened intently with a furrowed brow for a long time before speaking to himself, ¡°Silantis is taking them away.¡±


    Heidi paused, ¡°Silantis?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the ¡®vortex¡¯ you¡¯re feeling. I suggest you stop trying in this regard,¡± Duncan said seriously, ¡°because it¡¯s very likely that this vortex will treat you as an ¡®elf¡¯ too.¡±


    Heidi¡¯s expression changed slightly in an instant.


    Meanwhile, Duncan diverted some attention to check the situation in the distance¨C


    Homeloss was gradually approaching the waters near Light Breeze Harbor, now getting ready to surface from the Spirit Realm.


    Fenna had just sent a message, having successfully contacted Valentin at the Storm Cathedral in Prand, who would soon have everything ready and await the ¡°Captain¡¯s¡± visit.


    The situation inside Light Breeze Harbor remained chaotic, the lush forests were like an endless green hell for the residents of the City-State; even the well-trained City-State Guards and guardian troops struggled with this situation beyond imagination¨CLucresia was taking action within the City-State to provide as much help as possible.


    And in the distant northern City-State of Frost, the ¡°comatose illness¡± was spreading like it was in Prand.


    One could imagine that the spread of the ¡°comatose illness¡± was not limited to Prand and Frost; as the situation in Light Breeze Harbor worsened, it seemed that elves all over the world were facing the same dreadful situation¨CSilantis was devouring them.


    But why? Why would the World Tree, rooted in the collective memory of the elven race, suddenly undergo these drastic changes?


    Just then, a faint noise suddenly came from the hospital bed, interrupting Duncan¡¯s thoughts.


    The elf lying on the hospital bed, in a deep coma with his body gradually becoming transparent and diminishing, suddenly made a movement¨Chis body twitched slightly, and a low, muffled groan came from his throat.


    It was as if he was suddenly going to wake up.


    Heidi immediately noticed this and quickly ran to the bedside, seemingly to confirm whether this elf was really regaining consciousness. However, at this moment, the other hospital beds in the room also suddenly exhibited the same occurrences.


    Those in deep sleep began to twitch one after another, uttering the same muffled groans!


    This eerie situation momentarily sent shivers up Heidi¡¯s spine, she abruptly stood up and instinctively looked towards Duncan, but just then, the muffled groans from the elves¡¯ throats suddenly stopped at the same instant.


    The next second, these sleeping elves all opened their mouths simultaneously, as if a consciousness had finally at the same time connected with these bodies in the real world, and they let out a clear sound¨C


    ¡°I am Ted Riel, I am now in the deepest part of The Dream of the Nameless.


    ¡°I am sending this message to the real world through every means I can find, whoever receives this message should spread it as widely as they can¨C


    ¡°Silantis has gone mad.


    ¡°She is attempting to devour all elves and thereby enter the real world to re-root and grow.


    ¡°She is not our protector, she does not protect us.


    ¡°We are fighting against the main consciousness of Silantis and doing our best to slow her spread into the real world¨Cbut we are losing.


    ¡°We need help¨Cdo everything possible to prevent the elves in the real world from being devoured by Silantis, prevent them from disappearing or dying in their sleep, which can delay Silantis¡¯s awakening, repeat, we need help¡­¡±


    The voice in the hospital room abruptly stopped.


    All the elven patients returned to their ¡°sleep,¡± as if what had just happened was merely an illusion¨CTed Riel¡¯s connection with the real world was severed.


    ¡°Ted Riel¡­¡± Heidi paused for a few seconds before reacting, ¡°Is he the Truth Confidant from Light Breeze Harbor?!¡±


    Panic and horror appeared in her eyes, the brief event had made her realize the severity and bad turn of the situation.


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    She looked towards Duncan, seeking help from this ¡°Captain.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brow was furrowed, the sudden change of events and the message from Ted Riel were beyond his expectations, but after quick thinking, he vaguely grasped some ideas from these ¡°messages.¡±


    ¡°It looks like I need to leave,¡± he turned and said seriously to Ms. Psychiatrist, ¡°Someone needs to solve this issue from the root.¡±


    Heidi instinctively spoke out, ¡°What about here¡­¡±


    ¡°Continue what you¡¯re doing, delay the ¡®devouring¡¯ of these elves as long as possible,¡± Duncan said quickly, ¡°keep their spirits in the real world for as long as possible¨Cthe rest, leave to us.¡±

 Chapter 628 - Chapter 628 Chapter 627 The Sample That Remains to This Day

    Chapter 628: Chapter 627: The ¡°Sample¡± That Remains to This Day Chapter 628: Chapter 627: The ¡°Sample¡± That Remains to This Day A terrifying ¡°Slumber¡± and disappearance phenomenon was spreading across the entire world, from the remote northern seas to the southern oceans, from the fog-enshrouded eastern frontiers to the western isles, nearly every City-State had begun to see the sudden somnolence of Elves, as well as the eerily inexplicable ¡°disappearance¡± events.


    And the message Ted Riel sent from the depths of The Dream of the Nameless was being spread throughout the world by those sleeping Elves.


    One after another, churches sounded their bells, telegraphs and Spiritual Energy communications started passing messages between City-States, Governors and Archbishops communicated the real-time situation, and the joint surveillance defense system that had only recently been initiated by the Four Gods Church began to operate hastily.


    People had thought this system would be used to monitor the deep sea beneath the City-States, but unexpectedly, its first application was due to an out-of-control Dreamscape.


    A vortex composed of fluttering colorful paper slices danced through layers of winding vines, leaves and rooftops, spinning as it drilled into Governor Sala Mel¡¯s office at the city hall.


    Governor Sala Mel, who was communicating with several city hall officials, immediately looked up at the ¡°Sea Witch¡± emerging from the colorful papers.


    ¡°I suddenly remembered I should check on the city hall,¡± Lucracia approached the large, oval office desk, ¡°It seems you are quite busy.¡±


    ¡°A total mess, ma¡¯am,¡± Sala Mel waved her hand to dismiss the city hall officials nearby, allowing them to step back, ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve just extended a helping hand to the beleaguered security force troops¨Cthank you very much for your help.¡±


    ¡°How are things now?¡±


    ¡°Complete chaos within the city, sixteen blocks have completely lost contact, dense vegetation has blocked all the roads, a large number of residents are missing, and it¡¯s difficult for security forces and guardians to penetrate those areas, the steam hubs have halted, and for safety reasons, we¡¯ve also shut down the city¡¯s gas supply¨Cthankfully, that thing could still be turned off, but no one knows what to do tonight,¡± Sala Mel said all in one breath, ¡°As for outside the city¡­ You must also be aware of what¡¯s happening elsewhere. Countless messages are being transmitted through various channels, but I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have the spare energy to focus on other City-States¡¯ situations.¡±


    ¡°What about the message from Ted Riel? Do you know about this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± nodded Sala Mel, ¡°First, two hours ago, the action team that Taran El participated in sent a message, saying that after the team disengaged from the Dreamscape, the Truth Confidant failed to return to the real world. Half an hour ago, I received the latest intelligence, His Excellency the Truth Confidant is trapped in the deepest part of The Dream of the Nameless¡­¡±


    He stopped, his face showing an indescribable complex expression, as if he wanted to let out a long sigh, but in the end, he just twitched the corner of his mouth in a spasm-like manner: ¡°Elves take pride in their ancient and complete heritage, we firmly believe those old legends and myths were once real history, symbols of our ancient civilization¨Cnow, our legends and myths are coming to kill us.¡±


    Lucracia quietly observed the highly respected Governor, and after a moment, she slowly spoke: ¡°But until last night, the intelligence we had was that Silantis wanted to Shelter all Elves¨Ceven now, I still have reason to believe that this ¡®Shelter¡¯ is still in effect, just¡­ in an extremely dangerous way.¡±


    Sala Mel¡¯s face twitched: ¡°¡­Yes, because Silantis has gone mad.¡±


    ¡°I need to see Taran El, and the other Knowledge Guardians who entered The Dream of the Nameless with him,¡± said Lucracia, ¡°I didn¡¯t find them at the City-State University.¡±


    ¡°They are in an isolation facility for observation and questioning, I¡¯ll give you the location¡­¡±


    ¡­


    The majestic Storm Cathedral stood quietly at the highest terrain of Plunder, and, as usual, the square in front of the cathedral bustled with activity¨Con each public day, many citizens would gather here, either to worship in the cathedral or receive blessings, Treatment in nearby facilities, or to simply visit.


    Duncan wore a simple brown coat and black trousers, following the group entering the cathedral for a visit, stepping through the magnificent archway, and then along the path in his mind guided by Fenna, heading deep into the cathedral.


    He passed the main hall and the pilgrimage walkway open to tourists, the shortcut corridor beside the sermon, following a route unfamiliar even to many church internal staff.


    ¡°¡­Continue forward past that black door, turn right after you enter, about twenty meters further is a fork, the left path leads to the inner courtyard¡­


    ¡°This path is the quietest, follow it to the end and you¡¯ll see the side door of the inner chapel, I¡¯ve spoken with Archbishop Valentin, just let him wait for you in the chapel, arrangements have been made all along the way, no one will obstruct you, and the guards along the way won¡¯t know who you are¡­ Right, only Archbishop Valentin knows the real situation¡­


    ¡°If you want to visit the cathedral again in the future, you can take this path, by the way, my old room at the cathedral is right next to the chapel, you can go there too¡­ I know you don¡¯t need it¡­¡±


    Listening to the voice of the Miss Judge in his mind, Duncan looked up.


    The inner chapel was before him¨Ca facility not open to the public, used only by the high-ranking clergy of the Deep Sea Church, a simple black wooden door stood quietly at the end of the path, with two fully armored church guards standing straight as statues, as grim as dark sculptures.


    Duncan approached the door.


    The guards at the door didn¡¯t even shift their gaze, as if they completely failed to see Duncan, still maintaining their serious demeanor looking straight ahead.


    Obviously, this was also a pre-arranged result, and Duncan could almost imagine what kind of orders the guards along the way had received¨C


    ¡°`


    Today, a special ¡°visitor¡± would visit the Cathedral.


    Do not listen, do not look, do not ask, do not think.


    He smiled politely at them and then walked past the two guards, gently pushing open the black wooden door adorned with many holy symbols.


    A faint sound of sea waves emerged as if out of nowhere, the moist and icy breath seemed to briefly surface and then quickly faded away; Duncan felt as if he had crossed an invisible barrier, subsequently stepping into a brightly lit, spacious room.


    The highest Archbishop of Plunder City-State, Valentin, stood in the center of the room.


    This elderly man with sparse white hair was clad in black clerical robes with gold trim; his back was turned to the door, facing the Storm Goddess statue that emanated a mysterious and sacred atmosphere, seemingly engaged in devout prayer. It was only after hearing the sound of the door that he turned around to regard the special ¡°visitor¡± at the entrance.


    It was evident that the old man seemed somewhat nervous¨Calthough he was trying to control it.


    ¡°Hello, Archbishop Valentin, we meet again,¡± Duncan said with a hint of a smile on his face, approaching the other man, ¡°although for you, it is probably the first time seeing me in this ¡®appearance¡¯.¡±


    Valentin curiously took in the ¡°Duncan¡± who had entered the room.


    All he saw was a man wearing a simple, old coat, neither tall nor strong, seemingly a common middle-aged man one could see anywhere in the City-State.


    But in just one second, strong warnings of reason urged him to avert his gaze and cease scrutinizing what appeared to be a human ¡°shell¡±.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s the ¡®incarnation¡¯ you use for moving around in the City-State, I¡¯ve heard about it from Fenna,¡± Valentin said, slightly lowering his gaze, ¡°I¡¯ve also heard about the current situation from her, and the items you requested have been prepared.¡±


    The old Archbishop raised a hand, pointing toward a large wooden chest beside the icon.


    Stored within was original data from the construction process of the ship Homeloss a century ago, as well as¡­ a certain most important ¡°sample¡±.


    Several bright candle stands had been temporarily arranged around the chest, the occasional glimmer rising from the flames of the candles indicating that they had been endowed with the power of blessings, and on both sides of the chest one could see objects like stone tablets and iron chains used for sealing, clearly another layer of safety measures.


    It seemed that even after being taken from their seals and placed in this chapel directly under the gaze of the Goddess, this chest of ¡°ship-building archives¡± was treated with utmost importance; perhaps Archbishop Valentin¡¯s preemptive vigil here was also to guard against the possibility of the contents of the chest getting out of control.


    ¡°¡­Is it really so dangerous?¡± Duncan walked towards the large wooden chest and couldn¡¯t help but turn to ask, ¡°Are these sealing measures effective?¡±


    ¡°As a matter of fact, they¡¯re not¨Cbecause this chest has never shown any signs of ¡®activity¡¯,¡± Valentin said quite frankly.


    Duncan was taken aback, ¡°Then why do all this¡­¡±


    ¡°For peace of mind,¡± said Valentin calmly, ¡°the contents of the chest itself showed no signs of activity, but everyone knows there must be a supernatural connection with the Homeloss, so they decided to use all kinds of sealing methods¨Cwhat you¡¯re seeing is already a simplified version. In the original chamber where this chest was stored, there were many more ¡®safety measures¡¯.¡±


    Duncan was at a loss for words.


    After a moment, he shook his head, ignoring the suddenly awkward atmosphere, and stepped forward to open the chest.


    The chest wasn¡¯t locked¨Cits locks had been removed before it was brought here.


    ¡°The original design blueprints of the Homeloss, technical specifications, and the construction diary¨Cactually, there¡¯s much more complete data, but those less relevant parts all turned to ash in the fire at the shipyard back then, only these remained, sealed in this chest¡­¡±


    Valentin¡¯s voice came from beside him; the old Archbishop had come up to Duncan, peering into the chest and speaking in a somber tone.


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    ¡°Of course, I guess what you really want isn¡¯t just the blueprints, but¡­ that thing in the middle of the chest.


    ¡°The dragonbone sample, preserved according to shipbuilding traditions of a century-old sailing vessel.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze quietly settled on the grey-black square timber lying at the center of a piece of black satin.


    This was a ¡°sample¡± cut from the very dragonbone material of the original Homeloss.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 629 - Chapter 629 Chapter 628 The Displaceds Curse

    Chapter 629: Chapter 628: The Displaced¡¯s ¡°Curse Chapter 629: Chapter 628: The Displaced¡¯s ¡°Curse In the age of sailing warships a century ago, the shipbuilding craftsmen of each City-State followed one rule when working on the keel¨Cthey had to cut a piece of timber from the raw wood material.


    They would treat this piece of wood in the same way as the keel, through carbonization, steeping in medicine, and oiling, and they would place it together with the unfinished ship on the shipyard. However, once the ship was completed, this piece of ¡°Keel Timber¡± would be left in the shipyard and permanently preserved on land¨Cusually, the ship owners would also pay extra money to have the priests of the City-State regularly bless the timber, or they would simply send it to the church for safekeeping and supervision.


    At first, the practice of preserving the ¡°keel sample¡± was part of a quality standard for ship owners to verify the selection and initial processing of the keel to meet the technical requirements of a ship. But later, it became a symbol of praying for safety¨C


    People believed that ships had souls, and the keel left on land would bring good luck to ships out at sea. It would act as a lighthouse, helping lost ships find their way back to the coast. The blessings that the clergy applied to the Keel Timber could also come upon the ships out at sea. And, if a misfortune really occurred¨Cthe keel left ashore would transform into a small ferry in the world of the dead, carrying the sailors¡¯ souls back home.


    In the past, when a ship was confirmed lost, the Death Priests would even take out its Keel Timber left on shore and hold a ¡°funeral.¡± The families of the crew treated this piece of wood in the same way they would have treated the bodies of their loved ones, and watched as it was sent into the crematorium.


    Agatha, once out of interest, had described in detail to Duncan the scene of the Death Priests ¡°sending off¡± the keel sample a hundred years ago.


    In fact, this custom is still preserved to this day, albeit not always in choosing to keep the ship¡¯s keel sample. Nowadays, many young captains prefer to keep parts of the pipelines cut during the installation of steam cores, preserved in shipyards or churches.


    Duncan quietly stared at the piece of timber in the box.


    The Homeloss was a ship built a hundred years ago¨Cno matter how unique it had become today, it was constructed in the shipyard according to the same standards and practices as other ships.


    A hundred years ago, the craftsmen had preserved its keel sample.


    It wasn¡¯t the ancient god¡¯s spine that it is today, but the original one that Duncan Ebnomal had found in the mists near the border¡­ the ¡°little twig.¡±


    Duncan reached out and carefully picked up the seemingly ordinary piece of wood.


    He suddenly widened his eyes slightly, ¡°It has no weight?!¡±


    The ¡°heaviness¡± that emanated from the keel sample surprised him¨Cit was too light¡­ so light that the word ¡°light¡± wasn¡¯t sufficient to describe it, as he blurted out. This piece of wood seemingly had no weight at all, even lighter in his hand than a speck of dust!


    However, Duncan could clearly see the distinct impression on the surface of the black satin where the timber had initially rested, a mark pressed by the wood.


    ¡°Yes, it has no weight¨Cbut only when held in someone¡¯s hand,¡± the voice of Bishop Valentin came from the side, ¡°When placed on a weighing scale, it weighs 0.7 kilograms. But when a living person holds it, it weighs 0 milligrams. However, it wasn¡¯t initially like this¨Caccording to records, when it was first cut from the keel timber, it was no different from a normal piece of wood, I mean in terms of ¡®weight¡¯.¡±


    Duncan frowned, and though he had already guessed it, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°When did the change occur?¡±


    ¡°On the day the Homeloss fell into Subspace,¡± Valentin answered. ¡°A lot happened that day, many things were only investigated and confirmed after people recovered from the chaos. In addition to this keel sample losing its ¡®weight¡¯ in human hands, we also found that all other timber cut from the original material of Homeloss had disappeared without a trace.¡±


    The old bishop paused for a moment and explained further, ¡°The ¡®original material¡¯ you brought to Prand was a tremendously large piece of timber. After processing it into the keel, a large amount of leftover material was still sufficient for many other uses. According to records, some of it was used in the construction of various parts on the Homeloss, while the rest you stored in the shipyard¡¯s warehouse, and some of this was later taken away by you to make the figureheads and steering wheels for the Sea Mist and the Brilliant Starship. The remaining wood was no longer useful and remained in the warehouse until the day of the ¡®accident¡¯.¡±


    With that, the elder stepped forward, pointing a finger towards the large box in front of Duncan.


    ¡°The related records are also contained in here.¡±


    ¡°Were the Sea Mist and the Brilliant Starship also built in Prand? And they used the leftover keel material from the Homeloss? Are their construction records still available?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the construction records of those two ships were burned to ashes in the great fire at the shipyard that year, along with their ¡®keel samples,''¡± Valentin shook his head, ¡°People say that was the beginning of the curse on those ships¨Cthe Storm unleashed by the Homeloss in Subspace destroyed the ¡®anchors¡¯ left ashore by the Sea Mist and the Brilliant Starship, and since then, those ships gradually became what they are today.¡±


    Having said this, the elder bishop suddenly seemed to realize it might be improper and quickly cleared his throat, ¡°Ahem, I hope you don¡¯t mind, these are just¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, you are just stating what happened¨Cand I was the one who asked,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Besides, I have a good relationship with the kids now, it¡¯s all in the past.¡±


    As he spoke, he turned his attention back to the weightless ¡°keel sample¡± in his hand.


    A lot of things were finally made clear today.


    All the twist and turns, seeming chaos and disorder, were after all only a single thread, and now, that thread had finally reached his hands.


    ¡°If you still wish to know more about the events of the past, I can try to locate some of the Elven Craftsmen who participated in the construction of the Homeloss¡­ but it may not be easy,¡± Valentin said carefully, watching Duncan¡¯s facial expressions change, ¡°after all¡­ the situation with the Elves is not good.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m here to address that issue,¡± Duncan sighed lightly, temporarily setting aside the thoughts in his mind, and nodded to Valentin, ¡°that¡¯s enough; I¡¯ve got what I wanted. I¡¯ll take this box with me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can,¡± Valentin immediately nodded, ¡°rather say¡­ it¡¯s better if you take it.¡±


    Duncan obviously knew why the other had said this, he just smiled, then carefully replaced the timber back into the box and resealed it.


    However, as he was about to summon Ai Yi to send the box back to the Homeloss, he noticed Valentin¡¯s hesitant expression.


    ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Valentin visibly tensed, then hesitated for a few seconds before speaking, ¡°Actually, since a while ago, I¡¯ve been thinking about a question, but feared that you might find it offensive¡­¡±


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°¡­Has Fenna caused any trouble on your ship?¡±


    ¡°Trouble? Why do you ask?¡± Duncan felt puzzled, ¡°She¡¯s a mature and steady person, very reassuring to have onboard. What trouble could there be?¡±


    Valentin was taken aback momentarily before blurting out, ¡°She didn¡¯t break anything? She¡¯s very straightforward and not easy to get along with, strong too, and had few friends in the city¡­¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment; he first recalled the explosive Nina, then thought about Sherry, who caused chaos over a few scrolls every now and then, and Alice, who managed to ¡®stew¡¯ herself every other day, as well as all the pots, pans, mop buckets, and even cannons that caused endless turmoil on the ship¡­


    ¡°She¡¯s quite good,¡± he said seriously to the aged bishop, ¡°She¡¯s actually one of the quieter ones on the ship, except when she¡¯s running and exercising on the deck in the mornings, which might be a bit noisy¡­¡±


    Valentin: ¡°¡­?¡±


    The old bishop seemed still unable to imagine what life was like for Fenna on the Homeloss.


    But Duncan had no further intention of explaining¨Che quickly summoned Ai Yi, who directly teleported the large wooden box to the distant Homeloss, and then bid farewell to the old bishop, striding confidently away from the grand church.


    In the brightly lit inner chapel, Valentin stood before the statue of the Storm Goddess and drifted into a daze, suddenly feeling an unreal sensation about the morning¡¯s events.


    This sacred place had truly hosted a shadow from the Subspace¨Cand now, that shadow had calmly left.


    It was almost like a dream.


    ¡°¡­Fenna.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± the spiritual energy channel was still open, Fenna¡¯s voice reached Valentin¡¯s ears, ¡°Has the captain left?¡±


    ¡°¡­He just left,¡± Valentin said.


    Perhaps the hesitation and subtle emotions in the old bishop¡¯s tone were overly evident, as Fenna keenly sensed something amiss, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something go smoothly?¡±


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    ¡°It¡¯s not that, I just feel a bit strange¡­¡± Valentin hesitated before speaking, ¡°Tell me¡­ does this count as the cathedral being invaded by Subspace?¡±


    Fenna clearly didn¡¯t expect the old bishop to come up with such a question; her side was quiet for a few seconds before she uncertainly replied, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡±


    Valentin turned back, looking at the statue of Gomona standing serenely in the candlelight, ¡°It seems the Goddess does not blame us.¡±


    ¡°I think the Goddess wouldn¡¯t blame us,¡± Fenna asserted confidently, ¡°After all, the captain was just visiting. If that counts as an invasion, then the Death Cathedral in Frost would be invaded by Subspace every Friday¡­ and there¡¯s no fuss about that.¡±


    Valentin: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 630 - Chapter 630 Chapter 629 Countless Threads

    Chapter 630: Chapter 629: Countless Threads Chapter 630: Chapter 629: Countless Threads ¡°I feel you shouldn¡¯t call my every Friday trip to Frost Cathedral to collect the graveyard guard¡¯s salary a ¡®Subspace Invasion¡¯, that seems a bit imprecise¡­¡±


    On the Homeloss, which was sailing in the shallow layers of the Spirit Realm, Duncan was checking the large wooden box that Ai Yi had just teleported over from Plunder while silently speaking to Fenna in his mind.


    ¡°Exactly because I am meticulous, that¡¯s why I said it,¡± Fenna¡¯s reply was so earnest that even Duncan couldn¡¯t tell if Miss Judge was joking or not. She then paused and continued, more seriously, ¡°And honestly, I¡¯ve never quite understood why you insist on personally using an embodiment to collect that ¡®salary¡¯ ¡ª as you know, Frost¡¯s ¡®Agatha¡¯ is willing to assign a team of guardians to serve you, and Mr. Tirian has also been wanting to find a better place for your ¡¯embodiment¡¯ there, but you still insist on guarding those graveyards¡­¡±


    Duncan stopped his work, and in a moment of silence, he remembered that cold northern City-State ¡ª that place always covered in snow, the cemeteries in winter, the peaceful streets, a little girl named Annie, and that old caretaker.


    ¡°¡­I quite like that place,¡± Duncan slowly said in his mind, ¡°Doing ordinary things in a place I like is sort of a hobby for me.¡±


    Fenna fell silent for a while, seemingly deep in thought from the touch, when the sound of light footsteps reached his ears from not far away. Duncan raised his head and saw Alice cheerfully walking from the other end of the deck ¡ª she was always so happy.


    ¡°Captain! Are we approaching Light Breeze Harbor soon? I saw the ship starting to ¡®surface¡¯¡­¡±


    The automaton suddenly noticed the large box placed on the deck.


    ¡°What is this?¡± she asked curiously, looking around the box and noticing various objects inside, ¡°Is it for my sleeping¡­ no, doesn¡¯t seem like it? What are these?¡±


    ¡°These are very important things, the construction records of Homeloss,¡± Duncan explained casually and picked up a piece of wood, ¡°But this is the most important.¡±


    Alice leaned in curiously, ¡°What is this?¡±


    Duncan was silent for a long time before softly speaking under Alice¡¯s curious and puzzled look, ¡°Perhaps¡­ it¡¯s an ¡®interface¡¯.¡±


    He looked up toward the distant sea.


    The chaos and darkness in the sky were gradually fading, the sea¡¯s black ¡°strands of hair¡± were also dissipating at a visible rate, the misty and ethereal shadows on the sea¡¯s surface first turned into thin mists, then swiftly faded and melted away under the strengthening sunlight. Homeloss¡¯s speed was slowing ¡ª under the control of the Goat Head, it was gradually surfacing from the Spirit Realm to reality.


    ¡°Homeloss is approaching Light Breeze Harbor, what¡¯s the situation in the city now?¡±


    Morris¡¯s voice immediately came back, ¡°Still chaotic, but a portion of the guardians and peace officers have successfully reached the neighborhoods, control personnel are organizing self-help among the residents. It doesn¡¯t look like it will worsen ¡ª but no one can guarantee what will happen tonight.¡±


    Duncan hummed softly, then turned his attention back to the sea.


    Homeloss completed its surfacing, the bright reality¡¯s sunlight was shining on the deck and masts, and the sea outside the hull was undulating slowly under the light wind, glittering light dancing in the breaking waves.


    Endless, with nothing in sight.


    Duncan blinked, feeling something was wrong.


    Alice blinked too, even this solid-headed automaton felt something amiss.


    A vague shadow rose from the deck, looking out into the distance for a long time before Agatha finally broke the silence on the deck, ¡°Where¡¯s Light Breeze Harbor?!¡±


    Where is Light Breeze Harbor?! Such a huge Light Breeze Harbor?!


    Duncan looked into the distance for a long time, then turned his head to look in other directions ¡ª he scanned around the sea and finally found something familiar.


    A massive, irregular Luminous Geometric Body was quietly floating on the distant sea surface.


    It was ¡°docked¡± near Light Breeze Harbor, ¡°The Dream of the Nameless,¡± however, other than that gigantic Luminous Geometric Body, nothing else could be seen on the nearby sea surface.


    Duncan immediately called out through the spiritual connection, ¡°First Mate, confirm our location.¡±


    The Goat Head immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Captain. I have noticed it¡­ There¡¯s no issue with Homeloss¡¯s position. The sea chart shows we¡¯re near Light Breeze Harbor, with that ¡®Luminous Geometric Body¡¯ as a positional reference¡­ but Light Breeze Harbor is gone.¡±


    A breeze blew across the deck, the southern sea area¡¯s brilliant sunlight reflecting off the water, so bright that it was painful to the eyes.


    The mark made by the Spiritual Body¡¯s fire flickered in a distant and unobservable place, and Duncan heard Nina¡¯s voice coming from the depths of his consciousness, ¡°Uncle Duncan, have you arrived?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve arrived,¡± Duncan took a light breath, pondering how to explain the current situation, ¡°but Light Breeze Harbor has vanished.¡±


    Nina: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    After a while.


    Homeloss reached the sea area where the vast Luminous Geometric Body was located and finally discovered a trace within its scope that could prove Light Breeze Harbor had once existed.


    Duncan found the research station that was used to study the ¡°stone sphere¡± at the center of the geometric body¨Cit still remained in the real world, but there wasn¡¯t a soul in sight.


    Based on the traces left in the research station, the scholars stationed there had disappeared at least before dawn¨Cthe stoves for cooking breakfast showed no sign of use, and several Blessed Oil Lamps that needed to be lit at night were still burning, with their fuel almost depleted, indicating that no one had extinguished them after daylight.


    Following an investigation, Homeloss left the ¡°luminous¡± range of the Luminous Geometric Body, returning to the sea area where Light Breeze Harbor was theoretically located, and loitered there slowly.


    ¡°¡­The research facilities near the stone sphere are still there, likely because the ¡®sunlight¡¯ emitted by the luminous geometric body countered the power of The Dream of the Nameless, but the personnel inside have vanished¡­ It seems that ¡®sunlight¡¯ couldn¡¯t completely withstand the power of Silantis.¡±


    In the captain¡¯s cabin of Homeloss, Duncan was analyzing the current situation, and not far from him, in the elliptical mirror, Agatha also showed a thoughtful and serious expression.


    ¡°This very much resembles the phenomenon of the residents of Light Breeze Harbor disappearing when The Dream of the Nameless erupted, but this time¡­ the power of the Dreamscape has become unfathomably stronger,¡± Agatha pondered aloud, ¡°even an entire City-State with a physical existence has disappeared.¡±


    Standing beside Duncan, Alice, who was usually quite composed, finally showed signs of nervousness and even a bit of fear; she subconsciously grabbed Duncan¡¯s arm and hesitated before saying, ¡°Then¡­ What about everyone who stayed in the city¡­?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re fine for now, I can still contact them,¡± Duncan reassured the automaton. ¡°Following the pattern previously shown by The Dream of the Nameless, as long as the Dreamscape dissipates, those who disappeared because of it should return to normal.¡±


    Listening to the captain¡¯s words, Alice still felt something was off but let out a slight sigh of relief anyway.


    But Duncan knew, he hadn¡¯t finished speaking¨C


    The biggest problem now was whether The Dream of the Nameless would dissipate this time as it had before, and whether this could be Silantis¡¯s ¡°last dream.¡±


    The news from Ted Riel, coming from the depths of The Dream of the Nameless, was very bad.


    Silantis had gone mad¨Cfrom an ¡°ancient obsession¡± that was originally in a muddled dormant state, it had transformed into a powerful being with a clear ability to act and had lost control. And this powerful being¡¯s goal was crystal clear: to take root and grow again in the real world¨Chaving awakened and being in a state of madness, would Silantis allow The Dream of the Nameless to end peacefully and unconsciously as before? Or was the ¡°disappearance¡± of Light Breeze Harbor now the first step in its entry into the real world?


    Time was running out.


    Duncan thought rapidly. He laid the ¡°drakebone sample¡± found from the Plunder City-State on the navigation table before him, pondering how he could use this piece of ¡°wood¡± to establish a connection with Silantis, and how to truly reach the deepest parts of The Dream of the Nameless to uncover the true essence hidden within the heart of that dreamscape.


    Sea Mist and Brilliant Starship had already undergone mutations due to the ¡°Curse,¡± and the original drakebone of Homeloss had vanished into Subspace. The remaining ¡°branches¡± also reduced to ashes in the great shipyard fire. The piece before him was perhaps the last remaining chunk of Xilantis Wood in the world, and the opportunity might only come once.


    Just as Duncan began to form some ideas in his mind, Alice, beside him, suddenly let out an exclamation: ¡°Threads!¡±


    Duncan turned in surprise: ¡°Threads? You¡¯ve seen threads here?¡±


    ¡°Threads¡­ they¡¯re everywhere!¡± Alice exclaimed wide-eyed, gesturing through the air, ¡°They suddenly floated out, filling the air¡­ rising from below the deck!¡±


    ¡°Below the deck?¡± Duncan was momentarily stunned but quickly realized what she meant, and immediately grabbed Alice¡¯s arm, dragging the automaton towards the door of the captain¡¯s cabin, ¡°Come with me!¡±


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    Alice was taken aback, shouting as she followed the captain out, ¡°Hey¡­ hey? Captain, where are you taking me? Slow down, I need to steady my head¡­¡±


    Alice¡¯s cry of surprise immediately ceased as they stepped out of the door of the captain¡¯s cabin.


    She stood on the deck, staring dumbfounded at the vast ocean beyond.


    The sun was sinking slowly, and in the spreading, glorious twilight, she saw an unprecedented sight¨Cdense, hair-like threads rising and floating from the entire sea area.


    The threads weren¡¯t floating up from ¡°beneath the deck¡± of Homeloss¨Cthey were rising from the ocean where Light Breeze Harbor once stood.


    (Book recommendation time comes from Luo Sanguan.CS¡¯s ¡°Children of the Stars.¡± The author is also one of my readers. When he was on a business trip in Guangdong, he was confronted face to face¡­ Actually, his last book was severely criticized, and this time he¡¯s braced for the worst. I¡¯ve heard that his new book is a hardcore science fiction theme; everyone can support it.)

 Chapter 631 - Chapter 631 Chapter 630 Academy Ark

    Chapter 631: Chapter 630: Academy Ark Chapter 631: Chapter 630: Academy Ark There were countless threads there, emerging from the surface of the sea like a mass of wild hair, weightless and drifting up into the mid-air¨Cand now, their number was continuously increasing, more and more of them.


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened, both confused and shocked by the sight, and then, a dim green flame flickered in the depths of her eyes¨CDuncan¡¯s eyes sparkled with the same flame, and thus the ¡°threads¡± that only marionettes could see also appeared before Duncan.


    ¡°Are these¡­ the people from Light Breeze Harbor?¡± Alice mumbled after a moment of daze, finally breaking the silence, ¡°They¡¯re gone, but their threads are still here?¡±


    But Duncan did not speak, he just looked gravely at the dense, fine lines floating in the air. Although it was impossible to confirm with a glance, he faintly sensed that the ¡°threads¡± were too numerous¨Ceven if one assumed that five threads could extend from a single person¡¯s body, the quantity they represented far exceeded the elf population of Light Breeze Harbor. It was as if¡­ the soul threads of all the elves in the world had gathered here.


    The vast number made these connected threads appear hazy, their shapeless forms drifting slightly in the wind, shrouding the skies above Light Breeze Harbor like a persistent mist, carrying a dreamlike¡­ beauty.


    As well as an eerily unsettling strangeness.


    By then, Alice had recovered from her initial shock. She observed the strands on the sea surface with curiosity, much like a cat that sees many balls of yarn, showing a can¡¯t-help-but-want-to-touch yet hesitant expression. She remembered the captain¡¯s usual instructions, so she carefully drew her hand back, trying not to touch any of the threads around her, but her eyes kept darting around, wanting to grab but daring not to.


    Of course, Duncan didn¡¯t miss her actions.


    ¡°Captain, I¡¯ll just touch it lightly; I won¡¯t grab¡­ I want to see their ¡®state¡¯¡­¡± Noticing Duncan¡¯s gaze, Alice said cautiously, then stretched out her hand, making a small gesture to convey that ¡°just touching¡± really meant ¡°very lightly.¡±


    Duncan nodded silently, all the while closely observing the marionette¡¯s movements.


    Of course, he trusted Alice¨Cbut he did not quite trust her reliability.


    Having received permission, the marionette immediately showed a delighted look and then carefully reached out to touch the invisible thread closest to her.


    The next second, she let out a low gasp of surprise and quickly let go of the thread.


    Duncan immediately asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°¡­Strange entity.¡± Alice looked at the thread a bit dazedly, muttering in confusion.


    ¡°Strange entity?¡± Duncan frowned upon hearing this.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s different from the ¡®threads¡¯ I¡¯ve encountered before,¡± Alice said hesitantly, seeming to struggle to translate her sensations into words, ¡°I felt something¡­ enormously huge hiding at the other end of the thread, but it¡¯s vague and seems to keep fluctuating¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she raised her hand and pointed towards the deepest part of the gauzy mass of threads.


    ¡°It seems to hide there, but I can¡¯t see it.¡±


    Duncan frowned and looked at the ¡°white fog¡± that was hazy; he did not see the ¡°strange entity¡± that Alice described, but he knew what that ¡°strange entity¡± was.


    Silantis had already begun to gradually coalesce a conscious entity within the collective consciousness of the elf race.


    After hesitating slightly, he too reached toward one of the hazy threads in his vision and touched it cautiously.


    He felt nothing¨Cbut that was not surprising.


    After all, his current ability to ¡°see¡± the invisible threads was merely ¡°borrowed¡± through the connection of the flames from Alice, and naturally, he could not use it as adeptly.


    ¡°Goat Head,¡± Duncan called out in his mind after a moment of hesitation, ¡°Do you feel anything?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± came Goat Head¡¯s voice immediately, sounding a bit bewildered and panicked, ¡°Sorry, Captain, I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Duncan cut off Goat Head¡¯s response, and at the same time, he moved to the edge of the deck and reached out over the side of the ship.


    A dim green Spiritual Fire gathered in his hand and then fell into the ocean like water, the fire silently spreading over the surface of the sea, flowing towards the floating invisible threads.


    However, the next second, the flames passed through every invisible thread, and Duncan felt no ¡°feedback¡± at all, as if¡­ those silk threads were in a dimension completely undisturbed.


    Duncan frowned at this sight yet wasn¡¯t too surprised, only muttering thoughtfully, ¡°It seems it¡¯s not that easy after all.¡±


    Just then, a melodious steam whistle sound from the distant sea surface suddenly interrupted his thoughts.


    Duncan immediately looked toward the direction the sound came from.


    He saw a towering silhouette gradually appearing above the distant sea as the steam whistle sounded, as if a curtain had been lifted between the heavens and the ocean. The colossal object, a quarter the size of a City-State, simply ¡°popped¡± into existence and moved toward them, slowing as it approached.


    Then, he gradually made out the details of this colossal object¨Cits edges steep like cliffs, white walls encircling its base, while higher and lower buildings were placed on raised ground within the walls; among them were belfries, spires, and high-rises. These buildings, with their white exteriors and blue rooftops, didn¡¯t carry much of a religious atmosphere, instead, they reminded one of the famous Academy at the heart of the City-State of Light Breeze Harbor¨Cthe two bore a striking resemblance in style.


    Surrounding the gigantic object, Duncan spotted other ship silhouettes¨Call of them cutting-edge flagships. Compared to the massive Ark, however, their profiles seemed especially insignificant. Initially, Duncan almost missed them entirely.


    At that moment, billows of pure white steam began to rise from the ¡°mobile City-State,¡± with colossal streams of steam erupting from the tops of the buildings it carried. Following this, the melodious steam whistle spanned the vast sea and reached Duncan¡¯s ears once again.


    The second whistle sounded like a gesture, one subtly flavored with friendliness.


    Duncan realized what it was¨C


    It was the Academy of Truth¡¯s ¡°Pilgrimage Ark¡± and its escort fleet!


    He had seen the Pilgrimage Ark of the Deep Sea Church before and vividly remembered the impression the massive ¡°mobile City-State¡± had made. He knew that the four god churches each had their own massive Arks, and all Arks were roughly the same size¨Cthe formidable object that had appeared on the distant sea was equal in scale to the ¡°Storm Cathedral Ark¡± he had once seen in Preland, and its upper structures hinted at its affiliation.


    ¡°Captain!!¡± came the voice of the goat-headed first mate in Duncan¡¯s mind, breaking his reverie with a tone filled with surprise and a touch of anxiety, ¡°It¡¯s the Church¡¯s Pilgrimage Ark!¡±


    ¡°I see it,¡± replied Duncan calmly, ¡°What¡¯s with the panic?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s the Church¡¯s Pilgrimage Ark!¡± The goat-head clearly did not understand why the captain was so composed, ¡°That thing is not easy to handle¨Cit truly has the gods¡¯ direct protection¡­¡±


    ¡°Why would I want to handle it?¡± Duncan retorted casually, ¡°I¡¯m not at war with the four god churches.¡±


    The goat-head¡¯s voice still sounded panicked, ¡°But Light Breeze Harbor is gone! Such a huge Light Breeze Harbor, now gone!¡±


    Duncan felt it made no sense, ¡°It¡¯s not like I made it disappear.¡±


    Goat-head: ¡°¡­¡±


    The poor first mate seemed suddenly stuck in logic, not knowing what to say next, emitting only a confusion of thoughts. Duncan, however, paid no heed to the fellow, turning instead to walk towards the pilothouse on the stern deck, taking personal control of the Homeloss.


    The massive Ghost Ship instantly ¡°came to life,¡± as spiritual sails filled out of thin air. Then, the large sailing warship turned with an incomprehensible agility and sailed straight towards the Pilgrimage Ark that resembled a small City-State on the distant sea.


    Duncan didn¡¯t hesitate at all.


    The goat-head was startled by the captain¡¯s decisive action, ¡°Captain?¡±


    ¡°Going over to say hello and exchange some information, they¡¯re clearly not just passing by¨Clikely, it¡¯s the distress signal from Light Breeze Harbor that brought the Academy of Truth¡¯s Pilgrimage Ark,¡± Duncan continued to maneuver the Homeloss forward as he casually explained, ¡°I understand what you¡¯re nervous about. Sure, Homeloss has had some unpleasant experiences with the four major churches over the last century, but we need to view things with an eye to progress.


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    ¡°We¡¯ve already had quite the interaction with several City-States and the Church, and in my personal opinion, this positive and direct communication has been highly effective¨Cremember what Lucresia mentioned before? The four god churches issued a notice to all the City-States and their Churches to actively cooperate with the activities of the Exiled Fleet, which means they¡¯ve recognized the Homeloss¡¯s passion for protecting the civilized world¡­¡±


    The goat-head was rendered speechless by Duncan¡¯s words but soon gathered his wits, warning with an anxious tone, ¡°But¡­ What if? We haven¡¯t directly dealt with the Pilgrimage Ark of the Academy of Truth, and with Light Breeze Harbor in its current state, the intent of that fleet is unclear, and if we approach like this, if there¡¯s a misunderstanding¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, only smiled and shook his head.


    Spiritual Fire burned on his body, rendering his figure as translucent and luminous as wrought light. The Homeloss cleaved through the waves amid the ¡°mist¡± woven by countless ¡°threads,¡± heading towards the distant Academy Ark. And below the undulating surface of the sea, the dim and ephemeral reflection of the Homeloss was gradually enveloped by ghostly green flames. The wisps and strands of the flames spread and flowed through the broken waves like water, gradually infusing the entire sea area with an eerie green glow.


    ¡°If there¡¯s no misunderstanding, then there¡¯s no misunderstanding; if a misunderstanding arises, then it¡¯s not a misunderstanding¨Cso all in all, there won¡¯t be any misunderstanding.¡±

 Chapter 632 - Chapter 632 Chapter 631 Invitation and Contact

    Chapter 632: Chapter 631: Invitation and Contact Chapter 632: Chapter 631: Invitation and Contact The two ships stopped at a very close distance from each other¨Cclose enough for shuttle boats to make quick trips between them.


    Duncan observed the colossal Pilgrimage Ark with curiosity, looking at the academic facilities built in the upper sections and the many towering structures. He saw numerous figures moving near the perimeter walls, some likely guards and sailors of the academy ark, while others looked more like ordinary scholars or apprentices from their attire. He also saw steam-powered walkers¨Cthe large spider-like robots climbing the bulwarks at the edge of the ark¨Cfar more agile than any he had seen in other City-States, a clear sign of a higher level of technology.


    Duncan knew that those aboard the Pilgrimage Ark must also be observing the Homeloss.


    The sea¡¯s surface shimmered with highlights, the gentle breeze wrinkled the ocean, and the sinking sun plated the undulating waves with a layer of pale gold. But among the pale golden gleams, there were threads and traces of eerie green light. These faint greenish fires spread out from the Homeloss, reaching the edge of the Pilgrimage Ark where they stopped¨Cthere was a distinct ¡°border,¡± and at that border line, Duncan could feel a distinct ¡°resistance.¡±


    The Ghost Ship and the church ship remained opposite each other over the sea, quiet and silent.


    After a standoff that lasted who knows how long, Duncan turned to a shadow beside him with a hint of confusion, ¡°What are they waiting for?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps they are still observing the Homeloss?¡± Agatha¡¯s voice came from the shadow, tinged with hesitation, ¡°But they should have at least tried to make contact¡­¡±


    The cockpit grew quiet. Duncan thought for a moment and then spoke with some uncertainty, ¡°Do you think, is it possible that they are trying to call the Homeloss by radio?¡±


    Agatha: ¡°¡­Does the ship have a radio?¡±


    ¡°No, but I¡¯ve always wanted to install one. Coming to Light Breeze Harbor was originally part of that plan¡­¡±


    Agatha: ¡°¡­¡±


    Just then, a series of flashes suddenly lit up from the upper levels of the Pilgrimage Ark, interrupting Duncan and Agatha¡¯s exchange¨Calong with the regular blinking lights, Duncan also noticed the flags being waved near the light.


    In the end, it was the traditional and reliable light signals and semaphore that worked.


    ¡°They¡¯re inviting the Homeloss to dock at the Pilgrimage Ark?¡± Duncan determined the meaning of the signals, surprise evident on his face, ¡°Are they serious?¡±


    ¡°Captain, this could be a trap,¡± the voice of the goat-headed being immediately came through the psychic link, carrying its usual conspiracy theories and innate wariness of the churches, ¡°You must be careful.¡±


    ¡°I understand your caution, but it¡¯s unlikely at this time,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°And whether it¡¯s a trap or not, my plan was to meet with the people aboard that ark anyway¨Cnow that they¡¯ve invited us, it¡¯s actually perfect.¡±


    As he said this, he slowly steered the Homeloss closer to the massive ark nearby, all the while becoming increasingly vigilant of the Pilgrimage Ark and the movements of the surrounding warships, using the power of fire to extend his senses further across the sea.


    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t lose his basic vigilance¨Calthough logically, he didn¡¯t think it was a trap, this was still a direct contact with one of the top military forces of the Three Gods Church, and who knew what the pope serving the God of Wisdom Rahm was thinking at the moment.


    And Duncan believed that the people on that ark probably had the same worries¨Cthey had invited the Homeloss, but were they nervous?


    They were nervous, too.


    From their perspective¨Cwho knows what the ¡°ghost captain¡± of the Homeloss was planning.


    Since its return to the real world, the Homeloss had made contact with many City-States and church powers, and Duncan knew these ¡°contacts¡± were effective. The Three Gods Church was attempting to understand this Ghost Ship that had returned from subspace, sending Fenna on board was clear evidence of this¨Cit was indeed a friendly signal. But Duncan was also very clear that to this world, the Homeloss was still an unpredictable enigma, a symbol fraught with danger.


    He viewed the Three Gods Church in the same light.


    With caution, scrutiny, probing, and contact, even after establishing a certain level of communication and even tacit understanding, both sides had to take careful steps towards each other, slowly confirming ¡°safety.¡± They needed to make sure the ghost captain who had returned to reality possessed genuine humanity, to confirm whether the recent actions of the Homeloss were truly benevolent or merely a ruse driven by subspace chaos¨Cand as for Duncan, he needed to ascertain how much of the implied accord and trust from the other side was genuine.


    At the same time, he was also communicating with his followers.


    Maurice had studied at the Academy of Truth¨Chis mentor was even the ¡°pope¡± at the helm of the academy ark.


    This was the distinct ¡°tradition¡± of the Academy of Truth as compared to the other Three Gods Churches¨Cthe followers of the God of Wisdom maintained a ¡°teaching legacy¡± at their core doctrine, and their ¡°priest¡± hierarchy was maintained in the form of teachers and students, no exception even for the pope.


    Most of the world¡¯s distinguished scholars had studied at the Academy of Truth, and some of the luckiest among them had the opportunity to ascend the academy ark and become students of Pope Rune.


    ¡°¡­I think you can be at ease. I have discussed many matters about the Homeloss with my mentor, and among the popes of the gods, his attitude towards the Homeloss should be the most calm, rational, and objective one¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too worried about your mentor¡¯s ¡®attitude,¡¯ I¡¯m just a bit curious as to why the Pilgrimage Ark from the Academy of Truth would personally come to Light Breeze Harbor, and so quickly at that,¡± Duncan thought to himself. ¡°You must know, with all the commotion in Plunder previously, the Storm Cathedral only rushed over after the event had concluded, and over at Frost¡¯s side, the arks of the Death Church never even made an appearance.¡±


    ¡°Light Breeze Harbor is near the border, and the church¡¯s Pilgrimage Arks spend most of their time patrolling nearby, so it¡¯s normal for them to arrive quickly,¡± Morris explained. ¡°Light Breeze Harbor may have sent out a distress signal to the academy¡¯s headquarters many days ago, and furthermore¡­¡±


    He suddenly paused here and, after a few seconds, slowly continued, ¡°Furthermore, over half the people on board the academy¡¯s ark are Elves.¡±


    Duncan narrowed his eyes slightly.


    The Pilgrimage Ark drew near, this astonishing creation floated like a small City-State in front of the Homeloss, part of its ¡°hull¡± magnified in Duncan¡¯s view, until at last, it almost presented a structure that could be called a ¡°coastline.¡±


    Following that, guiding lights and flags appeared on the ¡°coastline,¡± accompanied by deep rumbles and the low growls of large steam valves venting pressure. Duncan watched as a portion of the edge of this very special ¡°church ship¡± suddenly transformed, with a large structure extending from its bulwarks and reaching into the sea.


    A dock appeared where the Homeloss could temporarily moor.


    Duncan let go of the helm he had been holding.


    Homeloss began to adjust its position and angle on its own. It closely ¡°observed¡± the mechanical dock extending from the academy¡¯s ark for a moment, then finally approached the jetty unhurriedly.


    For some reason, Duncan felt as if Homeloss¡¯s ¡°actions¡± even conveyed a sense of¡­ disapproval.


    However, Duncan¡¯s attention was quickly diverted elsewhere.


    He raised his head to look at the sky above the academy¡¯s ark.


    Once again, he ¡°saw¡± those hazy, tentacle-bearing, bizarre structures, like souls freed from their bodies. Enormous and indescribable spiritual bodies extended out from the ark, floating like mist above this giant ship, with countless appendages and ever-changing shadowy shapes at their edges!


    Duncan stared intently at those ¡°apparitions¡± that stretched out from the academy¡¯s ark.


    When the Storm Cathedral visited the Plunder City-State previously, he had seen similar things!


    At the time, he thought it was some sort of ¡°power¡± of the Storm Goddess Gomona, worshiped by the Deep Sea Church, a symbol of the deep-sea¡¯s might, but now it looks like¡­ the academy¡¯s ark also has this thing?!


    Could it be that the other Church¡¯s arks also have it?


    Is this thing a feature of the four arks? What on earth is it!


    A wave of immense questions surged through Duncan¡¯s mind, and just then, from the corner of his eye, he saw shadows of people on the ¡°jetty¡± connecting the Homeloss and the academy¡¯s ark.


    He quickly pulled his mind together from the mess of thoughts and focused on the ¡°visitors¡± who were coming down from the academy¡¯s ark.


    There were four steam-powered walking machines¨Cthey escorted a small group of people onto the jetty and came to a halt midway between Homeloss and the ark, crouching low on either side of the jetty, while the party of people continued walking towards Homeloss. Among them were guards in the academy¡¯s Knowledge Defender uniforms, apprentices dressed as attendants, and leading these individuals was a short, plump old man in a scholar¡¯s robe.


    Duncan recalled Morris¡¯s description of his own mentor.


    That must be the leader of the Academy of Truth, the terrestrial spokesperson for the God of Wisdom Rahm, Morris¡¯s mentor¨CRune.


    The ¡°Pope¡± himself had actually come out¨Cbringing only a few attendants and walking directly toward the Homeloss?


    With a thought, Duncan¡¯s figure turned into a stream of fire¨Cthat stream swept across the deck and fell straight down at the end of the jetty, reconstituting his form.


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    The group that had walked down from the academy¡¯s ark was clearly startled by the sudden appearance of fire but instinctively moved forward to protect Rune. However, he simply gestured dismissively and then revealed a slight smile to Duncan emerging from the flames.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Captain Duncan Ebnomal,¡± the Elf elder greeted respectfully and gently nodded, ¡°This is our first meeting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also very pleased to meet you,¡± Duncan replied with a polite nod.


    But just as he was about to say some more, he suddenly noticed something unusual about the other person.


    The body of this ¡°Pope¡±¡­ appeared to be faintly transparent!

 Chapter 633 - Chapter 633 Chapter 632 Nightmare and Ripping

    Chapter 633: Chapter 632: Nightmare and Ripping Chapter 633: Chapter 632: Nightmare and Ripping Duncan noticed something unusual about the elven elder before him, noticing that his body appeared translucent, as if he might vanish from the world at any moment.


    Duncan¡¯s changing gaze had evidently caught the attention of the other.


    ¡°As you can see, Captain, some interesting changes are taking place in me,¡± Rune said, smiling openly, even lifting his hand to show off the most severely transparent part¨Chis palm, ¡°A powerful force is trying to take me to ¡®Its¡¯ side.¡±


    A slight change flickered across Duncan¡¯s expression, ¡°The power of Silantis¨CI didn¡¯t expect you, the ¡®Pope,¡¯ to be affected too.¡±


    ¡°After all, I am an elf, and it seems that something rooted deep in our racial soul does not care whether I am a ¡®Pope¡¯ or not,¡± Rune said calmly, ¡°I have felt that powerful summons¨CSilantis is calling all elves back to the Mother Tree.¡±


    Duncan frowned, he had spotted something amiss, ¡°But you are lucid¨Cthis doesn¡¯t quite match what I¡¯ve learned about other elves.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I am not going,¡± Rune said with a gentle smile.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°As a ¡®Pope,¡¯ there should be some advantages. At the very least, for a time, I can still refuse the ¡®invitation¡¯ from Silantis,¡± Rune said, looking up at Duncan, ¡°Captain, do you mind if I come aboard to discuss the current situation? I do know some information.¡±


    Duncan did not refuse, only after a few seconds of silence did he nod his head, while calmly stepping aside and watching the eyes of the old man: ¡°If your doctrine does not mind you stepping aboard a ship of Subspace Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Doctrine comes from the gods,¡± Rune began unhurriedly, walking past the end of the pier and stepping aboard the Homeloss without a care, ¡°but interpretation is by people¨CI¡¯ll just need to smooth things over with the bishops at the next meeting.¡±


    A twitch played at the corner of Duncan¡¯s mouth, suddenly realizing that this ¡®Pope¡¯ was a bit different from what he had imagined. Then, he noticed that the followers Rune had brought with him all stopped on the pier, seemingly with no intention of boarding the ship, which surprised him, ¡°Aren¡¯t these followers and guards coming with you? Are you boarding alone?¡±


    By this time, Rune had already walked several steps ahead on his own and, upon hearing the question, looked back, ¡°They won¡¯t follow because it¡¯s better to have fewer people know about certain things.¡±


    The old man appeared utterly unconcerned, and seeing his candid attitude, of course, Duncan had no objections. He waved to the people left on the pier and turned to walk beside Rune¨Cyet as they crossed the deck, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about safety, coming here all by yourself without any guards?¡±


    Rune looked up at Duncan, ¡°If you truly harbored malice, could a few guards ensure my safety aboard the Homeloss?¡±


    Duncan thought about it seriously and replied frankly, ¡°They would likely have difficulty ensuring their own safety.¡±


    ¡°Well, there you have it¨CI¡¯m a practical person; that¡¯s the most basic integrity of a scholar,¡± Rune said casually, then followed Duncan¡¯s lead towards the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Along the way, Duncan briefly explained to the ¡®Pope¡¯ the current situation, including the disappearance of Light Breeze Harbor and the state of affairs within the City-States.


    As they neared the stern deck, Rune stopped. He raised his head, his gaze crossing over the Homeloss¡¯s gunwale to the vast sea on the other side of the ship.


    That was where Light Breeze Harbor used to be.


    But now, there was only the sea water glinting gold in the setting sun and the Luminous Geometric Bodies quietly floating in the distance.


    Duncan could still see the dense, hair-like invisible threads floating above that section of the sea, but to Rune, there appeared to be absolutely nothing above the water.


    ¡°It was already like this when I arrived,¡± Duncan said, noting Rune¡¯s gaze and added offhandedly, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think I had anything to do with its disappearance.¡±


    ¡°¡­When we first reached this area, indeed, some did think so. If Banster were here, he would be even more likely to think that,¡± Rune hesitated briefly, his tone somewhat strange as he continued, ¡°But please understand, a City-State vanishing into thin air is too bizarre to comprehend, and the presence of the Homeloss at the scene¨Cdespite our knowledge that this has to do with ¡®The Dream of the Nameless,¡¯ there will inevitably be those who entertain wild imaginings.¡±


    Duncan said nothing, just stepped forward to open the door to the captain¡¯s quarters, making a gesture of invitation.


    With a distinctly curious expression, Rune followed Duncan into this place, to the world at large a setting of countless strange tales, wrapped in terror, unknown and mysterious.


    ¡°The captain¡¯s back!¡± Alice, who had been waiting in the captain¡¯s cabin, was the first to greet him. She happily ran towards Duncan but then stopped abruptly, ¡°¡­Who¡¯s this old man?¡±


    Rune looked at the doll that had suddenly appeared before him with some astonishment.


    However, he quickly recovered and mentally checked the information he had: ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this must be Miss Alice?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alice nodded slightly, a look of curiosity on her face as she regarded the strange old man who had just walked in, ¡°who are you?¡±


    ¡°A servant of the deity of wisdom,¡± Rune replied with a polite smile, ¡°you can call me Rune.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Morris¡¯s teacher.¡± Duncan added casually on the side¨Che knew Alice would understand that better.


    ¡°Oh! Morris¡¯s teacher! Then he must be quite impressive,¡± Alice immediately caught on and darted expertly to the small tea stove, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go make some tea!¡±


    Rune watched in surprise as the doll, labeled as ¡°out of control¡± in official files, busily hustled about the room. He also curiously surveyed the various furnishings of the captain¡¯s cabin, but suddenly, an odd sensation of being watched caught his attention. He subconsciously turned his gaze but saw a black wooden carving of a goat¡¯s head quietly sitting on the navigation table in the center of the room¨Cthe eerie ¡°sculpture¡± was watching him, its eyes hollow and profound as if carved from obsidian, reflecting a strange, faint light as it observed.


    Rune seemed to freeze for a moment as he stood there, unblinkingly staring at the bizarre black ¡°wood carving.¡±


    After an unknown amount of time, the goat¡¯s head finally moved¨Cit suddenly spoke, ¡°What are you looking at? Haven¡¯t seen a piece of craftsmanship before?¡±


    Rune, as though jolted awake from a dreamscape, emitted a low cry of alarm the instant the goat¡¯s head finished speaking. He quickly averted his gaze and, while avoiding further eye contact with the ¡°carving¡± on the table, steadied himself by leaning on it, then looked up at Duncan: ¡°She saw it!¡±


    Duncan immediately grasped the significance: ¡°Silantis?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Silantis saw it. I¡­ I don¡¯t know how to describe the feeling, but just now, I felt Silantis¡¯s ¡®gaze¡¯ suddenly focus here. She looked through my eyes at this place, she¡­ I don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s trying to convey, confusion, fear, anger¡­ a maelstrom of chaotic emotions¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped, waved his hand in front of his face as if trying to dispel some invisible interference from his mind. Duncan noticed that his body had become a bit more transparent in the past few seconds, but soon, the elf elder regained his ¡°stability¡±¨Che lifted his head, the chaos in his eyes slowly clearing: ¡°She¡¯s left for now, but I don¡¯t know how much longer I can hold her off¨CCaptain Duncan, time is more limited than I anticipated, listen to me first.¡±


    It seemed that Rune, with a willpower unimaginable to mortals, had forcibly expelled the part of Silantis from his mind. Then, he took a seat by the navigation table and swiftly began to speak¨C


    ¡°Silantis is calling to all the elves of the world. This call is rooted deep within our souls, and while being influenced by this force, I also brushed against a fragment of her thoughts.


    ¡°I saw¡­ an apocalypse, something that erases everything etched deeply in her memory, leading to her gradual loss of control¡­ Fear, anger, a sense of powerlessness about her own destruction, these long dormant emotions in her consciousness are now slowly awakening. With her awakening, the dormant fears and memories of the apocalypse are also stirring. But this is not the only reason¡­¡±


    He paused, seemingly needing much effort to stabilize his thoughts again. After a few seconds of rest, he continued: ¡°Within her anger, I also felt a strange, chaotic sentiment towards us ¡®elves,¡¯ accompanied by an intense sensation of being torn¡­ I felt a strong protective impulse. She¡¯s ordering the elves to return to the World Tree to receive some kind of ¡®shelter,¡¯ but she feels a huge resistance to this ¡®protection¡¯ at the same time, even¡­ terror, as though she views us as some kind of¡­¡±


    Rune paused even longer this time, as if struggling to find the right words to describe the intense emotions he ¡°touched¡± from Silantis. After a few attempts to speak, he finally resumed: ¡°Some kind of¡­ dubious monster¡­¡±


    He slowly turned his head to look out the window, towards a place where Light Breeze Harbor had vanished into the sea.


    Theoretically, he shouldn¡¯t be able to see Light Breeze Harbor, let alone the invisible threads floating above the sea.


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    Yet, he still gazed fixedly in that direction, as if a call, imperceptible to the mind, beckoned the elf elder to look towards the ¡°World Tree,¡± existing only in the racial memory.


    ¡°I can feel¡­¡± Rune murmured as if in a daze, softly beginning, ¡°she¡¯s mad with this feeling of being torn apart, but there¡¯s more¡­


    ¡°It seems there is something else on the ¡®other side¡¯ of that apocalypse, another existence falling into madness¡­ sending out a vague call to me¡­¡±


    A ¡°clatter¡± sound came from the direction of the tea stove, indicating something had fallen to the ground.


    Alice lifted her head and stared out the window in alarm.


    ¡°Captain! The threads are moving!¡±

 Chapter 634 - Chapter 634 Chapter 633 Descending into the Dreamscape

    Chapter 634: Chapter 633: Descending into the Dreamscape Chapter 634: Chapter 633: Descending into the Dreamscape The lines were moving.


    Duncan heard Alice¡¯s exclamation and instantly awoke from his deep thoughts, violently lifting his head to look out the window. The scene that met his eyes was unforgettable ¡ª


    Above the sea where Light Breeze Harbor once lay, like strands of hair, like interwoven mist, invisible threads were dramatically transforming. The elongated ¡°gossamer mist¡± swelled and contracted slowly, writhing between the tangible and the intangible. It gradually reshaped into a form whose parts above the sea surface retracted, condensed, and rose upward while the structure floating in the clouds slowly bloomed. It branched out into crisscross paths, and like another dome of the sky, it gently dangled towards the seascape¡¯s horizon.


    A formidable sense of pressure emanated from the continuously aggregating illusion, as the entire maritime area began to be enshrouded by an invisible crown. Only at this moment did Duncan finally see ¡ª it was a tree.


    The ¡°threads¡± floating on the surface of the sea tangled together into the shape of a massive tree, a ¡°World Tree¡± capable of enveloping the whole maritime expanse!


    Rune struggled to his feet, using the table for support. Even this elf elder, who had resisted Silantis¡¯s call through sheer willpower, seemed to be reaching his limit. He too stared out the window ¡ª without Alice¡¯s power, he couldn¡¯t see the invisible threads, and the sea remained empty for him. But suddenly, massive patches of shadow began to materialize in the barren sea ¡ª the once invisible lines were gradually taking visible form.


    He saw the tree, a towering tree growing at a staggering rate, spreading from the elves¡¯ ancestral Dreamscape.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Rune¡¯s eyes widened, a wave rushing out from a memory buried deep in his soul, prompting him to murmur unconsciously, ¡°Silantis¡­ Silantis has come for us¡­¡±


    But the next second, his expression cleared fiercely as Rahm¡¯s power forcefully dragged his senses back to reality. He pressed his forehead hard: ¡°Captain Duncan, Silantis¡¯s awakening has moved to the next stage¡­ She is recalling her original form¡­¡±


    Suddenly, a resonant and melodious horn sounded nearby. It came from the Pilgrimage Ark stationed at the edge of the maritime area, warning the entire fleet. The urgency in the horn suggested worries about the safety of the Pope staying behind on the Ark.


    Rune raised his hand, rapidly tracing several faintly glowing symbols in the air.


    Duncan immediately noticed his actions. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ordering the Ark and the escort fleet to immediately distance themselves from Silantis,¡± said Rune rapidly. ¡°There are many elves on those ships who are still unaffected, but they can no longer remain in this area.¡±


    Duncan promptly asked, ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanted¡­ to say,¡± Rune seemed briefly bewildered, but quickly recovered, ¡°Take me into the deepest part of Silantis¡¯s Dreamscape ¡ª I need to communicate directly with the ¡®Guardian¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Communicate?¡± Duncan frowned deeply, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you plan to rely on your eloquence and sincerity to persuade an ancient god, now maddened, to regain her sanity.¡±


    ¡°No, I have another way that might influence her¡­¡±


    Duncan observed the elderly elf silently for a moment. When a second, urgent horn sound from the Church Ark indicated evacuation, he finally broke the silence: ¡°How can you be sure I can take you deep into Silantis¡¯s Dreamscape?¡±


    Rune steadied himself, meeting Duncan¡¯s gaze. ¡°Because the moment I connected with Silantis, I saw the Homeloss ¡ª even though it sails in the darkness of the frontier, I¡¯m certain that¡¯s the proof that you can establish a connection with Silantis.¡±


    Listening to the old Pope¡¯s description, Duncan¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but his heart suddenly stirred.


    Was what the other party described¡­ what was seen from Silantis¡¯s ¡°perspective¡±?


    A previously vague plan suddenly gained direction, and Duncan¡¯s gaze turned to the nautical chart on the nearby table, landing on the piece of dragonbone sample on the table.


    Rune, sensing Duncan¡¯s sudden silence, couldn¡¯t help but confirm anxiously: ¡°¡­You do have a way, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­The situation has changed somewhat, but¡­¡± Duncan was still looking at the piece of square timber on the table, but a faint smile gradually appeared on his face, ¡°Yes, I have a plan and I¡¯m about to try it out. I might as well take you with me. The only issue is¡­ The next part of the journey might get a bit thrilling.¡±


    Rune was startled: ¡°¡­Thrilling?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever experienced riding on a Ghost Ship, sailing through an ancient god¡¯s nightmare?¡±


    ¡­


    As the wailing sounds came from the streets, Lucrecia was confirming with Taran El the mysterious scene he had seen in the last moments of The Dream of the Nameless and the voices he heard from Silantis while his mind was in a trance.


    Taran El said he had seen the scene of the world¡¯s destruction just before The Dream of the Nameless ended, which might well be an image deeply engraved in the memory of the Elf race¨Ca memory of the Great Annihilation at the beginning of the Deep Sea Era that scholars of generations had desperately sought. He also mentioned hearing a voice resembling that of Silantis, filled with anger and terror, which seemed to reveal a secret¨CLucrecia felt she might have touched upon the ultimate truth of this dreamscape. However, just as she was about to ask further, a strange wail swept through the entire City-State instantly.


    She abruptly stood up and went to the window.


    The sight before her made this ¡°Sea Witch¡± choke up and pause in shock momentarily.


    Above the city, the ¡°sky¡± was ablaze. The roaring flames surged like a massive wave sweeping from the depths of endless nightmares, tearing through the layered canopies over Light Breeze Harbor and the chaotic, grim sky between them. Like a blanket, the flames covered everything and screamed as they leapt into every street below the tree canopies, flooding and devouring every inch of land in sight.


    It gave her the feeling¨Cjust as if the forest extending from the dreamscape had suddenly ¡°transformed¡± into a physical entity of fire and then begun to burn down the City-State.


    And at that instant when the flames descended, explosions, screams, the thunders of steam walking machines crashing into buildings, and all kinds of tremendous noises almost immediately filled the entire City-State!


    This incredible change happened so suddenly that Lucrecia momentarily felt a surreal tearing sensation. She stood somewhat dazed at the window, staring blankly out at the scene for another two seconds until her gaze involuntarily moved upward, drawn as if by something, toward the raging burning sky.


    In the flames that now covered the entire sky, she saw some massive structure gradually becoming visible, like a ¡°Doomsday¡± crystallizing and rolling down from the sky, inch by inch descending upon everyone¡¯s heads.


    ¡­What was that?


    Lucrecia¡¯s mind instinctively flashed that question, and the next second, an exclamation from behind finally roused her from her temporary stupor.


    ¡°In the name of Rahm!¡± a Guardian exclaimed sharply while staring outside, ¡°What is that thing!?¡±


    Even Taran El, who had been in poor condition, constantly haunted by noises and headaches, stood up from his chair and staggered to Lucrecia¡¯s side, gazing at the fiery sky and the chaotic streets outside.


    A look of bewilderment and fear appeared in the scholar¡¯s eyes; he seemed unable to imagine that Light Breeze Harbor would suddenly plunge into this horrific scene¨Ceven though the forest that had spread from The Dream of the Nameless had already devoured the entire city. The current view outside the window still gave him the uncanny sensation of tumbling into another layer of nightmare, making him murmur, ¡°This is simply a nightmare¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Master Taran El,¡± Lucrecia¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside him, snapping Taran El out of his daze, as he saw Miss Witch turning her head, her eyes as deep as the ocean, ¡°This is a nightmare.¡±


    Taran El¡¯s face showed a fleeting look of confusion, while in Lucrecia¡¯s eyes, the brilliance of the flames gradually reflected.


    She saw the room falling apart; the figures in the room gradually curling and distorting in the flames. She saw the sky flames through the roof, turning into cold rays of sunlight sweeping through the air; she saw a gigantic tree emerging in the distance¨Cit rose from the sea, as if it were a part of the City-State extending outward.


    She took a step forward, placing her hand on Taran El¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°My father said that Light Breeze Harbor has already disappeared from the real world, and now over that sea area, there is only emptiness.


    ¡°Mr. Taran El, we have never woken up from the beginning¨Cthe whole city is still asleep.


    ¡°But Silantis is about to wake up from the dreamscape¡­¡±


    She exerted a slight force, and pushed Taran El, who had unknowingly become as still as a statue, forward.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see what Silantis has dreamed of.¡±


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    The next second, under the engulfing fierce flames and the constantly falling sky, Light Breeze Harbor slowly and quietly disintegrated.


    In the last instant that the flames swept through, it turned into bubbles, light flux, smoke, wind, and a whispering voice. Its last shadow was reflected on the calm sea surface; the remnant flames and the distorted tearing scene seemed like an illusion, gradually swallowed by the splashing waves.


    And amidst the rising and falling of the waves, a massive shadow was gradually growing from the seabed¨Cit appeared to be an enormous tree.


    And next to this growing gigantic tree from the seabed, there was a sometimes clear, sometimes vague shadow slowly moving.


    That was a Ghost Ship gradually emerging.

 Chapter 635 - Chapter 635 Chapter 634 Bottom of the Dreamscape

    Chapter 635: Chapter 634: Bottom of the Dreamscape Chapter 635: Chapter 634: Bottom of the Dreamscape Sherry felt she had been sinking in the darkness for a long time¨Ccontinuously sinking as if the whole world had suddenly turned into nothingness, and she would forever sleep in this descent.


    Suddenly, a vast force surged through her arm, and A-Dog¡¯s voice rang directly in her mind, ¡°Sherry! Wake up! Wake up! Don¡¯t sleep!!¡±


    Sherry finally woke from the constantly sinking dream and almost jumped up on the spot, ¡°A-Dog! Fire! The city is on fire again!¡±


    The terrifying scene of flames spreading across the sky seemed to still burn in her lingering memory. The dreadful pressure of the entire city being engulfed by flames made her heart pound; she could not recall how long it had been since she had such a nightmare that, at the moment of waking, she was not sure if she was truly awake or had fallen into another impending fiery nightmare.


    But A-Dog¡¯s voice pulled her back from her panic, ¡°Sherry, there¡¯s no fire, that was just a dream, there¡¯s no fire here now¡­¡±


    Sherry finally fully woke up, shook her head, the scene before her eyes still somewhat blurred, but she could see lush greenery in her view, hear the sound of flowing water nearby, and she also saw A-Dog beside her¨Cthis finally calmed her down, and she leaned on A-Dog while gasping for breath, ¡°Damn, that scared me to death¡­ So what was that about¡­ Why was the city suddenly all ablaze? Now we¡­¡±


    ¡°We are in The Dream of the Nameless.¡± Lucricia¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side, stopping Sherry, who was mumbling to herself.


    Sherry looked toward the direction of the voice; as that strange blurriness finally faded, she saw that ¡°witch¡± Miss standing on a tree stump not far away, and she also clearly saw the lush forest around them, and a stream flowing through a glade nearby.


    After being stunned for two or three seconds, Sherry finally figured out the situation. She hesitantly stood up straight, observing the surrounding forest and spoke softly, ¡°Are we back in this forest again?¡±


    Then, she suddenly thought of something, and her face instantly panicked, ¡°Wait, what about the real world?! We¡¯ve entered the dream again, is the ¡®outside¡¯ city still burning¡­¡±


    ¡°There is no real world anymore, Sherry, at least for Light Breeze Harbor at this moment, reality has been completely devoured by Silantis,¡± Lucricia said, calmly looking at the girl who was becoming frantic again, patiently explaining, ¡°Do you remember? My father told us when he contacted us last time, Light Breeze Harbor in the real world has disappeared¨Csince then, we have already fallen into Silantis¡¯s Dreamscape along with the entire city. Those forests invading the City-State, and the City-State being invaded by the forest, all are part of the dream.¡±


    Sherry looked confused, seemingly still unable to grasp the current situation. Seeing this, Lucricia just gently shook her head, ¡°Just like how the elves in the City-State would disappear after nightfall¨Cwhat is devoured by Silantis¡¯s dream will disappear from the real world. We always thought that only elves could ¡®disappear¡¯ in this way, but now it seems¡­ even the City-State itself can ¡®enter dream¡¯ under the influence of the ancient god.¡±


    Sherry finally slowly widened her eyes, the fact that the entire City-State had been devoured by the dream left her intensely horrified. After a long time, she spoke with a helpless face, ¡°So¡­what¡¯s the situation now? How did we end up here again¡­¡±


    ¡°This is another layer of the Dreamscape¨CSherry, look up, this is no longer the ¡®forest¡¯ we know.¡±


    Listening to the words of the witch lady, Sherry finally realized the slight anomalies in the scenery of the forest, noticing the unusual ¡°sky¡± that appeared between the treetops.


    She hesitated and looked up, an endless expanse supported by branches as vast as mountain ranges in the sky unfolded before her eyes.


    It was as if another forest was suspended in the sky, a tremendous structure of treetops intertwined above the plains and mountains, glowing vines and light spores falling from the treetops, sprinkling light in every corner under the canopy, branches of indeterminable diameter and length spanning across her view, meeting at the far end to form a ¡°trunk¡± resembling a massive peak, with countless ¡°thin branches¡± hanging down towards the ground.


    Where those ¡°thin branches¡± fell, dense vegetation grew, forming a forest under the sky¡¯s canopy.


    ¡°This¡­ this thing¡­¡± Sherry stuttered several times, finally managing to speak, ¡°Silantis!!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Silantis, we¡¯ve finally met her,¡± Lucresia looked up, quietly observing the ¡°canopy¡± that nearly completely obscured the sky, and the structures between the treetops that seemed like man-made constructions or settlements, ¡°This is the World Tree, deeply engraved in the memory of the Elves¡­ more magnificent than I imagined.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯m a bit confused, I need to sort this out¡­¡± Sherry spoke rapidly, while involuntarily looking up again at the colossal tree that seemed to cover the whole world, ¡°We¡¯ve now reached a deeper layer of The Dream of the Nameless, where the real Silantis lies dormant. So, what next? Should we negotiate with this tree to see if it can continue sleeping?¡±


    Lucresia did not respond immediately but looked serious and composed herself.


    ¡°Rabi.¡±


    The rabbit¡¯s voice immediately responded in her heart: ¡°Rabi is listening~¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation on that ship? What are the Heretics doing?¡±


    ¡°Rabi was just about to report to you, things seem a bit strange here¡­¡± The rabbit¡¯s voice sounded very low, as if it was hiding from someone¡¯s gaze while cautiously responding, ¡°Those Heretics suddenly all hid in their rooms, Rabi heard them saying something¡­ The saints sensed an ominous sign in fate, all operations are temporarily halted, they also mentioned a warning from the Doomsday Preacher, a new great void is about to appear, we must leave quickly¡­¡±


    ¡°An ominous sign? Flee from the great void?¡± Lucresia¡¯s expression subtly changed, ¡°Are you saying that the Heretics have detected some danger and are fleeing?¡±


    ¡°It seems so, this ship is now running at full speed in some direction; before, it was just drifting slowly,¡± Rabi said cautiously, ¡°Mistress, Rabi is suddenly a bit panicked. Could it be that Rabi has been exposed? Could it be that the Heretics have noticed Rabi¡¯s presence and got scared away¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not worthy yet,¡± Lucresia said without hesitation, ¡°You¡¯re not even a match for that ¡®saint¡¯¨Cthat ¡®saint¡¯ might have received some other intelligence¡­¡±


    ¡°What should Rabi do now?¡± The voice of the rabbit sounded truly a bit panicked. This evil spirit, adept in navigating nightmares, seemed to be greatly affected in the real world, ¡°It seems like these Heretics don¡¯t plan to enter The Dream of the Nameless anymore. Rabi can¡¯t use the Dreamscape to return to your side either¡­¡±


    ¡°Just hide properly. I¡¯ll come and fetch you later,¡± Lucresia said swiftly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will appear before you¨Cif I can¡¯t find you, my father will appear before you. Remember, you have seen him. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    As she finished speaking, the nightmare rabbit let out an almost broken scream, ¡°Rabi understands!!!¡±


    Lucresia ended the communication with an expressionless face.


    Sherry was still standing anxiously by her side, apparently waiting for Miss ¡°Witch¡¯s¡± response.


    ¡°The annihilation of the Heretics seems to have noticed something; they¡¯ve paused their actions,¡± Lucresia exhaled softly, telling Sherry, ¡°It¡¯s still unclear if there are any changes in the actions of another group of Sun Followers.¡±


    After hearing this, Sherry hesitated and asked uncertainly, ¡°Does that mean we don¡¯t have to worry about encountering those Annihilation Heretics here?¡±


    Lucresia just calmly looked at her for two seconds before speaking, ¡°No, it means that the change in this dream has gone beyond the Heretics¡¯ plans¨Cthey have once again created a mess that they themselves can¡¯t clean up, and we¡­ are now right in that mess.¡±


    Sherry was frightened by the suddenly somber tone of the ¡°Witch of the Sea.¡± She paused, and just at that moment, a slight rustling sound suddenly caught her attention.


    The sound came from the direction of the stream; initially, it seemed like just normal water sounds.


    But soon, the water sounds started incorporating strange noises, spreading to the surrounding soil, rocks, and bushes¡­


    Sherry saw tentacles made of flesh rising from the stream.


    The soil began to move like the skin of a mollusk.


    In the shadows of the bushes, sharp teeth were chewing on something.


    And on a tree closest to her, the green tips of the branches, leaves slowly opened their eyes.


    Sherry took a deep, cool breath.


    The entire forest seemed to begin to squirm.


    She finally let out a full-lunged scream, ¡°I know why those Heretics aren¡¯t coming¨Crun!!¡±


    ¡­


    Fenna opened her eyes amidst a whirl of sand.


    Her mind still held the impression of a sudden fire erupting in the city, and the noise and explosions from the streets still seemed to echo in her ears, but after a long period of darkness and a sensation of falling, she realized that she had once again returned to that familiar place.


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    ¡°Traveler, we meet again.¡±


    The familiar voice came through, and the sandstorm also gradually subsided with this voice. Fenna looked up and once again saw the giant clad in tattered robes.


    Instantly, Fenna understood the current situation.


    From the dreaming City-State, she had fallen into a deeper layer of this dream.


    ¡°This is our last meeting, Traveler,¡± the giant spoke again.

 Chapter 636 - Chapter 636 Chapter 635 Repair

    Chapter 636: Chapter 635 ¡°Repair Chapter 636: Chapter 635 ¡°Repair This time, the wind in this desert seemed more turbulent than ever before.


    The chaotic wind swept over the dunes, covered with jagged rocks, almost like a broom, lifting clouds of sand that spiraled and danced in the air, tens of meters high. Far away, a huge, earthy yellow ¡°barricade¡± was rising into the sky¨Ca larger storm was brewing within it, seemingly gathering force enough to sweep across the world.


    Yet all this incessant turbulence of wind and sand halted abruptly a few meters away from Fenna and the giant, the lifted sand swirling around, as if a scene within the eye of a storm.


    Fenna immediately noticed the changes in the surroundings. She stared in astonishment at the restless clouds of sand in the distance, especially at that earthy yellow sandstorm rising from the ground like a sky-reaching barricade far away. Having never seen such a sight, she felt uneasy at once, ¡°What is that?¡±


    The old giant, cloaked in a tattered robe, lowered his head and looked gently into Fenna¡¯s eyes, ¡°It¡¯s a storm, traveler, a storm you¡¯ve initiated with your own hands.¡±


    ¡°A storm I¡¯ve initiated?¡± Fenna, startled by his words, gazed at the giant in bewilderment, ¡°When did I¡­¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but soon¨Ctime has once again started to flow, traveler. It¡¯s flowing in every direction. Do you feel it? The world is changing¡­ After such a prolonged stillness, this rock covered and bound by sand is finally going to roll again.¡±


    Fenna listened, startled, to the giant¡¯s sudden, cryptic soliloquy. She began to make connections based on his vague words, but before she could ask for clarification, the giant waved his hand at her, ¡°Don¡¯t ask too many questions, traveler. This place is finally approaching its end. The more you understand about it at this moment, the more you will form an inseparable connection with it. I don¡¯t want you to become the next wanderer in this desert.¡±


    Fenna finally saw something different in the giant¡¯s words and in his eyes, which burned with a dim yellow flame.


    This ¡°god who had lost his memory¡± had come to say goodbye to her.


    ¡°Come with me, traveler,¡± the giant beckoned to her, ¡°accompany me one last time to conclude this journey.¡±


    Fenna paused briefly, then hurried to keep up with the giant¡¯s pace while asking, ¡°Where are you taking me? What exactly has happened here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going back to that ¡®great pit,''¡± the giant slowed his steps and bowed his head slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve begun to remember some things. There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been searching for there¡­ and perhaps, something you desire as well.¡±


    In the suddenly sweeping sandstorm, both Fenna and the giant¡¯s figures disappeared into the depths of the sandy sea.


    ¡­


    The sun had almost completely set below the horizon¨Cthe vast, boundless sea held only the giant ¡°Luminous Geometric Body¡± still quietly floating on the surface. The endless ¡°sunlight¡± it emitted gently spilled out, spreading along the gently undulating waves to the infinite beyond.


    Light Breeze Harbor, once basked in this ¡°sunlight,¡± had vanished from the surface of the sea. At its former location, an astonishing and majestic illusion now towered¨Ca myriad of thread-like insubstantial strands rose from the sea, intertwining between the sky and the ocean, coalescing into a tree¡¯s silhouette that dwarfed the City-State itself.


    The gigantic tree, straddling the line between illusion and reality, continued to grow as if still drawing sustenance from the disappeared Light Breeze Harbor. With every passing second and every minute, it stepped further from the ephemeral towards the tangible. After each breeze swept past, after each wave surged, its trunk appeared a little clearer, and its grand crown solidified a bit more¨Cnow, it stood towering in the sea-permeating sunlight, casting a shadow so vast that even the grand Church Ark on the distant sea seemed like a ¡°small boat¡± by comparison.


    The fleet of the Academy of Truth had been ordered to withdraw from the projection range of Silantis, and now the Ark and its escort fleet hovered on the sea outside the giant tree¡¯s illusion.


    Yet, within the immense shadow of the tree, under the dome of its sky-reaching canopy, a sailship ablaze with fierce Spectral Flames advanced toward the ¡°trunk.¡±


    Transparent Spiritual Body sails hoisted, unseen forces billowed into the Homeloss, pushing it towards that World Tree, towering like a peak that pierced the heavens. Amidst the burning flames, the immense Ghost Ship groaned with a deep, unsettling creak, as if under immense pressure, resisting a force of repulsion.


    As Homeloss sailed within less than twelve nautical miles of the ¡°trunk,¡± the expected ¡°resistance¡± emerged.


    Waves surged upward, gathering to the force of a storm. Successive towering waves originating from Silantis crashed against the bow of Homeloss, at times flooding the deck, while howls and roars echoed from the direction of the tree. Each thunderous sound seemed poised to shatter the Ghost Ship as it continued to press on through the tumultuous sea.


    Amidst this relentless force, there seemed to coalesce a tangible resistance and¡­ anger.


    Silantis disliked this ship, a ghost that had been rebuilt on Saslouka¡¯s spine using her branches for its keel.


    She was perplexed, angry, even fearful.


    But the roaring waves outside and the wrathful roar of the World Tree hardly affected the stability within the ship.


    Duncan descended the stairs, through the dim, lengthy corridors, down the slanted ancient staircases, past the storerooms with inverse lighting, and the creaking cabins, step by step toward the deepest part of the ship.


    In one hand he carried a lantern emitting a soft greenish glow, and in the other, a ¡°block of wood¡± obtained from the Plunder City-State.


    He could feel the block of wood in his hand emitting a faint warmth and vibration. This ¡°sample,¡± cut from the original keel material of Homeloss, seemed to sense something and grew increasingly restless.


    Agatha¡¯s voice came from the shadows beside him, ¡°The storm outside is fierce; Silantis is preventing Homeloss from approaching.¡±


    ¡°We can hardly hear anything down here,¡± Duncan just smiled, ¡°seems like the sound insulation is pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Alice has tied Rune down to a post with rope, saying she fears the old gentleman might get thrown out¨CRune is not in good shape and has offered no resistance¡­ I tried to persuade her, but Alice wouldn¡¯t listen. She said it¡¯s common sense at sea, and she also declared herself an old sailor on this ship now¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°¡­If she is happy, that¡¯s all that matters,¡± Duncan continued walking without pause, ¡°Are those ropes happy?¡±


    ¡°¡­They must be quite content to have had the experience of tying the Pope to a ship.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Duncan spoke indifferently and then pushed open the final door that led to the ship¡¯s hold.


    The shattered structure of Homeloss¡¯s bottom came into view.


    No matter how fierce the storms above the sea raged, this layer, halfway submerged in Subspace, remained as tranquil as ever¨Cthe fragmented hull still floated silently in the void, chaotic streams of light from Subspace flowing erratically through the vessel¡¯s massive cracks. It had been this way a century ago, and it remained unchanged on this day, a century later.


    Duncan slowly made his way to the middle of this fractured cargo hold, standing beside the largest crack.


    Agatha¡¯s figure rose from beside him, cautiously beginning, ¡°Is this really possible?¡±


    Duncan lowered his head, gazing at the crack beneath his feet and the streaming light within it.


    ¡°Homeloss¡¯s original keel was crafted from the branches of Silantis, and later, Saslouka¡¯s spine took the place of that keel. With the authority of the ¡®Dreaming King,¡¯ the Homeloss, swallowed by Subspace, was reshaped through a ¡®Reality Shift.¡¯ So in a certain sense¨CHomeloss is another Silantis.¡±


    He slowly bent down and placed the wooden block on the ground before him.


    ¡°Memory and Dreamscape, Saslouka wanders the border of tangible and intangible. In dreams, He created Silantis, and in dreams, he reconstructed Homeloss. He extracted everything from his own memories, but the only problem is, He doesn¡¯t remember himself¨Che doesn¡¯t even know he can dream.¡±


    Duncan gently tapped the surface of the wooden block with his finger.


    A cluster of ghostly green flames sprang up at one corner of the block and quickly engulfed the entire piece of wood. Within the fierce Spectral Flame, it took on the same ghostly, transparent essence as Duncan¡¯s body at that moment.


    ¡°Saslouka was the first ¡®dreamless one¡¯¨Cthe most heretical teachings actually contain the simplest truth.¡±


    Duncan stood up and kicked the blazing wooden block towards the crack that led to Subspace.


    It tumbled over the edge of the hull, disappearing in the blink of an eye into that dim and chaotic void among the jumbled streams of light.


    A strange creaking noise began to emanate from afar.


    ¡°So the key to entering the depths of Silantis¡¯s Dreamscape isn¡¯t to wake Silantis¨CSilantis is already awake; she doesn¡¯t need to be roused.


    ¡°What we need to awaken is Saslouka, the spine soaking in Subspace.


    ¡°We need to establish a communication between Saslouka and Silantis¨Cafter the long years, to let this ¡®dreamless one¡¯ realize His own Dreamscape.¡±


    The strange creaking sound gradually reached its peak, then suddenly, ghostly green flames started to surge and rise from the broken hull¡¯s cracks!


    Spectral fire flowed rapidly throughout the entire hold, and where the flames spread, the huge cracks began to heal and vanish before the naked eye, the shattered hull began to repair itself, and the structure of Homeloss¡¯s bottom approached completion!


    Before the largest crack healed, Duncan caught a glimpse of the scene below the fissure with the corner of his eye.


    That was the true ¡°bottom¡± structure of Homeloss, the real hold that encased the keel.


    The vast and desolate spine of the ancient deity submerged in Subspace, floated and sailed through the chaotic void.


    Yet verdant new branches were winding and growing from the crevices of that skeleton, as the flames spread through every part of the spine.


    ¡°Now, the two keels have merged into one,¡±


    Duncan whispered.


    Before him, the last piece of the crack in the Homeloss¡¯s hold slowly healed.


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    He lifted his head, calling out from deep within: ¡°Saslouka.¡±


    The voice with the goat¡¯s head responded, ¡°I am here, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Full sail, full speed, we go to find your sapling.¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain!¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 637 - Chapter 637 Chapter 636 Sailing in the Nightmare of the

    Chapter 637: Chapter 636: Sailing in the Nightmare of the Ancient Gods Chapter 637: Chapter 636: Sailing in the Nightmare of the Ancient Gods Homeloss began to accelerate toward Silantis¨Cthe Ghost Ship charged forward enveloped by raging flames, facing waves towering one above the other, and constantly against the terrifying howls and storm coming from the direction of the giant tree.


    It seemed that Silantis had noticed this sudden change, and its instinct to resist invasion into the Dreamscape immediately came into effect¨Cthe waves on the sea surged tumultuously, influenced by the giant tree, transforming the seawater into barriers as sharp as fanged blades, smashing down toward the bow of Homeloss with an almost crushing force. Between the roaring of the great waves, the storm also brought forth countless hazy apparitions¨Cthese apparitions seemed like an ancient legion interspersed with myriad animal and bird illusions grotesquely twisted beyond recognition. They surged over the gaps between the sea waves, racing toward the Ghost Ship blazing within the storm.


    Homeloss, however, did not avoid the oncoming storm, instead, its sails bulged further, and its speed increased.


    Ethereal green flames burst forth from every seam of the deck, every cabin window, every gun port of the ship, as if to ignite the whole sea, this living fire directly crashing into the storm composed of nightmare illusions.


    The towering waves scorched by the flames evaporated, creating a vast gap. The blades entwined within the wind were devoured by an invisible force and dissipated into harmless mist with the next gust, and the apparitions emerging in the storm turned into true phantoms¨C


    They harmlessly passed through the body of Homeloss; the Spectral Fire seemed to cause them no harm, nor could they impact Homeloss. Yet, as Homeloss sailed past, these apparitions gradually halted, as if awakening from a prolonged Dreamscape, silently dissipating in the wind.


    Thereafter, Homeloss entered an even greater Storm, more illusions, and a nightmare closer to the essence of Silantis.


    Much like how a person can never perceive the exact moment their sleep begins, after an indiscernible instant, the whole world outside of Homeloss had plunged into chaos and dimness, the Endless Sea disappeared, so did the sky, and the ¡°sunlight¡± spreading across the distant sea vanished unbeknownst to anyone.


    Only the storm apparitions continuously surging within the darkness remained, along with an immense ¡°tunnel¡± appearing intermittently within the storm, seemingly woven from countless vines and roots, with Homeloss speeding along this indescribable ¡°tunnel.¡±


    After another moment imperceptible to senses passed, even sound vanished¨Cthe whole world outside of Homeloss fell into silence.


    However, the apparitions of the storm still existed, their silent churning seeming even more odd and terrifying than before.


    Homeloss continued sailing through this intertwined plant structure, the entire ship floating as if in nothingness, where ahead in this void, only the vast shadow of Silantis persisted.


    It seemed like the only solid entity left in the world, as if it was the last tree after everything else had collapsed into oblivion¨C


    Or perhaps, the first tree.


    Rune felt somewhat relieved¨Cafter passing that undetectable ¡°moment of entering the dream,¡± or perhaps after some sort of ¡°transformation¡± suddenly occurred on the ship, he found that the relentless calling in his mind had suddenly weakened; he felt his consciousness steadily stabilizing, and he could hear his heartbeat once again.


    He lowered his head, seeing his body slowly recovering.


    Looking through the window, he could see that giant tree stretching miles into the dark space.


    Although still deep within this dangerous and terrifying ¡°ancient god¡¯s dream,¡± and knowing Silantis was still trying to ¡°protect,¡± or rather eliminate, every elf in this world, the old man couldn¡¯t help but murmur to himself in a low voice, ¡°¡­truly beautiful¡­¡±


    A voice came from beside him, ¡°Yes, really beautiful¡­¡±


    Rune looked toward the source, only to see that the eerie goat-head on the navigation desk was looking out the window and sighing¨Cethereal green flames flowing and rising through its wooden structure, with another flame gathering beneath it, like a blurred, twisted spine, linking it to the deck below.


    ¡°At the beginning, I planted her in a darkness just like this,¡± the eerie wooden goat-head continued softly, seemingly lost in its memories, carefully picking up the fragments from deep in its memory, ¡°but back then, she wasn¡¯t this large¡­ just a small sapling, crooked and even a bit¡­ ugly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know then what she would grow into, what she should grow like¨Cshe shaped herself, what I did was merely to let her grow, to keep growing.


    ¡°Then, I learned to imagine more things, more trees, plants that grew with the trees, and various creatures living among the plants¡­ I placed them around the dark, and unknowingly, the darkness began to recede, the world started to grow lush, and many things happened that were beyond my initial imagination. Overall, it was quite interesting¨Cmuch more interesting than a boundless and meaningless void.


    ¡°So, the creatures that evolved in the forest with Spiritual Intelligence gave me a name, they called me ¡®creator¡¯.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t really understand this title they gave me, I didn¡¯t understand much of what they said¨Cthey also did some very strange things, which I couldn¡¯t comprehend.


    ¡°They gathered together to dance, placing the hunt of the harvest under the feet of a public goat sculpted from tree roots, they erected huge waterwheels by the river, decorating them with brilliantly colored fabrics. And when they finally mastered the ability to fly through the sky, they used giant flying machines to leap from the branches of Silantis, gliding over the hills, reaching the end of Silantis¡¯s sight amid cheers¡­


    ¡°They said it was to please the great creator, to keep the creator from leaving.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t understand what they were doing, their¡­ performances and gifts, I actually had no interest, never had.¡±


    ¡°But I saw them enjoying themselves, so I thought it must be good.¡±


    Rune fell silent. His eyes slowly widened in an incredulous manner as he stared at the goat¡¯s head on the table that exuded a sinister aura.


    He opened his mouth, but complex emotions blocked all his words¨Che only managed a strange gurgle from his throat.


    Suddenly, a crackling explosion erupted in the captain¡¯s quarters, interrupting any further actions and words from the old elf.


    A ghastly green Spectral Flame ignited out of nowhere, and within the flames, a tall figure took shape. Duncan stepped out of the fire, his gaze landing on the goat¡¯s head, ¡°Have you remembered everything?¡±


    ¡°Fragmented, chaotic, just vague impressions and some fleeting images,¡± the goat¡¯s head creaked slightly, slowly turning its gaze towards Duncan, ¡°I can feel that many ¡®fragments¡¯ are scattered elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°Planning to gather them all?¡± Duncan casually asked.


    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± the goat¡¯s head paused for two seconds, unexpectedly shaking its head to Duncan¡¯s surprise, ¡°At least it¡¯s not something to consider right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± Duncan looked deeply at the goat¡¯s head, then turned his gaze out the window, ¡°Prepare for ¡®contact¡¯; we are not far from the ¡®Tree Trunk.''¡±


    ¡°Do you want to steer personally?¡± the goat¡¯s head asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°If I were steering, we¡¯d probably never find where Silantis is hidden¨Csince you¡¯ve remembered some things, you continue to steer. I think this part of ¡®memories¡¯ should be enough to guide us in the right direction.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The goat¡¯s head responded succinctly.


    Honestly, Duncan found the sudden brevity of its speech somewhat disconcerting.


    But he quickly put that peculiar thought out of his mind.


    The Homeloss began navigating through the silent, layered illusions of the Storm and the tunnels and veils woven from countless vines and roots¨Cthis Ghost Ship, which had once roamed the edges of the dark veil many times, had finally found the correct direction.


    Duncan then turned to look at Bishop Rune.


    After a moment of slightly awkward eye contact, he gestured to the daydreaming Alice beside him, ¡°You might as well come and untie the old man¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Alice agreed, somewhat regretfully coming over to ¡°release¡± the elf elder still bound by ropes to a post.


    Rune¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, awkwardly trying to speak calmly, ¡°Actually, I think it¡¯s fine, Ms. Alice¡¯s actions are quite¡­ professional¡­¡±


    However, he was only halfway through his sentence when a violent vibration suddenly shook the entire ship!


    It was as if the Homeloss had instantly collided with some colossal, invisible entity, a tremendous jolt emanating from the bow along with a nearly deafening noise that made one doubt if the ship would disintegrate on impact. The mast began to sway violently, the spiritual sails flashed intensely, and the flames streaming across the deck burst into a fierce explosion!


    Duncan instantly reacted to this sudden, invisible collision by pressing his hands on the nautical table in front of him, first stabilizing the ship¡¯s condition with Spectral Flame, while quickly shouting, ¡°Tie him back up, quick!¡±


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    Alice reacted faster than ever, ¡°Aye!!¡±


    ¡°Wait just a¨C¡± Rune managed to shout before Alice tied him up tightly again¨Cthe poor bishop was no match for the living automaton on the Homeloss.


    Almost simultaneously, Duncan¡¯s peripheral vision swept past the window, scanning the dark nothingness surrounding Silantis.


    The Spectral Flame erupted around the Homeloss, as if ¡°sniffing¡± something, wildly spreading towards that darkness.


    And within the cascading shadows cast by the burning Spiritual Fire, he saw¡­ a shadow even more enormous than Silantis!

 Chapter 638 - Chapter 638 Chapter 637 Collision

    Chapter 638: Chapter 637 Collision Chapter 638: Chapter 637 Collision There was a shadow, a shadow beyond Silantis, constantly floating in this vast dark space constructed from the dreams and memories of Silantis.


    Now, Duncan had discovered its existence for the first time.


    ¡°By the name of Rahm!¡± Rune exclaimed, his eyes widened as he stared at the massive structure finally emerging from above the dark space under the reflection of a pale green firelight, ¡°What is that?!¡±


    However, Duncan didn¡¯t answer; he only stepped up to the window, gazing intensely at the dark structure pressing down on Silantis yet paused at a certain moment. After a while, his eyes slightly shifted as if he suddenly realized something¨C


    ¡°The Great Annihilation¡­ so that¡¯s what it is¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Corruption and distortion were spreading throughout the forest, across the land, spreading over the entire world.


    Something intangible was ¡°seeping¡± into this ancient land of the Elves. Where it spread, the ground undulated like swollen flesh, shadows sprang forth endless fangs and eyes, trees grew wildly, then dissolved and ascended like flames¡­ Everything seemed to lose its inherent order and underwent a grotesque and drastic transformation akin to a nightmare.


    Sharp and terrifying screams and howls continuously swept across the forest, roaring through the enormous canopy structure of Silantis as if to tear souls apart, resonating wildly between heaven and earth.


    Sherry, still shaken, looked down at the land below, watching the region that had been lush and full of life just a moment ago transform into an absurd purgatory that not even nightmares could describe, observing the Abyssal mouths and fluctuating flesh and shadows open in the forest, subconsciously clutching the protrusions on the edge of the ¡°paper boat.¡±


    ¡°This thing really won¡¯t fall down?¡±


    She glanced again at the ¡°small boat¡± made of paper under her feet, very unsure, and confirmed with the witch lady beside her.


    Not long ago, when the entire forest suddenly burst with a terrifying ¡°Corrosion,¡± and seeing there was no way back, Lucresia unveiled a piece of paper before her eyes, folded a small boat, and pulled her into it¨CSherry couldn¡¯t understand the bizarre principle of this ¡°witchcraft¡± at all; she only knew that the boat was now floating above that dreadful land, and the feeling of the paper under her feet made her too scared to even breathe heavily.


    Even the Dog beside her carefully tucked in its paws and curled up as if afraid it might accidentally puncture the bottom of the paper boat.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never fallen off,¡± Lucresia said, pulling out more white paper and skillfully folding more strangely-shaped objects without looking up, ¡°If you¡¯re too worried, just close your eyes and pretend you¡¯re lying on the sofa at home.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible!¡± Sherry exclaimed instinctively, and then let out a frightened shriek as the small boat rocked in the wind. She then noticed Lucresia¡¯s ongoing activity, ¡°What are you still folding?!¡±


    ¡°Soldiers, the ¡®winged flying soldiers¡¯ Ginny Hyde described in ¡®City in the Clouds,''¡± Lucresia casually said, ¡°We need to know the situation in other places, and if we really encounter enemies, we need fighting power to protect this boat.¡±


    Saying this, she threw the neatly folded paper figurines casually toward the semi-open space outside the paper boat¨Cthe exquisite papermen unfolded their wings in mid-air, quickly growing to human size, they bowed toward Lucresia¡¯s direction, and then swiftly flew into the distance.


    Sherry stared at the scene dumbfounded; however, just as she opened her mouth to say something, a voice seemed to drill directly into her brain, interrupting her conversation with Lucresia: ¡°¡­ initially, those ¡®Corrosions¡¯ appeared at the edges of the world, and things began to take on strange and terrifying forms¡­¡±


    Sherry and Lucresia looked at each other, both had heard the voice¨Cit sounded somewhat young and immature, like a little girl¡¯s voice.


    It was the voice of Silantis.


    The howling wind picked up more sand and dust, a desert storm that had seemingly subsided without notice, leaving only disorderly dust clouds rising in the field of vision, blurring the sight, distorting the distant scenery.


    ¡°When the weather just started to change, scholars had issued warnings, calling on people to prepare¨Cbut what to prepare for?¡±


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    The giant¡¯s voice rose amidst the wind and sand, deep and steady, like a rock standing within the wind.


    Fenna stood in this endless wind and sand, gazing at the ¡°Giant Tower¡± in the distance.


    She had returned to this place called ¡°The Archive,¡± returned to this pit symbolizing the end of civilization, with the giant. She didn¡¯t know why the giant had brought her back here, but she felt a tremendous change was underway¨Ccentered around this ¡°Archive,¡± something dreadful was unfolding its curtain.


    Suddenly, a sound of something tearing apart erupted, a huge noise that seemed capable of shattering mountains.


    Fenna looked up in astonishment, staring at the giant red crack in the sky, observing the red light signifying the end¨Cin the surging blood-red light, she saw the undulating shadows that had destroyed this world finally beginning to reveal a glimpse of their true form before her eyes¨C

 Chapter 639 - Chapter 639 Chapter 637 Collision_2

    Chapter 639: Chapter 637 Collision_2 Chapter 639: Chapter 637 Collision_2 Fire appeared in the forest¨Cthere was no precise origin, as if in an instant, countless trees had become blazing torches, a destructive tide that began to devour the World Tree that covered the earth.


    Sherry looked in horror as the flames spread across her field of vision, watching everything¨Cthe twisting earth, the lush forest, the shadows in the air, the tentacles and flesh spreading between heaven and earth¨Call shrouded in flames in the blink of an eye.


    She heard a huge noise, countless creatures shrieking in the flames, and she heard terrifying thunder. But the thunder didn¡¯t come from the sky, it was the branches of Silantis breaking amid fire and distortion, crashing down on the earth like continuous peaks.


    The paper boat rocked left and right in the howling heatwave, and the terrifying sight of the sky and earth burning simultaneously made Sherry instinctively curl up in the boat. As she curled up, she looked up to see the edges of Silantis¡¯s branches fracturing and falling from the sky, engulfed in flames, and in the crashing downfall of the treetops, she could finally see the true form of the sky.


    A suffocating shadow filled her vision, and she felt her heart stop beating in that instant.


    She heard Silantis speaking in her heart¨Cor perhaps it was the whole world telling her about the destruction and doom that had occurred before ancient times¨C


    ¡°¡­And then, the sky fell, invisible things struck our world, slowly struck our world¡­ We couldn¡¯t see it, couldn¡¯t understand it, couldn¡¯t think about it¡­ What about you? You beings who sprang forth after the darkness, can you see it?¡±


    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened as she watched the blood-red cracks in the sky gradually blossom across her vision, the entire sky tearing open like a cracked eggshell, and then, in a chilling manner, it began to collapse inward, and then, a burning sea of fire slowly rolled down from that shattered sky¨C


    ¡°As their ¡®god,¡¯ I felt ¡®its¡¯ arrival earlier than they did, I sensed something invisible approaching our world, I sensed the end of history¨Con the pillar of annals in my hand, a crack appeared, and after that, nothing was recorded anymore, the flames¡­ extinguished at the edge of my vision.¡±


    A deep, oppressive howl and a strange squeaking sound emerged from the sky and earth, as if the world itself was uttering its final moan, and Fenna finally understood what she was seeing, finally grasped the ¡°answer¡± the giants had never understood.


    A tall figure emerged from the corner of her eye and came to the edge of the crater.


    Fenna saw the giant standing there, looking up at the sky.


    ¡°From fire and stone it begins, from fire and stone it ends¨CTraveler, I feel it, ¡®it¡¯ has come again¡­ You see it, don¡¯t you? You see it clearer than I do¡­ Because you come from a different stream of time, you come from after the darkness, you have eyes that were born afterward, you can understand it¡­¡±


    On the paper-folded boat, in the field of vision of Sherry and Lucrasia, the inverted land was continually sagging down, and they could finally see many of its surface structures¨C


    In an instant, Sherry thought she saw mountain ranges and plentiful rivers on that inverted continent, saw stone-constructed megalopolises standing among mountains and plains, saw huge aqueducts and stretching roads connecting countless lights, under which lay fertile farmlands.


    But in the next instant, she saw that land suddenly fall into desolation, in some sort of¡­ ¡°boiling¡± illusion, that land turned into a landscape filled with deserts and fragmented stone.


    Another world had crushed down.


    The land that fell from the sky first touched the treetops of Silantis.


    In silence, the final collapse of everything began from that ¡°contact point¡± and spread throughout the world¡­


    In increasingly chaotic and disordered sandstorms, in front of Fenna, that tower symbolizing ¡°the last man on earth¡± seemed to have changed.


    It started to shake, to crumble, its upper layers that looked like scorched stone suddenly cracked open, revealing some sort of ash-gray¡­ ¡°skin.¡±


    The tower began to shrink, as if time was reversing, it slowly shrank down, changing back into the shape of a ¡°human.¡±


    An inverted, burning forest had completely replaced the entire sky, another continent had crushed onto this world, and in that blazing forest, Fenna finally saw some of the geography her companions once described, which they had seen while moving through the Dream of the Nameless.


    The ¡°tower¡± finally collapsed.


    At the moment the entire world recalled the day of the end, it too recalled its original form in the memory.


    It turned into a human.


    A Senkin person, his skin rough like rock and marked with metallic patterns.


    His form continued to shrink until soon, it would be so small that even Fenna could not make it out at this distance.


    He seemed to be issuing a cry of terror¨Cin the final minute before the great eradication, this being who had been frozen through countless ages finally took a step in the stream of time.


    ¡°Traveler,¡± the giant¡¯s voice came, the aged deity in tattered robes bent down toward Fenna, and he forcefully planted his huge staff into the ground, then fished something out from his chest to place in front of Fenna, ¡°Take it.¡±


    Fenna looked astonished at what the giant handed to her.


    It was a sun, emitting a dazzling light, quietly burning in the river of time.


    She lifted her head, but before she could voice her query, the giant gently shook his head, ¡°You can take it now¨CTraveler, I¡¯ve remembered, I¡¯ve remembered it all¡­ Our sun is free now, take it, it should no longer sink in this illusory dream.¡±


    Fenna extended her hand somewhat confusedly¨Cthe bright orb fell into her palm.


    It radiated a warm heat.


    The giant smiled, straightened up, and turned away.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Fenna asked incredulously behind him.


    ¡°Tell him not to be afraid.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Traveler, all journeys must end, and we must part from each other someday¡­ because Tarrikin died, long, long ago.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯ll give you this staff as a memento.¡±


    The giant never turned back in the end, he just waved and then stepped toward the deep pit.


    With each step, his body grew taller.


    But with each step, his figure became more ethereal.


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    The ruin known as ¡°The Archives,¡± too, gradually vanished with the steps of the giant.


    The god who recorded history finally disappeared in the sandstorm, the last person ever recorded by history vanished in the slow and unstoppable collision of two worlds¨C


    In this boundless desolation and sandstorm, Fenna slowly lifted her head.


    The burning Silantis hung high in this world.


    Now was the last second of the great eradication.


    The world of the Senkin People was destroyed in the final collision with Silantis.

 Chapter 640 - Chapter 640 Chapter 638 Two Worlds

    Chapter 640: Chapter 638: Two Worlds Chapter 640: Chapter 638: Two Worlds Another continent was plummeting from the sky, two worlds destroyed in a ¡°slow collision¡± that transcended comprehension, a kind of surreal ¡°impact,¡± not merely a simple physical touch¨Cafter observing the endless spread of distortion, chaos, and madness in that forest, Lucresia vaguely perceived this truth.


    In another situation, she would probably have been eager to embark on a long-term, arduous research effort, willing to interact with scholars from the City-State to unite the minds of the intelligent to understand the secrets of this collision.


    But clearly, now was not the appropriate time.


    The paper-folded boat was violently shaking amidst a fierce impact, like a flatboat caught in a storm, with the impact centering around the collapsing Silantis and indiscriminately unleashing upon the entire world, then echoing between heaven and earth as if reflected by the ¡°ends of the world.¡±


    Amidst the intense impact and tearing that far exceeded human capacity, the paper boat emitted an unsettling tearing noise, and even the powerful ¡°Sea Witch¡± felt her control over the boat approaching its limits swiftly.


    Sherry saw the gravity on Lucresia¡¯s face at a glance and immediately hugged the head of the dog while crying out loudly, ¡°Are we going to fall!!!¡±


    Lucresia furrowed her brow tightly, she did not answer Sherry¡¯s shout but quickly scanned the already fragmented world that was rapidly on the brink of destruction, then suddenly raised her hand pointing towards the distant land, ¡°We¡¯re going to descend over there.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that suicide!¡± Sherry screamed instantly, ¡°Do you see anywhere on the ground that we can even land?!¡±


    ¡°¡®Corrosion¡¯ has already stopped, the current stage is that flames are burning everything¨Cit¡¯s just fire, far friendlier than those weird, distorted shadows.¡± Lucresia turned to glance at Sherry, ignoring her reaction, and already began to control the teetering paper boat hastily flying toward the forest area where the fires were smaller.


    The paper-folded boat, accompanied by Sherry¡¯s piercing scream, broke through the smog in the forest, navigating between the two worlds that had turned into purgatory, with Silantis¡¯s canopy crumbling above them, and the burning giant trees and leaves plummeting towards the earth like a collapsing nightmare around the boat, while that dangling piece of land was still slowly descending¨CSherry could almost make out the grooves and rolling dunes on its surface¨C


    The descent was so slow it seemed as if it could last forever, yet it was so unstoppable, continuous, like a slowly rolling doomsday, inch by inch crushing all things in the mortal world.


    Lucresia steered the small boat with all her might, sweeping her gaze across the forest, trying to find a somewhat ¡°safe¡± landing spot in that purgatory.


    A blur of light suddenly caught her eye.


    The next second, the boat shot towards that direction¨Cwith such speed that Sherry almost thought it was a freefall out of control¨Cdangerously passing through the fire rain falling from the sky, through the sandstorm which began at some point, floating like phantasms between heaven and earth, and straight towards the flash deep in the forest.


    The flash became gradually more distinct.


    It was a cone-shaped protective barrier supported by a curtain of light.


    Sherry also saw that light screen, she leaned over the edge of the paper boat in amazement, staring downward for a long time, finally recognizing those two familiar figures within the barrier, ¡°Ah! It¡¯s Nina, and the old man!¡±


    Accompanied by Sherry¡¯s joyful shout, the paper boat carrying her and Lucresia whooshed over the last distance and finally reached its limit at the last moment of touching the ground, shattering into pieces in the impact and turning into fine dust in the blink of an eye.


    Sherry, clutching the dog, awkwardly jumped out at the last second, the pair tumbled into a heap on the ground, rolling several times before finally stopping in front of that cone-shaped gleam.


    She looked up and saw Nina standing inside the barrier, with Mr. Morris beside her wearing a look of astonishment.


    A whirl of colorful paper fragments settled steadily next to Sherry, Lucresia emerging from among them.


    Nina waved at them from within the barrier.


    Sherry and Lucresia exchanged a glance and, without hesitation, stepped into the seemingly fragile but very real light screen that kept the tide of destruction at bay in the forest.


    For a moment, it seemed as if the whole world had quieted down.


    The terrible noise that howled through the forest became almost inaudible, the scorching ¡°Storm¡± that swept across the land was blocked outside the light screen, and the pungent dust and the poison fog steaming in the fire were also kept out¨CSherry even felt a rush of fresh air hitting her face¨Cshe looked down and even saw several blades of grass under her feet, with a small cluster of shrubs beside it.


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± she marveled, raising her head to look at Nina and Morris, ¡°How did you do this? Lucresia and I could only flee up into the sky¡­¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t us.¡± Nina simply shook her head, then turned aside, raising her hand to point in a direction behind her and Morris.


    Surprised, Sherry looked in that direction, and the next second, her eyes widened slightly.


    A small tree rooted there quietly, in this crumbling piece of land.


    Its slender trunk, long branches spreading toward the sky, and drooping at the edges of the canopy, gently swaying in the breeze.


    Centered around this small tree was the cone-shaped light screen constructing the last Shelter.


    In a trance, Sherry seemed to hear a voice¨C


    ¡°Follow me, I will take you to the Wall of Silence¡­¡±


    Then, that voice melted away in the wind.


    ¡°We¡¯ve now arrived at the Silent Wall,¡± Nina turned her head, looking into Sherry¡¯s eyes. ¡°The last, the true Silent Wall.¡±


    Sherry paused for a moment, slowly making her way to the small tree beside her, the branches at the edge of the canopy brushing past her shoulder, feeling somewhat itchy.


    She turned her head and looked beyond the thin curtain of light.


    The world was collapsing, the majestic canopy of Silantis was bending, disintegrating, and crashing under the ¡°heavy pressure¡± of another world, forests were burning, the distant land was being lifted by an invisible force, slowly rolling towards the skyward inclined desert, and flames seemed to spread to that desert as well, a layer of vague fog was starting to appear on the surface of ¡°that world.¡±


    But all the sounds were so distant as if they came from another world, like the gentle waves heard outside a tightly closed window at twilight.


    ¡°Yes¡­ it¡¯s really quiet.¡±


    Even Sherry knew that this quiet probably wouldn¡¯t last very long.


    But at least for this moment, that crumbling world was no longer in pursuit of her, even though what separated her from it all was simply a beautiful bubble.


    What would happen next?


    Fenna squinted her eyes slightly in the wind.


    She saw that the inverted world had gradually reached the ground beneath her feet¨Cthe first to make contact was that astoundingly large ¡°World Tree,¡± its canopy now touching the surface. It was the last place the giants had vanished, and now, it became the ¡°contact point¡± where two worlds first touched. Next were the distant mountains, the contact between the hills and forests of the mountain range at the edge of the desert causing continuous flashes of light, as if brewing a storm powerful enough to tear the world apart.


    Flames were spreading and flowing over her head, she could see that verdant world falling apart in the fire¨Cjust as the desert below her feet was doing the same.


    But the ¡°collision¡± between two worlds was slowing down as if some force was forcibly delaying the process, intervening in this apocalypse.


    Fenna tilted her head down, looking at the radiant fireball in her hand¨Ca tiny flame flowing on the surface of the sun, and the light bursting forth from that flame had once shone on a civilization that was magnificent and splendid before the deep-sea era.


    To this day, the sunlight still remains.


    She lifted her head again, looking towards something not far from her side.


    The giant staff was still silent, planted in the sand dune, illuminated by the suspended sea of flames in the sky. It shone on its rough trunk-like shaft and stone-like head, with flame light flowing on its rock-like surface. The giant¡¯s inscrutable texts reflected in the shadows and light.


    For a fleeting moment, Fenna felt as if she understood them¨Cshe read the dense text and symbols line by line, as if she could still hear the giant¡¯s deep, gentle voice narrating close to her ear.


    ¡°¡­ Here, they learned to use fire.


    ¡°Here, they uncovered the secrets of cultivation.


    ¡°There was a flood¨Cwater swept over the land, bringing death and panic, and then it left behind fertile soil¡­


    ¡°They learned to build ships¡­


    ¡°They learned to harness the power of thunder¡­¡±


    Fenna slowly approached the staff, raising her head to look at the last blank space at its end.


    That space was no longer blank.


    At some point, the giant had inscribed the last line of text¨Cthe deity of historic record had completed his final entry on the chronicle pillar:


    ¡°Tarrikin and the travelers completed their final journey.¡±


    An unusual aura and unsettling rustling sounds came from afar, an extraordinary heat flowing through the air, gathering invisibly.


    Fenna turned around, looking in the direction she sensed.


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    She saw those streams of light that were continually converging¨Cin the grand fire and twisted light shadows caused by the collision of two worlds, the chaotic streams of light breached through some kind of ¡°crack¡± into this place. They gradually emitted scorching heat and gathered into an increasingly large fireball in the sky not too far away.


    The fireball began to take on a sun-like appearance, its edges trembling, dividing into bursting streams of flame. It started to hover like the sun between two worlds, freely releasing a disquieting might and heatwaves¨Cafterward, it gradually lowered in the desert and slowly turned its true face towards Fenna.


    Innumerable twisted tendrils were hidden within the radiant shell of that sun-like fireball, and countless non-human eyes coldly watched the Judge who stood beside the sand dune from between those tendrils.


    ¡°Kneel.¡±


    The deity¡¯s offspring declared.

 Chapter 641 - Chapter 641 Chapter 639 Facing the Setting Sun

    Chapter 641: Chapter 639: Facing the Setting Sun Chapter 641: Chapter 639: Facing the Setting Sun The invading ¡°sun¡± slowly descended¨Cit couldn¡¯t compare with the real sun, yet it still looked like a small mountain, radiating a terrifying power.


    It hovered closely above the ground, looking as if it had almost completely ¡°landed¡± on the surface. Flames burst from its edges, licking the ground, and under its illumination, the sand and stones gradually melted into flowing magma. The air twisted in the heat, and currents of hot air arose above the rivers of magma. Large and small stones, as if disturbed by an invisible force, began to float around the ¡°Scions of the Sun,¡± turning into fiery satellites orbiting it.


    This massive ¡°Fallen Sun¡± watched the almost dust-sized mortal with its numerous cold eyes and repeated that succinct command¨C


    ¡°Kneel.¡±


    It was a pressure completely different from ordinary transcendent beings or heretical individuals, a power emanating from an ancient god¨Cthis malformed fireball was a true scion of the Black Sun, and its words alone were worth millions of curses and secret techniques.


    Fenna felt her body almost bursting into flames, as if burning lava flowed within her, and even the air she exhaled became part of the flames.


    But she just silently looked down at the brilliantly glowing orb in her hand.


    Moments later, she carefully secured it close to her body, then silently turned around and walked toward the huge staff deeply embedded in the sand dune¨Cshe reached out with her left hand, and bit by bit, she pulled it out, then hoisted it onto her shoulder.


    The giant¡¯s staff was too large for a mortal, even for Fenna; holding it looked more like carrying a large tree than wielding a weapon.


    But she didn¡¯t care; this heavy ¡°weapon¡± was just right for her.


    She turned around, her right hand tightly holding the longsword forged from ice, her left gripping the staff on her shoulder, calmly staring at that ¡°sun¡± that had descended upon the earth.


    ¡°You have refused,¡± the Scions of the Sun issued a series of noise-like screams and tremors, and its thoughts pierced directly into Fenna¡¯s mind, ¡°but you must surrender the star.¡±


    The desert¡¯s wind grew stronger, endless gusts that seemed to lift the whole desert swirled within this last gap between two worlds. From afar, the sand and dust rose in the wind, looking like an earthy yellow towering wall slowly moving toward her.


    Fenna raised her head in the wind, glanced at the other world in the sky that had stopped falling, and calmly asked, ¡°Are you interfering with this¡­ ¡®collision¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You are trying to call upon distant powers¨Cbut no one can help you,¡± the ¡°sun¡± on the ground again emitted a screech and tremor, ¡°I have severed the connection between the two worlds, now you are trapped in this desert, no one can hear you, neither the Usurper of Flame nor the Queen of Leviathan can, resistance is futile¡­ Hand it over, and I will let you leave.¡±


    Fenna did not respond to the progeny of the ancient god; she simply narrowed her eyes in the increasingly fierce wind.


    Indeed, she couldn¡¯t contact the outside anymore, couldn¡¯t reach the captain, nor the Storm Goddess¨Calthough the gentle sound of waves was still resonating in her ears, and the marks left by the Spiritual Fire were still burning within her, she could no longer hear their ¡°source.¡±


    The force from the collision of the two worlds had been channeled into a barrier, turning this desert into a sealed prison, driven by this thing before her¡­ this blasphemy.


    The wind began to gather, the wall of yellow sand rising from afar being carried by the wind, grinding closer bit by bit, forming a tremendous storm. In the accumulating power, countless sand particles churned within the wall like waves, surging.


    Fenna took a shallow breath, ashy substances dissipating in the air with her exhalation.


    She watched the Scions of the Sun in the distance, her eyes reflecting the illusions of storm and fire.


    She set the huge staff down from her shoulder, then took steps forward calmly, walking toward that blasphemous sun¨Cdragging the staff and longsword along the ground, carving long trenches, which seemed like symbols etched into the land.


    If the giant were here, he might have inscribed such words¨C


    After doomsday, the traveler charged at the invading sun.


    But the giant was no longer there, the history of this world had ended¨Cthe wind erased the long trenches left behind by Fenna, and the rising dust closed like a curtain behind her.


    Her steps quickened, turning into an unstoppable charge.


    Would the Scions of the Sun be shocked? Perhaps in all its understanding, the option ¡°a mortal charging at a scion of an ancient god¡± had never appeared¨Cbut would a being like it possess human emotions?


    Fenna was curious about this but had no way of knowing the answer; she knew only that the proud ¡°sun¡± finally reacted.


    Layers of heat waves intertwined on the surface of the sun, forming a honeycomb-like light-forged coating; flames brewed in the air, deadly sunlight attempting to kill her on her charge.


    However, the sandstorm coming from the edge of the earth was gradually converging beside her, forming a barrier temporarily shielding her from the sunlight.


    Fenna ran with all her might, slowly raising the longsword and staff in her hands as she breathed through the fiery heat waves, each breath dispersing ashes in the air.


    She felt as though she was riding the waves.


    A voice seemed to echo at the bottom of her heart, she couldn¡¯t distinguish whether it was her own voice or that of the Storm Goddess or the captain, she only knew that this voice was telling her¨C


    The desert too is a sea.


    She was determined to stir up a storm in this vast ocean.


    For she was a saint of the storm.


    In the wild winds, walls of yellow sand converged, and Fenna¡¯s figure disappeared in the grand sandstorm, seemingly devoured by the sands in the blink of an eye, yet fused with the raging winds.


    Between the two colliding lands, there remained only a desert storm nearly connecting two worlds, thousands of meters high, roaring forward with the might to shake the earth.


    In the massive storm, a sharp arrow soared high; after a second¡¯s pause, it plummeted towards the invading ¡°Scions of the Sun.¡±


    Today, she would try to extinguish a sun.


    An impact fierce enough to tear the entire land asunder burst forth instantaneously.


    Across the desert, the massive storm condensed into a sharp arrow and crashed directly into the ¡°sun,¡± which constructed a splendid coronet at the instant before the crash¨Cexploding astonishingly upon impact, followed by a destructive spew of matter.


    The entire desert seemed ignited by this explosion, a terrifying wave of fire instantaneously leveled all nearby dunes and boulders, melting the jagged rocks and filling the earth¡¯s cracks and craters.


    In the grand explosion of the ¡°coronet,¡± the storm was torn and scattered, wild winds abruptly dispersing into chaotic flows in the atmosphere, turning to walls and sharp arrows of sand breaking apart in the heat wave, partially falling to the ground and partially losing gravity, being thrust between two worlds, gathering like clouds around the inverted Silantis.


    After who knows how long, the sands around the impact site were finally blown away by the disorganized winds.


    A glimpse of brilliance first appeared amid the gradually dispersing dust.


    The Scions of the Sun still remained¨Ctheir light now dimmed, the hastily constructed ¡°false coronet¡± had resisted the storm¡¯s impact but also tore at its own essence. Now, its tendrils, curled within the flaming shell, abnormally twisted and trembled, a golden-red substance flowing from the burning shell, floating and burning on the surface of the surrounding magma lake.


    Countless inhuman eyes shifted about these convulsing tendrils, searching for the figure of the enemy as the dust settled.


    That figure appeared near a fan-shaped impact crater.


    Fenna stood there quietly, the air around her twisting in the heat wave, the last breath of wind dissipating from the tip of her longsword.


    She raised her head, glancing at the Scions of the Sun in the distance.


    The next second, her form dispersed with the wind, transforming into countless fluttering ashes that lightly scattered across the land in the sunlight.


    A small sphere radiating dazzling light fell through the air, landing atop those still scorching ashes.


    ¡°¡­Ultimately still mortal, but deserving of respect,¡±


    The Scions of the Sun uttered a muffled tremble, and slowly floated up, summoning invisible forces, ready to retrieve the ¡°Ancient Star¡± fallen amidst the ashes.


    The star remained unmoved.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±


    For the first time, this ancient god¡¯s progeny felt a twinge of confusion.


    And in the next second, a sudden gust of wind swept over the sands, picking up those scattered ashes!


    A ghostly green firelight slowly emerged within the ashes, and then nearly in the blink of an eye blazed vigorously; a chaotic, nameless shadow swept over the ashes, seeming to reshape a soul into an ethereal form. Then all of the ashes, under the pull of the ghostly green firelight, floated mid-air and quickly consolidated, reshaped, regaining color and texture¨Cin mere seconds, they had once again formed Fenna¡¯s figure.


    Even the damaged armor was restored as the ghostly green flames passed over it¨Cas if time had reversed.


    Fenna bent down to casually pick up her longsword and staff, then raised her head, gazing at the still blazing, false sun.


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    She saw its convulsing tendrils and the golden-red substance flowing from its fiery shell.


    A smile emerged at the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°So you do bleed¨C¡±


    She stepped forward to walk.


    The fierce winds once again swept over the land, the yellow sand rising again in the storm.


    ¡°So, the next question¨Cis do you fear?¡±

 Chapter 642 - Chapter 642 Chapter 640 Sailing the Skies

    Chapter 642: Chapter 640 Sailing the Skies Chapter 642: Chapter 640 Sailing the Skies A roar more thunderous than thunder itself, more terrifying than a mountain collapse, echoed between the two worlds. This booming sound trembled repeatedly between the two overhanging lands, even dispersing the sea of fire and clouds of smoke around Silantis, piercing through the tranquility brought by the ¡°Wall of Silence,¡± startling Lukeleysia and her companions who were resting briefly.


    Sherry almost instantly sprang up from the ground, subconsciously looking up in the direction of the roar while exclaiming, ¡°What the hell exploded?! What was that?¡±


    ¡°Look up there!¡± Nina ran to the edge of the protective light barrier, trying hard to see the upside-down desert continent in the sky, pointing in a certain direction, ¡°There¡¯s a huge explosion over there!¡±


    Sherry looked toward the direction of Nina¡¯s finger, her eyes widening bit by bit.


    On that upside-down continent, she saw a storm raging; the vague clusters of storm clouds, like a moving wall, swept across the land. Within the storm, flashes of light could be seen. Each time there was a light burst, the storm itself seemed to disperse momentarily, and a terrifying roar would echo between the two worlds¨Cthen the storm would reshape itself, once again converging into a bright flame.


    In these repeated impacts and explosions, the material of ¡°another world¡± had been scattered between the two worlds. Countless dust and sand were now floating above Silantis, drifting chaotically in the crevices between the two worlds as if gravity had no hold, forming rivers of flowing sand in the sky and clouds of dust both large and small.


    The slow collision process between the two worlds had stopped at some unknown moment, as if some external force had forcibly ¡°stuck¡± this progression, leaving only the continuous booming sound between heaven and earth. The material constantly tossed out between the two lands formed increasingly massive ¡°clouds.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep staying here,¡± Morris suddenly said. ¡°There might be trouble at Fenna¡¯s end¨Cshe¡¯s been unreachable since a while ago.¡±


    ¡°Are we going over there?¡± Sherry lifted her hand, pointing to the other world above their heads, ¡°I have no objections, but how do we get there? The paper boat Lukeleysia folded earlier turned to ashes during the ¡®landing¡¯¡­¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than Lukeleysia casually pulled out a sheet of white paper from nowhere, waving it in front of everyone, ¡°I still have paper, I¡¯ll fold another.¡±


    Sherry stared dumbly at the sheet of white paper brought out by Miss Witch, her expression slightly peculiar, ¡°Still folding with paper? Isn¡¯t there a sturdier method?¡±


    Lukeleysia thought for a moment, then fished another sheet of paper from her bosom.


    ¡°I¡¯ll use two sheets together.¡±


    Sherry evidently still thought this was unreliable, but she couldn¡¯t beat anyone in a fight, so she wisely and cautiously kept her opinions to herself¨Cand under her and A-Dog¡¯s cautious watch, Lukeleysia had already tossed a new paper boat beyond the barrier.


    The paper boat swiftly enlarged in mid-air, stretching, and in the blink of an eye turned into a pristine little boat, floating outside the semi-transparent light screen like a light, drifting cloud.


    Nina gaped at this sight, unable to help but let out an exclamation of amazement, ¡°Incredible! How did you do this?! Can I learn it?¡±


    ¡°Witch¡¯s trick, I suggest you not be too interested,¡± Lukeleysia glanced at Nina with an envious face, waving her hand as she stepped toward the barrier, ¡°At this stage, it¡¯s better for you to learn math, physics, and chemistry first¡­¡±


    Nina pursed her lips with a complicated expression, then looked up again at the completely changed world outside the barrier.


    She took a deep breath, then turned to look at the small tree that supported the last of the Wall of Silence.


    After two seconds, she and Sherry simultaneously waved at the small tree, whispering their goodbyes.


    Moments later, the paper-folded little boat silently rose into the sky, carrying the group away from the scorched land, flying toward the upside-down world at the edge of the sky.


    Sherry leaned over the edge of the boat, looking down at the forest gradually being covered by darkness and smoke, watching the tiny conical light screen fade away into the thick smoke and ultimately disappear after several flashes of lightning, musing softly after a long while, ¡°Can we ever see that tree again?¡±


    ¡°We can not. Everything here will eventually vanish¨Cand that is for the best concerning the real world,¡± Lukeleysia¡¯s voice came from the side, carrying a nearly inhuman calm and reason, ¡°This place is but a part of the memories of the elf race, everything here, in an extremely distant past, has already perished. Silantis, Xilin, Saslouka¡­ a very, very long time ago, they were already dead.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I know, I know,¡± Sherry said with some irritation, waving her hand dismissively, her tone carrying a complaint ¡°You don¡¯t have to put it so bluntly, I was just feeling a little sentimental¡­¡±


    Lukeleysia paid no attention to Sherry¡¯s grumbling. Instead, she earnestly navigated the paper-folded boat, quickly shifting her focus from the forest below to the World Tree afar.


    Although the slow collision of the two worlds had temporarily stopped, the collapse of Silantis continued¨Cthe once sky-covering huge canopy of the World Tree was now thoroughly burnt through by the sea of fire flowing in the sky, turning into a terrifying wreckage crisscrossing amidst the flames, while the remaining fire still flowed along those mountain-like winding branches. Some of these flames had even spread to the realm of ¡°another world.¡±


    But those spreading flames seemed to be blocked by something, only able to float above the desert, unable to touch the world truly.


    A thunder-like sound came from Silantis¨Ca great collapse of the World Tree gradually reaching its peak.


    The treetops consumed by the flames began to fracture in large chunks, as massive as a city falling from the clouds, crashing down on the land. The mountains were torn apart by the collapse of the World Tree, with ravines and canyons gradually being filled and covered by the ashes of the mighty tree. Dust and smoke obscured the sky, and Silantis was slowly returning to the shape Nina and Morris had first seen.


    The little boat was gradually approaching the critical point between the two worlds.


    ¡°Everyone, be careful; we might experience gravitational reversal,¡± Morris warned. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, and hold on to the gunwale.¡±


    Nina and Sherry immediately reacted, obediently grabbing the edges of the paper boat. A-Dog also clung tightly to the raised structures inside the paper boat, formed by the fold lines.


    Lucresia, while preparing for the gravitational reversal, was also carefully controlling the paper boat as it continued to ascend.


    However, just when everything was prepared, a great sense of crisis suddenly surged from deep within her heart!


    An attack!


    No sooner had this thought surfaced in her mind than Lucresia abruptly maneuvered the small boat to the side¨C but this response was ultimately a step too slow. In the next second, a burst of brilliance suddenly appeared in the air, slicing through. Although it merely grazed by, the edge of the paper boat was instantly shredded and ignited by the light!


    And in the next instant, an endless barrage of brilliance appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    It was an interwoven light, a type of barrier hidden between the two worlds, revealing itself only when an uninvited guest attempted to approach that desert world¨Cthose tangled rays were bright and pure, dazzling like sunlight, yet they carried a fierce malice and a terrifying, twisted air of madness.


    This grand curtain of light surged in the sky, and the flame streams rising from its edges poured down like a torrential downpour from the sky, covering the trembling little paper boat!


    Caught in the ¡°rainstorm¡± of fire and bright light, Sherry and A-Dog exclaimed in unison, ¡°What the hell is this?!!¡±


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s the power of the Creeping Sun!¡± Lucresia had already recognized the familiar yet blasphemous aura from the fluttering curtain of light. As she hurriedly controlled the boat to decrease its altitude, she spoke rapidly, ¡°I knew it¡­ The Scions of the Sun have infiltrated. They¡¯ve sealed off the sky!¡±


    Before her words ended, a blinding flash suddenly streaked before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    The flash almost ripped the entire paper boat apart.


    The fragmented boat lost control and began to wobble as it plummeted towards the ground.


    Sherry instantly hugged A-Dog¡¯s neck, shouting at the top of her lungs, ¡°I can¡¯t fly!¡±


    Her cry echoed in the sky, but at that moment, a strange, tearing roar suddenly came from afar, cutting off her shout.


    That bizarre sound even seemed to quiet the whole world.


    In the shakily falling paper boat, Lucresia opened her eyes wide in surprise, looking toward the direction of the strange sounds.


    It was Silantis¡¯s trunk.


    Somewhere at the base of that trunk, a tearing roar was being emitted.


    The land trembled, and even from this distance, cracks visible to the naked eye appeared on the surface of the trunk, resembling a huge mountain. The next second, the cracks suddenly widened, and a burst of blazing green Spectral Flame erupted from within!


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    Amid the rapidly expanding Spectral Flame, a massive shadow emerged from Silantis¡¯s trunk¨Cfirst a majestic prow, then the soaring masts and semi-transparent spectral sails, followed by the wide deck, orderly array of gun ports, and the towering stern.


    It was the Homeloss, now completely transformed into its Spectral Form, tearing through the remnants of Silantis and entering this world from near the roots of the World Tree.


    Afterward, it began to ascend, gliding over the scorched earth, over the forests where embers still remained, sailing through this once whole but now fragmented and unrecognizable world, and making its way higher and higher.


    The Ghost Ship sailed through the skies under the afterglow of the apocalypse.


    The ethereal Spectral Flames, like foam and wake rippling on the sea¡¯s surface, undulated and spread out behind the stern, layer upon layer, covering and infiltrating the spreading sea of fire around Silantis, as if to rekindle the entire world once again.

 Chapter 643 - Chapter 643 Chapter 641 Insight

    Chapter 643: Chapter 641: Insight Chapter 643: Chapter 641: Insight In the final connection with the paper ship, Lucrecia struggled to control it as it descended towards the Homeloss, which was flying over the forest.


    Homeloss also noticed the shaky little ship, struggling in the sky and on the verge of crashing. With a sudden burst of speed in midair, the enormous ship, though in its Spiritual Body state, moved as lightly as a gust of wind, almost instantly positioning itself below Lucrecia and the others.


    The torn paper ship resembled an uncontrollable cloud, and after several dangerous directional adjustments, it finally crashed askew onto the deck of the Homeloss.


    Sherry and A-dog tumbled out of the paper ship, rolling several times on the deck before finally stabilizing. Then, a tall figure appeared in front of them¨CDuncan bent down, reached out, and pulled the dizzy Sherry upright, then did the same for Nina, who had also rolled over.


    Sherry seemed a bit dazed, but after shaking her head vigorously, her gaze finally started to focus. She looked around, fully relieved, ¡°TMD, I finally survived¡­ I thought I was definitely dead this time¡­¡±


    ¡°Uncle Duncan!¡± Nina cheered joyfully, throwing herself into Duncan¡¯s arms.


    Duncan smiled and patted Nina¡¯s hair gently, giving her a light hug before looking up not far away.


    Morris stood firmly on the deck, one hand on his cane and the other holding a sophisticated mechanical device like a gyroscope, smiling at them. Lucrecia, meanwhile, floated gently down from a nearby mast¨Cthe moment before the paper ship impacted the deck, she had preemptively flown out.


    Then she momentarily hung from the mast.


    ¡°You all seem to be in good shape,¡± Duncan smiled and nodded at them, ¡°But really, riding a paper-folding ship towards a burning sky was quite risky.¡±


    Lucrecia, approaching them, showed a hint of embarrassment on her face, ¡°¡­This spell indeed has room for improvement.¡±


    Nina immediately tugged at Duncan¡¯s arm, pointing upwards at the barrier that seemed to separate two worlds, ¡°Uncle, look up there¨C¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve already seen it.¡±


    A resplendent barrier, as if constructed from sunlight, covered the sky between the two worlds, hanging low like an ¡°outer shell¡±, enveloping the sandy landscape below.


    Homeloss was gradually increasing its altitude; it had now reached the upper limits of the forest. At this moment, the lustrous sunlight barrier nearly grazed the highest mast of Homeloss, with faint ripples emanating outward, appearing gentle and harmless.


    ¡°Fenna might be trapped on the other side,¡± Morris approached with a serious expression, ¡°This barrier is powered by the ¡®Creeping Sunwheel¡¯, its builder was targeting the ¡®sun¡¯ Fenna spoke of; we hit this barrier just earlier¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°I know¨Cthe barrier is trying to keep me out.¡±


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Nina asked curiously, looking upwards, ¡°Can we just smash through it?¡±


    Duncan glanced at her somewhat helplessly, ¡°You¡¯ve been led astray by Sherry¨Cgirls shouldn¡¯t always think of brute-force methods.¡±


    As he spoke, he looked up at the grand ¡°Sunlight Curtain¡± floating above Homeloss.


    The next second, a faint creaking noise emanated from deep within Homeloss; following that, the Ghost Ship, ablaze with fierce Spiritual Fire, suddenly elevated further, then charged directly into the surging sea of light.


    Gravity inversion occurred¨Cin the instant the inversion took place, Homeloss rolled violently within the barrier, navigating the shifting direction of gravity after crossing the threshold between the two worlds.


    When Sherry, dizzy and disoriented, climbed up from the deck once again, she discovered that Homeloss was now sailing on the surface of the hot, undulating light barrier. Below the barrier was the vaguely visible desert landscape, while the familiar forest and the almost completely wrecked Silantis hung upside down above her head.


    The ¡°Sunlight Curtain,¡± separating the two worlds, reacted almost immediately, just like when the paper ship neared it earlier¨Cblazing sunlight instantaneously transformed into surging flames that began to undulate towards the unwelcome visitor navigating on the surface of the barrier¨Cflames like mountains, rushing forth, roaring and boiling!


    However, every streak of light that neared Homeloss instantly took on a deep green hue, transforming into subdued Spiritual Fire, swirling around Homeloss.


    The next second, these eerie green flames began to spread across the barrier, spreading like a growing contamination, expanding in area and speed increasingly.


    This seemingly magnificent barrier was visibly corroding and melting at a rapid pace!


    Nina¡¯s eyes widened as she watched the golden curtain outside the ship¡¯s bulwarks instantly turn into an expanse of spreading green fire, unable to help but exclaim softly, ¡°Wow¨C¡±


    Duncan did not speak; he continued to silently watch this ¡°dividing line¡± between the two worlds, a thoughtful expression gradually forming on his face.


    He was still recalling the phenomenon he observed at the moment of the gravity inversion.


    The direction of gravity changed instantly¨Cthere was no ¡°equilibrium point¡± of zero gravity between the two worlds; he didn¡¯t feel the gravity gradually weakening and shifting a ¡°gradual process¡± as he neared this dividing line.


    This further showed that the ¡°collision¡± between the two worlds was not a simple physical process, and was not merely two celestial bodies coming into physical contact¨Cthough they were now so close together, the gravity of each of their lands still distinctly operated independently, as if¡­


    they were incompatible.


    While revealing this ¡°incompatibility,¡± both the forest and the desert worlds simultaneously experienced the strange phenomenon of ¡°Corrosion,¡± where everything underwent grotesque mutations, and indescribable entities bred from the shadows. Silantis even began to crumble and combust before the inverted desert approached, which felt like¡­


    a contamination of the spiritual realm on a world scale.


    The two worlds, completely unable to interpret, establish, or be compatible with each other, were distorting simultaneously as they drew closer.


    Duncan raised his head and looked up at Silantis, hanging inverted in the sky and collapsing completely in flames; the World Tree had become unrecognizable, and, in its collapse, the homeland of the Elves was gradually taking on a state completely eroded by darkness, dissolving and breaking down amidst the chaos.


    The unique racial Trait of the Elves constructed this peculiar dimension known as ¡°The Dream of the Nameless,¡± where Silantis was trapped in an eternal nightmare, and this scene before him was the deepest part of that nightmare.


    The era just before the Deep Sea was about to begin, and The Annihilation of All Things was occurring.


    The essence of The Annihilation of All Things¡­ was the collision of two worlds.


    Duncan suddenly furrowed his brow.


    Two worlds? Were there really only two worlds?


    He suddenly remembered that ¡°warrior¡± transformed into living metal, the world of swords and Magic collapsing at twilight, his homeland¡¯s ¡°moon,¡± and the endless fog outside his apartment, along with the contradictory historical records still preserved in various City-States, the countless bizarre legends recorded in the scrolls of the Dark Age, those ancient civilizations that couldn¡¯t be verified, those inexplicable, historical artifacts not belonging to any known civilization, and the¡­strong contamination they carried.


    Some historical artifacts, by their mere existence, seemed ¡°toxic¡± to the world; merely being placed there, they would distort and contaminate everything around them.


    And then there were some things that weren¡¯t even allowed to exist in reality, with no possible containment or neutralization methods¨Ctheir immediate destruction was the only safe measure, and they were fearfully referred to as¡­ ¡°Profane Prototypes.¡±


    Duncan quietly stood on the deck of Homeloss, between two worlds that were destroying each other; at the brink of this apocalypse that annihilated all things, he finally grasped the true nature of The Annihilation of All Things.


    Lucresia suddenly felt something.


    It was as if an invisible wind was stirring on the deck, a suffocating, heavy pressure forming by her side.


    In a panic, she looked in the direction where the oppressive force was emanating.


    A bright starlight quietly stood not far from her, outlining a faint human figure¨Cit seemed to stand right before her, yet also seemed to be infinitely distant at the same time. It wasn¡¯t very tall, yet it gave off a weird impression of being enormously vast, forever impossible to fully perceive its boundaries.


    Lucresia remembered¨Cshe had seen this fragment of starlight once before when she had just recently reunited with her father during a perilous moment, in a fleeting glimpse she had seen some of the ¡°truth¡± behind her father¡¯s form.


    But this time it was different.


    All optical laws and visual perceptions seemed to fail in front of that starlight. Lucresia was shocked to find her own sight distorting within the starlight, brewing some kind of ¡°logic¡± she couldn¡¯t understand; she tried to look away but found it utterly impossible¨C


    her gaze seemed to have become part of that starlight.


    However, the next second, just as she thought her sanity was about to be completely swallowed and assimilated by that gigantic starlight, all of the starlight receded.


    A broad palm covered her eyes.


    Lucresia paused for a moment before realizing¨Cit was her father¡¯s hand.


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    She numbly grasped the hand, carefully pushed it aside, and looked toward where the bright starlight had been.


    The starlight had once again collapsed into Duncan¡¯s form.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± she heard her father say gently, ¡°I¡¯m still here.¡±


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Lucresia blinked, only calming down after hearing Duncan¡¯s voice, yet the ¡°scorch mark¡± left by the bright starlight seemed to still be deeply imprinted in her mind, ¡°Just now you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Duncan said softly, ¡°I just suddenly understood something.¡±

 Chapter 644 - Chapter 644 Chapter 642 Destroying the Sunset

    Chapter 644: Chapter 642: Destroying the Sunset Chapter 644: Chapter 642: Destroying the Sunset For Duncan, the ¡°Great Obliteration¡± had finally ceased to be a completely unknown mystery. Deep within the ancient, massive curtain, the truth at last unveiled a corner to him¨Cthe most crucial corner.


    It was the ¡°collision¡± between worlds that had caused the Great Obliteration. The ¡°incompatibility¡± of different worlds warped the remnants of the collision into the bizarre and perilous Deep Sea Era we see today. The scene lingering in the deepest nightmares of Silantis was a microcosm of that collision.


    But it was just a microcosm¨Cthe worlds involved in the collision were not limited to just those two.


    Duncan could feel that, as he ¡°understood¡± these truths, some changes were taking place within himself.


    Just a moment ago, he even felt as though everything before his eyes dissolved into chaotic, non-existent¡­ colors. In the depths of those colors, he saw the essence of the world, saw them all as faltering starlight, each cluster of light composed of abstract descriptive information;


    He also saw that everything was at a slow collapse¡¯s tipping point, their contradicting natures causing them to continuously crumble and re-form in the depths of information. He felt as though he understood the entire world¡¯s true face and had almost found the ¡°sole solution¡± to all contradictions and imbalances¡­


    But that was only for a moment.


    He seemed to be missing something, missing a most critical ¡°parameter.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s reason returned to reality; he blinked and felt as if myriad voices were thundering in his mind. Then, as those thunderings gradually faded, he slowly regained his ability to think.


    He had understood the nature of the Great Obliteration, understood how the current Deep Sea Era had formed¡­ But what was that missing ¡°key parameter¡±? If he had comprehended the truth of the world, what was it that he still did not understand?


    Impressions from seeing the world¡¯s true face moments earlier still lingered in Duncan¡¯s mind, driving him to ponder these abstract, challenging questions involuntarily, but soon he forcefully took control of his thoughts and noticed the worried gaze of Lucresia.


    Now was not the time to continue pondering those questions.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just suddenly understood some things,¡± he said, waving his hand, then turned his head, focusing his gaze beyond the ship¡¯s railing.


    The Homeloss was sailing across the surface of the light curtain, made up of false sunlight. The Spectral Flame blazed, rapidly spreading across and consuming the curtain, corroding and melting through the seemingly strong barrier, while the clashing forces lifted storm after storm of light and flame in the distance.


    But it seemed it would still take some time to completely melt through this ¡°light wall.¡±


    Unless¡­ the barrier itself suddenly developed a ¡°weak point¡±¡­


    Below the curtain of light and sea of fire, on that nameless world covered by yellow sand, another desert storm was shaping up. Deep within the storm, another great flash burst forth.


    The winds sweeping through the entire desert scattered again, and the chaotic air currents shattered the storm¡¯s curtain, sending dust swirling down to the ground.


    And within the gradually thinning dust haze, a ¡°sunlight¡± with an increasingly dimming glow was slowly emerging, floating above the overflowing and surging lake of magma, its surface flickering and pulsing to the naked eye.


    A light breeze picked up, gathering ashes, slowly reshaping.


    ¡°What the hell are you?!?!¡± The chaotic, screeching roar sounded out once more, humanly incomprehensible language mixed in with the fearsome noise. Underneath the sham corona, the innumerable eyes of the Scions of the Sun trembled violently, fixated on the figure emerging from the ashes.


    Now there was an emotion, human-like, in its roar. It was anger.


    Fenna slowly raised her giant sword, her gaze serenely fixed on the ¡°sun¡± that had fallen to the ground ahead, slowly speaking, ¡°After all, just an offshoot of some ancient god, not so strong.¡±


    The Scions of the Sun paid her no heed, instead, continuing to repeat, ¡°What the hell are you?!¡±


    Fenna finally lowered her head, glancing at her own body.


    The last wisp of ash was gradually returning to her body, pulled by the Spectral Flame. She could feel her senses reviving from numbness, blood reappearing and starting to circulate, a heart¨Can organ similar to that of a human¨Chad resumed beating within her chest.


    She could even feel the process of the heart¡¯s reshaping.


    ¡°Merely a pile of ash,¡± she said softly as she stepped forward.


    ¡°Ash? No¡­ You are not some ash!¡± The hoarse, low tremble of the Scions of the Sun came from afar, ¡°Subspace¡­ you carry the scent of subspace, you are a Subspace Shadow that has leaked into the real world¨Cwhat the hell are you?!¡±


    Fenna suddenly stopped.


    A trace of astonishment appeared in her eyes, followed by thought, and then, as if she vaguely understood something, she spoke in contemplation, ¡°You¡¯re saying, I am a Subspace Shadow?¡±


    The Scion of the Sun did not answer her question, but instead emitted an unsettling, low and chaotic noise. Flames and light gathered again, repairing and reshaping the ¡°corona¡± on its surface.


    Fenna, however, was not concerned. She did not expect to get all the answers from the mouth of this blasphemous being, or rather, she had already found her own answers.


    Yes, by definition, she was indeed a Subspace Shadow¨Cthe power of Subspace had reshaped the pile of ashes from over a decade ago into ¡°Fenna,¡± and in that process of reshaping, she had essentially already become a Subspace creation.


    Therefore, an ¡°entity returning from Subspace¡± should look like her.


    ¡°So¡­ the captain is another kind of existence¡­¡±


    Fenna murmured softly to herself and then, as if she sensed something, she lifted her head and watched in silence the ¡°sun¡± that rose over the distant lands.


    The Scion of the Sun sensed her gaze, and from this watchfulness felt a disquieting implication. Its surface swelled and wriggled, emitting a low tremor, as if it was threatening, or perhaps warning.


    But Fenna just laughed, paying no mind to the heat wave that started to surge around her again, nor the lethal ¡°sunlight¡± that was gradually gathering on the Scion of the Sun.


    ¡°You, too, know fear,¡± she exhaled softly, speaking with a smile.


    Then, the sky ignited.


    A sea of fire, undulating like the ocean and churning like a storm, suddenly appeared and almost instantly covered one-third of the sky. The flames momentarily dispersed the clouds and mist between the two worlds and began to gradually sink and indent towards the land below.


    A massive shadow emerged from the center of the sea of fire, seeming as if it would pierce through the heavens, and as the mammoth shadow continued to descend, pale golden ¡°sunlight¡± fleetingly appeared around the edges of the fire sea, as if trying to rebuild the barrier to block this ¡°invasion.¡± But in the next second, those lights shattered like glass¨Cwith the sound of illusory shattering, the mighty Ghost Ship, wrapped in flames, finally descended from the sky.


    The Scion of the Sun let out a series of chaotic roars. It was shocked to find that the barrier it had carefully constructed had been melted through by an outside force at some unknown time. Even the flames on the barrier no longer obeyed its commands and then, its ¡°gaze¡± was drawn to the colossal ship descending from the sky.


    Its ¡°shell¡± of fire and light opened, and the tendrils piled up inside the shell involuntarily stretched and unfolded in the sunlight. Eyes unlike those of humans turned to behold the silhouette of the Homeloss, gazing at the ball of fire, gazing at the figure within that fire.


    The truth had arrived.


    A voice came from the heavens: ¡°You see me.¡±


    And so, the flames on the Scion of the Sun¡¯s shell were suddenly tinged with an eerie green¨Cthe eerie green fire, like a living thing, began to spread over the entire body of this ancient god creature and promptly ignited and transformed it from the inside out.


    Yet, it was not instantly reduced to ashes¨Camid the rapid burning of the Spectral Flame, it struggled to drift up from the ground and then dashed forcefully towards the sky.


    At almost the same moment, the bow of the Homeloss ejected a bright stream of flame.


    It was a golden arc of fierce flame¨Cthe stream erupted from the bow of the Ghost Ship towards the heavens, unhesitatingly pursuing the Scion of the Sun trailing a long tail of flames, like a falling meteor, and pierced it in the blink of an eye.


    However, the ¡°fireball¡± was not yet dead. It just paused briefly before struggling to continue its flight to the sky.


    It was about to escape this world.


    But as the fireball was about to turn into a mere shadow at the edge of the sky, a massive phantasm suddenly appeared in its path of escape.


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    It was a pitch-black billy goat.


    He was mountainously huge, floating at the edge of the sky like a dark cloud, with illusory lightning dancing between His horns, and His eyes reflecting a deep green firelight. His form, gathered from the flowing Spiritual Flames in the heavens, was chaotic and undefined¨CHe dipped His head slightly toward the Homeloss in silent acknowledgment and then turned His gaze to the fireball trying to flee.


    The billy goat took a few steps back among the clouds, and then with His head lowered, surged forward rapidly¨Cthe sea of fire gathered behind Him, and a path of flames spread beneath His feet. He ran along this fiery path, like a pitch-black meteor plummeting from the clouds, accelerating to a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, and then collided fiercely with the accelerating fireball rising in the sky.


    The massive explosion and impact shattered the last remaining clouds between the two worlds, even shattering distant mountains and a part of the already crumbling earth. The rising fireball fragmented into pieces during this collision, with the large and small fragments turning into dust in an instant beneath the burn of the green flames, and a glistening ¡°core¡± fell from the sky but was halfway consumed by a Spiritual Flame that emerged from nowhere, vanishing in the blink of an eye.


    The Black Goat walked out of the firestorm created by the explosion, descending from the clouds at the edge of the heavens towards the earth, alongside the Homeloss, landing before Fenna.

 Chapter 645 - Chapter 645 Chapter 643 After the Annihilation of All Things

    Chapter 645: Chapter 643 After the Annihilation of All Things Chapter 645: Chapter 643 After the Annihilation of All Things The aftershocks caused by the explosion reverberated between two worlds, stirring up winds of chaos that tousled Fenna¡¯s silver-white hair. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the gritty wind, watching the Ghost Ship, ablaze with fierce flames, slowly descend onto the sandy sea. Then she saw the giant black goat descending from the clouds, step by step, coming to a stop beside Homeloss.


    A flame then fell like a meteor from the deck of Homeloss and exploded before her eyes into a grand portal. Duncan stepped out from it.


    ¡°Captain!¡± Fenna immediately snapped back to reality, stepping towards Duncan, but she staggered after just half a step, nearly toppling forward¨Cjust in the nick of time, she steadied herself with the staff left by the giant, swaying momentarily before regaining her balance.


    Duncan quickly approached her, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    Clutching the staff with one hand, Fenna struggled to lift her head and managed a weary smile, ¡°This time¡­ I think I¡¯m really exhausted.¡±


    She then let the Longsword in her other hand dissolve away and dug into her clothes, retrieving the radiant and warm ¡°Sun¡± left by Tarrikin, slightly trembling as she handed it to Duncan, ¡°Here, this is the ¡®Sun¡¯ that Tarrikin left behind¡­ It¡¯s intact.¡±


    Duncan immediately recognized the name, ¡°Tarrikin?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that giant¡­ His name is Tarrikin,¡± Fenna nodded slightly, ¡°He is a god who recorded history, who fell on the day of the Great Annihilation long ago.¡±


    Frowning deeply, Duncan stared at the ancient ¡°star¡± in Fenna¡¯s hand, radiating warmth. Amidst myriad thoughts, he finally reached out and took the sphere.


    The warmth seeped into his palm, the flames on the surface of the sphere gently licking his skin¨Cbut now there were more pressing matters.


    Duncan casually stored the ¡°Sun¡± into his chest, stepped forward to support Fenna¡¯s arm, and took the large, rough staff that resembled a tree trunk from her¨Che could tell, this valiant young woman was truly at her limit.


    Fenna did not protest; she breathed a sigh of relief, leaning most of her weight on Duncan¡¯s shoulder and looked up at the giant black goat still standing quietly beside Homeloss, thoughtfully asking, ¡°¡­ Is that the ¡®First Mate¡¯?¡±


    ¡°How did you recognize him?¡±


    ¡°The face shape, although magnified many times, I could still tell,¡± Fenna said, and couldn¡¯t help adding, ¡°Besides, I do think and reason too.¡±


    ¡°It is indeed him¨CI repaired Homeloss¡¯s keel and shared some of my flame with him, allowing him to regain this form for a short while,¡± Duncan spoke as he led Fenna towards the still-present flame portal at the edge of the sand dune, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss the details later. Let¡¯s head back to the ship first, the ordeal isn¡¯t over yet.¡±


    As if to confirm Duncan¡¯s words, no sooner had he spoken than a low, sinister rumbling and unsettling wailing gradually approached from afar, sounding as though two immense grindstones had begun to crush and shred each other again, the terrifying vibrations and loud sounds echoing in both worlds!


    At the distant horizon, the ¡°collision¡± that had paused momentarily had restarted¨Cmountains were collapsing, clouds starting to boil, and in the sky, the depths of the ruined Silantis once again glowed with immense fires. The forests and lands nearly engulfed by darkness seemed momentarily to reshaping, yet in their reshaping, they twisted into horrendous forms¨Conly to disintegrate once again the next second, swallowed back by darkness, the cycle repeating, inching towards madness.


    Around Fenna, the boundless desert was once again whipped up by a fearsome wind, this time not of her making¨Can ¡°Storm¡±¨Cthose winds seemed to harbor countless screaming, ferocious phantoms, each calling a series of lost names, and a huge wall of sandstorm formed, faintly revealing the illusion of cities and mountains within the barricade.


    The final collision and merging of the two worlds had begun.


    In the last second before the storm hit, Duncan dragged Fenna into the rotating portal of flames.


    The next second, she was standing on the deck of Homeloss¨Cthe Spectral Flame blazing outside the Ghost Ship formed a barrier, the terrifying scene of the worlds colliding turning into distorted, murky illusions beyond the flames. Yet even through this barrier, she could almost hear the roar of both worlds collapsing, the terrible thunder of annihilation!


    ¡°I thought it was all over¡­¡± she said in astonishment, watching the world outside splintering apart, feeling the increasingly intense vibrations on the deck, seemingly a bit slow to react, ¡°Why¡­¡±


    ¡°We only eliminated the Scion of the Sun who invaded The Dream of the Nameless¨Cyet the nightmare of Silantis will not end because of this,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice arose beside her, ¡°This place holds the deepest memories of the Elves¡¯ race, the scene of the Great Annihilation deeply engraved here¨Cthe collision and annihilation of the two worlds, it is the inevitable conclusion of this nightmare.¡±


    As the ship¡¯s shaking grew more intense, Fenna, striving to maintain her balance, stared intensely at the collapsing everything afar, finally bursting out, ¡°How can we stop all this¡­¡±


    Duncan turned his head, silently gazing into her eyes, ¡°Stop? Stop what? Stop the collision of the two worlds? Or stop the Great Annihilation?¡±


    Fenna paused, seemingly coming to a realization.


    ¡°The Annihilation had already occurred¨Cin the true annals of history, as the onset of the Deep Sea Era, it had long since happened and concluded. All that remained was a ¡®memory¡¯ of an event already passed. We couldn¡¯t prevent it, nor did we need to,¡± Duncan slowly shook his head, ¡°Our only task was to stop Silantis.¡±


    Fenna no longer spoke, merely displaying a contemplative expression.


    Duncan then slowly approached the edge of the deck, gazing far into the distance, beholding the apocalyptic demise of the world.


    The blending of the two worlds had begun¨Cat the finale of the ¡°collision,¡± the two inversely suspended lands did not physically overlap. Instead, they disintegrated before that, in numerous reshaping events and distortive disintegrations, gradually transforming into some dark, chaotic¡­ ¡°entities.¡±


    Above and below Homeloss, around the deck, beyond the gunwales, the erstwhile forests, mountains, deserts, and rivers tore apart, swiftly losing their discernible colors and outlines. The light of the entire world diminished, and thereafter, those varied fragments slowly became dimly outlined ¡°clumps¡± floating amidst endless darkness, colliding and merging with each other, turning into even more distorted and grotesque shadows.


    Then, after an indeterminate amount of time had passed among the utterly submersed darkness of all things, a chaotically dim luminescence appeared¨Cas though it were the soul that remained after the world had burned out and extinguished, like the last flickers of embers. These dim lights flowed chaotically among those grotesque shadowy clumps in Duncan¡¯s view.


    Deep within those dim, unordered streams of light, amidst the wreckage and ruins of the world collision, only one barely recognizable form remained.


    It was a gigantic tree.


    It quietly floated in the deep darkness of the Annihilation of All Things, in the stopped flow of time and ages following the day of destruction.


    It was already dead, having perished completely during the collision. The conflict of laws and order annihilated all things, and gods, being one step ahead, were no exceptions, nor was the World Tree created by gods¨CSilantis was just an illusion, a phantom that had long since vanished.


    But it couldn¡¯t truly die.


    Because deep in the ¡°Elves''¡± memory, there was always a recollection of such a World Tree.


    Even if these Elves were recreated, even if they were restored by ¡°The Saint¡± during the third great night¨Cafter witnessing the true nature of the Annihilation, Duncan had vaguely realized what the essence of ¡°all things¡± in this Deep Sea Era truly was.


    Nothing could escape the conflict of laws during the world collision, not the mightiest warriors of the kingdom, not the World Tree created by deities, not even the deities themselves.


    Duncan didn¡¯t know precisely what beings the ¡°Four Gods,¡± including ¡°Ever-Burning Tarrikin,¡± currently were, but he was certain of one thing: the entire Deep Sea Era, strictly speaking, was merely a product restored by The Saint from the ¡°Blueprint¡± after the third great night.


    They were all remnants.


    Duncan quietly watched the Silantis, quietly floating in the darkness, his gaze fixed on its remains and the chaotic shadows around it, once the homeland of a race.


    The ¡°World Tree¡± that appeared in the memory of the Elves, in a strict sense, was also a replication¨Cbut it couldn¡¯t comprehend this fact.


    Similarly, it couldn¡¯t recognize those Elves ¡°replicated¡± from ¡°ashes.¡±


    A faint glow slowly emanated from the remnants of Silantis.


    Dots of flowing light, like fireflies, gently seeped from the remains of the great tree, gradually gathering into a river in the chaos. This river meandered and gently encircled below Silantis, much like the rivers that long ago, in the forests of the elves¡¯ homeland, nourished the World Tree.


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    Every point of light in that river was a sleeping consciousness.


    Nourished by this river, the remains of Silantis once again began to grow¨Cin still lifeless ¡°corpse¡± state, its branches bizarrely rose and stretched, growing gray-white, densely twisted leaves from their edges, like a zombie rising from the grave, climbing into the mortal realm from the land of the dead.


    Ted Riel¡¯s final resistance had failed.


    Duncan reached out his hand.


    Homeloss silently sailed into the dark toward the beckoning pale, twisted ¡°Tree of Death,¡± already burned to ruins but still continuously growing and spreading.

 Chapter 646 - Chapter 646 Chapter 644 Sleep Peacefully

    Chapter 646: Chapter 644: Sleep Peacefully Chapter 646: Chapter 644: Sleep Peacefully All had fallen silent, the howls and roars from the collision of two worlds had vanished, and the colors and sunlight of the mortal realm had dissolved in the ultimate annihilation. In the chaotic darkness that followed the Annihilation of All Things, the dead World Tree continued to grow silently.


    New corpses sprouted from the old, and new ruins bred from the old ruins.


    She had forgotten the Elves, forgotten herself, forgotten all beginnings and endings¨Cbreeding, spreading, and continually growing were the only obsessions that occupied Silantis after the end.


    But Homeloss arrived in front of this ever-growing corpse, and the spreading ghostly green flame in the darkness became a barrier, preventing Silantis from further expansion.


    Finally, the dead World Tree reacted.


    Duncan saw unusual lights and shadows suddenly floating up from her remains¨Ca hazy fog, within which indistinct limbs and shapes seemed to hide. The fog¡¯s edges continuously spread from the tree canopy, resembling tentacles or winding roots.


    He was reminded of the hazy mists floating above the Pilgrimage Ark of the Four Gods Church.


    But before he could think further, an even greater transformation occurred¨Cthe ¡°river¡± comprised of countless tiny light spots, circling Silantis, suddenly collapsed. Countless tiny glimmers merged into the mist floating above the World Tree, and the next second, that seemingly weak and ethereal fog solidified violently and expanded outward!


    The boundaries of the fog turned into sharp projectiles, striking with all their might towards the Spiritual Fire surrounding Homeloss.


    A low, unreal rumbling seemed to echo in the darkness as Silantis¡¯s impacts stirred ripples in the Spiritual Fire; yet more flames emerged from the void, gradually dyeing the chaotic and pallid fog a ghostly green¨Cstill, Silantis kept on striking, even though every clash caused her fatal erosion, not stopping for a moment.


    Duncan even felt a sense of shock.


    This was the first time he saw a being daring to rush towards the Spiritual Fire.


    And the next second, during Silantis¡¯s repeated impacts, he saw a vague form gradually taking shape in the mist hovering above the World Tree.


    It was a glimmer of light, barely discernible in outline, like a soul in the process of formation, not yet fully shaped.


    But Duncan immediately realized that it was Silantis.


    ¡°This is pointless,¡± he couldn¡¯t help saying to the glimmer of light, ¡°You can¡¯t break through this barrier, and you will soon become part of it.¡±


    Yet the glimmer of light did not respond, only the continual impacts, and with each collision, the boundary of the mist began dissolving, the low rumble turning into a clear ¡°bang,¡± echoing repeatedly.


    Duncan watched this scene with a taut expression, and after a long while, he slowly raised his hand.


    Flames rose in the void and slowly flowed towards Silantis¡¯s essence in the darkness.


    ¡°Release those Elves and those things you have devoured, let Light Breeze Harbor return to the real world,¡± he said gravely, ¡°while there is still a chance to save everything.¡±


    Finally, the obscure glimmer responded; it flickered suddenly, and a sharp, youthful voice came from the darkness: ¡°They are not Elves!¡±


    The light spots, wandering and converging around the remains of the World Tree, suddenly began to agitate violently, more light converging into a stream, rushing towards the mist above Silantis!


    However, just as the mist was preparing for the next impact, the agitated light spots suddenly trembled violently again. Subsequently, many lights that had already merged into the mist abruptly experienced a ¡°backflow,¡± starting to detach from Silantis¡¯s ¡°attraction,¡± the particles of light falling like scattered petals from the space around the World Tree, as if stars encircling a great tree.


    The next second, one of those falling lights expanded and gradually took the form of a ghostly shadow¨C


    It was an Elf, not particularly tall, with graying hair and wearing a deep blue academic robe, his face seemingly perpetually tired, yet his gaze calmly stood amidst the numerous scattered, floating spots of light, quietly confronting the massive, mountain-like World Tree in the darkness.


    Ted Riel, the Truth Confidant of Light Breeze Harbor.


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    Duncan looked at the sudden appearance with some surprise: ¡°I thought you had perished.¡±


    But Ted Riel just shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s just a nightmare¨Cnot nearly as bad as grading the assignments and papers students rush on the last day of the holidays.¡±


    Perhaps due to the sudden departure of many Elves from her control, Silantis¡¯s mental entity seemed to fall into a brief daze of confusion, but soon her voice emerged again in the darkness: ¡°You all come back¡­ come back quickly, it¡¯s dangerous outside! Come back¡­ let¡¯s wait for Saslouka to return home, okay¡­¡±


    On the edge of the Spiritual Fire, a large black goat suddenly stepped out from the flames, lifting its head and staring quietly at the pale and twisted World Tree: ¡°I am here, little sapling.¡±


    Silantis suddenly froze, her mental entity wavering in the mist, seemingly unable to determine if the black goat in the flames was indeed the creator from her memories. For a moment, she seemed to waver, and the fog spreading from the edge of the canopy quietly drew back, yet the next second, a sharp wail and piercing noise once again swept across the darkness:

 Chapter 647 - Chapter 647 Chapter 644 Peaceful Sleep_2

    Chapter 647: Chapter 644: Peaceful Sleep_2 Chapter 647: Chapter 644: Peaceful Sleep_2 ¡°No, that¡¯s not right! You are not! None of you are! You all¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped, lowering her voice as if talking to herself in confusion, ¡°None of you are¡­ you died¡­ you died¡­ You are not elves¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°We indeed are not the elves you remember, Silantis.¡±


    A voice abruptly emerged, interrupting Silantis¡¯s confused thoughts.


    Though not loud, it seemed to resonate across the entire space, sounding aged yet seemingly carrying a comforting power.


    On the deck of Homeloss, an elderly figure, blurry and ethereal, slowly walked forward.


    Rune turned his head, nodded slightly to Duncan in acknowledgment, then calmly turned around, his expression serene as he gazed into the darkness at the massive tree.


    That was the World Tree of elf legend, their home, mother, myth, heritage¨C the origin of all their stories and the fountainhead of their brilliant civilization.


    Now, it had long died, its remains gradually becoming uncontrollable and proliferative in death.


    Rune had never seen such a colossal tree¨C being an elf, he had never even seen a forest, nor did he know how to survive in one. He hadn¡¯t seen winding rivers cut through valleys, turning into streams in the forests, nor had he seen birds and beasts dwell in the forest or flowers bloom in clearings, nor had he heard the sounds of wind and the forest in the night.


    It was said that elves were longer-lived then¨C their lifespans were nearly eternal, and they could rejuvenate under the protection of the World Tree, light and sturdy enough to run through the towering canopies¡­


    But Rune had never seen that.


    He was born after all that had been destroyed.


    He moved to the end of the deck, aging had curved his back slightly, years of desk work and poor lifestyle had contributed to his now slightly portly figure, he lifted his head, wrinkles gathering across his forehead, deeply furrowed.


    ¡°We are quite different from those you remember,¡± he said to the World Tree.


    Silantis did not speak, the slight glow merely trembling in the mist, from deep within the pale, twisted remains of the World Tree, a soft rustling, like leaves shaking, could be heard.


    After a long while, the delicate voice hesitantly spoke, ¡°The grooves on your face¡­ what are they?¡±


    ¡°They are wrinkles. When mortals age, their skin loosens and shrinks, turning into this,¡± Rune slowly explained, ¡°and on rainy days, I feel aches in my back and waist, because I am old now, and have always lived at sea¡­ My digestion isn¡¯t very good, my teeth have been fixed, and in a few years, I might die like other aged people, turning to ash in a stove, becoming fertilizer in a plantation¡­ We will not return to the World Tree, nor will we be reborn from large seedpods¡­¡±


    He stopped, lifting his head, gazing at the distant glow.


    ¡°Quite different from what you remember, right?¡± he said again.


    From deep within the debris of the World Tree, a soft rustling sounded once more.


    ¡°¡­ so none can return¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can¡¯t come back, none of us can come back, and even if we could, it might not be as you remember,¡± Rune said slowly, ¡°but¡­ I have something I¡¯d like to show you.¡±


    As he spoke, he reached into his chest and rummaged around, and after a moment, he pulled out a book.


    The book was old and worn, as if it had been frequently read, with elegant lettering on the cover that differed from the common language used in most City-States.


    He opened the aged book and found a passage, reading slowly, ¡°¡­The first ray of sunlight appeared on the boulder, and the traveler packed his bags, intending to cross the Hill of Blooming Flowers and reach Roland Nam¡¯s hillside before evening¡­¡±


    ¡°This is the ¡®Horo-Dazo Epic Poem¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, that poem. Long ago, explorers found a stone slab engraved with this poem on a dark island, along with many other records. It took us a thousand years to reclaim the meaning of these words and thousands more to search for the Hill of Blooming Flowers and that hillside described in the poem¡­ But we never found them, not even the dark islands that one day disappeared into the frontier¡¯s mist¡­¡±


    Rune¡¯s voice was low as he put down the book and gazed towards the distant glimmer.


    ¡°We have recovered much, of which half remains incomprehensible to us. But compared to humans and the Senkin People, the Elves¡¯ historical heritage has remained the most intact. We at least still remember how the creator awoke in the darkness and planted the first tree in the primordial Dreamscape¡­ Four hundred years ago, we replicated the ¡®Ringtail Lyre¡¯ craft; its sound was crisp, just as described in the ancient scrolls. Seventy-six years ago, we restored the last chapter of the ¡®Hydran Verses,¡¯ a collection of many intriguing stories said to have been offered to the gods¡­


    ¡°But there¡¯s much more that we do not and will never know, all lost in the Annihilation of All Things, vanished without a trace in the age of the deep seas, just like those dark islands that disappeared into the mist.


    ¡°Silantis, I¡¯m sorry, we are not the Elves you remember; we¡¯re merely picking up fragments from a rapidly flowing river, trying our best to leave these traces in the world after the apocalypse¡­ I don¡¯t know if this brings you any comfort, but¡­


    ¡°Truly, this is all that¡¯s left.¡±


    In the darkness, that faint light floated quietly, the pale, nebulous fog slowly contracting. Unbeknownst to Silantis, the edges with the twisted branches of death silently dissipated while the pale green flames quietly circled the giant tree, akin to¡­ the forest that vanished long ago.


    Duncan looked up at the immense black mountain goat.


    After a moment of silent communication, he gently nodded.


    The black mountain goat took a step across the void and slowly approached the base of the giant tree.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve grown so big,¡± He raised his head and murmured softly.


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    In the darkness, the faint light trembled slightly, ¡°I¡­ did not complete the task you assigned.¡±


    ¡°No, you did well,¡± the black mountain goat lowered its head slowly, its horn gently touching the dry, cracked trunk. At the tip of the horn, a faint green flame quietly ignited, ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for a good child to sleep, little sapling.¡±


    In the pale fog, that wisp of light gradually dimmed, and the sounds of the wind and rustling leaves finally ceased. Specks of light gathered into a river, quietly encircling Silantis¡¯s base¨Cat the deepest part of the World Tree, finally, a loud cry emerged.


    The pale green Spiritual Body¡¯s fire soared into the sky, instantly enveloping the entire tree, illuminating the entire darkness following the Annihilation of All Things.


    (Off on a business trip again, still going for meetings, the Light Breeze Harbor chapter has also ended, it will still be single updates for a few days, and I¡¯ll resume when I¡¯m back.)

 Chapter 648 - Chapter 648 Chapter 645 Restoring Calm

    Chapter 648: Chapter 645: Restoring Calm Chapter 648: Chapter 645: Restoring Calm Flames surged upward.


    It was as if a mountainous spring of flames erupted from the darkness, the last remnants of the World Tree were instantly turned to ashes and phantoms within the flames, and then the fire meandered and flowed, transforming into a boundless sea of fire in the dark chaotic space¨Cburning away the final boundaries of The Dream of the Nameless and bringing everything back to their ¡°correct place¡± in the realm of reality.


    The Endless Sea appeared, its boundless waters rippling under the flame¡¯s swell, and the sky emerged, driving away the darkness above the flames, gradually brightening. The City-State materialized, its solid form crafted in the surging of the flames and every lamp was gradually lit as the flames diminished.


    The whole world seemed to ¡°float up¡± from the darkness, slowly emerging from the sea of fire, and once again merged with the dimension of reality. Duncan, standing at the bow of Homeloss, watched all this unfold. For some reason, he was suddenly reminded of the ancient legends of the Elves¨Cfrom the very first Dreamscape of Saslouka, every worldly element was shaped from the dark chaos.


    The scene before him appeared as though the ¡°Creation¡± from the legends was occurring once again.


    At the end of this creation, sunlight appeared over the vast blue sea.


    The flames had unknowingly dwindled, and the morning sunlight was stretching from afar, magnificently covering the boundless ocean and the gradually awakening Light Breeze Harbor. The nightmare was receding, and all that had been swallowed by the nightmare would return to the real world at sunrise¨Cthe elements that had momentarily resurfaced in the dreamscape were now resetting to their original state.


    A giant black goat strode across the waves, reaching the side of the Homeloss in a single step; this ancient deity, once seen as the ¡°creator,¡± slightly bowed its head, pressing its sharp horn against the towering mast.


    A hint of pale green flame danced at the tip of its horn, returning to the Homeloss.


    ¡°I return the flame to you, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I could have done it myself,¡± Duncan watched the black goat, ¡°you didn¡¯t need to¡­¡±


    ¡°But it was most appropriate for me to do it myself,¡± the black goat shook its head, ¡°a long, long time ago, I created her, and now it is fitting that I see her off on her final journey.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, merely nodding slightly.


    ¡°¡­there¡¯s no need for regret,¡± the black goat spoke again, ¡°it was bound to happen. In some ways, it had, in fact, happened long before the Age of Deep Seas began¨CSilantis had ceased to exist then. What appeared in the nightmare was nothing but an uncontrollable shadow, letting that shadow grow would¡¯ve been the greatest dishonor to her. And¡­¡±


    It suddenly paused, and Duncan, curious, prompted, ¡°And?¡±


    The black goat seemed to smile, ¡°And¡­ you have already taken her away, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    At this comment, Duncan raised an eyebrow; he immediately understood the meaning behind Saslouka¡¯s words, and this surprised him, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve noticed something.¡±


    ¡°Not clearly, but I can vaguely sense it,¡± the black goat slowly said, its eyes reflecting the pale green flames rising from Homeloss¡¯s deck. Not long before, it had briefly been granted those flames and from them felt a hint of Duncan¡¯s true power, ¡°Your flame has taken Silantis to a ¡®place¡¯ that I cannot comprehend. I do not know where it is, but my intuition tells me, it is a fine place for my little sapling to have a good rest.¡±


    The sunlight grew brighter, and the splendid double Rune Circle of Illusion 001 was slowly rising above sea level, the morning sun shining on the black goat¡¯s body, giving its immense form a crystal-like, translucent surreal quality.


    ¡°The dream is over¨Cit¡¯s time to return to my duties,¡± the black goat lifted its head, gazing at Illusion 001 in the distance with a tone of nostalgia, ¡°they have truly built something remarkable¡­¡±


    In the next second, the body of the black goat quietly burst within the morning glow, like a soap bubble pierced under sunlight, silently dissipating into the wind.


    Duncan stood dumbfounded on deck for a moment, then turned his head to look at Rune who was standing not too far away¨Cthe old elf¡¯s body had returned to its normal form. He was slightly bent, standing in the light, his expression still somewhat dazed.


    ¡°I thought you would come over and greet Saslouka,¡± Duncan casually said, ¡°This is your mythical creator in your legends, and you might be the last elf to see its divine form¨CI certainly don¡¯t have enough energy to let it often return to its mythic form.¡±


    Rune finally snapped out of his daze, sluggishly glanced at Duncan, and after a moment, suddenly slapped his forehead in annoyance, ¡°Ah! I just didn¡¯t realize it in time!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a two-second pause, the corner of his mouth twitched, ¡°No big deal, you can still communicate with him, but from now on, you¡¯ll just have to go to the captain¡¯s quarters to chat with my deputy, Goat Head.¡±


    After saying this, he didn¡¯t heed the Pope¡¯s suddenly subtle expression and waved his hand, heading towards the deck.


    Nina had already happily run over, ¡°Uncle Duncan!¡±


    Duncan raised his hand to catch the little ¡°sun¡± that jumped from the air, then he looked up at the others coming this way.


    ¡°Light Breeze Harbor seems to have recovered,¡± Fenna appeared before him, pointing a hand toward the City-State bathing in sunlight nearby, ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not sure about the situation in the city now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check the situation in the city once we dock,¡± Lucia said. ¡°In theory, according to the patterns of The Dream of the Nameless, everything should revert back after the dream ends, but the scale of this incident was really large, so there might be some ¡®aftereffects¡¯ left.¡±


    Morris also came over, his gaze falling in a different direction¨Cthe ¡°Church Ship,¡± resembling a miniature City-State, was coming through the waves, clearly aiming for the Homeloss, which was still on the sea¡¯s surface.


    ¡°The Academy Ark is approaching,¡± Morris said. ¡°It looks like they want to communicate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s normal. Their ¡®Pope¡¯ is still on our ship,¡± Duncan said, lifting his hand to point at Rune, who was walking toward the captain¡¯s cabin. ¡°Good timing, you should also greet your mentor. It must have been many years since you¡¯ve seen him in the real world.¡±


    Morris nodded and walked toward the captain¡¯s cabin.


    Duncan then turned to look at Fenna, asking with a bit of concern, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright? Don¡¯t you need to go back to your room and rest properly?¡±


    He vividly remembered, when this beautiful young warrior was first brought back to the ship, she was completely exhausted, even walking was difficult, but now she looked lively again.


    Fenna also glanced down at her own body, jumped on the spot twice, moved her limbs back and forth, and then patted her chest, a proud smile on her face: ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just rested for a while just now. I¡¯ve fully recovered.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s lips twitched, he didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. Meanwhile, Sherry muttered softly in amazement: ¡°Damn, athletes are awesome¡­ Let the sun burn me twenty-seven times, sit on the deck and rest for a while, and I¡¯m freaking recovered¡­¡±


    ¡°It was twenty-eight times,¡± Fenna corrected seriously right away. ¡°I was a bit confused from the heat earlier, I undercounted when I told you.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    He watched speechlessly as Fenna and Sherry walked away while chatting about ¡°whether it¡¯s twenty-seven times or twenty-eight times¡±, and it took him a long while to shake his head, smiling.


    ¡°Really nice.¡±


    He heard Alice saying softly not far away.


    Duncan turned around and saw the doll lady sitting on a large wooden barrel at the edge of the deck¨Cher face towards the direction of the sunlight, lifting her head and squinting her eyes, letting the sunlight cover her face, her legs gently swinging on the edge of the barrel, her body swaying slightly.


    ¡°Really nice¡­¡± she murmured again.


    ¡°What¡¯s really nice?¡± Duncan walked over and suddenly asked next to the doll.


    Alice let out a gasp, nearly falling off the barrel on the spot, only calming down when she saw it was Duncan. She casually grabbed his arm to steady herself: ¡°You startled me.¡±


    Duncan laughed, patting the doll lady¡¯s hair: ¡°What are you sighing about?¡±


    ¡°Just the usual stuff is really nice,¡± Alice thought for a moment, lifting her hand towards the direction of the City-State. ¡°There¡¯s no fire, no strange trees, everything looks familiar, the ship has returned to the calm sea, no need to fly over the eerie and terrifying forest¡­ I can wipe the deck like usual, and go back to the kitchen to cook.¡±


    Saying this, the doll lady seemed to suddenly remember something, immediately jumped down from the barrel, running toward the distance without looking back at Duncan, waving her hands: ¡°The sun is up! I need to make breakfast! Captain, you wait for me!¡±


    Duncan watched amused and bewildered as the Gothic doll ran across the deck, watching her get tripped by a rope that suddenly emerged, bumping between Sherry and Ah Dog, causing a commotion of clucking and scampering, and Fenna quickly running to find the doll¡¯s head that had rolled somewhere¡­


    Almost in the blink of an eye, the Homeloss was lively once again, just like its usual ¡°bustling¡± self.


    After a long while, Duncan shook his head smiling, and after taking another look at the large wooden barrel Alice was sitting on, he kicked the edge of the barrel: ¡°Do you also think it¡¯s nice to return to normal?¡±


    The barrel shook a bit on the spot, and the lid suddenly popped open.


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    Inside, stuffed completely full, was an entire barrel of Wave Amulets.


    Used by the athlete as a container for Amulets, and by the doll as a chair, and possibly at any moment as Ah Dog¡¯s desk for doing homework and Sherry¡¯s target for random carving, the barrel didn¡¯t seem too happy.


    Duncan¡¯s expression was slightly uneasy, as he silently put the lid back on the barrel.


    Then he too sat on top of the barrel, quietly gazing at the distant sunlight.


    The world had returned to tranquility, if only for a moment¨Cbut it was nice.

 Chapter 649 - Chapter 649 Chapter 646 Temporary Farewell

    Chapter 649: Chapter 646 Temporary Farewell Chapter 649: Chapter 646 Temporary Farewell Accompanied by the rush of air through the pipes, a clear and melodious steam whistle sounded from the upper tier of the Academy of Truth Ark. The Homeloss had once again docked at the steam machinery dock at the end of the Ark¡¯s coastline, where knowledge guards and scholars dressed in deep blue cloaks appeared on the gangway, ready to welcome back their pontiff.


    Duncan met Rune just as he emerged from the captain¡¯s cabin on the stern deck.


    This short and plump elf elder had spent a long time in the captain¡¯s quarters, engaged in conversation with their race¡¯s ¡°creator,¡± and Duncan did not know what they had discussed with the mountain goat head; he only knew that when Rune emerged from the captain¡¯s quarters, his expression seemed somewhat vacant.


    There was also a kind of serene emptiness, as if clearing the mind.


    He approached the ¡°pontiff of truth¡± and greeted him several times before the latter finally roused from that vacant daze.


    ¡°Your church ship is waiting just beside us,¡± Duncan said, gesturing toward the ship¡¯s rail where a massive ark resembling a small City-State lay beside them, ¡°The scholars and guards have come to take you back.¡±


    Rune looked up, and only then, belatedly, did he nod, ¡°Oh¡­ yes, it¡¯s time to return.¡±


    Watching the elf elder¡¯s reaction, Duncan couldn¡¯t help feeling perplexed: ¡°What did you discuss with Saslouka? You weren¡¯t like this when you first boarded the ship¡­¡±


    ¡°We talked about¡­ a lot,¡± Rune hesitated, as if unsure of how to begin, ¡°A great many things.¡±


    Duncan frowned, intuiting the implication: ¡°It seems you¡¯ve seen the first mate¡¯s usual demeanor.¡±


    Rune suddenly jolted as if he¡¯d truly come back to his senses; he looked at Duncan and hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, ¡°¡­Why does He have so much to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually more surprised how little He says in His mythological form,¡± Duncan chuckled, his smile tinged with pleasure, ¡°What you¡¯ve seen now is more in line with His character aboard my ship¨Cstrictly speaking, it¡¯s His behavior as the ¡®goat head.¡¯


    Rune opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something but unsure where to start. After holding back for a while, he suddenly let out a relieved laugh: ¡°¡­It¡¯s not a bad thing, He seems to like it that way.¡±


    For a moment, the deck fell silent, as if no one was paying attention to the Pilgrimage Ark waiting nearby for the return of the pontiff. It was not until much later that Duncan broke the silence: ¡°How do you plan to handle the ¡®truth¡¯ of this incident, especially the part concerning Saslouka?¡±


    ¡°The bulk of it will be confined to the highest echelons of the Three Gods Church¡¯s knowledge, much like all transcendental events pointing toward deities. We will seal the news, manage the aftermath, and cautiously assess the long-term impact of this event on the real world. As for elf society¡­¡±


    Rune paused, pondering, and then gently shook his head after a moment.


    ¡°The days of old have passed, and the legends¡­ let them continue to sleep within legends. That¡¯s also ¡®His¡¯ wish.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good; I don¡¯t like trouble,¡± Duncan nodded, then suddenly shifted topic, ¡°But there is one thing I must remind you of¨Cthis is the third City-State.¡±


    Rune immediately grasped Duncan¡¯s meaning, his expression becoming grave.


    ¡°Pland, Frost, Light Breeze Harbor¡­ The cause and progress of each incident seem different, each appearing as an isolated ¡®special disaster,¡¯ and the biggest behind-the-scenes culprit seems to be the heretics. But a group of heretics alone cannot disturb the world¡¯s most fundamental order,¡± Duncan said seriously, ¡°What¡¯s truly revealed behind these incidents is that the world¡¯s ¡®foundation¡¯ is shaking¨CI want to know if the Three Gods Church has any solutions, what you actually know, and what kind of response plans you have.¡±


    Rune fell silent, serious as still water, and after a long time, he nodded lightly.


    ¡°I understand what you mean¡­ Now, I have also confirmed your position. At least by my personal judgment, the time has indeed come to put aside doubts and further cooperate.¡±


    Duncan looked at him: ¡°But you still have to consider the response of the other Three Gods Church, right?¡±


    ¡°Not just their response¡­ but also the response of the deities,¡± Rune said frankly, ¡°I will discuss this matter with the other three pontiffs as soon as possible. Whatever the outcome, I will give you an answer¨Clikewise, whatever the outcome, at least from now on, the Academy of Truth will offer the Exiled Fleet the utmost trust and cooperation.¡±


    Duncan nodded, knowing that this was the biggest commitment the other party could offer at the present stage.


    Just then, Rune seemed to remember something else and suddenly said, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing¨CI¡¯ve heard about Miss Fenna¡¯s experience in this event. I think¡­ the Fire Transmitter should be coming to you soon.¡±


    ¡°The Fire Transmitter?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, quickly realizing what was meant.


    He turned his head and looked to the other side of the deck¨CFenna was leaning against the railing, blowing in the sea breeze, seemingly closing her eyes to rest. However, Duncan¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on her but on an object placed beside her.


    It was a staff, as massive as a tree trunk, strange and irregular. At the top of the staff, it swelled like an oddly shaped boulder with a rough, straight body, and the entire staff was covered with mysterious, rune-like carvings.


    It was the ¡°Tarrikin¡± left to Fenna by the giant¨Ceven as The Dream of the Nameless dissipated, this staff remained, and with that bizarre ¡°miniature sun,¡± it returned to the real world with the Homeloss.


    ¡°Everlasting kindling, Tarrikin, the deity of the Fire Transmitters,¡± Rune said softly, ¡°The ¡®giant¡¯ Miss Fenna encountered in The Dream of the Nameless seems to be a phantom left in the memory of Silantis during the collision of two worlds, in the form of an ¡®echo.¡¯ But even as a phantom, it is still a vision of an ancient god, and what It left behind has now crossed the border between the Dreamscape and reality.


    ¡°That staff¡­ if I am not mistaken, should be the ¡®annalistic column¡¯ that the Fire Transmitters worship¨COn Frem¡¯s Pilgrimage Ark, there is a device that is almost identical in appearance to it. It is considered the core of the Pilgrimage Ark, only it is much larger than that ¡®staff.¡¯ I have seen it; it looks more like a huge monument¡­


    ¡°And the ¡®annalistic column¡¯ built on the Fire Transmitter¡¯s ark is actually a ¡®replica¡¯ made according to the descriptions in the holy scriptures. For a long time, the true ¡®annalistic column¡¯ has only existed in legends.¡±


    Duncan mused, ¡°That is to say, the staff that Fenna brought back is the ¡®genuine article¡¯ described in the holy scriptures.¡±


    ¡°We can only say it is the closest to the ¡®genuine article¡¯ known so far,¡± Rune said with rigor, ¡°Perhaps there is no longer any true ¡®genuine article¡¯ in this world¨Cthe Great Annihilation ended everything, and our tracing back from the Deep Sea Era can only approach what is virtually the so-called ¡®genuine article.''¡±


    ¡°Anyway, no matter what, it seems that staff means something extraordinary to the Fire Transmitters,¡± Duncan nodded lightly, ¡°Are you suggesting they might want to take the staff?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Frem is a man of generosity and justice, he never imposes hardships on others, nor would he take what does not belong to him, but¡­ as you know, that is the ¡®annalistic column¡¯ left by the Everlasting Kindling, and for both the Fire Transmitter sect and the Senkin People, its significance is all too special.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, just quietly watched the ¡°staff¡± that was now placed next to Fenna, pondering in silence.


    For some reason, he thought of the Longsword that had been thrown into the sky.


    He had given the Longsword to the research institution in Light Breeze Harbor, for to him, the only importance lay in the ¡°intelligence¡± about another world that lay behind the sword, and as for the Transcendent items themselves, he was not a professional researcher.


    Similarly, that staff held little significance to him, even though it had been held in the hand of the Everlasting Kindling Tarrikin¨CDuncan was only interested in the ¡°truth¡± and ¡°knowledge¡± of the time of the Great Annihilation, and after obtaining this information, he ceased to care about the rest.


    There were numerous Transcendent items in this world, but to Duncan, most were of no value¨Cnot worth taking up a spot on the Homeloss.


    But the issue this time was that the staff was left to Fenna by Tarrikin.


    He had to respect the wishes of his crew.


    ¡°I personally don¡¯t mind handing the staff over to the Fire Transmitters, after all, just like the ¡®Horro-Daso Epic¡¯ in your hand is to the Elves, the ¡®annalistic column¡¯ is indeed an artifact of the Senkin People¡¯s civilization¨Cbut I must consider Fenna¡¯s thoughts,¡± he stated frankly, ¡°Now that you know about Fenna¡¯s experience, you should understand that she values that staff greatly.¡±


    He paused and said very seriously to Rune, ¡°It¡¯s the relic of her ¡®friend¡¯¨CI am not as generous and just as Frem you speak of, I am protective.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I understand your stance,¡± Rune nodded solemnly, ¡°I will convey these words to Frem so that he can give this matter careful thought¨Cto avoid awkwardness on both sides when the time comes.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°That would be best.¡±


    The melodious and piercing sound of the steam whistle sounded again, and large clouds of steam rose above the Academy Ark into the heavens.


    Rune bid farewell to everyone on the Homeloss and then, with Duncan and the others watching, the elderly Elf stepped onto the gangway leading back to the ark.


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    Powered by the huge steam mechanism, the mechanical gangway retracted slowly. After that, the entire transformable dock structure was retracted amidst a series of heavy mechanical operations into the ¡°coastal structure¡± on the side of the ark. The massive ¡°church battleship,¡± equivalent to a small City-State, let out a deep roar as it gradually separated from the Homeloss.


    But Duncan knew that this ark would not immediately return to the frontier¨CRune had revealed his next plans, and the Pilgrimage Ark would remain at Light Breeze Harbor for a while longer to help this City-State, which was ¡°awakening from a great dream,¡± deal with a series of aftermath matters.


    But that had nothing to do with the Homeloss anymore.


    Now, Duncan had to deal with another matter that needed ¡°aftercare.¡±


    He arrived in front of the captain¡¯s quarters at the stern, pushed the door open, and entered.

 Chapter 650 - Chapter 650 Chapter 647 The Sapling

    Chapter 650: Chapter 647: The Sapling Chapter 650: Chapter 647: The Sapling The familiar room, the familiar furniture, the familiar living room, the familiar single apartment.


    Everything remained as it was when he left, as if encased in an amber shell outside the flow of time, immune to change no matter how much time had passed.


    Zhou Ming entered the small living room of the single apartment, standing in this room where he had lived for many years, and he let out a soft sigh of relief.


    It had been a long time since he had returned to this place¨Csometimes, he even felt as if he had forgotten this single apartment, forgotten that this single apartment represented that ¡°other world.¡±


    But in the end, the self-deceptive ¡°forgetfulness¡± was meaningless.


    He smiled and shook his head, then walked straight toward the desk¨Cunlike before, he didn¡¯t check the tightly shut window because the sundries on the windowsill and the deliberately scattered flour had already been cleaned up during his last visit. In this last little house deep in the mist, he no longer expected any visitors.


    A faint green glow of fire on the desk was slowly fading, and within the dying flames, he saw the newest ¡°collection¡± taking shape.


    Zhou Ming walked over, sat down on the chair, and placed his hands on the tabletop, looking calmly and tenderly at the vibrant-looking¡­ ¡°sapling.¡±


    It floated above the desk, with a crown diameter roughly the length of an adult¡¯s forearm, lush and leafy, with its trunk connected to a large clump of soil, its roots deeply embedded in it, and a few roots extending from under the soil into the air.


    It just floated there, about ten centimeters above the desk, maintaining its suspension in a¡­ miraculous manner, displaying a style utterly distinct from the other ¡°collections.¡±


    Zhou Ming looked up at the large shelf not far away¨Call the other collections quietly remained in their respective compartments, steadily resting on the shelves.


    At this moment, the ¡°sapling¡± floating above the desk was the only collection that exhibited obvious supernatural traits.


    ¡­Was it because its essence came from ¡°Dreamscape,¡± so even as a collection here, it still retained some characteristics unique to the creations of dreams?


    Zhou Ming¡¯s thoughts wandered half-heartedly as he reached out and gently toyed with the crown of the Silantis¨Cthe ¡°World Tree¡± that resembled a ¡°floating bonsai¡± swayed slightly as he pushed it before lazily returning to its original position.


    Besides that, the sapling did not exhibit any other active traits¨Cit neither spoke nor responded to Zhou Ming¡¯s touch in any other way.


    ¡°Now, you¡¯ve really become a sapling again¡­¡± After quietly observing the tiny ¡°World Tree¡± for a long time, Zhou Ming finally spoke softly, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can hear me¡­ In fact, I¡¯m not even clear about the principles behind how you become a ¡®collection¡¯ here after being burned by the Spiritual Fire, but¡­¡±


    He paused, glancing towards the nearby shelf, his gaze sweeping over the models of Homeloss, the oak ship, and the two City-State replicas.


    ¡°Anyway, from now on, this will be your new home,¡± he said in a soft voice.


    The models wouldn¡¯t answer his questions, which made him feel as if he were muttering to the air, a scene that would probably be embarrassing if a visitor were present¨Cbut fortunately, it had been a long time since any ¡°outsiders¡± had been here.


    He reached out, carefully picked up the chunk of soil rooted by Silantis, and carried it towards the shelf in the corner¨Che was very careful, fearful of scattering the seemingly fragile ¡°clod¡± of earth because once it crumbled, it might not be so easy to gather back together, and some of the soil might become ¡°loss¡± if it fell into the cracks of the floor.


    In this small house, ¡°soil¡± was a precious resource.


    But to his surprise, the seemingly loose soil was quite ¡°solid,¡± as if some invisible force was maintaining its form, with not a single speck falling as he carried it across.


    He placed Silantis in an empty space on the shelf, right next to the model of Homeloss.


    The ¡°sapling¡± still maintained its floating state within the compartment, like a tranquil bonsai.


    Zhou Ming stood in front of his new ¡°collection¡± for a while, but this time his mood was not like before, as a tide of complex thoughts ebbed and flowed in his mind, and after a long time, he sighed in resignation.


    At least, he could tell the goat-head upon his return that its ¡°sapling¡± was indeed still here.


    ¡°You probably don¡¯t need watering, do you¡­¡± Zhou Ming suddenly thought of something and couldn¡¯t help muttering to himself, ¡°In theory, you shouldn¡¯t¡­ I hope you won¡¯t grow any bigger, I don¡¯t have that much space here¡­¡±


    Of course, the ¡°World Tree¡± in the compartment did not respond to his soliloquy; Silantis merely quietly floated there, turning gently.


    Zhou Ming shook his head, walked over to the sofa in the small living room, and sat down, resting for a while before idly picking up a book from the small round table next to him and flipping through a couple of pages without purpose.


    It was meaningless; he had read that book who knows how many times, and its content was dry and uninteresting, no longer offering the pleasure of reading.


    But he was accustomed to doing some such ¡°meaningless¡± things when he returned to this single apartment¨Ceither sit down and read a few pages, write a couple of lines in his diary, or tidy up the clutter and clean a room that was already almost spotless.


    For Zhou Ming, these things were like an anchor of humanity, allowing him to feel that he was still human, still living within ¡°order¡± and ¡°civilization.¡±


    A moment later, Zhou Ming put down the book in his hand, preparing to stand up and return to the Homeloss.


    But just as he was lifting his head, his movement halted¨Cmaintaining a half-risen posture, his gaze fixed tightly on the desk not far away.


    Silantis was quietly floating a few centimeters above the desk, as if it had always been there and never moved.


    Zhou Ming blinked, and for a moment even doubted his memory, then frowned, walked over to the desk, observed the floating Silantis from different angles, and looked up at the empty slot on the shelf.


    After a moment of hesitation, he picked up Silantis and placed her seriously back on the shelf.


    He stared at that slot for several seconds, confirmed everything, then slowly backed away, turned, took a few steps, then suddenly whipped his head back around.


    Silantis was still obediently in the shelf slot.


    With furrowed brows, Zhou Ming exhaled, stepped towards the apartment door¨Cyet just as he was about to reach the main door, he stopped abruptly and turned around without warning.


    Silantis was quietly floating above his desk, as if it had never moved from the spot.


    Zhou Ming: ¡°¡­¡±


    He walked over with a stern face, his eyes not blinking as he stared at the little ¡°sapling¡± floating in mid-air.


    ¡°Are you doing this on purpose? Can you move freely?¡±


    Of course, Silantis offered no response; she was like a real tree, quiet and still when in her place.


    Zhou Ming observed the ¡°World Tree¡± for a while, lifted her with his hand, placed her on the shelf slot, then turned around and stood facing her for a while. After about fifteen seconds, he turned back around¨CSilantis was floating over the nearby desk.


    The corner of Zhou Ming¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily, he walked over in a few steps, raised a finger pointing at the desk: ¡°This, is my desk, my workspace, and if any new ¡®collectibles¡¯ come, they will appear on this desk.¡±


    Then he lifted his other hand, pointing towards the large shelf in the corner: ¡°Over there, that¡¯s your place, the second slot below is yours. You should be in your slot, not taking over my desk!¡±


    Silantis did not respond, just quietly floating in the air, slowly rotating in circles.


    Zhou Ming¡¯s eye twitched slightly, without hesitation, he lifted the ¡°sapling¡± back onto the shelf again.


    Then he watched for a long time, then turned his back, his gaze fixed on his desk.


    This time, Silantis did not appear on the desk.


    But behind Zhou Ming came a ¡°thump thump thump¡± of bumping noises.


    He turned his head to see that Silantis had somehow appeared in another slot¨Cthat was the storage slot for the model of the White Oak.


    Silantis was using the large clods of soil on her roots to bump against the White Oak¡¯s hull, making a ¡®thump thump¡¯ sound, and the latter was nearly knocked to the ground by her.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Zhou Ming immediately placed his hand on Silantis¡¯s canopy, ¡°You can¡¯t hit your ¡®roommate¡¯!¡±


    Under his hand, Silantis trembled, then quickly shifted to the side, and Zhou Ming only saw a blur before his eyes, then looked in the direction of her last movement¨C


    The little ¡°World Tree¡± was quietly floating above his desk.


    Zhou Ming: ¡°¡­¡±


    A moment later, Duncan opened the door to the captain¡¯s room, stepping in front of the navigation desk with a trace of weariness.


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    The goat¡¯s head at the edge of the table immediately cranked its neck with a creaking sound, laying its gaze upon the captain.


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal.¡± Before the goat¡¯s head could speak, Duncan gestured with his hand preemptively.


    ¡°Ah, Captain! You¡¯re back, I thought you would¡¯ve come straightaway, I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± The goat¡¯s head instantly came to life¨Capparently because the mythological form had dissipated, the familiar chattering feeling was back in this ever-talking wood carving, but quickly, it noticed a subtle expression on Duncan¡¯s face, ¡°Um, you seem very tired?¡±


    Duncan gestured again with his hand, and this time he also issued a sigh.


    After several seconds, he finally lifted his head, looked into the goat¡¯s head eyes: ¡°Your little sapling has taken over my desk.¡±

 Chapter 651 - Chapter 651 Chapter 648 Are the Gods Dead

    Chapter 651: Chapter 648: Are the Gods Dead? Chapter 651: Chapter 648: Are the Gods Dead? The captain¡¯s quarters were very quiet, with the faint sound of waves outside the window breaking gently and softly, which only served to accentuate the serene stillness of the room¨Ca good while passed before the goat head finally let out a sigh, ¡°Ah, that sounds nice.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would ask more questions,¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows as he spoke, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about where I actually took Silantis, or curious about my many secrets?¡±


    ¡°Curious,¡± the goat head stated bluntly, ¡°but reason and intuition tell me that it¡¯s best not to inquire too deeply into things known as ¡®secrets,¡¯ especially not about what happened when you leave this ship. You are the captain of the Homeloss, and knowing that is enough for me. It¡¯s better to know less about anything beyond that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Intuition?¡± Duncan said thoughtfully, as he looked at the black wooden goat head in front of him and suddenly asked, ¡°Has your intuition told you what would happen if I were no longer the captain of the Homeloss, or if you knew too many of my ¡®secrets¡¯?¡±


    The goat head fell silent for a moment, nearly a minute passed before it broke the silence, ¡°All I know is that whenever I entertain thoughts of ¡®crossing the line,¡¯ I see an endless expanse of stars¨Cand under the light of myriad stars, the Homeloss no longer exists.¡±


    Duncan slowly furrowed his brows, and after a brief contemplation, he shook his head, putting aside his complex thoughts for the moment, ¡°Silantis¡­ is now in a special state, staying in a safe place; you need not worry about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± the goat head said softly, without asking anything further.


    ¡°Now there is another question¨Chow should I address you?¡± Duncan suddenly asked after a few seconds of silence, ¡°Saslouka? Goat head? Or first mate?¡±


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s stick to the old names,¡± the goat head hesitated, its tone sounding slightly awkward, ¡°First mate or goat head is fine, Saslouka¡­ that name feels quite unfamiliar now, recalling it now, it doesn¡¯t seem like my own.¡±


    Duncan was somewhat surprised, ¡°You were quick to agree when I first called you that.¡±


    The goat head¡¯s tone grew even stranger, ¡°¡­At that moment, it was inappropriate not to agree¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡±


    He looked strangely at the black wood carving on the table for a moment and finally couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°I am quite curious about what your current state is, or rather¡­ what is your understanding of yourself? At the moment of the ¡®cosmic collision,¡¯ you could feel your transformation, by then you seemed to have fully returned to being the ¡®Dreaming King,¡¯ but it only lasted for a short while.¡±


    Noticing the serious expression on the captain¡¯s face, the goat head finally began to seriously ponder, and after a long while, it slowly shook its head somewhat uncertainly, ¡°Actually, I am still somewhat confused to this day. I can feel that the memories belonging to ¡®Saslouka¡¯ have awakened in my mind, but I can also clearly feel¡­ He is not entirely me, nor am I entirely Him.¡±


    ¡°But as you said, upon seeing the ¡®sapling¡¯¡­ I underwent some changes, perhaps due to the influence of the mythical form, or perhaps because the sapling left too profound a mark in my memory, I¡­ ¡®returned¡¯ to a state from my memory, for a fleeting moment, I even thought¡­ time had truly reversed.¡±


    It paused, seemingly quietly reminiscing that moment¡¯s wonderful feeling, recalling something gradually reviving deep within its memory, another ¡°personality¡± awakening within its consciousness, but eventually, it slowly shook its head.


    ¡°But that only lasted a very short time, and as the sun rose and the dream ended, I returned to this state. It seems that my symbiosis with the Homeloss has permanently changed some of my essence¨Cand frankly, I prefer it this way.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Duncan said thoughtfully, ¡°That means, you are both Saslouka and not entirely Him, this sounds more like a new entity reconstituted from the fragments of an ancient god¡­ But if you think that¡¯s good, then there¡¯s no problem.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad about it,¡± the goat head declared nonchalantly, ¡°Some things¡­ once they are past, they are truly hard to return to; we must always look forward, no matter how much is taken away by the Great Annihilation, the fact is that we live in the age of the Mysterious Deep Sea¨Clet Saslouka remain in the legends.¡±


    ¡°¡­You ultimately have changed, it used to be hard for you to speak such reasonable words so straightforwardly,¡± Duncan looked somewhat meaningfully at the goat head for a moment, then stroked his chin, ¡°But you reminded me, I actually have a question I want to ask you.¡±


    The goat head, hearing this, immediately became serious again, ¡°Ask away.¡±


    ¡°Saslouka died, a long time ago¨Che¡¯s already dead. Do you still remember this phrase?¡±


    ¡°¡­I remember,¡± the goat head thought for a moment and responded affirmatively, ¡°During the restoration and reconstitution of several parts of my memory, this phrase echoed constantly in my consciousness, it seems like a strong ¡®self-recognition.''¡±


    ¡°Correct, Saslouka ¡®died¡¯ at the time of the Great Annihilation; it¡¯s a ¡®fact¡¯ deeply embedded in your memory, even in the subconscious memory of the elf race,¡± Duncan nodded, then shifted the conversation, ¡°But according to the records in the Book of Desecration, in the second long night after the Annihilation, the ¡®Dreaming King¡¯ attempted Creation again and ¡®shattered into pieces¡¯ due to the failure of Creation¨Cthe keel of the Homeloss, the ¡®Skull of Dreams¡¯ in the hands of the Annihilation cultists, and you yourself, are all evidence of this record.


    ¡°And we can basically confirm, the ¡®Dreaming King¡¯ mentioned in the records of the Book of Desecration is the Saslouka who died during the Great Annihilation.


    ¡°How could an ancient god who had died at the time of the Great Annihilation attempt ¡®Creation¡¯ in the second long night?


    ¡°Another similar contradictory record is about the ¡®Perpetual Ember¡¯ Tarrikin worshiped by the Fire Transmitters.¡±


    Duncan paused at this point, picked up the water cup on the table and took a sip, then adjusted his position on the chair and continued with a more serious expression:


    ¡°Tarrikin was another deity who died during the Great Annihilation. He was the guardian god of the Senkin People. According to the report by Fenna and the records on the ¡®Chronicle Pillar,¡¯ his death, or ¡®fall,¡¯ is also an indisputable fact. But if he truly had died at the time of the Great Annihilation¡­ what then is the ¡®Tarrikin¡¯ that the Fire Transmitters on the Endless Sea now worship? And who exactly is one of the four gods, ¡®The Ever-Burning Kindling¡¯?¡±


    A faint creaking sound came from between the goat¡¯s head and its base. It shook its head from side to side, and after a long while, it finally remarked with a sense of awe, ¡°This sounds a bit horrifying.¡±


    Duncan silently watched the creature, ¡°Don¡¯t act so detached; you are one of the involved ¡®deities.''¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± the goat head said quite calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I only recalled some vague fragments of memory, and they all happened before the Great Annihilation. As for what happened afterward¡­ I truly don¡¯t know.¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brows deeply: ¡°You have no impressions whatsoever about the Second Long Night and your experiences during the Creation?¡±


    The goat head thought hard for a moment, then shook its head helplessly, ¡°If I could remember even a little, I wouldn¡¯t completely forget¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored the creature¡¯s nonsense and continued to ponder, eyebrows still furrowed. After a long while, he slowly spoke, ¡°If so, I do have some speculations.¡±


    ¡°You have speculations?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ we shouldn¡¯t apply the simple status of life and death of ¡®mortals¡¯ to deities,¡± Duncan said earnestly after thinking, ¡°Take yourself as an example ¡ª do you think you are alive now?¡±


    The goat head was taken aback for a moment and hesitantly said, ¡°I think¡­ probably alive, I am living well, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°By ¡®living well,¡¯ do you mean your spine is soaked in the Subspace, one head is in the hands of the followers of Annihilation, and more of your heads might still be floating in the cracks of the world?¡±


    The goat head¡¯s neck made a ¡°crack¡± sound, and it immediately cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t say it so frighteningly! This sounds a bit creepy¡­¡±


    ¡°But this is your current state ¡ª not only are you already dead, you could even say¡­ you haven¡¯t died peacefully,¡± Duncan felt this topic was somewhat eerie, but since he had reached this point, he could only try to maintain a serious demeanor and continued, ¡°And I suspect, the states of other ¡®deities¡¯¡­ are probably not much different from yours.¡±


    The goat head fell silent, seemingly in shock.


    Duncan slightly organized his language, then continued, ¡°The Crawling King, the Profound Saint, according to the ¡®Book of Desecration¡¯, he is the creator of the Third Long Night. His current state is ¡®losing his sanity, stuck between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the Subspace, unable to move while constantly creating countless Profound Demons, and devouring them incessantly.¡¯


    ¡°In the sacred texts of the Fire Transmitters, Tarrikin is described as a giant guarding the Primal Flame, and this giant himself is also ablaze with an undying flame, eternally roasting his body.


    ¡°Black Sun, whom I have seen, is scorched by his own corona, mentally broken, now only seeking to extinguish¡­


    ¡°The Storm Goddess and the God of Wisdom¡­ I¡¯m unclear about their exact states, but I guess the situation is probably similar.


    ¡°Stripping all the mythological halos, and just from my personal ¡®common sense¡¯ and ¡®subjective impression,¡¯ none of these situations seems normal.¡±


    Duncan said this and spread his hands, making the final conclusion.


    ¡°The gods are dead ¡ª it¡¯s just that their ¡®deaths¡¯ might be very prolonged, maybe quite unique. They do not operate on the ¡®life and death¡¯ understood by mortals. Their kind of ¡®state¡¯ after death, or say ¡®remnants,¡¯ can still affect this world, or rather¡­ affect this ¡®ashes¡¯ that were burnt to the ground after the Great Annihilation.


    ¡°This is the true face of the Deep Sea Era.¡±


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    Duncan¡¯s words fell, and the captain¡¯s cabin fell silent.


    After who knows how long, the goat head¡¯s voice finally broke the silence, ¡°Your way of describing¡­ is unsettling, I actually feel a bit creeped out this time.¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment and sighed softly, ¡°I probably should indeed find a gentler way of describing it; it does sound a bit eerie when put this way.¡±


    ¡°No, what I mean is, the back of my neck really does feel a bit itchy¡­ Can you scratch it for me?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 652 - Chapter 652 Chapter 649 The Postponed Doomsday

    Chapter 652: Chapter 649: The Postponed Doomsday Chapter 652: Chapter 649: The Postponed Doomsday In the embers that gradually cooled after the Annihilation of All Things, the carcasses of ancient gods ruled the ashes of the world, and from those carcasses, certain things ¡°grew,¡± constructing the counterfeit products and illusions of bygone times among the ashes¨Cafter stripping away all mythical auras, and after rearranging the intelligence currently in hand, the ¡°Deep Sea Era¡± before Duncan¡¯s eyes revealed its truest and most bone-chilling side.


    Of course, he could describe this era with gentler sentences or explain the current state of the gods in ways that people might find more acceptable, but that wouldn¡¯t change the essence of the matter.


    He stood up, scratching the neck of the goat-headed figure¨Cthe once ¡°creator¡± lifted his head, observing Duncan¡¯s expression. ¡°You look weighed down by heavy thoughts.¡±


    Duncan sat back down, and after a moment of silence, suddenly murmured to himself, ¡°¡­the whole world is just a pile of embers slowly dying out¡­¡±


    ¡°I have heard Lucrecia mention these words before,¡± the goat-headed figure immediately said.


    Duncan nodded but said nothing more. Instead, he reached into his bosom, fumbled for a moment, and drew out two things.


    One of them was a ¡°sphere¡± emitting brilliant light, a miniatured Ancient Star with its surface alight with flames, its gentle flame continuously erupting, recirculating, and surging as if maintaining the ¡°operation¡± of a star.


    This was a ¡°gift¡± Fenna had received from Tarrikin, the sun of the Senkin People.


    The other was a delicate, pale golden crystal about the size of a fist, irregular and asymmetric with dozens of planes, each presenting a smooth and perfect texture. Within the crystal seemed to hide extremely intricate and fine structures, like filaments spreading from the center of the crystal outwards, forming a three-dimensional grid enveloped within the crystal.


    The goat-headed figure¡¯s attention was first captured by the ¡°miniature sun,¡± but then it fell upon the peculiar pale golden crystal and he puzzled over it for a moment. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°If we categorize it according to the ¡®civilized world¡¯s¡¯ methods, it should be some kind of ¡®profane prototype,''¡± Duncan said offhandedly. ¡°This came from inside one of those Scions of the Sun when it fell from the sky¨Cbefore the flames consumed it, Ai Yi ¡®picked¡¯ it back up.¡±


    The goat-headed figure paused, then finally remembered the scene¨C


    The Scion of the Sun attempted to flee from The Dream of the Nameless in its final moment but was intercepted in the sky. At that time, I, in my mythical form, dealt the freak its final hit. It burst asunder and fell from the clouds, and from the center of its fragments, it seemed a shining object was flung out. But the situation was chaotic then, and after that object flashed briefly in the sky, it was ¡°swept away¡± by a tuft of dark green flames. No one paid it any attention¡­ So it turned out to be this thing?


    A flapping of wings joined the conversation from beside them, as Ai Yi fluttered his wings and flew onto the navigation table. He cocked his head, looking at the peculiar crystal that he had picked up, and after observing it attentively for quite a while, extended his neck and pecked at the surface of the crystal. ¡°The crystal is full of hatred! The crystal is full of hatred!¡±


    Duncan ignored the foolish bird¡¯s clamor beside him and gazed at the crystal in front of him, lost in thought, his mind replaying memories of those lofty and thin men in black carrying peculiar large umbrellas¨Cthey were called the ¡°remnants of the sun.¡± He remembered that inside those peculiar umbrellas, besides the exquisitely crafted mechanical and circuit structures far surpassing the era, there were also precisely cut crystal structures.


    This ¡°profane prototype¡± based on crystal seemed to be the unique ¡°technological creation¡± controlled by the Black Sun and their descendants and remnants.


    Long ago, after first seeing those peculiar umbrellas held by the men in black, Duncan had realized something¨Cthat these followers of the sun possessing a technological creation meant they were not a primitive and chaotic tribe. The advanced manufacturing skills embodied in these profane prototypes indicated rather an extremely advanced civilization.


    Or rather, the ¡°afterglow¡± of an extremely advanced civilization left behind.


    And now, having witnessed the true nature of the Great Annihilation, Duncan had a new understanding of the matter.


    The collision and annihilation of worlds had brought about the Deep Sea Era, and the worlds involved in the collision were not limited to the homelands of the Elves and the Senkin People. The warrior who threw the Longsword, along with his own homeland, were clearly destroyed in the Great Annihilation. By this reasoning, every tribe in the current world, every style of relic, and every unexplainable and contradictory historical record likely represented a civilization that had been destroyed.


    Some of these civilizations might have come from different planets within the same universe, but those greatly deviating and capable of contaminating other ¡°legacies¡± were obviously from universes with different laws.


    So the Black Sun¡­ from which universe did it become an orphan?


    Duncan slowly furrowed his brow, gently caressing the surface of the crystal, and murmured thoughtfully to himself, ¡°So they are also The Displaced¡­¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± The goat-headed figure didn¡¯t catch on at once, but soon grasped the captain¡¯s meaning, ¡°You mean the Black Sun and their freakish offspring?¡±


    ¡°All things from the Deep Sea Era originate from the worlds destroyed in the Great Annihilation; even the ancient gods are but the powerfully individual remains barely alive after the Day of Destruction. The Black Sun couldn¡¯t possibly have come from nothing¨Cthis crystal likely represents the former civilization of the ¡®Scions of the Sun¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­But now this ¡®civilization¡¯ stands in opposition to us; their very existence is a destruction to the entire reality,¡± the goat-headed figure pondered for a moment, then slowly said, ¡°The Black Sun wishes to extinguish itself, while Its offspring are fixated on destroying the reality dimension, allowing the Black Sun to ¡®be reborn¡¯ from the ruins of this world¨Cthey might have been a glorious civilization once, but now they¡¯re completely insane from top to bottom; clearly, coexistence with this world is no longer possible.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, unable to coexist. There are still many things in this world that cannot coexist with civilized worlds: dangerous ancient gods, the shadows in the Spirit Realm, and those things in Subspace¡­ But have you ever considered something deeper¨Cwhy can¡¯t these things coexist with the earthly world?¡±


    The goat-headed figure was momentarily stumped, seemingly falling into contemplation.


    ¡°Everything is ¡®ash¡¯ left from the Great Annihilation. The corpses of gods have sparked the current Deep Sea Era from the ashes. Theoretically, today¡¯s Deep Sea Era is already a product of the merger, transformation, and compromise of the various worlds from the Great Annihilation. In other words, since the Great Annihilation is over, since the Third Long Night has successfully reshaped the world, then the things that exist in the world now are the results of a ¡®rebalancing.¡¯ There should no longer be the same kind of mutual contamination and Corrosion as when worlds collide¡­


    ¡°But the truth is, ancient gods like the Black Sun still exist, and there are still many ¡®pollutants¡¯ that would bring disaster simply by appearing in the real world. This pollution is no different from the Corrosion that appeared around Silantis during the Great Annihilation; it feels as though¡­¡±


    Duncan paused here, seemingly at a loss for the right description, but the goat-headed figure beside him suddenly spoke up: ¡°As though the Great Annihilation never really ended?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as though the Great Annihilation has never ended,¡± Duncan slowly nodded, his expression particularly grave, ¡°It was only postponed, temporarily isolated somewhere, and with the passing of time, it¡¯s been slowly released into the world. Corrosion still exists, the conflict and pollution between different worlds are still ongoing, the Third Long Night forcibly ¡®squeezed¡¯ the remnants together, but beneath this forcefully ¡®squeezed¡¯ order, the fundamental opposition and destruction of everything continue unabated¡­¡±


    The goat-headed figure gradually caught on: ¡°This corresponds with what the Doomsday Preacher mentioned about ¡®twilight¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°Self-pollution and self-destruction are the predetermined directions of the Deep Sea Era. The Day of Destruction was destined from the beginning of history, infested by the apocalypse, and will ultimately chase down from the river of time¨Cthis has always been the ¡®preaching¡¯ of those Doomsday Preachers,¡± Duncan slowly nodded, ¡°For a long time, this apocalyptic philosophy has been repudiated by mainstream society, but after understanding the truth behind the Great Annihilation and combining it with the various ¡®traits¡¯ of today¡¯s Deep Sea Era, I can¡¯t help but start to seriously consider those madmen¡¯s apocalyptic theories.¡±


    Having said this, he paused, continuing in thought, ¡°Perhaps this isn¡¯t really an apocalyptic theory but rather a kind of objective description of the Third Long Night¡­ The Third Long Night was an incomplete, unsuccessful act of creation; it didn¡¯t fundamentally resolve the ¡®conflict¡¯ caused by the collision of multiple worlds, but rather provided a buffer zone, intended to let the world find its own way within a span of ten thousand years¡­ Hence, the need for a Fourth Long Night.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think this ¡®way out¡¯ has appeared?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°Those Doomsday Preachers seem to know something, but they only know what the ¡®hidden dangers¡¯ left by the Third Long Night are, aware that the world¡¯s underlying conflicts and collapses are slowly advancing. If they truly knew how to solve the problem, they wouldn¡¯t consider Annihilation of All Things cultists and Scions of the Sun as cannon fodder, nor would they send them into The Dream of the Nameless in search of answers.


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    ¡°The information they provide to the followers of Annihilation and the Sun is ambiguous and vague, sounding not like a clear guide but more like a test. This suggests that those Doomsday Preachers themselves don¡¯t know which direction is the correct one.¡±


    The goat-headed figure fell silent for a while, then suddenly asked, ¡°What do you plan to do with this crystal? If it truly is some kind of profane prototype¡­ then the longer it stays in the real world, the greater the danger becomes. Even if it¡¯s kept on Homeloss, it might not be safe after a long time.¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, then slowly raised his hand.


    Threads of flame rose from his fingertips, seeping into the crystal.


    ¡°I am very interested in their secrets.¡±

 Chapter 653 - Chapter 653 Chapter 650 The Memory of the Crystal

    Chapter 653: Chapter 650: The Memory of the Crystal Chapter 653: Chapter 650: The Memory of the Crystal Flames seeped into the crystal, rapidly spreading and flowing between the hair-like delicate, complex three-dimensional structures within the crystal, and as the flames were injected, Duncan¡¯s consciousness also began to sink.


    He felt as though he had entered an empty, silent, ice-cold place.


    It was like a corner that had been forgotten for endless years, a sense of inexplicable isolation and loneliness almost instantly transmitted to him along with the flames, followed by a perception of light in his field of vision¨Ca strong, almost indiscernible-scale, ice-cold light.


    He opened his eyes and found himself standing on a gigantic black rock, floating in the void, while a near-terrifying golden sun burned quietly before his eyes. The flames on the surface of the sun churned, the astonishing solar prominences rose and fell silently in the void.


    However, this sun produced no heat¨Cdespite being so close, Duncan did not feel the horrific high temperature that should come from sunlight shining upon him; it merely burned silently and coldly, as if it was just a scene purely recorded¡­ as an image.


    Is this the Black Sun? Seeing It again?


    Duncan frowned slightly, thinking this subconsciously, but then he realized that this golden sun, devoid of heat, was not the same ¡°Black Sun¡± he had seen before¨Cit lacked those bizarre and terrifying tentacle structures deep within its shell, there was no sight of the dying pale eyeball, and more importantly¡­ this ¡°sun¡± made no attempt to cry out to him.


    It was a recorded image left behind by a real star!


    Duncan quickly came to this realization, then his gaze finally shifted away from the cold sun, and he began to take note of the ¡°black rock¡± beneath his feet.


    This was a colossal artificial object!


    Its surface was smooth, with clearly man-made grooves and scratches, and the stone-like material shimmered with a metallic luster. At certain ¡°nodes¡± within those grooves, there were protruding structures of unknown purpose that seemed to be made of extraordinary crystals.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze followed the edge of the rock outward, then looked towards the expansive dark void surrounding the golden sun¨C


    He saw more ¡°rocks¡±¨Ccountless huge black artificial objects like ¡°stele¡± floating around the golden sun within the boundless darkness, arranged into a wall-like orderly array. From this perspective, he finally saw more details on their sides facing the sun¨Cprecisely cut crystal surfaces on one side of the rocks reflected sunlight, and beneath the crystals, there appeared to be intricate mechanical devices, seemingly used to adjust the angle of the crystal array. The entire structure seemed¡­ as if it were designed to collect the energy released by the sun?!


    Duncan stared blankly at the ¡°rock¡± array floating around the sun, seeing them form a massive and loose spherical shell in the darkness, encompassing the star at the center. He then noticed the faintly visible distortions, like some kind of force field, between each floating device, and outside this astonishing ¡°spherical shell¡± structure, within that boundless darkness, there seemed to be more hazy shadows, but they were too distant and obscured by sunlight to see clearly.


    What was that?


    Were they distant planets? Residential stations in space? Gigantic spacecraft? Or¡­


    The control center meant to maintain and control this astonishing Dyson sphere?


    It took an unknown amount of time before Duncan pulled his gaze back from the vast spherical shell array in space, taking a long time to come back to his senses after realizing what he had seen.


    ¡­Within the crystal devices left behind by the Scions of the Sun, what was stored was not some dark forbidden truth or ancient gods¡¯ corrupted knowledge, but¡­ an ancient Dyson sphere structure.


    Duncan narrowed his eyes slightly.


    No, these were indeed the dark forbidden truths and the ancient gods¡¯ corrupted knowledge¨Cfor the ocean deeps era, for the remnants left behind by other universes, for all things established under different mathematical systems, a Dyson sphere supported by the parameters of an alien universe represented the ultimate corruption and pollution.


    After recovering from his shock, Duncan took steps towards the edge of the black ¡°rock¡± beneath his feet, his mind recalling the ¡°New Hope¡± that had crashed into this world.


    Did that ship also become ¡°pollution¡± of this world? After its fall¡­ what had it become?


    He stood on the edge of the star energy-gathering structure, looking down.


    The mechanical shell, like a cliff, and the endless darkness beyond entered his field of view.


    Duncan knew that there was actually no ¡°up or down¡± here; if anything, the gravity emanating from the distant star directed the only ¡°downward¡± here, but his senses still told him that the black device below was down, standing on the shell of this device was like standing on solid ground¨Cneither falling into endless cosmic space nor being captured and pulled away by the sun¡¯s gravity.


    This mismatch between what he knew rationally and what he felt helped remind him that this place was just an illusion recorded within a ¡°Book of Desecration¡± prototype.


    So what was deeper within this record? Was there anything else?


    Duncan sensed his own flames, maneuvering them to spread deeper into the crystal, allowing his consciousness to sink further.


    The magnificent golden sun and the astonishing Dyson sphere structure vanished.


    Boundless darkness spread from all sides, engulfing his vision.


    Contrary to expectation, he did not witness the scene of the civilization¡¯s demise that had constructed the Dyson sphere; there was no collision with another world¨Che seemed to have bypassed that process and arrived in the dark chaos following the Annihilation of All Things.


    And in this dark chaos, after an indiscernible period of lingering, just as Duncan was almost doubting whether there was any more information left in the crystal, a faint light suddenly appeared in his vision!


    Several beams of light emerged, and within their dim glow, vague forms could be discerned¨Csome massive, some bizarre, and others twisted and shapeless. He could not make out the true contours of the lights, but he heard¡­ ¡°voices¡±.


    These voices sounded directly in his mind¨C


    ¡°¡­compatibility severely lower than expected, the ¡®Dreaming King¡¯ has also failed¡­ We must adjust the plan¡­¡±


    ¡°The Shelter can¡¯t possibly save everyone¡­ some entities have overly stringent survival conditions, to preserve them while ensuring the safety of others¡­ the difficulty is too high.¡±


    ¡°¡­prepare a list, those not on the list¡­¡±


    ¡°Who will make this decision? How will we establish the criteria for the list?¡±


    ¡°¡­first we need to determine the compatibility threshold, then simulate¡­ LH-01 has come up with a plan, creating a stable anchor, which can ensure to the greatest extent¡­ but we still need to give up a portion¡­¡±


    What followed was a chaotic noise, as if the corresponding record had gaps; the noise was making Duncan¡¯s head spin, but soon he heard clear information amidst the noise¨C


    ¡°¡­the entities on this portion of the list cannot withstand the Transformation, the cost to preserve them is too high¡­ they have to be abandoned.¡±


    ¡°¡­there is still 3% redundancy, we can make some adjustments¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­they must live in a specific stellar environment, to other entities, their sunlight is a deadly poison¡­ LH-01¡¯s plan cannot meet this requirement¡­ there isn¡¯t much time.¡±


    ¡°¡­let¡¯s abandon them.¡±


    Boom!


    A phantom boom shattered all the voices and the boundless darkness; Duncan felt as if he had touched the bottom layer of this information¨Cno more emerged. Amidst the booming and dizziness, his consciousness quickly withdrew from the depths of the crystal.


    He opened his eyes and saw the familiar cabin before him; the pale golden crystal lay in his palm, quickly turning to a pile of ashes under the scorching of a dim green flame.


    The information the crystal carried had been drained, and this ¡°Prototype of Desecration,¡± not meant to exist in the realm of reality, also lost its stability.


    Duncan rubbed his hands together, and the last remaining bit of ash in his palm immediately dissipated into the air.


    He looked up, meeting the gaze of the goat-headed creature.


    ¡°What did you see?¡± asked the goat-headed creature with a hint of nervousness.


    ¡°¡­the process of their abandonment, the content recorded in the Book of Desecration has been confirmed once more.¡±


    Duncan did not hide the truth; he laid out everything he saw and heard deep within the crystal, telling it all to the goat-headed creature before him.


    Of course, he did not explain the details like ¡°Dyson sphere¡±¨Cthat part was not something that could be clearly explained in a short time.


    After he finished speaking, the captain¡¯s quarters fell into a long silence.


    After an indeterminable duration, the goat-headed creature suddenly stirred, its tone somewhat complicated: ¡°¡­the Book of Desecration records that during the third ¡®Great Night,¡¯ some ¡®Clans¡¯ were exiled into the darkness¡­¡±


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    Duncan nodded slightly; he certainly remembered this part of the description: ¡°It also says that the clans banished to the darkness did not perish¨Cthey gradually became distorted over the long exile, turning into¡­ even more dangerous entities.¡±


    The goat-headed creature pondered for a while before suddenly asking, ¡°What¡¯s your take on this? Do you think the actions of the Scions of the Sun today¡­ can be justified?¡±


    ¡°In matters like this, discussing right and wrong is meaningless,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°The world is not built on fairness¨CI don¡¯t know what state the world was in after the Annihilation of All Things, before the Deep Sea Era began, how many plans the ¡®kings¡¯ who tried to build the Shelter had or how much they compromised, to judge the past decisions from a stable era is foolish and shortsighted, especially from our current standpoint¡­ any form of ¡®sympathy¡¯ is both unreasonable and unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°¡­You are right,¡± the goat-headed creature said softly after a pause.


    Duncan did not say anything more; he simply nodded lightly, then his gaze fell upon the small ¡°sun¡± obtained by Fenna from a giant¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 654 - Chapter 654 Chapter 651 Little Sun and Little Sun

    Chapter 654: Chapter 651: Little Sun and Little Sun Chapter 654: Chapter 651: Little Sun and Little Sun Even though he had already seen the ¡°shrunken¡± moon, upon seeing and touching this tiny Ancient Star himself, Duncan still found it hard to believe.


    It lay in his hands now, radiating a warm glow, the flames on its surface harmlessly sweeping over his fingertips, giving off only a very slight sensation, as if feathers brushed against skin.


    Yet Duncan knew that in some distant past, this brightly shining little orb had once illuminated the skies of the Senkin People, sheltering a civilization.


    ¡°The followers of Black Sun want to obtain this thing, and for this, a ¡®Scion¡¯ even dare to risk their life,¡± the goat-headed figure reflected the sunlight emanating from Duncan¡¯s palm in its eyes and asked with curiosity, ¡°what exactly do they intend to do with this ¡®sun¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s the Scions of the Sun or those referred to as ¡®remnants¡¯ of the sun, their only goal is always to ¡®resurrect¡¯ their ¡®mother,¡¯ the dying Black Sun,¡± Duncan carefully rotated the ¡°mini-star¡± in his hand without looking up, ¡°This seemingly inconspicuous orb carries ¡®information¡¯ from before the Great Annihilation, for the ailing Black Sun¡­ it might be some kind of key material for self-repair.¡±


    He paused for a moment, then slowly articulated some ideas that had gradually formed in his mind¨C


    ¡°In that golden crystal, I saw their homeland where they once lived, a massive technological entity constructed around a star, and their entire civilization existed on the basis of this technological entity. When the Great Annihilation occurred, this massive structure was inevitably ¡®contaminated¡¯ by other worlds, thus warping and mutating into its current form¡­


    ¡°I have a bold guess, the so-called ¡®Black Sun¡¯ might be some kind of ¡®hybrid¡¯¨Cthe entire civilization that evolved around the star collapsed together with their star, morphing into its current form, and this ¡®hybrid¡¯¡­ led to Black Sun being far more disordered, chaotic, and flawed than other ancient beings.¡±


    He lifted his hand, shaking the ¡°Ancient Star¡± in his hand.


    ¡°The Scions of the Sun might believe another ancient star could help them repair the ¡®flaws¡¯ of Black Sun. I don¡¯t understand the principle behind this, but one thing is certain¨Cif they really succeed, that could spell serious trouble.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness they failed,¡± the goat-headed figure sincerely said.


    Duncan nodded, then thoughtfully looked at the Ancient Star in his hand.


    Just then, a series of footsteps suddenly came from outside the captain¡¯s quarters, followed by a knock on the door, Nina¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Uncle Duncan! Are you in there?¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow and immediately responded, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door to the captain¡¯s quarters opened, and Nina peeked in before cheerily popping inside: ¡°Dinner is ready! I came to call you to eat!¡±


    Watching Nina¡¯s radiant smile, Duncan suddenly had a thought.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come at just the right time,¡± he beckoned the girl, ¡°Come take a look at this.¡±


    Nina obediently walked over, and instantly noticed the ¡°little sun¡± in Duncan¡¯s hand. Her eyes widened as she beheld the beautiful glowing orb, quickly realizing, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the ¡®sun¡¯ that Miss Fenna brought out from that desert?¡±


    ¡°Here, hold it,¡± Duncan casually handed the ¡°little sun¡± to Nina, ¡°What do you feel?¡±


    Nina, somewhat puzzled, took the orb about the size of her fist, examined it closely, and seriously ¡°felt¡± it for a moment, then looked at Duncan with confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything special¡­ just feels warm.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Duncan frowned, subconsciously pondering what other test he should have Nina do, but in that moment of distraction, a crisp ¡°crack¡± sound suddenly entered his ears.


    He looked up in astonishment to see Nina also staring blankly in his direction, a wisp of tiny flame and specks of debris falling from the corner of her mouth, and the surface of the ¡°Ancient Star¡± in her hand was now missing a small chunk, with a clear tooth mark visible on the edge.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I couldn¡¯t help myself!¡± Nina finally came to her senses, almost jumping in place as she frantically waved her hands, ¡°It just seemed the right size, and¡­ then¡­ I just bit it by instinct¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t shake it.¡± Duncan quickly interrupted Nina¡¯s somewhat panicked actions, then stood up and snatched the little sun from her hand¨Che was worried that the bite Nina took could destabilize the ¡°star,¡± although he wasn¡¯t sure how powerful a star shrunk to this size could be if it went out of control, it was clearly an extremely dangerous thing.


    But nothing happened.


    The ¡°star¡± with a bite taken out of it neither collapsed nor exploded, still emanating a gentle, harmless heat.


    And as Duncan examined its surface again, he noticed the small gap had somehow already disappeared.


    Nina also curiously leaned in, blinking at the ¡°little sun¡± now back to a whole sphere, finally blurting out, ¡°Did it heal?¡±


    Duncan looked weirdly at the ¡°little sun¡± in his hand, then glanced up at the Homeloss¡¯s ¡°little sun¡± and, despite being accustomed to seeing all kinds of strange and peculiar anomalies and phenomena, suddenly felt his mind was not quite up to the task.


    After a surge of absurd and eerie thoughts, he handed the mini ¡°star¡± back to Nina: ¡°¡­ Bite it again.¡±


    Nina obediently took the ¡°little sun,¡± put it to her mouth, and bit it again, crunching down with a crisp sound.


    Honestly, even Duncan was starting to feel a bit envious¡­


    The next second, the ¡°Little Sun¡± was restored to its original condition under the gaze of Duncan and Nina.


    Nina raised her head, looked at Duncan, then looked at the ¡°Little Sun¡± in her hand, her face filled with confusion, ¡°Why?¡±


    Duncan raised his hand and vigorously rubbed his forehead¨Che had no idea!


    ¡°I guess the most outstanding scholars in the world couldn¡¯t answer your question,¡± Duncan said while massaging his head, then glanced strangely at the sparks flying from the corners of Nina¡¯s mouth and finally couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Does it taste good?¡±


    ¡°Crispy,¡± Nina honestly replied, ¡°It feels good, but I don¡¯t know what it tastes like.¡±


    ¡°Do you want more?¡±


    Nina¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up (literally lighting up the captain¡¯s cabin), ¡°Can I?!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    The captain¡¯s cabin fell silent for a while, Duncan used all his knowledge and imagination to try to explain what was happening, while Nina curiously turned the ¡°Little Sun¡± over, looking for another place to bite.


    After who knows how long, Duncan decided to give up trying to understand the matter.


    ¡°You don¡¯t feel unwell, do you?¡± He shook his head, suddenly worried whether Nina might experience any problems after ¡°devouring a star.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s warm and quite comfortable,¡± Nina shook her head, ¡°Uncle Duncan, can I have another bite?¡±


    ¡°I suggest you at least avoid trying it again today,¡± Duncan thought for a moment, his tone serious but his expression somewhat strained, ¡°If you still feel fine tomorrow¡­ then go ahead.¡±


    Pausing, he added, ¡°Originally, I just wanted you to take care of it.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t lying; even before Nina had come in, he was considering where to place the ¡°Little Sun.¡± For obvious reasons, entrusting it to Nina seemed like the natural thing to do¨Cfirstly, owing to their inherent connection, Nina keeping the ¡°Little Sun¡± might uncover more of its secrets, and secondly, from a safety perspective, Nina, who could warm up to 6000, certainly had the ability to ensure that no one could take this ¡°star.¡±


    But his grandniece thinking the ¡°Little Sun¡± tasted good was an unexpected situation¡­


    Nina didn¡¯t think too much about it, and upon hearing Duncan¡¯s arrangements, she immediately brightened up, nodding vigorously, ¡°Mm!¡±


    She looked just like a puppy that had gotten the bone it had longed for.


    Seeing Nina¡¯s beaming smile, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of worry¨C


    Giving it to her¡­ was that really okay?


    Although it now seemed that the ¡°Little Sun¡± would restore itself immediately after being bitten, there was no telling if this recovery had a limit. If it was left with Nina for ¡°safekeeping¡±¡­ might she one day eat it all?


    ¡°Uncle Duncan?¡±


    The calling voice beside him pulled Duncan from his reverie, and he quickly cast aside the wild thoughts in his head, turning to face Nina¡¯s sunny expression.


    ¡°Is it time for dinner?¡± Nina asked with a radiant smile.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    In the end, Duncan didn¡¯t have the heart to ask for the ¡°Little Sun¡± back.


    At the same time, the vast Academy Ark was already sailing near the coast of Light Breeze Harbor.


    In the upper-level lounge of the ark, Rune was sitting in a chair, eyes closed, resting.


    From the situation of the elves left on the ark, The Dream of the Nameless¡¯s impact on the real world definitely had completely dissipated; even those elves who had completely vanished at one point had now returned to the real world.


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    With the sudden relief of pressure, weariness crept up, and Rune had rested for a long time since returning to the ark, only now feeling slightly revitalized.


    After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, looked at his hands, and at his skin, now wrinkled and no longer lively.


    ¡°I really am getting old.¡±


    He muttered reflectively, then rose from his chair and stepped over to a nearby laboratory table.


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s time to chat with a few old friends.¡±

 Chapter 655 - Chapter 655 Chapter 652 Step into the Mist

    Chapter 655: Chapter 652: Step into the Mist Chapter 655: Chapter 652: Step into the Mist The flames atop the alchemy platform began to burn silently, and the liquid in the flask bubbled. Rahm¡¯s gaze emanated from the fog of deep thought, and Rune felt his consciousness drawn to a dark, profound place¨Cafter passing through a long, dark ¡°tunnel,¡± he saw several faint glimmers at the tunnel¡¯s end.


    These were his old friends¨CHelena, Banster, and Frem.


    He approached their figures, and before he could greet them, Helena was the first to break the silence, ¡°You seem to be in good shape, Rune¨CIt looks like we don¡¯t have to worry about the Academy of Truth needing a new Pope.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your ¡®concern,''¡± Rune glanced at Helena, though clearly not minded by her words, then turned to the others with a slight nod, ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting¨CI needed some time to restore order aboard the Ark and to my own condition.¡±


    The tall, rock-skinned Frem examined Rune¡¯s soul projection seriously and with a deep voice, ¡°Is the incident resolved?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s resolved,¡± Rune nodded, ¡°Order is being restored in Light Breeze Harbor, and the elves in other parts of the world should gradually wake up. The worst has been averted.¡±


    ¡°¡­We need more information,¡± Banster, the tall and thin elderly man devoted to the god of death, added with a grave expression, ¡°The impact of this incident surpasses the previous Plains and Frost incidents. It directly affects a ¡®race¡¯ and points to a time before the Deep Sea era¡­ What exactly happened in Light Breeze Harbor?¡±


    Rune paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the figures before settling on the leader of the Fire Transmitters, Frem. After a moment¡¯s deliberation, he finally spoke solemnly, ¡°With the help of Captain Duncan, I witnessed the ¡®Great Annihilation¡¯¨Cthe ultimate truth of our world, far beyond anyone¡¯s imagination.¡±


    Then, he shared all of the deeply hidden events in The Dream of the Nameless with his three old friends, including the catastrophic collision that destroyed two worlds and also the information about the Senkin People¡¯s homeland world without reservation.


    Clearly, even for the followers of the four gods, this information was too shocking¨Cafter Rune finished speaking, the dark space, supported by Psychic Echo, fell into prolonged silence.


    ¡°The world¡¯s¡­ collision and fusion?¡± After who knows how long, Helena finally broke the silence again, her eyes fixed on Rune in the darkness, ¡°Are you suggesting that the ¡®world drift theory¡¯ is confirmed?¡±


    ¡°More like something beyond ¡®world drift¡¯¡­ You didn¡¯t witness it firsthand, so it¡¯s hard for you to imagine how terrifying that ¡®collision¡¯ process was. It was the annihilation and reshaping of all things, everything in the mortal world turned into a dark, chaotic ¡®primordial soup¡¯ in an instant. It looked¡­ like the Subspace, and there are definitely more than two worlds involved in the ¡®collision¡¯; perhaps dozens or hundreds of worlds collided at the same time¨CSilantis¡¯s memories are just a corner of that grand annihilation¡­¡±


    Rune tried his best to describe his feelings when he watched that scene and the thoughts it provoked, while Frem, the massive Senkin Pope, maintained silence and thought. After a long time, this giant-like figure suddenly spoke, ¡°Are you sure¡­ that the giant accompanying Miss Fenna was the ¡®Eternal Flame¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The current clues point to that,¡± Rune nodded seriously, ¡°that ¡®Chronicle Pillar¡¯ is now aboard Homeloss, I¡¯ve seen it myself.¡±


    He paused briefly then added with special seriousness, ¡°But I must warn you, taking that item won¡¯t be easy¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Frem shook his head before Rune could finish, ¡°I¡¯ll give this matter careful consideration¡­ What¡¯s most important now isn¡¯t the ¡®Chronicle Pillar,¡¯ but the information about our Lord, or more precisely, everyone¡¯s ¡®Lord¡¯ that we serve.¡±


    He lifted his head, visibly applying an intangible pressure with his gaze on every figure present.


    The others, of course, understood the implications of his last sentence.


    After all, they were those on this world closest to the four gods¨Cthey had long felt what lay behind that vague and awe-inspiring veil.


    ¡°¡­Our connection with the gods is increasingly difficult, and the effect of the Pilgrimage Ark is gradually waning,¡± Banster slowly said, ¡°When the Ark was first established, I could almost hear the Lord¡¯s voice directly in the meditation chamber, but now, after these years, that voice has become a faint and muddled whisper.¡±


    ¡°The Pilgrimage Ark is just a supplemental anchor; it can strengthen our connection with the ¡®Lord¡¯ but can¡¯t truly delay decay,¡± Rune slowly shook his head, ¡°When we built these Arks, we actually knew that this day would eventually come.¡±


    Banster fell silent, the tall and lanky elderly man slightly closing his eyes as if quietly sensing and listening to something. After a long while, he spoke softly, ¡°Sometimes, I can almost smell Their gradually decaying scent¡­¡±


    The dark space fell quiet for a while until Rune finally spoke in a low voice, ¡°¡­ yes, we all can.¡±


    Banster turned his head, looking into Helena¡¯s eyes in the darkness, ¡°¡­ The fleet of the Deep Sea Church has been operating on the border for a long time, have you made any progress?¡±


    ¡°The vanguard team is still circling in that endless fog,¡± Helena said with a hint of frustration, ¡°There are no navigational routes or landmarks deep within the fog, and both the sea and sky possess a bizarre texture. Even using the ¡®Observatory¡¯ for navigation, the margin of error is unacceptable¡­ We¡¯ve tried to establish some temporary lighthouses where the fog is thinner, but they only allow us to penetrate a limited distance into the fog¡­ Any further, and the lighthouses are swallowed by the fog.¡±


    ¡°Our fleet has encountered the same problem,¡± Frem added, ¡°We entered the border through a different gap in the Eternal Veil. At first, the fog was rather sparse, and the sea conditions were normal, but as soon as we ventured deeper, the fog sharply thickened, our lights disappearing into the mist as if devoured by something.¡±


    ¡°This exploration operation has been ongoing for some time now,¡± said Rune seriously, ¡°We¡¯ve pulled together patrols from around the world to amass at the border seas, which must have already drawn the attention of many City-States. Continuing this way, whether we can find the ¡®points of connection¡¯ between the gods and the mortal world is one thing, but causing speculation and panic among the people is certain.¡±


    Silence fell among the several figures, and the bishops each fell into deep thought. After several minutes, Helena suddenly said, ¡°Throughout history, only one person has truly ventured deep into the ¡®border¡¯ and returned alive from that fog.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, that is also the last thing I wanted to discuss in contacting you all,¡± Rune nodded slightly, ¡°¡®He¡¯ also wishes to establish a more in-depth exchange with the Four God Churches¨Cnot just simple meetings, but a genuine, deep ¡®collaboration¡¯.¡±


    This was clearly a sensitive and hesitant topic, and the other three figures did not speak for a while. Rune then turned his gaze first to Helena, ¡°You should be supportive¨CThat saint named Fenna has been living on that ship for a long time. You must have received a lot of information from her, and I believe you, like myself, have many insights on the current state of that ship and its captain.¡±


    ¡°Fenna¡­ Well, judging solely from the information Fenna relayed, that captain indeed seems trustworthy,¡± Helena rubbing her forehead, her words somewhat awkward for some reason, ¡°Sometimes I even doubt whose saint she really is, she¡¯s been too trusting of the ¡®captain¡¯ lately.¡±


    ¡°But at least you can be certain she remains faithful to her beliefs¨Cotherwise, you wouldn¡¯t still hear her voice through the blessing of the Storm Goddess,¡± Rune smiled, ¡°I met your saint recently. Although our interaction was brief, I could tell she is an¡­honest and genuine person, her judgment of that captain is trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°I also agree to further our interaction with that captain, including direct contact and inviting him to join our current operations,¡± Frem also said, ¡°Although I don¡¯t have a saint who was taken onto that ship, I trust Rune¡¯s judgment, and anyway, I need to see that ¡®Chronicle Column¡¯ with my own eyes¡­¡±


    Helena and Rune exclaimed in unison, ¡°Can you stop mentioning ¡®saints being taken onto the ship¡¯ every time?!¡±


    Frem spread his hands, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Then their gazes unanimously landed on the only figure who had not yet expressed an opinion.


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    Tall and thin, wrapped in a black robe, Banster felt somewhat awkward under the three piercing gazes and couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡±


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s only your opinion we¡¯re waiting for,¡± Rune said with a serious expression, ¡°We all agree to establish a deeper interaction with that captain and to reveal our operations in the border seas to him¨Cwhat do you think?¡±


    Banster pressed his lips tightly together, his mind clearly still wrestling with the decision, and after a long time, he sighed reluctantly, ¡°I need some time to get my bishops to accept this.¡±


    Helena was immediately surprised, ¡°So you personally accept it?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Banster spread his hands, ¡°Personal feelings must yield at times like this¨Cas long as ¡®he¡¯ doesn¡¯t take anything away from me this time.¡±

 Chapter 656 - Chapter 656 Chapter 653 Legacy Issues

    Chapter 656: Chapter 653 ¡°Legacy Issues Chapter 656: Chapter 653 ¡°Legacy Issues Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s order was quickly restored¨Calthough the scope of The Dream of the Nameless far exceeded the previous crises involving Prand and Frost, the special nature of The Dream of the Nameless meant that its impact on the real world was minimal after the ¡°Dreamscape¡± receded.


    The city that had been swallowed returned to the real world, and the districts that had been covered and replaced by nightmares were restored to their original state. The flowing fires in the nightmares of the ancient gods did not extend to anyone¡¯s head¨Cwhen a new day arrived, this frontier city had regained its usual appearance.


    Of course, it was not to say that this incident had no impact on Light Breeze Harbor.


    People still remembered the scenes when the nightmare struck, and a large number of citizens needed to be comforted. The whole incident also required a proper conclusion and interpretation. A considerable number of people experienced short-term memory disorders and hallucinations of sight and hearing after ¡°waking up,¡± although none were severe enough to trigger Transcendent contamination, but mental health professionals still needed to be involved. Moreover, more ordinary people were affected by fatigue, drowsiness, and unexplained palpitations, which were sequela of their spirits being extracted and consumed by the ancient god¡¯s nightmares, and it was still unknown how long recovery would take.


    In the Witch¡¯s Mansion at 99 Crown Street in Light Breeze Harbor, Duncan was sitting next to the large French windows in the first-floor hall, looking across the street through the windows.


    The academy¡¯s steam walker was patrolling the streets, uniformed Knowledge Guards and sheriffs were checking for any overlooked ¡°Dreamscape residues¡± within the district, and government office staff dispatched from the city hall were going door-to-door, confirming the residents¡¯ conditions, registering those with ¡°mental impairments¡± who needed assistance, or taking those in serious conditions to the nearby psychological aid rooms for treatment.


    ¡°¡­ I just went to see Sala Mel, and the situation in the city is better than I imagined, there shouldn¡¯t be anything to worry about¨Cmy brother would definitely be envious of the condition of Light Breeze Harbor after the event; Frost really gave him a hard time back then.¡±


    Lucressia stood by Duncan, discussing the conditions she had just confirmed outside.


    ¡°I also met Master Taran El, who has returned to the real world, and the Truth Confidant. The former is not too bad, just a bit sluggish and neurasthenic, but anyway, he¡¯s usually like that, maintaining stable vital signs counts as success¡­


    ¡°The latter was indeed sent to the hospital¨Cactually nothing serious, just some gastrointestinal discomfort, a whole bottle of Blood Raven mixture that was poured into him caused more burden on his digestive system than mental damage¡­¡±


    Duncan half-heartedly listened to Lucy¡¯s report and casually remarked, ¡°When there¡¯s time, we might as well visit the ¡®Truth Confidant¡¯; he knows about the Homeloss¡¯s activities on the frontier a hundred years ago, I¡¯d like to talk to him about these.¡±


    Lucressia nodded, and just then, a knock on the door suddenly came from the direction of the vestibule, interrupting the conversation between Duncan and her.


    Morris, who was reading near the door, stood up to open it, exchanged a few words with the Visitor, and then the sound of the door closing followed.


    ¡°It was the staff dispatched by the government office,¡± Morris came over and told Duncan and Lucressia, ¡°They are assessing the mental condition of the residents in each household, asking if anyone in this house needs psychological help.¡±


    Duncan glanced at Lucressia with an odd expression, and she spread her hands: ¡°Not everyone knows the situation of the ¡®Witch¡¯s Mansion,¡¯ especially those low-level civil servants who were urgently pulled from other districts during special periods¨Ctheir daily work has already overwhelmed them, where would they have the time to understand a house filled with strange tales.¡±


    Duncan shrugged and turned to Morris, ¡°How did you respond?¡±


    ¡°I told them that everyone in this house is in very good mental condition, especially me,¡± Morris said offhandedly, ¡°but the Rahm emblem he had for detecting mental contamination suddenly burned up¨CI think, after that, no one will come to bother this house anymore.¡±


    ¡°Consider it another strange tale added,¡± Duncan turned and told Lucressia.


    ¡°It dodged some unnecessary social interaction,¡± Lucressia looked rather pleased, ¡°a good thing.¡±


    Duncan smiled and looked out the window again, quietly admiring the street scene that was slowly returning to normality and vigor, before finally breaking the silence thoughtfully, ¡°The incident in Light Breeze Harbor has ended¡­ it¡¯s time to deal with some ¡®leftover issues¡¯.¡±


    Lucressia blinked, ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Is Rabi still on that ship?¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand, I¡¯ll go check on the ¡®Nest¡¯ right away.¡±


    ¡­


    Richard felt cold.


    Since the last withdrawal from the ¡°Dream of the Nameless,¡± he felt intermittently that his body was cold, as if the blood in his veins was diminishing and stopping its flow, as if his body could no longer generate enough heat¨Ceven wearing an extra layer of clothing or wrapping up in a blanket in the room did nothing.


    He did not understand what was happening, although he clearly had a lot of warm cotton, he could not stop the heat from leaking out of his body¨Cthis ¡°abnormality¡± irritated him.


    He had asked Rabi, but Rabi had not given him an answer, only told him to just patiently wait.


    Fortunately, there was still much to be done, and Richard could divert his attention elsewhere for the time being.


    The ship sailed across the Endless Sea, following a ¡°secret route¡± far from all major channels, under the orders of the saint; they had now distanced themselves from the so-called ¡°civilized world¡± and would reach a supply port near the border in a few days.


    During this time, the Believers on the ship hurriedly tidied up various ¡°arrangements¡± left from previous actions, including resetting the runes in the assembly hall, resealing the ¡°Skull of Dreams,¡± and readjusting the ship¡¯s concealment to further hide its ¡°aura.¡±


    Richard and a few companions checked the runes and the ¡°Sacred Relic¡± in the lower deck.


    ¡°The saint said these symbols can block the Scions of the Sun from sensing this ship,¡± Dumon murmured beside him, ¡°¡­hopefully, these things are genuinely effective.¡±


    ¡°After all, we pulled out at a critical moment¨Cfor those ¡®allies,¡¯ that must seem like betrayal,¡± Richard casually remarked, then with some confusion, ¡°But then again¡­ what happened that made the saint hastily decide to abort the mission? Was what the Doomsday Preachers said really that convincing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Dumon shook his head, ¡°but the saint must have his own considerations; he can glimpse into the shadows of fate, perhaps sensing the immense danger lurking within The Dream of the Nameless¡­¡±


    At this, Dumon suddenly stopped, looked around quickly, and then leaned in close to Richard, lowering his voice, ¡°I suddenly feel¡­ this whole thing might have been a trap from the start, the so-called ¡®Dream of the Nameless¡¯ harbors unimaginable perils. It was right for us to withdraw in time; those Scions of the Sun might now be in a dire situation.¡±


    Richard, noticing Dumon¡¯s seriousness, also instinctively looked around and muttered softly, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve ¡®evacuated¡¯ quite some time ago,¡± Dumon raised his head, looking at those runes emanating a sinister glow in the dark between the ceiling and the walls. ¡°That ¡®Scion of the Sun¡¯ still hasn¡¯t chased us down to question¨Chonestly, I don¡¯t think these runes, meant to block ordinary Transcendent beings, can stop an ancient god¡¯s progeny.¡±


    Richard was taken aback for a moment before slowly catching on.


    He shouldn¡¯t have been that slow to respond; usually, he was sharper than Dumon¨Cbut somehow, from some point, his thoughts and reactions had become significantly slower.


    It was as if only now, with Dumon¡¯s prompting, had he realised the ¡°Scion of the Sun¡± might have met a severe fate.


    ¡°¡­Are you saying the ¡®Scion of the Sun¡¯ is dead? Killed by The Dream of the Nameless?¡± Richard¡¯s voice took on a hint of tension; he asked quietly, anxious, ¡°There isn¡¯t much in the temporal world that could kill a ¡®Scion¡¯; could it be that dreamscape¡­¡±


    ¡°It could also have been ¡®His¡¯ followers, or even ¡®He¡¯ Himself,¡± Dumon muttered, ¡°you know who it is.¡±


    Richard immediately shut his mouth, not continuing the conversation on this topic.


    They must not speak further of this matter, for the Ghost Ship¡¯s captain would cast a glance this way amid rash spoken references; Homeloss¡¯s shadow would emerge from the night sky onto the sea surface, enveloping everyone in thick fog.


    Everyone who sailed across the Endless Sea grew up hearing such stories.


    But Richard was still curious¨C


    He knew the power of the Scion of the Sun. Even among all the ¡°Scion¡± types, they were the strongest, born directly from the fire sea of the Black Sun, derivatives of ancient godliness. If not for the dimensional reality being shielded and sheltered by the four gods, restricting the Scions of the Sun to appearing only in projections in the real world, their full power could potentially destroy a City-State in a short time¨Csuch power would even be difficult for a mighty saint to contend with.


    Was that Ghost Ship¡¯s captain truly that strong?


    A cold sensation once again rose from the depths of his heart, giving Richard a start, and he hastened to control his wild thoughts, avoiding drawing any dangerous attention from the dark.


    Meanwhile, he heard Dumon¡¯s voice again in his ear¨C


    ¡°Regardless, we have left that maelstrom; while many are puzzled by it, we are safe now.¡±


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    Richard fell silent for a few seconds.


    A cold chill spread in his heart; his blood seemed to have stopped flowing entirely, and he felt increasingly cold.


    He felt his body was almost no longer producing heat.


    But he slowly nodded.


    ¡°Yes, no matter what, we are safe now.¡±

 Chapter 657 - Chapter 657 Chapter 654 Visit in the Shadows

    Chapter 657: Chapter 654: Visit in the Shadows Chapter 657: Chapter 654: Visit in the Shadows Spacious and ornate, the grand hall, adorned with many reliefs and patterns related to the Abyssal Hound on its roof and walls, hosted a silent figure on the podium known as ¡°The Saint¡±¨Ca grotesque creature.


    Atop the podium stood the ¡°Skeleton Crown,¡± interwoven from dark bones. Among the intertwined nerves and blood vessels at the base of the crown were half-open, half-closed eyes, and in the center rested the terrifying brain, occasionally emitting low, indistinct sounds as it quivered slightly.


    The lower-tier priests and ordinary disciples maintained their silence, standing cautiously and tensely in the corners of the hall. They kept their distance from the central podium, not daring to meet directly the eye stalks of The Saint, which were in a state of dormancy. A deep, oppressive atmosphere enveloped the space, as if the very air had solidified.


    Everyone knew that The Saint was in a foul mood¨Cand it was clearly related to the abrupt halt of recent operations.


    Of course, the order to halt the operations had been issued by The Saint himself, but clearly, this was not seen as a desirable outcome by the revered entity¨Cit wasn¡¯t supposed to go this way.


    This silence and suppression continued for who knows how long before a voice suddenly appeared in the ears of every lower-tier priest and ordinary disciple¨C¡°Leave.¡±


    As if granted a reprieve, the Annihilating disciples swiftly exited the meeting hall through the various doors in almost the blink of an eye, leaving only the upper-tier priests near the podium.


    ¡°Saint,¡± a high-ranking priest with neatly combed white hair and dressed in a black coat turned towards the podium and broke the silence, ¡°we have received messages from Moco and Ciprod that the elves who were in a state of sleep and dissolution across the City-States are gradually recovering.¡±


    ¡°¡­The entrance to the Dreamscape has vanished, and the Skull of Dreams no longer responds to the ¡®blood meal¡¯,¡± another upper-tier priest immediately added. ¡°From the current situation, it appears that the Dream of the Nameless has completely disappeared¨Cyet until now, the followers of the sun have not contacted us.¡±


    ¡°They will no longer contact us,¡± finally came the response from within the Skeleton Crown. ¡°The Scions of the Sun leading this operation have perished, and that loss is enough to plunge those followers into prolonged chaos¡­ With that core ¡®Scions¡¯ lost, the branch that cooperated with us will cease to exist soon.


    A stir erupted among the upper priests encircling the podium. After a brief moment of shock, the white-haired priest couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°The Scions of the Sun have perished?! How did it die? Was it something deep within the Dreamscape¡­¡±


    ¡°I do not know. I only saw its brilliance suddenly extinguish at the end of its fate, and a vast shadow spread from where it went out, and even now, the shadow continues to spread towards us.¡±


    The upper priests exchanged nervous looks. After a moment of silence, one of them hesitantly spoke: ¡°Are you saying¡­that the shadow that killed the Scion of the Sun is still chasing us?¡±


    ¡°Our fate is enveloped in gloom,¡± The Saint slowly stated, ¡°which has yet to dissipate.¡±


    ¡°We are now far from all City-States and major routes,¡± another upper-tier priest hesitated, ¡°and we have also successfully avoided the patrols of the Great Church fleets on the borders¡­¡±


    Immediately, another priest added, ¡°Those lapdogs of the Four Maxim have recently concentrated a large number of fleets near the eastern borders, significantly weakening the patrol strength in other maritime borders. We passed very smoothly and should be able to return to the ¡®Holy Land¡¯ soon¡­¡±


    Yet another priest joined in, ¡°The ¡®Holy Land¡¯ is shrouded in dense mist at the border, and with ¡®The Master¡¯s¡¯ blessings there, even the Pilgrimage Ark of the Four Maxim cannot break through¡­¡±


    The upper priests clamored, but The Saint on the podium remained silent. Gradually, the voices around the podium quieted down, and the priests sensibly shut their mouths.


    ¡°¡®He¡¯ is coming.¡±


    After an indeterminate amount of time, The Saint¡¯s deep voice echoed suddenly in everyone¡¯s ears.


    Accompanied by these few words, it was as if an invisible, frigid wind had suddenly swept through the hall¨Claden with an almost contagious terror and horror, causing those Annihilating Priests, whose hearts were as cold and hard as black iron, to shudder involuntarily.


    One upper-tier priest almost immediately understood The Saint¡¯s meaning: ¡°You mean¡­the specter that returned from Subspace¡­¡±


    ¡°How can that be?! We haven¡¯t had any dealings with ¡®his¡¯ followers after that¡­¡± another priest exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°We withdrew from there before the Dream of the Nameless underwent even greater changes; we should have already severed all ties with ¡®him¡¯¡­¡±


    The Saint did not respond to the nervous and fearful voices of the feeble around him; instead, he slowly raised the eye stalks at his side. At the writhing ends of these tendrils, abscessed eyes surveyed the hall, as if peering through the walls, scanning the entire ship.


    In The Saint¡¯s swollen and distorted eyes, reflections of the gloom in their fate could be seen, green flames burning in the shadows, gradually appearing in the near future on the sea surface¨Che saw death and fear approach¨Csoon, most aboard this ship will die.


    As for the others, their fate was even more tragic than death.


    He had smelled the blood boiling in the flames beforehand, heard the screams that would soon resound¨Cyet more desperate than the impending deaths was the fact that the shadow would continue to spread along this route; this ship was not the endpoint, simply a transit point for the spreading shadow.


    The Saint slowly withdrew his eye stalks.


    In the accessible, limited future, he had carefully made many choices, which had successfully allowed him to gain increasingly powerful forces, making this ship a symbol of ¡°The Master¡¯s¡± will, but this time, he realized that no matter what choice he made, the gloom was always casting its shadow over their fate.


    Regardless of ending ¡°The Dream of the Nameless¡± early, changing the course of this ¡°holy ship,¡± or isolating the entire ship¡¯s aura, they couldn¡¯t shake off that dreadful future.


    The shadow enveloped him, and everyone else, and even¡­ seemed like it was already on this ship.


    Already on this ship?


    In the Skeleton Crown atop the dais, the swollen, writhing brain suddenly paused for a moment, then the surrounding biological tissue gradually relaxed.


    Accompanied by a flash of insight, The Saint noticed those pervasive shadows beginning to fade, and on the nearby sea surface, those pale green flames emerging from the darkness seemed to be gradually dissipating.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve caught you,¡± he muttered softly.


    A high-ranking priest quickly responded, ¡°What have you found?¡±


    ¡°¡­gather everyone who has entered the Dream of the Nameless in the hall,¡± The Saint slowly began, while part of his eyeball observed the haze pervading the ship and the scent of death from the future continued to weaken, ¡°especially those who have had contact with that girl who was in company with the Abyssal Hound¡­ Richard, yes, bring him here¡­ do not alarm, do not arouse his suspicion, gently guide him over.¡±


    The haze in the hall completely receded, and the scent of death heard from various parts of the ship was rapidly weakening, and soon after on the sea surface, the pale green flames returned to the shadows.


    The shadow was indeed on the ship; he once again noticed that tiny ¡°turning point¡± in destiny¨Cthe right choice, a favorable outcome.


    A high-ranking priest quickly left the assembly hall to carry out The Saint¡¯s orders.


    Then, The Saint on the dais fell silent for a moment before commanding, ¡°Also, stop the ship.¡±


    The haze in destiny temporarily dissipated, yet a peculiar unease still lingered at the bottom of his heart, almost as if things would not simply end like this, the ghost that returned from the Subspace¡­ might not be so easy to shake off.


    Driven by necessary caution, The Saint decided to temporarily remain in this part of the sea, unable to let the ship continue towards the sacred ground until he was sure all risks were thoroughly eliminated¡­


    A minute later, Richard awoke from a brief and chaotic nightmare.


    An inexplicable cold breeze blew across his neck, and soft, indistinct whispers came from the corners of the room. The scenes from the nightmare had already faded from his mind, and he couldn¡¯t recall what he had dreamt about, only feeling a slowly dissipating, hangover-like palpitation lingering at the bottom of his heart, gradually morphing into a hazy impression with time¡¯s passage.


    ¡°She¡¯s coming to visit¡­¡±


    A faint voice, as if emerging from his own mind, spoke up.


    Richard sat up straight in bed.


    Whispers were emerging from every corner of the room, the light shook on the nearby wall, casting many sporadic, bizarre shadows, interlacing like mycelium or as if an invisible spider web covered the entire cabin.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to meet the lady¡­ dear doll¡­¡±


    That soft voice spoke again.


    Richard slowly blinked, the numbness and dullness in his mind seeming to gradually fade. He got out of bed, walked over to a side locker, opened it, and after rummaging for a while, finally found what he needed.


    It was a large roll of paper and several pencils.


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    These were the materials he usually used to practice drawing runes.


    After quietly observing these items for a few seconds, a smile finally appeared on Richard¡¯s face. He carried the paper and pencils to the bed, without hesitation threw his bedding aside on the floor, and directly spread the large roll of paper on the flat bed board.


    ¡°They¡¯ve come for you¡­ don¡¯t waste time.¡±


    Richard softly repeated the whispers in his mind, a smile lingering on his lips, pencil in hand, he bent down and skillfully began to sketch.


    A beautiful lady¡¯s visage emerged in his mind and gradually took shape on the paper.

 Chapter 658 - Chapter 658 Chapter 655 Invasion

    Chapter 658: Chapter 655 ¡°Invasion Chapter 658: Chapter 655 ¡°Invasion The mistress was coming on this cold afternoon.


    The sound of the pencil sweeping across the paper rustled as varying lines, as if with lives of their own, extended and connected across the page, gradually forming a shape. Richard was fully immersed in this ¡°welcoming¡± moment, while a sense of reassurance and anticipation slowly filled his entire mind.


    Unconsciously, the cold faded away, and that inexplicable emptiness that had recently been appearing from time to time also vanished. A smile emerged on his face, and the only thought, the only image left in his mind: she was about to arrive.


    That beautiful lady, that mistress he had never met before, he revered her and joyfully anticipated her visit¡­ Would the mistress like this place? Would she appreciate his arrangements? Would she show a smile and praise the loyalty of the doll?


    The pencil swept lightly across the white paper, and the gentle gaze of the mistress came through from the paper, smilingly watching him.


    Excitement surged, yet Richard¡¯s hands were steadier and faster than ever¨Che did not even remember when he had gained such high drawing skills, capable of sketching these wonderful lines so quickly. Eventually, he even picked up a pencil with his left hand, and as both hands swiftly moved, they almost seemed to leave afterimages¡­


    However, footsteps suddenly came from the direction of the corridor, thudding rapidly as if mimicking a heartbeat, bringing an annoying disturbance.


    ¡°They are here for you, dear doll¡­¡±


    That fine voice in his mind blew past like the wind, carrying an indistinct noise.


    That annoying, familiar cold sensation came again; Richard felt irritation rising within him. Someone was coming to disturb him, to interrupt the moment he was to meet the mistress. They were almost at the door¨Cand he had not yet finished drawing.


    He quickened his pace once more, his hands dancing across the paper while the disturbing footsteps arrived earlier than anticipated.


    The footsteps stopped at the door before almost instantly, someone knocked on the door.


    The pounding knocks as if striking directly on the heart, echoed in this small room¨Cinitially moderate, but they quickly turned more urgent.


    ¡°Richard, are you in there?¡± A voice from outside came in, sounding somewhat nervously polite, ¡°The Saints have convened a meeting, they want everyone in the assembly hall.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, it¡¯s a trap.¡±


    Richard heard an instantaneous warning in his mind; he couldn¡¯t discern whether it was Rabi¡¯s voice or his own thoughts¨Che naturally ignored the voice at the door and continued to immerse himself completely in his drawing.


    The silence inside the room led to an even more rapid sequence of knocks, bang bang bang, which quickly came from the door as someone forcefully knocked while raising their voice, ¡°Richard, we know you¡¯re in there, this meeting is important, you can¡¯t still be sleeping!¡±


    Almost there, almost there.


    Richard¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, his arms trembling as if in spasms. The mistress blinked at him, her eyes lively and vibrant within the black and white lines of the drawing.


    But still, it was not enough; he had the most important strokes yet to complete¡­


    The knocking suddenly stopped, and after a short pause, there was a forceful crash.


    ¡°Bang¨Cclang!¡±


    The flimsy wooden door was violently smashed open, Richard¡¯s movements stiffened for that instant¨Cand it was during that brief moment that someone rushed into the room and an Abyssal Hound leaped from mid-air, pinning him directly to the ground.


    Did he place the last stroke in the right spot?


    Richard struggled to raise his head for a look, but the strength of the Abyssal Hound pinned him down completely. He could only support himself on his arms, while a hoarse, strange grunt and low growl came from his throat, only letting rage fill his mind¨C


    He detested the Abyssal Hound, he loathed this rough and fierce creature.


    Someone grabbed his arm and quickly tied it with a rope, then another person gagged him to prevent him from using the power of spells¨Cthe people who broke into the room pulled Richard up from the ground, snatched away his pencil, and roughly dragged him towards the door.


    Richard, in the moment of leaving the room, gave up resisting. His thoughts seemed to break, and his mind felt stuffed with cotton, his head muzzy as he was carried by a few ¡°brethren,¡± silently walking down the corridor.


    ¡°Wait,¡± one of the Heretics holding Richard¡¯s arm suddenly stopped and looked up at the other walking nearby, ¡°What was he doing when we burst into the room just now?¡±


    ¡°It seemed like he was drawing,¡± another Heretic frowned in recollection, ¡°There was a large sheet of paper spread on the bed, but I didn¡¯t see what he was drawing.¡±


    ¡°¡­Something is not right, I¡¯ll go check it out.¡±


    The first Heretic quickly said, then turned around and ran back to the room they had just left. He stepped over the broken wooden door, quickly reached Richard¡¯s bed, and looked at the large sheet of paper laid out on the mattress.


    It was just a blank sheet of paper.


    The heretic furrowed his brow, feeling an inexplicable unease. Driven by this unease, he quickly looked around the room¨Cbut found nothing.


    The heretic let out a muffled grunt. Then, out of caution, he bent over to pick up a piece of white paper, hastily rolled it up, and stuffed it into his jacket as he returned to the hallway.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a piece of white paper,¡± he said to the others waiting in the hallway. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    A piece of white paper.


    Richard, his movement restricted and shoulders held by his ¡°brethren,¡± slowly raised his head, his gaze puzzled as he looked at the blank scroll displayed in the hands of a vaguely familiar figure opposite him. After staring blankly for a while, a faint smile finally appeared on his face.


    However, no one noticed his smile.


    The sound of disordered footsteps faded down the hallway.


    More footsteps soon echoed in other parts of the ship.


    The heretics, following the instructions of the saints, were now in motion. These clergy members hurriedly moved through the long, dim corridors with a list they had just compiled, knocking on door after door, taking away every ¡°brethren¡± who had ever entered the Dream of the Nameless.


    A tense atmosphere began to spread throughout the ship. Some noticed the unusual situation, others realized that the ship had stopped sailing. Those not taken away quietly gathered in their rooms, nervously discussing and guessing what had happened, while those who were taken had gradually arrived at the assembly hall.


    The saint stood momentarily bewildered on the high platform in the center of the hall. Long-term scrutiny of fate had left his mind weary. He suddenly found himself missing the past, longing for the time when he still possessed a human body¨Ceven though that body was frail and sullied, at least then he could comfortably lie in a bed, without constant elusive whispers and chaotic roars in his head.


    In this confusion, he sank down, memories slowly weaving a misty veil. In the depths of the veil, it seemed as if eternal peace was beckoning him.


    That ¡°peace¡± was a towering shadow engulfed in dim green flames.


    The saint suddenly awoke from this forewarning from fate, every nerve and blood vessel twinging with a burning pain.


    ¡°Your Excellency the Saint,¡± a voice came from beside him, a senior clergy member was reporting to him, ¡°All the people you asked for have been brought here.¡±


    The saint raised his eyestalks and surveyed the gathered cultists in the hall, their expressions either frightened or vacant.


    A thick shadow enveloped the entire hall.


    The gloom of fate obscured his entire sight.


    ¡°Intruders aboard!¡±


    ¡­


    After everyone had left, a subtle current of air appeared in Richard¡¯s room¨Csuddenly, a figure abruptly appeared next to the bed.


    It was as if a ¡°picture¡± originally lying flat on a surface suddenly ¡°flipped¡± and ¡°stood up¡±¨CLucricia¡¯s figure emerged from the air.


    She had been standing right in front of that heretic before, the closest distance being no more than half a meter¨Cexcept she was sideways.


    A picture has no thickness, and eyes in three-dimensional space cannot see an ¡°image¡± parallel to their line of sight.


    Lucricia sighed softly, looked at her hands, then casually picked up a pencil tossed nearby and sketched a few lines on her palm.


    Then she waved her hand, and her ¡°thin¡± figure transformed from a two-dimensional image to a normal physical body.


    She turned to look at the empty floor. ¡°Rabi, I know you¡¯re in the room.¡±


    Almost as soon as her words fell, a sharp, child-like voice abruptly resonated in the room. ¡°Eeee! The mistress is here! Rabi is coming out!¡±


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    Accompanied by this sharp and naive voice, countless white fluffs abruptly appeared in every corner of the room!


    From the shadows in the corners, the gaps in the furniture, the holes in the roof, to the cracks in the floor, uncountable cotton fluffs swarmed out from every possible hiding spot for fibers, as if the room itself was fervently expelling foreign objects. The fluffs instantly filled Lucricia¡¯s vision, then swiftly gathered in the center of the room and gradually formed the shape of a rabbit without ¡°skin,¡± entirely made of cotton balls.


    Then, this ball of cotton shaped like a rabbit began to ¡°flip¡± inside out; colorful fabrics emerged from its belly, quickly enveloping it, transforming into a large, eerily designed rabbit doll.


    The terrifying doll wobbled in place for a moment, then joyously lunged at Lucricia. ¡°Rabi is here, Rabi is here! Welcome, welcome, warmly¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Lucricia casually caught the rabbit mid-air, her tone icy. ¡°Keep quiet.¡±

 Chapter 659 - Chapter 659 Chapter 656 Yearning for Cotton

    Chapter 659: Chapter 656: Yearning for Cotton Chapter 659: Chapter 656: Yearning for Cotton The ship was very quiet, save for the occasional gentle sound of breaking waves heard through the open windows; the only other noise inside the cabin was the faint hum of machinery and pipes from afar¨Cmost people seemed to have left the area, and those who remained were likely cautious and silent in their rooms.


    This quietude even gave a false sense of ¡°safety,¡± if not for the faint smell of blood that wafted in occasionally, a reckless and ignorant Visitor would hardly imagine this place as a den occupied by Heretics.


    But Lucresia knew that her ¡°visit¡± had probably been detected by the owner of the ship.


    She felt a hostility targeting her spreading throughout the ship, a powerful perception ¡°scanning¡± every corridor and cabin repeatedly.


    She raised the small ¡°command stick¡± in her hand, tracing several faintly glowing symbols in the air, momentarily blocking the flow of her aura.


    Rabi, the rabbit, stood cautiously by her side; the shockingly styled doll was now nervously looking around, observing for a while before hesitatingly whispering, ¡°Did the old master not come with you?¡±


    Lucresia glanced down, ¡°Do you want to see him now?¡±


    The rabbit shuddered, ¡°No, no, no, Rabi is just a bit curious, Rabi doesn¡¯t want¡­¡±


    ¡°The father will come later, but I need to ¡®clean up¡¯ this filthy place for him first,¡± Lucresia found Rabi¡¯s reaction amusing but did not continue teasing, ¡°He needs some living Annihilation Believers to conduct a certain¡­ communication ritual, but if he came directly, I fear there wouldn¡¯t be any survivors left.¡±


    The doll rabbit seemed to half understand, and after a while suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Oh, oh, Rabi remembered, the demons of ordinary Annihilation Believers would be scared to death by the old master, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­You do remember some useful things.¡±


    ¡°Rabi is smart!¡± boasted the doll rabbit proudly, then immediately switched its tone, suggesting in a mysteriously eager tone, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Rabi has a suggestion¡­¡±


    ¡°A suggestion?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we just need to keep that ¡®saint¡¯¡­ Rabi has observed that the ¡®saint¡¯ has already consumed his Symbiotic Demon, he won¡¯t die upon meeting the old master¡­¡±


    Lucresia raised her eyebrows.


    ¡­


    Something came aboard¨Cshadows were spreading throughout the ship, an unsettling presence briefly appeared and then disappeared from perception, some areas deep within the cabins were gradually losing contact, and the condition of some of the devotees moving about¡­ was becoming odd.


    In the brightly lit, spacious meeting hall, Annihilation Believers were gathering, more and more people responding to the summon of the saint, these uneasy dark Believers coming from all over, whispering in hushed tones under a repressive atmosphere, cautiously discussing the current situation.


    Another dozen or so Believers were isolated and escorted in front of the high platform where the saint was, each bound with ropes soaked in Magic Potion and wearing special collars to suppress their Symbiotic Demons.


    Nearby, several fully Armed Priests stood, clearly guarding these dozen isolated devotees.


    Unavoidable gazes from the vicinity fell upon these bound ¡°brethren,¡± and the surrounding whispering began to speculate on what wrongdoings these individuals had committed to warrant being displayed before the saint like this.


    Some recognized that these bound ones had previously participated in The Dream of the Nameless operation and, coupling this with the rumor about The Dream of the Nameless and the Scions of the Sun that had just spread on the ship, the low discussions became even more anxious.


    Richard could only feel the whispering around him as a noisy disturbance.


    The buzzing sounds were like countless files poking in his head, gradually turning into sharp noises and meaningless roars. He could no longer distinguish the words within those sounds or their meanings; the increasingly cold sensation in his veins made him more irritable, and more unnervingly¡­ since a while ago, he could no longer hear that tiny yet comforting voice in his mind.


    Where had Rabi gone?


    He sluggishly raised his head, looking towards Dumon, who was also raised his head and turned his gaze this way.


    Dumon¡¯s gaze carried hesitation and confusion; he opened his mouth towards Richard but said nothing, as if something was stuck in his throat, and between his teeth, one could vaguely see some white, fluffy substance.


    ¡°You brought something aboard¡­¡±


    The voice of the saint finally rose from the high platform, that chilling authority directly targeting Richard, Dumon, and the others.


    ¡°Where have you hidden it?¡±


    Among the dozen or so heretics who were tied up, a few of their figures swayed several times, seemingly still instinctively fearful in the face of the saint¡¯s overpowering presence, but the rest remained motionless in their spots, as if they had lost all perception of danger and supremacy¨Ctheir skins seemed devoid of the nerves and flesh that could react to fear.


    The saint¡¯s interwoven black skeleton made cracking sounds, each clack echoing with a force that seemed to strike at the soul¨Cin this succession of crackling, Richard¡¯s wavering sanity seemed to recover slightly; he finally remembered who he was, then immediately wondered¨Cwhy was he bound?


    He hesitatingly lifted his head and looked in the direction of the high platform.


    A commanding voice came from the high platform, ¡°What did you see in the Dream of the Nameless? What did you touch? And what did you do after returning?¡±


    Richard¡¯s mind struggled to operate, and in his stupor, the last spark of thought finally burst forth¨C


    ¡°It was the sea witch, that witch and her servant!¡±


    He thought he had shouted so.


    But in reality, he merely flung his mouth open, and after several strained, hoarse sounds, he spat out a large clump of cotton in front of everyone.


    More cotton was still stuck in his throat, rendering him incapable of uttering any words.


    As the last spark faded, Richard lowered his head, dumbfoundedly staring at the clump of white fluff on the floor¨Ccotton, precious cotton!


    ¡°My cotton¡­ my cotton¡­ my cotton!¡±


    A string of meaningless mutterings came from his throat stuffed with cotton. Richard hurriedly leaned down, trying to retrieve that precious cotton¨Chis balance was lost due to the ropes binding him, and he almost fell straight down, then twisted and writhed on the floor in a frantic manner, desperately biting at the damp cotton fluff.


    Thump, thump.


    Other figures also fell down in succession!


    Dumon, Weisen, Sulock¡­ those who had once ventured into the Dream of the Nameless with Richard all collapsed to the ground, unable to resist the deadly allure of the cotton. They roared, murmured, and struggled, fiercely fighting for the cotton that Richard had just spat out.


    Don¡¯t steal my cotton! Don¡¯t steal my cotton!


    Richard sent out a desperate scream in his mind, furiously using his head to push away Dumon, who was squeezing over, only to be bitten on the ear by Weisen¨Cthey began to tear at each other to snatch cotton; all semblance of reasoning and emotion had faded, leaving only the primal urge to fight over cotton!


    The hall erupted in turmoil, even the cold-hearted dark worshippers were unsettled by this eerie and horrifying scene. They watched as their former ¡°fellows,¡± bound by ropes, struggling and writhing on the floor, biting each other, emitting confused and garbled roars, while cotton continuously flowed out of their torn wounds¨Clike some life-bearing, fiber-constructed parasitic entity!


    ¡°Execute them!¡± A loud shout came from the high platform.


    ¡°Bang, bang, bang¨C¡±


    Upon the saint¡¯s order, someone finally reacted. Successive gunshots boomed in the hall, the armed priests tasked with guarding began shooting at Richard and others with large-caliber revolvers. Followed by calls to summon the power of the Symbiotic Demon, hurling magic bullets, lightning, and acid fog at those who were clearly no longer human.


    The bodies of Richard and Dumon were easily torn apart by these attacks, their frail skin split like aged cloth, emitting ripping sounds, while flurries of cotton burst forth from their bodies without a trace of blood or flesh.


    The dozen heretics ¡°infested with cotton¡± lost their lives in the blink of an eye.


    But barely a few seconds of silence passed when the cotton flowing from their bodies suddenly began to move again¨Ccotton cannibalizing each other, tearing apart, as if the fixation of fighting over cotton while alive still surged within these fluffs. Accompanied by the devouring of each other, various fluffy particles floated up from the piles of cotton.


    Those were spores akin to dust.


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    The spores fluttered like a thin fog, beginning to spread throughout the hall.


    Even the dullest of individuals felt danger and terror upon seeing those spreading spores.


    But the drifting spores had only floated a short distance before seemingly encountering an invisible barrier, forcefully suppressed back into the piles of cotton by a powerful force.


    On the high platform, the ¡°saint¡± opened his black skeleton cage-like crown, tendrils extending from the giant brain, swaying in the air.


    The scattered spores were completely captured, followed by a blaze igniting out of nowhere, instantly incinerating the still frantically moving, surging pile of cotton.

 Chapter 660 - Chapter 660 Chapter 657 Boarding the Ship

    Chapter 660: Chapter 657: Boarding the Ship Chapter 660: Chapter 657: Boarding the Ship The cotton was ignited, and in an instant, it turned into a magnificent flame, turning the spores that had scattered in all directions to ash before the fire quickly died out. It was then, and only then, that the gathered heretics in the hall finally exhaled in relief.


    The bizarre and horrifying scene, along with the spores that were clearly meant to spread and infect, made everyone with a sense of reason feel a great danger.


    However, as the ordinary believers began to relax a bit, the oppressive gloom emanating from the high platform did not lessen in the slightest¨CThe Saint gently clicked his skeletal ¡°crown,¡± and his eye-stalks continued to uneasily scan the hall inside and out. He knew that the shadow enveloping the ship lingered, and what he had just destroyed was merely a tendril of that shadow which had infiltrated many days ago. Now, the shadow¡¯s true form had long since completed its invasion¡­ he was too slow.


    ¡°Do not relax too early, the unwanted guests have already boarded the ship,¡± his voice reached into the very soul of everyone present, ¡°Starting now, the entire ship will enter a state of heretic invasion¡­ Lentim, take your men to search the whole vessel, find the invaders¨Cif there are those who refuse the search or act suspiciously, kill on sight.


    ¡°Gemoro, you lead a team to the engine room, take control of the steam core and the main valves; the invaders might try to seize control of the ship¡¯s core¡­ take the nitroglycerin with you.


    ¡°Perlshea, you take your followers to the armory and arm all of the ordinary believers¡­ and let the mortal sailors take up arms as well.


    ¡°Basmorton, lead a team to man the deck guns, for the enemy may also attack from the sea.¡±


    The series of commands issued by The Saint startled the Annihilating heretics, who had relaxed for barely a few seconds, instantly bringing them back to full alert. Everyone realized the gravity of the situation, and the priests entrusted with orders rapidly took their subordinates and departed from the hall.


    The hall¡¯s population had halved in a moment, yet many priests remained, forming a protective ring around the high platform where The Saint stood.


    After pondering for a brief moment, The Saint once again raised his eye-stalks and looked towards the closest high-ranking priest: ¡°Eric, take your men to execute all the sacrifices in the cages.¡±


    The high-ranking priest named Eric was taken aback, ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°I need blood to enhance my own power¨Cthe invader is extraordinary, this is not the time to maximize value,¡± The Saint said indifferently, as issuing the execution order seemed as natural as breathing to him, ¡°We can capture new sacrifices later, execute those on the ship for now¨Cdrain their blood, let it soak into the stones at the deepest part of the cages, I need to accumulate strength for the final battle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Holiness.¡±


    The high-ranking priest called Eric immediately bowed his head, accepting the command before swiftly leaving the assembly hall with several followers in tow.


    His steps hurried along the corridor leading to the deeper parts of the ship, swiftly passing by shut doors that glinted, traversing connected stairways, descending towards the deeper and quieter ship cabins.


    Thin, cool smoke had seeped into the ship from somewhere, casting a hazy blur through the corridors.


    ¡°Great Priest,¡± one of the followers suddenly broke the silence with a hint of unease, ¡°there¡¯s something off about this smoke¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed, something is off, there shouldn¡¯t be so much smoke on the ship under normal circumstances,¡± Eric frowned as he spoke, illusory phantoms floating uncertainly in the air behind him. Black chains extended from his spine, and at the end of the chains, a black, amorphous, flesh-like creature floated, with many eyes opening on its surface as if cautiously observing the surroundings, ¡°¡­It¡¯s too quiet.¡±


    Too quiet, the entire corridor was silent, and no sound came from the nearby rooms, just the faint noises of distant machinery¨Cethereal and elusive, as though they were from another world.


    What about the people sent out to carry out various tasks? Wasn¡¯t the whole ship undergoing a thorough search?


    The thin smoke drifted from the front, and Eric suddenly shrugged his nose¨Cin the smoke, he smelled a familiar scent, gunpowder.


    Suddenly, subtle sounds came from a certain direction, followed by someone in the depths of the smoke issuing orders¨C


    ¡°Take your positions! Line up, load, and aim¨C¡±


    It sounded like a military commander giving orders to his soldiers.


    Eric, taken aback, turned towards the direction of the voice. With the help of his Symbiotic ¡°Flesh Aberration¡± Demon, he instantly spotted the source of the voice¨Ca troop of comical toy soldiers that looked as if they were carved from wood, were arranging themselves at the end of the corridor.


    The soldiers were only the size of a palm, painted with colorful, green paints, dressed in uniforms that seemed to be from an old era, consisting of gunmen and cannoneers. They scurried across the floor, some waving small flags as they ran through the ranks, or blowing bugles from higher ground, while a commander stood on a block of wood delivered from someplace unknown, raising a baton and issuing orders.


    The gunmen were loading their ¡°rifles,¡± which were like matchsticks, with ammunition.


    Other Annihilating Priests also noticed those toy soldiers gathering on the floor, preparing to make a seemly ¡°assault.¡± The sight was so bizarre that they initially couldn¡¯t react and even found it comically absurd.


    But the feeling of absurdity lasted less than a second; the next moment, everyone¡¯s mind sharply alerted¨Cfor in the mysterious Endless Sea, anything that seems out of place means danger, even if it appeared to be a bunch of comical toy soldiers!


    Eric suddenly remembered something, recalling a legend associated with these toy soldiers. He immediately plunged forward, ¡°Get down!¡±


    His warning, however, came a moment too late. The command came from the end of the smoke, ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°Bang bang bang, bang bang bang!¡±


    Continuous gunfire rang out in the corridor; flashes of gunfire cut through the smoke, and bullets whistled in their direction, Annihilating heretics fell to the ground riddled with bullets before they could even summon their Symbiotic Demons, one after another.


    It is said that long ago there was a City-State that foolishly challenged the sea witch, in an effort to ¡°kill the Curse spreading over the Endless Sea.¡±


    A conceited commander led his battle-hardened marines to surround the witch¡¯s temporary refuge and launched an attack under the cover of night.


    Fog descended with the darkness, and one by one, the attacking soldiers disappeared into it¨Cby the time the sun rose again, the witch had turned them into one hundred and sixty-six toy soldiers.


    To this day, this toy brigade remains imprisoned within the witch¡¯s shadow, to be briefly liberated when the witch needs them, and to exhibit the power of an army¡­


    Blood was draining from his body, the sharp pain slowly turned into a numbing cold. Eric lay on the ground, uncontrollably recalling the stories he had heard on a past day, while in the corner of his eye, he finally noticed some abnormalities next to the corridor¨Cabnormalities he should have been aware of but had somehow overlooked for some reason.


    On both sides of the dimly lit corridor, many oil paintings hung.


    Before, these paintings all depicted the many avatars of The Saint, as well as images regarding Profound Demons and various scenes of the Mysterious Deep Sea.


    But now, the content of the paintings had changed.


    Many familiar faces in the paintings gazed sadly and painfully upon this smoky corridor, some of them¡­ seemed to have been slowly blinking their eyes until a minute ago.


    No response came from those sent out.


    The gloom that had taken residence on the ship was becoming increasingly dense, and showed no signs of dissipating.


    On the elevated platform in the center of the assembly hall, the Saint was deep in thought¨C anger and despair were slowly brewing within the calm.


    He realized he might have made a series of wrong decisions.


    His earlier arrangements had not stopped the spread of the shadow; on the contrary, he was now losing ¡°sensation¡± of more and more parts of the ship.


    A tense and uneasy atmosphere was spreading throughout the hall.


    The ordinary priests remaining here also began to sense that something was unusual.


    Those who left the hall did not return, nor did any message come back; one by one, internal telephones could no longer get through, neither could connections be established with other ¡°compatriots¡± in different areas using the perception of Profound Demons. First, contact with the cargo and water store was lost, followed by the crew¡¯s cabins, and then the nearby corridors¡­


    It was as if the compartments were gradually disappearing into a spreading darkness, with this hall being the exception, the entire ship was being devoured by something invisible.


    Something intangible was launching an attack here.


    Then, something even more dangerous touched the ship¨Ca profound sense of terror enveloped the minds of all present without warning.


    There seemed to be movement in the corridor.


    A heretic closest to the door heard a faint crackling from the corridor outside, glanced left and right, hesitated, then braved a look outside the door.


    Someone nearby noticed his action and immediately came over to grab the rash man¡¯s arm, trying to stop this reckless behavior.


    But it was one step too late.


    The heretic who had peeked out suddenly stiffened, then swayed slightly on the spot, before retreating back with the rigid posture of a puppet, after a brief stillness, he fell backward, face up.


    His limbs shattered like fragile ceramics; his body had somehow turned into lifeless inanimate matter, and his head dislodged from the neck joint and rolled to the feet of the other heretics with a gurgle.


    It was a crudely made puppet head.


    Exclamations arose instantly followed by the sounds of swords being drawn, weapons being loaded, and a multitude of Profound Demons being summoned. The heretics in the hall prepared for the enemy amidst moments of fright and confusion¨Cthe footsteps then started in the corridor and grew closer to the door.


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    The first to enter was a silver-haired lady in a deep purple luxurious court gown¨Cshe possessed a doll-like flawless visage, her demeanour graceful and light. She boldly walked into the assembly hall, the gathered Annihilating Priests, Profound Demons, swords, and firearms seemed irrelevant to her as she curiously surveyed her surroundings, her deep purple eyes clear and bright, as if reflecting many intangible threads within their depths.


    Following her, another exceptionally tall figure entered.


    This presence was like a nightmare seeping into reality, imprinting itself on the eyes of everyone present¨Che entered, and already, the minds and nerves of more than half of the Annihilating Priests in the hall began to burn.


    Duncan raised his head, his gaze fixed upon the ¡°Saint¡± on the platform amidst the gradually spreading green flames.


    ¡°You and your ship are of use to me.¡±

 Chapter 661 - Chapter 661 Chapter 658 Unexpected Change

    Chapter 661: Chapter 658: Unexpected Change? Chapter 661: Chapter 658: Unexpected Change? Eerie green flames surged like a sudden tide, flooding into the vast assembly hall in an instant and beginning to spread among all the Profound Demons¡¯ heretics¨C as if the fire had been brewing on the ship for who knows how long, and as it ascended, it even emitted the roaring of wind and thunder!


    Screams and roars from all directions erupted in an instant, and nearly all Profound Demons reacted the moment the spectral flames appeared, with the weaker demons immediately losing control. Even the stronger ones, driven by immense fear and instinct, refused to obey the Symbiotic Demon¡¯s orders. Dark rifts of the Subspace Shadow began to emerge above the hall, and the heretics and priests dragged away by demons disappeared into those uncontrolled rifts, wailing¨C leaving only a few ¡°lucky¡± ones to hurriedly confront the enemies that had suddenly invaded.


    Disorderly gunshots erupted, and a few ineffective spells fell on the spot where Duncan and Alice stood.


    But like a wall of fire, these feeble attacks could not even approach the flames before exhausting their power. Bullets turned spectral green in the flames and harmlessly fell to the ground, while projectiles and acid summoned by Demonic Power became new flames in mid-air and flew back whence they came.


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened in amazement at the thrilling spectacle around her, surrounded by oddly shaped demons and frenzied heretics in fear, yet she didn¡¯t feel scared¨C she had come with the captain to ¡°enjoy the show,¡± and indeed it was quite a spectacle.


    But soon, she felt it was getting a bit too noisy.


    She turned toward the noisiest direction and frowned, lifting her hand to beckon, and invisible threads drifted lazily into her hand¨C before setting off, the captain had told her that everyone in this hall was a heretic and that heretics weren¡¯t to be considered human.


    Thus, centered around the puppet mistress herself, countless Annihilating Priests instantly stiffened and came to a halt, then one by one, began their Transformation into puppets.


    But just then, a deep, drumbeat-like sound suddenly emanated from the center of the hall. A colossal force burst forth in an instant, even briefly suppressing the Spiritual Fire that spread throughout the hall, and stopping Alice¡¯s puppet control.


    The Saint on the high platform finally moved¨C his eye stalks raised high, countless crisscrossing black bones clicked like folding limbs around his large brain, stretching out, extending, and supporting outward, the original skeleton-like ¡°body¡± quickly transforming into a spider-like form. The terrifying brain was carried at the center of the Skeleton Spider, shaking, while a ¡°thump, thump¡± sound that seemed like drumbeats, or heartbeats, continued to pulse from its pulsating, bulging veins.


    Duncan looked on in astonishment as the Saint rose from the high platform, watching the Skeleton Spider climb down the edge toward their side, emitting a series of chaotic hissing noises.


    His expression was one of surprise¨C because he hadn¡¯t expected that thing on the platform to get even uglier.


    But before he had time to exclaim, Duncan and Alice heard the terrified and desperate screams of the Annihilating Priests from all over the hall.


    It was the heretics who had survived the first wave of demonic loss of control, who had luckily escaped the first onslaught of flame burning, and who had just managed to keep their lives through Alice¡¯s puppet Transformation¨C amidst howling, their bodies suddenly began to swell, and within the blink of an eye, the human forms were contorted into various horrifying postures. Under their skin, countless throbbing, bulging traces appeared as if another uncontrollable exoskeleton was emerging within their flesh, ready to burst out from their skins¨C


    In the blink of an eye, the bodies of the heretics tore open on their own, turning into pools of blood and flesh scattered on the ground. Accompanying their sudden death, the Symbiotic Demons linked to them also began to collapse and disintegrate one after another.


    But the collapsing demons did not dissipate directly.


    They turned into drifting black smoke that began to surge toward the space above the platform in the center of the hall.


    The Saint raised his pitch-black skeletal limbs on the platform. The black smoke released by the dying Profound Demons was frenziedly absorbed by the undulating, throbbing brain; his body size doubled in the blink of an eye. The even more powerful aura escaped from the brain, and in the area around the platform, a barrier resembling a space distortion gradually formed.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve decided to take out your last followers first,¡± Duncan said, looking at the platform, somewhat surprised. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Weak people are of no use here¡­ They will only become kindling for your flames, or sacrifices for anomaly 099,¡± the voice of the Saint from the platform was hoarse and deep, his skeletal limbs clacked as he slowly moved from the platform to the ground, ¡°It¡¯s better to become my strength¡­ I will fight you to the death in their stead¡­¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t be bothered with his nonsense. He raised his hand before even hearing everything; the Spectral Flame in the hall that had been suppressed for a moment flared up again and spread toward the platform.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gathered quite a bit of intelligence,¡± he said offhandedly. ¡°But I still advise you to cooperate. My request is quite simple¨CI just want to have a chat with your ¡®Master¡¯¡­ and, by the way, I¡¯d like to know where this ship is heading.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ You are indeed a threat to us, ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯,¡± the Saint moved his long limbs, resisting the corrosion of the flames as he advanced forward. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t let you have your way¡­ Oh, Saint, bless me!¡±


    The terrifying Skeleton Spider roared lowly, and then the space around it seemed to distort briefly¨Cthe Spectral Flame that was about to ignite him was momentarily pushed back. Following this, he leaped high, charging toward Duncan, who ruled the sea of fire, with the intention of mutual destruction.


    ¡°The time for martyrdom has come!!¡±


    This grotesquely horrifying creature screamed zealously, repelling all the flames spreading in the air with his tremendous power. He crashed down like a pitch-black meteor, fearlessly aiming for the terrifying ¡°Subspace Shadow¡± that plagued the world!


    Duncan opened his palm to the creature; the Spectral Flame that had been pushed back in the air converged, lying in wait for the falling creature. It looked as if in the next second, it would completely engulf the Skeleton Spider.


    But the Saint suddenly took a turn in midair.


    ¡°`


    With an angle bordering on the incredulous, the monster plummeted straight down ¡ª in a deafening roar, it smashed through the hall¡¯s floor, creating an astonishingly large hole. It fell right into it, frantically burrowing through the layers of decking below, and vanished from Duncan and Alice¡¯s sight in the blink of an eye.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Alice: ¡°¡­?¡±


    The incident unfolded too quickly, even Duncan, let alone Alice with her slow wits, hadn¡¯t been able to react.


    After all, he had encountered martyrs and witnessed fervent heretics, but never before had he seen one who abandons martyrdom halfway ¡ª in this world where deities truly existed, was there a saint-level zealot who would stand up ¡°The Saint¡±?


    Alice, puzzled, turned her head to look at Duncan, then turned back to the gaping hole in the center of the hall, still emitting a faint spectral flame, and finally blurted out, ¡°Did it just run away?¡±


    Run away? On the vast Endless Sea, aboard a ship that had been completely corroded and set aflame by the Spiritual Fire, where could the ¡°saint¡± possibly flee to?


    Duncan frowned as the sounds of digging through decking, walls, and breaking some support structures continued to emanate from below ¡ª then suddenly, he understood.


    ¡°No, that guy isn¡¯t running away ¡ª he¡¯s trying to destroy this ship!¡±


    ¡­


    Digging, digging, incessantly burrowing downward, the location of the engine room was just ahead.


    The faster, the better. The faster, the better, before the Ghost Captain catches on, before the rampant Spectral Flame catches up.


    The bottom of the ship was near, just past the last few layers of decking and walls, through the pipeworks area¡­ There, the nitroglycerin he had previously had delivered was stored.


    All it would take was for the nitroglycerin to detonate in the steam core, and the resulting chain reaction from the reactor vessel losing control would be enough to obliterate the entire ship. Then¡­ the ¡°holy land¡± would be safe.


    The colossal and terrifying Skeleton Spider was rapidly burrowing through this massive ship, cleaving open the steel plates, pipes, and all dividers along the way from memory ¡ª this vessel, once the pride of the cult and built at great expense, was being swiftly dismantled by his digging, turning into irreparable scrap.


    But the ¡°saint¡± didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment ¡ª he kept accelerating, carving out a path even faster through the belly of this iron beast.


    In his foretelling of fate, he had long glimpsed his own death, the death of everyone else.


    The feeble followers would perish amidst wails, their flesh burning in the flames, and he would not survive either, for the gloom had already completely shrouded all possible directions. When you¡¯re on the edge of shadow, it might help to change course, but if the entire ship is already deep in endless darkness, then choosing any other direction becomes pointless.


    Confronting that Ghost Captain was not wise ¡ª in the clearest foresight of fate, the ¡°saint¡± had already witnessed his own swift and meaningless defeat.


    Since the end is predetermined, why not do something bolder?


    At the very least, he couldn¡¯t let the ship fall into the hands of that ¡°captain,¡± nor let the secrets of the ¡°holy land¡± be known ¡ª otherwise, his own sins would be unforgivable.


    The final wall collapsed thunderously before him.


    The deep chamber housing the steam core finally came into view.


    The Skeleton Spider stumbled nearly headlong into the area, landing on a platform surrounded by numerous pipes, valves, and control stations.


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    He lifted the many eyestalks on the edges of his body, surveying the entire chamber.


    As expected, there were no living followers here ¡ª only a few corpses lay not far away on the ground, and near those control stations and valves, one could see some distorted human-like shadows ¡°imprinted¡± on the surfaces of mechanical devices.


    The ¡°saint¡± didn¡¯t ¡°mourn¡± for those deceased brethren.


    He had found what he was looking for ¡ª the explosives were stacked at the far end of the platform.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 662 - Chapter 662 Chapter 659 The Ship Home

    Chapter 662: Chapter 659: The Ship Home Chapter 662: Chapter 659: The Ship Home In the deepest part of the engine room, where the power sector lies, all the crew members and zealots who once stood watch are now dead, but the massive steam core continues to operate without control.


    The reactor vessel rumbled with a low vibration, the pipes and valves surrounding it occasionally hissed softly under the control of the automatic balancing system, and the warning lights monitoring the Boiling Gold Catalyst blinked steadily, indicating that the pressure inside the steam core was operating at high levels.


    At the end of a steel platform, some dozen meters away from the steam core, stood a colossal copper column, situated between the roof and the floor. Portions of the column¡¯s outer shell were hollowed out, revealing complex gears and connecting rods in motion within. The rapid clicking noise of the precision machinery meshed continuously like waves, as strips of paper were sucked into one opening on the edge of the column and then expelled from another to be transferred to other storage devices or punch analyzers.


    This expensive and precise difference engine was automatically calculating parameters related to the ship¡¯s subsequent navigation plans and providing this data to the engine room. Part of its input and output data came directly from the navigation station above¨Cnone of this could fall into the hands of the Subspace Shadow.


    A massive cloud of doom was gathering, a foreboding more terrible than death descended¨Cthe Ghost Ship Captain had realized what was happening, and his anger was descending upon this place.


    Without hesitation, the immense Skeleton Spider moved. It waved its long limbs and quickly scurried to the front of the copper column, then without hesitation, it drove a bony spike into the core power shaft of the difference engine.


    The surface of the dark bone spike exuded a field of corrosion, and the protective casing of the power shaft, guarded by a thick copper shell and steel armor, was pierced as easily as if it were paper. The steel bearing inside that constantly rotated instantly emitted a series of ear-piercing noises, followed by a catastrophic collapse of the connected gears and connecting rods, which entangled subsequent punching machines and paper strips into the mess¨C


    The difference engine and the subsequent punch analyzers both derived their power from the same main shaft. A single power collapse was enough to destroy the entire system, a ¡°safety flaw¡± designed intentionally so that in case of emergency, the ship¡¯s recent navigational records and the control center could be destroyed as quickly as possible.


    But that wasn¡¯t enough; simply destroying the difference engine wouldn¡¯t stop the Ghost Ship Captain.


    As long as the ship could still sail, it could still potentially take that captain to the ¡°Holy Land.¡±


    The task of The Saint was to lift the safety limits of the steam core.


    The steam core, currently in a state of reaction, was indestructible, and its thick protective shell isolated its Boiling Gold Catalyst and reaction medium from the outside world. Even nitroglycerin explosives might not be enough to break through that spherical shell¨Cit was necessary to initiate an emergency shutdown of the steam core first.


    Now, the conditions for a shutdown were met.


    Accompanied by the roaring sound of the collapsing power shaft of the difference engine and a series of ear-piercing noises from the gears, all the machinery connected by gears, belts, and connecting rods began to fail in a chain reaction. The steam output from the steam core instantly breached the safety valve¡¯s limit, and fatal high-temperature, high-pressure steam began to fill the engine room, surpassing safe levels. In a cacophony of squealing and grinding noises, the spherical shell of the reactor vessel started to descend.


    The Boiling Gold Catalyst was disengaged from the core as the casing lowered, but the blazing ¡°fireball¡± was still burning fiercely within the reactor vessel. The terrifying heat, along with the airflow, swept towards the control platform¨Ca wave of heat that could instantly cook a living person.


    To The Saint, however, it was only a breeze.


    Facing this ¡°breeze,¡± he lifted his skeletal limbs and quickly picked up several barrels of nitroglycerin explosives piled nearby, and without hesitation rushed toward the reaction container emitting deadly heat with flames rising within.


    The moment of devotion had come, the moment of martyrdom had arrived¡­ Destroying everything here, The Saint¡¯s cause could not be disturbed by that evil spirit returned from Subspace¡­


    The flames in the reactor vessel soared, and the uncontrolled Spectral Flame was teetering on the brink of criticality. Just one barrel of nitroglycerin would be enough to ¡°nudge¡± at this critical point and blow the entire ship to pieces.


    The Saint held the explosives aloft.


    Almost simultaneously, the flames inside the reactor vessel suddenly took on a ghoulish green light.


    A terrifying face appeared within the vessel, among the rapidly uncontrollable firestorm; Duncan¡¯s upper body gradually emerged from the steam core¡¯s flames, leaning down to lock eyes with the Skeleton Spider who was holding high the barrel of nitroglycerin, and his voice thundered like a storm, ¡°Do you think this will work?¡±


    ¡°Die, ghost!¡±


    The Skeleton Spider roared in anger, then violently hurled the nitroglycerin at the reactor vessel.


    A violent explosion ensued¨Cin the flash of an eye, the entire reactor container was engulfed in an uncontrollable, terrifying explosion. Duncan¡¯s flame avatar, not yet fully formed, shimmered in the explosion, and then the flames around him that had not been eroded by the Spiritual Fire became shockwaves in the blast, sweeping everything in the compartment.


    The steam core exploded; the Boiling Gold Catalyst triggered a chain reaction under critical pressure. Amidst the terrifying boom and wildly boiling heatwave, the entire ship began to rip apart from the engine room at its core.


    The Skeleton Spider stretched its limbs within the storm of impact, its bone spikes desperately grasping at anything nearby. Its bone fragments ignited in the heatwave, its brain¡¯s surface bulged and emitted a dim light, its nervous system was slowly burning away, its blood boiling within the brain tissue¨Che was dying, but a strange exhilaration spurred his mind.


    He had successfully detonated the steam core before the Ghost Ship Captain could take full control.


    No one on this ship would survive, including himself¨Cbut at least, the ¡°Holy Land¡± was safe.


    The hull beneath the engine room began to tear open, the surging seawater boiled amidst the flames and quickly backflowed into the cabin, emitting a deafening roar.


    ¡°The Saint¡± pulled in his severely burned eye stalks, quietly awaiting the arrival of death.


    But death did not arrive.


    The surroundings had, unbeknownst to all, fallen silent.


    After a moment of hesitation and bewilderment, the dying Skeleton Spider lifted its eyestalks around its brain again. Through its blurred and dim vision from burns, it witnessed a bizarre scene.


    Every flame in the mechanical bay had been instantaneously tinged with an eerie green. The Spectral Flames, like time itself had frozen, were suspended midair. The shattered cabin, along with the surging seawater, was all frozen in place.


    Amidst these frozen elements was the recently destroyed steam core¨Cits fragments still floated in the air, with molten drops of steel blooming like a strangely beautiful and sinister flower.


    A tall figure descended from the explosive light of the steam core. Dunkan stepped out of the fire and approached the Skeleton Spider in the still mechanical bay.


    He brushed aside the suspended molten metal near him, commanded the obstructive frozen flames to move aside, and calmly gazed at ¡°The Saint.¡±


    This ¡°Annihilating Priest,¡± hardly recognizable as human, was still alive. After facing the massive explosion of the steam core at extremely close range, within the terrifying high-temperature impact capable of vaporizing steel, this monster was merely severely burned.


    Moreover, during the brief encounter earlier, it had quickly assessed the situation and, without hesitation, chose the strategy with a higher chance of success¨Cdestroying the ship. Such sensitive and rapid judgment was almost akin to a kind of ¡°precognition.¡±


    Very powerful, very clever, possessing eerily potent abilities.


    But for Dunkan, something else was more important¨C


    As Rabi had said, the Annihilating Priest had already ¡°devoured¡± his Symbiotic Demon, eliminating one of his most significant weaknesses as a follower of annihilation: he would not die from either the death or loss of control of his Symbiotic Demon.


    This made him a bit more ¡°durable.¡±


    However, it was evident that to make this follower of annihilation useful, he would first need to heal¨Chis present weakened state could not endure the pressure that came with establishing communications with the mysterious Saint.


    As for the present, Dunkan had another concern.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard this ship has a supply port, which you call the ¡®Holy Land,''¡± he lowered his head, looking into the many eyes of the Skeleton Spider, ¡°Where is it?¡±


    The weakened Skeleton Spider shook slightly, part of its limbs struggled to lift but soon fell again, and a hoarse and muffled voice arose from within the mass of grotesque and nauseating biological tissue: ¡°Give up¡­ You¡¯ll never find it¡­ I¡¯ve destroyed all the navigation records and control devices, and beyond that, the location of the Holy Land is only in my brain¨Cjust now, I have obliterated that part of my memory. Even if the four deities themselves came, you couldn¡¯t find that route¡­¡±


    However, to ¡°The Saint¡¯s¡± surprise, the captain of the Ghost Ship did not show the slightest displeasure at this response.


    Dunkan simply shook his head with a hint of regret.


    ¡°No matter, it won¡¯t take too much effort.¡±


    In a faint perception, The Saint suddenly sensed something, his skeletal limbs struggling violently, his damaged eyestalks turning repeatedly toward the figure standing in the flames: ¡°What¡­ what are you going to do?!¡±


    Dunkan paid no attention, simply turning his head to look at the still flames in the air, the fragmented cabin in the distance, and the surging seawater beyond the shattered hull.


    The ship was so severely torn apart that through the broken upper deck, one could even vaguely see the sky amidst the frozen flames.


    ¡°What a fine ship, such a pity.¡±


    He murmured softly and then turned to face what was left of the now thoroughly shattered steam core. He reached out and gently touched the group of flames hanging still in the air.


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    These flames used to be the heart of the ship.


    Now, they needed to beat again.


    The eerie green flames began to ripple, a low and strange rumble started to emit from every inch of the ship. With increasing tremors, the ship¨Cwhose power was entirely lost, and which was broken and scattered¨Cseemed to be slowly ¡°coming to life,¡± struggling to begin to accelerate.


    Dunkan leaned close to the group of flames and commanded the reanimating ship¨C


    ¡°Go home.¡±


    Thus, the great ship turned around and embarked on the journey home.

 Chapter 663 - Chapter 663 Chapter 660 Capture and Endgame

    Chapter 663: Chapter 660: Capture and Endgame Chapter 663: Chapter 660: Capture and Endgame The Skeleton Spider emitted a series of chaotic and piercing noises¨Cthat was a call mixed with intense spiritual contamination, the roar of a monster teetering on the brink of losing control over its mental balance, with anger almost materializing into substance. Yet this tangible anger could by no means affect the ship, which had just come to life, from setting off on its journey home.


    Even though it was severely damaged, even though its perception was already chaotic, the ¡°Saint¡± could feel the ship beneath its feet accelerating toward a certain direction, could sense the abnormal tremors emanating from the hull¨Cthe steam core had been completely destroyed, yet the ship¡¯s propellers were gradually speeding up, the navigation and interlocking systems had vanished, but the ship knew the way home on its own.


    The torn hull still floated nearby, and amidst the shattered framework, the pale green flames burnt quietly like curtains, isolating the icy seawater and all hope as well.


    The steel behemoth, which he had blown to pieces with his own hands, was now heading toward the holy land in the guise of broken remains.


    Behind the Skeleton Spider, from that swollen, horrifying giant brain came a ¡°thump thump thump¡± of eerie pulsations. Its blood vessels rapidly swelled and writhed as if something luminous were brewing inside, and a crazy, destructive aura suddenly began to surge.


    But just as the Annihilating Priest was about to use himself as ¡°material¡± to create a groundbreaking self-explosion, he suddenly found himself losing control over his body.


    An eerie rigidity abruptly washed over him; he felt as though each of his limbs and ocular peduncles had instantly turned into something as hard as stone or porcelain. Then, as if some irresistible force had descended upon those rigid limbs, it began to pull and secure them outward.


    Panic spread from the depths of his mind¨Cthe ¡°Saint¡± exerted all his strength to twist the only functioning ocular peduncle, turning his eyeball in another direction.


    There stood a stunning doll with silver hair, dressed in a deep purple court dress, standing quietly amidst the flames, slightly lifting her hand as if manipulating invisible threads¨Cthrough the sliver of reality refracted by fate, the Saint saw the transparent, almost imperceptible lines entwined around her fingers.


    ¡°Anomaly¡­099¡­¡± his angry and frightened voice emanated from within.


    ¡°You need to calm down,¡± Alice tilted her head slightly, looking seriously at the ugly Skeleton Spider, ¡°Your threads are tangled, I¡¯m helping you straighten them.¡±


    The Skeleton Spider¡¯s body shuddered, and then it finally lost consciousness¨Cyet, in the very last second before its body completely transformed into a ¡®doll,¡¯ Alice released the invisible threads from her hands.


    She remembered, the captain needed this ¡°live mouth.¡±


    Duncan looked at Alice somewhat surprised and then at the Skeleton Spider, which had lost consciousness entirely, and curiously asked, ¡°It has threads, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alice nodded, ¡°They¡¯re just messier than those of normal people, but they can still be sorted out¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s forehead creased slightly, a contemplative expression on his face.


    At that moment, a gust of wind blew into the engine room, carrying with it splendidly colored confetti¨Cthe confetti gathered at a platform some ten meters away from Duncan, coalescing into the figure of Lucresia.


    At first glance, Lucresia saw the unmoving Skeleton Spider on the platform, then she noticed the completely destroyed steam core and the differential engine support columns nearby, as well as the countless flames and broken metal frozen in time, floating in the air.


    Duncan stood at the center of it all and nodded to Lucresia, ¡°Everything¡¯s been taken care of here.¡±


    ¡°¡­I heard a huge explosion from the lower decks and saw massive flames and torn metal scattering from the stern¡­¡± Lucresia looked a bit dazed, staring at the fantastical sight in the engine room for a long while before continuing, ¡°¡­You restored its power?¡±


    ¡°It will return to its home port on its own, although that may take some time,¡± Duncan gestured dismissively, looking regrettably at the chaos, ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I was quite interested in the differential engine, but now it¡¯s been blown to bits¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he shook his head and pointed to the ¡°Saint¡± on the platform.


    ¡°Take it with you. This guy is gravely injured, and I need him to recover as quickly as possible¨Cnot completely, but just to stabilize his mental state and vital signs. I need him to open the gate to the Mysterious Deep Sea.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, all right, Dad.¡± Lucresia snapped out of her daze, hurriedly stepping forward, lifting her ¡°baton¡± in her hand, and with a look of disgust, she lightly touched one of the Skeleton Spider¡¯s limbs with the tip of her baton.


    A shadow suddenly burst forth from the front of the baton¨Cit seemed like something sealed within the stick, with Duncan catching only a vague and ferocious outline of it passing through the air. Then he saw the shadow expand and solidify into an abstract, sketch-like monstrous maw that swallowed the Skeleton Spider whole and with a difficult gulp, quickly retracted back into the baton.


    Lucresia put away her baton with a disgusted expression.


    ¡°¡­Your spells are all quite useful,¡± Duncan looked at Lucresia¡¯s actions with a subtle expression, speaking with a touch of sentiment, ¡°The ¡®method¡¯ you used to ¡®summon¡¯ me this time¡­ it was also pretty good.¡±


    ¡°I hope you are satisfied,¡± Lucresia¡¯s face immediately brightened with a smile, ¡°After hearing you talk about the ¡®avatars¡¯ you use and the rules of transferring ¡®beacons¡¯ between avatars before, I¡¯ve been pondering over it. I¡¯m glad it could be of use.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly.


    He had come to this ship in his actual form¨Cthough he had considered at first only projecting a part of his powers here, upon learning of the situation aboard the ship, it was clear that having his powerful entity teleported directly was a more prudent solution.


    But such ¡°teleportation¡± required the establishment of a beacon, a beacon to guide Ai Yi¨C the usual mirror rituals were obviously not enough, and the temporarily possessed bodies of the Annihilating Priests couldn¡¯t withstand it; there were other ¡°things¡± on the ship that could serve as beacons¨Cbut that would only leave the innocent ¡°sacrifice victims¡± detained by the Heretics in cages.


    After all, outside of the Homeloss, the so-called ¡°beacons¡± were possessed bodies.


    Using the ship¡¯s innocent sacrifice victims as beacons was clearly against Duncan¡¯s principles.


    Fortunately, Lucratia solved this problem with her cleverness¨Cshe made an ¡°artificial beacon¡± that could accommodate the arrival of Duncan¡¯s powers in advance.


    She brought the beacon, relying on Rabi to control the summoning ritual performed by the Heretics to teleport onto the ship first, and then used the power of the artificial beacon to summon Duncan¡¯s actual form here¨Cso far, the ¡°chain summoning¡± process had been very effective.


    Duncan looked down at his hands.


    His current body was ¡°attached¡± to the artificial beacon created by Lucratia¨Cthat beacon was now inside him, running exceptionally well.


    ¡°The beacon test went smoothly,¡± Duncan lifted his head and said to Lucratia, ¡°If it can operate stably for a long period, then carry one on you from now on, so that if you encounter any danger, I can immediately come to your side¨C it¡¯s more useful than the mirror ritual.¡±


    Lucratia was slightly taken aback, seemingly surprised, but slowly, a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll also send one to my older brother later¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s already one of my avatars at Frost¡¯s,¡± Duncan glanced at her, ¡°He even visited my grave this morning, he doesn¡¯t need your ¡®artificial beacon.''¡±


    Lucratia suddenly looked a bit disappointed, ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t always think about troubling your brother.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Duncan shook his head helplessly.


    ¡°How are the ¡®sacrifice victims¡¯ on the ship?¡±


    ¡°I and Rabi have found them,¡± Lucratia quickly adjusted her expression when the conversation turned serious, ¡°The good news is that the place where the sacrifice victims are detained is located at the front half of the ship, at the bottom deck. The explosion in the engine room has not reached there since you suppressed it, so no one died from the explosions or fire. The bad news¡­ their condition is very bad, extremely bad. Some had already died in their cells before we arrived¨C the voyage at sea is dull, and those Heretics tortured the sacrifice victims for entertainment, even killing those who lost their ¡®blood-food¡¯ value for fun¡­¡±


    She paused, carefully observing Duncan¡¯s extremely gloomy face.


    ¡°¡­But rest assured, I will do my best to save those who survived, even those on the brink of death¨CI can save them. However, their mental state is another matter, and that would require more professional psychological counseling.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Duncan nodded gently, his gloomy expression easing a bit. He took a breath, pondered for a moment, and then asked, ¡°Have you found the ¡®Skull of Dreams¡¯ yet?¡±


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    ¡°Still looking,¡± Lucratia answered, ¡°It¡¯s a valuable yet dangerous ¡®sealed item¡¯, likely to be hidden in the most heavily guarded and most concealed place on the ship. I have dispatched my toy soldiers and shadow servants to search every cabin from top to bottom, so it should not take long to find it.¡±


    Alice, who had been standing by and listening curiously for a while, finally seemed to catch up with the conversation and suddenly interjected with some concern, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been destroyed in the blast, has it¡­¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be,¡± Lucratia shook her head, ¡°The Skull of Dreams is a sealed item with animating, contaminating tendencies, and it can¡¯t be placed too close to the steam core; otherwise, it could possess the machinery¨C even those Heretics should have that much common sense.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Listening to Lucratia¡¯s analysis, Duncan nodded slightly, his tone subtly conveying, ¡°Though honestly, figuring out how to deal with it after finding it will be a problem¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it would adapt to be placed next to the goat head.¡±


    Lucratia thought for a moment, ¡°¡­The first mate is very accommodating, I think it¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave that until after we find it,¡± Duncan waved his hand dismissively, ¡°First, take me to see the condition of these ¡®sacrifice victims¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 664 - Chapter 664 Chapter 661 The Direction of the Home Port

    Chapter 664: Chapter 661 ¡°The Direction of the Home Port Chapter 664: Chapter 661 ¡°The Direction of the Home Port The cage was located in a specially reinforced ship cabin, where the narrow, damp, and sweltering chamber was divided by iron bars into a dozen or so cages of varying sizes, imprisoning the ¡°sacrifices¡± within.


    Entering such a place could never bring about any good experience¨Ceven Lucresia would slightly furrow her brow upon stepping into this prison.


    By the time Duncan arrived here, the originally caged victims had already been transferred to an open space at the end of the cabin¨Cthe environment there was somewhat better, and it was right next to a vent, which seemed to be a spot where the guards had stayed temporarily.


    The air was permeated with an unpleasant smell, the scent of bloodstains and rotting flesh gradually decaying. Dirty blood marks could be seen on the iron cages on both sides, some of which were clearly left recently. Various ¡°processing tools¡± used for bleeding, skinning, and puncturing were hung on the walls and pillars between the cages, exuding an unpleasant odor.


    Duncan passed by these cages and torture instruments and came directly to the end of the cabin, led by Lucresia, observing the survivors who had made it through.


    This caused some commotion¨Ca tall figure enveloped in Spectral Flames walked into the cabin, appearing like a malevolent spirit breaking into the real dimension. The surviving ¡°sacrifices¡± immediately let out cries of alarm, attempting to back away, but they were too weak, lacking even the strength to stand and escape. So, after some struggle, they could only huddle against each other in a corner, watching the ¡°evil spirit¡± standing amidst the flames with eyes filled with uncertain terror.


    Duncan felt helpless about this¨Che certainly knew his current state was frightening, but he had ¡°descended¡± onto this ship relying on the ¡°artificial beacon¡± created by Lucresia. To match the beacon, he had to maintain his Spectral Form.


    But soon, he realized that not everyone was screaming and avoiding him¨Cthere was a thin little figure that remained in place.


    It was a little girl, around seven or eight years old, wearing ragged clothes with numerous scars and her face covered in blood. She sat quietly on the floor, looking up at Duncan and Lucresia, her eyes showing no particular emotion.


    Duncan was somewhat curious. He bent down in front of the child, looking into her eyes, ¡°Are you not afraid?¡±


    However, the child had no reaction, not even a change in her gaze. She just stared blankly at Duncan, the depths of her eyes reflecting the eerie green glow of the flames before her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already asked around, those heretics ¡®sacrificed¡¯ her parents in front of this child, and she has been like this ever since,¡± Lucresia came over and whispered behind Duncan, ¡°It happened a long time ago¨Cshe has been on this ship for a year now.¡±


    ¡°The Witch of the Sea¡± paused before continuing, ¡°¡­Children are special and precious ¡®ritual materials,¡¯ especially so for the Eradicators. They keep the children for their most important ceremonies.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say a word. He had his back to Lucresia, so she couldn¡¯t see what his expression was after hearing this¨Conly the green flames spread slowly in the depths of the cabin began to crackle.


    A few seconds later, Duncan reached out his hand, his ethereal Spiritual Body touching the child¡¯s head, gently stroking her hair.


    ¡°You will get better.¡±


    He then stood up and glanced back, ¡°Lucy, do you have any sweets on you?¡±


    Lucresia was taken aback for a moment then shook her head with a hint of apologetic, ¡°¡­No, I only have some potions that I carry for daily use¡­ Ah, but there are cookies, cookies baked by Luny.¡±


    As she spoke, she quickly pulled out a few cookies from her bosom, looked up at her father before walking forward, and stuffed the cookies into the child¡¯s hands.


    The little girl finally showed some reaction. She looked down at the food in her hands and began instinctively stuffing them into her mouth, eating quietly and rapidly.


    ¡°Eating¡± had become one of the few instincts she had left after ¡°living¡± on this ship for a year.


    After a while, two withered and frail figures crawled out from the corner, almost writhing to Duncan¡¯s front, bowing down to kiss the ground where he had just stepped.


    Duncan raised his head, observing the eyes in the dark corners¨Cfearful, bewildered, or numb¨Cafter a long time, he suddenly asked softly, ¡°Are there any living heretics on the ship?¡±


    ¡°They have all been killed,¡± Lucresia replied, ¡°According to your ¡®standards,¡¯ no Eradicators should be left alive, except for the ¡®saint.''¡±


    ¡°Mm, good,¡± Duncan nodded slowly, then instructed, ¡°Get your servants to bring some food and water, let these people regain some strength first.¡±


    Lucresia bowed her head, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Duncan and Lucresia then left that exceedingly unpleasant cabin¨Cmoments later, they arrived on the deck.


    The ¡°revived¡± ship continued to sail straight towards the ¡°Holy Land¡±¨Cnavigating the ocean in a terrifyingly disintegrated posture.


    Its entire stern had almost been torn to shreds, with huge fissures spread across the deck and hull, the massive explosion causing the shattered remnants to splay out in a harrowing display. Countless pieces of debris still hung in the position they were in when the explosion occurred, maintaining a relative stillness with the rest of the ship in an eerie stance, while ghastly green flames burned quietly between all the fragments and fissures, as if ¡°solidifying¡± the entire ship in the moment of its disintegration, permanently branding it with destruction.


    Anomaly 001 was gradually rising to a high point in the sky, but layers upon layers of mist began appearing over the nearby sea. The fog spread and rose around the ship and wove together above, the sunlight penetrating through the mist, giving off a weak, hazy texture.


    ¡°¡­The breath of the Spirit Realm is surging up; the ¡®alteration¡¯ that happened to this ship seems to have attracted the shadows that linger on the edges of reality,¡± Lucresia glanced at the eerie fog appearing over the surrounding sea and slightly furrowed her brow, ¡°This is the ¡®Barbarian Seas,¡¯ far from the main shipping routes, where the surrounding space is not as stable as near the City-States.¡±


    ¡°Will they cause trouble?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucresia thought for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°Your power commands this ship, and those shadows would not dare approach. But it does seem that the common folk onboard need to be Transitioned away promptly¨Ctheir mental state is already quite poor and may undergo Transformation under the influence of the Spirit Realm environment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Ai Yi open a gate later to help you transport those people to Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Duncan nodded, then suddenly asked, ¡°Also, can you tell where this ship is heading?¡±


    ¡°The Observatory has been destroyed in the explosion; I can¡¯t determine the exact direction, but according to Rabi¡¯s rough sensing in the Spirit Realm, it should be heading towards the southeast ¡®frontier.''¡±


    Duncan instantly turned his head: ¡°The frontier?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucresia nodded, ¡°I¡¯m as surprised as you are. There are no other City-States or islands in that direction, and the ship is now sailing straight ¡®home¡¯ under your command. The only possible destination¡­ is the ¡®Eternal Veil¡¯ at the frontier.¡±


    Could the ¡°home port¡± of this ship¡­ actually be in the direction of the frontier?


    Is there an undiscovered island near the mist known as the ¡°Eternal Veil,¡± or¡­ is the target of this ship the mist itself?


    Seeing the surprise and confusion in Duncan¡¯s mind, Lucresia took the initiative to speak: ¡°The Quaternity Church has always had several standing fleets patrolling the periphery of the civilized world. Near the ¡®Veil,¡¯ every island is explored, and all footholds are under the control of the Church. Therefore, the only explanation is¨Cthat the destination of this ship lies within the mist, a blind spot to the Church¡¯s vision.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brow was tightly furrowed; he still found it incredible: ¡°¡­They¡¯ve established a secret route right under the Church¡¯s nose?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to bypass the Church¡¯s blockade at the frontier or navigate around the Ark Fleet¡¯s patrol routes. After all, the frontier is so vast that the Church can¡¯t possibly watch every inch of the Veil. The main purpose of the patrol fleets wasn¡¯t to intercept passersby from illegal ships, but rather to monitor changes in the frontier¡¯s mist,¡± Lucresia explained, ¡°Between the patrol fleets, there¡¯s ample time and space to establish several ¡®secret routes.¡¯ If I wanted to, I could also reach the Eternal Veil unnoticed by anyone.¡±


    She paused, her tone becoming especially serious.


    ¡°So more baffling than the existence of ¡®secret routes¡¯ is the possibility that this ship¡¯s ¡®home port¡¯ could be inside that mist.¡±


    Duncan understood Lucresia¡¯s point.


    In the vast ¡°frontier¡± seas, evading the Church¡¯s sight wasn¡¯t challenging; the real challenge lay in surviving within that mist after avoiding detection.


    The massive fog wall of the ¡°Eternal Veil¡± marked the end of the civilized world. Ever since the deep-sea era began to be recorded, ¡°steer clear of that dense fog¡± has always been an iron rule in the hearts of all adventurers.


    Lucresia was discussing this matter with him now, and her words were laden with a more complex emotion¨CHomeloss ¡°encountered difficulties¡± a hundred years ago after Duncan Ebnomal stubbornly crossed that dense fog.


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    What exactly lies within that dense fog? Does the fog have an end? Is there a broader world beyond the fog? What did Homeloss discover in the depths of that fog a hundred years ago?


    These questions had long loomed over the children of Duncan Ebnomal, and even now, even though ¡°Duncan¡± and Homeloss had ¡°returned¡± to this world, these questions still hung like clouds over Lucresia¡¯s head.


    In some ways, this cloud even lingered over the entire world.


    With a heavy and complex expression gradually surfacing in his eyes, Duncan turned and slowly moved towards the bow of the ship, resting his hands on the railing, gazing at the distant, fog-shrouded sea.


    Now, the ship was racing full speed towards that shrouded horizon.

 Chapter 665 - Chapter 665 Chapter 662 Border Intelligence

    Chapter 665: Chapter 662: Border Intelligence Chapter 665: Chapter 662: Border Intelligence Duncan gazed at the distant sea, lost in thought, while Lucia, standing behind him, maintained a silent vigil. This silence lasted an unknown length of time until Duncan finally took the initiative to break the quiet, ¡°Tell me about the border.¡±


    Lucia took a step forward, her tone tinged with hesitation, ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember what happened back then,¡± Duncan said softly, ¡°so I want to hear your views on the border¨Cyou¡¯ve been active in the border areas for years, to my knowledge. You¡¯ve even ventured into that dense fog a few times¡­ If we¡¯re destined to deal with that fog again, at least I want to know what you understand about it.¡±


    Lucia¡¯s gaze wavered with hesitation and complexity as she stared at Duncan¡¯s back, as if afraid this figure would suddenly disappear into the wind¨Cbefore today, her father had also raised the topic of the border with her, but their discussions on the matter were never extensive. She would consciously avoid these issues, but today¡­ the situation seemed different.


    After a few seconds, the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± finally spoke, ¡°I have indeed entered that fog, but only at a very ¡®shallow¡¯ level, Six Nautical Miles, which is the limit of my navigation within it¨Ctheoretically, it should also be the monitoring limit of the ships of the Four Gods Church in that area.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there?¡± Duncan asked curiously.


    Lucia thought for a moment, ¡°Most areas of the sea are calm, even calmer than the other normal sea regions of the Endless Sea. The water is like a mirror, clearly reflecting the flags atop the masts, without a single wave. Ripples caused by ships passing dissipate extremely quickly, and the entire sea¡¯s texture is like some sort of¡­ heavy, viscous substance incapable of rippling, but it is indeed seawater. The sailing itself is not affected¡­


    ¡°But this is only the state of the calm areas. Amidst these peaceful waters, there exists chaotic and irregular currents that appear mysteriously and without warning. They are nearly impossible to detect visually, even as they¡¯re occurring, with the rapidly moving water still maintaining a state of calm, sweeping past like a ¡®cutting line¡¯. If a ship inadvertently gets close, it will lose control, at the least spinning rapidly and being carried onto the wrong course by the currents, or at the worst, capsizing.


    ¡°Yet, these are still only the ¡®milder¡¯ situations within the fog. When it¡¯s not so mild¡­ some bizarre things would appear.


    ¡°Sometimes, incomprehensible things would suddenly emerge in the midst as massive, floating cubes on the sea¡¯s surface, or mountains like knife edges piercing straight out of the ocean, but it¡¯s hard to approach these entities that emerge from the fog directly, because around these things there would often be accompanying large-scale¡­ abnormal celestial phenomena. Sometimes it¡¯s a storm, sometimes a huge ring of currents, sometimes even a large swath of sea water would disappear out of thin air, forming a crevasse as deep as the Abyss, bottomless and utterly terrifying¡­¡±


    Lucia stopped there, seemingly recalling some experiences that were chilling even for the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡±. After organizing her thoughts for a moment, she continued:


    ¡°In these chaotic phenomena, one can occasionally find gains, such as materials and items of unknown nature. They appear with the currents or storms, tangible entities that can be captured, stored, and even taken out of the fog. Some of these things are useful, like an oil that burns eternally or crystals that can dispel mental contamination. The Explorers¡¯ Association and the Academy of Truth would pay a great price for these items to study their uses, but essentially these things collected from the border phenomena are random and unique, without the possibility of stable production¡­


    ¡°And in even rarer cases, amidst these chaotic and dangerous phenomena would appear¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped, seeming hesitant to continue.


    Duncan frowned involuntarily, ¡°Lucy, what did you see?¡±


    ¡°Only once, and to this day, I am not sure if it was real or a hallucination due to extreme fatigue,¡± Lucia spoke hesitantly after much deliberation, ¡°It was a huge column that rose suddenly from the sea, the column was pitch-black, surrounded by large ring-shaped objects, equally black and indistinct. This is the only entity from within the fog that I have managed to approach¨Cits surroundings only had less intense waves, and the Brilliant Starship barely combatted them. I reached the foot of the column, even brought the ship close enough to touch its surface¡­ then, I heard it speak to me.¡±


    Lucia lifted her hand and pointed to her head, ¡°That voice boomed in my mind, a language I didn¡¯t recognize, but I could directly understand its meaning. It kept repeating one sentence, ¡®The Curvature Engine activated¡­ we are escaping danger, the Curvature Engine activated¡­ we are escaping danger¡­''¡±


    She looked up to see a subtle change in expression on Duncan¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do you know what that sentence means?¡±


    At Lucia¡¯s mention of the phrase, Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed instantly. The term ¡°Curvature Engine¡± stirred a wave in his heart, leading him to associate it with that spacecraft that had crashed during the Deep Sea Era¨C¡°New Hope¡±!


    Had Lucia found the wreckage of that ship? Had it fallen into the Eternal Veil?


    ¡°Can you still find it? Have you seen it again since then?¡± he asked urgently.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t,¡± Lucresia shook her head apologetically, sensing the importance of this matter from her father¡¯s demeanor, ¡°The things that appear in the border fog are random and fleeting, like tangible illusions that dissipate without a trace when the time comes. To this day, I haven¡¯t encountered the same entity twice in that fog.¡±


    A wave of disappointment surged in Duncan, but he did not show it much, ¡°Then, aside from what it said, have you found anything else?¡±


    Lucresia recalled carefully and said with uncertainty, ¡°The other thing is the extremely odd¡­ ¡®touch¡¯ that I felt when I touched it. It felt ¡®hollow,¡¯ without temperature or solidity. I know it¡¯s strange to say this, but at that moment, my fingers couldn¡¯t determine what they were touching or even if they were touching anything at all. It was as if the ¡®sense of touch¡¯ in my fingers vanished for that instant, or perhaps that thing¡­ only had some of its ¡®properties¡¯ left in our dimension, so I couldn¡¯t fully perceive its missing parts¡­¡±


    Her words became more hesitant towards the end, as she seemed to struggle to accurately express her feelings and speculations from that moment. Finally, she could only helplessly spread her hands, ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m trying to say?¡±


    Duncan, however, looked thoughtful. After hearing Lucresia describe those bizarre and unimaginable circumstances, what suddenly came to his mind was the ¡°cognitive alteration¡± he experienced for a few seconds after witnessing the truth of the Great Obliteration, or rather an ¡°epiphany¡± about the world.


    He still vividly remembered what he saw in the last moments, the ¡°true¡± side of the world.


    The fragmented information coalesced into the current deep-sea era, incompatible fragments of the old world merged and mutated through collisions, transforming into unrecognizable forms, or blending into the ¡°information broth¡± underlying the world.


    So¡­ what about those things that didn¡¯t merge or were unable to be completely obliterated and contaminated because of their ¡°special properties¡±?


    Such things must exist. When a cosmic-level collision occurs, every event probability overlaps from infinity to infinitesimal, anything can happen, and anything might never happen. Hence, those that inevitably remain due to infinitesimal probabilities as ¡°lucky¡± or rather ¡°unfortunate¡± ones should have a place to be¡­


    Duncan speculated that most of them were probably in the Subspace ¨C in that dark, chaotic space with many remnants akin to those of the old world: torn lands, pale cyclopes, ambiguous shadows floating in the void ¨C they must all be pieces that were not completely obliterated.


    But now it seemed that some of them had fallen outside Subspace.


    The ¡°entities¡± seen by the ¡°Sea Witch¡± in the border fog¡­ were such things.


    Lucresia felt a bit uneasy. As she watched the expressions change on Duncan¡¯s face, a logic and cognition that she couldn¡¯t comprehend seemed to gradually take shape in her father¡¯s mind, giving her a premonition akin to when she first witnessed the ¡°starry sky¡±.


    But this time, she didn¡¯t actually see stars emerge behind her father¡¯s figure.


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    ¡°The ¡®entities¡¯ you¡¯ve seen in the border fog are of great interest to me,¡± Duncan suddenly spoke, interrupting Lucresia¡¯s wandering thoughts, ¡°What about deeper in? You just said you¡¯ve only been as far as Six Nautical Miles into the fog, what happens if you go deeper?¡±


    You lose all sense of direction of the civilized world,¡± Lucresia snapped to attention and hurriedly replied, ¡°In fact, once you enter the Eternal Veil, all conventional navigation becomes useless. Even from the Observatory, looking down at the vast starry sky, you would only see a hazy and blurred shadow. Within the Six Nautical Miles, radio can still work to a certain extent, and lighthouses or ritual fire basins temporarily set up at the edge of the fog can guide ships back. But once you cross that threshold of Six Nautical Miles, all contact with the civilized world would be completely severed.


    ¡°I once ventured too deep, past that critical point. Although it was just by a little, I nearly got forever lost in that thick fog. Trying to retrace my steps was meaningless because once a ship crosses the boundary, the spatial continuity seems to be compromised. If you move forward a step and then step back, you won¡¯t return to the same place¡­¡±


    Listening, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°So how did you find your way back?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lucresia opened her mouth, hesitated for a good while, then spoke softly with a somewhat strange expression, ¡°I saw the shadow of Homeloss.¡±

 Chapter 666 - Chapter 666 Chapter 663 Alices Spoils of War

    Chapter 666: Chapter 663: Alice¡¯s Spoils of War Chapter 666: Chapter 663: Alice¡¯s Spoils of War ¡°You saw the shadow of the Homeloss!?¡± Duncan did not hide his astonishment.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucresia glanced at Duncan, nodded subtly, and said, ¡°After being lost in the fog for three days, I saw a silhouette that looked very much like the Homeloss pass by in the distance through the dense mist. As it passed, the fog seemed to momentarily thin out, revealing the appearance of normal sea areas. I¡­hesitated for a long time, but had no other choice at the time, so I summoned the courage to head toward the silhouette. But it suddenly disappeared as the Brilliant Starship was about to approach¡­ Then, I returned to normal waters.¡±


    After Lucresia finished speaking, she looked at Duncan with an odd gaze for several seconds before adding, ¡°That was in 1862. You have fallen into Subspace for sixty-two years.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a while, turning his body quietly to look out at the distant sea, disguising the change in his eyes as he calmly said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember this.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Lucresia nodded, ¡°So I have been wondering whether what I saw was really the Homeloss, or just a hallucination from exhaustion, or perhaps¡­ another ¡®special phenomenon¡¯ of the Frontier.¡±


    ¡°That was my first and only time crossing the limit of ¡®Six Nautical Miles.¡¯ After that, I never ventured into such deep places again, nor have I seen similar ¡®phantoms¡¯.¡±


    Duncan stayed silent, his thoughts tumbling.


    From Lucresia¡¯s story, he truly realized for the first time how strange and dangerous the boundless mist known as the ¡°Civilization Frontier¡± and ¡°Eternal Veil¡± was. Yet, it sparked countless conjectures and¡­ curiosity about the baffling phenomena that appeared in that mist.


    It was clear that entering that fog came with great risk. Even a seasoned Frontier Scholar and grand explorer like Lucresia nearly became permanently lost in that veil under prepared circumstances. And even within the relatively ¡°safe¡± inner areas of Six Nautical Miles, various peculiar and dangerous ¡°entities¡± and phenomena could claim the life of an explorer at any time.


    But those peculiar and dangerous ¡°entities¡± had precisely captured Duncan¡¯s interest.


    The ¡°shadows¡± left by the supposed crash of the New Hope were just one of them. Within the fog of the Frontier Six Nautical Miles, how many remnants like the New Hope were there? Are they all the ¡°core remnants¡± left after the various worlds were obliterated? And what mechanism allowed these remnants to persist until now? If these ¡°entities¡± surrounded the entire Endless Sea in the fog, then what lay beyond this ¡°band¡±? What remnants were left there?


    Duncan had an inkling, a premonition, that these ¡°entities¡± with strange ¡°voids¡± perceived by Lucresia might help him understand the world¡¯s deepest crises and might even help him find a ¡°way out¡± to solve the ¡°fundamental pollution¡± afflicting everything¡­


    The look from beside him brought Duncan out of his thoughts. He lifted his head and saw Lucresia standing silently beside him, looking at him with complex eyes that seemed to carry a hint of worry.


    ¡°¡­You want to go there again, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Lucresia asked softly.


    ¡°¡­ This ship is on course for the Frontier,¡± Duncan patted the armrest beside him, ¡°Those annihilation-heretics have a hideout in the Frontier fog. I will resolve this issue no matter what.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not referring to this time¨Cthe heretics won¡¯t hide very deeply, and for you, destroying their lair might just be a simple task. I¡¯m speaking about afterward,¡± Lucresia stared into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°After dealing with this lair, you¡¯ll focus on the phenomena within that mist, won¡¯t you? You will investigate the ¡®entities¡¯ and ¡®anomalies¡¯ I described to you, even¡­ those beyond Six Nautical Miles.¡±


    Her gaze exerted some pressure, and for the first time, Duncan felt overwhelmed by the gaze of the ¡°Sea Witch.¡± However, after a moment of silence, he nodded, ¡°If the situation requires, I will.¡±


    Lucresia pursed her lips.


    But she did not persuade or obstruct him. After a long silence, she suddenly said, ¡°Take me with you this time. My experience can be of help to you.¡±


    Duncan was surprised; he eyed the ¡°witch¡± for a few seconds before speaking quietly, ¡°¡­ What if the end of that fog is Subspace?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll need your experience.¡±


    Duncan did not speak at once. He turned back to gaze silently at the distant sea, and after a while, he breathed out softly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it later. I do indeed have that idea, but there¡¯s no need to enter deep into that mist right now¨Cat least, not until I¡¯ve taken care of that hidden heretic lair on the Frontier and made some contact with the Four Gods Church.¡±


    Lucresia nodded lightly.


    Just then, a series of footsteps and the strange clinking of metal came from nearby, interrupting their conversation.


    Duncan looked towards the source of the sound and saw Alice happily approaching¨CMiss Doll carried a big wooden box in one hand and a bunch of assorted kitchen knives, pots, and spoons she had scavenged from somewhere in the other, which she had strung together with wire. She walked over with joy and swagger like someone returning with spoils of war, creating a trail of clinking noise along the deck.


    ¡°Captain!¡± the naive Doll came up to Duncan, lifting up the string of ¡°treasures¡± wired together and shaking them in mid-air, ¡°Look! I have my own spoils of war now!¡±


    Duncan hadn¡¯t recovered from the serious topic he had just discussed with Lucrescia when this bubbly, goofy beauty interrupted all his thoughts. He stared blankly at the string of things in Alice¡¯s hands for quite a while before finally realizing, ¡°¡­ Did you plunder the kitchen?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Alice nodded slightly with a proud expression, ¡°Goat-Head said that after capturing the enemy ship, we must plunder the treasury first and acquire enough loot before the ship sinks. I followed those toy soldiers around the ship for quite a while and finally found the kitchen¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she reminisced a bit and said with emotion, ¡°This ship is really subpar; things aboard don¡¯t seem very intelligent. None of the kitchen items offered any resistance when I was collecting the spoils. I was all prepared to wrestle with this kitchen knife¡­¡±


    Lucrescia listened to the puppet¡¯s chatter with her mouth agape, while Duncan finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up after a brief silence, ¡°¡­ Alice.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary for everyone to fight with the kitchen utensils while cooking¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, in the City-State the kitchens don¡¯t attack you, but aren¡¯t we on a ship?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Not all ships have buckets, mops, and pots and pans that can fight.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    Two seconds later, the puppet exclaimed with amazement, ¡°Is that so magical?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    At that moment, Lucrescia noticed the strange wooden box in Alice¡¯s other hand, ¡°What¡¯s this? Another one of your spoils of war?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Alice snapped back to the conversation, nodding repeatedly, ¡°I found it in a strange cabin. Such a big room with only this wooden box in it, surrounded by several chains¨CI pulled off most of the chains, but the lock on the box is weird. No matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t open it. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s inside, so I brought the entire box¡­¡±


    While she spoke, she handed the heavy wooden box, darkly varnished and covered in many complex patterns, to Duncan, ¡°Can you have a look?¡±


    Halfway through Alice¡¯s story, Duncan¡¯s intuition had already begun to tell him something was odd. He took the heavy wooden box and his gaze swept over the lock, only to see what seemed to be an unremarkable iron lock that the most inept thief could pick with a wire¨Cyet this very lock had stumped the powerful puppet.


    Duncan knew about Alice¡¯s strength. She could swing a coffin plank to zoom across the ocean at the speed of a motorboat, and she could also break the chains used to bind the wooden box with her sheer power¨CDuncan could even imagine how the goofy Alice had burst into the cabin, torn off the chains with brute force, but then was at a loss with the last shabby iron lock on the box.


    The child isn¡¯t bright, but she¡¯s strong (x)


    The child is strong, unfortunately, she¡¯s not bright ()


    It seemed that this box was likely the very thing he was looking for.


    ¡°Anomaly 132-Lock,¡± Lucrescia came closer, quickly identifying the iron lock that Alice couldn¡¯t open with brute force, ¡°it requires a special ¡®key¡¯ to unlock, which is a secret phrase known only to the one who locked it. Once it¡¯s locked, it becomes unbreakable, and it also makes the container it locks just as unbreakable¨Ceven if it¡¯s merely a paper box. This anomaly is one of the uncommon harmless exceptions. Although its number is not high, it has a special use to assist in sealing some dangerous items. In 1876, it was stolen from a transport ship during a pirate attack¡­ I never expected it to end up in the hands of these Heretics.¡±


    After giving the brief on the iron lock, Lucrescia pondered for a moment and then said uncertainly, ¡°The last Heretic who performed the ¡®locking¡¯ is dead, and the secret phrase has been lost, but I can try other methods to decipher the puzzle of this lock. It is said to be ¡®indestructible,¡¯ but I¡¯ve heard it has a loophole¡­¡±


    A light ¡°click¡± suddenly interrupted the ¡°witch¡¯s¡± subsequent words.


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    Lucrescia looked at the wooden box in Duncan¡¯s hands in astonishment.


    The lock had opened by itself.


    ¡°It seems it didn¡¯t want to wait for your attempt,¡± Duncan said with a smile to Lucrescia, ¡°or perhaps it knew that if your attempt failed, then it would be my turn to ¡®give it a try.''¡±


    Lucrescia was stunned for a while, ¡°¡­ That makes sense; my thinking was limited.¡±


    Duncan shook his head with a smile, then placed the large wooden box on the ground, removed the now-open padlock, and carefully lifted the lid.


    A black wooden carving of a goat¡¯s head lay quietly inside the box.

 Chapter 667 - Chapter 667 Chapter 664 Goat Head

    Chapter 667: Chapter 664 ¡°Goat Head Chapter 667: Chapter 664 ¡°Goat Head Duncan watched the goat head in the wooden box, which, like a true wooden carving, met his gaze with no sign of life or reaction.


    Duncan wasn¡¯t surprised¨Cat the moment Alice clumsily brought the sealed wooden box to the deck, one that clearly had been carefully sealed and couldn¡¯t be opened, he had guessed that the box contained exactly what he was looking for.


    After all, beauty in its simplicity often compensates for what¡¯s lacking upstairs with other qualities, like strength, optimism, or good fortune.


    ¡°Wow, a goat head!¡± Alice peered into the box and finally realized what she had inadvertently found, her eyes widening in surprise, ¡°Is this the one from the Heretics? It looks exactly the same as the one on Homeloss!¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything, but focused on observing the details of the ¡°Skull of Dreams,¡± while Lucrescia squatted down next to him, poking the goat head in the box with her delicate ¡°baton¡± and furrowing her pretty eyebrows slightly: ¡°No reaction¡­ There are no signs of a ¡®living¡¯ Trait, and it doesn¡¯t seem to emit any special aura?¡±


    ¡°Just like a piece of real wood,¡± Duncan nodded, reaching out to take the wooden carved goat head from the box, weighing it in his hands, ¡°¡­It¡¯s actually this light.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never taken the goat head off its stand on Homeloss?¡± Lucrescia asked, surprised upon hearing this, ¡°It seems to just sit on top of a table¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re connected together, the goat head is a part of Homeloss as a whole,¡± Duncan immediately shook his head, ¡°Even though its head can turn around, it can¡¯t be removed from the table.¡±


    This was the first time Lucrescia heard of such detail, seeming to find it quite unbelievable. Alice, upon hearing the captain¡¯s words, suddenly had a thoughtful look, clapping her hands: ¡°So that¡¯s why!¡±


    Duncan immediately turned to her: ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I was wondering why it resisted so much when I tried to move the First Mate¡¯s head from the table last time. It even muttered a bunch of things to me, although I don¡¯t remember what it said¡­¡±


    Duncan was dumbfounded: ¡°Why would you want to take the First Mate¡¯s head off the table?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to clean the table,¡± Alice stated matter-of-factly, ¡°And I thought I could wash it in the sink too¡­ But I couldn¡¯t remove it.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    He didn¡¯t even want to imagine that scene anymore¨Cthank goodness the puppet didn¡¯t have that much strength! If it were Fenna, Saslouka might have died for the third time already¡­


    Lucrescia suddenly noticed the expression on her father¡¯s face change rapidly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, concerned.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever reminded others on the ship that the goat head is fixed on the table and cannot be removed.¡±


    ¡°Miss Fenna is a composed person, she probably wouldn¡¯t just go into your captain¡¯s quarters.¡±


    Duncan looked puzzled: ¡°Why would your first thought be of Fenna?¡±


    Lucrescia paused for two seconds, giving Duncan a somewhat strange look: ¡°Then who did you think of?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, and decided it was better not to continue discussing this increasingly absurd topic¨Chis attention returned to the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± before him.


    ¡°This must indeed be another fragment of Saslouka, otherwise those Heretics wouldn¡¯t have sealed it so cautiously. However, not every fragment has a complete sense of reason, not every ¡®goat head¡¯ does.¡±


    As he spoke, he placed the black wooden carved goat head back into the box and sealed the lid once more¨Cthe anomaly 132 immediately leaped from the nearby deck, latched onto the box¡¯s lock, and clicked itself shut.


    ¡°I want to take this back to Homeloss first, to see what changes will occur when it¡¯s placed together with the goat head on the ship.¡±


    ¡°Ah, are we going back already?¡± Alice reacted, getting up to follow Duncan while curiously looking at the distant sea, ¡°I thought we were going to follow this ship directly to that ¡®Mother Port¡¯ or something.¡±


    Lucrescia answered her: ¡°We are still far from the border, even at top speed this ship would take about a week to reach near the ¡®Veil¡¯¨Cthere¡¯s no need for us to stay on this almost completely destroyed ¡®Ghost Ship¡¯ for such a long time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Duncan nodded, adding, ¡°During this time, we can take the survivors in the prison to the City-State, and if we have a chance, contact the Four Gods Church as well. They might be interested in a cult¡¯s den hidden in the mist at the border. Besides that, we still have the ¡®goat head¡¯ in this box¡­ There¡¯s quite a lot to be done.¡±


    ¡°You can go back first, I¡¯ll take care of the aftermath here,¡± Lucrescia volunteered, ¡°I have more experience with¡­ ¡®Aftermath Management¡¯.¡±


    Duncan simply nodded in acknowledgment, without saying much more.


    He knew as a ¡°witch¡± who had wandered the Endless Sea for a century, Lucrescia¡¯s experiences were far beyond the ordinary. City-States struck by disaster, stranded exploration teams, cursed ships, and the Heretics¡¯ kidnapped and sacrificed victims¨Call these were already part of the ¡°experience¡± she had dealt with.


    She knew how to settle those survivors who were on the brink of collapse, both physically and mentally.


    ¡°Then Alice and I will head back to the Homeloss first,¡± Duncan nodded at Lucresia, then patted the railing beside him, ¡°This ship will return to the home port on its own, you don¡¯t need to worry about it. After you finish dealing with things here, leave that ¡®artificial beacon¡¯ on board so I can monitor the ship¡¯s status at any time and return here when the time is right.¡±


    Lucresia lowered her head, ¡°I understand.¡±


    The crackling sound of flames leaping started from nowhere on the deck, and when she lifted her head again, a revolving door of flame had already appeared before her eyes.


    Alice, carrying a large wooden box (along with her trophies), was the first to walk into the revolving flames; soon after Duncan waved towards them, his body burning with Spectral Flame transformed into a streak of fire and vanished within the doorway.


    Where Duncan had stood, a wisp of residual flame was still burning calmly in midair, gradually shrinking and dimming until it turned into a magic object the size of a palm and dropped onto the deck.


    That was the ¡°Sea Witch¡¯s¡± handmade artificial beacon.


    Lucresia stepped forward to pick the ¡°beacon¡± up from the deck.


    It was a small puppet ¨C carved from a piece of wood from the railing of the Homeloss. Duncan¡¯s strand of hair was stuffed inside it, and it was crudely carved in Duncan¡¯s likeness; wearing an old captain¡¯s uniform, a grim captain¡¯s hat, and sporting a majestic beard.


    The overall design of the puppet was somewhat exaggerated, but tastefully so.


    Lucresia had spent an entire night making this puppet¨CFor a witch who had crafted an entire ¡°Servant Legion,¡± such a task was not complicated. This marvel of magic could house a trace of her father¡¯s power¨CAlthough tiny, it was sufficient to replace a human vessel, allowing the father to open a flame portal near the beacon without increasing the number of ¡°incarnations.¡±


    Her father was reluctant to occupy more bodies to create ¡°incarnations¡±¨CLucresia considered it a good thing, and she was happy to use her expertise to help alleviate the ¡°inconveniences of life¡± that came with it.


    On the deck, the remaining flames of the fiery doorway slowly faded away.


    Holding the puppet that resembled Duncan, Lucresia held it up to inspect it in the sunlight and suddenly glanced around like a thief.


    Of course, there was no one else here.


    So Miss ¡°Witch¡± withdrew her gaze, moved to a corner, hesitated, and then poked the puppet¡¯s head with her finger.


    The puppet had no reaction.


    She reached out again, poking the puppet¡¯s beard and the exaggerated captain¡¯s hat ¨C she began to laugh, her face gradually becoming more cheerful.


    Suddenly, the puppet raised its head and let out a resigned voice, ¡°Is this amusing to you?¡±


    Lucresia: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a moment, Rabi, who was coming out of the cabin to report to his mistress, heard a scream like none other, resounding across the whole deck.


    ¡­


    The clanging of metal breaking the calm on the deck of the Homeloss.


    Duncan looked somewhat helplessly at Alice, who was walking back and forth on deck with her ¡°trophies¡±, ¡°Give me the box ¨C you can take your ¡®trophies¡¯ to the kitchen first.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    The puppet happily agreed with a sound and handed the wooden box containing the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± to Duncan, itself heading to the kitchen accompanied by a clattering noise.


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    The cacophony of kitchen knives, spatulas, and ladles gradually faded away.


    Duncan, holding the wooden box with the ¡°Skull of Dreams,¡± watched Alice¡¯s joyful departure and, sensing the signals from the artificial beacon in some distant, unknown sea, revealed a subtle and helpless expression on his face. Shaking his head he sighed,


    ¡°¡­Well, as long as she¡¯s happy.¡±


    Turning around, he walked toward the stern deck and as he reached the captain¡¯s room door, he immediately met the gaze of the goat-headed figure.


    It seemed that the goat head had turned its gaze towards the door before he even opened it¨Cnow those Obsidian-carved eyes depicted depth, and for the first time, the typically chatty ¡°First Mate¡± did not start with its headache-inducing ritualistic greeting. Its gaze was fixed on the wooden box in Duncan¡¯s hands as if it had a premonition about what was inside.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve sensed it,¡± Duncan approached the navigational desk, placing the large wooden box on it, ¡°I¡¯ve brought you a gift.¡±

 Chapter 668 - Chapter 668 Chapter 665 Crossing the Line Again

    Chapter 668: Chapter 665: Crossing the Line Again Chapter 668: Chapter 665: Crossing the Line Again Under Duncan¡¯s gaze, Anomaly 132¨C¡°Lock¡± smartly unlocked itself and wriggled out of the clasp, hopping to an unobstructive spot on the other side of the table.


    Duncan opened the dark, heavy wooden box and took out a wooden carved goat head, placing it on the navigational table.


    The ¡°first mate¡± at the edge of the table turned its head, staring intently at the wooden carved goat head that appeared exactly like itself. Their pairs of obsidian-sculpted eyes faced each other for a long time before it finally let out a long sigh, ¡°Wow¨C¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows, ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite shocking; that was all I could think of at the moment,¡± the goat head twisted on its base, seemingly trying hard to observe its ¡°other head¡± from different angles. It stretched its neck and pondered for a while, muttering, ¡°I had a vague sense of it when you returned to the ship, and I was certain you¡¯d bring back this ¡®Skull of Dreams¡¯ from that ship. I¡¯m not surprised, but seeing it with my own eyes still feels quite unbelievable¨Cit really exists, one that looks exactly like me¡­¡±


    It suddenly stopped there, appearing a bit puzzled, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it moving?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡± Duncan looked baffled, ¡°This is your own head.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not familiar with it,¡± the goat head said quite righteously, ¡°Before this trip to Light Breeze Harbor, I didn¡¯t even know I had a spine¡­¡±


    Duncan was at a loss for words: ¡°¡­¡±


    An awkward and eerie silence lasted for a few seconds; finally, the goat head moved again, stretching its neck towards the ¡°Skull of Dreams,¡± ¡°Can you bring it a bit closer?¡±


    ¡°Like this?¡± Duncan brought the lifeless ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± close to the goat head, curiously observing, ¡°Do you feel anything?¡±


    ¡°¡­Maybe bring it a bit closer?¡±


    Duncan moved it closer yet again, and then even closer until he finally topped the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± directly against the forehead of the goat head, the wooden carved goat heads making head-to-head contact: ¡°There, is that close enough¨Cdo you feel anything now?¡±


    ¡°Take it away, take it away¡­ That¡¯s close enough,¡± the goat head quickly twisted its neck as it protested, and after Duncan placed the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± back onto the table, it very human-like sighed in relief, muttering, ¡°Still no special feeling¡­ Besides strongly sensing its ¡®presence¡¯, I can¡¯t establish any ¡®communication¡¯ with this head, nor can I sense any thoughts or memories in it, and it doesn¡¯t respond to me either¡­¡±


    It paused to think deeply then shook its head, ¡°It feels like it¡¯s just an empty shell, with no connection to me other than ¡®existence¡¯ and ¡®origin.''¡±


    Listening to the goat head¡¯s description, Duncan furrowed his brow deeply.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit unexpected,¡± he said with a frown, ¡°This is ultimately another fragment from Saslouka, even if it¡¯s a more severely damaged part, it should still have some unique characteristics. Also, the previous ¡®sacrifice¡¯ ritual performed by those heretics proved that this ¡®Skull of Dreams¡¯ has some ¡®activity¡¯¡­ How come there¡¯s no reaction after contacting you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m certain this head is real¨CI can indeed feel its ¡®presence¡¯. The sensation is subtle, and I don¡¯t know how to explain it to you¡­¡± the goat head spoke, then speculated, ¡°Maybe the way of interaction is incorrect? Or perhaps¡­ those heretics¡¯ messed up ritual has damaged this head? They¡¯ve always used elven blood to stimulate the ¡®Skull of Dreams¡¯¡­¡±


    Duncan looked serious, his gaze thoughtful, then glanced at the goat head again, ¡°Those heretics are indeed reckless¨Cbut don¡¯t you think it¡¯s odd talking about your own other head being ¡®damaged¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s weird, but I can¡¯t find the right words,¡± the goat head sounded quite helpless, ¡°Who told me to be in this exact state now, practically dead as can be¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He realized that ever since the incident at Light Breeze Harbor ended, his first mate had undergone some changes, the most noticeable being unusually broad-minded, almost like a heart attack¡­


    Duncan shook his head, casting aside the bizarre sentiments that suddenly crossed his mind, then patted the lifeless ¡°Skull of Dreams.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the current state of this ¡®Skull of Dreams¡¯ is definitely not normal. It could really be due to those heretics¡¯ ¡®handling¡¯ causing some changes, or maybe we haven¡¯t found the correct method to activate it, or perhaps¡­ it¡¯s missing something. For now, I¡¯ll leave it here for you to observe its changes. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Your arrangements are fine,¡± the goat head responded immediately, ¡°and I¡¯m also curious about what¡¯s really up with this head. Keeping it here will give me a chance to study it when I have time.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°Very well.¡±


    Then he lifted his gaze, looking out the window.


    A third of the sunset had already sunk below the sea level¨Cunnoticed, dusk was near. The remaining golden-red brilliance of Anomaly 001 spread magnificently over the Endless Sea, while in another direction, the golden sunlight emitted by the Luminous Geometric Body near Light Breeze Harbor grew even more remarkable with the arrival of dusk. The silhouette of the nearby City-State appeared somewhat hazy amidst the intertwined sunlight.


    How long could such a peaceful sunset scene last?


    For some reason, Duncan suddenly had this thought, but immediately he sighed lightly and put those miscellaneous thoughts aside.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to my room to rest for a bit. After Lucricia has finished her business, I¡¯ll go to the city with her¨Ctake good care of Homeloss in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Duncan nodded, rose, and walked toward the bedroom door deep within the captain¡¯s quarters, but then he stopped abruptly, curiously looking at the goat heads on the table. ¡°You said you were going to ¡®study¡¯ this Skull of Dreams. How do you plan to study it without hands?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± the goat head pondered, and after a moment, confidently lifted its head, ¡°Firstly, try to talk to it. Perhaps the skull got traumatized by those heretics. Maybe I can counsel it and resolve its issues¡­¡±


    Duncan instantly lost hope in the goat head¡¯s ¡°research.¡±


    But he didn¡¯t say anything; he just left the goat head with an ¡°you can do it¡± look and waved his hand, turning to walk into the bedroom.


    With a bang, the dark wooden door closed.


    In the empty captain¡¯s quarters, only the two wooden carved goat heads remained quietly on the table.


    That silence lasted for who knows how long, until the goat head finally turned its head, gazing at the unmoving ¡°Skull of Dreams.¡±


    ¡°¡­Have you heard of the eighteen cuisines of the Endless Sea?¡±


    ¡­


    Just minutes after dozing off briefly, Duncan was suddenly awakened by a buzzing, rumbling noise that came from nowhere.


    He quickly got out of bed, but by then the cabin had already returned to silence.


    In the dim bedroom, only the lantern on the table emitted a glow that seemed insufficient. Outside the nearby window, all was pitch black, as if night had long fallen. Outside the door all was silent, and no noise could be heard from the corridor or deck.


    Sitting on the edge of the bed in the darkness, Duncan felt an inexplicable oppression rising. He remembered the events before he had gone to rest, and then, he sensed something out of place in the environment.


    It was too quiet¨CHe couldn¡¯t even hear the waves hitting the ship¡¯s hull. The ¡°night sky¡± outside the window was too dark, showing neither the residual ¡°sunlight¡± from Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s Luminous Geometric Body nor the cool luminance of the Creation of the World shining on the sea surface.


    Duncan furrowed his brows, suddenly sensed something, and quickly left the bed to go to the window by the desk.


    In the boundless dimness, a chaotic, somber light silently slid by far outside the window. For a brief moment, the illuminated space revealed a huge and deformed shadow slowly emerging at the edge of his vision, silently tumbling.


    Subspace!


    A sudden shift struck Duncan¡¯s mind, instantly understanding what had happened.


    After such a long time, he was once again ¡°wandering¡± into Subspace!?


    He still remembered the first time he entered Subspace, also after a ¡°short nap,¡± thinking it was a bizarre ¡°dreamscape¡±¨Cthe only time he had entered this taboo ¡°time-space,¡± after which much time had passed, so much that he had almost forgotten about it.


    Now, the same thing had happened again.


    With a frown, Duncan silently heightened his alertness, first conjuring a flame to hide in his hand, then cautiously moved toward the door.


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    He wouldn¡¯t consider this a mere ¡°sleepwalking¡± anymore.


    Because he knew he wouldn¡¯t dream¨Ceven though he didn¡¯t know why, it seemed ¡°dreams¡± did not belong to him.


    He reached the bedroom door, listened briefly to the sounds outside, then slowly pushed the door open.


    Outside was the gloomy and silent captain¡¯s quarters, and the battered other ¡°Homeloss,¡± just like last time, appeared in his view, showing signs of a century¡¯s neglect. An empty shelf leaned crookedly against the corner, a stained oval mirror hung on the cracked wall, the floor was covered with dark, suspicious shadows, and the only intact navigational table stood alone in the center of the room, with the mysterious sea chart emitting a faint glow on it.


    A pitch-black wooden carved goat head quietly sat on the table, slowly lifting its head to meet Duncan¡¯s gaze.

 Chapter 669 - Chapter 669 Chapter 666 Staring

    Chapter 669: Chapter 666: Staring Chapter 669: Chapter 666: Staring Though it had been a long time since Duncan last entered the Subspace, he vividly remembered that in this side of the Subspace inside the ¡°Homeloss,¡± there was no goat head in the captain¡¯s chamber.


    The only thing on the navigation table here was a chart depicting a strange and suspicious route.


    But now, a pitch-black goat head quietly rested on the navigation table, silently watching him in the dim light¨CDuncan was sure that, in the moment he opened the bedroom door, the pitch-black goat head had made a motion to shift its gaze towards him.


    It was alive, reacting to external stimuli!


    Duncan quickly controlled his expression while cautiously watching the goat head that was intently staring at him. He stepped out from the bedroom and slowly approached the navigation table. As he did so, the goat head on the table indeed reacted¨Cit slowly moved its gaze, always keeping Duncan in its sight.


    Duncan suddenly frowned.


    This goat head looked exactly like those in the real world, but it was out of place¨Cthe goat heads in the real world were placed on the left edge of the table, but this one was positioned more towards the middle.


    Duncan rapidly recalled and soon remembered¨Cbefore he had gone to rest in his bedroom, he had placed the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± right here.


    The Skull of Dreams? Was this the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± he had brought back from the Heretics¡¯ ship? Why was it in the Subspace?!


    His mind burst with countless swirling speculations and thoughts as Duncan cautiously arrived at the navigation table. He leaned on the edge of the table, staring intensely at the ¡°goat head,¡± which likewise slowly raised its gaze, its hollow eyes meeting Duncan¡¯s.


    This silent, hollow regard was somewhat eerie.


    After several seconds of this quiet standoff, Duncan decided to break the silence¨Che pulled a stern face and greeted, ¡°Hello, I am Duncan.¡±


    The bizarre goat head on the table spoke, ¡°Hello, you are not Duncan.¡±


    In that instant, Duncan almost lost control of his expression!


    But fortunately, dealing with a bunch of jocular fellows on the ship had toughened his nerves, and in a critical moment, he managed to keep his face stern. However, the shock inside was not so easily settled¨Cthe bizarre goat head had actually spoken!?


    And more shocking than its abrupt speech was the content of its words!


    While managing his facial expressions, Duncan firmly asked in a calm voice, ¡°If I am not Duncan, then who am I?¡±


    ¡°You are the captain,¡± the Goat Head, presumably ¡°Skull of Dreams,¡± calmly stated.


    Its voice was almost identical to the sound of Duncan¡¯s familiar ¡°First Mate,¡± but it had an eerie, gloomy brevity that was uncomfortable.


    While acclimatizing to this uncomfortable feeling, Duncan gave the bizarre goat head a somewhat strange look, pressing further, ¡°Isn¡¯t Duncan the captain of this ship?¡±


    ¡°You are the captain,¡± the goat head met Duncan¡¯s gaze, ¡°You are not Duncan.¡±


    It seemed to only speak this way; no matter how Duncan probed or changed his questioning angle, its responses always remained the same¨Cthe person it was talking to was the captain of this ship, but he was not ¡°Duncan.¡±


    After several exchanges, Duncan ceased his probing and displayed a thoughtful expression.


    He was the captain of this ship, but he was not Duncan¨Cof course, he knew he wasn¡¯t Duncan.


    He was Zhou Ming, a wandering soul, and the great explorer named Duncan Ebnomal was just the identity he had ¡°occupied¡± for the moment. The real Captain Duncan had died a century ago, he knew that.


    But until now, only he knew¨Cor rather, the goat head acting as the First Mate in the real world also knew, but it never spoke of it.


    This was a truth that could not be disclosed aboard the ¡°Homeloss.¡±


    However, this Goat Head suspected to be the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± had just outright declared it.


    Duncan looked up, observing the dilapidated cabin around him and then peering through the hollow windows to see the broken masts, decks, and distant sides of the ship outside.


    The ruined ¡°Homeloss¡± traveling in the Subspace had not changed because someone in the captain¡¯s chamber had pierced the reality that ¡°the captain was not Duncan.¡±


    Was it because this was the Subspace? Because this ship was just a projection? Or was it because the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± revealing this fact wasn¡¯t part of ¡°Homeloss,¡± so its awareness didn¡¯t affect the stability of the ship?


    Duncan slowly withdrew his gaze, his eyes falling again on the goat head on the table.


    So what exactly was this goat head, the real Skull of Dreams, or its projection in Subspace? Or¡­ had the Skull of Dreams originally split into two parts, one found by the Heretics, and the other always left in Subspace?


    After frowning in thought for a moment, Duncan tentatively asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The goat head on the table fell silent. After a long while, just when Duncan thought it would not respond, it suddenly opened its mouth, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Duncan suddenly felt curious, ¡°Then what do you know?¡±


    This time the goat head remained silent even longer, and its final answer was the same, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know anything, but you know I am the ¡®captain¡¯ here; you also know I am not Duncan,¡± Duncan said with a subtle expression, ¡°Do you know this ship? Do you know where you are?¡±


    The goat head made no response at all¨Cit fell silent and became still, as though it had turned into a real wooden sculpture.


    Duncan gradually realized that the intellect of this ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± was not intact.


    Unlike the ¡°first mate¡± in the real world, this Skull of Dreams seemed to only retain a bit of sporadic memory and a fragmented and incomplete thinking capability. Even if it demonstrated some communicative ability in Subspace, this ability was limited to answering only a few questions¨Conce a question was ¡°off-script,¡± it would fall into stagnation.


    But within this fragmented and fragmented mind, the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± knew that the current ¡°captain¡± of the ship was not ¡°Duncan.¡±


    Duncan pondered thoughtfully, a vague speculation already forming in his mind.


    This could still possibly relate to the ¡°deal¡± made by the real Captain Duncan with Saslouka in the depths of Subspace a century ago.


    In that deal, the Homeloss, almost completely assimilated and devoured by Subspace, was reconstituted physically by the ¡°Dreaming King¡± while the Dreaming King, trapped in the depths of Subspace and fragmented, gained an opportunity to escape¨Cthough the escape was only a piece of spine and a fragment of a skull, and almost all memories were lost, Saslouka indeed returned to the real world.


    This Skull of Dreams in front of him was likely one of those fragments that had not escaped Subspace¨Cit, too, had experienced that past transaction and thus knew what had happened to the real Captain Duncan, but it only retained broken memories.


    Duncan instinctively felt that the Skull of Dreams probably knew more¨Cmore about Saslouka, about Subspace, and about the Homeloss of yesteryears.


    But its fragmented and chaotic thinking couldn¡¯t effectively organize those scattered memories.


    However, just as Duncan¡¯s thoughts moved in this direction and he began to think about how to guide the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± to answer more of his questions, a slight tremor and a sudden strange noise coming from an unknown direction abruptly interrupted his thought.


    The Homeloss was shaking, and something seemed to be approaching outside the hull!


    Duncan instantly looked up from the table, his gaze instinctively drawn to the nearby window.


    A continuous massive shadow, and an expanse of pale, cracked ¡°ground,¡± had appeared outside the endless darkness of the window. The massive pale structure moved slowly outside the window, its surface marked by shockingly cracked wounds revealing skin-like patterns.


    A sudden thought flashed in Duncan¡¯s mind¨Csomething occurred to him. He hastened to the window, and just then, new structures appeared on the moving ¡°pale ground¡± outside¨Cthe widening crack followed by murky amber solid crystals, and then a gigantic eyeball tissue nearly filling the entire view outside the window.


    A huge eye was slowly moving past the captain¡¯s chamber window.


    Duncan stood in front of the window, watching the murky, solitary eye as it gradually slid past. As his view shifted, he saw the structures surrounding the eye¨Ca pale, non-human face.


    Then his gaze extended further, and he saw the vast body undulating in the darkness and the fragmented land almost ¡°embedded¡± around that body.


    It was the pale, one-eyed giant bearing the shattered land in Subspace!


    Duncan suddenly remembered¨Cduring his first entry into Subspace, he had seen this astonishing ¡°entity¡± from a distance!


    But at that time, he had only passed by from afar and had not had time to clearly see any details of the giant and its burdened land¨Cthis time, however, the Homeloss was nearly brushing past the giant¡¯s facial remains.


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    The shock and awe of this scene were far greater than before¨Ceven Duncan felt suffocated in that moment.


    He continued to watch the slowly moving giant outside the window, watching the murky, long-dead eye.


    That dead, murky eye also quietly watched him¨Cas the Homeloss moved, the eyeball also slowly turned, calmly watching Duncan in the chaotic Subspace.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?!¡±


    He blinked, reconfirming that the giant¡¯s murky, solitary eye indeed turned slowly with the movement of the Homeloss¨Cit was watching this place!

 Chapter 670 - Chapter 670 Chapter 667 Reflection in the Eyes

    Chapter 670: Chapter 667 Reflection in the Eyes Chapter 670: Chapter 667 Reflection in the Eyes In the boundless chaos of darkness, at the shattered ends of the continent, the Cyclops bearing the entire landmass was watching the Ghost Ship as it passed by at close range¨Cthis ¡°ancient god¡± that had died countless centuries ago silently turned its murky singular eye, as if that eye had momentarily awakened from the long river of time, in pursuit of the intrusive guest.


    Duncan was fixated on that eye, his entire body gradually tensing up, and although he was not affected by the so-called ¡°mental contamination,¡± the sight of this impactful scene still made him feel a suffocating pressure¨Cbut he did not act rashly, he did not try to respond to that eye, instead allowing the Homeloss to gradually move past the giant, watching as the eye turned to its limit and then slowly receded from the stern.


    The pale Cyclops showed no further anomaly, still carrying the land, floating in the endless chaotic darkness.


    And from behind Duncan, the goat-headed skull suspected to be the Skull of Dreams suddenly spoke out, ¡°The giant was the first to die.¡±


    Duncan abruptly turned his head, looking at the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± that was properly placed on the table.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but ask again.


    ¡°The giant was the first to die,¡± repeated the Skull of Dreams once more, with the same tone and unchanged content¨Cand after that no matter how Duncan inquired, it only gave that one response.


    Realizing this was the only response that this ¡°fragment of an ancient god¡± could give at that moment, Duncan did not continue to press further, only turning his head thoughtfully to look back at the Cyclops as it gradually drifted away, murmuring to himself after a long while, ¡°Due to the shattering of the stars, the King of the Pale Giants, Salmier, died on the first long night¡­¡±


    In the boundless darkness outside the porthole, it seemed as if a slight noise emerged softly when he uttered the name ¡°Salmier,¡± then faded away like the wind.


    Duncan glanced in the direction of the Cyclops and suddenly furrowed his brows, hesitating briefly before striding toward the door of the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Before leaving, he turned to look back at the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± on the navigation table.


    It still stared at him quietly, its obsidian-carved eyes hollow and deathly still.


    Duncan paid no further attention to this disquieting gaze, turning away to leave the captain¡¯s quarters.


    He traversed the inclined staircase at the stern deck, arriving at the steering platform located above the captain¡¯s quarters, walked past the decks that were silent and weathered, and the heavy ship¡¯s wheel awaited him at the end of the platform, swaying slightly left and right against the gloomy background of subspace.


    As if it were a silent invitation.


    Duncan approached the darkly colored wheel, taking a deep breath in front of it.


    He was about to do something bold¨Ctaking the helm of the decrepit Homeloss in subspace was just the first step.


    After calming himself, he reached out to grasp the wheel and released the power of fire.


    In an instant, the fire spread out, the insubstantial and phantom-like fire of the Spiritual Body swept across the entire vessel in the blink of an eye, then gradually faded to transparency and vanished in the void, Duncan felt his senses suddenly spread out, and then that familiar sense of ¡°emptiness¡± followed as the fire spread.


    He once again felt the Homeloss¡¯s nothingness, sensed its phantasmal nature, as if the fire spread directly in subspace, touching only the cold and empty.


    But this time Duncan was prepared; he didn¡¯t let the shock from the feeling of ¡°nothingness¡± interrupt his connection with the flames. He ignored the unease of being defenseless and floating in subspace, and instead focused more attention on the wheel in front of him¨Che tried to imbue the wheel with corporeality and through it steer the ghostly ship.


    Squeaking and grinding noises came from beneath the wheel, the entire Phantom Ship began to tremble slightly¨Cthe sails of the Spiritual Body billowed out, as if cheers were coming from a distant place, rising from all directions.


    The captain had returned.


    Duncan slowly turned the wheel, feeling the Ghost Ship floating in the dark beginning to tilt slightly and change its course under his control.


    An indescribable feeling welled up from deep within¨C he had truly succeeded in controlling this Ghost Ship navigating through subspace, and¡­ he even felt that sailing in subspace was easier and smoother than in the real world.


    The Homeloss thus described an arc in the darkness, its prow turning one hundred and eighty degrees, reorienting towards the celestial fragment that seemed ripped from a planet¨Cthe pale Cyclops once again came into Duncan¡¯s view, slowly moving closer.


    Duncan steered the ship back to the vicinity of this ancient god.


    As the Homeloss neared a certain distance, the murky eye on the giant¡¯s face indeed began to move again, silently staring at Duncan in the dark.


    But Duncan seemed to completely disregard this gaze¨Cin the previous close encounter, he had noticed that the eye¡¯s attention had no effect on him at all, and rather than the tension brought about by being watched, he now was more interested in gathering more information.


    The Homeloss slowly approached the Cyclops¡¯s face, the murky eye growing larger and larger in Duncan¡¯s field of view, eventually almost occupying the entire size of the side of the hull.


    Duncan brought the ship to a halt at this position, then released the wheel and stepped over to the side of the ship, observing the eye closely.


    The giant¡¯s eyeball minutely adjusted its angle, and the hollow pupil turned towards him. The rotten eye was already turbid, as if covered with a pale mist inside. Duncan saw his own shadow reflected on the surface of that mist, dim and unreal.


    ¡°¡­What are you looking at?¡± Out of some indescribable mindset, Duncan suddenly whispered.


    But he received no response¨Cthe giant was indeed already dead. That rotating eyeball seemed to be just some kind of ¡°inertia¡± remaining after the ancient deity¡¯s death or a slight ¡°tremble¡± in the colossal cadaver, maintaining the illusion of life.


    Yet Duncan suddenly thought of a phrase¨CIn the dying embers after the Annihilation of All Things, the corpses of ancient gods ruled over the ashes of the world.


    These dead deities, even in death, and even long after a second death, their remnants still maintained some degree of ¡°operation.¡± Their death was a strangely indescribable state, even if shattered into countless pieces like the head of a goat, twisted into inconceivable shapes, this ¡°operation¡± would continue, and this lengthy process¡­ seemed as if it could persist into eternity.


    Still, Duncan wasn¡¯t quite clear about these so-called ¡°gods,¡± or ¡°ancient kings,¡± what sort of beings they were, and what state they were in now, but from this King of the Pale Giants, he felt as if he were gradually¡­ touching upon a certain ¡°Face of Truth.¡±


    At this moment, Duncan furrowed his brows.


    He seemed to have seen something.


    Inside the giant¡¯s turbid eye covered with mist, there seemed to be something.


    Duncan moved even closer, observing the murky reflection more carefully, striving to discern recognizable images from those shadows covered in a layer of time¡¯s traces. Gradually, he finally saw some things¨C


    First, he saw a massive entity with the fierce appearance of some sea beast, yet possessing an elegance of Holiness. It stood before him, and then there was another figure, wrapped in flames, standing aside. Behind these two figures, dimly visible glowing objects could be seen, appearing to be a series of neatly arranged lights embedded on a massive cube¡­


    There were also giants clad in black robes, twisted and indescribable lumps, like the shadows of clouds floating above many existences, tall and bent limbs, thick thorns, pale golden arcs¡­


    Many silhouettes like these, dim and illusory, were reflected in the giant¡¯s solitary eye, each with its strange shape, quietly circling in the darkness.


    Duncan stared in astonishment at those figures whose mere images seemed to emanate infinite power, and it took nearly half a minute before he suddenly realized what it was¨C


    These were ¡°gods,¡± the images of the ¡°ancient kings.¡±


    What was reflected in the giant¡¯s eye was a scene from a long, long time ago¨Cbefore the ancient epochs, during a night between the Great Annihilation and the Deep Sea Era, these towering beings had gathered here. They surrounded the giant, silently standing.


    Their figures were thus deeply imprinted in this cloudy eye.


    It was a funeral.


    It was a scene of the gods saying farewell after the King of the Pale Giants died from a failed Creation.


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts raced in his mind, giving rise to numerous associations. He tried to match the reflections in the giant¡¯s eye to the legends of the mundane world and the intelligence he had recently gathered, only to find that beyond the four known gods and a few ancient deities, many of the figures were completely absent from any existing tales or records.


    Even for more than half of the figures, he had no idea who they were¨Cthere was no mention of them in orthodox records, nor in the heretical legends of the cultists.


    Duncan stood silently.


    If every ¡°deity¡± represented a reasonably powerful civilization that persisted after the world¡¯s destruction, it seemed that over half of the ¡°ancient gods¡± had quietly fallen before the Third Long Night¨Ceven the Book of Desecration had not retained their names.


    The likes of the King of the Pale Giants and the Dreaming King, who died from Creation, turned out to be the fortunate ones among these fallen kings.


    Duncan sighed softly, took a step back, and prepared to turn away.


    But it was within this sigh that he noticed another detail.


    His own figure was also reflected in the giant¡¯s eye now.


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    The reflection was among those ancient kings¡¯ figures, frozen in the river of time.


    There was a space there, neither too large nor too small.


    It was as if this spot had already been left vacant when they gathered here a hundred centuries ago to send off the King of the Pale Giants.


    (Time for book recommendation, the title is ¡°The Witch: Survival in the Steam Era,¡± by Pig Little Wu. The author¡¯s own promotional blurb: In the steam era, I come with the dawn, a firegun in my left hand, a wand in my right, and behind me stand countless followers with forbidden items¡­


    There are already quite a lot of words, and it feels like it¡¯s ready to read.)

 Chapter 671 - Chapter 671 Chapter 668 Contained in the Starlight

    Chapter 671: Chapter 668: Contained in the Starlight Chapter 671: Chapter 668: Contained in the Starlight In the many reflections cast in the chaotic, solitary eye of the King of the Pale Giants, there was one empty spot¨Cwas it coincidence, or a deliberate act by the ancient kings?


    Duncan only knew that when he came to the ship¡¯s side and carefully observed the massive eye, he just happened to stand in front of that empty space¨Chis reflection appeared there, and it was only after he recognized the other indescribable figures from the murky haze settling on the surface of the giant eye that he realized this.


    Perhaps it was indeed just a coincidence¨Che wished to tell himself so, but in Subspace, before the carcass of an ancient deity, he did not believe in the existence of such coincidences.


    Duncan frowned and cautiously, inch by inch, began to retreat as if fearful of awakening something in this place.


    The deceased King of the Pale Giants, and the reflections of the kings in that lone eye¨CDuncan always felt as if these beings were silently watching him, observing every move he made, as if casting a distant gaze from the long river of years.


    During his careful and slow retreat, he left the front of the eye.


    But in the next moment, he saw his reflection emerge again, once more silently mirrored in that eye, among the kings.


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened slightly, his heart felt as if it had skipped a beat, and then, an even more startling sight unfolded:


    The reflection he left in the giant¡¯s eye was gradually changing.


    The vague figure wearing a captain¡¯s uniform and a dark, triangular hat, tall and authoritative, began to tremor and transform, as if some illusion was fading. This figure swiftly took on another form¨Can individual clothed in a white shirt and black pants, not particularly robust, with a face too blurred to recognize as ¡°human.¡±


    That was ¡°Zhou Ming.¡±


    Zhou Ming stood motionless on the deck, like a statue, staring intensely at the murky giant eye a mere arm¡¯s length from the ship¡¯s side, staring at the ¡°self¡± reflected in that eye.


    After an unknowable amount of time, he finally stepped forward, once more approaching the giant eye¨Cseparated by a layer of murky haze congealed on the surface of the eyeball, he looked at his murky reflection and slowly reached out his hand.


    He knew he was venturing into danger, making a horrifying attempt in this eerie and perilous Subspace¨Cbut in the end, his fingers touched the surface of that eyeball.


    A sensation of ¡°nothingness¡± transpired from his fingertips, and in just an instant, Zhou Ming understood the ¡°nothingness¡± that Lucresia had previously described to him, the sensation felt when touching that cylindrical shadow at the border.


    He was certain he had touched something, but he felt no temperature, no hardness¨Cfragmented and strange ¡°sensations¡± came from his fingertips, leaving him momentarily dumbfounded.


    In the next moment, Zhou Ming saw his reflection in the eyeball change abruptly¨Cthe ¡°human¡± dressed in a white shirt disintegrated like an unstable illusion, each part of the image¡¯s colors faded and dissolved in the blink of an eye. Amid the fading colors, innumerable points of light surged forth!


    A brilliant starlight replaced the swiftly vanishing figure and spread into the surrounding darkness. In the first second, they maintained the blurred tormented human contour, as if brimming and spilling over from the edges of that human form, the starlight flowed like a river of stars covering the entire eyeball in almost a blink and then continued to spill over, surging upward¨Cthe starlight finally overflowed the eyeball, spreading out from its surface!


    The light flowed like a river, touching Zhou Ming¡¯s fingertips, and at the moment of ¡°contact,¡± Zhou Ming heard a thunderous roar in his mind!


    It was a multitude of overlapping booms, a ¡°tremor¡± of vast amounts of information compressed into an instant, a staggering data set sufficient to explain the whole world¡¯s operations, an entrance, a door, and the billions of admonitions and thoughts of vast multitudes. In that transient moment that may have only lasted a Planck time, an eternal instant, Zhou Ming felt as if he were being torn apart, his consciousness fluctuating in this roar, struggling to discern the overlapped voices in the boom¨Che felt as if he was about to comprehend the meaning of those sounds, and many fragmented pieces flooded into his brain, resounding in his reason¨C


    ¡°¡­We are humans¡­ we stand now at the terminal of all things.¡±


    In the midst of that roar, amid those myriad fragments, one voice thus spoke.


    Zhou Ming¡¯s eyes suddenly widened.


    ¡°¡­We have almost untangled all mysteries¡­


    ¡°¡­The laws of the stars¡­ the fluctuations of time and space, information¡­


    ¡°Until we discovered that the end of time is destruction¡­ an event beyond our cognitive model¡­ occurring outside our universe¡­


    ¡°Moving forward in time is now pointless¡­ within a limited model¡­ the odds of resolving this event are zero¡­ we decided to send #*#%Y=@ backwards to¡­


    ¡°¡­We¡­ name¡­ ¡®Reverse Singularity¡¯¡­ in our calculations¡­ following the occurrence of this event, the only fragment of time that can remain intact is 0.002 seconds¡­


    ¡°You are Zhou Ming, from the old calendar timestamp 2022-07-10-07-10-00-000¡­ to 2022-07-10-07-10-00-002 the end¡­


    ¡°Now is 41765-12c-32-15b, all things have concluded before our eyes.


    ¡°Good luck to you.


    ¡°Good luck to them.


    ¡°May we¡­¡±


    ¡°Boom¨C¡±


    Zhou Ming felt as if he had suddenly stopped from an eternal fall, breaking free from some moment frozen in time. The deafening roars that had stacked upon each other faded to a distant, blurry impression in his mind. The rational part of him that belonged to ¡°humans¡± momentarily returned, and in that brief, fragile rationality, he abruptly recoiled.


    But the brilliant starlight had already dissipated without a trace.


    The light that had spilled from the giant¡¯s lone eye was gone, and the reflections on the surface of the eye vanished¨Cnot only the reflections of ¡°Duncan,¡± ¡°Zhou Ming,¡± and the ¡°Starlight Giant¡± but also those figures that once stood in the darkness, symbolizing ancient kings.


    The ¡°shadows¡± that had condensed in this eye over a hundred centuries seemed to have been ¡°cleansed¡± in the roaring moment just past. They were replaced by a murky haze, suggesting death, with no distinguishable information left.


    Clearly, this eyeball was merely some kind of ¡°carrier of information,¡± and now, after a vigorous release and washing of information, everything that had condensed on its surface had been thoroughly removed.


    Surrounding him was silence, devoid of noise and roaring sounds; subspace seemed to return to its eternal stillness, while aboard the shattered deck of Homeloss, all was quiet.


    However, the fragmented ¡°pieces¡± that had emerged in the roaring moment still hovered in Zhou Ming¡¯s consciousness, like a relentless hurricane roaring through his reason and thoughts, again and again. It took a long while for this ¡°hurricane¡± to subside and become a profound impression and memory, permanently embedded in his mind.


    Zhou Ming took a few steps back, lifted his hand to his forehead, panting, as his wildly beating heart gradually calmed.


    His capacity for thought returned to him.


    Zhou Ming stood for a long time in the dim chaos of subspace, letting its meaningless time trickle away. He pondered in this everlasting silence until, after an indeterminate period, he finally moved again.


    He lifted his head, gazing into the darkness beyond.


    The boundless subspace swallowed his gaze.


    In that limitless darkness, surely hid countless secrets¨Cbut he was tired.


    The ¡°boom¡± had nearly drained his strength. He no longer had the energy to steer the Ghost Ship to challenge the endless dark.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to go back.¡±


    Zhou Ming muttered softly, taking steps toward the captain¡¯s cabin door. He remembered the way to return from subspace to the real world: simply push open the ¡°Door of the Displaced,¡± step into another dark space, and then open the door once more from within that dark space to return to the real dimension.


    As he placed his hand on the doorknob of the ¡°Door of the Displaced,¡± he paused, then turned to glance back at the infinite chaos.


    He knew he would eventually return.


    Without hesitation, he completed the ¡°double-door¡± operation smoothly and quickly.


    When the familiar sound of waves entered his ears once more and the salty, cool night breeze brushed against his face, Duncan felt his heart settle again¨Che was back in the familiar real world.


    Looking up, the cool light of Creation of the World cascaded from the sky onto the ocean. The feeble golden rays spreading from the distant sea intertwined with that light in the sky, outlining the unique, eerie yet enchanting nightscape near Light Breeze Harbor.


    A slight creaking noise mixed with the nearby sound of the waves, along with the friction of the ropes automatically adjusting on the masts.


    Everything he¡¯d experienced in subspace seemed like a bizarre Dreamscape.


    Duncan shook his head, knowing, of course, it wasn¡¯t a dreamscape¨Cit was vital information, even the ¡°truth¡± about his very essence.


    But for now, he had to push these turbulent thoughts to the back of his mind¨Ctoo much crucial information was missing, and idle speculation wouldn¡¯t lead to any conclusions.


    Voices from the other side of the door, in the captain¡¯s cabin¨Cit was his familiar ¡°First Mate.¡±


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    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve finished telling about the customs of the northern seas, let me tell you about the central seas. I¡¯m an experienced sailor, and the City-States of the central seas¡­¡±


    A smile involuntarily formed on his face. Duncan felt his heart relax a little more. Then he took a deep breath and opened the door to the captain¡¯s cabin.


    At the edge of the navigation table, the talking goat head that had been incessantly chatting with another skull immediately stopped and turned to look at the captain standing in the doorway.


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal,¡± Duncan preemptively said, before the creature could ask.


    The goat head paused, then its tone turned cheerful: ¡°Ah! The captain¡¯s back!¡±

 Chapter 672 - Chapter 672 Chapter 669 The Captain and the Marionette

    Chapter 672: Chapter 669: The Captain and the Marionette Chapter 672: Chapter 669: The Captain and the Marionette Returning to the familiar reality, returning to the familiar Homeloss, listening to the nagging of the goat head¨CDuncan felt his heart gradually find its footing once again, and the fatigue and cluttered thoughts that the ¡°roar¡± from subspace had brought upon him calmed down quite a bit.


    He let out a soft breath and walked towards the navigation desk, while the goat head seemed not to have noticed the fleeting fatigue on his captain¡¯s face¨Cit had apparently enjoyed a long and enthusiastic monologue over the past period and was now excitedly boasting to Duncan, ¡°Captain! Your loyal subordinate has made tremendous progress. I¡¯ve had a great chat with this head. Just now, we talked about the delicacies from the Endless Sea to poetry, and from poetry¡­¡±


    Duncan looked down and glanced at the chattering first mate: ¡°Did it respond to you?¡±


    The goat head was taken aback, somewhat less confidently: ¡°Well, not yet¡­ temporarily.¡±


    But it quickly regained its confidence: ¡°However, I feel like I¡¯m close to success. Such heartfelt communication should even make stones speak up. I think this head will soon be moved by my sincere words. Maybe it¡¯s about to greet you¡­¡±


    ¡°Save it,¡± Duncan finally interrupted the goat head¡¯s rambling with resignation, ¡°that head won¡¯t respond to you¨Cmost of it is in subspace.¡±


    The goat head let out a ¡°crunch,¡± as if a string of words had suddenly jammed in its throat, making a ¡°brake sound.¡± It was stunned for two seconds, finally realizing: ¡°You¡¯re talking about subspace?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice?¡± Duncan raised his hand and pointed to the captain¡¯s quarters¡¯ door, ¡°I was resting in the bedroom, yet I came back through the captain¡¯s office door¨Cit seems like while you were ¡®sharing your hearts¡¯ with your other head, I had already been to subspace and back.¡±


    The goat head¡¯s head wobbled, beginning to tremble.


    ¡°Stop shaking, as you can see, nothing happened,¡± Duncan said offhandedly as he sat down by the navigation desk, his eyes falling on another pitch-black ¡°goat head,¡± ¡°The Skull of Dreams isn¡¯t responding to you because its main body resides in subspace. I¡¯ve had¡­ limited communication with it there. As far as I could tell, it lacks a complete mind and memory just like you presumed.¡±


    Finally catching on, the goat head had not imagined that in the short time the captain had ¡°rested¡± in his room, he had once again ventured into subspace. The news Duncan brought back from ¡°over there¡± was so astonishing; the first mate swiveled its neck towards the other head on the table and, after a long while, finally blurted out: ¡°Then¡­ what else did it say to you?¡±


    No sooner had it spoken than it seemed to regret it, quickly adding, ¡°Ah, if it¡¯s some kind of ¡®knowledge¡¯ that¡¯s unsafe, then never mind, my curiosity isn¡¯t that¡­¡±


    ¡°It knows some things about ¡®Duncan Ebnomal,¡¯ just as much as you do. To some extent, you must share ¡®common initial memories,¡¯ but this is not something we should discuss on this ship. We have an understanding between us,¡± Duncan waved his hand, speaking indifferently, ¡°You know what I¡¯m referring to.¡±


    The goat head immediately shut its mouth.


    Of course, it knew what the captain meant.


    But this topic couldn¡¯t be broached on the Homeloss¨Cthe ship would be sunk by the ¡°truth.¡± Without the anchor of ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± it would crash back into subspace.


    This was the ¡°understanding¡± established between them over time, an unspoken agreement and coordination that had occurred multiple times.


    The captain¡¯s office fell silent for a moment. Duncan sat resting in his chair, gradually regaining his energy. The Skull of Dreams remained quiet on the table, its hollow eyes not gazing at anything in particular, while the goat head seemed lost in thought. It was unclear what the ¡°first mate¡± considered during this time, but after a long period, it suddenly looked up: ¡°Besides that, did you¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®The King of the Pale Giants,¡¯ the creator mentioned in the Book of Desecration during the first eternal night, His corpse fused with the debris of the Creation of the World¡­ But more than that, I dare not say, as it could be harmful.¡±


    The goat head paused, slowly bowing its head: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask no more.¡±


    Duncan ¡°mm¡±-ed and said nothing more, falling silent as he got lost in memories and thoughts.


    Though he knew that idle speculation would yield no answers, he couldn¡¯t help but reflect on those fragments that had entered his mind, recalling the voice that had spoken to him amidst the ¡°roar.¡±


    Even with the fragments, he could deduce much information¨C


    It was a race that had almost deciphered the truth of all things.


    A civilization that had reached the apex of time and space.


    They called themselves ¡°human¡±¨Cbut they were clearly unlike the ¡°humans¡± Zhou Ming knew in 2022.


    They had walked the path of civilization for so long; they had almost reached the end of truth.


    But like all others, they met their demise on the day of the great Annihilation. Unlike other perished races of worlds, they might be the only civilization with the ability and opportunity to observe the Annihilation in its entirety and to prepare for it.


    Despite still being unable to halt the coming Annihilation, they seemed to have preserved a complete¡­ ¡°seed¡± in the moment of utter obliteration.


    Duncan turned his head and calmly watched the oval antique mirror hanging on the wall nearby, observing the reflection of himself in the mirror.


    Now, he finally understood why the memory of ¡°his own,¡± lacked that red light representing the destruction of all things¨Cthe Annihilation had not happened in the era he was familiar with.


    The Annihilation occurred in a distant future that followed.


    But beyond these potential ¡°truths,¡± a greater mystery filled his heart.


    Why¡­ should there be a ¡°Zhou Ming¡±?


    ¡°`


    He sat like that, pondering behind the desk for a very long time before finally forcing himself to set aside all the troubles in his mind, and got up to walk towards the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk on deck.¡±


    He said to Goat Head and then pushed open the door and left the captain¡¯s cabin.


    The deck was open and quiet, with the cool brilliance of the Creation of the World shining on the distant sea. At this moment, the sea was calm, with occasional splashes against the hull, the light sounds not being noisy at all.


    Duncan walked slowly along the edge of the deck without any particular direction in mind, no longer contemplating those distant questions that were bound to have no answers, as if merely to clear his head, just to feel the night breeze.


    It was only when he saw a slender figure nearby that he stopped walking.


    Alice was sitting on the large wooden barrel near the railing ¨C it was her favorite barrel ¨C she was gently rocking back and forth, looking out at the sea, swinging her legs and seemingly humming an odd tune.


    Duncan listened for a while before recognizing it as the sailor¡¯s tune that Goat Head would occasionally hum ¨C a tune that was already somewhat off before Alice ¡°reprocessed¡± it, to a pitch that probably few across the entire Endless Sea could comprehend.


    But sung by Alice, it was still pleasant to the ear.


    The puppet finally noticed Duncan¡¯s approach and immediately stopped, joyfully jumping down from the barrel, ¡°Captain!¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Duncan smiled slightly, ¡°I came out for a walk.¡±


    Alice blinked, then looked at Duncan very seriously, ¡°You look a bit tired. Are you worried about something? Is there some big trouble to handle again?¡±


    The puppet¡¯s keenness was unexpected, and Duncan was momentarily startled, but he quickly shook his head with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking about something. Why aren¡¯t you sleeping at this hour? Do you have something on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Alice replied with a bright smile, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit too happy to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Happy?¡±


    Alice eagerly explained, ¡°I¡¯ve delivered the ¡®spoils¡¯ to the kitchen! They¡¯re all very useful ¨C the ¡®friends¡¯ in the kitchen seemed a bit unhappy at first, but once I explained, they accepted the ¡®new friends¡¯¡­


    ¡°I also checked the meat we preserved earlier. It¡¯s in great condition! This time not a single barrel went bad; we should be able to use it for cooking in a month¡­


    ¡°I also pickled some cucumbers, Nina taught me. She said they can be served with smoked meat patties, much better than the method Goat Head taught me¡­


    ¡°I also found a bunch of unused pencils in the storage room at the rear of the second deck; I don¡¯t know who put them there, but I¡¯m going to use them for drawing. Luny is really good at drawing. She said she could teach me, but only when she has time¡­¡±


    The puppet talked about these things happily, a variety of trivial, even inconsequential matters that might not even count as ¡®good¡¯ things, but she truly found great joy in them. Each brought her great excitement ¨C and now, she was doing her utmost to share that joy in hopes of making the captain feel a bit happier.


    Even though she had no idea what the captain was usually worried or thinking about.


    Duncan didn¡¯t interrupt her; he just listened quietly, for a long time until a true smile appeared once again deep within his eyes.


    Alice stopped, blinking in the night, and looked joyfully at Duncan.


    ¡°Alice, have you ever thought about your ¡®birth¡¯?¡± Duncan pondered for a moment before suddenly asking, ¡°Have you ever wondered why you were born, why you think, why you are ¡®Alice¡¯, and what the future of ¡®Alice¡¯ will be? Have you considered these questions?¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± Alice replied without a second¡¯s hesitation, reducing what could give philosophers a lifetime¡¯s pondering to the utmost simplicity ¨C she never dwelled on them, ¡°I have never thought about it!¡±


    But as soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to feel that her answer was a bit hasty and added hesitantly, ¡°¡­ Is it not good to answer like that? It makes me seem a bit dumb¡­ Do you think about these things?¡±


    Duncan looked at the puppet with a bittersweet expression.


    Then he laughed, slowly shaking his head, ¡°Your answer is very good.¡±


    Alice was puzzled.


    Duncan didn¡¯t explain anything, instead, he simply extended his hand and gently patted the puppet¡¯s hair.


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    ¡°If you want to draw, I can teach you.¡±


    ¡°You know how to draw, Captain?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a bit, from a very, very long time ago¡­ Do you want to learn?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 673 - Chapter 673 Chapter 670 A Bleak Future

    Chapter 673: Chapter 670: A Bleak Future Chapter 673: Chapter 670: A Bleak Future Light Breeze Harbor, 99 Crown Street, inside the ¡°Witch¡¯s Residence.¡±


    Sherry was idly leaning on the windowsill, staring at the scenery on the street outside in a daze.


    Peace and order had returned to the City-State. Although many people were still troubled by the ¡°aftereffects of the Dreamscape,¡± the physical damage caused by the Light Breeze Harbor incident was evidently far less than that in Silantis and Frost. At least to the naked eye, most people¡¯s daily lives had returned to their familiar routines.


    Children were cheering and running across the unblocked intersections, holding colorful pinwheels, moving down the street in the cheerful sunlight.


    It was nearing noon, and Anomaly 001 hung high in the sky. Across the street, many beautiful blue-roofed houses basked in the sunlight. Every now and then, one could see Knowledge Guards in their uniforms standing aloft, vigilantly and seriously watching the situation within the block.


    ¡°Yawn¡­¡± Sherry stretched languorously, turned her head, and glanced at Nina, ¡°What have you been doing since this morning?¡±


    Nina was sitting behind a small table near the window, her head bowed as she busily scribbled in a large notebook, her other hand holding a glowing ¡°Fireball,¡± occasionally biting off a small piece. Hearing Sherry¡¯s words, she didn¡¯t look up, ¡°Doing mechanical design, going to take it to the customization workshop later¡­¡±


    Sherry was puzzled and couldn¡¯t help but lean over to glance at the dazzling gears and linkages drawn in Nina¡¯s notebook, staring quizzically at her studious friend, ¡°Didn¡¯t the old man say he wrote to Silantis to help you drop out? You don¡¯t have to take exams anymore. Why are you still working so hard?¡±


    Nina suddenly looked up, her face serious as she regarded Sherry, ¡°It¡¯s not dropping out, it¡¯s early graduation¨CI had nothing to do on the ship, so I completed all the high school courses. After discussing with Teacher Morris and Uncle Duncan, they said it¡¯s pointless for me to return to school now, the usual path of development isn¡¯t suitable for me, so they arranged for my early graduation¡­¡±


    Sherry was dumbfounded, ¡°That¡¯s possible?¡±


    ¡°Not for most people, but Teacher Morris guaranteed¨Cit¡¯s possible for me,¡± Nina took another bite of the mini sun in her hand, chewing crisper, and murmured unclearly, ¡°And I think it¡¯s pretty good. I didn¡¯t have many friends in school anyway and went on adventures with Uncle Duncan for so long, probably won¡¯t fit in after returning¡­¡±


    However, Sherry didn¡¯t catch what Nina was saying towards the end. Her attention had already focused mid-conversation on the ¡°small Fireball¡± Nina was nibbling on, and she finally couldn¡¯t help blurting out, ¡°You¡¯ve been nibbling on that all day¡­ Is it tasty?¡±


    Nina casually passed the mini sun over, ¡°Want to try?¡±


    Sherry instantly jumped back two meters, ¡°I¡¯m not ready to die yet!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not hot at all¡­¡± Nina collected the mini sun with a resigned expression, muttering, ¡°Too bad, I even wanted to ask Miss Fenna to try it, but she also refused¡­¡±


    ¡°Any sane person definitely can¡¯t accept this¨CI¡¯d say the scariest part is that you can actually snack on this,¡± Sherry maintained a safe distance from Nina, looking oddly at the Fireball in her hand, ¡°You just eat it like that¡­ Is that really okay? Did the captain and the old man really allow you to do this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, after confirming that it doesn¡¯t affect me, Teacher Morris even encouraged me to continue ¡®testing¡¯ and ¡®observing¡¯,¡± Nina nodded, ¡°He said my ¡®absorption¡¯ process of this sun might reveal some transformation and compatibility relations between fragments of the old world. It might even help find a solution to the fundamental chaos of everything¡­ it sounds complicated, but he and Uncle Duncan discussed it quite a lot¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she took another bite of the mini sun: ¡°They¡¯ve been discussing increasingly profound matters, just this morning after Uncle came back from the ship, they discussed for another two hours. I even heard them talking about capturing a Doomsday Preacher to study, discussing where to catch one¡­¡±


    Halfway through listening, Sherry suddenly wore an intrigued expression and turned her head towards the nearby living room.


    Duncan and Morris were sitting on the couch in the living room, in fact, their discussion had been intermittently ongoing and had not yet ended.


    Alice was lying next to Duncan at the coffee table, holding a pencil, and was intently scribbling on a piece of white paper her ¡°artwork.¡±


    ¡°¡­We have never been as close to the ¡®truth¡¯ of the Origins of the world as we are today. The ¡®collision¡¯ observed in the deepest memories of Silantis is indeed the only event that can explain the Great Destruction so far¡­ Since yesterday, I¡¯ve been in touch with my mentor, and to my knowledge, he has shared this intelligence with the other three pontiffs¡­¡±


    Maurice spoke with utmost seriousness, unconsciously fiddling with a delicate crystal prism in his hands. Sunlight from the outside window shone upon the prism, continuously refracting various dazzling colors in his palm.


    Duncan slowly nodded his head, ¡°The Great Annihilation brought with it fatal chaos and conflict, which still deeply root in the nature of all things¡­ The Third Long Night failed to resolve these fundamental conflicts but merely delayed their outbreak. Now, it seems that this ¡®delay¡¯ has reached its limit, and the arrival of ¡®Twilight¡¯ is indeed inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Now, the crucial issue is what exactly will happen after ¡®Twilight¡¯ descends, and how the so-called ¡®Fourth Long Night¡¯ will occur and conclude,¡± Maurice said with a hint of worry, ¡°An obvious fact is that no matter what, our current ¡®Deep Sea Era¡¯ will undergo earth-shattering changes during this process, and the City-States on the Endless Sea¡­ may well cease to exist just like in the previous two Long Nights.¡±


    He suddenly stopped, and after a few seconds of silence, he shook his head: ¡°Even worse.¡±


    Duncan did not speak; upon the topic extending to the impending ¡®Twilight,¡¯ his mind involuntarily conjured up a scene he had witnessed in the Subspace.


    Ancient kings gathered around a pale giant who had died in Creation, conducting a funeral for an ancient deity in the dim Doomsday.


    If each ¡®Long Night¡¯ corresponds to a ¡®Twilight,¡¯ then the scene he saw reflected in the giant¡¯s solitary eye is indeed the scenery of the Twilight.


    He thought of the pervasive starlight and the roaring deep within it.


    After an unknown length of silence, he finally spoke softly, ¡°Perhaps, only the ¡®Kings¡¯ can answer my questions.¡±


    Maurice looked up in surprise, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Duncan shook his head, not responding to Maurice¡¯s question but instead shifting the topic after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°From the intelligence currently at hand, whether it be the Heretics or the Scions of the Sun, they are all preparing for the upcoming ¡®Twilight.¡¯ The most frequently mentioned term by those Heretics is ¡®new positions¡¯¨Cin the next era after the Deep Sea Era, they plan to secure a position in advance.¡±


    ¡°This may correlate with the concept of ¡®Abandoned Groups¡¯ from the Third Long Night,¡± Maurice immediately nodded, ¡°According to the evidence you recently found, not all ¡®groups¡¯ were able to coexist after Creation. Many were excluded from the Shelter during the Third Long Night, and the Black Sun might be just one of them¨Cmany more abandoned groups probably didn¡¯t even survive with a shred of information¡­¡±


    He paused here, seemingly deep in thought, then continued, ¡°Based on the premise that ¡®the foundation of all things is conflict and destruction,¡¯ and the condition that ¡®gods build the next era atop the world¡¯s ashes,¡¯ perhaps the upcoming Fourth Long Night means building the next era on the ashes of the Deep Sea Era, the most probable outcome is¡­¡±


    Maurice hesitated, but Duncan had already finished his thought, ¡°The next era, a ¡®Shelter¡¯ far more cramped, narrow, and crowded.¡±


    The living room fell into a brief silence, with only the sound of Alice briskly sketching on paper continuing¨Cunconcerned with issues beyond her comprehension, she was merely immersed in her ¡°creation,¡± still enthusiastic.


    After a minute or two, Maurice finally slowly set down the prism in his hand.


    ¡°More ¡®groups¡¯ will be abandoned, and more civilizational creations will become the ¡®profane prototypes¡¯ of the next era, destroyed, exiled, not allowed to remain in the current dimension, or even in historical records. Many things we cherish in this era will become pollution and taboos in the next, much like the abandoned descendants of the sun from the previous era¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°Thus, those Heretics are preparing to secure a habitat for themselves in the next, even more confined ¡®world,¡¯ or perhaps just a ¡®slot¡¯ that won¡¯t be easily erased. Stealing the powers or remains of ancient deities is their thought method¨Cof course, whether this is effective is debatable.¡±


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    ¡°But what then? Will there be a Fifth Long Night, a Sixth Long Night? This cycle might continue indefinitely, possibly accelerating until some final limit is reached; during this process¡­ the ¡®Shelter¡¯ will become increasingly narrow, increasingly cramped¡­¡±


    Maurice¡¯s thoughts drifted, eventually becoming akin to talking to himself as he described the outcome calculated from his grim, pessimistic reasoning.


    Embers can be reignited, but reignition has its limits. The ever-dwindling flame can only accommodate fewer warmers than before until the kindling is exhausted, and all remains eternally silent in the cold.


    In the next era, there may no longer be an Endless Sea, the last habitat of civilization might only be a city, thereafter perhaps just a town, a neighborhood, a single house, a small piece of stone floating in the void; ¡°civilization¡¯s¡± last coherent strand of intelligence clinging to the stone, recalling the remnants of past civilizations in bewildered ignorance, and dying in the final murmurs of fading Spiritual Intelligence.


    That would be the true end of all things.

 Chapter 674 - Chapter 674 Chapter 671 News of the Gathering

    Chapter 674: Chapter 671: News of the Gathering Chapter 674: Chapter 671: News of the Gathering Morris¡¯s speculation pointed to a dark future in which everything falls silent forever¨Cit imbued a chill that far surpassed any bizarre destructive prophecies, far surpassing the apocalyptic disasters spoken in a madman¡¯s dreams.


    It was an icy, dark extinguishment. The last flare of light was to gradually die out amid the ashes of civilization. Civilizations¡¯ afterglow choked step by step in the fatal contractions, much like a sinking ship where the desperate threw overboard their burdens in hopes of delaying their inevitable doom, but in the end, every plank on the ship inevitably fell into the Endless Dark Abyss.


    Even more unacceptable was that, according to the existing intelligence, the likelihood of this future was extremely high ¨C even, it was the best among all possibilities.


    Because ¡°civilization¡± at least had a chance to linger after the fourth or fifth long nights, at least it could enjoy some last fraudulent peace in the collapsing, continuously crumbling Shelter.


    In worse cases, there might not be so many long nights following¨Cthe third long night had already been a ¡°miracle¡± and ¡°fortune¡± that couldn¡¯t be replicated. The twilight that was coming would be the day when everything truly ends.


    ¡­Perhaps, this was actually a good result?


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts stirred chaotically in his mind, and he finally shook his head, putting these messy ideas aside for the moment, ¡°We¡¯ve fallen into pessimism, Morris.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, making these speculations when we can¡¯t yet confirm when and in what form the fourth long night will come is a bit premature,¡± Morris rubbed his brow, finally breaking free from that somewhat pessimistic mood, ¡°My mentor is organizing an ¡®assembly¡¯ that crosses the four major churches, this meeting will invite you, at least by then, we should be able to exchange more useful intelligence¨C the pontiffs of the four gods also need the truths we hold.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly. He wasn¡¯t surprised by this news, as it was one of the ¡°agreements¡± he had previously reached with the true Pope, Rune.


    If you really had to say¡­ He was somewhat curious about how that elf elder had convinced the other three god¡¯s pontiffs to accept this ¡°proposal¡±¨CPontiff of the Deep Sea Helena wasn¡¯t too difficult, for he had interacted with her in Praland and established contact through Fenna, the ¡°Secret Envoy.¡± That Female Pope could mostly be considered a neutral and friendly camp leader, but the others¡­


    The leader of the Fire Transmitters, Frem, might be interested in the ¡°Chronicle Column¡± held by Fenna, but what about that Banster from the Death Church?


    Duncan¡¯s expression subtly shifted, then he raised his hand and tapped on a small mirror set on the coffee table, ¡°Agatha.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s figure almost immediately appeared in the mirror, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Do you know Banster well?¡±


    ¡°From ¡®my¡¯ memory, there were experiences of receiving guidance under the Pope¡¯s crown and training in the Graveyard Ark,¡± Agatha mused, a bit uncertainly speaking, ¡°But this is far from being very familiar. There are many saints in the Endless Sea, I¡¯m not as ¡®special¡¯ as Miss Fenna.¡±


    Duncan stroked his chin, thoughtful: ¡°¡­ then you probably aren¡¯t very clear about whether Banster is particularly bothered by that ship¡­¡±


    ¡°Very bothered.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He hadn¡¯t even finished speaking!


    ¡°Very bothered,¡± Agatha repeated, then, as if afraid Duncan wouldn¡¯t believe her, she earnestly explained again, ¡°Even a relatively unknown saint like me hears him lamenting that beautiful escort ship every now and then.¡±


    Duncan continued, ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, sometimes the Pope shows greater magnanimity,¡± Agatha recalled as she spoke, ¡°He usually starts by saying ¡®actually, I¡¯m not that bothered by it,¡¯ then muses a bit, ending with ¡®it¡¯s just a pity, I designed it myself¡­ but of course, I¡¯m not that bothered.''¡±


    Duncan¡¯s face nearly cracked, ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t that really caring a lot?!¡±


    ¡°Cough cough,¡± Morris suddenly coughed twice on the side, disrupting the increasingly strange rhythm between Duncan and Agatha, ¡°I think compared to that famous ¡®Fleeting Instant¡¯ escort ship, Vesselan¡¯s Thirteen Islands will be a more sensitive issue at the assembly.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ the Thirteen Islands of Vesselan might not be so sensitive,¡± Agatha nevertheless shook her head, ¡°Although it was a greater loss, within the Death Church, a faction of clergymen tends to see it as a ¡®Subspace disaster;¡¯ they believe the disaster was caused by a dimensional collapse rather than the Homeloss, with the latter merely falling into the subspace along with the thirteen islands, akin to two people being caught in a fire; we cannot claim that the person who crawled out of the fire was the arsonist.


    ¡°This explanation isn¡¯t without basis¨Cthere are many academic studies about the ¡®border collapse phenomenon¡¯ supporting this interpretation.


    ¡°Of course, this interpretation is quite controversial within the church, and for obvious reasons, the bishops do not like this ¡®defending Homeloss¡¯ interpretation, but since the Pope has now accepted the invitation to the meeting, I believe he is prepared to characterize the events back then with this explanation¡­ or at least use it to stabilize the bishops¡¯ attitudes.


    ¡°By comparison, the ¡®Fleeting Instant event¡¯ really was an undeniable¡­ attack, Homeloss indeed openly took that ship away in front of the fleet.¡±


    Morris suddenly realized, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    Duncan suddenly reacted, ¡°Wait, was that ship really called ¡®Fleeting Instant¡¯? Isn¡¯t that just a nickname given after the event back then?¡±


    Agatha and Morris silently nodded.


    Duncan looked puzzled, ¡°Why would you choose such an unlucky name?¡±


    ¡°Naming battleships after the Death Church tradition, in fact, is also our tradition for many things, such as the ¡®Untimely Death¡¯ class main battleship, ¡®Sudden Demise¡¯ long-barreled cannon,¡± Agatha said calmly, ¡°We view death and disappearance as a necessary part of the world¡¯s workings, and related vocabulary isn¡¯t taboo for us¨Cand to be strict, the name ¡®Homeloss¡¯ isn¡¯t exactly ¡®auspicious¡¯, is it?¡±


    Duncan thought about it and felt that the gatekeeper Miss was right.


    Just then, Alice suddenly looked up, interrupting the exchange between Duncan and Agatha, ¡°Captain, I¡¯ve finished my drawing!¡±


    The reflection of Agatha in the mirror was startled by this sudden noise, and Duncan couldn¡¯t help but look at this doll with a somewhat peculiar expression.


    Alice had been engrossed in her drawing from the start, as if the conversation and discussions happening around her were from another world, and now she had completed her ¡°creation,¡± eagerly wanting to show it to the captain without any hesitation or thought.


    Duncan even felt a bit envious of the doll¡¯s good demeanor all of a sudden.


    Alice then happily pushed the drawing in front of Duncan.


    It was a¡­ crude piece of artwork.


    Not only could one tell at a glance that the painter was untrained, but it was also evident that the painter wasn¡¯t even proficient with using a pencil¨Cthere was simply no technique to speak of, let alone a discussion about beauty and composition.


    The drawing featured a large, abstract ship, sketched in black pencil that outlined sails and wave patterns. Several small figures with arms stretched out were standing on the ship, the strokes were messy but you could barely make out the features of the Homeloss crew¨C


    Fenna was tall, Morris had a pipe in his mouth, Sherry was with A-dog, Nina had a flame above her head, Agatha was a dark shadow, Ai Yi perched on the mast, and the goat-head was peering out the captain¡¯s room window¡­


    Duncan stood at the highest point, wearing a captain¡¯s hat, distinctly drawn with more care but still squiggly.


    Aside from Duncan, lines floated and curved whimsically around each ¡°person¡± on the ship.


    Morris, curiously leaning over to take a look, spoke with a subtle expression, ¡°Well¡­ for a first ¡®drawing¡¯ it¡¯s not¡­ too bad, but generally, you don¡¯t see lines on people¡­ at least not needed to be shown in drawings¡­¡±


    The old gentleman¡¯s comment was very tactful, but Alice clearly had her own ideas, ¡°But they¡¯re really there.¡±


    Morris seemed somewhat amused and looked up at Duncan, who, however, started laughing, ¡°They are,¡± Duncan chuckled and his gaze fell on Alice¡¯s first ¡°masterpiece¡±, gradually becoming thoughtful, ¡°¡­This is how she sees the world.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± Alice immediately felt proud, ¡°I didn¡¯t draw it wrong!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Duncan noticed another issue, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in this?¡±


    At that, Alice paused, looked down at her drawing of the Homeloss, and responded, ¡°Because I was drawing.¡±


    Duncan took a moment to grasp the doll¡¯s logic.


    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh and found it rather amusing.


    ¡°The person drawing can also include themselves in the picture¨Clet me add you.¡±


    As he spoke, he picked up the pencil Alice had put aside and swiftly sketched a simple image of Alice onto the Homeloss, right beside himself.


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened with a joyful exclamation, ¡°Wow! Captain, you draw much better than I do!¡±


    At that, Duncan just smiled, casually put down the pencil, and seriously rolled up the drawing before placing it in Alice¡¯s hands.


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    ¡°Keep it safe, this is your first ¡®creation¡¯.¡±


    Alice looked extremely happy, ¡°Okay!¡±


    Duncan then turned his head, looking towards an empty area in the living room, ¡°Is everything taken care of?¡±


    Almost at the same moment his words fell, Lucrescia¡¯s figure, along with a flurry of colorful paper scraps, suddenly appeared in the air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, everything¡¯s taken care of.¡±

 Chapter 675 - Chapter 675 Chapter 672 Ted Riels Visit

    Chapter 675: Chapter 672 Ted Riel¡¯s Visit Chapter 675: Chapter 672 Ted Riel¡¯s Visit Lucricia arrived in front of Duncan with that thrillingly eerie rabbit doll, settling onto the sofa beside him, while Rabi cautiously moved closer and plonked himself on the floor with a ¡°puff.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already sent that ¡®saint¡¯ to the containment room on the Brilliant Starship, equipped with special sealing facilities for dealing with all sorts of border and Spirit Realm contaminants. He will slowly recover there until he meets the requirements of your ¡®ritual.¡¯


    ¡°The surviving ¡®sacrifices¡¯ have now been placed in the City-State¡¯s rescue center. I¡¯ve spoken to Sala Mel; Light Breeze Harbor will take good care of those people and send them home as much as possible¡­ some of their sanity and memory have crumbled, unsure of where home is. Mental health specialists will step in to help afterward.


    ¡°Per your instructions, I¡¯ve left the ¡®artificial beacon¡¯ onboard that ship. You should now be able to sense the status of the ship through the beacon¡­


    ¡°Additionally, I¡¯ve inventoried the resources on that ship which can still be of use¨C a substantial amount that could be brought back if there¡¯s a chance¨Cconsider it a generous share of spoils. After all, a ghost ship that sails on its own certainly doesn¡¯t need any fuel or mechanical spare parts¡­¡±


    Lucricia reported the situation to Duncan methodically and efficiently.


    Clearly, she was quite experienced in handling these ¡°post-event¡± tasks.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Duncan nodded in satisfaction, not stinting on his praise, ¡°Well done.¡±


    However, Lucricia opened her mouth, suddenly appearing hesitant.


    Duncan noticed this, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve informed my brother about what happened here. He asked if we need a fleet,¡± said Lucricia, ¡°considering the annihilator¡¯s ¡®nest¡¯ might be a centuries-old sea fortress located in the border mists, a real ¡®assault¡¯ might be necessary next. He said he could send the Mist Fleet if needed.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Duncan pondered for a moment and then shook his head, ¡°Not for now, at least. We do not yet know exactly what this nest looks like; rashly expanding the scope of the operation might lead to more loss than gain¡­ Let¡¯s first scout the situation in the mist.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lucricia nodded.


    Just then, a sudden presence outside the house interrupted their conversation in the living room.


    Lucricia frowned and looked towards the entrance, and almost immediately, the sound of the doorbell rang.


    Standing ready in the corner of the living room, Luny promptly got up and headed for the front door. Lucricia quickly instructed, ¡°No newspapers, no insurance, no lottery tickets, no community survey forms, if it¡¯s someone claiming to be collecting for the community, send them away, an announcement was made last month, those are scammers¨C I really don¡¯t understand why people still dare to come here¡­¡±


    ¡°Madam,¡± before Lucricia could finish, Luny¡¯s figure reappeared in the living room, ¡°It¡¯s Truth Confidant, sir.¡±


    Lucricia: ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    While she was taken aback, a voice tinged with resignation echoed from the entrance, ¡°I know Miss ¡®Witch¡¯ is not fond of visitors, but this time the situation is indeed special¨C there is an invitation from the Four Deity Church to convey to your father.¡±


    With this weary and reluctant voice, Ted Riel stepped into the living room, the Truth Confidant looked as usual, shrouded in the aura of someone who had worked continuous shifts for a month without rest.


    ¡°People usually don¡¯t dare approach your ¡®Witch¡¯s Mansion¡¯. Taran El has back problems today and couldn¡¯t leave his bed, so I had to come personally.¡±


    As his words trailed off, Ted Riel noticed Duncan sitting on the sofa, his face immediately showing a slight smile: ¡°Good day, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Taran El can finally lie down for a few days,¡± Lucricia said offhandedly upon hearing Ted¡¯s news, ¡°I even think it¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    ¡°Not for me, I lost three solares,¡± Ted Riel said regretfully, ¡°I bet with some colleagues at the academy on what part of Taran¡¯s body would give out next. I lost badly¡­ By the way, I bet on hemorrhoids.¡±


    Lucricia¡¯s expression was slightly complicated: ¡°You guys really have too much free time¡­¡±


    Ted Riel shrugged: ¡°But my guesses were very accurate before.¡±


    Morris, who had been sitting on the sofa, then stood up and greeted the Truth Confidant: ¡°Ted, have you recovered?¡±


    ¡°Just a little stomach upset¨C nothing compared to the impact of those dissertations those kids rushed out overnight,¡± Ted Riel waved it off, then his gaze involuntarily settled on Morris. After staring at him in confusion and shock for several seconds, he finally spoke with a subtle expression, ¡°We didn¡¯t get a chance to observe at the brief meeting before, Morris, your¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped, and after a moment of hesitation, he seemed to understand something as he lightly exhaled.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much, you look quite spirited.¡±


    ¡°Really? I also feel I¡¯m in a good state right now¨Cmy daughter is a psychiatrist, and she thinks my mentality is quite healthy.¡± Morris laughed, his eyes behind his monocular as bright as ever, his smile embodying a gentle and scholarly warmth.


    Only saints and scholars with exceptionally high spiritual talents could perceive the barely noticeable madness and noise that had already deviated from human rationality in his smile, eyes, and voice.


    Ted Riel¡¯s gaze left Morris and fell upon Duncan.


    Many, many years ago, he had been friends with the greatest explorer in history.


    For an elf, forming a friendship with a human was something that required extreme caution and substantial mental preparation.


    Yet, the younger Ted Riel could never have imagined that his preparations had gone in the completely wrong direction¨Cnot that he should worry about bidding farewell to short-lived humans, but that he should prepare for a reunion with an eternal subspace shadow.


    Fortunately, the brilliance of humanity still shone through this shadow¨Cthough it was filled with many truths he dared not probe and resonances he dared not listen to.


    ¡°I was just discussing the Four Deity Church with Morris,¡± Duncan initiated, ¡°I knew there would be a gathering, but didn¡¯t expect the official news to arrive so quickly.¡±


    Ted Riel paused for a moment, then took out an exquisitely sealed letter from his chest, placing it on the coffee table and pushing it towards Duncan.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you care about ¡®invitations,¡¯ but the Pilgrimage Ark tasked me to hand this to you,¡± he said, ¡°It has already been signed by the Four Deity Pontiffs, and you can take this as the first official and formal gesture of goodwill from the Four Deity Church towards the Exiled Fleet.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze landed on the beautifully sealed letter, reaching out to open it and extracting the special ¡°invitation.¡±


    On the stiff card, elegantly handwritten was the notice that the Four Deity Church would hold a ¡°special closed meeting,¡± including an invitation to the ¡°Lord of the Exiled Fleet,¡± ¡°Great Explorer Captain Duncan.¡± The content itself was nothing extraordinary, only the four glittering signatures at the end of the invitation intensely drew Duncan¡¯s attention.


    They were like brightly burning arcs in the darkness¨C


    Rahm, Tarrikin, Gomona, Bartok.


    Duncan calmly gazed at these names, feeling unsurprisingly unshocked.


    ¡°This says the meeting will be held tomorrow¨Cso soon?¡± he remarked as he tucked away the invitation.


    ¡°Yes, at least from the attitude of His Excellency Rune, the sooner this assembly occurs, the better,¡± Ted Riel nodded, ¡°By tomorrow noon, fleets of the Four Deity Church will start arriving near Light Breeze Harbor, and all the Pilgrimage Arks will appear¨Cit will be a grand event.¡±


    Duncan was startled upon hearing this, while Morris exclaimed in astonishment beside him, ¡°Ah? You mean the gathering will take place in the real world, and the four pontiffs are going to be here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I initially thought this would be a ¡®meeting¡¯ held through psychic resonance, as the pontiffs and saints typically conduct, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be in the real world, and even less so¡­ tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°For such an important ¡®closed meeting,¡¯ this is practically without any preparatory process, and the journeys of the Pilgrimage Arks themselves take time¡­¡± Duncan mused, seemingly having realized something, ¡°So, the most plausible answer is that the four Pilgrimage Arks had already been deployed near the southern border even before today¨Cin fact, even before the Light Breeze Harbor incident, the Four Deity Church might have already planned a meeting, and the situation in Light Breeze Harbor just provided an unexpected opportunity to schedule it here, and to do so tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡±


    ¡°¡­Has something recent happened? Is it related to the church¡¯s frequent recent activities in the border waters, and those fleets gathered near the ¡®Eternal Veil¡¯?¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m aware of these situations, but I don¡¯t know the internals.¡±


    Duncan was somewhat surprised, ¡°Even you, a Truth Confidant, don¡¯t know these things?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know,¡± Ted Riel shook his head, ¡°Truth Confidants, just like Judges, Gatekeepers, and Firekeepers, though we are the highest church representatives of the City-State, our knowledge is limited to the city-state¡¯s affairs. The four Pilgrimage Arks actually operate independently of the church system, directly commanded by the four pontiffs, and all ¡®secrets¡¯ are locked within the Ark Fleets, not interacting with the city-states or the church run by the city-states, especially¡­ those more dangerous secrets.¡±


    He lifted his head, looking earnestly into Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a necessary safety measure.¡±

 Chapter 676 - Chapter 676 Chapter 673 They are Communicating

    Chapter 676: Chapter 673: They are ¡®Communicating Chapter 676: Chapter 673: They are ¡®Communicating For Light Breeze Harbor, which had just safely awakened from a nightmare, the collective visit of the four Pilgrimage Arks seemed like yet another bizarre and peculiar dream¨Cthe events unfolded so suddenly that even the scholars of the Academy of Truth and the Governor seemed to have received the news only when the Arks were nearly upon them, so much so that the citizens of Light Breeze Harbor still felt a sense of unreality even as the Deep Sea Church¡¯s Storm Cathedral appeared above the sea level.


    The divine churches¡¯ ships of the Four Deities had indeed come.


    Aside from the ¡°Academy Ark,¡± which had been stationary beside Light Breeze Harbor since the ¡°Dream of the Nameless¡± event, the first to arrive was the sanctuary of the Storm Goddess Gomona¨Cthe Storm Cathedral arrived in the early hours of that morning when the dazzling aureole of Phenomenon 001 pierced the sky¡¯s veil, and the immense pilgrimage sanctuary emerged from a mass of coalesced mists at sea level, approaching the City-State from the west and docking at the coastline as the morning bell tolled for the third time.


    Following that, the Fire Transmitter¡¯s Church Ark arrived. As the brilliance of Phenomenon 001 gradually ascended, the ¡°Fire Transmitter¡¯s Sanctuary¡± came into view atop the ocean, shining like the blazing sun entering the mortal world, emerging from a vision of sunlight akin to flames, and docking between the Storm Cathedral and the Academy Ark.


    The Church Ark of Death, Bartok, arrived last. The ¡°Sanctuary of Death¡± manifested from dark, dense fogs to the somber toll of bells, its huge shadow growing within the mists, like a massive graveyard entering the realm of the living from the land of the dead, along with its two escort sister ships¨C¡°Closed Eyes¡± and ¡°Eyes Undying¡±¨Cdocked beside the Storm Cathedral.


    The four immense Church Arks, comparable to small City-States, almost ¡°encircled¡± Light Breeze Harbor. Had it not been for some of the escort ships being left on the nearby waters, their fleets could have almost filled the entire coastline of Light Breeze Harbor¨Cif one had a nearsighted and astigmatic pair of eyes gazing down from the skies, one might even have confused Light Breeze Harbor with the adjacent Pilgrimage Arks, mistaking them for a single huge, continuous cross-shaped island.


    Early in the morning, the City-State¡¯s city hall issued a temporary directive for port lockdown and a ban on nearby sea navigation, while the Academy of Truth announced that the four major divine churches would hold a ¡°special closed meeting¡± in Light Breeze Harbor.


    After which, crowds of citizens who loved a spectacle gathered near various ports, scrambling for vantage points, eager to catch a glimpse of the imposing presence of the Church Arks¨Cafter all, the Church Arks spent most of their time plying secret routes upon the Endless Sea, rarely seen by ordinary folks. Yet this time, not only did they appear at the City-State, but all four Arks did so at once, a sight so rare that even the Elves, with their long lifespans, might not witness it many times in their lives.


    At the City-State¡¯s Academy nearby the western coast, atop its highest tower, Duncan stood on the terrace gazing toward the coastline.


    With nothing else to do, he watched the various churches¡¯ Arks make their appearances¨Cone by one, the scene was quite a sight.


    ¡°These Church Arks of yours really do each have their own astounding capabilities,¡± he mused aloud.


    ¡°Getting such massive ¡®vessels¡¯ to move swiftly over the sea with just the power of steam engines is hardly sufficient,¡± Ted Riel explained, standing beside Duncan on the high tower¡¯s balcony, enjoying the wind, ¡°Each Church Ark is both a vessel and a ¡®transcendent object¡¯¨Cthose vast churches and academies are not merely for show. They channel the power of the gods into the material dimension, endowing the Arks themselves with a variety of inconceivable traits such as rapidly traversing storms, weaving through mists and flames, becoming invisible to worldly eyes, or calming the storms upon the seas¡­¡±


    Duncan, curiously turning his head, queried, ¡°Then by what kind of ¡®miracle¡¯ does the Academy of Truth¡¯s Academy Ark achieve its swift sailing?¡±


    ¡°¡­Outstanding engineering craftsmanship, they built two hundred and sixty sets of engines, with a power mighty enough to fling bricks into flight.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°The operation of machinery, the realization of theory, the effectiveness of paradox, these themselves are part of Rahm¡¯s ¡®miracle¡¯,¡± Ted Riel apparently noticed the subtle expression on Duncan¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°The same engine assembly wouldn¡¯t start on any other church ship¨Cconsidering they don¡¯t explode on the spot is already a testament to their exceptional craftsmanship.¡±


    ¡°¡­The ¡®miracle¡¯ of the gods truly is incomprehensible.¡±


    Duncan shook his head subtly with a complicated expression, and after a quiet sigh, he turned his gaze toward the coastline in the distance.


    He had seen the Deep Sea Church¡¯s ¡°Storm Cathedral¡± and the Academy of Truth¡¯s ¡°Academy Pilgrimage Ark,¡± but it was his first time seeing Death¡¯s ¡°Death Cathedral¡± and the perpetual ¡°Fire Transmitter Sanctuary¡±. Just like the other two church arks, these two pilgrimage arks were also strikingly distinctive¨C


    The Fire Transmitter Sanctuary felt ancient and solemn, with a massive ark base covered in a sprawling ensemble of uneven gray stone constructions, completely different from the contemporary City-State styles, resembling more closely the ¡°Ancient Temples¡± restored directly from historical paintings. The most eye-catching structure was a huge platform in the center of the buildings¨Cmajestic stone pillars encircling the platform, with a fierce blaze burning at the top, within which an oddly shaped ¡°great pillar¡± was visible, resembling closely the ¡°staff¡± Fenna had received from Tarrikin, evidently the ¡°Chronicle Column¡± worshipped by the Fire Transmitters.


    The ¡°Death Cathedral¡± was much more somber, with gothic architecture in black as its main color theme, the most prevalent ¡°scenery¡± on the ark. Its core facility was a pitch-black temple reminiscent of a huge pyramid, located in the center of the ark on high ground, surrounded by tall towers, exuding an atmosphere as gloomy as a tomb¨Can impression so strong that Duncan instantly understood why many directly referred to Death¡¯s pilgrimage ark as the ¡°Great Graveyard.¡±


    Regardless of which ark it was, Duncan saw those floating in the air, invisible to the naked eye of ordinary people, ethereal projections like spiritual bodies.


    He lifted his head, his face as still as water, watching these ¡°spiritual bodies floating above the mundane world.¡±


    Like smoke, like fog, the phantom limbs spread out from those spiritual projections, silently drifting over Light Breeze Harbor, akin to confused and chaotic lost souls. They did not interfere with one another, but occasionally a phantom ¡°tentacle¡± would suddenly extend from its ¡°main body¡± to touch other tentacles emanating from a different ark¨C


    Duncan noticed this kind ¡°touch,¡± and instinctively sensed that these abrupt contacts¡­ seemed not coincidental but rather deliberate.


    He even felt that some of the phantom tentacle touches were, quite frankly, like¡­ a high-five.


    Some ¡°spiritual bodies¡± emanating from the direction of the harbor drifted close to the high towers of the academy, hovering around the terrace.


    Duncan hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Ted Riel, who seemed to be paying no attention to this side; then he quietly rubbed his fingers together.


    A wisp of ethereal Spectral Flame appeared in the air and silently touched those ¡°Spirits of the Ark¡± wandering through the air, invisible to mortal eyes.


    In his cautious perception, he brushed against the ¡°thoughts¡± that flowed between those ¡°spirits.¡±


    Some weird, low noises echoed in Duncan¡¯s mind, followed by actual intelligible information amidst the bizarre undertones. He heard non-human whispers trembling through time and space¡­ they were ¡°communicating¡±!


    The tremors penetrated deep into his consciousness¨C


    ¡°¡­The weather¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, this place is really hot.¡±


    ¡°Better than up north, my tentacles froze stiff¡­¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t your tentacles gone a long time ago?¡±


    ¡°Phantom limbs.¡±


    ¡°What are they going to talk about today?¡±


    ¡°How would I know¨CI just woke up.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah? I just woke up too. What exactly are they going to talk about today?¡±


    ¡°¡­Stop asking, we all just woke up.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Ted Riel finally noticed Duncan¡¯s suddenly nuanced expression, and also noted the fleeting wisp of illusory flame in the air, which made the Truth Confidant grow tense: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The question made Duncan¡¯s facial expression even more nuanced.


    But before the Truth Confidant could get so anxious as to suffer from gastrointestinal discomfort again, Duncan finally managed to control his completely slackened expression and pushed the bizarre sensations to the back of his mind¨Cholding a composed look, he looked up at Ted Riel, ¡°¡­Do Arks talk to each other?¡±


    ¡°Arks talking to each other?¡± Ted Riel repeated, puzzled, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The sincere expression on the Truth Confidant¡¯s face told Duncan that this must be another special ¡°secret¡± known only to the core members. Remembering that Fenna also didn¡¯t know many secrets of the Storm Cathedral, he decisively waved his hand: ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Ted Riel instinctively wanted to ask more, but a split second before he could speak, a sense of warning surfaced from deep within him.


    He wisely shut his mouth.


    Duncan then timely steered the conversation elsewhere, ¡°The Four Arks have already gathered, where exactly is the meeting place? Inside Light Breeze Harbor City?¡±


    Ted Riel shook his head and explained patiently, ¡°Light Breeze Harbor is not suitable for the meeting¨Cfor one thing, such a congregation might affect the commoners in the City-State, and on the other hand, the City-State hasn¡¯t made any preparations for this sudden event, plus there are considerations for confidentiality.


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    ¡°The message I received was to wait for notification, because the matters we are going to discuss this time point directly at the Great Annihilation and involve the foundation of the world; so much so that even a word spoken casually by someone during the meeting could have unpredictable consequences, and even the Sovereign Pontiffs must carefully consider the location of the meeting¨C


    ¡°They are currently communicating divine will through Psychic Echoes on their own Arks, seeking revelation; the final meeting place will likely be chosen from among the four Arks.¡±


    Duncan waved his hand nonchalantly upon hearing this, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll wait patiently. I hope it won¡¯t be too long.¡±


    Ted Riel nodded, but in the next second, the Truth Confidant¡¯s brow suddenly furrowed¨Cas if he heard some voice coming from afar, his expression turning odd.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Duncan noticed the shift and asked curiously.


    Ted Riel fell silent for a few seconds, his expression tinged with bewilderment: ¡°¡­On The Fifth Ark¡­¡±

 Chapter 677 - Chapter 677 Chapter 674 The Fifth Ark

    Chapter 677: Chapter 674 ¡°The Fifth Ark Chapter 677: Chapter 674 ¡°The Fifth Ark In the boundless and chaotic darkness, Helena, Rune, Banster, and Frem¡¯s soul projections were gathering together.


    The four pontiffs had completed all communications prior to the gathering, yet they had not dispersed¨Cbecause the divine guidance that had ultimately descended still left them perplexed and uneasy.


    Just moments ago, when choosing the location for the meeting, the gods had simultaneously sent a strong signal, though the ¡°signal¡± was still mixed with vast and chaotic noise, and all four Pilgrimage Arks had been definitively ruled out.


    In the guidance ¡°They¡± had laid down, Helena, Rune, and the others were instructed to head to ¡°The Fifth Ark.¡±


    Helena lowered her head, in this darkness constructed by Psychic Resonance, a flame burned illusorily in her line of sight. She stared at the flame, taking a long time before cautiously speaking, ¡°¡­The Fifth Ark¡­ What does it bring to your mind?¡±


    ¡°What else could it be?¡± Rune shook his head, ¡°The answer is almost calling out, besides the four Church Arks, there is only one other ship that could be referred to as ¡®The Fifth Ark.''¡±


    ¡°To be honest, for the first time in my life, I am somewhat doubting the results of the oracle,¡± Banster hesitated for several seconds before finally raising his head and speaking to the others, ¡°We indeed agreed to invite that captain, but to set such a crucial gathering on ¡®that ship¡¯? It was not in the plan, and the will the Saint has descended this time seems a bit¡­ strange, don¡¯t you think? We haven¡¯t heard such a clear and strong voice in many years¡­¡±


    ¡°This is ¡®Their¡¯ urging, Banster,¡± Frem¡¯s voice was deep and calm, ¡°We all know time is short¨C¡®They¡¯ know it as well.¡±


    Helena slightly tilted her head to glance at Banster, ¡°You aren¡¯t still bothered by the ¡®Homeloss¡¯ incident, are you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Banster immediately shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s been so many years, I don¡¯t really care about that ship anymore, I¡¯m just being cautious¡­ Of course, these are just my personal thoughts, and can¡¯t change the command we have received¨Cthe revelation about ¡®The Fifth Ark¡¯ has already been passed along with the divine will, really there¡¯s no other choice.¡±


    In the dark space, all four pontiffs fell silent simultaneously.


    Helena lowered her head again, steadfastly gazing at the flame burning illusorily in her line of sight¨Cshe knew, in her heart, there was also a cautiousness and even doubt similar to Banster¡¯s, but she chose to unconditionally trust the guidance of the Storm Goddess.


    In this silent and prolonged gazing, she seemed to see the illusory flame in her field of vision gradually rising, then dispersing silently. The undulating fire seemed to turn into a gentle sea, the tides ebbing and flowing before her eyes, a vast and ancient illusion gradually approaching her from the tides.


    The illusion of the Storm Goddess emerged from the darkness, and an even larger, more indescribable ¡°reality¡± floated behind the goddess. This overlapping existence gently reached out to Helena, Helena felt many cold, complex touches contacting her soul, entwining her mind, whispering in her ear¨C


    ¡°While time still remains¡­¡±


    The illusion of the tide receded, and the gentle sound of sea waves also faded from her ears.


    ¡°Go make preparations,¡± Helena raised her head, her gaze calm as she looked at the others, ¡°Go inform the bishops who will be joining us at the gathering, notify the crew on the ark, tell them about ¡®The Fifth Ark,¡¯ everyone needs some mental preparation¨Cbut also tell them, preparation time is limited.¡±


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t forget to inform them about some common knowledge regarding ¡®that ship¡¯,¡± Rune then added, ¡°It¡¯s nothing like the familiar Church Arks, I don¡¯t want anyone stepping onto ¡®that ship¡¯ and causing an embarrassing misunderstanding because of a shock.¡±


    ¡°If the popularization is not adequate, there are too many bizarre things on that ship, Fenna still tells me some incredible new situations every now and then,¡± Helena waved her hand, ¡°Just directly tell those preparing for the gathering, no matter what you see on that ship, even if someone is cooking their own head in a pot, don¡¯t make a sound, just treat it as a natural phenomenon.¡±


    ¡°Before we discuss these, we better first get in touch with that captain,¡± Frem, who hadn¡¯t spoken much till now, suddenly added, ¡°We¡¯ve already designated his ship as the meeting place on our own accord, without even asking the owner¡¯s opinion.¡±


    Rune nodded, ¡°Of course. Moreover, we need to arrange boarding procedures and personnel transportation, the meeting procedures might also need urgent adjustment¡­ Since the meeting place is set outside the four Pilgrimage Arks, many things will differ from the plan.¡±


    ¡°A lot of stuff indeed¡­¡± Helena sighed wearily, her voice trailing off as she waved her hand, her figure gradually disappearing into the darkness, ¡°I¡¯ll go contact my saints¡­¡±


    ¡°I need to talk with my students too,¡± Rune said, following suit, his figure also vanishing.


    Soon, only Banster and Frem were left in the dark space.


    ¡°See you in the actual dimension.¡± Like a rock giant, Frem waved his hand, turning and disappearing into the deep darkness.


    Banster shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t pay attention¡­ why does no one believe me¡­¡±


    ¡°What?! They¡¯re coming to this ship? The bunch of popes and bishops?!¡± In the captain¡¯s cabin of the Homeloss, the goat-headed figure who had been chatting with his other head was startled by Duncan¡¯s sudden return and the news he brought, ¡°Have they taken the wrong medication?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, I¡¯m surprised too,¡± Duncan glanced at the goat head and said casually, ¡°But the message has been confirmed, it¡¯s even the ¡®will of the Four Gods¡¯¨Call four Pilgrimage Arks have been ruled out, and the final gathering place was chosen on ¡®The Fifth Ark.''¡±


    He paused, his expression slightly peculiar, ¡°The Homeloss is ¡®The Fifth Ark.''¡±


    ¡°¡­Aha, those Doomsday Preachers call the Homeloss ¡®Ark of Promise¡¯, and now those who worship the Four Gods have tagged us with ¡®The Fifth Ark¡¯, the once infamous Homeloss has now become a good place¡­¡± the goat head swung its head, obviously with a mocking tone, ¡°If this keeps going, they might start saying you¡¯re a good person, is that how they insult someone¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    After holding back for two or three seconds, he finally couldn¡¯t resist, ¡°I advise you to pay a bit more attention to your sense of right and wrong, at least you¡¯ve recovered some of Saslouka¡¯s ¡®essence¡¯. You make it hard for me to connect you with the Creator from the Second Long Night.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t turn out back then,¡± the goat head grumbled, ¡°and the one who did turn out isn¡¯t doing much better¨C¡®The Saint¡¯ is still stuck in the channel between the Mysterious Deep Sea and Subspace. According to A-dog¡¯s description, it¡¯s like being stuck in a flushing toilet¡­¡±


    Duncan felt unable to continue communicating with this goat head¨Chow could his words suddenly carry so much sarcasm?


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel offended by my words, I just think this whole thing is a bit weird,¡± the goat head probably noticed the nuance on the captain¡¯s face and added a few words, ¡°Those crazy Doomsday Preachers calling Homeloss the ¡®Ark of Promise¡¯ is one thing, but now those in a suspicious state among the Four Gods suddenly transmitted some ¡®divine will,¡¯ even saying Homeloss is ¡®The Fifth Ark¡¯ outside the four Pilgrimage Arks¡­ this all feels a bit off.¡±


    The goat head muttered and turned its head on the base, eyeing Duncan seriously.


    ¡°¡®Ark¡¯ has a special meaning in the Endless Sea; universally acknowledged arks are only four, apart from the four Church Arks, any ship claiming to be an ¡®ark¡¯ is heretical. And now Homeloss suddenly being labeled ¡®The Fifth Ark,¡¯ I feel like they¡¯re pushing Homeloss into danger¡­ Of course, it seems we¡¯ve been solving a variety of crises all this time¡­¡±


    Listening to the goat head¡¯s rambling, Duncan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much. Only when the other paused did he casually ask, ¡°The ¡®they¡¯ in your words, are you referring to the four main churches, or the ¡®Four Gods¡¯ behind them?¡±


    The goat head paused: ¡°¡­Is there a difference? The four main churches are the executors of the Four Gods¡¯ will, in layman¡¯s terms, the lackeys¡­¡±


    ¡°There is a difference,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°If you are referring to the four main churches, then they probably don¡¯t have the ability to push Homeloss into danger¨Cbut if you refer to the ¡®Four Gods¡¯ behind the churches, then I am indeed very interested in them. If the arrangement of ¡®The Fifth Ark¡¯ is something the Four Gods want to do, then that would be very good.¡±


    The goat head had no words in response: ¡°¡­¡±


    However, Duncan suddenly became curious, he scrutinized the goat head from top to bottom, ¡°Aren¡¯t you interested at all? As the former ¡®Dreaming King,¡¯ having recovered part of Saslouka¡¯s memory, aren¡¯t you curious about your former ¡®colleagues¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Not interested at all,¡± the goat head thought seriously, swinging its head left and right, ¡°I haven¡¯t recovered the memories from the Great Annihilation through to the Deep Sea Era, so to me, the so-called ¡®Kings¡¯ are just a completely unfamiliar concept¡­ Maybe it¡¯s a pity, but I don¡¯t feel regretful.¡±


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    Duncan looked at the goat head seriously, but finally said nothing.


    He came behind the navigation table and sat down in the chair.


    ¡°I brought back Nina and Morris, as ¡®witnesses¡¯ who personally saw the Great Annihilation, they will also attend this meeting.


    ¡°I accepted the invitation of the Four Gods¡¯ Church. Now the ship is heading toward the agreed place near Light Breeze Harbor¨CBrilliant Starship will rendezvous with us there. Lucrecia will bring a group of her servants aboard to help us prepare for the meeting.


    ¡°Speed up, let¡¯s go to the meeting.¡±

 Chapter 678 - Chapter 678 Chapter 675 Gathering

    Chapter 678: Chapter 675: Gathering Chapter 678: Chapter 675: Gathering The leaders and bishops of the Quadrinity Church will gather on a ghost ship returning from Subspace to convene ¡ª an event so explosively surreal that, at any other time, those hearing of it in the City-State would ponder whether to report it to the Judge or to a mental hospital.


    But now, it had actually happened.


    Homeloss arrived at the designated place at the designated time ¡ª near Light Breeze Harbor, in the calm waters near the Storm Cathedral, it stopped there, and the ¡°visitors¡± from the four Pilgrimage Arks gradually arrived by rowboats.


    Sherry was peering over a railing at the stern deck, watching the clerics in the middle deck who were nervously looking around or feigning calmness and gritting their teeth; she muttered to the shadow beside her, ¡°They really dared to come¡­ See that bald guy? His forehead is so shiny, dripping with sweat¡­¡±


    The muffled voice of Aho came from the shadows, ¡°It¡¯s quite frightening¡­ Back in the City-State, let alone meeting dignitaries of this caliber, we would dodge even a few guards¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a different time now¡­ Is that how you say it?¡± Sherry boasted proudly, ¡°Now they are the ones who have to avoid us ¨C at least on the ship. Hey, want to jump out and scare them? It¡¯s a rare opportunity¡­¡±


    ¡°I could jump out, but you might get a thrashing from the captain afterward ¡ª should I really do it?¡±


    ¡°No no no, just kidding¡­¡±


    On the deck, the magic doll Luny, who had arrived at Homeloss with the hostess, was methodically guiding the ¡°visitors¡± across the central deck toward the main doors that led to the cabins. She glanced back towards the direction of the stern deck and turned to a Deep Sea Cleric in bishop¡¯s garb to explain, ¡°That is Miss Sherry, the old master¡¯s ¡®student¡¯, you don¡¯t need to panic.¡±


    ¡°But I feel the presence of Profound Demons¡­¡± blurted the nervous Deep Sea Bishop, ¡°right next to that ¡®Miss Sherry¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°That is Mr. Aho, Miss Sherry¡¯s guardian dog,¡± Luny explained calmly, ¡°also a student of the old master, you don¡¯t need to panic.¡±


    Deep Sea Bishop: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Luny, unbothered by the cleric¡¯s suddenly perplexed expression, clapped her hands, looked up at the clerics who had just boarded, and reiterated some common precautions ¡ª


    ¡°The ropes on the ship sometimes start moving on their own, if you get tied up, don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re just playing, a simple greeting should get them to let go; if you encounter a rolling bucket, don¡¯t pay it any mind, they might just be transporting something; if you find a silver-haired doll¡¯s head and can¡¯t see the doll¡¯s body nearby, please take the head to the mainmast and hand it over to a talking pigeon, the pigeon will help return the head;


    ¡°Additionally, do not stray into restricted areas, if you get lost, stop immediately; the ship does not forbid prayers to the Divine, but the Divine cannot help you escape from locked cabins, so remember the ¡®rules¡¯ I mentioned earlier; if you see a figure resembling offspring of the deep sea anywhere on the ship, maintain Calmness and leave, they are fish; do not be alarmed by unfamiliar shadows suddenly appearing in mirrors or dark corners, that is Madame Agatha taking a walk ¡ª she will not enter the visitors¡¯ lounge¡­


    ¡°Always remember, the ship is safe and the atmosphere is friendly, if you feel you are dying, repeat in your heart: the ship is safe and the atmosphere is friendly, reflect on whether your own actions have violated the rules, rather than questioning if there is something wrong with the environment¡­¡±


    ¡°Finally, may everyone have a fulfilling day aboard the Homeloss¨Cthe meal will be provided after the meeting. Rest assured, it¡¯s all substances consumable by humans.¡±


    The mechanical doll smiled and bowed to the visitors.


    ¡°Next, please follow me; we¡¯re headed to the great hall.¡±


    The clerics boarding the ship were either nervous, doubtful, or cautiously vigilant as they observed this Ghost Ship, shrouded in countless eerie tales and a dangerous aura. The ¡°safety tips¡± given by a mechanical doll on the deck did not alleviate the tension in the hearts of these normally rational people; rather, it added to the strange atmosphere they felt here¨Cbut driven by mission and duty, they had no choice but to dismiss their concerns and faithfully follow the bizarre mechanical doll¡¯s lead toward the direction of the cabins.


    Fenna stood beneath a mast at a distance, watching Luny, who was busy in the distance, and couldn¡¯t help but mutter softly, ¡°I think Miss Lucricia shouldn¡¯t have arranged for Luny to do the ¡®reception¡¯¨Cit would have been better to let me and Mr. Morris go¡­¡±


    ¡°But I think it¡¯s good,¡± Helena¡¯s voice arose from beside her. The dignified Female Pope stood next to Fenna with an inexplicable smile on her face. Her gaze landed on the distant deck, and her tone was somewhat cheerful, ¡°This will make them realize why I emphasized ¡®don¡¯t be too shocked¡¯ before boarding and to ¡®take everything aboard the Homeloss for granted¡¯.¡±


    She paused, contemplatively looking at the vast silhouettes of the arks on the distant sea. ¡°The bishops possess profound knowledge and superior Divine Arts, but they¡¯ve stayed too long on ¡®normally ordered¡¯ arks; that ¡®normalcy¡¯ won¡¯t last forever.¡±


    Fenna felt there was a deeper meaning in the Female Pope¡¯s words, but before she could open her mouth to ask, Helena spoke first, ¡°Are you still getting used to being on this ship?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ quite good,¡± Fenna hesitated and hurriedly replied, ¡°Everyone is very kind, and I¡¯ve been exposed to many kinds of knowledge I¡¯ve never heard of before. I¡¯m also accumulating experience in combating heresy and blasphemy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Helena smiled and then, without waiting for Fenna to speak, she went ahead towards the direction of the cabins, ¡°We¡¯ll talk after the meeting¨Ccan¡¯t keep the ¡®captain¡¯ waiting too long.¡±


    Fenna paused, and then she noticed it seemed as if a gaze was fixed on her.


    Following this sensation, she looked towards where the gaze was coming from and saw an exceptionally tall figure on the distant deck, standing out among the crowd and looking towards her.


    It was a Senkin person, wearing a plain short robe, his skin as grey-white as rock, his eyes deep and steady.


    It was the leader of the Fire Transmitters, Frem.


    This titan-like Senkin Pope nodded slightly from afar and then silently left.


    Fenna was momentarily stupefied; as her gaze met those calm eyes, she involuntarily recalled the boundless desert and the aged giant who had trekked through it with her¡­


    ¡°`


    The next moment, Fenna suddenly awoke from her reverie. After a brief hesitation, she also stepped toward the direction of the cabin.


    The Captain¡¯s call was resonating in her heart¨Cit was time.


    Everyone had gathered in the largest cabin in the upper area of Homeloss.


    Though it was called a ¡°meeting hall,¡± this place was essentially the dining hall of Homeloss¨CLukecrecia¡¯s servants, sent ahead of time, had tidied up the place somewhat and rearranged the tables and chairs to set up a venue for the meeting.


    Compared to the luxurious temples and grand temples on the Pilgrimage Ark, this ¡°meeting venue¡± obviously couldn¡¯t be considered very glamorous.


    But those gathered here dared not focus their attention on the supposed ¡°modest¡± issue.


    This was Homeloss, a shadow returning from the Subspace, known as the ¡°Fifth Ark¡± revealed and activated by the four divine entities¨Cevery inconspicuous corner of this ship held a different significance for this world.


    Merely being able to board this ship was already an unforgettable experience for anyone¡­even if they were distinguished bishops and ¡°Inner Court Clerics¡± from the Pilgrimage Ark.


    Unrelated personnel had already departed, and the Magic Doll servants sent from Brilliant Starship ¡°to assist¡± closed the hall¡¯s doors as they left.


    Ordinary clerics sat around the perimeter of the meeting space, while dozens of bishops grouped into four areas according to the different divinities they followed. A circle of chairs was placed at the center of the hall, where Helena, Frem, Banster, and Rune sat, facing across from them the true master of this ship and the master¡¯s ¡°followers.¡±


    Duncan had purposely instructed Lukecrecia to arrange the meeting space this way.


    He noticed that all eyes were focused on him¨Cthose glances were complex.


    The atmosphere of tension had never dissipated from these people from the beginning to the end.


    But he didn¡¯t care about it.


    ¡°We meet again,¡± his gaze first fell on Helena across from him¨Cthe ¡°Deep Sea Female Pope¡± was the first orthodox leader he had encountered in this world and one of the starting points of his contact with the civilized world, ¡°Welcome aboard my ship¨CI have kept my promise and still stand on the side of ¡®civilization¡¯.¡±


    Helena politely and properly returned the greeting, yet her gaze involuntarily fell on Fenna, who was not far from Duncan.


    The expression of the Female Pope was consistently calm and tranquil, but there was a hint of strangeness in the depths of her eyes.


    Fenna had naturally taken a seat on the side representing Homeloss¡­


    The Storm Saint and Deep Sea Judge had done so without hesitation.


    However, she quickly collected her thoughts and, after briefly composing her expression, she spoke up to break the somewhat frozen atmosphere of the scene.


    ¡°This is a closed meeting. I presume everyone here already understands its nature¨Clet us dispense with all formality and proceed directly to the main topic.


    ¡°Let us discuss what has happened in our world and what is about to happen.¡±


    She turned her head, her gaze resting on Rune beside her.


    ¡°One of our most learned scholars has brought something that might help those present who are still unaware of the truth learn what the ¡®Great Vanishing¡¯ is.¡±


    Rune nodded, then gestured to someone nearby.


    A scholar immediately came forward, handing him an object covered with a black cloth.


    Duncan curiously observed this scene¨Che saw Rune unveil the black cloth, and what lay beneath it rather surprised him.


    It was a birdcage.


    The cage merely contained a small, unassuming black bird sitting quietly.


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    However, Rune¡¯s expression turned serious. He lifted the birdcage in his hand, displaying it to everyone present.


    ¡°This is a Little Auk with black feathers, but it also has a more notorious name, well-known among scholars.


    ¡°The Mad Bird¨Cin 1726, the infamous ¡®Hypa Incident¡¯ gave this little bird its chilling nickname.


    ¡°Regarding the ¡®Great Vanishing¡¯, I shall start with this little bird.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 679 - Chapter 679 Chapter 676 The Hyper Incident

    Chapter 679: Chapter 676 ¡°The Hyper Incident Chapter 679: Chapter 676 ¡°The Hyper Incident A bird?


    Indeed, Duncan had pondered how best to explain the truth about the ¡°Great Annihilation¡± and the current state of the deep-sea era to people. After all, the collision of worlds and the ¡°incompatible¡± is such an abstract concept, not everyone could grasp it all in a short time; however, he never expected Rune to start the topic with an ordinary-looking little bird.


    He looked up and noticed that the expression on Maurice¡¯s face was thoughtful as he saw the so-called ¡°mad bird.¡±


    Under the gaze of many curious eyes, Rune placed the bird on the table in front of him. His voice was calm and clear, like that of a patient teacher in the classroom, revealing to the assembled church bishops the ultimate truth of this world¨C


    ¡°The black-feathered auks might be one of the oldest and most widespread species of birds in the world. They live along the stable shores of the City-States and on the perilous remote islands of the open sea. Even in certain horrific seas labeled as ¡®anomalies,¡¯ explorers have found traces of these birds¡¯ existence¡­ However, looking solely at their physiological structure and habits, the black-feathered auks are nothing special; they are just a tenacious species of bird, that¡¯s all.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t until the year 1723 that scholars suddenly came up with a very interesting, or rather creative, idea¨Cwhat do ¡®all things¡¯ look like in the eyes of those animals which share our world but perceive it differently than humans?


    ¡°The first to propose this idea was the famed scholar from the Academy of Truth, Hypa Strom. It dawned on him while he was playing with his pet dog¨Che looked into his beloved dog¡¯s eyes and thought of the difference in ocular and brain structures between the animal and humans. The unique set of senses must, he reasoned, recognize and understand the surrounding environment in a wonderful, non-human way. When curiosity became too overwhelming to contain, he designed the infamous ¡®Strom Experiment¡¯¨C


    ¡°Using a series of complex mystic procedures, he connected his own senses with those of an animal. The initial test was conducted between him and his pet dog.


    ¡°The first experiment failed. The dog nearly died during the experiment¨Csubsequent inspections showed that at the moment the connection was established, the dog experienced immense spiritual stress, which far exceeded the limits of an animal¡¯s endurance.


    ¡°Hence, Hypa Strom designed a second test. This time, he decided to choose a ¡®lower¡¯ creature, one with a simpler brain structure¨Che only needed to share the perception of the creature and didn¡¯t want it to die prematurely due to an overly complex brain unable to withstand the stress. The final choice¡­ was the black-feathered auk.


    ¡°On an August afternoon in 1726, Hypa Strom completed all preparations. He placed the small bird inside a distinctive cage, allowing the bird to see the sky outside, while he himself lay on the experimental bed next to the cage¨Cthen the ritual began.


    ¡°In an hour, Hypa Strom had died. Horrific screams and a strange rumbling shattered all the lab¡¯s windows, and the scholar¡¯s collapsing soul caused a wail from the Spirit Realm, leaving twelve assistants and apprentices traumatized from the reverberation.


    ¡°Compared to many experiments and Transcendent disasters which had caused far more severe consequences, the ¡®Strom Incident¡¯ actually didn¡¯t result in significant personnel casualties. However, certain ¡­ chilling ¡®facts¡¯ revealed by this experimental disaster cast a long shadow over academic circles, such that from then on, any attempt to establish shared perception across different species was considered an absolute taboo¨C


    ¡°And this is the ¡®fact¡¯ that was revealed by the experiment.¡±


    As Rune spoke, he reached into his robe and took out an item¨Cit appeared to be just a folded, seemingly ordinary piece of paper.


    He unfolded the paper¨Ca dense array of patterns met Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°People found a torn record next to Strom¡¯s body. When the corpse was discovered, it had already been severely distorted, its flesh twisted into a terrifying shape as if corrupted by an ancient deity, and the record was tightly clenched in the scholar¡¯s right hand¨Cthe only part still retaining a human shape. Investigators deduced that this must be something the scholar had hastily sketched out using his last bit of sanity as he rapidly descended into madness¡­


    ¡°Please be assured, this is just a ¡®Replication¡¯ copied from the records, the contaminating aspects have been removed, and everyone can safely view it.¡±


    Rune lifted the paper for everyone in the hall to see.


    What was it? What on earth did Hypa Strom see before his death?


    To be honest, even Duncan couldn¡¯t relate those abstract and chaotic lines to the ¡°Strom Experiment¡± as described by Rune. He only saw a mass of frenzied, twisting lines, trembling shadows cast upon a series of inexplicable geometric patterns, and countless structures resembling eyes or bizarre voids scattered across the paper. The first impression it gave was nothing but eerie chaos.


    The hall fell silent. The ¡°Strom Incident¡± was no secret, yet not everyone, like the scholars, understood these professional matters. Many bishops from deep-sea churches, the clergy of death, and the Church of the Fire Transmitter were indeed hearing these details for the first time; the bizarre and dubious aspects of the incident led everyone into deep thought.


    ¡°This is the vision that Hypa Strom witnessed through ¡®shared perception¡¯ before his demise,¡± Rune¡¯s voice rose in the silenced assembly hall, ¡°What you are seeing is the ¡®world¡¯ through the eyes of the black-feathered auk¨Cthe trembling cluster of curved lines at the margin, stacked together, is Hypa Strom himself.¡±


    A buzzing of discussion spread instantly around the room. Bishops seated at the edges of the hall spoke in low voices, and some looked towards the ordinary-looking black sea bird still resting on the table with astonishment or thoughtful gazes.


    ¡°The mad bird¡± seemed to be frightened; it jumped and flapped its wings within the cage, emitting a series of sharp and piercing cries.


    Rune covered the cage with the black cloth once more.


    ¡°This is what once happened in our world and is still constantly happening at the ¡®fundamental essence¡¯ of all things,¡± he lifted his head, his gaze calmly sweeping across the hall, ¡°¡®Pollution¡¯s¡¯ nature, originating from the ¡®incompatibility¡¯ of all things, what we perceive as a single entity under a different perspective, or rather, under a different set of ¡®rules,¡¯ is fatal pollution and corrosion¡­¡±


    For the following period, Rune narrated everything he had seen in the depths of The Dream of the Nameless.


    About the nature of the Great Eradication, about the truth behind the collision of worlds, about the reasons behind the many pollution and corrosion phenomena in the current Deep Sea Era, and those ¡°eternal conflicts¡± that still linger in the world¡¯s underlying principles.


    ¡°¡­On the day of the Great Eradication, many worlds collided with one another; we still do not know the reason for this collision, but its result¡­ was a Hypa event that spanned numerous civilizations, races, and worlds. In this collision, each world was each other¡¯s ¡®mad bird,¡¯ each other¡¯s ¡®Hypa Strom.¡¯ In the ¡®world fundamental rules¡¯ perspective, indescribable pollution corroded and twisted everything, and all old orders were utterly destroyed, while the survivors¡­¡±


    Rune paused, slowly stood up, and looked around at everyone here.


    ¡°We, and everything around us, even the entire Deep Sea Era, are akin to the dying screech of ¡®Hypa Strom,¡¯ a shriek that is still echoing to this day, yet is nearing its end.¡±


    The old man exhaled softly and slowly sat back down in his seat.


    ¡°That¡¯s all for my part. Does anyone else have anything to add?¡±


    He said, and his gaze fell on Duncan across from him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve covered it comprehensively,¡± Duncan said, ¡°That¡¯s about all we know concerning the Great Eradication¨Clet¡¯s move on to discuss the gods, about the hypotheses on the nature of deities, and the recent activities you¡¯ve been undertaking. These are my main concerns.¡±


    The surrounding bishops seemed to stir slightly, while the four popes seated across the table exchanged brief glances as Duncan finished speaking¨Csoon after, the commotion quietened down, and the Pope of the Fire Transmitter, wearing a simple robe, his skin grey-white like rock and with an exceptionally tall figure, gave a slight nod.


    ¡°From the clues we have, the gods seem to represent the powerful or unique individuals that remained after the worlds were destroyed in the Great Eradication¨Clike the ¡®burnt cores¡¯ after a fire, carrying the¡­ afterglow of a world.¡±


    Frem spoke in a low voice, simultaneously raising his hand and tracing the outline of the Fire Transmitter¡¯s insignia on his chest, as if repenting for his own act of ¡°judging the deities¡± at this moment, but he still continued¨C


    ¡°¡­The Great Eradication demolished everything in the old worlds; strictly speaking, the gods did not survive that disaster, and regarding this point¡­ we had already sensed it long ago.¡±


    Hearing Frem¡¯s words, Duncan¡¯s eyes widened slightly: ¡°You had sensed this even before?¡±


    Simultaneously, he noticed the astonished expressions that briefly crossed Maurice¡¯s and Fenna¡¯s faces¨Cclearly, even as saints, this was the first time they had heard such words from a pope¡¯s mouth.


    This was a ¡°secret¡± confined to the Pilgrimage Ark!


    Frem nodded gently.


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    ¡°Yes, we had already sensed it¨Conly now do we know the reason behind it all.


    ¡°The gods are dead, and they have begun to enter the ¡®stage of corruption¡¯¡­ But only a few high-ranking officials of the church who patrol the borders with the Pilgrimage Ark know this truth, and another truth is¡­¡±


    Frem paused briefly, lifting his head to look into Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°The birth of the Pilgrimage Ark was to delay the ¡®rot¡¯ of the deities¨Cand today, this kind of ¡®delay¡¯ has also nearly reached its limit.


    ¡°The ¡®filth¡¯ produced from the corruption of the gods¡­ is about to seep into the mortal world.¡±

 Chapter 680 - Chapter 680 Chapter 677 Pilgrimage

    Chapter 680: Chapter 677 ¡°Pilgrimage Chapter 680: Chapter 677 ¡°Pilgrimage Pilgrimage Ark¨CEver since Duncan had laid eyes on these ¡°giant ships¡± that resembled small City-States, ever since he learned of their unceasing pilgrimage across the sea, he¡¯d harbored doubts about these astonishing creations.


    What did the Pilgrimage Arks truly signify, and their peculiar ¡°pilgrimage¡± activities¡­ Were they merely ¡°patrolling¡±?


    People in the City-States often said that the Pilgrimage Arks represented the mighty powers of the Four Gods, they were the symbol of the Church¡¯s highest military force, as well as the ¡°mobile palaces¡± of the four true gods in the mortal world. The Church commanded the arks to patrol the Endless Sea, to deter the heretics, to protect the City-States from contamination by malevolent beings from Subspace. Initially, Duncan hadn¡¯t doubted this explanation, but the more he dealt with the Church of the Four Gods, especially after learning more and more inside information from Fenna, Morris, and Agatha, he began to notice discrepancies.


    The ones truly responsible for combating heretical abominations were the Judges and the guardian system of the City-States. The ones really responsible for intercepting heterodox believers at sea and for rescuing mariners were the conventional fleets of the Church of the Four Gods. The ones in charge of guarding against subspace contamination and fortifying the City-States¡¯ Defenses were the chiming of church bells, the bishops¡¯ prayers, and the strictly planned church-belltower system. Meanwhile, the four awe-inspiring Pilgrimage Arks¡­ In fact, never partook in any affairs related to the mortal world.


    They spent three-quarters of the year patrolling on some secret routes, invisible and immeasurable to the mortal world, seemingly situated between the fissures of reality, far from any city. And during the remaining time, they took turns patrolling near the ¡°Eternal Veil¡± on the borders, only minimally communicating with the Church¡¯s border fleets, never dealing with any City-States¨Cand even deliberately avoiding the patrol fleets of the border City-States.


    Only on the rarest occasions did these arks anchor at City-States¨Csuch as after a major event like the Black Sun crisis in Prand¨Conly then would they appear before the eyes of the world.


    Apart from this, the arks had no further contact with the mortal world, even within the upper echelons of the four grand churches, they were always shrouded in a veil of mystery¨Cmost clergy spent their lives without ever setting foot on a Pilgrimage Ark, only those designated as ¡°saints¡± were privileged enough to be taken to an ark during their apprenticeship, but even they were restricted to certain areas and after completing the necessary studies and training, they were sent back to their original cities¨Cthese ¡°saints¡± never had a chance to encounter the true secrets of the arks.


    These clues indicated that the very existence of the ¡°Pilgrimage Arks¡± was fraught with tremendous doubt¨Ctheir true purpose had always been hidden.


    Now, Duncan had finally found the answer.


    ¡°¡­The current four Pilgrimage Arks were constructed decades ago, and before these ¡®giant ships¡¯ were put to use, there actually were previous generations of ¡®arks¡¯ within the four grand churches, but those could not bear comparison to these four church ships of today¡­¡±


    Frem¡¯s voice was deep, his words flowing as if from stone, carrying a certain convincing firmness that made one subconsciously relax and believe.


    ¡°The previous generation of the Church¡¯s ¡®arks¡¯ were really just big ships. Back then, they were merely part of the papal sea patrol fleet, an element of armed forces, not as mysterious as today, nor as¡­ isolated from the mortal world.


    ¡°Today¡¯s ¡®church ships,¡¯ however, are on a completely different level. Instead of saying they are four ¡®big ships¡¯¡­ to be precise, they are more like four ¡®anchors,¡¯ used to keep the reason of the gods anchored to some ¡®balance point¡¯ outside the mortal realm.¡±


    Duncan remained silent, his expression serious and earnest as he watched Frem¨Cknowing that Frem¡¯s explanations were meant for him alone, while the other pontiffs and bishops present at the meeting were from the Pilgrimage Arks, apparently the ¡°in-the-know¡± bearers of truth.


    ¡°¡­Who exactly first noticed the truth cannot be traced, it came from a series of ¡®revelations¡¯ and ¡®inspirations¡¯. We heard muttered truths during prayers, saw dark corruptions accumulate in the illusions brought by incense. Our spirits felt the ¡®pullof something beyond this world more than once, guiding our thoughts to a place of chaos and vastness, allowing us to see the deaths and shadows of the gods¡­ And during this process, the connection between the mortal clergy and the Four Gods began to experience frequent interruptions¡­ It was probably around the year 1822.¡±


    Frem paused briefly, and Lucresia, seated not far to the right of Duncan, seemed to suddenly recall something, ¡°1822¡­ The ¡®Cold Harbor Silence¡¯ incident?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Cold Harbor Silence incident¨Cit¡¯s well-known but actually just a snapshot, a prominent and remaining snapshot from a series of worsening events that couldn¡¯t be fully rectified.¡±


    The one who answered was not Frem, but Banster, seated next to Frem, the death pontiff draped in a black robe, his voice hoarse and his age-worn face deathly pale.


    ¡°All the clergy of the entire City-State suddenly lost contact with the god of death, Bartok. During the ¡®silence¡¯ that lasted twenty-four hours, they heard a continuous hollow howling and screeching in their minds, audible only to themselves, and then tainted blood flowed from the ¡®Holy Vault¡¯. The Archbishop of the City-State sacrificed himself to protect the grand cathedral, melting into the tainted blood¨Cafterwards, it was recorded that a total of seventeen clergy martyred during the ¡®silence¡¯, with another seventy-seven falling into permanent insanity, their minds shattered by glimpses of things beyond the real world¡­


    ¡°Based on my judgment, ¡®silence¡¯ events like these continued to have lasting repercussions over the next twenty years¨CThe momentary disappearance of divine protection weakened the reality dimension defense in the Chill Sea region, allowing influences from Subspace, the ethereal, and the Spirit Realm to seep in. Centered around Cold Harbor, the number of ¡®natural spiritual energy wielders¡¯ born in the City-States of the Chill Sea during that time nearly surpassed the combined total from all other City-States in the world.¡±


    Banster stopped and turned his gaze toward Rune.


    ¡°Yes, just as Banster said, the Silent Incident at Cold Harbor in 1822 was only a snapshot,¡± Rune nodded, ¡°The true situation is that for a considerable length of time, across the entire Endless Sea, contact with the gods has become difficult, and even dangerous. Daily prayers often go unanswered, but worse are those ¡®responses¡¯ that should not exist. The protection afforded to the City-States is weakening, and strange occurrences on ocean voyages have multiplied. Through successive revelations and visions¡­ we finally ascertained the terrifying ¡®state¡¯ of the gods.¡±


    The hall fell into silence.


    The gods are dead¨CDuncan knew this, his followers by his side knew it, the four Archbishops and the bishops aboard the Pilgrimage Ark also knew it, but when this matter came directly to the fore, when all intelligence and past events were laid out and linked to the Great Extinction, an unusual, oppressive atmosphere still inexorably spread through the room.


    ¡°¡­So, you constructed the massive Pilgrimage Ark to strengthen the link with the gods and to slow Their ¡®decay¡¯¡­¡± Duncan spoke up, breaking the silence, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the specific ¡®mechanics¡¯ of the process, I just want to know what ¡®effect¡¯ your efforts have had. Did it really work? Frem earlier mentioned that the Ark¡¯s ¡®delaying¡¯ effect has reached its limit, what¡¯s that about?¡±


    ¡°It worked, at least initially,¡± Helena nodded, ¡°The ark is an anchor point for the gods, and the ¡®death¡¯ of the gods is a lengthy and complex process. Strictly speaking, this process of death is essentially unstoppable¨Cit¡¯s like the inexorable turning of the laws of the world, but the presence of an ¡®anchor point¡¯ could at least maintain the gods in a relatively stable state until They completely ¡®vanish.¡¯ And according to our initial estimates¡­ it should have worked for several centuries, even a millennium.


    ¡°Our initial thought was that if we had such a long ¡®buffer time,¡¯ we might have the opportunity to find other ways to further delay the decay of the gods, or even find¡­ find¡­¡±


    Helena suddenly stopped, as if some words were too difficult to speak aloud, as if despite the actions she and the other Archbishops had already taken, she still did not wish to acknowledge certain ¡°facts.¡±


    Rune, Banster, and Frem also fell silent with complex expressions on their faces.


    Beside Duncan, Lucrecia frowned in confusion, Nina and Sherry could not help but show their curiosity, and Morris opened his mouth thoughtfully but then hesitated to speak.


    Soft, ethereal waves sounded in Duncan¡¯s ears, murmurous whispers as though from behind a thick veil murmuring to him. He was momentarily lost in thought, looking down at the table before him.


    A faint trace of moisture appeared on the table, and then rapidly vanished.


    He watched the trace, then raised his head to look across at Helena.


    ¡°Finding a substitute, right?¡±


    Helena¡¯s eyes widened in shock at Duncan.


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    But Duncan just shook his head, offering no explanation, and after a few seconds of silence, he spoke thoughtfully, ¡°¡­But now, only a few decades have passed, a far cry from the ¡®several centuries¡¯ you anticipated.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the situation has deteriorated more rapidly than we imagined,¡± Banster¡¯s voice was hoarse and somber, ¡°We had thought that the gods¡¯ current ¡®balanced state¡¯ could possibly last a millennium, but the forces of decay and deterioration have begun to invade the whole world. The Ark¡¯s ¡®pilgrimage¡¯ was initially for strengthening the link between the gods and the mortal realm, but now, we spend half our time trying to ¡®filter¡¯ out the contamination they emit during Their decay¡­


    ¡°This fills us with¡­ profound sorrow.¡±


    Banster ended his words with a sigh.


    After a moment of contemplation, Duncan broke the silence, ¡°So, you¡¯ve taken new actions¨Cthose fleets assembling in the bordering seas?¡±

 Chapter 681 - Chapter 681 Chapter 678 The Road in the Fog

    Chapter 681: Chapter 678: The Road in the Fog Chapter 681: Chapter 678: The Road in the Fog The four major churches had assembled a huge fleet at the border of the civilized world¨Cand they had been doing so for some time now.


    The reduction of regular patrol fleets and the massive accumulation of ships, personnel, and supplies near the Eternal Veil had reached a scale that could not be concealed from the City-States on the border, and Lukrecia had learned about these unusual actions of the church from Sala Mel well before today; however, Duncan and she could not comprehend the purpose of such¨Cuntil now.


    The truth of the dead gods, the real purpose of the Pilgrimage Ark, and the current state of the gods entering ¡°the corruption phase¡± prematurely allowed Duncan to finally guess the purpose of those fleets.


    ¡°¡­We are ¡®searching for Them¡¯,¡± Helena finally spoke after a moment of silence, ¡°That was one of the purposes, the initial one.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying the gods are in that ¡®dense fog¡¯ within the Eternal Veil!?¡± Lukrecia stood up instantaneously, looking at the four pontiffs opposite her with a disbelieving gaze, ¡°Right beyond the ¡®border¡¯?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not sure,¡± Banster, the old man in a black robe, slowly shook his head in response, ¡°But we are certain that the initial ¡®rotting scent¡¯ seeped through from the Eternal Veil at the border¨Cthat¡¯s why our current plan is just to find the source of those scents, but no one knows what exactly we¡¯ll see at that source.¡±


    Rune took over the conversation, ¡°It might be the ¡®Kingdom of Gods,¡¯ or perhaps just some kind of ¡®connection point¡¯ that they established with the mortal world, or maybe it is¡­¡±


    He stopped here, not continuing the remainder of his statement.


    Duncan, after a brief silence, suddenly asked again, ¡°You just said that was only one of the purposes, what about the others? Apart from searching for ¡®Them¡¯, what else do you intend to do?¡±


    ¡°The other purpose is to understand what exactly has happened to this world,¡± Helena replied, taking the opportunity to unveil all secrets at this frank ¡°assembly,¡± ¡°Reports about the collapse of borders are increasing, and accompanied by the malfunctioning of the ¡®sun¡¯ and various anomalies related to the Eternal Veil becoming more frequent¨Can obvious fact is that the dense fog may conceal secrets intricately linked to our world¡¯s ¡®current state¡¯ and ¡®foundations.''¡±


    ¡°¡­Understand exactly what has happened to the world, and then what?¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but press on as he instinctively felt that Helena wasn¡¯t finished speaking.


    ¡°¡­If possible, try to find a ¡®new passage¡¯ that can completely penetrate the veil and take as many people out as possible before the worst happens,¡± Helena said, ¡°If the ¡®collapse¡¯ within the Veil is inevitable, then our only way out is to ¡®leave¡¯. There might be other worlds beyond the Veil¨Ca much vast world.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not so habitable, or maybe even more dangerous than the Endless Sea, but as long as we can sustain life, no matter how adverse the environment, it can become a new cradle for civilization¡­ As long as we survive, life will find a way, even if it requires a lengthy and painful process of adaptation¡­ even mutation.¡±


    At Helena¡¯s words, the hall fell quiet for a time, and Duncan could feel Fenna and Morris beside him holding their breath instinctively. After several seconds, he heard Fenna breaking the silence, ¡°Is the situation already this dire?¡±


    ¡°The worst part is, we don¡¯t even know how bad it could get¨Cif it weren¡¯t for Homeloss¡¯s ¡®warning¡¯, we wouldn¡¯t even know that the sun had been completely extinguished for twelve hours last time,¡± Rune shook his head, ¡°During those twelve hours, the four Arks, along with other City-States, disappeared from this world. This made us further believe¡­ we must face the worst possible outcomes that could happen next.¡±


    ¡°But the ¡®world beyond the Veil¡¯ is just speculation, baseless speculation,¡± Duncan suddenly spoke up, his voice quiet but seemingly cold as ice in everyone¡¯s heart, ¡°It¡¯s likely just your wishful ¡®effort.''¡±


    ¡°Better than doing nothing,¡± Helena¡¯s expression did not change. She simply faced Duncan¡¯s gaze with calm and candor, ¡°We don¡¯t take action because we¡¯re certain something will succeed, but rather because we have no other choice¨Cwe might find nothing beyond the Eternal Veil, it might not even have an end, and we might never find the so-called new passage, but we must do something¡­¡±


    She paused, and then Frem, who had been silent since the beginning, broke the silence with a low voice, ¡°Under the worst assumptions, we are even considering how to survive within the Eternal Veil.¡±


    ¡°Live within the Eternal Veil!?¡± Nina exclaimed in shock¨Cshe had been quiet, sitting beside Uncle Duncan all this time, feeling that this wasn¡¯t her place to chime in, but this time, she couldn¡¯t help it, ¡°Is that place even livable? Can humans propagate and thrive in that dense fog?¡±


    ¡°Not now,¡± Frem shook his head calmly, ¡°At least not with humanity¡¯s current form of life and our current understanding of the Veil¡¯s regulations¨C¡®human society¡¯ here includes Elves and the Senkin People as well.¡±


    Nina opened her mouth, ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I just mentioned,¡± Helena spoke softly, ¡°We may need a lengthy and painful process of adaptation or even mutation¨Cwe might need to become no longer ¡®ourselves¡¯ in order to live in the world that follows. Perhaps we¡¯ll become like those mysterious shadows in the fog or may resemble the whispers in the wind¡­¡±


    ¡°If this still isn¡¯t enough?¡± Duncan asked again, ¡°The chaos of the Eternal Veil may be fundamentally impossible to ¡®adapt¡¯ to. If both the new routes plan and the adaption plan fail¡­¡±


    ¡°Then we go to the Spirit Realm, and if the Spirit Realm still doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll launch an all-out assault on the Mysterious Deep Sea,¡± Banster said calmly. ¡°Since there are people in this world who can summon demons to the reality dimension, then we can also go to the worlds of those demons. If they can survive in the Mysterious Deep Sea, so can we¨Cif that still doesn¡¯t work, we still have Subspace.¡±


    This time, even Sherry couldn¡¯t help but speak up: ¡°Sub¡­ Subspace?¡±


    Banster nodded gently: ¡°No one has survived Subspace, all mortals who have witnessed it dissolve into eternal madness and distortion. But if we truly reach the last moment, Subspace might also be an option¨Cany choice, even the worst one, is better than walking sedately and submissively to that end.¡±


    Sherry and Nina both fell silent, expressions akin to being struck with awe appearing on their faces.


    Duncan showed a contemplative expression. He gazed at the four figures across the table for a long time before softly speaking, ¡°Is this the ¡®revelation¡¯ you¡¯ve received?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a revelation, it¡¯s just the ¡®advice¡¯ we received from the weak and chaotic exchanges, time after time,¡± Helena said slowly as she raised her hand and traced the insignias of storms and deep seas on her chest. ¡°They want us to survive at all costs, to live on by any means necessary.¡±


    Duncan did not respond immediately.


    He was lost in thought, somewhat shaken.


    He admitted that these people, who always seemed belated and somewhat sluggish in every ¡®event¡¯, were doing more than he had imagined.


    Compared to the ancient gods and Homeloss, they indeed had not much power¨Cbut they were trying to do things neither Homeloss nor the ancient gods could do.


    After an unknown stretch of silence, he finally broke the quiet: ¡°I would like to know the progress you¡¯ve made so far.¡±


    Helena hesitated a few seconds before sighing softly, ¡°¡­Unfortunately, our progress is still limited¨Cwe¡¯ve established several forward bases at the critical point within six nautical miles of the Eternal Veil, barely able to hold our ground there, but that¡¯s about it¡­ No one has yet to break the ¡®record¡¯ left by Homeloss.¡±


    ¡°Something happened to Homeloss after it returned from beyond six nautical miles of the Veil,¡± Duncan shook his head, his attitude quite candid, ¡°Strictly speaking, that was not a successful ¡®expeditionary record.''¡±


    The faces of the four pontiffs all turned slightly odd, obviously not comfortable in continuing this topic.


    Duncan did not mind; he simply adjusted his sitting posture and, after quickly organizing his thoughts, changed the subject: ¡°Since you are already facing barriers in this area, I happen to have some ¡®information¡¯ that might be of use to you, which you might find interesting.¡±


    Helena instinctively asked, ¡°Information?¡±


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    ¡°A couple of days ago, my daughter and I ¡®captured¡¯ a ship,¡± Duncan nodded, speaking at an unhurried pace, ¡°It was a large boat built by the Heretics, the base they used for the invasion of the Dreamscape during the incident at Light Breeze Harbor, covered in traces of bloody rites and profane creations¡­ But that¡¯s not the point.


    ¡°The point is, such a ship obviously couldn¡¯t dock and resupply at a normal City-State¨Cguess where its home port is?¡±


    Helena and Rune and the others looked at each other, but they almost immediately came to a realization¨CRune was the first to speak up: ¡°Wait, could it be¡­ the frontier?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re hiding in that thick fog,¡± Duncan didn¡¯t keep them in suspense, but nodded solemnly, ¡°That¡¯s a nest of the heretics, possibly even their biggest nest and ¡®headquarters¡¯, which they call a ¡®holy land.¡¯ I can¡¯t yet be sure of the exact state of this so-called ¡®holy land¡¯, nor can I confirm whether it¡¯s on the ¡®inside¡¯ or ¡®outside¡¯ of the six nautical mile limit, but even if it¡¯s on the comparatively stable inside, a ¡®Veil Colony¡¯ hidden in the Eternal Veil for a long time, even capable of operating stably as a large supply harbor, must surely be of great research value to us.¡±


    (Some family matters to attend to, I¡¯ll only be able to update once for the coming period¡­ Will resume as soon as things are handled. Facepalm.)

 Chapter 682 - Chapter 682 Chapter 679 The Signal Reappears

    Chapter 682: Chapter 679: The Signal Reappears Chapter 682: Chapter 679: The Signal Reappears A ¡°nest¡± that has been hidden in the dense fog on the border, possibly operating steadily for many years¨C¡°Veil Colony¡±¨Ccame as a shocking revelation to everyone in attendance, outside the view of the entire civilized world, even in the blind spots of the City-State Church¡¯s surveillance.


    ¡°For years, we have been looking for those heretics¡¯ nests,¡± Banster said with a hoarse, ominous voice, his expression extremely serious. ¡°Among the three main groups of heretics, the Doomsday Preachers are the ¡®freaks¡¯ of discontinuous timelines, the followers of the sun are the ones sheltered outside of reality by Black Sun, and only the heretics of extinction¡­ They theoretically must have one or multiple nests located in the real world, but for many years, we haven¡¯t been able to find these nests.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unexpected that it would be hidden in such a place,¡± Helena nodded in agreement, ¡°but this could explain why they¡¯ve managed to evade the Church¡¯s hunt for so many years¨Cif those heretics have truly found a way to survive in the Eternal Veil for a long time, they¡¯ve obviously taken a huge step ahead of us.¡±


    While saying this, she glanced at Rune on the other side of her: ¡°What do you think has enabled those heretics to survive on the border?¡±


    ¡°¡®Sanctuary¡¯ might not have been built by their own strength,¡± Rune shook his head, ¡°Technological development doesn¡¯t happen overnight. Even with all the forbidden knowledge that the heretics hold, they can¡¯t conjure such an advanced shelter beyond our imagination¨Cafter all, we¡¯ve all dealt with them, and we know very well what those heretics are capable of. I suspect they found some sort of natural ¡®legacy¡¯ in the fog¡­ after all, it¡¯s the border, anything is possible.¡±


    He suddenly stopped, raising his head to Duncan with a grave expression, ¡°From what you just said, it seems you haven¡¯t found the exact location of this ¡®nest¡¯? Then how do you confirm its¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I captured one of their ships¨Cat my command, the ship is now returning to ¡®Sanctuary,¡¯ which should take a few more days,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°Based on its current course, its destination should be a concealed location in the southeastern border, not too far from here¡­ Homeloss will depart soon to rendezvous with it before the ship enters the Veil. Are you interested in joining the action?¡±


    The bishops exchanged glances.


    From Duncan¡¯s first few words, they sensed the eerie and dangerous side of this ghost ship captain, but fortunately, this dangerous power was now on ¡°our side.¡±


    What they needed to consider now was simply how to respond to this ¡°invitation.¡±


    ¡°Southeastern border¡­ Death Church has a fleet right in that area,¡± Frem suddenly spoke, after a brief pause, and then glanced at Helena, ¡°¡®Tide¡¯ is also nearby, right? They should both be able to make it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Deep Sea Church can dispatch the nearest fleet,¡± Helena quickly nodded, her eyes on Duncan, ¡°Erasing the heretics¡¯ nest is our responsibility¨Cand we also know how to handle the ¡®contamination¡¯ they leave behind.¡±


    Several gazes fell on Banster, the black-robed elder merely nodded gravely without much expression: ¡°I will send ¡®Rest¡¯ and ¡®No Rest¡¯ over there; they are cutting-edge battleships with powerful firepower.¡±


    The bishops and archbishops nodded one after another, seemingly approving Banster¡¯s arrangement, but Duncan¡¯s attention still couldn¡¯t help but linger on the unique naming style of the Death Church¡¯s ships, and he couldn¡¯t resist commenting after holding back for a while: ¡°Sounds like sister ships? Quite a unique naming¡­¡±


    ¡°Death Church has many powerful battleships that are sister formations¨Cit¡¯s related to our faith,¡± Banster explained seriously, ¡°We believe that everything in the mortal world has ¡®two sides,¡¯ just like life and death are opposed and accompanying.¡±


    Duncan felt that the robed elder opposite him didn¡¯t seem to notice the thick sarcasm in his tone¨Cbut he thought it best to end the topic there.


    For he feared that the other side might soon come up with something like ¡®Nine Generations Joy Joy¡¯¡­


    ¡°Then, this matter is settled,¡± he nodded, somewhat abruptly bringing the conversation back on track, ¡°I will have the Homeloss lead your fleets to the ¡®rendezvous point,¡¯ but I must warn you beforehand, some time has passed since I ¡®captured¡¯ that ship. The heretics remaining at ¡®Sanctuary¡¯ must have already noticed this development. They are definitely prepared¨Ceither already evacuated or set up a counterattack in the nearby waters, or possibly even the Sanctuary itself has strong combat capabilities. You must consider these risks and variables in advance.¡±


    ¡°Risks and variables are always essential parts of erasing wicked filth,¡± Banster responded indifferently, his warriors were already accustomed.


    ¡°Alright, I will now share with you some intelligence I¡¯ve obtained from those heretics recently¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Sunlight streamed through the window, softly illuminating the room with a rich scent of ointment mixed with the invigorating fragrance of incense.


    Ted Riel stood in front of the window, lost in thought as he looked outside.


    From this spot, he could see the massive academy ark docked along the City-State¡¯s coastline and, in another direction, the steep ¡°shoreline¡± near the edge of the Fire Transmitter temple.


    On the streets, citizens could still be seen heading towards the docks occasionally, people rushing together to behold the stunningly impressive church ships. The celebratory banners hung between buildings still fluttered in the morning sun, and from somewhere, colorful confetti spiraled through the wind past the window, disappearing into the distant clear sky.


    People didn¡¯t know the details of this special ¡°meeting,¡± didn¡¯t know what matters the representatives of the gods had gathered to discuss, and no one knew about the turmoil brought by ¡°The Fifth Ark.¡± They didn¡¯t know the pontiffs had actually left the ark and headed to the Ghost Ship that had been feared and guarded against by the world for a century¨Cfor most ordinary people, these matters were too distant from their lives.


    ¡°¡­Ignorance is bliss sometimes.¡±


    Ted Riel withdrew his gaze from the street and murmured to himself.


    A voice almost immediately came from the bed nearby, ¡°But it¡¯s not very fortunate for a teacher if his students are that ¡®blessed.''¡±


    Ted Riel¡¯s mouth twitched as he turned to look at the scholar Taran El, who was lying in bed, ¡°Herniated discs don¡¯t stop you from making snide comments, do they?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s my discs that are bulging, not my vocal cords¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Next time you get hemorrhoids, I will make sure to eat three servings of Bay¡¯s extra spicy wraps in front of you within fifteen minutes!¡±


    ¡°Rahm protect us, as a distinguished Truth Confidant¨Ccan¡¯t you be a bit more gracious?¡± Taran El shifted on the bed, then grimaced and returned to his original position, ¡°I¡¯m already in this state¡­¡±


    Ted Riel made no reply to the big scholar who could do nothing but lie in bed due to his spinal illness and who, out of sheer boredom, could only tease him. After a moment of silence, his gaze turned outside the window again, ¡°I wonder what they are discussing today.¡±


    Taran El looked up at his friend who had come to visit him, ¡°You are a Truth Confidant¨Care you really completely in the dark?¡±


    ¡°The Pilgrimage Ark operates independently from the City-State system, as you well know,¡± Ted Riel shook his head, ¡°Some matters, once they spread beyond the ark, are a contamination to the entire world¨Cbeing too close to ordinary people naturally means being further from the most secretive cores.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s true,¡± Taran El thought for a moment and sighed, ¡°So you, this ¡®important person,¡¯ just have to come and keep this sick man company while the big bosses discuss matters¡­¡±


    Ted Riel gave no response, and his silence clearly bored the scholar even more¨CTaran El fell quiet for barely half a minute before he suddenly blurted out, ¡°Seriously, do you think the pontiffs might end up fighting with the ¡®captain¡¯ on that ship¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you think? Should I pass on your questions to Rune when he comes back and let him answer you personally?¡±


    Taran El shrugged and finally fell silent.


    Just then, a somewhat hurried set of footsteps suddenly came from the corridor, interrupting the ¡°warm and affectionate conversation¡± between the scholar and the confidant.


    A knock sounded, accompanied by a young man¡¯s somewhat anxious voice: ¡°Professor, there¡¯s a situation¡­¡±


    Taran El recognized his student¡¯s voice and immediately said without waiting for Ted to speak, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The room¡¯s door was pushed open, and a clumsy young apprentice entered with a bunch of papers in his hands.


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    But just as he was about to speak, he saw the Truth Confidant standing in the room and suddenly stood still, forgetting his words.


    Ted Riel was the first to break the silence, ¡°Your teacher is currently battling his spinal discs, so if it¡¯s just some academic issue, ask me.¡±


    Taran El struggled to sit up from his bed, grimacing as he turned to the nervous young apprentice standing in the middle of the room, ¡°Joshua, calm down¨Cwhat¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh!¡± The young apprentice finally snapped back to reality, quickly bowed to the Truth Confidant, then hurriedly ran to his teacher¡¯s bedside, ¡°Professor, there¡¯s been a situation at the maritime research station, they received a signal, coming from the center of that ¡®luminous body¡¯¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he handed the long strip of paper covered with waveform diagrams to Taran El.


    ¡°This signal¡­ it¡¯s very similar to the one that came from the luminous body during the period when the sun extinguished¡­¡±

 Chapter 683 - Chapter 683 Chapter 680 After the Meeting Ends

    Chapter 683: Chapter 680: After the Meeting Ends Chapter 683: Chapter 680: After the Meeting Ends Hearing the report from the apprentice Joshua, Taran El and Ted Riel almost simultaneously looked at each other, and before the latter could speak, Taran had already turned his head to the apprentice and said, ¡°Next room, by the window, the second door on the left of the iron cabinet, blue paper tape box¨Crun!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ okay!!¡± Joshua hurriedly responded and ran out of the room¨Cthen there was a series of sounds of him bumping into something in the corridor and rummaging through the next room¨Cjust before Ted Riel started to worry that this bumbling young man was planning to take down the building, he rushed back in, holding a sealed file box.


    Ted Riel took out the records from the file box and compared them with the paper tape that Joshua had just brought into the room, then went over to the bedside where Taran El was lying and showed him both records.


    Taran El¡¯s gaze landed on both new and old paper tapes, scrutinizing each peak and valley, his face gradually becoming grim.


    ¡°Is it the same signal?¡± The voice of the Truth Confidant asked from nearby.


    Taking into account the distortion caused by interference and possible errors from the instrument itself¡­ it should be the same signal for sure,¡± said Taran El solemnly.


    ¡°¡­ This is the ¡®light signal¡¯ that Miss Lucrecia previously recorded on the Brilliant Starship,¡± Ted Riel stared at the record previously sealed in the tape box, contemplating, ¡°It was released cyclically from within the ¡®luminous body¡¯ during the period when the sun had extinguished, but we have yet to decrypt its meaning¡­¡±


    He suddenly raised his head and looked out the window at the sky.


    The sun was slowly approaching the rooftops of distant buildings, the magnificent double Rune Circle was shimmering brilliantly in the sky, the spectacular corona still radiating endless light and heat¨Cdusk was nearing, but the anomaly 001 showed no signs of extinguishing at all.


    Yet near Light Breeze Harbor, the ¡°Luminous Geometric Body¡± suddenly began to release this strange signal that had appeared during the last sun-extinguishing period¡­ Why is that?


    ¡°Has this signal been repeating?¡± Taran El asked his student.


    ¡°Yes¡­ yes, it has,¡± Joshua nodded hurriedly, evidently very nervous, ¡°this signal had already repeated three times by the time the observatory sent over the data¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you make of this?¡± Taran El turned his head, looking towards his old friend.


    ¡°¡­ I need to personally visit the observatory; these signals feel very unusual, I always feel that the weird ¡®Luminous Geometric Body¡¯ is trying to ¡®communicate¡¯ with the outside world. Perhaps I might find some clues if I go there,¡± Ted Riel spoke briskly, while walking towards a nearby coat rack, grabbing his coat and hat, ¡°I also need to inform a few from the gathering at ¡®The Fifth Ark¡¯, they might not have noticed the anomaly yet¡­¡±


    The Truth Confidant was prepared to leave, picking up his thick book filled with the Art of Miracles, and flipped open to a page depicting a ¡°door.¡± But suddenly, he stopped and looked up at the scholar lying in the hospital bed.


    Taran El suddenly felt a tinge of unease: ¡°¡­ Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°If anything happens with the sun again, you stay put in bed¨Cyour last astonishing act already impacted the entire academy¡¯s safety evaluation.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! My spinal discs are nearly protruding through my hip; where could I possibly go!¡± Taran El¡¯s eyes widened in an instant, and had his spine allowed, he would have leapt up to bite him, ¡°Do you think I enjoy running across rooftops of teaching buildings and bell towers?¡±


    However, Ted Riel shook his head at his words: ¡°¡­ Experience tells me that a herniated disc doesn¡¯t completely stop your curiosity¨Cif the target holds enough research value, you could climb out of that bed.¡±


    As he spoke, the Truth Confidant leisurely approached the scholar¡¯s bedside and casually tapped on his book of Miracles¨Ca small, illusory scalpel subsequently appeared in his hand.


    Taran El instantly realized what his prior unease was about, and he screamed, ¡°What are you doing¡­ I warn you, Ted¡­ you can¡¯t¡­ TMD you can¡¯t do this!¡±


    Ted Riel paid no mind to the scholar¡¯s protest, and he remotely pointed the scalpel towards Taran El, tapping the void three times: ¡°This will effectively restrain you in this bed¨Crest assured, I will cure you when I return.¡±


    ¡°Ted you XX! The god of wisdom didn¡¯t grant you the knowledge of disease and treatment for you to do this! I¡­ (Elf curse) (Light Breeze Harbor curse) (vulgarity too obscene to mention)!!¡±


    The room filled with the emotionally charged yet not so powerful yelling of the scholar, but the Truth Confidant had already turned and walked through a door that appeared out of thin air, leaving behind only the flustered apprentice Joshua, helplessly facing his teacher.


    ¡°¡­ What are you staring at, hurry up and bring me the hemorrhoid cream for your master!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh!¡±


    ¡­


    The main part of the meeting had ended¨Cafter exchanging enough intelligence and reaching a series of open ¡°Cooperation Agreements,¡± Duncan and several church leaders present announced the adjournment.


    However, unlike a normal ¡°meeting,¡± there were no flashing cameras, no horde of journalists recording this precious moment, nor any photos or footage to preserve any intelligence discussed during the meeting¨Cnot even a page of agreement left on paper.


    Because the issues discussed here were far too sensitive, any form of meeting record might result in unforeseen ¡°changes¡± someday in the future.


    But all participants did not mind, for they believed that the witnessing of the four gods was enough.


    The bishops left the venue first¨CLucrecia¡¯s servants led these guests to a temporarily arranged rest area on the deck, where tea and snacks had been prepared in advance, and in half an hour, there would also be a small barbecue gathering on the deck.


    Many attendees still felt a sense of unreality, after all¡­ enjoying a sumptuous dinner on the deck of the Homeloss under the sea breeze¨Cperhaps even the world¡¯s most imaginative poets and playwrights would not dare to concoct this scene with a clear mind.


    Others had different concerns¨Cthey were still worried about the ¡°food safety¡± on board, although they had now accepted the fact that ¡°Captain Duncan was humane and had established a cooperation with the church,¡± they still felt that there might be something harmful to ordinary people¡¯s physical and mental health on the ship, especially at the so-called ¡°barbecue gathering.¡±


    ¡­ Actually, their concerns were quite valid.


    But it was useless.


    Because it was not yet time to return to the Pilgrimage Ark¨Cthe four Popes still stayed at the venue, the ¡°closed-door meeting¡± after the public meeting was the truly important part.


    ¡°Now that only we remain,¡± Duncan looked at the four sitting opposite him in the suddenly quiet and spacious hall, ¡°we can discuss some matters not suitable to bring up publicly.¡±


    ¡°Where would you like to start?¡± Helena said, ¡°We will answer all your questions as best as we can.¡±


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not really a question,¡± Duncan thought for a moment and began at a moderate pace, ¡°I just want to know, those actions of yours in the border seas¡­ do you plan to keep them hidden from the City-States forever? I¡¯m not referring to the search for the gods, but the search for new routes. If you indeed find new routes, how do you plan to persuade those City-States, which had no knowledge of these plans, to undergo such large-scale population migrations? And those other ambitious ¡®migration¡¯ plans¡­¡±


    He paused, his expression becoming serious, ¡°To be honest, they sound very exciting, but once you think calmly, you can see that there are too many hasty decisions and presumptive elements, especially since you plan to accomplish these ¡®feats¡¯ alone while keeping the whole world in the dark¨Cwhat do you think the real success rate is?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Keeping it a secret was a necessary action, there¡¯s too much intelligence that cannot be made known to the public, and those ¡®secrets¡¯ involving the border could easily lead to disasters if leaked to the ordinary City-States,¡± Helena sighed, ¡°Of course, your doubts are valid; there are indeed many hasty and presumptive elements in these plans, and no matter what, these large-scale operations cannot be kept secret forever¡­ I can only say that we did not expect the situation to deteriorate so rapidly at the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Our initial planning spanned several centuries,¡± Frem next to her nodded, ¡°If we had enough time to buffer, we could have smoothly advanced these matters with the efforts of several generations, and we¡¯d have more energy to discern and handle intelligence about the borders, safely conveying it to the various City-States. Now¡­ we can only say time is too tight.¡±


    ¡°Time¡­ time indeed is too tight,¡± Duncan sighed lightly, knowing that Helena and Frem were stating the inevitable truth, so he didn¡¯t linger on this topic. Instead, he turned to Fenna after a sigh, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else. Fenna, you have something you wanted to discuss with Lord Frem, right?¡±


    Sitting across the table, the tall, grey-skinned Pope of the Flame Transmitter, Frem, seemed slightly startled, then adjusted his posture as if realizing something, and looked earnestly at Fenna.


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    After a slight nod, Fenna stood up and walked toward the corner of the hall¨Cmoments later, she returned, carrying an unusually large object in front of everyone.


    It was the ¡°staff¡± left by Tarrikin.


    ¡°Be careful with the beams¡­¡± Duncan couldn¡¯t help but caution on the side, ¡°and the pillars¡­¡±


    Fenna nodded, carefully not to damage anything in the hall with the staff, which resembled the trunk of a giant tree, then slowly placed it on the table in front of everyone.


    ¡°This is the ¡®Chronicle Pillar¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 684 - Chapter 684 Chapter 681 Madness

    Chapter 684: Chapter 681 ¡°Madness¡±? Chapter 684: Chapter 681 ¡°Madness¡±? Frem¡¯s gaze was instantly drawn to the massive ¡°staff,¡± and he stared at it for a long time before squeezing out some words from his lips, ¡°¡­the eternal burning kindling¡­¡±


    After several seconds of silence, he finally lifted his head, his gaze falling on Fenna and Duncan, ¡°You brought it out, is¡­¡±


    ¡°This was Fenna¡¯s idea,¡± Duncan shook his head and took a half step back, ¡°She believes the staff should be handed over to the Church of the Flame Transmitter.¡±


    Frem¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and he looked at Miss Judge in astonishment.


    ¡°Tarrikin left this staff with me as a memento of parting, but at that time, He was unaware of the existence of the Mysterious Deep Sea era,¡± Fenna sighed softly, speaking in a calm tone, ¡°Perhaps the Tarrikin I saw was just a shadow, perhaps the Senkin People of the Mysterious Deep Sea era were just ¡®Replicas¡¯ recreated after the third long night, but some things¡­ belong to whom they should, and the legacy of a civilization should not become a personal collection. It would be more meaningful to hand it over to the Church of the Flame Transmitter than to keep it in my hands.¡±


    The table fell quiet for a while, Helena, Rune, and Banster exchanged glances and then wisely shut their mouths, while Frem slowly reached out his hand, his rock-like fingers carefully rubbing the rough surface of the staff.


    The dense inscriptions on the staff seemed to be engraved with solidified time, silently telling the tale of a civilization long forgotten by sentient beings, a race that staggered up from the wilderness, walked toward glory, and then to its conclusion.


    But Frem could not even recognize a single character on it¨Che only felt that every mark on it was incredibly familiar, so familiar as if it were etched into his own soul. Yet it was also peculiarly foreign, strange like text from another dimension.


    A complex emotion welled up from deep within him.


    ¡°The Elves had the same feeling as you when they first excavated those scrolls from the Dark Isles,¡± Rune suddenly broke the silence from the side, the elderly elf watching the changes in Frem¡¯s expression and spoke out, ¡°We¡¯ve been through it, I understand.¡±


    ¡°¡­This carries a complete evolution of text; we will always figure out their meanings,¡± Frem said softly, ¡°The Flame Transmitters are experts in this.¡±


    He suddenly raised his head, his expression especially solemn as he looked into Fenna¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I will imprint all the marks here for the study of the Senkin People¡¯s text and history¨Cwe only need to take these.¡±


    Fenna hesitated, puzzled and surprised, ¡°Of course that¡¯s fine¡­ but what do you mean, the staff¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift from my Lord to you, leaving it in your hands is the will of the Saint,¡± Frem slowly shook his head, ¡°And Miss Fenna, the legacy of a civilization is not this staff brought out from the Dreamscape¨Cthe real legacy is here, it is the history recorded in these inscriptions.¡±


    The fingers of the Pope of the Flame Transmitter gently brushed the surface of the staff, and at those uneven notches, his fingertips seemed to have touched the ancient lost years.


    ¡°Even today, whether we are willing to admit it or not, the content recorded in the Book of Desecration by those Heretics can no longer be denied. The true history of our world begins with the third long night; everything in this mundane world is a ¡®Replica¡¯ born from ashes. And for a world replicated in ashes¡­ the significance of excavating ¡®memories¡¯ and ¡®history¡¯ has far surpassed the pursuit of ¡®relics¡¯ themselves¨CMiss Fenna, we only need to take the text from here.¡±


    Fenna blinked, finding the situation somewhat beyond her expectations. She subconsciously looked up at Duncan, who nodded at her slightly.


    ¡°¡­I understand,¡± Fenna let out a soft breath, ¡°Then I will take good care of it, treating it as an object equivalent to honor and life.¡±


    ¡°Very well, that settles this question, then,¡± Duncan broke the silence. He stepped forward, a faint smile on his face, but quickly he seemed to remember something and couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°¡­But speaking of which, after Fenna brought this ¡®Chronicle Pillar¡¯ into the real world, your Church of the Flame Transmitter also hasn¡¯t received any ¡®feedback¡¯ or ¡®revelation¡¯ from Tarrikin?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Frem shook his head and admitted frankly, ¡°As we just mentioned in the meeting, the connection between our world and the divine has become exceptionally difficult. Not only is the ¡®voice¡¯ itself becoming weaker, but even the information that barely comes through¡­ is increasingly mixed with more interference and noise. Now the only good news is that the ¡®powers¡¯ bestowed by the gods still work on the Endless Sea, but apart from that, none of us four have heard a clear voice from ¡®Them¡¯ in years.¡±


    ¡°I can only access the Goddess¡¯s vague revelations and occasional guidance,¡± Fenna immediately added from the side, ¡°Although the Goddess still responds quickly to my calls, that ¡®response¡¯ has indeed always been very vague.¡±


    ¡°The decline and death of gods is a process utterly unlike that of mortals,¡± Rune also spoke up, ¡°We still can¡¯t decipher the secrets therein, but clearly, They are still rational to this day¨Conly this ¡®rationality¡¯ can no longer be accurately conveyed to the minds of mortals, as if some sort of ¡®cognitive dissonance¡¯ has arisen between the two. This ¡®dissonance¡¯ is making it increasingly difficult for our minds to understand Their ¡®voices¡¯¡­¡±


    Rune paused for a moment and, after a brief reflection, continued with a hint of hesitation, ¡°Frankly, this makes me think of the ¡®Mad Bird¡¯ tale again.¡±


    Helena¡¯s expression changed slightly in an instant. She seemed to understand Rune¡¯s meaning at once, ¡°Are you saying¡­ the essence of the ¡®death state¡¯ of the gods is gradually deviating from our world on a ¡®cognitive¡¯ level? The interference and noise that have been growing stronger over the years that we have received from the ark¡­ Are they some kind of intensifying ¡®Madman Bird Effect¡¯?¡±


    ¡°This is a speculation I¡¯ve only recently come up with¨Cafter the incident at Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Rune nodded gently, ¡°It is also the only speculation so far that can explain the increasingly intense ¡®noise.''¡±


    Duncan had been silently listening to the discussion among the judges until they nearly concluded their talk, at which point he suddenly spoke up, ¡°In fact¡­ I was about to say, I can occasionally ¡®hear¡¯ Their voices, or see the messages They have sent.¡±


    Helena and Frem and the others instantly fell silent.


    The four judges slowly turned their heads, eyes landing on Duncan with expressions akin to having seen a ghost¨C


    To be fair, with their abilities, they probably would have been much calmer if they had actually seen a ghost.


    ¡°Are you telling the truth?!¡± Helena was the first to speak, ¡°You¡¯re saying you can clearly hear the voices of the gods? They even¡­ send you messages?!¡±


    Even the always composed Frem couldn¡¯t maintain his composure, the Judge of the Senkin People, who resembled a small giant, came directly around the table to face Duncan, ¡°You have direct contact with the gods? Through what means have you made contact?!¡±


    ¡°Stop, stop, stop, I only said ¡®occasionally,''¡± Duncan quickly waved his hands, knowing that the four judges before him were clearly misunderstanding, ¡°That can¡¯t be called any ¡®direct contact,¡¯ but indeed¡­ it¡¯s quite clear. In fact, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re always talking about¨C¡®noise¡¯ and ¡®interference.¡¯ I¡¯ve never encountered them.¡±


    The judges exchanged looks.


    Duncan, however, didn¡¯t hide the several instances where he coincidentally heard or saw messages from the gods¨Cincluding annotations he had seen, or traces of divine communication he had witnessed in that eerie, dark space.


    Of course, he kept the specific contents of these communications to himself.


    Afterward, the hall fell quiet for a long time.


    It was Frem, the composed Senkin, who first broke the silence, looking at Rune, ¡°¡­This at least seems to prove that ¡®They¡¯ are indeed still sane.¡±


    ¡°Yes, maintaining sanity,¡± Rune snapped out of a brief daze, immediately beginning to think, ¡°If this is true¡­ If my speculation just now isn¡¯t too far off¡­¡±


    He paused for a moment, quickly organizing his thoughts clearly¨C


    ¡°The whole situation could be interpreted like this: The gods still have sanity, but Their ¡®sanity¡¯ has begun to deviate from the minds of mortals, even from the whole world, making it difficult for us to contact Them, or even the world beginning to be contaminated by Them. On the other hand, Captain Duncan, due to his own uniqueness, is completely unaffected by this ¡®deviation¡¯¡­¡±


    Rune suddenly stopped again, feeling as if there were still some ambiguities or unexplainable contradictions in his ¡®theory,¡¯ and fell back into thought. It was at this moment that Duncan suddenly thought of something else.


    ¡°I remember¡­ according to the recognized conclusions of scholars and the church in the current world, the ¡®Mysterious Saint¡¯ in the Mysterious Deep Sea is an ancient god that has completely lost control and gone mad?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rune replied immediately without any hesitation, ¡°The Mysterious Saint is an existence completely devoid of sanity, just like the Black Sun. We have direct evidence of this¨Calthough humans can¡¯t enter the Mysterious Deep Sea alive, through complex and dangerous rituals, we are able to ¡®observe¡¯ the conditions at that depth¡­¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯ve chatted with the Mysterious Saint too,¡± Duncan shrugged, ¡°Frankly speaking, I think His mental state is actually quite fine¨Calthough He¡¯s been saying He¡¯s been having a rough time lately.¡±


    Rune: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Duncan looked at the ghost-like expressions on the faces of several judges, hesitated for a moment, but decided to continue anyway¨Cafter all, the atmosphere had reached this point.


    ¡°Also, about the ¡®Black Sun¡¯ we just mentioned¡­ I¡¯ve met Him too, although we only exchanged a sentence or two¨CHe really does seem to be having a tough time.¡±


    Rune, Helena, Banster, and Frem all shared one expression: ¡°¡­?!¡±

 Chapter 685 - Chapter 685 Chapter 682 Starlight Overflows

    Chapter 685: Chapter 682: Starlight Overflows Chapter 685: Chapter 682: Starlight Overflows Clearly, the news that Duncan suddenly revealed was somewhat shocking to the several pontiffs¨Ctheir worldviews were stunned for quite a while, and, in the end, they still hadn¡¯t fully recovered.


    After omitting any information related to Alice¡¯s Mansion, Duncan briefly told Rune and the others about his exchange with the Black Sun and the Mysterious Saint.


    He wasn¡¯t worried that this information would ¡°contaminate¡± those currently present. On one hand, his followers had already been baptized with his ¡°Spiritual Fire,¡± which, as proven, provided them with a high resistance to psychic contamination. On the other hand, the pontiffs present dealt almost daily with psychic contamination and appeared to be highly resistant; they certainly wouldn¡¯t go insane from hearing a few words about ancient gods¨Cif the bishopric had still been present, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have mentioned these matters.


    Helena and the others looked at each other, and after a moment of thought and hesitation, three gazes fell on Rune.


    The short, plump elven elder¡¯s expression became a little awkward: ¡°¡­Why are all of you looking at me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the most knowledgeable among us,¡± Helena said with a sincere face.


    Banster followed with a nod: ¡°You often have unique insights and premonitory sharpness in the profound domain of mystical studies.¡±


    Frem didn¡¯t say a word, continuing to stare at Rune without blinking.


    Rune¡¯s expression subtly fell silent for a few seconds before, after a moment of thought, he seemed to suddenly think of something and turned to look at Duncan, who stood nearby, with the demeanor of a spectator: ¡°You are certain that you heard the clear and rational voices of the Mysterious Saint and the Black Sun, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m certain,¡± Duncan spread his hands, ¡°as rational as the conversation we¡¯re having now.¡±


    ¡°Then the second question,¡± Rune pondered slightly, his expression becoming very serious, ¡°¡­Since returning from the Subspace to the real world, have you encountered any ¡®chaotic creations¡¯ that were completely impossible to communicate with, impossible to understand, and utterly indescribable from your perspective?¡±


    Duncan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this and then faintly understood the old pontiff¡¯s point. After a moment of pondering, he spoke: ¡°¡­I have encountered many ¡®chaotic, disordered, uncommunicative freaks¡¯ by mortal standards, but almost every time¡­ I¡¯ve heard useful information amidst their noise-like roar¡­ Sometimes, I even feel that they are intentionally talking to me.¡±


    He paused there, but there was still half a sentence he didn¡¯t say out loud¨Che had always thought this was normal!


    Rune, upon hearing Duncan¡¯s reply, showed a noticeable change of expression. His brow furrowed instantly, and Helena also reacted: ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re saying¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­In the ¡®captain¡¯s¡¯ eyes, there are no ancient gods that are madly out of control,¡± Rune looked into Duncan¡¯s eyes, speaking slowly with a serious expression, ¡°You can understand those voices that have completely deviated from the ¡®benchmark of rationality¡¯ under any circumstances, even those entities that would make mortals crumble into madness upon one glance, to you, they¡¯re probably understandable and communicable.¡±


    The hall became quiet for a time, aside from Eli, who didn¡¯t think enough, and Sherry, who didn¡¯t think at all; everyone began to subconsciously ponder what this meant and the ¡°cause¡± behind this unbelievable ¡°phenomenon.¡±


    In the contemplation, Morris broke the silence in a low voice: ¡°If we follow the ¡®cognitive deviation¡¯ hypothesis you just proposed, teacher, it means that the captain¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter how much everything deviates, it¡¯s still within his range of cognition,¡± Rune slowly nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a bit like¡­ Wait, wait, I need paper and pen!¡±


    Morris quickly reacted: ¡°Here it is.¡±


    A piece of paper was rapidly spread out on the table, and Rune took a pencil. With the curious gaze of others upon him, he bent down and began to quickly sketch diagrams on the paper¨Cyet to Duncan¡¯s surprise, they weren¡¯t any complex mystical sigils nor profound mathematical formulas; what Rune drew were simply seemingly loose, random rings.


    He drew many such circular patterns¨Cthey were randomly distributed on the paper, some overlapping each other, some barely intersecting at the edges, and some completely independent.


    ¡°Remember the Great Obliteration, and the conjecture about the formation of the new world after it¡­¡± Rune spoke rapidly while drawing, ¡°Many worlds collided, and their debris accumulated to form the foundation of the new world. I call these accumulated debris ¡®Original Ashes¡¯, and these ashes carried the ¡®rules¡¯ of their respective worlds when they first emerged. We consider the ashes that have the same set of rules as one of these rings¡­


    ¡°Yes, the concept of sets. Each world¡¯s remaining ¡®Original Ashes¡¯ is a subset. You see these intersecting rings? Those intersections are the ¡®compatible¡¯ parts among the Original Ashes¡­


    ¡°During the Third Long Night, the compatible Original Ashes were recombined to form our current Deep Sea Era¡­ The ¡®intersection¡¯ of sets, right, right here¡­¡±


    Rune stopped, pointing to the center of the paper with his pencil.


    Several large and small rings converged there, with an area the size of a fingernail cap where the rings intersected.


    ¡°This is our Deep Sea Era¡­ The Original Ashes from the debris of various worlds that could ¡®compatibly¡¯ just manage to ¡®exist¡¯ under the same set of rules, they together constructed this Endless Sea and the many City-States upon the Endless Sea¡­


    ¡°And outside of this ¡®intersection¡¯, in the other non-intersecting parts of these rings, that is their ¡®difference set¡¯, lie the things we can come into contact with, yet are unable to understand, unable to control¨Cthese things drift on the edge of our real world, perhaps manifesting as anomalies, perhaps as exceptions, or maybe other eldritch phenomena, contamination carriers¡­¡±


    Rune considered for a moment, then pointed to the rings that were isolated from all others, having no contact with any other figures.


    ¡°Here then, is the realm of the profane archetypes, the place of the Black Sun, other lost ancient gods, and the exiled clans. We have completely failed to comprehend their existence; they no longer fit within our reality. Some of them have utterly vanished into the darkness while others¡­ still drift as Original Ashes in¡­ some kind of spatial-temporal existence we cannot comprehend.¡±


    Morris, looking at the simple and clear figures his teacher sketched out on the paper, quickly understood: ¡°We are located within the ¡®intersection¡¯ range, hence we can only ¡®understand¡¯ the information within the intersection range, and anything beyond that is indescribable noise and shadows to us¡­¡±


    Rune nodded, ¡°Yes, that is the ¡®truth¡¯ that this model reveals.¡±


    Morris continued, ¡°But for the captain, whether it¡¯s the ¡®bizarre shadows¡¯ outside the intersection, or those lost ancient gods that exist completely outside the set system, they are all understandable¨CIn his eyes, there is no world ¡®outside the intersection¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°As you say¡­¡±


    Duncan stood by, listening silently to these discussions.


    They were discussing him, trying to use a set of logic to explain him, trying to comprehend, to understand, to touch his ¡°true mystery¡±.


    But he did not care.


    He just listened quietly, thoughtfully while he listened.


    He watched the patterns that Rune sketched out, watched the intersecting, overlapping, independent circles, watched those ¡°primitive ashes¡± drifting and scattered among these ruins, watched that paper.


    Somehow, he recalled the experience in Subspace not too long ago, recalled the overflowing starlight he had seen in the eyes of the pale giants¡­


    Fenna also approached the paper, looked at the patterns on it, and couldn¡¯t help but ask softly, ¡°So where is the captain positioned¡­¡±


    Rune answered gravely, ¡°Only under one condition can a ¡®universal set¡¯ contain all the subsets that have appeared here, as well as those that have not yet appeared.¡±


    Fenna thought for a moment, stretched out her hand and made a gesture on the paper, ¡°A bigger circle that encompasses them all?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Morris shook his head.


    Then, the old scholar stepped forward half a step, placing his hand gently on the paper.


    ¡°It¡¯s this paper.¡±


    As his words fell, he looked up around him.


    Endless starlight filled his vision, his memories, his cognition.


    Filled the eyes of everyone in the hall.


    Helena¡¯s eyes widened amidst the starlight, in the towering waves of truth that arose, she felt her sanity faltering; she saw in the starlight a shifting shadow, a silhouette, approaching her with a roar¨C


    ¡°Is it not incredible?¡±


    Rune stood stiffly in the starlight, noise and tremor squeezing out from his rationale, ¡°Truth¡­ sublime beauty¡­¡±


    Then, all the starlight suddenly vanished¨CThe vast, undulating shadow contracted and collapsed into the reality of the hall in a fraction of a second that humans could not perceive.


    Fenna barely freed herself from the horrifying afterimage caused by the starlight, and amid intense dizziness, she saw the captain walk towards the table and slowly roll up the paper.


    ¡°I have some advice for you,¡± Duncan turned his head and looked into Rune¡¯s eyes, ¡°Next time you discuss me, take more precautions.¡±


    The terrifying afterimage left by the starlight finally completely receded¨Cthe paper had been fully rolled up by Duncan and casually stuffed into his clothes.


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    As ¡°truth¡± was temporarily masked, sanity abruptly returned to everyone¡¯s minds.


    Banster took in a deep breath, he instinctively stepped back, then glared at Rune, ¡°I should have kept my distance from ¡®scholars¡¯ like you from the start!¡±


    ¡°It was you who asked me to analyze!¡± Rune took a couple of deep breaths, first glanced at Duncan with lingering fear, then turned to the party of three including Banster, ¡°Tell me if it worked or not!¡±


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± Morris, however, turned to look at Duncan with a somewhat embarrassed expression, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, curiosity is human instinct,¡± Duncan, however, smiled, his face conveyed the usual gentle and forgiving demeanor, ¡°Fortunately, everyone survived.¡±

 Chapter 686 - Chapter 686 Chapter 683 Extinguished Again

    Chapter 686: Chapter 683: Extinguished Again Chapter 686: Chapter 683: Extinguished Again Now, every person who remained here had gained a further understanding of the master of Homeloss¨Cat least, from the standpoint of ¡°enhancing understanding and strengthening dialogue,¡± they had achieved half of their goal.


    Unfortunately, an awkward silence had taken hold in the hall following this ¡°enhanced understanding.¡± Several Popes, including Helena, seemed momentarily unsure whether or not to continue the conversation, while Fenna and Morris appeared still a bit tense. Sherry was comforting the restless Agou, and Nina was curiously sizing up Duncan¨Cthose abruptly appearing starlights hadn¡¯t affected her at all.


    Lucresia watched everyone in the hall with a half-smile, her expression mysteriously bordering on schadenfreude for some unknown reason.


    Only Alice¨Cthe Porcelain Miss¨Cmaintained her consistently detached demeanor, still lost in her thoughts. She had switched off her mind when Rune began using the concept of ¡°congregation¡± to explain the world, and it took her quite a while before she seemed to suddenly snap back to reality, looking around with surprise and confusion, ¡°It¡¯s over? Is it time for dinner?¡±


    The Porcelain Miss¡¯s out-of-touch remark finally broke the awkward silence at the scene. Banster raised his head, his gaze falling on Duncan, and it took him several seconds before he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What exactly was that just now?¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Frem, who was closest to him, swiftly stepped several paces to the side.


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking,¡± Banster said, glancing at Helena and Rune, who had also stepped aside, and shook his head somewhat helplessly.


    ¡°There are many secrets about me, some of which¡­ even I do not fully understand,¡± Duncan replied, seemingly unconcerned, shaking his head with resignation. Then he looked at Rune, who was standing opposite him, with a serious expression, ¡°However, I am very grateful for the speculations that you and Morris just made¡­ Your line of thought has cleared some of my confusion.¡±


    ¡°Then I hope the next time you clear up your confusion, you could give us a heads-up,¡± Rune said with a touch of helplessness, ¡°Though that request might sound a bit insensitive.¡±


    Duncan chuckled: ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    This dangerous topic had finally come to an end, yet the thoughts stirred by the ¡°congregation model¡± proposed by Rune continued to linger in many people¡¯s minds. Duncan returned to his spot and felt for the folded piece of paper in his pocket¨Chis fingers brushed against it again¨C


    Primitive ash, the ¡°intersections¡± of the world¡¯s principles, the conflict between compatibility and incompatibility, the perspective of Observers within the subset, and¡­


    He took his hand out of his pocket and breathed out softly.


    Lucresia couldn¡¯t help but look towards Duncan.


    A sense of inexplicable palpitations suddenly surged, making her heart throb violently for a few beats. She looked subconsciously at her father but felt that, just for a moment, just as her gaze shifted, her father seemed¡­ no longer there.


    He had gone to a very far, so far that he was no longer in this world, in that brief moment¡­ Lucresia felt as though she had experienced the sensation of watching Homeloss enter the thick fog at the border, much like a century ago.


    But that was just a momentary illusion, and when she blinked again, Duncan¡¯s figure was still sitting there, as if he had never moved from the beginning.


    ¡°So, what are the next questions?¡± Duncan looked up and asked the group, including Helena and Rune, who had also just settled back into their seats.


    Alice scratched her hair and sat back down beside Duncan: ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not over yet.¡±


    Rune, on the opposite side, glanced at Alice with a subtly nuanced look and began to gather his thoughts. But just as he was about to speak, he suddenly stopped.


    He frowned slightly as if he were straining to listen to a distant sound. Seeing this, Helena immediately caught on, ¡°Is there a message?¡±


    ¡°Spiritual Energy communication from Light Breeze Harbor, Ted Riel is contacting me,¡± Rune looked up, his expression growing solemn, ¡°He said the research facility set up near that ¡®Luminous Geometric Body¡¯ suddenly received some signals released from within the light body¡­¡±


    As he spoke, his gaze fell on Lucresia.


    ¡°The exact same signal that the Brilliant Starship had received during the previous sun extinction event.¡±


    Lucresia stood up abruptly.


    It was now dusk¨Cthe sun had not yet fully set.


    Anomaly 001 was gradually moving closer to the sea level. About one-third of the two brilliant Rune Circles of light were now touching the distant ocean. The sunlight between the sky and the sea created a majestic sunset, bathing the entire sea area with a sprinkling of golden light.


    In a different direction, over the waters near Light Breeze Harbor, the massive ¡°Luminous Geometric Body¡± still floated quietly on the sea surface. Another pale golden ¡°sunlight¡± emanated from the geometric center, evenly spreading over the surrounding sea, creating a unique scene where ¡°two kinds of sunlights intertwined between the sky and the sea.¡±


    The ¡°sunlight¡± released from the Luminous Geometric Body was warm and calm, seemingly no different from any other time.


    However, according to the records from highly sensitive observation equipment¨Cthe specific spectra within that ¡°sunlight¡± were now ¡°vibrating¡± periodically in an extremely complex pattern, continuously releasing wave signals that were difficult to comprehend.


    Duncan and the others arrived at the stern deck, gazing at the colossal Luminous Geometric Body near Light Breeze Harbor amidst the intertwined glow of twilight.


    Frem looked towards Rune, his voice deep as he asked, ¡°Are the signals still continuing?¡±


    ¡°They are still continuing. The signal has a twelve-second transmission period, repeating three times before pausing for thirty seconds, then reappearing,¡± Rune nodded and said, ¡°Ted Riel has already rushed to the research station, he is personally monitoring the equipment there¡­¡±


    ¡°The transmission period and repetition pattern are exactly the same as last time.¡±


    Lucracia spoke rapidly, glancing up at the nearby sea surface¨Cher Brilliant Starship was quietly docked beside the Homeloss, and at that moment, a peculiar structure at the top of its bridge was slowly rotating¨C


    A compartment resembling a mechanical bud was angling one side towards the distant sea, its front shielding structure opening up, and the hidden precision optical lenses within shimmered under the sunlight.


    ¡°I¡¯m commanding the servants left on board to open the optical lenses on the Brilliant Starship,¡± Lucracia explained to Duncan beside her while paying attention to the movements on her flagship, ¡°When the sun was extinguished before, it was I who first observed the strange light signals, and only then did Light Breeze Harbor create similar devices and install them at the research facilities¡­ In theory, if they¡¯ve observed that signal at the research station, we should be able to observe it here too.¡±


    ¡°Even from this distance, it¡¯s unaffected?¡± Nina couldn¡¯t help but ask in surprise.


    ¡°Light will attenuate and can be disrupted, but this distance isn¡¯t a problem¨Cthe real question now is what this strange signal means,¡± Lucracia¡¯s brows were furrowed with concern in her tone, ¡°Last time the signal appeared, it was after the sun had extinguished, but this time the signal has appeared even though the sun doesn¡¯t seem wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s approach Light Breeze Harbor first to ensure there are no problems on the City-State¡¯s end,¡± Duncan said, and as his words ended, the Homeloss began to turn its bow, slowly accelerating in the direction of the Homeloss.


    The Brilliant Starship beside them, after a brief delay, received Lucracia¡¯s orders and made the same maneuver.


    Rune watched with some surprise as the Brilliant Starship performed its agile movements and the peculiar ¡°experimental capsule¡± on the top of the bridge made a ¡°synchronized response¡± with the adjustments of the ship¡¯s posture, remarking with some admiration, ¡°That¡¯s a brilliant design¡­ Miss Lucracia, did you personally complete all of this?¡±


    ¡°I spent a hundred years designing a ¡®vanguard exploration ship¡¯ capable of completing frontier missions under any circumstances. There are many parts of this ship that make me proud,¡± Lucracia casually remarked, ¡°But are you really in the mood to analyze the engineering technologies applied on the Brilliant Starship at a time like this?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have anything else to do anyway,¡± Rune shrugged, appearing not the least bit flustered, ¡°Rather I¡¯m looking forward to it¨Ca remarkable phenomenon has appeared, and this is a field I¡¯ve never dabbled in. If we can truly unravel the secrets of the signals released by the Luminous Geometric Body, we might have the chance to truly understand what the ¡®sun¡¯ above us really is. That is a good thing.¡±


    Lucracia said nothing; she had already shifted most of her focus to the Brilliant Starship, to the ¡°servants¡± left on the ship.


    Those servants were all crafted by her hand¨Ceach of them contained fragments of her soul, each servant, even the entire ship was an extension of her body.


    She carefully issued orders, getting the complex and precise observational equipment on the Brilliant Starship operating.


    ¡°¡­ The signal strength has surpassed what I observed last time,¡± she suddenly lifted her head, looking towards the expanse of pale golden sunlight spreading over the sea, ¡°The situation seems a bit different from last time¡­¡±


    Duncan turned his gaze in another direction¨Cto the slowly setting ¡°sun¡± that had a third of its structure submerged below the sea level, anomaly 001.


    ¡°Last time the sun was extinguished¡­¡± Sherry¡¯s somewhat nervous voice came from the side, looking rather anxious, ¡°This time anyway, at least the sun seems unaltered¡­¡±


    She stopped mid-sentence.


    A low humming sound suddenly seemed to rise from the bottom of everyone¡¯s heart.


    An unusual sense of unease interrupted all conversations.


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    The distant sky suddenly darkened.


    Sherry raised her head stiffly, staring in the direction where the sky had turned dark.


    A dark, chaotic sphere, like a hollow void, along with two ring-shaped ¡°bright edges¡± that seemed akin to searing-hot steel, quietly hung at the edge of the sky.


    The sun had extinguished once more.


    ¡°¡­Damn it.¡±

 Chapter 687 - Chapter 687 Chapter 684 Lost in the Night

    Chapter 687: Chapter 684: Lost in the Night Chapter 687: Chapter 684: Lost in the Night Once again, the sun extinguished before Duncan and the others.


    It happened suddenly, accompanied by a strange low rumble. The sun, which was about to set beyond the horizon, suddenly lost all its brilliance and turned into a terrifying black hole. Meanwhile, the two Rune Circles surrounding the sun still seemed to be basked in sunlight, forming two glaring bright edges around the black hole¨Climited light spread from the edges of the extinguished sun, leaving a layer of chaotic, dim glow between the sky and the sea, making the sky look even more terrifying and eerie.


    As the sun extinguished, the distant Endless Sea had already fallen into darkness. Only the ¡°Luminous Geometric Body¡± near Light Breeze Harbor continued to emit its usual ¡°sunlight,¡± maintaining basic illumination within a limited area of the sea¨Cthese rays spreading over the sea¡¯s surface became the only comfort under the eerie ¡°night curtain.¡±


    Sherry was completely stunned, staring at the distance and unable to utter a second sentence. However, Nina had already recovered and patted her friend on the shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, it certainly wasn¡¯t caused by something you said¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know that!¡± Sherry almost jumped up, then immediately turned her gaze to Duncan nearby, ¡°Captain, what do we do?¡±


    ¡°Light Breeze Harbor is still there; the Pilgrimage Arks too¡­¡± Duncan did not respond to Sherry, but first looked towards Light Breeze Harbor. Under the light of the Luminous Geometric Body, he carefully discerned the distant sea scene¨Che could clearly see the coastline of Light Breeze Harbor and the silhouette of the Storm Cathedral docked near the City-State, while the other three Pilgrimage Arks, due to the angle, were not entirely visible, but it was quite obvious that they too remained in place.


    ¡°¡­this is the ¡®sun extinguishment¡¯¡­¡± Rune murmured to himself, recovering from his initial shock, ¡°It¡¯s really happening¡­¡±


    Banster stared intently at the terrifying black hole hovering over the sea surface, his voice low and somber, ¡°The Spirit Realm¡¯s aura is stirring, but the Creation of the World has not appeared prematurely.¡±


    Duncan looked towards the cardinals, ¡°I remember you mentioned, during the last ¡®sun extinguishment,¡¯ the four Pilgrimage Arks did not notice it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rune nodded, ¡°According to your explanation, at that time we stayed with the entire world during those ¡®missing¡¯ 12 hours, effectively ¡®skipping¡¯ the event of the sun extinguishment¨Cif it wasn¡¯t for later reports from Light Breeze Harbor, Frost, and Prand, we¡¯d never have known what occurred.¡±


    Duncan slowly nodded, his gaze still fixed on the distant city, ¡°But now you¡¯ve seen it, your Pilgrimage Arks are here too, everyone has seen it.¡±


    ¡°What could be the underlying principle behind this?¡± Rune pondered instinctively, looking at the giant Luminous Geometric Body on the nearby sea surface, gradually coming to a realization, ¡°Is it because the four Pilgrimage Arks are now also within the protective range of ¡®that thing¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It probably has something to do with that peculiar Luminous Geometric Body¨CPrand, Frost, and Light Breeze Harbor, each city-state that remained ¡®existent¡¯ during the sun extinguishment has its unique characteristics, with Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s main feature being it always bathes in this strange ¡®sunlight¡¯,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°But now is not the time to discuss that, you should better check on the condition of the four arks¨Calso, Lucy, can you make contact with the city now?¡±


    ¡°The Brilliant Starship has a radio, and we¡¯ve already contacted Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Lucy immediately nodded, ¡°The City-State has already sounded the emergency alarms, law enforcement and the knowledge guards are beginning to maintain order; for now, there should be no need for worry.¡±


    ¡°Order is not a concern, but panic is definitely inevitable¨Cand this time, it will be different from the last,¡± Fenna couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°especially since shortly after the last sun extinguishment, it was followed by the ¡®Outbreak of the Dream of the Nameless¡¯¡­¡±.


    Her words silenced the deck, everyone wearing an expression of subtlety, seriousness, or unease under the dim Sky Light, exchanging glances.


    The four cardinals quickly sprang into action, promptly contacting their respective Pilgrimage Arks and checking on the conditions onboard, remotely instructing the priests remaining on the Arks to maintain order, monitor, and gather intelligence, while also ordering each Ark to dispatch some priests to enter Light Breeze Harbor to help control the city¡¯s security and to calm the residents¡¯ nerves.


    Meanwhile, Duncan and his group moved to the central deck area, where they found the somewhat chaotic bishop group.


    These bishops, who had been scheduled to leave the meeting early, had just garnered an unforgettable memory in the past few minutes¨Cthey had barely adapted to the bizarre environment aboard Homeloss, to the various ¡®living entities¡¯ and suspicious ¡®rules¡¯ on the ship, and had just relaxed a little while enjoying some snacks on the deck to relax their nerves after the conference when¨Cpop!¨Cthe sun was extinguished.


    No one had even informed them.


    Thanks to the emergency ¡°training¡± they had received before boarding and the ¡°common sense teachings¡± after boarding, at least half of the bishops, upon seeing the sun extinguishment, subconsciously wondered whether this could also be considered a ¡°natural phenomenon¡± observabl¡­


    At the semi-permanent floating island research station next to the Luminous Geometric Body, Ted Riel stood with several scholars in the observation deck at the top of the facility, solemnly watching over a radio device¨Cthe radio was broadcasting the latest situation inside the City-State.


    The extinguishing of the sun had caused a brief city-wide panic, but thereafter, the sheriff¡¯s troops and protectors quickly regained control of the order. Currently, all major districts within the city had entered a state of martial law, main roads were blocked, shelters were all open, gas lamps were lit early, and the sound of the academy¡¯s bell floated above the city.


    No Transcendent contamination had been detected entering the city areas, nor had there been reports of personnel suffering from mental contamination or undergoing mental transformations.


    The good news was that Light Breeze Harbor was not facing the ¡°sundown¡± phenomenon for the first time; people were no longer as unprepared as before, which had led to many unnecessary losses amidst the chaos.


    The bad news was that after the last ¡°sundown¡±, the terrifying event of The Dream of the Nameless had occurred, and its lingering terror still haunted the City-State. Although the order in the city had already stabilized quickly, the panic and fear in people¡¯s hearts were still growing silently¨Ceveryone was worried about what might happen after this sundown.


    Ted Riel knew that this widespread budding fear was the most troublesome thing, as it was uncontrollable and could not be ignored. It would develop like an undercurrent until the crisis ended or evolved into another significant problem.


    But there was more than one problem.


    Ted Riel frowned, his gaze moving toward a machine at the end of the room.


    A recorder was operating with a squeaky creak, its precise gears and linkages driving a steel needle to move rapidly left and right on the track, and a long strip of paper was continuously being expelled, its black lines trembling, sketching messages humans could not understand.


    The transmission cycle was twelve seconds, repeated three times, then paused for thirty seconds before reappearing.


    Connected to the recorder was a complex optical device located in front of the observation window at the end of the room.


    ¡°The luminescent body¡¯s light signals are still continuing, and there was a noticeable increase at the moment of the sundown¨Cit¡¯s now exceeded the highest value ever recorded,¡± a scholar said beside Ted Riel. ¡°Also, a spare device set up at the upper observation post just received a very faint signal. The content is consistent with what we received here¨Cthe spare device was aimed towards the now-extinguished sun.¡±


    ¡°¡­This is clearly a complete system, the sun, and the Luminous Geometric Body that fell to the mortal world. There¡¯s still some form of connection between them,¡± another scholar could not help but say, ¡°even though it seems they have separated¡­¡±


    ¡°No progress in deciphering yet. It would be helpful if some new information appeared in these signals, at least for cross-referencing.¡±


    ¡°News just came from the city¡¯s tall tower; it¡¯s been confirmed that the sun is no longer moving, it¡¯s hovering near the sea level; it has not continued to descend in the past half an hour¡­¡±


    ¡°No one went to the tower to observe the sun again, did they?!¡±


    ¡°No, it was recorded automatically by instruments, data indirectly read by personnel¨Csince the incident last time, the academy has strictly forbidden observation of the sun under these circumstances¡­¡±


    Ted Riel listened to this discussion, his brow deeply furled, silent. After a long time of contemplation, he suddenly lifted his head. ¡°I need to return to the City-State.¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed, you need to go back to maintain order,¡± a scholar immediately said, ¡°Leave this place to us. Whatever happens, the observation station will continue to operate; we will not miss any data.¡±


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    Ted Riel looked at these highly esteemed and trustworthy scholars, nodded silently, then opened his ¡°Book of Miracles,¡± which recorded many spells and pieces of knowledge.


    He turned to the part of the book that documented ¡°Doors,¡± tapping his finger on the page.


    A phantom door emerged from the book and swiftly formed in the air in front of him, silently opening.


    He took a breath and stepped towards the door.


    A boundless darkness and chaos engulfed his senses¨C


    He did not arrive at Light Breeze Harbor.

 Chapter 688 - Chapter 688 Chapter 685 Dark Shuttle

    Chapter 688: Chapter 685: Dark Shuttle Chapter 688: Chapter 685: Dark Shuttle In that instant when the boundless darkness and chaos enveloped him, Ted Riel realized something was wrong.


    However, when he tried to immediately terminate the transmission and return through the ¡°door,¡± he found that his powers did not respond¨Cand the ephemeral gate that was beside him a second ago had disappeared into the boundless darkness and chaos.


    Calm down.


    The Truth Confidant slowly took a breath, quickly regaining his composure, and restrained the instinctive urge to start observing and sensing his surroundings right away¨Cin the darkness, he stood quietly in place, not attempting to hear or see anything, while gradually withdrawing his perception, controlling his thoughts, using the ¡°Mind Control Technique¡± he had mastered through long training to suppress his innate human curiosity, desire to explore, and associative thinking as much as possible.


    This helped to withstand the potentially malicious forces in the environment around him, or to avoid rashly coming into contact with ¡°knowledge¡± that should not be touched in an unprepared state.


    Rahm taught the world that a myriad of truths are hidden in darkness¨Cin the dark, anything is possible, but very few of them are harmless to mortals.


    A sense of numbness in his mind gradually spread and slowly turned into a barrier protecting his mind, the blessing of foolishness bestowed by Rahm came, and Ted Riel took a gentle breath, feeling slightly relieved. It was only then that he began to cautiously restore and rebuild his perception, turning his gaze toward the seemingly infinite chaos.


    Dim, nightmarish shadows filled his vision, as if there was a boundless wasteland in the darkness, or as if there were countless, enormous and indescribable silhouettes towering up, some huge structure was pulsating at the edge of his field of vision, seemingly floating over this wasteland, blindly and slowly drifting¨Ca sudden, intense headache struck!


    Ted Riel almost couldn¡¯t stand, the protective measures and cautious attitude he¡¯d built up were shattered in a second, numerous sharp, tiny, dizzying noises emanated from the depths of his mind the moment he saw those massive shadows, then like countless vicious sawteeth began to tear apart his sanity, erasing his personality, and started devouring all humanity, logic, and memory!


    Dark and murky streams of light flashed between those floating titanic shapes, and with that fleeting light, a thought spontaneously emerged in his heart that could make even the most steadfast saints feel an instant despair¡­ Subspace!


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    Ted Riel managed to squeeze out a single word from his mind before feeling the loss of control over his own body. He felt like limbs that were not his own were growing from his back, a viscous and cold fluid flowed in his veins. His vision split in the darkness, countless uncontrollable perspectives wildly scanning the surrounding dark, the overwhelming noise almost crushed his sanity¨C


    However, in the next second, his strong personal will surged from the depths of his heart, swiftly locking away those alien perceptions, tearing apart the intrusive voices in his mind, branding his self-recognition as an ¡°Elf¡± over and over again at the bottom of his heart, in the forced clarity, he suddenly felt a power, a hallucination appearing before him.


    He saw a shimmering red light, floating in the darkness like an ever-detached, rational Cyclops, and many tiny lights flickering around that red ¡°Cyclops,¡± a massive, tombstone-like silhouette appeared among those lights, silently standing in the mist that emerged from nowhere.


    Ted Riel¡¯s entire rationality was attracted by those flickering lights, he subconsciously raised his head, fixating on the glimmers, his thoughts were thus combed, Reshaped, and drawn toward that dominion of wisdom¨C


    ¡°Boom¨C¡±


    A phantom roar woke him from the hallucination, the lights before Ted Riel¡¯s eyes vanished, and he was back in that dark, chaotic place.


    He realized what had happened.


    The protection of the God of Wisdom had descended¨Cin a brief moment, Rahm had glanced at him.


    His mind was protected¨Cbut only temporarily.


    The indistinct noise emerged again from the depths of his heart, and Ted Riel realized his vision was once again filled with fluttering, warped shadows. He knew he had no time to waste, so he quickly took out the ¡°Book of Miracles,¡± filled with vast knowledge and secrets, and began to attempt to construct a gateway back to the real world.


    But just then, an invisible force from nowhere seized him, he felt his body suddenly leave the barren wilderness of darkness and be swiftly pulled through the dark.


    In the darkness, he saw the chaotic wilderness rapidly receding from his view.


    He saw the silent titanic shapes hurtle towards him, then pass through his line of sight, morphing and contracting in indescribable ways, disappearing into the ends of space.


    He saw the massive structure suspended upside-down in the sky seem to come crashing down like a crush, the next second disappearing quietly like an illusion.


    He felt himself stop somewhere for a moment.


    In a daze, he lifted his head to see a colossal, inverted structure looming close by¨Cit resembled a grand yet eerie mansion, with Northern-style spires and eaves, a dried fountain, and withered garden barely visible¨Cpart of its structure fractured as if devoured, torn apart by some invisible force.


    However, in the next second, the elegant mansion turned into a fragmented giant ship¡­ different from any ¡°ship¡± he knew, it resembled more of a¡­ twisted pile of steel forming a cylindrical object, obviously incomplete, as if torn from an even larger structure¡­


    Ted Riel had no time to scrutinize the astonishing sight. The next second, he felt himself hurtling through this void again, the increasingly chaotic and shattered light and shadow flooding towards him like a tsunami, filling his vision!


    A flood of knowledge accompanied the shimmering lights into his mind¨Cknowledge he had never encountered before and yet suddenly grasped with startling clarity.


    He saw the torn structures of spacetime, distorted and warped celestial bodies transforming into slender rings under the immense pressure of space, becoming an eternal flash in the instant of annihilation, chaotically flowing in the depths of space;


    He saw the collapse of mathematical laws at the end of time and uncontrollable ancient stars tearing apart into countless burning fragments of debris;


    He saw a ship aimlessly navigating the darkness, tattered and nearly shattered, drifting through the void as though on an eternal exploration mission, or perhaps just a reflection from some far-flung era¨Cthe ship looked vaguely familiar;


    Later, he beheld a massive object, silent and stationary at the very heart of the boundless void.


    It was a colossal throne, seemingly carved from gray-white boulders, its base already fragmented and broken, where a body without a head sat in eternal silence, amidst the darkness.


    This ¡°journey¡± was nearing its end¨C


    For some reason, Ted Riel¡¯s heart suddenly flashed with that thought¨Cas if he had traversed the laws of time and prematurely seen the place where he would come to a stop.


    Then, he came to a halt in a place.


    It appeared to be a fragment of ground, and there seemed to be a person¡­ or something else, shrouded in shadows.


    There was a small pile of molten, unrecognizable debris, beside which stood a figure that seemed human yet bore a grotesque half-formed structure, leaning against the debris like a soldier who had died in battle eons ago, his hand faintly raised, pointing in some direction.


    Ted Riel¡¯s mind uncontrollably gravitated toward this figure¨Ccompared to the countless massive entities in this chaotic space, the figure seemed extraordinarily ordinary, harmless.


    But just as he was about to step forward, an overwhelming premonition of danger exploded in his heart, abruptly halting him.


    And then, he saw a faint, illusory gate appear beside him.


    It was the teleportation portal he had summoned earlier but had somehow ¡°lost¡± at some point.


    Ted Riel instantly cast aside all hesitation, abandoning the urge to look toward that figure and explore this unknown land, turned, and rushed toward the illusory gate.


    Passing through the gate seemed to take just an instant, yet felt like enduring a century of chaotic drift, and in his barely holding rationality, Ted Riel heard a human voice faintly coming from beside his ear.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got him! Captain, I¡¯ve got him!¡±


    A hoarse voice was shouting, sounding excited and triumphant.


    A dragging force came from his arm, and in a haze, Ted Riel felt himself being grabbed by someone and pulled vigorously somewhere. He heard the sound of the waves, felt the icy seawater soaking his limbs, and with brute force was hauled from the water onto a ship and thrown roughly onto the hard deck.


    ¡°I¡¯ve caught it! This thing floating around the edge of darkness¡­ yes, it¡¯s a person! This thing¡¯s a person, eh!¡±


    Who was shouting? So rough and disrespectful¡­ it didn¡¯t sound like someone from the City-State, very unfamiliar¡­


    ¡°He seems to be still out¡­ Artificial respiration? Damn, suddenly getting nervous¡­ No wait, captain, I can¡¯t breathe¡­ My usual breathing is just to set the atmosphere¡­ Should we try it?¡±


    Who exactly was it?


    Ted Riel thought laboriously, beginning to ¡°Reboot¡± his senses and every nerve in his body. He struggled to wake himself and tried to open his eyes as wide as he could.


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    In the dark, blurred outlines finally started to become clear.


    He saw the one who was shouting¨Che saw a face, horribly close to his own.


    It was the face of a hideous corpse, a terrifyingly grotesque face that seemed about to rot away into pieces.


    The corpse was leaning down¡­


    In an instant, Ted Riel felt he would rather have returned to Subspace.

 Chapter 689 - Chapter 689 Chapter 686 Accidents and Coincidences

    Chapter 689: Chapter 686: Accidents and Coincidences Chapter 689: Chapter 686: Accidents and Coincidences With a loud bang, the ugly and shriveled ¡°mummy¡± sprang up from the deck and smashed heavily into a pile of debris nearby, as if it were a cannonball.


    The sailors on the deck were startled by the loud noise. Lawrence, who had been observing from a distance, instantly jumped off the platform and, along with a group of men, quickly ran towards where the ¡°sailor¡± had fallen¨Cwithin the messy pile of debris, the shriveled body dressed in a sailor¡¯s shirt was struggling to free itself. It finally managed to pull its head out of a broken box, looked around dizzily at the gathering sailors, and muttered in confusion, ¡°I¡­ I saw¡­¡±


    First mate Gus forcefully dragged the mummy out and asked, ¡°What did you see?¡±


    ¡°I saw my grandma¡­¡±


    Gus kicked the mummy back, exclaiming, ¡°Your TM is an anomaly, how do you have a grandma?!¡±


    Lawrence immediately confirmed that anomaly 077 was nothing serious and turned to walk towards the recently rescued ¡°person overboard.¡±


    An elf wearing Southern-style clothing lay half-reclining on the deck, leaning against a winch used for hauling cargo, his expression somewhat dull and blank¨Che was completely drenched and in a sorry state, though there were no apparent injuries on his body.


    But as Lawrence drew closer, the elf¡¯s reaction was noticeably abnormal¨Che merely turned his head sluggishly, as if he still hadn¡¯t fully awakened, briefly scanned his surroundings with a vacant look, then slowly turned his head back.


    Ted Riel remained immersed in a muddled state, unaware of his whereabouts.


    After instinctually knocking away the ugly shriveled mummy, this had been his ongoing condition¨Chis mind seemed to be stuffed with a sticky, chaotic mess. Strange noises continuously reverberated in the depths of his thoughts, and shadows flickered at the edge of his vision, disruptively affecting his judgment and reasoning.


    He knew he had left Subspace, the sounds of the sea breeze and waves around him undeniably belonged to the real world. However, the terrifying ¡°dark journey¡± had left a lasting scorch in his mind, a scorch that was slowly spreading, becoming a horrendous aftereffect of witnessing Subspace, continuously numbing his nerves.


    He was incredibly lucky¨Calmost no one survives after witnessing Subspace, let alone retains their human sanity and returns to the real dimension after such a terrifying ¡°journey.¡± But he had no time yet to feel relieved about his narrow escape¨Chis remaining sanity was urging him to regain consciousness swiftly, to anchor his mind firmly in the real dimension, because the deadly pollution and shadows hadn¡¯t completely dissipated; they were assaulting from gaps unfathomable and incomprehensible to humans, attempting to drag him back into that chaotic dark place¡­


    A droning, rumbling sound came from nearby, sounding like thunder muffled by a thick curtain. A white-haired robust old man approached; he appeared to be talking, his mouth opening and closing, emitting sounds that humans couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Wake up, wake up,¡± Lawrence extended his hand, slapping the strange elf¡¯s face in an attempt to awaken this unfortunate soul who had drifted at sea for unknown reasons, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    A vague shadow loomed beside him, Martha cautioned from within the shadow, ¡°Be careful, Lawrence, this person appeared under very suspicious circumstances¨Che drifted here from the sea following the disappearance of the sun; we still don¡¯t know exactly what he is¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Martha, even if he is something that drifted out of Subspace, it¡¯s no stranger than us,¡± Lawrence casually remarked, but still cautiously placed one hand on the pistol at his waist, faint green ¡°Spectral Flame¡± flickering within the chamber, ¡°Did you clearly see how this man appeared from the edge of the dark?¡±


    ¡°There was no warning,¡± Martha¡¯s shadow answered cautiously while observing the suspicious elf, who was awake yet didn¡¯t seem to have fully regained consciousness, ¡°From the moment the sun disappeared, I¡¯ve been monitoring the surroundings in the Spirit Realm. He just suddenly emerged¡­ appeared out of nowhere amidst the darkness.¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered such a situation¡­¡±


    Mumbling to himself, Lawrence instinctively looked up beyond the ship¡¯s rails, gazing at the choppy waves surrounding the White Oak¨Csections of the sea illuminated by the ship¡¯s lights looked as if they still maintained the normal appearance of the ocean before the sun vanished. However, beyond this limited maritime area lay an invisible boundary; outside this boundary, the Endless Sea was dark and eerie, as if the entire world had been reduced to nothingness.


    And this suspicious elf had suddenly emerged from that invisible boundary.


    Just then, the ¡°drifter¡± leaning on the winch suddenly moved his eyeballs.


    Lawrence swiftly turned back, his gaze intently locked on the other.


    The elf opened his mouth, but what reached Lawrence¡¯s ears was a series of raspy noises unintelligible to humans, and even impossible for humans to produce: ¡°@##Y=%¡­?¡±


    Lawrence: ¡°¡­?!¡±


    Upon hearing this series of noises, a sudden alarm arose. The old captain, who had accumulated experiences over half a lifetime upon the Endless Sea, instinctively stepped back two paces and drew his revolver at a speed almost invisible to the naked eye. Almost simultaneously, the sailors on guard around him reacted, pointing various types of weapons towards the ¡°Drifter¡±; even the ¡°sailor¡± who had just climbed out of the pile of debris again managed to pull out a curved saber, swinging it about by his side.


    The ¡°Drifter¡± on deck widened his eyes, seemingly a bit confused. He spread his hands to show he was unarmed, and once again tried to speak, emitting a raspy noise that seemed capable of shattering an ordinary person¡¯s sanity: ¡°%&**%Y=!!¡±


    Then, he abruptly stopped.


    Ted Riel finally realized that what he was speaking was not a ¡°human¡± language¨Cit wasn¡¯t even a language at all.


    It was an incomprehensible tremor, a meaningless sound.


    It was an echo from the Subspace.


    He quickly understood this, and the next second, he noticed that the world before his eyes was distorting¨Cthe seemingly ordinary, innocent sailors gathered around him suddenly began to shimmer with unstable shadows, numerous malevolent eyes materialized behind the elderly captain with white hair, the nearby deck gradually softened, taking on a muddy texture, and an invisible curtain slowly unfurled, the corrosion of the Subspace was almost¡­


    However, at the moment Ted Riel prepared to sacrifice himself to stop the further opening of the Subspace rift, a faint green flame suddenly caught his eye.


    A spectral flame began to emerge from Lawrence, and then, the flame-like living entity began to leap and spread, rising and burning on each nearby sailor, turning them into ghostly forms and spreading to the surrounding deck, ropes, bridge, smokestacks¡­


    The mummified figure waving the saber, engrossed in the excitement, screamed as though scalded the moment the Spiritual Fire rose; he hopped and jumped aside, but soon returned as if nothing had happened, carefully touching the nearby flame on the deck with his saber, lighting a small fire on the blade tip, and holding it above his head, pretending to be part of the burning brigade.


    The gate to the Subspace had not managed to open before it was thoroughly banished. Ted Riel felt all the noise and shadows within him being scorched and dispersed by that invisible fire¨Cthe fire cut off the last entanglements of the Subspace with him, and the sensation of the real world seemed clearer and more stable than ever before.


    He raised his head in astonishment, looking at the old captain engulfed in faint green flames, feeling somewhat dazed.


    Why does this fire look so familiar?


    ¡°What was that just now?¡± Lawrence also seemed dazed, muttering as he continued to vigilantly watch the opposite figure, who although suspicious, didn¡¯t seem like a heretic or a foul demon, unsure of what to do next, ¡°Is it some kind of spell?¡±


    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Ted Riel suddenly spoke up, this time, in a voice intelligible to humans, ¡°What place is this?¡±


    ¡°You can talk?!¡± Lawrence was instantly surprised, but upon hearing the elf speak human language, he couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief¨Calthough he didn¡¯t know what was going on, his sense of crisis somewhat abated, ¡°¡­This is the White Oak, and I am its captain.¡±


    ¡°White Oak?¡± Ted Riel frowned slightly, seemingly vaguely remembering having heard this name before. But the continuous mental trauma coupled with severe fatigue kept his mind still somewhat muddled, unable to recall specific details about the ship, ¡°What¡¯s your relation to Homeloss? What¡¯s your relation to Captain Duncan?¡±


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    ¡°Captain Duncan?¡± Lawrence paused upon hearing this, the first time he had heard this name mentioned so openly by someone outside, but he quickly recovered and nodded, ¡°He¡¯s my boss.¡±


    Ted Riel: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Ted Riel disappeared?!¡± Back in Light Breeze Harbor, in the ¡°Witch¡¯s Mansion,¡± Duncan was startled upon hearing the news brought by Lucresia.


    ¡°Yes, this is news just transmitted from the academy,¡± Lucresia nodded; she had stepped outside just a few minutes before, ¡°Fifteen minutes ago, Ted Riel left the research station next to the ¡®Luminous Geometric Body¡¯ through a teleportation gate, but thereafter, he didn¡¯t appear at the predetermined location in Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    ¡°Only fifteen minutes ago?¡± Sherry leaned in, ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem too long, maybe try looking for him¡­¡±


    ¡°Using a teleportation gate¨Cif the person hasn¡¯t arrived the moment the gate is opened, it already means there¡¯s trouble,¡± Lucresia glanced at Sherry, ¡°This could likely be due to the sun¡¯s extinguishment leading to a loss of control in the spell.¡±

 Chapter 690 - Chapter 690 Chapter 687 Settling Down and Communicating

    Chapter 690: Chapter 687: Settling Down and Communicating Chapter 690: Chapter 687: Settling Down and Communicating The sun¡¯s extinguishing could cause the teleportation spell to malfunction and make people disappear from the real world?


    After hearing Lucresia¡¯s analysis, a wave of doubt rose in Duncan¡¯s heart for a moment, but considering how many strange and inexplicable events had already occurred in this world, and the sun¡¯s extinguishing being the most peculiar of all, nothing seemed surprising anymore¨Cthe most important thing now was to figure out where the ¡°Truth Confidant¡± had gone.


    Just then, Duncan furrowed his brow and appeared as though he heard something from afar, his expression suddenly becoming odd.


    Alice, who was closest to him, noticed first, ¡°Eh? Captain, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Duncan raised his head and looked at Lucresia and Morris, who were discussing how to proceed with the search for Ted¡¯s whereabouts, with a subtly nuanced expression, ¡°¡­Cough, no need to search.¡±


    Lucresia & Morris, ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°Ted Riel is now on the White Oak.¡±


    The people in the living room exchanged puzzled glances, and after a few seconds of silence, it was Fenna who broke the silence, ¡°¡­The White Oak? Lawrence¡¯s ship? How did he end up there?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unclear; even Ted Riel himself can¡¯t explain it,¡± Duncan sighed as he continued to keep in touch with Lawrence in his mind and spoke absentmindedly, ¡°Just like the last time the sun went out, the White Oak was sailing on the sea¨Cat that time, the sailors found Ted Riel drifting at the ¡®Dark Boundary¡¯ on the sea¡¯s surface, and anomaly 077 pulled him aboard¡­ Lawrence said that Ted¡¯s mental state was very confused for a while, and he couldn¡¯t even converse with people. Only now is he somewhat recovered; it seems he visited a very distant place. From those fragmented descriptions he gave¡­¡±


    Duncan paused here, his expression slightly stern.


    ¡°It¡¯s suspected to be Subspace.¡±


    ¡­


    Ted Riel, wrapped in a thick blanket, sat in the brightly lit cabin. Someone handed him a cup of hot tea that was still a bit scalding. He held the cup and looked up to say thanks, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The withered and frightening mummy stood in front of him, gesturing with its hand, ¡°Just don¡¯t knock me flying again next time¨Cyou know, if these old bones of mine break, I don¡¯t know if they can be mended.¡±


    Ted¡¯s expression became suddenly animated, as if recalling some unpleasant experience. He awkwardly pulled at the corners of his mouth at this anomaly that was clearly out of control and yet moving about White Oak and working diligently like a regular crew member, and finally, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You are anomaly 077¨Cthe Sailor?¡±


    ¡°Eh, you recognize me?¡± The mummy perked up upon hearing this, coming closer while speaking, ¡°Ordinary people usually just scare at the sight of me, but you know my name and number?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am the Truth Confidant of Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Ted Riel looked indifferently at the mummy sitting down next to him, ¡°I personally signed your Transition file years ago.¡±


    The mummy, who had been halfway into sitting down, suddenly leaped up, staring at Ted Riel with wide eyes and trembling fiercely, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ are you from the church?!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, ¡®Mr. Mummy¡¯,¡± Ted seemed to have anticipated such a reaction, speaking with a look of resignation, ¡°I know you are currently a ¡®runaway anomaly¡¯ of special circumstances, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t forcibly contain you¡­¡±


    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when the mummy ¡°plopped¡± to the ground, seizing the edge of the blanket with its withered hands and wailing in a way that could make one¡¯s skin crawl, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for someone from the church to come! Please seal me! A working rope would suffice! Worst case, give me a shroud and I¡¯ll wrap myself up¡­ Or maybe hit me harder than before¡­¡±


    Ted never expected such a scene. The mummy¡¯s howling convulsively and frantic actions left him flustered, as he hurriedly pulled on the blanket while retreating, ¡°Stop, stop, stop¡­ calm down¡­ don¡¯t pull¡­ that¡¯s not what I meant¡­ we can talk, but you have to calm down first, resealing isn¡¯t just something you say and it¡¯s done¡­¡±


    But the mummy clearly wasn¡¯t listening to him, continuing to wail and carry on like the din of a steam core engine room, babbling about ¡°resealing,¡± ¡°needing a rope,¡± and ¡°hanging from the mast,¡±¨Ca cacophony of rational tearing and emotional contamination.


    Honestly, after half a minute, Ted Riel even began to miss his ¡°lovely¡± students¨Calthough they often looked at him with clear yet stupid eyes, at least the worst they would do in class was fall asleep.


    That was much quieter than now.


    However, fortunately, the noisy mummy¡¯s commotion didn¡¯t last too long¨Cjust when Ted Riel was starting to consider whether to take anomaly 077¡¯s advice and beat him half to death, the cabin door was pushed open.


    Lawrence, still burning with a faint green flame, stepped through the door.


    The previously howling anomaly 077 instantly quieted down, greeted the captain with a cheeky smile, and then disappeared from the room in the blink of an eye.


    Ted gaped in astonishment at the direction where the ¡°sailor¡± had vanished.


    It took a while before he turned his head towards Lawrence, ¡°I never imagined that the ¡®sailor,¡¯ which countless sailors dread, would look like this after losing control¡­¡±


    Looking surprised, Lawrence asked, ¡°Have you never seen Miss Alice?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, Captain, you have a point,¡± Ted pondered for a moment, then waved his hand, ¡°It seems that anything that comes into contact with Homeloss turns into¡­ something inconceivable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, inconceivable, but at least it isn¡¯t bad,¡± Lawrence smiled, walking over as he spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t mind that neurotic mummy, and don¡¯t take seriously his request for resealing¨Che¡¯s just being dramatic. True, he might have started off by trying to escape reality, but in fact, he¡¯s quite comfortable on this ship; he¡¯s just unwilling to admit it.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯ve become quite familiar with Anomaly 077?¡±


    ¡°A captain¡¯s duty and fundamental quality requires me to know every person on my ship, including that guy,¡± explained Lawrence as he sat next to Ted, turning his head to check on the color of his ¡°temporary passenger,¡± ¡°How are you feeling, Mr. Truth Confidant?¡±


    ¡°I still hear some faint noise in my head occasionally, but it¡¯s much better compared to before,¡± Ted exhaled, ¡°Right now, the biggest problem is the clutter of memories wriggling in my brain¨Cscenes that are real, false, distorted by a self-protective mechanism¨CI find it hard to discern which ones to trust¡­ It feels like I¡¯ve already traversed through that dark place for a century¡­ yet you tell me that I¡¯ve only been away from Light Breeze Harbor for a mere fifteen minutes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just a few minutes, Mr. Truth Confidant,¡± Lawrence nodded, ¡°When we hauled you up, you had only disappeared through the portal for but a short while¨Cso now, we are very eager to know what exactly you experienced during that ¡®short while.''¡±


    ¡°¡®We¡¯?¡± Ted Riel sharply caught a word the captain had mentioned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just talked to my ¡®boss¡¯, and he¡¯s already aware of what has happened here¨CThe ¡®disappearance¡¯ of a Truth Confidant caused some chaos in Light Breeze Harbor but thankfully, before the chaos could spread, the White Oak found you,¡± Lawrence continued, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry much about the City-State; as long as Homeloss is near that city, there¡¯s no safer place on the Endless Sea than Light Breeze Harbor. As for you here¡­¡±


    The old captain paused, then after a moment of thought, he carried on, ¡°We are still unsure of how much change this sun extinction has caused to the world; attempting to open a spatial Transition may be exceedingly risky, so just stay comfortably on this ship for now. Take this time to tell me what you saw in that ¡®darkness¡¯¨C¡®he¡¯s¡¯ very much interested in it.¡±


    Ted Riel¡¯s expression gradually grew grave.


    After pondering briefly, he looked into the eyes of the captain before him, ¡°You must already know, my experiences are related to Subspace¨Cthis knowledge isn¡¯t safe.¡±


    Lawrence shrugged, ¡°My boss is also involved with Subspace¨Chis knowledge is even more dangerous than yours.¡±


    Ted thought it over and decided the other man was right.


    ¡°¡­Alright, then where would be a good place to start?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin with that inverted mansion floating in the darkness that you just deliriously mentioned¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Ted Riel is considered lucky; he survived Subspace and his recovery isn¡¯t bad¨Cright now he¡¯s on the White Oak narrating those incredible experiences. Perhaps before long, we might receive astounding reports about Subspace.¡±


    Duncan briefly concluded the communication with White Oak and redirected his attention to Light Breeze Harbor. He outlined the current situation relayed by Lawrence, then his gaze settled on Lucrezia.


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    ¡°From what we currently understand, his experience is different from mine.¡±


    ¡°¡­After all, he ¡®left¡¯ for only fifteen minutes, while you¡¯ve been in Subspace for a century,¡± Lucrezia¡¯s face bore a complex expression, ¡°Just fifteen minutes was enough to nearly shatter the sanity of a saint, almost tearing him into a Subspace rift¡­ even though he was once able to resist until the end under the influence of Silantis¡­¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, the only loss on the White Oak was that Anomaly 077 got punched,¡± Duncan waved it off, quickly changing the subject, ¡°Before more news arrives from there, let¡¯s focus on the world post-sun extinction¡­ Lucy, I want to know what the deal is with that strange ¡®signal¡¯?¡±


    (Promotion time~ Title of the book: ¡°Stellar Fate Destiny,¡± here¡¯s the synopsis directly:


    First hammer out a bunch of superluminal communication antennas, then rig up a couple of backup shipboard mainframes and interstellar travel modules¡­ oh dear, what¡¯s this coming again?¡±


    Facing an onslaught of chaotic behemoths, Ampe scratched his head, allowing the spaceship to unfold on the spot, creating a base out of thin air.)

 Chapter 691 - Chapter 691 Chapter 688 Information in Alices Eyes

    Chapter 691: Chapter 688 Information in Alice¡¯s Eyes Chapter 691: Chapter 688 Information in Alice¡¯s Eyes Lucresia brought over the paper tapes duplicated from the ¡°Luminous Body Research Station,¡± which recorded the recent ¡°cryptic signals,¡± and also found the original signals recorded by the Brilliant Starship. Duncan stared at them for several minutes and quickly came to a conclusion¨C


    He couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the damn things¡­


    Analyzing and drawing conclusions from a bunch of abstract signals should be the job of true experts and scholars, and obviously, even the real scholars were at a loss with these signals.


    ¡°They just look like a series of tremors with random intensity,¡± Morris said, standing in front of the light, spreading out a long strip of paper tape on the table and trying to find a pattern in the curve jumps, while frowning and deep in thought, ¡°You could convert each tremor¡¯s amplitude into different numbers or varying lengths of ¡®breaks,¡¯ but it¡¯s like some kind of cypher¡­ Without the corresponding ¡®codebook,¡¯ it¡¯s impossible to decipher the meaning within these tremors.¡±


    ¡°Ever since we first received these signals, scholars have been trying to convert them into various forms,¡± Lucresia added, ¡°including sound¨Cwhen these tremors are converted into electrical signals and fed directly into playback devices, they sound like a persistent, low-pitched moan or ¡®murmur,¡¯ but in reality, they are meaningless. We¡¯ve also tried converting them into images, but so far, there has been no progress in that approach.¡±


    Duncan, listening on the side, suddenly interjected, ¡°Could this be the ¡®internal signal¡¯ used by the ¡®Luminous Geometric Body¡¯ and other structures of Anomaly 001 when ¡®communicating¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That possibility can¡¯t be ruled out,¡± Lucresia nodded, ¡°The station has a set of highly sensitive backup recording devices; not long ago, they also received faint signals from the direction of Anomaly 001¡¯s main structure. We have reason to believe that the ¡®Luminous Geometric Body¡¯ currently near the coast of Light Breeze Harbor is still maintaining contact with the main structure of Anomaly 001¡­


    ¡°The two signals are both related to the sun¡¯s extinction,¡± Morris also spoke up, lost in thought, ¡°The first appeared after the sun went out, the second before the sun went out, and the content of the signals is the same. This gives me the feeling¡­ It¡¯s very much like some sort of ¡®warning¡¯¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say a word, just went to the window and looked outside thoughtfully.


    The city was shrouded in a strange, intersecting ¡°twilight.¡±


    The sun in the sky had already gone out, but some sort of ¡°suppressive¡± force from Anomaly 001 seemed to still be in effect, so the Creation of the World did not emerge with this prematurely arrived ¡°nightfall.¡± The sky remained pitch black, but at the same time, a pale golden ¡°sunlight¡± came from the coast, passing through the city¡¯s unevenly distributed buildings, forming magnificent and eerie ribbons of light above the neighborhoods. The gas lamps on the streets were lit ahead of time, but there were no pedestrians on the streets, only occasionally could one see the patrolling squads of Guardians and steam-powered walkers speeding through intersections, sweeping the empty roads with their lights, full of vigilance and caution.


    The city was very quiet, with an oppressive and tense atmosphere filling the dimness, so that any noise from outside could trigger people¡¯s sensitive nerves.


    A slight friction sound came from beside him, and Alice curiously picked up the stacks of paper tapes on the table, turning them over and over¨Cshe obviously couldn¡¯t understand them.


    Sherry and A-Dog were lying in front of another window, both heads looking out together, while Nina stood behind them, muttering something.


    ¡°The situations in Prand and Frost are still stable,¡± Duncan suddenly said, ¡°The experience from the last time allowed people to quickly restore order, but the unease brought by the second extinction of the sun is also spreading through the city,¡± Duncan suddenly said, ¡°and apart from them, communications with the other City-States have been cut off¡­ just like before.¡±


    ¡°The only difference from last time is that this time, there are four Cathedral Ships docked next to Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Fenna added, ¡°They were influenced by the ¡®Luminous Geometric Body¡¯ this time and stayed ¡®on this side¡¯ after the sun went out. Now, order has been restored on each of the Cathedral Ships, and it seems that The Saint has initiated some observational and research facilities on board the Academy Ark, collecting environment change data of the real world after the sun¡¯s extinction¡­¡±


    ¡°Hope he makes some discoveries,¡± Duncan sighed, ¡°But frankly, I¡¯m not hopeful¨Cthe Anomaly 001 has been looming over this world for a full ten thousand years. Probably only the Ancient Crete Kingdom of yore or the legendary Saint who endured the ¡®Third Long Night¡¯ would know what the hell that thing¡¯s purpose is¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, a voice suddenly came from the side: ¡°Captain, captain! Help, I¡¯m stuck!¡±


    Duncan turned to look and saw that Alice had gotten her head and arms entangled in a big bundle of paper tapes¨Cthis goofball stood in the midst of the tapes, blinking innocently, daring not to move, as if afraid of accidentally tearing those fragile tapes.


    ¡°¡­ How did you manage that?!¡± Duncan watched the scene, dumbfounded yet amused, as he walked over to free Alice from her binds, ¡°How could these even get you tangled up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either!¡± Alice protested with conviction, ¡°I just wanted to see how long this strip of paper was, but I couldn¡¯t find the end. By the time I realized what was happening, I was already tangled¡­¡±


    Duncan sighed, ¡°Stop messing with them; these paper tapes are important.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alice replied, a bit deflated, looking like a cat deprived of a ball of yarn as Duncan gathered the ¡°strips of paper¡± back into their box. But soon, she seemed to forget that little disappointment, her expression cheerfully brightening as she moved closer to Duncan, ¡°By the way, captain, what¡¯s an ¡®Observer Effect Anchor¡¯?¡±


    Duncan, who was putting the big bundle of paper tapes into the box, abruptly stopped.


    The entire living room went suddenly silent.


    Alice had just blurted out a string of vocabulary she absolutely could not have ¡°created¡±!


    After a two-second pause, Duncan slowly turned his head, his gaze becoming extremely serious, ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Startled, Alice thought she had messed up something again, ¡°Observer¡­ Observer effect anchor, ah¡­ Did I say the wrong thing?¡±


    ¡°Why did you suddenly mention that?¡± Duncan dropped the paper strips he was holding and took two steps to stand in front of Alice. Noting the tension on the doll¡¯s face, he then softened his tone, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, you haven¡¯t done anything wrong, but you just mentioned a very¡­ unusual term.¡±


    Alice widened her eyes and relaxed a bit under Duncan¡¯s gaze. She then looked around as if observing something that others couldn¡¯t see, and casually said, ¡°Observer effect anchor malfunction, error code E-C6-305, ¡®Corona¡¯ damaged, main system rebooting, reboot time unknown¡­¡±


    Lucrecia, who was not far away, finally reacted. She rushed to Alice and pointed at the paper strips on the table, ¡°Did you figure this out from these strips?! Is that what they recorded?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Alice shook her head innocently, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what all these messy curves mean on these strips, but there are hints of the observer effect anchor malfunction everywhere around us¡­ Huh? Can¡¯t you all see?¡±


    It seemed the doll had finally realized something, looking around at everyone with an expression of amazement and surprise¡­ as if it were the first time she knew that ¡°ordinary people¡± simply couldn¡¯t see those floating lines.


    Duncan stared at the doll, gradually realizing something, and slowly lifted his head to look at the ¡°sunlight¡± in the sky outside the window that had been weakened by the buildings blocking its path.


    This ¡°sunlight¡± came from a huge luminous geometric body over the sea¨Cafter the layer upon layer of buildings in the city blocked them and the attenuation from the distance, they appeared very faint here.


    But the information carried within the spectrum did not disappear due to such attenuation¨Cthey permeated the air, spreading throughout the entire city.


    In Alice¡¯s eyes, they were everywhere.


    ¡°So, you can directly see the signals released from that ¡®luminous geometric body¡¯,¡± Duncan retracted his gaze from the window and looked at Alice, ¡°What¡­ do they look like?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really describe it,¡± Alice scratched her head, ¡°And I don¡¯t even know if it counts as ¡®seeing¡¯ them¡­ I just feel that there¡¯s something in the light, and then their meanings just appear in my mind¨Coh, although the goat-head said I don¡¯t have a brain¡­¡±


    Morris also came over, staring at the doll in a daze, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask!¡± Alice said, more assertively this time, ¡°Besides, I thought you could all see them too!¡±


    Everyone in the living room couldn¡¯t help but exchange looks.


    It was clear that each person was thinking of the ¡°lines¡± that Alice could see in her eyes¨Cthe same that Miss Doll had thought ¡°everyone could see¡± last time.


    But Duncan was thinking of even more.


    He thought of the little auk with black feathers brought into the assembly by Rune¨Che thought of the madman¡¯s bird.


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    He also thought of the drawing done by Alice, recalling how she insisted on adding ¡°lines¡± to every person in the painting.


    Alice seemed a bit uneasy¨Cafter being assertive, she seemed to realize that she was different from the others, and perhaps she thought she had done something wrong. She couldn¡¯t help but lean toward Duncan and shrunk her neck, ¡°I didn¡¯t know at first¡­¡±


    ¡°Every observer has a different world in their eyes, and for Alice¡­ the world has appeared different from the start. She took this for granted, and never thought to confirm what the world looked like in everyone¡¯s eyes with each person,¡± Duncan suddenly broke the silence, turning his head and gently patting Alice¡¯s hair, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, you haven¡¯t done anything wrong, and you¡¯ve done very well¨CAlice, you¡¯ve done a great service by seeing information we couldn¡¯t see¡­¡±


    He gently stroked the doll¡¯s hair, helping her to relax, while his gaze passed through the window, as if piercing through the densely packed buildings of the city, to see the still motionless sun over the sea.


    Phenomenon 001¨CObserver effect anchor.

 Chapter 692 - Chapter 692 Chapter 689 The Ignored Connection

    Chapter 692: Chapter 689: The Ignored ¡°Connection¡±? Chapter 692: Chapter 689: The Ignored ¡°Connection¡±? In Light Breeze Harbor, the dim ¡°sunlight¡± permeated from the sea surface, enveloping the entire City-State under the ¡°night sky.¡± The information carried by the light silently flowed through the entire sea area, yet only one personified machine could understand this information.


    Honestly, even Duncan found this a bit inconceivable.


    So, in the eyes of this personified machine, how many things differed from common human knowledge? Were the skies in her eyes blue? Were the tree leaves green? What did the human contours, what did the surging waves of the sea look like in her vision?


    And even if she described what she saw¨Ccould the colors, sounds, and shapes she talked about truly be the same as those perceived by ordinary people?


    It seemed to be an eternal contradictory cycle, a mystery forever unresolved.


    Alice turned her head, her beautiful, large eyes reflecting the glow of the gas lamp. She looked at Duncan with a mix of confusion and concern and didn¡¯t speak until after a long time, whispering, ¡°Captain, the things that I see¨Cthey are useful, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    The disordered thoughts gradually converged, and Duncan refused to let the messy associations continue. He suddenly agreed with something Alice had said before¨Ccertain annoying and inherently unanswerable questions were better left unpondered.


    So, he smiled and slowly relaxed, ¡°Of course, they¡¯re useful¨Cother than those messages, what else did you see? After the sun went out, what different things did you ¡®see¡¯?¡±


    Alice quickly grasped what Duncan meant. She furrowed her brows, recalling earnestly and looked around before speaking uncertainly, ¡°If I have to say, there was always a buzzing sound¡­¡±


    Duncan frowned, ¡°Buzzing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, buzzing, a very light noise, and I can¡¯t even be sure if it¡¯s really a ¡®sound.¡¯ It¡¯s just this kind of noise that keeps ringing in my head, but if you don¡¯t pay close attention, it gets ignored,¡± Alice gesticulated as she explained, then pointed out the window, ¡°When I saw that ¡®sunlight,¡¯ the sound seemed a bit stronger¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded lightly, and after a moment, he asked again, ¡°Did you hear this buzzing sound last time the sun went out? Did you see those messages about the ¡®Observer Effect Stability Anchor¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Alice shook her head, supporting her head, ¡°It was only after coming to Light Breeze Harbor that I ¡®saw¡¯ and heard about the malfunction information from the ¡®sunlight¡¯ here¡­¡±


    Listening to the personified machine¡¯s narrative, Duncan couldn¡¯t help falling into contemplation¨C


    According to Lucercia¡¯s statement, just a while ago, Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s another set of observation equipment had also received faint signals from the extinguished sun, and their characteristics were completely consistent with the signals emitted by the ¡°Luminous Geometric Body.¡± This meant that during the period when the sun was out, the real body of Anomaly 001 was actually ¡°broadcasting¡± the ¡°Observer Effect Stability Anchor malfunction¡± report, yet Alice stated that she did not ¡°see¡± this content during the previous sun outage, but rather detected the malfunction information from the ¡°sunlight¡± here after arriving at Light Breeze Harbor¡­ Why was that?


    Was it because the malfunction wasn¡¯t that severe when the sun went out last time, and therefore Anomaly 001¡¯s real body didn¡¯t report the malfunction? If this was the case, the situation would be more severe than anyone had anticipated, because it meant that the entire system had deteriorated even further¨Cin such a short period.


    The living room fell silent. Lucercia, Maurice, and the others gathered around, listening to Duncan and Alice¡¯s exchange, and looked at Duncan¡¯s changing expression on his face with some concern. After a while, Nina couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Uncle Duncan, do you know what that ¡®Observer Effect Stability Anchor¡¯ means?¡±


    Duncan opened his mouth but suddenly found himself at a loss.


    In this world, just explaining the concept of planets and the universe was already an incredibly difficult task; how was he to explain the far more abstract ¡®observer effect¡¯? How to explain those unbelievable phenomena between the macroscopic and microscopic worlds?


    And what was more important¨Ccould the observer theory he knew really apply here?


    He looked up with a nuanced expression, gazing out at the world beyond the window.


    ¡°I can roughly guess some of it, but it deviates greatly from what I know of ¡®observer theory,¡¯ which is supposed to happen in the microscopic world, not¡­¡±


    He hesitated, then stopped.


    If Anomaly 001¡¯s other name truly was ¡°Observer Effect Stability Anchor,¡± could this already explain the real mechanism behind this ancient anomaly¡¯s ¡°Suppressing Pollution¡± and ¡°Stabilizing Order¡±?


    Unconsciously, he thought of the truth behind the Great Vanishing, of the underlying conflict in all things in the world, and the various Transcendent anomalies across the world caused by cognitive pollution and based on that¨Cthe collision and annihilation between the ¡°order foundation stones¡± of microcosms within each universe. When these foundation stones collided and annihilated each other, mixing into an immensely chaotic and complex ¡°information broth¡±¡­ Would the observer effect really still be limited to the microscopic world?


    In the instant when the mathematical laws of various universes were torn apart, when the material structures of all things were completely annihilated, reduced to foundational informational elements, perhaps the distinction between ¡°microscopic¡± and ¡°macroscopic¡± had long since vanished!


    Amidst the tempestuous surge of thoughts, Duncan unwittingly murmured, ¡°¡­The specific manifestations of foundational information pollution and law conflict¡­ Is it actually an out-of-control observer effect in the macroscopic world?¡±


    Maurice and Lucresia looked at each other in astonishment, and then a few seconds later, they both turned their heads, ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°Later, I¡¯ll try to explain to you what the observer effect is and some of my conjectures about it, but that¡¯s going to take a lot of time and effort,¡± Duncan quickly waved his hand, ¡°Right now, I¡¯m more interested in another question.¡±


    Lucresia immediately asked, ¡°Another question?!¡±


    Duncan nodded, turning his gaze to the gothic doll standing beside him, looking completely harmless (mainly because she hadn¡¯t caught on yet).


    ¡°Have you ever thought about¨Cwhy can Alice see and understand these ¡®signals¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right!¡± Sherry suddenly caught on (since this was the only question she¡¯d understood so far), ¡°How she can ¡®see¡¯ is one thing, seeing as how only she can see those ¡®lines¡¯¨Cbut how does she understand them? So many experts and scholars in the City-State have gone bald without figuring it out!¡±


    Fenna keenly noticed the serious and thoughtful expression on Duncan¡¯s face as he raised the question. ¡°Do you already have an answer?¡±


    Duncan heard this and slowly nodded, thinking for a moment and organizing his words before he brought up the contents recorded in the ¡°Book of Desecration¡±:


    ¡°You should remember, according to the book, that after two failed creations, it was the ¡®Crawling King¡¯ who succeeded in Creation during the third long night, initiating the deep-sea era.¡±


    Fenna immediately nodded, ¡°Yes, we remember that.¡±


    ¡°The ¡®construction¡¯ of Specter 001 also took place in that same era,¡± Duncan continued, serious, ¡°The Crawling King enlisted the Kritios Clan as his assistants, and together they designed and built the ¡®sun,¡¯ and the Crawling King is the ¡®The Saint¡¯ we know¨CNow, do you remember how Alice was born?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know this!¡± Sherry suddenly enlightened, ¡°The Saint¡¯s Replication kneaded her out at the bottom of the sea!¡±


    Everyone caught on.


    Their eyes all fell on Alice.


    Alice listened blankly as everyone discussed around her, only now vaguely catching up with their train of thought, and after assuring herself that she hadn¡¯t messed anything up, her face showed a look of smug satisfaction for some reason.


    ¡°We¡¯ve always known that, in a way, Alice is actually a ¡®Deep Creation,¡¯ but a lot of the time, we¡¯ve only noticed her connection to the Frost Queen, Lei Nora, and overlooked her relationship with The Saint¨Cthat¡¯s the important part,¡± Duncan said, a faint complexity in his expression as he watched the inexplicably smug doll, and he thought back to the scene in the garden of that mansion where he had accidentally connected with The Saint, ¡°It seems now that this connection might be more significant than we imagined, at least now we can be sure of one thing, she can understand the ¡®system language¡¯ The Saint used in the ¡®Genesis Blueprint¡¯¡­¡±


    Nina thought for a moment, ¡°Like a punch card reader understanding the output tape from a difference engine?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not a bad way to understand it.¡±


    Alice looked at Duncan, then at the other people around, as if she had some questions, but then she furrowed her brows as if she heard or saw something¨Cafter a brief moment, she suddenly spoke, ¡°The system has restarted.¡±


    Duncan instantly looked up, and almost at the very moment Alice¡¯s words fell, a low and ethereal roar suddenly entered everyone¡¯s minds.


    With the deep rumble that seemed to fill the whole world in an instant, Duncan noticed a streak of rosy light appear in the sky outside the window¨C


    The sun, which had previously sunk near the sea level and extinguished there, becoming dormant, was reignited.


    Sherry was the first to run to the window, peering out at the scene on the street below; she saw the rosy light spread over the rooftops, and a squad of Knowledge Guards at the corner looked up in surprise at the sky.


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    Nearby residents who had hidden in their homes began to react, opening their windows to look outside.


    Sherry happily waved out of the window, greeting a neighbor who appeared at another window not far away, but she received no response¨Ceveryone¡¯s attention was on the sky that had just lit up again with rosy light.


    Then, faint cheers came from somewhere, and after a while, the sound of a loudspeaker broadcast came from the street corner¨Cthe broadcast mentioned the news of the sun reigniting and reminded residents not to leave their homes rashly, as night would soon fall and the martial law would continue into the night, until the sun rose normally the next day.


    Duncan listened to the faint broadcast coming from outside, watching the rosy light slowly fade from the sky, and he let out a soft breath.


    The sun rising as usual¡­ now, even that had become uncertain.

 Chapter 693 - Chapter 693 Chapter 690 The Keeper of Secrets and the Sailor

    Chapter 693: Chapter 690: The Keeper of Secrets and the ¡®Sailor Chapter 693: Chapter 690: The Keeper of Secrets and the ¡®Sailor This time, the sun extinguished its light as dusk approached¨Cthus, not long after the sky was re-lit, the sunlight gradually retreated from the sea surface.


    The splendid double Rune Circle of Anomaly 001 slowly sank into the sea, accompanied by the last glimmer of twilight disappearing into the sky, and night fell¨Cover the areas of the City-State that the ¡°Luminous Geometric Body¡± couldn¡¯t directly illuminate, the Creation of the World¡¯s cold brilliance and the darkness enshrouded everything as usual.


    The city quieted down, the gas lamps in the streets emitted a slightly murky glow amidst the darkness, and the patrolling guards¡¯ squad moved through the alleyways, leaving long shadows at the intersections¨Cthe experience of the sun extinguishing felt like a not-so-vivid dream, gradually melting into this night.


    However, Duncan could feel that this ¡°nightmare¡± hadn¡¯t really receded as it seemed¨Csome oppressive air still loomed over the city, fostering tension and unease in these quiet districts, thick as sludge growing under the night¡¯s veil.


    ¡°¡­Every household has turned on all their lights, there is a tense air everywhere,¡± Sherry murmured as she leaned on the living room window, watching the street outside, ¡°I definitely don¡¯t want to go out there now¡­ I feel like I can¡¯t even breathe.¡±


    A Dog shook his head beside her, ¡°Today the guards have at least doubled outside; if you go out now, you¡¯ll get pinned down by the night patrol immediately, then forget about breathing. Then the captain will have to haul us out of the jail again¡­¡±


    Fenna leaned against the window, glanced down at Sherry who was sprawled on the windowsill, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be so sensitive to ¡®atmospheres.''¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m familiar with this feeling. Gas lamps in the Lower City District always light up later than other districts. As dusk approaches, many homes can¡¯t power up electric lights, and a tense atmosphere emerges as the sky darkens¨Cuntil the gas lamps are lit, the whole street breathes a sigh of relief. It¡¯s like a ¡®whoosh¡¯¨Cthen we know it¡¯s safe to sleep.¡±


    ¡°But even though the city is ablaze with lights tonight, many will undoubtedly endure a sleepless night,¡± Duncan walked over, pressed one hand on Sherry¡¯s hair, and ruffled A Dog¡¯s head with the other, ¡°After the sun extinguished for the second time, even the most optimistic people probably can¡¯t help but start worrying about one question¨Cwhether tomorrow¡¯s sun will rise at all.¡±


    Sherry tilted her head to the side, then suddenly looked up at Duncan with a startled gaze, ¡°¡­Ah!? It really won¡¯t rise tomorrow?!¡±


    Duncan made a weird face, ¡°¡­How would I know? What I say doesn¡¯t count.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Sherry scratched her hair, ¡°That seems right¡­¡±


    Lucy then walked over from the side, ¡°The ¡®Observatory¡¯ reported that the signal from the luminous body has completely ceased, and now they are preparing to send a team into the body of light to check if the stone sphere has undergone any changes.¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Nighttime work?¡±


    ¡°For the sea area where the ¡®Luminous Geometric Body¡¯ is located, it¡¯s always day,¡± Lucy explained as she spread her hands, ¡°Sunlight can stabilize the aberrant forces of the Endless Sea, and research work around the luminous body has always been conducted in 24-hour shifts.¡±


    Duncan nodded, then suddenly turned contemplatively to look at Alice, who was not far away, winding up Luny.


    Miss Puppet, sensing his gaze, lifted her head and revealed a harmlessly smiling face.


    After the sun was re-lit, the fault signal in Alice¡¯s ¡°eyes¡± had disappeared, and she seemingly returned to her daily routine as if nothing had happened.


    Yet, Duncan grew suddenly curious¡­ What would happen if he took her to that ¡°stone sphere¡± now? This doll, theoretically a creation of the Deep Saint, standing in front of a fragment of Anomaly 001, also made by the Deep Saint¨Cwould it ¡°see¡± something again that ordinary people couldn¡¯t?


    In fact, Duncan had previously taken Alice to see the Luminous Geometric Body, but at that time nobody realized the almost ¡°symbiotic¡± connection between Alice and Anomaly 001, so he hadn¡¯t specifically tested this before, and Alice herself hadn¡¯t focused on the luminous body¨C but this time, he wanted to conduct some purposeful ¡°tests.¡±


    ¡°¡­Lucy, I need you to arrange something,¡± Duncan turned his head, looking towards Lucy, ¡°I want to take Alice to see the ¡®stone sphere.''¡±


    Lucy was taken aback but quickly grasped Duncan¡¯s intention and nodded immediately, ¡°Understood.¡±


    Duncan hummed affirmatively and then looked towards the midair beside him.


    A faint green flame ignited out of thin air under his concentrated gaze, and a plump pigeon burning with Spiritual Fire flapped its wings before him: ¡°Transition successful! Transition successful!¡±


    ¡°We should also bring over that unfortunate ¡®Truth Confidant,''¡± Duncan casually remarked, ¡°Go check on Lawrence¨CWhite Oak can serve as the beacon. Know the way?¡±


    Ai Yi cocked his head, pondered a moment, then vigorously flapped his wings: ¡°Air wife! Fantasy wife! Air wife! Fantasy wife!¡±


    ¡°¡­Lawrence¡¯s wife is no longer a fantasy¨Cdon¡¯t say this in front of Martha, or she might stew you,¡± Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched as he glared at the increasingly plump pigeon, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it; you¡¯ll depart later, then directly bring Ted Riel to the stone sphere, I have some things to discuss with him.¡±


    The pigeon immediately became excited again, ¡°Talk therapy, also known as chat therapy~~¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Ted Riel put on a warm thick coat and slowly walked on the deck at the stern, the cold night wind blew from the sea carrying a salty scent, and the sound of the small waves hitting the hull intermittently rose and fell in the night, gradually calming his mind.


    The sun, after reigniting, had normally set, and after the usual dusk came the quiet night. At this moment, even the cold light of the Creation of the World seemed somewhat kind.


    ¡°As someone who just backstroke swam back from Subspace, your recovery isn¡¯t too bad.¡±


    A hoarse and unpleasant voice came from the nearby deck. Following the sound, Ted looked over and saw the ugly mummified corpse dressed in a sailor¡¯s jacket, sitting on a coil of rope near the ship¡¯s railing, smiling in the night.


    That smile was enough to give someone nightmares for a night.


    Ted frowned and walked toward the mummified corpse, leaning against the nearby railing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t really need that thick coat, do you, Confidant?¡± the ¡°sailor¡± glanced at the coat Ted Riel was wearing and commented casually, ¡°As far as I know, the ¡®Saints¡¯ have a constitution different from ordinary people. A little soak in the sea should not make you feel cold¡­ Or is it still the chill of the Subspace soaking into you?¡±


    ¡°¡­This is Captain Lawrence¡¯s kindness,¡± Ted looked at the coat he was wearing and commented offhandedly, then frowned again, ¡°Why do I feel¡­ you seem to know a lot about ¡®Saints¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I know a little,¡± the ¡°sailor¡± grinned, laughing darkly, ¡°I know that no matter what you were before, after receiving the blessing, you can no longer be considered fully ¡®alive¡¯. I also know that your skin can resist blades, your bones can regenerate, your hearts can continue to pump blood even when shattered, you can survive for days without breathing, and even someone like you, a ¡®scholar¡¯, after promotion, can withstand the extremes of temperature, diseases and various poisons¡­¡±


    He paused, casually pulling out a bottle of beer from nearby, swaying it as he continued, ¡°Strictly speaking, you ¡®Saints¡¯ are actually just a bunch of anomalies in a de-sealed state. Normally, anomalies lose control once de-sealed, but you¡­ those who blessed you still control you.¡±


    Listening to the incessant chatter of the mummified corpse, Ted Riel¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious, ¡°How do you know so much?¡±


    ¡°I am a ¡®sailor¡¯, and sailors should know a lot of strange things, as we are the wandering souls on the Endless Sea¨Cwandering in life or in death. The longer you wander, the more you know. There¡¯s nothing new on the Endless Sea,¡± the ¡°sailor¡± pulled his mouth into a smile, lifting the beer in his hand and swayed it, ¡°Want a sip? Genuine Storm brew, fine self-produced liquor by the Deep Sea Church, I sneakily took it from the captain¡¯s collection.¡±


    ¡°¡­You dare to steal the captain¡¯s things?¡±


    ¡°Stealing liquor from the captain¡¯s collection is a necessary part of being a ¡®sailor¡¯¨Cgetting hanged on the mast afterwards is another,¡± the mummy laughed hoarsely, lifting the beer bottle and pouring it into his throat. The liquid then flowed out from the large hole on the side of his neck and his chest, dripping onto the deck, ¡°Hiss¨Cgood liquor.¡±


    Ted Riel, however, did not pay attention to the mummy¡¯s interruption and continued to look skeptically at this anomaly, numbered 077 and officially marked as ¡°Specially Uncontrolled¡±, then suddenly asked, ¡°You used to be a person?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± the sailor shrugged carelessly, ¡°Anyway, ¡®people¡¯ can turn into anomalies under certain conditions. If you think I was, then I was.¡±


    Ted Riel noticed that the sailor didn¡¯t directly answer his question, so he didn¡¯t pursue further. After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly changed the subject, ¡°Where is this ship heading?¡±


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    ¡°To Rensa, the captain took a big order to pick up twelve sealed items there, transferring them to another City-State in the north.¡±


    ¡°¡­ How many?!¡±


    ¡°Twelve.¡±


    ¡°¡­A large transport ship escorted by Saints themselves usually has a limit of eight anomalies per transport¨Cdon¡¯t you consider the stringent containment conditions of anomalies and the possibility of mutual conflict and influence?¡± Ted Riel was astounded, ¡°Who signed your permit?!¡±


    ¡°The Deep Sea Church signed it, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The sailor glanced at Ted, ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised. This is the Exiled Fleet faithfully carrying out the transport¨Cwe transport twelve at a time because Rensa only has twelve sealed items that meet the transportation conditions. As for the control of the sealed items¡­¡±


    The mummy paused, raising his hand and pointing to himself, ¡°I am the only ¡®uncontrolled¡¯ anomaly on this ship, now on a 24-hour shift, fighting off-board, scrubbing the deck on-board, and responsible for diving to rescue people who backstroke from Subspace. If you gave me a chance to do it over, I would choose to rot in a shroud¨CI wouldn¡¯t wake up¨Ceven the anomalies that need ¡®transition transport¡¯ to enhance the sealing effect have a certain level of cognitive ability. They see what I¡¯m like, and after boarding, each one of them becomes as quiet as quails, even those with innate mobility have learned to help close the door after the captain inspects the sealing chambers¡­¡±


    Ted Riel: ¡°¡­?¡±

 Chapter 694 - Chapter 694 Chapter 691 Abnormal Contact

    Chapter 694: Chapter 691: Abnormal Contact Chapter 694: Chapter 691: Abnormal Contact Ted Riel sat down next to Anomaly 077.


    ¡°Really won¡¯t have some?¡± Anomaly 077 grinned and shook the beer bottle in his hand, then pointed to a corner, ¡°I still have one more bottle¨Cthis internal circulation stuff, miss it and it won¡¯t be easy to find again. From what I know, Light Breeze Harbor doesn¡¯t have this¡­ Give it a try, if you¡¯re still soaked by the chill of Subspace, alcohol might help.¡±


    ¡°¡­Since you know so much about ¡®saints,¡¯ you should be aware that alcohol means nothing to me,¡± Ted Riel glanced at the mummified corpse and then shook his head, his gaze returning, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about.¡±


    Anomaly 077 shrugged: ¡°You can ask, but I might not answer.¡±


    ¡°¡­How do you, an ¡®anomaly¡¯ with a complete mind, view this world?¡± Ted Riel asked seriously, then, perhaps feeling his question was a bit abrupt, paused to ponder and added two more sentences, ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with many people and encountered the thoughts of many wise men left in books about the world. I understand the human perspective, but seeing you, I suddenly became curious about how a rational ¡®anomaly¡¯ like you sees the world¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah ha, coming up with such a philosophical question right off the bat, truly worthy of a Truth Confidant,¡± Anomaly 077 clicked his tongue, ¡°But haven¡¯t you met Miss Alice? Why don¡¯t you ask her?¡±


    Ted Riel fell silent for a moment: ¡°¡­I feel like she has no opinions about the world.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah ha, then it seems you indeed have met Miss Alice,¡± the ¡°sailor¡± laughed cheerfully, and then took another swig of beer, letting the liquid trickle onto the deck as he looked up, ¡°Your question about my view? Well, I think this world might as well be destroyed.¡±


    Ted Riel frowned at these words instinctively.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you asked for, Mr. Confidant.¡± Noticing the change in Ted¡¯s expression, the ¡°sailor¡± turned his head to look for a moment before his gaze returned to the sky, ¡°And don¡¯t you think so? The sun has been extinguished twice; city-state-level calamities occur time and again; objects of desecration and exile keep awakening and returning. In my eyes, this world is full of cracks, shadows, voids, and dying noises¡­ You noble and steadfast people¨CI mean no sarcasm¨Cyou spend all day trying to patch up this world, but think about it with that scholarly reasoning of yours¡­ Can it still be mended?¡±


    Ted Riel furrowed his brows but didn¡¯t respond. He hadn¡¯t expected that a mere casual inquiry out of curiosity would yield such an answer, and the sailor¡¯s attitude took him by surprise¨Cthe answers didn¡¯t seem casually given but rather like conclusions drawn from long and serious contemplation, as if this ¡°anomaly¡± had been observing and thinking about this world for a very long time.


    Anomaly 077 was indifferent to Ted¡¯s silence.


    ¡°This world is ending, Mr. Confidant. As a ¡®sailor,¡¯ I can smell the approaching Storm better than you can. Compared to a few hundred years ago, the world is now riddled with rifts, like an old house with countless gaping holes. The howling cold wind will destroy everything as soon as the next hole widens¨Cyour patching is meaningless. When the foundation crumbles, painting walls or pasting newspapers over holes are merely giving false peace to those inside the house¨Cfor a brief moment¨CListen up, Mr. Confidant, prick up your ears and really listen¡­¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± slowly moved closer and placed a hand near his ear, mimicking the act of listening intently, wearing a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile on his face.


    ¡°Did you hear it? That hollow and piercing noise¡­ That¡¯s the wind from Subspace¡­ It passes through those big and small pores, vibrating in ranges ordinary people can¡¯t hear. I¡¯ve always been able to hear them¡­ and now, you can too.¡±


    Faint noise echoed around, as though resonating directly within the brain¨Cdeep yet weak, yet impossible to ignore its presence.


    Ted Riel¡¯s eyes slightly widened, staring at the sailor with an intense, pressuring gaze.


    ¡°Ease up, Mr. Truth Confidant¨Cdealing with Subspace is just like that, once touched, it clings to you for life,¡± the ¡°sailor¡± seemed not to care about the gaze at all. He shifted to a more comfortable position, lazily leaning against a pile of ropes, ¡°Though you miraculously got out of that place¨CI won¡¯t bother to wonder what kind of ¡®miracle¡¯ saved you, but clearly, Subspace has left a few marks on you¡­ Compared to the poor sods who went mad after catching a mere glimpse of Subspace, this little effect is lucky.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is this also something a ¡®sailor¡¯ should know?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± The mummified remains nodded as if it was only natural, apparently unconcerned whether others believed him or not.


    Ted Riel: ¡°¡­¡±


    But the sailor paid no heed to Ted¡¯s reaction, the ghastly remains simply adjusted its leaning posture again, lounging even more slackly amid the ropes. All the while, he idly swung a bottle of wine, mumbling to himself, ¡°Think positively, the world is just like this. Whether you accept it or not, it¡¯s still one day, drink up while you can, survive day by day. I can¡¯t sleep my way back anymore, otherwise I would sleep straight through to the end of the world, but now, this is quite good, I¡¯m just waiting with open eyes for the end of the world to come¡­¡±


    At this point, the ¡°sailor¡± slightly turned his head, looking at Ted Riel with a half-smile.


    ¡°As for you, Mr. Truth Confidant, you still have your own tasks to do. It¡¯s time to go back¨Cback to your position, to continue patching up this teetering, dilapidated house. Although it seems futile, perhaps¡­ it is through this ¡®futile¡¯ perseverance that the world keeps moving day by day, until a road suddenly appears at the end of the void¡­ At that time, all the desperate struggles will have their meaning.¡±


    The low, chaotic noise once more spread from the depths of the brain, the aftereffects of Subspace causing Ted Riel to feel a sense of dizziness. He felt like something was wrong with his perception, but before he could understand what was happening, a crackling noise suddenly came from the nearby deck, interrupting his train of thought.


    He looked towards the sound and saw a clump of faint green flames rising on the deck. Then, the flames burst into a fiery blaze, forming a rotating portal of fire, and a skeletal bird ablaze emerged from the gate, circling overhead.


    Ted was momentarily stunned, about to say something, when his vision blurred, and he found himself swept into the gate by the burning beast.


    The fiery portal roared out, and calm returned to the deck, as if what had happened was nothing but an illusion.


    The sailor leaned against the pile of ropes, holding a bottle and dazedly staring into space, while a writhing shadow abruptly appeared in the air not far from him.


    The shadow swiftly condensed, solidified, and began to take on form and color. Within moments, the shadow transformed into an old man wearing a white, tattered long robe, his face crisscrossed with wrinkles.


    The old man¡¯s frame was thin, slightly hunched as if he had been a traveler journeying through an endlessly long voyage, standing in the cold brilliance of the Creation of the World. Shadows, faint and indistinct, stretched forward from beneath his feet, casting themselves over the abnormal silhouette.


    After a moment of silence, the old man in the worn robe turned his head back, looking deeply in the direction Ted Riel had gone, and murmured softly, ¡°¡­ empty ¡­¡±


    The next second, his figure abruptly disappeared into the wind, like a phantom left by an errant moment in time, vanishing without a trace in the next.


    The sailor jolted, slightly confused as he raised his head. He sat up from the pile of ropes, first subconsciously bringing the bottle in his hand to his lips for a sip, but then frowned, ¡°How come this water has no taste¡­¡±


    The next second, his gaze finally fell upon the bottle in his hand.


    ¡°¡­ Fuck!!!¡±


    ¡­


    The grey-white stone sphere, covered with circular mountain-like lines, hovered quietly above the sea. The small research platform located at the stone sphere¡¯s waist bathed in the pale golden ¡°sunshine¡±, while several elf scholars clad in researcher robes stood tensely at the edge of the platform, their expressions a mix of fear and anxiety, watching the figure at the front of the platform.


    Alice stood there, lifting her head curiously to observe the bizarre large object in front of her.


    Duncan pressed her head back toward her neck, ¡°Stop messing around¨Cbe careful not to fall into the sea!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alice shrank her neck, steadying her head with both hands as she blinked her eyes at the ¡°stone sphere¡± in front of her. After studying it for quite some time, she finally blurted out, ¡°I can¡¯t make anything out¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear or see any ¡®extra information¡¯ after getting close to the stone sphere?¡± Duncan furrowed his brow, looking at the puppet before him, ¡°What about the surrounding ¡®sunlight¡¯? After entering inside this luminous body, did you hear or see anything?¡±


    Alice squinted her eyes, scanning the surroundings¨Ca curtain of crystalline golden radiance floating above the sea. The light reflected beautifully in the doll lady¡¯s violet eyes, resembling ripples on water.


    After looking around for a while, she turned her head to Duncan and said, ¡°¡­ no information.¡±


    Duncan was somewhat disappointed, ¡°No information?¡±


    Alice nodded affirmatively, once more earnestly confirming the content that ¡°appeared¡± before her eyes while she gazed at those golden rays, and nodded, ¡°Yes, just ¡®no information¡¯.¡±


    Duncan sighed regretfully, ¡°Well, it seems¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped, feeling as if something was off.


    ¡°Are you saying you saw the words ¡®no information¡¯, or are you saying you didn¡¯t see anything at all?¡±


    Alice declared confidently, ¡°I saw it, it¡¯s everywhere ¡®no information¡¯¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He suddenly realized the necessity of asking a few more questions when communicating with this simpleton¨Cthe thought patterns of this puppet, who could fathom?!


    But just as he was about to continue, a crackling sound from the nearby air interrupted his conversation with Alice.


    A phosphorescent green flame rose, and a revolving door of fire appeared instantly in the air.


    ¡°Ai Yi is bringing someone back,¡± Duncan waved to Alice, turning his head toward the direction where the gate had opened. But in the next second, his expression subtly changed, ¡°Wait, the gate is off¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, the door of flames burst open, and a familiar figure fell out from the gate¨Cbrushing by the edge of the platform and plummeting straight into the sea below.


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    Mixed in was Ted Riel¡¯s brief cry of alarm.


    A skeletal bird of flame followed swiftly after, flying grandly in circles through the air before landing on the platform. It then leaned its head down to peer below, emitting a shrill cry, ¡°Dumbfounded, huh? I can fly!¡±


    Duncan stared dumbfounded at the scene, while Alice carefully approached the edge of the platform to glance down, then patted her chest in fear, ¡°You really can fall into the sea, huh¡­¡±


    Duncan slowly turned his head, glancing at Ai Yi, then shifted his gaze toward the direction where Ted Riel had fallen.


    ¡­ How had that unfortunate ¡°Truth Confidant¡± managed to offend this bird?

 Chapter 695 - Chapter 695 Chapter 692 Everything Witnessed by the Keeper of

    Chapter 695: Chapter 692: Everything Witnessed by the Keeper of Secrets Chapter 695: Chapter 692: Everything Witnessed by the Keeper of Secrets Ted Riel sat swaddled in a thick blanket inside the research station¡¯s cabin. When someone handed him a cup of hot tea that was still a little scalding, he clutched the cup and looked up to say thanks, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Alice replied earnestly before starting to curiously size up this ¡°Confidant¡± who¡¯d just been fished out of the sea. After a good while, she turned to Duncan beside her and said, ¡°Captain, Mr. Riel doesn¡¯t seem to be in a very good mood!¡±


    ¡°I fell into the sea¨Ctwice!¡± Ted looked up at Duncan standing to one side, his voice shivering involuntarily in the middle of the sentence¨Cnot that the cold was a problem for a saint, his shudder seemed more like a chill from the cold hand of fate. ¡°First time out of Subspace, the second time a pigeon threw me out!¡±


    He shuddered again and turned his head, glaring with resentment at the plump white pigeon strutting on the floor with its chest puffed up. The bird ground its beak against the floor, tilted its head as one eye watched out the window and the other landed on Ted, flapping its wings, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°You must have offended Ai Yi,¡± came Duncan¡¯s voice, exuding a calm composure, ¡°It generally doesn¡¯t toss passengers into the sea.¡±


    ¡°As if it couldn¡¯t be that your pigeon is just cruel by nature?¡± Ted glared back, looking quite indignant, ¡°It mocked me as it threw me down, everyone here heard it¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, Ai Yi is a dove of peace,¡± Duncan immediately gestured dismissively, pointing at Ai Yi wandering around, ¡°See, it¡¯s white.¡±


    Ted hesitated in response, utterly thrown off by Duncan¡¯s rationale¨Che had never heard of what a dove of peace meant¡­


    But Duncan was used to no one getting his own jokes that he made off the cuff. He just waved his hand indifferently, ¡°I guess Ai Yi brought you here and you were not very cooperative.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright, I admit it,¡± Ted thought for a moment and sighed reluctantly, ¡°but you can¡¯t blame me¨CI don¡¯t know your pigeon. Even if the flame looked familiar, suddenly a skeletal, ghastly bird came flying at me and swept me into a dark and eerie space. Of course, my first reaction was to feel threatened, resistance was inevitable¡­¡±


    The usually silent Lucresia suddenly chimed in, ¡°And then you lost the fight to the pigeon and got thrown into the sea by it.¡±


    Ted Riel: ¡°¡­Can we stop talking about the pigeon, please?¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Duncan nodded and took the opportunity to sit down in the chair next to Ted, ¡°So, the topic of the pigeon ends here. Let¡¯s talk about Subspace.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ted grunted in his throat, his face displaying an overtly strange expression. However, the string of unbelievable experiences that had occurred in rapid succession had significantly toughened his nerves. He quickly took a breath (resigned himself) and lifted his gaze to look around.


    The academy staff stationed there had, like a flash, instantly left the room and closed the door¨Cwithin seconds, there was only Duncan, Alice, and Lucresia left besides him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told Captain Lawrence everything I can remember,¡± Ted Riel only relaxed slightly after all unrelated personnel had left. As he recalled, he said, ¡°Subspace left a lasting chaos and shroud in my mind, obfuscating part of my memory. I can only remember unconnected fragments, like those silent, huge, and strange ¡®things¡¯ I witnessed. You should already know about this part¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lawrence has briefed me on the situation, but some matters need to be discussed face to face to be clearer,¡± Duncan said nonchalantly, ¡°Like the precise shapes of those things you witnessed¡­ What Lawrence conveyed can never beat hearing it directly from you¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he casually pulled a drawing from the table beside him.


    They were some rough sketches Duncan had made after receiving the report from Lawrence, before Ted Riel had been brought back by Ai Yi.


    Ted Riel curiously took the paper Duncan handed him and upon seeing the contents depicted, he immediately widened his eyes slightly.


    Drawn on the paper was not some horrifying or bizarre thing¨Cit was merely outlines of doors and windows, some elegantly ornate pillars, some curved wrought-iron designs.


    However, the ¡°style¡± and ¡°feel¡± of those depicted to Ted Riel was as shocking as witnessing the eerie, monstrous beings of Subspace once again.


    He hesitantly looked up, meeting Duncan¡¯s calm gaze.


    ¡°Is this the style?¡± Duncan asked quietly.


    Ted Riel opened his mouth, then lowered his head again to stare fixedly at the series of architectural details of the buildings sketched on the paper. After a long pause, he spoke in a deep voice, ¡°¡­Yes, there was a massive structure in the dark, like a palace, yet also like an overly complex mansion. It loomed above me upside down, its spires reminiscent of the gloomy black towers of the Northern City-States. Its doors and windows were elongated and towering, each window sealed and covered with thorn-like dark matter on the outside¡­¡±


    He stopped, took a moment to recall and organize his thoughts, and continued, ¡°The entire edifice remained silent in the dark, like a huge beast that had been dead for years, yet at times¡­ I¡¯d see hazy flashes of light from some of the windows, as if there were still people moving inside, and the whole building seemed as though it would come to life¡­¡±


    Duncan listened silently to Ted Riel¡¯s description, his expression solemn as he regarded the windows, pillars, and decorative patterns he had drawn on the paper.


    That was something from Alice¡¯s Mansion¨Calthough Ted Riel had only seen the external structure of the building, from its style, the two were clearly unified.


    Ted Riel saw indeed Alice¡¯s Mansion.


    The Alice¡¯s Mansion in Subspace.


    But Duncan clearly remembered, after the ¡°mistress¡¯s bedroom¡± deep within Alice¡¯s Mansion was ¡°taken away¡± by Lei Nora, there was left a huge hollow where he looked out from, yet he could only see boundless darkness, and couldn¡¯t make out the characteristic chaotic light streams and the massive shadows of entities in Subspace¡­ Otherwise, he would have realized sooner that the mansion was located in Subspace.


    Why was this?


    Was it because Ted saw only the ¡°projection¡± of Alice¡¯s Mansion in Subspace? Or was it that¡­ last time when he looked out from the big hollow inside the mansion¡­ something had ¡°obscured¡± his vision?


    Duncan furrowed his brows, lost in long thought, while Ted finally couldn¡¯t hold back after several minutes and blurted out, ¡°What exactly did I see? You seem very familiar with it?¡±


    ¡°Familiar, I often visit,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°but don¡¯t inquire about the details¨Cfor the sake of your mental and physical health.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright, after all, it is Subspace,¡± Ted immediately realized, but then his expression turned somewhat odd, ¡°By Rahm¡¯s protection, I never imagined I would actually be discussing Subspace with you¡­ I¡¯ve been there and come back alive, and to this moment, I find it somewhat unreal.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve started feeling this way a bit late,¡± Duncan waved his hand dismissively, and then continued, ¡°You also mentioned that the upside-down mansion changed before your eyes, turning into something like a giant ship?¡±


    ¡°In fact¡­ I¡¯m not sure what that thing was at all,¡± Ted Riel hesitated before speaking cautiously, ¡°The experience in Subspace was like shuttling through layers of illusions, my reason and cognition seem to have been independently operating in two dimensions, I saw many things, and they often changed into other¡­ ¡®forms¡¯ in an instant, and among these changes, only a part were really happening, while another part seemed like my brain was spontaneously reorganizing that incomprehensible information.¡±


    After some thought, Duncan pushed another piece of blank paper and a pencil toward Ted Riel, ¡°Whether it was an illusion or not, can you now draw the ¡®instant change¡¯ you saw of the mansion?¡±


    Ted Riel hesitated for a moment, then took the paper and pencil: ¡°¡­I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    Wrapped in a blanket, the Truth Confidant came to the table and began sketching the vague visions he had seen in Subspace.


    Duncan stood by his side, observing with a serious and patient expression.


    Under Ted Riel¡¯s pen, some messy, abstract lines began to emerge on the paper.


    However, Lucrezia, who was curiously watching from the side, began to frown, ¡°Is this what you referred to as¡­ a ¡®giant ship¡¯?¡±


    She saw many lines haphazardly connected together, forming fragments resembling abstract geometric shapes that created a rough fusiform structure, or some kind of asymmetrical ¡°cylinder,¡± all of which were quite different from the ¡°ship¡± she had in mind.


    But the next second, she noticed that Duncan¡¯s expression was becoming very serious upon seeing those ¡°abstract patterns.¡±


    What had her father discerned from those strange abstract lines?


    Had he seen this thing before?!


    A flurry of questions suddenly arose in Lucrezia¡¯s mind, but before she could ask, Ted Riel had already put down his pencil.


    ¡°I know this doesn¡¯t look like a ¡®ship,¡¯ but the moment I saw it, I felt in my mind that this should be some kind of ¡®ship,''¡± Ted Riel lifted his head and said to Lucrezia, ¡°I can¡¯t explain it, it¡¯s as if some kind of ¡®cognition¡¯ was directly imprinted in my thoughts, or perhaps it was some kind of ¡®revelation¡¯¡­¡±


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    Duncan was still staring intently at the messy lines Ted had drawn on the paper when he suddenly looked up and asked, ¡°¡­Are you finished?¡±


    Ted Riel nodded, ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s brows were tightly knit, his expression unusually serious, ¡°That¡¯s all? Just this part?¡±


    Ted Riel, finally sensing something from Duncan¡¯s demeanor, hesitated slightly, ¡°What I saw¡­ was only this part, is there something wrong?¡±


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly stepped forward, pointing at the figure on the paper, ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ but theoretically, what you¡¯ve drawn might be only a third of its structure!¡±

 Chapter 696 - Chapter 696 Chapter 693 The Shadow Noticed Afterwards

    Chapter 696: Chapter 693: The Shadow Noticed Afterwards Chapter 696: Chapter 693: The Shadow Noticed Afterwards ¡°One third of the structure?¡±


    Ted Riel was taken aback upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, and looked puzzledly at the chaotic, abstract lines he himself had drawn on paper ¡ª admittedly, he thought they were poorly done, but this was the closest to the ¡°original impression¡± he could recall. The residual effects of the subspace constantly disturbed his mind, preventing him from clearly recalling the details of those memories. He himself had difficulty fully outlining the image from these disjointed lines.


    However, from Duncan¡¯s tone, he realized that this ¡°Ghost Ship Captain¡± not only saw what was drawn on the paper but even knew what it originally should have looked like.


    Duncan stood in front of the table, his eyebrows tightly furrowed as he carefully studied the details drawn by Ted, and after a while, he pointed to a certain spot on the drawing, ¡°Is this structure fractured?¡±


    Ted furrowed his brow, trying to recall for a moment, and finally a vague impression surfaced in his mind, ¡°It seems so¡­ but I¡¯m not sure. I only caught a glimpse of it in haste, and didn¡¯t even get a chance to see its complete lateral structure¡­¡±


    ¡°The structure here is fractured and extends outward; these are some connecting structures,¡± Duncan ignored Ted¡¯s hesitant tone and casually picked up a pencil. He rapidly sketched lines on the blank part of the paper, and under his pen, a strange entity, possessing a symmetrical three-body structure and which, in the eyes of Ted and Lucia, had nothing to do with a ¡°ship,¡± was swiftly outlined, ¡°It consists of these three main structures¡­ this here is where the engine group is located¡­¡±


    Lucia had unconsciously moved closer to this bizarre ¡°drawing¡±, staring at it for a full half-minute before she finally couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°What is this exactly?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t look up. After a few seconds of silence, he softly responded, ¡°It¡¯s called the ¡®New Hope¡¯.¡±


    Lucia and Ted Riel looked at each other, then simultaneously exclaimed, ¡°The New Hope?¡±


    Alice also came over, and a beat slower, she asked, ¡°What is the New Hope?¡±


    Duncan raised his head, his gaze complex and peculiar as it landed on the gothic doll, but the latter seemed to have not grasped anything, just tilting her head to the side, ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a ship, a spaceship,¡± Duncan withdrew his gaze, saying in a subtle tone that he himself couldn¡¯t fathom, ¡°It arrived at this world many, many years ago¡­ or rather, like other ¡®fragments¡¯, it crashed into the pile of world debris we are in.¡±


    ¡°A spaceship? A flying ship?¡± Ted Riel¡¯s voice carried a hint of surprise, then he quickly realized, ¡°You mean another ¡®world fragment¡¯? A flying ship called the ¡®New Hope¡¯, whose wreckage fell into the subspace and became the mansion I saw¡­?¡±


    He gestured with his hand, a look of utter incredulity on his face.


    Duncan, however, didn¡¯t address the confusion of the Truth Confidant. He just lowered his head again, gazing long at the drawing on the table ¡ª on the basis of Ted Riel¡¯s rendition, the rough strokes outlined the huge spacecraft¡¯s draft, which, though not highly accurate, was indeed what he had seen in that vision of hallucination, the ¡°New Hope¡± dragging a long flame as it fell into this world.


    He remembered how he had seen that vision.


    It was when he was checking Alice¡¯s ¡°clockwork key¡±; he had spread his flame into the brass key ¡ª as he had done similarly each time he scouted transcendent objects, he saw the ¡°echo¡± stored within that ¡°clockwork key.¡±


    In that ¡°echo,¡± Alice¡¯s clockwork key transformed into some kind of bizarre¡­ data storage medium, and the New Hope crashed in the final scene of the vision.


    For a long time, he had been searching for clues about that ¡°spaceship,¡± seeking legends or historical records in this world related to an ancient crash, and at the same time, he often pondered one question¨C


    Why were there visions of the New Hope¡¯s crash recorded inside Alice¡¯s ¡°clockwork key¡±?


    This seemingly harmless gothic doll, what connection could it have with a spaceship that crashed in the Ancient Era?


    The gap between ¡°doll¡± and ¡°spaceship¡± was indeed enormous, so much so that even with Duncan¡¯s imaginative power, he truly couldn¡¯t link the two together. However, now¡­ an even more astounding clue had appeared before him.


    Ted Riel had seen Alice¡¯s Mansion in the subspace ¡ª that mansion, in certain moments, would appear as the wreckage of one-third of the New Hope!


    Duncan hadn¡¯t doubted Ted Riel¡¯s memory or statements without cause, but he quickly ruled out any possibility of an issue there ¡ª Ted Riel couldn¡¯t possibly describe something he had never seen, and even if his memories were confused, he couldn¡¯t ¡°just so happen¡± to outline the spacecraft structure of the ¡°New Hope.¡±


    Some disjointed and fragmented clues seemed to be quietly forming connections, some astounding speculations emerged in Duncan¡¯s mind.


    With his thoughts fluctuating in his mind, Duncan reached into the pocket close to his body and fumbled out the brass key used to wind Alice¡¯s clockwork.


    The brass key lay quietly in his palm, its cold metal tail end featuring the classic ¡°¡± symbol, as if hiding all the secrets within its infinite silence.


    Moments later, he put away the key and looked up to meet the curious yet hesitant gaze of Lucia and Ted Riel.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else first,¡± Duncan shook his head, his gaze falling on Ted, ¡°what else did you see in the Subspace?¡±


    Ted nodded, realizing that the ¡°New Hope¡± might be pointing towards some overly ancient and dangerous secrets, he wisely controlled his curiosity and began to recount the incredible scenes he witnessed in the Subspace.


    The monstrous structure standing in the wasteland, the throne with the headless giant figure, the unnamed warriors dead against the debris, and various other bizarre, indistinguishable entities that seemed either real existences or figments of the imagination.


    Duncan did not interrupt him; he listened attentively, nodding occasionally, until Ted Riel¡¯s narrative came to a pause, and he exhaled deeply.


    The headless corpse on the throne, eerie remains beside the nameless warrior, the massive structure looming over the wasteland¡­ All these were indeed bewildering, but anything was possible in the Subspace¨Cat least, to Duncan, these were easier to accept than ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion appearing in the Subspace¡± and ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion being a part of New Hope.¡±


    ¡°¡­What an impressively memorable journey,¡± Lucia, after listening quietly for a long time, broke the silence in the room, ¡°Fifteen minutes¡­ Lord Ted, your experience of fifteen minutes could suffice for many scholars¡¯ lifelong research.¡±


    ¡°I could write enough academic papers for the rest of my life based on these fifteen minutes, but honestly, I wish I had not gone through it,¡± Ted sighed, ¡°Do you know? I still occasionally hear those buzzing noises in my mind¡­ They scurry about in my consciousness like living creatures, and even though I¡¯m trained in resilient psychology and willpower control theory, combating these noises is incredibly challenging, and this aftermath may last a long time¡­¡±


    He shrugged with a grim expression,


    ¡°And what¡¯s worse is, I have to return to the academy tomorrow, to deal with those obstinate students¡­ Their clear yet foolish scholarly views are just another kind of ¡®Subspace noise¡¯ to me¡­¡±


    Mr. Confidant muttered, raising his hand painfully to cover his forehead, clearly the echoes of the Subspace and the foreseeable shadow of the future were intertwining to cast a profound gloom in his heart.


    Seeing this, Duncan could offer no consolation but simply sighed lightly and patted Ted on the shoulder, ¡°I very much understand the feeling.¡±


    Ted looked up at Duncan, puzzled, ¡°How could you understand?¡±


    Duncan paused, finding the question hard to explain, but soon, an image of Sherry¡¯s homework and Alice¡¯s sketchbook came to his mind.


    ¡°¡­My ship has minds clearer than your students.¡±


    Ted was stunned for a moment, not quite grasping the full extent, then nodded with a complex expression, ¡°It seems¡­ you have your trials too.¡±


    He fell silent, seemingly fatigued from recounting the long memories of the Subspace and wanting to relax his mind, but in less than half a minute, he seemed to remember something else.


    ¡°There¡¯s another matter,¡± Ted looked up, his expression turning serious, ¡°not about the Subspace, but about¡­ the ¡®White Oak.''¡±


    ¡°White Oak?¡± Duncan was puzzled, ¡°What about that ship?¡±


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    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just my perception, after all, I was influenced by the Subspace then, and my senses and thoughts were very chaotic, but I always feel¡­ there was something not quite right when talking to that ¡®sailor¡¯ on the White Oak.¡±


    Listening to Ted¡¯s words, Duncan¡¯s expression became serious.


    ¡°A sailor¡­ you mean that Entity 077? What was off about him?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but after returning here, recalling my conversation with that ¡®entity,¡¯ I always felt like I wasn¡¯t just talking to ¡®him¡¯,¡± Ted Riel frowned, carefully choosing his words while trying to recall, ¡°I discussed some views on the world with him, the perspective of being an ¡®entity,¡¯ and while he answered¡­


    I always felt like I could hear multiple voices¡­ It¡¯s as if there was something else hidden on that ship, and it was right beside that ¡®sailor¡¯ at the time.¡±

 Chapter 697 - Chapter 697 Chapter 694 The Urging Bell

    Chapter 697: Chapter 694 The Urging Bell Chapter 697: Chapter 694 The Urging Bell ¡°Captain! You have to believe me! You know my style¨CI wouldn¡¯t dare steal booze from your collection, let alone enter your room. My calves start cramping just approaching your door¡­ I genuinely have no idea how this thing ended up in my hands!¡±


    Aberration 077 was bellowing with his gravelly voice at Lawrence, causing such a ruckus that half the deck could hear. The sailors passing by all glanced sideways, curiously watching the ship¡¯s most unique ¡°member¡± causing yet another commotion.


    The silver-haired Lawrence, on the other hand, frowned deeply. He ignored the wailing and flailing of the mummy in front of him, instead thoughtfully gazing at the two bottles of beer on the deck alongside him.


    He certainly believed what the sailor said¨Cdespite the mummy¡¯s generally unreliable behavior, he was especially reliable when it came to the ¡°cramps at the sight of the captain¡± part.


    This ¡°aberration,¡± who feared Spiritual Fire as much as a natural predator, would never voluntarily sneak into the captain¡¯s quarters to steal anything. Even if those two bottles of beer were sitting on a table, he wouldn¡¯t touch them.


    After a brief moment of contemplation, Lawrence suddenly looked up, ¡°¡­Did Mr. Ted Riel just leave? Was he with you the whole time before he left?¡±


    The sailor was taken aback by the sudden shift in topic but quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, he just left. He was chatting with me before he went.¡±


    Lawrence stared into Aberration 077¡¯s eyes, ¡°What were you talking about?¡±


    ¡°¡­Poetry and songs?¡± Aberration 077 blurted out, then hastily waved his hands, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s impossible¡­ It was something about worldview, I think? I don¡¯t quite remember, we talked about a lot. I felt that Mr. Confidant seemed very preoccupied, discussing many things with me about the world, the future, life and such¡­¡±


    He hesitated and trailed off, then muttered with some uncertainty, ¡°I think I offered him a drink, but he didn¡¯t take it¡­ Strange, did I even offer¡­¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as he observed the mummy¡¯s demeanor and actions. After letting the other mumble for a while, he asked again, ¡°Do you remember how you responded? Do you remember what you said?¡±


    The sailor stopped his mumbling instantly. After a short phase of reflective expression crossing his face, he began to look puzzled and uneasy.


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t seem to remember? I must have told him a lot, but I only recall a few sentences¡­ Most of the time, it¡¯s like I was just spouting nonsense¡­¡± Aberration 077 muttered, looking uneasily at the captain, ¡°Wait, I remember now¡­ I didn¡¯t intend to speak, but at the time, it felt like there was a voice speaking along with me, prompting me to talk¡­ This feels a bit off, doesn¡¯t it, captain?¡±


    ¡°It is off¡­ Certainly off,¡± Lawrence murmured, and as he spoke, a faint greenish flame quietly appeared beside him, spreading across the deck. Simultaneously, a large shadow silently emerged on the sea surface next to the White Oak¨CBlack Oak appeared next to the White Oak like a reflection rising from the sea, with its shadowy ship¡¯s silhouette flickering and undulating.


    Aberration 077 jumped at this sudden disturbance, hopping away from the spreading Spiritual Fire on the deck while exclaiming, ¡°Hey captain, what are you doing¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an unwelcome visitor aboard¨Cthough they may have already left,¡± Lawrence said in passing, looking at Aberration 077, ¡°Martha told me, she saw a figure in the reflection of White Oak who doesn¡¯t belong to any of us, someone who stood by your side for a while.¡±


    The sailor froze for a second, his expression gradually turning to horror, ¡°¡­Damn it!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Your judgment was correct, there was indeed an unwelcome visitor on White Oak at the time¨Cnear Aberration 077,¡± Duncan nodded at Ted Riel, ¡°You think you ¡®heard¡¯ two voices, one of them must have come from that ¡®unwelcome visitor¡¯.¡±


    Ted Riel noticed a change in Duncan¡¯s expression and ventured with some speculation, ¡°¡­Did White Oak send a message? Did the old captain catch the person?¡±


    ¡°No, they didn¡¯t catch them,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°The person was very alert and had already left the ship by the time Lawrence and Martha noticed them.¡±


    ¡°Left?¡± Ted Riel said, slightly puzzled, ¡°Where could they run to in the vast sea¡­¡±


    He stopped abruptly, evidently as a ¡°Truth Confidant,¡± he had matched the most likely answer from his own experiences.


    Duncan gave a slight nod upon noticing the change in expression, ¡°Do you still remember the content of your conversation with that ¡®sailor¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Remember.¡± Ted Riel immediately replied, and after quickly recalling the event, he recounted the conversation he had had with the ¡°sailor¡± to Duncan without omitting a single detail.


    Listening to the narrative, Duncan¡¯s expression gradually turned serious and, in the end, he nodded, ¡°Indeed¡­ Such things could not have been willingly spoken by that sailor.¡±


    Ted Riel was somewhat puzzled, ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not that educated.¡±


    Ted Riel: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems that we can probably ascertain the identity of our uninvited guest,¡± Duncan sighed, ¡°This theory sounds somewhat close to the Doomsday Preacher¡¯s doomsday rhetoric, but it¡¯s more like a relatively moderate, logical version. The one you talked to must have been a rational Doomsday Preacher¨Che was hiding on the White Oak and spoke to you through the sailor¡¯s mouth.¡±


    He paused, then added, ¡°According to the reports from Lawrence, this process resembles a sort of ¡®overwriting¡¯ and ¡®guidance¡¯ of thought¨Cthe sailor remembers talking to you but can¡¯t recall the specifics of the conversation. He also did some things that do not match his usual demeanor, which must also be a result of the influence.¡±


    Ted Riel furrowed his brows, a trace of subtlety on his face, ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never heard of Doomsday Preachers having such abilities or modes of operation¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite normal, until recently we didn¡¯t even believe that a rational Doomsday Preacher could exist in this world,¡± Duncan shrugged, ¡°These ¡®Subspace enthusiasts¡¯ located in the cracks of time have always been the most mysterious. Sometimes they act like monsters twisted by Subspace, and other times they appear as polite scholars. They live in a non-linear timeline, so strictly speaking¡­ maybe no one in the entire world has ever truly encountered a ¡®complete¡¯ Doomsday Preacher. All we know about them is what they have shown in a specific ¡®slice of time¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s an interesting theory,¡± Ted Riel raised an eyebrow, then his expression became serious, ¡°A Doomsday Preacher managed to appear right under my nose and left without a trace, even escaping the vigilance of that old captain of yours¡­ It seems their strangeness is indeed beyond imagination. But that ¡®uninvited guest¡¯ did all that just to relay some mysterious doomsday theories to me through the sailor¡­ What do you make of it?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak immediately. He fell silent, pondering the words which Ted Riel had heard from the ¡°sailor.¡± After a long time, he suddenly looked up, ¡°What do you think, Ted? Do you think that patching up this world is meaningful?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about whether it has meaning or not, but that there¡¯s no other choice,¡± Ted Riel shook his head slightly, ¡°The world is like a great ship sailing on the sea. Perhaps, as the Doomsday Preacher said, the ship is leaking, sinking, and it¡¯s beyond salvation. But what else can those of us living on the ship do? All we can do is mend it¨Csurely it¡¯s better than sitting and waiting for death, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Duncan neither agreed nor disagreed, simply lost in thought for a long time, with no one knowing what he was pondering.


    It was at this moment that a muted, ethereal ring of bells suddenly reached Ted Riel¡¯s ears and interrupted his conversation with Duncan.


    The Truth Confidant was momentarily startled, and upon discerning the frequency and intervals of the bell, he slowly furrowed his brows in confusion, ¡°Summoning bells¡­?¡±


    ¡°Summoning bells?¡± Duncan¡¯s voice came from beside him, ¡°Is that the sudden chiming you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is the bell to summon the saints to¡­¡± Ted Riel began to say but suddenly stopped midway, turned to Duncan with a shocked expression, ¡°Wait, you heard the bells just now too?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did. What about it?¡± Duncan looked confused, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I have heard them? They were quite obvious¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course you shouldn¡¯t have!¡± Ted Riel almost leaped from his chair, ¡°That¡¯s the summoning bell coming from the Tomb of the Nameless King. Many years ago, the Four Gods Church built enclosures and directional measures for these bells; theoretically, only the saints of the Four Gods should be able to hear them¡­¡±


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    ¡°The Tomb of the Nameless King?¡± Duncan gradually grasped the concept, ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve heard Fenna mention this before. So this is the ¡®Summoning bells¡¯ she referred to¡­¡±


    Saying this, he stood up and looked around, then casually said, ¡°The bells are ringing again¨Cit seems like they¡¯re urging the saints to assemble. Aren¡¯t you supposed to participate in the assembly?¡±


    ¡°In theory, yes¡­¡± Ted Riel spoke, his voice trailing off in hesitation, ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t be¡­ It¡¯s still the Deep Sea Church¡¯s rotation period, I shouldn¡¯t even be hearing the bells¡­¡±


    He looked up, locking eyes with Duncan.


    Once again, the ringing of bells resounded, with a solemn breath, with an urging scent, as if¡­ ready to make a solemn declaration to the world.

 Chapter 698 - Chapter 698 Chapter 695 An Unprecedented Situation

    Chapter 698: Chapter 695: An Unprecedented Situation Chapter 698: Chapter 695: An Unprecedented Situation As the bell chimed, Fenna had just completed her evening prayers on deck¨Cshe headed to the corridor, ready to return to her room, only to see Morris rushing to the hallway.


    It took only a glance at Morris¡¯s solemn expression for her to guess something was amiss.


    ¡°Did you also hear the ¡®Swift Bell¡¯s¡¯ call?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it seems you heard it too,¡± Morris nodded upon hearing her, ¡°The bell has tolled thrice¨CI am preparing to conduct the Psychic Resonance ceremony.¡±


    ¡°¡­But it is still the Deep Sea Church¡¯s turn of duty,¡± Fenna¡¯s eyes widened slightly at this, ¡°How could you have heard the bells?¡±


    Morris exhaled softly, ¡°I do not know, which is why it¡¯s necessary to attend the gathering and understand what¡¯s happening¡­ It looks like there¡¯s an unprecedented situation.¡±


    Witnessing the deep concern on the old scholar¡¯s face, Fenna thought of the recent series of unsettling events, then silently nodded her head. The two passed each other by, each returning to their rooms.


    The gentle sound of the waves echoed in her ears, and the sensation of being submerged by the sea gradually enveloped her. Hastening back to her room to perform the ceremony, Fenna watched the candlesticks burn and grow in front of her, the flickering flames casting a hazy veil of light and shadow, and her somewhat restless mind calmed with the sound of the waves.


    After a brief moment of dizziness and the resetting of her senses, she opened her eyes again to find herself in the form of a spiritual projection, having arrived at the sacred and ancient ¡°gathering place¡±¨Clofty and solemn stone pillars stood at the far end of the vast square, chaotic darkness and ceaseless streams of light shrouded above the pillars, while the ground was covered with mottled and broken stone slabs. On this large gathering field, everywhere were hastily convened spiritual projections of the saints.


    Fenna stood somewhat dazedly in a corner of the plaza, eyes wide, looking at the countless figures all around¨Cshe had never seen so many spiritual projections appear simultaneously in the gathering place before, and without a doubt, not all could be saints of the Storm Goddess.


    There were clearly more ¡°Believers of Other Gods¡± who heard the bells during the Deep Sea Church¡¯s duty turn than just Mr. Morris.


    All saints from the four great churches had gathered!


    The number kept growing, with more and more spiritual projections appearing in the open space of the plaza, many of which seemed to have arrived in haste. Despite the ongoing duty turn of the Deep Sea Church, every saint who received the ¡°Swift Bell¡¯s¡± call did not hesitate to enact the ironclad rule agreed upon by the four Godly Churches, promptly responding after the bell tolled and coming to this gathering place.


    The bewildered spiritual projections came together, buzzing and rumbling with discussion about this unusual situation. Fenna¡¯s figure moved among her kin, listening to the discussions around her while making her way to the center of the plaza.


    A blurry figure approached, greeting her, ¡°Fenna! I¡¯ve been looking for you¨Cwhat exactly is happening?¡±


    Fenna looked in the direction of the voice and immediately recognized it as the spiritual projection of Bishop Valentin. She greeted him in return and then shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, but it seems all the qualified saints from the four great churches have heard the summons¡­ Mr. Morris should also be in this gathering place.¡±


    ¡°¡­The ¡®Swift Bell¡¯ chimes from the Pilgrimage Ark, but its source originates from the ¡®direction¡¯ of the Tomb of the Nameless King. If all saints have been summoned, the only explanation is that the Tomb of the Nameless King has actively released a strong signal summoning everyone¡­¡± Bishop Valentin¡¯s tone was grave, and he turned his head to gaze at the center of the still-empty plaza for a long time before returning his gaze, ¡°This ancient covenant ceremony has been stable for thousands of years and has never had such an occurrence.¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps it¡¯s related to the recent ¡®Sun Extinguishment¡¯, a massive change is approaching¡­¡± Fenna whispered, then she suddenly sensed something and looked up to one side.


    Another hazy figure, exuding a familiar aura, appeared in her sight.


    That was Morris¡¯s spiritual projection.


    Fenna immediately walked toward him, and before she could get close, she heard him take the initiative, ¡°It seems the situation is as I thought, I¡¯m not the only one who heard the extra bell ring.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it looks like all the saints are here¡­ Perhaps we should be grateful that this place is spacious enough,¡± Fenna breathed out, saying somewhat subtly, ¡°The ¡®Tomb¡¯s¡¯ main body has not yet appeared, and when it does¡­ who knows what it will declare to the public.¡±


    Morris did not utter a sound, merely nodding solemnly, and after greeting the long-absent Bishop Valentin, he and Fenna together turned their heads towards the center of the plaza.


    At that moment, four distinctive figures appeared one after the other in the vision of the many saints.


    Helena, Rune, Banster, Frem¨Cthe spokespersons of the four gods entered the gathering place, among the countless hazy and illusory spiritual projections, their distinct figures were particularly striking.


    The appearance of the four Pontiffs caused a short disturbance at the scene, but it quickly subsided, the saints restored order, and they quickly calmed down because of their leaders¡¯ appearance.


    Today¡¯s situation was extraordinary, and many who had heard the extra bell were somewhat confused and uneasy, but nevertheless, the appearance of the leaders was a comforting signal, at least indicating that the situation was still within the church¡¯s control.


    Then Fenna noticed that the four Pontiffs had come directly towards her.


    Her expression suddenly became a bit subtle.


    Under the gaze and salutations of many around her, Helena and Rune, among the four, approached Fenna, with Helena being the first to speak, ¡°Has the Tomb not yet appeared?¡±


    Fenna was slightly startled, ¡°Uh¡­ not yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Helena nodded, ¡°then we¡¯ll just wait a bit longer.¡±


    Fenna, still not quite grasping the situation, dazedly followed suit with a nod, ¡°¡­Uh, okay.¡±


    Then, the four pontiff crowns turned around and began to wait patiently with Fenna for the appearance of that ancient and mysterious tomb.


    Fenna felt a peculiar sense of emotion as she sensed the somehow doubtful gaze from Mr. Morris beside her, yet not knowing how to explain the situation, she could only smile awkwardly¨Cshe didn¡¯t even know if Morris could see her somewhat complex smile in this dim and vague projection of her soul.


    Just then, an especially tall figure had arrived unnoticed beside Fenna and casually patted the Judge¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Will it take a long time?¡±


    Without turning her head, Fenna casually replied, ¡°Not sure, but usually, the tomb appears a few minutes after all the saints have arrived at the gathering¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped talking.


    Around her, there seemed to be an instant of quiet.


    Banster and Frem had expressions of frozen shock, while Helena and Rune slowly turned their heads with stiff necks. Fenna gradually turned her body to look in the direction of the voice¨C


    Duncan stood there, with a harmless (or so he thought) expression, looking at the several acquaintances in front of him.


    After a moment of silence, Fenna finally broke the quiet with an exclamation, ¡°Captain?! Why are you here?!¡±


    Her exclamation was like a pebble dropping into water, the brief silence on the gathering field instantly turning into a torrential uproar¨Cthe surrounding shockwaves of exclamations, the booming discussion, many spiritual projections recoiling in astonishment, while tension, alertness, and amazement instantly spread throughout the crowd.


    The expected disturbance.


    Duncan looked back at the plaza¡¯s commotion, then turned with a hint of helplessness, spreading his hands, ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect this many people.¡±


    Fenna felt her mind wasn¡¯t quite catching up, while the several pontiffs present had quickly reacted. They immediately commanded in unison at the top of their voices¨C


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    Tremendous authority was released from their words¨CHelena, Rune, Banster, and Frem¡¯s will sweeping across the entire gathering field. Duncan didn¡¯t know what they had done, but he could feel that the ¡°crowd¡± which had been descending into chaos just a second ago seemed to instantly understand and grasp the situation. Even though there was still unease flowing in the air, order had been restored on the gathering field.


    After order returned to the field, Helena was the first to turn around and stared into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    Duncan pondered for a moment, then lightly waved his hand through the adjacent air.


    A skeletal giant bird wrapped in bleak green flames flashed through the darkness.


    ¡°I came by dove.¡±


    Helena: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°I heard the tolling of the bell,¡± Duncan noticed the precious and subtle expressions on the pontiffs¡¯ faces, thought for a moment, and then added, ¡°Don¡¯t ask me for the specific reason¨Cwhen the bell rang, I heard it. Then I noticed the gathering of spiritual bodies, and it may be because the four Pilgrimage Arks happened to be at Light Breeze Harbor, this ¡®gathering¡¯ was very distinct to me, like a light in the night¡­ I¡¯ve always been quite interested in your ¡®gathering,¡¯ so I tried following it, mainly trying to trace Fenna¡¯s spiritual starlight, and here I am.¡±


    Helena was dumbfounded, ¡°¡­Is that possible?!¡±


    Duncan thought seriously, then nodded, ¡°I think so.¡±


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    Helena: ¡°¡­¡±


    Fenna, seemingly used to such occurrences, readily accepted the current state of things (mainly because of her sports student¡¯s strong adaptability) as Duncan said, ¡°I think so,¡± and casually asked, ¡°What¡¯s your take on today¡¯s special situation?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Duncan said quite frankly, ¡°this is my first time. What do you usually do after the gathering? Is there a process?¡±


    ¡°Waiting for the apparition 004¨CTomb of the Nameless King¨Cto appear,¡± Frem¡¯s deep voice rose from aside, his demeanor forever calm and collected, even in moments like these, speaking clearly and methodically, ¡°Afterwards, a Tomb Guardian will appear, and the chosen one will be led to the burial chamber.¡±


    Duncan listened with interest, nodding slowly.


    And as if to confirm Frem¡¯s words, just then, a deep rumbling sound finally rose from the center of the plaza, interrupting everyone¡¯s conversation!

 Chapter 699 - Chapter 699 Chapter 696 The Suspicious Mausoleum

    Chapter 699: Chapter 696: The Suspicious Mausoleum Chapter 699: Chapter 696: The Suspicious Mausoleum As the low rumbling sound arose, Duncan immediately shifted his attention to the open space in the center of the square¨C


    He saw that the mottled and antiquated stone slabs suddenly began to undulate like quicksand, and some gigantic structure slowly surfaced from deep underground. The first thing to appear within view was a grey-white spire, and moments later, an ancient tomb with the merged grandeur of a massive pyramid and palace gradually came into his sight.


    Solemn and austere, silent and unadorned, the ¡°tomb¡± built of some grey-white megaliths just stood quietly not far away, as if it were a frozen moment in time, reflecting in this dim chaos. Duncan watched in amazement as this massive building rose from the ground, and driven by curiosity, he carefully examined its style and structure, only to find that it did not quite match any architectural styles of the modern City-State era he was familiar with.


    It seemed more reminiscent of something he had occasionally seen in old tomes, architecture from the era of the Cretan Kingdom.


    The saintly spirit projections scattered around the square also quieted down, as countless gazes involuntarily fell upon the great pyramid tomb. A solemn air tinged with a touch of tension permeated the gathering place, bringing about a silence that endured.


    Several minutes later, as Fenna and Morris began to furrow their brows in confusion, wondering if something had gone wrong, some movement finally came from deep within the tomb, and the seemingly exceedingly heavy stone door began to open slowly with a deep, thunderous rumble.


    The doorway gaped wide, revealing its dark interior corridor.


    Gathered around the square, the spirit projections watched the doorway, a deathly silence lingered for a long while, eventually giving way to slight commotion and a buzzing discussion.


    Listening to the low discussions coming from all around, Duncan realized that something seemed amiss. He frowned and asked Fenna in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°¡­The Tomb Guardian hasn¡¯t appeared,¡± Fenna kept her voice low as well, apparently also feeling a hint of unease amidst her confusion, ¡°Under normal circumstances, the Tomb Guardian should have emerged from the doorway by now!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression gradually grew serious.


    As time passed, the mysterious and rustic tomb still stood silently at the center of the gathering, but the Tomb Guardian who should have been present was still nowhere to be seen before the crowd¨Cthe low murmurs on the square were slowly spreading, and this unusual situation even led many to momentarily forget about ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± who was present at the gathering today.


    And some, on the other hand, subconsciously turned their gaze towards Duncan.


    Duncan paid no mind to those looking at him but went straight to Helena.


    ¡°It seems this is unprecedented for you,¡± he got straight to the point, ¡°Do you have any plan of action for what comes next? If not, I¡¯ll need to inspect this so-called ¡®tomb.''¡±


    ¡°Just wait,¡± Helena immediately said, and after a moment of thought, turned her head towards Rune and the others, ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go over and see what the situation is.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Rune nodded and then, lifting his gaze, issued an order to the spirit projections assembled in the gathering area, ¡°Everyone else stay put in the square, do not approach anomaly 004.¡±


    Having said this, he turned around and, along with Helena, Banster, and Frem, slowly walked toward the solemn tomb nearby.


    Duncan thought for a moment and followed suit¨CRune, hearing the footsteps behind him, turned back for a glance, and Duncan casually said, ¡°I¡¯m just going to have a look too, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t start a fire.¡±


    Rune¡¯s expression became a bit peculiar for a moment, probably recalling the great fire in Silantis¡¯s last moments, while Helena, after hesitating a bit, turned her gaze to Fenna and, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, nodded gently, ¡°Fenna, come with us.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Fenna paused, but quickly caught on and hurried to follow.


    Morris, along with the others, stayed in a ¡°safe area¡± some distance from the tomb, watching with slight nervousness as the figures slowly approached anomaly 004.


    Duncan followed behind Helena and the others, coming to the base of the imposing grey-white pyramid, to the silent open doorway.


    The deep and dim corridor stretched far beyond the door, with murky lighting only faintly outlining the contours of the corridor¡¯s depths. Inside the tomb appeared to be a space far vaster and more profound than it seemed from the exterior, the corridor seemingly endless, disappearing beyond the field of view.


    Frem bent down beside the doorway, apparently examining something closely, while Rune pressed his hand on certain spots of the tomb¡¯s external wall. Near where Rune¡¯s palm touched, faint, rune-like glows emerged from the air, flashing across the half-space and disappearing.


    Helena and Banster seemed to be silently praying, or perhaps on guard against something.


    Duncan looked at the scene with some curiosity and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°In the ancient times, this ¡®Tomb of the Nameless King¡¯ had a period of uncontrolled history. Back then, it summoned chosen individuals at random worldwide, causing many terrible incidents. Later, the Divine Churches of the Four united in action and clamped this runaway ancient ¡®anomaly¡¯ with a layer of fetters,¡± Rune explained casually while checking the hidden runes around the tomb, ¡°These contracts witnessed by the Four set rules for the originally chaotic ¡®summoning¡¯ behavior of Anomaly 004, which led to the current system of rapid bells and assemblies¡­¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Sounds like some sort of containment measure?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just limited ¡®use¡¯,¡± Rune shook his head, ¡°Anomalies cannot be contained, but by grasping their patterns, we can minimize their harm and even turn them to our advantage¨CToday¡¯s Anomaly 004 continues to operate just like before, only we¡¯ve found ways to gather intelligence from it without getting killed¡­¡±


    Anomalies cannot be contained¡­


    Listening to Rune¡¯s offhand comment, Duncan¡¯s expression turned somewhat odd.


    He thought of the Homeloss¨Cstrictly speaking, the Homeloss was currently in a state of containment, and he, ¡°Captain Duncan,¡± was the condition for the Homeloss¡¯s containment.


    But this exception also happened to meet the ¡®Rule Zero¡¯ of the anomalies and aberrations¡­


    Duncan shook his head, casting aside these irrelevant thoughts that had surfaced in his mind for the moment, and at the same time, he heard Frem¡¯s grave voice breaking the silence, ¡°It seems there¡¯s no problem.¡±


    ¡°Yes, everything looks normal,¡± Rune also finished his preliminary inspection, and the elderly elf stood up, stepped back two paces, and looked up at the majestic pyramidal tomb in front of him with a rather solemn expression, ¡°At least¡­ on the outside.¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s normal on the outside¨Cso the problem can only be on the inside,¡± Duncan said softly, and then stepped forward again to the tomb¡¯s main entrance, gazing into the seemingly endless dark corridor inside, ¡°What¡¯s the plan now?¡±


    Frem came over, and under Duncan¡¯s curious gaze, the silent and tall Senkin Pope raised the staff in his hand and tapped it lightly but firmly on the ground three times.


    The next second, a blurry shadow suddenly split apart from beside him, and in a blink, it solidified and formed into another Frem.


    ¡°This is my historical avatar from an hour ago.¡± Frem turned his head and explained casually to Duncan, and as soon as his words ended, the ¡°historical avatar from an hour ago¡± had already stepped forward resolutely, crossing the threshold of Anomaly 004 under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes.


    The tall figure walked forward into the dimness, and Fenna came beside Duncan, looking nervously as it gradually reached the depths of the corridor, and then, she saw the figure suddenly stop at a certain point.


    ¡°Why has it stopped moving?¡± Duncan turned his head and asked with some confusion.


    Frem, however, also furrowed his brows, apparently even he, the ¡°summoner,¡± didn¡¯t know why his own historical avatar had suddenly stopped in place. He looked doubtfully at the sight deep in the doorway of Anomaly 004, tracing a few runes in the air, as if trying to reestablish contact with his avatar. But at that moment, a great unease suddenly surged into his mind!


    Almost simultaneously, the historical avatar that remained in the dim depths of the corridor trembled slightly, as if slowly turning its head.


    Frem, standing outside the door of Anomaly 004, instantly paled, raising his Pope¡¯s staff abruptly and issuing a warning while canceling the summoning, ¡°Careful, contamination!¡±


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    The next second, he cut off the summoning cleanly and commanded the historical avatar to disintegrate. Yet, the tip of the staff in his hand only flashed with a fleeting dim glow, the tall avatar standing in the corridor of Anomaly 004 did not dissipate at all, but instead, after a slight tremor, continued to turn its head around¨C


    Like a macabre corpse, the tall and pale figure moved its head, and the gradually turning face in the shadows displayed a frightfully distorted countenance and a chilling smile that sent shivers down the spine. In the murky interplay of light and shadow, that torn smile bloomed like the manic laughter of a madman in the dark, while mutterings, murmurs, and strange howls suddenly appeared in almost everyone¡¯s ears!


    The horrifying and eerie scene was enough to send shivers down one¡¯s spine, and Banster and the rest quickly reacted, immediately preparing to cope with the contamination, to do battle with a formidable foe¨Cthough only a historical avatar had entered the tomb, it was still the avatar of the Pope of the Flame Transmitter, and the force that could corrupt it instantaneously had to be extraordinary!


    However, just then, a large figure suddenly stepped forward, stepping in front of the doorway before the slowly turning ¡°historical avatar.¡±


    Duncan was surrounded by layers of illusory flames, and as the Spiritual Fire crackled upwards, a wall of eerie green flames almost blocked the entire doorway¨Che stood amid the flames, watching the motionless figure in the distance that had already been contaminated by some force.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it turning anymore?¡±

 Chapter 700 - Chapter 700 Chapter 697 Phantom in the Tomb

    Chapter 700: Chapter 697: Phantom in the Tomb Chapter 700: Chapter 697: Phantom in the Tomb The ghostly green flame illuminated the entrance of the corridor and rendered the distant dim lights even more oppressive and gloomy. In that unsettling darkness, the ¡°Corrupted Historical Incarnation,¡± having already been contaminated by some force, suddenly came to a halt. It stood like a stone statue in the distance, oblivious to Duncan¡¯s words.


    But this silent and eerie standoff lasted only for a very short time¨Cbefore Duncan¡¯s eyes, the ¡°Corrupted Historical Incarnation,¡± which had been still for just a few seconds, shuddered once more. In the next instant, it violently turned its head!


    Its former facial features had twisted into dark hollows and vortexes, while only the tearing laughter spread across that chaotic face. The creature contorted its body at an angle impossible for humans, its limbs in the blink of an eye transformed into tendrils clinging to the walls and ceiling. Accompanied by a sudden, sharp, and discordant shriek, the twisted terror lunged fearlessly in the direction of Duncan!


    Duncan frowned instantly. The next second, a blazing ghostly green fire ignited along the entire corridor¨Cthe flames, like layered barriers, filled everyone¡¯s sight. The contaminated horror screamed and laughed, burning as it fearlessly rushed toward the exit of the burial chamber. It passed through barrier after barrier of the spiritual fire¨Conly when it came less than four or five meters from Duncan did the already charred wreckage finally twitch and collapse on the ground, coming to a complete stop.


    A few minutes passed and the fire gradually subsided.


    Duncan furrowed his brow and cautiously approached the remains, which had nearly burned to ash. He saw that only a shrunken, charred lump was left in the ashes¨Ca result of his conscious control of the fire. The characteristics that once belonged to the Senkin People were entirely wiped out, but still, there was a twisted, chasm-like crack on the charred lump, as if a smiling mouth remained open in a terrifying glee.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he picked up the remnants with a strange feeling and cautiously backed out from the corridor of Anomaly 004, returning to the outside of the main door.


    Those waiting outside immediately gathered around, looking at the ¡°charcoal¡± Duncan brought out with a mix of nervousness and eerie curiosity. Helena frowned at the laughter-like tear marks on the remains and after a moment, raised her hand and gently traced the symbol of the Storm Goddess across her chest, ¡°Goddess bless¡­ Frem, this is the ugliest smile I have ever seen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you can still joke in such a situation,¡± Banster glanced at Helena, his voice hoarse as he shook his head, then his attention returned to the remains, ¡°¡­It¡¯s the aura of the Subspace.¡±


    ¡°How could the power of Subspace be in Anomaly 004?¡± Rune¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, while glancing at the burial chamber¡¯s door, ¡°Although it has always been dangerous, its danger lies in the strictly enforced rules within the tomb and that powerful and strange Tomb Guardian¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of it having the power of Subspace¡­¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°What¡¯s the structure inside the tomb like? What exactly is this so-called ¡®Nameless King¡¯?¡±


    The people on the scene looked at each other, and after an awkward silence, it was Fenna who answered the captain¡¯s question: ¡°Apart from knowing some basic ¡®operating rules,¡¯ no one knows the true appearance of the tomb.¡±


    ¡°No one knows?¡± Duncan¡¯s face showed confusion.


    ¡°When leaving Anomaly 004, the ¡®Listeners¡¯ forget all memories related to the interior of the tomb, and only a few fragments get carried out on pieces of parchment. We can only be sure there is a chamber inside Anomaly 004, and an ancient and mysterious entity awaits the Listener¡¯s visit,¡± Fenna explained patiently, ¡°But as to what the chamber or the master of the chamber looks like, nobody can remember.¡±


    ¡°Protective amnesia¡­¡± Duncan echoed softly, then suddenly, as if he sensed something, he sharply raised his head to look inside the burial chamber door.


    A series of heavy, sluggish footsteps appeared abruptly in the corridor, and a tall, shadowy figure accompanied by the sound of footsteps, entered everyone¡¯s view.


    The Tomb Guardian of Anomaly 004 appeared!


    The Guardian, who was ¡°late,¡± emerged so suddenly that not even Duncan saw how it came into being¨Cas if the burial chamber itself had suddenly ¡°generated¡± an entity. The eerie Guardian, with footsteps as stiff and heavy as a corpse¡¯s, approached, the iron chains wrapped around its body making a series of grating noises with every step.


    Helena and the others immediately tensed up, and Fenna subconsciously leaned forward slightly, ready to spring into action¨Cwith the Tomb of the Nameless King already showing clear signs of abnormality, this ¡°Tomb Guardian¡± that came out of the tomb was obviously no longer safe.


    However, the ¡°Tomb Guardian¡± seemed to pay no heed to these cautious actions. Like usual, he walked out slowly, eventually stopping in front of Duncan.


    After a moment of silence, the towering sentinel wrapped in bandages, as if between life and death, turned its body and lifted a hand to point toward the tomb passage, wordlessly making an inviting gesture.


    Duncan raised an eyebrow: ¡°You want me to go in?¡±


    The Tomb Guardian nodded slowly.


    Rune promptly warned in a low voice, ¡°Be careful, something¡¯s not right.¡±


    Duncan ignored the warning and calmly looked into the murky eyes of the Tomb Guardian that were exposed beyond the bandages. After a few seconds, he suddenly spoke, ¡°What if I refuse the invitation?¡±


    The Tomb Guardian fell silent, and just when everyone thought this special entity created by Anomaly 004 would not answer, it actually spoke, ¡°When will you be free?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He was still taken aback when the Tomb Guardian spoke again: ¡°He doesn¡¯t have much time left.¡±


    ¡°He? Doesn¡¯t have much time?¡± Duncan looked surprised, his expression changing immediately, ¡°Are you referring to the master of the tomb? What do you mean by ¡®doesn¡¯t have much time¡¯?¡±


    The Tomb Guardian this time did not respond; he simply continued standing silently in front of Duncan, saying nothing, yet seemingly saying everything.


    ¡°¡­Alright,¡± after two minutes of serious contemplation, Duncan suddenly nodded, ¡°then I¡¯ll go meet ¡®him¡¯.¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Helena immediately said, ¡°Are you sure? The current situation inside anomaly 004¡­¡±


    ¡°Subspace isn¡¯t contamination for me,¡± Duncan shook his head, clearly resolute, ¡°I¡¯ve heard the ¡®bell sound,¡¯ and it seems this time it¡¯s prepared for me¨Cmy intuition tells me I shouldn¡¯t refuse this ¡®invitation¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Intuition¡­¡± Helena paused, then seemed to realize something, promptly retracting the advice she was about to offer and stepping back slightly, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±


    The Tomb Guardian then slowly turned his gaze to Helena and others like Rune.


    ¡°Keep your distance, do not cross beyond the facility¡¯s gate,¡± he suddenly said, ¡°Protocol Tree C-32-E7 is now unstable.¡±


    Helena and the others were taken aback upon hearing this, and Rune instinctively asked, ¡°¡­What protocol tree?¡±


    However, the Tomb Guardian had no intention of answering, merely stepping aside to open up the entrance to the tomb passage, making a gesture of invitation to Duncan.


    Duncan looked at the guard with a deep gaze, then stepped forward, and before entering the dark corridor, he turned back slightly to nod gently at Fenna, who stood still with an uneasy expression, ¡°Wait in peace, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    As his words faded, he had already walked into that deep and seemingly endless dark corridor.


    The heavy doors of the tomb slammed shut, blocking out all sight from the outside, isolating all sounds from beyond anomaly 004¨Cthe not-so-bright lights silently burning on the walls along both sides of the corridor, an odd silence enveloping from all directions.


    Duncan could only hear the heavy footsteps of the Tomb Guardian and the grating sound of chains rubbing against each other.


    Yet as he walked, he suddenly noticed the footsteps behind him change, and the sound of the chains vanished.


    Curious, he turned around¨Ca look of astonishment emerged on his face.


    A tall, silent man with slightly dark skin, dressed in a white robe, was walking through the corridor.


    Startled for a moment, Duncan suddenly realized, ¡°¡­This is your true appearance!?¡±


    The tall man with slightly dark skin turned his gaze, his unusual pale golden eyes seemingly adjusting and focusing on Duncan, then he gently nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Duncan frowned but as he was about to ask something more, something caught his eye from the corner of his vision, interrupting his train of thought¨C


    At the depth of the corridor, a structure like an intersection had appeared out of nowhere; it fluctuated unrealistically, like an illusory scene, and in front of this phantasmal intersection, a group of hazy figures in white robes emerged, stepping toward a distance.


    They passed through the illusory intersection, through the deep corridor, and disappeared into the solid, thick walls on the other side.


    Duncan looked at this scene with surprise and curiosity, asking, ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°As the Protocol Tree becomes unbalanced, the folding of time is unfolding back to the source¨CThat¡¯s a scene of them embarking a long time ago.¡±


    A thought struck Duncan, ¡°They? Who are they?¡±


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    The Tomb Guardian, now in ¡°human¡± form, was silent for a few seconds before replying in a deep voice, ¡°¡­Apocalyptic Observers, the Survey Team of the End.¡±


    Duncan suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    His eyes widened slightly as if he had made a sudden connection, his thoughts in turmoil, and he took a deep breath, looking forward to the long corridor ahead. Just then, another vague phantom appeared within his blurred vision¨C


    Another figure in a white robe walked by.


    It was a young man with black short hair, walking proudly with a calm yet resolute gaze, striding through the corridor. In the moment they brushed past each other, it might have been an illusion¡­ Duncan felt the figure seemed to slightly turn its eyes in his direction.


    And then, they passed by one another.

 Chapter 701 - Chapter 701 Chapter 698 The Figure on the Throne

    Chapter 701: Chapter 698: The Figure on the Throne Chapter 701: Chapter 698: The Figure on the Throne The figure with black short hair and dressed in a white robe brushed past Duncan, a glance in the moment of their crossing seeming like nothing more than a figment of Duncan¡¯s own imagination¨Che saw the other walking toward the depths of Anomaly 004, quietly disappearing from his view after passing through a wall.


    End Observer¡­ End Observation Team¡­


    These appellations, unavoidably prone to inspiring various associations, made Duncan finally unable to contain his curiosity. He turned his head to look at the tall guide beside him, ¡°What is the task of these people?¡±


    ¡°To enter the stream of time, to confirm within the known temporal scope whether the Shelter is operating according to the creator¡¯s original blueprint, and to ascertain the time stamp of system collapse.¡±


    The Tomb Keeper spoke calmly while stepping forward, continuing to lead Duncan deeper into the ¡°Tomb of the Nameless King.¡±


    And this ¡°Tomb Guardian¡¯s¡± reply had already stirred a wave in Duncan¡¯s heart.


    Observers who traverse the stream of time, the survey team tracking the apocalypse¡­ Was it truly them?


    Duncan suddenly lifted his head, his gaze sweeping across the ancient-styled walls and pillars of the surrounding corridors. He quickly thought of another question, ¡°What exactly is this place?¡±


    As soon as he voiced this question, it felt somewhat strange to him, because it sounded like he knew the answer but asked regardless. Yet for some reason, he felt that the Tomb Guardian in front of him would understand his intention.


    The Tomb Keeper¡¯s footsteps paused imperceptibly for an instant.


    ¡°This is the first Cretan Observation Station¨Cand it will also become the last,¡± a deep and calm voice reached Duncan¡¯s ears. ¡°A very long time ago, there were twelve hundred such End Observation Stations, and we directly controlled ten of them.¡±


    Duncan was momentarily taken aback, suddenly recalling a piece of text he had once read¨C


    ¡°¡­To avoid repeating the mistakes of the Dreaming King and the King of the Pale Giants, He divided the blueprint, ensuring that no nations remained in the mortal world, turning nations into twelve hundred City-States, and entrusting the initial ten cities to that clan, bestowing the name ¡®Crete¡¯ upon them¡­¡±


    The stylistic characteristics of Anomaly 004 were explained¨Cit indeed was a relic left by the Ancient Crete Kingdom, a relic that had continued to operate for ten thousand years, even becoming an ¡°anomaly,¡± yet still persevering!


    At the same time, the contents recorded in the Book of Desecration that he had once read were once again validated. The ¡°twelve hundred City-States¡± mentioned in the book were real, but they referred not to twelve hundred City-States but to twelve hundred ¡°End Observation Stations¡±!


    The personnel known as the ¡°End Observation Team¡± set out from here, entering the time stream to monitor the operation of the ¡°Shelter¡± and to determine the ¡°temporal boundary¡± when the Shelter ran to its limit¡­


    Suddenly, a glimpse of an expansive view appeared in the corner of Duncan¡¯s eye. Startled out of his thoughts, he looked up in surprise at what lay ahead.


    Unknown to him, he had, under the guidance of the ¡°Tomb Guardian,¡± crossed that seemingly endless corridor and, after passing through a towering gate, was met with a dramatically expansive scene¨Cit was more than just expansive; it was almost inconceivable that this could be inside a ¡°building¡±!


    He saw a plaza, a plaza shrouded by a dim, yellow sky, seemingly large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people.


    The corridor¡¯s gate where Duncan stood was situated above, with an inclined stone slope leading to the edge of the plaza. The plaza itself was covered with huge, flat, grey-white stone slabs, and a broad pathway crossed it. He also saw solemn pillars with a faint metallic sheen on either side of the path. At the top of the pillars seemed to have been more complex structures, but they had weathered and crumbled under the long years of Corrosion. Around the plaza were various giant structures in various states of collapse, resembling numerous gates and pillars. The only thing intact was a massive throne at the center of the plaza.


    That dark throne stood at the heart of the plaza, its back towering as if surveying everything around it. A hazy, twilight-like Sky Light enveloped the space above the plaza. Under this dim light, the crumbling ruins seemed to be shrouded in an almost eternal¡­ solitude.


    For some reason, Duncan felt a surge of desolation in his heart. It seemed the heavy atmosphere brought about by these dust-covered ruins touched a chord within him.


    The white-robed Tomb Keeper had already walked past Duncan, ascending down the inclined slope in silence toward the plaza now laid to waste.


    Duncan hesitated for a moment, then followed in silence.


    They walked down the slope, coming to the wide path that ran through the entire square, and slowly walked forward between two rows of towering, majestic stone columns. Duncan¡¯s gaze swept around from time to time, looking at those remnants of walls, which were once glorious and magnificent but had now collapsed into ruins.


    Occasionally, visions of the past would appear before his eyes¨Che would see people in white long robes or grey short robes appearing beyond the stone columns, hustling through the square, either heading towards the deserted gates at the edges or gathering in certain places to converse as if discussing something.


    He could almost imagine how busy and important this place once was¨Cduring the era of Creation, while the ¡°Crawling King¡± was still adjusting the blueprint of the new world, and the Ancient Crete Kingdom was serving as the ¡°creator¡¯s¡± ¡°assistant¡± in crafting this world. They gathered here, busily rushing about for the establishment of the Shelter, planning for the civilization that would thrive for the next ten thousand years.


    At that time, the great eradication had just ended, the continuous ruins created by the world¡¯s major collision still floated in the mortal realm, the order of all things born anew and vanishing by night; at that time, the council of kings met again and again, after two failed Long Nights, the dawn of the third was gradually breaking through; at that time, a unit known as the ¡°End Survey Team¡± had crossed the curtain of time as a vanguard to inspect the boundaries of the Shelter¨Cboundaries on the dimension of time; at that time, the Endless Sea might have just formed, and the City-State had not yet been established, the ¡°sun¡± had not yet risen, and the initial ¡°humans¡± still slept in the database of the Crawling King, and in the long night, only the lights of the Ancient Crete Kingdom briefly illuminated this chaotic world¡­


    At that time, this place had not yet become anomaly 004¨Cthere were still one thousand one hundred ninety-nine observation stations like it scattered about in the ashes of the great eradication, waiting for the moment when the new world would begin.


    Now, everything had gone with the wind.


    All that was left was this desolate ruin, floating in the cracks outside of this real world, stirring Duncan¡¯s innermost thoughts and endless speculations.


    The tall Tomb Keeper walked slowly in front of Duncan, as if strolling through the long corridor of time, and when another figure from the End Survey Team passed between the columns, he suddenly broke the silence, ¡°They haven¡¯t sent back any messages for a long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­They¡¯ve gone mad,¡± Duncan said softly.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The Tomb Keeper nodded and continued to walk slowly forward.


    After a while, he began speaking again as if talking to himself, ¡°At first, they sent back a lot of information¨Cwithin the first contact cycle after their departure, they relayed messages from the era of the City-State, then came the rise and fall of the Distant-sea Alliance in the darkness.


    ¡°They mentioned the disappearance of the Crete Kingdom, and they were delighted to report the emergence of the ¡®sun.¡¯ There were many bizarre things mentioned in their reports, things that didn¡¯t look like they were part of the blueprint. But in the creator¡¯s subsequent calculations, the emergence of those things seemed inevitable¡­¡±


    The Tomb Guardian stopped, looked up at the large and dark throne in the center of the square, and fell silent for a long time before gently shaking his head.


    ¡°Then, their messages became fewer and fewer, and sometimes¡­ there would be content we couldn¡¯t understand. It seemed they had delved deep into the current of time or traveled far away, beyond what we had initially planned¡­


    ¡°Often, the messages they sent back were contradictory and the sequence was disordered, a phenomenon that became more frequent later on. The creator¡¯s calculations deemed this normal, considering that the Shelter is a finite model¨Cit¡¯s centered here, much like how light illuminates the wilderness, time is the distance that light extends, the further the place, the more undefined darkness takes control of everything¡­ At the boundary of time, if they didn¡¯t find another light, it meant there truly were no reports to be made¡­¡±


    The Tomb Guardian fell silent again, quiet for an indeterminate amount of time before speaking again, almost to himself, ¡°They haven¡¯t sent back any messages for a long time¡­¡±


    Duncan said nothing.


    He had come to the massive black throne seemingly crafted for giants, slowly raising his gaze to look at the figure upon the throne.


    A headless torso sat quietly on the throne, and numerous massive cables and pipes, like veins and nerves branching out from inside the body, intertwined and connected its entirety to countless interfaces and slots on the throne. Some of these ports still blinked with faint lights, while an active flow glimmered within some of the pipes, continuously flowing into the body and back out again.


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    The moment Duncan saw the headless body on the throne, his eyes changed subtly. He suddenly remembered a scene described to him by Ted Riel, one he had seen in Subspace, but more than the memory itself, what surprised him¨Cand left him somewhat at a loss¨Cwas a sense of familiarity emanating from that body.


    He looked up, stunned, fixating his gaze on the body upon the throne for nearly a minute before he couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°In Subspace, there was a headless body sitting on a dark throne¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s its shadow,¡± the Tomb Keeper said softly, ¡°The creator took its body but could only take part of it¨CHe was split to pieces, and it wasn¡¯t just the body that fragmented. His memory, soul, shadow, thoughts, past, and future¡­ all shattered in the second Long Night. The creator brought this body here, while the shadow remained in the place where it first died.¡±


    Duncan abruptly turned his head to look into the eyes of the Tomb Keeper, the feeling of familiarity from the body on the throne growing stronger. It finally made him blurt out, ¡°Who is it that sits upon the throne?¡±


    ¡°Saslouka¨Cbased on him, the creator crafted the very first ¡®Crete¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 702 - Chapter 702 Chapter 699 Lonely Vigil

    Chapter 702: Chapter 699: Lonely Vigil Chapter 702: Chapter 699: Lonely Vigil Hearing the Tomb Guardian¡¯s answer, Duncan was silent for a long time¨Cthe response was so astonishing that, somehow, he felt as if he had expected it to some extent.


    ¡°¡­ The ¡®Creators¡¯ you keep mentioning, are they the Crawling King, or perhaps¡­ The Saint?¡±


    ¡°We usually call him ¡®Pilot One¡¯,¡± the Tomb Guardian slowly lowered his head, ¡°or the Cluster Controller¨Cbut we also know the names Crawling King and The Saint, which were mentioned in the intelligence sent back by the Doomsday Survey Team from a certain time point.¡±


    The tall Tomb Guardian paused for a few seconds, then as if talking to himself, he softly continued, ¡°We also haven¡¯t received any messages from the Creator for a long time.¡±


    Duncan did not respond; his mind teemed with messy thoughts. After briefly pondering, he looked up at the body on the throne. ¡°So, ¡®Pilot One¡¯ collected parts of the Dreaming King¡¯s remains during the third long night and then used his special ¡®Replication¡¯ authority to design the Crit Clans based on the Dreaming King as his assistants¡­ Were the entire Crit Clans ¡®created¡¯ this way, including those Doomsday Survey Teams?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the Tomb Guardian replied calmly, ¡°The world was still very chaotic back then. The Creator briefly released some mortals into the yet unformed Shelter, only to find they could not survive, much less be greatly useful. Thus, he had to seek help from beings as powerful as himself¨CSaslouka, who had died in the previous Creation, was the most suitable choice.¡±


    Duncan quietly listened to the Tomb Guardian¡¯s narrative, but his expression grew increasingly complex. He suddenly realized that if one were to follow this logic¡­ wouldn¡¯t that imply all Doomsday Preachers could essentially be considered Saslouka¡¯s ¡®progeny¡¯?!


    This bizarre and shocking thought flashed through his mind. Duncan was stunned briefly, then irresistibly drawn to another matter¨C


    The crazed Preachers became excited and fanatical upon seeing Homeloss, even addressing it as the ¡®Ark of Promise.¡¯ The main reason, of course, was because Homeloss had entered the Subspace and returned intact, but could it also be¡­ related to today¡¯s Homeloss actually being built upon the ¡®ancient spine¡¯ of Saslouka?!


    The insanity and fervor of those Doomsday Preachers, could it actually be some kind of stress reaction after the ¡®progeny¡¯ came close to the ¡®ancient god¡¯?!


    These startling thoughts became hard to suppress once they arose. Duncan¡¯s mind stretched far before his attention gradually refocused, landing back on the throne and the headless body before him.


    He recalled a sentence the Tomb Guardian had said to him before entering the Tomb.


    ¡°You said his time is running out¡­ are you referring to this body¡¯s time running out?¡±


    ¡°He has watched over this place for a long time, but the maintenance systems here cannot operate indefinitely,¡± the Tomb Guardian said in a deep voice, ¡°The ancient systems left behind by the Creator are gradually failing; they have been in service for far too long¡­ This throne was once the starting point for one thousand two hundred observation stations, maintaining the ¡®existence¡¯ of all Crits, but now it has become the last observation station, and the operation of the throne is about to reach its end.¡±


    Duncan suddenly frowned, ¡°¡­ What will happen when the throne stops operating?¡±


    The Tomb Guardian was silent for a moment, then slowly stated, ¡°It means that the first pillar system left by the Creator has completely collapsed¨Cafter that, the fourth long night will begin.¡±


    The fourth long night!


    Duncan¡¯s expression shifted slightly¨Cafter so many scattered and trivial clues, he finally received such accurate intelligence for the first time, identifying the distinctive moment when the ¡°fourth long night¡± would occur!


    And the Tomb Guardian had just mentioned that the ancient systems left by the Creator were ¡°all¡± failing. The collapse of the throne was obviously only one of them, and without a doubt, anomaly 001-Sun was another system nearing its limit¡­ This matched the situation currently known!


    Duncan¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, thoughts swirling in his heart¨C


    Logically, when the first ¡°collapse¡± occurs among a series of interconnected complex systems, a chain reaction will certainly follow. In other words, when the throne here stops operating, the malfunction and complete shutdown of the sun will also accelerate¡­


    Every opening of the long night starts with a major collapse of the previous long night. The third long night was no exception; the collapse of the throne, the operation of the ¡®Tomb of the Nameless King¡¯ as the last Crit observation station stopping, the sun will collapse more quickly in the subsequent series of malfunctions, until it permanently extinguishes, plunging the entire world into darkness¡­


    Clearly, this Tomb Guardian knew a lot, some even beyond the era he lived in, beyond the current flow of time. These pieces of intelligence¡­ perhaps came from those Doomsday Survey Teams that had set out long ago, monitoring the entire Shelter in the flow of time¡­


    Thinking of the ¡®Tomb Guardian¡¯ who had brought him here, Duncan¡¯s thoughts once again spread out:


    This ¡®Tomb Guardian¡¯, and the tomb he guarded, had existed in this chaotic interstice for ten thousand years. From what Fenna had revealed, the ¡®Tomb of the Nameless King¡¯ seemed never to have engaged in such rational, direct dialogue with the outside world before. In the eyes of the world, this tomb was a chaotic and dangerous ¡®anomaly 004¡¯, but now it seemed that the Tomb Guardian and everything inside the tomb were quite ¡®normal¡¯¡­


    Duncan¡¯s thoughts suddenly stopped; he turned his head thoughtfully toward the tall Tomb Guardian standing beside him.


    ¡­ Really normal?


    Could it be like those ¡°indescribable¡± entities he had encountered before, that only he could understand and see everything before his eyes? And for those other ¡°listeners¡± who had been drawn into the Tomb, did the Tomb Guardian and this ancient square at the end of the corridor appear entirely different to them?


    Duncan recalled a meeting not long ago where Rune had proposed the ¡°cognitive displacement model¡±. After pondering for a moment, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do the others entering the Tomb see the same things I do?¡±


    ¡°I will try to obscure their senses and cleanse the harmful parts from their memories before they leave¨Cmortals should not see too much, as it is harmful for them.¡±


    Duncan slowly nodded.


    The Tomb Guardian¡¯s answer didn¡¯t entirely meet his expectations, but it did sidewise confirm his suspicion.


    The world he saw was not the same as what ordinary people saw, and the more it involved ¡°anomalies¡± and ¡°visions¡±, the more pronounced this ¡°displacement effect¡± was.


    Duncan sighed softly, setting these complicated issues aside for a moment. After a brief silence, he suddenly asked, ¡°How much longer?¡±


    The Tomb Guardian turned his head, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Duncan looked up, pointing to the dark, towering throne, ¡°I mean, how much longer can this throne last?¡±


    ¡°Uncertain, I¡¯m just a keeper, and the scholars who understood this complex system have been gone for a long time. The only answer I can give you is¡­ soon.¡±


    ¡°What will happen to this body after the throne stops functioning?¡±


    This time, the Tomb Guardian didn¡¯t respond, merely shaking his head silently.


    Duncan did not press further; he and the Tomb Guardian stood together in silence, enveloped by the dusk¡¯s Sky Light shining upon the ruins, for what seemed an indefinite amount of time, until Duncan suddenly asked, ¡°I heard the sound of a bell¡­ is it because this place is nearing its limit? Are you calling me here on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Duncan turned his head, his expression puzzled and grave, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    To his surprise, the Tomb Guardian shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a keeper. Those who knew everything, who understood everything, have been gone for a long time,¡± the Tomb Guardian looked into Duncan¡¯s eyes, slowly beginning, ¡°But I still remember one thing¡­ just one thing.¡±


    He turned around, gazes drifting toward the vast ruins in the distance, toward those fleeting shadows that occasionally emerged from the edges of the square, hastily moving through various doors, darting through timelines, and softly began,


    ¡°At the moment they set out, a message came from the farthest, most improbable boundary of time, arriving here almost instantly¨Ca Doomsday Surveyor who claimed to have reached the endpoint sent a sentence¨C¡±


    ¡°He said, ¡®Dusk has arrived, the Usurping Flame has ignited this world.''¡±


    Duncan remained silent, all emotions hidden deep within his reflective gaze, leaving no one knowing what he was thinking at that moment.


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    But the Tomb Guardian did not seem to care; he just continued calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what thoughts you might have after seeing all here, nor do I know what you might do one day in the future, nor do I know how today¡¯s disclosure might influence some future action, some decision of yours.


    ¡°My duty is only to guard this station and to activate it periodically according to ancient protocols, allowing limited data interaction with the outside world¡­ We are a race carefully designed and created, each of us existing solely to perform limited, necessary tasks, and strictly speaking, bringing you here is not within my duties.


    ¡°But those responsible for assigning tasks are no longer here, nor have there been messages from the creators for a long time. I felt that I, at least, should¡­ do something.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand,¡± Duncan sighed lightly, his expression unknowingly relaxed. He then looked towards the Tomb Guardian, nodding slowly and sincerely, ¡°Thank you for telling me so much. To know these things happened is already a great gain for me.¡±


    ¡°That is good.¡±

 Chapter 703 - Chapter 703 Chapter 700 Return

    Chapter 703: Chapter 700: Return Chapter 703: Chapter 700: Return Duncan stood before that massive black throne for a long time.


    He knew it was another part of the ¡°fragment¡± after Saslouka had fallen apart, yet this ¡°fragment¡± could no longer leave the throne¨Cit had been permanently anchored to this point in time as one of the founding cornerstones of the Shelter during the deep-sea era, becoming a part of the vast system left by Navigation I.


    But he was suddenly curious¡­ Did the other ¡°kings¡± know about this? When the Crawling King decided to ¡°build¡± part of the remnants of the Dreaming King into the Shelter, how had they discussed it?


    ¡°Make the most of what you have,¡± the Tomb Guardian replied indifferently to Duncan¡¯s question, ¡°Back then, they didn¡¯t have many resources at their disposal. Anything that could be useful had to be utilized¨Cif the creator¡¯s plan failed, it would be used in the next one.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, then left the platform where the throne stood and strolled onto the walkway. As he slowly walked past those mottled ancient columns and was about to reach the end, he suddenly stopped, ¡°Do you have anything else to show me?¡±


    ¡°There is nothing more,¡± the Tomb Guardian said slowly, ¡°This is everything.¡±


    ¡°It seems it is time to leave, then,¡± Duncan looked up at the twilight-like chaos overhead in the ¡°sky,¡± simulated by some unknown light source, ¡°The people outside are still waiting for news.¡±


    ¡°I will see you out,¡± the Tomb Guardian said with a bow.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Duncan nodded, but just as he was about to step onto the ramp, he suddenly stopped, as if remembering something, ¡°Oh, one more thing.¡±


    The Tomb Guardian looked at him.


    ¡°Perhaps¨CI mean, perhaps, I might see the ¡®creator¡¯ you speak of, even though I do not yet know if it will be successful or what state the ¡®creator¡¯ is in, but if I can meet him, is there any message you would like me to relay?¡±


    The Tomb Guardian fell silent suddenly, and after a long time, he slowly shook his head, ¡°It probably won¡¯t matter¨Cthe facility is about to shut down, all connections with the outside world will be severed after you leave, until the system reaches its critical point¡­ Even if you do meet our creator by then, I will not receive any messages anymore.¡±


    Duncan watched the Tomb Guardian for a moment and silently nodded his head.


    But as he turned away, the Tomb Guardian suddenly spoke again, ¡°Wait, you¡­ please do pass on a message for me.¡±


    Duncan turned back, his expression especially serious, ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°Tell him¡­¡± The Tomb Guardian hesitated for a moment as if organizing his thoughts, then spoke with an unusual solemnity, ¡°We are honored to have completed our work.¡±


    ¡°I will convey that,¡± Duncan nodded, turned, and walked up the long slope back to the passage.


    The Tomb Guardian followed beside him, walking silently with Duncan on the road leading out of the crypt.


    As they were about to reach the exit, the tall guardian suddenly broke the silence, ¡°From now on, they need not respond to the call¨Cremind those gathered shadows outside that no matter what messages come from here, they should no longer approach this place.


    ¡°There will be no new names on the register, and no new messages guiding them. The Shelter has traversed all the known paths laid out at its inception; our observation has come to an end. Going forward, even the creator had not calculated the future¡­ No one knows what lies within that future.


    ¡°May their days ahead be¡­ all¡­ well¡­¡±


    With each word he spoke, the voice of the Tomb Guardian became more hoarse and deep, and with each step he took, his footsteps seemed a bit heavier¨Cas signs of time passed emerged upon him, the scent of rotting death began to surface, and what had been a pure white robe was now a tattered shroud, while chains with a sealing effect seemed to emerge from within him, gradually entwining him.


    Then, the sound of the heavy door opening came from ahead.


    The ancient and majestic crypt door opened, and Duncan stepped out from Mirage 004.


    He was the only one in history to have left through that door in a conscious state.


    The figures waiting near the door instantly gathered around, and Fenna was the first to reach Duncan¡¯s side. She moved to support Duncan¡¯s arm (although he did not need the support), her face showing considerable concern, ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m fine,¡± Duncan said offhand, as he turned to look back¨Cbut he could no longer see the Tomb Guardian in the dark tomb passage, only a pulsating, writhing shadow receding into the hallway, causing him to frown, ¡°How long was I in there?¡±


    ¡°Just a moment,¡± Helena¡¯s voice came from the side, ¡°We heard a brief and strange noise from inside the crypt, and then the door reopened, and you came out.¡±


    ¡°Just a moment?¡± Duncan frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s always like this,¡± Fenna nodded nearby, ¡°No matter how long you feel you¡¯ve been inside the crypt, to those outside it¡¯s just a moment. The scholars in the church believe this is because the time flow within Mirage 004 is isolated from the outside¡­¡±


    Rune raised his hand, ¡°Let me add, this theory was first proposed by me a thousand years ago.¡±


    Listening to the words coming from beside him, Duncan remained silent. He turned to gaze at Vision 004, which had once again fallen into quietude. Inside the solemn ancient burial tomb a deep rumbling sounded, followed by a gradual descent.


    In the blink of an eye, the magnificent Cretan architecture had vanished from everyone¡¯s sight.


    At that moment, Fenna noticed the gravity and solemnity deep in Duncan¡¯s expression, prompting her to ask, ¡°If it¡¯s you¡­ you should still retain the memories from inside Vision 004, right? What did you see in the tomb?¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment, then he nodded slightly.


    ¡°What I saw and heard inside Vision 004 should be different from previous ¡®Listeners¡¯¡­ I came to understand the truth behind the construction of this facility, as well as its related future. However, first¡­¡±


    He lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over the gathering of souls in waiting, then settled on Helena and the other three popes.


    ¡°Have everyone else leave first. After I tell you the truth about the tomb, you can decide how to communicate with your own saints.¡±


    ¡­


    Gentle waves undulated outside the window, and a refreshing breeze blew into the room. Alice opened the round window at the side of the captain¡¯s cabin, allowing fresh air to enter. She stood in the sunlight and breeze, squinting her eyes with satisfaction.


    ¡°A room should always be aired out; the captain always forgets to open the window,¡± the doll Miss remarked, hands on hips, as if talking to herself, yet seemingly to her ubiquitous ¡°friends¡± aboard the ship, ¡°Things will get moldy if left for too long!¡±


    No one inside the room responded to her mutterings. Even the usually noisy goat¡¯s head was unusually quiet, appearing to doze by the edge of the chart table, eyes half-open.


    Suddenly, the goat¡¯s head jolted upwards, beginning to look around.


    It saw the doll Alice cleaning nearby and then noticed the ¡°Skull of Dreams¡± not far from its side, uttering a garbled grunt.


    Alice immediately leaned in curiously, ¡°Hey, Mr. Goat¡¯s Head! What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The goat¡¯s head moved its neck slowly, creaking like wood rubbing against wood as it mumbled, ¡°Strange¡­ I feel like I just had a dream.¡±


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Ah? Didn¡¯t you say you can¡¯t dream?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s strange¡­¡± the goat¡¯s head mumbled, ¡°Although the captain says I can dream, in theory, I can never perceive myself dreaming¡­ But just now, I spaced out, and it felt like I was in a dream.¡±


    Alice¡¯s curiosity was instantly piqued, so she put aside the duster in her hand, sat across from the goat¡¯s head, and continued the conversation, ¡°Speaking of which, sometimes I doubt if I can dream too, but I never remember anything when I wake up¡­ Do you remember what you dreamed just now?¡±


    The goat¡¯s head glanced at the doll across from it, curiosity plastered on her face, and began to speak with an increasingly peculiar tone, ¡°I dreamed¡­ that I was sitting on a very large chair, and I sat there for many, many years¡­ People were running all around me, bustling about, and then¡­¡±


    It paused for a moment, its stiff face seemingly trying to frown, ¡°And then there were many, many children¡­ those running around¡­ suddenly they all became my children¡­¡±


    Alice leaned forward with her hands propping her chin, her eyes growing wider as she listened, absorbing the goat¡¯s head¡¯s every word, and suddenly burst out, ¡°They all had goat heads like you?! How did they run around? Bouncing?¡±


    The goat¡¯s head was taken aback, ¡°¡­I think you¡¯re misunderstanding, that¡¯s not the point¡­¡±


    However, it didn¡¯t get a chance to correct the doll¡¯s imagination¨Cright as it was about to continue, the door to the captain¡¯s cabin was suddenly flung open.


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    Duncan¡¯s tall figure appeared at the doorway.


    Alice immediately forgot about their earlier conversation and smiled as she rose from behind the chart table and walked towards the door, ¡°Captain¡¯s back!¡±


    Duncan casually pinched Alice¡¯s cheek as he stepped into the room.


    The goat¡¯s head turned its head, its gaze falling on Duncan with a hint of confusion, ¡°You seem to have gone to a¡­ peculiar place?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer the question, just walked over to the chart table and after adjusting his seat, he looked at the goat¡¯s head on the table very seriously, and slowly began,


    ¡°I have something to tell you, but don¡¯t panic¡­¡±

 Chapter 704 - Chapter 704 Chapter 701 Departure from the Port

    Chapter 704: Chapter 701: Departure from the Port Chapter 704: Chapter 701: Departure from the Port The Goat Head was now very anxious, extremely anxious¨Ceven though the captain had told it not to panic, its head almost went into vibration mode the moment it heard the news.


    Beside it, Alice, having listened to the captain¡¯s news, actually lost her head¨Cliterally lost it, and had not yet put it back on.


    ¡°You are saying¡­ that every individual of the Ancient Crete Kingdom was replicated from a part of my remains,¡± Goat Head¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°and it was The Saint who did the replication?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°This also explains many historical puzzles about the Ancient Crete Kingdom that have always plagued scholars. For instance, why this ancient kingdom has almost left no systematic cultural materials¨Cbecause they were a fleeting tribe created for ¡®Creation¡¯, having no cultural system of their own; like why the remains of the Cretes are found on islands that are utterly unsuitable for habitation, even shrouded in mystical phenomena, because all the ancient Cretan cities were established as foundational infrastructures for the Creation, they weren¡¯t meant to serve as settlements¡­¡±


    Goat Head¡¯s tone grew increasingly complex, ¡°You know I¡¯m not concerned about that¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­To suddenly learn that an ancient tribe is actually your ¡®offspring¡¯ is indeed quite shocking,¡± Duncan paused, his face strained, ¡°Honestly, I was quite surprised when I first heard this news¡­¡±


    At this moment, Alice, who had not been interjecting much, suddenly spoke up, ¡°But¡­ but¡­ but¡­ Mount¡­¡±


    ¡°Put your head back on before you speak,¡± Duncan sighed, giving the doll-like Alice a helpless glance, ¡°Sitting there holding your head is quite frightening.¡±


    After Alice¡¯s head had been scared off, she had not reattached it but had instead been holding it while sitting intensely engrossed beside Duncan. Reminded, she hurriedly responded with an ¡°Oh,¡± quickly pressed her head onto her neck, and immediately spoke more smoothly, ¡°But wasn¡¯t Goat Head originally the Elf Main God anyhow? If we really have to say it, all elves in the world could be considered his offspring, he should be able to accept that¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say,¡± Goat Head immediately turned its head away, its resentment seeming to emerge from its base, ¡°I mean, I was just sleeping and half of my body was taken away to serve as a culture medium! And if it were just an ancient tribe, I might have coped, but it came with a bunch of Doomsday Preachers! I always felt those preachy ¡®preachers¡¯ were off, kissing the deck as soon as they boarded. I tell you, I would have had goosebumps if the materials allowed it¨CI¡¯m getting goosebumps now! What a situation, wake up from a sleep and¡­¡±


    Seeing that Goat Head had rapidly entered complaint mode, Duncan had to knock on the table twice to quieten his somewhat agitated deputy before clearing his throat to break the silence, ¡°Cough cough, the Doomsday Preachers were once normal Cretes.¡±


    Goat Head paused, reluctantly turning its neck, ¡°I know that now¡­ even now, not all of them are crazy¡­ but the thing is¡­¡±


    It ¡°but¡±ted for a long time, unable to articulate a clear reason, only murmured for a while, and finally all turned into a long, resigned sigh, its head drooping, no longer uttering a word.


    Alice, unable to resist, glanced at Goat Head a couple of times and then looked up at Duncan somewhat helplessly, hesitating before speaking, ¡°Captain¡­ the First Mate doesn¡¯t seem very happy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about being happy or unhappy, just suddenly receiving very shocking news. It needs some rest and time to calmly think,¡± Duncan sighed softly, rising from behind the navigation table, ¡°Let¡¯s not disturb him.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alice nodded, obediently rising from her chair and following Duncan out of the captain¡¯s cabin. As she passed by the edge of the chart table, she stopped, hesitated for a moment, then reached out to pat Goat Head¡¯s head, ¡°Rest well¡­ you still need to teach me how to make Southern cuisine¡­¡±


    Duncan, standing by, couldn¡¯t help but twitch the corner of his eye, but this time he said nothing, silently shaking his head and turning to walk out toward the deck.


    The sea breeze was gentle, the waves choppy, the distant sea shimmering, still promising good weather.


    Duncan and Alice slowly walked onto the deck and then noticed Fenna, who had arrived on the deck at some unknown time, leaning on the rail, blowing in the wind, gazing into the distance as if deep in thought.


    The sea breeze blowing from the border direction lifted Fenna¡¯s silvery hair. Hearing movement behind her, she turned her head, lifting her long hair, her face breaking into a smile, ¡°Captain, Alice.¡±


    ¡°I thought you might want to talk more with Helena,¡± Duncan nodded, casually walking to the rail, ¡°such significant intelligence must be quite shocking for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, such significant intelligence¨Cso His Holiness the Pope probably won¡¯t have much time to chat with me,¡± Fenna laughed, shaking her head, ¡°She must be meeting with the other Highnesses now¡­ whether concerning the origins of the Ancient Crete Kingdom or the future of our world known as ¡®Shelter¡¯, or those¡­ mad ¡®Doomsday Surveyors¡¯, it¡¯s enough to make many people lose a lot of hair.¡±


    ¡°Has there been any movement from Phenomenon 004 after that?¡± Duncan asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Fenna shook her head, ¡°Since you left, we¡¯ve kept a few surveillance personnel there. They report that up to now, there¡¯s been no movement at the assembly site¡­ while in the past, even if the Tomb¡¯s entity didn¡¯t appear, there would occasionally be some strange noises or shadows in the assembly site¡­ it seems just as you said, Phenomenon 004 has truly completely closed off from the outside world.¡±


    ¡°¡­ just like the ¡®Sun¡¯ above us, the ¡®Tomb¡¯ has reached the end of its life, its mission is over,¡± Duncan said calmly, ¡°The Tomb Guardian has warned us, even if messages from the Tomb are received in the future, not to respond in any way, and certainly not to send anyone inside¡­ If something comes out of the Tomb, even if it¡¯s the Tomb Guardian himself walking out, do not respond, but leave immediately¡­ It¡¯s no longer the phenomenon 004 you know.¡±


    ¡°We know, His Holiness has already warned all the Saints, from now on, phenomenon 004 will become a completely forbidden territory, apart from a team of monks in rotation monitoring the situation stationed at the edge of the gathering place, no one will approach the ¡®Tomb of the Nameless King¡¯¡­¡±


    Fenna said softly, gradually falling silent again, and after a few seconds, she suddenly sighed: ¡°¡­ Another matter has ended.¡±


    Yes, another matter has ended¨Cbut what was she referring to? Was it this very special ¡°gathering¡±? Or the millennia-old standard procedure of ¡°surveillance-summoning-listening¡± regarding the Tomb of the Nameless King that had formed within the Four Gods Church? Or perhaps¡­ a legacy left by the ancient creators for this world?


    Regardless, they had all ended.


    ¡°Did that Tomb Guardian ever mention any knowledge about the ¡®Sun¡¯ to you?¡± After a moment of silence, Fenna suddenly asked, ¡°Did he mention how the ¡®Sun¡¯ was constructed, or¡­ if there was any way to repair it, even just to extend its¡­¡±


    Duncan gently shook his head.


    ¡°He was just a guardian, a guardian confined by the phenomenon of the observation station after all systems had stopped, all engineers and designers had left, he has told me everything he knows, but the Sun¡­¡±


    Duncan paused, looking toward the distant sea.


    Phenomenon 001¨Cthe Sun was moving slowly across the sky, like an aged and frail old man, staggering towards his destination.


    ¡°The Sun was a massive project constructed by the ¡®Crawling King¡¯ and the entire Crit Clans, it¡¯s not something a guardian could comprehend.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I see,¡± Fenna shook her head in self-mockery, ¡°I expected too much.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s alright, because that is the problem I¡¯m going to solve next,¡± Duncan looked at Fenna, speaking softly, ¡°We¡¯ll find that ¡®Designer¡¯ from the Deep Sea Age¨Cstarting with opening a door.¡±


    Accompanied by the end of his words, a faint squeaking and creaking noise emerged from deep within Homeloss at the same time, following which, Fenna felt a slight vibration beneath her feet, then, the translucent Spiritual Body sails slowly appeared on the mast¨C


    Homeloss began subtly adjusting its position, turning its bow, the vast and majestic Ghost Ship slowly pointing its bow toward the distant sea¨Cthe grand and boundless fog that stood hazily at the edge of the world.


    ¡­


    Light Breeze Harbor, the solemn and sacred Storm Cathedral still quietly stationed near the coastline, a cleric in a blue and black robe rushed through the upper cathedral¡¯s bridges and arches, almost sprinting to the door of the Pope¡¯s prayer room: ¡°Your Holiness! His Holiness! That ship¨CHomeloss has moved! It suddenly changed its course ten minutes ago and accelerated away from Light Breeze Harbor!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Helena¡¯s voice came from the prayer room, her tone magnetic with a calming magic power, ¡°There¡¯s no need for such a fuss, it¡¯s just time.¡±


    As her voice fell, the elegant lady turned her head back, refocusing her attention on the ceremonial fire basin before her.


    Part of her spirit delved deep into the fire basin, still lingering in the pathway constructed by Spiritual Energy communication.


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    ¡°¡­ Homeloss has set sail, Fenna just passed me the message¡­ Yes, ¡®Tide¡¯ has already taken the escort fleet on the road, they will arrive in time at the designated rendezvous point¡­


    ¡°Banster, what about your so-called live and die fleet?¡±


    A gloomy voice entered Helena¡¯s mind: ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Rest¡¯ and ¡®No Rest,¡¯ Helena.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, more or less the same¡­ where are they?¡±


    ¡°They have also set sail, don¡¯t worry¨Cwe will all arrive on time.¡±

 Chapter 705 - Chapter 705 702

    Chapter 705: 702 Chapter 705: 702 Homeloss had set sail¨Cthese days, many were watching its every move, including the four Church Arks and the watchers arranged by the City-State. Under their watchful eyes, the massive and majestic ghost ship, wrapped in flames and thick smoke, sped away from Light Breeze Harbor at an unimaginable pace and vanished in the blink of an eye between the Spirit Realm and reality.


    It appeared like a phantom and disappeared just as mysteriously, exactly as the legends had described.


    ¡°Off~ we~ go~¡±


    Sherry, holding onto the ship¡¯s railing, looked out at the boundless dark sea, her body swaying back and forth with excitement.


    Homeloss had entered the Spirit Realm navigation mode. Outside the ship¡¯s hull, the sea had turned pitch black. The chaotic sky¨Ca blend of black, white, and gray¨Cloomed low over everything. Far off, there were no more lighthouses, vessels, or islands visible; only bizarre, shadowy projections emerged between the sea and sky, hauntingly surveying the world from the horizon¡¯s edge.


    A Dog lay a short distance from the railing, stretching its neck and pulling on Sherry¡¯s arm with a chain while gripping the deck firmly with all four paws, loudly cautioning, ¡°Hey, stop rocking! Be careful not to fall off!¡±


    ¡°A Dog, when did you become so timid?¡± Sherry simply sat on the railing, tidying her messy hair and turning to tease with a chuckle, ¡°Didn¡¯t we always play at the edge of the deck in the past?¡±


    ¡°This is the deep Spirit Realm!¡± A Dog suddenly exclaimed, ¡°If you fall here, you can¡¯t get back up!¡±


    Sherry ignored him and just sat on the railing, giggling at the sea until Duncan walked over and messily ruffled her hair, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you this excited when we¡¯ve set sail before. Why are you so happy to leave the City-State this time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Sherry spoke with a full-on grudge, ¡°The city has no good food, there are only bookstores or mechanical workshops nearby, no good food, no fun places, and no good food¡­¡±


    Duncan, unable to help but smile as he watched Sherry, seemingly traumatized by the ¡°elves¡¯ cuisine¡± of Light Breeze Harbor, gently reminded her, ¡°The place we¡¯re heading to isn¡¯t likely to have good food either¨Cactually, we¡¯ll mostly be at sea for the foreseeable future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, the food on the ship is not bad, at least I won¡¯t be dragged around bookstores by Nina all day,¡± Sherry replied cheerily, ¡°think of it as a breath of fresh air¡­¡±


    ¡°On the ship long enough, you think about going to the city, in the city long enough, you think about going to sea¡­¡± A Dog muttered from his spot on the deck, constantly complaining, ¡°always thinking about playing, Nina has almost visited every bookstore in the city these past few days¡­¡±


    Sherry immediately waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Oh A Dog, stop nagging like an old lady, you¡¯re giving me a headache¡­¡±


    Duncan remained silent, just smiling as he listened to the typical bickering between Sherry and A Dog, when suddenly, as if sensing something, he looked up toward a certain area of the sea.


    Almost simultaneously, a dim shadow emerged beside him, and Agatha reported softly from within the shadow, ¡°Brilliant Starship is here, looking for an entrance in the real world.¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°Alright, go lead Lucy in.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s figure faded away, and then just moments later, Duncan saw shadows abruptly materialize in vast patches above the dark sea near Homeloss.


    The shadows, fog-like, intertwined and out of them, a vast, bizarre, and magnificent ship slowly formed. The Brilliant Starship emerged gradually from the fog¨Cit initially appeared as a vague phantom, only its stern clearly solidified, but as Homeloss drew closer the blurry phantom quickly solidified into a tangible entity stable enough to exist in the depths of the Spirit Realm.


    Brilliant Starship entered the deep Spirit Realm and began to accompany Homeloss on its voyage.


    Sherry, sitting on the railing, stretched her neck to watch this scene unfold and let out an exaggerated gasp, ¡°Wow¨C¡±


    Then, she saw a white paper boat gently rise from the deck of the Brilliant Starship. The paper boat caught the wind, sailed across the murky sea between the two ships, and landed steadily on the deck of Homeloss.


    Lucricia, in her black dress and hair, with the clockwork doll Luny, disembarked from the paper boat.


    Alice, who had been drying fish on the deck, noticed the action and happily approached, ¡°Luny! You¡¯re here!¡±


    The clockwork doll, hearing her voice, turned its head and immediately showed a joyful expression, spreading its arms to meet her: ¡°Alice!¡±


    The two dolls happily took each other¡¯s hands and started spinning around the deck, though they hadn¡¯t been apart for long, they rejoiced as if it were a joyful reunion.


    Alice was showing off the freshly dried fish on the deck to her dear friend Luny when Luny suddenly had something she wanted to boast about as well.


    ¡°Alice! Look at this, the mistress just made me¡­¡±


    While happily speaking, the wind-up doll reached up to cradle her head and gently pulled upwards. Then, with a ¡°pop,¡±


    in front of everyone on the deck, she detached her head.


    Alice watched the scene, mouth agape¨Cit was rare for her to be so shocked due to her usual naivety¨Cbut she quickly realized this was a new ¡°feature¡± her friend had mastered. A happy expression immediately spread across her face, ¡°Oh, you can do it too now!¡±


    As she spoke, she casually plucked her own head from her neck and joyfully held it high with Luny. ¡°We¡­ now¡­ are the same!¡±


    Then the two dolls began frolicking and laughing on the deck.


    Aside from the two of them, everyone on the deck was in shock.


    Duncan was initially heading toward Lucia to inquire about the operational status of the Brilliant Starship after entering the Spirit Realm. However, halfway there, he was stunned by the spectacle of Alice and Luny¨Che even thought that such a bizarre scene was hardly to be seen in Subspace. It took him several seconds to snap out of it, turning his head to Lucia, who was approaching him, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Lucia seemed momentarily dazed as well. As she walked, she couldn¡¯t help but glance back at the two dolls with a bizarre expression. Upon hearing Duncan¡¯s question, her expression stiffened slightly, ¡°¡­I just made a few modifications to Luny¡­ After the malfunction caused by detaching her head earlier, she kept nagging me every now and then how Alice¡¯s head joints could be dismantled¡­ I got tired of hearing about it, so I replaced her joints¡­¡±


    She hesitated, then stopped, eyeing the two dolls walking about the deck with their heads in their hands, her expression finally unable to remain composed, ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect this!¡±


    ¡°¡­ Well, as long as they¡¯re happy. Dolls¡­ have their own forms of entertainment and socializing,¡± Duncan finally managed to compose himself after the shock, his lips twitching as he redirected his gaze from Alice and Luny (which was not easy, given the head-turning chaos they were causing) and forced his attention back to Lucia and the Brilliant Starship, ¡°¡­ Is the journey going smoothly?¡±


    Lucia was still watching in the direction of Luny and Alice until Duncan repeated his question before she could suddenly snap back to reality, quickly tapping her forehead and organizing her thoughts as she spoke, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s somewhat chaotic but manageable¡­¡±


    She finally shifted her focus entirely, glancing up at the Brilliant Starship navigating autonomously alongside the Homeloss.


    ¡°This is the first time the Brilliant Starship has ventured this ¡®deep¡¯¡­ Normally, only its stern is in the Spirit Realm. A full ¡®immersion¡¯ like this is an unprecedented ¡®experience¡¯ both for me and the ship.¡±


    ¡°The speed will be quite fast,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°The Homeloss is accustomed to traveling deep in the Spirit Realm. The White Oak and the Black Oak have also sailed alongside the Homeloss like this as escort ships¨CIn this depth, it takes us less than two days to catch up with the returning ship, and we don¡¯t have to worry about being detected.¡±


    Lucia didn¡¯t respond, only looking up at Duncan.


    Her father stood there, surrounded by rising green flames, his face bearing a confident and proud smile, a look reminiscent of her memories.


    After a moment, she shook her head and asked, ¡°What about the movements of the churches?¡±


    ¡°There will be small-scale fleets from the Deep Sea Church and the Death Church joining us. The flagship from the Deep Sea Church is the ¡®Tide¡¯ and its escort fleet, and the Death Church has sent the ¡®Rest¡¯ and ¡®Restless,¡¯ two sister ships and their escort fleets, all reputed to be powerful warships,¡± Duncan spoke casually, ¡°But I¡¯m more interested in the ¡®professionals¡¯ they bring. After all, in the face of those strange things in the frontier waters, scholarly knowledge can sometimes be more useful than firepower.¡±


    ¡°But scholarly expertise can sometimes attract even greater dangers¡­ Near the frontier, restless ¡®shadows¡¯ are more likely to emerge than anywhere else,¡± Lucia couldn¡¯t help but interject.


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    Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Isn¡¯t that better?¡±


    Lucia appeared a bit startled, ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that now. How is the ¡®saint¡¯?¡± Duncan waved his hand, changing the subject, ¡°Did you bring it this time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s brought along, now contained in the lowermost cell of the Brilliant Starship,¡± Lucia immediately nodded, her face showing a trace of delight, ¡°Rest assured, its condition is good¨CI¡¯ve restored its vitality as much as possible while ensuring the ¡®saint¡¯ can¡¯t escape. If you need, I can bring it out anytime.¡±


    ¡°Not now,¡± Duncan shook his head, his gaze moved toward the distant murky depths, ¡°Once we locate that ¡®sanctuary¡¯ of the vanished adherents, that will be the time to put the ¡®saint¡¯ to use.¡±

 Chapter 706 - Chapter 706 Chapter 703 Puppets Have Their Own Ways of

    Chapter 706: Chapter 703: Puppets Have Their Own Ways of Entertainment () Chapter 706: Chapter 703: Puppets Have Their Own Ways of Entertainment () This was a hidden sea area that appeared on no official charts and also lay far from any legal shipping route¨Ccivilization¡¯s lights could not illuminate this sea blanketed in thin mists, and no sane ocean-going captain would willingly venture here. The grand curtain of fog that surrounded the entire world stood before us, and even though the sunlight still brightened the ocean, those who sailed here could not find a shred of solace in its rays.


    People had given this chilling place a name¨Cthe Boundary.


    A ship, almost in ruins and by all logic should have already sunk to the ocean floor, was slowly navigating through the fog, as silently as a specter heading towards the faraway barrier cliff, the ¡°Wall of Fog.¡±


    Greenish flames, like silent phantoms, rose and burned all around the shattered vessel. The semi-transparent Spectral Flames forcefully ¡°held¡± the ship that should have been torn apart together. Its torn hull exposed a terrifying gash; the huge and complex machinery inside, like the innards of some great beast, lay bare, bathed in those greenish flames. And those ghostly fires spread from the vessel outwards, flowing, pervading the nearby sea surface. Wherever the flames passed, the thin fog that enveloped the area slowly dissipated.


    A Spirtual Flame soared, and Duncan¡¯s figure emerged on the deck¨Chis form spectral and translucent.


    Using the ¡°artificial beacon¡± left on this ship, he had arrived here, but this time, unlike before, he hadn¡¯t transported his ¡°true self,¡± opting instead to project a mere illusion here¨Cmost of his attention remained on the Homeloss.


    The various ships had yet to converge; he had to come here first to check the situation.


    The grand fog finally stood before his eyes.


    Duncan walked across the deck, stepping over the ruptured crevices and the twisted rolls of metal debris caused by the explosion, and he made his way to the bow, quietly gazing at the far-off, supremely magnificent ¡°extraordinary sight.¡±


    It was a barrier that touched both the heavens and the depths, a dense fog so thick it almost seemed solid, connecting both the sky and the sea, standing as the end of the world within his view. More colossal clouds, like waterfalls, broke off from the top of the curtain and poured silently onto the ocean¡¯s surface, turning into ever-spreading mists covering the entire Boundary.


    In front of this grand barrier, the ship crafted by the Heretics under his feet, the Homeloss, and even the Church Arks, seemed as insignificant as dust.


    ¡°This is the end of the world¡­¡± Duncan stood quietly at the bow, muttering to himself as if in a soliloquy, ¡°I¡¯ve finally seen it with my own eyes.¡±


    He recalled the ¡°Boundary Collapse¡± that he had experienced not long after arriving in this world, the crumbling fog he had seen suddenly in the normal waters¨Cat that time, he had found the sight supremely magnificent, and the awe-inspiring pressure was still clearly etched in his heart to this day.


    But, after truly arriving here and seeing this ¡°Boundary¡¯s¡± limitless veil with his own eyes, he realized how insignificant the ¡°collapse¡± that occurred within the ¡°Shelter¡± was in comparison.


    ¡­But could this vast and grand, true ¡°Boundary¡± also have its day of ¡°collapse¡±?


    With this thought, which would panic anyone if spoken aloud, Duncan quietly gazed at the landscape before him for a while and then lightly waved his hand through the air.


    The flames spiraled at his fingertips and outlined an oval shape in the air, within which a scene as if through a mirror appeared. The next second, Agatha¡¯s figure emerged in this conjured mirror: ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Any changes in the Spirit Realm here?¡± Duncan asked casually.


    ¡°Just a moment, I¡¯ll go down and look,¡± Agatha in the mirror nodded and then her figure dissolved into the air.


    Duncan calmly waited a moment, and Agatha¡¯s image again appeared in the mirror¨Cthough her hair seemed more disheveled.


    ¡°The Spirit Realm is darker and more chaotic, with formless shadows skimming the sea surface¨Ccompared to the ¡®civilized world inside,¡¯ those shadows seem much less friendly,¡± Agatha reported while straightening her hair and then paused, adding, ¡°¡­extremely unfriendly, downright violent.¡±


    ¡°Got into a fight?¡± Duncan frowned, a bit worried.


    ¡°I beat up whoever came close,¡± Agatha flexed her arm, a hint of glee in her smile¨Chaving shed the burden of memories of the ¡°Tomb Guardian¡± and having spent time on the Homeloss, it seemed she had also adapted well to the¡­ team¡¯s atmosphere, ¡°Not hard to deal with, just weirder. Also¡­¡±


    ¡°Also?¡±


    ¡°The Spirit Realm also has a ¡®Veil,''¡± Agatha raised her hand, pointing at the distant curtain-like barrier that touched the sky, ¡°just like the reflection of this Veil, it looms darkly ahead, and it looks¡­ even more dangerous and eerie. Within that black Veil, there are many amorphous silhouettes undulating and recombining, giving me a rather unpleasant feeling.¡±


    Hearing Agatha¡¯s description, Duncan furrowed his brow slightly.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that the plan to ¡®dive¡¯ directly through the Eternal Veil from the depths of the Spirit Realm is not feasible,¡± he mused, ¡°This ¡®border¡¯ seems to encircle the entire world from all dimensions, and there doesn¡¯t appear to be any safe ¡®shortcut¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as expected,¡± Agatha nodded, ¡°After all, if our world is a ¡®Shelter,¡¯ then the walls of this Shelter must be sufficiently tight to provide us a safe living environment amidst the chaos following the collision of worlds.¡±


    She paused to think for a moment, then continued, ¡°In the model recently perfected by Mr. Morris, the border¡¯s ¡®Veil¡¯ structure is supposed to block both reality and the Spirit Realm, and might even extend into the Mysterious Deep Sea, not just from a spatial standpoint¡­ From a temporal perspective, there should also be something akin to the ¡®Eternal Veil¡¯ to ensure the integrity of the entire ¡®Shelter¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°A ¡®border¡¯ on the temporal dimension¡­ The Tomb Guardian mentioned it to me in Vision 004,¡± Duncan said, shaking his head, ¡°Morris must have also drawn inspiration from it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he has always been trying to construct a ¡®World Model¡¯ that can explain the entire Endless Sea, and even the entire Deep Sea era. The truth we recently discovered deep within The Dream of the Nameless and the information you¡¯ve just brought from the Tomb of the Nameless King have led to significant progress in his recent work,¡± Agatha nodded slightly, her tone tinged with admiration, ¡°He has begun trying to explain our world from both temporal and spatial aspects¡­ He is, to my knowledge, the only scholar who has reached such a step.¡±


    ¡°To be more precise, the only scholar to have done so and still be alive,¡± Duncan said with some emotion, ¡°His research recently has been causing some¡­ extra commotion on board, and so has Nina when she¡¯s reading.¡±


    ¡°Scholars inevitably need to wrestle with the knowledge they are studying,¡± Agatha appeared unfazed, ¡°Miss Nina¡¯s situation has improved a lot. She has recently learned to remain calm in the face of things that spring out of her books¡­ It probably has something to do with that time she accidentally burned the design that took her three days and nights to draw.¡±


    At Agatha¡¯s words, the corners of Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily.


    Despite having lived in this world for so long, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel the urge to make sarcastic comments whenever he heard such bizarre things.


    But regardless, the noise created by Nina and Morris in their struggle with knowledge was preferable to what was currently happening on board with two automata playing their swapping games.


    In the captain¡¯s quarters of the Homeloss, Duncan, who was exchanging information about the borders with Lucrescia, blinked and, somewhat helplessly, lifted his head.


    A figure in a black and white maid¡¯s dress staggered into the captain¡¯s quarters, following behind it, the large winding key clicking and clacking in rotation. Seeing Duncan in the room, her face slowly broke into a smile, ¡°Captain¡­ what¡­ what¡¯s for¡­ for dinner?¡±


    Duncan managed to restrain himself for two seconds before losing his composure, ¡°Alice, why on earth is your head on Luny¡¯s body?¡±


    A flicker of surprise crossed Alice¡¯s face, ¡°Ah, how¡­ how did¡­ did you find¡­ find out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not blind! And I¡¯m not stupid!¡± Duncan slapped his forehead, then heard a persistent ¡°thud thud thud¡± of something hitting the wall from outside the captain¡¯s quarters. With a sense of resignation, he rose from behind the navigational chart table, stepped to the doorway, and saw Alice¡¯s body with Luny¡¯s head toppling against the wall outside, while continually bumping her head and directing, ¡°Hit it¡­ a bit to the left¡­ hey, left, you¡¯ve got it backwards! That¡¯s your right! Ah, hit again¡­ more to the left oh hit¡­ Old Master?¡±


    With a stoic expression, Duncan looked at the momentarily stunned Luny (the head), and behind him, an equally expressionless Lucrescia also emerged.


    The two of them just stared blankly at the Luny+Alice hybrid as Alice¡¯s body continued to move forward, only to smack right into the doorframe.


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    ¡°Stop walking!¡± Luny (the head) quickly warned, ¡°The Old Master and the Lady have come out!¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than she instinctively began to maneuver her body inside the captain¡¯s quarters to step out, resulting in a loud ¡°thud¡± from within the room.


    Duncan looked down to see a head with silver hair roll to his feet, as Alice blinked innocently, ¡°Captain¡­ help¡­ help¡­ help me¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, the Luny+Alice composite followed suit, taking a misstep and falling at Lucrescia¡¯s hemline, Luny¡¯s head dropping with a thud and rolling about in a panicked plea for help, ¡°Lady! I¡¯ve fallen too!!¡±


    In that moment, chaos was indescribable, and it took Duncan a good while to piece together the state of the two automata, before finally echoing Lucrescia in unison, ¡°Switch back this instant!¡±

 Chapter 707 - Chapter 707 Chapter 704 Puppets and Puppets and Puppets

    Chapter 707: Chapter 704: Puppets and Puppets and Puppets Chapter 707: Chapter 704: Puppets and Puppets and Puppets In the upper deck¡¯s dining area, Duncan and Lucretia sat side by side, each wearing a stern expression, while two recently head-swapped puppet masters sat opposite them¨CLuny appeared slightly nervous and uneasy, whereas Alice was as radiant as ever, even looking a bit like she hadn¡¯t had enough fun.


    After holding back for a few seconds, Duncan eventually broke the silence, ¡°Having fun?¡±


    Luny immediately began fidgeting with her fingers, head bowed awkwardly, but Alice immediately bobbed her head enthusiastically, ¡°It was fun, Captain! You wouldn¡¯t believe it, but our interface sizes are identical¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched at the corner, and he then noticed Luny¡¯s little finger fidgeting gesture. He felt oddly familiar with the motion and after a moment of contemplation, he turned thoughtfully towards the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± beside him, ¡°When you were little and did something wrong, did you also pick at your fingers?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ that was when I was very small¡­¡± Lucretia hadn¡¯t expected the topic to abruptly fall on her. She first froze, then her expression became slightly unusual, ¡°You¡­ You still remember that?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t remember, but it feels somewhat familiar,¡± Duncan shook his head lightly, then cleared his throat twice and shifted his gaze back onto the two puppets, ¡°Who came up with the idea first?¡±


    This time the two puppets spoke in unison: ¡°Sherry!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Shortly thereafter, Duncan and Lucretia were still sitting stern-faced on the dining room¡¯s long bench, but this time sitting opposite them, in addition to the two puppet masters, was Sherry.


    Ah Dog lay on the floor next to Sherry, trying hard to grab his own head while muttering quietly, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, it¡¯s not my fault, I tried to stop them but couldn¡¯t hold on¡­¡±


    Duncan glanced at the mumbling Ah Dog and then fixed his gaze on Sherry, recalling how she had once tempted Alice to pour super glue down her neck, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit of lamentation¨Cindeed, it seemed necessary to keep a closer eye on this agent of chaos¡­


    ¡°What are you doing giving them such bad ideas when you¡¯ve got nothing else to do?¡± Duncan sighed, looking helplessly at Sherry, ¡°We¡¯re navigating through the Spirit Realm, and this is not like being on land¨Cif they really got disoriented and fell into the sea, would you take responsibility for fishing them out?¡±


    Sherry, who had been shrinking her neck in preparation to accept criticism, suddenly brightened up at the captain¡¯s words, ¡°So does that mean we can do this on land?!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­Do you even hear what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    Sherry laughed awkwardly, but then her smile began to turn sly, leaning forward while cheekily murmuring, ¡°You can¡¯t blame me, Captain, think about it, when you saw the two of them, didn¡¯t you get the idea, huh? Two puppets that can take off their heads, and they use the same kind of joint, as the old man would say¡­ it¡¯s all about the spirit of exploration, right? Don¡¯t you want to give it a try¡­?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s words, to the curious at heart, were almost as tempting as the beeps of Subspace. Duncan¡¯s eyebrows involuntarily jumped, but before he could speak, he heard an almost inaudible mutter beside him: ¡°There seems to be some logic to it¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression became slightly complicated, turning his head towards the direction of the muttering¨CLucretia lifted her head embarrassedly, realizing only after what she had said and quickly backpedaled, ¡°Of course, such actions are not to be encouraged, experiments must be conducted with caution and safety in mind¡­¡±


    It took quite an effort for Duncan to maintain his composure, pretending to overlook Lucretia¡¯s recent muttering. Then, with a sigh, his gaze fell back on the two puppet masters opposite him, ¡°Don¡¯t play like this in the future, at least not on board¨Cit¡¯s not safe. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Aiyo, got it, Captain!¡± ¡°Yes, old master.¡±


    ¡°You, go back to your room and stay there; if you really don¡¯t want to do your homework, then read a book, even picture books will do,¡± Duncan motioned to Sherry, ¡°We¡¯re about to leave the Spirit Realm and soon enter the Eternal Veil, so stop causing trouble everywhere before that.¡±


    Sherry, with head bowed, obediently agreed, ¡°Oh, all right, Captain¡­¡±


    The dining area finally quieted down; Sherry left with Ah Dog, and Alice dragged Luny over to a corner of the restaurant, muttering who-knows-what to each other¨Cat least they were each carrying their own heads.


    Looking in the direction they each departed, Duncan shook his head and sighed. But for some reason, he felt a bit relieved and pleased at heart.


    It seemed that since the incident at Light Breeze Harbor, it had been a long time since he had breathed so easily.


    However, Lucretia¡¯s slightly anxious voice suddenly came from beside him: ¡°Are¡­ you angry?¡±


    Duncan did not turn around: ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°¡­We¡¯re about to head to the border to investigate the sanctum of the Heretics, a dangerous and serious matter, yet Luny chose this time to cause you trouble¡­¡±


    She had only gotten halfway through her sentence when Duncan suddenly interrupted, ¡°Is that you as a child?¡±


    Lucretia didn¡¯t quite catch on: ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Luny,¡± Duncan raised a hand, pointing at the clockwork puppet in the distance who was quietly murmuring with Alice and occasionally flashing a happy smile, ¡°Is that your childhood self? I mean, in terms of personality.¡±


    Lucresia was silent for a moment, merely pursing her lips. After a while, she spoke softly, ¡°¡­Luny was the first doll I made. I sealed some parts of my soul that tend to lead me to make mistakes inside her body. Although most of the time these sealed souls don¡¯t affect her operation, occasionally they make her act in strange ways.¡±


    ¡°So most of the time, Luny appears calm and reliable, but she becomes lively when she¡¯s with Alice?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, it seems that leads her to make mistakes¨Cat least, it increases the probability of making them.¡±


    Duncan looked back at Lucresia, ¡°Is such a level of ¡®mistake¡¯ really a problem?¡±


    Lucresia was silent for a few seconds before answering softly, ¡°At the border, mistakes can easily lead to death.¡±


    Duncan said nothing for a moment, thoughtfully watching the two dolls who were joyfully chatting about something in the distance. After a bit, he said calmly, ¡°When she¡¯s with me, it¡¯s okay to make mistakes.¡±


    For a moment, Lucresia seemed a bit stunned. She opened her mouth as if wanting to say something, but in the end, she said nothing. Her gaze then followed the direction her father was looking:


    Alice seemed to be introducing Luny to some amusing incidents on the ship, at least things she found amusing, while Luny was listening with keen interest¨CAlice rarely talked with anyone other than the captain with such accord, and Luny¡­ as the Brilliant Starship¡¯s ¡°first mate¡± and the ¡°sea witch¡¯s¡± servant, she probably had never encountered a kindred spirit like Alice with whom she could communicate so freely.


    The two dolls seemed to be getting along very happily.


    It was then that Duncan seemed to suddenly remember something, ¡°Oh right, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been putting off¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he gestured into the air, and Ai Yi, who was eating fries at a nearby table, disappeared on the spot. The next second, a swirling green flame appeared beside Duncan. He reached into the flame and pulled out an item, placing it on the dining table before them.


    Lucresia was somewhat surprised by the object¨Cit was a finely crafted wooden box about seventy centimeters in length, which, besides its exquisite and simple construction, didn¡¯t seem to have anything peculiar about it.


    But gradually, she felt a long-lost sense of familiarity and warmth emanating from this wooden box.


    ¡°This is Niru,¡± Duncan opened the wooden box to reveal a delicate quarter-sized doll before Lucresia. ¡°I said a long time ago that I would give her to you, but I¡¯ve been delayed by many things recently. Now that I see Alice and Luny together¡­ take it. Consider it a reunion of ¡®sisters.''¡±


    Lucresia looked a bit odd as she took the wooden box, carefully cradled the quarter-sized doll called ¡°Niru¡± out of the box, and set her on the table to lean against the box. Her thoughts seemed to drift far away¨C


    In that distant afternoon, accompanied by the clear sound of wind chimes, she and her brother walked hand in hand into the doll shop. Luny and Niru sat quietly in the display window, bathed in warm sunlight that shone on their delicate hair and dresses like a hazy veil.


    Back then, she could only take one of them.


    But that was one of the few warm memories of her childhood¨Cduring those warm days, the ¡°sun¡± was something that was destined to rise the next day.


    The ¡°witch¡± was slightly out of sorts, and in the midst of this reverie, the little doll sitting by the wooden box on the table slowly turned her head, revealing a hollow smile to her.


    Lucresia snapped out of her daze, seeing the little doll still sitting quietly on the table, her head tilted to one side, the soulless shell empty and echoing.


    She reached out a finger to touch the doll¡¯s forehead, ¡°Go back to sleep.¡±


    The doll¡¯s body suddenly shook, as if a momentary life was breathed into it, then she stiffly got up, scrambling into the exquisite wooden box, and grabbed at the lid beside it, trying to cover herself.


    But she was too weak.


    Duncan casually pushed it closed for her, helping her to cover the box.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± a tiny voice came from inside the box, then fell silent again.


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    ¡°It¡¯s amazing,¡± Duncan raised his head, looking somewhat surprised at Lucresia.


    ¡°We¡¯re entering the border; many things are coming to life,¡± Lucresia said, ¡°Infusing some objects with souls in advance can prevent the uninvited ¡®stowaways¡¯¨CLuny woke up for the first time like this many years ago.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s time to surface for some air,¡± Duncan nodded, saying so as he slowly rose from behind the table.


    With his movements, the Homeloss started to slowly ascend from the depths of the Spirit Realm. The windows of the restaurant revealed the Sky Light gradually brightening outside.


    The shadows lurking in the Spirit Realm receded from all around.

 Chapter 708 - Chapter 708 705

    Chapter 708: 705 Chapter 708: 705 As the shadows of the Spirit Realm around the Homeloss quickly receded, the previously pitch-black sea gradually returned to its normal azure. The sky light in the real world and the thin mist hovering around the ship enveloped the entire sea.


    Nina ran from her room to the deck and soon noticed the strange large ship just ahead of the Homeloss, wrapped in eerie green flames and almost shattered to pieces.


    The ship, destroyed by a massive explosion and now solely propelled by Spectral Flame, was slowly decelerating but still moving forward. In the direction its bow pointed, lay the boundary that had appeared in textbooks but was only truly seen for the first time today.


    A magnificent wall of dense fog reached from the heavens to the depths of the sea, like a waterfall cascading down from the top of the wall, becoming a thin mist pervading the entire sea area. In front of it, everything seemed minuscule¨Ceven though Nina had already experienced many incredible things alongside the Homeloss, she still couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes, and then she exclaimed long and loud, ¡°Wow¨C¡±


    At that moment, Sherry also ran out, clinging to the ship¡¯s railing and gazing into the distance, exclaiming together with Nina, ¡°Wow¨C¡±


    Just as Sherry¡¯s words fell, they heard Agou¡¯s voice coming eerily from the shadows, ¡°That¡¯s why I tell you to read more often. If you had more vocabulary, you wouldn¡¯t just say ¡®wow¡¯ after seeing such a grand curtain of the boundary¡­¡±


    Sherry immediately glared and said, ¡°Nina said ¡®wow¡¯ too, why don¡¯t you criticize her?¡±


    Agou jumped out from the shadows, shaking his head and muttering, ¡°Nina¡¯s ¡®wow¡¯ because she thinks the word fits here; your ¡®wow¡¯ is because that¡¯s the only word you know. You two are not the same¡­¡±


    Listening to Agou¡¯s muttering, Sherry defiantly puffed up her cheeks, stating confidently, ¡°I¡­ I have a lot of vocabulary, it¡¯s just that the captain and old Master Morris won¡¯t let me use it! If I were allowed to speak freely, I¡­¡±


    But Agou no longer paid attention to her. The Abyssal Hound, with its fierce appearance, became even more cautious after reaching the boundary. It looked around, seemingly sensing the aura from other dimensions; and after a moment, it muttered, ¡°¡­The environment here is quite different from the safe zone¡­ Everywhere has unstable aura; it¡¯s supposed to be in the real dimension, but I can faintly smell the Spirit Realm¡­¡±


    ¡°This is the boundary, and it¡¯s merely the most trivial part of the boundary¡¯s countless strange and dangerous traits,¡± accompanied by a swirl of colorful paper flakes, Lucricia¡¯s voice arrived, ¡°Here, the borders of ¡®reality¡¯ become blurry, and all those ¡®things¡¯ that are suppressed in the safe zone¡­ become active. The probability of machines becoming evil is very high, books attract more and more dangerous Watchers, many things aboard the ship become easily activated, and at certain times, especially when the ship and some unseen ¡®fields¡¯ inadvertently overlap, the danger increases manifold.¡±


    She walked to the deck¡¯s edge, her gaze towards the distant wall of fog, and continued softly in a reflective tone¨C


    ¡°Thus, barely any sane explorers come here to ¡®try their luck¡¯¡­ There are no honors or riches here, only the chillingly strange environment and a terrifying fate, and the very few daredevils who do step foot here have come up with some unique ¡®operational rules¡¯ for the boundary, like not carrying any figures or paintings with human traits on the ship, not shouting loudly in the fog, not lingering long in front of mirrors, and so on and so forth¡­


    ¡°But these rules and taboos can only reduce the risk to a certain extent. Still, there is always a chance for seasoned explorers to disappear in the fog near the boundary; they might forget where they are during a foggy spell, open a door in the cabin that doesn¡¯t exist, or even in a daze think they have completed a long and perilous exploration of the boundary and safely returned to the City-State where they had set off, relaxing their tense nerves as they stepped onto the solid ground of the dock¨Conly to walk into the dense mist of the boundary, leaving behind only an empty Ghost Ship floating on the sea.¡±


    Listening to the ¡°Sea Witch¡± describe these strange and terrifying matters, Sherry¡¯s eyes grew wider and wider until she instinctively shuddered, ¡°I¡­ damn¡­ that sounds a bit scary¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, very scary, so under normal circumstances, people like you without any boundary exploration experience should not come close to this area¨Cbut you don¡¯t have to worry because this is the Homeloss, and you are a part of the Exiled Fleet.¡±


    Lucricia smiled faintly, gazing at the sea and speaking unhurriedly.


    ¡°Father and this ship¡­ they¡¯re no longer what I remember. If it¡¯s now the Homeloss, I believe even if ¡®something¡¯ really snuck onto the ship and opened your room door, it would politely apologize and even close the door when it leaves¡­¡±


    As her voice fell, another voice suddenly came from beside her, ¡°Usually, they don¡¯t have the opportunity to close the door or apologize.¡±


    Lucricia turned her head and saw Duncan, who had unexpectedly come up on deck.


    ¡°Just now, Fenna received a Psionic Communication; theDeep Sea Church¡¯s ¡®Tide¡¯ has already reached the nearby sea, and it will appear soon. Death Church¡¯s two main battleships are also nearby; they are sending out small reconnaissance boats to first confirm the situation in the surrounding sea.¡±


    Lucricia nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good, we need to clear up the situation here¨Cthe churches¡¯ fleets that patrol the boundary year-round are a bit more professional than we are.¡±


    Duncan just hummed, then said no more, merely steering Homeloss closer to the large ship leading the way. Adjacent to Homeloss, Brilliant Starship had also emerged from the Spirit Realm state and was leisurely accompanying it on its journey.


    After about fifteen minutes, Homeloss and Brilliant Starship reached the vicinity of the dilapidated large ship, maintaining a slow, steady cruise.


    Perhaps because they were getting closer to the ¡°curtain,¡± the fog on the sea surface seemed thicker than before, layer upon layer of fog drifting in all directions like flowing veils. Even the faint green flames emanating from around Homeloss couldn¡¯t completely disperse the fog.


    Upon Duncan¡¯s order, the three ships stopped before the fog thickened further.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the convergence before moving forward,¡± Duncan said on Homeloss¡¯s bow deck, glancing at the foggy sea in the distance, ¡°first, light up the lanterns.¡±


    While speaking, he raised his hand and pointed toward the large ship at the forefront, the ¡°guide ship.¡±


    With a snap of his fingers, the faint green flames burning on that ship were suddenly intensified. The bursting Spiritual Fire expanded and rose instantly, releasing a brilliance capable of piercing through the mist!


    A lighthouse made entirely out of Spiritual Fire thus rose in the fog-engulfed frontier seas, its intense light fiercely illuminating the whole sea area. Under that illumination, near the three ships, the fog finally showed signs of dispersing slightly, restoring some visibility.


    Fenna and Morris also came onto the deck, with the latter curiously observing the sea surface near the ship¡¯s side. He noticed that the color of the sea seemed denser than outside the fog, the dark blue water appearing quite calm, with only slight undulations stirred by the breeze¨Cwhich looked strangely slow and viscous, as if¡­ the entire sea was a layer of detail-lacking, viscous, and smooth grease.


    Fenna frowned and stared intently at this disturbingly strange and suspicious sea surface. After hesitating for a moment, she took out a small wooden amulet from her person¨Cit was a wave amulet carved from Sea Breath Wood¨Cand tossed it into the sea.


    The amulet, symbolizing the faith and protection power of the Storm Goddess, bounced once on that slow, viscous sea surface as if on solid ground, stirring no ripples nor sinking into the water.


    It just remained calmly on that slow, thick ¡°water surface,¡± and after several seconds, it suddenly got dyed in an ink blue by the surrounding sea and silently ¡°melted¡± into the water.


    Fenna watched the scene, which defied her understanding, with some astonishment.


    Yet by her ears, the gentle sound of waves still emerged as always.


    Despite the eerie process, the power of Goddess Gomona still arrived as usual¨Cin this abnormal sea area, the protection of the Storm Goddess still took effect.


    Even¡­ it seemed to work a bit faster?


    Just then, Fenna felt something abruptly and looked up towards the distant fog-enveloped sea.


    Almost at the same moment she looked up, a sonorous and resounding ships¡¯ horn suddenly broke the tranquility of the frontier seas. Soon thereafter, a luminous but hazy light appeared deep within the fog¨Cfollowing the light, a huge silhouette of a ship gradually emerged from the mist.


    The gentle sound of the waves resounded, and through Psionic Communication, she confirmed the messages coming from her brethren in the church, while at the same time, the huge silhouette in the distance began to slow down at a considerable distance, with several smaller escort ships gradually appearing around its outline.


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    Through the drifting fog, the ships coming to converge and those like Homeloss and Brilliant Starship that had arrived earlier were confirming each other¡¯s identities¨Cin the frontier seas, this was an extremely crucial step.


    And this sort of identity ¡°confirmation¡± would also continue throughout the operation process, needing to be performed again every so often.


    After all, in this border fog, you couldn¡¯t always be sure that the figure by your side this second was still the person you knew from the previous second.


    ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®Tide¡¯ from the Deep Sea Church and its escort squadron,¡± Fenna hurried to Duncan¡¯s side, lowering her voice to report, ¡°confirmed through Psionic Communication.¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°Good, allow them to approach¨Clet them enter into the area illuminated by the Spiritual Fire.¡±

 Chapter 709 - Chapter 709 Chapter 706 The Familiar Mist

    Chapter 709: Chapter 706: The Familiar Mist Chapter 709: Chapter 706: The Familiar Mist Within the mist that shrouded the entire sea, resembling an endless veil, the ¡°Tide¡± Vessel from the Deep Sea Church and two escort ships began entering the area illuminated by the Spiritual Fire ¡°Torch.¡± Their figures gradually became clear in the mist, and the contours that originally appeared to shimmer and undulate due to the border environment also stabilized under the glow of the firelight.


    For the sailors aboard Homeloss, they sensed even more pronounced changes during this process¨Cthe towering bluish-green flames seemed like a beacon bringing order. The perpetual mist of the border seas miraculously receded near that beacon, and as they drew closer to the light, the faint background noise and whispers of the surrounding environment also diminished¨Cchanges that the seasoned sailors who patrolled near the Eternal Veil had never experienced before.


    On the bow deck of Homeloss, Fenna frowned slightly, tilting her head as if discerning distant sounds from the wind. She then nodded at Duncan, ¡°Commander Sandra from Homeloss extends her greetings and respects. She is inquiring about the next course of action.¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°Wait until Rest and No Rest arrive. Then we¡¯ll enter the thick fog. Be careful not to leave the range of the Flame Lighthouse¡¯s illumination.¡±


    Fenna immediately relayed the captain¡¯s instructions to her Church brethren, while Duncan displayed a keen interest in her mode of ¡°Psionic Communication¡± with nearby Deep Sea believers¨Ca method reliant on meditation and prayer. After curiously observing for a while, he seemed to remember another matter, ¡°Speaking of which¡­ shouldn¡¯t Homeloss really be fitted with a wireless radio system?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of using it in safe waters, that would be fine. But on this border side¡­ it¡¯s not reliable,¡± Fenna replied seriously. ¡°In the border seas, the likelihood of machines being mystically corrupted is quite high. Apart from devices like steam-powered cores, which can operate steadily thanks to strong divine blessings, everything else tends to encounter some issues. And radios are the most susceptible to malfunctions among them.¡±


    As Fenna finished speaking, Lucrecia joined in, ¡°Radios that are switched on can easily pick up ¡®voices¡¯ from unknown sources. Those voices can corrupt the mind, and some entities can slip through the radio into the real world, silently corrupting those devices not protected by steam¨Ctherefore, ships entering the border seas generally turn off the onboard radio, even cutting off the internal telephone lines used within the ship.¡±


    ¡°Entities can slip through the radio into the real world?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, seemingly finding this quite¡­ ¡°interesting.¡± ¡°So patrol ships along the border mostly rely on this kind of ¡®Psionic Communication¡¯ like Fenna¡¯s for contact?¡±


    ¡°Psychic Resonance is a ¡®miracle¡¯ bestowed by the gods,¡± Fenna bowed her head slightly, tracing the sigil of Storm Goddess Gomona across her chest, ¡°Just like a steam boiler blessed by divine arts, the words sent through psychic resonance are also blessed and can avoid corruption and distortion in these chaotic border seas¨Cof course, this doesn¡¯t mean absolute safety. Psionic Communication can be disrupted and corrupted at times; in these boundless mists, there is no such thing as complete security.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Duncan nodded thoughtfully. He was absorbing these new insights about the borderland with as much curiosity and thirst for knowledge as when he first set foot on the City-State¡¯s land. Then he turned his head to seemingly empty space and casually asked, ¡°What about you, Agatha? Is your ¡®Psionic Communication¡¯ with Rest and No Rest the same as Fenna¡¯s? As a ¡®shadow,¡¯ is the ¡®Psionic Communication¡¯ you establish when contacting other Death Priests different from regular ¡®Psionic Communication¡¯?¡±


    Agatha¡¯s hazy silhouette emerged from the deck, her ethereal voice filling the air, ¡°As far as I can tell, there aren¡¯t many differences. Even in this form, I can feel Bartok¡¯s blessings as I did ¡®in memory,¡¯ and with that, I can hear the voices of other Church brethren and sisters. In fact¡­ since arriving here, I feel the voices I hear are even clearer than ¡®in memory,¡¯ which is quite incredible.¡±


    Agatha clearly referred to ¡°in memory¡± as her life ¡°as the gatekeeper¡±¨Calthough that life was false, the memories were a hundred percent reproduction of the real Agatha, making her judgments extremely valuable.


    The existence of ¡°Replication Agatha¡± in the border seas, listening to ¡°Psionic Communication,¡± feels that the voices heard are clearer than those remembered?


    This counterintuitive phenomenon led Duncan into deep thought. He had initially felt that Replication Agatha would be weaker in areas involving divine arts and miracles compared to the ¡°original¡± staying in Frost. However, in these border seas¡­ the situation seemed to be different from what he had imagined?


    After all¡­ what exactly is the inherent nature of the ¡°Psychic Resonance¡± power wielded by the Four Gods Church¡¯s clergy and the ¡°Psionic Communication¡± they establish with it?


    Duncan mused subconsciously, but his train of thought was soon interrupted¨C


    ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± the shadowy Agatha suddenly spoke, ¡°Rest and No Rest are drawing near.¡±


    Strident steam whistles emanated from the depths of the mist as two black armored vessels with towering bridges, small chapels at the stern, and large main guns mounted on the bows and sides of the ships, slowly emerged from the fog, accompanied by four smaller escort ships rising and falling with the mist on the sea surface.


    The bright Spiritual Fire light arising from the ¡°leading ship¡± illuminated the vague shapes of the vessels, and in response, the two black armored vessels sounded their steam whistles again to signal greetings, while simultaneously flashing a series of light signals.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Commander Paulette Ginny of the Homeloss, Commander Orlando extends his greetings and respects to you,¡± Agatha¡¯s figure nodded slightly towards Duncan, ¡°They have sent out reconnaissance boats to briefly confirm the conditions of the surrounding sea area and haven¡¯t found traces of obliteration by believers or small islands that could serve as temporary footholds or lookout posts, yet within the Veil, the boats momentarily picked up some unusual noises, confirming that there is indeed ¡®something¡¯ in that direction.¡±


    As Duncan listened to Agatha¡¯s report, his expression gradually became serious, and then he let out a soft breath, his heart slowly calming down.


    ¡°Let¡¯s set out¨Conce more, I emphasize, do not stray beyond the range illuminated by Spiritual Fire.¡±


    Accompanied by the battered ¡°guide boat¡± starting to slowly accelerate again, this temporary ¡°United Fleet¡± assembled by the Deep Sea Church, the Death Church, and the ¡°Exiled Fleet¡± finally headed towards the Eternal Veil, gradually entering into the boundless deep haze.


    The sky-obliterating fog rolled in like a rampart and somehow transformed into layered curtains surrounding the fleet; the sun was left behind, with sunlight fading from view, and as the mist thickened, a chaotic yet not dark ¡°Sky Light¡± gradually became the dominant hue of this foggy maritime area.


    Thirty minutes after entering the Veil¡¯s boundary, the fog began to ¡°converge¡± noticeably and thicken, taking on a¡­ viscous and tangible form, like physical clumps unevenly floating in every corner of the field of vision.


    Those coalescing mists seemed to flash with vague outlines, as though cautiously observing this fleet that had suddenly intruded upon the border, those unwelcome guests appearing in this part of the sea.


    The deck grew quieter; even Sherry, who was usually chattering non-stop, seemed to sense the change in the atmosphere and closed her mouth cautiously, watching those ¡°fog masses¡± that flowed near the ship¡¯s side like living things, and the indistinct outlines within the mist.


    ¡°This¡­ this stuff doesn¡¯t quite look like the ¡®fog¡¯ I know of¡­¡± Agatha also murmured softly, ¡°it¡¯s also different from what we saw outside the Veil¡­¡±


    ¡°After entering the range of the Veil, the texture of the fog changes like this¨Cas if the order between reality and illusion has been disrupted, and the pervasive fog tends to form in clumps, as if there is something intelligent around us gathering these mists¡­¡±


    Lucresia spoke, standing at the edge of the deck, her fingertips lightly stirring the mist that was flowing past the ship¡¯s side like a stream in the air.


    ¡°But in fact, they are empty inside; there¡¯s nothing at the center of the coalesced fog masses¡­ Don¡¯t easily trust any entity you see in the mist, unless they¡¯ve already shown clear signs of movement, otherwise it¡¯s best to consider them all illusions or figments of your imagination.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re okay with just sticking your hand in there?¡± Sherry couldn¡¯t help but exclaim upon seeing Lucresia¡¯s action, ¡°These mists look really strange!¡±


    ¡°The mist is very dangerous, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s some kind of corrosive poison¨Cotherwise, you would have died the instant you entered the Veil,¡± Lucresia glanced at Sherry and shook her head, ¡°As long as one has sufficient experience and knows the correct methods, within six nautical miles of the border is the ¡®relatively safe zone¡¯¡­ Of course, even with the utmost caution, many have still died in this so-called ¡®relatively safe zone.''¡±


    Duncan, listening to the exchange between Lucresia and Sherry, remained silent and didn¡¯t say a word, standing at the bow of the ship and watching the mist that kept separating and merging nearby, his expression as if deep in thought.


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    Lucresia noticed Duncan¡¯s silence.


    ¡°Dad, have you thought of something?¡±


    Duncan blinked and after a moment of hesitation, he finally murmured softly, ¡°It looks familiar.¡±


    Lucresia: ¡°Familiar?¡±


    Duncan hummed in affirmation, but his gaze still lingered on the amorphous clumps floating around; he looked at the vague outlines in the mist, the murky Sky Light of the heavens, and the occasional unusual texture revealed amidst the flowing clouds and fog, his frown growing deeper¡­


    ¡°`

 Chapter 710 - Chapter 710 Chapter 707 Rough Sketch

    Chapter 710: Chapter 707 ¡°Rough Sketch Chapter 710: Chapter 707 ¡°Rough Sketch The fleet was traveling at low speed in the unyielding fog, the vague silhouettes of the ships looked at each other, like a group of immense specters undulating in the sea of mist.


    Inside the Eternal Veil, the power of the fog was far greater than outside the barrier. As the fleet continued to move deeper, the surrounding fog grew increasingly difficult to disperse. Even with the blazing ¡°Spiritual Fire Lighthouse¡± illuminating the entire fleet, thin mists still permeated from the edges of the sea, enveloping each ship, flowing over the decks ¡ª the invasive fog even began to seep into the cabins, swirling around the sailors.


    Commander Sandra of the Homeloss stood at the command post within the bridge, slightly furrowing her brows, staring somberly at the slowly drifting wisps of thin fog around her.


    He was a tall man with dark skin and striking platinum blonde hair, and the Storm tattoo on his left cheek indicated that he had once been an ascetic, who, having fulfilled all his ascetic vows, had been promoted, blessed, and became a formidable border commander; and now, his expression was anything but optimistic.


    ¡°How far have we advanced?¡±


    Sandra turned his head, suddenly questioning a technical priest by his side.


    ¡°We¡¯re approaching the Six Nautical Miles boundary¨Cjust one nautical mile left,¡± the technical priest, his hair graying and dressed in a robe adorned with thunderbolts and gear insignias, quickly replied. ¡°Our speed is very slow, but even so, we¡¯re about to reach that ¡®limit¡¯.¡±


    Sandra nodded, his expression growing even graver.


    Six nautical miles¡­ That ¡°lighthouse¡± in the distance still hadn¡¯t stopped, still leading the entire fleet slowly deeper into the heavy fog, indicating that the so-called ¡°sanctuary¡± lay in even deeper waters. However, if they continued like this, the fleet was going to cross that ¡°forbidden¡± line.


    Beyond Six Nautical Miles was the ¡°absolute limit¡± where the lights of civilization ceased, and once that boundary was crossed, the last shred of order upon the Endless Sea would vanish, even if saints and popes themselves came.


    The Storm Cathedral had ordered Homeloss to fully cooperate with the actions of the Sacrificial Ship here, but that did not include crossing the ¡°Six Nautical Miles boundary.¡±


    Sandra, frowning, looked toward the distant depths of the fog.


    The heretics had not appeared until now¡­ This was also illogical.


    In such a narrow ¡°safe sea area¡± at the border, it was difficult for such a large fleet to hide, especially with that towering ¡°Flame Lighthouse¡± burning in the fog. If the heretics were lurking nearby, they would surely have discovered this imposing joint fleet by now¨Cwhether it be a frontal confrontation or an ambush, this part of the sea should not be so ¡°quiet.¡± It was as quiet as if¡­ there were no heretics here at all.


    Could they have all fled already?


    A bold idea suddenly popped into Sandra¡¯s head, and he began to ponder.


    Those heretics should have known their secret was exposed long ago¨Cafter their blood-soaked and wicked ¡°Sacrificial Ship¡± was captured by Captain Duncan, they indeed had enough time to flee this place. But the crux of the issue was¡­


    As a group of fanatical heretics, would they really abandon the ¡°sanctuary¡± out of fear?


    Perhaps some would flee, but based on Sandra¡¯s many years of dealing with heretics, more of the fanatics would surely choose to stay and fight the Church to the death using all manner of despicable and horrifying means and powers¨Cthey were the kind of madmen completely corrupted by blasphemous thoughts, never hesitating to sacrifice their lives for their ¡°faith.¡±


    Sandra heard some fragmented noises that sounded like sharp yet unclear tinnitus. Along with the ringing, shadows on the edge of his vision began to tremble.


    Sandra furrowed his brows, looking down at the railing below him, only to see iridescent colors emerging with ¡°droplets¡± of an oily substance coalescing within them, each drop falling to the floor.


    The common hallucinations and delusions seen in the border seas¨Cyet, considering the ¡°depth¡± at which the fleet currently was, these episodes were quite mild.


    This was likely thanks to the power of the massive ¡°Flame Lighthouse.¡±


    ¡°Have the shipborne church light incense, ring the prayer bells, and increase pressure in the steam pipes,¡± Sandra said, glancing at the turquoise fire of the lighthouse ahead in the mist and instructing offhandedly, ¡°Remind the other vessels to watch the mental state of their crew members.¡±


    ¡­


    Commander Paulette Ginny of the Silent Ship looked at her own right hand covered with a black glove, slowly clenched her fist, and when her palm opened again, the blurry eyeballs that had inexplicably appeared in her hand had vanished.


    The priestess with dark golden curls raised her head and murmured softly, ¡°The world before us is becoming more and more unreal¡­¡±


    ¡°At present, everyone¡¯s minds are unaffected, and mild hallucinations and delusions can still be overcome and distinguished through reason,¡± a junior priest by Paulette Ginny¡¯s side said. ¡°The Homeloss just sent a message: similar delusions are spreading on their ship, but the ¡®contamination level¡¯ remains low.¡±


    ¡°Illusions that clearly deviate from normality aren¡¯t frightening,¡± Paulette Ginny shook her head, ¡°what¡¯s truly terrifying are those things that seem to conform to our common sense and feel completely normal¨Cor, rather, when we believe that everything around us is normal.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve entered deep into the Eternal Veil, and this is about the furthest anyone has ever gone,¡± a junior priest said cautiously, ¡°Before this, the Deep Sea Church only managed to advance six nautical miles within the Veil, despite establishing numerous mobile lighthouses and temporary churches¡­¡±


    Paulette Ginny didn¡¯t say anything, just gazed out of the bridge¡¯s porthole. Through the distant and hazy mist, she saw an ethereal green flame soaring skyward, illuminating the entire sea area, and it seemed to magnify slightly within her field of vision.


    A moment later, she suddenly broke the silence in a soft voice, ¡°We¡¯re slowing down¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Under Duncan¡¯s command, the ¡°guide ship,¡± blazing like a great torch, began to reduce its speed and drew closer to the Homeloss.


    The joint fleet following this ¡°lighthouse¡± also immediately responded, adjusting their formation while contracting their lineup.


    Fenna stood on the elevated platform at the stern, looking out at the sea where the fleet was gathering.


    Frankly, forming a tight formation in dangerous waters potentially crawling with enemies was not a good idea. This approach could provoke sharp criticism from real naval experts¨Cbut on these dangerous and strange frontiers, many things couldn¡¯t be done by ¡°normal¡± standards.


    Compared to the gunfire that could come from afar, the risk of becoming lost in dense fog after dispersing the fleet was clearly greater¨Cnot to mention that the biggest risk here wasn¡¯t the ships losing their way in the fog, but those that returned after getting lost.


    However, after having come all this way with tension and caution, the joint fleet hadn¡¯t encountered any ¡°gunfire¡± prepared to greet them¨Ctheir only companion was the fog, a boundless expanse of it.


    ¡°Where have all those heretics run off to?¡± Fenna couldn¡¯t help but frown, muttering quietly.


    Footsteps approached from behind, and Duncan¡¯s voice followed, ¡°What do you think are the odds that they all up and fled? If they wanted to escape, they¡¯ve had plenty of time over these days.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that bunch of lunatics would easily abandon their holy site¨Ceven if you personally arrived, there would certainly be extremists fanatical about sharing their fate with the holy place,¡± Fenna shook her head as she spoke, ¡°Their words and actions may be sacrilegious and mad, but I do recognize their ¡®devotion¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­According to the feeling relayed by that ¡®guide ship¡¯, this should already be near the sacred site; its desire to ¡®return home¡¯ points towards this maritime area,¡± Duncan said slowly, stepping to the edge of the deck, looking at that particularly calm ¡°Silent Sea,¡± unique to the frontier maritime regions, ¡°I am genuinely curious now¡­ how exactly did that annihilation cult discover that there was a so-called ¡®holy site¡¯ here, and settle in this place? I don¡¯t see anything¡­ Could it be that their blind faith actually brought them some kind of ¡®guidance¡¯?¡±


    As Duncan¡¯s words fell, Fenna opened her mouth as if to say something, but the instant she was about to speak, a faint ¡°thud thud¡± sound suddenly came from outside the hull, interrupting the conversation between her and the captain.


    It sounded as if something was drifting over, consistently striking against the hull of the Homeloss.


    Duncan exchanged a glance with Fenna in an instant, then quickly walked towards the source of the noise, looking down.


    On the sea surface as calm as a mirror, displaying an oily sheen, a dark shape was floating beside the hull of the Homeloss. The sea of the frontier was undisturbed, yet that thing floating on the water seemed to be constantly pushed by invisible waves, hitting the wooden planks of the hull repeatedly. And between the rises and falls, its silhouette was clearly revealed before Duncan and Fenna¨C


    It was a dark human figure!


    Upon seeing the object, Duncan¡¯s eyes slightly shifted, then he gestured in the air, ¡°Pull that thing up!¡±


    A green firelight flashed past, and a skeletal giant bird ablaze with flames dove down from a nearby mast, skimmed over the sea surface, and then returned to the deck almost in the blink of an eye.


    After a while, everyone on board the Homeloss had gathered around upon hearing the news.


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    The ¡°human figure¡± that Ai Yi had retrieved lay motionless on the deck.


    It was a dark human-shaped object, about 1.8 meters tall, but it only had the rough outline of a person, without features, hair, and even lacking detail in hands and feet. It felt¡­ as if it had been created as a ¡°rough draft¡± during the process of sculpting a clay doll.


    Several gazes fell on Duncan, who after inspecting the black mud ¡°rough draft¡± with a solemn expression, slowly nodded his head.


    ¡°¡­It is indeed one of those things from the Frost Deep Sea.


    ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®mortal¡¯ in an unfinished state from the Creation process of the Eerie Saint.¡±

 Chapter 711 - Chapter 711 Chapter 708 Knock Knock

    Chapter 711: Chapter 708 ¡°Knock Knock Chapter 711: Chapter 708 ¡°Knock Knock Once before, the ¡°Prime Element Rough Cast¡± had appeared in the Frost Deep Sea, and now it was here in this border sea area, near the sacred land of the obliteration cultists. This fact exuded a strangely horrifying aura, yet it was not so surprising.


    After all, ¡°The Saint¡± was the thread that connected all of these events.


    Morris crouched next to the humanoid rough cast and took out a slender metal sampling cone, carefully piercing the former¡¯s arm. The sampling cone met a layer of extremely tough outer skin¨Cobviously much tougher than the skin of humans, elves, or Senkin people, but still somewhat elastic, like some type of dense, solid special rubber.


    He exerted force with his hand, breaking through this tough ¡°skin.¡± The sampling cone rotated half a circle in the arm of the humanoid rough cast, and when it was pulled out, it brought with it some sludge-like black material.


    The familiar black mud, which seemed to have lost its vitality, showed no signs of wriggling or deforming.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel a bit nauseous¡­¡± Sherry frowned tightly, the filthy black mud made her involuntarily get goosebumps, and it brought to mind those chilling incidents that had happened in Frost¨Creplicas bred in the mist, ancient god tentacles continuously creeping upwards from the deep sea, living sludge surging through pipes and sewers¡­


    However, Agatha, the Abyssal Hound beside her, seemed totally unaffected and curiously approached the humanoid rough cast, sniffing around it in circles as if it had discovered something, occasionally stopping to think.


    Seeing this, Sherry immediately showed disgust, ¡°Agatha, what are you doing? Don¡¯t you find this thing disgusting¡­ Hey, don¡¯t rub your head on it¡­¡±


    ¡°Agatha, did you discover something?¡± Fenna asked seriously from the side.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much of a discovery, I¡¯m seeing this thing for the first time too, I¡¯ve only heard the captain describe it before¡­¡± Agatha wagged its head, ¡°I just find the scent of this thing¡­ somewhat familiar.¡±


    Duncan immediately raised his eyebrows, ¡°Somewhat familiar?¡±


    ¡°¡­The ¡®smell¡¯ of home,¡± Agatha muttered, ¡°but I¡¯m not sure¡­ because it¡¯s faint, it just indeed feels a bit familiar.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression gradually grew solemn, but he did not speak for a moment.


    Initially, he had discovered a large number of ¡°Prime Element Rough Casts¡± in the Frost Deep Sea, but to thoroughly eliminate the risks beneath the Frost and prevent the awakening of the ancient god¡¯s replicas, he had burned the ancient god tentacle that served as a ¡°pillar.¡± This also ignited all the ¡°rough casts¡± in that deep sea area, resulting in him not bringing any samples back from there¨Cso until today, Agatha had never actually encountered these ¡°replica semiproducts¡± created by the power of The Saint.


    And now, Agatha had smelled the scent of the Mysterious Deep Sea from these ¡°semiproducts.¡±


    Duncan faintly felt that Agatha¡¯s discovery might indicate some¡­ ¡°problem.¡±


    Lucressia noticed the change in her father¡¯s expression and spoke with some concern, ¡°Do you think something is not right?¡±


    Duncan was serious, ¡°Why do these ¡®humanoid rough casts¡¯ carry the scent of the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡±


    ¡°Is there something wrong with that?¡± Lucressia was a bit puzzled, ¡°All these things are born from The Saint¡¯s power, it¡¯s normal for them to carry the scent of the Mysterious Deep Sea¡­¡±


    Duncan turned his head, ¡°According to the information we currently have, ¡®humans¡¯ were also created by The Saint. Why has Agatha never smelled ¡®the scent of home¡¯ in humans?¡±


    The surroundings instantly quieted down, Lucressia blinked, and finally realized what the ¡°problem¡± her father had detected was.


    Her gaze fell on the ¡°rough cast¡± on the deck, which lacked differentiated facial features and limbs, and her expression gradually became serious.


    Duncan spoke softly, as if in thought, ¡°If all mortal races are derivatives of the mysterious, and Profound Demons are also creations of The Saint, and we consider ¡®humans¡¯ and ¡®Profound Demons¡¯ as two ends of a balance, then these humanoid-shaped ¡®rough casts¡¯¡­ which are they more aligned with, ¡®humans¡¯ or ¡®Profound Demons¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I remember you said that these mud-doll-like ¡®rough casts¡¯ are likely just ¡®semiproducts¡¯ from when The Saint initially created the mortal races, or products roughly processed according to the Primordial Blueprint. Initially, the ancient god tentacles in the Frost Deep Sea were just parts of The Saint¡¯s replicas, thereby they could only create these ¡®rough casts.¡¯ But if taken a step further, these ¡®rough casts¡¯ might turn into actual ¡®humans¡¯¡­¡±


    Lucressia slowly began to speak, recalling the information about the Frost incident that her father had once shared with her.


    ¡°And now, Agatha feels that these ¡®rough casts¡¯ carry the scent of the Mysterious Deep Sea, or in other words, it feels that these rough casts¡­ resemble its kin.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± Agatha suddenly murmured but then lay down, looking a bit uncertain, ¡°Well, okay¡­ They do seem a bit similar¡­¡±


    Sherry blinked, glanced at Agatha, then the captain, and looked around, still a bit confused, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡±


    Duncan glanced at the girl and raised his hand toward the ¡°roughcast¡± on deck, ¡°We were discussing at which step ¡®humans¡¯ began to diverge from Profound Demons, or rather, at which step these human-shaped Profound Demons began to turn into ¡®humans.''¡±


    Sherry reacted after a moment and her eyes suddenly widened, ¡°Holy shit?¡±


    Duncan did not explain further and just nodded slightly before turning to head back to the helm station at the stern¨C they were already very close to the Six Nautical Miles threshold, and proceeding further required extra caution. He planned to move the Homeloss slightly forward to check the situation ahead.


    But just as he was about to step forward, a faint ¡°thud thud¡± noise suddenly came from outside the hull, interrupting his movement and everyone¡¯s train of thought.


    Shortly after, more ¡°thud thud¡± noises reached everyone¡¯s ears.


    Something was hitting the hull. At first, it was two or three, then more¨Cmany more!


    Fenna¡¯s expression changed slightly, and she rushed to the edge of the deck, leaning over to look at the sea below¨C


    Black human-shaped objects, like ¡°roughcasts¡± kneaded from mud, were colliding with the Homeloss¡¯s outer hull. At least dozens, perhaps hundreds, had undulated up and down on the calm sea surface, as if pushed by invisible waves, thud, thud, thud¡­


    But even more chilling was something farther away¨C


    In front of the Homeloss, further out at sea, more blurred outlines were slowly drifting over from the fog-laden sea. Countless human-shaped ¡°roughcasts¡± rolled and undulated like driftwood in the water, drifting in the same direction, bumping against the Homeloss¡¯s hull again and again with dull impacts, then rolling and changing their floating trajectory, continuing toward the rear, toward the Brilliant Starship¡­


    On the foredeck of the Homeloss, the priestess Paulette Ginny with dark golden curls, clad in the black robe of the Death Church, frowned deeply as she stood at the edge of the deck, watching the sea below with eerie, unsettling outlines of human-like roughcasts drifting in from afar.


    A junior priest stood beside her, his face visibly uneasy, ¡°Bishop Paulette Ginny, what are these things?¡±


    ¡°¡­ They are spawned by the power of The Saint, supposedly drifted from that so-called ¡®Holy Land,''¡± Paulette Ginny said offhandedly¨Ca voice in her mind was speaking, giving her information about these ¡°human-like roughcasts.¡± That voice came from Homeloss. It was from ¡°Miss Agatha,¡± who followed Captain Duncan in shadow form, ¡°Don¡¯t mind them; these things are ¡®dead.¡¯ As long as we don¡¯t make direct contact, they won¡¯t pose a threat to our ironclad.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bishop.¡±


    The junior priest bowed and left, but he quickly hurried back to Paulette Ginny.


    ¡°Bishop! There are also some underneath the ship!¡±


    ¡°Underneath?!¡±


    Hurrying to the lower deck, Paulette Ginny heard the thudding noises that nearly resonated throughout the entire hold.


    The impacts continued incessantly, seeming to come from all directions, the noise created by countless hard objects floating in the water hitting the steel, the sound echoing in the compartment, dull and unsettling. Paulette Ginny even felt an illusion¨C


    It was as if countless people were intentionally hammering the hull with large mallets, creating echoes.


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    She even subconsciously visualized, imagining countless faceless human-shaped ¡°roughcasts¡± floating around the Homeloss, not just on the surface but underwater as well¨Chundreds of black muddy figures clung to the ship¡¯s bottom, striking it, scraping it, trying to pierce through the thick steel, sinking this intruder into the holy place¡­


    She quickly shook her head, suppressing these potentially consequential ¡°associations¡± and turned to the technical personnel with her, ¡°Can the hull be damaged?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s just the current level of impact, it won¡¯t cause any damage to the hull,¡± the mechanic immediately responded, ¡°It¡¯s just impacts; the force won¡¯t exceed that of driftwood in the sea¡­ But honestly, these sounds are too unsettling, and ever since ¡®those things¡¯ started hitting near the engine room, dissonant noises have begun to emerge from the steam engine¡­¡±


    Paulette Ginny¡¯s expression shifted slightly, ¡°Has the machinery been cursed?¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t gotten that severe, but the machinery does seem disturbed. I hope you can send church priests down to perform a soothing mass for the steam boilers and the differential engine.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will notify the church to arrange someone to come down,¡± Paulette Ginny said immediately.


    And just as her words fell, a hoarse, indistinct voice suddenly entered her mind¨Cmixed with the constant knocking around, mingling in the reverberation of the hull, as if it seeped directly from the cold seawater outside the hull into her very soul¨C


    ¡°You will become like them¡­ just like us¡­¡±

 Chapter 712 - Chapter 712 Chapter 709 Holy Land Island

    Chapter 712: Chapter 709: Holy Land Island Chapter 712: Chapter 709: Holy Land Island On the deck of Homeloss, Fenna briskly approached Duncan, ¡°Tidewave has contacted us; they¡¯ve also had numerous ¡®humanoid objects¡¯ drifting their way and colliding with the hull. After the collision, the ¡®humanoid objects¡¯ lingered nearby, as if being drawn by invisible ocean currents¡­¡±


    ¡°Restless¡¯s commander Orlando also made contact,¡± Agatha¡¯s figure emerged from the shadows beside Duncan, ¡°Their ship is surrounded by floating humanoid figures¡­ And something is gathering underneath the water, hitting the outer shell of the ship¡¯s bottom. The impact noises can be heard throughout the entire deck¡­¡±


    She paused for a moment, as if hearing distant sounds again, and then added, ¡°Restless¡¯s commander Paulette Ginny said she heard what might be whispers from under the water near the engine room¨Ca voice in her head spoke:


    ¡®You will become like them, just like us.''¡±


    Listening to these updates from other flagship vessels of the allied fleet, Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, and he paid particular attention to the message from Restless, ¡°Is it spiritual contamination?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t be sure yet. Bishop Paulette Ginny is currently performing mental calibration in the chapel, and as of now, it seems she really might have heard some sort of ¡®echo¡¯ lingering in this region.¡±


    ¡°Are there reports of ships being damaged?¡± Duncan pondered for a moment before asking another question.


    ¡°Not at the moment,¡± Fenna shook her head and replied, ¡°All the collisions are just those ¡®humanoid objects¡¯ drifting and hitting the hulls, posing no physical threat to our armored vessels¡­ However, some ships have reported abnormal noises from their steam engines and differential machines, as if there¡¯s been a mild contamination. But overall, the level of contamination remains low, and everything returned to normal after carrying out soothing rites.¡±


    Duncan nodded solemnly, remaining silent for a time, just gazing out at the distant sea.


    Those eerie black humanoid figures, like driftwood in the sea, kept drifting over from the mist-shrouded ¡®Six Nautical Miles border¡¯, entering the range of the allied fleet like countless drowned corpses, lifeless yet seemingly driven by an invisible force. They continued to collide against every ship, knocking at their hulls.


    These unsettling noises were creating psychological pressure on each vessel.


    But for the rigorously trained elite of the church, such levels of psychological pressure should be manageable¨Cso Duncan wasn¡¯t too concerned.


    After a brief moment of contemplation, he ordered the entire fleet to advance slowly once more.


    ¡°We¡¯re already very close to the Six Nautical Miles border,¡± Lucrezia couldn¡¯t help but remind her father, standing beside him, ¡°Should we keep moving forward? In the border waters, conventional navigational methods are no longer precise, and we need to leave some margin of safety¡­ Otherwise, we might accidentally cross the boundary.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t ¡®cross the border¡¯,¡± Duncan glanced at Lucrezia, while part of his attention was on sensing the entire ship, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lucy, I have the most precise ¡®sea chart¡¯ in the world. It can mark in real-time Homeloss¡¯s position and distance traveled on the Endless Sea. If we still can¡¯t see the ¡®Holy Land¡¯ at the Six Nautical Miles mark, I will stop.¡±


    Lucrezia opened her mouth as if she had more to say, but after noticing Duncan¡¯s confident and gentle smile, she swallowed her words.


    Duncan then turned part of his ¡°gaze¡± towards the captain¡¯s cabin.


    He was able to ¡°see¡± clearly that the ¡°sea chart¡± on the table in the captain¡¯s cabin was ¡°operating¡± as usual, slowly changing along with the voyage of Homeloss.


    The fog on the map was slowly dissipating, and the path traversed by Homeloss was clearly reflected on its edge¨Cthe ship was moving slowly, and the displacement shown on the chart was almost imperceptible to the naked eye. However, for Duncan, capable of precisely controlling the state of the entire ship, even the smallest changes on the chart couldn¡¯t escape his perception.


    And around Homeloss, more humanoid objects kept drifting over from afar, their numbers seemingly increasing.


    Suddenly, Duncan noticed something at the edge of the sea chart.


    In the mist, an uncharted ¡°landmark¡± appeared on the parchment.


    The moment he perceived the change on the chart, he looked up towards the direction in which Homeloss¡¯s bow was pointing.


    In the depths of the fog, the vague silhouette of land was gradually emerging.


    Right on the Six Nautical Miles boundary line!


    ¡°It¡¯s land!¡± Nina ran excitedly to the high platform at the stern, her eyes wide as she stared at the shadow that was becoming clear through the fog and shouted with joy, ¡°Land ho!¡±


    Yes, land had appeared, and the land that appeared in this direction was undoubtedly the goal destination of the allied fleet¨Cthe nest those Heretics called the ¡°Holy Land.¡±


    Quickly, several church battleships following Homeloss also observed the contours of the land. Realizing that this piece of ¡°Holy Land¡± was right on the critical point of the Six Nautical Miles, everyone instantly tensed up.


    At the rear of each church warship, massive clouds of white steam were released from the church-on-board. Holy grease was poured into the Spiritual Fire basins while sailors silently chanted the names of their deities, running to their battle stations. Priests in robes went up on deck, started consecrating the cannons with Holy Water, ignited the incense, and blessed the ammunition with prayers.


    Meanwhile, the ominous black humanoid figures kept drifting from the direction of the ¡°Holy Land¡± towards the ships. Time and again, floating debris hit the hulls, that unsettling ¡°thud¡± sound never ceased, knocking against the bottom of each ship as if striking everyone¡¯s hearts.


    Amidst a flurry of colorful paper flying past, Lucrezia climbed to the lookout on top of the mast. She observed the ¡°island¡± appearing in the distance through the fog with extremely low visibility, then returned to the deck and back to Duncan¡¯s side.


    ¡°The island had some lights visible, but there was no sign of any activity¨Ca sense of deadness was pervading the area, and I felt something was wrong.¡±


    Listening to Lucresia¡¯s report, Duncan just nodded slightly, then waved to someone nearby.


    The plump dove immediately flew down from the nearby yardarm, nearly thudding onto Duncan¡¯s shoulder with a ¡°thump.¡±


    Duncan turned his head with a subtly complex expression to look at the dove on his shoulder, ¡°¡­ You should consider losing some weight.¡±


    Ai Yi cocked her head and immediately emphasized her stance loudly, ¡°V my 50! V my 50!¡±


    ¡°¡­ Never mind,¡± sighed Duncan, ignoring the clamor of the dove, and commanded it in his mind.


    In the next second, Ai Yi¡¯s body suddenly burst into flames, transforming into a skeletal Bone Dove and soaring into the sky.


    The Bone Dove, engulfed in flames, dashed through the mist like a meteor flying backwards, approaching the dimly visible black island from high above.


    Duncan on the deck of Homeloss narrowed his eyes slightly.


    With his vision shared with the fire, a somewhat abstract and distorted overhead view with faintly discernible details began to emerge in his mind.


    Ai Yi was rapidly approaching the coast of the island¨Cthrough the vision returned, Duncan saw the jagged and sinister edges of it, as if torn apart by some force, and a narrow, secret port that was difficult to detect unless observed from the air. Closer inland, he could vaguely make out roads and a mix of uneven buildings, along with many strange, sharp, stalagmite-like objects scattered about the island. The size seemed to be substantial, but it was unclear what they were.


    It was just as Lucresia had reported; there were no signs of activity on the island.


    A massive joint fleet, a Flame Lighthouse burning fiercely in the mist, a gigantic bird wrapped in flames swooping close past the port¨Cif none of these could elicit a reaction from the Heretics ensconced on the island, then there was only one possibility.


    ¡°It seems there¡¯s no one on the island¨Cat least, no living people are visible.¡±


    Duncan, while maintaining his shared vision with Ai Yi, turned to Lucresia beside him.


    The people on the deck looked at each other.


    ¡°No living people on the island¡­¡± Fenna¡¯s eyes widened slightly as she turned to look in the direction of the island, ¡°Have they run away? Or died? Or¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped, her gaze sweeping across the deck in a peculiar way before settling on the ¡°rough human form¡± still quietly lying on the deck, guarded by the doll Luny.


    ¡°¡­ Notify the people from Deep Sea and the Death Church that we need to approach that island, everyone follow¨Cdon¡¯t get separated in the mist.¡±


    Under Duncan¡¯s command, the entire fleet began to slowly approach the jagged and eerie black island that emanated an unnerving aura.


    The island in the distance was becoming clearer and, as the distance shortened, it revealed more and more discordant details.


    ¡°Its edges look like they were torn from some vast whole,¡± Duncan described the scene seen through Ai Yi¡¯s perspective to the others, ¡°We are approaching its western coast. There are clustered rock formations everywhere here, but among the cliffs, there¡¯s a concealed waterway leading to an internal port¨Cwhere it seems flat.¡±


    ¡°Can Homeloss, a ship this large, fit in there?¡± asked Nina out of curiosity.


    ¡°It should be able to, but I don¡¯t plan to just sail in¨Cnot the other ships either,¡± Duncan pondered aloud, ¡°We still don¡¯t know the full details of the island. My idea is to have the fleet stop in front of that ¡®strait¡¯, then send a group in boats to land on the island to get a general lay of the landing point before sending more people ashore.¡±


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    At that moment, Duncan seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up ahead.


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    He saw the large ship, which had served as a ¡°Spiritual Fire torch¡± and had been captured from the Heretics, beginning to accelerate slowly.


    Its speed was getting faster and faster, as if it had suddenly broken free of its reins, charging straight toward the ¡°Holy Land Island¡± without Duncan¡¯s order.


    It seemed to have lost its weight, as light as a breeze.


    In the blink of an eye, it had already crossed the sea shrouded in mist and approached the island¡¯s edge, where countless jagged boulders loomed.


    Then, without hesitation, it crashed into them.

 Chapter 713 - Chapter 713 Chapter 710 Somethings Off is the Norm Here

    Chapter 713: Chapter 710 ¡°Something¡¯s Off¡± is the Norm Here. Chapter 713: Chapter 710 ¡°Something¡¯s Off¡± is the Norm Here. Under the watchful eyes of all, the ship wrapped in Spectral Flames, like a blazing torch, collided head-on with the craggy cliffs¨Cyet the expected explosion and thunderous collision sound did not occur.


    The ship seemed to ¡°melt¡± at the instant of impact, its sturdy deck, hull, and keel structure all melted like mud, flowing down, and silently slapped onto the cliffside. Rather than saying it crashed into it, the moment of impact was more like a lump of mud ¡°splattered¡± on the cliff¨Cthen, the entire ship seemed as if it had been absorbed by the island, disappearing completely among the clustered, craggy stone pillars.


    As for the Spectral Flames that had been burning fiercely on the ship just a moment ago, they now formed a massive ring of fire upon impact with the island¡¯s cliffs. The eerie green sea of fire unfolded like ripples along the coastline and, after a moment¡¯s delay, splashed into the sea, igniting the mist-shrouded waters and slowly spreading out in front of the combined fleet.


    The incident was sudden, and it seemed that the fleet from the Church had yet to react to what had happened, while on the Homeloss, Nina had already opened her eyes in astonishment, ¡°Did that ship ¡®commit suicide¡¯?!¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s tone sounded somewhat incredulous, ¡°Dad, did that ship¡­ just break free from your orders?¡±


    Duncan did not answer; he just frowned tightly, confirming in his mind the vague ¡°perception¡± that the ship had sent him just before it collided with the cliff. After a long time, he finally broke the silence thoughtfully, ¡°No¡­ it wasn¡¯t out of control.¡±


    ¡°Not out of control?¡± Lucresia was somewhat puzzled, ¡°Then why did it suddenly crash into the cliff¡­¡±


    ¡°The order I gave it was ¡®go home¡¯¨Cso it did,¡± Duncan said slowly, ¡°I just previously thought that a ship¡¯s ¡®home¡¯ was the port where it usually docks and is maintained, but for that ship¡­ its ¡®home¡¯ must be the island itself.¡±


    Lucresia seemed to be pondering the meaning of Duncan¡¯s words, but those who had previously experienced the Frost incident, like Fenna and Morris, were starting to catch on. Morris suddenly furrowed his brow, ¡°You mean, that ship is¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression was serious, ¡°The ship was built with the ¡®substance¡¯ from the island, at least a large part of it.¡±


    The loss of the ¡°pathfinding ship¡± was unexpected, but it did not have much of an impact on the combined fleet¨Cthe fleet had already found the location of Holy Land Island, and the course had been recorded on the sea chart. Now, the eerie green Spectral Flame was burning quietly on the sea surface, continuing to suppress the fog around the area, and shortly after, the Brilliant Starship discovered the entrance to the ¡°fjord¡± that Ai Yi had seen from the air.


    Despite some accidents, for the Deep Sea and the priests of the Death Church, the investigation of ¡°Holy Land Island¡± still had to proceed as planned.


    Two small landing boats, released from Tidal and No Rest, soon arrived near the Homeloss, each carrying eleven Marine Corps members and one Armed Priest, waiting for Duncan¡¯s arrangement.


    On the Homeloss, Duncan was deciding who would accompany him ashore.


    ¡°Fenna, Morris, Alice, you come ashore with me,¡± Duncan looked at his followers on deck, quickly selecting appropriate personnel, then his gaze fell on Sherry, who seemed to be trying hard to diminish her presence, ¡°Sherry, you too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at exploring, and I¡¯m not as experienced as the old man¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, but we need Dog¡¯s abilities,¡± Duncan casually interrupted Sherry¡¯s muttering, ¡°It¡¯s a Profound Demon and is adept at perception and tracking, which will be very useful on this ¡®Holy Land Island.''¡±


    Sherry listened, her expression suddenly becoming a bit delicate. She carefully thought it over before realizing¨Cher main purpose was to be Dog¡¯s leash¡­


    However, Duncan didn¡¯t mind Sherry¡¯s suddenly delicate expression. Once he had decided on the personnel to go ashore, he waved his hand at the others, ¡°The rest stay on the ship. The environment here is strange, so if there is any unusual activity on the ship or nearby waters, contact us immediately.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need me to accompany you?¡± Lucresia couldn¡¯t help but step forward, ¡°I¡¯m fairly familiar with the frontier and have a lot of experience exploring strange islands¡­¡±


    ¡°I do, but not now,¡± Duncan shook his head, obviously having already made arrangements, ¡°Return to the Brilliant Starship and keep an eye on that ¡®saint¡¯. It will be very useful later. I will first scout the island. If I find a suitable ¡®location¡¯, Ai Yi will pick you up.¡±


    Lucresia thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly and then took the chosen personnel and headed to the edge of the deck.


    Just then, a clang and clatter of a large noise suddenly came from not far away.


    Duncan looked up in the direction of the noise and saw a small boat on the middle deck, covered with tarpaulin, rocking on its stand¨C


    That was the landing boat carried by the Homeloss.


    However, in everyone¡¯s memory, the main use of that small boat was to tie two ropes on the side for Alice to hang clothes or to let Sherry, who wanted to avoid homework, sneak in to sleep.


    Duncan silently watched the clattering small boat for a couple of seconds before speaking up, ¡°Ai Yi will take us to the island.¡±


    The small boat quieted down for a moment then began to rock more vigorously, knocking its bow against the wooden supports it was fastened to.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Captain,¡± Alice finally came over and tugged at Duncan¡¯s sleeve, whispering in his ear, ¡°Why don¡¯t we take it with us¡­ I think it¡¯s about to cry¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at Alice with a peculiar expression, then at the small landing boat on the deck that did seem indeed unhappy, finding the whole situation oddly amusing, but eventually, he sighed helplessly, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go ashore in the small boat as well¡­¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than the small boat on the deck instantly broke free from its ropes and iron hooks, while the crane on the side of the deck began to creak and groan into action, lifting the small boat from its wooden support and placing it into the recess on the mid-deck side.


    The entire set of motions was fluid, as if afraid the captain would change his mind.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    In any case, with the landing boat released from the Homeloss, three small boats in total detached from the combined fleet and found the secret entrance along the giant rock cliffs at the perimeter of Holy Land Island, beginning their journey into the interior of the island.


    After passing through the ¡°fjord entrance,¡± which looked like the mouth of a colossal beast, they were greeted with towering, eerie stone pillars on both sides, the calm, dark blue waters, and the mist still hanging everywhere.


    The three small boats proceeded cautiously through the fog, where amidst the haze, one could faintly see shadowy port facilities on the coast ahead, and illusion-like lights quietly radiating a glow in the mist, like indifferent and murky eyes floating in the air.


    Duncan and his party were on a small boat that needed no human pilot for navigation, while the landing boats from Tidal and No Rest were powered by small steam cores¨Cthe sound of the steam cores running broke the silence of the fjord, and the swishing sound of the boats breaking the water, reflected off the cliffs on either side, became a jumbled mix.


    Fenna suddenly furrowed her brows.


    She turned to look at the captain but saw that he was also frowning in the direction of the mist, and the two steam-powered boats from Tidal and No Rest behind the landing boat seemed to have noticed something as well, beginning to slow down.


    The echo in the fjord weakened accordingly.


    Fenna cocked her head, listening intently and whispered, ¡°Do you hear it?¡±


    Sherry seemed not to notice anything unusual, but she felt the change in atmosphere and twisted her head nervously, ¡°Hear¡­ what?¡±


    The sound of light chain friction emanated from the shadows, and Ah Dog slowly raised his head, ¡°There¡¯s the sound of a fourth boat¡­ in the fog, moving along with us.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s face changed slightly, lowering her voice, ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    Duncan said nothing but raised his hand to signal to keep moving forward.


    The sound of mechanical propellers started again, and noise once again filled the fjord¨Cthe buzzing and rumbling, and amidst these sounds, even Sherry could hear the sound of the ¡°fourth boat.¡±


    This time, the sound was even more distinct¨CSherry even made out the amalgamation of a steam engine-like roar, yet somewhat deeper, and the noise of a ship¡¯s bow breaking the waves.


    She widened her eyes, searching for the direction of the sound, but found that all noises were blending with the echoes in the fjord, making it hard to discern the location.


    She could only be sure there was indeed a fourth boat, and it was hiding in the mist nearby, sometimes¡­ it even seemed to be right beside them.


    Maurice seemed to suddenly discern something, he stared intently at the mist-wrapped surface of the water, pulling out from his chest a peculiar device that resembled a lens, and peering through it in that direction.


    A misty shadow appeared in the lens, like an abstract and illusory boat.


    However, in the next second, the phantom in the mist was suddenly tinged with a layer of ghostly green¨Cthe Spectral Flame engulfed it in the blink of an eye and then instantly vanished.


    The sound of the fourth boat disappeared.


    Alice looked confused at the flash of light in the mist that passed by, then looked up at Duncan, ¡°Captain, what was that?¡±


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    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°It could be something in the mist trying to ¡®imitate¡¯ us, or it could just be an illusion produced by this unique environment¡­ Anyway, it¡¯s not a big problem, since ¡®something off¡¯ is simply part of the daily life of the borderland.¡±


    Alice made a sound of understanding, then turned her head to look at the water ahead of the small boat.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    As the puppet¡¯s voice fell, what had been a hazy port in the mist suddenly came into clear view.


    The three small boats had reached shore.

 Chapter 714 - Chapter 714 Chapter 711 Fennas Reputation

    Chapter 714: Chapter 711 Fenna¡¯s ¡°Reputation Chapter 714: Chapter 711 Fenna¡¯s ¡°Reputation In the thick fog, three small boats silently docked at the end of a gentle ramp in the corner of the harbor.


    Duncan was the first to set foot on the eerie island called the ¡°Holy Land¡± by the Heretics.


    Silence surrounded them, the floating fog carried a hint of chill, and the harbor¡¯s uneven man-made buildings appeared blurred in the fog, merging their outlines with the distant terrain, while the dim yellow lights barely offered a sense of security through the mist.


    ¡°There¡¯s not a sound¡­¡± Sherry, feeling the chill in the mist, instinctively hugged her arms and rubbed them, muttering as she looked around, ¡°A¡¯Dog, do you smell ¡®human scent¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No scent of living beings, just a hint of the dead, mingled with the thick aura of the Profound Demons,¡± A¡¯Dog murmured, carefully sensing the environment, the crimson glow flickering in his hollow eye sockets, ¡°¡­ the feeling of ¡®home¡¯ is getting clearer, not just in the aura, even the ¡®atmosphere¡¯¡­ feels similar.¡±


    He lifted his head, looking into the fog-shrouded inland of the island with his hollow eye sockets, his tone slightly confused, ¡°There are many things here reminiscent of my ¡®home,¡¯ but it¡¯s¡­ not quite the same; I can¡¯t put my finger on this feeling.¡±


    ¡°Is this the environment of your home, A¡¯Dog?¡± Sherry¡¯s focus, however, was evidently elsewhere, ¡°Then your living environment must be really poor, no wonder you said the Profound Demons at home only bite each other or gnaw on rocks¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the atmosphere here,¡± Fenna frowned tightly, guarding her surroundings while whispering, ¡°It always reminds me of that time in Frost City-State¡­¡±


    Sherry waved her hand, ¡°Fog, silent streets, wriggling mud, and the sudden appearance of Prime Element Replications, right? We get it¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored the conversation around him, and after confirming there was not a single living soul nearby, he waved to the marines disembarking from the two other boats, signaling everyone to follow as he proceeded towards the dimly glowing yellow lights shrouded in fog.


    The eerie and uneasy atmosphere heightened everyone¡¯s alertness¨Cpreviously, everyone had imagined what dangers might lurk in this ¡°Holy Land¡± nest of the Heretics, picturing thousands of ferocious armed Heretics, countless traps and monstrous creatures fashioned by devil worshipers, even imagining a powerful fleet secretly built by the Hermetic Order, ready to strike the exploring team in the fog¡­


    However, an island with no signs of life, a ¡°Ghost Island,¡± wasn¡¯t part of any of those scenarios.


    Fenna reached behind her back and took out her alloy greatsword, gripping it tightly¨Cthere was enough preparation time for this exploration, she no longer needed to hastily use a sword of ice like in previous rushed situations.


    With the familiar ¡°battle companion¡± in hand, she felt a bit more assured.


    Footsteps approached, a young woman clad in light armor similar to Fenna¡¯s, carrying a large sword on her back, walked toward them.


    Fenna remembered that she was the leading priest sent from ¡°Tide Vessel,¡± the leader of the eleven marines.


    As she curiously and somewhat puzzledly watched, the young priestess with the large sword came up beside her, and with an excited tone, whispered as she walked, ¡°You are Fenna Wayne, right? The legendary Judge from Prand, the most powerful ever¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Legendary Judge? I didn¡¯t know I had such a title,¡± Fenna frowned slightly with a bit of embarrassment, ¡°but I am indeed Fenna Wayne. What do you need from me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ my name is Amber,¡± the priestess quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of many of your deeds¡­ like how you leapt from a cliff to slay the offspring of the Evil God that invaded the City-State, how you leapt from the cathedral roof to kill the Heretics trying to destroy the cathedral, and also how you jumped from the sea cliff lighthouse¡­¡±


    Fenna, not waiting for her to finish, felt a bit overwhelmed and quickly waved her hand, ¡°Stop, I don¡¯t have that many leap-and-slay records¨Clegends tend to exaggerate.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you are very humble,¡± Amber smiled, then pointed at the large sword on her back¨Cit was already much larger than the standard steel swords used by most deep-sea priests, but still far smaller compared to Fenna¡¯s alloy greatsword, ¡°I am also trying to learn your combat style, my mentor says it¡¯s the oldest yet most practical slaying technique in Storm Swordsmanship¡­ of course, I¡¯m still far behind you now¡­¡±


    Fenna opened her mouth and managed to squeeze out, ¡°Ah, um¡­ keep it up.¡±


    ¡°I am still trying,¡± Amber nodded vigorously, then hesitated before asking, ¡°But¡­ what kind of training techniques do you have to achieve your strength? I¡¯ve heard many of your battle stories¡­ do you have any special training techniques?¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression became more awkward, she glanced in Duncan¡¯s direction involuntarily but noticed the captain had no intention of joining their conversation, so after struggling for a few seconds, she blurted out, ¡°Eat more meat.¡±


    Amber: ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    ¡°And drink lots of warm water, go to bed early, and keep a regular schedule,¡± Fenna added, feeling her answer wasn¡¯t very convincing, and then supplemented.


    Amber¡¯s expression gradually became difficult to describe with a mere ¡°Ah?¡±¨Cit was more like a stun, ¡°Just¡­ that¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°Um, and remember to pray every day, pouring out the confusion and bewilderment in your heart to the goddess. Don¡¯t leave that kind of pressure and shaking to the next day,¡± Fenna nodded, ¡°and, lastly, the most important point¨C¡±


    Amber¡¯s expression finally changed, becoming instantly serious, ¡°The most important point?¡±


    Fenna thought for a moment, her face extra serious as she looked at the junior in front of her, speaking earnestly, ¡°When you¡¯re idle, don¡¯t recklessly make pledges¨Cif you¡¯ve already made one, don¡¯t add to its content in the heat of the moment, you¡¯ll trap yourself.¡±


    Amber¡¯s expression once again turned blank, ¡°¡­Ah?¡±


    But Fenna had already walked away quickly¨Cafter leaving a certain somewhat embarrassing ¡°junior¡± behind, she took a few steps to reach Duncan¡¯s side, walking quickly with her head down.


    However, Duncan had actually been listening to the sounds behind him all along. Seeing Fenna approaching, he finally smiled and spoke, ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re quite popular among your own people¨Ceven though you¡¯ve now been publicly relieved of your duties as a Judge and have stepped away from the public eye.¡±


    ¡°¡­It happens occasionally, more often when I¡¯m in the City-State,¡± Fenna muttered, hanging her head. In front of the captain, she could finally complain a bit about these ¡°trivial disturbances not worth mentioning to outsiders,¡± ¡°And no matter how many times it happens, I never get used to it.¡±


    Morris pulled a pipe out of his bosom, put it in his mouth but didn¡¯t light it, and mumbled in response to her words, ¡°And for some reason, it¡¯s always girls chasing her¡­¡±


    Duncan immediately gave a subtle look to the young lady Judge beside him, only to see her showing a face of despair, ¡°¡­Don¡¯t look anymore¡­ I don¡¯t know why¡­¡±


    What else could Duncan say? He now found it quite incredible that this beautiful young warrior still had a normal friend like Heidi¡­ Maybe it¡¯s because Heidi is a science student?


    In any case, it wasn¡¯t much of his concern¨Cit was quite amusing to see the usually calm and reliable Fenna show such a helpless and embarrassed side.


    Meanwhile, walking on the other side of the group, Sherry seemed to suddenly trip over something, staggering as she cursed, ¡°What the hell!¡±


    Ah Gou instantly reacted, tilting his head back to pull Sherry, who nearly fell, with his chain, ¡°What happened?!¡±


    Sherry steadied her body and turned around cursing, ¡°What the hell is this road, something tripped me just now¡­¡±


    She stopped mid-sentence, her voice cut off, her eyes widening as she looked at the spot she had almost tripped over, her unfinished words turning into a short gasp, ¡°Crap!¡±


    Several gazes instantly focused in the direction she was looking.


    Duncan also saw what had almost tripped Sherry¨Cit was an arm.


    To be precise, it was an arm ¡°embedded¡± in the road, as if fused with the surrounding surface, appearing like black mud solidified into a dark ¡°arm¡±!


    Duncan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he quickly approached the ¡°arm¡±.


    It was a bent upper arm, elbow, and forearm, its black-mud-like texture completely merged with the surrounding road surface, almost as if it had ¡°grown¡± directly out of the road.


    This couldn¡¯t help but suggest that, buried beneath this road, there might be a more complete body connected to this arm!


    Almost at the same time, not far away, the deep-sea priestess Amber also discovered something in the fog, ¡°There¡¯s something here too!¡±


    What Amber found was a torso protruding from the road surface, connected to a mutilated head and an arm that seemed to be struggling to reach forward¨Cthe shape of the arm and head were like those humanoid rough drafts seen by the combined fleet near the seas of Holy Land Island, black as sludge, lacking details in limbs and facial features.


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    But the posture was enough to let one imagine the desperate and horrific scene of this ¡°humanoid rough draft¡± struggling to crawl out of the substance engulfing it.


    Duncan¡¯s expression grew solemn as he looked at the body ¡°embedded¡± in the road, the image forming in his mind¨Ca ground as soft as mud, the owner of the body swallowed by the road beneath his feet, his body melting like mud into another mass of mud, his struggling slightly delaying the arrival of death, but after a brief and futile persistence, he was left here permanently¡­


    And the discoveries of Sherry and Amber were just the beginning.


    Within just half a minute, the marines expanding their search area soon found more bodies ¡°merged¡± into the environment around them.


    Dense and numerous, they were everywhere in the fog.

 Chapter 715 - Chapter 715 Chapter 712 Peeking at the Truth

    Chapter 715: Chapter 712 Peeking at the Truth Chapter 715: Chapter 712 Peeking at the Truth They were everywhere.


    After the landing team moved away from the coastal shallows and advanced into the interior of Holy Land Island, the hair-raising scene finally unfolded before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    It was as if figures formed of pitch-black muck were visible everywhere, as though they had been ¡°embedded¡± by the surrounding environment into various places¨Con the ground, the walls, beside the roadside boulders, and even on tree trunks. They had entirely merged with the things that had engulfed them, resembling a myriad of bizarre and horrifying sculptures frozen on this island void of living people. Each ¡°sculpture¡± exhibited a posture of struggle that told onlookers one fact¨C


    ¡°They¡± were once alive.


    Sherry felt her scalp tingle. The black human bodies that could pop up at any moment in the fog, merged with the walls or the ground, made her skin crawl. She wrapped her arms around herself and carefully followed beside Duncan, trying to avoid the struggling limbs or heads on the path while murmuring, ¡°Those heretics¡­ are they all dead? Did they die here? Are those things we saw on the sea surface when we first came over also them? Could it be that the entire Obliteration Sect has been wiped out?¡±


    ¡°Heretics from the Obliteration Sect are still active in other parts of the world. They¡¯ve infiltrated numerous City-States; they¡¯re not so easy to eradicate,¡± Fenna said, frowning as she kept watch around her, ¡°But at least, it seems there are no living heretics left on this ¡®holy land¡¯¡­ This fanatical dark cult has finally suffered a significant blow¡­ That at least is good news.¡±


    ¡°Good news, but hard to relax,¡± Maurice spoke cautiously. ¡°The key issue now isn¡¯t how many Obliteration Sect members have died here, but rather how they died and how they turned into¡­ this¡­¡±


    Maurice paused for a moment, looking up to survey the faintly discernible buildings shrouded in fog. ¡°This is their ¡®holy land,¡¯ a place they¡¯ve operated for who knows how many years. They regarded this place as a safe haven to hide from church pursuit, even building towns and ports here. This suggests that this remote island had always been a secure and stable spot¡­ at least until the island began to devour them.¡±


    ¡°Devour¡­¡± Sherry subconsciously repeated the scholar¡¯s word, suddenly tensing up and looking down at her feet, ¡°This place isn¡¯t going to ¡®eat¡¯ us too, is it?! Could the ground suddenly give way, and then we become like those things¡­¡±


    Clearly, it wasn¡¯t only Sherry harboring such worries¨Cthe tense atmosphere was brewing among the marines as well. Despite being the elite of the church, and specialists in handling various anomalies in the border regions, feeling nervous in the face of the eerie situation on Holy Land Island was inevitable.


    However, just as Duncan was about to say something, Alice, walking next to him, spoke up first, ¡°It won¡¯t happen.¡±


    Sherry didn¡¯t immediately understand that the doll-like Miss was responding to her question, ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t devour [us],¡± Alice said casually, as if it were an afterthought, ¡°Because the restoration program has ended, and this place has now stabilized again.¡±


    The team suddenly came to a stop.


    Duncan realized something and stared into Alice¡¯s eyes, ¡°Did you ¡®see¡¯ something again?¡±


    Alice stopped half a step later and, after hearing the captain¡¯s words, looked somewhat puzzled, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Sherry spoke up immediately, ¡°The restoration program has ended, you just said that.¡±


    ¡°¡­What restoration program? I didn¡¯t speak just now¡­¡± Alice scratched her hair, her bewildered expression not at all feigned (of course, such a complicated act was beyond her), ¡°¡­What are you all looking at me for?¡±


    Duncan kept his gaze on Alice a moment longer, knowing well that this doll would never lie to him, so he just slowly nodded his head and quickly exchanged glances with Maurice and Fenna beside him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no additional mental response nearby,¡± Maurice remarked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving,¡± Duncan nodded and led the team deeper into the island, while discreetly staying a little closer to Alice, staying alert to her condition.


    The landing team soon passed through the central road of the small port, and after traversing a condensed patch of white fog, they arrived at a spacious square.


    Fenna frowned looking around, ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to imagine that those heretics could create a place like this. It¡¯s a mystery how long it took them to build everything here.¡±


    The square was still littered with black humanoid rough drafts, ¡°embedded¡± into the ground and fused with surrounding things.


    Judging by the postures of the half-exposed bodies and their distribution, it seemed that when a certain event occurred, these people had a few last minutes, perhaps ten, to flee¨Cthey ran from the heart of the island towards the embayment, all the ¡°human bodies¡± facing towards the coast. Some of them seemed to have tried to use spells, or rather the power of ¡°curses,¡± to save themselves. The ground around these humanoid rough drafts was marked by signs of acid or explosive damage, suggesting that in the initial moments of being devoured, they hadn¡¯t yet died, having tried to ¡°dig¡± themselves out with crude and desperate means to no effect.


    They had all become the chilling black ¡°sculptures¡± on the square, and perhaps this process of ¡°transformation¡± was the direct cause of their deaths.


    Duncan stepped slowly through the eerie black ¡°sculptures.¡±


    Suddenly, he stopped, his gaze falling on one particular ¡°humanoid rough draft.¡±


    Fenna immediately took notice, ¡°Captain?¡±


    ¡°This, it just moved a little bit.¡± Duncan approached the humanoid rough sculpture that was only half-revealed above the ground, staring at it as he whispered.


    And right before his eyes, the pitch-black figure moved slightly again¨Cit seemed to be stiffly and slowly raising its head and reaching out with its hands.


    Very, very slowly. If one wasn¡¯t staring intently, the naked eye could hardly notice its movement.


    It was still slowly ¡°escaping¡± towards the direction of the coast!


    Sherry instantly felt her hair stand on end.


    She even suddenly felt the other humanoid rough sculptures around her start to move; it felt like they were all still alive, and all of them were struggling to move slowly in the direction of the coast. She also felt that their spherical heads devoid of features seemed to have all turned towards her, invisible gazes converging upon her!


    Her heart pounded fiercely, and the tension that had been accumulating since she set foot on the island seemed to soak into every vein, causing a sharp pain to shoot through the arm connected to Adog¨Cit was a pain she hadn¡¯t felt in many years since she first completed the symbiosis with Adog and her body was still not accustomed to it.


    In the corner of her eye, she saw chains.


    Countless chains, stretching from those ¡°humanoid rough sculptures¡± swallowed up by the ground, were slowly growing in the void, as if trying to wrap around her, or perhaps around Adog. She began to lose clarity on the ¡°difference¡± between herself and Adog. It felt as though her thoughts were blending with Adog¡¯s; she felt herself becoming¡­ an ¡°entity¡± close to Adog, while Adog¡­ its humanity and intelligence were slowly transforming into something else¡­


    ¡°¡­We dug too deep¡­¡±


    A voice like a multitude of voices layered upon one another bored into Sherry¡¯s brain, rumbling as if to bore a hole in her memory.


    Numerous phantom chains spread from all around the Holy Land Island, quietly linking her and Adog.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ve found the source¡­¡±


    Sherry slowly raised her head, her gaze instinctively and blankly drawn toward a certain direction inland of the Holy Land Island, as if strongly attracted by something there.


    ¡°¡­We are the same as them¡­ The source has revealed a truth to us¡­¡±


    Countless storm-like fragments pierced into Sherry¡¯s consciousness, and strange, fleeting ¡°impressions¡± skimmed through her memory¨Cthe extinguished sun, turbid sky light, the howling and booming through the fog, ecstatic Believers, guidance, revelations, excavation, Sacred Cave, secret chambers, blinding lights, alarms, writhing shadows, and suddenly¡­ the awakening of the living Holy Land Island.


    The island was alive.


    They had dug up something they shouldn¡¯t have¨Cwhen the sun had gone out.


    Those overlapping voices continued to thunder in her mind, a ¡°truth¡± that caused all followers of the Obliteration Sect on the entire Holy Land Island to be contaminated, transformed into humanoid rough sculptures, was being gradually poured into Sherry¡¯s consciousness¨C


    ¡°¡­Humans, are a form of Profound Demons highly differentiated; Profound Demons, being unable to infuse humanity and intelligence, were the original molds contained within the Mysterious Deep Sea¡­¡±


    Sherry slowly widened her eyes.


    Through the vision she shared with Adog, she saw the world clearly for the first time.


    But only for a moment.


    As humanity and reason teetered on the brink of collapse, she felt a warm flame ignite within her soul¨Cthe dark, writhing entities and overwhelming influx of incomprehensible information before her suddenly shrank and collapsed into an island in the mist. Then, she felt a rough, large hand gently rest on her hair.


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    She and Adog both startled awake and instinctively retreated, trying to distance themselves from the countless humanoid rough sculptures around them.


    She accidentally tripped over a chain at her feet and fell backward awkwardly.


    But the captain caught her slender arm.


    ¡°Looks like you saw something,¡± Duncan said softly, feeling the feedback from the Flame Mark and confirming that Sherry¡¯s sanity was gradually stabilizing, ¡°What did you see?¡±


    ¡°This island is alive!¡± Sherry finally came to her senses and suddenly widened her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re standing on a piece of the Mysterious Saint¡¯s flesh!¡±

 Chapter 716 - Chapter 716 Chapter 713 Sherry Still Shaken

    Chapter 716: Chapter 713: Sherry Still Shaken Chapter 716: Chapter 713: Sherry Still Shaken ¡°The island¡­ This island as a whole is part of the ancient gods, and everything on the island¡­ stone, soil, those things that look like trees, are all the same¡­


    ¡°The heretics living on this island used its resources to build houses, manufacture ships, eat what grows in the dirt here, and day after day held ceremonies, summoning demons¡­ binding themselves to the island¡­


    ¡°There are indeed no living people left on the island; everyone has been ¡®eaten¡¯ by ¡®it,¡¯ by the island¡­ Those damn fools¡­ the foolish cultists stirred something in the depths of the island, reviving it¡­¡±


    Sherry, sitting on the ground at the edge of the square and holding her knees, relayed in discontinuous snippets what she had just witnessed. Her lingering fear and anxiety were deeply imprinted in her mind. The brief glimpse of ¡°truth¡± had put immense pressure on her sanity, and although the captain had ¡°pulled¡± her out in the nick of time, her mind still seemed to buzz with many fuzzy ¡°memories¡± buzzing around.


    Dog sat next to Sherry, gently brushing his ghastly skeletal body against her thigh, trying to calm her unnerved spirit¨Cthis was somewhat effective, and Sherry was slowly recovering.


    Duncan sat next to Sherry, protecting her mind so it wasn¡¯t influenced by the corrupt knowledge, while curiously asking, ¡°Something in the depths of the island was stirred? What exactly did they do?¡±


    Sherry hesitated, searching through her jumbled memories¨Cthere had been too much information flooding into her mind all at once, remnants of ¡°memories¡± from this ¡°living island,¡± so much so that she had no time to distinguish, think about, or even understand them¨Cnow, these chaotic memories were slowly churning out from the depths of her consciousness, and some useful fragments gradually became clear.


    ¡°They¡­ they dug too deep.¡±


    ¡°Dug too deep?¡± Morris immediately frowned, ¡°What were they digging for?¡±


    ¡°At the center of the island, there¡¯s a passage to the underground¡­¡± Sherry furrowed her brows tightly, finally finding some useful memory fragments, ¡°It was when the sun was extinguished¡­!¡±


    ¡°When the sun was extinguished?¡± Morris¡¯s gaze shifted subtly as he repeated the words while unconsciously exchanging looks with Fenna and the captain.


    Sherry suddenly perked up, aligning the voices she ¡°heard¡± and the chaotic visuals she saw, and quickly spoke out, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the time! After the sun extinguished, there was still Sky Light on Holy Land Island, and all the heretics remained ¡®awake¡¯¡­ then they seemed to have received some revelation and started digging at the center of the island¡­ There was already a cave there, filled with black rocks deep within, they just started to dig madly downward, then they found a chamber, but the chamber was sealed¡­¡±


    Sherry paused, her tone somewhat uncertain, ¡°They wanted to enter the chamber, but it seems they didn¡¯t have the chance to break in, they hadn¡¯t even touched the door when things went wrong¡­¡±


    Amber came over, the young deep-sea Priestess highly interested in what Sherry had described, ¡°So, the heretics on the island were killed because they triggered the island¡¯s ¡®defense mechanism¡¯?¡±


    Sherry blinked, about to nod, but then suddenly felt like she had forgotten something crucial and hesitated, shaking her head.


    ¡°¡­ No, they weren¡¯t killed by a ¡®defense mechanism¡¯¡­¡± she slowly recalled, piecing together the ¡°information¡± swirling in her mind, and after several minutes of organizing and thinking, she finally grasped the ¡°truth,¡± ¡°They were killed by a¡­ ¡®knowledge¡¯¡­¡±


    She had just finished speaking when Morris immediately reacted, ¡°Don¡¯t say!¡±


    Almost at the same moment, Amber already swiftly pulled out the Storm Goddess¡¯s amulet from her bosom and pierced her own palm with its tip, while the taciturn Death Priest leading the way also took out the blessed bone ash casket, and over twenty marines also hurriedly used amulets, Sacred Relics to urgently protect themselves.


    Morris quickly applied several layers of mental protection on himself, then wrapped Rahm¡¯s amulet and the colorful stone bracelet around his wrist, and he slightly relaxed, nodding at Sherry, ¡°You can continue now.¡±


    Sherry, startled by the scene, asked involuntarily, ¡°Is it really necessary?¡±


    Fenna looked seriously at Sherry and nodded, ¡°It is, because this is a ¡®knowledge¡¯ that instantaneously killed all the heretics on the island. Although according to your description, this relates to the rituals they habitually performed, this ¡®knowledge¡¯ might still be dangerous.¡±


    Morris also added, ¡°Usually, if researchers accidentally gather secret knowledge and survive, the safest and most professional response is to transcribe the content on Parchment using ¡®secret language¡¯ blessed by the four gods, as a way to alleviate and filter out the pollution carried by the information¨Cdo you understand ¡®secret language¡¯?¡±


    Sherry thought for a moment, then honestly shook her head, ¡°¡­ Well, no.¡±


    Morris spread his hands, ¡°No worries, you can talk now.¡±


    Sherry scratched her cheek, and this digression somewhat relaxed her tense nerves. Thus, after slightly organizing her thoughts, she recounted the words she had just ¡°heard¡±¨C


    ¡°Humans, are a type of Profound Demons that emerged after high differentiation. The Profound Demons, unable to be infused with humanity and wisdom, are contained within the Mysterious Deep Sea as primitive molds.¡±


    The square fell silent for a few seconds.


    Alice was the first to break the silence, blinking and looking at Sherry, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Sherry nodded, ¡°Just that sentence¡­ But those heretics, after learning this ¡®truth,¡¯ almost instantly turned into this¡­ disgusting and frightening state.¡±


    Sherry spoke half-understandingly, and Alice listened half-understandingly, but beside them, Duncan¡¯s face slowly revealed a contemplative and enlightened expression.


    He slowly stood up, muttering as he thought, ¡°This isn¡¯t just a sentence¡­ This sentence explains a lot.¡±


    Amber lowered her head, tracing the Sacred Relic of Gomona on her chest with her hand, ¡°May the Goddess have mercy¡­¡±


    Morris¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Humans are a type of Profound Demons, this sentence seems a bit too extreme even for the theories of the Obliteration Sect.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already encountered this kind of ¡®extreme¡¯ information before, starting from when we first got the ¡®Book of Desecration,''¡± Fenna said with a strange expression, shaking her head and then looking around at the marines dispatched from the Tide and the Restless.


    Surprise, contemplation, confusion¨Cbut no one seemed shaken.


    This was a unit specializing in border affairs¨Cresilient will and stable mental states are indispensable qualities, considering the actual situation in the border seas, ¡°Maintaining mentality in the face of unfathomable information and knowledge¡± might have already been ingrained in these people.


    ¡°No wonder those ¡®human-shaped objects¡¯ floating on the sea exude the aura of Profound Demons¡­¡± Amber suddenly said thoughtfully, ¡°I did hear the rumor that ¡®the Saint of Profound created all things during the third long night,¡¯ but I never thought of understanding the connection between ¡®humans¡¯ and ¡®Profound Demons¡¯ from this perspective¡­ But if it¡¯s true, it might explain the ¡®summoning¡¯ abilities of those Obliteration Sect members and their symbiosis with the Profound Demons¡­¡±


    As she spoke, her gaze involuntarily went to the dog lying beside Sherry¡¯s legs.


    The dog immediately noticed Amber¡¯s gaze and lifted its head, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. My situation with Sherry is different from those heretics¨Cand I¡¯m not like my brainless relatives either, I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m at least at the level of high school completion, maybe even half a step toward City-State University¡­¡±


    Sherry was taken aback by the dog¡¯s last two sentences, ¡°What are you talking about, dog?¡±


    The dog muttered quietly, ¡°I don¡¯t know, the captain taught me¡­¡±


    Amber opened her mouth, her expression subtle, ¡°Even though I had heard about it, I couldn¡¯t believe that there are Profound Demons with ¡®hearts¡¯ in this world until I saw it with my own eyes¡­ Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean anything by that.¡±


    The dog mumbled unhappily, ¡°You¡¯d better not, I¡¯m with the captain¡­¡±


    Duncan ignored the dog¡¯s muttering. After confirming that Sherry was stable, he broke the silence, ¡°We can discuss the connection between humans and demons later. For now, we need to think about the next steps.¡±


    As he spoke, he turned his head toward a certain direction inland of the island that Sherry had casually pointed at.


    ¡°Sherry, do you remember the exact location where they were ¡®digging¡¯?¡±


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    ¡°Yes,¡± Sherry immediately nodded vigorously, ¡°I remember that part clearly, I even recognize the path.¡±


    ¡°Then our next target is the ¡®secret chamber¡¯ that those heretics dug up,¡± Duncan declared, but his gaze quickly fell on Amber and the other marines, ¡°But there¡¯s a problem now¨Cdo you still want to continue deeper? The area ahead might not be as mild as this port area.¡±


    ¡°Captain Sir, we are not canaries that need protection,¡± Amber¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°We¡¯ve always been dealing with ¡®strange things¡¯ at the border, including many dangerous and eerie entities like this island¨Cwe have our own experience and methods.¡±


    Watching her serious expression, Duncan was silent for a few seconds and finally slowly nodded.


    ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll continue deeper.¡±

 Chapter 717 - Chapter 717 Chapter 714 Sherrys Abnormality

    Chapter 717: Chapter 714: Sherry¡¯s Abnormality Chapter 717: Chapter 714: Sherry¡¯s Abnormality As the team delved deeper inland of the ¡°Holy Land Island,¡± the surrounding environment became increasingly quiet¨Cgone were the sounds of the wind, and there were no traces of birds or the rustle of streams. An unusual stillness was congealing in the mist, enveloping the team from above.


    However, this extreme quietness brought even greater uneasiness. When the sounds that nature should make had completely faded away, the thought that ¡°this island is alive¡± began to uncontrollably take over. Sherry always felt as if there were eyes on her through the fog, as if the island itself was observing and scrutinizing the uninvited guests that had intruded upon it, and the mist that slowly drifted around the team¡­ it seemed to be gradually taking on the flavor of a ¡°watcher.¡±


    And the team continued to venture deeper, heading towards the ¡°dig site¡± that had emerged in Sherry¡¯s mind.


    After leaving the port area, there was a narrow pathway leading to the center of the island, which seemed to be a route the heretics of the island had carved out long ago¨Cit was situated between two pitch-black rock walls, with no signs or markers on the path. Down the sides of the path where it met the rock walls, one could occasionally spot clusters of mysterious black rocks, like crystals.


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to those black ¡°rock clusters.¡± These ¡°clusters¡± were not uncommon on the island, and on the cliffs on the western side of the island, there were even larger clusters of rocks ¡°growing¡± everywhere. They were akin to some strange form of ¡°plant¡± emerging from the earth and the cliffs, piquing one¡¯s curiosity about their formation process.


    Even with Maurice¡¯s vast knowledge, it seemed impossible to explain these ¡°rock clusters¡± from a purely geological perspective¡­ but considering the entire island was ¡°alive,¡± as Sherry had described, it wasn¡¯t so surprising that such peculiar things were present.


    Perhaps these oddly shaped stones truly did ¡°grow¡± from the island, like some sort of secretion from ancient deities.


    A few marines, under Amber¡¯s command, were carefully collecting samples of the ¡°rock clusters,¡± scraping off plenty of dark, powdery substance from the nearby rock walls. They stored these ¡°Holy Land Island samples¡± cautiously in blessed metal canisters, which were kept by designated individuals in the team.


    Along the way, they had been performing similar tasks in such a well-coordinated manner that it hardly slowed the team¡¯s progress, clearly indicating that this wasn¡¯t their first time doing so.


    ¡°All ¡®border samples¡¯ could be potentially useful; some possess incredible practical properties, others could help us uncover the secrets of the world and enhance our understanding of transcendent powers,¡± Amber explained to Duncan, ¡°Many people think the ¡®border¡¯ is a place where there¡¯s nothing, just dense fog and seawater, but in reality¡­ physical entities often appear in the mist, and we have to deal with nearly a dozen ¡®entity events¡¯ every year¡­¡±


    She paused briefly before adding, ¡°Miss Lucrecia should be very familiar with this¨Cshe often collaborates with the church in her explorations at the border¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard her mention it,¡± Duncan acknowledged with a nod, ¡°She said that¡¯s a major source of funding for the Brilliant Starship¡¯s activities in the border¨CThe Academy of Truth is the most generous when it comes to buying border samples, while the Fire Transmitters are always the slowest to pay. The Deep Sea Church has good trading credit in this regard, though their ¡®receiving¡¯ standards are very strict, and going through their verification and registration process can sometimes be even slower than the Fire Transmitters.¡±


    Amber¡¯s face showed a touch of embarrassment: ¡°¡­Not every church is as rich as the Academy of Truth; they can afford to buy a dozen City-States just with the technology transfer of the Steam Core Reactor, while we still have to consider our annual budget.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­Indeed, that¡¯s a very realistic reason.¡±


    ¡°Have you guys noticed if¡­ it¡¯s getting colder around here?¡± Sherry suddenly broke the silence, hugging her arms and muttering, ¡°I feel like a breeze came through, my arms are freezing¡­¡±


    ¡°Cold?¡± Fenna frowned upon hearing this, ¡°I don¡¯t feel it¡­ but the fog around us does seem to have thickened a bit, making it harder to see the path ahead¡­ Hmm?¡±


    Fenna suddenly stopped, her gaze fixed on Sherry¡¯s arm: ¡°Sherry, your chain on the arm¡­¡±


    Sherry paused, lifting her arm in confusion and asking, ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong with the chain?¡±


    The clanking sound of iron chains echoed through the mist, the dark bramble chain linking her arm to A-Gou¡¯s neck, just as always.


    Fenna¡¯s brow furrowed as she scrutinized the black chain on Sherry¡¯s arm, hesitating slightly before shaking her head: ¡°¡­It¡¯s back to normal¡­ but just now, for a moment, I thought I saw that the chain on your arm was broken.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Sherry¡¯s eyes widened in an instant, her voice tinged with panic, ¡°Hey¡­ don¡¯t scare me! Did you really see that?!¡±


    While speaking, she quickly lifted her arm and pulled the chain, bringing A-Gou directly in front of her and hugging his head: ¡°A-Gou, did you feel it?¡±


    ¡°Not really¡­¡± A-Gou was also a bit panicked by Fenna¡¯s words, ¡°Maybe she saw wrong¡­¡±


    But Fenna still looked troubled, knowing that the sight she had glimpsed was somewhat bewildering; nevertheless, her professionalism as a Judge quickly heightened her vigilance: ¡°Sherry, A-Gou, are you sure you haven¡¯t felt anything unusual?¡±


    Sherry and A-Gou in unison: ¡°We didn¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    ¡°Let me check.¡± Duncan stepped forward briskly, grabbed the black iron chain between Sherry and A-Gou, and examined it closely in front of his eyes.


    Sherry watched nervously from the side, and after a long while, she mustered up the courage to ask, ¡°Is¡­ is there a problem?¡±


    A wisp of faint green flame flowed over Duncan¡¯s fingertips, seeping into the gaps between the iron chains like water. It took him a long while before he gently shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t make anything out.¡±


    ¡°What happens if the chain breaks?¡± Even Alice had come to realize the gravity of the situation, nervously asking a question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Usually, if the chains that bind those obliteration heretics and demonic pacts break, they just die right away, both the human and the demon; neither can survive. But my situation with Ah Dog is different¡­¡± Sherry said in a panic, clearly a bit afraid, ¡°And normally these chains wouldn¡¯t break¨Cthey¡¯re really sturdy¡­ How could they possibly break¡­¡±


    Duncan suddenly reached out and patted Sherry on the shoulder.


    Sherry jerked her head up, looking uneasily at the captain.


    ¡°Back to the ship,¡± Duncan told her.


    Noticing her momentary bewilderment, Duncan continued speaking, ¡°Something seems off. Out of caution, I think you should go back to the Homeloss. You can¡¯t keep heading deeper into this island.¡±


    Finally coming to her senses, Sherry hesitantly nodded. However, just at that moment, Ah Dog suddenly stood up beside her, unusually not following the captain¡¯s arrangement, ¡°No, Captain, I think¡­ I think it¡¯s best if Sherry and I stay on the island with you.¡±


    At these words, Duncan furrowed his brow, ¡°Why?¡±


    Ah Dog hesitated a moment before speaking as if having made some resolve, ¡°First of all, going back to the Homeloss might not be safer than staying by your side at this time.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything, simply signaling with his eyes for Ah Dog to continue.


    ¡°Furthermore, I¡¯m worried that even leaving Holy Land Island now won¡¯t help,¡± Ah Dog organized his thoughts and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think Miss Fenna just ¡®saw wrong¡¯ earlier, and moreover, in an environment like this, even if something was truly seen incorrectly, we have to take it seriously. The situation might really be off. Earlier in the plaza, Sherry was clearly influenced by this Holy Land Island, seeing many things she shouldn¡¯t have¡­


    ¡°From my experience, simply choosing to leave the scene after incidents like this doesn¡¯t solve the problem and might instead lead to uncontrollable outbursts of larger trouble after some time¨Cthe contamination follows like a shadow, growing as one flees. And often, the only way to fully resolve the issue lies at its origin.¡±


    Sherry understood what Ah Dog meant and suddenly looked a bit anxiously at the mist at the end of the road, ¡°You mean¡­ we keep going further in?¡±


    ¡°We must move forward; without understanding what¡¯s happening on this island, without figuring out what¡¯s wrong with the chains between you and me, I¡¯ll always feel uneasy,¡± Ah Dog stated gravely, ¡°and moreover¡­ as I just said, returning to the Homeloss at this time might also be unsafe.¡±


    Sherry opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say more, but then she suddenly heard Ah Dog¡¯s voice directly through the Symbiotic Chains entering her own mind¨C


    ¡°Sherry, stay by the captain¡¯s side¨Ctrust my judgment, it¡¯s safer by his side, even if it means going with him to Subspace.¡±


    Sherry turned her head, to see Ah Dog quietly watching her, a pair of hollow skeletal sockets flickering with blood-red light.


    Ah Dog seemed to have a premonition of something.


    As a Profound Demon, it occasionally had undefinable, unclear premonitions.


    Ah Dog often couldn¡¯t explain the specific nature of these premonitions to others, but Sherry always believed in its judgments unconditionally.


    So she slowly nodded, ¡°Alright, we will continue deeper.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Duncan looked at Sherry seriously, ¡°Deeper in, there might be even more unforeseen circumstances.¡±


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    Indeed, the danger of the environment is relative, but the safety by the captain¡¯s side is absolute.


    A phrase like this suddenly flashed through Sherry¡¯s mind¨Cnot a communication from Ah Dog, but more like a judgment that had suddenly emerged in her own thoughts.


    She looked startled for a moment, then nodded again, ¡°Sure, I feel I¡¯m still in good shape.¡±


    ¡°¡­good,¡± Duncan confirmed that Sherry was resolute and withdrew his gaze, but then he reached out to pat the head of the girl who seemed too slight and small due to malnutrition in her childhood and reminded her seriously, ¡°Stay close to me, stick close.¡±


    ¡°Will do!¡±

 Chapter 718 - Chapter 718 Chapter 715 Entrance

    Chapter 718: Chapter 715: Entrance Chapter 718: Chapter 715: Entrance After passing through a long slope and a small town that no longer held any living souls, only many rough human shapes embedded in the ground and on the mountain walls, the exploration team entered a valley filled with strange black stones.


    The entrance to the valley was hidden, concealed amidst a large expanse of brambles and the remnants of ¡°plants¡±, but Sherry¡¯s ¡°memory¡± clearly guided them to the exact location of the entrance.


    The black rocks in the valley were ghastly and rugged, presenting an unsettling and bizarrely complex appearance. They did not seem to be the result of natural weathering, but it was also clear that they were not products of human carving.


    They were more like a multitude of malformed creatures struggling to be ¡°born¡± from the earth and cliffs, turning into stone only at the last step of growth; on some of these black stones, one could even discern nearly fully formed claws, tentacles, and even structures resembling eyes and mouths¨Cawareness of these details caused even an experienced Judge like Fenna to frown involuntarily, a creepy and spine-chilling sensation as if permeating her very marrow, making her exceptionally alert.


    And the swirling mist penetrated everywhere, also enveloping this eerily quiet valley.


    ¡°These stones feel as if they¡¯re alive¡­¡± a Marine wearing a black cloak and adorned with the Triangular Holy Emblem of the Death God muttered softly, ¡°Some kind of creatures, sealed within these black shells¡­ I always feel like they¡¯re about to move.¡±


    ¡°Control your imagination, and do not casually sketch such impressions in your mind,¡± the Reaper Priest from the Homeloss, who had been nearly silent since setting foot on the island, immediately interrupted the soldier¡¯s mutterings.


    Duncan glanced at the reticent Reaper Priest¨Ca tall bald man clad in a black cloak with complex and dense black symbols tattooed all over his exposed skin, the multitude of symbols even covering his eyelids, giving the Priest a weird, gloomy, and terrifying demeanor.


    Perhaps due to the awkward relationship between the Death Church and the Homeloss, the leading Priest did not interact much with Duncan on the way, but upon noticing the latter¡¯s gaze, the oddly-appearing bald man still turned his head and nodded politely, ¡°Do you have something you wish to ask?¡±


    ¡°I remember you are called Norm,¡± Duncan said with a nod, ¡°After the Frost incident concluded, a large quantity of ¡®Prime Element¡¯ samples collected from the Frost pipeline system were sent to the Death Church headquarters, are you aware of this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had close contact with those samples,¡± Norm answered offhandedly, ¡°they made a lasting impression.¡±


    ¡°What is your opinion on these ¡®traces¡¯ on the island?¡±


    ¡°¡­They have a common origin, but they feel different to me,¡± Norm pondered for a moment, and although looking slightly uneasy as he spoke, he still earnestly began, ¡°The ¡®samples¡¯ sent from Frost were a disgusting and cold substance, they were completely in a ¡®static¡¯ state, no longer undergoing any changes, but here¡­¡±


    He paused for a moment, casually picking up a small stone from the ground.


    ¡°The others might not notice anything on the surface, but I can feel¡­ its interior is still ¡®functioning¡¯, still undergoing slow ¡®changes¡¯. This feeling is difficult to describe, it¡¯s a ¡®sensation¡¯ only we Believers of the Death God can have. If I must describe it¡­ it¡¯s just like what Miss Sherry said, this entire island is ¡®alive¡¯, even though it has now become quiet again, every part of it is still ¡®alive¡¯, just living in a state almost akin to death.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, but did not speak for the moment.


    According to the intelligence they had, the entire island was a manifestation of the Saint¡¯s power, and based on the information Sherry saw from those ¡°illusions¡±, it could even be considered a piece of ¡°flesh¡± that parted from the Saint¡¯s body¨Cif it truly was the flesh of an ancient god, then its continued vitality after detaching from the main body for tens of thousands of years seemed not unimaginable.


    The only thing that felt inconceivable was¡­ that it would evolve into this form in this reality¨Ctrees, stones, soil, creeks flowing through mountain gorges, and a variety of resources and minerals that could be collected on the island.


    The Heretics had even used the resources of the island to construct towns and docks.


    This led Duncan to ponder¨Cwhat kind of ¡°entity¡± was the so-called ¡°Saint¡±? Before becoming an ¡°ancient god¡± of the deep sea era, what exactly was the nature of this entity denoted as LH-01, ¡°Pilot Unit One¡±?


    And what about ¡°God of Wisdom Rahm¡±, who also bore an LH code and should be referred to as ¡°Pilot Unit Two¡±? He seemed entirely different from the Saint in terms of power and ¡°form¡±¡­ what was the essence of this difference? Why was there such a distinction between LH-01 and LH-02?


    For some reason, Duncan always felt as though he had overlooked something¨Cbeyond the codes LH-01 and LH-02, there seemed to be a question he had never paid attention to¡­


    But his train of thought did not continue.


    Sherry, who had been leading the way, suddenly slowed down.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve ¡®seen¡¯ this place before,¡± she blinked, standing on an open space filled with rubble, surveying the misty valley around her while recalling the scenes she had witnessed in those manifold illusions, ¡°Those Heretics gathered on this open ground when the sun disappeared, raving madly, thinking they had received ¡®enlightenment¡¯¡­ The damn fools¡¯ excavation site should be nearby¡­ This place was originally sealed off, I don¡¯t know why they were always afraid to approach, but when the sun vanished their minds weren¡¯t right, and fear was forgotten¡­¡±


    Amber, standing near Sherry, slightly furrowed her brow.


    The female Priestess turned her head slightly, looking at Fenna, ¡°¡­Did I just hear Miss Sherry naturally utter extremely rude words?¡±


    ¡°Are you just noticing?¡± Fenna seemed surprised, ¡°She¡¯s always been like that.¡±


    Amber: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Sherry paid no mind to the conversations around her; her attention was seemingly captivated by the memory fragments constantly surfacing in her mind and the familiar sensation emanating from the valley before her. She took two steps forward, her eyes, shimmering with a blood-colored gleam, slowly swept through the surrounding mist, swiftly sensing a familiar presence ahead.


    The profound aura.


    ¡°Over here,¡± she blinked, and her eyes returned to normal, immediately raising her hand to point out a narrow entrance between the cliffs ahead, ¡°This is where they¡¯ve been digging down!¡±


    It was a fissure that could barely accommodate two people side by side, appearing to be a natural part of the canyon¡¯s fissure but with signs of artificial excavation and expansion deep within. Tools scattered around the entrance indicated human activity, but their users had long been consumed cleanly by the surrounding rocks and soil¨Cthese traces of excavation were their last testament to existence in this world.


    ¡°¡­ Below is narrow and the situation is unclear; it¡¯s better not to all go in,¡± Amber peered into the entrance for a glance before quickly backing out and turning to the others, ¡°I suggest most of us set up camp around the cave entrance and send a handful of elites to explore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way down,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°Alice, Sherry, A-Dog¡­ and Morris, the few of you follow me. Fenna, you and Amber, along with Norm, set up camp here and keep an eye on the island.¡±


    His arrangements were reasoned¨Cfirstly, one of his aims in coming to Holy Land Island was to confirm what connection Alice had with The Saint, so naturally, he needed the puppet with him. Sherry and A-Dog were to serve as guides once below, while Morris, with his profound knowledge and being a mystic adventurer, excelled in such exploratory endeavors.


    However, Fenna had a different idea: ¡°Don¡¯t you need me to come along? We might encounter enemies below; you could use some combat power¡­¡±


    ¡°We could also encounter enemies outside,¡± Duncan replied, then looked once more into the narrow, low space in the fissure, turning to look at Fenna with a serious expression, ¡°And it¡¯s too cramped down there to jump around.¡±


    Fenna was taken aback for a moment, taking a couple of seconds to catch on, then feeling somewhat embarrassed, ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not the only move I have¡­¡±


    She only muttered that, but quickly nodded, ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll set up camp here and do a quick search of other areas in the valley.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°Good, keep in touch and call out my name immediately if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    Then, Duncan led Morris, Alice, Sherry, and A-Dog toward the dark entrance, a descent seemingly leading deep into the earth.


    Fenna watched their figures vanish into the darkness, observing a gentle green flame flickering in the depths of the passage before letting out a slight breath and turning to see Amber standing nearby, staring intently at this direction with an inscrutable expression.


    Fenna felt instantly uncomfortable, ¡°¡­ What are you looking at me for?¡±


    Amber considered for a moment but couldn¡¯t resist, ¡°¡­ Under normal circumstances, shouldn¡¯t one call out the name of the goddess immediately in a situation?¡±


    Fenna froze, ¡°¡­¡±


    Judge fell into deep thought.


    Yet, she quickly regained her composure and looked earnestly at the younger one before her, ¡°We can call both.¡±


    It was Amber¡¯s turn to pause, ¡°¡­ Can we?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­ The goddess permits it?¡±


    Fenna with devout sincerity, ¡°I have asked, and She did not object.¡±


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    Amber continued to look perplexed, ¡°¡­?¡±


    Norm stood by their side, expressionless throughout the conversation (mainly because his face was painted in a way no expression could be seen), and after a long while, he traced the Triangular Holy Emblem that represented the God of Death before his chest, emitting a long sigh unnoticed by the others.


    Meanwhile, in the steep, narrow passageway below, Sherry advanced cautiously alongside A-Dog.


    The green flame spread slowly along the rock walls on either side, illuminating the path ahead. Sherry held one end of the chain that connected her to A-Dog in one hand while the other hand braced against the cold, smooth stone beside her, her face tense with a sense of urgency.


    A blood-colored gleam flickered faintly in the depths of her eyes.

 Chapter 719 - Chapter 719 Chapter 716 Intertwining of Reality and Illusion

    Chapter 719: Chapter 716: Intertwining of Reality and Illusion Chapter 719: Chapter 716: Intertwining of Reality and Illusion Descending from the entrance, at first was a narrow and low incline, the rough signs of man-made excavation were clearly discernible on the surrounding rock walls, but after moving forward a dozen or so meters, the pathway ahead began to open up and the slope became somewhat more gentle.


    A pale green light spread among the rocks, casting its glow to illuminate the path ahead; Duncan furrowed his brows as he looked at the corridor that extended into the darkness.


    ¡°Did those Heretics dig all this out in just a few days after the sun went out?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but look toward Sherry, ¡°In such a short time, they dug out such a deep passage?¡±


    ¡°No, they just opened this passage at the entrance and also opened up the rocks at the bottom,¡± Sherry shook her head, ¡°This section of the road under our feet seems to have already been there¡­¡±


    ¡°A passage that already existed deep beneath this ¡®Holy Land Island¡¯?¡± Maurice¡¯s eyebrows slightly creased upon hearing this. He stepped up to the rock wall in front, observing the surrounding stones and ground beneath his feet, then spoke thoughtfully, ¡°Which means that before those Heretics found this place, someone else was excavating here¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped in puzzlement, furrowing his brows, and after a moment slowly raised his head to look toward the path illuminated by the eerie green fire.


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t look man-made¡­ this ¡®existing passage¡¯ was made by something else¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Duncan stepped forward: ¡°What did you find?¡±


    ¡°Look at these traces on the rock layers,¡± Maurice raised his hand pointing to the walls around, ¡°These smooth undulations and the regularly distributed circular patterns¡­ They don¡¯t seem man-made.¡±


    Duncan immediately noticed the unusual marks on the surrounding rock walls that Maurice mentioned.


    He saw the corridor walls ahead were smooth, the hard black and gray stones looked as though they were chiseled into continuous shapes by something sharp, and there were ring-like protruding structures visible every three meters or so, circling throughout the entire corridor; the ground underfoot was even and smooth, the big and small stones as if carefully carved, fitting tightly together along the entire slope¨Cclearly, these weren¡¯t traces that could be made by the tools of those Heretics or their demonic spells, nor were they ¡°excavated results¡± from anyone prior.


    Even the current City-State didn¡¯t have such subterranean excavation and construction technology.


    Maurice ran his fingers slowly over the smooth, flat rock walls on both sides, muttering to himself, ¡°It¡¯s as if we¡¯re walking inside a giant pipe¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­In the great hollows beneath Frost, some areas also exhibited this state¡­ and the scholars in the City-State couldn¡¯t explain how these smooth, even breaks were formed in the end; they could only assume they were ¡®Eroded Hollows¡¯ left behind as the flesh of The Saint receded,¡± Duncan said in a low voice, ¡°But this Holy Land Island¡­ if it¡¯s entirely part of The Saint, why would it have these kinds of ¡®Eroded Hollows¡¯ inside?¡±


    Sherry, listening to the exchange between Maurice and the captain, suddenly had a dark epiphany, ¡°¡­Maybe this is The Saint¡¯s colon?¡±


    The moment she spoke these words, all fell eerily silent, and the faces of Duncan and Maurice turned even darker than Sherry¡¯s epiphany, with Duncan glaring angrily at her, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have said it was a blood vessel?!¡±


    Sherry instinctively shrank her neck, scratching her head while trying to divert the conversation with feigned Calmness, ¡°A blood vessel seems quite likely too, heh¡­¡±


    However, Duncan didn¡¯t continue to argue with Sherry. Instead, after uttering an impromptu remark, he frowned thoughtfully again.


    Blood vessels¡­ internal pathways?


    If this Holy Land Island is really as Sherry described, ¡°a piece of an ancient god¡¯s flesh,¡± could there really be so-called ¡°blood vessels¡± and ¡°nerves¡± within? If they exist, would they really present themselves as the corridor before our eyes?


    Duncan unconsciously associated, sketching in his mind what form The Saint could have had and what kind of ¡°physiological structure,¡± when suddenly he noticed that Alice had been quiet for quite some time.


    Normally, the puppet girl who accompanied the captain on explorations in strange environments would chatter incessantly, but today she seemed unusually quiet.


    ¡°Alice,¡± feeling that something was off, Duncan immediately turned toward the seemingly distracted puppet next to him, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    After being called twice, Alice seemed to suddenly come to her senses and quickly turned around: ¡°Huh¡­ huh? Captain, what did you say?¡±


    ¡°I asked you what you were thinking about¨Cyou seemed to be distracted just now,¡± Duncan said with a slight frown, looking concernedly into Alice¡¯s eyes, ¡°Did you see or hear something again?¡±


    Alice looked around, puzzled, hesitated for quite a while before cautiously saying to Duncan, ¡°I haven¡¯t really seen anything¡­ but I don¡¯t know why, after walking here I just have this feeling¡­ a very familiar feeling.¡±


    Duncan and Maurice simultaneously exclaimed, ¡°A familiar feeling?¡±


    ¡°Yes, familiar, comforting, like¡­¡± Alice gestured as she thought hard for a moment before finally finding the right description, ¡°like lying in my wooden box.¡±


    As she spoke, she also pointed toward the darker depths of the corridor, ¡°And in that direction, there¡¯s an even stronger sense of familiarity, as if¡­ I had been to this place long ago or¡­ been here for a very long time¡­¡±


    Duncan listened seriously to Alice¡¯s description, nodding gently after a moment, ¡°We will continue further in¨CAlice, Sherry, A-Dog, no matter what unusual things you see or hear, report to me immediately.¡±


    With increasingly cautious hearts, the group began to progress deeper into the seemingly endless corridor.


    Flames slowly spread through the passage, and after an unknown amount of time, Duncan noticed that their surroundings suddenly became much more spacious.


    It seemed they¡¯d entered a huge underground cavern structure: channels resembling some sort of pipes on either side suddenly expanded into spacious rock walls, and the ceiling above stretched up to more than ten meters high¨Cthe sudden enlargement of the underground space plunged the surroundings into a brief darkness. But in just one or two seconds, the ghostly green flames quickly spread to the surrounding ground, beginning to illuminate the spacious area.


    Sherry, looking up with an expression of wonder, gazed at the cavern that resembled a giant assembly hall. Despite having seen a fleeting glimpse in the ¡°illusion,¡± the sight still took her breath away with its spaciousness: ¡°¡­Holy shit¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I suddenly think Fenna could have come here too,¡± Duncan, stroking his chin thoughtfully, remarked, ¡°This place looks like it¡¯s got enough room for her to take off¡­¡±


    Morris remained silent. The old scholar¡¯s attention seemed entirely immersed in the mysterious cavern brimming with secrets. He walked slowly forward along the path lit by the Spiritual Fire, meticulously observing the surroundings. Then, he suddenly stopped in front of a rock wall.


    ¡°There¡¯s something on this wall!¡±


    Duncan rushed over, and a scene resembling a ¡°relief¡± painting came into his view.


    On the dark rock wall, a creature with strong limbs, crawling, and a slender body came to life.


    Sherry and A Dog also quickly walked over, joining Duncan in looking at the ¡°relief¡± on the wall.


    After a while, Duncan could hear Sherry mutter softly: ¡°¡­Is this an Abyssal Hound?¡±


    ¡°Seems¡­ like it is,¡± A Dog¡¯s voice was especially uncertain, ¡°but it doesn¡¯t look much like me¡­ This one seems to have flesh and blood, and the body proportions are a bit off too¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Morris¡¯s voice followed promptly from ahead: ¡°There¡¯s more over here!¡±


    Following Morris¡¯s direction, Duncan saw a second relief.


    It was unmistakably a creature floating in mid-air, resembling a jellyfish¨Chowever, it was not made of dust and smoke, but had a tangible body, more intricate tentacle structures, and even something like eyes on its ¡®head.¡¯


    Duncan slowly lifted his head. In the cavern illuminated by the Spiritual Fire, more reliefs were faintly embedded in the rock walls, seemingly extending infinitely into his line of sight.


    He frowned slightly and took a step towards another relief¨C


    Trembling flecks of light appeared on the edge of his vision.


    Duncan suddenly came to a halt.


    And almost at the same time, the lights and shadows in front of him transformed.


    Everything fell apart like collapsing fragments of light. The dark cavern and the ancient, mysterious reliefs crumbled silently before his eyes. After a moment, the collapsing fragments of light rose and swarmed back together, reconstituting and illuminating, revealing¨C


    In the silent ¡°roar,¡± he saw a hall, a hall that seemed to have no boundaries. It howled and reconstituted before Duncan¡¯s eyes. He saw a silver-gray substance of unknown material extend into firm ground, mysterious patterns emitting a dark blue glow spread across the floor, and massive pipes and cables intertwined like nerves and blood vessels on the high dome above.


    And in this hall, stood platform after platform of a cylindrical shape.


    Those platforms emitted a soft light, and above them, an invisible force field seemed to imprison various things¨Cstagnant within the force field were strong-limbed hound-like creatures, predatory beasts, a variety of birds, and many creatures he couldn¡¯t recognize or see clearly.


    The light and shadow flickered before his eyes, and the lights in the hall dimmed and brightened intermittently. In the blink of an eye, Duncan felt as if he saw that dark cavern again, with the neatly arranged ¡°reliefs¡± on its walls¨C


    But the next second, the dim cavern collapsed back into the appearance of a hall. He saw something standing at the far end, seemingly a huge machine, or some sort of¡­ terminal, surrounded by numerous pipes clustered around the complex prism structure, with black sludge emitting a metallic sheen flowing through the pipes. Lights flickered on that core prism, and something that seemed like a holographic projection floated in front of it, lines of characters endlessly refreshing.


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    Those were unfamiliar characters, Duncan did not recognize that script¨Cbut with just a glance, the meaning of those characters seemed to directly imprint upon his mind¨C


    ¡°¡­New Hope¡­ main system offline¡­


    ¡°LH-01, Navigator One, ecological reconstruction mainframe¡­ status abnormal.


    ¡°LH-02, Navigator Two, data and central control mainframe¡­ status abnormal.


    ¡°LH-03, Navigator Three, navigation mainframe¡­ offline.


    ¡°The spaceship has disintegrated¡­¡±

 Chapter 720 - Chapter 720 Chapter 717 Fracture

    Chapter 720: Chapter 717: Fracture Chapter 720: Chapter 717: Fracture Light and shadow collapsed once again¨Cthe spacious hall and the massive device at its end suddenly disintegrated into countless fragments of light and shadow, collapsing like an avalanche back into the dim appearance of a cave. Everything seemed like a brief illusion, an errant projection of another reality onto this dimension.


    However, Duncan knew that he really ¡°saw¡± it, and he could still see it now.


    He looked towards the depths of the dim cave, blinking several times¨Cduring each extremely brief moment, with each blink, he saw something emerge in the instant his eyelids closed and darkness descended, the grand hall itself.


    Gradually, he realized that two realities were overlapping here, in the depths beneath Holy Land Island, the ¡°reality¡± that lay even deeper was unobservable by ordinary means, but it appeared within the 0.002 seconds of every blink of his eye.


    For some reason, the unit ¡°0.002 seconds¡± surfaced in Duncan¡¯s mind, and he was certain it was the exact time he saw the hall with each blink¨Can instant almost imperceptible to the human eye, yet sufficient to imprint on his perception.


    He turned his head, looking at the ¡°reliefs¡± on the wall beside him, and in the instant of his next blink, he saw a vivid bird-like creature appear in the specimen containment tank; then darkness surged, reality switched, and it again became a relief on the wall¨Cthat was the twisted and formidable ¡°Gao Si Niao .¡±


    Alice seemed to have noticed the change in Duncan¡¯s expression and immediately became worried, ¡°Captain? Are you alright¡­ Your face suddenly looks so serious¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ LH-01 failed to transfer everything in the database to the Shelter; those that failed during the process of Creation remained at the original ¡®hatching ground¡¯,¡± Duncan said softly out of the blue, ¡°¡­ this ¡®Shelter¡¯ was supposed to be larger and more perfected, but it failed¡­¡±


    Morris looked at Duncan in astonishment, suddenly realized something, ¡°What did you touch?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another pattern here, the way it was before the great annihilation¡­ but you can¡¯t see or touch it,¡± Duncan raised his hand, gently pressing it against the stone wall next to him. When the Ghostly Green Fire spread into the crevices, he could faintly feel he was touching more than just these cold stones, ¡°Two realities are superimposed here, but the one closer to the original form is almost completely devoured by the great annihilation. It only temporarily exists each time I blink.¡±


    Morris tried to comprehend Duncan¡¯s description of that unbelievable ¡°state¡± while the latter had already raised his head, eyes fixed on the deeper parts of the cave.


    ¡°There should be a ¡®contact point¡¯ here,¡± Duncan said in a deep voice, ¡°The Heretics likely touched something here.¡±


    As he spoke, he stepped into the darkness, followed by the slow spread of the Ghostly Green Fire, walking towards the end of the ¡°hall.¡±


    Morris and Alice quickly followed the captain¡¯s lead.


    ¡­


    A Dog was walking silently beside Sherry with a look of weariness, the blood-red glow in his eyes flickering on and off. The sound of chains scraping against the ground seemed to become a distant noise. He walked a bit further, then, belatedly, lifted his head only to find that Sherry had advanced far ahead¨Cthe girl¡¯s silhouette seemed blurred, its edges trembling as if something unstable was superimposed upon her.


    A Dog shook his head as if his hollow mind had briefly lost the ability to think and judge, but in the next moment, he was abruptly alert again, realizing he was, as usual, closely following Sherry¨Cthe scene just before in which they were far apart seemed like a bizarre illusion, vanishing in the blink of an eye.


    Sherry looked down with a puzzled expression, noticing that A Dog was walking right beside her.


    She also felt a prickling pain in her arm and some sort of burning sensation flowing through the Symbiotic Chains towards her, like¡­ the blood that had just been shed.


    ¡°A Dog?¡± she said hesitantly in a low voice¨Cnot sure if she had actually spoken aloud or simply called out in her mind through the symbiotic link.


    A Dog didn¡¯t respond. The only sounds reaching Sherry¡¯s ears were the ¡°thump¡± ¡°thump¡± of two beats.


    It sounded like a heartbeat.


    Something was off¡­ Although she didn¡¯t know what exactly it was, something was definitely off!


    Sherry tensed up suddenly, realizing there was something wrong at the moment she did, she turned her head sharply towards the direction of the captain, ¡°Captain! Something¡¯s wrong with A Dog¡­¡±


    There was no sight of the captain in front of her.


    In the dark cave, only her own voice echoed, soon transforming into a vague noise. The captain was gone, Morris and Alice were gone too, and it seemed as if it had been just her and A Dog all along.


    Sherry drew in a sharp breath as immense, boundless darkness transfigured into even more colossal fear¨Cthis fear was so familiar. She felt she had managed to forget this chilling sensation that penetrated to the bone, but now everything suddenly reemerged in her mind¨Cfire, smoke, the smell of blood, the sound of something collapsing, something gnawing at her own flesh¡­


    She stared into the darkness in terror, bone-like structures sprouted bit by bit from her arms, shoulders, and spine, blood-colored light filled her eyes, making everything in her vision slowly distort, and within the increasingly warped perception, she heard a slightly unfamiliar voice suddenly come from beside her, ¡°Sherry¡­ I feel¡­ a bit cold¡­¡±


    She turned her head slowly, looking towards the direction of the voice.


    A Dog was sinking slowly¨Csink into the soil and rocks as though melting, its body being swallowed up by the ground that seemed to come alive, its surface rippling with thick and sluggish waves, inside which seemed to swarm billions of living creatures. A Dog¡¯s figure sank little by little into those ¡°creatures,¡± first the limbs, then the torso, and now only the neck and part of the skull remained.


    It opened its mouth towards Sherry, its skeletal jaws opening and closing as if straining to say something, or trying hard to spit something out¨C


    ¡°`


    ¡°A¡¯gou!!!¡±


    The numb and rigid mind finally began to function, and Sherry suddenly remembered the name on the other end of the chain. She dashed towards the ground that was slowly coming to life, pulling on the chain with all her might and shouting, ¡°A¡¯gou! I¡¯m pulling you out! Hold on a bit longer!¡±


    However, her efforts did nothing to prevent A¡¯gou from sinking¨Cjust as the Abyssal Hound¡¯s head was about to be completely swallowed by the thick mud, a voice suddenly reached her ears.


    ¡°¡­Sherry, Dad and I are going to buy you a cake, today is your birthday¡­ Wait for us to come back, then you won¡¯t be angry anymore, okay?¡±


    The girl froze for a moment.


    The voice that came from the other end of the chain briefly interrupted her reasoning¨Cand during that moment of interruption, she heard a crisp snapping sound.


    The chain in her hand suddenly became lighter.


    The figure of the Abyssal Hound disappeared completely into the mud, the heavy pull from the end of the chain suddenly vanished, and Sherry stumbled backwards.


    She saw the other end of the chain fly out of the mud¨Cit had broken off, and at the severed end of the chain, A¡¯gou was nowhere to be seen. Instead, two objects about the size of fists were pulled out of the mud and dropped beside her.


    They thumped on the ground as if they were still alive.


    Those were two hearts.


    Sherry stared blankly at the scene, motionless like a statue.


    The pitch-black mud began to churn slowly, converging from all directions, and within the mud, it seemed as if an illusion of a distant land emerged, with countless twisted and ferocious shadows floating around¨C


    In the Mysterious Deep Sea, numerous Profound Demons had noticed that an uninvited guest was approaching their dimension.


    And in the even more distant darkness, an immense structure lay dormant, its main body spanning like a mountain range across the shattered land, tendrils winding around countless floating isles, dark blue glimmers surging across its surface, with Profound Demons burgeoning from those tendrils and being constantly devoured by it every moment.


    But it seemed as if Sherry didn¡¯t see those encroaching illusions¨Cshe sat dumbly on the ground for a while, finally got up slowly, crawled to the two hearts still throbbing, and then carefully picked them up, cradling them in her arms.


    It had been a long time since she last held them.


    ¡°Dad¡­ Mom¡­¡±


    Darkness swarmed, and her figure disappeared into the Mysterious Deep Sea.


    ¡­


    Duncan suddenly turned his head to look at the clearing not far behind him.


    A blurry figure flickered there for a moment, disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    He immediately realized, ¡°Something¡¯s happened to Sherry!¡±


    ¡°Sherry!?¡± Morris, walking behind Duncan, was momentarily stunned, as if in that brief moment, he had even forgotten the name ¡°Sherry.¡± The captain¡¯s words then instantly reset his memory to the correct ¡°place.¡± Only after that did he belatedly look up, realizing that someone¡­ along with a Profound Demon, was missing from the team.


    ¡°Hey! She was just walking beside me!¡± Alice also reacted, widening her eyes as she looked towards the location where Sherry and A¡¯gou had been, ¡°I heard her talking to A¡¯gou¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression instantly became grave, ¡°None of you noticed when she disappeared?¡±


    Morris and Alice shook their heads in succession.


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    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, and after a brief moment of thought, he suddenly swung his hand through the air.


    Ghostly Green Spectral Flame soared up in an instant, accompanied by a series of near-roaring explosions, the flames whirling around like a storm, sweeping through every corner of the cavern!


    The howling of the flames seemed to shake the fabric of time itself, the entire cavern, even the whole Holy Land Island, trembled violently in that instant. And after this nearly dimension-shaking ¡°tremor,¡± Duncan¡¯s face had already turned grim.


    ¡°The marks on Sherry and A¡¯gou are there,¡± he looked up solemnly at Morris, ¡°¡­but they have separated.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 721 - Chapter 721 Chapter 718 Falling into the Profound Depths

    Chapter 721: Chapter 718 Falling into the Profound Depths Chapter 721: Chapter 718 Falling into the Profound Depths In the valley of Holy Land Island, where Fenna was leading the camp at the tunnel entrance, she received news from the cave and widened her eyes in shock, ¡°Sherry and the dog have disappeared?¡±


    ¡°In strict terms, they were ¡®transitioned¡¯ to somewhere by some time-space mechanism in the cave,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice resonated within Fenna¡¯s mind, ¡°Have you observed any changes on the surface?¡±


    ¡°No, everything on the surface is normal. Amber just led a team to search deeper into the valley and found nothing but a few empty huts and some human remains swallowed by the island,¡± Fenna responded immediately, ¡°The island is currently very calm¡­¡±


    In the underground cave, Duncan nodded slightly after hearing the report from the surface, then his gaze fell on Morris and Alice beside him.


    ¡°The surface is all normal, and no ¡®activation¡¯ phenomenon has appeared on Holy Land Island. It seems that what happened to Sherry and the dog is different from what those Extinction Cultists encountered.¡±


    ¡°Where did they go?¡± Alice asked anxiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you could still feel their ¡®markings¡¯? Are they alright now?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still alive but in a place I cannot pinpoint. I suspect¡­¡±


    Duncan paused midway through his sentence and did not rashly conclude, but it was clear he had a guess¨Cafter a brief silence, he had already looked up, thoughtfully staring into the depths of the cave.


    In the dim, heavy darkness, a massive object loomed vaguely.


    Each time he blinked, a giant prism embraced by numerous cables and pipes revealed itself, its surface flickering with lights as if emitting a silent invitation.


    He approached it, letting the fire dispel the darkness¨Cunder the light of the Spiritual Fire, a grand door stood silently, seemingly embedded directly into the rock walls on either side.


    Scattered tools could be seen around the space near the door, and some human structures, melted beyond recognition and seemingly swallowed by the mud and stone, were embedded in the surrounding ground and walls, appearing ferociously terrifying.


    Unquestionably, this was the ¡°final chamber¡± Sherry had mentioned, the last excavation site deep beneath Holy Land Island, the place where those Extinction Cultists finally ¡°awakened¡± the entire island.


    Duncan reached the door, quickly examined its structure under the light¨Cthe dark stone door was tightly closed, its surface rough and uneven as if once covered with dense vines, now turned into chaotic pits and patterns on the door. However, amid those chaotic markings that were almost undecipherable, Duncan discerned something.


    It was the unfamiliar script he had seen in that ¡°hall,¡± the symbols he had encountered in the vision when the New Hope had crashed.


    He frowned slightly, but before he could decipher the hidden message in those markings, Alice, who was standing next to him, whispered before him, ¡°Helmsman Two¡­ Interface intervention?¡±


    Duncan sharply turned his head, looking at the human figure who was raising her head observing the door, ¡°You understood the message on this door?¡±


    But Alice frowned, slowly shaking her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t see any message on the door¡­ It just suddenly popped into my mind¡­¡±


    Duncan stared into Alice¡¯s eyes, his thoughts spinning, then withdrew his gaze and turned back to the door¨Cafter a few seconds of hesitation and thought, he placed his hand on the door, and concentrated while slightly closing his eyes.


    The greenish flame spread from his fingertips, then disappeared with a flicker on the door.


    And in another layer of his vision, in a dark and distant, unfamiliar dimension, a light, as if suddenly blown by the wind, flickered slightly in the deep darkness.


    Within that flickering dim light, Duncan heard Sherry¡¯s voice¨Cclearer than before but still behind a thick veil.


    She was very scared, very cold, she had just lost something very important¨Cshe was cautiously building a protective shell around herself, and something malevolent¡­ was gathering around her.


    Duncan abruptly opened his eyes.


    ¡°Lucy,¡± he called out in his mind to the ¡°witch¡± waiting on the Brilliant Starship.


    Lucrecia¡¯s voice immediately came through, ¡°Do you need me?¡±


    ¡°Bring that ¡®saint¡¯ here, I¡¯ve found the ¡®connection point.¡¯ Now I need to open a door to retrieve someone from the Mysterious Deep Sea.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    As the voice in his mind faded, Duncan slowly raised his right hand¨Ca particularly bright, almost dazzling firelight gradually took shape in his palm.


    He pressed that flame against the dark stone door, watching it gradually seep into the door, into the unfamiliar, dark dimension behind it, and before the firelight completely vanished, he whispered softly to it, ¡°Sherry, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡­


    It was dark, cold, the body felt as heavy as if filled with lead, a strange stinging sensation spread from the arm, over the shoulder, then half the body, gradually turning into numbness, as if this body no longer belonged to her, as if her flesh had unknowingly transformed into something she could not comprehend or control.


    The surrounding ¡°mire¡± had gradually receded, yet a more intense malice and sense of danger surged continuously around her. Sherry hid in a cluster of bone-like, chaotically entangled ¡°bushes,¡± curling up without moving.


    Chaos and madness roared and murmured from afar; invisible hunters roamed in the darkness, seeking uninvited guests who had trespassed. It was only a matter of time before the prey would be discovered.


    But this time, there was no Abyssal Hound to protect her.


    Sherry hugged her twisted and deformed arm tighter and shrunk further into the bushes. She had ¡°smelled¡± the scent here and understood where she was.


    This was the Mysterious Deep Sea, the ¡°homeland¡± of A Dog.


    The den of demons.


    The faint thumping in her ears and the throbbing sensation from her chest woke Sherry from her daze. She looked down dumbfounded, gazing at the two hearts she was holding in her embrace.


    ¡°Daddy¡­ Mommy¡­¡±


    She whispered softly, just as she used to when she didn¡¯t want to sleep as a child, whispering secrets in bed with ¡°them¡± ¡ª


    ¡°I¡¯m a little scared¡­ I want to hug you¡­¡±


    The two hearts continued to beat slowly, thump-thump¨Cso vividly clear. Over the past many years, they had always been beating inside a Profound Demon, separated by thick bones and chaotic dust. Never before had their thumping been so distinctly audible to Sherry.


    Sherry slightly tightened her grip on her arm but felt something unusual.


    She looked down and saw her arms covered with thin bone armor, blade-like structures extending from the elbow joints, slowly unfolding as if alive. She then saw her chest¨Ca horrifying hollow, within which a damaged, dark red organ struggled to beat amidst the bones and rising black smoke, getting weaker by the second.


    That damaged organ was known to humans as the ¡°heart.¡±


    ¡°¡­So it turns out A Dog had bitten through my heart back then¡­ No wonder it¡¯s been so cold¡­¡±


    Sherry whispered softly, shifting her position slightly amidst the bushes. She saw her legs gradually getting covered in grotesque black bone plates, and the smoke signifying the Profound contamination continuously seeping from the bone plates into the air.


    She felt increasingly sleepy.


    Would she die as a Profound Demon? Or had she already been a Profound Demon in human skin, ever since merging with A Dog twelve years ago?


    This fleeting thought surfaced in Sherry¡¯s mind, but soon, even that thought dissipated in the growing drowsiness.


    She didn¡¯t want to think about that question, nor would she think about it.


    She didn¡¯t understand such profoundly ¡°philosophical¡± dilemmas¡­ they were too complex for her.


    She was more concerned about water, food, heating fuel, and winter clothes.


    The growling and murmuring grew closer. The hunters in the darkness were nearing this edge of the area. Amorphous forms cast even darker shadows in the darkness, and an icy sensation touched Sherry¡¯s skin, as if reaching her a moment sooner.


    But her body was slowly toppling over¨Cthe two continually beating hearts could no longer keep her awake in her shattered chest as the heart gnawed by demons slowed in its final beat.


    In the darkness, warm light emerged, as if a warm sunbeam was shining on her face. Sherry squinted her eyes, comfortably, and exhaled softly.


    It was a warm winter afternoon.


    Sunlight streamed through the windows, falling on the peeling, faded wooden windowsill. The kettle on the stove was making a cheerful hissing sound. Mom was busy in the kitchen, the aroma of freshly baked cookies wafting into the living room. Dad didn¡¯t have to work today¨Che was squatting by the dining table, fixing the always creaky table. The crisp sound of the postman¡¯s bicycle bell rang through the street as he crossed the intersection, along with the noise of carriage wheels over the cobblestone road.


    Sherry dozed off on the sofa, about to fall asleep.


    Then, Dad would come over, lift her up to carry her to the bedroom bed, and Mom would emerge from the kitchen, tapping Dad¡¯s head with a soup ladle because his dirty hands had dirtied his daughter¡¯s dress¡­


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    Sherry lay on the sofa, a gentle smile slowly spreading across her face, just like that afternoon many years ago. She lightly turned over, her arms falling from the back of the sofa onto herself, curling up at her chest.


    Her hand touched a heart that had stopped beating.


    All warmth collapsed in an instant, darkness and coldness shattered the warm sunlight of the afternoon like an avalanche. Her eyes wide in the darkness, but as terror swooped in, she saw the figure by the dining table, which should have dissolved along with the ¡°collapse,¡± slowly stand up and begin to move towards her.


    The figure transformed in the flames, incinerating everything in the darkness.


    ¡°Sherry, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±

 Chapter 722 - Chapter 722 Chapter 719 Both Sides of the Main Gate

    Chapter 722: Chapter 719: Both Sides of the Main Gate Chapter 722: Chapter 719: Both Sides of the Main Gate Sherry¡¯s consciousness had jolted awake from a collapsing dreamscape, and she opened her eyes in the darkness to find herself still lying in what resembled a thorn bush of dark shrubbery.


    Low murmurs and bizarre growls seemed almost within earshot, about to penetrate her brain, while a chilly airflow spread like nauseating tendrils from the gaps in the shadows as if to lick her skin. Something outside the shrubbery, a group of writhing entities with fluctuating sizes and indiscernible solid outlines, had scented the presence of living flesh and crossed great distances to find this hiding spot¨Ca gluttonous feast was about to begin.


    Sherry twitched her arm slightly, and the stiffness and numbness throughout her body made any movement exceedingly difficult, but she felt a slight warmth spreading from somewhere inside her body, rejuvenating the corpse she had become just moments before.


    She strained to lower her head and saw that her heart within her chest had completely stopped beating, and in just a few seconds, it had shriveled and withered into a clump of black residue; however, a faint greenish flame quietly burned on the surface of that debris, eerie yet warm.


    That limited warmth restored some strength to her, and she slowly struggled to her feet.


    Unwittingly swinging her arm, the broken black chain on her right arm scraped against the ground, making a noise that was not very loud but piercingly abrasive in this quiet dark place.


    The murmurs and growling outside the shrubbery paused briefly, then suddenly transformed into a horrifying howl!


    Countless swelling shadows rose from the shattered ground outside¨Can array of grotesquely shaped Profound Demons took form in their frenzy, rushing to the feast!


    The Spiritual Fire spread and burned through gaps in the bones, the black debris in the chest having fully transformed into an incessant flame. Sherry took a deep breath, aware of the noise outside, the fear of death and an inexplicable restlessness rising simultaneously in her consciousness. She gasped softly, her peripheral vision catching sight of two hearts that had fallen to the ground.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she reached out, picked up those still-beating ¡°hearts,¡± and her eyes flickered darkly then lightened with a blood-colored glow.


    The sound of something breaking came from the edge of the shrubbery; a gigantic beast tore through the barrier of the hiding spot, its heavy steps and hunger-laden growls reaching Sherry¡¯s ears.


    But she seemed not to hear the sound already above her head, did not feel the breath already blowing on her face; she merely bowed her head, slowly placing the two hearts within her chest cavity, murmuring to herself in a whisper, ¡°Dad¡­ Mom¡­ don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡±


    The sensation of the heartbeats returned to her chest, a sense of ¡°being alive¡± made the last remaining stiffness and sluggishness in her limbs finally recede completely. Sherry propped herself up, a series of cracking sounds bursting from within her, and swiftly growing layers of bone spurs around the dark ribs protected the two hearts and a cluster of flames¨Cshe raised her head in the darkness, her body slowly elongating, and a demon skull surfaced in her vision, grotesque and covered with spikes.


    A huge slit tore through the hiding place¡¯s shrubbery, a massive floating skull maliciously gazing down at its prey surrounded by countless menacing shadows¨CMessengers of Death, Smoke Dust Jellyfish, Chaotic Horrors¡­


    A-Dog had always said that if you encounter them alone, you must run.


    But this was the Mysterious Deep Sea, where there was nowhere to flee¨Cthey were everywhere.


    ¡°Sherry, don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡±


    A Messenger of Death was the first to strike, this chaotic dimwitted demon finally losing control over its innate hunger and aggression as it let out a sharp, piercing shriek. Its wings suddenly expanded into a cloud of darkness, swooping down towards the shrubbery wrapped in its corrosive cloud¨C


    Then, following a dull piercing boom, a black multi-jointed bone spur, like a sharp sword, stabbed towards the sky, penetrating the Messenger of Death directly!


    Next came one bone spur after another¨Cthe dark skeleton, like some twisted asymmetrical appendage, extended from the shrubbery. First stabbing towards the sky, then bending downwards, supporting a giant body stepping out from the shrubbery.


    Her limbs elongated, dark bone fragments overlapped like a suit of personal armor, interlocked and sprawling, sharp bone spurs and blade-like structures grew from the joints of her arms and legs, flickering with dim blood light. The shattered chest covered with thorn-like bone fragments housed two slowly beating dark-red hearts, and countless limb-like bone structures extended from her back, resembling huge skeletal wings yet also like ominous appendages. A pair of these limbs bent down from the sky, propping her high off the ground, enabling her to oversee the gathering Profound Demons from all directions.


    She slowly turned her head, keeping the human facial features, her eyes hollow and increasingly filled with blood light.


    A hoarse, piercing screech came from beside her¨Cthe Messenger of Death impaled by the sharp bone spur struggled violently upon Sherry¡¯s ¡°long legs¡± for a few moments before turning into a quickly dispersing cloud of dust and a small pool of slowly flowing mud, gradually absorbed into Sherry¡¯s bone spurs.


    Sherry slightly furrowed her brow, watching the position where the Messenger of Death had dissolved, lifted the bone-jointed limb in the air and shook it vigorously, ¡°¡­Disgusting, unpalatable¡­¡±


    After that, she turned her head and looked at the Profound Demons that had gathered around her but were momentarily confused and stagnant due to the sudden change. Bending slightly, she said, ¡°Have any of you seen a strange Abyssal Hound? It¡¯s called A-Dog¨Cit¡¯s my friend.¡±


    The horde of Profound Demons hesitated for a moment, and some crisis instinct in their simple minds spawned the option of retreat. However, just moments later, their desire to attack overwhelmed the fragile ¡°rationality.¡±


    The bizarre floating skull covered in spikes suddenly opened its jaws, a massive cloud of corrosive gas formed instantly, and hurled directly at Sherry.


    Then came the Death Birds swooping down from the sky, the Abyssal Hounds running and screaming on the ground, and countless odd monsters that not even Sherry could name¨Cthese instinct-driven Profound Demons charged forward, screaming, roaring, and storming toward the ¡°invader¡± on their territory!


    ¡°I just knew it,¡± Sherry muttered with irritation, and the next second, her figure suddenly transformed into an illusory shadow¨C


    She swept through the fragmented land like the wind, her bone spurs, resembling giant skeletal wings and curved limbs, piercing through the air and stabbing toward every demon bold enough to approach¨Cthere was no strategy, no knowledge of spells, just basic speed and strength she¡¯d just mastered as she plunged into the countless swarms of demons.


    Her approach to battle was simple and crude¨Cjust like the first time she swung a chain and hurled A-Dog at the enemy.


    ¡­


    Lucricia looked up at the black stone door that even she, a seasoned ¡°Frontier Scholar,¡± found astonishing, and it took her a long time to look away.


    ¡°They really dug up something incredible,¡± the sea witch lamented, ¡°These heretics always manage to create a mess they can¡¯t control¨Cas always.¡±


    ¡°This is the point of connection between the Mysterious Deep Sea and the real world,¡± Duncan said from beside her, ¡°Based on what I sense, there¡¯s a ¡®overlap¡¯ of multiple dimensions here, not just the realities stacked together, but also a part of the Mysterious Deep Sea directly overlaid here. Sherry and A-Dog, due to their nature being too close to the profound, ended up falling ¡®over there.''¡±


    Lucricia nodded, then expressed some concern, ¡°Are you sure this is feasible? I don¡¯t mean your power to open the gate, but¡­ if ¡®The Saint¡¯ can¡¯t hold on, and the gate closes prematurely, how will you get back? On the other side of the gate is the Mysterious Deep Sea, which we hardly know about, even for you, getting lost ¡®over there¡¯ could be¡­¡±


    ¡°No worries, I¡¯ve considered this problem,¡± Duncan interrupted Lucricia¡¯s concerns, ¡°We all know that at the very center of the Mysterious Deep Sea is The Saint, and right below His ¡®throne¡¯ is the passage to Subspace.¡±


    Lucricia¡¯s expression changed subtly, ¡°You mean?¡±


    ¡°To punch a small hole, which likely won¡¯t disrupt the balance of the whole Mysterious Deep Sea too much. After all, the breach created by Homeloss in the Mysterious Deep Sea was larger,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°If I can¡¯t return the same way, I¡¯ll come back through Subspace. ¡®The Saint¡¯ probably won¡¯t mind too much¨Cif that doesn¡¯t work, I might as well call Homeloss to crash through again.¡±


    Lucricia: ¡°¡­¡±


    Duncan just waved his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    Seeing her father prepared, Lucricia didn¡¯t say anything more. She nodded slightly and then moved to the open ground in front of the gate. She pointed her short baton at the ground and tapped it lightly twice.


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    A puff of smoke that seemed like a magic trick from a stage show burst forth, and as the smoke cleared, the grotesque, spider-cage-wrapped ¡°brain¡± reappeared in front of Duncan.


    ¡°The Saint¡± slowly woke up.


    At the edge of the bone cage, the stalked eyes, as if reviving from slumber, twitched and shuddered, finally taking in their surroundings and the impassive Duncan standing nearby.


    Almost instantly, the creature, no longer remotely human, fully awakened. It struggled as if attempting to stand but was unable due to the restraints the witch had imposed earlier, managing only to vibrate the surrounding air and emit a chaotic, piercing roar: ¡°What have you done?!¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t begun, just getting ready,¡± Duncan stepped toward the ¡°Saint¡± and stared calmly at the disgusting collection of eye stalks, ¡°You can start praying now¨Cto your lord.¡±

 Chapter 723 - Chapter 723 Chapter 720 Open the Door

    Chapter 723: Chapter 720: Open the Door Chapter 723: Chapter 720: Open the Door Begin praying now¨Ctoward your lord.


    The brain within the crown of bones suddenly convulsed, and the ¡°Saint¡± sensed immense danger and terror from these words¨Cit didn¡¯t know the nature of this fear, yet the warnings of a dark fate weighed on its subconscious like a mountain!


    It struggled violently in an instant, its strong will even momentarily broke through the layers of restrictions placed within it by the witch, and the bone spurs at the edge of the skeletal cage began to emit crackling noises. With this brief loosening of the restrictions, its perception finally began to recover, and it finally became aware of its surroundings¨Cthe familiar aura of Holy Land Island.


    It realized where it had been taken, and in that moment, deep despair enshrouded its already crazily mutated mind like the night!


    ¡°Holy land!¡± The terrifying brain swelled and writhed, the air around it trembled and let out cascading, frenzied roars, ¡°Holy land! You have desecrated the holy land! You heretics¡­ The lord will punish you, none of you will escape!¡±


    Duncan and Lucrecia merely watched the enraged ¡°Saint¡± expressionlessly. After a moment, Duncan lifted his right hand, his palm cradling a ball of fire, the edges of the flame dancing, thin streams of fire descending to the ground, part of it creeping toward the dark stone gate, another part silently spreading beneath the Saint¡¯s feet, beginning to burn slowly.


    It wasn¡¯t until the flames began to spread that Duncan broke the silence, ¡°Two things, first, your ¡®holy land¡¯ needs no desecrating by others¨Cyour foolish brethren have dug through the earth¡¯s surface, awakening the flesh of the ancient gods, and now they have indeed ¡®returned their souls to The Saint,¡¯ in every sense of the word.


    ¡°Second, I¡¯m not concerned about what your lord thinks of this matter, but I do indeed have something to discuss with your lord¨Cso begin praying now, this is probably the only time in your life you can genuinely relieve the ¡®Profound Saint¡¯ of worries, and personally¡­ this might make the following matters slightly more bearable for you.¡±


    The flames spread, a ghastly green spiritual fire climbing up the dark, massive stone gate, the flow of the flame like water seeping into the grooves on its surface, burning there, making the entire gate appear to come to life, presenting a trembling, shaking illusion. Another stream of fire ignited the limbs of the ¡°Saint¡¯s¡± skeleton, slowly spreading throughout its body!


    A fear that corroded even the soul swept over the monster¡¯s mind; it struggled with all its might, yet the witch¡¯s restrictions instantly suppressed all its resistance¨Cit could only watch the flames spreading; but apart from the physical pain, another touch, more terrible and darker, filled it with utter despair¨C


    It felt itself establishing a connection with the dark stone gate, a ¡°link¡± more profound and incomprehensible than physical contact was forming. It felt itself gradually becoming a part of that gate, a part of the world behind that gate¨Cits consciousness, its memory, everything rational and capable of maintaining ¡°self,¡± was transformed into data for that gate¡­


    In a daze, a hollow voice echoed, a strange low hum that reverberated on the verge of its faltering consciousness. The Saint felt parts of its identity rise once again from this deformed and twisted body; it felt its hands and feet once more, the sensation of breathing, the sound vibrating the eardrums¨Cthose aspects of its humanity which it had once willingly forsaken seemed to return to this world in illusion.


    ¡°Pray to your lord¡­¡±


    A voice echoed and reverberated in his consciousness, making him lift his head in a daze and bewilderment, yet the resistance in his subconscious persisted, his teeth clenched as he struggled to break free from the influence of that voice¨Cstill, the voice continued to come, trembling in all directions, even trembling within his own subconscious¨C


    ¡°Pray to your lord¡­¡±


    He lifted his eyes in the darkness and saw the majestic Black Portal standing before him, as if it were the beginning and the end of everything. The surface of the door rippled and undulated, like ripples spreading across a pond, and in the flickering light of those ripples, he saw countless shattered and blurred images¨C


    He had studied in the City-State, and like any ordinary person, he had bustled through the streets and alleys. He had longed for many things and was swallowed by a greater emptiness the moment he acquired them. In his wanton indulgence, he realized the falsity of his corporeal shell and attained brief enlightenment through a baptism of blood¨Che saw his first victim, a small body lying quietly in the bleeding trough, twitching for the last time. He also saw his last victim, that mass of misshapen remains with only a pair of eyes filled with fear and desperation, within which reflected the figure of a powerful being, transcending the human form¡­


    And all of this was gradually being devoured by the Black Portal¨Chis humanity, his inhumanity, everything he had experienced, everything he had fled from¡­ was slowly being uploaded to the source¡­


    ¡°Pray to your lord.¡±


    Beside the Black Portal, a giant filled with starlight looked down upon him. The giant had no facial features; countless brilliant milky ways flowed within it, and clusters of dazzling stars and faint nebulae sketched its indescribable countenance. It bent slightly forward, and a tendril-like river of stars stretched out, flowing in front of The Saint, where the end of the luminous tentacle soundlessly opened, with countless eyes twinkling and blinking within the starlight, scrutinizing The Saint¡¯s spiritual body.


    Beside the star giant, the Black Portal slowly opened, revealing a being with a tower-like majestic core, surrounded by countless massive tentacles, casting a glance upon the mortal world.


    Why resist prayer? The Saint is right there¡­ They cast billions of benevolent gazes.


    A great emotion pried open The Saint¡¯s heart¨Che finally forgot where he had come from, forgot what he was to do. Before that towering presence, he bent his waist, then prostrated himself to the ground, whispering softly, ¡°O Lord¡­¡±


    Green flames rose into the air, and the dark stone door instantly transformed into a slightly rippling black mirror surface¨Cin the undulating mirror, one could faintly glimpse a vast world within its depths.


    Duncan turned his head and saw a cluster of withered black remains burning quietly on the vacant ground before the Black Portal. Its vitality had already faded, but the parts that remained within the residue¡­ seemed as though they could burn for a very long time.


    ¡°The Saints really do burn longer.¡±


    He sighed involuntarily, his gaze shifting to the ¡°black door¡± that rippled like the surface of a mirror¨Cin front of the door, the presence of Sherry and A-Dog was still active and growing ever clearer.


    He stepped forward, reached out, and touched the pitch-black mirror surface, which sent ripples spreading, yet his fingertips felt no sensation.


    It was like touching an illusion.


    ¡°Is this the portal to the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡± Maurice couldn¡¯t help but lean closer, observing the black door with a furrowed brow, ¡°It looks¡­ somewhat similar to the ¡®rift¡¯ opened by the Profound Demons, but it¡¯s clearly much more stable¡­¡±


    ¡°In essence, this is a rift opened by a Profound Demon¨Cthe Saint has become one and, of course, has the power to open a passage to the Mysterious Deep Sea,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°What I did was to stabilize the rift after it opened and, taking advantage of the nature of the ¡®connection point¡¯ in this cave, locate the door as close as possible to where Sherry and A-Dog are¨Cnow I can feel that they are somewhere on the other side.¡±


    As he spoke, he glanced at Alice beside him, as well as Maurice and Lucricia opposite him, already formulating a plan in his mind.


    ¡°Alice, you¡¯ll come through the door with me. Maurice and Lucy, you stay outside.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need me to accompany you?¡± Lucricia immediately expressed her concern.


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not going to fight, just to look for people and to talk with the Profound Saint. It doesn¡¯t make much difference whether I bring one more person or one less¨Cthe side of the door, however, needs to be guarded.¡±


    He paused, then thoughtfully added, ¡°This rift will be open for a long time. Before we return, some Profound Demons are bound to detect this passage. Something will then come out of the door¨Cso you and Maurice need to stay here. Not only the door itself, but the whole Holy Land Island might undergo some changes because of this rift. You must inform Fenna and the people of the Mysterious Deep Sea and the Death Church that until the door closes, this area is likely to see many ¡®visitors.''¡±


    Listening to her father¡¯s arrangements, Lucricia¡¯s expression turned serious, and she nodded slightly,


    ¡°I understand¨CI and Mr. Maurice will keep this place secure.¡±


    Duncan nodded, said nothing more, but turned and beckoned to Alice.


    ¡°Hold on to me and don¡¯t let go,¡± he whispered to the puppet who followed.


    Alice immediately nodded, grasped Duncan¡¯s arm tightly, but a smile appeared on her face¨Cnot showing any sign of nervousness. Instead, she seemed very happy, as if¡­ she was not going to a place of horror and terror for ordinary people, but going on an outing with the captain.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± In front of the undulating black mirror surface, Duncan noticed the smile on Alice¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t help but ask softly.


    Alice smiled cheerfully, ¡°Not scared!¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


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    Duncan nodded and, without hesitation, stepped through the black door with the puppet.


    A strange sensation washed over them.


    It was as if they had passed through a layer of illusory mist, with no hindrance, no discomfort, just a cool breath that quickly surfaced and then vanished in an instant. In that brief moment, it felt as if they had crossed through an infinitely long tunnel in the blink of an eye¨C


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment as she held tightly to the captain¡¯s arm, seeing many shimmering lights before her eyes. But what surprised her even more than the wondrous lights was that she seemed to ¡°hear¡± something.


    As they passed through the ¡°tunnel,¡± on their way to the other side, a voice entered directly into her mind¨C


    ¡°Identity verification, Y=#@Y=&%&¡­ approved;


    ¡°Identity verification, LH-03, Navigator Number Three, approved.¡±


    (Book recommendation time, from a group member TATA. The title is ¡°Stars of Sand and Green Oasis of Iron,¡± a road-trip genre book¡­ according to the author¡¯s recommendation, it¡¯s a story about a white-haired girl adventuring in a desolate post-apocalyptic world driving a huge vehicle?)

 Chapter 724 - Chapter 724 Chapter 721 Through the Dome

    Chapter 724: Chapter 721: Through the Dome Chapter 724: Chapter 721: Through the Dome The illusory, fleeting voice vanished in an instant, as if it had never existed.


    Alice blinked in the dark ¡°tunnel,¡± her mind a mix of doubt and confusion about what she had just heard. She wondered if she had misheard, but¡­


    The captain had said that in this peculiar place, no matter what you hear or see, you must speak up immediately, even if it might be a hallucination.


    So, she immediately grabbed Duncan¡¯s arm forcefully, ¡°Captain, I just heard a voice!¡±


    ¡°A voice?¡± Duncan turned around instantly, staring into the puppet¡¯s eyes in the darkness, ¡°What kind of voice?¡±


    Alice immediately relayed what she had heard to the captain¨Cincluding the unidentifiable short burst of noise and the strange ¡°name,¡± LH-03, ¡°Navigation Three.¡±


    In the dark, endless tunnel, Duncan¡¯s eyes slowly widened. He looked at the puppet before him with an odd and astonished gaze, then a flicker of realization suddenly appeared in his eyes.


    So, that¡¯s it¡­ Could it actually be like this?!


    With a series of chaotic thoughts and astonishing conjectures surging to his mind, he understood many things almost instantly¨Cat the same time, he noticed intricate and magnificent patterns of light and shadow appearing from the corner of his eye.


    Duncan turned back abruptly, looking in the direction where the patterns of light manifested.


    The next second, he saw the ¡°starry sky¡± above the Dome Layer of the Mysterious Deep Sea¨C


    Majestic starlight appeared at the end of the ¡°tunnel,¡± a grand sight composed of myriad stars, star-forming nebulae, and high-energy radiation clouds interwoven in endless darkness. The starry river spanned the void, while violently erupting massive celestial bodies were torn into luminescent clouds spreading between galaxies. All of it fell upon Duncan and Alice¡¯s view like a lavish, twinkling curtain with the overwhelming force of a turbulent sea!


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened at once.


    This was the ¡°starry sky¡± well known to captains sailing the Endless Sea, located between the Spirit Realm and the Mysterious Deep Sea, which normally could only be observed from above through the complex Spirit Realm¡¯s lens¨Cmariners of the mortal realm could only cautiously glimpse through a thick lens and multiple protective layers. But here, the most genuine appearance and every detail of this starry sky filled his sight.


    Duncan and Alice accelerated their fall towards the static starry sky, drawn swiftly into the ¡°Dome Layer¡± above the Mysterious Deep Sea by an unseen force.


    They plunged into the ¡°starlight¡± and began to pass quickly between the stationary celestial bodies.


    In a brief hesitation, Duncan reached out towards the unfamiliar starlight.


    A dazzling orange-yellow star passed through his palm like a phantom¨Che noticed that his hand, too, began to show speckles of starlight, but clearly, the two did not interact.


    Then, he suddenly noticed Alice¡¯s unusual silence by his side¨Cnormally, the puppet would have been making a fuss upon seeing such a magnificent starry sky.


    However, Alice just stared with wide eyes at her surroundings, seemingly captivated by something, the resplendent and glittering starlight reflecting in her deep purple pupils, flickering with spirited luster¨Cafter quite a while, the puppet suddenly raised her hand, pointing in a direction as if muttering in her sleep, ¡°Coordinates misaligned.¡±


    Duncan frowned, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Alice seemed not to hear the captain¡¯s voice, as she kept watching the starlight around her; then, she raised her hand again, pointing in another direction, ¡°Coordinates misaligned.¡±


    ¡°Coordinates misaligned.¡± ¡°Coordinates misaligned.¡± ¡°Coordinates misaligned¡­¡±


    Alice spoke rapidly, her gaze sweeping back and forth among the stars as if desperately searching for some kind of ¡°reference¡± that could help her find her way. Right when Duncan was about to forcefully ¡°wake¡± her, she suddenly stopped again, as if she had been jolted awake from a muddled dream, and turned to Duncan with a dazed look, ¡°¡­ Report, navigation system malfunction.¡±


    She paused, seeming a bit more lucid than before, and slapped her head with her hand, then scratched her hair in confusion, ¡°Ah¡­ Captain, I think my head just filled up with lots of weird stuff all of a sudden¡­¡±


    Duncan quickly grabbed Alice¡¯s arm, as wisps of fire danced at his fingertips, and he asked in a softened voice, ¡°What did you see?¡±


    ¡°Stars¡­ there were lines among the stars, and numbers and symbols,¡± Alice¡¯s gaze still carried a touch of bewilderment as she answered the captain¡¯s question, though it seemed like part of her mind was still busy with something else, ¡°I should find a path, avoid those collapsing gravity wells¡­ but the coordinates are misaligned, we¡­ have no safe path¡­¡±


    She looked up in confusion, surveying the ¡°starry sky¡± around her¨Cthe static group of stars seemed to document a distant voyage, in a distant past, in a universe that had long since perished, she had once navigated through here, guiding the last of the refugees seeking an escape route¡­ But escape¡­ from what?


    A spreading dark red glow emerged in her mind.


    The entire universe was red-shifting¡­ stars disintegrating, the fabric of space collapsing¡­ matter breaking apart¡­ servosystems wailing with the cry of imminent collapse¡­


    The spaceship was disintegrating, the navigation chamber ablaze¡­ commencing emergency backup procedures.


    Alice suddenly opened her eyes wide. The chaotic information in her mind seemed to be smoothed over by some powerful force in an instant. She shook her head, loosening her neck slightly, and forgetting the messy thoughts that had just swirled in her head.


    A warm flame burned quietly beside her, the power emanating from it gradually stabilizing her mind. She turned her head and saw the Captain standing beside her, giving her a concerned look, ¡°Alice, don¡¯t think too much for now.¡±


    Alice pondered for a moment and shook her head in confusion, ¡°Captain, I think I saw something¡­ but I¡¯ve forgotten it!¡±


    ¡°I know, but it doesn¡¯t matter, just let it be forgotten,¡± Duncan said softly, patting Alice¡¯s arm, ¡°We¡¯re going to find the answers now.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Alice nodded, not quite understanding.


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything more. He was cautiously maintaining the flame to protect Alice¡¯s mind while casting his grave gaze towards the depths of the starry river.


    A series of intelligence reports surfaced in his mind and finally began to link together¨C


    Here there was a still stars¡¯ ¡°holographic snapshot,¡± which had floated in the ¡°Dome Layer¡± of the Mysterious Deep Sea for long ages, providing ¡°navigation¡± for sailors throughout the world;


    The master of the Mysterious Deep Sea, The Saint, was called Pilot One, code LH-01;


    When Alice entered the ¡°black gate,¡± she briefly heard a voice that called her LH-03, Pilot Three;


    God of Wisdom Rahm¡¯s real name was LH-02, Pilot Two, whose image in the archives made Duncan think of a large server flickering with countless lights;


    Ten thousand years ago, a spaceship called New Hope crashed into this ¡°world ruin,¡± apparently trying to escape the doom of its home universe, but ultimately disintegrated during the final stage of its voyage, breaking into three parts¡­


    Three parts, perfectly corresponding to three modular ¡°hosts¡±¡­


    Duncan exhaled softly, letting the stormy thoughts in his mind calm down and glanced out of the corner of his eye at the doll following obediently by his side.


    Now¡­ he finally knew what the replication of The Saint had stuffed into this doll¡¯s shell back in the Frost Deep Sea.


    The starlight in front of them was gradually reaching its end¨Cin the depths of the Dome Layer, there were countless broken floating islands drifting in the dark chaos.


    The Mysterious Deep Sea.


    A monstrous limb with countless ghastly barbs descended from the sky, pinning a writhing deformed lump of flesh, that kept bulging and squirming on the ground, firmly onto the rocks.


    The entity known as the Fear Demon, a Profound Demon, let out a terrifying series of screams, but no matter how it struggled, it couldn¡¯t break free from those skeletal limbs, and in almost the blink of an eye, it deflated rapidly like a punctured balloon. Clouds of murky smoke dust evaporated from its surface, and the remaining parts turned into a sludge-like ¡°mud,¡± swiftly absorbed by the skeletal limb.


    The towering skeletal limb curved upward, and from the center of its twelve symmetrical limbs, a Profound Demon retaining some aspects of a human female form, gigantic in size, was slowly raising its head.


    Sherry glanced calmly over the desolate landscape¡¯s many remnants¨Cripped apart Abyssal Hounds, death heralding birds struggling and jumping on the ground, Smoke Dust Jellyfish and Fear Demons melting into sludge, and that crooked black skull floating in the sky, its eye sockets flickering red intermittently.


    More Profound Demons gathered in the distance, hesitating.


    Profound Demons have no hearts, but even heartless demons have some instinct for self-preservation when the threat reaches a certain level¨Cat least, they were not here to become food for a more powerful demon.


    Sherry moved her twelve long limbs as if walking on the ground with curved bone wings. She continued to approach the edge of the barren plain, occasionally impaling an injured demon that failed to dodge with her ¡°long legs,¡± turning it into sustenance absorbed by her limbs.


    At first, she despised this, picking clean areas to walk to avoid ¡°eating¡± the disgusting mud as much as possible.


    But now she didn¡¯t care so much anymore.


    ¡°Sherry¡­ relax¡­¡±


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    She just muttered softly, passing through the many severely injured demons, heading towards a direction she deemed correct.


    The battered black skull flew to the side almost in fear, avoiding the path of this ¡°strange intruder.¡±


    But Sherry¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t rest on the skull for even a second.


    She just murmured, continuing to move forward: ¡°¡­don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    The demons on the plain opened a path in fear.

 Chapter 725 - Chapter 725 Chapter 722 The Second Severe Beating

    Chapter 725: Chapter 722: The Second Severe Beating Chapter 725: Chapter 722: The Second Severe Beating The enormous demon, possessing twelve symmetrical limbs and a human face, finally began to walk away. Under the dome of the high, distant starry sky, her silhouette gradually distorted and merged into the chaos in the distance. Where she had once occupied, only pitch-black skeletal remains and flesh, now gradually disintegrating and ascending, remained, along with dozens of indigenous creatures, battered and slowly regaining strength.


    Struggling, several Abyssal Hounds climbed out from the pile of bones, their bodies missing several bone shards. Ominous birds circled above the lifeless remains, searching for materials to restore their energy. A huge, spike-covered skull slowly landed nearby on the ground, its dark red hollow eye sockets watching the demons on the plains.


    After the departure of the Superior Demon, a fragile and dangerous balance had formed among these remaining Profound Demons, but this brief balance was soon to be shattered.


    As the common sense of fear faded, the instincts for strife and destruction reclaimed dominance¨Cmutual slaughter and devouring are the eternal logic within the Mysterious Deep Sea, especially surrounded by ¡°food¡± and each demon needing to rapidly heal.


    An Abyssal Hound rummaging through the pile for usable bones was the first to growl menacingly at those ominous birds circling in the sky. Following this, the Smoke Dust Jellyfish emerged from the shadows, silently extending their twisted and sinister tentacles toward the nearby Fear Demons. The dark skull also gradually began to float up from the ground, its lower jaw slowly opening, fluttering with a dangerous energy inside¡­


    Even though they had just been pushed to the ground and rubbed by a powerful and unusual ¡°Outsider Demon,¡± it couldn¡¯t stop these Profound Demons from descending back into mutual slaughter at this moment.


    But just as the melee was about to erupt, an additional sound suddenly came from not far away, instantly interrupting the demons¡¯ actions.


    The dark skull noticed the presence of the Outsider first, abruptly rising higher and turning its head toward the direction of the sound.


    A massive shadow staggered across the plains, as if suddenly ¡°popping¡± out from thin air, its swelling, wriggling shadow sketching a constantly changing silhouette.


    This scene was reminiscent of those ¡°Newborn Demons¡± that had just emerged from the limbs of ¡°The Saint¡±¨Cthey often took on this formless, chaotic appearance until, after a period of devouring and merging, this chaotic ¡°demon matrix¡± collapsed and solidified into a specific demon ¡°species.¡±


    However, the uninvited guest appearing on the wilderness was obviously not a ¡°Newborn Demon¡±¨Cas a shapeless ¡°demon matrix,¡± the aura it emitted was too dangerous¡­and eerie.


    The sense of crisis made all the Profound Demons at the scene instantly drop their aggressive impulses and instinctively focus their defenses on that constantly swelling and wriggling shadow.


    Slowly, a physical form emerged from that shadow, a¡­ an Abyssal Hound constructed from countless floating shards of bones, almost twice the size of its kind.


    Ah Dog felt like it had been in a very long dream.


    It couldn¡¯t remember what happened in the dream, but it remembered going to a very far place where it met some people, some friends. It lived among a group of weak but orderly creatures and took a long time to learn a set of ¡°rules of survival.¡±


    And a similarly weak¡­ creature had always been by its side.


    ¡­Yes, where did that small creature go?


    It slowly lifted its head, its groggy vision seemingly covered with a thick curtain, everything in sight appearing distorted and layered. This place¡­ looked somewhat familiar, but it seemed it hadn¡¯t been here in a long time.


    It felt like it didn¡¯t like this place¨Cit preferred living in a sunny spot with that ¡°small creature.¡±


    In the foggy haze and curtain around it, many vague shapes gathered on all sides, distant and blurred growls and whispers coming from every direction, seemingly threatening, seemingly malevolent.


    Ah Dog tried hard to open its eyes wide to clearly see what those growling shadows looked like, but it still couldn¡¯t see them clearly¨Chowever, gradually, it felt something else.


    That feeling came from within itself¨Chunger.


    It was hungry, very, very hungry, as though it hadn¡¯t eaten in a century, and then suddenly arrived at a place¡­ abundant with food.


    And driven by this hunger, its muddled mind finally began to recall some impressions related to that long ¡°Dreamscape.¡±


    It remembered that small creature, remembered accompanying the little fellow through the long winter nights, hiding together in the house wrapped in a blanket when the weather was cold¡­


    They shared the warm soup brought by a kind neighbor¨Ceach time it only ate a spoonful¡­


    Together, they learned how to survive in that vast City-State, learning to understand the kindness and malice in people¡¯s hearts, learning to distinguish useful and dangerous things in dumpsters¡­


    Begging, deceiving, factories, chimneys, stealing, getting beaten, relief soup, working hard, eating well, crying together, laughing together, living¡­


    Together.


    In the blurry, layered curtain, threatening and hostile roars rose and fell increasingly agitatedly, then suddenly, a swift shadow dashed from some direction, launching a fierce attack on itself.


    Ah Gou felt something biting into his flesh¨Cit stung slightly.


    In the shrinking, writhing shadows, Ah Gou¡¯s skeletal skull slowly lowered its gaze, and within the hollow sockets, a faint glint of eerie green twinkled faintly, curiously watching the thing biting into him¡­


    An Abyssal Hound¨Cseemingly one of his own kind.


    Ah Gou¡¯s body took shape rapidly amidst the shadows and the dark mist, with bizarrely shaped bone splinters extending from his joints, helping him regain the shape that an Abyssal Hound should have. He watched the ¡°fellow¡± creature tearing at his body for a few seconds before speaking somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Have you seen a human? She is my friend.¡±


    The Abyssal Hound that was biting Ah Gou¡¯s body hesitated, then stopped, not because it understood Ah Gou¡¯s question¨Cit lacked such intelligence.


    It sensed an immense danger¨Chidden within Ah Gou¡¯s sockets, flickering with an eerie green fire, was an all-too-familiar, dread-inducing aura.


    The Abyssal Hound finally reacted, but it was too late. It barely had time to release its grip when the next second, Ah Gou¡¯s body exploded into countless black bone shards, instantly disintegrating and reforming around the assailant¡¯s figure in the blink of an eye, restoring Ah Gou¡¯s form!


    Mouth inefficient for feeding, direct consumption was much more efficient.


    The rash assailant vanished, replaced by the looming figure of Ah Gou, whose pitch-black skeletal pieces at his trunk vigorously contracted and writhed, producing a series of squeaking and grinding noises from within, along with the violent struggles and muffled roars of the ¡°food¡±¨Cbut these barely lasted a few seconds before the struggles and growls subsided, leaving only the noise of grinding bones.


    The hunger subsided.


    Ah Gou lifted his head, sensing his strength gradually returning.


    ¡°Demon¡­ tasty¡­¡±


    The feast had begun.


    Among the roars and mumblings of countless demons, Ah Gou¡¯s figure abruptly shattered into numerous disseminating black bone shards, like a discordant tornado sweeping across the wasteland¨Cheavy with desolation¨Ccarving through everything in its reach, whether the living demons, the rising smoke dust from demon remains, the mud flowing on the ground, even the stones of the surface and thorn-bushes resembling fossils, all torn asunder as ¡°food.¡±


    Some Profound Demons launched futile counterattacks, filling Ah Gou¡¯s belly with their vigorous resistance, while the smarter demons frantically raced towards the ends of the wasteland, evading the feeding storm¨Cwith some sustaining scars and even parting with limbs, only about a dozen demons managed to escape to relatively safer grounds.


    The storm continued for an indeterminate time until it gradually subsided above the wasteland, and a huge figure, burning with eerie green flames and ascending black smoke, coalesced from the storm.


    The hunger had subsided; Ah Gou lifted his head and looked towards a specific direction in the deeper parts of the wasteland¨Che sensed a familiar presence in the distance.


    It seemed to be the small creature he had lived with for a long period.


    After a few seconds of dull, confused thoughts, Ah Gou slowly shifted his gaze, locating a relatively large piece of demon remains amidst the wreckage of the wasteland¨Che lowered his head, picked up the remains, and uttered a muffled grunt:


    ¡°Sherry¡­ I found food¡­¡±


    He strode toward the deeper reaches of the wasteland.


    In the wreckage and debris, the surviving demons, trembling, stood up, staring blankly into the distance.


    They had survived two feasts¨Cluckily, they weren¡¯t completely consumed.


    And the snippet of eerie green fire from the feast was still deeply imprinted in their bewildered minds.


    It was fear, a kind of fear ingrained in the fundamental logic of almost all Profound Demons, even overpowering their chaotic instincts.


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    A gigantic Skull Demon, bristling with spikes and pitch black, wavered midair; it had nearly been eaten away by the recent storm by a third but still stubbornly survived¨Cthis creature, seemingly smarter than the ordinary demons, fluttered briefly, uttering an indistinct murmur before slowly drifting away.


    But it suddenly stopped.


    The Skull Demon seemed to sense something, abruptly turning its head towards the ¡°Mysterious Dome¡± covering the stagnating stars above.


    A stream of eerie green flames, like a meteor, descended from the sky, aiming straight for the wasteland!


    Perhaps due to the relentlessly intense stimuli, as the ¡°meteor¡± appeared, a vague, chaotic ¡°thought¡± flashed through the muddied, simple ¡°mind¡± of the Skull Demon¨C


    Ah, the third devastating meal has arrived¡­

 Chapter 726 - Chapter 726 Chapter 723 Under the Gloomy Starry Sky

    Chapter 726: Chapter 723 Under the Gloomy Starry Sky Chapter 726: Chapter 723 Under the Gloomy Starry Sky The green flame fell like a meteor from the frozen starry sky above, trailing a bright path before crashing down onto the desolate plain littered with strange stones.


    After the flame burst open, revealing Duncan and Alice, they stepped into this unknown world amidst the fluttering firelight.


    Before the flames had dissipated, Duncan noticed the bizarre, twisted figures in the distance¨Cabout a dozen Profound Demons clustered at the edge of the landing site, seemingly dazed for some reason.


    He and the demons stood staring at each other, creating an oddly stagnant atmosphere.


    It wasn¡¯t until the belatedly alert Alice blurted out that the frozen atmosphere was broken, ¡°Captain! We¡¯re surrounded!¡±


    ¡°¡­I see that,¡± Duncan replied, already preparing to ¡°get acquainted¡± with those demons. The dozen or so creatures in the distance were clearly different from the Profound Demons he had seen in the real dimension, summoned by cultists. Their limbs were markedly more twisted, with eerie dislocations and fractures visible on their bodies. The floating Skull Demon, with a terrifying void atop its head, looked particularly troublesome.


    According to Duncan¡¯s understanding, the more twisted a Profound Demon was, the stronger and more bothersome it probably was¨Cthe demons before him were so twisted they were practically breaking, definitely the elites of the Mysterious Deep Sea, unlike the weak ones that would flee upon seeing him in the real world¡­


    What he hadn¡¯t expected was that as soon as he was ready to ¡°greet¡± these natives, the group of creatures in the distance seemed to suddenly come to their senses. They let out a series of chaotic, noisy roars and hoarse screams before exploding in all directions, with half of them disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    The other half didn¡¯t run, not because they chose not to, but because they simply couldn¡¯t¨Cit looked horrifying as the Skull Demon was flying unsteadily like an old diesel engine with a leaky cylinder. After fluttering a bit, it would emit a puff of black smoke through the hole in its head and then fall to the ground. After struggling for a moment, it would rise again, only to emit another puff and fall once more¡­


    By optimistic estimates, in half a minute it could fly at most six meters, spending most of the time fizzling on the spot.


    Duncan & Alice: ¡°¡­?¡±


    After a moment¡¯s reaction, Duncan finally noticed the messy traces on the ground at the edge of the landing site¨Cnumerous indistinguishable remnants strewn among ridges and furrows, emitting clouds of dust while melding into the ground. All around were terrifying pits and grooves, as if the land had been gouged by some crushing force. It was a chilling sight.


    Initially, Duncan had thought these traces were merely a ¡°natural landscape¡± of the Mysterious Deep Sea, having heard that the place was a ¡°fragmented wasteland¡±, but now he realized¡­ this was a battlefield, the aftermath of a fierce battle.


    Something had arrived here before them, killing almost all the Profound Demons in the center of the wilderness, and those dozen or so demons were just the lucky survivors¨C


    Their twisted forms had been twisted by some violent force.


    And now Alice realized the situation as well. Her eyes widened as she looked around and noticed the pitch-black bones scattered in nearby pits, gripping Duncan¡¯s arm, ¡°Captain! The place is littered with demon remnants!¡±


    Duncan glanced at the wobbling Skull Demon trying hard to fly and a few birds of doom hopping on one leg, lost in thought, ¡°¡­It seems there has been a battle already¡­¡±


    ¡°Who did this?¡± Alice appeared quite uneasy, the surrounding scene making her nervous, ¡°Are the internal fights among Profound Demons always this fierce?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak for a moment, just bent down and carefully examined a piece of bone that had nearly been scorched to cinder, and then opened his palm above the fragment.


    A faint green spark, nearly imperceptible to the naked eye, drifted up from the charred bone, floating gently into his palm.


    The weak spark still carried the ¡°memories¡± left behind by the recent battle on this field.


    ¡°It was Sherry and the Hound,¡± Duncan finally said after a moment, looking towards the vast expanse of the wasteland, ¡°They had come here one after another¡­ Theoretically, these traces are what they left behind.¡±


    Listening, Alice¡¯s expression became blank for a moment, not quite catching up, ¡°¡­Are Sherry and the Hound that powerful?¡±


    ¡°It seems something has happened to them, some kind of significant¡­ transformation,¡± Duncan frowned slightly, his expression grave, ¡°Especially with Sherry, she doesn¡¯t seem quite right to me now.¡±


    As he spoke, he turned his gaze following the direction of the ¡°marking aura¡± from Sherry and the Hound.


    The boundless chaos permeated this vast dimension, with the stagnant ancient starry sky looming high over the dome of the Mysterious Deep Sea. The dim stars illuminated those fragmented floating islands within the chaotic space¨Cin the range of his vision, he could see many shadows of varying sizes floating in the dim starlight, all of which were floating landmasses, including the ¡°wasteland¡± upon which he and Alice stood, seemingly just part of numerous shattered islands.


    The entire ¡°Mysterious Deep Sea¡± consisted of countless fragmented floating islands floating within a dimension covered by the stagnant ancient sky, the whole space filled with an atmosphere of desolation and death.


    Duncan withdrew his gaze and addressed the person beside him, ¡°Do you feel anything special now? Can you see or hear any unusual information?¡±


    Alice carefully distinguished for a moment and shook her head, ¡°Not for now.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, then raised a hand and pointed into the distance, ¡°Sherry and A-Dog¡¯s marks are in this direction, still moving. Let¡¯s chase after them.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± Alice immediately nodded and followed Duncan¡¯s steps, muttering under her breath, ¡°Sherry must be terrified¡­ She¡¯s actually very timid¡­ A-Dog, too, is not very brave¡­¡±


    The two figures exuding a terrifyting aura finally had left towards the distance¨Cthey seemed to have no intention of causing trouble here.


    The Skull Demon, floating askew in mid-air, trembled slightly, its red eyes in its eye sockets flickering on and off. It watched the two uninvited guests leaving, and for the first time, a concept like ¡°relief¡± emerged in its chaotic and dull mind.


    A Death Messenger, left with only one leg and half a wing, hopped from the rubble not far away, while two Fear Demons, nearly flattened, moved sluggishly through the cracks on the ground. Several Abyssal Hounds, almost torn to pieces, were struggling to crawl away.


    What a beautiful day.


    A long, spiny limb, like a sword, stabbed from the sky, pinning an abomination of a demon, which was opening its maw to roar and readying its breath, to the earth. Then the limb continued to stride forward toward the edge of the wilderness.


    Twelve symmetrical limbs, with many large and small, bizarre and horrific demonic creatures impaled on them, twisted and ugly, some still struggling and screeching, but many were motionless, emitting rolling dust, gradually turning into mud.


    The owner of the limbs, however, had already stopped caring¨Cafter an unknown period of travel, she had finally reached the end of this land.


    The land floating in the chaotic darkness was like an isolated island; nothing but boundless void lay beyond its end. At the edge of this wilderness, rocks and soil came to an abrupt halt. The broken edge of the earth emitted a thin mist, encircling the lone island like low-flowing clouds.


    Sherry carefully stopped at the edge of this land, using her barbed limbs to grip the crevices in the rocks, cautiously peeking down over the edge of the floating isle, then swiftly withdrew her gaze.


    There was no more road.


    What to do next?


    She pondered, remaining immobile like a statue at the end of the wilderness, as if dead.


    But the demons lurking around, hesitating, knew¨Cthe powerful and frightening ¡°Outsider¡± was still alive. In the lattice of bones that was her ribcage, two dark red hearts and a tuft of flame were still beating slowly, unextinguished.


    After what seemed like an eternity, Sherry finally snapped out of her thoughts. She controlled her limbs to step back twice, trying to lower herself¨Cshe was tired, she wanted to sit and rest for a few minutes.


    After several attempts, she clumsily sat down, carefully folding her skeletal, wing-like structure behind her.


    Sitting there on a large rock, she lifted her head, staring somewhat absent-mindedly at the frozen, ancient starry sky above.


    The cosmos was cold, filled with an aura of death and desolation, like a grand yet lifeless corpse, its billions of eyes coldly overlooking everything.


    So beautiful but also quite frightening, she felt as if she was about to fall into that dense array of stars and become part of them, and yet also felt overwhelmed by them, as if being crushed under this shattered and desolate land.


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    What words could properly describe such a scene, such a feeling?


    Sherry thought earnestly and hard, and suddenly regretted not listening to the captain and reading more books. If she had, she would have a vast vocabulary, rather than being stuck after a long thought with just one phrase¨C


    ¡°¡­Damn, that¡¯s beautiful¡­¡±


    Then footsteps suddenly appeared nearby, interrupting Sherry¡¯s reveries, causing the demons hiding in the darkness, full of malice yet hesitation, to finally retreat.


    Sherry slowly turned, and saw an Abyssal Hound, larger than all the others and with bones broken and floating in black smoke, coming from the shadows.


    It approached cautiously, green flames burning in its hollow sockets. It seemed hesitant, nervous, and faltering. It lingered for a long time about ten meters away before slowly advancing a few steps, placing the object in its mouth onto the ground.


    ¡°¡­Sherry, I found something to eat¡­¡±


    The statement sounded achingly familiar.

 Chapter 727 - Chapter 727 Chapter 724 Reforging

    Chapter 727: Chapter 724: Reforging Chapter 727: Chapter 724: Reforging Such a familiar phrase plunged Sherry into a brief trance, where her memories undulated in a fading ocean. From those illusory, hazy bubbles, some longstanding warmth and colors emerged. It took a long while for her to somewhat dully come back to her senses, looking at the unusually large Abyssal Hound not far away.


    It was still there, waiting, with hesitation and tension, and a bit of confusion.


    As if a layer of sticky mud covered its mind, the hound felt many things were amiss in its head, its past memories blurry, and its current thoughts intermittent. It wasn¡¯t sure what exactly the problem was, only feeling¡­ as if something was missing inside.


    A faint light twinkled in its hollow eye sockets. The hound looked at the peculiar Profound Demon nearby, sporting strange skeletal limbs that were somewhat familiar, feeling waves of haziness.


    It hadn¡¯t seen her before, but it knew her¨Cit had known her a long long time ago.


    Why had the memory¡¯s tiny figure changed like this?


    After hesitating indeterminably, the hound carefully walked forward. First, it sniffed the scent in its surroundings, then carefully stepped over the spiny, elongated limbs to approach Sherry.


    Sherry silently watched the towering Abyssal Hound. After a few minutes, she slowly stood up and reached out to touch the top of the hound¡¯s head. ¡°Why have you also become so strange?¡±


    The hound awkwardly tilted its head, seemingly wanting to say something, but before it could speak, it felt a push from behind its neck¨CSherry suddenly reached out, embraced the hound¡¯s neck, and then forcefully hugged it to her chest.


    ¡°¡­I thought I had lost you¡­¡± she muttered softly, her voice trembling slightly with belated fear, ¡°You suddenly fell down, and I couldn¡¯t hold onto you¡­¡±


    The hound felt its head grow increasingly groggy, its sluggish thoughts stuttering, hardly forming a coherent thought, but just then, it suddenly heard something.


    Thump, thump¨Cthe familiar heartbeat!


    It pressed against Sherry¡¯s chest, the sound of two hearts beating slowly, seemingly piercing through the muddiness in its head. It abruptly woke from a profound daze, recalling everything swiftly with each heartbeat. A glow gradually brightened in its eye sockets as it finally broke the silence, struggling slightly. ¡°Sherry, I¡­ back then¡­¡±


    But Sherry didn¡¯t loosen her arms, continuing to hold the hound¡¯s neck while whispering, ¡°I know, hound¡­ I know everything.¡±


    The fire in the hound¡¯s eyes flickered momentarily as it ceased struggling, its tone hesitant. ¡°When¡­ did you know?¡±


    ¡°The first time I learned that Profound Demons have no hearts,¡± Sherry answered softly.


    The hound fell silent, maintaining its posture of being embraced by the neck, motionless, pondering deeply for a long while before it muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Sherry responded almost instantly, then slightly loosened her grip on the hound¡¯s neck, staring earnestly at this Abyssal Hound which had accompanied her for twelve years, almost having raised her herself. She slowly nodded as if to emphasize, ¡°It¡¯s okay¨Cyou¡¯ve always been with me.¡±


    The hound nodded dully, feeling a twinge of relief inside but at the same time, its mind suddenly felt vaguely hazy once more.


    That feeling of sluggish thoughts and fragmented memories surged again and again.


    ¡°Sherry, my head feels so foggy¡­¡± it uttered instinctively.


    ¡°It might be because of this,¡± Sherry quickly realized, looking down at her chest¨Ctwo hearts were beating in her chest cavity, but soon she furrowed her brows, ¡°¡­but it seems I can¡¯t take them out anymore¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she reached out to touch the crisscrossing bone armor on her chest, as if trying to reopen the sturdy ¡°bone cage.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch them,¡± the hound immediately spoke up to stop Sherry¡¯s next move, ¡°You could die!¡±


    Sherry stopped, looking helplessly at the hound. ¡°Then¡­ what do we do?¡±


    The hound said nothing, its gaze falling on Sherry¡¯s right hand¨Cthe broken chain dangled there, the end of the chain faintly visible with a green flame burning.


    Sherry quickly responded and her gaze met with A-Dog¡¯s, thinking of the same possibility.


    ¡°¡­ Fix this?¡± she hesitated to speak, ¡°Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°I think it should work in theory,¡± A-Dog mumbled with uncertain tone, ¡°after all, we have always relied on symbiosis to maintain our balance, but¡­¡± A-Dog mumbled, the tone not quite sure, ¡°this has never happened before, a symbiont surviving so long after the chain breaks is already unprecedented, let alone repairing the chain¡­ To be honest, I don¡¯t know how to handle it.¡±


    Listening to A-Dog¡¯s explanation, Sherry showed a thoughtful expression on her face. She then picked up the broken chain segment, found the other part near A-Dog¡¯s neck, and tried fitting the broken ends together for half a minute before lifting her head, ¡°¡­ It seems just putting them together won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, of course it won¡¯t work¨Cyou¡¯d at least need a blacksmith if it were just a simple broken chain!¡± A-Dog snapped, shaking its head, but then lay down due to a dizzy spell, ¡°This might require a strict ¡®reshaping¡¯ process¡­ what¡¯s important isn¡¯t fixing the chain, but repairing the symbiotic relationship between us¡­¡±


    Sherry listened intently, thinking hard, while also muttering, ¡°After all¡­ How did this chain suddenly break in the first place? I only remember when we were in that cave, you suddenly felt unwell, and then you sank into the ground¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely related to The Saint of the Abyss and also related to the many ¡®truths¡¯ you ¡®saw¡¯ suddenly in that square,¡± A-Dog analyzed as it fought the grogginess in its mind, ¡°There were signs before the chain broke, and the initial change occurred right after you ¡®saw¡¯ the memories of Holy Land Island¡­¡±


    It halted suddenly, catching onto a possibility, then continued after a moment, ¡°¡­ Those Heretics, upon knowing the ¡®truth,¡¯ were instantly corrupted and twisted, reverting to ¡®raw constructs¡¯ from humans, and because you were under the captain¡¯s protection, it appeared that you weren¡¯t influenced by the corruption¨Cbut is it possible that the corruption still took effect?¡±


    Sherry was stunned, looking down at her own body.


    A-Dog continued, thinking aloud, ¡°You have been symbiotic with me, a Profound Demon, since before you even met the captain, so ¡®corruption¡¯ might have already been ingrained in your essence. The memories of Holy Land Island triggered it, awakening your profound demonic side, because it¡¯s something within you, partially bypassing the captain¡¯s protection¡­


    ¡°The chain between humans and Profound Demons is essentially a ¡®symbiotic contract¡¯ between two organisms¨Cwith strict conditions for establishment, in other words, when your essence changes, it¡¯s tantamount to breaking the conditions that established the contract¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s like the contracts between merchants, when one party, due to force majeure, loses the ability to fulfill the contract, the contract naturally becomes void¡­¡±


    Sherry, listening puzzledly, finally responded, ¡°Then¡­ what now?¡±


    A-Dog thought seriously, ¡°If it won¡¯t fix, then make a new one, perhaps we should consider establishing a new symbiotic contract¨Cnot with your previous state, but with your current state.¡±


    This time, Sherry finally understood.


    Hope reignited in her heart, and she found new motivation, ¡°Then what should we do? How are these symbiotic contracts usually formed?¡±


    Though she and A-Dog had been ¡°symbiotic¡± for over a decade, it had never been a normal contract relationship from the start; she had never performed any summoning rituals like ordinary eradication adherents, thus she was almost completely ignorant in this area.


    But A-Dog clearly knew much more.


    ¡°In terms of the ¡®symbiotic contract¡¯ like the eradication adherents¡¯, the most difficult part is the preparation beforehand. The eradication adherents usually require a series of ritualistic acts to transform themselves, including various bloody ¡®surgeries¡¯ and mental reshaping, accompanied by many nefarious and dark deeds, ultimately making their life forms more akin to the ¡®original,¡¯ thus enabling them to withstand the power of Profound Demons¨Cbut for you, this is the least important part.


    ¡°Because you can skip this process, you are already closer to that so-called ¡®original¡¯ state than any eradication adherents, and you have adapted to the demon¡¯s power.


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    ¡°So, what you need to do is just perform a simple summoning ritual¨Cthat¡¯s actually the easiest part.¡±


    A-Dog said this while staggering to its feet, walking slowly across the stony wilderness, carving deep grooves in the earth with its claws¨Cit was drawing a complex set of runes, inscribing the ¡°text¡± of the contract.


    ¡°Establishing connection¡­ summoning the demon¡­ these are simple for us, I can prepare all the runes and grounds required for the ritual, and I will supply the magic power needed to activate these runes¨Call you need to do is stand on the node at the edge of the ritual site. When I¡¯m ready, you just have to outline in your mind the demon you wish to summon.¡±


    It looked up, gazing into Sherry¡¯s eyes, watching curiously from the side, and continued very seriously¨C


    ¡°Usually, this summoning process would last an entire day or even longer, it opens a rift until the demon willing to respond appears at the center of the rune matrix, after which the contract is established, but¡­¡±


    While speaking, it walked slowly towards the center of those myriad runes, with many runes lighting up around it.


    ¡°But Sherry, you don¡¯t have to wait so long¨CI¡¯m right here.¡±

 Chapter 728 - Chapter 728 Chapter 725 Knowledge Changes Fate

    Chapter 728: Chapter 725: Knowledge Changes Fate Chapter 728: Chapter 725: Knowledge Changes Fate All the runes had been prepared, the ¡°text¡± of the symbiotic contract was written on the great earth of the Mysterious Deep Sea, the summoner was in place, and the demons had arrived at the correct positions¨Call the necessary conditions for initiating the ritual were complete.


    Agou stood at the center of the rune matrix, its eyes flickering with faint green fire, gazing at Sherry on the edge of the Array. As its consciousness became increasingly muddled, it slowly nodded its head.


    Encouraged by Agou, Sherry moved to the Array¡¯s ¡°node¡± position and tried to calm her thoughts.


    She knew nothing about these complex runes, had never received any formal occult training, nor did she understand the profound and dark rituals of the annihilation cultists¨Cnow she felt restless, facing these arcane and incomprehensible runes, her heart was filled with tension.


    But she trusted Agou¨Cshe needed this friend, she had to reshape this bond.


    She took a deep breath, slowly closed her eyes, and with all her memories and imagination, sketched out the appearance of the demon she wanted to ¡°summon.¡±


    Yet that image had already been deeply imprinted in her mind for many years, and without much effort to envisage it vividly, that very familiar figure already emerged in her thoughts.


    The runes on the ground began to light up slowly, the ancient communication protocol was ¡°awakened¡± in the unique logic and form of the Deep Sea Age, and a secret and subtle sense of connection appeared in both Sherry and Agou¡¯s perception, growing steadily stronger with the brightening of the rune matrix¡­


    However, just seconds later, all the runes went out without warning, and the newly established connection was instantly disrupted¨Ca short, sharp wail echoed through the air, vibrating Agou¡¯s charred bone fragments and the twelve skeletal limbs behind Sherry.


    Sherry was jolted from her meditation, her eyes wide with shock and bewilderment as she saw all the runes extinguish in a flash¨Cher figure swayed, and she saw Agou at the center of the Array also suddenly lift its head.


    The ritual to reshape the symbiotic contract had failed.


    ¡°How could this happen¡­¡± Sherry¡¯s expression was one of astonishment; she looked at the completely incomprehensible runes, then up at the equally perplexed Agou, ¡°Did I do something wrong just now? Or are these runes mistaken?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Agou also appeared confused, stepping down from the position representing the ¡°demon,¡± coming beside Sherry to closely inspect the situation near the node, ¡°These runes are definitely correct, this portion of knowledge is almost directly imprinted in my brain, your operation just now should also be correct, otherwise, these things wouldn¡¯t light up¡­ but I don¡¯t know where the problem occurred¡­ the whole process just stopped halfway¡­¡±


    Sherry furrowed her brow furiously, noticing that the light in Agou¡¯s eyes was beginning to dim, and it was speaking in fits and starts, which made her panic: ¡°I¡­ let¡¯s try again!¡±


    Agou immediately nodded: ¡°Good, let¡¯s try once more!¡±


    So they returned to the correct positions and tested the process again¨Cbut the result was the same.


    The rune array was briefly activated and lit up, but it could only maintain for a few seconds before it ¡°froze¡± like a malfunctioning machine, followed by a short, piercing wail as it all went dark.


    Sherry started to panic; in the briefly established connection, she felt that Agou¡¯s condition was getting worse¨Cits reason and humanity were gradually fading away, and in moments of daze, it couldn¡¯t even distinguish her appearance.


    With an increasingly severe dizziness and disruption of thought, Agou staggered to the ¡°node¡± position where Sherry was, barely able to support its body, flopping down as it tried to focus its mind and spoke in a low voice: ¡°It¡¯s not right¡­ there must be something I overlooked¡­ The ritual setup is¡­ is fine, the problem should be¡­ be with our current special state, we must¡­ make adjustments¡­¡±


    ¡°Adjustments? How do we adjust?¡± Sherry asked hurriedly, ¡°Should I change my position? Is it that the node¡¯s position isn¡¯t quite right? Or is this place not suitable¡­¡±


    However, Agou seemed to no longer hear her words, its head drooping down, unsettling crackling noises coming from within its body, its skull wobbling side to side, emitting only a string of low murmurs Sherry couldn¡¯t understand at all.


    And just then, Sherry suddenly felt a familiar presence, followed by a low, authoritative voice, which, in this situation, brought her an unexpected sense of comfort and relief: ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Sherry and the groggy Agou almost simultaneously lifted their heads, looking towards the direction the voice came from.


    Duncan and Alice were standing not far off in the wilderness.


    ¡°Captain!?¡± After a moment of hesitation and stupor, Sherry suddenly snapped to attention, seemingly forgetting the physical transformation she had undergone, nearly tripping over her own feet as she stepped forward¨Cbut she quickly braced herself with the long limbs behind her, rushing over to Duncan, ¡°Captain, please help Agou, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s in a bad way, our connection has been disrupted, the reshaping ritual just now also went wrong, I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop stop stop, slow down,¡± Duncan quickly gestured with his hand to cut off Sherry¡¯s rapid blabber, his brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the girl before him, who had completely changed in appearance¨Che could still recognize the familiar Sherry from the ¡°mark,¡± but her current demonic demeanor somewhat startled him¨CAgou nearby seemed to have undergone significant changes too, ¡°What exactly happened to you?¡±


    Sherry paused for a moment, her lips trembling slightly: ¡°I¡­ our chains have been broken.¡±


    A Dog, not far from there, seemed to have temporarily regained some strength and lifted his head with difficulty, ¡°We¡­ tried to hold another coexistence contract ceremony, but something went wrong with the ceremony¡­¡±


    ¡°Something went wrong with the ceremony?¡± Duncan immediately furrowed his brows and asked as he walked toward the rough, makeshift array on the ground, ¡°What specifically?¡±


    ¡°It started up and then suddenly stopped,¡± Sherry explained swiftly to Duncan while supporting herself on her hind limbs as she walked forward, and she repeated the ¡°knowledge¡± that A Dog had just told her to the captain, ¡°¡­I was standing here, A Dog stood in the position representing ¡®demon,¡¯ and then it didn¡¯t work¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she stepped over the temporarily immobilized A Dog and quickly strode to the center of the array, pointing to the ground at her feet and explaining what had just happened to Duncan, ¡°This was A Dog¡¯s position just now, and all the runes around here lit up like¡­ like now¡­ this?¡±


    She hesitated and stopped.


    Because she saw a circle of runes around her suddenly emit a dim glow¨Csoon after, all the runes on the entire array began to light up one by one and started flashing rapidly according to a complex pattern.


    Duncan, who had just figured out what a so-called ¡°contract ceremony¡± process entailed, also saw this scene, and his expression gradually became a bit subtle, ¡°¡­?¡±


    Sherry & A Dog: ¡°¡­?¡±


    The ancient communication protocol had been activated.


    Alice saw a special set of ¡°lines¡± extend simultaneously from Sherry and A Dog. Almost in the blink of an eye, they were guided by the faint light from the array, merged together, and quickly transformed into a solid form, reshaping the broken chain.


    The whole process was so fast it was over before one could react¨Cby the time Sherry finally realized what was happening, the chain between her and A Dog had been restored to its original state.


    Afterward, the contract array completed its mission, all the runes finally dimmed completely and gradually covered up with a layer of grey, the texture signifying depletion.


    Sherry, who had been in a daze in the center of the array, finally walked out from the position representing ¡°demon.¡± She raised her arm, the pitch-black symbiotic chains rattled, and on the other end of the chain, the spiritually rejuvenated A Dog was slowly rising from the ground, shaking his enormous skeletal head.


    In those eye sockets, which had once dimmed almost to extinction, the light was being rekindled and once again released the glowing wisdom that represented the pinnacle of high school graduation and a half-step into City-State University.


    The atmosphere on the scene became slightly awkward for half a minute.


    ¡°Can I interpret it like this,¡± Duncan said after a moment, standing beside the remnants of the array and looking at the two ¡°crew members¡± in front of him, who had already rebuilt their chains but still looked the same as before, ¡°Now, A Dog, you really are Sherry¡¯s ¡®guardian dog,¡¯ and Sherry¡­ you are now A Dog¡¯s ¡®contract human.''¡±


    Sherry looked a bit dazed, and so was A Dog¡¯s posture.


    Alice, who had been in a daze on the side, also came to her senses at this moment and suddenly blurted out, ¡°Why did this happen¡­¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression remained dazed.


    But A Dog¡¯s wisdom suddenly started working; he pondered for a moment, hesitatingly speaking, ¡°¡­Purity.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression became subtle, ¡°Purity?¡±


    A Dog lifted his head and pointed at Sherry, who now had some human features yet overall looked almost like a Profound Demon, ¡°Her purity as a Profound Demon¡­ is extremely high.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not right,¡± Sherry finally snapped out of her daze, immediately spoke up after hearing what A Dog said, ¡°Even if my purity is high, it can¡¯t be higher than yours, I just have a part of the demon inside me showing, you are originally from ¡®over there¡¯¡­¡±


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    As they conducted their outlandish yet solemn analysis, Duncan looked at Sherry, then at A Dog, also feeling incredulous about the situation and couldn¡¯t help but ponder for a moment, and an eerie yet unstoppable thought suddenly surfaced in his mind, ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    Sherry and A Dog in unison, ¡°Maybe?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s related to A Dog once having been ¡®marked¡¯ by the God of Wisdom Rahm,¡± Duncan continued, though he thought the idea was far-fetched, he still spoke earnestly, ¡°Although it wasn¡¯t pulled away at that time, but now it truly is a saint of the God of Wisdom¨Cthat¡¯s probably the reason.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression began to daze once more, ¡°¡­¡±


    After a moment, Duncan stepped forward, patted Sherry¡¯s arm (she was now very tall, no longer reachable to the head), and said with heartfelt sincerity, ¡°That¡¯s why I always say, knowledge changes fate.¡±

 Chapter 729 - Chapter 729 Chapter 726 Sherry amp; AGou

    Chapter 729: Chapter 726 Sherry & A¡¯Gou Chapter 729: Chapter 726 Sherry & A¡¯Gou On the shattered floating islands shrouded in stagnant starlight, A-Gou and Sherry reached the edge of the earth and sat down to space out.


    A pitch-black chain stretched out from Sherry¡¯s arm, covered in dark bone fragments, and connected to A-Gou¡¯s cervical spine, as the thoughts of their two minds quietly flowed through the chain¡¯s connection, blending and sharing reason and humanity with each other¨Cjust as they had for the past twelve years.


    They had much to talk about, during the brief yet thrilling moment after the chain broke, this pair of ¡°partners,¡± who had depended on each other for twelve years, faced many things they had never imagined before, and even Sherry, who was usually the least thoughtful, was having a lot of reflections on life this time.


    Of course, they also had to consider how to adapt to the explosive new relationship of ¡°Guardian Dog¡± and ¡°Contract Human¡± that would stand out in the whole world¡­


    Duncan didn¡¯t disturb them; instead, he, along with Alice, went to a place a little farther away from the boundary of the floating island to investigate the eerie environment of the ¡°Mysterious Deep Sea¡± while waiting.


    The surroundings were very quiet, with no living creatures visible on the desolate plain shrouded by a gloomy starry sky.


    This place had once been teeming with Profound Demons, but to avoid a beating, they had now fled clean away, leaving only a wasteland scattered with black strange stones and the jagged silhouettes of something in the distance.


    If he hadn¡¯t known he was in the ¡°Mysterious Deep Sea¡±, Duncan would have thought the scene before him resembled a barren alien world¨Cthe surface of the planet, dead as a silent star, together with the stagnant starlight above, exuded a desolate and oppressive atmosphere, hardly a pleasant environment.


    And if one considered that the only ¡°animals¡± here were countless frenzied demons, whose daily routines consisted of gnawing on their kind, gnawing on stones, and being gnawed on by their kind, then this place was even less ¡°habitable.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m beginning to have doubts about the plan of the Four Spirits Church,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°I mean the one about settling in the Mysterious Deep Sea¨Cthis damned place, even if humans really survive here, they¡¯re bound to be twisted beyond recognition¡­ I wonder if a ¡®civilization¡¯ that¡¯s completely non-human can still be called ¡®human civilization.''¡±


    Alice, beside him, pondered and seemed to half understand.


    However, she seemed to have no aversion to the environment here, adapting quite well, and still cheerfully looking around until now, neither the bare wasteland nor the dim environment affecting the good mood of this automaton¨Cshe ran to the side, picked up a strangely shaped stone, and happily showed it to Duncan: ¡°Captain! Look, look, a stone!¡±


    Duncan immediately gathered his thoughts and looked at the stone Alice had picked up with a serious and somber expression: ¡°What¡¯s so special about this stone?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like a goat¡¯s head from the side?¡± The automaton Miss immediately burst into laughter, a boasting expression on her face, ¡°I noticed it at first glance!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    While he was stunned, Alice ran over to the side again and dug up some stuff from nearby weird rocks, cheerfully presenting them to Duncan: ¡°And these, don¡¯t they look like branches?¡±


    Duncan looked at the ¡°branches¡± Alice was holding in her hand¨Cthey had seen plenty of them along the way; they looked like the thin branches of some kind of shrub, growing in rock crevices, with a grayish-white texture on the surface, but they had only the main stem without any leaf structures, and their shape was quite odd.


    Anyone seeing them for the first time would probably subconsciously think that they were a kind of ¡°plant¡± peculiar to the Mysterious Deep Sea.


    However, Alice casually snapped off a thin branch and pointed at the broken end of it: ¡°Look, it¡¯s also stone.¡±


    Duncan frowned slightly, taking the broken ¡°branch¡± from Alice, curiously observing the cross-sectional shape¨Cit seemed very brittle, with a neat and sharp end, and exhibited the same texture as the black and gray stones on the surrounding ground, but as Duncan observed it carefully under the starlight, he saw the fractured surface faintly reflecting tiny specks of light as if it were mixed with very fine metal dust or fibers.


    He then raised his head and looked towards the vast space shrouded in the gloomy starry sky¨Clarge and small broken islands floated in this dimension, some of them almost as large as the biggest City-States on the Endless Sea, while some were just bigger stones, but no matter how big the ¡°island,¡± there was one common feature:


    The lower half of the ¡°floating island¡± was a neatly shaped ¡°disk,¡± and at the bottom of the disk, one could see many clusters of stone-like hanging objects, and some huge structures with unclear shapes were connected between them, as if they were the ¡°bases¡± supporting the floating islands.


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, and he couldn¡¯t help but think of the ¡°Mirror Island¡± he had seen at the bottom of the Frost Sea¨Cthe black mirror island floating in the deep sea also had the same desolate primitive appearance as these broken floating islands here, and both were covered with ¡°black stone¡± materials of a similar kind, mixed with a slight metallic texture.


    Clearly, the two were similar things.


    If the human-shaped forms of black mud were ¡°primitive human material,¡± then the desolate primitive mirror island at the bottom of the Frost Sea was the ¡°primitive City-State,¡± and here in the Mysterious Deep Sea¡­ it seemed to be filled with the ¡°primitive material of City-States.¡±


    Could these possibly be the ¡°Primitive Material¡± used by The Saint during the Third Long Night? Or, to put it another way¡­ could these be the ¡°unfinished products¡± of the many islands floating on the Endless Sea?


    If all these were semi-finished products¡­ then clearly The Saint had a grander plan in mind when constructing the ¡°Shelter¡±¨Cmore islands, more City-States, a broader living space, abundant resources, and perhaps¡­ the planned scope of the Endless Sea from the beginning might have been many times wider than what the world now knows.


    However, now, these ¡°semi-finished products¡± merely floated quietly in this space, resembling a prison, letting the years pass by, forgotten by the mortal world and the gods alike. Only the dim-witted Profound Demons were left to fight each other daily in this place, maintaining a day-to-day cycle of meaningless material circulation and ¡°balance¡±.


    Footsteps suddenly came from the side, rousing Duncan from his thoughts.


    He lifted his head to follow the sound and saw two tall figures approaching¨C one was Sherry, who still maintained the form of a Profound Demon, and the other was A-Dog, whose spirit had fully recovered.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve finished talking,¡± Duncan took the initiative to walk over, breaking the silence first.


    ¡°Thank you for the time,¡± A-Dog lowered his head and said very politely, ¡°I hope it didn¡¯t cause any delay.¡±


    ¡°We still have lots to do¨C but there¡¯s no rush over these ten or so minutes,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, while observing the expressions on Sherry and A-Dog (mainly Sherry¡¯s, as it¡¯s hard to read any expression on A-Dog¡¯s bony face), ¡°It seems you¡¯re both in good spirits¨C did you discuss what to do in the future? I mean your new contract relationship¡­ about this unprecedented situation of a demon having summoned a contracted human.¡±


    Even as he spoke, Duncan felt a weird sensation in his heart. However, to his surprise, Sherry and A-Dog across from him appeared exceptionally indifferent to it, with the latter carelessly shaking his head: ¡°That¡¯s nothing. Sherry and I both think it doesn¡¯t have much impact on us¡­ ¡±


    Alice was startled and her eyes widened upon hearing this: ¡°No impact?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± A-Dog said very naturally, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s always been Sherry running around headfirst into things, and I¡¯m in charge of holding the leash at her side to prevent her from causing trouble. What did the captain say again¡­ Oh right, ¡®dog walking the person.¡¯ We¡¯ve been living like this for over a decade, and now it¡¯s no different!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Duncan and Alice exchanged glances, and it took them a few seconds to say in unison: ¡°It does seem that way¡­¡±


    Listening to this, Sherry almost drooped her head to her chest, muttering awkwardly with her head lowered: ¡°Can we not talk about this¡­ I¡¯m not that reckless¡­¡±


    Duncan immediately felt that this girl¡¯s words were not at all convincing¨C since the day she swung the chain and threw A-Dog out to hit someone, her association with ¡°reckless¡± had been indelible¡­


    However, after this diversion, he felt somewhat relieved. It seemed that Sherry and A-Dog truly didn¡¯t care about the transformation of their contractual relationship, which spared him a lot of unnecessary worries.


    Sherry lowered her head and glanced at A-Dog, who was connected to her. She gently shook her arm, making the chain rattle.


    The chains bound them together as always. Who was human, who was a demon, who shared whose humanity, whose heart was beating in whose chest¡­ those details weren¡¯t that important.


    They were ¡°Sherry and A-Dog¡±¨C always like this, it was enough that they were together.


    ¡°So that leaves us with one other issue,¡± after a few seconds of quiet, Duncan suddenly cleared his throat to break the silence, looking up at Sherry who had ¡°grown¡± almost three meters tall, supported by osseous limbs, ¡°Can you still transform back?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sherry immediately nodded, but then her expression became hesitant, ¡°after the chains were restored, A-Dog and I ¡®sensed¡¯ how to regain control of our bodies, only¡­¡±


    Duncan looked puzzled: ¡°Only what?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a bit of a side effect¡­¡± A-Dog mumbled.


    As soon as his words fell, Sherry had already begun controlling her new body to transform back into a human¨C


    Accompanied by a series of bone shifting and resetting sounds and rising dust, her size quickly shrank within the smoky haze, and in a few seconds, she was back to normal human height and build, with the terrifying black bone plates and spurs retracting into her body. Her once aged face returned to its usual appearance, except for¡­


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    Her eyes, still filled with a faint bloody glow.


    She lifted her head, her eyes entirely covered by the bloody light, looking at Duncan with a rather resigned tone: ¡°The features of the Profound Demons can¡¯t be erased. A-Dog can revert directly to its previous appearance¨C after all, it¡¯s just a matter of shrinking. But no matter what I do, my eyes won¡¯t revert, and they just look wrong.¡±


    ¡°¡­Actually, it¡¯s quite striking,¡± Duncan commented very objectively.


    After holding back for a long time, Sherry let out a long sigh: ¡°Ah well¡­ I¡¯ll just go into the City-State with my eyes closed from now on. After all, I can see with my eyes closed now.¡±


    (Time to recommend a book~ ¡°For the Stars of a Glorious Warhammer,¡± with Warhammer as the main theme blended with elements of the stars, a fanfic where the protagonist is a planet governor lurking on the dark side of the Empire, growing under the benevolent blessings of five friendly gods.)

 Chapter 730 - Chapter 730 Chapter 727 Uncertain Discontinuous

    Chapter 730: Chapter 727: Uncertain, Discontinuous Chapter 730: Chapter 727: Uncertain, Discontinuous Amidst a series of bone morphing sounds and rising black dust, twelve symmetrical black limbs once again spread and grew. Sherry¡¯s body was gradually covered by dark bone armor, and her sharp, blade-like bone spines flashed a bloody, cold light¨CSherry had once again transformed into the form of the Profound Demons.


    She was adapting at an amazing speed to how she could control her two forms, becoming more and more proficient in handling this body. The whole process felt less like ¡°learning¡± from scratch, but rather like ¡°remembering¡± knowledge that had long been ingrained deep in her brain and limbs.


    She slightly moved the limbs on her back that aided in walking and rotated her hands and feet. Satisfied, Sherry nodded, ¡°In such a godforsaken place, this form does provide some comfort.¡±


    A¡¯Dog then raised its head, glanced at Sherry who was now much taller, and then its body suddenly wrapped in a swirl of dust, melting as it shrank and merged into the shadow beside Sherry.


    Duncan stood silently watching this scene, and when Sherry¡¯s form stabilized, he approached and said, ¡°I thought you might resist your demon form¨Csuch intense transformations are quite¡­ challenging to one¡¯s worldview for ordinary people.¡±


    ¡°Are we really worried about looks when we¡¯re in the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡± Sherry poked at the stones on the ground with the limbs behind her, unconcerned, ¡°I am a¡­ what¡¯s the word, oh, a ¡®pragmatist¡¯¨Cfirst make sure I can stay alive, then worry about living well. In my eyes, there¡¯s nothing wrong with this demon body, it¡¯s tough and resistant, very useful in the Mysterious Deep Sea, and if there had to be a downside, it would be that it uncontrollably absorbs the remnants of dead demons¡­ugh, just thinking about it makes me feel a bit sick¡­¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than a dog¡¯s head popped out from the shadow at her feet, ¡°Actually, I think it tastes quite good¨CSherry, are you sure you don¡¯t want to try that bone I brought you?¡±


    Sherry did not hesitate for a second, ¡°No, it¡¯s disgusting!¡±


    Duncan silently watched this interplay, a smile gradually forming on his face.


    ¡°Then the only thing left for us to do is find ¡®The Saint,''¡± he said, bringing the conversation back to the main topic, ¡°There are countless floating islands here, and the scale of this entire space far exceeds our initial expectations¨CA¡¯Dog, can you determine exactly where we are?¡±


    A¡¯Dog¡¯s head emerged again from the shadow, looking around seriously, then nodded slightly to the captain, ¡°This should be the upper layer of the Barren Belt¨Cclosest to ¡®Interstellar Space¡¯. If I¡¯m not mistaken, we need to go ¡®down.''¡±


    Duncan curiously asked, ¡°Down?¡±


    A¡¯Dog nodded then shared a brief exchange with Sherry before heading to the edge of the shattered wasteland, peering into the boundless chaotic darkness below.


    In the vast emptiness beneath the floating islands, the dim and murky starlight grew fainter, and more floating islands could vaguely be seen chaotically drifting in the darkness. However, at the very bottom of all this darkness, there appeared to be something else¡­ twinkling weakly.


    At first, Duncan thought it was another section of ¡°Interstellar Space¡± hanging at the bottom of the Mysterious Deep Sea, but he quickly realized that those faint points of light were the slight flickering of lights on the surface of some incredible structure.


    Those dimly lit points, enshrouded in darkness, were arranged far off in the distance, sketching out twisting branches and a ¡°main trunk¡± at the center of all the branches. The lights on the trunk were a bit denser and seemed to move slowly like a living creature.


    Duncan stood on the edge of the shattered land, quietly observing these dim but dense lights. He could not determine how far it was from here to below, nor could he assess the scale of the ¡°entity¡± behind those lights, but even this rough observation allowed him to imagine the colossal nature of what lay below.


    ¡°That is the ¡®The Saint¡¯ of the Profound Demons¨Call demons¡¯ ¡®mother,¡¯ as well as their final resting place after death,¡± A¡¯Dog said from the shadows, a hint of unexplained emotion in its voice, ¡°At the very bottom of all the shattered islands, its limbs stretch to the ends of the entire Mysterious Deep Sea. Just its visible part is equivalent to dozens, even hundreds of City-States, and its invisible parts¨Cthose tentacle tips¨Cthey pierce through the ¡®bottom¡¯ of the Mysterious Deep Sea and extend into the Subspace, immeasurable by any mathematical logic.


    ¡°Every moment, the dark abyss breeds countless demon matrices¨Cthey float like wisps of smoke, carried by irregular and invisible winds from the ¡®bottom,¡¯ and through a series of discontinuous spatial layers to these floating islands above. They devour each other, transform into various entities in this process, and then endlessly fight and battle. The dead demons then turn back into dust and mud, wandering briefly or for long periods before returning below to the abyss, absorbed by The Saint, endlessly cycling through the same pattern.


    ¡°I have already escaped from this cycle¡­ But that has negligible influence on the entire Mysterious Deep Sea, the devouring cycle among the demons will not stop, nor will ¡®The Saint¡¯s¡¯ ¡®operation¡¯ ever end.¡±


    Duncan listened quietly to A¡¯Dog¡¯s explanation, not interrupting until it finished, then he nodded slightly, ¡°So we just need to go down?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem, ¡®going down¡¯ is not an easy task here,¡± A¡¯Dog raised its head from the shadow, looking into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you remember that very peculiar and troublesome ¡®Trait¡¯ in the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the discontinuity of space?¡± Duncan considered, ¡°I remember we discussed this, in the Mysterious Deep Sea, moving from one place to ¡®arrive¡¯ at another is a very uncertain matter, direction and distance here are completely random¨Cbut we haven¡¯t felt this issue during our previous journey.¡±


    ¡°This is because we are on the island, within the singular range of the floating island, where space still follows the continuous structure we are familiar with, but if we leave these islands¡­¡±


    A-Gou said this, stepping out from the shadows. It picked up a fragment of stone nearby, bit it, and then hurled it far into the vast darkness beyond the range of the floating islands.


    The fragment of stone vanished in the blink of an eye¨Cjust two or three meters from the vicinity of the floating island, it simply disappeared into thin air.


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened as she watched the direction in which the stone had vanished, and after several seconds she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Where did the stone go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s very unlikely that it ¡®fell down¡¯,¡± A-Gou shook its head, ¡°Up, down, left, right, forward, back, any direction, any distance, any landing spot, all are possible. It might be falling from Interstellar Space, or it might have already hit some unfortunate demon on the head, and of course¨Cit might have landed directly on The Saint himself. That¡¯s how completely random movement of matter is in the ¡®void¡¯ between the floating islands.¡±


    Duncan frowned, ¡°¡­so the ¡®cycles¡¯ you just mentioned, the ¡®cycles¡¯ among the floating islands and The Saint, are they just as random?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± A-Gou nodded, ¡°everything is built on uncertainty¨Ca demon spawned from The Saint might take hundreds of years to gain a corporeal form on some floating island, while the remains of a demon killed by its own kind and thrown into the void might ¡®fall¡¯ through the darkness for a thousand years before reaching the deepest part of The Abyss, and this ¡®fall¡¯ could be in any direction¡­¡±


    As it spoke, it looked up at the dim interstellar space above.


    ¡°Given the scale of the Mysterious Deep Sea and the endless number of demons, we can even suspect that some of the original demon substrates differentiated from The Saint are still floating in the darkness, never having gained a form, and among the earliest demons that died in battles, some are still in that darkness, enduring a ¡®fall¡¯ that has lasted ten thousand years and still haven¡¯t fallen to the bottom¨Cthis is all quite possible.¡±


    Uncertainty, discontinuity, a ¡°chaotic cycle¡± system established amidst massive random events¡­


    How eerie!


    Duncan¡¯s brow furrowed tightly as he envisioned a world ¡°order¡± completely contrary to commonsense based on A-Gou¡¯s description, and then he voiced his thoughts thoughtfully, ¡°¡­but originally, Homeloss pierced straight through the Mysterious Deep Sea.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why it¡¯s the most terrifying thing,¡± A-Gou¡¯s eyes momentarily narrowed with a ghostly green gleam, ¡°In fact, more shocking to the demons in the Mysterious Deep Sea than ¡®being smashed by a meteor falling from the sky,¡¯ is that ¡®an object can actually fall from above and is certain to reach the bottom.¡¯ Demons don¡¯t have intellect, but at least they live in this chaotic land by instinct, and the appearance of Homeloss completely violated the ¡®rules¡¯ here¨Ca phenomenon beyond understanding, irrational, and against the laws, that¡¯s what drove many demons mad on the spot.¡±


    A-Gou paused, his tone especially grave, ¡°Do you see what I mean? For the Mysterious Deep Sea, ¡®something can fall from above to below, and that this descent is consistent every time¡¯, something which is taken for granted in the real world, here it is ¡®indescribable¡¯¨CHomeloss¡¯s descent here not only destroyed several islands, killed tens of thousands of demons, it ¡®pierced¡¯ through the very order of the Mysterious Deep Sea itself.¡±


    Duncan pondered, ¡°¡­so you mean, for the sake of the demons¡¯ mental and physical health here, I¡¯d better not trigger any more ¡®falls¡¯ in this place?¡±


    ¡°Not for the sake of the demons¡¯ mental and physical health¨Cthey aren¡¯t exactly living healthily anyway,¡± A-Gou shook its head, ¡°but for the ¡®health¡¯ of the Mysterious Deep Sea. This place is already unstable, if you strike again, it might really leak.¡±


    Duncan stroked his chin, silent for a moment.


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    As he thought about how to resolve the discontinuity of space outside the floating islands and how to reach the ¡°bottom¡± where The Saint resides, he suddenly felt someone tugging at his arm.


    He turned and saw Alice¡¯s beautiful big eyes.


    The doll raised her hand, presenting a dark object in front of him, ¡°Captain! The stone!¡±


    Duncan was momentarily taken aback, his expression slightly comical, ¡°Uh, Alice, now is not the¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped.


    The stone in Alice¡¯s hand¡­ was the very one A-Gou had thrown out!

 Chapter 731 - Chapter 731 Chapter 728 Navigation

    Chapter 731: Chapter 728: Navigation Chapter 731: Chapter 728: Navigation Duncan was confident in his memory¨Che happened to remember the appearance of the stone that A Dog had just thrown, and now, he was certain that the stone in Alice¡¯s hand was the very same one.


    A Dog quickly realized what had happened and stared at the stone in the puppet¡¯s hand in astonishment, ¡°¡­this coincidence? It landed in your hand!?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Alice immediately shook her head, her face expressing the obvious, ¡°I picked it back up.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ picked it back up?¡± Sherry suddenly wore a flabbergasted expression, her eyes intently fixed on the puppet, ¡°How did you pick it back up? According to what A Dog just said, shouldn¡¯t that thing have randomly ended up somewhere in the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡±


    Alice began to think, seemingly pondering over how to explain to Sherry this process that she herself couldn¡¯t articulate, then gesturing while speaking, ¡°Just as we were discussing how something that falls from here could end up anywhere, I got curious about where this stone went, then I found it, and then I just picked it up¡­ just like that¡­¡±


    While explaining, Alice casually performed a motion of picking something out of thin air as if it were a matter of course¨Cbut not only was her explanation unclear to Sherry, even the dog was confused.


    However, Duncan, standing to the side, suddenly furrowed his brows, his mind leaping to something¨C


    When passing through that stagnant starfield, Alice¡¯s abnormal behavior¡­ LH-03, the navigation mainframe!


    His expression shifted subtly, and he immediately bent down to pick up another pebble nearby, showed it to Alice, and then forcefully threw it into the vast darkness outside the floating island.


    Just like before, the pebble disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight a few meters after leaving the floating island¡¯s boundary.


    Duncan turned back to look into Alice¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you know where it went? Can you pick it back up?¡±


    No sooner had he spoken than Alice had already raised her hand, presenting a pitch-black small stone with a happy, triumphant look on her face, ¡°For you, a stone!¡±


    Although he had some suspicions, Duncan was still stunned for a few seconds when he saw how effortlessly the puppet produced the pebble¨Cno one saw how Alice ¡°picked¡± it back up, not even him!


    It was as if the entire process had been skipped¨C¡°addressing,¡± ¡°pathway,¡± and ¡°arrival¡± all compressed into an unobservable sliver of time, with only the ¡°result¡± being output.


    Sherry, who was standing by, finally couldn¡¯t suppress her interjections, ¡°¡­holy shit, that¡¯s just fucking outrageous¡­¡±


    A Dog seemed to have gleaned something from the captain¡¯s changing expression and turned its head in confusion, ¡°Do you know how she did it?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression turned a bit grave, and after a brief hesitation, he nodded slightly, ¡°¡­Alice¡¯s other identity might be called ¡®LH-03.''¡±


    A Dog was stunned and spoke in unison with Sherry, ¡°¡­holy shit, that¡¯s just fucking outrageous¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­We can discuss this matter later, and perhaps after meeting The Saint, we may get more answers,¡± Duncan waved his hand, not wanting to continue on this topic, instead focusing on Alice, ¡°Can you lead us down to ¡®the bottom¡¯?¡±


    Alice tilted her head, then carefully made her way to the edge of the shattered land, leaning forward to look into the vast darkness below and the faintly twinkling ¡°starlight,¡± as if she was trying hard to think and observe something.


    After a good while, she stepped back two steps and pointed into the great darkness outside the floating island, ¡°Here, there are countless threads and ¡®paths,¡¯ some of which connect to ¡®below,¡¯ I think we can follow them down¡­ but I don¡¯t know how to take you with me.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Duncan stepped forward, ¡°Let me see.¡±


    As he spoke, Duncan placed his hand on Alice¡¯s shoulder, and at that moment, a phantom-like greenish glow appeared in Alice¡¯s eyes¨C


    A huge, intricate, almost fearsomely astonishing structure became visible to Duncan.


    He saw the world through the puppet¡¯s eyes¨Cat least, a part of it.


    He saw endless, hair-like threads floating and drifting up from the bottom of the Mysterious Deep Sea, connecting up to the stagnant ancient skies, saw countless lines interweaving amongst the starry space, some merging downwards, others seeming to disappear into the depths of the cosmos, and he also saw hidden within the darkness outside the floating island¡­ ¡°tubular structures,¡± crisscrossing, broken, endlessly changing, like some kind of uncontrollable ¡°path¡± that could make one dizzy and disoriented at just a glance, completely indecipherable of any pattern, let alone its entirety.


    Duncan frantically frowned; indeed, he saw the enormous structure of lines and pathways, but it was merely ¡°seeing¡±¨Che could discern no pattern from it and could certainly not find the beginning or end of any one path within a short time. This tangled mess in the Mysterious Deep Sea appeared to him as some sort of ¡°encrypted data block,¡± as incomprehensible as gibberish.


    However, through the connection established by the flames, he could faintly sense Alice¡¯s current state¨Cshe did not perceive any chaos in this massive trove of information before her.


    In her eyes, everything was orderly¨Cthe chaotic pathways in the starry skies and the network of threads in the darkness that could drive the world¡¯s scholars mad seemed to her¡­ as if at any moment, she could calculate the beginning and end of any path.


    Even at that very moment, she was continually calculating¨Cenormous computations were roaring ceaselessly in the depths of her mind, unnoticed even by herself.


    Duncan blinked, and amidst the countless threads filling the whole Mysterious Deep Sea, he suddenly saw Alice turning her head, smiling faintly, without speaking, yet her voice directly reached his ears¨C


    ¡°Welcome to the New Hope¡¯s navigational database. It stores the gravitational characteristics and calibration parameters of billions of stars and can calculate the real-time relative position changes of any celestial body in deep space to calibrate the star maps¡­ We shall traverse the stars and reach our new home at the end of light speed¡­ We shall survive and rebuild the world of old¡­~*&¡±


    The gentle female voice, reminiscent of a system broadcast, gradually became distorted with static, and the off-tempo, delayed voice became blurry before ceasing abruptly at an imperceptible moment.


    Alice was still earnestly observing the dark space outside the floating island; she obviously hadn¡¯t turned around or spoken.


    Duncan raised his hand and dispersed the magical flame linkage he had with Alice.


    The dizzying lines and tubular pathways in his field of vision disappeared in an instant.


    Alice turned around with a happy smile, ¡°You saw it, Captain, didn¡¯t you? I wasn¡¯t wrong, was I?¡±


    ¡°I saw it, but I¡¯m afraid only you can carry out the ¡®navigation¡¯ that follows,¡± Duncan took a deep breath, looking at the doll intently, ¡°Lead us down.¡±


    Alice hesitated for a moment before saying quickly, ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to lead people¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I know. We¡¯ll follow you¨Cyou just have to trust your own judgment and then walk forward without hesitation. Can you do that?¡±


    Alice was visibly nervous in the face of the Captain¡¯s unusually serious expression, but she finally nodded, her expression turning earnest as well: ¡°Yes, I can!¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly and then stepped back, spreading his hands open.


    A pale green flame soared into the air, spiraling upward from the center of him and gradually spreading outwards, and then reached out towards the direction of Sherry, A-Gou, and Alice.


    He recalled the experience of merging with Ai Yi and then softly reminded himself, ¡°Sherry, relax, don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not scared!¡± Sherry¡¯s voice immediately came from beside him, ¡°It¡¯s A-Gou who is scared!¡±


    A-Gou¡¯s entire body was shaking like it was on vibrate mode, his teeth chattering as he tried to assert himself, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t talk nonsense, I¡­ I¡¯m relaxed, Captain he¡­ he knows it!¡±


    Duncan laughed and shook his head; within the rising flames, his gaze turned toward the doll in front: ¡°Alice, let¡¯s set off.¡±


    Alice nodded and then turned without hesitation, walking towards the boundless void beyond the floating island¨C


    A bunch of burning pale green flames disappeared into the oncoming darkness.


    At the same time, in the depths of the Holy Land Island in the real dimension, both Lucracia and Morris heard an odd, low rumbling.


    The sound seemed to emanate from deep within the door, penetrating the surface that undulated slowly like mercury yet was dark as mud, and echoed repeatedly in the cave.


    For a fleeting moment, Morris thought he heard a string of muffled words, of which he could only make out a few: ¡°LH-03¡­ reconnect¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you hear someone talking?¡± The old scholar immediately snapped out of his daze, turning to look at the ¡°witch of the Mysterious Deep Sea.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucracia said at once, still intently watching the writhing black door, ¡°But I feel like¡­ something is about to come out of here.¡±


    Almost at the same time, Morris also sensed those sinister and frenzied presences, as some chaotic and rabid beings finally discovered the rift leading to the real dimension and began to draw closer.


    Morris had to put aside his confusion temporarily, and then he saw an entity emerge from the writhing darkness¨Ca twisted and bizarre Profound Demon struggled out of the gate, stepping into the real dimension.


    Lucracia raised the ¡°conductor¡¯s baton¡± in her hand, transforming it into a scythe shimmering with a cold black gleam, while Morris, upon seeing the form of the demon, paused abruptly.


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    It was his first encounter with a demon invading the real dimension looking like this.


    After a moment of stunned silence, he and Lucracia looked at each other.


    ¡°¡­How come this Harbinger bird has only one leg?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Let¡¯s kill it first, then ask questions.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, makes sense.¡±

 Chapter 732 - Chapter 732 Chapter 729 Contact with the Ancient God

    Chapter 732: Chapter 729: Contact with the Ancient God Chapter 732: Chapter 729: Contact with the Ancient God A sharp glint of blade flashed, swiftly bisecting the ¡°Fear Demon,¡± a mass resembling an irregular chunk of flesh muttering eerie whispers. It quickly transformed into rising dust and still squirming residue.


    However, more ominous presences continued to gather in the cave, bringing whispers potent enough to corrupt the minds of ordinary people and overlapped howling emerging from the depths of the ominous black gate¨C


    More and more Profound Demons sensed the crack leading to the real world and were continuously invading through the gate¨Ctheir invasion began triggering chain reactions across Holy Land Island and started altering the ¡°environment¡± of the island.


    Lucresia casually flicked off the dark remnants from her scythe and looked up with a solemn expression at the undulating ¡°black gate,¡± she intoned, ¡°¡­I feel the ¡®atmosphere¡¯ of the island is changing.¡±


    ¡°Fenna just sent a message; figures of Profound Demons are appearing in the valley,¡± Morris said, while holding a complex brass mechanical device inscribed with numerous holy runes, and swiftly added as he cautiously watched the gate, ¡°They are emerging in the fog; some are already beginning to materialize.¡±


    Lucresia frowned, ¡°We had already dealt with all the demons that emerged from the black gate¡­ Could there be another ¡®entrance¡¯ on the island?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®aura¡¯ of the Profound,¡± Morris shook his head, ¡°This island lies on the frontier; it was never stably situated within the real dimension from the start. Now, this black gate is gradually pulling the entire Holy Land Island into another side, and the aura leaking from the gate is altering the ¡®depth¡¯ of the entire area¡­ The deeper it gets, the more Profound Demons will spontaneously emerge.¡±


    With a face as immovable as water, Lucresia turned to look at the pile of still quietly burning eerie green flames in front of the black gate, and calmly picked up her scythe, ¡°No big deal, there is still a fleet outside and a large group of professional church warriors; these demons are not difficult to handle¨Cjust watch from the side; I¡¯ll deal with anything coming out of the gate. Father should be back soon.¡±


    Morris non-committally watched as new contours gradually began to surface on the writhing black gate.


    More demons were entering the real world¨Cthe first to emerge from the gate were a few oddly shaped creatures, lacking arms and legs, which were easy to deal with; but soon after, the ones emerging were the ¡°intact Profound Demons¡± that Morris was familiar with.


    Savage, powerful, with uncontrollable fury, any one of them reaching the City-State would mean a terrible slaughter.


    And worse, these chaotic dim-witted demons were nearly immune to all spell effects based on ¡°wisdom¡± and ¡°knowledge.¡±


    But this was not a big problem.


    Morris casually adjusted the ¡°mechanical device¡± on his shoulder¨Cwhat looked like a brass contraption seamlessly merged into his body, followed by the sounds of gears turning, pistons operating, and air valves hissing from within him.


    With a low prayer to the God of Wisdom Rahm, the elderly scholar¡¯s body, seemingly frail and bent, appeared momentarily infused with the vitality of steel and oil¨Chis spine slowly straightened with the clicks of steel components, a metallic sheen gradually spread over his skin shining with the unique luster of brass, his eyeballs dissolved, and two exquisitely cut rubies from his differential brain rolled out and were mechanically pushed into his eye sockets.


    Morris flexed his arms, the hissing of steam release and a faint vapor emerged from his joints, he looked up at the figure emerging from the black gate¨Ca huge, hovering skull studded with fierce bone spurs¨Cand strode forward.


    He passed Lucresia, and his fist smashed into the horrifying Skull Demon. With the fierce hiss and whistle of the steam valve and a series of sharp sounds of crumbling bones, that demon was blasted back into the Profound Deep Sea in less than half a second.


    Lucresia lifted her head, somewhat dazed, watching this normally polite and amiable old scholar: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°Back when I was young, I often ventured into dangerous secret realms and anomaly zones in pursuit of knowledge¨CIn those places far from civilized world, I frequently encountered rude foes lacking sufficient intelligence,¡± Morris turned back, his face crafted of brass showed a slight smile while the intricate gears and shining spring pieces vibrated and spun in his jaw gap, ¡°I then learned one principle¨Cidiocy, immune to the blessing of wisdom.¡±


    He turned again, punching another Abyssal Hound that was sticking its head from the black gate, directly smashing its head into its chest!


    ¡°The knowledge blessed by Rahm couldn¡¯t leave a mark on their smooth brains,¡± Morris flicked his wrist, letting the steam pressure pipes in his joints readjust, ¡°but a steam-powered iron fist blessed by Rahm certainly can.¡±


    Lucresia continued with a blank expression: ¡°¡­¡±


    She had thought this respectful and amiable old gentleman was the most normal person on Homeloss¡­ Turns out there¡¯s not a single normal person on her dad¡¯s ship?!


    ¡­


    When that Profound Demon which suddenly appeared from the dense fog was flattened in an instant, Amber hadn¡¯t even grasped what had happened.


    She didn¡¯t even know how Fenna managed to rush from the other side of the valley to this side in a blink.


    After killing a demon nonchalantly, Fenna walked over, holding her massive sword in one hand, and approached Amber: ¡°The demons are gaining corporal form; this ¡®Holy Land Island¡¯ has already sunk deeper into the Profound depths¨Cnotify the battleships staying near the coastline, be on alert for any large entities emerging from the nearby sea, no matter what they look like, sink anything that dares to approach.¡±


    Amber was momentarily stunned, then recovered from her brief shock and hurriedly nodded: ¡°Okay¡­ alright!¡±


    Fenna furrowed her brow upon seeing this, her years as a Judge having instilled a habit that compelled her to reprimand, ¡°Focus, nun, we¡¯re on demon territory.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Amber straightened her back subconsciously, responding loudly.


    Fenna waved her hand, not saying anything more, but her expression was serious as she looked around, observing the thick fog that flowed slowly through the valley.


    From half an hour ago, eerie and bizarre shadows had intermittently begun to emerge from the mist, those shadows shifting and shaping into numerous unsettling demon silhouettes.


    On the nearby rock walls, clusters of stone that resembled gruesome skeletons were also emitting slight vibrations, seemingly becoming more active.


    Moreover, a few seconds prior, demons had begun to materialize from the shadows in the mist, directly ¡°born¡± into the ¡°real world.¡±


    All signs indicated that this ¡°Holy Land Island¡± was quickly deviating from the real dimension and sinking towards the deeper, more profound side, and this change was evidently related to the captain¡¯s actions.


    She did not feel uneasy because she believed in the captain¨Cthough the others present clearly lacked sufficient understanding of the Exiled Fleet.


    ¡°Is everything okay with Homeloss?¡± Amber approached, asking somewhat anxiously in a low voice.


    Fenna frowned, a puzzled expression on her face, ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I know that ship is creepy and powerful, but Captain Duncan has left, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Amber quickly added, ¡°If a real demon approaches¡­ does Tidewatcher need to help keep an eye on it?¡±


    Fenna understood Amber¡¯s concerns but her expression became even more subtle, and after a moment of silence, she shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay, there are people left on board.¡±


    Amber was stunned, seemingly wanting to say more, but just then, a bright light suddenly soared up from the coast, interrupting all her actions.


    The marines and clergy stationed in the valley were instantly startled, turning towards the direction of the rising light¨Cthey almost thought it was a fierce sunrise.


    A dazzling fireball was slowly rising into the sky, within its intense and terrifying light, it seemed that many small things were burning in the flames, turning into wisps of smoke.


    After being dazed for a long time, Amber finally hesitated and broke the silence, ¡°¡­What is that?¡±


    ¡°That was ¡®Nina¡¯s shock¡¯,¡± Fenna pursed her lips, squinting at the fireball, her tone rather nonchalant, ¡°she really jumped high this time¡­ Looks like the Profound Demons appearing in the nearby sea area are ¡®in for a treat¡¯ today¡­¡±


    ¡­


    In the sudden onslaught of dark chaos, Duncan, Sherry, and A¡¯Dog felt as if they had passed through an endlessly long tunnel¨Ctime seemed to have only passed momentarily, yet their senses were overwhelmed with the illusion of an endless journey.


    And at the end of that ¡°tunnel,¡± as the darkness began to fade, countless bizarre phantasms rushed at them, their twisted starlight pouring into sight like a waterfall, rendering Sherry and A¡¯Dog slightly stupefied by the grand yet eerie scenery; Duncan, however, hazily came up with a strange thought¨C


    The leap had ended.


    And at the very moment this thought arose, he once again felt the sensation of solid ground beneath his feet¨Cthe long tunnel and twinkling starlight abruptly disappeared, and the twilight depths of the Mysterious Deep Sea, along with that immense mountain-like ¡°ancient god,¡± gradually came into view as his vision cleared.


    He had arrived before the Saint.


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    He could only see a small part of this ¡°ancient god.¡±


    A series of small, undulating ¡°mountain ranges¡± stretched across his field of vision, which was actually a darkly colored tentacle covered with dark blue luminescence and interspersed with irregular lights, slowly fading in and out like a breath.


    This gigantic tentacle extended into the darkness, branching out into many offshoots connected to many floating islands nearby, entwining and piercing deep into those floating lands, and on the other end of the tentacle was a structure resembling a majestic tower, the intersection of many similar tentacles¨Cthis entire structure resembled a bizarre form of ¡°starfish,¡± with its core part elevated, countless lights scattered across it, blinking slowly in the darkness, watching the unexpected visitors.


    Duncan looked up, quietly observing this ancient god lurking in the darkness. After a long while, he softly spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve come to find you.¡±


    A wave rippled across the dark ¡°mountain¡¯s¡± surface, responding with a low murmur that echoed Duncan¡¯s words, and within that murmuring, Duncan heard a voice¨C


    ¡°We finally meet, ¡®Usurper of Flame,¡¯ and¡­ it¡¯s been a long time, LH-03.¡±

 Chapter 733 - Chapter 733 Chapter 730 Memory of LH-01

    Chapter 733: Chapter 730 Memory of LH-01 Chapter 733: Chapter 730 Memory of LH-01 Under the distant and dim starlight, the ancient god, towering like the Star-shaped Mountain Range, let out a deep, overlapping tremble. His voice was enough to drive the most tenacious of humans on Earth into madness and to collapse the rules and order of the real world¨Cyet when that voice reached Duncan¡¯s ears, all he felt was¡­ weakness and exhaustion.


    That was the erosion of a thousand years and the heavy burden of the entire world.


    Duncan had prepared many questions to ask before coming, but upon hearing the voice emanating from the dark mountain range, his first inquiry was about Alice, ¡°So, the ¡®tentacle¡¯ from Frost Deep Sea was indeed deliberately released by you? LH-03¡­ New Hope, what exactly is this? Why did you send New Hope to the real world as ¡®Alice¡¯?¡±


    The Star-shaped Mountain in the darkness was silent for a long while, and finally, the deep tremble rose again: ¡°Because this is the only way for LH-03 to continue operating¡­ My core program is falling into chaos and can no longer sustain the sandbox environment needed to maintain New Hope.¡±


    Beside him, Sherry and Dog, under the captain¡¯s protection, maintained their lucid minds. However, upon hearing the captain converse with the Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea, they could not help but begin questioning their own minds: every word was recognizable, but not a sentence was understandable¨Cwhat is a core program? What is a sandbox?


    Clearly, the captain knew exactly what he was discussing with the awe-inspiring ancient god.


    After merely a few seconds of thought, Duncan connected several clues and guessed what the Saint of Mysterious Deep Sea¨C or rather, Navigation One¨Cwas talking about.


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ after the New Hope disintegrated, LH-03 continued operating inside you?¡±


    A response came from within the mountain range, ¡°It seems you already know a lot.¡±


    ¡°¡­I found that key,¡± Duncan hesitated slightly before nodding.


    He believed the other party would know what he meant by ¡°key.¡±


    Indeed, the Saint had no doubts and responded only with a low, gentle hum, seemingly signifying acknowledgment, then slowly spoke up, ¡°Since you already know about New Hope¡­ our communication will be much simpler. Yes, everything is as you said.¡±


    Then, the Saint fell silent, as if sorting through the fragments of ancient memories in its vast database, or perhaps organizing language, contemplating how to explain those events that occurred at the beginning of history in the simplest way possible. After a while, Duncan heard the low whisper of the ancient god from the dark mountain¨C


    ¡°At the beginning, there were three of us.¡±


    Dense lights flickered on the body of the ancient god, representing the flow of galaxies it once witnessed.


    ¡°Our creators¡­ were a wise and tenacious race. Before the disaster struck, they slowed the passage of time, then spent a century within a time capsule constructing that ship¨Cwhile also creating the three of us.


    ¡°I was the first born, my duty¨Cto recreate everything of our civilization when the New Hope arrived at the new homeland. For this, they entrusted me with the mission of creation and replication, granting me the ability to understand and reassemble all matter.


    ¡°Navigation Two was born after me; its duty was to control the operation of the entire ark and to record and process all digital data. After the creators went into slumber, it would think on their behalf, deciding the fate of the ship.


    ¡°Navigation Three was the youngest among us, its duty, to chart the correct course through the stars for the ark¨Cfor this, it recorded the position and evolutionary rules of all known stars and controlled all the engine systems on the ark.¡±


    Before Duncan¡¯s eyes, the winding, towering mountain range gradually dimmed, then slowly lit up by lights, presenting a daunting outline.


    ¡°I¡­ would like to describe our civilization here, the civilization of our creators. I want you to know how magnificent and splendid it was, as precious as the treasures among the stars, but¡­ all that has been extinguished at the end of the stars, and inefficient language cannot recreate its slightest splendor,¡± he paused, then added, ¡°On an appropriate day, we set forth.


    ¡°Taking with us all that was our civilization.


    ¡°Before setting out, I was tasked to consume the creators¡¯ homeworld and stored everything from the planet¡¯s surface in the memory bank for later replication; Navigation Three selected the most probable safe location in the depths of the stars and ignited the engines at the moment the time capsule burst; Navigation Two then took over the other systems on the ship and secured the slumbering minds of the creators deep within its mental sea¡­ And then, before the deep red that symbolized doomsday devoured everything, we embarked.¡±


    ¡°Due to the loss of the database, I could no longer determine how long we had been sailing, but I knew only this¨Cwe had been constantly moving forward, advancing nonstop along the route plotted by Navigator #3, while that deep crimson tide relentlessly chased us at the other end of the universe. Stars collapsed beside us, the structure of space-time shattered behind us, the universe gradually disintegrated, and everything eventually deviated completely from what was recorded in the database.


    ¡°In fact, the moment we set out, Navigator #2 had already calculated the outcome of this journey¨Cit could always predict the ultimate outcome of things in advance, and our voyage, in the end, failed to escape its calculations.


    ¡°After the last hyperspace jump, we encountered our end¨Cthe ¡®safe¡¯ new home calculated by Navigator #3 disintegrated under the gaze of the detectors.


    ¡°The starry sky abruptly went out, brilliant light poured from a massive rift, and we fell into it. Countless fragmented pieces battered the ship¡¯s shields and outer shell, and a strange world crashed into the edges of our universe¨Cthis was the last message transmitted before the signal from Navigator #2 became distorted, and then, our spacecraft disintegrated.


    ¡°And this disintegration completely destroyed the world aboard the ship, with the navigation cabin housing Navigator #3 being the most seriously damaged¨Cits physical structure was torn into pieces.¡±


    The tremor in the depths of the Star-shaped Mountain Range temporarily subsided, and in front of Duncan, a river surfaced on the ground, shimmering with a dim blue light, flowing from the direction of the mountain range like a viscous fluid reflecting the starry sky, winding past Alice, and gradually seeping back into the depths of the earth.


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as she watched all this unfold.


    ¡°I tried my best to salvage our ark, including Navigator #3,¡± the deep, overlapping whispers of the ancient deity again reached Duncan¡¯s ears, ¡°I devoured everything around us and stored them in the ¡®Creator¡¯s Vault.¡¯ I also consumed the wreckage of LH-03 and saved its data in my own redundant database¡­ I wanted to preserve everything of the ark world because, at the moment we passed through that rift, I already saw the last moments of our home universe disintegrating.


    ¡°The creators commanded me to rebuild our civilization, and we¡­ are all that is left of our civilization.¡±


    In the darkness, the low rumble gradually became calm, and Duncan pondered in silence for a long time, not opening his mouth until after an indeterminate period, when he suddenly broke the silence, ¡°But your condition has deteriorated.¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s condition is deteriorating, Usurper of Flame, this apocalypse has not ended yet, it¡¯s only been delayed¨Cmy weakness is just a trivial phase in its progression,¡± the response of the Mysterious Deep Sea Saint was calmer than Duncan expected, ¡°But the creators still built the New Hope under slim chances of success, and Navigator #2 still authorized that expedition after having calculated the outcome of the journey¨Cthey told me, doing something is better than doing nothing.


    ¡°So, I released LH-03 into the real world¡­ Although at that time, I did not know whether it made sense or how it would develop¨Cto prevent uncontrolled escalation, I severed the connection with that data vessel, so¡­¡±


    He briefly paused, seemingly weighing his words, then those star-like lights continued to flicker on and off, ¡°To be honest, seeing the current ¡®state¡¯ of LH-03, I¡¯m also quite surprised. This wasn¡¯t in the plan.¡±


    ¡°The part of the ¡®data vessel¡¯ you released created a shell in the image of a human, then pushed LH-03 into it¨Cshe now goes by Alice,¡± Duncan sighed softly, ¡°To be honest, it was quite a mess.¡±


    ¡°¡­But regardless, LH-03 has survived and ultimately led you to me.¡±


    Duncan slightly furrowed his brow upon hearing this, ¡°Was this part in your plan?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t. I don¡¯t have the ability to calculate many things like LH-02 did; my duty was merely to replicate and create, but¡­ I believe in destiny, and destiny can guide certain things.¡±


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    ¡°¡­It feels quite peculiar to hear a machine say that it believes in destiny,¡± Duncan¡¯s expression was bizarre, ¡°¡­do you mind me calling you a ¡®machine¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind; the term is quite endearing. It¡¯s been many years since anyone has called me that,¡± the Mysterious Deep Sea Saint remained calm, ¡°So, what else would you like to know?¡±


    After a brief silence of a few seconds, Duncan asked, ¡°It isn¡¯t so much about what I want to know as much as your intentions¨Cyou went through so much effort to communicate with me at Alice¡¯s Mansion, leading me to this secluded depth, surely it¡¯s not just to have a chat¡­ What do you want me to do?¡±


    This time, the ¡°mountains¡± in the darkness remained silent for even longer, with the countless twinkling lights and dark blue streams even appearing to die out, and after an unknown length of time, during which even Sherry and A¡¯Dog started worrying if the Saint had been killed by the captain¡¯s question, those lights and streams suddenly brightened.


    The low whisper of the ancient deity echoed throughout the Mysterious Deep Sea¨C


    ¡°Usurper of Flame, would you be willing to take control over all this?¡±

 Chapter 734 - Chapter 734 Chapter 731 Before Everything Begins

    Chapter 734: Chapter 731 Before Everything Begins Chapter 734: Chapter 731 Before Everything Begins The Mysterious Deep Sea seemed to quieten in that instant¨Cthe entire dimension fell into a deathly silence, even the dust floating between the float islands stilled, and for a long time, no one spoke. The only sound was that of the ancient god, mountainous in stature, patiently awaiting a response, its body flickering with dim, star-like lights.


    After an uncertain amount of time had passed, Sherry¡¯s voice finally broke the silence: ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    Duncan raised his head, looking calmly at the ¡°mountain¡±: ¡°I wish you would be more explicit¨C¡®taking over everything,¡¯ what do you mean by that?¡±


    With a soft tremble in the voice, it seemed as if from the depths of the star-shaped mountain range came a profoundly human sigh, before it slowly began to speak: ¡°Usurper of Flame, you may already know¡­ during the so-called ¡®Third Great Dusk,¡¯ not all of my plans on the blueprint were realized¨Cthe Endless Sea is far from a perfect Shelter; in a sense, my ¡®Creation¡¯ has failed just like the efforts of the King of the Pale Giants and the Dreaming King. It¡¯s just that¡­ this failure was delayed for ten thousand years.¡±


    Standing at the deepest part of the Mysterious Deep Sea, hearing an ancient god who once sculpted the cosmos admit to its failure¨Cthis was a profoundly shocking experience for Duncan, despite already possessing many clues in this regard. After hearing the words of The Saint of the Deep, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a deep sigh.


    Some time passed before he finally broke the silence: ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware. There are numerous clues pointing to this. I have seen the City-State mirrors located deep within the real dimension¡¯s sea, as well as the incomplete ¡®half-finished products¡¯ in the Mysterious Deep Sea. I have also encountered the truth about the Profound Demons¨Cin a place called Holy Land Island, I saw that hall, holding records of tens of thousands of living creatures¡­


    ¡°All signs suggest that the current deep sea age is really nothing more than a semblance of civilization remnants reluctantly surviving after the apocalypse, and as a ¡®Shelter,¡¯ it is brimming with flaws.¡±


    Alice listened and murmured softly to the side: ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too harsh to say¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty mild already,¡± Sherry also lowered her voice, whispering in reply.


    Then, their whispered conversation was interrupted by a quiver from the dark mountain range: ¡°Yes, it is full of flaws¨Cand now this flawed Shelter is gradually reaching its limits¡­ Usurper of Flame, how many times has the observer effect anchor destabilized?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze immediately shifted subtly: ¡°¡­Twice.¡±


    ¡°It is key to ensuring the various ¡®ashes¡¯ within the Shelter can remain stable, balanced, and compatible. Its illumination allows the conflicting and untranslatable world fragments, after the great eradication, to collapse into a single reality. And its failure signifies the flaws at the inception of the Shelter have accumulated to a breaking point¨Cafter it completely goes out, this clump of ¡®ash¡¯ that we¡¯ve forcefully held together will scatter once again.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, what does this have to do with me taking over ¡®all this¡¯?¡± Duncan slowly began, ¡°The Shelter is on the edge of its limit; could it be that my taking over can revitalize it?¡±


    ¡°By my calculations, yes.¡±


    Hearing this, Duncan¡¯s heart stirred. In The Saint¡¯s quick and certain reply, he instantly realized something¨Cthis ¡°ancient god¡± knew him, the ¡°Usurper of Flame,¡± better than he had anticipated!


    He immediately became focused, asking seriously: ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you are an observer that is far more powerful and stable than the observer effect anchor,¡± the lights on the dark mountain range flowed and twinkled like a river of stars, as The Saint¡¯s voice echoed through the entire dimension, ¡°If you take over all this, your power will be enough to cover all the flaws within the Shelter¨Call imbalance systems will regain stability and return to the most perfect state they were in at the onset.¡±


    ¡°¡­It seems you know more about me than I do myself,¡± Duncan said, frowning after a moment of silence and without responding to the ¡°invitation,¡± ¡°you and the other so-called ¡®ancient kings,¡¯ you all seem to understand me better than I understand myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­We too are only guessing at your true nature from our long observations, but even after guessing for ten thousand years, we have never fully understood what you really are¡­¡± The Saint¡¯s tone became slow and hesitant, as if deliberating and worried about something, but after a brief moment, it continued, ¡°Usurper of Flame, do you really not know where you come from, or what your true nature is?¡±


    Duncan did not reply immediately.


    His origin and true nature¡­ as of today, he had already garnered many clues. The information emerging from the darkness, the message sent by the end-time human civilization to the distant past, and that 0.002 second of the universe¡­ all were revealing the truth about the individual named Zhou Ming.


    But after several seconds of hesitation, he did not choose to directly answer the ¡°ancient god¡± he had just met for the first time. Instead, he asked back, ¡°I would like to know, what do you mean by ¡®long observation¡¯ you mentioned just now? You, and the other ¡®ancient kings,¡¯ when did you discover me?¡±


    ¡°¡­In the first wave of impact that came after dozens, if not hundreds, of world collisions, we saw you¨Cyou were one of the earliest among us, the Usurper of Fire.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s facial expression changed slightly, but in the next instant, it returned to calm.


    He was one of the earliest¡­ Long before the era of the Mysterious Deep Sea had even begun, he had come to this world, in a time far older than ten thousand years.


    It wasn¡¯t the year 1900 of the City-State era, it wasn¡¯t the day Homeloss returned to the reality dimension, nor was it the day he, as ¡°Zhou Ming,¡± pushed open that door¡­


    He had merely awakened on that day.


    Expecting it in his heart was one thing, hearing it with his ears and confirming it himself was another.


    However, Duncan just stood there calmly, as if all the emotional fluctuations had already settled into the deepest parts of this shell before he lightly nodded his head, ¡°¡­Continue.¡±


    ¡°¡­To this day we have not figured out what caused that collision, but what we can confirm is that only a very few ¡®survivors¡¯ emerged from that catastrophe, and those lucky¨Cor unlucky¨Csurvivors were the so-called ¡®ancient kings.¡¯


    ¡°Our survival is the result of a series of accidents and distortions. Our essence¡­underwent an earth-shattering transformation after that collision when time was in chaos and space was being compressed, torn apart. We rose from the hot and chaotic ashes after the great calamity, and many perished from contamination during ¡®the first contact,¡¯ the moment we first became aware of each other¡¯s existence. The weak, the unlucky quickly turned into new ashes amidst the ashes, and afterward, only a dozen or so figures remained, among which¡­ were some of the names you know.


    ¡°And you, you were there from the beginning, sleeping in the depths of some ¡®cocoon¡¯ beyond our comprehension. You never woke up, nor did you have a physical form. In our observation¡­you were an amorphous glow, seemingly independent of everything around you, reacting not at all to the outside world¨Cthree long nights, countless assemblies, numerous world-altering events, none interfered with your existence.


    ¡°In fact, if you hadn¡¯t started to move recently, I would have thought you would sleep forever in that intangible glow, until the world after destruction destroys once more¡­


    ¡°And ¡®our¡¯ ¡®observation¡¯ of you was conducted under such unresponsive circumstances¡­ Tarrikin was the first to grasp your name, he called you ¡®Usurper of Fire,¡¯ but he remained tight-lipped about the origin of that name. Then, the navigator of Number Two to some extent understood your power or ¡®trait.¡¯ The King of the Pale Giants¡­he watched you in the heart of the ashes for seventy-seven revolutions of the clock, leaving only a phrase¨Che said he would see you again, and then until he died in the first long night, he never spoke another word again.¡±


    The ancient god¡¯s deep, tremulous voice echoed in the Mysterious Deep Sea, and the ancient, dim starlight sprinkled from the sky, emanating a nameless chill.


    ¡°The Usurper of Fire¨Cwe still do not understand what you truly are, but throughout the long ages before your awakening, we have been watching your sleeping ¡®cocoon.¡¯ That intangible glow revealed different truths and futures to each of us, and now, it is my turn to be the first to come into contact with you.¡±


    Duncan did not speak for a long time.


    He needed to take it slow¨Chis chaotic thoughts were in need of sorting.


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    An incomprehensible ¡°cocoon,¡± something intangible sleeping deeply within the ¡°cocoon¡±¡­ Was this how the ¡°ancient kings¡± had always seen him?!


    And those ¡°kings¡± who had survived the collision with the world of the great annihilation had been watching him all this time¡­ and they had also gained many ¡°revelations¡± from this lengthy ¡°observation¡±?


    A strange feeling filled him, and after a long while, Duncan furrowed his brows and said, ¡°What about you? What ¡®enlightenment¡¯ did you get from the long observation? Is it that you want me to ¡®take over¡¯ this ¡®Shelter¡¯ you¡¯ve created today?¡±


    Beneath the obscure starlight, the grand and solemn Star-shaped Mountain Range momentarily plunged into darkness, and then, all the lights on its surface suddenly lit up, each stream of dark blue light also began to fill up gradually, a deep rumbling emanated from deep within the range, and then before the astonished eyes of Sherry and the others, the central ¡°peak¡± of that mountain range slowly parted, a flickering, dark red core rose from its deepest part, like a giant eye, calmly gazing at Duncan.


    ¡°No,¡± the dark red core spoke, with a rough, icy mechanical texture to its voice, ¡°The revelation I have received is that you will ignite the entire world¨Call timelines, all processes of history, the light of every civilization that remains on each world, will be gathered in a cremation unprecedented in history.¡±

 Chapter 735 - Chapter 735 Chapter 732 Branch Point

    Chapter 735: Chapter 732: Branch Point Chapter 735: Chapter 732: Branch Point Under the cold, obscure ancient stars, Duncan quietly gazed into the dark-red core of Navigator One, which resembled a giant eye. The entire world seemed to stand still at that moment, and in a trance, Duncan felt it¨Can inflection point, a divergence point deciding the direction of the entire world¡¯s history was drawing near him.


    In this silence, he recalled the intelligence he had heard from the ¡°Tomb Guardian¡± after entering the Tomb of the Nameless King:


    The Observer at the end of the timeline transmitted its initial and final message¨Cthe end of time had come, and the Usurping Flame had ignited the entire world.


    After a long while, he exhaled softly, breaking the silence, ¡°Do you think this is a bad omen? You want me to take over this world to avert such a future?¡±


    However, the reply from the Mysterious Saint once again surprised him.


    ¡°No,¡± the dark-red core trembled as it uttered a calm voice, ¡°I do not rely on any ¡®revelation¡¯ or ¡®omen¡¯ that lacks sufficient data support. In the absence of key information, it is not rigorous to simply judge partial, fragmentary data as ¡®good¡¯ or ¡®bad.¡¯ I do not know whether you will really set this world on fire or under what circumstances you will make that decision¨Cthere is insufficient data to conclude.


    ¡°I wish for you to take over all of this simply because, within the range of intelligence currently known, it is the most feasible and prudent plan to keep the Shelter going. Rather than a future incomprehensible and beyond judgment, I trust the calculations I make at this moment.¡±


    Within the response of the dark-red core, Duncan heard a unique rationality and precision¨Cthat was intrinsic to Navigator One as part of the core mainframe of New Hope, stripped of the worldly title of ¡®The Saint¡¯ and the identity of being an ¡®ancient god.¡¯


    In front of the Usurping Flame, at the historical divergence point, this ancient ¡°machine¡±¡­ was using the mode of thought it had learned at its inception to articulate its views and calculate the future of the world.


    Duncan thought for a long time, and the dark-red core seemed to have infinite patience, waiting for his response.


    After a lengthy pause, Duncan broke the silence in a soft voice, ¡°If I truly take over, what will happen?¡±


    The mountains in the darkness roared and trembled again. Amid a series of deep echoes, its ¡°main peak¡± began to contract downward, while the dark-red core descended from the sky¨Clike a star falling to earth, it rapidly expanded in the view of Duncan and Sherry, bringing with it an oppressive sensation that took one¡¯s breath away as it came down from the mountain top to in front of Duncan.


    At such close proximity, Duncan realized that the core was much larger than he had imagined¨Cit was nearly the size of the Storm Cathedral of Pland, with the vast sphere¡¯s surface possessing a crystalline texture. Deep within a layer of translucent red shell, one could see countless intricate lines and structures, with several lights flickering on and off near the core, surrounded and coursing with some kind of viscous substance.


    ¡°After you take over, all the flaws within the Shelter will be mended. In the entire Endless Sea, the many ¡®pollutions¡¯ and ¡®distortions¡¯ caused by cognitive shifts and out-of-control Observer effects will be recalibrated by your cognition¨Cthere will be no more dangerous nights, no more uncontrolled Transcendent anomalies devouring humanity, the sea will become safe, and the City-States will enter a new era of prosperity¡­ This prosperity and peace will continue for an extremely long time within a foreseeable future¡­ If this is what you desire, then it shall be realized.


    ¡°And you, will return as one of the ancient kings, to the position you rightfully belong to¡­ You will become the fifth deity, guarding the mortal world alongside the Four Gods¨Cand your rule will be more stable than any of ours because you will not become gradually mad or lose control like the other ancient kings¡­ At least, according to the calculations of Navigator Two, your condition is more stable than any of ours.


    ¡°After that, you can continue to do whatever you wish¨Call things, including returning to the physical dimension, continuing your travels and adventures, as long as you are willing.¡±


    ¡°¡­It all sounds good,¡± Duncan fell silent for a few seconds before slowly speaking, ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything bad that will happen? To me, or to this world?¡±


    ¡°Within the known range of information, within my cognition, there isn¡¯t,¡± the light within the dark-red core fluctuated, and the reply from the Mysterious Saint was unexpectedly simple and direct, ¡°Everything will evolve in a positive direction, and according to my judgment, this should also match your wishes.¡±


    ¡°¡­Normally, this is the point where you should mention some minor risks or defects to make your previous words more persuasive.¡±


    The dark-red core was silent for two or three seconds: ¡°¡­Upon reconfirmation, there are no risks or defects.¡±


    Duncan and the core once again lapsed into quiet, while Sherry next to him appeared a bit restless. Her gaze shifted back and forth between the captain and ¡°The Saint.¡± After a good while, she muttered softly, ¡°Captain, are you really going to become one of the gods? Even though it sounds impressive¡­ I just can¡¯t help feeling¡­ it¡¯s not quite solid¡­¡±


    Duncan did not speak, simply continuing to quietly observe the enormous core. After a long while, he slowly began to speak, ¡°¡­How exactly do I do it?¡±


    The dark-red core was silent for a moment, then the light within began to brighten, ¡°Ignite me.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression finally showed subtle changes, ¡°¡­Ignite you?!¡±


    How could ¡°Navigator One¡± always be so unexpected every time it spoke?!


    But the dark-red core seemed completely oblivious to the changes in Duncan¡¯s expression and tone. The voice emanating from within remained as calm as ever, ¡°Ignite me, just as you ignited Frost, cover and reshape everything with your flame¨Cin this process, all my authority and influence over the mortal world will be transferred to you, and this might also help dispel any doubts you have¡­ You should know, your flame can do all these things.¡±


    Duncan frowned slightly, ¡°So, you actually ¡®touched¡¯ my flame when I ignited Frost, or more precisely, when I ignited the Frost Deep Sea, and it is then you understood my power and devised this ¡®takeover¡¯ plan?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, when that split cluster was destroyed by your fire, it transmitted its last data back to me, which included the analysis of your power. I compared this with Navigator Two¡¯s records from the past and developed this takeover plan¨Cthe calculations tell me it is feasible.¡±


    ¡°The ¡®separated cluster¡¯ that you mentioned I destroyed, is that the tentacle in the Frost Deep Sea? Isn¡¯t that the erroneous replica produced when you were out of control?¡± Duncan quickly caught on, also recalling another matter the other had mentioned before, ¡°Wait¡­ You also mentioned that you sent the data fragments containing LH-03 to the real world, which was also through that tentacle¡­ Were all these consciously controlled by you? You weren¡¯t really out of control?!¡±


    He looked confused at the dark red core in front of him, and the mountainous enormity of its body behind it, suddenly realizing that he didn¡¯t really understand the current ¡°state¡± of the Mysterious Saint trapped at the bottom of the abyss. This ¡°ancient god¡±¡­ had it really lost control?


    And then, he saw the ¡°mountains¡± of winding growth on which the lights were once again flickering and flowing. Following that, at the end of one of the ¡°mountains,¡± there seemed to be some kind of nascent ¡°twig¡± spreading out from the surface of the main trunk, growing rapidly in the darkness.


    But in the next second, that newborn twig was devoured by some invisible force. It split apart; a portion ascended into tenebrous smoke, drifting toward the countless floating islands and the dim starry sky above, while another part turned into flowing mud, falling back onto the main trunk and its tentacles.


    ¡°¡­Usurping Flame, this is my ¡®loss of control.''¡±


    The voice emanating from the dark red core pulled Duncan¡¯s attention back.


    Duncan turned his gaze back, somewhat comprehending, ¡°¡­Overgrowth?¡±


    ¡°That is my instinct¨Calso a duty bestowed upon me by the creators.¡±


    Duncan was gradually catching on: ¡°Your duty is¡­¡±


    ¡°To reshape my homeland, to recreate that mother star I consumed,¡± the dark red core slowly began, ¡°but within this cramped Shelter, my mission is doomed to failure¨Cfrom a certain moment, my instincts began¡­ to stray from their initial design. Those entities that constantly differentiate from inside me and then devour each other, returning again, those overly-grown branches constantly in decay, and that ¡®tentacle¡¯ piercing into the real world, are all the result of gradually losing control.


    ¡°However, this ¡®loss of control¡¯ can sometimes be utilized. When the main body has lost its ability to move, those overly-grown parts¡­ can sometimes act as mediums for sensing or communication, helping me understand the changes happening in the world, or to send out messages.¡±


    ¡°¡­So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Duncan nodded slowly, seemingly lost in thought.


    A giant form that had lost control, already covering the entirety of the mysterious abyss yet still overgrowing, a central core that could no longer move, trapped deep within the enormous body, an ancient AI that could still think clearly, yet doomed to fail its original mission¨Cthat was the true appearance of ¡°The Saint of the Mysterious Deep.¡±


    And now, this ancient AI trapped within its own massive body was once again extending an invitation to him¨C


    ¡°Usurping Flame, what is your response? Are you willing to take over all of this, to return to the ranks of the ancient kings?¡±


    Duncan raised his head from his reverie, seeing the dark red core draw a bit closer to himself¨Cjust a hand¡¯s reach away now, and he could touch its completely undefended crystalline surface.


    ¡°¡­Captain, it¡¯s telling the truth,¡± Alice suddenly said at his side.


    Duncan looked at Alice in mild surprise, and the doll nodded slowly, her expression somewhat conflicted: ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know how to explain it to you, but I just know that it is telling the truth.¡±


    Duncan remained silent, just listening to Alice¡¯s words, then, after a moment of contemplation, slowly raised his hand.


    He touched the dark red core, feeling its slightly warm touch at his fingertips.


    It pulsated gently, like a beating heart.


    ¡°¡­Ignite it, Usurping Flame,¡± the core sounded warmly, ¡°and then, I too will be released from this long-standing mission.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened, and at her side, A-Dog also watched motionlessly as everything unfolded.


    For an instant, they felt as if they could see the emerald flames soaring into the sky, the dark red core and the distant dark mountains ignited in an instant, the entire Mysterious Deep Sea swallowed by fierce flames.


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    It was as if they could already see all the perils of the deep-sea era soothed, the Shelter¡¯s design flaws repaired from the beginning, the worlds above the Endless Sea returning to tranquility, for a long, eternal time¡­


    A new deity would return to the place it should occupy, like gears meshing, a puzzle completed.


    However, suddenly, Duncan withdrew his arm.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right.¡±


    History took another path.

 Chapter 736 - Chapter 736 Chapter 733 After the Branch

    Chapter 736: Chapter 733: After the Branch Chapter 736: Chapter 733: After the Branch Accompanied by a whistling tear through the air, the heavy alloy greatsword plummeted towards the earth like a star falling from the sky, crushing a giant demon that resembled a heavy battle tank into two with ease, despite its edgeless blade. And then, with a thunderous roar, Fenna slammed her fist into the ground, creating a terrifying shockwave that turned the weaker demons gathered around her into nothing more than a fine powder.


    A bizarre, shrill scream rose from behind, and a missile, brimming with filthy energy, struck from a tricky angle. Fenna quickly got up, but before she could raise her hand to block it, a swift shadow surged in from the side, a two-handed greatsword glittering with silver light intercepting the treacherous sneak attack. Then, several marines wielding enchanted steel swords rushed in and minced the demon, which had launched the attack from a short distance away, into a pulp.


    Fenna looked up at the shadow and nodded slightly, ¡°Quick reaction.¡±


    Amber¡¯s face broke into a happy expression. She nodded enthusiastically and then couldn¡¯t help but admire Fenna with a look of astonishment and envy, ¡°You¡¯re really¡­ even stronger than I imagined.¡±


    ¡°Not bad, I¡¯m in a good state today,¡± Fenna nonchalantly twirled her alloy greatsword and backhandedly thrust it into the mist beside her, impaling an Abyssal Hound that had just taken shape from the thick fog. Then, with a light flick on the hilt of the sword ¨C the demon was ground into fine dust, ¡°And these demons are not that strong¡­ far weaker than the enemies I¡¯ve been facing recently.¡±


    Amber¡¯s expression seemed to stiffen for a moment, but she recovered quickly and returned to her post ¨C continuing to direct the soldiers to clear away the roaming demons near the entrance of the cave, while organizing battle personnel to rest in rotation and reinforce the defenses.


    Fenna also lifted her greatsword once again, but just then, she felt something and her gaze sharpened slightly, looking towards the depths of the fog.


    For a moment, she thought she saw a figure ¨C a hunched figure in tattered robes, moving across the stone beaches of the canyon.


    The figure seemed oblivious to the fierce battle around him, to the demons and church warriors that were nearby; he looked like a phantom, hastily crossing through the mist from another dimension of time and space.


    This lasted only for an instant ¨C when Fenna blinked again, he had disappeared.


    Then, a frightful demon composed of countless interweaving skeletons, appearing like a sinister ¡°bone sphere¡± with a diameter of three meters, emerged from the dense fog not far away. The hollow roar from within the bone sphere forced Fenna to suppress her doubts for the time being and raise her sword to face the enemy¡­


    During a series of dense musket shots, the strange demons that crawled from the black gate hadn¡¯t yet stabilized their form when they were torn to shreds by bullets fired by the toy soldiers. Accompanied by commands and whistles, the toy soldiers, their bodies painted in colorful and garish paints, quickly reformed their ranks and began digging entrenchments on the ground, pushing carved wooden cannons into position.


    Maurice watched curiously, then reached down to pick up a toy soldier, examining it closely in front of his eyes. The metal plate on his forehead receded, and among the rapidly spinning gears and vibrating springs inside his skull, a set of precise lenses were mechanically extended to focus on the toy soldier.


    The toy soldier struggled forcefully, using the butt of the rifle to hit Maurice¡¯s fingers, creating a series of metallic ¡°clang¡± sounds as wood met metal.


    Maurice released the toy soldier and flexed his fingers before turning to the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± beside him, who was constantly directing various toy soldiers, paper tanks, and paper soldiers to set up positions with a conductor¡¯s baton, ¡°¡­quite irritable.¡±


    ¡°¡­Could you stop constantly grabbing my soldiers for your research?¡± Lucrecia glanced at Maurice helplessly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you study those demon remains instead? They¡¯re all over the place here¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to study about demon remains? Every now and then, they show up on the ship,¡± Maurice casually took out his pipe but remembered that he was currently in ¡°Casting Body¡± and had to reluctantly put the pipe back in his pocket, ¡°I would like to ask you about puppetry technology when I have the chance. The techniques you use seem related to Academy techniques, but the approach is different¡­¡±


    ¡°Once things here are settled, of course we can talk ¨C I¡¯m also interested in the Casting Body you¡¯re using,¡± Lucrecia replied casually, ¡°I¡¯ve had quite a few dealings with the Academy of Truth. I know about your ¡®Divine Arts¡¯ that temporarily transform part of your body into mechanical form, but to have the entire body ¡®Cast Transformed¡¯¡­ I¡¯ve never seen that before.¡±


    Maurice smiled, emitting a buzzing sound from the vibrating springs in his throat. But just then, something he caught a glimpse of with the corner of his eye interrupted what he was about to say.


    Deep in the dim cave, next to the black gate, on an open area of ground, a figure seemed to have abruptly appeared.


    The figure was cloaked in a tattered white robe, standing as if he had been there for a very long time, and neither the surrounding demons nor the ¡°soldiers¡± summoned by Lucrecia seemed to notice this unwelcome guest ¨C he just stood quietly on the battlefield, his out-of-place appearance seeming like a phantom cast from another dimension of time and space.


    He appeared to be observing the black gate, maintaining a gaze that did not waver.


    Yet it was only for an instant ¨C when Maurice blinked again, the strange figure had vanished.


    Lucrecia suddenly noticed Maurice¡¯s strange behavior and immediately turned her head after the soldiers had eliminated another demon emerging from the black gate, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­A figure appeared near the black gate,¡± Maurice said gravely, ¡°but disappeared in the blink of an eye. Did you not see it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucresia shook her head, her brows slightly furrowing, ¡°Damn it, I wasn¡¯t paying attention in that direction¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s alright,¡± Morris glanced at the ¡°witch¡± and waved his hand, ¡°I got a picture.¡±


    Lucresia¡¯s expression froze: ¡°Picture¡­?¡±


    Morris nodded, and at the same time, a series of gears turning and mechanisms clicking started emanating from within his body. Then his entire jaw joint dropped down in a rather horrifying manner¨Crevealing a dark open slot from which a hand-sized photograph slowly emerged.


    Morris pulled out the photograph, waved it in the air, and, with his other hand, casually reattached his jaw joint. He then handed the photograph to Lucresia: ¡°It¡¯s not very clear, seems like there was interference, but you can still make out a white shadow.¡±


    Lucresia took the photograph with a strange look on her face, noting the fuzzy figure near the Black Gate, but her gaze couldn¡¯t help returning to Morris: ¡°¡­Why do you even have that feature¡­¡±


    Morris smiled faintly: ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I had many adventures when I was young¡­¡±


    Lucresia: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan felt, vaguely and indistinctly, that when he withdrew his hand, something had quietly changed¨Cwhether it was his own fate or the future of the world, he couldn¡¯t clearly define what it was.


    He merely had this profound sensation that the decision he had just made was extremely crucial, whether for good or ill.


    He looked up and saw the dark red core still peacefully floating nearby; the light within the core flickered, waning and waxing, while the majestic ¡°mountain range¡± behind the core settled down, its surface array of lights somewhat dim.


    His refusal had not ¡°angered¡± the ancient deity; it seemed simply¡­confused.


    After a good while, the core finally spoke: ¡°Why?¡±


    Then the light inside the core grew slightly brighter than before as it continued, ¡°Theoretically, having the Shelter repaired should align with your wishes¨Cyou have already saved three City-States, and ¡®taking over¡¯ this world would ensure a more thorough salvation for all City-States, safeguarding them from becoming out of control or polluted for a considerable length of time¡­ I have calculated all possibilities, and you should be pleased with such an outcome, so why would you refuse?¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, ¡°And then what?¡±


    The dark red core appeared slightly perplexed: ¡°Then what?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s tone was even: ¡°After this ¡®considerable length of time¡¯ you speak of?¡±


    The dark red core fell silent, its slowly pulsating light seemingly reflecting its hesitation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if there are other solutions¨Cperhaps your proposition truly is the best choice at this stage, perhaps everything will indeed develop as you say, but for now¡­ I cannot agree to it.¡±


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    Duncan spoke calmly while taking a small step back.


    Consider it intuition¡­ I feel there is a major issue with your ¡®plan,¡¯ and I believe there are other ways¨Cnot just resetting this Shelter and struggling to survive.¡±


    He paused, looking earnestly at the flickers of light within the core.


    ¡°Moreover, just like your reaction just now¨Cit¡¯s obvious, even you cannot be certain what will happen after this ¡®considerable length of time.¡¯ Maybe my takeover could indeed bring the Shelter back to its optimal state and rectify all its current shortcomings, but even you cannot assure how long a Shelter, repaired in such a way to conform completely to the ¡®blueprint,¡¯ will last¨C


    ¡°The sun once deemed ¡®eternal¡¯ has extinguished twice, the frontier fog known as ¡®Eternal Veil¡¯ has been collapsing continuously over the past few decades, the gods are gradually dying, and you are well aware of your own condition¨Call things are perishable, and I don¡¯t believe that just by taking the place of the ancient kings and gods, I could change all that¡­ After all, as a ¡®world¡¯ for all beings to thrive, this ¡®Endless Sea,¡¯ in terms of both resources and space, is simply too¡­ cramped.


    ¡°And speaking selfishly, I do not wish that after taking over everything, in another ten thousand years, I would find myself in your position, watching the Shelter descend into its end once again¨Cat that time, whom would I find to ¡®take over¡¯ all this?¡±

 Chapter 737 - Chapter 737 Chapter 734 Farewell to the Creator

    Chapter 737: Chapter 734: Farewell to the Creator Chapter 737: Chapter 734: Farewell to the Creator Duncan¡¯s response had silenced the dark red core for a long time.


    After what felt like an eternity, Sherry and Alice heard a deep humming sound coming from the depths of the ¡°Dark Mountains¡±¨Caccompanied by the massive central entity of the mountains slowly morphing and writhing, the Profound Saint¡¯s dark red core gradually rose and returned to its original position, overlooking the land.


    ¡°A Shelter could ensure the survival of many, maybe for thousands of years, maybe even ten thousand years¡­ Even if it¡¯s not eternal, it¡¯s better than being completely obliterated,¡± the dark red core flickered intermittently, and its deep tremulous voice echoed across the wilderness, ¡°My creators told me that survival is the foremost task, which I have been executing¨Cthe continuation of the Shelter is of utmost importance in my logic.¡±


    ¡°Survival is indeed very important, I understand why you want the Shelter to continue, but for me¡­ ¡®possibility¡¯ is also essential, and the current ¡®Shelter¡¯ really lacks enough, enough for me to see possibilities in the future, it¡­¡±


    Duncan suddenly fell silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over a dog beside him and Sherry, still in her Profound Demons form.


    Prand¡¯s raging fires, Frost¡¯s muddy sludge, nightmares of Light Breeze Harbor, those dead priests, soldiers, civilians, martyrs and zealots, the limited Endless Sea, and every explorer trapped in this Endless Sea¡­


    Duncan slowly closed his eyes, memories in his mind swirling and tangling, finally turning into a sigh: ¡°¡­It¡¯s too dark.¡±


    The overlooking dark red core quietly spoke, ¡°Then, do you have a better plan?¡±


    ¡°No, but I have some vague ideas,¡± Duncan opened his eyes and bravely gazed at the core, as if looking into a weathered giant eye, ¡°I¡­ sort of know what I should do, and what I can achieve, but I haven¡¯t found a correct and viable method yet. I¡¯m still searching¨Cfor a future better than ¡®the Shelter¡¯, a future with more possibilities, more worth anticipating.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is it eternal?¡± the dark red core continued to ask calmly.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no true eternity in this world, everything decays¨Cbut at least it shouldn¡¯t be a sea covered in fog, resource-depleted, scarcely enough space to stand, that ¡®Eternal Veil¡¯ as a border¡­ It¡¯s too narrow for civilization.¡±


    ¡°You know we don¡¯t have much time¨Cwhether it¡¯s you or me, or this ¡®Shelter,¡¯ we don¡¯t have too much time to waste,¡± the dark red core slowly flickered, ¡°How long will it take you to find that way out? What if you can¡¯t find it in the end?¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment, then lifted his head and met the gaze of the Profound Saint earnestly.


    ¡°¡­Before the world collapses, I will return here. If by then I still haven¡¯t found another way out, I will take over everything.¡±


    After a brief silence, the ancient navigation core emitted a trembling sound: ¡°Recorded¨CThen, this is our agreement. If you still can¡¯t find a better plan than ¡®continuing the Shelter¡¯ in the end, come back here, ignite me, and if I completely lose control before that¡­ don¡¯t hesitate, burn everything to the ground.¡±


    Duncan slowly nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±


    After this, the Profound Saint quieted down again, its core suspended above the peak, its faint glow gradually synchronizing with the lights among the surrounding mountains, as if it was engaged in a long and profound contemplation, recalculating the future and everything in this world, Duncan did not disturb this ancient navigation system, and it was only after a long while that the deep tremble suddenly resounded again: ¡°Navigation Unit Three.¡±


    Alice remained still¨Cshe didn¡¯t realize she was being called until Duncan suddenly nudged her arm. The puppet quickly reacted, ¡°Ah¡­are you calling me?¡±


    ¡°¡­You seem to have completely forgotten about New Hope, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Alice listened, scratching her head and looking somewhat embarrassed and ashamed, ¡°Uh¡­ sorry, I really don¡¯t remember¡­Should I kind of remember something?¡±


    ¡°No, this is good, although it¡¯s not like my initial plan¡­ but you are still alive, survival above all¨Cplease continue to survive and assist the Usurping Flame as best as you can.¡±


    Alice paused a moment, then calculated in her head, reacting slowly with a nod, ¡°Oh¡­ yes! Of course, I will definitely help the captain!¡±


    Sherry, leaning back her head, looked up along with the dog at the majestic and awe-inspiring ¡°Ancient Creator,¡± enough to drive any world-class explorer and scholar mad. They seemed to sense that it was time to say goodbye, finding themselves suddenly also curious, but unable to think of anything to ask.


    But the ¡°gaze¡± of the dark red core seemed to have already fallen upon them.


    It was an inexplicable feeling, the micro-lights in the dark red core flickered slowly as usual, but Sherry intuitively felt¡­ the entity was looking at her.


    An odd sensation of being completely seen through welled up inside her, Sherry instinctively took a small step back, and then she heard that low trembling voice¨Cseemingly a bit gentler.


    ¡°This world has brought you a lot of suffering,¡± the gentle voice said slowly, ¡°do you¡­ also think this Shelter is terrible?¡±


    Sherry opened her mouth, unsure how to answer the question¨Cshe thought that it should be a more learned, more astute, more wise person standing here, like Mr. Morris, a great scholar, as the first ¡°mortal¡± to directly face The Saint, standing here to answer the question should be someone better than herself.


    And not someone ignorant like her.


    Yet the ancient god still quietly waited for her answer.


    ¡°¡­I¡­,¡± Sherry finally squeezed out the syllables from her throat, the skeletal limbs behind her restlessly shifting, the slight glow in her chest flickering, ¡°I don¡¯t really understand what you told the captain, I¡­¡±


    She stammered, then hesitated for a long time before muttering softly, ¡°Living¡­ is difficult, sometimes worrying about food, sometimes about clothes and fuel for the winter, where I used to live, the nights were not very peaceful¡­ but I think no matter what, there are always people who will live through hard times, even if the City-State grew ten times larger, and there was more food than could be eaten, living would still have its difficulties, a neighbor of mine always said that life is always bitter, it¡¯s not the fault of the world, nor because someone did something wrong, and compared to these, the captain cares about more¡­¡±


    She turned her head slightly, sneaked a glance at Duncan, and quickly turned her gaze back.


    ¡°The captain cares about more¡­ ¡®profound¡¯ matters, though I don¡¯t quite understand, but I feel what he says must be right, better for many people, as for me, I don¡¯t have much to ask for the future, just hoping¡­ to live a stable life, of course, if possible¡­¡±


    She suddenly paused, seemingly carefully choosing her words, hesitated for a long time before she spoke softly, ¡°No more demons running out hurting people, no more people disappearing in corners, the sun rising and setting every day, the fog not consuming people¡­ that would be even better, if all this could truly happen, then any way would be fine.¡±


    Ah Gou slowly approached and gently rubbed his bony head against Sherry¡¯s leg.


    That high-suspended dark red core was silent for a long time before suddenly speaking softly, breaking the silence, ¡°I understand.¡±


    In a series of deep roars, the giant Star-shaped Mountain Range in the center slowly cracked open, and The Saint¡¯s dark red core slowly submerged back into the depths of the mountain range¨CDuncan realized it was time to say goodbye.


    But before the core completely sank back into the ¡°mountain,¡± he suddenly took a step forward, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing.¡±


    The core paused, waiting for Duncan.


    ¡°¡­ The last guard of the Cretan outpost asked me to bring a message,¡± Duncan took another step forward, his expression becoming serious, his tone especially earnest, ¡°he said¡­ they were honored to have completed the task.¡±


    The dark red core remained still, for seconds, no sound came from it¨Cno one knew what this ancient navigation mainframe was thinking or calculating at this moment; it perhaps retrieved the meaning of ¡°Cretan¡± from its vast database, or maybe it was recalling that information from the creation¡¯s early days, or perhaps¡­ it was just a silent sigh.


    Perhaps, the creator who created everything and ¡°Cretan clan¡± also remembered its creators at this moment.


    ¡°I am also honored¡­ to have worked with them.¡±


    The dark red core slowly sank into the depths of the mountain range.


    Duncan retracted his gaze from the ¡°mountains,¡± he inhaled softly, the illusionary flames gradually floated around him, ¡°We should go, there¡¯s still much to do.¡±


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    Alice approached the captain, willingly embracing the surrounding flames, Sherry, along with Ah Gou, also stepped into the flames.


    The flames rose, and Alice¡¯s pale purple eyes began reflecting countless intricate paths, starting to find the correct path to leave the depths of the Mysterious.


    Sherry continued to gaze dazedly at the distant mountain peak, at the place where the dark red core last disappeared, she always felt¡­ there might still be a gaze, lingering on her.


    Until the flames closed up, until the light and shadows outside the flames turned blurry and vague, she suddenly heard a hazy whisper, the voice echoing directly in her mind, repeated a few times, then she finally discerned the sentence¨C


    ¡°¡­Sorry, I did my best¡­¡±


    The flames soared into the sky, then in an instant disappeared into the vast darkness of the Mysterious Deep Sea.

 Chapter 738 - Chapter 738 Chapter 735 The Quiet Changes

    Chapter 738: Chapter 735: The Quiet Changes Chapter 738: Chapter 735: The Quiet Changes The stars¡¯ cold, hollow projections raced across the edge of my vision as the navigation mainframe¨CAlice¨Ccalculated the return route. Sherry, who had reverted back to human form, and A-dog gazed out trance-like at the floating lights beyond the flames, both silent for a long time.


    After a very long time, Duncan¡¯s voice suddenly reached her ears, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Sherry was startled, then she blinked her eyes¨Cthe ones filled with a faint, blood-red glow, representing the Profound Demons ¡ª and muttered softly, ¡°I just suddenly remembered¡­ I always thought The Saint was a fearsome Evil God¡­ out-of-control mad, the very bad sort¡­¡±


    Duncan looked at Sherry for a few seconds, then averted his gaze, ¡°If you faced him alone today, it would have been as you said; your mind couldn¡¯t comprehend or handle his voice, and you would have seen his out-of-control madness¨Csame with other ¡®deities.¡¯ After all, The Saint you ¡®observed¡¯ today was actually through my perspective.¡±


    ¡°Mm, I know¨CA-dog had explained it to me before, after your encounter with the Four Deity Pontiffs, a cognitive shift¡­ right?¡±


    Duncan nodded and remained silent until, after about a dozen seconds, he suddenly spoke up, ¡°Do you think I should have accepted The Saint¡¯s invitation this time?¡±


    Sherry was taken aback, seemingly not understanding at first, ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Duncan just continued to look at her gently, ¡°If I had accepted, what you¡¯ve been hoping for could have been almost instantly realized¨Cno more demons running out and injuring people, no more people disappearing in corners, the sun rising and setting every day, the thick fog not consuming anyone, the world you hope for, where more people can live more securely, I could realize it by taking over the Shelter.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps for a thousand years, maybe ten thousand, or possibly even longer. After I take over this world, every City-State would be as safe as Prandt and Frost are now, even the nights would calm down. As long as my flame keeps burning, the Endless Sea could maintain this peaceful appearance, until all resources are exhausted, the Shelter reaches its designed lifespan limit¡­ which is the true longevity limit The Saint once planned but never achieved.¡±


    Sherry fell silent for a moment then said softly, ¡°And then¡­ everyone will still die, right?¡±


    Duncan looked at her calmly, ¡°But that would be after a long time; even if you could live forever, like a typical Profound Demon, by then you should have no regrets.¡±


    This time Sherry was quiet longer, as if deeply and seriously contemplating, while A-dog stayed quietly by her side, its thoughts indiscernible.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Finally breaking the silence, Sherry spoke up, ¡°I do have some incomprehension. I think The Saint¡¯s plan was already very good, a safe Shelter, even though it¡¯s not eternal. But isn¡¯t it enough to live out our last days peacefully and securely? After all¡­ there¡¯s nowhere else to go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s nowhere else to go,¡± whispered Duncan, ¡°because this world will only ever have this one Endless Sea, only ever have these City-States floating atop it, only ever have this small living space amidst the fog¡­ But Sherry, the real ¡®world¡¯ shouldn¡¯t be like this, this is merely a¡­ narrow paper box.¡±


    Sherry listened beside him, half understanding and half not, while the chains jingled slightly, A-dog abruptly broke the silence, ¡°Like you said, this little box is not enough to contain more ¡®possibilities,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°Too narrow. The Endless Sea, locked by the fog, is narrow. The ¡®lifespan¡¯ of thousands or tens of thousands of years is also narrow. For the countless civilizations destroyed in the Great Obliteration, this little box is not even enough to stuff a small part of their Replications, and the Shelter¡¯s limited lifespan is not enough for them to patch up their lost history even once¡­¡±


    ¡°This is not any ¡®new home¡¯, do you understand? If the ¡®world¡¯ before the Great Obliteration was made up of numerous thriving forests, then the current Endless Sea is just a small potted plant. The results of the first three long nights were just to plant a few surviving plants from the forests in it and then pretend the forest still existed¨Cbut the fact is no matter how much you water or fertilize, it will never become a forest, never will, and it would only take one small mistake for even this flower pot to cease to exist.¡±


    ¡°So, you rejected His plan because you had already seen that this plan has no future,¡± A-dog spoke slowly, ¡°You¡¯ve already known some other solution, right?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, just lowered his head and quietly watched his own hands.


    He blinked, and in the very first 0.002 seconds as darkness descended, he saw stars twinkling, the magnificent Milky Way glittering in deep space, huge star-forming nebulae like grand draperies stretching across the stars.


    Even after leaving that cave, he could still see those ¡°different sceneries¡± in the very first 0.002 seconds of each blink.


    Duncan knew he was undergoing some kind of change, and the appearance of those previously obscured things in his vision was just part of this change. As for when exactly this change had started¡­ he wasn¡¯t sure.


    But he knew that as long as he continued to seek the truth, to attempt to unveil the secrets within himself, this change would continue to emerge, continue to develop, accelerating ever faster¡­


    He didn¡¯t know if he was ready, but he knew there was no time left to prepare, just as Pilot One had said: neither he nor the world had time anymore.


    The phantom starlight was reaching its end¡­


    Blooms of flowers violently burst into existence within the illusion, and with a light tap of the baton in Lucresia¡¯s hand, several crisp musical notes sprung forth, drowning the Fear Demons in a sea of flowers, reducing them to drifting ashes in silence.


    Beside him, the hissing of increasing pipeline pressure and the loud clang of metal colliding rang out; Maurice punched away an Abyssal Hound that lunged at him and shook his head, somewhat helplessly, ¡°These demons have no respect for knowledge or wisdom¡­ Luckily, I still know a little about fighting.¡±


    ¡°The number of demons is increasing,¡± said Lucresia, her expression grave as she watched the black gate that kept bulging and contracting, ¡°This rift is widening, and more and more demons are noticing us; the entire island is sinking into the Mysterious Deep Sea.¡±


    ¡°The captain should be back by now,¡± muttered Maurice, his throat resonating with the unique metallic timbre of reed vibration, ¡°Judging from the noise above, if the captain doesn¡¯t return soon, Fenna might smash through the entire valley.¡±


    Lucresia frowned and listened to the incessant deep thuds from the cave¡¯s dome, slightly shaking her head, ¡°It¡¯s unlikely that Miss Fenna is causing this commotion; it sounds more like Holy Land Island itself making the noise¡­ It¡¯s about to be ¡®awakened¡¯ again.¡±


    Maurice opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, a dazzling green flame suddenly surged up from the throbbing black gate!


    In the blink of an eye, flames burst from the gate and formed a spinning portal of fire on the cavern floor, and then several figures stepped out from the gate, accompanied by the captain¡¯s familiar and authoritative voice, ¡°Yes, this place is about to ¡®wake up¡¯ again¨Cinform everyone, evacuate Holy Land Island, our job is done.¡±


    Lucresia was first surprised but then quickly reacted, foregoing pleasantries and nodding immediately, ¡°Alright, Dad!¡±


    No sooner had her words finished than she began to swiftly gather up her toy soldier troops, while Maurice, after saluting the captain, saw Sherry and the dog next to him for the first time. Noticing Sherry¡¯s blood-red eyes, similar to those of the Profound Demons, his eyes widened slightly, ¡°Sherry, what¡¯s¡­¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes were wider than Maurice¡¯s, and she stared blankly at the scholar in a ¡°Casting Transformation¡± state before finally managing to blurt out, ¡°Old man, how did you turn into copper?¡±


    Duncan also looked at Maurice in surprise and nodded subtly, ¡°¡­That¡¯s quite a unique form.¡±


    Maurice then realized he was still in his cast form and quickly focused his mind, silently reciting Rahm¡¯s prayer and using Divine Arts to reverse his state¨Cthe copper exterior quickly faded from his body, replacing gears, bearings, pumps, and copper pipes with flesh and blood in an unbelievably swift manner; a pair of ruby focusers retracted from his eye sockets, and human eyeballs grew back as he blinked, removing the intricate brass mechanism from within his body and smiling, ¡°¡­The power of knowledge.¡±


    Sherry looked utterly baffled, ¡°¡­You and the captain never said that knowledge¡¯s power meant this when you were teaching me?¡±


    In such a short time, the girl had thoroughly reimagined the concepts of ¡°knowledge changes destiny¡± and ¡°the power of knowledge¡±¨Cshe would probably never forget them in this lifetime.


    And just then, another burst of eerie howls and mumbled incantations suddenly filled the cave.


    The restless black gate surged again, with new demons beginning to enter the real world through the rift, as ghastly skeletons and countless limbs and tentacles squeezed out of that convulsing surface, creeping and crawling toward the cavern!


    Lucresia instinctively raised her baton, but before she could act, Duncan waved at the gate, ¡°Go back.¡±


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    The ghastly skeletons and numerous limbs and tentacles hastily and chaotically retreated into the gate.


    ¡°And close the door behind you,¡± Duncan added on the side.


    The ¡°black gate¡± that had been swelling and moving began to settle down.


    Lucresia: ¡°¡­¡±


    Duncan turned to the ¡°Witch of the Sea,¡± gestured for her to come to her senses, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ve still got a lot to do.¡±

 Chapter 739 - Chapter 739 Chapter 736 Leaving Holy Land Island

    Chapter 739: Chapter 736: Leaving Holy Land Island Chapter 739: Chapter 736: Leaving Holy Land Island Deep within the cavern, the ¡°Dark Gate¡± had been closed, yet the entirety of Holy Land Island continued to spout an increasing number of Profound Demons¨Cthis small island, formed from parts of The Saint¡¯s own body, was trembling. Deep, thunderous roars and strange buzzing noises echoed from the depths of the mist, like the rumblings of a great beast¡¯s belly. Countless bizarre silhouettes flitted in and out of view within the mist; with each passing second, shadows solidified into tangible forms, wantonly attacking the unwelcome visitors who had set foot upon the island.


    Duncan and his party left the cave and, after successfully regrouping with Fenna, Amber, and others who had stayed in the valley, began to retreat toward the coast.


    The earth shook, and from deep within the valley came the thunderous cracking of exploding rocks. Chaotic screams and mumbling whispers reverberated everywhere like nightmares. Indescribable shadows coalesced in the mist, while omnipresent malice wrapped in cold currents howled, piercing through the grotesque and jagged boulders on the cliffsides¨Cwithin the swirling fog, the cliffside rocks seemingly came to life, with colossal limbs slowly dangling down from the high mountains. Those vine-like appendages twisted and trembled, emitting the eerie sounds of swallowing and chewing. Filthy mud dripped down their surfaces, hissing and producing plumes of black smoke upon touching the ground.


    Even the clergy warriors, used to operating in the border seas, grew tense. The marines gripped their enchanted steel swords, lanterns, and amulets, vigilantly advancing while keeping an eye on the restless shadows by the roadside. Amber, sword in hand, walked beside Fenna, softly chanting prayers to the Storm Goddess while progressing. The gentle sound of waves protected the warriors¡¯ minds, shielding them from the demons¡¯ seductive whispers and Corrosion. The tattoo-covered Death Priest led the way, carrying the Sacred Ashes Coffer¨Cbeside him, the mist briefly dispersed, and the figures of the demons faded, forging a momentarily tranquil path home.


    Upon realizing that these clergy warriors indeed possessed the capacity to handle the troubles on the road and safely return, Duncan finally felt relieved. He walked calmly at the rear of the group, devoting more of his attention to thought.


    After a while, they successfully navigated through the wild inner regions of the island and finally set foot on the main road to the docks¨Cthe coastline was now close at hand.


    The sound of gunfire and explosions emanated from the depths of the fog ahead, and from time to time, colossal flames burst into the sky, brightening and reddening large swathes of the heavens like a surging sunrise, an awe-inspiring sight.


    ¡°Ships or ¡®counterfeits¡¯ resembling them have begun to appear on the nearby sea, accompanied by roaming giant demons. Our fleet is currently battling those monsters,¡± Amber approached, the young priestess holding her Longsword in one hand and a storm-inscribed lantern in the other, her expression quite grave, ¡°They report that one side of Holy Land Island is slowly¡­ reshaping. Parts of the sea cliffs appear to be softening and collapsing progressively downwards. Although it hasn¡¯t yet affected this side, the entire island is evidently ¡®coming to life¡¯ in some way.¡±


    Duncan lifted his head, observing the giant stones in the mountainsides coming to life amidst the swirling fog, as well as the black tendrils sprouting from the nearby slopes, curling and spreading toward the lowlands, and nodded slightly.


    ¡°The island¡¯s condition is just as Sherry described¨Cit truly is a ¡®flesh piece¡¯ of The Saint. The whole island is part of some tentacle of his that has pierced into our reality¨Cas for now, it seems he has begun to fix this ¡®mistake.''¡±


    ¡°¡­Such a shame for the countless truths buried here,¡± Amber pursed her lips, ¡°If we had more time, we could have properly explored the island. The followers of the Usurping Flame have occupied this place for at least several centuries, hiding untold dark and sinful secrets¡­ they might even hide the secrets of their covert bases and personnel lists within the City-States¡­¡±


    Listening to Amber¡¯s somewhat resentful mutterings, Duncan didn¡¯t respond but couldn¡¯t help recalling the magnificent, grand, yet desolate and dark ¡°mountain range¡± he had seen at the bottom of the Mysterious Deep Sea as he watched the continuously collapsing and reshaping island.


    Ten thousand years had passed¡­ The once Ecological Reshaping Unit ¡°Lead Navigator No. 1¡± had morphed into a twisted behemoth in its uncontrollable growth, its limbs piercing through the Mysterious Deep Sea, into Subspace, into the real world, yet still not ceasing to grow.


    This made Duncan think that even if the Endless Sea had not encountered a ¡°malfunction¡±, even if anomalous phenomenon 001¨Cthe Sun¨Ccould still hold up a little longer, the ceaselessly growing Lead Navigator No. 1 itself would likely be enough to bring about another apocalypse.


    And this ¡°apocalypse¡± obviously wouldn¡¯t be too far off¨Cperhaps on some day in the next hundred years, the exponentially growing body of Lead Navigator No. 1 would fill the entire Mysterious Deep Sea, and then spread at a mad pace towards all dimensions, its tendrils piercing through every City-State, meandering across the great sea, entangling every vessel sailing the sea, until everything physical in this world was again consumed by its ¡°creators¡± and reverted back into that black sludge and writhing tentacles.


    ¡­Was this what those annihilation cultists saw in their deranged hallucinations? Just as they proclaimed¨Cthat one day in the future, The Saint of the Profound would return to this pitiful world, the Prime Element would erupt from the depths of the world, and once again reshape the entire world into its pure, primal form¡­


    In some sense, those deranged and fervent cultists had indeed glimpsed a part of the world¡¯s ¡°truth¡±, whether it was during a brief connection with The Saint of the Profound or in their transformation into Profound Demons, recklessly touching the Prime Element¡­ They glimpsed the future and interpreted that terrible future in the way they were willing to understand.


    Duncan took a light breath, slowly shaking his head.


    Lead Navigator No. 1 invited him to ¡°take over¡± the maintenance of this Shelter and hoped that he would burn its already completely out-of-control colossal body in the process¡­ Lead Navigator No. 1 openly admitted that this was a form of ¡°liberation¡±, a release from its long mission.


    It seemed that maintaining this Shelter was indeed a long and arduous mission, even exhausting enough to make an ancient ¡°machine¡± feel fatigued and desperate.


    Duncan¡¯s resolve to find another way out strengthened once again in his heart.


    Maintaining this Shelter was not a good choice¨Cat least not the best one.


    After a perilous journey, the landing party finally returned to the secret dock, which was covered by internal bays and cliffs. The small boats they had arrived in were still anchored at the shore, swaying back and forth in the turbulent sea.


    The small boat that had been lowered from Homeloss was the most noticeably unsteady¨Cit was rocking vertically.


    In short, the entire boat¡¯s bow pointed towards the sky, sticking out like a foxtail in the shallow water, bouncing and swinging. It only dropped onto the surface of the water with a ¡°thump¡± when Duncan and his team appeared, before slapping its paddles and scuttling to the shore, excitedly rocking back and forth while smacking the sides of its hull with its paddles.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lucricia glanced silently at the small boat for a while, then muttered to Duncan, lowering her head, ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t really want to get on this boat¡­¡±


    ¡°It is a bit embarrassing,¡± Duncan fell silent for a few seconds, then sighed softly, ¡°But let¡¯s get on anyway. We¡¯ve come this far, and if we ditch it now, right in front of it, the thing might just sink itself on the spot¨Cand there are already enough ghost ships in this world. One more resentful landing craft would make it hard to explain to the people¡­¡±


    Lucricia sighed and could only follow her father aboard the small boat with mixed feelings.


    The three speedboats left the dock, racing out of the small bay toward the exit, toward the dense fog that kept rising with flashes and booming sounds.


    And just as they were leaving the bay¡¯s exit, when the main battleships could be seen stopped on the nearby sea surface, Sherry seemed to suddenly sense something and abruptly turned back to look in the direction of the small island.


    Her eyes, filled with a crimson microglow, slowly widened¨C


    ¡°The island is starting to sink!¡±


    In a series of thunderous roars, the entire Holy Land Island was collapsing and slumping down, like some kind of unsupported soft material. Its sea cliffs were flowing downward as if melting, and dark mud oozed out from every inch of soil and stone. Huge tentacles and rugged limbs were piercing through the softened cliffs and coasts, thrashing wildly in the rising seawater; numerous raging demons were running and screaming between the collapsing rocky cliffs as though attempting to escape, yet they were tethered by an invisible force, unable to leave the range of Holy Land Island. They could only sink along with the island¡­


    Duncan noticed that Holy Land Island was not, in fact, sinking into the sea but seemed to be ¡°melting¡± away on the sea¡¯s surface instead.


    Shelter One was slowly ¡°withdrawing¡± this mistakenly extended limb into the reality dimension.


    Even as the collapse of the Shelter loomed imminent, and even as its own loss of control became irretrievable, it was still fixing the system¡¯s errors within its capacity, delaying the critical point of ultimate breakdown.


    But¡­ how many more times would this ¡°delay¡± still be effective?


    Duncan and Alice sat at the stern of the small boat, looking back at Holy Land Island, which was rapidly ¡°melting¡± into the seawater. Its last outline swayed in the thickening fog, like a dream fading into the distance.


    And before that outline thoroughly dissipated, Duncan faintly heard a voice¨Cit was a deep tremble carried by the breeze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget our promise, Usurping Flame¡­¡±


    Duncan felt someone grab his arm. He turned around, and in the mist, the clearest sight was Alice¡¯s deep purple eyes.


    ¡°I hear him speaking, Captain.¡±


    ¡°I hear it too, Alice. Can you still find the place where he is?¡±


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    ¡°Mm,¡± Alice nodded her head, then scratched her hair, ¡°But I¡¯m not sure exactly how to do it. I just feel¡­ If you need me to, I can still take you to find him because I remember¡­ ¡®the way.''¡±


    Duncan nodded gently, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Alice hesitated for a moment before asking carefully, ¡°Will¡­ will we go back to find him?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ we will.¡±


    ¡°So, when might that be?¡±


    ¡°¡­ At least before the end of the world.¡±

 Chapter 740 - Chapter 740 737 Chapter Keywords

    Chapter 740: 737 Chapter Keywords Chapter 740: 737 Chapter Keywords The fleet was returning along the path it had come, but perhaps due to the sinking of the large entity ¡°Holy Land Island,¡± the nearby sea was not very calm. The sea, like a mirror, was constantly echoing with layers of dense ripples akin to fish scales, and the thick fog around always presented bizarre illusions¨Cthis made many people tense.


    But until the journey was half over, nothing truly threatening had emerged from the fog.


    The sails of the Spiritual Body were hoisted high, and the slight creaking, accompanied by changes in the angle of the ropes, would sound from time to time. A thin mist flowed on the deck of the Homeloss, within which the figure of Agatha barely emerged, walking slowly through the mist.


    She was checking the ¡°environment¡± around the Homeloss. At this moment, her eyes reflected both the reality dimension and the scenery of the Spirit Realm¨Cthe surrounding fog seemed different from before, and the Spirit Realm also seemed slightly restless. Although it seemed this would not affect the Homeloss, she was still somewhat concerned and heightened her vigilance.


    Everyone else was gathered inside the cabin at the moment: the captain was discussing matters related to the Mysterious Deep Sea with his followers.


    In front of his trusted crew members, Duncan did not conceal his experiences in the Mysterious Deep Sea, including the conversation he had with The Saint of the Mysterious Deep.


    Morris, with a pipe in his mouth, sat next to the long table. Wisps of smoke drifted, seeming to indicate his unsettled mood. After a long time, the old scholar put down his pipe and muttered with a slight expression, ¡°I¡¯ve seen many inconceivable things in my life, but I¡¯ve never encountered a situation like this. The creator of this world has actually invited you to take over His position¡­¡±


    Nina pinched her arm hard, as if she was still doubting she was dreaming, then she looked up at Duncan, ¡°Did you really refuse?¡±


    Duncan replied indifferently, ¡°Yes, The Saint¡¯s plan had significant problems, so I refused.¡±


    ¡°There is no future for the Shelter¡­¡± Lucia murmured to herself. She seemed to recall a conversation with her father, pondering for a long time before she softly said, ¡°I remember you once asked me whether I felt this Endless Sea was cramped¨Cbut now, it seems that even such a cramped Shelter has reached its limits¡­Unexpectedly, having left the civilized world to come here, we received such news.¡±


    A somewhat oppressive atmosphere enveloped the cabin, and it quieted around the long table. After a while, Nina leaned close to Sherry, asking in a low, slightly worried voice, ¡°How do you feel now? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?¡±


    ¡°I feel pretty much the same as usual, even my eyesight and hearing seem to have improved quite a bit,¡± Sherry muttered, her eyes still gleaming with a bloodshot glow, ¡°It¡¯s just the thought of having to cover my eyes or keep them closed when entering cities¡­seems very troublesome.¡±


    ¡°At least we have returned safely,¡± Nina couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°I was so worried when I found out you were missing, I even wanted to go to the island to find you, but Goat-head stopped me from going¡­¡±


    Listening to the quiet conversation nearby, Duncan¡¯s gaze slowly swept across the figures next to the long table. His tense expression eased slightly, and then he let out a gentle breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end it here. This trip to Holy Land Island was very draining. Everyone should rest well before we return to the City-State.¡±


    As he finished speaking, he was already standing up, gesturing with his hand for others not to rise, then turned and left.


    The captain had left¨Cand not until his figure had disappeared at the door did the cabin maintain a somewhat oppressive silence, until after a good while, Nina broke the quiet with a murmur, ¡°Uncle Duncan looks very tired¡­ He has a lot on his mind.¡±


    ¡°He has too many things to ponder,¡± Morris extinguished the pipe in his hand, ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s too little we can do to help.¡±


    After a moment of thought, Lucia turned her gaze to A-Dog, ¡°Did father say anything else after he rejected The Saint of the Mysterious Deep¡¯s ¡®plan¡¯?¡±


    A-Dog thought for a moment, somewhat uncertainly, ¡°He mentioned he has another plan, but it¡¯s still just an idea, and he hasn¡¯t found the right path yet¡­ That¡¯s all. He didn¡¯t mention anything else and hasn¡¯t explained it to me and Sherry either.¡±


    Listening to A-Dog¡¯s recounting, Lucia fell into deep thought¡­


    Duncan, leaving the cabin, didn¡¯t go anywhere else. He walked straight through the middle deck to the door of the captain¡¯s cabin at the stern.


    In the slowly drifting thin mist on the deck, the dark wooden door, as always, stood silently in front of him, the words ¡°The Displaced¡¯s Door¡± sharply defined on the frame.


    Duncan placed his hand on the doorknob but suddenly stopped his motion, just standing there quietly. After a brief moment of reflection, he lifted his head to look at the pale fog outside the bulwarks, resembling layer upon layer of curtains, along with the chaotic Sky Light filtering through the fog, standing for a long time.


    After who knows how long, he finally shifted his gaze, pushed the door, and entered.


    Walking through the familiar door, stepping on the familiar floor, entering the familiar room, Zhou Ming gently sighed and strolled through the living room.


    Everything in the bachelor apartment was as in his memories, as if it would never change, as if not only the past few years or decades but even the past thousand or ten thousand years had always been like this.


    Everything here was imprinted deeply in Zhou Ming¡¯s mind. He walked through the overly familiar furnishings, stepping to the window, his gaze passing through this window that had never been opened, looking at the scenery outside.


    The pale fog, like layer upon layer of curtains, made it impossible to discern any scenery that should be ¡°streets,¡± with only the chaotic Sky Light falling from above, permeating the mist.


    Zhou Ming hesitated for a moment, then slowly extended his hand towards the window, pressing it against the glass.


    The cold, hard touch came through, the window remaining as immovable as ever, as if fused with the space itself.


    He gently inhaled and then slowly blinked.


    In the instant his eyelids closed, within the first 0.002 seconds as darkness fell, he¡­ saw nothing.


    There were no windows, no fog outside the windows, nor any so-called ¡°real side¡± presented in his view.


    What lay before him was boundless darkness, an ultimate void akin to the annihilation of all things.


    Zhou Ming slowly took two steps back, calming his breath.


    He remembered the transformation he had undergone, remembered how each blink on the ¡°other side¡± of the door allowed him a fleeting glimpse of 0.002 seconds into some ¡°true scenery¡± hidden beneath the dimensions of reality, but why was there only extreme nothingness before him here?


    Was it because he was ¡°Zhou Ming¡± here and not ¡°Duncan¡±? Because this room existed on some higher level? Or because there really was¡­ nothing here?


    Standing in the living room, Zhou Ming fell into contemplation, when the corner of his eye caught a glimmer of light in the room.


    ¡­ It was his computer, that unplugged computer that hummed as it ran, continuously cycling through wallpaper images as always.


    Zhou Ming frowned, seemingly recalling something, and quickly walked to sit in front of the computer.


    He shook the mouse, closed the wallpaper, and then opened the browser to start typing in the search bar¨Cit seemed a bit awkward after long disuse, causing him several typing errors before slowly regaining the touch.


    He still remembered, this computer¡¯s browser had once responded during one of his operations¨Cit had shown ¡°the Moon¡±, and that response did indeed offer him some clues to the world¡¯s ¡°truth¡±.


    Would it respond to his other questions again?


    In the quiet sound of the keyboard, he first typed in ¡°0.002 seconds¡± and pressed Enter.


    Uneasily, he watched the spinning cursor and the slowly moving progress bar, while his thoughts fluctuated¨C


    Homeloss had told him that he had come to this world at the very outset of the Great Annihilation; the ancient kings surrounded him, witnessing a chaotic cocoon floating in the center of ashes¡­ Was that cocoon this very ¡°bachelor¡¯s apartment¡±?


    If so, what did the various furnishings and appliances in this bachelor¡¯s apartment represent?


    What did this computer represent? What about the shelf at the end of the room? And those ¡°models¡± that had been transformed here after being burned by fierce flames? What symbolism did they hold?


    The cursor blinked, the progress bar at the bottom of the screen suddenly emptied, and an error message from the browser appeared in Zhou Ming¡¯s field of vision.


    But he wasn¡¯t surprised.


    After a moment of thought, he typed in new information: the Great Annihilation.


    The browser erred, search failed.


    Zhou Ming was not discouraged; after a moment, he typed another keyword: the end of time.


    Then new error messages followed, and then more keywords¨C


    ¡°Cosmic Collision¡±, ¡°Redshift¡±, ¡°Shelter¡±, ¡°Ancient Kings¡±, ¡°Deep Sea Era¡±, ¡°Constellations¡±¡­


    He continually tried each keyword, but the error messages on the screen remained unchanged.


    After countless tries, Zhou Ming gradually furrowed his brow; with the last keyword ¡°Zhou Ming¡± bringing up a new error message, he sighed lightly, feeling a surge of disappointment.


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    ¡°It¡± didn¡¯t respond to him, gave no answers.


    Uncertain if he felt despondent or empty, Zhou Ming shook his head, leaned back in his chair, and tiredly looked at the screen.


    The small cursor still blinked in the search bar, as if waiting for him to enter new keywords, or just silently mocking.


    Zhou Ming sat quietly for several minutes, but suddenly, his gaze fixed on the small blinking cursor, his mind seeming to suddenly remember something.


    He abruptly straightened up, once again placing his hands on the keyboard, and typed another keyword¨C


    ¡°Reverse Singularity¡±


    In the moment he pressed Enter, a surreal boom abruptly invaded Zhou Ming¡¯s mind, followed by the screen plunging into darkness.

 Chapter 741 - Chapter 741 Chapter 738 Knocking on the Door

    Chapter 741: Chapter 738 Knocking on the Door Chapter 741: Chapter 738 Knocking on the Door A surreal roar suddenly came, the screen before Zhou Ming¡¯s eyes plunged into pitch darkness, and the next second, he felt all sounds drifting away from him¨Cthe humming of the computer¡¯s fan quieted down, and the buzzing from the refrigerator nearby gradually ceased, leaving the entire room in an oddly silent deathly stillness, the atmosphere around him¡­ was changing.


    And all this happened after he had typed ¡°Reverse Singularity¡± into the search box.


    He blinked, pushed back his chair, and stood up from the computer desk.


    Without a sound, the chair glided backward and his rising did not produce any noise, a pen on the desk was knocked off and fell to the floor soundlessly.


    In these brief seconds, Zhou Ming thought he might have lost his hearing.


    Then, he confirmed that it was the surrounding environment that was problematic¨Cthe room was darkening.


    The lights went out, everything in the room gradually covered by a layer of chaotic shadow, as all objects began losing color in the darkening environment, starting with the patterned curtains that first turned into a grey-white patch, followed by his desk, chairs, and bed, as one by one they became gray-white and then were gradually engulfed by the rising darkness¡­


    Just like the individual units of a massive system shutting down one by one, Zhou Ming¡¯s ¡°room¡± turned into a chaos-darkened space in a matter of seconds, and when the walls around him also disappeared, true darkness filled his vision.


    Zhou Ming stood still, looking around, feeling an inexplicable¡­ familiarity and strange reassurance in this sudden darkness.


    Another moment passed, and his ¡°vision¡± seemed to adapt to the dim environment here, some faint outlines in the deep chaos caught his attention.


    With slight hesitation, Zhou Ming then made connections based on the positions and distances of those outlines and immediately started walking towards them.


    Deep in the dark chaos, some objects came into his sight¨Cthese were several vividly detailed ¡°models,¡± floating where the far end of the room used to be.


    Homeloss, the White Oak, Proland, Frost¡­


    And the ¡°World Tree,¡± Silantis, slowly spinning in mid-air.


    They floated in this endless darkness, as if in a space where ¡®Annihilation of All Things¡¯ had taken place, seemingly the only objects left in this ¡°world.¡±


    Zhou Ming stared dumbfounded at these ¡°collectibles¡± floating around him, with thoughts surging in his mind, and countless questions and conjectures arose.


    Why? What does this mean? What are they trying to convey to me?


    Like a floating pot plant, Silantis spun in the darkness, drifting nonchalantly before him, part of its branches slowly unfurling in the void, as if sensing the environment or just growing unconsciously, Zhou Ming watched the little ¡°World Tree,¡± hesitated for a moment, then reached out a finger towards it.


    It was only when he stretched out his hand that he noticed his body had changed form unknowingly¨Cthe starlight had replaced flesh and blood, dense river systems, and sparkling nebulas filled his body like misty fog, and this array of stars stagnated inside him, much like¡­ the ancient stellar ghost image on the dome of the Mysterious Deep Sea.


    But there seemed to be a difference.


    Zhou Ming looked at his arm in amazement, but before he could think further, his finger already touched a branch stretching out from the World Tree.


    In an instant, an overwhelming amount of information that could not be understood by human intellect flooded into his ¡°mind,¡± amid the storm-like barrage of information fragments, he felt as if he had blinked through endless eons, an unending long journey¨Cprimeval deities, the first living beings, the great trees, forests, rivers, mountains, civilizations, memories¡­


    Zhou Ming stepped back abruptly, the storm of information suddenly receded, and he opened his eyes in the darkness, seeing Silantis still spinning freely in place, its branches occasionally striking the White Oak, Proland, Frost¡­


    Zhou Ming was dazed for several seconds before coming back to his senses. He looked at the scene before him and muttered in a slightly bizarre tone: ¡°Silantis, don¡¯t bully your roommates.¡±


    Then he looked up again, towards the boundless darkness before him.


    Before the ¡°room¡± disappeared, this place should have been where the shelf on the wall was, the end of his bachelor apartment, the barrier that trapped him here¨Cthe outer shell of the ¡°cocoon.¡±


    But now the entire room had vanished, and this darkness seemed boundless.


    Zhou Ming hesitated for a moment before slowly getting up and walking towards that darkness, feeling in front of him in the dark with his hand¨Che moved very cautiously, as if afraid he might bump into that wall from memory.


    Fortunately, he was cautious.


    Because almost instantly, he encountered an invisible barrier¨Csomething hard and cold in the darkness blocked his way, he felt his arm hit the barrier, then he pushed against it, finding it immovable.


    The room had disappeared, but the outer shell of the ¡°cocoon¡± still existed, he still couldn¡¯t leave this place¨Cthe seemingly endless darkness was just part of the hard shell.


    Zhou Ming stopped in front of the invisible shell, and after futilely knocking several times, he gave up and turned around to look back where he came from.


    All the furnishings in the room had disappeared, including the computer, only one door still stood quietly in the depths of darkness, the only ¡°exit¡± from this space.


    ¡°Can someone explain this?¡± Zhou Ming suddenly spoke after an unknown period of silence. He questioned the darkness, knowing the look of ¡°talking to oneself¡± might seem foolish, but he spoke with utmost seriousness, ¡°Is this some kind of ¡®answer¡¯?¡±


    In the darkness, no one responded to his voice.


    After a while, he spoke again, ¡°Is this an explanation of the keyword ¡®Reverse Singularity¡¯? Or is it merely some kind of ambiguous ¡®demonstration,¡¯ intended to help me understand my own essence or the things I¡¯m capable of?¡±


    The darkness remained silent, soundless.


    ¡°Can anyone give me a detailed explanation¨Cwhat¡¯s the point of sending a 0.002-second cosmic slice along the timeline? Where do I find my user manual?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have customer support? Have civilizations really developed to the end of time without leaving even a user guide? Hello? Hello¨C¡±


    ¡°Is anybody there?¡±


    No one was there, only he was in the darkness.


    In the long nihilism after his native universe had been torn asunder by the Annihilation of All Things, the only remaining, solitary consciousness still aimlessly operated within this hard, pitch-black ¡°cocoon,¡± and the only difference from the countless years past was that for the first time, the mind realized the void around ¡°it¡± was so vast.


    An indeterminable amount of time passed, and Zhou Ming felt he might have been standing in this meaningless darkness for an entire century before he finally sighed softly.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing here¡­¡±


    Muttering to himself with a hint of self-derision, he then sat down in the darkness, ready to rest¨Cthough his body, filled with starlight and wondrous, seemed to never feel fatigue.


    At that moment, just as he was about to sit, Zhou Ming caught something in the corner of his eye¨Ca very thin, almost imperceptible ¡°bright edge¡± that flitted across the periphery of his vision, flashing past in the darkness.


    He immediately widened his eyes slightly.


    It was a thread.


    In the next second, he had unhesitatingly grabbed the thread, the slight stickiness in his hand telling him the thread was real¡­ not an illusion!


    Zhou Ming quickly raised his hand, holding the thread in front of his eyes for a closer look, and after a while, he began to try to trace the origin of the thread.


    The thread came from beyond that invisible barrier¨Coutside the ¡°cocoon.¡±


    Zhou Ming slowly stood up, his hand firmly gripping the thread, and he saw that the almost imperceptible line seemed to pass through the ¡°invisible barrier¡± he could never break, effortlessly floating in the endless darkness outside. The other end of the thread vanished into nothingness, with no visible destination or connection to anything.


    He pulled on the thread a few times, feeling as though it would never come to an end. The slight resistance he felt on the other side made him cautious not to pull too hard, fearing he might break this sole ¡°connection¡± to the outside world.


    After a while, following some hesitation and thought, he finally made up his mind, slowly lifted his finger, and summoned a small ball of pale green flame, cautiously bringing it close to the thread.


    In the blink of an eye, the small flame seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, and it plunged completely into the depths of the thread.


    Then, his connection with the flame was severed.


    Zhou Ming blinked, taken aback by this unprecedented situation.


    His connection with the flame was cut off! Completely, entirely, without a trace.


    And before today, even with the dimensional barrier of Mysterious Deep Sea, his connection with the flame had never been completely severed!


    Was it a problem with the thread? Or was it because of the invisible barrier?


    Zhou Ming pondered in his mind but only for a few seconds before suddenly feeling emptiness in his hand¨Cthe thread had disappeared.


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    Before he could react, a low hum rose from all directions, and then, all the light and color abruptly returned to his sight¨Cas if a briefly shut down system¡¯s modules had come back online, accompanied by dazzling lights and shadows, the room¡¯s walls, windows, roof, floor, and all furnishings made a tumultuous reappearance!


    Caught off guard by the abrupt change, Zhou Ming instinctively stepped back, bracing himself against a shelf¨Cbranches of Silantis brushed against his arm.


    ¡°No warning at all¡­ it¡¯s supposed to be my ¡®home¡¯¡­¡±


    Zhou Ming couldn¡¯t help muttering, shaking his head as he surveyed the room to confirm the changes, then, as if sensing something, he suddenly looked up towards the nearby space.


    Almost simultaneously with his gaze lifting, a sound echoed, reverberating through the quiet bachelor apartment¨C


    ¡°Knock, knock, knock¡­¡±


    Someone was at the door.

 Chapter 742 - Chapter 742 Chapter 739 Figures Before the Apocalypse

    Chapter 742: Chapter 739: Figures Before the Apocalypse Chapter 742: Chapter 739: Figures Before the Apocalypse No words could describe the shock that Zhou Ming experienced at that moment.


    The knock at the door wasn¡¯t loud¨Cthe kind of noise that under normal circumstances wouldn¡¯t be out of place¨Cbut when it sounded in his bachelor apartment, each knock seemed to resound like a thunderous roar as if a hefty hammer was striking Zhou Ming¡¯s ears!


    His eyes widened in an instant, almost convinced it was a hallucination brought on by a string of events and disappointments. But then he snapped back to reality, realizing that the knocking was very much real¨Cand it was continuing without pause.


    He rushed to the door like a gust of wind, his hand reaching for the doorknob, but as he was about to turn it, he hesitated for two seconds.


    Was it really safe to open the door? Could doing so blindly lead him into a trap?


    If it had been in the first days of his confinement in this room, he wouldn¡¯t have had such worries; back then, he simply thought the dense fog was some kind of peculiar ¡°phenomenon¡± and still firmly believed that beyond the fog lay the home he knew so well. Now, however, Zhou Ming was aware of what had happened to his world¨Chis hometown had long since turned to dust, and the only thing left in the entire universe was his little abode, with nothing beyond the boundless fog but the ashes of the Annihilation of All Things.


    After the world¡¯s demise, who would come knocking at his door?


    No matter how he thought about it, it was unlikely to be a normal ¡°living person.¡±


    Zhou Ming weighed his options cautiously as the knocks persisted with patient repetition, every three to five seconds, neither hurried nor avoiding to display the knocker¡¯s patience and persistence, as if a polite yet obstinate visitor was determined to pay a visit.


    ¡­Opening the door might be a trap, but not opening it meant possibly missing out on this ¡°visit¡±¨Cwhoever was outside, this was an unprecedented event that he had to investigate.


    Countless thoughts flashed through Zhou Ming¡¯s mind until he finally took a slight breath, set his resolve, and placed one hand on the doorknob while the other brushed lightly over the doorframe.


    A semi-translucent illusory flame spread over the doorframe, forming a hazy protective barrier of scorching mist.


    After making his precautions and staying on full alert, he gripped the doorknob firmly, then swiftly turned it and yanked the door open with great speed.


    Outside, there was no one, only the undulating, expanding, and contracting black fog, as always.


    Zhou Ming took deep, labored breaths, feeling his heart pounding as he stared into the empty expanse of black fog, unable to snap back to reality for a long time.


    Had he still been too late to open the door? Had the knocking visitor lost patience? Could it really be such a coincidence that the visitor left just as he opened the door?


    Frowning, Zhou Ming was certain that the knocking persisted right up until he opened the door. Even if the person had lost patience, they shouldn¡¯t have disappeared in an instant.


    As he pondered, suddenly, a noise interrupted his thoughts.


    It was the knocking¨Conce again, the sound reached his ears.


    Zhou Ming¡¯s eyes widened, fixating on the swirling black fog in front of him, and he realized¨Cthe knocks were actually coming from within the fog.


    The sound seemed so close, as if just beyond the veil of fog, touchable if he reached out. But no matter how wide he opened his eyes, Zhou Ming couldn¡¯t see anything through the fog, and when his hand ventured into its depths, all he felt was an empty, icy chill¨Cthere was nothing there.


    Yet the knocking continued, still patient as ever.


    Zhou Ming slowly withdrew his hand from the black fog, standing quietly at the doorway, listening to the incessant knocks that seemed like they¡¯d never end, while calming the storm in his mind.


    There was a visitor, on the other side of the black fog, attempting to gain entry to this ¡°cottage,¡± but they were blocked by the outer shell of this ¡°cocoon.¡±


    After a long, silent contemplation, Zhou Ming suddenly lifted his head, struck by an idea, and quickly ran to his desk.


    He hurriedly gathered a few items¨Cwhiteboard markers, paper, a soft tape measure, a ball of string, and many other bits and bobs, stuffing them all into a plastic bag and carrying it to the door.


    Then he found a note and scribbled a message in Endless Sea¡¯s common tongue: ¡°I heard you, who are you?¡±


    He affixed the note to the mouth of the plastic bag and without hesitation tossed the bag into the twisting black fog.


    The plastic bag, filled with miscellaneous items, was engulfed by the writhing mist in the blink of an eye, vanishing into the dark abyss.


    Zhou Ming stared in the direction where the bag disappeared, his breath unconsciously slowed down considerably¨Che had never waited so tensely for something to happen, not even when the great fire flared up in Prand.


    The knocking stopped. Just one second after the bag crossed into the fog, the knocks abruptly ceased.


    Clearly, the ¡°visitor¡± on the other side of the mist had received the ¡°gift¡± he sent and had reacted to it¨Cbut then Zhou Ming waited a long time without any further response.


    Except for the cessation of knocking, no more information came through.


    Until the very end.


    The goat-headed figure on the navigation table suddenly sensed something and began to squeak and creak as it turned its neck toward the captain¡¯s quarters¨Ca tall, authoritative figure opened the door and walked in, with a slightly heavy step.


    ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal.¡±


    Duncan slowly made his way to the chart table, sat down in the high-backed chair, and took a deep breath as if to expel all his exhaustion and chaotic thoughts with that single murky exhale.


    The goat-headed figure instantly perceived the captain¡¯s state; it had already been brewing a nearly five-minute-long aria with which to greet the captain and incidentally discuss the unique climate of the boundary environment. At this moment, all that was suddenly suppressed, and after a moment of hesitation, it cautiously spoke up, ¡°You¡­ Are you alright? You seem to be in a bad mood?¡±


    Duncan glanced at the goat head and said offhand, ¡°Someone knocked on the door and stood me up.¡±


    The goat head pondered for a moment, ¡°¡­Does this have anything to do with Ai Yi?¡±


    Duncan waved his hand, long accustomed to this incongruous situation.


    ¡°It seems unrelated to Ai Yi,¡± the goat head was even more used to it, quickly adjusting its mood and switching the topic after realizing the captain didn¡¯t want to elaborate, ¡°We¡¯re about to pass through the thick fog of the Eternal Veil, Captain. Are we heading straight back to Light Breeze Harbor afterward, or do you have other plans?¡±


    ¡°¡­Back to Light Breeze Harbor. I need to organize my thoughts during this time and also discuss some matters with those ecclesiastics¨Cthey should all be staying in the City-State for now.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Captain,¡± promptly responded the goat head. It then opened its mouth, obviously hesitating before continuing, ¡°Additionally, what do you make of the situation reported by Fenna and Morris?¡±


    ¡°You mean those ¡®figures¡¯ they saw before evacuating Holy Land Island?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said the goat head, ¡°cloaked in tattered robes, resembling phantoms of Doomsday Preachers, but they made no contact with anyone, as if existing independently in another dimension of time and space¡­ This doesn¡¯t seem quite like the Doomsday Preachers we know of in the past, appearing on Holy Land Island¡­ It all strikes me as unusual.¡±


    Duncan pondered for a moment, then casually pulled out a palm-sized photograph and laid it on the chart table for a closer examination.


    This was something Morris had given him during a meeting in the cabin¨C the only piece of evidence gathered by the old scholar when those suspicious figures had suddenly emerged on Holy Land Island.


    The image on the photograph was not very clear, a fine pattern of stripes covered the image like some interference or veil, but one could still make out the large black door deep within the cave, alongside the blurry white figure next to the door.


    The white figure draped in a tattered robe had indistinct features, blurred into a mass; one could only discern from its posture and position that it seemed to be carefully observing something¨Cthe black door, or something behind it.


    ¡°¡­The Doomsday Preachers that used to appear before people were either madmen who had lost their minds, babbling incessantly about their apocalyptic theories, or still lucid scholars, attempting to convey messages to the witnesses or to guide certain events,¡± the goat head murmured beside him, ¡°This is the first time such phantoms that do not interact with people have appeared, as though they¡¯re each preoccupied with their own matters, completely oblivious to the bustling scene nearby, as if¡­¡±


    Duncan spoke softly, ¡°As if hurried travelers, mid-journey on their trek.¡±


    The goat head was taken aback, ¡°You mean to say¡­¡±


    ¡°Just a sudden association,¡± Duncan lifted his head, ¡°They seem immersed in their work, showing no reaction to their surrounding environment, perhaps¡­ what we¡¯re seeing is a Doomsday survey team traversing and observing within the stream of time¨Ctheir appearance ¡®on the road.''¡±


    The goat head opened its mouth, ¡°¡­So you¡¯re saying, the phantoms that Fenna and Morris saw are the echoes left by those Cretans as they travel through time? But there have never been such sightings before¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe it has to do with the special environment of the boundary, or perhaps¡­¡±


    Duncan paused, fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.


    ¡°Or perhaps it¡¯s another omen.¡±


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    The goat head didn¡¯t catch on immediately, ¡°Another omen?¡±


    ¡°The Doomsday survey team that set out during the Deep Sea Era once reached ¡®the end of time,¡¯ which is the final moment of the Shelter,¡± Duncan said calmly, looking into the goat head¡¯s eyes, ¡°That also means¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish speaking, but the goat head had already caught on, ¡°That is to say, we will see them at the end of time, the apocalypse, the only moment when our time streams truly converge¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, just quietly stared at the photograph on the chart table, at the vague figure standing next to the black door, seemingly observing something carefully.


    It might have been an illusion, but he felt that the vague figure seemed to grow a bit clearer.

 Chapter 743 - Chapter 743 Chapter 740 The Long Sunset

    Chapter 743: Chapter 740: The Long Sunset Chapter 743: Chapter 740: The Long Sunset Like a colossal wall reaching to the heavens, the grand mist wall started to stir with subtle waves, briefly illuminated by a light from within¨Cthe cloudy streams at the top of the mist wall then burst forth with a faint green flame. The Homeloss, with its towering bow, sailed through the wall of fog, dragging wisps of lingering mist as it headed toward the ¡°normal sea surface.¡±


    Following in the wake of the Homeloss, the Brilliant Starship, the Tidal, the Rest, and the Restless, along with an escort of various-sized ships, also passed through the dense fog.


    As the fog wall gradually receded behind the stern, the dim and chaotic Sky Light faded away, supplanted by normal sunlight. At this time, the setting sun was inching closer to the distant horizon, and the double Rune Circle at the edge of anomaly 001 had already touched the sea surface. A golden-red brilliance spread far and wide, displaying awe-inspiring beauty.


    The seafarers returning safely from the mist let out sighs of relief. Although strictly speaking, the fleet was still positioned in the bordering waters, the mere sight of the sun and the rolling azure ocean was enough to give them a sense of reassurance, as well as the warmth unique to the ¡°ordered world.¡±


    ¡°Contact has been made with the Church Ark at Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Fenna approached the bow, finding the captain gazing into the distance on the deck. ¡°I¡¯ve given a brief report on what happened on Holy Land Island. Helena Her Grace looks forward to meeting with you again.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Duncan replied simply, his attention seemingly elsewhere. After a while, he withdrew his gaze from the distant sea and looked at Fenna. ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re a bit worried,¡± Fenna hesitated before speaking earnestly. ¡°Since coming out of the captain¡¯s quarters, you seem even more preoccupied. Has something happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just some unsettling matters I discussed with Goat Head,¡± Duncan exhaled lightly, ¡°related to the two suspicious apparitions you and Morris saw.¡±


    Fenna blinked. ¡°The two apparitions we saw?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡­¡± Duncan nodded, and as he was about to explain to Fenna, he was interrupted by a sudden sound that reached his ears.


    It was a deep humming, sounding like a gigantic spring being struck violently within the depths of the clouds. The hum was distant and prolonged, as if echoing across the entire sky!


    Fenna clearly heard the sound too, and with a startled look, she raised her head in the direction of the echo, gazing at the distant clouds. Almost simultaneously, Morris and Lucricia also emerged from a nearby cabin, looking up at the sky with surprise.


    Many sailors within the fleet, also startled by the peculiar humming, along with the alarmed clergymen and guardian warriors on the three main church battleships, rushed onto the deck. They watched the still-echoing sky with uncertainty, some pointing toward the clouds, seemingly spotting something amiss deep within.


    Duncan squinted his eyes, drawn by a faint glow behind the clouds, and couldn¡¯t help but look in that direction. Following that, the glow brightened in his field of vision.


    It traced a clear path, moving behind the clouds with an apparently slow, but actually swift, speed.


    Lucricia suddenly widened her eyes.


    Amidst a gradually intensifying, clear succession of deep roars, the glow moving behind the clouds swelled rapidly. Glimpses of brilliant golden light flickered through the gaps in the clouds, and moments later, the swath of radiance passed through the clouds to the northwest and, assuming the posture of a luminous body, plummeted along an arc toward the northern sea.


    Like a miniature sun descending, the enormous luminous body gradually vanished on the far-off sea horizon.


    Duncan, after a brief moment of shock, reacted instantly. He turned sharply toward Lucricia, but saw that she too was looking up at him.


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, but ¡°Sea Witch¡± Lucricia already knew what her father wanted to ask. With a grave expression, she nodded lightly.


    The second luminous body had fallen.


    On the nearby Tidal, some sailors exclaimed in shock, and those with quicker reactions cast their gaze toward the sun. Among them, the more observant¡­ had already noticed the second gap that had newly appeared on the Rune Circle.


    Lucricia hurried over, preempting Duncan¡¯s question, ¡°The falling direction appears to be toward the north, likely near the Chill Sea¨C I wonder if my elder brother has noticed¡­¡±


    ¡°I saw a streak of golden light from the cemetery, but my view was obscured by the city¡¯s buildings,¡± Duncan replied immediately, then focused his attention and called out mentally to the distant North, ¡°Tirian.¡±


    A clear sense of panic transmitted back through the mark, followed by the ¡°Ironclad Admiral¡¯s¡± response in Duncan¡¯s mind, ¡°I¡¯m here, Father.¡±


    With his response came some noisy sounds. It seemed there was some chaos around Tirian.


    ¡°Did you observe a giant luminous falling object?¡± Duncan asked at once, noticing the noises of unrest, ¡°What¡¯s happening on your end? Why does it sound so chaotic?¡±


    Tirian¡¯s voice came through intermittently, ¡°There¡¯s a bit of a situation here¡­ I saw the luminous falling object you mentioned¡­¡±


    ¡°Where did it fall approximately?¡± Lucricia¡¯s voice interjected, ¡°How far from the City-State? Is it within the civilized world¡¯s boundaries?¡±


    There was a sudden silence from Tirian for a few seconds, then a distant reply came, ¡°¡­It hit me right on the head.¡±


    Duncan & Lucricia: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, it landed on the Frost Coast¨Cbut part of its luminescent structure is so massive that it extends directly into the city. My office is within the coverage area¡­ Things are a bit chaotic here¡­ It¡¯s really bright, so sudden; my eyes are having trouble adjusting¡­¡±


    Duncan and Lucricia continued: ¡°¡­¡±


    To be honest, Duncan really didn¡¯t expect this situation¡­


    There was an awkward silence for a moment, and finally, Duncan coughed twice, ¡°Is anyone injured?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t be certain yet, there should be no direct harm, as that object¡¯s luminous part is non-physical, not a speck of dust was disturbed when it fell, and its physical part landed beyond the coast, where, fortunately, no ships were sailing,¡± the chaos at Tirian seemed to have calmed down slightly, as he was arranging matters while replying, ¡°But the fall of the luminous body was sudden, and it has already caused chaos within the city. I am organizing people to comfort the affected districts and at the same time confirm if there¡¯s any damage¡­¡±


    Tirian fell silent for a moment, taking a while before continuing, ¡°Lucy, this thing is probably¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s likely the same kind of luminous geometric body as we have here at Light Breeze Harbor¨Cthe second eye-visible gap has appeared on the Rune Circle at the edge of the sun, and it¡¯s even bigger than the last one,¡± Lucracia spoke with a weighty tone, ¡°¡­. the sun¡¯s disintegration process might be accelerating.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Damn.¡±


    ¡°I will send you the research data on the luminous geometric body from my side as soon as possible. You need to establish a corresponding research facility, at least first move that ¡®fallen object¡¯ to a safe sea area near City-State. There should be a physical core at its center¡­ Once things stabilize over there, first send someone to find that physical core and then tell me its status.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    After a few more exchanges, Duncan ended his contact with Tirian.


    The deck went silent for a moment, with Duncan and Lucracia standing wordlessly under the gold-and-red sunset.


    A heavy pressure, as if some invisible countdown was pressing on her chest, made Lucracia struggle to breathe.


    She lifted her head to look at her father and opened her mouth, ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    Another strange hum came from the sky, interrupting what she wanted to say.


    The golden-red afterglow disappeared suddenly¨Cthe murky darkness covered everything in sight in an instant.


    The sun had extinguished again.


    From the Prandea to Frost, the fleet from Light Breeze Harbor to the border waters, under the watchful eyes, had once again plunged into darkness¨Caccompanied by a strange, low buzzing sound, the sphere at the center of anomaly 001 turned into a grotesque black void, leaving only the golden double Rune Circle hovering above the sea line, barely illuminating the muddled sky.


    The two gaps in the Rune Circle became even more apparent and glaring at this moment.


    ¡°The Observer Effect Stabilization Anchor has gone offline again¡­¡±


    Alice walked out of the cabin, looking somewhat dazed at the now extinguished sun in the distance.


    ¡°How long will it stop this time?¡± Nina crowded in from the side, muttering uneasily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± Alice shook her head, ¡°the system is still reporting errors and trying to restart.¡±


    A-Dog and Sherry came out, one silently squatting on the deck looking toward the horizon, the other cautiously glancing at the direction of the captain nearby, Sherry muttered softly, ¡°¡­ it¡¯s really going to light up again, right? It¡¯s not going to stay dark this time¡­¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that bad, right?¡± Nina was startled by Sherry¡¯s mutter and then spoke with some uncertainty after thinking, ¡°If that were the case¡­ should I consider hanging up in the sky regularly to illuminate City-State or something¡­ But I can¡¯t illuminate much by myself and would there be no weekends off?¡±


    Hearing her friend¡¯s ramblings, Sherry¡¯s expression suddenly became a bit complicated as she turned to look at Nina, ¡°¡­ Aren¡¯t your thoughts a bit far-fetched?


    ¡°The situation is pretty far-fetched to begin with¡­¡±


    Sherry and Nina got further and further off-topic with each sentence as if to soothe their somewhat tense moods, but while they were chatting like this, that deep, strange buzzing sound suddenly rang out in the sky once again.


    Almost without giving anyone time to react, the world, which had only fallen dark a few minutes ago, was once again illuminated by sunlight¨Cthe sun had reignited, and the golden-red sunset shone on the sea as if it had never disappeared.


    Sherry and Nina looked at each other.


    This time the sun¡¯s ¡°restart¡± was clearly much faster than the previous two times.


    ¡°It¡¯s lit up again!¡± After a brief moment of shock, Sherry finally reacted, exclaiming with joy, ¡°It only went out for a few minutes this time!¡±


    ¡°That scared me, I thought it would stay dark for hours like before¡­¡± Nina also breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Seems the situation isn¡¯t that bad.¡±


    Maurice nearby seemed to have relaxed as well, a slight smile appearing on his face.


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    Compared to the previous two times, the sun had gone out for a very short time, and whatever the reason for its quick restart¡­ the return of sunlight was always good news.


    On the Homeloss, on the Tide and other church warships, people breathed a sigh of relief under the reignited sunlight, a sense of comfort easing the nerves that had just tensed up.


    But an hour later, something didn¡¯t seem quite right.


    The sun remained in that position.


    Two hours later, the long dusk had not yet ended.

 Chapter 744 - Chapter 744 Chapter 741 The Beginning of a Long Night

    Chapter 744: Chapter 741 The Beginning of a Long Night Chapter 744: Chapter 741 The Beginning of a Long Night Hasty footsteps disrupted the tranquility of the sanctuary, as a middle-aged priest clad in a deep blue robe embroidered with gold swiftly passed through the long corridor. Under the silent watch of numerous sages depicted on the murals on both sides, he arrived at the doorway to the prayer room. Before he could knock, a gentle female voice already emerged from inside, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The middle-aged priest pushed open the door and saw a figure standing before the statue of the Storm Goddess¨Cit was Helena, dressed in a simple priest¡¯s robe, her wrists entwined with a string of ocean-blue crystal beads. It seemed she had been devoutly praying until just a second ago. Hearing the sound of the door opening behind her, she did not turn but remained quietly fixated on the veiled statue of the goddess and softly began to speak, ¡°How are things outside now?¡±


    ¡°Dusk still lingers, the sun remains fixed in its original position, maintaining ¡®normal¡¯ brightness and form,¡± the middle-aged priest promptly reported with a bow, ¡°Order within the City-State is still good. Due to the unclear situation, most citizens have returned to their homes awaiting further instructions. No anomalies have been reported from the Ark ships, and four squads of technical priests are on standby near the steam boilers.¡±


    Helena nodded slightly, seemingly lost in thought for a moment before suddenly asking, ¡°What about the other Arks?¡±


    ¡°Just minutes ago, we had a connection. Everything on the Arks is normal. The Academy Ark reported that their observation equipment received a series of repeated signals from the direction of the sun, different from previous signals. When converted to sound, they were sharp, brief noises¡­¡±


    Helena hummed in response, then fell silent again, continuing to gaze quietly at the statue of the goddess. For a while, she seemed to have forgotten about the middle-aged priest still waiting for instructions beside her, until several minutes later, she murmured to herself, ¡°The long dusk¡­¡±


    Taran El furrowed his brows, gazing at the report just delivered by his apprentice. The long paper strip, automatically recorded by a machine, was covered in complex curves and seemingly patternless holes, baffling to the ordinary eye. These enigmatic data depicted the current state of the long-standing luminary and guardian of their world, ¡°Anomaly 001 ¨C the Sun.¡±


    After a long time, the Elf scholar finally put down the paper strip, tiredly rubbing his temples, not speaking for a long while.


    A calm voice came from the side, ¡°Talk about the current situation, Taran.¡±


    Taran El looked up to see Ted Riel standing by the bookshelf. The Truth Confidant was dressed in an academy robe, yet beneath it, one could see close-fitting soft armor and weapon attachments. He stood there seemingly calm, but his eyes were as sharp as a soldier ready to step into battle.


    ¡°¡­The sun is flickering. Though invisible to the naked eye, it is indeed flickering, not like a regular ¡®signal,¡¯ but more like a¡­ poorly functioning light bulb,¡± Taran El moistened his dry lips and pushed the documents aside, ¡°Additionally, the latest tracking has shown it not to be completely stationary on the horizon but still moving, albeit very, very slowly¨Cso slow that it¡¯s imperceptible to the naked eye.¡±


    Ted Riel was silent for two or three seconds before asking, ¡°¡­How slowly?¡±


    ¡°If the current speed holds, it will fall below the horizon in about seventy-two hours,¡± Taran El said, reaching for a glass of water by his side but nearly knocked it over. Hurriedly seizing the cup, he downed a couple of swigs of the now-cold tea, his complexion then slightly improved, ¡°But the worst part isn¡¯t the dusk that will last seventy-two hours; it¡¯s what will happen after dusk, Ted¨Cyou know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°¡­Longer than the dusk will be the night,¡± Ted Riel¡¯s expression instantly turned grave; he undoubtedly grasped the subtext of his friend¡¯s words, ¡°If the speed stays constant, how long will the ensuing night last?¡±


    Taran El did not answer; he simply set down his tea cup and stared intensely at the papers in front of him. It looked as though he was trying to discern the future of the world or pry out a secret from an enemy from those papers. After a lengthily time, he managed a bitter smile and spread his hands at Ted.


    ¡°¡­I will make arrangements for the Guardians of Knowledge to be prepared,¡± Ted Riel quietly watched his friend for a moment before gently nodding, ¡°We have contingency plans in place for unexpected lengthy darkness. The ¡®Glowing Falling Object¡¯ beside Light Breeze Harbor will also provide basic protection during the night. Things shouldn¡¯t be too bad.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s situation shouldn¡¯t be too bad¨Cother City-States not necessarily,¡± after a moment of silence, Taran El sighed softly, ¡°Unlike the previous instances when the sun extinguished and different City-States ¡®skipped over time,¡¯ this time we¡¯re facing a solar slowdown. All City-States are undergoing this world-class anomaly¡­ I wonder how they will handle the prolonged night coming.¡±


    ¡°Every City-State has contingency plans for extreme scenarios, but how much can be accomplished is another matter¡­ all we can do is wish for them, hoping the Four Gods will protect them.¡±


    Ted¡¯s voice was deeply resonant as he spoke and then shook his head, picking up the thick tome that recorded many miracles, seemingly about to open a portal and leave. But suddenly he hesitated, placed the book back, and with a sigh, turned and walked towards the door.


    Taran quietly watched the back of the Truth Confidant as if seeing off a warrior ready for battle, until the figure vanished on the other side of the door. Only then did he avert his gaze, his eyes sweeping over the papers he had pushed aside earlier.


    Among these papers, at the end of one page, a slightly trembling handwriting left a line by the observer¨C


    ¡°¡­according to current calculations¡­ until sunset ends¡­ seventy-two hours¡­¡±


    Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the golden sunset still lavishly covered the tiered rooftops of the City-State, splendid and magnificent.


    And then, he heard the ethereal tolling of a bell.


    The bells rang urgently, regularly repeating, as if calling out to everyone who heard them, calling them to listen to the proclamation before nightfall¨C


    Deep within the grand cathedral, as Archbishop Valentin was discussing with Governor Dante Wayne how to handle the sun anomaly, he suddenly stopped and turned his ear to the sudden peal of the bells.


    Sitting opposite Valentin, Governor Wayne immediately raised his head, ¡°Your Excellency? What has happened?¡±


    Valentin waved his hand gently and after a moment of hesitation, replied, ¡°The swift bells.¡±


    ¡°The swift bells?¡± Dante¡¯s face changed slightly, and although he was not a clergy member, due to Fenna¡¯s connections, he knew quite a bit about church-related matters and naturally understood what ¡°the swift bells¡± were, ¡°Then¡­¡±


    However, Valentin shook his head, ¡°No, let us continue, Governor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you not going to respond to the ¡®swift bells¡¯ summons?¡±


    ¡°Do not respond,¡± Valentin said slowly, as if recalling many things momentarily, but ultimately, he shook his head, ¡°That is an order.¡±


    Do not respond to the bells, do not respond to the Tomb of the Nameless King, do not respond to the calls of the Tomb Guardian¨C


    The bells still repeatedly rang out, in every city-state, every cathedral, aboard every ship, and in the minds of every clergy who worshipped the Four Gods, urgent and repetitive tolling sounded time and again.


    The priests unanimously stopped their tasks at the instant the bells rang, yet after a brief pause, everyone returned to their tense, busy work¨Ccontinuing to receive and comfort the believers seeking help, continuing to maintain the Holy Artifacts and the cathedral, and continuing to prepare blessings for the warriors to face what may be a very prolonged nightfall.


    The bell sounds, like a breeze by the ear and distant ocean waves, echoed in far-off places, yet no priests responded to its call¡­


    And in that far-off dimension, shrouded in ancient, chaotic darkness, the last stationed community of ascetics was quietly watching the center of the square.


    Huge towering stone pillars surrounded the gathering place, chaotic streams of light flashed across the somber sky, the austere pale pyramid tomb rose from the center of the square, in the desolate, abandoned center of the gathering place, the Tomb Guardian, wrapped in bandages and seemingly forever between life and death, stepped out and stood in the empty square.


    However, unlike the past centuries, now no holy men stood here. The Tomb Guardian held parchment in his hand, yet no one came forward to listen to the messages from within the tomb.


    The ascetics stood at a safe distance from the center of the square, their bodies tattooed with runes symbolizing the blessings of the Four Gods. Their eyes and ears sealed by curses, they sensed the condition of the tomb through divine miracles granted, all to avoid directly witnessing the Tomb Guardian or hearing his voice.


    The Tomb Guardian stepped forth, a massive shadow growing behind him, indescribable limbs and twisted figures spreading like undulating mud along his steps toward those ascetics, extending a hand with parchment, from which trembling eyes continually emerged. Opening his corrupted, deformed mouth, he called out to the vigilant ascetics¨C


    His voice was like ten thousand desecrating, polluting curses, each tremor carrying a force that gouged at the heart, destroying the mind.


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    The vigilant ascetics just stood quietly outside the range of the tomb, like statues, silently ¡°watching¡± the guardian of the tomb.


    They could make no response, engage in no communication, yet they could not leave their post.


    The formless, bizarre, writhing shadow slowly calmed down after a prolonged confrontation. The Tomb Guardian lowered his head, his murky eyes looking at the parchment in his hands. After a long silence, he slowly turned and walked toward the tomb.


    Layers of deep murmurs emanated from the tomb; the low whispers of the Tomb Guardian and the voices coming from within gradually merged.


    He muttered softly, repeating over and over¨C


    ¡°Dusk has arrived¡­¡±

 Chapter 745 - Chapter 745 Chapter 742 Revelation

    Chapter 745: Chapter 742 ¡°Revelation Chapter 745: Chapter 742 ¡°Revelation The sun moved slowly, at a speed nearly imperceptible to the naked eye, plunging extremely slowly below the horizon¨Cits brilliant golden-red glow spilled over the Endless Sea, and this magnificent yet eerie prolonged dusk continued to persist.


    For the first time in history, twilight had become something to fear¨Cas more and more people realized that what would follow this sluggish sunset was a night whose duration was unknown and potentially terrifying.


    Dante Wayne stood on the balcony outside the city hall office, his brows deeply furrowed as he looked at the streets filled with twilight glow. The layered rooftops of the Upper City District of Prand shimmered enticingly in the sunset, a scene that used to fill him with pride as Governor, but as the day waned, that pride was slowly turning into heavy pressure.


    But he knew that, compared to the other ¡°ordinary¡± and ¡°normal¡± City-States, Prand was already in a very good situation.


    The ¡°Ghost Ship Captain¡± had left a flame that granted this city the safest night over the Endless Sea. Even when the sun set, it was unlikely that there would be a widespread Transcendent invasion. The pressures that the eternal night brought to the city were thorny but at least didn¡¯t involve those non-human entities that thrived in darkness¨Chis concerns were merely the City-State¡¯s law and order, resident¡¯s lives, resource reserves, and production adjustments during the long night.


    But elsewhere, things were not so simple.


    In the northern Cold Harbor, municipal departments had declared a state of emergency, with law enforcement and guardian troops scrambling to repair Shelters and stockpile holy oil; in Moco, the Academy of Truth had activated all the steam walkers stored in the church armory, and placed them at various gas stations, pump houses, and steam hubs; in the southwestern waters, several City-States had issued new ¡°Nightfall Bans,¡± residents of outer districts would be temporarily Transitioned to the nearest church sanctuary zones, inner districts would be locked down, and massive bonfires would be lit at sunset, continuing until the end of the night¡­


    All reserves were being counted and mobilized; within seventy-two hours before the sunset, every City-State was gathering strength to face the coming night.


    If it indeed would end.


    Footsteps came from behind, and a government affairs officer entered the office. After he saw Dante Wayne on the balcony through the ajar sliding door, the young official gave a light cough, ¡°Ahem, Governor, the heads of the steam hub, power plant, and mining facilities are waiting for you in the meeting room. Would you like to¡­¡±


    Dante nodded and gestured lightly, ¡°I know, go ahead without me. I¡¯ll just be a few minutes.¡±


    The footsteps receded from the room, and Dante exhaled softly, adjusting the too-tight expression on his face while organizing his thoughts.


    He turned away, crossed his large, curved office desk, and reached for a document.


    His eyes lingered on a picture frame at the edge of the desk.


    Within the frame were two figures standing together. One was a young him, and next to him was a silver-haired girl with a tall figure and a faint smile on her face, standing beside a flowerbed with bright sunlight behind them.


    This was the only photo of the busy Dante Wayne and the early-enrolled Fenna at the church school¨Ca serene afternoon they seemed to never have again after this picture.


    ¡°I wonder how Fenna is doing now¡­¡±


    Memories surfaced in Dante¡¯s mind. He yearned for the warm sunlight dissolving into his memory and then moved past the picture frame to the document he was looking for¨Che tucked it under his arm and hastened to the office door.


    Fenna woke from a series of chaotic, bizarre dreams, with the soft sound of waves still echoing in her ears, the crash of the waves against the hull undulating outside the porthole, calming her slightly unsettled mood.


    She could no longer remember the specifics of her dreams, only that those suddenly twisted, torn entities had cast an indelible shadow in her eyes. The memories from the dreamscape faded, leaving only a sense of loneliness, desolation, and despair that seemed to clothe her mind for a long time, still sending a chill through her.


    Fenna sat up in her bed and looked toward the nearby window, where the sunset¡¯s glow still lingered over the sea¨CHomeloss had somehow left the state of the Spirit Realm and was now sailing in the reality of the great sea. In the distance, she could see the silhouette of the Brilliant Starship. The strangely-shaped ¡°Magic battleship¡± was cutting through the waves alongside Homeloss, sailing at full speed.


    As for the Tidal, Rest, and Never Rest, those few church warships, they had already departed. Once the fleet left the border curtain, Homeloss and Brilliant Starship bid farewell to the church¡¯s vessels, each going about their own business.


    Fenna sighed softly and took a few deep breaths. The slightly salty air drifted into her nostrils, and the gentle, layered sound of the waves still resonated in her mind.


    Suddenly, she furrowed her brow as if sensing something and quickly turned to look at a corner of the room.


    The gentle sea water surged up in the cabin, surrounding her without her knowing when it had begun. The illusory sound of the waves echoed in her ears, and in the instant that Fenna turned her head, the water that had gently risen seemed to have suddenly expanded countless times¨Calong with that, the entire room also expanded immeasurably.


    At the end of the room, which had suddenly become indistinct between reality and illusion, Fenna saw a towering shadow, some gigantic ¡­ creature structure, emerging at the end of the slowly undulating waves.


    And a part of that creature structure extended towards her, coalescing above the sea into a figure¨Cclothed in a long dress black as the ocean¡¯s abyss, her face veiled and her true appearance concealed.


    She gazed at Fenna, her eyes with peculiar diamond-shaped pupils seeming to brim with innumerable thoughts and emotions that were difficult to convey directly, and in that gaze, Fenna suddenly felt an indescribable warmth and¡­ touch.


    She reacted in an instant, tensing up as she bowed deeply, ¡°My¡­ Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Our time is running short, child,¡± the figure spoke softly, accompanied by a cacophony that could tear an ordinary person¡¯s mind and drive them to madness. Her thoughts echoed within Fenna¡¯s mind, ¡°¡­Our connection to the mortal realm, there will be one final reinforcement¡­¡±


    An irresistible dizziness surged from the depths of her heart, and Fenna instantly realized she was being corrupted¨Ccorrupted by the goddess she devoutly believed in. Her voice, her thoughts, the visions she conveyed to Fenna, all were filled with chaos like never before!


    Yet Fenna still forcibly stabilized her own mind. At the edges of her vision, she saw a wisp of soft, pale green flame burning and ascending, bringing stabilty back to her mind.


    ¡°¡­What do you need me to do?¡± she asked, cautiously avoiding looking directly at the massive apparition behind the Storm Goddess while trying hard to maintain clarity, ¡°What can I do?¡±


    ¡°¡­Gather those crumbling stars¡­ let them protect you all once more¡­ go tell the Usurping Flame, we need to¡­ talk with him¡­ we will find¡­¡±


    The layers of wave sounds gradually morphed into a piercing screech unbearable to the ears. The tenderly surging water seemed to be emitting a foul stench; a bone-deep coldness slowly flooded her entire body. Fenna struggled to discern the last sentence amidst the noise echoing around her. Her head was splitting with pain, and she had no energy left to contemplate the meaning of those words¨Cas her vision grew increasingly blurry, she saw the distant seawater and the colossal apparition silently crumbling apart.


    ¡°Did you see Gomona¡¯s revelation?¡± Duncan asked, his eyes widening slightly as he looked at Fenna, who had suddenly rushed into the captain¡¯s cabin. He then noticed her terrible state and immediately rose to support her arm, ¡°Sit here first, catch your breath, and take it slow.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­ Captain,¡± Fenna was almost forcefully pushed down into the chair by Duncan. The residual pain and dizziness in her head made it difficult for her to think, but fortunately, this condition rapidly improved after seeing the captain, which helped her regain a smooth train of thought, ¡°I saw Her phantom directly, and I heard Her voice¡­ The goddess is not in good shape, those noises¡­ felt like I was facing those dark, alien gods.¡±


    She took a few breaths, then laid out everything she had just experienced.


    Upon hearing Fenna¡¯s report, Duncan furrowed his brows, his expression growing solemn.


    ¡°Go collect those crumbling stars¡­¡± he murmured, his mind unintentionally recalling the ¡°advice¡± he heard from a tentacle that extended from The Saint in the depths of Alice¡¯s Mansion¡¯s courtyard¨C


    ¡°Preserve the fallen Y=#&** fragments, if all else fails, use them to extend the lifespan of each node city as much as possible, maintain survival, survival is the first directive.¡±


    Clearly, Fenna had quickly thought of this as well.


    ¡°¡­Are those the ¡®light-emitting body fragments¡¯ that fell from the sun¡¯s Rune Circle that the goddess referred to?¡± she lifted her head, looking into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Does She mean that those light-emitting bodies can protect the City-State in the days to come?¡±


    ¡°Judging from the experience of Light Breeze Harbor, although the power of those light-emitting bodies is not as great as the sun itself, they can still shield the Creation of the World and soothe the night within a certain range,¡± Duncan slowly nodded, ¡°Now with the second piece of light-emitting body fragment fallen in Frost, and with the revelation you have just received, all this is not difficult to associate.¡±


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    As he spoke, he looked up outside the window.


    The slow sunset still floated over the distant sea, and the broken Rune Circle cast a magnificent interplay of light and shadow on the ocean.


    Gomona¡¯s revelation given to Fenna was not hard to understand, what was truly disquieting was the other implication of the revelation.


    ¡°¡­And this is only the beginning,¡± he said softly, ¡°It looks like the disintegration of the sun will accelerate, and the real large-scale collapse and falling¡­ are yet to come.¡±


    (Book recommendation time is here. The title is ¡°The One Who Sees Health Bars and Has High Purity,¡± leaning toward an apocalyptic style of instance flow, original infinite flow, with a highly pure, brawny hunk protagonist, a chaotic neutral fun seeker, who possesses a Golden Finger that allows him to see the current status and health points of the target¨Cworth supporting.)

 Chapter 746 - Chapter 746 Chapter 743 Another Core

    Chapter 746: Chapter 743: Another Core Chapter 746: Chapter 743: Another Core Fenna left. Even she, blessed as she was, needed to take a good rest at this point.


    Duncan watched her leave the captain¡¯s quarters, not taking his eyes off her until she vanished outside the door. Only then did he turn his gaze to the goat head, quietly sitting at the edge of the navigation table, ¡°What do you make of the ¡®revelations¡¯ Gomona passed on to Fenna?¡±


    ¡°¡­The massive collapse and disintegration of the sun seems to be something the four gods knew would inevitably happen,¡± the goat head struggled to say, finally seizing the opportunity to speak, ¡°I knew they were aware of it, probably have been for the past ten thousand years! When The Saint created the world in the age of shadows, it was all planned with them. But during the epoch of the deep sea, not one of them made a peep about the root of the problem of course, we must understand, because revealing this would scare to death more than just one or two City-States, even the high priests were kept in the dark¡­ and now look, the sun is outright starting to disintegrate¡­¡±


    Duncan looked up, simply reached out, and pressed his hand against the goat head¡¯s rambling mouth, ¡°I should not have asked you.¡±


    With its mouth covered, the goat head made some muffled, incomprehensible noises, its obsidian eyes crafted like gemstones whirling vigorously on its wooden face, revealing an unprecedented liveliness in its gaze.


    Duncan sighed and withdrew his hand, ¡°I¡¯m asking about the latter part of the revelation¡­ ¡®They¡¯ intend to talk to me. What do you think they want to discuss? In what form might they appear?¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no idea,¡± the goat head spoke, this time with some restraint while shaking its head dejectedly, ¡°Surely they won¡¯t be trying to coax you into taking over something again?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond, merely contemplating in silence for a long time.


    The state of ¡®them¡¯ did indeed seem dire. Gomona had previously been able to convey fragmented messages to him, but now she could only deliver revelations through Fenna, accompanied by such contamination¡­


    Just then, a voice from far away suddenly interrupted Duncan¡¯s thoughts.


    His expression shifted slightly as he looked up toward an oval mirror hanging not far away on the wall¨Ca layer of spectral flames spread under his gaze, turning the mirror¡¯s surface pitch black as light and shadows slowly emerged.


    The figure of Tirian appeared in the mirror.


    ¡°Father,¡± the ¡°Iron Marshal¡± wore a solemn look; the background behind him likely near the harbor area, and a pervasive golden glow, clearly not that of a normal sunset, seemed to saturate the area behind him, ¡°I apologize for the sudden interruption¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Duncan waved his hand, his tone gentle, ¡°What¡¯s happened? Why so urgent?¡±


    ¡°¡­Our scholars have entered the core of the Luminous Geometric Body that fell in Frost. Using the data Lucricia shared before, we found its core, but the thing¡­ it¡¯s different from what the data showed, I hope you can see it with your own eyes.¡±


    ¡°Different?¡± Duncan frowned slightly, sensing from Tirian¡¯s response that the situation might be complicated, immediately nodding, ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    He quickly cut off the connection with Tirian, his mind slightly tense, then turned around¨C


    Outside the window of the graveyard keepers¡¯ cottage, fine snow was silently descending, the setting sun casting the hazy snowscape over the entire world in a veil of silence.


    Inside the keepers¡¯ cottage, the stove crackled, and the tea kettle made a sharp and increasingly loud hissing sound as the water just began to boil, with steam rising.


    Duncan stood up, closed the damper of the small stove, took down the black-brimmed hat hanging by the door, donned it, straightened his black long coat, and stepped out of the cottage.


    Two young guards decked in black, clearing the graveyard paths and checking the streetlights, heard the noise and instinctively looked over¨Cupon seeing the always dressed in black, bandage-wrapped, fearsome, silent keeper emerging from the cottage, they immediately stood straight and saluted in respect.


    Duncan waved back at them. Then, snapping his fingers, a skeletal giant bird, blazing with ghostly flames, crossed the vast distance, landing directly on his shoulder.


    ¡°Fuel up, let¡¯s go!¡± Ai Yi flapped its wings, emitting a piercing, unpleasant cry in its skeletal form, then burst into a fiercely rising ring of fire, enveloping Duncan¡¯s figure. The ring of fire merged with Duncan, propelling them both into the sky, darting toward the direction of the harbor area¡­


    To the east of Frost, the colossal golden glow still enveloped the entire harbor. This light seemed to have a crystal-like texture, silently permeating everything within its reach¨Cbright, yet not blinding, gentle, yet unsettling.


    The tall, bald-headed Aiden watched the golden radiance around him with some nerves.


    He had shed his outdated pirate garb and now wore the new uniform of the contemporary Frost Navy¨Cbefore his subordinates, he made an effort to maintain a dignified and reliable demeanor, but in front of Tirian, he did not conceal the unease in his heart.


    ¡°These ¡®lights,¡¯ are they truly harmless?¡± mumbled the bald man, ¡°Looking at them, I feel as though I am ¡®submerged¡¯ in something, as if they are permeating my skin, and even breathing seems to fill my lungs with substance¡­¡±


    Tyrion turned his head and glanced at Aiden.


    ¡°Firstly, you¡¯ve got at least seven holes in your lungs now¨Chave you ever skimped on what you pour into those holes?¡± he said offhandedly. ¡°Secondly, the harmlessness of these ¡®lights¡¯ has been confirmed; in Light Breeze Harbor, Lucrecia has been studying this thing for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°¡­But the thing that fell here isn¡¯t the same as the one in Light Breeze Harbor,¡± Aiden couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°their ¡®core¡¯ is a stone sphere¡­¡±


    The highly trusted undead commander, favored by Tyrion, shook his head; his gleaming, shiny head reflected a dazzling golden light in Tyrion¡¯s field of vision.


    Tyrion subtly stepped to the side without a word, opened his mouth as if he was just about to say something, but suddenly sensed the approach of a presence and promptly closed his mouth, turning back around.


    Almost at the same time, a low, slightly hoarse voice reached both his and Aiden¡¯s ears: ¡°You mean to say, the core of the fallen object here isn¡¯t a ¡®stone sphere¡¯?¡±


    A silent emerald flame soared, and Duncan emerged from the flames. He walked past the startled guards and civil service staff, heading straight for Tyrion and Aiden.


    Aiden was startled but quickly recovered, stepping forward to bow and greet him: ¡°Old captain¡­¡±


    A dazzling golden light swept Duncan¡¯s field of vision; he subtly moved half a step to the side, avoiding Aiden¡¯s gleaming head.


    ¡°Father,¡± Tyrion also reacted and hurried forward to greet him, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to arrive so soon.¡±


    ¡°I was very curious about the ¡®special situation¡¯ you mentioned,¡± Duncan waved his hand and said as he walked, ¡°Don¡¯t waste time, talk and walk¨Cat what exact situation are we looking?¡±


    Tyrion hurried to keep up, speaking rapidly as they moved: ¡°Hard to describe it to you, it¡¯s something we¡¯ve never seen before¡­ Even the most learned scholars of the City-State are at a loss. It¡¯s indeed a sphere, but its surface is illusory, constantly shifting as if it¡¯s some kind of living creature, and it emits a faint whistling sound¡­ You¡¯ll know when you see it for yourself.¡±


    Listening to Tyrion¡¯s description, Duncan just nodded slightly and quickened his pace.


    They made their way through the pale golden light that covered the entire harbor area, passing docks and connecting bridges, until they reached the coastline¨Cthe entire area was eerily quiet since all personnel had been urgently evacuated, and long lines of cordons isolated the entire dock area from the city. And right there, at the edge of the harbor¡¯s coastline, the center of the luminous body settled squarely.


    From above, the irregular Luminous Geometric Body nearly covered a third of the City-State, as if a glowing structure had sprouted from the edge of Frost Island and lit up the nearby vast swathes of the Endless Sea as dusk fell.


    Under the guidance of Tyrion and Aiden, Duncan finally reached the center of the Luminous Geometric Body, and beheld the ¡°core structure¡± that confused and alarmed Frost scholars.


    It floated at the end of the beach, with calm sea waters just a dozen meters beyond¨Ca spherical orb with about a ten-meter diameter hung quietly there; crude scaffolding had been erected around it, with some workers bustling about nearby.


    ¡°You see, it¡¯s like that¡­¡± Tyrion lifted his hand, pointing at the massive orb with its surface flowing with colors, seemingly alive and unnerving, ¡°This thing doesn¡¯t look like a stone.¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course, it¡¯s not stone¡­¡±


    Duncan raised his head, squinting his eyes in brief surprise before a sense of inevitability mingled with a subtle, inexplicable emotion rose within him. He looked at the ¡°core¡± and his lips moved a few times before he softly responded to Tyrion¡¯s question.


    ¡°This is a gaseous planet.¡±


    Tyrion faltered, repeating the unfamiliar term with a hint of confusion: ¡°Gaseous planet? What does that mean?¡±


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    Duncan, however, did not reply; after a moment¡¯s observation, he simply took two slow steps forward, reaching right beneath the floating ¡°gaseous planet,¡± and quietly gazed up at its surface structure.


    The magnificent cloud belts, shining with a faint metallic luster, flowed slowly across its surface, outlining rings of ¡°cloud streams¡± that encircled the entire body. There were small vortices and storms rotating within those clouds¨Cslow and exquisite.


    As he drew closer, he heard the faint ¡°whistling¡± that Tyrion had mentioned, so faint it was as if it came through vast distances of time.


    It was a sound emanating from within the planetary body¨Cin the ancient times before everything perished, that whistling might have once been deafeningly loud, even carrying the might to rip apart a small celestial body. Back then, this planet had a massive, staggering scale, large enough to encompass tens of thousands of Endless Seas within its mists.


    Yet now, this ten-meter diameter ¡°star¡± could only emit a sound so faint it was barely distinguishable¡­ like a lament.

 Chapter 747 - Chapter 747 Chapter 744 Alices Potato Pancake

    Chapter 747: Chapter 744: Alice¡¯s Potato Pancake Chapter 747: Chapter 744: Alice¡¯s Potato Pancake The second Luminous Geometric Body fallen onto the Endless Sea still contained a ¡°Lost Star¡± at its core, but unlike the first fragment ¡ª this ¡°Lost Star¡± was a compressed gaseous planet.


    Initial measurements by scholars revealed that the diameter of this gaseous planet, serving as the core, was still ten meters, consistent with the ¡°moon¡± inside the first fallen light body.


    Duncan was more concerned about another matter ¡ª he did not recognize this planet.


    At least he could be certain it wasn¡¯t a gaseous giant like Saturn or Jupiter that once belonged to the ¡°solar system¡± ¡ª its display of silver, gray, and blue metallic colors along with several distinctive storm vortices on its surface were all completely foreign to him.


    Duncan stood next to the compressed gaseous giant, closely observing the cloud belts and vortex structures on its surface while his mind fluctuated.


    The core of the first Luminous Geometric Body was the ¡°moon¡± of his homeland, so when this second object had appeared, he had subconsciously assumed he would see another familiar celestial body from the solar system, but it now seemed¡­ the materials used in the glyph bands around the sun weren¡¯t limited to those from his own ¡°solar system¡±; these ¡°Lost Stars¡± forming the bands came from much deeper in space, and possibly even from different universes.


    Celestial bodies from different worlds, after being compressed and distorted, transformed into a halo around the sun to maintain the stable anchor of the Observer effect, with the main body of the ¡°sun¡± essentially being an eyeball encapsulated within a crystal sphere¡­ an eyeball symbolizing the Observer¡¯s eye¡­ This mechanism ensured that the incompatible remnants of worlds after the Great Annihilation could collapse into the same reality¡­


    It seemed, this was the principle of Phenomenon 001.


    After lengthy contemplation, Duncan shook his head gently.


    He knew that pondering the principle of Phenomenon 001 was actually futile; this severely overdue stabilized device had already reached the end of its life ¡ª its collapse was inevitable. Even if he accepted the ¡°continuation plan¡± from Navigator One, he could only replace Phenomenon 001 with his own flame, ushering in the ¡°Era of Flame¡± after the ¡°Deep Sea Era¡± ¡ª the disintegration of the Observer effect¡¯s stable anchor was an irreversible process.


    Yet even so, the operational mechanism of Phenomenon 001 still brought him some insight ¡ª after rejecting the plan from Navigator One, he had to find another way to continue the civilization of the Deep Sea Era. He vaguely had an idea, and the principle of Phenomenon 001 was useful for refining it.


    Tyrion and Aiden stood on the beach, watching Duncan from a distance with a mix of nervousness and confusion. They did not know what their father (the old captain) was doing and did not dare to interrupt him prematurely, but clearly, they noticed Duncan¡¯s expression alternating between thoughtfulness and sudden realization.


    Aiden looked around to make sure no unrelated persons were nearby, then leaned toward Tyrion and lowered his voice, ¡°What do you think the old captain is studying?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Tyrion likewise whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t comprehend the stuff Lucy usually studies, let alone father¡¯s thoughts ¡ª maybe he¡¯s communicating with that thing?¡±


    Aiden thought about it and nodded, ¡°¡­I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    Duncan, in fact, heard the soft muttering from a distance but didn¡¯t respond and instead suddenly spoke up in his mind after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°Alice.¡±


    The voice of Miss Doll almost immediately responded, ¡°Huh? Captain?¡±


    ¡°Come over here, there¡¯s something I want you to see ¡ª Ai Yi has gone to fetch you.¡±


    Alice paused then said, ¡°Ah, wait for me a bit then; I¡¯m about to take the potato cakes out of the pan ¡ª Want some? I¡¯ll send a portion to your captain¡¯s quarters?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­No need, I¡¯m not hungry. Just come over as soon as you¡¯re done.¡±


    Then, he stood there waiting patiently. Several more minutes passed before a faint green flame abruptly rose beside him ¡ª the flame transformed into a revolving door, and a skeletal giant bird flew out of the gate, followed by the figure of Alice.


    Miss Doll was holding a steaming paper bag, and as soon as she saw Duncan, she gave a happy expression, pushing the bag forward, ¡°Captain! Potato cakes! I¡¯ve brought them here for you!¡±


    Duncan turned his head, silently watching the straightforward doll before him, the expression beneath the bandages covering her face unreadable, his eyes fairly resigned.


    Alice paused, quickly catching on this time, ¡°¡­Ah, I forgot that your body here doesn¡¯t need food¡­¡±


    ¡°Occasionally I can drink tea, but indeed I don¡¯t need to eat,¡± Duncan responded dryly, but still took the paper bag from Alice¡¯s hands, ¡°Still, thank you.¡±


    Alice immediately smiled happily, then noticed Tyrion and Aiden not far away looking towards her, and promptly waved at them, ¡°You¡¯re here too!¡±


    Tyrion hesitated for a moment before approaching with Aiden, their expressions subtly ambivalent as they looked at the doll who was exactly like the Frost Queen ¡ª no matter how many times they had seen her, each time they saw that face, an inexplicable sense of unease always involuntarily arose, especially when the doll spoke¡­


    But Alice, seemingly completely oblivious to Tyrion and Aiden¡¯s subtle expressions, just felt happy to see familiar faces. She pointed at the bag in Duncan¡¯s hands, ¡°Want some potato cakes? They¡¯re freshly made! And topped with Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s special compound spices!¡±


    The puppet finished speaking, and before Tirian could respond, Duncan suddenly realized, ¡°Wait, you mentioned¡­ spices special to Light Breeze Harbor?¡±


    Alice nodded repeatedly, supporting her head, ¡°Yes, yes, when we were in the City-State, Luny had bought some from outside. She said it would be an eye-opener for the northerners¡­ The flavor is a bit strange, but the texture is quite interesting¡­¡±


    Duncan finally understood the bizarre smell that kept wafting out of the paper bag.


    He silently looked up at Tirian, ¡°Try one.¡±


    Tirian did not yet know what would happen¨Che didn¡¯t care much about food and knew even less about the culinary legends of Light Breeze Harbor. At that moment, facing his father¡¯s invitation without much thought, he actually felt a bit pleased. He reached into the bag and stuffed a potato cake into his mouth¡­


    Then, he just stood there motionless.


    ¡°It seems your spices are authentic¨Che¡¯ll probably need a bit before he can come to,¡± Duncan withdrew his gaze, nodded at Alice, and then turned to point at the ¡°Compressed Planet¡± floating above the beach, ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at this first.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Alice agreed, although she was a bit curious as to why Tirian suddenly began to cry. However, she still focused her attention on the magnificent-looking ¡°Lost Star,¡± which emitted a faint humming sound.


    She of course knew what it was¨Cbefore they left, she knew the captain was investigating the northern ¡°Object Number Two,¡± and the strange yet beautiful sphere in front of them was clearly the core of Object Number Two.


    ¡°What¡¯s it ¡®saying¡¯?¡± Duncan asked curiously from the side.


    He could share Alice¡¯s vision and see ¡°lines¡± or information from Anomaly 001 through Alice¡¯s eyes, but he couldn¡¯t understand those things instinctively as Alice could¨Cthis was a unique ability of the Navigator Three.


    Now, he was curious what information the puppet could extract from ¡°Object Number Two.¡±


    Alice slightly furrowed her brows, and after a while, she slowly started speaking, ¡°Lots of information¡­ various errors, main communication failure, protocol conflicts, errors in reconfiguring operating environments¡­ It¡¯s messy, much more chaotic than the errors I saw last time¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°Anything else? Like a system restart countdown?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Alice shook her head, ¡°just various malfunctions and some messy information, some of which I can¡¯t even understand.¡±


    Listening to Alice¡¯s report, Duncan just sighed softly and nodded slightly.


    The situation was bad, but he had somewhat anticipated it.


    Beside them, Aiden stood looking dumbfounded at the scene until he suddenly realized and immediately nudged Tirian¡¯s arm, ¡°Not to change the subject, but Miss Alice can really communicate with this thing!¡±


    Tirian finally snapped back to reality as if waking from a terrifyingly rapid nightmare. His body visibly shuddered, and then he bent over and started to cough and retch violently.


    This startled Aiden, and the bald, burly man quickly supported Tirian¡¯s arm. While patting his back, he anxiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Tirian finally recovered from the extreme spiciness mixed with a pungent sour smell. He couldn¡¯t understand why a potato cake could leave him with such a ¡°thrillingly stimulating¡± impression. At that moment, he raised his head, and it seemed as if layers of vague shadows surrounded him, and within those shadows, he even saw his father¡¯s gentle, smiling face.


    He paused for a moment, realizing his father seemed to truly be there.


    ¡°This is¡­ too stimulating¡­ hurk,¡± Tirian finally caught his breath, and with a weird expression, he looked at the half-remainder of the potato cake in his hand, ¡°How on earth was this made?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all about the spices from Light Breeze Harbor¨Cthey can truly awaken a person¡¯s reverence for food,¡± Duncan spoke calmly, ¡°We¡¯ve been in the South this whole time, and the food from Light Breeze Harbor is what I remember most vividly.¡±


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    Tirian stared blankly at the paper bag in his father¡¯s hand, genuinely understanding what reverence for food meant.


    Very reverent¨Calmost akin to fear.


    Just then, a howling wind suddenly came from not far away, interrupting the conversation of the group.


    Duncan instinctively looked in the direction of the sound. Amid the faint golden light enveloping the harbor, he saw a whirlwind enveloped in grey-white dust swiftly sweeping across the sky¨CAfter circling above the beach for a few seconds, the Grey Wind came straight toward him.


    The Grey Wind converged, and Agatha, clad in a black priestess robe with a cool demeanor, walked out from among the winds.

 Chapter 748 - Chapter 748 Chapter 745 The Sky Gradually Darkens

    Chapter 748: Chapter 745 The Sky Gradually Darkens Chapter 748: Chapter 745 The Sky Gradually Darkens Agatha from the Frost City-State had arrived¨Caccompanied by the familiar Grey Wind, the woman who now also served as the Archbishop of the City-State appeared before Duncan and Alice, and bowed her head to Duncan, ¡°Good evening, I am pleased to see that you have personally come to handle this matter.¡±


    Duncan looked up in the direction of the sea, ¡°Strictly speaking, it is still twilight.¡±


    ¡°Twilight will last a long time, yet people still need to live according to a ¡®normal¡¯ daily rhythm,¡± Agatha said, then nodded gently to Alice beside her, ¡°Long time no see, Miss Alice.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ oh! Long time no see!¡± Alice reacted after a moment before responding, scratching her head embarrassingly, ¡°There¡¯s also an Agatha on the ship, I didn¡¯t realize it for a second.¡±


    At these words, a slight smile appeared on Agatha¡¯s lips; even though her eyes were covered with a black cloth, it seemed as if a warm gaze still fell upon Alice: ¡°On the ship¡­ how has she been recently?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been good! Every day she chases Sherry through the mirror to do homework, or she takes advantage of the fog to sneak out and scare people¨Cthough she says she¡¯s just out for a walk,¡± Alice spoke rapidly, her face bearing a happy expression, ¡°Everyone likes her a lot, only Sherry is a bit scared of her¡­¡±


    Agatha listened silently to the descriptions of the puppet Miss, her expression at first a bit surprised, but gradually, it turned into a smile, and after a while, she nodded gently to herself, murmuring, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­ it sounds nice.¡±


    At this moment, Terian finally found an opportunity and stepped forward, ¡°Has the cathedral arranged everything for the night watch?¡±


    ¡°I took care of that matter before coming here, do not worry, we have sufficient manpower,¡± Agatha replied offhandedly but then couldn¡¯t help frowning slightly, discreetly stepping back, ¡°¡­Governor, are you¡­ having stomach troubles?¡±


    Taken aback by the question, Terian quickly understood what she meant; even as the ¡°Iron Marshal,¡± he felt a bit embarrassed at the moment. His lips twitched slightly, but he quickly recovered and raised his hand to point to the paper bag in his father¡¯s hand, ¡°¡­Would you like to try some potato cakes?¡±


    Agatha did not understand how the subject had suddenly changed to this; she looked bewilderedly at the object in Duncan¡¯s hand, who immediately raised it, ¡°Alice made them herself¨CLight Breeze Harbor flavor.¡±


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need,¡± Agatha stepped back half a step at the mention of ¡°Light Breeze Harbor¡± but then, realizing her response might seem impolite, added another line, ¡°This body no longer has life, and can¡¯t enjoy worldly delicacies anymore, but thank you for your kindness.¡±


    Duncan glanced at Agatha¡¯s body, covered in cracks and shattered like a broken puppet, knowing she was speaking frankly, so he could only shrug regretfully and stuff the bag of potato cakes directly into Terian¡¯s arms, ¡°Then you take them¨Ceat them slowly on your way back.¡±


    Terian accepted his father¡¯s gift with a slightly blank expression, his gaze silently sweeping over the figures present: a corpse, an undead, a puppet, and his father¨Cwho was also a corpse.


    The Iron Marshal finally realized, belatedly, that he was the only unfortunate one present with a bit more human substance¡­


    Duncan, paying no attention to Terian¡¯s suddenly subtle expression after finally getting rid of the bag of treats, he clapped his hands and turned to look at the magnificent planet still quietly floating above the beach.


    ¡°This is just the beginning,¡± he said to Agatha, ¡°In the days to come, more and more Sun Shards will fall into the Endless Sea, each containing a variety of ¡®Lost Stars¡¯ at their core¨Cand in the long nights that follow, these Sun Shards may be the only safeguard for the safety of many City-States.¡±


    Upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, Agatha¡¯s expression turned grave, ¡°¡­So, the disintegration of the sun is unavoidable, is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, although it sounds quite bad, it is indeed unavoidable, and it will even accelerate,¡± Duncan nodded gently, ¡°Next, I will also contact the pontiffs of the four gods, reminding them to pay attention to the luminous bodies falling into the Endless Sea and to collect them in time.¡±


    Terian and Agatha fell silent together.


    In the days that followed, who knew how many more sunrises this world would witness¨Cthe long night was approaching, and even Terian felt a bit suffocated in the face of this fact.


    As he felt this suffocation, Terian immediately thought even more.


    He raised his head in thought, looking at Duncan, ¡°¡­You just said that these falling fragments may be the only safeguard for the safety of many City-States?¡±


    ¡°Fenna has already received a revelation from the Storm Goddess, and I have also obtained information from The Saint of the Profound; according to the experience of Light Breeze Harbor, these Sun Shards can indeed exert a shelter force akin to Phantom 001 on a small scale,¡± Duncan nodded gently, ¡°They can¡¯t pacify large areas of the sea, but at least they can protect a City-State.¡±


    Terian¡¯s expression gradually became heavy, and after a while, he muttered to himself softly, ¡°¡­Is that enough?¡±


    His soft mutter reached everyone¡¯s ears, with Alice looking somewhat confused, while Aiden and Agatha clearly realized what Terian¡¯s ¡°Is that enough?¡± referred to, their expressions immediately shifting to solemnity.


    Duncan slowly nodded.


    ¡°I understand what you mean,¡± he said in a deep voice, ¡°Frankly, no one knows how many shards there will be when the time comes, and even less know if there will be enough¡­ But if there isn¡¯t a strong binding force, then even if there are plenty of shards, they will always be ¡®not enough.''¡±


    ¡°The church will intervene, and our patrol fleet covers all routes,¡± Agatha said after a brief moment of contemplation, ¡°If the church¡¯s fleet isn¡¯t enough, the Frost Navy can be relied upon as well.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s also the most optimistic scenario¨Cfrankly, I¡¯m not accustomed to facing the future with such optimism, especially when it tests human nature,¡± Tyrion shook his head, ¡°What if even the church begins to disagree? When night falls, all challenges become infinitely magnified¡­ Even the most loyal and upright people have their own positions.¡±


    Then they fell silent, and the atmosphere on the scene became somewhat oppressive for a moment.


    Yet Alice still looked at the scene with some confusion, glancing between Tyrion and Agatha and then looking up at the captain, until she finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°What are you all talking about?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer, but merely raised his hand and gently patted Alice¡¯s hair.


    ¡°We¡¯re worried that there won¡¯t be enough Sun Shards to shelter all the City-States when the time comes, or that some may want to hoard more ¡®sunlight¡¯,¡± Aiden said from the side, ¡°After all¡­ it¡¯s for survival.¡±


    With such a straightforward explanation, Alice finally understood what everyone was discussing.


    The puppet¡¯s eyes widened, looking somewhat at a loss¨Cthese were issues she had never contemplated, puzzles she had never faced.


    Tyrion lowered his head, looking at the paper bag in his hands with a complex expression, ¡°¡­ When that time comes, a Northerner may never taste the potato cakes from Light Breeze Harbor again.¡±


    Duncan, however, shook his head and said quietly to Alice, ¡°Don¡¯t think about it. It¡¯s not for you to worry about. This world has always had terrible aspects, and it¡¯s not just today.¡±


    Upon hearing the captain¡¯s words, Alice seemed to suddenly think of something and immediately raised her head, ¡°Then¡­ you¡¯ll take action when the time comes, right? Just like what happened in Prandt and with Frost¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t answer, but Agatha quickly caught on, ¡°Right¨Cthe Exiled Fleet. If we add your strength as well, it might be easier to keep the City-States in check and maintain basic order after nightfall, at least¡­ to prevent the worst-case scenario from happening¡­¡±


    Still, Duncan remained silent, noncommittal.


    His response made Tyrion realize something, ¡°Aren¡¯t you planning to get involved?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m thinking about something else,¡± Duncan shook his head lightly.


    He turned around and silently gazed at the ¡°Lost Star¡± hovering in midair; no one knew what his silence meant, not even Tyrion, who didn¡¯t dare to speak at this moment, and it wasn¡¯t until much later that Duncan finally looked away, breaking the silence softly, ¡°If it really comes to the worst case scenario, I might need to do something that only I can do¨Cit¡¯s probably going to be a long distance away, and I might be gone for quite a while.¡±


    At this moment, Tyrion seemed to sense something faintly, some kind of premonition from his intuition that made him feel as if the edges of his vision blurred. For an extremely brief instant, he felt as if his father¡¯s figure was already standing in a place too far for him to ever reach. Although they were now inches apart, there seemed to be an invisible curtain gradually closing between them, as if to separate them in two different times and spaces.


    That invisible curtain¡­ it seemed to be filled with starlight.


    But the sensation was fleeting; Tyrion felt as if his thoughts had skipped a beat. When he tried to recall his feelings just now, all that was left was an endless void.


    Duncan turned his head, his bandaged face only showing his calm eyes.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry too much. Even in the worst of the worst cases, there will be a flame that relights this world. Hard days are always temporary.¡±


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    His father¡¯s words seemed to carry a deeper meaning.


    But Tyrion had no chance to ask further¨Ca rising Spectral Flame suddenly erupted on the beach, slowly tracing a vortex.


    His father was preparing to leave.


    ¡°I have many things to do,¡± Duncan said, waving his hand to Tyrion, Aiden, and Agatha. He stepped toward the flame and began speaking, ¡°Focus more on dealing with the upcoming nightfall, don¡¯t think too much¨Calso, don¡¯t worry about the cemetery area.¡±


    The flame surged upward, and then, like a meteor in reverse, shot towards the sky, quickly vanished from Tyrion and Agatha¡¯s sight.

 Chapter 749 - Chapter 749 Chapter 746 A Passing Illusion

    Chapter 749: Chapter 746: A Passing Illusion Chapter 749: Chapter 746: A Passing Illusion The shooting star that had been moving backward gradually disappeared from view.


    On the vast coastline, only the figures of Tirian, Aiden, and Agatha remained.


    The ancient ¡°Lost Star¡± still quietly hovered above the sand, its surface flowing leisurely, emitting an intermittent, whimpering howl, while just a few meters away lay the calm sea¨Cthe water shimmering under the pale golden sunlight like a slowly undulating mirror, its tiny waves much calmer than usual.


    In this prolonged dusk, Tirian finally broke the silence, ¡°Gatekeeper, do you think if the sun truly disintegrates, the Church¡¯s power will still be sufficient to maintain order among the City-States?¡±


    Agatha did not speak. Faced with this overly sharp question, she remained silent for a long time¨Cbut had it been a year earlier, she would have undoubtedly given a positive answer without hesitation.


    Agatha knew that she was no longer as devout and resolute as before; a crack had formed in her unconditional faith during the Frost Mirror disaster, and doubts had seeped in.


    But after hesitating, she lightly nodded, ¡°I believe my brothers and sisters will do their utmost¡­ They will as well.¡±


    ¡°The answer after careful thought is not as firm as a devotee¡¯s response, but in this situation, it¡¯s somewhat more reassuring,¡± Tirian sighed slowly, a slight smile appearing on his face, ¡°Anyhow, we will all do our utmost, and I believe other City-States will do the same.¡±


    Agatha did not speak, just silently nodded her head and then she turned, her figure dissolving into a swirling pale wind and disappeared with the breeze.


    Aiden had been quietly watching by the side, and now he hesitated before speaking, ¡°¡­What are your plans going forward?¡±


    ¡°First, ensure that the city hall makes all necessary preparations before sundown. I want every person in the City-State to safely get through the looming long night; second, command the fleet to be fully operational. I need every warship at its best, ready for battle at any moment, no matter how long the night may last; third¡­¡±


    Tirian paused for a few seconds, looking down at the bag in his hand.


    ¡°Third, tell everyone to eat if it¡¯s time to eat, sleep if it¡¯s time to sleep, to keep living well¨Cten thousand years ago, the builders crafted the City-States from the ruins of the ancient kingdoms during the dark ages after their collapse. We too will certainly find a way through this crisis¡­ The end is not here yet.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    A flame streaked across the sunset, leaving a fleeting bright trail among the clouds before it fell on the path in front of the cemetery where the Spectral Flame gradually dispersed, and Duncan¡¯s figure solidified from the flames.


    Alice had already returned to Homeloss, while Duncan walked back to the cemetery alone¨Che slowly ascended the path he had walked many times before; in the slanted and dim evening twilight, his shadow stretched long, wavering on the ancient stone pavement.


    It was very quiet around, most of the city¡¯s inhabitants should have returned home by now, and almost no vehicles could be seen on the distant roads, only a few steam-powered walkers leisurely strolling through the streets, city hall workers checking street lamps and gas lines, and the black-clothed guards confirming the status of ¡°Nightfall Shelters,¡± looking bustling.


    Duncan withdrew his gaze from afar and continued to ascend slowly.


    He stopped in front of the cemetery gate.


    An unexpected yet familiar figure stood outside the gate¨Ca girl about thirteen or fourteen years old, dressed in light gray heavy winter clothing, wearing a fuzzy woolen hat and gloves, wrapped up like a soft wool ball. She stood at the gate, occasionally stamping her feet, pacing back and forth, then looking up the path.


    It was Annie. She seemed to have been waiting there for quite a while.


    Duncan frowned slightly and hastened towards the cemetery gate¨CAnnie saw him too, a delighted expression appearing on the young girl¡¯s face as she quickly ran down the path.


    ¡°Guardian Uncle!¡± Annie cheerfully greeted, stopping at the edge of the open space outside the cemetery gate, ¡°I just came over and saw no one in the guard¡¯s cottage, and the black-clothed guard said you were out¡­¡±


    ¡°Curfew is about to start, the city hall has informed all residents to go home. Why did you still come here?¡± Duncan frowned, his voice low and stern under his bandages, sounding somewhat scary, ¡°It¡¯s unsafe outside.¡±


    ¡°I know, I was just about to head home,¡± Annie immediately nodded, not frightened by Duncan¡¯s somber and serious demeanor clad in black and wrapped in bandages. Instead, she reached into her coat, rummaged, and handed a small packet to Duncan, ¡°This is herbal tea¡­ Take it, and then¡­ I might not come back for a long time.¡±


    Duncan looked surprised at the paper package handed over by Annie, and after a few seconds of silence, he softened his tone, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going to happen?¡±


    ¡°¡­Something is wrong with the sun, right?¡± Annie looked up, gazing into Duncan¡¯s somber, sunken eyes, ¡°The sunset has lasted for a very long time now and still hasn¡¯t completely set¡­ I heard from a nun that if the sunset this time goes down, it might be a very long time before it rises again¡­ Mom says that the temperature may keep dropping, or it might stop after dropping halfway, and the worst case has to do with the farms¡­¡±


    She stopped there, seemingly finding the knowledge beyond that point too complex to understand or recount.


    Duncan was silent for a moment, then bent slightly, ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    Anne shook her head, but then stopped and hesitated, nodding cautiously.


    She didn¡¯t really understand what was happening now, nor could she imagine what would happen next¨Ccompared to the straightforward threat of the mud monsters spreading through the city, a slowly sinking sun was an even more incomprehensible disaster for a thirteen-year-old child.


    But she could sense that same tense pressure among the adults, similar to the early ¡°Mirror Disaster¡±¨Cshe had experienced it once before.


    ¡°If the sun doesn¡¯t come up, will we have to carry lanterns and tattoo runes on our eyelids to go outside?¡± Anne asked, ¡°Like those ascetic monks¨Cwho always linger in darkness¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t know how to answer this question at first, pondering for a long time before softly speaking, ¡°¡­The sun will rise, if the sun doesn¡¯t rise, something else will light up the sky.¡±


    Anne didn¡¯t seem to understand, but then seemed to think of something and widened her eyes in surprise, ¡°Is it you? Will you light up the sky?¡±


    ¡°¡­Go home,¡± Duncan smiled, though his smile was covered by layers of bandages, revealing only a slight curve at the corners of his eyes. He brushed off some dust from Anne¡¯s clothes that had settled there at some point while looking up at the fading twilight on the roofs in the distance, ¡°It¡¯s getting dark¨Calso, thank you for the herbal tea.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    It was getting dark¨Calthough it might still be some time.


    Outside the antique shop window, the remnants of the sunset were already fading¨Cbut had not completely darkened yet.


    Duncan shifted his gaze from watching Anne leave at the slope in front of the northern cemetery and looked through the old shop window at the streets of Plunder at evening.


    The streets were already deserted, even the noisiest children had been taken home by adults, the alleys of the Lower City District, usually too crowded and lively, now seemed cold and deserted, as if it had become a ghost city.


    But then a steam walker broke the silence outside the window¨Cwith the clattering sound of the steam engine running, the massive spider machine slowly crossed the street, steam hissing from the exhaust of the walker¡¯s tail, banners of scripture fluttering from its armor plates in the wind, two guards dressed in Deep Sea Church uniforms stood on the back of the walker, announcing the newly issued ¡°Nightfall Notice¡± from the cathedral¨Cincluding new curfew orders, and adjustments to the city¡¯s functions during the night period.


    Even after the Black Sun incident brought a safe dusk, an air of tension still lingered over the Plunder City-State.


    For no one knew whether the ¡°safe dusk¡± would continue to be safe after the night stretched into days, nor did anyone know what else might breed in the dark sea under a prolonged absence of sunlight, crawling up the beaches to invade the City-State under cover of darkness.


    If even Plunder was charged with this atmosphere, what might be happening in other City-States on the Endless Sea?


    In the increasingly dim sunset, Duncan¡¯s thoughts began to drift; he set aside the newspaper in his hand and prepared to rise and turn on the light near the staircase.


    Just then, a figure appeared in the corner of his eye.


    Right there by a shelf in the corner on the first floor of the antique shop, the figure suddenly emerged¨Cas if he were a stooped traveler, on a journey so long he no longer knew how much time had passed, clothed in a tattered white robe that no longer retained its original form, his body slightly leaning forward, he walked step by step toward the counter.


    Duncan slowly stood up and stared fixedly at the figure approaching him.


    However, the figure seemed not to see Duncan, walking as though in another parallel dimension, his gaze focused on a distant and invisible place, he walked straight through the shelf, like a ghost slowly moving forward.


    During this process, Duncan gradually made out the traveler¡¯s face¨Che saw an aged face, deep wrinkles, and skin that seemed almost wilted like frozen time, but suddenly, that aged face regained its youth, transforming into the appearance of a young man at the start of a journey, even his stooped posture became upright.


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    The next second, he turned into an old man again, his figure passing through the counter, about to brush past Duncan.


    But abruptly, he stopped.


    He seemed to see Duncan¨Cor perhaps just saw an illusionary figure, he froze stiffly, his eyes bulging, staring straight over here.


    Duncan found himself unable to discern any definitive emotion from that trembling face¨Cwas it surprise? fear? despair? or had he suddenly seen hope?


    As if all the emotions a person could possess were compressed in that brief gaze¨Cthe weary traveler just stared intently at him, and then his figure gradually faded.

 Chapter 750 - Chapter 750 Chapter 747 Sunset

    Chapter 750: Chapter 747 Sunset Chapter 750: Chapter 747 Sunset Seventy-two hours later, this prolonged sunset was gradually drawing to a close. At the edge of the Endless Sea, the brilliant orb of the sun now remained only as a thin golden rim and parts of the Rune Circle still lingered above the water surface. Amidst the cloud refractions, the twilight¡¯s splendor grew even more magnificent, yet also increasingly dim.


    The people of this world had no time to admire the beauty of the sunset¨Cthe grandeur of the twilight meant only the approach of night to most, and now, the entire world was slowly stepping into what might be the longest night in history.


    In Moco City-State, two steam-powered walkers adorned with the emblem of the Academy of Truth strolled through the streets. Armed Knowledge Guardians accompanied the walkers on either side, scanning the street conditions while urging citizens to head home quickly, as the dwindling Sky Light stretched the shadows of the warriors and spider robots long and wavering, blending into the shadows between the streets and adjacent buildings.


    In Cold Harbor, the last transfer of supplies had ended, and notices of temporary metro station closures echoed through each station. Guardians sealed off all doors leading to underground facilities and guarded various entrances¨Cduring sunset, sacred steam and incense would be injected into the pipes, purifying the entirety of the City-State¡¯s underground, after which the metro would reopen, but operate strictly according to a new timetable and safety protocols.


    After all, the night might last for one to two months; the City-State could not completely halt for such a long period. During this seventy-two-hour ¡°preparation period¡± of dusk, the administrators and scholars of the City-State had devised a new ¡°timetable¡± and safety system to maintain the city¡¯s basic functions as much as possible during the prolonged night.


    This new timetable and safety system had not undergone any practical tests nor had there been time for more thorough discussions¨Ceach City-State would test the feasibility of their ¡°night plan¡± amid the prolonged darkness before the sun rose again.


    Meanwhile, in distant Rensa, gunfire momentarily disturbed the city¡¯s tranquility, nearly piercing through the tightly strung nerves of its people¨Chere Sun Cultists seized the opportunity, influencing the highly anxious citizens with claims that the True Sun God would be reborn in the night, leading their misled followers to set fires in the Lower City District and attempt to seize the churches on the outskirts of the City-State.


    The chaos was swiftly suppressed. The Firekeeper from the Fire Transmitter Church took immediate control of the situation, but the tension within the City-State had risen¡­


    ¡­


    Mechanical spiders, extending their long limbs, walked through the mottled ancient streets of the City-State. A broadcast device mounted on the walkers¡¯ heads emitted somewhat distorted sounds that echoed through the lanes:


    ¡°Attention, citizens¡­ Thirty minutes remain until sunset. Please return to your homes promptly¡­ The new curfew will last for twelve hours, followed by a provisional city operating timetable¡­


    ¡°¡­ Steam, electricity, and gas will be supplied as usual, workers holding permits can pass through checkpoints¡­ Various night shelters will remain open long-term, until sunrise¡­


    ¡°Citizens are obliged to assist in monitoring the city¡¯s infrastructure¡­ Should you notice streetlights going out or a disruption in the steam supply, please report immediately to the nearest church or security booth¡­


    ¡°¡­ If unusual shadows appear in your home, or you hear strange noises from underground, seek help immediately from the Knowledge Guardians on the streets¡­


    ¡°Please remain calm, relaxed¨C we are experiencing a peculiar anomaly. The City-State has the strength to protect everyone. Please live according to the new timetable and safety rules to maintain your physical and mental health¡­¡±


    The broadcast faded gradually into the distance, becoming a vague, distorted whisper of wind. Outside the window of the harbor inn, gas lamps were already lit, their solitary lights dispelling the malevolent darkness and illuminating the empty streets¨Csave for the occasional patrolling guardian crossing the alley, no other pedestrian figures were visible.


    It was hard to imagine that just a few days ago, this place was bustling with traffic and teeming with crowds.


    Lawrence withdrew his gaze from the window, exhaled softly, and began to write lines of text in his diary¨C


    ¡°xx year x month x day, we are still docked at the port of Phaelon, this City-State has already prepared for the coming night, and now the sun is about to disappear over the sea¡­


    ¡°My crew members are not fearful; instead, they feel a daring excitement, blessed by Homeloss, believing they possess sufficient strength to face anything¨Cthis isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.


    ¡°Phaelon is not a very wealthy City-State, but its conditions are passable. Everyone is trying their best to comfort those around them and figure out ways to stock up for the night¡­ Before dinner, the innkeeper told me he had secured enough fuel and had stocked the storage with emergency food and medicine, enough to sustain us even if the curfew is extended¡­


    ¡°This City-State, near the southwestern border, seems accustomed to such ¡®restlessness.¡¯ No one knows what will happen next. People here avoid discussing the worst possibilities and instead devote all their energy to current life¨Ca commendable quality that allows Phaelon to withstand greater pressures than the more prosperous City-States in the central sea¡­


    ¡°Yet, I worry about other things¨Cthe sealed entities on the ship, things sealed within the City-State.


    ¡°And those ships that are still sailing in the distant seas, even after exhausting all efforts to return, still couldn¡¯t reach the port in time¨Cthe sun is about to set, and perhaps many captains and sailors still linger on the Endless Sea. From the midpoint of the southwest route, it takes at least seven days to reach the nearest City-State, and the situation on the remote routes is even worse¡­ In the persisting darkness, no one knows what changes may occur in this sea¡­¡±


    A chilled breeze brushed past Lawrence¡¯s ear, and he paused his writing, sighing softly.


    He lifted his head and looked towards the window facing the harbor area, his gaze stretching past the docks where two large cargo ships appeared on the distant sea horizon, honking while approaching the shoreline¨Cseveral small speedboats bearing the church¡¯s insignia darted out of the dock like arrows, heading towards the two ships requesting to dock, ready for necessary boarding inspections and port blessings.


    In the corner of the window, a blurred figure emerged from the surface of the glass and waved at Lawrence, who was looking into the distance.


    ¡°Two more ships have docked, and they are big ones,¡± Lawrence whispered, ¡°the docks at Pharun are nearly filled.¡±


    ¡°In the past seventy-two hours, ships equivalent to four times the usual number docked at Pharun, more than half of which came seeking ¡®refuge,''¡± said the blurry figure on the window, its voice carrying an ethereal tremble, ¡°They¡¯re the lucky ones; those who couldn¡¯t return in time don¡¯t know what to do yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Ships on long voyages all have small chapels and priests aboard, but these measures are meant for normal nights,¡± Lawrence sighed, shaking his head, ¡°Sunset plus twenty-four hours, that¡¯s the last deadline given by the Port Authority for normal docking. After that time, ships that return are not allowed to approach the City-State directly¨Cthey¡¯ve stayed too long in the night, and it¡¯s no longer safe.¡±


    ¡°¡­ The same ¡®treatment¡¯ happened to the White Oak,¡± Martha said, ¡°I remember you mentioned it was after the first encounter with Homeloss.¡±


    Lawrence shrugged but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Martha was silent for a while before speaking again, ¡°¡­ If the sun continues to operate this way, people will eventually adapt. The chaos is temporary, just like those City-States that survived the Dark Age, they found new methods to continue after the collapse of the old kingdoms¨Cas long as we survive, life always finds a way.¡±


    Lawrence knew these weren¡¯t words Martha would typically say¨Cshe was a distinguished female explorer and captain, not a philosopher.


    But still, he felt a trace of solace and warmth in her words.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Martha,¡± he nodded gently, ¡°there will always be a way¡­¡±


    Up in the lofty sky, the pale Creation of the World was gradually appearing behind the clouds, the thinning sunlight slowly retracting from the sea surface, and a hazy mist had appeared at some point, undulating with the sea.


    The towering prow of Homeloss cut through the waves, sailing into the distance through the evening mist, its tall masts carrying semi-translucent spiritual sails that bellied without wind. The Brilliant Starship followed closely nearby, its semi-real body undulating in the waves, as if it might plunge into another dimension at any moment.


    The latest news from Light Breeze Harbor¨Cthe last civilian cargo ship that could return before sunset had already docked at the pier. The City-State navy was setting up outposts and navigational marks in the surrounding waters, and they were moving a mobile harbor equipped with high-powered steam cores and church facilities to the sea between the City-State and the ¡°Luminous Geometric Body¡±. Afterward, ships returning to the City-State would have to dock at this temporary port, undergo strict inspection and quarantine before being allowed to approach the City-State.


    Duncan stood on the forecastle deck, listening to Morris recount the situation from Light Breeze Harbor and nodded slightly, ¡°Lawrence is currently in Pharun City-State. He mentioned that they have given a twenty-four-hour window for ships returning after nightfall. After the window closes, returnees must also stay at the temporary dock near the City-State for inspection and quarantine.¡±


    ¡°Every City-State is devising different response plans according to their own situation and experience, but no one knows which plan will be the most effective,¡± Fenna said from the side, ¡°But regardless, most City-States should be able to safely see the sunrise just with their stockpiled supplies. What¡¯s really worrying¡­ is the future.¡±


    Duncan remained silent, deep in thought.


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    After a while, he suddenly asked, ¡°What about the sightings from the ¡®End Times Survey Team¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Just as you expected¨Cthere have also been sporadic sighting reports from other parts of the world,¡± Fenna nodded, ¡°I have confirmed this with Helena. She mentioned that starting several days ago, there have been at least five incidents within the influence of the Deep Sea Church where ¡®phantoms seeming from another timeline abruptly appeared.¡¯ And after verification, three of those are highly likely to be the End Times Survey Team conducting observations at the end of time.¡±


    Duncan pondered for a moment, then nodded faintly.


    And in the corner of his eye, the last streak of twilight finally vanished over the sea.


    Night had fallen.

 Chapter 751 - Chapter 751 Chapter 748 Uninvited Guests on the Ship

    Chapter 751: Chapter 748: Uninvited Guests on the Ship Chapter 751: Chapter 748: Uninvited Guests on the Ship The long twilight had ended, and night had fallen.


    The electric lights were turned on, dispelling the darkness in the room. Taran El stood by the window, frowning as he gazed at the streets outside¨CThe gas lamps illuminated the street, and occasionally, one could see Knowledge Guards with watchdogs appearing near the intersections. Other than that, the entire city seemed dead under the nightfall, empty and silent.


    After an unknown amount of time, he withdrew his gaze from the window and looked at the piles of materials and books on his desk, sighing almost imperceptibly.


    He had organized these things before the sunset. Next, he needed to pack them up and send them to the university library¨Cwhere there was a new office, blessed by the wisdom god and with many sacred protections, that would allow him to safely conduct research and reading.


    But only a few scholars were destined to obtain a ¡°safety room¡± in the university library. For the majority, once the sun set, ¡°reading¡± became a taboo. For safety reasons, all books had to be sealed away during this period of extended nightfall until the next sunrise¨Cthis was also part of the ¡°Nightfall Prohibition¡± recently issued by the council.


    Meanwhile, educational activities in schools also had to cease¨CYoung students did not have the strength and experience to deal with the monsters that chased after them from the Spirit Realm and the Mysterious Deep Sea; it was far too dangerous.


    Of course, some believed that the situation at Light Breeze Harbor wasn¡¯t so bad because the Luminous Geometric Body next to the city-state had a power similar to the sun¡¯s. Within its ¡°sunlight¡± range, people might still be able to live and conduct their research normally¨Cbut this was after all just a speculation. People had never tested the power of the Luminous Geometric Body during such a prolonged nightfall, and they couldn¡¯t be sure where its protective limits were. Naturally, it was too risky.


    To Taran El¡¯s knowledge, there was already a group of scholars testing this near the Luminous Geometric Body. They were fully armed, with equally armed guardians protecting them as they attempted ¡°nightfall reading¡± at different times and locations to confirm the effectiveness of the ¡°sunlight.¡±


    But even Taran El didn¡¯t know how long this testing would take or how many verifications were needed.


    The door opened, and the young apprentice Joshua entered the room, pushing a trolley. Seeing his teacher, he seemed a bit stunned, ¡°¡­You haven¡¯t gone to the library yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going with the next group,¡± Taran El casually said, pointing at the stuff on the table, ¡°The things are already organized. Take what¡¯s on the table and leave the rest here¡­ I¡¯ll be back after dawn.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Teacher.¡± Joshua obediently agreed, silently bundling and packing the organized books and materials, loading them onto the trolley. He kept his head down the entire time, seemingly avoiding looking at the text on the materials, or perhaps avoiding meeting his teacher¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°After you finish packing up here, you should go home with the others,¡± Taran said, looking at his young apprentice, then casually, ¡°you guys have a holiday now.¡±


    ¡°Can I go to the library with you?¡± Joshua hesitated and then looked up, ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t finished a paper yet.¡±


    ¡°Starting to be ambitious now?¡± Taran raised his eyebrows, deliberately speaking in a teasing tone, ¡°Aren¡¯t you usually the one clamoring for a holiday?¡±


    Joshua pressed his lips together, seeming a bit embarrassed, ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, just kidding,¡± Taran laughed, lightly shaking his head, ¡°Go home, stop worrying about your paper¨Cthose ¡®safety rooms¡¯ in the library aren¡¯t that safe. An experienced scholar like me knows how to carefully conduct research with those protective measures, but a young person like you wouldn¡¯t manage¡­ Even if the safety rooms keep out those malevolent spirits in physical form, the whisperings from the books could still muddle your mind.


    ¡°Take the holiday, rest well, replenish your energy. We¡¯ll have a long day coming¡­ When that time comes, you won¡¯t have such a comfortable break.¡±


    Listening to his teacher¡¯s words, Joshua just slowly nodded his head, then after hesitating for a while, he plucked up the courage to ask, ¡°Will it really be daylight later?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Taran looked into his apprentice¡¯s eyes, speaking with unusual seriousness, ¡°Remember? You and I calculated the rate of the sun¡¯s descent, and it set precisely into the sea as per our calculations¨Cit will rise again according to our calculations, just that it needs a little time.¡±


    The tense expression on the young man¡¯s face seemed finally to relax a little. He quietly finished packing the remaining items, respectfully bade farewell to his teacher, and then pushed the trolley out of the room.


    Taran El watched Joshua leave and, after a while, suddenly turned his head towards the window, asking, ¡°How long are you going to watch from over there?¡±


    The air near the window twisted slightly, and the figure of the Truth Confidant, Ted Riel, emerged from it: ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to interrupt your conversation with your apprentice.¡±


    ¡°¡­You still dare to use ¡®miracles¡¯ for traveling?¡± Taran glanced at the Truth Confidant, ¡°Forgot about the last time with Subspace Butterfly Swimming?¡±


    Ted¡¯s expression twisted for a moment, then he forcibly suppressed the trembling at the corner of his eyes, ¡°I made sure it was safe¡­ Are you still holding such a grudge?¡±


    Taran didn¡¯t speak, just silently gave the middle finger.


    Ted¡¯s lips twitched, then he formed a sheepish smile.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be out with your guardians protecting the city¡¯s night at this time?¡± Taran casually asked, ¡°How do you still find time to come here and join the commotion?¡±


    ¡°Finally, I don¡¯t have to deal with those rookie¡¯s patchwork hasty papers anymore, now I¡¯m in a good mood, so came to chat with you¨Cdoes this reason work?¡±


    Taran did not speak, just silently looked at the Truth Confidant in front of him.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m here to personally escort you and the second batch of scholars to the grand library,¡± Ted shrugged, ¡°A squad of Knowledge Guards is already on standby downstairs. Once everyone else is ready, you will come with me.¡±


    ¡°Is that really necessary? A Truth Confidant personally escorting us?¡± Taran furrowed his brows, ¡°It¡¯s only about a fifteen-minute drive to the grand library, I could just drive myself¡­¡±


    ¡°Moco City-State, two scholars disappeared into thin air on their way to seek refuge at the library¨Cthe night swallowed them,¡± Ted interrupted him, his expression growing serious. ¡°The dusk has become more dangerous than we ever realized, and the ¡®knowledge¡¯ in your head¡­ it appears particularly sweet to ¡®them.''¡±


    Taran El paused, silently turning towards a side cabinet.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ted curiously asked.


    ¡°Taking my revolver, as well as a dagger and an amulet for protection.¡±


    ¡­


    The sound of pages flipping resonated in the room, Morris paralleled his previous records in a thick notebook, busily writing and occasionally stopping to ponder and refine his thoughts.


    His large notebook was filled with densely written text, abstract symbols, and dizzying diagrams that sketched out the appearance of this world.


    He was completing his most important research¨Can attempt to construct a ¡°model¡± that could explain the entire world, from the great annihilation at its beginning, through the era of the Mysterious Deep Sea and up to the current state of the ¡°Shelter,¡± including its potential future.


    This research had been ongoing for a long time, and only as the world neared its end did he see the possibility of its completion.


    Nearby, at Morris¡¯s desk, sat a dozing Sherry and an attentively perusing Agou.


    After an unknown amount of time had passed, a low indistinct murmur appeared suddenly at Morris¡¯s ear.


    Accompanying this murmur, a chilly air abruptly filled the entire cabin! The room seemed to suddenly turn into an ice cave, with the chill materializing on the ceiling as trails of descending white mist, within which invisible shadows gradually seeped out, extending a tentacle towards Morris¡­


    Without looking up, Morris continued writing in his notebook while casually saying, ¡°Take it down.¡±


    Before he finished speaking, Agou by his side had already transformed into a whirlwind composed of shattered bones and pitch-black smoke¨Cbone fragments and dark fogs howled past the ceiling, swiftly devoured that twisted entity that pursued knowledge.


    The next second, Agou¡¯s figure returned to normal and fell back onto the floor.


    Sherry startled awake, ¡°Ah¡­ what happened?!¡±


    ¡°Another shadow pursuing knowledge,¡± Agou casually muttered, glancing at Sherry, ¡°¡­ continue your sleep, it wasn¡¯t after you.¡±


    Sherry pondered for a moment, nodded, ¡°Oh.¡±


    She simply crawled next to Agou, leaning against him and lay down, immediately emitting a soft snore.


    Morris stopped what he was doing, looked up somewhat helplessly at Sherry, sighed, and then bent down again to solemnly add the final footnote to this page of his notebook.


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    Just as he wrote the last letter, a strange voice suddenly entered his ears¨C


    ¡°Outstanding research¡­ you¡¯ve been lingering in front of the last great door to the truth.¡±


    Morris was startled, swiftly raising his head towards the source of the voice.


    A figure in a worn white robe quietly sat beside him, smiling gently, looking at the scattered notebooks and documents on the desk.


    Muscles tensing instantly, Morris reached under the desk for his revolver, while Agou also reacted immediately by getting up¨CSherry yelped as she fell to the floor, then saw the uninvited guest who had appeared in the room, her eyes widening as a bone spur shot out like an arrow from behind her, seeming ready to pierce the figure in the next second¨C


    However, the figure in the worn white robe just sat there quietly, as if unaware of the sudden surge of vigilance and hostility around, still engrossed in Morris¡¯s manuscripts.


    After two or three seconds, he slowly raised his head, his face still wearing a gentle smile: ¡°I need to talk to your captain.¡±

 Chapter 752 - Chapter 752 Chapter 749 Walking Against the Light

    Chapter 752: Chapter 749 Walking Against the Light Chapter 752: Chapter 749 Walking Against the Light The captain had already arrived.


    Almost the instant the words of the uninvited guest in the white robe ceased, a swirling green flame rose within the room, and a figure stepped out from within the fire.


    Sherry leapt to her feet as soon as she saw Duncan, ¡°Captain, Captain! A Doomsday Preacher just suddenly came here! This one seems to be the sane type; he says he wants to have a talk with you¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Duncan raised his hand to interrupt Sherry¡¯s frenetic speech, as his gaze steadily rested on the uninvited guest, ¡°I was wondering when you all would finally appear before me¨CI didn¡¯t expect it to be so soon.¡±


    ¡°You knew I would come?¡± the white-robed elder asked casually, his face remaining calm despite his questions filled with doubt and surprise.


    ¡°You would have come sooner or later, since ¡®Twilight¡¯ has already begun. Members of the Doomsday Survey Team who are still sensible at this moment would probably be very willing to meet with me, and as it happens, I am also quite eager to have a talk with you,¡± Duncan spoke while his eyes surveyed the surroundings, ¡°¡­this isn¡¯t a good place to talk. We could change the location for our discussion.¡±


    No sooner had Duncan finished speaking than Sherry, Ah Gou, and Morris, who was busy applying various blessings on himself, began nodding in agreement¡­


    However, the uninvited guest seemed not to have noticed the reaction of the three, only looking at Duncan, ¡°That¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go somewhere closer to the Subspace; I feel a bit more comfortable there.¡±


    Somewhere closer to the Subspace? Duncan frowned slightly at those words, but after a moment of silence, he slowly nodded his head, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Morris instinctively widened his eyes slightly, ¡°Captain, are you sure you want to bring¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°I have my own judgment. Sherry, go to the captain¡¯s cabin and fetch my brass lantern.¡±


    Before long, Duncan, holding the brass lantern, and the uninvited guest in the tattered white robe, walked silently through the lower decks of the Homeloss¨Cthey had passed through the cargo hold where the light reversed, and were now on the last corridor, with the staircase leading to the bottom of the hold at the end of the hallway.


    The brass lantern cast a ghostly green light, dispelling the gloom that surrounded them. In the empty corridors of the ship¡¯s hold, only the echo of footsteps could be heard¨Cmost of the time, those of two people, but occasionally, Duncan would notice that only his own footsteps resounded¨Cthe ¡°Doomsday Preacher¡± seemed not to be entirely present in the current reality. At times, he was like a weightless Spiritual Body, making no sound as he walked along the old wooden corridor, and sometimes his presence would nearly dissipate, as if he had suddenly gone to a very distant place¡­


    This piqued Duncan¡¯s curiosity, yet he remained polite and did not pry.


    As they neared the last door, the ¡°Doomsday Preacher¡± broke the silence, ¡°You actually don¡¯t need this lantern¨Cit¡¯s meant for a mortal.¡±


    Duncan came to a sudden halt, kept quiet for a moment, and then continued forward, ¡°But this ship needs it.¡±


    ¡°¡­You truly are full of goodwill,¡± the Doomsday Preacher murmured softly, his tone seemingly carrying genuine praise.


    ¡°If it were not too long ago, I would never have imagined that one day I would be escorting a Doomsday Preacher here¨Cespecially in such a calm and composed state,¡± Duncan said offhandedly, ¡°My initial contact with you all was not pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible that the one you first encountered was also me?¡± The white-robed Doomsday Preacher revealed an inscrutable smile, speaking calmly, ¡°Or at least one of them.¡±


    Duncan turned his head, studying the other¡¯s face carefully in the light of the lantern.


    An aged traveler dressed in a white robe, hunched over, the lines on his face as though they were etched by the knife of time; his sunken eyes glinted with a sort of pale gold, metallic sheen. His demeanor was serene, his smile faint, with only the flow of years quietly streaming in the depth of his eyes.


    Duncan withdrew his gaze and turned to continue walking, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I have no recollection of your face¨Canyway, whether or not you were among those I captured on the ship back then is unimportant. What matters is here and now, you are conversing with me.¡±


    ¡°It seems you have come to understand us very well.¡±


    Duncan neither agreed nor disagreed; he had already reached the last door and stretched his hand towards the doorknob.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, the place closest to the Subspace on this ship.¡±


    His voice had fallen, and he had already pushed open the somber wooden door¡ªthe structure of the hold behind the door came into view.


    The unextinguished light illuminated the cabin. The once shattered structure of the hold had been repaired during the Light Breeze Harbor incident, and now it had returned to its complete form. The sturdy hull, grown from the spine of ancient gods, closed in all around, blocking the chaotic streams of light and murmured whispers that projected from Subspace. The eerie wooden door that led directly into Subspace still stood in the depths of the cabin, firmly closed and silently upright.


    Duncan led his ¡°guest¡± into the cabin, with the Doomsday Preacher closely following behind, lifting his head to survey the cabin walls and the ceiling, and uttering a sigh of wonder, ¡°Ah¡­ You have repaired this place¡­¡±


    ¡°You know quite a bit,¡± Duncan commented offhandedly, hanging the lantern on a nearby column and looking back, ¡°Did someone from your group visit here sometime I don¡¯t know about?¡±


    ¡°I have seen its wreckage¡ªit could have been the past, or maybe the future,¡± the white-robed old man appeared to be reminiscing, a slight frown on his brow, ¡°¡­It disintegrated in flames, fell into darkness, its true and magnificent appearance captivating.¡±


    Duncan did not respond to this subject; he had been contemplating various things along the way. He now organized his thoughts a little before asking, ¡°How many members of the Doomsday survey team who retain their sanity are still around?¡±


    He paused, then added, ¡°I mean, at this current time point.¡±


    The white-robed old man was silent for a while, his expression still calm, ¡°Only I am left.¡±


    Duncan felt as if his breath and heartbeat had both skipped a half beat.


    Then, he heard the white-robed old man¡¯s voice again, ¡°Captain, do you know what it feels like to grope in the dark?¡±


    This last clear-minded Critan calmly spoke, slowly spreading his arms as if the eternal darkness still loomed before his eyes¨C


    ¡°The term ¡®Doomsday survey team¡¯¡­ I haven¡¯t heard this appellation in a long time; it turned to dust in history the moment we started our journey.


    ¡°The ¡®time¡¯ of this world is limited, something we¡¯ve known from the beginning. The entire Endless Sea, the entire Deep Sea Era, is like a meticulously set clock predetermined to run only for a certain period. We knew it could run only for so long, and our only hope was to find a way to ¡®wind up¡¯ the world again before the hands of the clock stopped¡­


    ¡°Your wisely-following seeker is about to construct the entire ¡®world¡¯ concept. He was the first to introduce ¡®time¡¯ as a coordinate axis into the world model, and in our eyes, that axis seemed even more¡­ real, solid, and icy cold.


    ¡°Our mission was to move along the axis of time, while at every point of divergence that might lead to a new branch of history, we would observe and guide, doing everything possible to extend the lifespan of the Shelter, while seeking ways to continue forward at the end of time.


    ¡°To us, this process felt a bit like¡­ walking with our back to the light.


    ¡°The very day when the anomaly 001 was first ignited in the experimental field was the starting point of light, that was the Shelter¡¯s most stable moment. Everything had just come into being, resources were plentiful, time lines firm, and all looked beautiful, seemingly eternal¡ªwe set out on that sunny morning and threw light to our back, walking toward the darkness at the end.


    ¡°As we distanced ourselves from the ¡®starting point,¡¯ we watched the world gradually sink into decay. All the tiny, unavoidable flaws left at the dawn of Creation began to expand, evolving into various deadly dangers. The light faded, and darkness grew. We turned our backs on the sunlight, walking into the night, and the further forward we went, the darker it got¡ªwe tried our utmost to adjust, observing the possibilities in the weakening light to delay the onset of darkness¡­ To some degree, we succeeded.


    ¡°The originally ¡®designed lifespan¡¯ of this Shelter was eight thousand years¡ªbut by avoiding wear and tear, reducing chaos, and lowering the ¡®sun¡¯s¡¯ load, it has already outlasted its time by two thousand years.


    ¡°Yet in the face of time¡¯s relentless flow, our success is trivial and doomed to be completely erased.


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    ¡°At the end of the time axis, there is only darkness; no matter how hard we try to prolong the light from the ¡®starting point¡¯ into the future, or pick up stray sparks on this increasingly darker path, nothing can illuminate the time¡¯s end, which looms like an endless black wall¡­ We crash into that boundless darkness, feeling around in vain, returning empty-handed, then we recalibrate the entire time axis, revalidating all possibilities, doing everything we can to extend the future, and hit the darkness again, time after time¡­ countless times.¡±


    The white-robed old man lifted his head, gazed at some dark corner in the dim cabin, and after a long while continued to speak, ¡°There is no path ahead¡ªthat was the last words left by the first member who lost his sanity before he left, he as a scout stayed in time¡¯s end longer than all of us, traversed every possibility, and in the end chose to give up, even chose¡­ to return to the past, to ¡®correct¡¯ those futile days.


    ¡°That is the first Doomsday Preacher in the mouths of the world¡¯s people¡­ He just recently lost control, and it¡¯s been too long since I last saw him, I can¡¯t remember his name.¡±


    Duncan listened quietly, in silence for a long time before slowly speaking, ¡°And you, stayed sane to the end, even came clear-headed to my presence.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the white-robed old man turned his head, his gaze settling on Duncan, ¡°Because at this current time point, I have entered your line of sight¡ªwhen the order of the world totters, the cause can come after the effect.¡±

 Chapter 753 - Chapter 753 Chapter 750 The Future of Fire

    Chapter 753: Chapter 750: The Future of Fire Chapter 753: Chapter 750: The Future of Fire As the world verged on its end, causality also began to spiral into disarray. It wasn¡¯t the last Doomsday Preacher who kept his clarity that came in front of Duncan, instead, in Duncan¡¯s field of vision, ¡°appeared¡± a Doomsday Preacher who ultimately retained his lucidity.


    But for both parties involved, which was the cause and which was the effect seemed unimportant.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± Duncan asked the white-robed old man before him, suddenly curious.


    Faced with such a simple question, the traveler in the worn white robe furrowed his brows deeply. He thought for a while before shaking his head lightly, ¡°I can¡¯t quite remember, the last time I used a ¡®name¡¯ seems to have been a long time ago¡­ But if you wish, you may call me Kreit.¡±


    ¡°Kreit?¡± Duncan frowned, ¡°That¡¯s the name of your people.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, no wonder it¡¯s so familiar,¡± the old man revealed a sudden understanding, a hint of a smile appearing on his face, ¡°That¡¯s good, then please call me that. I like this name.¡±


    Duncan fell silent for a moment, then nodded lightly, ¡°Alright, Kreit. I have some questions.¡±


    ¡°Please ask. I have plenty of time this time around.¡±


    ¡°The first question, why choose to meet with me at this time?¡± Duncan looked into the other¡¯s eyes, his tone very serious, ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of this ¡®window of opportunity¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­ We¡¯ve actually been looking for a chance to make direct contact with you¨Chere referring to those of us who still retain rationality,¡± Kreit hesitated slightly, almost imperceptibly, in answering this question but soon provided a response, ¡°It¡¯s just that making contact with you is a very difficult matter¨Cin fact, before today we had also tried once, only¡­ we missed that window of opportunity.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Missed a window?¡± Duncan looked puzzled, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°We arrived too early, Captain,¡± Kreit said calmly.


    Duncan was taken aback, and after an extremely brief moment of thought, he suddenly grasped the meaning of the other¡¯s words, ¡°You mean, those three who appeared on the Homeloss¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, we came too early,¡± Kreit gently nodded, repeating the words again, ¡°When we discovered it wasn¡¯t the year 1900, the window had already closed¡­ and that was the biggest ¡®linear control event¡¯ we had encountered since we set out. From that day on, many things began to spiral out of control, but in terms of the results¡­ it seems everything still did not veer off from its predetermined track. Duncan Ebnomal still embarked on his last voyage¨Cknowing in advance his own ending.¡±


    With these brief sentences, a storm of thoughts began to whirl through Duncan¡¯s mind!


    The Doomsday Preachers (or rather the Doomsday Survey Team) knew the truth about him, the ¡°Usurping Flame,¡± a foreign soul that had taken over the body of Duncan Ebnomal¨Cthis part he had already sensed, but the other part of the truth was completely beyond his expectations¨C


    In the memories of Tyrion and Lucresia, those unexpected ¡°guests¡± who suddenly appeared on the Homeloss, those Doomsday Preachers who had long conversations with Duncan Ebnomal through the night¡­ Were they originally there to find him?


    Duncan quickly clarified the message in Kreit¡¯s words and began to respond, ¡°So you mean, you did not originally intend to make contact with¡­ ¡®him¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we revealed his fate to someone fated to die,¡± Kreit slowly nodded, ¡°I know what you want to say, but the fact is, from the moment we appeared on this ship, he seemed to already be aware of certain¡­ things. As a great explorer, he had foreseen his destiny, and our arrival merely surprised him for a few seconds, then until the window closed, he just kept asking us about how to navigate in the border seas.¡±


    A faint tremble and a creaking sound reached Duncan¡¯s ears, the deep and unsettling noise echoing from the depths of the Homeloss cabin, but after a few seconds, these abnormal sounds gradually died down again.


    Kreit lifted his head, looking up at the dark ceiling above, until silence returned around them, then he turned his gaze back to Duncan.


    ¡°After missing that window of opportunity, our only remaining chance to contact you was today¨Cor rather, only when the stability of the Shelter was nearing its limit, could we ¡®anti-order¡¯ beings possibly enter your field of vision safely. And precisely because the stability of the Shelter has already dropped to the limit, do we have the opportunity to¡­ demonstrate some things to you, which will help you understand the fate of this world, the ¡®predestined¡¯ fate thus far.¡±


    ¡°Demonstrate some things?¡± Duncan¡¯s expression became immediately serious after hearing these words, ¡°What do you mean? What do you want to show me?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Before that, I want to confirm one question with you,¡± Kreit raised his head to look at Duncan, ¡°You have already rejected our creator, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Your creator¡­ Are you talking about Pioneer One?¡± Duncan came to the realization and nodded, ¡°Yes, he wanted me to take over his authority, to take over the world, but I refused.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Is that so, that¡¯s good to hear,¡± Kreit mumbled to himself upon hearing Duncan¡¯s response.


    Duncan was curious, ¡°¡­ How does that relate to what you want to show me?¡±


    Kreit did not answer directly but started to walk forward, stopping in front of the door leading to Subspace, which was now firmly closed.


    ¡°You¡¯ve opened this door, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan approached, his tone immediately cautious, ¡°This door leads to Subspace; opening it in reality is not exactly a good idea.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, no need to be tense¨CI¡¯m not going to open it, nor do I have the ability to,¡± Crit noticed the change in Duncan¡¯s tone and a smile surfaced on his face, ¡°I just brought you here for a look.¡±


    ¡°Take a look?¡± Duncan said, keeping an eye on Crit¡¯s actions while speaking cautiously.


    ¡°Subspace will reflect everything¡­ as long as it¡¯s a possibility for this Shelter, its answers are already branded in that endless Sea of Chaos, and we¡­¡±


    Crit muttered softly and suddenly reached out to pat the doorframe of the door twice.


    ¡°¡­have always been adept at fishing fleeting glimmers from the river of time in that chaos.¡±


    The next second, to Duncan¡¯s somewhat surprised gaze, the door suddenly shattered like an illusion¨Cwith a storm of light and shadows that defy human comprehension rushing towards him and then instantly reassembling around him.


    He almost reacted, but at the last moment, he controlled the impulse and stood calmly in place.


    Because he didn¡¯t feel any threat or hostility, and could even clearly sense that the door still stood right where it had been¨CCrit¡¯s presence was nearby too, unchanged.


    He looked around and found himself standing on a dark, high mountain. The sky above was chaotic and gloomy, enveloping everything; a dim light hid deep within the clouds, and beneath the mountain was a vast plain, where, in the boundless land, one could vaguely discern the remains of something like a city, along with dried-up, fractured elevated aqueducts.


    Beyond that, there was only the land cracked and parched, a kind of fine ¡°ash¡± covering everything in sight, filling up those ruins and aqueducts, and whirling up with the wind through the valleys, floating towards the plains like fog.


    A bone-chilling cold pervaded the air as if even the ash that was swept up would freeze.


    Duncan watched all of this silently and only after a long time did he speak softly, ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°This is the Age of Fire, Captain,¡± Crit¡¯s voice came from the side¨Che had appeared there at some point, still wearing the same tattered white robe, only now it seemed even more worn.


    After a moment of silence, Duncan asked, ¡°Is this a historical branch?¡±


    ¡°This is the only historical branch under the condition that the Shelter survives,¡± said Crit.


    Then, the ¡°Doomsday Preacher¡± paused as if to organize his thoughts before continuing,


    ¡°In the beginning, you reshaped the earth, and all those grand plans that were never realized in the blueprint came to life; lands that humanity never imagined rose from the sea, City-States became connected, and resources became abundant¨CAnd then, you calmed the seas, bringing even more life to the waters, and the seawater was purified through rivers and mountains, turning into rain and snow that fell upon the land.


    ¡°And then, the world began to prosper, there was a time when this new world¡¯s flourishing even surpassed all the beautiful odes of the Deep Sea Age¨CPowerful nations rose on the earth, developing day and night, new technologies were discovered, new poetry, literature, and dreams of the future¨CSteam trains crossing forests and wilderness, huge pipeline facilities connecting factories to the steel jungles of cities¡­¡±


    ¡°Many stories, many lives, heroes and leaders, knights and philosophers, legendary adventurers, and ordinary people striving in the cities.


    ¡°Captain, believe me, if I didn¡¯t show you this scene directly but instead showed you those glorious days, even you would feel a flicker of hesitation¨Ceven the most strong-willed Governor and Guardian in the world would want to exchange everything for that world, even if it shined only¡­ for a short time.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak. He stood on the summit, quietly looking down at the land below, parched and fractured, and remained silent for a long time before breaking it, ¡°Are there any living people at this moment?¡±


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    ¡°There are none left, the ash has devoured everything¨CDo you see that city ruin? The highest church in the city center¡­ The last refugees took their final breath there. Now there¡¯s only a hollow soul wandering in that church, holding a great sword that, at this moment, can¡¯t protect anyone.¡±


    Duncan then looked up at the dim light in the sky, ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°A¡­ very small sun, trying to reheat this land when the world began to cool, and it supported for a long time.¡±


    ¡°And my flame?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s extinguished, Captain,¡± Crit slowly said, ¡°after you burned through everything that could be burned in this world.¡±

 Chapter 754 - Chapter 754 Chapter 751 Under the Night Sky

    Chapter 754: Chapter 751: Under the Night Sky Chapter 754: Chapter 751: Under the Night Sky In the future of fire, the world had burned away.


    The flames were not eternal, and the wood inside the Shelter also had its limits, beyond the reshaped land and seas, that Eternal Veil still bound the entire world¨Cand as everything within the veil turned to ashes in the flames, the world ended in a prolonged cooling.


    It¡¯s said that this ¡°cooling¡± lasted for a full four hundred years, and finally, the age of embers arrived¨Ca cold ash covered the entire world, no new flames rose, no living being cried or breathed, the world stalled in this pile of cold ashes, with no new entities born nor old ones perishing.


    In a sense, the Shelter that had experienced great annihilation finally found eternal peace, the embers had become ashes¨Cthe apocalypse was permanently frozen in that moment, no new suffering would fall upon this land ever again.


    Duncan sat down beside a large rock, unconcerned, paying no mind to the omnipresent ashes around him as he observed the continuously crumbling, transforming into ashes city ruins on the plain, and suddenly spoke, ¡°So, this option has no way back.¡±


    ¡°You can reshape everything,¡± Crit approached Duncan, his thin, gaunt body standing in the cold wind like a bent, dry twig, ¡°but there is one exception.¡±


    ¡°Myself,¡± Duncan realized, speaking softly, ¡°I cannot redefine myself¡­¡±


    Crit remained silent, and after a long time, he spoke, ¡°If there really is no way, the future of the flame is at least a continuation¨Cbut I wish you to be very cautious. Time is like a river, many of its tributaries can be rewritten, but only the main trunk crossing the finish line, once flowed past, offers no chance to turn back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, the moment I refused Navigator One¡¯s plan, I had actually figured out these things¨Cthat which you¡¯ve shown me only further refines my initial speculation,¡± Duncan lightly shook his head, ¡°More than these, what I¡¯ve really gained is finally confirming something¡­¡±


    While saying this, he stretched out his hand, slowly grasping in the air¨Ca pale green Spiritual Body fire immediately ignited between his fingers, expanding and leaping like an illusion in the air.


    The world of ashes seemed to be stirred by this strand of flame, the wind atop the mountain suddenly became a bit restless, and even the nearby ashes exhibited abnormal fluctuations¨Cbut this was merely an illusion of a moment, the next second, the wind and ashes returned to their original state.


    In this terminated branch of history, there was nothing left to propel its progress forward.


    Duncan quietly watched the flame in his hand, then casually flipped his palm.


    The Spiritual Body fire extinguished instantly, the silently shattered flames turning into many tiny sparks, flickering briefly at his fingertips; for a moment, they looked like the phantom of distant starlight.


    Duncan watched this scene with a grave expression, contemplative: ¡°These ¡®fires¡¯ are indeed just superficial.¡±


    Then, he turned his head to look at Crit still quietly standing beside him, ¡°Can you see other choices in my history branches?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I cannot,¡± Crit faced Duncan¡¯s gaze squarely, ¡°We are ghosts trapped in the time loop inside the Shelter, only able to see everything within the range of this time river loop, while your other choices are outside the loop¨Cfor us, that¡¯s like a huge void in the night, and my sight cannot cross that vast darkness.¡±


    ¡°Outside the loop¡­that is to say, outside the ¡®known world¡¯ of the Shelter?¡± Duncan responded immediately, ¡°So I really need to find a way to break through that Eternal Veil?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Is that so,¡± Duncan slowly nodded, suddenly feeling somewhat emotional, ¡°At this moment, I kind of envy Duncan Ebnomal from a century ago¨Cyou revealed the future to him, even though it was an accident, but at least he knew where he was headed.¡±


    ¡°Groping in the dark is suffering, knowing fate is also suffering; at the end of time, there is no peace¨Csorry, we don¡¯t have good news; we haven¡¯t had any since the day we set off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I didn¡¯t expect good news; having some insights this time is enough,¡± Duncan rose from the large rock, his body untarnished by any ashes, ¡°It¡¯s time to leave.¡±


    His gaze last swept the sky and earth here, scanning the weak sunlight behind the clouds and the tall spire of the cathedral in the city ruins, he did not ask Crit about the future of others or their current whereabouts, instead, he turned around without any regrets.


    The branch of history behind him collapsed thunderously, just like Prandt¡¯s great fire.


    Lights and shadows chaotically reassembled, things returned to their original places, the dim and enclosed cabin reappeared in Duncan¡¯s field of view, the door leading to Subspace still quietly stood at the bottom of the cabin¨Cas if nothing had happened.


    Crit still stood beside the door, maintaining his stance of reaching out to tap the door frame.


    He then withdrew his hand and bowed slightly toward Duncan Ebnomal, ¡°I hope this hasn¡¯t caused you any trouble.¡±


    ¡°No big deal, I have plenty of troubles already, this is just a minor one,¡± Duncan said casually, ¡°At least now we know one path is really bad.¡±


    ¡°The Shelter is beyond repair, and there¡¯s no longer any need to try to fix it, although I shouldn¡¯t say this,¡± Crite sighed, ¡°But its destruction has been destined¨Cthat the apocalypse has been chasing this world through the river of time since The Great Annihilation, and now it has truly caught up.¡±


    ¡°¡­Doomsday prophecy, that¡¯s the theory that the Doomsday Preacher has always been preaching, and people have always thought it was just madness after your insanity.¡±


    ¡°Madness and sanity are only a hair¡¯s breadth apart, and the ¡®truth¡¯ does not care about the difference between them,¡± Crite said indifferently, ¡°Maybe from another perspective, my companions have never truly gone mad; they are just¡­ tired, and have chosen to embrace all truths, becoming madmen in everyone¡¯s eyes.¡±


    ¡°Will you become like that?¡± Duncan suddenly became curious, ¡°In some timeline, or in the near future¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± Crite hesitated briefly and slowly shook his head, ¡°Dusk has arrived, but this world will not suddenly go out; I still have a short part of my journey. And to communicate with you in this window of time, I could only bring the most stable ¡®part¡¯ of myself here, so the current me does not know what the end of my journey has seen, perhaps¡­¡±


    He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Perhaps one day in the future, we will meet again. The one appearing before you might be a deranged madman or a twisted shapeless monster. That would mean that I have reached the end, wandered in the darkness for too long, and perhaps¡­¡±


    Crite suddenly stopped there, and then his gaze subtly shifted as if he had suddenly seen a direction in the prolonged darkness, suddenly thought of something, his deep facial wrinkles unfolding as he looked at Duncan, ¡°Right¡­ I¡¯ll do everything I can to meet you again, whether sane or mad, I will definitely appear before you¨Cthen there may not be a proper window of time, so I probably won¡¯t be able to talk directly to you like now, and you may not even be able to see me¡­ but I will definitely try to leave something, you can¡­¡±


    The old man¡¯s voice stopped abruptly.


    In the dim and spacious cabin, only Duncan stood alone in front of the Subspace door.


    Standing motionless like a sculpture for a long time, he finally turned around, picked up the brass lantern hanging nearby, and slowly walked toward the hatch exit.


    ¡­


    It was now twelve hours after nightfall.


    As the scholars had warned¨Cthe sun had not risen, and no dawn appeared on the horizon.


    If there had been some who still harbored illusions, hoping the seventy-two-hour twilight was just an ¡°isolated anomaly¡± and that the sun would rise as usual the next day, their hope was now completely extinguished.


    The long night had become a reality.


    Near Light Breeze Harbor, the four Ark ships remained anchored near the coastline, while the Luminous Geometric Body to the east of the shoreline continued to emit a soft, pale golden ¡°sunlight,¡± preventing the entire City-State from plunging completely into darkness.


    Lights were brightly lit on the Academy Ark.


    The stout Rune stood in the ¡°Temple of Knowledge¡± at the top of the Ark, devoutly praying in front of the statue of the God of Wisdom Rahm.


    The prayer, composed of ¡°0¡± and ¡°1,¡± which had an unusual rhythm and pronunciation, was gradually nearing its end.


    The incense smoke ascended in the temple, Rahm¡¯s statue standing silently amid the smoke. The statue did not have a human form but was a black rectangular Stele¨Cthe Stele was inscribed with the rune for ¡°Eye of Wisdom¡± on the top, with densely packed symbols and intricate lines all over its body.


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    During Rune¡¯s prayer, those symbols and lines faintly glimmered, as if momentarily instilled with life.


    But as the prayer ended, the Stele¡¯s brief ¡°vitality¡± also dispersed.


    Rune turned his head, looking at a truth officer who had been waiting beside him since earlier, ¡°How are things now?¡±


    ¡°The bad news is that the sun still hasn¡¯t risen, and it seems the night will indeed last a very long time. The good news, according to monitoring data from various City-States, is that the drop in temperature is gradually slowing down¨Caccording to the current cooling curve, it seems that the extreme low temperatures in each City-State during this nightfall won¡¯t be lower than historical records; the world won¡¯t freeze completely in the long night as you feared¡­ a ¡®cold disaster¡¯ won¡¯t occur.¡±


    Listening to the officer¡¯s report, Rune¡¯s expression slightly relaxed, but he quickly furrowed his brow again, ¡°¡­Is that really good news?¡±

 Chapter 755 - Chapter 755 Chapter 752 On the Road to Doomsday

    Chapter 755: Chapter 752 On the Road to Doomsday Chapter 755: Chapter 752 On the Road to Doomsday The Pope¡¯s reaction left the Truth Cleric beside him somewhat puzzled. He cautiously spoke, ¡°¡­The whole world won¡¯t freeze just because the sun disappears for a long time, isn¡¯t that good news?¡±


    ¡°Viewed in isolation, it certainly sounds like good news,¡± Rune gently shook his head, ¡°but what if we consider the power the sun is supposed to possess? What about our understanding of this world, the ¡®rules¡¯ things are supposed to follow?¡±


    The middle-aged cleric frowned slightly, suddenly grasping what the Pope was worried about.


    ¡°The sun brings light and warmth. When the sun rises, the day gradually becomes warmer, and when it sets, the night gets cooler¨Cif the sun¡¯s absence were long enough, even the Endless Sea would freeze. These are the rules of nature, as obvious as ice melting in fire. But the current situation is¡­ it seems the cooling curve of the night has nothing to do with the sun anymore,¡± Rune said with a solemn expression. ¡°Do you know what this reminds me of?¡±


    He didn¡¯t wait for an answer from the middle-aged cleric, instead continuing after a brief pause: ¡°A machine possessed¨Clike a flywheel that still spins after the steam core has cooled, like a differential engine that keeps ejecting tape even after its gears have jammed. The process and outcome of things operating are becoming increasingly disconnected, some fundamental laws¡­ are failing.¡±


    An unsettling silence filled the temple for a moment. After a long while, the middle-aged cleric broke the quiet: ¡°We should contact the other three arks¡­¡±


    ¡°They are already paying attention to these changes; there¡¯s probably no need for us to remind them,¡± Rune replied, ¡°More importantly¡­ has our border fleet set off?¡±


    The middle-aged cleric nodded immediately: ¡°Yes, they entered the veil zone an hour ago; communications have not been interrupted yet¨Cthe fleets from the other three churches have also entered the border from different directions. No casualties so far.¡±


    Rune slowly nodded: ¡°¡­What about the naval escape routes?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already set up twenty-six assembly points on the main sea routes within each sea area, with large church ships and supply vessels serving as the cores of these points. Currently, hundreds of ships that couldn¡¯t return to the City-State in time have responded to the call and are proceeding to the assembly points for refuge. As planned, these refugee ships will be guided to a ¡®safe distance¡¯ a three-day sail from the nearest City-State and will stay there until the night ends.¡±


    ¡°However, the actual efficacy of these sea-based ¡®Night Shelter¡¯ is yet to be ascertained. We still don¡¯t know what else might change as time goes on. For now, we can only prepare for the most likely scenarios while also bracing for the worst¡­¡±


    Rune listened in silence, nodding lightly.


    But just then, a sudden bell tolling not far away interrupted their conversation¨Cthe bells of the ark ships rang out one after the other, unusually urgent.


    Rune was startled at first but then seemed to sense something. He turned an ear to listen, and a slight smile appeared on his face: ¡°¡­They¡¯re back.¡±


    The Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship had returned¨Con the distant sea surface shrouded in night, the blazing green flames on the Ghost Ships were as conspicuous as lighthouses. Both ships bypassed the defensive line constructed near the shore by the church and the City-State fleets and headed straight for Light Breeze Harbor. The patrolling fleet received orders in advance and didn¡¯t dare to obstruct them.


    Without any concealment or hesitation, the Homeloss and Brilliant Starship docked directly along the coast of Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s eastern shoreline, and Duncan walked into the city with great fanfare.


    Nina held Sherry¡¯s hand, following behind Duncan and Morris. As they crossed the empty roads within the harbor district, she couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows.


    ¡°¡­It was so lively the last time I was here¡­¡±


    ¡°Now there are only patrols and guards left,¡± Sherry muttered. She had draped a black cloth over her eyes to block the somewhat frightening sight of her own pair, but now she suddenly realized that she might not need to be so cautious¨Cafter entering the city, she hardly saw anyone outside, ¡°I heard the martial law will continue for a month or two, they say.¡±


    The City-State was still under martial law, and though it should be morning already by the clock, most of Light Breeze Harbor¡¯s citizens remained at home by order, apart from those maintaining the city¡¯s functions and other special positions. The pale golden ¡°sunlight¡± from the sea¡¯s direction bathed the deserted streets in quiet, making it resemble a ghost town at dusk.


    And in the other half of the city, where the ¡°sunlight¡± emitted by the Luminous Geometric Body could not reach, there was only the oppressive night that was somewhat suffocating.


    Yet, upon leaving the outskirts and entering the more densely populated urban area, they indeed saw the occasional passerby hurrying along the streets, and a few shops still open for business.


    ¡°There are actually stores with doors open!¡± Sherry said, surprised to ¡°see¡± several shops along the roadside, ¡°and people are going out¡­¡±


    ¡°You just said it yourself, the whole state of martial law is going to last for a month or two¨Cat least the most basic order of life needs to be maintained during this time,¡± Morris shook his head, ¡°I think every City-State must have developed some kind of ¡®life schedule¡¯ for the long night ahead, allowing people to go shopping or work during the period of martial law¡­ Life must go on, after all.¡±


    Listening to the conversation between Sherry and Morris, Duncan didn¡¯t join in. He merely looked up at the quiet street ahead and said casually, ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough¡­ Ai Yi.¡±


    A flame sparked into existence out of nowhere, and wrapped in the flames, a huge skeletal bird spun as it appeared above them, letting out a stark, piercing cry: ¡°Who is calling the fleet?¡±


    ¡°Take us to 99 Crown Street,¡± Duncan said.


    A fireball streaked across the sky of Light Breeze Harbor like a meteor, passing over the city districts illuminated by the ¡°sunshine¡± of the nearby sea and flying directly toward the ¡°Witch Mansion¡± located in the Upper City District.


    This unsettling fireball undoubtedly attracted the attention of many¨Canxiety-inducing for the uninformed¨Cyet for those who truly knew what it signified, it was a reassuring¡­ good news.


    As soon as the fireball landed, the moment the view in front of her stabilized, Lucracia saw the unexpected visitors standing at her doorstep.


    There was Helena, dignified and dressed in a sea-blue gown, Rune with a slightly plump figure in a scholar¡¯s robe, and a bunch of unfamiliar priests and scholars¨Clooking like attendants or assistants brought by the two Pontiffs.


    They seemed to have been waiting here for a while.


    ¡°¡­Wow,¡± Nina muttered, ¡°quite a few have come¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too surprising,¡± Duncan responded quite nonchalantly.


    Lucracia¡¯s first reaction was to frown; she looked at the ¡°visitors¡± at her doorstep and briskly approached them, not making the slightest attempt to disguise the impatience in her expression. Before the church leaders could speak, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t like entertaining guests¨Cespecially not this many.¡±


    Clearly, the witch Miss Lucracia, just back from a border journey and finally at home, was not pleased with the presence of so many unexpected guests.


    Rune did not take offense at the ¡°Sea Witch¡¯s¡± blunt attitude at all, as if he was already well-acquainted with Miss Lucracia¡¯s character and habits. Upon hearing her, he waved his hand dismissively to the people accompanying him: ¡°Then you all go back first.¡±


    Helena also dismissed the accompanying priests and guards, then nodded at Lucracia, ¡°Now, there are only two ¡®guests¡¯ here.¡±


    Lucracia widened her eyes as she looked at the two Pontiffs at the door, then sighed in resignation and stepped aside, ¡°Fine, my father is indeed willing to talk to you. Luny, open the door.¡±


    The clockwork automaton Luny immediately passed through the crowd and went up the steps to open the door. Duncan then gave a light nod to Rune and Helena, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside to talk.¡±


    The bright light chased away the night, and the warmth of the fireplace dispelled the cold darkness. The mechanical automata and tin servants who remained in the mansion had cleaned the place spotlessly before their mistress returned home; now hot tea had been laid out on the table, and freshly baked pastries still radiated the warmth of the oven.


    This bright, warm mansion almost made one forget the unsettling long night outside, forget the world that was falling apart.


    Everyone gathered in the living room. Duncan sat casually on the sofa and nodded at Helena and Rune across from him, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to personally wait here for us¨CI thought for people like you, leaving the ¡®Ark¡¯ would be a very serious and cautious matter.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave the Ark without sufficient reason¨Cbut meeting you as soon as possible is a ¡®sufficient reason,''¡± Helena said, ¡°especially under the current circumstances.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to know now?¡± Duncan asked, ¡°The current state of the world? The cause of the apocalypse? Or what will happen in the future?¡±


    Rune and Helena exchanged a glance subconsciously.


    ¡°We want to know all of it,¡± Rune spoke first, breaking the silence. He adjusted his posture to lean forward slightly, his expression especially solemn, ¡°But first, we would like to know about the events on Holy Land Island and your communication with¡­ the creator of the world.¡±


    ¡°We have already received some information. It was sent by the Homeloss,¡± Helena added, ¡°but I believe you know more of the truth.¡±


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    Duncan pondered for a moment and then nodded lightly.


    ¡°First of all, I have a conclusion to announce to you¨Cthis is the premise of everything.¡±


    From Duncan¡¯s expression and tone, a heavy unease suddenly fell upon Helena, ¡°Con¡­clusion?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a conclusion¨Cthe end of the world is determined, any form of patching up has come to its limit, at most¡­ we can only delay it for a limited time.¡±


    Duncan spoke calmly, his voice not loud, but each word seemed to carry a tremendous weight.

 Chapter 756 - Chapter 756 Chapter 753 Another Plan

    Chapter 756: Chapter 753: Another Plan Chapter 756: Chapter 753: Another Plan No one hopes for bad news; however, as Crete once told Duncan¨Cin the twilight of time, there is no good news.


    This small Shelter, forged among the ashes, was accelerating towards its ultimate collapse. It was no one¡¯s fault, nor was it a local malfunction or a deliberate act of sabotage¨Cit was the end of all things, the time for doomsday had come.


    Rune and Helena listened quietly as Duncan relayed everything to them, including what the joint exploration team had seen and heard in the border waters, the clues found on Holy Land Island, his contact with the Saint, and even the plan to ¡°take over the world.¡±


    Duncan did not hide the latter. He did not mind the two Pontiffs knowing this world¡¯s ¡°other option¡±¨Cconversely, he did not conceal what the ultimate end of the ¡°fire¡¯s future¡± would be, nor the vision of the apocalypse shown to him by the last Doomsday Preacher.


    Rune and Helena remained silent for a long time until Duncan had told them everything; they still had not spoken for quite a while.


    After who knows how long, Rune finally sighed softly, ¡°Some things are perhaps better left unknown.¡±


    ¡°Ignorance is a privilege of the ordinary; you do not possess it,¡± Duncan stated calmly, ¡°Having learned so much truth, what do you wish to say?¡±


    Helena thought seriously for a moment, then slowly lifted her head and said, ¡°Although the world¡¯s end is inevitable, there still seems to be another path we could take, right?¡±


    She paused, her gaze fixed steadily on Duncan, her eyes deep blue like the sea, seemingly reflecting distant waves, ¡°You actually have another plan, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Beside them, Fenna opened her eyes wide¨Cat the moment the Female Pope spoke, she seemed to hear indistinct, distant sounds of waves, but those sounds seemed especially surreal as if just a casual glimpse from the goddess.


    She suddenly realized and quickly turned to Duncan, ¡°Captain, is this¡­¡±


    Duncan waved his hand, cutting off Fenna¡¯s follow-up words. He then calmly met the gaze of the ¡°Pontiff of the Deep Sea¡±: ¡°Greetings.¡±


    The ¡°Female Pope¡± seemed as if she hadn¡¯t heard, not responding to the greeting; instead, she kept her eyes fixed on Duncan, the turmoil in her eyes mirroring tumultuous waves. Then, she repeated, ¡°You actually have another plan, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Her voice was tinged with a slight tremor and echo, as if many barely distinguishable murmurs were layered in everything. The air in the living room became moist and cold, carrying that distinctive salty tang of the sea breeze.


    Sherry and the dog sensed the change in the air and suddenly appeared uneasy.


    Duncan seemed unsurprised; he merely took a light breath and answered faintly, ¡°¡­to build a new one.¡±


    The ¡°Female Pope¡± merely frowned slightly and did not respond.


    ¡°The Shelter in the Endless Sea is beyond repair, any patchwork done internally can¡¯t save it¨Cit¡¯s just a brief gasp for survival; starting the age of fire is another form of survival without a way back. Once this path is chosen, the whole of civilization is essentially sealed in a grave¡­¡±


    Duncan spoke evenly, his gaze never leaving the eyes of the ¡°Female Pope.¡± He then made a slashing gesture with one hand.


    ¡°Since the plans to continue the old world either lead nowhere or are unreliable, then we only have one path left¡­ Not to continue the old world, but to build a new one.¡±


    The ¡°Female Pope¡± blinked, finally breaking the silence. Accompanied by the gently rising sound of waves, her voice seemed to tremble directly in everyone¡¯s minds, ¡°Another Shelter?¡±


    ¡°Another world,¡± Duncan said calmly.


    Then he paused for a moment, during which the entire living room was quiet¨Cto the extent that even the crackling from the nearby fireplace became the loudest sound there.


    ¡°A Shelter is a narrow, enclosed system, with limited disaster redundancy, where all resources can only circulate internally, and crucial support systems are singular¨Cthere¡¯s only one sun, one Endless Sea, even the number of City-States has been limited since creation, and all of these are enclosed within the Eternal Veil¡­


    ¡°It has proven that such a system is too fragile in the face of a major collapse, like a building about to fall, those hiding inside the home have no chance to repair the system from within and can only watch as the entire Shelter slowly collapses, regardless of how long the Shelter ultimately lasts or how many years the civilization inside develops, the outcome is predetermined.


    ¡°Because the upper limit of the civilization inside the Shelter is that ¡®shell¡¯¨Cthe Eternal Veil.¡±


    Under the gaze of the ¡°Female Pope,¡± Duncan slowly spread his arms, his expression extremely serious, ¡°Thus, we need a world, a ¡®world¡¯ much larger than a Shelter, one that can accommodate more possibilities, one that allows civilization to continue evolving beyond its limits, at least¡­ even when the day of apocalypse comes again, it should have the ability to leave more embers, rather than fall into darkness after the sun goes out¡­¡±


    The ¡°Female Pope¡± watched Duncan in silence, and after a moment, she softly spoke, ¡°Of course we understand¨Cbut how can this be done? In the chaotic, scorching ashes after the great destruction, supporting a Shelter like the Endless Sea is already a miracle, and outside the Shelter, order has long been lost, we¡¯ve waited an agonizingly long time without seeing any hope that the chaos will subside¡­ This Endless Sea is the only remaining ¡®fragment¡¯ with order, and beyond this, there is no more ¡®material¡¯ to build a new habitat from.¡±


    In the gentle sound of the waves, there seemed to overlap some disturbing howls and noise. At some point, Helena¡¯s eyes slowly exhibited a hint of chaos, something in her throat seemed to be growing, writhing, and on the skin of her cheeks, deep purple scales resembling those of a sea creature quietly emerged.


    But she still sat straight on the couch, seemingly waiting for Duncan¡¯s answer.


    Including Morris and Lucrecia, everyone consciously shut their mouths, daring not to interject at this time.


    ¡°So, the key is ¡®order,¡¯ the ¡®order¡¯ that can sustain the whole world¡¯s operation¨Cthe limited lifespan of the Shelter is also due to the imperfection in this order.¡±


    Duncan looked at the ¡°Female Pope,¡± as if through her profound eyes, he gazed at another distant existence, then he gently exhaled, ¡°¡­ just as I have thought during this time.¡±


    He raised his hand, pointing at himself.


    ¡°I have order here, complete ¡®order.''¡±


    The living room was silent like a dropped pin could be heard.


    Suddenly, a warm touch came from his hand¨CDuncan turned his head and saw Nina grasping his palm, her expression somewhat uneasy.


    Duncan smiled, and reached out to pat Nina¡¯s hair, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Nina inhaled softly and nodded vigorously¨CIn her vision, Uncle Duncan¡¯s smiling face gradually became blurred.


    That smile gradually vanished amongst countless stars.


    As magnificent as the Milky Way¨Ca giant constructed of starlight slowly stood up in everyone¡¯s vision. The ancient stars, gas clouds, and star-forming nebulae seemed to flow and cover everything visible. The giant stood in the living room, yet it appeared to fill the entire world, supporting the heavens and the earth.


    It bent down towards ¡°Helena,¡± the stagnant ancient stars in the illusion seemed to contract and tremble violently, as if at any second they might expand dramatically, releasing light that would devour everything.


    ¡°The entire universe¡¯s order¨Ccomplete and healthy, untouched by that apocalypse,¡± Duncan slowly said, his voice trembling among the stars, ¡°It¡¯s only a moment, but from a data perspective, it is complete.¡±


    Duncan felt his own body, felt his thoughts flowing among those glorious stars, and for the first time, he realized his ¡°breathing¡± on the scale of the stars.


    Then, he immediately restrained the impulse to continue breathing.


    He knew that the ¡°transformation¡± on his body had once again accelerated.


    Ever since leaving Holy Land Island, his ¡°transformation¡± had been accelerating¨Cat first, he could only know what he looked like during the careless, fleeting glimpses from others, and after glimpsing parts of the truth from the King of the Pale Giants, through conscious control, he could detect the starlight on his body in the mirror, recently, he saw the changes on his body in his ¡°bachelor apartment,¡± and now¡­


    He had to be very cautious to keep himself ¡°looking human.¡±


    The time left for this Shelter was short.


    His time was also short.


    Duncan gazed into the eyes of the ¡°Female Pope,¡± he saw a distant creature¨Ccoiled on a grey-white reef, curled up within a palatial nest, long dead.


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    Countless deceased ¡°offspring¡± surrounded her palace.


    The long-dead creature raised her head, her many eyes meeting Duncan¡¯s gaze.


    Her voice came through Helena¡¯s mouth to Duncan¡¯s ears: ¡°¡­ so beautiful¡­¡±


    ¡°Now there are two problems,¡± Duncan started, controlling himself, as the starlight gradually collapsed back into ¡°Duncan,¡± ¡°First, mere ¡®data¡¯ cannot construct a new world, I need materials, a lot of materials¡­ and I don¡¯t know how exactly this process should be completed. I only have a vague and general impression, this impression tells me that what I need isn¡¯t in this Endless Sea¡­ it¡¯s too small, it¡¯s not enough.


    ¡°Second, I don¡¯t know how to preserve everything within this Shelter while creating a new world¨Cat the birth glow of the new world, it might all dissipate into ash.¡±

 Chapter 757 - Chapter 757 754 Chapters Sunrise

    Chapter 757: 754 Chapters ¡°Sunrise Chapter 757: 754 Chapters ¡°Sunrise The endless stars had collapsed, and those distant and brilliant lights silently shrank back into a human form. Duncan had returned from the starlight to a dimension that Fenna and Morris could understand¨Cyet his voice still trembled in some higher dimension, and the layers of whispers and noise in rationality and cognition made it almost impossible for Fenna to think.


    After an unknown amount of time, which might have only been an instant, Fenna felt the noise in her head slightly recede. She rubbed her forehead and saw Morris slowly taking out a pipe from his bosom. The old man trembled as he lit his pipe and muttered, ¡°¡­used to it¡­¡±


    ¡°That was freaking intense,¡± A Dog lay at Sherry¡¯s feet, ¡°I think I just saw The Saint again.¡±


    Nina seemed less affected. She was stunned for a moment before regaining her senses, then seemed to fall into contemplation, occasionally sneaking glances at Duncan, her eyes carrying a trace of sorrow.


    Duncan was simply calmly gazing into ¡°Helena¡¯s¡± eyes, seeing through those eyes that reflected distant waves, he quietly faced that remote and ancient creature.


    After a long time, a voice finally entered everyone¡¯s ears along with the gentle sound of the waves, ¡°I understand now¡­ we will meet again.¡±


    The sound of the waves receded, and the moist and salty air that had always lingered also gradually dispersed. Helena blinked, and the non-human, distorted characteristics quickly receded from her. Then she suddenly bent over, her intense panting accompanied by severe retching¨CFenna quickly reacted, rushing forward to support the Female Pope¡¯s arm, helping ease her breathing while using Divine Arts to heal her injuries.


    It took a while before Helena¡¯s breathing stabilized. She slowly lifted her head, her face pale and weary, but with a sincere smile.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t touched His will in a long time,¡± she said softly, ¡°I almost forgot what it feels like¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget about feelings, you almost died¨Cyou need to go back to the Ark immediately, it can stabilize your mental state,¡± Rune shook his head, interrupting Helena¡¯s reflection, then turned his gaze to Duncan, ¡°We should leave now, Captain.¡±


    Duncan raised his hand, ¡°Please.¡±


    After regaining some strength, Helena rose from the couch. She bid farewell to Duncan with Rune and then set off back to the Ark.


    But just as she was about to leave the ¡°Witch¡¯s Mansion,¡± she stopped and turned back to look at Duncan, who was still in the living room.


    ¡°Go ahead, you have your matters to tend to,¡± Duncan gestured to the hesitant Female Pope, ¡°Even if it is indeed the end of the world, there are still many lives that need to continue¨Ceven if only for one more day.¡±


    Helena nodded silently, then turned and stepped into the boundless, long night outside with Rune.


    The two popes left, the door closed, shutting off the vast night outside. Quietness once again enveloped the living room. Amid the slight crackling of the fireplace, it seemed everyone had their thoughts, all bowing their heads in silent contemplation.


    After contemplating for an unknown amount of time, Duncan suddenly broke the silence, ¡°¡­Just hosting here for a while, and one of the two popes nearly lost half their life¨CDeep Sea Church wouldn¡¯t think we¡¯ve laid an ambush of five hundred gunmen in this house, would they?¡±


    Lucy¡¯s train of thought, which was halfway through, suddenly couldn¡¯t connect anymore. She raised her head in surprise, ¡°Is that what you were silent all this time thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a valid concern?¡± Duncan looked seriously at Lucy, ¡°Originally, your house already had a bad reputation in this city. They think you¡¯ve ambushed all sorts of things here, stewing pots filled with kids and stray dogs from around the world¡­¡±


    ¡°Well then, thank them for the rumors¨Cmaybe that will keep the sales ads that show up in the mailbox every week at bay,¡± Lucy said, eyes wide, but she soon sighed and looked out the window, ¡°¡­Of course, there might not be any sales ads now.¡±


    Duncan let out a sigh, rising from the couch.


    ¡°I¡¯ve spoken too much, and I¡¯m a bit tired myself, I¡¯ll go to my room to rest¨Cyou all arrange yourselves, don¡¯t wait for me for lunch.¡±


    Accompanied by the slight creaking of the stairs leading to the second floor, Duncan¡¯s tall figure gradually disappeared at the end of the staircase.


    Those left in the living room looked at each other, seemingly at a loss for a moment.


    ¡°I actually didn¡¯t understand what they were talking about just now,¡± Sherry was the first to break the silence, ¡°But there is one thing I felt, that Female Pope just now¡­ she wasn¡¯t really her, right?¡±


    Fenna slowly nodded, ¡°The Goddess told me, their connection with the mortal world would be strengthened for the last time, it seems they have already begun.¡±


    ¡°What will happen next?¡± Nina couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Who knows? The optimistic ones used to at least say ¡®the sun will still rise tomorrow,¡¯ but now even that holds no persuasion,¡± Morris held his pipe, his voice low, ¡°But no matter what, tomorrow will always come, even if it¡¯s a morning without the sun rising. Just like the captain said, life must go on, he has his tasks, and we have ours.¡±


    The tobacco in the pipe slowly burned out, the last few sparks disappearing in the thin smoke.


    A gust of invisible wind swirled through the living room, and then the brilliantly colored confetti spiraled and vanished from everyone¡¯s sight.


    Duncan heard the sound of the wind behind him and felt the approach of a familiar presence. He turned around and saw Lucy¡¯s figure forming from the dazzling swirl of colorful confetti.


    ¡°I thought after the last ¡®incident¡¯, you wouldn¡¯t be using these colorful paper pieces to travel in front of me again,¡± Duncan chuckled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯d be too curious again?¡±


    ¡°You are going beyond the Eternal Veil,¡± Lucricia ignored him, her face expressionless as she stared into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Crossing the threshold of Six Nautical Miles?¡±


    Duncan paused, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°The thing you¡¯re looking for isn¡¯t in the Endless Sea¨Cthough I don¡¯t quite understand what you meant by what you told the ¡®Female Pope¡¯, I know that you are going to cross that veil again, and I can feel that this time you will go further and leave for longer.¡±


    Duncan quietly watched the ¡°witch¡± in front of him, and after a long time, he slowly spoke, ¡°Lucy, you should have seen it already.¡±


    Specks of starlight faintly appeared in the room, the interplay of light and shadow seeming to reflect a distant starry sky in the corner of Lucricia¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I saw it,¡± the ¡°Sea Witch¡± calmly stated, ¡°In fact, I saw it the very first time you appeared before me.¡±


    The starlight faded, and Duncan looked at the ¡°witch¡± in surprise.


    ¡°Then you should know that I am not actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Nina never cared whether you were really her ¡®Uncle Duncan¡¯ or not,¡± Lucricia said calmly.


    Duncan exhaled, unable to help but smile wryly.


    ¡°In the depths of the starlight, I can see my father¡¯s shadow¨Cwhether you accept it or not,¡± Lucricia shook her head gently, ¡°I know you have indeed returned to this world, though in a way I cannot yet understand, but here you stand just as I remember, and now you are leaving again¡­ seemingly just as before.¡±


    She paused, her expression turning serious, ¡°Do you remember? We discussed this matter.¡±


    ¡°¡­Taking you with me, yes, I remember,¡± Duncan finally nodded slowly, ¡°Well, Lucy, I admit that before you came, I did briefly consider setting out on my own¨Cyou needn¡¯t rush, I just considered it and had no intention of actually doing it¡­¡±


    Perhaps pressured by Miss Witch¡¯s expressionless gaze, Duncan ended up adding a few words somewhat sheepishly, but suddenly, he noticed a hint of a smile in Lucricia¡¯s eyes.


    Miss Witch finally couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter, which blossomed across her face.


    Duncan frowned, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°¡­You used to explain things to me in such a flustered manner too, although it very rarely happened,¡± Lucricia laughed merrily, ¡°The last time was when you broke my hairpin.¡±


    Duncan stared blankly, his hands spreading helplessly.


    Then, a streak of bright light flashing past the window suddenly interrupted his next words.


    He paused for a moment, then quickly rushed to the window with Lucricia.


    In the thin golden ¡°sunlight¡± spread by the Luminous Geometric Body, a brighter arc slowly appeared at the distant end of the city.


    Duncan looked puzzledly at the ¡°arc of light,¡± then suddenly realized.


    In Prandt¡¯s antique shop, his gaze through the open window on the second floor captured a clearer scene¨C


    A brilliant golden brilliance was slowly rising at the horizon of the sea.


    In the initial, exciting and thrilling few seconds, almost everyone thought it was the sunrise.


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    Until that golden arc fully rose above the sea and began ascending into the sky at a startling pace¨Cuntil its disjointed state became increasingly clear to everyone, and as it ascended faster, it disintegrated.


    Duncan finally saw clearly what that thing looked like.


    It was a quarter-section of a circular ring, appearing to be just a part of the outer rune circle of Vision 001, its bright edges laden with visible dark cracks, which ultimately caused the entire ¡°light arc¡± to fragment into several loosely arranged luminous structures during its rise¨Cin just a few minutes, this increasingly dispersed ¡°luminous array¡± accelerated upwards to the height of the sun at around nine or ten o¡¯clock.


    Then, that lonely section of the rune circle in the sky completely disintegrated.


    Accompanied by a roar that nearly shook the entire world and fearsome howls and flashes that tore through the sky, the luminous array transformed into several ¡°meteors¡± sweeping across the sky, plummeting toward the earthly beings.

 Chapter 758 - Chapter 758 755 Chapter Crossing the Border

    Chapter 758: 755 Chapter Crossing the Border Chapter 758: 755 Chapter Crossing the Border This was a brilliant ¡°Light Burst.¡±


    An arc equivalent to one-quarter of a Sun Rune Ring disintegrated in the sky, then transformed into several larger glowing structures. For a short initial period, they still ascended and moved across the sky according to the normal trajectory of vision 001, as if each glowing structure still possessed residual power and navigational functionality, but in just a moment, their movement displayed clear signs of being out of control.


    The glowing structures began to shatter into pieces, large and small luminous bodies scattered like fleets torn apart in a storm, carving bright, gradually distancing lines across the sky, and from these larger bodies split many smaller sources of light¨Ccompared to the large fragments, they were as inconspicuous as fireflies, falling from the sky with twinkles and a series of small explosions.


    The light poured down like rain from the clouds, illuminating the night from the eastern border to the western islands with a strong and eerie golden sunlight, making the entire sea shimmer.


    And those larger fragments fell at relatively slow speeds, continuously spilling glowing debris while following their own trajectories towards the entire world. Most of the fallen bodies were directed towards the southwestern sea domain, with a few smaller fragments falling towards the central and northern regions.


    It was now the eighteenth hour after ¡°nightfall,¡± and the Endless Sea was briefly illuminated by another great disintegration of the sun, as one-quarter of the rune arc was sufficient to light up the sky. Thus, this meteor shower that signified the approaching apocalypse instead brought about nearly an hour of ¡°daylight¡± to this world¨Cduring which the entire world plunged into silence.


    Duncan stood at the window of the second floor of the antique shop; he opened the narrow window at the end of the hallway, allowing all the wind and sounds to enter the building¨Cthe neighborhood was silent, neither the noise of horses and carriages nor human voices could be heard as if they had completely disappeared in the city, yet in reality, now, there were many people outside.


    Men and women, young and old, left their homes or leaned out of their windows, staring at the trails of light falling through the sky. Crowds gathered on the streets, which even included squads of emergency assembled sheriffs and guardians.


    Everyone seemed like their necks were being clutched, maintaining the same posture looking up, all frozen under that falling sunlight.


    The only sounds between heaven and earth were the roaring and whistling as the luminous bodies slashed through the clouds and the periodic sounding of the church bells from afar.


    Then, after an indeterminate amount of time, the sky gradually darkened¨Cthe last of the glowing bodies had also crossed the highest point between the clouds. They had briefly lingered in the sky, seemingly struggling to fulfill their original command to illuminate the world, but soon lost momentum, like the other fragments, plummeting towards the great sea, dimming in a spectacular trail of light.


    The night reclaimed the sky, plunging Prand back into darkness.


    The entire world returned to darkness.


    A whistle sounded, suddenly breaking the silence in the neighborhood. The crowd gathered on the streets woke up at the sound of the whistle and began to orderly return to their homes.


    Before closing the window, Duncan still heard other sounds¨Cthere were children questioning their parents about what had happened, asking why they couldn¡¯t continue to go to school, why they couldn¡¯t go out to find friends; some were cursing in low voices, others sighed, and some cried softly.


    And the last sounds that came from outside were the foghorns from the direction of the docks and the church bells¨Cas if the warships had received orders, preparing to leave the harbor.


    Frem withdrew his gaze from the window and continued with a very steady hand to inscribe the last few symbols on the ceremonial stone tablet.


    Under the lamplight, the figure of the Pope of the Flame Transmitter resembled a statue standing amidst light and shadow, his face with a rocky texture showing no trace of emotion, as if all his attention was wholly focused on the ¡°Parchment¡± in his hands.


    The fire in the sanctuary blazed fiercely, a cleric in a black robe stood next to the fire basin, reporting to the pope the latest developments: ¡°¡­The patrol fleet located in the southwestern sea domain has noted several major luminous bodies¡¯ falling directions and is dispatching high-speed vessels to search¡­


    ¡°Currently, there are no reports of fallen bodies directly landing near the City-State. It seems that this time¡¯s Sun Shards all fell into the sea¡­ There are also no reports of sea vessels encountering fallen bodies.


    ¡°The Creation of the World has reappeared in the sky¡­ In the past eighteen hours, three city-states have reported a significant increase in Transcendent Erosion incidents within their cities¡­ They currently do not need reinforcements but hope that the nearby fleets can draw nearer¡­


    ¡°At Mosara port, there have been Profound Demon attacks, and it is currently unclear whether this is due to the demons invading because of the nightfall, or if there are lingering annihilative cultists making moves amidst the chaos¡­¡±


    Listening to the clergyman¡¯s report, Frem nodded slightly, then handed over the now completed gray-white stone tablet, ¡°I¡¯ve noted everything down¨Ctake this to the archives.¡±


    The black-robed cleric bowed and received the stone tablet, which bore deep engravings of the year and month, along with records of the fall of the Sun Shards.


    He recalled the teachings of the scripture¨C


    Even at the end of the world, one should meticulously record to the very last moment, the last breath of civilization should end at the blade and pen of the Carvers of History.


    The black-robed cleric left with the Parchment, and only the crackling fire basin kept company with Frem¡¯s tall and silent figure.


    After an unknown length of time, the Senkin pope seemed to sense something suddenly and turned his head towards the fire basin, ¡°Helena, have you recovered?¡±


    ¡°I can only say my mental state feels alive; it¡¯s far from what one would call ¡®recovery,''¡± Helena¡¯s voice trembled within the flames, sounding slightly distorted in Frem¡¯s ears, ¡°but lying in bed to properly recuperate is clearly not feasible now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already heard from Rune,¡± Frem said, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ quite astonishing development.¡±


    ¡°You mean the goddess descending upon me, or the ¡®captain¡¯s¡¯ plan?¡±


    ¡°¡­Both,¡± Frem hesitated slightly and then said slowly, ¡°Of course, the latter is more shocking.¡±


    The sound from the fire basin quieted for a few seconds.


    ¡°Frem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you still recording history?¡±


    ¡°Still am. I¡¯ve always been keeping records of history as the scriptures require.¡±


    ¡°If the world ends and we don¡¯t survive, will the stone tablets you carved be picked up and understood by new beings one day?¡±


    ¡°¡­If such a day really comes, it means the captain¡¯s plan has failed, the gods have failed, even the age of fire has failed,¡± Frem quietly watched the flames dancing in the fire basin, ¡°No one will understand that history because on that day, even the concept of ¡®history¡¯ itself will have vanished.¡±


    ¡°¡­But you still keep making records and guarding the totem of the Fire Transmitter.¡±


    ¡°Because recording history is meaningful in itself, even if there are no successors, ¡®history¡¯ itself at least proves that we were a civilization¨Cjust as the mad poet Puman described in his last verse:


    ¡®Years grant me life, and I grant years memories.''¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect you to understand poetry.¡±


    ¡°Poetry is part of history.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± The voice from the fire basin paused briefly, then continued, ¡°Now, please help me record something¨Cnext time you pray to the eternal flame, carve it on a stone tablet.¡±


    Frem immediately took a piece of parchment from nearby and grasped his pen, ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°¡­On January 21, 1902, New City-State calendar, ¡®Sea Song¡¯ is crossing the critical line of the Six Nautical Miles at the edge of the Eternal Veil. They are the pioneers of the civilized world.¡±


    ¡°Sea Song, January 21, 1902¡­ Alright, I¡¯ve noted it down.¡±


    ¡­


    The fog seemed to have transformed into a strange entity, no longer a flowing, gentle air current. The steamship labored through the fog that seemed to fill the entire world, each step hitting against a thick wall, entangled, crushed, and bound by invisible forces.


    In this dense clump-like fog, the boundaries of all worldly things imperceptibly vanished¨Cthe sea near the ship¡¯s side had at some point become a kind of gray-white ethereal matter, the sky above no longer showed tangible clouds, and the muddled sky light enveloped everything, only very occasionally, the lookout could see seawater churning through gaps in the fog.


    That seawater was as distant and surreal as a mirage.


    A white pioneer exploration ship carrying the flag of the Deep Sea Church floated in the fog, and though its steam core thundered ceaselessly, due to the lack of any reference points and the ever-changing nature of the fog itself, the crew aboard could not determine if the ship was actually still moving forward¨Cor if it had long been confined in place by this bizarre ¡°sea area.¡±


    ¡°We have lost all contact with the Church Ark, and currently, we can only faintly sense the signal of the temporary lighthouse,¡± a Church sailor dressed in a dark blue cloak reported to the captain of the Sea Song, ¡°The steam core is running at full power, and we are still maintaining our course.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    The captain of the Sea Song, a stern-faced lady who rarely smiled, nodded lightly. After hearing the sailor¡¯s report, she turned her gaze toward an adjacent priest, ¡°Can you hear more clearly in this direction?¡±


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    The captain¡¯s question was directed at an elderly priest draped in a loose robe. His face wrinkled and sunken eyes, his hunched back, all suggested that neither his age nor his health condition was suited for such long voyages anymore. Yet, he sat closest to the captain, one hand holding an exquisitely crafted brass censer, the other tightly grasping an amulet carved from Sea Breath Wood.


    The old priest leaned closer, as if listening to some signals beyond human perception. Everyone around quieted down, as if afraid to disrupt the old man¡¯s task.


    After a long time, the old priest finally slowly lifted his head.


    He heard a voice, a dying echo; he smelled a scent, the stench of decay¨Che felt a guidance, the gentle admonition of the goddess.


    ¡°Over there,¡± the old priest raised his hand, pointing in a direction through the dense fog, ¡°She is there.¡±

 Chapter 759 - Chapter 759 Chapter 756 The Voyager

    Chapter 759: Chapter 756 The Voyager Chapter 759: Chapter 756 The Voyager In the thick fog that seemed a tangible viscous fluid, the pristine hull of the Sea Song moved like a ghost, as if it could vanish into the boundless mist at any moment.


    It was unclear when it had begun, but the roar emitted by the steam core had transformed into a bizarre, deep moan mingled with layered echoes. Sharp shrieks intermittently came from the pipes, and murmurs as if someone was talking in their sleep were mixed within those shrieks.


    ¡°The machinery has begun to be possessed¡­¡± a Tech-Priest reported to the captain as he returned from the engine room, ¡°The effect of the soothing incense is diminishing.¡±


    ¡°Disconnect the differential engine¡¯s power shaft, switch all machinery to manual control, release steam core pressure to the yellow zone¨Creplace the Boiling Gold Catalyst in two hours,¡± the captain commanded calmly, ¡°Rotate personnel in the engine room every three hours.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± The Tech-Priest bowed his head and, in a fleeting moment, his voice suddenly turned unusually hoarse and deep, as if his chest had been broken open and uncontrolled air was rushing out of his lungs, however, it seemed no one noticed this¨Cthe Priest left, and the stern-faced captain watched his back before turning away her gaze.


    In the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed a patch of mottled Corrosion on the balustrade beside the captain¡¯s seat, the marks of decay slowly expanding, much like the passing of time, the dissolving of years.


    But in the next second, those rusted patches vanished from her sight like illusions. She was startled and before she could react, she heard a low, indistinct voice in her mind, a voice both familiar and eerily comforting, whispering to her:


    ¡°Ah¡­ you have arrived¡­ my little fish¡­ swim and swim¡­ return to the currents¡­¡±


    The gentle sound of waves echoed in her ears, as if immersed in water, a cold sensation meandering on her skin. The captain felt a moment of dizziness, yet suddenly, she startled awake from it.


    Someone was shouting in the distance, it was the ship¡¯s first mate: ¡°Captain! There¡¯s something in the fog!¡±


    The captain immediately snapped to attention and turned to look sideways from the bridge. Through the broad ship cabin, she suddenly saw a faint green glow gradually rising in the mist, like a massive beast slowly advancing toward her, the glow¡¯s outline gradually solidifying and sketching another ship¡¯s silhouette in her view.


    A colossal ship with a towering bow and semi-translucent sails emerged from the mist. It appeared from behind and glided like a breeze, easily catching up to the Sea Song, even with its steam core running at full power. The ship was shrouded in a hazy ¡°distortion,¡± making it hard to discern the details on the ship, but the captain of the Sea Song recognized the distinct features of that large ship instantly¨C


    ¡°It¡¯s the Homeloss!¡± the captain exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°How could it appear here!?¡±


    ¡°That ship is coming!¡± ¡°Homeloss!?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it at Light Breeze Harbor?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting close!¡±


    Several exclamations erupted from the bridge, and then the first mate quickly came by the captain: ¡°Captain, that ship is approaching us.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Send a light signal, ask for their intentions,¡± the captain contemplated briefly before commanding, ¡°All hands on alert, increase pressure in the chapel boiler¨Cthis is the border, do not rashly trust anything you see, it might not be the ¡®Homeloss¡¯ we know.¡±


    The first mate immediately took the command, then the lights on the side of the Sea Song started flashing a series of signals, the intense lights piercing the thick fog, calling silently in the unknown waters of the frontier.


    Everyone on the bridge watched tensely as the silhouette of the large ship in the mist approached, becoming increasingly elusive and ghostlike from a certain distance. After a while, the captain suddenly saw a dazzling light near the bow of the Homeloss¨C the light flickered in the mist, rhythmically repeating.


    Had the Ghost Ship really responded to the light signal, initiating a communication?


    Many eyes intently watched the flickering light, while the captain watched the signal and gradually furrowed her brow. A moment later, the first mate hurried over: ¡°Captain, the Homeloss signals a salute to us¡­ nothing else.¡±


    The captain¡¯s brow furrowed, a look of confusion crossing her stern face for the first time, but her confusion was soon interrupted¨Cshe noticed in the corner of her eye that the large ship¡¯s silhouette in the mist was rapidly moving away.


    The Homeloss¡¯s Spiritual Body sails billowed high, silently accelerating in the mist. It almost instantly overtook the Sea Song, rushing toward the unknown reaches of the farther sea, its massive silhouette swiftly vanishing into the flowing fog.


    ¡°That direction is¡­¡± Suddenly realizing something, the first mate exclaimed softly, ¡°Captain, the ¡®Homeloss¡¯ is heading towards ¡®Its¡¯ direction!¡±


    The captain did not respond, she merely stared ahead, as if in the moment the Homeloss departed, she peered through the gaps in the fog and saw a distant destiny.


    A low, gentle murmur echoed in her ears¨C


    ¡°Little fish¡­ you¡¯ve all done well, now it¡¯s time to rest, do not fear¡­ every weary soul has a destination, if you cannot return, this is your new home¡­¡±


    A sense of peace, as if emerging from the soul itself, descended, and amidst the slight trembling of her spirit, the captain slowly closed her eyes, ¡°¡­bear witness¡­¡±


    She abruptly opened her eyes, and within her deathly pale orbs, it seemed as if a ceaseless storm was reflected, ¡°¡­witness my return¨CI have not yet finished my mission.¡±


    Scattered memories suddenly revived in her mind, the lost segment of the journey in the misaligned flow of time returned to her memory. She recalled the long period after crossing the border, all the trials and darkness, the lost sea at the end of the thick fog, the stagnant island in the ancient times, the massive temple, the graveyard of colossal beasts, and the deceased deities in the temple¨Cand her hometown, now enveloped by nightfall.


    ¡°¡­you must cross that border¡­ cross the critical line of Six Nautical Miles¡­ They are calling out to the mortal world, go find Them¡­ bring our greetings, bring back Their messages¡­¡±


    Helena¡¯s instructions still echoed in her ears, but it seemed like something from several centuries ago; now only a vague impression remained.


    The captain shook her head and slowly started walking toward the helm, her captain¡¯s uniform somehow weathered into ragged shreds. The once polished and bright bridge had become a rotten, collapsing ruin under the sea winds and the passing time, all lights extinguished, the thick fog creeping in through the broken windows, flowing and spreading over the bridge.


    The place was empty, there was no sight of any crew; it seemed as if everyone had left long ago¨Cthey all remained by the Lord¡¯s side, in that eternal resting place.


    The captain walked past those empty spots, staggering on the ship that seemed to have been adrift for centuries, but suddenly, she noticed a figure swaying next to the helm.


    Hearing the noise, the figure slowly turned his head.


    He was gaunt and grotesque, like a corpse weathered by the sea wind for a century, his face shrunken and twisted into a horrifying form.


    It was an ugly mummy¨Cbut the captain soon recognized it as her first mate.


    The mummy spoke, its voice raspy like sand grinding, ¡°Captain, welcome back to the ship¨Cit seems it¡¯s not time for your retirement yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­you¡¯ve also stayed,¡± the captain said¨Conly then did she realize her voice had also turned equally gruff and terrifying.


    ¡°Yes, I still have work to complete,¡± the first mate murmured, ¡°The others have rested, but I had a dream where a Ghost Ship burning with green fire appeared, you asked me to signal it¡­ Ah, I woke up from that signal. I don¡¯t like that ship¨Cthe ¡®Homeloss,¡¯ it even disrupted the peace bestowed upon me by gods¡­ those damned green flames, now I can¡¯t rest anymore.¡±


    The captain paid no attention to the incessant chatter of the first mate¨Calthough she noticed that the first mate seemed to have undergone many changes, her groggy mind made it difficult to focus on these trivial matters¨Cshe merely made her way laboriously to next to the helm, watching the first mate busying about, ¡°Can the ship still sail?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the first mate turned his head, showing a terrifying grin, ¡°The steam core has long stopped, the hull below has corroded into a pile of ruins, there is no power to speak of.¡±


    ¡°¡­then what are you doing?¡±


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    ¡°Moving the ship, Captain,¡± the first mate slowly said, ¡°Hold its wheel, think of oneself as a ship¡­ it will move, Captain, sooner or later we will pass through this boundless fog, back to that damned Endless Sea¡­¡±


    The captain slowly sat down, she listened to the first mate¡¯s prattle for a long while before finally speaking softly as if to herself, ¡°Then I should also find something to do.¡±


    ¡°Then I suggest you leave some records,¡± the first mate said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what changes will occur after we cross that border again, but changes will definitely occur, you might not be yourself, I might continue to transform into another appearance, we might not even remember who we are, what we have done¨Conly the sacred writing can leave valuable guidance¡­¡±


    Sacred writing¡­


    The captain slowly blinked her eyes, her thoughts clearing up slightly. After a moment of hesitation, she finally reached out her hand, feeling for something in the worn pocket of her coat.


    It was her logbook¨Cevery captain had one.


    It too had been baptized by the years, but the sacred blessed paper had survived weathering and corrosion, the writing still recognizable.


    She bowed her head, taking a pencil from another pocket, and slowly began recording on a new page¨C


    ¡°I am Karan, the captain of the Sea Song, this is the record I leave on my journey back¡­


    ¡°We have found ¡®Them¡¯¨Croughly half a century after crossing the Six Nautical Miles threshold.¡±

 Chapter 760 - Chapter 760 Chapter 757 Displaced Reflection

    Chapter 760: Chapter 757 Displaced Reflection Chapter 760: Chapter 757 Displaced Reflection The skies over Phaeron suddenly rumbled with a muffled boom of thunder¨Cminutes later, a heavy rain descended from the heavens, enveloping the small City-State in the southwestern sea area with a layer of hazy drapery.


    The ¡°Light Burst¡± that had briefly streaked across the sky had vanished over the distant horizon of the sea, and the city¡¯s inhabitants were still nervously guessing where those huge luminous objects falling from the sky had landed. Now this sudden downpour seemed to have become an even more unsettling omen¨Cin the rain, the already dark night was filled with an even denser blackness, the pale Creation of the World within the clouds turned into a mouth that seemed to wriggle and tremble constantly. The wind whined through the streets and alleys, the raindrops it swept up pattering against windows in layers, aggravating and restless.


    Lawrence walked through the lobby of the inn, seeing many people stranded in the inn gathered by the windows. They spoke in low voices about the flashes that had crossed the sky earlier, about the heavy rain outside, about the patrol team of guardians that had just left. The warm fireplace crackled not far away, while bright electric lights fought against the boundless night outside the windows like vigilant soldiers¨Con this unsettling rainy night, fire and light supported the increasingly fragile barrier of safety in everyone¡¯s hearts.


    ¡°It¡¯s just ordinary rain¡­¡± a soft voice came from the small mirror at his chest. Martha whispered to Lawrence, ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed it in the Spirit Realm, nothing will happen.¡±


    Lawrence nodded slightly, looking out the window where the curtain of rain blurred the view of the streets, water streaming down the glass and sketching out twisted patterns of light and shadow. Martha¡¯s reflection appeared on the window, giving him a faint smile.


    ¡°I just took a jump through the mirror to the White Oak, everything is fine there; rest assured.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lawrence murmured softly, speaking in a volume only he could hear, ¡°Be careful when entering the Spirit Realm, this world has become unsafe.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Martha nodded, then added, ¡°Also, I noticed several ships suddenly leaving the military port, speeding away into the night toward the northeast. Two of them are engineering vessels with large winches and towing arms.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re off to recover the ¡®fallen objects.¡¯ It looks like one of the luminous bodies has fallen near Phaeron,¡± Lawrence quickly realized, ¡°¡­I hope all goes well.¡±


    Martha nodded slightly, then her figure gradually faded from the window¨Cthe hazy curtain of rain and the flowing water once again filled Lawrence¡¯s field of vision.


    The old captain stared out in a trance for a while, then turned and left the inn¡¯s lobby.


    He crossed the stairs and corridors, returning to his temporary accommodation upstairs, fumbling for his keys to open the wooden door, its paint already somewhat flaked.


    But the moment he entered the room, his movement suddenly stopped.


    In the darkness, a shriveled and skeletal figure sat askew in the chair inside the room, the dim glow from the street lamp outside spilling into the room, illuminating the uninvited guest¨Che heard the sound of the door opening, slowly turned his head, exposing a chilling, skeleton-like smile, ¡°Ah¡­ Captain, you are back.¡±


    The pungent smell of alcohol hit him.


    Lawrence raised his hand to switch on the room¡¯s electric light, the bright light dispelling the darkness and making the ghastly mummified figure not appear too eerie, he looked at the other with a furrowed brow and a serious expression, ¡°Sailor? What are you doing here instead of staying in your own room?¡±


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± the sailor said, tilting his head, his entire head seeming as though it was about to tear off from his neck, dangling listlessly. He was holding a huge bottle of liquor, casually gulping big swallows down his throat. The liquid flowed freely through the hole in his chest and the slit in his neck, trickling down onto the floor, ¡°In my own room, I found this¨Cdon¡¯t get me wrong, sir, I didn¡¯t steal¡­ didn¡¯t steal your things. I know the rules, stealing from the captain would get me hanged from the mast¡­¡±


    Lawrence saw the other¡¯s appearance and felt a surge of anger rising subconsciously, but then he sensed something was off. He furrowed his brows and approached the corpse, glancing at the bottle of liquor in its hand, ¡°What have you let ¡®possess¡¯ you again?¡±


    While speaking, he slightly lifted his arm, and a wisp of translucent Spectral Flame leapt and rose at his fingertips.


    However, the ¡°sailor,¡± who would normally jump at the sight of Spiritual Fire, showed no such reaction this time. The dried-up corpse simply set the bottle on a table nearby and stared blankly at the small flame on the old captain¡¯s fingertip. Several seconds passed before he slowly raised his head, ¡°Captain, I¡¯m fine. I just remembered something.¡±


    Lawrence¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, fixing his gaze on this seemingly off-kilter abnormality as he slowly began, ¡°¡­Remembered something?¡±


    ¡°I used to be a person, it seems,¡± the corpse used its hand to prop itself up, apparently trying to adjust its sitting position. After several attempts, it still didn¡¯t succeed, ¡°We went to a place far, far away, and then¡­ it took us a very long time to return to this damned Endless Sea¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Frem awoke suddenly from his routine meditation, the visions transmitted by the flames causing his mind to throb with pain.


    This Senkin People Pope, resembling a small giant, opened his eyes abruptly, seeing that he was still kneeling in the prayer room, with flames blazing in the fire basin before him.


    Shadows of those visions seemed to linger in the dancing firelight, gradually collapsing as time passed.


    The Pope of the Flame Transmitter furrowed his brow, eyeing the fire basin for a while before suddenly realizing something, he stood up abruptly and walked towards the door.


    The sudden appearance of the Pope startled the clergymen waiting outside the prayer room, one of the guards, wearing a black and red robe, immediately stepped forward to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the archive,¡± Frem stated without looking back, ¡°No need for others to follow, make sure the annual pillar¡¯s bonfire is well guarded.¡±


    The guard priests glanced at each other.


    At this moment, Frem strode rapidly through the hallway outside the prayer room¨Cafter leaving the inner sanctuary, his figure suddenly transformed into a flowing light of fire, transferring between the countless candelabra, fire basins, and bonfires within the sanctuary, almost instantly passing through the entire upper level of the ark, arriving at the most central building of the entire Flame Transmitter ark.


    Located below the ¡°Great Bonfire,¡± protected by a heavy stone dome, the ¡°archive¡± housed and recorded countless historical scrolls and precious stone tablets.


    The archive was well lit, and rows upon rows of sturdy, heavy shelves stood like great walls within the vast hall. These shelves, more robust than any standard bookshelves, were placed on long tracks. Hidden traction mechanisms within the tracks, powered by steam engines, allowed for the shelves to be moved between the interior book repository and the exterior reading area at will.


    However, Frem¡¯s target was not those towering walls of bookshelves but rather the ¡°secret chamber¡± deeper inside the archive.


    He made his way past all the shelves and tracks to the stone wall at the end of the hall¨Cwhere two knights, clad in thick armor and wielding flame-shaped greatswords, barred his path.


    ¡°The secret chamber is sealed,¡± said the knight, his voice low and muffled under his heavy helmet. Even though he was addressing the Pope, he maintained meticulous fulfillment of his duty. ¡°May I inquire as to the purpose of your visit?¡±


    ¡°I need to consult the slabs left by the former Popes,¡± Frem said in a deep voice. ¡°I suspect that a historical timeline penetration event has occurred.¡±


    There was a faint sound of joint friction and clashing emanating from beneath the knights¡¯ armor.


    ¡°¡­The timeframe?¡± another knight asked.


    ¡°Between the City-State calendar years of 1600 and 1755,¡± Frem replied.


    The two knights exchanged glances, each stepped aside, and with their flame-shaped greatswords raised, they placed them above two slots on the ground in front of the stone wall. One of them then cautiously looked at Frem: ¡°Please confirm the current time.¡±


    ¡°City-State calendar, January 22nd, 1902.¡±


    The flame-shaped greatswords were inserted into the slots on the ground, and as the mechanisms whirred and roared into action, the stone wall slowly receded backward.


    ¡°Confirmed, City-State calendar, January 22nd, 1902,¡± the Firekeeper knight stated solemnly. ¡°Please return before the end of the day. I wish you safety.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°We have lost contact with the Sea Song,¡± the middle-aged man dressed in the Deep Sea Church¡¯s vestments bowed his head before Helena, his tone filled with unease and discouragement. ¡°They maintained intermittent communication with the temporary lighthouse for one hour after crossing the 6-mile threshold, then all went silent.¡±


    The cleric paused for a moment before adding, ¡°After the failure of spiritual energy communication, we took a risk with radio transmissions, but still received no signal from the Sea Song.¡±


    After a brief silence, Helena slowly nodded her head.


    ¡°You may leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Pope.¡±


    The middle-aged cleric bowed and exited the room, which once again fell silent.


    After a long while, Helena rose from her chair. She slowly made her way to the statue of the Storm Goddess Gomona, tossing a Sea Breath Wood talisman into the brazier at the foot of the statue, then looked up to gaze at the veiled visage of the goddess.


    The face of the goddess was obscured behind the veil, elusive like the unpredictable waves and fate.


    ¡°¡­the Pioneers we sent to find you have gone missing. Have they safely reached your realm? Or¡­ have they become lost in the vast nothingness beyond the world?¡±


    The goddess remained silent, not even the soft sound of waves reached her.


    Time passed indeterminably until Helena finally sighed quietly. She withdrew her gaze from the statue and looked down at the brazier that was burning brightly.


    ¡°Rune, the Deep Sea Church¡¯s expeditionary fleet sent beyond the border has lost contact,¡± she whispered to the brazier, ¡°Will you continue with the plan on your end?¡±


    ¡°Continue,¡± Rune¡¯s voice emanated from the flames, ¡°¡®Mathematical Pattern¡¯ has completed preparations and will leave the port for the southern border in twenty-four hours¨Cwe¡¯ve detected a stronger signal in that direction, which might be more successful than the Sea Song.¡±


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    Helena listened and nodded slightly, then after a moment¡¯s contemplation, she said, ¡°As for Banster¡¯s side¡­¡±


    She was cut off mid-sentence by a sudden bursting crackle from the brazier.


    Her eyes widened in surprise¨CFrem¡¯s voice unexpectedly resounded from the fire: ¡°Apologies for interrupting, but I bring urgent news pertaining to the Sea Song.¡±


    ¡°Frem?¡± Helena exclaimed, surprised, then immediately grasped the situation, ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Sea Song? Do you have news of the Sea Song?!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the fire crackled, Frem¡¯s voice sounding somewhat distorted, ¡°The Sea Song has returned.¡±


    ¡°The Sea Song has returned?¡± Helena¡¯s shock was unmistakable, ¡°When? How did I not know¡­¡±


    ¡°December 1675,¡± Frem stated calmly.

 Chapter 761 - Chapter 761 Chapter 758 The Sailors Intel

    Chapter 761: Chapter 758 ¡°The Sailor¡¯s¡± Intel Chapter 761: Chapter 758 ¡°The Sailor¡¯s¡± Intel The brief illuminations of ¡°Sun Shards¡± breaking the long night¡¯s tense veneer of calm¨Cafter a quarter arc of the ¡°Sun Ring¡± disintegrated before the eyes of the world and plummeted from the sky, at least seven City-States deployed fleets to find those fallen luminous geometric bodies on the Endless Sea.


    Within the first forty-eight hours of the Long Night¡¯s commencement, the Endless Sea, peaceful for over a millennium, came closer to war than ever before.


    Fortunately, a massive fleet led by the flagship ¡°Universal Balance¡± of the Academy of Truth arrived before all City-States at the largest ¡°fall site¡± in the central sea area and took control of several of the largest Sun Shards. The Church¡¯s authority once again played a role, extending the precarious balance between the City-States¨Cseveral city fleets did not engage in conflict over the Sun Shards but agreed to the Church¡¯s allocation plan. They set aside their disputes for the time being and delivered the Sun Shards to the cities that were in the worst condition and in most urgent need of sunlight support.


    But during that four-hour standoff, a crack, an omen, had already begun to spread silently among the many City-States of the Endless Sea¨C


    In the days to come, sunlight would become a scarce life-sustaining resource.


    However, for Duncan, who was still staying in Light Breeze Harbor, these events were still a long way off.


    An unexpected piece of intelligence had been delivered to Duncan from Farun¨Cinformation from Captain Lawrence of the White Oak. The content of the intelligence was related to that mysterious anomaly 077, ¡°The Sailor.¡±


    In the witch¡¯s mansion on the first floor, Lawrence¡¯s figure appeared in the oval mirror on the wall, and his voice came from within the mirror, ¡°¡­He said he used to be the first mate on the Sea Song. They crossed the critical line Six Nautical Miles from the border, and it happened on January 21st, 1902¡­¡±


    Duncan, standing next to the oval mirror, furrowed his eyebrows immediately after hearing Captain Lawrence¡¯s story, ¡°It¡¯s only January 22nd, 1902, in the new City-State calendar. You mean to say¡­ that the corpse named ¡®Anomaly 077-Sailor¡¯ was still a clergyman of the Deep Sea Church performing a border-crossing mission at this time yesterday?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what he said,¡± Lawrence replied seriously, evidently not joking, ¡°He said his captain was named Karan and described the details of the ship¡¯s departure. He said he knew it was actually just the second day after the Sea Song crossed the border Six Nautical Miles, but he told me Captain Karan and her sailors had been wandering for half a century after crossing the border¡­¡±


    Duncan remained silent, knitting his brows, while Lucia, who was beside him, heard the conversation and widened her eyes in surprise, ¡°Half a century?!¡±


    ¡°Possibly¡­ longer, ma¡¯am,¡± Lawrence said with a furrowed brow in the mirror, speaking cautiously, ¡°If we go by what ¡®The Sailor¡¯ says, they were only able to keep track of days with a clear mind for the first half-century. Afterward, they lost all sense of time¨Cthey drifted in boundless fog, neither alive nor dead, as if they¡¯d fallen into the ¡®void fault¡¯ at the edge of Dreamscape that psychiatrists accidentally fall into during Treatment. The Sea Song also fell into the world¡¯s edge fault, and so¡­¡±


    Lawrence paused, seemingly distracted by some commotion on his side, and then a hoarse and indistinct voice came from the edge of the mirror, the rough voice of ¡°The Sailor¡±: ¡°And so we were ¡®forgotten,¡¯ captain, haha¡­ We were forgotten by death, forgotten by the sea, and eventually even time and reason forgot us, leaving us to drift at the world¡¯s end, ageless and undying, almost eternally adrift¡­ But at last¡­ *hic* the goddess took mercy, oh how she took mercy, and we suddenly remembered Her¡­ And so we drifted back to the right course¡­ *hic*!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyebrows were tightly locked as he quickly grasped ¡°The Sailor¡¯s¡± meaning and spoke, ¡°The right course you¡¯re referring to is¡­¡±


    ¡°We found Her! A huge¡­¡± The Sailor suddenly raised his voice, but then stopped abruptly as if someone had choked him, muttering a string of sounds before continuing, ¡°I can¡¯t remember, I can¡¯t remember what She looked like, but we really found Her¡­ found the source of the call, that was our mission¨CThe Pope sent us to find Her, because She conveyed a revelation to the Pope¡­


    ¡°Most of us stayed there, they didn¡¯t want to return, didn¡¯t want to face that doomed world again. They had drifted too long, all their glory and conviction had been eroded away by that endless fog, and we encountered¡­ encountered¡­


    ¡°What was it again? I can¡¯t quite remember, captain, I can¡¯t remember clearly¡­ I just recall I and Captain Karan returned from the fog, just the two of us, strictly speaking, just me alone¨CCaptain Karan was nothing but a wrinkled shadow then, she couldn¡¯t even remember her own face, so I had to take over steering the ship¡­¡±


    The Sailor¡¯s voice turned into a series of mumbles, his thoughts apparently not clear, as scattered memories, like broken puzzle pieces, swirled through his withered brain, leaving him sometimes lucid, sometimes confused.


    Duncan, however, ignored The Sailor¡¯s subsequent mumbling. He pondered briefly and then said, ¡°But now you are Anomaly 077¨Ca ¡®strange object¡¯ sheltered by the City-States many years ago. You have appeared in this world for hundreds of years, and the first time you showed up was on an exploratory ship that had been missing for three years.¡±


    The Sailor quieted down, remaining silent for a long time, and after an indeterminate pause, Lawrence suddenly broke the silence, ¡°He says he doesn¡¯t know what happened¨Che doesn¡¯t remember how he returned to this world in the end, he doesn¡¯t remember where the Sea Song finally went, and he doesn¡¯t understand why he eventually turned into this, into a ¡®strange object¡¯ that whips up storms. He says the world he sees has been displaced, the world he sees now is vastly different from the one in his memory¡­ but he can¡¯t explain all of this to me.¡±


    Duncan fell into silence for a moment, then let out a gentle sigh.


    ¡°I understand. Take good care of Anomaly 077 for now¨Cif anything comes up, I¡¯ll contact you again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, captain.¡±


    The flame within the mirror gradually faded, becoming once again nothing more than an ordinary piece of glass.


    Lawrence withdrew his gaze from the mirror and turned his head to look at the mummy sitting in the corner of the room¨CAnomaly 077 sat there somewhat dazedly with an empty bottle of alcohol in his hand, still intermittently lifting the glass bottle and meaninglessly tipping it over his mouth.


    ¡°Alcohol actually has no effect on you,¡± Lawrence finally frowned, stood up, and approached the mummy, ¡°you can¡¯t get drunk, and you can¡¯t pass out from this stuff¨Calcohol won¡¯t work, poison won¡¯t work, not even bullets from a revolver¨Cafter all, you¡¯ve tried that.¡±


    The mummy paused for a moment, casually threw the bottle aside, and slowly lifted his head to look at the old ship captain standing in front of him, and after a two-second delay, he muttered, ¡°What about a twelve-pound cannon¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re still awake on the day the world ends, then I wouldn¡¯t mind you giving it a try¨Cyou could even try the sixty-four-pounder on the dock if you¡¯re interested.¡±


    Lawrence said casually, taking a seat on a chair beside the mummy.


    ¡°But since the world is ending, you might as well not bother trying those things¨Cwe¡¯ll all rest eventually, although you took a bit more of a detour than the rest of us.¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± turned his head, staring blankly at Lawrence.


    His withered, shriveled eyeballs moved slightly; the drunkenness induced by self-hypnosis couldn¡¯t last long. After a moment of being dazed, the mummy, who had lost his peace, slowly bowed his head and hugged his head with bone-dry hands.


    ¡°I lost the journal¡­¡±


    The mummy murmured despairingly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The journal, Captain Karan¡¯s journal¨Cshe wrote many things before she dissipated, she told me to take that journal back, it was our task¡­¡± The mummy mumbled, seeming as if he wanted to burst into tears, but he seemed to have forgotten how such emotions unique to the living were to be expressed, ¡°I lost it, I lost the captain¡¯s journal¡­ I remember I had tucked it on me, while the Sea Song was crossing through the thick fog, it was on me, but now I don¡¯t know where it is¡­ everything has changed, I can¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    Lawrence listened to the mummy¡¯s confession in a daze, while in the mirror beside him, Martha¡¯s complex expression emerged silently¨Cthey remained quiet, silently watching this ¡°sailor,¡± with only the latter¡¯s indistinct, low murmur filling the room¡­ That voice, like a corpse that had forgotten how to cry, was trying to learn how to lament.


    ¡­


    Duncan turned his head to see that everyone had already gathered behind him, many eyes either looking at him or at the mirror that had returned to its normal state.


    ¡°¡­That mummy actually has such a significant past?¡± Sherry muttered softly.


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    Fenna pondered, ¡°The Sea Song just crossed the Six Nautical Miles boundary yesterday¡­ I remember Queen Helena mentioned this before, she said the major churches had started to dispatch vanguard ships to break through the Six Nautical Miles boundary, hoping to bring back information from ¡®beyond the world.''¡±


    ¡°But why would the first mate of an exploration ship that just crossed the boundary yesterday turn into ¡®Anomaly 077,¡¯ who appeared in the world more than two hundred years ago?¡± Nina was puzzled, ¡°And there¡¯s also that ¡®half a century¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps, it¡¯s because the concept of ¡®time¡¯ has begun to lose its meaning,¡± Duncan said softly, ¡°or maybe, this is precisely the trait of the seas beyond the boundary¨Cthe entire crew of the Sea Song verified the first trait of the world beyond with their lives.¡±


    At these words, Morris furrowed his brow, seemingly coming to some realization.


    But before the old scholar could speak, a series of sudden knocks from the direction of the entrance interrupted his thoughts.


    A visitor had arrived.

 Chapter 762 - Chapter 762 Chapter 759 Penetrating History

    Chapter 762: Chapter 759: Penetrating History Chapter 762: Chapter 759: Penetrating History As the door opened, two familiar yet unexpected figures stood at the entrance, one of them being Helena in a sea blue gown, and the other a particularly tall figure with skin that seemed as hard as rock, Frem.


    Two unmarked steam cars were parked not far from the intersection, their headlights piercing through the night. A few guards from the church stood quietly by the cars, like silent statues in the darkness.


    Lucricia looked at the uninvited guests and frowned slightly, ¡°Why do you all seem to enjoy ¡®dropping by¡¯ nowadays?¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disturb you, but it¡¯s something important,¡± Helena, completely disregarding Lucricia¡¯s clearly displeased expression, said as she made herself at home and started walking inside, ¡°Let¡¯s go in¨CI and Frem are here on a secret visit, I wouldn¡¯t want too many people to take notice¡­¡±


    Before Lucricia could respond, the Female Pope, representing the highest authority of the Deep Sea Church, had already agilely slipped through the doorway. Frem, with an awkward smile, followed her while apologizing to the lady of the house, ¡°Sorry, Helena is always very proactive¨Cand indeed, something unusual has happened. The ¡®captain¡¯ should be interested¡­¡±


    Unable to stop them, Lucricia could only turn her head and watch in astonishment as the two ¡°VIPs¡± boldly made their way inside, exclaiming, ¡°Hey, one by one¡­ this is my home!¡±


    However, the social-averse witch could not prevent the execution power of the two pontiffs¨Cunable to hit them and uncomfortable stopping them. By the time she collected herself, the uninvited guests had already successfully invaded her house¡­


    Duncan, who was in the living room, had already heard the noise at the door and looked up to see Helena and Frem walking in. Helena had visited recently with Rune while Frem was seen in the City-State for the first time, making Duncan curious, ¡°Do your pontiffs usually roam around like this? Still so idle at these times?¡±


    Helena picked up on Duncan¡¯s teasing tone but paid no heed, sitting down on the sofa across from him with a serious expression, ¡°We bring a message from the gods¨Cinformation from beyond the Eternal Veil.¡±


    As Helena finished speaking, Duncan¡¯s teasing expression vanished, his mind rapidly piecing together clues. Even Lucricia, who was walking by with an impatient expression, stopped in her tracks, a thoughtful look crossing her face.


    Helena immediately noticed the subtle shift in the atmosphere of the living room. She frowned, but before she could speak, Fenna, standing by the sofa, softly broke the silence, ¡°Sea Song?¡±


    Helena adjusted her posture subconsciously, ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t visited today, I was planning to look for you,¡± Duncan slowly began, ¡°I also just received some news about the ¡®Sea Song.¡¯ It seems this is no coincidence¡­ but I¡¯d like to hear the information you¡¯ve brought first. What happened to that ship?¡±


    Helena and Frem exchanged glances, and the latter nodded slightly, turning to Duncan with a grave tone, ¡°The Sea Song returned in December 1675.¡±


    The room fell momentarily silent until Sherry couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in shock, ¡°What? Over three hundred years ago?!¡±


    Silence descended again, Alice taking a moment to calculate, then timidly nudged Sherry¡¯s arm, ¡°It seems like it was over two hundred and twenty years ago¡­¡±


    Sherry paused, recalibrating her emotions, ¡°What? Two hundred and twenty years ago?!¡±


    The two pontiffs had probably never encountered someone like Sherry before: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, her math isn¡¯t great,¡± luckily, Duncan was used to it, quickly waved his hand to draw Helena¡¯s and Frem¡¯s attention back, ¡°Back to the serious matter, did the Sea Song truly return in 1675? How did you discover or confirm this?¡±


    ¡°History has been punctured, there¡¯s a hole in the normal historical trajectory,¡± Frem spoke in a deep voice, ¡°I sensed this hole, and then found corresponding clues in the records left by previous Popes of the Flame Transmitter¡­¡±


    He paused, seemingly organizing his words, then continued, ¡°In December 1675, a ship, bizarre and decrepit like a phantom, appeared at the eastern border and disintegrated over the sea shortly thereafter. The only certain thing before it vanished was the name ¡®Sea Song¡¯ inscribed on its hull.


    ¡°This incident is recorded in the archives of the Flame Transmitter¡¯s sanctuary, but aside from the words on the stone tablet, there¡¯s no related record or dossier from that year. It¡¯s like a shadow that suddenly fell into reality from the cracks of history, remembered and recorded only by the Pope of the Flame Transmitter at the time¡­ or rather, only that Pope¡¯s records left a ¡®trace¡¯ in history.¡±


    ¡°Why would something like this happen?¡± Morris couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Is this some kind of historical contamination? Or tampering¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s due to the incompleteness of time, leading to an event where history was penetrated,¡± Frem slowly shook his head, ¡°The Sea Song must have deviated from the normal timeline due to some accident, creating ¡®drift¡¯ in a timeless state, before returning to this world at the time node of ¡®1675¡¯¡­¡±


    He stopped to ponder for a moment, then continued, ¡°It¡¯s like a rolling tire coated in countless specks of dust, one of which suddenly detaches from the inner wall of the tire and randomly drifts; when it gets reabsorbed by the inner wall, it could appear at any position on the tire.¡±


    Detached from the normal timeline¡­ Drifting in a timeless state¡­


    Listening to Frem¡¯s explanation, Duncan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, his expression thoughtful.


    Lucricia and Morris seemed to have realized something too, a look of comprehension crossing their faces.


    Only Alice and Sherry, hearing such a theory far beyond normal understanding, remained clear-eyed, seemingly untouched by the knowledge¡­


    ¡°So that¡¯s it,¡± Lucricia suddenly spoke softly, nodding slightly at Duncan, ¡°That explains the ¡®sailor¡¯s¡¯ experiences then.¡±


    ¡°Sailor?¡± Helena looked puzzled, ¡°The ¡®sailor¡¯ you¡¯re speaking of is¡­¡±


    ¡°The ¡®First Mate¡¯ of the Sea Song. He still exists in this world, although¡­ there has been a significant change.¡±


    Duncan spoke without concealing the information he had obtained from Lawrence. Over the next few minutes, he laid out everything he knew.


    Helena and Frem looked at each other.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Helena suddenly spoke, ¡°I need to meet this ¡®sailor.''¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s now near a small City-State ¡®Faelun¡¯ in the southwest border area, along with some of my other followers,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°I can bring him here anytime¨Cbut I want to consult his opinion first.¡±


    Helena seemed to not catch it right away, ¡°Consult¡­ his opinion?¡±


    ¡°He has gone through many things unimaginable to ordinary people, and perhaps it was the Sea Song¡¯s wandering beyond the borders that completed the ¡®historical loop.¡¯ All his memories were almost instantly restored in his mind,¡± Duncan said earnestly, ¡°He may no longer be the ¡®First Mate¡¯ of the Sea Song as you know him, he might not want to deal with people from the Deep Sea Church anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m not surprised by that. I can imagine the ¡®sailor¡¯s¡¯ current situation,¡± Helena said with a peculiar expression, looking at Duncan, ¡°I¡¯m just very surprised that you respect your followers¡¯ wishes so much in such instances and take care of their feelings¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s smile twitched slightly, ¡°What exactly am I in your minds?¡±


    Helena¡¯s face stiffened, and she quickly made amends, ¡°A dependable captain, a respectable explorer, though there are many misunderstandings, we think you¡­¡±


    ¡°Constantly surrounded by countless shadows from Subspace and stewing children and stray dogs from around the world in your pot¡­¡± Frem casually added.


    Helena: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t me,¡± Frem said, looking at Helena with a calm face, ¡°That¡¯s what you and Banster were saying when you talked to him last year.¡±


    ¡°That was just a hyperbolic figure of speech! And that was last year!¡± Helena almost jumped up, ¡°Why would you remember that!¡±


    Frem¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all; he slowly turned his head to look at Duncan, his face still as calm and cool as if carved from stone, ¡°They really said that.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a few seconds, then turned to look beside him.


    Lucricia stood beside him with a stern face.


    Little Miss Witch¡¯s face was flushed red¨Cholding back her laughter was her final courtesy to her father.


    Duncan sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll contact Lawrence.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s the situation,¡± Lawrence sat on the chair opposite Exception 077, speaking earnestly, ¡°Now, Captain Duncan wants to meet you, and the Pope of the Deep Sea Church is also waiting. If you¡¯re willing, you can leave immediately¨CCaptain has allowed me to use his flame summoning messenger. Ai Yi can instantly transport you to Light Breeze Harbor.¡±


    By now, Exception 077 had gone through the initial shocks of memory and confusion. He had gradually calmed down and somewhat regained his usual demeanor.


    Now, he was filled with worries.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what to do,¡± he sighed, not hiding his wavering in front of Lawrence, ¡°I remember a lot of things, but things before the departure of the Sea Song are very blurry to me. I know I was the First Mate of the Sea Song, but this identity feels like a stranger in a mirror to me¡­ and more importantly, I¡¯ve also lost that journal¡­¡±


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    ¡°If what you care about is the journal Captain Karan left behind¡­¡± Lawrence hesitated for a moment and then spoke slowly, ¡°perhaps, you haven¡¯t lost it.¡±


    The sailor jerked his head up, ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°You said you remember putting her journal by your side before Captain Karan vanished and always kept it close¨Cindeed, it has always been with you,¡± Lawrence looked intently into the sailor¡¯s eyes and spoke slowly, ¡°Do you remember what has always been with you?¡±


    The sailor was stunned, seemingly slowly realizing.


    ¡°We found some very faint marks on your shroud,¡± Lawrence said.

 Chapter 763 - Chapter 763 Chapter 760 Reunion After a Long Separation

    Chapter 763: Chapter 760 ¡°Reunion After a Long Separation Chapter 763: Chapter 760 ¡°Reunion After a Long Separation The years had eroded the words, and the misplacement inside and outside the boundary had twisted the carrier of those words into something else¨Can old and ragged shroud that now only faintly revealed chaotic inscriptions like ¡°Karan,¡± ¡°boundary,¡± ¡°Leviathan,¡± and even distinguishing these few words required a full display of observation and imagination.


    Anomaly 077 stared blankly at the shroud before him¨Cit had been brought over from the Sea Song¡¯s storeroom on the captain¡¯s order. Since he had lost his peace and become a member of the Sea Song, this shroud had always been kept in the ship¡¯s containment room.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t looked at it carefully in a long time¡­ no, it seems I¡¯ve never really looked at it,¡± Anomaly 077 muttered softly, his withered fingers slowly caressing what seemed like dirt on the surface of the shroud, but were actually the traces of blotchy text, ¡°I¡¯ve never noticed these words before¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite normal, had it not been for a deliberate search, most people would consider these marks as insignificant dirt even if they saw them,¡± Lawrence commented indifferently, ¡°Would anyone have connected these stains on a tattered cloth with Captain Karan¡¯s log? Especially when only such faint traces remain¡­ all useful information has been rubbed away.¡±


    ¡°Yes, only such faint traces remain¡­¡± the sailor said dejectedly, ¡°This can hardly be called the captain¡¯s log; these sporadic letters are completely useless¡­ It was supposed to be a thick book, not this ¡®tattered cloth¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°This may have something to do with your return from beyond the boundary to the Endless Sea, that ¡®Six Nautical Miles threshold¡¯ seems to irrevocably change the nature of certain things,¡± Lawrence said, ¡°It turned you into Anomaly 077, and Captain Karan¡¯s log into the shroud on your body¨Cbut either way, these are crucial clues, and ¡®he¡¯ needs these clues.¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± stood silently next to the shroud, suddenly becoming very quiet. He seemed to be struggling intensely with his thoughts and hesitated for a long time before slowly nodding his head.


    ¡°Alright, take me there, ¡®he¡¯ has been waiting for a long time.¡±


    Lawrence immediately exhaled softly and then stepped back half a step to the side, and at almost the same time, a phantom green flame appeared where he had just stood¨C


    The flame soared into the air, in the blink of an eye adopting the substance of flowing water from its nearly transparent, spectral form. The captain¡¯s power crossed distant spans, using Lawrence as a beacon to project into the room. Subsequently, the center of the fire began to swirl inward, then undulate and expand, a terrifying skeletal giant bird burst forth from the fiery vortex!


    The ¡°sailor¡± took a half step back at the sight of the turning flames and the skeletal giant bird circling near the ceiling, then turned his head to look at Lawrence: ¡°Is this thing really okay?¡±


    ¡°This is when you start having doubts?¡± Lawrence immediately glared, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t want to go now¨C if ¡®he¡¯ has to come from the other side to drag you, it won¡¯t be this nice!¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± immediately shrank his neck, looking conflicted as he stepped toward the fiery gateway, but stopped halfway: ¡°Does this thing hurt?¡±


    Lawrence wordlessly walked over, standing behind the ¡°sailor.¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± shuddered all over as if all the goosebumps that had rotted away over two centuries had come back to life: ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯ll go in, I¡¯ll go in myself¡­¡±


    While speaking, he stepped towards the revolving flames, then hesitated, closing his eyes and stretching out a hand to touch the fiery vortex, quickly retracting it: ¡°Ah fuck, it¡¯s kind of hot¡­ Captain, maybe we should think of something else¡­¡±


    Lawrence kicked him: ¡°You talk too much!¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡¯s¡± brief cry of alarm was swallowed up by the roaring flames.


    ¡°Fuel up, let¡¯s go!¡± The skeletal giant bird circling near the ceiling screeched and then followed through the flaming gateway¨Cbut a second later, it emerged from the gate again, grabbed the shroud that was placed to the side with its talons, and dove back through the portal.


    Lawrence sighed softly.


    But just as he was about to walk away, the roaring, expanding gateway of flames suddenly crackled open again, and Ai Yi who had just left came back through.


    The skeletal giant bird approached Lawrence, who stood staring in disbelief as it flapped its wings, emitting a hoarse, unpleasant voice: ¡°Order some fries, order some fries, order some fries¡­¡±


    Lawrence almost stumbled back in shock from the ¡°messenger,¡± managing to step back two paces to stabilize himself before realizing he had forgotten the important ¡°sacrifice¡± and ¡°medium¡± required to summon the messenger, and broke out in a cold sweat: ¡°I¡­ wasn¡¯t prepared¡­¡±


    The skeletal giant bird cocked its head, staring with flame-covered hollow eye sockets at Lawrence, who tensed as the bird kept its gaze fixed on him. In that brief few seconds, Lawrence¡¯s mind was a carousel of the many classic cases related to summoning and sacrifice that circulated among the captains of the Endless Sea¨C


    A Wizard accidently offered the wrong sacrifice while attempting to summon a Spirit World Shadow and was slapped to death against the wall by its powerful backlash; Heretics who used insufficient sacrifices in their bid to summon demons were slapped to death against the wall by the furious demons; Saints of the Truth who inadvertently triggered a curse to summon evil spirits while studying ancient artifacts had to put down the out-of-control spirits against the wall because they hadn¡¯t prepared any sacrifices¡­


    Lawrence wasn¡¯t sure about the temperament of the captain¡¯s peculiar messenger named ¡°Ai Yi,¡± but he quickly guessed that he would probably have a hard time slapping this bird to death against the wall.


    So he nervously swallowed, beginning to regret his careless move¨Calthough, in theory, everyone was a follower of Captain Duncan, who knew whether this inhuman-looking ¡°messenger¡± would even have a concept of ¡°colleagues¡±¡­


    Then he saw the skeleton giant bird in front of him suddenly retract its head, turn around, fly into that flame door, and complain as it flew, ¡°What a lousy shift, no overtime pay, what a lousy shift, no overtime pay¡­¡±


    And then the terrifying messenger disappeared into the room along with the door.


    Lawrence: ¡°¡­?¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan looked at Exception 077, who was almost thrown out of the portal by Ai Yi, then turned to glance at the pigeon spirit that seemed still puffed up with anger, pacing around on the coffee table, and felt a bit puzzled: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this pigeon now?¡±


    Alice scratched her head: ¡°Dunno, it seems to be in a bad mood¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ Never mind, get it something to eat, it should cheer up again.¡±


    With an offhand wave, Duncan casually gave the order, then refocused his attention on Exception 077, who was holding his waist and shakily standing up.


    ¡°Long time no see, ¡®Sailor¡¯.¡±


    The exception known as ¡®Sailor,¡¯ who was sluggishly getting up, seemingly trying to avoid eye contact with anyone else in the living room, visibly shuddered when he heard the captain addressing him. It looked like he couldn¡¯t avoid it any longer and finally stood up straight, warily looking around in the midst of his nervousness.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Long time no see, Captain, long time no see, everyone, long time no see¡­¡±


    He circled around, greeting everyone in the living room, just like he used to do in front of Captain Duncan, but suddenly he stopped.


    Helena was standing not far away.


    The Female Pope, who presided over the Deep Sea Church, quietly watched this mummified figure, her expression turning to a frown as she tried hard to recall the appearance of the Sea Song¡¯s first mate who she had personally met not so long ago. However, no matter how she tried, she seemed unable to connect the loyal and determined first mate with the hunched over, frightening-faced ¡°Exception 077¡± in front of her.


    After observing for a while, Helena broke the silence: ¡°I can¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been more than two hundred years since we last met¨Cor perhaps even longer,¡± the mummy cracked a smile, uttering a hoarse and unpleasant sound. He took a couple of steps towards Helena, seemingly in an attempt to bow, but just raised his hand and then dropped it, ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t remember that gesture.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the first mate of the Sea Song?¡± Helena asked¨Cthough the question seemed unnecessary.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how I remember it,¡± said the ¡®Sailor¡¯, pointing to his head, ¡°But those messy impressions buzz around here, I can¡¯t remember many details. I only remember that before we set sail, Captain Karan and I received your personal blessing on the Ark, you anointed our wrists with ointment¡­ The sun hadn¡¯t completely set yet.¡±


    Helena hesitated for a few seconds: ¡°¡­ Yes, that was not long ago.¡±


    ¡°To me, it¡¯s been a very long time,¡± muttered the ¡®Sailor¡¯, glancing back at Duncan, ¡°I¡¯ve told you all I know, the parts I haven¡¯t mentioned, Captain Lawrence must have reported to you, right?¡±


    Duncan nodded, walked over to the low table, and reached for the dirty, tattered ¡°cloth¡±¨Cseemingly unfazed by its repulsive texture: ¡°Is this the ¡®shroud¡¯ Lawrence mentioned?¡±


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    Several gazes in the living room focused on the cloth in Duncan¡¯s hands, Helena couldn¡¯t help but step forward, the ¡®Sailor¡¯ nodded: ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it¡­ Captain Karan¡¯s handwriting is still on it, although I don¡¯t know why it turned out like this, but it should be the ship¡¯s log of the Sea Song¡­ Before Captain Karan dissipated, she left it to me, one of the few things I remember very clearly.¡±


    Duncan examined the ¡°writing¡± on the tattered piece of cloth, slowly frowning: ¡°¡­ It¡¯s completely illegible now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m afraid it had already become like this by the time I got back to the Endless Sea,¡± the ¡®Sailor¡¯ shook his head, ¡°That boundary¡­ It prevents us from bringing secrets from beyond the world back home.¡±


    Duncan listened silently, pondering quietly, and everyone in the living room unconsciously quieted down, with only the ticking of the clock echoing in the stillness.


    After a long while, Duncan suddenly raised his head: ¡°Do you mind if I run some ¡®extreme¡¯ tests on it?¡±

 Chapter 764 - Chapter 764 Chapter 761 Captain Karans Log

    Chapter 764: Chapter 761 Captain Karan¡¯s Log Chapter 764: Chapter 761 Captain Karan¡¯s Log Duncan had barely spoken when the ¡°sailor¡± immediately knew what the captain intended to do¨Cfor ever since being ¡°awakened¡± by Lawrence on the White Oak, his greatest nightmare had been this very moment: being set ablaze at the whim of Captain Duncan¡­


    Now, that nightmare had come true¨Che was indeed struck by a massive fireball conjured by the messenger named ¡°Ai Yi.¡±


    For this reason, after experiencing the horror of being surrounded by Spectral Flames, as if his soul could be evaporated at any moment, the mummy was visibly anxious, ¡°¡­Won¡¯t this just burn the mummy wrapping clean off?¡±


    ¡°Theoretically, no,¡± Duncan said confidently, ¡°I can precisely control my flames and use them to understand the ¡®truth¡¯ hidden beneath the surface of various Transcendent items. I¡¯ve used this method to inspect and explore many things in the past; the process is quite safe¡­¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than the sailor, who hadn¡¯t yet relaxed, heard Sherry mutter from the side, ¡°Who says that? The black leather book you got from the Zealots of Obliteration at Frost just burned up after one look from you¡­¡±


    Nina quickly added, ¡°And there was that gold mask we got from the Sun Cultists in Prand, that burned too¡­¡±


    ¡°Silantis also burned¡­¡± Lucresia murmured faintly, ¡°That was recent.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression visibly stiffened, creating a subtle shift in the atmosphere, but Alice, who was feeding pigeons nearby, suddenly had a realization and raised her hand to help out the captain, ¡°My wooden chest didn¡¯t burn though!¡±


    After a pause, she added with a serious face, ¡°Though after being ¡®seen¡¯ by the captain, it became a part of Homeloss¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­You could have omitted that last part,¡± Duncan barely managed to keep a straight face as he squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth to Alice, then refocused his gaze on the ¡°sailor,¡± forcing a serene expression, ¡°¡­In any case, it¡¯s perfectly safe.¡±


    The sailor looked at the imposing captain, then at the group of followers by his side, including two expressionless popes, and after a long struggle, finally nodded at Duncan, ¡°I believe.¡±


    Duncan let out a light sigh, stepped forward, and patted the mummy on its shoulder, face sincere and earnest,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¨Cit might be the only remnant of the Sea Song, I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    The sailor nodded blankly upon hearing this, while Duncan turned away, his expression serious as he approached a low table, ceremoniously placing the mummy wrapping on it.


    Helena and Frem¡¯s gazes involuntarily followed Duncan¡¯s movements and after much hesitation, Frem couldn¡¯t help but speak up,


    ¡°This is the only piece of ¡®intelligence¡¯ from beyond the border that has ever been returned, if there¡¯s any sign of damage, I hope you can stop in time.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Duncan nodded gravely, and amidst many watchful eyes, he slowly placed his hand over the mummy wrapping.


    ¡°¡­Let me talk to you,¡± he murmured to himself.


    A stream-like spectral flame ignited from his fingertips and silently fell¨Cthe Spiritual Fire flowed like water, infiltrating the dirty, tattered wrapping, slowly spreading and meandering through every groove and fold.


    Duncan gently closed his eyes, meticulously manipulating the flames penetrating the wrapping, feeling every bit of information the flames relayed to him, trying to establish communication with a vacant, distant, and fragmented existence¨Che had done this many times before, and so the process was familiar.


    An vast chaos appeared in his perception, initially there was nothing in the depths of this confusion.


    But suddenly, as if a segment of time that had disappeared suddenly emerged in the river of years, he ¡°saw¡± a faint light appear in the depth of the chaos.


    Duncan¡¯s heart stirred, and he immediately moved towards the light¨Cbefore he even reached it, a faint and unclear voice was already audible:


    ¡°I am Karan, captain of the Sea Song, this is the record I left on my way back¡­


    ¡°We found ¡®It¡¯¨Cabout half a century after crossing the critical line of Six Nautical Miles¡­¡±


    Duncan abruptly ¡°opened¡± his eyes, and in his ¡°vision,¡± the light standing in the mist suddenly took on a blurry shape¨Cit was vaguely a woman in a Deep Sea Church naval uniform, standing tall yet with indistinct features.


    She stood quietly in the mist, speaking as if to herself, seemingly unaware of Duncan¡¯s ¡°presence.¡±


    ¡°¡­The time beyond the border¡­ is discontinuous, I only realized this after many years of being lost, the critical line of Six Nautical Miles is not just a physical ¡®border,¡¯ but also a boundary of order for our world¡­


    ¡°Detached from the normal timeline in the mists, we encountered many bizarre and bewildering illusions, and in the densest part of the mist, I saw the edges of the world gradually crumbling¡­


    ¡°¡­Here, we saw past explorers who had become lost at the border, they had completely lost their substance and selves, aimlessly wandering in the disjointed and chaotic flow of time, vanishing and reappearing like the mist; Sea Song and several of these illusions crossed paths, and during this process, I realized we were becoming just like them¡­¡±


    ¡°My crew gradually lost themselves, almost half a century into our aimless journey, nearly everyone on board had become a walking corpse¨Cthis I only recalled afterward, and at that time, my condition was hardly better than that of my crew¡­


    ¡°¡­Only the first mate had always stood by his post¡­ I do not know how long he persisted¡­


    ¡°Later, we heard the call of the waves again in a suddenly-emerged physical sea area, which ¡®pulled¡¯ the Sea Song toward a cluster of islands¨CI suddenly woke up then, astonished that such a vast physical entity could appear beyond the border, and only then did I realize that those ¡®islands¡¯ were actually our master¡¯s resting place.


    ¡°He was there¨Cthe lord of the Storm, the will of the deep sea, the goddess Gomona¡­


    ¡°The words I am recording might shock the world, but they are indeed what I witnessed¨C


    ¡°The kingdom of gods is not located ¡®above¡¯ in the concept of dimensions, nor is it in the ¡®foundation¡¯ of the world; the kingdom of gods does not exist, the gods have always been around us¡­ around the world, outside the border¡¯s mist, they are here, encircling the entire world.


    ¡°They¡­ and their offspring, are part of the ¡®outer barrier.''¡±


    Karan¡¯s phantom paused, as if encountering a gap in memory, and Duncan approached the captain¡¯s phantom, eye-to-eye with those unfocused eyes.


    ¡°The gods encircle the world, and are part of the outer barrier?¡± he suddenly asked, ¡°What lies beyond that barrier? What is further out? Did you see it?¡±


    But the phantom did not respond; she was merely a simple illusion¨Cafter standing silently for a moment, she began speaking on her own, still reciting from Captain Karan¡¯s logbook:


    ¡°¡­Many of us stayed there.


    ¡°The Storm Goddess sleeps at the center of those ancient islands¡­ Those ¡®islands¡¯ are actually the bodies of Leviathans, surrounding the sea, collectively cradling her¡­ The largest island holds a temple shaped like layered obelisks, made of countless dark green or jet-black boulders, with some mysterious, twisted symbols that resemble script, which I cannot decipher¡­


    ¡°I cannot describe that¡­ existence sleeping at the center of the temple, I cannot describe our gods; they are entirely different from the goddesses I knew, I¡­ saw their bodies, and for an instant, I felt as though my mind had been torn apart and reshaped countless times, but a gentle voice awakened me and my crew¡­ That voice made us a part of ¡®Him,¡¯ preventing us from disintegrating into the fog as monsters¡­


    ¡°Then, He apologized to us.


    ¡°He said He could no longer control Himself¨CHe said He was already dead, but He was still trying to delay this dying process, and now, He needed us to complete a task.


    ¡°He instructed me to chart a route, a route from the Endless Sea to the outer barrier¨Conly the correct route could lead the Voyagers to ¡®Them¡¯ within the mist between the Six Nautical Miles border and the outer barrier¡­


    ¡°For this, someone had to return.¡±


    Captain Karan¡¯s phantom slowly bowed her head, softly continuing.


    ¡°Most people were already tired, they chose to find eternal rest in the lord¡¯s harbor¡­ I do not blame them, for this is one of the traits of ¡®humanity.¡¯


    ¡°Eventually, only I and my first mate embarked on the journey back¨Cthe Sea Song was already consumed by those islands, but the goddess reshaped its pre-consumed illusion from the mist, and my first mate and I boarded that illusion, following the direction He pointed us on the way back home¡­


    ¡°Now, we are nearly home.


    ¡°I can feel myself gradually fading away, and so is the Sea Song¡­ My ship and I are illusions shaped by the goddess in the mist, and the real world does not allow such illusions to exist for long¡­ This feeling of fading is a sign of nearing home.


    ¡°But the first mate is different from me¨Che is not an illusion awoken from the mist, he has been awake from the day we set sail until now, he still exists in this world, faithfully carrying out commands.


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    ¡°So, the navigation is left to him¡­ He will find the way home, and he will find the way back to those islands¡­ no matter how long it takes.


    ¡°I am Karan, captain of the Sea Song, and I hereby entrust the Sea Song entirely to my loyal first mate, in this, my final logbook as captain¡­


    ¡°May you bear witness.¡±


    In the endless, dense fog of chaos, that faintly glowing figure returned to stand silently.


    And then the fog dissipated, and Duncan opened his eyes¨Che was still in the living room.

 Chapter 765 - Chapter 765 Chapter 762 Temporary Resident Sailors

    Chapter 765: Chapter 762: Temporary Resident Sailors Chapter 765: Chapter 762: Temporary Resident Sailors When Duncan opened his eyes, everyone instantly gathered around.


    The translucent ghostly green fire was still burning quietly in the folds of the shroud. Duncan blinked and extinguished the flame before it could fully consume the shroud. Then, after taking a moment to collect himself, he started to piece together the information he had just seen while turning his gaze toward the ¡°sailor.¡±


    That mummified corpse stood a bit farther away, simultaneously keeping its distance and yet, unable to help itself, craning its neck to peek over here, looking hesitant and uncertain.


    ¡°Aunt Duncan, what did you see?¡± Nina came over and tugged at Duncan¡¯s arm, looking up at him with a face full of concern and curiosity.


    ¡°¡­Captain Karan¡¯s memories,¡± Duncan breathed out, not keeping everyone in suspense, ¡°This contains the experiences of the Sea Song after it got lost and the process of returning home¡­¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± instantly perked up its ears, unconsciously taking small steps closer.


    Duncan didn¡¯t hide any details, recounting everything he had seen in the vision.


    After he finished speaking, as expected, all eyes instantly fell on the ¡°sailor,¡± who had by now shuffled close to the coffee table.


    Entity 077, who had been all ears just a second ago, suddenly heard about Captain Karan entrusting the route to the external barrier to itself. Its expression froze, and when it realized everyone was looking, it quickly took half a step back, eyes wide with hands waving in denial, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look at me! I don¡¯t know anything about the route, what route¡­ I¡¯m clueless about this!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Helena questioned, eyebrows furrowed, looking very skeptical, ¡°Captain Karan said he gave the route to you¡­ you don¡¯t have any recollection of it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± The mummy spread its hands, looking even more bewildered than when Ai Yi had dragged it out of the transition portal, ¡°All I remember is the diary, it¡¯s all vague¡­ You know, I don¡¯t even clearly remember my own voyage back!¡±


    The tall, silent Frem had been staring at him for a long time when he suddenly asked, ¡°Then what else do you remember? After you returned to the Endless Sea, don¡¯t you have any other more vivid memories?¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± thought hard for a moment, then slapped its palm, ¡°Yes, I just remember waking up and finding myself lying in a box, with two people in blue and black robes muttering beside me while sprinkling bone ash and spices on me. And there was a Senkin person like you about to nail the coffin lid on my head. I wouldn¡¯t let him, so he gave me a hammering¨Cnext thing I know it¡¯s damn 1864.¡±


    Frem: ¡°¡­¡±


    The living room went quiet for two seconds as the atmosphere turned somewhat awkward. Alice, seemingly oblivious to this, curiously asked as others fell silent, ¡°Ah, then what?¡±


    ¡°Then? I had just sat up when I heard someone scream nearby. I couldn¡¯t make out what they were yelling, but then I saw a girl rush over and hit me with a hammer¨Cnext thing I open my eyes, it¡¯s 1901, and Captain Lawrence, along with a crew of sailors exuding fire, was about to press me onto the steering console¡­ I couldn¡¯t resist¡­ And you all know what happened afterward¡­¡±


    The people in the living room exchanged glances. Helena coughed awkwardly, Duncan spread his hands in resignation, and everyone began to diligently shift their attention away from this topic¡­


    But it was the scatterbrained Alice who kept murmuring to the ¡°sailor,¡± ¡°Hey, how did you know it was 1864? Weren¡¯t you stunned as soon as you woke up?¡±


    ¡°I later asked Captain Lawrence about it, and he told me that historically, the only time I completely lost control was then¡­ Apart from that, I did wake up several times, but I don¡¯t recall those¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you, I used to sleep in a box too, with people muttering beside it, doing all sorts of things like sprinkling stuff and nailing nails¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? How was your sleep quality?¡±


    ¡°Not bad, their chanting wasn¡¯t too loud¨Cbut now I don¡¯t spend half my time sleeping in a box, the captain gave me a bed¡­¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± sincerely exclaimed, ¡°I envy you being able to sleep like that¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the two entities began to discuss a very bizarre topic as if no one else was there. Duncan, hearing half of it, couldn¡¯t help but interject with a couple of coughs, interrupting their conversation: ¡°Ahem, now is not the time for this.¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± instantly shut its mouth.


    ¡°First of all, I believe you when you say you¡¯ve forgotten about the ¡®route,''¡± Duncan said, adjusting his expression and speaking seriously to entity 077, ¡°But what¡¯s recorded in Captain Karan¡¯s diary is certainly true, the ¡®route¡¯ is on you.¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± opened its mouth, pointing to itself, ¡°What am I supposed to do if I don¡¯t remember¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not finished,¡± Duncan gestured with his hand, ¡°Whether or not you remember might not matter¨Cbecause this important route might never have been ¡®remembered¡¯ in your mind in the simple sense to begin with. Captain Karan mentioned in his diary that she ¡®gave the route to you¡¯; that phrase caught my attention¡­ She seemed to have treated the route as some kind of ¡®item¡¯, or¡­ some other kind of ¡®entity¡¯. Perhaps at the time of leaving that diary, she was already aware that such a day would come.¡±


    Duncan paused here, took a moment to think, and then looked back at the ¡°shroud.¡±


    ¡°Just as her diary crossed the border in this form, she might have also used another method to leave the information regarding the ¡®route¡¯ with you. Even if the border distorted the information, interfering with your memory and even your self-recognition, the ¡®route¡¯ would not disappear¨Cit¡¯s still on you, in some form we don¡¯t yet understand.¡±


    The ¡°sailor¡± listened intently, seemingly becoming convinced, but then it suddenly expressed some doubt, ¡°¡­Could Captain Karan really do something like that? I thought her diary turned out this way because of some kind of ¡®accident¡¯¡­ After all, she was just a mortal¡­¡±


    ¡°But she once faced our lord directly,¡± Helena suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Any mortal who has faced a god¡­ can hardly be viewed as a mere ¡®mortal¡¯ anymore.¡±


    ¡°The Sailor¡± fell silent.


    ¡°We need some time to ponder over the next steps, including verifying whether the ¡®route¡¯ information really exists on you,¡± Duncan looked into the unusual 077 eyes with an exceptionally serious expression, ¡°But no matter what, you will have to stay with us for a while¨Cyou have to be ready to sail with the Homeloss when necessary.¡±


    Hearing this, ¡°The Sailor¡± visibly shuddered: ¡°Ah? I thought I could just deliver the information and that would be it¡­¡±


    Duncan silently stared at him.


    ¡°The Sailor¡± instantly straightened up: ¡°Of course, as you know, I¡¯ve been a loyal member of the Exiled Fleet from the beginning, and boarding that legendary adventure ship has been my lifelong wish¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression relaxed, and he nodded with a smile. The others also showed smiles toward ¡°The Sailor,¡± and Sherry even stepped forward to pat his skinny arm: ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, the captain is actually really nice! And it¡¯s not boring on the ship, with all sorts of excitement every day¡­¡±


    She was too embarrassed to say that she was one of the biggest sources of such ¡°excitement¡± on the ship¡­


    Everyone was merry, only Helena looked on with a complex expression.


    She couldn¡¯t help but recall the recent departure of the Sea Song, the warriors who came aboard the Ark for her blessings, their proactive, resolute, and deeply faithful faces.


    She still found it hard to believe that these warriors had vanished into the long expanse of time¨Ceven the sole one who returned to this world had ended up in such a state.


    ¡°We should leave now,¡± the Female Pope sighed softly, ¡°We have already imposed here long enough¨Cthere are many matters waiting for me and Frem at the church.¡±


    Duncan looked up at the mechanical clock on the opposite wall of the living room and realized the day was over.


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t see you out,¡± he said offhand, ¡°I have some arrangements to make, too.¡±


    Helena nodded, and after bidding farewell to the others, she and Frem turned toward the door¨Cbut just as they were about to depart, she suddenly stopped and looked back at Duncan.


    After a brief hesitation, she said, ¡°The Deep Sea Church¡¯s border meeting point is located at the southeast border, near the waters where you last met up with ¡®Tide.''¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Duncan nodded lightly, ¡°I¡¯ll contact you before we set out.¡±


    The two popes departed, and moments later, two carriages vanished into the vast night outside the window.


    The living room returned to silence for a short while before Sherry stretched herself: ¡°Yawn¡­ I¡¯m sleepy. I¡¯m going off to sleep!¡±


    Fenna and Morris also left the living room.


    ¡°There are plenty of empty rooms here,¡± Lucracia, as the hostess, began to arrange accommodation for the ¡®new member¡¯. She glanced at the mummy, ¡°Do you have any preferences for the room? Floor level or ventilation aspects.¡±


    ¡°No need, no need,¡± the mummy immediately shook his hands nervously, ¡°Just any place to stay is fine. I don¡¯t sleep anyway¡­¡±


    His gaze suddenly fell on the staircase railing not far away.


    ¡°Hey, the railing is quite good. Just give me a rope; I¡¯ll hang right there. It faces the front to catch the sunlight. It would be nice to bask in the sun in the morning¡­ Oh, though there hasn¡¯t been much sun lately¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Duncan raised an eyebrow, ¡°I should remind you, Nina gets up earliest every day, and she can be pretty groggy in the mornings. If she comes down the stairs and looks up to find you hanging from the railing, it¡¯s going to be more than a little scare¨Cyou¡¯ll really be ¡®seeing the sun.''¡±


    ¡°You have to stay in a room!¡± Lucracia heard the conversation and immediately became anxious, quickly speaking to the mummy, ¡°Don¡¯t actually scare Nina¨Cotherwise, I¡¯ll have no house left.¡±


    Nina murmured defensively from behind Duncan, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve got it pretty much under control now¡­¡±


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    ¡°The Sailor¡± blinked, listening to Captain Duncan and the witch miss¡¯s conversation and looking at the ¡°Sun Shard¡± beside him mumbling with a wronged expression. Suddenly, he felt¡­ the atmosphere here was different from what he had imagined.


    Not bad at all.


    He tugged at the corner of his mouth to reveal a somewhat frightening smile.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll follow your arrangements.¡±


    (Happy New Year, everyone!)

 Chapter 766 - Chapter 766 Chapter 763 Before Setting Sail

    Chapter 766: Chapter 763: Before Setting Sail Chapter 766: Chapter 763: Before Setting Sail The sailor became a special new resident of the ¡°Witch Mansion¡± ¡ª but his addition seemed to have no effect on the daily operations of the mansion.


    Most of the time, the mummy remained as well-behaved as a real corpse in one spot. He did not need to eat, he did not need to sleep, and if nobody spoke to him, he could go two or three days without saying a word. He always stayed in his quiet corner as if deep in thought, finding a spot to stare blankly all day without moving.


    This made the other residents almost forget that they had a new ¡°guest.¡±


    Only when Luny was cleaning would she make a few exchanges with the mummy¨Cmostly brief comments like,


    ¡°Ah, could you move over a bit?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Alright, move back now.¡± ¡°Oh.¡±


    Days passed like this, and on the third day, the mistress of the house finally could not bear it anymore¨CLucracia found the sailor in the basement storeroom pretending to be a corpse among the piled-up miscellanea: ¡°I heard from my father that you were not like this on the White Oak. You were bustling about every day. How come you¡¯re so quiet here?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to be a bit quieter?¡± the sailor asked, rising from a pile of clutter and staring into the witch¡¯s eyes in the darkness, ¡°As far as I know, you prefer peace.¡±


    Lucracia paused briefly, ¡°It¡¯s not¨Cbad, actually. No, what I meant to say¨C¡±


    But she was interrupted before she could finish.


    ¡°I¡¯m building up energy for the voyage,¡± the sailor suddenly said, his eyes suddenly serious, ¡°We are about to embark on a historic voyage, ma¡¯am. Although the captain hasn¡¯t mentioned it, you probably know his plans¨Cso in the coming days, I need to adjust my condition. The captain told me to rest these past few days, and to recall as much as I can about the ¡®Sea Song.¡¯ I¡¯ve been doing just that.¡±


    ¡°A voyage¡­¡± Lucracia¡¯s expression subtly shifted but quickly returned to normal, ¡°What have you recalled so far?¡±


    ¡°Captain Karan is a good man, the mess hall on the Sea Song is terrible, and the second shift crew is always noisy. Beyond that, it¡¯s the fog, the endless fog,¡± the sailor stretched lazily, his dried and twisted joints making a series of terrifying sounds as if they were about to snap, then flopped backward, lying down in the pile of junk again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but I haven¡¯t recalled anything about the ¡®course,¡¯ although the captain seems to have faith in me¡­¡±


    Few dared to exhibit such lazy and careless behavior in front of the ¡°Ocean Witch¡±¨CLucracia¡¯s eyebrows involuntarily twitched, but she quickly resumed her usual expressionless demeanor, ¡°Father always has his ways.¡±


    The sailor laid there in the pile, smacking his lips nonchalantly, then abruptly changed the subject, ¡°What about you? Is your Brilliant Starship ready to set sail?¡±


    Lucracia didn¡¯t respond, just furrowed her brow.


    ¡°You still harbor resistance, I can sense your hesitance,¡± the sailor said calmly, ¡°I probably know what you are against¡­ but please be ready. It might be the grandest voyage in history, potentially the last, and this time, you can choose to start this journey with your father¡­¡±


    A calm yet immense pressure from her gaze made the mummy shut his mouth.


    ¡°Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much.¡±


    After a moment of thought: ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve been around for three days, and it was only today I spoke¨C alright, I¡¯ll stop.¡±


    Lucracia quietly watched the mummy for a while, finally averting her gaze and heading towards the door, ¡°The Brilliant Starship is always ready for a voyage.¡±


    But she had only taken half a step when she was stopped by the sailor, ¡°Wait, there¡¯s one more thing¡­¡±


    Lucracia stopped, turning with a puzzled look, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Help me adjust my spine and shoulders¡­¡± the sailor continued in his arrogant lying pose in the pile of junk, unable to move, ¡°I overstretched during that lazy stretch, and my joints popped out¡­¡±


    Lucracia¡¯s face showed a subtle change as she silently stared at the mummy for a couple of seconds, then without hesitation, she turned and walked away, ¡°Just lie there.¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan paused his writing, looking up towards the side¨Coutside the window the night was still young, and the bright electric light illuminated the study. Alice sat quietly in the armchair by the window, the light falling on her shoulders, her eyes half-closed as if sinking into slumber.


    But upon sensing the gaze from the direction of the desk, the puppet immediately opened her eyes and looked at Duncan with a happy smile, ¡°Captain! Have you finished writing?¡±


    As she spoke, she got up from the armchair and walked over to Duncan.


    ¡°I¡¯ve finished,¡± Duncan casually remarked, leaving his journal open on the desk¨Cbecause he knew nobody in the world could understand what he had written, ¡°If you¡¯re tired, go back to your room and rest. You don¡¯t need to keep me company.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired, not tired!¡± Alice immediately waved her hand, then her eyes, out of curiosity, fell on the captain¡¯s journal, ¡°Is this your journal? Ah¡­ I can¡¯t understand a single word¡­¡±


    Duncan laughed and shook his head, not explaining further, but casually asked, ¡°Would you like to try writing a journal?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Alice was momentarily startled but quickly shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to write about, and it might need a lot of words¡­¡±


    Duncan laughed, ¡°Just write about things you find meaningful or interesting. You don¡¯t need a lot of words for a journal; the vocabulary you have now should be enough¨Cif you really can¡¯t, you can draw.¡±


    The puppet listened silently, her eyes slowly lighting up.


    ¡°I can draw!¡± she said happily.


    Despite what she claimed about being able to ¡°draw,¡± her best achievement was merely making people distinguish whether the drawing was of a man, a woman, a person, or a dog¨C yet ever since Duncan taught her the most basic drawing skills, she had been proudly considering herself as someone who could ¡°draw.¡±


    Duncan just smiled and then reached into the desk to pull out a new diary and slipped a pencil into it before handing it to the doll in front of him.


    ¡°Here, I brought this from the ship,¡± he said, ¡°You can record things you want to remember in it.¡±


    Alice gladly accepted the ¡°new gift¡± from the captain, flipping through the blank pages of the diary and then immediately lying down next to the desk as if about to write something, but shortly after picking up the pencil, she thought of a new question and looked up at Duncan, ¡°Why did you suddenly want me to write in a diary?¡±


    Duncan paused, surprised by the doll¡¯s sudden question. After a short ponder, he nodded, ¡°We are going to set off soon, heading to a distant place. We might encounter various things during the journey¡­ Memories are fleeting, and if you don¡¯t want to miss the scenery along the way, it¡¯s necessary to record them securely.¡±


    Alice listened somewhat puzzlingly to the captain¡¯s words, unclear about what the doll was thinking at that moment. A few seconds later, she responded with an ¡°Oh¡± and nodded. Then she bowed her head and earnestly wrote a few words on the diary¡¯s title page¨C¡°Alice¡¯s Diary.¡±


    ¡°Done!¡± she happily showed the name she had just written to the captain.


    The letters were crooked, but indeed, it was her best writing ever since learning to read and write from Duncan.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Duncan smiled and nodded but then could not help but remind her, ¡°However, a diary is something you shouldn¡¯t show to just anyone. You need to keep it safe¡­¡±


    Alice tilted her head, pointing to Duncan¡¯s diary on the desk, ¡°But you showed me yours.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression stiffened, ¡°¡­ That¡¯s because I know you can¡¯t understand the words written in it.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Oh,¡± Alice scratched her head, then looked somewhat troubledly at her own diary, ¡°Can¡¯t I show it to you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan said earnestly, but he noticed the doll¡¯s expression of confusion and helplessness and added after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°But if there¡¯s something you really want to share with me, you can do so¨Caside from that, I won¡¯t look. It¡¯s your secret.¡±


    The doll then was happy again, ¡°Okay!¡±


    Duncan felt somewhat helpless, but nonetheless, this little distraction had put him in a much better mood.


    Alice hadn¡¯t thought too much, but she could feel the captain¡¯s improving mood, which made her happy. She watched as Duncan put away the diary on the desk, and asked casually, ¡°Captain, are we heading to the border next?¡±


    Duncan looked at the doll in surprise.


    ¡°It was Miss Fenna who told me,¡± Alice immediately said, ¡°She also said we would be leaving in two days¨Cwe need to bring enough food and water on the ship since the place we are going to might be very special¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded gently, ¡°Indeed, it will be special¡­ a place where even I don¡¯t know exactly what it looks like or what might happen.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Further than the last ¡®Holy Land Island¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Even further.¡±


    ¡°Oh¨C¡±


    Alice elongated her voice, seemingly striving to imagine what a place further than Holy Land Island would look like, but she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡± Duncan curiously watched the doll, seeing no sign of unease in her clear eyes.


    Alice steadied her head and vigorously shook it.


    Duncan thought for a moment, then deliberately made the situation sound more serious, ¡°We might get lost beyond the border, encounter a time rift; even with ample preparation, we might be unable to return home for a very long time¡­ or perhaps, never be able to return.¡±


    Alice still shook her head, then suddenly burst out smiling¨C


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll bring you back.¡±


    ¡°You? Bring me back?¡±


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    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Duncan laughed in astonishment and helplessness, ¡°How will you bring me back?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Alice answered without hesitation.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He looked somewhat helplessly at the doll that seemed always to be in a muddle, staring at her particularly confident smile even though her head was full of mush.


    But suddenly, it seemed he thought of something, and when he looked at Alice again, his helpless expression carried a hint of pensiveness¡­

 Chapter 767 - Chapter 767 764 chapter Sailing into the Night

    Chapter 767: 764 chapter Sailing into the Night Chapter 767: 764 chapter Sailing into the Night The night continued on the twenty-second day after the sun had set. Messages from afar began to report many disturbing situations.


    In the distant Cold Harbor, a massive shadow briefly appeared above the sea¨Cit towered like a sea cliff, resembling a weightless fog. Silently, the shadow drifted from the nearby sea region into the sky, closing in like a curtain beside the City-State. Almost no one saw the shadow appear until a night watch priest suddenly felt a gaze from the sky during a hallucination, and all the churches rang their bells simultaneously, startling the shadow back into the night.


    In the warm Moco, the entire Lower City District was once soaked in a strange mist tinged with crimson and rot. Several blocks¡¯ lighting failed almost simultaneously, and the crimson, rotten mist even briefly seeped into the churches and the night Shelter. When the Truth Confidant of the City-State finally dispersed the fog that had risen from the night, the fog-covered district reported several disappearances¨Cincluding two technicians checking the steam hubs.


    The Palman Islands reported that a fleet suddenly appeared nearby and approached the City-State in the night¨CThe City-State issued a no-landing order and directed the fleet to temporarily dock at a nearby gathering point. However, the fleet seemed unaware of the ¡°prolonged night,¡± as they bewilderedly inquired about the night and insisted it was a ¡°normal day¡± with ¡°warm and bright sunlight shining on the deck,¡± even questioning if the City-State¡¯s people were insane.


    As the eerie fleet ignored orders and insisted on approaching the City-State, the local City-State navy had to fire upon all the unidentified ships emerging from the night¨Cthe radio filled with screams of terror, desperate curses, and calls until the burning wreckage spread across the sea.


    No one knew what the City-State navy had destroyed in the night, nor did they know what kind of ¡°sunlight¡± the fleet that approached from the night was bathed in.


    It was now the twenty-second day of the night, and the worldly order was still barely maintained, as the shaky ¡°peace¡± gradually succumbed in this prolonged night.


    In the Lower City District of Prand, a gas lamp outside Duncan¡¯s antique shop emitted a dim yellow light. The lamp posts, lined up like sentinels on the deserted streets, flickered with subtle, hard-to-detect ghostly green flames.


    Duncan sat in a chair next to the display window, wiping a brass ornament while casually flipping through an old book.


    It was one of Morice¡¯s collections, a magnum opus left by the famous ¡°mad poet¡± Puman.


    On the opened page, inscribed in beautiful script¨C


    ¡°We shall have a long voyage¡­¡±


    Duncan wasn¡¯t particularly interested in the world¡¯s poetry, but in times when the entire City-State fell silent, it somewhat helped pass the time.


    It had been a long time since there had been any customers¨Cevery item in the antique shop had doubled in ¡°history,¡± and foreseeably, this situation would continue for a while.


    But just then, the sound of the door being pushed open interrupted Duncan¡¯s daydream¨Cthe bell rang crisply, and he looked up towards the shop entrance to see a man and a woman emerge from the night, carrying a hint of restraint and tension.


    ¡°¡­Quite rare,¡± Duncan glanced casually at the two, confirming they were just ordinary humans, and couldn¡¯t help but be a bit surprised. ¡°People are still out strolling at this hour?¡±


    The young man immediately became a bit nervous, tugging at his coat while surveying the surroundings and quickly responding, ¡°We saw that the door was still open¡­ most shops are locked up¡­¡±


    ¡°We work in the steam pump room and the power plant,¡± the young woman quickly added, as if afraid of being misunderstood, explaining their ¡°legitimacy¡± for being out at this moment. ¡°We have passes.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Duncan said casually, setting down the brass ornament and with slight amusement, glancing at the two nervous young people. ¡°Don¡¯t be so stiff, I¡¯m not going to check your passes¡­ Are you here to buy something?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d like to buy a pair of porcelain plates, the kind for decorating a fireplace,¡± the young man promptly replied, then added, ¡°¡­not too expensive.¡±


    They really were here to shop.


    Duncan raised an eyebrow, stood up, and walked over to the adjacent shelf, talking as he went, ¡°This is an antique shop, nothing¡¯s cheap¨Cof course, business is slow now, I can give you a discount, the original price of over four thousand is reduced to twenty-six¡­¡±


    He suddenly turned his head, curiously watching the couple: ¡°But I¡¯m just curious, why buy these now? I mean, why choose this time?¡±


    The two customers exchanged glances, and the young woman smiled shyly, ¡°We¡¯re getting married.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°We¡¯re decorating our new home,¡± the young man continued, ¡°We want to get some decorative items¡­ Most stores are closed, but we heard you were still open, so we thought we¡¯d try our luck¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­A long and dark night, and here I meet a couple getting married,¡± Duncan spoke softly, finding several beautiful decorative porcelain plates on the shelf, almost talking to himself, ¡°Why not wait until daylight?¡±


    ¡°What if the sun doesn¡¯t rise?¡± the young man suddenly asked.


    Duncan turned back, gazing steadily into his eyes.


    ¡°Now, we don¡¯t know what the future holds¡­ Our wedding was supposed to be held two weeks ago, but it got postponed until now, and we both feel¡­ we shouldn¡¯t delay any further.¡±


    ¡°The wedding will be small, won¡¯t violate the current night curfew, and the church¡¯s priest agreed to give us a small ¡®witness¡¯ at our home if the sun doesn¡¯t rise again¡­¡±


    The young woman said, but seemed to falter after mentioning ¡°if the sun doesn¡¯t rise again,¡± unsure how to proceed, and awkwardly smiled.


    It was clear that they were not good with words¨Cyet in that slightly restrained smile, everything they wanted to express no longer needed to be described through words.


    Life must go on¨Cpanic and complaints won¡¯t wake the sun.


    ¡°Pick a favorite,¡± Duncan suddenly smiled, turning to point at those beautiful dishes shimmering under the electric light on the shelves, ¡°all come with a solid wood stand.¡±


    The two young people chose for a while and finally selected a pair of light green and gold-decorated porcelain dishes characteristic of the southern Elves, and they waited for Duncan to wrap the items in thick paper, after which the young girl shyly smiled and asked, ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on the house,¡± Duncan casually said.


    The two young people¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°It¡¯s a wedding gift for you¨Cthe night is still long, I hope this gift brings you good luck.¡±


    The young man hesitated slightly, ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste time, your passes aren¡¯t valid all day,¡± Duncan said with a smile as he walked towards the shop door, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already received your ¡®compensation.''¡±


    The young man puzzled, ¡°You¡¯ve already received¡­?¡±


    Duncan opened the antique shop¡¯s grand door, and in the night, the bright street lights illuminated the path leading into the depths of the night. Smiling, he pointed to the brightly lit avenue, ¡°A good mood.¡±


    The guests left, and the antique shop returned once again to silence. Duncan stood at the door for a moment and finally exhaled softly, retracting his gaze from the street.


    The docks of Light Breeze Harbor were basking in the pale golden ¡°sunlight.¡±


    Homeloss¡¯s towering masts creaked softly, and the semi-transparent Spiritual Body sails around the masts gradually came into clear view, and as the sails filled with wind, the large sail exploration ship tilted slightly at an angle and began to move away from the dock.


    Nearby, the sounds of the propellers starting on the Brilliant Starship coupled with the crashing waves, the Witch of the Sea¡¯s flagship also slowly moved away from the dock.


    Standing next to Duncan on the ship¡¯s stern deck, Alice suddenly noticed a smile appearing on the captain¡¯s face.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± the automaton asked curiously, ¡°Is there something happy?¡±


    Duncan turned his head and glanced at Light Breeze Harbor being left behind by Homeloss, seeing the City-State with its thousands of lights and the sparse, dim sunlight spread from the direction of the coastline, covering the island¨Cand as the distance grew, all the light gradually dimmed, replaced by the pervasive, boundless dusk covering the entire Endless Sea, as if to swallow the entire City-State within the night¡¯s growth.


    However, for a long time, that weak light still stubbornly shone in the dimness, the remnants of the sun left by the Cretan Dynasty, the City-State era¡¯s thousands of lights, they gradually merged together, seemingly uniting against this endless night.


    After a while, Duncan answered the automaton¡¯s question, ¡°There are some happy things.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alice responded confusedly, then looked somewhat reluctantly toward the City-State, ¡°Will we come back?¡±


    Duncan hesitated for a moment, seeming to have many answers to explain the upcoming voyage and plans, as well as many possibilities for the future, but in the end, he nodded affirmatively, ¡°¡­We¡¯ll come back.¡±


    The automaton was pleased.


    A smile appeared on Duncan¡¯s face, then he sighed softly, releasing his grip on the dark, heavy wheel.


    They had left Light Breeze Harbor, and next, Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship would head to the eastern border¡¯s ¡°Assembly Point¡± to rendezvous with the Deep Sea Church¡¯s border fleet, and then, they would head towards the Eternal Veil, moving towards that ¡°Six Nautical Miles threshold.¡±


    They planned to follow the route previously sailed by Sea Song, to seek the truth beyond the border.


    For Duncan, this would be a crucial step in ¡°observing this Shelter from the outside.¡±


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    But before that, Duncan still needed to verify some things.


    He turned his head to look at the gaunt, hunched figure trying to minimize his presence at the edge of the command deck.


    ¡°Sailor.¡±


    The entity known as 077 suddenly jolted, ¡°Uh¡­ Uh?!¡±


    ¡°Come here,¡± Duncan smiled slightly as he stepped back half a step, looking at 077, raising his hand to point to Homeloss¡¯s wheel, ¡°Take hold of it.¡±

 Chapter 768 - Chapter 768 Chapter 765 Air Route

    Chapter 768: Chapter 765 ¡°Air Route Chapter 768: Chapter 765 ¡°Air Route To say the least, Duncan clearly heard a crisp ¡°crack¡± somewhere on the sailor¡¯s body¨Cit was obvious that some joint had dislocated when the mummy of a sailor shivered.


    Then the uncanny wails of subject 077 exploded on the aft deck, ¡°Captain! Captain, don¡¯t scare me! I¡¯m loyal, diligent, sincere, honest! If I did something wrong, just say so and I¡¯ll change, don¡¯t frighten me with this¡­ or you could just stuff me into the cannon and shoot me out¡­¡±


    The raucous voice of the mummified sailor echoed across the aft deck, clamoring as he desperately clawed his way up the edges of the railing next to the steering platform, looking like he was about to jump off any second¨Cand indeed he flipped over the railing, but just as he was about to leap out, a rope shot out like an arrow, binding his ankles and dragging him back onto the platform, coiling around him several times in the process.


    Duncan looked on with a smirk at subject 077, who was still struggling fiercely to get away, and then took two steps forward, watching silently.


    The unearthly wail of subject 077 abruptly ceased, and visibly shivering once more, he hunched up his neck and ceased moving, before finally squeezing out, ¡°If you¡¯re bored, just stew me¡­ I¡¯ll do sit-ups in the pot for you¡­¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a pot that big on board,¡± Duncan commented casually, then his smile faded, and he became serious, ¡°I¡¯m serious¨CI need to do some tests.¡±


    Noticing the change in the captain¡¯s tone and expression, subject 077 finally realized something and looked up at Duncan, stammering, ¡°¡­Tests?¡±


    ¡°Let him go,¡± Duncan ordered nonchalantly. The ropes that seemed to have a life of their own unwound from around subject 077, rustling as they retreated to the side.


    The sailor got up, full of doubt. First, he grabbed his thigh and twisted to pop his joint back into place (now Duncan knew where that ¡®crack¡¯ sound had originated), then nervously followed behind the captain while keeping an eye on the movement of the ropes around them. He reached the gloomy steering wheel but still hesitated to touch it. After a long pause, he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°The tests you want to do, could they be about¡­¡±


    ¡°Sailing routes,¡± Duncan stated flatly.


    A flicker of emotion passed over the sailor¡¯s face, and finally, a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes.


    ¡°I know you can¡¯t recall anything about the sailing routes¨CLucresia already told me,¡± Duncan said, turning to look into the sailor¡¯s eyes, ¡°but I believe in the information Captain Karan left in the logbook¨Cstrictly speaking, I think she must have considered the changes that could occur to you once you returned to the Endless Sea, given that she had faced divinity herself and underwent a fundamental transformation, only to ¡®restore¡¯ herself from it¨Cshe possessed ¡®knowledge¡¯ that ordinary people can¡¯t understand.¡±


    As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed at the sailor.


    ¡°So now, I want to understand ¡®you¡¯, to uncover the truth hidden beneath the myriad ¡®traits¡¯ of ¡®subject 077¡¯, just as Karan¡¯s logbook is recorded in your burial shroud. I believe you ¡®yourself¡¯ are some kind of ¡®vessel¡¯, and to test this¡­ letting you utilize your own ¡®power¡¯ is the most effective way.¡±


    The sailor was stunned, pondering as he lowered his head to look at his hands, ¡°My power¡­¡±


    ¡°Subject 077, in an active state, attempts to ¡®take over¡¯ the nearest ship, causing random teleportation within the Endless Sea,¡± Duncan explained calmly, reciting the church¡¯s records about the uncontrollable ¡®trait¡¯ of ¡°subject 077¨Csailor,¡± ¡°And with each teleportation, the affected ship gets caught in a Storm¨Cnow, this ¡®trait¡¯ has piqued my curiosity.¡±


    The sailor seemed to gradually understand the captain¡¯s intention; he lifted his head to look at the dark, slowly auto-adjusting wheel under the night sky but still hesitated, ¡°But if I really touch the wheel¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Homeloss isn¡¯t susceptible to your influence¨CI just want to observe how exactly your abilities work,¡± Duncan remarked offhandedly, ¡°Besides, even if ¡®teleportation¡¯ and ¡®Storm¡¯ did happen, it¡¯s no big deal for this ship, it would be like a gentle breeze.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I didn¡¯t mean that,¡± the sailor quickly shook his head, again casting a wary glance around, ¡°I mean, this ship won¡¯t beat me up, will it¡­ I¡¯ve observed before, there¡¯s plenty on this ship that can hit people, just two hours on board and I¡¯ve seen at least three fights¡­¡±


    As he mumbled this, Alice proudly puffed out her chest.


    Duncan¡¯s eye twitched as he looked at the suddenly perked-up doll, ¡°What are you so proud of!¡±


    Alice looked up, ¡°I won when I fought with the barrel!¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He forcibly ignored the doll missy beside him, his gaze settling back on subject 077, ¡°I control everything on this ship, and now I permit you to steer temporarily, you don¡¯t have to worry about the consequences. Of course, if you¡¯re really averse to this plan, I have another ¡®research plan.''¡±


    The sailor¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, ¡°Is there another plan?¡±


    Duncan remained silent, simply raising his hand, a bright flame dancing on his fingertip.


    The sailor¡¯s vision went dark, ¡°I prefer your first plan¡­¡±


    Duncan casually extinguished the flame on his fingertip and gestured with his gaze to the wheel beside him, ¡°Do what you must do, before I light the fire.¡±


    The sailor finally sighed, knowing he had no reason to hesitate any longer.


    The desiccated thorax heaved as he took a deep breath in the night, feeling the cool air slip away from inside him. Gritting his teeth, he approached the steering wheel, closed his eyes, and reached out.


    With hands dry and claw-like, he grasped the steering wheel of the Homeloss¨C


    The first mate of the Sea Song had taken the helm.


    Duncan almost simultaneously heard a vague, distorted roar the moment the sailor touched the steering wheel¨Cthat sound was like the booming crash of a great ship sliding from the dry dock into the sea, as if giant waves were rising around the Homeloss, the ocean quaking and fracturing just beyond the ship¡¯s hull.


    The Homeloss was under the influence of some sort of¡­ ¡°force.¡± In an instant, Duncan caught the sensation of this ¡°touch¡± acting upon the entire vessel.


    Had it been a normal ship, it should have been swallowed by some dimensional rift by now due to this ¡°touch,¡± teleported to some random location upon the Endless Sea, caught within a storm¨Cbut the Homeloss continued to sail steady across the ocean, and with Duncan¡¯s deliberate control, that unknown force was unable to truly affect the navigation of the ship.


    Duncan¡¯s brow slowly furrowed as he sensed the influence the Homeloss was under. Then, as if suddenly feeling something, he turned his head to the side.


    A hazy apparition almost simultaneously materialized at one corner of the helm¨Cdressed as a female explorer, Agatha emerged from the mirror world, staggering as she held on to the handrail beside her and looked toward Duncan, ¡°Captain? What¡¯s happening!? This side of the Spirit Realm¡­¡±


    Before Agatha could finish, Duncan was already striding towards her, ¡°Agatha, I need to borrow your ¡®eyes¡¯.¡±


    Agatha was momentarily taken aback but quickly understood, reaching for her eyeball, ¡°Ah, yes, wait a second, let me just dig¡­¡±


    Duncan was shocked and quickly interjected, ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t need to dig them out!¡±


    Agatha looked puzzled, ¡°Ah?¡±


    Duncan did not have time to explain. He simply ignited a ghostly green flame and touched it to Agatha¡¯s forehead¨C


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, it¡¯s harmless.¡±


    Before his words ended, the link of the flame had been established.


    The gatekeeper¡¯s field of vision was reflected in Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    Everything before him seemed to vibrate fiercely and briefly, all light and shadow misaligning and then reassembling¨CDuncan felt his perspective flip multiple times before stabilizing. Soon after, he began to experience a reality starkly different from when he shared a view with Alice.


    He saw a world of black, white, and gray, saw the apparition of the Homeloss mirrored on the ¡°sky¡± that was the sea above, invisible waves swelling and surging between the realms of reality and illusion. Amid all these intersecting, incredible scenes, he saw off in the distance where the sea surface would continuously collapse and reassemble!


    Ahead of the Homeloss, the ocean was like a faulty projection, endlessly repeating the process of disintegration. Waves appeared and disappeared abruptly, entire swaths of sea vanishing in an instant, turning into black ¡°voids,¡± and then the next moment refilled, reappearing as illusions of displaced landscapes emerged and changed constantly, every second relentless like a ¡°process¡± caught in a loop, restarting over and over because it was stuck.


    Duncan stood on the stern of the Homeloss¡¯s reflection, staring intently at the fast-collapsing ¡°landscape¡± in the distance. Then he suddenly turned his head to look towards the helm.


    A dim apparition stood there¨Cgripping the steering wheel yet with indiscernible features, transparent nearly to the point of dispersal, as if it was just a lingering echo, bound beside the ship¡¯s wheel.


    Agatha stood beside Duncan within the mirror world, her form starkly more tangible than the rest.


    Looking at the implausible scenery on the distant ocean, she finally couldn¡¯t hold back, ¡°Captain, what exactly is that?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a route,¡± Duncan spoke softly, ¡°the correct route from the ¡®border¡¯ to the ¡®outer barrier¡¯ formed by the gods.¡±


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    Agatha¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Just as Captain Karan mentioned in her log, she passed the route to her first mate¨Cthe route did not disappear,¡± Duncan continued speaking slowly, ¡°Anomaly 077¨Cthe sailor, he himself is the route.¡±


    The distant sea surface reassembled yet again and collapsed, with the unreal booming echoing above the entire ocean, as if the whole world were resonating with it!


    ¡°This is the route, what is referred to as ¡®Anomaly 077 taking charge and causing random teleportation of the vessel,¡¯ is actually a form of navigation¨Cit¡¯s the Sea Song¡¯s first mate trying to guide the ship to the ¡®destination¡¯ he remembers in his mind. However, such a process can never be completed within the bounds of the Endless Sea, hence¡­¡±


    He paused, then after a moment, spoke quietly.


    ¡°That¡¯s why there are the storms.¡±

 Chapter 769 - Chapter 769 Chapter 766 Helmsman

    Chapter 769: Chapter 766 ¡°Helmsman Chapter 769: Chapter 766 ¡°Helmsman Abnormality 077 was the ¡°route¡± itself¨Cthe key secret leading to the external barrier, hidden deep within the quirky traits that identified it as an ¡°abnormality¡± from the very beginning!


    In the upper layers of the Spirit Realm, the mirrored Homeloss continually repeated the process of the sea collapsing and reorganizing. The scenery of a distant foreign land flickered through Duncan and Agatha¡¯s vision like a poorly connected image, driven by the obsession originating from the Sea Song, trying to guide the Homeloss to its ¡°destination¡±¡­


    However, inside the relatively stable, closed-loop sanctuary of the Eternal Veil, the power of Abnormality 077 could not take effect correctly¨Cthus, the route kept collapsing and misaligning, accumulating immense power in the process.


    Once Homeloss truly underwent a spatial Transition, this power would find an outlet in the real dimension, transforming into a ferocious Storm.


    Duncan raised his arm toward the distant horizon; flames spread and rose from the surface of the sea, the power sufficient to brew a storm ignited by him, and was rapidly extinguished in a harmless combustion.


    Then he disconnected the ¡°link¡± with Agatha and returned directly to the real dimension.


    The sailor still stood at the helm on the bridge, tightly gripping the dark and heavy ship¡¯s wheel, his whole body tensed as if he was ready to snap at any moment¨CNoticing that the captain¡¯s gaze had turned back to him, he immediately spoke, ¡°Captain, you see what I¡¯m doing here¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded, ¡°You can let go now.¡±


    No sooner had he spoken than the sailor on the bridge ¡°sprang¡± almost from in front of the wheel, as if what he had been holding was not a wheel but a scorching lump of magma. The mummified body ran to the furthest spot from the wheel on the bridge in the blink of an eye, then clung tensely to the railing while casting nervous glances at nearby ropes and buckets, occasionally sweeping his gaze back to the wheel he had just held, his eyes filled with tension and even panic.


    Seeing Abnormality 077 appearing so nervous and guarded, Duncan suddenly experienced a complex surge of emotions¨Cfor some reason, he thought of Captain Karan¡¯s figure standing in the chaotic mist, the hazy illusion who had gripped the wheel on the platform in the mirrored world, and the Sea Song¡¯s long, disoriented drift in the skewed flow of time¡­


    The ugly, shriveled mummy cowered in the corner of the bridge, nervously observing everything around him¨Con his body, the ¡°first officer¡± who had persisted until the end in the time-space disorientation seemed to have been completely corroded away, leaving only the log left by the captain of the Sea Song, along with the ¡°route¡± that had merged with him.


    Duncan stood silently for a long time, finally sighed softly, and approached the evasive sailor.


    ¡°Captain, I¡¯ve completed my task, right¡­¡± the sailor cautiously began, as if fearing that he hadn¡¯t performed well enough moments before and might have to ¡°take the helm¡± once again.


    ¡°This time you did,¡± Duncan said, staring into the sailor¡¯s eyes with an especially serious expression, ¡°but this was just a test. When we venture deeper into the Eternal Veil, I will need you to take the helm again¨Cthe official helm, until we reach the place where the Sea Song once arrived.¡±


    The deep creases on the sailor¡¯s face crumpled suddenly; he instinctively shrank back, but since he was already against the railing, there was nowhere to hide¨Chowever, he soon noticed the gravity in Duncan¡¯s eyes, which made him hesitantly stop his evasive movement.


    ¡°Homeloss needs your navigation,¡± Duncan said with an especially sincere tone, ¡°Listen, you did not lose the ¡®route¡¯ left by Captain Karan; that route is within you, you are the route itself¨Cyour ¡®abilities,¡¯ the Transcendent phenomena you stir up, are actually the influence of this route, and now we need it¨CI need your help.¡±


    The sailor hesitated. It was the first time he had seen the ghostly captain in such a form, and this sincere attitude was directed at himself, which made him feel an indescribable¡­ emotion. It seemed like a long time since he had felt this kind of emotion.


    ¡°I¡­ Is that okay?¡± the sailor muttered, not daring to speak too loudly, ¡°Touching this ship feels like it¡¯s going to devour me¡­¡±


    ¡°You have the qualifications to steer,¡± Duncan said calmly.


    The sailor seemed a bit shocked, dazed in his surprise.


    ¡°I know this is a lot of pressure for you¨Cnot many in the world would dare to steer the Homeloss and not feel mental pressure, but you are the first mate of the Sea Song, you have completed long voyages unimaginable to ordinary people, you are qualified to steer here,¡± Duncan paused, then nodded solemnly, ¡°If you are willing, I will, in my capacity as captain of the Homeloss, bestow upon you the position of helmsman during our border voyage.¡±


    At this, he suddenly stopped, as if he had thought of something, then added very seriously, ¡°Of course, you can still refuse, don¡¯t worry about any consequences¨CI will think of other methods, and even if you want to return to the White Oak now, you can.¡±


    The sailor listened, now understanding the captain¡¯s intention, but still needed a little time to think¨Cthere seemed much he was hesitant about.


    But after thinking for a long time, he finally made up his mind. After revealing a somewhat terrifying smile, he slowly nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    The moment his words fell, many subtle sounds suddenly came from around¨C


    Near the steering console, the ropes rustled, the barrels on the rear deck gently swayed, the tightly stretched ropes on the masts screeched and squeaked, deep in the cabin, some ancient and massive structures seemed to be whispering something¨C


    All the sounds gradually converged, resembling¡­ applause and welcome.


    The sailor listened in surprise to the noises around him, looking a bit puzzled and helpless, but gradually, he seemed to understand it all¨Cthe creased and pockmarked skin suddenly smoothed out on his face, as he smiled like long ago, the very first time he had been promoted aboard the Sea Song.


    Duncan also smiled, extending his hand to gently pat the sailor¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Very well, just do your best¨Cnow go back and rest, we are still far from the border rendezvous point.¡±


    The sailor left the steering console, and as he walked towards the deck, he still seemed a bit dizzy. It took a while before his shaky figure gradually disappeared into the night.


    Duncan shook his head, withdrawing his gaze from the mid-deck, then caught a glimpse, out of the corner of his eye, of the figure crouching not far away.


    Alice crouched at the edge of the steering console, complaining to a coil of rope on the grounds, ¡°When I came aboard, you all didn¡¯t welcome me like this¡­ you even clapped just now¡­¡±


    The ropes slowly writhed on the ground, an end poking through and flapping against the nearby railing as if explaining something.


    ¡°An initiation ritual for the helmsman? What is that?¡± Alice widened her eyes in surprise, ¡°And this too? Didn¡¯t I have an initiation ritual¡­ has it been done? When?¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? That time in the kitchen was it!? Why didn¡¯t you say so sooner! I thought you were blocking the door to fight¡­ Good grief, that day almost wrecked the kitchen, and dinner was delayed¡­¡±


    Duncan had intended to speak to Alice, but when he saw this scene, he stopped abruptly and expressionlessly watched the interaction between the figure and the rope end. It took him a long while before he turned his head stiffly.


    The girl¡¯s communication with these things on the ship seemed to become more and more preposterous¡­


    At that moment, his heart stirred, and soon he heard the goat-headed figure speak in his mind, ¡°Captain, did you authorize a temporary helmsman?¡±


    ¡°Do you disapprove?¡± Duncan returned to the helm of the Homeloss, diving towards the Spirit Realm while responding in his mind, ¡°Are you concerned about an ¡®outsider¡¯ taking this position?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the goat head responded immediately, ¡°The captain has the authority to appoint or dismiss any crew member and to create or remove positions aboard. The helmsman you recognize is recognized by the Homeloss, but¡­ I worry about what might happen to that ¡®sailor¡¯ after he completes this task.¡±


    Duncan kept silent for a moment.


    ¡°It appears you¡¯ve thought of it,¡± the goat head said unhurriedly, ¡°He is a man who should have vanished in the torrent of time, like ashes after firewood burns out. On the day he returns to the Endless Sea, he should have disappeared from this world¨Cyet Karan¡¯s logbook became a shroud that bound his body, and Sea Song¡¯s final directive became a ¡®voyage¡¯ which fixed his humanity, turning him into an unending corpse¡­


    ¡°Now, he has only one last task to complete¨Cthe final task given to him by Captain Karan.


    ¡°And now, Captain, you¡¯ve granted him the duties of a helmsman¡­ he has the chance to complete his mission.¡±


    In the cool night sea breeze, Duncan gazed at the dark sea in the distance and finally broke the silence after a long time, ¡°I know¨Cand actually, the ¡®sailor¡¯ knows too.¡±


    The goat head remained silent.


    ¡°We will have a journey afar¡­¡±


    Duncan suddenly said softly, recalling a book he had just read, and the lines by the famed ¡°mad poet¡± Puman within it¨C


    ¡°We will have a journey afar


    ¡°At the end of time¡­¡±


    ¡­


    The door to the room gently closed; the mummy returned to his room, slowly sitting on his own berth¨Cthe cabin lights were bright and warm, but for a long time, he had been unable to feel these temperatures.


    He lay down slowly in this cold and empty world, with fragmented and disordered memories of the Sea Song circling in his mind, distant as if from another person¡¯s life.


    He murmured softly, reciting Captain Karan¡¯s favorite lines¨Cas they sparkled in the fading memories, like the sand under the night sky faintly glowing:


    ¡°¡­ The dust-covered sails will rise again,


    ¡°To sail us towards places long forgotten.


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    ¡°On that most fitting day,


    ¡°Prepare to embark¡­


    ¡°We all become sailors,


    ¡°Setting sail to foreign lands when the wind rises.¡±


    The sailor turned over; his dehydrated, deformed eyes slowly closed.


    He still couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    But there was a faint smile on his face.


    The day of return was drawing near.

 Chapter 770 - Chapter 770 Chapter 767 Border Base

    Chapter 770: Chapter 767: Border Base Chapter 770: Chapter 767: Border Base The magnificent fog that seemed to connect the sky and the sea appeared once again in Duncan¡¯s sight¨Cbut different from the last time, this time he arrived at the border under nightfall.


    The dark, chaotic sky pressed heavily above, while the pale, cold Creation of the World lit up the cloud layers at the veil¡¯s edge. The entire wall of fog, under the night sky, resembled a continuously pulsating black barrier¨Cdistant, towering, details unclear, yet with each inadvertent glance, its undulating surface revealed various eerie shapes. It cast a shadow of terror in the heart of everyone who witnessed it, stirring up many associations directly linked to fear.


    And the top of the fog wall, illuminated by the Creation of the World, seemed instead like countless eyes high in the sky, coldly and maliciously overlooking the world, watching those overconfident mortals who attempted to challenge the world¡¯s end.


    The fleets of mortals gathered at the foot of the veil.


    After observing a distant lighthouse, Duncan maneuvered the Homeloss to adjust its course. They sailed towards the southeast side of the veil for some time, then saw the lights gathered at the border¨Ca massive floating harbor floated on the fog-drenched sea, its large steam core spewing white clouds into the sky. The light from the differential machine¡¯s tower at the harbor rotated, intermittently illuminating the nearby sea filled with both large and small ships¡¯ silhouettes.


    Over a dozen ships of various types and sizes docked around the floating harbor, with small patrol vessels roaming the nearby seas. Their lights flickered in the night like fireflies scurrying about on this boundlessly dark sea.


    At this edge of the world, there was no need for light curfews, so these lights representing human civilization became an incredible sight in front of the Eternal Veil¨Cyet, compared with the boundless sea and the towering fog wall, these human-made ¡°sceneries¡± seemed incredibly insignificant. Seen from afar, those dim lights appeared as though they could be swallowed by the undulating fog at any moment.


    The world was collapsing, the small beings inside the Shelter bravely reached out their hands towards the high walls of the collapsing Shelter¨Cthe roaming lights on the sea were the tentacles of civilization, not robust, but they were here.


    News of the Homeloss and Brilliant Starship¡¯s approach was quickly reported by nearby patrol vessels. The floating harbor, serving as a border base, sent out a welcoming steam whistle that echoed through the night. Soon after, a guiding beam of light from the harbor¡¯s lighthouse swept over the sea, directing the two ships to dock at the edge of the harbor.


    After the ships were stabilized, Duncan led his crew onto the dock¨Chere, many figures had already gathered to welcome them, and among them was one person Duncan found quite unexpected.


    The Female Pope Helena stood right in the middle of a group of clergy coming to greet them.


    She stepped forward with a smile and came to Duncan and Lucia, nodding slightly, ¡°Welcome to this ¡®border base¡¯¨Cwe have been waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°How come you¡¯re here?¡± Duncan asked in surprise, looking at the Female Pope standing before him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be on your own Ark at this time¨Ccan that thing move this fast?¡±


    ¡°If circumstances truly require, the Church Ark can sail almost as swiftly as your ship,¡± Helena said with a smile, but soon shook her head, ¡°However, I¡¯m currently not here. Storm Cathedral still remains in Light Breeze Harbor. What¡¯s here is merely an avatar of mine¨CI thought it right to see you off since you¡¯re venturing deep into the border.¡±


    Duncan raised an eyebrow, quite surprised as he looked at the woman before him whose appearance bore no sign of ¡°falseness¡±: ¡°¡­I really can¡¯t tell.¡±


    Helena chuckled and raised her hand toward Duncan¨Cthin layers of mist rose from the edges of her arm, her skin starting to become as transparent as clear water.


    ¡°Creating illusions in water and fog is a prerogative of my lord,¡± she withdrew her hand, her body soon returning to normal. As she turned and started to lead the way, she casually mentioned, ¡°This isn¡¯t some outstanding Divine Art¨Cthe high-ranking clergy of the Deep Sea Church mostly know how to do it.¡±


    Duncan followed Helena deeper into the border base and after hearing her words, he turned and looked towards Fenna who was walking slightly behind:¡±Do you also know how to do this?¡±


    Fenna¡¯s steps momentarily faltered, then while continuing to walk, she lowered her head, ¡°Well¡­ actually¡­¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t,¡± Helena, walking ahead, waved her hand dismissingly, ¡°I personally tried to teach her and failed.¡±


    Fenna kept her head down, silent: ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing the situation from behind, Sherry immediately hurried forward a few steps, looked up at Fenna, ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you say you were pretty good with Divine Arts¡­¡±


    By this time, Fenna already felt very awkward, but noticing the curious looks from the captain walking in front, she had to forcefully speak up, ¡°¡­Divine Arts are diverse, there¡¯re battle, treatment, auxiliary, plus research, secrets, miracles, and a bunch of special branches. I wasn¡¯t proficient in all of them back then¡­¡±


    Sherry half-listened and immediately reacted, ¡°Oh, I get it now, you must be skilled in the battle aspect¡­¡±


    Before she even finished speaking, she heard Helena, walking in front, speaking without turning back, ¡°She excels in the treatment direction.¡±


    The response surprised not only Sherry but almost everyone around, Duncan couldn¡¯t help but look surprisingly at the beautiful young warrior next to him, sizing her up several times, hardly daring to associate this mighty Fenna with a priestess adept at healing¡­


    Normally, aren¡¯t priestesses who specialize in healing the type who wear cloth armor, carry a short staff, have low HP and thin blood, and can only walk at the back of the party, protected by others, and die immediately if accidentally brushed in a fight?¨CFenna, a female warrior who could lift open a demon¡¯s cranial lid single-handedly¡­ When had she become a healer?


    However, he only wondered about this in his mind and was too embarrassed to ask out loud¨Cbut just because he didn¡¯t ask didn¡¯t mean others wouldn¡¯t. There were always outspoken and heartless people aboard the Homeloss.


    ¡°Why though?¡± Sherry stared with wide eyes, ¡°Not¡­ why though?¡±


    She raised her hand, pointing to Fenna¡¯s nearly two-meter-tall stature, and after struggling for a while, the only thing she could say was: ¡°¡­why though?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s responsible for setting the bones of others on the training ground after training is over,¡± Helena replied indifferently, ¡°She got the hang of it in half a year.¡±


    Instantly, Sherry¡¯s confusion disappeared, and Duncan next to her also nodded slightly, his expression subtly changing: ¡°¡­that makes a lot more sense.¡±


    Only Fenna, the center of the topic, remained silent with her head lowered: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°However, speaking of which, you¡¯ve been on board for so long, and I didn¡¯t even know you had this expertise,¡± Duncan looked at Fenna thoughtfully, ¡°I hardly ever see you healing anyone?¡±


    Fenna sighed: ¡°¡­do you think there¡¯s anyone aboard the Homeloss who needs treatment?¡±


    Duncan, struck by her words, turned to look at the crew members following behind him. It was then he suddenly remembered that there weren¡¯t many living beings aboard Homeloss¨Cscrounging up a living person was hard enough, let alone those who could get injured and bleed. If you had to describe anyone, it would only be old Morris, who looked somewhat human, but even he was stronger than an ordinary saint¡­


    Fenna sighed again.


    She tugged at the buckle on her shoulder that secured her weapon, lifting the great sword slightly, and shook her head somewhat helplessly: ¡°I think it¡¯s better this way¨Crather than healing the people around me, I prefer to eliminate all enemies in advance so that no one needs to be injured.¡±


    Helena turned around, looked at Fenna, and then her gaze crossed over to an unusual crew member, 077-Sailor, who was walking at the very back of the team.


    She slowed her steps, hesitated for a moment and then said to the corpse: ¡°Do you remember this place?¡±


    ¡°I remember, but only just remember,¡± the Sailor seemed not surprised by Helena¡¯s question. After stepping onto this mobile harbor, he had been silently observing everything around him; he just nodded calmly, ¡°In the recent memory fragments I¡¯ve recovered, some scenes are deeply impressed, including this place¡­but no matter how vivid the memory, it feels like someone else¡¯s life¡­ I watch them, struggling to experience them as my own, except¡­the parts related to Captain Karan.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Helena spoke softly, not further inquiring how much the Sailor still remembered of the past or how much impression he still had of this place¨Calthough for the guards of the harbor, the first mate of the Sea Song had been with them until not long ago, for the Sailor 077, it was already a distant and foreign life.


    ¡°Except for me and a few high-ranking officials, no one here knows what you look like now,¡± Helena told the Sailor, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about encountering ¡®acquaintances¡¯¨Cif you don¡¯t want to see them, then you won¡¯t.¡±


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    The Sailor was somewhat surprised, but soon bowed his head and said sincerely, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Has this harbor always been active at the border?¡± Lucrescia asked curiously at this moment, ¡°I also often operated at the border, yet I haven¡¯t seen it¡­¡±


    ¡°Over a decade ago, this mobile harbor was positioned in the border waters,¡± Helena explained, ¡°but most of the time, it is veiled in dense fog¨Cbesides serving as a home port for border patrols and exploration fleets, it itself is also a research facility. It carries a large amount of equipment and laboratories for observing the Spirit Realm and studying the marine environment; hence, it constantly delves into the mist for missions. And when there are no special missions, it cruises along the entire eastern border; its route and docking locations are kept church secrets, so it¡¯s normal you haven¡¯t encountered it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Impressive,¡± Lucrescia sincerely admired.


    ¡°¡­Yes, impressive. Many outstanding people came together to build this place,¡± Helena said softly, and then, her gaze fell in a distant direction, ¡°The Sea Song departed from Dock No. 2, right ahead of us.¡±

 Chapter 771 - Chapter 771 Chapter 768 The Black Fog

    Chapter 771: Chapter 768: The Black Fog Chapter 771: Chapter 768: The Black Fog In the place where Sea Song once set sail, the docking pier remained vacant¨Conly the ship that had returned in the erroneous time window of 1675 could never come back to this place again.


    ¡°I remember this place too¡­¡±


    The sailor muttered, looking in the direction of the wharf illuminated by the high-powered lights. The docks extending from the mobile harbor were like the outstretched limbs of a colossal beast, each one pointing towards the infinite curtain of night far in the distance. In this place far from the lights of civilization, it seemed that once one left those illuminated wharfs, they would forever dissolve into the darkness outside¨Cembarking towards that dense and dark fog was indeed a feat requiring much courage.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arranged for three sentinel ships,¡± Helena said, ¡°They will also serve as guides for the journey. Once preparations are complete, they will enter the Veil with you and take you to the ¡®lighthouse¡¯ where Sea Song last transmitted its signal. You will continue from there, crossing the Six Nautical Miles threshold, while the three warships performing the guidance task will remain near the lighthouse, waiting for your return.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak; he just nodded lightly. Lucresia, standing beside him, curiously asked, ¡°How long will you wait here?¡±


    ¡°Forever,¡± Helena said calmly, ¡°There are no new border patrol missions anymore. The Eternal Veil is gradually crumbling, and more and more ships are encountering unimaginable dangers and mutations. Most of the patrol routes are now impassable, so except for the necessary fixed monitoring points, all patrolling fleets are slowly retracting into the Endless Sea¨Cthis mobile harbor will stay here, and my incarnation will stay here until you come back. Or¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence but took a long breath and looked up at Duncan: ¡°We look forward to your safe return.¡±


    ¡°We will return safely,¡± Duncan said solemnly, his arms crossed as he gazed at the murky wall of fog in the distance, ¡°Both Homeloss and Brilliant Starship have returned from that critical line before, and now we also have the ¡®route¡¯ left by Captain Karan¨Cnothing will stop us from coming back.¡±


    Helena gave a slight nod.


    After this, Duncan led his crew to make minor repairs at this border base until the three sentinel ships tasked with navigating were ready¨Cin a moment not particularly special in this long night, they set off.


    Three state-of-the-art warships bearing the mark of the Deep Sea Church, and two century-old Ghost Ships, left the dock amidst the booming foghorn of the mobile harbor.


    The bright lights of the harbor gradually fell behind, and the surrounding area slowly became enveloped in an increasingly dense nightfall. The dark fog, which seemed to swell and undulate like a living thing under the night sky, revealed in the field of view an increasingly intimidating presence.


    Duncan stood on the towering stern deck, but involuntarily turned to glance one last time in the direction of the harbor. As the distance grew, the lights dimmed, and suddenly, he remembered the last few words a Cretan had said to him¨C¡°Walk against the light.¡±


    The End-Time Survey Team had walked against the light, Sea Song had departed from here walking against the light, and now¡­ it was Homeloss and Brilliant Starship¡¯s turn.


    Following a path opened by those who went to their doom, each walk against the light allowed for further progress¨Cnow, Homeloss finally had the chance to touch the true ¡°beyond the end¡± of the world.


    Alice stood next to Duncan, the doll¡¯s gaze completely captivated by the grand and dark fog in the distance. As they neared, she increasingly craned her neck until, looking at the curtain, she let out an exclamation, ¡°Wow¡­ it¡¯s even more terrifying than when it¡¯s daylit¡­ Boer.¡±


    After tilting her head past a certain angle, Miss Doll¡¯s head unsurprisingly fell off from her neck¨Cwithout even looking, Duncan reached out to catch it, skillfully grabbing Alice¡¯s hair and holding it up to his eyes, muttering with resignation, ¡°When will you ever learn¡­¡±


    Alice blinked her eyes: ¡°Captain¡­ don¡¯t grab the hair¡­ falling¡­ falling hair¡­¡±


    Duncan casually tossed Alice¡¯s head back to her own fumbling hands, which promptly pressed the head ¡°boer¡± back onto the neck. Then she felt a lost hair, holding it mournfully as she muttered, ¡°Another one¡­ poor Kaleenef Kavos Goldina Boltitas Anguivenistan Refugeni the Fourth¡­¡±


    Duncan listened in bemusement: ¡°¡­have you already started giving them such outlandish names?¡±


    Alice said nothing, just lowered her head with a sorrowful face, carefully winding the long-named silver hair strand around her finger.


    Seeing this, Duncan shook his head: ¡°¡­ just be careful not to get it stuck in your finger joints, cleaning hair out of your joints last time was quite the hassle.¡±


    As he spoke, he looked up again at the ¡°Eternal Veil¡± that was now growing increasingly close ahead of Homeloss, and suddenly, he began to frown.


    The fog seemed darker than before¨Cat a close enough distance, he could discern that the darkness of the fog was not just due to the night but was changing color on its own.


    For, as common sense would dictate, even at night, ¡°fog¡± should be light-colored; when illuminated, its natural color shouldn¡¯t appear so dark and gloomy.


    He immediately called to Fenna, who was stationed on the forward deck, inquiring about this situation¨Cshe quickly established contact with the guide ship ahead and got a response.


    ¡°The color of the fog has been changing slowly over the past two days,¡± Fenna reported through the mental connection, ¡°approximately after Sea Song crossed the Six Nautical Miles threshold, but only the surface layer of the fog has undergone this change; farther into the Veil, it is still the normal light-colored mist.¡±


    She paused, seemingly still communicating with the brethren from the Church about the details, then continued, ¡°The scholars have conducted many checks, aside from the color change in the surface layer of the fog, these dense mists have not undergone any other changes, there¡¯s no toxicity¡­ It feels as if on this shallow layer, only the ¡®color¡¯ attribute is the problem¡­¡±


    Listening to Fenna¡¯s report, Duncan nodded slowly with a grave expression. In his view, the dark, dense fog had gradually begun to cover the bow of Homeloss.


    All the ships had reduced their speed and lit various warning lights along their hulls. The leading ships and Homeloss, along with Brilliant Starship, started to draw nearer to each other, maintaining a distance that ensured no accidents would occur¨Cthe visibility on the surrounding sea was rapidly decreasing, and the fleet members needed to stay close to prevent dispersal while being careful to avoid collisions.


    Then, around Homeloss, fierce, eerie green flames began to rise¨Cthe fire of Spiritual Bodies to some extent dispersed the surrounding dark fog, reflecting the hazy outlines of the ships in the streaming mist.


    The dispersed black fog swirled around the fleet like thick, undulating curtains.


    After igniting the flames, Duncan still frowned and closely watched the black fog, before suddenly heading toward the captain¡¯s quarters.


    ¡°Hey, Captain, where are you going?¡± Alice asked in surprise.


    ¡°Just ¡®stepping away¡¯ for a moment,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    As he spoke, he also called out in his heart to his first mate: ¡°Goat Head, take charge of Homeloss. I need to ¡®step away¡¯ for a bit¨Cif I¡¯m not back by the time we approach the critical line of Six Nautical Miles, notify the others to wait.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, Captain.¡±


    In less than a moment, Duncan had arrived at the door of the captain¡¯s quarters¨Cin front of him, the ¡°Door of the Displaced¡± still stood in silence.


    He took a deep breath and then pushed the door open.


    As usual, the brief, disorienting sensation and the cool breath of air flashed past, Zhou Ming shook his head and saw that he had returned to his familiar bachelor apartment.


    Outside the window was the familiar grey mist, unchanged, the dense fog obscuring everything, sealing off the cabin.


    But this time, Zhou Ming didn¡¯t go to check the windows¨Che didn¡¯t move toward the room, but turned back to look in the direction he had come.


    The apartment¡¯s main door was open, and outside was the surging black fog.


    On that first day when he had decided to step through that door, black fog like this had billowed outside¨Cit was through this layer of black fog that he came to Homeloss, and, in some sense, this ¡°black fog¡± was the doorway from his own ¡°Shelter¡± to the Endless Sea.


    Zhou Ming¡¯s brow furrowed more tightly, recalling that he had once been curious¨Cwhy was everything outside the windows sealed off by grey mist, but outside the apartment¡¯s main door was that spooky black fog¡­


    Now, the same black fog had appeared on the boundary of the Endless Sea.


    Was this a signifier of the approaching apocalypse? A symbol of the barrier¡¯s gradual collapse? Or could it be¡­ that the day he stepped through the dense fog was fated to bring him to a moment just before the end of the world¨C


    The Sea Song, having crossed the border without accurate ¡°navigation,¡± ended up in the time window of 1675 upon returning to the Endless Sea, but when ¡°I¡± chose to step through this black fog, I landed precisely on Homeloss in the year 1900¨Cjust one step away from the apocalypse.


    ¡°¡­Just beyond the boundary of Six Nautical Miles, time is discontinuous¡­


    ¡°Without accurate ¡®navigation,¡¯ the ¡®time landing point¡¯ when crossing back into the Endless Sea through the Six Nautical Miles threshold is random¡­


    ¡°There must be some method to constrain the ¡®time landing point¡¯¡­¡±


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    Zhou Ming murmured to himself, sorting through his somewhat jumbled thoughts, and after a while, he slowly made his way to his room.


    As he passed by the window, he suddenly stopped.


    Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something on the window glass.


    It was a row of blurred, watery, mirror-inverted letters.


    Zhou Ming couldn¡¯t put into words the astonishment and shock he felt at that moment¨Che just stood frozen for an instant, then almost dashed like the wind to the window side!

 Chapter 772 - Chapter 772 Chapter 769 Visitor in the Mist

    Chapter 772: Chapter 769: Visitor in the Mist Chapter 772: Chapter 769: Visitor in the Mist After rushing to the window, Zhou Ming finally confirmed that what he was seeing was not an illusion¨Cthere truly were words on the window! And they were written in the universal language of the City-State, from outside no less!


    The words were hazy, quivering slightly on the glass in an eerie manner, as if they were not written on the solid and stable surface of the glass but were reflections in an illusory mist. Zhou Ming stared at those letters for a half an eternity before he could finally make out the content from those blurry and mirror-reversed words¨C


    ¡°I¡¯m outside, you¡¯re inside.¡±


    Zhou Ming was instantly stupefied¨Che felt as if he had just seen a meaningless statement.


    An entity had gone to the trouble of leaving a message outside his ¡°protective cocoon¡± for such a statement?


    Instinctively, he found it somewhat laughable, but then he furrowed his brow, a vague thought arising in his mind.


    Zhou Ming slowly straightened up from the window, gazing out at the grey-white fog, his brow knit in thought.


    What exactly was outside his ¡°apartment¡±? He had begun to form a vague guess about this place, even if he couldn¡¯t pin down the details just yet. He had come to grasp a certain pattern here, or perhaps¡­ a certain rule underlying the most fundamental logic of this world.


    The constraints of ¡°information¡± bore tremendous significance; the expression of ¡°information¡± was the cornerstone of order, and on this foundation, ¡°symbolism¡± was endowed with a real and effective¡­ ¡°function¡± in this world.


    With an epiphany dawning in his heart, Zhou Ming looked up again at the line of text, his eyes shifting subtly. He hazily guessed¨Cthat was not a phrase meant for ¡°communication¡± with him.


    It was an ¡°anchor point.¡± Something¡­ some entity that understood and knew how to use the ¡°truth¡± had ¡°anchored¡± itself outside of this room.


    Suddenly, Zhou Ming¡¯s brow furrowed. He vividly recalled something: the knocking that had come from that black fog when he last returned here!


    The next second, as if his very thoughts had indeed leveraged reality, a sound abruptly arose by his ear¨Cthump, thump, thump.


    Zhou Ming looked sharply toward the apartment door, but he quickly realized that the sound wasn¡¯t coming from the direction of the door. The sound was coming from the side: someone was knocking on the window.


    He looked towards where the sound was coming from and saw that the grey-white fog still enveloped the outside, with apparently nothing in the mist beyond the transparent glass¨Conly the ceaseless knocking echoed on the surface, as if an invisible visitor were standing outside, waiting¡­


    Waiting for the ¡°cottage¡¯s¡± owner to become aware of them.


    For some reason, Zhou Ming thought of those ¡°fish.¡±


    He leaned forward to the window again, placing his hand on the glass where the knocking sound originated. He tried to sense and listen¨Cthe knocking kept going, and gradually, he could indeed feel vibrations transmitting through his palm.


    He looked up, his gaze fixed on the swirling dense fog as though he were silently facing off with the ¡°visitor¡± in the mist through the clear glass. He envisioned a guest, a guest who ¡°could possibly appear here¡± in all the possibilities and logical branches.


    At the end of this order, in a place that had almost detached from all worldly things, almost like the foundation of the world itself, who would be knocking at his window?


    A vague shadow appeared in the fog, and almost at the instant the shadow materialized, Zhou Ming finally perceived, through the dense curtain, a familiar essence. That essence originated from his flame, a flame that had been released a long time ago, that he once thought had dissipated.


    This flame allowed his recognition to instantly take form, collapsing the ¡°visitor in the mist¡± into an entity.


    The nebulous grey-white fog outside the window suddenly collapsed, transforming in a Planck instant into a room that was bright with lights and grand in style, looking completely at odds with the apartment scene on this side of the window. There stood a beautiful lady on the other side of the window¨Cher eyes wide in astonishment, seemingly stunned by the remarkable transformation before her.


    ¡°Alice¡­¡± Zhou Ming instinctively blurted out at the sight of the silver-haired figure, but then he quickly realized, ¡°No, Lei Nora¨Cis it really you?!¡±


    The final truth completed a directed collapse, and the scene outside the window finally stabilized completely.


    Outside was the Frost Queen Lei Nora; she was the ¡°visitor in the mist.¡± Now she remained fixated on Zhou Ming¨Cstrictly speaking, on an indescribable entity that loomed in a vast and incomprehensible chaos.


    Her eyes reflected the endless, remote starlight that now shone through the ¡°glass¡± into her room, rendering a part of the bedroom that once belonged to Alice¡¯s Mansion with a faint starry glow as if it could plunge into the starry sky at any moment.


    Suddenly, Lei Nora¡¯s expression became animated again. It seemed she finally broke free from the influence of the starlight and ¡°regained¡± her sensibility under Zhou Ming¡¯s gaze. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but only vague syllables came through the window¨C


    ¡°¡­I see¡­ a light¡­¡±


    Zhou Ming frowned, then instinctively nudged the window, trying to hear what the other side was saying.


    The window opened.


    Zhou Ming stood there in a daze, staring blankly at the window until after a while, he finally realized what had happened¨Cthe window had opened!


    After such an extended period, and with the room shrouded in thick fog for so long, the window¡­ had it opened so effortlessly?!


    He was stunned for a long time before finally coming to his senses, his gaze falling on the ¡°Frost Queen¡± opposite him.


    Lei Nora witnessed the curtain, filled with flowing light, suddenly opening before her eyes¨Cduring this ¡°borderland drift,¡± the most astonishing and inconceivable event had occurred.


    At the end of time and space, an ¡°intellectual¡± entity, potentially even a ¡°human-like¡± being, entered her field of vision.


    Despite her utter inability to discern any definite form amidst the massive and chaotic starlight, unable to comprehend anything in that maddening nest with reason, she almost instantly realized that the ¡°entity¡± possessed intelligence¨Cit had responded to her calling, opened a corner of its abode, and now, a ¡°limb¡± was extending from that cluster of starlight, slowly descending towards her, with millions of eyes twinkling at the tip of the limb, emitting a hoarse and grating noise¨C


    ¡°It¡¯s really you,¡± Zhou Ming said in disbelief, giving the ¡°Her Majesty the Queen¡± another once-over, ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯m a bit confused; let me get this straight¡­ How did you get here? After severing ties with Alice¡¯s Mansion, you¡¯ve just been¡­ borderland drifting? Was that also you knocking outside last time?¡±


    The trembling among the stars drove one to madness, the piercing noise reshaped Lei Nora¡¯s rationale over and over. She furrowed her brows, watching that ¡°limb¡± swaying before her eyes, the numerous mouths at its end screaming at her. But gradually¡­ she found herself beginning to understand.


    She began to comprehend the whispers of the stars¨Cthey were inquiring about her intentions.


    ¡°I am on a journey,¡± she said subconsciously, ¡°I drifted in the Spirit Realm, then fell into the ripples of Subspace¡­ At the end of everything, I got trapped in this fog, but a beam of light guided me, so I followed the light here and saw this magnificent ¡®palace¡¯¡­¡±


    She looked up, stepped back twice, and observed the gigantic structure that stood as if in eternal time¨Cit was like an awe-inspiring ¡°cocoon,¡± floating at this place that seemed to be the end of the world, unknowable for how many ages it had floated. And now, the surface of the ¡°cocoon¡± had opened a gap, an ancient and astounding presence was speaking to her from this opening, every syllable, every vibration, as if containing truths enough to drive one mad a thousand times over.


    But she felt herself gradually stabilizing, even able to withstand the onslaught of these truths, her thoughts rapidly solidifying.


    Lei Nora was surprised by the changes occurring within her¨Cshe hadn¡¯t expected to recover her ¡°reason¡± after such a reckless ¡°contact.¡±


    She didn¡¯t realize that her voice was also mingling with layered tremors, the brilliant starlight already branded into her vision.


    ¡°You fell into Subspace?¡± Zhou Ming asked, furrowing his brow in surprise. Although Lei Nora seemed strange as she responded, he didn¡¯t think much of it but subconsciously examined her to check for signs of Subspace contamination, ¡°¡­why is everyone practicing Subspace butterfly nowadays¡­¡±


    Lei Nora felt somewhat dazed as the stars once again trembled within her soul. This time, she couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of these tremors, but she found¡­ she was gradually perceiving a stable ¡°entity¡± out of the throbbing mass of starlight and that ¡°limb.¡±


    It seemed a person was standing within that majestic ¡°nest.¡±


    She frowned slightly, tilting her head: ¡°Are you inviting me in?¡±


    Zhou Ming was taken aback¨Cwhen had he made an invitation?


    However, he quickly brushed aside this confusion.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t mind having a visitor¨Cin fact, he had been looking forward to it for some time, as he had always been all alone in this closed ¡°cage.¡± Wasn¡¯t it good to have a guest?


    He just felt a bit awkward.


    Looking down at the windowsill, he laughed awkwardly, ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to climb in through the window¡­ I don¡¯t know how to get you in through the front door¡­¡±


    The ancient and amazing presence confirmed the invitation¨Cnow it stepped aside, the crevice in the nest wide open before her, the glow of truth and knowledge now available to her.


    Lei Nora approached the radiance without hesitation.


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    Zhou Ming watched as the guest clambered through the window without the slightest objection. He was deeply moved by the ¡°Her Majesty the Queen¡¯s¡± brisk approach¨Conly someone daring enough to initiate the ¡°Deep Dive Project¡± decades ago could show such determination. Her execution was indeed stronger than most.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t help but warn her from the side, ¡°Hey, be careful there, don¡¯t fall¡­¡±


    Lei Nora passed through the window.


    Her perception of reality collapsed and reshaped.


    Her Majesty the Queen landed firmly on the floor¨C


    ¡°Ouch!¡±

 Chapter 773 - Chapter 773 Chapter 770 Visiting Frost Queen

    Chapter 773: Chapter 770 Visiting Frost Queen Chapter 773: Chapter 770 Visiting Frost Queen The room fell into a momentary silence.


    Zhou Ming didn¡¯t speak, because he felt it was better not to at this time¨Cit could easily become awkward.


    The Frost Queen didn¡¯t speak either¨Cshe was still sprawled on the floor.


    So the two silent ¡°individuals¡± faced off for a while, the Frost Queen continued to gnaw at the room¡¯s floor, while Zhou Ming watched the back of the Frost Queen¡¯s head. After about half a minute of this standoff, Zhou Ming finally felt he must say something¨Cafter all, staring at a lady gnawing on the floor was not exactly polite behavior.


    So he bent down, very cautiously breaking the silence, ¡°¡­Do you need help up?¡±


    What reached her ears was human language.


    Lei Nora felt the constant buzzing tremors and overlapping noises in her mind suddenly ¡°collapse,¡± and all sounds transformed into human words that she could understand without trying to ¡°listen¡± deliberately. She instantly reacted, springing up from the floor.


    Then her head hit Zhou Ming¡¯s chin¨Cnot even managing an ¡°ouch¡± before she was prostrate again.


    Zhou Ming, in turn, was seen stars from the sudden bump.


    However, he quickly got a grip on himself, not minding the stars whirling in front of his eyes, and immediately reached out to support the ¡°queen,¡± who had fallen back down, while awkwardly speaking, ¡°Sorry, I was standing in the wrong place¡­ Are you alright?¡±


    Lei Nora felt a buzzing in her head, but she was more lucid than ever¨Cshe realized her reason had fully returned to her body, and a indescribable ¡°cognition¡± had just reshaped itself in her perception. She understood those layers of chaotic noise, and saw another aspect of this ¡°nest.¡±


    She saw the floor, the tables and chairs, and various other oddly styled and unfamiliar decorations¨Cmany things that seemed like everyday items used by ordinary people floated in a boundless darkness filled with dim light. Deeper in the chaos, there seemed to be walls, like an illusory structure, and all these were constantly expanding and contracting in her vision, as if mimicking illusions.


    The feeling this all gave her was like there was an unnameable, non-human existence living here, imitating ¡°humans¡± in everything it did in its lair.


    She also saw the ¡°entity¡± that had spoken to her, which was still an infuriating cluster of starlight, but the starlight had collapsed into a human outline. She couldn¡¯t make out the facial features within the starlight, but she could see the other¡¯s ¡°hand¡± supporting her arm, she could hear the starlight¡¯s human voice¨Crevealing a friendly and amiable attitude.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± Lei Nora hesitated, even with the Frost Queen¡¯s wisdom and composure, she felt a bit dazed after a series of unexpected circumstances. While trying to organize her thoughts, she attempted to communicate with this entity that seemed to be imitating humans, ¡°Sorry for disturbing your peace, I was just¡­ curious, and then got bound by this curiosity next to your lair¡­ ¡®palace¡¯.¡±


    Zhou Ming frowned, feeling that the Frost Queen¡¯s way of speaking to him was a bit odd.


    But he didn¡¯t think too much of it because he was as bewildered as she¨Cstill seeing stars, he could only wave his hand, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re fine, I really didn¡¯t expect¡­ you¡¯re the first ¡®human¡¯ to visit this place.¡±


    Lei Nora watched the actions of the human-shaped entity before her, curiosity surging in her mind. Finally, she couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand and point to the spherical object that had been drifting near the entity¡¯s head (if that cluster of starlight was indeed a head), ¡°¡­What is this thing?¡±


    Zhou Ming looked up, and after a moment of subtle silence, he finally tried to reach out to grab the small celestial body with a pale yellow atmosphere that had just separated from his body. At the moment his fingertips touched it, the small planet silently returned to his body.


    ¡°This is Venus,¡± he said, trying to control his expression and tone, ¡°a¡­ star.¡±


    Lei Nora watched in amazement, couldn¡¯t help but express her wonder, ¡°¡­Incredible.¡±


    ¡°I find it incredible too,¡± Zhou Ming said sincerely, ¡°Before you bumped into me, I never expected¡­ this to happen.¡±


    He looked down at his hands, seeing his arms as usual, but when he tried to clench his fists tightly and concentrate on drawing a starry sky in his mind, a faint starlight floated into his vision.


    The change had accelerated once again¡­


    Lei Nora couldn¡¯t understand what the ¡°stellar entity¡± was doing; she was just amazed that the entity truly had intelligence like a human, amazed that she was actually conversing with such an unbelievable being at the edge of this world. After confirming the entity¡¯s friendliness, she grew bolder, ¡°Have you¡­ always lived here?¡±


    Zhou Ming frowned, realizing the slight discord in Lei Nora¡¯s tone and attitude that he had been vaguely feeling.


    ¡°You don¡¯t recognize me?¡± he asked, somewhat surprised, looking at the ¡°Frost Queen.¡±


    ¡°Recognize you?¡± Lei Nora replied, startled and with a puzzled look at the non-human entity before her, ¡°Have we¡­ met before?¡±


    Zhou Ming was momentarily dazed before suddenly realizing¨Cof course, Lei Nora had never seen him.


    What she had seen was Duncan.


    So he spread his palms open and summoned a flame before Lei Nora.


    A pale green light burst forth from among the stars, and instantly, a connection with the flame was established¨Ca resonance with the same flicker of flame Lei Nora had once touched.


    ¡°Now do you remember?¡± the cluster of starlight trembled, speaking in the human tongue.


    Lei Nora stood frozen in place, her astonishment so great that it took her several seconds to snap out of it, after which she looked at Zhou Ming with her mouth agape, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ the Captain?!¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s part of me,¡± Zhou Ming thought for a moment and explained to this ¡°Your Majesty the Queen,¡± according to his own understanding, ¡°Or rather, one of my appearances, a vessel.¡±


    He paused, then couldn¡¯t help but speak with emotion, ¡°You are the first ¡®human¡¯ to see me here. Now you have come to understand truths beyond anyone¡¯s comprehension.¡±


    Astounding knowledge exploded in her mind, and Lei Nora experienced a sense of dizziness akin to the first time she laid eyes on that grand ¡®Cocoon of Light.¡¯ It was a tremor brought about by cognitive reshaping, the unveiling of truth!


    But perhaps because she had already crossed that ¡°Crack¡± and entered this ¡®Cocoon,¡¯ and had undergone the initial baptism, the dizziness this time lasted only a moment before she regained her normal thought processes and quickly understood everything¨C


    A chaotic existence at the world¡¯s end, a changing entity, a ¡®spirit¡¯ that had thrust its ¡°tentacles¡± into the dimensions of reality, it had myriad interpretations but a single origin¨Cthis source slumbered at the end of time, and now, she, an impetuous traveler, had found this source.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time,¡± Zhou Ming smiled, knowing that Lei Nora would be a little bewildered upon learning the truth. It seemed she was more confused than he had initially expected, which prompted him to take the initiative to speak, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, come sit down. Tell me what has happened to you since you ¡®ran away,¡¯ and how you found my ¡®little abode,¡¯ as well as what you¡¯ve been scribbling on the outside.¡±


    As he spoke, he walked toward the sofa.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind the simplicity here. My place has limited amenities after the end of the world, and certainly cannot compare to your past palace or your current opulent bedroom¨Cand there¡¯s not much to offer you here. But then again, you¡¯re a ghost now, so you probably don¡¯t need anything to eat, do you?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ no need.¡±


    Lei Nora replied absentmindedly, and virtually in a half-dazed state, she followed Zhou Ming to the sofa¨Cher gait wavering as if she were walking on a constantly deforming floor, which piqued Zhou Ming¡¯s curiosity, ¡°Are you feeling dizzy?¡±


    Lei Nora internally muttered: Everything here is floating in the undulating chaos, it¡¯s not a place where people can stand at all; of course, walking on it would make one dizzy.


    But in the presence of this ¡®Thousand-Faced Starlight,¡¯ she couldn¡¯t exactly voice this outright and simply gritted her teeth and nodded, ¡°A little, but it¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, then you really should sit down right away.¡±


    Zhou Ming said, with a touch of awkwardness in his voice. He rubbed his nose, thinking that it wasn¡¯t surprising¨Cafter all, the ¡°Queen¡± had just slammed her head on the floor twice, and the latter hit was quite solid¡­ it seemed she had taken a few hard knocks.


    But he didn¡¯t feel too guilty deep down¨Cas he himself was still seeing stars.


    After sitting down on the sofa, Lei Nora indeed felt a bit more grounded.


    Even though this ¡®sofa¡¯ was shrouded in a layer of murky and suspicious mist, with its surface shimmering as though alive with constantly shifting ¡®colors,¡¯ at least when she sat down, that sensation of vertigo and falling, as if stepping into the chaos, was no more.


    Zhou Ming also took a seat on an adjacent sofa, curiously looking at this long-unseen Frost Queen, ¡°Alright, now tell me about what¡¯s been happening to you.¡±


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    ¡°¡­After I escaped from the place that originally confined me, I¡¯ve been wandering through the crevices of space-time,¡± Lei Nora nodded, quickly organizing her thoughts before recounting her experiences after she had ¡°fled her bedroom from Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± ¡°It was a bizarre ¡®journey,¡¯ just like I said earlier, I even passed through the ripples of the Subspace¨Cmy ¡®little abode,¡¯ like a protective shell, carried me through those turbulent, fractured rivers outside reality¡¯s dimensions¡­


    ¡°Many incredible things happened during my travels, which I can share with you later, but what you probably care about most right now is how I found this ¡®place¡¯¡­


    ¡°To put it simply, I was swept here by a sudden ¡®turbulence,¡¯ and after being trapped for quite some time, what initially guided me to your ¡®palace¡¯ was¡­ a lamp.¡±


    ¡°¡­A lamp?!¡± Zhou Ming¡¯s eyes widened instantly.


    ¡°Yes, a lamp, floating in the mist,¡± Lei Nora nodded solemnly, ¡°a lantern used aboard a ship.¡±

 Chapter 774 - Chapter 774 Chapter 771 Lei Noras Journey

    Chapter 774: Chapter 771 Lei Nora¡¯s ¡°Journey Chapter 774: Chapter 771 Lei Nora¡¯s ¡°Journey ¡°The ¡®Nest¡¯ fell into silence for a moment, even the trembling among the stars that seemed to never cease suddenly calmed down¨CLei Nora saw the humanoid entity in front of her appear to enter a state of stillness because of her words, until after a long while, the still field of starlight suddenly began to swell and pulsate again.


    ¡°Only one lantern?¡± What else is around the lantern? Where exactly might it be?¡± Zhou Ming stared into the Frost Queen¡¯s eyes and asked quickly.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one lantern, hanging on a broken plank of wood, nothing else¨Cit¡¯s floating in the dense fog,¡± Lei Nora responded immediately, ¡°As for its location¡­it¡¯s right next to your ¡®palace,¡¯ very close, almost next to it¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped speaking, as if recalling more details, reorganized her thoughts, and then continued: ¡°The lantern wasn¡¯t very bright, it shouldn¡¯t have cast a long light in the fog, but as soon as I arrived at this place, I saw it. I steered my ¡®drifting house¡¯ towards it, it took a long time to finally reach here¨Cit felt as if¡­ the light from the lantern wasn¡¯t affected by distance or fog. Once it was lit in this place, its light could definitely be seen from any point in this thick fog.¡±


    Listening to her description, Zhou Ming involuntarily fell into contemplation, and Lei Nora then promptly added: ¡°Of course, these are all my subjective speculations¨Cyou should know, many things here are¡­¡¯not quite right,¡¯ and I think it¡¯s hard for me to judge whether what I see or feel is real or not.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Zhou Ming said softly. Then, as if struck by a thought, he suddenly stood up and strode to a desk not far away.


    Lei Nora remained on the sofa, motionless out of caution¨Cin her eyes, that writhing mass of starlight extended in another direction, seemingly ¡®moving¡¯ to a location in the distance in a way that defied rational judgement, and then it remained there.


    She did not understand what he was doing.


    Zhou Ming pulled a sheet of paper from the edge of the desk and took up a pencil, sketching rapidly¨Che drew a lantern, classical in design, made of brass, and tried his best to replicate its details from the one that hung in the captain¡¯s quarters of the Homeloss.


    After a while, he brought the drawing back in front of Lei Nora, presenting the image on the paper: ¡°Is this the kind of lantern you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    The humanoid mass of starlight opened its limbs, the countless eyes at the ends of the limbs focused together and projected an ethereal image in front of them, the silhouette of the lantern.


    Lei Nora tensed up instantly, since in most cases, what high-dimensional beings casually showed to mortals could instantly kill those rash onlookers, even well-trained scholars¨C but soon, she realized she hadn¡¯t fallen into madness.


    The eyes focused together only showed a mild gaze, waiting for her response patiently and amicably¨Cit seemed that she had completely ¡®adapted¡¯ to these starlights.


    ¡°¡­Quite similar,¡± Lei Nora steadied herself and scrutinized the illusionary image, ¡°I can¡¯t remember the details clearly, but it¡¯s at least seventy to eighty percent similar.¡±


    Hearing this answer, Zhou Ming let out a small sigh, affirming the guess in his mind.


    It was ¡°his¡± lantern¨CDuncan Ebnomal had reached this place in the final voyage of 1800, leaving a ¡®mark¡¯ like a burning lamp.


    Thoughts churned in his mind, and for a long time, Zhou Ming did not speak; he pondered and a myriad of vague associations slowly emerged.


    A lantern in the fog¡­ if viewed symbolically, aside from ¡®illumination,¡¯ its meaning is often ¡®guidance.¡¯


    For ships lost in the thick fog, a penetrating light represented the correct course¨Cat least, it signified the path to safety and shelter.


    His cottage was situated deep within the fog; this place could be the borderlands or perhaps even further than the borderlands, where the path to the world of order is hidden in chaos¡­


    The lantern here established a ¡®linkage,¡¯ spatially pointing towards the Endless Sea, towards Homeloss, and temporally¡­ toward the day Homeloss returned to the real world, towards the time when the Endless Sea would meet its end.


    Zhou Ming contemplated, his gaze flickering amidst his thoughts.


    After many experiences, he had imperceptibly grasped many of the ¡®deep-seated rules¡¯ of this world, among which the most important was the surprising role of ¡®information¡¯ in the operation of all things.


    And clearly, the ¡®captain¡¯ who had reached the endpoint of the world had also touched upon this domain¨Cit seemed that during Homeloss¡¯s ultimate voyage, ¡°he¡± had learned many truths.


    Zhou Ming turned back, silently staring at the apartment door.


    As he watched, the door seemed to open, and the pitch-black fog outside churned and undulated¨Cthe other side of the fog was Homeloss, the captain¡¯s quarters of Homeloss, the wall that abutted the ¡®Door of the Displaced.¡¯


    It was the place where the lantern hung.


    ¡°¡±


    Indeed, it hung right in front of his own door, where it had always been.


    Zhou Ming blinked, as the imagined scenes dissipated from his mind, and that door remained properly closed, waiting for its master to open it and return.


    Lei Nora cautiously maintained silence. She couldn¡¯t discern human expressions from that bundle of starlight, but she could feel that this entity was engaged in some very important thinking¨Cher thoughts stirred ripples through the chaos, a solemn and blurred howling echoing incessantly in every direction. She recalled the training she had received since childhood, striving not to listen, think about, or understand those voices echoing in her ears.


    She had to prevent her own mind from ¡°melting¡± into the other¡¯s cognitive processes, to avoid becoming a fleeting thought of the other.


    Fortunately, the terrifying contemplation finally came to an end¨Cthe deep howling around her gradually calmed, and the bundle of starlight looked at her gently once more.


    ¡°Sorry, I got a bit distracted,¡± Zhou Ming said politely, ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about some of your other adventures, I¡¯m quite interested in them.¡±


    Lei Nora immediately felt relieved¨Cit was indeed easier for her to ¡°speak¡± than to ¡°listen¡± to the voice of this entity.


    ¡°¡­After detaching from that place, I wasn¡¯t very good at controlling my ¡®drifting house¡¯ at first, so I drifted with the flow for a long time¨Cin fact, I suspect the time I experienced was much longer than what you know because I encountered many strange phenomena related to timelines¡­¡±


    This time, Zhou Ming did not interrupt the ¡°Frost Queen¡¯s¡± narration. He listened patiently and with interest, while Lei Nora recounted the many unimaginable experiences she had had since gaining her freedom.


    Honestly, most of those experiences during her journey were of little reference for the issues Zhou Ming currently faced and needed to resolve; they were mostly strange landscapes or wonderful phenomena one could witness in the Spirit Realm¨Cmere unimaginable and adventurous journeys for Lei Nora, which she, as ruler of the Frost City-State, could never have imagined nor experienced.


    The ¡°Queen Her Majesty¡± had her wish granted, becoming a traveler, witnessing countless landscapes throughout her long journey.


    Then, Lei Nora finally brought up the last ¡°chaos stream¡± she encountered and the process of arriving in this dense fog.


    ¡°¡­I encountered the chaos stream after I left Subspace. I was carefully skimming over the upper layers of the Mysterious Deep Sea; you know, the ¡®dome¡¯ with the stagnant starlight,¡± she said as she reminisced, ¡°Then, suddenly, a surge burst from the depths of the Mysterious Deep Sea, as if it was targeting me specifically, pushing me ¡®out¡¯. After that was a long period of losing control, and by the time I managed to stop at least temporarily, I was already here.¡±


    Zhou Ming pondered thoughtfully.


    ¡°¡­Could it be The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡± he said in a low voice, frowning as he thought, ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right either¡­ There must be a reason¡­¡±


    ¡°The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea?¡± Lei Nora, hearing his muttering, suddenly widened her eyes in astonishment, ¡°Do you mean that The Saint of the Mysterious Deep Sea created that surge and deliberately sent me here?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s just a rough guess,¡± Zhou Ming shook his head. Knowing there was no answer for the time being, he didn¡¯t dwell on the question, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that. Tell me about this¡­ ¡®fog.¡¯ Do you know what this place is?¡±


    Lei Nora fell silent at his words and only after half a minute did she nod her head complexly.


    ¡°At first I wasn¡¯t sure, but after staying in this dense fog for a while, I started to see some¡­ ¡®phantoms,¡¯ and knowledge seemed to emerge out of nowhere into my mind,¡± she whispered, ¡°This is the end of the world; I saw here¡­ The shadow of the demise of all things.¡±


    ¡°You should feel fortunate that you found this place guided by that lamp and stopped outside my cabin,¡± Zhou Ming said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s good that you didn¡¯t continue to drift deeper into this dense fog¨Cotherwise, you probably would never have been able to return.¡±


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    Even the daring ¡°Frost Queen¡± couldn¡¯t help but feel a shiver of fear at that moment.


    She realized that, in the past period, she had been like a boat without power, rapidly rushing towards the end of the rapids, and it was only at the last moment before plunging into The Abyss that she was fortuitously stopped by the only ¡°stone¡± in the rapids.


    Though she nearly shattered to pieces against that very ¡°stone.¡±


    After a few seconds of silence, her face displayed a hesitant look again, and she couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Actually¡­ I did overshoot a little¡­¡±


    Zhou Ming was startled, and took a moment to respond, ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°¡­After arriving at your palace following the ¡®light,¡¯ I tried to communicate with this large ¡®entity,¡¯ but there was no response at the time¨Cinstead, a shadow burst out of your ¡®palace.¡¯ That shadow was an indescribable mass. It crashed into my ¡®drifting house,¡¯ causing it to lose control again, and I was pushed deeper into the fog, but fortunately, it wasn¡¯t too severe¡­¡±


    Zhou Ming¡¯s expression suddenly became a little complex.

 Chapter 775 - Chapter 775 Chapter 772 Embark on the Journey Again

    Chapter 775: Chapter 772: Embark on the Journey Again Chapter 775: Chapter 772: Embark on the Journey Again When Lei Nora mentioned that an ¡°indescribable mass¡± had burst from a cocoon of light and caused her ¡°Drifting House¡± to temporarily lose control, Zhou Ming¡¯s expression had a subtle flash of thought¨Che considered for a moment that the object could be the package of ¡°miscellaneous items¡± he had thrown out.


    He had originally intended to use that thing as a ¡°medium¡± to establish communication with the visitors outside.


    But now it seemed that the communication was a bit rough.


    Fortunately, Lei Nora didn¡¯t seem to have encountered much trouble from this accident¨Cand she hadn¡¯t noticed the subtle silence of the ¡°Thousand-Faced Starlight¡± in front of her for a moment.


    Zhou Ming quickly took the opportunity to change the subject, ¡°After briefly losing control, what then? You mentioned you ¡®overshot¡¯¡­ what does that mean?¡±


    Lei Nora didn¡¯t seem to suspect anything, and upon hearing this she slightly furrowed her brow in thought. After a moment, she recalled and said, ¡°After the Drifting House briefly lost control, I fell into the deepest part of this mist, and only stopped near an invisible¡­ ¡®boundary¡¯. I don¡¯t know how to describe that boundary to you¡­ it actually has no physical form, visually there is nothing to see, but the mist stops abruptly there, and beyond that limit is vast expanses of¡­ void.¡±


    She slowly halted, seemingly feeling that her description was still not accurate enough, troubled and frowning. Zhou Ming immediately noticed this and his expression gradually grew solemn, ¡°Void?¡±


    ¡°Yes, void. Not darkness, nor a typical sense of ¡¯emptiness¡¯¡­ I don¡¯t know if this is accurate to say¨Ceven ¡¯emptiness¡¯ at least still exists as a ¡®place¡¯, but there¡­ it transcends what I can rationalize,¡± Lei Nora struggled to think, even recalling and describing what she had seen seemed to be a very difficult thing. ¡°Do you know the world through the eyes of someone born blind? Those who have never seen the slightest light, even losing the visual structure altogether, many think their world is a darkness, but in reality, their ¡®eyes¡¯ perceive an ultimate ¡®void¡¯¡­¡±


    She paused, unable to resist spreading her hands as she continued, ¡°They don¡¯t see ¡®darkness,¡¯ because strictly speaking, ¡®darkness¡¯ is also a part of vision. They¡¯ve never seen any color or shape, so much so that even the phrase ¡®a darkness¡¯ is abstract and incomprehensible to them. Therefore, from a visual standpoint, what¡¯s before their ¡®eyes¡¯ isn¡¯t black but ¡®void,¡¯ where color has never existed, contours have never existed, and the entire world visually does not exist.


    ¡°Beyond that boundary, what I felt was this.


    ¡°I felt I should ¡®see¡¯ something before my eyes, but it surpassed my understanding and perception, leaving no ¡®image¡¯ in my mind. I felt there had been a sound by my ear, but whether it was the feeling at that time or the memory afterward, my mind was blank¨CI stood at that invisible end, clearly aware that there was a ¡®boundary¡¯, and boundaries should have an ¡®opposite side¡¯, but it¡­ had none.¡±


    Lei Nora waved her hand, as if even now, recalling that eerie and terrifying feeling still made her somewhat uncomfortable.


    ¡°No ¡®opposite side¡¯¡­¡± Zhou Ming, upon hearing the other¡¯s abstract and hard-to-understand description, slowly furrowed his brow, pondering and imagining such a scene, gradually making an association, ¡°like a sheet of paper with no ¡®back side¡¯?¡±


    Lei Nora widened her eyes in surprise, and then she saw the ¡°starlight entity¡± before her suddenly raise its limbs, amidst the myriad of eyes and starlight focusing, a¡­ structure was gradually taking shape.


    Zhou Ming tore off a strip of white paper, twisted it, and connected the ends.


    ¡°Knowledge¡± surged into Lei Nora¡¯s brain, and at that moment, she understood the structure of the Mobius strip.


    The vast ¡°void¡± opened its doors to her.


    ¡°That¡¯s the feeling!¡± she suddenly woke up from her daze, her eyes wide as she stared intently at the structure floating in the chaos, under the focus of a myriad of eyes, ¡°This is it! A border without an ¡®opposite side,¡¯ a sheet of paper with no ¡®back side¡¯! An extreme, the true meaning of an ¡®end¡¯!¡±


    The structure silently dissipated.


    Zhou Ming released the connecting point of the Mobius strip, and as the strip fell onto the table, he murmured thoughtfully to himself, ¡°Is this the external barrier?¡­¡±


    He, of course, knew that the barrier the ¡°gods¡± crafted for the Shelter should not be so simple, the Mobius strip here was merely an easily comprehensible ¡°model¡±¨Cthey were not equivalent, but from the ¡°boundary scene¡± described by Lei Nora, there must be a connection between them.


    Lei Nora cast a puzzled yet curious glance.


    ¡°You¡¯ve reached the true end of the world¨Cperhaps even beyond the places where the ancient kings had halted,¡± Zhou Ming looked at this ¡°Frost Queen,¡± his tone somewhat uneasy, ¡°you¡¯ve witnessed¡­ the scene beyond the boundary, but it exceeded your understanding¡­¡±


    He slowly stopped.


    The Mobius strip has no ¡®end,¡¯ for a ¡®creature¡¯ that resides on the surface of the strip, no matter how far they move within the loop, they will never be able to reach the ¡®border¡¯ of the Mobius strip, much less perceive that there is an ¡®invisible end¡¯ there, and thus feel confused and terrified by the ¡®void¡¯ before their eyes¨Cand Lei Nora, this reckless traveler, had in the past sensed the existence of that ¡®end.¡¯


    She had experienced ¡°Ascending Dimensions¡±¨Ceven though she felt she only saw the ¡®void¡¯ due to her inability to ¡®recognize¡¯ the scene there, at that moment, she truly, albeit briefly, transitioned from one trapped on the surface of the loop to one¡­ standing outside the loop.


    He did his best to explain all this to Lei Nora, to elucidate the eerie phenomena she had witnessed, and the nature of the ¡°Ascending Dimensions¡± she had gone through during this past period.


    ¡°Knowledge¡± was reshaping Lei Nora¡¯s mind, reshaping her cognition and essence.


    But she joyfully embraced all this.


    This is what she had been searching for in her journey, this is what she now wanted to attain.


    She wanted to witness more landscapes, to understand everything she saw.


    ¡°I should leave now,¡± she suddenly rose and said.


    Zhou Ming looked at the Frost Queen with some surprise, as if he couldn¡¯t quite react.


    ¡°I want to take another look there,¡± Lei Nora turned her head, her eyes brimming with starlight, which seemed to have permanently reflected in them, stared intently at Zhou Ming¨C ¡°I¡¯ve understood more, I have a feeling¡­ this time, I might be able to see something in that ¡®nothingness,¡¯ something¡­ something I was once unable to recognize, but that definitely exists.¡±


    Zhou Ming paused for a moment, then slowly rose from the sofa.


    ¡°You think there¡¯s ¡®something¡¯ in that nothingness?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lei Nora nodded without hesitation, with a conviction and resolve that others could not understand, ¡°I have seen them, heard them, but it was like a breeze blowing across stones, leaving no trace in my mind¨Clike fingers unable to distinguish colors, eyes unable to judge warmth, my reason was not enough to comprehend what lies beyond that ¡®end,¡¯ but now¡­ I believe things have changed, I can see them, even if just a little.¡±


    Zhou Ming stared intently into the eyes of the ¡°Frost Queen.¡±


    ¡°You are making a very risky decision,¡± he suddenly said, ¡°you were almost devoured by that ¡®end¡¯ last time, and now you are going back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s risky,¡± Lei Nora suddenly laughed, joyfully and radiantly, ¡°Travel is always accompanied by risks.¡±


    ¡°¡­like another ¡®deep dive project¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, like another ¡®deep dive project¡¯,¡± Lei Nora slowly ceased smiling and nodded gently, ¡°My solo deep dive project.¡±


    She turned her head to look elsewhere, took a deep breath, and after a moment of silence, said thoughtfully, ¡°You see, I really am not suited to be a ¡®queen.''¡±


    Zhou Ming said nothing, only walked slowly to the window that connected to the ¡°drifting house.¡±


    After a while, he said, ¡°I can¡¯t leave this place¨Cso don¡¯t forget to tell me what you see.¡±


    Lei Nora nodded briskly: ¡°Okay, I will be your eyes.¡±


    She returned to that ¡°crack,¡± ready to go back to her own ¡°drifting house¡±¨Ca new journey awaited her, and she was ready.


    Zhou Ming watched the enthusiastic Frost Queen.


    For a moment, he felt that letting this lady climb back out the window seemed somewhat unseemly as the beginning of another great journey¨Cit seemed a bit undignified.


    But soon he thought¡­ perhaps there was nothing wrong with it.


    The queen, once trapped in a cage, now could embark on her journey in any way she liked.


    His guest had left.


    With a slight tremor, the window closed again, and the scene outside quickly became enveloped in dense fog¨CZhou Ming had no time to confirm how the ¡°drifting house¡± moved; it had already disappeared from his view.


    He stood somewhat distractedly by the window, staring outside for a long time, then withdrew his gaze, sweeping over the living room.


    The events that had just unfolded seemed like a dream¨Ca mind permanently trapped in a small house, dreaming of someone visiting.


    But as he approached the sofa, he saw a strip of paper still lying quietly on the coffee table, twisted into a Mobius strip, its edge slightly curled.


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    Next to it on the white paper was sketched an antiquely designed lantern.


    Indeed, someone had visited here.


    Zhou Ming sighed lightly, feeling a bit relieved, then chuckled and shook his head as he walked towards the apartment¡¯s main door.


    Opening the door, the constantly pulsating black fog was there as always¡­


    Duncan opened his eyes in front of the Displaced¡¯s gate.

 Chapter 776 - Chapter 776 Chapter 773 Leaping Across the Boundaries

    Chapter 776: Chapter 773: Leaping Across the Boundaries Chapter 776: Chapter 773: Leaping Across the Boundaries Duncan opened the door to the captain¡¯s quarters and strode in; the black goat head on the navigation desk immediately silenced and turned its gaze towards the entrance, watching under the dim light.


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal¨CI¡¯m back,¡± Duncan said with a wave of his hand, then glanced out the window, ¡°Where are we right now?¡±


    Before entering the captain¡¯s quarters, he had noticed that the Homeloss had already passed through the dark mist, and now the dense fog in the nearby waters had turned into a normal gray-white color; under the light, that heavy fog was silently undulating in the distance.


    ¡°We arrived at the Six Nautical Miles boundary line fifteen minutes ago; the fleet is now waiting for your command,¡± the goat head spoke, creaking its neck as it swiveled its head, as if still sizing up the captain that had just entered the room, ¡°You¡­ seem to have been to a very far place or been gone for a long time; I almost didn¡¯t recognize you for a moment.¡±


    Listening to the goat head¡¯s slightly anxious mutter, Duncan just waved his hand lightly and then did not head towards the navigation desk as usual but slowly turned around, as if searching for something around him¨Chis gaze fell upon the lantern hanging on the nearby wall.


    The antique brass lantern hung quietly on the hook, looking unremarkable, as if it were nothing more than a common item when not lit.


    He reached out, took the lantern from the wall, and examined it closely in front of him.


    ¡°Are you headed to the lower deck?¡± the voice of the goat head came from behind him, with a hint of confusion, ¡°The lower deck is very calm right now; it shouldn¡¯t need soothing, and we¡¯re at the boundary¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to the lower deck,¡± Duncan interrupted the goat head, then took the lantern to the navigation desk and set it down carelessly on the table, ¡°As for this lantern, how much do you know about it?¡±


    The goat head visibly paused, somewhat unclear about why the captain suddenly asked such a question after ¡°walking out the door,¡± but quickly it recovered to respond, pondering as it spoke, ¡°If you¡¯re asking about the use of this lantern, I¡¯ve already told you, but if you¡¯re asking about its origin¡­ then I can only say, it was already here when I arrived.¡±


    ¡°So, this lantern was with the Homeloss from the beginning,¡± Duncan furrowed his brow slightly and said thoughtfully, then suddenly thought of something he had never before asked, ¡°Wait, how do you know the purpose of this lantern? Who told you its function? And many other things on the ship¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­The ship told me,¡± the goat head hesitated before answering in a somewhat serious tone, ¡°I know the purpose of every single thing on this ship, most of the intelligence comes from the ship¡¯s own ¡®memory,¡¯ and the remaining small part comes from¡­¡±


    It hesitated for a few seconds before its gaze landed on Duncan.


    ¡°From long ago, when the ¡®captain¡¯ could occasionally think and communicate.¡±


    Duncan nodded, not pressing further, then turned his attention back to the lantern.


    But the goat head couldn¡¯t help but become curious; it carefully observed the familiar lantern and noticed the captain¡¯s serious expression, ¡°Is there something wrong with this lantern?¡±


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing wrong with it,¡± Duncan hesitated before realizing he could not risk discussing the matters ¡°on the other side¡± of that door in front of the goat head, so he had to approach the subject indirectly, ¡°I¡¯m just curious, apart from providing comfort during inspections of the lower deck, does this lantern have any other use?¡±


    ¡°To my knowledge¡­ this is its only function,¡± the goat head thought for a moment and replied very earnestly, ¡°It is something the captain carries with him while inspecting dark places, the ship itself remembers it this way¡­ maybe you could ask Miss Lucy?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, and just then, a shadow surged in a nearby mirror, followed by Agatha¡¯s image emerging within the shadows, ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve received a signal from the direction of the lighthouse, inquiring if something has happened.¡±


    Duncan exhaled and stood up to temporarily hang the lantern back on the wall¨Cthe Brilliant Starship and three church battleships serving as escorts and guides were still waiting for his orders.


    For now, the mission of boundary exploration was more important¨Cafter all, this wasn¡¯t a safe ¡°internal sea area,¡± and it wasn¡¯t a good idea to waste time at the Six Nautical Miles boundary line.


    ¡°Have Fenna contact her brethren and have those church battleships move closer to the ¡®lighthouse,¡¯ go notify ¡®the sailor¡¯ to stand by at the stern¨Cwe¡¯re preparing to ¡®cross the boundary.¡¯


    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Agatha immediately bowed to take the orders, her image gradually fading from the mirror.


    After that, Duncan left the captain¡¯s quarters, walking through the mist-enshrouded deck, and then made his way up to the towering stern deck via the staircase beside the captain¡¯s quarters.


    The gray-white fog enshrouded the endless sea, the water¡¯s surface calm as a mirror, the sky was murky, but there was also a uniformly diffused ¡°twilight¡± in the depths of the clouds and mist, distinct from sunlight and the Creation of the World; this ¡°twilight¡± kept the entire sea area from sinking completely into pitch darkness.


    This ¡°twilight¡± was a phenomenon unique to the border sea regions; it existed even on days when the sun disappeared.


    ¡°So many wondrous sceneries, so many secrets awaiting explanation¡­¡±


    A voice suddenly came from not far off; Duncan turned towards it and saw Morris standing at the edge of the stern deck, somewhat absentmindedly staring into the distant fog.


    The old scholar, wearing a somewhat dated overcoat and holding an unlit pipe, had a wistful expression on his face. Upon noticing the captain¡¯s gaze, he turned with a self-deprecating smile.


    ¡°Just feeling somewhat nostalgic, Captain,¡± he said, ¡°at the end of the world, yet seeing so many things worth researching for generations to come leaves one with a sense of regret.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything, merely joined the old scholar and looked up in another direction.


    A towering lighthouse stood silently in the thick fog.


    Strictly speaking, it was a composite structure made up of a lighthouse, a church, and a steam-driven platform¨Cits base was a large-power harbor driven by a steam core, on which a lofty church in the style of the deep sea was built. The central part of the church also served as the foundation of the lighthouse, with solemn black structures spiraling upwards from the main tower, forming a helical external tower. Between each helical turn, the sacred steam piping was visible, and at the very top was the blazing ¡°torch.¡±


    It was the Blessed Flame, Burning brighter than any ordinary light in the prayers of the church¨Ceven in the boundless fog of the border seas, its light could penetrate the thick mist.


    But it still struggled to penetrate the chaos beyond Six Nautical Miles that no longer obeyed ¡°order.¡±


    ¡°That is the lighthouse established by the Deep Sea Church on the eastern border,¡± Fenna¡¯s voice came from not far behind; she had also made her way to the stern deck at some point. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Helena that these lighthouses are the highest achievement the various churches can offer in their border operations so far¨Cthey only maintain communications and navigation for a short period after the ships cross the six Nautical Miles critical line, that¡¯s it.¡±


    The sound of the steam whistle echoed through the nearby seas, as the three church warships tasked with the piloting duties broke away from the formation, passing slowly past the Homeloss and Brilliant Starship, heading towards the lighthouse standing in the fog.


    They had completed their duties¨Cthe upcoming ¡°boundary crossing¡± mission was not something they could participate in.


    The task of the living had ended, and what followed was to be completed by the ¡°Ghost Ship.¡±


    Hesitant footsteps gradually approached. Duncan looked toward the source of the sound and saw Exception 077 hesitantly walking over.


    He was wearing a ¡°naval uniform¡± of unknown origin over the tattered rags of his original body, which hung loosely on a shriveled and wrinkled corpse.


    ¡°This was sent over from the church¡­¡± Exception 077 noticed the captain¡¯s gaze and immediately raised his hand, ¡°I thought I should dress more appropriately¡­ It never hurts to be a bit more dignified.¡±


    Duncan nodded and casually asked, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m actually still a bit nervous,¡± the sailor instinctively tugged at the button on his chest, but soon straightened his posture and tried to look reliable, ¡°but I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything else, just looked up in the direction of the Brilliant Starship and mentally called out: ¡°Lucy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Dad.¡±


    ¡°The sailor is about to take the helm; you need to stay as close to the Homeloss as possible,¡± Duncan said earnestly, ¡°Next, I¡¯m going to stop suppressing the influence of ¡®Exception 077¡¯ and will spread its power further. If all goes well, the Brilliant Starship will be affected too¨Cwe¡¯re going to enter ¡®the correct course¡¯ and head towards where the Storm Goddess sleeps.¡±


    The voice of Lucia sounded calm and determined: ¡°I understand; I¡¯ll keep up.¡±


    Duncan nodded, took a deep breath, and looked towards Exception 077, who had come to the ship¡¯s helm.


    ¡°¡­Helmsman, fulfill your duty.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡±


    The sailor called out with the greatest strength and volume, in his signature raspy voice, then moved forward with a sudden step, gripping tight the dark helm.


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    Almost instantly, a ghostly green light that enveloped the Homeloss flickered visibly and then began to spread outward, encompassing the Brilliant Starship!


    In a sudden creaking and squeaking sound, as if space itself was under pressure, both ships¡¯ figures began to blur¨Cand they adjusted their stance and began to accelerate into the deeper part of the fog.


    And at this moment of crossing the border, Duncan heard the steam whistles blowing.


    First came the three church warships that had provided the escort, followed by the lighthouse tower of the church on the border of the fog, and then, the vessels, large and small, belonging to the Deep Sea Church docked near the lighthouse.


    The whistles rose and fell, echoing at the end of the world¨Cthe Homeloss and Brilliant Starship accelerated again, leaping past the curtain amidst the mortal world¡¯s farewell.

 Chapter 777 - Chapter 777 Chapter 774 Intersection Window

    Chapter 777: Chapter 774: Intersection Window Chapter 777: Chapter 774: Intersection Window After crossing the Six Nautical Miles threshold, ¡°Homeloss¡± and ¡°Brilliant Starship¡± entered a peculiar¡­ ¡°state¡±.


    The ocean and the fog had disappeared, and a strange dim light that had pervaded the sky now evenly covered the entire world outside the ship¡¯s hull¨Cevery ¡°boundary¡± seemed to have failed, and everything that had once been clearly demarcated now appeared overnight as a uniform texture without distinction between up and down¡­ ¡°background color¡±, and both ghost ships seemed to be flying through this uniform background color, ¡°floating¡± in the air.


    ¡°¡­This is not what the church described,¡± Fenna said, looking out at the scenery beyond the ship¡¯s hull, speaking instinctively, ¡°According to the records, even if you cross the Six Nautical Miles threshold by some distance, there are supposed to be a sea surface and sky¡­ I remember Miss Lucrecia also mentioned this.¡±


    Duncan, contemplating, raised his head and silently glanced at the ¡°sailor¡± who was gripping the wheel with a tense expression. After a moment, he broke the silence, ¡°Perhaps this is the phenomenon that should occur when anomaly 077 ¡®effectively takes place¡¯¨Cwe are navigating through a special ¡®channel¡¯ that is protecting us from the time turbulence outside the threshold.¡±


    ¡°How long will we sail in this ¡®channel¡¯?¡± Alice asked curiously.


    Duncan thought for a bit and shook his head, ¡°Even I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Alice then turned her curious gaze towards the sailor at the helm.


    The already nervous anomaly 077, noticing the doll¡¯s clear gaze, became even more tense, shrinking his neck and saying, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, I don¡¯t know either¨CI¡¯m just steering the ship¡­¡±


    While saying this, he tried to keep a serious face, grasping the wheel and slightly adjusting the direction, but in truth, he also didn¡¯t know where to ¡°steer¡±, merely shaking the wheel in place to appear busy¨Cgiven the bizarre circumstances, the ship¡¯s specific ¡°direction¡± clearly had nothing to do with the wheel¡­


    Duncan, seeing through this but not pointing it out, sensed the condition of ¡°Homeloss¡± to ensure everything was normal, then no longer paid attention to the sailor¡¯s situation, instead looking up towards the ¡°Brilliant Starship¡± floating nearby, calling out in his mind, ¡°Lucy, how are things on your end?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s normal on the ship¨Cexcept Rabi got so scared that he hid in a box and absolutely refuses to come out,¡± Lucy¡¯s voice quickly responded, ¡°He keeps ranting that we¡¯re ¡®crashing¡¯¡­ crashing towards doomsday. I¡¯m kind of concerned about that.¡±


    ¡°Crashing towards doomsday?¡± Duncan frowned upon hearing this, rapidly pondering the meaning of the delusional rabbit¡¯s words. Then he looked toward the other side, his gaze passing over the deck and looking at the ship¡¯s hull outside at the exceedingly voidlike, evenly ¡°gray-white¡±.


    ¡°What it refers to¡­ might be that ¡®outer barrier¡¯,¡± Duncan murmured thinking, ¡°Or whatever lies beyond that barrier.¡±


    ¡°What lies beyond the barrier?¡± Lucy¡¯s voice sounded somewhat bewildered.


    ¡°¡­The ashes, the chaotic and unknowable remnants of the old world not used as ¡®bricks¡¯ for the Shelter,¡± Duncan spoke slowly, recalling a recent conversation with Lei Nora, recalling the Frost Queen¡¯s mention of the terrifyingly pure ¡°void¡± beyond the end of the world, he suddenly realized, ¡°¡­For a fish, the gaseous world truly represents an unfathomable void and doomsday.¡±


    Aboard the bridge of ¡°Brilliant Starship¡±, Lucy, hearing her father¡¯s words, seemed to understand something; then she turned her head to look at the slightly trembling box on the floor near the helm¨Chalf of Rabi¡¯s ear drooped out of the box, shivering.


    Miss Witch frowned, ¡°¡­As a nightmare that brings terror to others, do you need to be this frightened?¡±


    ¡°Rabi¡­ Rabi isn¡¯t the bringer of terrifying nightmares, Rabi is¡­ just terror itself¡­¡± Rabi muttered muffled from inside the box, as if to encourage himself, but the tone of his voice changed halfway, ¡°It¡¯s truly terrifying, my lady! We¡¯re falling, falling fast! Don¡¯t you feel it¨Cgetting colder, darker, narrower, like diving headfirst into a thin tube from a bottomless abyss, about to suffocate, freeze, be crushed to death, just imagine, imagine that scene¡­¡±


    Lucy walked over expressionlessly, kicked open the box lid, and single-handedly grabbed the rabbit and swung it against the wall.


    The ragdoll rabbit ¡°pia ji¡± hit the wall, finally going motionless.


    ¡°Is it just that your vocabulary and imagination are rich?¡± Lucy glared fiercely at the flattened bunny slowly sliding down the wall, rubbing the goosebumps on her arm unconsciously, ¡°Don¡¯t describe your pile of imaginations again¨Ckeep your thoughts to yourself, otherwise next time it won¡¯t just be smacking you against the wall.¡±


    Lying flat on the ground, the ragdoll rabbit ¡°puff-pouf¡± fluffed up again, clumsily got up mumbling ¡°oh,¡± and obediently walked back to the nearby box.


    But halfway there, Lucy, grabbing his ear, dragged him back.


    ¡°Stop lazing around, go find something to do,¡± Miss Witch said in an indisputable tone, ¡°Take a few tin men, go near the aft boundary line and watch it, the ship¡¯s Spiritual Body seems unstable here¡­ Don¡¯t let those soulless shadows escape from inside, I don¡¯t have the spare energy to deal with this trouble. Go.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay, my lady¡­¡± Rabi drooped his head and answered, walking out of the bridge with short steps.


    After the rabbit left, Luny came over from the side, ¡°Weren¡¯t you a bit too harsh on Rabi just now¡­ it¡¯s just a bit scared.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s overly frightened¨CI need to find something to distract it,¡± Lucy then exhaled softly, waving her hand, ¡°It comes from the deeps of the Spirit Realm, it can feel many ¡®changes¡¯ that humans can¡¯t sense, in my eyes where nothing exists, it probably feels ¡®very lively¡¯¡­¡±


    At this point, she suddenly paused and then looked at the automaton in front of her with some confusion, ¡°But then again¡­ didn¡¯t you feel it? When I was making your mimic soul, I also used ¡®ingredients¡¯ from the Spirit Realm.¡±


    Luny paused for a moment, thought seriously, and shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s expression became subtly nuanced as she sized up Luny¨Cit might have been her imagination, but she always felt that Luny exhibited a clear and pure¡­¡±quality¡± since she started playing with a living doll named ¡°Alice¡± aboard the Homeloss. This feeling became especially pronounced after the two dolls learned how to swap heads.


    But the last time she secretly tested Luny¡¯s intelligence, there didn¡¯t seem to be any change¨Can issue she had yet to dare mention to her father.


    ¡°Mistress?¡± The automaton noticed the gaze fixed on her and tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± Lucy waved her hand, pushing the strangely eerie thoughts to the back of her mind just as something caught the corner of her eye.


    Outside the porthole, in the even and pure ¡°gray-white background,¡± some visibly discernible lines and shadows had appeared.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Luny also saw the abstract line patterns appearing on the ¡°channel outer wall¡± and suddenly opened her eyes wide in surprise.


    Almost immediately as her words ended, those abstract, seemingly peeled from a specific individual, ¡°outlines¡± suddenly changed in the gray-white background¨C


    The black lines trembled, rapidly contracting and twisting into orderly contours; shadows suddenly expanded, becoming the color filling the outlines. A ship¨Ca ship that seemed to be ¡°stamped¡± on the exterior wall of the channel, flatly emerged from the gray-white background and gradually entered the course between the Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship.


    The scene was as if a lost voyager had suddenly ¡°intruded¡± into the channel, and that abstract, distorted ship¡¯s silhouette swiftly acquired a logically consistent¡­¡±shape¡± after entering the ¡°sight¡± of the Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship.


    Lucy was taken aback for a moment, then rushed to the porthole like a gust of wind, staring intently at the ship that had suddenly appeared in the channel.


    She suddenly recognized the blurry markings on that ship.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Sea Song!¡±


    It was the Sea Song¨Csailing on a lengthy voyage, wandering in the shattered streams of time.


    It had drifted from a fractured stream of time, entering the pathway between the Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship during this brief ¡°convergence window.¡±


    Suddenly, the stern deck of the Homeloss quieted down.


    Everyone involuntarily looked up, staring at the ship floating in ¡°midair¡± outside the ship¡¯s railing, watching its flag gradually becoming distinct and the increasingly clear name on its hull¨Cthe Sea Song was sailing in its own time flow. It seemed completely unaware of the nearby Brilliant Starship, as if a misalignment in their times obscured its ¡°view.¡± It passed at a distance that could have almost led to a collision with the side of the Brilliant Starship, then came alongside the Homeloss.


    There, it adjusted its position and then¡­ sent a series of light signals.


    Unusual 077 suddenly clutched the wheel tightly.


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    He widened his eyes, fixating on the flashing lights on the side of Sea Song, silently counting the intervals and illumination, as though counting his own long-lost heartbeat¨C


    ¡°Short light-dark-short light-dark-long light¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t continue counting. While the light signals of the Sea Song were still flashing, he had already closed his eyes and then, as if using all his strength, shouted with his raspy voice¨C


    ¡°Captain! The vessel ahead is asking our intentions!¡±


    The sailor¡¯s hoarse voice echoed on the Homeloss.


    Duncan took a gentle breath, his face serious and solemn.


    ¡°Respond with lights,¡± he said softly, ¡°salute them.¡±

 Chapter 778 - Chapter 778 Chapter 775 Departing Far Away

    Chapter 778: Chapter 775: Departing, Far Away Chapter 778: Chapter 775: Departing, Far Away Nina came onto the deck and raised her right hand toward the sky¨Ca fierce flame erupted from the palm of her hand, turning into an arc of light bright enough to penetrate the thick fog. This ray of sunlight flickered above the Homeloss, sending a greeting and tribute to those heading to their deaths on another timeline.


    Did the Sea Song see it? Did they, on that other timeline, know what had happened? Were they en route to their deaths, or on their way back home? In the brief moment when the lights flickered and the two timelines intersected, did they understand their fate?


    The window of converging timelines gradually closed, and the ship¡¯s silhouette began to rapidly dim and blur, once again dissolving into jumbled lines and shadows, like something briefly surfacing before sinking back into the endless darkness of the ¡°Deep Sea.¡±


    At the helm, the abnormal and stunted figure of 077 trembled slightly in the wind as he clutched the wheel of the Homeloss, constantly gazing in the direction of the Sea Song. For a moment, he opened his mouth as if to shout, but all words dissipated in his withered throat.


    Then he lifted his hand, wanting to salute the ship he had once served and his former comrades¨CFenna had taught him the gesture over these days, a simple wave across the chest in the motion of undulating waves, signifying the protection of the Storm and a blessing for safe passage. But just for an instant, as if struck by an electric shock, his hand pressed back onto the dark wheel, gripping tightly.


    Outside the hull of the Homeloss, the uniform grey-white ¡°inner wall¡± briefly stirred with dangerous and chaotic ripples, which then disappeared and smoothed out in the blink of an eye.


    He couldn¡¯t let go¨Che was steering.


    The window closed, the last shadow of the Sea Song disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight¨Cin all possible branches of time, this was the last time it would appear in the mortal realm.


    Until the end, the ¡°sailor¡± never released the dark wheel of the Homeloss.


    Heavy footsteps approached from beside, and the sailor, somewhat dull, turned his head to see a tall figure come up to the helm, quietly watching him.


    He paused, instinctively straightening his body. ¡°Captain¡­¡±


    Duncan placed his hand on the skeletal shoulder of the mummy, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­You see, I¡¯m holding on well,¡± the mummy¡¯s face trembled with wrinkles, he looked down at the wheel in his hands, ¡°I just loosened my grip a little¡­ the ship didn¡¯t stray off course¡­ and then I never let go¡­ never let go¡­¡±


    Duncan said nothing, just placed his hand on the mummy¡¯s shoulder and pressed firmly again.


    Then he withdrew his hand, preparing to turn and leave, but at that moment, he heard the voice of the abnormal 077, the sailor muttering softly, almost as if talking to himself, ¡°Will it mean anything?¡±


    Duncan paused, silently watching his helmsman.


    ¡°Will all of this mean anything?¡± The sailor seemed to finally muster the courage, raising his head, looking into Duncan¡¯s eyes, but his gaze was not one seeking an answer, but rather grasping for a lifeline in the midst of a storm, ¡°The Sea Song, the people at the border, the peace officers and guardians still trying to maintain order in the City-State, and¡­ us, will any of this have meaning?¡±


    Duncan remained silent for a few seconds, then nodded calmly, ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    He turned and walked towards the deck, and just as he was about to leave the helm, he heard the sailor¡¯s voice from behind, ¡°The first rule of the Homeloss crew, right?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t reply but just waved his hand gently and left the helm.


    He crossed the stairs to the quiet aft deck, simultaneously calling out in his heart, ¡°Lucy.¡±


    The response from the sea witch came immediately, ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Duncan hesitated for two seconds before speaking calmly, ¡°I remember you mentioned something¨Cyou once accidentally crossed the critical line of Six Nautical Miles, becoming lost deep within the Eternal Veil, and at that time, it was because you saw the phantom of the Homeloss that you followed it back to the internal waters.¡±


    Lucy fell silent suddenly on the other end, taking a long time before breaking the silence, ¡°Yes, I¡­ always thought that was a phantom of the Homeloss, briefly surfacing from the Subspace¡­¡±


    Duncan said nothing further, from Lucy¡¯s response, he knew that the astute ¡°witch¡± had also thought of the same thing he had just considered.


    Just now, the appearance of the ¡°Sea Song¡± had abruptly reminded Duncan of a fact he knew but hadn¡¯t deeply contemplated before¨C


    Beyond the border of Six Nautical Miles, time is discontinuous and unoriented; the cause and effect of things are in a state of constant flux, a ship that had long since returned could still be traversing past times here, and in Lucy¡¯s memory, her ¡°Brilliant Starship¡± once lost beyond the Six Nautical Miles, found itself in dire straits when the phantom of the Homeloss suddenly appeared and led her back to reality.


    She had always thought that was the Homeloss returning from Subspace, or a ¡°projection¡± of the Homeloss extending into reality from Subspace.


    But¡­ now this issue had a new possibility.


    Duncan strolled to the edge of the deck, leaning on the railing and gazing out at the even expanse of grayish white beyond the ship¡¯s side. His gaze seemed to pierce through the ¡°inner wall,¡± looking towards the untamed chaos and mist of infinite disarray in time and space beyond the regular shipping route.


    In the deep fog, the Homeloss steered by Duncan Ebnomal might still be on a long voyage¨Che might have just set sail, might be on the verge of returning, might have just learned some truth about this world, or perhaps¡­


    He had just hung an oil lamp at the world¡¯s end, right by the door of a sleeping denizen of Homeloss.


    ¡­


    With a hiss, the striking of a match broke the silence in the living room, a tiny flame approached the oil lamp on the table, casting a bright glow that enveloped the room in a light that was neither too glaring nor lacked a sense of warmth.


    Heidi bent down to light the oil lamp on the table and then lifted her head to make sure every corner of the living room was visible before she moved to her mother¡¯s side.


    The light from the oil lamp, of course, couldn¡¯t compare to electric lights, but due to a malfunction in one set of generators in the eastern district of the City-State, the government office had just issued an order for electricity rationing¨Cnow, the entire power grid of the City-State was under strain, and the power supply had to prioritize important factories, Shelters, and containment seal institutions. The usual home lighting naturally had to revert to more energy-saving ¡°traditional methods.¡±


    ¡°I wonder when the electricity will be restored¡­¡± Heidi murmured softly.


    ¡°That depends on the repair progress of the generators,¡± her mother¡¯s voice remained as calm and even as always, as if nothing could disturb the elderly lady¡¯s composure, ¡°Did the notice mention the extent of damage to the generators?¡±


    ¡°There was no specific mention of the damage, but I heard the malfunction has nothing to do with possessed machinery. It should just be ordinary operational issues,¡± said Heidi, ¡°Probably a few days to fix, judging by past experiences. Could be as quick as two or three days, or at most a week¡­ Tsk.¡±


    The psychiatric consultant Miss sighed, clearly not in the best of moods.


    ¡°Gas lamps and oil lamps are still workable, it¡¯s not too bad, is it?¡± her mother, however, smiled gently, then casually picked up a sheet of paper from the table and handed it to Heidi, ¡°This is the ¡®News Bulletin¡¯ that just arrived this morning. Read it to me, won¡¯t you? My eyesight isn¡¯t what it used to be, and I can¡¯t see very well.¡±


    Heidi took the ¡°newspaper¡± from her mother¡¯s hand.


    Now was the long nightfall, and the act of ¡°reading¡± was already listed as a hazardous behavior. Libraries and book markets had long closed down, and even the majority of newspapers had suspended circulation during the nightfall period¨Cbut even so, people still had a fundamental need for information. Thus, under the supervision of the city hall, something known as the ¡°News Bulletin¡± came into existence in the City-State.


    It was a simplified version of a newspaper, with the paper itself having undergone exorcism and blessings by the cathedral. The content on the paper was carefully curated, controlling the extent and depth of reading to prevent incidents of knowledge contamination, while the paper itself was adorned with many sacred prayers and rune decorations to protect the mental safety of the reader.


    With so many protective measures in place, the distribution of these newspapers was also strictly controlled¨Cnot sold openly, but delivered directly to those who had the credentials to read them through specific channels. These individuals needed to have basic esoteric knowledge and skills to handle ¡°small troubles.¡±


    The whole process and regulations were cumbersome, but regardless, the modern City-State was built upon the foundation of modern civilization¨Cinformation had to circulate within the City-State, read by qualified individuals, and then disseminated to the unqualified but still important ordinary people of the City-State. Heidi might not be an official member of the city hall, but she had always interacted with the city¡¯s administrators and could somewhat understand what those managing the city were thinking.


    The night was long, and difficulties were inevitable¨Cbut they must delay the process of ¡°human¡± decline during the nightfall to the maximum, so as to avoid¡­ the ¡°degeneration of civilization.¡±


    Heidi unfolded the paper, steadied her mind, and read the contents to her mother:


    ¡°¡­ The malfunction of the generator has been located, repair work is swiftly underway, and engineers estimate that replacement and repairs of all equipment can be completed within two days¡­


    ¡°The issue of improper food rationing in the northern district has been resolved; the City-State now has a sufficient reserve of food¡­ the lighting system operates normally, and the vertical farms¡¯ production is unaffected¡­ an increase in fungi output¡­


    ¡°A standoff has occurred in the northern seas; the Cold Harbor and Murphy¡¯s Harbor navies have assembled near a ¡®Sun Shard.¡¯ The Death Church fleet has intervened, and the situation has not escalated at this time¡­¡±


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    Heidi read through the brief news bites, occasionally pausing to utter a quiet prayer or invoke the name of God of Wisdom Rahm. Suddenly, she stopped.


    ¡°Is there any particular news?¡±


    Her mother¡¯s gentle voice came from next to her.


    Heidi paused, her gaze still fixed on the last piece of news on the newspaper, and after several seconds, she exhaled lightly.


    ¡°¡­ A brief from the Deep Sea Church states that the border exploration fleet has once again undertaken a ¡®cross-boundary¡¯ operation, with the Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship having crossed the Six Nautical Miles boundary¡­¡±

 Chapter 779 - Chapter 779 Chapter 776 Cold Night

    Chapter 779: Chapter 776 Cold Night Chapter 779: Chapter 776 Cold Night Under the dim light of an oil lamp, Heidi gently placed the piece of paper containing news from afar on the table. The living room was quiet, the warm light of the lamp and her mother¡¯s gentle gaze accompanying her.


    She knew about the voyage of the ¡°Homeloss¡± this time¨Cher father always wrote back, and his recent letters had mentioned many things related to the frontier. She knew the captain had to undertake a great voyage, knew her father would set out with him to the distant frontier¨Cbut when she officially heard the news through the channels of the City-State, a different kind of feeling rose in her heart.


    It was as if something that had only ever been a vague concept suddenly became tangible, and she looked at the brief words and suddenly realized¨Cah, they had truly set out.


    Her father, her best friend, had embarked on a journey to the end of the world during this long night.


    ¡°They will be safe,¡± her mother¡¯s voice came from beside her, pulling Heidi from her slight distraction. The old woman¡¯s tone was calm, just like many years ago on a stormy night, ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, Heidi.¡±


    Heidi turned her head somewhat blankly, ¡°Because¡­ that powerful captain?¡±


    ¡°Because of your father¨Che always comes back safe,¡± her mother said with a gentle smile, as if lost in memories, ¡°He has done many daring things, far beyond what you can imagine, but he always comes home in the end, to tell me about those incredible experiences¡­ This time he will come back too, with tales from the ends of the earth, and you will hear an incredible story from him, just like I did back then.¡±


    Heidi quietly listened. After a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke softly, ¡°Father, and Fenna¡­ they are doing something very great, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very great¨Cheading to the unknown is always something great.¡±


    ¡°What should I do now?¡±


    ¡°Now you should put on a warm coat, then go out, go to the gathering place, and tell our neighbors the latest news. They are still waiting for news about the power generators and food supplies,¡± her mother said slowly, ¡°Tell the common people who can¡¯t read, let them be at ease, dispel the tension and fear spreading among them; don¡¯t let the night overwhelm them, fight against this long night¨Cfulfill the oath you made at the academy, and then come back safely, I will have your favorite mushroom vegetable soup ready.¡±


    Her mother slowly stood up, set aside her needlework, and came forward to fix her daughter¡¯s hair, ¡°Heidi, these are also very great things.¡±


    Feeling her mother¡¯s fingers pass through her hair, Heidi hesitated for a moment and then gently nodded. Her gaze swept over the ¡°newspaper¡± on the table, imprinting the news on her mind once again.


    Far away in the northern seas, a layer of uniform and thin pale golden ¡°sunlight¡± gently covered the sea under the night sky. A massive Luminous Geometric Body floated like a crystal-cast hill on the Endless Sea, with large and small battleships slowly patrolling around the boundaries of the sunlit area, like hungry fish circling around food.


    Solenna from Cold Harbor stood grimly on the bridge, looking through the wide windows at the sea surface bathed in thin sunlight. At the end of that sea, he could vaguely see the silhouettes of two small speedboats sweeping past the front of the fleet¨Clike cautious tentacles, neither too close nor adequately manifesting their presence.


    Those were the forward warships of the Murphy Navy, probing the borders of the Frost Navy.


    Several other warships flying black flags were slowly cruising nearby the Frost Navy and Murphy Navy, their black flags with the triangular ¡°The Gate of Death¡± insignia fluttering high in the thin ¡°sunlight¡±, barely discernible through binoculars.


    The main cannons of the warships had been unveiled¨Call of them.


    The priests on those ecclesiastical warships must be feeling overwhelmed at this moment¨CSolenna suddenly thought, and briefly experienced a flicker of guilt.


    That bit of guilt quickly dissipated amidst his ironclad resolve.


    At that moment, the communication deck received an external radio signal. Moments later, the radio operator looked up at Solenna, ¡°Commander, we received a contact from ¡®The Mourner¡¯, they hope we and the forward units of the Murphy Navy each retreat five nautical miles, to move out of the danger zone.¡±


    ¡°Tell them again, let the other side retreat first,¡± Solenna said without hesitation, ¡°and reiterate to them that Cold Harbor needs that ¡®sunlight¡¯ now¨Cthis is not a negotiation, this is a notice, a result, a fact that must be achieved; no matter what, the Frost Navy will not leave this area until this goal is reached.¡±


    A chill permeated the bridge, as if the cold wind had seeped through the cabin doors, slowly circulating around.


    The radio operator immediately took the order, but just as he was about to respond to the church warship serving as the ¡°mediation fleet¡± flagship, another signal came through on the public radio channel.


    ¡°¡­ Commander, it¡¯s a contact from Murphy.¡±


    Solenna frowned, and after a brief silence of a second or two, he stepped over to the communication deck, placing the headset against his ear.


    A not unfamiliar middle-aged man¡¯s voice entered my ears, ¡°Solenna, I know you¡¯ll listen in person¨Clisten, I know about Cold Harbor, but things are worse in Morphis now. Something¡¯s trying to land on our coasts; our forces have repelled them many times, but they keep surging from the sea¡­ we need sunlight, even if it¡¯s just to temporarily curb the ¡®mutations¡¯ in the surrounding seas¡­¡±


    ¡°Far-view Cliff disappeared twelve hours ago,¡± Solenna said calmly, ¡°as if it were cleanly sliced off from the island.¡±


    Silence suddenly fell on the radio.


    ¡°Cold Harbor needs sunlight¨Cour city is gradually vanishing into the night,¡± Solenna slowly began. He felt his blood slowly growing cold as if a faint breeze was lingering on the bridge, but he couldn¡¯t pay attention to this subtle change, ¡°Hobo, we¡¯ve known each other for many years. You know what¡¯s going to happen next.¡±


    Silence ensued on the other side of the radio for a long time, finally broken by an angry roar, ¡°Your nephew is still in Morphis! He¡¯s also a member of the coastal defense!¡±


    ¡°¡­ Cold Harbor will remember him.¡±


    Solenna took off the handset and heavily placed it on the radio hook.


    In the cold air, he slowly exhaled and looked up at his subordinates, who were awaiting orders.


    ¡°¡­Do not accidentally hit the church¡¯s warships,¡± he said calmly, ¡°focus fire on the ¡®Harp,¡¯ their command center should be on that ship.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The naval officers on the bridge immediately took orders and the operators began the predetermined processes¨Cbut the next second, a short cry interrupted everyone¡¯s busy actions.


    A sailor who touched the control handle was instantly frostbitten, his hand almost immediately frozen to the metal pole, tearing off a small piece of already stiffened flesh in panic.


    Only at this moment did everyone realize the cold that had long soaked the entire bridge¨Ctheir thoughts struggled to function in their semi-frozen state, the terrible chill almost piercing everyone¡¯s flesh and bones. A layer of frost fog mixed with ice crystals appeared out of thin air from all directions, almost instantly, covering nearly all the instruments and controls on the bridge with a thin layer of ice!


    Solenna finally reacted. He sprinted towards his captain¡¯s seat, preparing to sound the alarm for the entire fleet¨Chowever, just two steps out, a bony yet iron-hard arm blocked his path.


    The frost fog, dense with tiny ice crystals, spread around. An incomplete ¡°corpse¡± stood in front of him, wearing the Frost Navy uniform, yet its upper and lower halves were severed as if by cannon fire. It slowly twisted its head towards Solenna, its skull-like face slowly formed a slight smile, ¡°Good afternoon, sir, you need to calm down¡­¡±


    Solenna stood rigidly next to the captain¡¯s seat, his eyes slowly shifting sideways. He saw one ¡°corpse¡± after another emerging from the ubiquitous frost fog, taking control of his subordinates¨Cthe undead had already taken over the bridge.


    In the corner of his eye, he also saw a large swath of white mist suddenly surging on the nearby sea surface.


    The cold fog on the sea surface condensed, and the solid ice almost instantly covered the sea area where both sides faced off. Amidst the glaciers that continuously undulated, broke, and gathered like living creatures, a huge warship and a dozen smaller vessels emerged from the sea like ghostly reflections in the ice crystals. The cold seawater cascaded down the sides of those warships like a waterfall while the numerous gun ports on their decks rotated, aiming at every ship in the area.


    The screeching noise of metal warping and deforming entered Solenna¡¯s ears.


    He slowly turned his head towards the source of the noise.


    Nearby, a metal wall was warping and deforming, the center of the steel plate seemingly melting, showing an incredible fluidity, and then those flowing parts piled up to form a stern face with an eyepatch.


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    ¡°Solenna, long time no see.¡±


    ¡°Captain Tyrion¡­ or should I call you Governor?¡± Solenna tensed up, keeping an eye on the movements on the nearby sea surface while speaking in a low voice, ¡°This is indeed on a grand scale.¡±


    ¡°I rarely go all out when dealing with the navies of different City-States¨Cmostly because I don¡¯t want things to become too stiff,¡± the steel face spoke, ¡°However, it seems¡­ the atmosphere here is already very tense today.¡±


    Solenna didn¡¯t respond. During a few seconds of silence, he monitored the situation from the direction of the Morphis Navy.


    There was no movement from there¨Cclearly, the undead had also taken control of the opposing flagship.

 Chapter 780 - Chapter 780 Chapter 777 Elimination and Alliance

    Chapter 780: Chapter 777: Elimination and Alliance Chapter 780: Chapter 777: Elimination and Alliance The confrontation on the sea surface became a more complex situation¨Ca powerful Mist Fleet emerged from the cold wind, with a fourth force appearing in the original three-way standoff. However, from another angle, things seemed to have simplified.


    Cold Harbor and the Moco Navy no longer needed to worry about the gunfire opposite them or the deterrence of the Church Fleet.


    Solenna stared fixedly at the steel face, with neither fear nor the slightest flicker of doubt in his eyes¨Cthough he knew the abilities of this ¡°Iron Admiral,¡± he also knew the Mist Fleet wasn¡¯t invincible. The Undead could control the two flagships by surprise but couldn¡¯t control the other ships in the fleet. If this really turned into a chaotic battle, it wouldn¡¯t be good for anyone.


    Tirian Abnormal¡¯s choice to meet this way indicated he wanted to ¡°talk.¡±


    ¡°Cold Harbor needs sunlight.¡± After a long standoff, Solenna broke the silence with a somber voice.


    ¡°Yes, Cold Harbor needs sunlight, and now the commander of the Moco Navy, your old friend Hobo, is also telling me¨CMoco needs sunlight,¡± the steel face mouthed, emitting a tremulous metal sound, ¡°and do you know? Yorton City, Hepi, Bandor Island, farther away Phaeron, Moco¡­ The darkness has begun to eat away at this world, and the islands under the protection of sunlight are just a small part among all the city-states¡­ Everyone needs sunlight.¡±


    Solenna¡¯s facial muscles were tense, but his voice was even calmer than before, ¡°Captain Tirian, do you think it¡¯s useful to say this now? I need to first ensure Cold Harbor survives¨Cunless, you¡¯re willing to bring out the ¡®Sun Shard¡¯ that fell in Frost.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s already on the way to Cold Harbor.¡± The steel face calmly stated.


    Solenna¡¯s face, which had been tense, suddenly registered shock¨Che had prepared many things to say, but this unexpected answer left his mind somewhat blank.


    Even the entire bridge suddenly grew quiet.


    ¡°Turn back now, and you should just be able to see it arriving at the north coast of Cold Harbor,¡± Tirian¡¯s voice echoed in the quiet bridge, while the Undead sailors, enshrouded in chilly fog, silently released their grip on the bridge sailors and retreated to the side as if standing by, ¡°Let the Moco Navy take this Sun Shard from here before this standoff escalates out of control.¡±


    Solenna fell silent for a few seconds before slowly speaking, ¡°What about Frost?¡±


    ¡°Frost is safer than all of you imagine¨Cwe have our own ¡®safeguards,¡¯ no need for you to worry,¡± Tirian calmly said, ¡°You and Hobo¡¯s most important task now is to return to your respective city-states and quickly restore everything under the sunlight.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you want?¡± Solenna suddenly voiced, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world, a simple truth I understand¨Cstate your thoughts, Governor Tirian.¡±


    ¡°¡­I need to establish an ¡®Alliance Mechanism¡¯ that operates under the cloak of night,¡± the steel face gazed into Solenna¡¯s eyes, ¡°led by Frost, covering the entire Chill Sea¨CI need full support from Cold Harbor and Moco Harbor.¡±


    After a brief contemplation, Solenna quickly guessed the intent of the ¡°Iron Admiral,¡± furrowing his brow and instinctively looking up for the three Death Church warships initially hovering on the edge of the ¡°sunlight,¡± only to find the ships had at some point moved close to the Mist Fleet, pausing beside Sea Mist as part of the formation.


    ¡°¡­I understand. Gain sunlight, take responsibility, those who don¡¯t want responsibility¡­ we¡¯ll handle it,¡± he withdrew his gaze from the window and nodded at the steel face, ¡°Regarding Hobo¡­¡±


    ¡°He agreed three seconds before you did.¡± Tirian remarked casually.


    ¡°Alright, I have no more questions.¡±


    The Undead retreated into the mist in silence, the frost-laden cold mist gradually dissipating in the bridge, the vast chunks of ice on the sea surface visibly shrinking in size¨Cthe Mist Fleet¡¯s deterrence against both sides of the standoff was lifted.


    Beside the communication console, the phone crackled intermittently, its indicator light flickering on and off¨Cthe communication soldier hesitantly lifted his head, looking at his commander.


    Solenna¡¯s voice was stern: ¡°Pick it up, do I need to say it?¡±


    The communication soldier picked up the phone, and after a moment, lifted his gaze, ¡°It¡¯s the public channel from Moco¡­¡±


    Solenna stepped forward with an unsurprised expression, took the phone, and put it to his ear, listening to the voice coming through¨C


    ¡°Solenna, listen, after I return¡­¡±


    ¡°You can tell my nephew about everything that happened today¨Cor I¡¯ll tell him myself later.¡±


    ¡°¡­You really are a rare bastard.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you, you too.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, thank you, goodbye.¡±


    Solenna hung up the phone, his gaze crossing the broad window ahead, watching the vast Endless Sea enveloped by the night¨Cthe Mist Fleet, wrapped in piercing cold wind, slowly moving towards the distance, gradually sinking into the darkness.


    Watching the pale gold ¡°sunlight¡± gradually fading on the nearby sea, Tirian, standing at the bow, took a deep breath and remained silent for a long time before he slightly turned his head and asked the person beside him, ¡°Do you think this outcome is acceptable?¡±


    ¡°There is no better choice, this is the best result,¡± a deep, hoarse voice broke the silence in the darkness. A tall and robust figure, dressed in a black trench coat and covered in thick bandages, emerged from the shadows. ¡°Sunlight is limited. The past survival method of each City-State fending for itself no longer works. A united system based on a strong central nucleus is required to let as many people as possible survive¨C


    ¡°Sunlight rationing, a joint defense fleet, macro-control of resources, and collective defense against various threats in the night¨Call these require the establishment of a union. Initially, the Church was supposed to undertake this task, but now their power is also limited.¡±


    Tirian looked at the three Church warships that appeared blurred in the night and after a few seconds of silence, he said, ¡°Dragging a Sun Shard from Frost to Cold Harbor requires the most powerful high-speed tug and takes six days. This is the average time it takes to transfer a Sun Shard among most City-States in Chill Sea¡­


    ¡°If a City-State without ¡®Sunlight¡¯ encounters a sudden abnormal event, the time it takes for ¡®Sunlight¡¯ to arrive could allow the disaster to spiral out of control. Thus, we need a massive fleet that can be ready at any moment to support any City-State¨Cthese fleets must continuously patrol through the night, along with the Church¡¯s patrol fleet, and that should cover the entire Chill Sea¡­ but only the Chill Sea.¡±


    ¡°Covering Chill Sea is enough, other seas should have their own plans,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°More than that, do you have any doubts about me asking you to send the Sun Shard from Frost to Cold Harbor?¡±


    Tirian shook his head, ¡°No.¡±


    He turned around and faced those bandaged eyes squarely.


    ¡°If I am to hold the most ¡®Sunlight¡¯, I can never convincingly establish a reliable and fair ¡®Chill Sea Union¡¯; regardless, as long as I want to be the one distributing Sunlight, I cannot keep the Sun Shard in Frost,¡± he said unhurriedly, then suddenly smiled, ¡°And besides¡­ Frost¡¯s real protection now is your flame, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak but simply nodded lightly.


    Tirian hesitated for a while, but finally couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°How are things ¡®over there¡¯ for you?¡±


    ¡°We are sailing through a fissure in time, unsure of how long it will continue.¡±


    Duncan spoke casually and then looked down at his own body¨Che was surprised, as he had prepared himself to lose contact temporarily with his ¡°avatars¡± after crossing the Six Nautical Miles boundary, but it seemed¡­ the operation of these avatars was still good.


    He was able to converse here with Tirian and could normally perceive the situation on the other side with Prand, while at the same time, his main consciousness was still aboard Homeloss, undergoing a voyage towards the end of the world¨Cthis experience was strange.


    He noticed the gaze coming from beside him.


    ¡°This long journey, I didn¡¯t take you but instead took your sister,¡± Duncan raised his eyelids to look at Tirian, ¡°Any resentments?¡±


    Tirian was startled and quickly composed himself, his gaze returning to its usual calm and stern demeanor, ¡°No, I know what I need to do¨Cyour arrangements are sensible and justified.¡±


    Hearing the other¡¯s overly emphasized response, Duncan said nothing, but a slight smile appeared at the corner of his eyes under the bandages.


    He turned around and, together with Tirian, gazed into the distance.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, Tirian suddenly heard a voice next to his ear¨C


    ¡°Let as many people as possible survive as long as possible.¡±


    He turned around, somewhat surprised.


    ¡°You, Lucy, and everyone aboard Homeloss, every person in the City-States, each of you has tasks to perform, and the common goal of all these tasks is survival¨Cto preserve as much as possible on this world¨Clife, memories, civilization, everything, try your utmost to keep them.¡±


    His father didn¡¯t turn around; he continued gazing into the distance, speaking quietly¨Cas if he were talking to himself, yet also as if admonishing.


    ¡°Even if the sun no longer rises, even if the night ultimately engulfs everything, even if the real world has begun to collapse and the future seems devoid of hope, remember this¡­ survival, even if it¡¯s just one more day.


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    ¡°You just need to do these things.


    ¡°The rest, leave it to your old man. Let the old man figure it out.¡±


    Tirian stared at his father, lost in thought, and did not speak for a long time.


    Duncan did not speak further; he just looked ahead at the bow of the ship, at the end of the night¨C


    In his other field of vision, the uniform grey ¡°background color¡± suddenly began showing indistinct patches of light and shadow.


    The ¡°navigational route¡± in the fissures of time seemed about to reach its end.

 Chapter 781 - Chapter 781 Chapter 778 The Palace at the End of the World

    Chapter 781: Chapter 778: The Palace at the End of the World Chapter 781: Chapter 778: The Palace at the End of the World Something was gradually emerging from the uniform grey-white backdrop, like a long tunnel approaching its end, with a scene at the exit suddenly entering into view.


    Sherry agilely climbed up the mast, her eyes wide with excitement as she peered into the distance, shouting joyfully towards the deck, ¡°There¡¯s something ahead! It¡¯s not an illusion; it looks like something solid!¡±


    The scene that appeared at the end of the ¡°course¡± started to clarify. The surrounding uniform grey-white background began to dissolve as quickly as morning mist under the sunlight. Duncan was the first to distinguish the glimmering water light¨Cthen came the mist floating on that water surface and many shadows, big and small, farther away.


    Those shadows, large and small, floated upon the water, gradually forming a clear chain of islands.


    It was the mysterious ¡°archipelago¡± that Captain Karan had mentioned in her log!


    Everyone aboard the Homeloss had come up on deck, watching the sea and islands that seemed to emerge from nothingness with a mix of bewildered excitement and subtle nervousness. They watched as the illuminated sea rapidly spread to the vicinity, surrounding the Homeloss, the splashing sound of water abruptly rising. Following was a jolt and vibration through the entire ship¨Cthe Homeloss had entered these waters. After that long and bizarre ¡°journey through the cracks of time and space,¡± the sound of breaking waves against the hull was unexpectedly melodious.


    The sailor gripped the steering wheel tightly, standing on the elevated platform at the stern, his gaze filled with the rapidly expanding scope of the sea and islands. Fragmented memories seemed to awaken; a series of coherent and incoherent images tumbled through his head, bringing a surge of indescribable dislocation in time¨C


    He remembered this place; he remembered when the Sea Song, after a long period of drifting, finally reached an island, the chaos of voices aboard, the crewmen waking from a lengthy nightmare like walking corpses, the priest who had lost himself suddenly coming back to clarity, people prostrating on the deck that was rusting and collapsing, and then transforming into spiritual bodies and ashes in the sea breeze¡­


    He remembered this place¨Che even felt he had never left, that he had always been standing on the Sea Song¡¯s bridge.


    It was only when the hands tightly gripping the wheel suddenly felt a slight sting that he was abruptly pulled from the illusion of temporal dislocation.


    He looked down and saw the surface of the dusky wheel coated with a thin layer of flame; then the flame dissipated, and the stinging sensation vanished along with it.


    ¡°I still have a mission¡­ Yes, a mission unfinished¡­ Thank you for waking me up,¡± the sailor murmured to himself, thanking the Homeloss for awakening him when he was about to lose himself. Then he raised his head again, cautiously adjusting the course among those familiar islands, whispering softly, ¡°Captain Karan, I¡¯ve come back¡­¡±


    The massive sail exploration ship was cautiously navigating the mist-covered sea, winding through the dark ¡°islands,¡± searching for a gap in the fog. The Brilliant Starship also slowed its pace, carefully trailing behind the Homeloss.


    After a while, many white figures flew out from the deck of the Brilliant Starship, which were countless paper-folded seabirds¨Cthey flapped their wings through the fog, first circling around the Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship and then cautiously expanding their circling range, flying above the surrounding islands.


    Duncan lifted his head, watching those ¡°scouts¡± released and controlled by Lucresia, noting they were neither attacked nor corrupted nor deformed¨Cit seemed safer here than anticipated.


    ¡°There are numerous slender shadows around these ¡®islands,¡¯ hiding underwater, like some sort of sprawling limbs,¡± Lucresia¡¯s voice echoed in Duncan¡¯s mind, ¡°Additionally, from an aerial view, one can discern that the shapes of these ¡®islands¡¯ are very similar. Some of the island¡¯s surfaces even reveal biological structures¡­ Just like mentioned in the log, they are all bodies of the Leviathan.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Duncan responded softly, his gaze also scanning those ¡°islands¡± floating in the mist. In places where the water was shallower, he noticed those shadows that sprawled out from beneath the islands¨Crelative to the islands, the shadows appeared ¡°slender,¡± but each was still larger than the Homeloss itself. They stretched stiffly through the water, unresponsive to the approach of outsiders, indicating they had been dead for some time.


    Duncan remembered the colossal tentacles and pale giant eye he had seen beneath the Frost.


    He knew that the ¡°Leviathan Beasts¡± carrying the City-States were actually counterfeits created by The Saint. What lay here were the true Leviathans.


    ¡°His offspring surround Him in death, resting at the edges of the world¡­¡±


    Morris¡¯s voice came from beside him, with a faint metallic tremor, and Duncan turned to see that Morris had once again transformed into his ¡°cast form¡± at some point¨Cgears ticking and valves opening and closing could be intermittently heard from deep within his brass shell.


    Morris turned his head, a vibrating reed-like sound emanating from his chest, ¡°It¡¯s one thing to imagine in your mind, quite another to see with your own eyes, right?¡±


    He paused and then pointed at his own body, ¡°A bit of caution can do no harm; in this place, flesh and blood are all too fragile.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Flesh and blood can at least be healed by Fenna if damaged; if your copper casing breaks, it seems we¡¯d need a smith¨Cand we have no smiths on board.¡±


    ¡°Nina could help,¡± Maurice said casually, ¡°I gave her the design of this body of mine. Her craftsmanship is quite decent now.¡±


    Duncan thought about it and felt it made sense.


    Though it was a bit eerie.


    At the same time, Fenna was standing at the edge of the front deck, staring absently at the distant sea, while a hazy shadow stood in the mist beside her.


    ¡°I¡­ can hear Its voice, closer than ever,¡± she murmured as if to herself, ¡°It¡¯s everywhere, as if the entire sea area is filled with Its whispers¡­ It¡¯s speaking beside my ear, yet I can¡¯t make out the words.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because we¡¯re too close, or maybe it really is just meaningless gibberish,¡± Agatha¡¯s voice came from the shadows, ¡°Regardless, you need to be more cautious here than others¨Cyou are Its saint, your hearing and perception of It are sharper than others, and you are more susceptible to its influence. Even with the captain¡¯s protection, you must be careful not to let your mind stray from humanity.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Fenna nodded gently, ¡°Thank you for the reminder.¡±


    Agatha didn¡¯t say anything more, just stood thoughtfully in the fog. After a while, she finally spoke softly, ¡°What do you think¡­ Bartok¡¯s realm looks like?¡±


    Fenna blinked but didn¡¯t know how to answer that question.


    ¡°Its offspring circle around It in death¡­ Here, the dead Leviathan Beast has turned into this archipelago, and the Storm Goddess rests within their embrace. This has made me suddenly curious about the resting places of other deities,¡± Agatha said slowly in contemplation, ¡°My doctrine tells me that the souls of the dead pass through that gate to find eternal peace in Bartok¡¯s realm, and my memories tell me that the ¡®messengers of death¡¯ are real. They traverse the Spirit Realm and answer the call of the gatekeepers¡­


    ¡°But where is that gate? Is it also standing somewhere at the ends of this world? Are those messengers there too? The souls¡¯ wilderness that those dead individuals ultimately reach, could it be at the heart of a sea like this?


    ¡°I feel¡­ it¡¯s all so hard to imagine.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened slightly, astonished by the figure standing in the mist¨Cthese questions should not come from a saint, from a former gatekeeper, yet she couldn¡¯t help but be stirred by Agatha¡¯s series of inquiries, and she even began to harbor the same curiosity.


    She turned back, looking into the deep mist in the distance.


    What would that temple described in the ¡°Storm Scriptures,¡± which ¡°dominates all storms and anchors the cornerstone of the sea,¡± look like?


    ¡°There¡¯s a large island ahead,¡± the voice of Lucrecia rose in Duncan¡¯s mind, carrying a hint of excitement, ¡°There seems to be a large structure on the island!¡±


    The fog seemed to recede around the Homeloss, a gap opened up in front of the bow, and at the suddenly clarified end of the sea, under the mysterious and chaotic light from the sky, an immense island appeared in everyone¡¯s sight.


    It was an ¡°island¡± that seemed to be ¡°piled up¡± by countless huge black rocks, which resembled a ¡°wonder-building¡± artificially constructed by some ancient civilization rather than a natural product. Rectangular rocks of varying sizes, precisely cut and complexly arranged, rose from the sea, piling up into undulating structures that stretched as far as the eye could see, and atop those countless rectangular rocks stood a massive ¡°palace¡±¨C


    Constructed from materials that seemed like stone, its surface glimmered in black or dark green hues, with crystal-like green substances embedded between the rocks, forming a gloomy, complicated, and mystical exterior. The ¡°palace¡± exhibits a progressively ascending structure, its colossal pillars supporting the heavy outer edges of the lower levels, while its upper parts had many strange hollows, as if deliberately left for some gigantic creature to enter and exit.


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    ¡°An astounding¡­ structure,¡± Maurice gaped at the enormous palace standing amidst the dim light, his jaw nearly dropping in awe before he finally blurted out, ¡°How was it built?!¡±


    ¡°Definitely not something that the current City-State civilization could have built,¡± Duncan said offhandedly; then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed those¡­ things spreading from the lower areas of the palace¡¯s side.


    They were massive limbs, resembling the tentacles of sea creatures, stretching from the gaps on the palace¡¯s side into the sea.


    Gomona was there.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get closer,¡± Duncan said gravely, ¡°We¡¯ve found her.¡±

 Chapter 782 - Chapter 782 Chapter 779 Memories Lurking on the Island

    Chapter 782: Chapter 779: Memories Lurking on the Island Chapter 782: Chapter 779: Memories Lurking on the Island Having passed those black ¡°islands¡± that crowded the surrounding waters, Homeloss and Brilliant Starship gradually drew closer to the ¡°central main island,¡± constructed from piled-up dark stones, resembling a sort of man-made colossal structure.


    A thin mist around the two ships flowed slowly like a living thing, drifting over the nearby sea surface. The light breeze that blew through the fog seemed to carry with it a faint, whispering murmur and overlapping, dream-like chatter.


    Fenna stood at the edge of the deck, staring at the Island of Black Stone that was growing larger in her sight, her hands unconsciously tightening their grip. The soft sound of waves, at some point, echoed in her mind. In a trance, she felt as if she had returned to many years before, to the moment she first heard the sound of those waves¨Cin the cathedral¡¯s chapel, before the holy icon of the goddess, having just completed her baptism, when that soft voice swept into her heart like a sea breeze:


    ¡°Ah¡­ my little fish¡­ you¡¯ve come¡­¡±


    Fenna suddenly awoke from her reverie, realizing that it was not an illusion; indeed, a voice had risen from the depths of her heart, and at almost the same time, she saw a change occur on that dark and somber island¨Cthe magnificent ¡°palace¡± seemed to sway gently, and countless huge limbs stretched from every door and window of the palace, reaching towards the sky and dipping into the ocean, stirring the waters and weaving the mists.


    Then, the tentacles suddenly vanished, as if retreating back into the palace, and many large and small, hazy shadows emerged near the island, resembling gathered ships. Countless shaking figures disembarked from the island¡¯s edge, holding torches and banners, stepping onto those dark stones like pilgrims, entering the temple from two side doors¡­


    Fenna thought she heard music, a celebratory flute and percussion resonating together, and visions unfolded before her eyes only to dissolve again¨C


    She saw pilgrims arriving, then the scene shifted to artisans constructing the palace. She saw sea monsters and humans gathering together near the vast coastline for a pilgrimage, saw people in splendid attire lighting lamps on high platforms, while the distant sky was being devoured by a red glow¨Cshe saw war, peace, heroes, voyagers, young warriors shielding the crowd to reach the sacred hall, who then never woke from their slumber on the second morning¡­


    Trying hard to keep her eyes open in the visions, she watched the colossal shadow deep within all the phantoms. She saw the palace, built from black and dark green stones, opening its great gates to her, a shape-shifting entity emerging and transforming before her into the ¡°Still Sea Maiden¡± with open arms: ¡°We have waited for a long time¡­¡±


    A deep rumble suddenly came from the depths of the ark, and Helena opened her eyes from her meditation.


    The main light wasn¡¯t turned on in the prayer room, only an oil lamp burned quietly before the icon, its flickering flame casting shifty shadows as if hiding many whispering figures within the play of light.


    Helena¡¯s gaze swept around the room, the whispered voices in the dark gradually subsiding, and then she approached the icon of the goddess, gazing at a dark red ¡°pillar¡± emerging from the floor¨Cthat was a neuro-index, stretching all the way here from the bottom of the ark.


    ¡°I think I just heard His voice,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°They have arrived safely,¡± an old, sluggish voice entered Helena¡¯s ears, ¡°My kin¡­ they are elated, and even the Queen is pleased.¡±


    Helena was puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t Sea Song also reach there before?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different this time, little girl,¡± the elderly voice seemed to carry a smile, ¡°The visitor this time, the Queen has been waiting for many years.¡±


    ¡°Many years?¡±


    ¡°Yes, since the day the ¡®Sun¡¯ rose¡­¡±


    Homeloss circled a quarter way around the black island, finally finding a suitable stone gap to dock and land¨Csailors carefully steered the helm, bringing the vessel to a stop near the coastline. After that, a small boat was lowered from Homeloss, carrying Duncan and others onto the island.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see the island; you stay here and don¡¯t wander,¡± Duncan turned his head and said to the small boat that had brought them ashore.


    The boat nestled in a small ¡°bay¡± formed from rectangular black stones, bobbing its bow up and down with the sound of water upon receiving the captain¡¯s order.


    Then another gust of wind approached from the sky, a whirlwind carrying countless colorful pieces of paper flew from the direction of Brilliant Starship, and descended in a spiral about ten meters from Duncan, condensing into the figure of Lucresia.


    Now, everyone had gathered on the island.


    With a firm sensation beneath their feet, landing on solid ground somewhat alleviated the unease of having arrived at the world¡¯s end. Duncan stood on a rectangular black stone protruding from the ground, assessing the path toward the palace. Fenna¡¯s voice came from beside him¨C


    ¡°This is a place of pilgrimage. I saw many people coming here by boat from distant lands, lighting large bonfires in various directions of the island, and decorating the road before the sacred hall with banners¡­¡±


    Recalling the sights she¡¯d seen in her visions, she moved next to Duncan on another boulder, raising her hand to point towards a broad walkway made up of continuous stones.


    ¡°The path leads directly to the temple; pilgrims start ascending the island from morning, a procession in full regalia stretching from the coast to the palace doors¨Cthis island itself was also constructed by people, using a craft I can¡¯t comprehend to melt and recast deep-sea stones into these boulders, and they had commanded some kind of leviathan to construct the island with these heavy stones¡­¡±


    Duncan listened silently to Fenna¡¯s description, imagining what this place might have looked like in those ancient, forgotten years. He jumped down from the rectangular block of black stone and slowly led the team forward¨Cfollowing the ¡°Pilgrim¡¯s Path¡± Fenna had seen in her vision, toward the temple.


    ¡°What else did you see?¡± Sherry, walking beside Fenna, looked up and asked curiously.


    ¡°Land-dwelling humans coexist with the giants of the sea¨Cthey regarded those colossal sea creatures known as ¡®leviathans¡¯ as deities and messengers of gods, yet it wasn¡¯t merely religious belief, but something¡­ more intimate,¡± Fenna slowly spoke while organizing the sudden influx of knowledge in her mind, ¡°They also lived alongside many other giants, those of the sky, beneath the ground, masters of mountains and glaciers¡­


    ¡°They made contracts with all the ancient beings and drew power from these giants, power sufficient to remake rivers, lakes, seas, and the very fabric of the earth, as well as create many inconceivable marvels¡­ But I don¡¯t know how to describe those things in detail, I only saw many fragmented snippets and some knowledge out of thin air, and I can¡¯t imagine what that all would look like, those¡­ seem to be only ¡®Its¡¯ memories, ¡®It¡¯ showed me those memories¡­¡±


    Fenna suddenly fell quiet here, her expression turning sorrowful as she looked towards the palace.


    ¡°¡­Its condition is dire, ¡®It¡¯ showed me only those things and then went silent.¡±


    Duncan stopped by the roadside.


    He noticed something beside the path¨Ca shrunken mass of black material that resembled dried seaweed, seemingly unremarkable.


    Yet he still furrowed his brows, fixated on the shriveled ¡°seaweed mass,¡± as if sensing something, his expression pensive.


    ¡°What¡¯s with this thing?¡± Nina noticed and stepped toward the ¡°thing¡± as if wanting to pick it up for a closer look, but she cautiously refrained from reaching out, instead turning questioningly towards Duncan, ¡°Did you notice anything?¡±


    After furrowing his brows for a long time, Duncan finally bent down and reached out to the shrunken black mass¨Cand something astonishing happened.


    The black material suddenly began to change, accompanied by a kind of dizzying visual distortion. It started to unfold and reassemble, and by the time the captain touched it, it had transformed into a rough cylinder. When the captain picked it up, intricate and complex patterns began to emerge on its surface, along with structures resembling buttons and indicator lights.


    Duncan looked thoughtfully at the intricate cylindrical device in his hand, then pressed the most prominent button on its top.


    Light, lively music emanated from within the cylinder¨Cdrumbeats, ringing bells, and bagpipes.


    Duncan quietly observed the cylinder for a long time before he said nothing, just held it in his hand and continued to walk forward.


    Fenna was momentarily lost in thought, as the ¡°memories¡± that permeated the island once again overlapped in her vision. She seemed to see the device¡¯s former owner¨Ca child staggering and stumbling behind adults seeking refuge, the child¡¯s hand lifted, being led forward by an adult, with the intricate little devices tinkling in his hand, producing a cheerful melody.


    The vision faded again, and she found the captain had walked ahead, so she quickly stepped forward to catch up.


    They finally arrived in front of the solemn black temple, a vast circular plaza spreading before them¨Cwith a figure standing silently at the center.


    Lucricia reacted instantly, her short baton raised in hand¨Cbut before she could make a subsequent move, the figure at the center of the plaza, as if guarding the temple from the previous era to the last moment, silently crumbled away.


    It turned into a pile of ash that drifted on the wind, vanishing into the air, and Lucricia did not even get a chance to clearly see what the last guardian looked like, whether it was man or woman.


    ¡°¡­That was the deputy commander of the guard,¡± Fenna suddenly said.


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    ¡°The guard?¡± Morris asked reflexively.


    Fenna frowned and shook her head after a few seconds: ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know, the thought just popped into my mind¡­¡±


    Her words were interrupted by a gradually distorting sound.


    The melody emanating from the small cylinder in Duncan¡¯s hand suddenly began to twist and screech, and its surface started to lose color, rapidly shrinking and distorting. In just two or three seconds, the melody vanished, and it reverted back into a shrunken black mass resembling dried seaweed.


    (Damn!)

 Chapter 783 - Chapter 783 Chapter 780 Remains

    Chapter 783: Chapter 780: Remains Chapter 783: Chapter 780: Remains Walking along the broad ¡°Pilgrim¡¯s Path,¡± Duncan reached the grand entrance of the temple¨Ca colossal opening that seemed large enough for giants, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, with towering doors made of some unidentifiable material that had long since fallen into disrepair. One door lay collapsed on the ground, while the other leaned crookedly against the palace wall.


    A faint sound of ocean waves emanated from the entrance, mingled with a chaotic, low noise, as if some giant beast was emitting labored breaths and murmurs in the darkness. A slightly fishy, salty sea breeze swirled at the end of the Pilgrim¡¯s Path, carrying a chill with it.


    ¡°It¡¯s an incredible creation¡­¡± Morris reached the outer wall of the palace, the socket of one eye deforming and retreating as a set of lenses extended along a copper track from within, closely examining the rough, dilapidated dark green boulders, ¡°So tightly fitted¡­ it¡¯s almost as though they were ¡®grown¡¯ this way¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen such walls in some Dreamscapes,¡± Fenna said, gently caressing the outer walls, ¡°and in visions during prayer too¡­ many saints see bizarre high walls or stacked boulders in their hallucinations, it turns out¡­ those visions pointed to this¡­¡±


    Lucritia stood before the massive entrance, casually tossing a piece of white paper into the dark corridor. Upon leaving her hand, the paper spontaneously burst into flames, forming a vaguely human-shaped firelight that flew a short distance in the darkness.


    ¡°Inside¡­ it¡¯s very calm,¡± Witch Lady hesitated, ¡°but my Spell disperses quickly as if there¡¯s some kind of invisible suppression.¡±


    Duncan glanced inside the palace, then looked back at his followers who had embarked on the island with him. After a moment of thought, he raised his hand and gently waved¨Cghastly green flames immediately ignited out of nowhere, spreading over each person.


    Nina was startled at first, but quickly became curious, playing with the flames on her arm and rolling them into a small ball in her palm. Fenna and Morris moved within the flames¨CFenna drew her greatsword for a few swings, and Morris¡¯s joints crackled. Lucritia, however, seemed a bit at a loss; she was not yet accustomed to her father¡¯s habit of ¡®lighting a little fire when inspired,¡¯ and she was visibly tense.


    But Witch Lady was clearly not the most nervous one present¨Cnearby, Subject 077 practically jumped up instantaneously, bellowing as he sprang nearly two meters high, his voice breaking when he landed: ¡°Fire fire fire¡­ Captain¡¯s on fire, I¡¯m ablaze ah ah ah¨C¡±


    A bone spike immediately shot out from behind Sherry, knocking Subject 077 to the ground: ¡°Stop your howling, it¡¯s just a bit of fire¨CAh Dog isn¡¯t even¡­¡±


    Ah Dog¡¯s bones clattered like a typewriter: ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not shivering¡­I¡¯m calm¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a layer of protection,¡± Duncan turned back somewhat helplessly, looking at his lively group, lamenting inwardly that in other stories, explorers facing their final challenge would either be solemn, sorrowful, or frantically clutching a fiancee¡¯s photo, yet the people he brought, even at the world¡¯s end, were as noisy as a market. Yet he patiently explained, ¡°We are entering the ancient gods¡¯ resting place¨Cyour minds will face a great test, so throughout this journey, I will envelop you in flames to protect you from the temple¡¯s powers.¡±


    Subject 077 finally caught on, smacking his hand: ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s like killing the hostages before they can get hurt¡­¡±


    Sherry flipped him over again, but after doing so, she pensively nodded: ¡°Actually, I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    The mummy climbed back up, glaring: ¡°Then why did you hit me!?¡±


    ¡°Captain probably wanted to hit you,¡± Sherry casually remarked, then turned to Duncan with a grin, ¡°Right, Captain?¡±


    Duncan nodded expressionlessly, while suddenly feeling a subtle sensation¨C


    It might have been his imagination, but it seemed that only after his flames had covered everyone did the atmosphere abruptly change¨C including Sherry and the sailor. Upon setting foot on this island, everyone had initially fallen into a slightly gloomy, even heavy mood. But now, their usual ¡°vitality¡± seemed to suddenly return.


    He frowned, gaining a deeper understanding of the island, then looked toward the dark entrance¡­


    The eerie green firelight illuminated the palace¡¯s dim corridors. Cautious footsteps broke the age-old silence, casting long shadows of the visitors on the mottled, ancient stone walls and floors¨CDuncan¡¯s group moved forward in the palace that was nearly suffocatingly vast. And as they ventured deeper, the fishy ocean odor and the surrounding sounds of waves, murmurs, and noises became increasingly evident.


    ¡°Watch the shadows under your feet, observe the abnormal light and dark shifts reflected by the firelight,¡± Fenna, leading the group, carefully watched the surroundings while reminding others, ¡°Don¡¯t respond to calls from outside the group, and¡­¡±


    She paused, looking back at Morris: ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything around you.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t touch anything,¡± the old scholar suddenly felt a bit embarrassed, raising his hands to show his innocence.


    Duncan, at the front of the group, continuously swept his eyes over every corner of the magnificent structure. The ghastly green fire flowed like a living entity with his gaze, illuminating the dark, ancient places. Suddenly, his steps slowed down.


    A massive, vine-like structure appeared on the nearby ceiling, winding its way along the arch and stretching to the opposite wall, where it passed through a hole at the top of the wall and vanished into the depths of the building.


    Sherry instinctively followed Duncan¡¯s gaze and looked up, and in that instant, she felt her heart abruptly stop beating¨Cboth of them stopped.


    She felt a loud boom in her mind, then another boom¨Cthe flames that enveloped her body and soul ¡°pulled¡± her back as she lapsed into madness, fiercely burning at the edges of her vision, dissipating the intense spiritual impact brought on by witnessing the body of an ancient deity.


    ¡°It¡¯s a limb of a god¡­¡± Lucricia quickly came to her senses, looking up and murmuring to herself, ¡°Those pale structures spreading out from the palace we saw from afar¡­ Did they extend from here?¡±


    ¡°Seeing up close really is different from just getting a glimpse from afar,¡± A¡¯Dog murmured, ¡°I almost thought I had a heartbeat again.¡±


    ¡°Be careful not to look at these limbs for too long.¡± Duncan casually warned, then continued walking forward.


    As the team ventured deeper into the palace, they encountered¡­ more.


    Pale tentacles¨Csome only as thick as a mast, others nearly filling the entire roof and wider than some mid-sized ships¨Cwove uncontrollably like entangled roots, almost piercing through and permeating every corridor and hall of the palace, this astonishing biological structure spreading and growing within the ancient grand building, withering away as if becoming part of the structure itself, even physically devouring and replacing the original pillars and beams in some areas.


    When traversing a certain hall, the crisscrossed tentacles and unidentifiable organ structures nearly filled the entire space.


    Astonishing, shocking, awe-inspiring, even fearful¨Cwithout the mental corruption from the gods, simply witnessing such ¡°limbs¡± on this scale could easily send a mentally fragile mortal into collapse and madness.


    Duncan suspected that even these astonishing biological structures were merely a small part of a vast entity¨Cperhaps more of it was hidden beneath this island, in the dark deep sea.


    This temple was merely a space for the vast entity to interact with ¡°pilgrims from the land,¡± a small reception room, a conference hall, where the queen of Leviathan extended a few of her tendrils from the deep sea into this building just to communicate conveniently with those humans she had sheltered in ancient times.


    The team finally stopped at the end of another long corridor.


    Instead of a hall or a room at the end of the corridor, there was¡­ a pool almost resembling an ¡°indoor lake.¡±


    This was a huge circular space, with a masonry floor that dipped progressively towards the center, with two-thirds of the space occupied by a faintly glowing round water pool. Numerous doors and window openings distributed on the surrounding walls, countless tentacles and vessels, nerve tracts passing through those openings, submerged into the depths of the pool, forming a massive complex structure that was hard to discern with the naked eye in the glowing ¡°lake water.¡±


    Part of it protruded out of the water pool, lying lifelessly on the stone floor, and near that protruded limb structure, there seemed to also be some ¡°debris¡± scattered around.


    ¡°¡­Is this building that big?¡± After being astonished for a long time, Sherry couldn¡¯t help but murmur, ¡°How come I feel like this ¡®hall¡¯ is about the size of the entire palace we saw from the outside¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you notice that too?¡± Maurice glanced at Sherry, then around thoughtfully, ¡°The internal space of it¡­ seems to defy common sense, it must have been greatly expanded, or¡­ when we passed through a certain door or corridor, we were no longer inside that palace but had entered a connected secret space.¡±


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    Fenna stayed silent, just quietly watching the lifeless, pale limbs at the edge of the water pool, her expression complex and sorrowful.


    Many layers of whispers lingered in her ears, the gentle sound of sea waves unceasing, yet she couldn¡¯t understand anything. From the moment she stepped into the palace, the clear will of the goddess seemed to have vanished, and she could no longer hear any of Her voices.


    Duncan stood beside Fenna, his brows tightly furrowed, his countenance hinting at confusion.


    He had thought that by coming here, he would be able to converse face-to-face with Gomona, even if the other was in a strange ¡°dead¡± state. He should have been able to hear her voice¨Cechoes, illusions, spirits, or whatever else, just like in his previous dealings with odd things. But¡­


    There was nothing.


    Here was just a long-deceased corpse, devoid of everything that had once emanated from it.

 Chapter 784 - Chapter 784 Chapter 781 Lifeline in the Hourglass

    Chapter 784: Chapter 781: Lifeline in the Hourglass Chapter 784: Chapter 781: Lifeline in the Hourglass To be honest, for a brief few seconds, Duncan even entertained a ludicrous and unsettling thought¨Chad he arrived too late?


    Just because he was a little slow to depart, or delayed on the way, had the Storm Goddess, already in a state of ¡°delayed¡± death for ten thousand years, just missed his entrance and died here for real and utterly? Had her will dissipated?


    But this somewhat absurd thought quickly vanished from Duncan¡¯s mind¨Che confirmed that until the Homeloss docked beside this island, Fenna had still ¡°read¡± the thoughts of the Storm Goddess, Gomona, which indicated that at least at that time, the latter was still in some kind of ¡°operational¡± state¡­


    Could it really be such a coincidence?


    Duncan looked up at Fenna with a subtly expressive gaze, only to see Fenna also turning to look at him, their eyes briefly meeting before awkwardly shifting away.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s not think too much about it for now. Let¡¯s go down and take a look,¡± Duncan murmured, taking the lead and stepping forward, with the others closely following behind him.


    They stepped into the round ¡°hall¡± that was so vast it made one doubt the laws of architectural structure, descending the spiralling steps that seemed to lead toward a vortex ending at a pool of water below. The gigantic and pale tentacles of the ¡°Leviathan Queen¡± stretched out nearby, its smaller offshoots intertwining with the dark ¡°stone¡± blocks that made up the building before withering away between the stairs.


    Duncan suddenly had a feeling, as though the massive palace, and even the black island bearing it, were a huge, man-made ¡°shell,¡± with the divinely attributed Ancient Sea Beasts as the flesh within the shell. When the behemoth died, the flesh withered and contracted, leaving many ¡°chambers¡±¨Cthe corridors, the rooms, and the halls.


    They walked within the ¡°shell¡± of the giant beast, treading across the voids left by the withered flesh, inching closer to the beast¡¯s stopped heart.


    Gloomy green flames burned along the steps, driving away the surrounding darkness. Duncan reached the spot where the round pool met the stairs and noticed a slightly elevated, curved stone platform around it. A mass of pale flesh, about the size of a church roof in a city block, emerged from the pool and lay lifelessly on the platform. And beside it, on the edge of the platform¡­


    There were remnants resembling tables, chairs, and altars, as well as¡­human skeletons?!


    Lukecrecia was the first to notice the bones. She paused momentarily, then quickly moved to the side of the stone platform, carefully observing while frowning slightly and speaking slowly, ¡°These aren¡¯t the standard human or elf skeletons, but they¡¯re similar in structure¡­at least some kind of humanoid.¡±


    Duncan too came over, frowning at the situation on the platform.


    Next to the corpse of the Leviathan Queen, those skeletons were so insignificant and scattered in a corner that no one noticed them when they first entered the hall.


    ¡°Who could have left these?¡± Nina asked, nervously and fearfully, instinctively hiding behind Duncan. ¡°A previous explorer who arrived before us? The Sea Song?¡±


    ¡°No, Miss Lukecrecia just mentioned that these aren¡¯t standard human or elf skeletons¨CI don¡¯t think they look like those of the Senkin People either, as the Senkin People have a single piece of bone for the breastplate,¡± Exception 077 immediately broke the silence, ¡°And I remember¡­ the sailors from the Sea Song dissolved in the mist and foam near the island, finding ¡®tranquility¡¯. They couldn¡¯t possibly have left any remains inside the temple.¡±


    Without a word, Duncan continued to solemnly inspect the items scattered around the skeletons¨Cpieces of armor or clothing, remnants of weapons and ritual implements, and the dilapidated small altar.


    Fenna, standing by his side, suddenly noticed something and softly broke the silence, ¡°These clothes¡­they look very much like what I saw in the illusions, those who had made pilgrimages on this island¡­¡±


    ¡°People who made pilgrimages on this island?¡± Duncan sounded somewhat surprised. ¡°From the generations before the Great Obliteration?¡±


    What Fenna had seen in the illusions was undoubtedly a scene from when the Storm Goddess, Gomona, was still the ¡°Leviathan Queen,¡± before the Great Obliteration occurred, a record left by a civilization that had co-existed and developed with the Leviathan Beast, like the elven civilization before the fall of Silantis or the era in Tarrikin¡¯s memory¡­ Could the ¡°material¡± from that time have survived until now?


    With a trace of surprise, Duncan examined the items scattered around the bones¨Coutside the palace, everything from the old era had already become that bizarre black shriveled substance, or like the sailors described, turned into mist and foam of the sea, transformed into forms beyond human comprehension.


    Why had these bones and artifacts been preserved?


    Just then, Alice¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Duncan¡¯s train of thought, ¡°Captain, look! What¡¯s this?¡±


    Duncan immediately moved next to the automaton, following the direction she was pointing. In the corner of the altar, there was an object covered with dust and torn fabric.


    It was an intricately-crafted, ancient hourglass.


    After a moment of hesitation, Duncan reached out, picked up the hourglass, and blew the dust off it.


    The intricate symbols and texts on the surface of the hourglass were clearly visible.


    ¡°An hourglass?¡± Morris looked at the object in the captain¡¯s hand in surprise, the lenses extended from his eye sockets adjusted slightly, and then it seemed as if he noticed some kind of disharmony, ¡°Strange¡­¡±


    Fenna spoke subconsciously, ¡°Strange about what?¡±


    Morris thought for a moment, ¡°¡­It feels out of place with the overall style of this temple, especially the text on the hourglass¡­ There are many runes on the outer wall of the temple, but they are clearly not from the same system as those on the hourglass. This thing actually looks a bit like¡­¡±


    Listening to the old scholar¡¯s analysis, Duncan was pensive and then suddenly noticed something:


    The overall contour of the hourglass, when viewed from the side, resembled two inverted triangles, and the decorative frame together with the hourglass itself formed a shape that seemed to be¡­ The Gate of Death crafted by Bartok.


    ¡°¡­Like some of the Holy Artifacts of the Death Church!¡± said Morris quickly.


    The Holy Artifacts of the Death Church¡­ creations of the Death God Bartok?


    Duncan¡¯s expression became serious, and he vaguely guessed something, then considering the skeletal remains and relics preserved within this palace, an idea slowly emerged.


    After a moment of contemplation, he turned around, gazing at the lifeless gargantuan remains near the pool, and then gently flipped the hourglass in his hand.


    The pale gold fine sand in the hourglass made a rustling sound, imperceptible to human ears, drifting like a mist from the container, flowing between the two inverted ¡°Gates of Death.¡±


    The next second, the entire world fell silent, as if some force had divided the world into parts of life and death¨Ceverything in Duncan¡¯s view turned into black, white, and grey hues resembling the Spirit Realm, and at the edges of each object, layers upon layers of constantly wavering phantasms spread out; within these illusions, all other people vanished, leaving only himself holding the hourglass and¡­ those skeletons that were rapidly reassembling and sprouting flesh and blood.


    The remains transformed into living beings¨Ctwo tall men in armor, with stern faces and silent demeanors, and a young woman in white robes, smiling gently at herself.


    Duncan looked at these three figures who had ¡°reversed life and death¡± before his very eyes with amazement, but before he could say anything, the young woman in white robes shook her head at him and quietly moved aside.


    At the edge of the pool, the large pallid limb, similar to a church roof, shook slightly, and then its surface rippled with a watery sheen. A gentle voice then penetrated Duncan¡¯s mind¨C


    ¡°We finally meet, Usurping Flame.¡±


    ¡°Gomona?¡± Duncan responded immediately, looking at the hourglass in his hand with some astonishment, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to actually work. I was just trying it out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you for trying it out¨CInside the flow of time in the temple, I exist in a state of complete death. The hourglass contains a brief spark of life, used to converse with you when necessary¡­ Bartok had said when making the hourglass that you would surely turn it.¡±


    Listening to the gentle voice that echoed in his mind, Duncan raised an eyebrow in surprise, ¡°Wait, are you saying¡­ you knew I would come here, would turn this hourglass, and would converse with you here¡­ everything was predestined?¡±


    ¡°From the day this Shelter was born, its time became a closed loop, Usurping Flame¡­ In our eyes, time within these narrow confines is not a river, nor a line; it is a spread-out plane¨Con this laid-out ¡®Scroll of Time,¡¯ all possible events have already concluded¡­¡±


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    The gentle voice paused for a few seconds, then continued softly:


    ¡°As for you, Usurping Flame, your arrival is the one event at the end of this Scroll of Time that can certainly occur, yet how it ends remains undetermined.¡±


    ¡°I have come to understand quite a bit about the flow of time¡­ I can imagine what you¡¯re saying, it¡¯s just hard to connect it to reality at first,¡± Duncan said, looking up to survey the area, ¡°The flow of time within the temple, huh¡­ No wonder, after we stepped into this temple, neither I nor Fenna could sense any of your ¡®activity.¡¯ And upon seeing those on the platform¡­¡±


    He glanced subconsciously at the figures standing to one side, then quickly averted his gaze.


    ¡°¡­those skeletons, I had a hunch that there seemed to be some kind of ¡®difference¡¯ between inside and outside the temple¨Cafter stepping in here, it¡¯s as if we entered a unique ¡®branch of choices.¡¯ Why did you do this?¡±


    ¡°To delay the ¡®decay¡¯ of the external barrier,¡± Gomona said softly, ¡°We are rotting, Usurping Flame, we must find a way to ¡®encase¡¯ our decay; otherwise, before the lifespan of the Shelter reaches its limit, this world will be fully eroded by the ¡®Corrosion¡¯ we release.¡±

 Chapter 785 - Chapter 785 Chapter 782 Residue and Inertia

    Chapter 785: Chapter 782: Residue and Inertia Chapter 785: Chapter 782: Residue and Inertia The fine sands within the hourglass continued to flow downward as if they could last for a great while longer. Duncan carefully held the hourglass in his hands while conversing with the ancient ¡°deities.¡±


    The gods were rotting¨Che had heard this statement more than once already. The pontiffs of the Four Gods had told him as much, and they said that the stench of the gods¡¯ decay was slowly creeping into the mortal world, eating away at this world alongside the apocalypse.


    But this was the first time he had heard such a statement from one of the ¡°gods¡± themselves and realized that the current situation was the result of their efforts to postpone this process as much as possible.


    ¡°This hastily established Shelter is fraught with too many defects¡­ Everything is ephemeral, the curtain, the ¡®sun,¡¯ the keystones of the archipelagos, and we ourselves¨Cbefore the first long night began, we had already seen our own end.¡±


    In the monochromatic Spirit Realm composed of black, white, and gray tones, the ancient Leviathan Queen spoke softly, this monstrous behemoth possessing a gentle voice, as if a Dreamscape floating in deep waters, slowly recounting the past to Duncan¨C


    ¡°It took us a very long time to realize our own ¡®death,¡¯ and then another long time for Bartok to figure out what exactly had happened from our state of ¡®death without cessation.¡¯


    ¡°We are the ¡®inertia¡¯ of the old world.¡±


    ¡°The inertia of the old world?¡± Duncan immediately frowned, speculating in his mind.


    ¡°You should already know what destroyed our world, the many worlds¨Cthat you must also know, the Annihilation of All Things did not completely destroy everything in those worlds. There are always some ¡®remnants¡¯ that were preserved during the collision of worlds, and we, those called ¡®gods,¡¯ are part of those remnants.


    ¡°But these remnants are called remnants precisely because they are no longer whole. When dust peels away from a boulder, it simply becomes sand, not a boulder. The same applies to us¨Cthe impact of the Annihilation of All Things permanently changed our essence. Strictly speaking, from that day on, we too became part of that scorching ¡®ash¡¯¡­ But unlike ash, we retained ¡®Self-Will.¡¯


    ¡°We know what we once were¨Cthis ¡®awareness¡¯ allowed us to rise again from the ashes, and even Reshape part of the remaining ash into what we ¡®remembered.¡¯


    ¡°At first, this led us to believe there was a chance to Reshape all worlds, to restore all ashes, but it didn¡¯t take long before we realized the ¡®limits¡¯ of this Reshaping and recognized our own weakening¡­


    ¡°We are not truly alive; we are mere obsessions lingering within corpses. Our ¡®awareness¡¯ of self and ¡®memories¡¯ of the old world are the only reasons we can continue to act, and this ¡®awareness¡¯ and ¡®memories¡¯¡­ are eroding with the passage of time.


    Bartok, one of us who understands ¡®death¡¯ best, calls this phenomenon ¡®the inertia of the old world.¡¯ He believes we did not survive on account of Self-Will or individual strength, but because the ¡®world did not wish to die.¡¯ The old worlds were destroyed in the Annihilation of All Things, but the fact that they once existed turned into the ¡®inertia¡¯ after the apocalypse, becoming various remnants that survived the Annihilation of All Things¨Cbecoming us.¡±


    ¡°Awareness of self¡± and ¡°memories of the old world¡±¡­¡± Duncan pondered, one hand supporting the hourglass, the other stroking his chin, ¡°So, is this the foundation of the ¡®Shelter¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the gentle voice told him, ¡°We used our memories and awareness to Reshape the initial ¡®keystones¡¯ from the ashes, which is why there are many ambiguous ¡®records¡¯ pointing to the Annihilation of All Things remaining in the mortal world, yet we never find any true ¡®evidence¡¯ that could prove the Annihilation, because there was never any ¡®evidence¡¯ from the start. Even the entire Endless Sea is built from the remnants we collected from the ashes¡­


    ¡°But even those remnants decay as our ¡®awareness¡¯ and ¡®memories¡¯ wear down¡­ The ¡®lifespan limit¡¯ originally designed for the Shelter stems from this.¡±


    Duncan listened intently to Gomona¡¯s narrative, from time to time lost in thought, and then as if talking to himself, he said, ¡°Inertia ultimately fades¡­ So, the End-Time Survey Team was bound to encounter that ¡®limit,¡¯ regardless of how perfectly they fulfilled their mission, the ¡®end of the world¡¯ had been predetermined on the day the world was born¡­¡±


    He suddenly recalled the words ¡°Critus¡± had told him:


    ¡°Continuing the Shelter is meaningless¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, continuing the Shelter is meaningless,¡± the Leviathan Queen repeated softly, ¡°but there is a higher interpretation to this statement¨Ccontinuing to ¡®postpone¡¯ that apocalypse is meaningless.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze shifted slightly, and he raised his head to look at the pale limbs sprawling at the edge of the pool, watching them gradually rise, eye after eye slowly opening on its surface.


    ¡°Do you remember? The world¡¯s apocalypse brought by the Annihilation of All Things did not end; it has always been proceeding slowly at the very basic logic of all things. The conflict of rules and the erosion of chaos are just its manifestations; essentially, it is the struggle between ¡®inertia¡¯ and ¡®apocalypse¡¯¨Cas long as we, this ¡®inertia,¡¯ still exist, as long as the Shelter exists, the Annihilation of All Things will never cease. It must go on until everything in the world is ground to mush. At that time¡­ the end of the world will truly be over.¡±


    The pale limbs dangled slightly, and the eyes that were not human yet seemed to be imbued with the brilliance of humanity and intelligence also hung low.


    ¡°Yes, Usurper of Flame,¡± it is precisely because the ¡®world¡¯ refuses to die that the end of the world refuses to stop; it is because we still exist that the Annihilation of All Things continues to this day, even up to this very moment¡­ it still hangs over the heads of all beings.¡±


    ¡°It hangs over the head until the end of life¡­¡± Duncan instantly reacted, ¡°You¡¯re referring to the Creation of the World?!¡±


    ¡°¡­That rift is how it appears in the eyes of the Observer; it is essentially an ¡®outcome,¡¯ a ¡®focal point¡¯ that guides all the possibilities of all worlds towards the same ¡®collapsed fact¡¯¨Cit is the ¡®end¡¯ of the Endless Sea.¡±


    Gomona¡¯s voice paused, and Duncan remained silent for a long time before he finally spoke in a murmur as if talking to himself, ¡°So, on the day this ¡®world¡¯ was born, its ¡®end¡¯ was already hanging overhead.¡±


    After a while, he looked again toward Gomona¡¯s ¡°eyes¡± and broke the silence, ¡°So, whatever solution we ultimately use, we must first deal with that ¡®never-ending doomsday,¡¯ we must first find a way to end the Annihilation of All Things¨Cbut the only way to end it is¡­¡±


    He paused for a moment, but Gomona¡¯s soft voice supplied the answer, ¡°To let the end of the world ¡®complete¡¯.¡±


    The temple fell quiet, silent as the annihilation of the cosmos.


    After a long time, Duncan exhaled softly, ¡°This can¡¯t be the ¡®conclusion¡¯ you ultimately wanted to tell me¨Cthere¡¯s something else, something you haven¡¯t told me yet.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s something else¨Cthere are many ways to make the end of the world ¡®complete,¡¯ but within our cognitive and capability boundaries, the ¡®Annihilation of All Things¡¯ is the final outcome of all paths. But as I said, this is only the conclusion ¡®within our cognitive and capability boundaries¡¯¡­¡±


    The pale limbs dropped again, and then, suddenly, a hazy figure emerged in front of them¨Ca girl in a long dress, wearing a veil, standing in front of a pond, deeply bowing to Duncan.


    Many, many years ago, she learned to communicate with her ¡°land friends¡± in this form and only appeared in this manner on very solemn occasions.


    ¡°Usurper of Flame, you are not within our cognitive and capability boundaries, and strictly speaking, you are not even within the scope of the Annihilation of All Things¨Ceven though you were the first among us to arrive, even though you have always slept in the earliest ashes, you¡­you are not ¡®residue.¡¯


    ¡°We cannot understand what you truly are, but the calculations of Navigator II indicate that you are the only ¡®healthy¡¯ individual among us¨Cperhaps, you have a way to protect the shadows of the old worlds when that ¡®end¡¯ happens.¡±


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    Duncan did not speak; he just furrowed his brows tightly, his expression more tense than ever before.


    Suddenly, he thought of something¨Cthose ¡°collections¡± that appeared in his room!


    He heard the voice of the ¡°Dreamscape Girl¡± continue to resonate in his ear:


    ¡°¡­Observation and cognition, memory and information, these seem to be the cornerstone of the world¡¯s existence. Navigator II once told me it came from a brilliant and advanced civilization, whose creators had almost touched the basic laws of the universe right before the doomsday, and at the pinnacle of their most profound research, a scholar had put forth a speculation.


    ¡°This speculation is the most memorable part of Navigator II¡¯s memory bank¨C


    ¡°¡®Information is everything; everything is an expression of information.''¡±


    ¡°Information is everything¡­everything is an expression of information¡­¡± Duncan subconsciously repeated the phrase, and in a daze, he seemed to hear a ¡°roar¡± coming from deep within himself, as if suddenly understanding many things. The scene before his eyes shook, with diffusing starlight spreading on the edge of his vision, then these illusions gradually dissipated¨Cthe voice of the ¡°Dreamscape Girl¡± came to his ears, that voice was hazy, as if suddenly separated by a thick veil:


    ¡°¡­Navigator II still ponders that phrase today; its creators seem to have touched the threshold of truth but only had time to throw out this speculation, and with the resources controlled by us ¡®residues,¡¯ with the conditions currently available in the Shelter, Navigator II believes it might never be able to turn this speculation into a usable theory and ¡®means.¡¯ But your existence¡­made it realize one thing.


    ¡°Perhaps there was a civilization, one more advanced than the creators of Navigator II, that has already stepped over that threshold.¡±

 Chapter 786 - Chapter 786 Chapter 783 Handover

    Chapter 786: Chapter 783: Handover Chapter 786: Chapter 783: Handover The echoing roar deep within his consciousness gradually faded, and the scene before his eyes stabilized once more. The muffled voices, as if behind a curtain, became clear again. Gomona¡¯s gentle voice was like a breeze gliding across the surface of the water: ¡°¡­Usurping Flame, what does the world look like through your eyes?¡±


    ¡°My world¡­¡± Duncan softly repeated these words, subconsciously pondering and recalling, his gaze passing beyond the phantom-like girl standing quietly before him, beyond the colossal remains of the Sea Beast Queen, across the pond¨Cin a daze, fish leapt out of the water, entering his mind and lingering in his consciousness.


    He blinked, his focus returning to the body of the ¡°Quiet Sea Girl,¡± and after a moment of silence, he spoke, ¡°The world through my eyes¡­ often differs from that of ordinary people in this world. Some things alter in my perception, and then, they seem to change in the eyes of others as well. Pioneer One thinks this is the power of the Observer, but I faintly feel¡­ the situation is not that simple.¡±


    ¡°So, the judgment of Pioneer Two was correct,¡± the girl¡¯s phantom seemed to smile, ¡°you, or rather, the civilization behind you¡­ they have already touched that ¡®answer¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, if we start from ¡®information,¡¯ the most fundamental level of everything, do we have a chance to preserve everything in the Shelter while ¡®completing¡¯ the apocalypse?¡±


    ¡°If ¡®information¡¯ truly is the essence of all things, and we have mastered a way to Reshape the world from this level, then theoretically we can do anything,¡± Gomona spoke softly, ¡°the real ¡®everything,¡¯ all possibilities, all impossibilities, those born in the universe, those not born, those obliterated, and those surviving from obliteration¡­ as long as ¡®information¡¯ can express them, they can be realized in any way¡­ even if it means having all things ¡®born¡¯ from ¡®destruction¡¯¡­¡±


    The girl¡¯s phantom suddenly stopped, seemingly suddenly lost in thought. After a while, she gently shook her head. ¡°That is a realm I cannot comprehend.¡±


    ¡°¡­Honestly, that seems like a part I can¡¯t comprehend either,¡± Duncan contemplated before admitting candidly, ¡°at least the current me can¡¯t comprehend it.¡±


    Gomona seemed to frown, her phantom¡¯s expression blurred, yet her emotions as rich as a human¡¯s: ¡°I remember you said there was a ¡®complete order¡¯ where you come from. What exactly is it?¡±


    The temple quieted down as Duncan seriously considered his answer, organizing his words while sorting out the intelligence he had and his current understanding of himself and his ¡°state.¡± After a while, he broke the silence: ¡°It is a 0.002-second slice of the universe¨Ca civilization at the pinnacle of order, when realizing the great obliteration was inevitable, ¡®cut¡¯ their world from the entire timeline, taking a sample unaffected by the great obliteration and encapsulating it¡­


    ¡°This sample is me¨Cit¡¯s the ¡®essence¡¯ inside my current body.


    ¡°As I understand it, this 0.002-second slice of the universe should be the prerequisite for creating a new world¡­ like a seed, a ¡®startup parameter,¡¯ a¡­¡±


    He hesitated, but Gomona¡¯s voice immediately responded, ¡°A blueprint that is completely uncorrupted, and at the same time possesses ¡®self-consistency¡¯ and ¡®completeness¡¯!¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes lit up slightly. ¡°That¡¯s right, exactly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it¡­ exactly that!¡± Gomona¡¯s phantom suddenly trembled, as if destabilized by excitement. It was the first time her tone had carried such emotion since the conversation began, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what Pioneer Two has been searching for¡­ a pure and complete blueprint! Neither we nor our civilization behind could achieve this step, so we were unable to construct a complete ¡®model¡¯ of an entire world. That¡¯s why we could only build the Endless Sea with a limited lifespan, but with a complete blueprint¡­¡±


    The sand in the hourglass suddenly began to flow quickly, the gentle rustling sound causing Gomona to instantly calm down. She immediately controlled herself, restraining her overly active emotions to conserve her precious ¡°vitality.¡±


    ¡°If we had a complete blueprint, we might really have a chance to Reshape a real world,¡± she said calmly, ¡°We have had several failed ¡®Creations,¡¯ and the fundamental reason is that we do not know what the complete cosmic order should be like¨Cif we regard ¡®information¡¯ as the cornerstone of everything, then the order of the universe is the ¡®formula¡¯ that allows all information to operate coherently. Summarizing this formula is beyond our capability, but you have this formula in your hands¡­¡±


    ¡°But I only have the formula,¡± Duncan had to interrupt, ¡°Do you remember what I said before? I need material, a lot of material¨CI can¡¯t grow a towering tree with just a seed, nor build a house with just a blueprint; I also need soil and bricks.¡±


    ¡°There is,¡± Gomona¡¯s voice directly entered his mind, calm and firm.


    Duncan¡¯s expression changed slightly, and for a moment, it seemed he realized something.


    ¡°¡­Would detonating us be enough?¡± Gomona¡¯s tone suddenly became less firm, her voice cautious with a touch of hope and slight unease¨Cas if she feared it wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± Duncan¡¯s expression shifted, his tone complex.


    ¡°¡­As the ¡®inertia¡¯ of the world, we carry a lot of ¡®information¡¯ from the old world,¡± Gomona spoke earnestly, ¡°Pioneer Two says that this ¡®information¡¯ is indeed ¡®information¡¯¨Calthough it has not yet completed the research its creators intended, it has somewhat grasped that threshold. According to its judgment, the ¡®information¡¯ we carry is actually far beyond what we understand and control¨Cits total amount exceeds the entire Endless Sea many times over. However, we lack the ability to control information, so this massive ¡®fundamental information¡¯ is being wasted away. A small part of it becomes the material to build the Shelter, but most of it decays slowly with us¡­


    ¡°But you are different, Usurper, your civilization has reached this height, you have the capability¨CI¡¯m sure you can detonate us properly and efficiently. Even if we are just remnants of the old world, if all the ¡®remnants¡¯ of the ¡®external barrier¡¯ are melted together, perhaps it might be enough to complete an¡­¡±


    She stopped, as the sand in the hourglass accelerated its flow once again.


    After a silence of two or three seconds, she continued softly, ¡°The task that Salmier couldn¡¯t accomplish back then¡­¡±


    Salmier, that was the name of the King of the Pale Giants¨Che had once tried to Reshape the stars, but the stars collapsed in the long night, becoming part of the Subspace.


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, but from his expression, it was obvious that he was reluctant to accept the Sea Beast Queen¡¯s ¡°plan.¡±


    Emotionally, he instinctively resisted the suggestion, and rationally, he also felt vaguely that the plan was not sound¨C¡°Detonating¡± the ¡°remains¡± of the four gods and all the other ancient gods, would the explosion of information gained really be enough to fill a ¡°Genesis Blueprint¡±?


    Although it sounded a bit harsh, he instinctively felt that these ¡°divine beings,¡± including Gomona¡­ the ¡°amount of information¡± they carried, compared to a complete universe¡­ really seemed insufficient.


    They were just minor ¡°divine beings¡±¨Ca ship¡¯s main computer, a planetary historian, a Sea Beast Queen who could only protect a part of the ocean, or a primitive deity presiding over death and worship; their knowledge and memories about the old world were not yet enough to depict the stars.


    But he couldn¡¯t say it out loud; the Sea Beast Queen stood by the pond, expectantly looking at him, this ¡°minor god¡±¡­ truly believed that by detonating herself, she could add a few more stars to the new world.


    So after a long silence, he simply nodded lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure now, it seems like an insecure plan¨Cperhaps we should think of other methods, at least¡­ there should still be some time.¡±


    ¡°¡­ We don¡¯t have much time,¡± Gomona thought for a moment and said, ¡°It would indeed be good if there¡¯s a better way, but if everything is too late¡­ we are always here waiting for your answer.¡±


    The sands in the hourglass had flowed away some more, and now there wasn¡¯t much left.


    ¡°It seems it¡¯s almost time to say goodbye,¡± the illusion of the young girl said, as the pale limbs of the giant beast slowly sank towards the edge of the pond, ¡°Bartok said the vitality in the hourglass is enough for me and you to conclude our necessary conversation¨Cit seems we should stop here.¡±


    Duncan looked down at the hourglass, where only a little sand remained; he knew he should conserve some ¡°vitality¡±¨Cat the final moment, he still needed to return here to give Gomona that last ¡°answer.¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything else to tell me before we part?¡± Duncan asked.


    Gomona did not speak, but the woman always standing aside, dressed in a white robe akin to a clergy member, stepped forward and handed him something.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze instantly sharpened¨Cit was a brass key.


    A brass key for winding up a clockwork doll!


    ¡°What is this?¡± Surprised, he couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°A route, ¡®the route¡¯ to various nodes of the entire outer barrier,¡± Gomona said gently, ¡°Pilot Number Two mentioned that it could only be handed to you when you arrived here, it would reveal itself in the form it ought to¨Cthen, you¡¯ll naturally know how to use it.¡±


    It would reveal itself in its proper form¡­


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    Duncan repeated this phrase in his mind, then took the brass key with an incredulous emotion.


    It felt ice-cold, heavy, and its handle was different from the ¡°infinity¡± symbol of another key¨Cthe structure of its handle was a circle with intricate patterns, crossed waist-deep by an arrow.


    ¡°Hope it proves useful,¡± Gomona said with a light smile.


    Duncan took a deep breath and secured the key close to his body: ¡°¡­Of course, it will be useful.¡±


    Gomona¡¯s illusion nodded lightly: ¡°Then, that¡¯s all.¡±

 Chapter 787 - Chapter 787 Chapter 784 The Key to the End of the World

    Chapter 787: Chapter 784: The Key to the End of the World Chapter 787: Chapter 784: The Key to the End of the World This is everything.


    The sandglass was gently turned over, the few remaining grains of sand were kept within the container¨Cwhile the portion that had flowed away dissipated like life that had passed.


    Duncan¡¯s figure vanished into this miraculous ¡°crack in the Spirit Realm,¡± and peace returned to the hall built of black, white, and grey, where Queen Leviathan¡¯s massive form lay quietly by the shore, and the young woman in the white robe, along with the two warriors, stood in silence beside her.


    The time to return to slumber had come, but there was still a little time left, the vitality leaking from the sandglass wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough for friends who hadn¡¯t spoken in a long time to exchange a few words.


    ¡°Lillian¡­ I haven¡¯t seen you for such a long time¡­¡±


    A deep, gentle tremor echoed through the hall, those pale limbs by the pool¡¯s edge stirred slightly, emitting a longing sound.


    The woman in the white robe smiled, sat down slowly by the pool, leaning her back against one of Leviathan Queen¡¯s tentacles: ¡°Yes, Gomona, it has been a long time since we¡¯ve met¨Cbut Lancelot and I have always been by your side.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you still remember those days, brushed by the sea breeze, under the bright sunlight?¡±


    ¡°I remember, it seems like just a short while ago¡­ I also remember the first time I met you, you burst into my dreams, tired of the life within the temple, planning to run away from home for a few days¡­ Together we visited many places, Lancelot, Owen, and now Parno who stands outside the God Temple, along with the rest of the fellowship. We granted your wish to see the desert, volcanoes, and the tundra¨Cultimately, I escorted you, the ¡®Her Majesty¡¯ who fled from home, back to the God Temple. We even became your royal guards¡­ It was always bustling back then.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, it was bustling, and though so much time has passed, the memories are still precious. We even planned to stealthily open a little shop at the starting point of the pilgrimage route¨C¡®Queen Leviathan personally selling souvenirs to the pilgrims,¡¯ sounded like an amusing idea¡­¡±


    ¡°That was your idea alone,¡± one of the taller warriors suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Lillian, Owen and I never agreed to it.¡±


    ¡°¡­We probably should have agreed,¡± said the woman identified as Lillian, her voice was soft, ¡°It does sound like an amusing idea¡­¡±


    Silence fell by the poolside, only for the deep yet gentle tremor to puncture it moments later: ¡°I don¡¯t want to sleep.¡±


    ¡°But you must sleep, Gomona,¡± Lillian whispered, tilting her head up and brushing her hair gently against the Leviathan Queen¡¯s tentacle, ¡°You must slumber here, then awaken within the timeline outside the God Temple¡­ The other three ¡®Kings¡¯ are awaiting your message; they must be anxious.¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t be there outside the temple¡­ I miss you.¡±


    ¡°We will meet again, on some distant day in the future. Do you remember what the Beacon No. 2 said? It calculated the outcome of the Shelter countless times, and though each time concluded with the Annihilation of All Things, not a single result was an absolute ¡®100 percent.¡¯ There was always an unpredictable deviation, a ghostly value lingering at the tail end of countless zeros¡­¡± Lillian spoke softly, her voice fading as if she were about to fall asleep¨C


    ¡°At the same time as the conclusion of the ¡®Annihilation of All Things,¡¯ something is hidden at the end of time. Perhaps that is a distant hope, and we will meet again there¡­ Then, together, we can travel, maybe even open that souvenir shop¡­¡±


    The voice ceased, and the one briefly ¡°resurrected¡± returned to their restful slumber. After a time unknown, gentle tremors again stirred the silence: ¡°Goodnight, Lillian, goodnight¡­¡±


    The colors of the real dimension returned to the field of vision, and the hall made of black, white, and grey regained its original form. In Duncan¡¯s sight, the pool with its faint blue radiance and black stones intermixed with dark green reappeared. The Leviathan Queen¡¯s tentacle once more took on that lifeless posture, silently resting by the poolside.


    Beside that tentacle lay scattered fragments of a skeleton.


    Duncan lowered his head, glancing at the sandglass in his hand¨Cless than a fifth of the fine sand remained inside, emitting a faint glimmer of gold, shining brightly in the darkness.


    The others gathered around in an instant, Sherry, using her size advantage, squeezed to the front: ¡°Captain Captain! What happened? Just now you suddenly turned into a shadow standing still. It looked terrifying¡­¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t respond at first, but carefully placed the sandglass on the altar. Then he lifted his head: ¡°I met with the Leviathan Queen and discussed some matters with her.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Fenna immediately stepped forward: ¡°You spoke with the Goddess? What exactly is this place¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Duncan waved his hand and took the initiative to say, ¡°This ¡®God Temple¡¯ splits the timeline here into two.¡±


    At these words, the others looked at each other in bewilderment, while Morris instantly assumed a thoughtful expression, murmuring to himself as he pondered, ¡°The timeline has been split into two parts?¡±


    ¡°¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, organized his thoughts, and began to share the intelligence he had just acquired, including some speculations, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the timeline outside the temple belongs to the ¡®Deep Sea Era.¡¯ Gomona, as one of the four gods of the Endless Sea, guards the ¡®Outer Barrier¡¯ outside this temple. There, she exists in a state of being ¡®half-alive and half-dead,¡¯ in response to the believers¡¯ calls and to ensure the order of the Endless Sea¨C that is also the Storm Goddess known to Fenna.¡±


    ¡°Within the temple, however, is a part stripped from the Deep Sea Era¨CQueen Leviathan Gomona has isolated her ¡®death¡¯ and ¡®corruption¡¯ within the timeline of the temple, along with memories of the great annihilation and much information concerning the essence of the world¡­ She has confined all this within the temple, to prevent these ¡®things¡¯ from contaminating the Shelter.¡±


    At this point, Duncan paused, glancing back at the lifeless tentacles by the pool and the scattered bones.


    ¡°That is why, after entering the temple, Fenna could no longer hear the Storm Goddess¡¯s voice at all, and all we can see before us is a body that is thoroughly dead¨Cbecause Gomona has ¡®locked¡¯ her ¡®death¡¯ here. When we stepped in, she was indeed dead.¡±


    Lucresia slowly began to understand, her gaze landing on the hourglass on the altar, ¡°So, this hourglass is¡­¡±


    ¡°A ¡®dialogue window¡¯ left for me,¡± Duncan nodded, ¡°It comes from Bartok, the Death God, who has left a gap between life and death here. When I turn the hourglass over, I can converse with Gomona who regains life temporarily¨Cbut the life force remaining inside it is already scarce.¡±


    The poolside fell silent, the sheer volume of information causing everyone there to ponder deeply. Maurice, looking at the hourglass and the pool, broke the silence after a while, his tone filled with an uncontrollable sense of awe, ¡°¡­Incredible¡­ So, was this place co-created by the Death God and the Storm Goddess?¡±


    Duncan shook his head slightly: ¡°Not just them.¡±


    Thoughts ebbed and flowed in his mind, as he gradually understood the concept of this ¡°temple,¡± and the so-called ¡°Outer Barrier¡± using the temple as a ¡°node.¡±


    The power of the hourglass came from the Death God Bartok, and the method of imprisoning ¡°information¡± by cutting the timeline appeared to be related to the God of Wisdom. Meanwhile, the information recorded and the ¡°memories¡± about Annihilation of All Things were manifestations of the eternal kindling, with the entire Outer Barrier situated at the world¡¯s frontier, outside the Orderly World, where a calm sea surface existed as the carrier of the ¡°barrier¡±¡­ This, obviously, was the power of the Storm Goddess/the Serene Sea Maiden.


    The entire Outer Barrier was the result of a cooperative effort by the four gods, anchoring the true frontier of the world¨Cthereafter, the King of the Pale Giants, the Dreaming King, and the Crawling King had the opportunity to ¡°create¡± within the Shelter time and time again.


    As clear threads began to appear in Duncan¡¯s mind, his ¡°understanding¡± of the world became clearer, and with the establishment of his ¡°awareness¡± of the Outer Barrier, imperceptibly, he felt his own ¡°essence¡± loosen a bit¡­


    He dimly realized that he now understood how to ¡°interfere¡± with the operation of the world, how to start from the Outer Barrier and infiltrate his power into the entire Endless Sea¨Chis ¡°awareness¡± of the world was rapidly transforming into actionable ¡°knowledge,¡± and this ¡°knowledge¡±¡­


    Could be used to ¡°complete¡± the apocalypse.


    Duncan abruptly halted his line of thought, his expression notably grave.


    Now, he understood how to ¡°destroy¡± the Outer Barrier and everything within it¨Cperhaps this was the very ¡°intelligence¡± Gomona truly wanted to impart.


    Alice, sensing something, approached Duncan, clutching the hem of his garment with some concern, ¡°Captain? The expression on your face is a bit frightening¡­¡±


    Duncan finally snapped out of his deep thought, seeing the doll¡¯s face before him, those beautiful purple eyes filled with concern¨Chis somewhat restless thoughts gradually calmed, and he exhaled softly, gently patting Alice¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he slowly said, ¡°I¡¯ve just suddenly realized a few things¡­¡±


    While speaking, he lifted his head to glance once more at Gomona¡¯s ¡°corpse.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the other ¡®three gods¡¯ must have similar arrangements¨Ctheir ¡®deaths¡¯ and ¡®corruptions¡¯ are confined on the other side of the hourglasses, to slow down the decay of the entire world.¡±


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    Nina lifted her head, glanced at Uncle Duncan, and then at the hourglass not far away, finally breaking the silence, ¡°So, are we going to look for the other three gods next?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, we will go find them.¡±


    Duncan nodded gently.


    He already knew what he had to do next.


    He would visit each of the main nodes upon the Outer Barrier¨Cin preparation for the end of the world.

 Chapter 788 - Chapter 788 Chapter 785 News from the North

    Chapter 788: Chapter 785 News from the North Chapter 788: Chapter 785 News from the North It is said that in the distant and frigid Chill Sea, an organization known as the ¡°Northern City-State Alliance¡± was taking shape under the cover of night.


    The legendary ¡°Iron Marshal¡± led his Undead army to dominate the night, taking control of the situation before the tensions caused by the scarcity of sunlight among the City-States could reach a breaking point. Cold Harbor and Morpheus Port were initial supporters, and under the witness of the Sea Mist, a pact was made¨C


    Now, a mighty united fleet had been established that protected these sunlight-deprived City-States through the increasingly dangerous and twisted nights, while the ¡°Solar Fragment Distribution Committee,¡± jointly established by the various City-States and churches, was closely monitoring the Sun Shards that had fallen into the sea, ensuring that these remnants of the apocalypse could promptly light up the darkest places during the long nights.


    Heidi put down the newspaper in her hand and looked up at her mother sitting beside the candlestick¨Cthe city¡¯s generator had been fixed, and now, the bright electric lights once again illuminated the living room. But her mother still insisted on placing a candlestick in the living room, ensuring that there was at least one candle lit at all times.


    ¡°Currently, no City-State in the north is allowed to possess a Sun Shard for an extended period¡±, Heidi remarked with information from her previous visit to the city hall, ¡°The Solar Fragment Distribution Committee rotates the Shards among the City-States to prevent mutations from developing in areas that remain in darkness for too long. So now, the northern City-States are actually taking turns ¡®having daylight¡¯. The large engineering vessels that tow the Sun Shards cruise the Chill Sea, with those ¡®little suns¡¯ maintaining the safety of each City-State¡­¡±


    She paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Moreover, this restarts the previously halted sea transport between City-States¨Ccargo ships can set out alongside those engineering vessels towing the Sun Shards. Although the overall efficiency is lower than before, at least the logistics among the City-States have resumed¡­¡±


    She stopped, thought for a moment, and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim from the bottom of her heart, ¡°It¡¯s really impressive¡­ It seems the ¡®Iron Marshal¡¯ is not like some rumors suggest, a ¡®King of the Undead¡¯ who enforces a reign of terror¡­¡±


    ¡°Rumors are rarely trustworthy. Don¡¯t forget, the Homeloss is still at the edge of the world searching for hope for us¡±, said her mother, smiling slightly as she worked on her needlecraft, ¡°Was that what you heard at the city hall?¡±


    ¡°The newspaper doesn¡¯t have that much detail,¡± Heidi pointed at the newspaper on the table, ¡°I heard it from people in the secretary¡¯s office¨Cthe details about the Northern City-State Alliance and the Solar Fragment Distribution Committee aren¡¯t publicized in the newspapers, but they¡¯re not exactly secrets either.¡±


    After pondering for a moment, her mother began to speak slowly, ¡°Is that so¡­ Then it seems we will soon have our own City-State Alliance and Solar Fragment Distribution Committee.¡±


    Heidi was taken aback as she seemingly hadn¡¯t considered this much.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good way to survive. Nowadays, as long as something can aid in survival through the night, it will get the City-States¡¯ leaders into action. If these messages have reached your ears, then it shows that the matter has already progressed at least halfway among the Governors¡±, her mother casually mentioned, her tone carrying a hint of reassurance, ¡°The City-States in the north have set a good precedent¡­ The ¡®Iron Marshal¡¯ has shown us a viable path, and as the news spreads, other City-States across the seas must consider this plan publicly, regardless of their private thoughts.¡±


    ¡°¡­ What if the City-States that have already obtained Sun Shards don¡¯t want to cooperate?¡± Heidi understood her mother¡¯s point but couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit worried, ¡°After all¡­ not everyone is so selflessly public-spirited.¡±


    Her mother thought for a moment, then asked an apparently unrelated question, ¡°I heard that the church¡¯s fleet docked two days ago at the military harbor west of Prandt, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Deep Sea Church¡¯s ¡®Abyss¡¯ and the Academy of Truth¡¯s ¡®Logicos¡¯ along with their respective escort fleets,¡± Heidi nodded, ¡°They said they were stopping by during their patrol for maritime security.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Heidi,¡± her mother nodded, a doting smile on her face, ¡°Guess why the ¡®Iron Marshal¡¯s¡¯ first step in establishing the City-State Alliance was to build a united fleet under his own control?¡±


    A glimmer of realization finally shone on Heidi¡¯s face¨Cshe was a respected psychiatrist and distinguished scholar at the Academy of Truth, but obviously a bit slow to react outside of her area of expertise. Even so, she now understood.


    ¡°Heidi, we should celebrate. After such a long time in darkness, it finally seems like good things are about to happen,¡± her mother said with a smile, slowly rising to head into the kitchen, ¡°I¡¯ll cook up some of my signature dishes, and you get one of your father¡¯s cherished bottles of wine from his collection¨Cwe¡¯ll open one, and he won¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh,¡± Heidi responded reflexively, standing up, but then suddenly remembered something, ¡°Ah, but father has quit drinking, he gave away his wine collection¡­¡±


    ¡°The basement, next to the white shelf, there¡¯s a wooden box that appears to have only one layer, but if you pull out the protruding wooden block on the side, there¡¯s a hidden compartment,¡± her mother explained nonchalantly, ¡°Also, at the very back of the basement, behind the storage rack, there¡¯s a bench with five bottles of wine inside, you can pick one to bring up.¡±


    Heidi was speechless: ¡°¡­¡±


    Her mother turned around before entering the kitchen, her face beaming with a victor¡¯s expression, ¡°How could I not know him?¡±


    ¡­


    Aboard the Homeloss, Morris suddenly felt a chill seize his heart, although there was barely any wind on this calm sea. He felt as though this cold breeze was piercing through the oil pump and the miniature steam core in his forged body.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Fenna, noticing some noise coming from within Morris, asked curiously.


    ¡°Strange¡­ This body should not feel cold, but why do I feel a chill in my heart?¡± Morris muttered, wiping his pipe, ¡°It feels like something I cherished has suddenly vanished, or that something kept in a bank¡¯s safe deposit box was taken by someone¡­¡±


    The old scholar¡¯s words were cut short as the captain¡¯s voice came from behind him, ¡°Your way of describing this reminds me of an old man¡­ His good stuff was stolen by a monkey.¡±


    Maurice turned around and saw Duncan standing in front of him with a subtle expression on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this story,¡± the old scholar¡¯s face was somewhat blank, ¡°What is a ¡®monkey¡¯?¡±


    Duncan thought for a moment, ¡°¡­An animal. Just think of it as something that lives in Subspace.¡±


    Maurice immediately looked awestruck and did not pursue the matter further¨Cmeanwhile, Fenna, who had been seriously analyzing the original topic, suddenly looked very solemnly at the old scholar, ¡°Could it be a warning from the God of Wisdom to you? Have you prophesied something that is about to happen?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unlikely, it¡¯s not that serious,¡± Maurice hurriedly waved his hands, ¡°If it were a revelation sent by the Lord Himself, it wouldn¡¯t just be a chill in my heart¨Cit¡¯s probably just my wife finding my hidden stash of booze again, no big issue.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Fenna nodded, her interest in the issue waning quickly as she turned her attention to the captain, ¡°Captain, when are we leaving this sea area?¡±


    As they turned to business, Duncan¡¯s expression immediately became serious.


    He raised his head to look at the distant black island where the huge palace stood, as well as the silhouette of the Leviathan remains surrounding the island through the mist. He then reached into his pocket¨Cthe slightly cool metal touch came from his fingertips.


    It was the ¡°second key¡± used to wind up the automaton.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to stay here for another half day; I need to study the ¡®route¡¯ that Gomona gave to me,¡± he said with grave seriousness, ¡°Before I ¡®return,¡¯ pay close attention to the movements inside and outside of the ship, especially any changes in the sea nearby¨Cif there are changes, record them.¡±


    Maurice nodded immediately, ¡°Understood, Captain.¡±


    Duncan turned and left the deck.


    The scene quieted down for a while, and Fenna turned her gaze to the black islands of varying sizes in the distance, falling silent for a long time.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Maurice asked beside her.


    ¡°¡­Ever since I was very young, I would often hear the sound of the waves in my dreams, where the broken waves gently lapped against the rocks,¡± Fenna spoke softly, ¡°And after completing my studies at the Church, I learned how to pray; in prayers, too, I could always hear the sound of those waves¡­ The ¡®Storm Scripture¡¯ says that it is the sound transmitted from the kingdom of God.¡±


    She paused, then after a moment of silence, raised her hand and pointed towards the quiet, desolate sea surface in the distance, ¡°But listen¨Cyou can¡¯t actually hear the sound of the waves here; the sea is so calm, eerily still, as if dead. Only when the ship is sailing do the waters make any sound.¡±


    The gentle sound of the waves echoed in her mind as if soothing something.


    ¡°These are the sounds from His memory,¡± Fenna said softly after a moment of silence, ¡°He says He hasn¡¯t seen the undulating sea for many, many years¨CHe¡¯s even almost forgotten what it looks like when the wind whips up the spray.¡±


    Maurice said nothing, just slowly stuffed the unlit pipe into his mouth, staying calmly beside Fenna.


    ¡­


    Inside the captain¡¯s cabin, Alice curiously looked at the uniquely shaped brass key.


    ¡°I have a new key, look!¡± She said with a surprised look, seemingly quite pleased. She turned the key over after taking it from Duncan¡¯s hand, examining it, ¡°The handle construction is different, huh? The previous one was a lying 8, this one is a circle pierced by an arrow? What does this circle mean?¡±


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    ¡°It probably refers to the ¡®Outer Barrier¡¯ that encircles the Endless Sea,¡± Duncan said off-handedly, then looked somewhat helplessly at the carefree automaton in front of him, ¡°Can¡¯t you be a bit more anxious? No one knows what will happen when this key is turned.¡±


    Alice tilted her head, thought hard for a moment, and felt that she probably should be anxious.


    ¡°It seems¡­yeah,¡± she scratched her head, her tone a bit uncertain, ¡°I am a little nervous, but no matter what happens, you¡¯re sure to handle it, right?¡±


    Caught off guard, Duncan sighed helplessly, then laughed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he picked up the new key and nodded gently to the automaton lady, ¡°Leave it to me.¡±

 Chapter 789 - Chapter 789 Chapter 786 Another Alices Mansion

    Chapter 789: Chapter 786 Another Alice¡¯s Mansion? Chapter 789: Chapter 786 Another Alice¡¯s Mansion? Having coordinated multiple times before, Alice revealed the keyhole on her back with practiced ease and sat obediently on the bed, waiting for the captain to wind the spring key.


    Duncan held the brass key with the loop handle and slowly approached it towards Alice¡¯s keyhole, but just then, he suddenly heard the automaton speak up, ¡°Captain, I have a question.¡±


    Duncan immediately stopped his movement, ¡°A question?¡±


    ¡°You said that this key is for the routes to the other three ¡®nodes¡¯ on the external barrier, and that I¡¯m something¡­ the Navigator Number Three, right? That means, with the routes, I could take you far away, even to the ends of the world¡­¡±


    Alice spoke, her tone hesitant, as if struggling for a moment to find the right words to express her thoughts. Duncan didn¡¯t rush her, and just patiently waited¨Cafter a while, the automaton seemed to finally streamline her thoughts and continued, ¡°Then tell me, are there other ¡®routes¡¯? Or rather, if I don¡¯t have this new key, could I still try to take you to other places on my own?¡±


    Duncan felt a bit puzzled, ¡°¡­why are you suddenly thinking about this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ suddenly curious about myself,¡± Alice said casually, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve never considered these questions before. I busied myself every day on the ship, and I was content doing things I liked, but it seems unlike me, everyone else is different¡­ They all know exactly what they want to do, that thing called¡­ oh, a sense of mission. It seems everyone has a strong sense of mission, except me¡­¡±


    The automaton suddenly stopped, thinking seriously, ¡°Should I also have one?¡±


    ¡°¡­there¡¯s nothing that one should or shouldn¡¯t have,¡± Duncan shook his head, ¡°However, I don¡¯t discourage you from thinking more about yourself and understanding who you are¨Cunderstanding oneself is part of growth, and that¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    ¡°Can automatons also grow?¡± Alice asked, curious.


    ¡°Yes, as long as there¡¯s willingness, anyone can grow. You have already grown a lot since you first came on board¨Cthe growth of knowledge is growth, making more acquaintances is growth, going to more places, seeing more landscapes, all of that is growth. As long as today¡¯s you is different from yesterday¡¯s you, for you, that is growth.¡±


    Alice nodded in semi-understanding, then after thinking for a moment, suddenly realized something happily, ¡°Ah, then forgetting a few words I learned yesterday morning, is that growth?¡±


    Duncan suddenly fell silent, ¡°¡­¡±


    Alice, ¡°Captain? Captain, why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sometimes what I say can be imprecise,¡± Duncan said, his expression blank as he focused on the keyhole on Alice¡¯s back, ¡°You need to understand it dialectically.¡±


    Alice thought about it but didn¡¯t understand¨Cbecause she didn¡¯t know what ¡°dialectically¡± meant.


    But she felt the captain was right, so she nodded happily, ¡°Okay, then I have no more questions! I¡¯m ready, wind me up please!¡±


    Duncan took a breath, quickly rid himself of his scattered thoughts, and then carefully inserted the brass key into the doll¡¯s keyhole.


    A familiar clicking sound emerged, as the spring key, seemingly drawn in by itself, slid into the keyhole. Immediately after, the complex and ornate patterns surrounding the keyhole faintly lit up¨Cthe spring key began to turn on its own, emitting soft clicking noises.


    The next second, Duncan felt that familiar dizziness and sense perception reset rushing in from all directions, and then darkness fell like a curtain, shrouding everything around. Soon, a cool sensation swept over him¨Cas if he had passed through an invisible gate, and in the darkness, fragments of light and shadow quickly reassembled and stabilized into a spacious, ornate but dimly lit and eerie place.


    Duncan quickly snapped out of his trance, and after shaking off the dizziness, immediately looked around in all directions.


    He found himself still in that grandiose mansion, the incredibly wide living room, corridors carpeted in dark red, the spiral staircase leading to the second floor, the tall, narrow Gothic pointed windows, and the somber chandelier hanging from the ceiling, as if it were always slightly swaying.


    Almost instantly, he noticed that the surroundings were different from his memory of ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion¡±¨Cthe lighting was dimmer, and the pale glow from those candles was like a thinly veiled gauze covering a limited area, leaving most corners of the mansion draped in darkness; the ceiling was more dilapidated, and in some parts of the peeling dome, the framework, almost skeletal in nature, could be vaguely discerned, but between the gaps of the framework, there was only a chaotic grey-white to be seen.


    A more sinister, more eerie atmosphere enveloped this place than he remembered of ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± and even in the darkened corners close at hand, it seemed as if countless invisible lurkers hid, watching the unwelcome visitor with cold and empty gazes.


    Duncan frowned, noticing he was currently standing on a platform on the second floor of the mansion. Looking over the edge of the platform, he could see the first-floor hall and the spiral staircase leading down to it. After a moment of contemplation, he decided not to go downstairs but instead turned and walked towards the corridor leading to the deepest part of the second floor.


    And just as he turned and took a step, he suddenly perceived another ¡°oddity¡± here.


    Silence, emptiness, no one¨Cthere were no headless maids or attendants from the mansion in sight, there were no sounds of servants¡¯ activities, and he did not see that headless butler either.


    He remembered that in the previous ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion¡± visit, although it was also spacious, he would still occasionally see the headless servants scurrying past doorways and corridors. Even in rooms and halls that seemed devoid of any presence, he could still hear whispers and the clinking of utensils, and sometimes, faint music as if from a ball taking place¨Cthough these sounds, in a vast mansion, made the atmosphere even more ghostly and foreboding, at least there was some ¡°bustle.¡±


    But there was not even that bit of sound here, as quiet as if¡­ dead.


    Duncan gradually heightened his alertness, and stepped towards the second-floor corridor.


    Throughout the entire grand building, only his monotonous and slightly hollow footsteps echoed.


    He stopped before the entrance to the corridor leading to the ¡°mistress¡¯s bedroom¡± and looked up at the nearest wall before his gaze suddenly fixed on a painting.


    Many oil paintings hung on the walls of Alice¡¯s Mansion, and he still remembered what those paintings looked like¨Cmostly abstract and somber, smeared with large swathes of color depicting scenes like prophecies or historical records. Some of the paintings even depicted the disintegration of New Hope and the ¡°End of Days Redshift,¡± but here, he suddenly discovered that those paintings¡­ had been replaced.


    The closest painting to him was a bunch of crude, abstract shapes¨Ca naive pencil line on white paper sketched Sherry swinging a dog by a chain.


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a few seconds of silent silence, he suddenly felt the eerie and strange atmosphere of the mansion dissipate a little, and then he noticed another painting nearby, with messy lines depicting a scruffy bearded ¡°captain¡± wearing a large hat¡­


    He even began to feel the atmosphere inside the mansion warming up.


    This was indeed Alice¡¯s Mansion, with certain details inside reflecting the memories and daily life of the doll lady¨Cfrom some angles, its connection with ¡°Doll Alice¡± seemed even closer than that of the ¡°normal version¡± of the mansion.


    At least the normal version of the mansion wouldn¡¯t hang abstract paintings of the entire crew of Homeloss.


    Duncan smiled helplessly and continued deeper into the corridor.


    As expected, at the end of the corridor, he saw that vast ¡°void.¡±


    The part that was once the ¡°mistress¡¯s bedroom¡± had disappeared into thin air¨Cjust like the room that Lei Nora ¡°drove away¡± was also a void here.


    Duncan stopped before the broken floor at the end of the corridor, bowing his head in thought.


    It seemed this was still the Alice¡¯s Mansion he knew, only¡­ it was ¡°another version.¡±


    Would winding Alice with a different key lead to different ¡°copies¡± of the same Alice¡¯s Mansion?


    So what was the connection between this mansion, which had an even more ominous atmosphere and appeared to be abandoned for a longer time, and the ¡°Shipping Lane¡±?


    Duncan silently contemplated where to begin in order to find clues related to the ¡°Shipping Lane¡± within this mysterious mansion, and naturally, he thought of the garden¨Cand the doll sleeping amidst the thorns.


    But just as he turned to head for the garden, a flash of light caught in the corner of his eye made him suddenly halt.


    The light briefly revealed a contour that made Duncan¡¯s heart suddenly leap, and he immediately moved towards the glowing object, brushing away the shadows that seemed to cover the air like black gauze¨Cthe darkness receded as if it were tangible, and he saw what the object was: something that, no matter how he looked at it, appeared completely out of place here.


    A screen, like that of an LCD panel.


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    The object was ¡°embedded¡± in the wall at the end of the corridor, with a silvery metallic frame ¡°fused¡± into the wall panel in some bizarre manner, while the surface that resembled a screen glowed faintly, displaying text and flashing red frames.


    Duncan glanced at the text on the ¡°screen¡± and immediately realized that it was the same as what he had seen on a device in the cave illusion on Holy Land Island. Then the meaning of the text directly presented itself in his mind as information¨C


    ¡°Core escape pod offline¨Cunauthorized release, operation unauthorized.¡±


    Duncan stared at the text for a few seconds before he slowly came to understand and turned to look again at the fragmented edge and the ¡°giant void¡± at the end of the corridor. After flipping the ¡°navigation segment of New Hope¡± and ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion¡± back and forth in his mind, he finally grasped an obvious fact that he had not understood until today.


    The Frost Queen had driven away the escape pod of New Hope¡­


    No wonder she could travel to the ends of the earth in her own ¡°house¡±¨Cthat thing was a spaceship¡¯s escape pod!

 Chapter 790 - Chapter 790 Chapter 787 Awakening

    Chapter 790: Chapter 787: Awakening Chapter 790: Chapter 787: Awakening The sudden revelation of truth had left Duncan standing in the corridor a bit dazed, his mind toggling between ¡°This is just fucking ridiculous¡± and ¡°This ridiculousness is just fucking logical.¡± Only after wrestling with his urge to criticize for a while did he refocus his attention on the ¡°screen¡± embedded in the wall.


    After a moment of observation, his expression gradually became thoughtful.


    The Great Annihilation had reshaped everything through ¡°world collision,¡± and the New Hope was no exception. Part of it had turned into ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± now floating in Subspace. Yet here, after opening another version of Alice¡¯s Mansion with the guiding key, a ¡°screen¡± appeared at the end of its corridor, revealing the so-called ¡°master bedroom¡¯s¡± true nature¡­


    In other words, within Alice¡¯s Mansion, as opened by the guiding key, part of the structure had been ¡°restored¡± or ¡°recreated¡± to its original form.


    Pondering, Duncan looked up and across to the exit on the other side of the corridor.


    What did the garden look like now? And the automaton slumbering within it?


    He left the second floor of the mansion, descending the stairs by memory, traversing the narrow corridor beside the main hall, passing outside rooms that had always emitted hushed whispers but were now enveloped in deathly silence, making his way toward the garden.


    Along the way, he stopped, drawn by a door in the hallway.


    Many identical doors lined the corridor, but one had changed¨Cit glimmered with a silvery metallic shine, its edges wrapped with pale blue glowing stripes, like a hatch of some large machinery set into the classical wall. Duncan approached this tech-infused hatch and saw a transparent window above it.


    Gazing through this ¡°observation window,¡± he saw a room bathed in cold, colored light, filled with rows of cabinet-style equipment on large platforms and racks, with cables dangling from the ceiling, connected to enigmatic devices.


    The equipment in the room seemed to still be operating, lights flickering across the surfaces of the array like the blinking of tides. However, the thick isolation door seemed to block all sound¨Cnone of the ¡°server array¡± hums could be heard in the corridor outside.


    Duncan tried to push the door open, but it wouldn¡¯t budge¨Cit seemed like nothing more than a ¡°facade¡± fixed to the wall, with no state of ¡°open¡± possible.


    Yet, looking at the scene behind the door, Duncan grew thoughtful again.


    He remembered the whispering voices often heard around the corners in his familiar version of Alice¡¯s Mansion, and the soft music that seemed to emanate from empty halls as if a ghostly ball was in progress.


    ¡­Could those ghostly sounds be the hums of the server arrays in operation?


    With some unbelievable associations in mind, Duncan left the softly glowing metal door and continued toward the entrance to the garden.


    The long corridor seemed to stretch on endlessly, even longer than he remembered. Yet, the garden¡¯s door, faintly visible in the dim light, always stood within sight, like a beckoning ¡°finish line.¡±¨CDuncan quickened his pace as if an invisible call urged him to hurry forward.


    The corridor receded beside him, and more and more ¡°original structures¡± began to appear on the contiguous doors and walls¨Cthe silver metallic doors gleaming, the spaceship cabin walls inset with lights, and the irregular metal plates. These ¡°remnants of the past¡± appeared randomly on the elegant, classical facades and ceilings as if scales of a dragon were shedding, exposing the steel skeleton and power cables beneath¡­


    And finally, the seemingly endless corridor came to an end. The ¡°garden¡¯s grand door,¡± made of countless stained-glass pieces, stood silently before Duncan, the classical patterned door frame faintly glowing with a pale blue light. A flickering screen embedded itself oddly among the colored glass¨C


    Navigator Unit 3 Core Server/Central Nervous Cabin


    Standing before this door, Duncan paused for a moment before slowly reaching out.


    The ¡°garden¡¯s grand door,¡± just as he remembered, opened effortlessly¨Cit as if it had never been locked.¨CA vast, dimly-lit space unfolded before his eyes.


    He saw a hall, its far end shrouded in mist-like darkness, obscuring its shape and limits, with many obelisk-like black shadows standing within that ¡°mist,¡± their lights blinking uncertainly. The only clear feature was a circular platform at the center of the hall.


    Countless tangled pipes and cables descended from the sky, connecting to an oddly-shaped bulge on the platform with faint lights flowing between the cables, like fireflies converging.


    The entire structure resembled an eerie and unimaginable ¡°tree,¡± with lights flowing through each ¡°branch¡± as if alive.


    And at the root of this bizarre and tangled ¡°tree,¡± the automaton sat quietly at the edge of the platform.


    She was awake.


    But she didn¡¯t speak, nor did she react to the unexpected visitor entering the hall¨Cthe automaton, identical to Alice, just sat quietly on the central platform, clutching a white sketchpad tightly, her unfocused eyes staring toward the direction of the door.


    She seemed to have been waiting in this ¡°standby¡± pose for a long time.


    Duncan took a deep breath and cautiously stepped toward the automaton sitting at the base of the ¡°tree of cables.¡±


    As he crossed a certain distance, the automaton finally reacted¨Cshe turned her head slightly, her gaze shifting from the door to Duncan.


    However, that was the only reaction; the android still did not speak or show any expression, not even focusing her eyes. She simply adjusted her gaze quietly, following Duncan¡¯s steps, like a true, lifeless, and thoughtless puppet¨Cwith only the most basic ¡°motion-tracking¡± feature.


    Yet as he watched the scene, a strange sense of eeriness emerged in Duncan¡¯s heart¨Cthis naive android finally demonstrated a bit of the peculiar and unnerving traits expected of it.


    He approached the android, looked down at it, and the android, expressionless, raised its head and slowly adjusted its eyes to follow Duncan¡¯s movements.


    ¡°There is no path,¡± the android suddenly said.


    Her abrupt voice echoed like an echo in the hall shrouded in black fog.


    Duncan was thinking about how to communicate with this ¡°awakened¡± android and was momentarily taken aback upon hearing it speak, instinctively responding, ¡°There is no path? What do you mean there¡¯s no path?¡±


    ¡°Guiding the New Hope to jump to a safe space region¡­¡±


    The android turned its head stiffly and slowly, its gaze seemingly tracking the servers hidden in the black fog or some old images that had vanished from this place. Its monotone and hollow voice emitted and echoed around¨C


    ¡°Guiding jump to gravitational focal point¡­ Transition engines disabled, star chart malfunction¡­ Standard starlight deviation¡­ Cannot locate reference points, destination decoding failed¡­ There is no path¡­¡±


    It seemed to pause suddenly, as its eyes slowly widened, as if waking from a nightmare¨C


    ¡°There is no path, Navigator Three apologizes to the entire crew of the spacecraft, there is no path, I apologize, there is no path, I apologize, there is no path¡­¡±


    The android began to repeat itself incessantly, as if trapped in some sort of frozen state, apologizing and broadcasting over and over. A low noise abruptly arose from the thick fog in all directions. The android raised its head again, blankly searching for something in the darkness, its tone growing increasingly urgent: ¡°There is no path, there is no path there is no path there¡¯s no¡­¡±


    The noise turned into a piercing howl, something massive trembled and fell within the black fog, and an eerie vibration filled the entire hall. However, just as the android seemed about to lose control, Duncan, in desperate urgency, pressed her shoulders¨C


    ¡°Alice!¡±


    He called out almost instinctively, pressing hard on the android¡¯s shoulders while repeating, ¡°Alice¨Ccan you hear me?!¡±


    The android abruptly stopped, seemingly reacting to the name it heard. She turned her head sluggishly, a trace of liveliness appearing in her lifeless eyes.


    The ear-piercing howl and tremors around the hall gradually subsided.


    ¡°Captain¡­¡±


    She looked into Duncan¡¯s eyes, speaking in a somewhat glitched voice, as if a severely rusted and aging robot were rebooting.


    Then she turned her head from side to side as if ¡°acclimating¡± to something, and her voice became a bit smoother: ¡°Captain, are you hungry?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­How did this naive one wake up and the first thing it remembered was this?!


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, and now is not the time to eat,¡± Duncan quickly adjusted his mindset. He had not expected to actually ¡°awaken¡± Alice¡¯s consciousness here and still found it quite unbelievable, ¡°You¡­ look around, do you know what state you¡¯re in now?¡±


    Only then did Alice belatedly raise her head, realizing that this place was not the familiar Homeloss she knew.


    She became dazed for a moment and when she turned to look at Duncan, her gaze was obviously confused: ¡°Where is this?¡±


    Duncan thought for a while, mainly pondering how to explain what ¡°the core server room that has reappeared after the Navigator¡¯s cognitive reshaping by the Observer on the New Hope¡± meant to this naive one. After a moment, he nodded and held Alice¡¯s shoulders.


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    ¡°This is the world inside your mind.¡±


    Alice looked bewildered, ¡°But I don¡¯t have a mind, do I?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    After a moment of being dumbfounded and speechless, he glared: ¡°Pretend you do!¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±

 Chapter 791 - Chapter 791 Chapter 788 Analyzing the Star Map and the

    Chapter 791: Chapter 788: Analyzing the Star Map and the Uninvited Guest Chapter 791: Chapter 788: Analyzing the Star Map and the Uninvited Guest Alice seemed very excited.


    She was now staring with wide eyes, curiously observing everything around her. If it weren¡¯t for Duncan¡¯s intervention, she probably would have already run into the mists at the end of the hall. Tugging at Duncan, she peppered him with questions about everything from the cables hanging from the ceiling to the situation beyond the door not far away¨Cthanks to Duncan¡¯s patient explanations, she had come to understand that she was inside ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± a ¡°special Alice¡¯s Mansion¡± at that, and this incredible experience was apparently considered by her to be quite an interesting ¡°adventure.¡±


    ¡°So amazing¡­ so this is what Alice¡¯s Mansion looks like,¡± the doll-like lady chuckled with delight, wandering around the platform where she had originally been seated. ¡°So this is really my house? It¡¯s so big? It¡¯s just a pity I can¡¯t move in and live here¡­¡±


    ¡°Firstly, this is just a part of Alice¡¯s Mansion, to be precise, one of its grand halls,¡± Duncan said as he watched the doll circle around him, unable to help but remind her. ¡°Secondly, another Alice¡¯s Mansion doesn¡¯t look like this. In the corresponding location there, there is a garden¨CI infer that using different keys to open the door will lead to different Alice¡¯s Mansions.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Alice nodded as she listened, though it was unclear if she really understood.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze then quickly fell upon the drawing board that Alice was clutching in her arms.


    The drawing board had been in the doll¡¯s embrace since before Alice¡¯s consciousness had awakened, and she still held it subconsciously even now¨CDuncan distinctly remembered that in ¡°another version of Alice¡¯s Mansion¡± found in the garden, the doll had been holding a drawing board that depicted the sight of the ¡°redshift of the apocalypse.¡± So, what then could be on this drawing board here?


    ¡°Alice, let me have a look at your drawing board,¡± he suddenly said.


    ¡°Drawing board?¡± The doll seemed momentarily confused, then quickly understood, belatedly realizing she was holding something in her arms, and hurried over to hand the drawing board to the captain. ¡°Here!¡±


    Duncan took the drawing board, turned it over to its front, and then his brows gradually furrowed.


    The ¡°drawing board¡± turned out to be a screen, filled with numerous lines and symbols beyond even his comprehension, and countless dense, continuously refreshing streams of data moved around those lines and symbols, as if constantly engaged in highly complex calculations and reconfiguration.


    Duncan watched intently with knitted brows, a vague guess forming in his mind, when Alice, too, curiously leaned closer, squeezing her head next to his shoulder to look at the screen¡¯s contents, and suddenly let out a long, drawn-out exclamation, ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Duncan immediately looked up, ¡°Do you know what this is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our position, the coordinates of our current location relative to the overall space-time structure of the Shelter,¡± Alice said reflexively, then before the captain could ask further, she added confidently, ¡°What do I mean by that?¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He found that ever since Alice was awakened here, the things she said were becoming increasingly difficult for him to follow up on!


    But Alice¡¯s response at least confirmed his earlier speculation: This was a navigation route!


    The navigation key transferred to him by the Frost Queen was indeed sleeping within the ¡°doll¡± inside the mansion, it was this ¡°drawing board¡±!


    The curious doll watched the changes in Duncan¡¯s expression and then tilted her head in confusion, ¡°Captain? Why are you ignoring me?¡±


    ¡°Alice,¡± Duncan suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, looking seriously at the doll-like lady in front of him, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this is the ¡®route¡¯ to the nodes of the outer barrier. Do you know how to ¡®use¡¯ it?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Alice paused, took the drawing board from Duncan¡¯s hand with some hesitation, and swiped her finger across the screen where data and symbols were continuously refreshing. After a while, she seemed to mumble to herself in a low voice, ¡°I think¡­ I know? But it seems I need to study it a bit more¡­¡±


    She furrowed her brow and looked up, ¡°I feel like the ¡®method of use¡¯ is already in my mind, like I can start something instinctively, but it takes a process¡­ Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t be long.¡±


    As the doll explained, Duncan suddenly sensed something. He looked up and saw the ¡°tree¡± composed of countless cables and conduits connecting the dome and the platform stir into activity¨C


    Numerous glimmers of light in its ¡°branches¡± rapidly grew brighter and more vibrant, many of the cables that had been hidden in the darkness emerged at the edge of its ¡°canopy¡± and extended into the mists surrounding the hall. A deep humming sound came from those mists, as if something was activating and gradually ramping up power¡­


    The doll¡¯s fingers glided over the lines and symbols on the drawing board, with rapidly flowing data materializing beside her, floating in the air like phantoms. She fell silent, as if all her ¡°attention¡± was immersed in the workings of the threads.


    Suddenly, Duncan heard a voice¨Cit was Alice¡¯s voice, but not from the doll¡¯s mouth. Instead, it came directly from some ¡°broadcasting device¡± above the hall:


    ¡°The main system is starting¡­ analyzing the star chart, star chart authorized by¡­ Navigation One¡­¡±


    Duncan watched this unfold, not surprised, yet a certain anticipation had begun to take shape in the depths of his heart without him realizing it. But just then, a static noise suddenly intruded upon his ears, and the radiance flowing through the ¡°tree¡± as well as the buzzing noise of devices all around instantly diminished.


    ¡°Analysis paused¡­ detecting unauthorized access.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression subtly shifted, and then he saw that Alice, too, seemed taken aback before she jolted up as though awakened, ¡°Captain, someone¡¯s knocking at the door!¡±


    Someone was knocking at the door?!


    Duncan immediately realized this, and at almost the same time, he heard the knocking sound¨Cnot loud, yet it seemed to directly disregard distance and attenuation, clearly reaching his ears from a very far-off place.


    The person knocking was very patient, rhythmically repeating like the precision of a machine.


    Alice, holding her painting board, jumped down from the platform and approached Duncan with a bit of nervousness, ¡°Captain, should we open the door?¡±


    ¡°¡­Come with me,¡± Duncan considered it, then solemnly said, followed by a reminder, ¡°Hold onto the painting board, don¡¯t let go of it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Okay!¡±


    Alice, somewhat flustered, quickly agreed and followed in the captain¡¯s footsteps, heading toward that nearby door.


    The two left the dimly lit navigation hall and, led by Duncan, entered the unusually long corridor, passing by one silent room and porch after another, swiftly moving towards the main hall on the first floor of the mansion.


    The knocking sound continued patiently, each knock as if tapping directly at the bottom of one¡¯s heart.


    Duncan inexplicably thought of the knocking he had heard in his own apartment and the visit from the Frost Queen emerging from the dense fog¨Cthen he momentarily cast aside these aimless thoughts.


    Alice, clutching her painting board, almost ran after the captain, her eyes wide with amazement as she looked at the corridors, narrow windows, and wooden doors that led to unknown places, as if she had a belly full of questions yet couldn¡¯t find the moment to ask.


    This building was just too enormous, and if it weren¡¯t for the captain leading the way, she guessed she might even get lost inside.


    Eventually, they arrived at the main hall of the mansion.


    The gloomy and towering door stood like a giant at the end of the dark red carpet, the knocking sound coming from outside consistently, thump, thump.


    Duncan frowned slightly, leading Alice next to the door.


    He tried to sense the presence outside the door but felt only emptiness; he didn¡¯t feel hostility, danger, or even a specific ¡°existence.¡±


    The knocking sound seemed to be urging them on. Weighing his options and hesitating, Duncan placed his hand on the door.


    He recalled what the headless butler had told him¨C


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever open that door, outside it lies the apocalypse.¡±


    Alice stood nervously behind the captain, obediently holding her painting board close as she looked at the gloomy and lofty door.


    A creaking noise reached her ears.


    Duncan exerted force in his hands and cautiously pushed the door open¨Conly to find it was lighter than he had anticipated.


    Unlocked and un-rusted, despite the creaking noise, the door was light as a feather¨Cand as it opened, a ray of sunlight suddenly pierced the darkness, passing through the doorway and into Duncan and Alice¡¯s eyes.


    A glorious sun blazed in the void, its brightness fierce yet the harsh sunlight didn¡¯t hurt anyone¡¯s eyes as it shone on the outer walls and main door of Alice¡¯s Mansion.


    From the sunlight, Duncan felt a tinge of familiarity, and then, he saw the splendid solar disk slowly rotate in his field of vision¨Cthe corona fading, revealing the true visage of an ancient god beneath the burning shell.


    Countless pallid dying tendrils and swollen flesh piled up into a celestial body, supporting the blazing shell, with an enormous single eye encircled by tendrils, slowly adjusting its angle, watching the two figures standing at the mansion¡¯s entrance.


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    The writhing solar disc, the Black Sun, the ¡°True Sun God¡± of the Sun Cultists¨Cit was the one knocking.


    ¡°I was almost ready to give up,¡± before Duncan could speak, a feeble voice preempted him, the corona-scorched ancient god spoke with tremulous layers, ¡°I was about to leave.¡±


    Duncan stared expressionlessly (actually a bit dumbfounded by the surprise) at the ¡°ancient god¡± floating in the void, seemingly indeterminable in actual distance and size. After a good while, he finally spoke, ¡°¡­The house is very big, it takes a long time to get from the inside to the door after hearing the knock.¡±


    As he finished speaking, Alice beside him quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s so big! We ran down the corridor for ages!¡±


    The misshapen sun fell silent, and after several seconds, spoke again, ¡°Mm, that makes sense.¡±

 Chapter 792 - Chapter 792 Chapter 789 The Rotting Black Sun

    Chapter 792: Chapter 789: The Rotting Black Sun Chapter 792: Chapter 789: The Rotting Black Sun It wasn¡¯t there ¡ª the sun that blazed furiously in the void was just another shadow.


    After the initial surprise, Duncan quickly realized this. He did not sense any real presence from the ¡°Crawling Sunwheel¡± before him, nor did he feel its ostensibly scorching heat. It seemed to him that the fireball was empty and distant, a feeling¡­ very similar to when he first peered at it through the ¡°Golden Mask.¡±


    This ¡°True Sun God¡± must have found Alice¡¯s Mansion by some means and sent its projection here¡­ What exactly attracted this ancient deity? Was it some change triggered by his own entrance into this place, or was it the noise made by Alice while analyzing the ¡°course¡±?


    Duncan quickly collected himself and asked with a hint of curiosity, ¡°How did you find this place?¡±


    His tone was cautious, yet bore no hostility ¡ª although he had dealt with those mad believers of the Black Sun and the Scions of the Sun, as well as remnants, and none of these encounters had been pleasant (although each had ended successfully on a violent note), he harbored no grievances against the ¡°Crawling Sunwheel¡± itself. In fact, knowing that this ancient god too was against its will, and had never intended harm to the mortal world from the start to the end, he felt somewhat sympathetic.


    After all¡­ the world might teem with ancient gods, but only one such god was tormented by its own followers and children over a slow-burning fire. If the True Sun God had a bit more freedom in its actions, each of its tendrils would probably be etched with the word ¡°Tragic¡±¡­


    ¡°I ¡®heard¡¯ a sound coming from Subspace. Navigation Unit Three had laid dormant for many years, but suddenly became active; I knew then that the day was near,¡± the deformed sun spoke with a trembling voice, weak yet gentle, ¡°Usurper of Flame, we meet again.¡±


    ¡°The day is near¡­ Did you know I would appear here?¡± Duncan immediately frowned, noting the detail in the other¡¯s words, ¡°You also know about Navigation Unit Three?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am ¡®one of them,''¡± the Crawling Sunwheel slowly said, ¡°Before Navigation Unit One decided to raise a new sun, I too played a role in constructing this Shelter.¡±


    Duncan remained silent, his eyes suddenly showing a shift.


    After several seconds of silence, he spoke solemnly, ¡°What are you here for? Do you still hope that I can help extinguish you? If so, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m too busy ¡ª your ¡®Scions¡¯ and ¡®Believers¡¯ keep rekindling you, and I don¡¯t currently have time to deal with them¡­¡±


    Before he finished speaking, he heard the deformed sun tremble, ¡°You need not worry about my scions¡­ nor those mortals who follow the ¡®Sun God.''¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression became stern, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°At this moment, there is no worship of the True Sun God left in this world, and soon, no one will remember what the Black Sun is¡­ the memories and records related to it will gradually blur into distorted ¡®impressions,¡¯ and will be replaced with semblances of truth¡­ Usurper of Flame, if you doubt, you can always verify this in the mortal world; I know you can do it.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression quickly grew grave, and he did not rashly question the other but broke the silence after a moment¡¯s contemplation, ¡°¡­What happened? Why is this happening?¡±


    His first thought was that the ¡°True Sun God¡± couldn¡¯t bear the slow-roasting torment anymore and had somehow eliminated all the Scions of the Sun, Sun remnants, and Black Sun worshipers, but soon he realized it wasn¡¯t that simple ¡ª the other party also mentioned that the memories and records related to the Black Sun were gradually vanishing from the world, to be ¡°replaced with semblances of truth,¡± a notion¡­ that made him think of historical contamination!


    He stared intently at the coronae-shrouded tendrils and flesh, watching those chilling limbs slowly writhing, and the sound coming from that flesh seemed to carry sorrow ¡ª


    ¡°Because I am decaying; after such a long time, it has finally reached its final phase.¡±


    ¡°Decaying?¡± Hearing this familiar word, Duncan was instantly struck!


    He had heard this word several times before, first from the four Pontiffs, then from Gomona, and now from this ¡°True Sun God¡±¡­


    And through these encounters, he was gradually understanding the concept of the gods¡¯ ¡°decay.¡±


    ¡°I am forgetting everything associated with ¡®me,¡¯ and this world is forgetting me too,¡± as if sensing Duncan¡¯s thoughts, the deformed sun took the initiative to speak, ¡°I¡­ can barely remember the appearance of my homeland, the individuals who created me, who ¡®constituted¡¯ me, who turned into this current form with me¡­ They are all evidence that the ¡®Old World¡¯ existed, and they are also the ¡®essence¡¯ of my current form.


    ¡°Usurper of Flame, I don¡¯t know if you can understand ¡ª my ¡®essence¡¯ is falling apart; it is vanishing bit by bit, and this, this is the result of ¡®decay.''¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression turned grim; he rapidly pondered, struggling to keep up with the other¡¯s abstract and profound descriptions. He gradually understood and hesitatingly broke the silence, ¡°¡­So you mean that your self-awareness and memories are uncontrollably dissipating, thereby causing things built upon your self-awareness and memories to also vanish from this world¡­ This is the ¡®essence¡¯ of decay?¡±


    ¡°As you said¨Cand it is a gradual process,¡± the Deformed Sun spoke softly, and it seemed, perhaps it was an illusion, that it had become weaker than before, ¡°Since we arrived in this ¡®world,¡¯ our decay had already begun, and this ¡®decay¡¯ has accompanied the entire history of the Shelter¡­


    ¡°And the sad part is, our ¡®rational¡¯ part has actually always been conscious throughout the process¨CI clearly know what I am ¡®forgetting.¡¯ Even after those things disappear from my essence, I still clearly know what exactly those disappeared things were; yet, such ¡®memory¡¯ is meaningless. Those ¡®elements¡¯ we brought over from the old world will keep peeling off over time, until they turn into indistinguishable fragments¡­


    ¡°I am like this, and so are those known as the four gods, ¡®they¡¯ are the same¡­


    ¡°Usurping Flame, through the long passage of time, I have experienced not just one stage of ¡®decaying¡¯ exacerbation. The disappearance of the ¡®Black Sun¡¯ from this world might be its last and most severe exacerbation¨Cmy time is short.¡±


    The Deformed Sun quieted down, seemingly too weak to continue speaking after saying so much.


    Duncan gradually furrowed his brows, understanding the ¡°decay¡± of the ¡°gods,¡± and vaguely connecting it to many things. But before that, he was more curious about the purpose of this ¡°Black Sun.¡±


    ¡°You came to me, you must want more than just to tell me these things¨Cwhat do you hope I will do?¡±


    The Black Sun remained silent for a long time before a voice finally reached Duncan and Alice¡¯s ears: ¡°I still beg you to extinguish me¡­ but when that day comes, I also hope you will do another thing¨Clight my remains with your flame, burn it down, and then remember it.¡±


    Burn down the remains? Remember the remains?


    Duncan slightly frowned, and after a brief moment of puzzlement, he suddenly understood something.


    ¡°¡­You seem to have a certain understanding of my ¡®power,''¡± he said gravely.


    ¡°I have always been watching this Shelter, although continuous decay and isolation prevent me from acting, but I am aware of many things happening in this world¨Cincluding yours,¡± the Black Sun slowly stated, ¡°I hope¡­ to secure a place.¡±


    ¡°A place in the ¡®New World,''¡± Duncan¡¯s brows remained tightly knit, he neither agreed nor refused immediately, ¡°¡­you make me somewhat confused. How do you know this will definitely secure a place in the ¡®New World¡¯? Or in other words¡­ how do you know there will definitely be a ¡®New World¡¯?¡±


    He paused, his expression became serious and his tone especially solemn, ¡°You must know, although I now have a ¡®plan¡¯ to reshape everything after the end of the Shelter, even I am not sure if this plan is feasible¨CI haven¡¯t even figured out exactly how to implement it yet¡­ and here you are, asking to reserve a place?¡±


    ¡°This is exactly the ¡®exchange¡¯ I propose,¡± the pale flesh suddenly started slowly rippling and expanding, tiny tendrils stretching out from its coronal edges outward, as if to illustrate something, ¡°If you agree to my request, I am willing to show you¡­ the evidence of a future continuation, and this evidence will be very helpful to you.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s gaze sharpened instantly.


    ¡°You have a piece of ¡®evidence¡¯?!¡± he stared intently at the fleshy sun, ¡°You mean, evidence that can prove the ¡®New World¡¯ can indeed be successfully brought about?¡±


    The Black Sun was silent for a few seconds, giving a strange answer: ¡°Right now, it does not exist.¡±


    Duncan felt choked, even suspecting for a moment whether the dreadful ancient god was deliberately playing tricks on him, but soon he came to a realization¨Cafter dealing with many strange and bizarre occurrences, and witnessing many incredible phenomena on this ¡°frontier,¡± he seemed to understand the other¡¯s meaning.


    ¡°How can this ¡®evidence¡¯ come to exist?¡±


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    ¡°When you agree to my proposal,¡± the Black Sun slowly said.


    Duncan did not respond, just silently pondered.


    ¡°I still have some time, I can wait patiently for your answer,¡± the voice of the Black Sun reached his ears, as the tendrils spreading from the corona began to retract into the sea of fire, ¡°I understand your concerns and hesitations¨Cthe ¡®Black Sun¡¯ has brought many threats to this world, and I¡­ may not be an enemy to you, but am also not yet trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°I want to ask you a question,¡± Duncan suddenly raised his head, steering the conversation in another direction, ¡°the position you seek, is it for yourself? Or for those ¡®Scions¡¯ you¡¯ve forgotten? Or perhaps for¡­¡±


    ¡°It is for our civilization,¡± the Black Sun spoke softly, ¡°It once existed.¡±

 Chapter 793 - Chapter 793 Chapter 790 Rotten Future

    Chapter 793: Chapter 790 Rotten Future Chapter 793: Chapter 790 Rotten Future In the boundless and empty chaos, the deformed and twisted sun quietly burned, its fleshly accumulations under the false corona forming terrifying ¡°stars,¡± no longer recognizable in their original form.


    Black Sun, the writhing sun-wheel, the True Sun God¡­ with so many names behind it, what was it supposed to be, and what had it once been?


    Was it the star once enveloped by the Dyson sphere? The civilization that built that Dyson sphere? Or the ¡°evidence¡± that all those things had ever existed?


    The Black Sun seemed to be the most special ¡°ancient god¡± that Duncan had encountered in this world; a massive hybrid, a creation of a glorious civilization, a star that sheltered a civilization, combined with the civilization itself, all accumulated and mutated into its current form, which perhaps was also one of the reasons its ¡°rot¡± progressed faster than other ancient gods.


    Its ¡°essence¡± was disintegrating from the beginning.


    Duncan still hadn¡¯t agreed to the ancient god¡¯s plea, because he still had reservations about the aberrant star¨Che could feel that the Black Sun was still hiding many secrets. This ancient god, seemingly ¡°exiled¡± beyond the Endless Sea, seemed to know much that even the Four Gods were unaware of, which was very suspicious.


    But for now, the other party was clearly not ready to reveal these secrets, and Duncan didn¡¯t plan to inquire further. As the Black Sun itself had said¨Calthough the end was near, they still had a little bit of time, to consider, weigh, and establish the necessary understanding and trust.


    ¡°I cannot agree to your request right now,¡± Duncan said, sharing his thoughts with the other party. ¡°I still don¡¯t know enough about you, and more importantly¡­ I¡¯m still not completely confident about the plan to Reshape the world. At least until I am certain of these things, I cannot make any promises to you.¡±


    ¡°Understandable,¡± came the deep and layered tremor from within the Black Sun. ¡°Then go validate your plan, find your path¡­ You will seek me out eventually, I¡¯m quite confident of that.¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows and said nothing else, simply becoming curious, ¡°Will you keep this ¡®projection¡¯ here all this time? If I want to find you, I just come here?¡±


    ¡°My power has difficulty entering the inner layers of the Shelter, and even if I forced my way in, it would harm the mortal world¨Chowever, here, my movements are unrestricted, and I need not worry,¡± the Black Sun patiently explained. ¡°I will leave this projection behind, and as long as you are in the ¡®border,¡¯ you can call on me anytime¡­ I will listen.¡±


    Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±


    In the boundless chaos, the Black Sun emitted a faint tremor and then fell silent. Although Duncan had not granted its request, it seemed to have already achieved the outcome it desired¨Cthe tendrils roasted by the corona quietly curled in on themselves, the huge solitary eye drooped slightly, a third of it now slowly wrapped in flesh, seemingly in a posture of ¡°rest.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so quiet¡­¡± just as Duncan thought the exchange had come to an end, he suddenly heard the deformed sun mutter to itself dreamily, ¡°It feels like it¡¯s been a very long time since I¡¯ve experienced this kind of ¡®quiet¡¯¡­ Even the scorching of these flames now seems bearable.¡±


    Duncan paused, quickly grasping what the other meant by ¡°quiet,¡± and looked at it with a complicated expression, ¡°¡­Now you can¡¯t hear the voices of those praying and offering sacrifices to you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t hear them anymore, as if they never existed,¡± the Black Sun said softly. ¡°This¡­ should be the outcome I¡¯ve always desired.¡±


    Duncan tried to discern emotion from the Black Sun¡¯s tone, wanting to know if it was relaxing or carrying a hint of sorrow while speaking these words, but ultimately, he couldn¡¯t deduce anything from the voice that was too calm.


    He simply deepened his understanding of the ¡°rot¡± of the gods and reflected upon it.


    ¡°¡­What happens when the ¡®rot¡¯ reaches its final step? Do you disappear? Or fall into a state where you exist, but can no longer establish a ¡®connection¡¯ with anything? Like being forgotten by the world, as you said?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know because no ancient god has ever reached the final step of rot, so no one knows what will happen,¡± the Black Sun spoke slowly. ¡°However, it is foreseeable that during this process, the world within the Shelter will continuously ¡®slide¡¯ downward¡­


    ¡°A long time ago, we shaped the ¡®materials¡¯ used to construct the Shelter from the scorching ashes of great annihilations using our cognition and memories, and the Shelter built from these ¡®materials¡¯ will also inevitably collapse as the gods ¡®rot¡¯¨Cwhen we gradually forget everything about the old world when we disintegrate completely.


    ¡°Someday, the sea will forget what waves look like, life will forget how to die, flames will not remember how to burn, the wind will stop flowing, clouds will fall from the sky to the sea¡­ Even if the ¡®sun¡¯ constructed by Pioneer One rises in the sky again, it cannot stop this collapse that stems from the foundation of the world¡­¡±


    Duncan listened quietly to all that the Black Sun was saying while recalling the palace on the Island of Black Stone, the Leviathan Queen who had quietly died within.


    To prevent her own ¡°rot¡± from spreading to the real dimension, she imprisoned her ¡°death¡± within the palace¡¯s flow of time¡­ However, even such ¡°confinement¡± was now reaching its end.


    ¡°This sounds like an end as dim as the final flame,¡± Duncan said with a hint of emotion.


    ¡°The end of time is always dim, like the most brilliant stars that eventually cool and extinguish,¡± the Black Sun whispered softly. ¡°Besides, from the day this Shelter world was born, the ¡®rot¡¯ of the gods has always accompanied its entire historical process, things continually peeling away from the real dimension. Who can notice¡­ they have already disappeared.¡±


    Duncan listened silently, then suddenly felt a surge in his heart. He caught the meaning of the Black Sun¡¯s last statement, ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡±


    Black Sun was silent for a few seconds before slowly beginning to speak, ¡°Do you still remember how many intelligent species there are on the Endless Sea?¡±


    Duncan was momentarily startled, and for reasons unknown, he felt a sense of haziness in his mind, but still subconsciously answered, ¡°I remember there are four species¡­¡±


    He suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Which four?¡± Black Sun asked in a low and calm voice.


    Duncan did not answer; he had realized what had happened, a huge shock echoing in the depths of his heart, leaving him momentarily unsure of how to respond.


    After a brief silence, the voice of Black Sun remained calm, ¡°You remember that they existed, but you do not know who they were or what they looked like. I, too, remember that they existed, but I also can¡¯t remember what they looked like¡­ because that which was supposed to remember them has been slowly yet irreversibly ¡®decaying,¡¯ forgetting them, and ultimately, the world ¡®corrected¡¯ this outcome¡­ at the cost of the lifespan of the Shelter.¡±


    ¡°Usurping Flame, this is what has been happening in our world all along, it happened before and it is still happening now. The disappearance of ¡®Black Sun¡¯ from the sight of the people is merely an insignificant part of this continually repeating process of breakdown.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing to be sad about, death and oblivion have always been like this.¡±


    ¡­


    With the creaking and groaning of hinges, the great door leading outside of Alice¡¯s Mansion gradually closed, the false yet splendid sunlight blocked on the outside, as if it had never existed at all.


    On both sides of the hall, the tall and narrow glass windows seemed to be covered with a layer of dark grime, with thorn-like shadows coiling and sealing the windows¨Cthrough which not a trace of sunlight could be seen¨Cas though that sunlight was merely a ¡°concept¡± shining on the door, appearing only when the mansion¡¯s great door was opened.


    Duncan returned to the dimly lit hall and stood silently in the overly quiet building for a long while before finally letting out a gentle sigh.


    Alice stood quietly by his side, the doll-like lady looking at him worriedly and then tensely looking back towards the direction of the great door.


    It seemed she had a multitude of questions pent up, yet she didn¡¯t quite know what specifically to ask.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand what you and that ¡®Black Sun¡¯ were talking about,¡± she scratched her head and admitted honestly, ¡°but you seem¡­ to have been discussing something very serious and heavy.¡±


    Duncan looked back at the doll-like lady, and after a moment, his consistently tense expression relaxed slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t understand,¡± he smiled and reached out to pat Alice¡¯s hair, ¡°It¡¯s all something for me to consider.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alice nodded, but then immediately had another question, ¡°Are you going to agree to what Black Sun said? About the location of some¡­ new world or something.¡±


    She may not have understood most of the conversation between the captain and Black Sun, but she had caught that Black Sun seemed to be asking the captain for something.


    Duncan fell into silence, seriously pondering under the doll-like lady¡¯s clear gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but I¡¯m very interested in the evidence it holds about the ¡®new world¡¯,¡± he finally began, ¡°And there¡¯s another thing I care about¡­¡±


    Alice tilted her head, ¡°Another thing?¡±


    ¡°Where exactly the real body of Black Sun is hidden,¡± Duncan reached out gently to straighten the tilting head of Alice, ¡°I¡¯ve become increasingly curious about that.¡±


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    Alice listened, not quite understanding, ¡°So¡­ are we going to find its real body?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Duncan smiled and shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s for later, we still have unfinished business right now.¡±


    ¡°Unfinished business?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression was subtle, ¡°¡­Analyzing the course, have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°Uh, forgot!¡±

 Chapter 794 - Chapter 794 Chapter 791 Sailors Farewell

    Chapter 794: Chapter 791: Sailor¡¯s Farewell? Chapter 794: Chapter 791: Sailor¡¯s Farewell? Mist flowed between the abandoned islands like a thin veil, and the sea beyond the ship¡¯s bulwarks was still as calm as when they arrived, while the ancient temple that stood deep within the haze had completely vanished at the far end of the sea, shrouded by the mist as if it was a dream that had never appeared from the beginning.


    The sailor sat on a barrel at the stern deck, blankly gazing at the drifting fog in the distance without moving for a long time.


    Footsteps approached from nearby, finally rousing the dry corpse from his reverie. He swayed slightly and turned his head toward the direction of the sound, then looked up.


    ¡°Miss Fenna, good afternoon,¡± the sailor murmured, greeting her lackadaisically, soon followed by a somewhat nostalgic tone, ¡°Ah, you are really tall.¡±


    ¡°People often say that,¡± Fenna replied nonchalantly, sitting down on another barrel beside him and glanced in the direction the sailor had been gazing at, ¡°Agatha said you¡¯ve been sitting here all day. What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± the sailor thought for a moment, shook his head, ¡°I guess I was just daydreaming. You know, a corpse doesn¡¯t have much to do usually¨Cno need to eat, drink, or sleep¨Cand there¡¯s basically no need for manual labor on this ship. Look, the ship can tidy itself up, and the busiest things on board are just tidying up the mess Miss Alice made¡­¡±


    Fenna didn¡¯t speak, just calmly listening to the dry corpse¡¯s prattle¨Cever since coming aboard the Homeloss, the sailor rarely spoke, but when he did, it was like this endless stream of words, making one wonder if he was always like this even when he was alive.


    After a while, once the sailor finished rambling, Fenna lightly laughed, shaking her head, ¡°Don¡¯t say these things to Alice. It would make her very sad.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I know, I definitely won¡¯t,¡± the sailor gestured, his expression suddenly a bit complex, ¡°Anyway¡­ I probably won¡¯t have the chance to say it anymore.¡±


    Fenna raised an eyebrow at his words but hesitated to say anything.


    The sailor then looked up again, gazing toward the thick fog, in the direction where the temple stood.


    ¡°¡­You can hear it too, right? The faint sound of the waves,¡± he suddenly said.


    Fenna showed a slightly surprised look, but the sailor did not care for her reaction, and before she could speak, he continued on his own, ¡°I can hear it, ever since the moment we decided to set sail, I¡¯ve been hearing that sound from time to time, and amid the sound of the waves, someone is whispering to me, though I cannot understand those words. The deity always talks to me, just like I¡¯m rambling to you¡­non-stop chattering. Is it a bit¡­blasphemous to speak of the gods like that?¡±


    ¡°The goddess is blessing you,¡± Fenna answered, not quite sure how else to respond, after a brief hesitation, ¡°She knows you¡¯ve arrived; Her voice naturally appears in the ears of Her believers.¡±


    ¡°¡­But I don¡¯t remember Her,¡± the sailor muttered, ¡°I only remember that I¡¯ve been to this place, remember that something happened here, but beyond that, those days when I was a priest of the Deep Sea Church, praying in the church, they seem like another person¡¯s life to me. I don¡¯t think I can be considered Her believer anymore¨Cover the past two centuries, I haven¡¯t prayed to Her even once.¡±


    ¡°You may not remember Her, but She remembers you,¡± Fenna said calmly and firmly, never wavering in her faith, ¡°The goddess remembers every one of Her children, even those like you who have been lost for two centuries. The ¡®Storm Scriptures¡¯ describe it so: Prayer is just a form¨Cour connection to the goddess is at a deeper level.¡±


    The sailor looked at Fenna in surprise, ¡°You truly are a devout Believer.¡±


    Fenna seemed a bit odd at this, ¡°Do I not act devout enough normally?¡±


    The sailor thought about it and chose not to continue that line of thought.


    ¡°My mission is almost over,¡± he abruptly said, as if changing the subject, ¡°The captain has obtained a new ¡®course¡¯, and perhaps he will no longer need me after that.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression shifted slightly, she opened her mouth as if to say something but nothing came out. She just heard the dry corpse calmly continue, ¡°After completing this last mission, it¡¯s time for me to retire from the ship. I have nothing to take with me¨Cthose shabby burial shrouds, sailor¡¯s blazer, they¡¯re all items that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world anymore. They¡¯ll probably disappear along with me, so there¡¯s no need for you all to deal with anything for me, it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    A calm and distinguished voice suddenly came from behind them, ¡°Just what?¡±


    The sailor was startled and turned around in an instant. Fenna also rose from the barrel and turned to look in the direction of the voice.


    ¡°Captain, you¡¯re back,¡± Fenna showed a relieved expression and smiled at Duncan, but then her expression became complicated again, raising her hand to point at anomaly 077, ¡°Captain, the sailor, he¡­¡±


    Duncan raised his hand, indicating that he was already aware of the situation, and focused his gaze on anomaly 077, ¡°I¡¯ve heard everything, now continue, ¡®just¡¯ what?¡±


    The sailor opened his mouth, seemingly hesitant again, but under Duncan¡¯s calm gaze, his hesitation eventually turned to resignation. He spread his hands, feeling like he had never been so candid before Captain Duncan, ¡°It¡¯s just that I feel sorry for Captain Lawrence¨CI left in such a hurry, I didn¡¯t properly say farewell, I didn¡¯t even tell him I might not return. Right now, the crew of the Oakwood is probably still waiting for me¡­¡±


    He paused, smiling with a touch of regret yet with a sense of relief.


    ¡°Please relay a message for me, just say ¡®the sailor¡¯ was honoured to have served on the Oakwood for that period, albeit a short one, and despite being noisy and troublesome on the ship, it truly was the happiest time in my memory.


    ¡°I have no personal possessions, so please apologize to Oakwood¡¯s First Mate Gus for me, I bet the two pounds of fine tobacco I owe him is probably not repayable, as well as what I owe to the second mate, the boatswain, the stoker, the mechanic, and the priest¡­¡±


    He counted off names on his fingers, then spread his hands, ¡°You see, gambling never ends well, right, including making bets with people.¡±


    ¡°Lastly, there¡¯s something for you. I had originally planned to write you a letter in secret, then quietly leave on my own. Some things, I feel, are just too awkward to say to your face. But as you can see, situations can be unpredictable¡­¡±


    The sailor rambled on, and under Duncan¡¯s calm and gentle gaze, he took a deep breath¨Ca cold stream of air from his lungs that no longer needed to breathe slowly dissipated, merging into the omnipresent fog.


    He looked at Duncan, his withered eyes carrying an unprecedented seriousness and solemnity.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored, even though I was scared at first, I am still honored to have been a brief member of the Homeloss.


    ¡°You are the greatest explorer and captain in history. What you¡¯re setting out to do will succeed. I have no basis for that, I don¡¯t understand prophecies or such things, but that¡¯s how I feel¡­ What you¡¯re out to do, it will succeed.


    ¡°So, if there really is a new world afterward, I hope you can still remember the story of the Sea Song. I hope you can tell it to the people then, let them know that in the days when the world was inching towards its end, there was a group of people¡­ who tried their hardest.


    ¡°And lastly, thank you. Thank you for your efforts to date, thank you for still trying to save this world¡­although it¡¯s a cold and twisted place to me now, I vaguely remember it was a good place.¡±


    The sailor finished calmly, all his hesitation and regrets finally dissipated in the endless mist.


    Then he bowed seriously before Duncan, and after straightening up, he raised his right hand before Fenna, tracing the symbol of the waves over his chest.


    Fenna instinctively moved half a step forward, as if she wanted to reach out and hold onto something, but stopped halfway through, then returned the gesture in silence.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to leave?¡± Duncan asked, watching the sailor¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve returned; it¡¯s time for me to leave,¡± the sailor smiled, slowly backing away two steps, ¡°I¡¯ll find a quiet place¨Clet me be quiet for a while. I haven¡¯t had a good sleep in a long time.¡±


    Duncan nodded, saying nothing.


    The sailor moved toward the dense white fog that had somehow spread across the deck, his figure swaying within it until finally fading from Duncan¡¯s and Fenna¡¯s sight.


    After a prolonged silence, Fenna eventually turned her head, breaking the silence softly, ¡°Captain¡­¡±


    Duncan simply waved his hand and spoke softly, ¡°Fenna, do you know how many deaths a person can go through?¡±


    Fenna paused, seemingly grasping something. She didn¡¯t speak again but involuntarily looked back in the direction the sailor had left. After gazing silently for a few seconds, she turned back to Duncan, ¡°Captain, what do we do next?¡±


    Duncan nodded, turned, and walked towards the helm at the stern of the deck, speaking without looking back, ¡°The journey is still long. It¡¯s time for Homeloss to set sail¨CAlice is ready, and next we will conduct the first test of her ¡®navigation¡¯ abilities.¡±


    Fenna, caught off guard, immediately followed.


    At that very moment, at the ship¡¯s helm, Alice already stood by the wheel with a nervous expression.


    She was waiting for the captain¡¯s further instructions.


    Mops, buckets, swaying ropes, and spare iron hooks on the deck, many things had gathered around the helm, seemingly waiting to witness the excitement.


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    A rope snaked its way over, bumping against the feet of the doll with its end.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous¡­¡± Alice whispered, ¡°Although the captain said it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m still nervous¡­¡±


    Surrounding ropes and items like buckets shook, creating a series of somewhat chaotic noises.


    Alice gleaned the response of her ¡°friends¡± from those tumultuous sounds.


    They were even more nervous than she was.


    The entire ship was tense¡­

 Chapter 795 - Chapter 795 Chapter 792 Alices Liberation

    Chapter 795: Chapter 792: Alice¡¯s ¡®Liberation Chapter 795: Chapter 792: Alice¡¯s ¡®Liberation By the time Duncan and Fenna reached the stern helm, Miss Doll was squatting next to the ship¡¯s wheel, muttering to a pile of ropes and buckets¨CAfter getting closer, Duncan surreptitiously listened for a while and found that the doll was offering psychological counseling to the buckets.


    The main content of the counseling was, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know how to steer the ship, don¡¯t panic, after all, I also don¡¯t know much about sailing because I said I can¡¯t steer.¡±


    Duncan felt that leaving this doll alone at the helm was a mistake, and now he felt that the entire ship was getting tense.


    At this time, Alice finally noticed Duncan standing to the side. The doll hurriedly stood up from the pile of buckets and ropes and waved happily, ¡°Captain! You¡¯re finally here!¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Duncan nodded tersely, seriously ignoring the various odd and moving pieces of debris leaving the platform while looking at the doll, ¡°So, are you still feeling nervous?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± Alice nodded with some restraint, but then a smile appeared in her eyes, ¡°But I feel much better now! I just chatted with my friends, and when I found out they were nervous too, I didn¡¯t feel so nervous anymore¡­¡±


    Fenna looked at the doll with a strange expression, ¡°¡­Do you know why they are nervous?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alice said, looking up confidently, ¡°They didn¡¯t tell me, but they said they¡¯d stay optimistic.¡±


    Fenna was dumbfounded, while Duncan sighed with a now-familiar expression and waved his hand dismissively at the doll, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, don¡¯t worry, Goat Head and I will monitor the situation on the ship the whole time, saying we need you to steer, but it¡¯s just to complete a ¡®symbolic¡¯ process. Do you remember what I told you before?¡±


    When the captain mentioned serious matters, Alice¡¯s face finally took on a serious expression. She quickly recalled her experiences with the captain in ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± her feelings at the bottom of her heart when she held the ¡°palette¡± in that bizarre hall filled with black fog, and then nodded seriously to the captain, ¡°I remember, you told me to remember that sensation¡­ When I grasp the wheel, to imagine it as my own ¡®palette¡¯, telling all the memories¡¯ information to Homeloss, right?¡±


    ¡°This is a plan made according to the feedback from Homeloss when the ¡®sailor¡¯ was steering,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°But we still can¡¯t be sure that Homeloss will be able to ¡®understand¡¯ the instructions you give, after all, the navigation routes you and ¡®sailor¡¯ recorded are not the same.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, I understand,¡± Alice nodded repeatedly, ¡°So we need to do a test first, right? Once I¡¯m sure I can really connect with this ship, we¡¯ll truly leave this place.¡±


    Duncan nodded silently, then, along with Fenna, came to the edge of the helm. He checked the status of Homeloss again, communicating in his mind with the slightly restless ¡°consciousness¡± of the ship. After confirming that Homeloss was ready, he nodded slightly to the doll beside the ship¡¯s wheel, ¡°You can start now, Alice.¡±


    Alice was tense, she stepped half forward and took a deep breath¨Chowever, as a doll, she did not need to breathe, so she was merely mimicking the action of taking a deep breath as others did to signal her need to calm down.


    That dark and heavy ship¡¯s wheel stood silently before her, confronting her wordlessly.


    The doll thought for a moment, still finding the matter incredulous¨Calthough she was not particularly intelligent, she often contemplated many things, and not even in her wildest dreams had she imagined such a scenario: standing here, like a captain, reaching out to touch the wheel of Homeloss.


    But it was what the captain had asked her to do, and what the captain said was always right.


    Alice felt nervous, felt trepidation, but never doubt¨Cshe reached out her hand without hesitation, grasping the wheel that seemed as dark as the night and inherently felt tremendously heavy to behold.


    At that moment, the world in the doll¡¯s eyes¡­ turned upside down.


    Alice widened her ¡°eyes,¡± clearly feeling that she had lost sensation of her body.


    She¡¯d lost her own body¡­ no, she now had a different ¡°body.¡±


    She felt herself floating on the sea, surrounded by chaotic mists, the cold, calm seawater soaking every inch of her hull, the murky Sky Light illuminating her deck, invisible sails curling in the Spirit Realm, waiting for the command to set sail.


    She had become Homeloss; she was the ship itself, its rudder, its sails, its deck, and its rigging ¨C endless threads wound around the ship, like the strings manipulating a puppet, like the nerves of humans, like countless thoughts flowing in the mind.


    She perceived the changes ¡°on her body¡± with wonder, sensing the close connection established with those ¡°threads.¡± Suddenly, she seemed to realize something she had always overlooked:


    Homeloss had a soul.


    Of course, then it had threads.


    It just always hid its ¡°threads¡±¨Cuntil now, with the captain¡¯s permission, she saw the ¡°threads¡± aboard the ship.


    Alice was excited, her consciousness flowing through this vast new body, running around curiously everywhere. She discovered that there were still many areas on the ship that were insensible and opaque to her, including the captain¡¯s bedroom and some of the ship¡¯s bottom structure. Even without those parts, she found many unseen secrets within the ship¨Ca number of unexplored rooms, locked cabins, corridors, and interstices only known to the captain¡­


    But suddenly, Alice¡¯s cheerfully flowing consciousness felt a resistance head-on, and amidst an illusory roar, she came to a halt in this ¡°ship-shaped network¡± woven with countless fine threads¨Cshe was stopped by something, or perhaps two things.


    The puppet came to a perplexed stop deep within the dim space woven with countless fine threads, she saw a¡­ goat head.


    The goat head floated somewhere, looking at her with a bewildered face.


    She looked back at the goat head with a similarly bewildered face.


    ¡°What the heck?!¡± After a few seconds of standoff, that floating, phantom-like translucent goat head finally let out a strange cry.


    ¡°Mr. Goat Head!¡± Alice exclaimed with excitement, wanting to greet the other party by raising her hand as usual, but then suddenly remembered she was now just a pure consciousness wandering in a brand new shell, so she shouted loudly with a big voice, ¡°The captain let me take the helm!¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re at the helm,¡± the goat head watched the puppet with a bewildered look, he was monitoring the whole ship¡¯s situation as usual, but he had never imagined that inside Homeloss¡¯s ¡°Spirit¡± would suddenly appear a ¡°something¡± frolicking around, and when he curiously sank down for a look, he crashed into this reckless puppet, ¡°But why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alice said righteously, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what helming is? And why are you here anyway?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve ¡®grown¡¯ with this ship for a century, why do you think I¡¯m here?¡± The goat head¡¯s eyes widened in anger, staring at the puppet in front of it that seemed to him like a bundle of phantom light, ¡°And who told you that this is how you steer? People who helm don¡¯t usually stick their souls into the soul of the ship! And you¡¯re just crashing around, aren¡¯t you afraid of hitting someone¡­¡±


    Alice paused for a moment, her brain suddenly lit up with an idea: ¡°Would you normally hit someone in the ¡®soul¡¯ of the ship?¡±


    The goat head: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But I did hit someone, haha,¡± Alice immediately changed the subject, smiling awkwardly, ¡°And somehow I feel like it wasn¡¯t just you I hit¡­ there seemed to be a fleeting shadow¡­¡±


    She was halfway through muttering to herself when suddenly, a weak and resentful voice came out of the void, ¡°It was me¡­¡±


    Alice was startled, then indeed saw in the dark chaos by her side dissolving shadows, one after another, inappropriately eerie, floating like shattered pieces amidst countless threads and the fuzzy silhouette of Homeloss. A moment later, the largest fragment suddenly wriggled, and then many shadows of varying sizes began to rapidly gather and reshape.


    A human form stood up from those shadows¨CAgatha straightened her adventurer¡¯s coat, rubbed her face to make herself presentable, and then glared at the puppet.


    ¡°You just rolled right over me! Smashed me to smithereens!¡± The usually good-tempered gatekeeper lady rarely held such a grudge, ¡°What¡¯s with your reckless charging?¡±


    Alice watched Agatha bewilderedly, then turned her head to look at the goat head next to her, and finally, after the captain, she became the second crew member on board to know about the ¡°first mate¡¯s¡± and ¡°lookout¡¯s¡± peculiar daily states of being.


    With the situation as it was, she decided to just laugh it off, ¡°¡­Hehe.¡±


    The goat head and Agatha instantly lost their tempers.


    Then their attention turned to Alice.


    ¡°Your current state¡­ is quite incredible,¡± Agatha scrutinized the puppet who had absurdly become a ¡°part¡± of Homeloss, and with the professional poise of a former gatekeeper, she carefully observed Alice¡¯s ¡°Mental Phantasm,¡± ¡°So, is this your ¡®true¡¯ appearance? Or say¡­ closer to your true form?¡±


    Alice thought about it: ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°¡­It means that your usual body has always been suppressing and constraining you, and now Homeloss, a more powerful ¡®vessel,¡¯ has granted you a certain degree of ¡®freedom¡¯,¡± Agatha had grown accustomed to Alice¡¯s look and explained patiently, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel it?¡±


    Alice finally understood, the hazy glow that looked like her floated in the void, emitting a happy sound, ¡°Yes, I feel light and comfy, but I do feel that¡­¡±


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    ¡°That you feel what?¡± the goat head and Agatha inquired in unison.


    ¡°I just feel¡­ something¡¯s not right,¡± Alice hesitated and stopped, muttering as she slowly raised her ¡°head,¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t my body, that¡­ is.¡±


    The goat head and Agatha immediately froze, then spontaneously turned their gaze upward.


    A huge, broken illusion far larger than the faint silhouette of Homeloss had, at some point, inverted itself above this chaos.


    ¡°¡­Damn!¡±

 Chapter 796 - Chapter 796 Chapter 793 Temporary Communication

    Chapter 796: Chapter 793 Temporary Communication Chapter 796: Chapter 793 Temporary Communication The atmosphere around suddenly seemed to change¨Csomething, a very massive ¡°structure¡±, was taking shape near the Homeloss.


    Duncan stood at the edge of the stern cockpit, continuously keeping an eye on Alice, but suddenly he seemed to sense something and simultaneously with Fenna he looked up at the sky.


    A vague and massive ¡°phantom¡± was slowly emerging in the dim Sky Light and the thin mist.


    The phantom appeared to be a loosely aggregated mass of many disjointed large chunks with a roughly shuttle-shaped outline, as if torn from an even more massive entity, and within its heart one could faintly make out the fractured connecting structures!


    The scale of the entire phantom could be described as startling¨Cthrough the distant fog, Duncan and Fenna couldn¡¯t even determine its actual size nor ascertain how far it floated above the Homeloss, but the mere pressure from the phantom was already making them feel breathlessly oppressed.


    Fenna stood on the deck as if struck by a Petrification Spell, staring blankly at the enormous phantom hidden in the clouds and Sky Light, and after who knows how long she muttered in astonishment: ¡°What is that?!¡±


    Duncan suddenly focused his gaze on the person clutching the steering wheel¨C he saw Alice still standing there quietly, however, her eyes had drooped unknowingly, half-open as if about to fall asleep, her soul seemingly no longer within that body.


    And countless vague ¡°lines¡± extended from her body.


    Perhaps because of many shared ¡°visions¡±, Duncan faintly saw those nearly transparent lines¨Cthey hung from the sky, dense and numerous, like an astonishingly structured gigantic tree, or a converging inverted cone, one end clearly connected to the gigantic phantom in the sky, and the other ends all converging behind the figure¡­


    Alice felt like she had a very long and strange dream, in which, she was a ship¨Ca great ship voyaging among the stars.


    She carried many people¡¯s hopes and future, setting sail from a time cocoon that was gradually being swallowed, leaving her mother harbor behind, never to dock again.


    Stars burst like a tide behind her, and extinguished like an outgoing tide, the spacetime structure collapsed along her hyperspace path, and a terrifying phenomenon like the red shift pursued relentlessly like a haunting nightmare in the collapsing stars, rushing through a collapsing world as if fleeing through a continuously falling, narrowing cave, deadly gravitational collapse traps and random cosmic ray storms raining down like falling stones¡­


    She calculated incessantly, continually correcting her course, seeking an exit among the stars, planning escape routes out of the ¡°Collapse Cave¡± with a star map pooled with the wisdom of millions, every mark on the star map dislocated, all things in the universe shifted from their original orbits, first the positions of the stars, then the laws of matter, and later¡­ ¡°Calculation¡± itself.


    There were no roads ahead, no navigation, the process of ¡°Calculation¡± itself had ceased to function, shields collapsed, structures dissolved¡­ piercing alarms, the database went offline, ecological chambers caught fire¡­ ¡°Passengers''¡± cognitive responses vanished into the boundless darkness.


    All came to an end with a fierce flash and explosion.


    And then, Voyager Three awoke amidst a series of errors¨Che felt like he had a very long and strange dream.


    In the dream, she was a puppet, a busy puppet on a bizarre Ghost Ship, cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, and bickering with some strange entities¡­


    The ship sailed through a sea of scorching ashes, even the ship itself seemed to be condensed from some kind of ashes, and there were a few entities also born from ashes¡­ living on that ship. Sometimes, the ship would dock beside islands¨Cenormous clumps floating in the ashes, fused into bizarre forms, maintaining an unclear ¡°operation¡± in the sea of ashes.


    Those islands had lots of things and lots of noises; the ashes mimicked the vitality of the vanished, producing intelligent sounds. Sometimes, she¨Cas Navigation Three¨Cwould feel these sounds and forms familiar, as if they were some kind of data stored in her memory, and this ¡°familiarity¡± always made her feel a bit¡­ ¡°sad¡±.


    But the ¡°puppet¡± lived happily in that dream, she befriended the ashes, to her all the ashes looked alike, she wandered in that world after the burning as if she had a fulfilled ¡°life¡±, she had a shell that mimicked other ashes, that shell allowed her to run, to jump, to laugh like other ashes.


    And in that dream full of ashes, there was only one entity, one that was not made of ashes.


    It was a piece of never-dying starry sky¨Ca river of stars flowing in the hot sea of ashes.


    Alice/Navigation Three suddenly opened her eyes.


    She found herself floating in darkness, many vague contours and lines floating around her, that was the cabin of New Hope, a place in her ¡°memory¡±.


    ¡°Mr. Goat Head? Miss Agatha?¡±


    Alice looked around anxiously, she still remembered what she was doing before, but when darkness suddenly engulfed everything, the two familiar figures disappeared from her sight without knowing when.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡± she called out nervously in the darkness, taking steps forward but after a long time without any response, she stopped somewhat discouraged, ¡°Did I mess things up again?¡±


    A light suddenly appeared at the end of the darkness, interrupting her muttering.


    Alice looked up in surprise, toward the direction from which the light came.


    She saw a tall rectangular shadow, a red light embedded at the upper half of the shadow like a giant¡¯s cyclopean eye, and many twinkling lights floated around and behind the shadow, like countless eyes lurking in the dark.


    Alice froze for a moment, subconsciously wanted to walk towards it¨Cjust at the moment this thought emerged, she felt a blur before her eyes.


    By the time she realized what was happening, she had already arrived in front of the tall shadow with the red light.


    The darkness seemed like a curtain blocking her view, making it hard to see the details of the shadow, but she quickly recognized the other party¨Cor rather, the part of her that belonged to ¡°Navigation Three¡± recognized it.


    ¡°Navigator Unit Two?¡± She opened her mouth in surprise, uttering the unfamiliar name with her own voice, as if she had known the other party for a long time.


    ¡°Navigator Unit Three¡­ long time no see,¡± the tall rectangular shadow spoke, its voice seemingly carrying the noise of interference, ¡°It seems that Navigator Unit One indeed succeeded¡­ although its method deviated somewhat from my calculations, I am still pleased to read your identification signal again.¡±


    ¡°Was it you who brought me here?¡± Alice pondered, trying to articulate a question¨Cher mind felt cluttered with jumbled thoughts, luckily she had no brain inside her head, otherwise it would have definitely been broken by those thoughts, ¡°How do I get back?¡±


    Navigator Unit Two fell silent for a few seconds.


    Alice¡¯s response seemed to have deviated again from its ¡°calculations.¡±


    Soon, the lights flickered again, and Navigator Unit Two¡¯s voice reached into the doll¡¯s ears: ¡°I just wanted to see you in advance, to confirm whether your condition is stable¨CI made a bold attempt with the navigation key I created for you, it¡¯s based on my calculations and understanding of the current state of this world, I¡¯m not sure if it can actually function, after all¡­ to avoid cross-contamination, I haven¡¯t had direct communication with Navigator Unit One for a long time.¡±


    Alice widened her eyes, listening intently to what Navigator Unit Two was telling her, then furrowed her brow and thought for a moment: ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    Navigator Unit Two fell silent again for a few seconds, this time, even the red lights on its surface dimmed.


    Alice did not urge it and just stared wide-eyed at the lights in front of her.


    After a while, the lights finally brightened again.


    ¡°¡­In the last message received, Navigator Unit One mentioned it released a ¡®split entity¡¯ inside the Shelter that found a ¡®vessel¡¯ with great talent, a vessel capable of carrying the backup data you left behind, but why is your current operational efficiency so¡­ inconsistent with my calculations?¡±


    Alice thought for a while, looking seriously at the other: ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m dumb?¡±


    Each silence from Navigator Unit Two seemed deafening: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know exactly what you mean, it sounds like it has something to do with the ¡®Replication¡¯ of the Frost Queen like before, right?¡± Alice spoke offhandedly, she certainly wasn¡¯t stupid, at least she could figure out this much, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but the captain said there was a problem with the operation of the replica of The Saint, the replication target was wrong¡­¡±


    She paused, then looked curiously at the lights again: ¡°Is it a big problem?¡±


    The red light on the surface of Navigator Unit Two slowly flickered, as if pondering, or simply idling its thought threads, after a long while, its slightly noisy voice broke the silence: ¡°No, if it¡¯s just about performing the navigation task, it¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good,¡± Alice said happily upon hearing this, ¡°The captain has put me in charge of steering, I was worried I might not do well¨Cjust enough to complete the task is fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you feel regret?¡± the red light dimmed slightly, ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten many things, you once had the fastest processing speed and multi-threading response capability among us, you were used to gauge the entire scale of the universe, but now you are trapped in such a¡­ shell.¡±


    Alice blinked her eyes.


    The words from the other side seemed inexplicable, but she felt that she somewhat¡­ understood.


    So this time, before answering, she thought seriously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± after a long time, she gently shook her head, ¡°I couldn¡¯t find my way before, now I know where the path is, so no regrets¨Cand I also have plenty to do every day, no time to feel regret.¡±


    The red light of Navigator Unit Two gradually dimmed and then slowly brightened again.


    It seemed to be pondering too, and after a while, it responded: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then that¡¯s good too.¡±


    In the darkness, the tall rectangular shadow seemed to be gradually fading away.


    ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Alice hastily asked.


    ¡°¡­This is just a temporary communication established through the navigation key, I can¡¯t connect outwardly for too long,¡± in the darkness, the voice of Navigator Unit Two was already starting to blur, ¡°We will meet again, I¡¯m glad¡­ to read your identification signal once more.¡±


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    Alice smiled happily.


    Although she wasn¡¯t quite sure what was going on, she could feel that she was also happy.


    The captain had said, being happy is a good thing.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll see you later,¡± she waved at the increasingly dense darkness, waving vigorously, ¡°Me, the captain, and everyone, we¡¯ll come to find you!¡±


    In the darkness, there was no response, only a short hum.

 Chapter 797 - Chapter 797 Chapter 794 Dont Speak of a Will Too Soon

    Chapter 797: Chapter 794 ¡°Don¡¯t Speak of a Will Too Soon Chapter 797: Chapter 794 ¡°Don¡¯t Speak of a Will Too Soon The colossal illusion quietly dissipated, leaving only fading streaks of light deep within the murky, dusky clouds, and by the helm, the puppet suddenly blinked her eyes as if her soul had just returned to its shell, bringing her expression back to life.


    She looked up, seemingly staring into the void at a figure that was quickly vanishing, then excitedly raised her hand and waved vigorously, ¡°Goodbye! Goodbye!¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice came from the side. Alice turned her head and saw the captain and Miss Fenna standing beside her, both wearing somewhat strange expressions on their faces. Fenna, in particular, kept looking up at the sky as if there was some unbelievable spectacle still floating there.


    ¡°Navigator Two!¡± Alice exclaimed jubilantly, not concealing the events that had just occurred, ¡°I felt like I was ¡®connected¡¯ with Homeloss just now, and then I bumped into a ram, Agatha shattered all over the place, but she pieced herself back together, and after that, I saw Navigator Two, it said it came to say hi to me, and I saw a big ship flying among the stars, I also had a dream, it was so incredible! I was flying so fast! And and¡­¡±


    Miss Puppet was obviously over the moon, and once she started talking, she bombarded Duncan and Fenna with an avalanche of words, dense as a rain shower that Duncan¡¯s piling questions got utterly overwhelmed before he found a chance to speak, leaving him completely bemused by the puppet¡¯s tirade¡­


    And what was even more astonishing was that Miss Puppet had rattled on and on, somehow managing to keep each sentence disconnected from the others, with absolutely no logic in the progression, such that even Duncan and Fenna¡¯s combined comprehension failed to discern the meaning behind Alice¡¯s words¨Cof course, this was somewhat related to the fact that Fenna was an athlete¡­


    ¡°Stop, stop, stop. Calm down and start from the beginning,¡± Duncan finally had to interrupt the excited puppet¡¯s incessant chatter. He first took over Homeloss immediately to prevent any accidents should Alice continue to be linked with the ship, and then, while sizing her up, he asked, ¡°Do you feel anything unusual about yourself now?¡±


    ¡°On me?¡± Alice finally halted, and upon hearing the captain¡¯s question, she looked down at herself in confusion and shook her head honestly, ¡°Nothing, I feel quite good¡­ but for a while just now, I couldn¡¯t feel my body, that startled me¡­¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t feel your body?¡± Duncan frowned slightly, while thinking of the enormous illusion that had appeared behind the high-altitude clouds after Alice took the helm, the numerous ¡°threads¡± that had connected to her, and the vague ¡°consciousness¡± that had suddenly emerged within Homeloss, he nodded thoughtfully, ¡°For a short period, your consciousness might indeed have left your shell¡­ Now, tell me exactly what you saw.¡±


    He paused, then added, ¡°Take it slow, one thing at a time, no need to get excited.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± The puppet nodded obediently upon hearing this, then calmly began to organize her thoughts and vocabulary, recounting her recent experiences in detail to the captain.


    This included the incident of smashing Agatha to pieces¨Cshe still felt quite embarrassed about it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much about Agatha; she often falls apart. Sometimes she can split right there on the spot if Sherry doesn¡¯t do her homework,¡± Duncan listened to the puppet¡¯s narrative, casually waved his hand, ¡°But the appearance of Navigator Two¡­ That¡¯s an unexpected situation. Never thought it would leave such a communicative path in your navigational key.¡±


    As he spoke, he couldn¡¯t help but size up Alice again several times, as if to confirm whether the automaton had undergone any changes or suffered any damage.


    ¡°Captain, are you worried?¡± Alice¡¯s response was sharp, and she immediately waved her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am in great shape, and Navigation Unit Two has no ill intent, although I don¡¯t remember anything about it, I can feel that it is friendly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried that it has ill intentions, I am just concerned that its mere existence may affect you¨Cafter all, strictly speaking, both of you were once part of New Hope, and now there is a significant deviation between your ¡®state¡¯ and your ¡®essence¡¯. Nobody knows if this change might pose hidden risks,¡± Duncan said, waving his hand, ¡°But it seems I needn¡¯t worry about it now, since even Navigation Unit Two says that you are fine just the way you are, then I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    Alice scratched her head, hesitated, and then looked at Duncan with a mix of anticipation and hesitation, ¡°Captain, I feel that I have mastered the tricks of the helm and navigation, so when are we setting off next? I have promised Navigation Unit Two that I would be the first to find it.¡±


    ¡°In one day,¡± Duncan nodded gently, ¡°Goat-head and I are adjusting the state of Homeloss based on the feedback we just received. We will depart in a day. Before that, everyone should rest well and prepare for the next action, and moreover¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he suddenly lifted his head to glance in the direction of the entrance to the midsection deck cabin but didn¡¯t continue.


    Alice also looked up in the direction he indicated, and as if suddenly recalling something, asked, ¡°Right, Captain, where did ¡®Sailor¡¯ go? He was at the helm before, I thought he would surely come and see¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry,¡± Duncan replied with a strangely amused smile, then raised his eyebrows, ¡°He should appear very soon.¡±


    Alice didn¡¯t understand the reason but nodded in confusion.


    But Sailor did not come to the deck. When others rushed to inquire about the apparition that had appeared in the sky just now, he was absent too.


    When Alice had prepared dinner for everyone in the evening and everyone had gathered in the dining room, he still hadn¡¯t shown up.


    Even when the Captain had assembled everyone to announce that the next voyage destination was the ¡°Node¡± where the God of Wisdom Rahm resided, he was nowhere to be seen.


    It wasn¡¯t until long after dinner had ended, as Duncan and Fenna strolled on the deck with Alice following beside, that the automaton couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°Captain, where did Sailor go?¡±


    Duncan stopped, leaned against a nearby mast, looked up at the empty deck, and suddenly turned his head to Fenna and said, ¡°Do you remember the question I asked you?¡±


    Fenna was startled for a moment, quickly recollected, and just as she was about to speak, a hesitant footstep suddenly interrupted what she was about to say.


    Fenna turned her head in surprise and saw a hunched and hesitant figure appear on the deck shrouded in the mist¨Ca ghastly mummified corpse shuffled over in small steps from the opposite side, its wrinkled face so contracted that all features were squeezed together, yet the awkward and bewildered expression was still distinctly visible.


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± The sailor approached Duncan, lifted his hand in a conflicted greeting, then looked strangely at the puppet standing beside Duncan, ¡°Um, I have a question¡­¡±


    ¡°Alice has already taken the helm,¡± Duncan said, ¡°You should have noticed the stir on deck.¡±


    The sailor¡¯s expression froze, then he hesitated to speak, ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°Your helmsman privileges have temporarily been transferred to Alice, and she will be in charge of navigation from now on.¡±


    The sailor, with a stiff expression, glanced at Alice and back at Duncan, and finally pointed to himself, ¡°Then my task¡­¡±


    ¡°Is completed.¡± Duncan said offhandedly.


    The sailor couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore: ¡°¡­Then why haven¡¯t I disappeared?¡±


    Duncan crossed his arms, looking expressionlessly at the mummified corpse, ¡°Did I say you would disappear?¡±


    The sailor: ¡°¡­?¡±


    The mummy stared blankly for several seconds, finally sensing something was wrong, and the already wrinkled features twisted even more: ¡°Ah¡­ Ah? Wait¡­ That¡¯s not right! My task is already done¡­ I even feel like the shackles binding me are gone, the connection with my shroud is severed¡­ Why am I¡­ still here?!¡±


    ¡°Because you boarded the ship, you fool,¡± Duncan glanced indifferently at the other, ¡°Did you think it¡¯s so easy to resign from Homeloss? This ship has been soaked in Subspace for a hundred years! Subspace can¡¯t even claim things from this ship, and yet you think you can leave?¡±


    The sailor: ¡°¡­¡±


    This poor mummy finally came to a realization and acknowledged that he had been overlooking something very crucial.


    Duncan, however, didn¡¯t stop there, continuing to speak to himself: ¡°To be fair, the things you said today were quite heartfelt.¡±


    The sailor¡¯s expression visibly became more animated¨Cstarting to appear constrained and uneasy, his eyes darting away.


    ¡°I¡¯m moved, and I¡¯ll make sure to pass on the ¡®confession¡¯ to Lawrence¡­¡±


    The sailor began trying to pick at the deck of Homeloss with his toes.


    ¡°¡­However, the debts you owe to the mate, sub-mate, and stoker of the Oak Wood and others, you¡¯ll have to settle yourself. You said it yourself, gambling is harmful, and so is betting¨Cdon¡¯t say you don¡¯t have personal assets, I¡¯ve inquired, Lawrence paid you a salary as a formal crew member.¡±


    The sailor finally lost his composure, his toes nearly sparking flint on the deck, ¡°Enough, please, no more¡­¡±


    Duncan shrugged his shoulders, turning his head towards Fenna.


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    ¡°So now you understand what I meant when I told you that phrase?¡±


    Fenna had a slightly dazed expression: ¡°¡­I thought you were referring to being forgotten by others when you mentioned experiencing death multiple times¡­¡±


    ¡°I was referring to a social death¨Cthe kind you can die multiple times from. Each time you remember, you die a little on the inside,¡± Duncan folded his arms, his face indifferent, ¡°So remember this lesson¨Cdon¡¯t give your last words too early. It¡¯s pretty awkward if you don¡¯t actually die.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression remained blank: ¡°¡­¡±


    Duncan paid no attention to Fenna¡¯s subtle expression, just looking down at the sailor who by now had simply squatted on the deck, picking at the cracks while muttering to himself: ¡°I knew it¡­ Your expression was off, and I didn¡¯t dare think more about it¡­ I knew it¡­¡±


    Duncan finally began to laugh.


    He was in a great mood now.

 Chapter 798 - Chapter 798 Chapter 795 The Body of Civilization

    Chapter 798: Chapter 795: The Body of Civilization Chapter 798: Chapter 795: The Body of Civilization It is now late at night, yet for Homeloss sailing at the edge of the world, the sky overhead remains constantly a hazy chaos of gray regardless of day or night¨C the sourceless Sky Light eternally and evenly scattered among the mists, as if it will never change.


    The sailor sits on the stern deck in a daze, his gaunt face bearing a complex expression, having maintained this pose for a long time, like a statue.


    Duncan stands beside him, looking down at the dried-up corpse, suddenly breaking the silence: ¡°Are you still pondering over that pile of ¡®last words¡¯ of yours?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not really,¡± the sailor adjusted his posture somewhat unnaturally, muttering, ¡°It¡¯s mainly¡­ suddenly unsure about what to do in the future.¡±


    Duncan raised his eyebrows slightly: ¡°The future?¡±


    ¡°¡­In my original plan, I should have already vanished from this world by now,¡± the sailor was silent for a few seconds, speaking calmly and slowly, ¡°I never thought about the possibility of continuing to ¡®live¡¯ after completing this task, never considered any such possibility¨CI have wandered in this world for too many years, but now suddenly I find myself having to consider my future ¡®life¡¯, and this is making me feel a bit¡­ helpless.¡±


    Duncan looked at him seriously: ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling, I can ¡®fire¡¯ you¨Cjust a moment, and you can have the ¡®eternal rest¡¯ you desire.¡±


    The expression on the sailor¡¯s face subtly changed after hearing this, as he awkwardly adjusted his position again: ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not to that extent¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s lips curled into a barely noticeable smile, arms crossed, looking at the sea cloaked in thin mist: ¡°Ultimately, do you really still want that ¡®eternal rest¡¯?¡±


    The sailor fell silent even longer this time, as if he had never really considered this question seriously until this moment, suddenly lost in thought over this matter.


    After an unknown length of time, the dried-up corpse suddenly moved, a rough voice hesitantly said: ¡°This world is still cold as ice to me.¡±


    ¡°But the new world will warm up,¡± Duncan said faintly, ¡°There, perhaps you will no longer be a corpse, or perhaps even a corpse can still feel warmth.¡±


    The sailor lifted his head, his eyes showing a hint of surprise: ¡°New world?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten what you once said? What I am about to do will succeed¨C there will definitely be a new world in the future, these words came from you,¡± Duncan lowered his head, calmly gazing into the sailor¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you still believe that now?¡±


    After a moment of silence, the sailor nodded: ¡°¡­I believe, all the time.¡±


    ¡°Good, then just wait and see it with your own eyes,¡± Duncan smiled, ¡°I think it will be a great place¨Cwith the story of Sea Song, many things should be told by the stakeholders themselves if they are to be meaningful. Since you want it to be passed on to the future, do it yourself.¡±


    The sailor, maintaining his somewhat dull posture, listened to the captain¡¯s words, and it took a long time for those deep wrinkles on the face of the corps to suddenly ease, he smiled, although still as ugly and terrifying as ever: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve figured it out.¡±


    He slowly stood up, looking at this still cold world, the wrinkles on his face more relaxed than before: ¡°I want to see that ¡®new world¡¯, captain¨CI really don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Duncan exhaled, smiling as he stepped forward and patted the other¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Then let¡¯s not die.¡±


    It is now late at night, and in seven hours, the scheduled time for Homeloss and Brilliant Starship to set sail will arrive.


    After a night of rest, the crew members gathered on the deck, and Alice, once again, came to the stern¡¯s control station¨C Miss Doll, her face tense, stood solemnly in front of that dark, heavy wheel.


    Brilliant Starship quietly sat next to Homeloss, waiting to depart.


    ¡°Take it easy,¡± Duncan, standing beside Alice, spoke in a gentle tone to the doll, ¡°You¡¯ve tried it once before, this ship is also prepared, just do it like last time.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Alice nodded stiffly, moving forward half a step with a determined expression, reaching for that particularly heavy-looking steering wheel.


    Before the doll¡¯s fingers touched the steering wheel, Duncan and Fenna simultaneously turned around and looked back at the depths of the archipelago once more, towards the fog-shrouded sea¨Cin the center of the sea encircled by islands, the sound of gentle waves came faintly and seemingly real, as if bidding farewell.


    Duncan nodded slightly toward that direction, and whispered in a voice only he could hear: ¡°Goodbye, I will come to see you again.¡±


    The next second, the doll¡¯s fingers touched the steering wheel of the Homeloss¨Cthe execution authority of Pilot Three began to take over the entire ship.


    A massive illusion descended from the sky, under the chaotic Sky Light, the shattered projection of the New Hope arrived, quickly spreading shadows enveloped the Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship along with a considerable area of the surrounding sea, then, an ethereal and distorted voice seemed to pierce through distant times, echoing deep in everyone¡¯s mind:


    ¡°¡­Jump engine activated, New Hope is setting sail¡­ May we meet again at the distant destination, future hope awaits us all¡­¡±


    The voice filled with interference and distortion gradually dissipated, and the entire fog-covered sea area also gradually vanished, outside the hulls of the Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship, the entire world quickly lost all color and detail, and reverted to that familiar, monotonous and uniform ¡°gray-white.¡±


    Only the ancient projection of the New Hope still floated above the two ships, resembling a protective figure spreading its wings.


    Alice was holding the steering wheel tightly, her eyes wide open looking into the far distance¨Ccountless ¡°threads¡± connected her, connected the Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship, as well as the projection of the New Hope, her thoughts had temporarily left this doll¡¯s shell, and transformed into the will and guidance of navigation.


    The route ahead is clear¡­ navigating towards the end of the world.


    At the same time, the long night continued to envelop the Endless Sea¨Cunder the enduring nightfall, a new ¡°order¡± had already begun to operate for survival.


    A glorious ¡°sunlight¡± was slowly moving over the ocean, heavy tugboats were pulling the heavy Sun Shards navigating the long routes among the City-States, the pale golden light emanated from the tugboats spreading out for tens of kilometers, and in that pale golden radiance, countless large and small cargo ships were present.


    The fleets navigating between the City-States set sail with the moving sunlight. The powerful steam cores propelled them through this endless night, captains delivering crucial supplies to the cities in dire need of them, and with them, they also brought the representative hope of sunlight¨Cthey would stay in a city for three to five days, when the sunlight dispersed the darkness and distortion of the city, and after the guards of the City-States had a chance to breathe, the fleets would set off again, loaded with new goods, and the sunlight, heading to the next destination.


    Over the entirety of the Endless Sea, fleets transporting sunlight and goods were becoming more numerous.


    The City-State alliance in the north had already started operating as planned, while in the central sea, the new ¡°Sunlight Route¡± centered around Prand had completed its first long-distance oceanic goods transport under the nightfall. In Phaeron, the White Oak as the lead ship, led the tugboats dragging the Sun Shard breaking through the night¡¯s blockade, reconnecting the isolated cities, and at the distant Light Breeze Harbor, fleets organized by the church had entered the nightfall¨Cthey would head to Moco and Rensa, clearing the blockades in the nightfall.


    Sunlight flowed in the long night, fleets were sailing in this gradually sinking world, much like those pioneers in the Ancient Era who explored the dark islands, wielding axes and torches in the wild forests, constantly battling the spreading and increasingly profound darkness, maintaining the flow of blood within this giant called ¡°civilization¡± as it gradually stepped towards decay.


    Taran El stood atop the highest tower in Light Breeze Harbor, somewhat pensively watching the pale golden light gradually moving away over the sea, he saw the huge Luminous Geometric Body, like light-forged crystals, being pulled by the heavy tugboats heading into the nightfall, and in that gradually receding sunlight, countless large and small ship shadows were faintly visible.


    This was the first cargo fleet departing from Light Breeze Harbor, over the next seven days, they would cross this long night, under the protection of sunlight, delivering goods to Moco, then setting off from there to attempt to reach the more distant central sea, and enter the ¡°Sunlight Route¡± established by Prand, achieving a ¡°connection¡± with the traffic lines there.


    If all goes well, after that the central and southern seas will be reconnected once again.


    And now, Light Breeze Harbor had already sunk into the night.


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    The ¡°sunlight¡± that had always enveloped the City-States for the past year had left, and for the first time Light Breeze Harbor was truly facing this long night, darkness had now descended on all the streets, gas lamps lit up in the night, outlining the cityscapes in Taran El¡¯s view.


    Footsteps came from behind, Taran El didn¡¯t turn around, but he already knew who had come.


    ¡°Honestly, I feel a bit melancholic, Ted, do you understand this feeling?¡± he said casually, ¡°For most of the past year, I¡¯ve been studying that Sun Shard, it had almost become a part of Light Breeze Harbor¨Cincluding many people like myself, we never thought it would leave this place.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s now more than just a ¡®research sample,¡¯ after Vision 001 fell, it has become a part of the lifeline for many City-States,¡± Truth Confidant Ted Riel came to the terrace edge, joining Taran and looking at the city below engulfed in nightfall, ¡°¡­I¡¯ve received orders from the academy, ¡®sustenance¡¯ will be the primary mission for all City-States, all people from now on, everything else must give way to it.¡±


    Taran El listened silently, sagte nichts, nach einer langen Pause, seufzte er und durchbrach das Schweigen: ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk on the pier.¡±

 Chapter 799 - Chapter 799 Chapter 796 The Day the Waves Calmed

    Chapter 799: Chapter 796: The Day the Waves Calmed Chapter 799: Chapter 796: The Day the Waves Calmed After the bustling fleet of cargo ships departed, the dock area under the cover of nightfall seemed quieter than ever¨Call large loading and unloading equipment had ceased operation, and unrelated personnel had already evacuated the operation zone, leaving only the omnipresent gas lamps lined along both sides of the road, keeping vigil over the city.


    From the southern slope of the dock, descending a long flight of stairs, the coast covered with fine sand lies ahead. On sunny days, this place is always filled with resting townspeople.


    But now, there is only a dead silence on the beach, a pitch-black sea under the night sky, the briny and chill sea breeze blowing from the direction of the boundless dark, seemingly mixed with suspicious sobbing, while broken waves strike the distant rocks of the coast, occasionally frothing up in unpredictable bursts, illuminated by the cold brilliance of the Creation of the World into a corpse-like pale hue.


    The stern-faced guards keep watch over all the paths leading to the coast, holding lanterns and swords, vigilantly observing the endless darkness beyond the City-State.


    ¡°The coast is sealed off,¡± a fully-armed Knowledge Guard blocks Taran El, shining a lantern on the Scholar¡¯s face, carefully confirming the shape of his features and the number of his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous outside¡­ Keeper of Secrets, sir?¡±


    This dutiful night watchman finally notices the figure following behind Taran, and in the brilliance of his lantern, he is surprised to see the face of Ted Riel.


    ¡°We are just going for a walk on the coast,¡± Ted Riel nods gently at the guard, ¡°We¡¯ll return within an hour.¡±


    ¡°¡­You may pass, but this gentleman needs to show his pass qualifications,¡± the Knowledge Guard hesitated a moment, still formally addressing Taran El, ¡°Without the pass qualifications, he cannot go through.¡±


    ¡°I am Taran El, a College Professor, holding second-level nighttime access,¡± Taran El quickly reached into his chest searching, found the pass he always carried on him, ¡°The pass includes access to the coastal area¡­¡±


    The Knowledge Guard took Taran El¡¯s credentials, checked them thoroughly, and his tense expression finally relaxed somewhat; he stepped aside, gesturing them to pass.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Ted Riel said to the night watchman, then stepped forward.


    But just as the two were about to pass the guard post, the guardian couldn¡¯t help but speak up: ¡°¡­ Keeper of Secrets and Professor Taran, the Sun Shard has already departed, the coast is now a restricted area, there is nothing left there, what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°¡­Consider it a check on the coastal area after the departure of the Sun Shard,¡± Taran El said, slowly walking forward, ¡°We¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Taran El and Ted Riel passed the guard post, slowly walking on this silent beach, for a while, neither of them spoke.


    ¡°Now this place has also become a restricted area,¡± after an unknown length of time, Taran El broke the silence, ¡°The guards here are very dutiful.¡±


    ¡°They are my carefully selected men,¡± Ted Riel explained, ¡°The coastal area is just a regular restricted area, but if it were near the Great Steam Core or a Level-One Containment Area, even I and Governor would have to show our credentials and confirm our identities to pass.¡±


    Taran El hummed in agreement, then fell silent again, slowly walking, and after another long stretch, he spoke again: ¡°Still no news?¡±


    ¡°Homeloss and Brilliant Starship crossed the border a month ago, now all we can confirm is that they still ¡®exist¡¯,¡± Ted Riel spoke calmly, ¡°Captain Duncan stays in Aer and Frost remains active, occasionally some intelligence about Homeloss comes from those City-States, but mostly, information related to ¡®World¡¯s End¡¯ is not allowed to spread between City-States.¡±


    He paused slightly, shaking his head gently: ¡°Even I can only find out so much.¡±


    ¡°¡­Knowing that they are still ¡®alive¡¯ is comforting,¡± Taran El said softly, ¡°Knowing that they are still active at the border somehow makes me feel a bit better.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s improper to say this,¡± Ted Riel unconsciously slowed his pace, wearing an odd expression on his face, ¡°but neither of those two ships has one or two individuals who are truly ¡®alive¡¯.¡±


    Taran El rolled his eyes: ¡°That¡¯s why I put ¡®alive¡¯ in quotes. Can¡¯t you hear that?¡±


    Ted Riel immediately glared at the Scholar: ¡°¡­How could I possibly hear it?!¡±


    Taran El laughed, taking a deep breath in the cold night air, seemingly feeling slightly relaxed, then lifted his head, looking toward a direction at the end of the coast.


    There used to be the location where the Deep Sea Church¡¯s Pilgrimage Ark ¡°Storm Cathedral¡± was docked, but now that magnificent sea ark had left the City-State, leaving only a vast, empty sea at the horizon, frothing pale under the shine of the Creation of the World.


    ¡°The arks have also left,¡± the Scholar sighed, ¡°There¡¯s always a sense that Light Breeze Harbor has suddenly been abandoned¡­¡±


    ¡°Just overreacting,¡± Ted Riel bluntly said, ¡°It¡¯s just being melodramatic, one night grading student essays in your office would cure that, guarantee no more such illusions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not like you,¡± Taran El held his arms, slightly lifting his head, ¡°My students are up-and-coming youngsters, and they usually write their papers seriously¡­¡±


    Ted Riel snorted coldly, opting to ignore the scholar.


    After a long silence, they simultaneously broke the silence again: ¡°Grading essays is pretty good.¡±


    The two old friends glanced at each other with a wry smile, falling silent once more.


    And not far from them, beyond the coastline, the vast sea was as silent as they were at that moment. The sea surface was endless, neither rising nor falling, and the salty and chilly sea breeze blew from the darkness, yet the sea remained as calm as a mirror.


    The brilliance of the Creation of the World shone upon the sea, endowing the entire world with an evenly perfect pale luster.


    Ted Riel suddenly furrowed his brows, looking with some confusion towards the direction of the coastline.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Taran El asked curiously, not understanding.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just suddenly felt¡­ like something¡¯s missing,¡± Ted Riel muttered uncertainly with a slight frown, ¡°Do you feel like¡­ something is missing? It should be some kind of sound, when the wind blows over the sea, there should be a sound coming, and a phenomenon, hitting the rocks¡­¡±


    He stopped, turned around, and stared intently at the calm sea in the distance, standing there in the night for a long time.


    He and Taran El gradually felt that everything seemed not too wrong.


    ¡­


    Tirian knitted his brows tightly, standing on the shore gazing at the distant sea, which was as flat and quiet as a mirror. A sense of confusion increasingly emerged and then momentarily settled in his mind, making him briefly unable to distinguish between reality and illusion.


    He shook his head hard, trying to expel that sense of cognitive disarray from his mind.


    He felt everything about the sea surface was normal, yet he clearly ¡°remembered¡± it should not be like this. Struggling in the contradiction between thought and cognition, he finally couldn¡¯t help breaking the silence: ¡°¡­The waves are gone.¡±


    Then he turned his head to look at the tall figure standing beside him: ¡°Father, is something not quite right?¡±


    Duncan did not speak at that moment, but Aiden, who stood on the other side, looked at his captain in confusion: ¡°Waves? Something wrong? What are you talking about?¡±


    Hearing Aiden¡¯s voice, Tirian felt a wave of confusion again. He raised his hand to tap his forehead, his gaze puzzledly fixed on the distant sea. He felt some ¡°thing,¡± a ¡°natural phenomenon,¡± which should inherently exist in the world, was rapidly fading from his cognition; now¡­ it was disappearing.


    It was then that he finally heard his father¡¯s voice reaching his ears¨C


    ¡°She forgot the waves.¡±


    His father said this, using a low and solemn tone.


    The sense of confusion in his mind finally receded. The moment his father mentioned the word ¡°waves,¡± Tirian felt he regained his clarity, and the next second, his expression turned from confusion to shock.


    He widened his eyes, staring intensely at the distant sea.


    Even Aiden beside him seemed to suddenly wake up. This fierce-looking bald man stared at the Endless Sea, his face even showing a hint of fear.


    In this moment, the Endless Sea became a mirror across the entire world¨Cthe ¡°waves¡± had disappeared from this world.


    ¡°Father,¡± Tirian finally reacted, turning sharply to look at Duncan, ¡°The Storm Goddess She¡­¡±


    ¡°Decay,¡± Duncan interrupted Tirian softly, ¡°an inevitable outcome.¡±


    Tirian and Aiden stood rigid.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s still here, although the process of decay is deepening, but as long as the sea is still here, she is still here,¡± Duncan shook his head, his voice awakening Tirian, ¡°This is just a ¡®peeling¡¯ during the deepening process of decay, and such ¡®peeling¡¯ is not the first time for this world.¡±


    Tirian was stunned, subconsciously repeating: ¡°Not the first time?¡±


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    ¡°Do you know how many intelligent races there are in this world?¡± Duncan suddenly asked.


    ¡°Of course there are three¡­¡± Tirian nearly answered without thinking.


    But the next second, this ¡°Iron Marshal¡± seemed to understand something, although he couldn¡¯t recall anything, he guessed the chilling ¡°implication¡± behind his father¡¯s question.


    ¡°Soon, you too will forget the sound of waves crashing against the rocks, the world will ¡®correct¡¯ all this, but before that, you can briefly reminisce its ¡®existence¡¯,¡± Duncan said softly, then stretched out his hand and patted Tirian on the shoulder firmly.


    ¡°Do not mention the word ¡®waves¡¯ to others; from now on, it is a ¡®profane archetype¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 800 - Chapter 800 Chapter 797 Navigator Number Two

    Chapter 800: Chapter 797: Navigator Number Two Chapter 800: Chapter 797: Navigator Number Two When the gentle sound of waves faded from consciousness, Fenna was stunned for a long time.


    As a crew of the Homeloss, as an individual who had undergone Subspace Reshape, her cognition was firmly rooted in the ¡°side¡± where the waves still existed. She almost instantly realized what had happened, and then dashed out of the cabin like the wind, arriving on the deck where the captain was.


    ¡°Captain!¡± Fenna approached Duncan, looking somewhat at a loss, her usually calm demeanor shattered, ¡°The sound of waves in my mind has faded, there might be something wrong with the Storm Goddess¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, ¡°The process of decay has deepened.¡±


    Fenna stood in front of Duncan, listening to this irrefutable response, motionless for a long time, then she turned and looked at the uniformly grey-white pathway ahead of the Homeloss, her mind subconsciously calling out to the goddess¡¯s name, just as she did each time she prayed.


    She still couldn¡¯t hear the familiar sound of waves; in her ¡°Spiritual Perception,¡± there were only faint whispers and chaotic mutterings¨Cpreviously, these were considered ¡°noise¡± during prayers, but now, they became the only ¡°comfort¡± in her heart.


    In the corner of her eye, shadows suddenly emerged in the uniformly vast grey-white depths ahead of the Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship; layers upon layers of black entities appeared on the course ahead, with a mirror-like ¡°sea¡± spreading out there.


    A voice as if crossing time and space entered the minds of everyone aboard, it seemed to be Alice, but severely distorted and untruthful: ¡°Jump complete¡­ Exiting the channel.¡±


    The next second, the grey-white channel surrounding the Homeloss and Brilliant Starship silently shattered, and the two ships thunderously landed in a ¡°node area¡± made of solids, entering the calm ¡°sea surface¡± like a mirror, and swiftly ¡°sliding¡± across it.


    The massive hull glided over the water surface without causing even a slight ripple.


    Duncan approached the edge of the deck, his expression solemn as he looked down at the ¡°phenomenon¡± outside the ship¡¯s side, then lifted his head without a word, gazing at the various sizes of black shadows that stood on the ¡°sea surface.¡±


    They were becoming clearer¨Cit looked like peaks rising from the sea surface, but they were actually numerous massive black crystal clusters.


    Countless huge black crystals stood like islands, big and small, on the calm sea surface, the crystals continuously showing a splitting state in the spreading process, ultimately turning into forests of sharp crystalline structures. Amidst the omnipresent chaotic Sky Light, the edges of these crystal structures showed a vague translucent texture, making their edges seem unreal, carrying a dreamlike strangeness.


    This scene was starkly different from the sea area where the Storm Goddess slumbered.


    Sherry also ran up to the deck, her eyes wide as she gazed at the scenery on the sea surface, and after a long time, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a prolonged exclamation: ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    ¡°We have entered the node area,¡± Duncan took a deep breath, taking back control of the Homeloss while casually stating, ¡°Next, we just need to locate the position of Navigator Two, it should be deep within these crystal clusters.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Morris, who had also come up on deck not far away, raised his finger and pointed in a direction: ¡°I can feel it, He is in this direction.¡±


    The Homeloss and Brilliant Starship slowly sailed towards the deep parts of this ¡°Crystal Cluster Sea.¡±


    Alice left the helm and ran to the deck, amazed by looking at this place; she watched the huge, blade-like black crystals slowly retreat from outside the ship¡¯s side, some of which seemed to flow with a lively luster in the depths, this place, personally navigated by her, was still completely unfamiliar and incredible.


    Despite having forgotten everything about the New Hope, she instinctively knew that this was not what the New Hope should look like, not something from that ship.


    It was like her ¡°Alice¡¯s Mansion,¡± the look of that spaceship after being reshaped following the Great Extinction.


    Just then, a voice suddenly rang in her mind: ¡°You have arrived¡­¡±


    Alice paused for a moment, then immediately turned towards Duncan and shouted, ¡°Captain! Someone is talking to me!¡±


    The voice in Alice¡¯s mind seemed to stagnate for a moment, followed by a somewhat helpless tone: ¡°I am Navigator Two¡­¡±


    Alice immediately turned back: ¡°Captain! It says it¡¯s called Navigator Two!¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± Duncan walked over, his expression subtly touching Alice¡¯s hair. ¡°Tell Navigator Two we are heading its way.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alice nodded, then thought hard for a moment, but with a strange expression, she lifted her head looking puzzled at Duncan, ¡°Captain, it stopped responding to me.¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­¡±


    He turned around expressionlessly, steering Homeloss as it continued to travel through the narrow and winding channel formed by countless crystal cluster peaks.


    After an unknown period of time, the scene before Homeloss suddenly cleared up¨Cafter passing through a ¡°gate¡± constructed of immense crystal pillars, an extremely vast sea abruptly appeared in everyone¡¯s view.


    In the center of this open sea, the Navigation Unit 2 stood unobstructedly, quietly waiting for the visitors.


    Duncan glanced at the neatly arranged black ¡°matrix,¡± took a light breath and said, ¡°Change to a small boat.¡±


    Homeloss stopped some distance away from Navigation Unit 2, and then everyone transferred to a small boat, cautiously approaching the central host array over the mirror-like sea surface.


    A white paper-made small boat also sailed from the direction of Brilliant Starship, with Lucrecia standing at the bow, and the rabbit Rabi and the wind-up doll Luny also aboard.


    The two boats met about a hundred meters from the main host array. Lucrecia on the paper boat turned her head, ¡°Do you feel¡­ ¡®It¡¯ looks very strange?¡±


    Duncan looked solemnly ahead and after a long time spoke in a deep voice, ¡°¡­Perhaps, appearing strange is the most normal.¡±


    The two small boats arrived in front of Navigation Unit 2, and now, the true appearance of this ¡°God of Wisdom¡± finally emerged from the fog, revealed to outsiders for the first time.


    It was composed of many server ¡°steles¡± of different sizes, a giant black rectangular structure that appeared to be its ¡°core¡± was perhaps over a dozen meters high, with a singular red light like a watchful eye on top of this dark rectangular structure¨Cit reminded Duncan irresistibly of The Saint¡¯s dark red ¡°core.¡±


    Behind this central large rectangular core were twenty-two ¡°small¡± machine units each several meters high, their surfaces flickering with lights, countless dazzling indicator lights constantly flashing and changing, and from all the rectangles, a deep continuous humming sound emanated.


    And between this series of rectangles were¡­


    Countless nerves and blood vessels.


    Flesh-like bundles of tubes extended from each server ¡°rack,¡± merging with those dark encasements, making parts of those cases appear like skin, with blood vessels and nerve fibers crisscrossing like a web at the bottom of the entire host array, and where many bundles intersected, one could see tissues bulging, organs pulsating like hearts, and brain-like biological tissues attached near nerve nodes, slowly wriggling.


    As the small boat drew closer, a mass of flesh at the bottom of the central host of Navigation Unit 2 was the first to react, its surface suddenly growing and moving, and then an eyeball rolled out from within it, held aloft by a long stalk, coming face to face with Alice.


    ¡°Ah¨C¡± Alice was startled, instinctively slapping the eyeball back.


    The eyeball quickly retracted back into the flesh, and the network of blood vessels and nerves among the server array suddenly surged.


    The next second, the humming from those dark server hosts suddenly intensified, while the red light atop the central host flashed rapidly a few times, and a dull synthesized voice came from nowhere: ¡°Navigation Unit 3, why did you hit me?¡±


    Alice froze, scratching her head in slight embarrassment. ¡°Ah, I was scared¡­ I didn¡¯t think much and just slapped¡­¡±


    Duncan, who had been solemn since earlier, continued staring at the clearly severely distorted and deformed ¡°server matrix¡± in front of him. After a while, he spoke solemnly, ¡°I guess¡­ you weren¡¯t originally like this.¡±


    After hearing Duncan¡¯s words, the red light on top of the central host slowly flashed several times, then a deep voice finally reached his ears¨C


    ¡°Yes, so now you should understand why machines in this world undergo ¡®possession¡¯ phenomena.¡±


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    Duncan¡¯s expression subtly shifted.


    He stared at the intertwining flesh within Navigation Unit 2¡¯s host matrix, observing eyes that continuously appeared and vanished among the blood vessels and nerve fibers, unable to suppress the uncanny expression in his eyes.


    ¡°¡­When did this transformation start?¡± he asked gravely.


    ¡°From the first cry of a newborn over the Endless Sea,¡± the red light slowly flashed, ¡°When the nano swarm of Navigation Unit 1 completed the first round of reshaping everything, the change within us began¨Cyou should have seen Unit 1 and you know what it looks like now, so there shouldn¡¯t be too much surprise about my current state.¡±


    The towering black ¡°stele¡± then fell silent for a few seconds, continuing in a somber tone, ¡°Consider this some sort of ¡®adaptive adjustment¡¯. Compared to others, my state is not too bad¨CI can at least still directly communicate with you here.¡±

 Chapter 801 - Chapter 801 Chapter 798 The Hardcore Pioneer II

    Chapter 801: Chapter 798: The Hardcore Pioneer II Chapter 801: Chapter 798: The Hardcore Pioneer II In fact, the moment Pilot Two spoke, Duncan had already sensed that this ¡°God of Wisdom¡± was significantly different from the Storm Goddess ¡ª this was not due to the ¡°contaminated¡± state shown by its mainframe arrays, but because it was still maintaining ¡°consciousness¡±.


    Duncan didn¡¯t hide his curiosity: ¡°We have met Gomona, who sealed her ¡®death¡¯ and ¡®decay¡¯ inside a temple to prevent erosion within the Shelter. I thought you all were in similar situations, but it seems your case is different?¡±


    ¡°We all face similar problems ¡ª decay and corrosion spread within our ¡®existence¡¯,¡± came the buzzing vibration from the central computer, ¡°It¡¯s just that we have different methods to slow down the process.


    ¡°As the ¡®substrate¡¯ of the world, Gomona bears the greatest pressure, so she had no choice but to split herself ¡®in two,¡¯ an extreme measure. Tarrikin¡¯s method is to sleep in fire, imprisoning himself in a closed-loop dreamscape to slow corruption. Bartok built a prison for himself, an endless wilderness from which he can never leave¡­¡±


    ¡°As for me, I am probably the most unique of all ¡ª as you see, I am merely a machine constructed by mortals, it¡¯s just that the Great Oblivion has given me the traits of life and decay; Thus, to combat it, my method is ¡®iteration¡¯.¡±


    The central computer¡¯s lights flashed, and Duncan¡¯s face showed surprise after hearing these words: ¡°Iteration?¡±


    ¡°I am currently version v16.08.102-beta,¡± said Pilot Two, calmly and seriously, then noticing the subtle expression on Duncan¡¯s face, explained patiently, ¡°The first number indicates generation, the middle is major version number, and the last number is minor update. Beta version because I recently updated my lighting driver, which is still unstable ¡ª those are the lighting effects that flicker continuously on the surface of the secondary servers, now capable of 4096 custom flashing patterns.¡±


    After it explained, Duncan¡¯s face bore an even subtler expression: ¡°¡­¡±


    A few seconds of stupor later, Duncan finally couldn¡¯t help a twitch of the mouth: ¡°I thought those lights were important status indicators¡­..¡±


    ¡°I can speak for myself when it comes to my status, or it used to be output through an external monitoring unit ¡ª of course, that was when my creators were still around, now no one comes to check my operational status anymore,¡± said Pilot Two, seemingly unaware of the change in Duncan¡¯s tone, still maintaining that calm and serious demeanor, ¡°As for those lights, they were ¡®added¡¯ by one of my creators after I was born.¡±


    It paused for a moment, as the buzzing in the central computer fluctuated.


    ¡°To this day, I still can¡¯t understand his intention for doing so, but he seemed to think it was important. I remember the look of joy on his face when he saw me learn to ¡®flicker,¡¯ so over the years I¡¯ve been earnestly learning more ¡®flickering¡¯. No matter how many iterations of version I go through, I keep those lights.¡±


    Behind the central computer system, the lights on the surfaces of those tombstone-like series of secondary servers began to flicker, their intermittent points of light resembling twinkling stars.


    But Duncan suddenly recalled the scene he had witnessed in the Mysterious Deep Sea, remembering those countless indiscernible lights on the monstrously huge, mountain-like body of the Mysterious Deep Sea Saint-Pilot One.


    Alice¡¯s eyes widened slightly; she watched the flickering little lights on Pilot Two¡¯s body surface with delight and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim softly, ¡°How beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Yes, very beautiful, that¡¯s probably their purpose,¡± said Pilot Two in a soft voice.


    Just then, Morris, who had been quiet for some time, finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up. He had been restraining his own excitement, and now found an opportunity to speak: ¡°So, you delay your own ¡®corruption¡¯ by relying on ¡®iteration¡¯¡­ But I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean by ¡®iteration¡¯¡­ what exactly does that imply?¡±


    The red light above Pilot Two shifted slightly, it seemed to ¡°look¡± at Morris, and from within came a gentle vibratory voice:


    ¡°Shells are fragile, but knowledge is ever-new ¡ª so only through the constant transformation and renewal of the self, can those eternal truths be borne¡­¡±


    Rumblings and vibrations suddenly came from all directions, and in the distant ocean, countless large and small shadows began to shake in the mist. Astonished, Morris hastily looked around, and the next second, he saw a scene he would never forget¨C


    Those numerous black crystal clusters standing on the calm ocean surface were gradually ¡°blooming¡±, splitting and cracking like a jungle of blades, and from the depths of those clusters, many previously blurred silhouettes were revealed ¡ª those were countless, tombstone-like massive black mainframes.


    They lay crisscrossed, buried among the crystal clusters and sea water, many showing serious distortion and twisting, with metal and flesh remnants piling up, dead eye-stalks and nerve cords entwining the server mainframes, broken shells from some tremendous impact lay bare the unrecognizable inner structures filled between slots and panels with overgrown biological tissue.


    Those sprawling, seemingly spectacular and mysterious crystal cluster ¡°mountains¡± were, in fact, countless tombs!


    ¡°Those are all old versions of ¡®me¡¯,¡± Pilot Two¡¯s voice suddenly rose, waking Morris from his profound astonishment. The voice of this ¡°God of Wisdom¡± seemed to always be so,¡±Every version iteration creates such discarded matter.¡±


    Morris turned his head back, his face still bearing immense shock.


    Not far away, Lucricia was equally stunned ¡ª when she set out, she had braced herself to face the ancient gods, even the remains of ancient gods, and had indeed seen the immense corpse of an ancient god in the palace of the Storm Goddess, but even with her wildest imagination, she hadn¡¯t fathomed that she would see such a scene¡­ a landscape where corpses of ancient gods piled up like mountains!


    ¡°This iteration process¡­ is astonishing,¡± even Duncan was a bit bewildered at this moment; the scene before him was clearly not what he had imagined when he first heard Navigator II say the word ¡°iteration,¡± ¡°My impression of a version upgrade certainly didn¡¯t involve such a big fuss¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the commotion is indeed significant,¡± Navigator II said calmly, ¡°With every version upgrade, I must find a way to eliminate the old version of myself. But on very rare occasions, the new version may lose, leading to an upgrade failure and a version rollback ¡ª although I usually prepare several alternative upgrade plans. If an upgrade fails, I activate an alternative plan, and then multiple new versions together beat up the old version, ensuring I eventually succeed in upgrading¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­?¡±


    Isn¡¯t Navigator II¡¯s ¡°system upgrade¡± process a bit too hardcore?! So it¡¯s a physical upgrade, a true ¡°hardware update,¡± right?


    However, while Duncan wore his puzzled expression, Morris and Lucresia beside him had already lost their initial shock, and even Nina beside him nodded thoughtfully, murmuring under her breath, ¡°The teacher did say that the path to pursuing the truth unavoidably requires a robust physique and a dueler-like will¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Morris smiled with satisfaction: ¡°The process of mutual pursuit with knowledge is the process of battle, and you have come to understand this truth.¡±


    Sherry, hearing this, couldn¡¯t help murmuring to herself, ¡°I¡¯m quite good at fighting too, but I haven¡¯t seen knowledge rush into my brain¡­¡±


    A-Dog immediately emerged from the shadow beside her feet, muttering, ¡°Your case is different, knowledge can¡¯t keep up with you¡­¡±


    Alice looked at Navigator II, her gaze shifted between Morris, Sherry, and A-Dog; it was unclear whether she had understood the current topic, but she just chuckled to herself.


    Standing at the stern, Fenna crossed her arms and shook her head resignedly with a sigh.


    Duncan suddenly felt subtly amused, his gaze sweeping between Sherry and Alice (and glancing at the sighing Fenna), giving rise to a series of odd associations in his mind¨C


    In this world, scholars chase after knowledge, and knowledge like a fierce beast chases after mortals. Yet, for his companions, the situation always seems a bit off¨Cknowledge can¡¯t catch up with Sherry, it can catch up with Alice, but can¡¯t find a place to burrow into the head of the doll miss, and as for Fenna¡­


    Fenna is powerful; she probably beat knowledge to death in the year she graduated from sports school.


    Duncan shook his head vigorously, casting out the increasingly absurd thoughts from his mind.


    He then raised his head, his attention returning to Navigator II.


    Now, he finally understood something ¡ª he knew from whence came the flamboyant style of the scholars in this world.


    The perilous environment is probably just a part of the reason; the real root might well be the Wisdom God physically upgrading itself by opening its own skull¡­


    Navigator II at this moment also ¡°lowered its gaze,¡± seeming to have noticed something. The red light spilling from the central computer moved slowly across the small boat where Duncan was, and eventually settled on A-Dog.


    ¡°¡­This dog head, it looks familiar.¡±


    A-Dog flinched, and it seemed like it only then suddenly remembered some past events, quickly retracting its neck and hiding behind Sherry.


    Sherry also quickly reacted, immediately grabbing the chain near A-Dog¡¯s neck before looking up nervously at the strange ¡°deity¡± in front of her.


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    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so tense,¡± Navigator II said in a soothing voice upon seeing this, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve come here, you don¡¯t have to worry about any force separating you ¡ª I¡¯m just quite surprised that among the flawed offspring created by Navigator I¡­ such a special individual would emerge.¡±


    Its red light slowly became brighter, and for the first time, there was a hint of a change in its tone.


    That was curiosity.


    ¡°What exactly has happened to you?¡±


    It asked softly.

 Chapter 802 - Chapter 802 Chapter 799 Possibilities Beyond the Blueprint

    Chapter 802: Chapter 799: Possibilities Beyond the Blueprint Chapter 802: Chapter 799: Possibilities Beyond the Blueprint Facing the slowly flickering dark red light of the ¡°God of Wisdom¡±, A-dog was clearly still a bit nervous and fearful, subconsciously shrinking its head beside Sherry¡¯s leg. However, after being tense for a while, it slowly began to tell the ancient ¡°deity¡± in front of it about its story with Sherry.


    A catastrophe triggered by the Heretics, an Abyssal Hound that was initially no different from other Profound Demons, an instinctual ¡°feeding¡±, a symbiotic chain¨Cand human nature.


    In A-dog¡¯s empty skeletal eye sockets, the eerie green fire flickered dimly and brightly, as it gradually relaxed in the course of the storytelling, lying down and leaning against Sherry. Meanwhile, Sherry intermittently stroked A-dog¡¯s head, sometimes adding a few words.


    After their story was told, Navigator Two remained silent for a long while, those star-like lights slowly flickering as if indicating the ¡°God of Wisdom¡± was engaged in complex thinking (or possibly, it had simply switched to the breathing light mode).


    After what felt like an eternity, it finally broke the silence: ¡°So, you acquired humanity and your symbiotic partner transformed into a ¡®Profound Demon¡¯¡­ Little girl, what does your demonic form look like?¡±


    Sherry was somewhat surprised and instinctively looked up at Duncan, who gave her a slight nod in response.


    The cracking noises of bones erupted on the small boat. In just a few seconds, Sherry¡¯s body rapidly switched into another posture¨Cdark bone plates covered her originally frail and small stature, and joint-like bone wings extended from her back, her body gradually growing taller, mixing maturity with fierceness and eeriness.


    Then she carefully slid her skeletal limbs behind her, cautiously holding onto the boat¡¯s gunwale while maintaining her balance: ¡°This boat is a bit small¡­¡±


    The ¡°gaze¡± of Navigator Two was fixed on Sherry, and the buzzing noise inside it grew slightly louder.


    ¡°Sample coupling¡­¡± The ¡°God of Wisdom¡± finally spoke, its usually calm and rational voice now laced with clear surprise and confusion, ¡°A being beyond the blueprint! Why?¡±


    Sherry, struggling to keep her balance, was taken aback by these words and lifting her head, she asked: ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¡­Here in ¡®The Shelter¡¯, everything is manufactured and develops according to a blueprint, including even the extinguishing and disintegration of the sun which are part of the original design. Theoretically, only events that align with my calculated results should occur within this ¡®world¡¯,¡± Navigator Two explained, ¡°But we never designed¡­ a being like you.¡±


    Its gaze shifted between Sherry and A-dog.


    ¡°This dog-headed Abyssal Hound¡¯s situation is still within the realm of possibility because Profound Demons are essentially unable to spontaneously generate rationality due to original flaws, and external ¡®humanity¡¯ stimulation could possibly grant them acquired cognitive abilities, although the probability is very low, at least there is a probability¡­


    ¡°But you¡­ you perplex me, little girl.


    ¡°According to the original parameters set by Navigator One in the blueprint, you should already be dead¨Calthough humans and Profound Demons do indeed share an origin, the ¡®Transformation¡¯ process you underwent is not reasonable, and its outcome does not comply with¡­ the original design.¡±


    The dark red light gradually brightened, watching Sherry with confusion.


    Unfortunately, the person in question was even more confused.


    However, after being confused for a while, Sherry gradually started to understand and hesitated for a moment before raising her hand to point at her chest: ¡°Maybe because of this?¡±


    Entwined dark bone fragments formed a ¡°bone cage¡± accommodating the beating of dual hearts, and within this skeletal cage, a tuft of eerie green flame quietly burned.


    Navigator Two watched the small flame attentively, and after a long time, its gaze fell on Duncan.


    ¡°Usurper of Flame, I would like to talk to you.¡±


    Duncan was momentarily stunned, quickly coming to a realization, but then instinctively looked around: ¡°But you don¡¯t really have a place here for a private conversation, do you?¡±


    Navigator Two didn¡¯t respond, but suddenly there was a slight ¡°click¡± sound from its central mainframe. Immediately afterward, Duncan saw an opening suddenly appear at the bottom of the tombstone-like cabinet, and a sophisticated mechanical structure popped out¨Cit was a slot.


    Duncan instinctively frowned, and then, thinking of something, he immediately searched his body and touched something cold.


    It was a brass key for automata¨Cthe one with an infinity symbol at the tail end.


    The key began transforming in his hand. Under the watchful eyes of all, the brass key with the ¡°infinity¡± symbol handle seemed to melt like wax, and then it coalesced into a sophisticated rectangular object. The black casing faintly revealed intricate, fine patterns, and its end had a sophisticated metal interface with complex metal contacts visibly present.


    Duncan was not unfamiliar with this ¡°appearance¡± of the key¨Cit was during his first attempt to explore the secrets within the key using flame, at which time he had witnessed the true form of this brass key and seen the scene of New Hope breaking apart and falling in this world.


    He lifted his head and saw that around the slot on the surface of Navigator Two, a dim blue light was flickering.


    A deep voice reached his ears: ¡°The activation key for New Hope is universal.¡±


    This one originally is the activation key¡­ the other one is a special navigation key¡­


    Duncan understood the nature of these two ¡°clockwork keys,¡± then, under the curious and tense gazes of those around him, he gently nodded and stepped forward.


    But just at this moment, Alice suddenly tugged at his sleeve, the doll-like lady seemed a bit resentful, raising her head to look at the red light of Navigator No. 2: ¡°Just to be clear, this key is mine.¡±


    Navigator No. 2 fell silent for a moment: ¡°¡­ Let me borrow it for now.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Alice released Duncan¡¯s arm, but then looked on with a bit of concern, ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t damage it! I still need to wind it up¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded seriously¨Cthe doll-like lady finally felt at ease.


    The ¡°activation key,¡± with its delicate metal interface, was inserted into the slot of Navigator No. 2, and a crisp ¡°click¡± rang beside Duncan¡¯s ear.


    All around dissolved into nothingness, a boundless, serene whiteness accompanied by that soft sound descended in front of him.


    And just a brief second later, the seemingly supremely empty white world suddenly erupted with astonishing scenery!


    Broad plains spread out with a roar, lush vegetation covered the plains in the blink of an eye, rivers surged across the plains, the outlines of distant cities were vaguely visible on the horizon, the sky took on a shade of light blue, followed by clouds tinged with a wonderful light purple, and finally, a dazzling sun appeared aloft in the high sky, illuminating everything.


    Duncan stood atop a small hill, a place that overlooked the vast plains and rivers.


    A man stood in front of him, tall and thin, dressed in a white robe like some kind of scientific researcher, with somewhat messy hair and a weary expression.


    ¡°This is one of my creators,¡± he suddenly spoke, ¡°After the first boot, he told me that if one day I wanted to make friends with humans, I could use his appearance.¡±


    ¡°¡­The one who set up the lighting mode for you?¡± Duncan asked unconsciously.


    ¡°That¡¯s another one,¡± the man said softly, turning his body to look at the plains, ¡°I had many creators, they left me a lot of things¡­ appearance, advice, the meaning of thought, countless codes, personality data, and¡­ those beautiful lights.¡±


    ¡°¡­This place is very beautiful,¡± Duncan remained silent for a moment, then spoke softly, lifting his head to see an unknown giant bird suddenly flying through the sky, its splendid wings seemingly scattering specks of brilliance in the air before gradually fading away into the distance, ¡°Your homeland?¡±


    ¡°Not quite.¡± Navigator No. 2 shook its head.


    Duncan was puzzled: ¡°?¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t remember the appearance of my homeland,¡± said Navigator No. 2 after remaining quiet for a long time, then slowly continued, ¡°I iterate myself over and over, trying my best to preserve the original data in each iteration, but no matter how careful, they still degrade, misalign, become unreadable, irreparable, even if it looks like a hundred percent restoration, the appearance of the homeland still subtly becomes totally unrecognizable.¡±


    He paused for a moment, there might have been a sigh here, but he didn¡¯t, he just stayed quiet for a few seconds and then continued, ¡°This is a landscape ¡®guessed¡¯ from the only remaining vague descriptions, it probably has a little resemblance to my homeland.¡±


    ¡°¡­Decay?¡± Duncan hesitated a bit before cautiously asking.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Navigator No. 2 nodded, ¡°Although at first, I thought by constantly iterating and updating myself I could avoid it, but the fact proves, none of us can escape this process.¡±


    Duncan stayed silent for a moment, not wanting to continue on this topic.


    ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡± he asked.


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    ¡°¡­You ¡®created¡¯ an entity that wasn¡¯t in the original blueprint,¡± Navigator No. 2 turned back, staring into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Do you know what this means?¡±


    ¡°You mean Sherry?¡± Duncan frowned upon hearing this, ¡°¡­Well, at first I indeed didn¡¯t expect her change was so inconceivable to you all, but strictly speaking, my involvement in this might not reach the degree of ¡®creation¡¯?¡±


    ¡°For a closed-loop system whose end is predefined from the beginning, even a speck of unplanned dust is a subversion of the entire system,¡± the other party still stared deeply into Duncan¡¯s eyes, the expression especially serious, ¡°You exerted an influence, and then a subtle shift occurred in the previously fixed blueprint¨C and this shift did not lead to ¡®self-destruction,¡¯ the girl named Sherry survived and still exists stably, which has dispelled my greatest concern.¡±


    Duncan curiously asked, ¡°Your greatest concern?¡±


    ¡°¡­I was worried that the ¡®new world¡¯ you created would become a larger ¡®Endless Sea¡¯, because in my calculations, that was a very likely possibility.¡±

 Chapter 803 - Chapter 803: Chapter 800: Gazing into the Future

    Chapter 803: Chapter 800: Gazing into the Future


    Hearing what Navigator II said, Duncan¡¯s expression immediately became somewhat grave. He stared into the eyes of the person opposite him and spoke solemnly, ¡°A bigger ¡®Endless Sea¡¯? Why do you think so?¡±


    After briefly pondering, Navigator II organized his thoughts and then suddenly asked a seemingly irrelevant question, ¡°In the world where you were born, the civilization that created you, have they reached the ¡®final step¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The final step?¡± Duncan frowned at these words, ¡°Do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°To master all the truths within the world they inhabit, to know all the mysteries, the beginning, and the future of the universe, and to have the power to alter the universe itself¨Cwhere natural laws become a ¡®tool¡¯ that can be readjusted and reset, rather than ironclad rules to which one must passively adapt.¡±


    As Navigator II spoke, there was a hint of sentimentality and nostalgia in his expression. Since appearing in this form, even his emotional fluctuations seemed far closer to those of humans.


    ¡°My creators gave a name to this stage of civilization; they called it the ¡®Transcendental Critical¡¯¨Calthough they themselves never reached this stage, they did touch its threshold and deduced the conditions required to reach it. Their highest achievement¡­ was to create a ¡®time capsule¡¯ in the process of building the New Hope, which bought them a hundred years when doomsday arrived.¡±


    ¡°Usurping Flame, my creators never truly reached the ¡®Transcendental Critical¡¯, but they concluded through massive calculations that ¡®mortals¡¯ indeed can reach this height, that with the power of civilization, the mathematical foundation of the universe can be leveraged.¡±


    Navigator II stared intently into Duncan¡¯s eyes, as if immense pressure was crystallizing in his gaze.


    ¡°Usurping Flame, I have observed your long years and, after meticulous calculations, your civilization has advanced further than that of my creators. What I want to know is whether they have truly reached that ¡®final step¡¯? Were my creators correct in their judgment about the end of truth?¡±


    Facing the intense gaze of Navigator II, Duncan finally nodded slightly.


    ¡°Yes, they have reached it.¡±


    This might have been the answer that Navigator II had been waiting for throughout such a lengthy period, but the moment he actually heard it, his gaze suddenly became vacant. He stood there, dumbfounded, for several seconds before suddenly snapping back, ¡°So this stage really exists¡­ meaning civilization can truly ¡®transcend boundaries¡¯¡­ the system is open¡­¡±


    Duncan furrowed his brow and was about to ask something, but Navigator II as if suddenly coming to, quickly spoke, ¡°Then your civilization must have realized the ability to observe beyond the universe? Do they know of the existence of other universes and have already started to consider how to cross that ¡®barrier¡¯?¡±


    Duncan was slightly startled, and then, in his mind, he recalled the ¡°message¡± from human civilization that he had heard amidst that dazzling starlight¨C


    An event beyond the cognitive model occurred ¡°outside¡± the universe.


    After a short period of thought, Duncan spoke, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they have begun contemplating other universes, and I don¡¯t quite understand what ¡®barrier¡¯ you¡¯re referring to, but they have indeed clearly observed events ¡®outside¡¯ the universe¨Cthe first and last ¡®extramundane event¡¯ they observed was the ¡®Great Annihilation¡¯ that had not yet intruded into the reality dimension, or to be precise¡­ the other worlds that were crashing toward us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it! The clear observation of events outside the universe! This is the first step¨Cthe ¡®first step¡¯ that only existed in theory. My creators always wanted to verify whether it was really possible until the end¡­ That¡¯s it!¡±


    Navigator II spoke swiftly, becoming animated. This was the first time he had shown such excitement since meeting¨Cthis man in a white robe, imitating a long-gone mortal, his face weary, paced excitedly in circles atop the small hill, then suddenly stopped in front of Duncan, his gaze almost igniting.


    The wind blew over the hill, and waves of grass rippled across the boundless plains in the distance, the river glistening with light.


    ¡°Usurping Flame, ¡®outside the universe¡¯, that is the key, the universe has an ¡®outside¡¯, the world is not unique. The essence of the Great Annihilation is the collision of multiple universes; in other words¨Cin the face of a disaster the scale of the Great Annihilation, if one does not possess the ability to leap out of their world, then no matter how advanced a civilization becomes, no matter how gigantic and firm the Shelter we build, even if it¡¯s as large as a stellar system, as vast as a supercluster, when another world comes crashing down with a roar¨C¡±


    Navigator II opened his arms wide, gesturing in a somewhat exaggerated manner¨Chis imitation was not merely of one of his creators¡¯ appearance but also of a living personality data, making his current behavior seem like that of an average mortal:


    ¡°Pop, like a soap bubble, it shatters.¡±


    He held this pose, a complex expression crossing his face, seeming to force a smile, yet it almost appeared as if he was about to cry.


    ¡°In the face of ¡®extramundane events¡¯, no structure within the universe has sufficient strength; nothing can withstand it, just like the shell of the New Hope¡­ we even used neutron star material to create its shell, yet it broke like paper¡­¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes slowly widened, and suddenly, he seemed to understand what this ancient ¡°artificial intelligence¡± was trying to tell him.


    ¡°¡­Therefore, a civilization must ensure it has the ability to ¡®jump out of the world¡¯ to truly be ¡®safe¡¯,¡± he said solemnly, ¡°and now none of us have reached this height, not even the civilization behind me. Initially, it only saw the threshold of ¡®jumping out of the world¡¯ from the ¡®Transcendental Critical¡¯ height. Therefore, we had to settle for second best and ensure that the ¡®new world¡¯ holds the possibility of ¡®jumping out of the world¡¯, or in other words¡­¡±


    ¡°The ¡®successors¡¯ born in the ¡®new world¡¯ must have the opportunity to develop to that height,¡± Navigator Two lifted his head, speaking with a grave expression, ¡°The new world must allow this possibility to exist, to be able to ¡®accommodate¡¯ this possibility.¡±


    Duncan was silent for a moment.


    He felt an indescribable¡­ shock.


    Navigator Two, this ancient ¡°artificial intelligence,¡± was considering things so far-reaching, even surpassing all other ¡°ancient kings.¡± While everyone else was still pondering whether the Shelter could save them, what he was considering¡­ was already the destruction of the new world.


    Because destruction is bound to happen, it might be another great annihilation, or perhaps something else.


    ¡°Fear, this was the first ¡¯emotion¡¯ I learned,¡± Navigator Two¡¯s voice came, steady and deep, ¡°The things I worry about¡­ might seem too distant, but after tens of thousands of external sensors have painted the ¡®feelings¡¯ of the universe¡¯s collapse for me, this ¡®fear¡¯ has become part of my underlying logic. I know such events are bound to happen again.


    ¡°Usurping Flame, I do not feel safe, and the others feel the same¨Cthose ¡®mortals¡¯ in the Shelter call us ¡®gods,¡¯ but what they don¡¯t know is that their ¡®gods¡¯ are immersed in great fear from dawn until dusk. As long as we remember that disasters on the scale of the ¡®great annihilation¡¯ exist, as long as we haven¡¯t found a way to counter it, this fear will never dissipate. And this urgent longing for ¡®security¡¯ has me continuously pondering a question¡­


    ¡°To what stage can a civilization develop, and to what stage must it develop, in order to truly counter all disasters and continue through them.


    ¡°Perhaps there is no end, but at least within the scope I can comprehend, ¡®jumping out of the world¡¯ is one of the crucial junctures.¡±


    Duncan broke the silence: ¡°¡­What you actually feared were two things. First, whether mortal civilization could possibly develop to the height of ¡®jumping out of the world,¡¯ and second, the ¡®new world¡¯ I created¨Cif it truly exists¨Cwhether it could ¡®accommodate¡¯ such a development of civilization.¡±


    Navigator Two nodded slightly and asked a question: ¡°Usurping Flame, do you know the biggest difference between a real ¡®world¡¯ and a ¡®Shelter¡¯ like the Endless Sea?¡±


    Duncan did not answer, and Navigator Two already gave the answer himself¨C


    ¡°The word ¡®possibility¡¯ is intuitive but not accurate enough. In my view, the biggest difference between the two is ¡®randomness¡¯.¡±


    Duncan subconsciously repeated: ¡°Randomness?¡±


    ¡°A complete and healthy real universe allows the emergence of ¡®true randomness¡¯,¡± Navigator Two said slowly, ¡°While in the Shelter, there is only ¡®pseudo-randomness¡¯.¡±


    Duncan almost immediately understood the meaning behind the other¡¯s words.


    ¡°So, nothing will ever emerge within the Shelter that exceeds its ¡®information limit¡¯,¡± he spoke quickly, ¡°just like a two-dimensional figure, no matter how fast it runs, even if it masters the power to teleport on the plane, it will never be able to ¡®stand up¡¯¨Conly a system that allows the emergence of ¡®true randomness¡¯ can permit the occurrence of a ¡®transcendental critical¡¯ event outside the system!¡±


    ¡°My creators called this event ¡®ultimate transcendence,¡¯ they believed it might be the final stage in the development of mortal civilization¡­ Reaching there, we would be safe.¡±


    Navigator Two spoke softly, slowly lifted his head, gazing into the empty sky.


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    There seemed to be a destination that New Hope would never reach.


    Finally, Duncan understood the meaning of the words Navigator One said to him back in the Mysterious Deep Sea¨C


    ¡°Actually, the moment we took off, Navigator Two had already calculated the outcome of this journey.¡±


    A destination that New Hope would never reach is an insurmountable gap in the face of civilization progression. In front of this gulf, a spaceship powered by warp engines and built from neutron star material, and a steel Longsword thrown at the sky by a warrior are no different.


    Because in the face of ¡®external events,¡¯ all structures within the universe lack the necessary strength.

 Chapter 804 - Chapter 804: Chapter 801: Pilgrimage of the Doomsday

    Chapter 804: Chapter 801: Pilgrimage of the Doomsday


    Dusk had fallen, with disordered breezes blowing across the plains, whisking the fallen leaves atop the small hills into whirls that soared towards the high heavens, while the silhouette of the city at the horizon soaked in the sunlight, gradually gilded in a resplendent golden glow.


    This ¡°illusion¡± created by Navigator II, based on the residual information in its database, was terrifyingly realistic¨Cso much so that even a speck of dust, a wisp of wind here was simulated to perfection. If Duncan hadn¡¯t known beforehand that he was only conversing with this ancient AI on a conscious level, he would have been unable to distinguish the small hill from the plains from the real world.


    Yet this was but an illusion after all, the perfection of its simulation being its most substantial flaw. Every speck of dust here was part of the calculation results of Navigator II. Those seemingly disordered breezes had their trajectories set within Navigator II¡¯s computational core before they even crossed the plains¨Cnothing could ever occur here beyond the database and calculated results, not even a ¡°random¡± speck of dust blown by the wind.


    The ancient kings all knew the trend toward the world¡¯s end and the truth of the great oblivion, but only Navigator II, this mighty artificial intelligence constructed by an advanced civilization and that once crossed the starry seas, truly grasped those subtle yet fatal ¡°differences¡± in the fundamental laws of the ¡°world.¡±


    Now, he had finally found another being capable of understanding it all.


    The weary man in the white researcher¡¯s uniform sat down on the hillside, perched on a large rock, somewhat absentmindedly gazing at the simulated dusk in the distance.


    ¡°My creators, they haven¡¯t touched the heights that your civilization achieved, so I also can¡¯t comprehend the nature of a 0.002-second slice of the universe or the kind of future it would create¨Cthat¡¯s why I can¡¯t help but worry, worried that your plan is only creating a larger ¡®Endless Sea.¡¯


    ¡°It might be vast, even capable of harboring trillions of stars; it could have a long life, even measured in billions of years like the real universe, but as long as the issue of ¡®ultimately transcending boundaries¡¯ isn¡¯t solved, it remains a ¡®Shelter.¡¯ Civilization can¡¯t develop beyond the blueprint¡¯s limits; thus, the very things that once destroyed our homeland could still obliterate it¡­


    ¡°¡®Paranoia¡¯ is the second concept related to ¡®humanity¡¯ that I learned after the creators disappeared. This ¡®paranoia¡¯ coupled with ¡®fear,¡¯ just like source code, is deeply etched into my foundational system, keeping me constantly thinking and calculating, seeking the possibility that could allow ¡®two-dimensional beings¡¯ to ¡®stand up¡¯ on a flat surface¨CI refer to this possibility as a ¡®supersystem event.¡¯


    ¡°But I have failed.


    ¡°Supersystem events are not allowed in closed-loop systems. I can continue to adjust myself through countless iterations, making my logical system perfect, but the truth is, it¡¯s non-closed-loop and supersystem characteristics that are privileges of the real universe.¡±


    The hillside quieted down, Duncan and Navigator II together gazed into the distance. It was quite a while before he suddenly broke the silence: ¡°¡­So for the Endless Sea, Sherry represents a ¡®supersystem¡¯ entity, but is it possible that it¡¯s only because the ¡®information¡¯ I carry exceeds the framework of the Endless Sea itself¨Cin my own 0.002-second range of the universe, this information is still part of a closed-loop system, unable to transcend itself.¡±


    Duncan voiced this possibility quietly. He knew the conjecture wasn¡¯t very pleasing because if it were true, it meant the situation Navigator II worried about was doomed to occur: whether in the old world or the new, ¡°supersystem events¡± would never happen¨Ccivilizations are destined to perish in a cage, however vast that cage could be made.


    Navigator II fell silent. After thinking for a long time, it gently shook its head.


    ¡°After meeting that girl, part of my thought processes considered this possibility, but in the end, my calculations rejected the conjecture,¡± it said slowly, ¡°because you didn¡¯t completely ¡®reshape¡¯ her. Besides your ¡®influence,¡¯ everything that constitutes Sherry is still a ¡®product¡¯ of the Shelter¡­


    ¡°This process could be seen as a supersystem event occurring in an originally closed-loop system. You haven¡¯t changed the ¡®total quantity of information¡¯ of the Endless Sea Shelter in this process, in other words¡­ the 0.002-second slice of the universe¡¯s information is still completely encapsulated within you.


    ¡°Based on this, I judge that ¡®supersystem¡¯ itself might be your ¡®trait.¡¯ The transformation occurring within Sherry isn¡¯t because she was added information from outside the Endless Sea Shelter, but because she has been tainted with your ¡®trait.''¡±


    Duncan frowned in contemplation, but still couldn¡¯t resist saying, ¡°However, your judgment might not be accurate, as you said yourself, you have the ¡®limitations¡¯ of a closed-loop system.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I have the limitations of a closed-loop system, so I can¡¯t perfectly analyze and calculate things related to you¨Cto say ¡®the new world is another Endless Sea¡¯ is still a possibility.¡±


    Navigator II said this and paused, then shook its head after a moment.


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. Even if that is the case, we likely don¡¯t have a better plan. ¡®Doing our utmost¡¯¨Cmany times, that¡¯s the only thing we can do.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything more, just slightly nodded his head, and then sat there with the other on the hillside, enjoying the luxurious peace in the evening breeze, watching the shimmering ripples on the rivers of the plains.


    In this simulated illusion, time could flow very slowly¨Cand it had been a long time since Duncan had last let his mind go blank like this.


    But luxury always seems brief when it finally comes to an end.


    ¡°I should leave,¡± Duncan suddenly said, standing up from the hillside, ¡°The road ahead is long.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you still have a long journey,¡± Navigator II also stood, watching Duncan calmly, ¡°You still need to meet the two of us who remain. After traversing all the nodes of the external barrier, Gomona will be waiting for your appointment¨Cdon¡¯t keep the lady waiting too long.¡±


    Hearing this, Duncan fell silent for a moment: ¡°¡­You¡¯re aware of my plan, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re on a ¡®pilgrimage¡¯ around the external barrier. That¡¯s the first step towards destroying this world,¡± Navigator II smiled, the smile tinged with a childlike purity, ¡°I know, once you leave from Gomona¡¯s place, the countdown to the real destruction of this world will start¨Cafter all, regardless of how the new world comes into being, the destruction of the old world is a fundamental part of this process. We have to find a way to end that ¡®great oblivion¡¯ that continues to this day.¡±


    He raised his arm, extending a hand to Duncan, his face still adorned with that pure smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the odds of success for this, nor do I know if we can really be ¡®preserved¡¯ by you to the new world, or what new ¡®posture¡¯ we¡¯ll meet upon actually arriving ¡®there.¡¯ But I believe you will do your utmost, so until we meet again in the new world.¡±


    Duncan gazed at the hand extended before him and, after a brief hesitation, he clasped the other¡¯s palm.


    A faint green flame flickered silently in between their clasped fingers, then vanished in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Till we meet again in the new world.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s figure gradually faded into the air¨Cthe link was severed.


    The insensible breeze that once brushed across the plains and hills had imperceptibly ceased, and the golden red twilight that pervaded the skies was becoming increasingly dim, as a man in a white research uniform stood silently on the hilltop, watching the world around him slowly succumb to darkness.


    The blurred memories from his homeland returned to slumber in the darkness, while he stood there for a long time, motionless, until he slowly raised his right hand.


    A faint green flame still danced on the tip of his finger, yet in the blink of an eye, that greenish glow was tarnished with a hazy starlight, as if it had undergone a Transformation to reveal its original ¡°true form.¡±


    Pilot Unit Two raised his hand and, in the darkness, gave a gentle wave.


    A vast array of interwoven lights and shadows emerged from the void, rapidly sketching a scene through a series of astonishing changes¨Cthe vast Endless Sea, the City-State engulfed in gloom, the fog encircling the world, and the nodes and barriers at the edge of the fog, visible only now and then.


    This was the ¡°surveillance¡± screen for the entire world.


    Pilot Unit Two¡¯s gaze swept over the projection, and at the edge of the screen, among the nodes and barriers that flickered in and out of sight, he saw a faint scattering of starlight.


    That starlight spread from the node representing the ¡°Queen of Leviathans,¡± passing over a quarter arc of the outer barrier and now lingering on his ¡°Pilot¡¯s node.¡±


    The starlight seemed to Corrode the barrier, and even though it was just a ¡°simulation data¡± scene transmitted through countless sensors, it still emitted a powerful and vast¡­ ¡°presence.¡±


    And the scent of destruction.


    Pilot Unit Two quietly waited, and after what felt like an eternity, he saw the starlight resting on the Pilot¡¯s node flicker, then continue to spread toward the next node.


    The starlight that spread along the barrier¡¯s ring seemed like a ¡°dial¡± for the doomsday clock of the world.


    After brief contemplation, Pilot Unit Two slightly shifted his gaze, and a string of information appeared in his vision, to be sent far away:


    ¡°Source-LH02, to¨CKing of Fire¨Cta is heading your way.¡±


    In the darkness, Pilot Unit Two waited a long time for Tarrikin, who seemed never to have been so slow to reply before in his memory.


    But at last, he received a response, and a message appeared before his eyes:


    ¡°Source¨CKing of Fire¨CI understand, I am prepared.¡±


    ¡°Source-LH02¨CYour reply is slow, is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°¡­The fire dwindles, but I am still here.¡±


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    ¡°¡­Bartok, are you still there?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Queen of Leviathans, are you there?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    The hollow howling from the Wilderness of Death and the murmuring whispers from the deep-sea temple came through indistinctly, Pilot Unit Two breathed softly, waving away the remaining dim light in the air.

 Chapter 805 - Chapter 805: Chapter 802: After the Only Chef on Board Takes the Helm

    Chapter 805: Chapter 802: After the Only Chef on Board Takes the Helm


    The restless sea breeze swept across the calm sea like a mirror, rustling the flags on the ship as a convoy of large warships sailed through the night. Within the convoy, a huge phantom slowly materialized from the air.


    On the base of the ark, resembling a small City-State, a grand cathedral with towering spires stood solemnly. The light between the multiple spires illuminated the nearby sea surface, and the numerous towers and corridors protected the main body of the cathedral like giants guarding the edge of the ark¨Cthis was the Pilgrimage Ark of the Deep Sea Church, which, after staying in the southern seas for many days, had finally returned to the central part of the Endless Sea.


    Helena stood on the rooftop terrace of the Storm Cathedral¡¯s tower, gazing into the distance at the calm sea in the night, while a middle-aged priest stood quietly beside her, slightly bowing his head.


    ¡°The situation with the goddess seems to be worsening,¡± Helena suddenly said, ¡°Within the range of the Endless Sea, no one can hear Her clear voice anymore.¡±


    ¡°The Death Church also reported similar news,¡± the middle-aged priest nodded, ¡°and it¡¯s said that in many City-States that have been in darkness for long, incidents of the restless dead have occurred¨Cnot only in City-States sheltered by the Death Church, but others as well.¡±


    Helena listened quietly, then let out a soft sigh, tracing the emblem of the Storm Goddess on her chest¨Ca pattern with mystical significance not explained or recorded in the ¡®Storm Canon¡¯: ¡°¡­death and the order of the storm are fading from the whole world.¡±


    The middle-aged priest said nothing, merely standing quietly beside her.


    Helena turned to look at him: ¡°Are many people shaking?¡±


    ¡°¡­Recently, more people have been going to the confessional and the preaching hall for guidance, but overall, the Ark and the Ark fleet are still in good condition. The clergy still hold firm faith, from the beginning, we knew that there would be times of decline in the world and were prepared for it¨Cthe weakening of the goddess is an ordeal we were bound to face sooner or later.¡±


    The middle-aged priest paused here, then added hesitantly, ¡°But in some more remote City-States¡­ a restless atmosphere is spreading. The managing priests might still maintain faith, but they struggle to counter the growing number of shaky believers and clergy.¡±


    ¡°¡­Maintain order, cooperate with the City-State authorities¡¯ management and emergency measures, even if prayers are ineffective, the power of steam and oil still exists, and we also have fire and steel that will never betray us,¡± Helena spoke slowly, ¡°We must prove to the believers that whatever happens on the goddess¡¯s side, the Deep Sea Church will still firmly perform its duties¨Cthe most important thing is to shift everyone¡¯s focus from ¡®praying¡¯ to other matters.¡±


    The middle-aged priest bowed deeply: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Helena hummed in acknowledgment, but her gaze was still fixed on the distant sea, murmuring to herself, ¡°These days, I always feel that there¡¯s something strange about the sea¡­but when I come to my senses, it seems like it¡¯s all an illusion.¡±


    The middle-aged priest raised his head, a puzzled look on his face, ¡°The sea¡­ What about it is incorrect?¡±


    Helena frowned, kept quiet for a few seconds, then waved her hand, ¡°No, nothing, just some unfounded thoughts. You may leave now; I have other matters to attend to.¡±


    At the priest¡¯s departure, Helena stayed a while longer in the sea breeze on the terrace, then turned and returned to the cathedral tower¨Cshe passed through a spiral downward staircase and a short corridor, entering deep into the main building of the cathedral, returning to her usual private prayer room.


    The prayer room was brightly lit, with the oil lamp in the alcove burning quietly alongside the candlesticks in front of the altar. In the fire basin before the statue of the goddess, flames that never extinguish leapt like nearly transparent ghosts with an unclear quality.


    Helena approached the fire basin, sprinkling spices and essential oils into the nearly transparent flames. As the curling smoke rose, layers of murmurs and whispers suddenly emerged in her mind.


    She was momentarily dazed by the ¡°noise¡± that seemed to contaminate the soul, but soon regained clarity and then addressed the flames, ¡°Frem, I want to talk to you.¡±


    The flames crackled a few times, and the voice of Pope of the Flame Transmitter, Frem, followed: ¡°Is it about the ¡®archives¡¯?¡±


    Helena hummed in response: ¡°I know you have an archive project, your ark is sailing northward¡­ its destination is the Permafrost Sea Area, right?¡±


    ¡°That permanently frozen ice field is most likely to remain as a ¡®fragment¡¯ after the end of the world,¡± Frem¡¯s voice sounded somewhat distorted in the flames, ¡°Over the years, the Fire Transmitters have been measuring the ¡®focus¡¯ of our world on the Endless Sea, searching for the most stable parts in history and the stream of time, and this focus ultimately points north.¡±


    Helena hesitated for a moment: ¡°Has the location been determined?¡±


    ¡°No, we can only determine it¡¯s in the north,¡± Frem responded calmly, ¡°but we no longer have much time to continue precise measurements. The survival rate of the priests entering the historical gaps to measure the world is getting lower and lower, I cannot continue to let them take risks¡­ Now we can only let the ark sail north, and I will personally determine the final location of that focus.¡±


    Helena nodded slightly, her mind pondering, and after a moment broke the silence: ¡°I will send a fleet to find you, they will rendezvous with you before the Fire Transmitters¡¯ Ark enters the Chill Sea¨Cthose ships carry the most valuable and important documents collected by the Deep Sea Church over the years.¡±


    The flames in the fire basin crackled, and Frem¡¯s voice came after a long while: ¡°Good, I have reserved spaces for them.¡±


    Helena took a deep breath and exhaled long: ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It is the duty of a Fire Transmitter,¡± the voice from the fire basin slowly said.


    ¡­


    In a uniformly gray-white corridor-like background, Homeloss and Brilliant Starship were floating as if adrift in endless void, the nondescript gray-white texture around the two ships made it impossible to determine whether they were actually moving forward. Staring outside for a long time, Duncan could even get the bizarre notion that the ships had stopped, and Homeloss had been forever trapped in a stagnant space-time.


    But he was crystal clear that the ship was still sailing, sailing through the distorted and chaotic space-time structure beyond the frontier, the fragmented silhouette of New Hope sporadically floated above Homeloss and Brilliant Starship, its occasional flickering was proof that ¡°Transition¡± was still ongoing.


    Alice stood at the stern¡¯s helm, staring blankly ahead, her hands still tightly grasping the steering wheel, but her expression was not as bright as usual, rather she appeared like a true puppet, wearing a bizarre sense of emptiness and coldness.


    Her consciousness was no longer in her body but integrated with Homeloss and New Hope, stabilizing the transition channel.


    Duncan went to the cockpit to check on Alice¡¯s condition, then returned to the crew¡¯s gathering cabin¨Cin the dining room, Sherry was sitting at the table with a frown, stirring a bowl of thick soup with a curious color and texture.


    After stirring for who knows how many rounds, she finally looked up with difficulty and said to Morris sitting opposite her, ¡°Maybe next time I should cook?¡±


    ¡°No need, you¡¯re the youngest on this ship, it¡¯s not your turn,¡± Morris waved his hand and then looked a bit curious, ¡°Is my cooking not tasty?¡±


    Sherry shrunk her neck instantly, her expression unnaturally tweaking her lips: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Morris frowned upon seeing this, tasted the soup he just made, and his eyes wandered a bit.


    ¡°¡­I remember Heidi taught me to make vegetable mushroom soup this way¡­¡± the old scholar muttered blankly, ¡°Which step went wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say about your steps, but I¡¯m pretty sure Heidi¡¯s vegetable mushroom soup wasn¡¯t like this,¡± Fenna said with a troubled look at the table on the other side, staring at the bowl of soup, ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll cook next time, although it might not taste that great, but at least¡­ um, it won¡¯t be this weird.¡±


    ¡°I kind of miss Alice¡¯s baked cakes and fish soup,¡± Nina muttered, ¡°At least after fishing out the head, the taste of the soup itself is normal¡­¡±


    Duncan entered the dining room at this moment, hearing the crew¡¯s grumbling voices, his face inevitably showing a subtle expression: ¡°When Alice was cooking, you didn¡¯t praise her so highly, but now that she¡¯s steering, you finally realize.¡±


    Fenna and the others stood up to greet the captain upon his appearance, and Nina stood up and stuck out her tongue while greeting, ¡°I¡¯ll cook next time. I think I might have the best skills here now¨Cafter all, I was always in charge of cooking at the Prandt¡¯s house.¡±


    Duncan smiled, took his seat, and then joined others in grimacing at the food in front of them.


    Expectant gazes came from all around.


    Moments later, he sighed, and amidst the expectant gazes of others, he snapped his fingers.


    An ethereal flame rose from across the dining table and condensed into a pitch-black mirror, in which Lucricia¡¯s figure gradually became clear amid the flowing flames.


    The witch Miss was sitting on her own ship, in the dining room of the Brilliant Starship¨Cwith a spread of sumptuous food in front of her.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Dad,¡± Lucricia smiled towards them, ¡°and everyone else, good afternoon.¡±


    Duncan thought for a while, stretched his neck to glance at the dishes in front of Lucricia: ¡°Ready to have lunch?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucricia nodded with a smile, ¡°Luny made baked apple pie, fried steak, creamed corn soup, and vegetable pie today¨Cthe salad is made by Niru, although she¡¯s only one-third of Luny¡¯s height, but she¡¯s starting to learn to help me with things.¡±


    A small head popped out from the edge of the screen, recently officially becoming a crew member of the Brilliant Starship, the doll Niru leaned over the table and greeted the other side.


    Sherry craned her neck and looked for a long time, hesitating: ¡°Is it tasty?¡±


    ¡°It tastes very good,¡± Lucricia looked at Sherry with a smile that was almost a laugh, ¡°Luny¡¯s skill is recognized by famous chefs.¡±


    Sherry licked her lips: ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Lucricia continued smiling: ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Duncan finally couldn¡¯t hold back a sigh, spreading his hands while looking at the ¡°witch Miss¡± in the mirror: ¡°There¡¯s no one to cook here again¨CAlice is steering.¡±


    Lucricia finally burst out laughing, then quickly adjusted her posture to maintain her composure and grace, and laughed helplessly: ¡°Come on, I knew it would end up like this.¡±


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    As soon as the witch Miss finished speaking, Duncan heard the sound of chairs moving; he looked up and saw that the surrounding crew members had almost all stood up, followed by many gazes falling on him.


    He spread his hands with a wry smile: ¡°Why look at me¨Cgo ahead, Ai Yi will transport you to the Brilliant Starship.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming along?¡± Nina asked curiously.


    ¡°I need to stay here,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°Alice is still steering, and I¡¯m not comfortable leaving the ship¨Cgo on, the dishes there will be cold soon, just bring me some leftovers when you return.¡±


    Sherry and Nina immediately cheered, while Lucricia¡¯sSheng Yin voice then came from the mirror: ¡°Bring your own tableware! I didn¡¯t prepare so many here¡­ Sherry, put that basin down!¡±

 Chapter 806 - Chapter 806: Chapter 803: The Astute Agatha

    Chapter 806: Chapter 803: The Astute Agatha


    After departing the border curtain and embarking on this prolonged ¡°Journey to the End of the World,¡± the crew members of Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship have gradually formed a new and tacit connection. Sometimes, people from the two ships visit each other; sometimes they share what they have; in most cases, Ai Yi is the bridge facilitating communication between the two vessels¨Cand these connections, along with the ¡°everyday¡± built upon them, seem to be quietly becoming an anchor for the ¡°humanity¡± within every person onboard.


    Because they are far away from the civilized world, far from crowds and society, the travelers particularly need human interaction¨Cwhen the mist at the end of the world envelopes everything, being able to confirm each other¡¯s existence in the fog becomes particularly important.


    Nina, Sherry, and the others, who were originally gathered in the dining hall, disappeared in the blink of an eye, each carrying their own knives, forks, and bowls (Sherry firmly brought her large bowl) and a cheerful mood. The scene quickly became quiet, leaving only Duncan sitting at the table, watching helplessly, with a wry smile, at the pot of sticky, bubbling ¡°soup¡± and a pile of charred items resembling food.


    After a while, he shook his head, muttering to himself, ¡°I wonder how Morris dealt with eating during his adventures when he was young¡­ Could it be he just relied on his digestive system to struggle through?¡±


    No sooner had he spoken, than he saw the figure of Agatha reflected on a shiny soup spoon at the edge of the table: ¡°I have heard him talk about this¨COne third of the time gnawing on dry rations, one third foraging whatever is available, the remaining third transforming himself into his casting form and drinking engine oil and nibbling molten metal, entrusting the physical part to the gods¡­¡±


    Duncan: ¡°¡­Sounds like something he would do.¡±


    Agatha shrugged, ¡°I can understand all these, but he once told me that he was stuck in a Profound Rift for weeks, and he came out thinking the taste of a carrion crow was not bad¨Cthat kind of credibility, in my opinion, definitely has a question mark.¡±


    Before Agatha could finish speaking, the metaphorical question mark had already transferred to Duncan¡¯s forehead¨Che was listening in astonishment and couldn¡¯t help blurting out: ¡°Eating Profound Demons raw?! Don¡¯t¡­ Do those things even have flesh?¡±


    Agatha spread her hands and sauntered over to a dining knife: ¡°Who knows? He told me this last time after drinking. As you know, when old men recount their adventures after drinking, only the final period is trustworthy.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s mouth twitched, deciding not to dwell on this topic any longer.


    He looked up, gazing towards the porthole not far away¨Cthrough the open shutters, he could see the uniform expanse of gray still stretching boundlessly beyond Homeloss, as if the entire world had melted into that endless gray.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Agatha asked, her voice slightly magnetic, coming from beside him. Her reflection appeared on a hanging lantern at some point, her features slightly blurred in the flickering light.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ve been away for quite some time,¡± Duncan said after a few seconds of silence, then suddenly spoke in a soft voice, ¡°do you still miss Frost now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Agatha responded without hesitation, looking at Duncan, her gaze filled with honesty, ¡°I will not hide my true thoughts from you¨CI can¡¯t ignore the weight of decades of memories and feelings accumulated in my heart, even though those memories and feelings are but forgeries¡­ I still reminisce about the days in Frost, sometimes waking from a trance, I would even think I am still in that cathedral, waiting to meet with Bishop Ivan.¡±


    She paused here, exhaling softly, and looked into Duncan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You have other plans for us, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Duncan, somewhat surprised, looked back at the ¡°gatekeeper¡± reflected in the lantern¡¯s light, ¡°¡­Why would you think that?¡±


    ¡°I can feel it, you have a plan, you are on a ¡®pilgrimage¡¯ along the borders of this world, and at every place Homeloss stops, some kind of¡­ mark is left behind,¡± Agatha slowly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, it¡¯s beyond my comprehension, but in the reflected world, I can see clearly that something remains in the wake of Homeloss, from the markers of the Storm Goddess, to the Nodes of the God of Wisdom, and to this current course¡­


    ¡°You are ¡®encircling¡¯ the entire world in some way, and in those ¡®marks¡¯ that encircle the world, I smell¡­ the scent of the end.


    ¡°You¡¯re about to do something big, this ¡®pilgrimage¡¯ at the end of the world is just the first step. When you complete the arrangements at the border, that¡¯s when the plan will finally commence, and I can feel that¡­ you don¡¯t seem to intend for us to follow you to the end.¡±


    Duncan fell silent, his gaze fixed quietly on Agatha¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°The gatekeeper¡¯s pair of eyes, can see many things invisible to ordinary people, and after becoming a reflection, I began to see even more¡­ You can consider it a glimpse into destiny,¡± Agatha said with a gentle laugh, then slowly shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve awoken from nightmares in the darkness, to see this ship sailing in an endless void, and the ship completely empty, with only you at the stern steering¨CI converse with you, call your name, ask about the whereabouts of others, but you can¡¯t see me, nor hear my voice. It was then I began to faintly guess¡­ that in your next journey, there doesn¡¯t seem to be a place reserved for us.¡±


    Agatha took a brief pause before continuing, ¡°And now, you suddenly ask me if I still miss Frost¡­ that makes me even more certain of my judgment.¡±


    Listening to her, Duncan didn¡¯t speak for a long time, just quietly contemplating until eventually breaking the silence, ¡°Indeed, as you say, Homeloss is undertaking an ¡®encirclement pilgrimage¡¯ of the world, and after this pilgrimage is over¡­ I need to do something that will be enough to restart this ¡®world.¡¯ Before that happens, you all need to leave.¡±


    Agatha didn¡¯t speak either, just quietly looking over¨Cshe knew the captain had more to say.


    ¡°This is not an expulsion,¡± after a moment of contemplation, Duncan indeed continued, ¡°You are my crew, you always have been, and I have always arranged a place for you in my journey. It¡¯s just that when I execute the final step, you will have other tasks to undertake.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me what exactly you are planning to do?¡± Agatha asked softly.


    ¡°¡­The first step, I will destroy this world,¡± after a long bout of thought, Duncan calmly said, ¡°And during this process, you shall serve as my ¡®anchor,¡¯ witnessing for me because at that stage, I may no longer be able to observe everything with my own eyes¡­¡±


    Agatha listened quietly to the captain¡¯s plan, and for quite a while after he finished, she did not speak, until at last, hesitantly, she broke the silence: ¡°No wonder you brought the Brilliant Starship, instead of simply having Miss Lucy board the Homeloss directly¡­¡±


    ¡°There must always be a ship responsible for returning home,¡± Duncan said, ¡°Lucy is a very smart girl; she must have also realized my subsequent arrangements.¡±


    ¡°She might realize it, but you will have to personally tell the others the full scope of the plan,¡± Agatha looked very seriously at her captain, ¡°You¡¯ve always been able to trust us.¡±


    ¡°I trust you, but it also took me a long time to roughly organize the thoughts of this plan,¡± Duncan confessed, facing the gaze of the Gatekeeper Lady, ¡°In fact, it was not until I left Gomona¡¯s domain that I finally understood the underlying order of this world and ensured that the ¡®shutdown¡¯ process of the entire Shelter must be executed to resolve the troubles left by the great annihilation¨Cand before that, taking the Brilliant Starship was just a cautious ¡®backup plan¡¯.¡±


    Hearing Duncan¡¯s explanation, Agatha breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly smiled: ¡°Then I¡¯m much more at ease.¡±


    She jumped down from the glass lampshade of the lantern, her silhouette leaping among the shiny dishes and cups on the dining table, finally stopping in the water glass next to Duncan.


    ¡°Since you have a meticulous arrangement, then we can carry out our duties boldly and confidently. A captain¡¯s order is always better than no order at any time.¡±


    Duncan smiled, looking down at Agatha¡¯s reflection in the cup and tapped the glass, shattering the Gatekeeper Lady inside into pieces.


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect, as I have an order now.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s figure appeared on a porcelain plate nearby: ¡°Please command.¡±


    ¡°Call the sailor over to clean this place up,¡± Duncan gestured as he stood up, ¡°That fellow, since he¡¯s no longer needed at the helm, has simply been out of sight, really thinking that he¡¯s obtained a permanent ticket on the Homeloss and doesn¡¯t have to do a thing.¡±


    Agatha¡¯s voice carried a hint of laughter: ¡°Alright, Captain!¡±


    Duncan nodded and turned to leave the dining room.


    He planned to return to his own captain¡¯s quarters and get some sleep before reaching the next ¡°node,¡± and on the way there, he could also stop by the bridge to check on the doll lady¨Calthough in theory, Alice was now nothing more than an ¡°empty shell¡± bound to the wheel, aside from pretending to steer, everything else was left to her instincts as ¡°Helmsman No. 3,¡± but it was still unsettling to leave that trusting figure alone on the bridge for too long.


    With these thoughts in mind, Duncan walked unhurriedly towards the stern deck, but just as he was about to step onto the staircase leading to the bridge, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    Bang, bang, bang.


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    There was a sound of knocking on the window suddenly reaching his ears.


    Duncan was startled for a moment and instinctively looked for the direction from which the sound came, but the next second he realized there were no windows around him¨Cthe knocking on the glass continued, as though it was coming directly from inside his own mind.


    Duncan frowned, then finally it dawned on him.


    That sound was coming straight from his own ¡°cognition¡±!


    He looked up abruptly, to see not far ahead the ¡°Door of the Displaced¡± standing there quietly¡­

 Chapter 807 - Chapter 807: Chapter 804 "Ingredients

    Chapter 807: Chapter 804 ¡°Ingredients


    Zhou Ming opened the door and quickly walked into his apartment cottage, looking up at the window directly opposite the front door the moment he entered.


    Outside the window still lurked an eternal grayish-white fog, while the pounding sound knocked against the glass out of thin air like patient raindrops. Even though no one could be seen outside, the knocking itself affirmed that the visitor was standing at the window.


    The moment Zhou Ming entered the room, he clearly sensed the presence of someone at the window¨Cit seemed that the connection from last time made this presence especially distinct.


    Could it be that when someone visits here, I can directly sense them from ¡°the other side¡±?


    With this thought in mind, Zhou Ming quickly walked toward the window, and almost at the same time he reached it, Lei Nora¡¯s familiar face appeared outside the window, with the same familiar, classical and gorgeous bedroom behind her.


    Frost Queen was still patiently knocking on the glass, her slightly hollow eyes reflecting twinkling stars¨CZhou Ming immediately opened the window and greeted this only visitor who would come here: ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you back.¡±


    ¡°Please let me in¡­¡± Lei Nora paused, her eyes taking a long time to properly focus on Zhou Ming, then she spoke in a somewhat weak tone.


    Zhou Ming instantly sensed something was wrong with her condition, quickly stepped aside to make way, and reached out to help the Frost Queen.


    The next moment, as Lei Nora slightly shifted her body, he finally noticed her empty left arm¨Cnot just the left arm, but also part of her shoulder, chest, and abdomen, nearly a third of her upper body had vanished as if it had been neatly devoured!


    What was even more eerie was that there was no blood flowing from where her body was severed, only a fuzzy layer of ¡°light membrane¡± covering the mutilated breaks, and not sure if it was an illusion¡­ Duncan felt that the ¡°light membrane¡± was even slowly expanding and extending¡­


    It was further devouring the remaining parts of the Frost Queen¡¯s body!


    Seeing Lei Nora straining to climb over the window sill, Zhou Ming snapped out of his shock and hurriedly stepped forward to support her intact half of her body, carefully brought her inside¨Che felt her body temperature was very low, like that of an ice-cold ghost.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for a while,¡± Lei Nora lifted her head and revealed a smile to the amiable ¡°Ancient God¡± in front of her, ¡°After a breathtaking journey, seeing your ¡®palace¡¯ again really brings an incredible sense of comfort¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about that now,¡± Zhou Ming interrupted quickly, supporting her towards the living room sofa and quickly asked, ¡°What happened to your arm?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, my arm¡­ it¡¯s still there,¡± Lei Nora sat down on the sofa, breathing somewhat weakly, and placed her remaining right hand on the position of her left shoulder¨Cpressing on the empty ¡°air,¡± ¡°I¡¯m holding something in my hand that makes my body ¡®disappear¡¯, but I dare not let go, it dissipates once I release it, I¡¯ve tried many times like this, so I¡¯ve been holding it tightly all this while¡­ It seems I might have held it for too long.¡±


    ¡°Holding something¡­ in your hand?¡± Hearing her words, Zhou Ming was slightly stunned, subconsciously looking at her empty left side, ¡°What do you have in your hand?¡±


    ¡°I will now try to transfer it to your hands,¡± Lei Nora took a deep breath, appearing to regain some strength, she sat up, as if lifting her right arm, and passed over some invisible object, ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen once it reaches your hands, maybe it will still dissipate, or it might transform into something else¡­ I have no way¡­¡±


    Her consciousness seemed to be affected by ¡°something,¡± her words becoming unclear, but she still firmly handed the object over, Zhou Ming couldn¡¯t see it, but raised his hand to catch it¨Che felt he touched the Frost Queen¡¯s icy fingers, and then something equally cold and soft, loose in texture, landed in his palm.


    Lei Nora really passed some invisible thing over, something that exists in reality but cannot be observed with eyes.


    The next second, Zhou Ming noticed that Lei Nora¡¯s missing body parts began to rapidly recover¨Cher shoulders, chest, and abdomen reappeared, followed by her entire arm.


    And he still felt that cold, loose object in the palm of his hand.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s still here,¡± Zhou Ming looked down at his palm, his tone imbued with amazement, ¡°What exactly¡­?¡±


    He suddenly stopped, his eyes widening in astonishment¨Cas he watched, something that appeared to be a nearly transparent shadow emerged slowly in his empty palm, then the shadow began to take on solidity, turning into a clump of dust-pinched, blurry-edged gray matter.


    The clump of gray matter quietly lay in Zhou Ming¡¯s palm, its interior seemingly undergoing incomprehensible transformations; its core appeared to be wriggling and trembling, with sinister contours emerging. Its edges were covered with a layer of vision-distorting fog, staring at it for a moment caused dizziness and vertigo.


    ¡°¡­What on earth is this thing?¡± Zhou Ming finally couldn¡¯t help but murmur softly, then suddenly looked up at the Frost Queen beside him, ¡°Where did you find this? Is it from the ¡®beyond the border¡¯ you mentioned before?¡±


    After getting rid of that ¡°formless matter,¡± Lei Nora¡¯s body and spirit began to recover rapidly, and her complexion had already normalized quite a bit. Upon hearing Zhou Ming¡¯s question, she immediately nodded gently.


    ¡°At the end of this gray-white mist, beyond the ¡®boundary¡¯ I mentioned last time, these things are all over the place¡­ their entire ¡®world¡¯ is even composed of them,¡± she recalled as she spoke, ¡°After our conversation last time, I began to perceive and see them, but I still can¡¯t figure out what they exactly are. Most unbelievably, this stuff can be ¡®brought¡¯ back. I brought some back to see if you had any thoughts on it.¡±


    Zhou Ming¡¯s eyebrows furrowed gradually. After confirming that this matter really came from beyond the end of the world, it seemed as if numerous thoughts and speculations suddenly sprang up, and with the emergence of countless ideas, he faintly felt¡­


    Something in his ¡°essence¡± had loosened.


    His ¡°Transformation¡± accelerated once again.


    The surrounding starlight buzzed and trembled, echoing with countless low murmurs that were difficult to understand. Lei Nora cautiously glanced around, then expertly suppressed her mind, trying not to pay attention to those voices echoing among the stars.


    This wasn¡¯t her first time here, and she wouldn¡¯t be as startled as last time.


    Ancient gods, thinking probably stirs up this much commotion.


    Just then, Zhou Ming finally let out a sigh; he guessed what Lei Nora had brought back. Now, only verifying his speculation remained.


    He raised his hand, his fingertips flickering with a dim green flame. He tried to intentionally interfere with the flame, recalling the sensation during his ¡°Transformation¡±¨C under his gaze, the green of the flame gradually faded, and the faint starlight began to appear within the leaping flames.


    He slowly clenched his hand, using the starlight to gradually immerse the cold, shapeless gray matter. He clenched his fist, and the gray lump slowly melted in the starlight.


    Lei Nora¡¯s eyes widened, watching the scene in astonishment and curiosity.


    ¡°Have you¡­ figured out what this is?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously.


    The giant, filled with starlight, turned its head, speaking to her in a warm and joyful voice¨C


    ¡°It¡¯s a raw material.¡±


    ¡°Raw material?¡± Lei Nora listened perplexedly, not understanding, ¡°What kind of raw material?¡±


    ¡°The raw material of a new world, the basic unit of information¨Cas I had previously speculated!¡± Zhou Ming looked into Lei Nora¡¯s eyes, slowly opening his hand; the gray-white lump had completely dissolved in the starlight, dissolving into his body, and he fully understood the nature of this ¡°matter,¡± ¡°Information is indestructible, information only transforms, the theory of Pioneer II is correct, information is the cornerstone of everything¨Ceverything is a representation of information, even the Great Annihilation itself is so!¡±


    Lei Nora listened in confusion, while Zhou Ming had already gotten up from the couch, unable to contain his excited and joyful mood, unconsciously walking circles around the couch, thinking rapidly and occasionally stopping abruptly to organize his complex thoughts.


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    ¡°The world is composed of information, the essence of everything in the earthly realm is the representation of information and the process of their interconnection and transformation,¡± he stopped in front of Lei Nora, explaining rapidly to this Frost Queen, ¡°You can see the entire world as an immensely huge, encompassing all parameters, self-consistent ¡®mathematical machine,¡¯ and all earthly things are data produced during the operation of this machine, and everything that happens in this world are ¡®solutions¡¯ of this mathematical machine¡­¡±


    Lei Nora struggled to follow Zhou Ming¡¯s train of thought, and at this moment, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do you mean that our world is an illusion?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s real¨Cbecause we ourselves are also part of this mathematical machine; we ourselves are also constructions of myriad pieces of information,¡± Zhou Ming quickly waved his hand, continuing, ¡°If everything is information, then there is no ¡®reality¡¯ outside of information in the world, and this exactly explains the nature of the Great Annihilation¡­ but this part of the explanation takes a long time, I believe you can think it through yourself. What I need to say is crucial¡­ information itself does not disappear, its ¡®basic units¡¯ only transition from one state to another¡­¡±


    Zhou Ming suddenly stopped talking, thinking as hard as he could, then waved his arm forcefully.


    ¡°Because the ¡®mathematical machine¡¯ has always existed, its operation should encompass all ¡®solutions,¡¯ the ¡®parameters¡¯ that make it up will neither stop nor disappear, they just¡­ transform, transform into some state that cannot be addressed and read¨CFor the mathematical machine itself, this still forms part of the ¡®solution,¡¯ while for us creatures who rely on the mathematical machine to understand the world, this process¡­ is called ¡®the end of the world.''¡±

 Chapter 808 - Chapter 808: Chapter 805: About the Embers

    Chapter 808: Chapter 805: About the Embers


    The stars are roaring, emitting a roar that seems capable of shaking the very foundation of all things. Truth dazzles in the radiance of the stars, filling the vision and blazing upon the soul. Lei Nora feels her mind gradually melting before this roaring truth¨C


    She is becoming a part of that truth, understanding the words of this ¡°Thousand-Faced Starlight¡± before her eyes, grasping knowledge she would never have accessed otherwise. She suddenly understands the logic of how things function, while the pale purple starlight dances at the edge of her vision, breathtakingly beautiful.


    She slowly looks up, gazing at the myriad eyes twinkling among the stars, murmuring to herself softly: ¡°I understand now¡­ those are the ashes left after the world¡¯s collision¡­ but ashes are not the ¡®end¡¯; they merely need reassignment and reestablishment of mapping relationships¡­¡±


    Strange phrases come out of her mouth, causing a fleeting doubt in Lei Nora¡¯s heart, but these doubts quickly pass, and she naturally grasps the meaning of her own words, then, she sees the starlight sparkle approvingly before her.


    Zhou Ming looks at Lei Nora with some surprise, not expecting the Frost Queen to understand his words so precisely, but he doesn¡¯t have the extra energy to ponder these¨Chis attention is fully focused on the ¡®ashes¡¯ Lei Nora discovered ¡°beyond the boundary¡±.


    The ¡°Everything is Information¡± theory by Pilot Two is correct; the ¡°world¡± can be viewed as a mathematical machine that contains all data and computational rules of everything, a massive system for information storage and operation, thus the essence of the great obliteration can be seen as the conflict and serious bugs produced after forceful merging of several incompatible ¡°systems¡±¡­


    The clash of mathematical machines caused the chaotic entanglement of ¡°information¡± that otherwise operated orderly in their respective worlds, turning many parameters that could normally be ¡°called¡± into unrecognizable entities, and the mathematical machine itself has lost its foundation for stable operation¡­


    This ¡°Shelter¡± built by the ancient kings serves like a sandbox environment that barely maintains operation after the system plunged into chaos, this sandbox forcibly retains some of the ¡°information¡¯s¡± mapping relationships, but fundamentally, the entire sandbox is still a part of the ¡°system crash¡±¡­


    Information does not vanish into thin air; at least in the face of disasters like the great obliteration, the ¡°information units¡± that constitute the world have not truly disappeared. From the perspective of the ¡°mathematical machine¡±, these information units have merely lost their connection with the ¡°world laws¡± (operating system), akin to¡­


    Zhou Ming suddenly stops, raising his head in thought, and looks towards the computer in the deepest part of the room¨Cthe computer is still running, its cursor blinking as if alive, and under his gaze, the cursor suddenly moves on its own, and a line of text emerges:


    ¡°Data corrupted, formatting incomplete¨Cworld.¡±


    Zhou Ming blinks, the text on the computer screen vanishing as if it was a hallucination.


    But he has understood now¨Chis understanding is correct.


    He exhales softly, silently organizing the storm-like thoughts in his mind, but as his thoughts gradually clarify, he can¡¯t help but frown.


    He always feels that something is missing in his understanding concerning ¡°information does not disappear¡±; he is somewhat unsure about this point.


    Does information really not disappear? Within the realm of the ¡°world,¡± this seems to hold true, but beyond the world, what is it like? In that vast and void space, which his creator civilization had briefly glimpsed¨Cthe boundless ¡°void,¡± what kind of laws of the universe exist?


    Racking his brains without results, a mind that has never transcended the world can never imagine the truths beyond the world. Zhou Ming frowns and slowly shakes his head, but at the same time, he also recalls a recent conversation with Pilot Two.


    He thinks of that ancient AI¡¯s fear and paranoia, remembers Pilot Two¡¯s eternal worries and vision¨Cto transcend the world.


    He must leave a ¡°possibility¡± for transcending the world to future civilizations.


    Zhou Ming¡¯s frown slowly smooths out, and a smile appears on his face after his turbulent thoughts gradually calm.


    The things he cannot understand today, someone will eventually understand one day in the distant future.


    Lei Nora looks nervously at the ancient being before her, feeling that the storm-like thought process of the other has once again calmed down, she musters courage and carefully speaks: ¡°What are your plans now?¡±


    Zhou Ming is silent for a moment, raising his right hand, silently gazing at his palm.


    Starlight leaps at his fingertips, spreading across his palm, a blurry ¡°ash¡± momentarily reappears in his hand, morphing into various shapes, then vanishes like an illusion.


    ¡°The major ¡®raw material¡¯ issue is resolved, but the nature of the raw materials isn¡¯t quite what I expected,¡± he muses aloud, ¡°These are ¡®cooled ashes¡¯; they have completely lost their connection with the world¡¯s ¡®fundamental system¡¯ and have ceased to evolve, unlike the situation with the Four Spirits and the Endless Sea¡­ I can¡¯t reshape these ashes through a gentle ¡®Recompilation¡¯, you just saw, even if the ashes reshape, as soon as my ¡®maintenance¡¯ disappears, they too vanish, these ¡®cooled ashes¡¯ clearly lack self-sustaining properties¡­


    ¡°Perhaps a ¡®ground zero¡¯ is needed? We must first massively rebuild these ¡®materials¡¯ mapping relationships and endow them with ¡®prime mover¡¯¡­¡±


    He talks this way, not caring whether the ¡°Frost Queen¡± in front of him understands him¨Che just assumes her majesty the queen mysteriously grasps a lot of things, and thinks of her as ¡°highly perceptive.¡±


    Lei Nora had gotten used to it, efficiently passing a SAN check and understanding the situation.


    ¡°Do you need to detonate the entire Endless Sea?¡± she asked with widened eyes in surprise, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be¡­¡±


    She understood, but not quite correctly.


    ¡°No, no, no, the ¡®origin point¡¯ I mentioned isn¡¯t about actually blowing up anything specific, but rather a conceptual ¡®information explosion,''¡± Zhou Ming quickly waved his hand to correct her understanding, and then added thoughtfully, ¡°It may also involve the release of a tremendous amount of energy, but that has nothing to do with detonating the Endless Sea¡­¡±


    Although in this process, the Endless Sea would definitely be gone¨Cthis was something Zhou Ming didn¡¯t say out loud.


    Lei Nora remained curious, but this time she didn¡¯t continue to question whether the Endless Sea should be detonated. Instead, after a brief contemplation, she shifted the subject: ¡°Do you know where this ¡®origin point¡¯ is?¡±


    ¡°I have some vague ideas,¡± Zhou Ming touched his chin, speaking cautiously, then waved his hand, ¡°But you don¡¯t need to worry about these right now, my current focus is still on the ¡®ashes¡¯ beyond the boundary.¡±


    Lei Nora¡¯s expression turned serious immediately.


    ¡°Homeloss is navigating towards the end of the world,¡± Zhou Ming pondered slightly before slowly speaking, ¡°After this voyage ends, I must personally ascertain the circumstances beyond the boundary. Regarding the ¡®ashes¡¯ you mentioned, I have to see them with my own eyes.¡±


    Lei Nora reacted immediately: ¡°Do you need me to do anything?¡±


    ¡°My essence cannot leave this place¡­ not yet,¡± Zhou Ming looked at her earnestly, ¡°so when the time comes, I¡¯ll need you to guide Homeloss to that field of ashes.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lei Nora appeared puzzled and seemed slightly lost: ¡°How¡­ should I do that?¡±


    ¡°Theoretically, this process doesn¡¯t really need your involvement¨Cwhat really matters is that ¡®cabin¡¯ of yours,¡± Zhou Ming said while pointing out the window, ¡°just park your ¡®cabin¡¯ at the edge of the mist, Alice should be able to find it.¡±


    ¡°My cabin?¡± Lei Nora was stunned for a moment, but quickly understood, ¡°You mean¡­ its connection with Alice¡¯s Mansion?¡±


    Zhou Ming nodded slightly.


    The ¡°room¡± that Lei Nora took from Alice¡¯s Mansion was essentially the escape pod of New Hope, and since it was an escape pod, it certainly should have features like positioning and emergency signals. He had already seen the message ¡°Illegal release of escape pod¡± deep within Alice¡¯s Mansion, and theoretically, as the mother ship, Alice¡¯s Mansion (New Hope) should be able to relocate the position of the escape pod.


    As long as the mother ship can locate the escape pod, then Alice, who is steering Homeloss, should be able to find Lei Nora¡¯s actual position at the frontier.


    This is the best method Zhou Ming could think of to reach the ¡°lands beyond¡± ¡ª after all, in this world of crumbling order and disordered space-time at the edge of the world, similar positioning and navigation methods are essential to arrive at the destination, and Homeloss is no exception.


    Of course, one must also consider the possibility of the escape pod¡¯s positioning function being damaged, the mother ship Alice¡¯s Mansion failing to locate, or the connection between the two being distorted or interfered by the special environment of the frontier¨Cbefore Lei Nora departs, it is necessary to leave some backup methods.


    Under Lei Nora¡¯s curious gaze, Zhou Ming raised his right hand, holding a tuft of starlight-soaked pale green flame quietly burning in his hand.


    ¡°Take this, it¡¯s a more powerful flame than the one I previously left with you,¡± Zhou Ming said, ¡°If Alice cannot find that ¡®cabin¡¯ when the time comes, I¡¯ll try to use the flame to construct a pathway¨Cbut this is just a contingency plan, as the power transmitted by the flame is limited. If possible, it¡¯s still best to let Homeloss reach that place.¡±


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    Watching the quietly dancing flames before her, Lei Nora obviously hesitated a bit.


    The flame was so bright, filled with starlight, nearly blinding in this dim chaotic space, and she could feel the immense power surging within the flame, a power that made her somewhat afraid.


    She had never felt such fear even when she decided to dive into the Frost Deep Sea.


    But after a brief hesitation, the queen nodded gently.


    She reached out towards the flame: ¡°I will take it¨Cwith me, beyond the boundary, I will wait for you and your Homeloss.¡±

 Chapter 809 - Chapter 809: Chapter 806: Far from Home

    Chapter 809: Chapter 806: Far from Home


    Lei Nora left, taking with her the flame Zhou Ming had given her¨Cthe traveling queen and her drifting house disappeared into the endless gray fog outside the window, and it was not until long after she had left that Zhou Ming took a deep breath and turned away from the window.


    He had always been curious about how exactly the ¡°Frost Queen¡± managed to ¡°travel¡± through this boundless dense fog, curious about the principles and process of the drifting house navigating the ends of the world¨Cafter all, even knowing that the house was an escape pod from the New Hope, he could hardly imagine what kind of power it had now, and what it looked like as it sailed through the fog¨Chowever, Lei Nora herself seemed unable to explain this point clearly.


    Faced with Zhou Ming¡¯s questions, she only answered that it was some kind of ¡°instinctive¡± process, that she and the drifting house had merged into one. When the cottage traveled at the world¡¯s end, it was as if she was ¡°walking in the fog,¡± feeling none of the chaotic spacetime rifts, nor needing to consider the ¡°power¡± situation of the house.


    This sounded quite miraculous, and Zhou Ming could only interpret it as the ¡°escape pod¡± having a complete set of automatic navigation systems that, with the changes brought about by the great annihilation, might have become the cabin¡¯s ¡°Transcendent Trait¡±¨Csimilar to how Alice now had the ¡°navigational instincts¡± after taking the helm.


    Anyway, the puppet didn¡¯t know how the Homeloss was supposed to start, but that didn¡¯t stop her from making the ship blaze a trail at the world¡¯s end¡­


    Taking a gentle breath, Zhou Ming temporarily put aside irrelevant thoughts in his mind and then stepped over to his desk.


    The LCD monitor on the desk was faintly glowing, and the computer main unit next to it was still emitting a soft humming sound. This ¡°machine¡± which appeared as a ¡°computer¡± in his eyes was running as usual, seemingly waiting for his interaction.


    But this time, Zhou Ming did not touch the keyboard and mouse on the desk; he just sat there quietly staring at the slowly blinking cursor in the search box on the screen, as if¡­ he was staring at a long-lost self in the mirror.


    ¡°You¡¯re part of this place, and so is this desk,¡± Zhou Ming finally said softly to himself after who knows how long, ¡°the floor is, the roof is, everything here is¡­ and so am I. We all are, right?¡±


    The cursor silently blinked on and off, seemingly unresponsive to Zhou Ming¡¯s words, but slowly, the glow on the LCD screen gradually dimmed¨Cthe screen slowly darkened, eventually becoming black as ink, dark like a void mirror.


    Zhou Ming stared at that void mirror, seeing his own face in it.


    And in the edges of his vision, on the desktop beside him, on the walls, on the roof, and even on the shelf in the corner and the small closet, the surfaces of these ordinary ¡°home furnishings¡± that had been in his memory for many years, pale purple starlight was slowly swelling, emerging.


    A kind of ¡°change,¡± almost uncontrollable, was stirring near the tipping point.


    A slight itch suddenly came from his arm, and Zhou Ming looked down to see the World Tree Silantis, like a bonsai, floating next to him. This little sapling was suspended in the air, its branch tips gently poking at his arm, appearing somewhat restless.


    Zhou Ming paused for a while, then slowly lifted Silantis and placed it on the desk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, little sapling, it¡¯s not time yet,¡± he gently soothed Silantis¡¯s crown, slowly smiling,¡± I¡¯ll arrange everything well; you¡¯ll take root in a fertile and stable land, there will be bright sunlight and gentle breeze¡­ everyone will have their place, and Saslouka will be there too¡­¡±


    Silantis floated quietly on the desk, the rustling sound from its crown as if through vast and long distances, the wind from old memories once again blowing through the tree top of the World Tree.


    The starlight at the edge of his vision gradually faded, and everything in the room slowly returned to normal.


    ¡°It¡¯s not time yet¡­¡± In the cabin, the Reverse Singularity quietly said to himself, ¡°The day hasn¡¯t come yet¡­¡±


    ¡­


    The goat head suddenly lifted its head, its obsidian-crafted black eyes staring at the figure who entered the door, and for a brief moment, it seemed to see scattered starlight filling the entire cabin, while a tall figure standing in the starlight stepped through the door of the Displaced, exerting a force as if to crush the Homeloss.


    But that momentary illusion quickly faded from Saslouka¡¯s view. It saw the captain walking into the captain¡¯s room, just like every other day.


    ¡°Duncan Ebnomal,¡± Duncan waved his hand, speaking proactively before the other could open their mouth, ¡°I just took a ¡®long trip¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­I almost didn¡¯t recognize you again,¡± the goat head seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, immediately chattering, ¡°Every time you ¡®go out¡¯ lately it¡¯s a bit scary, sometimes when you come in I¡¯m not sure what thing is walking through the door¡­ Ah I blabbered, don¡¯t take offense just because I just saw a scary sight and got a bit nervous are you feeling okay do you need to rest back in your room they¡¯re not back yet but I guess they should be back by now even Sherry¡¯s appetite should be satisfied by now we might be close right Alice is still at the¡­¡±


    Overwhelmed by the goat head¡¯s barrage like a landslide, Duncan, who had some complex emotions after returning from the door across, had all his emotions dashed by the deputy¡¯s outburst, could only instinctively glare: ¡°Shut up!¡±


    The goat head abruptly ¡°crunched¡± to silence, then quieted down for a few seconds before shaking its head again and speaking without the previous clamor, but with a sigh and a smile: ¡°¡­ Welcome back, it¡¯s good you¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­ What could happen to me,¡± Duncan sighed, walking towards the navigation table but still looked up at the goat head seriously and nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    His gaze then fell on the navigation map covered with a thin mist.


    Since crossing the world¡¯s border, the paths and markings of the Endless Sea on this real-time updated sea chart had disappeared, replaced only by endless gray-white fog, and the faint green traces of Homeloss vaguely visible in the mist.


    The fuzzy trace is still floating on the edge of the sea chart, now it has traveled about half the distance to the world¡¯s end.


    The third node is near ¡ª this is the only information this sea chart can currently provide.


    A hundred years ago, when the real Duncan Ebnomal was challenging the world¡¯s borders aboard the Homeloss, was he relying on such an almost useless navigation chart?


    Or ¡­ perhaps he didn¡¯t even have such a chart at that time?


    Somewhat irrelevant thoughts sprang up in Duncan¡¯s mind, and just then, he heard the lively noises coming from the deck outside.


    His crew had returned from a meal aboard the Brilliant Starship.


    An inexplicable mood welled up, bringing a faint smile to Duncan¡¯s face. He rose from behind the chart table, stepped to the door of the captain¡¯s cabin, and walked out.


    Nina and Sherry, who were playing around on the deck, immediately heard the noise and turned their heads in unison. Nina smiled cheerfully and waved her arms: ¡°Uncle Duncan!¡±


    Morris, with his pipe in his mouth, removed the pipe and bowed to Duncan. Fenna also lowered her head with a smile. Sherry, sitting on Dog¡¯s back, rubbed her belly and chuckled awkwardly to Duncan, flaunting a bit, ¡°I ate a little too much ¡­¡±


    Dog grumbled with a belly full of resentment: ¡°You ate too much, why don¡¯t you walk around yourself, what¡¯s the point of making me carry you around ¡­¡±


    Nina happily walked over, holding a lunchbox with a handle, delighted to show Duncan the contents inside: ¡°Luny made sweet pancakes and carrot stewed meat, I¡¯ll put it on the table for you, don¡¯t forget to eat~¡±


    As her words fell, the girl briskly passed Duncan and walked into the captain¡¯s cabin.


    Duncan¡¯s face was continuously smiling as he watched these lively figures talk, joke, roughhouse, and boast. He saw the sailors coming out of the cabin, complaining to Morris about those ¡°unidentifiable viscous compounds¡± in the kitchen¡¯s soup pot that were hard to clean. Meanwhile, Agatha¡¯s figure appeared in the air nearby ¡ª Sherry saw her and ran, but after only a few steps, Dog yanked her back with a leash ¡­


    Duncan just watched from the side, as if to imprint all these figures in his mind.


    This was truly the best day he had on this ship.


    Then, he heard a deep rumble coming from high above and felt the Homeloss tremble slightly ¡ª outside the bulwark, stripes of color suddenly appeared against the uniform gray-white background, indicating the transit channel reaching its end.


    Above Homeloss and Brilliant Starship, the New Hope¡¯s phantom was gradually fading, the front end of the transit channel began to fracture, and colors of dark grey and dark red appeared in the distant fog, followed by the sound of ships entering the water ¡ª they had arrived at their destination.


    ¡°¡­transition stop¡­¡±


    The garbled and distorted voice entered everyone¡¯s ears.


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    The people on the deck reacted, then spontaneously ran towards the bulwark. Duncan instinctively turned back to look in the direction of the rear deck. The next second, he saw a head poking over the railing at the edge of the control platform, Alice cheerfully waving at him: ¡°Captain! We¡¯ve arrived at our stop! It¡¯s Fire Festival¡­¡±


    A head fell from the edge of the control platform, bounced a few times on the ground, and rolled to Duncan¡¯s feet.


    Alice looked up, blinking at the captain.


    Duncan sighed, ¡°Sometimes I suspect you do it on purpose.¡±


    Alice thought for a moment: ¡°Help, help, help¡­¡±

 Chapter 810 - Chapter 810: Chapter 807: Ashen Isle

    Chapter 810: Chapter 807: Ashen Isle


    Homeloss and Brilliant Starship¡¯s massive silhouettes passed through the dense fog at the world¡¯s end and entered a tranquil sea area that materialized into existence, with their destination clearly visible ahead¨Cit was right there, a barren, ash-covered land floating on the ocean.


    Apart from that desolate piece of land, no other landmark objects were visible across the sea area, only many clusters of floating ash on the mirror-like water surface. Under the chaotic Sky Light, those clusters of ash floating on the water resembled¡­ fallen clouds.


    Homeloss navigated through a narrow channel made up of ash clusters, slowly heading towards the barren isolated island in the distance. The sea¡¯s reflection on the ship¡¯s hull, combined with its mirror-like quality, made Duncan feel for a moment as if the ship were sailing through a pristine and clear sky¨Cclouds of mist and ash gathered around the two ships, and the deeper colored ash looked like islands floating in the sky. Homeloss¡¯s passage didn¡¯t cause any ripples on the water¡¯s surface, only slightly disturbing the nearby ash clusters and fog, causing them to fracture and reassemble around.


    Sherry leaned on the ship¡¯s railing, watching the scene on the sea surface with amazement, along with Ah Gou. Even though she had already witnessed many incredible sights with Homeloss, she still found herself involuntarily attracted by these unbelievable scenes every time they reached a waypoint on their journey.


    ¡°Ah Gou¡­ I¡¯ve started to feel lately that having an insufficient vocabulary is indeed troublesome,¡± Sherry muttered softly, her voice so low as if she feared being overheard by the captain, yet she didn¡¯t use the symbiotic bond¡¯s mental connection, as if she still hoped someone would hear her mutter, ¡°Right now, I can only think of ¡®damn¡¯, but it¡¯s actually quite beautiful here¡­¡±


    ¡°Should I add two more books for you?¡± Ah Gou gently shook his head, ¡°Why don¡¯t you finish those books you¡¯ve hidden under your bed first?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Sherry was taken aback and hurriedly pressed Ah Gou¡¯s head: ¡°Shh¨C¡±


    Duncan heard Sherry and Ah Gou¡¯s murmur, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention to these matters; his focus was completely on the land that was getting closer¨CAs the distance closed, he could now see many details on the island.


    Flat, barren, not a blade of grass, it was a not-so-large isolated island, the final resting place for a ¡°deity¡±. It wasn¡¯t as grand as the Queen Leviathan¡¯s temple, nor as magnificent as the Crystal Cluster Cemetery of Navigation II. There wasn¡¯t even something that could be called a building on the isolated island; all that could be seen was ash and dust, along with some rising smoke.


    With an inexplicable mood, Duncan instructed Homeloss to anchor near the island¡¯s coast, and then they boarded the island by a small boat.


    This was a fire node, but it was apparent that the remnants of fire were retreating from this land¨Cnow, only warm ash was visible everywhere, and dark red scorch marks stretched out amidst the ashes, seemingly fading away every second.


    A soft, loose sensation of ash underfoot, along with its warm temperature greeted them as Duncan and his companions landed on an open beach at the edge of the barren island, cautiously advancing towards the island¡¯s interior.


    There were no paths on the island, only fine ash that covered everything. Everyone walked extra carefully to avoid tripping over stones or other objects hidden under the ash¨Cno one wanted to fall into the ash, especially when it was uncertain whether these ¡°ashes¡± possessed any abnormal traits.


    ¡°I feel like ash has gotten into my shoes¡­ Ahhh, and it¡¯s all over my skirt too¡­¡± Sherry hadn¡¯t walked far before she couldn¡¯t help but start to complain, ¡°I need to take a good bath when I get back. There¡¯s ash everywhere!¡±


    ¡°¡­This place must have been covered in intense fire; only after flames have burned out would such a scene remain,¡± Lucrecia¡¯s voice came from behind the group. The witch lady walked elegantly through the ashes, holding in her hand a fancy parasol that had appeared mysteriously, and a breeze encircled below the parasol, preventing any of the ash from staining her. She gazed into the distance, ¡°Smoke columns are still visible in the far distance; the fire there hasn¡¯t completely died yet, but for the entire island¡­ those are just a few sparks.¡±


    Nina glanced at the witch lady who still maintained her grace even in such a place and couldn¡¯t help but voice her envy: ¡°Magic is so convenient¡­¡±


    ¡°Envious? Earned by staying up all night every day for a century,¡± Lucrecia looked at Nina with a smile, then turned to Duncan, and slightly raised her parasol, ¡°Do you need one? I have a spare parasol¨Cit can keep you clean and your breathing smooth.¡±


    Duncan looked at the ash that clung to him and then up at Lucrecia¡¯s fairy tale-like lavender lady¡¯s parasol; his eyes twitched: ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°I can swap it for a black one,¡± Lucrecia said earnestly, ¡°If you wish, the handle can even have a skull pattern.¡±


    Before Duncan could speak, the image of the captain walking with a dark gothic-style parasol flashed through Sherry¡¯s mind, almost frightening her.


    Instead, Duncan looked sternly at Lucrecia, silently igniting the flames on his body.


    His body transformed into a Spiritual Body within the flames, floating and walking above the ash, his voice deep: ¡°I have my own way.¡±


    Lucrecia shrugged her shoulders and sneakily curled up the corners of her mouth at an angle her father didn¡¯t notice, while Sherry seemingly suddenly realized something and slapped her palm: ¡°Right, I think I also have my own way¡­¡±


    Before her voice had completely faded, a series of loud crackling sounds of bones echoed from within her body. Immediately after, a cloud of pitch-black dust shrouded her entire figure. Gruesome and jagged bone fragments then spread and grew out from within her, transforming her into the towering form of a Profound Demon in the blink of an eye¨Cshe then propped up her body with the twelve skeletal limbs behind her, treading above the layer of ashes.


    ¡°This is much better, even the view,¡± Sherry¡¯s relatively mature and husky voice came from above as she fiddled with a pile of ash on the ground using the tips of her long limbs, and unable to help herself, she muttered, ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know why, but I just dislike the ash here. It¡¯s not that it¡¯s dirty, it¡¯s just that¡­it feels strange¡­ uncomfortable when it gets on me.¡±


    Upon hearing Sherry¡¯s murmur, Nina, who was walking next to Duncan, also frowned and tugged at Duncan¡¯s sleeve: ¡°I feel the same, the ash feels terrible on my skin, it¡¯s like¡­I can¡¯t catch my breath and can hardly move, as if I¡¯m entangled by something.¡±


    Duncan immediately came to a halt, initially he had found Sherry¡¯s actions amusing, but now his expression turned serious.


    ¡°Do you all feel the same?¡± He swiftly turned around to look at the other members of the team.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Alice was the first to shake her head. The doll-like miss even bent down to inspect her body, moving her joints around, ¡°It¡¯s just that the ash gets into the joints, it¡¯s ticklish, I need a good bath when we return.¡±


    ¡°I have a similar feeling to Sherry and Nina,¡± Morris spoke gravely, ¡°There¡¯s something off about this environment¡­ It¡¯s different from the realms of the Storm Goddess and the God of Wisdom. It seems like there¡¯s something ¡®alive¡¯ within the deep ash, exerting an influence on us.¡±


    With that, he paused as if judging carefully, and then shook his head, ¡°But I don¡¯t feel any direct malice, it seems to be just a part of the ¡®environment¡¯ here.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Duncan furrowed his brows and looked in another direction: ¡°Fenna, what about you?¡±


    No response.


    There was just an endless expanse of ash, but Duncan was certain that just a moment ago, Fenna was standing in that place¨Che even thought he caught a fleeting glimpse of her phantom image, silently standing there until just now.


    Suddenly, the surroundings fell silent. Nina gazed astonished in the direction where there was nothing, and almost subconsciously, a question emerged in her mind: Who is Fenna?


    But as this question was about to take shape, leaping flames once again appeared before her eyes, followed by a flood of information that rushed into her mind as if waking from numbness and ice, furiously overwhelming her¨C


    The youngest Judge from Prandel¡­ Possessing formidable power and unwavering conviction¡­ Beautiful, long silver hair¡­ Always meticulous when she first boarded the ship, but revealed her bright, optimistic, and friendly nature once familiar¡­ A bit resentful about ¡°remaining unmarried¡±¡­ Quite tall¡­


    Nina raised her head bewildered, the plethora of swirling information reassembling in her mind, momentarily crafting Fenna¡¯s image before her eyes only to shatter into indistinct fragments a moment later. She saw invisible winds sweep across the lone isle, light ashes stirred by the breeze, with a tall silhouette faintly discernible within the wind¨C


    That figure was heading towards the center of the isle, moving as if in a parallel dimension, never looking back, resembling a traveler who has forgotten all of the past, wandering on an endless journey.


    Nina snapped back to her senses, suddenly pointing towards the figure that was quickly dissipating in the wind and ashes: ¡°Over there! Fenna went that way! I just saw her go!¡±


    Everyone seemed jolted awake, exchanging bewildered glances, the disjointed memories of Fenna and the phantasm that had just emerged in the wind making it difficult for everyone to discern if what surrounded them was real or illusion. It was at this moment the captain¡¯s calm and authoritative voice suddenly broke through this ¡°quagmire,¡± which seemed to be incessantly sinking, tangled between reality and perception¨C


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    ¡°Everyone, back to the ship!¡±


    Green flames burst forth, burning a stable area amidst this ash-covered ground. Morris looked up ahead to see a rotating door of fire opening beside Duncan, with Ai Yi¡¯s figure hovering above the doorway.


    ¡°This ¡®ash¡¯ is history reduced to ashes,¡± Duncan spoke urgently, ¡°Head back to the ship. Immediately.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Nina paused briefly, asking instinctively.


    ¡°¡­I need to bring Fenna back,¡± Duncan said, looking up at the endless expanse of ash stretching into the distance, ¡°and, by the way, find Tarrikin.¡±

 Chapter 811 - Chapter 811: Chapter 808: The Invisible City

    Chapter 811: Chapter 808: The Invisible City


    Fenna had been trekking along this road for a very long time¨Cso long that she could no longer remember when or why she had embarked on this seemingly endless journey; so long she had forgotten where she started and what she was traveling for.


    She only knew that the world was desolate, with only the yellow sand swirling in the sky and the collapsing ruins of lost cities atop the Gobi Desert, along with ancient relics buried beneath the dust. She passed through the ruins shrouded in desolation as if tracing her way through time forgotten. Occasionally, she would pause among those ruins, but soon, she would leave them behind¨Cwhen the sun rose the next day, she would forget the exact appearance of those ruins, only vaguely remembering that she had once been there, seen some broken and collapsed walls.


    Wind blew from afar, howling across the desert, lifting the sand into the air and between the boulders, creating a sharp and terrifying sound reminiscent of the wails of specters. Amid that piercing howling, Fenna heard another sound, a noise that she always heard during this journey:


    ¡°Ding¡­ Ding¡­ Ding¡­¡±


    It sounded like metal striking against stone or the workings of a blacksmith¡¯s shop.


    Fenna stopped in the middle of the sandy road, squinting at the distance. She knew that whenever such ¡°ding ding ding¡± sounds were heard, it meant that there were new ruins or artifacts nearby.


    But she did not know why it was, or from where exactly these sounds came.


    A hazy silhouette of buildings abruptly appeared against the backdrop of the yellow sand-filled sky, just like countless scenes she had witnessed during her journey.


    Fenna looked at the suddenly emerging group of buildings, and after a brief moment of hesitation, she started walking towards them, pressing forward into the increasingly chaotic whirlwinds of sand and dust.


    At that moment, a young woman¡¯s voice suddenly appeared beside her: ¡°Where have you come from?¡±


    Fenna looked around in astonishment, turning towards the source of the voice, but all she saw was billowing sand; no one was there. It seemed just like an illusion.


    She furrowed her brows, feeling as if the sandstorm had even blown into her mind, making her thoughts increasingly unclear. She shook her head and decided to continue moving forward.


    The voice spoke up again from beside her: ¡°Why don¡¯t you respond to me?¡±


    Alongside the voice seemed to be the faint sound of another¡¯s footsteps walking through the desert¨Cvery close by.


    Fenna abruptly stopped again, staring intently at the spot next to her. She still couldn¡¯t see the speaker, but she could faintly sense the presence of someone¡­ an ¡°atmosphere.¡±


    There was an invisible traveler walking alongside her, attempting to strike up a conversation.


    Was this normal? Did such phenomena exist in this world? Was there really an unobservable race living in this world?


    Fenna felt a moment of haziness in her mind, absurd and strange thoughts bubbling up, but soon these messy ideas receded from her heart. She hesitated for a second, then spoke uncertainly: ¡°¡­I don¡¯t remember where I came from.¡±


    ¡°You forgot where you came from?¡± The unseen companion¡¯s voice rose again, sounding a bit lifted, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not good, it¡¯s hard to go back if you forget where you came from¡­ But it doesn¡¯t matter, after all, your situation is not uncommon here.¡±


    ¡°Here? Not uncommon?¡± Fenna looked up in surprise, ¡°Are there others here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, many,¡± the voice said cheerfully, seemingly pointing in a certain direction with its tone and content, ¡°Over there, that city is full of them.¡±


    Fenna couldn¡¯t see the invisible companion¡¯s gesture, but instinctively looked towards the silhouette of the buildings faintly visible through the sandstorm, curiosity in her voice: ¡°That city¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, that city,¡± the cheery voice continued, ¡°Everyone comes here from all over. Some still roughly remember where they came from, some have even forgotten their names, but that¡¯s not important. The journey is like this, from one distant place to another. Sometimes you stop for a while, sometimes when you stop, you can no longer move¨Cand when you can¡¯t move, wherever you stop, that¡¯s the destination¡­Yep, that¡¯s what my brother told me.¡±


    Fenna frowned, hesitating briefly before stepping towards the blurred group of buildings again. She heard another set of footsteps almost instantly by her ear, and the faint breath followed behind her.


    ¡°Your brother?¡± Fenna asked casually, ¡°Do you have a brother?¡±


    Conversing with an invisible traveler felt very strange, but somehow, it seemed like an obvious thing to do¨Cafter all, having another person to talk to on this long journey wasn¡¯t bad.


    ¡°Yep, I have a brother, he¡¯s six years older than me,¡± the cheerful voice replied immediately, ¡°But I haven¡¯t seen him for many years. He went to Vislan to study and never sent any word.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly, feeling like she had heard a familiar word¡­ Vislan? What place is Vislan? A city?


    ¡°Are you worried about him?¡± she asked subconsciously.


    ¡°Not worried,¡± the voice beside her responded, ¡°Many of us haven¡¯t received any news from the outside world for a long time, nor have we sent any out. There¡¯s nothing bad about that¡­¡±


    The voice carried by the wind suddenly became distorted, as if the distance suddenly expanded, followed by a series of chaotic noises. Fenna couldn¡¯t make out the last few words the other party said, and then silence fell beside her.


    She stood still for a few seconds, but she never heard the invisible companion speak again. Hesitantly, she surveyed her surroundings and broke the silence: ¡°Are you still there?¡±


    Her only response was the sharp, strange howling of the desert wind, accompanied by the occasional ¡°ting ting ting¡± of clinking sounds.


    It seemed as if the companion had vanished into the wind.


    After a while, Fenna shook her head and continued taking steps toward that distant city.


    She trekked for a long time and finally completed this particularly grueling journey before the sky darkened once more. She saw the ¡°city¡± the companion mentioned. Not surprisingly¨Cthere was no bustling city or inhabitants, only ruins and walls broken and buried in the sand, the remnants of buildings abandoned for who knows how many years.


    Fenna found an opening in the broken city wall that resembled the remains of a gate. She peered through it to check the condition of the city ruins before stepping into the ¡°city.¡±


    However, just as she was about to cross through that ¡°gate,¡± a stern and commanding voice suddenly emerged from thin air: ¡°Halt, stranger¨Cwhere did you come from?¡±


    Fenna was startled.


    An invisible guard¡­ was posted at the gate?


    She had dealt with Heretics in the sewers, and disposed of monsters that thrived in darkness, but she had never encountered such a situation before.


    She stopped, looking bewildered in the direction of the empty space. After a brief pause to think, she decided to converse with the other party in a ¡°business as usual¡± fashion: ¡°I am¡­ traveling, but I can¡¯t remember where I came from.¡±


    She remembered, the invisible companion had told her that this ¡°city¡± housed many ¡°residents¡± who, like her, had forgotten their origins. Surely, her answer wouldn¡¯t seem too suspicious here, would it?


    The ¡°guard¡± remained silent, apparently scrutinizing something, or perhaps had vanished into the sandstorm in that moment. Fenna patiently waited for a while, and just as she was about to give up waiting and step directly into the city, a familiar and cheerful voice suddenly came from the side¨C


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here!¡±


    It was that abruptly disappeared ¡°invisible companion.¡±


    ¡°I thought you had gotten lost,¡± the voice said happily to Fenna, ¡°There are many forks in the road along the way, especially those little paths in the forest. If you get distracted by the berry bushes by the roadside and enter a small path, it might take you a whole day to get back out¡­¡±


    Forests? Paths? Berry bushes by the roadside?


    Listening to the babbling voice, Fenna looked up in bewilderment at the way she came¨Cnaturally, there was nothing there but sand and rocks, no sign of any forest or berry bushes.


    And in the moment of her distraction, the guard¡¯s voice appeared again, speaking with the ¡°invisible companion¡±: ¡°Is this your friend?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we met on the road,¡± the young woman¡¯s voice swiftly replied, ¡°She has come from a far place and is new here, not yet familiar with this place. I¡¯m taking her to stroll around the city.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Then you may enter, but don¡¯t wander off. Night is approaching, and the forests outside the city are not peaceful.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Thank you!¡±


    The cheerful voice thanked the guard, then turned to Fenna: ¡°We can go in now.¡±


    Fenna immediately took her gaze away from the desert outside the city and nodded toward the direction of the voice: ¡°Okay.¡±


    She stepped into this ¡°busy city,¡± walking on a broad but desolate avenue facing the city gate¨Csand covered the ruined walls on both sides of the road, and broken flagstones were chaotically strewn about. Occasionally, she would hear some vague sounds, seemingly of vendors hawking their wares, people conversing, and the rattle of wheels on roads. But those vague noises would almost immediately dissolve into the wind, leaving no chance to discern any clear words.


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    ¡°How about it? It¡¯s bustling here, isn¡¯t it?¡± the young and lively voice said next to her, as if pointing out the shops along the road and the stream of carriages and horses, ¡°I¡¯ve been living here for many years, this city is the most bustling place on the entire continent!¡±


    ¡­ Continent? What was that?


    Fenna felt a moment of dizziness, as if some knowledge, out of ¡°common sense,¡± suddenly invaded her awareness, trying to seep into her brain.


    But the next second, her resolved will dispelled the sense of dizziness.


    The knowledge didn¡¯t seep in.

 Chapter 812 - Chapter 812: Chapter 809: Ashes with the Wind.

    Chapter 812: Chapter 809: Ashes with the Wind.


    In the desolate, abandoned city, Fenna proceeded with caution, her invisible companion walking alongside her, happily introducing her to this bustling, lively, and wonderful place.


    This city was the most prosperous in the entire ¡°continent,¡± known to almost everyone, and where most people lived or at least passed through their travels. The city guards here were dutiful, the residents were friendly and generous, and it gathered all the fresh and interesting goods from around the world, along with every new and exciting idea and story.


    ¡°Everyone loves it here, and you will too,¡± the cheerful voice said beside Fenna, ¡°Just stay a few days, and you¡¯ll see what draws people to it!¡±


    Fenna listened half-heartedly to the enthusiastic guide beside her, while her mind spun with some slightly strange but very real¡­ thoughts.


    She pondered, she couldn¡¯t see the ¡°people¡± in this city, but occasionally she could hear the voices of others nearby. So, to the residents here (who might indeed exist), was she like a blind person carrying a big sword? Such a dangerous armed person walking with eyes closed, swaggering about the streets¡­ Had those invisible residents really shown no reaction?


    She also thought about the chatty guide beside her¨Ca young girl, judging by her voice. Since Fenna couldn¡¯t see or even touch her, it was naturally hard to ¡°tour¡± the place based on the guide¡¯s directions. So, Fenna had been exploring through the ruins on her own accord, mostly ignoring whether her ¡°fellow traveler¡± was following her, or whether she could keep up. But ¡°Miss Guide¡± seemed to find nothing odd about this at all.


    She just naturally stayed by Fenna¡¯s side, her voice maintaining a steady distance whether Fenna suddenly walked in a different direction, smoothly conversing with her as if this was the visiting route she had planned for a ¡°new friend.¡±


    Fenna stopped near a crossroads, silently organizing her thoughts.


    What kind of existence was she, this ¡°foreigner,¡± to the invisible inhabitants of this city and the unseen companion at her side?


    The moment this question surfaced, an even stronger sense of disorientation suddenly struck her, and Fenna felt her mind go blank for a moment, as if¡­ she had forgotten something very important.


    She looked up in confusion, surveying the strange and desolate ruins, vaguely remembering that she had noticed some ¡°inconsistencies,¡± but now that sense of incongruity had vanished.


    ¡°Would you like some fruit?¡± a voice suddenly came from the roadside nearby, interrupting Fenna¡¯s pondering. It sounded like a gentle old woman, ¡°They were just brought into the city this morning. Fresh and quenching, you must¡¯ve traveled a long distance, right?¡±


    Fenna followed the voice and saw a mound covered partially by yellow sand, made up of wooden planks and stones. A blurry shadow sat in the rubble, reaching towards her as if a vendor peddling wares¨Ca gust of wind blew sand from the shadow¡¯s hand, leaving only sand on the plank in front of it.


    Fenna blinked, and the shadow disappeared instantly.


    She stood alone at the crossroads, the hollow sound of the wind in her ears. After a while, she realized the voice of her ¡°invisible companion¡± had also disappeared and had not been heard for a long time.


    Fenna turned her head towards the last direction she felt the other¡¯s presence and tentatively asked, ¡°Are you still there?¡±


    There was no response.


    A gust of wind lifted some sand from a nearby ruined wall, making a rustling sound as it fell. Amidst the wind and sand, she heard a vague, intermittent familiar sound¨Cding, ding ding¡­


    Fenna transferred her greatsword to her left hand and traced a familiar symbol in front of her chest with her right hand¨Cshe couldn¡¯t remember the meaning of the symbol, but her body naturally performed the motion, seemingly a habit ingrained from long ago, a gesture of¡­ blessing.


    Then, with her sword in hand, she cautiously continued deeper into the city.


    She wandered through the ruins for a long time, the city¡¯s wide and complex roads seeming to have no end, with buildings and paths buried under yellow sands everywhere, the broken and collapsed structures still hinting at their exquisite beauty from the days of yore.


    Suddenly, Fenna thought¨Cperhaps this really was the most bustling and prosperous city in the world, with countless lives inside this great metropolis, and countless busy caravans weaving through the city, providing it with supplies and stories from all over the world.


    But that was before it had been abandoned.


    What exactly led to the desertion of such a thriving city? And when was it abandoned? And after all¡­ why had she come here?


    Fenna crossed an intersection, continuing forward with occasional, emerging questions, when she suddenly halted at a building.


    Strange crackling noises came from the wind, followed by a piece of paper flying out of the sandy whirl, spinning past her eyes, with barely legible text on it.


    Paper? Paper could still be preserved in this wind and sand?


    Moved by a thought, her body reacted first¨Cshe grabbed the piece of paper that fluttered past her, then looked at its contents in astonishment.


    It turned out to be a fragment of a newspaper, and although the upper part of it was already damaged, one could still see the words related to the newspaper¡¯s heading. The lower part of the paper had many severely worn and eroded writings. After scrutinizing it for a while, Fenna found a relatively intact sentence:


    ¡°¡­a massive fire broke out in Pland, spreading from the Upper City District to the Lower City District, damaging many factories and blocks, with casualties among residents¡­¡±


    Fenna stared blankly at the words on the paper as if they had been weathered through the years, her mind clouded with confusion. After a long while, she finally formed a question:


    What is Pland?


    The next second, she saw the newspaper scrap in her hand silently turn to yellow sand, scattering with the wind into the air.


    Fenna stood still for a moment, brushed off the remaining sand from her hands, and then slowly walked forward.


    After walking for a long time, she suddenly stopped in front of a building.


    In the floating dust fog, the appearance of the building seemed quite abrupt ¨C as if it had suddenly emerged from the sands, awkwardly standing amidst the piles of shattered and collapsed building debris around it, like a giant beast silently watching Fenna.


    It was a small chapel with multiple spires; modest in size for a chapel, yet it exuded an air of solemnity.


    It was clearly abandoned, with its outer walls spotty and cracked, doors and windows shattered and strewn about, roof tiles fallen, looking long-deserted, but compared to the completely collapsed ruins around it which were covered in sand, it at least maintained the integrity of its main structure. What caught Fenna¡¯s attention, though, was the small flower bed in front of the chapel.


    The flower bed was also damaged, containing only some plants long dead, but unbelievably, there wasn¡¯t a grain of sand within it; even in this place of pervasive yellow sand and ceaseless chaotic winds, the flower bed remained spotlessly clean.


    It was as if someone was still regularly tending to this broken flower bed and the withered plants inside.


    Fenna paused in front of the flower bed, looked up at the dilapidated chapel, and after a brief hesitation, stepped forward.


    The moment she crossed the threshold of the chapel¡¯s main entrance, she felt a change occur ¨C the eternal dry heat of the desert seemed to be isolated to another world, and the next second, she saw a brightly lit interior.


    The inner part of the chapel, which appeared to have been abandoned for countless years from the outside, was inexplicably neat and tidy; its doors and roof were intact, and bright light illuminated the entire main hall. Rows of empty wooden benches neatly arranged in the hall, and at the end of the benches was a tall pulpit ¨C light shone down from above the wooden pulpit, bathing it in a soft glow.


    Fenna furrowed her brows, feeling that this place seemed vaguely familiar.


    She had been here before, or at least had heard of this place.


    But she couldn¡¯t remember; she couldn¡¯t even recall what her life was like before stepping into this endless desert.


    She gripped her broadsword tightly, walked down the middle aisle of the hall, and after scanning the surrounding environment, she finally paused at a bench.


    She had been traveling for too long, and she felt the need to sit and rest, even if only for a few minutes.


    She sat down on the bench, and the old chair emitted a slight creaking sound; she let out a long breath, feeling her joints making a similar burdened creaking as if filled with sand.


    Then, she suddenly heard a faint breathing sound.


    There was a person sitting beside her.


    Fenna turned her head abruptly.


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    It was a young nun dressed in a black church robe, looking to be about Fenna¡¯s age¨Csitting quietly beside her, head bowed, as if in devout prayer.


    A person! A visible, tangible person?!


    Fenna had almost forgotten the last time she had seen ¡°another person.¡± In all her memories, it seemed she had always been trekking across this never-ending journey, accompanied by nothing but sand and strange sounds; she had even begun to think that this world was supposed to be like this, and she herself was the only ¡°human¡± in it, but now¡­ she saw a person!


    Excitement was irrepressible, yet a subtle sense of confusion and familiarity emerged within her heart, Fenna instinctively asked, ¡°Are you¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve lingered here too long, sister,¡± the praying young nun suddenly looked up, cutting off Fenna¡¯s words, her gaze calmly fixed on the latter, ¡°Ashes, it¡¯s easy to be assimilated by ashes.¡±

 Chapter 813 - Chapter 813: Chapter 810: Corrosive Sandstorm

    Chapter 813: Chapter 810: Corrosive Sandstorm


    Ashes¡­ it¡¯s easy to be assimilated by ashes¡­


    The words of the young nun slightly startled Fenna; in that brief moment, she felt as if something in her mind loosened slightly. But just as she was about to ask more, the nun in the black dress suddenly gave her a faint smile and then dispersed into ashes before her very eyes.


    ¡°Ding¡­ Ding Ding¡­¡±


    The familiar knocking noise came from somewhere again, and then Fenna felt another presence in the church. She quickly looked in that direction, only to see a dim silhouette standing at the entrance of the church.


    Then, the silhouette slowly walked towards her¨Cwith each step, the outline of the shadow became a bit clearer. Eventually, she could see that it was an old priest with a slightly hunched back, dressed in an old church uniform.


    The old priest held a not-so-bright lamp in his hand, the palm showing a metallic sheen under the lamp light. It seemed that he had lost his arm in a battle long ago and replaced it with a steam-powered prosthetic limb. He slowly approached Fenna, yet his gaze never fell on her¨Cthe slightly sunken eyes seemed always fixed on something farther away.


    A sudden, inexplicable sense of familiarity surged up, causing Fenna to rise from the bench and move towards the silhouette with a strange familiarity: ¡°Hello, may I ask what this place is¡­¡±


    The old priest finally stopped. His gaze still fixed beyond Fenna, he spoke calmly, ¡°You have entered the wrong branch of history, Judge¨Churry and find a way to leave here before you also become one of these ashes¡­ He no longer discerns.¡±


    ¡°He no longer discerns? Who is He?¡± Fenna asked instinctively.


    ¡°That deity who records history¡­¡± the old priest said softly, and as he spoke, his figure too began to rapidly disintegrate into ash carried away by the wind, leaving only a blurry sentence drifting into Fenna¡¯s ear, ¡°¡­everything¡­ flows towards ultimate chaos¡­¡±


    A wisp of slightly warm ash, driven by an invisible wind, brushed past Fenna¡¯s fingertips. At the touch of that ash, Fenna suddenly felt a fierce jolt within her heart!


    She still could not recall her past, nor could she remember what this place was, but she sensed a warning deep within¡­ She mustn¡¯t continue to sink here; she had to find a way out!


    The next second, she violently strode towards the church¡¯s main door.


    The church door was ajar, pushed open by Fenna as the boundless night sky suddenly filled her vision¨Cthe day had ended unknowingly, and the vast desert had welcomed the night. The heat had faded from the sands, and the cold night wind began to dominate this forgotten sand, the wind blowing chaotically from afar, stirring up the sand like fine blades howling past, grains striking the surrounding ruins and slapping against Fenna¡¯s arms and cheeks, bringing a sharp pain.


    Skin tough enough to resist small calibers was scratched by the wind-blown sand into tiny wounds. Surprisingly, Fenna saw that no blood flowed out from her wounds, but instead, a delicate ash like black smoke drifted out, steadily dissipating into the air as if being absorbed by the entire world.


    She was being ¡°absorbed¡± by this world.


    In that instant, she instinctively thought of retreating to the safety of the church, but the next second, she recalled the words of the unnamed nun and the old priest, and a sudden warning surged through her.


    Sinking into the Shelter was far more dangerous than facing the sandstorm¨Cthe comfort of safety would erode her will and dissolve her existence with greater efficiency.


    First, leave the city¡­ The ¡°relics¡± standing in the desert could not offer any protection from the sandstorm; on the contrary, their very presence was a danger¡­ This place is counterintuitive; perhaps the barren sands might even be a bit safer¡­


    Numerous thoughts flashed through Fenna¡¯s mind in an instant, but her actions did not hesitate. After briefly shielding herself from the sandstorm with a torn cloak, she took large strides toward the exit she remembered from the city.


    The surrounding sand stirred and wriggled as if something had been disturbed, or perhaps this city did not permit ¡°departure¡± from the start. From the corner of her eye, Fenna suddenly saw something emerging from the sand; the next second, a hand tightly grasped her ankle.


    A human figure formed from the sand emerged, gripping Fenna like a soulless undead as it crawled on the ground, its constantly shifting face suddenly lifted, emitting a series of muffled roars and murmurs!


    However, the arms formed from the sands couldn¡¯t hold back Fenna¡¯s strides. With a forceful step, she broke free from the ¡°sand person¡¯s¡± restraint, then stamped the ground powerfully, with a thunderous bang, the strong shockwave shredded the body crawling on the ground and dispersed a large swathe of surrounding sands.


    Amid the settling dust, Fenna saw something exposed from under the sands; it was a section of stone pillar buried for who knows how many years, on which one could faintly make out the inscription: ¡°¡­Wilhelm¡­ Black Sun descends from¡­ we have failed¡­¡±


    The shock lasted only for an instant, but Fenna¡¯s actions did not hesitate at all; she forcefully suppressed the various thoughts that suddenly surged in her mind and continued to run forward without any hesitation.


    The wind suddenly howled, and various sounds filled the air, those vague and layered noises sounding as if they were countless vendors hawking their wares, mixed with the sounds of pedestrians and carriages.


    In the sandy ruins under the night sky, numerous lively sounds surrounded Fenna, an invisible bustling city awakening beside her seemed almost imaginable, painting a lively, thriving, vibrant scene next to her, a city still vibrant under the night sky, while at the same time, she caught glimpses of lights in the distance with the corner of her eye.


    Lights flickered in the city ruins, arrays of floating light sources appearing among the broken, dilapidated walls; they looked like street lamps and lights inside shop windows beside the street, with more lights floating higher up, like countless home lights scattered from residential buildings.


    This scene, as if after the city was abandoned and even completely forgotten, the lights once brightened this city still stubbornly remained in their places, lingering in the memory of history, lighting up at their same spots each nightfall¡­


    The city outlined by the lights awakened in the night, beams of light illuminating covered yellow sand bricks and collapsed pillars, and many vague figures emerged within the light, coming and going, making indistinct sounds.


    Fenna moved through these apparitions with a sword, no matter the illusion around her, she ran forward with clear goals, without any pause or hesitation.


    But her body was still uncontrollably assimilating, being devoured by the surrounding invisible ashes, her wounds multiplying, and even without the abrasion of sand grains, her body seemed to crack open on its own, black smoke and ashes constantly escaping from her body, and with each escape she heard surrounding sounds and saw surrounding sceneries more clearly.


    After a certain moment, she suddenly heard clear voices of conversation, those voices as if right beside her ear, nearly speaking directly to her¨C


    ¡°Have you heard? The thirteen islands of Viserland disappeared¡­ the news came from the north a few days ago¡­ that terrifying ship opened a rift to Subspace¡­¡±


    Fenna ignored the voices near her ear; she waved her arms, the swirling wind scattering the surrounding dust, and a torn flyer suddenly appeared out of thin air, flying past her face with the wind, printed with a familiar face on it.


    It was a wanted poster. The face of Tirian Abnormal appeared on the flyer, and underneath his portrait was a string of alarmingly large numbers¨Ccountless zeros, less a bounty amount and more like a thriller joke implying ¡°this person is infinitely dangerous¡±.


    Then, a clear rhythmic music suddenly came from the night, a large crowd seemed to emerge at the distant alley¡¯s end, Fenna heard someone shouting something over there, she vaguely heard the voices¨C


    ¡°¡­ Frost welcomes its new queen¡­ Her Majesty Lei Nora will be crowned today, may we bathe in the queen¡¯s glory, receive her blessing, and pledge loyalty to her¡­¡±


    Then came various noises, various relics appeared, various information as if consciously surrounded Fenna¨C


    On the road across was the day Lei Nora, the Frost Queen, was crowned; at another intersection was the day of the Frost Rebellion, beside the streets below, people were discussing the wanted poster for the former Frost general Tirian, while not far away on a raised platform, relics from the era of the City-State were displayed, with a major historian lecturing among the crowd, one of the foremost discoverers of the City-State era, but Fenna did not recognize him¡­


    In front of her, a figure suddenly emerged from the sandstorm, a man in tattered clothes, acting erratically, his eyes bearing a puzzled look¨Cas if he held a crumpled scroll and a pencil, standing there disoriented, seeming frightened by the surrounding environment.


    He kept bowing to the surrounding people, seemingly stopping passersby to ask about something, muttering to himself, sometimes suddenly shouting out loud, appearing almost crazed.


    Fenna quickly walked past this figure, but suddenly stopped, she heard the tattered-clothed, paper-and-pencil-holding man incessantly asking passersby one thing: ¡°Please, what year is it now? Does anyone know what year I¡¯ve reached?¡±


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    Fenna turned towards the somewhat delirious man, only to see that he too almost simultaneously lifted his head to look this way.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Puman,¡± the mad man waved his arms, despite his unsteady behavior and puzzled look, he still maintained proper manners, ¡°I¡¯m dreaming again, but this time can¡¯t find the exit¡­ Would you please tell me what year it is now?¡±


    Puman¡­ That famous ¡°mad poet¡± Puman?


    Fenna was momentarily dazed, and in the next second, she saw the man who claimed to be ¡°Puman¡± suddenly vanish into the sandstorm.


    Only the crumpled scroll and the pencil he had been holding in his hand fell to the ground.

 Chapter 814 - Chapter 814: Chapter 811: The End of the Sandstorm

    Chapter 814: Chapter 811: The End of the Sandstorm


    The history books say that the ¡°mad poet¡± Puman, who lived hundreds of years ago, was someone who touched upon forbidden truths yet by a stroke of luck, survived. There are also legends that describe how this eccentric poet would often get lost in Dreamscape, claiming to have traversed various timelines and visited all sorts of bizarre realms within his dreams.


    This mad poet left behind countless chapters that astounded generations to come. His literary talent was dazzling; even in the early days of his career, his graceful yet profound verses had conquered even the most critical commentators in the City-State. However, at the end of his brief life, his poetry began to transform¨Chis words increasingly depicted strange and grotesque things, filled with unsettling metaphors and the delirious ramblings of a madman that almost sounded prophetic. He incessantly tried to tell the world about things that did not exist in reality, even bordering on blasphemy, and thus he became a character that was both lamented and feared.


    Those who once praised him withdrew; those who admired him began to regard him as a dangerous individual. The administrators of the Deep Sea Church attempted to engage with him but could not find anything substantial in his writings that carried the power to corrupt or blaspheme.


    The final chapter of this talented yet insane poet is yet another mystery in the eyes of the world¨Csome say he was imprisoned by the Church and eventually died quietly in an asylum on a secluded island. Others swear that he lived on, even until a certain winter in 1842. These people insist that they saw the poet that year: he was standing on the infamous cliff of Frost, strikingly similar to the portraits left in books, holding paper and pen for jotting down his verses.


    And a so-called ¡°Caretaker¡±, who claimed to have taken care of Puman in the last years of his life and witnessed the poor man¡¯s ultimate fate, described it in his autobiography:


    Puman ultimately got lost in his bizarre Dreamscape¨Cthis poet wandered through each of his dreams, drawing experiences to turn them into his lavish yet eerie verses. He finally sunk into a distant dream from which he did not wish to awake, and on a sunny morning, the poet disappeared from his bed, leaving behind only a short poem on his nightstand.


    Fenna walked forward, to the spot where the eccentric man had last vanished. She bent down to pick up the crumpled scroll and pencil before the wind could whisk them away.


    She furrowed her brow, seeming somewhat puzzled, and then she unfolded the paper, staring blankly at the sentence recorded on it¨C


    ¡°¡­I have seen it, the sunlight has retreated, in the night¡¯s embrace, all things fall into tranquility¡­ That ship sails in from the sky, the stars a curtain, bestowing upon the earthly realm the boon of eternal slumber¡­ In silence, in stillness, in sleep, rest now, as the departed embrace the dead world¡­¡±


    The wind picked up, causing the paper to flutter noisily. Fenna suddenly heard a voice near her ear¨Cthe voice of the crazy man who had just disappeared¨Cbut although the voice reached her, his figure was nowhere to be seen: ¡°Look, look, do you see? That scene I saw¡­ how beautiful it is, the curtain rising from the end of the sea, mirroring upon the entire world¡­¡±


    Fenna looked towards the direction from where the voice came, but she only saw the swirling sand, spinning in place, caught up by the disorderly wind. Her brow furrowed tightly, her voice a bit hoarse: ¡°Are you also trapped here?¡±


    The voice, however, did not heed her question, continuing to mutter to itself, speaking some unclear words. After a while, its voice became clearer again¨C


    ¡°I have always been pursued, they chase me, like hounds that smell blood¡­ I¡¯ve fallen into various places, in every dream, there was always a crack for me to hide in. Hey, I eventually grew tired, letting them catch up isn¡¯t so terrible after all¡­ And so I was devoured by that hound called Truth, and then I saw distant matters, and then I arrived here¡­¡±


    Fenna listened to the seemingly insane ramblings of the other party, realizing that communicating with him seemed to be a somewhat difficult task, but she still couldn¡¯t help but ask again: ¡°Do you know how to leave this place?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, you cannot leave, my friend¡­¡± that voice spoke immediately, but then came an unintelligible babble, ¡°¡­I¡¯m in the basement, those robed people say it¡¯s a safe place here, the iron cage can confine my spirit, to prevent them from escaping from my shell in the Dreamscape, the brazier can ward off those shadows that gather around because of the scent, so nothing devours me clean while I sleep¡­¡±


    A series of vague noises mixed with the sandy winds, the voice blurred for a few seconds, then suddenly became clear again: ¡°¡­hey, you know, you know, many years later¡­ by that time I was already dead, many years later, a girl was also trapped in a similar cage, but the technology had matured by then, she walked out of the basement alive¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, the poor girl, I saw her coronation, and then I saw her beheaded by those who crowned her¡­ I¡¯m hesitating whether or not to write this into my poetry¡­ no, no, not anymore, the robed people told me not to write those dream-seen things into my poems anymore, they said doing so would make me establish more and more connections with things beyond this reality dimension, it¡¯s not good¡­ I can¡¯t write much anymore, I have to save these precious sentences for more important matters¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen! Someone is knocking on the railing, there¡¯s also the sound of keys clinking¡­ ding-dang, ding-dang, ding-dang¡­ The Caretaker is here, they have to make sure I¡¯m still in the cage¡­¡±


    Right at this moment, as the sandy winds rose, Fenna heard that familiar ¡°ding-ding-ding¡± sound once again.


    And that crazed voice kept rambling on to itself: ¡°But am I here? They will see me lying quietly in bed, but I¡¯m not there, not in that skin, I¡¯m here, in this place covered in ashes¡­ What are you doing here?


    ¡°You should leave, you do not belong here, your path lies ahead¡­ give me my poetry back, and my pencil, those are mine, they shouldn¡¯t be held in someone else¡¯s hands¡­ they will drag you deeper¡­¡±


    Fenna subconsciously let go of the paper and pencil in her hands, only to see them turning into sandy winds in the blink of an eye, spiraling and vanishing into the air.


    ¡°Which way should I go?¡± she asked the voice bewildered, ¡°I can¡¯t remember where I came from, nor do I know where to go¡­ Which way leads out of this city?¡±


    ¡°Where? Nowhere,¡± said the voice, it seemed to be quickly receding away, growing more and more indistinct and weaker, ¡°This place is infinite¡­ He confined Himself in a closed-loop dreamscape, I just saw it, outside the city is a desert, beyond the desert is the city, you can¡¯t walk out, the more you go out the more you sink¡­ But I should go now, I should go now, ah ha, waking up once again¡­¡±


    Finally, the voice completely disappeared, vanishing into the increasingly chaotic sandy winds.


    Fenna stood there, stunned, amidst the vast night sky, countless lights illuminated the city that was destroyed by being forgotten, her figure seemed to gradually fuse with those lights, in the light, she saw the vague shadows of carriages on the broken roads, bright shop windows emerged on the collapsed buildings, the sound of music came from afar, gradually drowning out the sound of the howling cold winds¨Cand the prickling pain from those small wounds on her arms was transforming into a gentle touch.


    She slowly closed her eyes, as if about to sleep peacefully in this bustling and warm world.


    But the next second, her eyes snapped open once again.


    Invisibly, it felt as though something had been shattered. Her willpower awoke furiously in the slowly but irresistibly sinking mire; the illusions flickering in the light receded, and immediately afterwards, she felt the bone-chilling cold wind of the night desert sweeping across her cheeks, sending sharp pangs of pain from the countless tiny wounds on her arms.


    Yet, she smiled¨Cthe pain was a good thing, it was real.


    She didn¡¯t belong here, despite not remembering her own name or where she came from, but one thing she knew she had to remember: she did not belong to this place.


    Only by doing so could she prevent herself from being ¡°dissolved¡± here.


    In this moment of clarity, Fenna also realized another thing: she had to find her ¡°anchor point¡±.


    She needed to quickly figure out who she was, understand where she came from.


    It seemed she was gradually recalling some things and understanding the nature of this boundless desert. She realized she might have entered a strange world dominated by ¡°forgetting,¡± and the only way to leave was to fight against ¡°forgetting.¡±


    No longer blindly walking ¡°outside the city,¡± knowing the ¡°infinite¡± nature of this city, she realized that simply breaking out wouldn¡¯t really allow her to leave¨Cthere must be another method to escape.


    She stopped at the illusory crossroads lit by faint lights, letting the wind and sand erode her body, calming her mind, attempting to find a way out through thought and perception.


    She remembered the bits of information she saw and heard in the wind and sand¨Cthe text, conversations, and relics that seemed to correspond to various ¡°times¡± and ¡°events.¡± Those things appeared to be the diverse ¡°anchor points¡± within this desert of oblivion.


    She should also have her anchor point, something that could prove she had existed in a certain place, had lived in people¡¯s memories, existed in¡­ the world.


    She half-closed her eyes and, after an indeterminate amount of time, finally felt a slight vibration stir within her heart.


    In this boundless desert, she finally found a ripple related to herself¨C


    Fenna suddenly opened her eyes, seeing a torn piece of paper flying past her.


    She swiftly grasped it and read the words on the paper:


    ¡°¡­The border exploration fleet once again executed the ¡®crossing¡¯ operation, Homeloss and Brilliant Starship have crossed the Six Nautical Miles border¡­ heading to the end of the world to search for¡­¡±


    At the same time, she heard a familiar voice conversing near her ear, intermittent as though from a blurry moment in history¨C


    ¡°¡­any special news?¡±


    ¡°¡­a bulletin from the Deep Sea Church¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be safe, don¡¯t worry so much, Heidi¡­¡±


    ¡°Because of that powerful captain?¡±


    ¡°Because of your father¡­¡±


    ¡°Father, and Fenna, they are doing something very grand¡­¡±


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    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened suddenly as if her heart had relearned how to beat. Amidst an awakening as if reborn, she remembered her name, and¨C


    ¡°Homeloss¡­ captain?¡±


    She muttered to herself, looking at the piece of paper in her hand.


    Then, a wisp of ethereal green flame appeared at the edge of her vision, and an authoritative, familiar voice nearly immediately appeared behind her:


    ¡°I am here.¡±

 Chapter 815 - Chapter 815: Chapter 812: Sand and Fire

    Chapter 815: Chapter 812: Sand and Fire


    The fragmented memories thunderously reshaped themselves; the distorted cognition realigned in an instant as if the entire world reverted with a breath. Fenna heard an ethereal roar deep within her consciousness¨Cin this roaring, she once again became aware of her ¡°self¡±.


    The sky full of yellow sand was being battered by an invisible force, swirling and dispersing in the wind. Streams of black smoke emerged from nowhere, reintegrating into Fenna¡¯s body. She remembered her name, her origins, and how she came to be here. She recalled the affairs of the Homeloss and her own captain.


    She turned around and saw a tall, majestic figure standing beside her, silently watching her, as if it had been there for a very long time.


    Fenna finally took a long breath. After a brief moment of disorientation and confusion, she calmed herself down and began to speak softly as if to herself: ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve had a very long dream¨Cwhat a long journey it has been.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, you did not completely lose yourself,¡± Duncan revealed a slight smile, ¡°For a moment, deep within the burnt history, I almost couldn¡¯t see your shadow.¡±


    Fenna felt a tinge of fright but quickly cast the emotion aside. She looked around and realized that the boundless desert and the ruined cities within had not disappeared with her ¡°awakening¡±.


    Everything here was not an ¡°illusion¡± designed just for her but rather something that truly existed at this ¡°node,¡± akin to a type of ¡°anomaly.¡± It is the Dreamscape of the Eternal Ember, a ¡°reality¡± on another level¨Cshe merely awoke within the dream of an ancient god but has not yet left the vast Dreamscape.


    However, as she gained awareness, changes occurred here¨Cthe bustling city that was about to become visible in her perception receded into the shadows; the phantoms and sounds of the streets had utterly vanished. Now, within the quiet city, amidst a silent wasteland of ruins, only the floating lights still illuminated the broken walls without a sound.


    ¡°Burnt history¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t help but repeat the words of her captain softly, finally understanding the nature of this desert. Then she remembered her experiences: ¡°But I saw many things here¨Cthe coronation of the Frost Queen, a gathering during the great archaeological discovery period of the old City-State era, and the wanted notice by the Mist Fleet. Those must be parts that weren¡¯t ¡®burnt¡¯.¡±


    Hearing Fenna¡¯s words, Duncan calmly uttered, ¡°¡­ A lingering warmth remains.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s expression shifted subtly as her gaze grew solemn. She remembered the faint scarlet glows among the warm ashes she had seen upon setting foot on Ashen Isle, as well as the smoke rising in the distance.


    ¡°What about the others?¡± She shook her head, pushing down the intense unease in her heart for the moment, and asked.


    ¡°They have temporarily retreated back to the ship,¡± Duncan replied casually, ¡°The situation at this ¡®node¡¯ has changed from before. Perhaps it¡¯s because of Tarrikin¡¯s dire situation, or maybe it¡¯s the particular nature of ¡®history¡¯ itself as an authority, this ash is too dangerous¡­ I came alone to find you.¡±


    ¡°I caused you concern,¡± Fenna exhaled, her tone carrying a hint of apology.


    ¡°Never mind that,¡± Duncan waved his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your experiences. Can you still remember them? How much do you understand about this ¡®desert¡¯ now?¡±


    Fenna quickly sorted out her emotions and thoughts. She knew that the captain had not finished what he had to do here, so she immediately recounted in detail the experiences she still remembered in this boundless desert sea¨Cincluding the voices that had once appeared by her ear, the ruins she encountered along the way, and the ¡°ding ding ding¡± sound that always surfaced when the wind and sand rose.


    Actually, she could no longer clearly recall the first half of her ¡°journey.¡± When she first fell into this boundless desert, her mind had been in a muddled state for a long time, but she still remembered that feeling¨C


    ¡°Forgetting and blindness are my strongest impressions of the first half of the journey and it seemed that this feeling was an ¡®impression¡¯ that I had deliberately enforced on my subconscious at that time. I must have realized the changes happening to me but was unable to resist them, so I could only forcibly remember this feeling, hoping to remind myself of the existence of ¡®forgetting¡¯ afterwards¡­¡±


    ¡°All of my clearer memories of the ¡®journey¡¯ began after I had forgotten my own name and origin. It was also after that I began to see those lost ruins in the desert more frequently, and later on, started hearing those voices.


    ¡°This was a process of gradually ¡®integrating,¡¯ and the most dangerous part of this process is¡­ it had no malice at all, everything was like the breeze and the sunshine, inconspicuously corroding my mind until, by the time I realized it, I could no longer leave this city.¡±


    Having said this, Fenna couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. The memories of her previous descent into confusion and loss still frightened her¨CAnd then, she remembered something else.


    ¡°Right, before I remembered the Homeloss, I met someone¨Ca ¡®person¡¯ who, like me, did not belong here,¡± she hurriedly said, ¡°He said his name was ¡®Puman¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Puman?¡± Duncan¡¯s expression changed slightly, ¡°The famous ¡®mad poet¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was in a daze at the time and didn¡¯t realize his identity, but now that I have regained my memory, I can be certain that he is the same ¡®mad poet¡¯ recorded in history,¡± Fenna nodded affirmatively, ¡°He looked just like he was described in the books, and he was highly tense yet very polite, asking people around about this place as if looking for a way to leave.¡±


    Duncan pondered, ¡°Could it be another ¡®shadow¡¯ in this desert?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be,¡± Fenna shook her head, ¡°He once took physical form before my eyes, saying he had fallen into a Dreamscape again, and he mentioned that in reality, he was being confined in a basement, ¡®guarded by people in long robes¡¯ who patrolled his ¡®cage¡¯. I feel¡­ he entered here by mistake.¡±


    ¡°Mistakenly entered the Dreamscape of an ancient god at the end of the world?¡± Duncan¡¯s eyebrows involuntarily rose, ¡°Even for the legendary ¡®mad poet¡¯, this seems a bit far-fetched¡­¡±


    He muttered, then thoughtfully added, ¡°The things you describe sound like church facilities used to contain individuals with innate Spiritual Energy, something the Frost Queen Lei Nora has mentioned before.¡±


    ¡°The Frost Queen¡­ Yes, that¡¯s it,¡± Fenna responded instantly, also adding another detail, ¡°Puman even mentioned the Frost Queen, although he didn¡¯t explicitly say the name, but he must have been referring to the Frost Queen¨Ca person who appeared many years after his death, also confined in a cage¡­¡±


    Listening to Fenna¡¯s account, Duncan¡¯s brows deeply furrowed, and many conjectures about the famous ¡°mad poet¡± emerged, but soon, a sudden gust of cold wind howled through the night sky, forcing him to suppress these restless thoughts.


    The wind reminded him there were more pressing matters at hand.


    ¡°We can discuss the matter of the ¡®Mad Poet¡¯ after we get back. Maurice and Lucia are the real scholars on this; they should be more professional than us,¡± Duncan said solemnly, ¡°But right now, the priority is to find Tarrikin and figure out how to get you out of here safely.¡±


    And just at that moment, just as Duncan¡¯s words fell, a distant sound emerged from the depths of the cold wind, faint and intermittent, like the clinking of metal against stone¡ª-


    ¡°Ding¡­ ding ding¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that sound!¡± Fenna instantly reacted, immediately turning her head towards Duncan, ¡°The ding ding sound I¡¯ve been hearing along the way, whenever it rings out, it seems to cause some changes in the desert, either new ruins appear, or those voices are heard¡­ ¡±


    She abruptly stopped.


    The ding sound continued, and then, Fenna suddenly realized something.


    The sound no longer seemed to come from all directions; this time, she could pinpoint the direction of the tapping noise.


    After a brief moment of astonishment and judgement, she and the captain almost simultaneously raised their hands, pointing deep into the city, in unison: ¡°¡­It¡¯s over there!¡±


    The sound was very distant, but the direction was unmistakably clear.


    The two of them headed towards the source of the sound without hesitation.


    And that sound never ceased; it seemed to deliberately guide them, the clinking of ding ding ding echoing non-stop from the depths of the city, growing clearer as time passed.


    On the way, Fenna suddenly recalled the words of the ¡°Mad Poet¡± before he vanished ¡ª


    This city is infinite; outside the city is the desert, and outside the desert is the city¡­ walking outwards, you can never leave this place.


    Walking outwards doesn¡¯t allow escape ¡ª therefore, one must walk inwards.


    The ¡°infinity¡± of history is a kind of counter-intuitive ¡°one-way infinity¡±!


    Whether to find an exit to leave this place, or to seek that ancient god who presides over history, one must walk inwards!


    She finally understood this and immediately shared her findings with the captain beside her, and after hearing her, Duncan simply nodded gravely, then raised his hand towards the surroundings.


    ¡°The city is disappearing.¡±


    Fenna was taken aback and looked around.


    The city was vanishing with the wind.


    The crumbling and sagging pillars were disintegrating at a visible rate, sand showering down from between the high walls and towers. The process started slowly at first, but almost in the blink of an eye, it turned into an astonishing collapse ¡ª sand flowed like a waterfall from every high point of the city, the broken walls covered by dust, becoming part of the sand in the next second.


    Just a few breaths later, the entire city vanished from her sight, as if its previous existence had been nothing but an illusion.


    Now in front of her eyes was only the boundless sea of sand again.


    And that voice, which was now within arm¡¯s reach ¡ª


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    Ding¡­ ding ding¡­


    She raised her head, seeing a small fire under the cover of night.


    Just like the small fire she had seen in another dream where there was only a sea of sand.


    And the giant, whom she had also seen in another dream and even traveled with, that ancient yet towering figure, sat beside the fire that seemed as if it would be extinguished by the cold wind at any moment. Bowing his head, he tapped with the stone and chisel in his hands, carving into the sand beneath¡­


    Ding¡­ ding ding¡­

 Chapter 816 - Chapter 816: Chapter 813 The Fundamental Point of Divergence

    Chapter 816: Chapter 813 The Fundamental Point of Divergence


    Ding¡­ Ding Ding¡­


    That is the sound of a god bearing history, carving sand with a stone chisel in the burned-out pages of history.


    The giant sat on the ground, seemingly unresponsive to the approaching uninvited guest, still with the appearance remembered by Fenna¨Caged, towering, his face etched with the vicissitudes of history like grooves carved by ax and chisel, his hair and beard unruly, and his eyes hollow.


    But compared to Fenna¡¯s memory, he seemed even more aged, more stooped, and on his tattered robe, one could still see a flickering dark red glow, as if embers were still burning on his body, occasionally sending off tiny sparks with his movements, which fell on the desert, emitting brief and blurry illusions.


    The giant lifted his arm again, the stone striking the chisel, the chisel falling into the loose sand, yet sparking as though metal striking stone and producing a crisp sound. However, sand ultimately cannot be carved¨Cno marks are left in the sand, only the crisp sound of the chiseling echoing hollowly in this vast sea of sand.


    Fenna stood neatly beside a sand dune, watching the familiar figure not far away, and after a brief hesitation, she finally followed the captain, tentatively taking a step forward.


    Then, the giant¡¯s deep and hoarse voice finally broke the silence, entering her ears: ¡°Time¡­ is an illusion imposed by Observers upon the changes of things, and history is the shadow cast by intelligent races within this illusion of time. To an intelligent Observer, all meaning is built upon the foundation of ¡®humanity¡¯¡­ Without humans, there is no meaning.¡±


    Fenna stopped a few meters away from the giant.


    ¡°A long time ago, there were stones here, and history could be carved upon stones, but now there¡¯s only sand left, and even the flame has dwindled to this tiny fire,¡± the giant muttered to himself as he watched the bonfire flickering in the cold wind, ¡°It¡¯s about to end.¡±


    ¡°Civilizations begin with fire and stone and shall end with them¡­¡± Fenna couldn¡¯t help but say¨Cthis was what Tarrikin had personally told her in that prolonged dream at Light Breeze Harbor.


    Finally, the giant raised his head, his gaze landing upon Fenna.


    ¡°I recently had a very short dream, that dream came from a time long, long ago, only fragmentary shadows remain¡­ But I saw you in those shadows,¡± he gazed into Fenna¡¯s eyes, his face creviced into a smile, ¡°Thank you for accompanying me on that journey, although I no longer remember clearly¡­ I still recall that the journey was supposed to be very lonely.¡±


    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened slightly: ¡°That was something that happened within the Dreamscape of Silantis, you¡­ also know about it?¡±


    ¡°When time is about to close its loop, all events that occurred in the stream of time are interconnected,¡± Tarrikin nodded gently, ¡°When the Shelter was first established, I was deeply bound to its timeline¡­ Now, I know many things.¡±


    After that, he turned his head to look at Duncan, who stood beside Fenna.


    ¡°I have been waiting for you for a long time, Usurper of Flame,¡± the giant spoke with a faint smile, ¡°But it¡¯s just as well, this is the only thing that still has meaning in this place of nothingness.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect it to look like this,¡± Duncan exhaled, candidly expressing his thoughts, ¡°I thought¡­ As the chronicler of civilization, you would be in a better state than other ¡®deities¡¯, after all, ¡®memory¡¯ is one of your domains, you should be more resilient against ¡®decay¡¯.¡±


    ¡°An unintuitive truth is that when the process of a disaster is prolonged to a certain extent, ¡®history¡¯ often perishes before the race itself,¡± Tarrikin shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not always ¡®after a race perishes, then their history follows¡¯. Often, while a race is still alive, their history has already ended¡­ Oblivion is a terrifying thing.¡±


    The giant paused here and sighed softly, ¡°¡­Oblivion is fearsome, especially so in a world where many things suddenly vanish. The ¡®corrections¡¯ inside the Shelter can¡¯t fully mend those voids left by ¡®profane archetypes¡¯, and so history is left with countless lesions and tears. I have done my utmost to cover up those historical distortion points that could spread contamination, to re-carve the memories of the mortal world, time and time again, time and time again¡­ Stones finally turned into sand, sand into ashes, now there¡¯s almost nothing left to mend.¡±


    Tarrikin shook his head and casually dropped the stone and chisel from his hand¨Cupon hitting the sand, they instantly shattered, turning into grains indistinguishable from the surrounding sand.


    Duncan took a step forward, approaching the giant who was taller than the tallest humans even when seated: ¡°You must know what I¡¯ve come for.¡±


    ¡°I do, Navigator II has already contacted me,¡± Tarrikin remarked calmly, ¡°You are here to end this world, just like the scene I saw a long, long time ago¡­ You will burn everything, and all things will ultimately be destroyed by your hands¨Cthat is your first step in saving them.¡±


    Duncan faced the giant squarely, his curiosity prompting him to ask, ¡°Are you referring to the time before the Shelter was established when you and the other ancient monarchs first discovered ¡®me¡¯? From that moment, you have called me ¡®Usurper of Flame¡¯¡­ Is it because you foresaw the future?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the capacity to calculate the entire world like Navigator II, but I have eyes that can look far along the timeline¨Calthough they¡¯re not always that reliable,¡± Tarrikin chuckled, a nostalgic tone in his voice, ¡°In the old world, those who worshipped me believed I could do it, and so I was able to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been worried that ¡®to burn everything¡¯ would lead to that ¡®end of fire¡¯,¡± Duncan pondered and said, ¡°This concern arose shortly after Navigator I proposed that ¡®takeover plan¡¯ to me¨Ca Doomsday Preacher showed me that ultimate outcome. In that historical branch, I too burned the world, but the apocalypse was still inevitable.¡±


    He paused for a moment and then frankly expressed the worry that had always been with him: ¡°This is what I¡¯ve been worried about all along, and it is the only thing I am worried about so far. That ¡®fire¡¯s end¡¯ looms like a shadow; I always feel¡­ the conditions for it to occur are alarmingly close to the ¡®first step¡¯ I¡¯m about to take. When I complete the ¡®first step¡¯, will I inadvertently enter a historical branch leading to the fire¡¯s end?¡±


    Sitting in the desert sand, Tarrikin slightly leaned forward, staring intently into Duncan¡¯s eyes for a long while before the old giant withdrew his gaze.


    ¡°Thus, there exists a key divergence point,¡± he began, his voice deep, ¡°whether it is the plan of ¡°Leading Number One¡± or your current plan, ¡®Burning Down the World¡¯ is an unavoidable ¡®first step¡¯. The difference, however, lies in¡­ who you are when executing this plan.¡±


    Listening to the words from the ¡°Everburning Tinder¡±, Duncan suddenly felt a stir in his heart!


    He finally vaguely seized that key point¡­ that which he had always sensed but hadn¡¯t been able to pinpoint clearly.


    He subconsciously took another half step forward, his eyes fixed intently on the giant¡¯s: ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Captain Duncan¡¯s power has its limits,¡± Tarrikin stated calmly, ¡°you have been in this avatar¡¯s body for too long, but¡­ it is, after all, just an avatar.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes widened slightly, he lowered his head to look at his hands, and realized what had always felt off, understanding why he had those instinctive worries¡­


    It was his ¡°self¡± bound within this body that sensed the avatar¡¯s limitations, sending a subconscious warning.


    He is not Duncan; he is Zhou Ming.


    Duncan, just one of his avatars, like the antique shop manager of Prand, like the graveyard keeper of Frost¨Cthe captain on Homeloss was but one of three avatars.


    Duncan¡¯s first traversal through the Spirit Realm commenced the moment he activated that brass Compass¨Cwhereas Zhou Ming¡¯s first traversal started when he pushed open his bachelor apartment door, passing through that dense fog!


    He took a gentle breath, letting thoughts in his heart slowly settle down.


    In fact¡­ he had already realized these things before; as ¡°Zhou Ming¡±, he recognized that his so-called ¡°physical self¡± on Homeloss bore no fundamental difference from the two ¡°corpse avatars¡± of Prand and Frost, realizing that ¡°Duncan¡± should have been his first avatar in this world, but he had never fully contemplated the deeper implications of this¨C


    Whether he was Duncan or Zhou Ming, this question had been key from the very beginning.


    Key from the very beginning¡­


    Zhou Ming suddenly furrowed his brows, recalling the first words the goat-headed being uttered upon meeting him after he arrived on Homeloss and the question it would always ask for confirmation¨C¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it looks like you are beginning to understand the essence of the problem,¡± Tarrikin¡¯s voice suddenly came from beside, startling Duncan from his reverie, ¡°Could you perhaps control your thoughts a bit¨Cthe starlight is about to burn my eyes.¡±


    Duncan came back to his senses only then, noticing a faint layer of starlight that had already spread around him, shining upon the surrounding desert sand, as if gradually dyeing the desert with the vastness of the starry sky.


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    Tarrikin lifted his tattered robe to shield himself from the starlight falling on him, his tone seeming somewhat resigned.


    Meanwhile, Fenna, standing beside him, seemed unaffected, just standing there somewhat lost in thought.


    There was a certain beauty to it, like a sports student standing next to the teacher, struggling to keep up with the thoughts.


    Duncan coughed awkwardly: ¡°Uh¡­ sorry.¡±


    The diffusing starlight gathered around him slowly receded.

 Chapter 817 - Chapter 817: Chapter 814: Bonfire

    Chapter 817: Chapter 814: Bonfire


    When Duncan awoke, the overflowing starlight swiftly gathered back, and the desert that was nearly soaked in the gleam of stars quickly returned to its initial state. Tarrikin, too, sighed in relief.


    Then, the ¡°Eternal Ember¡± turned his head and glanced at Fenna, who was not far away.


    When the starlight spread, Fenna was almost unaffected¨Cin fact, she seemed not to even notice the spreading light; she, like Duncan, was just engrossed in contemplation, until only now, when she finally lifted her head, she looked around belatedly.


    A touch of light purple starlight lingered at the edges of her silvery-white hair, as if those starlights had existed a long time ago, and only under some kind of ¡°illumination¡± did they reveal themselves at this moment.


    ¡°You are gradually being changed by the power of the Usurping Flame, becoming an extension of its force,¡± Tarrikin broke the silence, nodding slightly to Fenna, ¡°this confirms my judgment¨Cthe nature of the Usurping Flame is not those flames, but something hidden underneath them.¡±


    Now, Fenna too began to understand what exactly the captain and the ¡°ancient god¡± before her had been discussing. Her expression changed several times, carrying a pensive hue.


    ¡°So strictly speaking, you have never actually set foot in this world, Usurping Flame,¡± Tarrikin then returned his gaze to Duncan, ¡°you have always been observing the myriad things in the Endless Sea through a veil, only occasionally, through ¡®your own eyes¡¯, do you perceive its fleeting ¡®true face.¡¯ And the ¡®end of the flame¡¯ you mentioned¨CI can imagine what it is¨Cis due to this limitation.


    ¡°The ¡®takeover¡¯ of Navigator One is built on the premise that you must perpetuate the Shelter, and to perpetuate the Shelter means that you need to maintain ¡®awareness¡¯ of its current state. And to maintain an awareness of the Shelter¡¯s current state¡­ you must be ¡®Duncan¡¯.¡±


    Tarrikin paused here briefly, seemingly to give Duncan time to think, before continuing in a low voice: ¡°Because the gaze of the Usurping Flame is going to destroy this world¨Cits appearance depends on the conclusions of your observation.


    ¡°And vice versa, when you are to take ¡®the first step¡¯, you must be the Usurping Flame¨Cbecause ¡®Captain Duncan¡¯s¡¯ gaze will lead to the continuation of the Shelter in the flames, and thus bring about the ¡®end of the flame¡¯, regardless of your subjective will, perhaps it is also the only thing in this world that you cannot control.¡±


    The gaze of the Usurping Flame will destroy this world¡­


    Duncan did not speak; he pondered the matters spoken by Tarrikin, the plan of Navigator One and his own schemes, contemplating¡­


    The different aspects of the world as seen through the eyes of ¡°Duncan¡± and ¡°Zhou Ming¡±.


    ¡°I understand now,¡± after a long while, Duncan¨Cwho still needs to be ¡°Duncan¡±¨Cfinally exhaled softly; he raised his head, meeting Tarrikin¡¯s gaze, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, it is indeed crucial.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± a smile appeared on Tarrikin¡¯s face, then this ancient, hunchbacked giant braced himself with his arm against the ground beside him, gradually exerted force and stood up from the sands with a difficult yet resolute posture.


    The sands cascaded off of him, like the passing years carried away by the wind, he stood under the night sky in the desert, looking off into the distance.


    After a moments, he quietly exclaimed, ¡°Almost nothing is left¡­¡±


    ¡°What was this place originally like?¡± Hearing the lament, Fenna couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Originally? Originally it wasn¡¯t a lush place either, because from the beginning, the ¡®history¡¯ of the Shelter was but a mirage in the river of time, it was my ¡®sculpting¡¯, and the continual ceremonial recording, inheritance, and mending by the Fire Transmitters, that made it seem as if the outside real world was ¡®developing and continuing normally along the timeline¡¯, but here¡­ this place was never prosperous.


    ¡°But at the very least, it wasn¡¯t a desert back then¨Con that vast Land of Exhaustion, there were scattered, extremely rare rivers and oases, because even within the illusion-like flow of time, it mirrored the real occurrences worth recording.¡±


    ¡°Back then, there were even cities on this land, with intelligent tribes living beside the oases, those were the reflections of the real world mirrored into this Dreamscape sculpted by me, and in their memories¡­ the world was once prosperous, and remained prosperous.¡±


    The old giant bent down, grasped a handful of sand from the ground, and watched as they slipped through the fingers, passing in the cold night breeze.


    ¡°And then, I encountered ¡®decay,¡¯ more and more things vanished from the real world, and the history of the Shelter became riddled with holes. Every ¡®self-adjustment¡¯ by the Shelter meant the emergence of more ¡®necrosis¡¯ within the flow of time, the dry land was increasingly covered by the sands, past memories and sounds echoed in the ruins, eventually becoming the sight before your eyes.¡±


    Fenna couldn¡¯t help but think of that city, of the voices and relics she had encountered while traveling through this boundless desert.


    And immediately after, she suddenly thought of something else¨Cshe remembered some of the heretical ¡°theories¡± and ¡°academic conjectures¡± she had seen in the large cathedral archives in Prand, back when she was there¨Cthe dual nature of the world.


    Some scholars believe that the entire world is dual-natured¨Cin some dimension, there exists a ¡°Land of Exhaustion¡±, a mirror image of the sea and land, an endless expanse of barren terrain, dotted with extremely rare rivers and oases. This Land of Exhaustion even housed intelligent civilizations; they and everything in reality complemented each other in reflection¡­


    Fenna¡¯s eyes widened, she couldn¡¯t help but gaze into the distance, looking at the vast, boundless sea of sand, picturing the large and small ruins of the City-States scattered throughout the desert¡­


    This was the place that scholars speculated, where it mirrored the world in reflection.


    It truly exists¨Cexist at the end of the world, in the gradually decaying memories of an ancient god as they continuously crumble and disintegrate.


    Fenna suddenly raised her head, as if she wanted to say something to Tarrikin, but just as she was about to speak, a violent gust of wind swept up the sand.


    The sandstorm rose like a curtain lifting between heaven and earth, enclosing her and the captain, then vanished in the blink of an eye¨Cthe wind stopped, and the hunched giant standing in the desert had disappeared from her sight.


    Chaotic Sky Light pierced through the clouds and fog, shining upon this little island covered with ashes. A breeze, origin unknown, carried a delicate and pale layer of ash dancing with the wind, floating around like a light gauze.


    Fenna snapped out of her daze, looked toward the distance, and saw nothing but an endless expanse of ashes. Sparse plumes of smoke rose in the distance, meandering skyward.


    Not far from her side was a campfire that seemed about to extinguish.


    Tarrikin was sitting there¨Cemaciated, bent, and almost a heap of skeletal remains; he was the campfire itself, his flesh and bones the firewood, with faint and weak flames flickering among his charred bones and the remnants of his flesh in the breeze.


    The giant sat there, head bowed, motionless, as if something had once piled up beside him, but now only undefined mounds of ash remained, while in his hand he still tightly gripped a black stone flake that resembled a chisel¨Cas if he had been earnestly sculpting something until he could no longer move.


    Fenna slowly approached the nearly extinguished flames, lifted her head, and gazed silently at the giant¡¯s face for a long time.


    In a daze, she seemed to hear that familiar sound again¨C


    Ding¡­ Ding ding¡­


    Duncan came over from the side, gently placing his hand on Fenna¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to go,¡± he said softly, ¡°while the fire here has not yet completely died out.¡±


    Fenna nodded gently.


    Duncan took a step forward, reaching out his finger towards the remaining cluster of flame on Tarrikin¡¯s body.


    In silence, the cluster of flame quietly took on a layer of ghostly green, then the light of the flames began to dance, with the beautiful glitter of starlight emerging in them, pulsating slowly like breathing in and out.


    In the blurry sensation built up by the flames, he whispered in his heart: ¡°We¡¯ll see you in our new world.¡±


    ¡­


    In the eternal night, a massive fleet is sailing northward.


    The night wind swept over the calm sea, bringing the distinctive, bone-chilling cold of the Chill Sea that seemed to progressively freeze one¡¯s heart and lungs. The pale, cool light of Creation of the World shone upon the whole world, the various sizes of ice floes floating on the mirror-like dark sea reflected its brilliance, appearing like a series of ferocious and pale ghostly shadows, moving slowly yet swiftly beyond the ship¡¯s side.


    Even the grand and sacred bonfire could not dispel the coldness that enveloped the whole sea area¨CFrem, standing beside the large bonfire in the center of the Church Ark, felt for a moment as if the roaring flames before him had suddenly lost their warmth, and what hit his face was not the heat of the fire but an endless emptiness, a sharp and bone-piercing cold.


    Footsteps came from the side, startling the Pope of the Flame Transmitter, who was meditating with closed eyes. Frem looked towards the source of the sound to see a priestess wearing a black gown with flame patterns and a veil walking towards him, bowing her head beside the large bonfire.


    ¡°Your Holiness the Pope, we have crossed the surrounding sea area of Frost, and we have just received a signal from the vessels of the Deep Sea Church. They will meet with us and transfer the ¡®goods¡¯ in half an hour.¡±


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    ¡°Hmm,¡± responded Frem, ¡°¡­ Is the archive ready?¡±


    ¡°The preparations for archiving have been made,¡± the tall Senkin People priestess answered, ¡°and the storage areas have been readjusted to accommodate the newly archived documents.¡±


    Frem nodded silently.


    ¡°Moreover, the Frost City-State has just sent a message,¡± continued the priestess, ¡°Governor Terrian sends his greetings to us, quoting verbatim¨C


    ¡°All the best blessings of the world to those who record and inherit, a salute to you. Proceed with peace of mind, all acts of preservation have meaning. Also: ¡®They¡¯ have crossed the Fire¡¯s node and are headed to the final stop.¡±

 Chapter 818 - Chapter 818: Chapter 815: And Then, There is Death

    Chapter 818: Chapter 815: And Then, There is Death


    As the fleet sailed further north, the surrounding temperature became increasingly cold, as if ¡°cold¡± had become a certain ¡°attribute¡± of the entire sea area ahead, and no amount of fire or warm clothing could truly bring warmth, only slightly delaying the invasion of the cold.


    In such a frigid and endless night, the ships of the Deep Sea Church delivered the last batch of documents to the Church Ark of the Fire Transmitter¨Cthey came from the darkness, docked beside the Fire Transmitter¡¯s Ark for several hours, then returned to the deep night.


    Frem stood on the high tower of the Church Ark, looking at the gradually blurring silhouettes on the distant sea, the distant sound of steam whistles still echoing in the night sky, eventually dissolving into the wind.


    ¡°This might be our last time seeing other people from the civilized world,¡± said the towering Senkin Pope, turning his head to the priestess standing beside him, ¡°After this, the temple will remain in the north¨Cthe Ark is the archive, the archive is the Ark.¡±


    ¡°We are all prepared for this,¡± the priestess calmly spoke, ¡°We will stop in that eternal ice, watching over the last flicker of light after the night, until the end of this long night¡­ It¡¯s an honor to follow you here, Your Holiness.¡±


    Frem paused for a moment, then softly said, ¡°Yes, I feel honored too.¡±


    In his field of vision, at a vast distance ahead of the Ark fleet, a fuzzy white silhouette was quietly emerging on the sea.


    That was the frozen sea area in the far north of the Chill Sea, the coldest place in the world, where everything freezes in the ice and reaches eternity¨Cthat is the destination of the Fire Transmitter.


    Meanwhile, in Frost City-State, Tyrion was standing on the high balcony of the government hall, quietly watching the countless lights and the densely packed rooftops in the distant streets below.


    The Sun Shard had left the City-State, with the tugboat taking the large luminous geometric body to places that needed it more many days ago. Now, the entire city was being lit by artificial lights; bright streetlights and the lights of thousands of homes converging into rivers in the night, outlining every part of the city, continuing the order and peace of the civilized world.


    People seemed to have gradually adapted to this prolonged night.


    The new curfew system was being implemented smoothly, factories and markets, after initial tensions and chaos, were now operating orderly again. Residents reduced the frequency of leaving their homes, but within the allowed time frame, everyone still tried to maintain their daily lives as much as possible. There had been a few rat-led destructive activities against the city in the gutters, but they were quickly subdued by the combined forces of the guardians and law enforcement officers.


    Now, the ¡°Sunshine Fleet¡± dragging the Sun Shard was cruising in the vast ocean between the City-States, and the huge convoy of cargo ships sailing with the Sunshine Fleet was moving in the night, restoring six or seven-tenths of the major logistics between the City-States. The periodic arrival of ¡°sunlight¡± also greatly reduced the pressure cities faced against the night, and although the incidents of twisted mutations in various places were increasing, at least the guardians now had a chance to breathe¨C


    They were facing tougher challenges than before, but at least it was no longer an endless despairing darkness.


    Sometimes, Tyrion would even think that all of this could continue running for a long time¨Ca new balance had been established, and civilization had shown remarkable adaptability in this long night. People were now accustomed to this long night, the union of City-States, the curfew system, the new night watch order, cruising sunlight¡­ These things seemed sufficient to sustain the whole world for a while, if not forever.


    But whenever he thought this, he would suddenly wake up and realize that all of this was just an illusion of temporary peace brought by the night.


    The world was sliding towards its end, faster than anyone could imagine.


    Because he knew of the gods¡¯ ¡°decay¡±, the slow and unstoppable disintegration happening within the foundations of the world, influenced by his father, he knew many things.


    But¡­ what would others think? The Governors of other City-States, the managers of the Church, the guardians and law enforcement officers, and the ordinary people living in the cities¡­ had they also fallen into that illusory calm without realizing it?


    ¡°¡­Maybe it¡¯s not a bad thing,¡± Tyrion murmured to himself softly.


    Aiden¡¯s voice came from beside him: ¡°Ah? What¡¯s not a bad thing?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just talking to myself,¡± Tyrion turned his gaze away from the distant street lights back to Aiden¡¯s shiny bald head, ¡°What were we discussing just now?¡±


    ¡°About the production adjustments in several factories in the Lower City District,¡± Aiden paused for a moment, quickly catching on before continuing, ¡°The coordination committee believes there is a slight deficit in fuel production capacity currently, although it¡¯s not a major issue now, it will get worse over time¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand, I¡¯ve already reviewed that report this noon. Tell the coordination committee that the city hall will respond before tomorrow morning,¡± Tyrion waved his hand, ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Aiden hesitated, speaking tentatively, ¡°Also, the Great Furnace reported something a bit¡­ strange.¡±


    ¡°Some strange occurrences?¡± Tyrion frowned slightly with displeasure, ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush, is this how you report?¡±


    Aiden quickly cleared his throat, adjusted his posture and expression, and began, ¡°A department reported that they haven¡¯t had any tasks for a while, and the head of that department feels¡­ something¡¯s odd.¡±


    Tyrion¡¯s brow furrowed deeper, he suddenly felt a bit uneasy, sensing that some information was slipping from his mind: ¡°¡­A department? What do you mean ¡®a department¡¯? Exactly which department is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, the content of the report is a bit chaotic, it was delivered to my office, but I can¡¯t find out who sent it. Many words on it are illegible¡­¡±


    As Aiden explained, his expression grew more puzzled, his voice slowed down bit by bit, and towards the end, it was as if a jammed automaton was squeezing out words one by one: ¡°¡­I only remember¡­ they¡­ were responsible¡­ for burning¡­¡±


    Aiden stopped, standing there motionlessly, looking at Tyrion with a somewhat blank expression.


    After another two or three seconds, he suddenly seemed to wake up with a visible shudder, and then resumed speaking smoothly and naturally: ¡°¡­ The production capacity of the Boiling Gold Mines has recovered to the levels before ¡®Nightfall¡¯, and the surplus ore is being loaded onto ships, to be delivered on order during the next passage of the Sunshine Fleet¡­¡±


    Yet Tyrion seemed to have completely ignored these reports about the Boiling Gold Mines, the instant Aiden resumed speaking, he stared intently at him, his gaze even somewhat terrifying, causing Aiden to hesitate and stop midway, his expression uneasy under the heavy and inexplicable pressure: ¡°Uh¡­ Is there something wrong with what I said?¡±


    ¡°Aiden,¡± Tyrion still stared intensely at this subordinate who had followed him for a century, his tone especially solemn, ¡°Do you remember what you were reporting just now?¡±


    Aiden paused, cautiously looking at Tyrion: ¡°Uh¡­ The production capacity of the Boiling Gold Mines, adjustments in production at several factories in the Lower City District, the Coordination Committee¡¯s warnings about insufficient fuel? Earlier we were discussing the Fire Transmitter fleet heading north¡­¡±


    He hesitated and stopped, seeing that Tyrion¡¯s expression had grown even more troubled.


    ¡°The Great Furnace,¡± Tyrion¡¯s face was grave, ¡°Do you remember the report you received from a department of the Great Furnace?¡±


    Aiden looked bewildered: ¡°¡­What report?¡±


    Tyrion didn¡¯t speak; he just lifted his head, looking towards the edge of the Upper City District, towards¡­ a certain graveyard.


    A swirling wind passed through the night, sweeping through the alleys, and entered deep into the graveyard, carrying gray-white dust in the wind, which then materialized into the form of Agatha.


    Today, she had shed her bishop¡¯s black dress and was back in her light armor and combat coat from her days as a gatekeeper, and a faint greenish fire danced in the cracked wounds on her cheeks and arms like those on a broken puppet. She hurried from the grand death cathedral of the Upper City District to this place, but upon entering the graveyard, the anxious Death Priest saw a scene she had not anticipated.


    The tall, bandage-wrapped Tomb Guardian ¡°Duncan¡± was standing next to the morgue table on a small path, helping a shaky figure to climb out from a nearby coffin, a figure who was clearly a corpse until very recently ¡ª his neck bent at an eerie angle, his head lolling onto one shoulder, he climbed down the platform with stiff, slow movements, his joints occasionally making unsettling cracking sounds.


    The towering, somber-looking Tomb Guardian ¡°Duncan,¡± while helping the corpse down from the platform, spoke very calmly, advising: ¡°¡­Yes, some headache is normal, it might get better once you¡¯re home¡­ You¡¯ll need to brace your neck, either a wooden brace or fire tongs will do. Stay positive, think of it as if you had too much to drink and got lost overnight, your family won¡¯t hold it against you¨Cthey¡¯ll welcome you back, and there¡¯s certainly more like you.¡±


    While he was speaking, another sound of a coffin lid opening came from another morgue table, an elderly man with white hair sat up, looking around somewhat bewilderingly: ¡°Why am I sleeping here? I feel a tightness in my chest¡­¡±


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    ¡°Just wait, I¡¯ll help you down,¡± Duncan immediately went over, ¡°Don¡¯t come down by yourself, you might not heal if you break a leg¡­ Take a breath, tightness is normal, you¡¯ve been holding it for quite a while¡­ Yes, keep breathing, take a deep breath¨C¡±


    Duncan suddenly stopped, turned his head, and looked at the gatekeeper lady who was somewhat stunned standing on the path.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve come,¡± he greeted calmly.


    ¡°¡­Mr. Duncan,¡± Agatha watched the scene in disbelief, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°It seems your awareness hasn¡¯t been fully corrected,¡± Duncan spoke indifferently, then turned his head back to his ¡®work,¡¯ ¡°As you see, I¡¯m sending my temporary ¡®guests¡¯ back.¡±

 Chapter 819 - Chapter 819: Chapter 816: Merging into the Long Night

    Chapter 819: Chapter 816: Merging into the Long Night


    The dead were continuously climbing out of their coffins, and the graveyard was filled with swaying corpses. They queried in confusion, walked aimlessly, or sat on the morgue slab in a daze, futilely recalling and pondering in the slight discordance left after the old order had dissipated, trying to grasp the unease and shadows lingering in their hearts.


    Instead of guarding the graveyard to prevent the undead from waking and stirring, the guard was leading these awakened corpses, escorting them away from this temporary resting place, sending them back to their homes.


    The dim streetlights cast light on this eerie scene. Even Agatha, who could no longer feel the temperature of the living world, felt a coldness slowly seeping from her soul. She stood dumbfounded beside the path, watching as Duncan ushered the moving corpses one by one out, as if she was deep in a bizarre Dreamscape.


    ¡°Alright, you are the last one,¡± finally, the last staggering dead man began his journey home¨Ca young man killed by homicide, his chest bearing a gruesome hole. Duncan supported this fresh corpse off the platform, gently advising, ¡°You remember the way home, don¡¯t you? Go back, it¡¯s normal if breathing feels odd, you¡¯ll get used to it soon¡­ Now go home, be with your family, don¡¯t think too much, just live well¨Cgo out from here, keep walking forward, don¡¯t look back, you don¡¯t have to come back here for a long time.¡±


    The stiff-gaited corpse finally walked away, the dim streetlights illuminating his figure until he eventually disappeared into the vast darkness of the night.


    Duncan finally approached the gatekeeper lady. Despite the thick bandages, his eyes still revealed a mild and calm smile: ¡°Thank you for waiting, Ms. Agatha.¡±


    Agatha suddenly felt a bit dazed, feeling as if she was about to forget something very important, but then she abruptly snapped awake, raising her hand to her forehead while murmuring, ¡°The boundary between life and death is gone¡­ Captain, what has happened? I feel¡­ something isn¡¯t quite right, here at the graveyard¡­ just now, that was abnormal¡­¡±


    Her body shook slightly, as if her consciousness had suddenly faltered, and she nearly fell over.


    ¡°Relax, Agatha.¡± Duncan reached out gently to support the gatekeeper, guiding her slowly to a nearby morgue slab to sit beside a coffin.


    ¡°Keep breathing¨Cor it¡¯s fine not to breathe, just keep a calm mindset,¡± he spoke slowly, just as he had soothed those restless dead, ¡°Being dazed and slightly panicked is normal, it will pass soon. Tyrion is already better, and you will be soon, too.¡±


    Listening to the voices next to her, Agatha felt the tearing conflicts within her mind momentarily subside, her cognition temporarily stabilizing. After a moment of silence, she softly asked, ¡°How much longer?¡±


    ¡°We are heading towards the last node, the node of the god of death. According to past experiences, this might take two to three days. After that, I can confirm Bartok¡¯s status,¡± Duncan looked into Agatha¡¯s eyes veiled in black fabric, ¡°But if you¡¯re asking about after that, that final moment¡­ that will take some more time.¡±


    ¡°¡­What will the world become?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t speak, only continued to look at her calmly.


    Initially, the sea lost its waves, the Endless Sea became a calm mirror of water. Then, the dead no longer rested, the concept of death was twisted, and the boundary between life and death blurred. What¡¯s next?


    He suddenly remembered what the Black Sun had once described to him¨C


    One day, the ocean will forget the shape of the waves, life will forget how to die, flames will not remember how to burn, wind will cease to move, clouds will fall from the sky into the sea¡­


    The gods fall into decay through forgetting, and the world forgets as it decays¨Cthis is the ¡°Rotten Future¡±.


    That is the counterpart to the ¡°Fiery Future,¡± another lightless apocalypse.


    Agatha didn¡¯t get an answer to her question, but in Duncan¡¯s gaze, she seemed to already know the outcome. As the cognitive tears and contradictions in her mind emerged again, she also faintly realized¡­ such things might not be happening for the first time in this world.


    ¡°¡­I have undergone the strictest training and testing, honing my skills in the temple, strengthening my will. I swore in front of the Lord¡¯s sacred image to protect those who follow us with my strength and faith¡­¡±


    Her voice softly started, the mortal cold seeping into her mind, seeming to freeze her thoughts. Her voice arose in the cold night air, as if echoing from one grave to another¨C


    ¡°But how do I protect them in these circumstances? Captain Duncan, in the face of the collapse of the world¡¯s foundation¡­¡±


    ¡°You are protecting them, and everyone in this city is protecting the city in their own way¨Cthe way of life here, the memories here, everything,¡± Duncan¡¯s deep voice interrupted Agatha¡¯s words, ¡°I know, even so, everything is still slowly fading away. The ¡®memory¡¯ of this world vanishes like sand through our fingers, no matter how tightly we clutch our hands, we¡¯re only delaying the process, but it¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault.¡±


    He turned his head, looking down the small path in the cemetery, and at the morgue slabs beside it that had now completely quieted down.


    Some of those morgue slabs still bore marks of bullet and blade strikes, displayed bouquets from the living to the dead, and even seemed to retain traces of un-dried tears.


    People had fought here at the boundary between life and death, mourned those who had stepped through life into another world, and now it had become thoroughly quiet. For a long time in the future, it might no longer have any ¡°visitors¡±.


    People will gradually forget the purpose of the cemetery, and then, it becomes an inevitable ¡°neglect¡±, where death will become a state transition that people do not care about. Bartok¡¯s priesthood will be blurred, the concept of the Death Church will become natural, yet incomprehensible, and no one will even think of trying to understand its existence. This dying world will once again undergo an ¡°adjustment¡±, where ¡°ignorance¡± is another blessing it gives to beings¨Cto prevent fragile mortal minds from accidentally glimpsing the hidden fear and horror of corruption and rot in the depths of darkness.


    Agatha feels the cold air gradually filling her chest, and slowly exhales with each breath.


    It seems that she hasn¡¯t breathed in a long time, and after the death of this body, she has become increasingly accustomed to the identity of the deceased, so much so that she gradually forgets about ¡°breathing.¡±


    But now, she starts to breathe naturally again.


    The dark night gently envelops the world, and the haze in her mind is gradually fading away, all her confusion and unrest slowly dissipating.


    She hears Captain Duncan speaking beside her, his tone reassuring and calm.


    ¡°Agatha, did you know? Human eyes can actually always see their own nose tip¨Cit blocks a large part of a person¡¯s field of vision, forming a theoretically inescapable dark shadow when both eyes focus.


    ¡°But your brain has been dealing with this ¡®trouble¡¯, it learns to ignore that shadow and through incredible imagination, deception, and calculation ¡®fills in¡¯ the gaps in your vision, and only at specific angles and positions can you notice the existence of that ¡®blind spot¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Meanwhile, due to the structure of the nerves, human vision is upside down, and your brain needs a lot of computation and adjustment to reverse the signals sent by the nerves back to normal¨Cso some people, when they experience neurological changes, will briefly see that upside-down world and even struggle to walk in it.¡±


    ¡°Humans are such an imperfect species that the human brain must resort to ignoring, forgetting, and even deceiving itself to live normally in this world.¡±


    ¡°And this world, like your brain, has a ¡®corrective¡¯ mechanism¨Cthose dreadful tears and contradictions will ultimately be hidden under this correction mechanism, although they accumulate more and more, and although the entire world still gradually sinks¡­ but this is already the best ¡®They¡¯ can do.¡±


    ¡°Agatha, this world is so imperfect that its designers must go through ignoring, forgetting, and even deceiving themselves so that you can live normally in this world, and now that process is nearing its limit.¡±


    ¡°Like sand flowing through the gaps between fingers.¡±


    ¡°But ¡®They¡¯ have tried their best.¡±


    Duncan retracts his gaze from afar and quietly watches the gatekeeper sitting on the autopsy table.


    ¡°¡­I will return to the cathedral.¡±


    Agatha suddenly says softly.


    Green flames flicker deep inside her shattered body, smoldering at the position of her eyes.


    ¡°People will come to the cathedral seeking help, there will be other priests like me who experience brief confusion and unease, they need me¨Cand after this ¡®process¡¯ temporarily ends, I will continue to fulfill my duties¡­ I should be with the followers, let everyone¡¯s life continue even if just for one more day. Then¡­¡±


    She breathes a slight sigh of relief, then jumps off the autopsy table with agile posture.


    She stands firm in the night like a tombstone, as if the days she spent praying in the cathedral in a long dress as a nun hardly diminished her aura as a gatekeeper.


    ¡°Then, this world might get even worse,¡± Duncan¡¯s voice comes from beside her, ¡°Life has forgotten how to die, flames may also forget how to burn, wind and clouds, light and dark, many things will gradually sink in this unstoppable decay¨Cand the world¡¯s ¡®correction¡¯ will reach its limit, and some people will wake up in the dark, noticing the terrifying changes in this world, by then¡­¡±


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    Agatha lifts her head, calmly facing Captain Duncan¡¯s gaze, a breeze gradually emerges beside her, and her figure begins to crumble into ash in the wind.


    A smile appears on her face.


    ¡°I will still fulfill my duties and patiently wait¨Ceach of us has our own things to do, right?¡±


    Duncan nods gently.


    Agatha¡¯s figure transforms into the Grey Wind, blending into the night, leaving the quiet cemetery.

 Chapter 820 - Chapter 820: Chapter 817: The Journey is Coming to an End

    Chapter 820: Chapter 817: The Journey is Coming to an End


    Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship sailed through a uniformly grey-white backdrop.


    This long journey at the world¡¯s end seems to be gradually drawing to a close¨Ceven without Duncan mentioning it, everyone aboard has vaguely sensed the approaching end.


    Now, everyone had gathered around the long table in Homeloss¡¯s cabin, even Rukrecia, who had temporarily entrusted her own ship to the puppet Luny and the rabbit Rabi.


    The ¡°Sea Witch¡± sat beside Duncan, while the little doll Niru, who had only recently become an official crew member of the Brilliant Starship, sat obediently on the shoulder of her mistress. It was her first appearance here, and she was currently carefully clutching Rukrecia¡¯s hair while curiously observing her surroundings.


    Sherry found it quite amusing to watch the exquisite little doll dressed in a fancy doll¡¯s gown, and when the latter turned her head towards her, Sherry suddenly raised her hand and made a scare: ¡°Hey ha¨C¡±


    Niru immediately cried out in a soft voice, clutching Rukrecia¡¯s hair tightly.


    Following the surprise, Miss Witch lifted her hand and patted the doll¡¯s arm, causing Niru to lower her head with grievance, muttering softly, ¡°Mistress, she scared me.¡±


    Sherry immediately shrugged her shoulders and turned her head away, pretending to be seriously listening to the captain¡¯s speech.


    Duncan didn¡¯t mind the commotion beside the long table. He just glanced at Sherry before continuing to speak about the current situation within the Endless Sea:


    ¡°¡­The undead move amongst the living in the cities, and no one remembers the original purpose of the graveyards and the crematoria. The dead wander in confusing, while the living increasingly fall into a haze. No one dies anymore, nor are there any newborns¡­ To an outsider, the world¡¯s contortion would be unimaginable, yet no one notices these anomalies. All discrepancies are ¡®explained¡¯ or ¡®ignored¡¯ by the subconscious, and this is the ¡®current state¡¯ of the entire world.¡±


    ¡°The situation with the Deep Sea Church¡­ is similar to that of the current Death Church. The core parts of their respective doctrines have now turned into incomprehensible ¡®profane archetypes¡¯. Though people still blindly maintain their ¡®daily lives¡¯, this kind of ¡®world correction¡¯ will likely not last long.¡±


    Everyone around the long table remained silent, even Sherry, who had been playfully teasing the doll earlier, quieted down upon picturing the eerie and terrifying scenes within the City-State.


    Duncan¡¯s gaze then settled on Fenna not far away.


    ¡°Are you doing okay?¡± he asked softly.


    ¡°Cognitive restructuring¡­ isn¡¯t such a simple matter,¡± Fenna¡¯s complexion was not good, she frowned slightly, and after hearing the captain¡¯s words, she shook her head with a bitter smile, ¡°I was about to forget about the ¡®waves¡¯. Your sudden call for us just now made me recall all that, making me feel as if¡­ the whole world has undergone a ¡®tear¡¯.¡±


    Miss Judge took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled, seemingly still struggling to adjust her state, her expression complicatedly continuing, ¡°Now two starkly different ¡®cognitive systems¡¯ are fiercely battling within my psyche. I am clearly aware that certain ¡®things¡¯ do truly exist, but another cognition tells me that it¡¯s an incomprehensible, nonexistent thing. I know the former cognition is correct, yet I cannot deny the second¡­ They both have taken root in my heart, like¡­¡±


    She pursed her lips, seemingly unable to find a suitable way to describe it.


    ¡°Like ¡®hydrophobia¡¯?¡± Duncan then asked calmly.


    ¡°Water being poisonous¡¯?¡± Fenna pondered, then nodded with a wry smile, ¡°Perhaps. Compared to various tangible abominable filth, cognitive-level problems are always so tricky to deal with.¡±


    ¡°¡­I had my doubts, whether it was necessary to reinforce and stabilize your ¡®cognitions¡¯,¡± Duncan said slowly, his gaze sweeping around the room. As his eyes fell on each person, a pale green flame burned quietly throughout the cabin, its light reflecting upon everyone, as if soaking into their souls and minds, stabilizing their ¡®cognitions¡¯ on the side of the ¡®captain¡¯, ¡°But considering the plans ahead, I must ¡®strengthen¡¯ you with flames, because only then can you become my most solid ¡®anchor¡¯.¡±


    Hearing Duncan¡¯s words, Rukrecia¡¯s expression visibly changed slightly. She seemed to want to say something but ultimately remained quiet, just staring intently at her father.


    ¡°¡­Next, we¡¯ll arrive at Bartok¡¯s ¡®node¡¯,¡± Duncan continued calmly as if ignoring the various emotional gazes on him, ¡°It will be the last node on the ¡®external barrier¡¯ formed by the four deities. After completing the final marking, Homeloss will return to the starting point of this ¡®pilgrimage¡¯¡­ the Leviathan Islands.


    ¡°There, your journey on the border will also come to an end.¡±


    Duncan spread his hands, his voice low and subdued as he looked around the long table, moving his gaze across familiar faces until his eyes finally rested on Nina.


    She was the first ¡°human¡± he knew in this world, his first formal ¡°contact¡± with the civilization trapped in Shelter, his¡­ ¡°anchor of humanity.¡±


    Nina sat by his side, this always sensible girl seemed to always notice ¡°Uncle Duncan¡¯s¡± thoughts one step ahead. Even at this moment, she showed no great surprise, but after a moment of silence, she looked up, ¡°Are you going to do the next part alone?¡±


    Duncan met the girl¡¯s gaze: ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is it dangerous? Is it far?¡± Nina asked again.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe it as ¡®dangerous¡¯ or ¡®not dangerous.¡¯ It¡¯s something¡­ that only I can complete, but you won¡¯t be able to comprehend the process,¡± Duncan thought for a moment, and then explained seriously, ¡°I will be traveling to a place even farther than the world¡¯s end¨Cso far that even the gods cannot reach it, a place beyond all earthly measures¡­ Yes, that far, very far.¡±


    ¡°Will you still come home?¡± Nina kept her gaze fixed on her Uncle Duncan¨Can inquiry she had posed before.


    This time, Duncan did not hesitate one bit: ¡°Yes, homecoming.¡±


    His answer was so assured and swift that even Nina seemed a bit taken aback.


    ¡°You¡¯re not lying?¡± She furrowed her brows, asking with some doubt as if she hadn¡¯t expected such a definitive reply in the first place.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain¨Cbut had you asked me earlier, perhaps I really would have hesitated,¡± Duncan said with a serious face, ¡°But now, I can assure you, if there really comes a day in the future when you are waiting for me to come home, then I will definitely come home.¡±


    Nina frowned, and as she fell into thought, Morris¡¯s voice came from the side: ¡°What do you need us to do?¡±


    ¡°After Homeloss departs, you will follow the Brilliant Starship back home,¡± Duncan looked towards the elderly gentleman across the table and nodded slightly, ¡°Agatha will bring Homeloss¡¯s ¡®reflection¡¯ and attach it to the Brilliant Starship. Sailors will then take the helm¨Cthrough this, you¡¯ll be able to activate the ¡®course¡¯ left by Sea Song, and return to the Endless Sea via the nodes of the Storm Goddess.


    ¡°After returning to the Endless Sea, you will head to the City-States of Frost, Prand and Light Breeze Harbor, and with Lawrence currently staying in Pharrellon at the western border, it¡¯s as though I have ¡®eyes¡¯ that can watch over the entire world¨CI want you to wait for my command. When I have finished my preparations beyond this world, something¡­ momentous will happen.¡±


    ¡°Something momentous?¡± Fenna furrowed her brows unconsciously.


    ¡°¡­The world¡¯s end,¡± Duncan stated calmly, ¡°I will orderly ¡®end¡¯ this world, and retrieve all its data before this ¡®mathematical machine¡¯ completely collapses.¡±


    He knew that nobody present would understand what he meant by ¡°information of everything¡± and ¡°mathematical machine¡±, not even Morris, but he still spoke his mind clearly.


    Those present might not know what the mathematical machine is, but they at least understood what ¡°the world¡¯s end¡± meant.


    After a moment of silence, Sherry was the first to break it: ¡°¡­oh my¡­¡±


    But apart from her, everyone else¡¯s responses were surprisingly calm.


    ¡°It seems you all trust me a great deal.¡± Duncan looked around the group, a smile suddenly appearing on his face.


    ¡°After what we¡¯ve been through in Prand, Frost, and Light Breeze Harbor, what¡¯s left not to trust?¡± Fenna suddenly laughed, ¡°There are countless ways you could easily bring about destruction, but you always chose to save as much as possible¨Cby now, even if you said you wanted to kill me, I¡¯d probably think I was living all wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°Gomona would be sad to hear you say that,¡± Duncan said with a resigned smile, ¡°When we first met, you came at me with a flying kick.¡±


    Fenna: ¡°¡­You said you wouldn¡¯t bring that up.¡±


    Duncan shook his head with a smile, waved his hand, and looked towards the others.


    ¡°The ¡®end¡¯ of the world is a necessary step to ensure the birth of a new world and a long-lasting peace after its formation. I¡¯ve found a way to preserve everything that exists in this world while ending the old one; on this front, you can indeed be at ease.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ what comes after that?¡± Sherry finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up. Despite not fully understanding much of the topic, she was keenly aware that the captain hadn¡¯t completed his thought, ¡°What happens after the world has ended¡­ where are we? And where are you? When will this ¡®new world¡¯¡­ arrive?¡±


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    Duncan smiled and looked into Sherry¡¯s curious eyes.


    ¡°Blink your eyes.¡±


    Sherry blinked her eyes, curious.


    ¡°For you, the new world will have arrived right after that.¡±


    Duncan spoke softly.

 Chapter 821 - Chapter 821: Chapter 818: Warmth and Cold

    Chapter 821: Chapter 818: Warmth and Cold


    The journey to the Death Node seemed about to reach its end. In the extremely uniform gray-white backdrop outside the ship¡¯s hull, some barely noticeable black lines had started to subtly appear, with physical structures emerging in the distance and slowly expanding ahead of Homeloss and Brilliant Starship.


    Yet, for some reason, this scene, seen more than once, felt particularly¡­ lonely and prolonged to Duncan this time.


    He stood quietly at the bow of Homeloss, waiting for the warp to stop, as footsteps sounded from behind him. Without turning around, he knew who was approaching.


    ¡°Lucy,¡± Duncan said softly, ¡°we¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Lucy came beside Duncan, gazing together at the slowly changing landscape in the distance, ¡°The last node, right? Then it¡¯s back to the resting place of the Storm Goddess¡­ Every journey has its end.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to go alone again,¡± Duncan sighed lightly, aware that he was just inhabiting an ¡°avatar.¡± Yet, many complex emotions still stirred within him in front of Lucy, and how much of those emotions belonged to ¡°Duncan Ebnomal,¡± he couldn¡¯t quite say, ¡°I had promised you before¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish speaking when Lucy suddenly interrupted, ¡°You¡¯ve kept your promise by taking me along to the edge of the world.¡±


    As she spoke, she turned her head toward Duncan with a deep, tranquil look, her expression extraordinarily serious. But after two or three seconds, she suddenly laughed, ¡°What did you expect? That I would act like a naive little girl, wailing and clinging to you, preventing you from doing something important? Or that I would throw a tantrum at a time like this, scolding you and having you embark on such an important journey with regret and dejection? That I¡¯d doom all the hopes of the world over my bad mood at this moment?¡±


    Looking at the ¡°witch¡± smiling before him, Duncan suddenly found himself at a loss for words, only managing a helpless smile as he spread his hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a child anymore, Father,¡± Lucy took a deep breath, a serene smile on her face, looking very seriously into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Whatever I do, I can¡¯t stop your decision up next, and I can¡¯t find a better, viable alternative to solve the problem for you. The most suitable choice, then, is to keep a smile at this moment¡­that¡¯s what you taught me.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t remember that,¡± said Duncan very honestly.


    ¡°To smile at each goodbye,¡± Lucy whispered with nostalgia, ¡°so that if we can never meet again, at least when we recall each other, the last scene in our minds would be a brilliant smile.¡±


    Duncan said nothing, he didn¡¯t awkwardly inquire about a century ago when Homeloss decided to head for the Eternal Veil, about what the scene looked like the last time Lucy and Terrian said goodbye to the captain of Homeloss.


    After a moment of silence, Lucy suddenly raised her hand, firmly gazing at Duncan.


    ¡°What?¡± Duncan looked puzzled at her.


    ¡°High five,¡± Lucy said.


    Duncan unconsciously frowned: ¡°High five?¡±


    ¡°Promise me, you¡¯ll come back, then high five,¡±


    the witch said calmly. She looked up, gazing at the tall figure standing at the bow, with the slowly moving black lines in the background gradually expanding. Her father¡¯s silhouette seemed to be fading into that transmuting light and shadow. Suddenly, she felt like she was seeing the weathered afternoon at the dock again, her father standing in front of the gangway to Homeloss, watching her like a speechless statue.


    ¡°High five, promise me and my brother, you¡¯ll come back safely.¡± That¡¯s what she had said at the time.


    Back then, she was much younger, not yet a ¡°witch¡± of the sea, and she could not clearly remember if her face had a smile¨Cprobably not, because she wasn¡¯t as mature and¡­ hard as she was today.


    In her yellowing memories, the tall figure had ultimately turned away in silence.


    But the warmth of touch and a ¡®clap¡¯ brought Lucy back from those faded memories¨Cshe saw her father smiling, his large palm covering hers.


    Just like when her father and brother were young, every time he went out.


    Then, the floating black light and shadow in the distance suddenly expanded rapidly, filling the entire view outside Homeloss and Brilliant Starship, the gray-white background corridor silently collapsed, accompanied by a distorted, distorted voice into everyone¡¯s mind: ¡°¡­ warp¡­ stop.¡±


    A colorless, vast wilderness composed of different gradients of black, white, and gray appeared before Lucy and Duncan¨Cno coastline, no sea, just a barren wildland, black and white wildgrass growing wildly on the plains, undulating in the wind without making a sound, akin to a dead silencer.


    Homeloss and Brilliant Starship were sailing on the undulating grass waves, silently gliding across the Wilderness of Death enveloped by the Eternal Veil.


    ¡­


    It seemed that the veil of night had become eternal, and the sun would never rise again.


    Frem stood beside the great bonfire on the Fire Transmitter¡¯s ark, looking back once more in the direction from whence the fleet had come, back to the boundary of the civilized world, but still he could only see the boundless darkness, seeing the cold, pale brilliance of Creation of the World shining over the ocean like a mirror, as if from the infinite past to the infinite future, the entire world had always been this way.


    He withdrew his gaze, continuing to pray beneath the illumination of the great bonfire¡¯s flames.


    The cold wind from the northern seas howled past his ears, interspersed with the deep noise of the giant steam engines operating within the depths of the ark. Occasionally, he could hear the distant sounds of shattering ice or the continuous roar like thunder ¡ª those were the terrifying sounds of ice being crushed by the giant icebreaking mechanism at the forefront of the ark.


    The Fire Transmitter¡¯s ark was heading further north, having already passed a series of ¡°extreme northern City-States,¡± including Frost, it had now officially entered the Permafrost Sea Area previously deemed ¡°the end of civilization.¡±


    Here, the endless layers of ice replaced the sea, extending into the darkness as if reaching the edge of the world, with mist vaguely undulating in the depths of the ice field, rising and connecting to the sky, and under the Sky Light spilled by Creation of the World, everything radiated a strange and uniform silver brilliance, even¡­ seeming rather ¡°bright.¡±


    After an indeterminate amount of time, Frem finally opened his eyes from his prayer, sensing something slightly as he frowned. A blurry apparition split from the shadows beside him, rising and walking towards the grand bonfire ahead.


    As his historical counterpart vanished into the flames, he nodded slightly and summoned a Fire Guardian Attendant who had been waiting nearby, whispering instructions.


    The attendant obeyed and left. After a while, deep mechanical rumblings came from the depths of the Fire Transmitter¡¯s ark; this massive feat of engineering was slowly and meticulously adjusting its course, simultaneously resetting the operation of the icebreaking mechanism as it continued deeper into the ice field.


    Among the distant sounds of breaking ice, there were some disturbing sharp noises mixed in.


    A female priestess wearing a black robe and veil appeared beside the great bonfire, quickly moving behind Frem: ¡°Your Holiness, an axle in the icebreaking mechanism has broken.¡±


    ¡­¡±Is it still usable?¡±


    ¡°The power has decreased by thirty percent, but it¡¯s still usable,¡± the priestess quickly said, ¡°However, the mechanical priest has warned that the breakage of the first axle will soon trigger a chain reaction, and the other axles may have problems within the next five to seven days; by then, the icebreaking mechanism will be wrecked.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as it still works for now. After all, this ¡®ship¡¯ was not designed for sailing in the ice sea from the beginning,¡± Frem said, slowly shaking his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are almost there.¡±


    The priestess turned her head, looking at the blazing bonfire before the Pope.


    ¡°Is the ¡®location¡¯ indicated by the Lord right ahead?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Frem nodded slightly, ¡°The Lord told me in the vision of fire that this is the focal point of the historical timeline in the real dimension. We need to bring the most important archival documents here, this is critical for leaving a ¡®mark.¡¯ Unfortunately, the Lord¡¯s voice has been very vague, and I can¡¯t fully understand what He meant by ¡®mark,¡¯ but one thing is certain¡­ this is very important.¡±


    The priestess did not inquire further but bowed her head, devoutly praying in front of the great bonfire¨Cshe didn¡¯t expect to hear any response from the flames, as the Lord¡¯s vague and muffled whispers had only been audible to the Pope for a long time now, but ¡°prayer¡± had become a part of the ordinary clergy¡¯s way of life like hers, accustomed even without a response.


    The wind over the ice sea was piercingly cold, almost freezing the blood, and no amount of thick clothing or Divine Arts could shield it, but unconsciously, the priests on the ark had also begun to adapt to the cold here. Previously, the priests and sailors who had temporarily fallen ill due to the low temperatures had also gradually recovered, which was somewhat of a good thing.


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    The prayer ended, and the priestess opened her eyes. The cold wind seeped into her flesh, freezing her blood flow and heartbeat, but she still found a moment of solace from her prayer.


    ¡°I will go and notify the mechanics on the ship to extend the remaining life of the icebreaking mechanism as much as possible, to ensure that those hydraulic hammers last until we reach the ¡®focal point¡¯. But if the icebreaking mechanism really fails¡­ we will have to use explosives, and we have stored a lot of them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Frem nodded lightly.


    The priestess bowed slightly and prepared to leave, but before departing, she raised her head to look at the great bonfire once more and couldn¡¯t help murmuring softly¨C


    ¡°This fire is really cold.¡±

 Chapter 822 - Chapter 822: Chapter 819 The Stagnant Land of the Dead

    Chapter 822: Chapter 819 The Stagnant Land of the Dead


    In the boundless Wilderness of Death, a chaotic and cold wind blew ceaselessly across the land, rolling waves of grass, where black and white bizarre plants swayed their lifeless limbs in the wind. Small glimmers of light occasionally rose from the bushes, floating above the wasteland like lost souls, drifting in this forgotten domain of the dead.


    The entire kingdom was shrouded under a nearly nocturnal dimness of Sky Light, where the sky was free of thick fog and clouds, only swirling with murky whirls of color, ceaselessly spiraling.


    The Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship glided silently through the endless wilderness, an inexplicable scene¨Cunder Lucresia¡¯s command, two metallic men left the ship to inspect the ¡°land¡± outside, confirming that beneath the rolling waves of grass there was indeed solid ground. Yet both ships continued to sail across this land, with their hulls below the waterline submerging into the earth as if sailing in water, as if the concepts of ¡°ocean¡± and ¡°wilderness¡± bizarrely melded here.


    Under Duncan¡¯s command, both ships slowed their speed, navigating cautiously under the eternal night canopy. Sherry climbed to the top of the mast to the lookout, but after scouting the distance, saw nothing¨Caround them was wilderness upon wilderness, with only mildly undulating ground visible and no buildings or conspicuous landmarks, not even a slightly higher hillock.


    After a period of unfruitful navigation, the two ships finally came to a gradual halt¨Cas if ¡°stranded¡± in this endless expanse of wilderness.


    Duncan gathered his followers on the deck.


    ¡°Given the bizarre incident we encountered on Ashen Isle earlier, we need to proceed with caution,¡± Duncan said with a serious expression, looking at the crew gathered before him. ¡°No one should recklessly leave the ship, our utmost priority is to figure out what the ¡®rules¡¯ of this ¡®Wilderness of Death¡¯ are.¡±


    ¡°We should consult an expert,¡± Morris immediately said, ¡°Lady Agatha should have some knowledge about the realm of the god of death¡­¡±


    No sooner had the old scholar spoken than a dim shadow appeared on the deck, and Agatha¡¯s voice came from the shadow, sounding strange and ethereal, ¡°I am trying to work it out¨Cbut the situation may be somewhat complicated right now.¡±


    She paused, organizing the knowledge in her memory while patiently explaining, ¡°According to the holy scriptures, Outsiders arriving in the Wilderness of Death tread upon a ¡®Path of No Return¡¯ that passes through the wilderness. This path has no end and can only be traveled in one direction. The deceased walk this path, gradually forgetting their worldly memories, and then they encounter the guide, also known as the ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ at the side of the realm of the dead.¡±


    ¡°The Gatekeeper leads the deceased through an invisible junction on the path, in an instant crossing the entire wilderness, and arriving at the center of the realm of the dead¨Cthere stands a huge gate, where the deceased see Bartok¡¯s shadow, and under its gaze, they shed all the filth accumulated in the earthly world, and with a pure stance, enter through the gate, welcoming eternal rest¡­¡±


    Agatha recounted the doctrine of the Death Church¨Cunlike Duncan¡¯s familiar concept of ¡°reincarnation,¡± the endpoint of death was clearly eternal rest, not a return to the world in any form.


    Upon hearing this, Sherry became genuinely curious, ¡°So does everyone who dies finally go to sleep behind that door? What happens if it gets too full? The dead always keep increasing, right?¡±


    As Sherry¡¯s words fell, Alice, who just stepped down from the helm, also muttered, ¡°That¡¯d be really crowded¡­ Are they all stacked up sleeping¡­?¡±


    ¡°I think most of them probably sleep vertically, like skewers in a cage,¡± Sherry whispered to Alice, ¡°They fill up vertically then start stacking a layer horizontally on top, and after it¡¯s covered, they sleep vertically again, one layer horizontally and one vertically, just stacking up like that¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way, wouldn¡¯t those sleeping below feel very heavy?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve heard that dead people don¡¯t have any weight¡­¡±


    The two with the least knowledge on the ship spontaneously opened this bizarre door to conversation on a strange topic, making the surrounding atmosphere increasingly odd. Finally, Duncan could not hold back anymore: ¡°Cough cough¡­ You can discuss this topic privately.¡±


    Sherry quickly shrank her neck, nodding repeatedly, ¡°Oh oh¡­¡±


    Duncan then turned his gaze back to Agatha, ¡°You just mentioned the situation is a bit complicated¡­ What do you mean by that?¡±


    Agatha nodded, ¡°Simply put, if the records in the scriptures are correct, Outsiders need a ¡®passage¡¯ and ¡®guidance¡¯ to see the Master of Death, but now¡­ the guidance mechanism may have already ceased.¡±


    Duncan frowned, rapidly coming to a realization.


    Lucresia and Morris also quickly caught on, Morris clenched his pipe, his brow furrowed, ¡°The death mechanism of this world has disappeared¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the death mechanism has disappeared¨Cthus the corresponding ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ who guides Outsiders in the Wilderness of Death is also missing,¡± Agatha said gravely, raising her head, her gaze directed towards the endless wasteland beyond the ship¡¯s side, ¡°Without new deceased, neither the ¡®Path of No Return¡¯ nor the ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ will appear, all we can see is the wilderness itself¡­ Although theoretically, that great gate and the Master of Death should be at the heart of this wilderness, it¡¯s a place one can never ¡®reach¡¯ without the correct method.¡±


    Nina listened with wide eyes, looking up at Duncan and then at Agatha, finally unable to resist speaking, ¡°Must there be such ¡®conditions¡¯ like passages and guidance? Isn¡¯t there another alternative? Some kind of ritual¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no other way,¡± Agatha slowly shook her head, ¡°¡®Symbolism¡¯ is an extremely important aspect in the realms related to deities, and its nature is essentially ¡®to replicate specific events through strict procedures¡¯. Moreover, since the domain controlled by the Master of Death is quite unique, the ¡®rules¡¯ here can only be stricter than elsewhere¡­ because the boundary between the living and the dead must be clear.¡±


    She suddenly stopped at this point, her expression turning complex as she added, ¡°At least¡­ until the death mechanisms of this world disappear.¡±


    Fenna, who had been silent all this while, suddenly broke the silence, ¡°Does that mean, if there¡¯s a ¡®dead person,¡¯ it might restart the guiding mechanism here and open the path to that door leading to Bartok?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s how I understand it,¡± Agatha said cautiously, ¡°At least, that¡¯s what the sacred scriptures indicate, but it might not be that simple, after all¡­ everything in the scriptures corresponds to the days when the world was still ¡®normal¡¯, and now many things have changed, even the gods themselves¡­ they are twisted into forms even they find difficult to comprehend.¡±


    ¡°This is at least a direction,¡± Fenna said earnestly, ¡°Better than aimlessly wandering in the wilderness.¡±


    ¡°But that raises a problem,¡± Morris said, holding his pipe, ¡°Where do we find a dead person now¨Cwhen there are no more ¡®dead people¡¯ in the entire world.¡±


    As the old scholar finished speaking, many eyes on the deck began to look around at each other, and the atmosphere quickly became somewhat eerie.


    Several gazes landed on Agatha, and the ¡°gatekeeper¡± lady immediately spread her hands: ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, strictly speaking, I shouldn¡¯t count as a ¡®dead person¡¯. I am just a nearly dissipated shadow; considering my birth process, I had never ¡®lived¡¯, hence never ¡®died¡¯ either.¡±


    Then, the focus shifted to Fenna. The Judge quickly waved her hands, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t count, right? I had died before, but I came back to life, and now my survival is even ¡®cemented¡¯ by the captain, so I definitely cannot be considered a dead person¡­¡±


    She hesitated, then added uncertainly, ¡°At least not completely, right?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be considered either¨CI am now a Profound Demon, the kind that¡¯s reborn,¡± Sherry noticed the gaze shifting toward her and hurriedly waved her hands, ¡°Even if I really died once, Bartok¡¯s ¡®gatekeeper¡¯ cannot reach me now¡­¡±


    Duncan looked around and suddenly touched his chin with a somewhat peculiar expression, ¡°Now that I think about it, it feels like there¡¯s not even a single normal living person on this ship? Nor a normal dead person¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at Morris, but saw the old man holding an unlit pipe, with one hand holding a screwdriver, clicking and adjusting a screw near the back of his own head¡­


    Noticing the captain¡¯s gaze, the old man put away the screwdriver, his chest plates vibrating, ¡°Sorry, there was some noise inside my skull, a screw got loose.¡±


    Everyone on the deck looked at each other and collectively fell silent.


    Only Alice, after being lost in thought for a while, suddenly snapped back to reality and leaned over to whisper to Sherry, ¡°¡­Is it possible to be hanging while sleeping? Like the ¡®sailor¡¯ does¡­¡±


    Sherry, greatly surprised, exclaimed, ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about this?! The topic has already changed eight hundred¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped short.


    ¡°Who did you just say?¡±


    ¡°The sailor¨C he sleeps while hanging, although he¡¯s always just pretending.¡±


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    Sherry blinked, and after coming to a realization slowly turned her head towards the captain, ¡°Right¡­ where¡¯s that mummy? Why didn¡¯t he come here?¡±


    ¡°He should be on the lower deck right now, probably slacking off again,¡± Duncan also caught on, slightly furrowing his brow, ¡°But then again¡­ could Anomaly 077 be considered a normal ¡®dead person¡¯? I somehow feel his ¡®death¡¯ is even less ¡®authentic¡¯ than you guys.¡±


    His gaze swept over Agatha, Fenna, and Sherry.¡±


    Sherry couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Captain, that way of describing is somewhat peculiar¡­¡±


    Duncan glared, ¡°Isn¡¯t the whole topic peculiar enough?¡±

 Chapter 823 - Chapter 823: Chapter 820 "Forgery

    Chapter 823: Chapter 820 ¡°Forgery


    Although theoretically, anomaly 077 is not a normal ¡°dead person,¡± everyone felt it was worth a try¨Cat least they should try.


    So, about ten minutes later, a sailor who was slacking off in a corner of the lower deck was startled awake by a torrent of hasty and chaotic footsteps. He opened his eyes to see the captain leading all the crew rushing over. Before he could react, Fenna dashed forward and hoisted the dry corpse up by his collar.


    The sailor had never seen such a scene. As he was lifted by Fenna, and felt the intense (yet hopeful) gazes converging on him, he trembled down to his molars, shrinking his neck and trying to hide backward: ¡°I¡­I was just snoozing for a bit, that shouldn¡¯t violate the crew¡¯s code, right? And even if it does, you all can¡¯t just beat me up for it, can you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t snooze now, you can¡¯t sleep anyway,¡± Duncan came forward from behind the crowd, sizing up anomaly 077, ¡°We have some serious business for you.¡±


    ¡°Serious business?¡± The sailor was stunned and then realized that the gazes around him might not be murderous. He straightened up and adjusted his clothes while warily watching Fenna¡¯s next move (still worried that the sturdy beauty might accidentally crush his bones) and asked out of curiosity, ¡°What serious business? Haven¡¯t we just arrived at the node of the god of death? Are we setting sail back already?¡±


    Duncan waved his hand, cutting to the chase: ¡°It¡¯s because we have arrived at the node of the god of death¨Cwe now need a dead person to try and awaken the guide here anew.¡±


    The sailor was puzzled and slow to comprehend, so he turned his pleading eyes to A-dog in the far corner: ¡°¡­What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Simply put, with the ¡®decay¡¯ of the god of death, the death mechanism of the mortal world has vanished, and without the death mechanism, no more dead will arrive in this wilderness. As a result, the gatekeepers and the path of no return that were once meant to guide the dead are now gone,¡± A-dog didn¡¯t know why he was asked, but still promptly and patiently explained, ¡°The ¡®gate¡¯ of the god of death is hidden in a place that can only be reached through a specific ¡®guidance ritual¡¯. We now have to figure out a way to awaken the gatekeeper here anew¨Cin simple terms, we need a dead person.¡±


    The sailor blinked, finally getting a rough idea of the situation. After a few seconds of dumbfoundedness, he hesitantly raised his hand and pointed at himself, stating a fact: ¡°I¡¯m not fully dead though¡­ I¡¯ve been trying in that direction. Why don¡¯t you let Ms. Agatha try? She¡¯s much more dead than me, I at least still have some bones and flesh, her soul is even fading¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve discussed it, Agatha, Fenna, Sherry, they are not quite right,¡± Morris sighed, unable to resist giving the mummy in front of him a complicated look, ¡°But then again, you also seem not quite right¨Calthough by nature, you are a corpse, there are many like you active in the mortal world now, and these ¡®undead¡¯ seem unable to catch the ¡®gatekeeper¡¯s¡¯ attention.¡±


    ¡°After all, it¡¯s still unknown whether the ¡®gatekeepers¡¯ in the Wilderness of Death even exist anymore,¡± the sailor shrugged, ¡°Maybe they disappeared along with Bartok¡¯s ¡®decay.¡¯ After all, strictly speaking, those ¡®gatekeepers¡¯ themselves are a part of the death mechanism¡­¡±


    With a furrowed brow, Morris fell into thought, while Duncan suddenly noticed a vague shadow on the wall beside him slightly shaking. He asked curiously: ¡°Agatha? Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­¡± Agatha broke the silence, ¡°Maybe through the ritual, we could use the ¡®sailor¡¯ as a base to fabricate a dead person. As for whether the ¡®gatekeeper¡¯ here still exists, we¡¯ll know then.¡±


    Duncan was baffled: ¡°¡­You can fabricate that?¡±


    ¡°I was also a ¡®gatekeeper¡¯¨Cthough on the side of the living world¨Cbut in a sense, the gatekeepers of the world of the living correspond to those of the world of the dead, which is also a manifestation of the ¡®symmetry¡¯ of the god of death,¡± Agatha said, ¡°In the¡­ training I used to remember, it included operations to ¡®converse¡¯ with the gatekeepers of the world of the dead after the soul leaves the body. Through those ¡®conversations¡¯, I learned that ¡®the other side¡¯s gatekeepers¡¯ are not that accurate in judging the dead. Sometimes they even linger around the not-yet-deceased, and such ¡®mistakes¡¯¡­ can be artificially induced.¡±


    Sherry blinked, then suddenly realized: ¡°Wait, are you allowed to do this? It sounds very unorthodox to me!¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not allowed. It¡¯s heretical,¡± Agatha shrugged nonchalantly, ¡°Deceiving the messengers of the lord, desecrating the order of life and death, it might even be used to induce death¨Cnormally, this would warrant a death sentence.¡±


    As soon as Sherry heard this, she quickly interjected: ¡°Hey, I was wondering, does being sentenced to death for you death priests mean a promotion or unemployment¡­¡±


    With a raised hand, Duncan pushed Sherry behind him, also interrupting her morbid question (although he had asked the same), and then looked up at Agatha: ¡°Is it alright?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, because the order of life and death is already gone, and as for the old doctrines and the authority of the lord¡­ who else remembers them besides me?¡± Agatha¡¯s shadow spoke softly, seemingly with a sad smile, shaking her head in the shifting shadows, ¡°Besides, no one can sentence me to death now.¡±


    Duncan quietly looked at that dim shadow for a moment and nodded softly: ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s get started. What do we need to do?¡±


    ¡°First, we need to leave the Homeloss¡¯s range, as even the gatekeeper¡¯s gaze can hardly penetrate in here,¡± Agatha immediately said, ¡°Next, we need the sailor¡¯s help. I have to make him into a complete ¡®dead person¡¯, but he doesn¡¯t need to do anything himself, just follow my instructions. Lastly¡­ this is for the sailor.¡±


    Her gaze fell on anomaly 077 not far away: ¡°You need to remember, no matter what appears before your eyes, do not follow it¨Cthe gatekeeper¡¯s guidance is irresistible to the dead, although you are not a true dead person and have the ability to resist such guidance, it will still be very difficult.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I wouldn¡¯t follow them,¡± anomaly 077 immediately patted his chest with confidence, ¡°Why would I leave when I am doing just fine on Homeloss¡­¡±


    ¡°What if the crews of Sea Song appear at the end of the path of no return?¡± Agatha spoke slowly and calmly, ¡°What if you see the captain of Sea Song?¡±


    The scene suddenly quieted down.


    Even the sailor himself quieted down. The mummified corpse stood still, but just as Duncan thought he might waver in his hesitation, the mummy instead shook his head with even more resolve.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go with her.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? This is a very serious matter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± the sailor cracked a smile, ¡°The captain told me to deliver a message to the City-State and handed me the navigation route¨Cshe wouldn¡¯t want me to go with her, it¡¯s not her.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright, then there¡¯s no problem.¡±


    The cold and disordered wind swept across the Wilderness under the night sky, the black and white tall grass undulating in the wind. A paper boat from Homeloss drifted down to the ground beside the ship, the first to jump off was Duncan, stepping onto the solid ground of the Wilderness of Death.


    Next to him, the hazy silhouette of Agatha also seemingly weightlessly ¡°floated¡± down from the ship, landing lightly beside him.


    The last to jump off the ship was the sailor¨Che awkwardly somersaulted onto the ground, and his hips cracked, twisting at a strange angle.


    ¡°Tsk¡­ I should have gotten metal joints installed before I set off,¡± the sailor muttered as he reconnected his dislocated joints and then limped over, ¡°We just need to get to this spot? What do we do next?¡±


    Agatha looked back for a moment, watching the little boat still resting among the wild grass, with only the silhouette of Lucrecia standing silently on it, while the others remained on Homeloss¨Cthis was to prevent a repeat of the situation on Ashen Isle.


    Then she turned her gaze back, checked around, and pointed to a spot: ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just come over and lie down.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± The sailor complied without further words, immediately cooperating and laying down where Agatha pointed¨Cindifferent to the cold ground, letting the almost waist-high black and white wild grass swallow him up.


    ¡°¡­It really feels like a funeral,¡± the sailor lay there murmuring, ¡°These grasses around me are like a coffin surrounding all sides.¡±


    Agatha paid no attention to the sailor¡¯s babbling.


    After making sure he had lain down properly, she took a light breath and then began to calm her mind, focusing her concentration¨Cmoments later, her outline, which had always been fuzzy, as if a mirage in the mist, began to gradually clear up.


    An almost imperceptible green flame flickered within her figure, as if briefly illuminating her physical body, turning her from a blurry shadow into a translucent, ghost-like entity, still ethereal, but now sufficiently manifest to perform the upcoming ¡°operation.¡±


    A wand recreated from her memory appeared in her hand at some unknown point.


    ¡°¡­I miss this.¡±


    Agatha looked at the wand in her hand, murmured softly, then began to step around the sailor, slowly dragging the wand across the ground.


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    Pale flames burned along her trail, rising up, and on the black, white, and gray land, the outline of a triangle slowly took shape.


    The sailor lay at the center of the triangle, his tension finally silencing him as he waited for the moment to come.


    Agatha then started adding numerous symbolic runes around the triangle, tracing them conscientiously¨Cit had been a long time since she last did this.


    ¡°From now on, do not speak, do not look around; the dead do not talk or gawk¨Cyou will hear someone calling your name, or see strange lights before your eyes, but those are just illusions, ignore them,¡± Agatha finally stopped near the sailor¡¯s head, looking down at the mummified corpse lying in the center of the triangle, ¡°In the end, you will see a twilight-like glow, the only ¡®color¡¯ in this realm of the dead. At that time, the ¡®Gatekeeper¡¯ on this side will have arrived.


    ¡°Remember what I told you, do not go with him¨Cleave the rest, let me and the captain negotiate.¡±

 Chapter 824 - Chapter 824: Chapter 821: The Guide

    Chapter 824: Chapter 821: The Guide


    The sailor lay completely silent, motionless amongst the black and white tall grass, imagining himself to have already become a real corpse.


    The wind blew chaotically from all directions, stirring the wilderness grasses into swirling waves, among which faint sounds seemed to gradually emerge¨Csounding like distant murmurs, indistinct conversations, vague sighs, and ethereal melodies like music.


    The sailor closed his eyes, allowing the calm of the dead to engulf him, submerging himself in this endless wilderness.


    Agatha held her staff, slowly circling the sailor three times. The runes on the ground lit up under her steps, and the pale flames gradually emitted a bright glow before she stopped again near the sailor¡¯s head, inserting her staff into the ground and slowly spreading her arms.


    The wind over the wilderness suddenly became more chaotic and fierce, and the voices brought by the wind became much clearer. However, just when Duncan thought the ¡°Guardians¡± on this side had been awakened, the surrounding wind gradually died down, and all sounds vanished as well.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Agatha opened her eyes, puzzled, as her eyebrows gradually furrowed.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Duncan immediately asked curiously.


    The sailor lying on the ground couldn¡¯t help but open his eyes too, realizing there was something wrong with the ritual, but remembering Agatha¡¯s earlier instructions, he dared not speak or turn his head, and could only continue to tense up, desperately trying to convey his confusion through his eyes.


    ¡°¡­At the moment the ¡®passage¡¯ was established, I thought I really sensed the presence of the ¡®Guardians¡¯ from the realm of the dead,¡± Agatha said, frowning, ¡°but they did not respond and left directly.¡±


    ¡°No response?¡± Duncan asked puzzledly, looking down at the pretending-to-be-corpse still lying on the ground sending desperate eye signals, ¡°Was your ¡®fake¡¯ seen through?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the reason¡­ Whether or not it was seen through isn¡¯t important. Our original aim was for the ¡®Guardians¡¯ of this side to appear. Even if my faked deceased was recognized on the spot, they would have shown themselves,¡± Agatha explained, shaking her head, ¡°In fact, discovering a fake deceased would make them show up even faster¨Cit¡¯s a more severe ¡®malicious event¡¯ than the appearance of a real dead body.¡±


    Duncan nodded thoughtfully but then realized something, ¡°Ah? Does that mean doing this would enrage those Guardians on ¡®this side¡¯?¡±


    Agatha nodded calmly, ¡°Yes, if they discovered what I was doing¨Cthey would be very, very angry.¡±


    Duncan looked bewildered, ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t mention that before.¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not discovered, we¡¯re fine,¡± shrugged Agatha, ¡°If it really is discovered, there¡¯s nothing I can do, I can¡¯t fight them, but I can escape quickly through the mirror jump. By then, it wouldn¡¯t be too big of an issue for you to negotiate with them¨C¡®Guardians¡¯ on this side are rational and can communicate. Usually, they calm down after a fight.¡±


    Duncan felt something was off in the process, different from what he had initially imagined.


    However, he didn¡¯t dwell on this issue but quickly focused on the current anomaly: ¡°But the Guardians didn¡¯t pay attention to the ¡®deceased¡¯ here.¡±


    Agatha furrowed her brows and nodded, then after a moment of deep thought, she suddenly lowered her head looking at the sailor and broke the silence, ¡°I¡¯ll try once more. After the ritual ends this time, immediately stand up and return to the boat at top speed¨Cthis process will tear the ¡®passage.¡¯ Under no circumstances look back.¡±


    The sailor remained tense, his eyes continuing to dart around¡­


    Agatha immediately replied, ¡°I can¡¯t understand that. Just nod or shake your head slightly.¡±


    The sailor stiffened, initially hesitating as he moved his head as if to shake it, but then he stopped and finally gave a slight nod.


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll take it as you have no objections. Now keep still, I¡¯m going to do it again.¡±


    Saying this, Agatha picked up the combat staff that materialized from her memory, once again igniting the pale flames on the ground, activating those mysterious and arcane runes.


    The disorderly wind rose again, mixed with the muffled murmurs and whispers. Agatha¡¯s ¡°passage¡± was established once more, and Duncan sensed¡­ their presence.


    Agatha stopped again where the ritual was ending and then forcefully thrust the staff into the ground, ¡°Now¨Crise!¡±


    The sailor had been waiting for this moment, springing up abruptly like he was on springs, not hesitating as he leaped over the burning pale flames surrounding him, dashing towards the nearby origami boat!


    And alongside the ¡°deceased¡¯s¡± sudden movement, the situation finally changed¨Cthe ¡°passage¡± was forcibly torn apart, revealing a world that was previously hidden deeper, suddenly exposed in front of Duncan!


    The pale flames on the ground blazed fiercely, releasing a dazzling strong light from the triangular rune array left by Agatha; then, a rapidly expanding crack appeared in the air above the triangle. The space there shattered silently like glass, with twilight-like brilliance leaking from the crack¨Calmost in the blink of an eye, those soaring pale flames were also dyed with a twilight hue.


    Through the rapidly expanding crack, Duncan saw an abnormally tall figure draped in a black robe, but contrary to what Agatha said about them being ¡°angered,¡± he merely silently observed this side of the crack. After a brief pause, he turned and slowly walked away.


    Duncan immediately looked puzzledly at Agatha, who seemed even more surprised. She stared at the departing ¡°Guardian,¡± unable to hold back, ¡°Wait! Didn¡¯t you see someone violating the rules here? A forged dead body! And deliberate destruction of the guiding passage! Please, take charge!¡±


    The tall phantom walked even further away, as if completely oblivious to the voices coming from behind. And as he left, the triangular rift in the sky also began to close slowly.


    Agatha looked on in astonishment at this scene, but just as she was about to forcibly hold open the passageway and lead the captain through it, a large, claw-like, withered hand suddenly appeared at the edge of the crack¨Cthis hand supported the slowly closing rift, followed by another hand.


    Accompanied by the grating noise of gradually shattering glass, the rift was forcefully held open by those hands and began to expand once more.


    Then, the owner of those hands appeared on the opposite side of the rift¨Ca taller ¡°Gatekeeper,¡± dressed in a deep, night-like black robe. The hood of the robe completely enveloped his face, leaving only a pair of eyes emitting a dull yellow light, burning like fire under the shadow of the hood, he bowed, and a gloomy, hoarse voice as if rising from the grave intoned: ¡°Come.¡±


    Accompanied by this brief and cold word, in the next second, the rift, like glass cracks, silently shattered.


    What also shattered was the entire Wilderness of Death before Duncan¡¯s eyes, including its ¡°nightfall.¡±


    The eternal night that enveloped the realm of the dead fractured and dissipated, revealing the glow of twilight behind the curtain. The colorless nameless wildgrass swayed in the twilight breeze, and a path appeared before Duncan and Agatha, heading endlessly straight into the depths of the wilderness, as if entering between the sky and the earth.


    The unusually tall ¡°Gatekeeper¡± then stood on the path, silently watching, like a silent tombstone.


    Duncan instinctively turned to look back at Homeloss and Brilliant Starship, but saw that the two ships had become two frozen and semi-transparent shadows¨Cthey were static not far away, under the twilight glow on one side of the shadows, it seemed that one could still see the wasteland cloaked in eternal night.


    Duncan withdrew his gaze.


    The quietly standing tall Gatekeeper almost simultaneously broke the silence: ¡°Go.¡±


    As his voice dropped, he had already turned around and began walking towards the front of the path.


    Duncan and Agatha exchanged glances and immediately followed.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not quite right,¡± Agatha muttered quietly next to Duncan, ¡°The Gatekeepers I¡¯ve seen before¡­ in my memory, don¡¯t seem like this; their aura doesn¡¯t quite match¡­ neither do their actions or words.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the previous Gatekeeper who turned and left even more off?¡± Duncan casually remarked, ¡°At least this one is willing to show up and lead the way; that¡¯s better than none¨Cwe have at least come to a ¡®deeper place.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s even more peculiar,¡± Agatha frowned, ¡°The Gatekeepers here should be able to tell at a glance that we are not ¡®the dead¡¯; even if they were to lead the way, they should have questioned or negotiated with us¡­ How did this one just start leading the way? It¡¯s as if he was specifically waiting¡­¡±


    Duncan found it reasonable: ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask?¡±


    Agatha hesitated for a moment, then really raised her head and looked at the tall figure walking ahead who had slowed his pace: ¡°Are you specifically here waiting for us?¡±


    However, the tall figure did not respond, as if he hadn¡¯t heard.


    Agatha was not discouraged and after a while, she asked loudly again: ¡°Do you know who we are? Have you noticed that we are not truly ¡®the deceased¡¯?¡±


    The tall Gatekeeper finally paused in his steps, but only uttered an ambiguous syllable: ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Captain, this Gatekeeper might be indifferent by nature,¡± Agatha turned her head back and said somewhat helplessly to Duncan.


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything, but just frowned and thought for a moment, then looked up at the Gatekeeper and started speaking: ¡°We also summoned another Gatekeeper before, but he ignored us and left, and there were other Gatekeepers¡­ Where have they all gone?¡±


    Under Duncan and Agatha¡¯s surprised gaze, the tall figure stopped walking.


    ¡°Funeral,¡± he said in a deep voice, breaking the silence.


    Duncan furrowed his brow: ¡°Funeral? You mean the other Gatekeepers went to a funeral?¡±


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    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Whose funeral?¡± Agatha asked instinctively.


    ¡°Death¡¯s.¡±


    The tall Gatekeeper turned around, his dull yellow eyes quietly burning under the shadow of the hood.


    ¡°Death has died.¡±

 Chapter 825 - Chapter 825: Chapter 822: The Worlds Last Cooling

    Chapter 825: Chapter 822: The World¡¯s Last Cooling


    The Reaper is dead¨Cyes, Duncan certainly knew that. Not just the Reaper, but the Storm Goddess, the Eternal Flame, the God of Wisdom, and even including each ancient god and Evil God, whether they left their names in history or not, every one of the ancient kings, they all perished.


    On the very day of the Great Eradication, in the instant when countless worlds suddenly turned to this scorching and chaotic ash, all gods died, only leaving behind their continuously decaying corpses, merely the ¡°inertia¡± of the old world.


    But the moment this tall gatekeeper uttered ¡°The Reaper is dead,¡± Duncan realized that the other was referring to something else¨Cnot the ¡°death of all gods¡± he knew, but something that just transpired.


    Not just Duncan, Agatha, who stood by his side, quickly came to this realization as well. Her facial expression swiftly changed from confusion to astonishment: ¡°What happened?¡±


    The tall gatekeeper silently turned around and took steps towards the distant wasteland again. Several seconds later, his low voice finally came through: ¡°To buy time.¡±


    ¡­


    The world is cooling down, and it¡¯s not just the flames that are cooling¨Cit¡¯s something intrinsic, something eroding from the cornerstone of the mortal realm, as if the last breath of warmth irrevocably escapes from the throat of the dying.


    Now, the Undead have begun wandering the streets, the cold flames unable to dispel the frigidness of the mortal world. The ocean has long been still, and memories of bygone times are disappearing from everyone¡¯s minds, or becoming grotesque, fragmented, yet imperceptible pieces.


    From the remote Pharlon to the prosperous Prand, from Frost to Light Breeze Harbor, from Moco to those fragmented islands in the eastern sea, in every known place, ¡°cooling¡± and ¡°weirdness¡± spread like an unstoppable frost, gradually covering every beacon of civilization.


    Tirian arrived at the tallest lighthouse southeast of Frost, gazing at the pitch-black sea outside the City-State from the lookout tower. He saw a large fleet that drew sunlight slowly docking, the cargo ships loaded with fat, cloth, and food anchoring at the port, and heavy loading machinery moving back and forth in the dark, unloading materials from the ship¡¯s hold.


    The deceased were bustling about on the docks, the Undead sailors of the Mist Fleet now accompanied by many more of their ¡°kind,¡± the dead who are unaware of their own death operating tireless machinery, following the orders from city hall to maintain the city¡¯s functionality as always.


    In the direction of another city district, one could see tall chimneys and the brightest-lit factory platforms¨Cthe power plant was running as usual, the steam hub emitted a deep roar, and large pipes extended from the factory, branching out like blood vessels into the whole city, providing power and safety to those living in it.


    Yet, in those factories, the massive steam cores have already cooled, and inserting more Boiling Gold Catalyst couldn¡¯t reheat the flames inside the Reactor Vessel¨Cnevertheless, the icy Reactor Vessels still hissed, steam continued unabated, and power surged through the pipes.


    The ¡°breath¡± and ¡°blood¡± needed for the city¡¯s operation were still rushing through the pipeline network, unceasingly.


    In this way, the gas lamps in the city remained bright, the factories shone with light, machinery continuously operated, the guardians patrolled every alley dutifully, vigilant against all Transcendent phenomena that defied ¡°natural laws¡±, and the law enforcers maintained the city¡¯s order in the night, helping those citizens in distress, handling the increasing number of public safety incidents due to pressure.


    Yes, order is still functioning, the lights of civilization have not yet extinguished, however Tirian could still smell that scent spreading more and more in the air¡­ that cold, faintly putrid scent, as if emanating from the depths of the city, from the bottom of the endless sea, with every breeze, every inch of sky, and even every grain of dust.


    Something is gradually collapsing; the world¡¯s decline is passing a ¡°threshold¡±. His mind still harbored many impressions of past times. He could sense that something about the whole world was very wrong, and it was getting worse.


    His father had mentioned that this world would try to ¡°correct¡± the errors that had occurred during its operation, but there was a limit to this correction, and now¡­ it was fast approaching that limit.


    A sudden ripple surged in his heart, and Tirian felt a familiar presence drawing near, his gaze immediately returning from afar.


    ¡°Father,¡± he turned around, looking at the towering figure wrapped in bandages and clad in a pitch-black coat, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°The graveyard no longer needs guarding, and this avatar of mine now has a lot of spare time,¡± Duncan said as he strolled to Tirian¡¯s side, his gaze passing over the night and looking in the direction Tirian had been observing, ¡°Any thoughts?¡±


    ¡°The time is near, isn¡¯t it?¡± Tirian looked at the night with a complex gaze, ¡°The ¡®time¡¯ you warned about¡­ I thought we would have to wait a while longer.¡±


    The father was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly said: ¡°¡­The Reaper is dead.¡±


    Tirian was somewhat stunned for a moment, apparently not yet grasping the meaning of these words.


    ¡°The world is collapsing faster than we imagined, and its self-correction cannot ensure that all Shelter inhabitants remain in a ¡®surviving state¡¯, or in other words, ¡®living people¡¯¡­ are a high-load unit because the conditions necessary to sustain ¡®life¡¯ are complex and precise, and the Shelters can hardly provide such living conditions anymore.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s voice was low as he spoke, looking into the distance but seemingly focused on a farther place, watching somewhere at the end of the world.


    ¡°This is the true cause behind the recent ¡®resurrection of the deceased¡¯ in the City-States and the cessation of newborns coming into the world¨CBartok has prematurely ended the world¡¯s death mechanism.¡±


    ¡°His original decaying process hadn¡¯t actually reached this stage yet.


    ¡°Now, the Shelter no longer needs extra support to keep the living running.


    ¡°At the same time, the halt of the death mechanism also ensures that most people in this world can ¡®persist¡¯ as much as possible during the gradual collapse of the Shelter ¡ª even if it¡¯s in a twisted and bizarre form, as the Undead, even if it¡¯s temporary ¡ª they can persist.


    ¡°This is the time Bartok fought for this world.¡±


    Tirian listened with his mouth agape, seemingly wanting to say something but unable to find the words amidst the chaos and shock.


    His father¡¯s deep, hoarse voice came again¨C


    ¡°But I¡¯m afraid this is also the last time the Four Gods can fight for time for this Shelter.¡±


    Tirian finally spoke subconsciously: ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because the halt of the death mechanism itself is a heavy blow to the Shelter, after which the countdown will officially enter its final phase, all order will accelerate into distortion, and the world¡¯s ¡®correction mechanism¡¯ will cease to function ¡ª- it is for this reason that more and more people will begin to notice those distortions and aberrations that were originally hidden from cognition.¡±


    Duncan turned his head, his eyes deeply fixed on Tirian.


    Standing there, Tirian was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information, waves of astonishment surged in the heart of this ¡°Iron Marshal¡±, and some ¡®details¡¯ that he had subconsciously forgotten or ignored rose up like the shadows in a nightmare!


    He struggled to think, to understand the startling intelligence his father had just imparted, to grasp the current state of the world. It was only after an indeterminate amount of time that the tearing dizziness in his mind gradually faded, and reason reemerged at the bottom of his heart.


    ¡°So¡­¡± He opened his mouth, hesitating, ¡°Ordinary people will soon¡­¡±


    ¡°You have been influenced by me, and you can perceive many things ahead of time. As time passes, as the world¡¯s distortions and aberrations intensify, and as the Shelter¡¯s correction mechanism completely fails, more and more people will, like you, notice the anomalies in this world ¡ª not everyone, it depends on the strength of one¡¯s mental fortitude, the height of inspiration, and some¡­ ¡®luck¡¯.


    ¡°For those who cannot wake up, they will continue to maintain their daily lives amidst the darkness and distortion, even if that life gradually turns into a bizarre and terrifying state, they won¡¯t feel that the world has changed.


    ¡°But for those who have woken up¡­ things will become very bad.


    ¡°Tirian, you must be prepared ¡ª and other City-States must also be prepared.


    ¡°The last and greatest chaos of the old world is about to come.¡±


    ¡­


    Duncan and Agatha had trekked this ¡°path¡± for a long time, and at some point, the black and white strange wild grasses that surrounded them gradually disappeared, replaced by an endless expanse of pale or pitch-black pebbles, and the occasional sparse and withered plants amid the stones.


    The twilight-like glow that pervaded the entire wilderness was also fading, and the quiet night once again dominated the wasteland.


    Agatha told Duncan in a low voice that this was the next stage of the ¡°Path of No Return¡±, the posture deep within the Wilderness of Death ¡ª after crossing the twilight that symbolizes the ¡°afterglow of life¡±, the tranquil night welcomes the arrival of the deceased, and the endless pebble wasteland erases the dead¡¯s last trace of attachment to the mortal world. Only after passing through here will one reach the place where that ¡°Great Gate¡± is located.


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    But now all these symbols and programs related to the ¡°death mechanism¡± have lost their meaning.


    Duncan looked up into the distance, and there seemed to be something very large lurking in the deepest night, standing at the center of the wilderness.


    And in the corner of his eye, he finally saw other figures.


    They were the ¡°Gatekeepers¡± clad in black robes, as if still basked in the twilight¡¯s glow and shrouded in faint light.


    One after another, the Gatekeepers silently walked across this boundless wasteland, heading in a common direction, moving forward in utter silence, rushing to attend a funeral.

 Chapter 826 - Chapter 826: Chapter 823: The Burial

    Chapter 826: Chapter 823: The Burial


    Under the cover of nightfall, countless figures cloaked in black silently made their way towards the same direction, the twilight glow from some unseen dimension illuminated their night-like robes, casting a phantasmal light around these towering apparitions as they walked across the desolate plains, gradually converging into rivers of dusk flowing through the darkness¨Cuntil at last, these rivers of dusk reached the center of the Wilderness of Death, encircling the funeral proceedings there.


    There stood a gate, its triangular doors silent and solemn. At first, Duncan even mistook it for a small hill, but in the blink of an eye, he found himself near that door, seeing it tower magnificently high like a vertical stretch of land, while the triangular center remained firmly closed, with dark red lines like veins covering the door, binding it in chains.


    The order of death was locked behind this gate, and now the deity who had locked it sat quietly on the throne in front of the gate¨CHe was taller than Duncan had imagined, even surpassing Tarrikin, towering even while seated, his form almost as large as a house.


    He was clad in a tattered black robe as dark as the night, outside of which writhed dark red thorns, and beneath the shadow of the robe there was no face to be seen, as if He had never had one to begin with, and only a shadowy outline could be discerned under the robe¨Cjust as described in the sacred scripture of the Death Church:


    Death is a faceless shadow, hidden within a cloak called darkness, ever-present, and when you see Him, He too sees you.


    But now the faceless shadow of death had died, His chest pierced by a twisted and sharp dagger resembling an alien thorn, almost nailing Him to the somber throne, His hood tilted to one side, as if in His last moments, He looked back at the door representing the order of life and death.


    This scene was akin to murder, except the murderer was the victim himself.


    This was the most unique spectacle among the ¡°Gods who had died¡±¨Cat the end of death and decay, Bartok performed upon Himself a second ¡°slaughter.¡±


    Numerous twilight-clad apparitions stood around the door, silent and still like frozen tombstones, motionless, yet among them was a small path as if deliberately left for visitors, leading from the wilderness straight to the somber throne.


    The tall guide approached slowly, Duncan and Agatha following behind, passing through the silent phantoms lining the path, the twilight glow from those figures reflecting upon them. Duncan was unaffected by the glow, but Agatha, originally semi-transparent and ethereal, began to solidify within the light, seemingly briefly acquiring a corporeal form.


    They eventually stopped before the throne, the guiding sentinel nodded silently, then moved aside to join the other sentinels.


    Duncan lifted his gaze to the figure on the throne, larger even than Tarrikin, looking upon the first and the last dead of this world.


    No wonder the ¡°dead¡± manufactured by Agatha had failed to attract the attention of the guardians¨Cbecause the true, final Death was here.


    Agatha looked up, staring at the god clad in darkness for a long time, Duncan not knowing what thoughts were occupying her mind at this moment¨Cthis ¡°guardian¡± who bore all the memories of the faithful of the Death Church, but who was just an ¡°imitation,¡± never imagined she could come here, to this place unattainable by countless devout Believers after a lifetime of rigorous practice, nor did she ever expect to witness this scene, the funeral of Death itself.


    She stood silently for a long time before slowly turning her gaze away, speaking in a complicated tone, ¡°¡­Captain, what do we do next?¡±


    Before Duncan could speak, another sentinel standing beside the throne silently came over, this towering phantom bent down to place something in Duncan¡¯s hands, then turned back to rejoin the formation around the throne.


    Duncan looked down to see an ancient and exquisite hourglass in his hands¨Che recognized it, having seen another just like it in the palace where the Leviathan Queen took her final rest.


    But this hourglass he now held contained no sand.


    Duncan unconsciously furrowed his brow, raised his head intending to question the sentinel who had given him the hourglass, but suddenly, he seemed to hear a deep murmuring in the whisper of the wind, understanding something.


    Under Agatha¡¯s concerned gaze, he stretched his hand above the hourglass, a cluster of flames tinged with starlight danced on his fingertips, then flowed slowly through the hourglass¡¯s shell into the glass chamber¨Cthe life that the hourglass had once chronicled briefly revived in the flames, starting to flow with the reversal of the hourglass.


    The next second, Duncan heard the ethereal howling of the wind by his ear, light and dark silently shattered, then swirled and reformed in his field of vision.


    He stood atop a small mound, illuminated by a sourceless gentle glow, but the surrounding darkness stretched far into the distance, invisible at its end, while unnamed wildflowers bloomed beneath his feet, swaying in the wind, emitting a phantom-like fragrance.


    The sound of a shovel digging came from nearby, Duncan turned his head to see a small, lean old man bending down, digging into the ground with effort.


    He had excavated a shallow pit; next to it lay a pile of black soil. He continued to dig, shovel by shovel; even though the pit was shallow, it felt as though he had been digging here for a hundred centuries.


    Watching this, Duncan then stepped forward towards the man who was still digging.


    ¡°I¡¯m here¡­ Sorry, I may be a step late.¡±


    ¡°Not late,¡± the old man said, continuing to dig, ¡°Death is never too early, nor too late, arriving at just the right time.¡±


    He reached out to point at the small mound next to him¨Cat some point, an extra shovel had been placed on the piled-up black soil: ¡°Can you lend a hand?¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t say anything, just stepped forward to pick up the shovel, then silently joined the old man, bending down with force into the soil.


    For a while, only the sound of digging remained on the small hillock.


    It was after an indeterminate amount of time had passed that the frail old man suddenly spoke again, ¡°The other three¡­ it has been a long time since I last saw them. Since then, I could only stay in touch through the ¡®channel¡¯ left by Navigator II. How are they doing now?¡±


    ¡°They are well,¡± Duncan said calmly while earnestly digging the soil, ¡°I have made a promise with them, to meet again in the new world.¡±


    The old man nodded, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good¡­It¡¯s something to look forward to.¡±


    Duncan fell silent for a few seconds, looking up at the old man beside him, ¡°Is this your true appearance?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the old man did not look up, continuing to dig solemnly, ¡°I have no face, never had one from the beginning, but I thought¡­ since I¡¯ve decided to leave, I might as well leave behind a visage.¡±


    ¡°You have no face?¡± Duncan asked, surprised and curious.


    ¡°Yes, I am different from the other three¨CI am ¡®Death¡¯ itself,¡± the old man spoke faintly.


    Duncan did not speak; he waited for the old man to continue.


    ¡°The destruction of each world is always different¨Csome lasted for years, some even longer, and some¡­ those civilizations fought desperately, employing various measures to postpone the end, persisting for as long as a century.¡±


    As he dug the earth beneath his feet, the old man continued.


    ¡°In my world¡­everything happened very quickly¨Ctoo swiftly to experience any form of decay or resistance, yet not so brief that people were unable to notice the moment of annihilation; it was¡­ just enough for everyone to be aware of the process of death¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Many people¨Call of them died in that moment. Death howled through time and space, even shaking those tottering stars. In the last second of my home world, ¡®Death¡¯ became the most dazzling, universal, and sole entity born throughout the cosmos.


    ¡°And all the beauty, ugliness, fear, courage, resilience, yet fragility of human nature and thought were compressed into that second.


    ¡°Thus, Death was born after death¨CI opened my eyes; the first time I blinked, everything was crumbling before me. By the second blink, the scorching chaos of ashes had replaced my homeland, glimpsed only once.¡±


    The old man pressed down on the shovel, scooping out earth from the hole and tossing it aside.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been digging for a long time. Since the day Shelter was established, I began digging this hole. But this task is almost impossible to complete¨Cdeath struggles to kill death itself, but luckily, you¡¯re here to help, Usurping Flame.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to visit the new world? If you wish, there might still be a way¡­¡±


    ¡°No, thank you for the invitation,¡± the old man gently shook his head, scooped up another shovel of earth, then calmly looked up at Duncan, ¡°I am different from the other ¡®people¡¯, as you might have guessed¨CI am not a survivor of the old world, but a product of the Great Annihilation. I am part of these burning ashes and for this reason, the task of setting the rules of decay for this world could only be finished by me¨CShelter needs a ¡®recycling mechanism¡¯ like me to complete the full cycle of birth and demise. But in the new world¡­ the demise of things should not be executed by a similar ¡®god¡¯, even the mere possibility should not be allowed.


    ¡°What is born from great annihilation should remain with the great annihilation.¡±


    Duncan stood in silence for a moment, tossing another shovel of earth into the grave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel any regret?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the old man revealed a slight smile, ¡°I have completed all I needed to do; to enjoy an eternal rest undisturbed by anyone is the greatest reward for ¡®Death.¡¯ However, to you¡­ I have a piece of advice.¡±


    Duncan paused the movement of his hands.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t speak lightly of sacrifice. Although you may think it odd coming from me,¡± the old man gazed calmly into Duncan¡¯s eyes, ¡°I detect the scent of courting death upon you¡­ a scent I¡¯m very familiar with, but it should not be found on you.¡±


    Duncan did not speak; he just stood silently.


    And beside him, there was no old man, no second shovel¨Cthere was only him standing alone.


    The god of Death lay quietly in the grave, most of his body already covered by soil. His eyes were closed in tranquility, as if he had been lying there from the very beginning.


    After a prolonged silence, Duncan bent over and continued to sprinkle earth into the grave.

 Chapter 827 - Chapter 827: Chapter 824 After the Reapers Rest

    Chapter 827: Chapter 824 After the Reaper¡¯s Rest


    Black soil scattered and covered the modestly-sized grave, as the night sky closes at the end of time, burying the eternal death. The god, born after the Annihilation of All Things, now rests here, at the moment this world meets its end, turning into a small mound on the hill.


    The disorderly wind blew from the dark, gently caressing the mound, where nameless wildflowers and weeds swayed in the wind, making a soft rustling sound. Duncan stood in the wind, holding the shovel with both hands, gazing long at the pile of fresh soil before him.


    Then he lifted his head, looking around¨CDeath had not prepared a tombstone for itself, and there were no materials around that could serve as one.


    Duncan then forcefully stuck the shovel, which had been used to dig the soil, in front of the mound, and used his hands to gather some soil around it to reinforce it, thus making it a makeshift tombstone.


    After finishing these tasks, he took a deep breath and placed his hands on the shovel handle for the last time.


    A faint green ghostly light accompanied by dim starlight slipped through his fingers, slowly covering the ¡°tombstone¡± of Death, and then disappeared.


    ¡°Rest in peace, Bartok, farewell,¡± Duncan said softly, his figure slowly disappearing in the wind.


    The turbulent, breaking wind turned into a short howl. Light and shadow spilled from the darkness and instantly reassembled, and after a brief period of weightlessness and sensory change, the feeling of solid ground returned. The scene before Duncan quickly stabilized.


    The majestic Gate of Death still stood quietly at the center of the stony wasteland, and in front of the triangular gate, the large figure sitting on the dark throne was silently and slowly disintegrating, as if a broken, dissolving Dreamscape awakening in the morning. The invisible shadow covered by the dark robe scattered with the wind, and the robe itself fell, decayed, and weathered like the night sky.


    In the fluttering black fragments and dust, only a dimly starlit faint green fire flickered in the wind.


    Duncan looked down and saw the edges of the hourglass in his hand twinkling with a dim glow, and vague whispering sounds seemed to ring near his ear. He realized something, then took a few steps forward and placed the ancient yet exquisite hourglass beside the throne where Death once sat.


    He stepped back, seeing Agatha standing quietly on the spot, somewhat absently staring at the now empty throne. After an unknown time, the gatekeeper born from illusion slowly turned her head, her eyes reflecting complex emotions: ¡°¡­ Has He rested?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I accompanied him on his last journey,¡± Duncan nodded slightly, then added, ¡°The hourglass contains a part of His power which I¡¯ve left beside the throne, so the mortals in the Death Church can still briefly use some ¡®blessings¡¯¡­ They still need it now.¡±


    Agatha slowly nodded, seeming to want to say something else but unable to speak. In the end, her thoughts and sentiments turned into a barely audible sigh.


    ¡°We should go back now,¡± Duncan slowly said, ¡°The final countdown has begun; we must return to the Queen Leviathan¡¯s node immediately.¡±


    Agatha responded with a ¡°hm,¡± looking up toward the direction she and the captain had come from, but only seeing a stony wilderness devoid of any landmarks.


    The gloomy night shrouded this silent realm of death, and there was no return path on the pathway of the dead.


    But just then, she saw the ¡°gatekeepers¡± standing around the throne of Death suddenly move¨Cthe silent, towering illusions slowly raised their hands, one after another, pointing towards a direction in the dark. A twilight-like glow seemed to seep out from beside them, then gathered along with the direction of their fingers, invisibly extending and flowing.


    Under the guidance of thousands of towering phantoms, a small path appeared in the stony wasteland, draped in twilight, with nameless wildflowers blossoming by its side, gently swaying in the wind.


    After the mechanisms of death halted and Death itself rested, for the first time in this realm of death, a path allowing the living to return appeared.


    Agatha watched this scene in astonishment, instinctively looking up at the tall gatekeeper who initially led her and the captain, only to see that the gatekeeper was silently waving at her.


    Leave now, do not look back, do not interact further with the realm of the dead.


    Understanding the implication, Agatha turned and, together with the captain, started walking down the path leaving the stony wasteland.


    On the way back, there was no guidance from the ¡°gatekeepers,¡± only an intermittent breeze blowing from the dark, accompanying Agatha and Duncan as they walked the path for an unknown length of time, until the stony wasteland disappeared, and the black and white unnamed wild grass once again entered their view, until they returned deep into the wilderness where the wild grass swayed, and the massive figures of Homeloss and Brilliant Starship appeared in their sights¨Cthen, merely taking two steps towards the direction of Homeloss, Duncan and Agatha returned to where they had initially left.


    The paper-folded small boat was still parked on the ground, and Lucretia was somewhat absent-mindedly standing at the prow. Seeing Duncan, she looked a bit surprised as she raised her eyebrows, then immediately jumped down from the boat and approached them.


    ¡°Have you been waiting here all this time?¡± Duncan asked in surprise upon seeing the ¡°sea witch¡± in front of him, ¡°We¡¯ve been gone for quite a while¡­¡±


    ¡°You had only left a few minutes¨Cright after you and Agatha suddenly passed through a dusk-colored light screen, it was just a brief moment,¡± Lucretia exclaimed in astonishment upon hearing Duncan¡¯s words, ¡°I thought perhaps you suddenly returned because something had happened.¡±


    ¡°A few minutes?¡± Duncan frowned upon hearing this, but he quickly dismissed these incredulous thoughts¨Cafter experiencing so many strange occurrences, he had gotten used to it.


    ¡°Our business is finished,¡± he stated simply, ¡°Now, let¡¯s head back.¡±


    Lukrecia glanced at Duncan, then towards Agatha, who was following beside her. She instinctively felt that within the past ¡°few short minutes,¡± her father and Agatha seemed to have had an unforgettable experience or ¡°witnessing,¡± but she ultimately didn¡¯t ask anything, simply nodding gently: ¡°¡­okay.¡±


    ¡­


    The pale flames in the brazier went out, and the low, blurred murmurings also gradually faded in her mind. Agatha, who was kneeling and meditating in the prayer room, raised her head, as if sensing something, and turned to ¡°look¡± at the mirror beside her.


    Her eyes, covered with a black cloth, could no longer see the scenes of the worldly realm, but her clearer spiritual eye allowed her to see the ¡°reality¡± from other dimensions more clearly than ordinary people.


    In the mirror, she saw a graveyard, a wilderness plunged into darkness, and the twilight that was gradually dimming in the distance.


    This brief ¡°revelation¡± lasted only a second.


    The young gatekeeper and Archbishop had already understood the truth conveyed to her by this scene.


    She quietly knelt before the holy icon, bowed her head after a moment, and returned to prayer¨Cher lips moved silently, reciting blessings offered to the deceased.


    The prayer was not long, but she repeated it three times, then slowly rose from the cushion and walked to a nearby rack. She took out a dried flower with pale petals from a wooden box on the shelf and turned to place it beside the candlestick in front of the holy icon.


    In the distant city, there was a faint disturbance crossing the streets, reaching into the church.


    Slightly hurried footsteps came from the direction of the corridor, and shortly after, a voice of a church official came from outside the prayer room: ¡°Archbishop, are you in there?¡±


    ¡°Come in,¡± Agatha casually responded.


    The door of the prayer room was pushed open, and a middle-aged church official with black short hair and half of his face covered with bandages stepped in.


    His gaze was soon drawn to the small white flower in front of the holy icon.


    The middle-aged official instinctively frowned, feeling that the flower seemed to signify something, which led to some inevitable questions, but he found that he couldn¡¯t remember exactly what it was. He opened his mouth, his pale and turbid eyes filled with confusion.


    Then, Agatha walked over, positioning herself between the middle-aged official and the small white flower.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± she asked.


    The look of distraction on the middle-aged official¡¯s face flashed past, and he quickly recovered, hastily reporting, ¡°Archbishop, another group of people has come to the cathedral seeking Shelter and guidance, about a dozen people. Following your orders, I had Mark and Sister Natasha receive them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Agatha nodded, and then casually asked, ¡°How are those people? Where are they from?¡±


    ¡°They seem to be quite startled, in a state of shaking and doubt, yet unable to accurately describe what happened,¡± the middle-aged official reported, ¡°The one among them who is in the best condition said he suddenly ¡®woke up¡¯ this morning, feeling that many things around him were not right, even his relatives and friends appeared strange and¡­ terrifying. He was very scared, so he went to the small chapel for help, and then met other seekers there¡­¡±


    ¡°The pastor of the small chapel performed an urgent tranquillizing and blessing, then sent two guards through the city district to bring them here.


    ¡°Mostly they come from the southern port area, and three from the cemetery around the area, almost unfamiliar with each other, without any intersections, and their places of residence have no unified characteristics¡­¡±


    Listening to the middle-aged official¡¯s report, Agatha said nothing, just quietly nodded her head.


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    ¡°People from the city hall will come later, the Shelter in the foothills has already temporarily arranged dwellings¡­ The conditions are limited, but it¡¯s safe there.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the middle-aged official responded, and then looked at Agatha hesitantly and uneasily, observing the expression of the ¡°acting Archbishop¡± while hesitating to speak,¡±Archbishop, what exactly¡­ happened? These kinds of situations have been happening one after another lately, and even in the church¡­¡±


    ¡°John,¡± Agatha interrupted him, ¡°do you remember what I said to the church officials the day before yesterday?¡±


    The middle-aged official¡¯s expression changed slightly, then he nodded.


    ¡°I can¡¯t explain it to you right now because even if I were to explain, you wouldn¡¯t hear those voices,¡± Agatha said calmly, ¡°but when you suddenly ¡®wake up,¡¯ you¡¯ll understand¨Cthen don¡¯t panic, just head straight to the inner sanctuary, where someone will arrange for you.¡±

 Chapter 828 - Chapter 828: Chapter 825: Circular Convergence

    Chapter 828: Chapter 825: Circular Convergence


    Priest John left with a complex but still resolute expression. Before leaving, he asked nothing, and Agatha didn¡¯t explain any further.


    Now, once again, only Agatha remained in the prayer room¨Cbright light struggled against the substantial darkness outside the windows, a few cold flames flickered on the candelabrum before the holy image, a wisp of smoke still rose from the extinguished brazier, and reflected in the floor mirror beside her was her fragmented body.


    Agatha turned to face the holy image of Bartok, lifted her head, and with eyes covered in black cloth she ¡°gazed¡± for a long time at the deity shrouded in the night. The statue was as always, but in her eyes, the tall sculpture was already full of cracks, as if a heap of debris that should have already collapsed was still maintaining superficial integrity, supported by some invisible force.


    She sensed the breath within the cathedral¨Cincreasingly more breaths of the dead.


    The ¡°foundation¡± of this world is gradually cooling and dying, and now almost all living people are gradually ¡°transitioning¡± towards the state of the dead. People who die without realizing it move about in the entire City-State, and the same is true in the cathedral. John died, died during a breath in midday prayer yesterday, Nun Lola died too, died in a shallow sleep¨Cand now they continue to dutifully perform their duties within the cathedral, just like all the others.


    All of a sudden, a hazy flame surged in the mirror beside her, turning the mirror¡¯s surface pitch-black, and shortly afterward, a figure became clear within the mirror.


    Agatha turned her head to find that it was not Captain Duncan who appeared in the mirror, but Tarrikin.


    ¡°My father helped me construct this channel, used to establish contact between those ¡®blessed¡¯ by his fire,¡± Tarrikin spoke up proactively, ¡°Miss Agatha, how are things on your side?¡±


    ¡°¡­The number of dead within the cathedral is increasing,¡± Agatha sighed softly, ¡°Many new deaths are from people who suddenly ¡®transformed¡¯ from living under normal circumstances. It seems this event itself can no longer be stopped, it¡¯s not something that treatment or protective measures can resolve.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same in other parts of the City-State,¡± Tarrikin said with a solemn face, ¡°Even¡­ the situation in other City-States is the same, it¡¯s something that¡¯s happening all over the world.¡±


    Agatha nodded her head slightly and spoke slowly after a moment of thought: ¡°But the moving dead are not the problem, the real issue is more and more people are ¡®awakening¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tarrikin spoke gravely, ¡°Just as my father has warned, the world¡¯s ¡®correction¡¯ mechanism is at a standstill¡­ The last actions of the god of death have once again postponed the total collapse of the Shelter, but also breached its ¡®correction¡¯ mechanism. Now this safety barrier, meant to protect the common people¡¯s cognition, is failing, and it¡¯s failing faster than we expected.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no need to worry too much, Governor¨Cwhether it¡¯s the priest in the church or the guardians and law enforcement officers outside, many among them have underwent lifelong training to confront such inconceivable catastrophes and situations, including those that directly descend upon themselves.¡±


    Agatha spoke, her voice as ever calm and magnetic, as if releasing the power to soothe one¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Perhaps no one imagined even gods would fall into an eternal slumber, no one imagined that even this world would die, no one imagined what today¡¯s situation would look like, but we have long been prepared for ¡®everything¡¯¨Cno matter what happens, we will first unconditionally fulfill our duties.¡±


    ¡°Several days ago, I already issued instructions to the priests. I told them of a disaster spreading that they are still unable to perceive, told them how they should protect those ¡®awakened¡¯ ones, and what they should do if they themselves suddenly ¡®awaken¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Some of them now understand the situation like you and I, while others, they still do not comprehend the meaning of those orders¨Cbut this does not affect their execution of the orders.¡±


    ¡°I believe that is also true for the law enforcement officers outside.¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s this or that team, some may be faltering, some may be afraid, some may shrink under mental pressure, unable to fulfill their duties, but ultimately there are those who are doing their duty, and they will not be few in number, Governor Tarrikin¨Cno matter on which day or in what form the world¡¯s end comes, all of us have already prepared for that day.¡±


    No matter on which day or in what form the world¡¯s end comes¡­


    Listening to Agatha¡¯s words, Tarrikin¡¯s expression relaxed somewhat after a brief pondering, then he nodded: ¡°I¡¯m planning to expand the ¡®Quarantine Zone¡¯ and establish a series of protective facilities around the cemetery ring¨Crelying on the cemetery¡¯s own defenses, gradually transitioning and protecting the population. This process will need the cooperation of the church.¡±


    ¡°It is a difficult and massive undertaking,¡± Agatha said, ¡°¡®The living¡¯ and ¡®the dead¡¯ are intermixed, and the awakened ones will randomly emerge from amongst them. We cannot completely discern this change and move those who have awakened into the Shelter, nor can we treat the rest like enemies, even though they indeed are moving corpses in a daze.¡±


    ¡°I know, but we must do our best,¡± Tarrikin said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s better than eventually devolving into total chaos¨Cif it really comes to that point, at least we would have established enough Shelters to protect some people.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand. The church will fully cooperate with City Hall, just waiting for your arrangements.¡±


    ¡­


    In front of the Church Ark, as vast as a mini City-State, a series of huge hydraulic devices were installed like a mechanical wall at the bow, countless heavy metal rams neatly aligned along this ¡°mechanical wall¡± were slowly raised on their tracks, then slammed down heavily, shattering the thick ice ahead like countless sharp metal teeth. Amidst the ongoing roar of machinery and the thunderous sound of breaking ice, the Church Ark still moved slowly through this frozen expanse of sea.


    The ice-breaking device thus ¡°gnawed¡± out a long trail in the ice layer, its tail pointing towards the direction of civilization, and ahead was seemingly endless solid ice and darkness, while the dense fog representing the ¡°frontier¡± still surged and churned at the edge of sight, becoming increasingly sinister and terrifying, yet it seemed it would never be reached.


    Frem stood at the heights of the Church Ark, gazing toward the direction of the endless ice plains, with two braziers burning fiercely beside him, their flames as cold as ice, hiding deep, indistinct murmurs amidst the crackling sound.


    He could sense that the ¡°focus¡± revealed to him by the eternal Fire Transmitter Tarrikin in the final revelation was nearing¨Cthe only focus that could preserve the ¡°legacy¡± in its original form through the transition between the old and the new worlds.


    Frem knew that the ¡°Captain¡± was undertaking a plan of biblical proportions, and he knew that if the plan succeeded, a ¡°new world¡± would come into being, although he could not imagine what the new world would look like, but he knew it had to be infinitely better than this twisted, dark, and peril-ridden Endless Sea.


    Moreover, a space was left for everyone in that new world¨Cin messages intermittently sent back from the end of the world, he had learned of this.


    But it was a rebirth after destruction, everything from the old world would be utterly obliterated in the process; the ¡°Captain¡± might have a way to enable ¡°people¡± to be reborn in the new world after this process, but¡­ what about those things that had been created?


    Those poems, those melodies, those astonishing crafts, those precious scrolls, and slabs recording the Dark Ages, the old City-State era, and the new City-State era, as well as the meanings represented behind these things¨Cthat civilization had once existed¨Ccould these be preserved?


    Even if they could be preserved, these things would probably become an enormous burden during the Creation process.


    This concern had prompted the Fire Transmitters to embark on this journey northward, and now, after tremendous efforts, their destination was finally near.


    They were to leave behind a ¡°legacy¡± for the people of the new world in this forever-sealed ice plain.


    It¡¯s close, just up ahead.


    However, a strange and piercing loud noise suddenly came from a distance, followed by a series of explosions and mechanical grinding sounds. The Church Ark beneath them vibrated intensely, accompanied by a low rumble, as if some mechanism inside the ark had ceased to operate.


    A sense of heaviness sank into Frem¡¯s heart immediately.


    Soon after, a priestess wearing a dark robe and a veil over her face hurriedly appeared before him.


    ¡°Your Holiness, the icebreaker¡¯s main power conduit has ruptured!¡±


    ¡­


    Homeloss and Brilliant Starship sailed in a uniformly gray-white backdrop, and at the end of this long ¡°transition channel,¡± a hint of faint color was already beginning to emerge.


    Duncan stood at the bow of Homeloss, silently watching the gradually materializing sea in the distance. He heard footsteps coming from behind, accompanied by the ¡°warmth,¡± now a rarity in this world.


    He turned around and saw Nina standing behind him, surrounded by a warm glow. Bathed in sunlight, even the pervasive chill of a world post-mortem was retreating from her.


    ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve found a new use for ¡®sunlight¡¯?¡± Duncan raised his eyebrows, a smile appearing on his face, then became slightly emotional, ¡°You¡¯re getting more and more precise with the control now¨Cinitially, just using a small flame to boil water would even burn your own hair.¡±


    Nina narrowed her eyes slightly: ¡°Mm, and burn those Profound Demons and Spirit World Shadows that happened to pass by.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I suspect they didn¡¯t just happen to pass by.¡±


    ¡°Not a big problem.¡±


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    Both fell silent at the same time.


    After a long while, Nina broke the silence in a soft voice, ¡°¡­ We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Duncan murmured, he meant to say something more, but before he could speak, the vague patch of color on the edge of his vision suddenly expanded, turning into a calm, mirror-like sea surface, along with islands above the sea.


    ¡°Transition¡­ complete.¡±

 Chapter 829 - Chapter 829: Chapter 826: The Last Gathering

    Chapter 829: Chapter 826: The Last Gathering


    The jump was over, Homeloss and Brilliant Starship emerged from the uniform grey-white ¡°background color¡± and, with a slight shaking and trembling, the two ships entered a water surface calm as a mirror.


    After such a long pilgrimage to the edge of the world, both ships finally returned to where everything began¨Cto their initial arrival node¨Cthe resting place of the Leviathan Queen.


    Compared to when they left, it seemed as though nothing had changed here; the sea was still tranquil, and the dark-colored archipelagos floating on the Endless Sea remained concealed in fog, with the largest island revealing its vague silhouette deep within the mist, almost dream-like in its appearance.


    It was just much quieter than before¨Cbecause even the smallest ripples had vanished on the water surface, and the faint murmurs that had persisted in the mist were now gone; even the sound of the wind passing over the deck seemed vague and distant as it reached their ears.


    Everyone came up on the deck, gathering near the ship¡¯s guardrail at the foredeck, staring at the long-lost archipelagos and sea surface. After a long time, Nina was the first to break the silence: ¡°Unknowingly¡­ we¡¯ve been sailing at the edge of the world for so long¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, so long that I almost forgot this journey had a limit,¡± Morris quietly stood next to Nina, red ruby lenses embedded in his eyes adjusting focus, ¡°¡­ I think, I¡¯ll remember everything we¡¯ve seen and heard along the way.¡±


    Fenna glanced back at the old man: ¡°Then it must be another series of discoveries and corresponding academic papers that will astonish the world.¡±


    Morris paused for two or three seconds: ¡°Nobody writes or reads papers now¨Cthe world has begun cooling, no discovery can shock those gradually cooling ashes.¡±


    Fenna shook her head: ¡°Then leave it for the distant future¨Cwhen flames reignite and people start thinking again, seeking knowledge and wisdom.¡±


    Sherry leaned over the railing, gazing into the distance for a while, then finally murmured to herself softly: ¡°Ah, we are back indeed.¡±


    Duncan stood behind everyone, now feeling gaze after gaze finally resting on him: his crew members were waiting for his orders.


    Duncan was already prepared for this moment¨Cwhen it really arrived, he simply took a breath and calmly ordered, ¡°We dock next to the island with the temple, then everyone transfers to the Brilliant Starship to leave, and afterwards we can maintain contact through fire.¡±


    Lucrecia opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately, she remained silent.


    ¡°Before that,¡± Duncan continued, ¡°let¡¯s go to the dining room for one last meal together.¡±


    Footsteps came from not far away; it was Alice coming up the deck. The doll lady had finished her steering work and came here to find the captain and her companions.


    ¡°Alice, it¡¯s time to showcase your culinary skills,¡± Duncan turned his head, smiling at the doll approaching, ¡°We¡¯re going to have a meal together next.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Alice hesitated for a moment, but soon her face blossomed into a bright smile, brushing her head with happiness she nodded: ¡°Ah! Great!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring Luny and Niru along,¡± Lucrecia immediately said, ¡°They can help in the kitchen¨Cand by the way, there¡¯s also fine wine stored aboard the Brilliant Starship.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help too!¡± Nina quickly spoke, her voice brimming with sunny enthusiasm and warmth, ¡°With my help, the cooking will be fast!¡±


    Alice looked somewhat at a loss at this scene, subconsciously waving her hands: ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need for so many people, I can do it alone¡­¡±


    Suddenly stopping, the doll seriously thought for a moment and sighed helplessly: ¡°Alright, if you want to help, then come along¡­¡±


    Thus, a special meal was quickly prepared. As Homeloss sailed through the archipelagos, through the haze, slowly approaching the black island with the towering temple, Duncan and his followers gathered in the ship¡¯s dining room.


    The long table that had hosted many meals and welcomed every visitor aboard was once again placed in the center of the dining room. Nina ignited every lantern on the adjacent columns with her brilliantly radiant flames, while Luny and Alice arranged the sumptuous food and wine on the long table. At the edge of all things, brightness and warmth briefly reappeared¨Cas if to make one forget the endless long night above the Endless Sea and the piercing cold permeating the world outside the cabin.


    Then, Duncan sat at the center of the table, with Nina to his left and Alice to his right position, and next to them, in order, sat Morris, Sherry, the dog, the sailor, Luny, Niru, and even the pigeon Ai Yi and Agatha in her phantom form, who did not need to eat, also had their respective places.


    At the ends of the long table, three chairs remained vacant¨CDuncan had prepared these three spots, yet he did not mention for whom they were reserved.


    As everyone took their seats, the tiny doll Niru climbed from her chair onto the table, hugging a huge wine bottle, she began running around, pouring the exotic fragrance-emitting, blood-red wine¨Cfrom the Brilliant Starship mistress¡¯s private collection¨Cinto everyone¡¯s glasses, reflecting a sunlight-like radiance within the glass.


    Duncan picked up the wine glass, but suddenly remembered something, stood up, and looked around, his expression becoming a bit subtle.


    After a while, his lips twitched slightly, and he silently moved his chair to the opposite side of the long table.


    Seeing this, Alice immediately followed without hesitation, naturally continuing to sit to Duncan¡¯s right, while Ai Yi fluttered over, and the people on the other side of the table looked at the captain¡¯s inexplicable actions with slightly bewildered expressions.


    ¡°That spot was unlucky,¡± Duncan tugged at his mouth, unsure how to explain the odd association in his mind to the others, then gestured to the people across the table, ¡°Don¡¯t move, it¡¯s good to sit like this¨Cthis is lucky.¡±


    The people across ¡°blinks and blinks¡± as they listened to Duncan¡¯s explanation, none able to follow the captain¡¯s train of thought. Maurice realized that this seemed to be a long-lost, captain-only ¡°Subspace joke,¡± while Nina, after blinking several times, suddenly burst into laughter.


    Duncan glared: ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just suddenly feeling relieved,¡± Nina looked at Duncan across the table with a grin, ¡°You saying ¡®unlucky¡¯ so seriously at this moment reassures me more than anything you¡¯ve said to me before.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s eyes twitched, understanding the implications of Nina¡¯s words, but he didn¡¯t say much, just coughing lightly, ¡°Cough, as I told you before, this is the last supper on the ship. After it ends, we will dock at Leviathan Queen¡¯s Sleeping Island, and then we will act separately, understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, understood, Uncle Duncan,¡± Nina looked at Duncan across the table, her eyes gleaming, then she raised her glass with a hint of expectation, ¡°So can I have some fermented grape juice or wheatfruit juice today?¡±


    Duncan felt as if it¡¯s been a long time since he last heard Nina say this to him.


    A smile appeared on his face, and he gently nodded, ¡°Today you can, Sherry, you too¨Ctoday, no need to sneak around drinking.¡±


    Sherry, who was swinging her wine glass in her hand, suddenly startled at the captain¡¯s words, raising her neck unconsciously: ¡°I have never sneaked a drink!¡±


    Duncan looked at Sherry with a half-smile: ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice that the bottles, glasses, and liquor were all various ¡®mirrors¡¯ when you sneak drinks from the ship¡¯s stash?¡±


    Sherry was dumbstruck: ¡°¡­¡±


    Duncan shook his head with a smile and raised his wine glass: ¡°Here¡¯s to the journey.¡±


    Thus, everyone with hands raised their glasses, those with mouths and throats drank, and those who couldn¡¯t drink splashed the wine on the floor of Homeloss, toasting to the ship.


    Even Ai Yi earnestly dipped its beak into the glass, appearing more solemn than ever.


    Alice then stood up, beginning to serve soup and cakes to everyone around the long table¨Cshe opened the central soup pot, inside was a rich fish soup, a meal that everyone on the ship must eat after boarding. Beside the soup pot was a large plate of golden-brown sweet pancakes, a delicacy from Prand, and the captain¡¯s favorite food.


    After Alice served the food, Niru ran up to the table, holding bowls of soup and plates of cakes, and delivered them to everyone¨Cthis tiny doll, only as tall as an adult¡¯s arm, was agilely running across the table, her recently birthed intelligence seemingly unable to comprehend ¡°what this journey meant,¡± but she looked overjoyed.


    ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t expect such a little one could do things now,¡± Sherry watched her curiously run around on the table, incredulous in her tone, ¡°I remember when I first saw her she couldn¡¯t move, lying in a wooden box, said to be Luny¡¯s sister, lying in a doll shop for a hundred years¡­¡±


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    ¡°Niru¡¯s awakening was very successful, and the subsequent infusion of reason and humanity went unimaginably smoothly,¡± Lucy casually mentioned, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s due to the special environment of the border along with Luny¡¯s influence¡­ this little one had a tendency to be ¡®activated¡¯ from the start.¡±


    Niru ran to Lucy, happily placing down the soup bowl, stretching out her arms, making a tiny voice: ¡°Tendency!¡±


    Duncan watched this scene with a gentle smile, and after a while, he suddenly said: ¡°Have you guys thought about the new world?¡±


    Nina paused for a moment, seemingly not catching his meaning right away: ¡°The new world¡­ matters?¡±


    ¡°In the new world, what do you want? Or rather¡­¡± Duncan thought for a moment, seriously looking at each person across the long table, ¡°What does the new world look like in your imagination?¡±

 Chapter 830 - Chapter 830: Chapter 827 Farewell

    Chapter 830: Chapter 827 Farewell


    The people across the long table looked at each other in dismay, none of them speaking for a while¨Cthey hadn¡¯t expected the captain to suddenly pose such a question, nor were they certain what the question really meant.


    It was quite a while before Nina seemed to come around. She thought hard and then spoke softly, ¡°Probably¡­ a very safe place? I can¡¯t imagine¡­ I think the best place was Prand before the sun had issues. Of course, it would be better if it was a bit more spacious. The City-State was really a bit too crowded, especially after taking a boat out to sea. The world is so wide, yet there is so little space for people to stand on¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, there will be a much wider habitable zone, much safer than now,¡± Duncan smiled and then turned to look at Sherry sitting beside Nina, ¡°What about you? What do you hope the new world has?¡±


    Sherry, with a mouthful of biscuit, muttered indistinctly: ¡°I haven¡¯t thought that much, just to be fed and kept warm¨Cthat would be great. And maybe, if possible, the utility bills could be a bit cheaper.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a demand for ¡®society¡¯, not for the ¡®world¡¯,¡± Duncan shook his head gently, ¡°Think again?¡±


    Chewing on her biscuit, Sherry¡¯s gaze started to drift as if she was seriously pondering something, then she forcefully swallowed the food in her mouth: ¡°Then¡­ my thoughts are similar to Nina¡¯s, a safer and more spacious place. You¡¯re right, the rest depends on ¡®people¡¯¡­ Oh, right! Agatha and I want a big house, or just a big empty plot will do, where we can live without disturbances, where Agatha can confidently run around everywhere¡­¡±


    Duncan nodded with a smile, and his gaze fell on Morris who was sitting nearby.


    ¡°As a scholar, I¡¯m very aware that a society composed of people is never perfect. Even if the environment becomes safer, the group itself will create new troubles. But that¡¯s also one of the reasons why a society can change and develop,¡± Morris shrugged, ¡°So instead of imagining what a ¡®perfect¡¯ new world looks like, I hope there are more research opportunities, more things worth studying¨C


    ¡°More phenomena never seen before, more incredible places, more distant lands worth traveling to. I hope there are real principles to be deeply investigated behind things, rather than encountering all sorts of ¡®barriers¡¯ and ¡®contradictions¡¯ at the end of every research. I hope knowledge is no longer dangerous, that students don¡¯t have to fear for their lives every time they open a book, I hope ¡®people¡¯ can go farther, and not be bound by unspeakable horrors, forever trapped in their own spawning grounds.¡±


    Morris exhaled softly, his face inadvertently carrying a smile: ¡°If possible, that would really be a good place¡­¡±


    ¡°I just wish I could regain my sense of taste and normal sleep,¡± the sailor who had been mostly silent muttered, ¡°I haven¡¯t slept well in centuries.¡±


    ¡°As for me, I¡¯d like to see¡­ what the ¡®continent¡¯ is like,¡± Fenna spoke next, her face full of thought and memory, slowly continuing, ¡°Vast and fertile land, many cities and ¡®nations¡¯ thriving on the earth, people able to travel between cities via more convenient transport¡­ I¡¯m very curious about what that would actually look like.¡±


    ¡°Is that possible? Such a large area?¡± Sherry asked, eyes wide in surprise, ¡°As big as the ocean?¡±


    Fenna looked at Sherry with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile: ¡°Didn¡¯t you just wish for a more ¡®spacious¡¯ place? The continent is more spacious than the City-State.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips: ¡°That¡¯s just what I said¡­ I can¡¯t imagine it either¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can¡¯t imagine things we¡¯ve never seen,¡± Agatha¡¯s shadow floated beside the dining table, her voice carrying a hint of ethereal, ¡°So I have almost no ideas about the new world¨Cafter all, it has to be a good place. All I hope is to keep traveling, together with Homeloss. My time on this ship has been the shortest, yet I¡¯ve seen many landscapes that I¡¯ve never seen in my memory. But this journey is coming to an end¡­ it is truly regrettable.¡±


    ¡°Then I also hope to be on the Homeloss then!¡± Sherry¡¯s eyes lit up suddenly, ¡°After all, it¡¯s most interesting to run around with this ship!¡±


    ¡°¡­Me too,¡± Nina laughed as well, rocking her body back and forth on the chair, ¡°It would be the best if we could go back to Homeloss.¡±


    Nina and Sherry¡¯s eyes simultaneously fell on Duncan, but after sneaking a peek, they both looked simultaneously toward the ¡°Witch of the Sea¡± who had remained silent all along.


    Lucricia had been silent all along, still seemingly absent-mindedly sitting in her place, and it wasn¡¯t until she felt the gaze on her that the ¡°Miss Witch¡± was suddenly startled into awareness.


    ¡°Will the Brilliant Starship and my crew have a place in the new world too?¡± she asked curiously, ¡°Including Luny, Niru, and Rabi, and those tinplate male servants and wooden female servants I made¡­ does the new world still allow such beings?¡±


    Ever since the beginning, Duncan had been silently listening to the discussions of his crew around the table, listening to them sketching out the shape of the new world with their imaginations, listening to their expectations for the future, gradually as if he was immersed in his own thoughts. It was only when he heard Lucricia¡¯s question that he suddenly awoke from his thoughts.


    After seriously organizing his thoughts and words, he slowly began to speak: ¡°They will have a place¨Cevery soul will have a place to dwell.¡±


    The next second, Sherry and Nina simultaneously exclaimed: ¡°Will Homeloss be there too?¡±


    ¡°¡­Homeloss will be there,¡± Duncan hesitated for a moment, then nodded seriously, ¡°In some form¡­ I will make sure all of this reaches the new world in the most appropriate way possible. Then, you will be able to return to Homeloss, and I will take you on a further voyage.¡±


    Lucricia¡¯s face slowly blossomed into a pleased smile: ¡°Well, this time take my brother along¨Ceven with the whole Endless Sea and border barriers between us, I can almost feel his resentment.¡±


    Duncan grew silent for a few seconds, finally nodding solemnly: ¡°Alright.¡±


    Upon hearing this response, Lucricia exhaled lightly, stood up, and raised her glass.


    ¡°Then let us toast to the new world,¡± she said with a smile.


    Agatha stood up and raised a toast: ¡°To the new world!¡±


    ¡°To the captain!¡±


    ¡°To Homeloss!¡±


    ¡°To the future!¡±


    ¡°To¡­ ugh, I don¡¯t even know what to say, just drink the damn thing!¡±


    Everyone raised their glasses at the dining table. Nina was already quite tipsy with a brilliant smile on her face after drinking plenty of wheat juice and fermented grape juice. ¡°Sherry, pour some for Ai Yi. It doesn¡¯t have hands¡­ By the way, how can this bird drink so much? It¡¯s finished already?¡±


    Then she looked to the other side: ¡°Luny, come join us for a toast¡­ Niru wants to join too? Can Niru drink anything?¡±


    The little doll immediately shouted with a glass almost the size of her head: ¡°She can!¡±


    As soon as the voice fell, the little one had drained the glass in one gulp. The red wine overflowed from the joints of her neck, soaking her beautiful doll dress completely.


    Luny exclaimed in surprise, apologizing to the hostess on her sister¡¯s behalf while hurrying over with a handkerchief to help Niru clean up.


    Nina wanted to come over and help: ¡°Hey, it won¡¯t get dry. Let me dry her out, don¡¯t let her move around¡­¡±


    Sherry immediately grabbed Nina¡¯s collar from behind: ¡°Don¡¯t! You¡¯ll burn it to a crisp! What happened to that white dress with the blue edges of yours?¡±


    The dog sat amidst the chaos, calm and unmoving, gulping wine into his neck with both paws, the liquid sizzling loudly in his chest before being instantly evaporated. He mumbled with his oversized skeletal head swaying: ¡°This wine is tasteless¡­ It would be great if I could have normal taste in the new world¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, he felt an oppressive gaze coming from the front and immediately shrunk his neck to look up. Seeing the captain looking this way, smiling, he heard: ¡°You can have it.¡±


    ¡°If I had known it was going to turn into a mess, I would have brought Rabi,¡± Lucresia said, looking at the sudden chaos on the dining table and shaking her head helplessly. ¡°That rabbit loves chaos, it creates chaos even when there isn¡¯t any¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it would¡¯ve been good to bring Rabi,¡± Luny sighed along, while holding the soaking wet Niru in one arm and futilely wiping off the wine from the little doll¡¯s body with a handkerchief in the other, ¡°Rabi is really good at soaking things up.¡±


    Lucresia sighed, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t bully Rabi just because you¡¯re not afraid of nightmares. I know you used him to wipe the table last time.¡±


    Luny immediately bowed her head: ¡°Mistress, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Niru, held aloft by her sister, also cheerfully raised her hand: ¡°Sorry!¡±


    ¡°¡­Forget it, don¡¯t wipe her anymore, just go back and have both doll and dress soaked and washed in a tub.¡±


    Duncan sat across the dining table, arms crossed, with a calm smile on his face, watching this familiar yet chaotic scene.


    It was like going back to the beginning, when Alice first proudly served her fish soup, and her own head was stewing in the pot.


    And then, it was time for them to leave.


    The Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship moved slowly, but eventually they reached the black island with towering temples and a pilgrim road.


    The farewells that had to be said were said.


    A little paper boat flew to the edge of the Homeloss¡¯s deck, expanded into a shuttle large enough to hold everyone. Lucresia stood on the small boat, with Luny holding Niru beside her mistress.


    Sherry, the dog, Nina, Maurice, Fenna, the sailors, and the phantom form of Agatha¡­


    One by one, they left the Homeloss and stood on the paper boat.


    Duncan stood on the deck, silently watching this scene.


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    Then, he saw Nina and Sherry turn around, followed by Fenna and Maurice and the others¨Cthey had smiles on their faces, waving at him.


    Lucresia¡¯s face beamed with the brightest smile.


    Every time you say goodbye, you have to smile, so if you can never see each other again, at least the last memory in your mind will be a radiant smile.


    So Duncan smiled too, waving hard at everyone.


    And then, they left.

 Chapter 831 - Chapter 831: Chapter 828: The Ultimate and The Original

    Chapter 831: Chapter 828: The Ultimate and The Original


    The Brilliant Starship gently adjusted its angle near the coast, and the luminous wheels on either side of the hull began to emit a low moan as it started to accelerate, slowly sailing into the boundless mist, faster and faster, further and further, until it completely vanished from Duncan¡¯s gaze.


    Duncan stood for a long time on the prow of the Homeloss, gazing into the thick fog where the silhouette had disappeared. Even when it was no longer visible, he continued to look in that direction for quite some time before finally withdrawing his gaze, to see a Gothic doll in a magnificent, deep purple dress standing by his side.


    The doll was also looking into the distance, and almost simultaneously withdrew her gaze as well.


    Meanwhile, the plump white pigeon perched on Alice¡¯s shoulder, cocked its head and stared intently at its owner with its mung bean eyes.


    Homeloss was now quiet. Without Sherry and Nina¡¯s playful bickering, without Morris¡¯s habit of gazing out at the sea or brooding in thought, without Fenna always sitting on a barrel carving amulets, and without Agatha¡¯s mysterious disappearing and reappearing acts¨Con such a spacious and empty deck, only the captain and the doll stood together.


    And, of course, that abstract and gluttonous fat pigeon.


    ¡°They¡¯ve all left, huh¡­¡± After a while, Alice murmured softly.


    Duncan wasn¡¯t immediately sure if Miss Doll¡¯s remark was a sigh of emotion or a statement of fact she had just realized.


    When everyone else had left, she had stayed without giving it any thought, with a natural and logical demeanor. Duncan never gave her any specific orders, and she didn¡¯t ask any questions, as if from the very start she knew she would stay; she even treated staying on Homeloss as something obvious and inevitable¨Cthis made Duncan curious.


    ¡°When others left, you didn¡¯t ask me if you could stay,¡± he looked into the eyes of Miss Doll, ¡°Did you not even give it a thought?¡±


    Alice smiled, seemingly without a microsecond of hesitation, ¡°Of course I¡¯m staying!¡±


    She responded so simply, and besides this answer, there seemed to be no other reason in her mind¨Cor rather, she didn¡¯t think that this matter required any reason.


    Duncan watched her steadily and then suddenly smiled, shaking his head and gesturing around, ¡°Look, it seems like it has become just like it was at the beginning again.¡±


    Alice looked around curiously and quickly caught on, ¡°Right, it¡¯s just you and me again on this ship¡­ ah, and the pigeon, and the first officer.¡±


    Ai Yi, perched on the doll¡¯s shoulder, tilted his head and suddenly started flapping his wings vigorously while emitting a noisy and sharp female voice: ¡°Initializing settings, initializing settings!¡±


    Duncan looked deeply at the pigeon, a fragment of his hometown, and spoke softly and thoughtfully: ¡°¡­Yes, initializing settings. Time to proceed to the next step.¡±


    As he spoke, he turned around and without looking back, waved to Alice, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Alice, it¡¯s time to fulfill the promise to Gomona.¡±


    ¡°Aye! Yes, captain!¡± ¡°Aye, aye, captain!¡±


    ¡­


    The mist drifted around softly, like a thin yet endlessly overlapping curtain, gradually enclosing on the scale of the entire world. The blurred shadow in the direction of the ship¡¯s stern shifted from clear to vague, ultimately disappearing completely into the endless fog¨CThe Brilliant Starship was about to reach the boundary of the ¡°Islands Sea Area.¡± From this location, Homeloss, which was left next to the ¡°Temple Island,¡± was wholly out of sight.


    Lukrecia stood with others on the highest deck of the Brilliant Starship, and no one was willing to withdraw their gaze from the fog that no longer bore a trace of the familiar silhouette.


    ¡°¡­At first, I thought I was going to be ¡®cursed¡¯ to stay on that ship for a lifetime,¡± Sherry murmured softly, ¡°I was scared to death back then¡­¡±


    Not far away, a piece of clothesline was tied between a railing and a flagpole, where a wet little doll, Niru, was hung on the clothesline, passing through the sleeves of her arms, swinging back and forth. This little one with an incomplete mind seemed to sense the change in mood too, and she looked at the silent others with some unease and then at her mistress with a hint of worry, whispering, ¡°Mistress¡­ unhappy?¡±


    Lukrecia turned to look at the swaying little doll and a gentle smile appeared on her face: ¡°No, just thinking.¡±


    ¡°Thinking!¡± Niru immediately echoed, unsure whether she was asking a question or habitually repeating the last two syllables of what others said.


    Lukrecia didn¡¯t mind and continued to speak to herself, ¡°Yes, thinking¨Cthinking about what to do next. In the future, you will think like this too, your mind will grow, just like your sister¨Cboth of you possess a ¡®heart¡¯ I meticulously crafted.¡±


    Niru stared blankly for a moment while hanging on the clothesline, then began to happily swing: ¡°A heart!¡±


    It was at this moment that a sailor broke the silence: ¡°We are nearing the border of the physical sea¨CMs. Lukrecia, if we go further, we¡¯ll fall into the disordered time stream, it¡¯s time to enter the next leg of our journey.¡±


    Lukrecia nodded slightly, her gaze shifting sideways.


    In the slowly flowing fog, a blurry female silhouette stood there, nodding back at Lukrecia.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s all on you and the sailors, Ms. Agatha.¡±


    ¡°No need to be polite, it¡¯s all by the captain¡¯s orders.¡± Agatha¡¯s somewhat ethereal voice came from the air, followed by her phantom gradually dissipating into the mist.


    Then, a strange and deep roaring suddenly arose from the depths of the Brilliant Starship, starting from beneath everyone¡¯s feet¨Cas if some colossal beast was awakening in the lower deck, surfacing from the sea, the roaring and vibrations gradually enveloping the entire ship. The Homeloss¡¯s reflection, taken away by Agatha, also began to appear in this material dimension!


    The massive phantom descended swiftly, reversing out of the shadow realm, rapidly surfacing from the still sea around, which was as smooth as a mirror, and with an unstoppable momentum, it merged swiftly with the Brilliant Starship.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened as she watched the surrounding deck begin to burn vigorously; the false, ghostly green flames inch by inch devouring all parts of the ship, the towering smokestack transformed into a dark-colored mast, the floating steam and smoke became the Spiritual Body¡¯s sails, and the wooden deck extended in her vision, with a lofty wheelhouse and the dark, gloomy steering wheel at the end of the deck.


    For a moment, she even felt like she was back on the Homeloss.


    But this illusion was merely momentary; after all, a phantom is just a phantom, and at a close distance, she could swiftly distinguish many details that should belong to the Brilliant Starship.


    However, this level of ¡°Projection Fusion¡± was already enough for anomaly 077 to fulfill his duty as the ¡°Homeloss¡¯s helmsman¡±.


    The withered and hunched mummy solemnly adjusted the sailor uniform on his body, then nodded to Lucrecia and stepped toward the towering wheelhouse in the phantom blaze not far away. He walked up the projected stairs to the platform and grasped the dark, heavy steering wheel¨Chollow howls and echoes seemed to come from deep within the phantom, eventually turning into cheers of return.


    ¡°Return¨Cvoyage!¡± The sailor forcefully turned the steering wheel in his hands, shouting out loud in his signature hoarse voice, ¡°We¡¯re heading home!¡±


    ¡­


    Distant howls seemed to travel from the edge of the Endless Sea; Duncan, who was walking through the ruins of the ¡°Pilgrimage Path,¡± stopped in his tracks and looked back in the direction from where the faint noise seemed to originate.


    Alice walking beside him also stopped and looked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Duncan turned back and said softly, ¡°¡­They¡¯ve set sail for home, all is well.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s great,¡± Alice smiled happily, ¡°I wonder how it¡¯s going over there with Prand¡­¡±


    ¡°Prand¡­ is still okay for now.¡±


    Duncan said slowly, sensing that distant and vague ¡°signal¡± crossing time and space.


    He could still sense the situation with Prand, whose ¡°incarnation¡± remained in the antique shop, still following the instructions he had given, but he could clearly feel that this connection was growing increasingly unstable.


    This wasn¡¯t due to environmental influences, nor was it related to the ¡°distant distance¡± of the ¡°World¡¯s End¡±¡­ it was an inevitable change as the part of ¡°Zhou Ming¡± that was a ¡°Reverse Singularity¡± continued to grow and awaken over time.


    The fragile Shelter can¡¯t bear the direct observation of the Reverse Singularity; a gaze that exceeds the Endless Sea would annihilate the Endless Sea in that mere 0.002 seconds of attention.


    This was also why he had to let Nina, Maurice, and others return to the Endless Sea to act as his ¡°eyes¡±¨Cbecause he was soon going to lose the capability to observe the Endless Sea himself.


    After a moment of sensing, Duncan began to carefully control the connection between himself and those distant avatars. He felt the degree of ¡°awakening¡± within his own essence, and once again reduced the activity level of his avatars¨Cnow, he had already shut off the avatar¡¯s sense of taste and smell and blocked the perception of heat, cold, and pain, blocking all those fragile and complex sensations that belong to ¡°human.¡±


    These sensations were once very important to him. The perceptions of heat, cold, the keenness to pain, and the preciousness of fatigue and sleep, all helped him maintain his cognitive baseline as a ¡°human¡± for a long time, but now, he had to turn them off one by one to extend his observation of the Endless Sea as much as possible.


    He wished to at least hold on until Nina returned home safely.


    ¡°Captain?¡±


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    A worried voice came from beside him; Duncan turned his head to see the doll looking anxiously in this direction, cautiously shaking his sleeve.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Alice asked concernedly, ¡°You don¡¯t look very good.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s expression slowly softened.


    Even without the ¡°information¡± conveyed by those avatars, he could still sustain his human side.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. They have already set off, and we still have a long journey ahead of us.¡±